In a world where no ten-year-old children rose up to defeat the teams that threatened to take over their region, all six organizations worldwide were able to do just that: take over their respective regions. Unsatisfied with control over just their home, however, each set their sights on the mainland – Kanto, Johto, and the surrounding areas – only to find that they weren't the only ones with that same idea.
With six groups who can't get along in one area, who knows what kind of zany nonsense will propel one group to victory above all others? It's up to you, the members, to decide! Help us decide who's the best of the best when it comes to Pokemon teams, and have fun at your stay at Heavy Crowns!
we're officially open~! no fancy givaways or anything yet, unfortunately; just some good ol' app makin' and question asking right now. our first weekly challenges will be coming up on the twentieth in a week's time, so keep an eye out for those. welcome to the site, and we hope you enjoy your stay!
welcome to heavy crowns! today, the thirteenth of october, marks our launch day! there are no special events marking the occation, unfortunately, but when a new event comes around, we'll let you know here! keep an eye out - what we've got in store for you is going to be great.
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Odo had grown up in the bustling city of Lumiose City. Lumiose was beautiful, busy, and had so much to offer a young man like himself. He got out often and he wasn’t exactly sheltered. However, prior to his work with Team Flare he hadn’tt been truly exposed to the world outside of the city. He couldn’t imagine how children from other cities grew up without a bakery full of macarons only a five minute walk away from their home. All he had to go off of was his imagination, books, museums, and tourists. Perhaps he romanticized the world a bit too much. Perhaps he was romanticizing it still.
It was with a dreamy sigh that the young man allowed himself to collapse into the soft grasses of the forest next to Ecruteak’s Bell Tower. There was something enchanting about the city he had only seen before in museum paintings. He always had been a lover of culture, and being surrounded by a traditional one of another region was wonderful.
He took a deep breath and smiled. “The air is so clean here, isn’t it?” He declared to his companion who had been forced to carry a picnic basket on their short walk. Though he wasn’t sure if the other had caught up to him yet.
Propping himself up on his elbows, he looked back at the trail to see how far behind Will was, and thankfully it wasn’t too far. Odo pushed himself up further and waved at the other male to hurry up. Perhaps he should have offered to help Will carry the basket, or he should have offered to carry it at least part of the way. But he had been the one who had packed their brunch. He convinced himself that this much was fair. “You haven’t dropped anything, have you?”
Post by William Trafford on Oct 23, 2014 20:30:21 GMT -6
William hadn't visited Ecruteak since the one visit with his parents, back when he was six. It had lasted a week, rained for about half of it, and was otherwise filled with the main hustle and bustle that their regiment normally elicited. Didn't mean he could completely enjoy it at the moment, not when he was being forced to lug a rather heavy picnic basket and who the heck goes on a picnic brunch with their boss?!
He did, apparently.
Pausing long enough to squint at the distant mountain, the late morning sun already warm and bright on the back of his neck, Will sighed and hefted the basket again. "If I've dropped something," he called, southern accent rolling off his tongue in such a clumsy fashion compared to Odo's slick city pronunciation, "This bleeding basket hasn't gotten any lighter." He didn't bother to increase his pace despite the frantic waving. He'd get there when he'd get there.
He also made an overly dramatic hefting of the basket again, transferring it from one hand to the other. Just for good measure.
and I am awaiting perpetually and forever a renaissance of wonder
The grin on Odo’s face grew at Will’s struggle, as cruel as it was to be amused by such a thing. Rather than get up and help the person he had made his right-hand, he simply watched and patiently waited. Will was much taller and he was a year older. By those two facts alone, he was happy to pretend that Will was also physically stronger than himself. “The sooner you get it over here, the sooner we can make it lighter,” he offered. though that was all he was willing to say on the matter.
Although he wasn’t sure whether he liked Will or just liked having someone in his life he could force into all sorts of situations with him, he had an appreciation for the moments like these. Odo had planned a picnic brunch for them so that they could get out and see more of Ecruteak. It had become a base for Team Flare in the mainland, and he felt it was important to get to know it beyond the obvious. Yes, they could have gone directly to the Bell Tower. But then he would have missed the haunting view hidden in a pocket in the orange and red trees.
“I would help, but I’m a little overwhelmed. The beautiful atmosphere, the tall tower steeped in the tradition of another region’s culture… They say the bells of that tower never ring anymore, but being in its shadows sends a ringing in my heart! It truly is a city where time stands still, yes?”
Post by William Trafford on Oct 23, 2014 20:35:22 GMT -6
While he had half a mind to simply stop walking and start partaking of the brunch on his own, still a handful of yards away, he knew it would only lead to much bleating of protest and possibly some sort of assignment as punishment. So he resisted the urge, took the final few steps needed, and deposited the basket at Odo's feet.
