Session 7

Max has gone on ahead to check on Tim. Not long after, Sands bursts up out of the snow right next to Sam.
Sam Spade: "Sands!"
Jack Layfield: "Woah."
Sam Spade: "Please tell me that was really good aim."
Sands has a small square of paper with writing, and tries to plant it on Sam's face but winds up just dropping it in the air in front of Sam before landing claws-first and burrowing away.
Sam Spade: "Um."
Sam Spade catches it and reads out loud.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Unless Sam realizes that's a terrible idea partway through.
Note: "Max told me you're okay."
Note Double Underlined: "DON'T COME TO THE CENTER!!"
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Oh well now we know where we're going.
Note: "Ivan says he'll be busy until 4 or 5. Let's meet at his gym at 5."
The note ends there. The penmanship reeks of hurried writing.
Sam Spade: "…Damnit."
Sam Spade: "…Now I really want to see what's up at the Pokemon Center."
Sam Spade bites her lip.
Sam Spade: "On the other hand, there's plenty of fun stuff to do around town. I'd assume."
Sam Spade: "Anyone else ever been to Ice Town?"
Jack Layfield: "Like more snowboarding brah!"
Esme shakes her head.
Sam Spade: "…It's called Ice Cove isn't it. Welp, that shows you how familiar I am…"
Sam Spade: "Anna, your thoughts?"
Anna Tommize: "Umm…"
Anna Tommize tilts her head.
Jack is still excited and waving the snowboard around.
The pokemon center is a few blocks away, barely in line of sight. There is a hotel across from it, which looks like the stakeout locations Sam has seen in certain shows.
Anna Tommize: "…Wellll…iz not good t'ta get other people in trouble…"
Anna Tommize: "An…da note seems urgent?"
Sam Spade: "Less urgent, more rushed."
Sam Spade: "Okay, let's not risk getting Timmy in trouble."
Sam Spade: "Um."
Sam Spade: "Is anyone else really cold?"
Anna Tommize blinks.
Anna Tommize: "Nah?"
Esme shrugs. "Not terribly. Chilly, yes! But doable."
The streets are lined with snow. Indeed, the sidewalks are mostly recognizable as raised snow to the sides of the streets.
Jack Layfield: "N-no I-i'm not c-cold."
Jack Layfield: "I'm c-coooool."
Jack's teeth chatter
Sam Spade: "…Anyone know where we can buy some cheap coats?"
Sam Spade: "I know that at least one person here wants to snowboard."
Sam Spade: "And my understanding of snowboarding is that you spend much of your time face-down in the snow."
An arcanine with a small barrel attached to its collar wanders by. It assesses the party.
Anna Tommize: "Ooh Ark!"
Sam Spade: "Hey there!"
Jack Layfield: "Woah."
Anna Tommize stares at the arcanine.
Esme: "Ehh, passing on the boarding of more snow. Snow is lovely, but would prefer to avoid that."
Anna Tommize: "It's…big."
The arcanine stares back.
Esme: "Ooh!"
Esme pulls out her Pokedex.
Jack Layfield: "It's so radically fluffy."
Anna Tommize wanders up to it.
Anna Tommize: "T-touch?"
Anna Tommize holds her hand out, as if asking for a paw.
Pokedex: "Arcanine. Its proud and regal appearance has captured the hearts of people since long ago. This arcanine is registered to Ice Cove Rescue Department."
Esme: "Pupper!"
The arcanine very gently headbutts Anna's hand, letting her pet.
Sam Spade: "Well, we don't need rescue. I think."
Anna Tommize: "Hee!"
Anna Tommize starts rubbing it behind the ears.
Anna Tommize: "Ish friendly!"
Sam Spade: "But…excuse me, do you know where we can buy some coats? We're not in danger but we're not comfortable, either."
As expected, the arcanine is quite warm. It seems to enjoy the rub.
The arcanine puts a paw out toward Jack, then gestures toward its barrel.
Sam Spade: "Jack, I think it wants you to get something out of its barrel?"
Anna Tommize looks over at the barrel and tries to figure out what it's for.
[OOC] WC GM: Medical Education check.
Anna Tommize rolled up 2d6: 12 (12) (Medicine - Untrained)
[OOC] Anna Tommize: It's 2d6 right?
[OOC] Esme: outrageous
[OOC] Esme: Yeh
Jack grabs the barrel.
[OOC] WC GM: Yep.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Perfect roll. : O
[OOC] Jack Layfield: our first nat 20 equivalent
[OOC] Anna Tommize: 1/36 chance
[OOC] Esme: I mean there was an actual nat 20 last session but yes, nice max skill roll :p
[OOC] Esme: Wuzza barrel do
The barrel stays attached to arcanine's collar, but there is a tap on one side, apparently meant to be drunk from.
[OOC] WC GM: Was typing it up.
Jack opens the tap and chugs some down. What's the worst that can happen?
Anna Tommize: "Iss…a drink fer warming."
