⁂¤ drabble roleplay ¤⁂ Party on the S. S. Annu

[lichhen]

hola ledyba, genesect, and others! [a pokemon play on the words “ladies and gentlemen” LOL hi] Welcome to a drabble roleplay.​

NO: it is not 100 words per post!

YES: it is one, two, or several drabbles, each exactly 100 words, per post! Every post will be either 100, 200, 300, or 400 words, etc. There is no limit to how many drabbles you can include in a post, but if we want to establish a limit, we can.

why drabbles?

for me, drabbles are an excellent and efficient way to practice writing. the structure and the precision of the word count makes for some creative problem solving! they’re super fun and i wanted to have a reason to write a lot of drabbles in a motivational, laidback setting. please feel free to share your own thoughts on drabbles.

the purpose of the roleplay is to encourage fast-paced drabbles and not get hung up on something. each drabble is just one reply in a roleplay where you will have many posting opportunities. i especially encourage you to join if you aren’t sure whether or not you like drabbles. feel free to explore your writing here.

roleplay guidelines

1. each roleplay post is made up of one or multiple drabbles, each exactly 100 words! here is a word counter.
2. please mark where your drabbles end/begin, with drabble titles (kind of like chapter titles) or numbers, or just dashes, or whatever you want as long as we all can tell where the drabbles end/begin.
3. censor graphic content, nothing over PG-13
4. you can roleplay as any character; feel free to ask for ideas of how yours could fit in.
5. characters can drop in and out as desired throughout the roleplay unless stated otherwise at some point. when desired, i can do some writing to fill in or explain things. feel free to do so as well!

these guidelines are flexible and subject to change based on the desires of the roleplayers. if you can’t get it exactly 100 but still want to post, go ahead. i’m not going to be checking the word count. if the roleplay evolves beyond the drabble structure into something else, then let’s do that! this is just a starting point.

the plot will be structured for maximum accessibility to anyone interested in roleplaying, and to allow for roleplayers to drop out for any reason. if you have ideas you’d like to share, feel free.

—

plot: Party on the S.S. Annu​

Pokemon and humans alike have been invited to a weekend getaway on one of the largest cruise ships in the world, the S. S. Annu. Hosted by the Viridian City Gym Leader, Giovanni Sakaki, the party is advertised as a convention for those who seek deeper understanding between humans and pokemon. To this end, the invitations come with expense-free, convenient transportation to the cruise ship, tailored to the needs of the invited party. The messengers also go through great lengths to personally reach the recipients.

The S. S. Annu is the very pinnacle of modern technology and accommodation. The cruise ship has every accessibility feature imaginable. A person of any body type - zero limbs, many limbs, small, large, pokemon or human, etc. - anyone can attend and enjoy the endless amenities, and will find any support they seek while on board. Food, elevators, wide beds, sensory-proof rooms; there is even a self-contained pharmacy.

There are rafts attached to the ship for larger pokemon to stretch out and relax on the ocean. This is all to show that the best of humanity is being invested in bringing vastly different beings together. The invitations state: You’re Invited to A Community Retreat for Peace.

But of course, the attendees may or may not know that the Viridian gym leader and host of the gala, Giovanni Sakaki, is connected to Rocket Gang. To some, the juxtaposition of “peace” held up by a resource-gobbling, egregiously wasteful luxury cruise ship might sit unpleasantly. Characters may have different motivations for accepting an invitation. There is also room for party-crashers.

openings for characters to join:

• a pokemon or human trainer competing in the League, or a champion or gym leader
• a pokemon or human that happens to be traveling nearby the ship
• a stowaway with some other motivation
• someone transported via legendary pokemon or something, from some other place
• Giovanni is open if anyone wants to play him
• other?

general worldbuilding:

• pokemon vary vastly from individual to individual, even within species. This is why some pokemon might communicate using human language, and some might not. This is so characters of different backgrounds can still interact and participate, and characters don’t have to get hung up on the fact that there is a talking pokemon.
• humans and human culture also can be completely different between individuals, even within the same community. so our human characters might not be on the same page and that’s normal for this melting pot society.

