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Post by Konuju on Feb 7, 2020 22:04:54 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Paul Burks/Marie/Marie's Mother/Erin Cochran/Madame Wob/Anson Brawns – Opelucid Advanced Technologies, Opelucid CityEllen and her father raced down the halls, flanked by Bisharp and Chrono. Scar and Kimber had been returned to their balls, and Fiora clung to Ellen's hair. As the group turned a corner, they nearly ran into Marie and her mother. The mother and daughter were accompanied by the rest of Ellen's Pokémon, Boo, Porygon, and a Klinklang. "Looks like our plan worked!" Marie cried happily as Ellen ran to embrace her Pokémon. "We're not out of the fire just yet," Paul said. As if on cue, the lights dimmed. "What's going on?" Marie's mother asked, her Klinklang spinning into high gear. Ellen and her father exchanged a look. "Cochran," Paul muttered. "Come on, her lab's this way." Four trainers and eleven Pokémon burst into the lab. Chrono hissed and immediately dug his claws into the Wobbuffet standing guard at the door, forcing the Patient Pokémon back. The Madame stood with Cochran in the back of the room, while Anson Brawns sat handcuffed to a desk on the adjacent wall. Several machines were operating loudly, and a metallic chamber off to the side glowed eerily as it shook. "Shut it down," Paul ordered. Artemis aimed a kick at the nearest machine, leaving a huge dent in it. Porygon entered into a nearby computer terminal, which quickly began emitting a dark smoke. Duo slammed his weight into the glowing chamber, knocking it over with a resounding crash. Maturin pointed out an electrical outlet in a small space behind the machinery. Isabella, Fiora, and Boo all crawled into the space and worked together to pull the plug. Bisharp and Terry backed Wob and the scientist into a corner, while Klinklang used its spinning gears to break Anson's handcuffs. "What are you doing?!" Cochran cried. "If you interrupt the experiment in the middle of the process, there's no telling what could happen!" "Well, it looks like we just did," Marie said as Artemis punched another hole in the computer. "Whatever you were trying to do here, it's over." A black cloud of smoke billowed out of the chamber Duo had overturned. From within the darkness, two purple eyes glowed. Suddenly Duo found himself thrown against the wall by an unseen force. Madame Wob grinned devilishly. "You're too late! The experiment worked. And now we can eliminate all of you at once!" "What are you talking about?" Ellen looked over at the cloud of smoke, her eyes widening as an Espeon slinked out of the busted chamber. Its eyes glowed bright with psychic power – something that should have been impossible under normal circumstances. She looked back at Wob. "What did you do?!" "We've unlocked the secret of bringing back Pokémon powers!" Wob pulled her head back in a gleeful laugh. "Miss Cochran here has always been fascinated with the work of Doctor Colress. He's a scientist who studied ways of unlocking Pokémon's full potential." At the word 'potential' Ellen felt herself freeze up. Her Pokémon looked at her furtively, wondering if they should try and stop the powered Espeon, but she gave them no command. Her mind was transported back to the top of Coeur tower, back to the clearing in Fortree, back to her time in Ford's base. Her knees buckled. Her breath caught in her throat. After all this time, all her fights, the uttering of a single word was enough to stop her. "Cochran was working on an advanced version of the Colress Machine, one that could bring Pokémon powers back without the need for one of those superpowered transformations," Wob continued, her grin growing wider by the second. "The phenomenon first seen on One Island was accompanied by a level of energy akin to evolution, so we needed something of a similar caliber. That's where the stardust came in. Foswell used it to make those energy blasters. I'm the one who convinced him his little toy could become something greater. And you've seen the results. With this power at our disposal, we will rule all of Unova!" "Rule?" Cochran turned on Wob. "You told me we would be saving the world! You've seen what's been happening in Black City. Those monsters are spreading. With this experiment, we can equip the people of Unova to defend themselves! To fight back!" "Do you really still believe those lies, Erin?" The Madame rolled her eyes. "Why would we want to sell this product? Imagine what I can do when I have access to some of the only powered Pokémon in the world!" "But Foswell wanted to—" "Foswell was a fool!" Wob spat. "He was blinded by greed, he wanted nothing more than to monetize this discovery. Money, glory, they're both meaningless next to the power of ruling a nation! The Sages never got anything done with their constant bickering, and now thanks to those zombies, they're ripe for overthrowing. Did you really think Foswell hired you? I was the one who devised this scheme. I brought all the pieces together. Oh, I let Foswell think he was in charge, sure. He likes the illusion of power. But he doesn't know what real power is. He's a mere child playing with the tools of a god. Once we fix up this chamber, we'll—" The Madame's eyes suddenly bulged. She brought her hands to her neck and let out a strained croak. The Espeon's eyes glowed with psychic power. One by one all of the room's occupants suffered a variety of effects. Marie and Terry found themselves flung against the wall and held there by psychic force. Marie's mother began choking like Wob. Ellen, Artemis, and several others suddenly experienced splitting headaches as psychic energy bore down on them. Only Chrono and Bisharp were immune to the Espeon's psychic frenzy. "Cochran!" the Madame gasped. "Control your Pokémon!" "Estelle, it's me!" Erin tried to run up to her Pokémon, but collapsed as her headache intensified. The Espeon paid no attention to its trainer, instead turning its psychic rage on the machines in the room. One by one the computers exploded with a mere glance from the psychic type. Cochran grimaced. "I knew this was a bad idea. We should never have gone to live testing!" Amidst the wracking pain in her head, Ellen saw Chrono slink around the Espeon. Once he had reached its back, the Purrloin unsheathed his claws and pounced. The Espeon yowled in pain and swiped at Chrono with its own claws. The jewel on the psychic-type's forehead began to glow, and it sent a Signal Beam at the Purrloin, sending him sliding across the lab. However, Chrono had done his job. With the Espeon's attention focused on a single target, the rest of the room's occupants were suddenly free from its massive attack. Bisharp immediately dove toward the Espeon to keep it locked in combat. The Klinklang hovered over Cochran, its gears spinning dangerously close to the scientist's neck. "Explain yourself!" Marie's mother demanded. "What exactly did you do to your Espeon?" "Call off your Pokémon, woman!" Wob pressed a gun to Anson's head. "What do you care if she dies?" Marie's mother asked. "I thought you only needed her for the experiment." "She's the only one who can fix this!" The Madame motioned to the Espeon still engaged in battle with Bisharp. "If Anson dies, you'll die with him," Paul said, aiming his own gun at the Madame. Mr. Brawns timidly raised his hands. "Why does someone always have to die in this situation?" "My, my. Aren't we all jumpy today?" Heads turned to look at the newcomer who had staggered into the room. Unkempt golden hair fell over his face, partially obscuring his piercing green eyes. His tattered suit and bare feet covered in dirt and grime suggested he had stumbled out of a bar somewhere in Opelucid and somehow ended up on the top floor of the OAT building. His skin clung to his body tightly, giving him a lean, almost skeletal appearance, as if he had not eaten in several weeks. The strange man eyed each occupant of the room individually, his gaze seeming to linger on each one. "You stand so high and mighty here in this building." He motioned around himself, glancing out the door where a window offered a view of the Opelucid skyline. "You sit yourselves on top of the world and yet you tinker with things you don't understand. You fight, you argue, you . . . experiment. Why?" "Who are you?" Madame Wob demanded, pointing her gun at the man. "What brings you here?" The man did not seem fazed by the Madame's weapon. In fact, he seemed to ignore her entirely as he walked around the room, eyeing the machinery. "Fear. That's what drives you to tinker so futilely. It's what binds you. You've locked yourselves up in the highest room in the tower, and you've thrown away the key." He paused next to the Espeon, who seemed to have stopped fighting. Bisharp's blade had cut a large gash across the Espeon's chest, yet the psychic type stood perfectly still, as if in a trance. "Fear drives you to lie, to cheat, and to steal. You stole something from me, in fact." He extended a bony hand and ran his fingers through the Espeon's fine fur, then looked over at Cochran. "Why don't you tell us how exactly you reactivated your Pokémon's powers?" Erin backed into a corner where the canister of swirling mist stood, somehow intact amidst the Espeon's wreckage of the lab. The scientist kept her eyes glued to the strange man. "We harnessed the power of the stardust to create enough energy to reignite—" With a strength unbecoming of his gaunt form, the man hurled a metal scrap from the machine at Cochran. "I don't care about your stupid sand!" he cried in a tone not unlike that of a spoiled child. For a split second Ellen thought she saw a red gleam in his eyes. The fit of rage vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Mumbling to himself, he brought a skeletal hand to his face. "I'm sorry, I lost my cool. I didn't count to ten. Let's try this again, shall we? Give back what belongs to me, and none of you have to die." He did a quick headcount of the room. "That's a lot of blood on my hands, and I think you'll find death to be a terrible inconvenience." "It's the fear inhibitor, isn't it?" Wob jerked her head toward Cochran. "That's what he's after." Cochran turned pale as a sheet. "I-it was integral to our experiment. Raw energy alone can't bring back powers. We needed a way to turn off the part of the brain that controls fear in order for the subjects to meet their full potential and realize their powers." "If your Espeon has no fear, then why was it attacking us just now?" Paul demanded. "The substance was always unstable," the scientist said. "Because it belongs to me!" the man shouted. "It's mine!" Cochran flinched, half expecting the man to throw something else at her. "If it belongs to you, then you must be that man who . . ." A smile spread across the man's bony face. "Ah, now we're getting somewhere. Seriously, do I have to go through my whole life's resume before I can get a little respect around here?" His golden eyes spread to the rest of the room, taking in the various looks of confusion. He waved his hand in an elegant bow. "I see some of you are not so familiar with my past exploits. Fine by me, that little kerfuffle in Opelucid was a bit of an embarrassment if I'm being honest. I go by many names, but for the uninitiated, I'll keep it simple. You may call me . . . Kane." OOC: Disclaimer: This takes place prior to this post.
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Post by Konuju on Feb 8, 2020 12:42:05 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Paul Burks/Marie/Marie's Mother/Erin Cochran/Madame Wob/Anson Brawns/Kane – Opelucid Advanced Technologies, Opelucid City Madame Wob regarded the newcomer with a wary interest. "So you're the one who enslaved all those people back in July. You put on quite the show."
"Enslaved." Kane rolled his eyes indignantly. "Such an ugly way of putting it. Quite the opposite, in fact; I offered them freedom from their shackles. They were no longer held back by their petty fears. Was that so wrong of me?"
As the man spoke, his shadow began to stretch toward the glass canister that contained the so-called fear inhibitor. A dark, wispy form began to rise from the floor, coalescing into the silhouette of a Darkrai. The Nightmare Pokémon reached out with a shadowy claw, shattering the glass to pieces. The black mist swirled through the air to where Kane stood. There, it became absorbed into the man's very being.
"Thank you, Gaigan." Kane closed his eyes with a deeply satisfied grin. "I don't pretend to know how a piece of my essence was separated from me, but it will not happen again."
Ellen stifled a gasp at the name of Kane's Darkrai. Gaigan was no ordinary Pokémon . . . she was one of the ten Ancient Darkrai that had been defeated at the Sinjoh Ruins. She had supposedly died along with Sombra and the other Ancients, so what was the Darkrai known as Six doing here?
A shot rang out. Kane stumbled backwards, a surprised look on his face as he stared down the barrel of Madame Wob's smoking gun. Gaigan immediately flew forward, her shadowy claw closing around the Madame's neck. The gun dropped to the floor as Wob gasped for air, her feet swinging frantically a few inches above the floor.
"You shouldn't have done that," Kane said in an irritated sigh, poking at the bleeding wound in his chest. "Gaigan may not have her special abilities, but she is by no means useless. Tell me, Madame, how well will you sleep at night knowing my Darkrai friend could be lurking in your shadow? That's like rule number one of basic villainy: don't piss off the angry shadow girl."
Spotting her master in trouble, the Wobbuffet bounded toward Gaigan and lunged in a full body tackle. The Ancient Darkrai unceremoniously tossed Wob at her Pokémon and vanished into the floor. Wob collided with her Wobbuffet and crumpled to the ground.
"See, now look what you've done!" Kane cried in exasperation. "You've gone and— oh, never mind. She's not the one who stole my essence, anyway." Rolling his eyes, the man made his way toward Cochran.
"N-now wait just a second," the scientist stammered. "You got what you wanted. You said none of us had to die!"
"You fear me, don't you?" Kane grinned as he drew closer, his mouth stretching open to reveal a row of sharpened teeth. Klinklang spun toward him, but Gaigan jumped out of the shadows to hold the gear Pokémon at bay. Kane ignored the Pokémon completely, instead locking eyes with the terrified scientist. "You've feared me ever since you first saw me in the streets of Opelucid. That's why you wanted to control my essence. I'm afraid that's not how it works, lady." For the briefest of moments, Kane's appearance shifted into a horrifying form. Bony hands curled into dark, scaly claws. His tattered golden hair stretched out and turned black as sackcloth, while his normally green eyes glowed crimson.
Cochran screamed and tried to get away from the terrifying creature, but she had been backed into a corner. As quickly as it had appeared, the monstrous image was gone, and Kane appeared human once more. The image of the monster, however, remained seared in Cochran's mind. "P-please!" she cried. "I'll do anything you want. Have mercy on me!"
The corner of his lip curled upwards into a crooked smile. His bony finger traced a line down the side of Cochran's face as he whispered soothingly in a singsong voice. "Give all your fears to me . . ." Shadowy wisps formed around Kane's hand, flowing into Cochran. She immediately stood upright, a blank expression on her face. Kane stood up taller as well. His skin seemed to smooth out, muscles regaining their usual strength. Even the wound in his chest seemed to have healed. The man took in a deep breath and exhaled, feeling rejuvenated. "Ahh, that's more like it! I haven't felt this good since I escaped my prison!"
"What did you do to her?" Ellen asked in a timid voice, taking an instinctive step backward.
Kane turned to look at the young girl, a pleasant smile on his face. "I merely freed her of her fears, as she wished me to do." His form changed again, but instead of a monster his face twisted into a disturbingly familiar shape. One eye gold, the other red, Kane had become the spitting image of Seth Vicens.
"Seth?" Even as she spoke, Ellen knew it was impossible. The Hero of Time had fallen during the battle against Sombra. He couldn't be here now, allied with one of the Darkrai he'd given his life to destroy.
The name seemed to put Kane into a fit of sorts. "Vicens," he muttered, shaking his head to clear it of Seth's features. "Vicens . . . Vicens . . . Vicens . . ." The man clutched his forehead as if trying to remember some important detail. "You . . . knew . . . Vicens . . . ?"
"What do you care?" Ellen demanded. "Seth was a hero and a friend! So why do you have his face? What in the world are you?"
"Get away from him, Ellen!" Paul cried, aiming his gun at the man.
Kane stumbled towards her, muttering all the while. "Vicens . . . Vicens . . . I am Vicens!" He cracked a smile so wide it threatened to crack his face as he peered at Ellen. "You . . . the girl. Yes, you're the girl. The one filled with . . . oh, what was the word? Potential."
Ellen felt her breath catch in her throat. Kane crept closer and closer, while she stood rigid as a board. Her legs felt like jelly. She wanted to run, but her body refused to respond. Kane reached out a hand to caress her face, stooping down to eye level. "You are a peculiar case, dear child," he said in a soothing voice. "You have seen far worse than most children your age. Worse than most adults, I daresay. The fear within you is tremendous. Even now it is pinning you down, choking you. You are caught in its vice; it's holding you back. You cannot move, cannot run, cannot function with such fear."
"Get the hell away from her!" Holstering his gun, Paul charged toward Kane, ready to tackle him to the ground. The man snapped his fingers and Gaigan emerged from Ellen's shadow, tendrils extending to pin the girl's father against the wall. The Darkrai eyed the rest of the room's occupants, silently warning them not to interfere.
