Pokémon: Rise Of The Rockets

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

"Vlad, you're up, my friend!"

In reply to Evan's statement, his Gliscor appeared out of his poke ball, clacking his pincers. He was then patted in a friendly matter by his master, who looked at his comrades, while sending out Gnip as well. "My Gliscor is not too bad at using sonar, par the course for his species." The Agent said. "If it'd be all right, could he be at the front, to help the Psychics and Aura Readers get a heads up at incoming attacks?" Evan smiled confidently, as he drew close to Gnip, clearly determined to help this operation as much as he could.

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan/Jayron/Paul

Ryan nodded at the psychic. "Sure thing, Xander. Hop on. And that sounds like a good plan, Evan. Vlad can help us scout out the area."

 

Jayron heard Jamie mention her lack of flying Pokémon. "Don't worry, you can ride with me," he said as his Flygon swooped over to greet the Heroine of Time.

 

Dahlia stepped forward. "Um, I'm going to need to ride with someone, too..."

 

"Dahlia, you're with me." Paul extended a hand to help the gardener up onto his Skarmory. As Dahlia held onto the metallic bird with one hand, her other arm scooped up Terry, making sure he was secure. Paul nodded at her, then looked over at the others. "We're ready to go when you are."

Edited August 27, 2016 by Konuju

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Chloe/Jenny/Ryan/Collie==-

 

Chloe glanced around, as she realized that her and Ryan didn't have any flying Pokemon either. She noticed that a lot of the group either had their own flying Pokemon, or their fliers were already occupied for the most part. While the Togekiss that Colette was riding would work for her, the psychic girl was uncertain whether anyone else could actually be on there as well. Chloe uncertainly looked around, then walked up to Kyle, recalling that his Charizard was capable of carrying multiple people.

 

"Um, could you give me a lift? I need to find something in the future that can fly..." The girl had a slightly awkward look on her face, as she knew that was something she should have done a long time ago, but had procrastinated in doing so.

 

Meanwhile, Ryan simply walked up to Evan and Jenny, as he looked at Gnip. "You mind if I go with you? I get the feeling that some of the others might not... be so keen to have me fly with them." The black haired man felt that he had nothing to really lose by asking, but wished that he could have spent a little more time training up his Natu. Having a Xatu to fly with would have really helped in this situation.

 

-==IC: Lucia==-

 

"That is a very good question..." The healer thought for the longest time, as she wondered what her thoughts were on the matter. "My thoughts are that it's solely his choice. If he makes an attempt to get better, then no, he's not beyond redemption. But considering how manipulating he is, how much he's done, and how he's shown no real remorse, even from what I heard about his initial transfer... I'm not sure if he would care to better himself." Lucia sighed, as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, that probably wasn't helpful at all, but given how different everyone is... I don't think there's any one correct answer."

[Parugi]

IC - Kyle Eston/Esen Windred - Dock, Two Island:

 

Glad to see that we all can at least agree on transportation methods . . . Kyle mused, and then glanced at Chloe as he sent out Jaeda. "You're good for two, aren't you?" The Charizard growled affectionately. He patted her head, climbing on her back and holding out a hand to help Chloe up. "She says yes."

 

"My Noivern can carry someone else if need be," Esen said, sending out her and then Krow for her own transportation. "If everyone is good, though, then we should get going."

 

IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner - Clearing near Cape Brink, Two Island:

 

Part of Ethan was glad that Dack had taken it upon himself to convince Madison and Luke. The other part of him wished that he could somehow put into words why, exactly, he felt that they needed to stay behind--how one good match against a Combee and a Mandibuzz was not any sort of indicator that they would be able to do well against one of Ford's Agents, and how there was a similar difference between Ford's people and Hannah's ragtag forces.

 

Fortunately or unfortunately, he didn't need to go into that lecture.

 

"We just passed Sleight and some others flying in the direction of Cape Brink," he said as he stepped out. "We should do the same. You've both got wings, right?"

 

"I came prepared," Gavin said, letting Vel out of her Poké Ball. "What about you, though? Last I checked, you didn't have any Flying-Types."

 

"You'd be amazed what a Beedrill can carry," Ethan said. He sent out Tox, who proceeded to wrap his legs and arms around his trainer's torso, before buzzing his wings to indicate he was ready. Ethan gave a salute to Gavin and Dack. "See you in a bit." He kicked off, taking flight . . .

 

. . . for about six seconds before he landed back on the ground. 

 

". . ."

 

". . ."

 

". . . I swear it'll work."

 

Gavin sent out Talsim, who joined Gavin on Vel's back. "I'll give you a Psychic lift."

 

And so, haphazardly, they were off.

 

 

IC - Goldhawk - Boat, Approaching Two Island:

 

The other Liberty Agents likewise affirmed their preparations. Goldhawk nodded; a moment later the boat lurched to a stop. Goldhawk led the way out of the boat and into the open air. The flowing wind was cold, cutting even through Goldhawk's jacket. He looked around, scanning the area. Some distance away, a large group of trainers gathered. From this distance he could not make out who they were, though figured they were locals.

 

"Alright," he said, turning to the others. "Let's split up and see if we can't find out where Ford's hiding. Arthur, you take Diamond and Apollo. Night, Robins, and Furler, you're with me. Delano and Camilla, go with Lorn. Maintain radio contact and report any findings immediately." He looked at James. "Any other information you can think of that we all should know? Landmarks to look for, anything like that?

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

Evan gave Ryan a welcoming look, as he pet Gnip, who growled softly. "I think Gnip wouldn't mind, and neither would we!" the Agent said cheerfully. "Between our broken arms and Jenny, we'll have have two pairs of them. Welcome aboard." Gnip barked at Ryan, giving him a warm look as she beckoned the trio to get on. When they got on, the Garchomp waited for the order to take off, her eyes gleaming with anticipation....

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Group==-

 

After Chloe had climbed onto Jaeda's back with Kyle's help, she glanced around and smiled slightly that Ryan had found a spot on Gnip. She saw Colette take off as Orihime flew around, though the Togekiss appeared to be having a bit of a tough time due to not being used to a weight on her back like that. Chloe focused ahead, however, as she focused on trying to detect anything that might be wrong, hoping that everything would go right for them for once.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander Cruize

 

He took a deep breath and reached out to touch the minds of the other scouts. He sat behind Ryan, feeling slightly awkward as he wrapped an arm around the older teen's waist. His other hand came up to his temple, and he closed his eyes. Is everyone ready?

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan/Paul/Jayron

Ryan looked around at the rest of the group. Jamie had already seated herself behind Jayron on the Flygon (Lucario having agreed to use his aura powers from within his Pokéball), Dahlia was with Mr. Burks on Skarmory, Chloe had partnered with Kyle on Charizard, while Gnip bore the weight of Evan, Jenny, and Ryan Hikari.

