2024-05-04: The Four Fields

• Log: The Four Fields
• Cast: Sheriff Star, Ethius Hesiod, Chase, Rena Lanford, Hannah Curie, Claude C. Kenny, Elaine, Dirk Swordsman, Citan Uzuki, Dias Flac, Jacqueline Barber, Vivace Mori, Lan Lilac, Xantia, Chisato Madison, Gwen Whitlock, Holly, Luna Meitner
• Where: Celadon City, Energy Nede
• Date: May 04, 2024
• Summary: Nall and Professor Oak have some important matters to share with Visitor and Nedian alike about the plan to tak down the Ten Wise Men.

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<Pose Tracker> Sheriff Star has posed.

A variety of Drifters -- the Visitors, in Nedian parlance -- and a group of Trainers from Energy Nede have been invited to Mayor Nall's conference room. With him is Professor Oak.

The conference room is a spacious modern affair: a large conference table with a holographic generator in the middle, with chairs spread across the room. There are screens on the walls, though one has a bookshelf. There aren't snacks today.

It's a far cry from Professor Oak's homey lab, but it is similar to the original briefing. Nall -- in his blue robes of office -- and Professor Oak are both present.

They wait, as people arrive.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius is one of the very first people there, punctually. For a self-professed 'xenoanthropologist,' he's been oddly on the ball in terms of being a capable go-between in terms of mission delivery and other things of that ilk. By him is a female Peryton who is holding a very shiny ring in her beak with contentment. This means she is quiet, and that is good.
 
     There is a scribbled drawing involving a Sidewired (some snake with a fancy control panel for a tail, like a game controller) and three people holding onto something. There is also a dog-shaped creature, who has been X'd out, with the note 'TOO MUCH ADDITIONAL WEIGHT.' Whatever it is - or was - it's a dismissed idea that has yet to find its final home in a futuristic composting-recycling bin.
 
     That business is out of the way before everyone arrives, at least.

<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.

Here she comes!

"Piii Pikachu pi Chachu~," Pikachu sings as she frolics into the conference room ahead of her trainer. She stops in the middle of it, glancing about with a curious, "Pi?" as she notices there are no snacks. She grooms her face with her paw a couple times, twitches her ears, and LEAVES.

... A moment later she comes back with Poke Puff cream on her face and hops up into a front row seat, staring at Nall and Professor Oak with her usual vacant Pikachu smile that somehow communicates at once they have her full attention and that she is having zero thoughts.

Chase sets his bag down under a chair and sits next to her.

Pikachu remains unblinking.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.

"Excuse me, do you mind if I open a window?"
 
Is the Nedian from Filgaia's ask when she arrives behind several of her companions. "I promise, noone will be listening in that shouldn't be."
 
If given consent, Rena moves over to open a window and...
 
The squat mechanical head of the Psynard, Lady Brightwing curiously slides through the window, the rest of her bulk laid placidly down outside of the lab.
 
Two little Psynymphs are at play around her, as she rumbles, "Nar?"
 
"It wouldn't feel right for her to be excluded, she agreed to join us saving Nede." Rena explains, before taking a seat near that window, ready to take responsibility for anything that happens there.
 

<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.

Hannah is used to the idea of there being places on Filgaia and Lunar that were lost to time, or made unexplorable until they could be breached and access renewed, but in her time on Energy Nede, she's gathered that that isn't the case here, normally. They've worked hard to preserve everything in their society, down to the ecosystem. Everything is precious, since so little of it remains, so everything is kept track of.

But even here, there were apparently places that they blocked off access to, left dormant, because they did not think that they would be used again in their new, more peaceful society... but did not reclaim.

There are plenty of records of the old era, but after so long... might it be possible things tget massaged in the retelling, or certain things focused on to the exclusion of others?

To go and delve into the real historical places... what might that entail?

Hannah loves exploring in general, and getting to know more of Nede--even if some aspects of their technology level creep her out still--the chance to do some proper Driftering on Nede is an intriguing one.

And so she is here, in her normal Nedian getup of a green top, navy blue skirt, and a long pink vest. Zephyr rides on her shoulder, as normal, and Cassandra the Absol pads alongside her. She takes up a seat and pulls out a notebook, ready to listen intently and take notes. Cassandra lays down by Hannah's side, resting her chin on her paws.

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny is very interested in this meeting. It's been nice to explore Nede, get to know the place, and understand Pokemon better--but the mission has not left his mind.

But he steps inside with the others, and brightens when Rena lets Lay Brightwing in. Well, kind of in. It's fine.

"With her there," he says, "It'll be hard for anybody else to try to eavesdrop anyway..."

Claude takes a seat in the meantime, next to Ethius. "So we're finally going to move forward, huh?" he says to Ethius. "...I want to protect Nede, too. Not just Filgaia. So..."

"I'm up for whatever it takes."

<Pose Tracker> Elaine has posed.

    Elaine follows Chass in, placing her own bag under the chair next to him. Veevee is following her, holding a half eaten Poke Puff in her mouuth happily. Once Elaine is seated, Veevee sits in front of her and begins to finish the Poke Puff, wail wagging cheerfully.

    Elaine gives Veevee a pat, before settling back into her seat to look up at Nall and Professor Oak. She's pulled her smartphone out at some point, likely intending to use it for note taking perhaps.

<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.

 
EARLIER

Dirk Swordsman, NOT PARTICULARLY CHEERED by his excursion to a SECOND PLANET, walks out of the Pokemon Center with an open bottle of cold tea in his hand.

Someone on a bicycle comes up to him. "Excuse me!"

"Sup."

"Are you DIRK?"

"No."

"Haha! But I have to ask... are you DIRK?"

(Dang, thinks Dirk. This guy is tricky.) "Yes."

"As one of the Trainers who's been to both of the [Other Places], you're invited!"

"To wh--" Dirk begins, before his phone buzzes. After checking it, he is Informed.

NOW

Dirk arrives, reasonably cleaned up. He is slouching nonetheless. Farfetch'd is out with him; the other members of his team seem to be in balls for right now, which is probably better than having Cufant lumbering around in here. "Sup," he tells people, but there isn't any catering going on. He gets near a chair, but doesn't sit down; Farfetch'd flutters up to claim the seat, Just In Case.

DC: Vivace Mori switches forms to Rival Gym Leader!

<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.

    After the situation in Meribia, Citan had thought it best to return to Energy Nede. He had underestimated Team Rocket's ambitions -- and their aims. They were more than 'merely' a group of criminals. That, and that Masked Blossom...
    At times like this, then, the ideal thing is to make amends and learn what he can.

    It's just also the case that there have been developments since his departure. Perhaps he had ought to speak to Professor Linden soon.

    But that's all to say, he's here now, standing with his arms crossed across his chest as he regards both Professor Oak and Nall in silence.

    Ise, being small, is again not confined to a Pokeball and stands in Citan's shadow. His own attention is solely on Pikachu. ...Or at least one assumes, given that his painted-on 'head' doesn't betray anything like gaze direction, really, but Ise's body is pointed in that way...

<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.

    Dias arrives with Rena and Claude, as he is often wont these days. There are others in their group, i.e. Ethius over there with his Peryton and that... drawing... of his, but it's really those two he's here for. He takes up a spot on one of the walls where he can easily watch all entrances and exits, including that window Rena just opened for the Psynard, folds his arms, and waits.
    
    Chase and his Pikachu and Dirk get curt nods of recognition. That's about as friendly as Dias gets with acquaintances.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Invitations had been sent out, and of course Jacqueline was going to be present. A meeting like this... it's bound to be big. Are they ready to take the next steps...?

Regardless, it's worth attending. And so, she arrives.

"Professor. Mayor." Jacqueline greets with a nod to each in turn as she takes her seat at the table. There's a far more serious and professional atmosphere here than she's used to on Energy Nede... It speaks to the seriousness of the situation.

She goes quiet, then - taking note of everyone who's arrived before turning her attention back to the Mayor and the Professor.

Also here is Chartreuse Spinosa! Like Elaine, she has her phone out. Furret is currently wrapped around the base of her chair for protection and moral support.

<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.

Vivace would not avoid this meeting. Could not.

She showed up bright and early and is already seated. She's not going to leave this problem to the Visitors any more than she's left anything else, and if it surprises Professor Oak to see her - the would-be Steel Gym leader - here, too bad. She's no coward. She's not running away, unlike *some* people.

One Pokemon of hers is also out and about. It's not one of the two you might expect; Erikodus wouldn't fit, and Prinplup is standoffish and prideful and won't work with a team of people she doesn't know. Vivace wouldn't ask her to accept a random collection of Visitors and trainers as equals.

No, instead it's Sandshrew. Vivace's Alolan Sandshrew is hanging on the back of Vivace's seat, her head poking over Vivace's - which means that Vivace's head and shoulders are very cold, given that Sandshrew is covered in ice-coated steel, but she is trying very very hard not to show it. Even if she privately wishes she had something warmer than her windbreaker, or at least not a cropped short-sleeved shirt under it.

Meanwhile, one of the Visitors is sitting a little awkwardly.

That's Rille, who is just not meant for Nedean chairs. It's not that she's too big (or at least, not just that, though she does outsize any Nedean she's met) but her thick tail, which does not cooperate with any seat that has a back.

So she's kind of sitting at it at an uncomfortable angle, slid far enough forward that she's worried about tipping, hunched, and one hip pressed into the edge of the seat almost painfully so that she can actually tilt her body enough to get her tail half on the seat, half flopped over the side. No part of this is comfortable. She would much rather be standing. But it shows willingness.

<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.

 
    The Nedians have been so kind to them all since they arrived. If there's something to be done to help them in return, Lan will try to do it! Even if it involves attending a meeting!

    She's back in her Nedian gear, a scarlet sleeveless top and black skort with sneakers. She's got a pair of turquoise-colored plastic bangles, one on each wrist, and a Buneary in her lap.

    (Upon arriving, Lan carries Lunatone into the meeting room. There are no snacks. Lunatone's one visible eye rolls left, then right. Still no snacks. Hmmm. It nudges Lan's arm, and vanishes into its Pokeball.

