TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 10

[avalonmods]

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ SUMMARY: New arrivals drop into the lake and have to climb up a cliff to the Rent a Ride, where they are given their device and some headphones and can retrieve their personal materials. They travel to Camelot, which is a multiple day journey, so they stop at the Red Springs along the way and stay at an inn there. A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival KERPLUNK, SPLASH! Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, helping to rescue any wayward travelers who look like they're struggling in the water. This month's helpers are giant pillow jellies, a species of jellyfish that is capable of ballooning itself at the surface to create bouncy pads for characters to hop across to the shore, should they choose or not be able to swim. They come in a variety of bioluminescent colors, but do not seem to be very talkative even to animal magic users. Those who try may find themselves being ignored, even if they hear the jellies talking amongst themselves about this and that. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. (Though.. given how hot and muggy the weather is this first week, maybe you might want to ask him to toss you right back into the lake where the waters are still cool.) *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones and a pair of ear buds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was recently enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go. These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with whole coconuts filled with tropical drinks and topped with tiny umbrellas. Strawberry daiquiris, pina coladas, margaritas, mai tais, and more... all frosty and in the spirit of keeping you cool during the sunny month of August. (Naturally, virgin editions are available for the underaged.) Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk. C ⦿ The Red Spring The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies. If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out! The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there. SUMMARY: The first attempt at using the mounts to travel en-masse up to fae territory is filled with problems: mandrake sprouts caused by recent murders drumming up requests to dig them up, two titanic creatures face off in the lake and catch characters in a maelstrom, and a mysterious underwater town with a strange curse being good neighbors with a last minute save... at a slight risk: becoming a merperson, naga, or cecaelian for a little while. With communications with Elphame in Celliwig disrupted by specters and Arthur temporarily decommissioned, the Hall of Mirrors is temporarily off limits for cleansing rituals. Celliwig has encouraged people to return to Camelot for the time being, which is just as well with all the newcomers flooding in. Last month's new arrivals through the old guard got an introduction to the new aquatic mounts and there are now plenty of people versed in how to handle and work with the magical alpacapies, mossatees, and deinosuchus. As scout parties head out further, there are a few problems that they've run into that need a helping hand from Camelot's otherworldly population. A ⦿ A Mandraconian Task Just as volunteers are asked to bring supplies for the journey to fae territory, a series of grisly murders involving strung up corpses appears around town (see this month's quest, "Not-So-Good Morning" for more details), and the dripping blood and fluids of these corpses seeps into the ground to give birth to strange, leafy plants that sprout leaves in all directions at once. They're small, and the locals seem weary of them, but ultimately they're breaking up pathways and making them into trip hazards... the locals recognize these plants as mandrake root, which is known in different cultures for... very different things. The mandrake root is a cursed plant that screams in a way that curdles blood enough to kill small creatures if they're too close and make a grown person go deaf. The reason anyone would pull them up however... well, their magical properties are astounding. It is said that Joan of Arc carried one in her possession to give her the power to take control of her own fate. Some religions claim that it has the ability to restore a person's fertility, and before clever manufacturers started using the name for tomatoes, Islamic tradition called the "apples of the jinn" and cause strong bouts of lust. Needless to say, a good many people are cautious about pulling them up, but more than willing to offer a fair sum of money to a newcomer who can get them out of the ground. The cause of their sprouting may be tragic, but there's no way that you're going to make it through town center with trip supplies without getting pulled aside and asked to help harvest the mandrake roots for a pretty penny... or maybe you're interested yourself. Either way, it may behoove you to practice a little magic with a friend to try to get them up. B ⦿ Clash of the Titans Finally everyone has gotten going and a mixture of brave Camelot citizens, Celliwigians, and otherworlders have headed back to Albion's White Cliffs to take off with their mounts (and partners... you're going to have to ride with someone, there aren't enough mounts for everyone to get their own!) and things are going well. It's about two days into the waters of Lake Avalon that things start to send a chill down your spine. Back on land, even for the first two days there, the weather had been hot and sunny, a beautiful summery start to August, but as the party starts to approach the southern banks of Dinas Emrys, they see a gargantuan beast run at bewildering speeds off the land and straight across the surface of the lake. The creature appears to be some kind of centipede formed of black clouds and lightning that illuminates its exoskeleton from inside of its body in deep purple and blue hues. Each of its legs kicks up a titanic wave headed straight for the party of explorers as it charges towards its target, what appears to be a tsunami wave containing a dark, shadowy figure emerging at least twenty stories above the water. The only part of it that isn't black are the blank, soulless eyes. As the lightning bug monster charges what some may recognize as an umibozu, it crashes into the tsunami wave and all three fall asunder... which is bad news for the traveling party, as the waters are now extremely choppy and lighting up with charges of the centipede's lightning. The result? As the two monsters