• Hey Trainers! Be sure to check out Corsola Beach, our newest section on the forums, in partnership with our friends at Corsola Cove! At the Beach, you can discuss the competitive side of the games, post your favorite Pokemon memes, and connect with other Pokemon creators!
  • Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.

Start Ups The Tower

Yun

Yun

Our World Is Worth Fighting For
Joined
Aug 10, 2011
Messages
5,801
Reaction score
232
As was tradition, today was the day of the Ascension Festival. Held in a normally quiet, inconspicuous town on the First Floor, it was a ceremony celebrated the Chosen people to go up against that age-old enemy.

For something as serious as this, it was actually quite, well, festive: filled to the brim with lanterns, grills and food, beverages, games, and of course, people. People socialized amongst themselves, gossiping about either life or the outcome of the last Chosen. Most were optimistic about the batch this time around. After all, this was another generation altogether.

Of course, the Chosen, themselves, were the center of attention. Everywhere they went during the festival, they'd have at least one person looking to chat with them, whether they be starry-eyed children, or any manner of adult. For now, before the main event, they were allowed to enjoy themselves, as the event revolved entirely around them.

(OOC: So, all powers your characters have are already present in them. This is just for introduction. Do what you want here.)

@Mad Max, @Prez, @Flaze, @Rocket Queen, @Alolan Ninetales, @Midorikawa
 
Amelia walked around the festival with a bright smile on her face that was only fake depending on who she was talking to. She didn't mind the children who went up to her for attention. They were adorable and sweet, and she didn't mind those interested in her weapons. It was unique and well fun to talk about. The ones who looked to use her is she made it to the top though were the ones she didn't like. You always had those greedy ones, and the perverts as well. Luckily they backed off pretty easily when she started playing with her knife.

She was nervous of course for the journey she was about to embark on. But she was also excited. She loved a great adventure, even one of high risks. And she hoped her knowledge she had gained throughout her life would help her in her journey in the tower. Most of all she hoped none of the others would look to kill each other to assure their own glory. She had a feeling that the more floors they completed the more difficult it would be.

However for now she was pushing down her nerves and enjoying the games and food. In particular the fried rabbit on a stick she just bought from a vendor. She found it absolutely delicious. The vendor named Edsheeran was cute and had a good voice as well. He had sung her a song of luck and safety. It was quite nice.
 
The festival for the Chosen was a huge occasion for everyone in the Tower, that's for sure. With all the attention that they got along with the general fun vibe of the whole event, who couldn't possibly hav efun with it. Andres, that's who.

It's not like the man didn't like the festivities, he certainly enjoyed going around eating the food at the festival and watching the events held there. Unfortunately, all of that didn't apply for the off chance that Andres himself was a member of the Chosen, a fact he still didn't appreciate. As such, what should've been a fun and extravagant day ended up being annoying, with Andrew having to put up a hat and a pair of sunglasses to hide himself. He didn't like all the attention he had gotten since being chosen, whether it'd be people acting like they knew him all his life or piling on the pressure of what he had to do.

That allowed him to understand something, should they really be celebrating? they're essentially sending a group of randomly chosen people out to their deaths, to accomplish a task that many others had failed to do. It was morbid if you really thought about it.

"No one's going to be fooled by that 'disguise' you know," he heard his sister speak a few steps ahead of him, her short black hair waving around as she turned towards him. "You'll just make people think you're eccentric...more than you already are at least," she added with a roll of her eyes.

"No one's approached me have they?" he replied bitterly, glancing at the crowds, only to realize that they were indeed looking at him as if they knew who he was. This caused him to let out a grunt before he took off his glasses and hat. "I really didn't wan to come."

"Man, lighten up. You get a chance to go off on an adventure instead of being stuck at a boring old library all the time," the sibling replied, her tone sounding slightly peeved. "You even got some cool powers too, be grateful."

"I didn't mind looking after the library thank you very much," Andres spat back, taking a glance at a shish kabob stand. "I was happy."

"I have no hope I'll ever see you again after today," his sister sighed heavily as she walked to the stand and bought a pair of shish kabobs for the two of them.

He didn't understand the problem with wanting to live a quiet life. Sure, it was uneventful but at least he didn't have to worry about controlling any weird powers or having to save the world. "And besides," his sister continued. "Didn't Alicia leave you because of this?" she added, narrowing her eyes at him and causing him to frown with disdain.

"Don't bring that devil into this," he said as he took a large bite out of a piece of meat.
 
