"Hmm?" After the various activities Temp had engaged in with his lover, he was sleepy and snuggly. The last thing he wanted to do was look at anything. Unless it was Cillian Quinn's cute face. He watches with bleary eyes and tries to slowly blink back awake. "How do you have so much energy, still?"

But Temp sits up and stretches; his lower back gives a satisfying pop as he finally stands.

The world blooms around the two of them and Temp looks on as if he's seen it all before. This was Hoenn, after all, and Hoenn was fucking insane. Even a man who had spent most of his life a plain civilian knew that. Still, he strides over and squats down to look at whatever has captures Gavin's attention, humming as he did.

"You finding ways to break the universe over here?"

GRACIDEA QUEST

GRATITUDE AMONG FLOWERS

BEFORE YOU, THE STONE LAYS BARE. However, if you were to look closely, you would begin to see the words beginning to etch themselves on the top of the stone. As morsels of stone fall from its pristine face to reveal a simple command:[break]

TO WHOM ARE YOU THANKFUL?

Flowers begin to visibly grow around the rock, curling gently like affectionate bracelets. They curve toward the rock face like arrows.

OBJECTIVE:

STONE WRITING

write a post that has your trainer inscribing the NAME of a character they are thankful to. You may tag another player character, or a significant NPC. Afterward, post in MODERATION REQUESTS.

shiv will respond with another MOD POST detailing what happens next alongside your next step.

Cillian Quinn Tempest Quinn

Gavin glances over his shoulder to where his lover lazes on their picnic blanket.

"I let you do most of the work, that's how." His golden gaze glimmers with mischief. It's more than that, though; Gavin's stamina could rival that of a Mudsdale, and he was just as difficult to tame. It was no wonder Temp was exhausted.

When he looks back to the stone, words have etched themselves in its smooth face.

TO WHOM ARE YOU THANKFUL?

Is it looking for an answer?

One name comes immediate to mind.

He glances over at Tempest Quinn, lips tugging with a small smile.

There are others, too. Lugia, whose blessing has changed him in so many ways. Rocket, as a whole, for being the family he'd needed during his darkest days. Lulu Flint and Rowan Wrynn, his real family. His closest friends — Chu-e Choi, who was lost to him, Martín del Mar and Elisabeth Fiorelli who lived on.

They all meant much to him. Would it accept multiple names?

But if there could only be one, to Gavin there is no question but to inscribe the name of the man he would soon name as husband and soulmate. He hesitates for a moment, wondering if it wanted true names, or...

He chooses to honor Temp's choice. Tempest Quinn, the name he'd chosen himself.

Tempest Quinn

"Thankful? Easy." Where Cillian Quinn hesitates, Temp does not. It's only because, like with most things, Gavin's mind races as Temp's is simple. His finger taps the stone and he traces out letters with his finger in answer.

Cillian Quinn is first, the one he takes the most time on. Gavin may be Gavin to everyone else, but to Temp he is his Cillie. If the stone was magic it could probably figure out context clues.

He taps the stone but doesn't stop there. Tulio, his father, is next. Hell, Pacifidlog in general should go there, too! But there were others... mint frost, jayden cross, Melody Miro, Martín del Mar... all people he really liked to be around! Lulu Flint, Rowan Wrynn, even Raphael Pryde, though Temp was pretty sure at least two of those three did not feel the same way. Temp traced name after name after name. Eris Halla, Serena Malcolm... even people that Temp didn't know as well, had only spoken with a few times, or even lost touch with; like BARNABY FINCH, Adrian Malcolm, skyler dross, angelo vestri, or Alexei Ivanov. The names went on and on, because at the end of the day, Temp's heart was filled with affection for most things and people as a default.

Soft.

But it was filled the most by Gavin.

When he stop tracing invisible lines on the rock, he leaned over to steal a cheeky kiss on the cheek.

