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Post by Magical Girl Mimi on Feb 5, 2022 18:57:09 GMT -8
-==IC: Ray Hakuda/Jenny Hakuda - Medical Bay, Vertrag==-
Not long after the call from Shannon, Jenny showed up with a frantic look on her face. "What happened?!" She asked as soon as she approached. "You disappear for months, and then show up half dead?"
With a groan, Ray opened his eyes and looked at Jenny with a sheepish smile. "Nice... to see you too, sis..."
"Don't you give me that." The Plasma agent gave her sibling an unimpressed look for a moment and then turned toward Shannon. "Well, if his demeanor is any indication, he's at least not doing that bad." She turned back with a worried look afterward. "That said, seriously, what happened?"
"A couple things." Ray said as he looked up at the ceiling again. "First of all, some weird people in suits that used weird powers showed up and tried to attack me. I defended myself with my Pokémon and they vanished, but then afterward I was trying to follow up a lead on something I was researching and well... ended up like this."
"What attacked you, then?"
Ray stayed quiet as he closed his eyes. "I didn't really get a good look at them, but possibly the exact person I was trying to track down in the first place."
-==IC: Chloe Hikari - Village Bridge, Unova==-
After a few close calls in avoiding turning the wrong way, Chloe managed to get to Village Bridge not too long after Kyle and Levi got back. In fact, it was managing to spot the two that saved Chloe from wandering halfway across the village to the wrong house. With a grin, the girl sped toward them. As she approached, she hopped off of Luxray and returned Luxray to her PokéBall. "Yo! I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
OOC: [awkwardly shuffles]
-==IC: Lucia Zyther - Librarby, Vertrag==-
"Heh, I can't deny that; powers being back has definitely been a really good turn, all things considered." Lucia smiled as she relaxed a little bit. "And you're right, we're nearly all reunited... hopefully that doesn't take too long to happen, but also we have a lot of strong help we can call upon that we might not have really... thought about before."
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Post by Konuju on Feb 17, 2022 21:26:32 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Shannon Willows - Medical Bay, Vertrag "People in suits," Shannon repeated. "Sounds like everyone got attacked by them today. We encountered them in Ecruteak and they pulled a similar vanishing act."
At that moment, Ryan came through the door and rushed to Ray's side. "I thought I heard a commotion in here. Ray? What happened?" Shannon quickly filled him in. "People in suits," Ryan mused, cracking a small smile. "I take it you're not talking about those Team Flare weirdos. But then who exactly were you tracking? And why?"
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Post by Parugi on Feb 22, 2022 17:40:33 GMT -8
IC - Madison Hayes - Medical Bay, Vertrag:
As the others gathered around Ray to discuss the events of the day, Hayes stood off by the doorway, arms crossed. After some time she turned, stepping into the hallway. "If you still decide you want to leave once you're done here, then let me know," she called to Shannon. "Until then, I'm going to rest."
IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner/Skye Hall - Library, Vertrag:
"Ooh, you hiding a secret weapon you haven't told us about?" Ethan asked, resting his hands behind his head and grinning. "Or do you just refer to the unstoppable force of twenty or so ragtag misfits all coming back together under a united banner?"
IC - Kyle Eston/Levi Alaric/Will Moreno - Burks House, Village Bridge:
"Chloe!" Kyle couldn't help but give his fellow trainer a relieved hug. "I'm just happy to see you. We were out catching a Pokémon for Levi." The younger kid looked away bashfully. "We're pretty much ready to go, though--let's head back to Ellen's, pick up Will, and then we can head out."
It was not a long trip back, nor did it take long to gather their belongings and get Will ready. To Kyle's surprise, his Pokétch had been able to get repaired a bit quicker than anticipated. It was not fully functional, but certainly in good enough shape that he could finish repairs once they met up with everyone else. At last the group gathered outside of the Burks' house. Kyle did a quick head count, and then nodded to Chloe. Finally he approached Anna and Paul, bowing his head respectfully.
"I can't thank you both enough for taking us in when we needed it," he said. "If there's anything I can do to repay you, please let me know."
IC - Executive Danielle Ladon - VIP Cell Block, The Alamo:
"Amanda Zarth . . . Okay," Ladon said, writing the name down. "I'd have to review that information for specifics. I can tell you that he was examined by Liberty's head coroner himself, Declan Strode."
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Post by Magical Girl Mimi on Apr 9, 2022 18:59:16 GMT -8
-==IC: Ray Hakuda - Medical Bay, Vertrag==-
Ray fell quiet as people pretty obviously didn't take the vague answer with just leaving it alone. "It turns out that my father is still alive." There was a brief moment of uneasiness between the two siblings, before Jenny nodded to confirm this.
"I remember something about this being mentioned back when we were all gathered after the Ford stuff - I can't quite remember the specifics, but both mom and dad are alive, right? Even though they seemed to be dead for so many years, right?" As Jenny questioned this, Ray simply nodded. "That's a good thing... right?"
"Apparently not." Ray wore an uneasy look on his face as he replied. "Word's gotten around that someone with his description has been targeting certain people. Apparently Chloe's family has been targeted as well, though her... adoptive mother?" Ray paused as he said that, arms crossed. "I need to ask Chloe what's up with all that again later, her family is just weird."
"Don't forget that time that there's still a lot of confusion regarding families..." Jenny sighed, then shook her head. "Anyway, go on?"
"Right." The anticipation could be felt in the air - particularly from Jenny - as the orange-haired trainer continued. "So I heard mention of him being sighted in western Hoenn, so I thought I'd check out the rumours while looking to see how Hoenn has been doing in all of this. The answer to both seems to be bad, considering those suit people and then me being jumped not long afterward. If the timing had been even just a bit worse, I might not be here right now in one way or another." Ray shuffled awkwardly, wincing a bit at the wounds. "But... the more I think about it, the more I think it looked like my father."
-==IC: Lucia Zyther - Library, Vertrag==-
"The latter. Though at this point, I wish I had some kind of secret weapon honestly." Lucia replied with an equal grin, Ethan's mood slowly becoming more infectious.
-==IC: Chloe Hikari - Village Bridge==-
Chloe smiled from the side as she watched the conversation play out. As she waited, a thought crossed her mind as she decided to turn her attention away from the rest of the group, and looked out over the village instead. It might not have been the best view, but she was awed by both the aesthetics of the surroundings and how serene things seemed even with the end of the world seemingly around the corner.
One day, I need to come back here and actually spend time looking around. Maybe I should travel the world too - see the rest of the sights the world has to offer...
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Post by Konuju on Apr 24, 2022 6:13:54 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Shannon Willows - Medical Bay, Vertrag "So your father's alive and going on some sort of killing spree?" Shannon raised an eyebrow. "Makes my parents look like saints."
"And he's operating out of western Hoenn?" Ryan said grimly. For not the first time the Liberty Agent wished that Vertrag's processing capabilities weren't already tied up. The idea of a series of murders in his home region was hard to swallow, but he knew it couldn't distract them from their vital mission. "Unfortunately, we've got bigger Corphish to fry. Rocket and Liberty are working together, trying to re-recruit Legendary Pokémon for the battle against Missing Zero. We're headed to Alola in the morning."
If Ray was surprised by this turn of events, Ryan gave him no chance to protest.
"But you, my friend, are in no state to go back out on your little crusade against your father right now. Frankly, you shouldn't have been tracking him alone, if he's really as dangerous as you say." Ryan took a breath, then continued in a gentler tone. "We'll look into this stuff with your father soon, I promise. But next time, bring one of us along, or at least let us know where you're going. This lone agent thing is going to get you killed one day. In the meantime, looks like you're stuck with us. Hope you brought a surfboard."
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Post by Magical Girl Mimi on Apr 24, 2022 15:14:13 GMT -8
-==IC: Ray Hakuda - Medical Bay, Vertrag==-
Ray groaned. "Hey, in my defense I did have someone helping me; it just happened to be right after we parted ways for the moment that this happened. But point taken." There was a brief moment of pause as he considered the rest of the stuff that Ryan said. "Can't say I ever got a surfboard, so someone might have to share one of the times, if I get in the water." Ray grinned ever so slightly as he tried to not continue this conversation further - Ryan was right, if things were this dire with the rest of the Missing Zero situation, then they really couldn't afford to wait any longer.
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Post by Konuju on Apr 24, 2022 16:14:24 GMT -8
IC: Paul Burks/Anna Burks - Burks Household, Village Bridge “It was our pleasure, Kyle.” Paul shook the Liberty Agent’s hand. “We’re happy to help. Have a safe journey. Don’t hesitate to reach out any time.”
“Say hi to Ellen for us,” Anna said, fighting back tears. “She already knows, but remind her how proud we are of her.”
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alku
Technician
Posts: 63
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Post by alku on Apr 25, 2022 4:44:37 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra
Evan chuckled. "How am I doing?" The man said. "A far cry from my former self, but in the best way. Made quite a few mistakes, but otherwise I am all right, I guess?" As he spoke, Evan could feel Gnip's Poké Ball shaking, as if she wanted to come out. "I suppose it'd be ok to do that... Evan thought as he drew out the Dragon-Type's Poké Ball. "Seems Gnip wants to say hi as well."
Evan gently tossed the capsule out, and out came the Garchomp that faithfully worked alongside the Hero of Space, tail wagging happily. However, her look wasn't just that of happiness, but that of excitement, as if she wanted to show Sonja something. "Seems Gnip missed you as well, Sonja." The Plasma Agent said, smiling as he figured out what it was she wanted. "Before we talk about your sister....it seems I owe Gnip a workout -and- I need to humor a request of hers."
The Shooting Star Dragon wagged her tail even more so, and gave Sonja the Lillipup eyes she was known for. She wanted to show this friend the cool thing her master granted her. Not just that, but she also knew that, despite everything, her master was better at communicating his feelings on the battlefield.
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Post by minun4 on Apr 25, 2022 21:39:44 GMT -8
IC: James Arthur - Cell Block
James nodded at the response. It was the answer he expected. Who else to use than Liberty’s head coroner to do the autopsy. And as an accomplice, it would be too risky to use someone other than the medical examiner who performed the autopsy to falsify a cause of death. All one would have to do is ask the coroner “Hey does this look right?” and your conspiracy falls around you.
Outright accusation wouldn’t be prudent. James didn’t know the full extent of the crime. Strode could be a member of the conspiracy. But he could also be a victim, pressured into covering up some inconvenient tiny details that were masked by the very genuine and certainly near-fatal wounds that Goldhawk actually received.
If I were free… James thought. But he put a cap in that thought. It was pointless.
James had to silently confess a lack of knowledge on autopsies. He didn’t know for sure whether Goldhawk’s body hadn't been cremated, let alone be in good enough condition to have another autopsy done on it. He wasn’t even sure if his theory was right. He wasn’t quite sure how to tackle this problem.
Common wisdom held that the more people you bring into a secret, the more likely it is for that secret to get out. However, if even one noticed something wrong and made a stink, that would blow open the secret as one. Their superior however could possibly pressure them into not going against the official narrative. Asking outside of Team Liberty was out of the question. If there really was foul play with Goldhawk’s death, they absolutely could not let it leak. And looking into Strode’s affairs for irregular behavior still required his opponents to have made a mistake. His credibility with Ladon was tenuous at best already. He couldn't afford to send her down the wrong path.
Nothing left for it then, he was in too deep, time to bring out the big guns.
“Once you have checked those particulars, I am certain Celebi would be willing to give you a hand in verifying that information. If you ask her nicely, that is. Tell her I sent you. That would probably help.”
Probably.
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Post by Parugi on Apr 25, 2022 21:57:53 GMT -8
IC - Executive Danielle Ladon - VIP Cell Block, The Alamo:
That suggestion seemed to catch Ladon off-guard, prompting a notable pause as she approached the door. Though she quickly masked the look of surprise that crossed her face, it took her a moment longer to respond. "I suppose a time traveler would be a rather useful means of finding out the truth, wouldn't it?" she said. "I'll be back once I've landed on something worth further discussion. In the meantime, keep your head down--you never know who might be after it."
With that she stepped out, allowing the gate to close behind her again and disappeared back down the hall.
IC - Kyle Eston/Levi Alaric/Will Moreno - Burks House, Village Bridge:
"You can count on me to pass it on," Kyle said. He released Paul's hand and stepped away, beginning to walk back toward the group. "Good luck with everything around here--and stay safe!"
As the four moved away to make room for their looming teleportation, Levi and Will waved their good-byes to the Burks. Kyle gave another nod to Chloe and with a final wave and a smile, they were gone.
IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner/Skye Hall - Library, Vertrag:
"Eh, oh well." Ethan shrugged. "I'm sure we'll figure something out. Maybe there's some uber-powerful Legendary Pokémon just waiting for us to come and ask it for help before it makes this all go away."
"I admire your optimistic creativity," Skye said. She looked at her watch. "It's getting pretty late. You guys wanna call it and get some sleep, or should we keep up the shindig for a few more hours? Maybe see if this place has got any alcohol?"