Jack quickly feels warm inside…
Anna Tommize: "They say it burns b-but…"
Anna Tommize: "Iz not fer kids…"
Sam Spade: "Huh. What did they do for kids traveling in the old system?"
Anna Tommize: "Ah dun t-think ah can 'ave any…"
[OOC] WC GM: Focus would be the closest equivalent to a constitution check, yes?
Anna Tommize: "U-umm…blankets, maybe…?"
[OOC] WC GM: So, Focus check from Jack, please.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: It's strong alcohol.
[OOC] WC GM: Yes this is totally a St. Bernard equivalent.
[OOC] Sam Spade: I figured that when it showed up with a barrel =D
Jack Layfield rolled up 3d6: 8 (8) (focus)
Sam Spade rubs the arcanine.
Sam Spade: "Well, you are quite warm, so I guess that's possible, too."
Jack feels a bit tipsy, a bit woozy…and the world seems fine.
[OOC] WC GM: Drunk for an hour or two.
Jack Layfield: "Woooooooh, This is a fluffy beastie." Jack hugs the arcanine and buries his face into its mane.
It's at this moment Sandy decides to pop back out of her pokeball.
Meeps begins prodding Anna away from the arcanine. It seems Jealous.
Arcanine: "Arc!" It presses into the extra rubbing, but also nods its head down the street.
Sam Spade: "Whatever you say! You know the area."
Sam Spade stands back up and starts heading down the street. She does tighten her trenchcoat around herself again, though.
Jack Layfield: "Bye fluff dude. Hey Sandy, why aren't you fluffy?"
Sandy the sandile tilts her head quizzically.
Arcanine pauses, lifts up one paw, and tries to gently trap one of Jack's hands between paw and mane, before proceeding three-legged down the street.
Sam Spade: "Come on, Jack, keep up!"
Esme pats the Arcanine before chugging along. "Bye pupper!" She flips back through her pokedex. "You'd think they have some maps in here…"
[OOC] WC GM: That is, trying to kind of drag Jack along.
[OOC] WC GM: Sam's heading that way - does Jack resist being pulled along? Do the others follow/accompany?
[OOC] Jack Layfield: He resists and tries to follow Sam
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Anna follows
[OOC] Esme: I'm following. Meant chugging in the choo choo not glug glug
[OOC] Sam Spade: Sam is going the direction the Arcanine told her to, so.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Though she wants to go with the Arcanine
Arcanine lets go upon seeing Jack follow Sam.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Basically Anna is perfectly willing to follow the Arc because fuck it's cute
Sam Spade: "So, um. Are we heading to a Rescue Society building? Or a clothing store?"
The arcanine jogs up to Sam then marches in front. Two blocks away, it leads to a clothing store.
Anna Tommize walks along with Meeps between her and the Arcanine.
Anna Tommize: "Oooh…"
Anna Tommize: "Thank you!"
Sam Spade: "…Well played, Arcanine. Well played."
Sam Spade: "Thank you!"
Arcanine: "Arc!"
Anna goes to reward it with a headpat but it bumped aside by Meeps. Meeps pads the ground at the Arc.
Anna Tommize: "Myeep!"
The arcanine sits in front of the store, tail wagging. It's hard to tell but it looks like the arcanine is smiling.
Esme presses her face against the glass, looking inside.
Sam Spade gives it a scritch of the ears, then opens the store door.
Jack Layfield: "Woah hey, did you guys know there was a clothing store here?"
Sam Spade: "Excuse me! We're, uh, journeyman trainers, and we're a bit cold."
Jack Layfield: "It's like, so totally random."
[OOC] Sam Spade: Go home jack yer drunk =p
A balding man makes his way to the front. "Hello? Oh, customers! Welcome to my store!"
Sam Spade: "Hi!"
Sandile, who has been following along, jumps up, slamming into jack's back, pushing him inside the store.
Sam Spade: "What do you have in the way of coats?"
Jack Layfield: "Wooooooaaaaaaaaaah." Jack tumbles forward.
StoreOwner: "Ah, coats! And I see Bernard there lead you…" He stops as Jack stumbles in. "…I *see*."
Anna Tommize awkwardly steps in, nervous about being the only person in a several mile radius who is wearing overalls.
StoreOwner: "Did you say trainers? On your journey? You certainly look like you're from out of town."
Sam Spade: "Yup."
Anna Tommize: "Y-yeah…"
Sam Spade: "It's not as cold here as I thought it would be, but we just came from Metro Beach, and they really don't have anything suitable for the weather here."
Sam Spade: "You know?"
StoreOwner: "…Metro Beach? Wait, were you the ones who helped Weiss set up the, err…?"
Sandy stands triumphantly over Jack, and wanders over to a coat rack, grabs the nearest coat in her teeth, strolls back to Jack, and drops it on his head. Helping!
Esme peels her face off the window; it was a bad idea. She rubs her cheeks. "We just came down from the mountain, if that's what you mean."