dive down below the water, a maelstrom forms in their path and starts sucking everyone down! C ⦿ Fresh Waters Anyone who manages to escape the maelstrom will find that their mounts aren't moving forward this time around and are heading back where they came from, even with lost supplies. You may find yourself having to switch mounts with others nearby or talking to a strange beachball on the back of the alpacapie that's carrying your ass back to the White Cliffs... Or if you weren't so lucky, you may find yourself waking up on a slightly different shore. An underwater shore. An underwater town, in fact. After the initial panic of realizing that you're not drowning when you wake up settles in, you'll realize that you seem to be able to breathe underwater just fine. In fact, the real panic is probably about to start when you realize that like the fine people of this town that saved you, you've been temporarily gifted gills and a bottom lower half of either a merperson, a naga, or a cecaelia. Your caretaker, a nurse of the local town, offers the explanation that the only way to save everyone from drowning was to pull them into their territory, which is cursed to turn them all into sea monsters. Not to worry though, as long as you leave before the sun sets on the third day, you'll turn back to normal just fine. ...Though, they're not really sure when that was or if they battle is over, so you should probably find your friends and any possessions you had with you and start heading toward the surface. Not too much time to explore this strange, underwater town... especially since you don't have much practice not having legs to get you up to the surface. Don't worry, if you don't make it out in time, the Lady of the Lake will come fetch you... though perhaps not in time, so you may need to spend some time back in Camelot seeking out someone to break a curse. SUMMARY:After the recent event, people need to recover and heal. So Camelot's castle opens its doors for an open house, a swap meet and poetry battle auction, and a healing circle ritual. Arthur is injured and recovering, and news has spread on social media about it. There are lots of well-wishers and gifts being sent to the castle... enough that there's just too much for Arthur to do anything with it. He needs time to recover and rest and not be bothered, and as such declares that all those who need it shall share in the wealth and generosity of those wishing him well. The abundance (Especially from guilty Celliwigians who didn't realize what was happening right under their own noses) results in a few things happening... A ⦿ Open House Camelot's castle halls open up to all those who would like to come. Invitations are sent and a feast is prepared. A huge table with all manner of foods from different cultures is prepared. The only thing they ask is that you stay out of the wing of the castle that Arthur is resting in, as he is not available right now. Try new foods made from recipes from all around the different worlds or invite yourself to use the castle's royal public baths, remodeled from more ancient styles to include cool things like old architecture mixing with jacuzzi jets and waterfall shower rooms. There's even a water slide. It's more a water park than anything... Explore the library (except for the forbidden section, which has a very powerful magical barrier preventing entry-- even trying to tamper with it could result in your character glowing colors by their mood as punishment for messing with the magic). Those are dangerous texts in there! There's even a live show with a magician! Which sounds lame, but he's more or less showing off his skills in tricks, knife skills, and has a mean comedy routine to go with it. He's even willing to teach lucky volunteers how to escape death-defying stunts... hopefully. You may want to bring a buddy for backup. Or perhaps you're more interested in heading out to explore the rose gardens or finding a place to stay for the evening... don't worry, if you've had too much to drink or simply tired yourself out, you're welcome to stay in one of the guest rooms during this open house celebration. B ⦿ Swap Meet Not interested in exploring the castle? Well perhaps you'll enjoy the open-market bazaar that seems to have set up in the courtyard. All kinds of oddities are being exchanged in the castle courtyard and you may just find something rare.. or maybe it's a piece of crap. It's hard to tell, and the chances of getting swindled are just as high as the chances of getting an antique masterpiece. There is an auction for those willing to pay more for authenticity, but auctions in Camelot go a little bit differently... to win art, you must first prove yourself worthy of art-- all bid submissions must be performed in stanza. Haikus, rap, short poems-- all are valid, as long as they follow the rules of your chosen form of poetry and express why your bid deserves the win. The last person to falter wins their right to pay their bid, with at least 10,000G upped with each poetic rebuttal. C ⦿ Healing Circle After Party It's good to take care of yourself with a little fun, but if you're still stressed, hurt, traumatized, mildly upset, hung over, or just want to feel better about yourself, consider joining in some of the local witches and wizards in a meditative healing ritual. Step one: Gather herbs from the castle gardens. They've got all kinds, but you're looking for things like yarrow, apple blossoms, cinnamon, and lemon balm. Once you've gathered your herbs, join in the silent meditation circle with an available partner. Anyone is fine, but once you've entered the circle with someone, it's very important that you do not make any noise. Silence is important, and as you burn each of your herbs with your partner, you'll find that the smoke forms a barrier that surrounds the two of you. Put your hands together, and focus on the source of your pain. You will share your emotions with the person you're performing the spell with. They will feel everything you feel in that moment, and be able to share the burden without having to speak of or share what caused this pain. With the pain lightened, you will find that the smoke lights up and dissipates up at the top. Whether or not you choose to share with your newfound partner... well, that's up to you, but they sure are going to know how you're feeling right now, and that definitely wasn't warned about when you were asked to join the healing circle. MOD NOTES: • All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. •If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