GRACIDEA QUEST

GRATITUDE AMONG FLOWERS

THE STONE ACCEPTS YOUR NAME(S). Suddenly, the wind billows around you, carrying with it, the softest spring scent. Petals are cradled in these gossamer gales. Colors swirl around, the displaced flowers like gentle jewels painted by nature's own brush.[break]

The GRACIDEA FLOWER is uprooted. Gently. It beckons for you to take it carefully within your hands. As soon as you do, a path of flowers erupts from the stone's northern face. It extends far and into the air. A magical bridge connects Hoenn to a fantastical place hidden by the power of canonized gratitude.

Follow the bridge. Quickly, before it disappears underneath your feet.

OBJECTIVE:

THE FLOWER PATH

write a post that has your trainer's pokemon using A SPEED STAT BOOSTING MOVE to help their trainer keep on the flowering path. after, post in MODERATION REQUESTS.

shiv will respond with another MOD POST detailing what happens next alongside your next step.

Cillian Quinn Tempest Quinn

"... Are you still writing?"

Gavin looks over to where Temp works upon his stone, sees the network of names that curl around one another. That his own is front and center makes him feel a mixture of smug and bashful, a small smile tugging the corner of his mouth.

"I didn't think it'd take more than one."

Wind ruffles his hair, and soft petals brush against his fingers. He takes the flower in his hands, and—

Oh. This must've been what Eris Halla saw.

It's her experience that makes him feel safe enough taking his first step onto the petal bridge, glancing over his shoulder and beckoning for Temp to follow. He doesn't expect the platform to start disappearing beneath him, however, and he quickly sends out one of his shadow Pokemon for help. The Aerodactyl's AGILITY is more than enough to keep up with the skyward-spiraling path, and Gavin vaults onto the dark predator's back to let it bear him onward.

Tempest Quinn

"Don't tease me." Temp pouts at Cillian Quinn. It's all fluff, clear from how his lips try to quirk up. It wasn't his fault that Gavin had decided to marry an absolute sap.

The flowers uproot. Temp finds that he wants to make good on that promise when they first planted them, to tuck it behind Gavin's ear and watch as it tried to be as pretty as his partner was. For now, Temp just plucks his own and holds it gently cradled in his hands.

Then there is a flower bridge to the sky.

Gavin moves to chase it and Temp feels like he's in a dream, suddenly. He follows, he would follow Gavin anywhere, but it starts to crumble behind his heels.

"Woah!" He struggles a bit, then reaches into his pocket and calls out his Minior. It was the one that he had picked with Gavin during the Soiree. It floats there, so Temp grabs on, and an Automotize sees it speeding up. Temp runs, legs moving faster as he's pulled by his pokemon. He chases after Gavin as he flies.

GRACIDEA QUEST

GRATITUDE AMONG FLOWERS

YOU FOLLOW THE FLORAL BRIDGE. With every step, the flowers spring out beneath you taking root in nothing but air. However, the garden trail behind you disappears. Flowers fade into green bokeh— perhaps, the residue of some fantastical grass-type energy. By the end of this seemingly endless trail, you find yourself seemingly high above the clouds. And in a secluded airborne island.

In its center, the island's field is filled with GRACIDEA FLOWERS, but there are stretches of dirt that are devoid of any plant. Any root. However, a couple shapes shift through the flowery abode.

GAVIN'S SHAYMIN

TEMP'S SHAYMIN

Whatever they are, you are compelled to find them with your own GRACIDEA FLOWER in hand.

OBJECTIVE:

STONE WRITING

write a post that has your trainer's pokemon using ODOUR SLEUTH or SWEET SCENT to find the hidden Shaymin. You must also find the Shaymin in the image above. Once you have found it, please DM or PM shiv on Discord or the Site with the location of the Shaymin.

Afterward, post in MODERATION REQUESTS.

shiv will respond with another MOD POST detailing what happens next alongside your next step.

Tempest Quinn Cillian Quinn

As petals burst beneath the path of their flight and vanish behind them in a beautiful sea of emerald, the Aerodactyl slows its ascent and swoops low over the island that emerges from the clouds. Even jaded by Hoenn's insanity as he was, Gavin can't deny the beauty of the place as he vaults from his Pokemon's back and lands among a sea of Gracideas.