Esme: "Helicopters and plates and whatnot."
The store owner smiles and throws his arms wide. "One coat for each of you, on the house!"
Sam Spade: "Ooooh! That's awesome!"
StoreOwner: "Call it a thank-you-for-keeping-my-store-from-being-crushed sale!"
Sam Spade: "Thank you very much, sir!"
Jack Layfield: "Have you guys ever really looked at carpeting, I mean really?"
The sound of Jack's voice is muffled under the bright pink coat Sandy just dropped on his head.
Anna Tommize: "A-awr ya sure…?"
There is a large variety of cold weather gear, from the plain to models that seem like they would only be practical in a contest arena.
Esme claps her hands. "Merci!"
StoreOwner: "Sure I'm sure. Besides, pardon me for saying so, but you look like you really need one."
Sam Spade: "Well we really appreciate it."
Sam Spade: "Come on, Anna, let's get you a coat!"
Jack slowly rises to his feat, pink coat still draped over his head, Sandy sitting nearby, looking really proud of herself.
Anna Tommize: "U-umm, O-OK…"
Jack Layfield: "Do you have anything extreme?"
Anna Tommize looks over the various coats on offer, trying to find one she likes.
The store owner's eye glints. "How…extreme?"
Esme adorns a bright lime green light jacket. She's got enough purple going on.
Jack Layfield: "I mean extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeme brosev."
StoreOwner: "…I see. Well. I do have some I keep in store for coordinators. I could let you have it IF you promise me you'll wear it to the snowboarding contest they're going to have later today."
Jack Layfield: "DONE!"
Sam Spade: "Contest?"
Jack Layfield: "That's the BOMB MAN!"
StoreOwner: "It's a tradition: at some point within a day or two of the sloughing, they have a pokemon contest because the slopes are a perfect stage. There are entries for various levels; you'll want the beginner class."
Anna Tommize looks around before picking up a white wool jacket with ears before glancing down at Meeps. It baas in assent.
Anna Tommize: "I-I'll take this one…"
StoreOwner: "It's outside the usual circuit, but the ribbons are counted as just as official."
Sam Spade: "Oooh! I like that. It's very cute!"
Sam Spade: "Malta, is there one you think I should get?"
Anna Tommize ulps and looks away.
Malta beats her wings, then cheeps at Sam.
Sam Spade: "….Um."
Jack finally notices the coat on his head, and sheepishly removes it.
The store owner guides Jack toward the less practical looking outfits. "I assure you, these will keep you warm as much as any in my store."
He takes the coat back from Jack and points him toward…well. It would certainly be easy to stand out in these.
Sam Spade debates for a bit, then snags something skinny that'll fit under her trenchcoat but still keep her warm.
Jack Layfield: "Oh duuuuuuude, is that black on black with spikes? I must have it."
StoreOwner: "An eye for color, eh? Orange-black on blue-black. The spikes won't actually hurt anyone."
StoreOwner: "But that can be our secret."
Jack Layfield: "Yessssss me likey."
Esme: "Excuse me monsieur, do you know any places of interest around here?"
The store owner gets it off the rack and hands it to Jack. "Changing rooms are in the back. Try it on before you go."
StoreOwner: "Hmm? Touring the city, are you?"
Jack heads into the changing room to change the future of extreme as you know it.
Sam Spade: "That's the plan."
Sam Spade: "No point in being here and then just leaving, right?"
StoreOwner: "Well…I assume you've already seen the pokemon center and gym, or will soon. And if you've come down from the mountains you've no doubt seen the weather stations. There's the ice cream factory, the hockey field, the movie theater…oh, I noticed the Rescue Society's arcanine outside; you might want to drop by their headquarters and thank them."
Sam Spade: "Oh, quite! Bernard was really helpful."
Jack emerges from the changing room adorned in leather, spikes, and surprisingly comfortable cotton.
Jack Layfield: "Let's hit the slopes!"
Esme: "Ice cream factory?"
Anna Tommize: "I-ice cream factory…?"
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Quick poll if Meeps causes problems at the ice cream factory how pleased/annoyed will people be?
[OOC] Esme: Depends on the problems
StoreOwner: "Yes. They employ quite a lot of vanillites and their evolutions."
[OOC] Jack Layfield: Depends, but mostly fine.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: I haven't thought of one in detail but I could see it getting agitated and breaking something.
StoreOwner: "Here, let me…" He heads to the cashier counter and reaches under the desk. Moments later the party's pokedexes beep, having received a file transfer: a map update of Ice Cove, with attraction marked.
Esme: "I knew there were maps in here!"
Sam Spade: "Oh, neat!"
Sam Spade pulls up the map and quickly commits it to memory.
Anna Tommize: "Oooh…"
StoreOwner: "Yes. It's a system Amoda's tourism board came up with after…well, to try to combat the recent decline in tourism, which I'm sure I don't have to go into detail on. Most stores should have a map of their cities, which you can get just by asking. There may be…" He looks aside. "…other places, with other markings, if you know what I mean. The system's been adapted."
