A few Project Thunder prep ficlet ideas:
Ash is gathering up his Pokemon (all his Pokemon, though since this is just starting he hasn't had time to retrieve the ones that don't live in specific spots like Oak's Ranch, Kukui's house or that one reserve Goodra lives on) to set up training for the rescue mission (because he's bringing everyone. all his Pokemon, all his old companions and allies, actually cashing in old favors and making use of his titles, the works), and notices that Squirtle isn't there. Snivy mentions that he went through one of the Hyperlink Gates with the Squirtle Squad a few days ago saying something about his expertise being needed elsewhere. Then Laharl calls to complain that Ash's crazy turtle got a bunch of his vassals hooked on some weird anime.
Cut the Squirtles and Flonne doing code-proofing refits on Mecha-Flonne (yes, Flonne canonically has her own giant robot) and upgrading its arsenal in the process. Flonne questions whether the number of drill-based weapons they're adding is a bit overkill... and then she and the Squirtles laugh a few seconds later and keep going.
We get Peach checking on the progress of the Meme Alliance's Codeship fleet. We find out that they're using Battlerock Galaxy as a shipyard (they're making a bunch of huge spaceships, there's no room for that on the ground), and that most of the ships that are actually new instead of just refits look a lot like boats (that's mainly due to the Koopa Troop being heavily involved due to having some experience with this sort of thing what with all the airships. You ask Koopas to make a flying machine the size of a building that isn't a plane, you're gonna get a boat). She's informed that most of the fleet's construction is proceeding on schedule. Something called the Jubilation has apparently hit a few snags, but they were already weeks ahead of schedule, and considering it's apparently a Phineas and Ferb project they figure the problems won't take long to deal with. We also get a glimpse of just what the Jubilation is, because in the background we see a half-completed mushroom-shaped space station that dwarfs every other ship in the yard.
Dapple runs into Tonio while helping with the refugees in Game Dreamland, because apparently he's been an oc this whole time. Also, he notes that her fur is slightly singed and all she says about it is that she picked a fight with a thunderstorm.
And won.
Cursor goes to the Snake-Eyes Casino because apparently she and Roulette knew each other back when Roulette was still a Moderator and Cursor was still Algorithm (they even call each other Roulz and Al [THAT IS AL NOT AI!], it's cute) since as the Admin of a pleasure server Roulette and her employees hear a lot of internet gossip, so she might have a lead on the CCC servers. And good news, she's heard about some unusual activity over in L33T territory! (leading into that one Doctor Who quote with Blotch)
And once they're out of sight and earshot from each-other we're reminded that they are on opposite sides (though they don't know it yet) and very good at what they do. Because Cursor pulls out a silver scale she found sticking out between some seat cushions and makes a note that he was at the Casino at some point, while Roulette tasks her Moderators, Cloak (who is a disembodied white hooded cloak) and Dagger (a very pointy vaguely humanoid array of iridescent black polygons) to learn whatever they can of Admonspace's current situation, and to keep their "VIPs" informed.