    "Hey!" Lan complains, squirming in her chair to stare at the Pokeball on her hip. "You're not even gonna say hi to anyone??")

    ...So now Buneary has to do all the emotional heavy lifting. Its unsquished ear twitches as Lan leans forward to wave at...! Ise. The Mimikyu.

    eeeeeeeeeeee it's still so cute, lan can't even <3

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Xantia's been waiting for this. In the absence of any direct ways to strike against the Ten Wise Men, she was anticipating the wait for the means to do so was going to feel like forever. Instead, she's found that time can fly when you have something you enjoy to keep you occupied. Who could have imagined Pokémon Training could be so satisfying, engrossing, and most of all, fun!

Not that it's all been fun and games, of course. Her problems with staying in control of herself and suffering from memory gaps during the moments she loses it persist, if anything they've gotten worse. Facing the Wise Men in such a state would be risky. But that's never stopped her before. She knows what she has to do - what she wants to do. Best she can do is remain aware of the issue and try not to let it control her.

It'll be fine. Probably. And for those moments where it's not fine, she has friends she can depend on. There are no less than two doctors among her closest group of friends! Doctors know all about how to make the not fine become fine, so it'll be fine. That's just science.

For today, Xantia does look plenty fine, striding into the conference room with a determined expression, mirrored by Kira the Kirlia at her side. Although Xantia's momentarily falls, noting the lack of snacks. She's gotten used to these sorts of presentations to come with snacks! Oh well... she'll live. Probably.

Taking a seat close by Citan, with Kira hopping into the seat next to her, she smiles the doctor's way perhaps by way of reassurance that there have been no problems since that last time. Of course, she also hasn't been involved in any incidents involving the Wise Men or Solaris since that time, so that may not mean a whole lot. Following an insistant poke in the arm from her Pokemon, she focuses her attention on where it needs to be.

<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.

Chisato Madison, serial menace to all injustice and person who owns a microphone and camera, has appeared, in the full appearance of a news reporter, complete with an arm band marking her as press on her left arm and an ID card for the paper she works at pinned to her jacket. She always wears both of those, mind you, but she has them now, too.

Having made a pact with several Visitors and a Psynard, she is hanging out near Claude, Rena, Ethius, and their troupe. She has a bandolier of pens in her pocket in case one of them explodes, as they so often do.

"If I'm right...this isn't gonna be easy," she says, seriously, and then cracks a grin. "Gonna get some great photos."

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

    "Joltik." Due to it being Energy Nede, Gwen has Voltie hanging out on her shoulder, being thoroughly spoiled with some Poke Puffs.

    Munch munch.

    Xantia isn't the only one who is a little bummed. While the courier is slightly bummed that there are no snacks for humans, it makes a certain amount of sense. The Ten Wise Men are not a topic that summons an appetite of any sort.

    Maybe Gwen could stand to feed herself every once in a while!

    A candy bar is discreetly offered towards Xantia in recognition of their comraderie in matters of food and appetites. One candy bar isn't enough to cover either of their continual caloric deficits, but it's still something to keep from considering the Poke Puffs (why oh why do they have to look like delicious pastries).

    Going over to stand by Lan, Gwen also offers her a candy bar, in recognition of their comraderie in matters of Lorens and crows.

    She'll keep her mouth shut otherwise, since, naturally, she's not a barbarian. It's good manners to chew with your mouth closed!

<Pose Tracker> Sheriff Star has posed.

"Hello, Chase. Hello, Pikachu," Professor Oak says to Chase and Pikachu both. Her antics -- and Poke Puff-covered face -- don't faze him at all. (Mayor Nall is blinking in confusion.)

"Ah--and Elaine and Veevee, too," Professor Oak says. He smiles at her. "I'm glad you could both come."

He waves to Dirk as he enters; there's a nod to Farfetch'd, too. And then a glance at Vivace -- after all he knows her story.

He smiles, nonetheless.

"A... window?" Mayor Nall asks Rena. He blinks -- but then he nods, looking away from Ethius and Dias to her. And then he blinks at the Psynard.

"Ah! I--I see... a wild one? Amazing," he says, his voice quiet. This -- and the Psynymphs -- also make Oak perk up, then smile.

He looks at Hannah, noting her; there's a smile, before he's looking to other new arrivals.

"Welcome to Energy Nede," Mayor Nall says to Citan, pleasantly. He is a newer face, after all. Then, he looks at Jay -- and smiles, before he nods. "And Miss Barber. It's a pleasure, despite the circumstances."

There is a polite smile and a nod to Xantia and Gwen. He, perhaps wisely, stays quiet on the lack of snacks. Then, he looks to Chisato, and nods. "You'll have plenty of chances, I think."

Then, Mayor Nall clears his throat.

"Thank you for coming everyone," Mayor Nall says. "As you know, we're still dealing with the Ten Wise Men situation. For the most part, they've been fortifying Phynal. They've repelled attempts by our police and the Pokemon League to investigate. But..."

The holographic display comes online. It shows maps of Energy Nede, Filgaia, and Lunar. There are points of light on each map.

"We've compiled all confirmed attacks and sightings here," Professor Oak explains. "And... we need to move. They're working towards something, and we're not sure what. Yet."

"Fortunately," Mayor Nall says, "we have a plan to help you reach their level. Before I explain, are there any questions so far?"

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.

"Yes." She smiles at Nall, and Professor Oak to answer the question. She prefers it this way to the alternative... not that she's not ungrateful, just...
 
... it's better for them to join of their own Free Will.

Rena smiles at Claude as if to say 'That's the idea.' Before nodding with him, on wanting to protect Nede and Filgaia.
 
Certainly she too feels that resolve.
 
Her eyes wander over to Dias for a moment, wondering... no, certainly he must feel it too, it is just difficult for him to commit to protect anyone.
 
It is far easier for him to commit to cutting out the threat.
 
"That's a lot of pens." Rena remarks. "They do say it is mightier."
 
It would be entirely unsurprising to Rena that the pens explode.
 
The briefing however begins, and Rena sits up straighter, "Nothing good."
 
She says quietly, before raising her hand as they ask for questions, "They mentioned Universal Domination before as their end goal. I know that a lot of records are lost, and that you're unsure of their plans but... is there anything sealed at Phynal that would allow them to work towards a goal beyond the Conquest of Nede?"
 
Her eyes fall upon Claude in that moment, perhaps with worry, after all, he came from outside of Nede.

<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.

Professor Oak gets a nod of greeting while Pikachu waves her little arm at him with a cheerful, "Pi pikachu!" for her and Chase both. Chase wipes her face clean as she gives muffled chatter.

Dias also gets a nod in return. This is also how Chase does things, demonstratively. This is Normal to him. ...Because it's Lady Brightwing who gets the effort of a smile and a small wave. Chase!!

Regardless, the meeting is on, and Chase shifts in his seat to pay attention. Wanderer he may be, in both mind and body, he's trying to focus. First of all, it's Professor Oak asking, and second of all... the state of Everything. His default stony expression barely changes, except there is a shadow of something more intense creeping over it as he studies the lights on the maps.

Questions. Chase just wants to know where to go and what to do before he fidgets out of his own skin. But he gives Elaine a glance, trying to see if she looks more inquiring. She tends to be a little better about this kind of thing than he is. Ah... but it might be more about the Visitors, who don't know the same history.

Meanwhile, Pikachu's ears twitch as she feels a presence gazing upon her. "Pi...?" She looks about, then tilts her head to one side, then slowly, very slowly... spots Mimikyu. Her mouth drops open and she bolts from her chair. Chase straightens, alert, but relaxes again when he sees she's only spotted a new friend.

With delight, Pikachu offers her tail to Mimikyu in a traditional Pikachu greeting.

...Is Pikachu successfully fooled by Disguise?!

<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.

Vivace does have at least one question but she's pretty sure she'd get in shit for asking it, so she doesn't.

There's a bit of a scowl when Rena opens the window for the Psynard, though - not for the Psynard, which Vivace has absolutely nothing against, but for who's doing it. She's still not happy about the rare Psynard in the hands of someone she considers an outsider - there's just nothing she can really do about it other than scowl.

Oh, wait. There is one question.

"Are they in league with the aggressive Visitors?" Vivace asks, her voice sudden. "The 'Solaris'. I know you like to ask the Visitors for help, but they've brought their own problems to cause too, and if they're working together at all I want to know. I had to fight Solaris - they Mega Evolved a Metagross to blow up an entire town. We already know the Wise Men have weird Pokemon - well, did they just steal all that, too?"

"Are they going to try to blow up Pewter or something next?" At Vivace's somewhat sharp questioning, her Sandshrew pulls herself further up and drops over Vivace's head entirely, a momentary blur of ice-blue cuteness that completely ruins her cool posture when she drops toward Vivace's lap. This gets Vivace to drop said pose to catch her and absorb the impact rather than taking eighty pounds to the knees and upper legs. Steel's heavy, okay?

<Pose Tracker> Elaine has posed.

    Smiling back at Professor Oak, Elaine says "Mm, Thank you." to him. She spends the rest of the time waiting looking around the rest of the room as Veevee finishes her puff. Then, when NAll begins Elaine tilts her head as she listens. Her attention shifts to the holographic display, but she doesn't speak up.

<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.

 
Dirk gives some people upnods. After standing around for a little while, he also gets on the chair, Farfetch'd hopping up to stand on the back of the adjacent seat. His webbed toes grip the little... hand thingy you can use to pull them out when they're stacked.

Dirk looks at the others with some sympathy. Who stands out in this examination of others? Rena and Chase (and Pikachu) get nods; Vivace gets a "sup." Rille's predicament gets a couple of seconds of looking, but his sunglasses keep it from being 'staring'. (*Swordsman secret technique.*)

But then the Prof and the Mayor step up to speak. Dirk turns his attention forwards, though he stays slouched in his chair. His expression remains solemn, in so far as it's visible. Questions come up.

Dirk raises his hand.

"I got two," he says. "Which is... number one, nobody's been able to get anything on what they're doin from the inside, just seeing what they do from the outside? Not even like, robots or Psychic types or nothin?"

