Pokémon: Rise Of The Rockets

[JiMing]

IC: Dahlia Seaton

The middle Seaton winced a bit when Taylor caught her attempt to cover up who she got the Turtwig from, and looked down. "...From Erika..." she muttered, not sure if Taylor would believe that or if it was too much information. Dahlia blinked however, and looked down as the Tiny Leaf Pokemon was lightly headbutting Taylor's ankle. "...As far as I know, she hasn't fought... Definitely not with me." the gardener explained, and rubbed the back of her head. "Why do you ask?"

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor giggled at the Turtwig's antics, and looked up at Dahlia in surprise. "From Erika? The gym leader? That's pretty cool!" She said with a smile, and looked back down, as she stood up. "Well, I was wondering if she'd like to train a bit with my Budew... Axle's kinda still young himself, but I think he'd be able to help teach your Turtwig a couple tricks; including one that was taught to him. Long story short, the Turtwig I mentioned earlier was my family friend's second Turtwig... the daughter of the Torterra he has. So the father Torterra gave Axle some lessons! I'm not sure where he learned it initially, though" The girl sheepishly scratched the back of her head, as she stretched a bit, and sent out her Budew, to meet the Turtwig. The tiny Pokémon tentatively looked over to the Turtwig, and slowly approached, as he tilted his head.

[JiMing]

IC: Dahlia Seaton

 

Dahlia sighed in relief, as Taylor didn't press for details on how she got the Turtwig, and listened to Taylor's story with intrigue. "...Huh. Interesting. What kind of tricks do you have in mind...?" she asked the other girl, looking down curiously at the Budew. "Aww... My brother had a Budew once. It evolved into a Roselia, though." the middle Seaton shared, smiling at the tiny Pokemon.

The Turtwig saw Axle approach, and raised a leg to try and wave, nearly falling over as she did so. Otherwise, the Tiny Leaf Pokemon looked at the Budew curiously, but gave back a friendly smile.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

"Well... The main one that my Budew actually learned is like... He can fire off one Razor Leaf, but it goes faster and is a bit more powerful than normal? So like..." Taylor whistled to the Budew, who looked up, and then fired off an example Razor Leaf at a rapid speed at the sand to the side, so that no-one would be hit. Axle then looked back over to the Turtwig, and smiled back, as he seemed to do some stretches as well, to warm up. "Kinda like that." Taylor explained, and then giggled. "A Roselia sounds pretty sweet... I've seen pictures of a Roserade, and they look like amazing things to draw..." She said with a soft smile.

[JiMing]

Dahlia blinked at the Razor Leaf demonstration, and looked at Taylor. "Woah... That's interesting..." she muttered, and turned to the Turtwig. "Uh, do you even know Razor Leaf...?" she asked, rubbing the back of her head.

The Tiny Leaf Pokemon nodded, and fired off several leaves in the same direction as Axle had demonstrated, though the move was very standard. She turned to the Budew, and turned her head, curious as to how to do the single Leaf shot.

Dahlia raised an eyebrow, but turned to Taylor. "You said something about drawing?" the middle Seaton asked curiously.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor blinked, and then nodded with a smile. "Yeah... I really like to draw things. Or rather, paint, I guess, since I prefer to do coloured art." She clarified with a sheepish smile. "I paint whatever I can really see, usually. I've painted the sky a lot, a few parts of where I've been staying the past six months, my Pokémon... Really, anything I can." She giggled slightly, and sighed. "I'm not the best, I know that. I just like to do it... and I wish my dad could get that... I just don't think he understands me." She seemed distant for a moment, but giggled, as she looked over at Dahlia. "Most of the time, he's an amazing dad, though! You should meet my granpa too, sometime; though he's always off doing something or another." She said with a mock pout.

 

While the two girls talked, Axle tried to help out the Turtwig. He tried to quickly give a rough explanation of what to do, and gave another example, taking it easy and slow, to help the young Grass type out.

[Konuju]

IC: Paul

"You'll help me?" The blacksmith eyed Xander warily. The trainer seemed trustworthy enough, and frankly, Paul could use all the help he could get. "Ford is a big client of Déoza, the company I work for, but I've never met the man myself. I do blacksmith work, not shipping, so I have no clue where to even begin looking."

 

Paul slowly brought himself to his feet, supported by his Bisharp. The rain seemed to be pouring harder now, but he knew they couldn't stay there. Every second they delayed meant Ellen was in greater danger. Paul eyed Xander again. The young man seemed genuinely worried about Ellen, and visibly shaken by her sudden disappearance. Paul sent the Gardevoir a mental expression of gratitude.

 

"Ellen said she was trying to meet her friend in Fortree," Paul said slowly. "Would you happen to know him? If he's one of the people she was traveling with in Unova, then he might know something about Ford. It's a long shot, but right now it's looking like our best option."

[JiMing]

IC: Dahlia Seaton

 

Dahlia listened to Taylor go on about painting and her family, frowning a bit after. "...So your Dad doesn't like it when you paint..?" she asked, seeming concerned since it seemed Taylor was also distressed about that. "I'm sorry to hear that... I'm sure your paintings are great." the middle Seaton offered, smiling at the other girl. "Sorry about your grandpa too..."

 

The Turtwig tilted her head as she listened to Axle, trying to understand the instructions. The Tiny Leaf Pokemon turned around, and managed to fire off a single Razor Leaf, though it was still considerably slower than the Budew's demonstration earlier.

IC: Dahlia Seaton

 

Dahlia listened to Taylor go on about painting and her family, frowning a bit after. "...So your Dad doesn't like it when you paint..?" she asked, seeming concerned since it seemed Taylor was also distressed about that. "I'm sorry to hear that... I'm sure your paintings are great." the middle Seaton offered, smiling at the other girl. "Sorry about your grandpa too..."

 

The Turtwig tilted her head as she listened to Axle, trying to understand the instructions. The Tiny Leaf Pokemon turned around, and managed to fire off a single Razor Leaf, though it was still considerably slower than the Budew's demonstration earlier.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor blinked for a moment, but then smiled. "It's not so much he doesn't like it; he just... I want to be a painter, and travel the world to do that. I just don't think he agrees it's a good enough... job, so to say." She said, and scratched her head. "We disagree on a couple other things too, but... I don't wanna bring you down." She giggled, and shrugged at the other comment. "As for granpa, it'd be amazing if he were around more, but I'm positive he's busy with his own things... Plus, it makes the times I do see him all the better." The girl explained with a wide smile, as she thought for a moment, and dug out her Pokétch. After flipping through a few things, keeping it close to herself for the moment, she held out her arm, allowing Dahlia to see a vibrant painting of flowers, with the name 'T. Beryl' in the bottom right corner. "This is one of my most recent paintings... Well... It's probably like a year old by now, but it's of Floaroma Meadow... What do you think?" She asked with a smile.

 

Axle nodded, as he watched the young Turtwig attempt to follow his instructions. He gave some advice on how to speed it up a bit, but also stated that practice was very key to handling the technique properly.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander

The teenager listened quietly as Paul explained who Ford was. He did not know anything about the Déoza company, but saw no reason to tell Paul that. As Paul spoke, Sylph raised her hand. A soothing wave of energy washed over him as Heal Pulse took effect, growing new skin over his knuckles and loosening the knots and kinks from years of blacksmith work.

 

Xander sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry, but I only just met Ellen a little while ago." It hadn't been more than an hour, yet it felt like they had been sitting under this bridge for weeks. "I wouldn't know anyone she traveled with before now." He shrugged. "But we were heading towards Fortree, yes. Is it a small enough town that we may be able to find him without her?" He wasn't very hopeful. He hadn't even thought to ask the name of the person Ellen was going after.

 

He glanced at Sylph and smiled lightly. "Sylph says his name is Ryan, so that helps a little, right?"

[JiMing]

Dahlia looked curiously at the phone, beaming when she saw the subject of the painting. "Oooooh... It looks wonderful!" she exclaimed, continuing to stare at the painting. "You're a really good painter! Floaroma Meadows, though?" the middle Seaton repeated curiously. "That's been a place I've always sorta wanted to go to... Do you come from Sinnoh?"

 

The Turtwig thought over Axle's advice, and tried again. This time, her leaf came out a bit faster, to which the small Pokemon seemed excited about, and looked back at the Budew excitedly.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

The girl paused for a moment, and then scratched her head. "Oh, yeah." Taylor sheepishly smiled, and nodded again. "Yep... I'm from Sinnoh. Mostly stayed on the west side of the region, though, other than a trip once or twice over to like Hearthome or so." She scratched her head again. "Though, ever since those Darkrai started to show up, I've been living with extended family, over in the Orange Islands..." The girl seemed a bit more awkward, and looked over at her. "What about you, have you always lived in Olivine?"