Ellen started to turn toward her father, but Kane brought a hand to her chin and directed her attention back to himself. Then he drew back his hand, holding it in front of his face – in front of Seth's face. A warm smile was in his heterochromatic eyes, the same sort of smile McKinley once wore. The hand became cloaked in a shadowy aura, its tendrils reaching out hungrily toward Ellen. "I can help you, child. I can offer you freedom. Your fears have plagued you for far too long. I can remove those fears; I can give you back the life you once had. The life you yearn for so desperately. Take my hand, child. Surrender your fears to me."
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Post by Konuju on Feb 8, 2020 20:33:43 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Duo – Opelucid Advanced Technologies, Opelucid CityFrom the corner of the room, amidst the wreckage of Cochran's machine, Duo watched as Kane knelt before Ellen. Never before had she felt so out of reach. In times of old Duo's telepathy kept himself and Ellen constantly connected on some level, even if physical distance separated them. Now, the mere twenty feet between them might as well have been twenty lightyears. Everyone said psychic-types had taken the loss of power the hardest. With their mental energy no longer able to manipulate the world around them, they could only rely on what little physical strength they had. Yet for Duo, it wasn't his inability to fight that bothered him. It was his inability to communicate. Duo had grown up alongside Ellen, ever since they were both infants. It had been simpler times back then, back when he was still Solo. The two of them had been inseparable, as thick as thieves. When Ellen got sick, Solo would stay by her bed until she got better. When Solo got hurt in a fight, Ellen would nurse him back to health with homemade berry sandwiches. Even as their circle of friends expanded to include Marie, Boo, and Artemis, their strongest bond had always been with each other. To be cut off from that bond so suddenly – no, as much as he hated to admit it, Ellen and Duo had started drifting apart long before the loss of powers. Ellen stared into Kane's eyes as she considered his offer. Her mind flashed back to her days spent playing with Marie, to the life she had lost. A life free from fear. Even during her adventures with Ryan, Evan, Sonja, and the others in southeast Unova, she had journeyed without a care in the world. It wasn't until Castelia, when she had been captured by Maddison Hayes, that the seeds of fear had been sowed. The heroes had lost; the city had been destroyed, and the villain had gotten away. Although she still put on a cheerful smile, it was in that moment that fear had taken ahold of Ellen's life. Ford saw potential in Hayes. Hayes saw that same potential in Ellen. Potential for what? The question had gnawed at her constantly. Her journey should have ended during Christmas. She could have enjoyed a normal life with her parents, but it was fear that had pulled her away. Fear that her friends might not be able to stop the criminal known as "Black" at Dragonspiral Tower. Fear that the Ancient Darkrai might spread their darkness past Sinnoh and Hoenn and cover Unova in endless nightmares. Even after both threats had been dealt with, it was fear that kept her in Fortree. Fear of her parents' wrath after she had run away. Fear that her new friends might forget her if she returned home. It was a fear of Chrono's disobedience that bonded her with Tyler McKinley. It was a fear of failure that caused her to run back to Fortree instead of going immediately to Celadon. It was a fear of the apocalypse that prompted her to help McKinley. And it was the fear of Missing Zero and McKinley -- the knowledge that they were both out there somewhere -- that plagued her every step. The very thought of McKinley's true form was enough to suffocate her. She hadn't fought the Black Storm out of a misguided need for justice. She had fought them out of fear. A fear of losing Village Bridge -- the one thing that tied her to her former life. It happened again and again, Duo realized. Ellen would meet a friendly or familiar face – Sonja's sister, Tyler McKinley, and now Seth Vicens – and absorb their lies of potential, of heroism, of freedom. It was an endless cycle of despair, and just like before there was nothing Duo could do to help his best friend. Should he have tried harder to warn her against McKinley? Should he have told her not to listen to Hayes' delusions of potential? No . . . that wasn't the problem here. Ellen had always relied on Solo as much as he had relied on her. He was her voice of reason, and she was his voice of wisdom. But when Solo had evolved into Duo, the world became a whole lot more complicated. Right and wrong were no longer so distinct. Acts of evil could be justified and acts of good could be abused. Where the path forward had once been clear and true, Ellen and Duo suddenly found themselves at a crossroads with no way of knowing where their choices would take them. Ellen had chosen to leave her parents in the middle of the night without even saying goodbye. If she had stayed, would the conflicts in Plasma Castle, Southeast Unova, and Sinjoh Ruins have ended any differently? The thought sickened her. It had seemed like the right choice at the time, but Ellen had caused her parents endless worry and grief – all for what ultimately amounted to a front row seat in her friends' battles. She could have gone home when her father found her in Hoenn, but her fear once again drove her away from her family, this time resulting in Missing Zero's birth into this world. Her desire to stop the Black Storm had done nothing but put her friends and family in danger. Kane was right, she realized. It was impossible to function with so much fear, and it was her fear that was destroying everything around her. If she could go back to a simpler time, then those she loved wouldn't have to suffer. She took a deep breath as she reached out to grasp Kane's hand. As he cowered in the corner, Duo had to wonder if his own indecisiveness wasn't also linked to fear. The world had always been so black and white, so neatly segregated between right and wrong. When suddenly faced with shades of grey and splashes of color, he had grown afraid of making the wrong choice. But what if there didn't have to be a wrong choice? Staying safe with her parents or trying to save the world – could Ellen really be faulted for either decision? What if it wasn't wrong to be afraid? Ellen was inches from Kane's hand when she caught sight of her father out of the corner of her eye. He was struggling futilely against the Darkrai's shadowy tendrils. He, too, was full of fear. And yet he continued to struggle. Ellen paused. Evan, Ryan, Sonja, Ray, Kyle, Chloe -- they had all faced fears of their own. Evan had fought his inner darkness, the punishment of the Sages, and death itself. Sonja had gone toe to toe with her sister, and she and Ray had both been duped by McKinley into helping his evil schemes. Kyle had suffered the deaths of his mother and Suicune nearly back to back. There was no clear right or wrong path for any of Ellen's friends, and yet they had all continued down the paths they had individually chosen without regret. Even when they made mistakes, they picked themselves back up and moved onward. Ellen's own father had left his wife and home to search for his daughter, all out of fear for her safety. And when McKinley had taken her away, her father's fear had driven him to join forces with the very rebels he despised. Chloe suffered under a manipulative father, and nothing could undo what she had done in Southeast Unova. And yet it was only because of her anxieties that Chloe had been able to comfort Ellen after Two Island, reminding her that she wasn't alone. Ryan had told her the story of how Team Rocket had driven him from his home, and his fear pushed him toward a group of Liberty agents. Had he not taken bold action in the face of fear, he never would have made so many close friends. For the first time, Ellen understood the resolve held by everyone who had gone to fight the Missing Zero on One Island. For the first time, Duo understood what had caused him and Ellen to drift apart after the battle with the Ancient Darkrai. They had been driven by none other than fear. Ellen yanked her hand away from Kane and took several steps backward. "You're right," she said. "I am crippled by fear. I'm drowning in it. This fear defines me, but it doesn't have to rule me. Everyone is shaped by fear, molded by it. It teaches us to run away, but it also teaches us to stay and fight. It causes us to worry, but it also causes us to love. If I give up my fear, that means giving up a part of myself. Going back to who I once was means losing who I am now. Fear drives us forward. It pushes us to change. And if we can learn from it instead of dwell on it, then it can change us for the better. I'm done letting my fear rule over me, Kane. I don't need you to break my shackles, because I'm already free." Kane's face morphed back into that of a hideous creature. He bared his wickedly sharp fangs with a guttural growl. "If you won't give me your fears willingly," he hissed, "Then I'll torture you until you beg for the sweet relief of death!" The man snapped his fingers. Gaigan released Paul and vanished into Ellen's shadow. An indescribable darkness overcame Ellen, freezing her in place. "If fear is such a great teacher, then perhaps you can learn something from this!" With a ferocious roar, Kane reared back to strike Ellen with a sharp claw. Whatever Gaigan had done prevented her body from moving, and yet she continued to struggle against the Darkrai's hold. As Kane closed in on her, a single thought filled her mind, echoing through every ridge and crevice of her brain. It was a single word, deafeningly loud and bursting with enough raw emotion to fill her to her very core. ELLEN!!!Duo slammed into Kane with the force of a tank, tackling him to the floor with a force that shook the entire lab. Ellen's words had sparked something deep within the Duosion. Both his minds had finally settled on a clear path forward. Powers or no powers, telepathy or silence, his bond with Ellen was unbreakable. And he would do whatever it took to protect her. The moment Kane fell, Cochran's Espeon leapt into action, sending a wave of psychic energy toward Duo. As Duo turned to face the new threat, he started to glow with a rainbow hue more brilliant than anything Ellen had seen in her life. Gaigan hissed as the magnificent radiance forced her out of Ellen's shadow. The entire room became enveloped in a bright light, leaving the Darkrai with no more shadows in which she could hide. Everyone else in the room shielded their eyes against the glow, but Ellen couldn't look away. The mental link between her and her Pokémon burst open like a dam, allowing every thought, every feeling, every inch of their minds to flow into one another. Three fingers emerged from each of Duo's hands, and his arms stretched out to the point that they detached from his body, floating next to him as if they had a mind of their own. Ellen became aware of a ring of particles floating around Duo's body within its gelatinous casing. The bulbous mass above his head split into five. Beyond all the physical changes, Ellen felt a surge of power rush through her, greater than anything she had felt before. When at last the glow faded, something akin to a Reuniclus floated in front of her, but it was unlike any Reuniclus she had ever seen. It was then that Ellen became aware that she was looking at the Espeon through Duo's eyes, while also seeing Duo through her own eyes. "Your fear holds no power over us, Kane." The words came out of Ellen's mouth at the same time that Duo projected them into the minds of everyone in the room. "Our bond is more powerful than anything you can throw at us." Ellen aimed her hand at the Espeon. Duo made the exact same movement. Ellen didn't even need to give an order. Duo already knew what she was thinking. Their minds had become one. Together, they unleashed a Psyshock at the Espeon, throwing it against the wall. "Duo got his power back!" Marie gasped. She pointed over to the broken chamber that had once housed the Espeon. "Was he exposed to whatever that scientist lady did to the Espeon? Does that mean he could go berserk, too?" "That chamber would have only returned what power Duo had lost to Ford's card," Ellen and Duo said. "However, it is his bond with Ellen that gives power to this new form. Ellen. Duo. We have become one and the same. We have realized our true potential."
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Post by Parugi on Feb 9, 2020 0:22:28 GMT -8
-==IC: Lucia Zyther -- Barracks, The Alamo==- Gavin's throat clearing nearly made Lucia jump, but she managed to keep herself from actually showing the shock, albeit just barely. "Oh, well..." Lucia fidgeted a bit for a moment, though she seemed to be less tense now that the conversation had actually started. She chewed on her lip as she decided on how to explain things. "I thought I'd visit and say hi. The reason Jamie's not here is because, well... she kinda had a rough time a couple months ago, and I wasn't quite sure how things would go, really." She rubbed her arm unconsciously as she remembered fragments of what had happened in Kalos. "If you've got an hour or three, I can catch you up to date on what exactly happened." Lucia ended with a chuckle, but definitely seemed a bit more somber after the recollection. IC - Gavin Braner - Barracks, The Alamo:"Um . . . sure," Gavin said. "I don't really have any plans right now." He rubbed the back of his head. "Did you want to talk here, or talk over breakfast or something? I can get my stuff together; it'll just be a minute . . ." IC - Silvermind/Blackskull/Sleight/Joker/Bounty - Board Room, The Alamo - September 13th, 2017:"Instance encounters have been reported here . . . here . . . here . . . here . . . and here. They're in every region now. And we need to decide what we're going to do about it." It was true: The world map in front of them glowed with far too many red dots, indicating where the spawn of Missing Zero had been sighted. Where once these pins had been placed only in the ocean surrounding the Sevii Islands, now they spanned across each and every continent. A massive red section occupied those very waters; everywhere else, multiple red dots cut through the greens and orange-browns that made up the landscape. Missing Zero was spreading, and it was spreading fast. Bounty gritted his teeth as he looked over the map. "These are merely Instances, yes? Not the main body itself?" "Correct," Silvermind said. "As far as we can tell, the primary body of Missing Zero itself is still confined to the sea. We have no information about where these other Instances are coming from." "Perhaps they're cordless variants traveling away from the main body," Joker suggested. "Although that wouldn't explain how varied they are." "No, it wouldn't." Silvermind's tone might have implied that this was the most obvious observation in the world. "They're spawning directly from other sources. We need to find out where and what those are." "Easier said than done," Bounty said. "There's been an ongoing problem at Mt. Silver, hasn't there, Sleight? Have your teams made any progress in finding the source there?" The Shadow Admin of Kanto shook his head. "We've managed to contain the outbreak to the mountain," he said. "But whatever is inside is spawning them in too dense of numbers for us to make any headway--and it's turned more than one expedition team into more of those things. The only thing we can say for sure is that whatever it is, it doesn't seem to function the same way as the main body--it isn't absorbing what it's transforming. It's just turning them." "I remember you mentioning that before," Joker said. "A pulse of some sort. The surviving Sages reported much the same from Black City." "So we have a main body and multiple unknown bodies to worry about," Blackskull muttered. "As if this thing wasn't dangerous enough." "On the plus side, it doesn't appear to be spreading south," Silvermind pointed out. "For whatever reason, it's going in every other direction--except toward Four Island." She threw a sideways glance at the Shadow Admins. "I'm curious what you make of that." Joker opened her mouth, apparently about to say something snide, but chose instead to shake her head. It was Bounty who took the question instead. "That is indeed curious," he said. "But I'm afraid that only emphasizes the danger elsewhere." "What do you mean?" "If it is refusing to attack Four Island, then it may be biding its time--waiting for the correct opportunity to attack," Bounty said. "Leaving Four Island--or whatever it does not yet want to engage on Four Island--alone while it gains strength from spreading to the other regions. We may yet see the attacks on the other regions grow in intensity until nothing remains, before it finally turns its attention here." He fell silent for a moment. "And yet, there's a catch-22 here. Because if it decides to attack sooner, and we are all gathered here . . . That, likewise, will mean the end of the other regions. It will be able to wipe away the leadership of every gathered organization in one fell swoop." "So then we have to decide," Blackskull said. "Do we risk that, and maintain our presence here? Or do we split up and try to engage it on all fronts?" "If there is a solution to be found to stopping it, our best bet is to slow its spread in any place we can while we search for that solution," Sleight said. "We saw that it doesn't advance as quickly when actively engaged in combat. If we deploy our forces carefully, then when it hits each region we can at least somewhat control the rate at which it spreads." "I agree with that," Joker said. "I think it would be worthwhile to organize our forces individually, as well. If it absorbs knowledge from anything it devours, then maintaining some degree of separation as far as each region's defenses would stop it from learning how to subvert every region in the event that one does fall." "So the Shadow Admins return to the mainland while we remain here," Silvermind said. "I don't have any problem with that." "Nor do I," Blackskull said. He looked squarely at the Rocket leaders. "Team Liberty will be primarily focused on defending the remaining Sevii Islands. However, as long as this thing continues to ignore the rest of the islands, we'll be more than happy to continue offering our support." "Then we are in agreement," Sleight said. "Good luck to each of you--we'll need every bit we can get." IC - Kyle Eston - Barracks, The Alamo - September 21st, 2017:It had been a long, long time since Kyle had felt the need to sneak through the Alamo. In all honesty, he wasn't sure why he felt like he needed to sneak. Maybe it was because it was stupid late right now--nearly 3 AM--and thus there was hardly any activity in the halls aside from the (admittedly large) group of guards and technicians that had to work the graveyard shift. Maybe it was because he knew, even if leadership didn't, that he and the others were, in some ways, operating AWOL from Team Liberty--notwithstanding the fact that they had transported their Super Secret Hideout directly to Four Island not too long ago. Maybe it was because he had been gone for over a month without an "official" report filed as to why, and there were a handful of people who would very much like to know where he had been. Maybe he just felt like sneaking. He wasn't sure. There was a lot of uncertainty these days. He and the other members of Vorhut--including Olivia and Dahlia now--had succeeded in securing an alliance with the Signs. But it was a shaky deal, at best--not because of a lack of trust (although that certainly was a factor, to some degree), but because there was no guarantee at all that the Signs would be capable of delivering their end of the deal--a means to defeat Missing Zero. And on the flip-side, the promise that Vorhut had made to them--tracking down and returning the remaining two Symbols--was, at best, going to be extremely difficult. One they knew the location of, yet had no means of acquiring. And the other? A total unknown. No location, no means of acquisition, no description, nothing. Perhaps the only person that could assist in locating it--John "The Shadowed Man" Ford himself--remained under Liberty's lock and key, which meant that if they wanted his help, they were going to have to figure out a way to get him out. With no means to do any of that, the best that Vorhut as a whole had come up with was the decision to return back to their normal routine--for now. With Vertrag 'parked' near the Alamo for now, and Sonja's determination to stay focused on the Signs