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Raihan | Pokemon SwSh

[draigon]

I. Arrival - The Bay

[When Raihan is dropped unceremoniously into the Bay, his first priority, even underwater, is his Pokemon, and he reaches into his hoodie pockets to grab them. Upon realizing that his pockets are empty of them, he swims upward to take a deep gulp of air, then dives right back down again to find them.

It takes a bit of wrangling from the Lady to get him to stop trying to find his Pokemon (and his phone!!), and as she points to the cliffside, it dawns on him that she's trying to tell him that his things are up there, somehow.

The knowledge that his precious Pokemon and phone are safe relieves him enough that he doesn't make the trip right away, instead helping pull ashore some new arrivals who struggled in the water, as the Lady can't seem to touch dry land. When said new arrival is aware enough to look at and acknowledge him, he gives a reassuring smile and a wave.]

Alright, mate? Come on, we're almost there.

[Once everyone is out of the water, he has his headband off to let his dreadlocks dry in the air and sun, and as he makes his way to the cliffs, he runs his hand through them with a sigh.]

'Least we still look good. [The Shiny Applin that had greeted him at the shore seems to agree, hopping once in the hood of his jacket to let out a chirp. Raihan pats his pocket for his phone to take a selfie, then lets out yet another sigh, this one louder, and tips his head back after feeling nothing there again.] What utter rubbish.

II. A Moment - The White Cliffs

[When Raihan opens his Shit Box, his Rotom housed in his phone immediately comes flying out to press against his chest, and Raihan drops down on his ass both from relief and the force of it. About a hundred happy selfies later, Raihan finds three Ultra Balls that he knows contain his Pokemon, and he spends a moment sitting there with his forehead pressed against them. The joy of finding them is tangible, even though it's not all of his team. He'll have to find the rest somehow.

Thankfully, he has a bit of time before everyone needs to get on the carriage, so he sets free the Pokemon to see which ones they are. Out come Duraludon, Flygon, and Goodra, who all huddle around him affectionately and protectively.]

Guys! [Raihan gets his arms around them as much as he can. Sure, he's found himself in a place he doesn't know, but he's got some familiar faces here, and that makes him grin toothily. The Applin moves from his hood to his shoulder to greet them all as well, and the three Pokemon look down at it curiously.] I'll explain everything later! Group selfie time!

[He turns around as Rotom flies up a bit to get everyone in the shot, and he as well as the three Pokemon pose and give big smiles. The Applin is a bit unsure, but it'll learn! In the meantime, come check out his Pokemon before it's time to get on the carriage!]

III. Worlds Apart - The Red Spring

[The knowledge of his world being frozen in time has left Raihan reeling. His Goodra sits in the spring happily, her stubby, slimy arms patting at the water, while Raihan leans against her back on the floor, not bothering to get in. Instead, he scrolls through his phone - his, not Avalon's - and tries to see if he can contact anyone.

'Bzzt! Cannot connect, Master Raihan!''Bzzt! No service available, Master Raihan!' 'Cannot send message, Master Raihan, bzzt!' 'I'm so sorry, Master Raihan, bzzt...'

Ugh. It either can't connect or can't send messages through. Figures. And his whole timeline has stopped entirely; no new posts, no new likes or notifications, nothing. Not surprising, considering.

He lets out a huff of air as he tips his head back, letting it rest on top of his Goodra.]

I'll figure out a way to save you all. As your future Champion, I promise you that.

