[IC] Pokémon Showdown! [Invite Only]

[Carlyle]

Interacting With: No One — Location: Class Auditorium, Room C-103

---

It was going to be a busy year, Maris figured, as the final bell rang through the school halls.

Whilst most of the school body had begun to head home, those of Team Swanna were forced to stay after school for another boring strategy meeting to discuss this year's tournament. But what did it matter, Maris frequently asked herself. Each year was always the same. For the last two years, she had helped the team form a game plan and documented their journey only for every team to completely sweep the floor of them.

The student reporter felt fatigued; her school spirit and faith in their victory rapidly disappearing. Was this year slated to be more of the same? Was this year going to be just another big losing streak forever etched in the annals of MSPA history? Probably. And yet, for some reason Maris couldn't figure out, they kept coming back to take punishment after punishment. She wondered if it was the thrill of the battle, that even if they lost they were still having fun. But what fun was there to have in losing each and every battle you participated in, seemingly never getting better in skill?

"Maybe I'm being too pessimistic," Maris announced to an empty auditorium, twirling the presentation clicker within her hand as she waited for Mr. Jouvessac and the team to arrive for their strategy meeting."Maybe this year will be different for us. One great, final victory, fittingly enough for their final year of school."

Still, Maris wasn't about to hold her breath over it.

[mickilennial]

Interacting With: N/A — Location: Girl's Bathroom

---

“Cheer up! Don't let the Snorlax get you down! You... you can do it.”

Lianne Silver sighed as she tried to get herself hyped as she stood in the girl’s bathroom, in front of a mirror… talking to herself.

It felt like ever since the silver-haired seventeen-year-old had gotten herself admitted into MSPA that she had been doomed. She was competitive and fierce! She was always trying her best to be ready for the match-ups and the strategy meetings, but in the end she just wasn’t ever good enough to win anything. For someone who was supposed to be the next great Pokemon trainer and battler in all of Unova, she just wasn’t making strides like she thought she would. How could she pretend she was the best when she didn’t have anything to show for it?

She shook her head, there was no time to worry! “You’re the best! You just don’t know it yet!”

Cold water splashed against her hands and then her face. Her smile hardened. She couldn’t be a failure again. This year, it was going to be different! With that handled, Lianne took a quick check at the time on her phone she reminded herself not to take too much longer in the bathroom and head to Room C-103 to join the others. She shouldn’t be late on such a historic day, after all!

[Bartimaeus]

Sibyl

_{Interacting with: N/A — Location: School's Pools}

---

Sibyl lazily raked a hand through her now-damp, pearly-blonde hair as the final of the afternoon's bells finished their shrilling. She ran a towel over her head a final time as she approached the bench on which her Golduck sat, patiently waiting. Its feet swung slightly below it as it looked up and gave her its greeting. "Gol!"

She offered a smile as she tossed the towel over her shoulder and grabbed her satchel from the bench, beginning to rummage through it.

"Gol?"

She didn't spare a glance up at her Pokémon as she pulled her sneakers from her bag and sat next to the duck as she began to slip them on.
"Nope. You're not staying - we've still got our team meeting, you know that." She deliberately avoided meeting the eyes of her life-long friend. Despite their normal piercing gaze, her Golduck somehow had a way of using those eyes to make its trainer melt and give it whatever it wanted. But the meetings were important - skipping them would be letting a lot of people down. She finished slipping her sneakers on and stood to stretch, letting out a relieved groan. She then grabbed her satchel and nodded her head for Golduck to follow as she started a stroll towards the auditorium.

She heard Golduck's feet plap against the tiles of the poolside as it slipped off the bench in turn. "Gol.. duck." It mouthed defiantly.

Sibyl froze mid-step. She couldn't help but squeeze her hand into a fist at the comment. She turned, slowly, a look of subdued frustration clear on her face. "Don't.. talk like that." She pressed. She stepped towards her Golduck once again, her hand releasing its tight grip on the air as she gently placed it upon the shoulder of her Pokémon. "We've just been.. unlucky. We can do this, alright? Improvement is always possible. Plus.." She hoisted her satchel, which held her Pokéballs, gesturing at it. "..these guys are still learning."

The Golduck paused, looking over her trainer's face, before slowly lowering its bill in shame. "G-Gol.." Sibyl was quick to nudge her bill back up again. She looked directly into her eyes now. "It's okay.. you can make it up to me by battling hard." She comforted, letting a slight smirk grace her lips. Golduck's eyes were quick to harden once again and it let out an excited "Golduck!" As it started to resume its trainer's stroll, but even faster this time.