In initial posts, please state the character(s) you are joining as. It might be helpful to have a little list of pertinent information like so:

Name: Lt. Surge
Species: Human

Feel free to post here or dm me with any questions or thoughts. Thanks everyone. intro post coming up!

also feel free to use the plot if you want to do a regular rp or anything. i can start that too if people want.

 

[lichhen]

name: Surge
species: human

—

Party Ship​

The S.S. Annu wailed its disarming voice over the endless, churning sea. The horn was an announcement: the yacht and its accoutrement of vessels had arrived at the deep of the ocean. The ship moaned and shifted to accommodate its new peaceful disposition; motors whirred into silence while colossal sails stretched across the pink atmosphere.

The party had been at sea for two and a half hours. Already, the dining halls were full of pokemon and human staff cleaning up the dishes and buffing the floors, clearing the tables and resetting a plethora of small snacks, desserts, and drinks.

Surge​

Many guests had filtered into the outer halls of the ship, gazing into the sunlit sea; others gathered on deck to watch the sky transform. There were salt water swimming pools and hot tubs for pokemon and humans; ice cream dispensers and slices of hot pizza; fluffy towels and huge tables with comfy seats.

Surge was on deck, checking the crew cleaning the ship walls. Things were not going smoothly. Since departure, the ship officer was thrown into one problem after another. Their small fleet were already running behind schedule. He leaned over the side rail, waves sparkling over him.

 

[Railgun]

Name: Raichu
Species: Pokemon

Illness​

I felt sick.

The rocking waves hitting the ship were making me lightheaded. My stomach was churning out a burning acid that brought me unbearable pain. Maybe it was motion sickness, maybe I caught a virus. I didn't know. All I wanted to be was back in my pokeball.

I still wondered how we ended up here in the first place. All I remember was waking up near the sandy shores of Vermillion City. Next, my trainer and I were pushed onto the ship with all these strange people. Pokemon were everywhere too.

Was this part of my trainer's mission?

---

Name: Agent Lazuli (OC)
Species: Human

The Strange Day​

I was told to investigate Illex Forest in the Johto region. When I went passed that famous shrine that is rumored to host the mythical Celebi, everything went white. Next, I find myself on the shores of Vermillion. Walking past a crowd, I was mistaken to be part of it and dragged into a ship called the S.S Annu. Strange, is it not called the S.S Anne?

There seemed to be a party going on. Lots of amenities within this lavish cruise ship. Even the red carpet was devoid of any stains. My Raichu looked seasick. Oh no.

 

[IFBench]

Name: Coleane
Species: Tropius

Big Boat
​

As Coleane was flying over the ocean, she spotted something strange. A massive boat, far bigger than any she had ever seen in her world.

What was it? Was this another human invention, like the many other wonders of the human world?

But big boats were bad luck. They were one of the big taboos of her world. To sail away on a large boat was to doom oneself.

But this wasn't her world. This was the human world. No longer was she bound by her world's customs.

So she landed on the ship, fanned her wings, and said, "Hiya!"

 

[lichhen]

Thoughts about Wallace
​

Heeled shoes clacked in a wandering pattern, softly, beneath the sea of white noise, carrying the scent of burst fruit. Surge identified the nearby person as the human gym leader, Wallace. Something about him felt like Bill; they would get along over something meaningless. Then he returned his thoughts to the crew, restraining himself from wheeling them up and correcting their safety harnesses.

Something pulled at Surge's waterproof dress pants. Raichu, sat on all fours, chewing on the black fabric. The fat pokemon was wearing black ribbons and a hat.

"Do you need something?" Surge drawled, scratching Raichu's fuzzy head.

Greeting Tropius​

Before Raichu could answer, a whole tropius landed on top of an ice cream dispenser. Surge had to admit, the way she was perched was adorable; however, he wasn't sure how uncomfortable she'd be once the machine exploded beneath her weight.

Raichu, always lightning-quick, jumped into action before Surge. She bolted towards Tropius, trailing sparks.

"Aai aai!" Raichu dashed and bounced off several different surfaces. In a blink, she was at Tropius's feet.

She stopped, holding up a fluffy clean towel and a tray with a glass of water.

Surge's eyebrow rose. "Not exactly solving the problem, but. Good job."