and Symbols, the others had all been given free rein to go where they needed. For Kyle, that meant back to business with Team Liberty. He had a promise to keep to the Alarics, after all--one he had done a poor job of upholding to this point--and, if nothing else, he figured that remaining as a piece within the organization's operations might provide some helpful insight into how they could accomplish their other goals. Either way, it was late now, and he was tired. So he worked his way back to his room. The halls were dark when he arrived, but with the softly-glowing light above each door, he had no trouble making the trip. At his door, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his keycard, swiping it across the access panel. The lock turned green, allowing him entrance. He slipped inside, closing the door behind him. With a relieved sigh, he slipped his shoes off, and then turned the light on. And nearly jumped out of his skin upon finding Executive Eston sitting on his bed, arms crossed, eyebrow raised, and staring very intently at his son. "Kyle," he said, in that disapproving tone that only a parent could conjure. "Welcome home." "Dad," Kyle greeted. He slipped his bag off of his shoulder and set it down, avoiding the Executive's eye. "You're up late." "Yeah, so are you." Richie gestured to the desk chair nearby. "I've been wondering when you'd get back. Take a seat." "You could have messaged me," Kyle pointed out. He sat down nonetheless. "How'd you know to wait for me here? Or that I was coming back tonight?" "Call it intuition," Richie said. "It's been nearly two months. Where've you been?" "I was on that mission to help out with Flare," Kyle said. "You already know that." The Executive sighed. "Don't bullshit me, please," Richie said. "You know what I'm really asking." "I really don't. Wasn't my name in the mission report? I know for sure that I was in some of that 'Midnight Madness' footage or whatever they're calling it on the news--I wasn't exactly being discreet. I'd be insane to think you hadn't seen any of that." "I'm asking where you went between leaving Four Island and arriving in Kalos, and where you went after the Flare attacks. Not just you, but the others, as well--Sonja, Ryan, Chloe, and Ray were in the report, too, and they all disappeared at the same times as you. I assume that's not a coincidence, and I assume there's a reason you all didn't return when the others did. You need to tell me what that reason is. Now." "We . . ." Kyle sighed, struggling to decide how much he could safely disclose. "We were chasing a lead elsewhere." "What lead?" Kyle coughed into his arm, hiding a grimace. "I don't think you'd like it if I told you." Richie gave him a look. With clear hesitation, Kyle relented, bracing himself. "It was a tip directly from Ford. For something that could stop Missing Zero. He said that there was someone in Kalos who could help--his mentor from the Signs--" " Seriously?" Richie pressed his fingers to his temples, screwing his eyes shut. "Kyle . . . Why would you get involved with them again?" "Look, I know what you're thinking," Kyle said, raising his hands and his voice in a vain attempt to placate his father. "But this is different, dad--that thing is spreading further and further while we have no way to fight it. There was information that he had that we thought might help, and the people he directed us to--" "--are murderers and thugs that already nearly killed you once," Richie interrupted, standing up and raising his own voice. "And so did Ford. Right here, on this very island. Did you forget that?" Kyle could only stare back in shock at that, unable to form any coherent response. Richie rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Look . . . I don't know what he told you, or why you all felt the need to take it into your own hands without bringing it to me. And I don't really care if you and your friends decided that you needed to look into it on your own. But . . ." "Dad . . ." Kyle averted his gaze. "I can tell you whatever you want to know. I didn't mean to make you worry, or make you think I don't trust you." "That's not my point, son." Kyle looked back at him. Richie's expression had changed from one of anger and frustration to one of thorough concern. He approached his son, placing his hands on his shoulders and looking him square in the eye. "You might not see it, but you're getting more and more worn down the longer you work on the field. Between what happened here, what happened in Unova, in Kalos, on Two Island . . . You're running yourself ragged, and it's going to get you killed. You're lucky it hasn't. But like it or not, you're still my son, and you're the only family I've got left. I'm proud of what you've done, but I can't let you keep going like this, pal--you've got to rein it in. Do you understand that?" "Yeah, I . . ." Kyle couldn't help but drop his line of sight to the floor, placing a hand on his chest. He pulled out his inhaler, taking a breath from it and taking a moment to steady himself. "I get it, but . . ." He rubbed his face. "I can't just sit here and not do anything to help, dad. Not while everyone else is risking their lives." "I'm not asking you to," Richie said. "I'm asking you to take some time to recover your health and help in other ways--Levi Alaric is staying on Four Island for the foreseeable future; you promised to look after him, and you can't do that if you're out there risking your life on the word of a liar. And I am begging you to promise that you'll stay away from the Signs." An immeasurable wave of guilt washed over Kyle. He hated to admit it, but there was more than a kernel of truth to what his father was saying. He was hardly in the condition to remain on the front lines; he knew that. Ryan and the others had said as much, as well--or, at the very least made it clear that they were concerned. But then, that was only one part of the issue . . . And Levi . . . The poor kid had voiced some degree of trust in him, trust that he had done nothing to earn at this point. While he worried about contributing to the efforts at large, Levi was spending his days alone, shaken by what had occurred between him and McKinley. The thought made Kyle sick to his stomach, bitterly reminded of how alone he had felt after arriving on Four Island for the first time, his mother in critical condition and his father too consumed with Team Liberty's operations to provide him the support he needed. He wiped his eyes and cleared his throat, unable to meet his father's eye. "Yeah . . . yeah . . ," he said, struggling to keep his voice even. "You're right, dad. I'm sorry; my head hasn't been in the right place since . . . since Shift. I'll try to keep out of trouble for a while. I promise." Richie smiled, pulling him into a deep embrace. "Thank you, son." After some time, he pulled back, patting Kyle on the shoulder. "I am proud of you. You know that, don't you?" Kyle nodded. His father smiled again, his expression softer, sadder. "Good. I guess I'll let you get some sleep, then. Take it easy, alright?" "I will," Kyle said. "I'll be so chill, Jaeda and Zippo will freeze." Richie laughed. "I'll hold you to that." He left soon after. For the next few hours, Kyle simply lay in bed, surrounded by darkness and the persistent intrusion of his own thoughts--conflicting feelings of guilt, relief, anger, sadness, acceptance that all pulled him in different directions. Words he should have spoken, truths he should have told, the weight of lies growing heavier and heavier on his shoulders. Most of all, an inevitable, approaching admission that he knew he would have to make--but when? He didn't know. Perhaps he wouldn't until the day it came out all on its own. IC - Sleight/Eileen Alaric/Levi Alaric/Joker/Sam Moreno/Will Moreno - Daycare, The Alamo - September 27th, 2017:For all the chaos and horror to be found outside, the Alamo daycare facility remained as calm and serene as ever. An artificial river ran through what could only be described as an indoor forest, occupied by hundreds of Pokémon of all ages belonging to Liberty's many, many trainers. From the observation deck, one could watch as baby Pokémon snuggled with their mothers, as juvenile Pokémon tussled and played and chased each other here and there, and older Pokémon carefully practiced their combat abilities against each other--or else found a quiet space in which to rest. But for all the joy and wonder to be found in watching these interactions, the mood among those situated on the observation deck was bitter sweet. There were only six people present, split into two groups with a healthy space between them. Levi Alaric stood at one end of the deck, arms wrapped tightly around the blue-eyed Phantump that he held. His mother and father kneeled in front of him. He rested his chin on the Pokémon's head and stared down at the floor, eyes heavy with sadness. "You're leaving again?" "I'm sorry, Levi," his father said. "I don't want to, but I have to." "I thought you said you wouldn't leave again." "I know," Elijah said, sighing. "Sometimes . . . people make promises they can't keep. It's safer for you to stay here, but I have to make sure that other people are safe, too. Does that make sense?" Levi nodded. His father placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be back before you know it. And until then, I'll check in with you two as often as I can. Alright?" A stream of warm tears streaked down Levi's face. "W-What if you can't keep that promise, either . . .?" "Oh, honey . . ." Eileen scooted forward, pulling him into a hug. She rubbed the back of his head, shushing him. "It'll be okay . . ." Elijah stared at the two for a long time. His expression was unreadable, save for his eyes--they alone betrayed the anguish he was feeling in his chest. At long last, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around them. Before long, he pulled back. "I have to go," he said softly, struggling not to choke on his own words. He kissed Levi on the head, and then kissed Eileen, before standing up. "I'll see you again soon. Okay?" With a sad smile from Eileen, he turned and departed, disappearing down the stairwell. At the other end of the observation deck, Vivian Moreno sat with her two children--she in the middle, one arm wrapped around Sam to the left, and the other around Will to the right. They were all but silent, simply taking in the sights and sounds around them. She didn't know how long they had spent sitting together there, but when she saw Sleight rise and leave across the way, leaving Levi and Eileen behind, she knew it was time for the blissful moment to end. With a turn of her head, she planted a gentle kiss on Sam's head, and then did the same to Will. "It's time," she said. "You remember what I told you?" "Mhm." Sam nodded, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "Listen to Mrs. Alaric. Be careful about who we talk to. Keep an eye on Levi." "And?" "And you're only a phone call away." "That's right." Vivian smiled. She gently shook her son's shoulder. "Will?" He blinked, looking up at her. With a weak smile, he nodded. She squeezed both of their shoulders. "You're going to be okay while I'm gone. I promise." "I know we will be," Sam said. "But . . . are you?" "I'll be okay," she reassured. "I'll always be okay, as long as I have you two to come back to." She pulled them in for a tighter hug. "I love you both more than anything." "We love you, too, Mom."
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Post by Konuju on Feb 9, 2020 11:14:52 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Duo/Paul Burks/Marie/Marie's Mother/Erin Cochran/Madame Wob/Anson Brawns/Kane – Opelucid Advanced Technologies, Opelucid CityThe last thing Madame Wob remembered was being choked by Kane's Darkrai. She awoke to a dazzling light that forced her to cover her eyes. When she could see again, Ellen's Duosion had not only evolved, but it had regained its powers. "All our research, all our effort, and this girl beats us to the punch," Wob spat. "Perhaps the trainer's energy is just as important as the Pokémon's." Gaigan helped Kane to his feet. He brushed the Darkrai away, the crimson eyes of his monstrous persona glaring at Ellen. His mouth twitched in barely controlled rage. "How . . . DARE you!" Gaigan silently melted into the monster's shadow, accenting Kane's features in darkness as he stalked toward Ellen. "I will not be denied my victory!" With all eyes in the room focused on Ellen and Kane, no one noticed the Madame recall her Wobbuffet. "Project Stardust is finished," she muttered to herself. "Cochran's as good as dead, and Foswell will take the fall for this mess. I'd best take my leave." With that, Madame Wob slipped out of the room unnoticed. *** Ellen and Duo reacted to the oncoming attack as one. Psychic energy flowed out of both Pokémon and Trainer's extended hands, but Gaigan's typing granted Kane immunity to the attack. The monster raked his claw against Ellen's face, drawing blood. Ellen and Duo simultaneously cried out in pain and stumbled backward from the attack. "Ellen!" Paul called out in desperation. Artemis and Bisharp both leapt into action, charging towards Kane before he could press his advantage. Gaigan's hand swung out from Kane's shadow, but the two Pokémon easily maneuvered around it. It was only then that Artemis realized Gaigan wasn't trying to attack. The Darkrai had grabbed two Pokéballs off of Kane's belt and hurled them at the ground. A Kangaskhan materialized before them, lifting Bisharp off the ground and slamming him against a wall. Artemis found herself on the receiving end of a powerful kick from a Blaziken that appeared out of nowhere. The Mienshao stumbled backward and before she could recover, the lighting-fast Blaziken had wrapped its legs around her neck and pinned her to the ground. As Terry and Maturin rushed to help their friends, Ellen and Duo cut off Kane's next attack with twin Signal Beams. "Since when can a mere child use Pokémon powers?" the man hissed as he reeled back, clutching at his chest where the beams had struck. "That's cheating!" "Says the man who relies on the power of an Ancient Darkrai." The pair took on a defensive stance as they warily eyed the monster before them. Kane narrowed his blood-red eyes. "If Gaigan was at her full strength, this battle would have been over long ago. But I guess we can't all get what we want, now can we?" The Darkrai's hand lashed out again, this time extending across the room to tighten around Paul's neck. As Ellen's father gasped for air, Kane offered her a hideous grin. "This is what you get for refusing my most generous offer." Ellen and Duo instinctively raised their hands to fire another set of Signal Beams, but Gaigan only squeezed harder at the movement. The pair froze. They had no doubt the Darkrai would kill their father before they could attack. A quick glance showed Ellen's other Pokémon and Bisharp were busy fighting Kane's Pokémon and the powered Espeon. "I figured as much," Kane said in a chiding voice. "You pretend to be above fear, but in truth you are still shackled to it. You cannot escape its clutches. I could have set you free, but instead you will suffer the torment of a thousand—" A clang of metal pierced the air as Kane suddenly pitched forward. Gaigan released Paul, her hand retreating into Kane's shadow. Behind him stood Marie, wielding a piece of Cochran's machine like a sword. "Ellen's suffered enough already," she declared. "The only one who should be afraid here is you!" The battlefield erupted into chaos. Maturin and Bisharp had Kangaskhan pinned against the wall, but a psychic blast from the Espeon sent Maturin tumbling into a mound of machinery. Bisharp tried to strike back at the powered Pokémon only to be socked in the jaw by the Blaziken. As Artemis moved to provide assistance against the fighting-type, Terry and Chrono sunk their claws into Kane's heel. Kane snarled and reached down to dig his own claws into Chrono, but his hand struck a psychic barrier that had formed inches above the Purrloin's head. Gaigan lashed out at Terry, only to find herself blocked in a similar fashion. When the pair turned their rage on Paul and Marie, more barriers shielded their would-be victims from harm. Ellen and Duo stood motionless in the center of the lab. It took all of their combined mental energy to protect their friends, but any exhaustion was mitigated by their firm resolve. After the events in Southeast Unova, the Sinjoh Ruins, and Two Island, they refused to let anyone else they cared about get hurt. "You know, you're really starting to get on my nerves." Kane snapped his fingers and the Espeon mentally shoved Ellen through the lab's window. Her body landed in the hallway, and Gaigan immediately rushed towards it, claws outstretched. Ellen and Duo raised an arm to defend themselves from the Darkrai's attack, only for Kane to strike at Duo's body from the side with his own twisted claws. They found themselves having to split their focus on two battles at once. Kane and Gaigan turned out to be more in sync than Ellen and Duo had anticipated. Even in separate rooms, the two villains launched a combined attack that felt like it was designed to throw Ellen and Duo off focus. Kane would throw a left punch at Duo while Gaigan went for Ellen's legs. Any movement to defend against one attack left would leave them open to the other, and so Ellen and Duo were forced to desynchronize their own movements. They might have become overwhelmed had Paul not tackled Kane to the ground at that moment. Now able to focus on a single target, Duo's body turned around to face Gaigan, and he and Ellen shot out twin Signal Beams at the Ancient Darkrai. Gaigan deftly dodged Ellen's attack, but Duo's struck her square in the back. Her wispy body jolted as she cried out in pain and fell to the floor. At the Darkrai's terrifying scream, Kane bolted upright and threw Paul across the room. He ran out into the hallway and knelt by the Ancient's side, an unreadable expression on his face. "Gaigan . . ." Kane's eyes glowed red. Cochran's Espeon's eyes glowed in response. The Sun Pokémon charged toward Ellen, wave after wave of psychic energy pulsating from its body. The full-length windows that lined the hallway shook before shattering into a million shards. Powerful winds swept into the building, threatening to send its inhabitants into the Opelucid skyline. It took all of Ellen and Duo's mental focus to hold their ground against the psychic assault and hurricane-like winds. Kane likewise dug his claws into the floor. The Espeon was not so lucky. The moment the windows shattered, Cochran's Pokémon found herself flung out into the open air. Ellen and Duo's eyes widened as they saw the Espeon fall toward the ground far below. As they tried to find a way to save the Espeon, Kane dove toward Ellen. Had Ellen been in her own mind the attack would have caught her by surprise. But through Duo's eyes she saw the attack coming. A psychic barrier was all it took to deflect Kane . . . and send him tumbling off the building after the Espeon. Their hearts skipped a beat. Without even thinking, they reached out with their minds and caught Kane before he could fall too far. With what mental reserves they had left they tried to do the same for the Espeon, but the psychic-type had already fallen too far. There was no time to think. They had to act. The pair screamed as they worked together to lift Kane back up to the building. High winds battered Ellen's face, and they felt her body pitch forward. A powerful arm wrapped around her, carrying her away from the edge. With one last mental push, Ellen and Duo brought Kane up to safety before they both collapsed in exhaustion. The man glared at them. "Why would you save me?" His voice dripped with hatred. "Isn't it obvious? In the end, she’s one of my heroes!" Ellen and Duo both turned around, their mouths simultaneously dropping open in surprise. In the middle of the hallway, space itself seemed to ripple and fold. A bright pink light illuminated the area, and from within that light emerged two people hand in hand. The long haired man who had spoken earlier looked at Ellen, a look of genuine pride and joy in his eyes. "How ya been, kiddo? A little Starly told me you were in a bit of a pinch." The redheaded girl he was with pushed her glasses up as she surveyed the room with a grin. "Well, we expected to have a massive fight on our hands, but it looks like you handled it pretty well! Good on you, Ellen!" Kane regarded the newcomers with disgust. "Tierra," he spat. "That's Tierra and Hakuda to you, bucko." Evan and Jenny clasped hands once more to strike a dynamic pose, the former giving a small wink to a speechless Ellen. "It's good to see you again, Ellen. You are a far cry from who you were when I last saw you! I'm just so proud of who you've become!"
