MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Aug 23, 2023 4:16:29 GMT

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[attr="class","omgentop"]THE WILDS:[break]MECHANICAL KINGDOM

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ONGOING EVENT

EXPLORATION

LITTLEROOT[break]↻ MECHANICAL KINGDOM

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1035423510278979624/1054889526239170630/the_game_is_afoot.mp3[/player][break]
Partners ~ The Game is Afoot! - The Great Ace Attorney 2
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WHETHER IT WAS DISPLACED BENEATH LITTLEROOT DUE TO DIMENSIONAL ENTANGLEMENT, BROUGHT BACK TO FUNCTIONING ORDER DUE TO DIALGA, OR BOTH, can not be determined. However, this kingdom made entirely out of intricate mechanisms is void of human life. Clockwork gears, iron tunnels, and curious domes make up this kingdom that continues to function like an animatronic music box.[break][break]

Mechanical Pokemon like Magearna, Volcanion and others present in the kingdom seem to be robotic, set to a rhythm or programming like an animatronic figure.[break][break]

Several clock towers loom above the entire kingdom, though their machinery seems to be in disrepair.

PROMPTS

LIST OF PROMPTS

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13 battle, flee or become captured by a massive mechanical corviknight that continually hunts you to cage in the castle.
16 search for suitable locations to set up camp/base (e.g. underground tunnels, outskirts, abandoned homes).
24 break apart a machine or mechanism (not a pokemon) and witness what appears to be a soul being released.
25 involve an automatic steam train in some way that runs throughout the kingdom.
🗺️ utilize mega evolution in an advantageous way.

EXPEDITION TREASURES

AT THE END OF EACH EXPEDITION THREAD, all characters must ROLL for their final post. The HIGHEST FOUR ROLLS will be counted for what TREASURES are retrieved from the location. These treasures will be returned to each faction for future use...

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[attr="class","boxName"]YOUR HAUL

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RULES

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES. A more comprehensive list of rules will be published in each event thread. These rules are also subject to change.[break][break][break]

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Your character can only be in ONE EXPEDITION THREAD at a time.
You may participate with all of your characters; however, be aware of your ability to post.
If a thread partner has not posted in awhile, please skip them in this event. Momentum is important for engagement.
Since these threads may feature combat, please be reasonable with your battling. Discuss with your group if you'd like one move per post, how many Pokemon are allowed to be brought, etc.
Try to keep posts short for clarity and speed.
Please be trusting and open to communicating with all of your thread partners.
Please INCLUDE WHICH PROMPTS you are using in your expedition thread.
Please have at least FIVE POSTS PER CHARACTER in your expedition thread.

IN YOUR FINAL POSTS, PLEASE ROLL.

Aurelie Lefevre jack wainwright

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dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

awards

1,024 posts

DOLLARS

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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Aug 25, 2023 3:50:49 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]A world of metal and magic

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Since her last trip to the Mechanical Kingdom, Aurelie was fairly sure she must have told stories about her trip into the strange, metallic, robot-filled realm at some point or another to Jack. How she'd fallen into a rift in the world and found herself here, how a gigantic mechanical Corviknight had hounded her and the other women she'd met, and how they managed to build a makeshift arbalest to drive it away, before they found their way home.

Yet, the redhead must not have told those stories well enough—or made them sound as frightening and troubling as the reality had been—because here he was, volunteering to visit the Mechanical Kingdom himself. She shook her head bemusedly. Of course, here she was too, but at least Aurelie had some experience in this realm, brief and confusing though it'd been.

"I can't believe I'm back here again," she murmured as they entered the rift underneath Littleroot Town. Her lips twisted into a wry, crooked smile. "But if you're here, then I figure I can at least serve as sort of a guide and help you out a little.

"Besides..." Aurelie reached over to entwine his hand with hers, her smile softening. "I knew it would be horrible for me to see you disappear into this portal and not know if you were coming back or not. Even if the worst happens—no, especially if the worst happens—I'd much rather be by your side facing the danger than off in another dimension with no idea of what was going on."

