MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Nov 29, 2023 14:40:11 GMT

It had been a few hours since their perilous quest in the Ultra Sea. Despite it being ostensibly an extraction mission, they had not extracted anything of value from the alien realm. All they had gotten was hurt, both physical and emotional.

While camping out on a remote beach in Route 105, Andrea used a first aid kit borrowed from a nearby Ranger outpost in order to patch up Isaac’s injuries. A quick process, as it turned out, since his robust body seemed to already be healing itself at a rate that was abnormal for regular humans.

“You’ve bonded with a legendary, haven’t you?” The girl was no psychic, but she could read the telltale signs. Human beings could not control ice without some kind of divine intervention.

Chomper was off to the side, scarfing down a mountain of Oran Berries. The ravenous dragon mostly minded his own business, though the mention of a legendary Pokémon piqued the Hydreigon’s interest. New rival?
Isaac Merlo //mission thread
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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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POSTED ON Nov 29, 2023 15:32:15 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]Isaac tried to insist he was fine, but when it came to potentially-unneeded worrying it took two to tango. Andrea's good heart wouldn't let her just walk away after Isaac was blasted across a cave by a titan. Stubborn, caring, equal parts foolish and surprisingly wise . . . they truly were cut from the same cloth.[break][break]

"Trust me. I'm just as shocked as you are," Isaac admitted, wincing slightly as the more tender parts of the impact site were fussed over. "Thought I was gonna die. Instead, I wake up to Suicune and Celebi saving my life. Crazy, isn't it?"[break][break]

It was getting harder and harder to avoid the truth. It wasn't like his deal was much of a secret anymore. Between being taken to Dewford under the safety of Navy's watchful eye, his first interrogations at the League's hands, his heroic endeavors on the resurfaced island, and his inductions into rangerhood and even AQUA, Isaac could only imagine how many ears his ever changing life had reached. Would Andrea be one of them?[break][break]

If she wasn't before, she'd have to be now.[break][break]

"A while ago, you told me you'd try to light the way for anyone. Even Rockets, too." This was supposed to be behind him, and yet his heart still caught in his throat. Ugh. "Do you still believe that?"

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — Andrea Vaneau [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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played by

Kost

Dragon-hooded girl

she/her

August 10

Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

Asexual

Minor Gym Leader

PokéManiac

5'11" (180 cm) height

I wanna become a Pokémon!

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POSTED ON Nov 29, 2023 18:19:58 GMT

Josh Devlin likes this

"Suicune is alive?" A wistful smile spread across the young woman's lips. "I bet Josh Devlin would be very happy to hear that. He's a huge fan of the three legendary beasts, ESPECIALLY Raikou!" And if Entei and Suicune were around, having already chosen their respective avatars, perhaps Raikou was also out there somewhere.

Isaac's question visibly perplexed her. What a strange thing to ask out of the blue. "Of course I still believe that. Why do you ask?"
Isaac Merlo //mission thread
☉

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,402 posts

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Nov 30, 2023 4:09:30 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]"Yeah! Well, no. I mean, kinda. It's complicated." Andrea's excitement reminded him of kyle lopez's Entei when it first saw Suicune, before it realized it had simply been looking at an echo of a mirror of its distant kin. "The Suicune that found me's from another world, apparently. At least, that's what the champ said."[break][break]

Judging by the look in his eye, Isaac didn't realize how wild that was until he said it out loud. How had he never questioned the logic behind this before? Was there nobody worthy in its home dimension? What was its home dimension? Why was it here instead? Did all of the Isaacs that had Suicunes trade them around, like some kind of interdimensional Secret Santa? He'd have to ask later.[break][break]

For the time being, he had more important things to get off his chest.[break][break]

He sighed in relief as Andrea gave her answer. "Thank you for that. It means more than you could know," he admitted. Did she know that her easing him into the gym challenge was his first step towards understanding why Pokemon Trainers fought? Did she know that the door she left open gave him the confidence to take his next steps forward?[pbreak][break]

"I . . . I used to . . . I mean, I . . . I wasn't always a good . . . Arceus, I hoped this was gonna stop being so hard." The words died in his throat every time he tried to find them. He'd hoped it would be easier now that the dust had settled. He was in AQUA, for crying out loud! Despite that, the past still haunted him, hot on his heels as ever.[break][break]

"I used to be a member of Team Rocket. I'm not proud of it, but. It's kind of a big part about how all this happened in the first place." The bandaid was ripped off. He wasn't free, but at least it was progress. "The day I got these powers was the day I left, and the day Cillian Quinn damn near killed me for it."

