ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

Ship

Well that is perfectly fine by me. I don't care how long it's for, but after this, staying in Foxfell sounds like a much preferable alternative to anything else. I just want to get this show on the road, figure how to deal with this Gorebyss bitch, get him back, and be outta there.

Foxfell

I sort of lazily put my arms around Lucy. "Alright..." I look up at Dinah and give her a nod.

Foxfell (Boat)

(You know what, I don't care where it happens; after we get Goobert back, we just need a break and I'm willing for it to happen anywhere. We're probably going to need to get June back to Foxfell anyway.) Sounds fine to me.

(Dinah nods back at Eliot and moves to take Lucy's paw.) Make sure to get lots of rest, Eliot. We'll be in touch with you and the others as soon as possible.

(Once out of the hug, Lucy rejoins Dinah and the two begin heading toward the boat. Lucy turns to wave good-bye to Eliot along the way.) Bye, Eliot... (She says to him.)

Welp, you two ready tuh git goin'? (Benji asks Dinah and Lucy once they're at the boat.)

I think so... (Dinah says, still sounding a little down as she moves to get on the boat.)

Uh huh... (Lucy agrees, sounding equally down as she follows Dinah.)

(Benji looks a bit concerned as he gets on the boat after them.)

Oh, there's Lucy and the Bookworm. (Marsha says.) Guess we're set now, eh?

The boat

Well...I uh—all I can say is, good luck out there.

Richard moves to pull the ladder up and gives one last note to Benji as he does.

Just do what I just did there when you get to where you're going to get people off.

With an err on the side of hesitation, Richard flaps away from the boat to watch the party off, when Mac arrives.

Richie—ye sure these kids'll be fine out th'ere?

I...hope so but...why must it always be kids like these who go off on wacky, world-bending adventures?

a'wish I knew the answer, Rich. I really do.

Well, let's get this Popsicle stand on the road I guess..

I say, sighing and leaning back.

Anyone got anything to take our minds off of what's ahead?

Edited by Team42Larson on Aug 25th 2019 at 3:11:44 PM

I walk over to Marlon, "Do you think any one wants to hear of Asgardia?"

[I hope somebody is, or at least willing to pass time with me. Last time I was on a boat, I nearly went insane due to boredom.]

The boat

I go back on what I said earlier.

I uh...save it for later, alright? I think we'd rather get there and get our other objectives before doing anything else.

Edited by Team42Larson on Aug 25th 2019 at 6:06:33 AM

"But you want something to take the pressure off?" Bailey asks Marlon. "...Maybe we could sing something?"

"Oh, that sounds fun!" says Rex. "What should we sing?"

Foxfell (Boat)

Sure thing! (Benji calls to Richard as he unties the boat from the docks and shoves the boat off.)

Oh, hey! I know some songs... (Lucy says, cheering up a little at Bailey's suggestion.) M-Maybe we could sing the songs I sang in Gleamscape with Lilly and Eliot...

A little ways out from Whispering Pines

(The day passes with songs sung and conversations had. The trip takes the better half of the day, and by the time Whispering Pines is in sight, the sun has almost completely set. By now, it's very cloudy, and it looks as though it might start raining. The clouds overhead cast a gloomy shadow over the otherwise rather inviting-looking island covered in palm trees and pine trees. A small town sitting next to the water, Whispering Pines itself, sits just ahead of the boat. The barge does not appear to be in front of the docks reaching out from the town.)

Whisperin' Pines, just ahead! (Benji alerts the others.)

(Startled, Dinah bolts awake, causing the sleeping Lucy to stir.) Oh, we're there already? (So much for having their conversation along the way to Whispering Pines.)

Finally...I'm ready ta be offa heres... (Marsha says.)

Where's the barge Maran and Sunny talked about...? Did we somehow beat Phoebe here? Or did we miss her already? (I hope we haven't missed them.)

Northern side of Whispering Pines

(Winding around to the back of the island and making the trek across the island has left the cursed mons and company entering from the northern side of town about the same time that the Guild boat carrying the others is approaching the town from the water.)

Mes étoiles... (Sunny gasps once they are close enough to see the town.)

(The town is in utter disarray. The buildings, which would look like quaint little residences built with wood or clay under other circumstances, are water-damaged. Debris from Pokémon attacks, stray rocks, burnt spots, dried up poison sludge, and much more are lying every which way. Occasionally, a Clamperl hops between buildings.)

