#Got too lazy to merge this to my previous post about it but here we are

[shinmiyovvi]

*Clears throat*

Here's my self-insert oc, both Ultimis, and Primis. You may take them with you and always take good care of the beans or two Russian men will hunt you down if something bad happens to them. That is all.

#call of duty zombies #cod zombies #codz #cod zombies oc #codz oc #original character #self insert oc #Gave Ultimis an IJA uniform cause why not? #Ji eun and Val are going to have some flashbacks when they see her #Bean needs to blend in right? Right? #Got too lazy to merge this to my previous post about it but here we are #Also school girl bean with backpack ✨ #This is the last time I will make my Codz oc ref sheet alright? #Need to move on to my BOCW ocs and think about my Cod MW oc as well

[kathyprior4200]

Welcome to Wacky Wally Wackford’s World!

Greetings, I say, greetings demons of all ages! The name’s Wally Wackford, an oh so suave man of business! You may not know me, but surely you’ve seen me…pretty much everywhere. Yes, I’ve never been the type to stay in one place for long. Life can be pretty wild at times. But that’s what makes it oh so fun!

 So what’s my story, you say, you say? Well look no further, ‘cause I have a tale to tell.

 I’ve been doing freelance work off and on, laboring at one job, moving onto the next. The jobs vary a lot, but I’m a Wally of many trades. (Yes, I’ve been fired many times as well, figuratively and literally…it is Hell after all.) Early on, I found out that living in poverty is never a lot of fun. I quickly learned how to scam other people…and boy did I enjoy it! It was the only way I could inch toward the top, get some power of my own. I’d make a few deals here and there and then when clients got desperate, I’d say something like, “Oh I’m so sorry but there’s an extra fee you have to pay. Forgot to mention that.” Then I’d point to that small scribbled section on the contract I added in moments ago.

 “I’m starving, sir!” they’d say. Or, “I left my money at home,” or my favorite: “Shove it up your trickster rear!”

 Sometimes they did pay me extra. Other times they didn’t…and those were the ones who soon forgot about everything forever. (chuckles).

 Anyway, moving on.

 Sometimes when my days got long and hard, I’d go to saloons for a nice bottled drink. The emerald colored Greed Mead is my favorite. Twirling my thin black mustache, I’d wink at some pretty imp gals nearby and say, “Hey there. You’ve been in Hell for a long time. Is that why you’re so hot?”

 Most of the time, I’d get a swift punch to the face in response. The glares on their pretty faces, “Take that remark to the Sloth Ring, lazy bootleg fucker.”

 So many aggressive people these days. I could tip my black hat to many imps and they’d either fall to my charms or roll their eyes. I was fine with that. There’s not much else to do in Hell then to live your life and amuse yourself with watching others struggle. In fact, pretty much every sin is encouraged, so why not keep going?

 After stalking around looking for more people to scam, I came across Loo-Loo Land in the Ring of Greed. I’ve always loved that place, its vibrant atmosphere emitting joyful fun and chaotic flair. I walked on over and asked the vendor, “I say, you have any jobs here?”

 “I’ve heard of you, Wacky Wally,” he said at the ticket stand. “You may be a good pick-pocket, but your skills are nothing compared to Mammon. In fact, this whole place is a fucking rip-off of Lucifer’s Lu-Lu Land!”

 “All the more reason to love this place!” I exclaimed.

 “Robo Fizz is putting on another show at 7pm tomorrow,” said the beefy imp vendor. “Made in Mammon’s factory and modeled after the famous imp Fizzarolli.” He then spoke in a low whisper, “It includes some behind the scenes moments for the VIPs…you know, with tentacles and ‘special features.’”

 “Oh that sounds delicious!” I said with a slow grin. “It’d be great to see how his…mechanics work someday…”

 The imp vendor rolled his eyes and flinched at my lighthearted comment. Always know what to say to get that grimace reaction.

 “Anyway,” said the vendor, “We’re running low on staff, so you can go sell those torches over there.”

 The imp pointed to a pink cart with Mammon’s jester face on it. I shrugged and got to work.

 I happily rolled my cart around, selling torches wherever I went. I could honestly stare into those mesmerizing green flames all day.

 “Torches here!” I drawled in my Foghorn Leghorn southern accent. “66% off when you buy four! Parties, decoration, destruction and more!”

 One time on my break, I got to talk to Robo Fizz about money, shows, sex and chaos. We even cracked some jokes together. The robot seemed a little nervous in my presence but then again, he was very unpredictable on a daily basis.

 “A duck, a frog, a demon and a skunk go into a bar. The bartender told them that the drinks were one dollar each. How did they pay for them? Answer: The duck had a bill, the frog had a greenback, the demon had a soul…but the skunk only had a scent!”

 “Hahahaha!” Robo Fizz laughed, sparks flying near him. “Your jokes are much better than Blitzo’s corny puns!”

 “Why thank you,” I replied. “But nothing beats your organ-playing animatronics in your ‘Wonderful World of Evil’ puppet show you did last month.”

 Robo Fizz grinned at the compliment. “You do anything else besides selling torches?”

 “I scam, I kill, I do a little bit of both. Oh and I’m also a great inventor!”

 “How marvelous!” Robo Fizz grinned. “Perhaps if you have enough mayhem in you, you could perform with me at the next Fizzarolli N Friends show!”

 “I say, I’d love that! I’m sure your show will be top notch, copyright be dammed…won’t it?”

 Robo Fizz smiled widely, hiding a strain. “You bet it will!”

 It was during one interesting day when I pushed my cart by a large tent where several Robo Fizz posters were posted. I held up a troch with a hand and called:

 “Torches, I say! I say! Get your inconvenient torches here!”

 Then before I knew it, the robot and a random imp crashed right into the cart.

 “Ow, I say OW!” I cried as the green flames quickly spread around. After getting the flames off me, I ran for the hills out of the burning park. I sat, dejected shortly afterward. So much for that job. Along with figuring out what to do next, I also happened to watch the imp fight off Robo Fizz…and the robot falling into the dragon’s mouth.

 How unfortunate.

 After helping Robo Fizz from the dragon’s insides, (killing said dragon, pulling out said robot, cleaning and making quick repairs), I inched closer to him and said, “You made some new friends, I say.”

 Robo Fizz stood tense with just long wires for his body, a metal skeleton of his previous appearance. “Yes…an old time co-worker of mine. A clown of an imp named Blitzo. He and his sisters were once part of a circus act called “The Amazing Imp Siblings. A bit dowdy if you ask me. ”

 Robo Fizz looked around. “Hahahaha! That was some chaotic fun. But now the park is ruined!”

 “I say, if I were you,” I told him, “I’d do all I could to get this park repaired and back on track. Costs a whole lotta money. The last thing you need is to have your boss disappointed in you.”

 A brief look of fear came on his face. “Oh yes, yes, good idea, Wally.”

 “And your friend…whether you upstage him or what, you’d best be sure Blitzo stays out of trouble. I lost my job and almost my life because of that fight!” My yellow eyes shined in a show of sadness.

 “I-I will not let master Mammon down…not that I have a choice.”

 “Let Asmodeus know what’s up as well.”

 Robo Fizz nodded, spun away and laughed. “Time to find that rodeo clown imp!”

0 0 0

 Later on after leaving Greed, I got a brilliant idea. It was after I saw some old fashioned 1800s snake man in Pride plow down buildings with a metal bulldozer vehicle. That was it! I could start my own business!

 I walked over to 666 News station. “Oh Katie,” I said in my sweetest voice.

 “What is it, scum?” she asked, sitting at a mirror and doing her hair. “Can’t you see I’m preparing for a back to back broadcast right now?”

 “I was considering doing my very own commercial about me exploiting…erm, employing other demons for my new factory.”

 Katie barked out a laugh. “Good luck with that, filthy old man! Now get out of my studio.”

 “Very well,” I said. As quiet as a hell mouse, I snatched a camera with an eye at the center and made my way out the door. The rest of the materials I needed came from a nearby junkyard. (Thankfully I avoided the wrath of some hungry kangaroo parasitic queen demon). I was running out of money fast; with no job around the corner, I figured I’d start my own!

 Even I don’t really know where I got my inventing skills from. Many say it was my natural trait. Others say I learned from other experts in the trade. After all, one of the quickset ways to a man’s wallet is through the latest technology.

 But I, Wally Wackford would not settle for your standard modern devices. No. I preferred to make things…well, wacky.

 In no time at all, I had built myself my own mini studio where I could film my commercial! Now, what to call my company? Hmm…

  The Onceler One In a Lifetime Opportunity? No, not enough Ws.

 Wowing Whimsical Wonderous Wonders? Nah, too many Ws.

 Ah…of course! What is a company if you don’t have your name on it?

0 0 0

“Uh huh, keep going, keep going, keep going!” Blitzo insisted at the I.M.P. office.

 Moxxie switched the channel again. This time, an imp appeared wearing a large black top hat, a white shirt and pants, gray vest, black bow tie and black boots. He held a cane in his hands and he also had a thin curly mustache. A mischievous grin of sharp teeth appeared on his face.

 “I say, I say!” the imp exclaimed, briefly pointing his cane at the camera. “Are you looking to get work making crazy contraptions and goofy gadgets?” “Crazy Contraptions” and “Goofy Gadgets” appeared in bold spiked icons to the imp’s left and right. The imp twirled his cane.

 “Well call me at Wacky Wally Wackford’s Wacky Idea ‘Factory!’”

