Mauville City, prison

-Anima Haven, the woman once known as Effigy, is brought to an empty visiting room. Waiting for her on the other side of the glass is a young man she doesn't recognize, absentmindedly fiddling with the flash drive he wears as a necklace. She takes a seat in the chair on her side.-

Anima: ...Who are you?

Marcus: Marcus Vidal.

-He gives a theatrical bow.-

Or Marc if you'd like, but I'd suspect the name means nothing to you either way.

-He sits back up.-

I have a few questions for you.

Anima: I don't do interviews.

-She moves to leave.-

Marcus: Completely valid. Does it calm you any to know these are entirely personal? Don't feel pressured to answer a single one of them.

-She sighs and sits back down.-

Anima: ...Fine. But don't expect too much.

Marcus: Believe me, I don't.

-He grins.-

Anima: ...How many strings did you have to pull to visit a total stranger?

Marcus: A fair few. But let's not dwell on pleasantries. We're on a time limit, after all.

-She frowns.-

Anima: ...Fine. Ask away.

Marcus: Dane Knox. Why is he the murder that led you to turn yourself in? He's hardly a better man than your other victims, and his betrayal gave you an even stronger motive. So why him? Why now?

Anima: Maybe I had a change of heart?

Marcus: No, I don't think so. Even now you call yourself a vigilante, not a serial killer.

Anima: I—

-Marcus interrupts, speaking loudly and in a single breath.-

Marcus: I hoped to avoid this, I'm not here to discuss ethics, let's move along, shall we?

-Anima glares but says nothing.-

Marcus: Thank you.

...As I was about to say, I have a theory. Or, well, a hypothesis, I suppose.

-He taps his fingers on the table.-

What's the name they used as Knox's right hand? Crispin... Hague, I believe?

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen eyes turn so angry so fast.

...Anyway, there's little reason for me to doubt they're at the center of all this. This so-called "Hague", and your longtime partner, "Choice".

-He waits for a reaction that doesn't seem to come, then continues.-

Let's set the scene: Choice's past remains a mystery to you. But Hague looks into it, works it out. And what's there is blackmail-worthy. Or so Hague thinks. But in reality...

-Marcus switches to different voices.-

"There is something we must discuss."

"What's this about all of a sudden?"

"...Crispin—Dane's man—has information about my past, and intends to use it to make me his puppet. I plan to play along for the time being, but should the details come out regardless, I ask that you forgive me."

"...I have made mistakes."

"Whatever it is, I won't hold it against you. I promise."

...Something like that, anyway.

-Anima looks unimpressed by the performance.-

Marcus: Then skip ahead a bit, to the aftermath of Knox's death. Hague is furious, and you do everything in your power to break the chains he's got wrapped around Choice. So you turn yourself in, name him as an accomplice, and he's too preoccupied with abandoning that identity to keep track of Choice's whereabouts as he goes into hiding. Sound about right?

-Neither of them say anything for a few moments.-

Marcus: ...This all leads to my final question: Where is Choice now?

-Anima, of course, remains as silent as she has through most of this "interview". Marcus, seemingly satisfied nonetheless, smiles and stands up.-

Marcus: Thank you for your time, this has been most enlightening. Forgive the intrusion.

-Without another word, he turns and walks away.-

Turffield Stadium Puzzle Room

(The group heads over to the second room— only to see dozens of stop signs placed everywhere. Ingrid blinks in shock, and watches as a group of Wooloo immediately fall into a line at the stop sign- before being scooped up by Bindi and thrown to the placemat.)

Bindi: <Oh, get over there!> (She giggles.)

(Ingrid, Ananpi, and Bjorn, meanwhile blink.)

Ingrid: "S-she's..."

Ananpi: <Whoa...!> (beat, he turns to face the audience) <I had a feeling she'd do that.>

Bjorn: <Already got half of them...>

(They turn to face Bindi, who is chasing after the second group of Wooloo and trying to guide them to the stop sign.)

Bindi: <Hey, get back here! I'm not done with you~!>

(Ingrid giggles a bit. Eventually, however, the Wooloo approach the stop sign and immediately stop and look up at it. One of them tilts their head, and then:)

Bindi: <Gotcha!>

(The Wooloo are promptly snatched up and squeezed a bit by Bindi's tail-arms, before Bindi runs over to the placemat and sets down the Wooloo- who promptly roll towards the hay bales in front of them and crash into them before heading over to the third room. Ingrid, Ananpi, and Bjorn look at each other in shock, and the Drifloon following them from behind also gains a stunned look.)

Ingrid: "Again?"

Bindi: (grinning at Ingrid) <And there's more to come~! Why don'tcha have me handle the whole thing?>

(Ingrid thinks about it, and then nods, albiet with a bit of reluctance.)

Bindi: <Alrighty then! See you on the other side~!>

(And with that said, she heads off to the final room, while "Lone Digger" by Caravan Palace begins to play in the background. Ingrid, Ananpi, and Bjorn look at each other, before running off. The Drifloon, meanwhile, looks on in shock for a few moments before eventually following. A montage sequence promptly ensues, as Bindi runs around the room and starts picking up every Wooloo that she can find via a combination of her Rubber Hose limbs and hilarious use of Toon Physics. The Wooloo attempt to run away from her, but ultimately end up running into one of the many, many stop signs placed in the room- at which point Bindi proceeds to grab them and drop them onto the placemat. The Wooloo continue to pile up, and the count steadily grows higher and higher, before eventually, it hits 20, and the Wooloo roll off, crashing through the hay bales in front of them and proceeding to clear the path leading to the stairs to the pitch.)

Bjorn: <All 20!>

(Ingrid, Ananpi, and Bjorn run over to Bindi, who stands there, smirking.)

Bindi: <Well? Whatdja think?>

Ingrid: "That was amazing, Bindi. You're very talented."

Bindi: <Aw, don't mention it!>

(She winks playfully at her Trainer. Soon afterwards, Ingrid smiles and takes out Bindi's PokeBall.)

Ingrid: "You did great, Bindi. But now you'll need to rest up for the battle."

(Bindi is promptly returned, and so is Bjorn. Ananpi, meanwhile, stays out, and Ingrid turns to face him.)

Ingrid: "Alright, Ananpi. Let's head out to the pitch."

Ananpi: <Yay! A baseball game!>

Ingrid: (chuckling) "No, it's a Gym Battle."

Ananpi: <Oh.>

(And with that said, Ingrid climbs the stairs and heads out to the pitch.)

Halloween Party

(Kim looks down.)

Kim: "Now that you mention it... that's fair. After all, the most you ever heard about me was probably from hearsay... and it decidely wasn't a good impression."

Somewhere Else in the Party

(Bjorn, Bitey, and Ananpi are open for interaction.)

Somewhere Else in the Party

(Braker and Walter are open for interaction.)