Last edited:
Ryan, on the other hand, typically didn't do too well with crowds. Given the circumstances, the last thing he wanted was a mass of publicity like this. Crossing his arms over his chest, he self-consciously rubbed at the surgery scars through his tank top, getting goosebumps from the sheer amount of eyes focused on all of them.

Ryan heard bits and pieces of conversation all around him, but his attention focused on Andres's argument with his sister. His eyes wandered towards the man, though the young adult just settled for adjusting his glasses, somewhat-awkwardly wandering about in search of someone familiar.
 
Winnie was having a fairly good time. Being the center of attention was something she lived for. Well, not entirely. But, she certainly wasn't opposed to it. On her shoulder was a bulky, sling bag. A small dachshund was inside of it, frantically glancing around the area. So many people. And food. It was so much to take in... the poor dog didn't even know what to focus on first.

"Are you... really one of the Chosen?" a young girl asked Winnie.

"Well, yeah," she answered with a bright grin.

"And is that a dog?" the girl then added, pointing at her bag.

"Yes," Winnie said. "This little lady is Twix." The dog in question looked at the girl, eyes curious.
 
Miles sat towards the outskirts of the festival, eating and drinking his fill. Not because he was a glutton, that couldn't be further from the truth. But because he didn't know what lay ahead, and preparation would be key. His eyes scanned everyone, trying to get a sense of what the other chosen brought to the table. Who they were, what their powers were... could he work with them out in the field. That was the question of course.

He was used to being given operational guidance. Who was the target, what was the lay of the land, what were the objectives. He was a soldier, his job was to use information in the field and make quick snap judgments. It would be much different now, now that nobody knew what they would be facing in the tower.

But he wasn't nervous. He wasn't scared. He understood that it was his duty. Since his powers had awakened, he had been preparing. He'd gone back to working with his old men for a few days, getting back into peak fighting shape. He'd spent time at the shooting range, firing thousands of rounds with his pistols, shotguns and rifles. It was good to be back into his old military training routine. Barely a week into his retirement he'd realized that it wasn't for him. So getting the chance to go back to work had been a blessing.

Even as he was trying to do some operational scouting, he was cordial and kind to everyone who came to talk to him. He understood that they all wanted to wish him well and wanted to see him succeed. But he wasn't one for pomp and circumstance. The drawer full of medals in his rather spartan apartment showed that well enough.
 
Brooke didn't mind the crowds, but at the same time, she didn't like when the attention was on her. She just eyed around the area as she drank her heated beverage: a large caramel macchiato made with fat free milk and an extra shot of caramel. She answered questions when she was asked, but didn't go out of her way to make conversation. It wasn't that she didn't like people. It was that she disliked the reason people were coming to her. She wanted them to genuinely talk to her for her, and not because of her being a 'chosen one'.
 
At the front of the crowds, five individuals began to gather. Each were well-dressed, all of them elderly. One of the female elders spoke first, her voice projecting to the crowds. "We welcome you all to the Tenth Festival of Ascension!"

Many in the crowd turned to the group and clapped at the acknowledgement. The cheering died down a bit before the elders continued speaking.

This time, it was a male. "Today, we wish to welcome the Chosen. These individuals, gifted strength by our World's Aura, will undertake the task of reaching the summit, and smiting down the evil that lurks there."

Once again, the crowd cheered.

"May the Chosen please make their way to us, so that we may offer them blessing?" One of the other females stated. It was clear that they expected the Chosen to make their way up to them.

@Mad Max, @Prez, @Flaze, @Rocket Queen, @Alolan Ninetales, @Midorikawa
 
Glancing Miles's way, Ryan felt for the dogtags strung around his neck, fingers brushing briefly against the cold metal. He silently wondered what his parents would think regarding his new role as one of the Chosen, feeling a slight tug at the corner of his lips.

Upon hearing the call to attention, however, the beginning of a smile was effectively wiped from his countenance, a more stony expression setting in. He hesitated a little, before making his way through the sea of bodies, all of them thriving with seemingly tangible bioelectricity, he absently noted.
 
"Hey, I think there are some more of those Chosen over there," Andres heard his sister point out, seeing her glancing in the direction of the other Chosen. They weren't exactly close, but one could figure out they were Chosen because of the people that stopped to talk to them, or at least that's what Andres' thought his sister's reasoning was. "Maybe you should go talk to them?"

"How about no?" Andres asked, taking another bite of his shish kabob as he focused intently on a game of fish scooping.