What she didn't say aloud was that she'd remained at least a little curious about this world after that first accidental visit. Surely, there had been so much more to see and learn here. Furthermore, she wanted to find more of the mysterious ore she'd found here—that strange ore with so many unusual properties, capable of being forged into the most remarkable blades Aurelie had ever seen.

Taking a deep breath, she let go of his hand and strode forward onto what looked like a dirt path of dark red, the color of dried blood. On closer inspection, though, the "dirt" underfoot consisted of countless infinitesimally tiny pieces of rusted metalwork: gears, cogs, bolts, and screws, each no larger than a grain of sand. The bushes and trees along the path were formed from broken pipework junctions and chain linkages, with leaves made of ratchets, springs, and flywheels, all coated with verdigris.

"First," she pronounced, "we should look for a safe area out of the way. That way, we can set up to take photos and notes in peace, without fear of that damn Corviknight swooping down on us." Shading her brow with one hand, Aurelie scanned the area.

"Everything out here looks so exposed, though," she sighed, turning her head from side to side. "Let's keep going and see if we find someplace promising. Unless... I don't know. Do you see anywhere we might take shelter, Jack?"

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

Prompt: Search for suitable locations to set up camp/base (e.g., underground tunnels, outskirts, abandoned homes).

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

skyline

jack

he/him

twenty-six

august 12

Hulbury

travel blogger

elite ranger

6'1" height

Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass.

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579 posts

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TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Aug 26, 2023 22:34:14 GMT

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[attr="class","jackpkmn"]

Jack looked up in awe and knew without a doubt that he was in another world. Even at first glance, he could tell why Aurelie seemed enthralled by the place when she was recounting her previous trip: it had to have been a blacksmith's dream. Heeding her warning of the dangers of this strange kingdom and her previous encounter with a violent corviknight, he had left Watts back at the apartment. Although he hated to be apart from the boltund, he knew the inquisitive pokemon was more likely to get into trouble than not. Shifting his weight, he felt the comforting weight of the pokeballs on his belt where his own corviknight waited. With another shift of his boots in the rusted metal sand, he could feel the compass fitting with megastones press against his leg in the pocket of his Ranger uniform.[break][break]

He closes his jaw that had no doubt dropped open in wonder and smiles at his girlfriend. "Of course I'd be coming back. There's no internet signal in here and the blog post I'll write about this place will put a chokehold on the imaginations of the travel community," he says to her with a confidence that is only half felt. This place was stranger than fiction and deep down he was nervous, but he thought reaching for her hand would ruin his white knight image so he surveyed their surroundings instead.[break][break]

Strange edifices of metal seemed to spread outward around them with immense clocktowers looming above. A shiver ran down his spine as he scanned the skies for any sign of aggressive corviknights. As his eyes lowered, he noticed a tree that that had come loose from the soil and exposed its roots as it leaned. Cautiously, Jack walked closer, examining the metallic pipes and tubes that branched out from the massive main trunk. Gently pushing a tangle of thick wires and flexible piping to avoid any loud clanging, Jack flicked on his light to illuminate a large depression below the hollow inner trunk of the tree that was large enough to fit a small group of people. "What do you think about this?" he asked as he gestured for Aurelie to join him, "Probably not the comfiest of shelters but it would keep us hidden from anything flying overhead."

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NOTES

+ The Wilds: Mechanical Kingdom[break]
+Prompt: Search for suitable locations to set up camp/base (e.g., underground tunnels, outskirts, abandoned homes).

BY GUNSMILE

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

awards

1,024 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Aug 28, 2023 23:50:44 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]A world of metal and magic

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]At Jack's confident smile and teasing words, Aurelie couldn't help smiling back, feeling heartened by his seemingly calm, laidback attitude. "Ha! In that case, maybe I should've worried for the poor robotic Corviknights that dare to come between you and an internet connection," she chuckled.

"But," she went on, her expression becoming more thoughtful, "considering you're a Ranger, it makes sense you'd be much more competent than I am when it comes to adventures."

