Pokémon: Rise Of The Rockets

[Flipz]

-==IC: Adam Zynthic==-

 

Without waiting for orders, Pippi let out an outraged squeal and twirled recklessly through the air, her Drill Peck dispersing the noxious gas attacks as she slammed toward the Lilligant, dropping to the ground asleep immediately afterward.

 

Adam swore. "Pippi, no, you have to wait for my..." He trailed off as he realized the sleeping Piplup would get nothing out of his chiding anyway. "Wiggy, move in, see if you can--" The Trainer turned to see the Grotle was the second combatant successfully affected by the Sleep Powder-Smog combo, the Grass-type immune to the sleeping dust but rendered most ill by the Poison of the smog. As he knelt by his partner, his Chimchar leaped over him, charging a Fire Punch to counter whatever the Lilligant would try to send against the immobilized Pippi.

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Arius

Arius, like Hexcalibur, was undaunted by Flash, followed by the smog with Sleep Powder sprinkling about. It certainly made for more of a show, and the trainer was definitely liking that. "Aerial Ace once more on the Lilligant!" He ordered his bladed pokemon. The Honedge felt only a touch drowsy due to the spores, as it sliced at Miror B.'s flowery pokemon, a determined look in it's eyes...

[Konuju]

IC: Jayron Aaron - Kotahi Village, Beach

Jayron didn't need to read Skye's aura to know what she was feeling. The Bug Suit masked her face, but the shaky breaths, the tense posture, the jumbling of words amidst a singular hyperfocus -- he recognized all the signs of a panic attack. Once again, the executive regretted Liberty's decision to recruit any able-bodied volunteer rather than trained soldiers, but now was not the time to dwell on that choice.

 

Over the comms, he heard Esen and Ray retrieve Goldhawk.

 

"They've got him." Although they could not make direct eye contact through their visors, Jayron placed both hands on the girl's shoulders and stared into her helmet's bulging bug-eyes in an attempt to gently shake her out of her shock. "Skye, they've got him. I know it's a lot to process, but we have to focus on getting out of here."

 

He started to lead her back in the direction of the village, and glanced over his shoulder to see what seemed like an endless stream of Instances emerging from the Missing Zero one after another. Jayron and Skye were far enough up the beach that the Instances weren't immediately on their tail, but the executive knew they only had a few precious seconds' head start. He broke into a run, grabbing Skye's arm to ensure she followed.

 

"Don't look back," he warned, even as he charged up an aura sphere in his free hand. "I'll keep them off our tail."

 

IC: Paul Burks/Ellen Burks - Cafeteria, The Alamo

Chloe's look was not lost on Ellen, who folded her arms across her chest and peered suspiciously at the psychic. "And what stuff did you find out?" she asked in a quiet yet pressing voice.

 

Paul couldn't help but sigh. Just as quickly as one situation defused itself with the flipping of a laptop, another one cropped up. Thinking quickly, he planted himself between Chloe and Ellen and put on a bright smile. "Say, you were showing Levi all your Pokémon, right? Come to think of it, he probably hasn't seen much of the Unova Region. Why don't we take him on down to our room; my camera's got a bunch of old photos on it, we could hook it up to the TV and show Levi a bit of what Village Bridge is like. How would you like that, kiddo?" He gave Kyle a subtle wink before directing a warm smile at Levi.

 

"Old photos?" Ellen visibly reddened, all thoughts of Chloe's mission clearly abandoned. "How far back do they go?" From her shoulder, Isabella gave an excited croon at the idea of getting a glimpse into Ellen's past life.

 

Paul let out a lighthearted chuckle and ruffled his daughter's hair. "Only one way to find out. Come on, it'll be good to relive your childhood memories. What do you say, Levi? Care to join us?"

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Miror B - Old Chateau

 

Miror B paused in his dancing for a moment with a scowl before returning to a fierce tempo. "Alright fine. Ludicolo, fight back!" Miror B called to the Ludicolo being assaulted by the bug. The Ludicolo span around in a feverish dance as water sprang up from his head, turning into a whirlpool to pull off the bug.

 

"Chandelure, Lilligant! It's time for your Pas de deux!" Miror B's words causing a murmur in the audience. They had seen him perform this before.

 

The two grew close together, and began dancing in a waltz. As the Lilligant took a step, a giant shower of petals rose up around them in a spherical. This Petal Dance they might have seen coming. When the Chandelure took a more metaphorical step, tongues of fire engulfed all the petals. That Fiery Dance from a Chandelure may have been slightly more surprising. The sphere of burning petals assailed anyone and any attack that tried to assault the dancers.

 

As the song hit the instrumental section again, the girl in the box stuffed a microphone into the butler's hand. He seemed apprehensive about doing this, but a nod from his mistress caused him to sigh and resign himself to his fate.

 

"Darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand!" the voice came from the butler. It didn't quite sound like Vincent Price or Boris Karloff, but the low soft quality had a creepy mystique all its own. "Creatures crawl in search of blood, to terrorize y'alls neighborhood."

Edited December 4, 2017 by Metal Gear Minun

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Yugo/???==-

 

Yugo found himself buffeted by the combined assault of the fiery leaves. As he glanced around, he noticed all of the Pokemon except Voltia get hit hard by the attacks too. He struggled to think of a solution. He searched the room for any solution, and found himself frozen in place.

 

Mother?

 

****

 

Music behind the door. This was not how the mansion was supposed to be. A place of refuge seemed tainted as well. Nevertheless, the figure pressed onward. They gripped a Pokeball in hand as they approached the door the music was coming from the loudest. Sounds of combat could be heard as they approached as well. A grimace fell over the figure's shrouded face. How disappointing. The figure threw out the Pokeball and shielded their face wordlessly as flames burst through the door from the ensuing Pokemon's mouth.

 

****

 

Yugo felt unable to move for the longest time, but was jolted back to focus as the room began to feel hotter than it had even during the Fiery Dance. The boy tore his eyes away from the translucent figure in front of him and noticed a man shrouded in the darkness of the entrance, the flames from the Houndoom that stood in front of him only serving to obscure him more. Considering the way he had come from, there was no way this was another ghostly enemy, yet he couldn't help but feel on guard as the man walked into the room.

 

"Who, pray tell, might you be?" The man spoke in a gravelly tone, as if his voice had not truly been used in a long time. However, he appeared to mull things over in his mind. "It feels like it would simply be a waste of time to find out, however. You dare defile this place. I will..." The man paused as he swallowed for a moment. "I will rid this place of you and your. . . compatriots." Another Pokeball flew from the man's outstretched hand. A Crobat shot forward like a bullet toward the Lilligant and Chandelure. A Toxic slime was flung at the Chandelure, while the Lilligant was targeted with the poison-filled claws on the Crobat's wings. While that was going on, the Houndoom rushed toward the Ludicolo that was being accosted by the Joltik and aimed to roast it with a Flamethrower.

 

Yugo felt intimidated by the newcomer. Despite seeming to be helping out, an overwhelming sense of dread filled him at the sound of his voice. The look on the man's face just served to unnerve him, as it just seemed. . . conflicting with the situation at hand. As if the calm assertiveness the man exuded was merely a front.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Blessed Blade

[Flipz]

-==IC: Adam Zynthic==- (July 31st)

 

Charlie, prepared to counter a single focused attack, was caught off-guard by the double dance; while neither was a threat on its own, both were enough to fling him far back. Eyes blazing, he charged back into the fray, shoving Pippi out of harm's way just in time to take a second dual blow. He wobbled unsteadily, the inexperienced Chimchar straining to regain his footing without his Trainer's attention or command.

 

Adam turned to the newcomer, as surprised as the rest. "I'm sorry, but I find your accusation completely--" The man stopped in confusion. "Wait. Is that...? Are you wearing some sort of Galactic uniform? Who are you? How have I never seen you before? And how the dickens did you survive what happened to Nova?" Wiggy lowed his annoyance and pain, but for once the Galactic sympathizer's attention was on something besides himself and his team.