[He's talking to himself, but can definitely be heard. And while Raihan might be brooding, his Goodra is happy to play and interact with anyone!]

IV. Feeling Blue - Castle Grounds

[The library of the castle is massive, and Raihan wastes no time perusing the books, reading all of the spines and seeing what they have to offer. Of course, the area that's sealed off piqued his curiosity as well; how could it not? Telling someone not to go somewhere just makes them want to go even more!]

What do you say? [He looks at whoever's with him with a fanged grin.] I've had more than my fair share of breaking into places.

[But of course, later, it all turns out to be for naught, and Raihan instead sits at one of the tables, about ten books around him, glowing an odd radial gradient of red and green. Calm and otherwise content, but irritated. He tips back in his chair and takes a selfie before anything, his smile coy and confident even as he glows these unnatural colors, and posts it to the network.]

Can't start a party without me, the living glowstick!

iii.

[floatsaway]

[Well, it's no shock that Ochako is at the Red Springs Inn now. What with so many of her friends having left this world so suddenly, she was forced to leave the house she had shared with the other girls - she simply couldn't afford it on her own - and move back into the Inn proper. Not only that, but Ochako just wasn't prepared emotionally or mentally to look after Eri herself, and...frankly, it's just not something any of her young classmates should do - they're only young teenagers, after all. They shouldn't be attempting to look after a small and rather dependent child. She left the girl in the care of other, very kind and capable people, but it's still left Ochako feeling...kind of gross. Like she just gave up. Yes, she knows she shouldn't feel that way, but with everything happening in so little time. the weight on her chest and shoulders has gotten heavier and heavier.

She was in the process of making arrangements to move back in, finally secured a room and a key, and began moving boxes to and fro from her house to the Inn, but it's coming to take a while yet to clean everything out. Hence why a relaxing dip is in order - it's hard and sweaty work, after all!! Sighing, Ochako heads to the pools with her things, her bathing suit under all her clothes, then squeaks a bit when she sees someone else there. Oops, did she go to the men's section by mistake?! O-Or is this a shared pool and she didn't realize??]

Ah!! S-Sorry, I spaced out, I didn't mean to disturb you!! I'm going to go now, I--

[.......Wait.




Is that a dragon?

Is that a really sticky dragon splashing around in the pool??

Is that sanitary???]

[draigon]

[Raihan tilts his head away from Goodra to see who walked in, his broody expression immediately clearing to an easy smile, one reserved for the cameras. He's gotten good at that, startlingly so. One has to be when they present themselves to the world like he and the other Gym Leaders do.

Goodra also looks up from her play time, pausing in her splashing to give Ochako an endearing smile, eyes bright and sparkling. Raihan himself gives a little wave.]

'Lo, lass. If anything, we're the ones intruding, so don't mind us.

[floatsaway]

[Oh no, the sticky, lavender thing is cute and Ochako is instantly charmed by it, which washes away much of her reservations as to what the implications are of it bathing in a hot spring and potentially gumming the water up with its...slime?? Mucus??? She doesn't really know, but now it's not as much a big deal. In fact, it kind of reminds Ochako of Mina's Acid Man attack.

She smiles at it, then presses her hands together and looks a bit sheepishly at it's, uhh...owner? Master?? Is this thing maybe this man's familiar?]

Uwaah...cute. I-I mean!! Ehehe...are you set on using the baths here? Um, i-it's fine, I might have taken a wrong turn anyway.

[draigon]

[Thankfully, Goodra's slime dissipates in the water after a few seconds. It'd be dreadful to be hugged by one if the slime didn't come off easily, after all!

Said Goodra tilts her head cutely in response to Ochako's sheepishness. Meanwhile, Raihan gives a wave of his hand, the other finding its way to one of his pockets.]

Not me, but my girl Goodra here loves the water. I already had a rather unpleasant dunk earlier, and I'm not looking for another one.

[His dreadlocks just got dry, after all.]

We can always go elsewhere, it's no trouble. [Except... his Goodra's eyes get large, already watering at the thought of leaving the bath before she's had her fill of it.]

iv

[solocheer]

[damn, that's a fantastic angle. Himari respects the hell out of this clearly professional selfie that pops up on her network feed.]

omg those colors are super unique!
is that a filter or magic? ╰(✧∇✧╰)

[draigon]

[Oho, an appreciator of selfies! Raihan could rebuild his brand yet.]

