[PKMN OPEN] Z: A Kalos Journey - Rebirth [M] [IC]

Jay · Mar 18, 2019

-FALL-

The crowd was stunned into silence at Crimson's revelation. Immediately following were panicked whispers, bouncing between those seated. Malorie watched from the side of the stands... had she said Team Cinder? Wasn't that the shady group that the students from Aquacorde had clashed with? The one causing chaos across the entire region...?

"Jackson..." She mumbled her brothers name and gripped her skirt with both hands in her seat.

"You were foolish to reveal yourself here..." Steven Stone stepped into the middle of the battlefield, his Metagross swiftly floating down in its mega evolved form to its trainers side. "This place, this time, you people are never satisfied are you? This is a festival to celebrate all the good in this world and you sully it by existing here."

"All the good...? My, you are full of hubris." Crimson's small smile flickers away and she glares at Steven with a cold, dead glare... both sets of eyes glow with prismatic light and emanate an aura of intensity. "All I see is a monument to self celebration and arrogance... not all that surprising considering 'champions' like you are littering the streets of Kalos these days."

"Hold your tongue! I'll not listen to your poison!" Steven takes a step forward causing Crimson to tilt her head curiously. "You're under arrest for acts of terrorism against the league, the people of Kalos and innocent children! As well as for resisting arrest on behalf of the international police. Do not try to resist or I will have Metagross restrain you."

"Your floating ball of metal doesn't frighten me Stone... besides..." Her lips barely twitch into a very slight smile as from the pocket of her dress she produces what appears to be a small device, with a trigger built into the side. "You'll soon see that I'm the least of your problems."

"Wait... don't-!" Steven quickly reached out and Metagross began to charge forward but it was too late, with a single clutch of her fist the trigger was pulled and immediately all hell broke loose.

Across all of Shalour city explosions began to erupt, people screamed in terror and pain as important city building began to burst and explode into flame, the ground itself began to shake, knocking Steven off of his feet and causing Metagross to turn and grasp him.

Crimson's face returned to neutral as she turned away... and a large black Dragon pokémon landed before her. As Steven scrambled to his feet, she climbed upon the Mega Charizard's back, glancing down at the crowd, now screaming and scrambling onto the arena, she spied Odette out of the corner of her eye and met the girls gaze. "I'll be in touch."

"You won't get away! Metagross, Meteor Mash quickly!" Without hesitation, Metagross, still in its mega evolved form, rushed forward as swiftly as it could. Rushing forth with an outstretched claw, but it was just a little too slow. In an instant, Charizard had dashed upwards, carrying Crimson and flying out over the city to escape.

"Damn it!" Steven stood quickly and moved to pursue, but a sudden cry caught his attention before he could act.

"P-Please... someone! Help us!"

Peering over his shoulder he saw he was met with another sight of crimson. A pair of parents were struggling with a large piece of rubble. One that sat upon the lower half of their young son. A stream of blood had shot outwards and sprayed across the cobbles. The boy was conscious, but barely, his legs most likely numbing his senses with the pain. "...graaah! Metagross, quickly to me!" Steven turned from his fleeing assailant and moved to the aid of the parents, Metagross and his efforts easily aiding in the removal of the rubble.

Once again, the Hoenn champion quickly placed a finger to his ear, speaking into a device mounted on his ear as he already rushed towards another call for help. "Contacting all available allies, I repeat ALL available. Code Cinder, a massive code Cinder at Shalour city we need immediate resistance!"

---

"T-This can't be happening..." Professor Augustine Sycamore looked on at the carnage, the sky was painted red against the stars, reflecting the light of the burning flames across all of Shalour City. Occasionally another explosion would go off, more injured, dead and destroyed by the second.

"M-My students... Malorie...!" He quickly looked around the pathway outside of the pokémon center, his gaze frantically darting left and right, desperately he searched for a head he recognized. What if they had already been hurt? What if they were already...?!

He rushed through the streets like a man possessed. He had to find them, he had to find at least one of them, but he had no idea where they were! They could be anywhere in the city, he couldn't-

Unless...

A memory shot through him, as he walked the streets of Shalour searching for a student. Drew Tucker, a younger student than the others... recently in trouble with the leage but still so full of potential. He had meant to punish him, speak to him about his conduct at the gym. He had seen him, walking with head held low through the streets. He had been heading somewhere important enough that Augustine had held back. He had felt that he had to let Drew go there alone, to grow, that they could talk after his trial was complete!

The tower of mastery.

Without missing a beat, the Professor turned, suddenly glad to be younger than his colleagues as he sprinted towards the tower, moving against a wave of people heading towards the gates. He had to get there soon, he had to save Drew, he had to save all of them!

Swiftly he approached the bridge and entrance to the tower... looking up desperately he saw a glimmer of hope. A figure stood atop the building, facing the carnage, but far too far away to see. Was it him? Was it Drew?

Before he could finish the thought he felt a massive impact on his chest. In front of him, the bridge to the tower erupted in flame and shrapnel that pierced the arms he desperately used to cover his face. He was sent flying back by the impact, sprawling helplessly, his vision blurring and shaking from the explosion.

Arceus no, it couldn't be.

Even with shaky sight he could see it, explosions racing up the tower of mastery, sections of stone launching outwards into other building and the ocean behind it. The foundations began to crumble with a noise that shook the very hurt and quite nearly deafened the professor on the ground below...

...and soon to follow, the tower began crumble and break, shattering along its structure and falling backwards into the sea.

"DREW!!!" He screamed, trying to pull himself to his feet... but it was too late, as the tower crashed down, erupting into a massive wave that slammed against the city walls, there was nothing he could do but watch.

---

As the tower of Shalour fell, Crimson fell to one knee before a single man. The dark red suit he wore was complimented by a black cloak that billowed out behind him, flowing gently in the hot wind rising from the heat of the flames below. Upon his head was a helmet night identical to the one worn by Crimson herself in the tournament prior. A black, glass dome, accentuated with black and red metal to fasten it in place. An emotionless, blank sphere that gazed out upon the soon to be ruins of the wretched city he had longed to see burn.

"Master Zevran... your will is done, their arrogance is punished." She spoke with the same calm and empty tone, but now there was familiarity in her voice... and what could be perceived as a gentle pining for approval.

"Not yet." His voice was lined with bitterness, yet it was difficult to tell, his helmet modulating his voice until it was nigh unrecognizable. "Rocket, Plasma, Cipher... Flare... all flawed and weak names that lacked vision. All examples of why this world must be reset, reduced to zero as per our plans. Yet their concepts, cloning, enhancement, shadow and the ultimate weapon of the passed. Together they form the basis for our goals, finally we have a prototype to show for it, a facsimile of our power to show them all that they are powerless to stand before us. That they are not strong enough to resist us. Dear Crimson, it is time, time at last we show what we are truly capable of..."

"Reveal the ship... and prepare Project: Black Zeta for deployment."

"M-Master...? Are you sure we are ready... are you sure IT is ready...?"

"Do not question me Crimson, when Artece has moved to the city square, unleash the experiment. We will witness now firsthand what my legacy is capable of." His voice was stern and demanding, Crimson visibly winced under its pressure. "As you wish, my Master."

Standing and moving from the bride, Crimson raised a small communication device on her wrist to her lips. Speaking the order she had been given somewhat shakily. "Reveal the ship... the Master has willed it, we reveal ourselves now."

No sooner had the command been given then a shimmer of light glistened atop all of Shalour, the people below looking up in awe and fear as an invisible cloaking device lifted its control. To the untrained eye, a massive floating fortress seemed to appear out of the sky. An airship decorated in red and black, bearing a flaming insignia upon its side. The symbol of Team Cinder. Above the battlefield it roared to life, the engines screeching with sounds of death and flames jetting from the exhausts.

They had planned for every eventuality, they had launched a full frontal assault on the city and its inhabitants.

Under the orders of Cinder, the Fall of Shalour City had begun.

Jay · Mar 18, 2019

Shalour City - Fall

Stage 20

Tragedy

The city is in chaos. In a surprise attack on the city as a whole, our heroes are trapped in the middle of a spiral or hellfire and torment. Team Cinder has detonated bombs across all of Shalour City, leaving the entire location in burning ruins. Everywhere one looks they see death and injury, moans of pain echo through the streets and for many, loved ones are far away with status unknown.

Even now more explosions go off every few minutes and Cinder grunts are pouring in the city gates, lead by Gabriel Artece. In the sky, a massive airship looms over the entirety of the burning city, the sky painted red by its light and the flames it creates. To many, it feels like the end of the world.

But still, there is hope and a will to fight... rise up champs in the making. Stand beside your fellow trainers and pokémon and fight back... you HAVE to fight back, the only alternative is to lie down and the flames consume you.

Wild Pokémon Available this Stage / Level 44-46:

Pokémon available with the use of a Great Ball / Level 48:

Pokémon available to those using a Good Rod / Level 44-46:

Missions:

[NOTE TO PLAYERS:] With this new stage, a new type of mission comes along as well. [CHOICE] Missions have two, often conflicting objectives... doing one will make the other impossible and will lead to the half of the reward you don't take being lost. Perhaps your characters decision in a choice mission will lead to different missions and scenarios down the line? Only time will tell.

[CHOICE] Missions are claimed in the same way as regular missions.

[OPEN] ★ Mission 1:
Team Cinder are rushing into Shalour City from all sides! With them are powerful pokémon unlike any you've ever seen... they're aggressive, violent and barely under control. When defeated in battle they seem to die, dissipating into Cinder like ashes. What sort of horrific trick is this? Even if it feels wrong, you have to defeat Cinder and their strange pokémon... before they hurt someone who can't defend themselves.
Reward: 1 x Pile of Cloned Pokémon Ashes + 500 Poké + One Evolutionary Stone of Choice

[OPEN] ★ Mission 2:
The people of Shalour City are in danger. With the destruction and havoc caused by Cinder people are suffering. The number of injured people is incredibly high and always on the rise. You can't just let that go, you have to get in there and do something! Even if it's just one life you have to give your all to save it!
Reward: 1 x Pokéball of your choice (no master balls obviously) + 3 berries of your choice.

Mission 1:
A bunch of Cinder Grunts have made off with the shining blue egg destined to be given to the winner of the Festival Tourney! Arceus knows what these nefarious characters have planned for the unborn pokémon inside. They're rushing into the ruins of a destroyed building, you have to give chase!
Reward: 1 x Shimmering Blue Egg

[OPEN] Mission 2:
Dropping from the airship above are strange mechanical creations. They appear to be mechs designed to capture pokémon in the chaos. Armed with nets and other various forms of weaponry they're targeting young trainers terrified in the chaos. If someone doesn't step in then there's going to be a number of broken families AND bolstered numbers for Cinder in the future.
Reward: 1 x Large Net + 2 x Ultra Balls

Mission 3:
As you rush through the rubble, you hear a desperate cry for help. A young woman, no more than 19, sits trapped under a large piece of rubble and surrounded by fire. She's wearing the Team Cinder uniform... and is most likely working with them. However, if you do nothing... she is destined to die. What will you do trainer?
Reward: 1 x Team Cinder ID Card + 1 Hyper Potion

Mission 4:
In the midst of the chaos Lillie is in danger, Nebbie has escaped from her and is lost in the chaos of the city. Her leg was injured in an explosion and she's finding it difficult to even walk. It seems hopeless and she has no idea what to do. If you don't step in to help her then who will?
Reward: 1 x TM Agility

Mission 5:
With the explosions shaking across the city and rubble launching into the sea, many water type pokémon have been launched onto the shore, badly injured and panicked... a group of carvanha lead by a Sharpedo are one such bunch of pokémon suffering and attacking whatever they can see. It's upsetting to knock them out when they're only trying to defend themselves, but they're blocking one of the only escape routes for the townsfolk trying to get away...
Reward: 1 x Net Ball + 450 Poké

Mission 6:
Steven Stone is desperately fighting against members of Team Cinder while also giving his all to protect a group of innocent children. He can't afford to have his attention split and he calls out to you for help, desperately asking you to lead these children out of the city to safety, no matter the cost.
Reward: 1 x Devon Scope + 750 Poké

Mission 7:
A loyal dugtrio is desperately trying to dig through the debris to enter a destroyed home. Inside you can hear the cries of a man and a young boy... however despite it's efforts, Dugtrio cannot manage the task alone. The flames make it dangerous, but will you and your pokémon take the risk to aid him?
Reward: 1 x TM Dig + 1 x Soft Sand

Mission 8:
The tower of Mastery lies in ruin, barely any of the structure still stands now, bar a small portion at the bottom. Some higher rank Cinder Grunts have been moving in and out of the ruins quickly, hauling off the inactive keystones that were hidden within, taking full advantage of the chaos. You have to stop them, that much power cannot fall into the hands of Team Cinder.
Reward: 1 x Inactive Keystone

Mission 9:
The gym is in ruins, Korrina is nowhere to be found. The once peaceful skate track is now filled with fire and pain. In the center of the arena stands a lone cloned Lucario, it rages out of control with the dead body of a Cinder grunt beside it... and most dangerously of all? It's in a mega evolved state. This pokémon poses an overwhelming threat to all surrounding it. It has to go down.
Reward: 1 x Pile of Cloned Lucario Ashes + 1 x Lucarionite

[CHOICE] Mission 10:
You find yourself caught at an impasse on a burning street. To one side, a well dressed man is being beaten and bruised by enforcers of Cinder... on the other, Cinder grunts send their fire types to burn and destroy a bank now abandoned in the crossfire. The man doesn't have much time left before the enforcers take his life... but if you take the time to save him the bank, and its contents... will be destroyed. What will you choose?
Reward:
Save the Man: Blue and Red speckled egg.
Save the Bank: 3000 Poké

Shak · Mar 18, 2019

-Drew Tucker

​

Final View

"Early..." Victor's word droned under the chaos.

An intense flame shot through the tower. The ground shuddered time and time again beneath their feet. Drew winced with each deafening explosion that shook the very world around them, lighting up the dark clounds like torches under a blanket. Despite the intense heat, Drew was frozen. This was...fear. Real fear. He wasnt scared he'd embarrass himself in front of Avril, he wasn't scared of what Nebula would do if he chose to release her from her ball, he wasnt scared that his parents would leave him again should he dare open up to them. He was scared. He was scared for his life. The tower began to falter. Beneath his feet, he could feel the fabled structure lose its strength by the second.

"No matter, Fire Blast. Get rid of that Eevee."

Those words struck Drew back into reality. In front of the boy, Nebula stood in place, powerless to stop herself being obliterated by the attack.

In front of her, a Quilladin stood, barely. Smoke rose from the grass type's scorched body. Caesar and Nebula were stunned in place. They watched, awestruck as Brycen fell.

"BRRYYY!" Their trainer shrieked. He ran over to his fallen pokemon. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?" Drew roared at Victor, Brycen in his arms.

Another explosion shook the tower again.

Victor took notice. The young trainer before him had just ended the battle, his will to continue shattered. If he didnt move soon, he himself could become a victim of Team Cinder's over eagerness. "It's been fun, Mr Tucker. Should you survive this, I'll truly be convinced you're no longer weak." He smiled as he rolled himself over to the hole in the floor.

Drew watched him, seething, the unfiltered rage never leaving his eyes. His fury was tempered, if only for a second as he came to a realisation. "You knew." He snarled through gritted teeth. It was almost a non-factor that the flames continued to burn behind him. "You're one of them..."

Victor rolled his eyes. "You knew." He responded dismissively. He stared down through the hole. His Camerupt was close behind him, much to the annoyance of Drew's Scrafty, who was quick in the chase.

"Caesar, leave it!" Drew ordered. His pokemon saw red. He leapt up and lauched himself in a Hi-Jump Kick, but just missed the Camerupt and crashed into the wall. Despite the recoil, he was quickly back on his feet and faced the fire type again. "CAESAR!" Drew yelled as yet another explosion shook the tower once more.