Oh, this is...so not fun... (June says, anxiously tightening her grip on the handles of Renata's wheelchair.)

Yeah, this place is a dump... (Cortez says, peering over a rock.)

(Rich quickly lumbers ahead of everyone and desperately looks around in search of his Charizard wife.) Polly? Polly? Where are yeh? It's yer Richie! Polly!? (He calls, stepping around the debris.)

"Ahhh, there it is", said Noriaki, gazing out at the island. "Thank goodness, my legs were beginning to feel numb."

"Seems to be a bit cloudy today", Hikari commented. "I hope that it won't rain."

Near Whispering Pines

(Finally, we've made it. The fact that the Dragonite is concerned about a barge worries me. Regardless, I spoke to the group.) Alright, we better get ready to move soon. Who knows what happened here.

Still on the boat

Oh, shit, did all of that time really slip by that fast? I rouse myself from a brief nap to gather a look at our surroundings, which leads me to get a glimpse at our inbound destination—the island itself. Something seems off. Is it...the fact it's about to rain which makes anything feel creepy? Is it...lack of significant noise that would indicate people are still here? Is it both? Whatever it is, it's not right at all. Plus the mention of a barge, one that Phoebe—I mean—the bitch, excuse me, makes me feel that much more unnerved.

Whatever we find in there, we need to be on guard from the moment we step off. How close can you get us, Benji?

The island

Stellan is in disbelief. Were they just too late to stop yet another town from getting hit up? Whatever the answer is he feels the same eerie feeling he did when he witnessed the group's friend getting captured.

This...bitch. Another town brought to its knees. Are there any survivors?

Edited by Team42Larson on Aug 26th 2019 at 5:34:01 AM

"What... Did she do this!? That damned Monster will pay." I saw the result of Pheobe's attack, which enraged me. I was getting flashbacks to Asgardia's destruction, which I could naught but run.

"So this is the place... Whispering Pines, right?" says Rex. "It looks kind of nice... it's too bad that it's so cloudy today."

Whispering Pines (Docks)

(As the boat draws close to the docks, Benji turns to the others.) Anyone wanna help tie off the boat?

(Now that the boat is closer to the docks (and thus to town), those arriving on the boat will be able to clearly see the damage that's been done to the town. Despite night falling, the only building that has any sort of light coming from it is an inn near the edge of the water about fifty yards up the beach from where the boat is docking. Light is very faintly visible through the boarded up windows.)

(It's also now starting to drizzle.)

Oh...my...this is horrible... (Dinah says as she looks on at the mess.)

(I feel myself bristling at the sight of this wrecked town. This is going to take them months to clean up...and who knows how many else got shanghaied by her while she was here...)

(Wait a minute, where's the Shifter? Where's Dieter? Where's June? Where's Mother?!) Does anyone see Benji's boat anywhere?

Whispering Pines (North Side)

We won't find out if we just stand here, c'mon! (Liesl says, walking ahead.)

(June and the others follow.)

The boat

Sure, I think I could give it a whirl as long as you guide me on what I'm doing, at least my leg got some rest on the trip here and...holy shit...

This place is a god damned mess. No signs of life, no signs of anything that really didn't take a hit from whatever, or whoever it was that ripped through here. The hairs on the back of my neck (if I even still have any) begin to creep up in unnerving shock as I move to try and help Benji with the boat, assuming nobody else decides to come help. As I do I make a rather grim statement to the others.

Guys...I don't see signs of anything or anyone. We better not already be too late...unless the others and/or any survivors are on the other side of the island?

The island

The Alolan Golem follows through eith the others, appalled by what he sees just as much as anyone.

Look at this place. The Pokémon probably had next to no idea that an army of such massive size would've crashed down on top of them. And now...carnage.

Edited by Team42Larson on Aug 26th 2019 at 7:26:06 AM

"Completely ravaged... Almost like a monster rampaged through here", Hikari murmured.

Noriaki grimaced at the ravaged down that was deluded by the rainfall, but his attention was soon set on the distant, barricaded house.

"There seems to be life there", he said, pointing out to the building with the lights.