Wish I could say it's a filter, but looks like it's magic. I look good with it, at least!

[solocheer]

you totally do! that angle's super flattering for that coloring...or i guess it's your complexion right now? haha! (❁´▽`❁)✲ﾟ
what were you trying to do, anyway?
with the magic, i mean.

[draigon]

Wasn't trying to do much of anything. There's a restricted area in the library here, and when I tried getting into it, I got hit with *this*.

[A moment later, and another selfie shows up: he's at the magical barrier protecting the forbidden section, and Raihan's jerking his thumb towards it with a smile. His colors are a mix of yellow and orange this time: amused over the situation and proud of how his selfies are being received. The glow makes it look somewhat like sunlight, and Raihan accommodates for that in the shot.]

You can't tell me that barrier doesn't make you the least bit curious.

ii

[icastsword]

[In an attempt to seem as non-threatening as possible, Griffin has been trying to keep to himself and not bother anyone if he can help it. It's a bit of a tall order, but so far it seems to be going okay, even despite the massive tarantula clinging to his back like a...well, a spider.

He can't help himself when he sees the guy posing for selfies with the Goodra and Co, though. He's played enough Pokémon Go to recognize all of the creatures, and the happy surprise of seeing them in real life overpowers the caution he's been trying to exercise thus far.]

Are those Pokemon?

[Like a little kid on Christmas morning, this beefy tiefling man is watching Raihan's monster pals with obvious delight.]

[draigon]

Yeah?

[The "obviously" is left unsaid. He still doesn't really know he's in a different world entirely, after all. Everyone on the planet knows and has Pokemon, right?

But when he turns to see who's talking, he... pauses, taking in the guy with a slow blink, then leans forward with a hand on his chin thoughtfully.]

Those are some high quality contacts! I don't know of many out there that block out the eyes completely like that. You'd have to fiddle with filters on your phone to pull that off! They look great on you, mate!

[The giant tarantula on the guy's back, while unfamiliar, doesn't phase Raihan in the slightest. There are much scarier looking Pokemon back at home.]

[icastsword]

[He's a little surprised by the sudden scrutiny and leans back slightly when Raihan leans in. He's also surprised by the compliment, but in a good way. This guy looks human, and Griffin doesn't have a very good track record with surprise humans seeing his eyes unglamored.]

Oh! Um, th-thanks. I'm not wearing contacts, though. This is just how my eyes look.

[The spider is perfectly non-threatening at this point, and is likely to remain that way; she's just chilling in her favorite spot, NBD.]

[ooc: I realize I should have mentioned in my initial tag: I'm down for as much or as little 4th-walling as you're comfortable with. The Pokemon games exist in this lad's universe but I'm totally flexible regarding how much he actually pays attention to them.]

[draigon]

[Thankfully, as Griffin leans back, so does Raihan, realizing that he's probably making the guy uncomfortable. He instead pillows the back of his head with his hands, and with his headband off to let his dreadlocks dry, the way his brows raise is all too obvious, even with his eyes remaining lidded and almost sleepy.]

Huh.

[Flygon regards Griffin curiously, sniffing at the other man while keeping his little hands on Raihan's shoulders. Duraludon watches warily, because he senses the bit of unease from Raihan. It's not every day you meet someone whose eyes are actually like that!

Still, Raihan is a cool-headed kind of person, so he eventually relaxes. It's just eyes.]

Well, they suit you! [He gives an easy grin, and Duraludon seems to relax as well. Goodra, sweet as always, watches on with a smile, though it looks like she's getting to get her hands on Raihan's shoulders instead of Flygon.] Sorry for the confusion on my part. You've got a special pair of lookers there, is all!

(ooc: Go seems to exist in the anime, so I'm cool with Griffin knowing that! Long as he doesn't go saying Raihan's totally fictional, we're good. o7)

II. A Moment - The White Cliffs

[daintydemonqueen]

[What drew in Oichi's attention had been the Rotom, the small little being that possessed Raihans phone drew her interest. Merely because it were a ghost - seemingly. The woman were drawn to such beings, or rather they were attached to her. The more she wandered around Camelot the more the Ghosts seemed to cling to h er. For now will-o-wisps seem to hound about her. Which gave about this domineering aura creeping from behind a set of trees. If Raihan were taking photos, he may notice in few she were poking out from behind a tree watching him. Peaking curiously at the small Pokemon, that she thought had to be Youkai.]