Victor ignored the battle and gave the prone boy one last look. "If I can offer you one last piece of advice Mr Tucker..." He began as he rose from his chair and stood over the hole. He took out two pokeballs, using one to return his Mega Camerupt. "...learn to turn your weaknesses into strengths. If you're ever to truly become strong." Without another word, he jumped through the hole and disappeared through the clouds, leaving nothing behind him but an empty wheelchair.

As the red beam of Camerupt followed him, the form of the orange and Yellow Hoodlum pokemon's Hi Jump Kick burst through the clouds until the trio disappeared out of sight.

Drew watched. Speechless. His body tightened, curling up over his unconscious starter. More explosions shook the tower, but it didnt matter. There was nothing he could do. He couldnt move.

A sharp pain shot through his hand. Agonising, but...familiar. He looked up to see his Eevee, fangs buried into his ever brutalised left hand. The little fox was doing her best to drag him away from the flames, as each explosion pieced away at the enormous foundation of the platform they were clinging to life on. "Nebula?" The boy gasped, his face stiffened into an expression of pure fear. He looked down at the pokemon and her desperate attempts to drag him to safety. "You're ri-" He began, before noticing Victor's briefcase in the corner as it began to sizzle.

Nebula yelped. There was no more time. The flames engulfed the briefcase and the balcony erupted into splinters of large debris. The Eevee felt her head squeeze from her trainer instinctively sheltering her from the flame, his outstretched arm being singed to black as the fire just came short of her nose. The force sent them careening and crashing into a large chunk of debris. She managed to wriggle out from under his arm. The wind forceful enough to rip fur off of her back as they fell. She glanced at her trainer, both he and the Quilladin that had saved her but a few minutes ago were outcold. She desperatly reached forward, clamping onto her trainer's singed arm. Drew had looked after her all this time, despite everything. She just wished she could protect him, just this once.

Drew opened his eyes, but for a moment. The last thing he saw was a bright white light.

Spoiler:

Shalour City - Tower of Mastery​

gimmepie · Mar 18, 2019

Kade Andrews
History Repeating

Stratus (Female, Reckless) - Growl, Wing Attack, Quick Attack, Double-Edge, Aerial Ace, Double Team

Contrail (Male, Big Pecks) - Flame Charge, Roost, Quick Attack, Steel Wing, Ember, Aerial Ace

Noctilucent (Male, Insomnia) - Tackle, Foresight, Hypnosis, Feather Dance, Peck

Cumulus (Female, Dancer) - Pound, Air Slash, Helping Hand, Roost, Feather Dance, Captivate

Floccus (Male, Defeatist) - Quick Attack, Agility, Ancient Power, Dragon Breath, Acrobatics, Quick Guard

Nimbus (Male, Moxie) - Night Slash, Sucker Punch, Swagger, Haze, Wing Attack, Sky Drop

Kade stood just outside of the arena as the ground shook again with each explosion and flames rose up around Shalour like hellfire, the thick smoke starting to cloud the air. It probably wasn't safe to be standing just outside a building that was steadily starting to crumble, but he was frozen in place, barely aware of his surroundings. As he watched the destruction of the city, in the back of his mind he was also watching as a blast of blazing, radiant white light fell from the sky over Geosenge. It took him several moments before he realised someone was shaking him.

"Kade! Kade! Snap out of it!" The shaking grew more vigorous.

"It's happening again, just like Geosenge," he found himself speaking without realising it, still gazing into space, his voice a monotone.

"It's not like Geosenge," the woman shaking him replied, her voice as forceful as her grip.

"It's the same, everyone is going to die."

"It's not the same!" she said again, louder and firmer still, "It's not the same because this time you can do something."

With those words Kade was knocked back to reality, the white light of the Weapon faded and he was once again aware of his surroundings. His eyes focused in on the voice in front of him, and met a pair of amber eyes staring right back at him. Sky, apparently satisfied with the change in his bearing stepped back and drew herself back up to her full height and even though she had let him go he found his body was still shaking.

"What can I do?"

"Look," Sky said, smiling faintly before a grim expression returned to her usually jovial face. She was pointing up at the colossal form of the Tower of Mastery. The building was ablaze, shuddering and riddled with cracks and holes. Pieces of it were falling off, plummeting into the sea below as it swayed. "The Tower is falling apart, everyone higher up is screwed if they don't get some fast air support. Who better to provide that than two sky battle specialists? Hm?"

"I don't have Arcus with me, only Nimbus is big enough to carry people," Kade said, a fresh wave of horror washing over him.

"It's not ideal," Sky admitted, "Half the Pokemon I have with me are too small to carry people too. They can carry smaller Pokemon though, some bigger ones or lighter people if they work together. It's better to save as many as we can than to just give up."

Kade nodded, reaching for his Flight Ball. Nimbus hadn't had proper treatment yet, just a quick check up from staff at the arena. He was going to have to manage though. There was no time for a saddle either, so he was going to be putting his life in Nimbus' hands not just that off the victims.

Sky released Sora and climbed onto the Pidgeot's back, keeping her body low to the bird's body. As Sora immediately took off, there was a second flash as Kade flashed Nimbus.

"Sorry, I know you're still roughed up, but we need to get to that tower to help people and you're the only one who can do it."

Nimbus made a grumbling noise, but turned around and permitted Kade to climb onto his back as he spread his wings. Kade patted the still-sore Honchkrow on the back as Nimbus threw himself into the air after Sky and Sora.

Spoiler: Pokemon at Sanctuary

Spoiler: Inventory

Evily · Mar 18, 2019

Minami 'Mina' Haruka
Status: Shalour City - Fall |Revolution!

Inventory

Spoiler:

"Nonono…." Mumbled Mina as she started at the burning hotel, horrified at the scene.

||Flashback||
"That idiot…" Mina muttered as she stood in front of the hotel Hinata and Rima occupied, glaring at the ground. "How could they…" Ji? Mina looked over at Momo, who was beside her feet, and sighed at her worried eyes. "I'm ok Momo. It's just…hard to take it all in." Jiji! Momo jumped into her arms and grabs apiece of her hair in its mouth, lifting it up to her face almost as if saying, 'What is this?', causing her to chuckle, "I see you like my new hair color, it's nice, right?" Her mood darkened though at the memory of what transpired an hour ago.

|Flashback #2|

"Dye my hair? Why?" asked Mina as she stood in front of a building Hinata dragged her over to. "I can't tell you now, but it's for safety reasons." Replied Hinata as he opened the door and pushed Mina in, receiving a raised eyebrow and confused look form the girl. "I'll explain later."

/30 minutes later\

"Sis! Your hair is different!" cried Rima as she gushed over Mina's new look. "Y-yeah, I though it was time for a change." 'Why would he…?'

"Rima. I must talk with Mina. Can you play with your Pokémon for a while?" Mina turned towards Hinata, noticing the serious expression on his face. "Aww! Fine!" As Rima left to her room, Hinata closed the door and looked at Mina, grabbing a letter from his pants pocket and handing it over to her.

"What is it?" asked Mina as she looked at the letter, confused at her brother's behavior. "Read it after this event." She looked up at him confused, what event? "Event? What are you talking about?" "Mina…"

/Minutes Later\

"I'm…...what?" Mina stared at Hinata, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. "That…. that can't be…" Mina just stared, shocked at the news.

"I'm sorry, but its true. The letter will explain everything. The main event is about to start."

|Flashback #2 Ends|

"Speaking of the letter…" Mina grabbed the letter from her bag and looked at it, thinking over her choices. She could open it and find out the truth, but what if Hinata was lying and it was a joke? But he never jokes about that kind of stuff. 'What do I do?'

Suddenly, she hears multiple explosions around the city, causing her to stand and look in the direction of the noise. "What?!" She hears an explosion occur behind her and she turns, only to be struck in the head by a flying projectile. She falls to the ground as she hears her Pokémon call out to her, running, and loud clanks. 'What…was….' Before her though finished, her eyes closed and welcomed the darkness.

||Flashback Ends||

Mina woke up minutes later and to see the hotel Hinata and Rima staying in in rumbles, nothing left but bricks, stone, and fire.
"Please no…" Mina mumbled before stumbling onto her feet, wanting badly to run over, but her legs ached from the debris. Ji! JI! Mina looked and saw Momo going over to her, said Pokémon jumping into her arms and sniffed her, checking her health.

