HOENNWEEN: AFTERMATH LOG

[these_balls]

Who: Hoennween Plot Participants!
Where: Tohjo Falls!
When: Friday, October 31
Summary: The bosses are defeated, the strife is over, the apocalypse has been averted. But things are still a bit of a disaster and some benign faces are arriving, so this is your chance to wind down, rest up, commiserate with others over everything that transpired, and breathe a little in general before it's time to go home again.
Rating: PG-13 in general; please mark threads that go higher accordingly!
Log:



YOU ARE HERE. IT LOOKS A LITTLE APOCALYPTIC. BUT THESE GUYS ARE HERE, AND SO IS THIS GUY.

NOW GO LEARN THE MAGIC OF YARN.

KEY:

• The GRAY, GREEN, and BLUE areas remain as they have all plot; these are the mountains, forest, and lake areas (respectively) that are now devoid of Team Aqua and Magma Grunts and currently form the natural boundaries of the map area you're in!

• The BROWN rectangle in the center of the map is still the Elite Four's Resort; because you did so well at fighting off the bosses and their legendaries, it escaped the conflict with minimal damage. For this log, that means it will also still be available to you as a bonus area map!

• The PINK triangle represents Shauna and Sina's private jet (or, well, someone's private jet, anyway), in which they just arrived from Kalos! Also, it sounds like they've got some kind of goodies for you in there, so you might want to stop by and have a chat with them to see what that's all about.

• RED stars on either sides of the map are approximate locations where you are most likely to be able to find and approach Arceus! Note that it can be sighted pretty much anywhere on the map as it walks around restoring things to some semblance of normal, but if you intend to approach it directly, it should be in one of these two areas. Attempting to catch or battle Arceus will result in a character immediately whiting out and being booted to the Blackthorn City Pokemon Center, and thereby suspended from participation in the remainder of the event.

A FEW OTHER SETTING NOTES:

• The Gen VI Pokemon that assisted you in the battle are still around somewhat, but they're largely leaving the area to head back down into the Johto/Kanto regions proper; they made good on the summons from their creator and have received its profound thanks for it, and now it's time to get back to the areas they've picked as their new habitats from here on out.

• FOR CHARACTERS WHO USED A HONEDGE LIKE A WEAPON DURING BATTLE:
This is also where we are asking you to experience some IC consequences! Namely, in exchange for picking up your Pokemon and rather unceremoniously winging it around by the head during battle, Arceus will be returning the favor by winging you around by the head a little at some point during the log! You're welcome to handwave this as you see fit, but we ask that you please accept this as the consequence of your choices!

• On a related note, if your character has mistreated one of their Pokemon lately and you would like them to suffer a llamagod-delivered consequence for it (for the purposes of development or what have you), feel free to let us know and we'll work something out with you!

• There is no restriction on how many of the NPCs you may talk to; feel free to interact with any and all of them!

• Maxie and Archie are not available on this log; they are, however, going to be taken into Shauna and Sina's custody and presumably deported back to Kalos to receive justice for...something or other, assuredly.

• You are welcome to thread out scenes occuring at any time during the aftermath events — waking up in the morning to Arceus, spotting Shauna and Sina arriving around noon, and experiencing the Sylveon Swarm in the afternoon are all fair game!

• At the end of the day you will be getting home the same way you initially came: via an Arceus-opened portal that will take you back to the location you left, with its thanks!

• EDIT: It's been brought to our attention that this was somewhat unclear — yes, you may make your own top-levels on this log! It is not solely for interacting with the NPCs, so please feel free to tag around and interact with others as you like!

QUICK LINKS

EVENT LINKS MASTERPOST | AFTERMATH LOG INFOPOST | QUESTIONS FOR MODS

☆ THREAD WITH ARCEUS ☆ THREAD WITH SHAUNA ☆ THREAD WITH SINA ☆

Comments

[legendarybeasts]

[Well, there is still rather a lot of work to do...but as you humans say, all work and no pauses to chat make Arceus...something, it's a sort of baffling saying anyway, there, isn't it.

Moving on.

You've got its attention now, Sion — do carry on.]

[dreamsofahero]

Well, at least it seemed to be listening, as far as Sion could tell. That was promising; while most pokemon were obviously quite intelligent, he's never been sure exactly how much they did or didn't understand. Taking a deep breath (and a reflexive, furtive glance around to ensure no on else was within earshot) he plunged straight into his main topic.

"It's more than clear that you--and the others we call 'Legendary'--possess an immense power. The destruction here is one example, but also things such as the unnatural storms that appeared a year and a half ago, and so on. Obviously that has made those who possess such power envied and desired by those who wish to use it for their own purposes, which efforts have been opposed by those of us who'd rather not see things fall into ruin and innocents hurt in the process.

"Which is why I ask, couldn't you, or the others, aid us in those efforts? Or to have some means to call to or signal when help will be needed, ideally before the situation turns too dire? There are clearly many things the Pokémon of this world can do that humans cannot, and there is information and such that humans possess or can obtain that may not as easily or quickly be learned of by those Pokémon with the power to do anything about it. So isn't there some way we could better work together?"

