ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

Tori: "So, that's it? You're gonna stop trying to fight me all the time?"

Stark: <Yeah, I think so. If I stay down here a while the Doc probably won't find me, so you don't need to worry about me. You said you wanted this rock moved, right?>

Tori: "Yup! We need to get into the passage behind it"

Stark: <Well, you're talking to the right mon then!>

"Lane": "Ugh... What happened?"

Tori: "Ah-"

-Tori rushes over to where Lane is sitting and rubbing his head-

"We kinda got into a fight, but I think it's all resolved now. You okay?"

Lane: "Yeah... I think so"

Stark: <Hey, come on. Give me a hand here!>

-The two humans join Stark where he's standing at the shimenawa wrapped boulder. All three bend down to try and lift, but it goes flying as Stark stands, revealing a doorway as the boulder lands a short distance away-

<E-heh... Well there ya go. Good luck>

-Meanwhile, King had been watching Stark with a glare ever since his surrender,

King: <You think that's it?>

Stark: <Eh?>

King: <If you hadn't fed Toroko those flowers, she wouldn't be dead now->

-He points his sword at the aggron-

<I should kill you for that!>

Stark: <Ah... Yeah. I figured you'd still be upset about that...>

King: <Rrrgh!>

Tori: "King! Stop!"

-Tori steps between the two mon as King raises his sword-

King: <Why?! You saw what he did!>

Tori: "Killing now isn't going to help any, King. We need to stop the Doctor, he's the one causing this, remember?"

King: <And what makes you think he's not going to turn on us?>

Tori: "...Just... Trust me"

......

-King lowers his sword and grudgingly marches through the recently opened passage, but not before giving one last glare at Stark-

CU

"So we're... not going to fight you. Okay." Something about this bothered Daydre. No one hurts or gets hurt?

off the shits

Fight Area Center Cafe, Yesterday

Marie: <Ok.>

-Marie tentatively hands Ren her hat-

-she notices the panicked trainer and the others' reactions-

Marie: <Another one? What're you talking about?>

CU - What's a midnight stage?

A grand ideal. Free will might be an issue for an idea like that...

-He shrugs and checks his keytar-

Though I'd hazard you've already started taking care of that little wrinkle...

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

??? The Midnight Stage

Ren: -highly unimpressed with the voice- That's all well and good, but who are you and what do you want?

-The voice chuckles at the successive comments of Pent and Ren before answering.-

Eerie Voice: Ah-hahaha, never mind that. I just want to connect with all of you. Come... Just look and see how many are waiting to connect with each of you...

-Black mist swirls in the mosh pits. And then from the mist, they take form...-

-Shadows.-

-Thousands upon thousands of shadows appear - dwarfing even the swarm of Hableries that Shadow Ren summoned by far. They are everywhere. In the mosh pits and spilling outwards into the vast tiled plain.-

-Shadows of various sizes and strengths. From the weak Hableries, to the imposing Minotaur shadows - all swaying and chanting inarticulately beckoning the Contractors to join them. On closer inspection, the Shadows' bodies are all connected from their necks, hands, legs, and various body parts with strange, yellow ribbons, writhing as if the the ribbons themselves were alive.-

-And the Contractors are alone on stage at the very center of all this.-

-Mendel recoils and falls backwards.-

Mendel: -freaked out- Not good...

-Ren, on the other hand, is frowning. The palpable intent to do the Contractors harm that all the other shadows they had encountered had was absent from these shadows. And there had an explanation.-

Fight Area Center, Past

-Ren breathed deeply as he donned his sewing gloves before taking Marie's hat.-

Ren: -while comparing thread to the color of Marie's hat- Apathy Syndrome. It's an affliction that causes it's victims to enter a coma-like state, rendering them unresponsive to all stimuli.

-Ren threads a needle with blue thread before continuing as he began sewing.-

Ren: There is no obvious cause that doctors can find, and thus no way to properly treat or cure it. I've used all my connection to try to find a cause, but to no avail. I'm almost starting to think this is just a natural - albeit very disturbing - epidemic.