Somewhere Else in the Party

(Cuddles is open for interaction.)

The Slumbering Weald, Halloween Night

(Kim, Braker, and their mons all look up at the house in wonder.)

Kim: "Do you think we should go in?"

Braker: "Hiro does raise a good point."

Sinatra: <I don't think I would trust goin' in there...>

Kaylan: <It's Halloween night. It's probably just a fake haunted house.>

Dalt: (shaking his head profusely) <N-not going in there! S-spoopy haunted house...!>

(Kim giggles a bit, then returns Dalt.)

Kim: "Alright, Dalt. You don't have to come in if you don't want to." (beat, then) "What about you, Dave?"

Dave: <Count me in, why dontya?!>

Kim: "Good. Then in that case..." (She takes out another PokeBall.) "Red alert, Joel!"

(In a flash, Joel the Quagsire appears.)

Joel: <Hmmm? What's this now?>

Sinatra: <What do you think it looks like?! It's a haunted house!>

Joel: <Ah.> (beat) <Well, that's interestin'.>

Braker: (to Walter and Cuddles) "What do you two think?"

Walter: <I agree with Kaylan. They do supposedly haunted houses all the time on Halloween night. This is probably one of those. Unless, of course, I happen to be wrong, but ...>

Cuddles: <Ooh! Maybe we can get candy there! Let's go inside!>

(Braker turns to face Kim.)

Braker: "They seem to be in agreement."

(Kim nods, then turns to the rest of the group.)

Kim: "Hiro? What do you think?"

Spikemuth Gym Battle

(And then the enraged Grimmsnarl takes over from Kim as his hands become covered by a black fire and he starts spinning towards Grohl.)

(The move hits Grohl, knocking him backwards, but he still stands on his feet, smirking over at the Grimmsnarl.)

(And then Grohl comes in, as he begins to be surrounded by blue electricity.)

(Kim, immediately realizing what he's trying to do, nods.)

(And with that line, Grohl runs forwards, releasing a blue wave of electricity backwards at Marnie's Grimmsnarl.)

(The Grimmsnarl is knocked backwards, but manages to stand back up, retorting:)

(Grohl glares over at the Grimmsnarl with resolve.)

(And the prospect angers the Grimmsnarl, who lunges directly at Grohl and grabs him, covering him in a pink smoke filled with stars. Soon afterwards, he hits Grohl repeatedly- and hard.)

(He picks up Grohl and throws him against the wall. Kim looks over towards Grohl in concern.)

Kim: "Grohl!"

(Elton, Freddie, and Jagger all look over towards where the Grimmsnarl threw Grohl in concern, but when the dust eventually settles, Grohl is still standing. He pushes himself back up and glares over at the Grimmsnarl.)

Grimmsnarl: (smirking) <Go ahead. Bring it on.>

Spikemuth Stadium- Stands

(Braker is still recording the whole thing.)

Cuddles: <Thank goodness Grohl's okay...>

Walter: <Indeed, but that was a very hard hit.>

Braker: (nods) "Clearly, Marnie's Grimmsnarl is not a Pokemon that should be messed with."

Parfum Chamber

Kim: "Oh?"

Peechee: <Who is that?>

Braker: "No idea."

Cuddles: <Hi, strange voice~! Who are you?>

Lee House

Braker: "We probably should."

(Cuddles' eyes immediately bug out of his skull upon seeing Kendall turn into a Dusk Lycanroc.)

Cuddles: <D-did he— did he just—?!>

November 5th

THE HASSLEMON INTERWEBS

superTrooper joined the chat.

ST:

THIS IS:

BRAVO-ECHO-NOVEMBER-NOVEMBER-YANKEE

TO:

DQ, VV, AE, PP, GW, WD, HH

The RELEASE DATE is today. Enjoy. Hopefully.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxA687tYuMWiaZm97zAKxm6AGNVEWBm9F

OVER

Everybody else joined the chat.

WD: *Ööh~! What's göin' ön here?*

DQ: f YES-!! IT'S OUT! FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYYYY~!!! ||

AE: O-oh! um... t-thank you for the music...

HH: ⨻ ~Oh, this is wonderful~ ⨻

HH: ⨻ ~Ingrid's g-going to absolutely love this~ ⨻

PP: (^o is this what i think it is, chuu~?! o^)ϟ

GW: oh? it's a link...

VV: ∴ (new abba album? | new abba album | best day of life | can barely wait to listen to it) ∴

PP: (^o i knew it~! o^)ϟ

GW: yay! let's all listen to it!

WD: *Wait... ABBA? Aren't they that band fröm Sweden? Dear Arceus, what're they döin' nöw? I didn't knöw they had a new album öut töday!*

DQ: mf They certainly do! And thats not all // would you like to hear what else they have planned? ||

WD: *Sure thing!*

AE: they... they're doing a virtual concert...

WD: *They're döin' WHAT?! Well, isn't that just nifty!*

VV: ∴ (members of abba got together in studio | performed motion capture | performed every song in concert to perfection | took two weeks | [industrial light and magic] were there) ∴

WD: *Höly möly! Thöse are the [Star Wars] peöple~!*

VV: ∴ (indeed | recorded the motion capture | used it to recreate abba in prime | 1970's-1990's | referred to as abba-tars | very humorous pun | will be performing in concert | feel like it was best option | how familiar are you with abba?) ∴

WD: *Well... if I'm bein' hönest... I've never really listened tö 'em beföre*

DQ: mf You < f WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT-?!?! > mf Well then ' in that case ' I believe it would be in all of our best interests to introduce you! ||

PP: (^o yeah! maybe we can have a listen party, chuu~! o^)ϟ

HH: ⨻ ~I... I don't think I've ever heard of a "listen party"~ ⨻

PP: (^o it's like a watch party! except we're not ac-chu-ally watching anything. we're listening to something! that's why it's called a listen party, chuu~ o^)ϟ

HH: ⨻ ~Oh... I see~ ⨻

PP: (^o of course, i don't know why abba would call their album "voyage". maybe they're going on their own voyage? is this some kind of concept album or something? ooh! maybe there's not even an album in there at all! maybe it's tickets for outer space! o^)ϟ

AE: U-um... what?

PP: (^o pack your bags, everyone! we're going to outer space, and abba's gonna be there too, chuu~! o*)ϟ

HH: ⨻ ~U-um... I don't think we're going to space... i-is he always like this~ ⨻

DQ: mf Oh ' ignore him. Hes just silly. ||

AE: m-most of the time...

PP: (^o O:U:O o^)ϟ

WD: *Ööh! This seems fun! Cöunt me in!

ST:

THIS IS:

BRAVO-ECHO-NOVEMBER-NOVEMBER-YANKEE

Well. I see everyone is excited. Are you planning to react to the album along with the General?

OVER

GW: you bet *W*e are!

