i'm twisting allegories now

Dom swallowed hard as the Unown floated towards him, the pinpoint of its pupil seemingly an ever-growing disc. As the edges of the storm drifted out from behind the Unown, Dom had a fleeting moment of regret. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. But before he could open his mouth, before he could unsay the words or un-flip the coin, the darkness enveloped him.[break][break]

He tried to scream, but there was nothing. No sound. No breath to take in. No air fluttering against his face or combing its fingers through his hair. Just all-encompassing nothingness. He realized then, as he stretched out his hands to lay his fingertips against the empty void, that he couldn't see his body. That made some sense. Surely he was in darkness. He pulled his hand back and reached for his own torso to get his bearings. His hands felt nothing. He could feel that he inhabited his body and yet when he tried to confirm that with look or touch… nothing.[break][break]

He realized in that moment that he should be terrified. Certainly, there should be absolute horror flooding him, filling his veins with adrenaline and kicking his body into fight or flight. Instead... well the pattern was becoming clear.[break][break]

Dom frowned. Not that he could see it, but was pretty sure he frowned. Not having a body was going to be very inconvenient. He needed that.[break][break]

As if on cue, the shimmering outline of fingers began to materialize before him. The light spread up his palms and arms, engulfing his shoulders and chest and meeting a similar light coming up from his legs. He blinked, clearly looking at his own body, and touched his chest gently. It was there. Solid and as real as ever. And with his body came the emotions. Fear and confusion came crashing across him like a breaking wave.[break][break]

Overwhelmed, he reached out again. This time, his fingers brushed through soft grass, his palms and knees pressed against solid ground. He blinked, and when he looked up he could see a vast expanse of grassland that spread out in all directions until it married a black sky at the horizon. Winking stars careened lazily overhead, but the grassland was still somehow lit as brightly as if it were daytime.[break][break]

Dom patted his pockets absently, reaching for his Pokemon as if on instinct. He found them empty, and he frowned. If he was going to do anything here, he needed them.[break][break]

A soft bark caught his attention and Dom looked up to see a Lucario a few feet away, walking toward him. If Dom didn't know any better, he would've thought it materialized out of the grass itself.[break][break]

"L-Lynx?" He didn't understand how, but he knew this was his little Riolu. The Lucario's eyes softened in recognition as he reached where Dom was standing, dumbfounded. "Nah, that can't be right. You're a Riolu, bro." Lynx chuffed in a way Dom recognized as a stifled laugh. He extended a closed paw towards Dom. Dom hesitantly gave the Lucario a fist bump, which elicited a familiar eye roll. It was Lynx after all. Lynx huffed, grabbing Dom's arm with his other paw and turning his hand palm side up. Into it, he deposited what looked like a marble.[break][break]

Dom picked it up between thumb and forefinger, squinting at it. Brown and blue swirls looped against each other within the confines of the glass, with one bright streak of red cutting through the middle.[break][break]

Lucarionite.[break][break]

Though he was familiar with the existence of mega stones, he couldn't recall having ever seen Lucarionite before. Yet, as he looked it over, he was certain of what it was.[break][break]

"Where did you get this?"[break][break]

The answer was a growl. Dom looked up and realized Lynx was staring at the sky, his paws balled into fists.[break][break]

don't let me do this to myself

The stars above shifted their stellar dance and, with a start, Dom realized they weren't stars at all. They were eyes. Millions upon millions of eyes staring down at him, circling and weaving across one another on into infinity. He squinted up at them, but the sheer number made it impossible to pick out one from the rest. They were like schooling fish, their eyes the flashing silver of scales meant to distract and confuse.[break][break]

Then, one detached. And another. And more followed in a single-line stream. It was only then that Dom could tell they were Unown, like the one Father Winter possessed. They came in a staggering variety of shapes, ones he'd never seen before and wouldn't have been able to commit to memory even if he wanted. As they rocketed down, Dom realized they were heading straight for him. Lynx side-stepped, shifting himself into a familiar battling position between Dom and the oncoming stream.[break][break]