 

 

-==IC: Amanda's Magnezone==- (August 5th)

 

Despite Sang's hopes the Mega-Evolved Magnezone was not following him--or at least, it wasn't at first. Seeing its fellow team members preoccupied with downing the group of disabled Instances--the survivors now appearing to have recovered from whatever had frozen them in place--the Magnezone swooped low, sending its secondary cores to retrieve the two Pokémon and pull them out of harm's way. The Steel-type paused. While it could not risk further harm to Amanda's team, particularly while she herself was distracted, it also could not abandon her without backup, not without--

 

As if in reply to its mental calculations, Amanda turned her head. After a few seconds' pause to analyze the situation, she affixed the Steel-type with a nod.

 

The order given, the Magnezone turned and followed Sang, mounting its central core in reverse so it could continue to monitor the encroaching wave of Instances approaching the remaining Trainers.

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Miror B - Old Chateau

 

"Cy-cy?" the ethereal girl spoke in surprise, leaning in from the balcony. The butler's eyes widened too as he realized who the newcomer was.

 

 

 

"Hey! Hey!" Miror B yelled with impatience, his dancing paused in sheer frustration at people continually going off script. "Where did you come from? This event was invite only!"

 

The Chandelure was hit by the Toxic and the Lilligant was struck by the Cross Poison and was sent reeling. The Ludicolo responded to the Flamethrower with a power Hydro Pump, but between the Flamethrower's strength and the bug's distractions, the Hydro Pump was unable to follow through it.

 

"Fine, you all want a free for all? You've got one!" Miror B slammed down one more Poke Ball to release a Volcarona. 

 

The free Ludicolo used Swords Dance while the rest of Miror B's team reassembled. The Volcarona began dancing the same Quiver Dance the Lilligant did. At the same time, the Lilligant and Chandelure tried to take a more offensive tango to the enemy, recreating their flames and petals, and directing them at all comers. When his Swords Dance was complete, the Ludicolo charged with Waterfall at the Houndoom.

 

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ryan H/Tyranitar - James A/Lancelot==-

“Roger that.” Ryan replied as he eyed the situation. He was glad that they had been able to buy some time with the attacks, but knew that would only last a short amount of time.

If Amanda’s Poke Ball had accomplished anything, it was breaking Wrath’s concentration. Lancelot saw this and decided to capitalize on it. Jubilation carried him forward, his entire body glowing with light before it concentrated on the gauntlet that carried the sword. The Scizor intended to land the Superpower before Samurloch could regain his senses.

Ryan watched for a moment as Tyranitar kept his distance for a moment, only using Payback to figuratively chip away at Wrath’s defenses. Ryan decided he would add his own two cents, as he utilized the Fake Tears protocol before he used Snarl against Samurloch.

James had two considerations to ponder in the brief moments before his started this gambit. Given the nature of the protocol he was about to activate, James had to decide which pieces wouldn’t give M0 anything worthwhile to work with if M0 absorbed it. The other consideration was getting himself and the others to safety after this last resort tactic was finished. Once he played this trump card, he would basically have nothing left.

[All-In protocol active: initiate {Belly Drum, Laser Focus, Lock-On}]

The die was cast. The durability of the suit turned to that of a wet paper towel as any piece determined superfluous fell off to the beat of a loud drum. A laser sight appeared from a piece on James’s arm. It sought both a perfect target and a perfect trajectory an attack could take towards that target. He only needed a few moments.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Ruth Fishers

 

Ruth had had enough of this. Everything was spiraling out of control, but she could figure out how to put an end to it.

 

"Caliburn, Fuerte, focus on that dancing bird! Locke, come out and help!" She lobbed the Poké Ball and released the Klefki inside.

 

Caliburn slipped into the shadows and sneaked upon the Oricorio while Fuerte came in from high with an Aerial Ace. Locke rushed at the nearest opponent and used Mirror Shot.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Cyrus==-

 

The Ludicolo's attack pushed the Houndoom back slightly, as Cyrus simply continued to throw Pokemon out. His Honchkrow made a beeline for the Volcarona as it appeared. It used Drill Peck on the fire bug, before following that up with an Icy Wind across the opposing team. The Weavile appeared and launched a sneaky X-Scissor on the Lilligant. The attack, combined with the prior damage, knocked it out the moment it landed. Cyrus noticed the clown man get even madder at the Lilligant's fainting, but he couldn't give a care. The Crobat slashed out with Cross Poison at the Chandelure that was already damaged by the Toxic Poison and Icy Wind.

 

Cyrus held his hand up as the Gyarados and Houndoom launched themselves past the Ludicolo. As Caliburn and Fuerte launched their own attacks, the Gyarados and Houndoom added an Ice Fang and Thunder Fang to the mix. As the Oricorio fell from the myriad of attacks, the shadowy portal closed up and the ghosts that had appeared all vanished, except for Gracie, the butler, and Yugo's mother.

 

As Miror B yelled out in frustration, the doors behind them burst open again and Jake and another person ran into the room. At the sight of them, Miror B's eyes widened and he pushed past the kids in the way to get to them. Cyrus paid them no mind, however, as he walked over to Gracie.

 

"Cy-Cy, I heard you had died! Twice! Both times involving that mystery world!" The girl tilted her head to the side in confusion.

 

"That is much exaggerated." The side of Cyrus' mouth tilted up ever so slightly as he reacted. "It is a pleasure to see you again, however." The man was pulled from his discussion by the black haired man trying to get his attention again. The pale blue haired man glared at the much younger man and the constant questions.

 

"My name is Cyrus. leader of Team Galactic." The man said, as he eyed over the circus-dressed Adam. "I was. . . not here for a good amount of time. I do not know much about what has happened while I was gone. I was informed that one of the people from there that I must find was last seen in the forest. However, all I see here are children." Cyrus shook his head. "This is no matter of yours. Let us leave this place before that jester gets any more ideas."

[Flipz]

-==IC: Adam Zynthic==-

 

Adam stood to attention at the revelation of Cyrus' identity. "You're the Cyrus? ...Sir!" The man gave a Team Galactic salute, though hampered somewhat by his ridiculous garb. "I apologize for my appearance, it..." Adam glared at the butler. "...it was emphatically not my own decision. Nor was any of this, really."

 

With the battle pretty much ended, Adam belatedly returned his attention to his own Pokémon, recalling Pippi and--with reluctance--Wiggy to their balls, as they were currently unable to defend themselves outside of them. He snapped his fingers, and a sullen Charlie grudgingly came to his side. "My name is Adam Zynthic, a longtime supporter of your organization. My team and I are at your disposal, sir."

[Konuju]

IC: Dack/Madison - Kotahi Village, Outskirts

Dack, Madison, and Lucia were far enough ahead of the Instances that they were able to make their way through the abandoned village without incident. The lack of nightmarish enemies did not make their journey any easier. Every step they took, every corner they rounded, only cemented the apocalyptic vision before them. Building crumbled like sandcastles, debris lined the streets, and the frantic echoes of the battle still raging on the beach were just loud enough to keep the trio from feeling any sense of relief.

 

"Keep moving," Dack said. He could tell Madison was as dangerously close to losing it as he felt. He was less certain about Lucia, but the healer's grim, almost cold silence seemed to indicate she'd rather be elsewhere at the moment. "Don't think about it, just keep moving." Dack's words seemed to rise in his throat like bile as they passed through the barely recognizable site of their skirmish with the initial Leopyred.

