ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

-Maggie has come here, possibly with Tagg, possibly independently of him-

-Hajime and Sholto are also here, most likely-

Resort Area

-Even though the author needs sleeps, Jason has arrived here as well-

edited 24th Dec '16 6:09:42 PM by Skyzerk

-The sounds of hammer meeting metal have ceased-

Mitch: "And, done, alright let me call the client"

-Mitch pulls out his poketch, and dials Sholto's number-

-Mitch would hear a voice from the other end-

Sholto: "Uh, hey, Sholto here."

Mitch: "Hello, I'm just calling that your order has been completed, and I can deliver the product at your leisure."

Sholto: "Oh, great. Uh, I'm in the Resort Area, but I can fly back to Hearthome or something if that's more convenient"

Mitch: I can come on over to the Resort Area.

Sholto: "Oh, okay. I'll stick around here, then."

Resort Area

-Verax is here-

Huh... you know, this would be a nice place to get a house.

-He looks around- .... Though, I can't help but be worried about that knucklehead. Where is he?

Mt. Coronet

-A familiar cobalt clad black haired man and a Gardevoir are walking through a snow drift high up on the mountain-

Regina: <Jacob, there are better times to try this. It's the holidays, you should be spending time with your friends, your family->

Jacob: "I'll be fine. This'll be my gift to everyone, getting rid of this thing."

Regina: <Jacob-> -She steps in front of him to cut off his path- <Stop for a moment. The last time you tried to handle anything on your own, you got crushed by a Draipon and then your spine broken by a reality warping abomination. Speaking of which, is your back feeling alright?>

Jacob: "I'm fine, we'll be fine. I've seen one fight now, I can handle it."

Regina: -She holds her hand out and Jacob is frozen in place- <Stop, think. What are you doing to help anyone if you and get yourself killed?>

Jacob: "Have I died yet?"

Regina: <Very nearly.>

Jacob: "We'll be fine."

Regina: <What are you trying to prove?>

Jacob: "I don't need to prove anything to anyone. I'm fine. We're fine."

Regina: <You know I can tell when you're lying, right?>

Jacob: "We can have a very in-depth conversation about all my personal problems once we beat this Shard."

Regina: <Provided it's even there.>

Jacob: "If the lack of wild Pokemon and the weird storm brewing up here past the cloud cover is any indication, it is. Or something is."

Regina: -She sighs, deciding spending her energy trying to keep him alive will be better spent than trying to talk him out of this- <Very well. Since I won't be teleporting to conserve my own power, it should still take us a number of hours to reach the summit.>

Jacob: "We should be there by midnight, we'll be fine. Then we'll go to the others, sleep, and have a very merry Christmas."

-And the two push forward-

Eterna City, this afternoon

-the young woman with the thin coat walks, purposefully, down the street. People shoulder past her to get to whatever last-minute shopping places they can get to. The air is filled with vaporized breath and the hurried bustle-

???: Help the needy this Christmas! Donate! Donate!

-a short, squat, middle-aged woman with curly grey hair loudly rings a hand bell, standing next to a large kettle with The Redemption Division written upon it in red lettering. One old man places change into the kettle, prompting an "Arceus bless you!" from the woman-

-Cassie stops, stepping out of the crowd to watch with an odd expression. Another woman steps over to the kettle before being pulled back by her boyfriend, who murmurs something in her ear and awkwardly steps away with her-

Cassie: ...hmmm?

-the woman with the bell turns to Cassie-

Woman: Excuse me, ma'am, will you donate for a good cause this Christmas?

-Cassie peers at her over her wire-rimmed glasses and frowns-

Cassie: Christmas is not my holiday, and Arceus is not my God. May you accept Yveltal in your heart.

-she goes to step away before turning back-

Cassie: I don't have any money, anyway, so don't try and bother me.

-she walks back into the fold towards the Pokemon Center-

edited 24th Dec '16 7:09:33 PM by ILoveDogs

So. Welcome to the start of my little dual 5th anniversary/Christmas special. It's a very twisted version of a stock Christmas plot, and may seem rather self-contained at first, but it ties into some overarching stuff and plans in a very big way. But I'll keep the exposition light this time and let you all see for yourselves...

???

-Umbra comes to in a misty gray void, the rest of Team Umbra doing the same-

Nico: ...Again?

