J-Con Lunch

He took it a deep breath, hands tented as if he was ready to negotiate. It seemed he was steeling himself somewhat.

"Okay, so, while the first I heard of Molybdenum was a short while after she had hospitalized a number of J-Teamers, but the specifics were that…"

SOME TIME LATER

"And by the time it was over she had exercised enough control on Ever that she convinced them they'd killed her to try to get us off her case, Megan and Kai required intense treatment and someone's Vaporeon died and came back to life," he finished.

Wyndon Hospital - Four Days Ago

-a long minute as the lot of them take that in-

Logan: ...huh.

Hiro: Hm.

Logan: -thinking- Tipping that breaking point toward the open hand…

Hiro: That's...a best-case scenario?

Logan: You'd—alright, I'm not sure if you'd be surprised at how often it happens, with the J-Team, but I'm telling you now that it's a lot.

Addie: -on Logan's shoulder- <Yes, this is coming from the person with their archnemesis in their pocket.>

Ironspine Ball: -rattles profusely-

Hiro: -raising a finger- In relation to that, I'd like to return to the part where she's killed everyone she cared about before.

Abilene: -pinching the bridge of her nose- ...indoctrinated child soldier. Of course.

Hiro: Hm?

Abilene: It's a common organizational tactic. Have new recruits—or in this case I suppose, creations—perform some heinous task on behalf of the organization against their kin. Those that fail or refuse can be executed at a whim and those who succeed—executing those, most likely—will view the personal cost as one paid to their value in that organization, placing them higher not only in the generally perceived esteem of their superiors but specifically above those peers they step on to get there. Masking easily that they're just barely less disposable than the bodies being disposed of.

Logan: Sorry, common organizational tactic?

Abilene: -dour- Not all of my cousins are quirky collectors.

Logan: ...I'm not sure I'd describe what any of your cousins do as "quirky".

Abilene: It's a relative term.

Logan: -tapping their foot- ...so the key here might less be overtures of friendship and more...establishing a form of friendship less characterized by the security of controlling both sides of the conversation.

Hiro: -crossing his arms- Also, not murdering her new friends at the urging of the organization she murdered her old ones for last time.

Logan: From the sound of it, she regrets it to some degree.

Hiro: As if regrets were a guarantee that the one who has them will stop before further consequences set in.

-three sets of sighs-

-...-

Abilene: ...not very dignified, is she? I'd have followed through on that threat as a matter of principle.

Logan: …

Hiro: That tracks.

Wyndon, J-Con

-Molybdenum lets out an unconscious little chuckle at the cross-commentary on these kiddo's respective hypothetical ratings bait-

-...pain-

Molybdenum: ~It happens.~

-...a beat passes before even she realizes this is remotely off-kilter for her, and she startles almost comically belatedly-

Ramona: Ah…! Sorry, kids.

-her grip loosens, and she applies some really weird (but gentle) finger-pats to said hands that—unconsciously, apparently—do tap out the [Morse] code for "Apology"-

-y'know, common for quiet nights in lab bunks when even projected thought waves are being monitored-

Ramona: -still tapping...mental cough- ~...yes, you've displayed fine response instincts under pressure. Good work, both of you.~

-starting forward, oddly grim- ~Now, observe this mark.~

-as mentally close as she is, they likely can feel Ramona split her mind into three parts—-

(-speaking of shows, a clip can be overheard from a nearby stand:-)

(J-Show!Megan: -tearfully, sparkle- But why, Abilene? I thought we were friends!)

(J-Show!Abilene: -cackling- Idiote! I was never your—how do you say—friend!)

(J-Show!Megan: -more tearfully- But we played together in Poké-Amie! We shared a rice cracker! Did that mean nothing to you?)

-one wrapping their little trio in layers of perception filter like scarves, the subtlest drawing attention to cute, noticeable details—the childrens' little hands, Normal Kid #1's excitement, the beleaguered yet fond expression of someone who didn't quite expect to be here, with them—the supposed "stinkeye" resolves into the undiluted bafflement inherent to big crowds with unfamiliar faces—largely masked or face-painted—-

-reinforcing and distracting from the assembly of the deeper ones: at an essential level, they feel like an odd, slightly dysfunctional yet loving generation of a bizarre family dynamic on an outing that two of them at least are very interested in-

-at Mallory's wave, a relieved smile spreads across Ramona's face—she tugs her kid sisters along in the direction of someone who seems marginally friendly-

(J-Show!Abilene: -excessively dignified cough- ...certainly not! I have no feelings about you one way or the other! And I will deny it to anyone who asks!)

(-advancing, arms upraised- Now, prepare to be détruite!)

(-J-Megan slaps Abilene across the face, making a crater in a nearby wall with said face, before running off sobbing-)

[[gray:-one maintains a running commentary to both Bela and Neo,

~Not quite either of your specialties, yet, but in case it becomes relevant: if you enter a situation where they'd expect their perspectives to change in relation to you, to what you're drawing attention to—~

Ramona: -relieved- Hi, sorry, if I can have a moment of your time—

~It's simpler and easier to guide those perceptions where you like beneath their notice~

Ramona: -sheepish- There's a 'super-heroes' panel in a few hours and the little ones're so excited—say hi, Bellatrix! —sorry, my little Avenger—and I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of where it'll be?