"You're ok…"

"Help! Please!" a cry was hear as Mina hugged Momo, interrupting their hug. "That voice…it can't be…" Mina put Momo and ran as fast as she could towards the cry onto to stop a few feet away at the scene.

"Someone! Please!" cried a familiar child as she wept, clinging onto a familiar adult's head as they rested on her lap, a broken pole was lodged into the adult's side, a pool of blood underneath his wound, and from the size, they have lost about two pints.

"R-rima? H-hinata?" stuttered Mina, realizing it was her 'siblings'. Rima, hearing her name, slowly looked up and saw Mina before sniffling, Fresca was standing beside her, guarding the two. "S-sis? Nii-san…. he's…." The trainer slowly walked over before kneeling beside the child, looking over the adult.

"Nii-san… wake up… wake up!" Mina cried, tears streaming down as she shook the man, trying to disturb the man, but nothing. "Please don't go… Nii-san…"

"I'm sorry sissy…" Mina looked over at Rima, who was hugging Hinata's head closer, her voice scratchy from the crying. "We knew you were... , but we didn't know how to tell you… I didn't want you to leave… I didn't want to lose sissy…" Her voice cracked as she started to full-out cry, her tears falling on Hinata's pale face.

"I-t's not your fault Rima…" Mina sniffled before she used one arm to hug Rima and the other of whatever she could of Hinata's body before she also cried, both girls grieving over the loss of their oldest, blood brother or not.

Fresca stood beside Rima, whimpering at the loss of the man, remembering how he helped Mina train her and found them an ice stone for her to evolve. Momo was at Mina's side, snuggling into her neck until she lifted her head and turned in a random direction, Fresca copying her moves. Footsteps could be heard, about two or three pairs, and Momo and Fresca growled as about two men came into view, each wearing Team Cinder uniforms.

"So, we meet again, brat." Spoke the man on the left, smirking at the girls, but they didn't pay the group any mind, mourning over their loss. "Tch. Oi! Brat!" Again, no reaction.

"You're too soft. Mightyena, use Bite." Called the man on the right as he threw a pokeball, releasing his Pokémon. The Bite Pokémon immediately jumped towards the girls until Momo and Fresca both jumped and intercepted the dog Pokémon, pushing them back. "Push those two away and use Bite again." Mightyena growled before grabbing Momo in his jaws and throwing her into a piece of broken concrete nearby before dodging Fresca's Quick Attack and grabbed her tail twirling her before making her hit a nearby wall, letting go once he saw the Pokémon unable to move since the force of the impact cause some debris to fall on said Pokémon.

"Don't…" A voice mumbled as Mightyena stalked closer to the girls, opening its maw and his teeth glowed. "…you…" The Bite Pokémon stopped behind Rima and moved its jaw behind the girls' neck, about to bite. "…dare!" A fist suddenly sprang up and punched the Pokémon under the jaw, causing him to whimper in pain and move back, shaking his head from the sudden attack.

"The hell?!" cried the man on the left as Mina slowly stood and turned to face the men, glaring with a dark look crossing her face. "Leave us the **** alone." Was all she said as Momo appeared at her side growling and Fresca, who somehow escaped the debris, stood beside Rima, protecting her from harm.

"You really think you can order us around?!" spat the man on the left again, throwing his pokeball and letting out a Vulpix as the man on the right merely glared at Mina. "Vulpix, use Flamethrower!" Vulpix hesitated for a sec before jumped over the girls and turned her head towards the girls, shooting out a roar of flames.

"Momo, Protect." Mumbled Mina as Momo let out a growl and summoned a light green or around them, blocking the searing flames. "Screech." Momo let down the orb once there were no more fire and turned to the opposite Pokémon as Vulpix landed beside Mightyena, flinching, and opened her maw, letting an ear-piercing screech as white shockwaves echoed over, hitting its targets, making the Pokémon clutch their ears, or try to in the Bite Pokémon's case.

"Mightyena! Stop playing and use Crunch on the b*tches!" growled the man on the right as he glares, causing his Pokémon to flinch. Said Pokémon ran over to the girls and tried to bite again, but Momo Headbutted the Pokémon.

"Vulpix, use Fire Blast!" Vulpix slowly got up and opened her maw, gathering fire in her mouth before Fresca appeared in front of her and used Ice Shard, throwing the Fox Pokémon back.

"I'm not in the mood, you bastards. Leave." Growled Mina as she glared at the men, not taking any of their sh*t. She was tired, hurt, mourning, upset, almost any emotion you can feel, and these people think they can waltz in here and act like they own the place?! Hell no!

A gunshot ran through the area as Mina stood her ground, flinching slightly at the wound on her shoulder. Rima's cries could be hear as the man on the left was shocked at his college's actions. "The hell mans?! What was that for?! We only came here—" Another gunshot rang, Rima's shriek is heard as the man on the left falls, no further movement is seen as blood pools around his head.

"Tch. Newbie." Spat the man before turning to the man's Pokémon and glaring, causing the Pokémon to flinch. "Mightyena, get rid of her." The Bite Pokémon smirked as he neared the frightened fox Pokémon, the latter scooting back until she hit a piece of rumble, shaking at her incoming death.

"**** off!" spat Mina as she appeared beside the Pokémon and kicked Mightyena in the face, pushing him away from the frightened Vulpix. She glared as she swiftly picked up the Vulpix and ran back to her spot beside Rima. "**** of bastard…" growled Mina as she held the Pokémon close, assuring her that no harm will come.

"So, you want to do it that way… Very well." Smirked coldly the man as he threw the gun away before walking towards them. "Mightyena, keep her pet busy." Said Pokémon turned towards Momo as the latter glared back, daring the Pokémon to attack.

"Rima, can you grab her for a moment?" asked Mina as she handed the Vulpix to Rima, who was staring at her in shock. "Sissy, what are you doing?" "Just going to keep the bad man away. Don't worry." She knew she was going to lose this battle, she didn't learn any fighting moves, but hell she wasn't going to use her gymnastics to use.

Mina turned, and the man was in front of her, grabbing her by the hair and threw her a few feet away, her skin cut open on some areas from the pieces of rock and debris on the ground. Mina grunted at the pain before quickly standing and prepared for the man, who was walking towards her.

Momo cried as she was slammed back into a concrete by Mightyena's Ice Fang, doubling the damage due to its typing. Mom was about to get up when the Bite Pokémon grabbed her by the neck and threw her, using Assurance, pushing her back onto the ground. Momo growled before using Dragon Tail to hit the Bite Pokemon in the Stomach, knocking him back. She quickly gathered energy on her head and used Headbutt on Mightyena before he can recover.

Mina jumped onto the man back and wrapped an arm around his neck and the other around his face, blocking him of sight. "Let go you brat!" "No ****er!" The man growled as he grabbed Mina's arm and used his strength to throw her off, her back hitting the ground. The girl coughed from the impact, before the man pinned her down, smirking. "You bark more than you bite, don't you?"

Momo slowly stood up as she glared only, to hear a faint click. She turned her head and her eyes widen as she saw the man had his gun in his hand, the other holding Mina's wrists over her head and his legs pinning hers. Ji! Momo started to run towards them, but Mightyena used Crush to grab her by the neck and push her onto the ground, causing Momo to cry in pain.

She closed her eyes and hesitantly opened them, seeing her trainer struggle to escape as the man pointed the gun to her head. Rima was screaming in the background as Mightyena growled, daring the Jangmo-o to do anything.

"Any last words girl?" Mina glared at the man before turning to Tima. "I'm sorry Rima. I guess im following Nii-san, huh?" "Sissy no! Stop!" Mina then turned to where Momo was, smiling faintly at her. "I'm sorry Momo, I was so focused on training Poppy, Fresca, and Poppy for the contests, that I didn't train you for what you wanted, the battles. You're not evolved yet like you hoped either, I'm sorry for not paying attention to you the same as the other. Hope you find a better trainer who won't focus on just contests, huh?" "Those are your last words, pathetic."