 

It looked like a bomb had gone off. Dirt and ash formed a thick layer over the mountains of rubble that lined what had once been a street. The occasional fire still smoldered, adding to the smoke that stubbornly hung in the air. Entire buildings had been reduced to piles of rock. Over the course of his tenure with Team Rocket, Dack had seen his fair share of anti-war propaganda, but this alone looked far more devastating than anything the war had brought upon the land. The man could only squeeze Madison's hand -- as much for his own comfort as for hers -- and quickened his pace as he silently led them through the destruction. If it was any consolation, they didn't find any bodies. Dack tried not to think about the bodies they couldn't see.

 

It was with great relief that they finally reached the trees. The air cleared, and their destination was finally within sight. As they neared the clearing where the helicopters waited, Dack saw on his HUD that two suits were already ahead of them: one green, and one red. He cast a nervous glance at Madison and Lucia, then broke out into a run.

 

Ava Willows knelt on the floor of the helicopter designated Lyre Play. Her husband lay sprawled across the seats, motionless. Both of their helmets had been discarded in a corner. The woman heard their approach and snapped her arm out in a frenzy. Poison shot from her gauntlet, forcing Dack to dive out of the way. The Gunk Shot struck a tree behind him, filling the air with an acrid stench as the poison began to eat away at the foliage.

 

"What do you think you're doing?!" Dack cried. "It's us!"

 

Ava merely stared at them through wide, puffy eyes. For a moment the only sound was her labored breathing. Then she let her arm drop to the ground as her sobbing resumed.

 

"We . . . we have a healer." Dack hesitantly stepped toward the Poison Suit user, motioning for Lucia to follow. He kept a wary eye on Ava, ready to spring into action should she lash out again.

 

The woman looked back up at them, her eyes bearing some form of recognition as they fell on Lucia. "A healer," she muttered. A crazed smile etched its way onto her face. "That's nice. That's real nice. Is that what you think you are? A healer? I know how you 'healed' my daughter, only to put those crazy ideas in her head about coming here to fight, to recklessly throw her life on the line. If we hadn't stopped her . . ."

 

"Ma'am." Dack placed a hand on her shoulder. "Just calm down. Lucia can heal you and your husband. With the power of the Grass Su--"

 

"My husband is DEAD!" Ava spat. Now that they were closer, Dack could see an ugly hole, barely a few inches in diameter, drilled into the Fairy Suit's torso. "He died trying to lure the enemy away -- the enemy that I was fighting." She angrily pushed Dack away and shakily got to her feet, her eyes boring into Lucia's in a manner that would have looked far more threatening had she not been forced to lean on the frame of the helicopter for support. "So why don't you heal that, Miss Zyther?"

Edited December 10, 2017 by Konuju

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Lucia==-

"Stand down." Lucia said with a cold tone to her voice as she made no move to do anything. "Do you want to know something? I didn't put any ideas in her head. I don't appreciate being accused about anything. And I don't appreciate anyone here getting nearly killed because you've lost control of yourself." The healer took a step forward, as her angry expression was hidden behind the visor of her helmet. "People are not your playthings. Everyone here is here because they wanted to help stop this thing and knew the risks. People I care about a lot is in the middle of this fight too and one of them nearly got targeted by over five Instances. But I'm not going to blame anyone but the monsters we're fighting."

 

The redhead struggled to keep from yelling, as she fixed her eyes on Ava directly. "I'm sorry that your husband died. I'm sorry that it was apparently supposed to be after you. I'm sorry that I know I can't heal something like that. But lashing out at others is wrong. It'll solve nothing. So I'll say it again. Stand. Down." As Lucia continued to stand her ground and try to force the older woman to stop acting petty like this, she felt herself shake ever so slightly. Despite that, she locked herself into standing near Ava, keeping her breathing steady.

 

-==IC: Cyrus==-

 

"Too formal." The much older man said dismissively, as he walked toward the door. "You sound like a child fresh out of initiation." As the rest of the people who were leaving filed out of the mansion, Cyrus kept on walking. He didn't stop to see if the others were alright, or to talk to anyone. He didn't really care. What he wanted was to. . . The man stopped, as he checked to see if Adam was still following.

 

"You wish to assist me?"

[Konuju]

IC: Dack Majors/Madison Morrow/Ava Willows - Helicopters, Outside Kotahi Village

For a moment it looked like Ava would fly into a rage at the thought of taking orders from someone several years younger than her. Dack and Madison stood at the ready should Lucia need backup. Instead, the Poison Suit user slid down the doorframe of the helicopter and buried her face in her hands once more. "Th-there was nothing I could do . . . O-one second it was fighting me . . . then it went after Th-theo . . ."

 

Dack had no idea what to say. 'It's alright?' It clearly wasn't. Theodore Willows was dead. There was no fixing that. There was nothing any of them could do. He didn't die in vain? Ava was clearly in no state to be shown whatever silver lining there was in her husband's death. A lump formed in Dack's throat as he silently watched from the sidelines, letting Lucia take the reins on this one. She might not be able to heal Theodore physically, but maybe she could do something to heal Ava emotionally.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Lucia==-

 

Just as Ava had calmed down, Lucia felt herself be able to let out a sigh of relief. She put an arm around Ava as she once had done to help out her own mother. She still felt a little shaky after the near argument, but knew that anger would help no-one in this case. She just quietly gave the grieving woman comfort, regardless of her own feelings about her and how she handles things.

Lucia wanted to have something profound to say, but the only thing she could think of was that this was how life went - sometimes things happen for no reason at all. However, she knew that was arguably the worst thing to say right now, so she just kept quiet.

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Claus - Liberty Band Hall

 

Claus coughed as he turned away and tried to think of a way to change the subject. He'd take this to somebody higher up later on. It could be nothing, but it was worth telling somebody just in case.

 

"So... uh..." Claus sputtered as he tried to think of something to say.

A fortuitous event gave him an out, as Flint decided to pick that moment to exit his Poke Ball. He had been watching from inside his Poke Ball with some degree of jealousy of Richard's Pokemon and wanted to play with the instruments too.

 

"So what sort of Pokemon you got?" he asked with at least a little hint of desperation to re-ignite the conversation. "That's my Monferno over there. I call him Flint, y'know like the former Elite Four member?"

[MELON LORD]

IC: Lachina Adaon/Aspen Seaton

 

The duo continued talking as they walked to the cafeteria, their Pokémon in tow. Aspen gave a quick nod to Ellen and Paul as they passed, but didn't interrupt Lachina.

 

"So after like three weeks on boats with only a day in between, he just wants me to stay locked up while he goes and investigates Two Island. Never mind that I"m a Ranger, it's my job to handle tough situations. He wanted me 'safe' so he had the captain keep an eye on me while he went and had some big battle on the island." She huffed. They got through the line fairly quickly. "You know what I mean?"

 

He gave a soft nod. "Yeah, I was laid up in the hospital while my friends went to handle Ford. It was pretty frustrating." He looked around for a place to sit and pointed. "Hey, there's Chloe."

 

The duo made their way over to the girl, and Lachina sat with a small smile. "How's it going?"

[Parugi]

IC - Kyle Eston/Sonja Baron/Levi Alaric - Cafeteria, The Alamo:

 

The invitation was sudden and unexpected, and Levi's pale and wide-eyed expression indicated as much--that, or he was experiencing second-hand embarrassment on behalf of Ellen. "U-Um . . ." He glanced at Kyle, lightly wringing his hands together. "Um . . . O-Okay. Thank you, Mr. . . . Mr. Burks." He looked at Kyle again. "Will you, um . . ."

 

"I need to finish up here, and then I can swing by afterwards and bring you home," Kyle offered. "Sound good?" Levi nodded. "Alright. Have fun, guys!"

 

 

IC - All Squads - Goldhawk/Sleight/Jackson Sang/Esen Windred/Skye Hall vs. A LOT OF INSTANCES/Samurloch - Kotahi Village, Beach:

 

"Drop me off here--I need to retrieve Charizard."

