Sion Astal

*Hello, Route, have a certain silver-haired king with an almost uncharacteristically bewildered expression on his face*

Now, I realize that there's a number of Pokemon which can evolve in more than one various ways, such as how Eevee can become one of seven different ones, but...

*he turns the camera, panning past a Ninjask that's sitting quietly in the grass nearby to zoom in on a Shedinja*

...But is it normal for one to evolve into two separate ones at once?

*the video comes on to a lot of jostling around and movement- clearly someone had accidentally turned on his 'gear while pulling it from his bag. But if you look more closely, you'll see it's not just the pokegear's movement that's causing the scenery to rush past in a blur.... but that, in fact, the trees and undergrowth of Viridian Forest really are zooming past the camera's view as it and its holder race along through it. After the moment the view stabilizes, looking backwards to reveal the tail of an arcanine swishing through the bottom of the frame, and several paces beyond that, a certain lazy mage clinging desperately for dear life to sawsbuck galloping behind*

Really? It's bad enough you talked me into this, now you want to show this off to everybody??

Of course not, I just wanted an image for myself of the look on your face as you trail behind~

*there's just a wordless cry of frustration from Ryner at that, to which Sion only laughs. A warning bark from the arcanine interrupts him though, and the image jolts as he apparently suddenly ducks, then blinks off as it's jostled again. The king and the strongest mage of Roland, ladies and gentlemen*

[Video]

*at first, the video appears to be accidental, the 'gear held somewhat off to the side in one hand and thus giving a slightly crooked, odd-angled view in which one can make out Sion smiling and waving goodbye to some of the girls from the Celadon gym. Once the farewells are finished, however, he turns his attention back to the 'gear, now holding it up to better focus on the image on himself. The horns he acquired from the outbreak-inflicted mutations are plainly visible, to the point he's not even bothering making the futile effort to hide or disguise them*

I must say, if the trainers and leaders of the gyms here in this region are as pleasant as the young ladies here, collecting the badges will hardly feel like any trouble at all. Perhaps I'll have to consider paying them a visit again sometime once I've finished...

*he pauses, then adds*

Ah, and by the way, if you're free, would you care to join me for a drink sometime while I'm in the area, Arturia?

*he moves to turn off the feed, glancing up at a distinctive "swa~" from overhead as the video cuts out*


[Action]

*those who are in the immediate area outside the Celadon gym, meanwhile, might be just in time to see a swablu swoop in and land right on Sion's head, settling in quite comfortably as his horns provide a natural nest, much to Sion's apparent chagrin*

And just who let you out, Whisper?

*the only response he gets is a content "blu~"*

( Cut for prose )

*The feed blinks on to blur of shapes and colors flowing past, which after a moment or two resolve themselves into the backdrop of the entire of a cavern of some sort, zooming past as the 'gear flies one way and then another. A few more moments, and the flashes of color and occasional cry of a pokémon explains just what's going on- it seems a serperior, ampharos, and dratini are playing a game of "whack the 'gear back and forth with your tail". This continues for a good minute or two, the participants obviously unaware or uncaring that they're being recorded, showing enough of the cave that the astute observer may identify it as the Dragon's Den by Blackthorn City, and also revealing a slightly agitated-looking absol pacing and glancing about a short distance away. Finally, though, there's a sudden urgent-sounding "Ser! Perior!" followed by an affirmative "Amph!", and the 'gear abruptly stops its journey and is set on the ground, giving a view down the cavern from behind the ampharos's legs.

Almost immediately, a rather satisfied-looking glaceon trots into view, with Sion following immediately behind it. Sion's now sporting an almost crystalline-looking pair of horns sweeping back from his forehead like a crest, a side effect compliments of the recent mysterious outbreak, and the awkward fit of his clothes in a few places suggests there's more similar mutations unseen. He pauses as he catches sight of the quartet of pokémon, eyes quickly taking in the situation*

Fen...

*Sion frowns in the direction of the ampharos and the half-hidden 'gear, but before he can speak again the absol suddenly leaps forward with a cry*

Dusk? What...?

*his words are lost however as with a roar a large dragon comes crashing through a boulder to the side of the path, plainly on the attack. More startling, however, is that it's apparently ignoring the various gathered pokémon, instead swinging its outstretched claws straight at Sion, whose eyes go wide in surprise even as his own pokémon dash forward to try to intercept, sending the now-forgotten 'gear tumbling.

The last the camera catches is the sound of roars and shouts, and a flash of light followed by everything going an icy white before the feed finally cuts out*


((All network replies will be ICly delayed by a half-hour to an hour or so.))

As is probably evident, I was one of the two who asked for the identity of the sheep given in the first clue, and was told it was you. I didn't have a chance to speak with you yesterday, but I wanted to ask if you had any suspicions of anyone so far.

Well, if you don't mind telling me, I'm certainly curious to know who the other sheep is.

*sometime rather late this evening the network is graced by an unusually rumpled-looking Sion, who's clearly just on the outskirts of Goldenrod*

Ah, I don't suppose anyone might direct me to where the nearest cleaners is in this city? I'd rather not spend more time searching than necessary tonight, really...

*...because clearly the first thing one needs to worry about upon arriving in a city after having weathered an unnatural storm in the forest is where to get one's clothes laundered :|b*

*It's still fairly early Saturday morning when the video appears on the PGC network, showing a certain silver-haired trainer who looks like he's already been up and about for a few hours. The indistinct sounds of a wild pokemon battle can be heard in the background*

Out of curiosity, has anyone noticed if there's any patterns to the sort of personalities different types of the pokemon have? I can't say I've met enough to know, myself, but I can't help wondering if there's certain traits typical for particular species...

*A sudden battle-cry of "viiiine!" can be made out in the background, and Sion looks away for a moment, giving the feed a brief view of an Eevee peeking out shyly on his shoulder from behind the cover of his long hair. There's an answering roar of surprise and a sound like flames, and Sion gives a slight sigh before turning back to the 'Gear*

By the way, Ryner, Ferris, since the weather has improved lately, we ought to get moving. I'll expect the two of you to have started preparations by the time I get back.

*And with that the video ends as he goes to deal with a certain Servine who's picking fights with fire-types now. Though really, who gets up to train that early in the morning anyway??*

Since I already had this chunk translated and it's a good scene, if very bawwww.

Note: contains some spoilers for the early part of the series.

( From Volume 2, chapter 1 )

*in which there surely will be SHENANIGANS*