Momo was in shock at what her trainer said. She was sorry for not spending time with her? For not training her right? She didn't care about that, she just wanted to spend her life with the human who saved her life and protect her like she saved her from the poachers years ago. She wanted to grow stronger on their own terms, not by a schedule! She wanted her trainer to live, she gave her a reason to become stronger, to grow, to be the best! She didn't want to say goodbye, not now or ever! Momo let out a cry, tears falling as the man put his finger on the trigger, about to pull as Rima screamed for him to stop.

"Say goodbye." Those words, they triggered Momo as she growled and suddenly, she began to glow as the Mightyena stepped back, socked from the sudden events. "The hell?!" The man turned as Mina slowly turned her head towards the commotion. The glow expanded as the shape shifted; growing taller, bigger, stronger.

HAKA! A roar echoed as the light faded, revealing a newly evolved Hakamo-o. Her body has grown to from a four-legged to a human shaped, her tail longer with the scale on the end a bit darker, her bran new arms having some sort of scale armor on the top, her legs and underarms the same coal-black fur, two scales on her neck, her maw bigger and a second pair of pointed teeth popped out from her top jaw curving upwards, and the single scale on her head changed shape from a heart to an oval, but the pattern was still heart-shaped, with two toned colors.

"Mightyena! Get rid of her!" called the man, shocked at the revelations. Said Pokémon growled before jumping towards the new Pokémon, an Ice Fang forming, but the newly evolved Momo grabbed the latter's neck before coating her other fist in a light blue light and uppercut the Pokémon under the jaw, releasing him right as she made contact, sending the Pokémon flying back into the debris, making a small mushroom cloud as the rumble broke from the force. Once the dust settled, it revealed a fainted Mightyena.

"Sky… Uppercut…" mumbled Mina as she watched in awe at her Pokémon's evolution and newly learned move. Did Momo really evolve? What caused it… was it he words she told her? Or her incoming death? She didn't know, but she was glad it happened.

"Dammit!" growled the man as he pushed himself away from Mina and stood up, returning his Pokémon, the gun still pointed at the girl. "Just because you got my Pokémon doesn't mean I can't still kill her!" With unknown speed, Momo ran towards the man and punched him away from her trainer, sending him to the same rumble his Pokémon was, causing him to faint on impact.

"Momo…" called Mina weakly as she slowly stood up, stumbling on the way. Momo turned towards her trainer and sniffed her, checking her health. "I'm alright, we should get to Rima, Fresca, and…. H-hinata." The Pokémon started at her trainer before slowly nodding and followed her trainer, stopping before Hinata's body as Mina slowly got Rima to stand, Fresca aweing at Momo's new look. "Come on Rima. It's time to go home." She grabbed the Vulpix from Rima with one arm, flinching since it's the one that was shot, and wrapped the other around Rima's shoulders. "Momo, can you pick up Hinata's body? It doesn't feel right leaving him here."
Momo did as told before staring at her master, as if saying 'where to?' Mina looked around as the fire continued to spread, smoke filling the once clean air as they heard the screams of others echo. "Let's just… go to where the others are. Rima, do you have Hinata's pokeballs?" The child nodded as she placed a hand on the small bag she carried around before dropping it. "I want you to take care of them from now on, you're going to need their protection after this. Is that alright Rima?" The child nodded, relieved to have a part of her brother with her. Mina stopped before staring at the Vulpix and placing her down, said Pokémon glancing at the human in confusion.

"You're free, your trainer is dead, and I doubt they're going to hunt you down for leaving. We have somewhere to be." Mina turned and walked with Rima towards where the Pokémon Center is believed to be, Momo following right after and Fresca beside her. The Vulpix started at the group before looking over the damaged field, her dead trainer, the unconscious man, and back at the group. Where else could she go? She started at Mina specifically as she remembered how she protected her from the Mightyena's killing and defeated the man who made the order and killed her trainer. She started the ground behind the group and blinked when she saw something. Maybe?

Vul! Mina stopped and turned, seeing the Vulpix behind her, holding a red ribbon with two yellow stripes and two light blue-white ribbon strands tied to the ribbon as an extension. One of her accessories, must have fallen off during the battle. The Vulpix ran over in front of the group and stared at Mina still holding onto the accessory.

"I think she want to come with us Sissy." Spoke Rima quietly, making the Vulpix nod at her words. "You want to join?" Vul! Mina smiled faintly at the adorable Pokémon. "Are you sure? This fight was just the beginning, we still have a war to win. "The Vulpix nodded as she stared at her, her eyes showing her want and determination to grow stronger.

"I don't mind. Welcome to the team… Nina." Mina grabbed a pokeball, she believed to be a fast ball, but when she pulled it out, it was the pokeball she found after the forest confrontation. She stared at it before looking at the eager Vulpix and smiled, throwing the ball and watched as Nina jumped to meet the ball and was absorbed, the item landing in her open hand as it shook once before stopping, signifying the Pokémon's choice.

5eb988ed2ba28eae14be862ea5baea79497893e77be46dad130b494816863751.png

Congratulations! Momo evolved into Hakamo-o!
Learned Move: Sky Uppercut
Forgotten Move: Bide

(Only Kantonian)
Welcome Nina!
Lv. 45
Vulpix | Flashfire | Female
Moveset: Grudge, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Extrasensory, Hex, Will-o-Wasp

Jay · Mar 19, 2019

Repetition

??? - ??? - ???

"Bro... ake... p..."

He heard the female voice calling to him, where had he ended up dozing off this time? He really had no time to sleep after all. There was so much to do still, so many objective to complete. It was good that she was there to call him awake, someone he could always rely on. "Malorie...?" He mumbled, responding to the sound while rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Bronze...? Wake up."

Bronze opened his eyes, messy black hair barely blocking the falling snow of the late winter weather. He was lying on his back in an alleyway and facing the open sky. The light made him squint slightly, unwilling to awaken to it, his muscles aching all over. "Arceus... fuckin' 'ell... how did I...?"

"That's a good question... one I was about to ask..."

A shadow cast lightly over his vision at last. A girl dressed in a thick jacket, hood up to cover her face from unsavory onlookers in the area. Her hair was was dark like the night sky. His eyes finally focused, to the bittersweet sight of her frowning face.

Spoiler:

"Déa...?" His voice was horse and his chest was heavy, smiling just a little sadly at her name the girl took Bronze's arm in her own and helped pull him to his feet. His shirt was ripped and he was covered in bruises, along with a nasty gash on his side that had thankfully scabbed over during the night. "You're hurt...!" Déa interjected, lightly placing her hand to his chest and stopping him from instinctively pulling away from her support.

"Bastards just... got a lucky shot, I'm fine..." He managed to shake her away for a moment, but as he stumbled she grabbed him again. She winced slightly under his weight but managed to pull him to his feet all the same. They were on the wrong side of Veilstone city, the place had really gone to hell over the passed few years. Bronze was seventeen years old, but even still he had been out in the night, fighting druggies for money they owed to their corrupt bosses. Whatever it took to get enough money, to keep getting his little sister Malorie the medication she needed. He had won his fight the night before, but on his way home... he supposed he'd been too exhausted to make it all the way there.

"Bullshit... Bronze!" She grunted, half carrying his weight as he got his bearings. "If I hadn't come to visit... and noticed you weren't there? What did you think would happen to you? If I hadn't come to find you what would happen to your sister?" He looked down at the floor shamefully, his eyes squinting with disappointment. Déa was the same age as him and lived on the upper end of town. One day a guy with a gun had tried to take her purse and Bronze had gotten the drop on him from behind. It wasn't even that big a deal, but ever since then Déa had insisted on getting herself involved with him and the tiny family he had.

Finally he found the strength to lean against the alley wall, letting both teenagers catch their breaths at last. "You know you can't... keep doing this to yourself Bronze." She took a deep breath and looked up at him, her eyes filled with sadness. "You can't help anybody if you die-"

"Shut up! I know, damnit!" He cut across her, spitting out the words with venom, but noting the hurt in her expression he immediately regretted his tone. "Look, just... it doesn't matter, I'm okay! As long as I can keep the people that matter safe then it's fine..." He sighed and slumped against the wall slightly, letting a silence hang over the space between them, the snow dropping to fill the void.