It was a bold question, Sion knew, but it was one he'd been determined to ask almost from the start of his search for clues to the legendaries. This world might not be his world, but that didn't change his innate desire to protect those in need of it, and do what he could to oppose those who would abuse their power. So what better way than to ally with others whose goals aligned with that?

[legendarybeasts]

[...Well, the good news is, that's actually novel enough (or perhaps just bold enough) of a question that it seems as though Arceus is actually going to take the time to mull that one over a little, weighing each word in turn and contemplating each significance.

Of course, the obvious flaw with such a design is the fact that it relies on the assumption that the perspective from which its participants view things is identical to that from which a creator deity views things, which...unfortunately, is not actually the case. It also assumes that the reasons those aforementioned deities aren't intervening in the affairs in which they do not intervene is because they don't know, as opposed to some other equally plausible explanation, such as that it's not their problem, or it's something the little ones can handle on their own, or they're preoccupied with handling all the things those little ones never have the chance to perceive, for precisely the reason that it's already been handled without their knowing.

That is some remarkable boldness, though; it takes a lot of guts to attempt to cut a bargain with a creator deity.

The response Sion receives, therefore, comes in the form of a vaguely wry expression that seems to imply, was that all you wanted of me, or...?]

[dreamsofahero]

Sion almost wondered whether he was being mocked. And for an instant, just an instant, that thought resonated with a certain deep distrust and dislike of "gods" that was a carryover from matters in his own world prior to his arrival in Johto. But it lasted only a moment before Sion pulled himself back under control, only the briefest flicker in his expression giving any outward sign of how divided his inner feelings were. This isn't the same thing, after all, he reasoned with himself, and it would be foolhardy to let concerns from another world color his judgment in this one.

Instead he just allowed himself a small sigh at the reaction. "I realize some of our concerns may seem unimportant, however..." he paused to stretch out one hand in a sweeping gesture at the battlefield. "This happened because humans with selfish ambitions and vast resources were able to make considerable progress towards achieving those ambitions without being thwarted. And while they were stopped here, yes, and while there are people who will work to prevent other such occurrences, wouldn't it be better for all if such things were stopped sooner? These organizations clearly have access to resources--money, technology, raw materials--that most people do not. Even if many of us pooled all we have, it would still fall considerably short. So far, we've been fortunate enough to get by, but... I'd rather not trust in good fortune.

"Which is why I ask for assistance. Whether directly or not, or even pointing the way to another who can help... But I would rather not see things come to a situation like this again, if there's anything I can do about it."

If the answer was to be no, then it would be no, and Sion would decide what to do from there. But he felt strongly enough about the matter, at least, to at least desire an answer of some sort. If there was one thing he feared and hated, after all, it was being powerless to protect those he cared about and in need of it.

[legendarybeasts]

[The words seem to hang in the open air for an unusually long time — or perhaps it only seems so because listening to them, Arceus has gone still, drawn up to its full and majestic height with a harder look gradually beginning to color its formerly impassive features.

There is boldness, human, and then there is hubris, and it is the latter that compels one to tell the creator of all things how better to conduct its affairs.

What you seek is a legendary beast to act according to your will. You are not the first to do so; you are of course familiar with at least two of the others, as they are the ones who created the mess that Arceus is currently here cleaning up. Whenever humans have sought to put the might of legendaries at their disposal, it has always turned out for the worst — and, perhaps unsurprisingly, has done nothing to endear the most powerful legendary of all to the notion.

So. If your hubris so compels you to command the assistance of a legendary, human, you are welcome to try to capture Arceus here and now.

Either way, make your decision quickly; there is still much work to be done.]

[dreamsofahero]

Actually catching a legendary was hardly Sion's intention; quite frankly, he sincerely doubted such a thing were even possible... And even if it were, he knew it would run the risk of having unintended consequences. No, what he sought was exactly what he stated: power, perhaps, but primarily out of awareness of and frustration at his own weakness and limitations. How could he protect his loved ones, let alone try to change things for the better, if he lacked the means to make any meaningful difference? Or so that was how Sion saw things.

He let a moment pass in silence as he waited for the answer that didn't come, which was, in its own way, an answer. It was a disappointment, to be sure, but there wasn't anything to be done about it right now, if that was the case. There were precious few things that, given dire circumstances and no other choice, Sion would attempt to take by force; this was far from being one of them.

"Then," he said at last, voice still even despite the disappointment and mild frustration he felt, "how would you suggest those of us who would oppose the ones responsible for this, and others like them, better go about doing so?"

[legendarybeasts]

[The response Sion gets, then, is one of those enigmatic llama-shrugs that have followed so many answers to others before — though this one, as opposed to some of the others, seems to be much more difficult to work out than the ones targeted in response to a yes or no question.

Godllama's agenda and problem-solving methods, evidently, are its own business.]