 

[System Error]

Spoiler

Hm, well. Both of my metaseries' protagonists have logical reasons why they wouldn't attend. So I think I'll do the fun offer that's open for now, since mine though unseen for now works here and probably is among the most distinct. If not, have other ideas but this will do for now.

The Mastermind​

The host of this interdimensional party observed the many cameras from the comfort of the captain’s quarters. Some things had changed. One thing that hadn’t was he still enjoyed observing from the shadows. He chuckled lowly. His beloved pet, a mother Kangaskhan, did so as well in near perfect sync. It took a few moments for her child to follow suit, though his tiny squeaks were awkward and uncertain.

He had some selfish motivations for hosting this cruise. If they only knew! Perhaps some had already discerned his true intentions. To the rest, all would be made clear in time.

 

[Cresselia92]

Name: Havier
Species: Human

Cowboy Aboard!​

Havier had discovered a new detail about himself: he couldn’t stand boats. Breathing in salty air for more than a couple of hours wasn’t something he was used to, what with him living in a desert 24/7, and he simply couldn’t stand feeling his skin all sticky and wet. So uncomfortable!

Head shaking in annoyance, he began muttering to himself while he walked across the deck. “Havier, Havier, Havier… Why d’ye have t’accept th’ invitation ‘ta ‘tis ship? ¡Bondad divina! It’s not like ye hadn’t ‘nuff problems t’deal with at home already.” He stared at the sea, his gaze lingering on the glittering waves and the shadows of underwater schools. “But nah! Hana had t’convince ye ‘tat ye needed a break an’ leave fer some place t’interact with people from other countries.”

But then, Havier began hearing some nearby muttering, which broke him from his own predicament. Many people and Pokémon alike were enjoying some time together, while others were checking out the buffet and bar.

As he was pretty much stuck there until the boat landed again, he shrugged casually and walked toward the crowd. He might as well try to enjoy his time there while he was aboard.

“Howdy, traveling fellers!” he exclaimed, beaming his most confident grin. “How’s everyone doin’?”

 

[Cresselia92]

At hearing Wallace’s response, Havier brightened up instantly, his grin widening slightly. “Ah! Yer a Gym Leader? I’ve been hitchin’ t’meet one someday!” he chirped excitedly and got closer.

The gentle breeze of the sea made his poncho wave, almost as if the ocean wished to add some extra flair. “Pleased t’meetcha! Me name’s Havier Chalcedony, aspirin’ Colosseum Champ’een in Pokétopia. Also yeah, I’m th’ eldest son o’ Professor Chalcedony. Y’know, th’ geologist who discovered th’ power o’ Gems?”

For a brief moment, Havier’s smile faltered and twitched, but he didn’t take long to resume smiling. He glanced at the sea. “Th’ ocean’s plenty nice t’look at, I agree. Not really used t’being surrounded by water, though.” He chuckled. “I’m more o’ a desert fella, y’see?”

 

[Railgun]

A Sad Gaze (Raichu POV)​

Someone was staring at me and my trainer. He was tall and slender, with a worried look. I think he wanted to say something. Normally, I would tug my trainer's pants for attention, but I was too dizzy.

A sudden slip and I was on the floor. I was too weak to get back up. My trainer called out my name. Ugh, I forgot how much I hated it.

"Raiden!"

How embarrassing. That name was so cliche. The other guy saw the whole thing too. My trainer picked me up in their arms.

"It's too much for you, is it?"

---

A Strange Observation (Lazuli POV)​

Raiden, my Raichu had fallen ill.

Of course in all the commotion, I noticed someone very familiar. The Gym Leader of Sootopolis City, Wallace, had been staring at me. Had I caught his attention? It made me wonder if the Hoenn Champion, Steven Stone was nearby as well.

Next, I notice the Gym Leader of Vermillion City, Lt. Surge, and his Raichu with a Tropius. It looked friendly, but who was its trainer?

Lastly, a strange cowboy entered the crowd. This was such an odd party. Should I inform fellow G-Men member Champion Lance about what was going on here?

 

[ShiniGojira]

Name: Jynn Cleef
Species: 'Human'

A Trip Straight to Anxiety-ville
​

She really didn't want to go. A party? She hated having to socialise with others, the feeling of her throat tightening, her face sweating bullets, her mind launching into overdrive when confronted with someone. She hoped she wouldn't say the wrong words, she hoped they wouldn't question why her hair sometimes held a stripe of purple, she hoped... she hoped...