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Post by Konuju on Feb 9, 2020 15:11:06 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Duo/Paul Burks/Marie/Marie's Mother/Erin Cochran /Anson Brawns/Kane/Evan Tierra/Jenny Hakuda – Opelucid Advanced Technologies, Opelucid City At long last, Ellen and Duo found their collective voices. "Evan?! What are you--? How did you know we were here?"
"Your mom decided to call upon Jenny and I to lend a hand to your little mission here," the Hero of Space said with a grin. "I guess she didn't want to ruin the surprise by telling you. Naturally, I accepted, because I'd be able to see you and get a good ol' fashioned bad guy beatdown goin' on."
Ellen and Duo took a moment to process the fact that their mom had such a powerful ace up her sleeve. Then as one, the two of them rushed forward and embraced the Hero of Space. "We missed you, Evan."
Evan returned the hug cheerfully. "I missed you too, Ellen. Sorry that it couldn't be under better circumstances, but I'd like you to meet Jenny!"
"Ray's sister, right?" Ellen and Duo turned to face the redheaded trainer.
"Yep, hi again Ellen!" Jenny said with a wave of her hand. "It's definitely been a little while!"
Ellen and Duo's smile faltered as they saw Jenny was missing her right arm. "It looks like a lot's happened since we last met."
"Yeah, you could say that. Got into some disarmingly surprising situations, but yeah!" Jenny chuckled.
"Hey!" Kane rose to his feet, seething in anger. "Did you just forget about me?! Looks like it's time to break up this happy little reunion!"
Evan looked at Kane and grinned. "I was wondering where you'd been. You've really caused a lot of trouble, but . . ." He turned his gaze to Ellen, his grin growing. "Nothing I could do to you would compare to being beat down and then saved by a 'scared little girl.'" The Plasma Agent turned his attention back to Kane. "But then again, we came all this way to do some heroism. What do you think, Jen-Jen?"
"Definitely." Jenny eyed Kane, her fist clenched as she triumphantly looked over to him. "But now, what should we do, exactly?"
"Well, I think we should follow Ellen's example of heroism and let him go. Again, he's definitely outmatched in every way, but the last time I let someone go . . ." Evan motioned for Jenny to follow him as he walked right up to Kane. "They didn't exactly respect me for it."
"Right! I think I remember that too," Jenny said. "They never do, do they?" She grinned slightly. "So, what say we make sure he has no choice in the matter?"
Evan cracked his knuckles, his grin growing wider. "I couldn't agree with you more." The man reared back his right hand, glowing with pearlescent pink light as he did so. His fist flew forward, propelled by memories of what Kane had done in Opelucid last time. His fist made a heavy impact into Kane's cheek, sending the villain flying back. The pink glow surrounding Evan suddenly vanished as he winked in Jenny's direction. "Your turn, Sweets!"
Almost as quickly as the glow vanished from Evan, it surrounded Jenny. With a grin, and not wasting a second, Jenny made a grasping motion forward toward the space behind Kane. She aimed for where the villain would end up as he flew back from the punch -- and as she focused, a sparkling pink portal suddenly tore through the previously empty air. Before Kane had any chance to react, he was suddenly dumped through the portal to who knows where.
Evan then shoved Gaigan through the portal, allowing her to join Kane in wherever the portal led. "Get his Pokémon in there, now!"
An excited bark came from the lab as Maturin bounded toward Evan, pushing the limp body of a Blaziken. With a powerful push, the Grotle dumped his victim into the spacial abyss before playfully tackling Evan to the ground.
"Well, I see you've grown quite a bit as well, Maturin! Truly a turtle of enormous girth!" Evan laughed as he patted the Grotle and got back up. While Maturin reunited with his old trainer, Artemis and Bisharp worked together to drag Kane's Kangaskhan toward the portal. Once all of Kane's allies were safely secured, Jenny closed the portal with a small sigh of relief. She turned to the others and gave a thumbs up with a goofy grin.
With the battle over, a terrible weakness washed over Ellen and Duo. They felt their minds slip apart, and suddenly they were each back in their own bodies. Ellen opened her eyes. She was in her father's arms; it seemed he had caught her when she lost her balance. She looked over at Duo. His arms had reattached to his body, the ring of beads had vanished, and the five-part halo around his head had become two ears instead. For all intents and purposes, he looked like a normal Reuniclus. "That was amazing!" Marie ran up and threw her arms around her friend. "It was like you and Duo were in perfect sync! You talked as one, you battled as one . . . you were like a real hero!" "It wasn't just me." Ellen looked over at Duo. It was both of us. "It was all of us," Ellen corrected. She looked around the room. "Seriously, I couldn't have done this without all of your help. Thank you all for sticking by my side." Chloe's words from back at the Alamo echoed in her mind. They had never felt more real. You are not alone. For the first time in a long time, Ellen felt at peace. She smiled up at her father and allowed herself to rest in his embrace. "Let's go home."
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Post by Konuju on Feb 9, 2020 17:27:17 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Paul Burks/Anna Burks/Evan Tierra/Jenny Hakuda/Marie - Village BridgeThe next few days were some of the best days Ellen had in a long time. Their operations interrupted, the Black Storm quietly dispersed. No one heard from them after the incident at OAT. Whether they had fallen apart with no one to lead them or the Madame had secretly given them orders to move out of Village Bridge, it was impossible to say. But regardless of the reasoning, Village Bridge was free. Evan and Jenny had placed Lincoln Foswell and Erin Cochran under arrest. Team Plasma was currently investigating the full extent of their crimes, but Opelucid Advanced Technologies was immediately shut down. This of course meant Paul was once again out of a job. While he deeply enjoyed the chance to spend all day with his family -- not to mention, repairing the damage done to their house -- he knew that he would have to start looking for more work. With his shop destroyed, Anson Brawns considered changing his business to a refinery for rare metals and stones. For that work, he would need a blacksmith; and he knew no one better than Paul Burks. Marie and Boo spent their days listening wide-eyed to Evan and Jenny's tales about their grand, occasionally disarming adventures. Ellen and Duo would often join them for such outings, glad for a chance to catch up with their friends. While Ellen and Duo no longer shared the merged mind they had experienced during the battle against Kane, Duo retained his psychic powers. With his ability to communicate with Ellen restored, the two talked with each other constantly. The first thing they realized was that Duo would need a new nickname. His days as a naive Solosis were long gone, and he was no longer an indecisive Duosion. Together, he and Ellen decided on a new name, one fitting of the new form they had both achieved: Symbio. Then, after much deliberation, Ellen and the newly-dubbed Symbio came to another decision. *** "Absolutely not." Ellen's father looked appalled that Ellen would even suggest such a thing. "Paul," Ellen's mother said in a warning voice. "Did you not hear her?" Paul protested. "Things are finally back to the way they once were, Village Bridge is peaceful again, and you want to go with Evan and Jenny to Johto?" "Everyone over there is fighting their hardest," Ellen said. "Now that Symbio has his powers back, I have to go help them." Yeah, you know what they say, Symbio chimed in. With great power comes long road trips. And, you know, a duty to help those you care about. "Please, Dad." For the briefest of moments Ellen was back in the living room on Christmas Day, begging her father to let her go. "I know things are finally getting better here, but things are really bad overseas. I have to do this. They're your friends, too." Paul let out a long sigh. "Very well," he said. "But I'm coming with you. We'll take care of this Missing Zero together." "Absolutely not." It was Anna's turn to protest. "Paul Burks, you know I love you to death, but you are not leaving me alone again." Paul was taken aback. "You could come with us," he suggested. "I hear Johto's nice this time of year. We could find a nice place in Cianwood or Mahogany." "What, and sell this house?" Tears were swimming in Anna's eyes. "What about our life here? Is a warzone really the best place to raise a baby, Paul? Ellen's a big girl, now. You don't have to hold her hand anymore." Paul closed his eyes, clearly struggling with the decision he knew he had to make. Taking a deep breath, he knelt in front of his daughter and held her closely in his arms. "You have my blessing," he said. "Just promise me you'll stay safe." Ellen returned the embrace. It was not a decision she and Symbio had come to lightly, and now that the moment was upon them, she found it incredibly difficult to leave her family. Nevertheless, this was something she had to do. "I'll be alright," she said, a lump forming in her throat. "I promise." And I'll see to it that she keeps that promise. Symbio floated over to the father and daughter and wrapped his new arms around them both. You can count on me. *** "You're leaving?" No matter how hard she tried, Marie couldn't hold back her tears. At her side, Boo bawled uncontrollably. They were all sitting together in Ellen's recently refurbished living room, along with Evan, Jenny, and Ellen's parents. The Hero of Space had offered to teleport Ellen overseas, but not before one last farewell to everyone in Village Bridge. For all her confidence fighting the Black Storm and Kane, Ellen wasn't sure how to comfort her friend. "I . . . won't be gone forever," she said hesitantly. "I just need to go save the world, then I'll come home. I need you to watch over Village Bridge while I'm gone. Can you do that for me?" Marie wiped her eyes and nodded. "Y-yeah. Boo and I will fight off any Black Storm baddies that decide to come back. W-we can be heroes, too." As Ellen gathered her belongings, Terry padded up to her and nuzzled against her. Ellen gently scratched behind his ears. "Are you really staying behind, Terry?" The Herdier nodded sadly as he walked over to Anna. "I think he's decided I need his company more than you do," Ellen's mother said with a smile. "Don't worry, honey. I know you'll be fine." Ellen knelt down by her canine companion and ruffled his fur. "Thanks for always looking out for me," she said. "Even when I didn't want you to. I know you always had my best interests at heart." Tears welled up in her eyes as Terry embraced her. There was not a dry eye in the room as Ellen went around to give everyone their last goodbyes. Like Terry, every single person in the room had helped Ellen in one way or another. They had given her the confidence and encouragement she'd needed, and now they had given her something worth fighting for. Their continual love and support was overwhelming, and bidding them all farewell was a truly bittersweet experience. When at last she was ready, Ellen and her Pokémon walked up to Evan and Jenny. She held Symbio's hand and took a deep breath. "Let's go." "Alright!" Evan said with a snap of his fingers. "Let's get this show on the road! You ready, Jen-Jen?" "Ready as always! Hold on tight, Ellen!" The room was enveloped in a bright light. Paul, Anna, Marie, Boo, and Terry had to shield their eyes from the glow. When the light faded, Ellen was gone. Some might say she would come back a hero. To those she had left behind, she already was one.
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Post by Parugi on Feb 9, 2020 21:45:17 GMT -8
IC - Skye Hall - Mess Hall, The Alamo:
The sharp tapping of Skye's fingers on the table cut straight through the dull, rumbling murmurs of the numerous Liberty agents around her. She did her best to ignore the noise, instead focusing on the screen of her Poké Gear. The phone buzzed once, twice, three times, trying to establish a connection. Finally, the still image of her brother gave way to a live feed. He was talking to someone off camera; after a moment, he looked back down, breaking into a wide grin at the sight of her.
"Alola, sis!" he called. "How's it goin'!?"
"Hey, Landon," she said, giving him a soft smile of her own and a small wave. "I'm good. How's your morning?"
"Oh, it's goin'!" Landon said. "The boys and I were just talkin' about last night's match! Did you watch!? The Masked Royal's really upped his game since powers came back, Skye, you wouldn't believe it! He's a real inspiration, that guy!"
"That's great, buddy!" Skye said, doing her best to put on an enthusiastic face. Wrestling had never been her thing, but given how much Landon had put up with her comic book talk over the years, she knew the least she could do was return the favor here. "Hey, sorry--I didn't get a chance to watch it yet, so I don't want too many details."
"Oho, I getcha--you gotta experience it for yourself." Landon tapped his temple with a sagely smile. "I follow, sis. Mad respect."
"Oh my lord . . . Okay, fine, what happened?"
His friends erupted into a chorus of information, all of them trying to tell Skye everything at once. The resulting cacophony, of course, meant that she heard none of it. "No, no, no," Landon said loudly, shutting them down. "You gotta watch it. You gotta feel it. Words can't do it justice, sister."
Skye planted her face on the table, laughing. "You're so weird, bro."
"Weird and proud." Landon winked at her. "Anyway, whatcha want? Followin' up about the prosthetic?"
"That was part of it," Skye admitted. "How's it coming along?"
"Oh, it's comin'," Landon said. He picked up his drink and swirled it around. "You know my work. Once it's done, it'll be done, and your boy'll be as good as new. When're you plannin' to bring him out for the final adjustments?"
"Not sure yet," Skye said. "I honestly haven't really talked to him since I first suggested it, so I need to really get that sorted out . . ."
That was a poor time to drop that piece of information--Landon almost choked on his drink. "What!? Skye, come on--you know how this works!"