"Skye," Ethan said, his tone one of mock indignation. "I did not take you for a partier."
The younger trainer rubbed the back of her head, glancing away in embarrassment. "I mean, might as well take advantage of the opportunity while we've got it, right?"
IC - Sonja Baron - Beach, Four Island:
As late as it was getting, it was hard to say 'no' to that look. "Alright," Sonja said, smiling in spite of herself. "I've got time for one quick battle. Though you're going to have to excuse me if I seem a little out of practice."
She pulled out Atum's Poké Ball, releasing the Rhydon. He had still not quite gotten used to the evolved body he had gained in the preceding months, but as he stretched his arms and drove fist into palm, he noted that a battle against Gnip would be good exercise. Atum looked to his trainer and gave a small nod, which she returned before walking backward several steps to make room for their coming battle.
"Ready when you are!"
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alku
Technician
Posts: 63
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Post by alku on Apr 26, 2022 4:13:05 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra
Evan smiled at Sonja's acceptance of his and Gnip's challenge, but then saw Gnip looking at him expectantly. "Well, shoot girl, I guess you just can't wait to show her, huh?" The Plasma Agent questioned warmly. "Well, Sonja, while I've been away...Gnip kinda gained a new power. One that she wants me to show you now!"
Evan struck one of his trademark dynamic poses and shouted. "Gnip, Mega Evolution!" At the command and pose, the Garchomp's eyes gleamed ominously as she roared to the heavens. A purple shell formed around her for a few seconds, before shattering, revealing a far more bestial and grim-looking Garchomp, who roared at the Rhydon. However, the roar wasn't meant to intimidate him, it was meant to say...
"Your turn!"
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Post by Parugi on Apr 26, 2022 22:59:22 GMT -8
IC - Sonja Baron (Atum) - Beach, Four Island:
Even now, Sonja wasn't used to the brilliant light that accompanied Mega Evolution. It was bright enough in the day, but the night served to make the phenomenon even more brilliant--a rainbow explosion that briefly illuminated everything around it. It was enough to push the persistent red glow on the horizon out of her mind, that was for sure.
"Can't say we've had the same luck quite yet. But we're gonna give this a fair shot regardless, aren't we, Atum?" The Rhydon huffed in response, bellowing out his own challenge in response. Sonja smiled. "That's what I thought. Let's get this going, then! Atum, Drill Run!"
The Rhydon charged forward, quickly dropping down into a full-tilt charge on all fours as the horn on his snout whirled rapidly. With each step he watched Gnip. While he was unfamiliar with the power of a Mega Garchomp--though he could guess how nasty those scythes might be--he knew there still had to be an opening in her stance somewhere, and he completely intended to exploit it.
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Post by Magical Girl Mimi on Apr 27, 2022 22:19:11 GMT -8
-==IC: Lucia Zyther - Library, Vertrag==-
"Honestly, I feel like Skye has a good idea here. Let's go check that out, maybe we'll find something to take our minds off things even for one night."
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Post by Konuju on May 1, 2022 7:06:04 GMT -8
IC: Shannon Willows – Streets, Ecruteak City A flash of light lit up a dark, empty street in Ecruteak, psychic energy creating a small windstorm as two women fizzled into existence. The two exchanged a few words. Then another flash, another windstorm, and suddenly there was only one woman left standing in the street.
Shannon looked around, pulling her coat closer around her. Hayes had teleported her to a central area of Ecruteak, but it was still a fair walk to Lauren's apartment. Ray's sudden appearance had delayed their departure, and by now it was well after midnight. Almost on instinct, she grabbed Ryan's Tyranitar's Pokéball and summoned the massive green lizard.
"Stay close to me," Shannon muttered, hugging the Tyranitar's arm as she continued to peer into the dark alleys around them.
Her eyes finally came to rest on the famous Ecruteak skyline before them. On the horizon to the left, barely visible over the nearby rooftops, stood the remains of the Burned Tower. Left in its desolate state for centuries, the tower served as a reminder of the people's past sins and neglect. It was as somber as it was dangerous, and Shannon could remember more than a few city petitions to just demolish the tower completely and rebuild it; but the argument for historical preservation – or some nonsense about appeasing the spirits of the Legendary Pokémon that had died there – always won out, so the tower remained a blackened and twisted tribute to the past.
To the right, in stark contrast to its neighbor, stood the magnificent Bell Tower. Standing an impressive ten stories above the ground, it was visible from almost any point in the city. Though it had been damaged on numerous occasions, the townsfolk always rushed to rebuild it. It stood as a symbol of hope and a testament to all that the people of Ecruteak had overcome.
Setting her sights on the Bell Tower, placing the Burned Tower behind her, Shannon and Tyranitar turned to the right and began the journey to Laurent's apartment. Leaves crunched beneath their feet as they walked, and spooky decorations greeted them at various street corners, but the journey was otherwise uneventful.
The girl took a deep breath as she reached the door to Lauren's apartment. With any luck, both Lauren and Aori would be fast asleep, and she could slip into bed unnoticed. Pulling out the key Lauren had given her, she fiddled with the lock, and slowly pushed the door open.
CREEEEEEAK!
Shannon winced as the sound split the night. The creaking door woke a few Houndour in nearby apartment units that began incessantly barking. Cursing under her breath, Shannon quickly ushered Tyranitar inside and closed the door, producing another earsplitting creak.
Suddenly a blast of water with the pressure of a fire hydrant pinned her against the door. Shannon shrieked in surprise, prompting Tyranitar to issue a low growl directed at the attacker. A light flipped on.
"Shannon?" Lauren stood in her nightgown next to her Poliwhirl, Irene. Her look of surprise quickly hardened. "You've got some nerve coming back here."
Shannon, now dripping wet, felt her heart sink. "Lauren, I—"
"No," her friend said firmly. "There's no excuse for what you did. You can't just promise Aori you'll go trick-or-treating and then disappear to Arceus knows where without so much as an 'I'm sorry.' Do you have any idea what you put that poor girl through? What you put me through? What the hell were you thinking?!"
All of the guilt Shannon was currently feeling suddenly doubled at the weight of Lauren's accusations. She knew there was no excuse for leaving, for missing Halloween. "I'm sorry . . ." she said feebly.
"Oh, now you're sorry?" Lauren rolled her eyes. "We're a long way past 'sorry,' Shannon. For months I've let you and Aori stay here, to try and help you get back on your feet, because that's what friends do. And what have you done in that time? Absolutely nothing! Not even one attempt to get yourself a job like you said you would. Aori's practically been on her own. Poor kid lost her parents, and now she's all but lost you. I get that you're devastated at what happened to your boyfriend, but you also agreed to look out for Aori. That means you can't just go off and do whatever you like for a couple days without telling anyone. Poor Aori was in tears. I had to miss my own Halloween party, with my friends – one I was really looking forward to, by the way – to take Aori trick-or-treating because you weren't there to follow through on your promise!"
"I know," Shannon said weakly. "You see, Ellen was attacked by these people in strange power suits, and I kind of got caught up in the battle, then everyone teleported over to Four Island for safety . . ." Even as she tried to explain what had happened, she knew her words were falling on unsympathetic ears. Lauren had always been the kindest of their group of friends, quiet and timid. It was strange and a bit frightening to see her so angry.
"And you didn't even think to ask to stay behind?" she asked. "That maybe, just maybe, you should be here with Aori instead of traipsing around the world with your boyfriend's old pals? I'm sorry, but you and Aori are going to have to move out. I have a life too, you know. And I can't just put mine on hold while you try and figure yours out!"
"Please!" Shannon cried through her tears. "I've been a horrible friend and a real wreck these past few months. But I'm ready to change that now. That's why I came back. Ryan's friends have a responsibility to save the world, but I have a responsibility to Aori. I'll get a job. I'll pay you back for the months we've lived here."
Lauren shook her head sadly. "I’m sorry, Shannon, but I just can't afford to let you stay here any longer. Money was tight before you and Aori came along. You'll have to find someplace else."
"Just give me a chance!" Shannon pleaded.
"I did," Lauren said flatly.
"Why is everybody yelling?" Aori stepped out of the spare bedroom, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She blinked. "Willows-san? Is that you?"
Still dripping wet from Irene's Water Gun, Shannon raced across the room and pulled Aori into her arms. "Yes, Aori, it's me. I'm so sorry for missing Halloween, but I'll make it up to you." Through the embrace, she looked up at Lauren, a pleading look in her eyes. "I promise."
Seemingly against her will, Lauren's expression softened. "Aori, Shannon-chan's had a very late night. You and I did too, didn't we? Let's all get to bed, and we can talk more in the morning." As Lauren ushered Aori back into the spare room, she looked back at Shannon. "I'll give you one week to find a job and start paying rent," she said under her breath. "After that, you're on your own."
Shannon smiled softly. "Thank you, Lauren. I won't let you down."
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Post by Parugi on Jun 6, 2022 17:52:19 GMT -8
IC - Evan Tierra/Sonja Baron - Beach, Four Island:
“Gnip, let’s start off with an Iron Head!” Evan said, with a flourish. With a roar, she too charged towards her foe, head shimmering with light as she attempted to slam it into Atum.
As Gnip bore down on him, Atum knew he was only going to have a moment to try to gain some footing in this match-up. Unfortunately, that was truly all he could hope for here. It spoke to the immense power of Gnip’s Mega Evolution--as well as the gap in experience between the two Pokémon--that a single hit from her was enough to knock the air out of Atum’s lungs. The type disadvantage between the Rhydon and the Steel-Type attack did not help matters.
Still, he was in as good of a position as any: He had managed to come in from below to wrap his forearms around Gnip’s midsection. With a roar and a heave, he channeled an Ancient Power attack, attempting to flip the Mega Garchomp over and slam her into the ground in a makeshift sort of Seismic Toss.
Evan grinned as he saw what was transpiring. “Now Gnip, I know you are better than that…so how about a Draco Meteor to shake things up?” As soon as she heard the move name, Gnip unleashed a sky-splitting hymn of a roar, unleashing meteors of Dragon-Type energy from on high, aimed for herself and Atum.
As the first of the draconic meteors exploded about a yard away from them, bathing the two Pokémon in burning energy, Atum clung tighter to Gnip’s midsection. His attack had had the benefit of effectively leaving him on the ground with the Garchomp on top of him. The meteors continued to strike, kicking up dirt and sand, and Atum swept his tail back and forth into the ground to try and dig out a little alcove. It wouldn’t shield him completely from the attack, but he could certainly use Gnip as cover to avoid the worst of it.
“Very clever of your Rhydon to do what he’s doing…but Mega Evolution isn’t the only trick this Growlithe’s learned! Hope you're ready!” Evan said as he brandished a most unusual bracelet with a brown crystal affixed to it. Striking one of his signature poses, the Plasma Agent spun around for one rotation, before setting his right hand to the ground.
“WITNESS OUR COMBINED MIGHT, AS CHANNELED BY Z-POWER! TECTONIC RAGE!”
As he did so, Gnip was surrounded by a yellow aura, which started to glow furiously. The power felt euphoric to the already-powerful Mega Garchomp, who could only let loose her joy through paeans of earth-rending roaring. There would be no escape from this most powerful attack, given how close her foe was to the ground. However, Gnip would make sure to try and tone this attack down, so as to not hurt Atum too badly.
“Tectonic what?” Sonja barely got the question out before the ground beneath her began to shake violently in a superpowered earthquake. Unfortunately, it was true--Atum was stuck and forced to bear the full force of the attack, feeling the ground underneath himself crack and slam rapidly into his back like a malfunctioning massage chair.
As the Garchomp rose to her feet, the Rhydon remained lying on his back partway into the ground, groaning in pain. It was safe to say that Gnip outmatched him by a wide margin, and though he could bear some relief in knowing that the Draco Meteor attack had done some heavy damage to her, Atum was nonetheless down for the count.
The two trainers watched as he reached up and literally tapped out.
Sonja sighed. “Well, can’t say that result was particularly surprising. Good work, Atum; Evan, Gnip, congratulations on your win,” she said, moving forward and pulling a snack out to feed to her Pokémon. She looked over at Gnip. “Mega Evolution and Z-Moves, huh? Maybe we’ve got a shot after all.”
As if on cue, Gnip’s new forme disappeared in a flash of rainbow light. She tromped over to where Atum laid, and gave an approving bark out to the Rhydon, as if praising him for putting up such a good fight. Meanwhile, Evan was struck by a sudden bout of dizziness, and felt a little worn out. “Yeah, we may stand a chance…but right now I feel like I can barely stand!” The Plasma Agent said, chuckling a bit at his lame little joke. “Thank you for indulging us with our admittedly selfish request, Sonja. I think…it was better than talking, if I may be honest.”
Evan’s expression turned serious. “I wanted to show that I intend to bring all I have to fight this threat. Too many times, I’ve had to see good people get hurt and those who would hurt them get away with it. No more games.”