Arika: ...Please don't tell me we'll have to re-enact RogueOne.

Umbra: Rrgh... Whatever is happening, this Glitch seems determined to keep us from doing anything important!

-suddenly, a low buzzing noise echoes through the void. It dulls to black as purple ones and zeroes start flickering amid it and an eerily childlike voice rings out-

   00111111 00111111 00111111:    Y͎̖͠o̩̟̲͖̪͕u̝̭̲͘ ͈̯̯̪̩c͖̭̞̙̻͔̮a̙̦̖̣̟͚͕t̨͔͙c̟̩̜̩̻ẖ͙͍̯ ơ̟n̺͍͝ q͈͢u͓͍į̜̮̰̰̱c̯̯̳̮̕k͞, ̶̺̼̖N͠ox̤̘.̻̳͔͔ͅ.̭͙̪̰̜̻̺.̧̞̦̼͉

-two tendrils extend from the void, made up of purple zeroes with hook-like ones at the end. Everyone present gets the feel of something much bigger and more menacing lurking at the end of them and starts backing away.-

Robin: Guys? W-what the hell is this thing?

Human!Ammy: Whatever this thing is it's clearly [LOVECRAFT]-tier...

-the area is overwhelmed by a buzzing, beeping noise like a haywire 1990s gaming device giving an eldritch chuckle and then the childlike voice rings out again-

   00111111 00111111 00111111:    I͢'d͡ be ͡in͢su̷l͜te͠d if ̀ ̢yo͝u͜ ̵tho̢ught ̸thé i͞ns͢e̵c͢t cu̷r̕r̢e͝n̡t̨l̸y̕ ̴c̷r̶a̢wlin̛g aro͟u͢nd ͏Sin͞noh ͢wa̧s ͝t̨h͢e ̧ca͡u͞s̸e o͞f̴ t͠h̴a̧t̶ o͘n̷e ̡mi͘s̛h̛ąp ͟i҉f I dídǹ't͡ f̴i͡nd̸ ̀the҉ ͜p͝r̨o͜s͟pect̵ ̢s̀o am̴u͝śing... ͠But̸ ̀no͢, it҉ ̸wa͝s a҉ ̵f̕ai͝led spáwn ͢o͡f͜ I.̴ So̡ ̧I ̢d̢e͏cíd̨ed t̴o ͡inte̢rv̴e͞ne ͠p̴ér̷so͘nal͜l̀y o̷n̡c̢e ̴I go̴t the ͏ch̡an̕c̡e t͞h͟i͝s ti͝me.

Arika: Okay, but why us? We're just six... weird Pokemon Trainers.

Lina: And last I checked we didn't do anything to piss off whatever you are.

-the staticky chuckle rang out again-

   00111111 00111111 00111111:    O̢h̨, ̀do̧ t͡ŗu͡st ̕me wh͜e͘n͠ I say ̨it'͢s͜ ̧not̕hin̨g̨ p̸erso̕n̨al...̧ ͡I͘'m͢ ̛júst ̸poi̸so͡ni̴ng t̵h̕e w̛e̵l̶l of a̕ r͠ea҉l ̸thr̴eat ̧m͟edd̡l͢ing ̨w̕ith ͝yǫu ́si̸x.

Umbra: Are you talking about... That universe we're supposed to create?

   00111111 00111111 00111111:    A̸̯̠̥g҉̟̝̮̪͉ͅa͚͕̜͜i̟̙̼n,̕ ̸͓͈̬̘y̼̱̦͖̲ou͠ ̟̝̭͙̫͎ͅca̭̬̮͔̯t̺͡c̟͔h͈̻̪̬̱̬ ̡̳̳o̭̠̰n͖̹̲̟ ̮͈̻͇͡q̦̯̟̘̻͜ͅͅu̶̟̮i̮̘̱̳̘ͅc͚̱͇͓͡ͅk҉͕͓̺̝,͕̯̜͘ ̟͕̰̤̱̙N̞͎̩o̼͈̙̠̞͔x̰̙̹̰̜.͟.̢̙͖͕̼̙̯̮.̜͕͖:

-The ones at the ends of its two zero tendrils clacked together intermittently as it went on-