 

With so few--surprisingly few--Instances following them, Esen had no problem complying. She directed Krow down toward the street, where Sleight's Charizard had been left to excavate the area in search of James Arthur--a fruitless task, now that he had reappeared. As they dropped to a few feet from the ground, Sleight slid off of the Honchkrow's back. Esen looked back at him as Krow landed. "What are you doing?"

 

"Arthur and Hikari's Pokémon regained their power." Sleight approached Charizard, placing a hand on the Fire-Type's head. "That must be a sign that we are regaining our strength, is it not?" The scarred beast snorted at Sleight's touch. Whatever Sleight seemed to expect to happen, did not happen. He sighed. "Not now, then . . . but soon, certainly."

 

"Sleight, we're running out of time to get out of here," Esen said. "I don't know how they got their power back, but I don't think it's a benefit that we all get to enjoy."

 

"No, I believe you're right," Sleight replied. "Who all is left to get out of here?"

 

"As far as I know, only the Normal-, Dark-, and Psychic-Type Suits," Esen said. "Everyone else should be back by now."

 

Sleight nodded. "Then we'll do what we can to defend the helicopters until they get here." His comm clicked on. "All injured units, embark on Lyre Play and Echo Order for extraction. Valley Watch and Entry Guard will follow and cover your departure. All remaining units, hold out until the remaining Suits arrive." The Shadow Admin frowned. "And if you're still on the beach . . . Get your tails back here now. This mission is done."

 

 

 

Whatever was about to happen made the air crackle with tension. Wrath could feel it even through the fog that enshrouded his head, and the din of attacks chipping away at him like stones striking steel. It made it hard to focus, harder still to defend himself--he could move aside, step away, change his stance to counter one attack, only to find another flying toward his unguarded side. Such was the case with Lance, whose armored pincer smashed into Wrath's own hand, sending his arm back with a metallic crunch that signaled the end of his swordsmanship--at least for now. The broken gauntlet splintered into pieces, and Wrath's blade spun in a tall arc behind him before landing point-first into the ground.

 

A punch to Lance's face with his remaining hand, fueled by rage enough to knock him several yards back, was the only way that situation could have ended.

 

Cathartic or not, Wrath was still unarmed and one-handed against four opponents. And from the looks of it, he likely would not survive whatever James was about to throw at him. That was unfortunate.

 

Fortunately, however, there was an army of Instances amassing around the combatants, and with all the rest of their targets fleeing the scene, they were free to act in whatever ways they could to assist their commander: An Ireknight Skate Jousted its way between Wrath and James, to act as a semi-living shield; four Leopyred charged toward the battle, three launching a mixture of Flamethrowers and Flame Bursts at Lance and James while one's pelt popped and bubbled with fire; a pair of Chimerape willed the ground to erupt beneath Ryan and Tyranitar's feet with Earth Power; and the air around Wrath himself rippled as a Cerebeuron concentrated, attempting to Ally Switch with the samurai, who himself shifted into a defensive stance with Iron Defense.

 

One thing was certain: If Wrath fell here, then the army at his side would ensure that his enemies fell with him.

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC:James Arthur/Lancelot - Ryan Hikari/Tyranitar

 

James saw the approaching forces with dread. Lancelot was running to play keep away from the Leopyreds’ flames. There was one move that could turn the tide long enough for them to escape. James could only pray that the Ryan had the foresight to teach it to Tyranitar.

 

“As soon as you make use of this, run!” he called out to Ryan, Tyranitar and Amanda as he activated the one last hotkey.

 

[Deflect protocol active: initiate {Spotlight, Baton Pass}]

 

The forces that had gathered to overwhelm them paused as their collective focus shifted to the Tyranitar. Every buff that James had gathered flew into the Tyranitar, including every product of his All-In protocol.

 

As Ryan and the Tyranitar struggled to keep from being knocked off guard by the Earth Power strikes that the Chimerape were using, Ryan saw what seemed to be an aura of power surround his Tyranitar. Silently he gave his thanks to James, as he took a second to finally focus on the attackers.

 

“You’re all in trouble now.” The man said despite how the tides were turning against them. He held his hand as his fingers slowly clenched up and then pushed his hand toward the ground as the fingers approached a fist, as a cue to Tyranitar. The Dark type Pokemon wasn’t actually looking, mind you, but Ryan felt it looked cool. Regardless, the Tyranitar roared out before stomping with all his might toward all their opposing enemies to send out an earth shattering Earthquake powered up by Belly Drum and Laser Focus.

 

Lancelot spread his wings and scooped up James, Ryan and even Amanda with his strong arms and hovered above the Tyranitar that marked the epicenter of the Earthquake. James was willing to let the attack finish, but not wait a second longer.

 

“Change of plans. Ms. Zarth, teleport us out of here,” James said all patience lost.

 

[Flipz]

IC: Amanda Zarth

 

Amanda had just had time to fully register the failure of her capture attempt when the enemy's blade planted itself in the sand at her feet. The impact was enough to snap her out of her focus, only just now recognizing her current vulnerability. As she considered the situation, she distractedly reached forth and pulled loose the weapon, its heft too much for one as untrained in its use as her.

 

James' shouted warning drew her once again from her thoughts: “As soon as you make use of this, run!”

 

It took little calculation for Amanda to recognize her predicament. Still, she took a moment to strategize. She nodded her acknowledgement to Executive Arthur, even as she distractedly ran over her options.

 

Step one: deploy Psychic Terrain to disable enemy counterattacks. This she did, even as James and Ryan executed their plan, the wave of psychic energy washing over the terrain creating an environment too twisted and weird for supernaturally fast attackers to land their strikes. She felt the terrain's energy suffuse her suit, but as she prepared to clear a path for escape, a sturdy steel claw scooped her and the other Suits up.

 

“Change of plans. Ms. Zarth, teleport us out of here,” James said, all patience lost.

 

Amanda momentarily froze as she ran the odds. If one of these Instances manages physical contact...

 

But even so, the risk was unavoidable--there was no other option. "Mr. Hikari, you and your Tyranitar, prepare for departure on my mark." Splitting the risk between sufficient escape and hopefully not dragging hostile forces directly to their injured allies, Amanda focused her Destination upon the scorched wasteland where the first Leopyred had detonated--where she'd left her surveillance pod, though she was now unable to directly command it--and allowed her Determination to well up within her. "Mark!" she declared, alerting the two Dark-types to lower their defenses, and with Deliberation she spun, twisting them through space in a burst of magenta energy.

 

The group appeared amongst the ruins, the helicopters only a short distance away. She scanned her surroundings for any unwanted passengers, though she knew she would be useful for little more than a warning if they had indeed managed the trip. Fortunately for the group, Amanda's Magnezone descended from overhead on its own retreat, ready to pick off any interloping Instances who might have managed to hitch a ride.

 

OOC:

 

Amanda (+4 Def, +2 SAtk, +4 SDef, +2 Speed, 1 HP): Psychic Terrain, Teleport (James, Lancelot, Ryan, Tyranitar, Amanda; using suit power)

Magnezone: attack of opportunity Flash Cannon on any Instances that managed to get teleported alongside the group

Edited December 14, 2017 by Flipz

[MELON LORD]

IC: Yamamoto Aori

 

As the boat pulled away from the island, Aori tugged softly on her sleeve. Hana and Yuri had been returned to their balls in order to save room on the ship. Nervously the girl looked around at all the other people, most sitting or standing around with blank looks on their faces. Some talked quietly--

 

"I'd heard Sootopolis . . ."

"I thought Celadon was bad . . ."

 

"It's Rocket's fault . . ."

 

"Those idiots on Four Island . . ."

 

"Monster . . ."

"Home . . ."

"Dead . .."

