[ti]solo[/ti]Light Morning Discussion with My Beautiful Wife

"Get outta here Salamance!" Michelle yelled, laughing as she swiped her hand at the projected screen.

A big red X appeared over the Salamance, and it disappeared, leaving Noivern victorious in the semi-final round.

"And that leaves just one challenger remaining!" Orama said, in a mock-announcer voice. A powerful screech played over the in-home speakers as a still image of Pidgeot appeared on the screen.

"Oooo, and who's that handsome bird?"

"That 'handsome bird' is the one and only Pidgeot!"

"Well he wins any day of the week. Get that Noivern outta here!"

A big red X hit Noivern, and it disappeared from the screen. Pidgeot moved to front an center and a short fanfare played.

"And that just leaves our winner! Congratulations Pidgeot!" Orama said, as projected confetti rained down from above.

Michella fell back in laughter, her body sinking straight through the projection of the sundial and leaving it poking up through her stomach. She looked down and laughed even harder.

Cortana played a short chime. "Hour segment finished. Allotted time for ''light morning discussion with my beautiful wife' is now over. Next hour segment 'Hibernaculum simulation' now commencing."

The projection of the Broken Sundial on Michelle's stomach rose into the air, revealing a multi-layered dungeon underneath. She moved across the couch and watched it rise until it hung in the air like an immense hourglass.

"Commencing simulation #1" said Cortana, and a list of simulation parameters cascaded down the wall next to Orama. He and Michelle watched as an army of tiny characters fought intense battles against an army of Ultra Beasts.

Michelle got up off the couch. "Why are you running battle simulations?" she asked, picking out a small bowl and filling it with fresh fruit. "Doesn't that take all the fun out of it?"

"Not at all! There's so many variables and unknowns, it's almost impossible to simulate the battle correctly." Orama said, as the players crashed through wave after wave of Ultra Beasts on their way down to Hearteater's lair.

"Simulation #2," said Cortana, and the display reset. This time players were split into their guild groups. Creed and Mythstar battled downward alongside their guild leaders, easily cutting through the Ultra Beasts. There were many more beams this time. Round 2 was nowehere to be seen.

"So why bother?" Michelle asked, chewing on a piece of mango.

"Simulation #3." This time the legendary birds were present. Moltres soared in through the Dune District entrance, Articuno through the Harbor, and Zapdos through the Nexus.

"Because it's always exciting to see what could be. Just being mindful of the possibilities is great practice. Keeps you sharp. Pass me a bowl?"

"If I'd simulated us living in a bunker for five years I'd have done a few things different," she said, passing him a bowl.

Orama started filling it with fruit for himself. He was starving. He could feel his brain burning through the glucose. He topped the fruit with yogurt and a drizzle of honey.

"Simulation #3: Therian variant," said Cortana, and the projection reset to show a similar scene. In it, players now took on the roles of the legendary birds. Josh Devlin was transformed into Zapdos, Ruby into Articuno, and Kyukon was a Moltres. Orama watched as Kyukon-Moltres' HP ticked steadily down as he was roasted by his own harnessed sunlight.

They watched for a while, eating and chatting. Orama pointed out strange simulations as they happened, enjoying Michelle's wonderful presence.

"What the hell is that?" she asked, pointing her fruit fork at a tremendous yellow mouse storming Hibernaculum.

"It looks like Gigantamax Pikachu," Orama said. He looked at the parameters for Simulation #141. In it Yggy Br00ks was present for the raid, and he Gigantamaxed Nugget the Pikachu early on so that she could fight off Kyogre, who had been blocking the Harbor entrance.

Orama watched as Nugget barrelled down the tunnels, knocking over Ultra Beasts and mermen like they were wet bowling pins.

A few minutes later Michelle asked almost the same question. This time pointing to a series flashing rectangular portals dotted throughout the Hibernaculum simulation. "What the hell are those?"

"They appear to be doortals, honey," Orama said.

"That game's got you saying anything, doesn't it."

"They're doors that act as portals to alternate realms, like the Dream Kingdom, the Corrupted lands of Mistra, and even into Ultra Space!"

"What did I just say?"

The simulation this time looked quite different, with branching paths looping around the outside of the dungeon, and dozens of color-coded doors. Players disappeared into doortals and reappeared being chased by Ultra Beasts like they were characters in a Scooby-Doo chase scene.

"It looks like players are battling through alternate worlds to try and find a path to the bottom."

"I hope you get that one. It looks wild."

"Thanks honey."