 He pulled down another screen. The title appeared in bold red, gray and white letters surrounded by pinkish circles reminiscent of classic cartoons. “Factory” appeared in quotations. Wally Wackford appeared again.

 “Where you make the things and I make the money!”

 Wally Wackford then got up closer to the camera with a pleading look. “Please, I’m very desperate!”

 “Bingo!” Blitzo called, shooting and exploding the TV again.

 0 0 0

 It was actually really easy to find where Blitzo was and the new sinner inventors. The killing company of imps had me very curious. If they could start a business, why shouldn’t I? And being in the company of amazing inventors…

 I could almost see the soul dollar bills floating into my hands.

 I snuck up to the building, merged into the floor, eavesdropped on their fascinating conversation…

  0 0 0

Crash!

 A metal plank crashed into the room from above as Moxxie scurried out of the way. Loopty Goopty strolled down the plank. “Blitz!”

 “Loofa!” Blitzo called, saying his name wrong. “We can explain everything. I was…”

 Crash!

 Millie pulled Moxxie out of the way before another metal plank landed in the spot where he would’ve been. From on the floor, Blitzo’s butt was very much in view. Blitzo glanced down at him and remarked, “Oh chill out Moxxie, if you kiss my ass any harder you’ll go right inside me.”

 Moxxie turned beet red in the face and scooted further back. Millie helped him up again.  

 “Thanks for saving me again,” Moxxie said. “I would’ve foamed at the mouth and maybe died again.”

 “Why would you think I would ever ignore you?”

 Moxxie shrugged.

 Just then, the demonic form of a man rolled down the plank. His body was black and spherical, with a mint green head wearing a black bowler hat on top. He had a large bushy light gray mustache and pince-nez goggles with dark red spirals on the lens like Loopty. His grinning teeth resembled piano keys.

 “Lyle Lipton?!” Millie, Moxxie, and Blitzo asked in unison.

 “I don’t understand,” said Millie. “We thought you went to Heaven.”

 Lyle Lipton chuckled. “Heaven?” He rolled toward Loopty Goopty. “You don’t make millions in technological advances in robotics by not experimenting on the poor!” He laughed.

 Loopy Goopty grinned as he unleashed his weapons in front of Lyle Lipton. “Finally! We meet again at last! Now that you’re dead, you have no money to keep from me!”

 “Well, I’m a better inventor than you!” Lyle scoffed. “And I’ll make the most money here first!”

 “Nonsense you no good son of a bitch!”

 “Tie yourself in a knot, loony Loopty!”

 “Roll in your grave, fat shit inventor!”

 “Two robotic inventors?!” called a nearby voice. A steampunk blimp hovered in the air and a well-dressed snake demon appeared from a hole in his ship.

 “Who is that guy?” Lyle Lipton asked.

 “I’m the one and only Sir Pentious!” he declared. Several Egg Bois were steering his ship. The eye on his dark top hat peered at the other sinners in curiosity. “With my dominating machines, I aim to take over all of Pentagram City!” Then he muttered, “The repairs were a fucking nightmare to endure.” He glanced at the leftover cracks and holes on the metal sides of his ship.

 “Oooh!” Loopty exclaimed in admiration. “I’ve only seen such inventions in old time history books. How long have you been here?”

 “Since eighteen eighty eight!”

 “Love the loopy numbers!” Loopty grinned, making three small eights with his contraptions. “I’m Loopty Goopty! Lyle is my could’ve been partner in crime but actually rival!”

 “When you’re rich as me, who needs a dead partner!” Lyle exclaimed.

 “You’re dead too, you know!”

 “Where did you cowardly sinners get here?” Sir Pentious asked.

 “Well we just got here,” Lyle called. “Experimenting on the poor made us millionaires! Just…be careful when messing with anti-aging machines. Made us both old.”

 “A machine that changes one’s age?” Sir Pentious pondered. “That could prove to be ussseful in the future,” he hissed.

 “Oh, you should join us, snake man!” Loopy suggested. “Or me, rather.”

 Sir Pentious briefly glared. “Hmm. While I’m perfectly capable of spreading my constrictive terror on my own…I suppose having some…lackey sidekicks would suffice.”

 “Don’t call us lackeys!” Lyle sneered. “And I’m not working with him!”

 “Maybe if we briefly collaborate as a team…”

 Lyle grumbled in annoyance.

 After a moment, Sir Pentious sighed. “Okay, you may join me, but…”

 He spread out his hood, revealing pink eyes. “Don’t even think about crossssing me.” He pulled his hood back. “Now go gather your contraptions and help me manage those scrambled fucking eggs!”

 A bunch of eggs in top hats and suits rolled out and jumped on the two inventors, who were stunned.

 Loopty then laughed evilly. “Inventors to inventors it is!”

 Just then, I popped out of the ground in the room.

  “Did someone say, I say inventors?! Name’s Wally Wackford, and I am lookin’ for creative new people to exploit! I mean employ.” I twirled my mustache with an evil grin.

 At last, a chance to expand my business of the mass production of robotic Fizzarollis! All of Hell will go crazy when they get a chance to buy all the sex robots, the merchandise, everything...and all to profit ME!

 “Everyone, stop fucking up my walls!” Blitzo yelled. “Moxxie’s gonna have to fix all this shit! Satan’s balls! First we deal with Heaven’s table-scraps, now this?”

 I smiled. “Well I guess you can say, you say, you have a holey operation here, Blitzo!”

 I slapped my knee and laughed at my own joke.

 “Get out,” Blitzo muttered.

 Soon I doubled down on the floor laughing. “Oh! I said, ‘o’!”

 Blitzo yelled, “No, I’m serious, get the fuck out!”

 Everyone in the room looked at Blitzo in shock and surprise.

0 0 0

 And then, that one other time where I helped host the Harvest Moon Festival Pain Games!

 Wally Wackford a.k.a. me…stood on the wooden stage, holding a gray microphone decorated with an eye in the center and small horns on the top. I wore my usual white shirt, vest, white pants and dark boots. I twirled my black cane and tipped my black top hat.

 I spoke dramatically through the microphone.

 “Welcome, I say welcome all to Wrath Ring’s annual Harvest Moon Festival! To kick things up, we have the great prince Stolas-a here to user in this here Pain Games!”

 Stolas took the microphone from me and chuckled in slight embarrassment.

“How kind, Wackford.”

 Stolas then addressed the audience. “Greetings tiny Wrath Ring imps. I hereby welcome you all to another year of celebrating the spoils of your labor that continue to feed the citizens of Hell!”

 A crowd of imps glared at him and several boos were heard. Many of these Wrath imps were impoverished farmers who lived on scraps, meat or good crops if they were lucky. The food they worked so hard to produce was consumed by royalty and those in the other Rings. But the reward for their work was being underfed, underpaid and underappreciated instead. The unbalanced cycle had lasted for generations.

 I, too, stared at Stolas with a glare in my eyes. That rich royal thinks he can parade around, doing whatever he wants. Well unfortunately for him, I have plans of my own. Once he sees what I’m capable of…

 He will know who really rules the roost.

 Stolas obliviously continued. “I’m happy to kick off the start of these games that will challenge the toughest imps to show their skill and dominance.” He did a little wave with his fingers. “Good luck to you all!” He noticed Blitzo in the crowd beside Moxxie and Striker and spoke lower. “Especially that sexy little one there! Yoo-hoo, Blitzy!”

 “Oh fuck me,” Blitzo scowled.

 A gun went off and the games began.

 The first event was the race. Moxxie was instantly trampled by the other racers.

 The second event was the high jump. Striker climbed over the high wooden ramp structure with ease and raced after Blitzo who jumped past him. Moxxie struggled to keep his balanced as he reached the top. He slipped down, trying to use his claws to hold on. He fell with a splash in a small puddle…and was promptly chewed on by a monstrous black and white shark with several red eyes.

 The third event was an event with rope. Striker grinned as he held a tied up Blitzo. Blitzo’s arms, legs and horns were all tied up. Moxxie gulped as a stronger grinning imp tied him up with ease.

 The fourth event was tug of war. The crowd cheered as the two teams pulled hard. Striker, Blitzo and Moxxie were on a team. Moxxie stumbled and fell into nearby water, where the shark attacked him again.

 The fifth event was mud wrestling. Blitzo and Striker grinned as they wrestled each other, Striker getting the upper hand as he held Blitzo down, arms locked. Moxxie was instantly crushed in a football hurdle by a group of imps. As they got off of him, Moxxie sat up. And the shark leaped out of the water and over the fence.

 “Mother fucker!” Moxxie screamed as the shark crushed him. (Moxxie somehow survived all this.)

 I hopped back on stage.

 “I say, I say for the first year ever, we have a tie, for the winner of the Harvest Moon Pain Games!”

 Stolas took the microphone from me again.

 “The winners are…Striker, and my darling Blitzy!” Stolas did a one-legged pose as the crowd cheered.

 “Just say my name right!” Blitzo complained. He muttered “Fucking dick,” as he and Striker walked onto the stage.

0 0 0

After the event, I noticed that I.M.P. and Stolas had left. After sharing an undiscernible look with Striker, we parted ways.

 I soon returned to a special place in Greed, tired but determined. I walked alone down dark hallways, torches burning green flames on either side. I wagged my pointed red tail.

 I pushed open the double doors and came across a marvelous sight.