 

while most just stared into the distance. Aori pressed her hands to her ears to drown out the noises of the people and the sea. She felt her stomach roll as the ship rocked on the waves, sailing away from One Island, away from Kotahi, away from home. Where they were going, she didn't know.

 

She did know two things. The first was that her parents weren't here, or on any of the other ships. The second was that the police-officer-who-wasn't-a-police-officer had broken his promise. He hadn't made it back before the boat had left.

 

And now she was alone, an unknown child going to an unknown place with unknown people.

 

She sat in a corner and cried for the rest of the voyage.

Edited March 2, 2018 by MELON LORD

[Blessed Blade]

IC: Claus - Liberty Band Hall

 

Claus coughed as he turned away and tried to think of a way to change the subject. He'd take this to somebody higher up later on. It could be nothing, but it was worth telling somebody just in case.

 

"So... uh..." Claus sputtered as he tried to think of something to say.

 

A fortuitous event gave him an out, as Flint decided to pick that moment to exit his Poke Ball. He had been watching from inside his Poke Ball with some degree of jealousy of Richard's Pokemon and wanted to play with the instruments too.

 

"So what sort of Pokemon you got?" he asked with at least a little hint of desperation to re-ignite the conversation. "That's my Monferno over there. I call him Flint, y'know like the former Elite Four member?"

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

That caught the girl's attention and succeeded in what Claus wished. "That's pretty cool! He looks pretty strong, honestly." Taylor walked over to the flaming monkey with a wide smile, as she sent out her Prinplup to greet him. "Penguigo, check it out! It's another Monferno!" The girl smiled brightly as the Prinplup went over to discuss things with the fire type.

 

"My dad actually has a very strong Infernape. He and some friends actually challenged the Elite Four back when he was younger!" Taylor giggled as she turned back to Claus. "It's a pretty cool coincidence that you have one too... Agh, I wish Pokemon could use their moves again, already! I sound like a broken record, but I'd so challenge you to a battle if I could!"

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Claus Diamond - Liberty Band Hall

 

Claus smiled as he looked at Flint, as the Monferno did some back-flips just to show off. He was proud of him, and could remember the day his dad's best friend gifted Claus with the Chimchar that he would call Flint.

 

"Heh, that's a coincidence. -My dad- and some friends chall... enged... the Elite Four when they were..." 

 

Claus froze for a moment. The girl he was talking to appeared to be about his age and was describing a situation similar to his own.

 

"What's your dad's name?" he asked with a small amount of trepidation.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor paused, as she appeared to have come to roughly the same conclusion.

 

"My dad's name is Barry. . ." The girl said slowly, as she tilted her head to the side slightly. The Prinplup looked over curiously as it heard the father's name, but the trainer paid no mind, as she looked at Claus curiously. "What about you?"

[Parugi]

IC - All Squads - Goldhawk/Sleight/Jackson Sang/Esen Windred/Skye Hall - Kotahi Village, Helicopters:

 

SKMR-3 "Tier Climb": J. Arthur, L. Belrose, J. Sang

 

BRV3-AR "Echo Order": R. Hikari, R. Hakuda, A. Zarth, E. Alaric

 

SKMR-3 "Essence Ponder": L. Zyther, J. Arthur, E. Windred, S. Hall

 

BRV3-AR "Moment Record": D. Majors, M. Morrow, J. Aaron

 

BRV3-AR "Lyre Play": A. Willows, T. Willows, M. Aleivy, R. Apollo

 

NCT-0WL "Valley Watch": D. Kerwar, I. Lennon, R. Hewitt, A. Mikkelsen

 

NCT-0WL "Entry Guard": E. Fear, U. Graves, L. Kennard, N. Barlow

 

 

 

"Alamo, all Agents are aboard, and we are homebound."

 

Dust clouds spiraled in the wind of seven ascending helicopters, a thin veil masking the last few glimpses of Kotahi as the combined forces of humanity made their escape from the forsaken village. From the sky, one could see the dozens of monstrosities snaking their way through streets and alleys, glowing cords stretching behind them like vines slowly growing to engulf the town, dragging the main body of their origin outward in an ebbing sea of red.

 

As they flew over Kotahi, further along and to the beach, the signs and symptoms of their struggle became more prominent. Untouched buildings gave way first to crumbled walls and scorched stone, then to craters and a massive grave of downed creatures intermixed with the sand and stone and ice that had encompassed the beach. The devastation from the last few moments of the battle came into full focus. A massive chasm had appeared across the sand; from here, multiple Chimerape were finally beginning to claw their way out of the darkness and into the light. Further along, the remains of the stone path that had paved the way forward to Goldhawk's retrieval loomed, the stones cracked and broken from what had come afterwards.

 

Beyond that lay what could only be described as sheer devastation. The earthquake had caused the beach, and partway the stone cliffs into Kotahi itself, to crack and splinter. Sand poured down a web of massive, black rifts in the ground, which had broken open and closed unevenly with the aftershocks of the quake. Mangled pieces of dozens of Missing Zero's Instances littered the surrounding area, all of them caught and crushed or torn apart by the sheer power of the earth beneath their feet. And though more had begun to emerge from the massive wall of red to replace them, it was all too clear that the attack had been effective--the consequences of any human sticking around to witness the carnage firsthand were a nightmare to consider.

 

Most notably of all, however, was what lay in the middle of the web of rifts. His sword was gone, stolen away by his enemies. His armor was cracked, splintered, and broken, destroyed by the ground as it tore itself asunder. The ground had opened beneath his feet, crushing and consuming his lower half, impaling his left shoulder on spikes of stone, and Wrath, the lone Samurloch amidst all of Missing Zero's forces, lay unmoving amidst the rock and sand, head locked upward and staring blankly into the sky. Of all of Missing Zero's pawns, however, it appeared that he had fared the best against the assault, and thus even in his current condition, it was clear to see who he was and what had occurred. Even in what could only be described as death, his unseeing gaze pierced the hearts of those who looked upon him.

 

For better or worse, the helicopters continued onward, leaving the corpse behind them.

 

 

 

It was nearly dark by the time they returned. Even so, the Alamo moved in a frenzy. Upon disembarking their transports, medical teams immediately descended on the members of the One Island operation, while maintenance crews worked on transporting the destroyed Instances that had been acquired. Half the team would be cleared shortly, disengaged from their Power Armor and sent to rest. Most others would be carted off for a more thorough check-up in the infirmary, assessing the damage that had sent their monitoring systems into the orange.

 

For two members of the team, the process went differently. There was no saving Theodore Willows from the poison of the Venophage. Despite protests from Ava, he would be taken away to the morgue, his body examined for the effects of the poison in the hopes of learning how to combat it, before being cleaned and readied for his funeral.

 

Goldhawk was another story.

 

He was the first one out. His damaged and scorched armor had hidden the damage to his body during the flight back home. Now in the hands of professionals, however, it was clear for all to see the ugly sight that lay beneath the suit. Urgent shouts cut through the flight deck, and soon, he had vanished into an emergency transport, taken away with the slim hope that he could still be saved.

 

Time would tell if that hope held true.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Ellen (Eevee, T:Xander Cruize)/Psyka (Espurr, T:Xander Cruize)/Vixen (Fennekin, T:Xander Cruize)

 

Ellen's ears twitched, and she opened her eyes sleepily as she tried to figure out what the sound she had heard was. She lifted her head slowly and looked around. A soft breeze ruffled her fur and she turned to look to the window.

 

Her ears lay flat and she jumped to her feet with a yelp of alarm as she saw a figure poised on the window sill. Her tail twitched and a soft growl started in her throat. The figure turned, vibrant blue eyes widening in surprise. Psyka made a shushing motion, but the damage was done. Vixen, who had been sleeping next to Ellen, rose to her feet and yawned. The fire-type tilted her head as she saw the Espurr sitting in the window.

