[The screen comes on to show Qubine deep in thought.]

It's September...which means it's another hatchday for me. I've survived another year...which would be a much greater and more difficult feat where I come from. Somehow I don't quite feel as proud as I should.

[He's had much fewer beasts trying to kill him, and fewer battles to win just to stay alive. It's a strange feeling.]

Then again, it's always good to be alive.

Heh...I wonder if I'm starting to sound like Amadeus...

[When the feed begins, it shows Qubine in some...open area. There's nothing visible around him except a huge very dark gray cloud above him, and the rain pouring down from it.]

...So these are the kinds of shenanigans these eggs are causing this year. This one isn't too serious, but it is rather annoying. I'm not too keen on getting my cave wet, so I guess I'll sit here and wait until this passes...

[He glances off to the side for a moment.]

...Or I can take a dive.

[He returns his attention to the screen.]

I hope we don't have any more of those "Pokemon" hatching from these eggs. Not that they were bad to have around, but the overpopulation can be overwhelming...

[Have a young man with absurdly pale hair and a brooding look to him staring intently for a moment (and a bit too close for comfort until he pulls back). He bears a striking resemblance to another current resident in fact, one Daenerys Targaryen.

Those who pay attention will see the black armor he wears is damaged, with some blood splattered here and there. And there is, of course, water behind him, though he has left the immediate location of his arrival.]

With this being a new world, I wonder, has anyone here seen a living dragon?

[Moving back a bit further, those still watching will see a sigil of a three-headed dragon upon his chest plate.]

[The feed begins with a deep, gutteral sigh as many of his public posts do.]


All this time, I've feared that this world would make me too soft. And all this time, I have tried my best to not let that happen. And yet...I fear that it's happened regardless.

So I suppose my question is, what can I do to keep my claws sharp around here?

[Qubine could only sigh as he hears the whispers of certain people who like to talk shit. He's been hesitant to announce his own campaign to the world, but after running twice before, he's learned that mingling with the people is one of the keys. So he begins his feed.]

Greetings, everyone. I am Qubine, a dragon from Sornieth, and a candidate for Guardianship of Fayren. I was hatched in the Southern Icefield, but I've lived most of my life in the Viridian Labyrinth. I lived with the Filia Clan, founded by Grim and Usha, until the clan became crippled by a devastating plague. I then raised a new clan of my own, in order to save the Filia Clan from said plague. The clan I raised became known as the Kalma Clan.

If anyone has any questions about me, you can ask now, or wait until the City Guardian debates, which should take place later this month. In the meantime, I would like to clarify one thing:

There is nothing that anyone can "bribe" me with that I would want or need. In fact, I find the people's dependence on money to be rather astounding at times. All of Fayren will be protected under my wing. If I don't get to protect it as the City Guardian, then I will simply protect it as me. If there's a threat that endangers Fayren, especially on a larger scale, then I'll be there to fight.

...Thank you.

[He makes a bow with his head before ending the feed.]

[While Genessia has more than its share of benevolent dragons, leave it to Gellert to find a truly vicious one. The crack of what sounds like a whip accompanies the bellowing roars of the beast well. Gellert might look like a hero, silhouetted as he is by the dragon's flame, and he certainly seems unfazed by all the fuss.

But then he laughs and the sound is unnerving.]

Now, now, is that necessary? I just need a little blood. You won't miss a vial or two.

( Cut for Dragon Violence... )

Wasn't that exciting? [With his feet on the ground, he ducks into the cave and brings out the spoils of his battle.] It is so very hard to acquire dragon blood.

[There follows an audible thump and he looks up.]

Poor thing. They want to bury me in here, is that it?

[For a big, scary dragon, Myrrh can be quite a scaredy cat. As soon as people started turning into monsters, she fled deeper into Fayren Woods to wait it out.

But now, she appears on screen, not looking all that great. Manakete don't settle well alone.]

A-are the monsters gone yet? What happened to Fayren...?

[Qubine's relaxing in his cave, laying across the cold stone floor when the feed comes on.]

So...is everyone enjoying their transformations?

[There may be a hint of amusement in his voice, but he's honestly just curious. He's not planning to be mean...]

(Video: OTA)

[The image on the screen is that of a young woman, roughly mid or late teens, dressed in a formal black gown and a silver tiara which draped a sheer mourning veil over her face. She removes the veil to reveal the saddened face of Anastasia.]

I'm back from the dream docks… Has anyone ever lost a parent? Sibling? A child? Or have watched them wither away? …How do you cope with it?

( Closed Action: Trunks )

( Closed Action: Soma ) 

( Closed Action: Satsuki )

[Qubine had been busy with his Deputy Guardian duties and other things on his mind, it took him nearly a week to notice that September was upon them. How time flies... Now he wonders if the question on his mind was common. Only one way to find out...]

