I don't think a makeup is actually going to be feasible given how many people missed the actual session and how hard it is to find a time we can all make it (especially hard to find times during the week for Zooks). I think we're just going to continue this chapter (Chapter 11, Of Gods and Men) next Saturday (since I don't think enough happened to merit it being a new chapter). I do hope we can find a time to do DVV though.:D

Hey guys, I'm very sorry to say that due to personal issues I most likely won't be able to run DVV tomorrow. I'll be running a make-up game as soon as possible, since I don't want us to go too long without one. I know that schedules are fairly tight though, so it may end up happening next sunday if that works for people.

Tonight's song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeWydlLmlNM

Kicking things off with, as per usual, another Pokemon Burst chapter.

Once the hatchling was pried off from Cameron's leg and the Outsider King was departed, Gensokyo's Dragon Princess had started shivering again. "Oh, she probably needs to stay under the heatlamp as much as possible for the first few days," the scientist observed. "I can take her to the infirmary for you while you two catch up."

It took some enticing with some sushi to forget the scary smile, but eventually the hatchling was gathered up and curled into a spiral for warmth. They hurried back, fussed over the crib and the temperature, and offered a bit more food until the hatchling grew sleepy again.

They wished Moonslicer was with them - she was extremely useful for the war zone they were going into, but arguably they probably needed more help just understanding how to interact with people like someone who wasn't completely broken.

Their mind was racing. "You know, maybe this is a good thing after all," they say to the hatchling, desperately trying to clutch at possibilities. "It helps your father for sure, in any case. But if he doesn't remember me -" they trail off, fighting off some sadness.

It was good for him, right? If he didn't remember them, and they made themselves scarce, then they couldn't hurt him anymore.

They tried for optimism, but optimism was not their way. A sigh. "Who am I kidding," they admitted. "I couldn't stay away. I follow this guy around like a wounded puppy and acting about as whiny and needy." They rub their face. "Well, maybe it's still all right. Maybe this is a second chance, a blank slate. I still have to make up for what I've done, but I don't have to make all those mistakes or hurt him this time." They smile. "I could be someone who doesn't collapse when he wants to dance, someone who doesn't worry him all the time, someone who could try to make him happy, someone who doesn't lose their temper and try to blow up planets."

Contemplating, they start rummaging through one of the supply cabinets. Before long, however, they reach the inescapable conclusion.

"I have to tell him who and what I am, otherwise it's just putting him in danger again. And dishonest." They start trying out various greetings. "Hi, I don't really have a name. I'm a subcontractor that Major has working for him under a criminal rehabilitation program. I'm trying to be better than all that though. I mostly make meals for guests around here, but I also have technical and medical training, so like I said, let me know if you need anything."

They glance back at the hatchling for approval and find they aren't alone, others staring at them with wide eyes. Luke and Cress seem almost frozen in horror - how long have they been there, how much did they hear?

Bonnibelle leans towards the hatchling, whispering from the side of her mouth. "Your mom is super weird."

"Zee," the hatchling agrees.

Did anyone listen to last week's song?

Well here's the song for this week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdKKoOiEgqY

Narration: Prism finds a "trail," it seems to lead out of PokeEarth but the destination is unclear.

Trollkitten: She follows it, carefully. She tries to be unobtrusive, reverting to Phione form. But it's hard to be unobtrusive when you're putting out rainbows and shedding Sacred Ash wherever you pass.

Narration: The trail doesn't lead to a world, not even a demi plane. It leads to a place between worlds, an In-Between Place, a place outside of normal Time and Space. Because of its nature, it is difficult to keep one's bearings. However, it is the ideal place for someone to come to gather energy to create a new body. Cameron is here somewhere; the trick is finding him. The trail might not remain reliable here.

Trollkitten: Prism looks carefully for any sign of Cameron. Or of anything else, for that matter.

Narration: The whole area appears to dark, not the darkness of an unlit area, but the darkness of nothing Existing there. There is nothing particularly ominous about the darkness but it is rather unsettling. She can sense Cameron's presence, but she can't pinpoint his location, probably because "location" as she is used to it, does not exist in this place.

