As it's said, all good things must eventually come to an end, and Year One of the BFOI has certainly indeed, drawn to a close.

I want to take the time to thank everyone, not just the Finalists, for an AMAZING year of impressive artwork and storytelling, and of course, drama. Where would we be without that?? XD

Having seen this group in action from day one, I am really proud to have seen the incredible improvements that people have made throughout the year (Don't believe me? Go look at your R2 work! XD) - All of you deserve a pat on the back for all the hard work you put in at every step ~

I look forward to another amazing contest with many faces joining Y2, some new, some old and all of them eager for action!

But before we get to the Year Two events, we need to take some time out!

As of today, the BFOI is taking a short break - One week for Judging, a second week for Y2 restructuring and a third to allow final Y2 entries some time to get in before we kick off directly into Year Two Round One!

During this time, you'll see the group suddenly begin to change looks, as new new layouts are implemented, updates to areas like the FAQ, a new Trainer directory, refs for the newly introduced Islands and other areas, the Y2 Leader Apps, and a bridging comic to bring Y1 and Y2 together, among other things.

As far as Y2 apps are concerned, the floodgates are effectively opened. We will not restrict the number of apps coming into the group now, so long as they continue to follow rules and pass QC.

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Next, I'd like to take a moment to present the new staff members joining the admin team for Year Two.

They are TheTimePolice Porcubird and The-First-Ace and they're bringing a wide variety of skills and ideas to the table to make the BFOI even more awesome than before.

While we're at it, let me formally introduce you to the entire team behind the BFOI, as I don't think we've ever stopped to breathe and tell you who we are!



Assistants and Technicians:
nillia TheFirstMcCloud Limeknight tttwigs Marie-Hime The-First-Ace

Administrators:
4pikachu4 Porcubird TheTimePolice

And the Executives:
Inkblot-Rabbit Juudisu Gladys-Design and yours truly, tazsaints

As always, we're here to help out, and keep things running behind the scenes, and we don't bite -- I bark maybe, but I'm not a biter, that's just eww!

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Next on the agenda is Tumblr!

For a while now, we've been watching this place slowly grow and fill with Ask Blogs and RP Blogs and general Fun Blogs, and think it's finally time to get into the action ourselves. As I mentioned a little earlier, there's a new Trainer Directory in the works, which Gladys-Design has been working on and will launch during restructuring.

We'd like to add your Tumblr links to this directory, so if you wish to be part of this, there's two things to do -- 1) Add your blog to the Artist Comments in your Y2 app and -- 2) Post your Tumblr link in a comment on the groups front page

GD will then add your blog to the directory for anyone and everyone to follow ~ It couldn't be simpler!

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And lastly, as we hit the calm before the storm that is the beginning of Y2 (and that is only a figure of speech, I'm not starting the year with a disaster thankyouverymuch) I think it apropriate to take a minute to look back on Y1 and sum up all that we've been through together, round by round ~

Beginning with Round One! Bright eyed Trainers made their way to the idyllic Ohana Islands, ready for battles and an everlasting summer! Over 800 Trainers registered for the challenge, 300 of which passed and made their way into Round Two!
Starting things off with double battles themed around matching pairs, Trainers battled to their hearts content in front of Hero City's Clock Tower, and set the mood to awesome for the rounds to come!
Round Three was a nighttime festival that turned to alarm in a matter of seconds, as Team Magma successfully managed to force Mt Kila into a full-blown eruption while Round Three was taking place in Volcano Town at the foot of the volcano! Through the valiant efforts of the Trainers, no lives were lost, however, the town itself was destroyed, it's people locating to the various cities around the Big Island, after a brief refugee stay in Paradise Parks.
Round Four saw the contest continue on, despite a torrential downpour lasting weeks, soaking everyone and everything to the bone. The contestants bore through it, and came out the other end to sunshine and victory!
But it's possible to have too much of a good thing too, as Round Five soon became subject to a drought of equally mysterious origin as the rain of Round Four, and the contestants sweltered thier way through a silent battle challenge.
Everything changed after that though, as the crazy weather was suddenly explained - The weather Legends, Groudon and Kyogre appeared on opposite sides of Hero City, and threatened to destroy the City as they attempted to make it their battleground. In a desperate, and rushed move, Round Six became a battle of titanic proportions, as the Trainers were asked to choose a Leader to back and fight to stave off the beasts just long enough for something to go right. And soon enough, Rayquaza appeared like in the Hoenn legends and sent the Titans home to lick thier wounds. But it wasn't a complete victory, as like the infamous Titanic of the White Star Line, Marty sank to the depths of the Ocean, lost forever to us all.
Hurt and grieving, the Leaders were granted no rest - Leader Natsuki was trapped in the Powerplant, damaged by the battle of the previous round. Having to stay topside though, the Leaders sent the remaining Trainers to the Plant via the underground service tunnels. So began Round Seven, and the fights against the haywire electrical currents turning anything with an electric typing into a rabid attacker.
The Trainers prevailed however, and the Contest was put on hold while the Leaders attempted in vain to search for Marty. But they couldn't wait forever and Hero City was struggling.
Desperately needing medical supplies, the Leaders faked a boat race for Round Eight, and tasked the remaining Trainers with raiding Plumeria's Cordoned-off Laboratory for the supplies. In the process of this though, the Trainers stumbled onto a murder scene, Plumeria having been brutally assaulted, her lab in ruins, the pkmn on the island infected with various strains of Pokerus and her assistant Dante, strangely missing.
The case was closed with the assumption that Plumeria's Lab Pokemon had broken free and rampaged, and that Dante had fled. With nothing to focus on, the Media turned to the BFOI, and effectively mounted an assault on the Leaders. Taz in particular took it hard, and upon the official announcement of Marty's death, she snapped.
She took her anger to Black Island, a dead Volcano, and used Round Nine to rampage and attack the Trainers she blamed for Marty's death. In her anger, she made mistakes, and the Trainers prevailed against her.
After that, things finally seemed like they were calming down, as the BFOI prepared for the final round - Only for the hidden Champion, Dante, to appear and raze Hero City to the ground with the very Rayquaza that had saved the City before, albeit now corrupted with the same Pokerus 'cure' that Dante had subjected himself to. Believing himself akin to a new God, he declared the BFOI a corrupt establishment and partook in what was effectively war with the BFOI. One by one, the Leaders fell, and so the finalists of the BFOI launched themselves into the conflict, claiming their defeat over Dante as their Round Ten.

As the dust settles on Hero City, it is important to remember those lost, and even more important that we can look forward to an ever greater future.

Lets walk together into Year Two, standing tall and strong!