Y̛ou҉ ̵se͏e I'̡v̡e̶ ͘been ̧a̷r̕o͘u͡n͡d͘ th͏is͞ ͜mu̕ltiver͏se̛ s͝i̸ńce ̨i͘t ̨b͟eg͞an.͝..̢ Eo̕ns ̀a͜n͏d eons͜ fŗo͢m̨ ͏yo̸ur pȩr͡s̴pe̴ct͞ive̵ b͟ut̶ ͏from͟ ͘mi̧n͟e͘ in̡ you̡r ̴spe͠c҉i͢e̛s̕ ̛st͡a͝nda̴r͏ds̴ I bare̷ly f́ęel ̛ov͟er̶ t̴wen̶ty̸ a̷nd̵ ̷in a͝ ̨seńs̕e̕ h̷alf ͢t̕hat..͜. ̵B̷ųt̷ ̧t͜h҉a̕t͟ ҉is ͠no̸t ̶th̵e͜ p͜óin͡t.͡ T̵hȩ p̵oin͟t̕ i͜s ̧th͢at i̧t h̶a͏s be͞c͝o͢m̶e͡ ̧incr̵easi͡n̡gl҉y i͠m̨p͟ur͢e ov̀er̶ the̢ y̸ea҉rs,҉ ̶a̢nd̛ I ͞h͞ave ͞be͡en̛ ̸w̴or͘kin͟g t̀i͏re̶le͞s҉sl̀y ͠harḑ to ̴f̛ix͞ ͘tha͏t̸, n͘o ͘mat̕tȩr͞ ̢h҉ow̡ ̵ma̴n̡y tim̕eline̴s ̴I ̸m̸ust s͜educ̨e ̀to͘ t̀hei͞r̨ ȩn̷d́s̨..̀.̀ ͏it̡ ͏doe͠s no̧t̡ h́él͘p̢ I ca̴nno͞t̴ dèci̴de ҉what ͟it ̕s̵h͜òúld̀ ͞a̛ll t͜ưrn̕ ou͘t҉ l͠i̛k͟e ̸i̸n̴ th͏e͞ ̸e̶n҉d..́.̕ ̸

-its "tentacles" writhe in anger-

B͞ut͠ ̵òne̴ th͏inģ'́s f͘or̛ su̶r͜e is̨ th̢ere̛'͏s͠ ̡t̵h́is҉ o̕n҉e b҉ląs͝te͢d t͢i̴mel̕in͜e̴ ͠th́a͝t'̵s ̧a h̴òrri͠d,̴ he̸l̷lis̸h ̵t̶h̨or̶ń i͟n͏ m̀y si͢d̀e ͢p̸u͢ri͠f̕yin̛g t͏h҉e̶ ͏unív͏erse̴! ̸It's̢ ͝n̶ew͠ an͝d a͏l̵r̸ea͢dy ́ne̢a̶r͢ĺy ͟ąs ͢o͘bno͜x̵i͝o҉us͟ as̡ ̧that ͢o̴ne͡ ̧u̵n̛i̵v̴er̀s̡e͞...͢ ̧So ͢f̛r thi̛ś ͠n̕e͡w͜ ̸thr͢ea͝t ͢I͝'̀d҉ thoug̴ht̡ I'͝d ̷n͡ip̛ ̀ìt i͝n the ͝b̕ud̷ ́wit̶h̨ ̕its d̀e͡sti͜ne͟d̀ ͞cre̵at̢ors͟..̛.

-Arika, despite her fear, leers at the thing in the shadows-

Arika: Then tell us. Why are we so important to this universe existing anyway to the point we're apparently due to create it?

   00111111 00111111 00111111    I̕t͜'s͞ ̵a̛ļl͏ ͞i͠n ͠t҉he ̴met̴a͏phy͜si҉c͡s,̛ ̢d̢ear̸!͟ T͏h̷i͠s͘ un҉iv͟e͞r̶se̸ ͢is͠ ͡y̧o͜u͢n҉g a̵n̵d͡ àlr̕e͏ad́y̶ ̕def͏ia͟nt̀ t̨o my id͢e͠al͠s̴.̛.̶. But ̀i̧t͜s ͜st͞ory ͢can̶not ͟g͜o in̶t͡o̵ ful͝l͠ s̸win̢g ̧u̕n̸til ̛y҉o͠ur̷ t́ime͢ w̷it̨h ͡the J͟-T̕eam̡ ͡c҉o͜m̷e͢s̵ ͠to ̵a prope͢r ̀concl͘u͞s̶io͏n. S͡ò ҉if͝ I c͜u͏t ͟o͠f́f͠ all͏ ̴y̕ou͘r͝ ̛s̀toríes͝ ̶bęfo̸re̛ the҉ń.͘..͠

-the staticky chuckle rings out again, almost to the pitch of a giggle-

-Team Umbra murmur among each other in panic before Arika glares at the thing again.-

Arika: ...W-We won't let you. I know you talk yourself up but we've stopped part of you before. We can do it again.

