Pokémon: Rise Of The Rockets

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan/Paul

Ryan chuckled at Evan's antics. Even with the situation as dire as it was, the ex-Hero of Space still managed to find joy in life's simple pleasures. Not that Ellen's much different, he mused. He had found it difficult to accept Xander's story that the always-optimistic girl had been so troubled.

 

Paul also saw a bit of his daughter in Evan, and smiled warmly at his reaction. "Cute as it is, I think it's already got an owner," he said, nodding to the group of people standing not too far away. They appeared to be trainers as well, accompanied by a Gardevoir, a Bellossom, and an energetic Turtwig.

 

The blacksmith's words caught Ryan's attention, and he looked up at the group of trainers. He did not recognize the redhead waving at them, but his eyes first widened, then narrowed at the sight of two brothers: Zach and the criminal known as Black. "Zach!" he called with a wave, taking a step toward the group. "Long time no see. Keeping your brother out of trouble?" The last time he had seen Black, the criminal had joined Team Rocket after a disastrous mission at Team Magma's headquarters. Regardless, Ryan still didn't trust the man, especially given that he was supposed to be in prison. Unovan prison, at that. Ryan glanced at his two Plasma companions, wondering how they'd react to seeing their prisoner walking out and about.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander and Sylph

Xander looked around as Evan took a rest on the bench. If the "ex-hero" wanted to relax, that wasn't an issue. They had reached Lilycove much faster than he had expected. While they were here, he would have to see about getting supplies at the general store. Presently, however, he looked back as Evan let out an exclamation.

 

He had gotten a Torchic from somewhere, and a Garchomp was resting its head beside his leg. Xander raised an eyebrow and looked over as someone called out. Another group of trainers approached. They were obviously friendly, at least towards Ryan. The Liberty Agent stepped forward to greet them warmly.

 

Sylph sent a mental greeting to the other Gardevoir, conveying pleasure at meeting another of her kind. Xander shrugged, leaning against a wall and looking up at the sky. Hopefully the others wouldn't take too long in this chance encounter.

 

IC: Alma Mason - Music: 

Alma wondered if anyone had noticed her coming in here. If they had, there might be a small problem. For now, though, she had a perfect opportunity. She stood between Drake and the door to the Memory House. Shadow had slipped from her shadow to work his way around the edge of the room. The ghosts in the area were watching, waiting to see how this girl who was attuned to them would act.

 

Alma took a small step forward, reaching  into the fold of her dress and grabbing one of her knives. "Since we are in a house dedicated to death... Have you ever contemplated, Drake Masters, how you will die?" She fingered the handle of the weapon, taking comfort in the warm rubber grip. She would have to move fast, once Shadow grabbed him. No point in making this an actual fight.

 

"It's something I think about a lot," she continued, trying to keep him distracted. "I know that the world is a dangerous place - especially for a young girl like myself. I could die any day. Have you accepted that fact as I have?"

 

Shadow was behind him now, grinning. Her next action would be to strike.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ray/Jenny==-

 

Ray looked over in surprise, as he noticed the auburn haired trainer first, and the rest of the group after. He gave a small smile, however, he paused as he noticed the other redhead among the group, and looked over in surprise.

 

Jenny, on the other hand, waved happily at the other group, a wide smile on her face, as she waved them over.

 

-==IC: Zach/Ryan==-

 

Zach blinked slightly, and chuckled with a small smile, as he noticed Bree getting pet by Evan suddenly. It had seemed that Evan had noticed them yet... The others, however, was a different question. He awkwardly waved back, as he shuffled a bit, subtly wondering if anyone would notice the makeup; but also because he noticed that other than the two he didn't recognize, everyone in the other group was there in Unova. "Um, yeah; we ran into him and our sister in Celadon, when we went there to stop an invasion..."

 

Ryan seemed curious about the other group. He noticed the other Ryan and Ray, didn't recognize two of the others, but the final two... his mouth went wide, as he stared over at Evan and Jenny, speechless. Neither of them had he expected to meet there... but, especially not Evan. He struggled to try and think of something, anything to say, but didn't seem to be able to do such a thing. Even as the red and blonde haired girl didn't seem to care at all, he still seemed a little nervous.

 

Zach, however, decided to take the moment, as he looked over to Olivia confidently, and gave a nod, and then stepped forward, and proceeded to bow. "I'm sorry, everyone; for my lack of control six months ago, and for being a coward afterward!" He was a little nervous about how everyone would take the apology, but wanted to get it dealt with as soon as he could, so that things could go as they would. "I've gotten better since, and want to try and make up for what happened..." The auburn haired trainer looked back up, a little uncertain on how the others would react, but keeping hope that it wouldn't be badly.

[JiMing]

IC: Olivia/Dahlia/Aspen

 

Olivia watched Zach apologize, smirking slightly. She walked up to the auburn-haired trainer, and lightly punched his shoulder. "A bit dramatic there, Zach..." the redhead said amusedly, before turning to the others, reaching for her friend's hand as she did so. "So, I've been told about most of you here, and while some of you know me already-hi Ray, hi Jessie-I should probably introduce myself. I'm Olivia Seaton. I see Bree led us to you, huh?"

 

"It's very nice to meet you all!" Dahlia said, smiling warmly at the others. "I'm Olivia's sister, Dahlia, and this is our brother, Aspen. What brings you all here?" the gardener asked, observing those there, trying to find out which one was Evan.

 

Aspen scratched the back of his head, and blinked. "Oh, uh, hi." he said, blinking again. "Funny meeting you people here. Feels like it's been one coincidence after the other, really..." he said, putting a chin to his finger at the situation.

 

Bree was slightly confused at Gnip's reaction, tilting her head. When Evan picked her up and scratched her beak though, the tiny fire chick was overjoyed, squealing with approval. She turned behind her to see her trainers speaking, and chirped excitedly.

