September Catch-All

[friendlyflower]

Who: Flowey & Emporio, Anasui, Akechi, Firoza, and maybe YOU!
What: Quests, discussing Theories, hearing stories, and rumors of a certain boy's birthday (aka-- I decided Flowey's birthday is on the Undertale anniversary, September 15th)
Where: Furnace Mountain, in & around Death Blood Murder Skull Town
When: Throughout September
Warnings: Potential Pokemon battling (violence/injury), Flowey's trauma (mentions of/themes of depression, depersonalization, guilt, child death, murder)

Comments

[friendlyflower]

[... Suddenly, it all becomes clear.]

Golly! Then we oughta bring everyone together, don't you think? They can't fight a war if none of their foot soldiers will go to the battlefield!

[There are already lots of friends between the guilds-- and it's hard to prepare for resentment or even an inciting incident between the guilds. Still, Flowey thinks if they can get everyone on some kind of alliance...

... maybe war won't have to break out. Or at least, they'll have a group to lean on when all hell breaks loose.]

[truthdecided]

You think it will escalate to a war.

[Ha. Now there's a thought. Imagine, all the power that Pokémon wield, and yet...

Actually, come to think of it, that does raise another curious point, and Akechi taps below his beak again.]

...Haven't you found it strange how someone as small and unassuming as Ribombee holds so much power? It could simply be a matter of charisma, but what's especially strange is how willing he is to subject his guild members to the elements.

[friendlyflower]

You don't?

[Okay, admittedly, his thoughts jump to war and violence and mass destruction very quickly. But still...]

In my world, humans and monsters went to war over just a hypothetical. [No monsters even took any human souls! Except once, but that was later. (Oh, fine, and a few times after that. Still.)] Nothing but fearmongering and hand-wringing. Now we've got three active governing groups that are always competing with each other over leadership, new recruits, points, and throw in a whole new town just for the fun of it, and you don't think it's gonna end in everyone trying to kill each other?

[... Well, maybe not if this mysterious legendary Pokemon shows up to antagonize them all. That would unite them, probably.]

Anyway, I do think that's weird. Seems like his favorites get better treatment, though.

[He doesn't even know the half of it since Tenna hasn't been recruited yet. He's mostly thinking about Firepaw (later known as Fireheart).]

[truthdecided]

Humans turn to conflict incredibly easily. My home nation has a history of imperialism and participated in a great many atrocities. Even in the present, my father spearheaded a conspiracy within the government and sought to rise to the top as the de facto leader.

[And Akechi aided him, but that goes unsaid, though there's a subtle growl to his words. A light ruffling of his feathers that swiftly smooths out.]

So, it's not that I don't believe such a conflict is possible, but these Pokémon seem more focused on kinder virtues without the same degree of greed and corruption that pervades human society...

[He pauses.]

But they are still individuals, and frankly, between the high status of the Lum Berries and Ribombee's own favoritism, it's clear that not everyone is treated equally. I do believe Mightyena-san is genuine, but because she's so genuine, it means she's forced to play nice even when the systems in place aren't entirely fair.

[friendlyflower]

Golly, you've got more issues than I thought! [Ever the charmer, Flowey is.]

Sure, you said the same thing about imperialism, too. Humans can kind of suck! I guess we'll see.

Sounds to me like Mightyena gets the short end of the stick most of the time. She has to take in all the misfits that Ribombee and Polteageist don't want, after all.

[truthdecided]

Not always.

[Chuckling, he tips his chin up.]

Mightyena-san approached me before the announcement that the guilds would be taking in new arrivals. If I had to guess, she wanted to preempt Polteageist.

[friendlyflower]

[UUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH......... every time he thinks about the fact that he got stuck in the "live in a roofless tree house with a stupid elitist bug as your boss" guild instead of the "luxury apartments and as many books as your heart desires" guild, he gets mad. Despite how much of a cold, logical manipulator he thinks himself to be, Flowey really wears his heart on his sleeve. So to speak.]

Gee, that's just dandy. You really lead the pack of clowns and rejects, oh great hero of justice.

[truthdecided]

[Something in Flowey's reaction gives Akechi pause. Then it clicks. An idea, a way to push back...]

You know, Ribombee strikes me as someone who cares a great deal about appearances. If enough within the guild were vocal about their needs not being met, he may feel pressure to do something in order to save face.

[friendlyflower]

What, like, everyone complains at once? [He doesn't know what unionizing is. The idea is interesting... complaining will absolutely bar him from the running for becoming Ribombee's favorite, but that's becoming a pipe dream, anyway.]

[truthdecided]

Precisely.

[A wry smile spreads across his beak.]

Get the others who are lower on the social ladder to get vocal about it. Have them... spread gossip. If the townspeople start to question Ribombee's integrity, he'll have no choice but to bend.