Esme: "Oh ho…"
Esme makes a note to tinker with the dex later.
Jack Layfield: "Huh."
Anna Tommize looks at the map and starts looking through it.
StoreOwner: "If you came from Metro Beach, you'll be heading toward Rustle Fields eventually, right? And Wirehold before that?"
Esme: "Probably? We don't have a set route, but we were planning on visiting everywhere…or at least I was."
StoreOwner: "Keep this in mind when you go there. Especially in Wirehold if you can get ahold of the Tommizes."
Anna Tommize: "Oh, gosh…Wirehold, uh…."
Anna Tommize gulps.
Anna Tommize: "Y-yeah, ehehe…"
Esme: "Huh. Gotcha."
Jack Layfield: "Tommize, where have I heard that name before?"
Esme: "Somewhere!"
Anna Tommize nervously fiddles with her hair.
Sam Spade: "Dunno. Any reason in particular we'd want to talk to them?"
Jack Layfield: "Whateves, ain't no thing."
Sam Spade rolled up 4d6: 12 (12) (Guile, cuz she's totally never ever head of the Tommizes)
Anna Tommize: "T-they founded Wirehold…"
Jack Layfield: "Duuuuuuuuuuude."
Anna Tommize: "So, there's a lot of…u-umm…"
Anna Tommize: "They like to be…"
Anna Tommize pauses for a moment.
Sam Spade: "Gotcha."
Anna Tommize: "R-respected."
Sam Spade: "Ah. I can see how that would be both good and bad."
StoreOwner: "It sounds like you know of them, and you have a local guide."
StoreOwner: "Some advice? Listen to her when you get there."
Esme: "Neat!"
Anna Tommize: "A-ah dunno 'em very well, r-really…"
Sam Spade: "I always listen to her. It's the only way to prevent getting zapped by Meeps."
Anna Tommize: "T-they never make…sense."
Jack Layfield: "Radical."
Esme: "Thanks a bunch, Mr… uhh…"
Meeps circles Anna protectively. "
Sandile: "SANDILE!" Sandy was feeling left out.
Sam Spade: "See?"
StoreOwner: "You know…" He peers at Anna. "I'd…almost say you look like them. But they don't travel, not this far."
StoreOwner: "Not if they can help it."
Anna Tommize gulps.
Anna Tommize: "A-ah'm…"
Anna Tommize: "Ah'm Anna Tommize…"
Anna Tommize looks down at the ground, ashamed.
The store owner BLINKS.
Jack Layfield: "Woah."
Anna Tommize: "Sowwy…"
Jack leans over to whisper to Sam. "Is this important somehow?" He is still clearly tipsy.
The store owner looks around the room. When he speaks, his voice is quieter and more serious. "A request."
Sam Spade: "Maybe more than I had thought."
Anna Tommize: "A-ahm jus' branch f-family…"
StoreOwner: "Please be extra careful with her safety. If you headed from Metro Beach then Foundry Town is next, right?"
Esme rubs her chin. "Pretty important."
StoreOwner: "Even now, the Jaegers…"
The store owner shakes his head. "They don't like that commission. Not one bit."
Anna Tommize frowns.
Anna Tommize: "O-OK…"
The store owner sighs. "Just your luck. Next you'll be saying you have a Layfield with you too."
Esme: "I'd imagine not." She waves her hand. "But don't worry, she'll be fine."
Jack Layfield: "Yeah, them crazy Layfields, am I right?"
Esme: "I am assuming they are of similar significance?"
StoreOwner: "…"
StoreOwner: "…okay. Okay. This is just…"
StoreOwner: "Do yourselves a favor. PEEK into the pokemon center. That's where the Jaegers are mustering. You'll see how seriously they're taking this."
Anna Tommize gulps.
Anna Tommize: "W-we were told not t'go…"
Sam Spade bites her lip.
Sam Spade: "Wellllll"
Sam Spade: "…Maybe…if we're really careful to not get caught…"
Jack Layfield: "I hear they once strapped a jet engine to an officer Jenny's motorcycle once. Boy, was she mad."
Anna Tommize gives Sam a nervous looks.
Sam Spade: "…Buuuuut…"
StoreOwner: "You don't even have to go in. Just look in through the front window."
Sam Spade: "…Ice cream factory…"
Esme: "Ice cream factory!"
StoreOwner: "The factory's just past the pokemon center."
Esme starts trying to shuffle people out the door. "We should get going!"
StoreOwner: "Actually, the center was set up there to treat industrial accidents at the factory. Not that they're common."
Jack Layfield: "What like, did someone get turned into a slushie or something?"
StoreOwner: "And survived, apparently."
Sam Spade: "Ice cream factory it is!"
Sam Spade: "And then we'll find out how much time Jack needs before the contest!"
Jack Layfield: "I don't need to prepare, I'm already awesome."