"We can't fight that many," Dom called out, but Lynx stood firm. The first in line crashed into the Lucario with enough force to send a shockwave that shoved Dom backward. He staggered, barely keeping his feet. In his hand, the stone grew hot. "Shit, shit, shit. I don't know how to use this." Lynx crossed his arms defensively as the Unown rocketed into him one after another, crashing into him with explosive force. Dom grit his teeth, his fist clenched around the Lucarionite. He didn't know how to use it, but he needed it to work.[break][break]

Blinding light suddenly enveloped Lynx. Dom squeezed his eyes closed instinctively, but when he snuck a peek, he was surprised to find that, although the light was bright, it didn't hurt his eyes. The glowing form of Lynx shifted beneath the cocoon of the glare, taking on a slightly different silhouette. Then the light pulled in, as if taking a steadying breath and, alongside Dom, exhaled. A dome of white energy propelled out from Lynx, swirling into a massive size faster than Dom could comprehend. The Unown that were caught in its path shattered like glass and dissipated into dust, though it passed over Dom with little more than a rustling of the wind.[break][break]

Dom whooped in victory as the form of a mega-evolved Lynx finally settled into view. "That's it, that's the stuff!" Lynx glanced back, grinning mischievously. He flexed, pulling his arms into his side as the stream of Unown rallied and began their assault again. They wheeled into him, now attempting to circumvent the Lucario entirely to get to Dom. Lynx leaped and dove with all the grace of a ballet dancer, crushing each one in turn with one Force Palm after another. Even so, he was starting to tire, and the surge of Unown only grew stronger, faster, more intent on getting to Dom.[break][break]

Lynx glanced back as an Unown nearly zipped fully around him. Dom could see the worry in his eyes.[break][break]

Run.[break][break]

Dom flinched. It wasn't just a feeling, that was a voice inside his head, telling him to go. Lynx pivoted, delivering another powerful Force Palm, panting.[break][break]

Please, run.[break][break]

Dom's voice caught. "Lynx, I can't. I can't leave you alone." But it wasn't Lynx, was it? Not really. Even from this distance, Dom could see that the edges of his form were blurry, almost incorporeal. And Lynx wasn't a Lucario. Not yet. Dom bit his lip, his heart thumping hard against the inside of his chest. He ground his teeth, willing his feet to move. He needed to run.[break][break]

And suddenly he was. The grassland flew beneath his legs faster than should have been possible as he sprinted away from the Lynx-that-wasn't-Lynx and the stream of angry Unown. Glancing back, Dom could see that the flow of Unown from the sky had formed an angry, swirling tornado. Its bulk crashed down on where he'd left Lynx, and the flashes of distant explosions was enough to make him turn away. Moments later, the sound caught up to him.[break][break]

The massive cyclone of Unown seemed to have finally begun to affect their population. As Dom ran, he could see shifting gaps in the sky where untold numbers of Unown undulated apart from one another before crashing back together.[break][break]

He squinted up at these gaps as color peeked through them. They were almost like windows, but the more he looked, the more he saw things he didn't recognize. Here and there were fields and forests with Pokemon wandering lazily through them, Pokemon unlike anything he'd ever seen. There, he could see a sprawling city filled with people, but they weren't people. He couldn't pick out what was different about them, only that—even with the brief glance—he knew they weren't human. Here he thought he saw himself, dressed in all black, frowning as he ticked shipments off a list.[break][break]

When he turned his eyes forward again, he realized that the horizon was rushing up to meet him, as if it were a fixed point in space, a wall that he could reach out and touch. All around him, the blades of grass flickered and glitched, moving out of time with his body. The very air around him felt heavy and unnatural.[break][break]

while the crown hangs heavy on either side

Just as suddenly as he'd begun running, Dom was standing still. He stumbled and reached out to catch himself as his brain caught up to the fact that he was no longer moving. As he threw his arms out, a gentle hand caught his wrist and steadied him. When he finally found his feet and looked up, the softly smiling face of an older woman was there to greet him.[break][break]

"Nona?" Dom couldn't believe his eyes.[break][break]