Sonja smiled. “Well, you definitely showed,” she said. “Admittedly battling isn’t my strong suit, but I know it’s like your second language and I think I read you loud and clear. I know I don’t say it a lot, but you’ve done a lot of good in the face of everything we’ve faced in the past, and I’m glad to know we’ll have you beside us when we get into this next thing.” With a teasing smile, she punched his shoulder. “Maybe next time you can go a little easier on us, though—my team aren’t as tough as a lot of what we’re probably going to face from Missing Zero. Once the world isn’t in danger, anyway. Maybe we’ll be tougher then.”
Evan grinned. “Maybe next time, Sonja!” The man said as he returned Gnip to her Poké Ball. “The Missing Zero will be quite a formidable foe. We’ll have to have our wits about us. However, I think we can go as far as we desire!”
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Post by Parugi on Jun 10, 2022 18:41:07 GMT -8
IC - Vertrag:
With over twenty individuals residing in Vertrag, Ford’s base of operations had never been livelier. It was fortunate that the very nature of the facility made it so malleable, otherwise the many bodies gathered in the Command Center might have been more uncomfortably squeezed in than they needed to be.
Unsurprisingly, there was quite a bit of chatter amongst the less-familiar arrivals about their current project: Relocating Vertrag from Four Island to Alola. While a number of the gathered agents had witnessed the process, others (namely Gavin) were skeptical about how the process could possibly work the way it had been described. And so they watched as Ford and Hayes, the two most familiar with Vertrag’s systems, worked within the central console to map out their destination, the spectral form of their Jirachi pseudo-AI hovering nearby.
Ethan watched their work with a mixture of childlike excitement and simultaneous boredom from the process taking so long. He was standing behind a safety rail, leaning forward on his elbows with his chin resting in his hands. “Sooo, maybe someone went over this while I wasn’t around,” Ethan said. “Where exactly are we going? Alola’s pretty big and there are four different islands to choose from. Five if you count the Aether Foundation.”
“We are not moving Vertrag into Aether Paradise,” Hayes said. Ethan couldn’t see her face, but her tone betrayed her eye roll at the idea. “Even if it wasn’t a prime strategic target, there’s no way that would work for us without getting caught by security as soon as we step outside.”
“Spoken truly,” Ford said as he input several commands into his console. “As for the islands proper, Poni Island is out of the question--current spread maps indicate that they are experiencing the brunt of Missing Zero’s attack. Likewise, Instance numbers appear to be growing on both Akala Island and Ula’Ula Island despite the lack of direct landfall by Missing Zero.”
He pointed to a map of the remaining island. “That leaves Melemele Island, which is as close as we’re going to get to having a centralized location. We’ll establish operations at the northern base of Ten Carat Hill—-close enough to the island’s major sites as well as Aether Paradise to limit travel times for our contact lines, far enough off the beaten path to avoid unwanted attention, and with the benefit of both the mountain and the natural formations within the Melemele Sea as additional defenses.”
“Seems sound enough,” Sonja said. “So what’s our first step once we arrive?”
“That’s a relatively simple answer,” Ford said. “We’ll need a group to head to Aether Paradise to appraise the situation. As Blackskull indicated in his conference, the Foundation and the Kahuna council will have the best base of knowledge insofar as what it will take to locate and organize Alola’s Legendary Pokémon. From there we can determine how we will split up and search them out.”
“There might be another avenue we can pursue, too,” Skye said. She sounded hesitant to even speak, but ultimately looked resigned to the situation. “Ethan came into possession of an Ultra Beast. If they’re still being studied here, we might be able to get more to help . . . even if they are dangerous. In fact I think Professor Kukui’s lab isn’t too far from Ten Carat Hill-—he might know something about where Ethan’s Buzzwole came from.”
“Maybe another group could head into one of the nearby towns and see what kind of information we can turn up,” Gavin added, arm folded across his chest. “You never know, someone might have some useful insight that we wouldn’t be able to get from Aether or the authorities in the region.”
“Those all sound like good starting points,” Ford said. “Madison and I will remain here to monitor and direct our activities; unfortunately without our Pokémon we are both limited in what we can do to help directly.”
Hayes stopped in her tracks, whipping around toward him. “Did you forget I’m a psychic?”
“No, and I also haven’t forgotten that the two of us were both miraculously freed from Team Liberty’s prison hardly a day ago,” Ford said, sparing only a brief glance up from his work. “Public appearances won’t do us any favors, not this soon after our escape. Your powers may be useful, but they do not make you immune; right now your presence would be an unnecessary risk outside of Vertrag’s walls.”
Though she did not respond, Hayes’s frustration was obvious as she turned back to her work. Without another word, Ford turned to Vertrag and nodded.
Initiating facility relocation. Destination: Melemele Island, Alola.
As the group watched, the Jirachi’s eyes glowed. Thin lines of energy snaked outward from the base of the central command console, branching off throughout the entire facility. There was no real indication that any movement was occurring, just the visual spectacle as time and space warped around Vertrag. After a moment, the lines faded and the glow disappeared from the Jirachi’s eyes.
Relocation complete.
“Excellent,” Ford said. “Now, time is of the essence. Unless anyone has other thoughts to share, I suggest we begin our search.”
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Post by Konuju on Jun 11, 2022 16:58:11 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Ellen Burks – Ferry to Aether Paradise, Alola The Alolan sun shone brightly as flecks of salted sea sprinkled Ryan's face. The ferry sped across the waves as they left Melemele Island behind them.
The sun was similarly bright when they had left the dark confines of Vertrag at Ten Carat Hill. A small trek had led them to the Hau'oli outskirts where the group split into two. One group headed toward the famed Professor Kukui's Lab, while Ryan's group made their way into the city proper to find passage to Aether Paradise. The lively city looked like it was lifted right out of an Alolan postcard. Crystal blue waters lapped against the beach while the streets were lined with vendors and shops selling all sorts of wares, from traditional island clothing to strange souvenirs to fresh malasadas.
The Rocket and Liberty groups assigned to Alola as part of the new Operation R.A.L.L.Y. had not yet arrived – they were no doubt leaving Four Island by plane that morning – but Vertrag had informed them that both Rocket and Liberty planned to set up makeshift bases along a couple city blocks of unused office space.
But Ryan was more concerned with finding a ferry that would take them to Aether Paradise. The ferry terminal looked like it could fit many more people than it currently did; Ryan figured the Missing Zero's presence in the region had caused a major blow to island tourism. Thankfully the ferries were still up and running, and the group was able to purchase tickets for Aether Paradise without much hassle.
The wait for the ferry offered a small amount of time for the group to explore Hau'oli, but Ryan chose to stay at the terminal. He had bided his time in relative silence, slowly spinning Quil's Pokéball in his hand as he reflected on the past few months.
He remained in a similar state of reflection when they boarded the ferry, until Ellen came up to talk with him. "It kind of reminds me of the old days," she said, sitting down next to him near the edge of the ferry. Her words contained none of their usual cheerfulness, nor did they contain the melancholy tone that she had taken on after the incident at Two Island. Instead, the statement was marked with a poignant nostalgia. "Traveling in a big group around the region, trying to save the world. Just like we did in Unova."
Ryan turned to smile at the girl and was stricken by how much older she looked. And it wasn't just the Reuniclus floating by her side, now fully evolved. It was hard to believe it had been just under a year since their adventures in Unova, but Ellen was no longer the little girl he'd met in Accumula Town. "The stakes are much higher now," he said solemnly. "In Unova we were just fighting to protect that region. Now the whole world – everyone and everything we know and love – is at stake. But it's good to be traveling with you again, Ellen. Maybe when this is all over we can travel through these regions in peace. Not on some mission, but just to enjoy the nature and culture each region has to offer."
It was Ellen's turn to smile – a sight Ryan hadn't seen in a long time. "I'd like that," she said. "A big vacation across the world with all our friends. That sounds really nice."
I hate to interrupt such a nice moment, Symbio said, pointing an arm toward the front of the ferry. But is that this Aether Paradise we're heading to?
Ryan stood up, and his jaw instantly dropped. Even after erything he had been told about the Aether Paradise, nothing could have prepared him for seeing it in person. The structure was absolutely massive, like an entire resort floating in the middle of the sea. Ryan found it hard to believe that something that looked roughly the size of Hoenn's Battle Frontier could be entirely manmade.
"I feel like someone just dropped Castelia City in the middle of the ocean!" Ellen cried, craning her neck to look up at the top of the structure. A shadow fell over them as they drew closer, the artificial island's massive towers blotting out the sun. "Did people really build all of this? It must have taken them forever!"
The ferry brought them through what Ryan would have called a tunnel had this been a natural structure. Perhaps a giant doorway would have been a more accurate description. A little ways past the doorway, the waters lapped at some metallic-looking docks, where the group disembarked.
An Aether employee immediately greeted them. "Alola! Welcome to Aether Paradise!" he said with a smile. "How may I help you today?"
"Alola," Ryan responded awkwardly, still unused to the island greeting. He glanced back at the group before answering. "We're here to help in the battle against the Missing Zero. We were told the Aether Foundation and the Kahuna Council could give us a better idea of the situation here in Alola."
IC: Zoe Llyan – Liberty Alolan Makeshift Base of Operations (L.A.M.B.O.), Hau'oli City Agent Llyan took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response, she then barged in. "Agent Kramisky, I have a complaint!"
Kraminsky looked up from a desk cluttered with papers – an unfortunate byproduct of working out of an unused Alolan office building instead of the Alamo – with a resigned look in his eyes. "Agent Llyan, when I told you to knock before entering I meant you should ask for permission before coming in my office," he said in a tired voice. "What is it this time? And no, we're not naming these offices L.A.M.B.D.A. or whatever it is you were going on about the other day."
Zoe plopped down in the old folding chair in front of her commanding officer's desk and gave him a hard look. "It's L.A.M.B.O.," she said flatly. "Liberty Alolan Makeshift Base of Operations. Seriously, it's a cool name, you really should consider it, but that's actually not why I'm here. Sir, it's been days since we landed in Alola. Pretty much every other agent here – including our Rocket friends down the street – has made the trip to Aether Paradise to assist in the battle against Missing Zero. Everyone except me. Every day my mission has been the same: scour the Hau-oli Beachfront for any Instances that have made it to Melemele. And every day I find the same thing: not one Instance has landed on the beach. I want in on the action."
"Miss Llyan, every one of our agents here in Alola is equally vital. If you don't like your assignment we can ship you back to Four Island and send in for someone less averse to following orders." Kraminsky peered over the top of a paper at Zoe, as if harboring a hope that she would take him up on that offer.
"See, that's where I can't help but feel like I'm being lied to." Zoe narrowed her eyes. "You're keeping me on Melemele on purpose, aren't you? Do you think I'm too young to be on the front lines? I'll have you know, I was part of the team that saved the Kalos Region from Team Flare! This is not my first rodeo, pal."
For the first time, Kraminsky raised his voice. "As I recall from your file, Miss Llyan, you were never supposed to be in Kalos in the first place. You snuck aboard that mission and had to be babysat the entire time!"
"That's not true!" Zoe blurt out. "I was a valuable member of that team! You're just reading that out of context. What else does your file say about me?"
"That you're crude, rash, insubordinate, and hyperactive," Kraminsky said with a glare. "All of which I've seen for myself these past few days. And even if it weren't for all that, I was given explicit orders to keep you off the front lines!"
"That's absolutely ridiculous!" Zoe cried. "Who in their right mind would order such a thing?"
"Colleen Llyan."
A stunned silence filled the room.
Agent Kraminsky took a moment to relish the quiet before continuing. "If you have a problem with your orders, take it up with her."
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Post by Parugi on Jun 19, 2022 21:28:28 GMT -8
IC - Ethan Worth/Skye Hall - Professor Kukui's Lab, Hau'oli Outskirts:
The trek from Vertrag to Professor Kukui's wasn't terribly long. Having been there once or twice before, Skye was more than comfortable leading the way, despite her apprehensions about why they were going there. The words, "Desperate times, desperate measures" played on repeat in her mind.
She just hoped they wouldn't lead to worse consequences down the line.
As the lab came within view, the sounds of a scuffle became audible, shouts and the occasional crashing of wood or glass. Immediately, Skye felt the energy of the group shift behind her, and heard several hands unclasp Poké Balls from their belts. She picked up the pace toward the front door.
"Skye, wait!" Ethan hissed.
She ignored him, quickly arriving at the front door. With only a slight smirk to her companions, she knocked. "Professor Kukui!" she called. "It's Skye, Landon Hall's sister!"
There came an excitable yelp from inside as a rush of steps headed from the front door, matched only by the confused and alarmed footfalls of Skye's companions. A moment later the door swung open, revealing the tanned, muscled form of the region's local Professor. He was panting and sweating, and looked bruised in several places, but he wore a wide grin on his face.
"Little Skye!" he exclaimed. "So good to see you, it's been too long! How's your brother doing?" He looked over her head at the others. "And friends! Who've I got the pleasure of hosting?"
"Oh, yeah! This is Ethan, and . . ." Skye pointed to each person in turn to introduce them. "Landon's doing well--in fact I'm planning to go see him pretty soon here with my friend Gavin; he went into the city--but first we had some questions we wanted to ask you."