"I . . . What?"
"Oh, Skye, Skye, Skye . . ." Landon sighed. "So, look--these things, they're a sensitive topic, yeah? Losin' a limb and gettin' a new one--that's not somethin' you just do, you know? It's a process. You gotta keep him in the loop and make sure he's ready to take that step, otherwise he might get out here and get overwhelmed all over again. It's not pretty, I'll tell you that much."
"But I already . . . He seemed fine with the idea?"
"Yeah, and when did you talk to him about it? Right after it happened? When he was still hopped up on drugs?" Landon gave her a pointed look. "Come on, kiddo. Intense experiences--people may say one thing but feel somethin' else. I'm not tryin' to reprimand you or nothin', but you gotta get on that quick-like--make sure it's still somethin' he wants. If he does, great--I'll have it ready for him! If not, you gotta let me know--I'll still get it ready, but I have other people I gotta get busy for, yeah?"
"I got it," Skye said, letting out a long sigh. "You know, you could've reminded me about that sooner . . ."
"Hey, you're an adult, yeah?" Landon took a drink. "Can't take care of everythin' for you, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know . . ." Skye sat in silence for a moment. "Alright, well . . . How's everything else? I heard some pretty concerning rumors a little while back about the gangs in Alola."
"Yeah?" Landon tilted his head. "What rumors?"
"I don't know, just something about, like . . . Redistribution or something? There were some weird movements between Valor, Instinct, Mystic, and Skull?"
"Ooh, yeah, yeah." Landon nodded. "Yeah, I know what you're talkin' about. I wouldn't worry too much about it, sis--those guys do what they do; if they aren't doin' much harm, there ain't much point in worryin' about 'em."
"Well, could you explain what exactly happened? I don't care all that much if it's nothing, but it'd be nice to not have to worry about whether or not they've moved into your town."
"Like I said, they aren't doin' much. They got a presence on all four islands, all of 'em--basically one that they each run and then the rest where they're intrudin' on the others' space, yeah. What you're talkin' about was a bunch of Skulls runnin' out of Po Town and into Malie City. Somethin' about monsters and a dude."
"Monsters . . .?" Skye frowned. "You mean those Instance things? I heard there were some sightings there recently."
Landon shrugged. "Couldn't tell ya, sis. All I can say for sure is that Po Town's shut real tight, tighter than usual. Could be Instance-thingies, could be those weird folk nearby--no one knows and no one really wants to find out. All said, authorities aren't real concerned and the other gangs think it's hilarious that Big Bad Skull's so spooked."
"Well, that's . . . alarming." Skye rested her head on her hand. "You're okay, though?"
"Oh, yeah, we're good here," Landon said. "Don't worry about us, sis--we're on the other side of the region, yeah. We got nothin' to worry about. And you shouldn't worry, either. Like I said, it's no big thing, and we have powers again if it turns into somethin'. And besides, there's nothin' you could do from there, anyway. So just get workin' on your buddy and let me know when you're headin' this way--we'll have everythin' all ready for you."
"Alright; if you say so," Skye said. "Thanks again for all of this, Landon. I really appreciate it. And I'm sure Gavin will, too."
"Don't mention it!" Landon beamed. "Tell him I said hey!"
"Will do. See you."
"See you!"
IC - Sonja Baron/Vertrag - Command Center, Vertrag:
"Any news?"
Negative. There have been no updates from Gethin Pollux in 24 days.
Sonja sighed. "Figures . . ."
She wasn't sure why she had expected any differently. They had known it would be a slow process when they had met with the Signs and delivered the Grimoire--Pollux and Clue had said as much, that it would take weeks, possibly months for them to uncover anything that could actually help against Missing Zero. Still, day after day she had held out hope that their prediction was wrong, and that they would somehow come up with something sooner rather than later. So far, she had only managed to find disappointment with every passing dawn. Perhaps it wouldn't have bothered her so much if they had actually bothered to check in more often, but even then, she wasn't sure that a direct reminder of their lack of progress would be any better than the weeks of silence she had continued to endure.
The problem was that time was ticking down, and if it took too long, then there wouldn't be anything left of the world to save.
May I offer a suggestion, Miss Baron? Vertrag said. The AI didn't seem bothered at all by the delay. She wasn't sure if that was annoying, or something to be envied.
With an eyebrow raised and her arms crossed, she nodded. "Go right ahead."
You have not surfaced from this facility in over two weeks, the AI pointed out. As admirable as your dedication is, and as well as I can provide clean air and sustenance here, you may find it beneficial to take some time away from this facility, as the others have done.
"You know I can't do that," Sonja said. "Someone has to keep an eye on things here."
Incorrect, Vertrag responded. I am perfectly capable of monitoring transmissions to and from Kalos on your behalf, as I have already done.
Sonja gave the Jirachi a look. "You know what I mean."
I do not mean any offense. I am merely suggesting a means of self-care. As my master would say, patience is a virtue. If there is a better means of utilizing your time while you await the results of the Signs' analysis than sitting idly by, it would do you well to take it.
That was something she had not considered, and it noticeably gave Sonja pause. Vertrag raised a good point--at the moment, there was nothing to be done here but wait. On the surface, however, there was plenty to do in the meantime. With Pokémon powers recently returned, training was an option once again, and that was something that her team could certainly use--to regain their bearings if nothing else, although the prospect of unlocking additional Mega Evolutions was a solid bonus. If nothing else, it would help make her team stronger, and better capable of handling the coming encounters with Missing Zero. And aside from that, there were other goals that she and the rest of Vorhut needed to pursue--like finding the missing Symbols. Not to mention, Ford and Sophia were still stuck in prison cells beneath the Alamo. If there was some way of getting them out and back in action against Missing Zero, she wouldn't find it here.
With a slow nod, she stood up from her seat and took a moment to stretch. Her joints were sore--a clear reminder that she had, indeed, spent more time than was healthy waiting here for news. "You make a good argument, Vertrag," she said. "You swear you'll let me know the moment you hear something, though, right?"
I will pass it along as quickly as I can.
"Alright. I'm counting on you." The Jirachi gave an approximation of a thumbs-up as Sonja headed toward the door, and out into the world beyond.
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Post by Magical Girl Mimi on Feb 9, 2020 21:55:23 GMT -8
-==IC: Lucia Zyther -- The Alamo==-
"I don't have any real preference here." Lucia said with a smile, but thought for a moment. "Haven't had a chance to grab something to eat yet, though, so let's do breakfast. It might take a while to explain all of what happened anyway... it honestly felt like it was over a year's worth of stuff in a single night at one point there."
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Post by Konuju on Feb 10, 2020 20:12:50 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Dack Majors/Madison Morrow/Luke/Jayron Aaron/Adam Shaw/Colleen Llyan - Moro Island, Orange ArchipelagoRyan stood at the bow of the ship, eyes trained on the approaching island, mouth set in the slight frown of one trying to manage expectations. Once everything in Kalos had settled down, Ryan had contacted Dack to see how the search for his parents was going. He had been met with disappointment. While Dack had managed to recruit Jayron Aaron to help with the task, the Liberty executive had insisted on bringing along another Liberty agent. Apparently this volunteer had a history with Dack. A history that resulted in the group spending more energy bickering among themselves than actually making any progress toward finding Brendan Ruby or Ryan's parents. And so once Vertrag had been relocated to Four Island, Ryan hopped on the first boat to the Orange Archipelago to rendezvous with Dack. He wasn't alone, however. A quick stop in Vier Village before his departure allowed him to recruit Colleen Llyan to his cause. She had, after all, been originally recommended for that mission back before Ford had wiped out all Pokémon powers. Colleen had been happy to be of help, although her sister Zoe was less-than-thrilled. After having sneaked her way onto the Kalos mission, Zoe found herself under house arrest. For a hyper preteen (thirteen-year-old, as Zoe had been quick to point out), confinement indoors was akin to a death sentence. Taking away her sister, the one person left to keep her company, was enough to throw Zoe into a screaming fit. Ryan felt bad for the girl, but he refused to knowingly put her in danger. She had handled herself well enough in Kalos, but Ryan knew there was a strong possibility they might face off against a Shadow Pokémon. While Ryan had never fought one himself, he knew they could be unpredictable. And so it was that Ryan and Colleen met up with Dack's group near Shamouti Island. From there they had scoured the nearby islands to no avail. The Gym Leader of Navel Island had pointed them south, but when all seven of the Grapefruit Islands turned up nothing, Ryan started to lose hope. Jayron and Colleen had practically exhausted themselves scanning for auras, and so Ryan had made the executive decision to head further south to Moro Island in the hopes that the aura wielders would rest up during the journey. Of course, he wasn't sure how much rest either of them had gotten. Colleen's seasickness left her incapacitated, and Jayron found himself having to constantly break up arguments between Dack and Adam. And so the sight of Moro Island on the horizon filled Ryan with both joy and anxiety. While he longed for freedom from the confines of their cramped boat, he feared this island too would be met with crushing disappointment. *** Upon landfall, the group checked into a hotel. While Ryan was eager to start asking around for leads, everyone needed a break. Madison began looking around for restaurants while Jayron and Colleen meditated in the hotel lobby. Adam sulked off somewhere, leaving Ryan and Dack to check out the island's tourist center while Luke dozed off in his hotel room. "Looks like this island's famous for its art museum." Dack pressed a pamphlet against Ryan's chest. "Too bad we're not on a pleasure cruise." "I wouldn't have taken you for the artistic type," Ryan said with a wry smile. "I'm not." Dack scowled. "But Madison would love it." "What about this one?" Ryan picked up a brochure that featured a handful of Frillish and Haunter. "Spooky Scuba Tours. Apparently you can explore the remains of a 300-year-old ghost ship at the bottom of the ocean. That more your cup of tea?" Dack glanced at the brochure and scoffed. "You know that's a load of crap, right? They make up ghost stories like that to lure in the gullible tourists like yourself." "Do I look like a tourist to you?" Ryan frowned as he replaced the brochure. "You said it yourself, we're not on a pleasure cruise." "Yeah, but we might as well be for all progress we've made." Dack brought a hand to the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Sorry, I'm just a little on edge. I know you're worried about your folks and all, but do you ever get the feeling we're just wasting our time here?" Ryan stared out the window with a heavy sigh. Dark clouds rolled over the horizon. "I try not to think about it." "I know it hasn't been as long for you, but I've been out here nearly three months." Dack shook his head. "I just wonder if we'd be more useful fighting off that Missing Zero. Especially now that our Pokémon have their powers back. For all we know we'll get back to Kanto and everyone will have been replaced by those no-face creeps from Vermilion." As much as Ryan hated to admit it, Dack had a point. About fighting off the Missing Zero, not his conspiracy theory about those faceless Instances. He was sure that Sonja would give him a call if anything came up on the Signs front, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for ignoring his promise to Clue in favor of searching for his parents. How much longer was he willing to keep up the search? What if Sonja did call? Was he prepared to give up looking for his parents? "You're free to go home if you want." Ryan looked up at Dack. "I know I'm just dragging us all on what feels like a wild Swanna chase. For my parents. It would be selfish of me to force you to stay." "That's not what I'm saying." The expression on Dack's face suggested he wasn't being entirely sincere. "Look, I promised I'd help, and I'm not about to back out on my promise. I just--" Dack's Pokétch suddenly rang. "Dack--!" Ryan could barely hear Madison's voice through the heavy static. "Something . . . . . . harbor . . . . . . cannons . . . . . . everyone's . . . . . . I think they're . . . . . ." "Madison!" Dack shouted into his Pokétch. All he got was static. "Madison, can you hear me?!" He looked up at Ryan, his face paling. "We have to help her!" Without waiting for a response, he barged out the door. Ryan raced after the Rocket agent, only to be hit with a massive gust of wind that nearly blew him back into the tourist center. Bracing himself against the gale, he pressed onward down the street. It was only mid-afternoon, but the sky had grown eerily dark. Storm clouds billowed overhead, and trees bent over backward in the powerful wind. Over the din of rolling thunder, he heard screams. "Colleen!" Ryan held the Pokégear up to his mouth, hoping she could hear him over the brewing storm. "We've got trouble! Meet us down at the harbor! Bring the others!" Before Colleen had a chance to respond, Ryan turned a corner, giving him a full view of the harbor. He dropped the Pokégear to his side as his blood ran cold. A huge crowd was running away from the waterfront. Black smoke rose from a handful of buildings near the ocean that seemed to have caught fire. A massive wooden ship covered in algae sat in the water, its tattered sails billowing in the wind. As Ryan watched, the ship seemed to rise up as if on a wave, before firing a massive blast of energy from its bow. The blast completely engulfed a seaside shop, sending another plume of smoke rising into the air. That was when he saw the creatures. Serpentine creatures with golden, mask-like crests dotted the sea around the ship, while what looked like mounds of trash floated up to the shoreline. It wasn't until they started crawling onto the land that Ryan realized they weren't trash at all, but rather some sort of snail-like creatures that had formed their shells out of bags, bottles, and all manner of grimy ocean garbage. The snails were new, but Ryan was all too familiar with the serpents. The Instances had arrived on Moro Island.
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Post by Konuju on Feb 13, 2020 16:23:13 GMT -8
IC: Shannon Willows - Ecruteak City A deep frown creased Shannon's face as she drummed her fingers against her arm. She only had herself to blame -- this was what she got for waiting until the last minute. Where had the time gone?
After failing to find Aori's father in Olivine, Shannon had found herself at a loss for where to go. She refused to go back to Four Island, but she didn't have enough money to live on her own. On top of that, she needed a way to support Aori. And so when her friend Lauren offered them both a place to stay in Ecruteak, Shannon jumped at the opportunity. While she was glad to avoid homelessness, she hated the idea of being a freeloader. She promised Lauren she'd get a job and start paying rent.
That was over two months ago.
She had spent a majority of those days holed up in the spare room of Lauren's tiny apartment. She just needed a break, she told herself. A bit of time to recover before she started looking for a job. Only she never felt any better. Lauren was too nice to say anything, but Shannon knew the waitress' meager income wasn't enough to support three people long-term. Corey offered to talk, but Shannon insisted that she just needed some time to herself.
She'd still be in her room now if Aori hadn't asked if they'd be going trick-or-treating. A massive wave of guilt convinced Shannon to take a trip down to the general store to see if she could buy some affordable costumes. Being the day before Halloween, there wasn't a huge selection. She had managed to find a cute witch costume for herself, and she wanted to get a samurai costume for Aori. Unfortunately, the store only had ninja costumes.
And so Shannon drummed her fingers against her arm, debating whether Aori would be happy with a ninja, all the while hoping that a samurai costume would magically appear if she stared hard enough.
A sudden commotion pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Are you deaf?! Put the money in the bag! Now!"
The witch costume dropped to Shannon's feet as she turned around. A man in a mask stood at the front counter. A Magnezone hovered over the shopkeep, magnets spinning with electrical energy. Shannon was hidden behind a shelf, and the robber didn't seem to have noticed her. She watched as the cashier shakily began stuffing bills into a large duffel bag. Her heart pounded against her chest.
A Pokéball dropped out of her purse. With a ferocious roar, Ryan's Tyranitar burst into the aisle and began barreling toward the robber.
"Wait, stop!" Shannon leapt out from her hiding place and practically tackled the Tyranitar to the ground. But it was too late. They'd been spotted.
"You'd best watch your step, darling!" The man hoisted the duffel bag over his shoulder as his Magnezone trained its magnets on Tyranitar. "I'd hate to have to fry that pretty face of yours!"
Tyranitar got to his feet and glared at the thief, but Shannon held him back.
"Clever girl," the man said. "Now if you're really wise, you'll forget you saw anything. You hear?" With that, the man and his Magnezone ran out of the store.
