PEFE HQ

-Alice blinks in surprise as Kai leans into her, but leans into them in return, placing one arm around their shoulders in an awkward hug.-

Alice: ...That's good to hear. For what it's worth, you have every reason to be satisfied with how you acquitted yourself today. The Faction is lucky to have you. At the moment, however... you do look like you could do with some rest.

Edited by Herbert40k on Aug 29th 2018 at 12:02:14 PM

Trans rights are human rights. JK Rowling preaches hate. If you sit at a table with five bigots and say nothing, there are now six bigots.

TW for the frank discussion of suicidal ideation.

Ever's Mindscape, Cellar

Ever: I thought you were like, the embodiment of me feeling ignored by my friends?

   Tiara!Ever: I represent what I'm needed to. That's how it works. Obviously.   

Ever: Well, Arceus forbid anything be consistent or make sense.

   Tiara!Ever: It's our mind we're talking about here.   

   So. What brings you here? Reminiscing over old times? Catching up after you had that Litwick holding me down? What's on your mind, aside from me?   

Ever: You're me, you know why I'm here. We need to Mega Evolve Pleth and the me with glasses says I need your go-ahead. Not that that makes any sense since, again, you're me, but if you could sign off on not dying that would be appreciated.

   Tiara!Ever: ...No.   

Ever: Oh for the love of Arceus. You feel those quakes?

-on cue, there's another one-

Ever: I'm dying. You're going to go with me. You're cool with that?

   Tiara!Ever: Of course I am.   

Ever: ...Ah.

   Tiara!Ever: You've got too much of Glasses in you. You talk a big game, but when it comes down to it you throw yourself into danger because you know you can get out of it. You've gotten out of everything so far, right?   

   Except me.   

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

PEFE HQ

Channah: -to Tagg- That's right. Um. Can I talk to you once we get settled in.

There is no disdain in nature, there is no humiliation.

Prism Tower

Shutter, with Scout perched in his shoulder, arrives at his destination—Prism Tower. The gym leader had once again vacated on yet another trip and left a robot in charge, which thankfully responded to the declaration of emergency. The bottom of the gym had been converted into a temporary evacuation center; the press—including the Geographic Society—were given access to the higher levels as a safe place to observe the battle.

Shutter was one of the few journalists who covered the Battle for Lumiose at ground level, a feat that at once astounded and frightened him.

As the gendarme attended to the evacuees, Shutter went to the elevators that he was cleared to access (thanks in part to the "PRESS" vest he was wearing).

He was greeted by a familiar face on top.

Tommy: SHUTTER!
Jean-Marie: Albright is here!

Tommy, Jean-Marie and a few of their colleagues from the Kalos division came in and gave Shutter a bear hug. Shutter responded in turn and gave Tommy a pat in the head.

Tommy: Glad you're back, chief.
Shutter: Good to be back. Wow, the view here is stunning. Never thought I'd come to this scene in a time like this, though.

Tommy sighs at the clear skies.

Tommy: Well, so ends our excursion with the J-Team.
Jean-Marie: We still have a backup of your live footage here; it should be more than substantial for the Unovan division's documentary.
Shutter: Good to hear.
Tommy: Wait.
Shutter: Yeah. I know. I'll call them up on the stuff that's still there. Ms. Clavis should be able to keep Hank off my back on the equipment since that's technically hers. We can replace the clothes, boyo.
Jean-Marie: And we've taken the liberty of booking you a place to stay in the mean time. The hotel across town.
Tommy: That's not what I was worried about.
Gimbal, from Shutter's phone: What else could you have possibly left behind there.
Shutter: I brought your wallet, passport, visa, and other random things—at her insistence. Pretty careless of you to leave them there.
Tommy: Oh, really; that's a relief. Wait that's only half of what I left there.
Gimbal: Oh no.

The Stormchaser

Shinji: <That was quite a ride. What did you see in the vents again?>
Drake: <Fight scenes and shaking and some fat human with a mustache on the TV screens.>
Shinji: <Who should we ask for help, then? This doesn't seem like Kalos at all. And is that the sea I'm smelling?>

Edited by MasterJayAM on Sep 5th 2018 at 8:21:43 PM

More of the same, and discussion of trauma.