 

Amethyst had been in her own thoughts when she felt an unfamiliar presence reach out to her, causing the Gardevoir to snap back to reality, looking around for the source. Upon seeing Sylph, she blinked, and relayed a quick "Hiya. Amethyst, call me Am." While there wasn't anything particularly threatening about her, the last Gardevoir Amethyst had met had tried to kill her, which she wanted to not occur here.

 

Aria closed her eyes, opening them as the blue faded from them. "Though your faces are lined with joy, there is something troubling each and every one of you." she noted, looking at the other group of people. "Do you mind relaying the information to us? It would save me the effort of prying through your thoughts, one by one."

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Zac Blazer==-

 

The guy was headbutted away, and dropped Lachina as he staggered away, just barely missing the kick by inches. The guy grabbed his head, as he tried to clear away the pain that had been inflicted. Two of the others stepped forward toward the three, but didn't make any moves yet.

 

Zac sighed in relief as everything happened, but then yelled out, as he felt his right leg give up from under him, even as a wave of pain shot through the leg in question. He turned his head back behind him quickly, to look over his shoulder, and noticed another of the crooked people behind him, holding a crowbar. He figured that it, and his leg, were connected. Or at least that they had been connected moments ago.

 

The Bisharp finally fell, his armour shattered by the attack. The Pokemon would live, since he had at least tried to block the attack, but he would be in no condition to fight anymore.

 

The rest of the Pokemon were rather beaten up already, and the Hyper Voice didn't help much at all. They fell back a bit, however, the Volcarona in particular was damaged more, as she took the blast of water from Oggie directly, and fell out of the air, seeming not as defensively orientated as the rest of the group.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Mercury

Mercury recovered from the missed kick quickly, stepping forward to continue harrying the black-haired man. He threw a quick jab, aura swirling around his fist as he did. He was the apparent ring-leader of this group, so taking him down would make the rest of the fight easier.

 

Anubis staggered forward, falling to one knee as pain radiated from his chest through the rest of his body. He gathered energy fro another Aura Sphere, lobbing it high in order to hit the Walrein on the other side of Oggie. As it flew into the air, he collapsed, vision going dark. Oggie, meanwhile, was slapping her fins in the layer of water on the floor, issuing a challenge to the opposing duo. The Volcarona looked about ready to fall, and she decided to finish it as peacefully as possible

 

She started singing a low, haunting lullaby.

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan/Paul

Two things about Zach's initial explanation caught Ryan's attention. First was the fact that Zach and his brother apparently had a sister. This was quickly overshadowed by the mention of an invasion in Celadon. Could this have been the same invasion Ellen was worried about? Before Ryan could inquire further, Zach went into a deep bow and began apologizing profusely for the events in Unova.

 

Then the other three people in the group began introducing themselves one by one. While Ryan couldn't keep track of all their names, he caught that they were siblings, and that the redhead at least had some idea of their adventures in Unova. Ryan nodded to each of them in turn, then looked back to Zach. He was about to respond to the apology when a telepathic voice spoke out to the entire group. It took him a moment to locate the source of the voice: a steely-eyed Lucario with a red scarf wrapped around its neck.

 

"Cutting straight to the chase, eh?" Paul said as he crossed his arms over his chest and matched the Lucario's leer. "Would it hurt you to introduce yourself before you interrogate us, or are you really that impatient?"

 

Ryan quickly tried to put up a mental shield to block the Lucario's access to his mind. After spending months with Entei and Duo, he would've hoped to have had more experience pushing out unwanted telepaths. As it was his mental barrier wasn't very strong, but it was better than nothing. "Why should we tell you anything?" he asked, his face twisting into a glare from the strain of maintaining the mental shield. "What right do you have to probe our minds like some scientist? Whatever happened to the mind being a sacred place?"

 

Before the conflict could escalate further, Terry leapt forward and barked at Aria to stop her analysis. The Herdier then wagged his tail excitedly as he greeted the each of the Seaton siblings and Zach with a playful lick, although he kept his distance from Black. With any luck, the Herdier thought, Zach and the Seatons would agree to help rescue Ellen. Terry couldn't contain his joy, for things were finally starting to look more hopeful.

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

At the sound of Zach's apology, Evan stopped petting the Torchic in his hand and started to laugh mirthfully. He knew he had heard that voice before. Turning around, taking care not to whirl around for the Torchic's sake, Evan started to smile. He hadn't seen Zach in a long time. He may have been one of those responsible for killing him, but for some reason, the ex-Hero could not hold a grudge. Neither could he for Black. He knew both of them were manipulated into it by Gerald. He wondered if either of them knew that he didn't care

"Sheeesh, I thought I was the only dramatic one here." Evan stated as he started to pet the Torchic again. Evan turned to Aria and gave the Lucario a look that implied amusement. "You really should ask before barging into someone's mind. It's good manners, after all." As Evan spoke, Gnip rose up so she could get a better look at the newcomers. She eyed the Torchic curiously, wondering who it belonged to.....

"I am Evan Tierra and this is Gnip, my Garchomp." Evan said, bowing slightly "I take it, from her reaction, this Torchic is one of yours. What a cutie she is!"

 

At those words, Evan began to strike his signature pose, making sure to emphasize his moves slowly but surely, as to not scare his passenger. He rose his hand holding the Torchic skyward, completing it.

"If you're so keen on making it up to us, Zach....." Evan said, holding his pose, smiling. "Why not treat us to lunch? I think that would be enough for me!"

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ray/Jenny/Zach/Ryan==-

 

"Hey, no worries. We get it, though you could've stood to have been a little better about it." Ray said, as he tried to focus on one thing at a time. He noticed the yelling start up, and closed his eyes to try to concentrate more, keeping a hold of the names of the three siblings in the process.