Has anyone ever forgotten their own hatch...err...I mean, I believe they're known as "birthdays" to humans?

[Ever the conversationlist, is he not?]

A [Video/Open to all]

[Mavis is sitting by the lake in Fayren.]

August is a great month of the year, isn't it?

[She sounds dreamy, and she might be blushing a little.]

I would have liked to be able to tell him that.

[She suddenly realizes the feed is open. She blinks and then simply smiles.] I've heard people celebrate anniversaries by offering something that corresponds to the number of years. Like... 50 years corresponds to gold, 60 years correspond to diamonds,... But I couldn't find a book about it.

Could one of you help me figure out what 3 years mean?


B ( [Text message - Private to all Fayren deputies + Moon Knight] )


C ( [Action - Open to all Fairy Haven residents/employees/regulars and to Aizawa, Bakugou and whoever they decide to bring with them] )

[Cassian and Kay's house is often lively and, while Kay is trying to keep what is happening behind him mostly out of frame, Cassian and some pokemon can be spotted.]

Does anybody know a good blacksmith that can weld my wedding ring into place? [Kay raises his left hand and sure enough, there's a white gold ring around his finger.] It keeps falling off because my frame's too smooth and I don't want to lose it by accident.

[Any attempts at seriousness are ruined when there's a yelp, a shout of] Galantea! Get back here right now! [and then there's a Sylveon wearing a tiny tuxedo throwing herself at Kay smugly crowing Sylveon! Sylveon! Cassian appears a moment later, plucking her from Kay’s shoulder. If you look closely, you can see a matching wedding ring on Cassian’s hand, worn along with the gunmetal-grey ring made of Kay’s frame he’s been wearing since Christmas.]

That’s it, you’ve been wearing this tux since the wedding. Enough now. [For his troubles, he gets his cheek licked– slowly and slobbery and with great relish. He finally notices the phone in Kay’s hand.] If you’re going to announce it, you might as well tell them we’ll be unavailable for our honeymoon.

It's hard to believe it's time for another Guardian election already. Needless to say, I'm sitting this one out. I still have doubts that the position is right for me.

[That, and he knows he can't win so long as Mavis is running. Not that he'd want to compete against her for the position in any case.]

It's hard not to feel that way, when I have the increased feeling that I don't belong in this world at all. Even among Fayren's Deputy team, I'm the odd one out.

[A giant dragon among a Guardian and a group of deputies who are or appear to be human, but also all happen to be women.]

Let me tell you...being as large as I am presents its own set of problem. Liora is small enough to mingle with humankind. Alexstraza has the ability to shift into a smaller form, which allows her to blend in better.

But in spite of all of that, I wouldn't wish to be anything else. Fascinating, is it not? That no matter how much you wish to be something else, you're ultimately satisfied with what you are.

[He pauses for a moment before moving on to the next thing that's bugging him.]

In regards to the election, I think there should be some kind of screening process before becoming eligible. Honestly, a dragon-hunting wartoad who favors "explosion and murder" above anything else should not be allowed to run.

video

[It’s not unusual for Cassian to be wearing his uniform jacket or other parts of his uniform as these are his comfort clothes, but today he’s looking all Rebel Alliance soldier in full uniform, nothing Attleton about him. His entire posture is far more military now as he stands to address the network.]

By our best conversions to the local calendar, today is the anniversary known as Empire Day in my galaxy. It is a day on which the Galactic Empire shows its might on every occupied world with military parades and a grandiose speech in which the Emperor once again lauds progress and advancement when all that has progressed is his tyranny.

For all those who oppose the Empire it is a day to have the power of our enemy driven home – but also a day to think about the necessity of resisting their might, no matter the personal cost to us. For us in the Alliance to Restore the Republic it is a day on which we think about the reasons we fight, and the sacrifices we are willing to make.

I have no intentions to hold a parade of our own in Attleton. But we are going to meet in the park this afternoon, a few of us, celebrating that we are still around to spite the Empire, even if only from afar. We invite all those who have been fighting for freedom and against tyranny in their own universes. I can’t think of a better way to spite the Empire today than a gathering of rebels and resistance fighters from many worlds. So if you consider yourself one, feel invited to the park in Attleton to meet and share your experiences and the cause you fight for.


action, Attleton park, Sunday afternoon

[Unlike the fundraiser planned for next week, this is a highly informal get-together on the meadow by the lake. There are a few blankets spread out, two large picnic basket filled with snacks and cakes and a cooler with drinks. He's even listened to Demyx's complaints and stuck for the most part to local Attleton food, bringing only a few dishes from his own galaxy.