 

Psyka glanced towards their trainer and his partner, but they were still deep asleep. The psychic type turned to slide out the window, but Ellen barked again, causing her to flinch. She turned her head to glare at the two foxes, but they paid her no mind.

 

Ellen and Vixen jumped off the bed and made their way over. With a soft sigh, Psyka gestured for them to follow. Without another sound, the three were out the window.

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Lafoyae Belrose

There was no two way about it. Despite the calm face Lafoyae had when she turned in her trophy, she was seething on the inside as she left. "That was a masscre. If we hadn't retreated, we would have been slaughtered and devoured." The Assassin thought, clenching her fists as she walked to the Indoor Training Rooms, feeding her anger like fire. Hopefully she could abate her wrath by beating the literal stuffing out of the punching bags there.

IC: Evan Tierra

Thoughts of what the day had were still running rampant in Evan's mind, as he made his way to his apartment in the Alamo. He met up with Landorus , who had told him what he had done. After voicing his approval, he returned the very tired Ground-type to his Luxury Ball and moved on. The Plasma Agent thought about what had happened with Colleen and Zoe, grinning at the pizza he had brought with. His thoughts drifted to the confrontation in Keturi City, but he pushed them away, wanting to focus on more pleasant things. When he had reached his apartment and gotten in, his thoughts turned to what Colleen had said about Jenny being in the hospital. "Regardless if she's there or not, she wouldn't want me to worry." Evan thought reassuringly as he got ready to sleep. He released Gnip, who growled softly as her friend petted her on the head. When Evan finally laid himself in bed, he decided to finish his earlier thought, chuckling a bit.

"After all, I still need to think of what to say to her about my coat being gone! Not to mention the ring!"

Edited December 19, 2017 by Dr. Hidaka

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Richard Apollo - Hangar

 

Richard quietly stepped off the helicopter that brought him back. Of the original team who got sent to One Island on that helicopter, he was the only one who got out relatively unscathed. While generally he'd be in the mood to sing, he didn't feel like hurting the poor widow any further, and bowed out as soon as he could.

 

Hades popped out of his Poke Ball looking dejected. He hadn't been able to help during that mess at all. Richard scratched the Sableye's head (as best he could considering its ethereal nature).

 

"Aww, come on. It was just time for me to have a solo performance for once, that's all. No shame in giving the spotlight to someone else every now and then."

 

Hades just watched as the Scizor left the room. Richard's eyes followed Hades's own.

 

"Nothing can be done about that," Richard said with a slight sigh. "I'm just glad somebody got that power when we needed it. Come on, let's take a walk to clear our heads," he offered to the Sableye.

 

The Sableye shrugged at least and walked out into the night with his trainer.

 

 

 

IC: Claus Diamond - Liberty Band Hall

 

Flint's muscles locked completely out of shock and he fell perfectly over. Claus's jaw hung open for a bit. The odds of this happening were incredibly low, and yet it had.

 

"My dad's name is Lucas. Lucas Diamond. And I think he was your dad's best friend."

 

 

 

IC: James Arthur - Liberty Infirmary

 

James made yet another loud grunt through gritted teeth as another piece of gauze was applied to him. Adrenaline had worn off and the pain had set in. Under normal circumstances, Chansey would've been using Aromatherapy and Heal Pulse. That would've alleviated the pain he felt to some degree. But right now there was nothing for it. He just had to bear it. His body began to look more covered in bandages than not.

 

Lancelot was nowhere to be seen. He had been taken away for examinations. This phenomena was still absurd. Incredibly fortuitous, but absurd. He wanted to discuss it with Lancelot but there was little chance for that until next morning.

 

He had been ordered to remain in the infirmary until he had been cleared by the nurse. His authority was enough to overturn such an order, but due to the present state of affairs, he didn't feel like moving much anyway.

 

Still, that wasn't an excuse to not get stuff done, he had decided when he had someone send for Amanda Zarth. Even with the adrenaline gone, his mind was not yet fully clear. He needed a second opinion on today's events, and she had seemed level-headed when he had met her earlier. Anything to take his mind off the pain.

[Flipz]

-==IC: Cyrus==-

 

"Too formal." The much older man said dismissively, as he walked toward the door. "You sound like a child fresh out of initiation." As the rest of the people who were leaving filed out of the mansion, Cyrus kept on walking. He didn't stop to see if the others were alright, or to talk to anyone. He didn't really care. What he wanted was to. . . The man stopped, as he checked to see if Adam was still following.

 

"You wish to assist me?"

-==IC: Adam Zynthic==- (July 31st, Kanto Standard Time)

 

"Of course," Adam replied solemnly. The man knelt before the legendary leader of the Team he so dearly loved. "What is thy bidding, my master?"

 

-==IC: Adam Zynthic==- (August 5th, Kanto Standard Time)

 

Adam's fingers drummed across his arm impatiently, as if his crossed arms and moody scowl weren't enough indication of his impatience. "It has been hours," he announced to the weary attendant before him. "How long must I wait for my clearance to be processed?"

 

The attendant shrugged helplessly. "Today has been...busy. If you could get Admin Jupiter on the line--"

 

"No, no, that's...unnecessary," Adam hastily amended. "She was quite...adamant in saying I wasn't to disturb her." He conveniently avoided mentioning why she'd said such, but such trivial details as the truth could be set aside for the sake of his task.

 

"Then I'm afraid you'll just have to wait."

 

"Hmpf." Adam dropped his gaze to the trio of Pokémon sleeping on the waiting room bench. For the first time since they'd lost their powers, they seemed content, though that was perhaps attributable to the soothing silence of sleep more than to any true peace.

 

The man found it irrationally irritating.

 

You are my partners. Can't you feel how important this mission is? He shook his head. Support or no, he was going to see through his task, no matter how obstructive the bureaucracy involved. He returned his attention to the beleaguered attendant. "Is Team Liberty always this--" unprofessional? "--'busy', as you put it?"

 

The attendant gave Adam a strange look. "You don't know?"

 

It took significant effort for Adam to keep his annoyance in check. Of course I don't, you imbecile, or I wouldn't be asking. "I'm afraid I, too, have been...'busy'...in my case, traveling here."

 

"Well...I can't say much, but it's..." The attendant trailed off, spotting a headline scrolling across the muted television on the other side of the lobby. "...it's...on the news, apparently?"

 

"What?" Adam swiveled around as the attendant searched for the volume controls. Though he could not hear the words being spoken, he did recognize one of the faces displayed next to the grainy amateur footage. Impossible...she's dead, they had her killed...

 

The sound on the TV blared to life...just in time for the news story to cut to a commercial. The attendant grimaced and muted the television once more.

 

"That woman...do you know who she is?"

 

The attendant hesitated. "No...? I mean...I think she's from Plasma? Or something? I wasn't on duty when she came in--"

 

Adam's eyes widened. "She's here?"

 

"Uh...well, yeah. The whole thing's part of our...sir? Sir?"

 

Adam was no longer paying attention, however. His focus was solely upon the woman he'd seen--and how he'd have to alter his plans to manage to find her. I've lost you once, he thought to himself. I refuse to do it again.

 

 

 

IC: Amanda Zarth

 

Amanda, for her part, was thoroughly occupied in her own corner of the infirmary. Seemingly impervious to the pain of her injuries, she busily inundated the technician she'd effectively kidnapped from the hangar with feedback on her Power Suit's performance, to the annoyance of both the technician and the Nurse treating the Plasma agent's wounds.

 

"While a full diagnosis will require a detailed technical analysis, I believe the primary cause of the malfunction was a failure of the environmental sealing brought on by thermal shock. My Porygon can provide additional data; however, I would recommend an alteration to the design to account for similar situations in future deployments. I believe Team Plasma's material sciences division has a prototype sealant in development for just such a scenario; barring unforeseen complications I believe I can broker an arrangement for testing purposes provided we secure the approval of Executive Arthur. Speaking of which, if someone could contact Executive Arthur as well as Mr. Hikari--"

 

The Nurse and technician shared a glance and rolled their eyes. "Ma'am," the technician interjected, "I really need to get back to the labs, so if you don't mind?"