"Hello, Nickyboy."[break][break]

She was just as he remembered. Aged from her years working in the sun, with a kind face but an air about her that told you not to step out of line. Her hand fell away from where she'd caught his wrist and he felt a pang in his heart. He didn't want to let her go. Not this time.[break][break]

"What are you doing here?" He said, glancing over his shoulder to where he thought he'd left Lynx. There was nothing there—could he really be surprised?—no swirling vortex of Unown, no massive explosions. "I don't think it's safe here."[break][break]

"Of course it's not safe. When has that ever made a difference?"[break][break]

Dom bit his lip. Direct as ever, that was his Nona. "You have to leave with me."[break][break]

"I have things to tend to. Much too busy, you know that."[break][break]

"But Nona—"[break][break]

"You didn't need to take me last time, why is this time any different?"[break][break]

"Because I can actually help you this time!"[break][break]

"Can you?"[break][break]

He flinched, searching her face for some kind of sign. Nona just smiled—confident, gentle, completely unbreakable. Or at least that's how she seemed. Dom's brow furrowed. "No, I'm not losing you again."[break][break]

Nona sighed. "You take too much responsibility for other people's actions, Nicky. Always have."[break][break]

"I know, but—"[break][break]

"You can't contol what I do any more than you could control what those Rockets did. The only thing you can be responsible for is yourself and your choices."[break][break]

He reached out to grab her wrist. This was his choice. As soon as his fingers made contact with her skin, they passed right through. Her form began to grow fuzzy, first at the point of contact and then spreading up her arm and across the rest of her. Her gentle smile never wavered.[break][break]

"Wait, Nona! I can't do this!" Dom clutched at the mist of her dissolving form.[break][break]

"You can, Nicky. You have to."[break][break]

And just like that, she was gone again.[break][break]

give me one last kiss while we're far too young to die

Dom felt the lump form in his throat. Gritting his teeth, he pushed it away. Nona was right, he had to get out of here. He looked around the expanse of soft grassland, the Unown wheeling as infinite stars overhead again. Every time he'd wanted something, it had appeared for him, so now that he wanted a way out, why wasn't there anything but grass?[break][break]

A breeze picked up, comforting and just perfect to cool his agitation. The sound of babbling water reached his ears and he turned to find a crystal clear stream not five feet from where he stood. It looked refreshing.[break][break]

Dom's brow furrowed. No. He wanted to leave.[break][break]

Despite the lack of a sun in the sky, the shade from the massive trees that suddenly appeared was welcome. Their boughs hung low over Dom, almost grazing the top of his head, leaves shifting and whispering in the breeze. A pair of yellow eyes blined down at him from the branches, and Dom recognized North's form hidden among the shadows. There was a nudge at his elbow and he looked down to discover Mags nuzzling her broad head between his arm and side. He couldn't help but smile as he turned and scratched her forehead. As he did so he caught sight of Nova and Lynx (a Riolu again, as was right) sitting in a cute campground, tending the fire. One of the tents unzipped and he saw Matilda Greenlaw poke her head out and wave. Just beyond was Auora, sitting on a shoreline with Lotus.[break][break]

Dom felt his shoulders relax. It was all here. Everything he wanted was here. Why would he need to leave? What was out there for him but disappointment and struggle? He turned his face towards the sun, squinting at the blue sky—had it been like that before?[break][break]

Just beyond the haze of blue, he could see a tumultuous swirling.[break][break]

Eyes.[break][break]

Millions and millions of eyes.[break][break]

Dom squeezed his eyes shut. "I need to go home." He held it like a wish, a butterfly cupped gently behind the cage of his fingers. Don't crush it; don't hold too tight or you'll suffocate it.[break][break]

When he opened his eyes, he was alone again, a small speck in an endless grassland below a dark sky. He took a steadying breath. One shape, distant and fuzzy, detached itself from the winking stars above. Dom tensed as the Unown drifted lazily down towards him, wobbling in large loops. It finally stopped before him, hovering a few feet away, staring with its shiny black pupil. There was a moment of stillness as the two beings waited for the other to act. Finally, the Unown spun and a simple wooden door materialized behind it.[break][break]