 Gold. Heaps of it, just shining brightly all around the vast spacious chamber. Gold pillars held up the cavern-like ceiling, a chandelier made of bones and diamonds hung from above. There were chests of necklaces, precious gems, goblets and weapons of every shape and size. Hanging on a far wall, concealed in shadow were angelic weapons…at least half a dozen.

 I stared around in amazement. Even Lucifer would be surprised if he could see this place.

 I raced around and tossed the gold coins into the air. In a craze, I rolled around in a nearby pile of green dollar souls. With a grin, I stood up and stared with pride at the grinning face of the jester printed on there.

 A face confident in his ability to deceive others, pursue wealth and bask in endless entertainment.

 The grinning face was all too familiar…

 …because it was my face.

 Wally Wackford leaned his head back, mouth open in a high pitched shriek as dark magic flickered around him. The imp form fell and morphed into shadow. In the imp’s place, a large black beast with thick fur, razor sharp claws and red eyes decorating the body. The figure stood up on two powerful furry legs and sat comfortably in a giant golden throne that occupied the center of the chamber. Angular jester clothing of red, gold and purple stripes adorned the wolf body. And finally, a large spiked black crown sat atop the dark loopy jester hat with bells at the ends. A white and gold jester face showed sharp white teeth and glowing yellow eyes. Dark clawed hands juggled fresh demon skulls into the air and popped them into his large mouth. He crunched loudly before swallowing every bit.

 My imp disguise was perfect. Literally no one else save for Robo Fizz and a few elites knew who was underneath. And even then, my magic was so powerful it could easily confuse anyone around me.

 Being an imp has its advantages; you can travel anywhere and gather information along the way. You can track imps from a killing company and find out where they’ll likely travel to next. You can affiliate yourself with your own robotic creations, some slave imps and succubi…and then in your own form, work with a fellow Deadly Sin on the next stage.

 A wolf in sheep’s clothing.

 Funny, really. Wally Wackford could easily be a separate being, born into poverty, learning to scam others at an early age and go up from there. I, however, didn’t need to learn anything…deceiving others and attracting material wealth was a natural talent. As was shapeshifting.

 Lucifer might not be happy with me coping his idea of a theme park…but business is business…and in Hell, anything goes.

 That incompetent prince Stolas would be dead soon enough. No more Goetia showoffs to get in the way of my rule and reputation. At least the prince’s wife was rightfully concerned with maintaining tradition that has existed for centuries. Aside from my dear friend Lucifer, I was, and should be, the most powerful being in Hell. I’ll keep exploiting those I choose because money is money.

 Those I.M.P. assassins have no idea who they were dealing with.

 I let out a crazed evil laugh, intermingled with a wolf’s howl. With a single touch of my hand, my nearby scepter turned into gold. I admired its shiny flawless sheen. Asmodeus, Leviathan, Lucifer, Satan, Belphegor, Beelzebub and myself…the Seven Deadly Sins…circus-loving rulers of the Overlords and in charge of maintaining chaotic order in our respective Rings.

  I, Mammon, had much to do.

#wally wackford #helluvaboss #helluva boss theory #mammon

[shadowphoenixrider]

Firestarter

(Technically a continuation of this little fic I wrote, this fic is actually a mashed together RP me and @den-of-tigers did together, featuring my OC Katla having her Grand Trial versus Den’s excellent Nanu - seriously I can’t take credit for 98% of Nanu here, it’s all her!

We merged anime and game rules together for this and did dice rolls for certain outcomes. The dice apparently had a sense of drama. Hope you enjoy!)

"Aww shit." Katla cursed. There it was, in black and white - the latest boat to Melemele Island had set sail ten minutes ago, and the next wasn't for an hour. "I knew I should have just beaned my ass down here instead of getting breakfast."

The trainer huffed softly to herself, folding her arms. She had been hoping to go and explore Poni Island for more Pokemon, but the endorsements of the three previous island’s Kahunas were needed, and Ula’Ula’s was missing. And was staying missing.

Turned out that the Kahuna had been the police officer who let her into Po Town in the first place, like she had been suspecting. If he'd not mentioned his status, Katla assumed it was for a very good reason, and she would leave him alone. That is, if she could get a boat back to Melemele...

"Well, I guess I can chill in the gardens for a while." She mused to herself. "Find a quiet spot and do some meditation. It'll pass the time, at least." She turned away from the postings and began to walk back into the city, her mind turning inward as she strode quickly through the streets.

"Hey, missy - thinking of heading back to Melemele?”

It took a minute for her to realize someone was speaking to her, and when she did, Katla froze, one foot swinging uselessly above the ground for a second. That voice!

The young woman shifted her weight, pivoting on her heel to face the police officer now formally known as Nanu, Kahuna of Ula’Ula. He seemed slightly less intimidating in the bright light of day, leaning against a malasada shop wall with one in his hand, but so did a lone Wishiwashi.

“I was,” she said evenly. “Kahuna.”

“Ah, so you caught on.” Nanu commented. “I figured you would eventually - usually Acerola pulls some stunt, hides my kendama and won’t give it back until I cave. She thinks it's just a toy... then again, she's a kid.” His crimson eyes came to rest on her, a glint within them. “You're not."

Katla wasn’t exactly sure to make of this turn of personality, but she wasn’t going to look a Mudsdale in the mouth.

“I...had an inkling, what with your Z crystal and ring and all,” she gestured. “But it was Acerola who confirmed it for me.”

“Hmm. So, we come to the million-pokédollar question, missy,” one of Nanu’s thick eyebrows arched upwards. “You think you're ready for my Grand Trial?"

Katla chewed her lip. Her gut churned warily, and it hadn’t led her astray yet. However...

“I don’t think you’d be asking me if you didn’t think I was at least passable.” She replied, choosing her words with care. “I dare say I can give it a fair shot.” It’s either that or sit in Malie’s gardens for an hour.

“You’re not wrong on either of those counts.” Nanu replied, after having taken a sizeable bite of his malasada, chewing and swallowing.

"Lots of responsibilities being Ula'ula's Kahuna and its head security officer, besides. I'm sure you can understand why I'd appreciate a nap or being left the hell alone now and then," he added. Another bite of malasada, then another, and it was gone.

"Maybe I'm a little too lazy sometimes. Depends on who you ask," Nanu chuckled, shrugging one shoulder. "Regardless, you did a damn fine job in Po Town, and those kids are thrilled to have their stolen Pokemon back.”

Katla smiled weakly, lifting a shoulder.

“Ah, heh, I’m glad. Least I could do for them.”

“In my Trial, it's one of your Pokemon against three of mine, in turn. If you're not serious about it, don't waste my time." Those dark red eyes were indeed serious, his gruff tone equally so.

The trainer’s eyebrow arched.

“That’s...different.” She commented, feeling a part of her balk at it. We're not gonna get through this are you nuts? And yet...Katla's eyes traced over the Kahuna, sizing him up. What's the worst that could happen? We lose? Big woop. At least Kukui's not gonna bother you with an excuse like that.

"I like a bit of a change," she said, a smile pulling at the corner of her lips. "I accept, on the condition I get a chance to choose my Pokemon, and we find a better place for a scrap away from an audience."

Nanu snorted, crumpling the empty bag between both hands and tossing it into a nearby trash receptacle.

"Of course you get to choose which Pokemon you use, what did you think I was gonna do?  Make you juggle the balls and use the first one dropped? Although..." He looked to be thinking that suggestion over intensely, then laughed under his breath. "As for a better place to do things, I think I know one."  A 'follow-me' gesture with one hand, and the Kahuna began to walk off, shoving both hands in his pockets.

Katla rolled her eyes, falling into step with the older man.

"Yeah, the reason I said that, Kahuna, is because I have more than six. And if you're gonna make me run a gauntlet like that, I'm damn well gonna pick my best shot," she said. "You can watch me pick 'em out if you want, but all that it will do is make me fall down in your estimations. I'm not hiding Rayquaza up my sleeve or anything." She arched her eyebrow. "Not like I was exactly prepared for you to come to me."

"I might have the knack for showing up when it's least expected." He flashed her a grin.

"Yeah, I noticed that." Katla replied dryly.

After a brief stop off at the Pokemon Centre, trainer and Kahuna reached their destination in Route 11 without much small talk. It was an area of plenty of space, hard ground and no tall grass to worry about. Nodding in satisfaction, the Kahuna reached to his back pocket and pulled out his Rotom-phone, glancing over to Katla as she strolled over to her side of the ‘arena’.

"One of your Pokemon, versus three of mine. You ready?" 

"Yup. We keep going until one of us has no usable Pokemon remaining." She lifted up the hem of her hoodie, reaching to her belt to undo the straps that attached her colourful assortment of Pokeballs to it. "And to make sure I won't even have a sliver of temptation..." She took the first Pokeball out, and walked several paces away to set the others down. She knew that they could come to her if called, but Katla didn't want them too close, just in case. Just stay in there, please. 

She returned to her original position, single ball in hand, feeling almost naked without the comforting weight of the rest of her team around her waist. She pressed the button, the Pokeball swelling to fill her hand. "Ready when you are, Kahuna." As ready as I'll ever be.

He nodded, content with her response.

"Rotom, gonna need you on live recording mode," he said, at which the phone Pokemon buzzed to life, neon-blue eyes glowing brightly.

"Affirmative, Nanu!  Switching to live recording mode... begin recording, now!" 

A quick, short clearing of his throat, and Nanu addressed the 'audience', speaking at a slightly louder volume than usual. 