"Sure thing, cousin!" Kukui stepped aside. "Come in, come in! And please don't mind the mess--Rockruff and I have been practicing our moves!"
IC - Sonja Baron/Kyle Eston - Aether Paradise, Alola:
In the course of deciding where to go, Sonja and Kyle had opted to tag along to Aether--a true reforming of the fellowship, it seemed. Though while Ryan and Ellen spent the trip on the outer deck of the ferry, enjoying the warmth of the sunshine and the sweeping wind, Sonja had remained inside both to read on Team Liberty's latest reports as well as to keep an eye on her fellow Liberty Agent as he slept across one of the empty benches.
Admittedly there wasn't much new information to peruse from her superiors--much of the newest report had been covered in the all-teams meeting the previous day. There was a brief mention of the Shadow Suit attacks, which did not name the targets but did mention the multitude of encounters that had occurred across the Alamo. What was unusual, at least, was the lack of mention of Ford and Hayes's escape from Liberty's custody--not so much as a BOLO alert regarding the situation. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that, but perhaps it was a matter of maintaining morale in the face of continued attacks from Missing Zero and whoever had sent the Shadow Suits.
And then there was Kyle, lying asleep on the bench across from her. He, Levi, and Will had been picked up by Chloe the previous night, but aside from a brief check-in, he hadn't said or done much. Whatever was on his mind, she figured he would open up at some point. In the meantime, they had work to attend to, and the artificial tunnel visible through the windows indicated that they needed to be up and ready.
Kyle was still rubbing sleep from his eyes as they disembarked from the ferry, more than happy to let Ryan take over introductions. The Aether employee looked briefly surprised at the mention of Missing Zero, though his expression quickly turned serious as he unlocked the data pad in his hand.
"Well, I can't begin to tell you how glad we are for the help," he said. "You don't look like local volunteers; I take it you're with one of the other regions' groups?"
"Primarily Team Liberty, to be specific," Sonja said. "Early deployment."
The Aether employee nodded, making a note. "Would you mind if I check your identification?" He took a quick look at each of their trainer registrations. "Perfect, thank you. My name is Aidan; I'll be your guide for this visit. Right this way, please."
He turned and headed into the facility. There was not much of note on the docks; as the group followed their guide to the central elevator, they passed by several boats in the process of being loaded and unloaded. It seemed there was a mixture of Pokémon and items being moved to various locations. As they boarded the elevator, Aidan swiped his keycard and pressed a button. The lift began to rise, rapidly-passing walls visible through the surrounding glass. It soon gave way to views of the various gardens and habitats that the Aether Foundation had created for the Pokémon in their care; from their position, the group could see numerous other employees maintaining these facilities.
"Thank you all again for coming early; it's truly appreciated," Aidan said. His sunny demeanor dimmed for a moment as he looked out over the Aether habitats below. "As you can imagine, the situation isn't ideal--having to rely on outside forces both to bolster our defenses and especially to locate our local Legends. I can't speak much to the specifics--that's for President Lusamine and the Kahunas--but we have a lot of work to be done before we're going to be able to fend this thing off."
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Post by Konuju on Jul 1, 2022 2:51:26 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Ellen Burks – Aether Paradise, Alola Ellen's face was glued to the glass as the elevator rose above the various Pokémon habitats. Countless Pokémon frolicked below, many of them likely having been only recently transported there after the Missing Zero destroyed their natural homes. "This place is incredible!" she said breathlessly. "You guys aren't kidding when you call this place a paradise."
Ryan couldn't help but smile at Ellen's enthusiasm. The habitats reminded him of the Alamo's daycare facilities, but on a much grander scale. While the daycare was only meant as a temporary residence for Pokémon, the Aether Paradise essentially provided them with a new home. It was admirable work, but its necessity made him a little sad, especially considering that Missing Zero wasn't the only reason some of these Pokémon had lost their original home.
As the elevator rose higher still, Ryan looked over at their guide. "We're all going to have to work together if we want to put an end to this threat. But I'm impressed with how much you've been able to do already." He gestured to the habitats below, before the elevator rose up to the next level and they were cut off from view. "Saving lives is half the battle. The other half is punching a hole through that red mound of jello." The elevator suddenly came to a halt and the doors slid open. President Lusamine and the Kahuna Council were no doubt just ahead. Ryan fell into line behind Aidan as he led the way forward, wondering just what tasks might await them in this region.
IC: Zoe Llyan – Alola Route 2, Melemele Island Zoe kicked at a pile of berries as she trudged down the winding path away from the city. She couldn't believe her own sister of all people had requested she be kept off the front lines. Hadn't Collie seen how good she was in Kalos? Didn't she know how excited Zoe was to finally be a full-fledged Liberty agent?
"I don't need her," she spat. "I don't need any of them!"
Those same thoughts had whirled through her head when she stormed out of her superior's office in Hau'oli in tears. If Team Liberty wouldn't put her on the front lines, then she'd make her own front lines. Zoe had to admit she had never actually fought an Instance before, but from what she understood they were basically extra-dimensional Pokémon. And she was a (self-proclaimed) master of Pokémon. Surely it wouldn't be that hard to drive off some Instances.
"First thing I need to do is get off this island and get to where the action is," she muttered, realizing with a start that Melemele's major ports were all in the city she had just stormed out of. She started to turn around when she was stopped by what sounded like . . . beatboxing?
"Yo, yo, Team Skull!"
A group of six strangely dressed hooligans sauntered up from over a hill, quickly moving – or perhaps dancing was more accurate – toward Zoe. The young girl looked around, bewildered, instinctively reaching for Esmeralda's Pokéball.
"Yo, yo, Team Skull!" the leader repeated, before the other members started breaking into a verse.
"The gang's on the loose!"
"Nothin' you can do!"
A Pokéball burst open as one of the gang members send out a Bewear, calling out in beat with the rapping, "The Beast on the move!"
From the back of the group another Pokéball opened as a Turtonator brushed its way through the small crowd. "Bully comin' through!"
More and more gang members were sending out their Pokémon now. In rapid succession an Alolan Golem, Krookodile, and Alolan Sandslash surrounded Zoe. "Trigger, Tracer, Drifter comin' too!"
The leader of the group sneered as he held up a Pokéball of his own. The capsule opened to reveal a lone Wishiwashi, which immediately cried out. Suddenly from off the coast, a swarm of hundreds – if not thousands – of Wishiwashi joined with the lone fish, coalescing into a giant, writhing, constantly shifting mass. But instead of forming the shape of a giant fish, as schooling Wishiwashi were known to do, this school took on the shape of something resembling an Arbok or Seviper. The gang leader grinned and triumphantly declared, "Add the Snake, that makes the Team Skull crew!"
The group of six had completely surrounded her now. Zoe summoned all of her Pokémon. Eilonwy, Merida, Esmeralda, and Kida, her recently-hatched pink-colored Dratini quickly sized up their opponents. Esmeralda and Kida were unsure about their odds, but Merida and Eilonwy showed no signs of hesitation, despite all of them being unevolved Pokémon. "Alright, you ruffians," Zoe declared, hiding her bewilderment and putting on the bravest face she could muster. "Prepare to meet Zoe Llyan, warrior princess. I've gone toe to toe with Team Rocket and Team Flare. Heck, I just recently put Team Liberty in their place. Looks like it's time to add Team Skull to my list of victories. So who's first?"
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Post by Parugi on Jul 4, 2022 14:13:26 GMT -8
IC - Gavin Braner/Esen Windred - Hau'oli City, Melemele Island:
City-walking was nice. It was a beautiful day, even early in the morning. The streets were busy. People were going about their business. Smiles, laughter, bantering everywhere. Certainly not the worst place to stick out in, but neither Esen nor Gavin could help with feeling like they were completely out of place. Probably didn't help that they hadn't really had a conversation pretty much ever before now and yet both had elected to follow Gavin's suggestion about investigating local gangs for help.
An odd idea in retrospect, at least in Gavin's mind, because from what he could tell the people of Alola were the friendliest god damn people on the planet. What were the odds that they would have a single gang to invest their time in, let alone multiple?
The answer was somewhat surprising.
"Four!?" Gavin repeated loudly, prompting a wince from Esen as she imagined every eye in the vicinity turning on them. In reality, no one passing by their conversation with a lounging police officer batted an eye at the exclamation.
"Yep," Officer Ikaika said. "Four gangs. Four islands, too. See the logic?"
"I guess that makes sense," Esen said. "I don't know why that's so surprising, though, Gavin."
"I mean usually gangs come together because they're, you know, criminals," Gavin said. "Or at least troublemakers. You're telling me the people around here produced four different gangs?" He gestured broadly.
"To be honest, I think most of them started off as jokes," the Officer said. "Team Skull, not so much. But Mystic, Instinct, and Valor--yeah, nothing super serious about them to start with. Mostly rap battles and slam poetry contests, plus, you know, Pokémon battles. Lot of territory disputes lately, though, especially since that red jelly came about. Now you've got people all over the place looking to reestablish their turf while they have the chance."
"But it sounds like they're mostly confined on an island-specific basis?" Esen said. "So who's supposed to be where?"
"Oh, let's see . . ." Officer Ikaika rubbed his temple. "Well, starting here on Melemele, you've got Team Instinct; their leader is named Spark. Pretty nice guy, actually, maybe not the brightest of the bunch. Over on Akala Island you've got Team Valor; their leader's name is Candela. They're a fiery bunch; 'might makes right,' all that jazz. They might be your best bet if you're looking for help actually fighting Big Jelly."
"Okay," Esen said quietly as she wrote this down. "What about these other ones, Team Mystic and Team Skull?"
"So Mystic's over on Poni Island with their leader Blanche. Don't know a whole lot about them except that they're supposed to be pretty smart and methodical, keep things on the downlow, you know?" Officer Ikaika sighed. "And then there's Skull. Worst of the bunch, but that's not really saying much. Really they're just a bunch of punks; their headed by a guy named Guzma, bit of a man-child but a pretty decent battler. Should tell you something that they generally pick fights with lone travelers. Didn't use to be much of a problem here on Melemele, but supposedly their home base got invaded and so the remainder of the team's moved around, so you might have a run-in or two if you aren't careful."
"Duly noted," Esen said. "Okay, well, that is honestly a lot more information than I thought we'd find. Thanks, Officer."
"You betcha. Stay out of trouble--and enjoy your time here in Alola!"
As they moved away from the policeman, Esen looked at Gavin. "That was easy. Why aren't you more excited?"
"Because it was too easy," Gavin said flatly. "Which means actually getting them to help us is going to be a massive headache."
IC - Aether Employee Aidan/Sonja Baron/Kyle Eston - Aether President Lusamina; Island Kahuna Hala; Island Kahuna Hapu - Aether Paradise, Alola:
"Couldn't have said it better myself," Aidan said, placing his hands on his hips with a smile. The expression soon gave way to a look of uncertainty. "I just hope we can come up with a way to punch through it; right now it sounds like everything that gets thrown at it just bounces right off . . . or worse." He shook the thought as the elevator came to a halt. "Either way, leadership is this way. Follow me, please."
It was hard to say how high up they were, but the lift seemed to have risen all close to the top of the facility; this was evident from the view of the ocean immediately visible through the surrounding windows as they stepped out and looked around. Out of all the central command areas that the various members of Verhut had visited, this was perhaps the closest in similarity to Vertrag's that they had seen. Aether was well-known for their state-of-the-art technology and it certainly showed, from the sleek design aesthetic to the clean and near-perfectly maintained machinery that emitted hardly any light or noise pollution. All told it seemed that the organization had stayed true to their ecological and technological goals.
In the center of the room stood a console over which was displayed a holographic map of Alola's islands. Three figures stood around this map, in quiet yet intense discussion--a pale woman with long blonde hair and a cool, calculated gaze; a larger, tanned man with an aura matched only by Drayden of Unova; and a smaller woman, much shorter than the others, with a no-nonsense air about her. Of these, only the latter broke away from their discussion to acknowledge the newcomers, giving a friendly wave to them as they approached.
"President Lusamine, Kahuna Hala, Kahuna Hapu," Aidan greeted each in turn. "Apologies for interrupting, but our first delegations from the allied forces have arrived." He gestured to the group, giving a brief introduction of each member. "Per their orders, they've come to get a read on Alola's needs."
"Well, isn't that something?" Hapu said. She looked up and down at the group, as if reading each one, before giving an approving nod. "Can't say these are the best circumstances to meet under, but I can't complain about getting help from the same kids that have helped with some of the worst disasters of our time."
"Wait, you know who we are?" Sonja asked.
"'course!" Hapu said. "Might be a little hard to believe, but word travels; y'all helped with the Ancient Darkrai, didn't you? You oughta wear that badge with pride."
"I have to agree," Hala said. "Your fighting spirit is something to be admired. With any luck, it'll be enough to reinvigorate our missing Guardian Pokémon."