 

Axle smiled, and nodded, finding that a very good job for only the second time trying it. The Budew advised the young Turtwig to practice both the normal and enhanced versions of Razor Leaf, since every situation was different, and what might have worked in one fight might not in another.

[Konuju]

IC: Paul

Terry barked excitedly at the mention of Ryan. Paul, feeling rejuvenated from Sylph's Heal Pulse, knelt down at the Herdier's side. "What's that, Terry? You know where this Ryan lives?" Terry gave another bark and wagged his tail in response. "Good boy, Terry!" Paul ruffled the dog's fur and stood back up, glancing over at Xander. "I hope you don't mind getting a little wet, but I'd rather not wait for this rain to die down. By the way, I don't think I ever properly introduced myself." He held out a hand. "Paul Burks."

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander

Xander smiled softly. "I understand. It won't be the first time we've gotten soaked." He knelt to pick up the Fennekin and Eevee, setting them on his shoulders before straightening. He shook the older man's hand firmly, nodding. "I'm Xander Cruize. Lead the way, and we'll keep up."

[JiMing]

IC: Dahlia Seaton

 

Dahlia frowned again when Taylor mentioned being driven out of her home thanks to the Darkrai, but nodded at her question. "Yep.. Born in Olivine, lived there ever since." she explained, and sighed. "Grew up a gardener, growing berries and flowers, it's pretty much what I wanna  do for the rest of my life.." the middle Seaton said, and sighed. Thinking for a bit, she reached into her backpack, and pulled out a bag of Pecha Berries, taking out one to eat, and offering the bag to Taylor. "That's what you wanna do for painting, right? I think... I think if it makes you happy, you should prove your Dad wrong and keep doing that." she said, smiling.

 

The Turtwig listened while looking at the Budew with wide eyes, and reassured Axle she would keep practicing. Immediately after, she followed up on the promise, and went back to attempting single leaf shots, trying to get a feel for how to fire them off quickly.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor smiled at what Dahlia had said, and tentatively took one of the Pecha Berries, and tried it. "Mmmm, this is good." She said with a smile, as she looked over at the water. "I'll try my best to do that about a lot of things. Hopefully he'll see my way of thinking someday..." She sighed, as she leaned her head back for a moment to look up at the sky. The girl looked back down, and then over to Dahlia with a smile. "We should keep in touch, you make a good friend... and it's nice having other people to talk to." She explained with a giggle, as she glanced over at the main path uncertainly for a moment.

 

Axle smiled, and nodded, as he sat down, watching the Turtwig practice curiously.

[JiMing]

IC: Dahlia Seaton

 

Dahlia looked at Taylor, smiling and hoping things would turn out alright for her, chewing on her Pecha Berry thoughtfully. She was caught off guard when Taylor suggested keeping in touch, but nodded happily. "Yeah! That would be great!" the middle Seaton said excitedly, pulling out her Pokegear. "You seem like a very nice person, and I'd love to get to know you better..." the gardener explained, and rubbed the back of her head, feeling somewhat awkward for some reason, though she was curious as to what Taylor was looking at.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor looked back before Dahlia could actually follow her gaze, and thought for a moment, before she rhymed off some numbers. "Input that, and it should work." She said with a smile, figuring that was how registering a number worked. "Sorry, never actually tried this before..." She explained with a sheepish smile.

[Metal Gear Minun]

OOC: Our music today is from Fire Emblem, link here. Please start listening to it when Jamie finds the Caps lock key.
 
IC: Jamie (Celadon City)

“……”
 
As Jamie processed the message that Ethan and Gavin shared with her, her smiled faltered and her face looked downtrodden.

 

"This is... unacceptable...”

 

With the horrible news being broken to her, it seemed that Jamie's emotional high had come to a tragic crash.

 

"I am going to find Ford; I am going to foil whatever plans he took Skye for; I am going to find Skye; and I AM GOING TO PUNCH HER IN THE FACE!”

 

Or maybe it didn't.
 
"How could she spit in Tristan's face to place herself in the hands of those who tried to kill her? My father did not take all of those Thunderbolts for Skye just so she could risk her life so foolishly. He took them... because I ordered him to, because I decided she was worth protecting," she said, not remembering that Ethan and Gavin wouldn't know the meaning of all of her words.
 
For a moment, Jamie's face flashed sadness, but only for a moment. The sadness evaporated, leaving behind only a look of fierce determination. Pelleas had stopped moving when he heard Gavin's tale, remembering how his dear rival had looked on Four Island, but hearing Jamie shook him out of his thoughts. There was only one thing either of them wanted to do at that moment.
 
"I will find her. I swear on my honor, the honor of the Arthur name, and of Team Rocket, that I -will- find her, and bring her back. And Tristan WILL have her apologies!"
 
The Heracross felt pumped like he had never been before, his emotions were perfectly in sync with those of his daughter. Right now, if his trainer, no, his liege-lord ordered him to, he would gladly charge Ford's entire organization if it meant getting Skye back. He had faith that Jamie would lead him well.

“I need to go see my brother once more before I can leave Celadon. But once we are finished speaking, I want to immediately start looking into leads on Ford."
 
 
IC: Claus (Virbank City Gym - Backstage)

 

Saying that Claus was nervous was akin to saying that water was wet or that setting a brat’s suit on fire was funny. His Gym Battle with Burgh had a much… smaller audience… or rather just a judge and no audience at all. Here though, there was a crowd. Quite a fair size one too. An audience who came to listen to the Gym Leader rock as much as they came to see Pokémon battle. He just hoped that their focus would be locked on the Roxie and not him.

Flint didn’t have that problem. Stage fright? Pshaw, what was that? The Monferno would call it an oxymoron, if he could speak and knew the definition of the word oxymoron. But they were next and Flint could hardly wait.

 

The current challenger on stage was commanding a Flygon while the Gym Leader was represented by a Garbodor. The Trash Heap Pokemon was beginning to falter, though the Flygon’s advantage was marginal. The fight finally ended with the Flygon’s Earthquake being too much for the Poison Type to endure… and too much for the sitting members of the audience to stay in their seats. Some out of excitement, but others simply because the shockwaves simply bowled them right over, and one violinist had both reasons.

 

The Liberty Trainer sighed as he watched the victor leave the stage. It was his turn now. No use in fighting it.

 

“Time to take center stage…”

Edited August 18, 2015 by Totally Colette; Not Minun

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Lucia==-

 

Lucia was first stunned by what was said by Ethan and Gavin. However, Jamie's reaction shocked her even more. After she got a chance to process what just happened, the redheaded girl nodded in understanding, as she could see why Jamie would react that way. "Right..." She paused, however, as she glanced up to the sky. "But what if it's night, by the time you finish talking to James?" She asked curiously, as she looked down at Jamie. "I mean, it's been a long day as it is..." She scratched her head, not minding any decision, but also not minding taking some time to rest before heading out after.

[JiMing]

IC: Dahlia Seaton

 

Dahlia blinked, as she hadn't yet brought up the contact screen of her Pokegear, and scratched the back of her head. "Um, uh, could you-nevermind..." she muttered, handing the painter her Pokegear. "Um, just input your number there, and I'll do the same for your device." the middle Seaton said, a bit awkward still.

The Turtwig kept trying the single Razor Leaf technique, its speed slowly but surely improving. As the Tiny Leaf Pokemon looked back at Axle with excitement, Coco watched and applauded happily, very impressed by the small Pokemon's progress.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor blinked slightly, but nodded, as she quickly put her number into the Pokégear, and then handed it back to Dahlia. "Alright, now..." She mumbled a bit as she scrolled to her contacts list, and launched up the 'add contact' part, and held her wrist out to Dahlia. "I don't usually take my Pokétch off unless I'm about to sleep, so this is a little easier." She said sheepishly, as she fidgeted slightly, waiting for Dahlia to finish up with adding her contact.

[Konuju]

IC: Paul

With a nod, Paul led the way out into the torrential downpour. The sea churned on either side of them as they traversed the narrow strip of land that made up Hoenn's Route 110. Terry and Bisharp ran at Paul's side, and the blacksmith made sure Xander was following behind him.

 

Even as they ran through the rain, the light began to diminish as evening took its course. By the time they reached the northern end of the path, the sun was completely down. "We'll have to spend the night at the next city... Mauville, if memory serves." Paul peered through the darkness at Xander as he tried to hide his exhaustion. If Kimber were still conscious, she would have been able to provide a source of light for the two trainers. Paul tried not to think about his Torkoal's current condition. Instead he panted as he trudged onward, eager to get out of the rain.

