CALL TO ARMS

character's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: Calliope, having recently returned to Hoenn after health complications, meets up with Michael Navidson. They discuss her place in the war effort on Rocket and he offers her a position- which she accepts (kind of).[break]

why is it important?: Kind of surprised I managed to get Callie in on this Curry. This is the first proper thread she's been in since she was dragged out of the archives. It might have been a bit longer, but Callie's pragmatic and 'take action asap' personality sped things along. She's trying to find a place where she matters in the war effort to avenge Kanto while I'm also trying to fit her into broader plots ooc. Only time will tell if her unwavering (and sometimes unfair) beliefs will clash with the people she's allied herself with.

SIDE EVENTS: SHALIN VS. LUTGARDE

Shalin Nariya 's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: Shalin and Lutgarde Dijkstra  meet one another in a side event at the Vital City Tournament, having a battle between their Beedrill and Sylveon. Despite the type advantage, the battle is quite competitive. After the match, the two discuss their Ranger careers.[break]

why is it important?: This thread sets the foundation for Lutgarde Dijkstra to become a more active Ranger. As they are not actively stationed in a particular city, this presents Shalin with an opportunity to possibly recruit them into the Rustboro Rangers, explore what their specialty is, and give them an important role in protecting Hoenn's denizens and wildlife.

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT

Josh Devlin 's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: After some extremely stressful times, including recovering from grave injuries during the events of RESURFACED TREASURES and dozens of battles at Vital City, Josh and Andrea Vaneau catch a flight to Sinnoh to take a two-week sightseeing vacation. The thread Sightseeing in Sinnoh is a direct continuation of this one.[break]

why is it important?: Kost is such a fun and amazing writer, able to draw the most out of their partner in serious or relaxed situations. This is the first time in a long time I've been able to write a truly relaxing, carefree thread at Hoenn, what with all the heavy plot things Josh has been involved in. Being a Gym Leader is one of the most stressful jobs in Hoenn, and being able to showcase the two of them in their element was wonderful. Andrea Vaneau gets to show off her Sygna Suit allowing her to get as close as possible to her dream of becoming a Pokémon, flying just as adroitly as a real dragon.

The thread also showcased how recent events have turned his obsession for Raikou back into mere admiration, his Sygna Suit enabling Saber, his Manectric, to run just as fast as a Raikou can and give him the same blood-pumping thrills that riding kyle lopez 's Sacred Ash Raikou would. He also learns of Isaac Merlo 's Avatarship, which will set up a reunion between the two down the line.

KISS THE PALM OF MY HAND

theo's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: following up on RUINS, jayden cross and theo discuss the events of the kyurem raid as well as the repercussions that follow.[break]

why is it important?: theo's in a precarious position within team rocket, being one of the few high-ranking personnel (canon) that isn't an avatar. this has allowed me to position him in such a way that he's pivoting to be the support that they may need.

in jayden cross's case, theo had tried to help by using the methods that worked for them in kanto, but in this thread he realizes that it's not the best approach anymore. hence, the shift.

this is the thread where theo realizes he has to be the anchor for rocket's avatars.

thank you milky channnn i'm very excited to see the changes in their dynamic and what will stem from this! always fun to write with you hehe ♥

VCT: NOEL VS OLLIE

Noel Parker's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: Noel and ollie morales face off for VCT with Noel ending up losing against a Gigantamax Pikachu as the result. [break]

why is it important?: I was lost for quite a while on where I should be heading with Noel and what he would do in the future, but this along with Father Winter helped me decide on the path he should take. I'm excited to see what kind of opportunities await Noel as he embarks on his ranger journey and all the characters he'll be able to interact and plot with because of it!

THE LAST SUNSET

matias' curry entry

[break]
thread summary: matias is used and abused by Elisabeth Fiorelli.

why is it important?: it's the tipping point of TEAM FLARE because what follows this is irreparable change and consequences for both of them. everything matias has done; every wrong, every right; will be laid out before him as he has finally acquired a RED SHARD.

but he has yet to use it.

there are moving pieces and too many to thank so i just wanted to say a general thank you to everyone for being supportive and for pogging out as scarlet and i continue developing this complicated relationship between two characters that mean dearly to us.

when will matias finally consume the RED SHARD, i wonder...

THE LAST SUNSET

Elisabeth's curry entry

[break]
Thread Summary: Elisabeth gives MATIAS SILPH everything he thinks he wants, betraying him intimately in order to secure her own survival, while hating herself in the process.