Quietly, she reflected that—because Jack didn't like talking about his time there—she also tended to forget he'd likely lived through much worse during his recent visit back to Galar. A small, insidious part of Aurelie whispered that she'd lived through worse in Galar herself, such as constant sieges from poison Pokemon and attacks from Necrozma—a part of Aurelie that still unsettled her with its wealth of memories that weren't really real and yet somehow felt absolutely real. With an effort, she pushed the intrusive thoughts from her mind and focused on the present.

A soft smile spread across her face as she watched Jack investigate the metallic trees. Showing his resourcefulness and perceptiveness in new situations, he pushed aside leaves and branches made from metallic wires and piping to reveal a hollow beneath. It was surprisingly large, with plenty of room to conceal and shelter both of them.

"You're totally right," she agreed. "That should be a pretty good place to stay hi... Aaah!" A sudden burst of melodious birdsong erupted behind her, making her jump in surprise. The redhead spun around and made a startled noise that was half-gasp, half-laugh.

The tree she was looking at appeared to be made from wrought metal, with elaborate filigree foliage, birds' nests, acorns, and other decorations. In the middle of the trunk was a working clock that clicked and ticked the time away, with gilt numerals and beautifully carved hands sweeping around the pristine white dial. A pendulum and weights hung below the clock on thick chains, while an automaton of a Hoothoot fluttered its wings from a little trapdoor above the clock.

Aurelie simply stared for a moment, before finally closing her mouth. "Well, um, I guess it's four o'clock now. Arceus, that's so strange! But also kind of...fascinating?"

As the Hoothoot retreated back into its trapdoor, she bent forward to study the clock. Unthinkingly, she reached forward and tugged experimentally on one of the pendulum chains. To her shock, it came free with surprising ease, falling to the ground in a coil of metal links. Her eye widened as a handful of gears tumbled free from below the clock and the trapdoor above it popped halfway open, the Hoothoot clanking and juddering mindlessly and releasing jets of steam.

The Hoothoot's mouth opened again. But this time, what emerged wasn't another chiming carillon but instead, a little globe of glowing white light. It floated upward slowly into the air, disappearing from sight, while the clock's hands fell completely still and its clicking went silent.

"What the...?" she stammered. "What did I just do?"

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

Prompt: Break apart a machine or mechanism (not a pokemon) and witness what appears to be a soul being released.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

skyline

jack

he/him

twenty-six

august 12

Hulbury

travel blogger

elite ranger

6'1" height

Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass.

awards

579 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Sept 2, 2023 19:19:43 GMT

[nospaces]

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Watching Aurelie examine the mechanical clock brought a smile to Jack's face, reinforcing his decision to venture into this strange realm with her. His smile quickly tightened his lips into a thin line as the sound of the metal pieces of the clock falling out sent his nerves thrumming. The world around them had fallen silent and the clang of metal on metal seemed to reverberate like a struck bell in Jack's head. Even as he watched the globe of light escape from the defunct hoothoot's mouth, a shudder ran down his spine and his skin prickled with trepidation. Aurelie's shocked question seemed to be the only sound in the world as tension seemed to slow time around them.[break][break]

As Jack opened his mouth to suggest the get into their makeshift hiding place, an ear piercing caw shattered the silence. Whatever Jack had expected based on his girlfriend's recounting of the giant corviknight from her previous visit did not match up to the massive pokemon that seemed to blot out the sky in the distance and was rapidly closing in on them. "Poe, let's go!" Jack shouted as he tossed the pokeball, his own corviknight appearing in a flash. Without wasting a second, he vaulted onto the pokemon's and reached out for Aurelie as Poe launched into the sky.[break][break]

Even at a glance it was clear Poe no match for the speed of the giant's massive wings. Pulling a compass from his pocket, Jack flicked open the lid to find the needle spinning lazily with no indication of north. Touching his fingertips to the corvitite embedded in the metal of the casing, Jacked shouted "Poe, give it a wind rage!" Light shimmered around them and Jack grabbed protectively for Aurelie as Poe expanded beneath them into his mega-evolved form. The metal feathers of Poe's wings glowed with crimson light as a powerful gale released from them, forcing Jack down against the pokemon's metal body as the blasted forward through the sky on the torrent of wind.

