ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

Castelia City - Colton's Apartment

After arriving back in his apartment, he threw his body onto his bed, sound asleep even without his blankets on him. His Pokemon elected to exit the scene, Rei herself bothering to get acquainted with her trainer's apartment.

She eventually settled on the couch in front of the T.V., looking at the black box with morbid curiosity. Sylveon followed up on it with tapping the clicker to turn it on. Sylveon put onto some movie with semi-scratchy audio and filmography, a few others electing to follow suit.

<No one wake up Colton unless his phone rings with something requiring his immediate attention,> Julius decided, everyone else nodding assent.

Route 4 Warehouse

-Echo watches the ghost trap trigger.-

Echo: Interesting... is that Obscura-triggered? And is it a physical trap, or is it something Aura-based that directly targets Obscura? It seems different from the standard radio-signal jammer, I've never seen that sort of reaction.

-She seems genuinely interested despite the circumstances-

edited 3rd Dec '17 4:50:30 PM by BittersweetNSour

-If Tagg steps into the warehouse, he will indeed find that Aura has been switched off. Also, Echo's Aura jammer is probably making some sort of annoying feedback-y crackle. You know the kind-

Ever: I appreciate your clear sympathy for my plight.

PEFE!Every: There's no trigger. It's a sort of obscuric equivalent to an Aura jammer...think Foresight, or Odor Sleuth. It forces ghosts to interact with the tangible...which I suppose would be unpleasant if they happen to be occupying another organism at the time.

Ever: (picking himself up) Would you like me to record a few observations?

-PEFE!Every ignores him-

PEFE!Every: If you're here to stop Un— Project Fenrir, you should know it's already complete. Mom and Dad are setting up for the test run in the other room.

 Best Berry, past 

-Walking out not too far behind Team Umbra-

Well, that's the diversionary raid down, but how's the other one going I wonder?

 Route 4 Warehouse, today 

-Seems to be trying to figure out what to say-

Route 4 Warehouse

-Echo sighs, and shakes her head.-

Echo: We're not here about Fenrir. What we came for...

-She pauses, mulling over her words carefully.-

Echo: I want to apologize. In the little correspondence we've been able to have with your parents, we've gotten an idea of how callously they've been treating you. No child deserves to be treated like that by her parents, and we were powerless to stop it from happening.

 Route 4 Warehouse 

-Takes a deep breath before speaking-

We just want you back, not because of experiments or espionage or anything like that, but because you're our friend, we care about you, and we've missed you over this past month or so. Remember when I said I wouldn't abandon you for anything, back in Alola? I meant every word, and I'm sorry it's taken this long for us to meet again.

In that regard, I've failed you Every, but I don't plan on doing so again.

Grand Darkrai

Took a fair bit of effort but we did it yeah. That's one less cause of stress for you lot I believe...

Warehouse District

-Pent has tried to find somewhere private to just calm himself-

Ever: We're a little here about Fenrir.

-PEFE!Every doesn't notice this, thankfully, because she's staring at Echo and Tagg, eyes wide. Her gaze flicks between the two of them-

PEFE!Every: ...There isn't any need for your apologies. I failed you, you failed me. That's how it goes.

-she takes out a Pokeball, but her hands are shaking-

PEFE!Every: I...I'm going to have to ask you to leave now. I don't ...I don't want to have to...to repeat myself.

Ever: Please don't do that.

PEFE!Every: What?

Ever: Don't send out a Pokemon. You came in here to talk to us, we'll happily let you walk out if you decide that that's how you want to play things, but if you send out a Pokemon they'll only get hurt.

PEFE!Every: Sharptooth—

Ever: Is still not a match for the weakest mon any of us brought here. None of us want to hurt them, and none of us want to hurt you.

-there's a long pause, as PEFE!Every studies Ever-

PEFE!Every: Last chance. Leave or I make you.

 Route 4 Warehouse 

-Drops to my hands and knees-

Please Every, I don't want to do this...

Route 4 Warehouse

Echo: Every, please. I don't want to fight you. If you try to attack, I'll defend myself, but I refuse to fight, and I know you don't want this either. You deserve so much better than any of this.

edited 3rd Dec '17 6:18:22 PM by BittersweetNSour

-PEFE!Every stares at Tagg, looking horrified-

-Ever, for his part, sits down, cross-legged-

PEFE!Every: ...

