Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's Room

~Yeah. She...she trusted me enough that we achieved Mega Evolution, and then I go and do this. If she's hurt, if she can't fly, that's on me. What kind of trainer would do that to their mon?~

-Halcyon, for his part, refrains from commenting-

Kai: I...

-Kai mulls it over, almost concerningly long.-

Kai: ...I've seen what happens when there are doubts, while the transformation is going on. At the Alola League, Tartarus went berserk because we were still not 100% in sync, or whatever the right way to describe it is. It turned unstable.

But that didn't happen to Skyfire. The fact that you two managed to maintain it that long, under extreme duress, long after her wings got shattered? I think she may have seen it the same way as you, as a necessary sacrifice — however reckless it may have been.

-They sigh, sinking into their chair.-

Kai: But I don't know for sure. I don't know what happened over the course of those 36 hours. I don't know who decided to call for help, or when, or who persuaded who, or who you expected, or if you thought it wouldn't be that long of a fight, or any of the other hundred thousand variables before we arrived.

Viridian City

Dave freezes in place with a look of steely resolve. His pokémon fall back toward him in an attempt to block a potential (potentially fatal) shot. He signals them to clear out

Jonathan and Theodora: Drop it.

Dave: Stay out of this, you two.

Theodora: This dullard's got us outgunned. The Pokémon we can take out fine; it's the weapons we're afraid of.

Jonathan: She's not kidding. We know what those guns are and what they're made of.

Theodora: Do you even have any idea what his weapons are, David?

Jonathan: We do not have anti-nanite weaponry on hand. The worst I can do is short him out a couple of times and I don't have that kind of juice to slow him down.

Dave: That's an order, Jon.

Jonathan: Orders, shmorders. We're outgunned and this isn't even part of our mandate and are you even listening to me, David!?

PC, remotely: Yeah, he does that. I'm sending in reinforcements before he gets you all killed. Fall back.

Dave: So... I don't know a lot about you but I'm sensing that those things are a part of the issue. Feel less and less of a person and slowly but surely losing all meaning in life as the BS around you swells and grows and you look at your arm and see part of what made you human is no longer there. Sure, you still have organs, but yeah, step in the wrong timeline and a pokerus you didn't account for will have them eaten away as well. Bit by bit you become more nanite than man. And you hate it. You hate everything about becoming less organic.

Theodora: Oh, Arceus, he's trying to deconstruct his motives.

Jonathan: Yeah, Dave doesn't really have the tact for that.

Theodora: He needs therapy.

Dave: And it's all because you didn't get to go on vacation one day. Pathetic. Compensating for some cruddy life by taking it out on entire timelines and being a complete and utter tool about it.

Jonathan: I'm pretty darned sure he's just talking about himself. It's what's making me worry.

PC, remotely: Yeah, you're right and wrong. This guy apparently became that way because he never really got a vacation after being overworked, but everything else is eerily similar, especially the issue regarding cybernetic replacements. And Dave, we already surrendered, stop mocking him for having your personal issues. Also, he might not be the epiphany type so just airlift him already.

A Pidgeot lands before them, poised to stand in the way of the attack but visibly more concerned with trying to airlift the rickety cyborg away from his opponent.

PC, remotely : Scout, get him out of there.

Edited by MasterJayAM on Dec 3rd 2018 at 12:04:05 AM

Snowpoint Center

~I thought it would be...simple. We'd dealt with the orbs, we knew Mega Evolved mons could pretty easily fight the higher level Krawl and hurt Zemmalise. Let's face it, I'm a better fighter than that creepy guy who kidnapped Ever, so I figured I'd have an easier time. I knew Z-moves would do the trick too, one of them almost killed Zemmalise the first time we fought. I didn't think it would be easy, but I figured it would be doable. I was making surgical strikes so we had time to sleep and eat and drink; that's what I was doing the first few days~

~Everything went wrong from the beginning. The screwed-up type chart they follow...everything resisted Skyfire's attacks. It took her too long to get through them, and I thought it would work out if we just made it past them instead. But when we got to Zemmalise, they had that horrible fake Charizard...I hit Zemmalise with a Z-move, but I couldn't bring the fight home while that thing was in the way. I don't have teleporters, so we couldn't escape, not with the Krawl that were still hanging around in the cloud. Skyfire got hurt, I got hurt, I had to use more Z-moves and keep the Mega Evolution going and we only barely bought time for Atlantis to get out so she could get help and it was just one mistake after another and she trusted me and she tried to protect me and I...I...~