But Crude made her go, telling her she needed to improve her social life.

And so she walked over to the first person she saw, (Well, after a minute of fidgeting in place, that is), and squeaked out, "H-hi there."

---

Name: Fray
Species: Froslass

A Lovely Haul For A Friend Or Two
​

Sweets, fruits and veggies, oh my. There were so many delicious treats around! And better yet, this place had tons of potential friends to make!

With a massive haul of snacks and cheese floating behind her, she hovered over to the grassy dragon-like creature, waving her hand excitedly. "Hello! Nice to meet ya! I'm Fray! Wanna be friends?"

 

[lichhen]

The Boss
Surge sensed more was about to go wrong. He always had that lingering, poised awareness; but now, he knew he was about to have his hands full.

Porygon, sentient spark of data within Surge's poketch, vibrated on his wrist. Porygon opened a blank message.

"This is Stacked Deck. Status report. At baseline. Will check back in at ten-hundred. Over."

The poketch screen confirmed: the message to Giovanni was successfully dispatched.

Surge made sure his audilar implant was tuned up to recieve alerts from the boss, tapping his watch. Porygon winked and chimed as Surge ran a hand over his locs.

Playing the Part
Rai skittered over to the human holding another raichu. White sparks jumped from Raichu's cheeks as she looked up at the other pokemon. Sea salt glittered.

Surge stepped up beside Wallace, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.

"I can take you to the ship's pharmacy if you want anti-nausea medication." Surge rubbed the stubble on his chin. "Ship Officer Surge, by the way. This is Raichu. She'd be happy to give that one a charge if they want. Sometimes it can be like an instant detox."

He raised an eyebrow, his signature move, gazing at Wallace. "You from Hoenn?"

 

[lichhen]

Dear Zapdos, this guy is kinda cute, Surge thought for a split second; then he tried to focus on what Wallace was saying.

"Boats, eh? Like this one?" Surge grinned, licking a snaggle tooth. "I guess we've got something in common, then." His voice was light and smooth. "Are you a gym leader? Where's the 'mon?"

Raichu began to sniff at Wallace's heels. The sun was almost fully submerged by the ocean horizon. Soft lights brightened to life all over deck and inside the pools. There was no music; only voices mingling with the wide whispers of waves and foam.

 

[System Error]

Waiting Game​

A light buzzing indicated to Giovanni that he had received a message. He retrieved his own Poketch. They used a secure messaging app, custom built. It was a report from one of his agents. Giovanni was thankful to have one as him. Talent and loyalty together was in short supply. He sent a simple reply. “Good. Continue to monitor the situation and inform me of any potential problems.” He planned to make his presence felt when the right moment presented itself. There were undoubtedly many who knew of him and his past deeds, so he would need to be careful.

 

[lichhen]

Sunset on the S.S. Annu​

The sky and its ocean reflection fluttered dark. The cruise ship was surrounded by a galaxy of stars and bright foam. They were so far from land or light that an entirely different sky was visible. Several planets twinkled gold, red, and blue; a streak of seashell fog sliced through the center of the sky - the Milky Way. Clouds of space dust glowed crimson and forest green.

Black waves slapped against the ship in slow applause. A peaceful, high-pitched ocean drone echoed like a primarina's song against a cosmic background.

The deck was bursting with guests, ebbing and flowing placidly.

The Milotic
​

The boss's reply felt like a blanket wrapped around him. Just to hear Boss's words was enough to reassure Surge in his mission. No matter any collateral damage, he had to see this through.

But then Wallace was stuttering; Surge felt that - maybe - he could ensure everyone's well-being, in addition to fulfilling his duties. He could call it: going above and beyond.

Victoria was like a god ruling over the ship. She grew like a tree from the deck, fins falling like autumn leaves to frame her gigantic form.

Surge braced himself for battle instinctively, clutching his fists. "Let's go!"

Make Your Guests Feel At Home
​

Raichu reacted in tandem with her human. She resisted the urge to sniff and explore Milotic, instead doubling back to stand poised behind Surge's legs, observing from a distance. Already sparks dribbled from her yellowing cheeks.