His first thought, however, is of his fiancé, and Gavin turns to ensure his safe arrival. Relief fosters in his amber eyes when he sees his lover unharmed, and he gestures out at the pink-and-green field.

"What do you make of all this, then?"

Shapes shift among the flowers, and Gavin recalls Aerodactyl to put a Roserade in its place.

It seem especially unnatural here, its black crystal flowers stark against the vibrant colours of spring. But the scent that spills from them is nevertheless sweet, an alluring aroma to draw in whatever lurked in among the petals. He clicks his tongue when something draws close, ordering the Roserade to stay passive as his shadow miasma swirls around its leaves.

Crouching down, he extends an inviting hand toward the Shaymin.

Tempest Quinn

The pokemon is called back. Temp tosses out his Mightyena. Even if the old boy is a coward they still had excellent noses. He could Odor Sleuth with the best of them.

There is movement in the grass and Temp raises a brow, peering at the odd pokemon that Cillian Quinn is reaching out to. It's cute. Not just the weird pokemon but also seeing Gavin, surrounded by flowers. His heart swells and Temp is reminded, for not the first or last time, that he loves this silly man so much it hurts.

"Probably just some crazy Hoenn stuff." Temp sighs and rubs his chin. Another Shaymin peeks out from the flowers. "You know, it wasn't crazy like this when I was a kid."

GRACIDEA QUEST

GRATITUDE AMONG FLOWERS

A SMALL HEDGEHOG EMERGES FROM THE FLOWERS. Lured or identified by you and your Pokémon's efforts, a Shaymin graces you with its gentle presence. In fact, several Shaymin appear from the kaleidoscope of petals and stem; however, one seems to take the reins by trotting right up to your feet.

The Shaymin raises its snout to the UPROOTED GRACIDEA FLOWER in your hands. With a swift pivot, the Gratitude Pokémon leads you to a stretch of loamy soil. It appears as if the Shaymin wants you to re-plant your flower there...

OBJECTIVE:

TILL THE SOIL

write a post that has your trainer's Pokémon using ROTOTILLER to plant the Gracidea Flower.

Afterward, post in MODERATION REQUESTS.

shiv will respond with another MOD POST detailing what happens next alongside your next step.

Cillian Quinn Tempest Quinn

"Not even a little bit?"

It's true that Gavin hasn't found much when digging into the region's past; by most accounts it appeared to have been normal once upon a time. But now, there's no contesting Temp's point — Hoenn was a breeding ground for all sorts of chaos and wonder, an origin point.

"Well, I'd rather this than go through Sootopolis again." It had been jarring to find himself upside down on a floating island where the water flowed into the sky and gravity became more of a suggestion than a reality.

Gavin can't help but offer a small smile to the Shaymin that trots up to them.

"Looks like it wants us to plant the flower... we'll need to till the soil first."

The spirited old Mudsdale he'd used in the Pokeathalon of years past had gone up on auction recently, her fierce temper too much for her new handler to bear. Gavin had bid on that auction under another name, and now brings out the creature with an immediate click of his tongue. Ornery though she may be, she still remembers him and his commands, so the horse snorts and stomps her foot before beginning to churn the earth with ROTOTILLER.

When she's done, the flower rests in the center of the loamy soil, it's petals stretching for the sun.

Tempest Quinn

"Not even a little bit." Temp echoes back in answer. It had been fairly normal in Hoenn... up until the original Rocket invasion. After that, it was like all hell had broken loose. It was like something had been disrupted when Rocket had done that.

Temp just smiles and kneels down to the other Shaymin who seems to have picked him, letting it sniff his fingers and daring a small pat into it's soft fur before taking the offered flower.

"This lil guy is a cutie. You know what it is?" Temp didn't usually have pokemon that would be helpful for this kind of thing... thankfully, he had borrowed one recently for a project! A Mudbray was tossed out, which peered up at the Mudsdale curiously. It sniffed before moving to Rototiller next to where the larger horse was doing the move. It was cute; as if the smaller pokemon was trying to copy the same way the older one did.

In the end, it did a well enough job, so Temp approached and slowly started to replant the flower.