Flipz

IC: Amanda Zarth Whether by luck or by some sixth sense, Amanda was staring right at the Leopyred as the purging flames erupted. Sheer animal instinct brought her hands up to protect herself, a tingling sensation stretching out from her fingertips, and then-- Then Amanda's feet were swept out from under her as her Magnezone, eyes gleaming amethyst, zipped up in that split second to place itself between its Trainer and the blast. The Steel-type groaned, both a vocalization and the shriek of superheated metal, as even through defenses and guards the scorching heat left a scar seared across its base, the blast then physically launching it backwards. The Magnezone felt some meager resistance that near-instantly gave way, the creature crashing into its Trainer and launching her back as well... The world went dark. Whether some suit malfunction or personal injury, Amanda couldn't tell--in any event, her visor seemed jammed, so she had no way to check. She sensed rather than felt the others slowly starting to move around her, and with exceeding caution she retook her feet, leaning heavily on whatever hard object she'd been thrown into. Zarth! Amanda started at the foreign voice that appeared in her head, somehow audible above the ringing in her ears. It took her a moment--it was rather unfortunate she could not currently see to signal her suit for a Calm Mind--to recognize the psychic intrusion. Present? she responded weakly, still attempting (and failing) to regain her bearings. The Magnezone moaned its pain as it rose from the ashes. Its eyes still glowing that same brilliant amethyst, it scanned the wreckage for its Trainer, rotating slowly so it could maintain its stability. OOC: Amanda (+4 Def, +2 SAtk, +4 SDef, +2 Speed): Barrier (psionics, shattered), ESP (psionics), Telepathy (psionics) Magnezone: Defend Amanda, Search for Amanda

IC: Alex Zyther/Amelia Zann (August 6th) Alex smiled back at the girl, but it was a weak one--tired, thin, and tenuous. "Not too much. I've been this way all my life, so I'm used to it by now." Before he had to continue, however, Amelia interrupted. "Sun's startin' to set, maybe we ought to look fer a camp site?" Alex nodded. "Uhh, right. Well, we're not too far from Reflection Cave, but I've heard it's not safe to spend the night inside. Maybe there will be something near the entrance?" Eventually, they found a small clearing backing up to the mountain a little ways west of the cave's exit onto the route. While Alma and Belle went scouting for firewood, Alex watched Amelia setting up camp. The strange, violent woman perplexed him--violent and moody, and horribly judgmental, but at the same time she had the oddest habit of somehow helping him. A part of him wondered if she was just worried for herself, that the life-bond would hurt her too if something happened to him, but another part of him said there was more. There was something different about Amelia, something dangerous beyond just her rough way of life. If he was being honest with himself, she unnerved him, even more than the little girl with the penchant for piercing questions--she, at least, bore the innocence of youth, and despite Belle's insinuation she shared Amelia's line of work (did they really start that young?), Alma seemed to have a good heart. Is that fated to change, I wonder? Is she going to grow up into someone like Amy? Belle's not like that, but it seems like her work is a little less-- "Nene?" Alex's brooding was interrupted by the inquisitive squeak of Didi. He followed her gaze to Amelia, who'd taken to returning his stare while he was lost in thought. Her green glare was soon averted as Alma and Belle returned with the firewood, but even as Alex prepared the group's dinner, he knew she wasn't about to let whatever she had against him go. Sooner or later, they'd have to talk--and he wasn't sure he'd like the outcome.

IC: Amanda Zarth Amanda frowned as the new technology revealed itself. While remote access did have its advantages, it also created vulnerabilities she had not yet considered, particularly when such access could override suit functions directly. She made a mental note to discuss the matter with Executive Arthur later, filing the matter away with the help of another Calm Mind. She surveyed the battlefield from her aerial perch. With the Maulice being the only noted physical threat, the more tactical option was Light Screen, which she deployed as quickly as she could, hoping to partially shield both Executive Arthur from the Electroweb and her other allies from any unexpected retaliation from the Leopyred. She then looked to Sleight, awaiting any further orders from the Shadow Admin. Magnezone, meanwhile, lowered itself somewhat so as to better extend the range of Amanda's protection to their grounded allies. OOC: Amanda (+4 Def, +2 SAtk, +4 SDef, +2 Speed): Calm Mind, Light Screen Magnezone: Fly lower

-==IC: Adam Zynthic==- Though having woken up alongside the others, Adam struggled to offer his input, mostly owing to the Grotle sitting atop his face. With effort, the man finally managed to shove the snoring Grass-type aside. "Bah," he grumbled, careless of the clothes (which, while comically old, were certainly an improvement over the stained rags he'd been wearing). "I hate children," he grumbled passionately to Wiggy as he tried to awaken his partner, not caring that the children in question could still hear him. "Come on, old friend," he said as the Pokémon stirred, "let's see what the little brats have dragged us into..."

Submitting for approval and for topic revival: Species: Fennekin Nickname: Miley/Miles Gender: Nonbinary-female-aligned Trainer: Alex Zyther Appearance: Due to Reasons related to Amelia, Miley is shiny. Personality: Airy and ethereally-aligned, Miles approaches hir moves more as mystical cantrips than biological processes. Though this served hir well during the global Pokémon power outage (as the sudden loss of powers did not register as a personal loss to hir), as an end result zie seems to take battles and training far less seriously than most others of hir species. Ability: Magician Speciality: Adds the Mystical Fire secondary effect (-1 stage SpA to the opponent) to all Fire-type attacks. Known Moves: Wish (egg move), Hypnosis (egg move), Magic Coat (egg move), Light Screen, Ember, Psybeam Experience: 0 Species: Froakie Nickname: Ren Gender: Male Trainer: Amelia Zann Appearance: As with all of Amelia's Pokémon, Ren is shiny. Personality: Though the impulse would be to describe Ren as Quiet or Serious, in truth he's more Modest than anything else. While patient with other Pokémon and mellow in response to their antics and quirks, Ren refuses to accept anything less than the best from those with whom he chooses to ally. Nonetheless, Ren is slow to judgment, and responds to his problems with a calm deliberation, despite the inner restlessness that such a measured attitude can sometimes cause him. Ability: Protean Speciality: Can freeze Water-type moves to make them Ice-type (i.e. Water Shuriken becomes Ice Shuriken); this will trigger Protean. Known Moves: Bubble, Lick, Toxic Spikes (egg move), Round, Double Team, Mud Sport (egg move) Experience: 0

IC: Amanda Zarth "Acknowledged, EO-4." Stepping out from behind her cover and onto her Magnezone, Amanda activated first a Barrier and then a Calm Mind, the soothing effect of the move helping her organize the incoming overload of information. "Magnezone, take us higher and further forward so we can attempt to garner the attention of the Ice-type." With luck, the Maulice would mistake them for a Flying-type and attack, leaving the other groups free to disperse without its pursuit. The Magnezone buzzed its acknowledgement, carrying its Trainer forward into the line of battle. OOC: Amanda (+4 Def, +1 SAtk, +3 SDef, +2 Speed): Barrier, Calm Mind Magnezone: Fly up, fly south

IC: Amanda Zarth "EO-3 speaking. I concur with LP-1. We have a Shadow Admin, a General, and two Liberty Executives within our group. If each assumes command of their transport unit, chain of command is maintained while remaining flexibility should the need to separate arise. The only unit missing a pre-established command leader is Essence Ponder, and EP-3 has already exhibited suitable leadership initiative with her approach plan. Would this be a satisfactory arrangement?" Privately, Amanda wondered why Team Liberty had failed to establish these protocols beforehand, while they were still on the ground, but expressing such now would only serve to fracture the joint mission's fragile unity. She made a mental note to inquire with Executive Arthur if this was a common occurrence for Team Liberty or merely a side-effect of a hastily-planned joint operation.

