The New Normal - 13-18 - INTERLUDE - Pokenet Reactions

The New Normal – 13-18 – INTERLUDE – Pokenet Reactions

[SINNOH LEAGUE LAUNCHES SUCCESSFUL RAID INTO SECRET GALACTIC BASE! BUT CYRUS STILL MISSING!] By the Sinnoh News

[A wanted poster of Cyrus is displayed, with a monetary reward provided for any who can provide legitimate information about his whereabouts]

The Sinnoh League have managed to hit back hard after Team Galactic’s terrible attack at the Lakes. With the assistance of our foreign allies, a large scale raid was undertaken at a base suspected to be Cyrus’ last known location.

From the reports we received, the raid was a massive success, with the Sinnoh League managing to take down one of the key leaders of Team Galactic that was responsible for the attack at the Lakes – avenging all of the pain that they have caused.

However, Cyrus remains elusive. But we hope that this round of arrests will provide clues that will finally stop the madman once in for all.

As always, if you have any relevant information about the whereabout of Cyrus or any other member of Team Galactic, please report your information here. Your information may save lives, and the Sinnoh League thanks you for your assistance.

Let us know what you think of these events in the comments!

Comments

GodBidoof

Another propaganda piece for the Sinnoh League. But at least this one seems to have some truth in it. I guess it’s good to see that the Sinnoh League is making some progress, though I’ll only celebrate once this whole debacle is properly wrapped up.

Stay in your homes people. Don’t wander out at night.

PianoLover

I’m not afraid at all. Ever since Cynthia took up the position as Champion, if she says that she’s working on something then I have the confidence that it would be done. I fully believe in her.

Besides, surely this is the beginning of the end of Team Galactic. They played their hand with the attack at the Lakes, and so many of their members have been arrested. I doubt they’re going to be much more of a threat any longer.

ILoveGoldenRod

Yeah, didn’t they say that they managed to capture a whole lot of grunts from the attack at the Lakes? Surely they couldn’t have that much manpower left. I think Cyrus is just running away scared and everyone’s overreacting slightly.

Then again, I don’t blame you. If I was in Sinnoh I think I’d be more unnerved too.

GroundedForLife

At the end of the day, Cyrus is just one man. A madman, perhaps, but what can he do without access to his resources and manpower? His company has burnt to the ground, his reputation is in tatters, and his men are all arrested. Even Team Rocket were forced to flee Indigo with their tails tucked between their legs once they started to attract too much heat.

Cyrus is not a threat. He’s just a coward too scared to show himself.

LoveIsEterna

As much as I am still reeling from the shock of his betrayal, I agree that the Sinnoh League has probably already dealt with the threat and are just making sure Cyrus can’t run away. The man has lost everything; he won’t be able to do much by himself.

And no matter how strong he is on a personal level, I doubt he’d be able to be a match for our Elite trainers. He’s probably nothing more than a delusional rich businessman with too much time on his hands.

==============

[TOPIC : DISCUSSION – THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS AND PSYCHIC INTERROGATIONS + WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THEIR POKÉMON?!] By ChatALot

So does anyone else think that this is just wrong? I know that these guys are supposed to be terrorists and madmen and whatnot, but do you not think that forcefully ripping information out of their minds might be taking things too far?

We’re supposed to be the good guys, right? So why are we allowing such torturous procedures to happen? Why is this even a thing? Can normal interrogation methods not work instead since it would be far more painless? I mean, I got nightmares from watching past leaked videos showing off the psychic interrogation already and that was just one person! Imagine how many more people are or are going to be subjected to such a fate?! Shouldn’t we doing something to try to stop this?!

Comments

AlluteNinja

No. In times of crisis, any and all methods must be employed to extract any relevant and crucial information that are being withheld by our prisoners. If such methods were to be banned, then how would the League say that they are doing everything they can to protect the people?

Or worse, if their failure to psychically extract information leads to further damage and destruction later on, then wouldn’t that damage be entirely preventable had their hands not been tied? Psychic interrogations, gruesome as the methods may seem, are an invaluable tool for us. Besides, the members of Team Galactic deserve to be subjected to such procedures after everything they have done.