"Overwhelmed," he mimicked, flexing his fingers to relieve the budding cramp. They were used to holding pens and stacks of paper -- not fifty pound baskets of who the hell even knew what. How many people were they feeding?! "I'm sure."
Not to say that the architecture of the Bell Tower wasn't impressive. It was -- and Will had seen plenty of fantastic sights in his formative years. He even had the chance to actually explore them now, not confined to the forest of legs of adults that towered over him. Now he got the chance to tower over people, namely Odo. (The boy might be a higher rank, but he was still a year younger and half a foot shorter. Will used that to his advantage whenever possible, because he needed to take small pleasures in teasing his supervisor when he could.)
At the comment about time standing still, William rubbed uncomfortably at his wristwatch. It ticked reassuringly beneath his touch, reminding him that time indeed still trudged on. "I might enjoy the scenery a bit more if you weren't waxing poetic about it."
and I am awaiting perpetually and forever a renaissance of wonder
Odo clapped with excitement when the basket full of food was finally delivered to him. He resisted an urge to tell will they should move over to the tree a few feet away just to see if he really would carry the basket further, but in the end he decided not to push it. He would just be grateful for what Will had done for him already.
With that in mind, he was the one who actually started setting up their picnic spread. He pulled out a large blanket in a traditional red-and-white checkered print, and then he carefully spread it out. He pulled four large rocks from the basket as well to place at each corner. Odo was a boy who preferred to come prepared, perhaps excessively so at times. Without a doubt their basket was now lighter with just that. He wasn’t going to address the obvious notion of how they could have just found rocks in the forest.
“Chacun voit midi à sa porte!” Odo insisted instead, pulling out cups and tea first. “But fine, I understand. You know my father didn’t care much for poetry either until he became good at writing it. If you practice, perhaps you’ll find more beauty and happiness in the world!” Which was a rather elegant way of saying he didn’t believe Will was any good at writing poetry.
“I packed tarts and sandwiches for us! Which would you like first?”
Post by William Trafford on Oct 23, 2014 22:58:30 GMT -6
William stood, wide-eyed, at the edge of the impromptu picnic locale as Odo drew out first one thing another. It had never occurred to him to actually look inside of the basket, because he figured it was just the usual Flare excessive packing that Odo was prone to. No. Inside was everything short of a candelabra and a mandolin-strumming, folk-song-humming, mustachioed man intent on preying upon tourists.
Odo kept on talking as he set up the display, but Will wasn't listening. He stooped down and picked up one of the sizable rocks, testing its weight in his hand and suddenly realizing just what it was that had added all of that extra heft. In fact, he recognized the rocks as the ones that were outside of the hall they had designated their meeting area. They lined the building to lend it a classy, conservative air, and their numbers were now four fewer.
"I packed tarts and sandwiches for us! Which would you like first?"
Instead of answering, Will held out the rock and gave Odo a look that mixed confusion with frustration quite flawlessly. "Pardon my language, but are you shitting me, Sir? You had me lug four bleeding rocks into an area surrounded by not only nature but, without a doubt, four rocks that would have sufficed?" William had a moment where he debated flinging the rock -- either into the surrounding trees opposite of the Bell Tower, or even into Odo's head -- but one would have just resulted him having to go after the rock and the other, quite possibly, grounds for termination. So he shook the rock in an increasingly frustrated manner before slamming it back into its spot on the picnic blanket.
Then he pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaled sharply, and exhaled as slowly as he could manage. "Sandwiches. You start a meal with sandwiches, not with tarts." Though truth be told, he was more thirsty than hungry at the moment. He just didn't feel like indulging Odo's fancies any more than he already had by asking what sort of beverages there were.
“No.” Odo shrugged his shoulders very matter-of-factly. “The rocks out here wouldn’t do. We’re placing our dishes on this blanket. I wouldn’t want to soil it with a dirty rock from the woods. Only a barbarian puts dirty rocks on his table.” He chuckled at the thought and proudly rubbed one of the rocks he put in their basket. “I washed these just last night while I was in the bath.” And that was that. Though he wondered what Will was planning to do with the rock he had picked up, it was returned to its home. Not without frustration, of course.
The younger boy did nothing but smile still. “You start a meal with sandwiches, I start a meal with tarts. At least when my mother isn’t around,” he joked. That said he pulled out a sandwich carefully wrapped in a paper box and held it out to Will. Though Odo had wrapped it and packed it himself, the sandwich itself was store-bought. He had never been great with cooking. Yet. Growing up, his family always had a chef to prepare meals. He loved to indulge in delicious foods, but he had yet to try and learn to cook for himself. He would get around to it one day, just as he did with every other odd hobby or talent he had.
In any case, it was safe to say the simple club sandwich was edible. He may have forced Will to carry a basket full of excess and rocks, but he had no intention of giving him food poisoning or making him eat an experimental peanut butter and popcorn sandwich.