K-2SO can be seen fiddling with daytime fireworks, occasionally firing one off to paint the sky with trails of smoke in the bright orange-red of the Rebel Alliance. Near some orange flares placed on the ground in bottles, an Oricorio pokemon is proudly dancing flamenco and juggling swords.

The other remarkable thing giving it away as more than a regular group of Attletonies enjoying an afternoon in the park is the sheer number of pokemon running around, chasing another and play-fighting under a still uniformed Cassian Andor's watchful gaze.

...or his not so watchful gaze. He hurries to the edge of the lake, scooping up what looks like an oversized ice cream cone. The water at the shore is already covered by a thin layer of ice.] No, Hoth, we agreed we won't be freezing the lake today!


[OOC: Feel free to post a top-level and/or mingle with another at the get-together.]

[Mother's Day. Something Qubine hasn't heard of, but he can definitely appreciate.]

So...humans have a holiday to celebrate mothers as well? A noble cause, I have to admit.

We have no such holiday in Sornieth, but I have my reasons to appreciate the mothers...the female dragons. When I was first raising my clan, I only had two ways to take in dragons - either by finding abandoned eggs throughout Sornieth, or by breeding. However, I had a rather difficult time finding female dragons to breed. The eggs I had found were mostly hatching male dragons, and even the ones who did manage to breed were also hatching male dragons...or stillborns. However, as my clan grew, breeding became less necessary.

It was because of the difficulty we had in the beginning that the female dragons were especially valuable to us. For a while, I even had to forbid the female dragons from beginning their Passage until they've had a chance to breed. I later lifted that rule as our clan grew.

So you can imagine that I appreciate all the mothers in my clan. Azalea, Orphne... [He chuckles a bit.] Usha...and of course, Shayla. Though I fared poorly as a father, at least I can be glad that Shayla was the best mother she could be to our sons before they died...

[Qubine lets out a sigh.]

As for my own mother...her name was Duana. I only met her recently for the first time since I matured and left my original home. And she...was much like Shayla. Perhaps that was one of many things that drew me to Shayla.

[He falls silent for a moment before ending the feed.]

 [public video]
[Despite that scary top icon, Uai is smiling for this public video segment. He's settled in his Fayren apartment with some empty notebooks, the plain white sheets being visible in the camera frame.]

Hello, everyone. I'm not interrupting your weekend, am I? My name is Uai. I'm used to traveling between worlds, but this is my first time being captured in one. I was hoping to hear more about the worlds all of you come from. I somehow doubt we're all even from the same multiverse, so it would be interesting to hear what is "normal" for you all. For myself, Attleton and Genessia are the closet I've come to 'home.' What about you?

[semi-private action / forests of Fayren]

(( OOC before I delve into this: This action prompt involves Uai being villainous. HOWEVER: Please do not treat this is a wide-area thing. If you want to get involved in attacking Uai's monsters, please PM me or hmu on plurk. I'm very friendly and open, but I don't want to be balancing 100 fight threads. Thanks so much~! ;v; ))
( Action Under Cut! )

[The Ice dragon interrupts this program to bring you a cold dose of reality.]

I'm honestly astounded at how many people had to mess with random eggs lying around. There could have been those Pokemon creatures...or even dragons in them for all we knew.

[Srsly, people? And it's not even like this is the first time eggs have randomly appeared everywhere. One would think that people would have learned their lesson, but no...]

Another thing I'd like to get off my chest is...try not to go killing everyone else if you lose your mate. And I say this as someone who would also lose it if something happened to my mate. But even in those circumstances, even I would have more sense than to attack everyone and everything in the world...

Along a similar vein, losing people you care about is a part of life, whether you live in a peaceful world or a savage one. Cherish the ones that remain while you can. Gods know how many times I've had to do that. When one of my clan falls, I still have to direct the rest of the clan forward.

[Because you never know when you'll lose them, too. The unspoken words seem to hang at the end of Qubine's statement.]

[We now return you to your regularly scheduled shenanigans.]

Action in Fayren

[If one happens to walk down the lake shores of Fayren, they might notice a pair of gold gauntlets and boots standing upright, as if waiting to be occupied. There's also a red mask with white markings resting in between the gauntlets. Those who haven't met Qubine might wonder what in the world could be big enough to fit in that equipment.]

[The owner is actually not far from shore at all, as one might notice the big dragon rolling in the lake with soft splashes. After a few moments, he swims ashore to collect his equipment. He steps neatly into his gauntlets and boots, which seem to fasten themselves once they're properly fitted. And then he picks up his mask and carefully presses it back onto his face. Afterwards, he'll glance around at whoever might be nearby…]