"This is Officer Nanu, Kahuna of Ula'ula Island.  Today, just off of route 11 - on the outskirts of Malie City, I'll be officiating and conducting a Grand Trial. My challenger is Trainer Katla, from the Galar region." His Rotom zoomed over to the young woman.  "Say hello, Trainer Katla!"

Oh shit. Katla had reckoned that he would be recording as soon as she saw the phone appear, but this? She was as tense as a broom handle when the Rotom swept over to her, and it took every ounce of effort to try and not look like she was supremely uncomfortable.

"Hi." She managed, flatly. Suddenly she felt an overwhelming urge to go back and pick the rest of her team up again, if only so she didn't feel so terribly exposed, but managed to hold her ground.

"Best of luck to you, Katla!" the Rotom chirped in electronic positivity, before returning to its owner, the trainer almost breathed a sigh of relief. Calm down, it’s just you and him, she tried to remind herself.

"Tapu Bulu - with your approval, let this Grand Trial begin!" Nanu exclaimed, crossing both wrists overhead and looking to the sky. Seconds later, a loud, echoing gong sounded - the bronze bell of Ula'ula's deity, raising goosebumps across Katla’s skin and making the scars under her hoodie sleeves prickle slightly. Lowering his arms and fixing his gaze on her - those crimson eyes had a different shine to them now - the Kahuna reached behind with one hand, suddenly moving forward into a full-bodied throw of his first Pokeball.

"Sableye! Let's go!"

Katla took a steeling breath, trying to pull herself back into her previous mindset when the Kahuna's first Pokemon came tumbling out. Her eyebrow arched at the sight of the Darkness Pokemon. Ohh, you sneaky bastard. Force trainers to run a gauntlet, then trip them up at the starting line with a Pokemon with only one weakness. Clever. Looks like I got lucky with my choice.

She raised her own Pokeball up to her forehead, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they were brighter.

"Alright, little one, let's go! Rimbombee, I choose you!" She slung the ball down, and it bounced open to release the diminutive Bee Fly Pokemon.

Nanu raised his own eyebrow, then shook his head and chuckled.

"A Ribombee? Really? What a shame, figured you might have something a little more... tomboyish up the sleeves of that hoodie," he called out, motioning to Sableye. As if the Darkness Pokemon had eyes in the back of its head, it spread clawed fingers and hissed in obvious agreement with the Kahuna.

Katla shrugged, nonplussed. Trying to get under my skin, are you? Alright.

"My apologies, Kahuna, but I have it on good authority that I have far too many Gyarados for my own good.” She replied. “That and the rest of my more 'tomboyish' Pokemon are in another PokeCentre."

The older man was equally as unbothered that his barb had glanced off.

"Hmm. Doesn't matter though. Can't sting like a bee if you're swatted like a fly - Sableye! Shadow Sneak!"

Sableye hissed again, a streak of darkness extending from its feet all the way to where Ribombee hovered. The Bee Fly’s placid smile turned into a determined frown, but despite the little bug’s attempts to get away from it, an amorphous shape materialized from behind her, the Darkness Pokemon suddenly re-taking its physical form and slashing with wicked, shadowy claws. Katla winced at the blow, recovering quickly.

"Hmph. Gotta admit, slightly disappointed in you, Kahuna.” She commented. “Surely you of all people know not to judge by appearances alone." Especially against a Pokemon your type is doubly weak to. She blinked, suddenly all business. "Rimbombee, Dazzling Gleam!"

The Bee Fly thrilled loudly, the scales of its wings glowing brighter, and brighter, and then brighter still, Sableye snarling loudly and both Kahuna and trainer having to avert their gaze. Nanu’s Rotom moved quickly to capture all the action, providing commentary in lieu of a referee.

"Ribombee's Dazzling Gleam is super effective - Sableye takes some serious damage!" the Plasma Pokemon exclaimed excitedly, and a determined half-grin grew across Katla’s lips. Alright, now we’re talking.

The Kahuna shoved both hands into his pockets.

"Shake it off, Sableye - you're not down for the count yet. Give that bug a Shadow Claw!"

Katla’s grin vanished, discarding the expression with ease.

“Ri! Get out of there and banish this darkness with another Dazzling Gleam!”

The Darkness Pokemon let go a high-pitched shriek and lunged for Ribombee again, and whilst the little bug was fast, she wasn’t fast enough, the ghostly claws connecting with her slim legs as she tried to dance out of the way. Katla grimaced in solidarity, hoping that it was quick enough to escape the Kahuna’s notice.

Facing down the Sableye, Ribombee repeated the same trick again, the brightness coming faster and perhaps more intensely, if you could stand to look at it in the first place.

"Another Dazzling Gleam! It's super effective!” Rotom announced as Sableye hissed loudly, before slowly crumpling to the ground, the light in its jewel eyes dimming. “Sableye has fainted and can no longer battle! That's one victory, two to go!"

The trainer allowed the grin to move over her lips for a moment as Ribombee fluttered back to her. Good start.

Nanu frowned, recalling the Darkness Pokemon with a surge of red energy.

"Turning into a one-trick Mudbray, are we? Let's keep things interesting at the very least," he sighed.

“Depends what your next Pokemon is, Kahuna.” Katla replied, shoving her hands in her hoodie pockets.

If her snark was rankling him, the Kahuna wasn’t showing it, and reached back to pull a fresh ball from his belt, tossing and catching it a few times in his hand.

"All right, Krookodile... you're up!"

As soon as the Intimidation Pokemon emerged, the massive red-and-black bipedal reptilian raised both clawed hands, then tossed its head back with a threatening roar, its innate ability quickly becoming apparent.

The Galar woman’s eyes widened, a genuine smile moving across her face.

"Oh yeah, now we're talking!" She bounced on her heels, thinking fondly of her previous Krookodile partner. He'd taken her far, almost to the very top- She shook her head quickly. Stop that! Focus.

Ribombee fluttered back nervously, unable to resist the other Pokemon's ability. Katla, on the other hand, was not fazed. Nice ability. Shame that it's utterly wasted, she noted, trying not to smirk. "Alright Ribombee, let's bore the Kahuna with something else - use Pollen Puff!"

The Bee Fly shook her head, much the same way her trainer had, and then the rest of its body. Yellow flakes of pollen poured off its wings and body, the Pokemon collecting it all up into a neat little package in its tiny hands. It looked at Krookodile with its normal cute little smile...and then threw the pollen as hard as it could.

Krookodile snapped and snarled in aggravation at the yellow cloud, whipping its head back and forth, both arms flailing as Rotom noted the super effective attack. Nanu waved away the pollen that had headed his way, his expression either grimly determined or rather annoyed.

“Hmph. That little bug of yours can't take much more, I'll bet...” A sudden malevolent smile. “Krookodile! It's Crunch time!" the Kahuna shouted, and the Intimidation Pokemon suddenly surged forward with a speed and agility that was surprising for such a large reptile.

"Ri!" Katla cried out, unable to help herself.

The Ribombee did its valiant best, but already battered by Sableye, it wasn't quick enough to avoid the powerful jaws clamping down around its abdomen with a terrifying sound, the Bug Pokemon crying out in pain.

Kat clenched her fists and teeth together, a snarl curling her lips that she couldn’t suppress.

"Ri!” She yelled. “Another Pollen Puff! Go straight for the eyes!"

The little bee squirmed its way free onto Krookodile's nose, gathering up another collection of pollen from its body, all nicety gone from its face. The bug suddenly hurled itself straight at the Intimidation Pokemon's eyes, only to arc away at the last second, dumping its collection there instead, Krookodile hissing loudly. Ribombee flew back to her trainer, much less gracefully than when they’d begun the bout.

Nanu's crimson eyes flashed, his teeth bared in a grin.

"What's the matter, missy? Can't stand to see your Pokemon take a hit?” He taunted. “You’re too soft - you’ll never complete the Island Challenge if you don’t toughen up!”

Katla knew he was barbing her on purpose, but this one managed to strike home, her nostrils flaring and eyes flashing with pure fury. How the fuck did you think I made it this far, then?! She snarled internally, his nails starting to dig into the palms of her hands.

The older man balled one hand into a fist, extending the other sharply towards the Pokemon.

"Krookodile, there's blood in the water... go for the kill with another--" 

The sudden reverberation of a sonorous bronze bell interrupted the Kahuna, and startled Katla out of her red haze, both of them looking up.

Ula’ula’s deity loomed about fifty feet overhead, the unmistakable smell of loamy earth and undergrowth filling the air, sobering the Galar trainer in seconds. She’d heard of the Tapu (how could she have not), but to see one in the flesh was deeply humbling, all her anger and rage draining out of her in a rush. Dimly, she could hear her other Pokeballs rustle behind her, as if they sensed what was taking place.

“--eh?  Tapu Bulu? What're you...?” Nanu asked, the confusion in his voice as clear as what Katla felt.

The Guardian deity shifted, fixing its stare on the young woman, making the twisted skin on her arms crawl uncomfortably before it dropped something. Krookodile, having been ready for his owner's next command, took several steps back as something small and yellow fell to the ground near Ribombee. She fluttered back for a second, before she recognised the Sitrus berry that had settled beside her - not waiting for a command from anyone, not even her trainer, she quickly landed next to it, greedily devouring it.

It only took a couple of seconds first for the berry to disappear into the diminutive bug’s mouth and then to take effect, but the Bee Fly's colour seemed to brighten, becoming more vibrant and her 'fur' fluffing back up. When she took off once more, her wing-beats were strong and fast, and she gave an excited cry - she was ready for more.