Post by William Trafford on Oct 23, 2014 23:43:55 GMT -6
Startled, Will accepted the sandwich when it was pressed into his hands. "Wait, so rocks that have been in the bath with you are apparently more acceptable? I don't want something that has been in your bath water any more than you want something that has been in the dirt--" Annnnd Odo wasn't even paying attention to him. Really, nothing would break the boy's determination to experience a rather mundane picnic, despite all the oddities thrown on.
So in the end, he just heaved another sigh and carefully lowered himself down onto the edge of the blanket by where he had been standing. His back remained to the city sprawled out behind him, and thus the mountain, but otherwise it would involve having to actually sit next to Odo -- and he wasn't prepared for that just yet. The temptation to brain him with one of the (duly bathed) rocks was still strong. With sluggish movements, Will started to unwrap the sandwich in his hands. A simple chicken club, which was perfect for this sort of weather.
He inspected it from several angles, then took an experimental bite. It looked clean, tasted normal, and so he just tried not to think about the rocks that had been in the bath with his boss. "What sort of tea?" he asked, after a pause to swallow the mouthful of food. (The first bite told him he was hungrier than he thought.)
and I am awaiting perpetually and forever a renaissance of wonder
Despite what Will thought, Odo was listening. He was just choosing not to react or respond, internalizing his amusement further. He could have declared himself completely free of bad germs, he could have claimed that germs just didn’t grow upon him altogether. However, he didn’t want to send Will to any sort of breaking point. Not just yet.
Instead, he was happy to just see Will eating the sandwich, certain he had made the better choice for their picnic by buying the sandwiches instead of making them himself. The tarts he pulled out for himself were of three different varieties. Mixed berries— one sweet, one a bit sour, one a bit bitter. All were mixed into a delicious dessert all the same. Dessert was boring if it was always just sweet, right?
“I bought green tea! It is Johto, after all. I don’t really like it that much, but I thought it fit the atmosphere better.” Before Will could confirm that he wanted the tea, Odo was already pouring it in a cup and handing it over to him. “You’ve had green tea before, right? You must have somewhere in all of the places you’ve travelled.”
That was one thing that Odo found fascinating about the person he had basically forced into being his right hand. He knew that Will had been to so many places in the past, and that direct experience made him value. At least it did to Odo. “Did your parents ever visit this city when you were younger?”
Post by William Trafford on Oct 24, 2014 0:41:36 GMT -6
Even after a year of working together, there was no end to how surprised William felt whenever Odo did something... ordinary. He watched the tarts come out of the basket, one by one, and observed them in their orderly line on the blanket in front of Odo's crossed legs. Will was not entirely well-versed on food, simply choosing to eat whatever came his way without question because it was easier than arguing about it. But Odo had a picky pallet, and so there was no doubt that the desserts he had selected were of the finest caliber.
William opened his mouth, not having a response on hand for the tea question, but feeling the need for one all the same. When nothing came, he snapped his mouth shut and accepted the cup. He sniffed the brew, enjoying the strong, almost dusty smell of the tea. If there was one thing he did afford to be picky with consuming, it was his tea. It was definitely something he didn't pick up from his parents, who never had time for such an obscure preference. As it was, it didn't develop until well after he had become an Officer and felt more comfortable giving out orders so he didn't have to take everything on himself.
(Perhaps that was why he was fond of tea. It reminded him that he could just take a moment to enjoy the simple pleasures of a good blend.)
Of course, he still felt obligated to nitpick at something. And after a bit of searching, all he could come up with was, "Green tea does not go with fruit tarts, I hope you know." He was quite certain Odo did know, being the connoisseur of fine things that he was, but it was still a small attempt to reprimand his supervising Admin with having to go and pack so many different options (especially an option that merely fit the location, not the occasion).
Will let out an appreciate hum as he took the first sip of tea. "I have had green tea, though this is a far better blend than what I first tried." He picked at the crumbs on his lap, rolling one large one between his thumb and forefinger before flicking it toward the grass. It would make a nice snack for a wandering bird. "We visited here once when I was six. Didn't do much sightseeing."
He didn't deem it necessary to add that, had it not been for Odo dragging him out of his makeshift office, he still wouldn't be doing much sightseeing.
and I am awaiting perpetually and forever a renaissance of wonder
“Hm. Perhaps that’s why I don’t care for it.” Odo laughed and poured himself a cup of the same green tea all the same. Despite the acknowledgement of the mismatch with his tarts, he was still set on having tea with his tarts. It was true that he was pickier than some, but he had no shame in that matter. Food was, after all, something that one put into their body for energy and nutrition. Eating well was important for a boy his age. He only stood at 5’ 6” and would likely never grow more than two or three inches beyond that in the few years he had left to do so. However, he needed the energy. He had never been one to sleep as much as he should, so he made up for his huge expenditures of energy by eating better. Not quantity, but quality.
