Page 1 of 3

Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:56 pm
by VZhitogoroshi
The maze of tunnels snaked deep within the earth, with thick steel walls to discourage any wandering ground types. No one is blindfolded, but the route is meandering and unlabeled, so committing it to memory is all but impossible. The leader of the group is wearing a distinctive red and black uniform, with hair dyed an unnatural blue, denoting him as a member of the Sudden Defense Squad.

He reaches the thick door and knocks a peculiar knock. A voice emanates from inside. “Let them in and leave, Kota.” The man obliges, and soon the group minus him find themselves sitting around a large conference table. There are a few dull lights and a single ceiling fan that does little to dissipate the thick heat of being underground. Three people had already been sitting when the door was opened. One, Kesshi, wore the same uniform as Kota, but with green hair instead, marking him as belonging to the Advanced Defense Squad. Another, Dimitri, also had the same garment but with red hair, of a far purer hue than a normal head had ever seen – a Tactical Assault Squad member. Once, they had worn different uniforms, but those three groups had seamlessly merged into the Yarin Corps ten years ago. The reason for this union was the same as the owner of the voice that had first spoken, sitting to Kesshi's right at the head of the table – Commander Lowell.

Commander Lowell. Such meager words, for such a man! He was the reason Yarin could exist so close to the feral mass, a legend that had risen from the turbid seas of the collapse – but today, he looked less like a god and more like a man. He sat slumped in his chair. But his voice – his voice was still his own, full of confidence and hope. “I apologize for the rapid summoning, but I assure you that right now my time is more important than yours, and I'm willing to spend it here. However, I don't want to spend it repeating myself – if you have questions, take it up with him.” Lowell gestured to Kesshi, who already had a notebook out and an Eevee on his lap, peeking his small head over the table.

“Now, I'm sure you've started to think about what this group is composed of. Certainly not just Yarin Corps. Members. Some of you are freelance defenders, some of you are visitors, some of you we had to send a runner for out in the woods. So what's the common thread?” He smiled. “Skill. It's skill. We picked the best pokemon users we could find – or, at any rate, the most versatile. Most of you are good in battle. Some of you are here for your knowledge, some for other talents. But you're all skilled.”

He lets the unspoken question hang in the air a few moments before voicing it himself. “If the task involves Pokemon, why not just get the Tactical Assault Squad to do it? Why go to all this trouble picking people with no intention of drafting them into the Yarin corps?” The weakness begins to enter his voice, now. “There are twenty members of the Tactical Assault Squad I trust for the task at hand. Nineteen of them are probably dead. The other is in this room.”

Lowell pulled out a map of Karud. “This is Jin,” he said, stabbing the indicated location with his finger. “They've been working to break through the Border Masses and reach the Elite Four. The last messenger from there said they were getting close. So I committed almost all of the TAS to their mission, the biggest troop movement I've ever done. Dimitri was deployed elsewhere at the time. This was a month ago. They were supposed to send messages daily, via a group of trained Pidgeottos we had lent them. The messages stopped two weeks ago. No one has come from Jin since. Normally, a two week silence is nothing to worry about, but this is the TAS we're talking about. They don't slip up like that.”

Gazing around the table, locking eyes with each person in turn as he said his message, he said, “I have no choice at this point but to assume they're gone. And if there's something big enough to take down the TAS...” He laughed bitterly. “No. There's nothing in the world that could do that and live. I hope. And that's where you come in. With luck, whatever took them down was defeated or almost defeated in the process. So time is of the essence. Find out what happened to the TAS...and finish the job.”

This statement said, he seemed to relax a bit. “No, no, I can't ask all of you to do that. I don't know you. But I offer it to the only group I trust with the task. If not, though, please stay in the town and defend.” He shook his head. “With the TAS gone, the ADS and SDS are going to have a lot more to deal with.”

But it was clear from the slight smile on his face that he expected at least some of these people to accept. “Kesshi here knows all of the Yarin Corps policies back to front. He'll accompany you as a military knowledge source and a guide, at least for as far as he's been. Dimitri will tail you out of uniform, making sure you're not flanked and providing support when it's needed. But Kesshi needs someone to follow, and while Dimitri is plenty competent on his own he's not a leader. So we need someone to take the initiative, if not in the military sense then at least to keep whoever goes together.” His gaze settles on Maxwell, who would be able to see past the years on Lowell's face to stare at the master trainer a lifetime ago. “And if you are who I think you are, I can leave it you without a second thought.” For the first time, he goes silent and waits for someone else to speak. He had said what he had needed to say – now it was time to see who would be warriors, who would be defenders, and who would be washouts.