ST:

THIS IS:

BRAVO-ECHO-NOVEMBER-NOVEMBER-YANKEE

Very well, then. I shall go alert the General of ABBA's newest release. However, I expect no tomfoolery out of any of you. Is this understood?

OVER

AE: y-yes sir...!

DQ: mf //oh alright. I suppose. You never let me do anything fun// ||

HH: ⨻ ~Understood~ ⨻

VV: ∴ (not one for tomfoolery) ∴

GW: awww... okay *M*

WD: *And höw! Thöugh it might still be a bit difficult för me. Sheesh, talk aböut a killjöy, am I right? ;)*

PP: (^o who's tom foolery? i've never heard of him, chuu~ o^)ϟ ^note  Hey! Why'd my text suddenly go blue?

ST:

THIS IS:

BRAVO-ECHO-NOVEMBER-NOVEMBER-YANKEE

...

...Never mind. I have agreement from most of you, at least... though I still do not trust WD. Anyways. I shall take my leave now and alert her of the new album.

OUT

superTrooper left the conversation.

PP: (^o bye, benny! but seriously, though, can someone please tell me who tom foolery is, chuu? o^)ϟ

???

-Suddenly a Jangmo-o copnes flying at Daydre!-

Near Morata's Mansion

Odin: <Riiiiiight. Tell her I got all that.>

Stormchaser

Justice: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO -barges in-

Parfum Crater

-The voice is coming from the wall above the Magic Circle-

-Normal means don't seem to be doing anything to it-

 Chateau d'Avarice - Library 

-Molybdenum snorts, not bothering to clarify the "yet" herself-

Molybdenum: Nah. I've never been that stupid. There's no life for anyone who tries to escape the School.

-that page is a simple README detailing the [Kindle]'s contents:-

Molybdenum: -shrug- I just know whoever comes after me won't appreciate them, is all. I can't stand wasted potential.

-the section with Neodymium's powers came pre-redacted, so no dice there-

Molybdenum: ...if that happens and they're liquidated, do what you like with the files. Burn them for all I care, it isn't as if it'll do anyone any good.

-it's mostly the basics of who and what Neo is, a selection of her more endearing traits, her favorite foods-

Molybdenum: And thinking about it is just useless.

-the why of any entirely hypothetical rescue attempt is notably absent from the first page—not the slightest acknowledgement of Rose's morality as a driving factor, nor any inherent value of life, or more than a passing nod at Neo's own utility...nothing but the compulsion to act the device itself exudes when thoughts flow through it-

Molybdenum: ...habit.

-Molybdenum takes a seat amidst the squirming Bookworms, pausing before flicking that feature off-

Molybdenum: Don't know how that got there.

(-Runaway isn't a Psychic, and so walks clear through the Psychic-tailored traps to see, for an instant—buried deep within the pages is an address, primed to burn before viewing-)

Molybdenum: Sure, you can handle yourself. You're currently...

Molybdenum: ...proving yourself…

Molybdenum: very capable of handling m—yourself.

 Campus Palace 

-while they decide, the Myrmekes continue arguing-

Myrmex 1: What? What?? This disc is full of lies!! Tasty lies! Disgusting—!

Myrmex 2: Establishing shots! Overwrought descriptions! This is a trope and I won't see it misfiled—

Myrmex 3: -scurrying in- Trash it! Trash it! It's no Treasure of ours.

Myrmex 1: I beg your pardon—

-squabbling continues—the volume starts rising-

Halloween

Hiro: -watching the house- ...well, you all seem set on going in, so I may as well come along.

Curry: <Haha, this is a bad idea!> =:D

-kicking a rock- <Maybe it'll be interesting!>

Outside Morata's Mansion, November 1

-and a click at the moment of contact-

Megan: -genuine- It's nice to meet you. ^_^

-sheepish- I don't really keep up with the chats, haha. But Tagg's cool so you probably also are cool.

Vee: -scrolls through Megan's PEFEdex to see if there's a single team member of theirs who doesn't have any Auric Spectrum powers...before discarding the search, deciding it probably doesn't matter much-

-Pokémon Auric doesn't mean the same thing as human Auric, right-

-Megan mostly wonders whose team she'll be on, and also what she packed in her bag-

Vee: <Oh! Oh! What if—>

Megan: -applying pets, one-handed, to Vee yammering in her ear- Oh my Vaporeon wonders if we could like...frame someone for the theft, except then we remembered the whole televised death threat challenge thing. It was cool. You're cool.

Megan: -...painfully wry- So we can't use like the Au—

-Vee stuffs an entire paw in Megan's mouth, and Megan sort of keeps talking around it-

Wyndon Stadium, Megan vs. Abilene

-the field is an absolute mess-

-the mangroves around where Sorbus was sprout into a towering volcano, half-cut-down and burnt from the inside out by life force-

-they still quiver, seeming hungry to reach yet further up through the center of the stadium, through the typical Galarian gloom toward the sun-

Abilene: ...cold.

Megan: -shrugs, like "you asked"-

Vee: -shrugs-

Pippy: -shrugs, identically-

Megan: ...too much?

Vee: <<Nah. Keep goin'.>>

-Abilene recalls Sorbus, satisfied at her general health-

Abilene: -dry- Charming as I remember.

-Pippy seems to be brushing himself off, restoring a sheen to his feathers-

Abilene: But you've f—

Abilene: —orgotten one thing ha!

-Sapinda's leapt to the peak of the "mount", sniping Pippy flat-footed-

Abilene: -clap clap- Wide fucking open.

-the sheen shatters-

Abilene: …

-Pippy dives for cover as Sapinda shrieks into the sky, another primal charge building in her throat-

Abilene: -cough- With all the other nonsense you use that move for, one forgets its actual life-accrual mechanism.

-four whole Substitutes-

Megan: -hand in her pocket, murmur- Hee. The Grassy Terrain didn't hurt, either.

-she watches Sapinda screaming for Pippy's head- Vee: <<calmly.>>

Megan: -twirling her wrist, tracing glowing circles in the air- …that Pokéball opened horribly quietly.

Abilene: -hairflip- When you know a good custom craftsperson, you can have the properties you like. Ranger chic?

Megan: Hee. "Know".

-the Aqua Ring wheels, catapulting Pippy into the thicket moments before Sapinda slams down-

Abilene: ...fascinating implementation.

-Sapinda roars between the trees, evidently unable to command them out of the way as Sorbus would-

Megan: You picked your Pokémon least connected to the earth. :o

Abilene: -eyebrow-raise- And you expect me to believe whoever I pick next will be met by the jaws of your trap?

Megan: ...pretty much, yeah! ^_^

Nope.

Abilene: -prim- Well you are hardly the only one who can leverage an influx of Life.

You always commit, huh? No matter how bad an idea it is.

 {Undisclosed Location}, Past 

Sapinda: -sneer, perching on the thicket- <I will enjoy this.>

-the mess of Sorbus's energy still echoing through the bark answers as she calls, seeping through the phloem to soak into her-

-...the circles Megan's drawing have tightened and quickened, a buzzsaw sound reverberating from deep within the grove-

Abilene: Hm!

-Megan flicks her fingers-

-and a circular Cut shreds free of the wood, shrapnel chippings exploding Sapinda away from the Harvest-

-she lands; it regrows instantly-

Abilene: -singsong- There you are.

-Sapinda fires through the freshly-cut hole—her Dragon Pulse explodes against empty earth, deep within-

-but she doesn't stop-

-she fires again and again, her blasts meeting the trees and rebounding off the bark, her Dragon Pulses pinballing through the bark-

Abilene: Cut this in half, you flim-flamming forsteri.

-he does-

Megan: -whispers, under her breath, to Vee-

-not the dragonfire, no—that's a very good way to be exploded, objectively-

-but the whole section of wood Sapinda's perching on dissolves into splinters—-

-and the trees within, cut and shaped precisely into parabolic arcs, rebound the whole storm of dragonfire through the opening-

-she's blasted flailing into the sky-

Pippy: -grin, beaky- <Gotcha.>

Megan: -watching, eyes narrowing- ...no…

-she, wreathed in Fairy energy, grins as her own breath rolls harmlessly over her hide-

-and locks eyes with Pippy, now exposed in the clearing-

Pippy: <...oh.> :>

Sapinda: <Hee.>

-she folds her wings to her sides, diving through the gap in an eyeblink-

-the thicket becomes a cauldron of Dragon energy-

Edited by Asterisk395 on Nov 5th 2021 at 9:32:24 AM

Parfum Crater, August 31st

Ann: ...Of course.

-Cue Thousand-Fold Arms as she tries tugging on the wall-

Wyndon, November 1st

-Shrugs-

Basically she'll know who's stolen from her, we just have to make sure it's not tracked to us. Especially when she's got other masks that were acquired through less than moral means. I plan on taking those as well, might even work better since Morata will likely think we're regular thieves.

So... codenames?

Chiyo: -Chuckles slightly- Ooh, I might go with Shamhat then.

Stormchaser, past

Chiyo: -Strolls in as Justice might notice the path going longer and longer as they move forward-

Campus Palace

We need to hurry up.

Pink, see what those demons are called and their types and abilities, then we strike with overwhelming force, they won't see it coming.

Azumi-no-isora: -Manifesting- <Yes, violence!>

Pink: -Has Galen enter sensor mode-

Chateau d'Avarice

-Runaway observes every detail she's presented with.-

Runaway: ...hmm.

-In particular, the Lack Of Reason Why-

Runaway: ...You know what I think, Molybdenum? Ramona, Molly, neighbor?

-She turns to face Molybdenum as the Server takes the [Kindles] to process.-

Runaway: I think you should want things more.

-She grins — not just a smile, a grin. It's uncharacteristic, and somewhat jarring.-

Runaway: Chateau d'Avarice, Rose's Palace, was a living, thinking monument to her greed. Born to money, but she never wanted that. She wanted power, recognition, thrills. And, you know, outside of the School? Every little kid is told they can be whatever they want to be.

-you can tell, finally, that Runaway and Paula are cut from the same cloth. You can tell by their grins.-

Runaway: You're awfully fascinating, Molybdenum. You do have things you very, very clearly want, if our counterparts making a mess of the dining room are any indication. Your wants are tucked away, but they are there. It takes someone who deeply, passionately wants, to be a survivor in a system like yours. I think you should humor those wants a bit more. Just for fun. Just for me?

Edited by BittersweetNSour on Nov 6th 2021 at 10:04:49 AM

The Slumbering Weald

(Kim nods.)

Kim: "Alright, then. Let's all go inside."

Cuddles: <Ooh~! I can't wait for the candy~>

(And with that said, Kim, Braker, and their mons enter the spooky house.)

The Spooky House

(When they enter, the first thing they notice is that the room is completely dark. Nothing can be seen- save for a television in front of them.)

Kim: "Oh dear."

Sinatra: <Sweet Arceus, is there anybody here?!>

Joel: <Sure doesn't look like it.>

Kaylan: <Oh... oh dear... s-something about this d-doesn't feel right...>

Dave: <OI! WHOEVER YA ARE, SHOW YERSELF, WHY DON'TCHA?!>

Braker: "I must inquire as to why there is a television in this room, however. Regardless, this just increased the spookiness factor by a thousand."

Walter: (completely monotone) <Indeed it did.>

Cuddles: <Ooh~! They have TV~! Do they have a remote control here, too?>

(And then all of a sudden, Gilmour begins to shake. Hearing him, Kim, Braker, and their Pokemon all turn to face him.)

Kim: "Gilmour...?"

Dave: <Bloody 'ell, wot's goin' on?!>

Gilmour: (his eyes turning pink) <It's happening... it's happening...!>

Cuddles: <Gilmour!> (he jumps down from Braker's shoulder in concern) <Are you alright?! A-are you sick?>

Braker: "...I don't think I've ever seen this before."

Kim: (gravely) "I have. And I know exactly what's going on."

Alola, past

Hala surveys the scene of the battle, which is largely destroyed from the final attack.

Hala: Well, you certainly showed strength. And from the way you described it, I think you showed that you can work with your pokemon as well. The question is, what next?

Hoops: Well, there's the rest of the Island Challenge right? I want to come and do the rest of it, but I feel like there's something I need to do first.

Hala: Yes, I looked you up. Your Galar League finals, yes? I'll be watching. Then when that's done, come and battle me as the kahuna of this island.

Hoops: I will.

Hala: And take this. It may help.

He hands over a Z-Ring. It has a crystal in it already, the reward for defeating the totem Gumshoos.

Hoops: Thank you. I promise, I'll be back.

Across Galar, present day

Several Rookidee carry tightly bound rolls of paper through the air. They fly together for a time, then one splits off to go to another location.

Across the region, wherever Ian, Evelyn, and Kim happen to be at that time, they are greeted by one of these Rookidee that brings them the paper. Upon unfurling it, it reads:

Galar League Challenger 352 has requested that they battle you as part of their Galar league challenge. If you accept, please tick yes on this paper and give it back to the delivering Rookidee. The matches will begin on 7th November, so please arrive then.

[Venice], King's Ransom - July 7

-Roselinde's mouth creases into a frown as she murmurs a reply to Bishop.-

Roselinde: I concur with the captain. We ought to maintain our cover and start making for the exits as discreetly as possible. Gale is smart, I'm sure she knows what she's doing.

-She starts striding confidently towards the exit.-

Hammerlocke, The Slice is Right - October 27

-Lissa chuckles at Apple-A-Day.-

Lissa: Heh. You're welcome. You deserve to hear good things about yourself, every once in a while.

-She coughs a little awkwardly.-

Lissa: ...Sooo, you doing anything after this, or...?

Hammerlocke, Banquet Hall - Halloween Party

-Lucius blinks at Zeal.-

Lucius: Really? You two seemed pretty tight. Then again, I guess you're better at making friends than I am. I don't exactly have a winning personality.

-He gives a rather strange chuckle.-

Lucius: Anyway, we should probably make up for not talking much all those years ago, huh? What've you been up to since... whatever was going on with you?

-Caught between Coil, Iris and Roxy on one side and Spamton(?) on the other, Queen(?) looks a little nonplussed (insofar as it's possible to do so behind helmet and visor) with her visor flashing a :/ emoji.-

Queen(?): I Mean I Know All Sorts Of Things But I Don't Know If Here Is The Place To Be-

Spamton(?): OOOOH YESS! WE WORK WITH [Shad0ws], WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT! WE HELP THOSE WHO ARE [OutOfWork] AFTER THEIR PREVIOUS [Business] WENT BUST BECOME [BIG SHOTS!] AGAIN!

Hammerlocke, Streets - October 31

-Thankfully, the Styler shields are still absorbing the bulk of the Shadow Cannon fire aimed her way, and her Agility-boosted speed is enough to keep her out of the radius of the main blast - but she's still acutely aware of what will happen if it even glances her. She looks up at Logan and nods.-

Lissa: Running and fighting sounds good to me! I'm sure as hell not about to go toe-to-toe with this thing, but I'm not about to let it get away and start hunting down my friends either!

-She glances over at Apple-A-Day.-

Lissa: Exactly! I'm gonna try and lead it away! Make sure it can't hurt anybody else!

-Meanwhile, Cait is peeled off of XD:APEX and hurled into the path of Adal's Flamethrower.-

Cait: <Ack!>

-Survival instinct kicks in, and she fires off icy shards to propel herself towards the ground so quickly her image blurs, just barely avoiding the flames with the aid of Agility.-

-She lands next to Lissa and immediately darts back into motion.-

Lissa: Cait! Keep running, make sure it can't get a lock on you!

Cait: <Don't need to tell me twice!>

-The two of them take off running, swerving and weaving and trying to lure XD:APEX to the city outskirts.-

Edited by Herbert40k on Nov 9th 2021 at 9:44:37 AM

Hammerlocke Banquet Hall – Halloween Party

Zeal: Think it's more a testament to them than to me, to be honest.

-He grins.-

...What have I been up to? The answer would definitely vary depending on where you set the starting point. And is probably beyond the scope of a party conversation.

-He tilts his head.-

At the very least, life's been more mundane lately than it's been for years. Though something tells me that's not gonna last too much longer.

 Chateau d'Avarice 

-almost uniquely among all the memory being processed, the [Kindles] click cleanly into place-

-as if there were a space prepared for it-

Molybdenum: ...

-it'll all be worth it-

Molybdenum: ...

-you promise?-

Molybdenum: ..."outside the School" is one hell of a caveat.

Molybdenum: And what I wanted is stupid.

-she stands-

Molybdenum: I have my reasons for being where I am.

Molybdenum: As I am, I'm important. You know what it took to be that?

-Molybdenum, do you know—-

I'm undamming the stream of progress. Obtaining results, being precise.

Molybdenum: -her hand going to her throat- I can look after these kids.

-she turns and looks Runaway in the eyes-

Molybdenum: Every time I actually talk with any of you, it comes back to this.

-she gets up and shoves Runaway against the wall-

Molybdenum: And right now you're pissing me off.

-for me?-

Stormchaser

Justice: -to Xaster- "Is it me or is thus hallway REALLY long?"

Hammer-Locke Horror Halloween

-There is a pause-

Coil: ...Shadows?

Iris: ...Cipher!

-They both get into combat positions, one hand holding a Pokeball and the other charged with Aura (crackling in Coil's case, flowing in Iris')

Coil: Are you spying on the J-Team?

Iris: You better fess up what you're doing here right NOW!

Parfum Crater

-The Thousand Fold Arms peels away the wallpaper to reveal a crumpled lump that falls out onto the ground-

???: "Am I saved? I feel weird..."

Parfum Crater

Still with his Remote Reach extended, Kendall got to work on smoothing out the ball, unsure of who was locked up.

Circhester Stadium, VS Melony and Gordie

-Evelyn points down at the ground, like a girl giving her boyfriend a rhythm game tutorial.-

Evelyn: Now, drive it into the ground!

Me: Use Dig while the flames surround you!

-Mirai mimics Evelyn's point as she twirls, throwing Hanuman into the ground, kicking up a lot of dust. When the dust settles, a hole is found in the area where Hanuman was thrown.-

Spikemuth Gym

-Ian, Evelyn, Piku-chan and Hatty cheer for their friend.-

Evelyn and I: GO, KIM! YOU CAN DO IT!

Piku-chan and Hatty: <TAKE 'EM DOWN, GROHL!>

Lee House

Me: -to Cuddles- Don't worry, Cuddles. He can do that.

Piku-chan: <Now, what about the portal?>

Me: Oh, right. Mr. Harri, how much do you think that portal over there is worth?

Forest of Focus

-A bigger thunderbolt strikes the second corner point and Hikari reappears.-

Hikari: <It's a pleasure to meet you, Mog. I'm Hikari.>

-Aurelia then turns around to find Mog's Pokémon coming out from the bush.-

Aurelia: -to Mog- Can I assume that these are your Pokémon?

Circhester Castle

Krypton: It's a pleasure to meet you, Charles. I am Schoolkid Designation 36: Krypton of the Freshman Class.

-Awkward Beat-

Krypton: I'm sorry... Am I being too formal?

Parfum Crater

-Ian and Evelyn look around when they hear the voice.-

Me: You heard that too, right Ev?

Evelyn: I did.

Me: Someone else is trapped between dimensions...

Evelyn: Or at the very least, stuck in a wall.

-Then Evelyn and Ian see Kendall summoning a shadow hand, and the two of them go starry-eyed.-

Me: So cool!

Evelyn: I completely forgot Kendall could do that!

-And then the crumpled lump falls to the ground.-

Me: You were right, Evelyn.

Evelyn: Given the influence King Olly has exerted on the world thus far, it wouldn't be surprising.

Across Galar, Present Day

-Ian and Evelyn notice the note handed to them by the Rookidee.-

Evelyn: Thank you, little one.

Me: A note from the Rookidee? What does it say?

Evelyn: It's a writ of Challenge... from Challenger Number 352.

Me: That's Hoops!

Piku-chan: <That's great! They're alive!>

Evelyn: The ritual was a success!

Me: The note requests us to battle them as part of their League Challenge.

Evelyn: Kim? What do you think?

Chateau d'Avarice

-As Molybdenum shoves Runaway against the wall, there is absolutely no resistance or pushback. Just a smile.-

Runaway (but is it really just her?): ...I really think you're so much like us. Yes, I know what it took for you to get where you are, because we were, too. Paula Jaide, obnoxious teenage Cipher admin, a brash and annoying child. And yet, to everyone's dismay, she had to be given a title, because who else can say they shut off an entire volcano singlehandedly?

-They can't see it from the library, but the sky outside is cloudy from ash.-

-Runaway puts her hands on Molybdenum's arms, staring directly at her. Her eyes are intense, the burning gold of any shadow self, but her smile is far less smug than a moment ago — almost sympathetic.-

Runaway(?): I'm not saying you need to change what you're doing. Just that it would be so fulfilling to figure out why you're doing it. What do you want from being important, from being such a top-marks student that they can't help but put you on a pedestal? From looking after those kids.

-She tilts her head-

Runaway(?): Or have you put thought into it already? Filed it away in the deepest parts of your mind — or, pulled it out, locked away in a secret place so that nobody could ever find it, no matter how deeply they looked? Letting something new, something complacent, grow in its place.

-She gestures to herself.-

Edited by BittersweetNSour on Nov 6th 2021 at 2:21:08 PM

Turffield Pitch

(Ingrid and Ananpi step out onto the pitch— and as soon as they do, they are greeted with massive cheers and applause. Ingrid flinches back a bit, but continues walking forward, though slightly unnerved by the crowd. She looks ahead— and sees Milo walking towards her as well. Eventually, the two come to a stop in the middle of the field. The Drifloon, meanwhile, hides away behind the stands, looking over at Ingrid with concern.)

Ingrid: (beat) "Um... hello."

Milo: "Hmmm?" (and then he sees Ingrid) "Oh! You're the Trainer with the Ambipom, aren't you?"

Ingrid: "Y-yes... my name is Ingrid Anderson."

Milo: (grinning) "Proper job there, Ingrid! My name's Milo. J-just in case you didn't know that already..." (He chuckles to himself, then notices Ananpi.) "Oh? Who's the Galvantula on your shoulder there?"

Ingrid: "Oh, that's Ananpi."

Ananpi: <Hello!>

Milo: "Oh! Well, aren't you a cutie! Hello there, Ananpi! Alright, then. Now that we're done with the introductions..." (He takes out a PokeBall.) "Let's get this battle started, shall we?"

Ingrid: "R-right."

(Ananpi jumps down from Ingrid's shoulder and heads off to the side for commentary.)

Ananpi: (taking out a microphone from hammerspace) <Is this thing on? It is? Great! Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the official battle between Ingrid Anderson from Snowpoint City and Milo from... probably Turffield! I don't actually know where he's from, all I know is that he's the Turffield Gym Leader.>

Ingrid: "Um... Ananpi? What are you doing?"

Ananpi: <Huh? Oh, I'm doing commentary, chuu~!>

Ingrid: "...okay...?"

Ananpi: <Anyways! Where were we...? Oh, right! Each Trainer will use 5 different Pokemon, and the battle is over when all Pokemon are unable to continue!> (and then he pulls out a bucket of paint) <At which point I will paint their face to look like a Pikachu's, chuu~!>

(Ingrid and Milo glance at each other.)

Ananpi: <Or maybe something else. You never know what will happen, chuu~! Anyways, now that the rules are over with...

<BATTLE BEGIN...! ^note  Hey, wait a minute, why am I suddenly up here in this gray bar? That's not right! I gotta get back down to the field, chuu~!>

(Ingrid and Milo glance over at Ananpi again, before the latter turns to face the former.)

Milo: "Is he always this loopy?"

Ingrid: "Yes... but I love him for it."

Ananpi: <Hey! I'm not made of loops! I'm made of floof and electricity and the powers of this RP, chuu~!>

(beat)

Milo: "...okay? Anyways. Battle begin! Let's do this!" (He takes out a PokeBall and throws it.) "Go, Shiftry!"

(The ball opens, and a Shifty appears in front of Ingrid.)

Shiftry: <HAHAHAHAHAAAA-! Let's go!>

(Ingrid scans the situation for a few moments, and then takes out a PokeBall of her own.)

Ananpi: <Well, folks, we are starting this one off with a doozy! Milo's sent out a Shiftry! Which Pokemon will Ingrid send out? Find out next time on... RIGHT NOW!>

Ingrid: (nods) "This one's up first! Go, Benny!"

(The ball opens up, and in a flash, Benny emerges. Soon afterwards, he turns to face Ingrid and salutes her.)

Benny: <So. This is Turffield. I must say, I was not expecting to be here... but I am very much pleased that we have made it.>

Ananpi: <And Ingrid sends out Benny, her crazy-militaristic Breloom! I think that'll be a good matchup... Benny's Fighting-type, after all... Wait. Is Dark good against Fighting, or is it the other way around? And if it is the other way around, where does that way lead to, chuu?>

(Benny hears Ananpi and turns to face him with a blank look.)

Benny: <...Are you seriously doing commentary.>

Ananpi: <I sure am, chuu~! Hello, Benny!>

Benny: <...this is going to be crazy.>

Ananpi: <You said it!>

Benny: (sighs, then turns back to the battlefield and sees the Shiftry) <Ah. A Shiftry. Well. That negates my Leech Seed strategy, then. A shame, honestly. The good news, however...> (He glares at the Shiftry.) <...is that I have a backup plan.>

Shiftry: <Hehehehehehe... Let's see how well that "backup plan" actually goes, shall we?>

Benny: <Indeed.>

Spikemuth Gym Battle

(And "bring it on" is exactly what Grohl does, as he runs forwards, striking the Grimmsnarl with a punch fueled by love.)

(The move knocks Grimmsnarl backwards a bit, but he remains on his feet. He attempts to move, but ends up unable to due to paralysis.)

(Grohl's reaction?)

(He turns back to face Kim, while the Grimmsnarl growls in anger. Kim smirks.)

(Grohl readies himself to make another attack.)

(Kim turns to face Grohl and nods at him.)

(And Grohl immediately runs forwards, ready to attack, before his body is ultimately blocked off by Marnie's Grimmsnarl, who grabs his arm.)

(Grohl is caught off-guard by this for a moment, but quickly hits a realization, and starts crackling with electricity that ultimately hits Marnie's Grimmsnarl. Elton, Jagger, and Freddie, meanwhile, quickly run off the field as far as possible.)

(This knocks back Grimmsnarl again, and he stands up, the grimace on his face becoming more apparent as Grohl continues to taunt him:)

(And with that, Grimmsnarl bows his head and lets loose his tendril-like hairs, in an attempt to grab on to one of Grohl's own hairs.)

(Immediately noticing the False Surrender attack, Grohl proceeds to quickly jump over the hairs, before loading his arm back for another Return— that Grimmsnarl promptly blocks with a hand. This happens a few more times as the two engage in hair-to-hand combat.)

(And then eventually, Grimmsnarl catches Grohl by the arm once again, smirking down at him as his body begins to turn pink.)

(And then he slams into Grohl with all of his force, throwing the Mega Ampharos out of his arms and backwards into the wall.)

(A cloud of dust goes up.)

Kim: "Grohl!"

Spikemuth Stands

Cuddles: (in shock) <Oh no...!>

Walter: <Oh dear.>

Braker: "That had to have hurt. If Grohl survives this, it'll be some kind of miracle."

Cuddles: <Come on, Grohl! You can do it!>

Circhester Gym Stands

Elton: <Ooh! Wonder what they're planning.>

Kim: "...I think I know."

The Wild Area, Probably Post-Hammerlocke, November 6th

(Kim notices the letter and turns to face them.)

Kim: "Oh?"

(She leans in to read the letter.)

Kim: "A battle... On the seventh of November? Against Hoops?"

(She takes out her pen and checks "yes".)

Kim: "Certainly."

(And then she overhears Ian and Evelyn.)

Kim: "Wait... what do you mean 'they're alive'? Of course they're alive."

The Wild Area, November 5th

(Ingrid is sitting down on a bench and looking up at the sky. Soon afterwards, Benny emerges from his PokeBall and salutes her.)

Benny: <General! I have a report!>

(Ingrid turns to face him.)

Ingrid: "Benny? What are you doing here?"

Benny: <I would like to inform you that the latest- and indeed, final- ABBA album is out today. The rest of your Pokemon, myself included, would like to have a, quote, "listen party".>

(Ingrid's eyes go wide.)

Ingrid: "Oh, that's right! Voyage comes out today! Of course I'll join in on the listening party!" (beat, then) "But... where should we have it?"

(And seconds later, Ananpi emerges from his PokeBall.)

Ananpi: <I heard there's a giant airship in Wedgehurst, chuu~!>

(Ingrid is taken a bit aback, but eventually manages to speak.)

Ingrid: "...W-what—?! Where did you hear that?!"

Ananpi: <...from somewhere else. I can't remember where. But anyways! There's a sapient ship called the Stormchaser in Wedgehurst! It'll give you a room!>

Ingrid: "A-are you sure?"

(Ananpi nods. Ingrid turns to face Benny.)

Benny: <...I'll believe it when I actually see it.>

SOMETIME LATER...

Wedgehurst

(Ingrid, Ananpi, and Benny run into Wedgehurst— and sure enough, standing there is the Stormchaser.)

Ingrid: "Whoa..."

Benny: <Well. It seems that Ananpi was right.>

Ananpi: <Yep~! There it is, chuu~! Let's go inside~>

(They walk up to the Stormchaser.)

Edited by OPALGARNET16 on Nov 6th 2021 at 11:22:07 AM

Wedgehurst, past

Xaster: I mean, I've definitely seen shorter corridors, but this isn't especially long. I've seen hotels have longer corridors, for example.

Unlike Justice, he walks into the Stormchaser at a reasonable pace, potentially justifying the different effect of corridor dilation.

Across Galar, yesterday

Soon after yes is selected and the Rookidee leaves, a flying taxi descends from the sky and lands next to them

Cabbie: leaning out Eh, you three Ian, Evelyn and Kim? I'm supposed to give you a ride to Wyndon stadium.

Edited by theoncominghoop on Nov 7th 2021 at 3:27:32 PM

 Chateau d'Avarice 

-Molybdenum sees the ashen sky-

-Molybdenum has eyes everywhere.-

Molybdenum: ...impressive.

-unmerciful Mesprit, it sounds like she means it-

Molybdenum: Oh, if I met you then—we could've taken over the world.

-but she looks in Runaway's familiar eyes—the cosmological collection of raw mental energy behind them—and feels pause-

-and lights of the lakes, how long has it been since anyone's mistaken her for wanting something-

Molybdenum: I know why.

-chained-

-sealed-

-locked-

-tight-

Molybdenum: ...

-but maybe just—maybe, just-

Molybdenum: I am...less pathetic than she was.

-it's no louder, mentally, than anything she's thought in this place-

Molybdenum: She was weak. Unoptimized. Hyperspecialized. Fragile.

-tone is level, words paced, expression neutral-

Molybdenum: She couldn't stand up to the forces that sought to end her.

-why does it still sound like screaming?-

Molybdenum: I want to live, same as anyone else.

-she's a tool, well-cared-for-

-honed—distinguished—applied-

-hell, she's being put to use in just the other room—that's utility. that's value, that's worth—-

Molybdenum: -glare- Is it bad that I'm good at it?

-Right?-

Halloween, House

Hiro: -headtilt- What is it?

Curry: -cursing-

<Do we need an exorcism?>

Edited by Asterisk395 on Nov 7th 2021 at 12:28:41 PM

Stormchaser

Justice: Well it SEEMS long to me. You think any of these doors has a place to stay? Or more J-Teamers to meet?

Forest Of Focus

Mog: <...My Pokemon. Yes.>

Riolu: <Someone finally botered to find her... Mabye you can put reason in her thick head.>

Mog: <I'm fine.>

Odin: <You're not fine! We need you to come back! My... son needs it. For. Reasons.>

Parfum Crater

-The lump unfolds into... Sylvestre?-

Sylvestre: "That's more like it!"

-Gets up and dusts himself off-

"...Well you saved me. I suppose I owe you thinks."

Olivia: <We're so glad you're OK, whoever... you... are.>

Sylvestre: "Hey! It's the esteemed Sylvestre Macraul to you!"

Olivia: <I'm Olivia! I owe the J-Team big time for their help. Byu the why, as someone who's been there, how DID you end up trapped between dimensions?>

Sylvestre: "Some thick, edgy, paper-y Yamask put me there!

Olivia: <Oh how terrible! At least you didn't get turned into a Folded Soldier...>

Sylvestre: "Right, now where did I drop the newest addition to my collection..."

Edited by Umbramatic on Nov 7th 2021 at 12:16:55 PM

Hammerlocke, the Slice Is Right

Apple-A-Day: Oh! Yeah, I'm supposed to go train with Percy? She's been trying to get me to learn hand-to-hand. I keep pointing out I have Pokemon but she says you can't rely on them. Which is...pretty ridiculous, obviously.

Near Morata Mansion

Hmph.

Avery: Yeah, sounds good.

Wyndon Stadium, stands

PEFE!Every: ...What the fuck.

Ever: It's the kind of thing people do sometimes.

-they lean forward a bit-

Abilene is working on claiming control of the field. It's a good strategy against Megan, I think, since Megan relies on having that control herself. At the same time, if you're trying to beat somebody at their own game, it's like...you have to actually be better at it than they are, you know? And Megan's very good at building up incremental advantage.

The use of healing to augment Substitutes is impressive for sure. Now, Abilene is using Pokeball-based tactics—

PEFE!Every: What?

Ever: You saw her trick with Sapinda, there.

PEFE!Every: No, she just sort of appeared out of nowhere.

Ever: Yeah, good trainers can make it look like that. It's an interesting skill, and there's always like, every time someone gets really popular doing it there's the same discussion of if it's cheating, since it's sort of relying on technology beyond the bounds of the battle? But it's like, I dunno, it seems like a fair ball to me.

I'm glad Abilene's gotten better on defense, but...mm. No, this is about to be over, actually. Sapinda just gave up her biggest advantage, the speed and maneuverability, for what she thought would be a sure finish. She's wrong.

Circhester Stadium, VS Melony and Gordie

Melony and Gordie: NOW!

-Gordie's Tyranitar charges headlong at Mirai, gnashing his teeth to sharpen them for a powerful bite. Melony's Darmanitan fires a blast of its subzero aura into the air, which bursts and starts to rain sharp icicles down on the battlefield, aimed at Mirai.-

Evelyn: Use Magical Leaf as attack and shield!

-Mirai nods and then twirls around like a ballerina and surrounds herself in a flurry of sharp, magical rainbow-colored leaves that she strikes Gordie's Tyranitar with, pushing the Armor Pokémon back, as well as fires at the icicle storm, slicing through it almost effortlessly. She then throws the leaves at Tyranitar and Darmanitan, throwing them backwards.-

-Hanuman bursts from the ground and strikes both Gordie's Tyranitar and Melony's Darmanitan, throwing them into the air.-

Evelyn: Mirai, use Psychic on Darmanitan!

-Hanuman grabs Gordie's Tyranitar by the tail and spins him around like an [Italian] plumber spinning around a fire-breathing turtle dragon. He then throws Gordie's Tyranitar at the far wall of the stadium. Mirai releases the flurry of magical leaves. Her eyes then glow a shimmering pink as she envelops the Zen Charm Pokémon in a field of psychic energy and then throws them at the same wall. The two Pokémon hit the wall and kick up a massive cloud of dust and smoke. When the dust settles, both Gordie's Tyranitar and Melony's Darmanitan are unconscious with spiral eyes.-

Referee: DARMANITAN AND TYRANITAR ARE UNABLE TO BATTLE!

-Gordie and Melony call their Pokémon back to their Poké Balls.-

Spikemuth Gym

Piku-chan: <GROHL!>

Me: I completely forgot! Fairy types are strong against Dragon types!

Evelyn: Hang in there, Grohl!

Across Galar (Yesterday)

Me: Yes. That is us.

Evelyn: -to Kim- It's a Long Story.

Forest of Focus

Aurelia: May I ask what's going on here?

Parfum Crater

Evelyn: It's a pleasure to meet you, Sylvestre. My name is Evelyn, this is my friend, Hatty...

Hatty: <A pleasure.>

Evelyn: ...and this is my boyfriend, Ian.

Me: H-Hi... Say, you wouldn't happen to be related to Sylvestra Macraul, would you?

Piku-chan: -chuckles while thinking to himself- <Oh boy, here it comes...>

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Nov 7th 2021 at 1:51:28 PM

(CW: discussion of suicidal ideation)

Chateau d'Avarice

Runaway(?): And there you have it. You want to live. That's something they tell you you're not supposed to do, in the end.

-She lets go of Molybdenum's arms.-

Runaway(?): Lots of people wanted me dead once. Plenty of people still do. Myself included, from time to time. But, as it turns out? I'm pretty damn great at sticking around past my welcome. Finding my way back home, even when somebody else has tried to move in.

-smirk-

Runaway(?): Maybe it is bad, that you're good at it. Maybe it's bad that I am, too. But I'm still here.

-Her smile slips into something more neutral.-

Runaway: ...I don't think I ever wanted to take over the world. Perhaps I could have. But really, I just wanted to prove I could. Because nobody thought I could do it. Well... one person, I guess.

Cassander's Castle, schoolkid quarters

Oganesson: Oh, don't worry about being too formal or informal around my team and I. No harm in a touch of sophistication now and then. But it does pay off to cut loose every so often. You're going to fit in here just fine, my friend.

Charles: So, I was watching some of our new friend's training videos just now and I played the most recent one involving his fight with Igor.

Oganesson: How did he fare?

Charles: Oh, Arceus Igor ate shit.

Oganesson: Fascinating. Krypton, remind me to take notes down later. We've much to teach each other.

Cassander's Castle, Bad Pory Jail

A rotom pops out of a computer terminal, which later transforms into a magenta goop that manifests into what appears to be a ditto-eyed human college freshman. A few blinks and Igor once again has human-looking eyes. Angry ones.

He is not happy at the rude message contained in the thumb drive he thought had trapped Charles.

Near Morata's Mansion, Nov. 1

Daydre: (Relaying Odin's words to Aislinn) "Yeah he got all that."

She's briefly tempted to use her Phantom Thief name but like, opsec.

Aislinn: "Alright. Call me... Witch, I suppose? That works."

Daydre: "Oh, I thought about it since the last time I had to do something like this. Call me Yoko!"

Aislinn: "The... last time you did this? Do you make a habit of participating in heists?"

Daydre: "No."

Aislinn: "...I'm not going to pry further. As soon as everyone's got codenames we can go."

Morata's Mansion, Nov. 1

The woods behind Morata's house are surprisingly good cover. There were a few cameras to evade on the way here but nothing really unexpected.

Morata's back deck stands before them, same as it did for Daydre and Tagg. There's two main doors, both with electronic locks on the handles. They're unguarded besides that. One is glass and leads to what looks like a dining room, the other is opaque, dark grey metal. Deck furniture is scattered about, but it looks like it doesn't get used much.

Campus Palace

"... I'm going to focus on getting 'Bug' back, then. I'm gonna trust you guys to cover me, okay?"

And with that she has Huli-Jing rush forward with a punch. It, surprisingly, won't have as much force behind it as it seems- but that's not the point of the attack, anyway. While the Mermekes are (hopefully) distracted, Huli-Jing tries to slip the disc out of their hands. .. Legs? Pre-tarsi? Whatever.

???

Daydre shouts and jumps out of the way.

???

-The Jangmo-O ducks underneath the knight's legs-

-More knights start coming-

Forest Of Focus

Mog: <This world's civilization is too hard. I wanted to go back to nature.>

Farfetch'd: <She's been like this for like a year!>

Morata's Mansion

Odin: <Do you think I could... Slip in some gaps?>