[JiMing]

IC: Dahlia Seaton

 

Dahlia nodded, and reached for Taylor's wrist, quickly inputting her own number on the painter's Poketch, rubbing her head after she was done, shifting her feet as well. "Umm, that's that, then." she mumbled, smiling at the other girl. "I-it's nice meeting you, though! You seem like a really nice person, keeping contact's a pretty great idea..." the middle Seaton said, looking around afterwards, not sure of what to do now.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

Taylor nodded with a smile, as she exited out to the main menu of her Pokétch, and then scratched her head, as she noticed a man in sunglasses near the path, looking around. "Yeah... Looks like I have to go, though." She said, as she looked back to Dahlia with a sheepish smile. She quickly recalled her two Pokémon, and then giggled. "Very nice to meet you, though, Dahlia! Maybe we'll meet again, sometime soon?"

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander

The teen kept up easily with Paul, years of running and skating through the Kalos region showing through. He glanced up at the sky as lightning continued to flash; the storm seemed to be getting worse as the night wore on. "Mauville? Sounds good to me. When we get there, my Fennekin can dry us out at least a bit." He didn't think to mention the Torkoal Paul had. Even if it hadn't nearly drowned tonight, using a Torkoal to dry off in a closed environment sounded risky at best.

 

The Fennekin in question had moved to huddle in the front of Xander's jacket, just her head peeking out as the rain continued to pour.

[JiMing]

IC: Dahlia Seaton

 

Dahlia blinked, not having follkwed Taylor's gaze, nodding at the painter's words. "Alrighty... Really nice to meet you, though!" she replied, giggling also. "You're a really cool and nice person, I'd like staying in touch even if we can't meet up in person for a while... Then we'd still get to know each other better..." the middle Seaton muttered, feeling disappointed Taylor was going, but glad to have met her.

[Konuju]

IC: Paul

Paul nodded as they reached the city limits. "How's your Fennekin doing?" he asked, looking back at the fire-type in concern. The fox Pokemon seemed to be doing alright under the cover of Xander's jacket. Nevertheless, Paul redoubled his efforts on running through the rain-soaked streets of the city. It wasn't until they reached the Mauville Pokémon Center that the blacksmith finally paused to catch his breath, panting heavily as he leaned on the back of a couch in the lobby for support.

 

"Here..." he panted, grabbing a fistful of cash and handing it to Xander. "Go up to the nurse and get us a couple rooms for the night. I'll just... be a moment..." As Paul leaned on the couch, Bisharp helpfully took Kimber and Scar's Pokéballs and followed Xander up to the nurse's desk. Terry stayed at his master's side, unsure what to do. If Paul was a failure of a father, then Terry was a failure of a guardian. The Herdier had been tasked with keeping Ellen safe, and for the past couple days she had been anything but safe.

 

Once Paul had caught his breath, he fished out his Xtransciever. As much as he hated making Anna worry, he had to let his wife know what had happened. His finger hesitated over the dial button, however, as he tried to collect his thoughts. Where should he even begin?

 

IC: Dack/Madison/Luke

"This is going nowhere," Dack grumbled. For the past several hours they had been stuck in the line at the Celadon Pokémon Center, waiting for their turn to get their Pokémon healed. The term 'line' was misleading; it was more like an unmoving mob. They were packed like Finneon in the small Center. It was only by sheer luck that they had managed to find enough seats for them all to sit down.

 

Madison lifted her head from Dack's shoulder, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "What's the big rush?" she asked sleepily. "It's not like we have anywhere we need to be."

 

"Well, getting a hotel or something would be nice," Luke said. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather not sleep with a bunch of stinky, sweaty people."

 

"You're one to talk, Luke," Madison chuckled.

 

"H-hey-!"

 

"Sitting around here is just a waste of time," Dack said. "I need to report Hannah to Team Rocket."

 

"Didn't you already do that on your Pokétch?" Madison yawned.

 

"Yes, and so did that Seaton girl." Dack looked over at Madison with a frown. "But you have to remember, Hannah's Team Rocket, too. I never got any sort of response from Rocket officials... I'm starting to wonder if those messages ever went through. Besides, after what happened with Pride... I think I need to explain things in person. Wait here for me; I'll probably be back before you guys are through this line, anyway."

 

"I'm going with you." It wasn't a question. Madison looked up into Dack's eyes, suddenly wide awake and full of determination. "You're not leaving me again."

 

"Hey, you can't just leave me here by myself," Luke cried. "I'm going, too."

 

"And leave Palmer here all by himself?" Dack raised an eyebrow.

 

"It's fine," the Tower Tycoon said with a weary grin. "I've got Natalie to keep me company. Besides, I'm too old to go running around on all these adventures. As soon as this Pokémon Center's back on it's feet, it's back to Sinnoh for me."

 

"I understand." Dack nodded. "Could you do us a favor, though? Stop by Snowpoint on your way back to the Battle Tower. The city suffered some damage from the Heatran attack. Nothing to the extend of Celadon, but..."

 

"Consider it done." The Frontier Brain gave Dack a soft smile. "I'll let you know as soon as I get there what the situation is. Safe travels, Dack."

 

"You too, Palmer." Dack returned the smile and stood up, offering a hand to help Madison up. The trio of Snowpoint trainers said their goodbyes to Palmer and Natalie, and then began the long journey through the sea of people that stood between them and the Pokémon Center doors. "We can arrange for a teleport to Chapel," Dack explained. "But it's generally best to do that in a place where it's not so crowded."

 

Madison nodded as she held Dack's hand and Luke's, not wanting anyone to get separated. After what felt like an eternity, they finally made it out onto the city streets. Madison fell into a somber silence as Dack typed out his message to Team Rocket. It was hard to believe all this destruction had been caused by one girl with a revenge plot. She didn't have much time to dwell on it, though, before an Alakazam materialized before them. The psychic type nodded at the three trainers as its eyes began to glow. Then the world spun around as the Snowpoint Trainers vanished from the ruined city.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Taylor==-

 

"Right. Just don't be late replying." Taylor said teasingly, as she looked back at Dahlia. "Chin up, you seem like you're going places." She said with a wave, before she walked over toward where the man was waiting.

 

"Who was that?" The greying man asked with a cautious look. Taylor gave the man a smile, and giggled a bit.

 

"It's okay, really, she's a very nice person! Her name's Dahlia... I think we'll become fast friends." The man seemed to relax at that, but nodded, as he chuckled, even as they approached the harbour area once more.

 

"You know your father would probably kill me if anything happened to you, so I had to check." He said, as his sunglasses glinted in the sun. However, he paused, as he noticed Taylor seemed to slow down, and was seeming a bit more melancholic. "... You know he just wants what's best for you." The man said, and patted Taylor's shoulder. "You seemed to at least have liked the Orange Islands a little bit."

 

Taylor stayed quiet, but nodded slightly. But does he really want what's best for me, or what he wants to be best for me...? Taylor looked forward, but smiled as she thought of what Dahlia had said. I'll show him... I'll show him this is best for me! Thanks Dahlia... She walked forward, a bit more confidently.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander

Entering the center brought a blast of cool air with it. Xander shivered as they finally made their way to a resting place near the back. He hadn't sat down yet when Paul shoved a handful of yen at him and told him to get rooms.

 

Nodding lightly, he took the money and made his way to the counter. "I need two rooms for the night," he requested, panting softly from the exertion. He looked behind him and helped Bisharp get the pokéballs onto the counter. "And my friend needs his team healed. Bisharp, are you good right now?" He was likely going to get his own team taken care of, for all that they hadn't done anything today except travel.

 

He wanted them in top form if they ran into any other suspicious characters. Next time they would strike first and ask questions once the dust had settled.

 

IC: Alma Mason - Lavender Town

Date: 3 days from present

The girl closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she entered the small city. For the past several hours, she had heard the voices in the distance, growing louder with every step she took forward. Now, they were crystal clear, the dead that lived in that tower. She grinned viciously.

 

Drake Masters would soon be among them. Her toys were concealed in folds and pockets of her dress, lest they be taken away by an overzealous townsfolk. The last time that had happened, she had had to kill four extra people before reaching her target. It had been... messy. Not to fear, though, for she had learned over the years how to avoid notice.

 

The target was currently on leave to pay respects to a fallen teammate. His mourning period would not end for another four days at minimum, plenty of time for the weapon to find him and send him to join his companion in that eternal embrace.

 

First though, she would take a detour into the tower. Once, it had been a place to revere the dead and put them to rest. Now, it had been defiled, turned into a tower of entertainment, a disregard for the ghosts of the past. The numerous graves had been moved to a much smaller building at the south end of town. Despite this, the voices of the dead called her into the previous resting site.

 

Drake Masters could wait. Alma wished to make friends.

