Wyndon Stadium

Reflexively, the Corviknight's body takes on a more metallic hue, and she works on pulling herself out of the Dracovish's maw to strike with Iron Head.

Parfum Palace, Enter; Origami King

-Gale dismissed her gasters as the source of this disaster unveiled (unfolded?) themselves-

Hey Olly. Alright folks we need to get out of here pronto before this palace gets folded up!

-She prepares to grab whoever she can for a shadowport-

Wyndon Stadium, Switchup

Alright, form up Squad!

-She sends out her eight-strong Roman-era Falinks who immediately start locking shields into a Protect formation-

Stormchaser, Tagg and Chiyo Zone

Owen: -Takes the Burst Heart, inspecting it- "Hmmmmmm..."

-To Chiyo-

"Uh, there was a little one with a Blipbug, and some redhead with a Darmanitan, and... A Janitor? He tried to shoot my dog. According to said dog. I was glitching out half the time."

Stormchaser, Sholto Zone

Jade: "Team Rocket was... Very prominent back home. I don't know how they are here."

Firestorm: <That Shun guy didn't seem too worried about them.>

Wedgehurst, Daydre Zone

Merlin: "Here!"

-Tosses the hunk to Daydre-

"Take it. You might need it."

Fou: <More like definitely. I know how these things work.>

Wyndon Stadium

Fret: -muffled- <Ow ow ow ow ow.>

-His grip does not relent and he bites down with another Fishious Rend-

Parfum Palace

-The rumbling continues-

-Suddenly massive ribbons descend from the horizon in all directions-

-And start wrapping up Parfum Palace-

Wedgehurst, With Tagg

Daydre whistles.

"Wow, that's... impressive. I'm assuming it was, anyway. I don't really know much about what defenses they had at the time."

Wedgehurst, With Merlin

"!!!"

Daydre nearly fumbles the chunk but manages to get a hold on it.

"... Thanks! Wait why am I saying thanks I just got given a job to do"

(Shrugging) "Eh. Well, uh, I guess I'll get back to you if I find anything. How can I contact you again?"

Wyndon Stadium

Annoyed at the back-to-back attacks, but refusing to show it, Vatista was unable to escape the jaws biting down on her, not for lack of trying, until she had something of an idea.

She made an attempt to push back against the impact with a violent press forward before returning, a U-Turn to keep herself safe.

Parfum Perch

Kendall watched as the ribbons descended, maintaining the shadowy portal that he left from for the sake of all others who may have seen it in time.

Kamui reappeared, equally lost for words.

Sholto sort of hrrms.

Lisa: <I believe I've heard bits about them, but nothing much in my lifetime. Though that might not be quite accurate for the last year or so.>

Sholto: "Well... Team Rocket was a big problem when I was younger, I'm from Lavender Town so I was a kid when they got the Mother Marowak's Ghost riled up and caused that whole mess. And I'm not too fond of them for that reason, kinda glad we haven't had to deal with them much and sucks that they're more of a thing in your universe.

And then the human hears Firestorm and lights up.

Sholto: "Oh, wait, Shun! You know him? He's cool, he's my trainer!"

Parfum Palace, far past

Ann: -Just stares-

Wedgehurst Station, paster

-To Daydre-

I was about 16 back then, the four of us raided the place after their poachers tried to murder Silent, Tracer, and I in Hoenn, got the evidence after fighting through security It was basically the same as when we raided that Best Berry place the time shortly after the multiverse got broken, minus the AI we thought Tangent and Basket had killed, Tangent, Tracer, and Silent stayed behind and got arrested and I... ran to the nearest embassy to make sure they couldn't stop the signal so we could reveal Pokefutures' crimes to the world.

-Shrugs-

We decided that considering my race it would be best that I not be there when the cops came since they'd probably be the quickest to skip to police brutality with me and they were rather harsh in the interrogation portion to the others. Obviously we won't be going down that path though.

Wyndon Stadium, past

Yew: -Sword Dances one more time-

Stormchaser, yesterday

Chiyo: -To Owen- I think I know the guy you're talking about, the Janitor, I never met him personally, but I know of him. Not an experiment, just some guy who acts as a cleaner in more senses than one as far as I can tell. The children, did they have names you'd give a person, or chemical elements? And... glitching?

Owen's constructed with a template like you, in a sense, except he's more of a cyborg, just a highly advanced one.

Chiyo: Oh. Guess we have more in common that I thought.

-To Owen-

Some sort of attack they did I'd imagine?

Edited by rmctagg09 on Sep 19th 2021 at 12:08:39 PM

Wedgehurst, With Tagg

"Best Berry was involved with an AI too. Evil corporations is the same? And yeah, that was... probably smart."

She's quiet for a second.

"So uh... how to not get arrested I guess? You mentioned checking the place out?"

Wedgehurst Station, past

-To Daydre-

I think I'd prefer Oran OS than fighting Future OS/PEFeDOS for the umpteenth time. Anyway, my suggestion is, we go to this mansion, we observe any weaknesses or security she has, and then we do the true heist.

-Thinking-

We may need disguises, helps keep her from recognizing us in case we're spotted while doing so.

Wedgehurst, With Tagg

Daydre nods.

"Fair. Seems like a sound plan. ... Are we gonna go right now? I don't have anything I need to be doing, but I don't know about you."

Wedgehurst Station, around September 12th we'll say

-To Daydre-

The sooner the better I suppose, and we are right in the train station, we'll hash out the fine details on the way.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Sep 19th 2021 at 2:05:00 PM

Wedgehurst, With Tagg

Daydre gives him a thumbs-up and starts walking towards the train.

Wyndon, Near Morata's Manor, September 12th

... And the two arrive here! It was a bit of a trek given the train doesn't quite make it all the way here, but nothing too unmanageable. Daydre has since switched some settings on the Amulet and changed into some extra clothes she had in her bag.

"According to [Google Maps] her house should be somewhere around here. Weird how easy it was to get her address but that's the Internet for you."

Things are quite a bit more spread out here than in Wyndon proper. Each of the few houses they pass by have big expanses of lawn between themselves, and there's plenty of trees scattered about.

Wyndon, September 12th

-Has also changed outfits, SEP Field up-

Figures, these folks tend to think they're invicible. Hmm, may or may not need to use that ghillie suit of mine depending on how big Morata's property is. The Macraul super-grabby Aura I'm sensing is definitely pointing in that direction.

Doc: <So it's just me really out for now?>

-He is notably the only mon of mine visibly out ATM-

Yeah, out of everyone you're one of the least eye-catching, in Galar Audino are really only found over in the Crown Tundra, but it's not that weird for someone to have them. Also these rich pricks tend to be... funny about people's choice of Pokémon, your juxtaposition with me makes me seem less threatening and less likely to get the cops called on us for being "suspicious". I have no idea why basically every Galarian cop has a smile that doesn't reach their eyes but here we are.

Squiggles: -Pokes out briefly from under his fedora-

Victini: -Invisible-

-Diplo and Hitodama have turned similarly intangible-

-Well, mostly-

Still need to be careful, no idea how this Morata relates to the rest of her family, and if she manages to recognize me in particular there'll definitely be a fight. One we'd probably win or at least succeed in not losing, but still a pain in the ass to deal with, so let's try to avoid that for as long as possible until we've ascertained where she's keeping the mask.

Stormchaser, Tagg And Chiyo Zone

Owen: Yeah, some kind of Infestation. Oh, the little one was named Molybdenum and the redhead was Antimony.

Stormchaser, Sholto Zone

Jade: About tha-

-blinks-

Your Trainer?

Firestorm: <That makes no sense. You're a human.>

Wedgehurst, Daydre Zone

Merlin: Here's my phone number!

-Hands her a slip of paper-

I repurposed the phone I was using to play Historia GO.