A beat passes. During this time, Vivace speaks. His expression doesn't change a lot, but Farfetch'd isn't wearing cool shades (he has no squad to provide them) and HIS face darkens at the mention of Solaris.

Dirk reaches up to scratch the back of his head. "... That's kinda what I was gonna ask. What's gonna happen, like -- what if we don't succeed?"

<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.

    Dias considers Mayor Nall's surprise at the wild Psynard with a frown. To him, it sounds like he's surprised they found one--and while Psynards are rare, it was he who insisted they needed one in the first place, and he'd surely know about what happened when they tried to get a... cultivated Psynard. He decides to leave it be.
    
    He does catch Rena's eye, though. She knows him well; Dias is here to defeat an enemy, not save the world. Certainly not to protect anything or anyone. That's Claude's style. Dias is content to let him keep it.
    
    The lecture begins. Dias focuses in on it, then at the map showing where the Ten Wise Men have attacked. Questions are sought, and Dias obliges: "How emphatically have they repelled those attempts?"
    
    In other words, what's the body count. The others have good questions, too, but that's what stands out to Dias the most.
    
    He glances to one side when Pikachu scurries over to Mimikyu to Pika-greet them. There's definitely no upward twitching going on at the corner of his mouth.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius can intuit the reason why Rena would open a window - it's proof positive that they've collectively managed to befriend a wild Psynard. (It begs the question why Ethius has been desperately trying to come up with other contingencies, but... everyone needs a hobby.)
 
     "We are indeed," he confirms to Claude, as his Peryton eyes others around the room as if trying to gauge if Peryton is holding the shiniest thing in the room. (She is, this is a good thing.) "My sentiments are the same," he assures him.
 
     He catches Dias eyeing the drawing. He stands by his handiwork. Besides, they can all carry up to twenty of these scribbles without issue, can't they?
 
     "...I'm camera shy," he asides to Chisato, hand over his forehead, "I understand the cultural values Nede may have about the press, but... I really must impress that." Still... he's aware of some of what's going to be discussed, as Nall takes point in impressing upon the movements of the Ten Wise Men. Every sighting on the holographic map checks out, but he does squint at the way some of the topographical features are presented. (It would explain a few of the traveling hiccups over the years... but should he be surprised? The art of cartography on Filgaia and Lunar are no match for what Nede can just snapshot in a blink.)
 
     He considers all the others present - the natives, the other Visitors... and Vivace's pointed words. It's startling that so much of this is being put in the hands of what appear to be younger children, but that may be cultural gaps talking in terms of given responsibilities and what's considered a coming of age.
 
     He doesn't have any questions to add above what others are saying.

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude looks around at the people who enter; some Filgaian, some Lunarian, some Nedian. And... Lan. Claude grins at the antics of her Lunatone, and looks thoughtfully at Xantia. He knows he's been having trouble. But maybe what they learn to use against the Ten Wise Men could help against Solaris, too. Later.

"We rescued her from Team Rocket," Claude explains of Lady Brightwing. "And then she decided to come with us. We didn't actually... 'catch' her."

Then he grins at Chisato. "Gotta hae spares, right?"

He doesn't have any questions to start, but...

"Honestly?" Claude says. "The technology here is beyond even the Federation. Is it enough beyond that they could just... conquer everybody else? I don't know. But maybe so. I'm not wanting to chance it. I'd rather stop them here then worry about the rest of the galaxy or universe."

He pauses, and looks at Vivace. "Hey; we're not going to lump all the Nedians in with Team Rocket, so don't lump all the Visitors in with Solaris. We did bring you problems, and I'm sorry for that--but the Ten Wise Men are everyone's problem."

He regards Ethius for a moment, in particular. "Maybe the whole unierse's." A beat, "We won't let her take too many photos of you, though. Right, Chisato?"

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Yes, definitely. I wish things were better... but, that's why we're here." Jacqueline replies, offering Nall a smile of her own in return. It's something they'll have to address on their own.

Nall clears his throat, then, signalling the start of the meeting. So, they've already made attempts to investigate... That's good to know, even if they've been thus far unsuccessful. Her eyes are drawn, then, to the holographic display in the middle, looking over the maps of each world.

As for questions... Jacqueline thinks, then glances toward Rena.

"That's a good question. What do we know about Phynal itself?" She asks.

<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.

 
    Ooh, Gwen! Lan reaches out to take the offered candy, giving the courier a fist bump and a grin in exchange for delicious sugary goodness. "Thanks!" she stage-whispers, and then the meeting begins.

    She watches the maps light up. The display reminds her a bit of some of the advertisements in Etrenank, and a rarer tactical display in the surface bases she had been to. Leah and Loren had called them 'hollow grams'. You can't touch them for real, though, so it's just a different kind of illusion magic as far as Lan is concerned...!

    It's always Domination of one kind or another. Mother, Solaris... the Ten Wise Men are just aiming further out, aren't they? After all, until a few months ago 'outer space' had been mostly a religious matter for Lan, not a political or social one. And then everybody got zapped to the moon, which had People On It, and the world got a little bit bigger. And now they've gotten zapped again, and there's Ethius's story too, and the boundaries of the map that is Lan's world just keep going outwards, and outwards...

    "...We didn't bring them, though," Lan volunteers, when Vivace complains. "They brought themselves. And we're trying to stop them, too."

<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.

"No problem," Chisato asides to Ethius with a big wink. "You'll never even know!"

Cheerfully brushing past the fact that subtlety is like not among her several virtues, she chimes for Claude, "The creative process is also a destructive one! Ah, cruel fate."

She sets to scribbling in short hand, mumbling, "They're holing up for now, which is weird on its own. These guys already ran roughshod over what, three times their number in Visitors? And also only three of them did anything that time? Even if we've had luck repelling them, it's often only just...hard to imagine what they could even need to dig in for. Works out for us, at least."

She's a thinker, apparently. She blink up at Claude nudging her. "Oh." She looks at Ethius again, squinting. ... "I mean yeah, sure," she says, grudgingly. "But you owe me an interview." She jabs her pen at Claude. Grin. "Mister Hero."

<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.

    Xantia takes a seat close by and he glances in her direction, as if to do a sort of quick evaluation of her and how she is doing. ...He still needs to speak to her in private, he reflects to himself, but their circumstances haven't yet precisely afforded the right opportunity.

    If he spots Gwen passing Xantia a candy bar, he doesn't say a word about it.

    He's been noticed. While it isn't his first visit to Energy Nede, it is the first time he's met Mayor Nall, having recognized him and the Professor based on both descriptions of them and, well, context clues. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mayor Nall," he says, bowing his head in greeting.

    It's not long after that Mayor Nall starts the meeting in earnest. ...Indeed, the silence had been of concern to certain powers that be, perhaps more than any concerted attacks would have provoked. It was clear that they were plotting something -- and indeed, an attempt to find out 'what' had been behind his aborted trip to Meribia.
    The search for information had also been why he hadn't yet spoken to Professor Linden, which, given what had happened in Meribia, is another thus-far potential missed opportunity that Citan cannot help but lament.

    Still, one cannot let themselves dwell on the past. There is still much that needs to be done.

    Ise is no longer entirely within Citan's shadow. The Mimikyu sits bolt upright as Pikachu approaches, his true eyes glittering from under his 'pelt'. The last time he'd met a Pikachu, it had ended in a fight! He'd felt slighted, somehow, but right now it's different! She doesn't seem angry! "Kyu--?" he chirps, hesitant as Pikachu comes right up to him and offers her tail.

    "..."

    "..."

    Is there... something Ise ought to be doing here? He's drawing a blank! Oh no! But wait, don't trainers sometimes shake hands--

    An inky tendril unwinds from under Ise's 'ide' and reaches out to gingerly touch Pikachu's tail. "...Mikyu?" Ise tenders, uncertainly.

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

If there is a topic that doesn't summon an appetite, Xantia doesn't know of any. Thankfully, just when the need was greatest and the situation most dire, a candy bar appears to her out of nowhere! Thankfully there is a person attached to it so she doesn't have to wonder whether she's hallucinating.

The start of the presentation is briefly interrupted by a noise that sounds like it might have come from a Pokemon, but it was actually Xantia emitting a happy squeak. The reprimand from Kira is immediate, another poke in the arm making her think better of speaking out loud and only mouthing a 'thank you' to Gwen for the kind offering. The Kirlia next to her won't begrudge his trainer a snack, but out of the two, it's absolutely Kira who is the more diligently focused here.

Which isn't to say that Xantia isn't paying attention. There are a few points of interest marked on the holographic map that she wasn't aware of yet, though her gaze lingers on the one in Pewter City. One that she was present for, and the first of the instances in Nede where she lost control, fending off Michael.

She begins to frown as Vivace speaks of Solaris, because of course she would. Especially when she hears of an incident they used Pokemon for. Sure not wasting any time using their new tools to ruin things in whole new ways. At the end of that, she gestures at the point of interest she was focusing on. "They already did that, the blowing up Pewter thing. Well, set it on fire at least." Not that you could tell by looking at it now. Rebuilding seems remarkably effortless in Nede.

But what she really wants to weigh on is, of course, the matter of Solaris. Claude's already got it covered on the not lumping them together thing, so she can skip to the other point. "Solaris will use any and all things that can serve their ends... so long as they can be used as tools. They're not looking to share their dominion, so I seriously doubt they'd welcome an alliance with the Ten Wise Men at all. If anything, I'd say they'd prefer to be rid of them, sooner rather than later, just like the rest of us. But I hope you can see how in this case, the enemy of your enemy is NOT your friend."

Where it comes to whether she has any questions at this point of time, there's an obvious one that comes to mind. "Maybe I'm getting ahead of things a little, but... I hope this plan includes some kind of counter to how fast these Wise Men heal? I can tell they're not totally impervious, but it'll be hard to beat them down if they can just get up from everything."

<Pose Tracker> Holly has posed.

Holly's not about to admit she was running late. She missed part of the meeting. Fully intending on.. well at least keeping meticulous notes for anyone that hadn't been present. That she's got tiny writing and would have to get it written out again later didn't even seem to bother her.
 