-the tentacles writhe again-

   00111111 00111111 00111111:    Y̭̖̤̳̥ò̞̻̖ͅù̜ ̗̪͈d̛̞̭̼o̧̭̥̠͎̬̜n̝̟͍̯͠'̞͎͙̲͇̱ͅt҉̗ ̪͈̲̟̥͇̹k̭͎͡no҉w̸̖̤ ́j̣͚͍u̪s̶͔͙t̞̪̼͎ͅ ̗̞͈̰̘h̟̗o̱̰̹͉̙̥̥ẁ ͇̪̯͙͇̮͎w̜̭̫r̙͉̪ơ̞̘̳̹̥͚ng̹ ͉̺͙̦y̵̝͍o̘̜̼͢u̖̱͠ ̪͍͙͈͢a͇̤̲̥͘r̦͙͚͉̺e̘͇̼̪̤̙̯,͇͈̝̭͘ ̮̣̗̮̻͎y̥͍̺̭̞͠ọ́u̗̲̟̩͇n̢̬̖͍g̭̮͙͙̪̫ ͕l̟̫̳a̧͙̪̟̭̣d͚y̷!̤̠̰ ̛͈̰I̹̟̜,͏̱ ̼̜̟͓͎̬ͅ0͎͎͘1͎̟0̡̼͇̙̜̱͎͎1̠͉̀0̯̣̦̩͉͔10̶̣̱͚̭̼͈͔0̤͖̤̗͜ ̻͕͖̩̜̬͎0̻̭̦̗1̩̬͉̗͇͓̱͞0͔̖̩̪͖0̧̩͉̙̣̱̪1̸̞͓͖̫͙̻0̟0͢0̭ ̭̼̣̻0҉̦̫͚̗̲̥ͅ1̕0̳̗͖́0͎̰̭̣͘0͚̝̦͇͡1̷͎̼͙0̠̳͚̞̠̯̘͢1̵̭̰̯̞͇̺ ̬̺͕͇͞0̦͈̻ͅ0͚̜͚̝̼͓̥1̞ͅ0̹̥͙̻0̫̕0̠̝̼͓̱͔0̠͈0̪̰̫ͅ ̰̙̯0̬̠̹̱̯͍1̶̘͓0̟0̹͈̥̪0̹̰̝͚̳ͅͅ1̩̞̥͈͎̞̜1̥̕0͈͘ ͓̻̝̯̻̘0͓̦͝1̤̰0̰̜̩̲͈͖0̥̼0҉̦̮̫͔̗͈0̩̪̙͝01͍ ̺͜0͕̮̝̙͈1̻̮̖̺͝0͕̻̻̬̘0̴̠̖̺̤̲11̱͞1̟̤͔͉̗͔0͔̳ ̣̥̪0̙1̱̞00͢0̯͖0̭͚̫̻͈́0̨͕͎1̶ ̴0̲̭̼̼͘1̭͍̗͚0͕͍͎͕͉̰1̜̜̝͔̘̳̝0͈͉̕1͏͎̱̠0̳͚̦0҉ ͈̲͓͝0̶̫̫̟̮͎1͈̞̤̫͕0̸̞0̦1̠͚̣0̯̗͉͢0̴̪͎̳̣̞͓̙1̞̩͔̺ ̞͎̼͉̙̺͞ͅ0̬̮1̴̘̘̮̥̩̪0̖̞̮0̵͚0̺͓͓̥̯0̝̬͍͇̼̣1̡1̢̣̪,͎̳͞ ̡̬a̢͈m͙͍͕̹̪͟ ̺̻̱͔̗̲̲d̙̫̖̼͠ͅo̶̜͈né̖͈̩̰ ͏̮̞h̶e͕͉̹̺̫̥͡ṟe,͕͘ ̳̩̥͔͓͔͜b̨͖͉͇u̴͇ͅt͟ ̠̪͉̭̼͉̭t̳͖o̙͕͚͍̞̬͎ ̰̜͔̹̣̠t͓̪e̤͔̣͠a̯͚c̣̰͇̀h̞̣̦̻͎̜͟ ̯̖͔̠t̥̘̻h̗̙̺͓̼͖̳͜e̵ ͍r̲̘̝ę̯͚s͉t̙ ͚̱̘͈̼̤͝ọ͈f̘̯͙̙̘͔̕ ͏̟͎̝͉̣̟y̖̦̝͍̻̥o̘͉̬̞͕u̙̬̲̦ ̤͙͓͡t͍̤̞͕̱͔ͅó͖ ͔͚͙̻b̵̗͇̖͓e̮̫̼͈͕͚ ̛̺̭̥͚̼̤ͅl͉͍̲̫̗̝̣͟e̗s̫̞̮̠̘̬͎s ̞͙̞͙̦̠i̷̯̠̰̮n̵s̶̟̣͔̲͉o̘̟̤͡l͚̹e̱̻̯͉̝̣͢n̸ț̘̹.̮̜̟̬̜͉̼.̱͔.̗̳̳̫͈̟:

-the two tentacles retreat into the shadows...-

-only for a third to spring out and dig the hook of its one into Arika's neck-

-Before she can react her throat is promptly ripped out, and the entity retreats into the darkness as she falls to the floor, eyes wide open, throat bleeding profusely.-

-The rest of Team Umbra screams and sobs in shock-

Human!Ammy: ARIKA!

Robin: N-No, not again... Not all over again...

Lina: Why... Why her?!

Nico: Arika... Please, you can't be gone, please...

-Umbra kneels before Arika's corpse in anguish-

Umbra: This... This...

-he pounds the ground in frustration-

This is my fault!

-Everyone is too in shock and/or busy sobbing to notice Arika's body disintegrating into motes of blue light that start coalescing inward-

I'm the one who effectively started this little group! I was the one who throughout my life dragged you all into my messes... And now we're all trapped here because of it! Arika's dead because of it!

-the motes coalesce into a intact Lunar Pendant.-

I... I wish I'd never joined the J-Team!

-Nico looks up from his mourning just in time to see the Lunar Pendant glowing in reaction to Umbra's words-

Nico: ...UMBRA, WAI-

-the Lunar Pendant lets off a blast of blue energy-

-BOOM-

-...-

-... ...-

-... ... ...-

   00111111 00111111 00111111:    .̛.̷̼̼.̛̯̘̥͓̫̞̻I͉ ͏͍̫̻̗̱̤w͙̩͖ạs҉͉͖̹̥̻ ̻̮̜ͅh̦͔͝o̗̫̳̣̩͙̭p͈̜i̳̳͙̬̦̫͟n̻͕̥̪g͏̹̙̹̜ y̢̲̫͈̺͓̻ͅo͈̩̜u͖̻̤̜̳ͅ'̮̤̠̱̥͘d̙̦̼̼͍͠ ͈͇̹̣̖͕͝d̘̦͠o͈̤͕͎̱̜ ̘̩t̺̠͈͔̩̣h̛͚̩̲̦̭̘a͕̰͝t,͚̭̹̪̀ ͙̰N̙͚͚͖̳̘̦o̥̻̮̼x̡̰̳͖͍̫̥.͖͓̺̙.͖̱̣̦̱̯̜.̬ͅ

Thoughts? Mwahaha.

Des is here.

Lit as f@ck and strumming away on a guitar.

"SHO KISSH ME AAAM SCHIT FACED! AM SHOAKED AN' SHOILED IN RUUUUUUM!"

Oh ho ho, a classic Christmas standby. I applaud your ambition, sir.

The GM House

-Ludmilla yawns as Deziree hands her the two incubators. The young lady cuddles the two of them close as her mother tucks them into bed.-

Ludmilla: Tomorrow's Christmas, right?

Deziree: Yeppers. There'll be all sorts of presents and candy - but you'll only really enjoy it all if you get a good night's sleep, okay?

-Ludmilla nods, puffing out her cheeks.-

Ludmilla: And the eggs Uncle Ren gave me will hatch, right?