Katla’s heart soared to see her companion rejuvenated, and she looked back up at Tapu Bulu hovering above them, still watching her. She thumped her chest with her fist, bowing her head.

"Thank you, Tapu," she said reverently. "I am honoured by your kindness."

"Buuuuuluu!" the Guardian deity responded, sounding another ring of its bell before taking its leave. 

"What a rare and amazing interruption by the deity of Ula'ula Island itself! The Tapu's favour has been shown, what will happen now?" Rotom inquired, and for a brief moment Nanu shot the Plasma Pokemon a withering glare.

The Tapu's favour? Katla thought, her eyebrow arching slightly. Surely not. Island Trials are performances to please the guardians - I guess I'm just putting up a good enough fight that it wants to see me go a little further. She was under no illusions as to what would be next after Krookodile - every Kahuna had followed the same pattern, even if Nanu had thrown her a curve ball with his.

"Ri?" The bug Pokemon chirped, reminding her trainer that she was waiting for instruction. Katla shook her head quickly.

"Oh. Well, uh, lemme think - Pollen Puff!"

Where exactly Ribombee was getting its pollen now was anyone's guess, but it still managed to gather up enough into its hands for a payload. This time the Bee Fly hesitated, flitting to and fro before lobbing the projectile into Krookodile's side without warning.

Nanu smirked, putting both hands on his hips.

"As a Kahuna I'll be the last one to question a Tapu's decision,” he said, as the red-and-black Intimidation Pokemon cleared the pollen off itself. “As for this keep-away tactic you're utilizing... two can play at that game, and some of us play dirty. Krookodile! Mud Slap!"

With a snarling growl, Krookodile lashed its thick tail in an overhead arc, sending a large, wet ball of mud in Ribombee's direction.

"Ri, get out of there!"

Too late, as the clump of mud struck the bug Pokemon square on, sending her reeling and obscuring her vision.

"Son of a-!" Katla bit out reflexively, just managing to stop the curse from fully passing her lips - no no no we can't lose accuracy, not now! "Come on, Ri, shake it off!"

The Bee Fly scrubbed at its face and body as her trainer fought for a solution. Shit, he's matted down her Pollen and dampened her Gleam. Her brows furrowed. But she still has one other move.

"Bold of you to assume I wouldn't have a back-up plan!” She yelled. “Ribombee, use Absorb!"

The bug Pokemon shook off the last of the mud, before making an almost malevolent humming sound, raising its hands. Two red beams shot from it, connecting with Krookodile, sapping its energy, the Intimidation Pokemon weakening as Ribombee strengthened, almost rendering the prior attack null and void.

"Ribombee's Absorb is super effective!” Rotom announced loudly as Krookodile slumped to the ground. “ Krookodile has fainted, and can no longer battle!  Another victory for Trainer Katla, one more to go!" It almost caused some feedback with its excitement.

The young Galar woman lifted her chin defiantly, eyes flashing like flames were igniting within them.

"You want to dance, Kahuna?” She asked. “Then let's dance."

Nanu let go a dramatic sigh as he reclaimed the fainted red reptile.

"Sorry, I can't dance - two left feet," he retorted, lowering his head for a moment and pulling the final ball from his belt. Katla’s confident demeanour cooled then. Alright, here come the big guns. She took a steeling breath, trying to calm herself down to think a bit more clearly. Damn this guy, he's getting to me like no-one’s business!

"I'm getting tired... time to put this Trial to bed. Persian! Let's go!"

Nanu’s Persian was much larger than the trainer had anticipated, almost on a par with the Totem Pokemon she’d faced. The huge Classy Cat Pokemon swished her tail slowly back and forth, fixing a narrowed gaze onto Katla and Ribombee.

The trainer uttered a low, appreciative whistle.

"Big, beautiful and deadly." She commented, her eyes taking in the feline admiringly, until her eyes reached the teal coloured stone in the Persian's forehead. The same type as in her own, much smaller Alolan Persian. The Alolan Persian who knew- Katla's eyes widened, unable to hide the sudden dawning realization that spread across her face. Oh no. Oh, NO!

It was a similar realization that the Ula’Ula Kahuna had already made, and he and his Persian had taken a similar stance - predatory, hungry for the winning blow. A curious sort of density had grown in the air, ominous and crushing, and both Katla and Ribombee sensed it, the trainer’s cockiness all but fleeing and her heart beginning a quick rhythm in her chest.

The feeling was sickeningly familiar, and she reached down self-consciously to touch her Pokemon for comfort. Her heart leapt into her throat when she was reminded that they were lying a foot away from her, inaccessible, and she had to swallow down the sudden rising panic. It's okay, we're on Alola. Solid earth. Bright sky. No sea. Breathe. Breathe. The Bee Fly glanced back at her trainer briefly, looking worried for her.

"The kid gloves are coming off... we're going straight for the throat," Nanu said, staring Katla down from across the 'battlefield', a bone-chilling edge creeping into that rough voice - if he noticed her internal conflict, there was no evidence of it. "Your passion is admirable, although you have no sense of respect for your elders... you're burning the candle at both ends, and I'm going to snuff it."

Nanu raised a hand. "Persian... POWER GEM!"

Persian let go a high-pitched cry, raising her head as the gem flashed warningly, releasing a sizeable blue bolt of energy in Ribombee's direction.

"Ri! Get out of there, now!" Katla yelled.

She tried, bless the little bug's wings, but a hit was a hit, and it was a super effective one, Ribombee wailing loudly. The trainer cringed as if she'd been dealt the blow instead, teeth clenched tight together. The Bee Fly was still upright, but for how long? Katla decided to risk it, digging into her pocket.

"Ri! Catch!" She tossed a Sitrus berry out to her Pokemon, who gladly devoured it, regaining some energy. Katla chewed her lip, feeling her Z ring weigh heavy on her arm. If he hits her like that twice more, she's a goner. Her brows furrowed. But I do still have one card up my sleeve, if luck actually smiles upon me this time...

"Trying to buy yourself some time?  I'll allow it," Nanu remarked, that predatory gleam still in his crimson eyes. Both hands on his hips, he looked to his Persian.  "Some trainers and Pokemon would sacrifice themselves for the other.  Admirable as that is... it's useless.  Letting emotions control your actions on the battlefield?  Ridiculous!" He added, shrugging one shoulder.  "You take chances, regardless of the outcome, and you play the cards you're dealt - even if that means losing, and starting all over again."

His comments flared Katla’s rage again, despite it all, her jaws clicking from the force behind her clenched teeth. How dare you! You have no idea what I’ve been through! If it wasn’t for my Pokemon, my bones would be scattered across the ocean floor!

She pulled a breath in, closing her eyes and forcing her fists to uncurl - she was both annoyed and ashamed that he was exploiting her weaknesses with such contemptible ease. Katla should have just accepted that she was staring down the barrel of defeat - she’d been out-manoeuvred and out-played, and she should just go through the motions, let the Kahuna have his victory.

And yet...a part of her didn’t want to give the smug bastard the satisfaction. If he wanted his victory, he was going to have to beat it out them.

Persian didn't move a muscle, waiting for her next command from the Kahuna.  Her whiskers twitched eagerly, forehead gem shining in the afternoon sunlight. 

"Persian - another Power Gem!" 

Another raspy cry, another blue bolt of energy streaking across the distance, this one striking considerably harder. Katla didn't cry out for her Pokemon that time, not that Ribombee really needed a reminder to dodge the bolt of awful heading her way. And she looked like she was going to do it, until the Persian turned to track the Bee Fly's movements, blasting the Pokemon onto the ground. Katla's foot jerked as she restrained the urge to run to her friend's aid.

"No! Ri!" She cried, fighting back the sudden burning in her eyes. No no no not now, not now!

"Ri...bombee." The little bug was as stubborn as its owner, pushing itself up and taking flight again, but looking very worse for wear, barely able to hover steadily.

"Alright 'Bee!" Katla smiled weakly, taking a breath and swallowing back the tightness that had started to form in her throat. "Guess I am gonna be taking a chance then. Ribombee! Stun Spore!"

Ribombee's wings whirred, kicking up a cloud of orange spores around them, before with one large wing-beat, she blew them over to the Persian, who hissed as they were blown about her, her tail lashing angrily.

A hit, yes! Katla's lips twitched into a grin as she saw the spores hit home, just about managing to stop herself from fist-pumping. Of course, now they've got to work.

Nanu's sharp black eyebrows furrowed, but if he was concerned, his poker face didn't slip one iota.

"I was almost hoping I wouldn't have to use this," he says, one hand reaching up to grab hold of the Darkinium-Z crystal around his neck. “But you have been quite the nuisance.” A sharp tug, and the leather thong snapped easily, slipping to the ground. That sensation of dread doubled in its intensity, the young trainer’s stomach plummeting into the bottom of her feet. "I didn't get where I am by not taking chances..." Nanu added, snapping the stone into the slot of his Z-ring.

Katla swallowed hard. Oh, fuck.

Ula'ula's Kahuna did a short series of arm movements, before leaning forward at the hips... pausing for a moment, then straightening up and raising both arms in a fearful display, the activated Z-Ring shining brilliantly.

"Now... allow yourself to be enveloped by the Darkness... haaaaaaaah!” Nanu hissed, a swell of purplish energy arcing from his form to Persian's. The feline Pokemon echoed that hiss from her trainer, infused with energy. Katla's hair stood on end, scars itching up her arms, her heart beating so hard she was afraid Nanu could hear it.