[JiMing]

IC: Lachina/Mercury

 

The duo set down in Slateport City early the next morning. The Altaria had been a speedy alternative to riding on Oggie's back, taking only a few hours to fly over ocean and grasslands. Upon stepping down, Mercury looked around. "All right, we should be able to get a ship out of the harbor."

 

He looked around, idly adjusting the backpack that Keith had supplied. In it were rations to last a few days in the wilderness, a sleeping bag, a small tent, and some tinder for a fire. A length of rope, 20 feet, was coiled on the side. An identical backpack had been given to Lachina.

 

The streets of Slateport were mostly deserted at this early hour, only a few shopkeepers and dockworkers going about their business. Mercury glanced to Lachina and shrugged. "You know where the shipyard is?"

Lachina shook her head, and shrugged. "Nope. Honestly, I haven't ever been outside of Almia in well, my entire life... I'm not very sure what's going on here." she replied, and turned around to pat Aolani on the back. "Nice work, you're a strong bird, aren't you?"

Aolani didn't respond, and so the Ranger turned around, observing the city. "Hmm. I'm used to seeing a lot more green, to be honest... Even Pueltown had a lot of vegetation around." she muttered, seeming distracted in that moment. "...Nevermind, let's see if there's a map around, then..." Lachina said, slinging the backpack around her.

 

Shortly afterwards, they were in the shipyard. Mercury looked over departure times and ticket prices and chewed his lip. "There's a ferry leaving for Vermilion City in just an hour or so. We still have time to get tickets, unless we want to wait another two days."

Lachina frowned, and looked back at Mercury. "Hmm, if we're leaving now, I think you should be the one to get tickets..." the Ranger said, and looked around. "People have been giving me dirty looks for my Ranger outfit, I can tell... They're acting like I'm the one with silver hair and bags under their eyes." she said disdainfully, but blinked and looked to the other trainer. "...No offense, of course."
 

Mercury sighed. "Maybe you should dress like a normal human being then," he muttered. Nevertheless, he went up to the ticket counter, pulling out a few crumpled bills. "One adult and one kid for Vermilion," he told the booking clerk, passing the notes over quietly.

 

He pulled out his ID for the clerk to check, and received the tickets. He stowed them in his jean pocket quietly, looking around. "Let's go ahead and see if we can board," he said to Lachina, nodding to the ship in question.

Lachina looked back at Mercury with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms. "...Kid, huh?" she repeated unamusedly, but then sighed. "Thanks though, I'll try to pay you back later." the Ranger said, walking up near the ship, as Aolani followed her.

Mercury shrugged. "Don't worry too much about it. I still owe you for not arresting me." He followed the ranger and her dragon-type onto the ship, presenting the tickets to the necessary person and handing one to Lachina after they'd been punched. The pair were handed a set of keys and directed below deck. "i'm honestly a bit surprised they had last-minute accommodations," he said as they were led to a cabin. Two beds were crammed into the tiny space, leaving little room to stand.

Laching shrugged at the first thing Mercury said to her. "It's no biggie either, you're the one with information." she replied, before being led below deck. The Ranger leaped onto a bed, taking a deep breath, while Aolani tucked her feathers in and tried to get comfortable in the space. "Not the most ideal of sleeping conditions.. But it's heck of a lot better than laying flat on a hard dirt road." Lachina said, as she looked up at the ceiling for that moment. 

Mercury nodded, moving to sit on the other bed. "Agreed." He sighed lightly, leaning back. "We'll probably spend most of the trip up on deck anyways, so no worries." He closed his eyes, settling onto the bed. "So, what's your story? Why'd you decide to become a ranger?"

The Ranger paused, and looked over at Mercury. "...Hmm. Let's see how I can sum that up...." she muttered, and pondered for a bit.

"...I grew up surrounded by nature and Pokemon, back in Almia... So I partly wanted to be a Ranger just to watch and preserve all that, help the life prosper. But what really made me beg my parents to send me to Ranger school, was hearing stories of Rangers, especially that of Kellyn." she explained, and rubbed the back of her head. "You saw Keith back there, Kellyn was his rival back in the day... Long story short, the president of Altru Inc., Blake Hall, tried to use a machine to control every Pokemon in the region, and awakened a Darkrai, and sicced it on the Rangers trying to stop him. But Kellyn, after an adventure that sent him all across Almia, stepped up and saved the day." Lachina said, and closed her eyes. "...I guess hearing that, made me wonder if Rangers could have adventures like that... And I wanted to go on an adventure, be a hero, while still helping nature and Pokemon.... And that's why I'm here now." 
 

Mercury listened quietly, nodding thoughtfully. "Very noble," he said when she'd finished. "Protecting nature, I mean. That's a cause I could get behind." He sighed, standing and unbuttoning his coat. As he shrugged it off, he reached into the inner pocket, pulling out the pokéball that held his Absol.

 

With a scowl, he clipped it onto his belt and set his coat on the bed. "I'm going to head on up and crowd watch for a bit."

The Ranger looked over confusedly, as Mercury was clearly bothered by something. "...Okay. I could use a moment to get into civilian clothes anyways." she replied, reaching into her backpack for her other set of clothes. "Have fun watching up there, maybe I'll join you soon." Lachina said, slightly waving bye to the trainer.
 

Mercury nodded, walking out of the room and going back up. The added weight to his belt felt like a boulder. A day would come, he knew, when he would have to send the twisted creature out into battle. He would have to tell Lachina about it before-hand, but... how would she react, he wondered, if she knew that he carried a monster like that with him? She had been lenient thus far, but if she knew about the Absol, she might pressure him to turn it over or even destroy it.

 

He couldn't bring himself to kill something like that, something that hadn't chosen this fate. The Absol, Styx, was a danger to itself and everything around it, but it hadn't decided to become that way. It had just happened. The aura that surrounded the ball attested to that, the black lines of corruption shooting through the jagged, shattered red.

 

Maybe he could fix it. The thought made him stop in place for an instant. He could manipulate aura. With Anubis' help, perhaps he could remove the corruption, restore the pieces the aura had lost...

 

Yes, he would attempt that. Until then, he would keep the creature secret from the ranger. No sense in worrying her.

After a while, Lachina went up above deck, this time not in her Ranger uniform. She wore a teal t-shirt, faded jeans, and brown boots, though still wore her capture Styler, hoping it could pass for a watch. The undercover Ranger walked around, finally catching up to Mercury, who she approached.

"Yo." she said with a wave, turning her eyes to the ocean. "The water's pretty nice, huh? Maybe if we're lucky, we'll see a Mantine surface next to the boat, otherwise it'll just be the Wingull above our heads." Lachina pointed out, chuckling. She could tell Mercury was still brooding over something... But didn't take a look at his Pokeballs, and so still didn't know what the issue was.

He leaned against the railing, looking around at the crowd. As she approached, he nodded to her. "Might even see a pod of Lapras, if we're lucky." He smiled lightly, brushing his hair back with his fingers. "Here's hoping it's a quiet trip. Save all the excitement for when we get there."

Lachina chuckled at that idea, but looked over at Mercury, still wondering what was up. "Everything good? You seem like you're brooding over something." the Ranger asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's up?"
 

Mercury's brow furrowed. "I'm not brooding," he said defensively. "I just have something to think about right now." He looked away from her. Why did he care what she thought, anyways? She was just a kid, even if she was a ranger and very mature for her age. Her opinion on the Absol didn't matter. He was the one who had captured it, so it was his responsibility.

 

Still, a part of him said, he could probably confide in her. She could help make a well-reasoned decision. She might even have other ideas for solutions to the problem.

 

No. He wouldn't tell her yet. Only if nothing else worked. He didn't want to concern her.

Lachina frowned at his reaction, and stayed quiet for a while. "...All I was trying to do was help." she muttered, and turned away from Mercury, looking at the wide expanse of the ocean. The off-duty Ranger wasn't sure what to think of the trainer. Sometimes, he was lost, confused, and well-meaning. Other times, he was cold, distant, and harsh. But he had important information, so she would still have to put up with all of it. "...This is going to be so much fun, won't it..." Lachina sighed.
 

The silver-haired trainer sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He hadn't meant to put her off. The normally-upbeat girl had shied away when he snapped, and guilt tugged at him.

 

"Sorry, I'm... not used to dealing with people yet," he explained. "I just don't want to distract you from what we're doing right now. We need to stay focused on the mission. I'll explain after. You might even be able to help me." He tried to smile, but failed. He hadn't been social in the six weeks he could remember, and Lachina was still young, still sensitive. He would have to try and do better, be more gentle with her.

The Ranger didn't turn around, still looking into the ocean, not letting Mercury see the frown of confusion on her face. "...Alright. If that's how you wanna handle that." she said, and sighed. "It's fine. I'm a Ranger. First thing I've been taught to do is if I see someone who's having trouble, to offer my help." Lachina explained, and turned around finally. "Even if I'm out of my uniform, my training's stuck. Though, I'm holding you to your promise. After we figure out the situation at Two Island, you'll have to explain what's going on to me... Alright?"