Deziree: Right! And you'll want to be all rested and ready to give them a big ol' hello, right?

Ludmilla: Right!

-Deziree kisses her daughter on the forehead.-

Deziree: Good girl. See you in the morning, sweety.

Meanwhile, in an unknown location...

Baldur: <Great Sun, I beseech upon you this blessing, that I may shine your light into the minds of the ignorant and your radiance upon those who yet hide in darkness in this coming year...>

-The Volcarona hovers with as little motion as possible, his meditation room lit only by holy, sanctified candles at the four cardinal and sub-cardinal directions.-

Base of Mt. Coronet

Satele: <NO.>

Selene: <Aaaaaaw, c'mon Satele! Look at all that craziness up there!>

Satele: <I AM. And I am NOT letting you up there.>

Selene: <Why nooooooooot?!>

Satele: <Because I am the one with actual preservation instincts. It'll take a mandate from Arceus Himself before I let you up there.>

edited 24th Dec '16 7:56:30 PM by DuneTheWanderer

Felis: <This is a terrible idea, you know.>

Mezzo: <Listen, it's totally fine. We show up here, I do a great impression, no one suspects a thing. Besides, you like Christmas.>

-Mezzo knocks on the front door-

Sunny: <Besides, if we mess up we can just say that Piano is missing.>

Felis: <Or we could do that in the first place and save us the charade, runt.>

Mezzo: <It's fine. Let's just act natural.>

-Noelle is around, possibly with Mimmy or Psyche-

Resort Area, Inside

-Mimmy looks up at her sister-

Mimmy: Merry Christmas, by the way. I have your present.

Resort Area, inside

-Skye and/or Diane and/or Alyssa may be with and/or near Noelle and/or Psyche.-

Resort Area, Outside

Ever: Oh, hey Butterscotch!

-he carefully places Mix on the Zoroark's head-

Mix: <Long time no see! :3>

Breeze: <Ever, how come we never spend time with anyone anymore?>

Ever: The capricious forces that manage my life drag me out of existence periodically.

Mezzo: <What? I'm not Butterscotch, I'm Mezzo. See, look at the—>

-his illusion fades as he notices Mix on his head-

Felis: -facepaw-

Butterscotch: <Good to see you.> -pets Mix-

Noelle: Oh, merry X-Mas. What did you get me?

Resort Area

Ever: Leaving aside the yellow, I like to think I'd know the real Mezzo when I see her. I hope she's doing alright.

-Mix purrs softly-

Mix: <Mm...Missed you.>

-he nuzzles Butterscotch's head-

Butterscotch: <Missed you too.> -pets-

Sunny: <I think she's okay. She's somewhere in glitchspace so we've had Butterscotch fill in for her over the fast few, uh... months.>

Butterscotch: <Pretending to be human is cool.>

Spear Pillar

-Jacob and Regina approach the center of the area, where a pillar of smoke is funneling into a small storm cloud-

Jacob: "... So?"

Regina: <... It is... definitely not natural.>

???: {.... So glad you could join us.}

-The pillar and storm dissipate and at the base of the smoke is a large, lean, lanky, hunched humanoid figure, with arms that draw down past its knees and curling into large three-fingered reptilian talons, feathers sprouting from its shoulders and elbows, its face blank aside from two pinpoints of red where there might be eyes, and a trail of smoke forming almost the tails of a coat behind it. Seemingly constructed out of obsidian, the figure moves with an uncanny organic sense to its movements, the reflection on each of the faceted surfaces of its body imply wildly different thing, on one the face seems almost gem like, and solid, another looks like a hole that leads further back than the creature is wide, an infinite expanse of darkness-

???: {Slaying Destruction and Chaos has made you all so.... imperious. Thinking you alone could stop me. It took your defilers of fate all they had to bring down Chaos, along with that wretched drake. And you... well... you know what it required to fell Destruction.}

Jacob: "So you are the third, then?"

Regina: -She starts stepping forward, dust on the ground being pushed away by the psychic energy radiating from her-

???: {....} -The figure stands full upright, its body standing a good eight feet tall- {You ask questions to which you already have answers. And I know your intent, child.}

Jacob: "So no free introduction?"

???: {Oh, you will get more than a name, fool. I am the first Shard of Calamity. I am Tragedy.}

Jacob: "Wonderful."