"And hopefully others, as well. Perhaps we don't overwhelm our guests right away, though," Lusamine said. She flashed a motherly smile their way. "Welcome to Aether Paradise, and by extension, Alola. Dear Aidan has already introduced us, so I won't go over that again. I hope your journey here was pleasant enough?"
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Post by Konuju on Jul 7, 2022 19:59:25 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Ellen Burks – Aether Paradise, Alola Ryan struggled to wrap his mind around the fact that their little group was famous even in somewhere as remote as Alola. True, they had somewhat of a reputation within Team Liberty and Team Rocket, but it was hard to believe word of their efforts had reached around the world.
"It was a very nice journey, thank you." Ellen's words brought Ryan back to reality as the group filed in around the holo-table. The young girl studied the holographic map for a second before tracing a finger across their journey from Melemele Island. "I must say, you really do need a boat to get much of anywhere in this region. Reminds me a bit of Hoenn."
Ryan eyed the map himself, noting several portions were highlighted red – a telltale sign of Missing Zero's presence. "A pleasant journey, but unfortunately less-than-pleasant circumstances," he said grimly. "So what exactly is the situation here? I heard something about 'Guardian' Pokémon? I assume you're talking about the local Legendary Pokémon?"
IC: Zoe Llyan – Alola Route 2, Melemele Island Zoe sized up her opponents. Six Pokémon, most of them fully evolved, against her team of five unevolved Pokémon. Not the best odds; not that she let it show. She knew she very well couldn't give up now, not after she had just stormed away from Team Liberty. She had to prove that she could stand and fight on her own, and she wasn't about to let this gang ruin that for her.
"Let's crank up the heat, Esmeralda. Merida, smash that Golem. Eilonwy, you got that fiery-looking one. And Kida? Rock that crock."
The gang members didn't seem to pay her any mind, and just went right along with their rap, never missing a beat.
"Yo, yo, Team Skull!"
"The gang's on the loose!"
"Nothin' you can do!"
"You can try, but why? You know you're gonna lose!"
That was when Zoe's Pokémon leapt into action. Esmeralda let loose a Fire Spin, immobilizing the Alolan Sandslash within a whirlwind of flames. The flames quickly grew out of control, rising up to engulf a nearby tree. Then the earth shook as the Alolan Golem crashed to the ground, felled by Merida's Focus Punch. Eilonwy Splashed around in front of the Turtonator to seemingly no effect, but Kida's Aqua Tail tripped up the Krookodile.
"Yo, yo, whoa!" the gang leader cried, bringing their rap to a sudden halt. "Yo, what's the deal, man? Not cool!"
Zoe's bafflement only grew deeper at the sudden change of tone. Behind her, Eilonwy released a charged up Dragonbreath, sending the Turtonator cowering in its spiky shell. Then a shimmering glow enveloped Esmeralda. The Fennekin started to grow, rearing up on her hind legs. Taking on a more bipedal stance, Esmeralda picked up a twig that had fallen from the burning tree, twirled around in a majestic manner, and pointed her makeshift weapon at the Sandslash like a wand. A Flamethrower burst out of the stick, burning the icy Sandslash and the tree behind it.
"Oh, come on, man!" one of the grunts cried in dismay. "We weren't done with our rap yet! You were supposed to be cowering in fear, not actually attacking us! And evolving one of your Pokémon? Not fair!"
"Wait, what?" Zoe said. "You mean you weren't trying to attack me?"
"We're attacking you with our words, man! Our music cuts you like daggers to the soul!"
The leader of the group snapped his fingers. The massive snake of Wishiwashi unleashed a blast of water on the burning tree, dousing the flames. "Most people get frightened off by our awesome display of power," the man said. "But you've got guts, kid. I'm impressed. You on an Island Challenge or something?"
Zoe shook her head. "I'm here to stop the Missing Zero."
An eerie silence fell among the gang, followed by a low whistle. "All by yourself?"
"Well . . ." Zoe hesitated, not sure how much she should give away. "The group I came here with doesn't think I'm good enough," she said bitterly. "So I set off on my own."
A resounding applause came from the Team Skull gang. "Good for you!" the leader said with a wide grin. "The way I see it, you're plenty good enough! And if anyone says otherwise, screw 'em!"
"Yeah!" Zoe cried, caught up in the gang's contagious excitement. "Screw 'em!"
The leader laughed. "I like your spunk, kid. How'd you like to join Team Skull?"
The offer caught Zoe by surprise. She had every intention of proving herself on her own. But this Skull gang had quickly deduced her worth in battle. Where Liberty had all but rejected her, Skull was welcoming her with open arms. It was then that she made her decision. "I would be honored, sir."
A laugh spread through the crowd. "We don't use such formalities here," the leader explained. "Instead, we each go by a nickname. You can call me Snake."
The beatboxing started up again as the other Team Skull members introduced themselves one by one. Trigger, Tracer, Drifter, Beast, and Bully.
"And you, kid," Snake said, looking at Zoe. "You called yourself Zoe Llyan, Warrior Princess. That was the old you. You need something shorter, simpler, yet still able to strike fear in the hearts of your enemies." Snake stroked his chin for a moment, deep in thought. Then his eyes lit up. "I've got it!" Taking on a grandiose voice, he continued. "We have a special type of move here in Alola called a Z-Move. And you have proven yourself as a Z-Warrior, Zoe. So from this day forth, we shall call you . . . Z!"
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Post by Parugi on Jul 10, 2022 14:30:50 GMT -8
IC - Aether Employee Aidan/Sonja Baron/Kyle Eston - Aether President Lusamina; Island Kahuna Hala; Island Kahuna Hapu - Aether Paradise, Alola:
"Ah, yes; right to it, then," Lusamine said. She input some commands into the desk. "Well, generally speaking our battlefronts are holding steady. As you can see we are primarily holding out near Exeggutor Island, which is where Missing Zero made its landing in our region. Due to its proximity, we have evacuated Seafolk Village of all non-essential personnel. Other areas of interest are Hano Beach on Akala Island and Po Town on Ula'ula Island; the latter is of more significant note given that it had already been abandoned and taken over as a makeshift home for a local gang called Team Skull. We've lost all contact with them and Instances have been confirmed to be coming from there. At the moment we do not believe it to be a safe investigation site."
An image appeared over each of the island projections, four in total. They seemed to depict Pokémon with a generally uniform shape--a small, black body clad in shells of a sort that were each decorated in different markings. Some were more feminine, others more masculine, and each seemed primarily associated with a different color.
"In theory, the Coalition would have us evacuate all of Poni Island," Lusamine continued. "But at the moment, that's out of the question because of these beautiful creatures."
"These are our Guardian Deities," Hala said. "They are the fiercest warriors of our land, protecting our islands and ensuring we can continue to live and thrive in peace. At least, that was before." His expression turned stony. "When the Kanto organizations informed us that this creature possessed the power to instill terror in Legendary Pokémon, we thought perhaps the fighting spirit of the Tapus would render them resistant. Yet ever since the Missing Zero appeared, the Guardian Tapu have vanished--merely hiding, we hope. So it is our hope and need that you locate and perhaps find a way to inspire them again."
"I think we could try, at least," Sonja said. "So there's one for each island?"
Hala nodded. "Tapu Fini is perhaps the most urgent at the moment; she is the Guardian Deity of Poni Island. She tends to reside within the Ruins of Hope; that might be the best place to start." He gestured to the corresponding figure, a Pokémon bearing a sort of finned clamshell over its body. "The others are Tapu Bulu, of Ula'ula Island; Tapu Lele, of Akala Island; and Tapu Koko, who is the Guardian Deity of my own home island, Melemele Island."
"Beware, however," Hapu said. "The Guardian Deities are no pushovers. In prime condition they are forces to be reckoned with; if they have truly become consumed by fear, then there is no reason to believe they will not protect themselves even more viciously. On the other hand, they are fighters by nature--should you manage to best them in combat, that may be enough to bring them to their senses."
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Post by minun4 on Jul 10, 2022 19:58:57 GMT -8
IC: Lohe Mahina - Ula’Ula Island Dawn had broken, that must’ve been the reason why Lohe felt like garbage. It certainly had nothing to do with the people he’d left to their fates. The return had been easy. In a way, Lohe would have preferred something to have gone wrong. Having to make a desperate escape to save his own skin would have felt less terrible than doing nothing to help because he chose to. By the time he’d returned to where Blue and Pink were waiting for him, the sun left little shadows for Lohe to hide in. At the very least, there were no Instances around when he had to emerge from the darkness, and he found Blue and Pink in one piece. The pair were ecstatic when Lohe presented the frame and necklace to them. He could hear their heartbeats quicken, Blue’s muted gasp and Pink suppressing his tears. They snatched the items from Lohe and held them close. Neither of them had dared to hope they would get both mementos; the thought that Green had still been alive never crossed their minds. Lohe took a seat on the rocky floor, and gave Blue and Pink a few moments. It wouldn’t have been the first or last time he’d have to lie about someone’s life, but being silent completely somehow made a bigger pit in his stomach. The group took a trek away from their hiding place down to where they had left a truck. It was an old beat-up rust covered junker with only two seats. Blue and Pink hopped inside, while Lohe laid down in the truck bed. It suited him fine, after all if any one was going to be thrown from the car, it was best to be the guy who could survive the impact. Plus, it was his bedtime and it had been a long night. He wanted the space to lie down. Between the bumpy ride, the damnable sun and his own guilt, Lohe did not find sleep forthcoming. His eyes were shut, but he was well aware of the world around him. The roar of the wind, the hum of the engine, even Blue and Pink chatting inside. He wished he could say it was distracting, but all the time awake was just leaving him with his thoughts. He kept thinking of the moment he chose to look away. What use was being so hard to kill and trained to resist pain, if you were still reduced to impotence in the face of such horror? Eventually he wondered if he took one step further and jumped from the truck now. What odds would he have running away from everything now, with something like that on their doorstep? If Missing Zero ended up eating all of his jailers, then he’d be free to enjoy his life, until Missing Zero came for him. Would anyone besides his jailer even care? What was the presence of one soldier versus something like that? Lohe smiled bitterly. A brief snippet of a memory so cleanly cut apart played in his head. Just a Pokemon’s hand in his. But it always came back to the surface whenever he felt like running. Even if he had the guts to run, he couldn’t yet. He was gonna get sent back out to die again based on real fears and false hopes. After what may have been hours. Pink parked the truck at the foot of a large estate. A Manse, it had been called at some point. It was home for Lohe, supposedly. Lohe hopped out of the truck and trucked over to the door. As Lohe put his hand to the door, he considered the two sacks of blood about to walk into a den of vampires. “You two should stay outside.” Pink shook his head while Blue said, “We got told to bring you to the big man.” That didn’t reassure Lohe. “Then at the very least, stay behind me and do as I say.” The pair nodded. Lohe pushed open the door, letting the sunlight leak in through the hole. There was no other source of light, causing utter darkness beyond the entrance. Theoretically, everyone else should be asleep by now. But even if they weren’t, no one wanted a single beam of sunlight in the house. Until moonrise, the place was a fortress from the outside light. Blue placed a hand on Lohe’s shoulder and held out his hand for Pink to grab. Pink grabbed his hand and the three began to make their way through stairs and halls. Pink kept stumbling as he tried to keep up with the other two. “How do you even see in this?” Lohe stopped. “See isn’t the right word. If you listen carefully-”
A noise akin to a man’s tortured screaming being blasted through stadium sized speakers rang out through the halls.