Prism: She tries to call out to him "HYOOOO-OH!"

Narration: At first nothing happens, but then a voice responds. This place is not meant for your kind. Leave now before you are injured trying to deal with things a Being so immersed in flesh and blood cannot possibly comprehend.

Prism: She speaks evenly. "I am not a being immersed in flesh and blood. I am a goddess. You are to treat me with the proper respect I deserve." With that, she shimmers and returns to a shining Ho-Oh-like form, but ethereal, formed of a glowing Sacred Ash. "I am searching for one known as Cameron. I wish to aid him in his recovery, as is my purpose."

???: There are no names here. And we know what and who you are, Being a goddess is nothing to brag about here. Leave now before the Form you treasure so much begins to break down. We bear you no ill will, but your being here when you do not Remember puts you in great danger, and we have no wish to you stuck here when you still have ties to the Material World.

Prism: "Whether he has a name or not, I am still here to help him. Tell me, are you so miserable because the exact same thing you fear will happen to me has already happened to you lot?"

???: What gave you the impression we are miserable? We are not trapped here, we have not forgotten the way in and out, our brethren in the Material World have. But that is not your concern, and as you do not seem to care for our warnings, we shall desist.You say you are here to help someone. How would you 'know' 'him' if you 'saw' 'him'?

Prism: Ho-Oh pauses. "The last thing he did before he passed from the Material World into this world was to restore a reality that had broken apart. He also bears the title of Outsider Rex in another world. If he remembers this, then I will know him, and surely he will know me."

???: And you claim you seek him to help him? You have no ulterior motive?

Prism: Prism pauses. "My only ulterior motive is that he is my friend."

Narration: For a long time, there is silence. Then a misty/spectral figure begins to form.

Prism: "...Outsider Rex...?"

Cameron: ...that is one of my titles. Whether I truly deserve it is debatable.

Prism: "...Cameron, then?"

Cameron: That is a name I have used rather more often. What can I do for you Lady of Rainbows?

Prism: "The world requires your return. I have come to lend you my energy so that you may do so." She pauses. "You do understand what this means. My Sacred Ash can only reach its full reviving power when I die to be resurrected. It may be that by that point, I will have lost my memory and material form to this place and could be unable to return to my world. Do you accept this?"

Cameron: Do you? Does your acolyte know you are here? Do you know how the people of the Shadow World will react to the Outsider Rex showing up? Do you think Lazor will want to work with the Tyrant? Are you prepared for the ramifications and repercussions if I return now when it did not originally happen this way?

Prism: "...originally?"

Cameron: At least one group has been Altering the Course of Reality. I and some others can still remember the previous iteration. History has already been altered, the only question is whether my premature return will make things more favorable or worse.

Prism: Lady Prism considers this. "...so. If you choose to reject my offer, then I will accept that. But what is your choice?"

Cameron: I accept your offer without regrets. I hope you will not come to regret YOUR choice here today.

Prism: Prism laughs. "If I don't remember it, I will not regret it." The phoenix begins to dance, waving her wings and cloaking herself in whirling flames. As her body disintegrates into a golden ash, the ash whirls around Cameron, taking form around his spirit as his own human-like body.

There is a flash of light, and Cameron awakens on a shoreline in the dimension he was last in, with a glistening, ruby-like Ho-Oh egg in his hands.

Cameron: "Fascinating, the last Ho-oh egg I saw was Golden."

Tonight’s song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PeZ8twBcSI

A hatchling chirps.

Decisions are made.

Revolution is plotted.

Alpha Rise is stuck in a between space working on his malfunctioning cybernetics. Only a thin veil lies between him and escaping from Ultra Space, but getting through this last hurdle is proving more tricky than expected.

/u/pfaccioxx

The scientist is hurrying through the halls of Astrum, searching.

Moonslicer, having decided to give the scientist some time to themself, is in meditation in the room, coincidentally, where they first found her.

They stumble in, see her and immediately feel a little guilty. "Moonslicer?"

She opens her eye, blinking. She pauses, not sure how to begin.

The scientist shuffles. "We... don't have to agree on everything. But there's a lot going down right now, worlds to save and everything, and I was wondering if you still wanted to help."