 

Orihime had already taken flight, and Ryan's stomach lurched as Togie rushed to her aid, squawking out a few pointers on flying with the added weight of a passenger. It took Ryan several moments to recover from the sudden take-off, and he glanced back at Xander, who had suddenly tightened his grip on his waist. "You alright?" he asked the Kalosian. Without waiting for an answer, he called back to the rest of the group. "Looks like we're all ready!"

 

Scar was in the air before the words were out of Ryan's mouth, with Jayron's Flygon following quickly behind. "Lead the way," Paul said, a grim look on his face. "We don't want to risk this storm starting up again while we're in the air."

 

IC: Dack

Dack sent out his Swellow, who rested its talons on his shoulders. He turned around and gave one final wave to a Luke and a very flustered Madison. And then he was off, in pursuit of the Mandibuzz and telekinetic-powered Beedrill.

 

IC: Shannon

"That... makes sense..." The girl looked away, becoming lost in thought once more. "What if you knew someone who had done bad things like Gerald... or like Hannah... but they weren't getting punished for it...?" She looked up at Lucia, the conflict evident on her face. "What would you do...?"

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Lucia==-

 

Lucia raised an eyebrow at that. "It depends on what you mean. What sort of bad things?" The girl felt like she was missing some context, and wondered just what Shannon meant there. "It also depends on whether or not they regret whatever it is they did. I can't really tell for sure without more context, though."

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Guinevere - Stacy's Mansion

 

Guinevere had drifted off into thought on hearing Shannon's response to what she said, with a look on her face that could only be called pensive. It was true, despite everything, she still threw herself into danger for him.

 

Hearing what Shannon had just said shook her out of her trance.

 

She wanted to sarcastically answer 'throw yourself in front of an exploding building for them.'

 

But she did have a serious thought to add, Are they not being punished because their guilt has not been proven to the authority that could punish it or because authority knows and does not care?

 

IC: James/Richard/Apollo - Two Island

 

"There is not much, sir," James said shaking his head. "All I can say is that I doubt Ford would have put his base of operations right near civilization. I would suggest we focus our efforts on the northern half of the island, Cape Brink to be specific."

 

It was embarrassing really. Two Island was close enough to Four Island that they really should've noticed this. How Ford managed to build his base in their backyard surprised him.

 

Or... did we build -our- base in -his- backyard, James considered. If it had been built first, it would explain how it would've been built without their notice. Well there would be time to get his question answered when Ford was in custody.

 

"Team Rocket is likely to have sent forces as well. We would do well to join our efforts to theirs if we wish to find Ford's base quickly."

Edited August 28, 2016 by Valorous Angel Minun4

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander Cruize

 

He had nearly fallen off as Togie took to the air, but managed to hold on to Sanders. I'm fine, he replied, frowning. He'd never flown before, and Paul had just brought up the storm again, causing the psychic to glance up at the clouds, now much closer than they had been.

 

With a sigh, he cast his mind out like a net, searching for any hostiles or other persons of interest. As they passed over the town, he felt someone below take notice of them and risked a glance down. Bad idea. His vision wavered, and he grabbed tighter onto Sanders, closing his eyes. We've been spotted, he warned. Not sure who, but they're following us from the ground.

[Parugi]

IC - Goldhawk - Dock, Two Island:

 

"Then we'll relocate and start from north to south." As he spoke, Goldhawk sent out his Magnezone. It dropped low to the ground, allowing Goldhawk to step on top of it; his boots clunked heavily against them as they magnetized to Magnezone's metallic body, securing him. The others followed suit, sending out Pokémon that would allow them to fly in that direction, and offering seats on theirs for other Agents who did not have Flying-Types.

 

"Let's move!"

 

 

 

IC - Jackson Sang/Sleight/Eileen Alaric/Bounty/Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner/Kyle Eston/Esen Windred/Goldhawk/Liberty Agents/All - Cape Brink, Two Island:

 

Dozens of approaches from a dozen angles all revealed the same thing: A thick, white haze that covered all of Cape Brink. If the stormy clouds above loomed like a dark giant over the world, then the fog enshrouded it in a suffocating blanket, as if to hide innocent eyes from the horrors that would soon befall them. 

 

The Alarics were the first to land, followed by Jackson. The flaming tails and flowing breaths of wind from the wings of their Charizard and Ditto-Charizard allowed them enough line of sight to safely descend, avoiding the edge of the massive lake that encompassed most of the area. They slid off of the backs of their steeds, peering as well as they could through the fog. Nothing moved save for the soft flow of the water nearby.

 

"This fog isn't natural," Eileen said after a moment, keeping her voice low. "Any way that we can get rid of it?"

 

"Maybe," Sleight said. He looked to the pair of Charizard. "Impromptu Defog. See if it'll work."

 

The Flame Pokémon nodded and planted themselves firmly against they ground. Then they began to flap their wings, first softly and then gradually harder and harder, until they had created a massive gust of wind that tore through the blanket around them. Their area of influence grew wider and wider, slowly etching away at the incorporeal blindfold. Before long, the lake grew visible, shimmering in the haphazard light of their tail flames. Next they could see the start of trees, Pokémon swimming beneath the lake's surface, and finally, the shimmering, crystalline surface of something that they could not identify.

 

Sang, Sleight, and Eileen could only stare in cautious wonder at the structure before them.

 

It sat in the center of the lake--a large, ovular structure entirely composed of crystal that jutted out from beneath the lake, suggesting that what they were seeing was not nearly the entire thing. Water lapped against its surface yet did not drip from it, as if the very structure itself existed separately from the water in which it lay. Various openings dotted the sides like windows, from which a faint, auroric light shimmered. A massive stairwell led from the very edge of the lake up to one such, larger opening near the top--the door, perhaps, if it could be called that.

 

"That must be it," Sang said. "What are we looking at, though . . .?"

 

"It doesn't matter," Sleight said, starting forward. "Levi's in there. We're going in."

 

"Wait." Eileen grabbed his arm, pointing to the sky. "Look."

 

He did. Three more people and Pokémon were approaching--a Beedrill, a Staraptor, and a Mandibuzz, all of which carried what Sleight presumed were their trainers (and in the Mandibuzz's case, an Alakazam.) Sleight prepared to give an attack order to his Charizard, only for Sang to stop him. Moments later, he saw why: As the Pokémon landed, Sang grinned, moving toward them. "Ethan! Gavin!" He paused, looking at Dack. ". . . You! Glad to see you could make it."

 

"Sang," Ethan said, surprised. He recalled his Beedrill, moving forward to shake Sang's hand. His attention, however, was focused on Sleight. "Sir, if you don't mind, we've come to assist you. We've been tracking Quincy Adams and Ford's progress for some time."

 

"We're happy to have the help," Eileen said.