The two made their way, excitedly now, to meet up with the rest of the team in Room C-103.

[Asura]

Sirius Leverant

_{Interacting with: A Loser — Location: School Hallways}

---

Another day. Another disappointment.

Perhaps it was unfair for Sirius to have already condemned his teammates to be. He had yet to meet with them in an official capacity. Yet to see their Pokemon in action. Perhaps this year would not end like the others, with the school, his school suffering another indignity in the regional tournament. No, it wasn't a maybe. It was a certainty. He was part of the team now, and the teen absolutely refused to allow a team he was part of be defeated. If he had to win every single match himself, he would do so. To face the shame of defeat was not an acceptable outcome, not after he had to endure the humiliation of being sent to some lesser academy in some backwater far from home. Triumph was the only option going forward, and he had made sure to beat that point in as he drilled his team earlier that morning.

Now was the time to show the results of all that drilling. If the team's leadership had any sense, they would host mock battles from the onset. He could show his teammates just how excellent his Pokemon were trained, and demonstrate first hand what he expected of all of them. Undoubtedly, they wouldn't be able to match up to him. But that suited him just fine. He was used to being the very best, the top of the food chain. They would simply have to fall in line behind him as he led them to a glorious, and long overdue——

A sudden impact shook Sirius from his reverie. So caught up in his own internal monologue—his obsessive ruminating over the team's first meeting of the year—he had lost all situational awareness. Stalking the halls in a huff, his path to the auditorium had intersected with another's, and he had run shoulder first into them. Tall and sturdy as he was, the collision had done little more than forced him out of his thoughts and into the present. As for the other person, well, their condition remained to be seen.

Not that he cared.

"Watch where you're going, idiot. People of actual consequence are trying to go places that matter."

[Lemons]

Interacting With: @Asura — Location: School Hallways

---

Amy grinned hugely as she quickstepped through the hallways. She was back! Everyone was back! It was a brand new year for the team, and she could not have been more excited. The first day was always an absolute joy. She'd been at MSPA for three years now—but it felt so much less time!—and she already felt like she was coming home every time she walked into the door to the auditorium. All the people to meet! All the pokemon to see! Sure, their team hadn't been winning recently. But she just knew that this year would be the year! Just a couple more minutes and they could start up again! Go Team Swanna!

Of course, she was discouraged that they'd been losing so hard for so long. It was impossible not to be. But that just made her want to push through even harder! After all, what was the point of winning if it came easy? This year, this year for sure, they would make it all the way! She picked out a pokeball with a green 'R' stenciled carefully on the regulation red-and-white case, tossing it up and down in her hand as she skipped through the hallways, paying a bare minimum of attention to where she was going. "We'll get it this year, Rhubarb! You bet we will!"

It was a good thing that she stopped tossing it up and down just as she reached a T-shaped intersection in the hall. As she darted through it (faster than she probably should have), she found herself face to face with a serious-looking boy and with no way to slow down. Then she found herself face to face with his T-shirt. And then on the ground.

"Oof!"

As she looked up and saw—and heard—who she'd bumped into, her ever-present smile grew even wider. She'd seen this person around just once or twice; must have been a new student or she would've seen him more. She made it a point to know everyone, after all. But there was only one reason someone could be walking this direction, at this time, on this day! It could only mean a new member! Who else would stay this long after school? Sure, he sounded unfriendly, but Amy didn't take that as discouragement. She took it as a challenge!

She popped back up, dusting herself off and releasing her death grip on Rhubarb's ball before slipping it back into the pouch on her belt. "Hey! I've seen you around before, but I don't think we've met!" She gave a little wave. I'm Amelia, but you can call me Amy! You coming to join Team Swanna?" Not pausing to give him any time to respond, she hopped a little in place, excited and still giving that warm smile. "We'll definitely come out on top this year! With you on the team, how could we not?"

She resumed moving towards the auditorium through the mostly-empty hallways, but this time backwards, still hopping up and down in an energetic pseudo-jog as she waited for the boy. "C'mon, slowpoke! We're gonna be late if we don't hurry!"