Mercury nodded, locking eyes with the under-cover ranger. "I promise. As soon as we're done there, I'll tell you... everything." Everything. The Absol, the few details he could remember from his past. Lachina would be the first person he confided in. He would stop looking at her as an ally, and start considering her as a potential friend instead. "I'll just say, for now, that I'm making a tough choice, and it might have lethal consequences for me or... someone else."

"...Sounds serious." she muttered in response. "Alright... Well, when the time comes, I'll see what I can do. You can trust me when I say I'll give it my best effort...." Lachina said, holding out her hand to Mercury. She still only had a hint of who Mercury was, and what he could do... But she wasn't going to let that stop her. The Ranger was going to do her best to help, and that was final.

Mercury shook her hand softly, smiling. At that moment, the ship's horn blared and they started to pull out of the harbor. The trip to Kanto began.

Edited August 18, 2015 by JiMing

[Dr. Hidaka]

OOC: One of two jams, this one with JiMing!

IC: Dahlia Seaton and Giratina

"Humans and their bonds." a voice hissed in Dahlia's head, yet it seemed like it was trying to comfort the middle Seaton. "So strong, yet so short. That makes them all the more precious, wouldn't you say, Dahlia Seaton?"

Dahlia stopped her lone stroll on the beach. A booming, powerful voice resonated in her head, though she didn't feel fear... Instead, the voice was oddly pleasant and relaxing....

"....Hello?" the middle Seaton thought, not sure if she would get a response. "Who is this...?"

"A friend, you could say, Dahlia." the voice hissed again, "I am Giratina, ruler of the Distortion World and master of the Reverse. You seem troubled. Why, considering all you have done thus far?"

"...The Giratina from the Sinnoh legends...?" Dahlia asked, her eyes widening. She looked around, yet everyone else on the beach was going along their merry way, confirming she was the only one who could hear the legendary Pokemon. Resuming her stroll, she pondered what the question she was presented with.

"...It's the suffering and destruction, that I saw in Celadon. That's why I'm troubled." she replied. "...I wish I could have stopped it more. Erika says I did a lot, and the others act the same way... But the thought I could have done more, I just... I can't shake it off." Dahlia said, and stopped responding for a moment. "...Umm, if you don't mind me asking, Mr. Giratina... Why are you talking to me, of all people?"

"Because I have been watching you, Ms. Seaton." Giratina spoke, sounding less alien than before, it's telepathic voice sounding much more warm toned. "I've seen all you have done and I want to see you do more. I have decided, that of all the people I have been watching, you seem the most worthy of becoming a Hero of Creation, specifically the Heroine of Reverse."

"...O-oh..." the gardener replied, blinking at what she had just heard. "Me... A hero? O-of creation? Mr. Giratina, I-I'm flattered..." she continued, but looked down, pinching herself to make sure this was actually happening. "Though, um, forgive me for having just a few questions. The first of all is... Why me?" the middle Seaton asked, blinking. "There's Zach, he's already a Hero, and he also has a bunch of friends too. I guess what I'm trying to ask is, how do I stand out from them...?" she thought, rubbing her arm. Giratina's voice was soothing and calming, but her doubt hadn't yet been pushed all the way back.

"I consider you worthy, moreso because you are steadfast in your beliefs." Giratina replied. "You haven't given up hope, despite all that has occurred. As for Zach's friends and whatnot, I have no interest, especially since one of them is already a Hero of Creation. You are the only one who really stuck out to me."

"...R-really now?" Dahlia replied, absolutely stunned. She had always thought of herself as a rather ordinary and boring person compared to her siblings, and especially compared to Zach and his Unovan friends. Yet here she was, being deemed worthy by the master of the Distortion World himself...

"...Thank you. I-I won't disappoint you." she said, breathing deeply. "Though, first, I'd need to know, what uh, being a Hero of Creation entails, if that's alright."

"To figure that out, I'd suggest finding the one remaining Hero of Creation." Giratina replied. "He is known as Evan Tierra. Zach Hikari should know who he is. He can at least tell you what it's about. I will give you an idea, Ms. Seaton. Heroes of Creation have many duties, but their prime duty is to ensure the peace of the world. They also serve Us. the Creation Trio of Sinnoh."

"...From what I can tell, I'll be able to help people more, when things like Celadon happen again." Dahlia pointed out, and pondered for a little more. "Okay. I'll ask Zach again, next thing I see him, Thank you again, Mr. Giratina." the gardener said, smiling slightly to herself.

"Though uh, from what I remember, Dialga was the master of time, Palkia controlled space. I... I didn't exactly catch what you did, though, sorry..." she said apologetically. "I know you're the master of the Distortion World, and it's got something to do with antimatter I think? Sorry, again..."

"Antimatter and distortion." Giratina replied, his voice showing no signs of annoyance. "When you are granted my power, I will elaborate. But for now, go on forth with your head held high, Dahlia Seaton, for you are now the Heroine of Reverse!"

Dahlia went quiet. So much information to process, in such little time. She was a Hero? Chosen by a Sinnoh Legend, out of all possible candidates? She stopped, and closed her eyes, thinking over Giratina's words, and nodded.

"...Yes. Thank you." she said, this time more confidently. "Thank you for this opportunity. I...I won't let you down. I'll do my best!" the middle Seaton declared, and turned around. Though she was still not entirely sure of what would happen next, she walked forward, this time with a smile on her face, heading back to the docks. She didn't have to mull and ponder anymore... Dahlia was given a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and she wasn't going to waste it.

[Konuju]

IC: Anna
Anna Burks had just sat down to eat when her Xtransceiver rang. The woman bolted up from the table to grab the device, her heart pounding as she saw her husband's name inscribed on the screen. It had only been a day since she had last heard from Paul, but that day had felt like an eternity. Her dinner forgotten, Anna quickly picked up her Xtransceiver and answered the call.
 
The moment Paul's face popped onto the screen, Anna knew something was wrong. His hair was sopping wet, his eyes sagged with exhaustion, and the untamed hairs on his chin had been left free to grow as they pleased. But the most telling sign was the look of utter defeat that etched itself into every corner of the man's complexion. Something was very, very wrong.
 
"H-hello?" Anna said in a shaking voice.
 
"Anna." Paul's voice was ragged and hoarse. He stared at his wife with a great longing, and Anna desperately wished she could reach through the screen and give him a hug. Paul spoke slowly, as if he found each word a great effort to verbalize. "I... I have some good news, and some bad news."
 
"Just take your time, honey," Anna said, cradling the Xtransceiver in both hands.
 
Paul looked away, his mouth set in a thin line that betrayed his inner turmoil. He seemed to wrestle with his thoughts for a moment. "I found Ellen." Only then did he chance a look back at his wife, to gauge her reaction.
 
"Oh, Arceus..." Anna brought a hand to her mouth as a thousand emotions flooded her heart at once. Had she just heard those three words with no context, she would have been overcome with joy. But Paul's somber mood and his warning of bad news had her worried. She didn't know what to think. Her legs suddenly felt weak, and she stumbled over to a chair to sit down. "What... wh-what happened...?" she asked hesitantly.
 
"She's gone," Paul said. "Taken by a man named Tyler McKinley." It was clear to Anna that her husband was trying his best not to break down in tears. "She... she didn't want to go home. She witnessed a terrible attack in Sootopolis City, and heard of another one happening in Celadon. She was trying to get one of her friends to help her in Celadon when I found her. We... fought."
 
"Oh, no..." Anna reached for a handkerchief as a lump started to form in her throat. She had warned Paul that Ellen might not want to come home. She feared he had been too hard on her. Paul looked away. Anna had a feeling he couldn't bear to see his wife in tears.
 
"We... we came to a compromise," Paul continued. "I would accompany her to find her friend and help out in Celadon. Then we'd come home. But then he showed up." The blacksmith's face twisted into a terrifying scowl. "McKinley. Apparently he works for Ford. He's met Ellen before, and he offered her a position on their team. Told her something about ending all conflict."
 
"Wait, Ellen's joining Ford?" Anna felt the color drain from her face. "She's ten. What could Ford want from her?"
 
"I don't know." Paul brought his fingers to his temple as he furrowed he brow. "Something about nine children or whatever. Supposedly we'll get her back at the end of the month, but something seems fishy about this whole thing."
 
"You need to go to Ford," Anna said. "Speak to him directly, tell him there's been some kind of mistake."
 