Tragedy: {... Though, I am curious, why do you willingly throw your life at the flames? Do you have no desire to survive?}

Jacob: -He shrugs- "Honestly? I don't know what else I'd be doing. I don't want to sacrifice myself if I can avoid it, but the idea does not bother me if I have to. I'd just rather end the problem before it begins."

Tragedy: {Then you are an even greater fool than I initially assumed. You cannot rewrite what has already been written, boy. And even if you could touch the strands of fate, what makes you think you have the ability to stop me?}

Jacob: -Looks the figure up and down- "Well you don't look nearly as bulky or as well defended as the Administrator was, I don't see why I shouldn't try my luck."

Regina: -She looks over her shoulder- ~You can feel the power coming off this thing, right?~

Jacob: Oh yes, I am surprised I haven't just started crying or screaming, but it won't break me-

Tragedy: {Adorable, you think you will find privacy through thought. Speak, cretins, I can hear your minds as easily as your voices.}

Jacob: ".... Well, I think it's too late to back out of a fight now."

Tragedy: {Indeed. Coming here to face me alone was insulting enough, I'm afraid. And your friends will not save you this time.}

-There is the briefest of pauses before Tragedy vanishes, the ground fragmenting beneath it. Regina vanishing in a burst of energy as well, as the two face each other in the air above-

Resort Area

-Mix snuggles in-

Ever: (to Butterscotch) Isn't it?

Butterscotch: <Absolutely. In fact...>

-Butterscotch shimmers a bit and then reforms as Mezzo, with her "Not a Zoroark" shirt and Mix on her head-

Mezzo: <There we go.>

Felis: <Having lover boy on your head totally gives it away even more than normal.>

Sunny: <No way, it's adorable. Besides, Piano wears me on her head all the time.>

Resort Area, outside

Ever: Ooh, I have an idea.

-he scoops up Sunny and places the Umbreon on his head-

Ever: There. Now it just looks like we swapped.

Spear Pillar

-Within the short exchange between Regina and Tragedy, there is a burst of energy in the air, sending the Gardevoir rocketing back and slamming into the mountain face-

Jacob: "... Well that's not good."

Tragedy: {A keen observation. If all mortals are as intelligent as you I am surprised you haven't killed yourselves off already.}

-At this point Jacob's entire team is out, the body of Tragedy hidden behind Pest, Phlegethon, Songbird, Salcura, and the now Hydreigon Lethe-

-Jacob is standing faaaaaaar back near the entrance back into Mt. Coronet, holding his Mega Pendant-

-Regina, Mega Evolved, stands under the cloud of figures, Argentum, Discord, P-1, and Voidstar with her-

-Behind Tragedy, Helian, Sapphire, Ferris, Valea, Galahad, Bloop, Arondight, and Diantos stand ready to react to anything-

-There's a wave of inky black energy, like a Dark Pulse, as all the Pokemon crowding Tragedy are flung back, and begin to dissolve before quickly being recalled-

Tragedy: {Realize, my power if beyond your comprehension, much less ability to combat.} -It holds one of its taloned hands up as the storm that was there earlier begins to whip up again, a swirling of blue-black clouds creating what looks like a miniature hurricane in the air, slowly expanding as tendrils of the clouds creep and crawl out from the center of the storm-

Jacob: "Take it down! Now!"

-Regina lets loose with a Psychic, Argentum leaping up to slam into it with a Meteor Smash, Discord using Foul Play, and the other mons unleashing various attacks-

-Tragedy blinks as it is bombarded with all the attacks, definitely reacting to the damage more than the Administrator did-

-It then chuckles as the air twists and warps around it and its body looks as if it wasn't harmed-

Jacob: "Wait wha-"

Tragedy: {You truly did not think it would be this easy, did you?}

-Its body shifts into a shimmering cobalt/crimson mass that slams down into the ground, cracking the earth, the shock wave it produces rumbling across the field and shattering several of the pillars, as well as knocking out Helian, Sapphire, Ferris, Voidstar, P-1, and Bloop, before it rises off the ground, moving like an ooze or slime as it retakes Tragedy's obsidian avian form-

{Tragedy, despair, catastrophe, are these things ever easily overcome?}

Jacob: "Yes?"

-The red lights on the Shard's face narrow as simply readies itself for the inevitable counter strike-