Why is it important?: This is not the first time in Hoenn that Elisabeth has convinced herself that a man deserves to be hurt by her. She carries a lot of assumptions and trauma about men and relationships, which she projects on everyone unfortunate enough to attempt to engage her romantically.

She essentially uses Matias as a bargaining chip with declan walsh here, proving her loyalty to Rocket by betraying a man who has until now sworn private loyalty to her. This betrayal is justified, in her mind. Matias has tried to kill her. He's tried to threaten her into loving him. He's a legitimately unhinged person who makes her afraid for her life, and she doesn't think she's wrong to be wary of him. She doesn't think his feelings towards her are based in anything real or lasting, and that he would do the same to her without a second thought.

The false Red Shard she gives him is liable to instantly kill him. To her, this date she agrees to is a 'last supper' as much as anything else. Genuinely, she thinks this might be Matias's last day he ever spends alive in Hoenn. It's one reason she's so kind and indulgent to him throughout the course of the thread, letting herself imagine what being with him romantically might be like. It's a way of easing her own guilt.

And so she lets him believe that she loves him, even as she knows the truth: that she's essentially killing him, instead.

What I've really enjoyed about writing this story is that so many characters despise Matias for his arrogance and his hubris, seeing him as a major antagonist and villain in Hoenn -- but here, in this thread, he is clearly the one being wronged between them. Matias comes to her in good faith, taking her at her word when she gives him the 'Red Shard.' Elisabeth expects him to immediately choose power over her, but instead she's confronted with the terrifying reality that Matias might not be only saying he loves her in order to manipulate her. His feelings, in fact, seem to be very real.

Which makes her betrayal of him even crueler. And the consequences, inevitably, will be far more painful than they could have otherwise been.

Shout-out to Noodles for trusting me with this femme fatale plot and for giving so many fantastic insights into Matias as a character in this thread. I'm super excited to write the eventual 'Red Shard' catastrophe, and all the messy fallout that will come in the aftermath. Stay tuned, gamers...

SNOWBOY SHOWDOWN

luka chêne’s curry entry

[break]
thread summary: a mega thread involving many hoenn members, taking place at the third snowboy showdown event. This year, the event is hosted by the rangers as a part of their amnesty outreach program[break]

why is it important?: while hopefully being a fun, simple event that allowed role players to meet and interact with new characters, this event also put a spotlight on the amnesty program, which is becoming more and more relevant as rocket defectors begin to join the league

A HOUSE IN NEBRASKA

annalise henderson 's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: post-tsdt, annalise goes ghost for a couple weeks, then texts Greyson Connors to come over. he shows up, she breaks up with him, they argue over it.

why is it important?: this thread is literally the It Girl of annalise's narrative development. she and greyson have been dating for a long time, he rescued her from prison, and he's overall a grounding + positive influence in her life. however, as anna tells him, she's getting worse, not better. she's been struggling with a lost sense of self and trauma and is beginning to tunnel-vision on giving purpose to her pain. in a sense, she feels like she's sparing greyson a lot of heartache later by breaking up with him now.

the breakup serves to further isolate her from people who genuinely care about her and open her up to people who might not have her best interests at heart (like miss illeana reyes ). plus, now that she feels like she doesn't have to worry about hurting greyson, she can take more risks and be more aggressive toward rocket. 🙂

all in all, i like that their relationship doesn't tie up neatly. call me toxic but i think its whimsical that he went through all the effort of saving her just to lose her in the end to the very thing he rescued her from. it's messy and unfair and human.

i really appreciate snubis for writing this with me. i think this plot takes a lot of trust between writers, so he's my pookie fr for indulging me in this thread. i hope we can explore their new relationship in future threads :blush:

TAVISHOWARD RISING: Tavish v. Howard

Howard's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: Two people are hanging out during the events of the Vital City Tournament. One insults the other's taste in sandwiches and a bar fight starts. A lot of rolls are had, Howard kicks a guy in the nuts, Serizawa shows why he's Hoenn's strongest warrior. At the end of it, Howard gets dragged off before the cops can arrest him.[break]

why is it important?: Howard has developed a lot in the past eight(!) months. He's gone from a goofball who smokes behind the Hoenn equivalent of a 7/11 to an admin in Rocket who oversees an ever-expanding network of finances. As his work has piled on, he's definitely gotten more serious. However, despite the increased weight on Howard's back, I think it's important that this character retains much of the lighthearted commentary, dialogue, and insane moments that makes the character a joy to write.