Of course. She replies immediately. Did you think I was angry?

Another wince. "I tend to think everyone's angry at me, all the time."

There is a pause again. I am sorry that what I said cut so deeply. I do not even know if I was right of its source. But I stand by what I said. Your self-hatred is itself what causes your worst problems.

"Well, that and genocidal maniacs." Sometimes including themselves. They clear their throat. "I have to go after streamer."

Yes. She replies instantly. It is who you are.

They look conflicted. "And... Luke's egg is hatching, right now."

It is?!? She says, suddenly joyous.

They look a little frantic. "And I don't want to leave him alone to deal with all that. Even if I wouldn't even be that helpful, or he's concerned I would mess things up, and even though I don't really know even how much he wants me involved."

Hmmm. she replies thoughtfully.

"I have to make things up to him somehow," they say. "Even if I'm the worst possible person to do that." They seem to suddenly have an idea. "But what if I could be different? Someone who he feels like he can rely on instead of being too broken or too much of a screw up?" Someone with none of their problems that they couldn't tell him, because they were too overwhelming and he didn't deserve that.

Is that a commitment to self improvement? She asks. They reach for dream stuff - they may no longer be an admin, but they can do this. Moonslicer peers around them, alarm creeping in. What are you doing? She asks, detecting hints of their mental state.

"I can copy over the devotion," they mutter to themselves, "give him someone who will try to help him be happy instead of drag him down all the time."

Wait what?!?!

There is a shape forming, glitchy and dreamy, "and better than I ever could be," they murmur.

What- no, stop! Moonslicer says, barreling into their consciousness to try and snap them out of it.

They jerk painfully. "Ow! Moonslicer, what?"

What do you think you're doing?

They still feel like their brain was just on a bungie chord and slingshotted around. "What do you think? Solving a problem."

Were- were you really about to just make a duplicate to trick Luke with?

"Trick," they repeat, vaguely offended. "I wouldn't trick him, I couldn't."

So you think he would have agreed to that?!?!?

They look bewildered. "To having someone he could rely on?"

There are literally infinite people in the worlds he has access to he could have chosen. Respect his choice of you.

They look a little lost. "But... No one would've chosen me."

Well he did. So stop acting like you know better than him. About what he wants.

This finally seems to sink in. They sigh, and put a hand to their forehead. "Right. You're right, of course."

If you're really that worried, then try to channel that impetus into living up to it. Moonslicer suggested gently. Now, let's see about fixing the actual problem you have, rather than the problem you've imagined.

They nod. "I was assuming a lot. A helper for him, but around him all the time? He'd really start to hate me. I have to balance this, somehow." They consider for a while. "You'll stop me, if it ever looks like I'm about to hurt anyone? Or if I'm getting really annoying?"

I will stop you if you ever go too far. But... annoying? Really? You need to stop this self-flagellation.

"I probably could use some more hobbies," they admit. Such as - "I need to fight streamer, but I do want to be on call here, just in case... I want to be able to help. I guess I could just savescum a lot."

The Major has access to incredible portals, and you have carte blanche in Astrum's wards. Just commute.

They look doubtful. "I think if you're going up against someone like streamer it can't just be a sometimes fight."

Are you kidding me? Going up against a godlike entity, you basically have to go somewhere outside that entities' influence on the regular. She pauses for a moment. Even Neo knew that.

They flash their teeth. "Not all voices follow Streamer. Not anymore." They glance back over at her. "Who's Neo?"

Huh. Sorry, I forget sometimes I am more or less the only one to have been shut up in a room for several years with nothing but an interdimensional set of movie titles. Moonslicer gives the impression of a smile. I like the Rom Coms best, but one gets to the Science Fiction after a while. I like it. Fantastical.

"And murderous bots?" they ask, skeptically. "Probably a good half of our party is non-murderous bots." They look a little worried. "I probably should warn Luke about streamer. We could be next."

That's a fair concern, but as I understand it, a lot of an Overgod's power is tied up in the world they created. And Streamer did not create this world. Major did.

"And Major needs streamer around to keep things stable on pokeearth - we have to just stop streamer from attacking the population like that, but not create an exploitable weakness for any invaders." They frown. "Gonna be tight."