IC: Amanda Zarth Amanda registered the presence of the new combatants with a frown. "EO-3 speaking," she broadcast, determined to stick to radio protocol even if the rest of the team would not. "I would recommend we extend engagements with the existing targets as long as possible before neutralizing them. Based on the enemy's deployment of forces thus far, it seems to be in direct response and proportion to the force we put forth in opposition. Thus, if we judiciously limit our use of force, we will be less likely to be overwhelmed." Following her own advice, Amanda maintained the advantage of cover and activated the Cosmic Power protocol, swiveling her perspective to ensure she (and, by extension, the main group) was not flanked. Though she was further back from most of the gathering (at a copse of trees just at the edge of the village), she did not believe for a moment that enemy units could not have taken an alternate route to cut them off from their landing site, and the Plasma functionary was not about to let that detail go unregarded. OOC: Amanda: Barrier Magnezone: does nothing Status: Amanda: +2 Speed, +2 Def, +2 SDef OOC: Repeating content warning for dysphoria from previous Alex post. IC: Alex Zyther "Him." Coward. Shut up, he told himself. He wasn't sure it was a lie. IC: Amelia Zann Amelia fought down a moment of surprise before nodding in understanding. The two of them had left behind a body count in Hoenn, but looking back the majority had been either indirect or incidental, and her friend wasn't nearly as much of a realist as she was when it came to the consequences of Pokémon powers. Somehow, though, she doubted pointing out the full extent of Belle's kill record would make the collector feel any better. "First kill's always bad," she offered, strangling the wafting memories of her own and jamming them haphazardly back into the mental box in which they belonged. "Jobs gone wrong are pretty much a combo score--which it basically was on your end, from the sound of it. Luck'ly ya didn't lose a partner on top." The spy mentally glared at the boxful of uncooperative memories as they stirred unhelpfully. "Normally this'd be the part where I hand ya my gun so ya can hold life an' death in your hand, but since we've covered that already I doubt a refresher'd do much good." Her tone, like her advice, was harsh, but that was the life--and ultimately, that blunt, honest harshness was what had led Belle to trust her in the first place. It was one of the things Amelia treasured about the woman--she never needed a sugar-coat. She never needed a lie. "You gonna be okay?"

IC: Amanda Zarth From the moment the bulb-like creatures approached, Amanda was preparing for battle. She first attached a drone to the helicopter interior--best to have a suitable point of reference in case of a need for rapid retreat--and then began going through her move list to prepare a plan of action. She'd already pulled off an Agility, feeling herself and her suit grow lighter and more nimble as she watched the Flying suit operator struggle to dodge the Instances and their attacks, and had queued up a Cosmic Power to execute once she touched down. "EO-3 to EO-1," she queried through the comms, "did you get a scan of the Magnemite-like Instances? An understanding of their typing would be tactically beneficial." As the vehicle approached the landing zone, she spotted a copse of trees nearby, which would provide more than suitable cover for initial observations. While she waited for landing, she considered her options, casually spinning a Plasma Ball while she thought; while her initial instinct to use her Magnezone as a means of transit was still viable, the presence of Instances clearly based off of its pre-evolutions meant that the Pokémon could be at risk, given that the source Magnemite's own natural defenses had not been enough to save it from Missing Zero in the first place. On the other hand, if the warped creatures still maintained traits of the original, her Magnezone could potentially provide additional insight into their behavior that the suits' scans could not. As with the diversion to One Island, the benefits outweighed the risks. Releasing the Electric-and-Steel-type, she leapt onto its back, balancing with practiced precision as she rode it the rest of the way to the ground. The pair floated to the copse of trees she'd sighted, the vegetation giving her cover to touch down (she felt the queued Cosmic Power execute to boost her defenses) and visually scan her surroundings in relative safety. OOC: Current Actions: Amanda: Agility (in helicopter), Cosmic Power->observe environment (on ground) (Boosts: +2 Speed, +1 Def, +1 SDef) Magnezone: Levitate, take cover in grass and vegetation

OOC: Some internal struggle with trans (specifically nonbinary) issues, including some quotes from my own past mental struggles, which may be triggering for people who've also struggled with their identity. Also, bunnying approved by Merc. IC: Amelia Zann Amelia snorted. "And you're surprised by that? After Slateport?" Amelia shot Belle a look of mock-pity. "O sweet summer child, mayst thou never lose such blissful naiveté as to think crazy's an exception." The spy dropped the faux Shakespearean act--mangled as it was by her accent--with a grin. (Somewhere in Nimbasa City, some particularly sensitive performer began to weep unexplainable tears of joyful relief.) "Anyway, first time I seen 'im was in the hospital bed in Celadon. Just seemed like pure chance at the time, but with all this fairy hoodoo goin' on there's no tellin'." She shrugged, somewhat helplessly. "So what about you? You said this ain't bring-yer-daughter-to-work-day, but somehow I doubt ya managed your lifelong dream by savin' up babysittin' money. What'cha been up to, Blake?" IC: Alex Zyther Alex sucked in a breath, sounding--quite fittingly--like a person just stabbed. "That's..." Alex withdrew mentally, eyes clouding as he considered the possibilities. 'I'm a boy...just a really weird boy.' Then why do you suck so much at being one? he mentally countered, his imaginary venom outstripping even the worst he'd received abroad...though admittedly not by very much. 'I'm really girly, but I'm still a boy underneath...' Oh good, perfect opening for the '...so you're gay?' question you also don't have an answer for. He huffed in frustration. 'All right, the truth is, I'm a girl, I'm just trans.' Really, though? Can you really claim that label, or are you just selfishly stealing something else for yourself? Lumiose Hospital. One of his last nights in Kalos. "Son," his father said, "when you're out there on your own, I want you to promise me something. Whatever you choose to do, whoever you choose to be, you take what's yours, hold tight, and never give up, all right? Zythers don't do anything by half measures." A half-measure...that's all I feel like, sometimes...not even a full person... Laverre, the boutique, mere days ago. Valerie nodded sadly. "I...can understand why you'd feel that way," she offered, "but trust me when I say you're not alone." "Mr. Zyther?" the girl asked. Are you a boy, or a girl? "...I'm a person," Alex managed, not really avoiding the question so much as admitting defeat to it. Or was it victory? Feels like a victory, somehow. He sighed. "It's...hard to explain, especially to a kid." He winced. Good one, Amelia. "Er--no offense. It's just--" Alex gesticulated confusedly, before giving up and laying on his back, as if seeking the answer in the clouds above. "Words have power. And sometimes they hurt. And right now I just don't have the right ones, so I'd rather not use the wrong ones." Sure, let's try teaching Aristotle to a ten-year-old. He waved away his pessimistic thoughts. "Does that make sense?"

IC: Amanda Zarth Amanda Zarth was, of course, keenly aware of the current situation. Not only was she, as the sole Team Plasma operative on the mission, the effective face of the Unovan government in this matter, but she was also personally present with President Alaric of Kanto, a political and military leader of Team Rocket of the highest caliber. She briefly studied the Shadow Admin's face for clues, before taking a calculated initiative. "Team Plasma Knight Amanda Zarth here, callsign 'EO-3'." Unlike the occupants of her own helicopter, the other members of the mission might not be aware of such details. "At present, it appears to me that the most prudent course of action would be a full transplant of our present operation to One Island, with the additional parameter of civilian asset protection. Acting against Missing Zero forces on One Island instead of Three Island will still provide more than sufficient combat data for future analysis, with the added benefit of keeping civilians out of Missing Zero possession and raising the morale of the global civilian populace. Drawbacks would likely include a reduced possibility of Missing Zero specimen capture due to the necessity of more defensive tactics, but to my analysis this would be more than offset by the reduced risk of Power Suit units being lost as well, given General Silvermind's valuation of Power Suit capture as our least desired outcome. Keeping our forces unified would also be preferential, in order to reduce risk to both Power Suit units and the civilian evacuation; failure to properly defend the evacuation effort would likely have significant negative repercussions to both global morale and political stability, particularly within the local geographic vicinity of the Kanto Regions. Over." Safety and stability. The two primary objectives sought by current Plasma administration. Satisfied she had sufficiently represented the opinion her superiors would have regarding the situation, she turned her attention back to Shadow Admin Sleight. Team Plasma had presented its position; now it was up to Team Rocket to present theirs.