 

As if on cue, a flurry of other arrivals followed. Bounty appeared over the side of a steep cliff that blocked Cape Brink from the beach far below, having climbed up on the back of his Metagross. A large group of trainers--some of whom Ethan, Gavin, and Bounty recognized--followed next, primarily Liberty Agents but also a few individuals that appeared to be with Liberty only by association. Shortly after, Goldhawk arrived with nine more Liberty Agents, and then a lone man appeared from the path, breathless from having made the long trek in such a short amount of time.

 

It took some time for all involved to comprehend just how perfect their timing had been.

 

Yet for all the heads there, not a single one could make sense of the structure that now loomed over them.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Chloe/Colette==-

 

As Chloe hopped down off of Jaeda, she glanced around in surprise at both the familiar faces, and the mysterious structure. The girl frowned at the crystalline building, as she tried to figure out what it could be. Eventually, she simply gave up, and sighed. "Um, does anyone know what this is? It..." She frowned again, as she glanced around at the different things about the building that seemed odd. "It just doesn't seem natural... I'm not sure why, however."

 

Colette frowned as she stumbled as she landed. The trip had not exactly been the most graceful, and despite all the help, she still felt queasy from the boat and the flying combined. The aura wielder still glanced around at the group, however; she felt a bit uneasy being around this many people at once, but... she knew that it was necessary. With a breath to try and regain her composure, the aura wielder took a step forward as she looked to Ryan, wondering what the game plan was now.

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

As Gnip landed, with as much grace as she could with three people on her, her master dismounted. He looked around curiously at the large structure, his expression stern. Usually during times like this, he would strike a pose and declare a challenge to potential foes, but the atmosphere made him feel more serious. The Plasma Agent heard Chloe's statement and nodded. "It definitely feels off, compared to many things I've seen...." Evan said, as Vlad swooped near him, clearly a little anxious right now. "But the enemy, and our friends are in there, and by hook or by crook, we'll get them back." The young man turned back to Ryan and Jenny, who had dismounted as well, and gave them a look of determination as he returned Gnip and Vlad, one at a time, to their poke balls.

Edited August 29, 2016 by Hades

[Konuju]

IC: Shannon

"Oh, the authority knows," Shannon muttered. She shifted uncomfortably, looking suspiciously around the room as if someone else might be listening in. Her voice grew quiet, barely above a whisper. "I-I'm talking... about my parents. Th-they're part of that rebel group. Team Liberty. A-and the things they've done...." She looked away as her vision blurred through her tears. Her hand clenched the bedsheets as confusion, guilt, and anger threatened to overwhelm her. "I-I'm sorry, I..."

 

IC: Ryan/Paul/Jayron/Dack

Jayron had shouted a warning that he had detected a lot of auras in the vicinity of Cape Brink moments before the cape itself came into view. Ryan hopped down from Togie as he looked around at faces both familiar and unfamiliar. He recognized Goldhawk, Bounty, and (with an involuntary wince) Sleight. Ryan's mouth dropped open as he recognized another pair of familiar faces next to the Shadow Admin: the Rocket who had helped him escape the Hojohsin Prison in Lilycove, and (with another wince and clenched fist) the Rocket who had chased him from his home so long ago.

 

Paul, on the other hand, tensed as he grabbed his Bisharp's Pokéball. "Is this an ambush?" he asked fiercely.

 

"Hold your fire, Burks!" Jayron stretched out a hand glowing with aura as his Flygon swooped to intercept the Skarmory before the blacksmith could do anything rash. "They're friends." He glanced at the Shadow Admin. "Or at least people with a common enemy. I take it we aren't the only ones who got the memo."

 

Paul quickly scanned the group. Now that he looked more closely, he recognized the faces of both Liberty and Rocket leaders. "So much for subtlety," he muttered as he directed Scar to the ground. "Ford's bound to notice this many people gathered at his front door."

 

"All the more reason to bash the door in," Jayron said as he hopped off his Flygon and sent Lucario back out of his ball. "We've only got one shot at this, so we'd better make it count."

 

Dack had been about to introduce himself to Sang when people started arriving left and right. He caught sight of the little Fortree kid, whose glare held a surprising amount of authority in it that hadn't been there the last time Dack had faced him. It sounds like everyone has a bone to pick with Ford, he mused. He let his Swellow remain perched on his shoulders as he looked to Ethan and Gavin. They were the ones who had brought him along on this mission, so he would defer to their lead.

 

By this time Ryan had recovered from the shock of seeing what had to have been at least thirty people gathered at the lakefront. Choosing to ignore some of the less friendly faces, he approached Goldhawk. "Sir. I take it you're here to stop Ford. Before you attack, you need to know that he's captured Agent Baron, as well as Agent Hakuda of the Separatists." He nodded at Bounty. "And also a little girl who helped us stop the Darkrai. Our mission is to get them out. I urge you to take their safety into consideration."

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: James/Richard/Claus/Jamie - Two Island, Cape Brink. Are you happy?

 

Richard flew over on Oceanus, the large Gyarados having enough room on his back for him, Claus and James. James considered using Galahad to fly, but the Togekiss had never had experience transporting anyone on his back. Deciding he'd rather not risk that, he chose to risk the Gyarados. He looked a bit less than dignified holding onto it though. Heights were never his strong suit in the best of times. He'd much prefer teleporting any day. As soon as Oceanus was near the ground, he leaped off back to safety on the ground. The transportation had been stressful enough that he didn't notice the large number of familiar faces that had arrive until he was about to jump. Still, he wasn't exactly surprised. He had told both Team Rocket and Team Liberty about the information after all.

 

He saw an agent approach Goldhawk and give his appeal. This was information he hadn't heard.

 

"We will do our best," James answered for Goldhawk, "though we cannot guarantee their safety." He knew he had met this agent somewhere before. But he completely forgotten his name. "However our first priority will remain the defeat and apprehension of Ford. "You have my permission to leave once the hostages have been rescued, though note, we will not leave until Ford has been dealt with."

 

"Ethan! Gavin!" Jamie called jumping off the Flygon and running up to her friends, a bit louder than she meant to be. "Glad you got my message," she said with a smile, glad to finally have some familiar faces.

 

James looked towards the clone with a faint discomfort. He wondered if she had ignored him or just saw those two agents first. If she had, he'd have felt a bit hurt.

 

"In addition," he said quieter so that a certain someone wouldn't overhear, "Shadow Admin Sleight's son is also a captive. If you have the opportunity to rescue him, I am sure the Shadow Admin would be grateful."

 

"And don't forget Skye!," Jamie yelled, sensing the topic of conversation and not hearing Skye's name, "We can't leave until we knock some sense into her!"

 

"...Whoever she is, I would suggest rescuing her if you have the opportunity to do so. But I suppose you do not need me to tell you that," James said shaking his head.

 

Richard looked around the many varied faces gathered. He was taking in as many details as he could.

 

"Claus?"