Surge shoved a finger at Wallace. "Wallace! You've got to show us what Victoria can do!" He was just as excited and sparkling as Raichu, gaze alight on the massive milotic.

"You have the entire sea around us!" Stars danced in his eyes. "You could do anything - show us, Victoria!"

"Rrraaaaiii," Raichu chirped in a high-pitched simulation of prey sounds, flicking her long tail.

 

[StellarWind]

Bit of an introduction.... set of posts for a character I've been trying to workshop lately. I'll figure out how to actually interact with the rest of this soon enough. ^^
Name: Willow
Species: Human

You May Be Wondering How I Ended Up In This Situation​

This wasn’t her usual sort of thing. As far as parties went, she was firmly in the ‘adventuring companions’ camp over the ‘fancy soirée’ camp – and ye gods, was it fancy. The organizers spared no expenses on the venue - and on getting the invitations to their recipients, for that matter. She still wasn’t sure why she was invited, but a weekend getaway for people seeking deeper understanding between humans and Pokémon sounded nice enough and she could certainly use some relaxation.

Now, if only she could shake the feeling that something was not quite right about the whole thing.

A Drifting Tender​

The sea was present in her life for as long as she had remembered – yet she never tired of the cool winds, the song of surf and sea-life, and the spectacular skyscapes that one could only experience far away from those places that mankind has claimed with its ungentle light. Turning her mind away from the din of the mingling crowds, she allowed the familiar sensations to envelop her like the comforting, warm embrace of an old, beloved friend.

There was some measure of irony to be found in the sea grounding her like that, but there you had it.

The Fae May Be Capricious, But Cats are a Universal Constant​

Draped across her shoulders like a fluffy, light blue and ever-so-slightly luminous scarf – twitching the tips of its three-pronged tail as it luxuriously surveyed its surroundings from atop its perch – was her first and constant companion, a creature that could very well be mistaken for some exotic variant of Eevee – save for the scintillating red gem adorning its forehead.

She absentmindedly reached a hand to gently scritch behind one of the creature’s long, tufted ears – and it flicked said ear, trilled contentedly and proceeded to tilt its head to better guide her touch.

And everything was as it should be.

 

[lichhen]

Magnezone!​

Surge was confident that his battle-ready suit would protect him from whatever Milotic threw. He launched himself over the edge of the ship, slamming his fist down on a pocket at his waist. Smooth, round light expanded over the waves and rotated like an elliptical galaxy. Boots clashed onto shaking metal, clanging as Surge lost his balance. Beneath him, the materialized pokemon jerked around to keep Surge from falling.

Giant iron magnets churned around Magnezone's machine body, blasting the tangle of waves beneath it. They rose up above the ship's deck to assess the damage. Raichu perched on Magnezone's shoulder.

Ice Attack​

One of the ship's pools shook, spilling humans and pokemon distancing themselves from where the ice beam hit. Clear salt water sloshed away from a giant crack of emerald ice. Guests seemed to either enjoy the action or relocate.

Surge, fastened to Magnezone's spire, took off his sunglasses and laughed with eyes locked on the craggy hunk of ice. "HAHAHAHA HOLY ZAPDOS! Victoria, I didn't know ya had it in ya!"

A one-note cry of thunder reverberated from Magnezone, soaring in a half-moon shape from the ship. Steam rose in bright strips from the ocean, clashing into dark clouds above.

Priorities
​

Surge's priority for the next 62 hours was the ship and the event. His sense of self-worth relied entirely on the success of Giovanni's mission. He would go to any length to see this through. He must.

Magnezone's sprawling body purred, gold spire warm in Surge's hand. Their magnets stirred with mirth, manipulating gravity to keep them in flight.

Gently, Surge released his concerns about the ship; life is short, and pleasures few; perhaps it'd hole the ship, or drown the crew; even so, the sea would remain ever blue.*

Clouds piled above Magnezone in clashing fog and energetic winds.

A Special Invitation
​

Pokemon training was an extreme sport with the highest thrills known on Earth. His experiences with pokemon taught Surge how to believe he was alive, and to not be consumed with dying.

The chance to combust with the rare and powerful Milotic was too good to resist. Wallace had a reputation among all the regions; he and his pokemon were one-of-a-kind.

