Island Hopping

ft. Yuina Higashi

He raised his gaze to the sky, humming. "I thought Alola would make a pretty good spot, this time of year."

Summer in Alola was world famous, after all— as was its tourist industry. It also just so happened to be just around the other side of the planet from Hoenn.


No better place to try and catch a break from the chaos really, however briefly.

"It's a pretty nice place. Plus..." He cocked his head slightly, winking her way. "It has a bunch of historical sites for ya to be an adorable nerd all over."

---

TL;DR: Beach Doug

St. Jude

With illeana reyes

He nodded along to her words, tapping thoughtfully at his chin.

"She used to." He said. "She kept at it during the first... I wanna say, 8 years we were together? You know, 3 here, then 5 over in Galar..."

Plus 15 others.

"I think... she changed her approach, after deciding she had wringed every reaction she could outta me." He mused, snickering. "It's not like she's stopped or anything, but it feels like she's become a lil' more subtle, nowadays."

At least with him. freya morningstar would soon be able to attest that the pixie very much enjoyed dragging whatever she could out of others.

"Sometimes, it feels like nothing needs to be said. Others, like nothing she could say, if she ever did say anything, would make me understand."

Perhaps it was impossible for a human to fully understand a deity— their minds beyond the grasp of thought constrained by human nature.

The younger avatar went to speak once again, before stopping short. His lip curled in brief discomfort, before he reached for his coat with slight frown, slipping it open.

There was the slightest shift of fabric and an unnatural pop shortly after, a pointed, cone hat popping out of the shadows in the coat, Tapu Lele looked around the room briefly, before her hands followed after her head, clamping onto Doug's chest and arm.

Her eyes squeezed closed comically as she began to try and yank herself out of... the coat's shadow? Tugging one, two, three times before another pop sent her hurtling out and into the office.

"Speak o' the devil." Doug said wryly.

---

TL;DR:
Making small talk while getting needle'd.

Lesser Megalopolis

Yuina & Doug

"I've read that there's actual, still sane megalopolans hidden around here." He said casually as he held out his hand, offering help over some thoroughly ruined sidewalk.

Or maybe just an excuse to hold hands.

They were back in the lesser Megalopolis, where they had experienced no small amount of grief prior.

This time, they were sticking to the streets and avoiding the dark, dangerous insides of the big buildings.

Oh, and his Orbeetles, six of them to be exact, were linked up and spread out around them, providing them with ample time to react to just about anything that may come at them.

Provided they didn't cause any disturbances, they would hopefully be able to get through this with no surprises.

Hopefully.

"Think we should try to find 'em, or avoid 'em?"

---

TL;DR:

Island Hopping

ft. Yuina Higashi

"A likely story." He said, sticking his tongue at her.

A minx like her could surely get these poor, weak-willed pokemon to bend to her will right under his nose. For sure.

"And there it is!" He huffed, sticking his tongue out further. "Gloating already!"

Okay, that might've been just unfair.

Still, he did not back down, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms.

"But fine. I'll graciously accept this unfair, cheaty cheater's cheating victory." He said very maturely, before slowly blushing as he looked off to the side, suddenly interested in big clouds sitting on the horizon.

"I just... thought it'd be nice to get out of Hoenn for a bit." He said simply. "Just a couple days."

Maybe visit beaches that weren't at risk of getting bombed into oblivion.

---

TL;DR: Beach Doug

Dreams within Dreams

ft. Lucia Aldrete

His brows furrowed as panic suddenly seized at his tiny mentee.

"Lucy?" He said once again, still crouched. "Are you ok—?"

His words died out in his mouth as his ears throbbed.

Words spoken by familiar and foreign voices both echoed in his head, making him hesitate as he reached for his temples. He couldn't quite... remember where he had...

Oh, whatever.

He was never one to worry too much— not when his kids were going through it right in front of him.

The whole dreamscape around them was changing, the by now familiar streets of the Megalopolis melting into the unfamiliar architecture of a land far, far away.

He wasn't super sure of where they were— but it was clear that wherever it was, it was extremely distressing to Lucia, and that was all that really mattered.

So much so, she ran away.

Thank god for her tiny little legs.

"Lucy, wait for me!" He shouted as he rose to his feet, sprinting (jogging, really) gently after her. "I ain't sending you back nowhere, kiddo! Please calm down!"

---

TL;DR:

Lesser Megalopolis #2

5th time Yuina Higashi, 2nd Time Doug

19 encounter the haunting corpses of megalopolans that have been completely overtaken by black crystal or metal. it seems like the megalopolan's flesh has been completely overtaken by the material.

17 encounter a large section of the city that has been destroyed. rubble stretches all the way until the city's perimeter, which looks out into a view of what seems to be space.

39 encounter a SHINY TAPU BULU that is either hostile to you during a rampage (for it is frustrated it can not grow vegetation here) or a temporary ally. it rings its bell to warn those who are nearby of its presence.

38 explore an underground settlement beneath the city, found within its sewers/basements/crawl spaces, etc. friendly megalopolans exist there who will remain as neutral parties to the league or to team rocket trainers. within the settlement, there is an alarm system that is activated when ultra wormholes open or when a large ultra beast or threat (dynamax sized guzzlords, solgaleos/lunalas, necrozma, other legendaries or mythicals, etc.) is nearby.

Island Hopping

ft. Yuina Higashi

Betrayal stung.

It would've been hilarious, had it not been for all of his unyielding RAGE.

"The sisterhood strikes again." He muttered darkly, staring out into the sky.

Women supporting women had gone too far.

With a deep breath, he splashed his head back into the water before turning about inside, emerging from the surface before beginning to stroke his way towards them.