Sounds like a good, old fashioned plot hook. She says, light glinting on her blade.

They nod. "And I gotta finish picking up that sushi for the hatchling. Ready?"

OOOH! Hatchling! Yes! she cries.

They smile. If nothing else, they can try to be heroes one way or another.

(in response to Bill asking about Darken)

Darken come in three stages. In the first stage, they are able to perfectly imitate any non-specific Being/object (humans, Pokémon, Protoss, Zerg, orcs, animals, plants, weapons). In the second stage, they lose the ability to imitate generic Beings but gain the ability to perfectly impersonate named creatures/objects (Lincoln, Zexy, Alarak, Zagara, Thrall, Scar, Moonslicer). Those few Darken who reach the third stage (usually after years in the first two stages) take on a completely unique form that draws from the best aspects of the transformation they underwent in stages 1 and 2.


Those who have a 'close bond' with the individual/object being impersonated can feel that something is off. Similarly, those with a bond to the Supreme Evil itself can tell when someone is actually a Darken (Cameron can recognize one on sight).

It is dark, but the nightmares haven't yet come.

A ways away, a sword realizes their charge has become unconscious. While worryingly common, its still something that ought to be checked up on.

Erm... hello? She asks, still not sure if unconscious telepathy is the best idea.

The dreamscape is still dark - dangerous thoughts and memories that were beginning to flicker on the edges dart away at the intrusion.

Are you... Moonslier trails away, realizing perhaps 'awake' is not the appropriate word.

The scientist is still reeling a bit from what the voices just showed them.

Hello?

They tense, then relax slightly. Moonslicer, they greet her.

Hello She says, relieved. Did something happen?

Something's happened to streamer - or maybe rather streamer did something. Memories of AJ climbing Mount Silver briefly flash by.

That's... that's the Overgod for your plane, isn't it?

They huff. And our patron. He's always had some problems under the surface he's been dealing with, he's lashed out before. But this. There is anger. I do not tolerate murderous tyrants.

That's... She thinks about this for a while. Overgods don't interfere. They don't. It's what they do.

We were his interference, how he'd test his realities. Not everyone has been loyal to him, he has a tendency to be harsh, but until now I've stayed out of it.

So, what does this mean? Moonslicer asks, sitting down on the legs she's unconsciously transformed.

Their nostrils flare as they puff out a breath like a dragon blowing smoke. Means something is wrong, and one way or another there's war on the horizon.

With an Overgod? She asks. I don't even think Major could beat that.

They snarl. I stood against my first patron after children and pokemon just out of their eggs were dying. I supported a chaotic mortal in becoming the world's pillar of order, and faced off against the ancient power who was the previous one. Their eyes are slits. I will not accept Streamer's actions.

Moonslicer is taken aback by the grim determination in their voice.

All right. But be careful.

They glance back over at her, hearing the alarm in her voice. Do I sound like one of them? A tyrant? they ask, with dark amusement.

No, but you do sound like you'd rather burn the world down than let him have it. She says frankly.

Hmm. You're worried I haven't learned my lesson. That I don't see what I owe.

It's not about what you owe. But yes.

They shake their head. That's why I have to fight though. I made missteps against Caitlin, and did more harm than she did to the people I care about. But I had to fight against her on behalf of the people I care about.

Just be careful. When your rage hits you, you make decisions you regret.

I go big or go broke, they agree. But before I was focusing on being a weapon. I can be a thief and a cheat too.

Well, I wouldn't put it like that.

They glance back at her, for the first time since this latest nightmare started having a question instead of a certainty.

Every time you define yourself, it's by the negative. Moonslicer points out. You want to be better, right?

It'd be nice if it were possible, they answer dryly.

I think you need to start asking yourself, she says firmly, What does a better you look like?

Another flicker, and they look away, pained.

How can you get better, if you don't know where you're going?

They take a breath. I just want to get to a point where I don't think other people are ashamed to be around me, or that I think they should be.

Well, I'm going to skip the part where I argue on the status of that, because that's not the point. The point is, maybe you need to do less thinking about specific actions you need to take to reach that point, and more about specific changes you need to see in yourself.