Fou: <Glad we kicked that habit.>

Wyndon Stadium

-Fret finally lets go and is sent skidding back, unable to react just yet as Vatista is recalled-

Edited by Umbramatic on Sep 20th 2021 at 9:02:19 AM

[Venice], July 7th

-predation resolved by recalling the Tentacruel and releasing them amidst the Remoraid—the guards shout commands to their Pokémon-

-Stunfisk blob from the ceiling of all places, firing Mud Shots down at the super____(???) duo—Suiko skates behind MONARCH and focuses on the ground below-

'Suiko: <<Take a deep breath.>>

-surface tension intensifies, wrapping guards up and dragging them under-

Courage: -fires Ice Beams at the Skrelp, freezing them to nearest surfaces-

-and given that she's round and metal, it's astonishing Ironspine has any nose to wrinkle-

Dr. Ironspine: -disdainful, Spiky Shield upraised- <Never. Be quick.>

-a little claw arm thing extends from her gun-titool, taking the String and threading it securely through her spines-

-with an analytical eye and a scientist's practicality, she stalks forward to the edge of the beam and readies herself in—since this is [Europe]—the football-kicking position-

Dr. Ironspine: <And accurate.>

Stormchaser, September 13th

-the whole time Daydre's watching the gift, Megan's watching Daydre-

Megan: … o\\O\\o

-just...just watching her-

-then Daydre says that, and Megan vanishes with a squeak and a glub-

Floor!Vee: .?

-...she-

Floor!Vee: -snickers-

-she might've just forgotten to keep swimming??-

Stormchaser, Percyplace

Logan: -smiling- Nothing at all to apologize for. We get it, you know?

Ranger!Addie: The only reason the same isn't true of us is that we spend a lot of time around people who show off unusual abilities to spice up opening cans of tofu. -_-

-mutual, nigh-identical nudges-

Logan: -headtilt- ...as a warning, I do have more unusual abilities, but they're pretty much all very, very difficult to kill anyone with.

Ranger!Addie: Nothing Auric beyond what the Styler lets us do, y'know? And even that's got like a billion safeties on everything.

-with a wink and a bucktoothed grin, she tugs off her scarf for Aware's perusal-

Logan: -watching the handoff- Each of these is one-way even if none of them are labeled so, uh, no worries about that one getting stuck to you and changing your form. -still deliberately and visibly, they tuck the other Scarf back into their Bag-

Logan: ...as a note, it's wise to grab one of those field study pins that prevent random Trainers from capturing you, or find someone you trust to ball you, if you intend to spend any amount of time in Pokéform.

-and her query-

Logan: -...snicker, self-effacing- Not at all. But I have full access to the range of misunderstandings available through fluent language, yeah.

Addie: -squeaks-

Logan: -pet- Yes, Addie, we are specialized in communication, ostensibly. The point stands.

Addie: -fluffs up-

Logan: -observing her- …yeah, the language barrier dissolution is the most notable human perk of having transformed at all, at any point—we haven't identified what if anything Pokémon get from the transformation.

Addie: -traces a symbol in the spilled tea-

Logan: ...huh.

Psionic Mystery Grove

-the body is held together largely by psionics and will—- ~You—you're making a mis~

-the sense-memory's exceedingly thorough introduction means that the corpse's eyes explode-

ex-Templar!Ribot: -beneath the body's howl, grin splitting- ~—you underestimate...the School's commitment to human form.~

-Muninn will see—at his speeds, in this terrain, even a specialist such as Ribot responds sluggishly in comparison-

-voice giving out- ~and I overestimated you.~

-the barely-reformed corpus of this Templar explodes in dragonfire and gore, ejecting a Beheeyem as from a chrysalis-

Ribot: -twirling to a halt, midair- ~Have you considered that I might be lonely, too? Weary of assignment to an endless parade of children marching to useless deaths? Entangled in their petty dramas~

-his face-lights are empty cracks leaking luminous goos- ~their feeble struggles~

-his eyes gaping caverns leading into his skull-

-sneer- ~Their pathetically self-indulgent evaluations of their own worth? When none of them—not one—are the goal we seek. Even the grindstone wearies of the chaff.~

-he makes a strange sound- ~...Muninn.~

-raising a hand to his face- ~May I call you Muninn?~

-saccharine- ~What, pray tell, did the humans do upon learning of the limitless power of the atom? Bonding a dragon whose heart could power the entire eastern seaboard? You yourself upon achieving a transformative potent enough to terraform worlds?~

-the lights on his hands still function-

-arms wide- ~History vindicates me! I have learned from it that progress is nothing but weapons.^* Or methods to more effectively view erotica. The greatest advances, their treasured "Vow"—this is a world built on strife. I learned more from how you hurt me than you would have deigned to teach me had we decades together. And you call me blind.~

~As if I need sight to see.~

-Ribot rips the optical nerve from his skull, silencing its protests-

~As if you need life to die.~

-all across the clearing, corpses animate, staggering to what feet they have-

-dripping- ~At any rate, my suspicions are confirmed: at your most desperate, even you revert to animal savagery. All the power in the world, and you wielded it like a baton to break bones—and you still didn't win.~

~You arrogant fool.~

-turning to leave- ~My offer still stands. I am a merciful mon, inclined to scientific impartiality. But consider this, if you survive what comes—when weighing our respective wisdoms. The merits of our approach.~

-the Templar bodies—blindly, through Ribot—claw for the powers they had in life-

Ribot: -glacial- ~I am still alive. And you are not.~

-Muniver finds themself at the center of a broken, hazy kaleidoscope, misaimed, unfocused Psybeams ricocheting and splitting off the walls-

-weak-

-Ramona feels the Obscuric construct take root in her mind and does not care-

Ramona: ~I! Can! Multitask!~

-to demonstrate, she physically picks up Merle by the neck, wrings it, and hurls her bodily between    Tea    and her newest target-

-using Merle's Miracle-Eye'd body as a focus, Ramona amplifies the bafflement inherent to getting smacked in the face with a bird tenfold:-

   Tea: -bats Merle explosively aside, skidding to a stop- ???   

-...and then she hears the distant strains of violince-

Molybdenum: ...no.

-she tries to make for higher ground, but finds painful executive dysfunction at the mere thought of anything but fighting-

Molybdenum: -clenching her fists- No.

-she clutches her armor, as if to make sure it's still there-

Molybdenum: ...I'm sorry, Ever.

-pointing a finger at the psychic mess they're in- But she's right.

I need results.

-Ribot's ward learned from their past encounters, too-

-likely to no avail—Ever's Pokémon are diligent, and they themself are all too aware of her work—too easy to remove, to one versed in the field-

-but a psychic packet containing bundles of trigger keys cascades into their Muninn-occupied Mindscape, seeking to trigger cognitive whirlpools—paradox bombs—instinct cages, all to hamper or harm an entity possessing that mind, whether or not they remain from every mind-to-mind contact she has had with them since the bridge-

-camouflaging chaff for the most subtle trigger, which she barely touched:-

-a key for stairs leading down-

Hiro: -mutter- Thanks, Merle.

-he seems to be doing pretty okay-

-he's tracked the trench Parfait launched her target through to the end, and is standing over a Templar with a broken spine-

Hiro: ...you chose to head the squad sent after me for a reason, didn't you?

Zayna, the Fulminous: -grin, bloody- I wondered—so curious—what the family I came from was capable of. Got...reputation.

-chuckle- Turns out you rely on animals like everyone else.

Hiro: -exhausted- ...shut up.

-he raises a hand to burn through her skull, quick enough to be painless-

Zayna: ...

Hiro: ...Non più andrai?

 The Velvet Room 

Pollen: <...>

Suiko: …

Thespi: ...very well.

Suiko: -blinks-

Pollen: -mutter- <I...still don't understand in what world we'd need to be locked up like this.>

Thespi: -ignoring this- What do you need from us?

Pollen: <'m no thought criminal.>

Edited by Asterisk395 on Sep 20th 2021 at 1:15:06 PM

Circhester Stadium, VS Gordie and Melony

Gordie: Gigalith, use Earthquake!

Evelyn: Simon, use Psychic on yourself!

Evelyn: -telepathically to Ian- ~I believe now's the time we get off the ground...~

Me: -telepathically to Evelyn- ~I agree.~

-Ian and Evelyn hold hands and focus their mental powers on each other with a smile on their face. The two Gym Challengers proceed to slowly lift themselves off the ground, as though they could fly. Simon focuses his psychic power on himself and lifts himself off the ground as well.-

Gordie: That strategy was used back in Hulbury, when Nessa's Quagsire... used... Earthquake...

Beat

Gordie: WAITWAITWAITWAITGIGALITH! NONONONONONONONONONONONONO!

-Gordie's Gigalith lets out a gravelly roar and stomps the ground, causing a tremor that rocks the stadium to its very core.-

Spikemuth

Evelyn: Good luck with your challenge, Kim!

Hatty: <Think she'll do well?>

Evelyn: I'm sure she will. She's done great so far.

Hammerlocke

Evelyn: Honestly... Considering how we've done in the past, I think it'd be fair to take on this last challenge together... After all...

-Evelyn closes her eyes and equips her wand.-

Evelyn: One and one and one are we...

-She then raises her wand into the air, the tip of which shimmers with a mystical purple light.-

Me: Yeah, and with triple vision, we've been able to see...

-Ian closes his eyes and raises a Poké Ball into the air, the ball itself shimmers with a radiant pink light.-

Rebel Island Dressing Room

-Emilie closes her eyes and looks away.-

Parfum Palace, King Olly Wraps Things Up

-Ian and Evelyn feel the palace shaking under their feet; a clear-cut sign that something is about to unfold...-

Me: Uh oh...

Evelyn: Something tells me we should get out of here...

-Suddenly, the streamers appear and begin to wrap the Palace like a birthday present.-

Evelyn: AND IT MEANS NOW!!!

-Evelyn whips out her broom and hops on, pulling Ian close to her with her psychic powers.-

Me: YIKES!

-Evelyn flies the broom towards the portal Kendall conjured, with Ian in tow.-

Cassander Circhester's Castle

Dr. Azala: You mustn't worry about a thing, Cassander. Krypton here won't let you down.

-Krypton looks up at Cassander and smiles slightly.-

Krypton: Whatever your demonstration entails, I'm sure I will live up to your expectations, sir.

Giant's Cap (Evelyn)

-Evelyn wipes her tears and stands back.-

Evelyn: You can really do that?

Giant's Cap, Vana VS Sophie

Sophie: We don't have to fight, Vana! I came here in the hopes that I could save you! Stop you from doing something you might regret! Please... let me help you...

-Sophie slowly and calmly approaches Vana with open arms.-

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Sep 20th 2021 at 9:51:35 AM

Sholto sort of blinks and rubs the back of his head nervously.

Sholto: "...Oh, uh, well, guess that slipped out, huh?"

Lisa: <Well, figures something about that would slip eventually.>

Sholto: "Well, thing is, I was born a human but haven't Been human in a good while. I've got a way to change back and forth but you can probably count me more as a 'Pokemon who's occasionally human' based on my last few years of life."

Stormchaser, Sholto Zone

Jade: "So wait, you're like a shapeshifter?"

Firestorm: <...How?>

Parfum Palace

-The streamers start wrapping up Parfum Palace-

-It is then a small Whismur Rabbid-shaped ship zooms in-

-Piloted by Beep-O-

Beep-O: <Hurry, get in!>

Edited by Umbramatic on Sep 20th 2021 at 11:46:13 AM

Sholto: [beaming] "Basically, yeah! As for how... it's with the changing of the day. Like I am now, I'll turn back into a Honchkrow when I'm in contact with moonlight."

Giant's Cap, Corpse (past)

Kec returns to next to Hoops, seeing what Cof is doing.

Kec: <What are you doing to them? Stop!>

Cof: <Don't worry, Kec, this will save them. Trust me, it'll take a bit of a crack of the old knuckles, but it'll keep them alive. Or at least, not dead. There's a distinction.>

A shadow claw grows from the end of Kec's claw, and he holds it towards Cof.

Kec: <Stop it. Now.>

Sud and Tot approach as well. One of Cof's hands undoes the clasp on Hoops' belt, and their other nine pokeballs roll to Kec's feet.

Cof: <Kec, listen. I won't lie, this is gonna suck for everyone. And at best, this is going to take me a few months. So you need to protect all of them until then.>

Sud: <But... we were supposed to protect them. I promised I would.>

Kec: <Sud is right. Besides, whatever you're doing, I don't trust you enough to let them about of my sight. So all twelve of us are coming with you, every step.>

Tot: <And then when they're ready to come back, we'll all be there to greet them.>

Cof looks at the three pokemon in confusion, then the face on his front twists into a smile.

Cof: <Loyalty. Funny how you can start to forget what that is after thousands of years. Okay, you guys can come. Now, Miss Evelyn, I need your help.>

Giant's Cap, Vana (past)

Vana shakes her head.

Vana: Not you. It's not you that I'll destroy. The school. I'll grind them down to the smallest pieces and then destroy those as well. And then, perhaps afterwards I'll turn this rage on someone else, but only if they make themselves my enemy.

She looks at Sophie.

Vana: There's something you can do for me. To help me do this. Will you?

Stormchaser, Percyplace

Aware: -pops out of the phone, flitting around the scarf- <Ooh.>

Percy: Be careful, Aware. Everything has its cost.

Aware: <Everyone knows that.>

Percy: You'll want to be on the ground.

Aware: <...Ooh.>

-they sit, which is weird from a Rotom-

-and put on the scarf-

-this turns them into a young person of Alolan descent, a solid 4'8, with pale blue hair that has a perpetual look of just having been struck by lightning-

-they inhale, and Percy places a hand over their mouth before they can do what they're about to do-

Percy: There are people sleeping. Ssh. Control your volume with the muscles in your stomach and with the force of air projected.

Aware: -taking a moment- Like this?

Percy: There you go.

-she withdraws her hand, and Aware goes to gnaw on the table with their new teeth-

Percy: ...Well, they seem happy. Tell me if they try and bite off anything they need.

Aware: -wiggles-

Percy: ...As interesting as the idea of understanding Pokemon might be, I think I don't want to take the risk. There's a decent chance I'd end up, like, a Pikachu without a brain, right?

Aware: (muffled) Whh aur hhhh?

Psionic Oops Grove

Muninn: ~Strangely, people don't really take the time to consider your internality when you try and kill them.~

~But I do appreciate the rundown of your weaknesses.~

-he gets to work, agonizing action potentials involved in acetylcholine release to the point of nonfunction-

-telekinesis could puppeteer their bodies, but they're just sacks of meat-

-severs one zombie Templar from unlife, then another-

~I think you make a series of compelling points and interesting one-liners. But a series of compelling points and interesting one-liners doesn't add up to a coherent argument. Harm to prevent harm is a child's moral dilemma, not a real philosophical conundrum. You tried to kill someone I care about, so I took your toys away.~

~The Demon Mutagen was...meant to be something good. Its potential as a weapon was something we worked out later, in...a tantrum, essentially. Let that be your second lesson from this encounter— try to avoid acting in anger. You'll live longer.~

~I'll make you a counteroffer. If you're bored of murder, if it weighs on you, if you're tired...stop. Put down this burden you've picked up of your own accord, teleport farther than the monsters you've built can follow, and do something new. Your idiosyncrasies aside, I doubt they'll be so stressed about the loss of one Pokemon.~

-...-

~Well, that's just uncalled for.~

Merle: <Ack! Hey!>

-she pecks at Ramona's hand, probably not to much effect-

-and is then flung-

Merle: <Zapdos, I hate these fights—>

-and batted aside-

-Ever finally, finally snaps out of it-

Ever: Get out.

Muninn: <Whoops.>

-he diverts a handful of Ramona's weapons, but escapes most of them by the simple expedient of diving from Ever's head, phasing into the ground to avoid the Psybeams-

-which Ever evades almost absently-

-they've had some practice-

-for their part they don't really notice Ramona's psychic assault, or if they do, they don't mention it-

-but they recall Merle, and send out-

Ephemera: -Mewtwo!-

Ever: They're dead already. Remind them of it.

-Ephemera raises her ears, firing a concussive pulse at the Templar zombies-

-while Ever wheels on Molybdenum-

Ever: Sorry, mm? There's a really great cure to having to swallow your pride and apologize, and it's called not fucking up in the first place. Ephemera—

-they pause-

...Uh, who is making that noise?

-the sound of violins approaches, a fuchsia glow through the trees-

-it's just a pair of psychic constructs sawing away at each other, and they fade away-

-as from the other side of the newly-created clearing, walking on floating blades to quiet her footsteps, Adelinde paces forward-

-trees with burning branches have those branches detached and shredded, snuffing the flames midair-

Adelinde: Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita, mi ritrovai per una selva obscura, ché la diritta via era smarrita. The aria "Non più andrai" was played in Don Giovanni, as an homage and I believe as foreshadowing for Don Giovanni's eventual fall.

Ever: What did I miss

-Adelinde looks around the clearing-

Adelinde: Shoddy work. An experiment who should have been liquidated years ago, a handful of chaff, a broken Templar, and...

An Alítheia?

-she smiles-

While we're on the subject, they say that the worst torments of Hell are reserved for the betrayers. Notable among those the betrayers of their own blood.

-she holds up a finger, around which five blades, each around the size of a razor, float-

Adelinde: And...

Ever: -strained smile- Adelinde, I presume?

Adelinde: Ever Memito. Haven't we had this conversation?

Ever: ???

Adelinde: Molybdenum suggested not to let you talk.

Ever: I'm flattered, but I don't think it's that—

-Adelinde puffs out her lips sharply, like blowing out a candle-

Ever: -gasps-

Adelinde: Don't be pathetic. Plenty of people live long and fulfilling lives without a windpipe.

But I've been looking forward to having a chat with an Alítheia, you know. I am, after all, a family friend.

Wedgehurst

PEFE!Every: Well, yes, that seems obvious.

-she peers at ???-

You do not react much to things. But you're invested in solving this mystery, and you don't want me taking a blood sample. That's interesting. I have no idea what it means, but it is interesting.

Cytosol: -glow-

PEFE!Every: The longer it's been, the less useful DNA and the like will be. But I'll see what I can do.

But there are a lot of alleyways by the gym. Which one is this?

Parfum Palace, August 31st

Ann: -Recognizing the voice- Beep-O?

-She heads for the ship-

Stormchaser, past

Chiyo: -To Owen- They were Schoolkids and not young Templars then, poor dears.

That's the second Molybdenum I've heard of, though that one was a mind control specialist rather than... You said they used Infestation?

Doppler: -Popping in- <Yeah we don't get that normally.>

Chiyo: This Molybdenum must have a Bug subtype then. Heh, bug.

Bug subtype, that's a thing? I'm familiar with Fire, Ice, and Electric subtypes, even one instance of a Dragon, and Chiyo said Gerald had a Poison subtype, but Bug?

Chiyo: -To me- I've fought pretty much every subtype there is over the years, they tend to be more common amongst us School creations.

There's obviously a lot about the Quartet I still need to learn.

-To Owen-

Anything else about their powers that might be of note?

Velvet Room

Igor: -To Thespi- To make contact with those much like you, which will happen soon enough. But first, as you have not fully awakened to the power you need to undergo rehabilitation, you will need assistance to face the trials ahead. Caroline, Justine?

-The two Magnemite start leading robed figures towards some guillotines that have appeared out of seemingly nowhere, their blades glowing blue with the Velvet Room sigil-

Stormchaser, today

Chiyo: -Sitting on her bed- I've been hanging around here for the past few days further than I thought. The people here are... nice, and it seems to feel homier with each day that passes. Still, I can't forget about Uxie's warning about being careful.

Stormchaser, Tagg and Chiyo Zone

Owen: "I think the redhead had one of those subtypes. Fire. But that's about it. Again I was out for most of it."

Stormchaser, Sholto Zone

Jade: So... A were-Pokemon?

Firestorm: <Back home those were only in movies.>

Weedgehurst, PEF Every Zone

???:' "You likewise amuse me."

-There is no laughter or joy evident-

"Follow me."

-She recalls her Toxicity and starts walking off-

Sholto nods.

Sholto: "Yup! Granted, the were part of it is only true in places where I can physically be human but yeah!"

[looking at ] "Anyway, I think you were saying something before we got sidetracked?"

—-

Meanwhile, Chiyo might hear a knock on the door followed by someone speaking through it.

???: "Uh, hey, you're the new person, right? The one Tagg ran into as a kid?"

Giant's Cap, Hoops

Evelyn: -to Cof- Just tell me what to do.

Giant's Cap, Sophie and Vana

Sophie: Whatever that thing is, Vana... I will help however I can.