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[attr="class","jackooc"]

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NOTES

+ Prompt: Use mega-evolution in an advantageous way.

BY GUNSMILE

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

awards

1,024 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Sept 3, 2023 22:03:06 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]A world of metal and magic

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]When Aurelie watched the little globe of light float out of the defunct robotic Hoothoot's mouth, she felt a stab of horror. As a smith, she'd always felt as if she put a little bit of herself, a small piece of her soul, into everything she made. It absolutely made sense to her that the mechanical creatures here had souls of their own too, and she'd just...released one. Against its will. Destructively.

Then, when the globe of light seemingly caught the attention of the massive mechanical Corviknight that must patrol the skies of this kingdom, Aurelie's heart sank. Dread and terror clouded her thoughts, and her body froze up in panic when she heard that unforgettable, piercing caw. Oh no, not again, she thought frantically. What do I do? What do we do?

But when Jack swiftly reacted with action, rather than petrified panic like her, by releasing his own Corviknight, Aurelie felt both her spirits and her body rise when he swept her up behind him onto his Pokemon's back. Jack was immediately proving her assessment of him correct. He absolutely was better than she was in a real adventure.

It did feel strange riding this Pokemon when she still vividly remembered Jack chasing her and Zev, thankfully in disguise, astride it a year ago on Mt. Chimney. But Aurelie couldn't think too hard about that now, with the mechanical Corviknight swooping toward them. Screwing up her face against the rush of gale-force winds, she clung on to Jack as his Pokemon raced ahead of the Corviknight on huge Mega-evolved wings.

Raising her voice above the rushing gusts of wind, she called out in Jack's ear, "I don't know if it's safe to stay in the air too long against that..." She risked a glance behind her and grimaced immediately, before clenching her jaw and looking forward again.

"Against that monstrous mechanical Corviknight," she continued, biting her lips nervously. "I…I don't know if that thing runs on batteries or what, but I remember it's totally relentless. I'm scared it'll outlast your Pokemon, especially while carrying two people on its back."

Her heart pounding, Aurelie scanned the area below them. They had flown past the forest of clockwork trees and had arrived at what looked like a town filled with curious copper domes and iron minarets. A tall, intricate clock tower, rich with finials, decorative patterns, pointed arches, and flying buttresses in black wrought iron, jutted forth into the sky. Strangely, its clock seemed caught eternally at either noon or midnight.

Beside it was a vaulted building sculpted with metallic lacework patterns, from which a set of winding train tracks curved out into the distance. Clusters of other buildings were grouped tightly around the train station. If Aurelie squinted, she thought she could see mechanical-looking Pokemon puttering back and forth along the bronze-cobbled streets, moving in jittery, regular rhythms.

"Maybe we can touch down somewhere in that town? And lose ourselves among the Pokemon there?" she suggested, pointing down toward the town. Her finger trembled visibly, despite her best efforts to stay steady and calm. It wasn't much of a suggestion, but it was the only thing Aurelie could think of during the frightening chase.

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

Prompt: Battle, flee or become captured by a massive mechanical Corviknight that continually hunts you to cage in the castle.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

skyline

jack

he/him

twenty-six

august 12

Hulbury

travel blogger

elite ranger

6'1" height

Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass.

awards

579 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Sept 6, 2023 20:08:51 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","jackpost"]

[attr="class","jacktext"]

[attr="class","jackpkmn"]

Aurelie was right. Even with Poe's mega evolution and extra burst of speed, they were only able to maintain their distance from the giant corviknight. They may be staying out of reach but the two of them would not be able to escape on Poe's back. If they weren't going to do it based on pure speed, Jack was confident they could escape another way.[break][break]

"Hold on!" he shouted to Aurelie as the wind whipped in his ears. With the gentle pressure of his knees, Jack angled Poe toward the monstrous clock tower until they were on a collision course. At the last moment, he gripped her firmly as they swerved and Poe's wingtips skimmed past the corner of the tower. Jack's stomach jumped into his throat as he steered Poe into a fierce dive on the other side of the tower as its wrought iron details burred together during their wild descent. As he gave another command with his knees Jack felt gravity reverse when Poe's wings spread outward to rapidly slow their descent, before the skidded to rest in the shadow of one of the strange town's dome-shaped buildings.[break][break]

The gigantic corviknight passed overhead and shrieked in rage for its lost prey and Jack finally let out the breath he was holding in. "Looks like we did it," he said wearily to Aurelie as his slid from his own corviknight's back.

