ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

-"Ramona, Victor, and Norma stare blankly."-

Norma, scared: <Okay... Yeah, yeah! You going down boi!!>

-"She struggles to get out of Ramonas arms."-

Ramona, raising her hand: Exscuse me, are you challenging me to a battle?

Humilau City

"No, I'm challenging your team," Colton clarified. "We're not fighting, our Pokemon are."

<She doesn't care for the semantics!> Caliburn interjected.

"Okay, yes, I'm challenging you," Colton clarified.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Feb 3rd 2019 at 6:52:43 AM

Kai's Apartment

Rotary: <Kai. Greetings.>

Brie: Hey!

-despite her cheery greeting, she doesn't look great-

-there are numerous thin, silvery scars running across almost every inch of exposed skin. Many of them look like they're starting to heal more properly-

-chunks of her hair have been fried off, and are only just starting to grow back in-

-and she just generally looks fairly exhausted-

-but on the other hand, she's walking under her own power and her lungs seem functional-

Brie: It's really good to see you again, Kai.

Ramona: Awsome! Okay, let's start with Norma!

-"She throws her Whimsicott out."-

Norma, floating down: <...shit.>

Ramona: Okay, let's start with a cotton spore!

-"Norma sighs and shakes her body a little. Yellow balls of cotton float in the air and then spiral at Coltons katana."-

Humilau City

Caliburn powered through the Cotton Spore, his Grass-type giving him an immunity as he sped towards Norma, swinging a Psycho Cut at her with his bladed arms.

-Kai turns around to see Brie appear. For a moment, they smile, and almost say something...-

-And then they notice all the damage, and their smile fades.-

Kai: ...Brie...

-They sigh, and manage their smile again, although they still look rather concerned.-

Kai: It's nice to see you too.

-"The psycho cut tears through Norma causing a massive amount of damage and dropping her to bellow half health."-

Ramona: Don't give up girl! Use Hurricane!

-"Norma catches her self in the air and spins in place, summoning a giant vortex of air and blasting it in all directions."-

Humilau City

The Flying-type special attack harms Caliburn a fair bit, evidenced by how much trouble he had staying aloft before he quickly dashed over and used Smart Strike, taking care to strike with the flat of his arm so as not to cause permanent damage.

Kai's Apartment

-...-

-Brie latches onto Kai for a hug-

Brie: Hey. Missed you.

-she detaches herself, but her smile fades when she sees Kai's face-

What's wrong?

-Kai hugs Brie tightly.-

Kai: You... got hurt pretty badly again, huh? And I didn't even know this time...

Kai's Apartment

Brie: ...

-she looks down-

Yeah. Sorry. I wasn't going to die, I didn't want to worry you after what happened with Zemmalise.

If you're going to chew me out, please don't. Ever already read me the riot act. They actually yelled.

I just...I couldn't do nothing. Not that I was any help.

Someplace Urban, Streets

Should I get a secret identity?

-He takes a nibble of [one of a number of regional status-healing desserts] and glances at the pokemon he has out (Monos and Shift)-

Monos: <Perhaps. I was once the Aegis of Spectra after all...>

Shift: <What type are we talking about here; Heroic, villainous?>

I was considering something sneak-thiefy. Like real gentleman thief stuff, a mask maybe a new coat...

Shift: <And Arsene hanging over your shoulder.>

Monos: <Who?>

Oh please... I mean maybe? I dunno, I just want to get back to being a cool thief person with the shadow stuff.

Shift: <Ah, you want mommy Noctural to give you a new Skeleton Key because you've been a good boy.>

-Pent coughs suddenly, choking a little on his [regional dessert]-

Por que?! Did you have to say it like that?

Monos: <Are you alright?>

Yeah I'm fine I just-

-A chill goes down his spine. Was it a bracing breeze? He looked around and there on a rooftop a telltale glint-

Monos, Protect.

-The flickering domed shield goes up just in time to trap a reasonably-sized shard of metal-

Move!

-The trio run into an alley to get out of sight-

-Kai shakes their head.-

Kai: I'm not going to. They weren't Zemmalise. I'm just... glad you're okay now.

Kai's Apartment

Brie: Okay. Yeah.

Don't worry too much. It looks worse than it is; just the wrong end of some Electric and Ice attacks. More embarrassing than really painful. And see? I'm walking on my own and everything. It's all fine.

-she gives Kai another hug-

Come on, sit down and we can cuddle and cry and feel better after, okay?

-Kai smiles.-

Kai: I'll just have to believe you, then.

-They hug back.-

Kai: ...Yeah. All that sounds like a nice idea.

-They oblige, sorta collapsing on the couch-

Kai's Apartment

-Brie curls up next to Kai, resting her head on their shoulder-

-and bursts into tears-

-it takes her a little while to calm down-

Lugia, this year has sucked.

-Kai holds Brie close, running their hand through her hair as she cries.-

Kai: This year as in since New Years, or the last 365 days? Because both sound about right.

Kai's Apartment

Brie: I mean, a lot of it wasn't so bad. There were even some...uh, really good bits. But it hasn't even been a year since—

-she gulps, trails off-

-and just sort of slides past what she was going to say before continuing-

But I mean 2019, and directly preceding. I was in the hospital for the first half of December, and then as soon as I get out, the place I'm staying gets attacked. I was trying to stop one of them, he was an Electric Obscuric, and, uh...he kicked my ass.

Which sucked. Obviously, right? I was still on crutches and half my team was useless for that fight, there was no way I was going to win. But he acted like it didn't even matter that I was there. And it worked out okay, from what I was told...I just hate losing like that.

Not to mention that I was in the hospital again. I kind of hate hospitals now, and Ever did not make it easier. I think they think it's a deterrent.

And then when I got out I was helping Every try and get back and repair what she could. One of the people there— they're, uh, from the future, right? Was related to her somehow, and hacked all those modules in the facility that she was using to store stuff. And dropped them all into the space under the building when she left. Including the module she was living in, most of what she owned...so she's a bit of a mess.

But Lugia forgive me, I'm so sick of dealing with her. She's got all of Ever's control issues and none of Ever's ability to make what she wants actually sound appealing. She thinks she's smarter than everyone, she rants, she's paranoid, she's compulsively stealthy, and she's insensitive.

And I could deal with that if there were someone there as a buffer, but there isn't! Avery— you remember her, right? The girl with the Zorua? She went back to Celadon, obviously, because who wouldn't want to go home and curl up for a little while after all that? But did I go spend time with her after I could walk again? No, I felt bad leaving Every on her own! And it was the dumbest call I've ever made!

-she just sort of curls up, half-laughing at this point-

-Kai just sorta listens quietly as Brie rants.-

Kai: ...Wow... that's... a lot.

-What do you even say after all of that? Kai certainly doesn't know, so they just sorta hold Brie for a bit.-

PEFE HQ - Isbrand's Lab

-Isbrand scrawls down a few notes.-

Isbrand: "Clever, for a society that existed before [Tesla]. If I can make it work without the Ink..."

   Shade   : <Ooh, we can just take Nagandel's blood and->

Isbrand: "First of all, his blood is how I lost my leg in the first place. Secondly, keep your blood fetish out of my work."

-The Zorua pouts and jumps of the workdesk.-

   Shade   : <Fine! I'm gonna go watch Castlevania and drink ketchup with a straw!>

Isbrand: "Have fun."

-Isbrand prods some of the tech with a screwdriver.-

Isbrand: "I could use a Dark-type Porygon..."

PEFE HQ, Horsemon Module

-Anastasia paces in front of her brothers while Cali grazes nearby with the rest of the Rapidashes.-

Anastasia: <Please, it must have worked...even a little.>

-War gnashes his teeth and lets some Aura emenate from his paws.-

War: <The only reason we haven't murdered everyone in this building is because of you, Famine.>

Anastasia: <Please don't...deadname me, brother.>

-War snorts.-

War: <Why must you keep up this charade? Pretending your bloodlust isn't there, boiling under the surface?>

Death: <Why must you keep pestering her, brother? It helps no one.>

War: <She helps no one. Faminine was not a coward before. Now she's weak, all because of that human and his pet. She's a disgrace, and you know it.>

-War doesn't see it coming. Even his reflexes are no match for the angry Leavanny who pins him to the ground, flame-coated arm at his neck.-

Anastasia: <No, you listen to me, brother. I'm the leader for a fucking reason, you insignificant little bastard. I remember what it was like before we were turned into killing machines. You call Ace Shaun's pet? We weren't even pets! We were fucking automatons, doing our master's bidding and being told we wanted to! You wanna try to slaughter everymon here? BE MY FUCKING GUEST, WAR! YOU'LL BE DEAD BEFORE YOU EVEN TOUCH SOMEONE! I'M THE ONLY. FUCKING. REASON. YOU'RE. ALIVE. If you EVER try to hurt anyone here, I WILL BURN YOU ALIVE FROM THE INSIDE FUCKING OUT!!!>

<So go ahead, insult and belittle me. Try to kill me. As far as you are considered, War, I am your god now. Not the scientists, not the admins, not even Arceus Himself. You. Worship. Me. And in turn, I keep your ass alive.>

<Now apologize.>

-War glares at the Leavanny with a raw anger and fury he's never felt before.-

War: <I should rip out your heart, cun->

-He chokes on his words as a fire-coated leave crushes his throat.-

<'APOLGIZE!!!>

<S...or...ry...>

-Anastasia lets go of the Lucario's neck, War immediately rubbing his burnt and bruised neck. Anastasia kicks him in the groin and them the stomach.-

Anastasia: <The same goes for the rest of you.>

-Anastasia turns around and leaves with Cali, leaving War to lick his wounds and her other brothers to dwell on her words.-

Edited by SwiftSeraph on Feb 3rd 2019 at 11:11:35 AM

-It's super effective.-

-"Norma takes the full power of the hit and slams into the ground."-

Norma, dazed: <~m-my zombie army~>

-Norma fainted.-

Ramona, returning Norma: We're not done yet. Seeing as how pollen spore didn't work and Hurricane was super effective, Let's go, Carrie!

-"Ramona throws out her next mon, a litwick named Carrie."-

Carrie: <...dude, why?>

Ramona: Carrie, use inferno!

-"Carrie shrugs and inhales sharply. With a loud burst, the flame on carries head erupts into a giant wave of fire that zooms towards Kartanna."-

-Carrie used inferno!-

Kai's Apartment

-Brie takes a deep breath-

Brie: Sorry. I know you're friends with her. And I shouldn't be saying those kinds of things anyway. It's just...

-she cuts herself off-

No. No just. Sorry.

Humilau City

Caliburn was barely even licked by the flames before he was forced to return himself lest he get consumed by the flames.

Colton simply muttered a quick "I understand" before he grabbed another Pokeball, throwing it and this time sending out a Galvantula who quickly set up an Electroweb covering the ground under the Litwick.

Kai: Don't worry about apologizing, you needed to tell someone. Sure, I'm friends with her, but that doesn't mean I have to be totally deaf to the fact that you two clearly don't get along well. I'm willing to hear stuff like this out.

-They give her a hug.-

Kai's Apartment

Brie: Thanks.

-she takes a few more deep breaths-

I feel bad, too, because she's obviously not in a good place and I'd like to be there for her. But the only person she seems able to have a normal conversation with is Tagg, and he's gone too— which I don't think is doing her mental health any favors either.