Felicity

I am the one who knows you I am the one who cares I am the one who's always been there I am the one who's helped you I am a god, and I walk with you.

God isn't Arceus, there is no ultimate power for Lin, the concept of power is deconstructed to something frail in the face of consistent effort, foresight, will and love for one another. Arceus' cry is a perfect fart noise.

Aight, played the demo, I've only done the one last night with Marcello, intending on going back to retry some stuff but for now, my thoughts. Fuckin' great.

Aight, so this topic is a multipurpose exercise in masturbation, expression and simple demarcation. I’m “leaving” reborn, in so much as anyone still waiting on the game and Starlight can really leave Reborn. Backing out of the community, so to speak. I’ll still be in Reborn adjacent communities, Chances are anyone who cares to will still be able to get in touch. I’m massively downplaying the actual cutting of the ties here, so you’re probably wondering why I’m leaving, if you even recognise me. I’m sure anyone browsing the forums will not. Discord’s my jam, or rather was. But why? Why the topic, well, that’s where the masturbation comes in. Get it- cu- Ok basically a part of me wants the melodramatic exit, the flourish at the end of my existence here. It’s six years of my life. Even when I’m sixty, that’s a tenth of my life spent in Reborn. I can understand in part why people made these posts, why some people made them several times. But that’s only half of it. Quite simply, Reborn does not fit me anymore. As a place to talk, chill out, lurk, Reborn was a really cool fuckin jumper. It was snug, warm, comfortable and most importantly familiar. Which was crucial during my first year of uni. I came here when I was 15. Over six years I daresay I’ve grown enough that the whole question of theseus’ ship, where you ask if you’re the same person if every part of you has been replaced, might apply. I’m not the only one either. The community has changed and grown and gone through several generations of regular users with their own dynamics, in-jokes, cliques. As time went by, I otherwise did my own thing. But recently I’ve found the current state of Reborn to simply not be to my tastes. To be clear, this is okay! People can talk about, do as and meme about as they like and far be it from me to demand they change that if everyone is happy. All it means is that Reborn isn’t the place for me. Which is fine, because I have other friend groups, IRL and in other servers, to talk to and spend my time with. So, there’s that. I don’t mean to judge or shame anyone, which is why I’m not giving any examples. People do people. What’s more important to me now is this last part. 15 is a stupidly delicate time in a guy's life. With the amount of time I was spending online, it would be ridiculous to suggest it didn’t have an effect on me, negligible or profound. I met so many people. Funny, odd, irritating, boring, infuriating, adorable, eerie, give me an adjective and I bet I could give you a person. Not even ships in the night randoms as you’d imagine on the internet. People who spent months if not years in the community before going their own ways. Good GOD, the petty dramas were fascinating and intoxicating to a guy excluded from and oblivious to most of that in school. The forums would fuckin hum with activity when people got a bee in their bonnet, whether it was incredibly tense and serious discussions on real life race related politics and tragedies or misguided attempts at a nuanced discussion of lolicons and paedophilia. Seeing how people conducted themselves, why the rules we have are in place, the things that resulted in, the toxicity and the shitty, shitty people. It was fascinating and in retrospect a very mundane kind of horrifying. I should not have been involved in a lot of it, I feel. Reborn was my first real interaction with members of the LGBTQ+ community. It was the game and community that first introduced me to the concept of non binary people. Trans people were no longer the punchline in a sitcom here. I became more comfortable with my own forms of expression and broke away from what I was allowed to like and dislike in my real life circumstances. Eventually, recently, I determined I was bisexual, something I’m not sure I would have considered anywhere near as early without these experiences. Reborn is an imperfect, glorious, surprising piece of the internet that I fell into and, I hope, somehow managed to come out a better person than I might have been otherwise. This last post, which might be pointless if my own refrain of “they always come back” is true, I at least want to end on a single note. One of gratitude. One of my favourite things I helped to do in this community was a christmas card for the auth, presented during one of the showdown christmas parties. So the link below and the last thing I post is going to be that card and the old words of so many of the people I’ve met here. Thank you very much for bearing with me. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1enHAe5D3ssjX4Ei72AiMjnIC8x_-sJX9VdYqsuPPsq4/edit?usp=sharing

Valor mountain B1F, only happens in neutral mountain mood. Completely stuck there in the screenshot. Also when going to the same place in the cold mood to find Amber she isn't there, no event starts, nothing interact-able to start an event but I can leave the area.

I'm watching you. I know April Fools is around the corner. Somethings coming.