 

The other agent turned towards him, sending out Flint, who quickly climbed on his head, and said, "Yeah?"

 

"There will be songs sung of this day, one way or another. And I'd like to be the one to write them," he said smiling.

 

Claus chuckled, "Yeah, I know." He then put on a more somber smile. "I hope I get to hear them."

 

Hades sighed quietly. Just don't do anything stupid, he thought. He'd like to hear whatever Richard planned to write too.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander Cruize and Sylph/Jared Winter and Anubis

 

The psychic slid off of Togie carefully and sent Sylph out immediately. The two stayed silent as they gazed at the structure across the lake and took in all the people surrounding them. Despite the tenseness of the situation, Xander was smiling. This many people all facing a common enemy, all with similar causes, meant that there was something big at work here. Fate seemed to be on their side, for once.

 

The silver-haired trainer caught his breath as he stared at the collection of people on the cape. Their auras told him all he needed to know, and that tower looming across the lake showed him the target. He saw another guy with a Lucario and approached, frowning as he heard people talking. He had to ask, "Who's Ford?" As the words left his mouth he realized how dumb of a question that was. If everyone here was after the guy, he must be pretty bad. Heck, from what these people were saying he was a kidnapper at the very least.

 

He scowled and shoved his hands in his pockets as he felt a few people look his way. Whatever, let them think whatever they wanted. He wasn't going to storm in without knowing the person they were up against.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Jenny/Ryan/Colette==-

 

As Ryan and Jenny were waiting for things to begin to happen, they noticed the man that walked up to them and asked about Ford. Ryan's face darkened slightly, as he felt the newcomer felt odd in a way. He couldn't place why, but he was certainly uneasy about the man asking about Ford after overhearing their conversation. Despite that, he felt that ignoring him would just make things worse.

 

"Ford is an evil man who will stop at nothing to get whatever it is he wants." The black haired man barely managed to not scowl at that. "He manipulates people like he's just playing a game, not caring who dies in the process, and we're here to put a stop to his schemes once and for all."

 

Colette, at that precise moment, was not focused on the discussion of the silver haired man who had just shown up. Instead, she was walking toward two people who she had managed to recognize in the crowd. "What are you doing here?" The girl asked Richard and Claus with a slightly puzzled look on her face. She tried to figure out a way to rephrase what she meant, but simply decided to leave it at that for the moment. The aura wielder didn't figure that they were too weak for the mission or anything, but... she was more confused at the fact that they had been AWOL for the last little while, but still showed up for this mission.

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan/Paul/Jayron/Dack

Executive Arthur might not have recognized Ryan, but Ryan certainly recognized the executive. James' warning about not being able to guarantee the captives' safety set Ryan on edge, but he forced himself not to argue. They each had their priorities. If anything, this many people attacking Ford's base -- was that what that structure was? -- at once would cause enough of a distraction to allow Ryan's group to find and retrieve the captives.

 

"We'll try to rescue as many people as we can," Ryan assured the Arthurs. In such a big crowd of so many important people, he felt uncomfortable mentioning that it would be hard to rescue Sleight's son and this Skye person when he didn't even know what they looked like. After all, he didn't want to look like the guy who had just asked who Ford was.

 

"If you don't mind, Sanders, I think I'll stay until Ford's taken care of." Jayron had left Hikari to answer the other guy's question and had walked up to Ryan, giving a brief nod of greeting to James. "Between the rest of the group, you should have enough people to evacuate the hostages and still have some to spare for the fight."

 

Dack watched the reunions with disinterest. While it was good their numbers had grown, it wasn't smart to stand idly around outside... whatever that thing was. He looked over at Sleight. "Do we have a plan of attack, sir?"

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Richard/Claus - Two Island

 

"Whaaaat? You thought I was gonna sit out on this? A final battle, dripping with tension and excitement!" Richard said with a grand grin, clearing not reading the mood.

 

"I think she means, 'what are we doing here -with- Goldhawk and Executive Arthur?'" Claus offerred, to which Richard responded with a silent 'ooohhh'.

 

Richard scratched his head with one hand and pointed at James with his thumb in the other, "Apparently helping take down some guy named James Pierce gets you picked for ultra-important missions. That and the Executive owed me for making a distraction, that probably would've caused an international incident had he not been proving Pierce a fraud, on his orders."

 

Yeah, that was really annoying, and horrifying, the Sableye mentioned, not that anyone could understand him. In fact let's never speak of it again.

 

Confuse Ray should never be used en masse. And the less said about what the Diglett got up to, the better.

 

"And I rode his coattails into getting here. I was continuing my Gym challenge in Unova when Executive Arthur dragged Richard into helping him. If you don't mind me asking, why are you all here? As in, why you all didn't come with our group and instead showed up on your own."

 

 

IC: Guinevere - Stacy's Mansion

 

Even after hearing the argument from earlier, Guinevere was surprised at the sheer rift between Shannon and her parents. She was silent for a moment as she considered whether or not to mention her own connections to Team Liberty.

 

Considering she had never heard of those two particular people before, she knew that she had more authority than either of them (de facto if not in proper rank). Between her and Lucia, a member of Team Rocket, there wasn't much of anything her parents could do. Thus, Shannon's worry of her parents hearing her seemed superfluous, at least from a viewpoint of personal safety. Accusing her parents of being evil evading karma wouldn't do any favors for their relationship.

 

She could give the answer James would have said, continue to appeal through the proper channels, or the answer James might have done, dig up information on his target and expose it when it would most harm them, but neither of those were what Shannon needed to hear.

 

Do not apologize when you have not done anything wrong, Guinevere said, echoing what she said earlier. No one can fault you for having emotions.

 

She had two questions she needed to ask before she could give any worthwhile advice. They were probably going to be painful for Shannon.

 

Take your time in answering what I am going to ask you. I can assure you that no harm will come to you. But how much do you know about what your parents have done as part of Team Liberty?

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Colette==-

 

Colette frowned slightly, as she scratched her head, and looked over toward where Ryan was. "You know, I'm not too certain. That's a good question. I think I might have heard something about people being busy?" She turned back with a small shrug and a puzzled look. "Regardless, though, we're all here now... I feel like we should get going when we have the word, though, but..." The aura wielder glanced back to where the others were still seeming to be discussing the finer points of the plan to storm Ford's hideout.

[Parugi]

IC - Jackson Sang/Sleight/Eileen Alaric/Bounty/Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner/Kyle Eston/Esen Windred/Goldhawk/Liberty Agents/All - Cape Brink, Two Island:

 

"Jamie!" Ethan returned her hug with bear-like strength. It couldn't be any clearer that he was happy to see her.

 

"Good job on whatever you did to get that message decrypted," Gavin said, giving her a pat on the shoulder.