Shannon let out a sigh as she looked over at the clerk. "Are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine," the clerk said shakily. "That's a mighty powerful looking Pokémon you've got there. Why didn't you try and stop that guy? You could have taken him out in one shot."
"I . . ." Shannon paused. "I'm not a fighter. Tyrantiar here looks tough, but he's really just a big teddy bear." Tyranitar looked halfway between being offended and amused at that description.
The clerk adjusted his glasses. "Hey wait a second . . . I think I recognize that Tyranitar. Isn't that the one from One Island? The one that was in all those news broadcasts? That that promotional video?"
Tyranitar wasn't used to being a celebrity. After being cooped up in an apartment for two months, he had nearly forgotten about Team Rocket's propaganda push. Wagging his tail like a big green puppy, he scampered up to the counter to shake the clerk's hand. His powerful claws might have accidentally crushed the man's hand if Shannon hadn't pulled him away.
"Nope, you must be mistaken. This is a totally different Tyranitar." Shannon gave a nervous laugh. "Anyway, we'd better be going now. Sorry about your shop!"
At Shannon's bidding, Tyranitar followed her out of the shop. When they were a couple blocks away, he let out an exasperated roar at her behavior.
Shannon whirled around to face him. For staring down a six foot dinosaur, she didn't look the least bit intimidated. "Look. It's not our place to intervene with stuff like that. The best thing we can do in those types of situations is call the police."
Tyranitar crossed his arms and grunted in retort.
Shannon twacked him on the nose. "Don't you take that tone with me, mister. I don't care what Ryan would have done. We're not vigilantes. Messing with people like that is how--"
She abruptly stopped talking and turned away. Her hands clenched into fists. Tyranitar gave a worried growl.
". . . Let's just go home." Without looking back, Shannon started walking.
They made it five blocks before she realized she still needed Halloween costumes.
IC: Ellen Burks - Ecruteak City Orange leaves crinkled beneath Ellen's feet as she walked through Ecruteak. She had thought Village Bridge was beautiful in the autumn, but this was something else. Orange maple leaves littered the ground everywhere she looked, and those leaves that still clung to their trees bathed the city in a fiery glow. Combined with the wooden architecture of the buildings in this sector of the city, Ellen felt like she was walking through a painting.
Her Pokémon followed at her side, equally in awe of the landscape. Evan Tierra led the way through the wondrous city to a nearby park. Shortly after Ellen had left Village Bridge, Pokémon powers had returned in mass. It was now almost a week later, and after having trained her Pokémon back up to par, Ellen felt confident enough for a practice battle.
Evan had all too happily obliged, insisting that the front of their motel was far too small for such a grand and heroic fight. And so he led her and her Pokémon across the gorgeous city until they reached a park with a wide, open field.
Ellen planted herself at one end of the field, taking a deep breath. "I think it's only fitting that I lead with Maturin." She smiled as the Grotle eagerly trotted forward. "He really wants to show off how much he's grown."
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alku
Technician
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Post by alku on Feb 14, 2020 4:35:28 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra
Evan grinned. "Normally I would lead off with Monstro, but....I know someone who has been dying to see you again, Ellen." The man said as he drew out a Poké Ball and threw it out, revealing a Garchomp. "Gnip's missed you a ton, but she's the kind of Pokémon who is much better at communicating her feelings in battle." The Plasma Agent then looked at Ellen. "I'm not gonna hold back, Ellen. I do hope you don't hold it against me, nor hold back!"
Gnip, upon seeing Ellen for the first time in what felt like forever, wagged her tail playfully, then looked at her old teammate. She barked at the Grotle, excited to see that he'd gotten much stronger and stood in a battle-ready stance.
Evan then struck a pose of his own. "The first move goes to you, Ellen! Show us what you've got!"
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Post by Konuju on Feb 14, 2020 6:41:59 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks - Park, Ecruteak City Ellen smiled. The last time she'd had a battle to show how strong she'd grown, she'd fought off against her father. With Evan, she didn't feel the need to prove herself. It was an exhilarating change of pace, and she found Evan's enthusiasm to be very contagious. Maturin wagged his tail and looked ready to playfully tackle Gnip.
"Wait, Maturin, keep your distance!" Ellen called out. She knew the Garchomp was Evan's prized Pokémon, and if she wanted to stand a chance she'd have to play her cards just right. "Start out with a Seed Bomb!"
The turtle arced his back and launched a volley of seeds at Gnip, each one fueled by the strength he'd gained from his time with Ellen. His eyes darted to his old master, wondering what he would think of Ellen's strategy.
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alku
Technician
Posts: 62
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Post by alku on Feb 14, 2020 7:02:09 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra - Park, Ecruteak City
"Keeping your distance, eh?" Evan said, pointing at Maturin. "We'll have to show you how much better Gnip's gotten since you saw her last! Gnip, Iron Head on the Seed Bombs, then try to rush in with a Poison Jab!" Despite what he had said earlier about not holding back, the Hero of Space wanted this to last for a good while. After all, as one of the Sinnoh Frontier Brains said, the truly fun times usually ended so quickly.
Gnip growled as she focused on the seeds being lobbed at her, and attempted to bash them with her head, reinforced by the Garchomp's steely will. While she took some damage from the attack, she felt nothing but the joy of battle as she ran towards the Grotle, her left claw emanating a venomous purple glow.
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Post by Konuju on Feb 14, 2020 9:16:30 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks - Park, Village Bridge "Withdraw and Curse!" Ellen cried out. Maturin had anticipated the command and was already halfway in his shell. Gnip's claw dug into the sturdy carapace. The Grotle Cursed in pain but held steadfast. "Stay strong, Maturin!" Ellen cheered on her Pokémon from the sidelines. "I know it's tough, but you're the Turtle of Enormous Girth! I believe in you!"
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alku
Technician
Posts: 62
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Post by alku on Feb 16, 2020 5:58:22 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra - Park, Ecruteak City
Evan grinned at his old team member's spirit and fortitude. If that's how Ellen wanted to play, then he'd respond in kind. "Gnip, hop back and use Flamethrower!" Growling, the Garchomp hopped back, and breathed out a stream of blazing fire as she did so.
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Post by Parugi on Feb 16, 2020 22:37:57 GMT -8
IC - Gavin Braner/Skye Hall - Mess Hall, The Alamo:
The walk to the mess hall was neither long nor eventful. In fact it was quite the opposite, being both short and rather quiet. More than once, Gavin caught a passerby in the midst of a double-take at the sight of his arm. These were mostly younger trainers; the older ones by and large did not seem to pay him much mind, perhaps used to such a sight around a military base. Still, it made him undeniably uncomfortable. After a while, he couldn't help but shift his coat so that it was slung over his shoulders, sort of like a cape, and position in such a way as to cover his right side. He suppressed a sigh.
When they arrived, he quickly grabbed a plate of simple foods before moving off to the side and waiting for Lucia. In that time, he noticed Skye sitting in a fairly secluded spot. She appeared to be speaking to someone over a comm. As he watched, she hung up, and shortly after took notice. She offered a happy smile and motioned for him to join her. Gavin gave a half-hearted smile back and nodded his head back toward the food, indicating that he was waiting for someone; Skye gave a thumbs-up in turn.
A short while later, and Lucia had joined him. Gavin led the way to Skye and sat down next to her, allowing Lucia to take the seat across from them.
"Good morning," Skye greeted. "It's been a while, hasn't it? How've you been, Lucia?"
IC - Kyle Eston/Dr. Adara Swan - Med Bay, The Alamo:
"Hold still--this might hurt a bit."
It certainly did. The cold, metal cylinder pressed against his chest; he had hardly managed to brace himself before the doctor issued the injection. Even without a direct needle, the process stung like hell. Not the worst pain Kyle had experienced, by any means, but it still left him gritting his teeth as Dr. Swan bandaged the spot. He threw his shirt back on as soon as she was done, though kept a hand pressed over that area.
"That should help, at least for a while," she said. "I'd suggest you come back in about four weeks for another dose."
"You really think this'll help?" Kyle asked.
Dr. Swan leaned against the sink. "Well, I wouldn't recommend doing anything super strenuous. If I'm being completely blunt, you should have come and gotten checked out back in August--the earlier we'd been able to treat you, the better condition you'd be in, overall. But at the very least, breathing should be easier in a couple of hours, and the random numbness shouldn't be as prevalent. It's not going to cure anything, but as a way to get your current symptoms under control . . . Yes, I think it'll help."
Kyle pulled his coat on and readjusted his hair. "Well, I guess that's really all I can ask for," he said after a moment. "Depending on how this stuff with Missing Zero goes, it may not matter."
"Positive thoughts, Mr. Eston," Dr. Swan said. "I'll see you in a few weeks."
"Thanks, doc."
As he checked out and then left, Kyle let his mind wander, as well as his feet. Richie had asked him to stay put, and so far, he had managed to do that. The problem was that while "staying put" was supposed to have helped him get better, his already-prevalent health issues had instead seemed to only worsen with time. He wasn't particularly surprised--he had been warned about this back in Dendemille--but it was unfortunate that the things that had kept his focus away from those symptoms--mainly, putting his energy toward missions--were no longer a consistently-dependable option.
He let out an aggravated sigh.
"Hey, you alright?" Kyle paused and turned--finding, to his surprise, Esen. She gave a small wave before catching up, falling into step beside him. She had cut her hair short, but aside from that, she looked the same as always. "I thought I might find you around here."
"You thought correctly," he said. "I'm okay. Just the usual."
"'The usual,'" Esen repeated, shaking her head. "So you got hurt again and had to get patched up."
"Not 'again,'" Kyle protested. "Just . . . residual issues from the last time." He slipped his hands into his pockets. "They've been getting a little worse, that's all. Figured it might be a good idea to get checked out."
Esen nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that." She looked at him. "You're okay, though? I feel like it's been a while."
"I know; I'm sorry about that," Kyle said. "Just been a lot of stuff to take care of." He fell silent again for a moment. "What about you? What've you been up to lately?"
"Babysitting, mostly," Esen said. "You hear that Sleight and Joker left?"
"I did."
"Their kids are still here," Esen continued, giving him a pointed look. "Staying with Sleight's wife. I've been helping her keep an eye on them. You should meet them--got a lot of interesting stories about their parents . . ."
"I bet . . ." Kyle rubbed the back of his head. "I keep meaning to check in on Levi. Never seems like a good time, though . . ."
"Where're you headed now?"
"Not really anywhere . . ."
Esen smiled, grabbing his hand and directing him down a different hallway. "Well, now's as good a time as any, right?" she said. "Come on--they're at the Nursery right now. No better place to hang out."
Though startled, Kyle nonetheless let Esen pull him along. He glanced down at their joined hands, and then back up at her. He couldn't help but give a bashful smile. "Were you planning that the entire time?" The smirk on her lips gave him all the answer he needed. More than that, it cheered him up more than anything had in the past few months--as if a cloud of uncertainty had been lifted, replaced with a warm ray of light.
"By the way, Esen?" She glanced back at him. He felt his face warming up. "I like what you did with your hair. Looks good on you."
She blushed and turned back around. "Thanks, pal."
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Post by Konuju on Feb 17, 2020 16:14:44 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks - Park, Ecruteak City "Maturin!" Ellen cried out a warning. But from within his shell, the Grotle had no chance to avoid the stream of fire. The flames licked over the shell, singeing the greenery on top while roasting the turtle within. The look of shock on Ellen's face made it evident that she hadn't considered this in her strategy.
When at last the attack subsided, Maturin slowly peeked his head out from his shell. His eyes met Ellen's, and she saw his determination to see this fight through to the end. Ellen weighed her options. Gnip was too far back for a direct attack, and Maturin was too slow to reasonably close the gap without giving Gnip adequate time to counter.
"Alright Maturin, hold your ground," Ellen said. "Leaf Blade."
With a resolute battle cry, twin streams of leaves shot out from the bushes on Maturin's back. The attack arced in the air toward Gnip, coming at her from opposite directions.
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alku
Technician
Posts: 62
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Post by alku on Feb 23, 2020 3:56:17 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra
Evan grinned at MAturin's attack, deciding what move to use next. He wanted to reveal his own startling development with Gnip, but he also didn't want to discourage Ellen. With that thought in mind, he pointed towards the Grotle. "Gnip, block the attack with your fins, and then go in with a Poison Jab!" The Trainer said showily.
Seeing the incoming Leaf Blades, Gnip focused for but a moment, before slashing at them. While the Garchomp had gotten a good deal of the blades, several still struck home, leaving quite a few cuts on Gnip. The Mach Pokémon rushed towards Maturin once more, her claws glowing with a sickly purple light.