G R E E T I N G S

How are you? Do you understand that if this bandwagon wagons harder, the responsibility is on your head?

also /knuckle crack Member of the Year The big, the classic-- this is for the member who's made the biggest splash with the sharpest shine! Cass cuz damn when did you appear oh now you're running like half the show Comeback of the Year For the most beloved member who returned to us this year after a long absence! Nominees: Its the Jelly man The Carmen Sandiego Award For the face since missing in action that we'd most want to see in the crowd once more! Nominees: ROSE LIKE FURREAL The Sugarpop Sunbeam Award For the member this year who's been sweeter than any candy store could hope to be! Nominees: Ama i wanna says something about hot cocoa but my brain wont do it, interpret it as you like Caradius aka Colin he is a sweet lad with his gacha life The Auspicious Auth Award For the most helpful staff member who's been around to help out this year! this is definitely not a thinly veiled performance review. Nominees: DreamBlitzX one day i will return to mobage my friend ONE DAY does inuki count i want him to count he's cool Memer of the Year For the member who's posted the freshest, most crispy clean memes this year! Nominees: Im gonna hit the zumi with this memes on point The Profile Picture Perfection Award For the member who's had the best avatars around this year! Nominees: Abyss Reaper lookin kinda eyes emoji out here Writer of the Year For the member with the most compelling characters and dynamic language! Nominees: BITCH IMMA HIT YOU WITH AN OLD NAME I DONT GOOD GOD GOOGLY DAMN CARE IF HE HASNT BEEN SPOTTED IN YEARS @Sutoratosu AKA STRATOS MY ANGSTY EDGY MAN WHO STARTED ME ON RPS I DONT EVEN CARE, IF YOU EVER COME BACK DOBBY REMEMBERS MY GUY- Cass I hope you copy and paste all of that Archbishop of Banterbury For the member with the best banter on the block! Nominees: A sneaky hellscythe nomination theyre cool idk what you want The Hippest Himbo Award For excessive and unfettered flirtation on the community campus! Nominees: Can I nominate the character Cain? If not im sure theres a dedicated roleplayer out there The Terra Pierce Award For being s000 randum lol xD penguin Nominees: Cool Girl. it's the xD that does it. The Shelly Citra Award For the member who most definitely needs a lot of hugs immediately. Nominees: Can I nominate uhhhh everyone we're all a little fucky wucky The Julia Wilde Award COFFEEEEEEEEEEEE Nominees: Viri i dont give a damn if theyre gone im still voting we've established this keep up yes? Most Likely To Be Madame X For the member who has secretly been the primary antagonist of Rejuvenation this whole time. Nominees: im feeling 2tousent he's been gone for years doing something and i think its fucking with jans game Most Likely to Become Auth For the most helpful member who should totally be on the team! this is definitely not a thinly-veiled screening process. Nominees: Ama like yes? Most Likely to Become Champion For the member most likely to take the ranks when another gym leader champion inevitably dies or something! Nominees: SKITTY AND KAM. I REMEMBER. PEPPERIDGE FARM REMEMBERS Most Likely to Take Over the World For the member most poised to overpower society as we know it! Nominees: kURO, with these capitals. Most Likely to Gain a Gigantamax For the member who's probably about to get banned by Smogon! Nominees: Bibs is gonna put on weight with all the honey memes Most Likely to Start a Religious Cult For the member you'd most quickly offer your soul to in a ritual of deepest darkness! Nominees: Avatar of Grima. HE HAD A CULT IN THE GAMES CMON PEOPLE. Most Likely to Get a Regional Variant ...look we don't really know how to put this. Decide among you who is mostly likely to join the ranks of Stunfisk. Nominees: ame is personified in my head by an alolan ninetales with cat ear headphones, which is confusing when ive seen streams mind you, so like she wins that off the bat. Most Likely to not be a Real Person For the member who is just. impossible. Nominees: I think Frar is a bot programmed to ask bibs questions honest to god someone wants to know about that man. Most Likely to Die First in a Killing Game For the member most likely to stumble their way into last place! Nominees: Shanco. No im not justifying this. Most Likely To Really Be Ferdinand von Aegir They are Ferdinand von Aegir. Nominees: Ferdinand Von Aegir THEYRE IN THE DISCORD LIST SO ITS VALID Most Likely to Win Third Place Self-explanatory. Nominees: I feel like azery is in enough noms he ahs the numerical best chances Cna't Spel Awrad Fro thh menber taht jsut dosnt kno hwo 2 wrods! Nominees: i have to admit defeat, if i can nominate myself then yes like you can spot so many issues in this post alone at a guess, ive corrected enough already AWARD AWARD NJAB GOGOGOGP

also ark for artist of te year even if arks rt skool hasnt been updated he's still an inspiration to my single braincell ZEL for 3 komalas because it takes 3 people to be that cool

OH HEY LOOK AT THAT WHO COULD HAVE FORESEEN THIS

marc for dorkiest dork or pointiest dexter shadestrider for most likely to debate themselves this was an instant decision i knew made within my heart of hearts posty and kyle for cain larue, dirty little gremlins alex for the tsundere award not because theyre prickly but because theyd never admit they want to be nommed in public. I have given up with formatting, so i offer these feeble noms in small doses.