 

All things being said, Sleight appeared to have focused less on the conversations around him and more on studying the structure in front of him. At Dack's question, he clenched his fist. The Shadow Admin turned, increasing his volume to address the group. "All of you, focus up," he said, with such authority that even Bounty and Goldhawk turned to listen. "Ford is here. More importantly, Tyler McKinley is here. Whatever this . . . thing is, and whatever their plan ultimately amounts to, we are not prepared for what they are trying to do. We cannot allow them to succeed under any circumstances."

 

Kyle frowned. He slid off of Jaeda's back, recalled her, and looked at Esen. "Did we . . . miss a memo somewhere along the line?" he whispered. "Does Sleight know what they're doing?"

 

"I don't know . . ." Esen replied. Executive Lorn hushed them before they could talk any further, directing them to focus back on Sleight as he continued.

 

"We have too little time to search for any alternate routes." Sleight pointed to the stairs. "We'll enter from there. Whatever awaits us at the top, we'll fight through it and tear it down. We will fight for as long as it takes, no matter what obstacles they throw at us, until we find Ford, find McKinley, and put a stop to their plans." He cast his gaze over the group again. "Not all of you are members of Team Rocket. But for this operation, I ask that you put that aside and follow me into battle. This conflict ends today."

 

"I second that," Goldhawk called. He nodded to Sleight. "If you'll lead the direct assault, I'll take a team around and search for any potential escape routes that Ford and his forces might try to utilize. We cannot let them get away this time." He looked around. "Do you all understand?"

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan/Jayron/Paul/Dack

Dack nodded and recalled his Swellow. If they were going to be fighting inside that structure, the flying-type would be at a disadvantage. He turned to Ethan and Gavin, planning to stick by them for the mission.

 

Ryan's initial reaction to following Sleight's command was distaste. Then he thought back to Executive Arthur's words. The Shadow Admin's son had been kidnapped, just like Ellen, Sonja, and Ray. He couldn't fault Sleight for taking authority on this mission, and frankly it didn't matter who led them as long as they managed to rescue the captives and take down Ford. He stepped toward the group that had gathered around Sleight. As important as Goldhawk's team was, Ryan figured his best chances of finding Ellen and the others were with the Shadow Admin.

 

Paul felt much the same way. Liberty and Rocket meant nothing to him. All that mattered was getting Ellen back. Heck, he would have been fine with the Six Sages giving orders if it meant reuniting with his daughter. He approached the group around Sleight, clutching his Bisharp's Pokéball in his hands. After a bit of deliberation, Dahlia quickly followed behind the blacksmith.

 

Jayron nodded to Goldhawk before joining Sleight. He had come here to fight, and his powers would best be utilized inside, where the main action would be taking place. His Lucario followed, already trying to scan the structure with his aura.

 

IC: Shannon

The girl was silent apart from her occasional sobs. "I... know enough," she said in a quiet voice. "They moved us out of our home in Ecruteak... brought us here to Celadon. Next thing I know they've launched an attack on Ecruteak... That was when I grew up. That was when I realized that they weren't some heroic freedom fighters... that they were rebels and murderers."

 

She broke down again and it was several more moments before she could speak comprehensible words. "I-I don't know much of their recent activities... a-after Ecruteak I kind of just shut myself in my room whenever I could. Sometimes I'd overhear them talking... I-I heard enough to know that they've killed innocent Rockets... tortured people for information... I don't know what else, I've tried to forget I ever heard anything..."

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

Evan heard the words 'direct assault' and his eyes shone more fiercely. There was no way he wasn't going to join Sleight's group, as it could take them directly to Ellen. The Plasma Agent took a forward position, seeming raring to go. "I can't say that I've been a hero the world deserves, or even wants......" Evan Tierra said, his eyes shining with a faint pink glow. "But, for this day, we're all heroes!" The Plasma Agent then struck one of his most iconic poses, with his left hand pointed to the sky above, with a fearsome grin on his face.....

Edited August 30, 2016 by Hades

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Two Island Group==-

 

Chloe nodded at the different points while the two leaders were explaining the situation. It appeared that Chloe, Ryan, Jenny, and Colette were all determined to go with Sleight for the mission. Each of them had their own reasons for joining in on the fight, but they all appeared to be willing to risk their lives when it came down to it.

 

Chloe reflected on her own reasons as she steeled herself for the fight. She subtly sighed nervously, as although she considered Ray, Sonja, and Ellen to be friends... she had to admit to herself that she wondered if she had been around enough for most of them to do the same. But regardless of that, the girl reminded herself that she still needed to fight so she could help them out regardless.

 

Colette, on the other hand, was looking at Ryan. She had sensed a bit of an oddity in him briefly, and wondered what that was all about for a moment, before she decided to simply not pay attention to it. She just hoped it wasn't something that would cost them in battle later.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander/Jared

 

Xander took a deep breath as he waited for the assault to begin. Ellen. It had been around half a month, at most, but it had felt like forever. Now, he was finally going to makeup for his failure back in Hoenn. He took another deep breath, focusing his mind and calming his nerves. McKinley. The blonde man would pay for the things that he'd done, the lives he had hurt. Xander would help make sure of that personally. He would watch the man pay if he didn't make him pay. He took a deep breath . . .

 

Jared knew that he didn't belong here, wasn't part of any of the groups, but still he was glad to be a part of this. Whatever happened here, he couldn't say he hadn't tried to help. There would be no repeat of his mental state in Sootopolis. He waited for Sleight to give the command. He thought back to his time in the Company and smiled softly. Things had gone fairly quiet. The calm before the storm was here. He and Anubis would be ready to rush in as soon as the order was given.

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: James/Jamie/Richard/Claus

 

James tossed out Percival and Lancelot and let them retake their earlier positions. Personal safety-wise, it was probably better . And considering how thoroughly he had embarrassed Pierce on a international stage, he no longer needed the satisfaction. But there was a saying: if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself. He considered sending Celebi out early, but as usual, he decided to keep the legend as a last resort.

 

"If you do not mind, I intend to go with the assault team," James stated to Goldhawk. He wasn't really looking for an answer; he couldn't imagine that Goldhawk would say no now. It was for formality, or perhaps reflex, that he asked.

 

Jamie just nodded and grinned at Gavin's praise while squeezing Ethan. She'd tell them James did it later.

 

"That's right. We're all heroes here. And we are gonna stop the bad guys!" Jamie shouted, blood pumping through her body already.

 

Jamie just realized then that she never told Ethan or Gavin anything, including the hero thing. Well, this would be a great chance to show off. Jamie chuckled slightly to herself, imagining the look of surprise on their faces.

 

Richard plucked the strings of his violin before retreating Oceanus and sending out Orpheus. His hearing would help warn them in case of ambush. His blood was boiling like Jamie and Evan's. 'Heroes'. What a perfect word. He began memorizing everyone's faces at that moment. He didn't yet know who his song would focus on here, but it had to be one of these people.

 

His focus on the others was so strong, that he forgot to say some witty one-liner, the Sableye noted. If they survived this, Richard would kick himself for that.