[break]

[attr="class","jackooc"]

[break]

BY GUNSMILE

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

awards

1,024 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Sept 7, 2023 23:18:12 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]A world of metal and magic

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Adrenaline surged through Aurelie's veins as Jack acted on her words and suggestion with wonderful alacrity and presence of mind, guiding his own Corviknight in a hair-raising aerial route. The bond they shared definitely impressed her—or would have, if she hadn't been mostly focused on keeping from falling off or her breakfast from coming up. She bit off a scream as they shot toward the clock tower and swerved at the last second, before plunging to the ground in an intense, ground-scorching dive.

It was terrifying but also strangely exhilarating. The ground approached at an alarmingly fast speed, only for his Corviknight to pull up at the last second by snapping his wings wide open. She didn't even realize she was also holding her breath until the mega-evolved Pokemon skidded to a surprisingly soft, graceful landing.

"I...I'm going to need a moment," Aurelie confessed as she clung on to the Corviknight with quivering, white-knuckled hands. "I'm not sure I trust my legs to work properly right now." Despite her evident shakiness, though, she managed to flash a glowing smile at Jack.

"Honestly, you did it," she told him, when he slid off his Pokemon and sighed wearily. "All I did was grab things I shouldn't and catch that damned Corviknight's attention when we were hoping to fly under the radar. You—and your Pokemon—were the ones that got us safely out of that mess."

After a moment, she judged her knees had stopped trembling enough to be trustworthy. Unsteadily, she too dismounted and let Jack dismiss his hardworking Corviknight. Aurelie took advantage of the moment to wrap her arms around him and murmur a heartfelt "Thank you" in his ear.

Then, as if ashamed of her weakness, she hastily pulled away and dusted herself off. She let out a soft, impressed gasp when she saw how close they'd landed to the train station-like building. It was even more magnificent and opulent up close, and jets of steam issued from its tunnels, sparking Aurelie's imagination—and memories of Motostoke.

As the mechanical Corviknight wheeled past overhead again with a strident shriek, Aurelie tugged on Jack's arm. "Let's go check out that train station! It must be fascinating inside—the architecture, the mechanisms—especially if there are actual trains running somehow. And as a bonus, we'd be inside, away from that thing still hunting for us."

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

skyline

jack

he/him

twenty-six

august 12

Hulbury

travel blogger

elite ranger

6'1" height

Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass.

awards

579 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Sept 11, 2023 0:09:54 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","jackpost"]

[attr="class","jacktext"]

[attr="class","jackpkmn"]

Jack's head was still reeling from their breakneck escape from the giant corviknight when he entered the train station. He allowed Aurelie's insistent tugging to lead him through enormous doors into a ticket lobby that was simply breathtaking. His eyes slid over empty ticket windows where gears spun at varying speeds, along large-diameter pipes that vibrated with high pressure steam, and an intricate mosaic of metal plates of an imposing castle that took up almost one entire wall. On either side of the ticket windows, he spotted archways of beaten metal adorned with cog motifs that lead out to the singular platform of the station.[break][break]

Jack placed his hand over Aurelie's where she was holding his arm and rubbed his thumb in gentle circles over the top of her hand before he disengaged and headed for the platform. As he stepped through the archway, he was impressed again by the intricate metal lattice structure that spanned the platform and a wide track of polished iron. The clattering of a hundred metal plates drew his attention to a signboard overhead that spelled out something in unknown symbols though the faint sound of a train horn gave Jack enough context to figure a train would soon be arrive.[break][break]

"Hey love, next train is arriving shortly," he called to Aurelie as if they were taking a leisure trip from Motostoke to Hulbury.

