ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

The Hamlet, The Weald

And there it is, shrouded in the decay prevalent to these harrowed woods. Time to bring an end to another piece of the Glitch's remnants...

I presume you've returned to the cabin, where that fungal mass called a witch lingers?

Sunyshore, Abandoned Salon

-Gale rolled her eyes. She really wanted to point out that technically the mirror is still showing the image of this magical-girl-but-evil so a rule wasn't broken but... Well, that'd just draw attention to things. At least she had her Dive-user ready to go when the moment was right-

Interesting trick with the rules, girl. Care to indulge someone you're about to kill and explain how it works?

Civic Area

Well it looks familiar, but firstly I can't remember how that story goes and secondly the universe can entirely just play it differently, yaknow? Better safe than sorry, basically!

-He flinches, just slightly, at the sound of steel on wood. He hoped that worst came to worst the sign could be held by the edge and still retain its power, but this item was a relic of worlds far less forgiving in their laws of physics...-

I don't know what you or whoever's in your head has got against me, but I don't appreciate this just so you understand!

-He steps back, pictures a black feather in his mind and goes for the swing-

J-Con

-Even at this distance, he can feel the limbs of his own making. If he focuses, he can even feel the weight of clothes upon the wood and he smiles because that means they're in position. He pulls the prim of his cap down to hide his eyes and continues walking through the crowded convention. A faint wind tousles his shirt, despite being indoors... Ten-Zero, the ghost at his side, rests invisible as a light weight on his shoulder-

Ten-Zero: So... I thought we were heads-down, off-radar till they fell?

-He shrugs a little, casting the weight off and glancing off to the side-

Ten-Zero: I suppose there's only so much you can do without actually putting in the effort I guess. So, what makes you think there's anything to hunt here?

-He is actively concentrating on stillness beyond the bounds of himself, lest his mannequins scattered around the conference hall give the game away. He turns one of those colorful badges he pilfered from a stall in his hand to focus-

Ten-Zero: Oooooh, I get it. The J-Team are the ones kicking the School's butts, so naturally fleeing Schoolkids would end up here to try and join... Man, so sad they weren't around before I died, otherwise you'd be free and clear already. Or nonexistent, who knows!

-The Templar flinches at the words, an action mimicked by his mannequins...-

Galar, Wild Area - Blooming Grove, a gay old flashback

Castanea: <Hmph. Just as well.>

-absent an adversary, this nutty hulk settles his bulk into the Nutter Butler Neutral Stance, rendering his teeming violence tastefully implied and his rampant disdain explicit-

Abilene: —ah.

-she was not expecting an apology-

Abilene: -composing herself- Well, in the event that I—someday—

-someday-

Abilene: —read ill effect in your noble cause, and follow causality to its timeworn conclusion, I hope you can, that day, forgive me.

-she screws up her face, restraining a woefully instinctive "not that I'd want your forgiveness or anything, stupid"-

Abilene: Sincerely.

-it doesn't sound sincere, which—given Macrauls—means it probably is-

Abilene: It would be a shame to part on ill terms with a Trainer so spectacularly adequate, as few are.

-even she seems to recognize that as inadequately expressive-

Abilene: You do seem to know your way around a trowel. No offense.

-to her dismay, she makes an indecipherable hand motion-

Abilene: And not to disparage your Pokémon, who are darlings. Please enumerate any food allergies or dietary restrictions any of you possess.

-she just kind of gets up and leaves before she can say anything else-

Abilene: -over her shoulder- My hospitality knows no bounds! But I'll trounce you then, worm. Mark my words.

-leaving-

Abilene: Adieu.

-...-

-her Flapple flaps back, holding forward a business card with a distinctly non-business number on it-

-...and also a stack of like. ₽10,000-

-and the Berries-

Malaise: <Don't tell her I said this, but it's actually a little difficult carrying all this at once,> -and a coupon-

Artazon Outskirts - South Province, Area Three

-it is deeply unfortunate that that clear channel exists-

-nowhere to run; nowhere to hide-

Megan: Think. Think!

-and any team members that could've taken a blow for her are down-

Megan: ...!

-she turns and sees Pippy, frozen in a block of ice-

Megan: Need to recall—

-his Pokéball falls from her numb, stinging left hand-

Megan: Keep him safe...!

-the traps he laid across the field, watery bombs...burst, freeze into pillars, and grind away-

Megan: We're smart. We can think our way out of this—

-the shield she raises, a burst from Vee's Pokéball, solidifies instantly, tossed into dagger-sharp snowflakes knifing past her-

-strengthening that burst into a stream buys reprieve, trapping them in its silhouette-

Megan: -hand juddering- ...!

-equipment is spent-

New plan.

-she knows, if nothing else, basic Auric theory-

-Aura-as-"Aura"—derived from bodily health, drained to emptiness-

-Aura-as-psionics—derived from strength of cognition, rapidly abandoning her-

-Aura-as-spectra—the numinous energies of what could be called "soul"—a well she wouldn't hesitate to tap, but Vee would flatly refuse-

-and lastly, psionics' inverse—nefaria—obscura-

-what hides beyond the circle of firelight-

Megan: -choking- —Aislinn—

-derived from instinct, the subconscious, and pain-

Megan: -rasping- Aislinn—if you make it out—

-what cast Yan-Yu into an abyss of suffering for millennia-

Megan: -inching in front of her and Harry- Take notes for me, okay? What Daydre'll turn into.

-for loss of a partner, and rage at its perpetrators-

I can fix this. There's still time.

Megan: -fixing the image in her mind- She'll be glorious...

If I just suffer enough...

-Megan braces the geysering Pokéball with both hands against Whitt blasting through it, layer by layer-

-then the wave hits, and she casts aside her dignity and screams-

-or tries-

-her mouth frosts over, and she chokes off-

-her eyes turn to pitch—her veins run dark—no talent of her own, but her partner, her own beloved partner, struggling not to devour the life cradled within her own being-

-and how she tries to funnel her pain to a point-

Megan: ...?

-she feels Vee welling...behind her eyes...between her ribs...-

-she feels Vee's liquid warmth envelop her...suffuse her...retreat, inch by inch, to her core-

-and watches, disbelieving, her own fingers blacken in that bone-deep chill, going numb...-

-going numb-

Megan: .

-then icicles tear deep furrows across her sides, over her rib cage, and sensation ends-

Snowpoint, Outskirts

-Logan pulls a face-

Logan: I'm not super into it, myself.

-and they flounce back onto the sofa, not bothering to dispel their outfit-

Logan: But I patch everyone up in the beta phase, because what else can I do. Going around and trying to get Grunts to social services aside.

-they lend a distinctly celebrity talk-show vibe the time-softened domesticity zone doesn't quite gel with-

-to Dima, Addie pulls that smile and thumbs-up [Fake Rose Quartz] did in that one episode of Stefan Galaxy-

-and then Dima claps, and Logan twitches in a way that suggests they'd be flushing if it were visible on them-

-one would've thought they had no shame-

Logan: -winking and sparkles come out- 💛⚡️💛 Zappy! And if you liked that, check out my album: 🎼🎧📀

Logan: "Uwaa! Mewtruck-kun Isekaid Me Into The 🐏⚡️Sheepie Warcrimes Dimension???⚡️🐑"

Logan: "Space Is Really Big 🌌🥺🌃 , And The Majesty Is Really Boring... 😔🚙🛣️ ...Unless 😳😏🥵"

Logan: "I Just Watched 👁️👄👁️My New Friend 🤝Take A Bite 🙏👅Out Of A Rock🪨, And Honestly It's Starting To Seem A Little Tastey"

Logan: "Uwaa! Mewtruck-kun's GPS Lied To Me?? 🙀😿🤬 Vlogging As The Dead Meowth In The Schrödinger-Box Experiment 💔"

Logan: -guitar riff- "Idols On Strike ✊"

Logan: -guitar riff- "Fairies On Strike ✊"

Logan: "If There Were 🌞Two Suns🌝 And One Of Them 🫢 Killed The Other With A Rock 💎Would That Be Fucked Up Or What"

Logan: "Two Truths And A Truth Is Also Really Boring"

Logan: -incongruous tuba- "[Kirby] Boss ☺️🩷 💫... But No [Kirby] 😰💀☄️"

Logan: -strum- And lastly..."Sea Shanty II"

-their face goes blank, caught in the bit-

Logan: Coming soon to Kidz Bop.

-...and try to remember where the train of thought started-

Logan: -smiling, pained- By which I mean the year it took for all that to happen meant they did have to reassign the Oblivian Ranger spot.

-they frown, offput-

Logan: ...which sounds...kinda blasé, or...humblebraggy...but it wasn't my sword-in-the-stone journey. Like we didn't beat the Twilight, we just kinda lived it. And I'm still Ranging an airship instead of Layuda.

-they waggle their Fine Styler-

Logan: -grinning- But that's why I stick around the J-Team! Mild homelessness and doing what Rangers always do! Reminding a bunch of silly peoplemon it's okay to say words with their face holes, and that they're not, you know...demigods. No man or mon an island.

-and that almost sounds right, to anyone who wasn't there for their I'm So Smart, I Can Solve All Of Your Problems phase-

-they're looking up at Eira, and Eira-and-Dima, and brown eyes in a familiar face-

Addie: -paw on knee- <...>

Logan: And honestly, I not thinking I could handle the whole thing you've got going on here.

Addie: d:

Eric: -slooowly goes transparent-

The individual is struck, the helmet holds but they stumble to the ground from the strike.

The Pen's avatar was clapping beside Pentigan. Very nice... now, are they going to-

The figure got up, there was a slight popping and cracking noise as they did. Oh they're determined.

It shook its head, the text flashed against the visor once more.    ELIMINATE OBSCURIC   

So this is targeted.

It was at this point a faint light illuminated the logo of Sakura Genetics on the biker outfit.

Rory paused as he felt the staring, Nico stepping over. "Hey, do you got a brother?"

"No..." Rory said looking over, seeing an individual standing there, bright red coat, hair arranged into a spikey style, a pair of round tinted glasses on the face as well as a very clearly prosthetic left hand.

Rory stared at the results, there were differences among the two but they were very clearly similar. "Who... who are you?"

"Oh, you can call me Miles."

Paldea Base

Victor: "Simple! Statistics! I'm using you two to weather data for my own personal experiments! Ooh, yes, I have gotten some VERY good notes.."

-He keeps typing away on the tablet-

The Chiyo Zone

-Maurice's face gets very red. But then suddenly out of nervousness he blurts out—

Maurice: "P-Pavo knows about us but I blackmailed them ito not telling."

Artazon

-The two maty hear the ever so tiniest yelp-

-Then shuffling. As if multiple people or Pokemon are trying to move something heavy very quickly-

Levincia

Pavo: ~...~

You know what I'm just going to roll with this. There's a lot of raw power here...

~...Mid Knight, I am Pavo. I can give you the exact power you desire. All I need you to doo is retrive the J-Teamers Coil, Iris, and Neon... and destroy the rest.~

Sunyshore Building, Past

-Flamel ducks and weaves around the Mirror Shards as best he can while flinging more Fire Punches-

Flamel: <-Gale whatever your planning now's the time...>

Water Vellumental Temple

-The Origami Palkia finally falls-

-It crumples, turning into a droplet of water with a glow like a star-

-And then into a strange book-

Olivia: -gasps- <Look guys, it turned into another Bibliofold!,ust like then last one! I'll need to take a look at that...>

-She opens and starts scanning it-

<Let's see.... Oh, I get it, you fold it like this, and then like this... I think I've got it! I've mastered the folds of the Water Vellumental!>

-A new Magic Circle appears, blue, with a Palkia icon-

Naranja Y Uva Academy

-Locke is currently in Clavell's office-

-In a chair-

-Tied up-

-Clavell is there looking at him with concern-

Clavell: "I am. Dearly sorry myy students took this this far.:"

Locke: -sighs- "And WHY did your students take this this far?"

Clavell: "Well... About that orb you had there."

-he gestures to it, on the desk-

Locke: -eyebrow raise- "What about it?"

Clavell: They are distributed only by the Paldea Leauge and this school... and require special classes to use.

Locke: "Really? What even is that thing? I found it in an abandoned mansion in Sinnoh/"

Clavell: "What was a Tera Orb doing THERE?"

Locke: "A Tera Orb? What does it. Do?"

Clavell: "It channels the Terastal phenomenon!"

Locke: "Terastwhat?"

Clavell: -sighs- "This explanation will take a bit..."

Edited by Umbramatic on Sep 27th 2023 at 2:02:03 PM

Akira blinked and his jaw hung open. "Really? That's it? Aren't the children supposed to be the test subjects?"

Gabriel smiled. "Anyone can be a test subject, I've been using Whitt as one for awhile now."

"Whitt? But he's a moron!"

"EXACTLY!" Gabriel cried. "There is no better test subject than a moron with no idea what limitations are, you want to stress test something you give it to those who don't understand what reasonable is!"

Akira was a little unsettled... and so decided. "Can I be let out of this thing now?"

Gabriel gave a sniff, and looked to Victor. "Shall we release him?"

Mesagoza J-Con

As Ecto is pet and asked the most important question, he ponders.

Ecto: <Who's a good boy? That is a question I get asked a lot, but I still want to know. I shall one day learn this knowledge, I hope.>

Ecto looks into the distance, dramatically. Then he borks.

Ecto: <Skwovet!? Oh wait! That is only my trainer's shadow.>

Edited by etran12 on Sep 27th 2023 at 5:49:36 AM

Artazon Outskirts - South Province, Area Three

Whitt steps over the unmoving bodies of his opponents, who are held in place by large pieces of ice that fill the bottom of the ravine. He sighs deeply, expelling the last of the Ferocaine from his body in a cloud of ice crystals. Then he shivers a little.

"It's cold," he says, to no-one in particular.

Outside Artazon

The explosion of mist and ice in the distance startles Led. She turns and stares at it in horror.

Morrigan makes a tutting sound. <Looks like you're running out of time> she says. <Go on. Make your choice.>

Artazon Streets

The rush of cold wind from outside of town serves to energise the attacking pokémon and destabilise Xaster's defensive line. He finds himself and his team being pushed backwards, closer and closer to the hotel. They won't be able to hold out for long.

Mitchell: "Whoa, hey, what's Olivia doing with that book? Is it safe?"

Oliver: <That was a hard-fought battle. Hopefully the last for this trip.>

After they plunged into the unnatural snowstorm plaguing Artazon, the quartet of Vasilissa, Edmond, Christine, and Oliver found themselves lost in an unfamiliar environment. They couldn't even see the Sunflora topiary that could have served as guideposts, such was the thickness of the storm to them.

Worse yet, a sudden blast of cold wind nearly blew Vasilissa off her hooves and Edmond off his feet. Both of them grunted in frustration as they tried to regain their footing.

<Mrgrgr!>

<Argh!>

The wind did have one small benefit, though. For just a moment, the quartet could see a bit farther away from themselves. It was because of this that Christine was able to spot the hotel, and the pitched battle that was slowly moving towards it.

On one side, a pack of large and threatening-looking Ice-type Pokemon, numbering over a dozen, under the command of two humanoids whose presence was unlike any human Christine had sensed before.

On the other, a group of six Pokemon valiantly defending the hotel, commanded by someone who Christine faintly remembered meeting last year. Mitchell, if he was here, would have recognised this person as Xaster.

<Everyone!>, Christine calls out to the others, barely able to get her voice over the howling wind. <I see a battle over there, by that hotel! There could be survivors there!>

<So what do we do?>, Oliver asks. <Jump into the battle, or reach the hotel first?>

<Why not both?>, Vasilissa interjects. <I'll zigzag through those Ice-types and mess 'em up and buy you time to get over there. You okay with that, Ed?>

<Yes,> Edmond responds, <but try to not melt all of them before I get back, okay, Vas?>

Vasilissa whinnies cheerfully, leaving her answer to Edmond's imagination. With that, she ignited a Flame Wheel and charged at the Ice-type attackers at an angle perpendicular to the side defending the hotel, while he leapt towards the hotel with Christine and Oliver in tow.

Water Vellumental Temple, far past

Ann: -Heads over to the Magic Circle-

Chiyo Zone, past

Chiyo: -Blinks near-imperceptibly at Maurice's confession before half-jokingly responding- We're going to have to work on your pillow talk Maurice, because that's making me feel drier than Route 111's desert right now.

-More serious-

What do you mean by "blackmail"?

-She has not yet taken her fingers off Maurice this whole conversation, though she might be poking into him a little harder than intended-

Hamlet, Past

Indeed she was, indeed she had.

Her fingers curled around the fungicide with malicious intent, ready to bury the lead.

Mesagoza J-Con, Lodging

"Noiiiise," Kendall groaned as he threw his head backwards onto his pillow, burying his face beneath a pillow as he continued to growl.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Sep 27th 2023 at 10:45:35 AM

Silas and Roxy tilted their heads at the Fungicide. "Listen, the Biohazard series has always been a bit odd, but how this is happening seems deliberate, doesn't it?" Silas commented.

Roxy shivered. "Hated fighting that large Birkin monster."

"I had Mr. X with the face of Chris Redfield, you only had a hideous mutating blob."

Rory and Nico stared at the man in red, who put on a big friendly smile and scratched the back of his head. "Listen I know it's a lot but if we could take this outside, I'm supposed to kill you and all."

Rory was in a way, thankful for the forwardness he had. He popped a Pokeball and let out Dante.

<Hey kiddo, trouble?>

Rory pointed ahead and Dante blinked at the sight. <Whoa... deja vu huh?>

Miles let out a sigh. "Didn't give me a team at all... listen, Schoolkid to Schoolkid, can we just do this one on one?"

Nico leaned over. "Seriously, what's his deal?"

Rory was at a loss for words, he had no siblings, his genetic stock was probably gone, so... what was Miles? A modified clone?

Artazon Outskirts - South Province, Area Three

Whitt walks to the edge of a cliff and looks out over Artazon. He is too far away to hear the sounds of battle, but he can't ignore it. He winces and presses his hand against his forehead as a wave of intense pain brought about by the after effects of the Ferocaine strikes him.

"They're still... fighting back," he seethes. "Why do they always... fight back?"

He starts to walk towards the town.

Artazon Streets

Xaster looks over in surprise at the Ponyta that carves a path through the snow in front of him. His pokémon also stop and look at the new arrivals.

Chichi makes a happy ringing noise, and flies over to greet the other pokémon - especially Christine, who she remembers meeting and battling with over a year ago. Despite evolving, Chimecho always remember the sound of one another's chimes.

Xaster looks at the pair in confusion for a moment. Then his eyes widen as he understands. "You're... Mitchell's!"

Outside Artazon

Led looks over the town. The place where the cold wind came from. Then down at the pokémon who she loves.

<I don't have a choice, do I?> she says.

Morrigan shakes her head. <You always have a choice. The thing is that you're choosing between an option that could doom your trainer, and maybe an entire town, and an option that betrays your beloved. You feel the guilt whatever you choose. That's the beauty of it.>

Led nods. <Do it. Just do it.>

Sholto and Lisa look at each other briefly then look back at the movement. Sholto flies up over and perches on a fence.

Sholto: <Hey! Hey! Whatcha doin? Hey!>

Lisa: <...Subtle, dear.>

She tries to take to the skies.

Lisa: <Hm, thermals are all out of whack...>

Kaisei: "So this is gonna get the water levels under control?"

Tale: <Can that add some nice salt to it while you're at it?>

They step/float into the circle.

Mesagoza, J-Con

Lian's own eyes narrow as she looks up at Stewart. The hasty apology she has dies in her throat, and she quickly gets back to her feet- pointedly not taking Stewart's hand.

Lian: "..."

She's a Psychic. Bad vibes are usually more... reliable for her than most.

But she's now surrounded by people, and she can't easily break away and run. So... She decides to play it cool.

Lian: -to Mitchell, curtly- "I'm fine."

... Okay, not that cool.

Lian: "I was trying to.. get some air. And I bumped into them. It's a little claustrophobic here..."

Artazon Outskirts - South Province, Area Three

Somewhere, within the layers of ice and snow, Aislinn looks at Megan like she has three heads.

Snowpoint Outskirts

Dima leans into Eira's ear and whispers "How are they doing that with their mouth"

Eira: "Oh, they were like that back then too. I learned not to question it."

Eira shrugs.

Eira: ".. You'd know yourself better than me, but I think you'd do an alright job out here! I only have near death experiences every few months. Though you would have to adjust to the temperature, and that's harder than you'd think..."

Dima: "Yeahh... I'm from Eterna, I moved up here for cheaper rent, and... It was not what I expected, I'll say that."

Eira: "Trying to keep a handle on what's essentially a paramilitary organization sounds pretty tough! Admirable, but tough. I dunno, you seem to have adapted well enough."

Dima suddenly claps her hands together.

Dima: "Oh! I never offered you guys drinks or anything. We have tea and hot cocoa!... And water, but I dunno if you want tap water after being out in freezing weather."

???

Dr. Farrier: This is Promethium.

Promethium: ~Hello—~

Adelinde: -taps her lips-

Dr. Farrier: I'll leave you two to get acquainted.

Adelinde: We're going to have to get started. There likely won't be much time.

Dr. Farrier: This is Gadolinium.

Adelinde: (ignores the doctor, talking to the kid) Best if we don't get too acquainted.

Dr. Farrier: This is Cerium.

Dr. Farrier: This is Lead.

Dr. Farrier: This is Silver.

Dr. Farrier: This is Lithium.

Dr. Farrier: This is—

Artazon Streets

Whitt arrives at the battle outside the hotel. Xaster sees him and freezes - pardon the pun - in remembrance of their last encounter.

"Ah," Whitt says, seeing him. "It's been a while. How would you like to have a rematch, contest boy?"

Outside Artazon

Morrigan draws a complex sigil in the snow which surrounds Sal. She then gestures to Led. <Wake him up.>

<What?>

<Wake him up. The spell will function either way, but I won't see the betrayal in his eyes if he's unconscious. And that's a major part of this.>

Led nods, resigned to what she is about to do. <Sal> she calls.

Just her voice is enough to wake him. His eyes open and he raises his head, looking around at the sigil and Morrigan. And Led.

<What's going on?> he asks.

Morrigan smiles. <She made a deal. A soul for a soul.>

Sal looks at Led. Only now does he see the tears on her cheeks. <Led? What are you doing?>

<I'm... I'm sorry> Led says. <This is the only way. The only thing that Morrigan could accept. I wanted it to be me.>

The sigil begins to glow a sickly purple colour.

<Sal> Led says. <Over the years, we went from barely liking one another, to becoming friends, to becoming what we are now.>

<Led...>

<I just want to say, that the years I've spent with you... I would never change a single thing about them!>

Sal stares at her. Sees the tears on her face, and hears the pain in her voice. <I forgive you.>

Morrigan stumbles in shock. <What?>

<I don't fully understand what's going on> Sal clarifies. <But I know you. I know you wouldn't do this if there were any other choice.> He begins to cry as well. <But it will still hurt, because I wanted to spend every day of my life walking this world with you.>

Morrigan's eyes flash with rage. <It will hurt more than that!> she screams. The glow of the sigil increases as her contract reaches its completion. <You'll spend an eternity alone in the ghost realm!>

<No.> They turn to look at Led, who has spoken. <Not alone.> And she flies forwards, wrapping her arms around Sal at the last possible second. There is a bright flash of light and they're both gone, the only evidence that they were even there being a burnt impression of a sigil on the ground.

<Idiot> Morrigan says.

Artazon Area

Whatever one might be doing, across all of Artazon and the area outside, one voice is clear. Not everyone understands it, and few recognise its source, but the sound itself is unmistakeable.

<Well, that was a nice long nap, a few cricks in the neck, but hey, time to seize the day. I think we'll skip the morning coffee run this morning, because there are some frozen tushies that need to be squashed.>

And in a hotel room, a pair of eyes that glow red open.

The body of the Chimecho approaching Christine and the others is unfamiliar, but she recognizes the sound of her ringing. Indeed, they had once before, when both were just Chingling.

Christine is so overjoyed that she flies out of Edmond's arms and embraces ChiChi in the way only a Chimecho can. <Long time, no see!>, she chimes. <You've gotten so big since last time!>

<Er, Chris?>, Oliver, now also out of Edmond's arms, inquires. <Mayhap that can wait until this maelstrom is over?>

<Oh, yes, sorry,> Christine says, giving ChiChi an affectionate pat before turning to Xaster. She thinks a telepathic message to him.

~Yes, we are Mitchell's,~ Christine thinks. ~The three of us here, and Vasilissa out yonder. How can we assi-~

Christine suddenly stops her transmission, as she both sees the look of terror on Xaster's face and feels an overwhelming dread flowing from his mind. She turns to look where Xaster is looking, and she gasps at what she sees.

To most senses, the human approaching the battle is unusual-looking, but not necessarily terribly impressive. To Christine's psychic senses, however, she clearly sees a congealed mass of malice, in a nigh-impossible concentration for a human of his size. Though she and her allies do not know it yet, they will soon know and fear the name of Whitt.

Edmond and Oliver notice Christine's gasp, and look where she is looking. They see the human they would soon know as Whitt, but not the danger he represents.

<Who is that?> Oliver asks. <Someone to rescue?>

<Someone dangerous,> Christine says, struggling to contain her dread. <Be very careful.>

<Okay,> Oliver replies, as he gets in formation alongside the Pokemon that formed Xaster's defensive line.

Edmond, however, leaps ahead and charges into the pack of Ice-types. <You shall not pass us, villains!>, he declares, aiming a Low Sweep at the biggest and meanest-looking of the pack. <Mountain Leveller!>

Meanwhile, Vasilissa spots the two humanoids commanding the Ice-type pack and races past them, taking a closer look. To her, they seem somewhat like humans, and yet somewhat lifeless. She remembers fighting something similar to them in the raid on the School's Snowpoint facility, although those were more like clanky robots and not, well whatever these were.

<Heyas!>, Vasilissa cries as she buzzes past the two humanoids. If anything would get a reaction out of them, that cry would be it. Well, unless the convection from a Ponyta on fire affects them.

Mitchell focuses intensely on the classroom lecture, committing everything he can to his memory. This is much the same as he does in every other classroom topic, but in this case, he's also trying to drown out intrusive thoughts of worry he has for the half of his team no longer on the campus.

He had told himself before that he wouldn't skimp on the studies here just because he was an adult. What he had learned about Paldea, though, gave him another reason to study and learn as hard as he could.

The Terastal Phenomenon, a force exclusive to this region that could bestow power onto any Pokemon. Initially, only wild Pokemon had a chance at being blessed with this force. However, only a scant few years ago, mankind gained the ability to wield this force as they saw fit, through the invention of the Tera Orb. As a recent invention, though, the distribution of the Tera Orb was tightly controlled, with only a select few trusted individuals possessing them: Paldea's Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and certain Champion-ranked trainers, as well as faculty of the Academy and those who complete certain special classes.

It is these classes that Mitchell intends to undertake and complete, through showing academic excellence in the standard curriculum. He hopes that by doing so, and by earning the right to wield a Tera Orb and the Terastal Phenomenon it channels, he would no longer feel as helpless as he is now. No longer would he rely on his team fighting and suffering for him, while all he could do was bark orders and watch. No more would he be made a wicked monster against his own will.

A Lab in Nimbasa City, Unova

A man in a lab coat types away furiously, inputting data into a document. The man is tall and thin with long dark hair that looks like it hasn't been washed in some time. Behind him in his lab sits glass tanks where several Solosis rest.

Man: It's still not enough, is it?

As he says this, his phone goes off.

Man: This is Holloway speaking? Yes? Oh, Jacq. Good to hear from you. Did you get my package? I admit, I was surprised to hear Young Atrin made it to Paldea. And for a convention, no less. I didn't take him for the type. Well, if you can get him the package, that would be wonderful, thank you.

Holloway hangs up, looking desperately at the document he's typed up. He goes to the Solosis.

Holloway: You're the key to all of this, and yet...it's not enough. Perhaps your sibling can give me the answers I need.

As he says this, Holloway coughs a bit, and stumbles. The coughing is enough to wake the three Solosis up. One of them, seemingly out of instinct, tries to read his mind. And immediately seems to share his pain before stopping.

Holloway: I would advise you don't do that.

Holloway sighs before returning to his desk. He checks his phone again and sees a text.

Text: Thank you for your assistance. The money is on it's way.

Edited by etran12 on Sep 29th 2023 at 11:53:34 AM

Mesagoza J-Con

"...Surely, someone here must know, right?"

Is the first question that Andrea- no, entertainer supreme MIRACLE🌠STAR- asks out loud, after the frankly disappointing lack of response to their previous inquiry. Surely, they wouldn't all just ignore them, and surely they must have heard them, so... what gives?
They look around. Could it really be? None of these people know? Is it all just a myth then? Are they just the only one not in on the joke? Oh, that would definitely suck. Well. Nothing for it, right?

"I shall ask agai-" They stop, in fact, before they finish their sentence. Why? Because a thought has occurred. If this is a fan convention of this J-Team, even if it is exhaggerated or fictional, there's no way they'll admit it here! How daft have they been not to realize! No matter, no matter. They can try a different approach. They are however much too curious now to not ask.

"I mean, I apologize for my rudeness, but I am not too familiar with this organization-" Is it even an organization? It feels weird to call it a 'team' when that is already in the name. What does the J even stand for, in fact?- "So if I may ask, I would like to hear more about it! ...What does the J stand for, anyway?"

They cannot help but ask that last part. What in the world is that J for?

The Hamlet, The Weald

The door creaks open, practically falling off its hinges. The lump, the lump that can't even be described as human beyond the vague noises it make that can be construed as words, simply stands there rooted in the center of the room. Everything is overgrown, the mycelium underfoot webbing together as though the once-ambulatory lump is at the heart of this entire forest.

Already has she shattered the remnants of the Crimson Curse and the Astral Comet. Now the Weald too must be purged of that Glitch's design.

Water Vellumental Temple

-Gale looks a little exhausted and looks at the Magic Circle-

Okay looks like things are gonna continue being damp around here. I'll catch you lot outside, yeah?

-She steps into a shadow-

Levincia City

-Three to be spared. Accept. The link flickers, power surging through it from donor to receptor...-

-Gale Knight was starting to feel like whoever was responsible for all this had realized her trick and just had not picked up the call when her mind goes limp-

-Sunlight through borrowed eyes. It had never seen sunlight before. The Fool pulled on the flesh's learned behaviors and clenched the eyes shut. The power surging had to be put towards accomplishing the task set before it. It reached out-

-Every Arcana serves its purpose, even when separated. For the Fool, that purpose was to seek and to bind. To accumulate the other pieces, but if the pieces are not available then other sources can be sought and bound. The flesh was driven to this, such wonderful Links to pull on. It spies a Devil, and tugs-

-While not canonically one of her domains, the Daedric Lord Nocturnal has an affinity towards crows and ravens. When she sought to rest under the brightened narrative of this realm of Pokemon she found her favored playing roles of witches and knights and decided to branch out given this was a world where the gambling houses were closing down and the thieves were driven more by ideology than desperation. She would render favor to all blackbirds, and let their varied shapes fill the roles the crows and ravens failed to-

-It pulls on the implement, ink running free and adopting the suit the flesh treated as its mask. Though this Nightingale suit bore some alterations; sharper angles, shapes of white amid the black and the faceplate would be blank bar a singular, numerary 0-

-This came with benefits, the not-quite-Nightingale's openness about Nocturnal's existence would lead to aspirants who would be as precise and swift as a diving Swellow, determined like the Staraptor and Braviary or as much a firebrand as the Toucannon. But the odd part of this expansion of themes would lay with two morbid Pokemon, one mundane and the other anything but-

-The power from Pavo surges, carried in strands of ink, weaving a Sentimonster. Feathers upon feathers; black and metal mixed alike, shocks of white, an inner lining of bloody red. Bone on the outside; ribs exposed and the head a picked-clean skull. The monster spreads its wings and takes flight, an ascending vulture circling that casts a Y-shaped shadow on the city below-

-As an actual metaphysical being, Nocturnal somewhat dreads the idea that she's being syncretized with the local equivalent of Arkay or worse yet Sithis-

-This was not the Fool's final shape, but it would be enough to fulfill that which gave it power in the sun-drenched awakeness. Three exceptions, death to everything else-

-The Sentimonster unnamed dives, precise and swift as a Swellow, towards the largest cluster of civilians it can see-

Civic Area

Yeah but not personal. Defining me as an Obscuric and they've got a genetics firm on their fit?

-A roll back of the shoulders, battlesign flipped in the hand, a confident smirk-

Ready to give up?

Either the School's wanting another Phantom Class, or someone else is getting in on the illegal Aura-spectrum bio experiments biz...

Mesagoza J-Con

Atrin replies to the strange person known as MIRACLE🌠STAR, though he looks quite confused.

Atrin: I think the J comes from a former member's name. Though there was a theory that it's actually short for Joltik, because they're cute. I don't think I believe that one, though.

Artazon Streets

Whitt has given up on actually controlling the clones, basically placing them on autopilot. Because of this, they and the pokémon under their control were starting to lose.

Xaster steels himself. "I won't be afraid," he promises himself. He looks down at Riri, who gives him an encouraging nod.

They charge together. Xaster pulls back his arm to punch Whitt in the face, while Riri prepares to use Aqua Tail on Khione, who floats behind him.

"No," Whitt says. He catches Xaster's punch and twists him arm, forcing him to the ground. Khione also slams Riri down with an Icy Wind.

Whitt's presence is energising the ice types. They're fighting harder, pushing back the defensive line and Mitchell's pokémon.

"Tut. Tut." Whitt speaks slowly, as though to a child. "You should have known you didn't have the power to challenge me. Now, if I remember you were a performer, right?" He grabs Xaster by the throat. "Let's see how well you can perform with a frozen windpipe." At the same time, Khione prepares a Shadow Ball, aiming it at Riri.

Vasilissa runs past the clones. It shouldn't do much, but just for a moment one of them is distracted, forcing away some heat that spreads onto its arm. It means that, for just a second, the eyes keeping a look-out are gone.

Whitt feels something grab his arm. He looks down and sees dirty grey bandages encasing his forearm. A moment later, there is a tug, and Hoops pulls themself across the battlefield and puts all of their momentum into hitting Whitt in the face as hard as they can. In the same instant, Kec jumps off their shoulder, his skin turning silvery grey as he slams into Khione with an Iron Tail that send her reeling.

Xaster looks up. Hoops stands over him, arms spread protectively. They turn back to check on him, eyes red and intense, and bandages creeping from not just their arm but all over their body. It's horrifying. And it's the best thing Xaster has ever seen. "Hoops," he whispers.

Hoops smiles at him, then turns to face Whitt, who is picking himself up off the ground. "You," they say, in a low growl. "You don't touch my boyfriend!"

Just as Vasilissa suspects, the two humanoids commanding the Ice-types are not truly human. The lack of reaction they had to her ride-by, save for one repelling heat away from it, was all the evidence she needs. Not that it's of much help at the moment, considering that some of the pack have managed to surround her and stop her from disrupting the remainder's advance.

<Not good,> Vasilissa murmurs to herself. <One wrong step, and I'm done for.>

Meanwhile, Edmond and Oliver are getting pressed back by the galvanized Ice-type pack, along with Xaster's Pokemon and the rest of the defensive line. As for Christine, she is paralyzed at the sight of Whitt about to execute Xavier before her eyes. She has to choose between breaking the Vow by attacking Whitt, who was still a human despite his wickedness, and just doing nothing, condemning Xavier to a terrible demise.

That is, she would have had to choose, if not for a certain familiar acquaintance of Mitchell's intervening.

All four of Mitchell's Pokemon present in this siege witness, to varying degrees, Hoops and Kec's valiant entry into the fight. Their figure is much more outwardly monstrous than that of Whitt, but they all, in greater or lesser form, can sense which of the two is a more noble spirit. Christine, especially, can perceive the differing forms of malice Whitt and Hoops exude. Whitt's is a spiked shell that harms all without and within, where Hoops' is a surgeon's knife that removes only the wicked.

<Who or what is that?>, Oliver asks in the momentary lull in combat. <An ally, I hope.>

Edmond laughs, then spits on the ground. <Yep,> he says. <That's Hoops. Ask Sensei about them when we get back.>

<OVER HERE, ED!>, Vasilissa cries out. <I NEED AN EXIT!>

<COMING RIGHT UP!>, Edmond responds, using his newly invigorated spirit to grapple the nearest Ice-type to him and chuck it at the three surrounding Vasilissa with a Seismic Toss^note <GRAVITON SLING!>. Another Ice-type tries to strike Edmond's back while he's occupied, but Oliver intercepts and parries this attack with a well-timed Protect.

Now freed from her impromptu prison, Vasilissa ignites her whole body with a Flame Wheel and runs headlong at the rest of the pack. As she passes by Christine, she brings a thought to mind that her Chimecho partner catches.

The two in the back are puppets.

Realizing what this means, Christine turns her gaze to the two humanoids behind the pack. As she does so, she thinks a thought to Vasilissa.

~Got it. And thank you.~

Whatever these humaniods were, they were closer to Substitutes than real humans. So, Christine feels confident that levelling an Extrasensory at one of them would be permitted.

Vasilissa continues racing through the pack, her body burning without and within. Something more, however, is beginning to stir in her. It's as if she is on the cusp of a breakthrough.

AC: Could be any number of things, the hell does Sakura Genetics even do?

The attacker said nothing, before gripping onto the side of a building and tearing off a chunk of brick with its left hand. A wind up and it threw the hunk right at Pentigan, it seemed it was switching tactics.

"So... what are you?" Rory asked Miles. "School doesn't make phantom classes anymore, any still around are survivors."

Miles let out a sigh. "Well if you wanna play it that way, clone. You left some blood behind when you got that fancy gem."

Rory's eyes widened at the truth he was given. "Gabriel cloned me?!"

"He can do that?" Nico asked.

"I've seen his paper mache puppets," Rory said. "He's got the technology to grow whole people, even without the crafting machine."

Miles gave a weak and disappointed smile. "Seriously though, come on let's just-"

Rory put a finger up to shush Miles. "First... no, I ain't fighting you. Even if I won that's still gonna be a point in Gabe's favor because he's probably intended to see how the new faces against the old. Two... we're in a busy place, so not a good idea. Three... there are others here and all I have to do is shout "School attack" and they'll come running."

Miles stopped smiling. "You think you have this figured out, huh?"

Artazon Streets

"Xaster," Hoops says, addressing their boyfriend over their shoulder. "Go and fight off those clones and the ice types. I'll take care of Whitt."

"But I want to help!" Xaster protests.

"I know." Hoops smiles at him. "But if you stay close to this fight, then you will almost certainly die. And I'd really prefer for that not to happen."

"Aren't you in danger of dying too?" Xaster asks.

Hoops shakes their head. "Haven't you been paying attention, babe? Cof's back, and I'm as ready to go as ever." There eyes flash red. "Whitt couldn't kill me if he tried."

Xaster hesitates, then nods. He turns to go and help the others. "After this, I'm definitely doing some terrible things to you."

<Gross> Kec notes. <We're in public.>

Whitt laughs. Not in the way that one laughs when one finds something funny, but more in the manner of a person who is solely concerned with showing someone that he is laughing.

"Am I missing a joke?" Hoops asks. "Besides your general existence, that is?"

"Scathing," Whitt replies. "No, it's just that I'm surprised you're so confident. The last time we fought was a draw if I recall, and I've definitely gotten stronger since then. And you've just been lying in a bed all day. It reflects very poorly on you."

He stops his ranting suddenly as he feels a pressure on his leg. He looks down and sees that it is wrapped firmly in bandages. "Ah."

Whitt is yanked off his feet and slammed into the ground, before being dragged along the street for several metres, yelling angrily all the way. Hoops finishes by slamming him into the wall of a nearby house hard enough to break the brick work apart, landing Whitt in a mercifully empty living room.

"Now you're causing property damage," Whitt says, examining the hole in the wall and the furrow in the street. He grabs the bandages and they freeze in his hands before shattering. "Honestly, who's the real villain here?"

Hoops does not give him the chance to answer. They use their bandages to grab a piece of rubble and throw it hard at Whitt. The templar dodges and runs at Hoops, cold gathering in his palms.

Meanwhile, Kec is in the middle of his own battle. Khione has summoned a small blizzard around her, and is using her Snow Cloak ability to become virtually invisible. Kec is trying to focus on locating her, but there is too much chaos in the street. Then her voice starts to echo around the blizzard, sourceless and coming from everywhere.

<You shouldn't have interfered, little one> she says. <Really, what's wrong with a little bit of cold? Perhaps you'd prefer a little bit of...> she appears out of the blizzard, arm outstretched with a Shadow Ball held in her hand <... death.>

She fires at point blank range, kicking up snow and dust. When it clears, Kec is standing unharmed, his scales having returned to their usual green, normal type colouring. <I'd prefer a little of neither> Kec tells her. <But perhaps a little bit of a beatdown is something I could arrange.>