 

Claus had one trick up his sleeve. He wasn't terribly strong or skilled and he'd have to stick close to Richard and the others if he was gonna contribute but... this was something the son of one of the 'Dex holders had to do, right? He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he backed now.

 

 

 

IC: Guinevere - Stacy's Mansion

 

Guinevere had been on both sides of the aisle so she could testify that the term 'innocent Rockets' was a bit... far-fetched. In all her time as a Rocket, she had only met one person she could classify as innocent. And she helped raise her. Though Lucia at the least did not display any corruption, only time would tell.

 

This count included herself and James. He had been corrupt upon joining and her his willing accomplice.

 

Not to say that Team Liberty was any better. The likes of Vert and James proved it wasn't all sunshine and smiles over there too.

 

It didn't help that Shannon was being vague. What counted as 'enough' to her, wasn't specific enough for someone like Guinevere. Still, she could probably find a way to work with it if she cared to do something about it.

 

Whether she did or not depended on the answer to her second question.

 

I have another question. Do you -want- your parents to be punished? Because if you ever want to see them get punished, it requires you to act.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Valorous Angel Minun4

[Parugi]

IC - Sleight/Eileen Alaric/Jackson Sang/Bounty/Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner/Kyle Eston/Esen Windred/All - Cape Brink, Two Island:

 

So it was settled. With the exception of James, Richard, and Claus, all of Goldhawk's original team of ten (now seven) would remain behind while the other twenty-two bodies ascended the stairs to the structure. 

 

The crowd gazing upon the structure was an impressive sight to behold. Each of the men and women present held their self with a sense of determination that could only be found in someone facing a potential death head-on. At their front, Sleight and Eileen Alaric stood. His fists were clenched so tightly that they drew blood; hers hung at her sides, more visibly relaxed yet radiating a fire that could have shattered any obstacle. The others either looked upon them or upon the crystal prison, all of them waiting, each breath a countdown to the order.

 

Finally, Sleight let out a long breath, stepping forward. "Let's go."

 

Eileen walked by his side, and then with looks upon each other, the rest of the group followed. There was no rush--the entrance atop the stairwell would go nowhere. There would be no honor or winner in this endeavor. Whatever lay inside would wait for them, and they would face it together, overcome it together--or die together, trying to fulfill their common goal.

 

If nothing else, it was worth savoring the fresh air before their descent into the unknown.

 

 

 

IC - The Chamber of Authority:

 

The shift from outside to inside was sudden, instant. The chirping of birds fell silent, replaced with nothing but the distant rumblings of running water. The place itself was darker, at least at first; it took some time for the adjustment from natural light to a pale reflection. When the shift had occurred, the group found that they had entered a long, slightly-sloped tunnel. At the end, they could see a faint, red light. Distant whispers echoed in their direction, distorted sounds that almost seemed to mix with static.

 

They approached.

 

The room was large and domed, blood red in color. Yet the light reflecting off of the walls and floor and ceiling did not paint them so--it seemed instead that they were standing in natural light that just so happened to emit from the surrounding red crystals. Across the room, another dark tunnel was visible. This, however, was not the most notable aspect of the chamber.

 

No; that honor went to the strange 'videos' playing across the walls and ceiling.

 

The images were fuzzy, seen from an unknown person's viewpoint. A boy ran ahead; the other followed, soon sliding to a stop as a sharp voice cut at them, reprimanding them. Hundreds gathered in a massive field, all dressed in black and gold gowns, lining up to receive certificates for their work. A tall man approached after a harrowing debate in front of an audience thousands-strong, his face obscured in shadow.

 

All through this, a voice--a child's voice--whispered one word, over and over, growing louder and louder and then quieter again with each utterance.

 

Paris . . . Paris . . . Paris . . .

 

"Sh-Shame that we cannot--cannot rid oursel-selves of o-old grievances, isn't it--isn't it?"

 

The group focused their attention to the other end of the room.

 

James Pierce--or some projection of him, it seemed--had come to greet them. He stood across the field, several feet in front of the tunnel. His eyes glowed bright red, though the rest of his body appeared blurry, unfocused--as if some sort of radio connection continuously faded in and out of range. His expression was solemn, devoid of mirth or even confidence. Now he merely looked resigned to whatever lay in store for him, drained of his will to take another step forward--perhaps relieved that he no longer bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.

 

"T-Tell me how you d-did it," he said. "How you f-found us--this pla-ace. How?"

 

Brother . . . Piers . . . Paris . . .

 

"W-Why are you here . . .?"

 

What are you doing here . . .

 

Righting a wrong . . . Mainly, yours . . .

[Konuju]

IC: Shannon

Once again Guinevere's question sent Shannon into a prolonged silence. "I don't know..." she muttered, her voice barely audible. "I guess what I really want is for things to go back to the way they used to be. Before we moved to Celadon. That's what I really want... the innocence of youth..." A wry smile crossed her lips and she drew her legs up, resting her chin on her knees as she looked from the Gardevoir to Lucia. "Of course, I can't ever get that back. So... maybe letting karma catch up to my parents is the next best thing...?"

 

IC: Ryan/Paul/Jayron/Dack

Although he had never met the man, Ryan instantly recognized him. "Pierce," he spat. "I should've known better than to think we'd seen the last of you when you got kicked out of Hoenn. I guess some things never change; as president you hid behind the teleprompter, and now you hide behind this projection. Do you really expect a straight answer to your question?"

 

Jayron's eyes narrowed at the images on the walls. "What is the meaning of all this?" he muttered with a deep frown. "Why all the... theatrics?"

 

Paul spared the images only a brief glance. "It's just a projection meant to distract us," he warned with a low growl. "Let's push forward."

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: James/Richard/Claus/Jamie

 

As James descended with the others, James considered the fact that he could be walking towards his grave, the building his tomb. This would be the first time walking into such a dangerous place without Guinevere by his side. There was something stabilizing about her presence for James. Though Celebi could fill the hole of Guinevere's combat ability, it still wasn't enough to calm his heart. Lancelot looked towards him, with a look of concern. He still had his champion at least. That would have to suffice. James took a deep breath and let his heart-rate fall close to resting rate. King and champion exchanged nods, and the Scizor turned back around.

 

James looked at the images scattered across the walls. They seemed to be recordings of Pierce's life. Except, some of these seemed to be of Pierce and Piers's early child-hood, and if Ford had been recording him since then... well, that was even creepier than the images. James considered that Pierce may have recorded these, as despite the calls of 'Paris' and 'Piers' he only ever saw one twin suggesting it could be from Pierce's point of view, but it seemed... odd.

 

James heard a whistle and turned. Agent Apollo looked towards him and began pointing at the image of the debate. James nodded towards the agent. He saw his own face looking back at him. He ignored just how smug he looked to consider the fact that he knew that Pierce hadn't been holding some recording device at the time.