"Use... Black Hole Eclipse!" Nanu commanded, before turning his back to Katla and her Ribombee. Persian raised her head, the purple energy flaring brightly around her that seemed to suck the light from around them, plunging them from afternoon to almost night.

"Arceus, Ri, please hold on." Katla spoke, the little bug shrinking back, sharing her trainer's fear. The trainer braced herself, closing her eyes and hoping at least whatever happened was brutally quick.

Suddenly, a strangled yowl of surprise split the air, startling everyone and making Katla’s eyes pop back open.

Persian was still in the position she’d assumed earlier, head and tail high, her body twitched and spasming as she tried to move, the tell-tale yellow flickers flashing over her. She uttered another, almost piteous yowl as she tried to struggle through her condition, but her attempts were futile. She was paralyzed.

As quickly as the shadows drew in, they drew away again, the surroundings brightening up and the dark energy extinguishing like a candle in the breeze.

Nanu was silent, his jaw and fists clenched in utter disbelief. Katla was equally dumbfounded.

"That...That worked?" She breathed. "That worked! Holy shit! Holy-"

She didn't know what suddenly seized her - adrenaline, a bout of madness, maybe something else, but the Galar trainer burst out laughing. Enough that she bent double, hands on her knees, thick curly hair obscuring her face as she tried to get a hold of herself. Even Ribombee turned to look at her, and would have raised an eyebrow had she possessed one.

But she did manage to reign herself back in, laughter fading. Then slowly she rose back up to standing, lifting her head to meet the Kahuna’s gaze. Only this time, she was the one wearing the dark, feral grin.

“My turn.”

She slipped her hand into her pocket, pulling out a Z crystal of her own - light-ish green, almost khaki in colour, the symbol of a beetle visible within.

"How fortuitous of you to sow the seeds of your own downfall, Kahuna.” Katla spoke, turning the crystal over in her fingers. “Guzma might like to hoard his Z crystals away from use, but unfortunately for you, I'm not Guzma." She placed it into her Z ring, goosebumps erupting up her body as it activated. "I'm far worse!"

Katla closed her eyes for a moment, basking for a moment in the power that poured into her body - she'd felt power similar to this before, and she welcomed it like a friend. The energy swirled around Ribombee as well, and even as battered she was, she seemed to get a new lease of life. Katla began her moves, at first mimicking Nanu's, before she dragged her arms up and around like she was a zombie, followed through with a wave motion with her right hand, like a Sharpedo breaching the water's surface.

When Katla spoke again, her voice thrummed like the roar of a swarm’s thousands of wings. "Ribombee, let's rock the Kahuna's world! Savage Spin-Out!"

Surging with power, Ribombee released thick threads of silk from her hands, attaching to Persian and quickly encasing the cat Pokemon entirely within a fibrous cocoon in quick, deft motions. Taking hold of the sole trailing strand, the Bug Pokemon shot up into the air, carrying the cocoon with it, before she began to swing it around its entire body. Once, twice...

On the third swing, Ribombee uttered a loud cry and hurled the cocoon down as hard as possible. In a burst of Z Power induced speed, the Bee Fly shot down after its payload, striking the cocoon just as it impacted the ground, shattering the earth underneath with a load roar.

As the dust cleared, Katla surveyed the damage, her bravado fading as she saw Ribombee fluttering away from the limp cocoon she’d left lying in a shallow crater. That...might have been a bit excessive, she thought to herself, her gazing lifting up to her opponent.

"Katla and Ribombee's Savage Spin-Out has secured a victory!  Trainer Katla has won the Grand Trial!" Rotom called out, only to be shut down mid-hover by Nanu's sharp command, dropping to the ground as a regular phone. The Kahuna watched Persian's unmoving form for a few moments, his expression soon shifting from patient to concerned.

“Persian! Get yourself free, now!” He called, dread starting to sink into the bottom of Katla’s stomach as the seconds ticked by. No movement. “Persian!”

The Kahuna moved faster than the Galar trainer had thought him capable of, and immediately her first thought was to aid him, hand dropping to her belt to remind her that she’d discarded her other Pokemon. She looked back.

“Incine-” She began to call, the name halting in her chest as Katla glanced back to see Nanu had freed his Persian, and was cradling her close, head bowed over her. Guilt - thick, cloying and cold - poured over her shoulders, and it brought shame in its wake. It had all been an act, words specifically to get under her skin, and she’d not only brought them all hook, line and sinker, she’d let her anger get the better of her.

Ribombee fluttered close, looking up at her with concern. She glanced away from the scene, rubbing her hand over the Bee Fly’s head.

“Thank you, Ri.” She whispered. “You did so well, I’m so proud of you. Time to rest now.” She pressed a kiss to the top of her Pokemon’s head, before she returned the bug to her Pokeball. Katla kept her gaze averted, going instead to pick up her remaining Pokemon from where she left him, ignoring the few that quivered at her touch.

“Well congratulations, Katla.” Nanu’s voice sounded out behind her. “You passed my Grand Trial. You’re clear to go to Poni Island.” When she didn’t reply or turn around, he made a short chuffing sound that could have been a laugh. “Hey, it’s fine,” he said, his voice gentler than she’d ever heard it before. “Persian will be fine. She’s gone through Z moves like that before.”

The young woman looked over her shoulder to see him approaching, and despite his usual apathetic expression, he seemed sincere.

“You’re sure? It...seemed a little excessive.” Katla sighed, unable to hold his gaze. “I’m sorry, Kahuna. My temper got the better of me.”

“Certainly did.” And in a second, the gentle veneer was gone. “Excessive is all what Z moves are, I’m sure you’ve noticed by now. You were very lucky - Black Hole Eclipse is as frightening as it sounds. Speaking of which,” Nanu took the Z crystal from his Z ring, holding it out to her. “A Darkinium Z, for your victory.”

Katla blinked.

“Oh, thank you!” She turned it over in her fingers, glimpsing the strange symbol deep inside its dark confines, like the outstretched cloak of, well, darkness. “Considering I was shitting myself at the mere thought of it, I’m gonna take your word on it.”

“That’d be a first.” Nanu commented wryly. “Now pay attention, I’m only going to do this once.”

The movements of the Dark Z move were a lot less scary when done in the light of day, and especially with the Kahuna’s deadpan face, even as he loomed over her in the final pose. “Got it?”

Katla didn’t reply, deciding instead to mimic him. She hunched over, swinging her hands down to the ground with her fingers curled into claws, before she straightened up again, throwing her hands forward and arching her body up as best as she could for a diminutive woman.

“That about right?” She asked. Nanu’s red eyes looked over her, one of his thick eyebrows arching up slightly.

“Not bad for a first go,” he said, pausing for a second. It was difficult to see what he was thinking, but he was certainly mulling something over. “You’re not in any hurry to go back to Melemele, are you?”

“Well, I was only heading back there because I thought I couldn’t get further in the Trials, so I guess not.” Katla said, tilting her head. “Why?”

“Meet me at High Roller Sushi tonight, just after sundown.” Nanu replied, stepping away from her. “My treat.”

Katla just blinked at him, his words taking a moment to parse in her head.

“Oh, okay, yeah!” Heat rose into her face in embarrassment. “Yeah, sure, I’ll be there.”

“Good. Don’t keep me waiting.” Were his last parting words to her, the Kahuna raising a hand before he trudged away, leaving the trainer alone with her thoughts and many more questions.

Katla ran a hand through her thick curly hair, uttering a long sigh through her nose.

Well, alright then.

#pokemon sun/moon #pokemon oc: katla #nanu #kahuna nanu #self insert #canon divergence #sprs writing #grand trial #pokemon battle

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Sad News Re: The Watchalong

It’s ON HIATUS Until November. But Don’t Worry, I’ll Be Back!

Alright guys, I’ve been meaning to pre-write this post because I knew the day was coming soon, I just didn’t expect THIS SOON. This post is mostly about the Watchalong, but also about where I’ve been for the past month. 

So here’s the Situation:

So I can’t go into über-details because of the nature of it, but a month ago I took on a new temporary position within a different branch of my employer to help the other branch out since they lost their graphic designer at a critical time and they were in a panic. This new position was going to gradually merge into a “long hours” and then, for everyone at both branches, a 24-7 operation, where we all have to work every day, holidays and weekends included, for long hours until November. 

Well, on Tuesday, we were pulled into a meeting and were told that we were basically on-call now every day (since we’re the main branch), including me who has the important job of making them look good. All by myself, LOL. All the embargoes were lifted over the weekend so now they’re allowed to order custom designs and rush orders. 

Because of this, I have done late nights every night this week, which in turn means I haven’t had time AT ALL to figure out how Kast (Rabbit’s replacement) works, since it’s an app-based streaming (instead of browser which they don’t have implemented yet) and as of RIGHT NOW, I just don’t have time to help my lovelies figure out Kast, because I literally get home now at 8:30PM, file my blog, and go to bed to get up for work again at 6:00AM (as I write this, it’s midnight on Thursday night, because I just got home at 9, had dinner, did a couple quick changes on my freelance work and THEN spent 2 hours filing my blogs).

This really bloody upsets me because August is my birthday month (*COUGH AUGUST 27 COUGH*) and I REALLY wanted to celebrate it with you guys SO MUCH before I knew that I was going to be completely unavailable on the weekends.

See, if Rabbit would have lasted ONE MORE MONTH in its previous state, I would have been able to at least squeeze in one or two more movies. But right now, learning a new program to ensure its safe for my lovelies, and writing down those instructions in my posts, I don’t have time for, ON TOP OF the freelance work I HAVE to get done before September.

So I am OFFICIALLY calling hiatus on the Saturday Night Watchalong until the first week of November due to work.

This isn’t something I wanted to do, but unfortunately, I CAN’T guarantee availability now on Saturdays when my boss basically said “you’re on call 24-7 until end of October”. This isn’t to say that I won’t try to squeeze a random one in here or there because I REALLY REALLY love my watchalongs because it’s the only social time I have all week, but that will be on the presumption that people already know how to use Kast. I’m HOPING that by November they’ll have their web version available like Rabbit’s was and we can go back to that, LOL, but I will, between now and November, test out Kast and see what I can do with it :)

Also between now and November, people seemed interested in me having a discord server for GO and Sherlock; I may also, in my limited free time, do that as well and set one up, and hope that they’ll also eventually allow Macs to host discord streams, LOL. Let me know if you guys still want that discord server... then I can at least still have that. I just worry because I’m barely on the other servers I’m a part of now, and I know that a “feature” of the discord is guaranteed chatting with Steph, LOL, when, you know, I’m garbage and am barely on it. I’ll see. It’s a lot of work to run a discord and I would need mods and content controllers.  I’m not THAT awesome, LOL.

Anyway, so the TL:DR of this is I Work too Much and Have no life, and I’m sadly having to disappear for awhile while my job’s future hangs in the balance. Oh yeah, I didn’t mention that little nugget: I may lose my ACTUAL job after October, so that’s awesome. You guys might have me a shit tonne after October LOL. I knew this was coming 2 years ago, so it’s my fault for being lazy, LOL.

So, the anticipated return date for the Watchalong is Nov. 2. November 9 if I have to clean my office on the Saturday, LOL.

Anyway, Lovelies, I’m still here, and I’ll still be running this blog as best as I can (I’ve stayed up until midnight every night this week to ensure you guys constantly have new content on both my GO and Johnlock blogs because I love you guys so much), but I also don’t want to burn myself out. If these two months are anything like the last time I did this, I’m going to be doing 14 hour days, and I’m... yeah. I need sleep. 

Love you all <3 I don’t want y’all to think I’m abandoning you, it’s just unfortunately my real life where I make money takes precedence. <3 Running this and my other blog to the extent that I do are full time jobs in of themselves, but I’m only one Stephie. <3

#my watchalong #about me #my blog #saturday night watchalong #hiatus

[pcurrytravels]

Las Vegas: A Love/Hate Thang (Chapter IV - A Question of Love, Pride & Knowledge) (Part II)

Hello once again. So in Part I of this chapter I started off talking about having Love, Pride AND Knowledge in/of Las Vegas, but I had so many things to say about the love and pride parts that the post grew way too long for me to talk about the knowledge part. Here, I will be talking more about that part, let us begin:

As I’ve already stated a few times, there’s a number of things I tend to envy about other cities both within and outside of the U.S. Like how just about every other major city in the world has some sort of rail system and we don’t (that stupid monorail doesn’t count). Or how everyone else seems to appreciate variance in their architecture while we use the same set of five bland and generic blueprints for any structure that isn’t a casino here. Or how history and culture can almost literally be felt in the air in most places versus here where all that can be felt is corporate, commercial and trendy modernity. Or how most other cities like to identify their neighborhoods and we don’t.

Yeah, more about that last one: Now, I understand that Las Vegas isn’t really a big city and that it’s also relatively new. Then again, a metropolitan area of two-million people (and still rapidly growing) is pretty far from what I’d call a small town (even if the rule of six degrees of separation is very much in effect mode here *groans*). Also most other cities in the Southwest and West Coast aren’t all that much older than we are. Matter of fact, this place was officially settled in 1905, i.e. 113 years ago, so it’s not like we haven’t had time to naturally develop, define and identify districts and neighborhoods like other places do. So really, what’s the excuse? 

Oh wait scratch that, our city is divided up into distinctive neighborhoods: There’s DTLV, which further consists of East Fremont, 18b Arts District, The Naked City, John S. Park and Huntridge. The Eastside can be divided up into the University District, Cambridge, Paradise Palms, Francisco Park, Sunrise and so on. The Westside has Charleston Heights, Rancho-Oakey/Medical District, The Old or “Historic” Westside, Berkeley Square and The Lakes. We also now have a Chinatown (which is more of a Pan-Asian district really) in addition to slowly emerging East African, Central American, Caribbean Latino, South Asian and Pacific Islander enclaves. Ask the average Las Vegan about all of this however? Chances are they’d probably have no idea what you’re talking about.

So, how would the average Las Vegan describe this city, you ask? Simple: The Strip, Downtown, Summerlin, Henderson, Westside, Eastside, Northtown, Southwest, Northwest/Centennial and that’s it. Occasionally, some will refer to Spring Valley, Green Valley and Aliante, but even those are slowly becoming obscure. Spring Valley has more or less been (ignorantly and lazily) divided into three: the older, more working-class portion that’s east of Rainbow is considered Westside, the newer, more affluent portion that’s west of Rainbow has been merged with Summerlin, and anything south of Trop on either side is part of the Southwest. Green Valley and Henderson are more or less considered one and the same these days (they aren’t). As for Aliante, given its location and, ahem, demographics if you will, many will insist to you it’s just an extension of Northtown (the classism and closet racism runs thick in these parts). 

As a writer and general “web-worm” if you will, with all of the extensive research I’ve done on various topics, one thing I’ve come to realize is how much everything “reflects” so to speak. Language? Culture? Fashion? Politics? Societal Roles? Music? etc.... All of these things and more influence and are because of each other more or less. 

You may be asking what I’m getting at here, yes? Well, I’ve already indirectly alluded as to how the identity and culture of my city has been buried beneath a shallow, vapid and artificial shell in the previous posts of this series, which is where we come to a theory: The reason why so many of these neighborhoods aren’t regularly referred to/identified, let alone even known, whether due to being forgotten over time, laziness or the long-standing, stubborn insistence on sloppily dividing this entire city into five or six primary quadrants, is because acknowledging these areas would show that something actually happened organically and naturally in Las Vegas, thereby betraying the “fantasy” of being a place where everything was made/built overnight. 

The honest truth of the matter is, artificiality is HIGHLY valued here. The majority of our populace just simply doesn’t place value on anything that wasn’t created with the “build it and they will come” philosophy in mind. I mean, the High Roller is widely regarded as an icon of our city and it hasn’t even been around for five years for goodness sake. You see, unlike just about everywhere else in the world where people actively give things meaning on a daily basis, here, we have to literally be told how to feel about them. (Hate to sound petty, as I am a legit fan, but I honestly wonder if the Golden Knights would have even been as successful as they have if it weren’t for them being explicitly marketed as hometown heroes by local media long before they even hit the ice, just saying) Otherwise, we either don’t know or don’t care. This right here is what we have to blame for the messy situation in regards to neighborhood identification, and by extension, why so many locals don’t even know their own city. 

Even I will admit to you there’s many things about my city I simply don’t know. Granted, I don’t have much of a social life beyond my day job and the internet so that could be a big part of why I’m out of the loop in certain areas, but still. Example: A few months ago, I remember talking with a former coworker who happened to be of Indonesian descent. She gushed to me about the large Indonesian community in town and all the cultural offerings and I was just sitting there like......where? 

Given a number of circumstances, so to speak, Las Vegas’s population is skyrocketing with no end in sight. The thing I fear most is, aside from increased rent (the valley only has so many housing options), lack of housing stock (the valley only has so much room for expansion) and how much harder it’s gonna be to find a job (the valley never had that many great jobs to begin with), is our city’s identity getting buried even further. If the trends I’ve observed throughout my life are anything to go by, 90% of people relocate here because of one sole arbitrary reason (be it cheap housing, The Strip or The Raiders) and that’s it. 90% of pre-existing locals (well, prior to Oct. 1, 2017 and the Golden Knights anyway) simply don’t know or care about their city. For this city to be growing at the rate it is, this is a deadly combo yo. Things are changing once again in Vegas, but I’m not sure if I can really say they’re good or bad this time. 

A pro to all of the people moving in is more diversity and culture. That being said however, would it really be our own? Although people from literally all over the world have moved here over the years, the vast majority of transplants, past and present, have been from California, and it doesn’t look like that’s gonna stop anytime soon. I mean, when it’s $500k or more to buy and/or $2000 a month to rent rundown houses, condos and apartments in the GHETTO, I certainly don’t blame them one bit for fleeing to a town where one can easily find a fairly new home in the nicer parts for $200k. The issue lies in the fact that as time goes on, Vegas becomes less like Vegas and more like a miniature L.A. This is going to sound VERY provincial and xenophobic of me, but frankly, I’m tired of Californians making this place a carbon-copy of California. I’d prefer to take the 4-hour bus ride/road trip and/or 1-hour plane ride so I could have the real thing, thanks. 

Okay, I got a bit off track there, lol, but anyways, given that it appears Vegas Natives are going to remain a minority in their own city, it will most likely be outsiders who will identify and define things for both the foreseeable, and unforeseeable future. Ironically enough, I honestly don’t think I have a right to feel very upset about it when so many of my fellow natives and locals have simply allowed this to happen thanks to their apathy and lack of knowledge in regards to their own city. In countless other places, such circumstances would cause quite the uproar, but here, it’s whatever. So all I can do is shrug and keep it moving at this point. 