[Hero]

---

Sylveon purred happily in Fiora's lap, all too content to nap as she gently stroked her head. Fiora almost looked gentle, her gaze fond as she watched her prized Pokemon snooze away. She was beautiful even in sleep. It was little wonder that she won so many ribbons, her movements graceful and her moves stunning. In fact, Fiora wondered why she bothered coming to this little battle club thing in the first place. Sure, as a coordinator she knew how to do battle as needed, but most tournaments and the like relied on raw power. That, and apparently, the team hadn't won even once. Then again, that was all part of the challenge, wasn't it? Winning all the time with little competition got boring, after all.

Fiora took a glance at the clock. She was early, sure, but she expected someone to show up by now. How indisciplined. If you were early, you were on time, and if you were on time, you were late. Then again, taking things casually was the way of the plebians, wasn't it? If they had even an ounce of discipline, they wouldn't lose so horribly. They probably didn't have quality care for their Pokemon, either.

Oh well. There was no real reason to dwell on it for too long. Truthfully, she wasn't as invested as she probably needed to be. She was only here to kill time and use the others as training dummies. Putting in too much effort was a waste.

[Yankee]

Interacting With: N/A — Location: Hall outside of Room C-103: Auditorium

---

The final bell of the day rang through the academy's halls. Some students started for home, others stayed behind for clubs. In years prior, Kennedy had belonged to the former group of students. Today, it was the latter.

The first meeting of the Mistralton Swannas, foremost battling team of Mistralton Senior Pokémon Academy, with an impressive win record of zero - and Kennedy planned to attend. Join up, even. He'd gathered his things and left the classroom with the sound of the bell, making a beeline to where he recalled the club directory board hanging in the school. Tracing the short list with his eyes, he found what he was looking for: Team Swanna's meeting place, Room C-103.

He started to make his way there, considering his strategy while he did so. Out of all the students and clubs at the academy, Kennedy thought that the official battle team would be his best bet to get to know his peers. Was it a bit late to start given this was his final year at the school? Yes, but as they say, 'better late than never.' He'd looked up the team's members, and if they were more or less the same as last year then they were all ambitious and outgoing. Hopefully the types that would welcome newcomers. He did have some battling experience, though only against wild Pokémon. But that had to count for something, didn't it? And it wasn't like his joining could make the team even worse. He counted that as a positive.

After some walking and ruminating, he made it to his destination.

"..."

He stood across from the auditorium entrance awkwardly for a little while, watching Team Swanna's members enter one by one with his hands shoved into his pockets. He had probably missed a few of the students, those that hadn't needed to look up where they were going and were already seated inside, but of those that passed him by on their way to the meeting he saw two of the girls on the team, and one guy he didn't recognize. A transfer student, Ken guessed. If he was another new-comer to the team, that would be great. Maybe they could even be friends.

...if I'm joining, I should probably go inside, he thought to himself. He shuffled toward the door and slipped inside, taking a seat toward the back - then reconsidered and moved up a few rows, glancing around at the people already gathered. He noted that the faculty advisor was absent at the moment. Once they appeared he'd formally ask to join and introduce himself.

---

[Carlyle]

Interacting With: Everyone — Location: Class Auditorium, Room C-103

---

Gonna be a few minutes late.

Although the bell had only recently rung, the tall, towering teacher still had a ways to make it in time to the class auditorium. Maris had asked him to photocopy some strategy cheat sheets, but when he went to use the copy machine, the machine decided to act up almost on queue. A piece of junk, he often called the copier. It must've been the third time this week it refused to copy correctly, and that was only whenever he had been using it. If he factored in the other teachers, it would be a miracle that the machine even worked at all for how often it broke down.

So much for the government cutting our funds, Mr. Jouvessac thought, as he hurried down the halls. Otherwise we've could've replaced some of the old tech around the school.

Turning a corner, Mr. Jouvessac made his way down a side hallway and entered the small auditorium. "Sorry, ran a bit late. Copier issues." He announced to everyone, but in particular to Maris.

Looking around the room, he quickly did a headcount of the students that had already arrived to the meeting room. The Lighne sisters, check. Lianne, check. Fiora, check. Sirius? Amelia? They must've been running late like he had been as well. Still, there was one more student he didn't recognize—a seemingly anxious red-haired kid. Mr. Jouvessac thought back to his own students, trying to recall a name to put to his face. Unfortunately, he had drawn blanks for a name, wondering if he had happened to forget his name, or if the student was one of his co-workers' students instead. Probably the latter, he figured.