 

So if he wasn't recording them, what are they? James considered.

 

Then a hollow projection of Pierce appeared. As it spoke, James found it odder than the images. This was not the same Pierce that he had fought twice in Hoenn. This person seemed a shell of that one. As he spoke, he found only further oddities. They were here because they followed McKinley's message. Well he couldn't speak for everyone, but that's how he knew at the least. If that was the case, why didn't Pierce know about it? Either Pierce had been left out of the loop or McKinley had gone behind Ford's back.

 

But for what purpose...

 

Time to provoke for info.

 

"The front door was left open." Kinda hard to close doors that don't exist. "And were invited in, of course."

 

 

 

IC: Guinevere - Stacy's Mansion

 

The Gardevoir shook her head slowly. That was not enough.

 

As long as a shred of doubt remains, I will not help you go down this path. If you act on this while even a fragment of you believes it to be wrong, you will regret it for the rest of your life. No one could fault you for not taking it. There is no way I can tell you if this is the right path. If you find another path worthy enough, I would suggest you take it.

 

The Gardevoir then stared deep into Shannon's eyes. She held her eyes still for several long moments before continuing.

 

But if you find your heart resolved to do this... come see me. I have... ideas about how you could bring them to justice. I will be here until I fully recover.

 

Having said what she needed, she turned towards the Grimer who escorted her in.

 

Excuse me, uncle. Could you push me to the porch? I need some fresh air.

 

The Grimer shifted in a way that if you looked at it right seemed to be a bow, before pushing the Gardevoir out of the room and leaving Shannon and Lucia alone.

Edited September 1, 2016 by Valorous Angel Minun4

[Parugi]

IC - James Pierce/Sleight/Eileen Alaric/Jackson Sang/Bounty/Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner/Kyle Eston/Esen Windred/All - The Chamber of Authority:

 

"Invited . . . I d-doubt that," Pierce replied. "For any-any of you, you least of a-all." He looked directly at James Arthur, his eyes blazing with intense, visible hatred. After a moment, they dimmed, softening. "No matter the specifics, however-r. All of you--your presence is object-objectionable. You deign to int-erfere in something you do not-do not understand? Your presence is objectionable. You will--will not proceed in full."

 

"Careful," Eileen whispered as Sleight started forward.

 

"Enough of this," Sleight growled. "Enough with the games. Stand aside or face us in person."

 

Pierce's projection smirked. "S-Suit yourself, Shadow Admin."

 

He vanished.

 

For a moment, it appeared that that would be the end of it. However, as more of the group began to walk forward, six lights appeared at various points along the ceiling. These erupted into familiar, blinding white flashes that descended toward the floor like lightning bolts, forcing Sleight and the rest of the group to move in order to avoid them.

 

When the spots in their eyes cleared, they saw that six Pokémon had emerged in various spots on the field--a Golurk, a Porygon-Z, an Aegislash, a Klefki, a Cofagrigus, and a Chandelure. Immediately, the Pokémon roared their challenge, daring the intruders to move.

 

Gavin pulled out a Poké Ball. "Guess we're fighting, then. Everyone, get ready!"

 

"Wait," Ethan called, grabbing his arm. "We can't all fight in here."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Look at how big this place is," Ethan said. "We're not fitting another ten Pokémon in here, let alone twenty-two." He looked at Sleight. "Sir, I hate to suggest it, but--"

 

"We'll have to split up," Sleight finished. "One or two to stay and fight so that the rest of us can move forward. Something tells me this won't be the only room where that's the case." He turned to the group as a whole. "Any volunteers?"

Edited September 2, 2016 by Parugi

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander/Jared

 

Xander and Sylph had gone on the defensive upon seeing the projection, but were ready to move on once realizing the man wasn't there himself. They had just begun to move forward when six pokémon appeared as challengers. There was no room for everyone to fight here -- a sentiment shared by Sleight. Xander frowned. He didn't want to stay behind, but if he had to . . .

 

Jared stepped up with Anubis. "I'll stay," he said. "My personal stakes aren't as high as others'. No reason for me to see it through to the end." He judged the passage as too small for Stones or Oggie, and he knew that Anubis would have trouble taking on two of these opponents, let alone three. He removed Styx's ball and reached into himself to tap into Mercury's hold on the Absol.

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: James Arthur/Claus Diamond/Jamie Arthur/Richard Apollo

 

"I will join you," James said, he and Lancelot stepping forward. He let Gawain's Poké Ball drop to the ground. They needed some more room before he could let Mordred and Galahad out of their Poké Balls.

 

"I at least have had a chance to face Pierce before," James said, completely omitting how that battle turned out. "And well, I think I am... uniquely suited towards keeping Pierce's attention."

 

And I need to know how much I have grown since then...

 

"If anyone else wishes to stay they are welcome," he said, genuinely wondering if anyone would.

 

Claus grabbed for his Poké Balls, but looked around first. He wasn't sure how much he could offer, but if no one else would stay, he could.

 

"If not, then I would suggest anyone who already has a Pokémon ready to be ready to make an opening," he said looking towards Gawain, who began to produce small volumes of water, waiting for the moment to strike.

 

Seeing no other volunteers, Claus stepped forward, "I'll stay too, sir."

 

The bard seemed a little surprised. A bit worried, he reached into his pocket.

 

"Hey Claus, take this," Richard called throwing a Poké Ball at Claus.

 

That's my Poké Ball...ah. Hades thought. He hopped off Richard's head as he took the hint.

 

"Take care of each other, will ya?" Richard said with a worried smile. "I'd rather not have write a tragedy."

 

Claus nodded. Frankly, he was about equally worried about Richard as well, but his problem was more pressing.

 

James sized up the two trainers who joined him. Somehow, he didn't feel particularly reassured, but he'd find a way to work with it. Pierce lacked the same advantages that helped him the last time. Now it was down to a straight fight.

 

"Alright then. I would suggest running like pandemonium just broke loose. Gawain, Muddy Water!" he called to the Swampert who raised a giant column of water and dirt and sent it splashing down towards those Pokémon that were directly blocking the way.

 

Lancelot followed in the wave's wake to force out of the way any Pokémon resolute enough to brave the wave and not dodge and fight any Pokemon that tried to interfere with the soon to be mass-exodus. Jamie and Richard wasted no time in running as well, intending to use the resulting chaos to break past the six Pokémon. Lucan 'stood' prepared to Ice Beam any attackers while Pelleas planned to toss out anyone who came too close.

Edited September 3, 2016 by Valorous Angel Minun4

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan/Dack/Paul/Jayron

Ryan nodded his thanks to James, Claus, and that other guy, then turned to the rest of his team. "Let's move!" Togie started glowing as he shot toward the tunnel with a Sky Attack to ward off any of Pierce's Pokémon that might try and stop their escape. Orihime squawked out in surprise and flew after Togie, berating her partner's recklessness. Jayron and Lucario ran after them, their hands brimming with aura. Terry darted around the aura wielders' legs, not even bothering to attack any of Pierce's Pokémon as he passed by. The Herdier's focus was solely on getting to the tunnel and finding Ellen.

