Mitchell nods in response to Talbain's and Silas' comments. "Thanks," he says.

Christine is slightly spooked by the sudden appearance of the cloud following Talbain and the Murkrow circling overhead. Still, she keeps her cool better than her Trainer is.

At Silas's gesture, and struggling not to overreact to Hoops' plight, Mitchell slips his hand into the duffel bag and grasps something. He pulls the something out and lays eyes on it.

It looked and felt like a simple cloth headband, somewhat like what one could find at a sports gym. It didn't seem like something obviously filled with power. Then again, considering he had just seen Hoops and Silas transform with similar mundane-looking items, Mitchell was fairly certain that this headband would do the same to him.

"Here goes nothing," Mitchell says, as he slips the headband across the top of his head. Almost immediately, he loses his balance and falls forward, on account of his rapidly shrinking to about a sixth of his normal height. Fortunately, he manages to throw his arms in front of him before his face can hit the ground, letting him land safely on his paws.

<Phew!>, Mitchell says. <That was close! I should have asked about->

It's at this moment that Mitchell notices several differences about him: the paw in front of his face; the fur he senses across his entire body; the tail he senses protruding behind him; his voice sounding altered, as if it were meowing; and the sudden urge to take a nap in the sunlight. Even with the little knowledge that he has, he knows now exactly what he has become.

Looking up at the others present, the Meowth (Kantonian) formerly known as Mitchell Rhodes says <This feels like irony at work.>

Sinnoh, Hospital

Ever: ...Huh. I did not know they made ghost chow. I just figured everyone did it the way I do.

Lace: <Horribly spiritually deficient?>

Ever: Yeah, well, you haven't met the other me.

Gosh, Hiro. Say things like that and I'll start worrying you like having me around or something.

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

Floraroma Meadow, ???

Woman: "What? Aw,but this is fun! And I go-"

Mog: "I know you want to test your mettle, I do too, but there's too many of them!"

Budew: <I-I'd agree!>

School Unsafehouse

Justice: Uh. Hi. We're....The cleaning service?"

Theives Hideout

Flamel: <Oogh... We can't go away empty handed. There's got to be some place or person we haven't checked...>

Autumn Mountain

Hisuian Voltorb Bobby: <I can roll as fat as I want!>

-to Gale- <...You OK there?>

-The gang comes across a dried up lakebed with Magikarp flopping around in it-

Olivia: <Hi little fishies! So Magikarp in the mountains live on the ground, interesting...>

Bobby: <...I may have lost my memories but I remember this much: Don't most fish Pokemon kinda NEED water?>

Stormchaser

-Jade is walking through the Stormchaser when she bumps into someone.-

-It's Risky!-

Risky: "...Oh it's you."

Jade: "Oh hey Risky, long time no see!"

Risky: "I. Fell down kind of a Bunnelby hole. Relatedly. I need your help."

Jade: "...What do you mean?"

Risky: "Follow me."

-She plods off-

-Jade hesitates, but follows-

Contact Me!

school not-particularly-safehouse

The templar looks like he's holding back a laugh. The Dratini cowers behind Justice.

Templar 2: Really? You expect me to buy that? Magnesium may have let you guys go, but I'm not so lenient. With no scientists around tonight, I run this place. I am παιάν Ἀσκληπιός, or, in your language, Asclepius the Healer!

Asclepius brings a poke ball out of his pocket.

Asclepius: Of course, I won't be doing much healing tonight. You know, I'm actually pretty glad you guys came tonight.

He sends out a Hatterene.

Asclepius: ...Because I really need someone to beat the crap out of after everything I've had to deal with today! Panacea! Dazzling gleam!

The Hatterene unleashes an explosive burst of bright light.

You are challenged by Asclepius the pretentious bastard Healer!

I used to plug my deviantart here but turns out the link was too long.

Sinnoh, Hospital

Hiro: I do.

-he pulls the Cubone into his lap and starts tending to her-

Hiro: You're quick-witted, conscientious, keep a level head in a fight and in conversation. Tenacious, thoughtful, even your lies often diminish falsehood. Your deflections can be very funny.