-and the last devotes itself to Molybdenum's core conceit—a mental net fanning out through surroundings, closing around any number of targets-

-creeping subtle feelers through surface thoughts for what's swimming in the depths, preparing a silent harpoon to spear any Wailord that appear-

-here specifically fishing for her...suspicions, let's say-

-recognition, specifically-

(J-Show!Abilene: ...ow.)

Edited by Asterisk395 on Jul 28th 2021 at 10:51:38 AM

Silas lead the last person on board, "Welcome aboard," he said, "The Wing is out and we have a job to do."

Roxy grinned and gave a salute, "Fancy new Submarine for us! Big watery mission ahead!"

Silas nodded, "We'll begin a briefing soon about the job, for now... Welcome, any questions?"

"Hey Brooks," Silas said walking up to the booth, "Been awhile."

Brooks quirked a brow, "Yeah... it ha- Silas the hell are you wearing?"

"Mando armor."

Roxy started laughing, Bishop just turned his sensors.

Brooks frowned, "Okay... cosplay?"

"Genuine."

Brooks put her hands on her head, "Uh... what?"

Galar Mountains

That would earn Emer a grin and a thumbs up from Alyesha

Alyesha: "Perfect~! Now let's scale this mountain~!"

Having said that, Alyesha got out the climbing hooks from her backpack, looking up the wall once more

Alyesha: "Oh this will be awesome~"

Wyndon Hospital, past

Ever: Hey, you have your archnemesis in your pocket? I have my archnemesis in my pocket!

But, uh, yeah, it's a good way to build loyalty, isolate someone, and establish a sunk-cost. If you're a Neo-Nazi type, you might be pressed to get a tattoo, which any decent person will notice and call out, making it harder to leave. Molybdenum could pretty easily get someone to ignore any tattoos, but if she's killed someone, especially someone she maybe liked...that's maybe more of a hurdle to jump. Because if she leaves, she did it for nothing.

-long sigh-

Yes, Abilene, I've met Nathaniel. Has he disposed of the rest of his collection? I haven't been keeping track.

But, uh, yeah. Undignified is right. She's used to editing her interactions the way we edit our lives for social media, and past that...I mean, she hasn't learned those skills at all.

-they nod to Logan-

Maybe? I don't...hm. The familiarity of control might be important to her, which is why I reached out— I'm eminently controllable, sort of. I think right now the big thing is letting her know it's not too late. That she has other options.

Wyndon, J-Con

Normal Kid #1: ~Oh. Okay.~

-she clings a little harder-

-in her free hand, she conjures a tiny Light Screen, just in case-

-it's an old tic she never quite broke, especially when under stress-

-but she beams at the compliment-

Avery: Do you know them?

Mallory: That's a dumb question. Why?

Avery: Well, they're coming this way.

-she frowns, as nothing happens to any part of her brain-

Mallory: Oh, yeah. You want to take a left over where Ever's handing out autographs, go about twenty feet, stop, turn to your right to where the Fortuneteller was— if they're not there anymore, they were in front of a pillar with an advertisement for that new J-anime placed over the top half of a poster for some band with a Zangoose drummer. Head towards that, you'll see the bathrooms if you turn left, head towards them and the panel you're looking for is just around the corner, there's a big sign.

Avery: Your memory's awfully good for an amnesiac.

Mallory: Well, you know, I don't have too much to confuse it with.

-Avery gives the kids a wave-

Avery: Exciting, huh?

Normal Kid #1: Y-yeah.

-Avery frowns-

-no, that's normal, it's fine-

-Molybdenum's probe picks up on two things-

-Mallory's thoughts seem half-there. Like their mind is only a few years out from factory settings-

-Avery's thoughts are complete-

-but something's wrong with how she's dealing with all these perfectly normal events-

-her mind's responsive enough to ordinary psychic pressures, of course. Nothing supernatural there-

-but where attention is redirected subtly, it almost seems to refocus her thoughts, and it's the little details that catch and fix her attention-

- Normal Kid #1's obvious discomfort and nervousness, or the intensity of Ramona's earlier demeanor-

-she looks perturbed-

-also, the scarf around her neck is not in fact a scarf, but-

Love the hair, kiddo.

-a Zorua, who appears similarly perturbed-

J-Con- Axis Hunter's Section

Axis: "Sorry about Tekkan. He sometimes doesn't know when to stop talking." (then, to Tekkan, in a hushed whisper) "Tekkan, not everybody speaks Monese like I do."

Tekkan: <Well, how in the world was I supposed to know that?!>

(Axis sighs, somewhat embarrassed.)

Axis: "Forgive him. And also— what? You've never heard of Jade Harley? Hang on for a few moments..."

(They take out their phone. Soon afterwards they proceed to look up:)

JADE HARLEY

(Seconds later, images of Jade Harley appear on the screen in front of them. They promptly show one off to Ever.)

Axis: "Here you are. This is who you reminded me of." (then, after a beat) "I trust that you have never heard of or read [Homestuck]?"

J-Con- Puxiki's Section

(Puxiki is still bouncing around J-Con looking for someone to talk to.)

Wild Area - Aurelia in Adversity

-The Moonblast knocks Corviknight out of the sky, and the Energy Ball is enough to finish off the weakened Steelix.-

Ferrum: Rrrrgh... where the fuck are these little shits getting all these goddamn tricks from?

-His knuckles whiten as his grip on his weapon grows more intense, and he sends out a Metagross, which immediately tries to take another swing at Loki.-

Ferrum: -to Radon- Whatever you're doing, kid, it'd better be quick and it'd better work!

Wyndon, J-Con 2021 - With Mallovery

-Normal Kid #2 Bellatrix does her best to keep her thoughts level, but it's evident she can pick up on Ramona's mind splitting and compartmentalising, a process she seems to find disconcerting and more than a little perfectly normal. After all, as a kid, it can be jarring to learn that one's authority figures are infallible, and free of deviant thoughts.-

-Nevertheless, she does her best to play her given role when Ramona introduces her to Mallory and Avery, her voice full of childish wonder despite still sounding hoarse and scratchy.-

Bellatrix: Y-yeah! I was r-really worried I wouldn't get to c-come 'cause I got a throat infection, but Mona said that s-shouldn't stop a true hero! Thank you for the d-directions, miss!

-As she speaks, her thoughts are directed back to her big sister.-

Bellatrix: ~Something's amiss.~

Hades Submarine, July 5

-Alice raises her one arm that isn't in a sling.-

Alice: Just one. Are you sure we're not proceeding with undue haste, given that one of our main assets is largely out of commission for at least another month and injury has not done wonders for my infiltration abilities?

Battle Outside Hammerlocke [TS]

Hoops blushes slightly at Evelyn's warm smile. They shake their head and slap themself on both cheeks, chiding themself internally.

Hoops: ...Anyway, we should continue the battle.

They grab their final pokeball, the one containing Luxray.

Hoops: You told me once that your line would always serve my family because you believed we deserved it. I don't know if I deserve your service, but please fight for me now. Ray, I choose you!

The newly christened Ray appears with electricity already crackling in his mane. He roars, and that mane stands on end, creating a rather intimidating image.

Luxray: <The nobility that I serve is within you, Young Mixter Hoops. It always has been.>

Hammerlocke

Nightmare recoils back at the jab. However the Psycho Cut just glances off the Alolan Muk.

"Nightmare retreat!"

Nightmare slid back to C as he unleashed another pathetic Shadow Ball.

Griffon: "Hey what's the definition of insanity again?"

Hades Submarine

Lamb shook her head, no questions coming to mind that wouldn't be answered in the debriefing.

J-Con W/Kim

Roy tilted his head. <Doesn't that defeat the purpose?...>

Wyndon, Past

"… Motostoke, I believe it was called?" Gail offered.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Jul 28th 2021 at 2:51:49 AM

J-Con— Kim's Section

Kim: "I'm not sure. If Grohl was supposed to go, then both he and I certainly didn't know that."

(Beat.)

Kim: "...I don't suppose you three would like to meet Grohl...?"

Hades Submarine

Shaun: "I'm with Alice on this. As much as I love rushing blindly into danger..."

-Jessica turns her Paralyzer over in her hand, spinning it around a finger and then slamming it into a holster.-

Circhester Stadium- Battle

(And with that said, the battle is on. Melony smirks.)

Melony: "Ah, it's a shame you don't have a Quick Claw on you. You should have seen this coming." (She shakes her head, then:) "Lapras! Hit him with a G-Max Resonance, if you please."

(The G-Max!Lapras throws her head to the sky and lets out a note, sending ice particles flying out of her mouth and coming together into a giant block of ice. Kim, though...)

Kim: "Oh, I saw that coming. Kaylan! Use Protect!"

Kaylan: <Right!>

(Soon afterwards, a mass protect barrier goes up, and when the G-Max Resonance move hits... the Max Guard blocks it instantly.)

Melony: (beat) "Well."

Circhester Stadium- Stands

Braker: "Hm. That was... a very interesting strategy, to say the least."

Walter: <Indeed.>

The Wild Area- BOB

Braker: "Flare, of course. Why else would you have hid 200 Galarians in Lumiose and thought that I was a Flare member?"

Wyndon Hospital - Six Days Ago

Hiro: -grim- Mhm.

Logan: -contemplating- Yeah...

Abilene: -pinching the bridge of her nose- I hear tell something similar is true of missionaries—they're trained to interact with people out of their "in-group" in one of the most off-putting ways possible—ostensibly to recruit more to said group, but primarily because being met with varying degrees of hostility outside that group leads them to return to the welcoming arms of those that raised them to it.

Logan: -sounding very tired, not for the first time- There really is just...a distressing variety of ways to control people, with or without supernatural influence, huh?

Abilene: -to Ever, equivalent sigh- He certainly has. Because I'm a good cousin, I've gotten drunk with him as he ranted about it all. Kudos, by the way.

-Beat-

Logan: -pressing hands to their eyes- Mesprit's mercy, she's an influencer!

Hiro: That really explains so much about her, doesn't it?

Abilene: -hesitating, pudding spoon in hand- ...a what?

Logan: But...all the time. She's in that environment all the time. I'll eat my hat if there's a single person in her life who taught her it's better to turn it off.

-hearing Ever's last statement- ...fair enough. She'd be dying of control if she could, and that opening— How are you doing, by the by? I've got a theory that the better you're known for surviving, the less people check in on you—not that it starts fucking us up any less.

-so, so wry-

Hiro: -flipping his Pokédex in his hand- ...other options, huh.

Hiro: -pause, snapping it open- That's what the J-Team's for, isn't it? I wish—

J-Con, Normal People(?)

(-among things Ramona's hyperaware is plainly visible to that Zorua: the Light Screen bauble, the kids' unfamiliarity with existing in public, her facial expressions-)

(-among things plainly visible to Ramona herself: Mallory is definitely who she's thinking of, her powers worked precisely as intended and Avery was a spectacular choice of demonstrative mark-)

Ramona: fuck.

Ramona: -to Bellatrix- ~Fascinating challenge properties. A mind and mon trained to catch on subtle misdirection—nothing I haven't got the tools for.~

Ramona: -to her normal, well-adjusted sisters- ~Alright, new mission: think on your feet.~

-and she shunts an intensive crash course in acting like a normal human being into their short-term instinctive memory banks-

(-y'know, to the extent that she knows how to act like a normal human being-)

(-she programs her own facial muscles to an actor-perfect smile, and starts talking-)

Ramona: -beaming, a certified Megan Smile™- Oh, thank you! I had just about lost all hope of getting out of here, haha!

-swinging arms slightly, cheerily- The little ones were so worried this trip would be cancelled—I'd be so sad if they didn't make it to their event! And what do we say, kids, to Mx.…?

(Ramona: -internally- Ever?? Ever Memito??)

(...I'm not surprised. At all. They're J-Team. They would be here.)

(...I should see how that compulsion is holding up.)

-privately- ~Ribot, I need you.~

(...or I could get on with my life. The best revenge is living well, after all.)

Ribot: -distantly, aloof yet alert- ~What is it?~

Ramona: ~I need you to override that Zorua.~

Ribot: ~Mm. If you want subtlety, it'll be a moment before I arrive. Stall.~

-she smiles, and it's just an overwhelmingly normal smile-

Hades Sub - July 5

Megan: -sitting in the Suiko Chair, painfully awkward- Hhhhiii, Alice!

-a smile that's so much more of a wince- Sorry for the trouble…?

Vee: -peek- <If you let me burrow into yer bloodstream I coul' probably seal that fracture.>

<Or re-break it. 30-70 odds, really.>

Pippy: <We…have healing techniques.>

Vee: <'m curious, though.>

Pippy: <Well, uh...nice getting a drop on that Rosemaster! She's a tough customer.> ^v^

<...or, uh. So I hear.>

Edited by Asterisk395 on Jul 29th 2021 at 11:52:54 AM

Circhester Stadium Stands

Me: -telepathically to Evelyn- ~Max Guard, good thinking.~

Evelyn: -telepathically to Ian- ~Say, Ian... Wasn't it back at the Final Shell that you first encountered a Gigantamax Lapras?~

Me: -telepathically to Evelyn- ~That it was. The Lapras was Aspen's, and fortunately, Aspen was on our side.~

Evelyn: -telepathically to Ian- ~Aspen was the Galarian Ponyta, right?~

Me: -telepathically to Evelyn- ~Got that right.~

-Beat-

Me: -telepathically to Evelyn- ~I wonder how Aspen's doing...~

Wild Area (Bond or Braker)

Serkis: <Of coursssse... You knowses that well... And as you well knows, I am a big fan of the Lord of the Ringses series, I am. But of all the bookses, which of thems is my favoritest?>

Battle Outside Hammerlocke, VS Hoops

-Evelyn levitates another Poké Ball to her and then throws it. The Poké Ball opens revealing Kit.-

Evelyn: You ready to battle, Kit?

Kit: <I dunno, Evelyn... They look scary powerful.>

Evelyn: Don't worry about it... You can do well in battle... I believe in you.

Kit: <O-Okay...>

Evelyn: Ready when you are, Hoops.

Wild Area, VS Ferrum and Radon

-Radon smirks.-

Radon: Oh, it will, Ferrum. It will.

-The crimson glow surrounding Radon's hands intensifies as he takes aim on Ian. Ian closes his eyes and focuses on his desire to protect those in need and those he cares about. The light from the pink, silver and blue heart-shaped orb intensifies as he channels those desires into his psychic energy, strengthening it.-

Radon: NOW, RAVAGER!

-Ravager lets out a sky-sundering screech as the energy gathered from the heavens forms into a silver orb, which he fires at the small group of heroes as a massive beam, fueled by a mystical energy lost to time.-

Radon: PK FIRE!!!
Me: PK LOVE!!!

-Radon unleashes a beam of crimson light with explodes into a massive stream of fire that he focuses on Ian, who changes his stance and fires a beam of concentrated psychic energy, empowered by love, from the heart-shaped orb of energy at Radon.-

J-Con, Lunch

-Aurelia tilts her head confusedly.-

Aurelia: That's a thing Vaporeon can do? Other than that, Molybdenum sounds powerful... But don't worry, Kendall. I don't have mind control powers like they do.

Wyndon (Past)

Emilie: Okay. I assume that's for signups.

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Jul 29th 2021 at 12:39:58 PM

Wild area

Florence looks up slightly.

Florence: <Look out!>

Florence used Tailwind!

Florence summons a breeze, Blowing Loki out of the way of the Metagross. They promptly collapse again. Loki is flying around extremely quickly.

Loki: <Hmm... A part Psychic type, I can help with. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!>

Loki used Bug Buzz!

J-con lunch

Radium: <Don't worry, we're not planning on attacking anyone right now.>

Kal: (to Aurelia) So, what do you do then?

Edited by QuantumMelody29 on Jul 29th 2021 at 6:24:28 PM

J-Con Lucnh

"Yeah, I trust you were ambivalent," Kendall considered. "I mean, you haven't tried to pull anything yet," he reasoned.

Wyndon, Past

"Actually, it's for the first gym," Gail clarified. "But, maybe someone there can direct you to where you'd need to sign up at," she offered.

Wyndon Hospital, past

Ever: Yeah. That's why I try to be nice to the missionaries in the parks.

-they shrug-

The term "vulnerable" is used for a reason.

-they nod to Abilene-

Ah. Thanks. I didn't do so much of it. Credit goes to my friends for that.

-and burst out laughing-

Influencer. Yep. That's the word.

I...hm. Yeah, that about tallies, I guess. We'll see what happens next time we cross paths. Maybe I'll borrow Pef's anti-psychic stuff and try and have a talk without any cheat codes. My only worry is she'd just shut down, but...I do have a few healers, admittedly. Hmm.

I'll workshop it. And yes, Hiro, this is what we do, and we teach them how to do it too.

(to Logan) What? I'm fine. We already talked about it, I broke the compulsion.

J-Con

-fortunately for Ramona, at least, Normal Kid #1 is very used to physically hiding things from prying eyes, and the Light Screen is hidden behind a palm-

-she then gets a crash course in how to be a normal person-

-the Light Screen disappears-

Normal Kid #1: -also beaming- Oh yeah, thank you!

Mallory: ...Mallory.

-see? Different name-

-don't be silly, Ramona-

Outside J-Con

-Outside-outside, Jen slows down and lets go of Percy's wrist. A snoozing Noivern grumpily stirs awake.-

Jen: Erm, sorry about that. Not— not great in crowds. Especially with, you know. Old friends.

-She offers a slightly more relaxed smile, though there's still tension behind it.-

-Percy stumbles to a halt, grabbing a nearby bench for support-

Percy: Yeah, not a fan myself. But business is business, and comically large energy drinks aren't free. What brings you here, if not the allure of showbiz?

-Merry waves to the Noivern

-Jen shoves her hands into her pockets in an effort to stop her fidgeting.-

Jen: Oh, you know. There's another old friend of ours that I was, er. Supposed to meet here. You know Mason? He, er, back when we knew him, you might've known him as Carbon. He's way more of this J-Team sort, apparently.

Inside J-Con

-this isn't the person you're looking for, Ramona-

-brown eyes, for one thing-

-right?-

Avery: Uh...yeah. I'm Avery, by the way.

-she seems way too startled by the sudden shift-

Outside J-Con

Percy: ...Car— Mason's dead. Right?

-she looks around-

He made it out?

Jen: Yeah, I was just as surprised. Turns out he left a copy to die in his place, just alive enough to fool the School. Must've learned a thing or two from you, huh, Phos?

Jen: ...Can I still call you that? Phos?

Percy: Percy, now, in polite company. But, uh...Phos is fine, if it's from you.

...Glad to hear he's okay. He deserved better than rotting to death.

...Jen, huh?

-Jen falters, bouncing on her heels nervously-

Jen: Only Jen when I have to be. I can't... go around calling myself Nitrogen to everyone, after all. But I'm still... I-I'm still Nitrogen.

Inside J-Con

Avery: So, um, you should probably...be getting to that panel, right? It's starting soon.

-her brain is working overtime right now, stress manifesting from nowhere particular, probably just a mild anxiety attack-

-because it's supposed to be red in there, and when there's blue, that's incorrect, no matter how nice purple is-

-in Mallory's brain, something is very weird-

-wherever there's pressure, or an inclination towards erasure, segments are walled off and deleted-

Mallory: Sorry. Spaced for a second there.

Avery: I can tell. You're rubbing your eye again.

Mallory: It's fine, mother.

Avery: I'm— ugh.

-she flails a bit at Mallory's hand-

Mallory: Hey!

Outside J-Con

-Nitrogen's voice seems to quiver a bit, and she breaks eye contact with Percy to look over at the Noivern, who's since woken up properly.-

Percy: Ah.

-she frowns-

You knew I was here, huh?

-Nitrogen shakes her head.-

Nitrogen: N-no. I had no idea you made it out, much less that you were here today.

-She clenches her fists. The wind kicks up faintly.-

Nitrogen: ...I-I'm so sorry. I don't... want to do this. But— but if you don't have any information...

-She swallows dryly, still looking at her Noivern.-

Noivern: <...She's not on your list, you know— >

Nitrogen: —I have to do this! I'm so sorry. Phosphorus, on the School's orders, I need to— to snuff you out.

-And she turns toward Percy, the wind blowing wildly around them.-

Inside J-Con

-this isn't the person you're thinking of, Ramona-

-that person is dead-

Mallory: My contact!

Avery: You can see without it! You know those colored contacts are terrible for you, right?

Mallory: You say that about a lot of things I do.

-this person is an idiot-

-right?-

-come on, they're just some weirdo with amnesia and a similar appearance-

-they look up-

Avery: Oh hey, your actual eye color is neat, though?

Normal Kid #1: •_•

Mallory: >_•

-Tin's supposed to be dead, aren't they, Ramona?-

-You were supposed to make sure of it, in fact-

Outside J-Con

-Percy's hat is blown off of her head, skipping away on the sudden wind-

-her face is...not so great-

-her left side is more or less normal, if with a few more lines under the eyes than might be expected of someone who appears to be in her early 20s. But most of the right side of her face is quite simply gone, with only bone remaining, bound in place by some sort of flickering blue light. Her right eye is just an orb of that same blue light-

-Her left eye is a deep purple-

Phosphorus: (voice inflectionless) You should have done it, then.

Thanks to Bitty for the spaghetti!

Wild Area - Aurelia in Adversity

-Ferrum watches the clash between Radon and Ian closely (thank goodness for those sunglasses), muttering under his breath.-

Ferrum: What is with these kids and their fucking lightshows...?

-His Metagross weathers the Bug Buzz with relative ease and goes in for another attack, this time spinning up its fist like a drill before taking a swing at Loki.-

Wyndon, J-Con 2021 - With Tin Complete Strangers

-There's a lot going on in Bellatrix's head.-

-For one, there's the crash course, shunted into her head like a program trying to overwrite one currently in use - but she knows how to be normal. She's been acting normal this whole time.-

-What isn't normal are the people in front of her, or the sudden rush of thoughts from her big sister, still audible despite her best attempts at compartmentalisation.-

-The situation appears to be at risk of deteriorating rapidly, especially given that Ramona is potentially composed and in control of things, as always.-

-Thankfully, according to a few grainy instructional videos on human emotion and what few sitcoms she's permitted to watch, there is an easy out for normal children who find themselves in stressful situations.-

Bellatrix: ...

-She sniffles. Once, twice, enough to get her lip trembling.-

-Then she starts bawling.-

Hades Submarine, July 5

-Alice arches an eyebrow at Megan.-

Alice: ...Why are you apologising? It was A- Rosemaster's actions that escalated proceedings to a degree that resulted in damage to both myself and the Wing, though I will concede that my initial response may have been... needlessly combatative. Regardless, I have nothing but sympathy regarding the scenario in which you found yourself. I may regret some details of my conduct that day, but not the act of standing up for a friend.

-She gives a faint smile.-

Alice: That said, I can't deny it's been a rough start.

(Thanks again to Every for the spaghetti~)

Outside J-Con

-Merry scampers up next to Percy, hopping into the air and landing on her tail. Nitrogen clenches her fists again, and grits her teeth.-

Nitrogen: Make it easy for me. Grieve, don't you dare show mercy on my behalf.

Grieve the Noivern: <Not a chance.>

-Claws bared, the Noivern takes flight, flying on the winds in an arcing path toward Merry. Just as he approaches to strike, the winds suddenly redirect, blowing from behind Merry to push her into Grieve's path.-

(-You'd think a cool breeze would be appreciated on a hot summer day, but this one chills to the bone.-)

Phosphorus: I'm the one you should be worried about, Nitrogen.

-there's always static around her hands. Suddenly, there's more than usual, a nimbus of blue lightning threaded through with strings of pitch-black-

-she slams her hands to the ground, and the light spreads out from her-

-as Merry is caught from behind by the Ominous Wind, she tumbles forward towards Grieve-

Merry: ~Sorry. Perce likes you, but...me not so much.~

-she draws up some of the lightning from the Eerie Terrain, and meets Grieve with her tail, not her body-

-Grieve is jolted and tumbles through the air, but quickly reorients and catches an updraft without too much issue-

Grieve: <Good. Not liking us makes it easier.>

-He sweeps around again, this time biting and latching onto Merry.-

-Nitrogen, for her part, looks like she wants to retort to Phosphorus. However, all she does is mutter something that gets lost in the howling wind, which continues to batter at Merry with the same biting chill.-

-after four super-effective attacks in a row, Merry doesn't seem up to battling further-

Merry: ~You have...terrible friends.~

Phosphorus: I'm aware.

-with visible effort, she stands up, raising her hands like a conductor-

-the ground cracks-

Phosphorus: You know that in a city this old, you can't help but walk on the dead.

Phosphorus: It's only fragments by now. Bits of bone and memory, locked under the earth.

But I never needed much more than fragments, Nitrogen.

-and paving stones give way as tendrils of bone tear free of the earth, animated by the same blue lightning that appears to be holding Phosphorus's face together-

-they writhe, twist, and spear towards Nitrogen-

My continued thanks to Bitty.

Outside J-Con

Nitrogen: Ack—!

-The winds shift again, and Nitrogen jumps to avoid the spears of reanimated bone coming at her. While she's occupied, Grieve turns his attention to Phosphorus, leaving Merry without attempting to finish the job.-

Grieve: <I guess they didn't think of that when they killed you the first time.>

-Flecks of blue flame gather around his mouth as he approaches.-

Grieve: <So it's our job to ensure you're not left with anything!>

-He roars, and a streak of draconic fire rockets through the air toward Phosphorus.-

-Phosphorus holds her arms in front of her body as the attack hits, and she's flung off her feet-

-her gloves are shredded by the Dragon Pulse. Under the left glove is ordinary, if currently somewhat scratched and bruised, skin-

-under the other is bleached bone, with lightning Obscura wrapping around it to act as muscle-

-that's probably where the electrolytes are going-

-she hits the ground, and struggles to stand up, because her right leg doesn't seem eager to support weight-

Phosphorus: Ow. Damn it, Nitrogen, call Grieve off and let's talk about this! We were friends! What happened?

Nitrogen: ...no... I can't call Grieve off.

-The winds slow down just a bit as Nitrogen walks forward toward Phosphorus.-

Nitrogen: I... can't raise the dead. I can't make illusions, much less living, dying copies of myself. I can't phase through walls, or give people nightmares, or anything that our classmates could do that helped them escape. I just... choked the Templars out, when they tried to destroy me.

-A column of air spirals up around Phosphorus. It's hard to breathe.-

Nitrogen: I... wasn't subtle. I fled, but I didn't really escape them. I couldn't.

So I had to barter instead. Unlike some people, I-I only have one life t-to live.

-She gives Grieve a look, and gestures with a shaky hand. Grieve starts gathering more flames in his mouth.-

Nitrogen: ...M-maybe I'll get lucky, and you'll find your way back again anyway. Even when you shouldn't.

Spagged with Every, etc etc~

Outside J-Con

Phosphorus: You...coward.

-it takes her a minute to draw breath-

I didn't...I didn't run. I didn't think I'd be able to escape, that my powers would be any better than yours. I stayed and bought time for our friends, our family.

Adelinde cut me in half. Lengthwise. I didn't know I could put myself back together until I did.

You remember Adelinde, right? Adelinde the Scythe? I assume you're friends now. She's always very polite to you, I'm sure…

-she sways in place. Her obscura eye flickers, and starts to fade. Nitrogen scowls.-

Nitrogen: They're all... mostly polite. But friends... get in the way of the job.

-...-

Nitrogen: ...I wish we could have still been friends.

-...-

Apple-A-Day: Hey, I got your hat, your hat fell off, that's the only reason I'm eavesdropp— UM

-Nitrogen's eyes widen, and she whips around. The funnel around Phosphorus grows unstable, and knocks her aside.-

Nitrogen: Gah— damn it, you were stalling! Grieve, eliminate the witness!

PhosphorusPercy: What, no, I am not responsible for their idiocy—

-For a moment, Grieve's expression takes on a hint of "wait no we can't" before the much more pressing matter of "my mouth is full of fire and it has to go somewhere" takes over, and he unleashes the Dragon Pulse in Apple-A-Day's direction.-

Apple-A-Day: Ack!

-they fling themself to the ground, and send out—-

Apple-A-Day: Lacuna! Um—

-taking note of the weird-looking Electric Terrain, which has yet to dissipate-

Rising Voltage!

-yes, again-

Lacuna: <How fascinating.> (to Grieve) <What have we walked in on?>

-he dashes towards him, striding along on the loops and arcs of electricity across the ground, hurling himself at Grieve in a full-body tackle-

Apple-A-Day: Yield, villain! I think. I hope.

Nitrogen: Maybe so.

-The wind rages full-force again, and Lacuna's tackle is blown slightly off course. It still connects, but like Merry before him, it doesn't have quite the same effect as it normally would.-

Grieve: <Rrgh— you walked in on something none of us are proud of. That stands for this, too.>

-Grieve rises up, and screeches. Debris in the wind seems to catch on fire with the same draconic energy, before raining down on Lacuna.-

Edited by BittersweetNSour on Jul 29th 2021 at 6:41:05 AM

Battle Outside Hammerlocke [TS]

Hoops nods seeing Kit has come out.

Hoops: Come on, Kit. This is your chance to show us all what you can do.

They don't say this part out loud, of course. As much as they want their former team member to do well, they still want to win this battle. The conflicting feelings are confusing.

Hoops: Api, how are you holding up?

Api: <I admit that this fight has taken a toll on me so far. But I will continue to fight on.>

Hoops: Right. In that case, use Cross Poison on Led. Ray, go ahead and use Electric Terrain.

Api throws a perfect X of purple venom towards Led. Ray spreads his paws into a solid stance and lets the electricity that sparks in his body run through him into the ground, and then into the air, creating a dome of electrical energy.

J-Con

Hoops is eating some unofficially branded J-Team food from a somewhat shady vendor (seriously, why do they only accept J-Team tote bags as payment?). As they eat, the shadow placed by their bag grows as long, dark arms pull themselves out of the shadows. The sarcophagus that makes up the main part of Cof's body soon follows.

Hoops: Having fun?

Cof: <Well, I'll say. You know, there's some crazy stuff going on at this convention. I went to some cosplay events, saw an exclusive trailer for the movie, and even bought Tagg's appendix and a load of funko pops.>

Hoops: What was that at the end?

Cof: <Funko pops. I mean, all these people here for a group that just decided to be worth celebrating. Superheroes vs supervillains brought us all here.>

Hoops: And anything else?

Cof: <Well, I spotted a few that were either schoolkids or have some very good contact lens suppliers. Didn't see Vana though. But no-one specifically seemed to be causing too much trouble.>

Hoops: Alright, good to know. Do you want to explore a bit more, or...

Before they can even finish their sentence, Cof has sunk back into the shadows, leaving them to once again navigate the complexities of whatever is in whatever type of food this is.

Wyndon Hospital - Six Days Ago

Logan: -nods- :c

Abilene: Ah, humility does not become any of us, Ever. You are still here, yes? Existence as brick and mortar is something to take credit for.

-says the woman in a hospital bed for...what could be described as hubris-

Hiro: -tilting his head- Whatever works for survival, yeah? Don't let us throw you off your groove.

Abilene: I know I wouldn't be comfortable so vulnerable. …"Groove"...?

Logan: Making her comfortable, there…is a tactic. I'm glad it got you out of there.

-murmur- I've made myself vulnerable to de-escalate before. None of us are getting through this without risking our lives. I get the feeling, though, that...she takes control as something of a given. She's desperate without it, but—

Unlike a lot of people, she wouldn't think twice about offhandedly hurting you with that control. Fully within her comfort zone. Be careful, yeah? Shut down at least is time to talk without that happening. If mercy puts her off-balance, a more meaningful context for that mercy could, perhaps…

-they shrug, one conversationalist to another-

(-Logan gives a eyebrow-raising look like "the four of us have a groupchat, you know", but pursues nothing further in this venue-)

Wyndon, J-Con 2021

-a warm, approving glow can be felt through layers of mental shielding by both children at their responses-

-but as Belladonna starts crying, Ramona actually startles—not in body, but in mind-

-some part of her, on raw automatic instinct, starts tapping: .. / .- — / .... . .-. . —..— / -...

-and Mallory-

-Mallory-

-Mallory…?-

: ...

Nothing of Import 

A Mind

-ba-bump-

-ba-bump-

-ba—-

-no one is here.-

-if anyone was ever here, they wandered away, as people do, never to be seen again, as people sometimes are.-

-there's excitement happening around here, right? there's something called a saccade—no misdirection, no rewriting, no bluffs, this spot simply. refuses to register-

-it is not.-

(-Ribot has descended from above and used Miracle Eye on that Zorua to ensure everything has always gone the way it should-)

-because everything is under control-

-everything is fine-

-and most of all 'you do not think-

Molybdenum: -mantling her power- Incredible.

-you do not speak-

Molybdenum: -poised- I'm not the last one standing after all.

-subsuming Mallory's thoughts into her own(?)- But I always would've been.

-you do not move-

Molybdenum: -paging through- What luck. All this time, all that space,

-you do not breathe-

Molybdenum: -exhale- And you didn't find anyone who would miss you, Tin.

-you are not.-

(-it's not clear if she's speaking aloud or merely projecting—it might not matter-)

(-as it stands, Molybdenum's grasp on █████████ and ████'s minds, gentle hand to cling to or no, has vanished—she's fully absorbed in knowing her quarry, several years gone-)

(-it's incredibly unlikely anyone is paying either of them any notice, even so-)

(-even with Avery likely seized in the same Disable she projects toward Tin—even if she's free and shouting, hammering her fists against a body thrumming with adrenal impulse-)

(-Molybdenum's voice is calm and calm and collected—they can hear, regardless of ears, the conviction in her tone, the steadiness of her breath—the absolute assurance that this is the pinnacle of what the School is for, here on the convention floor, the perfection of humanity, made manifest-)

(-_a^a _t^t _t^t _h^h _e^e _e^e _x^x _p^p _e^e _nⁿ _s^s _e^e _o^o _f^f _a^a _l^l _l^l _e^e _l^l _s^s _e^e-)

(-what will they do?-)

Hades Submarine, July 5

Megan: -...rubbing the back of her neck- I, well, she's my, and you're my

-hearing Alice- ...friend… ;_;

...and so I take responsibility!! So much responsibility, for involving you, my friend, and… -cough- person neither of us know...and it's not either of your faults you were kinda into each other from the word go, and if there's anything I can...

-Megan gets a look on her face, beneath "slightly conflicted", a bit...odd, on her-

Megan: -surreptitious- ...frick it. Alice, do you have...any vampire-y moves?

-...she says in a tone like she's offering Drugs-

(-Vee eyes Megan, then…gives Alice a sniff-)

(-...-)

(-the foxfishcat nod of approval™-)

(-Pippy's just whistling, taking a few steps in the direction of the cooler-)

Hammerlocke Alley, Past

The Shadow Ball bursts against the masked man's back. If he felt anything, he doesn't show it. It does get his attention, though.

???: (To C) ".. I have no reason to fight you. Stay out of this, and I won't have to do anything."

"I only go after those who my mistress has ordered me to."

Aislinn frowns. It's small, but it's there and it lasts significantly longer than any other expression change she's had in this encounter. Her grip on her knife tightens.

This brief break from combat doesn't last long, and soon the masked man is back to making swipes at Aislinn. The two seem to be locked in a stalemate- Aislinn making precision strikes to divert the staff's course or dodging at the last second to just barely avoid injury. Over time the equilibrium starts shifting against her, though. Every strike hits just that much closer to home, and Aislinn's parries grow more and more weary.

The Lucario, seeing Roy do this, rushes forward himself with a bonelike construct held out horizontally in an attempt to clothesline him. The flames lick at the Lucario's fur, but he grits his teeth and hangs in there.

Blair is similarly thrown against an alley wall and seems out for the count. Faa is faring a little better, but even with type advantage the Gallade seems a bit out of his league.