ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

(I just wrap my arms around Marsha's midsection as I watch the proceedings. I sigh, and look to her:)

It's just sad ta see this, ya know?

(I look around and ask the group:)

Hey, where is Benji?

Yas are tellin' me, Marly. (Marsha says, glumly.)

(Lucy continues sobbing as I hold her. As I do, I can't help but think about how I've always wanted to hold a Riolu. I just really wish that it had been under completely different circumstances than this...)

He was just going to get a sandwich for Niles. (Dinah says.) He should be here after a whi-

NILES! CAREFUL!! (I yell in concern upon seeing Niles flying straight towards Dore's sharp blade, interrupting Dinah.)

edited 19th Oct '17 5:01:40 PM by kablammin45

It's too late, I can't stop myself. The blade begins to dig into my torso. My eyes widen in shock and I cry in pain. I use the missed Brick Break to strike the blade, bouncing myself off to prevent further penetration. I don't think it's fatal, but man, that is a nasty gash. And the rate of blood loss is still a cause for concern.

(I continue watching the fighting, but when Niles gets hurt I wince in pain and look around to the others:)

What do we do, fellas? We need ta help him out of there! He's been seriously hurt!

(Despite me now standing up, I don't do anything for now.)

edited 19th Oct '17 6:00:40 PM by Team42Larson

[My attention's yanked back towards the fight by Goobert's scream. Niles is flying through the air, Dore's pointed himself up at Niles, he falls—]

"NILES!" [I don't even think, I just run for them, throwing myself through the shrubbery, letting nothing stop me.]

(Lucy looks over and sees what's going on, including Niles getting injured by Dore.)

NO NO NO NO NO!!! (She screams. She finally manages to squirm away from me (helped by the fact that Eliot is no longer holding her), grabs a large thick tree limb on the ground, and begins thundering toward Dore.)

LUCY! NO! (Dinah yells, running after Lucy.)

Oh crap! (I yell.)

(Lucy runs over to Dore.) HEY! BUTTHEAD! (She shouts. She then swings the limb at him with all of her might.)

edited 19th Oct '17 5:57:45 PM by kablammin45

*Lilly turns to the others and screams* Niles is one of your friends, isn't he? Somebody help him! *before herself heading over to intervene, not exactly sure what she'll do what she gets there, though*

Lilly, wait! *Tilly yells, heading over with the intent to help her sister just in case*

I can see multiple people running towards us. "Sta-" I cough out blood. "Shit…" I brace myself so I can actually finish a sentence. "STAY THE HELL AWAY!" I release gusts of burning hot air to push them back.

Andy is in shock after Nyquil's bleeding. He really didn't want to do anything, and yet, he picked a fight.

He sees Lucy, and uses his "hand" to push her forehead, trying to keep her away. Little miss, please. I don't want this. He is in such an amount of shock, he forgot his accent there.

Why do we need to-

(I hear a VERY familiar voice come out of "Dore.")

ANDY? YOU were DORE? Why would you kill your former gang???

(I ask, dumbstruck.)

edited 19th Oct '17 6:09:23 PM by Team42Larson

(Lucy continues trying to swing at Dore with her tree-limb despite him trying to push her away.) STOP KILLING PEOPLE YOU FATHEAD!

WHOA! (Suddenly, Benji swoops in in the form of Marjorie, scoops Lucy up, and crash lands beside the rest of us who didn't start running.)

Let me go back! (Lucy cries.)

Kid, please! This is too dangerous! You don't want to get hurt or killed yourself, just sayin'. (Benji tells her as Dinah runs back over.)

(My jaw drops as well when I hear Marlon exclaim this.) A-ANDY?! Is that you?!

What the heck, Buggy, why are yas a Honedge now? (Marsha asks, equally shocked.)

Oh...my gosh... (Delilah says.)

edited 19th Oct '17 6:14:14 PM by kablammin45

Andy answers Marlon in a reserved fashion. I know more than anyone who those people were. I drank with them. Laid with some of them. It had to be me to put 'em to rest.

Hearing Marsha, he answers, Being who I was didn't do anything for me. Figured I'd start over. Rejoin as someone else.

edited 19th Oct '17 6:13:36 PM by TacoBadger

*Lilly is held back by Niles' heat wall, before realizing what's going on* J-jolty? Yer that Joltik, Andy, aren't ya? *remembering back to the trip down the tunnel, Lilly doesn't know what to think* Why...how...what...?

*Tilly interrupts her to say* Perhaps we should let Dore explain himself...

But why?

(I ask, remaining dumbstruck. I feel so dumbstruck and sick that I need to hold on to Marsha to keep upright.)

[The hot air does little to avail me. Something else stops me instead.] "Wha—A—A-Andy?" [That...that was his gang...but, but how...why...]