"People...?" Déa murmured quietly, pursing her hands and looking to the floor. It was the first time he had ever said it like that. The first time it hadn't just been Malorie. Bronze flushed a little and finally pushed himself from the wall, standing best he could on his own two feet. "Yeah, well... 'course... Malorie... and you." He growled and shook his head, running his hands through his hair in frustration, unable to find the right words. "Look I'm no good a'ight? That's why I gotta be the one to do this, to-!"

He was cut off by a warm embrace and two arms wrapped around him, front to back. He stood there, stunned, as Déa clung to him dearly. Like she was afraid he was going to disappear. There was a tender moment of silence, before he awkwardly placed his arms around her in turn. "Idiot...!" She mustered, her voice choked as she hid her face away from him. "How are you going to protect us when you're gone?! How are you going to be there for anyone?" Bronze was speechless, he had never seen her express such pure emotions as these, she had always regarded him with concern, friendship, trust. But never this, never this reliance, this weakness.

"Déa... I..."

She cut him off again, this time her words twisted and dark.

"Besides, we both know what happens when you try to split your attention."

Something was wrong. In that instant the alley felt so much colder. Déa felt cold as ice and the sun went out. It was so dark, he couldn't see, he couldn't breathe. Her words were like ice, cutting into his very heart and soul.

"You cant be two places at once... so when the time came, you knew one of us would have to die. Didn't you? Bronze? You couldn't be everywhere. You couldn't be anywhere."

He felt a chill run up his back, he couldn't shake her grip on him, it was like iron. She was holding him tighter, stealing his breath. "Déa, I... No, I can't... I wouldn't..."

"So you chose to let me die. You chose her over me. You let me get beaten, bruised, bloody... I waited for you, I screamed your name. You never came. You failed me." Her words tore at him, the wound on his side opened up and blood ran from his nose. His heart felt like it was going to burst, his body like it was going to fold in her embrace and shatter.

"...is that what you're going to do to your friends, Jackson?"

Jackson's gaze shuddered as she used the name he had now, the name he had taken after running away. After taking Malorie and all he had left and running away from Sinnoh, from Veilstone, forever.

"You're going to tell them you care, you're going to let yourself care... and then when they need you, when they all need you? You'll be spread too thin... a shield dragged and drawn that far is paper thin. They'll all die and disappear because you aren't strong enough to save them. Just like you weren't strong enough to save me."

"No... I won't... I'll... ack..." He couldn't speak, his voice was being pushed from his chest, the life squeezed from him.

"Emma, Avril, Sebastian, Drew, Brielle, Laurent... and every last one of those people, silly enough to start seeing passed all those masks. You couldn't even save the only two people in your life... do you really think you could even come close to protecting all of them?" Her tone was sickening, it dragged and droned now, pulled and twisted like it was going through a machine. Processed so that he could barely recognize her anymore.

"Odette... you hate her because there's parts of me you see in her? You're so especially afraid of getting anywhere near her. You fight her and push her and say things you think will sting. You do this because you only hurt the ones you let too close."

"That's... not true...!" He forced out, anger welling with the sadness and guilt, anger at Déa, anger at himself.

"Then why are you still here? Alone, afraid, caught in the clutches of the person you can never save?"

As the words finished, Déa's grip suddenly disappeared... just as she did, she was gone. The alley was gone as well, just a black corridor with featureless walls. He was screaming internally but he rushed along them quickly, using the stone to guide him. He knew what was coming but he couldn't stop, he had to run, he had to try.

He rounded a corner and saw her lying in a pool of her own blood. Her eyes were open and expressionless, staring vacantly right through him. Nothing left of her now, just a corpse, just an empty, hollow vessel.

"Déa... n-no... Déa... I'm sorry... please don't be... Arceus please... Déa... DÉA!"

- - -

"DÉÉAAA!"

Jackson jolted forward in a sweat, it was so warm, so unbearably warm... where was he? What had happened? His mind jumped back to his last memory. He had been looking for Hessel, walking the streets of Shalour. There had been a ticking suddenly, coming from a bakery nearby. He recognized it, he tried to stop it, tried to get people to run but there was no time.

He remembered an explosion, blasting him into a wall...

A shooting pain suddenly blasted through his left arm as he tried to move, his vision adjusting. He was in the ruins if a building, smoke was flowing all around him and it was almost impossible to breathe. Flames were licking at the wooden floor he was trapped on now, rushing towards him, merciless and uncaring. He had to move, now.

"Ga- Ack!" He spluttered as he tried to speak again, barely able to find the breath. "Gaspar!" He tossed the pokéball and the ghost type flew outwards, surprised at the circumstance but immediately willing to help. "T...The smoke..." He was feeling faint, his vision was dazing again, he had to stay awake.

In an instant Gaspar began to rush and spin through the smog, absorbing the suffocating vapors into his poisonous form, drawing them away from his trainer as best he could. A small pocket was created and Jackson's body thanked him dearly as he took a single breath of fresh air. "Fang!" He swiftly tossed another pokéball and his Houndoom appeared.

Fang was immediately caught off guard, his mind flashed back to Santalune forest, to where he had met his trainer. The carnage he and the other Houndour had caused that day, it was just like this. This was the work of Cinder. They were using his kind again. Forcing them to do horrible things... AGAIN.

"Fang... h-help..." Gaspar couldn't keep up with the fog and the uncharacteristically feeble voice of his trainer snapped fang back to reality. Jackson was trapped and rapidly losing consciousness, the flames were licking at his heels. Immediately the Houndoom threw himself at the rubble on Jackson's arm, using the move "Beat Up" he borrowed power from every other pokémon on the team and crashed into the rock with no concern for his own health and safety. He bashed and bruised his body against the stone, denting it, chipping it desperately. Gaspar too, realized that the smoke was moving too quickly... and seeing Fang he burst downwards with great speed, no cackle or smile, just an enraged and serious expression.

Shadow Punches, Fire Fangs, Beat Ups... all cascaded on the stone as Jackson faded away, the rock cracking and splintering until... until...!

It shattered, the stone crumbled into smaller, manageable pieces and Jackson pulled his arm out weakly. It was battered, bruised and bleeding... but it wasn't broken, he had gotten very lucky in that regard. Gripping him forcefully, Gaspar dragged Jackson's arms to wrap around Fang's neck and the Houndoom ran. The trainer was dragged forcefully by his pokémon across an uneven wooden floor.

Until only heated cobblestones were below them.

As Jackson took a few spluttering breaths of fresh air, the building behind him collapsed inwards, rubble piling onto the floor. He had just barely managed to escape death yet again. He collected himself best he could and gazed around, his head was pounding, his chest was tight, but the city was in a far worse state. Flames and explosions everywhere... a massive airship dominating the sky, the insignia on the side? Team Cinder. Shalour went from peaceful to doomed in less than five minutes.

Jackson froze, his eyes widening with sudden realization and fear. "Malorie..." He turned to the central plaza, now a grand distance away. Without hesitation he activated a new pair of retractable skates, a gift from Korrina after breaking his previous pair... and attached a collar and chain to fang, gripping it tightly as Gaspar dashed into his trainers shadow.

"GO! Fang! Don't stop until we find her! We aren't stopping until we FIND HER!" Like a man possessed Jackson screamed out and Fang heard loud and clear, bursting like a wildfire the black hound rushed with all the speed he could muster through the city streets. The flames enveloping the sky and ground as Jackson realized he stood to lose far more than a city.

LuluRina · Mar 19, 2019

Annika Jiraiya

What happened...?

"Come on, Annika! We're almost back home!"

Annika followed her mom into Vermilion after one of their adventures. They were hurrying back to hopefully get back before her dad noticed. Running into their home, they stopped as they saw her father glaring at them from across the room. He approached.

"Annika, go to your room. Your mother and I are going to have a little chat" He talked in a deep, threatening tone, one which Annika had never heard before. She stood her ground for a moment before her mom pushed her forward, gesturing her to obey.

