The Spooky House

And I'm Gale Knight. I uh... I got the same text message yep. Though if Pent's not here maybe... We should let ourselves in?

-She pops a bit of a smile and tests the door, locked-

Give me a moment and Mothma'am will have us in there in a jiffy.

-She slips something from her pocket and gets to work examining the lock-

Okay so tension in, nothing on one... Hold on two...

Gothhouse

Tommy: Thomas Andrew Petersen. You can call me Tommy. This is my friend Jane.

Jane: Hello there! Call me Jane Harvey. Journalist and stage actor.

The duo notice something.

Tommy: You two... arrived together.

Jane: And that is unusual because?

Tommy: Oh, don't take it the wrong way. There's nothing wrong with that specifically.

Jane: We arrived together.

Tommy: I repeat. Never said it was wrong.

Gothic House

Evelyn: Oh. Yeah. We did.

Me: Anyways, I hope setting up this Halloween party won't be too difficult.

Old House

"So we were supposed to dress up?" Colton asked for clarification.

Goth House of Ambiguous Scariness

Jane: So, Miss Gale. Think we can start a fire or use the phone in Mr. Fiveside's absence?

Tommy, still shivering: I'll be fine, Jane.

Jane: I don't need my psychic pokémon to know that you're lying.

Motostoke Stadium

<Yes! They got a direct hit!>

Kec stops when he realises that his trainer doesn't share his excitement. Hoops continues to look troubled by something.

<You okay?>

Hoops snaps back to reality. "What? Oh, yeah. Fine. It's just the more I watch Evelyn, the more I feel like I'm right on the edge of remembering when we met as kids, but I can't quite reach it. It's frustrating."

Led flies over. <You know, Evelyn's father is right there. He might know something.>

Hoops seems to consider it, then shakes their head. "Nah," they say quietly. "I don't like that guy very much."

Led looks like she's about to say something, but Kec stops her and shakes his head. They all continue to watch the battle.

Motostoke Stadium

-Daisuke sneezes when he hears Hoops say that they don't like him.-

Orbito: <Are you okay, Daisuke-san?>

Daisuke: I'm fine, Orbito. It's just... this "Hoops" kid is rather suspicious of me... and he has every right to be.

Orbito: <But you're not an alien shapeshifter, are you?>

Daisuke: Not last I checked, Orbito...

Motostoke Stadium, VS Kabu

-Kabu's Torkoal notices the sparkling coin and focuses his gaze on it.-

Simon: <That's right... Focus on my coin... Your body feels light as a feather... Yes...>

-Kabu's Torkoal yawns, as though in agreement.-

Me: Mothra! Use Psychic!

-Mothra's eyes glow blue as she lifts Torkoal into the air with her mind, adding credibility to Simon's statement... Kabu, not noticing Mothra, looks up and his jaw drops in a comedic fashion.-

Kabu: -surprised- Surīpā no saiminjutsu ga son'nani kyōryokuda to wa shirimasendeshita...^Translation I didn't know Sleeper's hypnosis was THAT powerful..^note Sleeper is Hypno's Japanese name.

Motostoke Stadium

Hoops fixes Daisuke with their most withering glare. "You said he," they say. "I use they/them pronouns, thank you very much."

Behind them, Sal and Led are holding Kec back from slapping this guy for misgendering their trainer.

Motostoke Stadium, Stands

-Daisuke facepalms, as Orbito laughs.-

Orbito: <Hoops: 1, Daisuke-sama: 0.>

Miranda sighed as she stepped out, another day done. This whole witness protection thing had been rough, she had once been the number 4 Hunter, rising through the ranks and a threat to Delta. The Hunter known as Banshee, her scream sent chills through people, her grunts were equipped with the latest technology.

Sure the Pokefutures staff had been trouble, but trouble she could handle... until the Guild decided to cut her loose for it. Miranda grumbled as she sat down on her porch and lit a cigarette, she had nearly been lost to some maximum security prison where she'd experience an "accident"... she told the two detectives what she knew and the tall one had outfitted her with this.

She was now a Miranda Amber Kent, she grumbled and took a deep inhale. Probably the worst part of it was that she had a lot of empty time now, and she had been thinking... and she didn't like what she was thinking.

"What you did was wrong, and this is your punishment. Make up for it," was the thought that ran through her head, and part of her was coming around to this.

She hadn't thought the Pokefutures guys were that bad, they upgraded her tech and were working on a cloning project of some sorts, utilizing a severed Lucario arm. But the more she looked back at the records, all she could think was how dumb it was to trust those wackadoos.

"Got a spare smoke?"

"Oh yeah sure..." Miranda said pulling out an extra cigarette, only to turn pale and look over, she knew that voice.

"Sup Miranda..." came the smooth tone of none other than Michael Antell, Hunter Number 6, Scratch.

Scratch just smiled and adjusted his waistcoat, "So this is where you are these days... not a bad place."

Miranda was very pale, had the Guild found her? Usually they sent out Sphinx goons for cleanup jobs but Scratch could very-

"Calm down, nobody else knows you're here."

Miranda blinked, "W-What do you want?"

"Oh, just to catch up with an old coworker, see how you are."

Miranda leaned back and away from Scratch, "Okay... so... what do you want? Why come see me?"

Scratch sat down and grinned, so much to say to her, so much to consider. Really though Scratch only had one thing in mind.

"To make clear to you, how valuable you are to me. See I've got a little job coming up in awhile and I want you to understand something... be nice, and if I ask for your help do so, and nobody will ever know you're here."

A pit formed in Miranda's stomach, "what..."

"Yep. Just a little reminder that I know you were number 4, and now you're a bargaining token. I also remember a few jobs where you screwed me over and took my credit...'

Miranda wanted to counter that those jobs she did all the heavy lifting.

"So, stay out of trouble, and if I need you do what I ask. And maybe you won't have to be faced with the Guild learning about you..." Scratch said before walking off.

Miranda sat there for 10 minutes, panicking, the Guild couldn't learn about this... she could call JD and Shun- no they were with Interpol and if they were seen messing about it could lead the Plants to find her.

Miranda walked inside, the TV on, she was hyperventilating, she needed an answer, she needed something...

"We do the hard job..." the TV said, Miranda looked over and saw the Aurabolts cartoon playing. She frowned... just liked those costumed... do... gooders... hm.

Miranda sat down and continued to watch, on the screen was Jackal talking to the team, "We do what we can but we're not the good guys, not in the traditional sense. We're a team that do the dirty jobs, we break in, we bust out. We got a rep sure, but we still need to do the hard job."

"That doesn't mean it's always the right choice," Gale pointed out.

"Regardless, we're good at what we do," Gaia added.

Miranda smirked, they were. She had heard that there were a few underground superhero networks, and the Jackal was on them... apparently working as a dealer of sorts in terms of armaments and armor for superheroes and their mons.

"Well... that could work."

Silas and Roxy sat together on the couch, watching the Aurabolts cartoon, Roxy snuggled up to Silas.

"Gio does a good job, really got your moral ambiguity," Roxy said.

"Hey come on, I'm a good guy."

"A good guy who has had to make a lot of hard choices."

Roxy held him close, "You know it does add a nice mysterious aesthetic to you, some people go for the morally conflicted, tall dark and handsome types..."

Silas was starting to catch on, when-

"Captain."

-Bishop interrupted.

"Yes Bishop?" Silas asked with a sigh.

"The heronet just got a hit, apparently someone is asking for the Leaders of the Bolts."

Silas mumbled, "Location?"

"Out in Orre, says they have vital information on the Hunters guild, and a stockpile of their captures."

Silas quirked a brow, now that was something.

Motostoke Stadium

"Exactly. Hoops - 1. Daisuke - 0. Maybe it would be best for all of us if you didn't talk for the rest of the match. Or maybe you just went home and call Evelyn to ask how the battle went later."

Led touches their arm. <Aren't you being a bit harsh?>

Kec pulls Led in close. <Leave them be. They have a lot of lingering resentment towards their dad, which is why they're taking it out on Daisuke. They'll apologise once they realise this guy isn't all bad.>

Sal snickers. <Seriously? Surely Hoops' old man couldn't have been that bad.>

<No, he really was> insists Kec.

"Kec?"

<Yes?>

"Remember I can understand you now and please talk about something else."

Edited by theoncominghoop on Oct 19th 2020 at 11:00:15 AM

Motostoke Stadium, Stands

-Daisuke sits in thought...-

Daisuke: I guess Hoops had a troubled past, judging from the way they cast suspicion on me... Hey... I didn't misgender them this time... wait... the first time I didn't misgender Hoops and they didn't hear it...

Daisuke: -out loud- D'OH!

Motostoke Stadium, VS Kabu

-Simon continues to swing his coin back and forth.-

Simon: <And now, you are feeling very heavy...>

-Simon winks to Mothra, who nods and releases Kabu's Torkoal from her psychic grip. Gravity then reclaims her hold on Torkoal and he hits the floor. Hard.-

Motostoke Stadium

Kim: (turns to face Daisuke) "Oh? What is it?"

Motostoke Stadium, Stands

-Daisuke leans into his seat, lost in thought.-

Daisuke: It was nothing... Just enjoy the battle...

Motostoke Stadium

Kim: "Ah. Okay."

(She turns back towards the stadium and sees the play that Simon and Mothra are doing and starts giggling— and then starts laughing uncontrollably.)

Motostoke Stadium, VS Kabu

-Simon, still swinging his coin back and forth, chuckles faintly at the play he and Mothra cooked up, and decides to continue with it.-

Simon: <And now you feel very light... like a feather...>

-Mothra's eyes glow blue and she lifts Kabu's Torkoal into the air telekinetically again.-

Simon: <And now you feel very heavy...>

-Mothra releases Torkoal from the psychic force, causing him to fall back to the stadium.-

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Oct 19th 2020 at 8:38:51 AM

Motostoke Stadium

Kim: (is still laughing uncontrollably)

The Wing

Neon: You mean... When you...

Kalos Power Plant

-The group has sucessfully exited the Metaverse-

Julius: That was close... Wait! The path to the Treasure!

Flamel: <Oh that? I tracked that down while you all were fighting Swanna lady.>

Julius: ...Oh. That settles that.

...Now what?

Spookshouse

~click~

Hey not to interrupt you guys, but I got the door open.

-Gale stands up straight and with a slight flourish pushes the door open to reveal a very old entrance foyer hallway. It's a straight shot from the front door to a stairway leading up with four closed doors on the path; two a side. Flickering light comes from lamps installed along the walls, casting everything in a dim glow-

Looks like someone paid the electrical bills... Or the gas bills perhaps?

Kalos Power Plant

-Pent rolls his shoulders as conventional reality reasserts itself-

Next? We heal up, send the shmuck a Calling Card and take his Treasure for real.

Susan: Which if previous jaunts are any indication, is gonna involve confronting the Shadow itself in a big flashy boss fight.

"Yeah... it was unfair of me to do so. I should have found another solution, I just... panicked because my entire team is made of adults and I didn't know what to do," Silas admitted.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Recently however... I hit upon an idea, discussing it with Gaia and Gale and I think I have a solution."

He looked to Neon, "And I'm extending it to you directly and personally because I think you have merit in taking charge of this next step."

He extended a hand, "I want to talk to you about the Rebels initiative."

Spookhouse

Evelyn: Something tells me this isn't Grandma's house.

Me: Regardless, we're here to help with the preparations for the Halloween Party, and help out we shall.

Piku-chan: <Call the ball, Charlie. Shall we go in?>

-Ian stands to the side and in a sweeping motion, points to the door with his hand in a half-bow.-

Me: -to Evelyn and Kim- Ladies first.

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Oct 20th 2020 at 10:24:11 AM

Kalos Power Plant

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty pleased with what we've been able to do," Colton considered. "Mostly because, well..."

Earlier, in the Metaverse, offscreen

Still somewhat annoyed with how Mercury was doing all the fighting, and how he would exhaust himself if he even tried, Mercury began to fight off the mooks a little more ruthlessly. After a few minutes that rage soon died away, having been substituted with ferocity.

A name flowed into Rage and Love's mind as Mercury evolved, wings turning to flame, a single feather in his mouth.

"Ahemait".

Old House

"One of the two," Colton considered. "I don't know which would expire quicker."

Edited by AbsentCoder on Oct 21st 2020 at 1:49:08 AM

Haunted House

The duo who are most definitely not a couple enter wordlessly into the creepy looking [Victorian] house.

Tommy: Mmm. Cozy.

Jane: And much warmer than expected. Get yourself warmed up. It'd be rude if we didn't help out.

Tommy: Way ahead of you.

Jane: Gee, I wonder if their rotary phone still works.

Kalos Power Plant, past

-To Julius-

And when we do that, the Treasure will properly manifest so we can try stealing it. Question is, how are we getting the Card to them? Best bet would probably be sending them an e-mail with a dummy account since they've been DDoSing us for weeks.

It's Been A Wild Month (Or Minute, Going By In-Game Time)

I'm not sure if foxes can even taste umami, but let's just assume they can!

Rikuo takes a few bigger bites of curry, continuing to talk as he does.

<Huh! Weird. Dunno if I get it, but it shounds weird anyway.>

It's... actually a little messy, and not very polite.