The three of them cuffed their ears to block out the noise. Lohe fell to a knee while Pink had jumped backwards in surprise. Blue was the only one comparatively unaffected by the screaming, lacking Lohe’s sensitive ears and Pink’s relative ignorance. “What in Arceus’s green Earth is that noise?” Pink shouted at Blue and Lohe. Lohe stood back up. The shouting had caught him off-guard, but Lohe knew what it meant. It meant that its feeding time was late. And the only time its feeding time came late was when its master was in a bad mood and wanted to spread it around. Considering most of the manse’s inhabitants slept through the day, a lot of bad moods were just produced. “Pray to whoever you think gives a damn that you don’t become better acquainted with it,” Lohe said. They waited until the shouting had died down. When it was finally over, Lohe pulled out Nosferatu’s Poke Ball and let him out. Even from within his PokeBall, Nosferatu had heard the shouting. The normally jovial Crobat wasn’t smiling. He just landed on Lohe’s shoulder, and hoped he wouldn’t be needed. Lohe led the other two to a door in the direction of where the shouting had come from. The door led to a large sitting room. The sole visible occupant of the room was sitting in a chair facing the only source of light in the room. A fireplace most notable for the graven image of Lunala above it that it was illuminating. Next to the chair was a basket as tall as Lohe filled with meat. What light that spread behind the chair and the basket lit a small part of a grand mural of the moon on the floor of the room. Lohe moved deliberately around the lunar mural, dragging Blue and Pink around with him, lest they even tempt the sole occupant of the room to demonstrate the mural’s functionality. As they walked around the room, a low grumble could be heard from beneath them. Pink turned to Blue. Pointing downwards he said “Dude,” before Blue cut him off. If the big man was in a bad mood, you did not want to make it worse with chatter. When they reached the far end of the room they were better able to see the room’s occupant. He was smoking, as was his habit. One made in sheer defiance of the curses affecting him and of the fact that his body was falling apart. No matter how much medical service he had access to, nothing could change how far past his body’s shelf life he was. It would be hard to judge whether curse or his own attempts to force his body to continue functioning through the efforts of others had mangled his body more. Even at his most presentable, he was covered from head to toe in surgical scars, that rather fading with time only seemed to grow larger. But compared to his still living elders, who were functionally comatose, it could have been worse. This man was Kalākaua Mahina and he was the source from which Lohe’s problems sprang. Theoretically, power had transitioned to his daughter. But he clung to power as tightly as he held to life. Kalākaua didn’t acknowledge them. He just sat and continued to partake in a cigar. Kalākaua knew Lohe was there. And Lohe knew that Kalākaua knew. And Kalākaua knew that Lohe knew and so on. If his mood was bad enough to leave his pet unfed for five minutes, then it was bad enough for him to demand someone come to him immediately and then make them wait when they arrived. Propriety would dictate that way wait for him to finish. Lohe passed his stick to Blue and Nosferatu hopped off of him. “Alola, old man,” he said, half-doing the traditional greeting with one arm, whilst taking off his backpack with the other. “We’ve got Z-Crystals and Team Skull’s papers,” he said, taking an example of each from his backpack. “And some lovely photos that tell the story about what’s going on in Po Town. Now it’s been lovely, but may we please leave for my next job?” Kalākaua closed his eyes. He snuffed out the cigar in his ashtray. And when he opened them again, his eyes were glowing red. Blue felt his entire body go numb before losing consciousness. His body fell to the floor before getting back up and started walking mindlessly towards Kalākaua. Lohe’s own eyes were also red, one hand had snatched back his staff. The other was on Ruthven’s ball. He was standing upright, and was now glaring at his boss. [Do not kill him.] Lohe said. [You’re giving me orders?] Kalākaua replied. Lohe paused. He could hear movement in the shadows. He’d gamble his own life on his impertinence, but not theirs. [...Please.] Kalākaua glared for a few seconds longer, before settling on this being what Lohe considered to be ‘not impertinent’ and said [Fine.] Blue stayed still as Kalākaua got up from his seat to inspect his fresh meal. Pink at this point, knew what was about to happen, but was not ready to actually watch it in person. Lohe could hear Pink’s increased heart rate. “Don’t do anything stupid,” Lohe said to Pink. A sudden low rumble came from below before quieting. “Please trust me. Don’t do anything.” Kalākaua ignored everything else as he inspected Blue’s body. When he was satisfied, he bared fangs and tore into Blue’s shoulder. Lohe listened to Blue’s heartbeat as Kalākaua partook. Things were progressing at an expected rate. Pink tried to control himself. He made an effort to trust Lohe here, he really did. But each second that dripped by, leeched a bit of his patience. Five seconds felt like five thousand, and it wasn’t five more before he started speaking. “Isn’t that enough?” It wasn’t. “He’s turning pale!” He was going to turn a few shades more. “Could you take mine?” Kalākaua wasn’t interested. Lohe had a feeling he knew what was about to happen. Pink’s breath became faster and faster until he charged to Kalākaua to knock Blue free. He got about three feet before a giant claw burst through the floor. The claw would have snatched Pink if Nosferatu hadn’t grabbed him first. Several more claws accompanied by the all-encompassing shouting came from the floor, the steel meant to contain it like wet tissue paper to it. Lohe fell to his knees at the shouting, while Nosferatu dropped Pink at the door. Two vampires popped out of the shadows and held ghostly energy in the form of knives at their throats. Nosferatu was about to strike but Lohe retreated him instead. Inadvertently, this indeed spoiled Kalākaua’s appetite. [Moon above, you wait ten minutes for food, and you get this impatient.] He sat Blue aside and pressed a button on the wall. The lunar mural split open, turning the room into a viewing gallery for the beast below. It was a giant monster, made of nothing but claws and a single great maw. Kalākaua pushed the giant basket that was next to him into the now open bit. The great beast swallowed the basket whole, being sated if but for a moment. [Take the grunts and erase their memories of today once the blue one’s blood sugar is restored.] The other vampires took Blue and Pink and left. Lohe climbed back to feet after the blade was removed from his neck. He watched Blue and Pink leave. [They need to learn to be more patient if they’re going to keep working with us. It can be arranged,] Kalākaua said, his eyes briefly glowing red as he said that. Note to self, get them out of here. [Well your guests have started to arrive.] Kalākaua said. When Lohe didn’t reply, he continued. [Team Liberty, Team Rocket. They’re here to recruit Legendary Pokemon to help fight Missing Zero. If they actually succeed in getting even one of the cursed ones to help them, they could expose us all.] The implication that Liberty and Rocket succeeding right now was bad, was not the sort of thing Lohe was hoping to hear. [Are you telling me to sabotage them?] Lohe asked with some disbelief. [Us being dead is worse than being exposed!] Kalākaua waved dismissively at Lohe. [Of course I know that. If most of the cursed ones die and take Missing Zero with them, I would be happy. But fate isn’t that kind.] Lohe asked, [Then what are you asking me to do?] [You are our Liberty Liaison. They’re your mess to deal with,] Kalākaua said. [Help them to the best of your ability. Get them and Missing Zero out of Alola as soon as possible But do not let us be revealed.] He snapped his fingers and Lohe suddenly felt his shadow grow heavier. [You will be shadowed for the duration to make sure you do not expose us yourself. Now you are dismissed.]
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Post by Konuju on Jul 15, 2022 9:47:37 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Ellen Burks – Aether Paradise, Alola "How fitting," Ryan said with a smile. "The first place we look to for hope in this fight against Missing Zero is the Ruins of Hope." He looked at the purple-clad spirit, thinking back to the other Legendary Pokémon he had faced.
"So we can reach them through our fighting spirit," Ellen said thoughtfully. "That should be no problem whatsoever for our friend Evan."
Not just the Hero of Space, Symbio piped up. Don't forget, Ellen, we've developed a bit of that fighting spirit ourselves over the past year.
"Indeed we have," Ellen said with a nod. "Everyone is counting on us; we can't afford to hold back. So let's head to Poni Island and show this Tapu Fini what real fighting spirit looks like!"
Ryan couldn't help but chuckle at Ellen and Symbio's enthusiasm. He turned back to Lusamine, Hala, and Hapu. "We had to purchase a ferry ticket to get over here from Melemele Island," he said. "Do you have some sort of ferry service that would take us to Poni Island?"
IC: Z-Warrior Zoe Llyan – Hau'oli City, Melemele Island Zoe crouched in a narrow alley of Hau'oli with two of her new Team Skull friends, carefully peering around the corner. "I thought we were getting off this island," she whispered. "The ferries are several blocks over – on the oceanside."
Trigger laughed. "We can't let you leave the island dressed like that, Z. You need some new threads. Not to mention a test to see if you—ow!"
Beast slapped him upside the head. "Ignore our trigger-happy friend," he said with an unconvincing smile. "Your clothes just scream 'tourist.' You wanna be one of us, you gotta blend in. Now, when Bully gives the signal, we're gonna rush in there and find you some clothes worthy of Team Skull!"
Zoe glanced down at herself. Her striped blue-and-white shirt certainly stood out amongst her new teammates' mostly-black clothing choices. But as she caught sight of the golden locket that dangled from her neck – a gift from her sister – she hesitated. Was she really ready to give up her old life in its entirety? Yes, Collie keeping her off the front lines was unforgiveable, but a small part of her longed for those olden days of just playing with her sister, not a care in the world. Was there any way to go back to those days?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a huge fireball erupting in the sky, courtesy of Bully's Turtonator. "That's the signal!" Trigger cried. "Go, go, go!"
While of dozens of customers exited the nearby clothing store to see what the commotion was about, Zoe, Beast, and Trigger quietly slipped in. Zoe could hear Bully shouting some grandiose boast, while Snake shouted an equally over-the-top response. With everyone distracted by the mock battle, Zoe sifted through the clothing options.
"Here." Beast handed her a blue bandana, similar to the black ones he and the other Team Skull members wore. "Can't let anyone see your face, or you'll give your identity away."
Zoe couldn't help but grin as she tied the bandana around her face. "Of course. No one can know my secret identity. I'm like a real live superhero!"
While Zoe carefully picked out the best clothes she could find – ones she doubted her parents or sister would approve of – Beast and Trigger seemed to grab anything and everything they could carry off the shelves. That was when Zoe found a whole row of beauty products. Grinning even wider behind her bandana, she quickly snatched up makeup, eyeliner, and lipstick. Her mom had insisted she was too young to be wearing all of that stuff – but Zoe wasn't a kid anymore.
There was only one question on her mind as she looked down at her basket full of clothes and beauty products. "How are we going to pay for all of this?"
Trigger laughed and slapped her on the back. "Who said anything about paying? What do you think the distraction's—ow!" "Quiet, you imbecile!" Beast snapped in a harsh whisper.
But it was too late. The clerk at the front of the store had heard Trigger's claim of shoplifting and immediately turned his attention away from the battle going on outside his shop. "Hey! You three!" she cried. "What do you think you're doing?!"
Trigger swore loudly. "Shopping spree's over, fellas! Let's blow this popsicle stand!"
Beast and Trigger each ran in a different direction, leaving Zoe standing still in shock, clutching her basket of almost-stolen goods. The clerk sent out a Whismur, which Zoe thought was an odd choice to capture fleeing thieves. Then the little pink Pokémon opened its mouth and screamed louder than any alarm.
Zoe continued to stand rooted to the ground, unsure of what to do, while her Team Skull friends fell to the floor, hands clamped over their ears. Within moments police arrived at the scene – had Zoe not been in such a state of shock she might have realized that the police had already been drawn to the street outside by Snake and Bully's mock battle.
"Drop the basket, kid!" one of the officers shouted at her, sending out a Growlithe.
Zoe looked from the officer to the basket in her arms to Beast and Trigger rolling on the floor. Her mind flashed back to Agent Kraminsky telling her she couldn't be on the front lines, Collie telling her she couldn't be in Kalos, her classmates telling her she'd never be a Liberty Agent, and now this officer telling her she couldn't have these clothes. Who is this guy to tell me what to do? she fumed. Can't, can't, can't. That's all anyone ever tells me. Well it's time I proved that I CAN, and no one can tell me otherwise! Zoe's eyes narrowed. "You want me to drop the basket?" she growled in the most menacing voice she could muster.
In one smooth motion she let go of the basket and grabbed a Pokéball off her belt. Before the basket had even hit the floor the ball exploded in a flash of light as the newly-evolved Esmeralda materialized. The Braixen brandished its stick like a wand, then spun around with a flourish. A wall of fire appeared between Zoe and the cop, one designed to give off a lot of smoke. As the aisle quickly became obscured, Zoe scooped up the fallen basket and rushed over to where Beast laid.
"Come on Beast, we have to go!" Zoe shouted, struggling to pick up the heavy man. There was an explosion to her left as Trigger's Alolan Golem blasted down several shelves.
"Yeah, c'mon, Beastie Boy!" Trigger shouted. "Get your butt off the ground!"
The explosion had the unintended effect of knocking out the screaming Whismur. Ears still ringing, Beast painfully rose to his feet and took stock of the situation. Smoke was rapidly filling the store now, but Beast knew it wouldn't be an easy escape. "Cops are blocking the entrance," he grumbled. "We're trapped, no thanks to you and your loud voice, Trigger."
"No, no, no!" Zoe muttered, looking around in a panic. "There has to be another way! Esmeralda!"
The Braixen waved her stick-wand again, and sent a steady stream of fire at the nearby wall. She could hear the cops stumbling through the smoke, tripping over fallen shelves. They just needed a little more time . . .
"Trigger!" Zoe cried. "Have your Golem aim at that wall!"
The giant rock monster lumbered toward the wall, already weakened by Esmeralda's flame, and fired a rock blast at it point blank. The rock blasted a massive hole in the weakened wall, leading into the alley behind the shop.
"Whoa!" Trigger cried in surprise. "Great going, Z! Who knew you were so innovative?"
"Run now, gawk later!" Beast snapped, heading for the newly-made exit. "But good work, Z," he added over his shoulder as he ran. "You'll definitely fit in with us."
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Post by Parugi on Aug 6, 2022 14:49:33 GMT -8
IC - Aether Employee Aidan/Sonja Baron/Kyle Eston - Aether President Lusamina; Island Kahuna Hala; Island Kahuna Hapu - Aether Paradise, Alola:
"Oh, that's no problem at all--I'll send a note down to get ferry passes ready in the lobby," Lusamine said. "And I'll have our files on the Guardian Deities and our other Legendary Pokémon sent to your devices, as well."
"'Other'? Are there more?" Sonja asked.