Reluctantly, she went to her room, giving her father a glare as she passed.

She climbed the stairs and entered her room, going over to her desk, pulling out her chair, and sitting down. She pulled out her drawing stuff and continued her Eevee to calm herself down.

After a while, she heard her mom scream. Jumping up in surprise, she ran over to her door to see what was wrong, only to find it was locked. She tried opening it for a bit before hearing someone stumbling outside her door.

"Annika…"

"Annika…!"

"ANNIKA!"

Annika slowly woke up, feeling someone shaking her as her senses returned. She looked up at who it was, her eyesight still a bit foggy.

"Annika, we need to get out of here!" a female voice said. Annika recognised it as she managed to focus on the figure in front of her.

Spoiler:

"...Mom…?"

"I'll explain later, we need to go, now!"

Annika looked around and finally managed to see what the problem was. The entire waiting room was on fire and falling apart. She attempted to get up but fell back down screaming as her right leg seethed with pain. He mom bent down and picked her up, carrying her out of the room as it fell inward. She ran out into the city and what Annika saw made her eyes open wide.

The sky was red and multiple buildings were on fire. People were panicking and chaos was everywhere. Annika's mom took her to a safe place near the building and set her down. "Stay here" she ordered, before running out to help others in need.

Annika watched her leave, before noticing something out the corner of her eye. She looked over and saw a Vulpix attempting to struggle out of some debris that has fallen on it. She attempted to get up to help this pokemon, but only managed to fall back down again, her leg still hurting.

She dragged herself over to the Vulpix and helped it get free of the rubble, panting. It ran off a bit before turning back around, noticing that Annika was dragging herself across the floor back towards the safe spot. The Vulpix hesitated for a moment before running back to Annika, attempting to help her move along.

They got back to the place and Annika pulled herself into a sitting position. The Vulpix, too tired and hurt to run any further, curled up beside her and just laid there. Annika started petting it as her mother returned.

"I need your help with this one" She said, taking out her Pokeball and throwing out an Arcanine and a Gardevoir. "Gardevoir, can you lift her onto Arcanine?" Gardevoir looked over at Annika before using Psychic to move her onto Arcanine. The Vulpix ran up to Arcanine and looked up at Annika and she looked down on Vulpix.

"...can you put Vulpix up here too?" Annika asked Gardevoir. She nodded and psychic'd the Vulpix onto Arcanine as well. Annika pulled out Bagel's pokeball, remembering that she never healed him. She sent him out and grabbed one of her Super Potions, spraying it on his wounds so he could be in fighting shape before returning him.

"Come on, lets go!" Annika's mom said, returning Gardevoir and running ahead, beckoning her Arcanine to follow.

Spoiler: Inventory

Daisuke Mitsuharu · Mar 19, 2019

Parasitism / Symbiosis ; Shalour City, Kalos

Kaito Ishikawa ; ♂, 30

[h2][/h2]

The moment Pandora's box was opened, fire soon swallowed up the whole of Shalour City, blanketing the night sky in smoke and carbon monoxide as it pirouetted from building to building. With one stroke of its brush, the raging inferno painted the city's canvas red; the colors unfortunate enough to lie in its wake were washed clean from the slate.

Kaito couldn't believe it. In a blink of an eye, not even a millisecond passing, the Shalour City he knew – the gym, the Pokémon center, the tower – was reduced to ash and cinder, crumpling under the heat from the conflagrations which tiptoed around it.

Caius; he needed to find Caius. "The number you dialed is—" Dammit. Kaito ran a hand through sweat-soaked hair as he pocketed his phone. Caius wasn't picking up. Brisk walking turned to vigorous sprinting as Kaito began assuming the worst of the situation. "Please be okay…" He repeated under uneven breaths.

If any harm had befallen the boy on his watch, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

"I'll be there soon; just hang tight."

Flailing his arms wildly, he ran straight for the Festival Tournament's stadium. His body strained under the physical exertion he put it through, but the pain was a small price to pay if it meant saving Caius.

Caius Flynn ; ♂, 21

He could hear ringing throbbing in his ears as his bruised frame regained some of its vitality. "What in the world…?" Caius propped himself up against a wall. Touching his head, he felt warm blood trickle down from it. "I must have hit it on something..." He was concussed.

As his senses returned to him full-force, the ringing cleared up. Then—

"AGGGGGGGGGH!" A man lay a few feet across from him, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Caius rubbed his eyes. What was he seeing—? The man was pinned from the waist down by a large piece of debris. A pool of blood formed right under him, and he writhed in pain attempting to lift the hunk of concrete that kept him from moving.

A sense of urgency along with an innate desire to help snapped Caius into action. "H-h-hey!" Crouching down, he wiggled his fingers into openings underneath and tugged the slab of rock upwards using every muscle in his body. It didn't work. The damn thing didn't budge one bit. He tried again. And again. And again, until nails peeled from skin.

Warmth was leaving the man's body as quickly as blood drained from his face, turning him pale, lifeless, and cold. He tapped Caius on the shoulder. "It's fine; you can stop now. I can't really feel anything anymore." He managed a weak smile at his would-be rescuer.

It's often said that people get reflexive when they're skirting the line separating the living from the dead. The man had always found the statement to be a bit incredulous, but now he understood. Out of nowhere, an amalgam of both good and bad memories came rushing to him, and it made him think about the past he'd lived and the future that he'd never get to see. Of all the things his mind drifted to, one regret stood out to him.

He was going to die a virgin.

Not that he had any reason to regret, since he knew in the back of his mind that he was always going to die a virgin; he just didn't expect to die so soon. If this was life's way of preventing him from deleting the smutty files he'd kept hidden in his laptop, then it worked.

"Hey blond guy. Mind lending me an ear?" Caius perked up. "Yeah, sure. Anything you want." Wiping liquid from his eyes, he realized there was little else he could do.

"Could you take my bag with you?" The man pointed a finger at the corner of some wall that was still intact. Caius walked over to it and fetched the bag in question. "Open it." Click. Inside were Poké balls, a badge case, and a wallet. "Now, open the badge case." His fingers grasping the latch, he pulled it to the sound of a crack. Before him, eight Kalosian badges were situated snuggly in the pockets where they belonged.

"Give that to ma, will you?" The man requested. "You see—" He started coughing up blood. "—I left home a while ago so I could challenge the Pokémon league." He took a moment to clear the fluid coagulating in his throat.

"Ma always said that I was better off as an engineer or something, since being a trainer supposedly doesn't pay very well if you aren't good." He was losing consciousness now; he could tell because his thoughts were becoming more chaotic and disorganized. "But, boy did I show her up."

With the little energy he had left in him, he squeezed out another sentence. "Ma told me she's been sick in the recent weeks, so I made sure to beat as many trainers and gyms as I could to help her out financially. It's the least I could do to pay her back."

His life signs were on their last legs. His eyesight had just given out and he could no longer see Caius looming over him. "Is it just me or did someone turn the lights off on us?" He joked, despite knowing full-well that his body was shutting down; Caius didn't know what to say back.

"Thanks for sticking around, friend. You didn't really have to, but you did. It's nice to not be alone when you're dying, you know… It's… less… lonely…" He was gone. No stimulus was ever going to reach him now.

Caius opened the man's wallet. "Kurt Fletcher." He read from the identification card now cradled between his fingers. "Rest in peace."

"SHIIIIIIIIIIIT—" The sound of Caius' voice turned the heads of everyone in the camp. On the outskirts of Shalour City, survivors of Team Cinder's attack were huddled together in tents. Paramedics waltzed from place to place tending to wounded evacuees, and their serious expressions only seemed to get more grave as they observed their dwindling supplies. "There's too many people," he heard one of the nurses say in passing.

Caius knew Kaito the Pokémon Trainer, but he wasn't familiar with Kaito the fledgling doctor. The thought didn't even cross his mind that Kaito pursued medicine after he completely retired from his decade-long career as a Pokémon trainer.