 She ducks past the psynard as she drifts through the window (Though she does try to sneak a quick pat if allowed to do so) before taking a seat, hurriedly pulling her pack free and beginning to scribble on the notebook. She's.. at least not talking anyone's ear off quite yet. Though with chat about Solaris. She perks up and focuses. This is a separate issue and the concerns groups like that bring.
 
 "If they thought short term benefits might outweigh risks.." then she clamps up briefly and organizes her thoughts. "Uh.. I think she's right-" pointing to Xantia, "But I think they might let deals line up." She would at least. If she were in that position. Stack the deck sort of thing. She scowls. "Too many variables though."
 
 She pauses again. The mention of healing. She raises a hand, "If you need research help, could I join in maybe? I've got experience." Too much. And curiosity's getting the best of her.

<Pose Tracker> Sheriff Star has posed.

"Nothing," Nall confirms to Dirk. "There is a massive barrier around it. We've been looking for other ways inside. And..." He looks at Dias. "Efforts to get inside have been met with their strange Pokemon and, occasionally, a Wise Man directly. We've lost a few older Trainers and police."

Then, his eyes turn to Rena. "There is a powerful Symbological weapon there, known as the Symbol of Annihilation," Mayor Nall says. He flinches, hesitating with the question for a moment. But, this had to come out sooner or later. Which gets into Dirk's second question. "It could cause an enormous amount of damage if used -- enough to destroy a planet, a star, or... more. It... will need a great deal of energy to power, though."

Which may be why, as Chisato puts it, they're holing up.

He frowns. "So, we have time to stop them." Then, he looks at Vivace -- and shakes his head. "No. Not to our knowledge," she says. "The aggressive Visitors are... a second threat, I'm afraid. However, based on the actions of some of the Wise Men's strange Pokemon when a hostile Visitor scout group got near the barrier, I think they're not on the same side."

Then, the Mayor looks at Jay. "It was, in the past, a Symbological research facility," he says. "This included but wasn't limited to weapons. Phynal was at the heart of efforts to reclaim Lost Johto, the region of Energy Nede that lost its environmental protections in the past. Now... we can only guess what changes they've made."

Professor Oak smiles at Chase -- though, his eyes widen when he sees the interaction beween Pikachu and Mimikyu. Does Pikachu know...?

The question of the strange Pokemon used by the Ten Wise Men brings up a point, though. Oak clears his throat. "We've determined that the Ten Wise Men use Pokemon that appear to be either ancient or futuristic forms of Pokemon we know," he says. "We suspect they're custom-designed ones that they created, but... it's a suspicion, for now. An unnerving one."

He exhales. "We're calling them 'Paradox Pokemon,' for the time being." He looks at Vivace. "They appear to be different than Mega Evolution. Two different ways to... the same terrible end, I'm afraid."

Professor Oak hesitates. "I don't know if they'll pose a threat to a Nedian city. But... the Elite Four have been notified."

"We're working on a way to counter how fast they heal," Nall says to Xantia. "I've reached out to Professor Mirage, in Armslock. She's... developing something. She mentioned she may need to pay a visit to Filgaia in the future. I'll pass her information along, if so."

Nall glances at Holly -- then nods. "When she's ready, we'll put her in touch."

"The idea we have is a way to help you," A glance at Dirk, Chase, and Elaine. "--and your Pokemon, reach the level of the Ten Wise Men is the Four Fields," Mayor Nall says. "These are ancient training grounds, once used by the predecessor to the Pokemon League. They can unlock one's true potential, it is said. We had them locked... but desperate times."

Professor Oak nods. "To explain, the Four Fields are the original sites that proved one's worthiness to become a Pokemon Champion. In the past, this gave them the right to challenge and attempt to tame a legendary Pokemon, named Arceus. After Arceus vanished -- even we're not quite sure when -- we had them locked."

He shakes his head. "They used to be called Victory Road. The name is one we now used for the path the League's headquarters, at Indigo Plateau. The Elite Four, the top four trainers of the League, take their name from the Four Fields, too."

"Suffice to say, unlocking the Fields is unheard of," Mayor Nall says, with a thin smile.

<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.

"Hey," Vivace replies to Dirk, with less spiciness than a lot of her conversation has had recently. She's fought with him, when it was serious. They have a connection she doesn't have with a lot of people.

Of course, then Claude calls her out right back - and, more gently, Lan - which is fair. "I didn't," Vivace says, though now she's trying to deal with a wiggly Sandshrew on her lap, which is difficult because this particular Sandshrew is also so cold she has trouble touching her for very long without her gloves. Which she's not wearing.

"But some Nedians think most Visitors walk on water, and that you can solve all our problems. I think a lot of you are trying to help," Vivace allows, which is more than she would have a couple months ago. "But I *don't* think we should assume you all can and will, and I don't think we should leave it all to you."

"So if I see that the gate and what comes through it isn't all good, I'm going to say so." Vivace looks at Claude, slightly challenging. "And nobody *here* would've tried to blow up a city with a Pokemon. Solaris did. So I'm asking again: are they working with the Wise Men? If the answer's no, that's great. But if we think it's yes, I want to know." A glance over to Xantia: "I never thought they were my friend. Anyone who thinks someone that messed up is their friend is wrong." No kidding that Pokemon are tools for them. She's scowling again by the end of it.

Vivace finally picks up Sandshrew and puts her on the table, where she curls up and is (in Vivace's estimation) adorable. Vivace sticks her hands in her armpits until her fingers get warm again. Whatever cool, 'I'm-too-good-for-you' teenager attitude she had before is absolutely ruined by Sandshrew... which may have been Sandshrew's secret goal, judging by how smug that little icy Pokemon looks.

Just because she's the most aggressive and combative of Vivace's team doesn't mean she doesn't like bringing Vivace down a notch... rather the opposite, in fact.

But it sounds like they're actually not allied, which is something of a relief, though even now Vivace won't admit it. "Paradox, huh." Futuristic and prehistoric... "I know of her. I'll help with that."

Less of a relief: the Symbol of Annihilation, which makes her eyes widen slightly. Vivace leans forward, pushing up her glasses absently. Really, she thinks. Really? You didn't mention this before??

Though she's yelling inside her head, Vivace is pretty quiet out loud. Until: "You're going to open the Fields *now*?" Well, there's not really a better time. "Fine, but I'm going too." Nall ignored her in favour of the other trainers. Doesn't matter to Vivace; she's not going to be left out.

(And if she finds Arceus afterwards, well, she has her Pokeballs. Even *Vivace* doesn't assume this is very likely, though.)

<Pose Tracker> Elaine has posed.

    Elaine ruffles Chase's hair, even as she casts a look of concern at Pikachu's interaction with a Mimikyu. Its a little concerning, but she smiles for Chase. Important to be strong big sister. Veevee has curled up and decided now is naptime, face hidden by her tail.

    Elaine listens to the questions and answers given, realizing a lot of the older Nedians, and all the Visitors are... much more versed in conflict than she is. Which makes her feel conflicted.

    Then Oak and NAll are explaining what the Fields are and how the relate to the present. Elaine blinks in surprise as Arceus comes up, and then that the purpose of the fields had been to prove the worth of trainers. She looks a little wide-eyed as she mental starts connecting dots with research information she had access too, and any questions she had on Paradaox Pokemon fly off in her head in favor of things about Legendary Pokemon and the Fields.

    "Um... If Beating all four fields proved the worthyness to challenge Arceus, then did that mean the fields themselves were also home to other Pokemon of legend and myth that had to be overcome to succeed? Or were the predecessors to the Elite Four found in the fields?" is the question Elaine raises, her Pokedex out instead of her phone now.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius, perhaps being the most prominent non-Nedian Symbologist here, flinches noticeably at the mention of 'a powerful Symbological weapon.' He's seen how complex so many of their more benign Symbological constructs are and he's not even sure he's actually seeing the whole of it when he looks head on.
 
     "Something that simply named must be exacting of its intentions," he surmises aloud at mention of its destructive power. "It may explain why they appear intent on utilizing the Ley energies of Filgaia and Lunar."
 
     He hopes it's a coincidence of the location in which the Ten Wise Men emerged. Exactly how many existential crises have those two worlds been through, and that's before everyone else from outside the galaxy ended up here.
 
     "I can confirm a number of us have encountered the Wise Man... Raphael, I believe, and his now identified Paradox Pokemon. They were of a futuristic character, as if all covered in some form of iron." He looks to Claude. Both of them - one by clearance, one by virtue of being the son of one of the greatest heroes of the Pangalactic Federation - are aware of the possibility of what would be considered outright 'time travel.' The idea that the Ten Wise Men may have that under their belt is another issue.
 
     He doesn't speak up over Vivace's concerns. Peryton, meanwhile, holds their ring in their beak up to adjust the way light hits off of the shiny thing and also the Alolan Sandshrew's back, and is contented by the shiny.

<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.

Dirk also gets a nod. From Chase. From Pikachu he gets sparkling eyes and a whole armed wave as she stands on her tiptoes. Pikachu is excited to see most people. She is especially excited to see someone who gives their Pokemon swords. This could bring her one step closer to convincing Chase to let her have sharp objects.

Chase does not appear worried by the interaction between Pikachu and Ise, and tilts his head into Elaine's hair ruffle like second nature.

An argument concerning Solaris breaks out and Chase flinches toward Vivace, looking from one person who crimes in to the next. He looks like he wants to say something, but being Chase, he's never going to actually say something. Instead he gets his phone, hesitating, finger hovering over the screen without setting down to input text. The Symbol of Annihilation only adds to the distress. He looks to Elaine in alarm, but her Big Sister Energy is enough to settle some of the rising tension.

The Four Fields... Chase meets Nall's glance. He feels one of his Poke Balls grow hot enough to threaten to burn his waist. He sets his fingers over it gently despite the dangerous heat, and it begins to simmer into a gentler warmth.

Pikachu waits expectantly for Ise to complete The Greeting. She blinks back at him, smile uninterrupted. Waiting. Waiting... Oh! A dark tendril takes her tail, and Pikachu cheerfully wiggles it in a shake, delivering a mild current -- no more than a static tingle -- to Ise in exchange for the ghostly creepy chill that visibly writhes up her own spine.

