The Front

Yeah, and hopefully I can find a doctor that'll at least tell me if I can eventually walk straight again.

I say, before looking over towards Wreck.

We're facing a Gorebyss who for lack of a better word isn't the nicest mon to speak face to face with, and can also assimilate you into her ranks if she stabs you with her beak, so yeah.

After that yet still, I find myself wondering. Wondering about what's probably to come today, which is of course a probable fight with that Gorebyss and her lackeys. They are....water types. And I...can withstand their hits, but when I have a leg this badly battered, it means bad news for me. Do I have options? Yes. One particular option ? June's illusions. I have seen the effects of her illusions firsthand, from the very first time in the funhouse, and again with Lilac in the Narcia Funhouse. It may be the lone viable I have to not feel completely vulnerable in what is sure to be some upcoming fights. As I bite into the pancakes some more I lean over and ask Marsha the following question.

You think June could illusion me up into something like a Noivern so I'm not completely dead in the water in whatever fights we have to face here?

Aye! No pro'lem, Igni! I'm always here t'help if a need it. It's how I survived 13 brothers and sisters aft' all. I hope the two of yeh enjoy the food, but keep in mind we do gotta get movin'.

Addie trots off to tend to other patrons. Meanwhile...

Ahaha...yeah. We're totally gonna get Roy back, trust me, Stell. It's what he'd want. If you want breakfast go ahead but we've gotta get moving to the island soon.

Stellan quietly moves off to eat while Clayton quickly burrows down into the hole he dug at the inn front and pops back up next to Ophelius.

What do we do, man, what do we do??

I'm thinking...we gotta keep the illusion up, help him still belive that Roy is still out there. But we have to let him know sooner than later. Can't have him attempting to kill the Gorebyss and the innocents she captured all because of a lie we told him all those years ago, just so he can see Roy again.

The Front

Bailey floats in, looking for the others. "Rev? You here?"

The Front

"I'm here!" says Rex when he sees Bailey come into the lobby. "Sorry for leaving you alone like that... I didn't want to wake you. Want to get some breakfast? It looks like they have pancakes."

(Having not eaten anything since last night, I do make rather quick work of the pancakes, before taking a moment to think about what Addie said.)

...Oh, right, we have to go somewhere. Sigh.

(Well, it was nice while it lasted, at least. I start mentally preparing myself for whatever inevitability might happen once we do end up going... whereever it is.)

Wait, where was it we were going? Hm...

I wolf down the pancakes, due to having a second mouth and all.

(Hopefully we reach the isle before that Gorebyss does.)

Judy's (Front)

(In the meantime, Polly tries to get everyone's attention as they continue to eat.) 'Hoy, fellas! So, meant t' say this earlier, but since Judy's been to th' spring before, she'll be comin' with us so we'll have someone who knows th' island pretty well.

(June looks over to Marlon and sets down the plate she had been spinning on one of her claws.) Well, I reckon I could do that, but you're not gonna be able to fly, though. 'Sides, uh...I dunno if it'll fix your leg.

(She gestures toward it.) Y' might still feel it.

(Patch gets Lucy's attention.) Are you guys gonna get my mom and daddy and Vivian back?

(Lucy feels frustrated since she knows Dinah wants her to stay here, but responds as cheerfully as she can.) Uh huh!

(Patch looks a little bit happier now.)

The Front

Well...

I finish my pancakes and begin to think. I can't fly in the intended form I want to take here. That's obviously a drawback. The second drawback is that I'm probably gonna still feel my leg injury even in this form. Fair enough, considering I'd think Zoroark illusions can't 100% change a mon completely. Yet despite this, the positives still do outweigh the negatives. I'd still get hit by water while in this form, sure, but at least I can feel much less vulnerable considering that Noivern is be a Dragon-Type, a type that withstands water moves much easier than my normal form. Plus I simply don't want to feel 100% gimped.

I'll do it. The positives outweigh the negatives here.

Before Addie completely moves to leave she catches Igni ask about where they're going.

Aye..we gotta go t'the island, to find and save mons and stop the Gorebyss. I'll stay with yeh and Wreck through this. I don't wanna see any of yeh get taken by 'er...

Clayton adds his own .02.

We are going to stay in one giant group throughout the entire time we're there. Don't go wandering off at any point. Capisce?

Stellan downs his food decently quick as he looks over at Daniel.

I don't know who you really are, but I'm keeping you under my watch.

Edited by Team42Larson on Sep 15th 2019 at 2:55:58 PM

Oh, uh... yes. Understood. I know why they're dangerous, and I don't intend on isolating myself. I don't even know the first thing about fighting, anyway. I'm a writer, not a warrior...