 

As the path cleared, Ryan, Paul, and Dack followed in the wake. Ryan felt bad about leaving the others behind, but he knew it was the only way they'd reach Ellen and the others without being totally exhausted. Besides, the true battle was yet to come.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander Cruize

 

As three volunteers stepped forward, Xander and Sylph prepared to move. Once the Muddy Water hit, they were among the first rushing towards the gap, Sylph prepared to use Psychic to move any opposition that got in their way. As they left the room behind, they gave one last glance back, knowing they might not see those people again. Xander turned back towards the front, thinking that he hadn't even gotten their names.

 

IC: Jared Winter

 

As the gap was made and everyone else started running, Jared ordered Anubis forward to harry the Porygon-Z with a Power-up Punch. He tossed Styx's ball into the air, freeing the scarred and snarling dark type to attack the nearest ghost type with a Night Slash.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Group==-

 

Colette felt uncertain about Claus staying behind, but knew that he did have some hidden strength. She also knew that this would probably be the only way they'd get through this, so the girl ran after the rest of the group quickly, hoping that this wouldn't be a recurring thing.

 

Chloe, on the other hand, simply felt like there was something odd about everything that had happened. Where had those Pokeballs come from? Why had Pierce seemed so confused about them being there? Why was there a sort of hologram? The girl shook her head, and kept on moving, knowing this wasn't the final stop, and that they would need to fight more in the future. She felt like the fact that they were already splitting off from one another was a bad sign, however, as she felt that they might need all the help they could get for the real fight...

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

At the break of the enemy formation, Evan rushed forward, aiming to get out of the room with the others. The agent looked back at the group who was going to be left behind, and then turned away. He knew that eventually he was going to have to do what they did, but he couldn't help but feel that separating would lead to trouble on the way.

"Whatever though, right? You'll survive, right? You are a Hero, and Heroes never truly die!"

Evan grinned slightly at Feral's words, and continued onwards, hoping for the best......

[Parugi]

IC - Sleight/Eileen Alaric/Jackson Sang/Bounty/Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner/Kyle Eston/Esen Windred/All - The Chamber of Authority:

 

A path forward.

 

Muddy Water cascaded forward, sweeping the Aegislash back in spite of its attempt to defend itself with its shield, slamming it against the back wall. The wave slammed against Golurk, forcing the golem to fall to a knee in order to effectively protect itself from the attack. The wave nearly overwhelmed Chandelure; it was all it could do, rapidly rising upward, to avoid being decimated by the attack.

 

A path forward.

 

As the wave subsided and the untouched combatants began to move, Togie shot forward, cloaked in the energy of a Sky Attack. Klefki attempted to throw up a barrier; Togie shattered it, forcing Klefki to move out of the way.

 

A path forward.

 

Porygon-Z's Tri-Attack exploded in front of it, interrupted by the Power-Up Punch. Cofagrigus gripped the floor, pulling itself back and out of the way of the Night Slash.

 

There was a path forward.

 

"Let's move!"

 

On Ryan's call, they ran. Ethan was one of the first to make it; he skidded to a halt at the side of the entrance, hand resting on it as he let the others pass through in front of him. By the time the enemy recovered, they had all entered.

 

Ethan gave a final nod to James, Claus, and Jared, and then entered.

 

Instantly, the sounds of battle vanished.

 

 

 

IC - The Chamber of Promise:

 

"I like to think that I leave lasting impressions on people, but just in case, I'm up for another round of introductions. I'm Tyler McKinley, Fourth Child. This is Second Child Madison Hayes."

 

"Second and Fourth . . . And Quincy's the Third . . . I take it James Pierce is the First, then?"

 

"Well reasoned, Worth. You're correct--Pierce was recruited first."

 

 

The room up ahead was purple; the light inside was visible from the winding hallway, though it hardly seemed to reflect on the darkened surface of the walls. Though he stood at the back of the group, Ethan could see this. And as he recalled his conversation with McKinley in Celadon City, he held a vague notion in his head--that he knew what was coming next.

 

The room, on entry, was much like the last: Large, domed, with the only difference being its color. It, too, displayed what appeared to be videos along the various surfaces through the eyes of an unknown person--flashes of a massive battle in a tall tower; falling from a bridge within the forest; the decaying remains of a long-destroyed house.

 

A tall man, sorrow in his eyes, holding out a hand to someone injured, broken.

 

"You're here . . . All of you . . ." a dreary voice called, her voice echoing through the chamber. "Some of you for the third time . . . You never give up . . ."

 

There, in the center of the room, she stood.

 

Kyle stepped forward. "Hayes."

Edited September 4, 2016 by Parugi

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

There she was. Maddison Hayes. Evan recalled each and every one of his encounters, each one ending with her leaving, aside from one. The Hero recalled the time he let her go, out of a desire to not want Plasma to hurt her, and how he was reprimanded for that action. As all those memories entered his head, Evan Tierra stepped forward, his look determined and focused. "We're never going to give up, no matter what, Hayes." The Hero of Space said, in a calm voice, clearly knowing what was to come. "It seems that you too, will never give up. I'll commend you for that, however....."

Evan struck a readying stance, hand ready to draw a poke ball, making sure he was ready for the challenge ahead. "I still need to pay you back for everything you've done..." He said, making darting glances at the group. "Even if all it was done for the greater good."

Edited September 4, 2016 by Hades

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Jenny==-

 

Jenny nodded as well, as she didn't move, but made a motion toward her Pokeballs anyway. "I think we need to settle something, anyway, and that you need to answer for some things. But we're past the time for talking, aren't we?" She gripped one Pokeball with her right hand as she did that, ready to send her Pokemon out at the first sign of movement.

 

Ryan looked toward Hayes, as he frowned slightly. He remembered the situation that had gotten him involved with her the last time, and the man turned his head to the side. How stupid I was then...

 

Colette and Chloe stayed quiet once more, as they were relatively out of their league again, though Chloe at least knew about Hayes, even if this was the first time the girl had met her. Colette, on the other hand, was more focused on Evan, as she detected more of his aura for once, and was a bit startled at the fact that there was a pink colour to it. She drew her attention away, however, as she realized that focusing on that would just distract her when they needed to run.

 

Chloe, however, was still wondering to herself about something. Something didn't seem right; she had noticed that Pierce had seemed... different than she had expected from the Ford agents. From what she had been expecting, she figured they would be confident, full of energy... but both Pierce and Hayes appeared as if they were just... tired of things happening. She wondered if this was a pattern, and decided to keep this to herself for the moment, in case it was just her imagination.