 

"I didn't like what happened... But I know now, it wasn't you. Not really. Besides, why focus on the bad?" Jenny said with a giggle, as she looked over at Ryan as well for a moment, but then back to the others, and gave a very friendly smile at the new three.

 

Zach seemed a little surprised at just how they reacted, but smiled with a nod as he took Olivia's hand in response to her reaching it out, and giggled at Terry's antics. "Lunch sounds good..." He said, and began to say more things, when the yelling started up more. The auburn haired trainer raised his hand to try and get everyone's attention, but hesitated, as he recalled how things had gone when he tried that in Sootopolis. With a sigh, he frowned slightly, but let things go its own course for the moment.

 

"Oi. Knock it off you two, do you two have to start an argument everywhere you go? The Lucario asked a simple question, but you just have to get defensive, don't you?" Ray looked over at Ryan and Paul with an annoyed look on his face, obviously not impressed with just how things were going for that. "If you're not gonna answer, I will." He turned to look at the other group with a half frown. "Ellen's been taken by an annoying guy named McKinley."

 

"... McKinley?" The black haired trainer finally spoke up, a frown on his face at the name, having ignored the rest of the bickering up to that point. A new fire seemed ignited in his eyes. "That... that's Ford's minion who grabbed Adams from us, when we had her nearly in custody." Ryan frowned, as he stepped forward. "But, who's Ellen?" He asked, as he scratched his head, not actually recalling that name. "Was she the brown-haired girl who... no, wait, you called that girl Sonja, didn't you...?" The newly recruited Rocket seemed perplexed by the identity of the girl, not actually realizing who Ellen was.

 

"... Well, Sonja was taken too." Ray said, but left the last part unsaid; that he would be next. He just wasn't sure whether it was his fault, or the memory block's. He noticed that Ryan seemed to fall quiet, as if thinking about something, but paused, as he noticed Zach tilt his head.

"Who's Ford? And McKinley?" Zach asked curiously, as he had been left out of the loop on that situation, more or less. However, as he was waiting for the others to answer, Blade stepped forward.

 

"I don't know who McKinley is... But Ford was behind the Castelia incident six months ago; he sent an agent to destroy the city, apparently as a warning. You missed that." The Gallade explained, but looked over to see if anyone had anything else to add.

Edited September 16, 2015 by An/A Blade

[JiMing]

IC: Olivia/Dahlia/Aspen Seaton

 

Aria turned at the group, looking at each of them curiously. Though she remained quiet, the Lucario also turned her gaze to Ryan, closing her eyes, and opening them, an unimpressed expression appearing on her face. "...That barrier you put up couldn't keep out an Abra. Do you really think it'd be capable of halting me?" she said simply, and shrugged. "No matter. The orange-haired boy gets it. Thank you for relaying the information with brevity. Some people just have no manners..." the Lucario said, sighing. 

Bree stood still as Evan struck his pose, politely waiting for the Ex-Hero to finish. Upon being thrust into the sky, the fire chick gave out an approving chirp, having enjoyed the trip that ended with her above the others, looking around. When facing Gnip again, she also chirped another greeting, not upset over the growling from earlier.

 

Olivia blinked, the conflict with Aria ending as quickly as it had started. Quickly petting Terry on the head after the lick, she looked up, and blinked. "Wait, Ellen? The girl we saw in Sootopolis?" she muttered, raising an eyebrow. "She left to go find a friend who could help for the Celadon battle yesterday, didn't she? Now she's been kidnapped by some strange person?" the redhead muttered, squeezing Zach's hand as she contemplated what could be happening..

Dahlia giggled, and gave Terry a quick rub on the head, but looked up when the others started talking about Ellen. "The little girl? She was very friendly and sweet, last I saw her..." she said, and blinked. "Yeah. She had wanted to find a friend, because she didn't want the people in Celadon to suffer when a Rocket executive attacked it... I didn't think about it yesterday but... She didn't show up." the gardener said, starting to become very worried. 

"McKinley? Ford? Castelia??" Aspen said, blinking hard. "I-I-I'm not sure what's happening but... Ellen's been kidnapped, so that's not good." he replied, grabbing Saya's Pokeball without realizing it. "Yeah, when Sootopolis was in trouble, she was the first on the scene, and it seemed she cared about keeping everyone safe. You're all looking for her, then?" the youngest Seaton asked, blinking. "That's why you're here?"

"...That Torchic is my trainer's, as a side note." Amethyst noted, looking at Bree being held up by Evan. "And now back to your serious discussion."

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan/Paul

Ryan grit his teeth at the Lucario. "No manners?" he muttered. "You're one to talk."

 

"Wait," Paul said, looking at the siblings Terry had greeted. "You were with Ellen in Sootopolis?" The blacksmith stepped forward, struggling to hold back his tears. "That sounds just like her... wanting to keep everybody safe. Her greatest strength, but also her greatest weakness. How could you let her go off on her own like that...?" The look he gave the siblings was not one of anger or blame, but one of sadness as he recalled his daughter's melancholy.

 

Ryan turned from the Lucario to face the siblings. "You said something about Celadon?" he asked, having been distracted by his mental argument. "What happened there? I'm the friend Ellen was trying to find."

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Zach/Ray/Ryan/Jenny==-

 

Zach nodded as Ryan explained how he was the one who Ellen had gone to find. "Sorry, I should have sent you a message warning you about it, but I didn't have your number." He said with a sheepish smile, but then went a little quieter, and scratched his head. "Well, everything was fine at first in Sootopolis, no sign of trouble; then as we woke up yesterday, a Groudon appeared, and started to wreck the city. We found the one responsible, but she escaped and headed to Celadon. Ellen was adamant she'd be okay; and I should have insisted someone help her, but we were still stressed from the fight and wanting to hurry to make sure the same thing didn't happen again, and I'm sorry." He took a moment to catch his breath again, and then continued. "Then we got to Celadon, where this Ryan met up with us and helped us defend the city against the attack. Turns out, the one from Sootopolis had brought some friends, and-"

 

Ryan cut his brother off at that moment, and sighed. "She was leading an invasion by rogue Rockets; not authorized, and opposed by even her own forces. It was a mission based on a grudge on an old friend of hers, one she eventually stopped after seeming to realize how stupid it was." The black haired trainer decided to take over the story telling at that point. "I acted as a bodyguard for the target, though I don't think I actually succeeded that well..." He went quiet at that, and Zach looked back over.

 

"You did your best. You kept her alive, too; and she didn't seem to blame you, right? I'd say you succeeded with flying colours." The trainer with auburn hair said, as he gave a slight smile, but then frowned. "Though, as the fighting was coming to an end, and we all met up again, my dad showed up again, and tried his usual stuff; we repelled him after he tried to take over our sister... Apparently, he'd done some things to her in the past, and she had to be taken away, and it was very confusing to be honest... We can explain more later." Zach sheepishly smiled at that, and thought. "But, after we beat him, Lucia took him into custody, so I think that's finally the last we'll see of him!"

 

Ray and Jenny stared at the group, as they took the moment that was actually quiet and not filled with arguing to digest what had happened. "Well." Ray finally said. "That sounds eventful." He shook his head, and looked at Zach and the other Ryan skeptically. "I swear, are you two magnets for trouble, or something?" The Separatist sighed, as he shook his head some more.

 

"But, it all worked out well in the end, it sounds! Did your new friend come too?" Jenny asked, which prompted a very subtle blush from Ryan as she looked around curiously, trying to find whoever they had needed to protect, making the assumption that the whole group had gotten to know her.

 

"Umm, no, she's back in Celadon still." Ryan scratched his head, not quite sure whether to explain what had happened, or even how to explain. Jenny seemed to pout slightly at the answer, but giggled slightly. That caused the Rocket to frown slightly, wondering why she was so happy-go-lucky, despite everything that had happened. She seems a lot more like her old self now...

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan

 

Evan broke his pose, attempting to digest all the information that was being thrown his way. A lot had happened to Ellen, but more had occured with Zach and his group. He heard about Gerald and smiled to himself. He had to bring up what had happened on Unova's Route 4. But he had to stay on topic.

 

Gnip responded with a low pitched bark at the Torchic. She wasn't exactly the most gentle pokemon in the world, and the last baby she knew of, was a troublesome Deino that bit her tail with Ice Fang. Regardless, the Mach Pokemon lowered her head for the Torchic to hop onto, pretty sure this one would be much more well mannered.

"I recall you were with Ellen at one point, Xander?" Evan asked. "You were there when Ellen was kidnapped as well, right? To think she had been dealing with everything like that. It hurts me to think how much danger she was in, but I'd expect nothing less out of her."

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander and Sylph

The Kalos trainer looked over at Evan, surprised at being addressed. "Yeah," he replied, scratching the back of his neck."I was with her for an hour, maybe two. She had just come from Sootopolis, and was going to Fortree to meet with Ryan." He sighed. "She wanted to help with Celadon, and I wanted to help her."

 

Sylph nodded. She was frightened, but determined. The initial attack left her shaken, and she still wanted to go try and stop the next one. And then... She glanced at Paul. And then McKinley showed up. Oil just about dripped from his mouth, the way he misled her.

 

Xander scuffed his toe against the ground, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm going to check out the general store, unless we need to continue moving right away."

[JiMing]

IC: Aspen/Dahlia/Olivia

 

Bree hopped on quickly onto Gnip's head, standing still like a good little passenger. The fire chick chirped some more compliments to the Garchomp, too happy to notice the discussion the others were having.

 

Aspen blinked, and sighed in response to Paul's question. "She was really capable, and we were in a hurry, not really thinking straight..." he explained, and looked down. "I'm... I'm sorry for leaving her behind. She really helped out during Sootopolis, even ran into a burning building to save an Eevee..." the youngest Seaton muttered, still grabbing Saya's Pokeball without realizing it. 

 

Dahlia looked to Ryan, and blinked. "I thought we already went over it how you shouldn't dwell on what happened..." she muttered. "Shannon didn't blame you, so you shouldn't keep worrying about it. I mean, is that what she would want really?" the middle Seaton asked Ryan. Unlike the Hikari however, Dahlia didn't notice any sort of change with Jenny, as she was acting like the gardener remembered her to be.

Olivia shrugged in response to Ray's comment, rubbing the back of her head with the hand not holding Zach's. "Yeah, things have been eventful for us the past few days, to put it lightly." she said, and shrugged. "Though, apparently I've missed a few months of weird stuff with Zach and you guys, so maybe when we go for lunch, that could be explained... And Jessie?" the redhead added, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "...Colorful boyfriend you got there. Matches someone like you to a tee." 

[Konuju]

OOC: Music.

IC: Ryan/Paul
As Aspen looked down in shame, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, kid." The boy looked up in surprise to see Paul giving him a kind smile. "Ellen can't stop herself from trying to help others... that's just who she is. Plus, if you'd taken her with you to Celadon, I might never have found her before McKinley did." Paul's eyes glistened as he reflected back on the rush of emotions the past day had brought. "Even if it was only for a brief moment, to lay eyes on my daughter again... to hold her in my embrace... it made all those long days of endless searching worth it."
 
Ryan subtly raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Black. Perhaps he had misjudged the criminal. After everything that had happened in Unova, he still found it hard to trust him, but it seemed the Ryan known as Black was at least trying to atone for his sins. Of course, I'm not exactly perfect, either, the Liberty agent thought ruefully. But at the very least, Zach appeared to have forgiven his brother, and so had Jenny, who had lost an Oshawott to the criminal. Not to mention, Zach was arguably responsible for more destruction in Unova than his brother. If Ryan could forgive his fellow Liberty agent, should he not do the same for the Rocket criminal?
 
Xander's words pulled Ryan out of his thoughts. He looked over at the Kalos trainer with a nod. "We've got a fair amount of time before we need to catch our boat. I think I'll head with you; I've got some shopping to do, too. The rest of you can maybe grab some lunch. We'll meet you at the harbor in a couple hours."

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander and Sylph

The teen nodded, agreeing to let Ryan tag along with him. Silently, almost sullenly, he walked away from the group, Sylph following closely. As they walked, Xander thought to himself.

 

He blamed himself, at least partially, for Ellen's abduction. If she'd never met him... If he hadn't agreed to go with her... If, if, if! Anything else might see Ellen safe in Slateport, still, rather than in the hands of Ford. The Kalos trainer kicked a small rock on the path, sending it arcing through the air to land with a loud clack.

 

Sylph just sighed, casting a look at Ryan. She knew her trainer, and she knew that this mood would not pass quickly unless someone else intervened. As it was, dark clouds practically hung over the teen; his shoulders were hunched forward, his head down, and he dragged his feet as he walked.

 

If he had attacked instead of letting that McKinley creep get even one word out, Ellen would be with them right now, ready to head to Celadon! He paused, leaning his head against a wall and closing his eyes. Curse that man and his master. If he could get his hands on them... Well, that was the goal now. It was too late for Celadon. McKinley and Ford had just taken the number one spot on Xander's list of priorities.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ray/Ryan==-

 

Ray looked over, as he noticed Xander and Ryan head off. "Wait for me!" The orange haired Separatist said with a slight smile, as he had a feeling what the shopping was that was needed. He wasn't quite sure whether leaving Paul alone was a good idea or not, but he figured they at least had others to watch him just in case.

 

Ryan nodded a Dahlia, but chuckled slightly. "Not even talking about that. I'm just not a good bodyguard. I'll be back, need to look for something." He said with a bit of a wave to the others, as he walked away from the group for a moment.

 

-==IC: Zach==-

 

Zach looked over, as he watched the four leave for the moment, and then thought, as he looked between Evan and Dahlia. "Say, Dahlia, wait a sec, didn't you say you needed to talk to Evan about something?" He asked with a smile, as he figured this was the best time of any to have this discussion.

[JiMing]

IC: Aspen/Dahlia/Olivia Seaton

 

Aspen looked up, surprised at Paul's words. He struggled to find something to say, and then noticed the Pokeball in his hand. "...Y-yeah. Your daughter's... Something else." he said with a shaking voice, staring right at the Pokeball. "I-I didn't make a good impression on Ellen, but she still treated me well, and said I was a friend... I wish I could go back and apologize." the youngest Seaton said, and sighed. "A-a little late now though, but... When you find her again... Could you please tell her I'm sorry?" 

Dahlia turned to Zach, and blinked, surprised he thought it was already time to bring that up. "...Well if you say so then..." the middle Seaton muttered somewhat awkwardly, turning to Evan. "So. you're the Hero of Space, right? Well... I was contacted by someone, who told me to find you." she said, and took a deep breath. "...Giratina was the one who contacted me. He told me I had been chosen to become a 'Heroine of Reverse', and to seek you out and all... If you don't believe me, I'm bewildered myself, don't worry." the gardener said, chuckling nervously. "But... Yeah. I was told to just ask you stuff... Not sure what, but I'll figure that out."

Olivia watched as the four of them departed, and then looked back at Zach. "Hmm, that leaves us, Jessie, and that clown Evan, right?" she said, and looked around. "At least we have to treat four less people to lunch, huh? Our wallets won't have to cry." she pointed out teasingly, grinning while she said that.

Edited September 19, 2015 by JiMing

[Konuju]

IC: Paul

"Of course," Paul said with a smile. "It's Aspen, right? I'll definitely let her know. It warms my heart to hear how much of an impact my little girl has made on the people she's met." The blacksmith's eyes grew distant as a sadness unrelated to Ellen's kidnapping came over him. He spoke quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Perhaps it was selfish of me to want to keep her in Unova..."

 

IC: Ryan

The Liberty agent glanced back in surprise as Ray ran to catch up with them. "I just can't get rid of you, can I?" Ryan said with a chuckle. "What, do you not trust me to even go to the store without screwing something up?" That was when he noticed the other Ryan walking in their general direction. "Looks like we've got company," he said softly. "So much for Zach keeping an eye on him..."

 

Ryan turned back to Xander and noticed he seemed to be in a foul mood. His Gardevoir appeared worried. There could have been any number of reasons for his sudden brooding, and Ryan became keenly aware that they still knew very little about this Kalos trainer. Was he just feeling ostracized by the friendly reunion of a bunch of people he'd never met? Did he not like explaining Ellen's capture for the umpteenth time? Or was there perhaps something more sinister going on? Xander claimed to want to join Team Liberty, but Ryan couldn't be sure of his true intentions...

 

No. There was enough distrust among the group as it was. He didn't need to make things worse. What mattered was that Xander was willing to help get Ellen back. That was enough to make him an ally. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Ryan walked next to the brooding trainer, matching him pace for pace. For a moment he was silent, before he glanced up. "Something bothering you?"

Edited September 19, 2015 by Konuju

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander

The Kalos trainer glanced at Ryan. He had only known Ryan for a few hours, but the older guy was open and friendly, and seemed concerned. Xander shook his head, pulling his cap off and running a hand through his hair. "I'm just... I dunno. I came to do some good. My goal ever since I was a kid was to leave Kalos and join with Team Liberty. I want to help stop the war, keep people safe." 

 

He glanced back at Ray, not sure how much he should divulge where the redhead could hear. Still... He needed to get it off of his chest. Let someone else hear the situation and judge. "The first thing I saw when getting off the boat was all these people who'd just lost their homes, their families... And then there was Ellen. A little girl, alone in the crowd, where... I went over it earlier, didn't I? I offered to help  her and ended up helping Paul find and battle her, and helping McKinley kidnap her."

 

He swallowed a lump in his throat. He hadn't cried when he'd lost every battle for three months, he hadn't cried when he'd left home. He was not about to start crying in front of Ryan over this. "I just feel like she would have been better off not meeting me, y'know? She wouldn't have been stuck under that bridge, or fought her dad, or... Agreed to go with McKinley. At least, not now. Not because I led her there."

 

He sighed, putting his hat back on.

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

 

To say Evan Tierra was surprised by Dahlia's news was an understatement. He thought that when Klim went MIA, and Seth died, that was when they weren't needed any more. That they had served they had served their purpose. He even lost the ability to use the power of Space when he came back, as if to show he was the last one. Now this girl, while sounding doubtful, proved him otherwise.

 

"Wait." Evan spoke out in a mix of joy and disbelief as he digested the info further. "Wait. Wait. WAIT. WHAT? You mean to tell me, that the other two dragons, went and chose new Heroes? Those tricky creatures. I'm surprised Palkia left me out of the loop now."

"Sorry for my surprise." Evan said, regaining his composure, as he held out his hand to Dahlia "Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Evan Tierra, Ex-Hero of Space. I say Ex-Hero, because I've kinda had what Palkia gave to me, taken away."

Edited September 19, 2015 by Hades

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ray==-

 

"It wasn't your fault." Ray said, as he fell into step with the other two. "Hayes, another agent, was looking for Ellen when we got to Fortree the other day. If you hadn't met her, she might have just found someone else, or wandered around aimlessly, or McKinley would've found her first... from what you and the others were saying, it doesn't really sound like Ellen was herself... so, at least she wasn't alone, right?" He said, as he scratched his head with a sigh. "I'd get it if you didn't want to listen to me, though, but think about that a little, k?" He said with a smile, as he walked forward. Unlike Ryan, he didn't seem to care about whether the other Ryan was with them or not.

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan

"Ray's right," Ryan said. "It seems Ford's had his eye on Ellen for some time now. Don't ask me why, I have no clue what he'd want with a ten year old girl. But I think he would have found her either way. What matters is that we're going to get her back." He looked over at Xander with a smile. "And it sounds like you were the best person she could have run into. Helping to stop the war... that's what Ellen wanted to do, although she hoped to do it without taking sides. At least she had someone there for her... that's more than I can say I've done. She suffered through Sootopolis because I left her on her own. Trust me, Xander, if it's anyone's fault, it's mine." The Liberty agent clenched a fist. "But just you wait. We'll get her back. No matter what it takes, we'll get Ellen back."

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander

He looked to Ray as the redhead spoke, and nodded. "I... guess you guys are right. I just feel like..." He shook his head. "No, you're right! It doesn't matter how I feel, or how we got here. What's important is saving Ellen." He clenched a fist, a determined look crossing his face. "I- We can still help Ellen. No moping, no fighting."

 

He started walking again. "Thanks, guys. I think, between everyone here in Lilycove, we can stop whatever Ford has planned for Ellen."

 

Sylph smiled softly, sending a soft thank you to the other trainers. Xander's moods usually lasted quite a bit longer than this had.

[JiMing]

IC: Aspen/Dahlia/Olivia Seaton

 

Aspen nodded, and listened to Paul's last statement with intrigue. "...Well. Guess we've both got our regrets." he said, and sighed. "Well, not much we can do about things now. But thanks. I wish you luck." the youngest Seaton said sincerely. "We'll have to try our hardest, it's what Ellen would want, I'm sure..."

Dahlia chuckled nervously, shrugging. "W-well, guess we both didn't see this coming." she said, smiling afterwards. "Well then, it's an honor to meet you, Ex-Hero! Mr. Giratina told me to seek you out so I know you've got to be pretty amazing!" the gardener told Evan, thinking for a moment. "Though... I should ask some questions. One, what's uh, what's reverse? And.. What's expected of a Heroine of Reverse, if you have an idea?" the middle Seaton asked, rubbing the back of her head. "I'm still surprised about all this, but... I'll give it my all! I won't let this opportunity given to me be wasted!"

"That's the spirit, Dahlia." Olivia said, grinning. "Congrats! With an attitude like that, I'm sure you'll do us all proud." the oldest Seaton said confidently. "Just uh, be careful around that Evan guy. He seems to be the clumsy type or so."

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan

The Liberty agent smiled. In the back of his mind, he wasn't quite as confident getting Ellen back would be just a walk in the park. But he wasn't about to voice those fears, not after seeing Xander's spirits lifted.

 

He followed Xander through the streets, and as they turned a corner they saw the Lilycove Department Store towering off in the distance, a massive shopping mall that rivaled the one in Celadon. Ryan smiled at the sight of it, recalling how he would occasionally hang out there when he was younger. He had meant to take Ellen there one day, but they had never gotten around to it. Shaking the thought from his head, he looked over at Xander. "So what are you planning on buying, anyway?"

 

IC: Paul

"Thank you," Paul said. "I'm blown away by the sheer number of people willing to help Ellen." He glanced over at the other siblings, who were deep in a conversation with the showy trainer dressed like a Garchomp. "I'm not sure what your siblings have planned, but you're more than welcome to join us in our search." Terry barked in approval.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander

Xander gaped as the department store came into view. He had never seen a store with more than two floors; most of the ones in Kalos only had one. "Um..." He glanced at Ryan, regathering his thoughts. "I was hoping to get a Thunderbolt TM, but I'm not sure if I'll have enough." He shrugged. "If I can't get a TM, i  can at least restock my supplies."

 

He smiled. 'What about you?"

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Zach==-

 

Zach chuckled with a nod about lunch, as he smiled over at what was happening with Dahlia. "Yeah; I'm sure you'll do great!" He said, but looked over at Evan curiously, not having heard about this 'ex-hero' thing.

 

-==IC: Ray/Ryan==-

 

"A peace offering." Ray chimed in with a smirk, as he walked up closer again. "He kinda needs a way to get a certain dog eared aura wielder to get on our side." He thought for a moment, and glanced up at the building. "I'm not quite sure where it'd be, though." The Separatist paused, however, and glanced back. "What about you; what are you here for?" He asked the other Ryan.

 

The black haired trainer looked up with a slightly surprised look, and then scratched his head. "... Same kinda thing, I guess." He said, while seeming a little quiet. Ray seemed confused about that, but nodded. "I'll walk with you guys, see if anything actually looks like it'll work."

[JiMing]

IC: Lachina Adaon

 

Lachina landed on her feet and got up, frowning and groaning, a hand over her forehead. "Don't try that trick on me twice." she warned, and shook her head to clear it, looking at everyone around her with a frown. The undercover Ranger took a defensive stance, and kept the wrist with her Capture Styler out in front, even if it wouldn't help the situation, just having it first felt right.

 

Aolani opened her mouth, energy coalescing around it. She targeted the Pokemon that had fallen back, and launched forth a Dragon Pulse, haphazardly aiming it in the process. 

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

"What is Reverse?" Evan asked curiously, smirking at Olivia's remark about him. " I can't exactly explain that one, but as for your second question......."

 

Evan broke into a dynamic pose. He was trying his hardest to contain his excitement regarding this new development. Not only did it mean he had a purpose again, but it also meant he would make new friends. Gnip imitated her master, breaking into a more subdued pose due to her passenger.

"What it means to be a Hero?" Evan said. "That is malleable. For me, it means doing the right thing, no matter what you may sacrifice. There is a lot to explain. Why don't I try over lunch?"

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan

Ryan fell into an uncomfortable silence. For as good of a friend as Ray was, he could be incredibly irritating at times. "Consider it... an insurance policy of sorts," he muttered, suddenly realizing how awkward it would be if they went all the way to Four Island only for Colette to turn them down. Slowing his pace, Ryan let both Xander and Ray overtake him as he fell to the back of the group, where the other Ryan trod in a similar quiet. "So," the Liberty agent said. "By 'same kinda thing,' did you mean same as Xander, or same as me?"

[Parugi]

IC - Drake Masters - Lavender Town, Memory House:

 

The girl's words alone would not have necessarily made Drake uneasy. Quick to call her out for what she was saying, certainly, but not uneasy. What did make him nervous was the accompanying movement of her hand, and the subdued, yet calculated look in her eye. It was as if she were evaluating him--his place in the building, what lay around them.

 

He shifted his hand ever-so-slightly, nudging the handle of his Poké Gear into his hand. "That's a very morbid thing to say to someone you've just met."

[JiMing]

IC: Aspen/Dahlia/Olivia Seaton

 

Aspen paused. He hadn't considered what he might be able to do after Celadon, and was simply thinking of staying with his siblings for as long as he could. But here was Paul, offering him a chance to help search for Ellen... "Thanks for the offer, Mr. Ellen's Dad." he replied. "I'll consider it. Zach and Ryan were heading to Snowpoint to make sure their relatives are safe, and my siblings seem to be going with them but... I think I have some stuff I'll have to work out myself. We'll see." the youngest Seaton said, taking a deep breath. 

 

Dahlia blinked at Evan's sudden posing, and blinked. "...O-oh. That makes sense." she replied, not entirely sure what to make of the Ex-Hero at that point in time. "Lunch would probably be the best time to explain things more over, and stuff. I mean uh, I could probably only ask Giratina so much about the job..."

"Lunch sounds nice, yeah. But where are we headed?" the eldest Seaton asked. "I mean, almost everyone's heading to the Department Store I think. Maybe they've got burgers or pizza in there or something? I don't know." Olivia said, shrugging.

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Zac Blazer==-

 

The falling bug felt that it was about to have a bad time, as it fainted upon falling asleep and hitting the ground. However, before it could get hit by the follow up Dragon Pulse, the Walrein stepped in front of the Volcarona, weathering the attack, no matter how damaged it was getting in the process. With a disgruntled roar, the Walrein shot off an Ice Beam at the Altaria; however, it was disrupted mid-attack, and then promptly launched off again toward where the Altaria might move after that. The Volcarona was returned to the Pokeball, but the Walrein was intent and determined to take revenge for his friend.

 

The black haired man looked up in surprise, as the jab connected, and almost instantly knocked the man out from the force. There were still people left, but they didn't seem to be sending out any more Pokemon in return. Meanwhile, Zac proceeded to just lay on the ground for a little bit.

 

-==IC: Ray/Ryan==-

 

Ryan felt his face turn a subtle shade of red from the follow-up question. "... Same as you, not Xander." He said, and turned his head away to the side, not explaining any further for the moment, it seemed. "... Not quite as extreme as you, though, from the sounds of it..." He looked back curiously, wondering just what had happened.

 

Ray seemed amused at Ryan's quick explanation, and looked up at the Department Store. "You wanna come with us first, or go find the TMs first?" The Separatist looked over to Xander, as he didn't seem to actually mind the whole thing from earlier.

 

-==IC: Zach/Jenny==-

 

"Uhh... That's a good question." Zach scratched his head slightly, as Jenny mused for a moment, and flipped though her communication device for a moment, searching around the map of Lilycove.

 

"I think there's a good burger place around here!" The girl said cheerfully, as she pointed to the screen. "Look, this place has very good reviews, and is just down the street, from the looks of it!"

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Evan Tierra

"Sounds good to me!" Evan stated, trying to keep his fatigue hidden. "Lead the way!"
 

As Evan spoke, he could not help but still feel excited. Things were looking up for everyone. He couldn't help but wonder who the Hero of Time was, but he would get to that when he got that far. Right now, he had a renewed sense of direction, and he was going to make full use of it.

"Oh, and regarding Giratina and the others." Evan said solemnly as he prepared to follow the group. "We look to them for guidance, but we carve our own path, so to speak. We are able to speak to them, but shouldn't rely on them or our power too much. Otherwise, you could end up like me. We can talk more when we get there, all right?"

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan

"Oh, Ray has a knack for making things sound worse than they really are," Ryan said with a sheepish smile. "It's really not that bad." Behind his grin of optimism, the Liberty agent quivered in uncertainty. He wished he could believe his own words, but fear and paranoia were starting to set in. Hopefully Ray's idea of a peace offering would be enough. Desperately trying to distract his thoughts, Ryan met the former criminal's curious gaze. "So... your gift. Is it for that girl you were trying to protect in Celadon?" He quickly looked away, feeling he had touched a nerve. The last thing he wanted was to have an ex-criminal angry at him. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine."

 

IC: Paul

"Burks," Ellen's father corrected with a smile, holding a hand for Aspen to shake. "Paul Burks. And don't feel obligated to join us if you need to stick with your siblings. I wouldn't want to pull you away from your family, and I don't think Ellen would want that either." As Terry barked and nuzzled against Aspen's leg, Paul glanced at the others, who were starting to head to a restaurant. "Looks like we're on the move again. Good thing, too; I was starting to get hungry."

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ryan==-

 

The other Ryan opened his mouth for a moment, and then closed it, as he looked away. "... Yeah..." He said with a nod, and stayed quiet for a moment. "I wanted to make it up to her somehow, with anything I could." He paused for a moment, and sighed. "I tried to protect her, but instead just brought her into more and more dangerous situations, and I nearly pushed things too far when I was fighting Gerald..." He looked to the ground at that. "She said she doesn't blame me for anything, but I... I feel like I'm..." The black haired trainer looked up at the Liberty Trainer with an uncertain look, his mask fading away.

 

"I don't know what to do. I want to make it up to the world. I want to make it up to everyone who's gotten hurt because of me, directly or indirectly... but I don't know how. Since Wrath, I've tried to control my anger, but I... I keep messing up, even on that simple thing. I just don't know what to do." The Rocket looked away, as he sighed. "You probably still hate me. It's probably a good thing that the other girl's not here too, she probably does too, especially since it's just been a week. I'm sorry for what happened six months ago."

 

-==IC: Zach==-

 

"Huh..." Zach mused curiously, as he looked over at Evan. He followed alongside Olivia as Jenny led the way, but he just couldn't figure out what was up with Evan. The auburn haired trainer thought for a moment, as he wondered just why Evan was acting a bit odder than usual. He shook his head, as he smiled slightly. Whatever it was, it was either just his imagination, or it'd be explained later; no need to push anything, especially as Jenny seemed just as cheery, as if nothing at all in the world was wrong.

Edited September 28, 2015 by An/A Blade

[JiMing]

IC: Olivia/Dahlia/Aspen Seaton

 

"Burgers should be alright, then, thanks Jessie." Olivia replied. The redheaded trainer cracked a small grin, and chuckled as they walked. "You know, if Mom knew where we were eating out, she'd be throwing a fit right now. Pizza, burgers, it'd only be worse if we had extra-large sodas."

 

Dahlia was caught off guard by Evan's sudden change in mood. The self-declared Ex-Hero had been bombastic and jovial moments before. But now... Now he was solemn and his voice wasn't as commanding as before. "...Okay. I'll keep that in mind..." she muttered in reply. Something about his warning still seemed odd, and the gardener's gaze stayed focused on Evan for a moment longer, before she began walking.

 

"Mr. Paul Burks then." Aspen said, shaking Paul's hand with a smile on his face. The youngest Seaton chuckled softly when he felt Terry against him, and knelt to give the Herdier a pet on the head. "From the looks of it, Dahlia is gonna stick with Evan for a bit, so maybe I could join too? We'll see. Thinking on an empty stomach isn't fun."

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan

Ryan bit his lip as they approached the department store, mulling over his thoughts. He couldn't remember if the black haired trainer had told him about his encounter with a Sin before or not, but the knowledge now made him see the ex-criminal in a new light. "Wrath targeted you...?" Ryan lowered his voice so Xander wouldn't overhear what he was about to say. "I... I was also targeted by a Sin. Gluttony."

 

Sliding glass doors parted before them, revealing a sea of shoppers whose mundane conversations melded together with the sound of an upbeat song playing through the department store's PA system. The Liberty agent stared at his feet, ignoring the flashing advertisements and discounted prices. He was only vaguely aware of following Xander and Ray as he continued to quietly talk to the other Ryan.

 

"I know how it feels. It would be so easy to just blame my actions on Gluttony's influence, but I know that's not the case. I may not have messed up to the degree that you have, but I've still done things I deeply regret. I was selfish and rash... a glutton for attention. You may have hurt people physically, but I've hurt them -- even some close friends -- on an emotional level. After hearing about what you did in Celadon... I can't bring myself to hate you." Ryan looked up at the black-haired trainer and offered a small smile. "I can't say I completely trust you, but I definitely don't hate you. You and I are a lot more alike than I realized. And I think we're both seeking the same thing. Redemption."

 

IC: Paul

"Well, I think Terry would like that, at least." Paul chuckled as Terry happily licked Aspen's hand. As the blacksmith started to follow the group, he noticed the general mood seemed to teeter between a cheerful reunion and an almost nervous exhaustion. At first Paul thought it was related to Ellen's disappearance, but he suspected it was more than just that. Once again he had to remind himself that he was the outsider here. Everyone else knew each other or knew of each other in some way. His daughter was far from their only concern, and it would be selfish to expect otherwise.