-she turns away, slamming her head against the door-

PEFE!Every: Fuck. Fuck.

-Ever hops to his feet and takes a couple steps closer to try and keep her from hitting the door again, but she flings out an arm, in which she's holding a spray bottle-

PEFE!Every: Get back.

-Ever backpedals very quickly-

-PEFE!Every turns back towards the three. Her hat's fallen down far enough that it's difficult to read her expression, and she's refusing to meet anyone's eyes. On the other hand, she's got the spray bottle trained on Ever still, so it's probably best to assume she can see everyone-

PEFE!Every: ...I'm not going to kill you. But you are coming with me.

-she glances sideways at Echo, and her aim wavers just a bit-

PEFE!Every: Maybe you can be impressed by this too.

-she's clearly going for accusation, but it's not really coming out that way-

Melemele Cemetery

-Ilima stands at a grave marker. He says a quiet prayer as he hears rushed footsteps coming his way.-

Ilima: You've come quite a long way, haven't you?

-Ludmilla comes to a stop a few steps away. Ilima turns to her and smiles.-

Ilima: Hey there! Captain Ilima here! Mina called ahead. She says you've got quite the team now! I hope your Happiny hasn't kept you too busy.

-Ludmilla rolls her eyes, eliciting a laugh from Ilima.-

Ilima: Well, Mina wasn't the only one to call ahead. Turns out, a Champion from Orre gave us a call about making sure you were put to the test.

-Ludmilla blinks. Wait, a Champion from Orre? The only Champion she knows from Orre is - oh. Oh!-

Ilima: Feels a little strange going all out while you're on someone else's trial, but also kinda good! Let's go!

VS! TRIAL CAPTAIN ILIMA

Ilima: Go, Kangaskhan!

Ludmilla: Oh crap! Go, Cu Sith!

-The two massive Pokemon easily fill the space between the to trainers, forcing them both to back up.-

-Deziree approaches as the two opponents begin trading blows, the Arcanine using her speed to pick the angle of engagement while the Kangaskhan goes for as much damage as she can dish out when she can.-

Route 4 Warehouse

Echo: ...Okay. We'll come. Just, please, don't do anything rash.

Melemele Cemetery

Ludmilla: Iron Head!

*Kr-RACK!*

-The Kangaskhan staggers back, her head ringing.-

Ludmilla: Double Kick!

-Cu Sith spins and gives a pair of strong kicks, sending the massive marsupial tail over teakettle. Cu Sith sighs a breath of relief as her shoulders ache from one too many glancing Comet Punches.-

Ilima: Quite impressive! Kangaskhan, return! Go, Drampa!

Deziree: I'm sorry, Dram-what?

-A massive, long necked beast enters the field. His scaled hide glints in the moonlight.-

Ludmilla: Oh, come on! A dragon?!

Drampa: <Oh ho ho, hello, young one! Stay a while, and listen! Oh, wait, we're fighting. A shame.>

-Ludmilla quickly swaps out Cu Sith for a fresh fighter. A clarion roar marks Astarte the Aerodactyl's entrance.-

Ilima: I see you've been busy! Drampa, Dragon Pulse!

Ludmilla: Dragon Claw, Astarte!

-Astarte flies wide and low to present the hardest possible target while approaching, though the Drampa's lethargic movement belies an experienced aim, almost clipping the wing of the ancient beast.-

Grand Darkrai

"I was kind worried it'd be worse..."

 Route 4 Warehouse 

- Follows-

Ever: I hate being a hostage.

-PEFE!Every rolls her eyes, and ushers everyone through the door-

-the room they enter is very clearly a lab. There is another door, but it's pretty obviously just to living space. This is the important room. The floors are clean vinyl, with benches, fume hoods...-

-let's skip to the relevant bit. The containment tube in the center of the room. A large, dark shape occupies it, but it's hard to make out behind the fluid filling the tube. The best anyone can determine, it's quadrupedal, about seven or eight feet tall at the shoulder, and heavily built-

-Martin and Leslie are staring up at it. At the sound of the door closing behind PEFE!Every and her hostages, they turn around-

Leslie: Good. You have returned. We are just about to—

-and they notice the hostages-

Martin: ...Why have you brought people here?