-Ren sews in silence after he finished his statement. Kitsune spoken up to dd extra context.-

Kitsune: <Ren is one of the few trainers that had two starters. Ren's starters were myself and a Lucario named Rio.>

-Kitsune watches as the Growlilthe is carried back to the medical wards.-

Kitsune: <Rio was stricken by Apathy Syndrome yesterday.>

edited 3rd Feb '17 10:59:20 PM by keys2tkingdom

Cathedral, far past

-To Jason-

Remember, everything is connected in the web of life and bonds. I hope that doesn't sound too New Agey. >_> Now, we're both gonna need to tap directly into the Nexus.

Cape, past

-To Joseph-

Jirachi? That's more Jacob's gig than mine. And Gamer's, but he's not here now.

Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.

-SleepyHead listens to the voice kind of intently-

SleepyHead: No one hurts or gets hurt?... Honestly, that would be a bit of a dream, but...

-As the figures appear, SleepyHead's expression gets a bit less happy and Phobetor materializes-

Phobetor: <Yeah, no. I can tell you all from experience that having too many voices in your head is a pain.>

-Lisa, meanwhile, considers the statement-

Lisa: <Hrm, well, how nice for all of you, but I'm afraid you'll need to do much more than that to unlock my tragic backstory.>

edited 4th Feb '17 1:20:53 AM by CorvusAtrox

"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every

The Midnight Stage,Yesterday

Eerie Voice: Isn't it wonderful? All these poor things cried out in pain for the bonds they desperatey wanted... So I brougt them here, where they are happy and we're all connected to each other.

SleepyHead: <Er... when you say 'joined you' do you mean, like, willingly, or did you do something to them?>

"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every

Cathedral Roof, far past

Jason:I see...

-He nods-

Just tell me what to do.

The Midnight Stage

-If Galvani had a mouth, she'd be vomiting.-

Galvani: <Th-this... This...>

-The grafted limbs, the melded hips, the contorted psyches...-

-Three voices cry out in horror in the Magnezone's mind.-

-This is wrong.-

Dune: Eugh...

-Dune, meanwhile, is filled with mild discomfort.-

^also... And one tiny little voice GAGGING! Who the fuck would go through all this effort just to TAKE AWAY the pain?!

A big "Thank you!" to Sky for giving me permission to RC Lane as needed for this excursion.

The Midnight Stage, Yesterday

Ren: -appalled at the implications of the voice's statements- You're sick. You honestly think you're helping humans and Pokemon by doing this! Release them! Send them back to their homes and loved ones!

Eerie Voice: Send them back...? Why would I do that? They are happy here. And you shall connect with us as well. That's what everyone's here for, after all.

-Suddenly after the voice's loud reply, the shadows begin to sway to an eerie noise... No. Rather to an eerie song - as if they were dancing. Suddenly all of the contractors are hit with an overwhelming weakness that makes it a struggle to even remain upright, let alone stand.-

-Mendel grips his head trying to block the intrusive song as his legs give out, leaving the researcher on his knees as his body spasms trying to throw off the effects of the song. Ren bends forward, having to use both hands his cane to keep him from falling to his knees. Lane winces as he falls to one knee.-

edited 4th Feb '17 9:11:51 AM by keys2tkingdom

Lisa: <I'd like to see you t->

-She and SleepyHead collapse-

"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every

The Midnight Stage

-Galvani immediately collapses, the three voices unable to unite against the song in their horror.-

-Dune drops to a knee as nausea overcomes him. A fierce, icy burning tries to return him to his feet, but no amount of mental fortitude can override the inner ear doing backflips.-

Resort Area, Hotel

Phaz: Wow, what a wonderful time.

Ashley: <It's raining.>

Phaz: Yeah, awesome. What can we do here that will not involve going outside?

Ashley: <No idea. Sleep? Or maybe if you brought your drawing tools, sketching.>

Phaz: No, i ain't got any ideas. Well, let's just hope this'll pass quickly.

Phaz and co. are available for interaction.

What's the use of money if you ain't gonna break the mold? Even at the center of fire, there is cold All that glitters ain't gold

Des falls flat on his face, motionless.

GIVE ME YOUR FACE

CU, Midnight Stage

-Joseph similarly falls to his knees, feeling waves of pain and nausea-

Guhk...

Another green world.

Eerie Voice: haha... Isn't it wonderful? This song is my gift to everyone. Don't you feel it...? How they all desire to connect with you?