"...but...how? What, did an Orb get you, 'r..."

[I hold my head in my hands. That's why we couldn't shake him off, that's why he stuck around when I basically told him to leave...it was him. He killed his gang...]

[I chime in with Marlon.] "Yea, why? If they were yer fucking friends 'n fuckbuddies 'n all that, why the hell'd y'just...get rid of them?! You didn't even have the strength t'fucking see them die, didn't you?!"

edited 19th Oct '17 6:23:50 PM by BlackMageAnolis

(I'm floored. Andy changing himself into a different Pokémon (with a Transfer Orb, I guess) is one thing, but doing all of this...? I'm just beyond speechless. I shake my head and lean against Delilah, who is similarly speechless as she leans against me.)

(Lucy reluctantly stays with Benji, but continues to glare at Andy.)

Hey, Dinah, when this all blows over, I've got somethin' very important to tell ya. (Benji quickly says to Dinah.)

All right... (Dinah says.)

(Marsha holds on to Marlon. She doesn't have much to say either.)

edited 19th Oct '17 6:28:18 PM by kablammin45

I move on to the next highest priority: the stab wound. If this keeps going, I'm definitely going to faint, but I also happen to possess some fiercely burning determination. (This won't do… I still have plenty of rage to hurl at him! I can't stop… Have to keep fighting…!) My whole body lights itself on fire, which eventually all converges onto one of my paws. I take a deep, albeit shaky breath, clench my teeth, and put the flaming paw directly on the wound. "NGH! RRGH…!"

Noriaki has still just been silently hugging Finley.

"... If that is indeed the sound of Miss Mila sobbing nearby, we should go see to it that she is alright."

I bought an orb from some people on the road to Hoard. I did it because I realized all of the sudden how horribly poor you all must view me. So, I figured I'd start anew. But that meant leaving nothing left behind. And I knew that if I left the group of killers that I let abide to on, then I'd continue to be just as bad of a person.

You all don't even realize. Whenever you guys came in, I'd have to hide all the 'trophy' talk... all the talk of impressive hunts and victims. All that, hidden under some Disney songs I had to teach them. So I knew they needed to be out of the picture.

So I got in. I talked to my only friends in that joint: Bud and Princess. They said they'd get out with all the 'good folk' apparently, so I gave them a couple hours. After that, I returned, and well, some of you already know the story there.

But...my mama and daddy.... (Lucy whimpers, audibly enough for us to hear her. Benji and Dinah try to comfort her. Marsha, Delilah, and I are still speechless.)

edited 19th Oct '17 6:35:37 PM by kablammin45

But...but...sure, you were an asshole at first, but you really started coming around recently. D'yas also realize dat these gang members had families? People that relied on them to even assure them that they'll have food on the table?..

(I collapse into Marsha's arms, muttering) poor kids...family members...

edited 19th Oct '17 6:38:58 PM by Team42Larson

[...after his story, I feel...sobered...but no less mad. Lucy's still nearby... I fix my gaze on Dore—Andy...this is fucking rich...]

[And Marlon's getting snippy, that's the last thing we need.] "Marlon, shut the fuck up for a second." [I sigh, approaching Andy. I gotta ask this, I just gotta. At this point, I could give a fuck if he's vindicated, I need to have some kind of solace on this. I can cut into him later...I just need this.]

"...in...in...the 'good guys'...was there a, a, a Lucario, 'r..."

edited 19th Oct '17 6:41:02 PM by BlackMageAnolis

Not only family, but "the good ones" sounds somewhat arbitrary. *Tilly hops aboard the guilt train before continuing* Such indiscriminate methods of murder always have unintended victims.

Furthermore... *she adds warily* ...assuming your story about the farmers is true, this still may not qualify as just vengeance if you were their leader.

edited 19th Oct '17 6:40:07 PM by sarysa

They were killers. It was the most deserving way to get rid of them.

Marlon, I was a pacifist, not a serial murderer. Which they all were.

Now look, I didn't see the people who they saved, alright? But if your dad made money there, it doesn't look too good for him.

(Lucy continues to glare at Andy, tears starting to stream down her face again.)

I think we should take her inside, Dinah, just sayin'. (Benji says.)

All right... (Dinah says.)

(Benji and Dinah begin to head towards the mansion, Benji still carrying Lucy, who is starting to cry as she continues glaring at Andy as they leave.)

Man... (I finally say.) Lucy's mother probably didn't even know what was going on if she was still in there...

(Delilah and Marsha still have nothing to say. Marsha takes to gently hugging Marlon, rubbing his back, and giving him a kiss on the cheek.)

edited 19th Oct '17 6:54:41 PM by kablammin45