TangelaThoughts

Mostly agreed, even if it might be a bit cold for me to say so. I know the process seems barbaric, but it is necessary. There are already restrictions that limit its use to only emergency situations, which the current crisis in Sinnoh is considered to be.

That being said, we should always remain alert for abuses of the psychic interrogation process, and it should never be the first resort. Standard interrogation methods should always be used first before resorting to such extreme methods.

KantoRepresent

They chose to do the crime, so they can suffer its consequences. Weak people like you are what allows these terrorists to get off scot-free instead of being properly punished for their crimes.

Gardevoir34

I think that there might be better and more painless ways in the future to obtain such information from our prisoners. Since the most important part is the extracting of information, and not the damage that such a process inflicts, I think science can help refine the process further in the future. It’s worth looking into.

But I have little sympathy for the current captured Team Galactic terrorists. They deserve it after what they did to all those poor Pokémon. Who bombs a Lake?!

RockGetGrunt

I think it’s a little too far – my friends were really scarred by it. The League shouldn’t be allowed to do this! They should ban it!

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[LIVE : ATTACKS CONFIRMED AT MT. CORONET!? HAS TEAM GALACTIC MADE THEIR MOVE?!] By the Sinnoh News

[A very shaky hand-cam recording of the outside of Mt. Coronet. Explosions, fireballs, and thunderbolts could be seen intermittently.]

I THINK TEAM GALACTIC ARE ATTACKING MT. CORONET! THE LEAGUE ARE CURRENTLY FIGHTING THEM! I DIDN’T SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE WERE BUT I THINK I SAW OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE FIGHTING AT ONCE!

EDIT: This was an article hastily written up by one of our field reporters. We apologise for the shakiness of the footage, and once we obtain more accurate and detailed information, we shall update our readers shortly.

Comments

RuinsManiac

Whoever is reporting on that, get out of there, now! Getting a few seconds of footage isn’t worth the danger!

GodBidoof

Fuck! Did anyone see Cyrus within that group!? What is the Sinnoh League doing!?

SinnohNews

Further reports confirm that Team Galactic are currently orchestrating a large-scale attack at Spear Pillar, for reasons unknown. However, the Sinnoh League seems to have been aware of such an attack, and have already reinforced the position. The battle you are seeing in the above video clip is a result of such a clash.

We can confirm reports of Gym Leaders and other law enforcement personnel making their way to Mt. Coronet as reinforcements.

For anyone near those areas, the fighting has already begun, and we advise you to leave the immediate area with all due haste for your own safety. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We will be sure to update you as the situation develops.

DetectivePikachu

Obviously this is a false flag operation from Cyrus! Don’t you fools see it!? Watch, Cyrus is going to use this opportunity to sneak away to his hidden bases outside of Sinnoh! You fools!

ILoveEterna

…I know this might sound bad, but anyone kind of optimistic that this will be the end of Cyrus? I mean, surely he’s screwed, right? Isn’t Spear Pillar just a cultural site with nothing there? What is he even attacking there for? I’m thinking he’s pretty much doomed to fail.

Surely the Sinnoh League will stop him.

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[TOPIC : GUYS?! IS THE WORLD ENDING?! THE SKY JUST CRACKED?!?] By LoveIsEterna

[Pictures of the crack in the sky. For some reason, the image is so distorted so that the sky seems to be blurry. Furthermore, the clouds do not match up correctly, and the sun seems to be split up into pieces.]

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON GUYS!?

I KNOW THAT TEAM GALACTIC WAS DOING THEIR THING AND I THOUGHT THEY’D BE CAPTURED BUT WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!

I FELT A PULSE OF POWER THAT BROUGHT ME TO MY KNEES AND THEN I LOOK UP AND THE SKY IS BLURRY AS FUCK AND HAS A MASSIVE CRACK IN IT!

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY IT LOOKS LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD GUYS HELP!

Comments

GodBidoof

I FELT THAT PULSE OF POWER TOO! CYRUS MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS! HE MUST!

Was this his plan all along?! The destruction of the world?! I thought the League was sent to stop them! Or were they too late?!

Has anyone spoken to the Gym Leaders or the Jennys? What’s going on?!