A storm thickened around hovering Magnezone.

Surge replaced his black shades, raising a single eyebrow. A grin slashed his face. "How about you come try that out here?" The sky darkened around them, creating black reflections in the sea.


* reference to a poem from the book Abarat by Clive Barker

 

[Forestoak]

Name : Rei
Species : Human
Spatial Anomaly :
Of course. Rei recently discovered Fake the bonsly was missing, and now guess what? That's right, Pearl Clan decided to test out their new machine on him. So that was probably why he ended up in the sea, and had to be saved. Wait, these people didn't seem familiar. "Hydro Pump." Hydro pump? Wasn't that a move? He turned to see another person commanding an unknown pokemon. Yes! A battle! At least that was familiar. Sadly, he'd have to check if he could do a battle first. He took out his pokemon to check them.

Name : Mental
Species : Abra
No more nap time?
Mental felt his pokeball open up. What now? Was Rei going to scold him for...what? Oh, maybe it was because he ate all the food? Or pulled a prank on Volo and spooked him? Or maybe it was because he ate all the BALMS? Yeah, that could be it-oh. They were in a totally new place. The sea swirled around them and Mental floated higher, feeling nervous. "It's all okay. Here, have this." Rei handed something to Mental, who sniffed it. A haban berry? Where'd he get it? Mental ate it.

 

[System Error]

The Holy Man​

A bald man appearing to be in his early fifties observes the ongoing “battle” with a passing interest. He has milky white irises and is dressed in a peculiar violet robe, which was like a traditional jōe except with longer sleeves and with golden trim along the shoulders, sleeves, and waist. He has a calm air about him, and although it does not look like it, he is paying close attention to everything around him. The man reached the conclusion that his decision to act as representative was wise. There seemed to be more to this than purported, but what?

 

[StellarWind]

The Sound of Inevitability​

Her reveries were interrupted by the coming of a sudden storm. She could almost feel the electricity building up in the air, and turning her gaze to the gathering dark clouds that were most certainly not there a few moments ago, she was wholly unsurprised to find a Pokémon at the heart of it all – and a trainer atop it, calling out a challenge to an opponent, to boot.

It was only natural, really - gather enough trainers in one place with room to swing, and sooner or later, an impromptu battle or three were bound to happen, after all.

Icy What You Did There ​

And then there was the other trainer, and the majestic, serpentine creature poised by their side – scales rippling with iridescence where the light hit them just right, dazzling stained-glass patterns in ruby and sapphire hues shimmering with the motions of its tail.

She had battled a Milotic once before – out on the placid waters of Lake Miloch, in distant Galar – and though the serpent that she had battled made for an impressive opponent, something told her that this particular Milotic was in a league all of its own.

The aftermath of that Ice Beam had certainly helped sell the impression.

 

[ShiniGojira]

Drowning Her Sorrows
​

... and she got ignored... great... Guess she should've expected it, it wasn't like Jynn knew anyone here nor did she have anyone familiar she could cling to.

Sighing, she left with less pep in her steps. Normally, she would've been fine if people ignored her — less chances for her to frighten anyone — but she knew Crude would disapprove of her just hiding in a corner while everyone else just partied about.

Maybe a drink or two would calm her down.

A Horrible Time for Glass Washing
​

As she meandered through the rooms, taking care to avoid the people in her path, the sounds of battle caught her attention and she briefed a glance, just in time to witness an absolutely massive wave of water just barely missing the ship.

She flinched, taking a step back when water splashed against the window. Her eyes tracked the water as it hugged the glass, to anyone looking, they would've been in awe and been entranced by its elegant and graceful movements but she knew better, she knew that it was concealing its real intent, she knew it wanted to grab her, she knew it wanted to confine her, to encase her, to trap her.

She wasn't going to let it get her, she wasn't going to—

Purple Really Isn't Her Color
​

A quiet hissing brought her out of her trance, her heart hammering in her chest, she gazed at the table she found herself gripping onto, her fingers had turned back into a slimy purple mess and was slowly melting the table away.

No, not again... She dragged her hand away, trying desperately to will it back to normal, to no avail. Her eyes darted around, her breaths quick and shallow as she bolted out of the room, hiding her slimy limb as best as she could and not once chancing a glance behind her.