Esme: "Well in any factory setting there's always hazardous chemicals, and machine faults, and…"
StoreOwner: "Good luck! You'll need it, in tons."
Jack Layfield: "Though you know, the rules would be nice to know."
Anna Tommize nods.
Anna Tommize: "O-OK…"
Jack Layfield: "And where it's held."
[OOC] WC GM: Heading out?
[OOC] Sam Spade: Yup.
Anna Tommize falls in line behind Meeps, who in turn follows Sam out.
Sam Spade: "Um. Do we need to document anything for these coats?"
Sam Spade: "Cuz I don't want to get in trouble with Esme if we have to stay around for a while."
Sam Spade: "She can be mean."
StoreOwner: "Nah. I told you, they're on the house. Though knowing Ivan, when I tell him he may just insist on paying me for them. But that's not your problem."
The cold is much more bearable with the coats. It seems the store sells quality merchandise.
Jack Layfield: "It was real dude."
Jack Layfield: "Man, this is nice and warm."
Jack Layfield: "Even the spikes."
StoreOwner: "I'll watch the contest!" He flashes a horn sign to Jack. "Shred awesomely!"
Sam Spade: "…Now I'm afraid to look at the ice cream factory."
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Things are slowing down. Fast forward to the factory?
Crunch, crunch, crunch goes the snow underneath. At one point there is a pile of snow, too large to go over - a piloswine has been napping, and wakes at the party's approach, groggily shedding its snow coat.
Sam Spade: "Hi there."
[OOC] WC GM: Center then factory, since your route goes past it - unless you're avoiding it?
[OOC] Sam Spade: Not avoiding it. Getting ready to look without looking like I'm looking.
[OOC] Jack Layfield: Jack intends to peek in the window
[OOC] Sam Spade: C'mon, Chessa, be nice this once!
Just up ahead is the center, and sure enough, a massive building occupies the entire block beyond it.
Sam Spade: "Whoa that factory is big."
Esme: "…Well it /is/ a factory. Never seen one?"
Jack Layfield: "Foundry town is full of em."
Sam Spade: "Um, not really."
Esme: "Refineries back home."
Anna Tommize looks up.
As the party passes the center…yep, that is a lot of Team Jaeger folks. Tim is recognizable within, though his back is to the party just then. No immediate sign of Max. To one side there is a pile of large tubes, too wide to be machine guns…
Esme frowns, but keeps moving.
Esme: "Probably something to do with that Salt thing… also the whole avalanche business."
Esme: "… and those two that went down the hole. Lots of things!"
[OOC] WC GM: Tech Education check to try to ID them.
Esme rolled up 4d6: 17 (17) ((Technolomogy))
Anna Tommize ulps and keeps walking.
Jack Layfield: "Woah, they are organized."
Sam Spade: "Yeah. And the helicopters."
Esme: "…Geeze."
Esme: "They're getting ready to hit something hard, alright."
Esme: "But uhh… Ice cream! It is cold and tasty, I've heard?"
Sam Spade: "So have I!"
Sam Spade: "I can't wait!"
[OOC] Sam Spade: Was gonna deliver a really bad 'oh yes I'm looking at that' but then I remembered that Sam wouldn't be bad at that =p
[OOC] WC GM: Is Sam trying to ID the hardware too?
[OOC] Sam Spade: Sure - but she doesn't have tech ed. If yo want me to roll…
Sam Spade rolled up 2d6: 8 (8) (Technology Education)
[OOC] WC GM: Result PMed
[OOC] Jack Layfield: What the hell, jack'll try too
Jack Layfield rolled up 2d6: 6 (6) (tech ed)
[OOC] WC GM: Same result as Sam
It takes half a block further walking to find the front entrance - a security gate, with a flimsy raisable arm, leading to a courtyard. A few trucks can be seen inside, parked next to loading bays.
A guard in a booth at the gate looks up as the party approaches.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Too big to be a gun, but has a trigger. I'm guessing rocket launcher, but I dunno if Sam knows that.
Sam Spade: "Hi! Do, um."
Sam Spade: "Do you offer tours of the factory?"
Guard: "Sure, but not today. Tours're off until the sloughing's all dealt wit-"
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Rocket propelled grenades would make sense
Weiss: "He-ey~!" Weiss comes walking up the courtyard. "Vanillish wanted an extra supply so I had to make a quick run. Fancy meeting you here!"
Sam Spade: "Sloughing?"
Sam Spade: "Weiss!"
Sam Spade: "Good to see you!"
[OOC] Esme: They're pretty much anti-tank launchers
Esme: "Hello again!"
Weiss: "Did you say you want a tour?"
Sam Spade: "Yeah, but it seems like they aren't having any."
Weiss: "I buy so much it was cheaper for me to just become part owner." She flashes a badge. "Let them in; they're my guests."
Sam Spade: "Wow. That'd be…a lot of ice cream…"
Esme claps her hand together. "Nice."