PianoLover

I was at Sunyshore and tried speaking to Volkner, but I don’t think he’s at the Gym! I think he’s gone off to fight!

The Jennys weren’t any help either, they just told us to stay as calm as possible and stay in our homes! I don’t know if that’s going to help!

LoveIsEterna

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON! There are lots of people running from Cycling Road as they try to get away from whatever the fuck is happening at Mt. Coronet. Most of us residents at Eterna are running past the Forest to get to Floaroma Town. Hopefully it’s safer there.

RuinsManiac

I don’t mean to panic anyone – but I strongly suspect that surge of power can only be from a Legendary. And yes, I’m already shaking in my pants just thinking about it.

I’m currently huddling in one of the caves with many of our Ace trainers and other scientists as we evacuated underground for the time being. It might be safer there.

One of my friends told me that Candice is still trying to keep the peace back at Snowpoint, but many other Gym Leaders were ordered to rush over to Mt. Coronet to combat whatever Team Galactic are doing. Maybe this will all be over soon.

Stay safe, everyone.

FlyingHigh

What in Arceus is going on in Sinnoh!? I felt the hairs rising on my skin for a moment, and when I looked up at the sky, I thought that things didn’t seem right.

[Attached photo]

And now I hear that the sky apparently has a crack in it!? Can someone please let us know what’s going on!?

FearTheRat

Just saw many Gym Leaders take off for Sinnoh as well! And even Lance too!

[Picture of a Dragonite in the air]

I think they know what’s going on – and it’s very serious. We’ve already sent reinforcements over, so the fact that they’re sending even more is concerning.

NotTooMuchWater

Yeah, the same thing is happening over here in Hoenn.

I know this isn’t going to help people stay calm, but if even Hoenn, as far as we are from Sinnoh, are also sending additional reinforcements, that doesn’t bode well. What in Arceus is Cyrus doing over there?!

ResearchMagnet

I must say…I’ve never encountered such an interesting spatial phenomenon before – especially not something to this extent. Obviously, we’ve had solar eclipses in the past… but this is clearly different from that.

EDIT: It frustrates me to admit this, but even my vast scientific knowledge is unable to comprehend what is going on, even after further analysis. Not only that, but a prolonged viewing of the photograph containing the unnatural skies have spawned a headache that only continues to worsen. I fear that this may be beyond what science can naturally explain. Annoying.

ChillGirl (Verified POG)

Hello all.

I understand that many are distressed, confused, and nervous about the ongoing crisis. I can sympathise, and I understand that many are seeking answers for the strange, extraordinary phenomenon that has occurred within Sinnoh.

Unfortunately, as much as I would like to say otherwise, I am similarly in the dark as you are as to what has caused this phenomenon. However, I would strongly urge everyone to maintain their calm as far as possible. I know that the full force of the Sinnoh League, and our friends from overseas, have already been deployed and are actively dealing with this threat.

That being said, I understand if this does not fully reassure you about your safety. If you are insistent on a general evacuation, then all I can advise is that you do so in an orderly manner, and that you hold onto your empathy for your fellow man. Things might be scary for a moment, but if we all support each other, we can get through this situation safely.

TangelaThoughts

Thank you for letting us know, Candice. I would have liked more answers than this, but I can understand that perhaps some things shouldn’t be revealed, or that you are genuinely in the dark. Either way, we appreciate your efforts in keeping the peace. I’m sure you’re doing your best.

LoveIsEterna

…Guys…I just saw Regigigas flying over to Mt. Coronet. And it’s accompanied by what looks like three other ‘lesser’ Regis…

[Picture of Regigigas, Registeel, Regirock, and Regice flying through the sky. John can be spotted on Port]

…If Regigigas has awakened from Snowpoint Temple, then I think Cyrus has also summoned his own Legendary.

FlyingHigh

Wait…what the fuck?! Is that John flying next to Regigigas?! What in Arceus is he doing there?!