"A handful," Hala said. "The Guardian Deities are our main priority at the moment, but there are others that have gone into hiding that we would like you to keep an eye out for--Zeraora, Marshadow, and Melmetal, most specifically."
"There're also rumors about an ancient machine Pokémon called Magearna, but that one hasn't been seen in a long time," Hapu said. "Still, wouldn't hurt to keep an open ear--you never know what you might find."
"If you need to reference their specific information, please refer to the files," Lusamine said. "Otherwise, good luck in your search--we're counting on your help."
IC - Ethan Worth/Skye Hall - Professor Kukui - Professor Kukui's Lab, Hau'oli Outskirts:
"Ultra Beasts!?"
The surprised exclamation was almost enough to send the group flying out of Kukui's lab. The only one who managed to retain her cool was Skye, whose expression immediately turned apologetic--though she wasn't sure if she was trying to apologize to the group or the professor. Perhaps both? Regardless, she held her hands up.
"Yeah, Ultra Beasts," she said. "We--or, I guess Ethan--accidentally came into possession of one and so we figured it might be worth looking into them as a possible weapon against the Missing Zero."
"Yeah! You wanna see it?" Ethan asked, pulling out the Beast Ball and clicking its central button.
This time Skye lost her cool, immediately moving to shield herself from the Ultra Beast contained within, though Kukui cut the idea off quickly enough. "No, no thanks, I've seen a few enough, buddy!" Though a little disappointed, Ethan replaced the ball on his belt. Kukui rubbed his chin in thought. "Though, y'know, I am curious about how someone 'accidentally' comes to possess an Ultra Beast . . . Ah, another time." He shook his head. "Normally I don't know that I could condone the idea, but you've had run-ins with this thing before so if you all think it's worth looking into . . ."
Skye brightened up. "So you can help us out?"
"Sorta." Kukui moved to his bookshelf, pulling a large diary out and dropping it onto the coffee table with a heavy thunk. "I gotta be honest, Skye, we didn't get a whole lotta chance to study them when they were popping up, let alone now that they've mostly stopped appearing. I suspect that Buzzwole of yours was one of the last ones 'round here, to be honest."
"Well, that's okay--I mean they came from somewhere, right?" Ethan said. "We've popped into other dimensions before, so we just need to figure out a way to get there."
"See, that's the funny thing," Kukui said. "We already know how to get there." He flipped the book around, showing an illustration of a large bat-like Pokémon and a similar-sized lion Pokémon. "Lunala and Solgaleo are Legendary Pokémon capable of opening dimensions into Ultra Space. Theoretically if you had one, you could go right in and bring some back. The only problem is, we only know of one each living in Alola, and they've both been out of sight for years now."
"I thought they were owned by local trainers?" Skye said.
"Were," Kukui said. "Not anymore. My understanding is they let 'em go after they helped ward off that energy dragon thing. A bit of a mess, to be honest, details are a little fuzzy, but sure, if you wanna find them, then Elio and Selene could maybe give you some pointers."
"Well, that's a starting point," Skye said. "You wouldn't happen to know where they might be, would you?"
"Dunno, maybe the League? I imagine they'd want to keep their battle skills up to snuff," Kukui said. "To be honest there were a couple of rather funny-lookin' folk around recently also looking for them. Didn't seem dangerous or anything, just a little weird. Definitely in need of some sunlight, if you ask me."
"Huh. Well, I guess we'll keep an eye out for them," Skye said. "Thanks, professor. Anyone else have questions? If not, we'll take this back to our teammates."
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Post by minun4 on Aug 6, 2022 19:27:55 GMT -8
IC: Jamie Arthur/Lancelot - Mt Silver
It would be a lie for Jamie to say that Uncle Lance was the last person she expected to run into in the middle of a warzone. She didn’t expect to run into anybody in a warzone. But if she did run into someone, she would expect it to be someone strong and brave like Lance or Evan. That being said, she was still completely unable to process why he’d be here.
At first, Jamie looked around for James. She hadn’t heard anything about him lately. Then she got briefly but worryingly concerned about the possibility that Lancelot was actually a Nobudddy, before remembering that her helmet would show the truth. So he wasn’t with James, and it was definitely him.
“So uh, Uncle Lance,” Jamie said. “What are you doing out here? And uh, who are your friends? And where did that fog come from?”
Lancelot wasn’t quite sure how to answer that. In a literal sense. Like how to communicate the information to Jamie. Tristan was still trying to get Gareth’s webs out of his eye. And he’d be the only one capable of translating. He looked towards the image of the woman who was with him.
The individual in question was staring at the artificial human before her. She knew of Jamie from seeing James’s memories, but she didn’t yet know what to make of her. When she saw Lancelot looking towards her, she decided she had to make some form of introduction.
“The bug on his shoulder belongs to James. His name is…” Lancelot spoke Gareth’s name. “Gareth. As for me, you may call me…” She paused for a moment and thought of names. There was one that people once called her, but she wanted to save that one. She thought of another that the boy talked with Lancelot about. It would work. “Nimue. I was Lancelot’s instructor before the boy came along.”
“Lancelot had a trainer before James?” was Jamie’s first thought. The second one was “OMYGOSHTHISISWHOMADELANCESOFREAKINGSTRONGIWANTTOFIGHTRIGHTNOW!” But there was a mission going on, so that would have to wait. That meant she couldn’t say that thought out loud. Not that she needed to, considering she was practically bouncing up and down at the prospect, with barely constrained laughter poking through her lips from the excitement. “It’s nice to meet you,” she managed to say with a nearly straight face. “I hope we can battle sometime,” she said, unable to resist mentioning it any longer.
Simple and straightforward. Compared to the boy, it was rather refreshing. To say Nimue smiled would be an overstatement, but she frowned less intently.
“Does she take after you?” Nimue asked Lancelot. Lancelot certainly hoped not. It would comfort him if Jamie’s battle lust was just that of a trainer, and not his own propensity towards violence. Lancelot doubted that James would forgive him if his bad influence had made a sadist out of Jamie.
Lancelot was shaking his head while Jamie nodded vigorously. “Uncle Lance showed me a lot about how to battle. He used to beat up Pelleas and Tristan all the time!”
Tristan’s ego took a critical hit from that statement. Even Pelleas fumed inside his Great Ball. I was a lot smaller then. Tristan said to soothe his wounded pride, as he got the last of the webs off him.
Lancelot looked at Tristan with devilish intent. So, you’re saying you’d beat me now? Would you like to test that theory? The two began to glare at each other, eager for a fight.
Nimue placed a hand on Lancelot causing the Scizor to freeze. “Cool it. We’re here for a reason.”
Before Jamie could ask Nimue what reason she had to be here, a Fearow swooped into view. The Fearow was followed by the sound of many boots upon the mountain floor, and finally her compatriots entered the scene. Nimue watched them all arrive with an annoyed look. One person was enough. This was too much.
“Agent Arthur,” Pete Spearow said as he ran up to Jamie. “What is the status of the enemy?”
Jamie stood at attention as best she could, considering she wasn’t used to it. Agents had much more freedom in that regard in general. “Sir, there is no sign of the Mist-creating Instance!”
“Mist creating Instance?” Nimue seemed slightly embarrassed. “If you’ve been hunting someone creating a mist, that was me.” Her plan to hide their passage had directly drawn attention to them. That was sloppy. She created a bit of mist from her hand to prove her point.
Spearow went through feelings of both relief and annoyance. Relief at not having to fight a strong enemy. Annoyance at the time wasted that could’ve been spent taking out the enemy and relieving their fellows back at base.
“Sir! I can confirm that they are not instances!” Jamie shouted, still at attention.
“Well that is a relief,” Spearow said. “But we can’t allow unauthorized civilians to interfere with a military operation. I am sorry, but whatever you’re doing out here, we’re going to have to escort you back to base.”
Lancelot wondered if Nimue would argue, and was surprised when she said “Fine.” But she continued, “But at least allow me to hand off my Pokemon to her. They belong to her brother and will follow her orders,” Nimue said, looking Spearow in the eyes. A Ninetales with blue fur matching Nimue’s dress seemed to materialize from the fog. Jamie was surprised she hadn’t seen it before. Lancelot said nothing.
Spearow mulled it over for a moment, but then nodded. That request seemed reasonable at the moment. “Gustav and Mislav will escort our guest back to base. The rest of us need to get moving. You’ve made noise, and we’ll be attacked if we stay any longer. We need to conserve our strength.”
Nimue handed three Ultra Balls to Jamie before heading off to follow the soldiers. Jamie looked at them for a moment. There was something off about one of them, but she couldn’t tell what. She put them away and began to follow Spearow who was already directing soldiers to the next objective. Tristan rushed off to place himself in front of Jamie and serve as her shield. Lancelot stayed still for a moment, while Gareth wondered what he was thinking. The Ninetales brushed Lancelot with her tails before running off behind Jamie. At that Lancelot spread his wings and followed after the group.
The image of Nimue was leaving. But Lancelot knew that no one was actually with the two soldiers. Nothing but an illusion who would dissipate with the mist. His real teacher was following right behind them. The Ninetales once called Lilinoe.
OOC: Profile
Species: Alolan-Ninetales Nickname: True Self: Lilinoe, Human Illusion: Nimue Gender: Female Trainer: None, pretends to be Nimue's Pokemon if needed. Appearance: Longer tails as white as now. Creates an illusion of an older woman with blue clothes that match her true body and white hair that matches her tails. Personality: Bitter and harsh as winter. Driven by goals she keeps to herself. Ability: Snow Warning Specialty: Can create hard illusions, and hypnotize opponents with the mist she creates. Known Moves: Foul Play, Freeze Dry, Hypnosis, Aurora Veil, Mist, Moonblast EXP: 0
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Post by Konuju on Sept 3, 2022 14:27:15 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Ellen Burks – Seafolk Village, Poni Island "So are we all ready to head out?" Ryan surveyed the group in the hotel lobby. Alola's ferry service had taken them from Aether Paradise to Poni Island, but the day was already spent by the time they arrived. The group had decided to spend the night at a hotel in Seafolk Village.
Now that everyone was awake and rested, they planned to make their way over to the Ruins of Hope. A dense fog covered much of the small fishing village. Ryan would have thought that by leaving so early in the morning, none of the village folk would be awake. Yet fishermen and other artisans were already busy getting ready for the day. Most ignored what looked like a large crowd of tourists, but one old lady called out to them as she was setting up her cart for the day. "How would you folks like to try some freshly squeezed Pinap Juice?"
"No, thanks." Ryan quickly waved her off. "We're in a bit of a—"
"We'd love some!" Ellen said, rushing over to the small stand and beckoning the others to follow.
Ryan opened his mouth to argue, but Symbio hit in with a telepathic message. Trust her, the Reuniclus insisted. Ellen knows what she's doing.
"Here you are, sweetie," the lady said, handing Ellen a cup in exchange for a handful of coins. "Would your friends like some too?"
"Yes, please," Ellen said, taking a big sip of the juice. "This is really good stuff. Do you grow the berries here?"
"Why, yes. My husband used to grow all kinds of berries, but the Pinap was always his favorite. Ever since he passed a few years ago, I've grown them in my backyard and turn them into juice. It's my way of honoring his memory." The lady smiled as she poured more cups. "So what are you all doing up so early this morning? Off to sightsee somewhere?"
"We're actually interested in learning more about Tapu Fini," Ellen said through her sips.
"Ah, Poni Island's Guardian Deity," the lady said wistfully. "Tapu Fini is said to control the very waters themselves." She pointed to the mist the hovering over the docks. "Some of us even believe Tapu Fini herself blankets this village in mist to protect it from dangers of the night. But any old sailor would tell you the fog does them more harm than good, so take that how you will." She added with a small chuckle, "Of course, she is also said to smite any trainers who recklessly try to approach her abode, so messing with the sailors wouldn't be out of the question."
"Recklessly?" Ellen questioned. "Isn't there some way you can approach her with an offering or something? To pay your respects?"
The old woman smiled tenderly. "My dear, the Ruins of Hope, where Tapu Fini dwells, is said to be where life ends its journey. Showing respect for Tapu Fini means showing respect for life – as well as death. We always bring a lei of orchids to the Ruins of Hope as an expression of love and sympathy, and to remember those who have crossed to the Other Side before us."
"I see," Ellen said thoughtfully, finishing off her Pinap juice. "I’m sure your husband appreciates the offerings as well. Thank you so much for your time. Have a nice day!"
"You too, sweetie," the woman said with a smile. "You all take care, now. They say strange creatures have appeared on the island. Don't you all go getting into any trouble."
"We'll be careful," Ellen assured her.
"That was really incredible," Ryan said as they walked away. "And here I thought you were just wasting time. I'm sorry I underestimated you, Ellen."
"I forgive you," Ellen said with a smile. "This place reminds me a lot of Village Bridge. A big portion of our revenue comes from tourism, and I'm sure it's the same here in Alola. I know how much customers mean to artisans like these. Plus, who do you think is going to know more about these Guardian Deities? The Aether Foundation does a lot of ecological research on Pokémon, but it's the people who know the actual folklore, passed down for generations. Like how our neighboring city of Lacunosa has all sorts of legends about Kyurem. I knew this village had to have some information about Tapu Fini."