IC: Amelia Zann Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Whatever happened to 'I sleep with one eye open'?" She grinned, then sighed. "Last month, some nutjob Rocket exec went rogue, decided to burn down Celadon over her ex-girlfriend or something, the details were vague and kinda ridiculous if I recall. Anyway, Van was in the hospital 'cause of our escape from Sootopolis during the Groudon attack, an' so I got wrapped up with the defense forces--buncha two-shoes busybodies and snotty brats, frankly, but the guy in charge had a head on his shoulders at least. Anyway, the lunatic Rockets decided to hit the hospital, an' the whole thing was on the edge of going down. I went in for Van and Harvey, we ended up in the kid's room, hospital collapses, and next thing I know I'm waking up in a morgue half a month later bein' told he an' I had some sorta nutso life-bond or somethin', and when the kid bit it so did I. Nutty as all heck, but given we somehow got dragged from Kanto to Kalos by the kid's punk of a Ralts, I'm about willin' t' believe anything, an' I ain't takin' chances if my life's on the line, y'know?"

OOC: mini-jams with Kon and Minun! -==IC: Amanda Zarth==- Amanda arrived at the hangar, exactly on time as usual, though it seemed that she was in fact among the latest arrivals--most likely a side-effect of her soon-to-be allies' nervousness, if those nearest her were any indication. Before suiting up, she took a moment to inspect her Power Suit; as per the note she had given the previous evening, a small Team Plasma insignia had been emblazoned upon one shoulder and on the back just below the neck, as well as another for good measure that would sit over her heart. Overkill, legally speaking, but an aesthetically appropriate choice nonetheless. After double-checking to make sure that, yes, the mind-affecting Amnesia protocol had indeed been placed behind a confirmation prompt, she ran through the basic suit start-up diagnostic. While it would be impossible to tell if the recommendation engine had also been reworked before engaging in battle, she trusted that the technicians working on the suit had done their best. With a nod of acknowledgment to the aforementioned technicians, she stepped toward the rest of the group. She singled out Executive Aaron, her sparring partner from the night previous, only to find that his helicopter was fully occupied. The Executive had not yet entered the vehicle, however, and she accelerated slightly to catch up with him before he did. "Executive Aaron," she called by way of greeting. "Thank you again for last night's practice spar. I wish you the best of luck on the mission proper." She paused, considering. "There was one particular suit protocol I have yet to practice with. By your leave?" The Plasma agent offered Jayron a hand, as if for a handshake. The executive raised an eyebrow at her offer. "And what protocol would that be, exactly?" he asked as he shook her hand. Amanda closed her eyes, a concession to the disorientation a perspective shift might otherwise create. A small black pod with unobtrusive pink markings detached itself from the suit's wrist, hovering up Jayron's arm on psychic power before anchoring itself to his shoulder with insectoid legs. "The surveillance drone protocol," Amanda answered, her voice broadcast through the drone's small speaker. "If you don't mind, I would like to leave this device with you, so as to speed its deployment and aid in cross-team communication and observation on the field." Jayron eyed his new shoulder accessory, masking his surprise at the suit's ability. "Of course." He smiled. "With a fight like this, we'll need all the help we can get. Best of luck to you." "Thank you, Executive." Opening her eyes once more, Amanda nodded to Jayron one final time before turning to seek out her next target. With one drone safely coupled to Executive Aaron's suit, Amanda turned her attention to the other Liberty Executive with which she had interacted, frowning as she noted that he, too, had already found traveling partners. She nonetheless approached him, offering a handshake as she had done for Executive Aaron. "Executive Arthur," she offered, "I'd like to thank you once more for your assistance yesterday. If it would not be too much trouble, might I leave one of this suit's surveillance drones with you, in case my assistance is required?" "That would be much appreciated," James said, his face obscured by his visor, "Thank you. May you stay safe in the upcoming battle." "And you as well. Please do not hesitate to call upon my aid should it become necessary." As before, she shook the Executive's hand, but this time the drone detached itself from her left wrist before hovering over to attach itself to James' shoulder. "Thank you again, Executive Arthur, for all of your assistance." Though hesitant to leave, the Plasma agent knew there was little time to waste, and swiftly sought a seat on another helicopter before they could all be claimed.

-==IC: Alex Zyther/Amelia Zann==- Alex was too busy being wowed by the pseudo-Legendary Pokémon to be offended. "You have a Metang too? Wow!" The Trainer patted Cyanide gently after clambering on. "Thanks, Ms...?" "LaDonna," Amelia supplied with an evil grin. "Thank you, Ms. LaDonna. I'm honored to meet a Trainer of such rare and powerful Pokémon." Behind him, Amelia snickered, though Alex couldn't figure out why. Maybe she's just not used to proper manners. "So which way to the castle, Jacques Cartier?" Alex shot a look at Amelia, but then considered their options. "Well, I guess we could circle eastward all the way back through Lumiose, but if we can handle the less-used Routes the path south through Geosenge would be quicker by a few days." Seeing no objections from the others, Amelia shrugged. "Geosenge it is. Let's go." With Alex leading the way, pointing out directions from atop Cyanide, Amelia fell back to walk with Belle, waiting for Alma to outpace them before addressing her old friend's concerns. "About the whole coma thing...it's messy. An' it's why I brought the kid. You, ah...you heard about what went down in Celadon, right?"

-==IC: Alex Zyther/Amelia Zann==- Despite himself, Alex felt himself start to blush. "It's not really that much," he mumbled, emotions a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment at the praise. He cleared his throat to banish the moment, directing his attention to the pretty purple-haired woman--Blake? Belle?--to address her offer. "I, uh...I mean, I don't want to be a bother, but..." the boy cleared his throat again. "Normally I'd try to get by on my own, but I haven't...I don't seem to have my normal endurance, not since we left Laverre." The redheaded spy he'd joined up with chuckled--whether in sympathy or derision, he couldn't tell. "That'd be the coma," she declared. "Two weeks in a bed--maybe more for you--that'd wreak havoc on the healthiest muscles." Alex ignored the unspoken condescension--he'd heard it his whole life (if just a few years could be called that), in quiet whispers from "cultured" businesspeople just soft enough to pretend they hadn't meant him to hear--but still his face burned. He hoped the others wouldn't make a big deal of it. "As for me," Amelia was saying, "I'll walk--need to build back what I lost while I was out--but I imagine you overexerting yourself wouldn't be the best bet for either of us." And there it was. That subtle moment that bizarrely seemed to be both generous and selfish in equal measure. It kept him unnervingly off-balance; if the woman just hated him, it'd be simple enough, but it rankled that she tried to take care of him anyway. Even so, he tried to keep his emotions in check, even if he couldn't hold back his defiance. "I'm plenty experienced with managing my own health, thanks," he tried not to spit, mostly succeeding, thankfully, even if he couldn't quite avoid a little edge and a hint of venom, "but yes, it would be in our best interests for me to ride," he finished, turning a hopefully-not-too-frustrated smile to the purple-haired woman. "If it's not too much trouble." Finally, almost to distract himself: "It'd be cool to see a real live Dragonair, too, they're supposed to be pretty rare here in Kalos, so I've only seen them in books." Alex smiled shyly and tried not to blush in embarrassment at his relative inexperience compared to these obviously professional Trainers. Amelia snorted--he was getting used to that--but thankfully had nothing to add.