The guard shrugs and raises the arm - symbolically, since people on foot could easily have ducked under it or hopped over.
Jack Layfield: "Does the tour explain why a Vanillish likes to eat the likeness of it's people?"
Weiss's shoulders slump. "No."
Weiss perks up. "But! Let's not worry about that for now, okay? Follow me!" She about-faces and heads into the factory.
Sam Spade: "Riiiight."
Anna Tommize blinks and trops after Weiss.
Sam Spade follows.
Jack Layfield: "Wooooh!" Jack lumbers in, sandile at his side.
Esme heads along, letting Gervais out as she passes the gate. "Ice cream, Gervy!"
Inside is slightly warmer than outside - not that that is a big feat. Large pipes and vats surround the party, towering up three stories.
Anna Tommize: "W-woaaaah…"
Weiss: "As you know, ice cream starts with sugar and milk. We import the sugar and some of the milk, though we have our own herd of miltanks as well. We keep them indoors so they can stay warm enough for optimal production."
Jack Layfield: "Radical."
Anna Tommize tries to follow the various pipes around to see where the all go.
Weiss: "I'm told there were protests about keeping the miltanks locked up…until, according to legend, one of the miltanks taught herself to speak like we do and told the protestors off."
Esme pulls out a pad for notes.
Esme: "Huh."
Weiss: "I've never heard them speak." She shrugs. "So I don't know if it's true, but that's what the legend says."
Weiss: "They DO seem content, though."
Jack Layfield: "Way crazy man."
Weiss: "Anyway! We start with that, add in flavorings from all over Amoda and beyond…" She gestures to the vats. "…or we used to. Imports have been getting a bit harder these days, so we stick to more basic flavorings, especially flavors we can get around here."
Sam Spade: "Aww."
Esme: "What kind of variety did you have before?"
Anna Tommize blinks.
Anna Tommize: "Is that why bacon ice cream is so expensive now?"
Weiss: "Yeah, that's one of the casualties. We stopped production of that last year."
Anna Tommize: "Ooh…"
Anna Tommize looks sad.
Weiss: "Maybe someday we can resume."
Anna Tommize: "I-I had a friend w-who wanted to try it…"
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Heehee.
Sam Spade: "Noyoudidn'tthat'sridiculous."
Weiss: "Last I counted we made over two hundred flavors. These days? Twenty, and limited production of about thirty more."
Sam Spade: "Can you get ingredients by ship?"
Weiss smiles sadly.
Weiss: "If they'll send it, and if Team Jaeger will allow it."
Weiss: "Those are two very big ifs."
Sam Spade: "Aww."
Jack Layfield: "Aw man, Not cool."
Weiss: "Supposedly there were concerns about arms shipping."
Sam Spade: "Of course there were."
Weiss: "Also, apparently Team Jaeger isn't entirely certain what to make of ice cream. It's like they were all raised in a desert or something."
Sam Spade: "That's the rumor."
Jack Layfield: "Pffft, arms who needs guns when you have pokemon."
Anna Tommize: "Jaggies…dun like ice cream?"
Anna Tommize seems aghast at this proposition.
Sam Spade: "Aaaand given the TJ's displays of competence I bet someone figures that an incoming ship probably has weapons so they immediately sink it."
Esme: "To be fair, I still don't know what to make of it either."
Anna Tommize: "Have they tried it?"
Weiss: "Weeell…" She smiles. "I haven't met a Jaeger yet who DISliked ice cream, once you can get them to try it."
Weiss: "But they seem nervous about so much as licking something cold."
Jack Layfield: "Oh, duuude, has anyone gotten them to get their tongues stuck to a frozen pole?"
Weiss: "Over there are the mixing vats. Over there is cold storage, where we let the ice cream settle to various textures. And over here…" She leads the way through a door. It suddenly gets much warmer and brighter.
Esme: "I got stuck on that window earlier…"
…this…this is a grassy field. With a sun, and sky. Miltanks dot the plain, some of them hooked up to milking machines, some just roaming around.
Sam Spade: "…Wow."
Sam Spade: "…Just…wow."
Jack Layfield: "Niiiiiiiiiiice."
Weiss: "The sky is fake, of course. But the grass is real."
Anna Tommize blinks.
Jack Layfield: "No wonder they're so happy."
Esme: "Ooooh!"
Anna Tommize: "H-how d-do you do the lighting…?"
Esme: "Simulated environment!"
Weiss: "Grass doesn't care if it's inside so long as it gets sunlight, water, and soil."
A few bellsprouts and hoppips can be seen here and there.
Weiss: "The lighting is an artificial, long-duration, wide-spread Solar Beam."
Anna Tommize: "…S-so it's…electric?"
Weiss: "There's even rain every so often, at controlled and announced times so the pokemon don't have to get wet if they don't want to. Heheh, of course, the grass types always want to."
Esme takes note. "Is that something unique to here?"
Weiss: "The simulated fields? I don't know for sure, but I don't know of any other place that would have use for it."