Leslie: More specifically, why have you brought that particular person here?

-she points at Tagg-

Martin: You were asked to dispose of the intruders.

Leslie: You could have turned them away or simply killed them.

Martin: And yet, you brought them inside.

Leslie: Disappointing.

-PEFE!Every flinches again-

Martin: Explain yourself.

PEFE!Every: I...I wanted them to see what we built.

Leslie: ...We see.

Martin: Very well. Give me that.

-he takes the spray bottle from PEFE!Every, who doesn't protest, and keeps it trained on the three-

Leslie: We will show them Project Fenrir. I will admit...

-she and Martin turn to Tagg-

Martin: It is, in a sense, appropriate that you be here.

Leslie: In spite of the setbacks you and your...cohorts have dealt us, we are about to achieve something that the Pokedex Extended Filesystem Endeavor never could.

Martin: Neither Leslie nor I would consider ourselves poetic. But it strikes us as...narratively fitting, that you witness our triumph.

I wonder if there's, like, a monologuing gene.

Route 4 Warehouse

Echo: Well, if you want to talk narrative, there's a whole can of Wurmple waiting to be opened about how this would fit into a narrative, assuming you've analyzed any form of fiction that the current situation would actually apply to.

-She smiles innocently-

Melemele Cemetery

-Astarte is thrown aside in a heap as the two great beasts finally break from their tussle. The Drampa still stands, but barely.-

Ludmilla: Nnnngh...

Ilima: Might I recommend finding a Fairy? It might make dragons a bit easier in the future. Anyway, that's one round to one. Let's call this next one the tiebreaker.

-They both recall their Pokemon. Ilima smiles as he pulls out a Heavy Ball.-

Deziree: ... Ooooooh no. No no no. I know that Pokeball - there's only one Pokemon that's going to be in there!

Ludmilla: What? What's it going to be?

Ilima: Go, Snorlax!

-This isn't any ordinary Snorlax. This Snorlax is massive.-

Ilima: You could call him a Totem in training.

-Snorlax's aura flares brightly! Its attack raises sharply!-

Ludmilla: Oh blyat.

Deziree: Holy crap...

-Ludmilla realizes something. She fumbles with her belt for a second before throwing out someone she thought she wouldn't be using.-

Deziree: What?!

Mao the Inkay: <WHAT?! WHY?!>

Ludmilla: Trust me, I know what I'm doing!

Mao: <You had better, because I may be boneless but it still hurts getting flattened!>

 Route 4 Warehouse 

-Coolly-

I'm sure the other Founders would be appreciative of your... gift to science. Maybe I'll ask Dr. al-Cygni if she remembers you from her Pokefutures days once we're out of here.

Leslie: The questions of narrative are irrelevant beyond the superficial emotional satisfaction.

Martin: What matters is the concrete.

Both: What matters is our crea—

-they pause-

Leslie: Dr. al-Cygni is still around?

Martin: ...Huh.

-Ever blinks. PEFE!Every blinks-

-Leslie and Martin glance at each other, before launching back into their spiel-

Both: What matters is our creation.

Leslie: Every. Awaken Project Fenrir.

Martin: Would you like to help explain?

PEFE!Every: ...Right.

-she goes over to the containment tube, and begins fiddling with the levers. The fluid starts to drain out, though the tube is sufficiently unilluminated that the figure within still can't be made out-

PEFE!Every: You're familiar with the goals of Team Iron. To kill the gods. Our goals are the same. But our methods differ.

Leslie: We intended to create the ultimate Pokemon. One that could destroy anything in its path.

Ever: Didn't they already do that?

Martin: You mistake us.

Leslie: We had no interest in a cheat such as Mewtwo.

Martin: A clone of a god is itself a god. What we created would be manmade in its entire.

Leslie: Project Nidhoggr came close, but it was unreliable.

Martin: Cipher offered possibilities, but they were too focused on harnessing existing gods.

Leslie: We continued our work, test after test...

Martin: Until our daughter presented herself.

Leslie: She helped us realize a fundamental flaw in our research.

Martin: We had been, until we met her, working under the assumption that an ordinary Pokemon could be enhanced to the power of a god.

-PEFE!Every winces-

PEFE!Every: But...an organism is a product of its genome. Modification is always possible, but to arrive at the result we wanted...we had to start from scratch.

Leslie: So we did.

Martin: Our daughter proved incalculably useful in this regard. You wasted her potential when she was in your care.

Leslie: She helped us achieve Project Fenrir.

Ever: Wait.

Martin: Hmm?

Ever: Project Fenrir. Like, child of the rebellious child, grandchild of gods, gonna kill the gods? I get the joke, but wasn't Loki a kid of some frost giants or something? I dunno, honestly I only ever watched that movie, but like—

Leslie: ...

Ever: ...How'd you cut me off with silence?

PEFE!Every: Mm...

Martin: Every, is it ready?

-for the first time since seeing her, a small smile spreads over PEFE!Every's face-

PEFE!Every: You tell me.

-she flicks on a last switch, and the lights in the tube flick on-

Ever: Glad to see someone hasn't lost their sense of flair.

-and Project Fenrir is revealed-

-its general shape was already determined, so what's left are the details. Its head is crocodilian, with two slit-pupilled eyes set deep into the sides of its face, and sharp, jagged teeth that are visible, top and bottom, when its mouth is closed-

-its body is almost like a gorilla's in proportion, heavily muscled, its back legs slightly shorter than the front and ending in heavy digitigrade claws. It's covered from nose to hindquarters in thick, oil-slick-black scales which reflect dozens of colors in the light, a narrow ridge going down its back-

-oh, and saliently, in lieu of the calves of its forelegs, it has enormous silvery sickle-blades-

Ever: ...Dear Arceus.

PEFE!Every: This is Project Fenrir.

-she presses one last button, and the glass of the containment tube slides away. Project Fenrir takes a few slow, awkward steps out, down a ramp, and into the room-

PEFE!Every: ...Impressed?

 Route 4 Warehouse 

-To Marslie-

...So it was you in particular who created Nidhoggr, huh?

-To PEFE!Every-

It's certainly... impressive, if also kinda against everything I stand for.

Victini: -Still invisible- <...What?>

Doc: <It's no Numidium though.>

edited 3rd Dec '17 9:04:36 PM by rmctagg09

Route 4 Warehouse

-Echo looks up at the creature, analyzing it.-

Echo: ...Imposing. Intimidating. Impressive. I do have a few questions, though. First off, is this intended to be the child form or the adult? If it's the latter, it's smaller than I expected.

Leslie: We were involved in the Nidhoggr project, yes.

Ever: Does that make Nidhoggr, like, PEFE!Every's brother?

PEFE!Every: I'm uncomfortable with that for multiple reasons.

Martin: Her name, insofar as she has one, is Every Memito. She is no longer associated with the Pokedex Extended Filesystem Endeavor.

-PEFE!Every glances at Tagg, pursing her lips. Her hands are clenched together, the knuckles white-

-she decides to avoid the issue, as one does, by focusing on Echo-

PEFE!Every: He's...it's as big as it will get. I was working for efficacy, not appearances.

Ever; That explains an awful lot.

PEFE!Every: ...It will do its job.

-Project Fenrir, meanwhile, is sniffing the air, curiously. The ridge on its back is raised-

-it's looking directly at Victini-

Leslie: What is it doing?

Martin: Every?

PEFE!Every: Project Fenrir can detect the energy produced by Pokemon. It targets the most intense source...

-she looks at where Victini is hiding-

PEFE!Every: ...There must be something there.

Edited by memyselfandI2 on Jun 30th 2018 at 10:59:12 AM

Route 4 Warehouse

Echo: I see...

-She watches Fenrir sniff out Victini. Rather than making a major deal out of it, she continues calmly.-

Echo: My next question is, is this energy-targeting sense based on the Auric Spectrum, or is it "energy" in a different sense? And for that matter, how many senses does it have, and to what degree? I imagine sight is one.

edited 3rd Dec '17 9:39:47 PM by BittersweetNSour