~I let her down.~

Cylus retracts the proton cannon and whistles, "Damn quite the story there. He's got a point about how there's little differences between us, but it's not the full story. I don't hate myself or my cybernetics, sure I feel little bits of me being eaten away but that's more the apathy and disassociation from the constant adventuring. But it's not just because I'm burnt out and dead to feeling due to constant stress and major crossover events."

Cylus stopped smiling and his face resumed the trademark frown Silas was prone to having, "It's that after awhile, you just see it all and reality still finds ways to surprise you and knock you down. In my path I saw numerous multiversal shenanigans, time travel nonsense, and bunches of my friends die and then come back as if nothing had happened, Let me tell you Yvonne was not happy about that. Things went wild and I just stopped caring, things are always happening in this wacky universe of ours."

He sighed and gave a wave to the world around them, "Hell in my timeline, Alola's Prime Minister has renamed the Parliament building to "Dumpster", the Residence in which she stays to "Dumpster Fire", and she has also demanded she be called "The Lord of the Trash". Despite this she's still a respected member of society and looks great in a suit, and that's Nana... NANA!"

Hayon spoke up, ~We just stopped giving a shit, reality never gave us reason otherwise. Now we're looking to cause trouble just to stir things up.~

"Why? Because, it's something different. Plus I'm fairly certain none of you time cops can really take the moral high ground, not after what happened with one of the Avengers, hoo boy that was a shitshow, congrats."

Cylus smirked again, "May I make a suggestion? Run."

Kai: ...I see...

-They wheel their chair over to the bedside again.-

Kai: If that's the case, then I think she'll forgive you. You did, after all, make the effort to call for help, and it certainly sounds like it was a very narrow margin of error to be able to do that at all. I'm... still hurt that you tried to push me away when I showed up, but by that point it didn't matter and I was already there so we did what we had to do. Before that... it sounds like you made a reasonable call, with the information you did have, and the plan failed because of the information you didn't have. And when this is your job, it should be fairly easy to expect that falling apart spectacularly is a very likely outcome, and that making it out alive after that is a godsend in and of itself.

-They offer another gentle hand squeeze — no self-sacrificial aura transfer this time, just the comforting gesture.-

Kai: It's also reasonable that everyone has the right to whatever emotions come in the immediate aftermath. If it is, in fact, anger in her case... well, I promise it will pass. It doesn't make her frustration any less meaningful or valid, it would certainly be legitimate... but it will pass. This will pass. You'll come out of this sharper than you went in.

Viridian City

Theodora and Dave summoned back most of their pokémon. A car manifested out of nowhere. Driving it was a [Puebloan] man wearing a trenchcoat.

PC: Hop in.

Dave: You don't know how to drive.

PC: I've been watching you do it attentively for the past few years; if I screw up then it's because you suck as a driver.

Jonathan: Hey, you're using the spare projector.

Theodora: Chit chat later. Floor it.

They drive off, with Theodora visibly flipping Cylus the bird before they disappeared.

Theodora: Oh, good Arceus in [Heaven], I'd never thought I'd see a day that I'd take the IDPD's side of things.

Dave: What's your history with that guy?

Theodora: You know those time anomalies I keep appearing in and meddling with? The one that somehow draws your litigious attention?

Dave: Yeah.

Theodora: Half the time, he was responsible for them. I've tracked him a few times but never met him face to face, and basically all I knew about him was that he was a cyborg. I had assumed he'd be no different from you and the initial appearance didn't really suggest otherwise. I mean, how hard is it to destroy a cyborg's mechanical parts by dropping a steelix on them?

Dave: Wait, what?

Theodora: This pathetic "my timeline sucks so I'll make all timelines suck" shebang is downright immature and sickening.

Dave: Are we still talking about Cylus Grant?

Theodora: David, as a friend, I want you to promise me that you would never, ever attempt to arrest him without a full arsenal's worth of backup. And this might get serious. I must talk to your superiors.