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — Andrea Vaneau [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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played by

Kost

Dragon-hooded girl

she/her

August 10

Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

Asexual

Minor Gym Leader

PokéManiac

5'11" (180 cm) height

I wanna become a Pokémon!

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2,135 posts

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POSTED ON Dec 1, 2023 12:14:04 GMT

THEO BECKETT likes this

The confession that followed was more poignant than Suicune having come from another world. It must have taken some real POKEBALLS for Isaac to admit that he used to be a Rocket member. Andrea should have been more shocked by this bombshell revelation, but somehow she wasn’t.

“I see…” The young woman responded in a neutral tone. She didn’t know who this Cillian Quinn was, but his name carried a lot of weight. Was he a high-ranking member like THEO BECKETT? There were many questions that she wanted to ask, but only one of them was the most important. “What made you leave?”
Isaac Merlo //mission thread
☉

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Dec 2, 2023 2:12:33 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]"Better question is, what didn't?"[break][break]

It was all too familiar. Gunner Graves had asked him the same question, and Isaac had responded much the same way. However, the situations couldn't be more different. He'd traded a dingy interrogation room for a sunny shoreline, cuffs a size too small for fresh bandages lining his side, and a stranger who viewed him like the dirt on his shoe for a trusted friend.[break][break]

The upgrade was massive, and yet the fear he felt was all too real.[break][break]

"Meteno was where I realized just what I was in for. Before then, it felt like Rocket was trying to do some good, you know? Sure, it was for their own selfish ends, but if it made the region a better place, who was I to question it? I figured we'd put our heads together about the meteor, find a way to stop it when the League wouldn't. I didn't think we'd be heroes, but at least we'd fill the void."[break][break]

"Then the big boss tells us we're not doing a thing to help. Instead, we're gonna sack some town that did nothing wrong and put the whole world in danger so he can get some space rocks."[break][break]

The disgust in his voice was palpable. It was only magnified by the fact that he'd gone along with it. "I didn't have to go to Littleroot, thank Arceus. I was at Mt. Pyre instead. Told myself, at least it was the lesser of two evils. Told myself that a lot. It was the only way I could handle it." For a moment, the light seemed to leave his eyes. "Sure as shit wasn't worth losing a Pokemon that meant the world to me."[break][break]

"That's what woke me up. But knowing where you are's one thing. Knowing how to get out? A whole different story. Wasn't til Galar happened that I got to see what a world away from this war was like. I don't know if you were there. It was, like. A dream, or a memory, or something, or-" He shook his head. Words couldn't describe it. "It was beautiful. Took blood, sweat, and tears to carve that life out. But even now, I can't stop thinking about it."[break][break]

"Then Rocket kidnapped Caleb Harcourt, the man who made it all possible."[break][break]

The awe in his eyes gave way to anger, and reverence in his voice curdled. "He was tortured. The admin behind it did horrible things, just 'cause he felt like he was owed a plaything." An aurora rippled across his body, wisps of crimson rage. "It was like the 20 years of peace he'd given them didn't mean a fucking thing. As if better things couldn't happen."[break][break]

"So I decided I was gonna have to make them happen myself."

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — Andrea Vaneau [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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played by

Kost

Dragon-hooded girl

she/her

August 10

Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

Asexual

Minor Gym Leader

PokéManiac

5'11" (180 cm) height

I wanna become a Pokémon!

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2,135 posts

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POSTED ON Dec 4, 2023 12:03:54 GMT

Being reminded of Rocket’s selfishness during the Meteno incident was saddening, but it paled in comparison to the sheer unpleasantness of finding out what the organization did to those they kidnapped.

“Team Rocket tortures people? That’s awful! Does that mean… they did that to Elinor Anderson too?” A feeling of extreme unease welled up in her stomach. Were all Rockets like that? No, she knew for a fact not all of them were that evil, but it still made her uncomfortable to know that some of them were.

Nearby, a wild Luvdisc jumped out of the water, its graceful movement grabbing Chomper’s attention. Those little fishies were renowned for their scales and their SWIFT SWIM ability, but since there was no rain, it was more like a mild pace swim. The sight soothed Andrea’s soul.