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:51 pm
by Rising_Dusk
His eyes locked with Lowell's...
Maxwell couldn't place the man's face or the name past what he'd heard of him here in Yarin, but apparently that commander knew something about Maxwell very few in this day and age did. He remembered the 'glory days' as they might be known now, he knew them well, and he knew this man was from them just as much as he was, whatever that involvement entailed at the time. He paused before speaking, weighing his choice of words heavily before speaking and ending up with a hundred pokémon ready to rip him apart.

"We will move to Jin, then."
He had no intention of giving some motivational speech, it was not fit for this day and age. There is nothing in this world to be motivated about except seeing the sun rise come the 'morrow. There is no greater reward, and that is the very reason why this truly is the end of days.

He stood up, never losing eye contact with the commander.
"Whomsoever is at terms with himself, his pokémon, and the risks associated with this journey stand now. The rest of you, there is a city here that needs you just as much as any other."
He finally broke his line of sight from the commander and looked around, there were many grizzled veterans here that had seen far worse hardships than Maxwell had. These men were strong, each in their own way, he could read their very responses before they stood, knowing well which knew it was their time and which didn't. He locked eyes with each and every one of them, making sure that the seriousness of this occurrence was clear to them all. It took no more than a few seconds for each to convey the message. ..

They already knew.

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:12 pm
by VZhitogoroshi
Lowell allowed himself the first real smile and watched around the table, to see who would rise.

Kesshi was similarly happy. He had no idea who this person was, but if Lowell knew him, that took a large variable out of the equation. He carefully wrote down "Those going to Jin:" on his notepad and drew a quick sketch of Maxwell's face.

Rit scampered up to his shoulder - he had long learned to use his claws without puncturing the thick uniform. Leaning in close to Kesshi's ear, he whispered, "Hey. You're going with, remember?"

Shamefacedly, Kesshi bolted up out of his seat.

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:17 pm
by Kaome Sky Deathand
Kashim scoffed, loud enough for attention to be thrown at him.
He rested his tattered-gloved hands on the table and pushed himself into a standing position. He eyed the 'commander' with something akin to contempt, letting the gaze travel, wash over everyone else in the room, before fixing on the man once more. He drew in a breath and spoke very clearly.
"You send a man for me, to come and request my assistance in some matter of dire importance. His life was spared by a silver thread. I arrive here, only with the intent to stock up on meager supplies before I head out once more into a wilderness I would bet my tags on you've never been in, nor would last longer than a few breaths." He leaned his weight against the table now, as if to emphasize his point. "What do I get for my trouble? The 'military elite' doing what they do best. Passing on their problems to people who have enough trouble as it is eating and sleeping well at night. Perhaps your files are not so well kept sir..." He said the word like it was a piece of bad meat in his mouth. "...but I can assure you my orders are clear. I do not doubt your prowess, nor your ability to run things, few can live on the Edge and not sink under. Yet it seems I now know where the reinforcements went off to while we held the west." He backed off and gave a small sigh and a long blink as if focusing his thoughts or anger. "A dog of the military I might be, but this stinks. You have plenty of others willing to throw down for you, so one less soldier won't matter for your operation. Now if you'll excuse me sir...." Kashim motioned his head toward the door. "...I have orders to carry out and this has taken more than enough of my time."

He ignored the eyes on him.
He had a lifetime of odd looks and faces of disgust dogging his heels.
A few more crooked looks from this pack of cards wasn't going to change anything.

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:29 pm
by Zieg
Dimitri sat back in his chair, getting himself comfortable, but staying visibly alert. It didn't matter to him which of this group was going with and which wasn't, he was going no matter what. His friends and companions had vanished, and he had to figure out why. It was his job to go there anyway, and so he would.

He watched reactions on the others faces as his commanding officer spoke, and was put slightly at ease. At least some of them would be willing to go, and of course Kesshi. At least he'd have time to make sure they were up to snuff.

Maxwell on the other hand... as soon as he stood up, his eyes went just ever so slightly more sharp. His body tensed for a split second. 'History finally pays off.' he shakes his thoughts loose inside his mind. 'Why would he be here? What does he hope to accomplish? The old times are gone.'