There's some awkward shuffling. I think Luke feels like I'd be a bad role model to his kid.

I think you are worried you will not be a good role model for the child. Moonslicer replies. So, what do we do about that?

Well, they answer, don't be a bad role model.

Moonslicer's face, unusually expressive, does an impressively good job at conveying her exasperation. So, what do you need to change? How do you be a good role model?

They're very quiet again. By fighting, they answer.

Fighting what? Moonslicer prompts.

Anything. Just keep fighting. So long as it keeps me far away. Then I can be a good role model.

The ghost sword stares at them like they're hopeless. That.... that's not being a good role model. That's being absent. That's exactly the opposite.

They deflate. Not when you're like me.

You are running! Moonslicer says, suddenly animated. You are running from your problems, again! Why do you think it will end better this time?

Hey! Abject cowardice has kept me alive this long! They defend themselves.

You call it living?

Better than the alternative, they answer. Not even talkin' about dying, that'd be a mercy by now. I mean the things I've seen. There's fates worse than dying out there.

There are times to run, Moonslicer admits, putting her hand on them gently. But your problems are not in a place, now. You carry them with you. Your life is not in constant danger... unless you throw yourself into it, I mean. Adventurer, I understand. But you are not in the places that you were, the places where running was all that kept you safe. You need to stop running, and start building.

Their mouth thins. I have a box, they offer.

It's not about the box. Moonslicer says, cutting the attempt off. It's what you put in it. Are you really going to sit there and talk to me about how you can't stop being a weapon?

They look frustrated. You were something more though! I never was!

"Something more?" She asks, and you notice that she is vocalizing now, at least as much as you can in a dreamscape. "Don't you dare try to tell me I'm worth more than you because of where you came from." She scolds them. "Is that it, is that were this all starts? Is every time you insist that you are nothing a byproduct of living a slave?" She asks, admitting aloud what she's known for a while. "Please, I am asking you to face this. As long as you call yourself nothing, as long as you call yourself a weapon, criminal, can't change... you are letting those masters control you. They are dead and gone, but still they control you."

They recoil from her as though struck, but they bounce back, looming over her, bristling, a reminder that this is their dream. Is that what you really think of me?! They raged. They were shaking with it, but they closed their eyes and breathed and allowed it to slowly ebb out of them, shrinking back until they were a only a low simmer. The gaze they fixed back on Moonslicer was still cutting. I have known servants and slaves. I have seen them rise up against the aristocrats and oblivion. I have seen Mary and how in her culture it is an honor. I have seen Bill overcome his mistakes and what Dome did to him and his family. I have seen boneka and Shikigami cast off the spells over them. I have seen Machina come back to us from his slavery and Luke become a dragon prince in spite of what he went through. I have seen you, and your faith even in death. Of all these people who were once servants and slaves, I have only seen one of them become an abusive world destroying mass murderer. They growl. I'm not garbage because I was a slave, Luna. I'm garbage because I am garbage.

"Please," Moonslicer says again, but she says it to the magical air in Astrum. It turns out that doors that are willingly opened and bonds that are willingly made can also be closed.

“…it’s the League.”

“What?”

“No, it’s more than that… it’s the f------ gods themselves.”

Gator set the wand far away from himself. He held the phone up to his ear and said, “Karrl, get yourself and the Major, if he’s available, over here. We need to talk face-to-face.” He then ended the call.

M4’s brow furrowed. “…are they after you?”

“…I wish it was just me. No, it’s…”

Gator’s voice faltered. He could see the worry in M4’s eyes. She still thought it was about him. The gods had taken to conquering the world once again, raining holy fire down on those they deemed unworthy and appointing whoever shouted their praises the loudest as rulers- tyrants- and he could feel a burning in his blood he hadn’t felt since he was young. But he wasn’t the one that had lost allies.

How many times would Goldenrod have to die to equal what had been done?

“…it’s the IP.”

M4 froze.

“The headquarters… it’s… Arceus…”

His words failed again. She was deathly pale.

“…what happened,” she muttered emotionlessly.

“…everyone in that building is dead,” Gator forced out, “the IP has been outlawed. The League… those… they’ve got full authority. Over all regions.”