“You did the right thing.” She gave Isaac the reassurance he so desperately needed. “What were those 20 years of peace like?” The young cosplayer proceeded to ask.
Isaac Merlo //mission thread
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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,402 posts

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Dec 4, 2023 14:59:55 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]A nod, a bitter confirmation. "I saw it with my own eyes."[break][break]

Elinor's case was such a heartbreaking one. Abandoned by the League, tortured by Rocket, and sent away for what should have been her own good. Isaac tried to call her sometimes, yet she was always out of reach. What he wouldn't give to know his councilwoman was alive.[break][break]

"I feel like I should have done more." Greyson Connors was right. Isaac didn't have a monopoly on grief. Caleb Harcourt didn't have a monopoly on suffering. Isaac had saved one man while dozens of others shared his fate. "But I'm just one guy. Even if I had these powers back then, Rocket's bigger than I could ever be."[break][break]

Even if he'd made it out, one way or another, he knew he'd end up coming clean to the League. He couldn't fight a one man war.[break][break]

At the mention of the 20 years of peace, Isaac laughed a little. "Well, we were stuck in a Galar that had basically been vlasted back to the middle ages," Isaac started. "We were being attacked by weird, mutated Pokemon on a regular basis. We had no idea when we'd be sent back home, only that one day we would. And all the while, we were gearing up to catch Necrozma and Eternatus unaware while they fought, hoping that maybe if we crashed their party we could make a difference."[break][break]

A dreamlike smile spread across Isaac's face. "It was perfect."[break][break]

Clearly, he has a funny definition of words like "peace" and "perfect." "Don't get me wrong. We struggled a lot. But we struggled together. Rocket, League . . . none of that junk mattered anymore. We were all just people, doing our damndest to rely on each other because we had nothing else to hold onto. And by putting our heads together, we turned four ruins into the finest cities in Galar."[break][break]

"If we can even do half as much for Hoenn . . ."

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — Andrea Vaneau [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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played by

Kost

Dragon-hooded girl

she/her

August 10

Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

Asexual

Minor Gym Leader

PokéManiac

5'11" (180 cm) height

I wanna become a Pokémon!

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2,135 posts

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TAG WITH @andreavaneau

POSTED ON Dec 6, 2023 14:49:55 GMT

Isaac spoke of a fantastical adventure in Medieval Galar spanning several years, yet none of the people involved looked a day older. An unlikely alliance between the League and Rocket in the name of survival against forces much greater than them. A lifetime spent in a hopeful world rebuilt with their blood, sweat, and tears.

Hope was something Hoenn could use more of.

“It sounds beautiful… Scary, but beautiful.” Andrea mused, wishing she could have been there to witness it. “Don’t you think we could do the same thing here? This might not be Galar, but we still have to worry about the DRK Triad, and Megalopolans, and all other sorts of things. Shouldn’t we put our heads together to deal with that stuff instead of fighting?”
Isaac Merlo //mission thread
☉

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Dec 9, 2023 1:48:45 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]"Arceus, I wish."[break][break]

There was a reason Isaac held onto the memory of Galar for so long, and it wasn't just because he'd been married to the woman he wanted to love. It was a symbol of the fact that, even in a region torn to shreds, better things were possible. Why else would he enjoy the literal apocalypse so much?[break][break]

"Just one problem. In Galar, we had nothing but each other. Rocket and League didn't mean a thing anymore, and that meant there was no use dragging our old grudges into the mix. That's not gonna be so simple here." So long as Rocket carried out their crimes, the region would have its guard up.[break][break]

What he wouldn't do to just put Walsh in the ground. If there was anyone in the world that deserved it.[break][break]

"But that doesn't mean we can't try." Naomi Sato was on his mind again. Surely, she was trying to make Rocket see reason too, right? Surely, she wasn't just going to stand aside while they fired up the war machine once more. "You're right. We've got bigger problems than Rocket. And there are people in Rocket that damn well know it, too."[break][break]

For a moment, his mind wandered back to Mt. Pyre. This time, it wasn't with shame, but instead with a note of pride. "The Triad came for us with swarms of Unown and legends in tow, and they didn't even stand a chance when we worked together. If we're all working together, we don't have a thing to worry about. We can do the impossible."[break][break]

"But we need to be able to trust Rocket. Last time they had that choice, when the meteor was coming . . ." He sighed. "Not that any of us over there trusted the League, either. Pretty sure if Rocket did come up with an olive branch, the League'd march them off in handcuffs. I can't blame them for it, but, fuck."[break][break]

"Wish we could get this all to stop. Even if just for a day."

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — Andrea Vaneau [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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played by

Kost

Dragon-hooded girl

she/her

August 10

Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

Asexual

Minor Gym Leader

PokéManiac

5'11" (180 cm) height

I wanna become a Pokémon!