Not one to forget a threat, Dom looked up to the sky again. No more Unown left their abode; instead they had all stopped their wheeling and shifting. The millions of eyes sat still and unblinking. Watching.[break][break]

Dom clenched his fists, steeling himself, and in doing so remembered the Lucarionite he still held in his hand. But when he uncurled his fingers, he found the stone had been replaced by a single empty Pokeball. The Unown between him and the door rotated lazily, almost an inviting gesture. Gently, Dom tapped the Pokeball against it, squinting against the light that spirited away the Pokemon.[break][break]

He looked at the Pokeball for a moment, feeling the weight of the eyes above staring down at him. As he pushed it into his pocket and reached out to turn the handle on the door that would take him back to his dimension, he couldn't help but ask himself:[break][break]

Had he really gotten what he wanted?

[break][break]

+ shiv[break]
- mega stone found and used: lucarionite[break]
- assassins: escaped[break]
- unown report words used: horizon, stellar, wish.[break]
- dom is attempting to catch unonwn-z.

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Dom gave a sheepish grin when Andres asked what had brought him to Hoenn. Even though he'd been in the region for a few months already, he still hadn't quite prepared a decent answer. And it seemed like everyone was curious. At least politely so.[break][break]

"Oh, uh, I'm a Ranger, actually. I like learning about new Pokemon and the best way to do that is travel." Only a half-lie, but even so he felt bad. He refocused on the pamphlet, glad to have something to change the subject to. "Ooh, 24/7," he said. His schedule was so variable that he almost had to pick a place that was always open. "Gotta get the reps in where you can." He grinned up at Andres. "Jacuzzi's are nice, too. Work takes me up to Lavaridge sometimes, but not nearly often enough."

[break][break]

+ andres buenaventura

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Lynx instinctively flinched away from the Eevee, his little eyes narrowing. But her playful bow softened his expression somewhat, and he reached out to bop at her with an oversized paw. Before, obviously, retreating back behind Dom's leg. Dom laughed.[break][break]

"It's no problem. He could use someone to coax him out of his shell." Another withering glare from the Riolu.[break][break]

The glint of competition in Rae's eye was exactly what Dom liked to see. He grinned at her, rolling his shoulders to loosen them up. "Ohh, you're on!" In no time, she'd leaped forward, swinging an attack at the Hitmonlee. Dom raised his fists and made eye contact with the Hitmonchan. The Pokemon grunted but seemed to smile nonetheless.[break][break]

Dom and the Hitmonchan circled each other, feinting punches here and there to test their opponent's guard. It was the Hitmonchan who made the first move, feinting a left hook but striking out with a right. Dom nearly dipped right into the attack but brought up his arm to block just in time, grunting with the effort. The strike shuddered through his forearm and up into his shoulder. The breath of moment during the Hitmonchan's attack was his opportunity, he knew, but the shift of his weight put him in an awkward position to throw his own punch. His hesitation was all the Hitmonchan needed, and another punch rocketed into Dom's side. Groaning, he skittered backward to reassess.[break][break]

Lynx, meanwhile, stood off to the side. He followed Dom's movements with an excited expression, shadow-boxing along to his trainer's dips and jabs.

[break][break]

+ Rae Rançon[break]mission: pkmn hunter

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

When luka chêne offered the Minior one of the stones they found, Dom couldn't help but give a smile. Why hadn't he thought of that? He wasn't sure if the stones were made of the same atmospheric minerals that Minior tended to eat, but it was polite to offer. He'd been prepared to answer paxton concordas's question about the Lunatone and Solrock with a long and detailed explanation about the physiology and ecology of Meteorite Pokemon when (luckily for Paxton and everyone within earshot) they'd been interrupted by the Drilbur and Excadrill.[break][break]