Whispering Pines

(Well, here we are. Whispering Pines, or rather, what's left of it. Whole damn place was just ripped apart like paper. No survivors outside of that inn either. At least, as far as we can tell. Son of a bitch.)

(I'm not even sure if the light is a good sign, if she left any stragglers to jump us. With that in mind, I responded to the group.) Keep an eye out. You don't know what to expect here.

As Steph approaches the island, she was rendered speechless for a few minutes, "Oh my..."

Whispering Pines (Boat)

Bailey observes the island with awe.

"Yeah... I'm with you, Rex. This is nice. I hope everyone's okay, though..."

Salty looks out at the wreckage.

"Eesh... t'think she'd do all of this..."

They then look around, seeing if they can find any survivors.

Whispering Pines (Docks)

Well...should we check there or somethin'? (Marsha asks.)

(Benji assumes Richard's form and puts out the ladder for everyone to disembark.) Do just what he did... (He mutters before resuming his usual Swampert form.)

(I'm about to come unglued. I don't see the Shifter and I don't see anyone who was on it...including my mother.) Benji, do you see your boat here anywhere?

(It must have just occurred to him what was going on as he starts looking around for it as well.) ...oh heck...

(Before either of us can do anything, though, out of the corner of my eye I see something lift up off the roof of the inn nearby.) What was that?

(Dinah quickly gets the groggy Lucy behind herself and prepares to use any sort of moves just in case. " Earth Power? Crunch? Bulldoze?")

(It quickly becomes clear one everyone looks though, that the unidentified Pokémon that just took off from the inn roof and is now heading their way is a Charizard, specifically, Rich's wife Polly. She lands on the dock and faces the party with a sad smile on her face.)

'Hoy there, folks, uh, sorry abou' th' mess. We're in a bit of a- (It's then that she recognizes a number of the mons from back when they stayed at her inn in Slak Rock shortly before she and her friends evacuated the kingdom.) 'Oy, wait! I recognize some of yeh! Y' were at my inn back in Slak Rock! Fancy seein' you all 'ere! Wish i' was a be'r time...

Whispering Pines (In town)

No kiddin'... (June says to Dieter, anxiously.)

(The cursed mon group passes through an area of residential buildings as they go on. Like every other building in town, they have been totally ransacked and seem devoid of life. Rich still periodically calls for Polly, and occasionally calls for her two younger siblings as well.) Polly? Cree? Radar? Polly???

(Behind one such house, Maran spots a Sharpedo fin sticking out of a pool of water.)

Is that someone right there? (Maran asks nervously.)

If it is, I wouldn't be surprised if they're dead... (Cortez says.) ...Wait, does this Gorebyss actually kill people?

Well, are you just going to stand there or are you going to check to see if they're alright? (Renata asks.)

(Maran cautiously approaches the pond to see if the Sharpedo is showing any signs of life.)

The Docks

I carefully snake my way off of the boat in time with the crutches until I land on the docks themselves. Before I can even make one movement back on dry ground Polly lands before us.

I wish we could say the same, but trust me when I say we aren't simply touring around. What's happened here?

I look around towards the others to see if they can help fill in exactly why we are here.

The island

The Sharpedo fin bristles and dives down further for a moment before popping back up as a Full Sharpedo, dazed, but still quite alive, and without any sign of being attacked by Phoebe—Bruce managed to outwit the raiders and hide himself in the pond behind his and Addie's home, somehow.

Oh..Dear Arceus...the lot of ya scared me for a moment...so many Clamperls...we did not even stand a chance.

Bruce's face contorts as he finally completely snaps back to it. Addie—where is she??

My Addie, do any of ya know where she is?? I saw her cousin and her boyfrien' just get overwhelmed so fast by 'em...I hope she's okay...she's a Houndoom.

Edited by Team42Larson on Aug 28th 2019 at 6:27:49 AM

Whispering Pines

Mila tracks along with the rest of the group, grimacing in turn at the devastation wrought on the town. And not even with VA... at least she hoped. Mila wasn't sure she wanted to think about a combination of someone who could create thralls also having to deal with VA. Seeing the Charizard approach snaps her from her worries, though, and jogs her mind for the reason they came here once more.

"Were you... with Goobert and the others? Do you know where they are?"

Steph listens while she looks around Whispering Pines, "This is a neat place."