Have there been any changes to the format at all or is this honest to god just a copy and paste? Like I'm not expecting you to juggle this ball on top of everything else y'all doing but uhhhhhhhhhhh personally I would have said at the very least limit a person to winning 1 award. cough azery cough

I'm so sorry you had to experience any of this. I'm sorry all I can do to help is read this and try to empathize with you. I don't know what it can do for you but my DMs here or on discord are 100% open if you want to talk to someone. I hope you can find some way to improve your situation, you've always been a fantastic person to have in the community and I was sad when your activity dropped around here. Stay safe and hope for the best, even if it's hard.

whats a question you'd want to be asked

I wanna punch it.

I nominate @Arkhi for Ember King so that he sees this ping one day in the future just as much for him actually getting the fancy title. idk fkn @Marcello for Queenie bo beanie @Alex for Sunlit Sovereign

God, I had KH3 end in 2019 and I'm gonna see Reborn end in 2020... end of an era two years in a row.

I'm torn between forcing levity and insisting you'll come back (they always do eventually!!!) and actualy not being a shit and respecting the spirit of the post. We haven't spoken recently but nevertheless I consider you a friend, an inspiration for personal growth and a damn nice guy. Your attitudes towards people and getting to kmow them has informed my decision on how to do so and I think I take the friendlier option more than I otherwise would have if we hadn't met here. If i helped your experience here be a positive one I'll consider it an honour and a pleasure. I was gonna call it a bloody pleasure but the expletive just sounds weird now. Looping back to the first thing I said though, even if you don't come back, so long as reborn sticks around you'll always be welcome. There's no end of members who've benefited from you being here and I can say with full confidence, from all of those people. Thank you for being our friend Arkhi.

So, Persona: Child Labour. I dunno about that, chief.

The community is large enough and self sustaining enough that even in spite of a year plus between the main attraction of the site being updated, the community persists. It's arguably already died several deaths. Whole generations of users who came in waves over the years have left. Not just people hopping on to ask a question and go but regulars who took part in the old league and community events, stuck around and made friend groups, had drama happen. The site has actual history now but at the same time, we're going to lose that history as the community changes and the people who remember rotate out and we change platform. From pokemon online, to pokemon showdown, to discord, to the next platform that suits our needs at the time. You want something fancy to match the grandiose concept of existential dread? Nothing ever really stops existing, it just changes form. If nothing else, traces of this community will persist in the attitudes and memories that people take with them to other people and places. Even if it is as base and simple as a meme about an executor having a stupid long neck or jumping onto bandwagons.

I have no influence in this conversation, I hold no power over Vic's fate. What I'm about to say is pretty much just speculation trying not to get caught up in the parts of the story that don't matter. I think there's a couple phrases that sum up my thoughts. The simplest answer is usually the right one and there's no smoke without fire. I think it's more than likely that an influential, popular celebrity of an industry overstepped their bounds whilst interacting with women. For that, he should naturally be taken out of the workplace he made toxic and learn to not do whatever he did. That's the very least. The main thing that muddies this thought process is that the whole sordid affair is scattered betwixt a series of 2,700 different political narratives from hard left people who want to drive Vic into the ground, hard right people who're coming out of the woodworks to counter the lefts public siege on Vic and then the chunky legal stuff that people go through long, expensive education to understand properly. With that in mind, this isn't a topic you can be active on. It's not a discussion that will benefit anyone by being had now when emotions are flaring from parasocial bonfires and information seems to be coming out to add fuel to that fire. This is the kind of conversation that will be best served in a few years, once the case is over, the facts are laid out and untwisted and a clear, supported narrative can be put forward. Whether that's a story on one man being cut down unjustly or a triumph over harassers. Yes, Vic's VA career will probably be ruined, to be honest I'm not too heartbroken about it. He's had some of the biggest roles throughout anime and games history so I doubt he's in dire financial straits. Give it a few turns of the news cycle and he can probably transition easily into another part of that industry with public rage none the wiser. Vic will be okay, I'm confident in that. Now, aside from the case itself. What I find interesting is that it seems like a near perfect example of parasocial relationships causing this eruption of emotion. @Commander In your first post, the way you talk about him sounds like you're familiar, calling him a nice guy and what not. I'm not going to say whether you're correct or not but give this video in the spoiler a watch, you may already be familiar with the concept but I don't lose anything linking it. Maybe you'll see something new when you consider your stance on the topic with it in mind. Sexual harassment sucks.

The only true love is the friendship you form with your battered, abused, triumphant pokemon. I love those sonsabitches.

More and more i'm finding its just not worth clinging to a phrase or word i'd casually use because the word itself actually has some alternate meaning somewhere else on the web of the internet that just doesn't fly. To the people who are probably tutting about the choice in backchannels or thinking about writing up a long-winded post about why you should be allowed to use the one word with that context, maybe ask yourself how much it really matters when put up against people being able to feel ok about the community they're in. This from the guy who raised a stank years ago about being able to make gratuitous dick jokes in lobby a few years ago.