 

Amanda nodded, incognizant of the woman's attitude. "Of course. I will compile further feedback for delivery tomorrow."

 

"Wow, I sure look forward to that."

 

"Thank you, it is reassuring that your Team is so responsive to my concerns."

 

The technician shook her head at Amanda's obliviousness and hurried away. The Nurse failed to suppress a chuckle, but sobered herself when Amanda turned her gaze upon her instead.

 

"Is something amiss?"

 

"No, I..." The Nurse frowned as Amanda's amethyst eyes caught her attention. "Actually...Miss Zarth, have your eyes always been that color?"

 

The Plasma functionary frowned. "As long as I can recall, yes."

 

"Hmm. It's just..." The woman paused, considering. "Forgive me for prying, but have you been screened for psionic abilities?"

 

Amanda raised an eyebrow. "Such abilities are within my skill set, yes." She chose not to mention the anomaly of the past screenings that had failed to detect her potential.

 

The Nurse nodded. "I see. Well, I would suggest you acquire formal training as soon as possible. While it can be genetic, your eye color is strongly indicative of psychic shock."

 

Amanda frowned. "I'm afraid I have not heard of such an ailment."

 

"It's not particularly well-known--difficult to research, really--but we do know it's brought on by extreme, instinctive overuse of psionic powers. Without the right training, a person's psychic power can sometimes go wild, causing a powerful but uncontrolled expression of their abilities; we call the aftereffects psychic shock. The psychic's eye color changing to pink or purple even when they aren't using their powers is one of the earliest warning signs; it usually goes back to normal in a few days, but in extreme cases the color change can be permanent."

 

"I see." The psychic was unsure of what to do with this information, so she filed it away for future examination. "What are the other effects?"

 

"In extreme cases?" The Nurse's lips tightened to a straight line, the grim expression piercing through her patient. "Psychics can lose themselves to their powers entirely, causing total, irreversible insanity. It's not common, but that's why most psychics go through at least some formal instruction."

 

Amanda nodded solemnly. "Thank you for the warning. I will factor this into my consideration posthaste. Is there anything else?"

 

The Nurse looked like she wanted to hold Amanda overnight, but relented when she realized the woman would object. "Take it easy," she ordered, "you're more injured than you seem to realize. Try not to stand or walk if you can avoid it, and no strenuous activities." She considered warning her that Pokémon battles counted as strenuous, but with powers still gone she doubted even Amanda would try to pull such a stunt. "And get some training," she concluded sternly. "I'm serious. You're a danger to yourself and others until you do."

 

Amanda dipped her head in acknowledgment. "Understood. Thank you for your time." Standing--and cocking her head in perplexion at the Nurse's resultant wince--she made her way to leave, only to find Executive Arthur laid out on one of the beds nearest the entrance. "Executive Arthur," she greeted, "how fortuitous. Do you have a moment to discuss a few things?"

 

 

 

IC: ???

 

Somehow, she'd gone and lost her way; all this time, she'd led herself astray by following a glimpse of light and fragile footsteps.

 

Though lost within a guideless haze, looking for a way out of this maze, I'll never let a sole regret rain down on me. Though her eyes brimmed with tears, the young girl reached inward to the solid rock of her innermost core. I will call infinitely, screaming until they hear me...

 

In the back of her mind, she knew why they did not hear. Why they'd moved on just as she drew near. She pushed her thoughts aside; I can't afford to hide and bide my time. She set forth with resolve anew.

 

...only they did too.

 

She forced herself not to draw up short. Of course she hadn't expected to lose the monsters entirely, but for the horrific cost of her escape--

 

She shook her head, diverting herself from that train of thought. She could not afford to freeze in horror, for none but herself were left to pay the price of her panic. She was immature, unprepared, powerless to stop her foes even at her best. Her sole hope lay ahead--if only she could survive to reach it.

 

In ancient times, Pokémon made a pact with people, to present themselves in exchange for mutual partnership and protection. Though her Domain had long since discarded that ancient pact, she hoped the humans had not, for without their help, it might well die with her.

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan Sanders - Medical Wing, The Alamo
The medical wing was bustling with activity. Doctors and nurses ran left and right as eighteen volunteers were rushed to various parts of the infirmary. Somewhere amidst the chaos, Dahlia was admitted into a room.
 
"I'll wait here for you," Ryan offered.
 
The gardener shook her head as the doctors carted her off. "It looks like I'll be a while. Get some rest, Ryan. See you later." She smiled briefly before vanishing into the crowd.
 
Ryan stood up and stretched. His arms and legs were both cramped from sitting for so long. The moment he stepped out of the medical wing he closed his eyes, enjoying the peace of silence after the intense frenzy of doctors and nurses. Taking in a deep breath, he walked down the hallway, pulling out his Pokégear to let Chloe know Dahlia had finally been admitted into the hospital.
 
The sun had set, and the reality of their joint missions tomorrow loomed over him. Dahlia was right, he probably should get some rest.
 
A soft chime stopped him in his tracks. Chloe had sent a response. Only three simple words appeared on the screen, but Ryan knew Chloe well enough to see the meaning behind those words. "We should train."
 
Ryan was tempted to put it off. The fight in Keturi had taken a toll on him, and the last thing he wanted right now was more physical strain. But then an image of Kamina flashed before his eyes, a bloodied mess that didn't have to happen. He saw Chloe, putting on a brave face for the others while hiding her true grief. If they wanted to prevent more casualties like Kamina, then they had to train.
 
He had almost made it to his room when he turned on his heel, typing out a quick response: "Meet me in the training arenas."


IC: Shannon Willows - Barracks, The Alamo

A knock on the door.
 
The soft, delicate sound reverberated through the room, its gentle touch bearing no hint of the immense weight behind its purpose. The first knock was too quiet. Timid, even. When Shannon did not immediately respond, a second knock sounded, firmer and more resolute than its senior.
 
Shannon looked up from her sketchbook. She had just moved into this room hours before. No one knew she was here. So who could it be? Kindly neighbors wishing to welcome her into the neighborhood of their hallway? Did people in the Alamo even do that?
 
The knock repeated itself once more, this time accompanied by a voice she did not recognize. "Miss Willows?"
 
"J-just a minute!" Shannon set her sketchbook on the nightstand and shuffled to the door.
 
The man introduced himself as a Liberty official.
 
His lip was drawn back in a thin line. He did not want to be here.
 
With a deft calmness, his voice betraying no emotion, he read his scripted report. He could not meet the girl's eye.
 
Shannon listened politely, nodding when appropriate.
 
The man finished speaking. She quietly thanked him.
 
The door creaked as she slowly swung it shut.
 
Her bare feet scuffled across the floor, filling the room with a soft, ambient noise.
 
The bed creaked as she sat down.
 
Her mind felt empty.
 
What was she supposed to feel?

 

Grief? Sorrow? Anger? Relief? Satisfaction?
 
She felt all of those.
 
She felt none of those.
 
The conflicting emotions swirled inside her like dark storm clouds. They threatened to overwhelm her. So she shut them out.
 
She ran her finger across the binding of her sketchbook -- when had she grabbed that?
 
Memories slowly clawed their way to the surface of her mind, rising from the graves she had buried them in. Fragments of a conversation she would rather forget demanded her attention.
 
"I know you're mad at me . . ."
 

"I overreacted . . ."

 

". . . think you can soften me up . . ."

 

"The boy you were with . . ."
 

"Don't bother . . ."

 

". . . dropped my hobby when the . . ."

 

"I think you'd enjoy it . . ."
 