"I can't just waltz into Ford's office, I don't even know where he is." Paul closed his eyes, his exhaustion showing in his face. "For all I know, this McKinley character isn't even with Ford at all, and just used a familiar name to gain Ellen's trust. I've certainly never heard of him before. Right now I'm in Mauville, with a young man Ellen was travelling with. We're planning to head to Fortree in the morning to locate the guy Ellen was trying to get to help her out in Celadon. Right now I could use all the help I can get."
 
Anna felt faint. The situation seemed more than hopeless, and she hated being stuck at home wondering if her family would ever be whole again. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked softly.
 
"Don't lose hope," Paul said. "You've always been the one to pick me up when I feel like I can't go on. Now I need your support more than ever. I'll call you every night to keep you updated. I need you to stay strong, Anna. For both of our sakes."
 
Anna nodded with a sniffle. "Just say the word and I'll get on the next flight to Hoenn. I can leave tonight if you want."
 
"No," Paul said softly. "I need you in Village Bridge. I've already lost one beautiful young girl in my life; I won't lose the other."
 
"Just stay safe," Anna said. "I don't want to lose you, either."
 
Paul gave her a reassuring smile, then looked somewhere offscreen. "Oh, I almost forgot. When I found Ellen, I found another familiar face." The camera bent down as Paul's face was replaced with a panting Herdier who gave a loud bark.
 
"Terry!" Anna giggled in surprise, a small smile creeping onto her face. "I've missed you too, Terry. You keep Paul safe for me, okay?" Terry barked in response, and the camera shifted back to Paul.
 
"He's been doing an excellent job of keeping Ellen safe these past few months," the blacksmith said with a smile. "I'd better go, though. It looks like we've got our rooms."
 
"I understand," Anna said. "Sleep well; you'll need your strength in the coming days."
 
"That I will," Paul said wearily. "I miss you, Anna. I promise I'll bring Ellen back safe. We'll be together again soon."
 
"Good luck," Anna said, quickly wiping her tears away. "I love you."
 
"I love you too, hon." For a brief moment Paul's exhaustion and worry melted away into a loving smile. Then the screen went blank.
 
Anna buried her face in her hands, letting her tears fall freely. In the kitchen her food sat untouched, forgotten in the midst of the current crisis.
 
IC: Paul
As Paul hung up, he walked over toward Xander. The young man had a pair of keys, and one of the nurses had left a tray filled with their recovered Pokémon. The blacksmith took the capsules belonging to himself, attaching them to his belt, and then smiled at Xander. "We'd best get a good night's rest," he said. "I'd like us to leave as early as possible in the morning."

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander

As Xander retrieved his team and let Sylph free from her ball once more, he nodded to Paul. "Agreed. As soon as the sun comes up." He handed one of the keys to Paul. "Get a warm shower before you go to sleep. We don't want to get sick." He double-checked his belt and then headed back towards the rooms, sighing. It was going to be a long night.

[Blessed Blade]

OOC: Jam jam jam jam jam jam jam JiMing jam jam jam.

 

-==IC: Zach/Ryan/Dahlia/Olivia/Aspen==-

 

As Dahlia walked down the beach, she would notice her Pokégear ringing. Having gotten the number from Olivia, Zach tried to phone the young gardener. "Easier than actually going out and searching for her." The psychic trainer said with a chuckle, as he waited for Dahlia to answer.

 

Dahlia blinked, pausing from her walk, and picked up her Pokegear, blinking at the unfamiliar number and also inwardly disappointed it wasn't Taylor calling. "Hello?" she asked, speaking with a more confident tone than she had for the rest of the day beforehand.

 

Zach seemed a little surprised at the confident tone. "Hiya, we kinda gave up on the line." He sheepishly giggled, and scratched his head. "Want us to meet you somewhere, or you wanna head back over to where we split up?"

 

"Oh, I'm on the beach right now, but it's okay! I'll head over right away." she replied, but then thought for a bit. "Though... Don't you have a friend named Evan, Zach?" Dahlia asked, remembering what Giratina had said. "What's up with him, if you don't mind me asking?"

 

Zach blinked at the sudden question. "Uh, yeah? Well, he's the Hero of Space... haven't seen him in a while, though." He said sheepishly, and scratched his head. "Talk more when we meet back up?"

 

Dahlia nodded, and smiled. "Yeah... I'll be there in a flash!" she said, and giggled. "Bye!"

Olivia looked over at Zach, rubbing the back of her head. "So Dalhia's coming over, right?"

 

Zach nodded, as he looked over to her. "Yeah... she seemed... I dunno, even peppier than usual, if that's even possible." He giggled again, but seemed distracted. "She also asked about Evan, that was odd..." He said, and scratched his head, wondering what was up.

 

Olivia raised an eyebrow, and blinked. "...Huh. Last I checked, she was super glum this morning... And did you even tell her about Evan??" she asked, seeming confused. "Something seems up, but I can't for the life of me, figure out what it is..." the redhead muttered, putting a finger to her chin.

 

Zach thought for a moment, as he knew whatever was happening would be figured out in a few moments. "Well... She said she was on her way." Zach shrugged, curious about all this even still.

 

As expected, Dahlia arrived not long after, and waved to everyone. "Hi, I'm back!" she said, standing up and holding her head higher than she had been earlier in the morning.

"Oh, uh, hi." Aspen said, blinking a bit at his sister's attitude. Olivia also waved, very curious as to what had happened while she was off walking by herself to cause this shift in mood.

 

Zach seemed amused slightly, but definitely curious. "You seem peppier." Ryan spoke up, equally amused. "What'd you even do while we were waiting for nothing?" The black haired trainer gave Zach a look, but the psychic simply shrugged said look off.

 

Dahlia thought for a moment, and giggled "Well, first of all, I think I made a good friend on the beach." she explained, and smiled. "A painter named Taylor... I even got her number. She's really nice!"

Aspen smiled at that, and nodded. "Wow, nice... A new friend sounds great." Olivia nodded, and smiled. "Though... Why'd you ask Zach about Evan, earlier?" she asked, curious about that.

"Umm...." the middle Seaton said, trying to figure out a way to explain. "...Fair warning, you're probably not gonna believe what I tell you..."

 

Ryan smirked for a moment when Taylor was mentioned, but was promptly elbowed by Zach. The auburn haired trainer looked over curiously, and smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure we'll give it our best..." He said with a warm smile, trying to show it was alright for Dahlia to continue.

 

"Alright... Let's see..." Dahlia muttered, trying to recount the events as they happened. "After Taylor had left to go meet with her family, I got contacted by a voice while I was walking on the beach. That voice was Giratina, who said he had chosen me to become a... Hero of Creation, I believe it was?" she explained, and rubbed the back of her head. "Anyways, apparently he had seen my performance back in Celadon, and said I'd become the Heroine of... Reverse? Yeah, Reverse, because of how I stuck to my beliefs, and how much I stood out." the middle Seaton said, waiting for everyone's response.

 

Zach and Ryan both seemed surprised, but Zach proceeded to smile. "That sounds cool!" He giggled happily, and walked up to give her a congratulatory hug. "Congrats; that sounds pretty amazing. I can see what Giratina means about that." He stepped back slightly, and looked over at Liv with a smile, wondering what she'd think of her sister's achievement.

Ryan nodded with a small smile, as he didn't quite go as all-out. "Yeah, congrats. Not something you hear of every day, but I definitely could see what you mean... I heard something about a god powered Buneary or something?" The black haired trainer tilted his head slightly, wondering what that was about, but not pushing the issue.

 

Dahlia laughed excitedly, hugging Zach back tightly, and blinked at Ryan's last comment. "Oh, Coco? She did really great in Celadon, yeah! Wouldn't be surprised if she was partly the reason Giratina chose me." she joked with a giggle.

Olivia's eyes widened, and she nodded slowly "Daaaaaaaaaang, you really hit it big, didn't you?" she said, and also gave her sister a congratulatory hug. "Congrats! You totally deserve everything you got!"

"Yeah! Wow!" Aspen exclaimed, also hugging his sister tight. "You're great and amazing, can't wait to see how you'll be as a hero!"

"Thanks everyone...." the middle Seaton said, and giggled. "Yeah, I was asking about Evan because Giratina told me to find him." she explained. "Apparently at some point, maybe after I meet Evan, I'll get powers of distortion..."

 

"That sounds like it could be cool." Zach said with a smile, as he giggled, glad she was feeling better. "Distortion, though, huh? Wonder what that'll be like?" He wondered, a wondrous look on his face, as he thought for a moment. "Not sure where Evan is, admittedly... Haven't actually seen him since he kinda knocked some sense into me half a year ago." He sheepishly smiled, but for once, didn't seem to fall into a depression because of recalling what had happened.

Ryan took notice of that, but decided not to comment, and instead smiled at the things that had happened, and thought for a moment. "What about your friend? Does she know?" He asked, as he wondered just what the timeline of that was.

 

"O-oh, no she doesn't." Dahlia explained, and rubbed the back of her head. "We uh, only just met, and I haven't called her yet to tell her..."

Olivia looked over curiously at Zach, since he had handled the topic of Unova a lot better than he had previously. Inwardly she thought back to last night, how they had talked, and wondered if that had really helped him that much.

 

Zach nodded with a smile, blissfully unaware of Liv looking over at him, until he looked over and paused. He smiled back at Olivia for a moment, and then looked back to Dahlia. "Well, she'd probably be interested to hear about it." He said reassuringly, but scratched his head. Before he could respond, Ryan piped up again.

"So. What's she look like?" The black haired trainer asked with the hint of an amused smile. He saw his chance for teasing, and since Olivia was starting to tease him over nothing, he thought he'd take this chance and run with it.

 

Olivia realized what Ryan was about to do, and tried to signal for Dahlia to not answer. However, her sister didn't notice, and replied.

"Gold-brown hair and brown eyes... Why do you ask?" Dahlia replied, confused at what Ryan wanted to do.

 

Ryan nodded, and shrugged. "Just was curious. Good memory on you, there." He said with a slightly amused smile, only for him to crumple, holding his side, the next moment.

"So, we should get going, right?" Zach said cheerfully, very coincidentally moving from Ryan's side the next moment. He, unlike Ryan, didn't care to tease Dahlia, and instead just wanted to change the subject, though he was glad she had found another friend.

 

Dahlia blinked and moved back in surprise when Ryan fell to the ground, and looked back at Zach. "...Y-yeah, we should... Is Ryan going to even be alright, though??" she asked worriedly.

"He'll be fine." Olivia replied, nodding knowingly at Zach. "The big baby'll get up eventually, and then he's not going to say anything else during the trip."

 

Zach nodded in agreement with a smile. "I'm sure he's just got a stomachache that'll pass in a few moments, that's all." He giggled, and went to help Ryan up. As he did so, he looked over to Olivia. "Have you or Am ever been to Lilycove, Liv?"

 

Olivia thought, and nodded. "Yeah. We haven't gone in a long time, but we've definitely been to Lilycove." she said, and released Amethyst from her Pokeball.

"So you're asking me to take you all there, right? To Lilycove?" the Gardevoir asked, looking at Zach.

 

Zach nodded. "I haven't been to Lilycove, and I'm guessing Blade hasn't either, so we kinda need a faster way there than waiting for this boat." He said sheepishly, as he scratched his head. "Do you mind, Am?"

 

Amethyst shook her head. "No, it's fine. I get impatience." she replied, looking around. "Alright, everyone ready to travel?"

All three of the Seaton siblings nodded, readying themselves for teleportation. Though they all doubted whether Ryan would get off of the ground anytime soon as well...

 

Zach nodded, and bobbed Ryan's head to answer for him, as he prepared for the teleportation sequence as well. Not long after, the group was enveloped with Amethyst's psychic glow, and vanished from Vermilion City...

[MELON LORD]

IC: Belle

Nightshade's cowl whipped in the wind, pulling it tight against her mouth and nose. The goggles on her eyes were all that protected them from the harsh breeze. Route 14, the Lumios Badlands, had come as a shock to the collecter after coming from Coumarine City.

 

Her first trip through had left red dust clinging in her hair, caked onto her eyelashes, and coating her clothes. If the Nature Trail left her feeling gross and wet, the Badlands had left her gross and dusty. Along with the dry heat, it had left her throat completely dry.

 

She had learned her lesson, though. A heavy cantine of water was slung over her shoulder, she had bought her goggles in Lumios, and she had formed a mask and hood from her cape. Even so, she could feel dust finding its way into uncomfortable places.

 

As she walked forward, she saw the figures of other trainers in the distance, ready to challenge any passers-by to a battle. She grabbed a ball off of her belt, summoning Cyanide. The Metang screeched happily, zipping around its trainer for a moment before settling to allow her on its back.

 

Belle had to admit, riding a Metang was pretty darn cool. Despite the hot wind and dust blowing against her, she had fun going faster than she would be able to on her own. Even going at top speed, however, they were stopped by one daring ranger who planted herself directly in the Metang's path.

 

Bellle sighed as she slid off of Cyanide's back, ready for another battle.

 

IC: Alma

The albino girl finished her visit to the radio tower, humming softly. She had initially been denied access to the upper floors, the guard informing her that strange things had been happening.

 

Upon informing him that she was there to visit the ghosts, he had spoken with one of the receptionists and stepped aside. Apparently, the owner of the tower had sent for a medium, and they thought Alma was she.

 

The girl, of course, had seen no reason to correct this error. Ghosts had found her almost instantly, Haunter and Gastly happily floating to greet her and Shadow. One creature, however, kept its distance. Alma pretended not to notice it sneaking through the intercom system of the tower. She had never seen a ghost like this and did not want it to turn shy.

 

She even pretended to be scared when it blasted static at her from the nearby speaker. After the prank, it had revealed itself. A small orange ball suspended in purple plasma grinned at her, asking if she'd been frigthened

 

She had lied politely, reaching her hands out to hold the tiny orb. She had giggled as the tingle of electricity ran through her. She recognized the description of Rotom, and had wanted one for a long time. Holding it close to her face, she had silently asked if it wished to join her in fun and adventures.

 

The small creature had happily agreed, eager to pull pranks on others; the employees at the radio tower had stopped being surprised whenever it blasted static or ran strange noises over the frequencies. Shortly after, Alma left the tower, her new companion in its pokéball for the time-being. The various other ghosts and spirits had been convinced to move from the tower to the  Memory House, and followed her invisibly.

 

She had even been paid! The five-hundred yen had been tucked away into her pocket. Now, she headed for the house at the south end of town, where she would meet and pay respect to more spirits. As she walked in, she froze, staring in true shock.

 

She hadn't expected to see Drake Masters kneeling at one of the tombstones.

[JiMing]

OOC: It's jam after jam after jam lately.  Not that I'm complaining.

IC: Lachina/Mercury

 

Mercury leaned against the railing at the stern of the ship, feeling the cool sea breeze blowing through his hair. It had been a surprisingly fast week on board the ship, despite the close quarters. Now, Vermilion Harbor was within view, a few ships like this one and several smaller ferries bobbing in the gentle waves.

 

With a soft sigh, he pushed off of the railing. He went down to the cabin to grab his gear and see if Lachina was still asleep. He knocked softly on the door before unlocking it and stepping inside.

Lachina was still under the covers of her bed, eyes closed and breathing lightly. It was clear she didn't hear Mercury knocking on the door whatsoever and was still fast asleep. The Ranger shifted slightly when Mercury went inside the cabin, but otherwise slept peacefully. 
 

The trainer chuckled lightly, picking up his backpack and checking its contents. He had shoved his coat inside on the first day, allowing him to enjoy the sun and breeze in T-shirt and jeans. Adjusting the bag, he turned to the ranger and shook her shoulder lightly.

 

"Lachina, we're almost to port. Get up and get ready." For a ranger, she seemed to enjoy sleeping late. Of course, he couldn't really blame her. After waking up at dawn for a month and a half, he had slept late the first day of their journey. After that, however, he had forced himself awake to meditate and practice with his aura in private.

 

He shook her again, smiling lightly. "Come on, kid. You must be the laziest ranger ever."

"Hzzzvwlugh?" Lachina mumbled sleepily, yawning as Mercury's prodding had gotten her up. "I'm awake, I'm awa-I'm not lazy! I just like to be well rested!" she replied indignantly, bolting upwards off the bed. Though, the Ranger had to admit there was a grain in truth in the trainer's words; when she could afford to, Lachina would try to sleep in as long as possible. 

Quickly tossing herself off the bed, Lachina shook her head to clear away the sleepiness, having fallen asleep in her civilian outfit, and bounded out the door, Aolani following her. "Well I think I've got the 'get ready' part covered, wouldn't you?" she asked Mercury, a smirk on her face.
 

Mercury scooped up the spare backpack and followed the ranger. The ship was pulling into harbor as they went topside. Vermilion City loomed nearby, a small city despite its large shipyard. As they stepped off, Mercury spoke to Lachina.

 

"So, the ferry to the Sevii Isles doesn't leave until this afternoon." He had looked up the schedule on her styler to be on the safe side. "I'll go get tickets taken care of. Why don't you guy see if the Pokémart has clothes?" He dug into is pocket, pulling out a small wad of bills and coins. "Get us each at least one change of outfit if they do."

"Umm, sure, I don't really know what your size is, but I probably won't mess it up." Lachina said, taking the wad of cash. "Alright, I'd say to call me when you got your the tickets, but you don't really have anything that could work for that, so we need to agree on a place to rendezvous back to..." she muttered, looking around. "...Except I really don't know the layout of this city at all, uh.., Hmm." the Ranger said, putting a finger on her chin while thinking of a way to get around this.

Mercury shrugged. "If nothing else, meet at the Pokémon Center in an hour or so." He waved, heading towards the line at the ticket counter.

Lachina frowned again, and folded her arms. "Yeah, uh, still don't know where that's at. Almia doesn't have Pokemon Centers." she replied, and shrugged, following Mercury in line. "I'll just find a map somewhere, maybe my Capture Styler has it? We'll see."

He raised an eyebrow, shrugging. "Fine, if you really want to stand in line with me, be my guest." He elbowed her lightly, grinning. "What kind of backwater region doesn't have a place to heal your pokémon? Honestly."

"Oh, we have Ranger facilities that handle healing and nurturing for Pokemon, even in some of the more remote parts of Almia. We just don't call them Pokemon Centers, same goes for Fiore and Oblivia." the Ranger explained, and grinned. "Hey, I'm here to make sure you don't sit in a dark corner and brood about whatever it is you brood about... Brooder." Lachina replied, punching him in the back lightly. 
 

"I don't brood," he growled, scowling at her. "I just have a lot of things to keep in mind. I wouldn't expect a kid like you to understand." He stretched. "Speaking of brooding, though..." he reached down, grabbing Anubis' ball and letting the Lucario out into the open.

 

They had argued on the first night aboard the ship. Anubis had insisted that they do something about Styx right then and here, with Mercury arguing that the crazed Absol was the least of their concerns. For the time being, it would remain safely in its ball on Mercury's belt, where it could do no harm to anyone.

 

The fight had escalated almost to physical force before Mercury had returned his trusted companion and locked the ball so Anubis could not free himself. Now, the Lucario sulked, arms crossed over his chest as he looked away from Mercury and Lachina.

The Ranger was still unaware of Mercury's Absol troubles, and especially clueless he and his Lucario had had a falling out. Lachina stared at the two of them for a bit, frowning. "...This is about that thing you mentioned on the first day... Isn't it?" she said, crossing her arms. "I know you told me you don't want my help until this is all over, but it's really starting to eat away at you from the looks of it. You certain I shouldn't do anything right now?" Lachina asked concernedly. 
 

Mercury shook his head. "It's not anything we can deal with right now. There are too many people, and we can't take time from what we're doing." Anubis growled, turning to glare at his trainer.

 

If you won't tell her, he said, I will. You're trying to keep her in the dark about something that could injure or even kill her.

 

Mercury glared, grey eyes going hard and cold. "It can wait until after--"

 

If you put it off until later, then you'll always find some new excuse not to tell her. Anubis looked to Lachina. My master carries a monstrosity on his belt, a creature that is so far beyond reason that it lashes out blindly. It knows no logic, feels no pain, and has no mercy. The third ball on his belt, if anything happens to us, needs to be destroyed.

 

Mercury flinched, eyes looking down. He didn't want to worry you, but it is something that you should be worried about, and may have been a distraction at a critical moment. He was thinking of using it as a last-resort weapon, and attempting to bring it back from its madness if the chance presents itself. But that will be a long time coming, I feel.
 

Lachina stopped. The Ranger blinked, and frowned, and blinked some more. Her grey eyes grew stormy as she put a finger to her chin, lost in thought.

 

"Define monstrosity." she said, still thinking hard. "I don't know how much I can do. I don't have any special abilities like your aura, Mercury. But I know I would prefer not to euthanize a so-called 'monster' if it can be reached to." Lachina declared, and thought more. "Hmm, perhaps at some point, we could contact the Ranger Union. Maybe they have connections that could help..."

 

Mercury shook his head. "It's an Absol." He sighed, looking up at her again. "It attacked us outside of Fortree City. It intended to kill us, would have if Anubis hadn't been so quick to react. But it- he didn't choose to be like that. His aura is twisted and dark. It's like someone or something invaded its mind and turned it into a fighting machine."

 

He grabbed Styx's ball, holding it up for her to see. "This is it. The aura that surrounds it is visible to me even here. I can hardly feel Anubis' when he's contained, so I know for a fact that it's not natural, what happened to this Absol." He glared at Anubis. "But it doesn't matter, not right now. Maybe not even until after One Island. Once we reach the end of the list and aren't sure where to go. That's when I'll worry about purifying its aura. Until then, it stays locked away. I don't want it to hurt anyone."

 

He clipped the ball back on and then turned back towards the line. "I don't want to ask the rangers for help with this. I captured it, I made the choice, it's my responsibility." He sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. His brow scrunched and he hunched his shoulders forward, looking away from his companions.

 

This was just great. Now he was brooding.

Lachina focused her eyes at the ball with a look of disgust. "Why would anyone-or anything warp an Absol for their own purposes...? Pokemon are living creatures. They're meant to live and grow... Not be reprogrammed like an unfeeling piece of machinery."

The Ranger sighed, and looked to Mercury. "Okay. So you don't want the Rangers to help. So what do you plan on doing then?" she asked him, a hand on her hip. "I mean, is this really something you can solve all on your own? Sounds like you'd need all the help you can get with this." she explained. "Plus... He's a Pokemon. Rangers are meant to help Pokemon. I'm sure we can put in a good effort to heal him..."
 

Mercury sighed. "I think that I can connect to him through the aura, and use that to control him. As my aura blends with his, the corruption should start to disappear. That's the idea anyways." He shrugged. "As for why... Well, obviously someone wanted a killing machine. They probably weren't expecting it to escape into the wild."

 

He looked back to the girl. "You might be able to help, like I said. I just don't want to take it to your higher-ups unless we can't do it ourselves." He stepped forward, now at the ticket counter.

Lachina closed her eyes, and was quiet. "...Okay. I'm going to help, even if my higher-ups can't." she said. "No Pokemon deserves to be used as a weapon... They are living, breathing creatures in an ecosystem. This is wrong... All wrong." 

The Ranger's eyes went stormy once more, as she looked down at the ground. Lachina said nothing as they went to buy the tickets, and nothing after they walked away from the booth. She focused on the ground, and seemed lost in thought, even as the two of them walked the streets of Vermillion. 

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Zac Blazer==-

 

As Zac Blazer walked through the streets of Vermilion City, because the other attempt at interaction with someone was turned what-if by that person disappearing, the young teen sighed. "Shadows, we've seen no sign of anything here." He muttered, but frowned. "I'm certain there's something here, though! There just has to be!" He said, rather stubbornly, as his shadow seemed to grow a glowing eye.

 

"You keep saying that. How do you know that Vermilion is a target, however?" The shadow spoke, as Zac sighed, but paused for a moment, as he noticed the ground up ahead grow dark for a moment. Curiously, the teen looked up in surprise, and noticed an Altaria disappearing behind a building. The troublesome boy smiled widely, as Shadows frowned, popping out of Zac's shadow a bit more. "... What are you doing...?" The Darkrai asked, floating in the air a bit, as the boy in question started to break into a run.

 

"It's an Altaria, I don't have one; gonna catch it!" Zac called back to his Darkrai partner, as he prepared a Pokéball in his hand. He rounded the corner, and threw the ball into the air, but then paused as he watched it fly in an arc, as he suddenly noticed people below the Altaria in question. But if the Altaria's with them, then it'll just not work, and I can explain my mistake! He reasoned, as he was curious as to how this would go.

[JiMing]

IC: Lachina Adaon

Aolani flew above both Mercury and Lachina. To her, walking was just a bore, and being bored was the last thing the Altaria wanted. So she continued her flight path, though heard noise behind her, turning her head. Then she saw a strange object flying towards her, and squawked indignantly.

Lachina was thinking, but that didn't mean she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. The sound of an excited boy's voice and Aolani's squawking alerted her, but the final nail in the coffin was the whooshing sound above her head. The undercover Ranger, almost as if acting on instinct, leaped up in the air, and caught the Pokeball hurling at Aolani in one fell swoop. Then, twisting her body, she threw the Pokeball back in the direction it came from, before finally landing on the ground, both knees bent and the arm used to catch the Pokeball stretched out behind Lachina, her swift aerial maneuver ending with a three-point landing. 

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Zac Blazer==-

 

Zac paused with a blink, as he saw the girl catch the Pokéball, and then... Uh-oh. The young teen only had enough time to think that, before the red and white sphere sped into his face, and promptly bounced off, even as he fell to the ground. To both of their credits, the Pokéball opened, and shot out a beam of red light, which hit thin air, and then closed, and wiggled a couple times, before clicking to indicate that it managed a catch. Problem was that it caught nothing, and Zac was currently seeing stars.