(Ironically, the safest place to be is also going to end up being just as dangerous, if not moreso, and that fact is being made painfully aware to me by the minute.)

Inn

Bailey has already dug into some pancakes when he hears Rex's question. "Oh, uh... yeah. Sorry, I was hungry." He quickly finishes eating.

"Did I hear we were leaving soon? Did you get to eat, Rex?"

Inn

"I did, yeah," says Rex, who has also grabbed some pancakes in the meantime. "The food here is really good, isn't it? Well, I'm ready to go when you guys are."

Whispering Pines, Inn

"Mm...muhh..."

Mila begins to rouse herself as she hears the commotion nearby, flicking her ears and momentarily covering them with her paws as she tries to block out the noise. Eventually, the thought occurs to her that she should investigate what's going on, and so the sleepy Raichu rolls off of the couch near the front of the inn and pushes herself to her feet; literally so on both counts, having hit the ground with a heavy thud (thank god for the carpeting). Eyes still barely opened and adjusting to the returned light, Mila stares down the amassed pokemon and remembers their plans for the day, as well as realizing the poor decisions she'd made in trying to stay up late to train and watch over them. Her body is already somewhat sore, and today risks major fights ahead. Why did she do this?

"H-hello... can someone get some food for me? I can eat it on the way..."

Judy's

Oh, not a problem! (Benji picks up a stack of untouched pancakes and brings them over to Mila.)

(I've finished exactly one pancake when I hear a poof and turn to see...wait, how are there two Marj-...wait a minute, is one of them Marlon? What's going on?)

I'm sorry, what?

Marlon asked me t' make him look like a Noivern for this, that's all! (June says.)

Hey, yas are lookin' pretty good, Marly! (Marsha says.)

(I don't feel like I have time to ask exactly WHY Marlon wanted June to make him look like a Noivern because I'm hearing rumblings of everyone wanting to already be going ahead and leaving, and I know I have to eat SOMETHING or else I'm not going to have the energy to potentially fight with anyone later. I begin shoveling my food into my mouth.)

Outside

(After what seems like hours, we're finally down at the docks by Benji’s boat and the Guild boat and about to set out to face Phoebe. I look around myself at all of us who are going. The cursed Pokémon are coming with us, of course, since they were heading out there regardless. Judy is here since she was the one who knew about the island according to Polly. Polly herself is also with us, and so is the Golisopod Shelley. She lost someone close to her as well, so I guess it makes sense why she going with us.)

(And of course, Mother is here, too. I almost forget why she's even coming with us in the first place until I remember, oh yeah, I want to see if the spring can help her, too. I just hope her wheelchair survives this trip. Dinah, Lucy, and June are nearby with a few others, watching us as we prepare to leave while they stay here.)

(Henry and Tenn face us.) Well, citizens, I hope you all are prepared for what lies ahead! (He says.) Tenn and I would gladly go with you all, too, but we have been asked to help those who are not going with you all to prepare to evacuate Whispering Pines on the chance that Phoebe's plans succeed. If we finish in time, though, we will fly over to help if we can!

(I can't help but notice that Judy looks positively miserable after he says this. I'm guessing it's the thought of Whispering Pines potentially having to be abandoned completely and not the thought of Henry and Tenn joining us. I guess she must love this town like Marsha loves Silversand...)

Edited by kablammin45 on Sep 16th 2019 at 7:31:21 AM

The Front

Claws? Check. Giant ears? Check. Wings (that are still useless anyway?) Also check. My leg? Yeah, still also fucked, but this is still something I can work with...for now. No telling how long this illusion holds.

Well, this'll work...for now.

Further looking into this form one would be able to spot how my normal eyes are still present, a big hint of me being illusioned, the scarf being recolored to purple and yellow, and having a little more muscle in my legs.

After finishing the last of the pancakes I hop off the table I was sitting at and move off to the door to the place, attempting to clutch both crutches in my wings.

Let's get moving, guys.

And ultimately I hop out the door.

Docks

After a series of sequential hops while still working in time with the crutches to get there I make it. Clay, Stellan, Addie, and Ophelius will follow on this trip, but they've each got their own motivation. But yet still for Clay and Ophelius the main objective remains obvious: keep the illusion up so that Stellan doesn't turn and reject them in such a critical time like this. After sweeping my head around I look back. Where's the boat? Never mind, there it is.

Well, let's light this popsicle stand.

Edited by Team42Larson on Sep 16th 2019 at 7:33:40 AM

Docks

Rex feels a little nervous as he approaches the boat, knowing that the place they are heading to is dangerous.

"Well, here we go..." he says.

(I quietly get up as soon as I'm ready and head out the door following the others to the docks.)