But that wasn’t an important matter to discuss for the moment. He was already cutting into one of his tarts, but he was intently listening to Will speak. The well-privileged Odo hadn’t considering that the traveling for work meant an unfortunate lack of sightseeing, but he supposed it made sense. “I decided to buy the more expensive green tea if I was going to buy any at all,” he explained, as he did have the means to make that sort of decision. If you already didn’t like something much, why buy a poorer quality of it?
“Anyway, how much do you remember from that time? I’ve heard a lot of weird stories about the Bell Tower and I’ve been wondering how many of them are true…” The boy paused as he bit into a carefully cut piece of tart. His eyes travelled up to the tall building that stood not far from where they sat. “They say the bells never ring, but there are definitely bells, right?”
Post by William Trafford on Oct 25, 2014 0:01:59 GMT -6
Despite himself, a small smile tugged on the corner of Wills lips at Odo's response. Judge the value of the tea based on the dessert in question, huh? Truth be told, green tea didn't go with many desserts that would have been popular in Lumiose -- a stronger, darker black tea with fruit accents being a solid choice. Not that William knew much about tea. He just knew this through trial and error over the last year.
"A good choice, all the same. I prefer the heavier, roasted taste." That might also hinge on the fact that he also preferred coffee to tea. He swirled around his cup, watching the dregs spin in time.
He paused with his sandwich halfway to his mouth for another bite as Odo asked him about the bells. Slowly, considering his answers, William bit the inside of his cheek in thought. "Well... Yes, there are bells. Each floor has bells, and then there is the largest at the very top. The legend goes that the bells won't ring again until the Legendary Ho-Oh returns." He shrugged, bit into the sandwich, and chewed methodically until he could wash it down with tea. "As to why they stopped, well, I could bore you with plenty of information on the mythology of bells, but ghost stories aren't cut out for a picnic brunch."
and I am awaiting perpetually and forever a renaissance of wonder
Will’s approval was a rare thing, and, if Odo was being honest, he would admit that he thrived off of the other boy’s frustrations and disapprovals. He wasn’t used to people being angry with him or ever telling him ’no’, so they were at times the very highlight of his days. However, that wasn’t to say that he didn’t enjoy the rare moments that he also caught even the slightest smile on William’s face.
His own grin softened and he pretended not to notice so as not to call much attention to his observation. “I always make good choices,” lied the boy who had been know to make a sport of intentionally bad choices. He didn’t interrupt Will’s reply any more than that, interested fully at the mention of the legendary pokémon. He had heard of it briefly in passing, but it was hard to believe how true any of the stories were.
“But why not?” Odo shrugged, making his stance on picnic ghost stories clear with that. Perhaps ghost stories weren’t meant for a proper dinner table, but this was a casual picnic between peers. Well, practically peers anyway. He motioned for Will to continue. “Team Flare has taken hold of this beautiful city, but we are still technically guests here. We owe it to the good citizens to immerse ourselves in the culture. So, I’d like to hear more. It’s my duty as an admin to learn everything I can.”
A slyer look appeared in his eyes. “Especially if it concerns the legendary Ho-Oh.”
Post by William Trafford on Oct 25, 2014 22:35:44 GMT -6
William couldn't hold back the snort. Good choices indeed.
"We might be guests here, but superstition is not something to be toyed with." He cast a glance up at the Bell Tower, as if hoping some sort of answer would be there in response. Seeing as there was none, and wouldn't be, because it was bad luck to be superstitious (and, as Will firmly believed, there was no such thing as luck), he sighed and resigned himself to having to explain what he knew.
But before he could fully surrender himself to the process of story-telling, he latched on to that look on Odo's face. "Please don't tell me you plan on going after Ho-Oh. Because that's insane, and if it's been gone for so long, it certainly isn't about to come back because you've taken an interest in it."
and I am awaiting perpetually and forever a renaissance of wonder
Ah, perhaps Will was starting to get to know him too well. Then again, it wasn’t exactly a subtle implication. Legendary pokémon were legendary for a reason. It was normal for a team going through desperate motions to try and capture that sort of power for their own uses. Team Flare was not entirely innocent of these ambitions in the past, even if it had been decided not to use any ancient machines of terrible consequences to obtain their victory.
It was history now, but Odo wasn’t willing to abandon that past. It wasn’t out of ambition, so much as he was driven by curiosity. What was a better way to spread their flair than through the beauty and power of such a legendary creature?
Still, he laughed off the accusations. “You’re probably right about that, but I still enjoy hearing these sorts of myths. It can't hurt to know what I can, and you are very worldly and knowledgeable, mon sucre d’orge!” Odo leaned over to refill William’s cup before the other male could change his mind about tossing that rock at him after all. He happily waited to hear whatever Will knew about the legends. Hopefully he could at least learn more about the bells.