After all, it appears I really have no choice but to simply accept this paradox. Our culture is one very much based on trends and the material. Our local identity is one of people and things that all come from somewhere else. Our image is one of fantasy and imagination. As one person, I just don’t have much control over it. Over the next ten years, Vegas is going to be more different than ever. Maybe the next generations of new arrivals and natives will be the ones to finally ground things in place. Maybe the Golden Knights and the Raiders will assist in strengthening the local community. I don’t know. All I can really do is hope. Otherwise (note that I’m cringing as I’m writing this), I’m just going to have to learn that it is what it is. Until next time. 

#a love hate thang #Las Vegas

[vrheadsets]

Me Vs. A Decade

Today’s VR vs. story isn’t really about virtual reality. It’s more a story about the writer, as today marks a very important day for me. Let’s begin 24 hours ago though.

It was Monday. My phone was ringing. It was ringing and it was over on the other side of the flat.

Bugger.

Groaning I drop the speaker I’m trying to repair with one hand and break away from the Twitter post I’m writing with the other, to sprint across the flat. Dodging the overly long and overly patched up internet cable, hurdling the two steps up to the, weirdly, slightly higher level which that side of the flat is at. Before pouncing on the phone lying on my bed before it rings off. I knew who it was of course, if they are still there on the other end. Or, more precisely I know what type of call it would be. Someone from Manchester, or Liverpool, or Dublin or Abergavenny – that was a recent one – who wanted to talk to me about either:

a) The amount of money I could claim from the car accident I had. Which I’m reasonably confident is £0.00 since I don’t drive.

b) Have I thought about pensions and life insurance? Answer: Yes, but do they think about me?

or c) Whether or not I had heard about Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) from mortgages or home-buying or something. How it had been mis-sold or misused and how I was due funds worth hundreds of pounds. Have I checked? To which the answer is I have never done anything financially that involved PPI. The last caller on that demanded to know how I would magically know this.They were told forcefully that I think I would remember such a transfer.  Also since I rent the likelihood of any of this is rather on the low side.

I was surprised as it was not actually any of these but a number I recognise from an employment agency. I picked up, and a somewhat more masculine voice than I expected wheezed “Hello it’s Derek from Kitten Whisperers!” The names have been changed to protect the guilty. “I was wondering if we could have a chat.”  Turned out Derek was after a catch-up on things since the CV they had from me was a bit out of date, and since you never know and its always good to have such companies thinking of you, I agreed.

I ‘hmm’-ed and we went through some run of the mill questions. “Are you doing okay?” “Are you still living here?” “Are you still working for VRFocus?” Yes. “What do they do?” Well…  Then Derek asked, “So, do you have much experience in Community Management?” And for a brief moment I was stumped. I mean, presumably he had my “kinda out of date” CV in front of him. What was he expecting? That I’d suddenly go ‘well actually I made it all up’ and fill him in with a completely different work history? ‘No, in truth from 2008-2009 I was a matchstick-seller and part-time snowboarding clown and from 2011-13 I lectured at Harvard in Esperanto.’

I pursed my lips together. “Actually it’s ten years on Tuesday.”

“Oh.” He said, a bit bored. I slumped because I was actually telling the truth .On the 28th of March 2007 I was bundled though into an office at SEGA Europe and quickly made to sign an NDA. It was all a bit hectic in the office and I wondered what was going on. I was then told that in about five minutes they were going to announce the fact that Mario and Sonic were going to be in a game together for the first time. and I was hurled into a chair and signed up to the official forum with full on mod powers.

“Track what they say.” Said my new line-boss as the press release for what was Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games rolled out to the press. “If they start getting worked up.” He paused and pursed his lips together. “Well we’ll come to that.” He shrugged and patted my shoulder.

Ten years ago…

After the call ended I thought for a while about that ten years. I’d accomplished quite a lot in that time, not that you’d know it. But the truth of it is most people don’t know what I do, what any of us do. But that’s my career. A ten year stretch during which I had several years at SEGA setting up and managing their social media and working hard to rebuild community trust from the ground up. Which is mighty impressive considering I’ve never had a day’s worth of proper training in any of it before then – or indeed, astoundingly, since. I co-created an world record owning international convention with that community. Wrote blogs every day. Was the first one in and the last one out, and did my damnedest to fix an impossible to fix situation (and took a lot of flack for caring enough to do so) before I left several years later with my head held high despite being left exhausted in every sense of the word by the whole thing.  Still, I’d left my mark.

Of course they then erased everything I ever wrote after I left because they were too lazy to keep the European branch’s blogs when they merged them. Which was nice of them.

Whilst I wasn’t well known by name, (I didn’t exactly promote myself as a ‘figure’ during that time) for those in the know I had gained a reputation for hard work (to the point of exhaustion), dedication and became known for my ability to conjure up miracles from essentially nothing. A social media MacGuyver able to put together content plans with nothing but half a screenshot and a second-hand paperclip. I was hired in the short term at Square Enix to essentially rescue a project after the previous Community Manager (CM) disappeared straight after it was announced. I ended up writing a bunch of game lore and cobbling together the foundation of something that could be built on. From there, after some disappointment, I ended up in Belgium where I led a tight-nit multinational team of newcomers to the role, as we dealt with all manner of projects. Instructing them as mentor/teacher.

I worked on multiple projects; I turned my hand to advertising campaigns having never previously been given a dime except for the convention and essentially doubled the revenue being made and halved the cost. In time one  project was announced to be wound up and, again with nothing, I took over the reigns to somehow get a social game people had spent money on to conclusion and salvage the situation for the creators.  I became de facto Producer and with nothing in my resources and a product announced to be closing I grew the English community by 50,000 in one and a half months. Sent session numbers through the roof and actually brought the game to a resolution which didn’t involve people screaming for blood. They had their money’s worth and they were happy. I still get messages asking if I can somehow bring it back.

After the Belgian firm turned heel on its own employees, I left and my team joined me as soon as they were able. Unemployment was better than staying at a time when there was a global recession going on. That says more than anything else I could. But that team was good, very good. Two have gone on to work with big companies within the games industry and I’m beyond proud of them.

Life took me back to the UK and I ended up working here at VRFocus. Did you know I’ve been here over two years now? It doesn’t feel it. But I have. I’m still a CM, albeit “Community Manager & Writer” now, I do what I can and that reputation I have is still very much in effect. Although the person behind it is rather more tired and worn looking than his 2007 equivalent.

True story: After Square I applied for a job at a major UK studio and during the interview was surprised to be asked if I wasn’t too old to be a Community Manager. I was then told, dumbfounded, in a phone call that I wouldn’t be progressing further and one of the reasons given was “we think you’re too old for the role”. I also didn’t have “the look we are going for”, apparently. Which made no real sense. Apart from the fact discriminating on the grounds of age (as well as apparently, my face) is illegal, I was 28. They made me sound like Methuselah. They’d probably have a coronary to discover I’m still one at 34! (Before anyone asks I was so shocked at what I was hearing it took some considerable time before I’d really realised what had been said, and by then it was too late to suddenly go “hey, hang on a minute!”.)

It all evolves. Much like VR – which we will come back to, I promise.

In fact this reminiscing is partly due to reading an excellent article on what the job entails by my opposite number (I… guess? Although she has a much better title than me – and she has a electronic fancy follower clock/counter that I desperately want to steal.) from Upload VR, Elizabeth Scott. Who got me thinking about what it is I do here and have done previously. But if you’re unsure what it is I do, I write this and Life in 360 and a number of other posts/features as required. Sort out most of the graphics, the moderation, and am the person you talk to on Twitter, or Facebook or Reddit if you see VRFocus being chatty there. I sort the social media in general when I’m in. I work with various partners and the guests writers we have to produce content, I work on the website itself – now with the new site’s designer. I’m HR, I run the time sheets. I edit videos when required. I run events when we run them but you’ll probably never see me at a main one. I search for stories and allocate them to the writers, with whom I work on their stories as I need. I’m, as my author description says, the unofficial Deputy Editor.

I fix.

I’m basically a cross between an online janitor and a hatstand.

But the core of the job is you help, and whilst I’m presently more on social than anything else. It’s kind of ironic that a guy who is heavy on the social anxiety made this his career. But hey, I never said I was smart. Ten years, four companies and a lot of projects have passed. The job has changed and evolved throughout those years and some point in the future it will change again – and it might be VR that changes it.

Community Management is part of that family of Customer Relations-type roles in business. It sort-of-kinda sits between everything. It’s marketing, it’s public relations, it’s creative and design, it’s finance and even legal (sometimes) and several of those are already being touched on and altered by other types of technology. The most obvious one being Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). In the same way will there come a time where a CM’s role will also be to respond to discussions on an article using such a system? Will a young wide-eyed fan be thrust into a virtual forum room to monitor reactions to Mario & Sonic At The Lunar 2028 Olympic Games? Appearing as a cartoony Avatar holding up the announcement trailer for you to then step into. All care of Oculus and Facebook’s Rooms system. Perhaps they’ll appear in your office or classroom as a virtual projection, displayed by Microsoft HoloLens to discuss a news story.

Will my career be supplanted by something else, all travel and interaction made virtual? I’m not sure I’d like that, if I’m honest.  But that’s a question to be answered by the future – and the future is coming fast. For now I’ll continue to evolve as best as I can. Will I be doing the same role in 10 years? Who is to say.

Here’s to a decade.

  from VRFocus http://ift.tt/2nvWqkp

#VRFocus #vr #virtual reality #canada