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Post by Konuju on Mar 3, 2020 20:14:22 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks - Park, Ecruteak City
Ellen knew Maturin wouldn't be able to dodge Gnip's attack. She also knew the turtle of enormous girth refused to back down against his old master. And so she allowed him to go out with one last strike. She waited until Gnip was right on top of him before giving her command. "Crunch! Now!" As Gnip's claws dug into Maturin, the Grotle clamped down on his opponent's arm. Even as he felt the poison course through his veins, it wasn't until he slipped from consciousness that his jaw finally relaxed. Heedless of the ferocious dragon that had just taken down her Pokémon, Ellen ran over to the Grotle's side. "That was amazing, Maturin! You may not have come out on top, but I think you made Evan proud." She gently caressed the turtle before returning him to his Pokéball. She smiled up at Gnip. "I may not be the best judge of power, but it feels like you've gotten stronger too, Gnip! I think I'll have to come at you with my full force." You mean our full force. Symbio floated up from the sidelines, "cracking" his gelatinous knuckles as he looked Gnip up and down. I've grown a lot stronger since we first met outside of Striaton, he said. You'd better not go easy on us!IC: Jayron Aaron/Colleen Llyan/Luke - Hotel, Moro IslandA desperate knock roused Luke from his sleep. For a moment he wondered why he was in this unfamiliar room. Groggily recognizing it as a hotel room, Luke trudged toward the door to abate that incessant knocking. His drowsiness evaporated the moment he saw the concern on Colleen, Jayron, and Lucario's faces. "What happened?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer. "Missing Zero," Jayron said. "It's here. Or at least its Instances are." Luke swore under his breath. "Alright, where are the others? They didn't get caught in the attack, did they?" Agent Sanders is at the harbor, where the Instances are currently attacking, and we assume your friend Dack is with him. Jayron's Lucario narrowed his eyes. We're not sure about the others."Not sure?" Luke glanced between the three of them. "Aren't you supposed to be aura wielders? Can't you like, track them or something?" "We're not people detectors, you know," Colleen said hotly. "Isn't that the whole reason you're here?" "What Colleen means," Jayron quickly interjected, "is that locating specific auras takes time. Time we don't have. Not when we're detecting hundreds of unnatural auras down at the harbor." Luke let out a long sigh. "You know, most people would choose to run away from the creepy Instance auras. I think all this time at sea has made you folks crazy." With a look of mock resignation, he grabbed his Machoke's Pokéball and stepped out into the hallway. "Lead the way." IC: Ryan Sanders - Harbor, Moro IslandFrom atop Togie's back, Ryan soared over the battlefield, raising an arm against the heavy rain. The sea serpents -- Driprown, as his Pokédex identified them -- had dragged several ill-fated victims into the ocean, tainting the waters a sickly red. Those on the docks who were lucky enough to escape the deadly waters found themselves swarmed by the strange trash snails. Most people were able to outrun the sluggish Instances, but a few unfortunate souls became surrounded. Their terrified screams reached Ryan's ears as the trash snails seemed to absorb them. His Pokédex beeped with an identification. During his short time back at the Alamo, Team Liberty had upgraded his Pokédex with the same Pokémon Identification Program that had been installed in the Power Suits. Not only did he have data on all previously-encountered Instances like Driprown, but he could scan and identify new Instances as well. The trash snails had been dubbed Pollucant and identified as Poison/Steel-Type. "Togie, take me down there!" Ryan cried. The Togekiss squawked a retort but nevertheless glided down to the docks, doing his best to keep a safe distance from the Instances. Ryan directed him toward a woman the Pollucant had backed up against a wall. "Let's see if this dex knows what it's talking about." Ryan hopped down from Togie and grabbed a Pokéball from his belt. "Quil, give 'em a good Flamethrower!" The Typhlosion appeared in a burst of rainbow light. Over the past few months Ryan and Quil had worked to perfect the phenomenon everyone seemed to be calling Mega Evolution. It had taken some practice, but they had eventually learned the trick to Mega Evolving on command. And an Instance attack seemed like the perfect place to put their new skill to use. When the light faded, the Mega Typhlosion opened his mouth and spewed forth white-hot flames. Several things happened at once. The nearest pile of sludge and trash screamed in pain. The remaining Pollucant shrieked in a far less human-sounding cry, their forms melting under the intense heat. Then one of the snails exploded. Ryan flew through the wall into a crowded pub. He slid across the floor and stared at the flickering lights on the ceiling. The pub's patrons helped him to his feet. He looked around in a daze. The woman he had tried to save was screaming. She knelt next to what looked like one of the Pollucant. Ryan felt the color drain from his face. A human hand emerged from the pile of sludge, badly burned from Quil's Flamethrower. Two eyes stared at the woman from behind the grime, like some human-shaped Garbodor. The Pollucant weren't absorbing their victims. They were burying them in trash. Ryan had just attacked an innocent man. Even with the Pokédex at his disposal, he didn't know everything about their enemy. IC: Madison Morrow - Harbor, Moro Island"Anzu, keep it up! You're doing great!" The praise felt empty on Madison's lips as she looked around for another way out. The trash snails littered the docks outside the small gift shop she and several other people found themselves trapped in. If it wasn't for her Froslass's Ice Shards the snails would have converged on them long ago. She had tried to call Dack as soon as the Instances had attacked, but the call kept cutting in and out. She couldn't even get through to Luke. As if that wasn't enough, the shop next to them had been completely obliterated by an energy blast from the massive ship that lurked in the harbor. The ship hadn't made a move since, but Madison knew it was only a matter of time before whoever was on board decided to fire again. She had no backup. And as the only one in the gift shop with a battle-ready Pokémon, it fell on Madison to protect everyone. "Mommy, what's that weird-looking bug?" A little boy pointed up into the corner of the shop. Madison followed his gaze and saw what looked like a tiny microphone with wings. As soon as it was spotted the bug flew across the room. "That's no bug," the skier muttered. "Anzu, stop that thing!" Her Froslass fired an Ice Shard but the bug easily avoided the attack. Seeing Madison's efforts, the other people in the gift shop eagerly set about trying to help her squash the bug. The tiny Instance dodged all of their attempts, dancing about effortlessly. "We need to slow it down!" someone shouted. An idea struck Madison. "Everyone, close your eyes!" she cried. "Anzu, Confuse Ray the whole room!" As Madison squeezed her eyes shut, rapidly strobing lights filled the gift shop. As soon as the attack was finished Madison surveyed the room. The microphone-like Instance buzzed about in a dizzy manner, its movements slowed by its disorientation. Seizing a book, Madison swatted the Instance against the wall, where it met its end with a satisfying crunch. Now that she had a better look at the bug's mangled body, she recognized it from Team Rocket's report on the Instances that had appeared in Mt. Silver. Reaching for her Pokétch, she hit redial. "Madison?" Luke's voice came through crystal clear. "Luke!" Madison cried in relief. "Thank goodness! The harbor's under attack!" "I know, I'm on my way! Where are you?" "The Comfey Gift Shop! We're surrounded by these--" Madison let out a shriek. While she had been distracted by the microphone-fly, the trash snail Instances had crept into the gift shop. "Madison!" Luke cried. "Hang on, I think I see Dack! He's up near that big creepy boat!" As Anzu fought back the trash snails, Madison peered out the window. From her position she could see the side of the massive ship, full of rotting wood drenched in seaweed. And she saw movement on the ship. Whatever was on board seemed to be disembarking. "Luke." Madison spoke slowly and clearly. "Tell Dack to get out of there. Now." IC: Dack Majors/Jayron Aaron/Colleen Llyan/Luke - Harbor, Moro Island"Madison!" Dack shouted at the top of his lungs as he barreled across the piers atop his Bastiodon. All around him people were screaming and panicking, trying to get away from the massive ship and monsters coming from the sea. The sight of the Driprown brought back painful memories of Two Island and only served to spur Dack onward in his search for Madison. As he drew closer to the water's edge, slimy trash snails began crawling towards him. Bastiodon shrugged them off and may have trampled a few of them as she galloped onward. The large ship that dominated the harbor -- which looked oddly similar to the ghost ship Ryan had pointed out in the brochure -- loomed before him like a massive wall of wood. Dack wasn't sure what the ship was doing there, but the fact that it had blasted away a small building led him to believe the vessel was under Missing Zero's control. "Dack!" From further down the pier, Luke ran toward him, flanked by Jayron, Colleen, and Lucario. The aura wielders worked in tandem to clear a path through the trash snails, and soon Luke was at Bastiodon's side. "Madison's in trouble." Dack wasted no time greeting his friend. "She's here somewhere at the harbor." "Yeah, I just got off the phone with her," Luke panted. "Is she safe?!" Dack demanded. "Look around, man!" Luke shook his head in disbelief. "None of us are safe! Madison said she saw something getting off the big creepy ship. I don't know about you, but I'm not gonna stick around to find out--" A projectile suddenly crashed into the pier, throwing Dack from his mount. He looked up in time to see the ship launching a second cannonball at them. Jayron and Colleen rushed forward and created an Aura Barrier in front of their companions. Two more cannon shots followed in quick succession, both exploding harmlessly against the barrier. That was when Dack saw them. A half-dozen people had just turned the corner coming from the direction of the ship. Their clothes were tattered and frayed, their faces skeletal. What little skin remained was either bloated or drawn tight against their bones. Their erratic movements betrayed their identity: the zombie Instances that had completely overrun Black City. But these looked almost more like walking skeletons, as if their host bodies had long been deprived of food. "What in the world are those things?" At first Dack thought Luke was talking about the Walkorpse. When he followed the blackbelt's gaze, he saw several cloaked figures hovering above the ship, their faces obscured by their drawn hoods. Ethereal hands floated near the figures, carrying clocks of various sizes. As Dack stared at the strange creatures, the hands and clocks seemed to fade in and out of view periodically, only to be replaced by a different assortment of hands holding a different assortment of clocks. An eerie giggle drew Dack's attention back to the docks. Two more creatures twirled into view behind the Walkorpse, looking like they had just walked out of a costume party. They wore faded and frayed Victorian-style dresses, but paid no heed to the sorry state of their clothing. The pair swayed back and forth in an almost hypnotic rhythm. They would have seemed almost human were it not for their faces, which seemed to have taken on the frilled nature of their dresses. It gave them a jester-like appearance that reminded Dack all too much of Tyler McKinley. Their horned heads, red eyes and fanged smiles completed their disturbing appearance. Nodding to each other, the pair of dresses picked up speed with a sudden Quiver Dance, smiling blissfully as they spun past the Walkorpse. "Now might be a really good time to run," Jayron said with a glance at Colleen. The two of them were still maintaining the barrier, but they wouldn't be able to hold it forever. As if in response, a ring of Mystical Fire arced across the sky, striking the portion of the pier behind the companions. Dack quickly looked to where the fire had come from. A ghostly figure floated above the shops, eyes glowing menacingly beneath its red hood. At first Dack thought it was another Phantashade, but this Instance appeared to be smaller than the ghost he had faced on One Island, and it carried with it a large, leather-bound book. "Guess we've got no choice but to fight our way out of this," Dack said, eyeing the rapidly approaching dresses. Hold it. A faint aura surrounded Jayron's Lucario, who had closed his eyes in concentration. A deep frown crossed his face. Something's not right."Ya think?!" Luke shouted in exasperation. "We're on a burning dock and getting attacked by zombies, spellbooks, and demon dresses! None of it's right!" "No, I think I sense it, too." Jayron closed his eyes as well, allowing his side of the aura barrier to flicker out of existence. "Something big is coming." His outstretched palm moved like a compass needle to face the ship. "It's coming from the ship?" Dack asked, wondering just how many Instances could fit inside the vessel. "No . . ." Colleen had dropped her barrier as well. A golden aura flared to life around her as she took on a battle stance. "It is the ship." Suddenly the ship lurched forward as if caught in a sudden wave. As it reared out of the water, the front side of the ship split open to reveal a massive row of razor-sharp teeth. The underside of the ship did not look like a ship at all. Rotting wood gave way to rough, leathery skin, out of which protruded two pectoral fins. Looking more like a massive shark than a ship, the creature let out a ferocious roar before crashing back into the water. The wave it created slammed into the buildings nearest to the shore, tearing through walls and roofs like paper. The group looked on in shock. Luke was the first to find his voice. " Holy ship!"
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Post by Parugi on Mar 7, 2020 22:21:33 GMT -8
IC - ?/? - Kanto:
The mountain had become quite the active locale in the past few weeks and months. The clouds that swirled and cloaked the peak cast a gloomy, menacing image against the darkening sky. Looking up at it, one would be hard-pressed to see the two large, monstrous figures that occupied the space; but from their position, they were more than equipped to see the brief bursts of light that emanated randomly from the skirmishes around the base and slightly further up it. There, in those places where the people of Team Rocket had secured their footholds against the continuous flood of Instances from within. Likewise, their attempts to push forward were matched and halted by the same flood pushing back against them, resulting in a stalemate in which neither side made progress.
The larger beast leaned slightly forward, drool dripping from rotten teeth and hissing against the rocks and snow. "They've been at this for so long," it cooed, a deadly whisper that seemed to carry on the wind. "They must be wasting away by now . . ." It inhaled sharply. "What a pleasant smell . . . Terror . . . Despair . . . They are so very, very afraid of failing, and yet every passing day, their spirits weaken . . ."
The winged beast's face stretched into a blunt-toothed grin. Glowing light glimmered from the crater behind it, reflecting off of its golden wings. "Their efforts delay a more glorious feast. Perhaps we should indulge them."
"Yes . . ." The first licked its lips. Flecks of orange and green light carried on the wind around it--tiny, almost impossible to notice as they fluttered into the creature's maw. "The hunger runs deep . . . But we must wait a little longer . . ." It turned its gaze north, where, in the distance, the domed structure of Chapel loomed over the surrounding hills. "Only a little longer . . ."
IC - ?/? - Johto:
The forest burned. Black smoke billowed upward in towers that smothered the sky. Everywhere around, Pokémon darted away from the source of the devastation, fleeing for their lives. Some attempted to fight back, but found themselves swiftly overwhelmed by the creatures that came to meet them. Those that weathered the onslaught found themselves confronted by even deadlier foes--one a large samurai that burned and slashed and stabbed with a fury hitherto unseen; the other a terrible, black-armored knight whose feathered wings belied its true intentions.
Nothing survived.
The samurai pulled its sword free from its most recent prey. The grin of its demonic mask glinted in the surrounding firelight, its eyes sweeping, searching for another target. Finding none, it straightened its posture. Flames erupted along the length of its blade, cleansing it of blood and viscera. Across the clearing, its companion adopted a similar stance. They looked to one another, holding each other's silent, threatening gaze. At last, the samurai nodded and continued forward, paving the path toward further destruction.
The knight followed.
IC - ?/? - Hoenn:
The city slumbered. It had not done so by choice, but by force and coercion. Better that it did, for now the crater lay silent, dormant. Its people were gone, joining the ranks of those now gathering, roaming, growing within the city's natural walls. Here, in this place, was utopia--the sprawling collaboration between those that resided in this world, and those that had come from beyond. Groups of men and women marched beside Instances, all of them indoctrinated to the same goal, the same purpose, the same master.
Two figures occupied the central tower that overlooked the city. It was a fine office--well-earned, one would argue--and yet for all the worldly pleasures it offered, neither figure indulged. One lay sprawled upon a sofa, deep in slumber. Its glowing aura betrayed the truth of its human form; as it breathed slowly, in and out, the waters surrounding the tower ebbed and flowed with terrible force. The second figure stared down upon this phenomenon, glowing red eyes focused on something that glowed deep beneath the waves.
The second lifted its gaze to the streets. This was its duty: To guide the way. And they had done well thus far--very well. But there was more to be done, much, much more. This was just the beginning for this land. With the combined might of those already turned, and those that were transformed . . .
Soon, the rest would follow.
IC - ? - Sinnoh:
The waters of the lake rippled softly with the currents. Clouds of mist hung just above the surface, coating the area in thick curtains of white. Not a soul disturbed the land; not a sound echoed in the space. In time, this place had become silent, void, all but desolate. All that was left of the old days were the waters; not even the guardian who had once resided here remained, driven off by darker forces.
A silent figure hovered just above the surface. It was tall, lanky, limp; held aloft as if by strings, it drifted slowly forward, pointed limbs just barely threatening to touch the waves. As it passed by, the water froze, ice spreading slowly outward and outward from the center of the lake and the line trailing forward. By the time the figure had reached the edge, the entire lake had frozen over. A soft glow emanated beneath the ice, pulsing, pulsing, pulsing . . .
The creature's head, hanging limply to one side, shifted to the other shoulder. Its dull, dark eyes focused on the path forward, the carefully-kept lane of stone that led up to the nearby town. Rather, the lane that had once been kept--now it was left to the elements, to be covered and concealed in the ever-falling snow. It had not been touched in some time--a warning to those that would approach the lake.
It was a warning well-heeded, and one certainly required. The lake was no longer safe, after all; the figures rising from the snow around it could attest to that. As the figure drifted forward, so, too, did the creatures lurch after it, beginning their journey up the mountain, toward the ill-prepared village above. Perhaps, the puppet mused, it would acquire its perfect toy there . . .
IC - ?/? - Unova:
The city was dead. All within had fled or fell, downed by the creatures that had so suddenly and abruptly descended upon it. Fires burned swaths of destruction through the streets; Instances ripped and tore what else remained. The castle at the center of the city stood in ruins, collapsed in places and standing hollow in others. Across the ruins of the city, sirens wailed on and on, their song stretching ominously into the smoky, cloudy night, carrying on the wind and dying beyond the city limits.
The crypts were where this had all started, where the panic had emerged and spread, infesting every nook and cranny. The large stone here glowed with an ominous pulse; it illuminated the tall, skeletal, metal figure within, and the corpse that it gazed upon. As the light pulsed, once, twice, over and over, the corpse began to change, mutating from the body of a man and into something that could resembled some sort of strange, wooden bug-like puppet. The creature's eyes pulsed and it stirred.
The taller figure raised a hand above it. "You are ours now," it said, its tone flat, devoid of all emotion. "And ours, you will remain." The creature did not respond, only nodded. The humanoid turned, its heavy footfalls carrying it toward the exit. "You will come with me. We have much to do."
IC - ?/? - Kalos:
In the blink of an eye, the world had changed. Gone were the trees and the garden and the manor that had stood on this lane; in their place, reality had twisted and contorted into a labyrinth from which darkness and chaos swept out into the world. A gust of wind emerging from the center tumbled and tumbled, growing into a whirlwind that grew into a hurricane that fell upon the land, tearing and rending everything in its path. A scarecrow stood in its path. The pale fire of its lantern glowed ominously, unresponsive to the winds that should have extinguished them. The creature turned away from the pulsing light before it, continuing on its aimless trek through the home it had once known.