Ever's Mindscape, cellar

-Ever looks away, not meeting Tiara!Ever's eyes-

   Tiara!Ever: My existence gives the lie to your belief that you can escape everything. They fixed what happened to Nimbasa. They fixed what happened to Maekrite. But nothing is ever going to fix what happened to       you. And that's me. I'm the truth that sometimes, there's a mistake, and it never gets better. Inescapable.   

   So now that a few lives are at stake, you want to just go ahead and blow our rules about letting go? No. We fucked up, and now we get to die for it. Inescapable. Like me. And I'm fine with that. You should be too.   

Ever: I'm not fine with letting our friends die.

   Tiara!Ever: We can save them.   

Ever: And what's your plan?

   Tiara!Ever: Let me out. You and Glasses can't do anything to try and bring our life under control, but me? That's all I do. I      am control. Pef's mom touches my mind? I'll make her regret it. Sure, we won't be around to celebrate, but she'll be gone. The others will be okay.   

   Cross my heart.   

Ever: I—

-Tiara!Ever grabs Ever by their jacket, hauling them up against the bars-

   Tiara!Ever: Don't you get it? We're       broken, and I'm the break. You can try and paper me over with ghosts, pretend you don't mind where you end up, that you don't care that you don't even have the majority vote in your own thoughts, but even if I       did let you Mega Evolve Pleth, I'd be part of that as much as you. We'd break her too.   

   What? Do you have something to say?   

-Ever opens their mouth...and then closes it, shaking their head-

   Tiara!Ever: We can't give up control. Not again. Not to her, not to anyone. But right now, the only thing we can control— the only thing       I can control— is if we take Pef's mom with us when we snap. Break       her. Or if our friends die too.   

-Ever looks down, as the shaking gets worse, and cracks start to form in the walls-

   Tiara!Ever: Tick tock. Even the speed of thought won't last us forever.   

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

PEFE HQ

Well I guess I'd better prepare for that rejection then.

-To Channah-

Um, okay, sure.

Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.

Still. Though a more positive variation.

Ever's Mindscape

Ever: ...No.

   Tiara!Ever: Mcscuse?   

Ever: I don't agree with your assessment. I mean, come on. A repressed part of my psyche with powers I don't have access to?

   Tiara!Ever: You...you understand I literally can't lie to you, right?   

Ever: I can't lie to anyone. Does this mean I'm always right?

Yeah, okay, I'm sure if I really wanted, I could snap my brain while she's in it, or we could, or you could, or whatever. I think you, personally, are overestimating your involvement, but it sounds doable enough. But that kills me. And, as you pointed out—

-Ever looks up, meeting Tiara!Ever's eyes-

Ever: I don't want to die.

-Tiara!Ever blinks-

Ever: ...Huh. I don't want to die. That feels...oddly good to say.

Yeah, okay, sure, some part of me does, or you wouldn't be here. But the part of me that's me? The part of me that matters? No.

No. Your plan— or my plan, our plan, whatever, it sucks. So we're letting Pleth make the plan, and maybe it won't suck.

   Tiara!Ever: ...I'm unconvinced.   

Ever: I'm pretty sure I just needed to convince myself. The official position of Ever's Mind is that we trust Pleth.

Congrats, you're on board now.

-...-

   Tiara!Ever: ...You really want to blow our last seconds on something that won't work? Fine.   

Ever: Don't be so fucking emo.

-the room splinters apart, dissolving back into blue, and-

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

Kai: ...I guess I could... use your company for a bit, if you don't mind...

-They smile at Alice...-

-Whoops they just passed out in her arms.-

Diane: ...Riiiiiiip.

-She turns away from Alice and Kai, and toward Arthur, grinning-

Diane: Yeah, I remember you! The arms are working like a charm, last I heard. Now that the team's back around, I'll want to check in with Silas and Scarlette just to make sure everything's fine, though.

PEFE HQ

-Alice blinks again as Kai collapses into her arms, before letting out a small smile.-

Alice: ...Very well.

-She picks up Kai in a bridal carry with no obvious effort on her part and carries them off to one of the J-Team modules.-

Trans rights are human rights. JK Rowling preaches hate. If you sit at a table with five bigots and say nothing, there are now six bigots.

PEFE HQ

“Been J-Team for a little over a year now,” Colton explained. “Though as of late I’ve been asking myself if I really even matter to them. But that’s not our primary concern.

“Never mind what Pee-fee stands for; what and why is this place? What’s done here?” He asked.

Roy reverted to his Blaziken form and returned, his trainer catching the choker the Fire Emblem character casually threw to him.

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

Pokefutures HQ, Portal Room

-Mary's eyes close briefly as she charges. Even hyper-augmented supersoldiers with the DNA of minor deities need to blink-

-Ever's eyes open-

-they're bright pink-

-their prosthetic arm lights up along the patterns Denali carved into it, pink light exploding from the burns where it touched the door-

-and the stone bursts to life-

Ever's Key Stone is resonating with Pleth's Sceptilite!

-around Pleth, vines sprout up, forming a cocoon-

Mega

Evolution

-Mary's eyes open again-

-there's a crack of thunder, and it echoes green as vines sprout up from solid metal in a straight line towards her-

-and a force like...well, like a Mega Sceptile propelled by the explosion of her tail smashes Mary into the ground, tangling her in what remains of Basket's Frenzy Fruit-

-if she'd really been the being whose power she'd stolen, the hit would have been nothing. But she is, in the end, a human, and she's out like a light-

Pleth: <Wait for it.>

-and the sonic boom washes over her-

<The best part of breaking the sound barrier is providing my own applause.>

Edited by memyselfandI2 on Aug 29th 2018 at 4:17:13 AM

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

PEFE HQ

-Lissa shrugs at Roy.-

Lissa: Science, presumably. Dunno what kinda science, that's not really my area. Places like this creep me out. They're too clean and smell like bleach and-

-She blinks.-

Lissa: ...Do I know you from somewhere? I feel like I know you from somewhere. Anyway.

-She looks back at Colton.-

Lissa: Okay, so you're one of the people who know what's going on. In that case, mind telling me what our primary concern is?

Edited by Herbert40k on Aug 29th 2018 at 12:22:40 PM

Trans rights are human rights. JK Rowling preaches hate. If you sit at a table with five bigots and say nothing, there are now six bigots.

Pokefutures HQ, portal room

-without Mary's telekinesis to suspend them, Ever falls-

-which isn't really an issue, as vines sprout up to catch them and reel them back onto the platform-

Pleth: <No dying.>

Basket: <Agreed. And... good work.>

-she glances around the room and its mess-

<...is there anybody else?>

Leah: (weakly, from under Emperor) Do I count?

PEFE!Every: No.

-meanwhile, Pleth stares up at Basket, eyes shining-

Pleth: <hey so can i just take this time to say that that thing with the fruit was incredible>

-Basket blushes-

Basket: <Heh... thanks, we worked a long time perfecting that~>

<Congratulations yourself on pulling off the Mega Evolution!>

Pleth: <Oh Darkrai, thanks! We've been working on it forever, I guess all it took was...>

<...Actually, I think that might be kind of personal. Uh, never mind. Ever's head is weird.>

Ever: (from where they're sprawled on the remains of the catwalk) Thanks. (to Basket, gesturing at Mary) So, uh, you wanted Mew DNA? She should do.

Basket: <...right.>

<So that's what a Drive System looks like in the flesh. eesh.>

-She takes her sample, and combines it with the glowing petri dish-

-There is a pink flash of light, as the liquid's surface starts to ripple with iridescent color-

<...so. What's next, Memitos?>

Edited by memyselfandI2 on Aug 29th 2018 at 4:21:42 AM

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

PEFE HQ

“With all due respect and apologies, fuck if I know,” Colton summarized. “Some dude named Multiman wants to merge the worlds together, and we’d rather keep our world in one piece. That’s genuinely about as much intel as I can give, and I don’t even know if I got that right either,” he conceded.

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

-Mezzo opens her eyes-

Mezzo: Ow. Why do I hurt all over...?

Fortis: Good morning Piano! I'm glad to see you're okay! We grabbed you real quick after you fainted!

Mezzo: Oh right, it's because you threw me directly into the maws of a pink Hydreigon.

Fortis: I was on battlefield transport duty! Astral and I were being helpful!

Astral: <We managed to get everyone on board for a swift retreat.>

Mezzo: Muh? Retreat? What about the city?

Fortis: I dunno! But Tagg gave out orders to everyone so I picked you and Pianis up and brought you back to the ship!

Pianis: -waves- Hey. Feeling all right?

Mezzo: No.

Do not fear power... fear those who wield it.

Pokefutures HQ, Portal Room

PEFE!Every: Well, we need a means of dispersing the virus through the facility. I think the best option for that would be—

Leah: Actually, uh...I can be Patient Zero. You need to test it, right?

PEFE!Every: Ah. That works too.

Leah: ...Can you help me out here? I'm a little stuck.

Ever: We're all a little stuck.

-a rather tedious amount of time later, injured mons have been recalled, and injured people have been laid on a Grassy Terrain, amid much grumbling from Thorn-

Amanita: I don't want to go to school today, it's Saturday...

Brie: It's not. Also, try and get some rest.

-meanwhile, Leah and Ever are talking-

Ever: You're sure you want to be our test subject? We've got a portal right here. You could hop over to our universe; it's at least a marginal improvement.

Leah: I'll admit, I'm tempted...but this is my world. I should help it.

Ever: ...If you're su—

PEFE!Every: Can we just get the testing started before someone else tries to kill us?

Leah: Yeah, alright.

-The serum is offered up on a Magical Leaf cushion, as Basket takes a deep breath-

Basket: <So.>

<Ready to remix the apocalypse?>

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

PEFE HQ

-Lissa shrugs her shoulders at Colton.-

Lissa: Eh, sounds good to me. At least we know who the enemy is so that we can deck him one. I prefer fucking to fighting, but I'll take one if I can't get the other.

-She leans back against the wall.-

Lissa: So, do you reckon there's anywhere to get a drink in this oversized hospital corridor?

Trans rights are human rights. JK Rowling preaches hate. If you sit at a table with five bigots and say nothing, there are now six bigots.

Kalos Route 7

Snorlax: <You're a bunch of bugs.>

Headpet: <Lizard!>

Snorlax: <The king says lizards are bugs.>

Combee: <I don't like this.>

Combee: <We're really overthinking all this, there's a systematic solution already.>

Combee: <Eh?>

Combee: <An organization that collectively wields a monopoly on violence in order to fend off defectors but is accountable to the broader population to retain their authority.>

Headpet: <Oh, I like that!>

Snorlax: <Uh-huh, sure, still, four insects against a giant bear.>

Combee: <I don't think he's a bear.>

Combee: <'e's more like a sloth?>

Combee: <Sloths are bears, he's a rabbit.>

Headpet: <That doesn't sound true...>

Do you highlight everything looking for secret messages?

Pokefutures HQ, Portal Room

-Leah takes off her helmet-

Ever: ...Huh.

-she's about as pale as one might expect from someone who lives underground and wears a helmet as part of her job. She has shoulder-length curly brown hair (which is in fact weirdly flattened from the helmet), and her eyes are the bright blue one would expect from her Froslass Drive-

Leah: ...What?

Ever: I dunno. I figured you had some, like, horrible scarring or something that led to you keeping your helmet on 24/7?

Leah: ...No?

Ever: Well, obviously. I'm just sort of surprised.

Leah: I mean, I'm about to get a new face anyway, so does it really matter?

PEFE!Every: Hey! Are you drinking or not?

Leah: Right. Bottoms up.

Ever: No, I'll be over here.

-...-

Leah: Just gonna forget I heard that.

-she drinks, and...-

-...-

-...-

Ever: That's surprising.

PEFE!Every: Well, it would have to ignore any previous DNA...

Bulbasaur!Leah: <This is...unusual.>

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

PEFE HQ

Before Colton could say anything, his Sylveon’s feeler poked out of his backpack and slapped his trainer to get his attention. Another feeler handed him a can of Lemonade, which he promptly grabbed and offered.

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

PEFE HQ

Siobhan runs, then skids out of the Stormchaser, before being caught by Vi so that she doesn't just faceplant.

Vi: "Be more careful, I don't want you breaking your nose after the fight with the giant monsters. It'd be embarrassing."

Siobhan: "Shush you I was perfectly fine."

Vi: "Right. If you say so."

Siobhan nods. "I do!"

Vi: "I feel like a bit of exploration is in order."

Siobhan: "That's probably a bad idea without permission. Like, 'I've-heard-horror-stories' bad."

Vi: "...Right permission it is."

All are significantly abnormal in a normal world... All are significantly normal in an abnormal world.

Pokefutures HQ, Portal Room

Basket: <Progressing pretty typically so far, actually.>

Bulbasaur!Leah: <....Oh my god. You talk. You just talked.>

Ever: There it is.

Basket: <Oh. Yeah. I've been doing that, really, your brain was just tuning it out as unintelligible noise.>

Leah: <....Wow. Wait, do I still understand humans, or—>

Ever: No, we're unintelligible now.

Leah: <You always were.>

-with some focus, she extends a vine. It's not as difficult as one might expect; she's used to using Pokemon abilities-

<So, this needs testing, right?>

-she pokes Mary, who promptly changes into-

Ever: Oh Arceus of course she's a fucking Illumise.

Basket: <Mutation system appears to be operating. Though I have to wonder if it's truly random or if it keys into one's affinity species like Mew's other witchcraft.>

Leah: <...I'll let you know if I figure anything out.>

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

"Actually I haven't seen him since I returned from the dead. Denali said he was doing something but they're currently indisposed, right when I need them."

In a instant Denali sprinted back over, fully conscious, "I heard that you needed me! Tell me that wasn't a dream!"

Arthur sighed and chuckled a bit, "Hello again."

Denali stretched, "Oh yeah the arm thing. Yeah the arm is working great! Silas is fine last I checked, he's off in Angela doing a professional circuit."

Arthur knew of Pokemon Journeys, "Good for him getting his badges."

"Only he's not the one leading his mons."

"I'm sorry what?"

"That rock candy I had you try Arthur, his Lucario Hacks used it while using a magic mew scarf to hold human form. They're in Angela but Silas isn't the trainer, he's the mon."

Arthur stared for a bit and then turned to Diane, "Tell me is that kind of thing normal in this day and age?"

PEFE HQ

-Lissa raises an eyebrow at Sylveon's tendrils, then rolls her eyes.-

Lissa: I meant something a little stronger, though if it's going spare I'll still take it.

-She takes the can from Colton and downs about half in a single swig before looking back at him.-

Lissa: Your mons all that rambunctious?

Trans rights are human rights. JK Rowling preaches hate. If you sit at a table with five bigots and say nothing, there are now six bigots.

Pokefutures HQ, portal room

-Basket nods, then glances back at the portal-

Basket: <So... I guess we just let her run around, then?>

Ever: I mean...can we really just leave her here? We said we'd fix her world, but we're just leaving her to—

PEFE!Every: (already walking through the portal) I'm teleporting out in forty seconds. Grab anyone you don't want to leave behind. Leah, please destroy the portal machine?

Leah: <...Well, good luck to you too I guess.>

Basket: <...I guess the dramatic parting falls to me.>

<Leah the Bulbasaur, right?>

<I charge you with returning vivacious life to your world. Take heart in today's demonstration of what Grass types are capable of.>

Pleth: <You're gonna be so cool when you evolve.>

Basket: <And... may you dream of groves of Pecha berries. That should do it.>

-she jumps backwards through the portal. The Memitos follow, Brie and Ever working together to support Amanita. Thorn and Pleth are the last to go-

PEFE Underground

-and they're all here-

-from the other side of the portal, Leah salutes with a vine-

-and then blasts the portal machine with a Seed Bomb, the portal flickering and going out-

Ever: ...So. That was fun.

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.