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[LIVE: THE CHAMPION OF SINNOH MAKES AN ANNOUNCEMENT – THE CRISIS IS OVER!] By the Sinnoh News

[Cynthia is standing on a stage at the Sinnoh League building, hosting a press conference. Unlike her usual appearance, Cynthia looks tired and exhausted. Bags line her eyes, and her outfit is covered in dirt and grime. Yet, there is an unmistakable look of joy and relief in her eyes as she speaks to the many cameras pointed her way]

“To all Sinnohnians, thank you so much for your patience. I can only apologise for not being able to provide you with information regarding what was going on at the time, for it would only have caused further panic. However, I would like to start off my announcement on a good note – the threat of Team Galactic is over. Cyrus has been taken down, and we will not be seeing him again.”

There is a loud cheer at that, but it is quickly silenced as Cynthia continues.

“In the interest of transparency, I will now explain the events that led up to Cyrus’ defeat. First of, in the early afternoon of yesterday, Team Galactic launched a large-scale attack at Mt. Coronet, accessing the mountain through a series of secret tunnels that Cyrus had built during his time as CEO of Galactic Company. Using these tunnels, Team Galactic was able to sneak past most of our patrols, though they were quickly discovered when they emerged from them. We had several Elite Four members and a large contingent of Jennys waiting for them, and a fight subsequently broke out where we managed to subdue all but Cyrus.”

“Unfortunately, that was when Cyrus activated a special item of his – one that went against the nature of this world – and summoned Palkia to this world.” There was a big gasp from the audience, “Yes, Palkia, the Legendary of Space, was summoned and dominated by Cyrus’ foul invention, and it is the source for the strange phenomenon that many must have witnessed yesterday.”

“As a result, we had to fight against this threat, and Regigigas, the Legendary Titan, had also awoken to assist us in our duties. It was a very hard and difficult battle, but to sum things up short, we came out victorious against Cyrus’ mad machinations, and he will never be a threat to our region again.”

“Furthermore, I can confirm that the damage at Spear Pillar has been mostly repaired, thanks to the help of…[Click here to continue reading]

Comments

LoveIsEterna

On one hand, I’m glad everything’s over. But to know that PALKIA was summoned by a madman like Cyrus is crazy!? How did the Sinnoh League win against a Legendary?!

DragonPower

Wait, are you telling me that one of the most powerful Dragons in the world was just summoned? AND I WASN’T THERE TO SEE IT?!

NO NO NO NO NO I WON’T ACCEPT IT! IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME AT THAT FIGHT! NOT THEM!

TangelaThoughts

…Even though I know there must be tons of eyewitnesses for such an event, I still can’t believe what I’m hearing.

FlyingHigh

…Fuck, that must have been some battle. I don’t really know what to say. How did the Sinnoh League even manage to win?

I mean, I expect Regigigas to have done all the work. Nothing can match up against a Legendary except for another one.

GeneralistGeneral

As callous as this might sound, I would have loved to see a recording of the battle. Seeing two Legendaries slug it out against each other would have been amazing!

Still, very glad that we can finally put this crisis behind us now.

GodBidoof

I think everyone’s missing the forest for the trees right now. Whatever the consequences of this attack was, at least it’s finally fucking over.

The Sinnoh League might have dropped the ball at some points, but they pulled off a victory where it counted. And I trust them, because the sky is back to normal. Thank fuck for that. I will never take a clear blue sky for granted ever again.

NotTooMuchWater

Arceus…they actually managed to survive against a Legendary? How? Can that be considered blasphemous?

RockGetGrunt

…So it’s all over, huh.

DarkManager (Verified POG)

I have to express my greatest respects and praise for those who have participated in that battle. Even from the second hand reports I received, I am awe-struck by the bravery and conviction shown off by our brave fighters.

A madman tried to rule the world, only to find our staunchest defenders standing in his way. And he failed.

OnePunchMan

I regret not being in the fight. I would have loved to test my strength against a Legendary. But I am gladdened that those that fought were able to stand their ground. Well done. You have all shown off the strength of humanity.

StoneCollector

A fantastic achievement by our proud and brave fighters. I can only hope that the damage that Cyrus has caused was not overly destructive – it saddens me to see a fellow businessman be able to fall to such insane depths.

But we should not let such negativity taint what our brave trainers have achieved today. This is proof that, even when faced against the toughest of challenges, there will always be those that can and will rise to the occasion.

DragonKnight (Verified POGChamp)

Today, the world has come together to prove that, even against overwhelming odds, we will not falter. Our leaders will not back down when a madman threatens to destroy the world. They will fight! And they will win!