The sudden disappearance of that swarm put Dom immediately on edge. They were fleeing something, and it wasn't the trainers they had attacked. Not a moment later, the Pokemon in the expedition vanished. Dom froze, his massive Mudsdale suddenly gone. His heart thundered in his chest, but he knew panic would only cost them. Instead, he tried to breathe and assess the situation at hand. But before he can get a handle on things, a wave of eyes and fantasy mist and fear washed over the group. And suddenly... their Pokemon were back?[break][break]

He put his hand against his Mudsdale's neck hesitantly, only relaxing somewhat when his hand met warm flesh and fur. He pressed his palm to her neck, unwilling to let go in case she disappeared again. As he watched the mist swirl closer to them, he heard Martín del Mar tell their exploration lead that they should avoid the mist and leave. Dom nodded, more to himself than anyone else, and pulled his shirt up over his nose and mouth. He didn't want the mist to touch Mags, but he didn't trust putting her back in her Pokeball. He cast about, looking for either an exit or the source of the mist. Anything to give him a direction to go.

U2KxGfOL

[break][break]

+ tl;dr[break]
- thinks luka offering the minior a moonstone is sweet.[break]
- was going to answer paxton's question about lunatone and solrock before they were interrupted by the swarm.[break]
- the swarm suddenly disappearing makes him nervous.[break]
- the pokemon disappear and he freezes to assess the situation but he's horrified.[break]
- mist and unown and panic, oh my![break]
- hears mars tell cat they should leave.[break]
- agrees with mars, covers his nose with his shirt, and starts looking for an exit or source of the mist.[break]
- fantasy 12/10

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

It wasn't long before the flapping of wings caught Nova's attention. Her ear swiveled back, pinpointing the sound before she turned to look. Dom followed her gaze, finally pulling his attention from the skyline just as Vic and his Charizard landed. He grinned, stepping towards the pair with a wave.[break][break]

"Not at all, bro! Plus," he gesture out towards the horizon. "Look at that awesome view. I wouldn't have minded." Staring out over scenic vistas was how he spent most of his free time anyway. Of course, he usually also got paid for it. "Thanks for meeting me, by the way. Nova here hasn't been on my party long, and I figured she could use some training." He patted the Ninetales on the head. "Training's always more fire with company."

[break][break]

+ Victor Wexler[break]mission: commitment: act ii

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

The warmth spreading out from the Arcanine was practically intoxicating to the Mareep. They were drawn closer and closer, like little fluffy moths to a big canine-shaped flame. Truth be told, Dom was having a hard time keeping himself from going over there, too. Though he was dressed well enough for the weather, the thought of burying his face directly into toasty Arcanine fluff was a tempting one.[break][break]

Dom nodded along as Hideo explained how his Aggron was able to mega evolve. He grinned. "Gotta find a stone, huh? You don't have to give me more excuses to play in the dirt." The compliment didn't get past him, though, and he blushed a bit. "Most of these guys are new to my team, so it's nice I've had a chance to bond with them as much as I have. Being out in the wilderness a lot for work helps."[break][break]

Almost on cue, Nova and North returned at the same time. The Noivern had one remaining Wooloo clutched in his claws which he deposited (mostly) carefully. The Ninetales, surprisingly, came back without an entourage. She sat happily in front of Dom, wagging her tails. "Looks like we found 'em all," he said to Hideo. Aurora's form appeared over the hill as she came lumbering back from her fence-checking duties. She seemed pleased, too, and gave a low rumble as she approached. "And it looks like the fences are all intact. Good work today, kid."

[break][break]

+ Hideo Kino[break]mission: mareep roundup

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

The response to his letter had been... unexpected. And unexpectedly sour. Dom couldn't help but mull it over in his mind as he stepped off of his Lapras' back and returned her to her Pokeball. The entrance to the cave loomed before him, but somehow he didn't feel apprehensive. Had he been a smarter man, he might have realized that his nerves probably should have been on fire. Instead, there was only curiosity as he entered the cave.[break][break]

Aurora followed him through the twists and turns of the cavern. Her unique typing made it especially easy for her to deter the Zubats and Geodude that might have caused trouble for Dom. They were able to make their way into the recesses of the cave with few problems, which only gave Dom more time to ponder the response.[break][break]