"Starting tomorrow . . ."

 

"See you tomorrow . . ."

 

". . . almost like I'm going in your stead, isn't it?"

 

She winced. Her finger had caught on the sharp edge of the metal spiral that bound her sketchbook together. She had drawn blood.
 
The sketchbook tumbled to the floor. Shannon stumbled to the bathroom.
 
She was silent.
 
Robotic.
 
In a daze.
 
The faucet continued running long after she had cleaned her cut and applied a bandage.
 
She stared into the mirror. An unfamiliar woman stared back. She looked lost. Scared. Confused.
 
She reached out to comfort her. Her hand touched cold glass.
 
"My father is dead."
 
The words sounded strange on her lips. Like they weren't real.
 
Her reflection echoed her sentiment.
 
Her hand slid from the mirror.
 
She turned off the faucet.
 
The next thing she knew she had flopped back down on the bed.
 
She lay awake for a long time.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Jared Winters

 

After seeing Dahlia admitted to a room -- Only took them, what, five hours? -- Jared made his way through the halls of the Alamo without much thought. So it was only by blind luck that he stumbled across the indoor training rooms. Stepping inside, his aggravation at the medical staff largely abated when he saw punching bags, weight machines, and the general trappings of a room dedicated to human fitness.

 

If he'd known he would find this place, he would have stopped by his room first. As it was, he tossed his coat, footwear, and T-shirt into a corner and made his way for one of the punching bags. He took a stance and a calming breath. As he fell into the easy repetitions of training, his mind wandered.

 

The mission hadn't gone well. Thump thump. Someone had died, and everyone in the group would feel that pain. Thump thump thump. He had to keep that from happening again. Thump thump. Next time it could be himself.

 

Thump thump. Or Colette. Thump. Or Dahlia.

 

He continued working on the bag, not completely unaware but largely ignoring the other person nearby.

 

Jared, focus. It's that Team Rocket assassin.

 

He stopped and grabbed the bag to keep it from swinging as he looked over. Sure enough, the woman he'd sparred with the night before was, judging from appearances, trying to destroy the bag. He cleared his throat. "Miss Belrose."

Edited December 19, 2017 by MELON LORD

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Lafoyae Belrose

Wham! Wham! Wham!

Lafoyae's fists impacted the bag, each one filled with her ire. The ferocity of each blow seemed to threaten to break the bag off from above. Each time she struck, she thought of one of those loathesome......things, and her rage only grew. She would have busted her bag, if she hadn't been caught off guard by a familiar voice. The Assassin looked at Mercury, recognizing him from the night before. "......Hi." She projected warily. "We meet again."

[MELON LORD]

IC: Jared Winters

 

Jared nodded. "So we do." He wasn't really sure where to go from there.

 

She had a mission today. Ask about it.

 

Right. "How was your mission?" Though, he could probably gather from the way she was beating on the bag that it hadn't gone well.

 

You don't ask how someone is because you actually want to know. It's a conversation starter.

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: James Arthur - Infirmary

 

James eavesdropped on Amanda's conversation with a small amount of curiosity (and a burning desire to distract himself from his injuries). He thought it odd that someone who seemed as practical as her had not taken steps to rectify the situation. He felt like thinking of a snide remark about the fact that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, but his sense of humor was exhausted for the time being.

 

"I do," he said as a Weavile walked into the room, holding an older suit jacket of James's. He couldn't switch into his normal attire while he was still in the infirmary, so he had Mordred bring him an old suit. He'd at least have something.

 

"I was hoping I could get your tactical assessment on this previous mission. Would you object to compiling a full report on the effectiveness of all agents who participated in the mission?" he asked as he placed his arms through the jacket's sleeves, hiding a wince he made when the jacket touched his back.

 

 

 

IC: Jamie Arthur - Hangar

 

Jamie watched quietly as James was taken away from the hangar. When he was finally removed from the suit, his burns were clear to see. He barely managed to speak to her when she had approached cautiously. 

 

"Come see tomorrow. I want to talk about that... thing you did," James had said, not enough energy to figure out the right word to say.

She could have argued with him, but seeing him in that state made her silent. It was her business being a hero, and if she wanted to tell someone, that was her business too right? Still, she couldn't find it in her to argue, so she didn't protest.

 

"I should probably tell Lucia too..." she muttered aloud when James was fully out of the room. 

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor's mouth fell open for the briefest of moments before she could cover it with her hand.

 

"Oh." She felt uncertain what to exactly say as her eyes widened. "That... is awesome."

 

-==IC: Lucia==-

 

Lucia took some deep breaths to steady herself as the Power Suit was taken off her. She felt a bit dizzy from the events of the day - perhaps dehydration was an issue here? More likely was how the mission had gone, and how despite them succeeding in helping evacuate, they had lost at least one person during the fight. Her eyes wandered around the room.

 

"Jamie!" Lucia called out as she finally caught sight of the girl. Without thinking, she ran up to Jamie and wrapped her arms around her, the situation's intensity having finally caught up to her. When she looked at Jamie's face after a moment, her own face showed a mix of awe, relief, and worry. She opened her mouth a few times as if wanting to start to say some things, but each time, only a slight bit of sound came out as she cut herself off each time. She finally just gave up on her attempt to speak and redoubled her hugging efforts.

Edited December 20, 2017 by Blessed Blade

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Lafoyae Belrose

Her punching stopped when she was asked about her mission, and looked at Jared. "I suspect some would say it was a success." The Psychic said, her projected voice sounding weary. "I would say we accomplished our mission, but not in the way I would have liked." She turned back to the poor punching bag, a tired fury in her eyes. She then added. "Was there anything you wanted to know?" She projected at Jared curiously. "I can't go into detail, for obvious reasons, but I could tell you what I can...."

Edited December 20, 2017 by Dr. Hidaka

[MELON LORD]

IC: Jared Winters

 

"I just . . ." He sighed, shaking his head. "Nothing specific. But, if you want to . . . debrief, I guess? You can. I'll listen."

 

He could feel Mercury sneering at him. Coward. You don't want to know the body count.

 

You're right, I don't. He already had Chloe's Serperior weighing on him, he didn't want to think of the casualties from a world-ending abomination.

 

Well, at least your priorities are in order. Keep your own thoughts unburdened, live to fight another day, et cetera.

 

"Do you want a spotter?"

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Lafoyae Belrose

Lafoyae nodded at Jared's offer, and as she punched the bag, she explained what had happened. She omitted Goldhawk's immolation, but not Theo's death. With each thing she project, her punches grew more fierce, threatening to break the chains holding the bag up. She had decided that she had to let her emotions run wild for a bit, lest they burn her from the inside. After a while of beating on the bag and telling Jared what happened, the Assassin looked at Jared. "That's what happened, for better or worse." Lafoyae projected to the Aura Wielder. "We should feel lucky we're alive, but that thing is still out there, taking what it wants...."

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Jamie Arthur - Hangar

 

Jamie was shocked out of her self-reflection by the act of being squeezed by Lucia. She wondered how she should respond, but decided she should just be happy for the hug. Not that there was much else she could do at the moment, due to the aforementioned squeezing.

 

Lucia still wasn't saying anything, which only made Jamie feel guiltier for not telling Lucia about the whole Hero of Time thingee. Well if Lucia wasn't going to break the silence, Jamie would.

 

"Hey, uh, I guess you want me to tell you about what happened back there, right?"

 

 

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Lucia==-

 

Lucia nodded as she let up on the squeezing a little bit. She gave a small smile to reassure her friend as she scratched the back of her head a little bit.

 

"That was pretty cool, whatever it was." The healer finally said, as she did look pretty impressed. "Was that something you learned when you went to One Island with Ryan?" She paused slightly, and glanced around a bit. "Oh, um, did you want to talk about this somewhere else?"