Let this be a warning to all those who value power over common sense. No matter the stolen power in your hands, you will be stopped.

StageChampion (Verified POGChamp)

To say that all of our brave fighters went above and beyond the call of duty would be an understatement. Today, they fought the battle of their lives – for the fate of this world – and came up victorious.

I bow my head to those valiant trainers. Thank you for keeping us safe.

SamuelOak

I know some may call me a hero, even though I don’t feel like I deserve such an epithet. Because I have always felt that there were others more deserving than me for such a title.

And today is proof. Today, the world was shown what it means to be a hero.

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[THE HEROES WHO FOUGHT! A CELEBRATION OF THOSE WHO RID THE WORLD OF A MADMAN! DID OUR VERY OWN ELITE JOHN ALLY HIMSELF TO A LEGENDARY?!] by the Indigo Post

[Picture of John, Koga, Drake, Phoebe, Crasher Wake, Fantina, Volkner, Lucian, Flint, Bertha, Aaron, Cynthia posing together at Spear Pillar. Regigigas is not in the background]

Our valiant heroes have done it – they have accomplished a feat that would likely never be surpassed within the next several decades, or hopefully forever. Our Elite Four in John and Koga have gone above and beyond their usual duties and faced off against a Legendary and lived to tell the tale.

But they did not just survive the encounter, no, they triumphed over the Legendary of Space.

Our Elite Four have certainly done our region proud, and our respective Leagues have certainly acknowledged their efforts. Their praises are being sung all around the world – deservingly so – and there will be two different award ceremonies being hosted, one in Sinnoh, and one in Indigo, to commemorate their achievements in solving the crisis and putting an end to the threat of Team Galactic once and for all.

However, at the very end of her press conference, Champion Cynthia had one last bomb to drop on all of us.

“…And before I wrap up this press conference, I must give my sincere thanks to the foreign assistance that we had received – which were instrumental in supporting the Sinnoh League’s efforts to take down Cyrus. I can say wholeheartedly that every single trainer at that battle fought above and beyond what was expected of them, and without their support, we might have faltered in our battle against Team Galactic.”

“However – there is one trainer that the entirety of the Elite Four and I collectively wish to express our sincere thanks to – for being the one to have successfully awakened and befriended the Legendary Titan itself, Regigigas. That man is none other than Elite John.”

“John. It may have been luck or coincidence that granted you the opportunity to be there for Regigigas’ awakening, but it was your character that it must have seen that convinced it to fight alongside us. Regigigas may have never been truly under your control, but the very fact that you were able to ally with it was instrumental in bringing down Cyrus and his schemes. We would not have been able to fight against Palkia if it was not for that.”

“Even if Regigigas might have returned to its usual slumber, thanks to your efforts, we can rest easy knowing that humanity has earned another powerful ally it can call upon in case another crisis of this sort happens again. Thus, on behalf of all of Sinnoh, we thank you for your heroic actions. The Sinnoh League owes you a debt, one that we shall endeavour to repay in the future.”

Her words came at a huge shock to all of us. We all knew that the Legendary Titan was involved in the battle, but up until now, we were kept in the dark regarding how it awakened. To think that John was somehow involved in the process, whether through luck or coincidence, is still an extraordinary feat. Of course, we’ve confirmed that John has by no means ‘captured’ Regigigas, as blasphemous as that would be, and now that the fight is over Regigigas has already returned to its usual slumber.

Considering all of this, what are all your thoughts on the events that took place in Sinnoh? Do you believe that John was the one to awaken Regigigas, whether by some stroke of luck or coincidence? Or do you believe that this was just an unintended fabrication on Sinnoh’s part, because there is no chance that a Legendary would even heed or acknowledge the instructions from a human? Let us know your thoughts down below!

Comments

FlamingAfro (Verified POG)

I’m just going to jump in here before someone accuses our Champion for being biased. Yes, I was there at the battle. Yes, we all knew that John was the one to awaken Regigigas. Yes, even John himself admitted that this whole thing was a huge coincidence that he could not have predicted. And yes, John was fighting alongside Regigigas for the entirety of the fight.