(...Which is when I promptly remember I can't swim.)

Oh, right... uh... water is a thing. A thing I can't swim in. Good thing we have a boat...?

Docks

"Yeah..." Bailey says in response to Rex. "But we'll all stick together, right...?"

Docks

"Yeah, don't worry," says Rex. "We'll save everyone, definitely."

"Yeah, here it is. Glad I didn't do too bad a job parking it at least..."

Daniels stays close to his captain, looking proud and ready to go.

"Well, it seems we will be off soon enough", said Noriaki, gazing up at the boat, "I hope for everyone's sake that she will go down easier than L'Arachel..."

Hikari looked to some of the newer members of the group and said, "If any of you become injured, try to seek me out. I will do my best to have you healed up as soon as possible."

Docks

(One breakfast later, and we're about to board the boats. Tensions are getting high, and it'll only get higher and higher. I looked to the newcomers: a Drifloon, a Sandshrew, a Fennekin, and a Dhelmise, with a question in mind.) Do you all know how to fight?

(One of the Dragalge spoke to the group, sounding a mix between smug and carefree.) Let's see who wins, quantity or quality, ain't that right, Boss?

Edited by Ore-O on Sep 16th 2019 at 5:10:57 AM

The Docks

As the others had breakfast I went and got a tall mug of water to dip my tendrils into. Felt oddly satisfying. I was getting used to this new form. The others were heading down to the docks to enact their plan. I follow in the back, not wanting to get in the way. I was actually not to sure what the plan would be. Apparently Marlon was wearing some kind of illusion disguise? He looked like some kind of bat-dragon. My eye rests on the one called Addie.

"So what's the plan here?

(I listen diligently to the others until the combat question comes up... something I slightly dread.)

I said it earlier... I can read, I can write, but I can't fight. Completely useless, that's, uh... That's me, alright...

(Once again, I've made myself sad on accident by thinking about things too much.)

Docks

Addie turns around quickly to address Wreck.

The plan is t' get on this boat n' head over t' the island to find the Gorebyss. I will protect you n' Igni here.

Numbers always matter, Miller. We will get our target, gentlemen.

He days to his two subordinates.

Edited by Team42Larson on Sep 17th 2019 at 4:39:23 AM

Docks

I would hope WE win... (Judy remarks, looking anxiously toward the town as those who weren't captured by Phoebe begin to prepare to leave.)

(The equally anxious Dinah walks a bit closer to everyone to ask a question.) What will all of you do if you can't stop her?

That...be an excellent question. What will we do? (Rich wonders.)

I guess our chances of escape depend on what exactly Phoebe is plannin' t' do there. (Polly says.) We could have anythin' from a few hours t'...well...no time at all. Let's just hope wha'ever she's doin' isn't goin' t' destroy th' island immediately if she goes through with it.

(Oh, I wish she hadn't said that. Now I'm even more worried about us failing than ever. Sure, some of us, including myself, could just fly away, but Goobert isn't going to be able to and neither will a bunch of others.)

Let's hope we actually stop her before she does anything. (I say.) Can we get on the boats already so we can go stop her?

I'm waiting on the rest of you, just saying. (Benji says.) As far as I know, we're taking both my boat and that big Guild boat to the island. We'll make sure neither of us get too far away from each other as we go that way, won't we?

(Benji moves over to his boat and opens the door to let people aboard. I waste no time climbing on.)

Edited by kablammin45 on Sep 17th 2019 at 5:42:29 AM

The Docks

The ladder for which to lower the ramp to climb aboard Richard's boat is able to be pulled down from the piece of land it was tied down to, as Ophelius is able to identify and then get the ladder lowered. He grumbles briefly, confounded as to why nobody immediately climbed aboard, then why nobody was able to identify how to even get on.

Well, that was a cinch. Okay, I want as many of you as we can get on this boat. The other boat will house everyone else.

Ophelius motions his men to climb aboard with him as he climbs onto Richard's boat. Addie motions for Igni and Wreck to stay with her.

Th' two of yeh, stay with me here. I'm gonna make sure th' two of yeh get a chance to learn to fight n' make it through this while we're on th'boat.

She motions and heads to Richard's boat. Stellan and Clay also climb aboard Richard's boat.

I look around at the rest of our group as our so called guides go about their own business and try to get everyone in the zone.

Alright, guys, I'm still gimped slightly while under this illusion but I can still fight and...I know nobody wanted this to happen, but we gotta stay committed to the goal. We've got to rescue Goobert, and I know we've assembled the group to do it. Let's get it done, and save our friend.

I head to Benji's boat and clamber aboard, while Marsha follows.

Edited by Team42Larson on Sep 17th 2019 at 8:30:05 AM