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2,135 posts

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POSTED ON Dec 9, 2023 21:25:38 GMT

Andrea smiled proudly when being reminded of how they'd foiled the DRK Triad's plans last year. Fighting on that darn space rock was the most dangerous thing she'd ever done, but it was worth it just to see Dr. Holo's dumbfounded look when her plan to destroy Hoenn had failed. It may not have lasted long, but joining forces against a common foe was truly magical.

"There are people in the League that know it too. Not everyone wants to see this war go on forever. The only problem is how do we get all those people in the same room?" The young PokéManiac remarked, sitting cross-legged and rubbing her chin in deep thought. "I dunno how... It'd be easier if there was some kind of neutral ground."

The Silent Icelands were the closest thing that fit that description as far as she knew, but a frozen wasteland filled with the statues of preserved Pokémon would not make for the best place to hold a meeting.
Isaac Merlo //mission thread
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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Dec 10, 2023 5:31:08 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]A perfect, neutral ground, where they could plan away from the prying eyes of the Hoenn Region's best and brightest.[break][break]

Prying eyes. Of course![break][break]

"I might know someone." Going to Naomi Sato again, after she'd established how dangerous being seen with each other was, may have been reckless. However, she was all too happy to bury old hatchets to stand against those horrors from beyond. They may have come from two very different walks of life, but Isaac knew they'd see each other's vision. "It's a long shot. But if she agrees, we might have a place."[break][break]

How many people could the Unown Dimension even fit? Last Nomi went, she'd politely ushered him away first. It was understandable. She'd wanted alone time with her new babies. However, if they could pull together a small meeting there, they may have actually had a shot at this. Time, space, and even death had been colonized by Hoenn. They were compromised. For now, the realm of the Unown stood alone.[break][break]

"If that doesn't pan out, I'm not sure where else would be a good start," he acknowledged. "The Ultra Wilds are dangerous and screw with your head, and there's too many eyes on them. Maybe we could find a Mirage Island or something? Doubt anyone's keeping watch over places that don't even exist most of the time."

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — Andrea Vaneau [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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played by

Kost

Dragon-hooded girl

she/her

August 10

Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

Asexual

Minor Gym Leader

PokéManiac

5'11" (180 cm) height

I wanna become a Pokémon!

awards

2,135 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @andreavaneau

POSTED ON Dec 10, 2023 13:19:20 GMT

Apparently, Isaac had connections. Canon connections, get it? That person, whoever she was, might have been the key to getting their whole movement off the ground. They needed to gather as many like-minded people as possible, until those in power could no longer ignore their cry for peace.

Besides, what alternative did they have? Hoenn's factions had spread their reaches across every square inch of the region, alternate dimensions, and even the STARS themselves through their space program.

"Even if it's a long shot, we have to try it." Andrea remarked with a resolute nod. "Wherever we do it, it'll have to be a nice place, not the Ultra Wilds. That's where all the conflict and fighting happens right now." She additionally pointed out.
Isaac Merlo //mission thread
☉

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

Short King height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,402 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Dec 10, 2023 18:54:11 GMT

illeana reyes likes this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]"Y'know? You're not wrong." Isaac thought back to where all of these wars had been fought. Meteno itself, a threat from beyond the stars that brought both danger and opportunity in its wake. The Ultra Deep Sea, the Dewford theater simply a sideshow for a war fought between dimensions. Even the resurfaced island, which hadn't even existed before the conflict over it erupted.[break][break]

"I know it wasn't always that way." Slateport. Sootopolis. The scars of the Darkest Day, which had thrown Galar into turmoil for months. "Maybe we're lucky the fighting's been kept out of the cities since Littleroot. But with how much stronger everyone's been getting, I'm kinda scared for the day it happens again."[break][break]

Tera Energy had infused the region, not just empowering Pokemon but also digging crystalline tunnels through the heart of the region. Power Spots popped up overnight, potentially related to that crimson ore he and illeana reyes had found on the resurfaced island. Ultra Beasts went from foreign invaders to resources to be tapped. Paradoxes, and the Dream Mist they lurked within, had become outright common.[break][break]

What if Navy was right? At this rate, if the League cut loose in Sootopolis, would this war escalate into a slaughter?[break][break]

He shook his fear, a determined smile on his face as he turned to face Andrea. "All the more reason for us to stop it before it can starts, right?"

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — Andrea Vaneau [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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played by

Kost

Dragon-hooded girl

she/her

August 10

Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

Asexual

Minor Gym Leader

PokéManiac

5'11" (180 cm) height

I wanna become a Pokémon!

awards

2,135 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @andreavaneau