Beyond the labyrinth limits, a one-armed creature floated in the wind. Six eyes formed a ring around it, each directed toward a different target. The creature overlooked the sprawling lands, the woods and the rivers and the mountains. Somewhere out there, it sensed its calling, the place where it might finally fill the void in its soul. Or, at the very least, somewhere it could pretend to belong--somewhere it might take on the role of another, to play the part that they did not deserve.
It descended, transforming into a man, and in that form, it set off toward its destination.
IC - ?/? - Alola:
This city, and its people, were downtrodden. Lost. Pathetic. They deserved better. They needed better. And they were in luck; for the figures brought forth opportunity, the chance to evolve, to change. They brought the light, and all the warmth that that entailed. They emerged with the pulsing light, that glowing beacon that entranced and drew the eye, providing a halo of light behind them as the one took a place above the other. It raised its hands, white robes falling down its arms; it smiled a wide, bright smile, gazing upon those too curious to leave, and those too fearful to stay. The other stood silently by, head bowed, hands over chest. It listened, and it watched. But it hardly moved.
"My friends," the first called, its voice carrying unnaturally on the wind. "Do not be afraid; the world is changing, and the Changebringer has come with arms spread wide. Accept it, beg for its embrace, and it will provide you with the power--the salvation--the comfort and love that you have longed for."
The crowd grew before them. Above, the sky crackled with thunder and lightning.
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alku
Technician
Posts: 62
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Post by alku on Mar 8, 2020 7:15:28 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra - Park, Ecruteak City
"We won't hold back, no matter the opponent!" Evan said loudly as he sized up Symbio. "You'd best not hold back on us!" Gnip then roared at the Reuniclus and struck a predatory fighting stance, waiting for either her friend to give the command, or for her foe to make the first move.
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Post by Konuju on Mar 8, 2020 11:59:47 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Shannon Willows - Park, Ecruteak City A tense silence filled the air between Shannon and Tyranitar as they walked through the city. Shannon let her feet wander as the scene in the shop ran through her mind again and again. Tyranitar could have easily stopped the thief. He probably wouldn't have even needed to attack -- if he had been able to pull off a Mega Evolution they might have been able to peacefully convince the thief to leave.
Was she wrong to have done nothing? It wasn't like coming into possession of Tyranitar suddenly made her a hero or anything. Far from it. Ryan would have fought the thief. But she wasn't Ryan. So why did her inaction bother her?
A sudden commotion pulled her from her thoughts. Shannon looked around. They had wandered into a park -- one she had frequented as a kid. Orange maple leaves painted the ground in a brilliant hue, reflecting sunlight onto a battle up on a nearby hill. In bygone days she and her friends would have duked it out on that same hill, solving petty disagreements with lively Pokémon battles. She felt a strange nostalgia for those simpler times.
Tyranitar caught sight of the combatants and suddenly ran up the hill with an excited wave. Shannon looked on in disbelief before running after him. "Hey, get back here! They're in the middle of something! We shouldn't interfere!"
But it seemed the rock-type had grabbed the attention of the two trainers -- not surprising given that he was a big green dinosaur running full speed up the hill. By the time Shannon caught up to him, she was out of breath. Three months of lazing about indoors hadn't done any wonders for her cardio.
"S-sorry . . . about that . . ." Shannon panted, resting her hands on her knees. "I don't know what's gotten into Tyranitar today. He's usually a much better listener . . ." It was only then that Shannon looked up at the two trainers. One was a little girl, no older than twelve. The other was Evan Tierra. Shannon let out a squeak. "Evan! Sorry! W-we'll get out of your way soon!"
The younger girl and her Reuniclus looked Shannon up and down. "Is she a friend of yours, Evan?"
Before the self-proclaimed Hero of Space could respond, one of the Pokémon waiting on the sidelines let loose a sharp hiss. Shannon shrieked as a Purrloin bounded toward her, ears flattened and back arched. The dark-type pounced, sailing past Shannon and latching onto Tyranitar's arm. Tyraniter looked on incredulously as the Purrloin wrapped its front paws around his arm and then began mercilessly kicking with its hind paws.
"Chrono, no!" The girl ran forward and pulled the Purrloin off of Tyranitar. The cat continued flailing about as the girl struggled to keep her Pokémon under control. "I'm so sorry!" she called out as she wrestled the Purrloin to the ground. "Chrono can be a bit of a handful sometimes!"
". . . I can see that." Shannon wondered if she should help the girl, whose arms now bore several scratches. Before she could make up her mind, the girl's Reuniclus stepped in, holding the Purrloin aloft with its gelatinous arms. Shannon let out a sigh of relief. "Don't worry about it, I don't think Tyranitar was hurt."
The Purrloin continued to screech and flail in the psychic-type's grip. Heedless of the cat's sharp claws, the girl crossed her arms and leveled a glare at her Purrlion. "What's gotten into you, Chrono? It's not like you to just randomly attack people." The Purrloin meowed something in response.
He says he knows that Tyranitar and its trainer. Claims he was acting out of revenge.
It took Shannon a moment to realize the voice in her head was telepathy, coming no doubt from the Reuniclus. It took another moment to realize all eyes were suddenly on her. "W-wait, I think this is all just a big misunderstanding!" Shannon held up her hands and took a step away from the floating Purrloin. "I've never seen that Purrloin in my life!"
Chrono says you're not the Tyranitar's trainer.
Shannon felt her heart sink. She looked over at the unruly Tyranitar. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she admitted. "I've been taking care of him, but I'm not really a trainer. Evan, maybe you could help explain?"
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alku
Technician
Posts: 62
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Post by alku on Mar 11, 2020 4:22:16 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra and Gnip - Park, Ecruteak City
"Oh, I'll explain, but first........" Evan leveled his eyes at the Tyranitar, then Gnip. "Gnip, this Tyranitar seems like he hasn't gotten a proper workout! I can feel it! He's asking, nay, begging for a scuffle!" The man then narrowed his eyes and grinned mischieviously. "Sic 'em, girl!" At her friend's command, the Mach Pokémon rushed towards the Tyranitar, eyes gleaming with playfulness as she pounced towards him. As the two powerful Pokémon scuffled on the ground, the Plasma Agent focused on Ellen. "Anyways, Ellen, that Tyranitar belonged to Ryan Hikari."
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Post by Konuju on Mar 12, 2020 15:40:18 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Shannon Willows - Park, Ecruteak City Shannon let out a shriek as Gnip bounded toward them and tackled Tyranitar to the ground. "What are you doing?" she asked Evan. "That was uncalled for!"
Clearly you don't know Evan, Symbio said with a mental laugh.
"I don't think Tyranitar minds." Ellen looked at the two powerful Pokémon duking it out like wrestlers. "But Ryan Hikari . . . isn't that Chloe's brother?"
Symbio furrowed his gooey brow. Isn't that the guy we chased halfway across Unova? Wasn't he a criminal? What are you doing with his Tyranitar?
Shannon balked at the questions, not sure where to even start. Surely they had the wrong guy. "Criminal?"
"He was being manipulated by his father at the time." Ellen shot her Reuniclus a pointed look. "Regardless, Symbio brings up a good point. Why do you have Ryan Hikari's Tyranitar, and why does he have so much pent up energy?"
Tyranitar and Gnip paused in their scuffle, sensing the unease in the air. Shannon looked away. "He's dead."
An uncomfortable silence filled the field. Even the wind died down. Ellen stared at Shannon for a moment before lowering her eyes to the ground. "I'm sorry," she said.
Shannon shook her head. "It's fine."
She didn't look fine.
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alku
Technician
Posts: 62
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Post by alku on Mar 15, 2020 13:20:06 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra
Evan wasn't sure how to proceed with the conversation, especially considering the depressing turn it had taken, but he had to try. "So, Shannon.......what have you been up to?"
Way to go, me. Evan thought. With all the grace of a Tauros in a tea shop.
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Post by Konuju on Mar 16, 2020 15:19:00 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Shannon Willows - Park, Ecruteak City A practiced smile formed on Shannon's face. "Oh, not much. Aori and I have been living with my friend, Lauren. You've certainly been keeping busy, though." She nodded at the battlefield. "Keeping up with your training, at least. How's Jenny doing?"
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Post by Parugi on Mar 23, 2020 12:56:14 GMT -8
IC - Sonja Baron - Beach, The Alamo:
The sunlight was intense--harsher on the eye than Sonja remembered. How long had it been since she'd come topside? She wasn't sure--now that she was out of the base, it felt like it'd been ages since the last time she had come up. She made a note to remember that in the future--as well as Vertrag was able to provide the necessities for survival, it was still an artificial facility. It couldn't replace things like fresh air, the cool ocean breeze, or the warmth of the sun. Now that she thought about it, there was probably a reason why Ford and the others were all so pale--from what she had gathered, they had spent a lot of time inside of Vertrag, probably more than was healthy.
She sighed, taking in the sunlight for a moment and stretching in place. They had parked Vertrag near a rocky outcrop just north of the Alamo, in a position where it overlooked the beach. Here, the facility's entrance remained well out of sight of any random passerby, and they were close enough to the Alamo and the rest of civilization on Four Island to pop in and out as needed. It was a solid set-up. It was also a concerning one--if it was this easy for herself and the rest of Vorhut to plant themselves in Team Liberty's backyard, how easy had it been for Ford in the past? How many times had he or his followers set up camp below the foundation of Team Liberty, or Team Rocket or Plasma, with no way for anyone to know?
She shook the thought from her head. Right now, what-ifs about Ford didn't matter. For all intents and purposes, they were on the same side, and even if they weren't, Ford and Hayes were imprisoned by Team Liberty. True, Adams and McKinley remained out there somewhere--and possibly Pierce, as well--but with Vertrag having moved, she wasn't sure that they had a way to find and enter the facility anymore.
A sudden kaboom sounded, and the ground shook beneath her feet. Sonja immediately whipped a Poké Ball off of her belt and spun around, thoughts and heart racing a million miles a minute as she looked for the source of the danger. Almost as quickly as it had started, the rumbling stopped, and she became aware of someone whooping and hollering from the beach. She scrambled over the rocks and peered around the boulders, searching the area. A man in black shorts and a green jacket was hopping in the sand, cheering on the colossal form of some sort of strange, red, bug thing. She would have assumed it was some sort of Instance were it not for the creature's proud posturing and posing--clearly pleased to show off its huge muscles to anyone around. Before it lay the remains of what had once been a massive boulder, now splintered and exploded into dozens of smaller bits--several of which, larger chunks, appeared to have rocketed forward and slammed into the cliff face.
"Now THAT'S what I'm talking about, Stan!" the man shouted. "Oh, yeah, baby!"
Now that she could hear him, she recognized him immediately.
"Hey, Ethan!" she yelled, standing up from her position and shaking a fist his way. "Maybe not so loud next time!? I thought we were under attack!"
"What?" he yelled back. "Sorry! Who is--?" Ethan fumbled with something around his neck, which he then raised to his face. "Oh, hey! It's the Little Baron! Sorry, kiddo--didn't mean to wake you up from your mud bath!"
"That's not--never mind. Wait there, I'm coming down!"
It took her a couple of minutes to scale her way down. As soon as she hit sand, Sonja hurried over to meet the Rocket Agent. He grinned like a maniac, waving a friendly greeting to her--a nice gesture, especially considering they had only previously had one or two conversations together. Ethan seemed to be in incredibly good spirits, no doubt inspired by the absolute beast beside him. Now that she was closer, Sonja got a better idea of just how insanely huge this thing was--it utterly towered over her, and its arms alone were nearly as thick as tree trunks. She must have been staring in apprehension, because the next thing she knew Ethan was beside her, arms crossed and smiling up at the beast.
"Pretty impressive, yeah?" he asked. "His name's Stan. Stan, say hi." The thing didn't seem to do so. Ethan shrugged at Sonja. "We're still working on some of that basic communication. He's chill, though, don't worry."
"What exactly . . . is . . . he?"
"Ah, you know--that's a good question!" Ethan said. "Skye--you remember Skye? Fifth Child--Skye says he's something called a 'Buzzwole.' An 'Ultra Beast,' whatever that means. Apparently these bad boys caused some trouble in Alola a few years ago. They're just another kind of Pokémon, though, and they've figured out how to contain and control 'em like other Pokémon, so there's nothing to worry about!"
"So this thing's from Alola. How'd you get your hands on one?"
"It's a long story--actually not really. I was chilling at the airport a few weeks back and this sciency-looking guy dropped his Poké Ball. I haven't been able to figure out how to find the guy, so I've just been keeping an eye on Stan here instead!"
"Have you . . . tried Alola?"
"Nope."
"I--that might be a good place to start."
"And you'd be right!" Ethan said, punching Sonja's shoulder. "But I'm already planning on going with Skye and Gavin not too long from now, so I figure I'll just wait for them and sort it out when we get there."
Sonja rubbed her shoulder. "I guess that's fair," she said. "Just as long as you don't demolish the island in the meantime . . ."
"I wouldn't dream of it!" Ethan said. "Anyway, that's what I've been up to. How've you been? You guys ever get that stuff sorted out with Ford's friends?"
"We did," she said. "We're still waiting to see how that all is going to pan out, but we made contact with the person Ford directed us to. And we also had some contact with some others . . ."
"Team Flare?" Sonja nodded. "Yeah, those guys are jerks. Surprised they're still kicking after all this time, if I'm being honest. Still, sounds like they're on the run again--I heard some members of the Kalos government managed to drive 'em out after their coup."
"So I've heard." Silently, Sonja debated whether to tell Ethan about Adams. For the moment, she opted not to. "So you're just here training?"
"Yup."
"Well, hey," Sonja said. "I actually came around here to do that, too. Maybe we could have a match, if you're up for it?"
"Sure!" Ethan looked to Stan. "You wanna try this guy or are you thinking something smaller?"
"I mean, I have a couple that might be able to take him," Sonja said. "But really, I'm looking to get some practice for my lower-leveled Pokémon, so if you have any--"
"Say no more!" Ethan held up the Poké Balls containing his Joltik and Combee. "I've got just the pair right here!"
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alku
Technician
Posts: 62
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Post by alku on Mar 23, 2020 15:30:29 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra - Park, Ecruteak City
Seeing the conversation -sort of- go back to being relaxed, Gnip continued her attack on the Tyranitar, roaring as she did so. Smiling sheepishly at the and Shannon's question, Evan thought of how to put it. "She's doing well, though she really hasn't slowed down on her training either." The Plasma Agent said, chuckling a bit. "Ellen and I decided that we should see just how tough she's gotten. On that note..." Evan focused on Symbio. "Go on, join Gnip and that Tyranitar! I'm certain you wanna join in, no?"
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Post by Konuju on Mar 25, 2020 16:20:15 GMT -8
IC: Ellen Burks/Shannon Willows - Park, Ecruteak City A dragon and a dark-type, Symbio mused. Think we're up to the challenge, Ellen?
Ellen turned her attention from Shannon to the two powerful Pokémon wrestling on the ground. "Well, there's only one way to find out. Give them a Signal Beam!" Upon hearing the command to attack, Chrono tried once again to squirm his way out of Ellen's grasp. "Not you, Chrono! This isn't the time for revenge!"
"H-hey, wait!" Shannon cried as the Reuniclus send a bright beam of light toward the combatants. "When did we get dragged into your fight? Tyranitar, I think we should let them get back to their--"
As soon as the Signal Beam struck, Tyranitar jerked his head toward his new foe. With astonishing speed the armored lizard closed the gap between them, opened his maw, and Crunched down on Symbio's arm.
Owowowowow! Symbio cried as he flailed about. HE'S GOING TO EAT ME!
"Tyranitar!" Shannon gasped in shock.
While Ellen felt bad for Shannon's dismay, she couldn't help but giggle at Symbio's obvious melodrama. "It's alright, he's not really hurt," she assured Shannon.
That's easy for you to say, Symbio retorted. Your arm's not trapped in old Lockjaw's mouth!
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