-The eerie song becomes louder as the shadows' "dance" becomes more energetic. A feeling of beckoning and enticement seems to ooze from the shadows.-

Ren: Nnnghh! Not going to let this continue... -Ren wills his Arcana to appear and smashes it with his hand- Persona!

-In a swirl of blue Light and a fluttering of robes, Abe no Seimei appears above Ren conjuring a mass of scorching wind to release as a Heat Wave.-

Lane: Right… Behind you! -shattering his Arcana- Yomotsu-Ikusa!

-With a burst of blue light and a clatter of wood on metal, Yomotsu-Ikusa appears in front of Lane. The point of the persona’s spear igniting as Yomotsu-Ikusa begins spinning towards the Shadows using Flame Wheel.-

edited 4th Feb '17 9:26:08 PM by keys2tkingdom

SleepyHead: <Ngh...>

Phobetor: <You...>

-She lets out a Poison Gas in hopes of poisoning as many of the Shadows as she can-

"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every

Acuity Cavern

Diane: Wow, talk about convenient. Thanks!

Skye: Do we, like, have to pay you back somehow or anything?

CU, Midnight Stage

-Dune grits his teeth, and quickly summons Siegfried. Galvani's antenna sparks, and Ptah is summoned as well.-

Siegfried: ...

Siegfried used IRON DEFENSE!

Ptah: By Amun-Ra...

Ptah used CHARGE!

CU, Midnight Stage

"Ggh..." Daydre summons Huli-Jing, the Persona releasing a Dark Pulse at the closest shadows they can find.

off the shits

CU - Does anyone else think Midnight Stage sounds a bit dirty?

-Pent is staggered by the song, managing to remain upright purely by leaning heavily on his keytar-

Feels like a superpowered Perish Song... Now how do I...?

-He actually seems a little lost for a moment, managing to find his card and coin and, after glancing over at the others, crushes the card in his hand. As the card it blazes first green, then brilliant blue his pocket emits a flume of blue flame from the coin within... But that quickly splutters out in a puff of blackened smoke (an ominous omen).-

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... The resolve to know that the worst is coming and to face it head-on is a virtue." The Tower

-The blue flame from the coin spins and spirals out onto the stage and into his Persona. Well, one could presume it to be his Persona, but it's no longer the robe-clad magician it was before. As the flames turn green once again and unobscure the Lopunny within it's clear something has drastically changed. Glowing green trails between it's fur in ancient sigils that spiral to every limb and all the way up to it's face, where they dart underneath a heavy black blindfold. As the Persona leaves it's summining pose it draws a pair of double-bladed glaives from behind it's back and turns to look at Pent-

I art thou, thou art I... From the sea of souls I rise... One who hunts monsters, may choose to become a monster themselves, but such a fall cannot come without consequence.

Illapine, the Betrayment of Word-Twisters

-Pent seems... Dumbstruck. Firstly by the change since the last time he summoned his Persona and secondly by being confronted by something so obviously, almost awkwardly referential and him being just unable to place it-

Why... Why don't I know what you are..? S-something is very wrong here...

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

The Midnight Stage, Yesterday

-Attacks are launched and Personas or Pokesonas are summoned. But before any shadow can feel so much as the heat from Yomotsu-Ikusa's spear, the attacks vanish like breath on a mirror... And the group's summoned allies fade away into nothing like dispersing mist. And everyone will quickly find, all the forcefully dismissed Personas and Pokesonas can not be

Lane: -trying to conjure his Arcana, but failing- What going on? Yomotsu-Ikusa!

-Ren's voice is filled with anger and irritation as he addresses their host.-

Ren: What did you do to our Personas?!

Eerie Voice: Ah-hahahahaha, don't accuse me of something I didn't do. I told you earlier... No one gets hurt here.

-Indeed; If they haven't noticed already, the Contractors will discover all powers, weapons, and abilities of the group have become dull, unable to be used, or have disappeared entirely.-

edited 4th Feb '17 9:12:45 PM by keys2tkingdom

Fight Zone Poke Center Cafe, Previously

Marie:<What, did they all lose track of their Shadows or something?>

edited 4th Feb '17 2:47:28 PM by stargirl93