PEFE Simulation

"Some sorta voice in your head telling you that you're going to fail at everything simply because you irreparably screwed up once?" He hypothesized as he silently ran his Claws through a holographic grunt's chest and watched him fade away as another one behind him got elbowed by his Brutal Swing Arm.

"Yeah, I've learned to know what that's like. There are two simple words you can tell yourself that can shut it up if you can prove the voice wrong afterwards.

"Repeat after me:

"Fuck it."

Edited by AbsentCoder on Sep 8th 2018 at 5:48:41 AM

Arthur walked into the room, followed by Ranger and Clutch, around them was what appeared to be broken portal devices and researchers around him. Various notes were recorded, Arthur could only feel something deep within him react... rather negatively to this.

Over the Intercom something came, a deep and almost mechanical voice, <I wish to apologize ahead of time, things have not gone as planned.>

Ranger looked over some of the bodies, something was off.

<But I promise you, my research is for the good of man and mon kind.>

Arthur looked down at a body and then turned to the screen the voice was coming from, there on the other side was a shiny Golurk, Arthur grimaced and cracked his knuckles.

Clutch poked at a body and found something wrong, he turned to tell Arthur.

<I assure you, we can make this work, other realms can fix so many energy crises, sacrifices must be made.>

That tore it, Arthur punched the screen, breaking it, and denting the wall a bit, also breaking a few bones in his hand.

The area around him flickered and vanished, Arthur looked about, "Wait what?"

A door opened and out walked the Golurk, <My name is Dr. Hayden, and you, you have reacted differently.>

Arthur cocked a brow, "Okay, what just happened?"

<A holographic recreation, I test all new arrivals that choose to visit my area by setting up a scenario that might repulse them morally. The end goal is to see how they react, you, you broke my telescreen.>

"Can you blame me? Barbaric experiments that hurt others, I had enough of that during the Inquisition's hunt!"

<Inquisition? You're older than you let on,> Hayden responded.

Arthur rolled his eyes, and took off his scarf for a moment, floating around, <This is why! I'm dead! Okay?>

Back on it went and Arthur stood there and stared at Hayden, who seemed deep in thought, <I wish to join you.>

"Wait what?"

PEFE HQ, Training Module

Lissa: ...Fuck it.

-She lets the phrase hang in the air for several seconds, as if trying to figure out how it tastes on her lips, before grinning.-

Lissa: Yeah. Yeah, that's a mantra I can get behind. Fuck it. Fuck it! First step's the hardest, right, so fuck it! Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it, fuck it!

-She grabs Colton by the hand and starts dragging him out of the room.-

Lissa: C'mon. You got a Pokeball I can borrow or anything?

PEFE - Simulation

"Good to hear - yo!" Colton hollered upon being yanked out. The simulation ended as he illusion'd up a glove to grab his backpack.

Rei's claws poked out from the bag, holding an Ultra Ball for Lissa to grab. <If you want a loaner 'mon to start up a new team to help you catch a new first 'mon, Pyukumuku's willing to help you there,> she offered.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Sep 8th 2018 at 6:03:25 AM

PEFE HQ

-Despite not understanding Rei, Lissa grabs the Ultra Ball anyway and grins.-

Lissa: Thanks!

-She drags Colton into a nearby elevator and slams one of the buttons.-

Lissa: There's wild mons running around a bunch of these modules, right? All I gotta do is toss a Quick Ball at the first one I see, and bam, I'm a trainer!

Edited by Herbert40k on Sep 8th 2018 at 2:07:23 PM

PEFE HQ

"Actually I think you need to get register- "

Taken care of, a voice projected in both of their heads, paperwork floating out of the backpack and floating to Lissa. There are still some things you gotta sign since I'm not forging your signature in good conscience, it added.

"Thanks, Xatu!" Colton nodded as the papers, held together by a pen on an illusory clipboard, were presented to Lissa to take and fill out.

"It's more of a formality, honestly," Colton conceded.

PEFE HQ

Lissa: C'mon, it's just a couple of squiggles. You couldn't have saved me the work?

-Despite her complaints, she takes the paperwork and stuffs it into her pack.-

Lissa: Seriously though, thanks. As nervous as I am about the idea of getting a team in the first place, I hate the idea of having to crawl through bureaucratic bullshit even more.

-The elevator stops and opens out into what appears to be a tundra module. Somehow snow is blowing all around and all the visible lakes are covered with a coat of ice, yet Lissa rushes forward, seemingly unfazed by the cold.-

Lissa: Okay... now we just gotta find a mon.

Edited by Herbert40k on Sep 8th 2018 at 2:22:06 PM

PEFE HQ: Tundra Sector

Rei and Xatu materialize outside of the backpack, the former for selfish reasons and the latter to keep Lissa in check.

Should we have asked the officials before we came here? I'm pretty sure this might be a sanctuary of some kind, Xatu projected.

<Nah, don't worry about it. Humans bend nature over backwards; what's one less young 'mon?> Rei considered, the Weavile chuckling to herself.

PEFE HQ, Tundra Module

-As Rei is chuckling to herself, she may suddenly find herself tackled by a rather runtish Sneasel.-

Sneasel: <Hey, you! Bigger me! Gimme food, I'm hungry!>

Lissa: Aah! There's one!

-In something of a panic, she sends out Pyukumuku.-

Lissa: Pyukumuku, use Toxic! Uh, assuming you know it, of course!

PEFE HQ

Silently - and a little slower, due to the cold - Pyukumuku flashes a thumbs-up at Lissa before her thumb, followed by the rest of her hand, turns purple and reaches to remove the Sneasel from Rei, after she reflexively leaped up and tried to put the offending body in the ground, doing her best to make the Sneasel land on Pyukumuku's outstretched hand.

PEFE HQ, Tundra Module

-Rei is able to pile drive the Sneasel off of her and into Pyukumuku's outstretched hand, as Lissa looks over at Colton, panicked.-

Sneasel: <'Ey! Lemme go, you bastards!>

Lissa: Colt, toss me a ball! I think we've got it!

Edited by Herbert40k on Sep 8th 2018 at 2:42:13 PM

PEFE Tundra Sector

"I never gave you my name," Colton considered as he casually tossed a Great Ball for Lissa to catch and throw herself.

Rei grabbed Pyukumuku's no longer purple hand and ran off behind Xatu, who had raised a protect.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Sep 8th 2018 at 6:41:37 AM

PEFE HQ, Tundra Module

-Lissa catches the Great Ball, going from looking panicked to mildly annoyed.-

Lissa: Yeah you did! Back in Lumiose, you ass!

-The Sneasel squirms and tries to break through to charge Xatu, only to be intercepted by Lissa tossing the Great Ball at it.-

PEFE HQ, past

-Sighs-

Guess I should've trusted a bit more in you huh, I guess I don't have to put Ever in a headlock when they show up.

I hope nothing happened, we had to leave Lumiose in a hurry, but our thread's been a bit frayed...

PEFE Tundra Sector

<Mazel tov,> Xatu said flatly.

"Crap, I did? Sorry I forgot," Colton apologized. "I can never really remember the interactions I have with people. Legendary Facepalms do that to your memory," he allowed.

PEFE HQ, Tundra Module

Lissa: Well, you'd better remember this one, because I am putting a hell of a lot of faith in your advice here.

-She walks over and picks up the Great Ball, looking it over with an unreadable expression for a few seconds before shrugging.-

Lissa: ...Eh. I'll come up with a name later.

-She turns back to Colton, and hesitates for a moment before pulling him into a one-armed hug.-

Lissa: Still, thanks a lot. You're all right, Colton "Talbain" Rever. Assuming that is your real name.

PEFE HQ, past

Channah: Not sure why you'd headlock anyone in the first place, but okay. -lets go of his hands to gesture ineffectually- A-And I'm not saying you have to trust me more, I'd obviously never ask you that, man. I mean. I don't trust me. I trust myself less than I trust Dolabella over there.

Dolabella: :P

Channah: There's no reason why you should.

Edited by Metanoia on Sep 8th 2018 at 10:21:28 AM

PEFE HQ

"Talbain's just the name I give myself whenever I become a Lycanroc," he explained as he grabbed the Sun Stone hidden under his shirt and shifted. <I mostly do it as an excuse to show affection,> he explained before he returned to humanity.

PEFE HQ, Tundra Module

-Lissa releases Colton from her grip and smirks.-

Lissa: Gotcha. In that case, thanks for the help, Tali.

-She jabs a thumb towards the elevator.-

Lissa: I'm gonna to see if I can find a drink in this place to celebrate and maybe help drown my anxieties. You're welcome to come along, if you wanna.

PEFE Tundra Sector

"Got nothing better to do," he shrugged.

"Although, something I think we need to acknowledge right away - that Sneasel exists for more than just combat. Try to learn a little more about how they carry themselves. Learn what they like, learn how to care for them," he said.

PEFE HQ, Tundra Module

-Lissa nods at Colton.-

Lissa: Right, yeah, of course. I'm just still kinda new to all of this stuff. Last mon I had... well, let's just say he didn't really care for what I wanted either.

-She steps back into the elevator, hits a button, leans against the wall and sighs. Both her eyes close, before one opens again and looks at Colton.-

Lissa: ...You seem to have pretty strong feelings about this stuff.

Edited by Herbert40k on Sep 8th 2018 at 3:55:04 PM

PEFE HQ, past

-To Channah-

I'm being hyperbolic, I wasn't really going to headlock Ever, we just had a talk about this in Lilycove and th-Anyway, point is a relationship can't survive if there's no trust, no matter what form it takes. And I... trust you.

PEFE Elevator

"I did a few Sinnoh Gyms as a Lycanroc with a given member of my team calling the shots each time. Let's just say when you got some idea what it's like to take a knee to the stomach for someone who you took off of the streets, you start to have a little more respect for them," he summarized.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Sep 8th 2018 at 8:04:49 AM

PEFE HQ

-Lissa chuckles slightly.-

Lissa: Makes sense, though I reckon I know what it's like to take a few hits on someone else's behalf. I have a degree from the University of Life, a diploma from the School of Hard Knocks, and three gold stars from the Kindergarten of Getting the Shit Kicked Out of Me.

-The elevator door opens back out onto one of the main levels, and she grabs Colton's hand again.-

Lissa: C'mon. If there is a bar around here, they're probably closing soon.

PEFE HQ

"Ya know, now that I think of it, would a place like this even have a bar? This is a research facility, not a four-star hotel," Colton considered, feet not budging despite any amount of tugging Lissa would do.