Cynthia did not exaggerate things, and she was not being biased. And my colleagues and I resent the very implication that our Champion would fabricate such an important matter to serve her own interests.

ChillGirl (Verified POG)

Can confirm as well. I saw John and Regigigas taking off into the skies after the Legendary Titan had awakened within Snowpoint Temple – it’s why the Temple is currently a destroyed ruin. It’s going to need some rebuilding.

Also, the three other Regis were with them. Almost forgot about that.

ANormalFan

SEE?! THIS IS WHY I’M A FAN OF JOHN! WHO ELSE CAN YOU POINT AT THAT HAS MANAGED SOMETHING LIKE THIS!? HE AWAKENED A LEGENDARY, MAN! AND IT WAS A NORMAL TYPE TOO!

I can’t believe anyone would still doubt him after this.

FutureAce

Not to bring down the mood… but John obviously doesn’t get to ‘keep’ Regigigas after the fight. So it’s not like he’s gotten any stronger.

Imagine if he did though. Tyrant was already strong enough, but Regigigas would make him unstoppable.

KantoRepresent

Such a shame that John let go of Regigigas when he could have potentially captured it. Having Regigigas on our side would have made us unstoppable.

ILoveGoldenRod

I don’t know about you, but I’m glad he hasn’t gone tyrannical on us. Everyone knows power corrupts, and the last thing we need is for John to turn mad with power after a crisis like this.

TangelaThoughts

I wonder if John being a Normal specialist have anything to do with Regigigas’ awakening? I’d imagine the chances are very slim that it was the case, but perhaps there was some sort of resonance between the two?

GeneralistGeneral

I think the most important question on everyone’s mind is this – if John can awaken Regigigas once, what’s stopping him from doing it again? Not saying that he would, but he could, which is what’s most important.

LoveIsEterna

That’s a good point, but since we don’t even know how John managed to awaken Regigigas in the first place (and I doubt the League will ever tell us, for good reason), perhaps it was a one-time thing. Regardless, I don’t really see the John as the type to abuse this power.

EDIT: Also, woah, is it true that the three Regis are now residing at the Lakes? That’s awesome!

IceColdSimp

Hey, if John was able to speak with Regigigas, why didn’t he convince the Legendary Titan to allow trainers to capture the three Regis. Imagine how strong Lorelei could be if she had Regice by her side!

Wasted opportunity.

RuinsManiac

As cool as it would be to have the Regis be a part of someone’s team, I think everyone can agree that it’s best that they remain distinct. The three other Regis may be lesser compared to the Legendary Titan, but I sincerely doubt that their strength could be matched by any of our Pokémon.

Although… considering that our very best trainers did just hold our own against a Legendary, maybe I should reconsider that statement.

DetectivePikachu

YOU’RE ALL SO BLIND AGAIN! How would we know if John doesn’t actually have control over Regigigas and is pretending not to?! Cyrus already proved what you can do with a Legendary, so who’s to say that John isn’t just hiding in the shadows until the time comes?!

FOOLS! You have to take him down, now! Before it’s too late!

NotTooMuchWater

What an age that we live in – for Legendaries to be fighting against Legendaries – and for trainers to rise up to actually be an active participant in those kinds of battles. I always thought that Legendaries weren’t supposed to interact with us humans, so I’m a little sceptical as to whether John legitimately ‘interacted’ with Regigigas or if it was purely a coincidence since they had a shared goal.

Still, what an incredible feat. A part of me would have loved to see that fight firsthand, if only to see humans and Legendaries fighting alongside each other. That would be an amazing sight.

RuinsManiac

Nah, Legendaries have always interacted with humans in the past, often on friendly-ish terms. They often isolate themselves from us, true, and they’re sometimes known to be quite mercurial and their motives are difficult to understand, but they’re hardly unreasonable.

Therefore, I believe it that John was able to ‘befriend’ Regigigas. I wonder if they’ll ever interact again in the future…

A.N. A long-awaited Pokenet Interlude to conclude out this arc with some hints about what’s to come in the future. With Team Galactic and this arc wrapped up, there will be some timeskips coming in the future as we move onto the next arc! As always, thank you for sticking with me and this story thus far! Hope you enjoyed!