“But I don’t want eternal life! I wanna get reincarnated as a Pokémon!” The young woman whined, her belief system quite different from the Johtonian youth’s own. By the sounds of it, it was based on alternating stages of death and rebirth rather than an eternal afterlife.

Despite their differences on the subject of faith, family was something they both held very dearly in their hearts. Josh’s adulation of his mother’s divine cooking gave Andrea a craving for dessert, but she knew that if she ate any more she could literally burst.

“Your parents must’ve had you when they were quite older. Mine had me in their early twenties.” The dragon enthusiast mused after doing the math in her head. “They might not be the best cooks around, but when it comes to taking care of Pokémon, they’re second to none! They love Pokémon so much that they regularly dress up like them! You can probably tell I took after them…” The eccentric cosplayer smiled sheepishly, while petting her beloved Fuecoco.

Josh Devlin //sygna drip

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Startled by Ro’s… unusual cry, the flamboyant cosplayer darted her head to the side to notice a familiar face. “Lars! Hi!” She waved at the ranger.

Before further pleasantries could be exchanged, the not-Jigglypuff was devoured by a not-Suicune in a gruesome display of survival of the fittest.

“It’s Walking Wake! Chomper, you know what to do!” Andrea exclaimed BRAVELY.

The shiny Hydreigon shot a meaningful look at his rival, the edges of his middle mouth turning upwards into a cocky smirk.

Keep up if you can, scrap metal!

With that, the three-headed dragon fired a boosted Draco Meteor towards the approaching Paradox Pokémon.

Laurence Anderson

☉

“Yeah, we will.” The PokéManiac curtly replied. Sure enough, the duo were transported from the foreign Crown Tundra into the land of Kitakami, whose culture was a lot closer to Hoenn’s.

The town was in a festive mood thanks to the ongoing Festival of Masks. Children quickly gathered around Chomper and Enteisaurus, amazed by the big, badass dragons. However, one lone child stood out…

The masked ogre.

“Be ready for a fight soon…” Andrea whispered to Cass with a serious expression. Was she familiar with this scenario too?

Walking up to the green-clad ‘child’, the dragon-costumed woman leaned down. “Hello, little one. Being sad and lonely during a festival is no good. Would you like to hang out with your big sisters?” She asked with a warm smile.

The ‘child’ wordlessly stared back at them, its true emotions hidden behind a mask of teal color. After a few seconds, it took the taller woman’s hand, while meekly pointing at a nearby food stand.

“You’re hungry, huh? Let’s buy you some candy apples, my treat!” Andrea cheerfully said.

Cassandra Kubrick

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The earthquake nearly caused Andrea to lose her footing. Using her Hydreigon Sygna Suit, she was able to Fly several feet off the ground, where the tremors could no longer affect her.

“Go, Huggles!” The airborne trainer switched her Gouging Fire out for a Dragonite that spread its comically small wings. “Give ‘em a Hurricane! RAWR! RAWR!”

Empowered by the girl’s persistent Dragon Cheer, the orange dragon summoned a mighty tornado that combined with Milotic’s blizzard into a maelstrom of wind and snow. Meanwhile, Chomper kept Outraging.

Another Z-Ring was activated, causing one of the Unown to bristle with psionic energy. Soon, a second SHATTERED PSYCHE broke through the fluffy layer of safeguard protecting the two Rocket members.

THEO BECKETT, Lulu Flint

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With Sygna Suits and two rare Pokémon on their side, the outcome of the battle seemed predetermined, but the envoys of Arceus were not to be underestimated. As the mechanical insect deployed its Z-Move, the enemy followed suit.

"Do not interfere!" Said one of the masked agents of the DRK Triad, a device just like a Z-Ring strapped around their wrist.

The SHATTERED PSYCHE that followed rendered Andrea's Gouging Fire unconscious from the immense psychic damage.

"Enteisaurus, no!" The young cosplayer cried out, clenching her hands in frustration. "Chomper, Outrage!" She yelled, her Hydreigon knocking several Unown away in a fit of draconic fury.

Regrouping, the floating letters fired differently-typed Hidden Powers, which joined together into a rainbow-colored beam.

THEO BECKETT, Lulu Flint

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"Nice Flamethrower, Helios!" Andrea's smile at the black Charizard was juxtaposed by a disappointed pout directed at Draco. "You shouldn't make fun of it just because it's weak, especially when it was just trying to be your friend! Every Pokémon is precious!"

It appeared that his pompous remarks had not made him popular with the dragon girl. If anything, his attitude and actions made him come off as a bully.

Draco Prowler //skipping

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"It's not real... It's just a simulation..." Andrea repeated like a mantra, while staring at the Glastrier's cold, dead eyes. Scorched by multiple Fire-type moves, its icy mask had melted into blue liquid, pooling around the two women's feet like blood.

This was not fair. Why did the simulation only offer them two options, both of which were awful? By picking the lesser of two evils, had they truly done the right thing?

Turning towards the villagers who hailed them as heroes for taking a life, Andrea scowled venomously. "Shut up!" She lashed out at them.

Cassandra Kubrick

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Andrea arched an eyebrow at his automatic response. "You operated on an avatar? Which one?" The young woman casually asked Doug to divulge sensitive information that was probably protected by the AQUA Initiative and medical confidentiality laws alike, just to sate her curiosity.

She genuinely was that oblivious.

The fact that avatars retained their humanity went against preconceived notions of them ascending to the level of demigods. It also ruled out avatarship as a possible method for Andrea to transform into a Pokémon-like entity.

Considering what avatarship had done to people like MATIAS SILPH, it was a relief she would not have to go down that path in order to achieve her dream.

John Sullivan //mission thread

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