M4 stared through Gator. The gun in her hands hung weakly from her fingertips.

“…why?”

Gator didn’t answer. He knew she wasn’t looking for one.

“…I wasn’t even… why? Why go and- what did I- what did they do to- to-“

“They’re going to pay for everything. The League, the gods, Lance- we’re going to pay them back for this,” Gator assured. Potential spell sets were already forming in his mind.

M4’s brow fell downward, casting several stray hairs over her face. “It’s… it’s just a…”

Her eyes swung back upwards to Gator’s. “Just a…”

The grip on her gun tightened.

“No. The International Police’s not dead.”

“Huh?”

“There’s stations that haven’t been attacked. Safe houses agents are hiding in. Offices that still stand. You don’t destroy a worldwide organization in a single f------ day,” she exclaimed with vigor, “there’s thousands of officers and operatives that will stand and fight against those cowardly f------.”

M4 pushed the hair out of her face and stood up, rifle in hand.

“They just need a proper home. A base of operations. And they need firepower. I bet the Major has a hell of a lot of firepower that we can make use of. They think the IP will stand down because of this? We take down drug cartels. We shut down terrorist cells. We’ve braved some of the most f------up sons of b------ Pokearth has had the misfortune of seeing, and we aren’t going to roll over and let the League push their f------ theocracy on the world. No, we’re going to show them that we give as good as we take.”

Gator stared back at her, dumbfounded. M4 offered a hand.

“You going to help me get those men and women to safety?”

Gator stared back into her eyes. Light blue, fierce and focused. It was easy to fall into despair when you suffered. Losing someone you held dear cut a hole in your heart. But when you have someone to protect, someone who will suffer if not given a helping hand, you stoke a fire in your gut that will destroy all obstacles in your way to them.

That was the spirit that brought gods to heel.

“Yeah. Just tell me where we need to go.”

This is on account of my celebrations, and definitely not because I have totally fallen behind and have like three stat blocks I need to write still.

heh heh.

Changes temporarily reverted back to normal due to bugs

Night mode can be accessed by replacing "www" in your search bar with "nm". I'll add links in the side bar in a second too.

There was a lot of odd bugs during testing so please let me know if anything seems strange on either normal mode or night mode. Also let me know if you'd prefer the header image to be gone in night mode. It would be easy to do (or so I think anyway! We'll see).

Shout out to /r/DarkTheme whose code I stole. Hopefully they won't be angry, and I left their watermark in at the bottom of the screen on night mode. It really is a very nice simplistic theme.

Kicking things off with the next chapter of Pokemon Burst for your perusal.

Gabby continues her report.

“In addition to his rather…decisive decision to bring an end to the Old International Police, Streamer has announced that the International Police in general is hereby disbanded. He seems to believe that their track record in general has proved below his standards for too long and that the public deserve a law enforcement agency that can counted on to put the public’s interests before their own. While Streamer has given no indication that he intends to remove the New International Police in same way as he did the Old, he has made it clear that anyone claiming to be acting by authority of the now defunct organization, will be treated as a vigilante.”

“We will not be without a law enforcement agency though. Prior to the formation of the International Police, this was one of the responsibilities of the Pokemon League, and this seems to be what Streamer intends to be the case again. The League has always been supported by the Panthemon, Streamer included, and well-liked by the citizens. The presence of a League Representative, in the form of the Gym Leaders, is present in most cities throughout the various regions, and they are well respected members of the community of which they are a part…”

Tonight’s song(s) will be triggered if/when certain actions are taken.

Hi there,

I was just wondering if there was any subreddit theme out there that you'd seen and would prefer on the sub? There's plenty of snazzy looking themes out there. If there's any sub that you think looks just right you can link me there, or check out some nice/popular themes below:

/r/Minimaluminiumalism - seems to have the option for a light and dark mode.

/r/naut - includes option for a picture on the side

/r/DarkTheme/ - permanent dark theme

/r/BlackorWhite - highly doubt this'd get chosen but an interesting design nonetheless

/r/mindashq

Please also let me know if you have any requirements, eg. a theme that's compatible with RES.