IC: Adam Zynthic (+Wiggy [Grotle]), Eterna Forest (July 30th) Despite Wiggy's warning, the group of Trainers still approached. The Grotle lowed again, hoping the noise would deter them, but instead it spooked the children into moving even faster. Adam groaned, the noise turning into a scream as one of them trod upon his ankle, and the man jolted to his feet like a man posessed, the fallen leaves dropping to the ground like enormous flakes of dried blood. The disturbance, combined with the eerie atmosphere of Eterna Forest, was enough to set the spooked Trainers off. A Poké Ball flew forth, releasing an Aegislash to join the one already out, as well as the Pidgey, Espurr, and Charmander already primed for battle. Adam started to groan again at the absurdity of the situation, but cut himself short when he saw the Pokémon tense. "What in Arceus' name do you kids think you're doing?!" The ex-Ranger's stern scowl was somewhat undercut by a wince of pain as he shifted his weight to his throbbing ankle. Blasted little brats, he grumbled to himself, well aware that five-versus-three would be terrible odds even if they didn't hold the type advantage. IC: Amelia "Pond" Zann/Alex Zyther (August 6th) Amelia appraised the Snag Machine with a raised eyebrow. "Nice score. Shame we didn't have one of those on those blasted islands. Woulda made the whole op a heckuva lot easier, eh?" The spy's other eyebrow joined its twin at Alma's formality, though the surprise was marred by a brief set of her jaw. "Amelia for now, maybe Pond if ya stick around long enough to get to know me." She paused, letting the mood lighten. "Though ya'd have to sit through one of Blake's weirdo foreign sci-fi shows to get the joke, an' I ain't sure I'm willin' to inflict that sort of torture on a poor innocent kid." Amelia grinned jokingly, mostly for Alma's benefit, since the worst she'd expect from Belle would be a bird-flip or a return jab at her own media interests. Behind her, Alex cleared his throat. "Ah, right. Speakin' of kids, this here's Alex...somethin' or other. He's..." a stranger? An unexpected weak point? "...we have a shared medical condition." Alex raised an eyebrow at the irony, but chose not to call Amelia on it. "Alex Zyther. These are my partners, Didi and Raleigh." The Dedenne in question scampered atop Alex's head to wave at the strangers, while the Ralts limited himself to a more formal bow. "I'd offer to shake hands, but..." Alex gestured with one of his crutches, leaning heavily on the other. "My normal set's missing and I'm not quite as good with these loaners, and I'm already a bit exhausted from the trip--" Amelia cut him off with a back-handed wave. "Yeah, yeah, you're tired, yada yada yada. We get it. Listen, Blake, you've been here before, yeah? Got a safehouse or something, somewhere to lie low and resupply and such?" "...I mean, my dad owns Shabboneau Castle in Camphrier?" Alex interjected. Amelia froze, then swiveled around to face the Trainer. "How in tarnation...?" "It's...long story short, we live there. Anyway, I'm sure Mom and Dad would be happy to let us stay a couple days--at least, if you're polite about it--and then as long as we don't worry my mom too much, we can be on our way no problem." Amelia eyed Alex suspiciously, then tousled his hair. "And here I thought you were only good for tamin' rowdy Pokémon." The spy ignored Raleigh's hurt glare, and turned back to Belle and Alma. "I got no plans, that all sound good to you?"

IC: Amelia Zann - Kalos Route 12 "Hey, I don't keep all of 'em, just ask the kid and his little troublemaker," she joked, jerking a thumb over her shoulder in Alex and Raleigh's general direction. "'Course, the two-week nap prob'ly helped my generosity..." Before she could elaborate, Harvey scuttled behind Amelia, clutching her leg like a scared (or was it scaled?) child and hissing at the woman who'd tried to capture him. "Ah, shoot, guess the two of ya did get off on the wrong foot, didn'tcha?" The Trainer squatted to stroke her Larvitar soothingly before looking up at Belle. "Seems ya got a habit of tryin' to take my Pokémon, Blake. Better watch yourself, I might take it personal one'a these days." Amelia's impish grin betrayed her teaasing, the spy gladder than she'd admit to be working with someone she could trust. "So, where we headed, if ya don't mind me askin'? And, uh, who's your little friend there? Wait, don't tell me...ya finally settled down and adopted? Who's the lucky girl?" Amelia's manure-eating grin only grew wider as she failed to resist poking fun at her old friend.

IC: Amelia Zann/Alex Zyther Harvey never saw the Quick Ball coming. More accurately, he saw the Quick Ball coming, but had not the acuity of reflexes to dodge. Besides, he belonged to Amelia, there was no way anyone else could-- The lime-green reptile began to panic as he saw the blue-and-yellow orb begin to open, energy swirling inside. "YYYAH!!" Seemingly out of nowhere, Amelia exploded into action, leg already outstretched to heel-spike the ball to the ground, shattering it. Behind her, the startled Sina had a strange sense of déjà vu, while Alex and his Pokémon just stared on, confused. The world stood silent for a brief moment. Amelia caught her breath. Then, rebukingly waggling a finger: "Miiiiiiine."

-==IC: Amanda Zarth, Alamo Ambassadorial Aides' Quarters (Night of August 4th)==- The moment Amanda's head hit the pillow, she was out like a light. Not from overexhaustion, though the Plasma agent had certainly exerted herself more than enough to earn her long-awaited rest, but as an effect of the medication to which she had finally resorted in hopes of achieving a restful sleep. She saw a face framed in red before her eyes, its emerald eyes morphing to gold-rimmed sapphire as she began falling into darkness, not knowing why she must fight to stay alive as heroes fell by the droves at the touch of an unknown evil... The dream. "Wake me." The voice. "Wake me!" A whisper at first, as if heard from far away, although if tradition held this time-- "WAKE ME, can't you hear me calling?!" Out of the darkness, THEY came crawling-- Amanda bolted upright in bed, utterly drenched in a cold sweat. She knew. She hadn't made the connection before, but in light of the more recent evidence... Surrounded, falling in pitch blackness, heroes falling in battle all around her, their formerly-unseen adversaries advanced through the darkness to claim her next, all bearing frightening edritch formes-- She wasted no time. In seconds her C-Gear sat on the bed before her, all thoughts of sleep fled as she sought answers. Rejecting the expected "brain cancer" and "lupus" answers offered to her by WebNurseJoy.com and PokéDrHouse.com respectively, she searched the internet for hours; but though rest had left her intentions, her body's needs would not go unanswered, and long before her search was complete, Amanda Zarth unwillingly returned to her slumber.