"Piii Pikachu!" she urges gleefully.

how is this working

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.

Vivace gets a curious look at the scowl, but Rena can't really understand what she's thinking.
 
Lady Brightwing was not caught like a Pokemon, but joined them of her own free will, so there's nothing binding them to the visitors.
 
She could always leave at any moment, should someone convince her to.
 
Claude however explains, and Rena nods, "She'd prefer no Pokeball. I can't even call myself her trainer, she's one of us now."
 
Rena nods at Dirk, her smile returning after a moment.
 
Dias' question though comes, and Rena's face falls again in worry, because - it's a very good question.
 
How many have been lost already?
 
Claude answers that grimly, the technology here could probably easily conquer the Universe. "Small wonder Solaris has been trying so hard to get it." She notes, of his comment, "Me too. If it gets to that point then..."
 
She trails off, but she doesn't need to even finish it. 'We've failed'. It becomes bigger than their ability to handle.
 
At first Rena doesn't think anything of Aggressive, trying to rationalize it towards Solaris, but Claude stands up to it, and Rena blinks as if in realization of what she meant, eyes fluttering...
 
Then after a moment she looks down at her pendant, and feels a stab of guilt. Lady Brightwing slowly nudges Rena however in that moment, and Rena pats her head- and Rena eventually answers Vivace, "We were asked to do this - by your leadership. None of us have ever said we should do this without Nedian help, just that we feel that this is our fight too."
 
Rena explains to Vivace, "If anything - we're grateful that all of you are offering your assistance to the task."
 
However, she does point something out, "But - if they were excluding Nedians in favor of us - you wouldn't be in this room right now."
 
Ethius being camera shy is noted, as Rena tells herself not to turn her RIRICA at him, then Chisato asks- "Wait you want to interview Claude?"
 
Rena looks at him, then considers, then, "Oh that's fair. He is very ah."
 
Pause.
 
Don't say Heroic - Don't say anything Hero related. Just don't. Don't. Don't do it Rena.
 
You know better.
 
"Newsworthy."
 
That was QUITE the hesitation.
 
Dias' question is answered, and Rena looks sorrowful, like - the fact they aren't strong enough already is costing lives.
 
Nall however explains that in Phynal there's a Powerful Symbological Weapon, the... "Symbol of Annihilation?" Rena repeats, already uneasy about it, even before he continues, "That- that's awful! We have to stop them before they can use it."
 
Fortunately they can't use it here, right? That feels common sense because, they'd just destroy themselves.
 
Fortunately Nall notes it'll take a lot of energy, which is a relief, and she nods, but still, she can't help but worry.
 
"They use... Pokemon?" Rena seems astounded by that, but then again - they were utilizing monsters on Filgaia, recruiting people.
 
"It's possible they could use the Sorcery Globe to... bind them to them. On Filgaia the Sorcery Globe was causing a lot of trouble with monsters it was summoning and - people it turned into monsters."
 
Rena explains, at least briefly, not liking the implications. The problem of the Wise Men regenerating, well, at least for now they all knew they could be beaten if not - permanently.
 
The explanation starts of the Four Fields and Rena looks surprised, "These trials will help us grow that fast? I see..."
 
Arceus? Rena looks somewhat astounded at the thought of a Legendary Pokemon that required trials to capture.
 
"I wonder if we could find Arceus if- they'd help us."
 

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Rena explains more about Lady Brightwing, and Claude nods along. "She's OK with her kids traveling that way sometimes," he says, "But not for her."

Then, "Heh. All right, all right," Claude says of the interview. "We can make that happen."

Rena doesn't call him a Hero, at least. Though he does glance her way. Newsworthy, is it...?

The Symbol of Annihilation. Claude's eyes widen in alarm. "A planet--no, a star destroying weapon?" he asks. that's... well. It's alarming. "The kind of power they could get here, right?"

On Energy Nede. Or worse--Claude looks to Ethius. "Yeah. They are gathering power."

Wiggly Sandshrew happens--and Vivace explains her perspective more. "All right," he answers, nodding after a moment thinking it through. "We don't walk on water, and we can't solve all your problems. The problems we have in common, I want to solve with all of you. I respect your position. But..." He nods to Xantia. "I think she's right. They're not going to work with the Ten Wise Men."

He does not notice Pikachu and Ise. For now.

Instead he considers Elaine's question. "I don't plan to have my Pokemon fight for me against the Ten Wise Men, but it sounds like it might be smart to bring some anyway, in that case. If only in case we do meet some of these 'legendary' Pokemon."

He looks to Ethius. Time travel... It could be a big problem.

He considers Holly, next. "I don't think it's a bad idea to let our researchers work with Nede's. Even if Energy Nede has more advanced technology, a new perspective might get us somewhere."

<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.

    It's not a hard number, but then, there *are* children in the room, and Nall otherwise tells it straight. Dias can appreciate that. It's better than some ranking military officers in the Lacour Army can manage. He doesn't take it personally that lives have been lost, either, unlike Rena. They can't be everywhere all at once at all times. He gives Nall a curt nod, then listens to the other answers.
    
    Insight into what Solaris is likely to do is good. Dias isn't that familiar with them--or rather, he isn't familiar with their true faces. He's dealt with Kislev and Aveh both a time or ten. But... that Symbol of Annihilation, which Nall claims is powerful enough to destroy an entire planet or more... If they can successfully charge that up, they'll be functionally unbeatable. Dias glances at Claude and Ethius, frowning.
    
    Fortunately, it sounds like it's going to be a *lot* of energy, and to gather it all will take time--time enough to find a way to them and beat them. Dias lives to fight, but he's not interested in a hopeless battle.
    
    "Why did you lock them?" he asks of the Four Fields. "Even if that Arceus Pokemon vanished, wouldn't they still be good as training grounds?"
    
    Of course, there must be some reason why they wouldn't be good. But they seem to be sidestepping the matter. He looks over at Vivace as she defends her perspective against Claude and Lan. Good for her that she's inclined to fight herself for her world. He looks back at Rena.
    
    "Depends on why they vanished in the first place. I doubt we could get their help without fighting them first, though," Dias remarks of Arceus. "Definitely not before we finish going through those Four Fields."
    
    That was literally the point of them existing, after all.

<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.

 
Nothing.

Dirk slouches further in his seat. It is not helped when Nall reveals that there's a horrible super-weapon in that place. "Oh man," he groans to himself. "That sounds like the Sign of Ultradeath. Ah geez." (Nedians may recognize a reference to something from an Action Rangers series from about four years ago, if they also watched Action Rangers.)

There's more information. It doesn't really hit Dirk where he lives but he watches and he listens. The 'Paradox Pokemon' make him frown deeper; are these things in pain, misled, some kind of mock-Pokemon or something like Porygons that the Ten Wise Men whipped up? He does not know. To him, at least, it doesn't matter.

The Elite Four. Dirk glances at Farfetch'd, who looks at him with a grim expression. It doesn't ease his posture or mood. It does make him fold his arms.

"... there some kinda catch to these Four Fields? Like, yeah, even if they ain't legendary do they have super high-powered Pokemon or something?"

<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.

 
    "We can't even solve all of our own problems!" Lan counters, though she's at least a little cheerful about it...? Sort of a 'what can you do?' kind of energy.

    She tries to imagine what a legendary Pokemon must be like. She saw drawings of a bird and a... not-a-bird-but-still-flying kind of creature. Maybe a dragon, in the museum, but she's already forgotten their names. "It'd be like meeting a Guardian, wouldn't it?" she wonders out loud. In her lap, Buneary coos thoughtfully, mimicking her posture.

<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.

"There are people who say I'm not supposed to be," Vivace replies to Rena, with a hint of heat. "I wasn't supposed to go through the portal the first time, either. But this is our world and we deserve to fight for it, even if half the adults - "

Vivace cuts herself off with a puff out through her nose and a slow inhalation as she stops letting her irritation get the better of her.

"Go ahead," she says, instead, after a long moment. "Ask Mayor Nall if he thinks I should have the 'spark' to fight, or if Nedians should be peaceful and keep things the way they've been going. Leave it to the Visitors, because we shouldn't change. Because we 'don't do that anymore'."

"Because he doesn't have that spark. And he thinks you do - and he's mad that I do. Because we're 'different'."

<Pose Tracker> Holly has posed.

Holly tilts her head at the name and scribbles it down. Then begins laughing to herself at the errant thought that it might just be a way to keep her distracted. Something illusory! (They wouldn't do that right?)
 
 Somewhere in the back, a serious looking woman is listening in with her sunglasses on still. She's doing her best to keep to herself. Getting involved means actually getting out there and not just delegating all the time at least.
 
 Holly in the meantime holds a hand up one more time, "I'll uh. Also try to cross reference things too." Not that it makes any sense to Nall at least. She knows roughly what should be where, she might be able to find some weird rumors... somehow. "Thin a chance as it is." She's being pretty light on the words today at least!
 
 She goes right back to keeping notes on the situation though. Particularly the fields. If all else it's something she can look into later.
 
 The idea of a magical doomsday weapon does get a grimace though and she actually takes to the air, moving to land near the others so she's not shouting.. as much. This is an area she actually wants to maybe try and weigh in on even if they've got her beat in a lot.. lot of ways.
 
 She does shoot Claude a thumbs up though, "I'm a good researcher too, I promise." She's really trying to be on her best behavior even. She hasn't let her bad habits sneak out! Yet. "And.. I'm good at the practical side of research too." Which means she's got some degree of a lack of restraint needed to just see what happens! That might not be as good a thing.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

The Symbol of Annihilation - a Symbological weapon capable of vast destruction. Jacqueline frowns.

"Could that be why they're siphoning energy from our worlds...? As if killing us slowly wasn't enough..." She murmurs, shaking her head. It disgusts her - but then, she already knew the Ten Wise Men were no good.

She nods, then, listening as Mayor Nall offers an explanation. It wasn't just weaponry...

"...That's a shame. A place like that doesn't deserve to be misused for those purposes." She replies, shaking her head. It could've done a lot of good, in better hands. Hopefully it'll see better days yet.

The strange Pokemon are mentioned - 'Paradox Pokemon'. She's heard of them, but wasn't among those who encountered them. A strange power... Whether or not they pose a threat to the people, it's still good to keep tabs on them. Still, it's good to know that methods to counteract their regeneration are being researched.

And so... the Four Fields. They were mentioned before, in their first big meeting. She listens intently.

"Our true potential..." She murmurs, looking down at herself. It isn't her first time facing such a trial. Before, it was spiritual strength...

What form will her potential take? She wouldn't be her if that idea didn't fill her with curiosity.

"Everyone raises a good question... What can we expect to find there?" Jacqueline asks.

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.

"None of us have rejected your efforts, so you have no reason to resent us - and yet you do, because your pride was wounded by your leadership."
 
Rena answers Vivace calmly, firmly- with only the slightest hint of hardness at the challenge, "I don't need to ask Mayor Nall. I've already told you that we are more than happy to fight with you. Whether you possess some 'Spark' or not... that hardly matters. We're here for Nede, just as you are. That's what matters."

<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.

    Citan, for his part, makes no remark on the matter of Solaris. There are people here who don't know his own ties to the nation, and to bring them up now would certainly derail things if it should come up. But even more than that...
    It's quite interesting to listen in on the discussion that does occur between various parties, particularly from Vivace's own arguments. ...But also Xantia's remarks in response.

    Rena asks about Phynal, and Nall answers. What he speaks of does not come easily. "So there is a weapon on that scale... I suppose we can take comfort that they did not deploy it immediately. Yet, does that mean that they intend to use it only if necessary, or that they are unable to use it presently? And, what end does it serve if they do deploy it? If dominion is their aim, then..."

    But he falls silent, perhaps coming to an uncomfortable conclusion of his own already.

    The 'Symbol of Destruction'... what was its intent from the start, if Phynal's aim was restoration? But perhaps therein is his answer again.

    "I have spoken to Professor Aomori about these Paradox Pokemon. She is an expert in Pokemon behavior," he adds, for those not acquainted with Anne Aomori. "She recommended I speak to an acquaintance of hers, Doctor Linden Stacey. Perhaps he may be able to shed some light on these Pokemon. I had thought that as long as we are unable to attack the Ten Wise Men directly, we might instead tackle the matter of their forces." He pauses, glancing at Mayor Nall. "...Even so, it may be worth following up upon."

    As he had heard, there is a way for them to ensure that this struggle is not a lost cause, and Oak and Nall explicate what that is.

    "I see... so by undergoing these trials..." Citan bows his head as if in thought, frowning as others add their own context and ask questions. "The Legendary Pokemon Arceus, is it..." ...But where has he seen that name before?

    "--Kyu-uu-u--"

    Ise gets a shock! But he also doesn't let go of Pikachu's tail. Perhaps he can't, after a jolt like that. But it's equally likely that he just doesn't want to after making a new friend.

    "...Mi!" he chirps soon after, pumping Pikachu's tail a in a vigorous... tailshake. Smoke wafts up towards the ceiling from his 'ears'.

<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.

Chisato's eyes slowly narrow, though her notes don't slow down. "Unlock your true potential," she says, quietly. Master...is this what you couldn't reveal to us--

She perks up at Rena. "I mean, sure! Anyone outside the barrier's interesting, of course, but he's leading the charge against some crazy impossible demigods like a hero from the old times! And I can interview you any ol' night in the girls tent~" she teases.

She seems to be letting Vivace's anger wash over her - though she is taking her notes diligently. "Symbol of Annihilation," Chisato mutters with concern. "Says what it does, does what it says. Elegant, I guess."

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

The Symbol of Annihilation. There's an ominous thing that they could have stood to learn about sooner than this, in Xantia's opinion. Not that there's anything that could've been done sooner, but still. She hadn't been convinced that everyone was fully aware of just how dire things are, this information could've really helped to hammer that home. Of course, to her things have felt maximum dire the entire time, because of what the Wise Men have been doing to Filgaia. The reason for which now also clicks into place, as Ethius is quick to point out.

Upon the realization, Xantia slams her right fist into the opposite palm. "So that's why they're doing that. Draining the energy they need to power their super-weapon!" As if things couldn't get any worse. If they don't destroy the planet one way, they could do it in another. Why is it somehow even more than maximum dire??

She's not interested anymore in furthering the arguments regarding Solaris, at that point, though she's absolutely worried about them finding out about that super-weapon and trying to take it for themselves. Paradox Pokemon, Schmaradox Pokemon, she think they should all just rush out of the presentation and get to the action already! Except there is the small problem that she still doesn't know what action that should even be. The answer to her question helps with this, though. Professor Mirage. She'll remember that name. If this person is developing their trump card...

"She'll need protection, then. If they learn about what she's working on, she won't be safe." If that sounds like she's volunteering, she pretty much is. If she can't come up with a counter herself, then the next best thing she can do might be to act as a bodyguard for someone who can. It's Kira who hops up and down on his seat, though, actually vocalizing the "Kirlia! Kirlia!" of the 'I'll do it, pick me' kind.

Of course, this is before the Four Fields are mentioned, and Kira goes "Kirlia! Kirlia!" once again. "...You can't do both at the same time," Xantia points out, with some confusion at this reaction. Clearly her Pokemon knows more than she does about what makes these Four Fields so great. Which isn't difficult, since all she knows is pretty much 'they are fields, and there are four of them', plus what little else is mentioned about them, which doesn't seem to relate at all about what they actually... do. So she must ask, with a nod to Jay, adding it in right after she states it plainly.

"Not only that - how do these fields make you stronger, exactly? Is it just for Pokemon, or can I become stronger, too?" This is important, since much like Claude, she has no intention of getting her Pokemon involved in a fight that dangerous, if she can help it.

<Pose Tracker> Sheriff Star has posed.

"Of course," Oak says to Vivace. "It may take a bit -- she's still doing some research to prove her idea. But..."

"It is," Mayor Nall answers Rena. "The Symbol of Annihilation is an ancient thing. And a terrible thing. The power it needs is immense, though--especially for something that could cause planetary- or stellar-level destruction."

Nall glances at Claude. "Potentially, but I'm not sure that Energy Nede can meet their needs. But..." He looks at Jay, and he frowns. "Yes, Miss Barber. The portals are also draining energy from Lunar and Filgaia," he says. "And I fear that could be why."

Nall then looks at Citan. "Precisely, Dr. Uzuki. My suspicion is they would use the Symbol of Annihilation as a means to force subservience," he says. "This isn't to say they would not cause great devastation. But..."

Otherwise, it would be destroying the universe. They wouldn't want that.

Would they?

"Good question, Elaine," Professor Oak answers. "There are guardians within each Field, which combine Symbology and technology. Additionally, there are Pokemon who have made the Fields home."

He shakes his head. "The Elite Four's predecessors weren't there. In a sense, the Fields were the Elite Four. The Elite Four, as people, try to live up to the challenge the Fields represent."

A beat.

"For the record, no, this will not replace challenging the Gyms or the Elite Four. We should be proud of our traditions, too, not just ancient ones."

Then, the professor looks at Rena. "Arceus... we're not sure where he went," Oak says. "He vanished, though, before Johto was lost. It would be great if we could find Arceus... but I don't think we should hold out hope for that, either."

Then, he looks at Dirk. "They were a form of training," Oak says. "So... ideally, it should make you stronger. We've lost some of the details on how they work, though."

He looks at Xantia. Then, the older man smiles apologetically. "So the truth is, we don't know the exact mechanism. We locked it away so people couldn't train like this," he says. "I wish we had a better answer. We weren't quite ready for this."

Nall glances at Vivace. He hesitates -- then he frowns. "You'll forgive me," he says, "if I'm regretful about our children fighting our wars for us. Or Visitors."

Which isn't, exactly, disagreeing with her.

Mayor Nall meets Chase's eyes. There is a brief nod -- this is, after all, quite the situation. Then, he looks towards Vivace.

"We are," Nall says, finally looking at Vivace. "It is time. Professor Oak, if you could explain more?"

"The Four Fields include the Fields of Power, Wisdom, Courage, and Love," Professor Oak explains. "We'll save the Field of Love for last. It's on a floating island, not far from Phynal, and the Elite Four is currently clearing out some airborne... unknown Pokemon nearby."

The holographic display changes, lighting up three points on a map of Energy Nede. One is in the mountains north of Pewter City; a second is in a lake near Cerulean City; the third is in the southeast, within a forest.

"Power is in the snowy mountains, north of Pewter City," Mayor Nall says. "Wisdom is the one in the lake near Cerulean. And Courage is in a cave in the forests of the southeast."

Professor Oak adds: "Each Field will test you in that manner," he says. "They're supposed to be esoteric... and they're dangerous, with numerous trials, Symbologically-made effects, and powerful Pokemon. You'll want to be ready before you tackle each. Thankfully, you can also do them in whichever order you please."

<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.

    Dias side-eyes Vivace. Her problems with Mayor Nall and the Visitors are perfectly reasonable, in his opinion; the local Nedians *should* do at least some of their own fighting. However, those problems also sound very familiar.
    
    "Fight if you want. Just don't go running to Team Rocket about it," he thus says.
    
    (Funny what you were saying about not conflating Nedians with Team Rocket, Claude... At least Rena has a more compassionate response at the ready.)
    
    Chisato's muttering catches his ear, and Dias glances at her in time for her to compare Claude to a 'hero.' His eyebrows lift a hair as he glances at Rena and Claude. "A hero, huh," he says, deadpan.
    
    But then Xantia asks the most important question (in Dias's view): how the Four Fields make them stronger. Dias's attention sharpens. There are a lot of answers worthy of attention, like how the Ten Wise Men siphoning energy from Filgaia is likely part of charging the Symbol of Annihilation, but better to focus on the things he can actually do something about. Unfortunately, it turns out they don't know, according to Prof. Oak. He frowns at the answer to his own question, too. It's suspiciously vague.
    
    "Fine. We'll find out when we get there, then," he replies.
    
    Power, Wisdom, Courage... and Love. Dias studies the holo-map as it brings up where those first three Fields can be found. Oak says they're 'supposed to be esoteric'-- "Meaning they're best handled by small groups," he interprets. "Fine by me."

<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.

Vivace's challenging look at Nall is responded to in kind, and she nods. "Told you," is her response. "Anyway, I'm old enough." She's, what, fourteen? Fifteen?

"Easy for you to say." Vivace gives Rena a Look - and Chisato when she uses the h-word. Defensively, she says, "It's not pride," or not just pride. "Yeah, you're here for Nede - now. And later you'll go home, and we'd better be able to do it. Things aren't going to stay the same - and why would I go to Team Rocket, those bunch of thieves - "

Before Vivace can work herself up again to anything beyond an angry glare at Dias, she's interrupted before she can say *everything* that's on her mind. "San san!" Sandshrew smacks Vivace on the shoulder, hard enough that she winces. "Yeah, okay," Vivace says with a sigh. She'll behave. She's better at listening to her Pokemon than authority figures.

Though Nall certainly isn't helping matters.

Vivace reaches into her windbreaker pocket and pulls out a glove, which she slides on, and only then does she absent-mindedly scratch behind the Sandshrew's ears - hard, so that she feels it through ice and steel. And now Vivace isn't in danger of frostbiting her fingers doing it, which is an added bonus. Sandshrew seems appreciative.

"Alone?" she asks Professor Oak. "I mean, is it just us and our Pokemon?" Or do they do this in groups - which Vivace supposes might be fair, depending on the challenges, even if her instinct is to try to do them by herself. But then again, it usually is.

<Pose Tracker> Elaine has posed.

    Elaine ponders as she listens to the descriptions of the fields, nodding lightly. Veevee at her feet as rolls over in her sleep, now sprawled out on top of Elaine's feet instead of curled up infront of her. There's a soft click brr noise as Elaine's smartphone camera is used, taking a picture of the location of the revealed three fields.

    "Does that mean we should probably also study up our Symbology?" Elaine askes as she lifts of a hand and focuses for a moment forming an elemental ball of ice then lightning before letting her hand drop looking tired already. She grumbles softly "Maybe I should ask Mom?". The light pop from the electrical ball waks up Veevee who chirps in confusion looking up at Elaine from the ground.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Mayor Nall's reached the same conclusion, it seems. Jacqueline nods. Whatever their purpose for the Symbol of Annihilation is, they've already lost if they get to the point where they can use it.

And then, the Fields themselves. Power, Wisdom, Courage, and Love... each one overseen by a guardian, and filled with numerous trials and the Pokemon that have made them their home.

"They may be dangerous... but if we were afraid of danger, we wouldn't be contemplating fighting the Ten Wise Men." Jacqueline says, shaking her head. "If we can't handle them, then we would never be able to stand up to them, anyway."

She smiles, just a bit.

"Admittedly, I'm really curious now to see how they work... I suppose that's just another reason to challenge them." She concludes.

<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.

 
Dirk listens to the others. It's a dispute. Is Vivace wrong? Pretty much no. Is she maybe also beefing with people who put it on the line for them? Kinda yes. Dirk keeps his mouth shut. Perhaps this is the wisdom of the sword.

All of this is connected to lost Johto, maybe. Farfetch'd seems to recognize this, and he settles down; he even puts his own head under his wing, the one not holding the leek. Maybe it's melancholy to the doughty little bird.

"Huh," Dirk answers Oak. "Aight. I'll report back if I'm the first one there. Give y'all an idea what to expect so the average guy knows what she's doin' if she goes in there." His head then tilts backwards.

"... Least there's an enemy to fight," he says, to nobody in particular. He is, perhaps, looking at the ceiling. THEN:

Power.
Courage.
Wisdom.
... love.

Dirk straightens up as they mention 'Love.' "What?"

"Like... advanced... love training?"

"Do we have to like, find the Love one ourselves or what. You guys aren't makin it up so you have four, right?" Dirk looks around to others. Chase? Pikachu? Mimikyu? Citan? (For some reason Citan has Prof vibes to Dirk.)

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.

Rena almost asks why Ancient Nedians made such a thing - almost, but in the end she does not, looking just, more grim. "How fast are they draining energy from both worlds? Do we have any idea?"
 
As the Professor notes that he vanished before Johto was lost, and Rena nods slowly, "Well, it's still worth thinking about if we can find more clues."

Rena does nod emphatically at what Chisato is saying, "... He can be pretty heroic." She allows and tries to sound reluctant about it, not entirely succeeding, especially with feeling Dias' gaze on her, before- "That's true! It'd make it kind of like a sleepover I guess."
 
She did sleepover with Dias' family a lot back in the day, in particularly Cecile, so it's definitely a concept she's familiar with.
 
She does smile at Chisato, "Maybe I get to interview you after though. It'd be a fun way to learn more about you."
 
Vivace however tells them that, and Rena gives her this resolute look and says simply, "I think you are misunderstanding us." Before adding, "I'm not leaving - not any time soon - I made a promise to myself."
 
There's a prolonged pause, before she adds, "This is my world too, even if it's not my home. I lived here once before - I know it. So I'd ask you not to speak as if I don't have a stake in Nede's future."
 
She does listen as they speak more of the Four Fields, Power, Wisdom, Courage, and Love - Rena tries not to think about what the Love Field might test.
 
It's better not to think about that.
 
Instead she focuses on what Dias says, "Hmm. Small groups to take the trial. I do wonder which one we'd be best suited to try... first."
 
She looks sidelong to Claude, and Ethius as she asks, "What do you think Claude? Ethius?"
 
As Dirk interrogates 'Love' Rena kinda looks away embarrassed, "It's probably best not to overthink it."

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

So not on Energy Nede, but through the portals to Filgaia and Lunar they might accumulate the necessary energy. He considers Dias's question, and Nall's answer to it. "I guess if you're at peace, you don't need training grounds."

Whether that was the right choice or not, Claude isn't qualified to say. But it does make sense that they'd have to lean on the Visitors more, that way.

Meeting a Guardian... "Are legendary Pokemon that big a deal?" Claude wonders. "Well, I guess they have 'legendary' in the name..."

Between Nall, Vivace, and Rena, Claude shakes his head. "You're with us," he says to Vivace, "And we're with you. Whether anybody llikes it or not. That's what matters."

And Citan--"Oh, so this Doctor Stacey might know stuff about them? That's helpful. I guess there's specialties all over..."

but--Chisato says the word. Claude makes a froggy face, a frown. "Sigh..." Even Dias gets into it!!

But back to Xantia, "We should definitely protect the researchers working on it as best we can--but I for one want to be proactive. I'll only do guard duty after we take care of what needs taking care of."

"Power, Wisdom, Courage, and Love..."

"Well, danger's not out of the question for us at all. I'm in. Small groups are fine with me, too. The more of us who get ready, the better the chance against the Ten Wise Men. So it's in evrybody's interests for all of us to."

...Well, except maybe after they leave, like Vivace says. Then there'll be a bunch of powerful people wanting to change Nede's society...

Well, Claude might not be able to help that. "I guess," Claude says then, "A lot depends on if you guys decide to reopen your relationship with the rest of the galaxy. And that's way beyond my pay grade."

But--Hm. "...Well," Claude says, "I'm reasonably sure that it's not about romantic love..."

"Let's go right for Power," Claude decides to Rena. "It's probably the most straightforward. And we're very good at straightforward."

<Pose Tracker> Vivace Mori has posed.

"It's 'desire', to act," Vivace says, completely authoritatively and with a decent chance of being equally completely wrong. "Not, like, 'you love someone'."

Then she looks at Rena. How does she let everything out? Everything she wants to say boils up, but Sandshrew bats her arm again when she feels Vivace stop scratching. "Later," she says, instead, "We can talk later."

'Because I don't believe you' is written all over her face. But she doesn't say it.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius, who was at the heart of an issue involving a malfunctioning terraforming device, has his hand over his forehead. It's not just as his idle gesture, but a means to hide the look on his face comprehending that scale of destruction and what that all means. In abstract of fiction, it helps set the stakes. In the reality where one's work leads into matters of this scale, well.
 
     "Asking for involvement from others for grave matters is, I can state from a place of experience and perspective, not something anyone would do lightly. Especially... not when it calls for harsh, decisive intervention." These are the reasons he has taken up the work he has, and continue to perform even over seven years out from his most recent assignment.
 
     Ethius listens to the Four Fields discussion - he already knows some of the surface matters (most specifically, the one in the sky and his myriad attempts to come up with contingencies for if they couldn't get Lady Brightwing's help).
 
     "It is as Mister Dias says," Ethius remarks, "I'm not aware of how many eyes the Ten Wise Men have - I'm assuming figuratively more than twenty," this is true because of Camael specifically but he doesn't know that, "but I would attempt to move with haste before they deploy any countermeasures to deter us from partaking."
 
     Ethius' Peryton hops a few steps across the table towards Ethius, looking up at him and softly cooing 'ton, ton, ton' as he reaches out and gently touches her beak. There is a deliberate attempt to avoid touching the ring in her beak.
 
     There's consequences for that. (There's a reason his pair of gloves today are fresh.)
 
     A sympathetic look is given to Claude about things being way beyond his pay grade. Ethius has been way over his head for how long, now?
 
     "Power is closest to Pewter City, which is - to my understanding - the customary first stop for many Trainers on their journey," Ethius responds in acknowledgement of Claude's thoughts to Rena's question. "If the Four Fields are that steeped in older Nedian tradition, it might stand to reason that is as good a first visit as any."

<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.

 
    "So Arceus really was - uh, is, a Guardian? Like a god," Lan tries to explain, aware by now that Nedians in general don't know very much about them. "But it's also a Pokemon?" She looks at the Buneary in her lap, who looks back up at her. She looks at the Pokeballs on just about everybody's person.

    Lan has a terrible kind of half-light realization and promptly swears to forget she ever thought about capturing a deity in a jar.

    Because if Arceus could be caught, like any Pokemon... "N, nobody would have tried to catch it. Right??" That's not a thing that would happen here, right? People don't just go around cramming their gods into Pokeballs, right?!

    Buneary leans up and pats her cheek. Pap pap pap. Calm down! "Buh-wiw," it coos at her.

    Arceus is probably not bumming around in a Pokeball somewhere in a sock drawer or something.