It's not a complicated thread. It's just Howard Slayte fighting Tavish Rose to the death over Howard's taste in food, but that makes it very enjoyable to me. It's a simple thread that's frankly absurd, but it's so fun to write that I didn't think about it until it ended.

It also shows the flexibility of VCT as an event and January's overall event cycle. Yes, it's an event revolving around fighting for vitals, but it can also be used to prompt some insanely goofy scenarios. I don't think I've had so much fun with an event since the Funtasia.

Plus, it's a huge pleasure to introduce tavish rose to the world. Rysa is, as always, an incredible writer. Tavish's outspoken personality is a marvel and I highly advise people to thread with Tavish in the future. Just don't eat meat in front of him.

AHAB'S QUEST PT 4

character's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: The thread marks Mint's fourth attempt in tracking and attempting to figure out how to capture KYOGRE on behalf of Rocket and Project Infinity. While harvesting data incessantly, he waits for backup from Rocket in order to throw on another tracker on Kyogre.

However, his attempts at field collection are interrupted by annalise henderson. While as a civilian, Annalsise and Mint have been long time mutuals over tiktok and insta, as Neon he once oversaw her holding after she was kidnapped as Head Ranger. Neon isn't used to Annalise being so aggressive, and finds himself caught off guard when she manages to corner him on a beach. As the two grapple for his knife, he thinks about how frustrating she is and how much he doesn't want to have to kill her. Luckily, he's saved from this by his Genesect who while focused on the Kyogre, manages to become the perfect distraction for Neon to gain the upper hand in combat again, and escape.

why is it important?: I'm very excited about this thread as it's not only a snapshot of Annalise's current mental state but also Mint's. In this thread, he wrestles literally and emotionally, with the idea of having to kill friends he’s made outside of Rocket, while doing their work for them. His threats and taunts are meant to be off putting and he grows frustrated when Annalise rises to the bait and tries to attack him. I think it's a good line for Mint to draw as he only really wants to draw blood if necessary.

I also like the antagonistic relationship they both had as Neon intrinsically comes off as a bit more condescending, never truly taking Annalise and her threats seriously. As seriously as he doesn't take it now, I think it'll become a reminder that his actions have consequences, and that he will have to work even harder to navigate the nuances between NEON and MINT FROST.

WE NEED TO TALK

character's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: Post GOLDEN ERA, PENELOPE LIVY debriefs Paxton on her group meeting with the council and the commissioner. Over the course of an hour the pair discuss Hoenn’s major updates on avatars unaligned with League, work out a Project Sapphire restructure, and bond over their general distaste for Rocket defectors and MATIAS SILPH current involvement with Rocket Underboss Elisabeth Fiorelli .

They also discuss somewhat how to go about improving the League's reputation not just to the public, but to their peers who may still doubt the League’s intentions and systems. As usual, Penny and Paxton always seek to improve the bureaucracy in which they function. And while nothing is settled, they both somewhat agree on a possibility of using the newest Rocket defector, Isaac Merlo , as a mouthpiece to bring down Rocket’s own recruitment efforts.
[break]

why is it important?:I really liked this thread because it's a rare chance to see how well Penelope and Paxton work together in private. Paxton has far surpassed his initial position as a liaison for the Ranger Corps, and instead solidified himself as someone who can work one on one with his councilwoman. As her deputy, she has put her trust in his work ethic and then in Paxton himself which I think has only helped him flourish in this environment.

Paxton is a fairly straightforward guy, that’s slow to anger with the exception of Rocket. And while typically straight laced around most in the League, he can relax his guard around Penelope and he had a fairly good understanding of her boundaries with him. Until proven otherwise, he believes wholeheartedly in her cause as well as Dahlia’s. And while he may not enjoy Rocket’s defections, he has tried to put most of his animosity aside in order to trust dahlia goode as well as ollie morales with amnesty.

I like this thread because I think it showcases a lot of different aspects of Paxton in quick succession: his work ethic and the reason he’s working with the council now, his relationship with Penelope that came to a very heated start, his belief in Commissioner Goode’s decision making, his own tentative trust in Ollie as he continues to improve upon Amnesty for the future of the region, and the lengths he will go with to ensure Hoenn’s safety.

CURRY COOKING UNDERWAY!

DINNER TIME IS SOON!

Thank you for all of your incredible entries and thread spotlights. Once the curry has been cooked, rewards will be revealed for all participating characters to redeem.