OOC: Konujam! Sorry for the delay! -==IC: Amanda Zarth/Elgyem (T:Amanda Zarth)/Magnezone (T:Amanda Zarth)/Jayron Aaron==- With a nod, Amanda clicked the buttons on her Plasma Balls, releasing her Elgyem and her Magnezone. The latter hit the ground with an uncharacteristic CLANG before rising unsteadily into the air, the Pokémon unused to its inability to control its own electromagnetic field. Amanda checked the heads-up display in her helmet, but the uncontrolled field did not appear to be affecting the electronics of the suit itself. Good, she mentally noted, should circumstances require use of my Pokémon it will not prove detrimental to the technology itself. The same could not be said of the Magnezone, but for training purposes that would not matter. She turned her attention to her other deployed partner. Behind her, the Magnezone's amethyst eyes began to glow. "Orders, Mistress?" "The two of you are to deploy alongside me in standard formation for a League-sanctioned Triple Battle. We will be testing the suit's use of teleportation abilities during this battle, specifically the move Ally Switch, so prepare accordingly for unexpected transport." "Yes, Mistress. Be advised that my combat proficiency has been reduced by at least sixty-seven percent due to my inability to access my moves. My contributions to your offensive maneuvers will be accordingly affected. You should expect similar or greater reductions in the combat capabilities of Magnezone." "I am well aware. Your task for this battle will be to focus on defense and evasion. Expect to endure a number of hits meant for me." "Of course, Mistress. Do you have any further instructions?" "Yes. We have little data as to the full ramifications of the current ability outage with regards to permanency. Take this opportunity to ascertain the Destination of this location, such that should your ability to teleport return, you will be able to transport a group back here." "Noted, Mistress. It will be done." Though she did not show it through conventional means, Amanda was rattled. This day had not gone at all as she had planned, and the entire affair had left her off-balance; thus, the normally studiously attentive Plasma functionary failed to recognize the significance of her half-telepathic conversation, and instead returned her attention to Executive Aaron. "Let us begin." Jayron nodded and extended his arms in front of him, palms up. Two spheres of energy formed in the palms of his hands; a blueish orb of aura in his right hand, and the purple charge of a Dragon Pulse in his left. The executive glanced between the two spheres for a moment, as if sizing up his suit's capabilities, before hurling both attacks -- first the Aura Sphere, followed shortly by the Dragon Pulse -- at Amanda. The instant the attacks formed, Amanda's heads-up display displayed an alert, identifying the dual energy spheres. While her movements felt sluggish by comparison, it was more than enough time to activate the recommended protocol--in this case, Mirror Coat. The Plasma agent crossed her arms in a loose approximation of a block, a shimmering sheen of energy emerging to cover the suit just as the first sphere impacted. While the suit indicated damage from the attack, between the disadvantageous typing and her own suit's superior special-based capabilities, the consequences were minimal. The Dragon Pulse, on the other hand, struck the gathered energy directly, and it took Amanda a moment to remember that she would have to act to redirect the attack. She swung her crossed arms outward in a crude imitation of a Gallade she'd once seen, and the sphere-like pulse launched forward. Rightward spin, likely a result of imbalanced posture. I will need to goad the opponent into the attack. Stepping right herself--both to set up her attack and to step out of the way of any further follow-ups--she pointed just slightly to her left, at Jayron's right shoulder, and released a needle-like white beam with a single bead of energy attached. Interesting. I do not believe I have seen this move used before. She resisted the urge to clutch her pendant, however, as the gesture would be meaningless with the accessory currently beneath the suit's chestplate--not to mention her present immobility before the attack's result was resolved. The instant the needle struck, Jayron felt his moves grow sluggish. He wasn't completely frozen, but it was enough to keep him from avoiding the rebounded Dragon Pulse. "What was that?" he asked aloud. Sifting through his available moves, the executive chose to execute the Dragon Dance protocol. It was a slow dance, but his suit hummed with the additional power it now contained. He repeated his earlier attack, making a mental note that while the Dragon Pulse contained more energy, his natural Aura Sphere remained the same as before. Amanda was forced to wait for four beads of energy to return along the beam, but as they did she felt her suit's capabilities accelerate. "A move listed as 'Speed Swap'," she answered, noting the executive's use of Dragon Dance and taking the opportunity to focus her own suit's psychic energy into further improving her speed advantage with Agility. The role reversal allowed her to dodge the new Dragon Pulse effortlessly--or at least, it would have been effortless, had she had more experience in direct combat. Still, it was enough to avoid the Dragon-type attack, but the Aura Sphere was more troublesome, the pulse shifting and twisting to follow her no matter how often she evaded. This is ineffective, she thought to herself, the move Aura Sphere cannot be conventionally evaded. However... Closing her eyes in concentration, she selected her move. She felt a rush of psychic energy, followed by the eminently familiar tug at her navel, and then-- THUD. Amanda opened her eyes. As planned the Ally Swap had been successful, with the Aura Sphere slamming into her Elgyem instead of her. She looked to the Psychic-type to gauge its injuries, but though it had clearly weathered a substantial hit, the worst damage seemed to be to its concentration. "Apologies, Mistress. Concentration on Destination has been broken. Re-initiating now." The Plasma agent nodded, but then noticed a purple glow behind the Psychic-type, seemingly from her Magnezone. She directed her attention to it--but when she did, the glow vanished. Curious... "Excellent use of your suit's power," Jayron said. "But I'd try to avoid Ally Swap in the actual battle unless you give your target fair warning. The last thing anyone wants is to unexpectedly find themselves the target for an attack from the Missing Zero." Returning his attention to the battle, Jayron focused on the Elgyem in front of him. If he had noticed the glow from the Magnezone, he chose not to say anything. Instead, a draconic tail of energy formed on the backside of his suit, whipping around to knock the Cerebral Pokémon away. The Elgyem observed the incoming attack impassively. While evasion was its specialty, it knew that without its powers of teleportation it was unlikely to avoid the attack even if it tried, instead choosing to focus on its other task. WHAP-THOOMP! Within her Power Suit, Amanda frowned as the Dragon Tail threw her Pokémon against the wall, unmoving. While the Psychic-type was clearly not unconscious, it was also clearly unable to battle, a fact her HUD had redundantly noted in its label of the now-ex-combatant. Without waiting for an order, her Magnezone moved into position to take the Elgyem's place. She nodded her approval as she activated the Cosmic Power protocol to shore up her own defenses, a prudent preparation for her next plan... That was one down. Two to go. Jayron glanced at the Magnezone for a moment before turning his attention toward Amanda. The Speed Swap was still proving difficult to work with. He would have to rely on his raw power in this situation rather than nimble movement, something not befitting of his ninja upbringing. The executive charged his two signature attacks once more, but this time threw the Dragon Pulse first and followed with the Aura Sphere. Amanda hesitated. Special attacks? Again? Should my superior defenses against that vector not be obvious? The Plasma functionary's mind grew clouded as she attempted to process the seemingly-illogical strategem. The purple-eyed Magnezone stared patiently at Amanda, awaiting her recovery, but as the attacks charged and then launched the Steel-type realized that its master was not, in fact, fully aware of the situation. With an echoing groan like strained metal, it angled toward its master as speedily as it could. The sound of her Magnezone's dismay was just enough to knife through the fog within her brain. Scrambling for the recommended protocol, she activated it without taking the time to analyze its effectiveness. The next thing she knew, she was soaring through the air, tumbling end-over-end. Wait...what happened? Why am I here? And what was I...? Her eyes fell upon the protocol she'd just activated. Amnesia? She frowned, mind now clear of both clutter and concentration alike. I will need to exercise more caution when using that protocol in battle. She climbed back to her feet, the damage from the Dragon Pulse enough to have taken her down, but not quite out. CHOONG-CLANG! KLONG, KLONG! Amanda's Magnezone clattered to the ground, before rising unsteadily once more. While it clearly would have preferred tanking the Dragon Pulse to the Aura Sphere, it was still able to battle, if only just. Grateful for the reprieve, its master set up a quick Light Screen to defend them both before returning her attention to her opponent, searching her mind for her own forgotten plan. The appearance of the Light Screen called for a new strategy. Jayron knew his speed would be an issue here, but he couldn't keep relying on special attacks. The gauntlets of his suit glowed with a draconic energy and he ran as fast as his suit would let him toward his opponents. As he neared the protective Light Screen he leapt up to deliver a single Dual Chop to the Magnezone. Magnezone knew its limits. It knew its role. And it knew Amanda. She would need time--not much, it judged, but enough. Fortunately, by its analysis it could provide her time--again, not much, but enough. The duo was inexperienced, true, but not entirely so. The enemy had underestimated them--both her, and it. They could make that miscaluculation his undoing. With a sudden tilt--unseemly and uncontrolled, it would not deny its own disadvantage without precision control--the Magnezone jerked backwards. The Liberty Executive was slow, but still fast enough--the Steel-type could not completely dodge and slammed again to the ground for its trouble, but it had still turned a finishing blow into a glancing one, its typing and natural defensive abilities just enough to stave off unconsciousness. What would have been a one-two strike against both combatants was turned by necessity into a dual strike upon a single target. The Magnezone knew this, had Analytically calculated the outcome, had accepted its own defeat. As Jayron hastened to repeat his attack against Amanda, the Magnezone used the last of its energy to will Amanda to victory, before its awareness faded into unconsciousness. Amanda cried out as her Magnezone fell, surprising even herself with the outburst. Her chest ached in sympathy, as if she too had taken the blows, and she felt a sudden determination to achieve victory in reparation for her partner's defeat. She took a breath, calming herself--and then, with a spark of inspiration, activated the Calm Mind protocol to help. The improvement was immediate, and (at least to her) temptingly addictive. Mental note, inquire if this specific protocol could be adapted into less-encompassing wearable technologies, she thought, along with a substantial number of simultaneous mental notes and calculations. Under normal circumstances, the ideal countermeasure would be inadvisable, but with this added focus... Amanda silenced her inner thoughts, focusing instead on the three essential tenets she'd drilled into countless Pokémon during her tenure with Team Plasma: Destination. Determination. Deliberation. The first blow struck and struck hard. A less-prepared practitioner would have been finished then and there, concentration shattered and self soon to follow, but Amanda's Calm Mind and Cosmic Power preserved her. An instant before the finishing follow-up could land, Amanda was gone. Jayron had dealt with enough psychics -- including an extensive series of training sessions with Team Liberty's Mewtwo -- to know exactly what had happened when his hand had met thin air. He also knew the most common mid-battle teleport destination, and so whirled around to try and spot his opponent. Unfortunately his split second of hesitation cost him. He had no time to avoid the incoming energy needle. The second Speed Swap hit him point blank, and suddenly his movements sped up fourfold. Being caught mid-twist, the executive found himself spinning uncontrollably. He tripped over his feet and tumbled to the ground where he waited for the world to stop spinning. "Good combo," he said through the comm as he picked himself up. "I did not see that one coming." He could tell Amanda would not be able to keep this up for long. There was one attack in his HUD that he had been eyeing for some time now, and he decided now was the perfect opportunity to use it. Summoning all the suit's strength, Jayron stretched out his arms and unleashed a flurry of orange bolts. Jayron was surprised the suit was even capable of producing so much raw energy. It was the ultimate Dragon-Type move: Draco Meteor. While the Dragon-user recovered from his disorientation, Amanda repeated her Calm Mind to forestall any more disorientation of her own. As soon as she did, however, her HUD flashed an alert as Jayron began preparing his attack. Draco Meteor. While her suit's boosted defenses could have surely stood such an assault at the start of the fight, its present degree of durability left that possibility somewhat dubious. She had one advantage: while he gathered power, hers was already Stored. Without hesitation, she selected the attack. As the orange energies of Draco Meteor rushed to the heavens to descend upon her, a disc of pink energy appeared beneath Jayron, bursting upwards into a column of psychic power as her suit gleamed with its gathered energy. Mere moments later, the power of Dragon crashed down upon her, unleashing its own ultimate strength. Near the edge of the impromptu arena, technicians and Pokémon alike waited with bated breath to see which combatant would be first to fall. Several warnings flashed in Jayron's HUD, alerting him of the critical status of his suit. He was barely aware of Amanda collapsing to the ground before he fell to his knees under the stress of both the psychic attack and the strength-sapping aftereffects of Draco Meteor. "G-good match . . ." he panted. "These suits really pack a punch." Amanda tried to gasp out an answer, but was too busy opening her visor and gulping down lungfuls of air herself to speak, the sensation triggering a number of particularly unpleasant memories. Mental note, she thought, trying to get her thoughts in order now that she could no longer benefit from the effects of Calm Mind, attempt to avoid this level of exhaustion in the future. Knowing Jayron would be waiting for an answer, she settled for an enthusiastic (if exhaustion-sapped) nod. The technicians took their cue to help the Plasma agent out of her suit and check her for injuries, of which there were a fair few but nothing a Heal Pulse in the morning couldn't fix. After retreating her fainted Magnezone--she would have to stop by the base's Pokémon Center before retiring for the evening--Amanda turned to her Elgyem, too weak to battle but still observing everything carefully, as ordered. "Were you successfully able to form a permanent impression of this location as a Destination?" The Cerebral Pokémon cocked its head at Amanda, then nodded, followed by a hesitant shrug. Amanda frowned at the imprecision of her Pokémon's communication, but accepted the answer; the only way they could be sure the exercise had worked, after all, would be to try once the Elgyem's teleportation powers returned. She retreated the Psychic-type, then turned to one of the technicians inspecting her Power Suit. "If I may provide some feedback?" At the technician's acknowledging nod, she drew herself up as professionally as she could manage. "The suit's capabilities were excellent, but the algorithm of suggested moves is in need of significant tuning. In particular, the Amnesia protocol should be removed from the recommendation list entirely and equipped with a confirmation prompt, as an accidental selection in the field could prove catastrophic..." She rattled off a number of other small suggestions, before finally reaching her final point of feedback. "Finally," she added, "I noticed there was a minor bug in the move history display. After using the move Teleport, its usage indicators failed to properly increment. I don't foresee it proving to be a catastrophic error, but you may wish to have it looked at." With a nod of dismissal, she turned her attention to the Executive she had just battled. "Thank you for the spar," she offered along with a handshake, "I will apply your tactical assessments to my future considerations." A pause, accompanied by a tilt of the head. "While I saw few instances of miscalculation not attributable to our mutual lack of familiarity with our suits' controls and capabilities, the one criticism I can offer would be regarding your seeming reliance upon special-type attacking moves. While I am unsure if it was a tactical choice or merely a limitation of your suit's move list, I believe that a greater use of physical moves would have resulted in a swifter victory over me, given my suit's lack of physical durability." "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Jayron said with a nod. "I do prefer attacking from a distance, but clearly this suit is better designed for rushing straight into the action." The executive frowned slightly. "At some point I should give my suit's Rush Mode a test. But for now we should both get some rest." "Indeed." With a nod of farewell, Amanda turned, retrieved her briefcase, and left. Mere moments after the doors closed behind her, one of the technicians servicing the Psychic suit spoke to the other. "Huh..." "Problem?" "No, it's just...she said the Teleport protocol didn't decrement when she used it, right?" "Yeah?" "I'd have to run a full diagnostic to be sure, but based on these readings, it wasn't used at all." "Hmm...better run that diagnostic, just in case. Better safe than sorry." As the two carted the suit off for further testing, a troubled frown grew on Jayron's face. Teleport had definitely been used, he had the bruises to prove as much. If it wasn't the suit, then someone must have teleported her. Was it possible her Elgyem had gotten some of its powers back? He was too exhausted to worry about it now. Donning his fedora once more, Jayron retired to his room.

IC: Amanda Zarth Amanda was compiling a number of reports in her room when the alert came in. Power Suit training...yes, that was mentioned at the briefing. She dismissed the matter and returned to her reports, failing to make the connection until a chime sounded at her door. "Enter." A mousy Liberty technician stood in the entryway. "Miss...er, Knight Zarth?" "Present. Is there something you require?" "You..." the Liberty agent gave her an odd look. "You're supposed to be training in like ten minutes." Amanda cocked her head. She had found the gesture useful for indicating confusion to outside observers, prompting a useful release of contextual information. "With the Power Suits, I mean." No response. Such absence would usually provoke elaboration, as it soon did. "For the mission. The mission tomorrow." The technician stared at her, obviously awaiting a reply. Amanda blinked. "I received the message, though I am uncertain as to the reasoning behind the necessity of my presence." The technician gaped at her. "The mission tomorrow...that you signed up for...that you're supposed to be going on?" A multitude of thoughts raced across Amanda's mind. There had clearly been a miscommunication, but how to remedy it? Withdrawing her participation could harm relations between Team Plasma and Teams Liberty and Rocket, and with only a ten-minute window before the training session, it seemed unlikely she would be able to find and inform either of her superiors to participate in her place, let alone both of them. I will need to rendezvous with Knights Hakuda and Tierra as soon as possible, she mentally noted, but in the meanwhile it appears I will need to continue to act in their stead. She of course expressed none of this to the technician, instead swiftly gathering her various accouterments into her briefcase. "Very well, then. Please direct me to the quickest route to the designated gathering point." And so she left, in the tow of one very confused technician, against all odds arriving precisely at the designated time. --------------- "Any questions?" Amanda had several, but at the moment her attention was elsewhere--namely, on her C-Gear and the detailed information on the Power Suit that had been provided to her. Fascinating, she thought as she considered the move list, they have replicated an impressive variety of Psychic-type moves for use with the device. I will have to inquire as to the methodology behind their selection process. As she continued to familiarize herself with her available abilities, she noted her slated opponent, Executive Aaron, to whom she nodded in greeting. After a short period of further study, she turned her attention to the magenta machinery she was slated to pilot. She gave the exotic equipment a full three-sixty inspection, tapping various points on the armor and taking notes on her C-Gear. Finally, she turned to a nearby technician, coincidentally the same one who had summoned her. "Pardon me, but where is the insignia meant to be attached?" "I'm...sorry?" "The alignment insignia. Laws of international warfare require that all combat uniforms bear some identifying insignia of the organization deploying the operative. While these suits may fall within a gray area legally speaking as to whether they are considered uniforms or combat vehicles, it would still be appropriate for such insignia to be borne upon them." "I'll, uh...see what I can do." The technician slowly backed away from the strange woman, careful not to break eye contact, before bolting from the room. Confident her inquiry would be addressed prior to the mission deployment in the morning, Amanda carefully suited up while another technician walked her through the basic functions of the HUD. At last she stood ready to spar...or she would have, had her eye not caught a particular move in her arsenal that drew her attention, one with which she had significant experience. The Plasma functionary returned to her briefcase, opening it to consider the Poké Balls within before finally extracting two, carrying them with her as she approached Executive Aaron. "Excuse me, Executive, but would you mind if two of my partners participated in our spar? While it seems unlikely that they will be able to participate offensively, it will allow me to better familiarize myself with certain moves in my suit's move list that require the presence of an allied combatant." She held one of the Plasma Balls out to her side, at approximately shoulder height, thumb hovering over the button for the release as she awaited the Executive's approval.

IC: Amelia Zann/Alex Zyther (+Didi [Dedenne]/+Raleigh [Ralts]) (August 5th, Kalos time) Alex watched the waves roll by as Amelia gunned the boat's throttle. He wasn't exactly sure how the strange woman had gotten the boat for them, and right now he wasn't sure he wanted to know. "What do you think, Didi?" he asked the diminutive Electric-type sitting in his lap. "Maybe she's nicer deep down?" He thought back to her attitude in Valerie's store, in the Pokémon Center, and in the hospital before. "...Really deep down?" "Denene!" Didi stated firmly, quietly ignoring the uselessness of the response to her Trainer. It wasn't her opinion he needed, but rather a reassurance of his own perceptions. The Dedenne couldn't give that to him, only he could, so she simply patted his leg reassuringly, reminding him of her unconditional support. Alex glanced over to Raleigh, who shifted uncomfortably and sighed. He could sense the Ralts wanted to say more, but...well, that was somewhat impossible right now, and even if he could talk it was unclear if he would. The Psychic-type held some clear guilt regarding the woman, but both parties seemed equally unwilling to discuss why. Alex couldn't play mediator between people who refused to even talk, and his Pokémon's discomfort only made his own feelings toward the woman that much more unclear. He sighed. Moping was getting him nowhere. Holding tightly to the railing--he doubted he could stand on his crutches atop the rolling deck, and he wasn't about to try--he moved the few steps forward it would take to reach his new traveling companion. "Do you not like me or something?" Amelia stayed silent. When it finally became clear feigning ignorance was not an option, she let out a slow breath. "It's not personal, kid. Not a lot of people I do like. You're just not one of them." Alex waited for an elaboration, but none came. "...And?" "And we're here." As the Trainer had indicated, the docks near Shalour City were just coming into view around the bend of the coast, perhaps a couple minutes out at their present speed. "Hang tight. Soon as I deliver the yacht, we'll go find Belle--or more likely, she'll find us. After all, we're not entirely inconspicuous." Alex braced himself for another of Amelia's appraising stares, but one never came. Sighing, he tucked his hands into his shorts and sat heavily on the seat next to Amelia. He looked aft to share a mournful glance with Didi. Here's hoping this 'Belle' is better, he thought miserably, otherwise this Journey is going to get even longer.

IC: Amanda Zarth "Of course, Executive. I will add such reassurance to my report." The Plasma functionary drew a business card from an inner pocket of her jacket and offered to the Executive. "Thank you for your time, Executive Arthur. Please feel free to contact me at any time should the necessity arise." Her business concluded, Amanda offered the Executive a respectful nod before leaving to find or message her superiors, and then--barring unforseen complications--return to her quarters to rest. As she headed down the hallway, she reflected briefly on the encounter. Though it was unfortunate that the Executive could not aid in her personal inquiry, he had proven both professional and proficient in his role. On the whole... She opened a file, adding a new line to the bottom. Executive James Arthur (Team Liberty, Kanto): ASSET

IC: Amanda Zarth After a few moments' careful study, Amanda nodded. "Very well." She took a few notes, and then: "Incidentally, I was personally impressed by the concept of assessing agents' Type Affinity Potential, and believe it would be a useful metric for general asset assessment. I believe both our Teams would benefit from a more widespread use of such a protocol." Not directly requesting, but implying a desire for the analytical metric in such a way that suggested Liberty could gain favor with Plasma for offering it freely, perhaps enough to partially offset the inevitable fears that would be brought up by the reveal of the new technology, regardless of her report and his assurances. She could not be sure that Executive Arthur could read such intentions, of course, but she considered it a likelihood, and offering him this small opportunity would be a useful test of her assessment of him. She reached the end of her notes. While there were doubtless any number of technical inquiries to be made, they were better left to technical staff and later discussion. The only question that remained was a more personal one. She grasped her pendant once more--this time, closing her eyes briefly and allowing herself a quiet breath--before she resumed speaking. "A last concern--one not official, but potentially relevant." She wished she could calculate how relevant--under normal circumstances she would not express such vague concerns to a non-Plasma official, but given the likely importance of this mission even outside the realm of joint operations, it was a variable she could not afford to keep hidden. "I noticed a 'Jamie Arthur' mentioned by various attendees of the briefing, as well as listed on the T.A.P. assessment sheet." She paused. How to continue? Inquire of a relation? Ask generally about her? No, irrelevant, the pressing concern is the concern itself. "During a chance encounter with her earlier today, as well as in all subsequent encounters since then, I experienced an unexpected instinctive reaction toward her--I believe the colloquial term is a 'gut response'. The primary output of this response seems to be a general feeling of unease, the context of which I have thus far been unable to discern. While I would not normally bring forward such vague intelligence, under the present sensitive circumstances I felt this may be necessary tactical information for you as the primary Executive leading the operation." A normal response to the circumstances would be to chew one's lip, but Amanda did not ordinarily experience such responses. The fact that she had experienced a response towards the Heroine of Time was in part why the concern was so pressing--but volunteering that information at present seemed unnecessary, even to a potential ally. Instead, she merely waited for the Executive's reply.

OOC: Warning: some opinions are Amelia's and not my own. IC: Amelia Zann (+Sina [sneasel]/+Harvey [Larvitar])/Alex Zyther (+Didi [Dedenne]/+Raleigh [Ralts]) (July 31st) Alex looked down at the Dedenne he cradled in one arm, noting for the first time that she had lost her distinctive glow. "They're really gone, aren't they?" Amelia glanced to Sina, the Sneasel ambling along obediently at her side. The Pokémon nodded curtly, returning her attention to surveying the street for suspicious activity. "'Fraid so, kid." She watched her Sneasel's eyes scan back and forth, on high alert now that her standard tricks were no longer backed by Pokémon powers. Amelia knew the Sneasel could handle herself without them--she made a point of training her team in physical combat from time to time, and apparently Sina had successfully finished off a dangerous enemy in Celadon without the need for powers. She was less sure of Harvey, but then he was the least-experienced member of her team that way. Second-least, Amelia reminded herself, remembering Qrow. They'd have to work on that. Alex, for his part, felt miserable. Out of nowhere it seemed like the entire world had fallen apart while he just...slept through it. Celadon, this Amelia lady, and now whatever had happened to Pokémon powers...so many terrible things, and he'd done nothing to interfere...no, he'd been powerless to interfere. Again. He hated it. Next to him, Raleigh reflected his Trainer's morose disposition. The Ralts was not the silent type by nature, and yet the mysterious flash of light had robbed him of everything. He'd made such mistakes, and strove strongly to rectify them, but it seemed the universe was not satisfied with his punishment. Even meeting Alex, the first Trainer he'd ever met who he just knew would accept him--that moment, one that ought to have been full of joy and the celebration of acquaintance, was instead filled with the silent dark of emptiness, his very voice stolen from him just hours before in the cruelest twist of fate. He was determined to make the best of the scenario, of course, but that still didn't change how that first special moment had died to strangling circumstance. He turned slightly towards Alex. Yes, he thought, he will understand. If only he could do so now, in our hour of distress. Alas. Didi seemed the only Pokémon unaffected, even if she was not exactly behaving as normal. The miniscule Dedenne copied Sina's scanning, tail flicking fiercely as she prepared to defend her master at any cost. She doubted she could do much in her present state, but as in Celadon she was determined to do what she could, and hoped that the strange redheaded woman and her own Pokémon would help if it came to such situations. She had little reason to trust them so, truth be told, but then the woman had surprised her in those last moments before what seemed like certain doom. And given her own state...trust was really the only option she had. Sina glanced back at the Electric/Fairy-type. Small. Weak. And yet determined. Good. They could use that. She didn't know why, but her Trainer seemed protective of the boy the Dedenne guarded--their Trainer no doubt--and so she would have to protect the civilian as well. She doubted that Harvey would pick up on the subtlety, but she knew the Larvitar was more than competent enough to protect Amelia on his own if need be, even without powers. Powers were a crutch, anyway, and despite his youthful bumbling she knew the Rock-type could see that and had put in practice without them. She trusted her teammate's overall prowess to be enough. Harvey kept his gaze directed outward. The Rock-type was uncomfortable with the amount of attention the group was drawing; he'd much rather conjure up a Sandstorm to sneak through, but of course that power was beyond him at the moment. Still, staying out of sight--or at least beneath notice--was always a big part of his Trainer's objectives, so when the number of incoming stares passed an internal margin, he tugged at his Trainer's leg. "What is it, Harv?" Amelia looked in the direction the Larvitar pointed, catching a number of hastily-averted gazes. She looked down at herself--she was a mess, dressed in torn rags more hole than fabric, and stained the color of dried blood. Not the most inconspicuous getup, she mused ruefully. Her companion was little better, his plain garments undamaged but more clearly intended as simple underclothes than "proper" outerwear (though perfectly fine by sane standards, in her view, the ridiculous Kalosian obsession with beauty notwithstanding). "Hey kid," she asked in a gentler tone than her usual, "know someplace 'round here we can find something decent to dress in?" It took a few moments for the query to break through his somber demeanor, but the moment it did he brightened up dramatically. "This is Laverre City! We can go get something designed by Valerie!" Setting Didi on his shoulder, Alex grabbed Amelia's hand and practically dragged her towards a building at the base of the largest tree in town, a massive maple bearing a clock set into the wood itself. Though she eventually managed to shake off the kid's hand, Amelia resigned herself to follow. I did ask... --------------- "Okay, are you always this eager to help people, or are y'all just that desperate to make a sale?" The Furisode Girl just laughed at her. "I'll admit it's been a slow day, but really, when someone's in need in this town, we're always happy to help." Amelia shook her head in disbelief. Either these people were incredibly naive, or else (and in her opinion, more likely) they were playing some angle. That made it her job to figure out what before the trap snapped shut around them. An aisle over, she heard the kid gabbling away with another of the shop assistants in Kalosian. The spy rolled her eyes. Why do people even bother with that mumbjo-jumbo, just talk normal like the rest of us. Despite her disdain, however, she was smart enough not to say as much in front of actual Kalosians, which was more than she could consistently say of her own homeland. "Amy Amy Amy!" came the call from the next aisle, as Alex crutched his way over to her. "How do I look?" Amelia gave the kid a once-over. "...No," she declared, forgetting even to correct his flagrant misuse of her name. "...But why not?" Alex gave her a puppy-dog look that might have worked on her a decade ago, but her defenses had evolved since then. "Really? You're asking why you can't wear platform boots when you're on crutches." "...okay, in retrospect I may have gotten caught up in the moment." The Kalosian sat down on a bench to remove the offending footwear, then shot a sideways glance at Amelia. "But the rest...?" Amelia raised an eyebrow, but just shrugged. "S'not my problem, unless it slows you down or gets us grabbed. You're not exactly inconspicuous like that." "Says the lady dressed like an Umbreon." "Hey, I'm working with what I got here. It ain't like we're in the middle of 'Midnight-Black Athletic Wear Unlimited', in case you hadn't noticed." And besides, if I'm not gonna blend, I can at least look good. "Fair enough." Alex sat in silence for a few minutes, swinging his legs. "So, I take it that means..." Amelia snorted. "Buy what you want, kid, ain't like I'm paying for it." "...so remember that part where I lost my wallet in Kanto?" Amelia swore. "I can't afford two outfits from this place, I can't really afford even this one!" "But I--" "Perhaps I can offer assistance?" Alex went paler, if it were possible. "M-m-miss Valerie!" Amelia rolled her eyes at the starstruck boy and turned her attention to the fashionably-dressed woman before her. "So...I take it you're the designer the kid's so infatuated with?" To Amelia's eternal amusement, the Kalosian's coloration reversed from pale to bright red. "I'm a fan of her work, okay?! I mean, Serena wears her designs, Amy. Serena!" The Gym Leader cut in before Amelia could correct the flustered Trainer. "I'm most flattered, young man, but I am hardly the only designer worn by our former Kalos Queen." "Yeah, but you're the only one who's strong enough to be a Gym Leader! Not even the newer Gym Leaders can claim that!" "Gym Leader? Really?" Amelia's tone was blatantly skeptical. "And yet you design dresses for a living." Valerie laughed, the sound ringing like the tinkling of bells. "That's just why I keep doing it. Because for all the people and Pokémon who put their passions into fashion and fighting, too few have a passion for both." ...Okay, I don't know how to talk to you. "Well, to each their own, I guess," she groused, trying to stay polite. "You said you wanted to help us with...er...our budget, as it were?" The spy was not keen on being indebted to the Gym Leader, but she grudgingly admitted that having another prominent contact in Kalos could prove useful. "That's right. Now normally, I would offer you a battle for the clothes, one-on-one..." "...but that's not exactly possible right now." "Speak for yourself, kid, my team can handle their own just fine." She glanced over to the waiting area near the doors, where Sina and Harvey waited patiently, the former surprisingly less patiently than the latter. It's all the Fairy-types, she realized, even with them powerless, her instincts must be screaming at her right about now. She made a mental note to find something nice for her partner for putting up with all this. "However, in light of the current...difficulties...we're putting together an impromptu fashion show, to try and raise the everyone's spirits. If you wanted to help us, I'd be more than happy to--" "Nope. No time for that, sorry." Heck if I'm leaving Belle hanging over a fashion show...no matter how much I'd steal said show. Amelia stalked off without a second glance, leaving Alex with Valerie. "...I'm sorry about her." "Don't be. I'm sure she has her reasons." "Yeah..." Alex shuffled his feet awkwardly, not sure what to say to his idol. The Gym Leader appraised the Kalosian trainer's new outfit. "It looks good on you. A fan of Azumarill?" The Trainer ducked his head in embarassment. "Steven Universe." "Ahh." The Gym Leader's eyes shimmered with mirth. "That was a good episode." Her expression shifted to one of sympathy. "I'm guessing your friend...?" Alex shrugged awkwardly. "I'm not really sure. We haven't...we only recently met, and she's not one for small talk." The Trainer attempted to exhale his frustration. "Not that I blame her. It's a weird situation already, and it's not like anyone else understands anyway." Valerie nodded sadly. "I...can understand why you'd feel that way," she offered, "but trust me when I say you're not alone." Alex started. "Huh...?" "I've been in business for quite a while now, and I've seen all sorts of people come through over the years. You're not weird or strange, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise, all right?" The Kalosian Trainer felt a lump rising in his throat. "Uhh...thanks." He brushed himself off, feeling self-conscious now that Valerie had drawn attention to his choice of outfit. "I...I don't suppose this comes with a less...conspicuous...option?" "I'm sure I can find something you'd be comfortable with," the Gym Leader replied kindly. "I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable." "Oh...no, no!" Alex tried to reassure her, though it fell flat even to his ears. "It's just...I just...come that way. I'm always uncomfortable." He frowned at his feelings. "That's part of why I'm on my journey. I want to get stronger, manage to do things even when they're hard for me. I...that's part of why I admire you so much." The Trainer blushed deeply, the red reaching all the way to the tips of his ears. Valerie smiled. "I'm honored that you find me such an inspiration, Mr....?" "Hm? Oh, Zyther. Alex Zyther." "As in Lionel Zyther?" "Yeah, he's my dad. You know him?" "We were foreign exchange students. I spent my first semester in Kalos with him and his family." Alex gaped at her. Valerie grinned. "Tell you what. I still owe your dad a favor or two, so why don't you just keep the outfit, on the house, and I'll just call it even." The Trainer was back to being embarassed. "T-Thanks, Miss Valerie." He paused. "Oh...could you let him and Mom know I'm back in Kalos? Whoever got my bag and my wallet also took off with my Holo Caster." He quickly rattled off the castle's contact information. "Of course." As she went with Alex to handle the rest of his wardrobe, the Gym Leader allowed herself a moment of reflection. So Lionel's married with kids now? How the time flies... She soon sent off the boy and his new friend with their purchases, then asked her staff to hold down the fort while she went to her quarters. "I'll be back soon," she reassured them, "I just have a call I need to make." As soon as she was out of sight, however, the Gym Leader frowned, remembering Alex's earlier words. "It's a weird situation already, and it's not like anyone else understands anyway." Yes, she thought, I definitely have a call to make.