-a cursory examination devolves into sort of idly playing with her joints—ensuring good health, but also like he's not quite sure what to do with her-

Hiro: Despite your terrible self-care, I've always seen your team well provided-for. Base needs met, then honed, then stimulated. I'm disappointed I didn't get a League match with you in Galar. You battle like a dance.

-she bats at his hand, and he generates another tiny orb for her to play with-

Hiro: You pay the kind of attention you need to set up on an opponent's dime, then refuse to browbeat them with the force you possess. You negotiate. You empathize. When we met, you matched my 'enigmatic stranger' bit beat for beat, then handed me a sword you had no intention of ever seeing used again. To me.

-she stares at it, enraptured, like a flawed little gem-

Hiro: You are a shameless manipulator, a vile temptress, and an utter clown. My friends are enamored with you, and frankly so are several of my enemies. They have described you, often, with similes for 'goober'. I see what they see.

-he flicks his cape-

Hiro: Someone kind.

-he rests his chin on his hands on the Cubone's skull, still unblinking-

Hiro: You have gone to great lengths to heal the world even as it's trying to harm you. Not from a position of strength, but of solidarity. Is it any wonder I've wondered what those lengths would look like when you started defending your self? When you're rested, and fed, and hurting less?

-his voice has at no point become louder or more insistent than it ever is-

Hiro: Fellow Unovan—Trainer—friend. Of course I like having you around.

No mind to think. No will to break.

Kaisei: "There are some weird exceptions to that I don't think I can properly summarize but, broadly, yes, fish Pokemon need water. Magikarp may be hardy but we should fix this... Is there a drought or a dam upstream or something? That's what I'd lean looking for."

"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every

Sinnoh, Hospital

-Ever's eyes widen, and they get steadily redder and redder-

Ever: Well I mean okay I guess geez.

What am I even supposed to say to that?!

Lace: <Thank you?>

Ever: Oh. Yeah. Thanks.

Edited by memyselfandI2 on Mar 4th 2023 at 1:34:23 AM

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

Poké Park Parking

Hoops continues to struggle on the ground as they desperately try to calm themself, but nothing is working. It's like their brain is on fire while freezing at the same time.

All of a sudden, they feel something like a comforting hand that stills them. They know that there's no-one there, but for a moment they can feel many hands holding them still. Xaster, their parents, all their pokémon, the other members of the J-Team that they've defended. Kec. And then, when they open their eyes, for a moment before they look around, they see themself, their human form, looking down on themself.

Hoops takes a deep breath and finds that they can. It turns out Magikarp can breathe air, in a pinch. They just need to go about it a little different. The tail moves backwards and forwards, the fins flap, the whiskers curl. Hoops explores their own body, and discovers how it works.

I'm okay, they think.

They manage to get themself upright, and look at the others. They seem to have transformed into significantly more impressive forms. Now that the panic of being a Magikarp is over, they realise it.

<Wait, why am I a Magikarp anyway? Seems a bit unfair.> They say this out loud, both to complain and to signal to everyone that they're now okay.

poke park Sinnoh

Eva floats over to Hoops after staring at their bandaged whisker for an awkwardly long amount of time.

Eva: ~Yeah it's kind of sucky right now, but like what about when you evolve into a Gyarados? I'm not just asking because I want to see what happens to your bandage thingies, I promise!! Do they do bandage stuff while you're a Magikarp too or what?~

Edited by QuantumMelody29 on Mar 4th 2023 at 10:50:09 AM

I used to plug my deviantart here but turns out the link was too long.

Mitchell: -observing the lakebed- Good thinking, uh, Kaisei, was it? If something's damming up the water to this lakebed, we can follow the groove the water left up to where the blockage is. In the meantime, Oliver, do something to keep the Magicarp hydrated, would ya?

Oliver: <Easier said than done, Professor, but try I shall.>

Oliver proceeds to gently Water Pulse near the Magicarps.

Thieves Hideout

-Getting up-

I'll look into those names, like I said.

Floaroma Meadow, ???

Chiyo: -To the woman- Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor.

Autumn Mountain, past

Ann: -Looking at the flopping Magikarp- Yeah, we should probably try to figure out what's got the lakebed like this. Magikarp are pretty hardy but they can't last like this forever.

Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.

Poke Park

Talbain winced at the sight of Hoops' Pokemon form. <Ouch,> he apologized. <The short end of the cosmic stick to you, my friend,> he lamented to them.

Hamlet, Past

“Get lost,” Kamui spat dismissively, turning to follow the directions she had been given, returning Katsuragi and Akatsuki as she began to close the door behind her.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Mar 4th 2023 at 4:40:00 AM

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

Sinnoh, Hospital

Hiro: -shrug- You don't need to say anything. I said it because I wanted to say it.

Cubone: -thumb-pat- <Supposed to say "you're welcome".>

Hiro: Ah. Then you are welcome.

-he regards them and their rapid hue shift with that same level, open stare he had since he arrived-

But I'm just being honest.

-...-

Hiro: -still smiling- Right, still wanted for murder. We'll get out of your metaphorical hair.

Cubone: <It's the bluest thing I've ever seen.> •~•

-and Hiro draws his sword and cuts a glowing rent in the air-

Hiro: See you around, Ever.

-he steps backward into his own shadow and vanishes-

Edited by Asterisk395 on Mar 8th 2023 at 5:37:01 AM

No mind to think. No will to break.

Poké Park Parking

Hoops looks at Eva. It's hard to tell facial expressions on a Magikarp, but if one could they would see a completely fed up expression. <I don't know> Hoops says. <How about we find out.> The bandage whisker expands and the end of it smacks Eva in the face.

<Well, what do you know. Turns out it can still do things while I'm a Magikarp.>

They then turn to Talbain as he makes his comment. <Thank you> they reply. <I really wanted someone to sum that up for me.>

The Hotel Sylvestra, Outside

The Petersen-Sanchez family follow the Rhodes outside, looking wearily and worriedly at the young man dangling precariously on the glass window. For a guy who got thrown into a shiny plate glass window, though, he seems to be holding on just fine. Amazingly so.

Of course, no one's taking any chances. As if spurred by Mrs. Rhodes' plea—and despite being outside where even acute hearing isn't gonna have it easy picking it up—Arachna-Guy leapt into action and immediately created a makeshift life net out of the polymers.

Arachna-Guy, muttering to himself: Really hope I used the right switch this time.

Once he saw it, Tommy slowly made his way down, leaping into the net and bouncing gently on the polymers. To the superhero's relief, he did not stick.

Arachna-Guy: It worked.

Arachna-Cat, to Mitchell: ~He's been trying new polymers. Muscle memory being what it is he could've accidentally chosen the one that sticks. That would've taken hours to remove. Just ask the Hunter's Guild grunts we caught last last week at the Christmas raid in Sunyshore City.~

She turns to Gavroche.

Arachna-Cat: ~You did a pretty good job out there. I'd never thought I'd see a day that a rodent would impress me the way you did. I'm a big enough cat to admit that I'm wrong sometimes, and I'm pretty hard to impress.~

Arachna-Guy: Welp, love to stay and chat with you, kid, but I've got to check if that fella right there is okay.

Arachna-Cat: ~He takes our pictures. And if that's your family out there, you'll be happy to know that they did okay back there.~

With a nod and a brief salute, Arachna-Guy raced to check on Tommy and help him up. And once that was done, the two apparently exchanged brief pleasantries before Tommy ended up picking his cell phone up to take a selfie. And after all that was said and done, Arachna-Guy bid the arriving citizens—and, not long after, the Nightingale, farewell. Or about as dramatic a farewell as one can do in a city that's largely composed of mid-rises.

Tommy, having just regained his footing, walked slowly to the Nightingale and received from them the lanyard with his ID. He began to speak in a modest soft voice as he took the lanyard and wore it again.

Tommy: Thank you. I've been through worse scrapes, physically anyway. Don't think I've ever been trapped at the back of my mind while forces overpower my body and use it as a puppet while a monstrous impostor based on my id deceived my family. Yeah, I don't think "okay" is the appropriate word, but doing better? Yeah, that probably works.

He pauses, looking at the sudden disappearance of everything associated with his earlier rampage, and sighs.

Tommy: I can't thank you and others enough for helping me snap out of that.

A joltik pops out of his scalp. Apparently Drake had spent the entire

Drake: <Hey, the armor's gone. And Tommy's not crazy brainwashed anymore! Gee, thanks lady. It was getting really stuffy in there and my spiracles were feeling a little hot. Evil's not a good look on my trainer.>

Not long after, the Petersens and Sanchezes arrived. Sara immediately gave her cousin a tight hug, followed by Miley and then by Aunt April.

Sara: It's you. It's really you. How did you turn into that thing? How'd you stop?

Tommy: Well, our friend Nightingale said a few things to help me snap out of it. I'd love to talk about it more, but being that... thing took a lot outta me.

Sara: Of course it would.

Tommy: I just need to catch my breath right now. It's a lot to unpack.

Sara: Take your time, Tom-Tom. We're just glad you're finally okay. Do you need your space?

Tommy: That can wait.

Sara and April turn to Nightingale with faces full of gratitude.

April: Thank you for helping my nephew. All of you.

With that last sentence, Aunt April made sure to take a glance at Mitchell and the three others that were fighting Red Delicious.

Jeff: I don't care what Hank Harvey says about you do-gooders doing what needs to be done in broad daylight. What I saw here just now, that matters. And don't think I'm just talking about your regular comic book style heroes like Nightingale here. Mr. Rhodes, I think I speak on behalf of the rest of my family how grateful we are for helping us back there, and for your son for saving the guy who's practically my brother-in-law.

Judge Sanchez: Things certainly got interesting rather quickly. And here I was thinking that this vacation would be uneventful. Now I'm even more curious.

Jeff: Dad, let Tommy get a little space. I can't imagine how traumatic it must be.

Judge Sanchez: Indeed.

Observing them from a distance were the Macrauls.

Louis: He took a bullet for me. I should go apologize.

Gaspard: And now I feel terrible for all the nasty things I said about him in my mind. Especially since I know he probably isn't anything like the Ditto monster we encountered.

Lowell: I owe you an apology myself. I wouldn't have put you or your new friend in this sort of danger if I had only gotten to you sooner. Your Aunt Helena, she must be worried. Now, would you excuse me, I believe I have a hotel to give the clear.

Louis: Just wish there was something I could do.

Lowell: They're all getting free stays and a lunch buffet since we didn't get them to the bunkers. They do have a judge with them, but what more can we possibly give?

Gaspard: None of this is our fault, after all. The Rhodes and Petersen-Sanchez families seem like very forgiving, pleasant people.

Louis: Like how families should be. I'm starting to see why his villain form got mad at me so much. Grow up with wonderful people like that, and you'd do everything in your power to keep them in your life.

Lowell: I know you and your father will never be able to reconcile; you've made it perfectly clear that you're never opening that door again after he shut you out. But if you ever choose to forgive an old man for his mistakes, know that you'll always have a family with Helena, Syl, and I.

Louis: I'd like that very much, uncle.

Gaspard: Wait, where has Cousin Syl been all this time?

Lowell: Honestly, I've not heard from him in weeks and his mother is starting to worry.

The Stormchaser, Inside

Tommy: Well, I like your motivation, Tony, but I don't think that's gonna work out all that well. Neither of us... resemble their clientele. Most of their clients are stuffy corporate types; they don't just walk in and sell things to anyone who isn't related to a major pharmaceutical corporation they can track. And, of course, those guys have lawyers and a private army's worth of security goons. A private detective and journalist will likely end up sleeping with the Wishiwashi.

Nick: And those are just the megacorp clients. The actual pirates and, uh, the other major client we're dealing with are far better armed.

Tommy: Putting it in perspective, it takes a superhero to disrupt those guys. I mean like, stop one of their activities and set them back a little bit. That stuff we leave to people like the Aurabolts or Arachna-Guy.

Nick: Now, PEFE does have the resources to fight them legally... sometimes. That depends on our budget lady, Priscilla. She has a lot of things to worry about given our scope as an org.

Tommy: Expect it to be long and drawn out. Our job is basically to send them information. Ammo, if you will, to have PEFE sue them or send it to my office and have my boss Hank Harvey chew them out on his pundit show.

Nick: Think it's too risky to send a request for the higher ups to set up a dummy to Whiscash them?

Tommy: Definitely.

Nick: You think too small, you know that?

Tommy: First thing about being smart is knowing your limitations. You need resources to plausibly organize that level of deception. Resources and skill, Nick. I know what I'm good at, and that happens to be snooping around and finding out. And also knowing how not to tamper with evidence when you're collecting it.

Nick: I get that, but you're not thinking of sending you and the kid out dumpster diving? How did you ever get into that habit?

Tommy: Rich people throw away the coolest stuff. Half the stuff I salvaged isn't even broken. Plus, snooping around in someone's garbage is how I find a lot of incriminating evidence. That is, of course, if you're up to it, Tony.

Floraroma Meadow

Woman: "Aw, okay. Pack it up guys!"

Lena: <Curses!>

Budew: <F-Finally...>

Mog: "Let's go!"

Howard: <Adios I guess.>

-they book it-

School Dangerhouse

-Justice shields their eyes from the Dazzling Gleam and sends out a Mr. Rime-

Justice: "Charlie, Shadow Ball!"

Chjarlie: <Let's dim that light shall we?>

-Sends an orb of Obscura at the Hatterne-

Celstic

Noble Elemental: -looking at the reunited Macrauls- "Well we fixed that at least..."

Iris: "I still want to punch that Pavo creep's face in. And Victor's."

Coil: "Easy, Iris, if we're unlucky we'll get another chance soon enough..."

Autumn Mountain

Bobby: -to Kaisei and Ann-<Yeah we should look...>

-The gang looks and finds a stranded boat by a dock-

Bobby: <Look, a boat!>

Olivia: <Now I know boats need water... The amneasia must be addling your poor brain...>

Bobby: <I know a boat when I see one. This lake is definitely dried up... If only it weren't. We could use this boat to follow the streamer.>

Olivia: <But where do we start? Better keep looking...>

Stormchaser

-Risky leads Jade into a very dark room-

Jade: "Uh, I can't see what you're trying to show-"

-click-

"...Me."

-There is a vast array of monitors and conspiracyboards-

-All showing one man-

Risky: "I think... I finally found him."

Jade "...You scare me."

Risky: "Good."

Edited by Umbramatic on Mar 5th 2023 at 8:32:21 AM

Contact Me!

Stormchaser, Meeting Room

Tony paused for a couple moments, he hadn't really thought through about his plan and who exactly he was going up against. Perhaps his sense of justice were just kicking in the back of his mind, trying to tell to him to show the gene pirates his fists and take things into his own hands.

Then he shook his head. No, even though that sounded pretty cool, it would definitely be wise to start looking for more info on these guys to spill the beans on their operations. So, until then, this would be the way to go.

Tony: Yeah...sorry about that, I tend to go headfirst into things like that once people like them start to come out of the cracks of the corruption that is the criminal underworld. But yeah, me and my mons could work with on finding some incriminating things about them.

The mention of looking through their dumpster throws him off however, even Autumn appeared dumbfounded.

Autumn: <That sounds incredibly stupid, and unsanitary...>

Tony: Um...I think what Autumn is trying to say here is that this idea seems a little random. I mean, a dumpster? If you're gonna take me there to find some stuff about these guys, it has to be good enough to get at least a newspaper article about it.

Nonetheless, Tony sighed.

Tony: I'd still be up to dumpster diving with you if that's alright, I just wanna plunge these nimrods into the ground where the sun don't shine. And the sooner we get the scoop on them the better.

Fun isn't something one considers when I watch or read stuff with people with costumes and capes, but that does bring a smile to my face.

Stylus tilted his head a bit at Hoops statements. <Honestly, I see it differently, you are the symbol of patience and resolve. Everyone likes to mock magikarp, but only Magikarp becomes a Gyarados. It just takes determination.>

Ribbon nodded. <Yep, it may seems like it sucks now, but give it some time and some rare candies and you'll pretty much dwarf us all.>

Oliver shook his head. <Now, can we go into the park?>

<Oh, right.> Stylus responded, he looked everyone one last time. <For those of us whom are going through this for the first time, it's going to feel a little weird and I get that. If you have any comments about any oddities you're feeling, feel free to let us know. For me, the tail was weird.>

Ribbon looked over at Stylus, and his tail. <...How?>

<Do you know how heavy this thing is?> Stylus asked. <Bipedal movement is only working because this thing is a counterweight keeping me upright!>

The one man seemed to be a blonde haired salaryman in a decent looking light purple suit. He walked through crowds, nobody paying attention to him, he entered high security buildings with guards just completely ignoring him.

His face was relatively handsome, purple eyes and his blonde hair was neatly cut and combed, and the smile on his face said he was content with his job.

Whomever he was, he was in nearly every photo and video record.

Mitchell nods to Arachna-Cat, mentally making a note to check up on Christine regarding telepathy training. "Yeah, that does sound like a you-know-what situation," he says.

Gavroche, cradled in Mitchell's arms and woozy from exhaustion, can barely give out a coherent response to Arachna-Cat's praise. <Thanks,> he says. <Happy to do, y'know, the thing to save Boss an' all.> A part of him hopes he doesn't have to be around someone cat-like all the time.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Rhodes family are surprised by the sudden appearance of the net that catches the falling Tommy, if only for just a moment. Upon seeing Mitchell alive and well, Aveline stampedes over to him and grabs him tightly in a hug, with Christopher and Mitchell's brothers too late to stop her. "Oh my baby my birthday boy thank the Trio you're okay!", she rambles.

Mitchell is so caught in his mom's hug that he can only give a thumbs-up in response to April's thanks. Gavroche, meanwhile, escapes the hug by slipping back into his Pokeball.

Christopher modestly responds to Jeff's comments. "Aw, shucks," he says, "we should thank you all, too, for getting each other out of that fine mess. Right, boys?"

"Yep!" "Yeah", Heighton and Lowry replied, in that order.

With that, Christopher called over Aveline and Mitchell. Together, the whole family braced themselves for the question that, if this were a half-hour television show, would likely end this whole vignette on a laugh track leading into the credits.

"So," Christopher asked, "where do we check in?"

^note Thanks to OPALGARNET16 and ThanosBoi for their aid developing the typing quirks below.

---

Mitchell: Huh. A boat all the way here. Maybe this is that Sea Captain's boat, or that of some other unfortunate.

Mitchell shivers.

Mitchell: Worst case, someone or something is behind both the water being missing and that person being origami'd. Origamized? Jammed in paper? Whatever that thing was.

---

Mitchell had been silent for some time, trying to control his sudden twin urges: a fear of dogs, and a hunger for fish. Thanks to Silas - or rather, Stylus - addressing the first-timers specifically, Mitchell has now gained enough focus to respond to the request for comments.

<I mean, everything's feeling odd to me,> Mitchell says, <starting with how come everyone's talking like humans now.>

<Oh, Saviour!>, Christine kindly says, right behind Mitchell.

Being the Meowth that he is, Mitchell springs into the air and yowls in panic. <Dragons, Chris! Don't spook me like-> he says, but he pauses. <Wait, you speak human? No, wait, is it telepathy? No, this different from that->

And then it hits him, metaphorically.

<Oh!>, he says. <It's just me! I can understand Monese now!>

<And speak it, too. Don't forget that,> Christine adds.

<Ah, so that's why my voice is all funny-sounding,> Mitchell says. <Oh, before I forget,> he adds, <I should ask you, Christine. Back on the day I caught you, did->

<Yes, Mitchell,> Christine interrupts. <I did want you to catch me.>

Mitchell is taken aback by such an instant response, but he recovers. <Thanks,> he says, visibly relieved of an invisible weight on his soul.

Turning back to Stylus, Mitchell says <Sorry about that. Anyway, may I request someone keep an eye on me when I'm near Hoops? I fear my body thinks they're food now.>

Edited by AnotherMan on Mar 7th 2023 at 10:52:11 AM

Poké Park Parking

Hoops glances over at Mitchell. <Well, how about you use this as a deterrent. If you eat me, then I will [censored] and [censored] for [censored] until all that's left is [censored]. Does that sound fair?>

They then turn to the others. <Oh, and if we're going, could someone give me a hand? I don't think I'm very good at moving on land.>

Thanks go to Mind Messiah and Aster for the co-writing of this post— CW for death.

Neodymium (2021-2023) (?)

-following the accelerated testing cycle

-no-

-the results

-try again-

-the last day of Neodymium's life was a beautiful one:-

-the temperature was a perfect [degrees] °C; the birdsong was loud but not grating, comprehensible patterns

-rather than pull from the safehouse's own stores, freshly stocked for the replacement weaned on her data, Neo received the meal of her choice from her caretaker, cleverly arranged using her stipend-

-better-

-it was the last time to spend it, after all-

-why not go all-out?-

Ramona: -inhale-

Ramona: -exhale-

Any word, ████?

-...-

Come on. Tell me I don't need to do this. Tell me your plan is faster than that. I'll start:

-because there was nothing special about Neodymium, Freshman Class-

Ramona: -hiss- Where's the teal?

Coward. Coward. Left me alone with…

-Ramona, Molybdenum, liar—starts preparing the pearl she'll hold her memories in-

-she hates how they always make the Alumnus do the killing-

School Safehouse

-Neodymium is just sort of…sitting around-

-she'd talk to Didit, but it's kind of weird between them-

-she'd talk to PEFE!Every, but the scientist is asleep, and won't be roused-

-so…-

Neodymium: ~Stabby, I'm so sad.~

Stabby: -roomba-

Neodymium: ~I thought maybe i had a real chance of graduating~

Stabby: -roomba-

Neodymium: ~But that would've meant Bela doesn't, anyway.~

Stabby: -roomba-

Neodymium: ~It's a real moral quandary, Stabby my lad.~

Stabby: -roomba-

Neodymium: ~You're right, a Templar would know what to do in this situation~

-...-

-gotta discard some of the childishness sometime-

Neodymium: I'm talking to a stupid toy.

-she puts her head in her hand and sighs-

Neodymium: This sucks, Stabby.

School, Counselor's Office

The Counsellor: How are you feeling, Bela?

Bela: ~Fine.~

The Counsellor: Are you sure you're ready?

Bela: ~Yes.~

The Counsellor: I can always arrange to have the test postponed again. It'll mean some more paperwork, certainly, but-

Bela: ~No.I'm ready.~

The Counsellor: ...There's nothing wrong with being nervous. I can assure you that Molybdenum felt much the same way, when the time came.

Bela: ~...~

-Her breathing is perfectly regular.-

Bela: ~Then she's weak. And a coward. I won't be like her. I'm better than her.~

The Counsellor: ...Very well. If you're sure.

-He smiles.-

The Counsellor: You're well-aware of what the protocols are for this kind of test. I look forward to hearing from you again later this evening.

-Bela nods, and leaves the office.-

-At the forefront of her might is her first day of training - the day she met Neo she chose her training armour. She thinks about how it's served her well.-

-The helmet, sightless, helped her heighten her other senses, now near-impossible to fool with illusions, and make her a fearsome psionic tracker.-

-The helmet, that hid her face from herself.-

-The gauntlets, focal points for her powers, not a crutch for her to rely on but rather a conduit through which they could best be channeled.-

-The gauntlets, which now prevent the nails of her clenched fists from drawing blood from her palms.-

-She holds onto the thought for a moment, turning over the memories in her mind, like she's done with those of so many others - but this one is hers. And she can't take her own memories.-

-She lets out a small exhale of breath, straightens her back, and goes to do her duty.-

School, Sinnoh Safehouse

-Ramona fists her bare hands in soft, stainproof fabric-

Ribot: ~Stop fretting.~

Ramona: ~I'm not fretting.~

Ribot: -deadpan- ~That throw pillow begs to differ.~

-what? no, he's getting old. Ramona's only touched it…once…-

Ramona: -...-

Ribot: ~Please. Put it out of its misery. It's been through enough.~

-she gives him a telepathic stinkeye-

Ribot: ~You've done this nine times. One thinks it might get a little rote eventually, hmm?~

Ramona: ~We've done this [x] times. You know how volatile this can turn out.~

Ribot: ~Please. That mewling infant? With you? What can be said for your tutelage is it keeps them so very docile.~

Ramona: ~...whatever you're looking for, you won't find it. Test me all you like, all I'll ever say~

-Neodymium makes her appearance, with a round of canned applause that she programmed into PEFE!Every's phone-

Ramona: ~is this is exactly how it's supposed to go.~

-Ramona stiffens, her foot firmly on the ground-

-she rushes over and apologizes holds herself stern and aloof burns burns-

Ramona: ~Hey, kiddo.~

-what could possibly be wrong about this situation?-

Neodymium: Hi.

-Ramona gets down to her level, which is very easy, because they're the same height-

Ramona: ~How are you feeling?~

Ribot: -tch-

Neodymium: Honestly, I just kind of want to get it over with.

-Ramona's hand twitches-

Ramona: Bela's going to be here soon.

Ramona: It's all going to be over, soon.

Molybdenum: ~...is there anything you want to remember, about the day you've had?~

Neodymium: Nah. I had a good time.

Molybdenum: ~Ah…good, good.~

---

-Bela's here, now-

-her mind is blank, her thoughts clear.-

-her voice, that rasping, hoarse whisper, might as well be a shout over the silence-

Beryllium: ...Neo. It's time.

-Neodymium blinks-

-she smiles a bit-

Neodymium: Hey, Bela. I didn't think you'd come. Bet against you with Didit and everything.

-speaking of Didit, she's standing at Neodymium's side, not meeting anyone's eyes-

-not that there are any eyes to meet behind Bela's helmet-

-nevertheless, her gaze seems to be focused entirely on Neo-

Beryllium: ...Did you really think I'd fail this test?

Beryllium: I should've known better than to hope you were smarter than that.

Neodymium: ...Oh.

-she's a different kind of smart, and it means she can piece together what Bela's talking about-

Neodymium: Yeah. Okay.

-she forces a smile onto her face-

Cool. That'll look good to the doctors.

-Bela steps forward. Her breathing is tight, shallow, controlled-

Beryllium: You know why it has to be like this.

-Neodymium nods at Bela-

Neodymium: ~Just… just get it over with, okay?~

-there's one last, choked breath from beneath Bela's helmet-

Bela: ...I'm so sorry, Neo.

-she reaches out, and takes her friend by the arm-

[[fodder:1]]████: Or you can admit ███ ██████ ██ ███ ███████.[[/fodder]]

---

-The funny thing about memory is how much of it is subconscious, preprogrammed.-

-Pokemon hatch from their Eggs with rudimentary survival instincts and moves imprinted upon them, just as Schoolchildren emerge from the genetic slurry replete with basic cognitive and motor functions.-

-The conscious mind, with all its accumulated knowledge and lived experience, possesses only a fraction of the memories of the body - those subconscious routines that ensure the heart continues to beat, the lungs continue to inhale, the neurons continue to fire.-

-So what happens when those functions are ripped away, torn out like bones from under the skin?-

---

-and Molybdenum kills her-

School, Counselor's desk

-she dumps the body on the Counselor's desk, and instead of dully indicating—yes, here was the lobe that fired hardest in peak activity, she says-

-here was talent-

-here was inefficiency-

School, Safehouse

-and Bela kills her-

-Neodymium switches off like a burnt-out lightbulb-

School, Morgue

-Molybdenum sits the whole time with the body as they process it-

School, Safehouse

-here was waste-

-and she makes paste-

Edited by memyselfandI2 on Mar 7th 2023 at 5:28:02 AM

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

Floaroma Meadow, past

-After presumably making it out of the rift-

Chiyo: Well that was... something.

Autumn Mountain

Ann: -Starts scanning the area for anything useful-

Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.

-Kaisei tries figuring out where upstream could be for wherever the water that used to be around here could be, probably trying to look somewhere uphill-

"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every

Stormchaser

Ever: I will say that it's nice to be able to set my own schedule again.

-they send out Breeze-

Ever: Though perhaps a little disconcerting that I was ostensibly released into your care.

Breeze: <Oh, I told Diesel everything. He'll be cutting your food for the next few weeks.>

Ever: ... -sigh- Nobody has any faith in me these days.

Breeze: <Joke's on you, I never really did. :3>

Ever: Yeah, well, you can read my mind, so no surprises there. Ah, my own bed, how I have missed thee—

-...-

Ever:

Neodymium:

Ever:

Neodymium:

Ever: -screams-

Neodymium: -screams-

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

Stormchaser

Daydre pokes her head out of a vent.

Daydre: "What's all the screaming about?! Some people are trying to be perfectly normal in these vents!"

off the shits