Kashim... he didn't care about. Sure there would be a few like that, they didn't matter.

Once Maxwell and Kashim were done speaking, Dimitri audibly shifts his chair, leaning forward, placing his elbows on the table, his hands grasping eachother, his chin on his hands. He slowly looks from person to person, pressuring them with his gaze. 'C'mon people. Stand already.'

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:29 pm
by VZBushkiller20
Lawrence stared at the Commander as he summarized the situation. Lawrence knew why he was here, he just wished he wasn't. Why he was there was because he was able to win battles with his pokemon, and had the mark of a trainer. Where he wished he was? Lawrence could not honestly say any city in the present. The past to him was truly golden, the present dangerous, and the future terrifying. Lawrence sighed to himself as he heard the mission.

When the Commander asked for a leader, Lawrence slid farther down in his seat. Maybe another time, another place, Lawrence would have taken control...but that was a different man than the one who sat in this room. This man carried too much baggage to lead others. Luckily, the Commander did not even seem to notice him. He stared at another man, one who seemed to radiate control.

The two exchanged a gaze that Lawrence recognized. It was one of kindred. They were both from another age, both from the glorious past that eluded Lawrence. When everything was better.

"We will move to Jin, then."

The gaze was broken and Lawrence was jerked back to reality. This was the present, not the past. That age had passed. Lawrence slid back again into his chair, but this time his eyes were locked on the gentleman. The gentleman never turned his head from the Commander, never saw the broken pokexplorer. There was something about this man that inspired hope in Lawrence for a split second, before it quickly fled.

"Whomsoever is at terms with himself, his pokémon, and the risks associated with this journey stand now. The rest of you, there is a city here that needs you just as much as any other."


There were his eyes. In a gaze, Lawrence knew he would be going on this mission. In his mind, his pokemon agreed. Lawrence found himself lost in thought, oblivious to all that was going on around him. Indecision reigned in his head, until Mirage's clear voice came through. Wishing time would go back will not make it so...Beth is gone. It is time to begin moving on. Go with this man, find out how he manages to face the present. Maybe then you can face your own future.

"The present may be bleak, and the future terrifying...but the past can always be a light of guidance..." He said quietly as he stood up. Ember quickly moved to be by his master's side, providing a sort of glow as Lawrence spoke. "I've had some troubles in my recent past, as I'm sure most of us had. I escaped by retreating into my memories. I think it may be time I start returning to the present, bleak as it is...and bring back what made the past so appealing. I'll join you on this journey...mister...?"

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:00 am
by VZhitogoroshi
Lowell diligently kept his mouth shut even during Kashims speech. But Kota, who evidently had not went away but instead lurked behind the doorframe, came into view and obstructed the exit. When it became clear that Kashim was not leaving at that very moment, he waited for a lull in the conversation. One presented itself after Lawrence had stood - well, he was cutting off the request for the "leaders" name, but Kota couldn't wait anymore.

"Hey. Kashim." He locked eyes with the other man. "No one said you had to do anything. I brought up the idea of asking you because I've fought with you, when ferals were overtaking Yarin. I asked for your help now because I respect you, Kashim. And to hear what you said about Lowell..." He laughed. "You remember the time when all those dragons attacked, about three years ago? Remember fighting your life? Here's the thing. You don't remember the real Dragon War, as we call it. The war was fought by the TAS. YOU fought the few dregs that ran from them and eluded the ADS. About 2% of them. Those are the kind of men you're disrespecting - and they'll all tell you Lowell's better than any of them."

He mimiced Kashims voice for his next line. "'A wilderness I would bet my tags on you've never been in, nor would last longer than a few breaths.' Listen up, Kashim. Your wilderness is the kind that comes after the TAS and ADS have done their work." There is fire in his eyes now. "You're a better fighter than me, but don't you dare insult Lowell. He could kill you in a heartbeat - but he doesn't need to. He just needs to stop protecting your ungrateful ass."

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:10 am
by Daryll-The-Damned
The man in white had been leaning back in his chair till now. Feet casually resting on the table, as if this were his own home. His white-framed sunglasses reflected the light of the few small lamps that lit the dank room. He kept up the appearance of carefully examining his gloves during the entire speech of this big commander type fellow. He wasn't really ignoring him...but it wasn't as if he didn't wish he could ignore him. He had known where this would be going from the start...Why did people keep coming to him with their problems...