Dave: Alright, hold up.

Jonathan: Well, her records are clear.

Dave: Three guesses why.

Jonathan: And since she's coming in as a witness, she'll be a better ally than opponent here. And madam?

Theodora: Yes?

Jonathan: Do you happened to be acquainted with any other time travelers?

Edited by MasterJayAM on Dec 2nd 2018 at 10:50:16 PM

Cylus put his hands on his hips and just sighed, "No doubt they're judging my motives and determining them to be some form of "make all timelines shit"."

Archer blinked, <Wait isn't that the plan?>

Cylus laughed, "Sure if you're short sighted, my goal is immature sure, but I'm aware of it. I wanna create a paradox, just to see what happens."

<Wait that's it?>

"Yep."

<No grand scheme or end goal of ending reality?>

"You kidding, I live in reality, why would I wanna end it? I'm lacking empathy not suicidal."

Hayon smiled, <We just wanna cause trouble, be the villains for once, besides we're fairly certain someone will stop us.>

"Now, who wants to go buy some stuff and eat candy?"

The team stuck up their arms.

Edited by EchoingSilence on Dec 2nd 2018 at 8:59:42 AM

Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's room

~...It was selfish. I knew I needed help, I just...I wanted someone else. Ever, maybe, if they had a teleporter and another Key Stone, but...someone who wasn't you. Someone who wouldn't hurt themself trying to save me. I...didn't expect to make it out alive. I didn't want to risk taking someone with me. And I couldn't handle it if that person were you.~

~...I'm sorry.~

Kai: Well, Ever was who Atlantis contacted first. They relayed it off to me.

-They sigh.-

Kai: ...And I understand why you thought that. In the heat of the moment like that, you so desperately want to think it'd be that simple, because it's an easier conscience to die on.

-They just sorta lean against the bedside. It's awkward, due to the wheelchair, but it seems to work out.-

Kai: I forgive you. Honestly, I'd probably have thought the same, had I been in the same position.

Lumiose City, North Pokemon Center

-Having been discharged from Lumiose Hospital some time ago, Liam has spent most of his time since the IDPD ambush lying face-down on his bed at the Center. A Porygon hovers over him as he groans.-

Liam: Mrrrrrrrrrghhh.

Suzaku: Observation: My scans indicate a complete recovery from all physical injuries. Any discomfort you are currently feeling is likely due to insufficient nutrition or natural light. Suggestion: Leave the Center and acquire something to eat.

Liam: I don't wanna.

Suzaku: Further Observation: Prolonged periods of hunger can cause unpleasant symptoms. For example, hallucinating that interdimensional police officers are climbing through your bedroom window.

Liam: Don't be s-silly, Su, I'm not hallucinating...

-He rolls over in bed... to see an interdimensional police officer climbing through his bedroom window.-

Liam: ...

Suzaku: Observation: Told you.

Liam: AAAH!

IDPD Officer(?): Wait! I know this looks bad, but it's only me.

-They reach up and pull off their helmet, revealing the features a thin, androgynous individual with short brown hair.-

Liam: ...L-Lilli?

-He immediately bounds off the bed and jumps on Lillianna in a gesture that's half hug, half tackle.-

Liam: Oh gosh Lilli you're okay! You have no idea how worried I was about you I was in hospital for like two whole weeks and the whole time I was just lying there thinking about how I let you down and what those horrible people were doing to you I'm so sorry I should've been able to stop them but I didn't and I blew my cover and everything was just so-

Lillianna: Calm down, Liam. I'm just relieved to see that you're in good health.

Liam: Ah, s-sorry...

-He pulls away and looks at Lillianna in confusion.-

Liam: ...Why d-didn't you just come in through the d-door?

Lillianna: Because I would rather not walk through the lobby looking like a member of Team Galactic got lost on their way to an 80s-themed costume party.

Liam: Okay, but, um... why d-do you look like a member of Team Galactic got lost on their way to an 80s-themed costume party?

-Lillianna sighs.-

Lillianna: You might want to lie back down. It's a long story.

-About an hour or so later, Lillianna has changed into something more sensible and recounted the story of her escape from the Lillifuture IDPD HQ to Liam.-

Liam: ...Wow. That's, um... that's a lot to p-process. I g-guess it's good to know that the guy who kept t-tazing me isn't all b-bad, though...

Lillianna: The Inspector's assistance was indeed invaluable. Even so, we should lie low for a while. No doubt the IDPD are already aware of my escape. I may have some friends inside the organisation, but I can't guarantee that they won't still be hunting me.

-She gives a thin smile and pats the bundled-up Inspector uniform in front of her.-

Lillianna: Thankfully, that gives us some time to take a closer look at this suit.

Liam: Erm, what's so s-special about it?

Lillianna: That's what I'm hoping we can find out. I don't intend to hang up my cape on account of a cabal of interdimensional authoritarians, but I can hardly adopt the Avenger identity without the suit they stole from us. The time may have come for us to reinvent ourselves, and the IDPD may have inadvertently provided us with the perfect opportunity.

-Liam gives a nervous smile that quickly fades.-

Liam: The irony's pretty great, and I'm k-kinda sorta totally g-geeking out at the chance to take apart some future tech, but, erm... I d-dunno if I can reverse-engineer a supersuit in a b-bedroom.

Lillianna: True. We need somewhere safe and secure with advanced technical facilities. Thankfully, I believe that we do have such a place available to us. I'll make the arrangements. Oh, and you probably ought to notify our friend Detective Hontou of our current situation.

-Liam goes slightly red.-

Liam: R-right, yeah...

Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's Room

~Atlantis was trying to get to you, we just didn't have cell reception in the cloud. We figured— correctly— that this would not provide a barrier to texting Ever.~

-there's a long silence-

~...Thank you, Kai. For saving my life, for being there for me. I love you.~

Mobius Base - Y Tho

Kaiiseii: "Hey!"

-The Beast lumbers into view, its uncessant laughing increasing in volume as it sees Kaiiseii.-

Kaiiseii: "Kutabare!"^note Drop dead!

-He pulls down his eyelid and sticks out his tongue.-

Kaiiseii: "Nyeh!"

-Kaiiseii slips on Isbrand's ring - turning into a Leafeon - and takes off in the other direction as the beast starts sprinting after him.-

Lumiose Outskirts

"Gabrielle? You there?"

Gabrielle: "What is it? I've been trying to check on you, but..."

"Long story. Kitchens on B-8, are the stoves gas or electric?"

Gabrielle: "Gas, of course."

"...why?"

"I'm going to cook a pizza."

"WHY DO YOU THINK"

Gabrielle: "No. No. Absolutely not."

"It's my only shot."

Gabrielle: "AT WHAT, ISBRAND?"

"Averting the apocalypse."

Mobius Raid

" Isbrand, you'll die."

-Isbrand's running down the halls, following signs to the kitchen.-

Isbrand: "Only if it kills me."

" Isbrand I'm serious. Don't."

Isbrand: "Gabrielle, unless you want a Glitch to kill you, I have too. Make sure my tombstone says something cool."

" ...Try not to die, please. I'm not sending anyone to stop you; I can tell it's pointless."

Isbrand: "...thanks, I guesx.

Edited by SwiftSeraph on Dec 2nd 2018 at 10:49:13 AM

-Kai smiles.-

Kai: I love you too.

Banjo: -muffled, but it's probably "awwww"-

-Then their phone goes off, and they check it.-

-And they sigh in relief.-

Kai: Oh, thank the gods.

-They briefly block out their mind from Halcyon, just long enough to type out their response.-

-And they open up their mind again.-

Edited by BittersweetNSour on Dec 2nd 2018 at 12:11:48 PM

Snowpoint Hospital

-Brie seems to have gone to sleep-

~...What was that about?~

Kai: Someone I promised to keep the identity of secret for their safety. Long story short, they've also been in a crisis recently and just let me know they're safe, which is a massive relief. Apologies about the brief surface-thought block.

Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's Room

~Ah. I'm glad to hear that. You seem like a person who could do with less worries in their life.~

-Kai nods.-

Kai: You can say that again.

Falconan Mall

-/Duck/ gives a nod-like wobble and begins ambling off towards the rail station-

-It's more than a little unsettling, especially because /Duck/ is trying and failing to get music through the robot's voicebox without heavy distortion-

We are outgun-n-n-out m*fizz*, out numbr-out-plaaaaaaaaa

-Occasionally it waves around the likewise battered handcannon and attempts to shoot at whatever enemy troops it can 'see'-

The Stormchaser(?)

Daydre and some of her mons are watching the news.

".. This is kind of depressing. Why am I doing this again?"

Rowan: <You sat down on the bed, said "I can't think of anything else to do to pass the time until [Smash Ultimate] comes out", turned on the tv and changed channels until you got tired of pressing the button?>

"I mean, that's not wrong.."

Rowan: -eyebrow raise-

Reporter: ".... And in other news, a resident of Lavender Town was robbed not six hours ago in a truly odd incident. Witnesses to the crime all claim to have been unable to see the perpetrator's face, despite claims that it was completely uncovered. Only one thing was stolen: a legacy TM for the move Teleport. Even stranger, hours later the TM was returned. No suspects have been...."

".... Huh. That is weird."

Rowan: <I'll say.. If that only happened a few hours ago, wouldn't it have happened in broad daylight? And no one saw anything? How does that work?>

Daydre shrugs.

"Guess we'll never know."

Snowpoint Hospital

-There's a brief pause before the next message.-

Mobius Base - Running In The Hallways

-Kaiiseii darts randomly, occasionally throwing Razor Leaves behind him.-

Mobius Kitchen - Thermodynamics 101

Isbrand: "Perfect."

-She eyes the gas lines, considering actually opening her valves before shrugging and gripping her shortsword.-

-And so on.-

Snowpoint Hospital, waiting room

-there are Memitos here-

Amanita: Ho-oh, she what?

Ever: It's the Memito Bullshit Gene, and you are no more immune than the rest of us.

Amanita: I'm immune by virtue of not making stupid decisions!

Ever: It's only a matter of time. You'll have your day in the hospital for avoidable reasons, never fear.

Amanita: Do you know what reassurance is?

Ever: I'm tangentially familiar.

Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's room

-Brie is once again being Heal Pulsed-

-Halcyon is flitting around, bored-

Snowpoint Hospital, waiting room

Amanita: I feel a bit responsible, honestly.

Ever: That seems excessive.

Amanita: You should too. We knew Brie was running herself ragged, it wasn't too big a leap to assume she'd try something like this.

Ever: Could we really have talked her out of it, though? Brie doesn't believe she can die any more than I do. And it's not like any of us would have been a real help. We've got a Key Stone between us.

Amanita: Maybe we could've gotten Kai there before it was almost too late.

Ever: Yeah, Brie would have been thrilled to have Kai there. It might be lucky that she was too exhausted to really do anything about it when they did show up.

Amanita: So, what, this is best-case?

Ever: I didn't say that.

Amanita: ...We should've done something earlier.

Ever: Yeah. I'll own up to that.

-they fold their legs up-

On the other hand, I'm down an arm as a consequence.

Amanita: Didn't you say you're always down an arm?

Ever: I don't recall...

-meanwhile, PEFE!Every is sitting off to the side, looking pensive-

Amanita: Hey, Pef, what's got you down? ...Aside from the obvious, I guess.

PEFE!Every: I lied to Brie.

Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's room

~How's it going?~

~Chansey seems to think it's going well.~

Chansey: <Hey, Sigilyph. I know you mean well, but stay out of my head while I'm healing if you don't want me making a fuckup.>

~Apologies.~

Chansey: <Mmmmh...>

~What was that?~

~I've been told not to ask.~

Snowpoint Hospital, waiting room

Ever: Huh?

Amanita: Huh?

PEFE!Every: Well. I withheld information.

Ever: What information?

Amanita: Bearing in mind that we probably are not going to understand anything especially scientific.

PEFE!Every: I told Brie that she's entered a static state, which is accurate. What I didn't say is that it's not only a question of keeping the non-static parts alive, but a question of how long such a state can be maintained before it collapses.

Ever: ...Ah. Fuck.

Amanita: Wait, so—

PEFE!Every: Assuming her metabolism doesn't restart properly, and very soon, she'll die.

Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's room

-Brie's heart rate suddenly spikes-

Chansey: <...>

-she abruptly redoubles her Heal Pulsing-

~Doctor. Isn't that dangerous?~

Doctor: We're at a point where that's not the most dangerous thing here.

Snowpoint Hospital, waiting room

Amanita: ...You didn't tell her this why?

PEFE!Every: I thought she might not want to know. That there was such a strict time limit. I wanted to encourage her to hold on as long as she could; there's anecdotal evidence that one's own will can contribute to auric rejuvenation—

Amanita: Of all the times for you to realize that sometimes you withhold the truth... So, you told her that she just needs to hold out, and she told us and Kai the same. But she might just drop dead today.

PEFE!Every: ...In essentials.

Amanita: Shouldn't the doctors have told us?

Ever: That might be what we get for showing up via illicit means and refusing to go through normal channels.

Amanita: That's...not fair.

Ever: What is?

Amanita: We...won't even be with her. Kai won't be. Her parents won't be. This is Brie we're talking about, and we're letting her die alone in a hospital bed?

Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's room

-the Heal Pulsing doesn't appear to be having a lot of effect-

Chansey: <Shit, shit, shit, I thought we had more ti—>

-flatline-

-...-

-...-

-...-

Doctor: ...Call it.

Chansey: <Uh, what timezone are we in?>

~Excuse me, but her brain is still active.~

Chansey: <She's got maybe a minute. Oxygen's gone, she won't respond to the drugs we normally use here. I'm sorry, but she's dead.>

Snowpoint Hospital, waiting room

Amanita: Fuck that.

Snowpoint Hospital, Brie's room

~Fuck that.~

Snowpoint Hospital, Kai's room

-Kai receives Lillianna's responses whilst passing the time watching From Space With Love for the eightieth time, none the wiser about what's going on.-

-They start to type out a message to Diane and Skye-

-at which point a tendril of thought sticks into their brain-

~Sorry about the intrusion, but we have very littl—~

~...This is what you're watching?~

-Kai looks around indignantly for wherever the source is.-

~Give me a break, it's nostalgic. You're lucky I didn't do the psychic defense thing.~

-They close their laptop-

~Anyway, what's up? What's going on?~

~My apologies in advance.~

~Hey, wait, Halcyon, hold— ~

Snowpoint Hospital, waiting room

-Ever and PEFE!Every have sent out Breeze and Cytosol respectively-

Ever: Okay, I think if we can get Halcyon's attention, he can—

~Oh, good, you've both anticipated my needs. Cytosol, Breeze, I require your faculties.~

~Wait what are you—~

Edited by BittersweetNSour on Dec 5th 2018 at 9:18:28 AM

???

-everyone seems to be here, now-

-not that here is a terribly easy place to quantify-

-seems like there's sky in every direction, with a couple clouds to stand on-

-the sky, perhaps fittingly, is a deep green-

Ever: ...Oh, not again.

Kai: —on a sec and just... ah, shit.

Amanita: Kai? What are you doing here? And why are you also purple?

-Kai stares.-

Kai: ...I'm always purple.

Amanita: ...Okay.

Kai: ...Nevermind that. Anyway, I don't know what I'm doing here, Halcyon just yanked me here.

Ever: Wait, let's back up a little. We were trying to make sure we could be there for Brie in case she dies—

Kai: Pardon, what?

Ever: ...Right. Pef, want to take this?

-PEFE!Every, who has been looking fairly morose up til now, looks up a little-

PEFE!Every: ...I lied to Brie to keep her spirits up. It's very possible she could die any minute.

-Kai just... looks at PEFE!Every. They don't say anything, but their stare could kill.-

-PEFE!Every wilts a little-

Ever: ...Yeah. So, anyway, we wanted to be there for her, but Halcyon seems to have interfered, and now we're...in what I strongly suspect is Brie's mindscape.

Amanita: Her what?

Ever: It's pretty much exactly what it sounds like.

-Kai pinches the bridge of their nose.-

Kai: Right. Okay. So we're... I guess, making sure she doesn't Actually Really Die For Real. Okay. Hopefully I don't get impaled again in this mindscape.

Amanita: Impaled?

Ever: We don't even know if she is dying, just that we're—

~No, Kai's right.~