a delightful picnic day.

[thunderwave]

Who: Everyone!
What: PokeBalls are now functional, and there are a lot more friends in Tabula Rasa.
Where: Outside of Heavenly Blanc! It's a picnic, baby.
When: You know, now-ish.
Content Warnings: Cute. Dragons. Birbs.

It seemingly happens at random, for the trainers of the creatures they call Pokemon. Sudden bursts of light, and out emerge quite a few new friends. Pokemon of different Types, shapes, and sizes are now wandering around . . . sticking close to their trainers, probably.

There's a small gathering outside of the Heavenly Blanc, with various snacks and food set out on tables outside. Feel free to come by, play with Pokemon, and have a bite to eat! It's a random assortment of food and drink, all "foraged" and/or made by the Pokemon crew in order to celebrate their partners being released and to also introduce them to their friends they've made in Tabula Rasa!

Be careful of the rumbling storm nearby, though . . . but on the bright side, at least your phones seem to be working, if you have any? Time to take selfies with your new friends, or maybe a TikTok that just stays on your phone forever.

(Trainers will have top levels, if they want, so if you want to interact with a specific trainer, you can wait for their level! Otherwise, have fun at the picnic.)

Comments

[crystaltower]

I see...

[He watches the group of Pokemon for a good long moment, his calm smile not leaving his face, as he considers the offer.

Once upon a not-very-long-ago time, it would have been a simpler matter to politely decline. He didn’t need to eat much very often, and when he did it was usually for the social aspect of enjoying a meal rather than out of a need to eat. Now, however, he most certainly does need to eat, and right now he’s hungry.]

...perhaps. On the provision, of course, that it is no intrusion.

[rotomphone]

[ well that seems a little silly to Raihan. even if you don't need to eat, being in the company of dragons isn't an opportunity that comes up every day! and besides, what better method is there to do away with that aforementioned lack of closeness than to spend time with people like this? ]

Of course it isn't! The more, the merrier. [ he waves the Exarch over, gesturing to the tray of sandwiches that's been laid out on the picnic blanket for the taking. ] Besides, I should probably be the one asking about intrusions...

[ namely because now that the Exarch is lingering, more of Raihan's Pokémon are getting curious. this man is human shaped, but something about him is different... Torkoal is the first to investigate, looking up at the Exarch with a slightly confused expression. ] Alright, don't crowd. You can all say hello after we've eaten.

[crystaltower]

If you’re certain.

[There’s some light, slightly awkward laughter as the Pokemon sniff at him, even as he moves to sit, not realising that the tip of his fluffy, twitching tail has snuck out from under his robes.]

I remember Duraludon, of course, but I don’t know your other friends. They’re quite fascinating.

[They certainly seem friendly! Though the Exarch is a little reluctant to reach out and touch the firey adamantoise that approaches him without some clear indication it would be welcomed.]

[rotomphone]

[ he hasn't noticed the tail (mostly because he isn't looking for it), but Flygon certainly has, as a fellow tail-owner. while Raihan's team are completely lacking in fur in favour of scales and rougher, reptilian skin, they know the difference between it and human hair. how strange! ]

Yeah... they sort of took a while to show up. [ he's learned now that it's the easiest way to describe what happened, without getting into the nitty gritty of how Poké Balls function. they were around, but they... also sort of weren't? it's complicated. ] Were you lucid for that weird collective nightmare we all had? They were around for that, at least.

[ which was absolutely a blessing - if he didn't have his team at their full capacity, he's sure he wouldn't have gotten out physically unscathed. ]

Right! Quick introductions are in order, then. [ he takes a quick swig of his water bottle, casually pointing out each creature and their names. Duraludon raises an arm in greeting - no introductions needed. ] Goodra, Turtonator, Torkoal, Flygon - all trained by yours truly!

[crystaltower]

I was not, no...

[And actually, nobody’s really talked about it to him just yet. One of the problems that comes with keeping yourself at a certain distance. He really ought to try and connect more. It’s not like in the Crystarium.

He’s turning into a right old hermit, isn’t he?

Still, he gives the unfamiliar creatures a warm smile, before finally helping himself to one of the offered sandwiches.]

Friends from home, then. I imagine it’s a great relief to have them with you, though it means they are also trapped here and subject to the same... [he gestures vaguely, not sure how to describe ‘insane reality’ in a nice, formal way] strangeness as the rest of us. Still, I think it’s better to be together than not. How are they faring?

[After all, he has no reason to expect they can speak for themselves any more than a chocobo can, though given Duraludon’s clear intelligence they are likely intelligent enough to give him an answer through other means.]

[rotomphone]

Hah! Consider yourself lucky you got a good night's sleep, then... but I'll give you all the gory details if you want them for your notes.

[ he hasn't forgotten about the Exarch's written history project, and fully intends to keep helping with it when he can. a widespread nightmare definitely counts as a historic event in a place like this, right? ]

"Relief" is putting it mildly! Having Duraludon around helped a lot at first, but both of us were really starting to miss the rest of the team. Things just don't feel quite right unless everyone is around, you know? [ he smiles, softer and less boisterous than usual. he really is thankful for everyone being back. ] Well enough, I think. Seeing Hammerlocke the way it was gave them a bit of a fright, but that's to be expected.

[ Flygon frowns a bit at the mention of the ruined town, moving to lie low to the ground and resting his head in Raihan's lap. without missing a beat, his hand moves to pet him soothingly on the crown of his head. ]

We've trained ourselves to weather any kind of storm thrown at us. This is a weird one, but we're all managing.

[crystaltower]

If you could, I would greatly appreciate it. If it is not recorded, the memory will surely fade with time... or so one might assume.

[Nothing does quite work as it should, after all.]

...I am sure that wherever your home might be, it remains as it was when last you saw it. All else here is but a confused mockery of what we know, after all, and so surely Hammerlocke is no different. I am not sure if that's much reassurance to your friends, of course, for seeing one's ruined home does little to inspire hope.

[Though his voice is as calm and even as ever, there's something in the way he lowers his head and drops his smile that says he knows that from personal experience.

He lifts a hand, as if to touch one of the Pokemon that has drawn closer to him, but hesitates before he does and lays his hand back in his lap.]

[rotomphone]

Not if I have anything to say about it! If I can make my words historical record, there's no way I'll pass it up.

[ his tone is a bit cheeky, but the sentiment is genuine. he'd expressed his zeal for history to the Exarch when they had started their back-and-forth about the subject, and that hasn't dimmed in the least over his time here. ]

I told them as much, but I bet it sounds better from someone that isn't me.

[ he smiles, because it does indeed look like his team members have perked up - Goodra, Turtonator and Flygon all have their eyes curiously on the Exarch. it's Torkoal who decides to take the plunge and investigate him first, looking up at him with a curious headtilt. ]

Don't be shy! None of them bite - I mean, not unless I tell them to.