Town after town, city after city. Always they managed to draw themselves to him, and always he couldn't say no. It was like an endless plague to him...And you know, it's not as if he would mind so much if half of the problems these day's weren't life-threatening and potentially deadly. Well...Might as well get this over with.

"Whomsoever is at terms with himself, his pokémon, and the risks associated with this journey stand now. The rest of you, there is a city here that needs you just as much as any other."


Dropping his feet and his chair with a semi-muffled bang, he gave an audible sigh and stood. "Well, 'S easy to see y'all need some help, and I'm not much if not helpful. I'll join ya on yer quest to do whatever it is. Beat's sitting around twiddlin' my thumbs I guess..."

He picked up his hat and returned it to his head, covering the brownish black hair that had the hint of an ancient purple hue.
This looked like it'd be a good one, that's for sure.

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:23 am
by Kaome Sky Deathand
Kashim took the assault to his honor with a thin pressed smile.
"Oh I see, so the great Lowell has you speak for him then because one word from him and my whole world vanishes in a puff of smoke?" He chuckled, it was dark and ugly, condescending and held no small trace amount of malice. "Actually I don't remember your dragon war Kota. I was thrown into some dank hell pit with nothing but a demon who would kill me just out of spite for an accomplice and about a score more men and beasts all ready to rip me apart just so they would have something to eat. I was busy fighting and killing and watching men die. I was too busy helping people like him..." he pointed at the skinsack at the head of the table. "...and you collect precious data on feral behavior. I was a tad too busy murdering people and animals the likes of which you have probably poked and prodded on some small steel table to be concerned with something as pathetic as a salamander incursion over your backyards fence." Kashim twisted his head to one side. "OH I forgot...your records aren't up to date or else you wouldn't have bothered troubling me in the first place." He slapped himself in the head. "MY FAULT Kota, but if we are playing the blame game, perhaps you can answer me a question or two about what you two were doing during the Rhy incident that nearly wiped out Mos." He didn't wait for an answer. "Ah no...I recall...you had to conjure up a sack of bull for the people in Keo about their Avian problem." He shook his head in disgust.

"Well at least it isn't all lies Kota." He gave the man a small and not so kind grin.
"You'd be right about me killing you if you don't get the frak out of my way." He took two steps closer so he could feel the heat coming off the other man. "My kind of wilderness is a place where you'd pray to go to hell Kota. You know less than nothing about me...the only sorry ass around here...is the one you just made yourself into."

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:03 am
by VZhitogoroshi
Kota's cocky smirk withered away under Kashim's assault. However, it was not replaced by any sort of fear. Instead, all emotion slid off of his face to be replaced with a blank mask. It seemed he had nothing to say - but he was spared the burden of silence by Lowell. "Kashim." He let out another long, drawn-out sigh, clearly suffering under the weight of his thoughts. "Where were we during the Rhy incident? I could just as well ask where you were the razing of Amash. We've all been through hell, and there's no way we can save the whole world. That is why we made the promise here - that Yarin would be the spot of safety, Yarin would be a refuge. Mos made the same promise and failed. That's irrelevant. I work to keep our promise true - and so far, it has been. Now, I'll be the first to say that our records aren't perfect. But for whatever you say about them...you live north of Yarin. That's not forsaken because we promised it wouldn't be. You see this city? We built this. And for all you say about your experiences - at the end of the day, we have created something that will stand regardless of what you do. You have so much potential, Kashim, but...what have you built? For all your suffering, what have you done to make the world better?"

His voice hardened. "Now move, Kota. Though I agree it is crass to dishonor those who died for defense of us all - no one is free until they can bite the hand that feeds them."

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:22 am
by Loki
Tobias fiddles with a pen while Pandora is cuddling up on his lap. Tobias smirks and looks up to find a man making a small speech. He seemed slightly familiar at first, but Tobias shrugs it off and notices a man in white stands up and say something but he didn't quite catch what he said. Tobias clicks his pen and it reminded him why he was here in the first place. To find out where his father is. Tobias takes a quick glance of where Sin's pokéball was, he gets into a deep thought and takes another glance to everyone in the room. Tobias mutters to himself,

"Maybe these folks know.."