"You certainly have a point there," Ryan admitted. "Well, it sounds like we'd better find some orchid leis. Maybe another shop here sells them?"
IC: Z-Warrior Zoe Llyan – Hau'oli Outskirts, Melemele Island "Here we are!" Snake declared proudly, motioning with both arms at what looked like a rundown shack that sat in an overgrown field behind the remains of a chainlink fence. "We welcome you, Z, to our humble abode!" Snake stooped into a low bow. "Make yourself at home, my friend. Our casa is your casa, after all."
Zoe carefully stepped through a wide hole in the broken fence, eyes filled with amazement. "What is this place?" she asked. "I thought we were taking a ferry off this island."
Beast laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "Not after that heist you pulled back in the city, Z. You got the place swarming with the old Five-O. We oughta lay low for a bit, at least until we can secure a more subtle way off the island than public transportation."
"As for what this place is," Tracer explained, motioning to a much larger building off in the distance. "It used to be part of the Trainer's School. They used it as a storage house for sports stuff. Balls, bats, rackets, chalk, that sorta thing. Got abandoned when they built new and better fields closer to the school, so now we use it as a place to crash."
"Man, I always hated that place," Trigger muttered, glaring up at the Trainer's School. "Everyone there sucked hard."
"I thought Trainer's Schools were supposed to teach you not to suck?" Zoe asked innocently, prompting the collective group apart from Trigger to chuckle.
"Don't mind him," Bully said in a low voice. "He's just mad 'cause they flunked him."
"You were no model student yourself, Bully," Drifter said coolly, tossing her hair back. "Remind me how you got that name?"
"Enough bickering," Snake snapped. "Z, feel free to go inside and change into your new threads. We'll wait out here to give you some privacy."
"Um . . ." Zoe looked down at her basket of stolen goods. Then she awkwardly walked over to Drifter, the only girl in the gang, and whispered in her ear: "I'm not very good with makeup."
Drifter looked almost as uncomfortable at being confided in as Zoe was at admitting her shortcomings. Then the older girl's normally cold and distant demeanor melted into a soft smile. "Don't worry, I can help you out," she said gently, leading her inside.
As expected for a former school storage unit, the shack left little room for privacy. Curtains were hung across various corners, which when drawn back would cover various mattresses and futons. A small portable stove sat near the center of the room, surrounded by various boxes and stools – a makeshift kitchen.
Drifter led her to the far corner, where she slung back a curtain with a large "Keep Out" sign pinned to it to reveal a dusty mirror and a small desk littered with various lipsticks and eyeliners, crammed next to a twin sized mattress. "This is my room," Drifter said, motioning for Zoe to sit on the mattress in front of the mirror.
The tiny "room" left little space for decoration. The limited wall space was covered by a poster of a Galarian rock band featuring Toxtricity. A small photo was propped against the mirror of two young girls, an Alolan Sandshrew, and an Alolan Vulpix.
"So," Drifter said, dumping the basket on the mattress and pulling Zoe out of her thoughts. "Let's see what we've got here." She glanced through the beauty products for a moment, then curled her lip into a smile. "You got yourself plenty of blush, but no foundation. Here, you can use some of mine."
Zoe felt her face grow hot in a natural blush. "Sorry. Like I said, I don't know how to use makeup. Once I tried to use my mom's and ended up looking more like a Mr. Mime. I got in big trouble."
Drifter laughed softly. "Same thing happened to me when I tried using my sister's makeup for the first time. She was cool about it, though. Didn't laugh, and taught me the basics. Makeup can be a tricky thing, Z."
"Sounds like your sister is pretty great," Zoe said, her thoughts drifting back to her own sister.
"She was." Drifter stared at her desk for a long moment before grabbing a brush and turning to face Zoe. "Here, how about I give you the same lesson she gave me? Putting on makeup is like painting a picture, with your face as the canvas. And like a picture it can reflect beauty, melancholy, mystery, or intrigue. It's up to you how you want to paint your picture, and the message you want to convey . . ."
***
"Alright, boys." Drifter stepped out of the shack, fighting hard to hide the smile on her face. "May I present to you, the newest member of our gang, Z-Warrior!"
At the sound of her new name, Zoe stepped out of the shack as well, trying to keep her balance with her new black platform shoes. Blue-and-white striped stockings ran up her legs all the way to her thighs, where they were covered by a black pleated miniskirt. A leather belt connected the miniskirt to a black and blue patterned tank top. The blue bandana Beast had given her rested at her neck, ready to be pulled up to cover her face at a moment's notice. Her hair had been pulled back into twintails, held in place by silver barrettes. To complete the look, she wore a single black spiked wristband, which drew attention to her painted blue nails.
As Drifter had warned her, the guys probably wouldn't even notice her subtle purple eyeshadow, the thin eyeliner that accentuated her face, or the layers of expertly placed makeup that reinforced her complexion. But each of those components painted the overall picture of Z-Warrior: a girl who was sick and tired of being told her limits and refused to let anyone hold her back.
The Skull members whooped and cheered, rushing forward to embrace their new teammate. Zoe grinned as she welcomed their praise with open arms, sparing a grateful smile at Drifter. The older girl stood off to the side, returning Zoe's grin before looking way to regain her stoic composure. Among the guys there was not a single word of criticism or judgment. Zoe was truly one of them now. And for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was somewhere she truly belonged.
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alku
Technician
Posts: 63
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Post by alku on Sept 8, 2022 7:25:52 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra, Seafolk Village
As Ellen and Ryan were talking, Evan was pondering what the woman had said. Admittedly, he wasn't sure such a deity would feel about him, especially consider what he might be considered by Tapu Fini. What if he were considered an aberration? A mistake to be erased? "Regardless of how Tapu Fini might feel, we must seek it out. If it means fighting it, so be it." Taking a moment to stop mulling things over, the man looked towards Ellen. "I've heard tales that the Tapus are... fickle and tricksy." The Hero said, a note of knowing in his tone. "I think we should not only buy a lei...but also have a fresh one made. What do you think?"
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Post by Konuju on Sept 8, 2022 12:54:17 GMT -8
IC: Ryan Sanders/Ellen Burks – Seafolk Village, Poni Island Ellen nodded thoughtfully. "That sounds like a good idea," she said. "I doubt Tapu Fini would appreciate a mass produced one, at any rate. But I'm sure we can find someone here who will make us a fresh lei."
"Like there?" Ryan pointed over to a small, humble shop resting where the dock met the mainland, advertising leis of all sorts.
"Yes, that will do nicely," Ellen said, leading the group inside.
The group of assorted agents barely fit inside the tiny shop, which seemed to startle the elderly woman who ran the shop. "Oh, my," she said, looking up from her work. A Comfey next to her squeaked in surprise. "What a lively crowd we have here today. How may I help you?"
"We would like to order some leis," Ryan said, doing a quick headcount of the group so he could ensure everyone had one. "Orchid leis, to be exact. We're planning to pay our respects to Tapu Fini."
"Ah, I see," the woman said solemnly. "Did you lose someone close to you?"
Ryan was about to respond that they only wanted to pay their respects to the Tapu, not to the deceased. But he paused in thought. Life had been so crazy between the war and the Missing Zero that he hadn't stopped to really think about it, but there had been quite a number of deaths in the past year or so. Bluefalcon and Goldhawk immediately came to mind, but even within Ryan's immediate circle of friends he had lost Jake Soren, Ryan Hikari, and many more. There was not a single person in the group who had not lost someone close to them. Not to mention the countless agents who had died at the hands of Missing Zero. How many more would die before this was over?
"We've . . . lost a good number, actually," Ryan responded heavily.
The woman nodded in understanding. "Death can be a hard thing to face. Our grief ebbs and flows like the tide. We fear death because it is unknown. But Tapu Fini teaches us that death is only the next step in the cycle. All things are created, and so all things must one day be destroyed. I assure you, your loved ones are no worse off than they were in this plane. And with the great Tapu's help they will find safe passage to the Other Side, to their eternal resting place." The woman's eyes came to rest on Evan. "Something troubling you, my young boy?"
IC: Z-Warrior Zoe Llyan – Hau'oli Outskirts, Melemele Island "Rise and shine, sleepyheads!" Snake yelled from atop an overturned crate that had at one point held bottles of Moomoo Milk. The crate buckled under his weight, yet held strong.
"G'morning," Zoe mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes. Pajamas had not been on her list of items to steal from the store, so she instead wore an oversized t-shirt that fell to her knees. "Does Team Skull always get up before the sun rises?"
"Yeah, what gives?" Trigger demanded from another corner of the makeshift home. "I was having a nice dream about Malasadas . . ."
"An opportunity presents itself," Snake replied with a widening grin, spreading out his arms to demand silence. He glanced at each member in turn before continuing. "I have had contact with our seventh – or shall we way, eighth – member."
"No way!" Beast immediately picked up a crate not unlike the one on which Snake stood and smashed it against the wall. "Not that imbecile! You remember what happened last time we dealt with him!" One by one, the other Skull members nodded, some muttering in agreement. Beast looked Snake in the eye. "We don't deal with that traitor. Not anymore."
Snake sighed dramatically. "I was afraid you'd say that, Beast. If you truly feel so strongly, then by all means, take your chances at the ferry station. I'm sure only all of Hau'oli is looking for you."
"They didn't see our faces!" Beast shot back. ". . . right?"
"Gangsters Rob Local Shop," Bully read aloud from an article he had pulled up on his phone. "A commotion occurred in the shopping district of Hau'oli this afternoon . . . yadda yadda . . . several articles of clothing and beauty supplies were stolen . . . blah blah blah . . . suspects include two males and one females, all ranging from teenage to young adult. So there ya go, Beast. No positively identifying features."
"May we get back to the point?" Snake demanded. "Double has secured us a raft and will pick us up at the northern end of Kala'e Bay. From there, he will take us to Ula'ula. But it has to be before sunrise to ensure no one will see us."
"And you waited until now to tell us?" Tracer grumbled.
Snake clapped his hands emphatically. "Come on, people, let's move! Up and at 'em!"
"What's going on?" Zoe asked as she scrambled to find her new outfit.
"Snake's tempting fate, that's what's happening," Drifter muttered, yanking the curtain across her "room" closed so they could change. "Double used to be one of us until he went rogue. He was more interested in making a quick buck than hanging with our sorry lot, and got it in his head that the money lasted a lot longer split one way instead of seven." Drifter shook her head in disgust as she finished getting dressed and moved in front of the mirror to begin applying makeup. "Now he's something of a bandit, and apparently doing quite nicely for himself. Which sucks, because you would think friendship would win in the end or some nonsense like that. Regardless, Double's got resources, and apparently enough goodwill left in that stone cold heart of his to help us out. If you ask me, Snake's offered him a big sum of cash for his trouble."
"Isn't that everyone's money?" Zoe asked as she pulled her stockings up. "Does that mean Snake's stealing from the group?"
"Oh, no, definitely not!" Drifter laughed. "If he did that we'd all kill him. No, Snake's a humble guy. If he's not paying from his own personal pool of dough, he stole it specifically to entice Double. Assuming that's how he convinced Double in the first place."
Zoe smoothed out her skirt and took a seat next to Drifter. "So then why go through all the trouble of contacting Double if everyone hates him? Surely there's another way?"
"Snake's desperate," Drifter said softly as she applied mascara. "A lot of us had friends in Po Town when the invasion happened. If we have a chance to reclaim our turf, Snake's going to take it, no matter what."
Zoe felt goosebumps form on her bare arms and shoulders. "What do you mean?" She whispered. "Is that our mission? Reclaiming your lost city?"
Drifter set her makeup brush down and looked Zoe in the eyes. "Promise me something, Z," she said in a hushed tone. "Don't do anything stupid. I know you want to prove yourself . . . but Team Skull sticks together above all else. You're one of us now, our bonds run thicker than blood. You don't have to do anything more to be accepted. Understand?"
To be honest, the urgency in Drifter's tone and the pain in her eyes took Zoe by surprise. "I . . . think so," she said hesitantly. "But what does this have to do with—"
"Ladies! You almost ready to go?" Snake knocked on the metal 'Keep Out' sign Drifter had hanging on the outside of the curtain. "The whole gang's waiting on you!"
"Can't rush beauty, Snake," Drifter said in a singsong voice. She forced a smile to her face. "Come on, Z. Just a few touchups to your makeup and we'll be ready to go."
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alku
Technician
Posts: 63
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Post by alku on Sept 9, 2022 5:15:09 GMT -8
IC: Evan Tierra
Evan looked a bit surprised at the old woman's question. "Well, I was wondering...if Tapu Fini were to encounter someone who...came back from The Other Side..." The man asked, trying to sound a little less nerved up. "...How would the Tapu feel about that?" Even if it were by the blessing of Dialga, the man was brought back from death, and who knows how this would pan out.
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