Finally, they approached a massive mural fronted by a natural dais of stone steps. Dom paused to take in the ancient art in full before he mounted the steps and approached what was surely Father Winter.[break][break]

Name what you'd like.[break][break]

The request—no, the demand—was a bizarre one to Dom. His brows furrowed for a moment as he thought, his eyes following the Unown D as it drifted lazily around Father Winter.[break][break]

"I'm gonna be honest, Mister Father Winter, you're real intense. Not really what I expected, but you do you." He bit his lip, still watching the Unown as it began to spin faster. "I want to know more, but that's—what'd you call it? Fluff. So... I want one of those." He pointed at the Unown. "Doesn't have to be that one. But I don't know much about them and I want to. If I had one, I could learn about it. Maybe have Matilda Greenlaw study it." The Unown spun faster and a swirling black portal opened its gaping mouth.[break][break]

Call it. Heads or tails?[break][break]

He was less hesitant with his answer this time. "Tails."[break][break]

I9EJtZuP

[break][break]

+ shiv[break]
- he's asking for an unown.[break]
- called tails.

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Dom almost felt bad for coming in during the busy season. Certainly, the trainers and staff were already swamped with the sheer number of people who inevitably would try to start a workout regimen this time of year. But he'd been away from the gym too long and it was starting to make him feel lazy. No amount of jogging through the woods or chopping wood would replace a good day at the gym.[break][break]

The person behind the desk gave him a grin and a wave, and Dom redirected his path to head that way. He gave a grin of his own, placing his hands on the edge of the front desk.[break][break]

"Hey, Andres. I'm new here, actually," he said, scanning the reception area. "New to Hoenn, too. I had a dope gym I used to go to back in Kanto, but I can't exactly make day trips back there now. Oh, I'm Dominic, by the way. I was hoping to find a new regular gym and I heard good things about this place."

[break][break]

+ andres buenaventura

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Nova barely managed to pry herself from the group of Wooloo—they were much more amenable to leaving once they got close to the bigger (and warmer) Arcanine. She huffed at them, cutting her eyes for a moment at Dom. But before he could say anything she was off again, looking for more of the little sheep.[break][break]

The sound of rushing wings signaled North's return. In his claws, the Noivern carried a Wooloo that looked horrified. With a few flaps, he lowered the sheep nearly to the ground before dropping it and flying off to find another. The Wooloo stood in shock for a moment, staring blankly, before it shook itself and bolted for the rest of the herd. At that moment, an Aggron approached, carrying an almost comical armful of Wooloo. Dom smiled up at him as he set down his burden and returned to his full height.[break][break]

"You did a fire job raising him, bro. He looks super healthy." Dom paused as the Pokemon patted Hideo on the head and returned to the field. "And he can mega evolve?" He couldn't help but sound impressed. "None of mine can do that yet. That's killer. Maybe you should give me some tips some time, yeah?"


[break][break]

+ Hideo Kino[break]mission: mareep roundup

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

"Hello, there, Patches," he said with a wave to the Eevee. She was way more interested in Lynx, though, which was fine by Dom. Lynx, on the other hand, squinted suspiciously at Patches, leaning away slightly when she pawed at him. "He's a little shy," Dom said before turning his attention back up to Rae. Lynx shot him a glare. How dare you.[break][break]

"Yeah? That's awesome! I'm always down to have some fire training partners. We were just starting off with a warm-up, y'know get the blood pumping. But we could totally jump right into—" he trailed off as a pair of shapes came into view, entering the cavern side by side. They reached the pool of light that filled the cavern and were revealed to be a Hitmonchan and a Hitmonlee. They stared down the pair with piercing stares, shifting their attention between Dom and Rae. Dom cleared his throat, pointing to each in turn as if he were introducing them to Rae. "That's Hitmonchan, the Punching Pokemon. And that one is Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokemon. They're pretty self-explanatory. I think maybe we got these bros fired up, too." He grinned, turning fully to Rae. "Ever do a few rounds in the ring with a Fighting-type?"

[break][break]

+ Rae Rançon[break]mission: pkmn hunter

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky