Pokémon: Rise Of The Rockets

[Flipz]

IC - John Ford/Tyler McKinley/Thomas Warren - Great Hall, Black Horse Manor:

 

It appeared to take a moment for Ford to register that he was being spoken to--as a matter of fact enough time had passed that it would not have been unreasonable to assume that he had heard neither Alex nor Alma. In due time, however, he pulled his glasses away and pocketed them, flipping his notepad closed and turning to face his visitors. He studied them for a moment and then approached, stepping down from the dais so that he stood on their level. Even so, he towered above the younger trainers (as well as his own agents).

 

He bowed.

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said. "I can certainly offer assistance--I've generally found it to be in my best interest to do so, as time has gone on. Of course, offering solutions is best done one at a time, and under minimal stress." He gestured to a set of doors leading to an adjacent room, and began to lead the way. "Come, let us speak in private."

 

Warren moved ahead to hold the door open, allowing Ford, McKinley, Alma, Alex, and their Pokémon through. There was really nothing of particular note inside--it was a simple den, with black-cushioned couches surrounding an empty fireplace. Ford sat in a singular chair, retrieving his notepad and glasses from his pocket while he waited for his guests to sit.

 

"There is, of course, no guarantee that the solutions I offer will be optimal for all involved," Ford warned. "But let us worry about that later. For now, perhaps you can tell me a bit more about your situation. You're not quite the same sort that typically seeks me out." He glanced at McKinley and Warren. "Of course, I'm a fairly firm believer than all things happen for a higher purpose, so perhaps this is a purpose that we can uncover together."

IC: Alex Zyther

 

After following Ford into the den, the Kalosian glanced momentarily at Alma. "Well," Alex began, "I'm...not exactly the best one to ask about how the situation with the Pokémon powers happened, since I was kind of in a coma at the time, but as far as the rest..." Alex did his best to summarize the trip into Reflection Cave, rescuing the Carbink, meeting McKinley and Warren, and eventually Amelia and Belle's arrest. "I mean...I knew they were a little...shady...but like, in the good way, like spies or superh--erm, vigilantes or something. That whole big list, that just seemed...excessive. Like, there's no way they would..." Alex trailed off a moment, before resuming with a realization. "There's no way the Amelia I know would do all that. It's too big for her, she always seemed a lot more...subtle, you know? And Ms. LaDonna...she seemed even nicer than Amelia. There's no way they could be real criminals." A headbutt at Alex's side interrupted the Trainer's rambling, prompting a look down to the Dedenne at Alex's feet. Didi nuzzled Alex's ankle comfortingly, but contrary to usual consequences there was no pain of electric shock undercutting the gesture. Normally, this would be nice--but the fact that the power had been robbed from her only left Alex feeling sick...and reminded the Trainer of their other concern. "Anyway, more importantly--our Pokémon. Alma, can you go over what happened with the whole power loss thing?"

 

 

A few short feet away, under the watchful eyes of a Sneasel and a Ralts (a most thoroughly unlikely duo, in her view), the Carbink watched and listened. 'More importantly--our Pokémon.' She wasn't sure how much she believed it--how much of her time with him had been spent as a casual concern, a side note, a background detail among his human concerns?--but yet, here he at least sounded sincere. And he had rescued her, hadn't he? Promised to take care of her, not to leave her? Was that not the very heart of the ancient pact?

 

She looked to the Ralts beside her, wishing either one of them could use their usual telepathy. She needed to know more about this human before making a choice, and even without battle his Pokémon would be the best way to learn--if only they could speak together. A few short moments later, she blinked. I have been lost in my thoughts all alone for far too long, she thought, realizing her obvious blunder. The Psychic-type was already meeting her gaze, but she still startled them both by asking, <"So what can you tell me of your Trainer?">

Edited May 7, 2018 by Flipz

[MELON LORD]

IC: Yamamoto Aori - Vermilion City Refugee Center, Vermilion City, August 6th

 

"I am not sure," Aori admitted with a sigh. "I had planned for buying a ticket to the islands, but I do not have any money." She made as if to tug on a sleeve, but instead just grabbed her arm with the opposite hand. "And I do not think we can easily get money for it."

 

IC: Alma Mason

 

Alma nodded and began explaining about the flash of light that had taken away powers of all kinds; she even briefly touched upon her own affinity to ghost types and how she hadn't been able to communicate directly with Shadow for a while

 

"And then, there was another flash of light. My own abilities slowly came back to me, as did those possessed by other gifted humans, but our Pokémon are still powerless."

 

IC: Jared Winters - On a Plane

 

"Yeah, that's sort of why I'm talking to you now, I want to get to know everyone. Thanks, Colleen." The silver-haired trainer smiled a bit. As he was standing to go talk to Olivia, the seat belt sign came on and the pilot announced they were about to take off. With a shrug and a resigned sigh, he sat back down. He would just have to speak with the older Seaton sister on the way to Hoenn.

 

IC: Xander Cruize/James Arthur - Alamo, Four Island, August 6th

 

This was it, time to start digging into the goings-on in Keturi. With all of his friends gone, it was up to Xander to get to the bottom of it. He took a deep breath and said, "Hello, Executive. I'm Agent Xander Cruize. The reason I'm calling is because I need to ask some questions about a research scientist by the name of Vert."

 

James was tempted, almost compelled, to hang up on Xander immediately at the mention of Vert. He restrained himself.

"And what questions would you have about Dr. Vert, Agent Cruize?"

 

"First and foremost, I need to know how I would be able to speak with her. I spoke with some of her subordinates, and they told me that you were the man to ask about it. If I've been misinformed, then I apologize for wasting your time, but it's pretty important that I get the chance to talk to her directly."

 

James fell silent. He really wasn't fond of the idea. Vert knew things about James that made things... complicated. Still, he didn't have a reason to outright deny the request. "It is within my power to arrange such a meeting. But I must ask, why would you want to speak with her?"

 

Xander sighed a bit. He had known it wouldn't be as simple as asking to be let in for visitation, but he still wished it were. "It's related to a . . . an excursion, that some friends and I went on yesterday. We went to visit the city before they left for a mission, and we encountered a group of poachers at a warehouse there. After we detained them, we did some questioning. They described to us two technicians who in turn directed me to you."

 

The executive didn't have proof it was Tatsuro and Tetsuro, but couldn't help thinking of the pair. "They described two technicians to you? Are you telling me that two of our technicians were working with poachers? Do you know their names?"

 

Xander shook his head before remembering that the Executive couldn't see him. "I don't want to throw anyone under a bus here. They were just following orders passed down to them by Vert. Why she was working with poachers is the question I'm trying to answer right now."

 

James paused. It was within in his authority to compel this agent to give his testimony. Still, anything considering Vert was important to know. Especially now considering his next plan. Why was Vert involved with poachers? Why now? "I will let that slide, but I have a condition for letting you speak to Vert."

 

Conditions. Xander scowled a bit. Conditions from someone in an authorative position were rarely weighted fairly. Still, it seemed to be his only hope. "What condition would that be, Executive Arthur?"

 

"I want a recording of the conversation. And I will be sending a witness along with you to collect it. Is that agreeable?" James said.

 

Xander sighed lightly, nodding. "That sounds reasonable. Who's this witness?"

 

"My Weavile, Mordred, will suffice," James said. There wasn't many people James would be willing to trust with the information that was to be gleaned from Vert. And of those, he was unsure of who knew of his involvement with Vert. One of his Pokémon, however, he could trust. And they all knew about his crimes already.

 

"Alright then. Just tell me where I need to go. Can you send him to meet me today?"

 

"I can. Give me a location to send him and he will be there. I will send you her schedule. She is kept strictly to it, but will be returning to her former office momentarily. That would be the best place to meet her. I trust you can find the Executive Suites on your own? I will instruct security to let you in to see her. Fair warning, they will search you for weapons," he said, thinking of how to smooth over things with Executive Ladon after this. Second time he'd be pressuring her to let someone see an incarcerated person within the month.

 

Xander considered for a few seconds and shrugged. "It would probably just be easiest for us to meet outside of her office. Will my Holo Caster's recording function suffice for this, or did you have something else in mind?"

 

"It will suffice," James said as he entered his office. He considered sending a bug with Mordred as a precautionary measure, but decided against it. He'd have Mordred's testimony as to whether the agent was acting in good faith. "I will send him over shortly."

 

Xander nodded, smiling. "Thank you, Executive."

 

"If that is all, I have other business to attend to," James said. "Good afternoon, agent."

 

"Good bye." Xander hung up and sighed. He stood and glanced at Sylph. "Do you want to come with me?"

 

She shook her head, and Xander made his way towards the Executives' wing.

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Lafoyae Belrose

Lafoyae thought for a moment about what she could possibly ask Executive Stone, not letting the mess of a room distract her. The last message from Drake was definitely something worth asking about, but she had a bigger target. "I'd like to know about the activity around each crime scene before the murders" The woman projected. "Was there anyone sighted at more than one scene?" Another thought had crept into her mind, that while it could lead to nothing, she had to pursue all avenues. "I'd especially like to if there are any mentions of a young girl." The Assassin projected. "Drake Masters's last conversation was with a young girl, and while it seems unlikely, I'd like to know if this same girl could have been at the other scenes."

Edited May 9, 2018 by Dr. Hidaka

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Chloe et al.==-

 

"It's a little bit complicated. It's the sort of matters that I feel would be left to locals - stuff like what just happened. They take care to not do things that would attract too much attention, though some things feel like they're either leading to something, or being because of someone." From the look on his face, Corey did not know how to explain exactly. "I can't say what their end game is, though. Me and my team have been working on trying to figure that out, to keep the city safe. But I don't actually have any real concrete ideas, just that it's far from being ready. I can't even say if the leader actually was here today or not."

 

"It's okay, you've been trying hard!" Nikki exclaimed, then gave a smile as she looked up toward the sky. "We'll find something, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah..." Corey didn't look to be too positive about that. "What about you? What are you all up to?" The man eyed Coleman in particular - if he were asked, Corey would admit that he had no clue who Emmerich was, but the air about him seemed more... important than the others in the group.

[Parugi]

IC - Miyu Katou - Refugee Center, Vermilion City:

 

"Perhaps we beg?"

 

 

IC - Scott Stone - Executive Suite, The Alamo:

 

Scott did not expect the telepathy. He pushed aside any feelings of unsettlement brought about by the uncanny communication method, bringing his fist to his lips and thinking.

 

"Most of these murders occurred in isolated locations," he said, glancing at Kai's name on the board. "Prior to Agent Masters, the most recent death happened at Mt. Moon. The body was discovered by a group of hikers a couple of days after the event, so any leads that would have been present there are an inherent bust as far as witnesses are concerned. Same goes for most of the others. Masters, on the other hand . . ." The Executive sighed, lowering his hand. "We're working on that. We've heard rumors about a girl who came into town that day, but we haven't had any luck finding anyone who saw where she went or when she left town. As far as we can tell, she and Masters were the only ones present at the scene of the . . ." Scott trailed off, furrowing his brow. "Wait."

 

He stood, turning to his desk and shifting through some papers. He pulled a report from the pile, flipping through it.

 

"Masters was killed at a cemetery house," he murmured. "And his Dragalage's body showed signs of electrical burns as well as . . ." Scott grabbed a highlighter and circled a paragraph. "Shadow damage. The kind you would see from something like Dark Pulse or Shadow Ball." He tapped his fingers on the desk. "The Lavender Town police only called us in after their initial investigation led them to conclude that Drake's death was caused by a wild Pokémon, which this seems to indicate would be some kind of Ghost-Type. But they didn't hear the recording and didn't know who or what exactly to look for. So between a young girl, a Ghost-Type Pokémon, possibly an Electric-Type, as well . . . There's a very strong possibility that someone in Lavender Town would be able to connect those details together. It's just a matter of figuring out where to go and ask." 

 

 

IC - Emmerich Coleman/Kyle Eston/Sonja Baron - Streets, Goldenrod City:

 

"I am not at liberty to share the details of our mission with non-military personnel," Emmerich answered, falling back behind the mask of the Team Rocket General that he had spent the better part of his life constructing. The stoic professionalism in his manner easily hid his present caution and lack of trust. "Suffice to say, it's a matter of national security. That is all I can tell you."

 

"Honestly, we shouldn't have gotten mixed up here at all," Sonja said. "If this is something you're trying to handle locally, then we're not the people to help you."

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Chloe and company==-

 

Chloe frowned as she looked over at Emmerich for a moment, then Sonja. She could see their points, but the phrasing about both points made her feel a little concerned. She decided to keep quiet and glanced around the group as she noticed Ray just looking away - the psychic girl felt it was very possible that he felt the same way.

 

Corey, on the other hand, stopped and glanced between the two who had spoken as well. An uneasy silence seemed to have fallen after the two comments. "I think we can take a hint." He finally said after a few moments. "We're not far from the station anyway and it doesn't feel like the two of us are welcome." With a small shake of his head, the man turned away before he began to walk once more. Nikki looked torn between wanting to repay things and accepting that the situation had fallen apart badly. Reluctantly, she followed Corey.

 

Once the two were gone, Chloe quietly stood there. "... Was that... really needed?" She asked in a small voice as she wondered what the reason was to push people away like that. Her gaze fell on Sonja in particular, as she wondered if it what comment it was that caused the situation to unfold the way it did.

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Lafoyae Belrose

Lafoyae thought for a moment, before figuring out a potential connection. "What about the last message Masters sent out?" She projected curiously, thinking of the meaning. "I doubt he would have sent it without meaning. Could it perhaps be talking about Shadow Admin Ace? Would there be anyone there who would be connected to her?" Despite this lead being flimsy, the Assassin had to zero in on it, as it was the only thing the two really had for this case. "If so, that's where we start, Executive Stone."

Edited May 14, 2018 by Dr. Hidaka

[MELON LORD]

IC: Yamamoto Aori

 

Despite her best efforts, Aori couldn't hide her distaste at the idea of begging for money. <"Perhaps we can save that as our last option."> She hummed and shook her head. <"No, second to last. Our very last resort will be to sneak onto the ship.">

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan Sanders - Streets, Goldenrod City

"We don't have time to be getting caught up in their problems," Ryan said, stepping between Chloe and Sonja before any arguments could break out. "If we weren't facing imminent death by jell-o then yeah, I'd gladly help them out. But it looks like they have a pretty good handle on things already. Sure, we could've been a little nicer about rejecting them, but really we've got to focus on the big picture here."

 

He looked between his two fellow Liberty members, hoping this little disagreement wouldn't cause a rift. That was the last thing they needed right now. His eyes turned to Kyle for support.

[Parugi]

IC - Miyu Katou - Refugee Center, Vermilion City:

 

"Perhaps we search for loose coin. Buried treasure?"

 

 

IC - Scott Stone - Executive Suite, The Alamo:

 

The Executive handed Lafoyae a transcript of what had been discerned from the scrambled recording recovered in Lavender Town. "It's pretty clearly Shadow Admin Ace," he said. "That much we'd already figured out. Unfortunately much of the file was destroyed, so we don't know exactly what it was that Masters had picked up at the time he was killed." He tapped his fingers on the desk, looking over Dragalge's autopsy report again. "I was more thinking--maybe there's a place that was overlooked for witnesses during the initial police investigation. They weren't in the mindset of looking for a person, but for a Pokémon. So even if they asked those people whether they had seen any violent Pokémon, they might not have thought to ask about violent people . . ."

 

He paused.

 

"A Ghost-Type Pokémon initially under suspicion in Lavender Town, hiding a young girl under suspicion by Team Liberty. In the struggle, it's likely they were hurt. The Pokémon Center might be a good place to start--see if they healed up afterwards . . ." He looked at Lafoyae. "Maybe you'd be up for a trip?"

 

 

IC - Sonja Baron/Emmerich Coleman/Kyle Eston - Streets, Goldenrod City:

 

"Exactly," Sonja said. "We have our own mission to worry about and we're on a time crunch. We don't have time to waste trying to help people who aren't going to actually tell us anything useful about what's going on, let alone be cryptic about it while also saying that they're trying to handle it themselves. If it was serious enough for us to drop our business with Ford, then that would be another story, but by all appearances, it doesn't seem to be anywhere near the same league."

 

"I agree," Kyle said carefully. "but I also agree that antagonizing people doesn't help us, either. We could have directed them to someone else who's available and had them on-hand to help us out later on down the line. "

 

"Then why didn't any of you suggest that yourselves before they took off?" Sonja asked. "Ryan, Coleman and I were the only ones even talking to them. And that wasn't exactly a short walk." Kyle did not have a good response to that point. She shook her head, bringing a hand to her face and breathing an air of exhaustion. "I don't even understand why we're arguing about this . . . " She looked at Chloe. "If you want to stay back and help them, then that's fine, but I can't do that. Not until this thing is taken care of."

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Lafoyae Belrose

"I wouldn't mind, as long as it helps us glean more information, Executive Stone." Lafoyae mentally replied. "Will we be leaving immediately?"

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ryan Hikari - Boat==-

 

"Sorta... it's a little complicated, though in a way that mission is related to some other things..." Ryan paused as he glanced back toward where he had last seen Shannon - although the spot was severely lacking in the blonde girl's presence now. "What about you? It seemed like you got hit hard by that mission yourself."

 

-==IC: Chloe, Ray==-

 

"That wasn't what I was trying to say." Chloe furrowed her brow as she felt like the point went unnoticed for the most part. "I just, I agree with Kyle, I don't know if that was really the way to go about saying things. I know we don't have a lot of time, but it seemed like they did, and--"
 

"Just drop it." Ray said, as he cut into the conversation suddenly. "If we don't have time for helping or anything like that, and if we shouldn't have gotten involved in any of that in the first place, then we don't have time for debating any of this no matter what was meant." He glanced back at the group, having gotten a little bit ahead of the rest to try and get away from the escalating argument. "We can talk about this during any downtime if that's something we really want. I think Coleman here would appreciate us getting on the train on time, though."

 

Chloe felt as if she had been deflated after what was said. She looked down to the ground as she knew she couldn't challenge or refute what was said. She didn't even know that she was right about whether they would help. When did we start being like this, though...? Or were we always like this, but I never saw...? The girl shrunk slightly, as she fell even quieter, opting to simply follow everyone at the back. Had everyone been this goal orientated and she just hadn't seen it? She paused in her thoughts. Or is it me who changed? I was blindly chasing Ryan so long I don't even know...

Edited May 14, 2018 by Blessed Blade

[Konuju]

IC: Ellen Burks/Paul Burks/Dahlia Seaton - Plane

The trip from Johto to Hoenn was largely uneventful. When they landed, however, Ellen felt a lump in her throat she hadn't noticed before. She had already said goodbye to most of her friends, but somehow stepping off the plane to gather her belongings from Ryan's house made her leaving all the more real. She stepped up to the Seaton sisters.

 

"I know we don't know each other too well, but I'm glad I had a chance to fight alongside you in Sootopolis," she said quietly. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it to Celadon."

 

"Don't you worry your little heart over it," Dahlia said with a pleasant smile. "We're just glad you ended up safe. Good luck with your family. I'm sure your mom's been missing you."

 

"I should be the one wishing you good luck." Ellen gave the gardener a hug. "And thank you for helping me."

 

Paul, meanwhile, approached the beige-haired aura wielder. "I must thank you for helping to find my daughter, Colette. Even though you never met her, you were still willing to put your life on the line. And that's saying something. Our family is in your debt."

 

IC: Ryan Sanders - Train

Ryan kept quiet as the group made their way to the train station. It didn't take an aura reader to see that things could have gone better within the group. Between Sonja's determination to move forward and Chloe's silent surrender, he felt the situation had merely been bottled, not fully defused.

 

When the train arrived, Ryan took a seat across from Chloe. "Hey," he said gently, offering a kindhearted smile. "How're you feeling? Don't let it get to you; I know things didn't go over smoothly with those people, but I don't want that experience causing any problems within this group. Yeah, we made some mistakes, but it's no use fretting over it now. We need to be focused on the battle ahead, not on the ones in the past."

 

IC: Madison Morrow - Watermobile

"Yeah, it was pretty intense," Madison said. "I fought in some sort of astral plane and almost got my soul sucked out of me before my boyfriend burnt me to a crisp, but it's all good now." She gave the black-haired man a wide grin before letting loose a sigh. "To be honest, that was my first high-stakes battle other than Celadon. I'm not a soldier like Dack. I've managed to get through it all so far, but . . . it's tough. How do you do it? How do you keep yourself from having an emotional breakdown after every battle?"

[Parugi]

IC - Scott Stone - Executive Suite, The Alamo:

 

"Today or tomorrow. My schedule's as open as it needs to be."

[Dr. Hidaka]

IC: Lafoyae Belrose

"I suggest today, honestly." Lafoyae projected to Scott, her tone sounding determined. "The sooner we gather more information, the sooner we can figure out who did this, and why."

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: James Arthur - Executive Suite 

 

James pulled out Mordred's Poké Ball from his brief case while taking a bite from his sandwich. He was mulling over what the possible ramifications of this agent meeting with Vert would cause. A buzzing from his phone shook him from his thoughts. He placed the Poke Ball down and picked up his phone. He opened the message that had just arrived and read it's contents.

 

"They got the time wrong," he said flatly to no one in particular.

 

The flight to take him to Alola was not scheduled at 8 A.M. tomorrow

 

It was scheduled at 8 P.M. today.

 

James just stood there a moment.

 

 

 

IC: Mordred - Four Island

 

Mordred had never been rushed out of a room so quickly. He'd never seen James eat that quickly either. The man had looked almost possessed packing that quickly. James muttered something about needing to message some Tiara guy and Executive Ladon before hurriedly telling Mordred what he needed to do.

 

James's dislike of Vert extended to his Pokémon. Whether it was due to their trainer's influence or shared indignation at what James and Vert were up to, they couldn't say. Mordred dragged his feet to delay being in her presence, but he did not have far to walk.

 

The guards were kind of a give-away.

 

Mordred wasn't in any hurry to go up to them. James said he'd take care of getting Cruize (whoever that was) past them when he showed up. Nothing to do but wait.

 

[MELON LORD]

IC: Yamamoto Aori

 

Slowly, Aori nodded. Back home, things would occasionally wash up on the beach, and her parents would take the items to sell them and give her a bit of the money. It wasn't treasure by any means, but it was something, and if they could find good items on Vermilion's beach, then that might work.

 

"Yes, let's go find buried treasure!"

 

IC: Xander Cruize

 

It was only a couple of minutes before Xander rounded the corner into the Executives' hall. He immediately saw the guards and, further down the hall, the Weavile. He approached the Dark-type and pulled out his Holo Caster. "Mordred, right? Are you ready?"

 

IC: Jared Winters

 

As the Burks were saying their goodbyes to Colette, Jared stood and made his way over to where Olivia and Dahlia were seated. "Olivia," he said. "Mind if we talk a bit before we get to Kalos?"

Edited May 17, 2018 by MELON LORD

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Mordred - Four Island

 

 

The Weavile regarded the trainer impassively. Was that what a 'Hollow Caster' was? Made little difference to Mordred, but he hadn't seen one before. He nodded towards the trainer and started to amble towards the guards outside of Vert's room. Hopefully James had called Executive Ladon already. Otherwise, these guys were not gonna be happy to see them.

 

 

 

IC: Claus/Richard - Archives Department

 

 

IC - Archives Department, The Alamo:

 

For a few moments, no response came from the other side of the dull, lifeless, devoid-of-personality-gray door. After another round of ceaseless banging, however, footsteps sounded from the other side, and the door opened. A man of average height stood in the frame, donned in a smart suit that accentuated his Middle-Eastern features. His dark eyes glanced briefly from Richard to Claus and back again. He held a half-eaten chicken sandwich in his hands.

 

Executive Booker Samir gave one glance to the 'Out to lunch' sign that had fallen to the ground, before returning his attention to the boys before him. "Can I help you?"

 

 

 

Claus and Richard lifted the poor man by his arms and sat him on a desk near the entrance to the room. Claus's face was pale. He swallowed and then forced air out of his lungs.

 

"This is where the agent records are, right?"
 

"Right."

 

"We need anything you got on Lucas Diamond," Richard said. "Mission dates, phone records, anything you got."

 

"We think-" No, the time for uncertainty was done. Claus had to face this head on. He had to admit it to himself more than anything. "He's missing. He's missing and we're looking to find him."

 

[Parugi]

IC - Executive Booker Samir - Archives Department, The Alamo:

 

Executive Samir looked between Richard and Claus. It was a miracle they had not made him drop his lunch. He leaned back in his seat, scratching the back of his head with his free hand.

 

"If you've got credentials with Team Liberty, the information is yours," he said. "You don't need my permission to access what we have on famous trainers . . . unless otherwise stated. Fact of the matter on Diamond, though--we know he's missing. Not a whole lot else. Otherwise he probably would've been found by now." He pulled his keyboard closer and began typing on it. "Regardless, if you want to look for him, you're more than welcome to. ID?" He looked at Claus, copying the number down. A moment later Claus's comm buzzed with a message, in which he would find all of the Archive Department's relevant files on Lucas.

 

Samir pushed the keyboard away, his work done. "Anything else? If not, I wish you the best of luck. Next time, please mind the sign."

 

 

IC - Katou Miyu - Beach, Vermilion City:

 

They arrived at the beach shortly. Like the blink of an eye and then they were there. It was crowded. Many people lingered. The people were noisy. They moved in crowds. The crowds conversed about the refugees. They talked of One Island, too. They were not subtle. Miyu watched them. Her expression remained impassive.

 

"Where to begin we look?"

 

 

IC - Executive Scott Stone - Executive Suite, The Alamo:

 

The Executive checked his watch. "If we leave in the next hour, we still won't arrive until close to eleven," he said. "Then again, I've heard ghosts are more active at night. Maybe one will have seen something." Scott nodded to Lafoyae. "All right. Let's go tonight, then. I'll meet you at the helipads."

 

 

IC - Kyle Eston/Sonja Baron/Emmerich Coleman - Train, En Route:

 

The train moved seamlessly along the tracks, but there was noticeable tension amongst the group in their seats. Kyle sat across from Sonja and next to Ray, who sat across from General Coleman. He glanced between the former two, his arms crossed in the same sort of discomfort that Sonja displayed by staring out the window and refusing to make eye contact with her fellows. Across the isle, Ryan and Chloe spoke quietly to one another.

 

God, I hate this . . .

 

After some time, Kyle coughed loudly, and then nudged Ray. "Hey, do you think this train has a battle cart like other trains do?"

 

"If it does, it's probably not in use right now, owing to the power outage," Emmerich pointed out.

 

"Great!" Kyle exclaimed, hopping to his feet. "Ray, Sonja, I propose we go to the battle cart and have a practice match. Might as well, since no one else is using it, right?"

 

Sonja gave him a look. "Kyle, there's no point in--"

 

"I beg to differ!" Kyle didn't necessarily have the raw strength available to manhandle the two, but he effectively managed to do so, bringing them both with him down the train and through the connecting door. "Come on--it's time for a tussle."

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Chloe==-
 
Chloe stayed quiet for a little bit, as if still lost in thought. "Things feel different... I know that everyone's likely stressed because of the end of the world thing, but... It feels almost like the group's atmosphere changed at some point while I was gone - and I'm not sure why..." She fell quiet again for a moment, before chirping from her purse interrupted her. The Rowlet half-emerged from her purse with a happy look.
 
She thought for a moment, then sighed as she took one of the Poké Balls from their compartment and tapped it against the grass bird's forehead. After a couple moments of the capsule shaking, a click signaled the ball could be shrunk and attached to her purse strap. She didn't want to bring the Rowlet into danger, but at this point, being safe in a Poké Ball was a lot better than roaming free in her purse.
 
-==IC: Olivia/Colleen==-
 
"No worries here! Hope ya have a safe trip home!" Olivia replied as quick as she could to the mention of Celadon - she had been able to put two and two together from everything that had been told to her about the trip with Xander and how that McKinley guy had shown up, so she knew it wasn't at all Ellen's fault. She wished there had been more that could have been done to help, but she thought about everything else that had happened and realized that if anything had changed, a lot of things likely wouldn't have happened. She kept those thoughts to herself, but got dragged out of those thoughts by Jared when he showed up.
 
"'Sup?" The redhead asked with a curious expression. Olivia wasn't entirely sure what Jared wanted to discuss with her, especially since they had only really talked once - something that hadn't really... gone that well at the time.
 
 
 
Colleen, meanwhile, found herself surprised when Paul approached her. "Oh, um, you're welcome." The girl said with a smile to try and hide the shock of being thanked for that. She had to admit he had a point - even if it was more thanks to Ryan and the others for convincing her to help. She still wasn't sure what to think of what had happened in that weird egg, but she wasn't going to make things seem weird by contesting anything. "I, um, hope everything goes well for you."
 
-==IC: Ryan==-
 
"I..." Ryan had to stop and think about that. He had to think about everything that had happened since things really got serious for him. "It... depends on the battle. Sometimes I just feel... numb about things, like I've been affected by other things too much to even pay attention. But sometimes... I just don't keep myself together." He sighed, as he looked up to the sky, wincing at a particular memory of a battle that had broken through his past numbness. "I can't say there's a real strategy - at least one I know of. My sister's pretty much kept her mind preoccupied on different things after a bad day before, but... I don't know if that actually helps with battles at all. I'm sorry if that wasn't helpful."

 

-==IC: Ray==-

 

Ray was surprised by both Kyle's insistence and the suddenness of everything. He let himself get effectively pulled down to the next car, stunned into silence by that. He allowed himself a bit of a smile at the idea of a battle that was just for fun - powers or no powers, it had been quite some time since he had last had a fight like that... not since before the left the Alamo to head to Fortree. Besides, it would be a while before they arrived at their destination. They had some time to spare here.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Yamamoto Aori - Vermilion Beach

 

"Let's start down by the water." Aori tried to ignore the conversations of the people around her, the looks she and her new friend drew in their obviously-donated clothes.

 

It didn't work.

 

IC: Jared Winters - Aeroplane

 

"I just want to get to know the team a bit better, figure out how to have everyone working together at their best," Jared said. "Mostly, I want to get a feel for combat training and the like."

 

IC: Xander Cruize - Alamo Executive Wing, Four Island

 

Xander approached the guards and nodded. "Hello, I'm Agent Cruize. I was authorized by Executive Arthur to speak with Vert about some things?"

Edited May 24, 2018 by MELON LORD

[Konuju]

IC: Dahlia Seaton - Plane

"You're certainly taking this leadership thing seriously." Dahlia gave Jared a teasing smile, then turned her attention to Ellen and Mr. Burks. After a few brief words with Colette, the two of them departed the plane. The pilot announced they would spend a few minutes refueling before heading straight toward Kalos. As Jared seemed more interested in talking to her sister, Dahlia stared back out the window, letting her thoughts drift aimlessly.

 

IC: Ellen Burks/Paul Burks - Ryan's House, Fortree

Compared to the plane ride, the trip to Ryan's house was relatively short. The home was eerily quiet. As Ellen gathered her belongings in a somber mood, Paul thought back to his first meeting with Ryan, Evan, and Jenny in this very place. He could tell why Ellen had been so captivated by the sense of adventure and purpose her friends conveyed. Had circumstances been different, perhaps Ellen could have continued having adventures with them.

 

A small photograph on the bookshelf caught Paul's eye. It showed a young Ryan, Cyndaquil in his arms, surrounded by loving parents. Where were the Liberty agent's parents? Ryan was old enough to be on his own, but he was still technically a kid. Paul hoped he hadn't run away like Ellen had, although the house showed signs that Ryan didn't typically live here alone. He pushed the thought aside. It was none of his business.

 

When at last she had gathered everything she needed, Ellen took one last look at the house she had spent half a year in. It was surreal coming back here after everything that had happened. Fortree City was filled with mixed memories. She wished she could remember her time fondly, but her memories of the treetop city were plagued with Tyler McKinley's saccharine smile. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she turned to her father. "Let's go home," she said, wearing a neutral expression to hide her discomfort.

 

IC: Ryan Sanders - Train

Ryan nodded solemnly as Chloe contained her feisty owl. "We've all been through a lot. When you think about it, it's really not surprising that the atmosphere's changed since our days in Unova." He glanced over at the group of seats across the aisle, where Emmerich sat alone. While Chloe had been busy with her owl, Kyle had apparently dragged the others off somewhere.

 

"Sonja and Ray were recruited by McKinley to help bring about the end of the world. I know it's not their fault, but you saw how it affected Ellen. Just because they don't show it doesn't mean those two aren't trying to come to terms with their time with Ford." Ryan curled his lip into a frown as he thought back to when his friends were both taken by that golden-haired freak. "Sonja especially, since that involved dealing with her sister. Meanwhile Kyle almost died at the hands of the Signs we're trying to get to help us. It's not a stretch to say we're bringing a lot of baggage along on this mission."

 

He looked back at Chloe at let out a heavy sigh. "To be honest, I kind of miss those days in Unova. We were tracking down criminals, sure, but we still had time to relax and have fun. Facing the end of the world tends to put a damper on things. When all this is over, we all need to take a vacation together. Some place where everything and everyone isn't trying to kill us. Arceus knows we need the break." He offered his fellow agent a smile. "Until that day comes, let's try to have each other's backs, yeah? Can't really have a group vacation if the group's all dead."

 

IC: Madison Morrow - Upper Deck, Boat

Madison nodded knowingly at Ryan's words. "I think Dack's the same way. He keeps himself busy and acts like nothing's bothering him, but I think it's just a front. Yesterday's mission was rough on both of us, and yet here we are doing something completely different, acting as if yesterday never happened." She leaned against the railing and rested her chin in her hands. "It almost feels like he's just drifting. All his life he's had a single goal driving him forward, but recently I think he saw through someone else just how destructive that particular goal can be. He's not sure what to do now, so he'll do whatever comes his way to keep busy. Like fighting Ford on Two Island. Or fighting Missing Zero on One Island. Or tracking down a friend's parents."

 

As Madison trailed off, she saw the Vermilion shoreline start to come into view. "Looks like we're almost here. Sorry for dumping all of this on you. I guess I just needed someone to talk to who wasn't Luke. Thanks for listening to my crazy rant."

 

IC: Shannon Willows/Luke - Medical Bay, Boat

Shannon and Luke sat across from each other while the former fed Sousa the doctor-prescribed seasickness medicine. The Dunsparce still looked pale, but at least he wasn't vomiting over everything.

 

"Clearly boats aren't his thing," Luke said. "I take it you're going back home to Celadon?"

 

Shannon shook her head. "I'm actually traveling with Ryan. We're looking for a little girl he met during that mission on One Island. She was sent to Vermilion with the other refugees. He promised he'd come back for her, so we're making good on that promise."

 

Luke nodded gravely. "That was a rough mission, wasn't it? Dack and Madison won't tell me anything more than vague details. Sounds like it messed everybody up. I heard someone actually died." And there it was. Shannon's chest seemed to tighten as she drew a quick intake of breath. She tried to pass it off as being worried about Sousa, but Luke wasn't fooled. "You know what happened?"

 

Selena crawled up onto Shannon's shoulder and gave her a nudge of encouragement. Shannon stared at the floor in front of her and said plainly, "My father died." It still didn't sound real.

 

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Luke's reaction was as expected. He was quick to offer sympathy she did not want and condolences she did not care for. She would have let it slide, were it not for his next comment. "At least you still have your mother, right?"

 

At the mention of her mother, Shannon grit her teeth. "I'm . . . not on the best terms with my mother." She did not have the emotional energy to go into more detail.

 

Luke seemed to take note of her apathy and expertly backpedaled. "Hey, I get it. I never really got along too well with my folks, either. In fact, that's partly why I studied martial arts so intensely." Shannon looked up at him in surprise. "It wasn't until Snowpoint got hit by a major avalanche that I went back to rekindle that relationship with them. Dack lost both his parents and we lost a mutual friend in that avalanche. I guess it just opened my eyes to what's really important. It's in times of hardship that we have to set aside our differences and support one another, you know?"

 

Shannon bit her lip. "You don't know my mother," she started.

 

"No, I don't," Luke said. "But I can imagine she's really hurting after having lost her husband. I don't think she'd want to lose a daughter, too."

 

"It's a little late for that," Shannon said with an edge in her voice. "She doesn't deserve me."

 

She expected Luke to argue her point. Instead, the blackbelt smiled. "Maybe she doesn't," he said. "But the same could be said for that friend of yours that went crazy back in Celadon. Hannah, right? She was ready to decimate an entire city, yet you still gave her the benefit of the doubt. If you can find it in your heart to forgive her, can you not forgive your own flesh and blood?"

 

Shannon sat in stunned silence. She did not expect the easygoing blackbelt to speak with such wisdom. She struggled to find a counterargument, but before she could gather her thoughts the ship's horn blared, signaling their arrival at Vermilion Port.

 

"I'm not trying to push you to do something you don't want to. Just think about it, okay?" Luke stood up, his goofy grin returning to his face. "Anyway, it looks like you've got old Dunsbarf under control. I'd better go find Dack and Madison. Good luck finding your girl!" Shannon barely had time to wave before he was out the door, leaving her to her troubled thoughts.

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Evan Tierra/Jenny Hakuda/James Arthur - Alamo Hangar

 

At 5 o’clock, Evan Tierra’s pokegear beeped in the cafeteria, prompting the Plasma Knight to check it.The message read: "Scheduling error, flight is 8 PM today, not 8 tomorrow". Upon reading it, the man’s face froze, and he turned to Jenny. “Recall that flight to Alola? Yeah, it’s going today at 8.” Evan said, trying to stay calm as he checked the time. “So we’ve got…….three or so hours to get packed and get over there. Sound like a plan?”

 

"That sounds good to me." Jenny replied with a nod as she quickly finished eating her meal. "Wonder how a mistake like that could have happened?"

 

Evan shrugged. “Whatever the case, we’d best get a move on.” He said, grinning at his empty plate. “I’d hate to keep an executive waiting!”

 

James made it to the hangar with about fifteen minutes to spare. In addition to having to pack, he needed to send several messages. One was to Executive Ladon about Xander’s request, another was to Executive Aaron. He would to be kept up to date on what was happening at Four Island while he was away.

 

He paused for a moment thinking about Goldhawk. He didn’t have time to confirm his condition. That’s why he wanted to leave the next morning. If Goldhawk died, then the political situation would deteriorate further.

 

The Executive snapped himself out of it. There was nothing he could do about it now. He searched for his flight as looked about the hangar. The hangar was abuzz with activity despite the late departure time. He would need to find who to give his luggage to. He dragged a suitcase beside in addition to the briefcase he held in his other arm. He was short one Poké Ball in that briefcase on account of Mordred.

 

James couldn’t wait for the Weavile to return from his meeting with Vert. He gave Mordred instructions on how to not die while James was gone. Not that the Weavile needed them. He took care of himself in the days after his regrettable actions with Greed.

The Plasma Agent noticed James’s arrival and waved at the Executive. “I have to admit that was short notice, sir, but I’m glad we didn’t miss our flight.” Evan said kindly to the man. “Oh, introductions are in order! Executive Arthur, this is my fellow Knight, Jenny Hakuda.”

James kept the aggravation he felt at his schedule being changed at such late notice off his face, “A pleasure,” he said extending a hand to Jenny. “My apologies about the sudden change, I am glad you managed to accommodate our mistake.”

 

"No worries, it wasn't -too- tough to make things work." Jenny gave a smile as she shook the executive's hand.

 

With the pleasantries dispensed with, the trio found their flight. Depositing any luggage they needed, they boarded the plane and waited for the flight to take off.

 

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ryan - Boat to Vermillion==-

 

"Not a problem, I don't think it was a weird thing to talk about." Ryan shrugged for a moment as he realized that he'd likely have to try and find Shannon soon if they were nearly there. "I hope everything goes well with you two and that Luke guy."

 

-==IC: Chloe - Train==-

 

"I guess..." Chloe didn't sound too convinced about that. "But what if it never gets back to the way things were? You're right that a lot has happened since Unova, and a lot of it has been bad. What if that affects us for good?"

 

-==IC: Olivia==-

 

"What about combat training particularly?" The redhead seemed curious still, though she wasn't sure exactly how to go about describing anything like that. "I'm up for talkin', though ya might have to explain some of what ya wanna know about."

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Claus/Richard - Archives department

 

Claus would’ve felt embarrassment at their over-dramatic actions being completely unnecessary, but he needed to check the information immediately. He began mashing buttons on his Poketch, to bring up what Executive Samir had sent him.

 

“Zack Furler…” he said, reading the data on the last known contact with his father. He had a lead at least. That’s more than he had for years. His job here was done.

 

Richard on the other hand, had other business to attend to. He patted his new boss on his shoulder.

 

“Oh yeah, by the way, I just transferred to your department,” he said with a smile that reached the full span of his face. “Now a little Taillow told me that you are doing interviews of people who participated in the mission to Two Island. I was wondering if I could get assigned to that job.“

 

[Parugi]

IC - Katou Miyu - Beach, Vermilion City:

 

For every odd look directed toward Aori and herself, Miyu returned one of an even higher intensity. She did not blink, merely stared back at each passerby, until each became so uncomfortable that they scrambled to gather whatever belongings they had with them and took off in a hurry. Miyu hummed to herself, skipping across the beach.

 

She came to a halt, looking out at the ocean. "There is ship."

 

 

IC - Executive Booker Samir - Archives Department, The Alamo:

 

After a moment of sizing up Richard, Executive Samir pursed his lips. "I . . . will . . . consider it," he said, slowly. ". . . after I'm back on the clock. And have reviewed your file."

 

 

IC - Guard Roland Dracus/Guard Oliver Dracus - Executive Suites, The Alamo:

 

The two guards--who, on closer inspection, were clearly twins and about the same age as Xander--exchanged a look. The one on the left shrugged and looked back at Xander, "Papers?" He looked over Xander's permission notes. "All right. Try to make it quick."

 

They allowed Xander and Mordred into Vert's office-turned-prison. She sat at her computer, off to the side of the room, deep in thought as she pored over a schematic of one of the Power Suits. The sound of the door closing caught her attention, and she offered a brief glance at her visitors. "Yes?"

 

 

IC - John Ford/Tyler McKinley/Thomas Warren - Hall, Black Horse Manor:

 

Ford fell silent, tapping his pen against his knee, his expression troubled. Slowly, he moved his foot back to the ground and stood, approaching Alma and Alex's Pokémon. He stooped down to their level, pulling a cylindrical tool from his coat pocket and holding it to his eye. He muttered something to himself, leaning forward and shifting his attention from the Dedenne to the Sneasel, and so on.

 

"Interesting . . ." he murmured. "No distinguishable changes in physiology . . . Do you mind . . .?" He reached out for Dedenne's paw. After a moment of hesitation, Didi offered her front left paw to him. Ford pressed the device to her foot pad. "Power readings normal . . ." He peered closely at her for an uncomfortable amount of time. He raised his device again, directing his attention to her eye. "A flash of light, followed by another flash of light . . ." He frowned, lowering his device. Ford tapped his fingers for a moment, and then stood up, approaching the fireplace. The Shadowed Man took a moment to think.

 

"You say that these lights affected both humans and Pokémon?" he asked. "I cannot say for certain--this is beyond the scope of anything I have yet encountered." Ford turned, "That being said . . . there is a strong possibility that the source of this . . . condition, was a spell. An incredibly powerful one, if it managed to affect people and Pokémon on such a large scale--something that would utilize the fabric of reality itself as a conduit." He shook his head. "Again, this is only speculation--but there are certain rituals within my own circle that allow for temporarily disabling one's supernatural abilities. To think of one capable of spreading that far . . . and with the implications of a permanent effect . . ." The Shadowed Man fell silent again, staring into the flames.

 

"So how would one fix it, boss?" McKinley asked.

 

Ford's expression remained stoic. "I do not know," he admitted. "I will have to investigate this further--find out where . . . one in the position to do so, would have even come across such a recipe." He rubbed his head. Something else clearly troubled him, but he did not voice it. Instead, he straightened up. "Regarding your friends . . . I believe a mix-up has occurred. It is clear to me that you do not hail from this world, but another, parallel one. How you came to enter ours is a matter of speculation, one that is, perhaps, ultimately not important to the situation at hand. Our aim now is merely to correct your circumstances--it does nothing for the police to take doppelgangers into custody when their true culprits remain at large."

 

He looked at McKinley and Warren. "If you would, Tyler, send a message to the police requesting the immediate release and delivery of LaDonna and Zann to Black Horse Manor. Tell them I will explain the situation in due time. Meanwhile, Thomas, I'd like you to prepare rooms for our guests--there is not reason to make them stay in the wilderness while we work on fixing what has broken."

 

Warren bowed. "Of course, sir." He left the room, followed by McKinley a moment later.

 

 

IC - Executive Scott Stone - Lavender Town, Kanto:

 

Packing their bags was nothing special. Organizing a last-minute flight to Lavender Town was nothing special. The flight itself was not special, aside from the eerie, ruby glow of Missing Zero as they passed above the massive zone it had contaminated. Its form shimmered and rippled in the night, radiating out into the ocean around it, which eventually swallowed the creature's edge and returned them into darkness.

 

They entered the airspace above Kanto. City lights appeared below, only to disappear and be replaced by darkened forests and prairies, which soon again gave way to more lights. On and on this went, until the misty form of Lavender Town came into view. The tall tower for which it was known stood stalwart against the moon, a quiet monument that Scott could not tear his eyes from as they began to descend. Their helicopter landed in a small, privately-owned airfield just outside the city, and before long he and Lafoyae had exited the vessel and stepped into the silent town. Mist encompassed the currently-dead streets.

 

The Executive pulled his coat closer to his body. Despite the warm summer night, the confines of Lavender Town seemed to turn the air cold. He gripped Julius's Poké Ball, suddenly aware of the lack of Ghost-Type coverage within his team. He looked to Lafoyae. "To the tower, then."

 

 

IC - Kyle Eston/Sonja Baron - Battle Cart, Train:

 

The battle cart was reasonably sized. Under normal circumstances, of course, they would have to be mindful of the fact that this was still part of a moving locomotive, and thus would have to avoid doing anything super crazy . . . but then again, the lack of Pokémon abilities meant that there wasn't much lasting damage to be done, anyway. That made things a lot more straightforward--their combatants would have to be smart, strong, fast, sneaky, and creative, but not necessarily careful.

 

He clapped his hands together, looking at Ray and Sonja. "All right, you guys ready? I figure we can rotate--take turns battling each other, three battles total. Any preferences on who goes first? Or maybe we could just do this all at once, two Pokémon each, battle royale-style?"

 

"Kyle, seriously," Sonja said. "There isn't a point in this if our Pokémon can't fight. I just want to relax while I can, until we get to . . ." She glowered at the wall. "To Blackthorn."

 

Her pause did not go unnoticed. "Sonja, when have you ever really relaxed?" he asked. "You've been on edge for--literally--months, ever since we got back from Unova. You've been on edge since we got back from Two Island. Whatever you're doing to 'relax' hasn't worked and isn't working now."

 

Sonja stopped herself halfway through taking a step forward. "That's none of your concern--"

 

"Sonja!" Kyle clapped his hands together. "Please. As your friend, I am asking you--begging you to do this. Just . . . humor me."

 

There was something strangely urgent in his plea. Sonja closed her eyes, letting out a deep, exasperated breath. "Fine. Fine." She shook her head. "One battle. And then we get back to our seats."

 

"Okay. That's good." Kyle's shoulders relaxed. He looked at Ray. "Are you in?"

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ray Hakuda - Train to Blackthorn==-

 

Ray seemed shocked for a moment, especially at how eager Kyle seemed to be about all this, up to and including shutting Sonja's protests right down. He blinked after a moment as he realized he had likely taken a few seconds too long to reply. He nodded with a small smile.

 

"Sounds good to me." The Separatist still seemed a little laid back regarding the fight, though he afford himself a moment to glance toward Sonja as he thought over the two Pokémon to fight with. He had to admit that it felt a little strange that she didn't seem to want to do anything. The man hoped it wasn't any more than her staying ultra-focused. Still. . . Ray did recall one time that the brown haired woman had relaxed even slightly in recent times. He just hoped this battle could be a return to that.

 

"Alright, come on Zangetsu! You too, Byakuya!" Ray sent the two Pokémon of his that were most suitable to fighting without supernatural powers. The two seemed slightly confused as to why they got sent out, but after assessing the situation quickly, caught the drift of what was going on.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Yamamoto Aori

 

Aori looked up and nodded. "I had never been on one before yesterday." She chewed her lip. "Perhaps we should just sneak aboard when it docks, and save time?"

 

IC: Jared Winters

 

Jared nodded and gestured for Olivia to follow him back a few rows. "You're in Team Rocket, right? Did they teach you to defend yourself without Pokémon?"

 

IC: Alma Mason

 

The girl's eyes widened a bit as John Ford explained his theory. Magic. Of course magic had been responsible, nothing else would have fit. The question, then, was what form of magic had been used. Was it something she could potentially fix by undertaking the ritual and studying? Unlikely, but if Ford was a mage, then he might have resources she could use.

 

She smiled and bobbed a quick curtsy. "Thank you, sir, for your hospitality. While you research how to fix our Pokémon, perhaps Alex and I could discover by what means we came to your world. Do you have a library that we could peruse?"

 

IC: Xander Cruize

 

The Kalosian pressed the record button on his Holo Caster. "Miss Vert, my name is Agent Cruize. I'm performing an investigation regarding some poachers that were apprehended in Keturi City yesterday afternoon." He wasn't entirely sure what the protocols were in situations like this, so he just went with what sounded formal enough. "This conversation is being recorded on my Holo Caster, and Mordred the Weavile is acting as witness.

 

"Do you have anything to say before we begin?"

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Olivia==-

 

"I got some training in hand-to-hand combat when I joined up; I got the boot camp treatment at times. I wanted to make sure I could protect people I needed to." Olivia explained as she followed Jared, not sure why they needed to go so far on such an empty plane. She didn't voice that thought, however, as she instead looked to see if there were any follow-up questions to her response.

[MELON LORD]

IC: Jared Winters

 

"That's good to hear," he said, nodding. "Colleen and I are wanting to do daily training once we're on the ground, and it's just useful to know what everyone's experience is. Lachina's a ranger, but I'm not sure how much combat training she's had, and Dahlia is . . ."

 

Weak.

 

"She hasn't been part of the hostilities for very long, so she'll need some work. You showed a bit of knowledge yesterday, I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke." He smiled. "Other than that, though, I would also like to know your thoughts on some things. Like, do you have any concerns about the mission, or about Colleen and I as leaders, things like that. I'm trying to be a bit more open than I'm used to, so sorry if it's coming off as awkward."

 

So awkward.

[Metal Gear Minun]

IC: Mordred - Vert's Suite

 

Supposedly, Mordred's job was to remember everything that was going on here. Make sure the agent made good on the deal or something. The Weavile, however had a few other ideas. Supplementary ideas, if you'd like. He stood to the side of the room, so Vert would have to split her attention between the two of them. If Xander and Vert had a lively conversation, well Mordred might take the chance to see what he could get.

 

 

IC: Claus Diamond/Richard Apollo - Archives Department

 

"Fantastic!" Richard shouted. "Finally, a chance to record some history."

 

While Richard began to bug his new boss about his duties, Claus decided to slip out of there. He'd talk to Richard later. Right now, he'd try to track down Zack Furler. He wanted to at least have all the facts before he ran into Taylor again.

[Parugi]

IC - Katou Miyu - Beach, Vermilion:

 

"Perhaps but where go?"

 

 

IC - John Ford/Tyler McKinley/Thomas Warren - Hall, Black Horse Manor:

 

"The materials in the Great Hall are at your disposal."

 

 

IC - Executive Meghan Vert - Executive Suites, The Alamo:

 

At an initial glance, there didn't really appear to be much of anything for Mordred to consider taking. Vert kept few personal keepsakes here, and those present primarily occupied the desk where she currently worked.

 

"The formalities are quite unnecessary, Mr. Cruise," Vert said, very clearly uninterested in the conversation. "And I can assure you that any crimes related to my endeavors have already been addressed by Goldhawk."

 

 

IC - Kyle Eston/Sonja Baron - Battle Cart, Train:

 

"I still don't understand how this is supposed to help anything," Sonja said quietly. She picked through the Poké Balls on her belt, considering which of her own teammates could handle a battle without powers to support them.

 

"I mean, I don't know about you two," Kyle said, pulling two of his own. "But I'm not exactly great in a hand-to-hand fight, even when I'm not . . . well . . ." He gestured to himself. From the bandages and bruises that he still wore, his implication was not difficult to infer.  "And even if I was, a Pokémon without typical attacks is generally going to be a better choice than the average person. Especially if we end up in a fight with . . ." As he moved back several steps to form a triangle with Sonja and Ray, he stumbled on his words and paused. He glanced at his companions, clearly worried they had noticed. "Er . . . A fight in Kalos. That place is . . . a lot more dangerous than you might expect."

 

Kyle tossed his two Poké Balls into the air. Flashes of light coalesced into the forms of Kovian, his Dewott, and Lyxek, his Fraxure. Like Byakuya and Zangetsu, they appeared confused at first, but quickly assessed their surroundings and company and deduced what was going on. Each shifted into a battle stance, unfazed by the void of power that still encompassed them.

 

"I . . . guess that's a fair point," Sonja said. She hadn't really considered that particular point--part of her had taken it for granted, and it was obvious once spoken aloud, but it surprised her nonetheless to realize that they had not really discussed what they might do if they encountered a serious confrontation. She picked her own Pokémon and released them onto the field. Neptune the Totodile and Atum the Rhyhorn appeared. "Keep our teams sharp for when or if we run into danger. Same as always."

 

"Right. Yeah," Kyle said. "And, you know . . . It's also just a fun thing to do. The alternative is just sitting around brooding for the entire train ride, which isn't really helpful. Might as well pass the time, right?"

[Konuju]

IC: Emily Lockwood - Scarlet Café, Lumiose City

 

The girl nodded slowly. During the recap of Alex's adventures, she had finished her food and drink, and now she was leaning on the table, her chin propped on her fist. "I guess that's fair. Maybe when the power comes back, we should have a battle to see just how strong and adaptable you are."

IC: Alex Lockwood - Scarlet Café, Lumiose City

Alex laughed goodnaturedly. "A friendly battle would be fun. I'd challenge you right now if our Pokémon could actually use their powers. It's crazy to think that all Pokémon lost their abilities at the same time. Have you seen all those news stories about people getting hurt when the power suddenly went out?"

 

IC: Ryan Sanders - Train

"I don't know," Ryan admitted. He could tell the issue was bothering Chloe, and he wished he could give her the right answer, but the best he could offer was a hopeful optimism. "You're right, things may never go back to the way they were back in Unova. Things change, it's a simple fact of life." He gave a soft smile, well aware of how cheesy his next words would sound. "I have to believe that the bonds of our friendships can weather this storm. We may grow jaded, impatient, or fearful. But that doesn't change the fact that we're all friends here. It doesn't change the challenges we've already faced together. That's what you have to hold onto."

 

IC: Dack Majors/Madison Morrow/Luke - Conference Room, Boat

Madison had already found Dack by the time Luke arrived in the small conference room the Rocket agent had retreated to. The couple's hushed conversation dissipated into an awkward silence when Luke entered the room.

 

"There you are," Dack said. "I'm glad you found us. I was just filling in Madison on what I managed to find."

 

"And what's that?" Luke asked with a cursory glance toward Madison. For the briefest of moments the skier seemed annoyed at his sudden interruption, but she quickly put on a smile.

 

"Not much," Dack admitted. "From what I can gather, Sanders' parents were most likely placed in custody at the Rocket Detention Center in Lilycove. It's a start, but we'll have to confirm they were there, then sift through the records to see whether or not they got transferred."

 

"And I don't suppose you know where this Vermilion outpost is?" Madison asked in a short voice.

 

Dack shook his head. "I've never been to Vermilion before. We'll have to ask around, but it shouldn't be too hard to find the place."

 

An announcement rang out across the ship, stating that they had arrived at the port and asking passengers to maintain a sense of order as they exited the ship. "Looks like that's our cue," Luke said, stepping between his two friends. "Come on, you two lovebirds. White, sandy beaches await."

 

IC: Shannon Willows - Medical Bay, Boat

The captain's announcement jolted Shannon out of her thoughts. Realizing that she had to rendezvous with Ryan, she gathered up her belongings and opened the door out to the hallway. A sea of people filled the narrow corridor, all trying to make their way to the dock. Shannon didn't often ride on boats, so she had no idea if this was normal passenger behavior, but she had a feeling many passengers were trying to reunite with friends or loved ones who had evacuated from One Island.

 

In Shannon's arms, Sousa writhed at the sight of so many people pushing and shoving. Salix stared at the hundreds of feet, wondering just how she'd make it through the hallway without being jostled and kicked every which way. Shannon feared she might lose her precious Pokémon in the crowd if she tried leaving now. Instead, she closed the door and sat back down in the medical bay's rest area.

 

As Sousa breathed a sigh of relief, Shannon pulled out her Pokégear and typed out a brief message to Ryan: "In the med bay, waiting for traffic to die down. I'll meet you on the dock."

 

IC: Dahlia Seaton - Plane

It wasn't long before the plane took off once more, en route to Kalos. Dahlia stared out the window as the ground seemed to fall away beneath them. It wasn't until they had pulled above the clouds that the gardener turned her eyes back into the main cabin.

 

She had already napped for two legs of the journey, and while this was the longest stretch, she wasn't exactly tired. So once the plane reached cruising altitude, Dahlia got up to walk around.

 

Jared still seemed to be talking to Olivia, while Colette and Lachina sat by themselves. Dahlia hesitantly approached the latter, pausing awkwardly next to her seat. She didn't want to disturb the Ranger, but Jared seemed to have the right idea by getting to know each of his teammates before the mission. Colette and Jared had both fought in the egg on Two Island, but Lachina had apparently sat that mission out. There must have been a good reason for that.

 

Dahlia awkwardly cleared her throat to announce her presence. "Um, hi. How're you doing? I was just wondering if you, uh . . ." The gardener's voice trailed off as an odd thumping sound reached her ears. "Do you hear that?"

 

It seemed to be coming from the overhead bin above Lachina's seat. Dahlia knew they had filled some of the bins with their camping supplies, and it seemed the turbulence was causing some of the supplies to rattle around. Worried that their equipment might end up damaged, Dahlia reached up to open the overhead bin. The latch wouldn't budge.

 

That was strange, these bins didn't usually have locks on them. She tried again. No luck.

 

Gritting her teeth, Dahlia pulled once more with all her strength. This time the bin opened and out fell a ninety pound girl who slammed into Dahlia, knocking her back with a shriek into the row of seats across from Lachina. The girl fell across the the backs of the seats and tumbled into the aisle.

 

"Oh, man, they really need to add bathrooms to those storage bins!"

 

Dahlia slowly sat up to get a better look at the young girl. Her beige hair had been fashioned into pigtails and she seemed way too energetic for having just fallen to the floor, but there was no mistaking her identity. "Zoe?!"

 

For the first time the girl seemed to notice the other occupants of the plane. She pulled herself up to a sitting position as her face erupted into a sheepish smile. A nervous laughter broke out as her eyes fell on her sister. "Um . . . hi there."

[Blessed Blade]

-==IC: Ray==-

 

"Agreed." Ray said with a nod, as he sized up the opponents. He wasn't certain how things would work for his strategies without any power, but he realized that could help things in the long run. He waited to see if anyone else would make the first move; he didn't want to accidentally attack while things were setting up, after all.

"We begin on three?"

 

-==IC: Chloe==-

 

"That might work for some, but I was gone for like half the other mission. I feel bad saying it, but I'm not sure if I have the same kinda bonds that like, you or Ray or Kyle or Evan have with the group. Like, I vanished for so long, and then when we got back, I just hid away in more ways than one." Chloe sighed, as she bit her lip. "I'm sorry; I know I should try to keep focused on the positive things. I just can't shake this feeling like it might take a lot more work than I expected to even try making things up to some of us."

 

-==IC: Ryan==-

 

Ryan checked his Pokégear as he received the message from Shannon. He looked around at the crowd uncertainly as he realized he was near the front of the line.

 

"Alright. Hope the traffic goes away soon." He sent the reply off as he made his way through the crowd and off the ship. Ryan tried to find the most prominent spot on the dock that he could wait in, as he scanned the dock awkwardly. He looked around for people who both might recognize him and anyone who might cause trouble - a learned behaviour from spending so much time in dangerous situations. He hoped that Shannon wouldn't take too long making her way off the ship.

 

-==IC: Olivia==-

 

"Hum... Can't say I do. Don't really have much experience with either of ya, so it'd have to be something I'd figure out as we go, I reckon." Olivia thought for a few moments as she considered things. "I think being more open works for ya, though; awkwardness can be a tough thing to push through at the start, I know from experience, but... I think it could help a lot." She trailed off slightly at the end, as she wondered whether she was talking about herself, or Jared. The crash in the airplane caught her attention, however.

 

-==IC: Colleen==-

 

Colleen yelped out with a start as she heard the sudden crashing of people behind her as the overhead compartment opened. The girl quickly turned in her seat to see what had just happened. Her shock increased as she saw the culprit who crashed into Dahlia. After a few moments, she seemed as if her expression was a mix of many, many different emotions, most of which involving the imminent exhaustion the situation would likely bring.

 

"... Zoe? What are you doing here?" Colleen asked with a confused tone as she placed a hand on her hip.

[Konuju]

IC: Ryan Sanders - Train

Ryan opened his mouth to protest, then promptly shut it. He had to admit, he still found it hard to believe that the girl sitting across from him was the same person who had led them across half of Unova. Not that he'd ever say that out loud -- he wasn't keen to repeat his mistake from the boat. Still, when he looked past the figurative mask of makeup and eyeliner, he saw the same uncertainties Zach had held when they were chasing down his -- her -- brother. It was tempting to say that Chloe was a totally different person, but when he thought back he realized she had merely grown as a person.

 

"I can't speak for the others," he said slowly. "Although I have a feeling right now they're more interested in our current mission than making peace with you. But for what it's worth, I still consider you a good friend. You and I have more in common than you might think. For one thing, there's our love of the Cyndaquil line." Ryan flashed a grin, then immediately turned serious. "We've both been forced into leadership, and we've both made terrible mistakes. There were times that I wanted to hide away from the things I'd done, but a certain Hero of Space wouldn't let me. He reminded me that it's those times of hardship that make us into who we are. If Evan were here right now, he'd tell you to grit those teeth and hold your head high. The whole world can believe in you, but it won't do you any good if you don't believe in yourself. That's what Evan taught me. It's what's kept me going."

 

IC: Zoe Llyan/Dahlia Seaton - Plane

Zoe's smile quickly vanished. "Busted," she said to herself as she shakily got to her feet. "Please don't be mad, Collie! I knew I couldn't stop you from going on this mission, but I couldn't stand to just wait around for you to come home. I decided if this mission was really that important, you'd need backup. So here I am, the brave Warrior Princess here to save the day!" The girl struck a pose reminiscent of Evan Tierra, her Go-Goggles dangling at her neck. "I wanted to spend time with you, but the only way to do that was if I came along on your mission."

 

Dahlia couldn't believe her ears. She looked dumbfoundedly between the young girl and the overhead bin and back again. "Do you mean to tell me that you've been hiding up there this entire time?"

 

"Like a ninja!" Zoe grinned.

 

"How?!"

 

"I'm glad you asked." Zoe swung around into the row of seats behind Dahlia, distancing herself from her sister for the time being. "'Tis an epic tale of grandeur and . . . and awesomeness! The stuff of legend! It all started at the crack of dawn . . . ."

 

Sneaks on a Plane

A Story by Zoe Llyan

 

The sleepy town of Vier Village had long rested under the watchful eye of its guardian, the brave Warrior Princess Zoe. It saddened me to leave my birthplace, but my eyes were set on bigger and better things. Collie, the Aura Princess that had recently come to this village, would soon be embarking on a mission of utmost importance. Its details were classified at the tippest toppest level of secrecy. Even I, the brave Warrior Princess, knew only scant rumors of what the mission entailed.

 

Collie knew she could not do this mission alone. She needed the help of her most trusted companion, myself. Last night, she had entrusted me with the details of her plane's departure, along with a warning that I could let myself be seen. The Aura Princess' enemies were far and wide, and should they know I was planning to aid her they would slay me where I stood.

 

With this warning in mind, I set about my master plan. Team Liberty boasts many high-tech gadgets for its agents to astonish the everyday civilian. One of the most useful gadgets is the digital alarm clock. Once set, a series of beeps ensures the agent is awake and ready for duty at any given time of the day. In my case, I awoke at the crack of dawn, long before Collie or any of her enemies would wake up. Gathering my backpack with all the necessary supplies, I headed out towards the designated airfield.

 

The warm dew tickled my ankles as I ran through the fields. It is a little known fact that Warrior Princesses are trained in the way of the ninja. Through cunning and stealth, I made my way to the airfield hitherto unseen. But alas! The runway presented its own set of unforseen problems!

 

The plane that would eventually take Collie on her mission was surrounded by guards! I bided my time, but I knew that the longer I waited, the less time I would have to secure myself inside. Eventually I came up with a plan. A can of soda -- intended to be part of my lunch -- would serve me well as a makeshift grenade. I shook the can as hard as I could and threw it with all my might at the tail of the plane!

 

The guards immediately left their posts to investigate the amazing exploding soda can. While they were distracted, I utilized my amazing ninja skills and boarded the plane. The guards never saw me coming!

 

Once inside the plane, I realized I needed a better hiding spot. Collie and her friends would be here soon, and it would be detrimental to the mission should I be discovered. Thinking quickly, I crawled onto a seat and climbed into one of the many cubby holes lining the ceiling of the plane. I latched the door shut and waited.

 

And waited.

 

And waited.

 

My hiding place was incredibly cramped, but I was able to get my emergency rations out of my backpack for a small lunch. Still I waited, coming to the stark realization that my cubby hole had no bathroom in it. Just as I was starting to wonder how to fix this problem, the door opened and I fell out onto the floor!

 

I had been caught.

 

The nearest passenger roughly grabbed ahold of me and said: "I'm tired of these rebel scumming sneaks on this rebel scumming plane!"

 

-Thuh End-

[MELON LORD]

IC: Xander Cruize

 

"Unfortunately, with the condition Goldhawk is in, I have no way of confirming that." Xander sighed. "So, why don't we just start at the beginning? Are you admitting that you were involved with these poachers, who were allegedly working with the group acting out of Kalos known as the Signs?"

 

IC: Jared Winters/Lachina Adaon

 

Lachina was oddly glad for the surprise appearance of the girl. Despite Dahlia's charm, the ranger just wasn't sure what to say to her. "That seems pretty dangerous and irresponsible," she commented as the girl finished her story. "You could have suffocated or dehydrated in there, and we're going on a potentially dangerous mission.

 

Jared was about to respond to Olivia when there was a crash. A few rows up, where Dahlia and Lachina were sitting, there was now a girl he didn't recognize. He approached as she was telling how she'd sneaked aboard. From what he could gather, she was Colleen's sister. He glanced at the other mission lead. "We don't have time to take her back," he said.

 

IC: Yamamoto Aori

 

The girl shrugged. "We will find out. Let's go!" She began running for the dock as the ship pulled in. By the time she got there, people were already departing the ship. Her eyes scanned the crowd, and she halted as she saw him. "We do not need to sneak," she said quietly. "He is here."

 

IC: Emily Lockwood

 

"Yeah, pretty crazy. Don't suppose you know anything about that, mister rebel?"

[Parugi]

IC - Executive Meghan Vert - Executive Suites, The Alamo:

 

Xander earned himself a baffled look from Executive Vert. "'No way of confirming that'?" she repeated. "Goldhawk is the last person to slack off on an official report. Anyone with the proper authorization to speak to me at all would be able to find that information. It's not a secret to Goldhawk, Blackskull, Silvermind, Executive Arthur, or anyone else involved in my case that my process for developing the Power Suits relied on materials from Legendary Pokémon that I had no access to. My solution to compensate was shipments of primarily Fairy-Types--from Kalos and, yes, through the Signs--to be brought to Four Island for cloning and implementation into the Power Suits."

 

She turned back to her computer with a shake of her head.

 

"My last shipment never arrived and turned out to be unnecessary, as evidenced by the existence of the Fairy-Type Suit. As I said, leadership is already aware of this--that was part of Goldhawk's decision to strip me of my position and imprison me." The former Executive glanced at her calendar. "If this was a recent confrontation, then my guess is that they finally got their ship in order and delivered. Why they bothered after a month of no contact is beyond me."

 

 

IC - Katou Miyu - Dock, Vermilion City:

 

The crowd of people was thick. Aori pushed her way through. She got to the front. Miyu moved behind her. She watched the crowd. She looked at the boat. A man stood at the front of the crowd. He looked correct.

 

Miyu pointed. "Ryan Hikari is there?"

 

 

IC - Kyle Eston/Sonja Baron - Battle Cart, Train:

 

Kyle nodded. "On three. Let's take turns counting off." He winked to Sonja with a small smile. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Kyle crouched, mirroring the preparations his Pokémon made. "One . . ."

 

Sonja sighed. Atum kicked his foot against the ground. Neptune held on tight to his head, set in a pouncing stance. "Two."

[MELON LORD]

IC: Yamamoto Aori

 

Aori started to nod, but paused, slowly turning to look at her companion. "That is him, but . . . How did you know his name? I did not tell you."

[Parugi]

IC - Katou Miyu - Docks, Vermilion City:

 

Miyu looked at Aori. She smiled wide, giggling. "Funny Aori," she said. "You sleep spoke."

[MELON LORD]

IC: Aori Yamamoto

 

Aori found this somewhat hard to believe, but decided not to press the issue. She turned and made her way towards the man. She wasn't sure how she would greet him -- she didn't know him well at all, and she was no good at talking to people who weren't family.

 

As she approached, she thought hard about what she would say, what she would do. Nothing came to mind. As a cluster of people passed between them, she took another calming breath. Finally, the two could see each other clearly. Aori opened her mouth, then closed it. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, and she took another hesitant step towards him.