    And maybe more importantly... "Power and Wisdom?" That's not right, is it? "I mean - Hope is Zephyr and Love is Raftina, but you guys don't have the same Guardians as us, so-- I mean, you don't know the Guardians at all, really? So it's a coincidence, but..." She's yammering again, isn't she. Lan waves her hands around, like she could shoo all the non-sequiturs out of Lady Brightwing's window. "Sorry! It's just that's the first place my mind went when I heard hope and love!"

<Pose Tracker> Luna Meitner has posed.

Luna, the teenage girl who, worringly, carries a spear everywhere, has been standing in the back of the room, arms crossed, leaning against a wall.

When, exactly, did she get there?

... Don't worry about it. And don't worry about it if she leaves and you don't quite catch her doing so.

But she has been listening, and watching, quietly absorbing everything in.

And about the only thing that's gotten a reaction, even if it's only a soft blink and a slight widening of the eyes.

Power, Courage, Wisdom.

... and Love, which admittedly is incongruous, but the other three...

Given the time scales involved, and the location, there couldn't possibly be a connection. There just couldn't. It would defy all belief.

And yet...

'If you find word of Power, Inform me at once.'

... this will demand further investigation, after all.

<Pose Tracker> Holly has posed.

A certain feline perks up at the mention of the guardians until she realizes what's up and settles back in. Her pen is moving on its own. She was takign notes, but she was also up late and is dozing off. Don't worry about it.
 
 Holly in the meantime jerks her thumb towards Dirk, "I agree with him. That's.. an odd training field." She pauses. Then asks, "Is it a dating app? Love IS a battlefield sometimes." She couldn't resist sadly. She does add in a slightly more serious tone, brushing past the question of how she knows that stuff, "Maybe it's a strange translation of older texts? Companionship instead?"
 
 To Vivace she pipes up, "More people than I'd awnt to admit have wanted me to go away. Hasn't stopped me yet. You guys have so much stuff for me to read that isn't dry dusty old stuff." Like herself.
 
 She does an ink trick again. Creating a copy of the locations and.. just slapping it onto her page at that. It's not precise, but neither is a map that big anyway. It's fine.
 
 She does look to each of the Nedians though, actually more serious. "I'll do my best to protect this place. I like it." She then plants her hands on her hips and strikes a pose. All less than a foot tall of her.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

    Ethius hears Lan's confusion and consideration of how many values have likeness and overlap to the Guardians of Filgaia. He lowers his head in consideration for a moment, and then...
 
     "Many cultures that I've experienced," which is to say 'infiltrated due to black ops fieldwork,' "often had overlap in terms of emotions and concepts they would hold in veneration between one another, even without contact or other cultural likenesses otherwise."
 
     And yet, so many things seem to keep ending up being interconnected. The Ten Wise Men did end up present on Filgaia and Marduk, after all...
 
     ...Come to think of it, wasn't there a dream he had, so long ago, seeing a fragment of something in the void...?

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Xantia is not at all convinced that anybody would seek to activate a super-weapon just to wave it around threateningly. Regardless, nobody should have one of those, that thing needs to be destroyed ASAP. If these Four Fields will help with that, and nobody has any better suggestions, well, no reason not to try, she supposes. Hearing what these trials are all about, however...

Power, Wisdom, Courage, and... Love? Xantia's blank expression may translate into her unspoken question: how would you even test Love?? Unlike Dirk, she doesn't actually voice that, because... well, it's probably not going to matter. Xantia can't possibly see herself passing a trial based on a concept that she so poorly understands. Well, at least two out of four sound easy, maybe that would be enough? If it indeed proves true that these trials make you stronger in some tangibly helpful way - if she can't tell, then what would be the point to begin with?

The answer the Professor gave unfortunately isn't going to help her figure even that much out. She makes a face. "So... really? Nobody remembers how the Fields work? How long ago did you say these things were sealed?" Though, she chuckles a moment later. "Actually, this doesn't really sound any different from going on a Dig in Filgaia. I guess no matter where you go, there'll be some old, forgotten places where you just have to go there to find out what they're all about."

And she has to hand it to Claude with a nod in his direction - proactivity is much more her speed, too. "Right. I can't just sit here when there's something we could be doing! And Power does sound easy enough!" As anybody who saw her that time in Pewter could attest - she slammed a Wise Man into three seperate buildings. Good thing there isn't a trial of Subtlety.

<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.

    "I see. So they would use it as 'leverage'," Citan says, apparently mulling the matter over.
    What he does not speak to is a far darker thought: what if the Wise Men, should they be forced onto the back foot, decide that if they cannot rule, then they will destroy everything? Given what he has seen, he cannot discount that this should come to pass.

    And yet, what alternative is there? To let them claim dominion lest they destroy the universe? To survive, only to be subjected to another's whims for all eternity... No, he will keep his thoughts to himself.

    Xantia asks a question similar to one that had been on his own mind: how does it work? He had wondered if it might be akin to the power of the shrines, enhancing one's spiritual component in some manner or another. But even the Nedians don't know how it's meant to work, merely that the power should -- might -- permit them to stand toe-to-toe with the Ten Wise Men. "I see," he remarks. "And yet, we do not have a better plan of action, do we? It is reason enough from where I am standing to try."

    He nods as Claude remarks on the matter of Dr. Linden Stacey. "Indeed, it may be worth paying the professor a visit together. I, too, am curious about their nature... and their relationship with the Ten Wise Men."

    Oak names the four fields, and at that, Citan raises an eyebrow over the names of three of them. Power, Wisdom, Courage. It must be a coincidence, yet it still seems uncanny.

    Dirk looks his way (and Ise, too; sadly Ise is too occupied with Pikachu to pay him any heed) over the matter of the field of love and what that challenge might entail. "Well... I suppose we shall see what the challenge entails when the time is right. It appears that the way will become open." He looks over at Professor Oak on that point then back at Dirk. "...With that being said, the 'power of love', as it were, should not be underestimated!"

<Pose Tracker> Dirk Swordsman has posed.

 
"Bro," Dirk says to Citan, which is its own sentence, but he continues, "Like I am not insulting love but seriously."

DIRK SWORDSMAN HAS A LOT TO LEARN

<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.

"Oh, that sounds fun!" Chisato chimes at Rena.

Chisato has not presented the impression of a person who could be doing this on purpose and NOT cackling to herself about it, though now she senses weakness and is pursuing weak point hits to hit the stagger gauge and hopefully open Claude to assassination attacks. Still, the Fields are intriguing. "Power, Wisdom, Courage, and Love. Interesting...what a combo. I feel like I've heard it somewhere! Like in one of those dime store romances, maybe?"

Her eyes flick up to Oak, and then to Nall, and then back to her notebook. She leans her head to the side, loosening up her neck. "The powers from the old days, spruced up and ready to go! We'll have to be careful with it."

<Pose Tracker> Sheriff Star has posed.

"They are," Professor Oak confirms to Dias. "I wouldn't suggest going in a single group this large -- it would be unwieldy."

He looks at Vivace -- more sympathetically than Nall did, perhaps. "Groups," he confirms. "I think groups are for the best. It's how it was always done, as best as the records tell us."

"Legendary Pokemon," Oak tells Claude, "are famous Pokemon of great power. There are usually only one of them -- and they're part of Nedian mythology."

He looks at Lan, then; he nods, once. "Like a god... yes, that's not inaccurate, for Arceus. Not all of them are that storied."

"It can't hurt to brush up, if you've the talent for it," Nall tells Elaine. He hesitates a moment, though. "But... please be careful, too. And put faith in your Pokemon."

Admitting Elaine might need every edge she can get is hard for the Mayor to do.

He looks at Rena. He frowns. "Not fast enough to power it," he says. "Which... concerns me. I think they'll have to step their efforts up."

Nall answers Xantia, next. His eyebrows knit. "They... were sealed 37,000 years ago," he says. "When Energy Nede, as we know it today, came into being."

He looks at Chisato. He smiles, then nods. "Yes," he agrees. "Very careful. But... it's still necessary."

"Hardly!" Professor Oak says, as he looks at Dirk. "In the ancient past... it is said there was a trainer named Akari. She appeared, one day, from a land no one knew of. She was one of the first, perhaps the first, to befriend Arceus. And she said that one needs power, courage, and wisdom to have the power that created the world..."

Oak's eyes close. "...But that love was what you needed to sustain that power, or it would slip away."

Mayor Nall glances at Oak for a moment. Then, he also nods. "Thank you, all of you. And... good luck. We'll keep working on our part."

<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.

    Because there's at least one member there who thinks exactly the same way you do, Dias is about to say--but then Vivace's Sandshrew cuts her off from popping off further. Dias gives them both an assessing look.
    
    "Hm," he grunts, and leaves it at that instead. It's probably not wise to tell the headstrong teenager who's actively, openly untrusting of the rest of them that she has ideological kin in Team Rocket, anyway.
    
    'Least there's an enemy to fight,' Dirk may say to no one in particular, but Dias smirks, a low 'heh' on his breath. He couldn't agree more.
    
    ...He's not going to weigh in on the Love Field, though. Rena has the right idea. Oak confirms that the Fields are meant to be essayed in small groups, so--the question now, which Rena outright asks, is, which first?
    
    Claude suggests power; Ethius backs up this suggestion. "Works for me," Dias says.
    
    He gives Lan a long look when she conflates the Fields with the Guardians. Ethius has a good answer for that, though--one that leaves Dias thoughtful, even. So even on different worlds, the same concepts thrive... Maybe that's what one would call 'universal.'
    
    Especially since it turns out the Fields have been sealed for as long as Energy Nede has existed in its current state. Something to think about.

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

At least it seems that there is a course to follow, for the time being... though Xantia may be in trouble, if that legend about power slipping away without love is anything to go by. As for Nall's assertion, she doesn't directly respond to it, but you can see the response in her expression. 'You must be joking, that doesn't even sound like a real number'.

<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.

    Citan says nothing in response to Dirk, but instead smiles knowingly and shakes his head. His attention returns then to Nall and Oak.

    ...It appears they will have much to do to prepare for the trials, let alone attempt them.