Welcome/Welcome back, you crazy diamonds!

[spiritcrystal]

[An island! This is most certainly not where everyone was just a few moments ago. ...Alright, maybe some of you were on an island. Don't get cheeky.

At everyone's feet is a small note. It gives no description of their location or explanation, of course; it only says one simple thing.

Please choose one.

The note comes along with three Pokéballs with different "starter" Pokémon in them- the three Pokémon can be anything, from a Froakie, Charmander, and Treecko to a Rattata, Patrat, and Bidoof if you're particularly unlucky- and everything in between. If it's not a legendary Pokémon, it's fair game.

Of course, you can only pick one! Trying to go for a second will leave you thinking that you better not get too greedy. If you're one of those types that wouldn't care either way, the other two Pokéballs will simply disappear.

Now go forth, and into a world of Pokémon!]

Comments

[goldenlyre]

Thank you, Ferafera! Sweeter than Ethan as usual.

[Did you speak blaspheme, Ethan??? Of course not. Here we go, let's meet Fishy ♥. The Jolly Magikarp.

(Hi Ferafera. How's it going.)]

Aren't you cute! Look Ethan, she's adorable! You're going to kick so much butt one day, just like Sprouty does!

[tidaldrum]

[(Nm just. Trainer. You know.)

Adorable isn't the word he'd use for Magikarp, but this is Lyra they're talking about. She found Silver adorable.]

Ferafera can just beat your flowerbeast with one Ice Fang, you know. [He'd be happy to demonstrate --]

[goldenlyre]

[(Yeah. Sigh... Do you think it's okay she chose Magikarp?)

Silver is adorable, thank you! And very sweet. And competitive. And stuff. Hee.]

You'll have to catch him, first. Ground's not too good against Water-types but it gives us the edge we need, doesn't it Sprouty?

[... Yes. He guesses it does! It's kind of hard to bite your opponent with the ground in pieces below you.]

[tidaldrum]

[(Definitely. You saw that Gyarados in the Lake of Rage, right? It was really powerful...)

No, he's kind of rude and doesn't know when to quit. Kind of pathetic? Ethan can't help but admire his will though...]

Ferafera's faster than your overgrown flower, Lyra. [Please.]

[goldenlyre]

[(But knowing her, she'll just have an overpowered Magikarp...)

You should be admiring his everything else!]

You're so mean, Ethy, saying things like that in front of Sprouty! [Oh, no, it's true so--] I'm not going to challenge you right now, but when I do you'd better be prepared.

[tidaldrum]

[(At least it'll be a fast fish...?)

Nothing else to admire tbh.]

As long as you're prepared to lose. [just like Silver does every single time. the only time that guy wins with him is when they're battling together, not against each other.]

[goldenlyre]

[(Not faster than you, though...)

There's tons to admire!]

Ethan, you know I only battle to have fun. Winning can be part of that, but losing definitely isn't!

[tidaldrum]

[(It's the thought that counts...?)

Tons of nothing!]

If you battle for fun, then losing shouldn't be a problem.

[goldenlyre]

[(You're right... Maybe I should trust Lyra on this one.)

You're nothing to admire!]

There's not a single fun thing about losing, Ethan, not that you'd know. Overpowered jerk.

[tidaldrum]

[(Definitely. She's got a good head on her shoulders.)

I'm everything to admire!]

I can't help it if Ferafera and I are the strongest duo ever. [what -- oh, uh, yes. they are, aren't they.] Don't tell me you're finally starting to get jealous though!

[goldenlyre]

[(It's not wrong that I'm just a little wary of her judgement sometime, right? Not in battle or anything, but. You know.)

The total opposite!]

I don't think you're anything to be jealous of, Ethan. [Sprouty thinks that's very mean to say, Lyra... But the usually cheerful girl's nerves were struck by his overconfidence and dismissal of her choices.] You don't have fun any more.

[tidaldrum]

[(Right, right.)

That's mean to say about yourself.]

I have plenty of fun. [Irritation starting to show.] Whenever I battle, I have fun. Especially when I win.

[It's just so easy. No one stands a chance. He's fairly sure no one stands a chance. When you've gone up to Mt. Silver and beaten the legendary trainer who resides there, it's a little hard to think anyone can defeat you anymore.]

[goldenlyre]

[(How about you? About Ethan. He kind of has a big head.)

Look in a mirror.]

Could've fooled me. You expect to win now, so... It doesn't look like fun to me. [She's kind of concerned, but still annoyed.

Dumb Ethan.]

[tidaldrum]

[(He's a good kid. I think he'll grow out of it.)

That's my line, isn't it?]

It's plenty of fun. [Dumb Lyra.] Don't go making assumptions, Lyly.

[goldenlyre]

[(I hope so. For Lyra's sake, mainly, because you know how she is.)

It's so mine.]

I'm calling it a hunch! Your attitude's just sealing the deal though. [Puffy cheeks. Huff.] I'll make you have a fun battle when I challenge you.

[tidaldrum]

[(Yeah. She's too nice to handle him like this all the time.)

Definitely mine.]

It'll be really fun when I win. [Heh.] You can even use the Magikarp you picked in it, all right?

[He's

not using the Pokémon he picked, nosirree.]

[goldenlyre]

[(She's going to blow up one day... Even she has her limits.)

Nope.]

Of course I will! Fishy's gonna be the one to beat your Ferafera, after all. [Speaking of, want a scratch under your jaw big guy?] Oh, have you gotten a Pokémon yet? Or did you coldly leave them to follow you?

[tidaldrum]

[Oooh, yes, Ferafera loves jaw scratches. Lay it on me, missy.]

I didn't want one, but this one wouldn't shut up until I chose. [Out comes Happiny! She looks up at Ethan, then at Lyra... And steps closer to Ethan, puffy her chest out proudly.] Lyra, meet Haphap.

[goldenlyre]

[One final scratchfest for you, Ferafera, and it's crouching down to meet Haphap.]

Aww, well aren't you cute! [Can she pet you, Haphap? She really wants too, wiggling her fingers and everything.] Make sure you treat her right, Ethan, girls have fragile hearts.

[Yeah right.]

[tidaldrum]

[The Happiny pulls at its curly hair -- she doesn't want anyone to touch it!]

If girls are anything like you, then I'm sure they'll be fine. [Plus all the ladies he's met on his journey weren't weak-hearted. Really.]

[goldenlyre]

[Oh, no, it's okay, she'll pat behind Haphap's curl. There. Sprouty's gonna lean down to say hello too.]

There's all kind of girls. And I'm taking that as a compliment.

[tidaldrum]

[Oh, okay! See, she doesn't really like her hair, and even her trainer said it looked kind of dumb, s-so...]

I'm saying they've all got hearts of freezing cold iron.

[goldenlyre]

[Sweetie please, look at Ethan.

He wouldn't know nice hair if it was styled onto him.]

Then all guys have overbearingly large egos and no regard for other's feelings! [Nyeh. Sticking out her tongue and everything.]

[tidaldrum]

[He has nice hair!]

Describes all the guys I know personally perfectly.

[Falkner, Silver, Blue...]

[goldenlyre]

[Good joke.]

Irwin's nothing like that.