Wrong Lumiose

"After you evolve twice, yes," Ammy said swiftly. "It'll be hard to learn to swing a sword on all fours, from what I remember being told. Balance and whatnot.

"But a metaphoric world will open up."

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

Wrong Lumiose

Oshawittle: <Wow... looks like I'm gonna hafta learn how to maintain balance like that if I wanna become like Helmsman...>

Raru: -to Ammy- <So, Ammy... What kinds of moves are you capable of using?>

♪Show me the wisdom of the world... Tell me the secrets of the heart... and the sweet~ mysteries~ of love~...

Wrong Lumiose

"Confuse Ray, Nasty Plot, Will-O'-Wisp, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Extrasensory, Hypnosis, Sunny Day. The last one is kind of redundant," she allowed. "I'm also trying to learn Grudge, Hex and Solar Beam - I hear I can use them."

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

Wrong Lumiose

Raru: <Wow! I can use Magical Leaf, Shadow Sneak, Misty Terrain, Lucky Chant, Confusion and my favorite move: Hypnosis. Confuse Ray sounds so cool! Is it a move I can learn?>

♪Show me the wisdom of the world... Tell me the secrets of the heart... and the sweet~ mysteries~ of love~...

Wrong Lumiose

"Two things," Ammy said, holding up a hand.

"A: A fellow hypnosis enthusiast, huh? How do you go about it? How do you practice it? How do you enjoy using it - by which I mean, what do you do with your subjects?"

And 2, Colton interjected. I'll tell you if you can learn it once we deal with this threat, but my money's on yes.

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

King Industries, Security Room

-At the note to duck off and join the raid, the intern stumbles a little, cheeks puffed out for a moment-

Speakin' of curry I had some last night and... Ho boy it was good but it's turning on me. Be right back. I hope!

-He runs out to head to the bathroom to get changed and in the raid-

Cipher Chateau

Okay we've got a moment, let's get out of here before it breaks invisibility.

Wrong Lumiose

-The scarf does nothing, just sitting around her neck like it would on an already pokemonified being, Nightingale? continues swiping and almost manages to get a hit...-

-When the sigil explodes-

-For a brief moment the mess that is the sundered helmet, torn suit and formless horror inside is visible before the entire construct is consumed in a burst of sickly pale green light. When the light fades there's three things left: The heavily damaged costume, a Zoroark and a mobile phone that quickly emits a Porygon 2-

/Duck/: <Okay. Lucid again.>

Mage?: My companion! You will rue your actions.

-Unfortunately the Rock Tomb hits and the magus is buried under the barrage of crystals. There is a burst of sickly green light that leaks through the Tomb-

Dryad Robot?: ...

-The wood chunk still stands, just barely...-

The Stormchaser, Early November

-The radar is bleeping, something's slowly flying towards the Stormchaser-

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

Wrong Lumiose

Raru: <How I go about it... I go about by doing this...>

-Raru's eyes glow a bright pink-

Raru: <Then I focus my gaze on a target...>

-Raru's gaze is fixed on Ian the Witch-

Me: -turns to look at Raru- Raru, what are you doing...?

-Ian's eyes end up meeting Raru's-

Me: Hoo boy... here we go...

Raru: <Sometimes, I wave my hands in circles like so...>

-Raru waves his cute little hands in circles as he sends soothing energy pulses in Ian's direction-

Raru: <Then I go for the classic "You are getting sleepy" line...>

-Ian's eyes go blank and he falls over asleep-

Raru: <I often practice it in battles with Oshawittle and Piku-chan. As for how I enjoy using it... I don't know about that. I usually just let my victims sleep. I don't know how to employ a post-hypnotic suggestion yet...>

-Beat-

Raru: <oops.>

♪Show me the wisdom of the world... Tell me the secrets of the heart... and the sweet~ mysteries~ of love~...

Wrong Lumiose

"Yeah, you... could have just told me what you do; didn't have to demonstrate," she explained as she lightly kicked Ian's back to try to get him to wake up.

"I tend to capture focus with a few flares and make my eyes gl-"

And then the sigil exploded, catching the entire party's attention.

"...Well then," Everyone chorused, Sunny, Roy and Sylveon having touched down beside the rest of the party.

... I wonder if we can do our [Astral]s, Colton mused aloud.

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

Wrong Lumiose

-Ian the Witch gets kicked in the back, waking him up from his hypnotically induced sleep-

Me: Hi hi, what happened?!

-Ian wakes up just in time to watch the sigil on the fake Nightingale explode-

Raru and I: <Alrighty then...

Raru: <Sorry about accidentally hypnotizing you...>

Me: It's okay, Raru. It wasn't the first time...

-Ian gets back onto his feet-

Me: Alright, who else do we have to deal with?

♪Show me the wisdom of the world... Tell me the secrets of the heart... and the sweet~ mysteries~ of love~...

Chateau

Let's get out of here before it decides to come back for Round 2.

-Moves to leave-

Mementos

Galen: -Blocks the Moonblast with Protect-

Pink: <Now!>

-Has Galen use Dazzling Gleam on Parcelus-

Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.

Chateau d'Avarice

Rose: Wait, don't— !!

New Moon's Beast used Phantom Force!

-In mere moments, the beast lunges out from nowhere, grasping Jackal by the face and slamming him into the ground, claws holding his mask firmly in place.-

New Moon's Beast: <   LIGHTS OUT.   >

Rose: Get off of him!

Paula: Your business is with us, pal!

-Maui swings his hook around NMB's neck, which Bluetongue grabs the other end of to attempt to pull it back, but the beast holds its ground, spines flaring out and raking both of them.-

Macraulloween

Mason: Oh. Okay. Uh.

-Beat-

Mason: Glad to hear you didn't. Kill someone. Or anything.

Echo: Besides, it didn't look like you were making any effort to hide it anyway.

Jackal looked about, and felt the beast holding him down, he gritted his teeth and struggled a bit, lifting his metal hand to his face to grip onto the mask...

"What's this?"

He dug the hand under the phantom force holding him down, Rose and Paula in his sights as he saw them get raked with spines, his face felt hot, what was this feeling?

"Are you actually getting angry? And Showing it?"'

"Shut up..."

He crunched part of the mask, all it did was erupt into flames...

"Come on now. We both know that's not going to work, there's a way out..."

"Shut up shut up shut up shutupshutupshutp!"

"I can help."

Jackal heard that well, and time seemed to slow for him, before his eyes he saw half of a face, his face, grinning at him with a golden eye, "Hi."

"What do you want?"

"To help you get better," the shadow said, "I'm you after all. What you've repressed, humor, snark, emotion, reaction, stuff like that. You've been repressing this stuff for 9 years now!"

"Not intentionally."

"And I get that, emoting is hard for you, but the thing is, there are other avenues to expressing yourself, no one said you had to smile and wave, or grit your teeth. Sure the moments of shock are neat when you break character, and the pokemon form is fun but it hasn't helped."

"What do you suggest?"

"I'll help you, but I want one thing in return. Find new ways to express yourself, maybe crack a joke or move your arms a bit. Just, try at the very least, you want to be a better version of you, right?"

"Yes."

The Shadow smiled, and then laughed, in a voice that reverberated all the wrong ways, "The contract is sealed, awaken your new power! Use it well!"

Jackal felt things pick up, his heart hurt as if it hadn't been beating right, he felt blood running down his face, and something stuck to it, he gripped both hands, his body still engulfed in Solaire's flames. There was a new mask on his face, he crushed it and shouted at the NMB, "Get off of me YOU BITCH! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THEM!!"

Jackal screamed as a arm appeared, and in it, a shining meteoric coloured blade thrust right at the NMB, a figure taking shape...

Jackal and Fox looked at each other, and then to Coil, Jackal felt a eye twitch behind his mask, all that careful planning, all those stealth operations and now-

"Jackal get moving. Avenger and I will handle this," Fox exclaimed.

Jackal got back to reality and shook his head, "Right. Phantom, doesn't matter, just get the door open! Brigit, V, Suiko, you're with me! Avenger, Fox, get this guy dealt with. Lamb, if any security guard comes investigating, knock him out, we can't risk this people! MOVE!"

Fox stepped forward to Coil, "You moron... what makes you think we're Pokefutures?!"

Mementos

-The final Double Team clones fade as Tigress and Carmen mirror each other's exhaustion. Then, with resolute glare, Carmen raises her hand and makes a rose-patterned Protect to prevent incoming damage.-

Tigress: I don't think Carmen and I can be much help without healing.

Floor 26

A flare lit up in Lamb's palm before she quickly reconsidered, smothering the flame and beginning to keep vigil, gaze darting behind the helmet.

Chateau d'Avarice

With a wave of his hand Rage and Love directed Camazotz to fire a Flamethrower.

The embers built in his mouth before Jackal exploded in profanity.

Rage and Love stared at Jackal.

Camazotz stared at Jackal.

Camazotz stared at Rage and Love.

"Well, hello~" They chorused, the first words Camazotz spoke since the pact was forged.

Stormchaser, Early November

A black blur paused on his flight around the Stormchaser, a whine catching his attention. The Staraptor caught sight of what had snagged his attention before leaving to go back inside.

Stormchaser Hall

A Unovan chased after the Staraptor, pulling his gray jacket on his sleeves while being flanked by some brown-haired someone in a nice suit and someone in a white kimono.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Nov 3rd 2019 at 7:57:44 AM

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

Chateau d'Avarice

-Rose and Paula gape as the shining blade skewers the New Moon's Beast. The creature makes a choked sound, eyes wide, as it's lifted slightly by the surprise blade.-

-It makes an effort to Slash at Jackal, but it's much weaker and more flaily than any of its previous attacks.-

Stormchaser; Fuka, Jared, and Sparkers

Fuka holds up two Poke Balls, one a standard red and white, the other a Safari Ball

Fuka: All righty, then. Let's get the boys fixed up.

The flames completely engulfed Jackal as he stood up, his breathing hot, the fire swirled around him as the figure holding the blade took shape.

"I never asked for this."

The fire calmed down as out stepped Jackal, "You want to make enemies, try to change something."

The figure holding the sword became clear, It appeared to be a Mechanical Knight in Riolu inspired armor, "Hello. I am, Knight."

Knight tossed the Beast aside and raised his left palm, firing a aurasphere right into the creature as Jackal adjusted his new coat, "I may not be able to always fulfil my contract, but I'll never stop looking."

Knight laughed, "Very go- no... nooo this voice isn't right for me.    Maybe this.    Noooo... oh wait I know."

Knight stood tall next to Jackal and cleared his throat (somehow), "Excellent. Let the fun begin," it spoke in a voice sounding like a granite slab hitting concrete.

Jackal stared at the NMB and raise a hand, "I guess this is fitting, since we are the Death Arcana."

Knight rushed at the NMB and attempted to stab it right through the head.

Edited by EchoingSilence on Nov 3rd 2019 at 10:05:17 AM

Macraulloween

"Oh yeah if I really did kill someone I probably wouldn't be keeping it out in the open like this. Though I reaaally don't want to be killing people so I don't wanna really think about that."

"..."

"Hey, uh.. Is the floor supposed to be spinning...?"

Chateau d'Avarice

Daydre just looks on in shock and awe as the New Moon Beast is skewered.

off the shits

Mementos

-Guardian laughs.-

Guardian: <Hark! Thou art no match for us! We righteous thieves care not for your own cruel desires! Like a true knight, I shalt deliver cold justice! Taste the Holy Blade, Excalibur!!>

Excalibur used Sacred Sword!

---

Chateau D'Avarice

Now, Lizabeth, don't be scared of the big lizard or the mean doggy. Are you just gonna watch, or are you gonna be useful for once in your life? Quit being such a burden.

Sorceress: "If I get a lobotomy, will that shut you up?"

Oh, humor! How delightful. So there is some spunk in that empty brain of your after all! It's quite roomy in here, you know. I was worried I was already in control.

Sorceress: "Insufferable."

Ha! I am thou, thou art I. We're two sides of the same coin.

-Sorceress and Songstress watch silently.-

---

Stormchaser - Deck

-Shaun and Isbrand are sharing a tumbler of whiskey, legs dangling over the side of the ship.-

Shaun: "Yeah, anyway, that's why your mother isn't allowed to eat [Chinese] food on the second day of the month."

Isbrand: "..."

"...is that what I think it is?"

-She stands up and peers at the approaching object.-

"Dang that sure is totally poggers my good bitch"

Avatar!Megan: -fistpumping- Hell yeah—

Zatanna!Pippy: -frantically dodging- <aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—>

-boom, sending him flying end over end through a nearby window-

-Beat-

<I'm okay!>

Korra!Megan: My scarf! D:

Poison Ivy!Abilene: -tapping her sword against the ground- Ah. Now.

-and from every crack in the pavement sprouts a monstrous, pale-white sapling, poised to suck the remaining motive energy right out of the dryad-

Castanea and Abilene used Giga Drain!

Logan: -patiently waits-

-thumbs-up-

Megan: :D

-Byleth stares at Robin, who took their advice directly-

Cubone!Byleth: <...>

-with all the patience of a tenured kindergarten teacher-

-judging-

-the faint vapor-haze of Suiko's presence hovers close behind Jackal, in the shadows-

Suiko: -humming- We're here, my captain. Nothing stealthy as the sea, creeping in. Even moot.

-accompanied by her rather heavy usage of the royal "we"-

-snickering, faintly- We hunger to plunge this den of thieves into the abyss.

-keeps an eye on the misunderstenemy Blue, still humming-

No mind to think. No will to break.

KI-26

-Underneath their mask, the Auric Avenger raises an eyebrow.-

Avenger: Fox, there's no need to get hotheaded about this. There's a misunderstanding, isn't there? Clearing it up is only going to benefit both parties.

-They step forward, a few wisps of rainbow Aura radiating off of them.-

Avenger: Anyway, no, we are not the Pokefutures goons you're looking for. These guys are the Aurabolts, and I'm the Auric Avenger. We're here to fight them just as much as you are.

Chateau d'Avarice

-As the New Moon's Beast is tossed aside and stabbed once more, the lights start to flicker back on. The spines along the mutated Salazzle's back become more easily recognizable as oversized medical syringe needles, just before the lights momentarily flicker back out and the entire creature's form melts into shadow.-

-And then it is gone, and the lights return for real.-

Rose: ...Now let's get out of here, please? Before something else decides I'd make a nice meal?

Macraulloween

Mason: ...Uh. No, it's not. Er, you look really not-great right now and kind of like you got in a fight with an angry truck, so maaaaybe we should get you to a hospital or something relatively soon? Please don't pass out on me right here that would be super awkward

Edited by BittersweetNSour on Nov 4th 2019 at 12:53:35 PM

Macraul House, Safe Room

Lamarck was partly relieved that their guest isn't inquiring why she was speaking in human, though it lined up well about what they said about the J-Team and their associates being exceptionally eccentric that things like a translator speaking for a pokémon that isn't software-analogous is possible. "Sieur Lowell should push through with making this device commercially available," she mused.

Lamarck: I'm afraid there's been a bit of commotion in the common rooms. It would be prudent for us to escort personal guests of the Macraul family to their safety while those responsible are dealt with. We usually do not see eye-to-eye with the J-Team, but if they can take care of the problem, it'd be foolish not to let them.

Wrong Lumiose

Gaspard: Two of those freaks down, one to go—and maybe a big boss; that's usually how it goes in Empire Souls. They may or may not have one of those long-winded hot-air speeches that most bad guys do in RPGs. I suggest we start hitting them the moment they open their mouths. And true enough that witch-boy might make some corny rousing speech about destiny and honor or whatever. It always bugs me that those speeches take about 85 percent of the gameplay of an Empire Souls game.

Oceanview Restaurant

Ryan was ignoring the squabblings of the Albrights. He was generally fascinated by that new pokémon in the aquarium; they've been known in fish markets and he knew that some fisherfolk from other regions used cramorants specifically to catch them, but he didn't know a lot about them—a consequence, perhaps, of his fixation with the deep sea making him forget about most epipelagic species such as these.

Reynard: Fascinating, aren't they. Most people round here only ever see them in cans or fillets. Kinda like wishiwashi.

The waiters carted in a few plates of curry.

Reynard: Ah, just the right spice. I'd normally settle for a plate of risotto, but I'm in a curry mood today. And thanks for the photo-op today, Ryan. The girls are going to be extra pumped to see you tomorrow.

Ryan: Much obliged, doctor.

Ritchie: Hold on. What's this about you and the J-Team. No offense, Ms. Alyesha.

Rachel: Calm down, Ritchie. The J-Team's hardly the only source of trouble your father could get into. And miss, we do apologize. See, we've had disagreements on what activities my father-in-law could be allowed to do, with both Richard and his brother in favor of avoiding such shenanigans. Honestly, I don't see what the deal is. The J-Team is probably safer despite attracting such shenanigans as time travelers and interdimensional arch-criminals.

Ritchie: That doesn't make me feel any better.

Rachel: And what's their count on casualties again? Richard, your son and father are going to be hanging out with the J-Team for better or worse. You're just going to have to accept that danger is something we regularly face. I mean, we've already come to accept that Gavin is going to get into dangerous situations.

Ritchie: Please, at least those hazards are natural.

Charger, still floating around: <This is... normal for the Albrights.>

A domestic gogoat appeared, apparently freeing themselves from Galen's holser.

Corkie, the gogoat: <Hmph, what did I miss? Oh, hey it's Super Senior's Ryan Seo. And is that curry?>

Charger: <Don't bother with it; it's wooloo.>

Corkie: <Like that's ever stopped me before. Though it's not as tasty as curry-stained paper>.

Edited by MasterJayAM on Nov 5th 2019 at 12:48:45 AM

Macraulloween

"Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Where's the hospital? Dunno... Where it is.."

"Wwow, this actually hurts. A lot." It appears the adrenaline is starting to wear off.

off the shits

vs. Fuka

Sparkers: "Yes, let's!"

They go off in search of the healing machine.

Stormchaser, w/ Maxwell

Lita hmmm'd as she looked up and down the hall.

Lita:"I think Isbrand might know about your friend. C'mon."

C: "Sadly I must go and train. It was a pleasure meeting you, Maxwell."

C and Griffon walk off.

Griffon: "Hey maybe this time you won't pass out after three minutes!"

C: "Quiet, bird."

Lita: "Sooo...I think her room is around here somewhere."

She leads Maxwell down the corridor and hopefully to Isbrand's room.

GIVE ME YOUR FACE

Macraulloween

Mason: Er, uh. Just. Follow me.

-He pauses, and illusions the floating body of Ama out of sight so that they get as few strange looks as possible, before gesturing for Daydre to follow.-