He clicks his pen once more and stands up, "I'll lend a hand in this cause, only if you provide me with information that I need. "

Tobias kneels down and picks up Pandora then returns to his seat. Pandora purrs as he scratches her favorite spot, the area behind her ears. Tobias hopes that this will bring him a step closer to finding out where his father is and what really happen on that night..

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:23 am
by Kaome Sky Deathand
Kashim slowly turned his attention back to the medal at the end of the table and his gaze did not falter.
That ice in his eyes was still there, cold, unwavering, defiant.

"Mos, my home, fell when I wasn't there to defend her soil commander. You would be wise to remember that."
He started to step out the door, but thought better of it, one last parting shot forming in his throat.
"The enemy is at the gate commander, your promises start to ring hollow on my ears. Rest assured I'll clear my departing route with the same skill and craft the military pounded into me." He glanced around the room as if the walls were lined with gold and jewels. He returned his animal eyes back to Lowell and said deadpan. "Yes, you built this commander. A finer tomb I have not seen in all my years of service." With disgust sneered all over his face he gave a mock salute and stormed out of the room at an easy gait. He wouldn't waste any more time with their pleading whims and falsehoods.

In the back of his head a small voice asked if it was right to leave them on bad terms. It asked if a soldiers duty was to the people, to those that needed his help most. It asked if he was truly going to turn his back on them. That voice was murdered and its corpse shoved into the dark recesses of his head that held no zip-codes. He ignored them now and did his best to forget everything that just occurred in the room not so far behind him.

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:43 am
by VZhitogoroshi
With an exasperated sigh, Rit jumped off of Kesshi's chair and ran until he was in front of Kashim. He sat down and looked pointedly at the man. "I don't understand humans, sometimes. You're right. The enemy is at our gates, and it's strong enough to take out the TAS. So what are you waiting for? For it to be Yarin's problem? Mos's problem? Or are you just going to sever all connections with civilization, and run around until there's nothing left and it's your problem? Even if you just think they are just moving targets," and here his voice lowered, "and I wonder sometimes myself, this is still the best chance you'll ever get. Because make no mistake - it wasn't some landslide that took out the TAS. There's something out there. I bet you humans could sense it yourselves, if you didn't talk so much."

His piece said, Rit trotted back to the room. "Just ask any of your pokemon. I'm sure they want to meet it head on."

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:46 am
by Sabertooth
Ho, boy.

Thousands of thoughts spiraled through Will's head as the two argued. He could only assume his many years in solitude had completely cut him off from the outside world for... Well, lets say a long time. What were these Dragon Wars? He had known of the region's troubles but never imagined they were so severe. All this information, coming at him at once, sent him into a state of confusion severe enough that he forget who he was. Once he sorted everything out, he was ready.

Of course he would help these people! Why not? He was almost dead anyway, what better way to go? He didn't want to die a lonely rich man who's name means nothing to the people around him. Yes, yes. This was one hell of a way to go out. He tilted his head up, and double-checked quickly to make sure he was positive. He looked towards the Commander once the two stopped arguing. But then there was the disturbance outside. And the boy's talking Eevee.

"Sign me up."

Re: Yarin: Conference Room

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:49 am
by Vinnam
Giacomo leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the table, holding his head in his hands to assuage a pounding headache beginning to manifest itself. He didn't feel he belonged with this team, who seemed to be some of the most powerful Yarin had to offer. Sure, he and his pokés could hold their own in a fight, but surely he wasn't on the calibur of some of these other respondees. He listened to the speech of the Commander, though only half-heartedly. Then, he saw one of the men across the table from him stand up. He had a regal presence, as of one fallen from grace, but it seemed he still had a pride about him. His piercing gaze settled on Giacomo as he eyed those around the table, and Giacomo returned his gaze. This man... He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he seemed like a born leader.

He thought about the chances of survival. The Ferals up near Jin were battle-hardened, the worst dregs of the poke population, and had torn apart many unprepared Trainers before. Was he willing to risk it all, along with his friends? He touched the pokeballs on his belt for re-assurance. Noir, Lugosi, Capone, Batista, Belladonna, Hermes... Did he really have a right to choose for them? His mind thought about it, and he came to a decision. For a better life, for a place free of death and despair, and for a new start for him and his dysfunctional family... It was worth a shot.

He put his head back in his hands and began rubbing his temples with his thumbs. "This is going to be troublesome... But what the hell. Count me in for the road to Jin." Regardless of his decision, his headache kept pounding away at the inside of his head.