Weiss: "And yes, the light's electric. The power ultimately comes from Wirehold, like most of Amoda's electricity."
Jack Layfield: "It's all hella fancy. What are the grass types for?"
Anna Tommize looks visibly disappointed.
Anna Tommize: "Oh…"
One of the miltanks wanders up.
Sam Spade: "Hi!"
Weiss: "To help maintain the fields."
Anna Tommize: "Yah, W-Wirehold…dat…makes s-sense…"
Weiss: "This is actual dirt underneath, to a depth of about a third of a meter."
Weiss: "Not enough for ground types, but enough for grass."
The miltank's impassive gaze wanders over the party.
Sam Spade steps in towards the miltank.
Sam Spade: "Um. Can you talk?"
Sam Spade: "I know it's probably just a story, but…"
Esme as usual, Pokedex's the miltank.
Pokedex: "Ditto. It has the ability to reconstitute its entire cellular structure to transform into whatever it sees."
Weiss: "…"
Weiss STARES in Esme's direction. "What."
Anna Tommize: "…"
Esme blinks.
Esme: "Uhh."
Anna Tommize crouches down by the suspicious miltank and pokes it in the cheek.
Weiss: "But. What. How. HOW?!?"
Esme: "Don't ask me! I am just as confused!"
The miltank feels like a miltank.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Cow tip it?
[OOC] Anna Tommize: It might de-form to right itself
[OOC] WC GM: Bipedal. Harder to tip.
Sam Spade: "…Huh."
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Argh
Sam Spade: "…Can Dittos talk?"
Anna Tommize frowns, and looks back at Weiss.
Weiss: "No more than oth-"
Miltank: "Chosen ones."
Anna Tommize: "…How…wait."
Weiss just freezes, jaw open.
[OOC] Jack Layfield: Arguably bipedal is easier to tip.
Esme: "Well."
Anna Tommize very slowly turns her head to look at the prophet!tank with a look of horror on her face.
Jack Layfield: "SAY WHAAAAAAAT?"
Sam Spade: "Um."
Esme starts to voraciously take notes with widened eyes.
Sam Spade: "Chosen by…whom?"
Jack Layfield: "This is hella cray cray."
The "miltank" shimmers, deforms, stretches…and then Sam is looking at herself.
Though on closer inspection, the imitation Sam is a bit balloon-animal-like.
Anna Tommize falls over backwards and yips.
Anna Tommize: "C-creepy!"
[OOC] Jack Layfield: Does it have a goofy smiley face?
Sam Spade: "I don't smile like that, do I?"
[OOC] WC GM: No, a serious one.
Sam Spade: "So."
Sam Spade: "Um."
NotSam: "Took you long enough."
Sam Spade: "Do…you have a name?"
Esme's pokedex beeps. A rhydon cry emits.
Jack Layfield: "Took us long enough what? Are you mad at us you had to sit around as a miltank looking hella goofy?"
Not Sam frowns at the pokedex. "Still broken."
Esme: "Hmm."
The pokedex's screen is scrambled.
Anna Tommize gulps.
Sandile: "Sand sand, sandile!" Poking it's head from around Jack's leg, sandy is yipping at the strange shapeshifter.
Anna Tommize: "Wavvy…."
Esme: "Not Ditto then?"
Anna Tommize pulls herself to her feet while shaking.
Anna Tommize: "Y-you…"
Anna Tommize: "T-turn off the waves!"
NotSam: "Hurry up. Rescue land. Rescue sea."
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Asking party permission before Anna rushes it ineffectually
[OOC] Sam Spade: I'm cool with it
[OOC] Sam Spade: Also, for reference, I did pick up Iron Mind.
Anna Tommize: "Y-you dun b-belong here!"
NotSam: "Lugia. Ho-oh. Wait for you."
Anna Tommize starts running at it, arms waving.
Esme coughs.
Sam Spade: "Anna, wait!"
[OOC] Jack Layfield: Go for it
Anna Tommize: "Raaaah!"
Esme: "Lugia?! What?"
Not Sam catches Anna, squirms, and becomes a copy of Anna.
Sam Spade: "…Oh my gosh that is disturbing."
Meeps starts rushing at the doppelganger to save its trainer.
Jack Layfield: "Learn the grammer jammer, Lugia and Ho-oh be waiting for aaaah!"
Sam Spade: "Meeps, wait!"
Meeps: "Reeeeeep!"
NotAnna: "Surf time. Surf space. Must END MewTwo wars!"
Anna Tommize glares at the thing.
Sam Spade: "That is horrifying. Very, very horrifying."
Anna Tommize: "Y-yer one to talk! Wavving all over!"
Sam Spade: "But at least Jack will be happy."
Sam Spade: "Surfing time…"
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Struggle attack from Meeps?
Esme keeps taking notes, though is very concerned.
[OOC] WC GM: Roll it if you want. It will do nothing.
[OOC] Anna Tommize: I figured. Go ahead and just narrate it.