"I can't believe I fed and raised you for this." He grumbled at his Golisopod— and was paid little mind, the samurai simply nodding at Yuina before slipping beneath the surface once again. "Y'all better watch yerselves."

She reemerged but a second later, lifting Doug back onto her shoulders.

He did not attempt to stand atop her anymore, though, just pouting with his arms crossed as they continued towards the island.

---

TL;DR: Beach Doug

Island Hopping

ft. Yuina Higashi

He seemed to get exactly what he wanted when her face took on the color of a peach, the smug self satisfaction on his face almost dripping down from his saccharine grin.

"Kushishishi!" He snickered, shoulders quaking. "Got'cha curious now, eh? Bit of a weird bet; you'll know soon enough. But sure, let's go with that~."

He seemed so confident in his victory. All he had to do was stay atop his Golisopod until they reached the next island.

Peace of cake, he had done it a million times.

While his Golisopod stood on his side, that is.

Unknown to him, however, there was treachery and mutiny afoot. Beneath foot, to be specific.

Enemy agitator Daikenki had infiltrated Sullivan Country and incited the masses to rebellion with false promises.

And now... the time had come.

One could see the sharp shift in Doug's eyes as his foot hold shifted in a manner most unfamiliar, his body suddenly lurching in an attempt to preempt what was coming.

"Found something, girl?" He asked, glancing down at his Golisopod.

Only to meet her gaze.

He saw it then. The murderous(ly hilarious) intent.

"... No." Quake. "Kira... You...!"

There was no shake next, Kira just blatantly threw him off his shoulders like a stallion would a rootin' tootin' cowboy, violently ejecting him forward like a projectile.

"TRAITOOOOOR!" He screamed as he flew in a broad arch, before crashing into the sea water with a large splash.

---

TL;DR: Beach Doug

Island Hopping

ft. Yuina Higashi

The golisopod beneath him snorted. Oh, it would be super easy. Just a little accidental quake and he would go crashing down like a house of cards.

Of course, Doug was too distracted with his lady to notice the possible betrayal being discussed right beneath his very nose.

"Ohoho! That's more like it!" The doomed man said with a wide grin, leaning over slightly seemingly as if to make his own position even more precarious.

The overconfidence of this man.

"Hey, I like your glasses. I was poking fun at you." He said, winking as he stuck out his tongue. "Come on, let's bet. Maybe..."

He suddenly leaned far back, humming casually.

"Hmm... If I win, I get to pick your swimsuit for our next trip?" he offered innocently, arms behind his back.

---

TL;DR: Beach Doug

Island Hopping

ft. Yuina Higashi

"Yeah well, appearances can be deceiving!" He declared, sticking his tongue out at her. "Maybe ya should wear your glasses!"

For no other reason than to make sure she seeing correctly, of course. Nothing to do with any tastes of his, no sir.

"Huh... we're matching up." He said as she drew near, grinning down at her and Daikenki as his own water-type samurai turned her gaze towards them.

"That a challenge?" He asked, squinting at her from above his tall, uncertain perch, pursing his lips. "Do I get anything when I win?"

Bold words from a man who's own purchase seemed ready to shrug him off at a moment's notice whilst swimming besides the Samurott.

---

TL;DR: Beach Doug

Recommission

ft. Lydia Magnusson

His eyes turned to the woman's partner, grinning at her. "Nice to meet'cha too, Minerva."

His gaze slowly turned back to the woman, a question dropping out of his lip.

"Can I call you Lydia?" He asked, his gaze moving back to the papers on his hand. "Not broken, Lydia. Injured."

Broken carried too many connotations Doug found distasteful. And from the tone of her voice alone, it was clear the woman was not particularly attached to the tag either.

He had read enough to have an idea of why she was so eager to be back on a frontline. But it wasn't his place to say whether it was right call, specially given his own history.

Doug gestured towards a seat, set across from a desk. He rounded around it and dropped on his chair, laying the papers on the wooden surface.

"As ya said, I can mend people." He said simply. "You as well, I'm certain. Why don't you walk me over your medical history so far? It'll help us both during this process."

---

TL;DR:

Dreams within Dreams

ft. Lucia Aldrete

What's... going on?

He found himself in a city.

A familiar city.

He had wandered its streets freely for over a week, not long ago.

A paradise and a prison in equal measure; a safe space to retreat from the horrors of their waking hours, to regather their strength and will.

But he had escaped. They had all escaped.

He thought they had, at any rate. He crouched low, reaching up to grasp at his temples, squeezing them. He couldn't remember... what was it that he had been doing before...?

Had they actually escaped...? Had he just dreamed it—

"Excuse me, d-do you know where we are?"

He blinked slowly, his gaze turning to look over his shoulder. A familiar pair of blue eyes stared back at him, lost and confused.

But after a moment, she just looked confused. He was not the only unsure of what was happening, it seemed...

"Lucy?" He said, mirroring in cocking his head. This felt... familiar. Nostalgic? No...

Deja vu?

"Uh. We're dreaming. I think?" He said simply, reaching over to scratch at the back of his head.

Perhaps he had dreamed up the escape after all.

---

TL;DR:

Safe

Yuina Higashi

He only hoped his words had truly helped— that they may allow her a full night's rest, unmarred by anxiety and nightmare.

"I don't know about always..." He said with a chuckle. "Just yours."

She tended to be very hard on herself. Too hard.

"I told ya— yer stuck with me now." He reminded her with an easy smile, kissing the top of her head. "I'll be here foreeever."

He peppered the crown of her head with butterfly kisses.

He squeezed her gently, laying his chin atop her head.

"I love you."

The words were out of his mouth before the brain even had a chance to protest.

---

TL;DR: