"That would be the best course of action, I suppose. Be sure to stay close for now, though. Just in case."

Noriaki leads Whitney out of the room, where Hikari waits.

"How is Whitney?", the Aromatisse asked, "And who is that Bunear-"

"This is Whitney", the Decidueye explained, "... I will explain further on our way, come now, we must go regroup with the others."

Before long, the three are outside the hospital.

"Now where could they be...". Noriaki mumbled to himself.

"Last I recall, I believe some of them were over there...", said Hikari, looking in the direction she is speaking of.

Narcia

"Of courrrrrrse, though you might say the doctorrrr was the one to see *you*. Safe trrrrravels."

As quickly as he popped in from the crowd, Uryu darts off once more. In the process, he passes by the returning humanmons without a single word aside from a snide glance at the approaching Serperior and a raising of the fur on his back as he clambers up a roof and out of sight.

Who have I taken carrre of so far? So many of them getting hurrrrrt, they're lucky I'm still arrrrround to help...

As she's waiting to hear what the Sandshrew and Drifloon have to say about her suggestion, Autumn looks back for a second and realizes that the Espeon has already completely disappeared. Trying to mask her concern as she scans the nearby area, she eventually caves and prods Eliot for information.

"He left already? I wanted to ask him how he'd gotten here and found us. At least you—seem to be doing better."

"I'm sorry, I— I just don't know what we're doing any more. Even when we were supposed to be celebrating here, it just feels like so much is still unhandled. I... even said I wanted to train today, but I didn't have a chance. Would anyone be willing?"

Aiming her apology to the suddenly snippy Marlon and her later question to the wider group, Mila starts to trail behind as she tries to process where and why she's been left so emotionally drained recently. After a moment she spots Nyquil, Autumn, and Eliot each, and she tells herself that she'll make sure she has time to set things right with all three before anything else requires their immediate attention.

In the interim, Koss too seems to have made his exit and gone off to manage his business with the Swords of Justice.

Narcia

I feel like I've been placed in a bit of an awkward situation here. One, here I am trying to talk to Niles, in which there's a (more than likely percieved) double-sided apprehension amongst the two of us-still over Soten's death, which obviously was in no way his own doing...or, let me clarify, not done of his own free will. Probably wouldn't have done that otherwise. Two, something tells me that Mila didn't exactly like what I had to say to her. Probably easiest to speak of the immediate task at hand—I will find time to talk Niles later, if at all possible.

Mila, it's—you're not wrong. I agree completely. I don't want to continue on with so much still left unchecked, still having to recover from just how emotionally, and physically draining, that whole experience was. My leg might not be completely recovered whenever that time comes for us to push ahead to the next problem. Yet—I just feel so paralyzed with worry that my best friend is out there, against a psychopath and her army, and I find myself entirely powerless to help him and all the others he's with. Do you see what I mean?

Besides all of that, I would help with training but I simply don't know what I can and cannot do still at this point with my leg in this state.

I scan my eyes around to see anything, or anyone else, of note.

Oh, deary me, where are my mannersssss? I'm Alice, at your ssssservice. My home issss jusssst a few blocksssss sssssouth of here. And I can't imagine you and your friendssss would want to turn down my offer, no?

She asks Dinah.

Blissparce

The situationally-aware temporary-Chandelure remains as stiff as a stone, watching the brawl breaking put amongst the cursed mons and Phoebe's Raiders with but the one eye cracked open as the fight wears on.

Edited by Team42Larson on Jun 30th 2019 at 10:58:24 AM

"The guys!" Whitney looks over to the group and... Shoot. She knows who these people are, and how to feel about some of them... but names ain't coming through right now.

Without Noriaki's assistance, she trots on over to the group.

Everyone hanging out will just happen to notice a tiny little Buneary trotting towards them, walking like she's not quite used to using two feet.

"Hey! Hey guys! Hey!" She shouts, as though she knows them.

Narcia

I... (I start to respond to Alice, but I find myself distracted by Mila mentioning having wanted to train. I hadn't realized that anybody had wanted to do any training while we were here. Now that the subject has been brought up, I feel the urge to get a little bit of training in myself. I don't feel so exhausted that I couldn't get a little training in, right...?) Erm, if you don't mind, I think I'll go do some training as well. But where should we go to train if we want to do that?

(Perhaps if Benji and Lucy do get in trouble, I should be better prepared to fight off any threats, be it the Clamperl raiders or not. Maybe there's the chance that they're safe right now anyway? Oh, I can't shake off my nerves...)

(Marsha spots an unfamiliar Buneary coming towards them.) Man, we're just crawlin' with new guys, eh? (She remarks.)

(Wait, this Buneary is talking like she knows them?) Wait a minute...what's goin' on?

Steph nods, "Yes, I'm doing okay," she says to Kevin, "And what's been happening recently?"

Narcia, Up and At 'Em

"Woof!" [I snicker awkwardly as I notice Marsha's flanked me. Not gonna lie, I always hated getting pat on the back like that...is it weird I've just noticed she's as tall as me? Or...re-noticed? I've taken her form twice, how have I—oh, whatever, it's not an issue.]

"Uhh, yea, thanks, Marsha..." [I then turn my attention back to Autumn.] "And yea, I'm...a little better. Still kinda...mluhhh, but it's workable at least." [I end up diverting my gaze to look around for the Espeon as well, before shrugging and continuing,] "I mean, it's kind of a blessing he keeps finding us...he helped Niles, he helped me, he helped Mila, I think..." [...that was, like, the second day, right? That was not a fun day...we haven't really had a lot of fun days, honestly.]

[...is that another new face? There's a Buneary approaching us, staggering, calling for us. ...kinda glad I'm in my own skin right now...my own fur?] "Uhhh...hi?" [I wave slow at the Buneary...]

"...the police have been awful busy, haven't they," Pauline notes as the Stribling clan needle their way through the bustling festival crowd.

"Thought I heard someone callin' for help earlier," Lyman puts out there, detecting some worry in his wife's tone. "I suppose these things happen when ya draw in this kinda crowd."

Woodruff just follows awkwardly behind them. He really ought to make it two for two for awkward but necessary things to tell your parents, but the problem is...timing. Looking into the crowd, he thinks he sees some of the group ahead, which may or may not bode well for said timing.

Noriaki and Hikari approach from behind the Buneary, both looking a bit out of breath.

"Arc's sake, slow down", the Decidueye huffed out, "We have not been out for even a minute and you already ran off... Hello everyone."

Narcia

Dana seems kinda.. lost. Talking with Niles was nice, but as they approached the group thoughts of not really knowing anyone bubbled to the surface. She'd been travelling with the group for a while, and yet she didn't exactly feel like she.. knew people that well?

Mila's question serves to distract her, at least.

"Oh, uh... I'd be willing to train?"

Narcia

Thanks. (I nodded to the Serperior before seeing the rest of us show up, with yet another new person to boot, yet one's a bit more active than most. I swear, we're a magnet for weirdos. Not that I'm much better thanks to Mr. Split Personality.)

(The idea of training came across my mind and I felt that there's still time to kill. I looked at the other owl and spoke to him.) You up for a spar?

(Wait, what was this about training? Urgh, I need to stop blanking out.) "Oh, I probably need that, too... considering I needed some demonic power boost just to be competent." (Maybe I should start slow, pick someone I have an advantage against... or maybe I gotta push myself and pick someone who'll be difficult... or... just go in between, or...) "Grrgh, maybe I shouldn't bother at this point..." I grumble, kicking the dirt. All this thinking is actually starting to get me all frustrated.

Narcia

Alice hears out the many different quips of the various group members and ultimately speaks up about a possible place for them to all train. But first she can't help but notice that the big turtle dude—must've been this Kevin fellow Steph was talking to—is gone now.

Uh, missss? That turtle guy jusssst left not too long ago....uh....oh, yesss! Yesss! We have room out back in our little garden for you all to train if you want! Yesss!

I look over toward another set of arrivals back into the group. Noriaki, Hikari, and—who's that? I look over confusedly, offering a half-wave—yet still waiting for some kind of response from Mila.

Edited by Team42Larson on Jul 1st 2019 at 10:27:34 AM

Steph loves the idea of training and brightens up, "Training is something I'm good at," the Kadabra says slowly as her eagerness could be seen, "When do we start and more importantly, where do we train?"

Edited by sabrina_diamond on Jul 1st 2019 at 8:26:08 PM

Narcia

(As luck would have it, a pair of rather beaten-down looking Pokémon, two Gastrodons (one West Sea and one East Sea) are passing by the party. If the crew listens they may hear what they're saying.)

Whew, what a day. You've still got it Beth. (The West Sea Gastrodon says.)

I was going to say the same to you, Virion! (The East Sea Gastrodon says.) A little training was just what we needed!

Thank goodness that famous battler has that training area here... (The West Sea Gastrodon says.) We haven't been able to find a good place to practice since forever.

(As everyone discusses places to train I happen to hear a pair of Gastrodons passing by. They're talking about a place to train? Run by a famous battler? Who?)

(I think of bringing this up with everyone else, but I'm a little nervous that everyone will be annoyed with me for eavesdropping if I bring up what they were talking about.)

Blissparce

(The Gorebyss sits up after I punched her with my antennae. Ouch, her eye is swollen shut. Makes my face hurt.)

YOU INSOLENT LITTLE—!! I'LL FIX YOU!

(All of a sudden she lurches forward in our direction. My first instinct is to dodge-)

AUGGH!!

(I feel a sharp pain near the base of my thick tail. I look back to see the Gorebyss stuck beak first in my tail. Ouch ouch it hurts, why does it hurt so bad-!??)

GOOBERT! (I hear Benji yell along with June gasping as I collapse onto the ground. I can barely make him out over the pain coursing through my body. It hurts so bad my vision is beginning to blur. Ow ow ow ow...)

(All of a sudden, I feel the Gorebyss being violently ripped out of my tail. I look up to see an orange blur holding a pink blur that looks like the Gorebyss. I immediately recognize the furious snarl that follows as being from Del, followed by her flinging the Gorebyss away.)

(Ugh, I hurt so bad I hurt so bad I hurt so bad. Did she poison me?)

(Multiple patrons come down the inn stairs after Delilah and begin fighting off the Clamperls. Some use actual attacks while others just pick them up and toss them out the door.)

C'mon, let's help! (Benji shouts, shifting into Noivern form again and leaping forward.)

June, get Goobert out of here. (Delilah says.)

Uh huh! (June says.)

(I suddenly feel someone grabbing my antennae and dragging me across the floor. At this point I'm in so much pain I don't even care to see who it is. I simply curl into as tight of a ball as I can manage and silently wish my parents were here, tears running down my face from the pain.)

Blissparce

''...Oh crap oh crap whatever happened with the beak it got Goobert oh crap...' ' Dieter thinks as they make sure that Phoebe isn't gonna get up and attend to Goobert as well.

"Man! Okay, so, I don't remember all you guys, so be patient with me, okay?" She finally catches up to the party, panting to catch her breath.

"... So, sup?"

"To keep it brief: The doctor said that Whitney contracted some sort of mind-deteriorating disease with which the only known cure was to use a transfer orb, this Buneary is Whitney became", Noriaki explained to the others before looking to the other Decidueye, "I suppose I could spar, it has been quite a while since I've last done battle out of sport."

Narcia

Bailey also listens to the Gastrodons. "Hey, do you hear this?" he whispers to Rex. "I wonder what this 'training' is."

He floats up to Dinah slowly. "Uh, excuse me," he whispers. "What is this 'training', exactly? They mentioned something about battling..."

Narcia

(Oh, it's the Drifloon. He wants to know about training? I hope I can explain it to him as best as I can...) Well...in this world, we...we all have very different abilities, moves, and powers that we can use. We use them to make life easier, to defend ourselves, to spar with each other....

(I look the Drifloon over. I've never known a Drifloon before (not counting that time Benji took the form of one during one of his pranks...I'm starting to get worried about he and Lucy again...), and the few I've read about didn't really tell me what they can actually do, so I don't know what to tell him that he can do. He's a Ghost-type, isn't he? That's all I can really tell for sure.) Perhaps we can take you to training so you can figure out what all you can do. And the Sandshrew and Kadabra who arrived with you could also do that for that matter.

(It occurs to me after saying this that the Sandshrew and I share a type, so I actually could try to teach him the few things I know about being a Ground-type.)

Blissparce

Oh good, oh good! Come on! Let's get Gooby to Mrs. Langley's room! (June says to Dieter.)

(My entire body feels like its on fire and I feel tingly all over. I feel almost like I'm getting smaller and just wasting away. Am I...am I dying? Tears run down my face as I feebly try to call for help.) Del...? Marlon...? Eliot...? M-Mom...? Dad...? Anyone...? Help...

(My antennae suddenly slip out of June and Dieter's grasp.) Gooby, stop pullin' yer antennae back, we're tryin' t' help y-

(June stops mid-sentence once she sees me...more specifically me growing smaller and my slimy skin turning blue and rock hard.)

GOOBY! (June cries, grabbing for my antennae again.) Gooby, stop it! Stop doin' that, you're scarin' me! STOPPIT!

(June's panicked cries get Delilah's attention as she is about to resume helping everyone else kick the Clamperls out and she whirls around.) GOOBERT!

(Phoebe sits up from where she ended up after being flung by Delilah and makes a satisfied smirk.)

Steph waits patiently, but then her metal spoon seems to hum with a high frequency, "Oh," the kadabra said, "That's certainly new!" She uses her spare spoon to scratch her head in puzzlement as she strokes her mustache wisely, "I could get used to being a guru sometime."

Narcia

"I suppose so, Eliot... huh? Whitney?"

Autumn shifts her attention to the approaching Buneary and tries her best to comprehend what Noriaki is telling them. Did she really just not notice what was going on with her? Still staring, and failing to put any words to the situation, Autumn eventually manages to collect herself enough to speak up.

"I— do you remember me? Or... what I did to you?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's— this is what we get for trying to be heroes. We shouldn't have been split up like this in the first place."

Mila tries to distance herself from Marlon, not wanting to cause more issue with her frustrations about Goobert and co. leaving off on their own. She could barely keep up with everyone in one place, how was she supposed to help people anywhere else? On that topic, though, Mila spots Nyquil and remembers some of his comments earlier. Shifting her direction so she ends up next to the Quilava, she drops down to her knees and puts a paw on his shoulder.

"Are you alright? I could use your help with practice."

"... What you did to me...?" Whitney approaches Autumn, looking her up and down. "I mean. I know who you are... But past that, drawin' a blank. You steal my boyfriend or something?" She asks, giving a bit of a giggle.

As it appears, she doesn't remember what Autumn did.

My tiny hissy fit is cut short when Mila asks for my help in training. "Huh…? You need me? O-Okay…" Why is that, anyway? Oh well. I'll see soon enough.

Narcia, In the Thin of It

[I cock a brow at Autumn's...weird statement. Did they have a fight or something I'm not aware of? Whitney doesn't seem to be aware of it either so...I guess no harm done in the end? It's kind of a weird way to think about it, but this is still a really weird situation she's found herself in.]

"Maybe I wouldn't...worry too much about it," [I throw out there.] "I guess just let, uhh...bygones be bygones here?"

[I look back to Whitney.] "...so! How, uhh, how's it being a biped?"

"...hey, Woodruff, that your friends right there?" Woodruff pulls his head up and looks before them. Sure enough, there's Mila, Marlon, and Nyquil, not to mention a couple others close by.

"Yea, it's them," Woodruff confirms matter-of-factly. "Thought I saw 'em migratin' about, not sure why they're all back together."

Pauline doesn't want to say it's due to the police, but with the crowds beginning to congeal into their constituent parties due to the earlier ruckus, that may be a likely explanation. Or maybe she's letting her worries get to her again. She keeps Lyman's hand in hers as the three proceed towards the group of mons...

Narcia

I-

I want to say something but stop myself. She is right. They didn't even spend two days back with us and there they went, once again, off to some random island. If I didn't know better I'd say that they deserve whatever is coming to them. I partially do think that, though, but I don't let it fuel my thoughts. Perhaps, this is why my relationship with Marsha has grown so much in all of our own chaotic situations. It's because at least she's had my back through all of this, where I find that I cannot say the same for Goobert and every other one of his pals. Where where they when we fought the Killer Basculin? Not there. What about just yesterday in the manor when the piece of pillar got driven into my leg? Not there. My mega stone? Fuck, who knows if they even got my letter. I sigh. Even though I may think these things I know that I cannot let those thoughts translate into actual words, or creating a change in perception about them. He's my best friend, after all, and the rest of them are cool as well. Enough of that for now.

So this Buneary is now Whitney? Huh. Neat, truly. Perhaps whatever problem she did have corrected itself, because even I could somewhat readily tell something was amiss but never followed up on that. In this same breadth of spatial awareness I watch two Gastrodons come down the street specifically noting a training area. Even though it really hasn't been more than 24 hours since the incident at the manor, I could still try and figure out something. Plus the others need the help as well. I couldn't help but notice how none of them actually tried to flag the Gastrodons down either.

Hey, wait, miss! Where's this training area at?

The last thing I note for now is Woodruff and his clan coming back down the street towards us. I offer them a small wave and look back toward the Gastrodons.

Blissparce

Stellan and Melani watch as Goobert slowly whithers away with stunned silence. Almost, but a hushed conversation emerges anyway.

That little whore. She got another one.

Aw, damn. We really shoulda tried to help, man.

And risk my life at the very hand of the woman who captured, or worse, killed my father? Hell no.

What do we do now, then?

I might be the only one who can get through to her, to get her to understand, to make her stand down and stop whatever it is she's trying to do. Problem being...I just don't know where to start.

We need outside help to stop this, I think. We can't stop this madwoman and her ever increasing army on our own.

The two continue to watch on, helplessly.

Edited by Team42Larson on Jul 3rd 2019 at 1:09:25 PM