"Do you need some help, or are you maybe looking to join the team?" Mr. Jouvessac asked, handing out papers detailing information on their upcoming skirmish with Virbank City and their ever-popular Ice King, Asen Venova.

[Yankee]

Interacting With: Everyone — Location: Room C-103: Auditorium

---

And so the faculty advisor arrived. He'd been listed alongside the team and meeting place, so Ken knew his name - though he'd hadn't expected such a titan. He was successful in not shrinking into his seat when Mr. Jouvessac approached.

"The, um, latter. Hopefully." He said. He reached out to take the paper handout, standing as he did. "I'm Ken. Kennedy. I've battled with my Pokémon before and..." Oh, crap. He hadn't actually practiced an introduction. He did have enough awareness to know he couldn't exactly say 'bet you're looking for some new blood what with the losing streak' if he wanted to get on the team's good side. Ken stared, silent for a few seconds before he continued. "...well if the team has openings, I'll do my best."

Bit of a lame first impression, but whatever - it was done. He nodded to Mr. Jouvessac and then turned to the other students gathered. Most of them he knew either from sharing a class with them or from hallway gossip about them. Well, knew their names and reputations at least. The whole point of him joining the battle team in the first place was to really get to know them. Clutching the handout tightly in both hands, Kennedy gave the team a slightly awkward bow of his head.

"I look forward to working together... and getting to know each other," he told them.

---

[Bartimaeus]

Sibyl

_{Interacting with: Everyone — Location: Room C-103, Auditorium}

---

The wet plap plap plaps of Golduck's feet pittered through the halls that were quickly drawing upon vacancy. Small puddles of water trailed behind the large, duck-like Pokémon as it trekked along in front of its trainer, mostly oblivious to its surroundings in its excitement to get where they were going. Sibyl made sure to avoid stepping in such slippery puddles - a mistake she'd made more than a few times, when Golduck had first starting walking with her from the pools to the auditorium, as per routine.

The game of dodge-puddle would soon come to an end, however, as they arrived at their destination. The trainer followed her eager Pokémon inside, content to let her lead the way considering they were both now equally accustomed to the proceedings. The Golduck scurried forth, disregarding most of anybody that it passed, until reaching a spot at the near-front of the auditorium - their usual area. It slipped into a seat and tucked its tail to its side for comfort - though being roughly 5'7", the Pokémon was accomodated by the seat rather well.

Sibyl took pause for just a moment as she entered, letting her eyes scan the room. A few familiar faces - and a couple new ones - she thought it best to continue along unless stopped. She followed to her usual seat, spotting her sister, Maris, along the way as she did. She offered a silent peace-sign-greeting as she took her spot next to Golduck, who offered a jovial wave to Maris in turn.

In truth, the trainer was more nervous than she let on. It was their last year. They needed.. something.. to go right for them here. She was honestly quite proud of Golduck's performance, but it took more than just one Pokémon to win one's battles. She didn't want to fail her Pokémon, and they didn't want to fail her.

Which was why they would win this year. Whatever it took, they'd do it.

[Asura]

Sirius Leverant

_{Interacting with: @Lemons — Location: School Hallways}

---

There was a brief moment, a small, fleeting few seconds where Sirius was almost worried. The wide, stupid grin that plastered itself across the face of the girl—or obstacle, really—that he had crashed into might've indicated the impact had knocked all sense out of her head. The words which came pouring out of her mouth soothed those near-worries: there surely hadn't been any sense rattling around in her skull even before she found herself bowled over like so many pins. Like most of his 'peers', he hadn't bothered to learn her name. Not until she all but foisted it onto him in her hurried little introduction, so over eager that she hadn't even deigned to wait for a response in kind before firing off more inane banter. Perhaps that was what qualified as manners in the backwater that was forsaken Mistralton.

He watched her with cool, disinterested eyes as she hurriedly backpedaled down the hall, content enough to disdain her from afar as she went back to whatever business such an... excitable girl managed to get up to. But his contentment was short lived. So caught up in his own contempt, it only donned on him after she insisted he hurry along that they hadn't been going in opposite directions when they collided, but rather the same direction. His disinterest turned to alarm, and then just as quickly to indignation.

"Oh, no no no. Do not tell me you are on this year's battle team," He could practically feel the scorn rolling off his tongue as he was finally moved to speak, "You can't even dodge a passerby! I'd hate to see how your Pokemon fare against actual moves."