[break]

[attr="class","jackooc"]

[break]

BY GUNSMILE

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

awards

1,024 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Sept 12, 2023 15:27:14 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]A world of metal and magic

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie glanced sidelong at Jack and pursed her lips as they hurried toward the train station, surprised by his complete lack of acknowledgement of either her praise or thanks, let alone her brief hug. "No time for conversation, huh? Hmm...all right."

I guess I do have a bad habit of just blurting out every thought that goes through my mind, and this isn't exactly the best time for that, she reflected, her expression softening when she saw the dazed look on Jack's face. At least, he did respond to her tugging on his arm with a gentle caress of her hand as the two of them walked inside the station. Aurelie too was dumbstruck by the complexity and strangeness of the building. The pillars were formed from stacks of slowly spinning gears layered horizontally atop each other, and numerous cogs and pinion wheels of all sizes and materials—brass, steel, copper, wrought iron, bronze, and even wood—hung from the vaulted steel-and-glass ceiling.

Out on the platform, a few Volcanions puttered back and forth, looking for all the world like passengers pacing impatiently before the train's arrival. Aurelie watched them warily, hyper-vigilant for any sign of aggression or danger. Thankfully, they didn't even seem to notice the humans' presence but simply kept moving in stilted, jittery patterns, like mindless robots.

When Jack heard the train horn in the distance and offhandedly noted that a train was on its way, her eyebrows rose in curiosity and wonder. "Oh, really? Then I think we should go for a ride," Aurelie replied, flashing a mischievous smile at him.

Her spirits rose as the train chugged into view, venting steam and smoke from a dozen pipes. Aurelie caught her breath at the sight of it, taken aback by its construction. Unlike the station or the rest of this mechanical world, the train was made not from metal but from flawless, sparkling glass—or possibly crystal. Whatever it was, it must have been as hard as diamond and as strong as tempered steel, judging from how smoothly the train moved along the polished iron track.

Try though she might, Aurelie couldn't see any conductors, drivers, or train operators anywhere. Yet, the train stopped punctually beside the platform and its ice-clear doors slid open. The Volcanions on the platform climbed up the short stairs and disappeared inside, their movements still jerky and rhythmic.

"Wow," Aurelie breathed, her jaw falling open. As the train blared out another blast on its horn, she jumped up on the steps leading into the train and then turned around. With a grin, she leaned out and extended her hand to Jack. "Care to take a ride with me, handsome?"

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VysV9E1o

jack wainwright

Prompt: Involve an automatic steam train in some way that runs throughout the kingdom.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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jack

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twenty-six

august 12

Hulbury

travel blogger

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Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass.

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TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Sept 14, 2023 2:25:07 GMT

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Jack glanced at Aurelie as his mouth turned down in a slight frown. "Sorry love, Ranger Wainright is more focused and businesslike than Boyfriend Jack. I wasn't ignoring you, just recovering from the flight," he said apologetically.[break][break]

Slipping his hand into Aurelie's, Jack boarded the train with a mixture of trepidation and amazement. With the sounding of a delicate bell from somewhere in the train car, the doors slid closed. While some of the strange volcanion had boarded the train, their car seemed empty so Jack chose a pair of seats facing in the direction of travel and led Aurelie to sit with him. Jack searched for something to talk about, not wanting Aurelie to feel ignored, but the fantastic landscape speeding by outside the train robbed him of any small talk. Instead he simply said, "I can see why you felt drawn to come back here."[break][break]

The train traveled through the kingdom, stopping at some stations and zooming past others on a schedule that Jack was unable to understand. After some time, they arrived at a station near to the metallic forest where they had first arrived. "Now arriving at Strange Metal Forest. Mind the gap," Jack joked, imitating the announcement voice from Galarian trains as he stood and waited for the doors to open. Stepping out onto the platform of a station that was similar and yet altogether different from the one where they had boarded, Jack got his bearings and headed back for the portal through which they had entered.[break]

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