[OOC] WC GM: Sure, go for it!
[OOC] Sam Spade: "No, YOU narrate it!"
[OOC] WC GM: :P
Meeps leaps forward and latches onto the doppleganger's ankle, trying to get it to release Anna.
[OOC] WC GM: I try not to narrate PC actions, and the rule for this campaign still is that the player runs the pokemon by default.
Jack Layfield: "Space-time surfing? That is bomb diggidy cool!"
Not Anna frowns at Meeps, but does indeed release Anna…and turns into another Meeps.
Anna Tommize: "Grr! D-dun wav mah meeps!"
Jack Layfield: "Please don't have chosen the form of our destructor."
Anna Tommize sweeps her Mareep up away from the copycat.
Esme looks to Weiss, though she's pretty sure she probably has no idea what's going on either.
Anna Tommize: "I-iz dis about Dojji!?"
Weiss is just frozen, barely comprehending.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Beats a giant Slor every time.
NotMeeps: "Dojji. Amoda. Gaela. Your names, one place, all connected."
Jack Layfield: "Wait, I have a cool idea!" Jack picks up sandile, and carefully pokes the fake meeps with Sandy.
Indeed, Not Meeps becomes Not Sandy, and barely seems to notice.
Jack Layfield: "Woaaaaaaaaah."
Anna Tommize starts sniffing.
Sam Spade: "Man, prophets are bad enough when speaking Human isn't a difficult chore."
Anna Tommize: "D-dun…"
Jack Layfield: "I wonder if it's just people and pokemon? Quick, someone poke it with a stick!"
Sam Spade: "Please don't. It's really bothering Anna."
Anna Tommize: "Dun corrupt mah friends…"
Jack Layfield: "Oh, right, sorry, that was uncool of me."
[OOC] Anna Tommize: Rhyhorn cry = probable glitch poke?
Sam Spade: "We'll do what we see fit, strange one."
Esme: "I don't think it's going to corrupt any of us…"
Sam Spade: "If that means ending the MewTwo wars - which I thought had already happened - then we shall."
Anna Tommize: "Y-you dunno that!"
[OOC] Esme: Actually, can I roll Occult to notice anything familiar?
Esme's pokedex finally settles down. The only legible text is the pokedex entry number: 0.
[OOC] WC GM: No roll needed. Esme knows who this is by now.
Esme: "Oh geez."
Esme: "Yeah, it's not gonna corrupt us."
Esme: "Probably."
Anna Tommize doesn't trust it.
Jack Layfield: "Zero, how can it be zero?"
NotSandy: "Am of paradox. Created by detonation. Live to end."
NotSandy: "Will see again."
Sam Spade: "I figured."
Sam Spade: "Until we see you again…"
Everything goes white…then the party is outside the gate.
Sam Spade: "…WHAT."
Weiss: "What…what…"
Esme: "It's 0 because it doesn't have a number."
[OOC] Sam Spade: Um. Gate?
[OOC] WC GM: Front entrance to the factory.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Okay.
Anna Tommize: "I-it shouldn't exist!"
Jack Layfield: "The ding dang crap was that?"
Sam Spade: "We hadn't finished the tour!"
Weiss: "Ineedtogocheckonthemiltanks!" She runs back into the factory.
Anna Tommize squeezes her Mareep tighter.
Sam Spade: "…Stupid paradoxmon…"
Esme calls after her. "They're probably fine Ms Weiss!"
Esme: "I guess she doesn't have to be worrying about being a 'chosen one', though."
Sam Spade: "I don't care if I have to. I'm not going to."
Sam Spade: "If we wind up saving the world, good for us!"
Sam Spade: "But I won't do anything that I wouldn't have done anyway."
Sam Spade: "And that's that."
Sam Spade: "So don't worry, Anna."
Anna Tommize gulps.
Esme smiles wryly. "That is typically the best mindset to have when dealing with these sort of things."
Anna Tommize: "I-iz a trick…"
Esme: "Though that was… very unexpected."
Jack Layfield: "Do you think it would have turned into an voltorb or a pokeball had I poked it with a pokeball?"
Sam Spade: "Well, we'll see if it holds tonight at the Center when I'm trying to sleep."
The gate guard looks up. "Back already? Hmph."
Esme: "Quick tour."
Guard: "You in the spikes. You're here for the snowboarding contest? They'll be starting soon, over there." He points toward the mountains.
Sam Spade: "Oh, right!"
Sam Spade: "Um. Do you know where the best place to watch will be?"
Anna Tommize seems very shaken up.
[OOC] WC GM: Logend soon has been requested, so let's wrap this up then end before transitioning to contest.
The guard's finger does not move. "They got stands. Or it'll be broadcast, if you want to huddle up next to a screen."
Sam Spade wraps an arm around Anna's shoulder from the side that Meeps isn't on.
Sam Spade: "Come on! Let's go watch Jack be…ah…extreme."
Esme: "Yeah…"

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