His sister frowned at this, upset that he was still forcing himself to stay in his shell. "You're going to be traveling with them for a while, shouldn't you get to know them quickly?"

"Uhh...nah," Andres replied, gritting his teeth when he failed to scoop a fish. He heard the announcement calling for the chosen to gather at that moment, causing him to sigh in realization of the inevitable.

"You're up!" his sister called out before she started dragging him along. "It'll be fine, mom, dad and I believe in you."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Andres answered bitterly as they walked through the gathering crowd, noticing their eyes on him when he realized that he was a chosen. He blushed a bit in embarassment as he walked through. He eventually made it to the elders. "You called?"
 
As Miles walked up, he could feel Ryan's eyes on him. As he wondered why, he found the dogtags around the young man's neck. That would explain it. After all, the way that Miles carried himself, anyone who'd ever spent much time around soldiers would be able to recognize him in a heartbeat. Having watched him though, Miles didn't think he'd actually spent any time in the service, forcing him to wonder who the tags belonged to. Sibling or father perhaps. He wouldn't ask, it wasn't his place.

Focusing on the task at hand now, he stood at attention along with his fellow Chosen. Old military habits never really died.
 
Andres looked around at the people that gathered and felt even more out of place. He was surrounded by people who were either thriving in the situation or who seemed like they were the perfect type for the title of Chosen. Well, he didn't know if that applied to Ryan, but even then he felt like the guy was at least more deserving of being there. He groaned silently and kept his eyes forward, not wanting them to notice he was looking.
 
Winnie casually walked up; this was the beginning of her job as one of the Chosen. No biggie. No need to be nervous.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Yun
Natalie yawned as she walked through the festival stalls, having ignored the call for the Chosen. The girl was neither hot or cold about the whole thing, being chosen meant that people gave her attention which allowed her to make some more connections that she could use later, and it also caused her to get free food and other things if she used her cards right. But aside from that she didn't hold anything special for the role, aside from curiosity as to who she'd have to travel with.

Eventually she realized that it would probably cause less trouble for her if she showed up so she began to make her way through the crowd. She smirked slightly, using her power to send a cold breeze through the crowd and cause everyone to make way for her as she walked through. "Sorry I'm late, I was looking at the sites," she stated as she turned towards the other Chosen, seemed like an interesting bunch.
 
"Indeed we did, young man," one of the ladies said to Andres as he approached.

When the Chosen were in front of the elders, one of the males spoke. "Our Chosen have come to us, revealing themselves from the crowd. It shall be they who venture to rid us of the Darkness Above."

All of the elders lifted their hands, laying one of the heads of each of the Chosen. "We give you the blessing of the Light, that which will pierce the evil. Let it be known, each of you are under the protection of the Watchers-"

"I don't think they need a sermon," said one of the surlier of the elders. "They aren't children like the last bunch."
 
Winnie raised an eyebrow at this comment. However, despite the many questions she had, she never spoke up about it.
 
(Skipping it ahead a bit.)

The whole song and dance of giving them their 'blessing' went just as it did so many other times. A hymn was sung, and the group were celebrated by the people. Then, they were given their first task: reach the Fifth Sphere, where they would meet someone who could give them direction.

As the Chosen were set to leave, one of the Elders stopped them on their way. Away from the crowds, they were given the first caveats of their adventure. They were alerted that, to reach the fifth floor, they would have to pass through the second and third floors. Those floors were notorious for being wildlands, largely uninhabited by people.

"If you wish, we have weaponry for you..." She said, looking over all of them. "Unless one of you has come prepared for the entire group?"

@Mad Max, @Prez, @Flaze, @Rocket Queen, @Alolan Ninetales, @Midorikawa
 
Natalie was a bit weirded out by the whole ritual thing. She mostly wondered if it actually did anything besides putting on a good show for the public, it's not like she had needed the help of any god before in her life anyway. She didn't make any comments though, even as they began to leave, that would have to wait for after she got a better hang of the people she had been put together with.

"Weapons?" Andres asked the elder with both curiosity and nervousness. He had been trying his best to hold them back his anxiety during the ceremony, but being told that they were going to face danger from the get go didn't help matters. "What kind of weapons?"
 
"This kind I would assume." Miles answered, having slung an assault rifle over his shoulder. "I don't think I have enough firearms and ammo to kit out this entire group..." He admitted a bit sheepishly. "I only kept a couple of long guns and a few pistols after I left the service." He explained, gesturing to the pair of large duffel bags he was carrying.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom