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Pokémon: Rise Of The Rockets


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IC: Yu Changgong - Lazy Pidgey Cafe, Blackthorn City

 

Yu closed his eyes. "I haven't actively been seeking out the one who destroyed our dojo. Vengeance would be empty, and it's not what Master Zhang and the others would have wanted me to do with their legacy. But it is my wish that I may cross paths with that individual to fill the emptiness that formed in my heart that fateful day."

 

The swordsman cast a pensive look to the teacup he held with both hands in front of him. "There are details about the scene I witnessed that feel...troubling. All who were present met their end through a variety of means. Gunshot wounds, claw slashes, scorch marks, crushed limbs...but one thing stood out to me above all else." He looked at his old friend, a troubled expression breaking through despite his attempt at stoicism. "Master Zhang was killed with a sword. There's no mistaking the wounds he took. Another swordsman was present at the scene."

Edited by JiMing

Haven't seen one of these in a long time...

 

 

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IC: Flint Conley - Lazy Pidgey Cafe, Blackthorn City

 

For a single moment, Flint considered telling Yu everything, laying bare his sins and the distress they caused. Instead, the executive nodded and finished his tea. "I... have been searching," he said quietly. "And although I don't know who exactly was present and responsible, I have no doubt in my mind that the people responsible belonged to Team Liberty -- I'm sure you've heard of them, traveling as you have been?

 

"They're scum, nothing but rebels trying to upset the peace that Team Rocket has brought about. It would be just like them to try and coerce Master Zhang into aiding them and then killing him when he refused to take part in their violence."

"So Alku, happy 'was that a firecracker or shotgun?' day!"

"Hard mode: I'm in the south."

 

"Planning was never Zac Blazer's forte." - Blade, mastering the art of the understatement.

 

"We'll have to change the initials of the RPG from RotR to PTSD." - Me, discussing Rise of the Rockets.

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IC - Emmerich Coleman - Signs Warehouse, Kalos:

 

Emmerich could not help but give Chloe a look as if she had gone insane. Brushing all of his questions aside, he focused on the door, directing Machamp to open it.

 

This room was a much smaller space, very clearly an office from the worn and dusty furniture still inside. Directly in front of the door stood a wooden desk pushed against the opposite wall. A blank cork board occupied the wall space above the desk. To the right was a filing cabinet that had fallen over from its original position, perhaps as the result of its five drawers having all been opened. Another desk occupied the corner to the right of the entryway; to the left, a shelf which contained numerous, industrial-strength cleaning products. A thick layer of dust coated everything. A single light bulb hung from a wire in the center of the room, casting a rusty glow over the furniture when it was switched on.

 

"Clear," Emmerich said. He eyed the shelves. "Looks like that's all that's left. Would hate to know what they might've used that stuff to hide . . ."

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~ Rise of the Rockets (I II)/Discussion Topic/Side Stories ~

 

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Ryan Sanders - Signs Warehouse, Kalos

"Best not to think about it." Ryan suppressed a shudder as he turned away from the shelves to inspect the filing cabinet. Whoever had pulled out the drawers had also emptied out their contents. Like with the windmill, it seemed the Signs knew better than to leave behind any evidence of their activities. With a sigh, he walked over to the desk sitting off in the corner.

 

As he approached the desk, something shot out from underneath. A sharp pain shot up his leg as a powerful force knocked him to the ground. With a cry of surprise, Ryan twisted and flailed his leg, but the attacker clung to him like a Shellder to a Slowpoke's tail, filling the air with its rasping snarls. It wasn't until Ryan swung his leg into the filing cabinet that he managed to dislodge his opponent.

 

The matted bundle of fur sprawled on the ground in such disarray that if it wasn't for the four grimy paws sticking out Ryan would have thought he'd been attacked by a bird's nest. The creature got to its feet and slinked back into the shadows, where Ryan caught a brief glimpse of a distinctly feline face.

 

"Clear?" Ryan shot Emmerich a look before pulling out his Pokédex to identify the strange creature. The stock image the device provided looked nothing like the mess of fur cowering in the corner. The creature let out a warning hiss, and Ryan realized it had attacked out of fear, not malice. "Hey, there. We're not going to hurt you." As he spoke in a soothing voice, Ryan slowly took a Sitrus Berry from his bag and set in on the ground in front of him. "You must've been here since the Signs abandoned the place, huh? I bet you're awfully hungry."

 

The Pokémon gave another hiss. Ryan scooted back, motioning for the others to keep their distance. Then slowly, hesitantly, the gaunt form of a Litleo emerged from beneath the desk. Its matted fur barely concealed the skin pressed thinly against its ribcage, giving the cub an almost skeletal appearance.

 

As the Litleo began to hungrily devour the berry, Ryan inspected his leg. The scratches weren't deep, but they had drawn blood. Even on the brink of starvation, this Pokémon was a fighter. "Do you think this little guy was intended to be part of Shift's trafficking circle?" he asked softly.

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC - Emmerich Coleman - Signs Warehouse, Kalos:

 

With an apologetic look to Ryan, Emmerich peered closer at the Litleo. "Clear signs of malnourishment, aggressively defensive . . . I'd say it's pretty likely." Emmerich glanced at Ryan's leg. "I'd suggest cleaning and bandaging that as soon as possible. There's no telling what kind of diseases it could be carrying."

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~ Rise of the Rockets (I II)/Discussion Topic/Side Stories ~

 

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IC: Emily Lockwood/Lachina Adaon/Jared Winters - Geosenge Town, August 11

 

Emily led the way through town to the restaurant, gushing the whole way about the cozy atmosphere and "quaint charm" of the family-run establishment. After everyone was seated (which did take some time for the large group) and had ordered (ditto), Jared cleared his throat.

 

"Alright, let's talk without the prying ears of Lionel around -- no offence, Lucia, but your dad has a lot to protect right now, and our mission here isn't to make him or his assets look good."

 

Lachina nodded. "Right. We're here to stop some really terrible people--"

 

"Who are probably all dead," Emily interrupted, talking quietly as the other two had. "Nobody's seen hide nor hair of... them for over a decade. I really think that this Xander who gave you the mission was jumping at shadows, just like the press is."

 

Jared scowled. "What about that suitcase we found with the uniforms in it?"

 

"Look, just because you find a bunch of red suits doesn't mean-- you know." Emily rolled her eyes. "You want there to be a threat, so you're taking anything as evidence of a threat. You're being pretty paranoid about it, too."

 

Jared clenched his jaw, and even Lachina tensed up at the girl's words.

"So Alku, happy 'was that a firecracker or shotgun?' day!"

"Hard mode: I'm in the south."

 

"Planning was never Zac Blazer's forte." - Blade, mastering the art of the understatement.

 

"We'll have to change the initials of the RPG from RotR to PTSD." - Me, discussing Rise of the Rockets.

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-==IC: Evan Tierra/James Arthur/Jenny Hakuda/Masked Royal/??? - Battle Royal, Alola - [26]==-

 

 

Lancelot took a few hops, side to side as he planned his next attack.

 

 

“Lancelot. Attack from the left,” Avalon said to the Scizor.

 

 

Lancelot saw that Monstro had less room to dodge if he followed Avalon’s instruction. Not that he expected the Swampert to dodge, but it was good to limit Monstro’s options. The Scizor hopped forward in a zig-zag pattern. He landed right near Monstro and let forth a left corkscrew at Monstro.

 

 

Terra Incarnate, during the lead up to Lancelot’s attack, had noticed the crowd wasn’t exactly fired up. Sure, they were excited, but they could stand to be even moreso. When he saw Lancelot rushing towards Monstro, the Villain grinned menacingly. “Monstro, Hydro Pump when he hits you!” Evan said, deciding it was time to amp up the heat of the crowd. As soon as Lancelot’s gauntlet made impact, Monstro released a great deal of pressurized water from his mouth, aiming to push away the Scizor with it.

 

 

Lancelot raised his other gauntlet to guard himself, but plenty of water hit before he could do so. Even after his guard was raised, the pressure of the water pushed him back to the edge again. He was soaking wet when the attack subsided. He moved to create a sword, when James cleared his throat to catch Lancelot’s attention. Lancelot looked to him and then to the crowd where James was pointing. It had gone into a stunned silence when Monstro had used Hydro Pump, causing Evan to step forward.

 

 

“YES, ALOLA, I HAVE COME, WITH THE PRINCESS OF PERIL, TO DETHRONE THE MASKED ROYAL. FOR YOU SEE, WHAT BETTER TIME TO TAKE HIM DOWN, THAN WHEN HE HAS NO POWER, AND I DO?!” Terra Incarnate said, making sure to ham it all up for what it was worth. “SO YOU’D BETTER GIVE UP, AVALON, BEFORE YOUR PRECIOUS SCIZOR GETS HURT! MONSTRO, ICY WIND!” Monstro then rushed towards the steely bug and exhaled a chilling gust of breath at the Scizor, having the time of his life. The crowd was booing the villain’s heinous action and monologue.

 

Avalon managed to look thoroughly surprised as he called out, “Lancelot, dodge!”

 

 

The Scizor didn’t need to be told twice. He spread his wings and flew to stay away from the chilly wind. Bullet Punch could counteract the slowing effect of Icy WInd. But James wasn’t letting him use his moves yet. Has Lancelot told you how frustrating that is? The answer is very. He decided to go in for an attack regardless of the disadvantageous state. The crowd still needed a show. He flew in to try and hit Monstro’s head once again.

 

“Monstro, batter him away with Hammer Arm!” Terra Incarnate said, laughing maniacally at the boos he was getting from the crowd. “Smash him like the bug he is!”

 

Monstro was struck on the head once more, but heard his friend’s command, and battered his foe with a power Hammer Arm strike to the thorax. “Nothing personal, buddy.” Monstro growled at the Scizor as the Mud Fish struck him.

 

 

As the two fire types continued to strike at each other, the Masked Royal focused on the Swampert's usage of powers with a shocked look on his face. However, he grinned, as it looked like a fire had been lit underneath him.

 

 

Perfect! This might just work… The Masked Royal suddenly understood the meaning of Kris's words and glanced over to James. "Avalon!" The wrestler bellowed out to his partner, as he punched upwards in the air. "You can make a difference! Show the people of Alola what you can do! You too, Incineroar, turn the tides!"

 

 

The tiger roared in acknowledgement. With a flying leap, he bounded out of the range of Boarlite's attacks, then landed on the ropes. "Now!" Using the ropes like a springboard, the Incineroar leaped up, as if he were using an unpowered version of Malicious Moonsault. The Emboar seemed surprised as she tried to dodge, but her foe landed directly on top of her. She struggled to escape, but she had been pinned to the ground rather successfully, much to the cheers of the crowd.

 

 

"Now! See how your villainy fairs against the power of justice!" The Masked Royal cried out as Boarlite continued to struggle. Subtly, the Masked Royal began to motion to Evan, even as he held his hands up in the air in victory.

 

 

The Princess of Peril looked in shock - these were amazing moves. "Tenlite, you seeing this?" She mumbled as she glanced down to her Poké Ball. She couldn't see the Litten's reaction, but could just bet that she was amazed by what was going on as well. Still - was there really no way to get out of that pin? Boarlite kept trying her best, but at this rate, it would take a miracle.

 

 

***

 

 

While all this was going on, the blonde-haired woman from earlier watched from the shadows of the entrance with a grin. So… how are you gonna get out of this one, Princess of Peril?

 

 

***

 

 

Lancelot’s movements became more cautious. James still hadn’t given the go ahead to use his moves. He really didn’t want to take another Hydro Pump or a Hammer Arm without anything to show for it. He ran in for a quick jab, intending to clear out as soon as the blow hit to avoid retaliation.

 

 

Terra Incarnate saw the motions the Masked Royal had given him, but he didn’t need to be told twice. The audience needed more heat, and what better way to do that, by resorting to dirty tricks? “MONSTRO, BLOW THEM ALL AWAY WITH HYDRO PUMP.” The Villain cried out. “I’m certain the Princess of Peril won’t mind if her Emboar gets a little wet!” At his friend’s command, Monstro fired another blast of pressurized water, aiming to hit Lancelot, Boarlite, The Royal’s Incineroar, and most importantly, the Royal himself. “I WOULDN’T GET TOO SECURE, MASKED ROYAL!” Terra Incarnate said, as the crowd began booing him again.

 

“Lancelot!” Avalon called. “Defend Incineroar. Use your full ability, I believe you can do it!”

 

 

Finally. Lancelot began to run. His run turned in a blazing fast dash carried by Bullet Punch. He outpaced the water by running diagonally, placing himself directly between the torrent of water and Incineroar. Earlier, he could’ve Roosted with no one the wiser. But now he was gonna make sure everyone knew that’s what he was doing. He began to glow as he braced himself for the impact. His old wounds began to disappear as he took new ones.

 

 

“A true ally of justice never abandons his comrades! And a true warrior has no need of underhanded tricks!” Avalon managed to say with a completely straight face.

 

 

As the attack subsided, Lancelot began to twirl. As he span, an ethereal yellow blade formed. Lancelot grasped that blade before letting out a loud chirp. The real battle would begin from here.

 

 

The torrent had been blocked for the most part. The swaying motion of the Hydro Pump had been mostly blocked, though through no fault of Lancelot's, part of the attack had made it past his guard. The Masked Royal hid a grin as he watched it come straight for him. When the attack landed, the wrestler made an exaggerated motion as if the attack had more strength behind it than it actually did, then fell backwards to the ground. He made sure to have his foot land in a way that made it seem worse than it was.

 

 

The aftermath was a mixture of cheers for Lancelot, then murmurs as the crowd realized that the Masked Royal was holding his ankle and not standing up. A couple people walked over toward the ringside where the Masked Royal was and began to talk with him for a little bit.

 

 

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE RING?! THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE COME TO KNOW, BUT THIS IS STILL CHAOS NOW!" The announcer yelled out, shocked speechless from the events that happened. "The Scizor has regained their powers, and the Masked Royal seems to be down for the count! What does this mean? Does the Masked Royal have to give up the match? Does this mean that he will lose his title?! What will happ-"

 

"Evil will not prevail!"

 

A speakerphone signaled the arrival of a masked woman on one of the runways to the stage. "The title only gets lost if the Masked Royal forfeits or loses the match. But!" The woman pointed to the stage with enthusiasm. "If he tags out… then the title is preserved!" She smiled confidently as she stepped toward the stage, then held her hand out to the Masked Royal. With a nod, the other wrestler tagged her hand, as the other two people helped him out of the ring.

 

 

"MY name… is Blaze Dark! The fiery anomaly championed by the forces of darkness!" The woman said as she climbed into the ring. Fetching a Poké Ball, she quickly sent out her Cranidos to take the stage. "And I will never let evil prevail! I will bend darkness to my will to ensure that!"

 

"This is unprecedented! This is incredible! A new wrestler has taken the Masked Royal's place, and she seems out to get these challengers no matter the disadvantage!" The announcer looked over to Lancelot, who again seemed to be pumped up. "And on the other side of the ring, Avalon seems to be just as fired up as Blaze Dark! Will these two newcomers make the most unlikely pair to take down the challengers?!"

 

 

As the Masked Royal walked off stage, he grinned back. Blaze Dark had requested to enter in earlier, but he hadn't quite expected the payoff to be like this.

 

 

"Kukui, sir, careful on your foot." The aide cautioned, to which the wrestler laughed.

 

 

"Don't worry! I simply used the trick of the eyes. I'm fine." To emphasize, he put his full pressure on his foot for a moment with a grin. "I must ask, though, who is Kukui?"

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IC - Now:

 

A light arced across the sky and descended. It made landfall. The waters of the lake exploded outward into steam upon the frozen shores.

 

 

IC - A short time ahead:

 

There was something to be found in the serene confines of Black City. Even with the crisis in the other regions, the global issue of the lost Pokémon Powers, Black City itself was calm. The streets were secure, the citizens content, and the government itself hard at work to solve what problems they could.

 

It was for these reasons that Officer Kade was more than happy to take patrol duty. Dull as the task was, the lack of activity was itself indicative of something positive. He stopped on a walkway through a small park. Plasma Castle stood nearby, overlooking the rest of the city. Its many windows glowed with light, matching the backdrop of the night sky with its brilliance. Inside, countless engineers, scientists, politicians, and other bright minds operated like clockwork, on and off and on again. Though he could not contribute directly to the larger-scale efforts occurring in Plasma Castle proper, he could still help in some small way by ensuring that the surrounding city remained a safe place for those who could.

 

Though their efforts moved slowly, it was clear that they were on the path to stability.

 

With a deep breath, Kade closed his eyes. He breathed out, opening them, and looked to the moon.

 

A light arced across the sky and descended.

 

A beautiful sight.

 

It fell . . . and fell . . . and fell . . .

 

Kade's eyes widened as he realized that what had appeared to be a shooting star was very rapidly heading toward the city itself, gaining more and more speed with each passing second. Before he could do anything more than process this fact, the light streaked above him, cutting straight through a spire atop one of Plasma Castle's towers before vanishing behind the massive structure itself. A brief moment later, the ground shook violently; in the distance, an earsplitting explosion of noise erupted from the light's point of impact, a cacophony of crashing metal and stone and gas bursting from the impact, followed shortly by a droning alarm.

 

An alarm that--with much dread--Kade recognized from Black City's prison.

 

 

The prison was in bad shape when he arrived.

 

A gaping hole had been punched straight through the roof of the massive structure; there was no telling how deep it went into the facility. As he ran toward the building, he noted the hasty activity from other Team Plasma squads around the prison. Squad cars formed a perimeter around the place, and behind them several ambulances and firetrucks were just arriving. He saw groups of Plasma Agents picking their way through rubble and moving through the entrance. Kade followed them, adjusting his rifle as he turned on his radio. The device buzzed incoherently, the result of some unknown interference. A fellow Agent waved to him and he flashed his badge, moving past her.

 

The group--about eight Agents in total--hustled through the halls, Kade close on their trail. They checked as they went--doors, prison blocks, offices--ensuring that the facility remained under control. But they were heading to the point of impact; everything else was secondary. It had been some time since he had last pulled duty in the prison, but he realized where they were heading. At the next intersection of halls, he split off from the group, heading down several flights of stairs and working his way through the network of hallways.

 

As he suspected, the object--meteor?--had landed in the western morgue. And it had done a number on the place. The doors were scorched from the impact, barely holding onto their hinges. A thick cloud of dust hung in the air, even now; he could see virtually nothing through the windows of the doors nor the new openings that had been created in the ensuing damage. The doorway and walls, all thick concrete and metal, now bore spiderwebs of cracks and splinters.

 

Kade slowed down, ensuring that his breathing mask was secure and functioning, and approached the morgue. He ducked down, carefully slipping inside.

 

It was dark, save for the moonlight drifting in through the hole above. Several cables hung limply from the walls of the hole; a couple of them sparked occasionally. With a pang of disgust, Kade realized how many cells must have been punctured to reach this point . . . He shook his head, lowering his gaze back to the room. Nearby, two bodies rested against the wall. Their conditions were . . . not ideal. Shrapnel and heat had done enough damage that he wasn't even sure whether they were morticians who had been working in the room, or if they had been unlucky prisoners dragged down from the cells above.

 

The real surprise, however, was what he found as he moved closer to the center of the room.

 

It was the meteor. Or, rather, what might have been called a meteor. Rather than rock, however, the object was large and crystalline, easily as large as an adult. It was seed-shaped, and as he looked at it, it seemed to glow with a dull, yellow light.

 

It pulsed.

 

Something in his stomach twisted. When he calmed himself, Kade took a step back. He raised his rifle at it, struggling to maintain his composure. He could not begin to guess what this object was, but it was very, very clearly trouble.

 

A mechanical hiss sounded and he froze in place.

 

As the dust in the air began to clear, he could make out a shape disengaging from the crystal. It was humanoid in structure, but the gaps in its silhouette indicated that it was anything but human in truth. The thing pulled itself off of the crystal, struggling for a moment to free itself. With a crack, it managed the feat, rising to its full height as it pulled its head away. Smoke rose off of its mechanical body. With a crane of its neck, it shook is head. A mane of white hair shone in the moonlight. If it was aware of Kade, it did not indicate so. With uneven, stunted steps, it moved away from the crystal, toward the far wall. It peered for a moment at the two bodies with a single, glowing yellow eye. Then, with a claw like death's grip, it reached for the door to one of the chutes containing the morgue's inhabitants. The door stuck, clearly damaged from the impact, but the creature was not deterred; it merely ripped the door from the wall, pulling the sliding bed out to observe the corpse within. It did this several more times, evidently searching for someone in particular.

 

By the time Kade managed to raise his gun, the thing had opened the final chute. This one contained the body of a very notorious criminal. Kade allowed enough time for it to pull out Gerald Hikari's body from its holding place before he trained his rifle on the creature. At this point, it stopped down in its tracks, finally acknowledging him. Its gaze pierced him with the cold, menacing glare of a machine. It raised a hand to him. He pulled the trigger, firing a burst of bullets at the creature. These bounced harmlessly off of its palm and chest.

 

A loud bang sounded, and the creature's hand had stretched outward, closing around Kade's head. His body fell to the floor, and the hail of bullets ceased.

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~ Rise of the Rockets (I II)/Discussion Topic/Side Stories ~

 

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-==IC: Jenny Hakuda("Princess of Peril")/Evan Tierra("Terra Incarnate")/James Arthur("Avalon")/"Blaze Dark" - Battle Royal, Alola - [27]==-

 

Now that Lancelot was fully armed, his body began to boil with bloodlust. He wondered if James would use that transformation. Regardless, against an opponent with range attacks, it was best to close the gap. That meant…

 

“Lancelot! Use Lunge!”

Lancelot smiled. That was what he was thinking too. The Scizor spread his wings to improve his mobility. He flew to get close, before stabbing his sword at Monstro.

 

Monstro was stabbed by the sword, and as he was, he felt his physical strength wane. His speed had been hampered by the Hammer Arm he unleashed earlier, so swift movement wasn’t an option. “Monstro, while he’s up close and personal, use Icy Wind on his eyes!” Terra Incarnate yelled out, grinning at this turn of events. Monstro huffed a blast of chilly breath into the mighty Scizor’s eyes, and as he did so, he wondered if Evan was going to use his new forme….
 

The ice froze around places on his eyes. His steel typing prevented most of the damage, but the ice would make it hard to see. However as his opponent was just in front of him, it gave him better than even odds of hitting.

 

Avalon called out, “Brutal Swing, Lancelot. Show them that petty tricks will not avail them!”

 

The Scizor hefted his sword in a wide arc. Even if he couldn’t tell which direction the Swampert would try to dodge, the wide arc of the attack would make dodging a difficult prospect.

Monstro decided to tank the Dark-Type attack, figuring his strong body could take a lot of what the Scizor had to offer. He looked to Evan, who then barked out another order. “I think a taste of his own medicine is in order, Monstro! BASH -HIS- HEAD WITH HAMMER ARM!” Monstro complied, taking advantage of Lancelot’s limited eyesight to slam both forelimbs on the Bug-Type’s head.

 

***
 

The Princess of Peril grinned as she faced her new opponent. "Blaze, right? Hope you like the taste of defeat!"

 

"Oh, sorry, I'm not that fond of feet." The masked woman grinned back, as she pointed forward. "Ran, use the ropes!" With a yelp of acknowledgement, the Cranidos leaped up onto the ropes that bordered the arena. As the fire-type barreled toward them, they launched off the ropes and the Cranidos smashed their head into the Emboar with a rather solid blow that landed the pig on the ground, the wind knocked completely out of her.

 

"What… just happened?" The Princess of Peril asked with a stunned look on her face from the sheer force of the strike. Boarlite struggled to push herself back up as she caught her breath. The Cranidos walked toward the downed Emboar with the best approximation of a grin on their face.

 

"Momentum happened! The power of science is amazing, isn't it?" Blaze Dark grinned for a few moments before she closed her eyes. "Is that really the best you can do, though?" With a laugh, Blaze reached up to the mask on her face as she shook her head. "Such a villain as you will surely fall to my darkness!"

 

"I'm not out yet!" The Princess of Peril exclaimed, as she pointed forward. "Boarlite, use a sweeping kick!" As her trainer called out to her, the Emboar sweeped her leg across the ground and tripped up the approaching Cranidos in a surprising flash. However, the rock-type quickly rolled to the side to avoid the follow-up elbow. Boarlite scrambled to her feet as Ran picked themself up too.

 

"Interesting. Alright then! This is getting interesting, then." With a wide smile, Blaze Dark threw her mask to the side, her dark brown eyes shining with determination as she assumed a battling pose. "Then I won't hold back! Now, light and darkness, mix together! I, Marie Homura, will be the one to defeat you!"

 

"Homura--?" The Princess of Peril's eyes flickered with recognition as she recalled what Kris had said the day before. Her eyes widened, but she didn't have any time to react before the Cranidos slammed their head into Boarlite's chest once more. It was a surprising thing to the acting heel, but right now what mattered was the match - there would be time to deal with this after the match was over.

 

***

 

Lancelot took both fists to the face. The pain was immense. Exquisite. When the Scizor grabbed both of Monstro’s arms, he would allow the pain to power his movements. Lancelot’s Counter manifested by the Scizor tossing the Swampert at one of the posts with twice the force to Monstro had used to smash his face.

There was no stopping Monstro from slamming into the post. The pain washed all over his body, causing the Swampert to cry out in pain dramatically. Terra Incarnate looked on with a faux worried look on his face. “Well, Avalon, seems I gave you too little credit!” The Fiend yelled out, grinning. “But you see, I have the power of THE VERY GROUND BENEATH OUR FEET! MONSTRO, NO MORE GAMES! LET’S END THIS!” The Swampert’s eyes lit up as he got back onto his feet, and became encased in a shell of light. When the shell finally broke, there was Monstro in his almost cartoonishly buff body. “Think you can stop us now, Avalon?”

While Terra Incarnate was shouting, Lancelot was Roosting off a few of his wounds and James was trying to concentrate. Evan made this look so easy. He had to really focus to bring his memories of Lancelot to mind. James took a breath.

 

“Was that meant to frighten us?” Avalon asked, casually fixing his cravat. “I think Lancelot, it is time to show him what a true knight can do.”

 

The Scizor stabbed the ethereal sword into the ground. Avalon stuck his hand out towards Lancelot, his focus solely on his friend. Rainbow light swirled around Lancelot. His body temperature soared. His emotions reached a fever pitch. The light dispersed to reveal the knight. This forme was still stained with the soot of the Leopyred. As Lancelot picked up the sword in the ground, it grew in size until it became the claymore he had wielded against Samurloch. Lancelot spread his wings.

 

“Come at us, Terra Incarnate!”

“You don’t need to tell me twice!” Terra Incarnate yelled, not losing his composure at seeing Lancelot in his awesome new forme. “Monstro, Icy Wind, then…….Earthquake!” Monstro exhaled at gale of cool breath at the Scizor, aiming to slow down what he knew was going to happen, for the crowd’s sake. The audience was going wild at the new formes they were seeing, which made the Swampert’s heart swell. After reflecting on that, he then slammed his arms down onto the ring, taking care to limit his power to not disturb the other fight taking place there.

“Lancelot, the skies are yours, Aerial Ace!”

 

Lancelot beat his wings and shot off the ground, his wings lifting his heavy body into the air. Frost bit at the tips of his legs. Debris shook loose from the ground, shooting towards Lancelot. He had no time to think. He absorbed the power from his sword and channeled it into his wings. Rainbow light poured from his wings, and with one beat of his wings, he had risen far above the stage. Lancelot had no intention of waiting Monstro out. Flipping in mid-air, he dove towards the stage. The shaking and the debris still raged as Lancelot curved his descent. He dodged a part of the stage that broke free from the ground. Dragging his arm back, he rushed toward the giant’s head, to smash it again.

 

***

 

Marie's attacks had become a lot more coordinated since she had gotten serious, and the Princess of Peril could only watch as Boarlite was forced near exclusively to the defense. Although the Cranidos was slow normally, they seemed to be able to take advantage of spacing their attacks well enough to keep Boarlite on her toes. However, the surprising new forms and the earthquake did well to knock the Cranidos off guard.

 

"What the…?" Marie mumbled in surprise at the way both Pokémon took on a different appearance and seemed stronger for it. "Are those evolutions…?" She shook her head and focused back on her fight, though she still seemed distracted by the other battle. She saw that the Emboar had taken some damage from the earthquake too, but that the moment of weakness now meant that her Cranidos was soaring back toward the ropes.

 

"Alright, use it to your advantage!" Marie shouted out, as the dazed rock-type shook their head. With a nod, the Cranidos hit the ropes and managed to spring back with the momentum. Boarlite watched with a momentary look of confusion, before the scene finally caught up.

 

Oh no.

 

The Cranidos used its head, literally, as they smashed into the Emboar head first. The damage had accumulated, as she staggered back a few steps, then dramatically fell to the ground, knocked out. No-one seemed to actually know what to say, let alone Marie herself, who blinked at the scene.

 

"Oh ye gods, my 'boar is ruined!" The Princess of Peril exclaimed, as she pointed toward Boarlite. With only a moment's pause, she quickly recalled the Emboar.

 

"Is… there anything else?" Marie asked, a cautious look on her face.

 

"Yes!"

 

There were a few moments pause as nothing happened.

 

"... Are you going to send whatever's next out?"
 

"No!" The Princess of Peril turned to Terra Incarnate quickly. "All up to you, bye!"

 

Marie watched with a completely caught off guard look as the red-haired woman dashed off stage. "???????????????" With a shake of her head, she frowned and looked over to Avalon. "I'll leave this in your hands too!" The wrestler said quickly, before she quickly followed Jenny off the stage.

 

***

”I’m not expecting this to work, but…” Terra Incarnate thought as the Scizor descended towards his friend. “Monstro, Wide Guard!” The villain yelled out. Monstro crossed his enlarged forelimbs in front of him, and roared, creating a wall of watery rainbow light, unlike how Wide Guard usually manifested for the Mud Fish.

The Aerial Ace was strong, but when Lancelot’s gauntlet collided with the watery wall, the water absorbed the momentum. Lancelot didn’t have time to be shocked. The aftershocks of Monstro’s attack had stopped. He pushed off the wall of water. That wall had to come down when Monstro attacked again.

 

“Lancelot, prepare,” Avalon called to the Scizor. The Scizor landed directly in front of Monstro. He recalled from his wings into himself. He spread his legs apart, and leaned forward. He placed both of gauntlets on one side of his body and stared Monstro straight into his eyes. And then, he waited. Silently.

Terra Incarnate knew what Avalon was planning, and looked at the Wide Guard Monstro has conjured. There were cracks where Lancelot’s gauntlet had impacted, and that meant the shield wouldn’t last another strike. Monstro himself looked very worn down, but was clearly enjoying himself. The villain smiled. “Monstro, RUSH HIM WITH YOUR SHIELD. CRUSH HIM BENEATH IT’S POWER!” Monstro roared as he charged towards the Scizor, knowing the end was near for this battle. He had to admit, if he was gonna potentially lose, it was definitely fitting to lose as a villain.

Avalon smiled. “Lancelot! Lunge!”

 

Lancelot pushed forward off the ground. A drawing and stabbing motion may not have been possible for a real sword, and certainly not for a claymore. But when the sword is created ex nihilo, anything becomes possible. So it was that the knight with one whirlwind motion, created a claymore and plunged it straight into the wall. The sea of light parted under the pinpoint force. The ripples became waves, dispersing the water, tossing it far and soaking the first two rows of the audience behind Terra Incarnate. But Lancelot’s momentum didn’t stop at just the shield. With every muscle in his body pushing, the knight thrust his sword at the giant.

The claymore, dulled at the last minute by Lancelot, slammed into the muscular Swampert, knocking him back a ways. The Water-type knew that in terms of mobility, Lancelot had the advantage, not to mention that claymore gave him enough reach to not worry about getting hit by the Mud Fish. “Monstro, let’s go big or go home! EARTHQUAKE!” The Swampert beat his arms down onto the ring once again, but kept his focus on Lancelot, ready to act in case he went aerial again.

 

Lancelot lost his balance from the quake. He was buffeted by the ground that seemed to rise to meet him. He spread his wings as he tried to gain his bearings. He was about to take off when Avalon called out.

 

“Lancelot! Topple the giant! Remember Pierce!”

 

Images of the battle in the egg flashed in Lancelot’s mind. If he could suffer through that Golurk’s Earthquake to do what he did then, then he could do it here too. He sheathed his wings. The knight forced his body to stay upright as he closed the few feet between himself and Monstro. He dropped his sword, leaving it behind. He grasped the giant Swampert’s body with his arms. And at the peak of the tremor’s wave he activated Counter. He pulled with all of his might, and the Swampert left the ground.

 

Monstro was sent flying up towards the ceiling, the might of the Counter powering his ascension. Monstro looked down to where the mighty Scizor was. I can't let it end in such a lame way…… Monstro focused power to his aching arms as he began to fall again, aiming to smash Lancelot one last time.

 

That was higher than Lancelot had expected. His strength in this forme, it was exhilarating. It shook every fiber of his body. He spread his arms at the beautiful sight above him. His foe helpless to avoid his fate, embracing his end in desperate heroic fashion. The Scizor’s body began to steam. As the arms came down upon him, he felt truly blessed to have been apart of this battle. He twisted his body under the pain, his senses scrambled under the head trauma. But his arm tore into Monstro. With one more Counter, he slammed Monstro into the ground. He fell to a knee. He couldn’t stand. Lancelot was tired, but more than that, he was elated. Euphoric.

That was it for Monstro. The Mud Fish fell to the shattered ground, breathing heavily as sweet unconsciousness overcame his mind. He’d given 120% to this fight, and lost in the best fashion. He had no regrets whatsoever. Terra Incarnate looked at Monstro, then at Avalon, and then at Lancelot. “It seems you have bested me this day, Avalon, but….” Terra Incarnate said as he returned Monstro to his Poké Ball, grinning. “I SHALL RETURN TO TAKE THE TITLE OF MASKED ROYAL, MARK MY WORDS!” The Masked Villain ran off to his corner of the stage, laughing maniacally as he did so.

James watched Evan leave. Evan’s Garchomp had bested Gawain. Now Lancelot had bested Monstro. The earlier battle between Gnip and Lancelot couldn’t really count, as he had an unfair advantage. There would be a score to settle another day. Avalon had one last role to do today.

 

Avalon walked forward to stand near Lancelot. He helped the Scizor find his ability to stand again. He whispered ‘great job’ to his friend. Lancelot saw the sword and walked over to it, clutching the ethereal claymore with one gauntlet. Avalon turned to the audience. They had been shouting during the final moments of the battle with such intensity that Avalon couldn’t have ordered Lancelot to behave any differently if he had tried. But now the crowd waited in silence. Avalon swallowed, took a deep breath, and began to speak.

 

“Justice won here today. But evil will return. It will crawl out of the same shadowed corner it always has,” Avalon said making a dismissive gesture at the direction that Terra Incarnate left in. “But as long as heroes choose to stand against it, evil will be beaten back into that corner, just as it always has.”

 

Lancelot came and stood by him, Avalon gestured to his partner. “We are but two heroes among many. We were just lucky enough to be first ones with our powers back.” Lancelot hoisted his sword in a salute to his trainer. A sadistic warrior’s best attempt at trying to appear respectable.

 

Avalon made a sweeping gesture, making a deliberate effort to make direct eye contact with as many members of the audience as he could. He stuck his hand out and pointed to the audience.

 

“I look into this crowd and I see so much potential for good. Potential just waiting for a chance. Your chance will come. Have faith and hold firm. When evil comes again, join me. Together we will drive evil out, once and for all!” he yelled, Lancelot raising his sword in unison with his words.

 

The audience roared with applause at Avalon’s proclamation. People were chanting the Masked Hero’s name loud and clear, as he departed for his corner of the arena, having recalled his Scizor to his Poké Ball.

 
 
 

IC: Guinevere/Natalie - Saffron City

 

Guinevere collapsed onto a motel bed. Jet lag had kicked the pair of investigators in the chest more than once in the past couple of days. Going from Black City had been just as bad as getting to it. Her brain wouldn’t let her fall asleep. It was still trying to figure out what to do.

 

They decided not to make a call to Cassie in Unova. Ideally they’d come up with a way to send a secure message. And so far they hadn’t. Guinevere’s mind kept turning to the one way she knew they could’ve secured it, but she really didn’t want to take that option. She didn’t have the same level of knowledge of encryption her trainer did. If she had been able to coordinate with Cassie before all this, she could’ve done it.

 

Natalie, meanwhile, flipped through different channels on the TV. "Oh, hey, they have Alola's Battle Royal. Must be a rerun--" The woman was cut off by a blurb on the bottom of the screen saying it was a surprise live match. "... I stand corrected. How would this even work without powers. Wanna watch, Guin?"

 

Guinevere looked up slightly, at first. She pawed around for her marker and her whiteboard. When she eventually grabbed them, she wrote a letter on it and held it up to Natalie.

 

[K]

 

The Gardevoir scrunched her body and slowly sat up to face the television. The fighters were just starting to arrive on the stage. She lethargically watched the cheesy antics until the the last spotlight came up.

 

Her first thought was ‘wait.’

 

Then an oddly familiar Scizor came tumbling out of his Ultra Ball.

 

Her second thought was ‘what.’

 

Guin’s eyes just widened and her jaw dropped as she watched James spout some cheesy lines about being Avalon. Avalon. Just spouting his old professional name for everyone to hear. Was he that confident that they had wiped every last trace of their extralegal exploits from the face of the Earth? Or did he simply not care at this point. Whatever the answer was, Guinevere no longer seemed to feel tired. She dragged herself over to the edge of the bed to see what was happening on the television.

 

Natalie watched with amusement as she saw the hammy antics. "That redhead seems familiar, but I don't know why. Want popcorn?" She asked, as she got up and groggily made her way over to the small kitchen set in the room.

 

Guinevere nodded absentmindedly. She didn’t notice when Natalie came back with the popcorn, even when the Gardevoir instinctively put the food in her mouth. Not once did she turn away from the action. She decided she was rooting for Lancelot. If that meant James won too, so be it. She let an ‘oof’ when she saw Lancelot get hit by a Hydro Pump (those sucked), before she made the same realization quite a number of people did.

 

"... wait." Natalie slowly said as she saw the Hydro Pump hit. "... was that… a move…? Like, that wasn't just… a trick of wrestling, that was an actual literal Hydro Pump?" She realized just how absurd that question would be normally, but with the past however many days being so lacking in Pokémon moves, to say that it was a surprise would be an understatement.

 

Guinevere sat there for a few minutes just flicking her wrists, trying to throw things with her mind. When that failed, she pouted. What had she missed? She continued to just sit there watching the madness unfold. She sighed whenever it cut to the other two. She needed to know what was going with her little bug. He was losing right now. She waited with bated breath to see what would happen.

 

Then Lancelot used a move.

 

If Guinevere had gotten her telepathy back, Natalie’s brain would currently be filled with surprised expletives. But as the reason for such surprise involved her not having telepathy, Natalie was spared. Guinevere just sat sputtering and just awkwardly making wild gestures at the screen. She stood up and immediately fell back down because of her leg. She was shaking at that sight.

 

"What's up?" Natalie asked curiously, as she hadn't yet actually made the connection about who Avalon actually was.

 

Guinevere could barely contain herself, so she hurriedly scratched out.

 

[Tell you later]

 

The fight continued with Lancelot using moves she’d never even heard of before. She was cheering at the TV when Lancelot was doing well, and booing when the Swampert took the upper-hand. It may have been from exhaustion, but she didn’t care how ridiculous she must’ve looked getting so worked up.

 

 

Which was good, because when Lancelot transformed, she lost any trace of dignity or composure she had left.

 

Lancelot had never been able to do -that- before. What in the world was it? Guinevere saw Natalie’s phone out of the corner of her eye, and just snatched it without asking for permission. She opened up a browser and typed in a few words into a search engine. And the search told her that the world already knew about this. What in the universe had those two idiots gotten up to while she was gone? She thrust the phone into Natalie’s hands. A mixture of anger and giddiness as she went back to watching. Natalie, looked down at the phone and then just glanced between Guinevere and the TV with wide eyes.

 

“Okaaay…” Natalie commented. Guin didn’t hear her.

 

Those wings looked adorable, Guinevere thought when the rainbow light came out of Lancelot’s wings. Her eyes were starry as she watched the battle continue to unfold.

 

“Lancelot! Topple the giant! Remember Pierce!”

 

Pierce? What happened with Pierce? This didn’t happen with Pierce? She missed them fighting Pierce again? She nearly threw herself onto the bed in frustration at missing that fight, when she saw Lancelot grab airborne Swampert and slam him to the ground. She let out one last cheer at the top of her lungs before collapsing on the bed.

 

She would’ve fallen asleep, but then James began to speak. At his last words, the camera was on James so that he appeared to be pointing directly at her.

 

“I look into this crowd and I see so much potential for good. Potential just waiting for a chance. Your chance will come. Have faith and hold firm. When evil comes again, join me. Together we will drive evil out, once and for all!”

 

She let out a chuckle. It had been a long time since she heard James utter lines that cheesy. She was still mad at him but she couldn’t help but laugh. What sequence of events happened that led to any of what just happened? Guinevere could barely imagine.

 

"That was… pretty entertaining. But what the heck were those forms? And how were they using moves?" Natalie asked, though there seemed to be another question on her tongue.

 

[No clue] Guin wrote as she leaned back up.

 

[That was my trainer

by the way]

 

"Why… why was your trainer participating in that event?" Natalie seemed even more confused. "None of this seems to have answers to make sense, I thought I saw Yuki fighting there, but they would've had to have dyed their hair, and gone by a whole different name, and… even then, something seemed different. I can't place it, but that girl didn't seem like Yuki at all, and, I don't know…"

 

[i have no clue.]

 

Yuki, the girl they had Natalie pretend to be. Daughter of one of the victims in this case. Guinevere lay there thinking about what she had just witnessed. She had questions. Lots of questions. And most of them could be answered by one person in particular. Which meant she had to talk to him.

 

Fiiiiine.

 

[i know a way

to contact Cassie

securely]

 

"Really? How?"

 

[sleep first.

Tell me when

it’s morning.]

 

Natalie nodded at that, then paused. "... It's morning already."

 

Guinevere was motionless for a moment. She very slowly and deliberately etched a message into her white board.

 

[Frick jet lag]

 
Edited by Metal Gear Minun

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-==IC: Chloe Hikari/Ray Hakuda - Warehouse, Dendemille City, Kalos==-


"Here, I think I've got some supplies here." Ray said with a small frown, as he dug in his bag for a first aid kit. While that was happening, Chloe examined the small Pokémon from a distance.


"Ryan, you should catch it so that we can like, get it checked out when we get a chance."

 

-==IC: Jenny Hakuda/Marie Homura/Kristina Homura/Evan Tierra/James Arthur - Battle Royal, Alola - [28 - PART FINAL]==-


"Hey, what's up with that?" Marie asked with a frown as she caught up with Jenny backstage. "Is that something you normally just do?"


"Huh?" Jenny turned around in confusion as she took her mask off, but then laughed. "Oh, sorry, no… I just figured that we were only using one Pokémon here, so when I lost, that was it. Then I just wanted to up the ham to put on a show. The voice in my head told me to."


"... The what now?" Marie asked with a confused look on her face. "The… voice in your head?" The trainer shook her head, figuring that it didn't matter. "Well… either way, you definitely… succeeded in the ham."


The two women stood there for a few moments, though Marie looked like she wanted to say something. Jenny also seemed like she wanted to say something, but simply bit her lip and turned around to walk away. However, before she could take a step, Marie reached out and grabbed her outfit's sleeve.


"... What's your name?"


***


"What's your name?" The black-haired boy standing in front of her asked. The girl seemed surprised by the question, but gave a smile in return.


"My name is…!"


***


"Jenny Hakuda, ace Plasma agent!" Jenny said as she struck a dynamic pose. She pushed away the odd sense of deja vu for the moment with a shake of her head. Marie considered that for a few moments.


"Hakuda…" She seemed troubled by something, but nodded with a smile. "That's a nice name." She finally said after a moment.


"You said your name was…?"


"Marianna Homura; or Marie for short." The blonde-haired woman nodded with a smile. "And… yeah, I think Kris might have mentioned her last name already, and yes, it's the same name. I'm her daughter." Marie gave a thumbs-up with a grin.


"Nice to meet you Marie." Jenny said with a smile as the two began to walk down the hall to the dressing room again.


***


"Hey, Jessie, don't you think we should wait for the others?" The black-haired boy asked with a frown as Jessica giggled.


"Nah, they can catch up! This'll be fun!" The young red-haired girl replied happily, as she walked on with a grin. "Besides, how often do we get to play around like this? This part of the park is off limits a lot, isn't it?"


"I guess…"


Jessica turned with a smile -- but… the blonde-haired girl still seemed uncertain. "Come on, it'll be fun, Marie! Haven't you always wondered what's in the forest?"


"I guess… I still feel like we should wait for mommy, though." She rubbed her arm with a sigh before she smiled. "But I guess if you say it's okay, Jenny…"


***


"Whoa…" Jenny gripped her head for a moment as she held onto the wall for support. Marie also seemed surprised, but stayed quiet.


"That felt like massive deja vu, but in a… different way." Marie agreed, but shook her head. "How are you doing, you okay?" When Jenny nodded, Marie smiled. "Good; let's get going, then, mom's been watching on the TV in the dressing room, said she wanted to untangle her memories back there instead."


"Alright!" Jenny seemed to have already recovered, and hummed happily as she kept walking down the hall. Marie, on the other hand, took a couple moments to study the redhead's behavior, then frowned uneasily.


I can't think of the two of them as the same person, even if they act so alike…


***


As the door opened, Kris looked up in surprise.


"Oh! Jenny, Marie! You're back." The blue-haired woman smiled happily as she stood up. "Here, I can help you out, is there anything you need?"


"Mom…" Marie at first seemed to object to how Kris was acting, but then grinned. "I'm glad you remember now. Umm, you do remember, right?"


"Well… bits and pieces still." Kris sighed. "I remember most of what matters, though - you and Callie, my name, things like that." She smiled, however, as she walked over and hugged Marie. "I don't remember everything, though, did Callie make it here too?"


Marie went pale at that, and shuffled awkwardly. "Um, you know, I think I should get changed before discussing anything more." Before anyone could object, Marie grabbed her backpack and disappeared into one of the stalls.


Jenny, on the other hand, simply frowned, as she put her hand to her chin in deep thought. "Hmm… Um, Kris, do you happen to remember anything else about your world? You said you were in Goldenrod, right?"


"Oh, yes, that's right; and there was that attack before we did… whatever we did that wound up with us here."


"Right, yeah…" Jenny bit her lip. "Two questions, how do you spell your name, and do you remember if there was like, anyone around that seems familiar?"


"Familiar?" Kris began to write out her name on a pad of paper nearby as she thought about things. "Only person I can think of here is you, and you seem different than the girl I vaguely remember hanging out with Marie."


Jenny peered over Kris's shoulder and saw the name that was being written - "Kristina Homura". "Hey," Jenny started to think about something as she flipped through pictures on her X-Transceiver. "Does this guy look familiar?"


Kris looked up at the picture of the black-haired man on the X-Transceiver. "Hmm. Can't really say so; he sorta looks like Marie, though, come to think of it. I definitely don't remember seeing him in my world, though."


"I see…" The redhead flipped through a couple pictures, then came to a recent picture from back after the big battle with Evan. "What about her?"


There was a noticeable pause from Kris as she stared at the picture. After a few moment, she looked up, a completely surprised look on her face.


"How did you get a picture of Callie?"


***


After everyone had gotten changed, the three walked out to the lobby to meet back up with the others. When they arrived, they saw that everyone was already there - Jenny wondered just how much time they had spent comparing pasts in the dressing room. Still; something that stood out to her was the fact that the Masked Royal was nowhere to be seen, and Professor Kukui was there instead.


"Alola, cousins!" The professor grinned as the three approached. "I was just telling your friends here how exciting of a match that was! Especially when not only were there more shocking twists than a Volt Switch, but also it was as intense as a 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt! I was amazed by those transformations your Pokémon experienced!" Kukui laughed heartily as he turned to Evan and James. "One day, you should let me study your Pokémon and their moves, I'm extremely curious about what they're like."


Evan smiled. “Maybe sometime in the future, Professor. I’d say Monstro’s earned a nice long rest for the show he gave the audience.” The Plasma Agent said, thinking about the current situation of the world.


James nodded. “Lancelot has certainly earned his rest too. And I am afraid we have to return to Team Liberty now. We probably will not be back for some time.”


"I must say, I wasn't expecting that level of hammy villainy, but you two pulled it off well!" Kukui said as he looked at all four of the participants. "I had a special guest prepare some things for you, but it seems like she's a bit late. I also wasn't expecting a fourth person, so there's only enough for three, but it doesn't look like that'll be an issue." The professor chuckled, as he glanced back toward the entrance.


"Say, professor, what happened to the Masked Royal?" Marie asked curiously with a tilt of her head.


"Oh, he had to leave early to get his foot treated. Doesn't sound like it's too bad, though!"


Marie sighed in relief, but nodded with a smile. "Alright, hopefully it heals soon, then!"


“The ‘Masked Royal’ eh?” James said as he twirled the mask he had worn in his hand. “I am glad they let us keep these costumes. I think Jamie would get a kick out of the mask. Heroes and knights were always her bread and butter.”


After a few more moments, the Professor's phone beeped. "Oh, looks like she's here now. I'll go send her in now, then." Professor Kukui said as he walked off toward the door.



***


A little while later, the front doors opened again. A tall woman with dark hair sighed as she entered the building. "Well, I never expected such a swarm of people out there." The woman said to herself before she approached the group of trainers. "Are you the four that Kukui was talking about?"


“If he was talking about the trainers who just fought a Battle Royal, yes that would be us,” James answered to the woman. “I am James Arthur. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss…?”


“It’s good to meet you, Miss….?”This woman looked important, at least to Evan’s untrained eye, so he decided to let James do most of the talking, lest the Plasma Agent fumble his words, especially after that hammy performance in the ring.

"My name is Olivia; I am the Kahuna of this island." The Kahuna grinned as she eyed the four trainers and their coach. "I'm still not quite sure how you managed some of the things you did, but you did a pretty amazing thing today, and judging by that crowd outside, definitely managed to succeed in your goal of firing the people of Alola up."


Olivia reached for her bag as she continued to talk. "One day when powers return for everyone, we should all have a battle of our own, since I'm eager to see how my team fairs against you. But for now…" She pulled out three sparkling bracelets, an almost mystical glow emanating from them as the light from outside bounced and reflected off of them. "These are gifts for you three." She glanced over at Marie. "I'd like to have one for you, since you helped out as well, but I didn't have heads up about you… though it looks like you already have a Z-Ring of your own."


Jenny looked at the rings, then watched as Olivia handed one of the bracelets to each of them - the one she received was a brilliant white, contrasted with a black stone set as a symbol in the center, reminiscent of a "Z". As she looked further, however, she noticed that there was a fiery red translucent crystal placed on top of the black stone.


"Is this…?" Jenny glanced up at Olivia, who nodded.


"That is a Z-Crystal; it sounds like you've heard of them before. That there is the Firium-Z." Olivia said, then glanced over to the other two.


Evan received a black Z-Ring, which had a earthy brown Z-Crystal on top of it. “Thank you, Olivia! Which Z-Crystal is this?” The Plasma Agent asked curiously.


"That one is a Groundium-Z. It powers up ground-type moves and turns them into the Tectonic Rage."


The last ring in the box was for James. He took off the watch that was on his hand and placed it in his pocket, before he took the Z-Ring. It was a darker shade of yellow with a brown center. The gem that was lodged in it was a light green crystal. James could see a pattern, but he asked to confirm. “And which ‘Z-Crystal’ would this be?”


"That one is Buginium-Z." Olivia said with a smile. "It allows the use of the Z-Move "Savage Spin-out". Here are the poses needed for them, by the way." The Kahuna took a deep breath, then began to call out the names of the moves before showing off the poses that went with them.
 

James slowly began to imitate the pose, when he found himself stopped by his jacket from raising his arms that high. He began to consider whether when he got his normal jacket repaired by the tailors, whether he would ask for alterations so he could do the pose, or whether he he’d just take off the darn jacket to do use a Z-move. What a quandary.

With his usual showmanship, Evan imitated the Z-Pose for his crystal, taking care to not screw it up. When he had finished, the man grinned at his performance. “Easy as Cheri Pie!”

Jenny quickly repeated the pose, then giggled slightly at the end. "Pretty cool! It feels like I'm personally about to send the attack off."


"Glad you all are having fun. I think that's about it, but… All of Alola thanks you for your service today; whether they know it or not, I'm positive that today's events will keep being talked about for a long while." Olivia said with a nod. With that, the group said goodbye to the Kahuna as she headed off. With a small pause, she turned back to the group. "Oh, by the way, if you're leaving, I recommend the back exit. Easier to avoid the crowds that way."


"Alright, will keep that in mind!" Jenny called to the older woman, before Olivia continued to walk off again.


James turned towards the group after watching Olivia leave. “I believe that is mission success for the two of you, if I recall correctly,” James said to Evan and Jenny. “My own business in the region has just about concluded. Will you return with me to Four Island, or do you plan on staying for a while?”

“I was thinking of staying here just a little while longer.” Evan said. “Our mission may be complete, but there’s still some questions to be answered…”

James nodded. “I see, then I will go ahead and take my leave.” He turned to leave when he stopped and turned around. “Actually before I leave, Ms. Homura, may I have your contact information?”


Kris nodded and quickly wrote down a number on a piece of paper for James. "Here you are, I completely forgot to give that to everyone." She then handed out more pieces of paper for the others too.


“Thank you. I may need to contact you later,” James said. But hopefully it wouldn’t come to that, he thought. “With that, I will take my leave,” James said, bowing slightly to the group and walked away.
 

"Oh, Kris, by the way…" Jenny motioned to Evan to join in on this conversation. "You were saying earlier about how someone reminds you of your daughter, Callie?"


"Oh, right, yes. She looks like a spitting image of her, just with auburn hair instead." Kris replied, a confused look on her face.


"Okay, so, I think… I think I understand some more things now, and how Kris knows about the thing that happened in Goldenrod." Jenny said, and then took a deep breath. "Okay, so, we know that she's from another world, right? Marie is too, by the way, we found that out while your fight was going on. Well…" Jenny scratched the back of her head, unsure if it totally made sense. "I think that what's going on here, is that Kris is actually… a different universe's counterpart of Chloe's mom."


"Chloe…? Is that… the girl in the picture?" Kris asked in surprise, to which Jenny nodded.


"It… I don't pretend to know why, but alternate universe stuff always confused me, but it seems like… everyone's names are slightly different. Like, Callie instead of Chloe; Kristina with…" She held up the notepad Kris had used earlier for this. "Instead of Christina like, um, you get the point. And then, I think that…" Jenny turned to Marie at this point. "The way you've reacted recently, my counterpart's name wasn't Jessica, was it? It was Jenny, but something else for my last name?"


"Yeah, it was completely different from your last name here, but yeah." Marie nodded, but still seemed confused. "So, wait, are you saying that my sister's alive here…?"


"Alive?" Kris turned to Marie, who froze and laughed very awkwardly.


"Um!" Jenny spoke up before anything could get any more awkward. "I don't know if like, you two would be considered sisters or not because alternate universe stuff is really confusing to me, but… I guess if that's the case, then yeah. She's currently either in Kalos, or on her way… I know her and some others were headed there, but I don't know if they got there yet."


"I see…" Marie said with a quiet nod, as Kris considered things for a little while.


"Kalos, huh…?" The blue-haired woman murmured for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. "Alright." Kris looked up with a smile. "I don't know how it'll go, but I want to at least meet her. Chloe, you said? Chloe…?"


"Hikari." Jenny said to help out, realizing that their last names would be different too. With a nod, Kris smiled.


"I thought that I would be helping you all, but it turned out I got help as well. Thank you, everyone. I think… I think I'm going to go home now and think this over."


“It was fun training with you, Ms. Homura.” Evan said, a smile on his face. “Hopefully we’ll meet again!”


"Alright!" Jenny said with a happy smile as she giggled. "It was very nice to meet you, Ms. Homura."


As Kris began to leave, Marie hesitated for a few moments. "... Do you mind… if I travel with you?" The blonde-haired woman asked as she turned to Jenny. "I'm glad my mom's starting to get her memory back, but… I wanna try to like… find a purpose." She tapped her fingers together for a couple moments. "I think traveling with you might help more than with my friend Lindsey. She's nice and all, but doesn't really help with the purpose stuff."


"We'd be glad to help you!" Jenny said with a kind smile. "I wanna try to like, get more of my memories back, and maybe like… heading to some of the places I used to visit might help."


“I don’t see why not!” Evan said cheerfully. “The more the merrier!”

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IC: Sylph - Alamo, Four Island, August

 

A lone Gardevoir made her way through the halls of the Alamo, ignoring the looks she got from the people she passed. A skim of their minds showed that most were merely curious about the one-armed Pokémon walking by herself. One or two recognized her vaguely, but none of them knew her.

 

With a soft sigh, she stepped out of the building and made her way down towards the small facility detached from the main base. She hadn't been allowed to see Xander in the prison block -- something about an escape risk, given that she had power back and almost no-one else did -- but she was allowed to see other friends.

 

She stepped into the daycare, and the old lady at the counter gave her a warm smile. "Hello, Sylph, how are you today?"

 

"I am well," the Gardevoir said, smiling softly. "Would it be alright if I visited my teammates today?"

 

"Of course, though I would like it if you could have a talk with Vixen. She's in her ball right now because she's been fighting with other Pokémon. There's a Fennekin who she's particularly been focused on."

 

Sylph frowned and nodded. "Yes, of course. Lead the way."

"So Alku, happy 'was that a firecracker or shotgun?' day!"

"Hard mode: I'm in the south."

 

"Planning was never Zac Blazer's forte." - Blade, mastering the art of the understatement.

 

"We'll have to change the initials of the RPG from RotR to PTSD." - Me, discussing Rise of the Rockets.

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IC: Zoe Llyan/Dahlia Seaton/Alex Lockwood - Restaurant, Geosenge Town

"I agree," Alex said, nodding at his cousin. "Right now the bigger threat seems to be the Pokémon ecosystem getting out of whack, not some criminal organization from however many years ago. Pokémon power got shut down, and that's thrown everyone for a loop, but it doesn't mean Team Flare has actually returned."

 

"Yes, but that's why we're investigating." Dahlia leaned across the table to look at the Lockwoods. "From what I've heard, Team Flare did some really terrible things back when they were in power. Xander gave us this mission to look into the rumors of their return to make sure there isn't some kind of massacre."

 

"Yeah, and he also got himself kicked off the mission leadership board or something," Alex countered. "I'm not saying he's untrustworthy--"

 

"It sure sounds like you're saying it!" Zoe interjected. "You never even met the guy!"

 

Dahlia brought a hand to her temple. "Zoe, please stay out of this."

 

The girl instead turned her fury on Dahlia. "Hey, I have every right to be a part of this conversation! Xander's a good guy, you know. He played with me on Four Island and we had a battle and everything!"

 

"That has nothing to do with whether or not he's being paranoid about Flare!" Alex raised his voice.

 

Dahlia got to her feet and slammed a hand on the table. "Everyone, shut up!" Her eyes glowed red for a moment and a deathly silence followed. It took some time for the gardener to catch her breath. "We're not here to talk about Xander. We're here to discuss things we can't say in front of Mr. Zyther. If we can't even have a civil conversation, how are we supposed to work together as a team?"

 

IC: Ryan Sanders - Signs Warehouse, Kalos

Gratefully accepting the first aid kit from Ray, Ryan sent out Ampere. The Flaaffy took up a fighting pose before eyeing the starved Pokémon before her. She glanced back at Ryan with a curious bray. "Just keep the little guy at bay," Ryan said, wincing a bit as the cool rubbing alcohol stung his leg. "See if you can convince him to come with us, but more importantly make sure he doesn't attack anyone else."

 

As Ryan continued to clean his wound, Ampere approached the Litleo who by now had finished eating the berry. She began bleating a candid explanation, but the Litleo took a step back and tensed. Ampere frowned and said something else, which earned a swift swipe from the lion cub's claws. The Flaaffy twisted and the claws only caught a tuft of whool. This went on for a few minutes with little improvement to the Litleo's demeanor.

 

With his leg properly bandaged, Ryan stood up and motioned for Ampere to step aside. Still maintaining a safe distance from the cub, he pulled out a Pokéball. "I know you don't trust us, but this is for your own good." He swiftly tossed the ball, which struck the Litleo and drew it into the capsule.

 

The ball shook for a moment before the Litleo burst out and pounced towards Ryan with a weak roar. Ampere jumped up and spun around, striking the cub with the ball of her tail. The Litleo cried out and crumpled to the ground. Before it could get up, Ryan threw another ball.

 

This time the ball did not break open. Even after the audible click Ryan waited a few moments before retrieving the capsule and placing it on his belt. He looked at the others. "We can bring it to a Pokémon Center after this. In the meantime, I'd suggest keeping an eye out for any more stray Pokémon. We don't want anyone else getting attacked."

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC: Yu Changgong - Lazy Pidgey Cafe, Blackthorn City

 

The swordsman listened carefully to Flint's impassioned musings on Team Liberty. "The fire that burned inside that heart of his continues to rage on." he thought. Yu considered his next words carefully while the muted chattering within the shop covered for his silence. 

"I have heard many secondhand accounts on the actions of Team Liberty, yes. I haven't found a reason to look very deeply into matters with the government. I don't mean to offend, but my goals do not overlap with your duties very much." Yu said at last. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "Perception of both Rocket and Liberty varies wildly from person to person. I do not mean to say that your feelings towards them are incorrect, but I cannot allow myself to indict any person or group as responsible for the tragedy that took place until I have irrefutable evidence of guilt. To falsely strike down the innocent would go against everything I stand for as a blade of justice. It would bring shame to the memory of my peers at the dojo who fate struck down so that I may live and carry on their legacy until the bitter end." 

Yu tempered his speech carefully, only allowing a hint of the passion to come through in his last few words. Aside from his name and sword, there was nothing to indicate that the man who sat in front of Flint was the same boy he knew from the dojo years ago.

Edited by JiMing

Haven't seen one of these in a long time...

 

 

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IC - Emmerich Coleman - Signs Warehouse, Kalos:

 

"Agreed," Emmerich said. He turned and exited the room, scanning the main body of the warehouse again. "Next room?"

 

He led the way to the second door, following the same process as the first and having Machamp open it. This door was not open, and it did not move immediately, prompting Machamp to exert a little more force to open it. A loud crash sounded as something fell backward. Carefully, they peeked inside.

 

This room was a little larger than the previous one. It appeared to be some sort of workshop. Shelves rose high above, filled with tools and pieces of electrical equipment. Closed bins marked with simple signs were stacked against one wall--'nails,' 'zipties,' 'chains,' and so on. It appeared that one set of shelves had tipped over, and this was what had been blocking the door. Machamp's push had forced it back into position, but one shelf had broken, and everything that had remained on the set had clattered noisily to the floor, coating concrete with shards of glass and other sharp objects. A workbench stood against the wall to the right.

 

Emmerich picked his way carefully through the room, wary of anything that could fall on him. When he was certain that the place was safe, he gestured to the rest of the group. "Can't speak for any wild Pokémon, but I don't think we're going to get crushed by any heavy objects for now."

 

Follow me on YouTube!

 

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~ Rise of the Rockets (I II)/Discussion Topic/Side Stories ~

 

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IC: ???, Resturant, Geosenge Town

As the group began to squabble, a young man was settling into his meal. Near him was a Dusknoir, who floated near him, observing the group of arguing trainers. "Easy now, Moriarty, it's all good." His friend said, as the Gripper Pokémon tensed up at the group. "We'll be on our way before things reach a fever pit-"

Then he heard a girl's voice yell at everyone to shut up.

"-Ch." The young man said, groaning. "Well, we'd better intervene before they spoil anyone else's meal. C'mon, Moriarty." The trainer, decked out in a jacket and hat, seemingly themed after his Pokémon, walked over to the group's table, and began to speak. "Hey now, I've got to agree with her, at least on being quieter. You're bugging the other patrons...." The trainer drifted off as he looked at Dahlia, recalling a conversation he had with something great and powerful in the past.

"Pardon me, but are you Dahlia Seaton?" The young mystery man asked, looking a little amazed at his luck. "I just want to know, because.......someone you know told me about you. Someone called.......Giratina?" Before Dahlia could reply, the trainer continued. "As for who is asking......." He bowed, before saying in a voice that echoed some degree of pride.

"I'm Klim Prizak, Pokémon Trainer, and.....former Hero of Reverse."

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IC: Jared Winters/Lachina Adaon/Emily Lockwood - Geosenge City, August 11th

 

Jared was about to tell everyone to calm down when they were approached by a man whose aura held the same grey and gold hints that Dahlia's did, though duller and more discrete. The silver-haired boy frowned softly. "Hello, Klim," he said. "You're absolutely right. Let's not all raise our voices and ruin other people's experiences with shouting and talk about..."

 

"About a defunct criminal organization," muttered, earning a glare from both Jared and Lachina.

 

The Ranger girl sighed and nodded. "Right. Let's all just... relax. Klim, it's... nice to meet you, I guess? Sorry we interrupted your meal, but I guess it's a good thing we did if you have the same power as Dahlia."

 

"Had," Jared corrected. "Only one person can have the power at a time, unless they share it temporarily. Right?" He looked to Dahlia and Jamie -- and Klim -- for confirmation.

 

IC: Sylph - Daycare Center, Four Island, August

 

Her teammates didn't greet her enthusiastically. Psyka and Astraea were their usual aloof selves -- though the Meowstic gave her a solemn nod -- and Ellen was still insecure in her new form. No matter how much Sylph told her how proud she was, the Umbreon seemed nervous and unsure, as if she had made some choice that she now regretted.

 

Vixen was sulking. The Braixen twirled her branch over and over. As Sylph approached her, she looked away. The Gardevoir moved to sit beside the young fire type. She carefully placed her hand on Vixen's back and sent calm sensations. Tell me, she began. What happened? I thought Xander and I taught you better than to pick fights.

 

The Braixen huffed and crossed her arms. He started it! she thought towards Sylph. That stupid Fennekin that that Cameron guy used! He always starts things and I'm the one who gets in trouble for it!

 

You are evolved, Sylph said soothingly. You are expected to be more mature than-- sorry, did you say Cameron's Fennekin?

 

Yes! Flame, he says his name is! He's grumpy because I kicked his butt when we battled, and now he thinks he can get away with messing with me in here! Vixen struck her staff on the ground. Well, I showed him that I'm not taking it! If he wants to fight, I'll fight!

 

Sylph pursed her lips as she thought. Well, that does change things somewhat, she admitted. That Fennekin is the same one that held a grudge against me years ago. Still, though. Don't let yourself be dragged into fights. You should be the bigger person. Especially since you could really hurt him with that stick of yours.

 

Vixen pouted, crossing her arms. I only hit him enough to get him off of me, but that was when I got caught.

 

Sylph patted her friend's head softly. Just try to avoid him in the future. I will speak with the woman here about keeping an eye out for you two.

 

Can't you just take us with you? Vixen asked, not for the first time. Sylph sighed.

 

No, I cannot. They'll only release you to a trainer, and I could not impose on Miss Zarth's hospitality like that. It should not be much longer, though, before Xander can come collect you.

 

Vixen pouted. You always say that.

 

Sylph sighed and stood, brushing a bit of dirt off of herself. Yes, because I want it to be true. Come, let's walk around instead of sitting here. She began walking, and her teammates followed her dutifully.

"So Alku, happy 'was that a firecracker or shotgun?' day!"

"Hard mode: I'm in the south."

 

"Planning was never Zac Blazer's forte." - Blade, mastering the art of the understatement.

 

"We'll have to change the initials of the RPG from RotR to PTSD." - Me, discussing Rise of the Rockets.

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IC: Ryan Sanders - Signs Warehouse, Kalos
Tiny shards of glass crunched under Ryan's shoe as he carefully stepped into the room. Ampere remained at his side, her eyes darting into any dark corners where a wild Pokémon might be hiding. Ryan glanced over at the bins. "I guess some of this stuff could be useful if Vertrag wasn't already the world's most efficient interior decorator." Unfortunately, it seemed the labels on the bins were the closest thing the room had to documentation, and none of it led to incriminating evidence.
 
He walked up to the nearest bin, marked 'lightbulbs,' and pointed at the label. "At any rate, I guess you could say we've found the first of the signs." he cracked a smile.
 
IC: Dahlia Seaton/Zoe Llyan/Alex Lockwood - Restaurant, Geosenge City
Dahlia felt her face grow hot. Of all the times for her predecessor to show up, it had to be during such a heated argument. "R-right," she stammered, sparing Jared only a brief glance before looking back at the former Hero. "Klim would have lost his power when it was given to me. How did you find me, though? Evan told me you were missing . . ."
 
"Wait a second!" Zoe's gaze seemed to pierce Klim and his Dusknoir. "Is it true your power can be shared? Then I, warrior princess Zoe Llyan, humbly request that you bestow your great powers upon me, so that I may smite all evildoers!"
 
"He doesn't have them anymore," Alex said flatly. Zoe instead turned to Dahlia.
 
"Then lend me your powers!"
 
"I don't think I know how," Dahlia said with a nervous chuckle. "Plus that's probably a terrible idea," she added under her breath before looking back at Klim. "We're kind of in the middle of a mission, but you're more than welcome to join us if you wish."

 

OOC: Jam Time.

IC: Yamamoto Aori/Ryan Hikari/Shannon Willows - Vermilion City, August 7th
“Hikari-san!” Aori cried as she ran towards the Rocket agent. “Look, look, I caught a Donguri!” She bounced a bit as she held the Seedot out for Ryan to see.

"Oh wow." Ryan was caught off guard slightly by the enthusiasm, but grinned at the Seedot. "Pretty good work, Aori. Is that their nickname?"

The girl nodded, hugging Donguri to her chest. “He was being attacked by some Spearow, but Yan-- Wil-- Shannon and me scared them off and healed him.”

The Rocket was surprised by the mention of how the Seedot had been obtained, as he glanced over at Shannon in just as much surprise, but smiled none-the-less. "Sounds like you had an interesting day while I was busy, then."

Shannon's tired smile suggested that the encounter had been more serious than Aori had let on. "We also looked around for her parents some more, but no luck."

Aori nodded and looked up at Ryan. “Did you do the movie thing?”

"Yep, finished that up and got us a car to take over to Celadon tomorrow." Ryan glanced up at the sky, which was already starting to darken as they spoke. "I'd say we should leave now, but I don't trust myself to drive at night; so tomorrow is pretty much the best option."

"Well look at you, planning ahead for us." Shannon gave him a teasing nudge. "So when can we expect to see your big screen debut, Tyranitar-Man?"

"Dunno, really; they still have to do a bunch of stuff, so maybe in like, I dunno, a week or two?" Ryan scratched the back of his head with a chuckle. "As for the big big screen, I'll have to see what offers I get once this thing is done." The man gave a teasing smile in return.

"Well you'd better enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts," Shannon said with a small giggle. "Soon you'll be swarmed with fangirls and paparazzi. You sure you can handle it?"

Still holding Donguri, Aori made a face and walked a little ways down the street, coming to a stop near a streetlamp that had just flickered on. Exchanging a glance, Ryan and Shannon ran after her. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Ryan asked.

The girl stared at her shoes, an odd look on her face. "You remind me of my mama and papa."

"Oh Aori, we didn't mean to make you sad." Shannon knelt down next to her.

Aori shook her head. "No, I mean you looked like Mama and Papa do before they start kissing. I usually go outside or to my room when they look like that."

Shannon stumbled back, her face turning beet red. After a few moments of excruciating silence during which she avoided all eye contact with Ryan, the woman brushed her hair out of her face and cleared her throat. "A-alright, we're, uh . . . done now, Aori. Let's all go back to the hotel."

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC: Jamie Arthur - Geosenge Town

 

Jamie had been at an impasse in the conversation so far. She could neglect the fact that they were saying Lucia's dad might be untrustworthy, something even Guin had suggested to her. She'd already helped defeat one of Lucia's untrustworthy dad/not dad's. But then the argument broke out. One side of the argument was arguing against continuing their investigation, which she was against. The other side was defending Xander though. And she still considered herself to be with the group rather than part of it. So she didn't particularly want a say in whether they continued their investigation. Because even if they stopped their investigation, she would continue her own. But then Dahlia was like, really hero, and stepped in again.

 

Then Klim showed up and started speaking, and Jamie's eyes went starry-eyed. She was stunned into silence long enough for Jared to mention that her fellows could share power. Then the short person with the language of a hero but backwards morals spoke up. The little person demanded power. Jamie probably wouldn't pick her to share powers with if she even knew how. But that raised a question? Who would she share her powers with?

 

Distractions. She'd figure that out later. The most important thing was that a bona fide hero was here. Certified by Giratina.

 

"Or if you could just tell us anything you know about being a hero, that would work too. I am Jamie Arthur, by the way. The new Hero of Time," Jamie said sporting her best smile.

Edited by Metal Gear Minun

25fbd79538e4c3de878b599045e3f03a.jpg

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IC: Klim Prizak

 

So many things at once, and so little time... Klim thought as he thought of who to address first. He decided that it'd be best to go some order, starting with Jared. "It's true I don't have the power, and that I could temporarily share it with people when I had it." The young man said, chuckling a little as he faced Zoe. "As for sharing the power, I have to agree with Dahlia there." The Trainer then faced towards Jamie. "So! Dialga found a new Hero, or should a I say Heroine, to fill Seth's shoes! It is good to meet you, Jamie." He pondered for a moment about what he could say to Jamie's request. "I can't say I'd know toooooo much about being a Hero, but I'll do my best later, all right?"

 

Lastly, Klim faced Dahlia. "Well, I mean, I wouldn't mind joining the mission you are on, but....." The young man said, smiling. "Before things got crazy, Giratina told me to keep a lookout for someone like you, saying you might need some guidance on how to use your powers. They said that Evan's style....might not work for someone like you. Granted........it's kinda hard to find one person in this world, especially when you are cut off from the one being who -could- tell you where they are. But that's neither here nor there."

 

He then focused his eyes on Jared, sizing him up as the possible leader of the group. "So you mind telling me what this mission is?"

Edited by Dr. Hidaka
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-==IC: Calem/Serena==-

 

“I think I’d like to know that as well.”

 

Unnoticed by the rest of the group, a young man in a navy blue button-up vest atop a white dress shirt, a pair of pleated slacks, and an incongruously casual set of shoes, hat, and sunglasses had approached the table. He removed the sunglasses, placing them on his hat to reveal the unmistakable face of the once-and-future Champion of Kalos, Calem. Behind him, a honey-haired woman was doing a much more successful job of remaining incognito, a combination of pink-and-teal highlights, green contacts, tacky plastic bracelets, and red short-legged overalls over a white blouse leaving current Champion Serena identifiable only by her proximity to Calem. She scowled at Calem, but visibly decided to chastise him later. Seeing that Calem had broken cover for both of them, she spoke up.

 

“We’d appreciate the truth. It’s been a long day for us, and I’d rather it not be any longer than it has to.”


 

Me: *has idea*

Blade: "I'd say too convoluted, and I know too convoluted =P"

 

"Dangit, I shouldn't have gotten ambitious."

--Merc, RE: our plotting

 

Pokémon Rise of the Rockets Profiles: LINK

3DS FC: 3625-9584-9417 (Pokemon X Friend Safari: Electric-type, Pachirisu, Electabuzz, Zebstrika)

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IC: Jared Winters/Lachina Adaon/Emily Lockwood - Geosenge Town, August 11th, evening

 

The silver aura wielder sighed and cast a stormy look towards Alex, who had raised his voice about Flare. Before he could speak however, Emily spoke up

 

"Serena, dear, how are you? I feel like we haven't spoken in ages!"

 

Jared scowled. "Do you just know everyone, then, Emily?"

 

"I do, in fact," she replied with a grin, turning back to the champion duo. "We simply must catch up and--"

 

"Later," Lachina said. "I think before we tell you guys anything about our mission, we should ask who you are."

 

Emily scoffed. "They're the Kalos champions, and Serena is also the Kalos Queen-- that is, the top Performer in Kalos," she hastily added seeing the reactions some at the table had to that proclamation. "They go out and do work for the League all the time." She sighed, crossing her arms. "I suppose that includes investigating things like the Geosenge Lab."

 

Jared nodded slowly. "Alright then. How about we all finish our meals, and then we'll talk? I'm starving, and this place is a bit crowded."

 

IC: Flint Conley - Lazy Pidgey Cafe, Blackthorn City

 

Flint frowned, appraising his old rival in a new light. The boy who had striven to surpass him before was now a man whose motives seemed purely selfless. "Tell me, Yu, have you ever thought about taking up Master Zhang's role, teaching other people to use the sword and our abilities?" Flint himself was a lousy teacher -- no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't guide people into the mental state that allowed for Qigong to be used

"So Alku, happy 'was that a firecracker or shotgun?' day!"

"Hard mode: I'm in the south."

 

"Planning was never Zac Blazer's forte." - Blade, mastering the art of the understatement.

 

"We'll have to change the initials of the RPG from RotR to PTSD." - Me, discussing Rise of the Rockets.

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IC: Yu Changgong - Lazy Pidgey Cafe, Blackthorn City

 

Silence feel after Flint's query, with Yu pondering his response carefully. "I did consider taking over the dojo and starting anew that day. But I'm sure you remember that my grasp of Qigong was merely average. I've improved somewhat over the years, but I haven't reached the heights that you or Master Zhang did." The swordsman sighed, looking ashamed at his own abilities. "Advanced projection techniques continue to elude me. I've yet to find the strength necessary to become a mentor to others. That is part of the reason I travel."

Yu looked down to Huo and Yinyue, who had finished their food and sitting across from each other warily. "There's still work to be done in this world as well. I've heard the news about the chaos and unrest that's begun to ensue after the incident that took away Pokemon abilities. I'm sure the bureaucracy within Team Rocket has been thrown into disarray over this national affair. Try as you might, you won't be able to contain every single tragedy that occurs on a personal level. That's where I come in. I know I alone do not stand a chance against whatever force has been set upon this world. And yet I could not let myself rest if there were those I could have saved that I chose to ignore." he said, calmly resting his hands in his lap. His red eyes shone with the strength of his conviction. "I do not seek to save the world. But I cannot allow myself to idly sit by in this time of unrest. I would love to take upon disciples, but first I have a duty to myself to become a worthy successor to Zhang, and to the inhabitants of this world to use my strength to bring peace wherever I can." 

Edited by JiMing

Haven't seen one of these in a long time...

 

 

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IC: Zoe Llyan/Dahlia Seaton/Alex Lockwood - Restaurant, Geosenge Town
As if on cue, their food arrived at that moment. Zoe found herself practically ignoring her poulet à la bretonne, for her eyes were glued to the real-life queen who stood next to the table. She wasn't dressed like any royalty Zoe had ever seen (not that she had ever actually seen royalty, but she liked to consider herself an expert on all things princess). The apparent discrepancy in apparel only served to elevate Zoe's perception of the woman. To see someone hold such a high status and still look so ordinary made Zoe feel simultaneously excited to be in the presence of the queen and embarrassed that she had ever pretended to be a princess. And so it was that while her food cooled, Zoe debated whether or not she should ask Emily for a personal introduction to the queen after dinner.

 

Alex, on the other hand, had an entirely different opinion on the pair of Kalos Champions. "How long were they spying on us?" he murmured to Dahlia while absentmindedly poking at one of the beans in his cassoulet. "I thought we were trying to keep our mission a secret."

 

"Well we weren't exactly being subtle about it," Dahlia said as she took a bite of her tartiflette. "Besides, it sounds like they're investigating the same rumors. We could certainly use their help. Same goes for Klim."

 

"They're not the only ones in this restaurant," Alex responded, eyes darting around. "If Team Flare's really back, then you can bet they'd be hanging around their old boss' lab. And we just spilled the details of our mission to anyone within a twenty foot radius. Doesn't anyone in this group know the meaning of the word covert?"

 

"You're one to talk, seeing how you were one of the loudest at the table," Dahlia countered with a good-natured grin. "If you're really that adamant about being covert, then how about you actually eat your casserole instead of just stirring it?"

 

"It's not a casserole, it's a cassoulet."

 

"Yeah, but the hypothetical Flare goons watching us don't know that."

 

The two trainers broke into a quiet laughter.

Edited by Konuju

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC - Emmerich Coleman - Signs Warehouse, Kalos:

 

The Rocket General stared at Ryan, his expression stone-cold. He stared long enough both for Ryan to get uncomfortable, and for him to finally, upon breaking eye contact, state, "I think this room is clear."

 

The group shuffled out, making note to return for supplies if necessary in the future. This left only one more door. It was a large, sliding grate with a regular door set in its center. Opting for the easier route, Machamp forced the smaller door open. This led into a large, dark hallway. Emmerich shone a flashlight inside and led the way. Various carts and rolling shelves lined one wall, all meant for heavy load-bearing. Several yards in, the hall hit a T-intersection. One path was blocked by debris, blocking off an entire section of the warehouse. There was one section of pipes here, with space enough that a person could hide if they needed to; a fallen pallet block indicated that someone had indeed used this space for that purpose not too recently. Aside from this, however, there was nothing of note, and so they continued down the other side.

 

Much of the deeper interior of the base was similarly damaged. While there were plenty of doors leading to potential investigation spots, a majority of them led into rooms that had started to collapse on themselves, if they had not done so already. Those rooms that were not trashed provided nothing of value, only empty space and meaningless graffiti.The maze of halls was likewise falling apart, with only one true path leading through the building. In the end, they found themselves in a hallway with six alternating doors; only the first two and the last one were clear. The end of the hall likewise ended in a pile of rubble.

 

Emmerich peeked quickly inside each room, finally reporting back to the others at the clear side of the hallway. "Well, at least they made it easy on us," he said. "Let's finish with these last couple of spaces and head back. Looks like they're all old meat lockers, so keep an eye out for any sharp edges." He pointed to the nearest door. "That one's got a hole in the ceiling that looks like it goes outside, so be mindful of any other wild Pokémon that might be hiding in it."

Follow me on YouTube!

 

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~ Rise of the Rockets (I II)/Discussion Topic/Side Stories ~

 

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-==IC: Chloe Hikari/Ray Hakuda - Signs Warehouse, Dendemille Town, Kalos==-

 

Chloe and Ray nodded as they made their way toward the nearest room.

 

"We might as well start with the closest. I'm not sure what we'll find in a meat locker of all places, but we could be in luck." Chloe said as she slowly pushed the door open again. The room was about as empty as she expected - there were some metal hooks hanging around here and there, but the most interesting thing was the hole in the roof and the resulting damaged light fixtures that dangled precariously from their former mounts. As Chloe stepped into the room, she heard the flapping of wings above her. She cautiously looked around, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

 

"Careful. We don't want a repeat of what just happened to Ryan." Ray warned, as Chloe nodded with a chuckle.

 

"I think I can handle myself pretty well." The psychic responded, though she sent out her Lucario just in case. Almost as if responding to the new arrival, a blur of red dive-bombed the Lucario and slammed into him before zooming off. "..."

 

"..." Ray raised an eyebrow. "You were saying?"

"Hey, whatever that was didn't go after me. Any sign of them, Luke?" Chloe asked, deciding to focus on her Lucario and finding the offending Pokémon instead. She frowned when the Lucario shook his head. "If anyone spots the Pokémon, tell me; they might be scared like the Litleo was, so we don't want to overwhelm them." She thought it over for a moment. "In fact, I wonder if that's why they attacked Luke, since he just suddenly appeared and startled them..."

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IC: Klim Prizak

Klim didn't need to be told twice. He went back to his seat and politely ate his food, glad to have finally found his successor. Though he wished it was under......less conspicuous circumstances, but beggars couldn't be choosers could they. The talk of Team Flare troubled the young man as he didn't know who the heck they were, but they'd cross that bridge when they got to it, wouldn't they?

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IC: Calem/Serena/Jared Winters/Lachina Adaon/Emily Lockwood - Geosenge Town, August 11th, evening

 

"Right, agreed," Calem said with a firm nod. "Serena, c'mon, let's leave them to eat." He turned to lead his friend back to their own table.

 

Jared sighed lightly. "IN the future, everyone, if some of us are whispering, don't decide to shout our mission out in a crowded restaurant. As you yourself said, Alex, we could have been overheard by Flare agents just as easily as by allies."

 

Lachina nodded. "Agreed." She turned to dig into her food.

 

Emily sighed. "It's not a risk at all, since--"

 

"Enough. Eat." Jared's tone was stern, and invited no arguments or further comments as he began eating.

 

[---

 

It was fairly late by the time the group arrived at the cottage they were to stay in. Jared scowled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Hey, Lucia, sometime remind me to tell your dad the definition of 'cottage.'"

 

"There's gotta be at least five bedrooms in there," Lachina agreed quietly.

 

Emily giggled. "I must say, I could get used to accommodations like this. Lucia, if your father is looking to marry, my mother is available."

 

Jared sighed and turned to face the three new additions. "So, here's the rundown..."

 

IC: Sylph - Four Island

 

Sylph spent a few hours with her teammates before saying goodbye. At the end of her visit, she gave each of them a strong hug -- Psyka and Astraea were largely unresponsive, while Ellen seemed to want to shy away -- and promised to bring them treats the next time.

 

Quietly she made her way back into the Alamo. Alone, unobserved, she made her way quietly to the barracks and slipped into the room she and Xander had occupied for less than a month. That night, when she and Xander had Synchronized, she had gotten a quick glance of the deeds he had done that night, one still fresh in his mind. He hadn't meant for her to see, but she had.

 

Quietly, she knelt beside the bed and reached underneath. Her fingers just barely reached into the corner, and she had to struggle a bit to wiggle out the small portable drive that had been stashed there.

 

IC: Flint Conley - Lazy Pidgey Cafe, Blackthorn City

 

"I can respect that." Flint sighed, leaning back. "In that case, why don't I give you my PokéGear number? That way we can keep in touch. If you run into trouble -- more than even you can handle alone -- you can call me and, if I'm nearby and available, I can come help out."

"So Alku, happy 'was that a firecracker or shotgun?' day!"

"Hard mode: I'm in the south."

 

"Planning was never Zac Blazer's forte." - Blade, mastering the art of the understatement.

 

"We'll have to change the initials of the RPG from RotR to PTSD." - Me, discussing Rise of the Rockets.

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IC: Ryan Sanders - Signs Warehouse, Kalos

"Hey, why am I the bad example here?" Ryan balked for a moment before looking up at the sunlight filtering through the ceiling. "You know, if it's a flying type, maybe you should use that Rowlet of yours. That is, assuming you didn't scare it out of the building. We should all be careful, though. Luke was the target this time, but that doesn't mean it won't be one of us next." Realizing what he'd just said, the Liberty agent gave a light chuckle. "Kinda sounds like we're in a horror movie, especially with all these meat hooks. Attack of the Killer Pidgey."

 

IC: Zoe Llyan/Dahlia Seaton/Alex Lockwood - Zyther Cottage, Geosenge City

Having sensed Jared's icy attitude at dinner, Zoe had kept mostly quiet. As soon as she stepped foot in the cottage, however, all of her built-up energy suddenly released itself in a single hyper outburst. She was running to and fro, aiming to explore as many rooms as she could in as little time as possible. "Collie, come check out this room!" her voice would call out on more than one occasion.

 

Dahlia and Alex stood obediently with the rest of the group as Jared explained their mission, although the current Hero of Reverse chose a spot next to her senior, the look on her face making it clear that she wanted to ask him a question or twelve once Jared's explanation was finished.

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC: Lohe Mahina - Four Island: Diplomat Suite - August 9th, early hours

 

Mu sat in the living space of the blood-drinker with his head held low. He had been caught. What disgrace he felt. He couldn’t show his face among his kind again.9th

 

The Crobat was staring down at him. Smiling with his fangs bared. Mu had been bothered for the first hour it had stared at him. After the first hour, it just started to become a non-entity.

 

The gaunt human was chopping up berries. It was odd to Mu. Eating berries was not something blood-drinkers were known to do. When he’d heard the legends, they were pretty clear about what they consumed. After some time however, the human placed what looked to be a fruit salad in front of Mu.

 

<“I think we got off on the wrong foot,”> Lohe said in his native tongue. <”I think you know what I am.”> Lohe would’ve added, ‘say it,’ but Rattata were not known for reading garbage.

So he admitted it. Mu felt himself shake slightly.

 

<”We don’t have the luxury of choosing our allies. I hope one day you will forgive me.”>

 

The two stared at each other for a moment, when a noise came from the table. It was his ringtone. Lohe strolled over to it and picked up the phone. He walked back to Mu as he checked the caller ID. He frowned as he saw it what it read.

 

<”I have to take this phone call. Please enjoy.”>

 

Lohe walked some ways away from the door to the room he had been given. He couldn’t hear anyone outside of his door, but the walls always felt thin to him. Soundproofing was never as good as advertised. He pressed accept on his phone and held the phone to his ear.

 

“Is it done? Got your fill of death? Should I order a salad to celebrate? Maybe bread?” Lohe said into the phone.
 

<”We failed.”>

 

Lohe was silent. He pulled out a chair and sat in it, slumping immediately. He knew how stupid the mission was. He knew how terrible its ripple effects would be. But he couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

 

<”Anyone die?”> he asked.

<”No. We had to feed to help one of us heal, but we are alive.”>

<”What happened?”>

<”Trainers. Their Pokémon had power. One seemed like the Scizor from One Island. Though it didn’t transform, they had two transformations and more than one legendary Pokémon on their side.”>

 

That….was terrible luck, Lohe thought. And why would a Liberty trainer go to Alola? He was silent for a moment as gears began to click in his head. Those two were technically Plasma, but they also left for Alola in between the battle of One Island and now. <”There weren’t a couple of trainers with them, one with brown hair, bluish-purple eyes, and a red-haired woman, were there.”>

 

The voice on the other side was silent for a few moments. <”I’m not alone.”>

 

Lohe regretted speaking. He may have just said too much. He could add that it was a coincidence, if it even was Evan and Jenny, that it was a coincidence that they interfered. He didn’t even mention Ula’Ula. But among his employers were those inclined not to believe him. And probably some among his peers who would be willing to shift the blame. He kicked off the table and let the chair he was sitting in fall to the floor.

 

<”Any chance they’ll actually send people to help save the world now?”> Lohe asked, not really hopeful for anything.

 

<”After tonight’s performance? No.”>

 

Lohe groaned as he lay there, looking up at the ceiling. He needed to get them off of their butts and actually try to help save the world. He stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking.

<”...You know, maybe I did tell them to visit the Ruins of Abundance.”>

 

<”...What are you talking about, you idiot? If I tell them that...”>

 

The voice on the other end went silent. If he told their superiors that Lohe had, at the very least inadvertently, caused the mission to fail, they’d send someone to ‘shadow’ him. To shadow his movements, determine his loyalty, and kill him if they found him wanting. Now, fun fact, while there was naval traffic between Alola and Four Island, it wasn’t exactly a convenient trip. Their chosen agent -could- wait for one of these trips. But, Lohe had other plans.

 

“Putting you on hold,” he said switching to English.

 

<”What? Why-”> the voice said before he was muted.

 

“Thank you for holding, your call is important. Thank you for holding, your call is important,” Lohe began repeating into the phone as he began typing a message into his phone.

 

To: Blackskull.

From: Lohe Mahina

Subject: Progress

 

I’m making progress with my higher-ups. You should expect some agents from my organization to show up in the not too distant future. Probably within the week. Send requests for resources or whatever other aid you want from the Alolan government to the attached addresses. They’ll get you what you need.

 

-L Mahina

 

 

He sent the message, but not before CC’ing the message to two different addresses. While Lohe began to close out of his messaging application, the voice on the other end apparently received the message.

 

<”HOW DARE YOU BRING HER INTO THIS!”> the voice shouted as it read Lohe’s message.

 

Lohe grinned. Who had he also sent the message to? The only ali’i of the Mahina who Lohe wouldn’t describe as an old man. The fabulous heir presumptive. The same ali’i that the voice on the other end of the phone call just so happened to be the consort of. And now she was someone that Lohe had just made a point of contact for Blackskull.

 

More or less, the gambit was, get them a reason to really want to send people to Four Island. Give them an excuse that would make it seem normal for a bunch of people to show up on Four Island. But make that excuse something that would actually force them to contribute to actually saving the world. And if they didn’t send what he had just promised, that would hurt his reputation here, which would make it quite difficult for him to get what they wanted.

 

<”I’ll make them contribute one way or another,”> Lohe said into the phone. <”I’ll be sure to report to the ali’i who’s at fault for our faulty relations with Team Liberty.”>

 

She had been the one to send Lohe here, after all. And if her name became the reason Blackskull didn’t want to work with their group. Well, that would be quite the blackmark on her reputation. And if there was anything the voice on the other end would never allow, it would be anything tarnishing the reputation of his wife.

 

“I. Will. Murder. You,” the voice on the other side said.

 

And with that, Lohe hung up. The voice would take care of it. It would probably cost him some limbs, but he’d make things happen. He wouldn't let anything happen to his wife.

 

Of course this gambit left one major problem. He had basically painted a target on himself. Preferably, keeping diplomatic relations would be a high enough priority that they wouldn’t kill him on the spot when they showed up. That’d make his new found friendship with Blackskull something they’d value. But he’d rather wait for their anger to cool a bit before he had to deal with any of his ‘fellows’.

 

“I need an excuse not to be here when they show up...” he said as dozed off.

 

Meanwhile, Mu sat there staring at the gaunt human.

 

<”Is he actually going to sleep like that?”> the Rattata said to the Crobat, gesturing to the fact that Lohe was sitting in the overturned chair.

 

The Crobat took off, and grabbed the blanket off of the bed. He draped it over Lohe’s sleeping body. The Crobat came to a landing right in front of Mu. The Rattata hadn’t eaten any of the food, yet. His stubborn refusal didn’t make sense to Nosferatu, but the Crobat didn’t mind eating the Rattata’s food if he wasn’t. Nosferatu picked up a piece of a berry, and began to chew it. Slowly. Savoring every bit. Treating it as if he’d never tasted anything better. And in general, doing his best to make the Rattata realize how hungry he was. Mu, sat there, his stomach starting to growl, but his discipline refusing to let him give in. Nosferatu laughed; he’d get the Rattata to be honest one way or another.

Edited by Metal Gear Minun

25fbd79538e4c3de878b599045e3f03a.jpg

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IC: Yamamoto Aori/Ryan Hikari/Shannon Willows - Celadon City

 

The drive was mostly silent. Ryan was focused on navigating the unfamiliar roads and Shannon was staring contemplatively out the passenger-side window, which left Aori to tend to the Pokémon in the backseat. Every few minutes Selena would dart to another window, excited to not only ride in a vehicle, but to be going home. In stark contrast to the energetic Furret, Hana and Yuri sat calmly next to Aori, although the latter seemed to have struck up a conversation with Salix. Sousa napped in Shannon's lap.

 

As they approached Celadon City, an odd sensation rose up in Shannon's chest. As much as she'd loathed her time in the city, it had still been her home for several years. It had been less than a month since Hannah's attack on the city, yet it felt like it had been an eternity. Most of the rubble and debris had been cleared off the streets, yet several buildings remained under repairs. In certain sections of the city entire roads had been closed off, forcing Ryan to take a detour.

 

Unable to look at the damage any longer, Shannon turned in her seat to face Aori. "You said we should look in the Department Store?"

 

The girl nodded. “Yes. Papa said that if I ever got lost while we were shopping, I should go to the Department Store and wait up on the roof.” Aori squeezed the vine that Hana had been holding her hand with. “He said he would find me there as soon as he could.”

 

"Sounds like a plan, then." Ryan said with a grin, as he turned to face the other two for a moment while at a stop sign. He wasn't sure if the damage still being around was typical, but figured that the appearance of that alien thing and the loss of powers didn't help repair efforts at all. "We should be nearly there now, though."

 

Sure enough, after a few minutes the towering Department Store came into view. A popular high school hangout, Shannon had never spent much time there, preferring instead to spend her free time browsing the city library. Of the few times she had been to the giant mall, she distinctly remembered how easy it was to get lost in the crowded stores. Aori's father had the right idea coming up with a meeting place. Whether or not he'd actually be there was a matter Shannon chose to push to the back of her mind.

 

"Did you come here often with your papa?" Shannon asked as the trio hopped out of the car. "I'll admit I'm not too familiar with this place, so we'll need you to lead the way."

 

The younger girl nodded. “Papa brings me-- brought me-- once a month to get groceries that didn’t come in on the boats and we couldn’t get on the island.”

 

"That sounds like it was a fun time." Ryan said with a smile, as they approached thet5 Department Store. "From what I remember, it shouldn't be too hard to get to the roof, but we do need to stick together just in case." When he finished speaking, the man glanced around curiously. It didn't seem like there were too many people out and about - he wasn't sure if it was something to do with the time, with the damage to the city, or if it was because of the potential of impending doom. Still, it seemed like a good idea to not split up to be on the safe side.

 

As he said it, Ryan felt something wrap around his hand. A glance down showed Hana walking between himself and Aori, vines connecting her to both. Aori nodded her agreement. “If we do get separated, we can meet on the roof, too…” The girl’s eyes were wide, and her voice was quiet. Her eyes darted around more than usual.

 

Ryan smiled slightly at the sight of Hana, and took a deep breath. "I'm positive we won't get separated. All we really have to do is stick close by, but yeah - the roof of the Department Store is a good place to meet up." He scratched his head with his free hand as they entered the building. "What's your dad like?"

 

“He is brave, and strong. He knows how to farm and fish and do Pokémon battles, and he knows how to use a sword. He keeps me and Mama safe--” Aori made a choking sound, and she hunched over Donguri as she hugged the Seedot. “He-- he--.”

 

Ryan stopped, as he knelt down to Aori's level. "I'm sure he's okay, alright? I'm sorry if I made you upset." He wasn't exactly sure what to do here, but he wanted to help out since it was his own words that sparked this.

 

Tears rolled down Aori’s cheeks, and she clenched her eyes shut. “I-- He’s not--” A quiet sob escaped her, and she stomped her foot in frustration. “Hikari-san, what if he’s not here?”

 

"Well… we'll just keep looking." Ryan smiled softly at her. "I heard yesterday that some of the ships got sent off to Olivine because the refugee center was starting to get overfilled - we could try looking there. We'll keep looking until we find him."

 

The girl sniffed and wiped at her eye. “R-right,” she agreed. She looked at the stairs and hugged Donguri again. “Even if he is not here, we can keep looking…”

 

"Yeah!" Ryan nodded in agreement as he continued to kneel by her. "There's always somewhere we can look. Hope is never truly lost; that's what my sister always talks about."

 

Aori nodded and slowly made her way up the stairs.

 

Shannon followed at a distance, cradling Salix in her arms. She desperately wanted to believe Ryan's words. Perhaps in a simpler time, she would have. From her perch on Shannon's shoulder, Selena gently rubbed against her trainer's cheek. Breaking into a small smile, the girl ran her fingers behind the Furret's ears before rushing up the stairs to catch up to the others.

"So Alku, happy 'was that a firecracker or shotgun?' day!"

"Hard mode: I'm in the south."

 

"Planning was never Zac Blazer's forte." - Blade, mastering the art of the understatement.

 

"We'll have to change the initials of the RPG from RotR to PTSD." - Me, discussing Rise of the Rockets.

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IC: Dahlia Seaton/Zoe Llyan - Zyther Cottage, Geosenge Town
The group had gotten all settled in and was just getting ready for their evening training when Zoe approached Dahlia with a serious look on her face. "Um, Miss Seaton . . ." She shuffled her feet and clasped her hands behind her back as she looked up at the gardener with her bright blue eyes. "Please show me how to use your Reverse powers!" she suddenly blurted out.
 
The question caught Dahlia completely off guard. "You mean like what Jared was talking about at dinner? I told you, I've never done something like that before and don't know if I can."
 
"But you can train me!" Zoe pleaded. "I promise I'll be the perfect apprentice! I'll always do my homework on time and study for all my tests if they're about using powers!"
 
"Whoa, slow down there." Dahlia knelt down to Zoe's level. "Why the sudden interest in having powers? Is it because your sister uses aura?"
 
Under Dahlia's intense gaze Zoe averted her eyes. She slowly nodded, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I want to be able to do cool stuff too," she said. "It's not fair! If you can share your powers, you shouldn't be hogging them all to yourself! I could be a big help in the battles against Team Flare!"
 
Dahlia couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's determination. "You're really that desperate, huh?"
 
Zoe made a face that looked like she wasn't sure whether she should be pleased or offended. "It's not a laughing matter!" she declared.
 
"I'm sorry." Dahlia smiled sweetly. "It's just you remind me of my little brother. He was always trying to prove himself in one way or another, yet he never felt good enough. The irony is, he probably ended up a better trainer than me. He actually helped save me once when I was kidnapped. The point is, you don't need flashy powers to make a difference in our group."
 
"Easy for you to say," Zoe muttered, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "You're a Chosen Hero."
 
"Well, you got me there," Dahlia said sheepishly. "But you've got a power of your own, Zoe. You just don't realize it." The young girl raised a skeptical eyebrow, so Dahlia continued. "You have a very unique perspective on life. While everyone else here is worried about Team Flare or that clan of Frogadier, you see the world as one big adventure. I love how you're so enthusiastic over the most mundane things. Some might look down on you for being childish, but honestly I think we could all learn from your example."
 
Zoe's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open. "You can learn from me? Alright! Tonight's training session will be a special lesson on how to be a warrior princess! Then I'll teach Mr. Winters how not to be a stick in the mud!"
 
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Dahlia laughed as she rubbed the girl's head. "My point is, you shouldn't try to be someone you're not. I've seen how much you and your sister care about each other, and honestly it makes me want to be a better sister to Aspen and Olivia. And that right there is more powerful than any aura sphere or reverse blast."
 
"Wait a second." Zoe frowned. "How do I know you're not just saying this to make me feel better? It sounds a little too cheesy."
 
"Because I didn't always have my powers," Dahlia said. "I've been where you are now. Your enthusiasm, your optimism, and your gentle heart . . . don't lose sight of that." The gardener closed her eyes for a moment, deep in thought. When she opened them again she was smiling. "You shouldn't feel bad that you don't have powers. Fancy abilities aren't what makes us special. Just look at our Pokémon. Do you think any less of them because they lost their powers?" Zoe shook her head. "Well, the same goes for you, kiddo. There's nothing wrong with just being yourself."
 
"I guess . . ."
 
As Zoe pondered the Hero's words, Jared called the training session to order. Zoe still had a thoughtful look on her face as she took a seat next to her sister. Dahlia couldn't help but smile as she found her own seat next to her own sister.

IC: Yamamoto Aori/Ryan Hikari/Shannon Willows - Rooftop, Celadon Department Store
The rooftop, liked much of the rest of the store, was nearly abandoned. The gray stone rooftop held tables and chairs for people to sit at and eat and enjoy the view, as well as vending machines stocked with drinks and snacks. One young guy sat in a corner near the chain link fence, idling on his PokéNav, but nobody else was there.

Aori swallowed nervously. It was still early in the day, and maybe Papa hadn’t gotten to Celadon City yet from wherever he had ended up. For all she knew, he had been taken to Olivine and was now on his way across Johto and Kanto to get here.

Quietly, Aori moved to sit in a seat next to the fence, one with a clear view of the city to the south of them. “This is the table we always sit at,” she said quietly, though it was unclear if she was addressing Ryan and Shannon or just confirming it to herself. “This is where I’m supposed to wait.”

She looked down at the worn wooden surface of the table and traced her fingers along the whorls and eddies of the wood grain. “How long should we wait?”

"That's a good question." Shannon looked away to hide the worry on her face.

"Hmm, how does… until sunset sound?" Ryan asked, as he glanced over to Aori. "That'll give us time to get over to my Aunt Stacy's in time for like, dinner and to get some rest or so."

“Will we come back tomorrow?” Aori chewed her lip. How long would she need to visit the roof before her father showed up? What if they decided to leave Celadon on the day he arrived? These questions and more sat like a weight in her stomach.

"Hmm… We'll see how things go, maybe Stacy could go in our place, while we go check Olivine?" Ryan tapped his finger against his cheek in thought. "We can discuss it with her when we get to her house."

“I would appreciate that,” Aori said. The knot in her stomach loosened a little. If Hikari-san’s aunt met with Aori’s father, she would call him and tell him immediately. The girl stood. “Can I get a snack from the machine?”

"Alright, here." Ryan dug out some change from his pocket to give to Aori, then leaned back and watched her to make sure she was safe while she went to get the snack.

"How long are we going to keep this up?" Shannon asked in a low voice once Aori was out of earshot. "I mean, he wasn't in Vermilion, it doesn't look like he's here. We can search Olivine next, but we can't just keep searching forever."

"Until we find something, or someone else does. Maybe we can't search forever, but like, I don't know, I feel like we can find Aori's parents." Ryan didn't glance over yet. "I want things to work out, like they didn't for me. Even if it seems unlikely, we need to try."

"Of course." Shannon fell quiet as she shifted her gaze to Aori, who was digging something out of the vending machine. They needed to be strong for her sake, something Ryan clearly had no problem doing.

So why did it feel like Shannon's echo of his hope was just an act?

 

*****

 

The day passed slowly, the shopping center’s roof becoming a bit more full around lunch and dinner, but otherwise being mostly deserted. As the hours wore on, Aori became quieter, and her eyes watched the door to the roof more anxiously. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the streetlights came on far below, the door opened one last time.

A man in an apron stood there with a broom and dustpan. He seemed surprised to see the group, but he smiled anyways. “Hey there, folks! Sorry, but the store’s closing up. Is there anything I can help you with on the way out?”

"You wouldn't have happened to have seen like…" Ryan paused, as he wasn't exactly sure how to describe Aori's father. "... a man with a sword, would you?"

The clerk frowned, shifting a bit uncomfortably. “Look, the police were already here and questioned basically everyone in town. I already explained to them that I didn’t see anything that night.”

Aori blinked, tilting her head. “No, um… we’re looking for my Papa. He has lots of hair the same color as mine, and he carries a katana with him.”

“Oh. Oh! Um, no, sorry. I know who you’re talking about, he’s a regular, but I haven’t seen him in a few weeks.” The man shrugged apologetically. “If I see him again, I’ll let him know, though?”

Shannon merely bit her lip and stared over the balcony at the city lights, absentmindedly stroking Selena's fur.

"Alright, thanks for the help." Ryan said with a thankful smile to the man. He was slightly confused about the first part about the police, and it might not have been super helpful altogether, but at least they hadn't missed him somehow.

The trio left the shopping center and got back into the car. Aori and Shannon both stayed quiet as Ryan began the drive to his aunt’s home.

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC: Jared Winters/Lachina Adaon/Emily Lockwood/Calem - Geosenge Town, Kalos, August 11th, late night

 

Jared approached Klim and Dahlia quietly, a plastic bag in hand. "So, I'm going to take everyone else through punches and kicks, but here's what I want Dahlia to work on." He pulled out several bottles of colored water. "Mix these together, just a little bit from each one into another one. Once they've mixed and blended, Dahlia, try reversing the process."

 

He set the bags down and smiled at the gardener. "You've made big strides forward, Dahlia. Just remember that you can do this." So saying, he turned and walked over to the rest of the assembled group. "Okay, everyone, same punches and kicks as last time! Focus on the form first and the power and speed second!"

"So Alku, happy 'was that a firecracker or shotgun?' day!"

"Hard mode: I'm in the south."

 

"Planning was never Zac Blazer's forte." - Blade, mastering the art of the understatement.

 

"We'll have to change the initials of the RPG from RotR to PTSD." - Me, discussing Rise of the Rockets.

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IC: Dahlia Seaton - Geosenge Town, Kalos

Dahlia barely had time to comprehend Jared's instructions before the aura wielder was off teaching the rest of the class, leaving her alone to demonstrate her abilities to Klim. It was like having a pop quiz or getting thrown into the deep end of a swimming pool. With nervous apprehension she started mixing the colored water together. Soon she was left with a bottle of murky purplish water.

 

"Um . . ." She carefully placed the bottle on the ground in front of her and sat down cross-legged. She extended her arms toward the bottle, fingers outstretched. She felt incredibly foolish, like she was some street magician performing for children. "Right, so I just need to separate the water and the dye . . ." She closed her eyes, trying not to think about Klim watching her.

 

Holding her breath, she pushed all her mental energy into separating the individual colors. The bottle just sat there. Her face grew more and more hot as her lungs screamed for air. Finally she collapsed, gasping for air.

 

"I'm sorry," she groaned. "I'm sure this would be a cakewalk for someone like you, but the truth of it is, I'm not very good . . ."

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC: Klim Prizak

The former Hero frowned at Dahlia's words, taking note of the woman's doubts. "I'm not gonna lie, it's tough, but........I may have an idea on how to help you." Klim siad, smiling a knowing smile. "Mind sharing a bit of your power so I can demonstrate how I could use the power of Reverse? I'm not sure if it'll work for you, but, maybe it'll give us a hint of how you can do it?"

 

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IC: Dahlia Seaton - Geosenge Town, Kalos

Dahlia nodded awkwardly. "Um . . . I've, never done that before. Should I like, lay my hands on you or something?" Reaching out apprehensively, she placed a hand on Klim's shoulder. "Like this?"

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC: Yu Changgong - Lazy Pidgey Cafe, Blackthorn City

 

"A partnership, then?" he asked. The swordsman had not had any long-term contact with humans for the past several years, with his only constant companionship coming from his Pokemon. Ever since the fateful day at the dojo, however... "Very well. Having an ally from within the central government would do wonders for my long-term goals." 

Yu reached into his pouch and procured an extremely outdated Pokegear model. "I don't exactly have much in the way of a consistent source of income, so this was about all I could afford." he admitted, cracking a small sheepish grin. "Just enter your number here. I promise I won't ever contact you for something trivial. This dao I wield has carried me through the tribulations of life up until now, and I expect it will continue to do so. But should I be pushed to the brink, I'd be honored to have you fight by my side."

Haven't seen one of these in a long time...

 

 

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IC: Klim Prizak

Klim felt the power flow into him, and then gently brushed away Dahlia's hand from his shoulder. "All right, let's see if I can how you my way of doing things." Klim said as he looked at the water. "Prepare for a show unlike any other!" He stuck his hand out towards the water, focused his mind on reversing the mixture back into it's component bottles. A golden aura surrounded the young man for the briefest of moments, before the water began to flow out of the bottle, each stream of water entering it's former container, as if by magic. When it was over, Klim grabbed his head and sighed. "I forgot how powerful this power was." Klim said, panting a bit. "But, the basic principle is.....you are Matter's guide, as you reverse it's flow, be it unmixing water, or reducing something to it's components." Klim then faced Dahlia.

"You supposed to be asking it to work with you, not commanding it to work for you. That's how it's worked for me."

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IC: Dahlia Seaton - Geosenge Town, Kalos

Dahlia watched Klim work his magic in absolute awe. "Wow, even after not having your powers for some time, you really are a master, Mr. Prizak. I don't know why Mr. Giratina ever decided to pass your powers on to me instead of letting you keep them."

 

She started to pour the separated water back into the central bottle. Assuming the same position Klim had, she took another deep breath.

 

"Ask the matter to work with me, not for me," she murmured. "Alright, um . . . colors? Could you please go back to your original bottles for me?" Nothing happened, and Dahlia felt incredibly silly. "Alright, maybe let's just take this one step at a time. Red? Please return to your container."

 

At first nothing happened. Then a small trickle of blood-red water trickled out from the top of the open bottle. The stream arced in the air as it returned to one of the empty bottles. Dahlia couldn't help but let out an elated laugh of both surprise and delight.

 

"I'm doing it! It's working!" When the last of the red had left, she looked back at the remaining mixture. "Alright, Blue. You're next. Off you go!" Another stream, this one a deep blue, poured itself back into another bottle. One by one she continued with the other colors until all that remained in the central bottle was pure water. Dahlia let out a breath as a wave of dizziness made her head spin. "H-how was that?" she asked her teacher. "I'm sorry it wasn't as fancy as what you did, and I could only do it one at a time . . . it looks like you've still got a lot to teach me, huh?"

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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IC: Klim Prizak

"There's definitely a lot more for me to teach you, but......" Klim said, smiling. "You do realize that we don't start as masters, right?" The young man chuckled. "Let's just take the wins we get, and go from there. Now, let's see you do it again! Flex those Reverse muscles!"

 

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IC: Dahlia Seaton - Geosenge Town, Kalos

Somehow that chuckle made Dahlia relax. She was in the presence of a master, sure, but he wasn't looking down on her lack of finesse like she'd feared he would. "Right!" The gardener poured the water back into the central bottle and started again. "It's just like with the Turtwig and the Buneary. Slow and steady wins the race. Alright, let's do this one more time."

 

Coco burst out of her Pokéball, having taken offense to Dahlia's analogy. Dahlia simply laughed as she let Nutmeg out as well. "Don't worry, Coco. I may need to take things slow for now, but when we get into a real battle, I need to be quick on my feet. The two of you could learn something from each other as well." The pair sat back to watch as Dahlia performed her routine once more. She could still only do the colors one at a time, but the reversal happened faster now. While Jared trained the rest of the group in meditation, Dahlia repeated her water bottle training over and over. Each time she became a little more comfortable than the last.

 

After what felt like forever, her progress started to slow down with fatigue. It was when she was trying to separate two colors at once that her concentration broke. Orange and blue water spilled on the ground between their respective bottles. "S-sorry!" Dahlia cried, holding a hand to her head with a grimace. "Um, I can reverse that. Probably." She held out a shaking arm but was too exhausted to let her powers undo the mess she'd made. Her previous fluster started to return. "Sorry! Um... maybe I should just get some paper towels?"

Konuju: Kopaka and Nuju meet the Spear of Fusion

 

Quotes from throughout the years:

 

2001: "Your past is forgotten, and your future is an empty book. You must find your own destiny, my brave adventurer." --Nokama

2002: "Mata Nui faces perhaps its greatest challenge -- one that will test our courage, our strength, and our belief in each other." --Tahu

2003: "So... it has begun, my brother. But soon, it will also end..." --Makuta

2004: "Your journey must end." "By the will of the Great Spirit, it has just begun!" --Makuta and Vakama

2005: "Our destinies are not written in stone, set in place. They are something we have to find for ourselves." --Vakama

2006: "Don't you realize you're fighting for a lost cause?" "Maybe. But don't you realize those are the only ones worth fighting for?" --Axonn and Brutaka

2007: "Sometimes a hero has to do something else besides beat the villains and come home covered in glory." --Hahli

2008: "Dive into the darkness, Ignite the flame within. Now, there is no turning back. Make the future... begin." --Narrator, The Final Battle Animation

2009: "It is said that all endings are merely beginnings waiting to be born." --Mata Nui

2010: "All journeys must come to an end, but this time, there is a new beginning as well. ... All that has gone before, my friends, has only served to give birth to this new day. Let unity, duty and destiny be your guides." --Mata Nui

2011: "Not dead. Just frozen. They’ll thaw out … eventually. I’m tired of villains spouting gibberish." --Kopaka

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