[draigon]

[It's a few more selfies later when Raihan twirls his Rotom around and has it float in front of him as he examines the pictures, looking for the best ones to post. His Pokemon have gathered around, too, and it's Duraludon who lets out a curious noise as he notices the second person in one of the shots.]

Hm? [Raihan takes a closer look, and - ah, he sees it too. He pauses, then turns to look behind him at the tree the person was peaking out from. Are they still there?]

Hullo? Oh, photobomber?

[daintydemonqueen]

... I am sorry...

[Upon realizing their eyes were all on her, and a voice telling her that she had been seen. The woman flinches slightly and slides behind the tree, further afraid that they may have ruined something for the other. Although unaware of what that something may be, it was the feeling of messing up again that overwhelmed the woman.]

II

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Darin was more than a little surprised at the sight as he was getting ready to board the carriage. Unable to help himself, he wanders over.]

I've never seen someone arrive here with so many different familiars! How'd you manage that??

[draigon]

[At this point, Raihan is about ready to board the carriage himself, and he's fishing his Ultra Balls out to put his Pokemon away when the new voice makes him pause and look over his shoulder. He gives a lazy smile as he turns to the side, hands in his pockets, and lets him see the Pokemon better.]

They aren't familiars, mate. They're my Pokemon.

[Each Pokemon give their own greeting: Duraludon nods, Flygon lets out a cherry sound with his head tipped back, and Goodra gives a smile and a wave. Even Rotom joins in with a 'bzzt, hello, sir!']

They all decided to follow me here.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Your...what...?

They...look like monsters to me. Incredibly well-trained and...polite?

Monsters?

They look like dragons...

II

[bendless]

[WHO'S THAT POKÉMON?!

It's... Momo the winged lemur. Who just happened to enter the picture frame at the last moment, looking very curiously at the device and the group.]

[draigon]

[One moment, the preview image shown back at Raihan was perfect.

Then the next selfie happens and there's some kind of winged creature (Pokemon?) looking into the frame.

And Flygon, mid-lunge like a dog trying to catch a treat.]

Wha - Flygon!

[He whips his head back to look at Flygon, who has Momo in his jaws - he's gentle, not using his sharper teeth, wanting to play more than anything, but he still looks at Raihan with wide eyes, his horns drooping slightly as if he were a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.]

Put the Absol down! [He points down at the ground, eyes fiery and stern.] Do it!

[It's a... pretty deformed and small Absol, but... kind of looks like one?]

[bendless]

[Momo flails in the jaws of this unknown beast! Why must this happen to him! How rude!

Fortunately, his "owner" is not far away. Sokka is running towards them.]

Momo?! Hey what's going on?!

III.

[aciddemonstrator]

[Whether Alashandra heard it was lost in her subconscious for the moment, her eyes fixated on the creature behind Raihan. She had come here looking for a place to bathe - not for herself, but for her little Amistr. It was pretty important to care for the pet's hygiene if she insisted on having it around, so here they were at the spring.

Normally she would distance herself away from others and find her own spot, but curiosity won her over, and so she felt compelled to ask the young man in awe:]

E-excuse me, is that...?

[Well, what was it, anyway? It reminded her of a Vanilmirth, yet far more refined and evolved, but she knew better than to ask if it was a Homunculus at this point...]

[draigon]

((Sorry for the late reply! Had a big project to finish, but all good now))

[Raihan tilts his head from Goodra to see who asked the question. In that instant, his somber expression changes to an easy smile, something he learned from all his time in the public. Gotta look good for the fans and the camera, after all!]

Is that...?

[His smile looks playful, but he'll relent.]

If you were going to say Goodra, then you're absolutely right. If not, then... Well, no.

[aciddemonstrator]

((It's fine! I've been busy myself so I understand :))

[Tamer of dragons and master of social media, meet tongue-tied and not-exactly-social shut-in that just has a weird goat kid for show and tell. The playfulness prompts a contorted expression, not having quite caught up mentally. Still unsure what to make of the creature behind Raihan, she'll just take hold of the name and go from there.]

I-I was wondering if Goodra is your h--pet. [Pet, yes. Not that she's still stuck on it being possibly some kind of super Vanilmirth mutation or anything. Nope. She tilts her head in amazed wonder, taking a step to the side and toward it to look more closely.] What did you do to make it look like that...? It's so tall...

[Her Amistr is more forward, walking to the edge of the spring and sniffing at the Goodra. Since it went the other way around Raihan, Alashandra hadn't noticed that.]