"Need to sanitize this spot…" Kaito muttered under his breath as he reached for rubbing alcohol and a pair of tweezers. Caius looked on with worry. "You're a doctor now?" He asked Kaito. Caius was stalling for time; he knew what was going to happen: rubbing alcohol was going to be poured on his wounds and he'd be yelling his head off afterwards. He needed a minute to mentally prepare himself.

Kaito saw through him, though. And he wasn't having it. In one swift motion, he yanked the last piece of shrapnel from Caius' abdomen and doused the resulting injury with a cleaning solution before Caius could register what hit him. "There." As a finishing touch, he covered the wound with gauze.

This cheeky bastard, Caius thought as he was met by Kaito's mocking smile. He could only glare at the guy before he put his shirt back on and got up. "Woah, Caius. You're recovering right now. Let's not make things any worse." Kaito was quick to stop him in his tracks.

It was then Caius brought him up – Kurt.

"There's people needing to be rescued, Kaito. And I can help." He flapped his arms to show he was fine. "I met someone today, and… I was powerless to do anything to save him." His voice grew weaker as the sentence drew on. An intense emotion swelled in him; he knew if he continued, it would take him over. And yet—

"He was within reach, Kaito! But there was nothing I could do! Absolutely nothing!" Caius felt his cheeks getting hot. For some reason, the tears started falling and he couldn't hold them back like he usually could. "I just sat there and watched him die…"

Through his words, Caius felt as if he was reliving the experience; the pool of blood, nails scratching against concrete, the lifeless corpse – he could remember it all with vivid detail. The memory was forever ingrained in him, and he would never be able to forget no matter how hard he tried. "I don't want to go through that again…"

Grabbing Caius by the hand, Kaito said the only thing he could at the time: "You won't have to. Because I'll be with you, alright? Every step of the way I'll be there." He looked him right in his tear-filled eyes. Seeing Caius in this state, Kaito was reminded that the boy standing before him was still a kid just entering his adult years. Caius was young and inexperienced, and as strong as he pretended to be, he had yet to fully realize just how cruel and decrepit a place the world could become to its inhabitants.

And he wasn't going to, not with Kaito around to act as a brother figure.

To Caius' parents, Kaito owed everything. If it weren't for their generous hands pulling him out of the slums, he'd likely just turned out to be a statistic recorded by some crime bureau in Sinnoh: dead or trafficked for money. In a way, they'd given him his wings, and with their help, he was able to rise above his circumstances. In exchange, he was going make sure their son would grow up to be like the good people they were.

"Whew. Sorry about the waterworks." Caius slid a palm across his face to wipe away leftover tears. "I really want to go help, Kaito. Please let me." He was calmer this time.

Something told Kaito he wasn't going to take "no" for an answer. So he caved. "Only on the condition that I tag along, alright?"

Caius nodded.

"And if things get too dangerous, you will leave immediately. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Let's get going then."

And the two were off, their sights set on Shalour City – or what remained of it.

forg · Mar 19, 2019

Margarita Fas

Deino was itching to enter the action, mouth gnawing on the rails meant to prevent bystanders from falling into the lower ground below. Out of impatience the dragon ultimately decided to heckle the small knight, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Aaaaiiieee? Puzzled, the small creature began to wander off in search of his missing companion.

"Glad to see you're still kicking for more. Focus Energy Machoke!" Korrina commands, bypassing the obstacles with ease. Margarita eyes the next hurdle with an exhausted glare.

"Yeah, guess so."

Meanwhile, Deino slapped his forehead on to the gym door's glass. He strained in opening them, not realizing they were automatic... yet his minute height is easy to miss for the sensor.

It didn't take long for another human to come along and open the glass doors. Deino yipped at the individual, slipping in between their legs to reach the colder, darker outside world.

The artificial lighting was replaced by moonlight, beautifully enveloping the city wherever the tournament's lightshow could not reach.

Yip! Aaaiiiieeiiiip! Deino hollered into the wind, choosing a nearby bench yards away from the gym located beneath an oak tree as his resting point.

Pawniard did not respond.

The hubbub of laughter and shouting grabbed Deino's attention. It emanated from the Festival Tournament, their energy exciting the little dragon.

Yeeeee!

The immense thunderbolt was enough to force Machoke to their knees. Eelektrik leaped off their head, leaving the opponent to catch their breath with a trembling body. When they attempted to continue trekking forward, their paralyzed status prevented them from doing so, legs giving out from the sudden paralysis.

Machoke remained on the rink's cold floor, much to Korrina's dismay. "Awww, you did good, Machoke... return, you're done." Margarita was now further from the leader for the third time, hindered by the obstacles that slowed her pace.

"Nono, come here!" Margarita called forth. Eelektrik awaited the dragon to switch, but was surprised they didn't tackled them like they usually did.

She waited.

Eelektrik slowed their pace, panting. As soon as Margarita slowed down into a halt Eelektrik did so as well.

Korrina followed their gazes on to the empty stands. "Hey guys! What's up... oh, I see that..." She too paused, screeching to a stop with Hawlucha slowing down himself.

"Not this again. I'm sorry to end this so-" Margarita's thought was cut short. A sudden, bright light exploded into view, engulfing their surroundings in nothing but a flash. Eelektrik gasped in shock, throwing himself at Margarita and wrapping his body around her leg before the group felt the incoming shockwave.

Everybody got thrown against the wall farthest from the entrance. Debris and flames scattered and the gym was no more.

From the rubble Eelektrik emerged, coughing out the dust that had been created. He refused to let go of his unconscious trainer, who was miraculously not pinned against any material. Instead, the debris around had fallen in such a way that she was in a small cavern of sorts.

Eeeeee, eeee! the eel cried, pushing at Margarita's cheek. Soon the fish began to feel the heat of the flames, scooting over closer to Margarita for the slightest sense of protection. "Mmmmmmmf."

From the crackle of fire and screams beyond, a familiar voice began to louden amidst it all. Like an internal grunt, feminine one could say... which Eelektrik eventually recognized. Eeee eee! he calls out, never letting go of Margarita's sweating, bleeding body.

Larvesta burst out from the fire, immune to the monster. She had encased the egg in several thick layers of her webbing, wearing the delicate thing like a backpack. There were patches of burnt string dotting it, yet it managed to protect the egg from harm.

Upon seeing Margarita bruised the bug let out a panicked squeal. She rushes over, little feet tip-tapping the ashy ground speckled with debris.

She scans the surrounding area, forcing herself to come up with a way to bring her trainer to safety. But without the help of either Deino or Pawniard, they were helpless.

Regardless she covers some of Margarita's body in webbing and connects it to herself before taking flight. More flames erupted from her horns as she struggled to lift her up, grunting and squeaking. Eelektrik watched in horror, overwhelmed by the destruction taking place.

Larvesta called for the eel's aid, barely able to budge their trainer. Eelektrik, however, had locked himself in a state of fear. The more he took in the imagery, the tighter the hold he had on Margarita's arm. Eyes never blinked nor parted from the crimson skies.

The rubble shielding Margarita from the ashes was beginning to creak, weakening by the second. A taller, concrete pillar suddenly broke apart from the debris. Larvesta did one last struggle in response, but to no avail.

Eelektrik simply stared blankly, growing numb near a struggling Larvesta. Unfortunately she flopped onto the ground, worn out and unable to move as she began to rapidly pant.

As if in slow motion, the impending doom descends upon the trio.

And then it didn't. Larvesta glanced above them to discover that a familiar Steelix had sunk his teeth into the pillar, tossing it aside with ease. "The damsel in distress. How unlike her," Adriel sighed. Due to the angle Adriel was obscured from view, kneeling on the snake's head. "It's almost fitting." He leaps down and manages to slide Margarita on to his back, his arms holding on to the legs while her arms fell over his shoulders. Eelektrik remained glued to his trainer, far too attached to let her slip by.

"Ah... she's hurt. Bartholomew!" he calls forth. Larvesta hesitated in passing the responsibility over. She reluctantly burns through her webbing, freeing Margarita to be taken by the suited man. "Bartholomew, escort this young, beautiful lady." Much to the bug's surprise, the snake lowered his head before her, resting on the ground.

Together they all gathered on top of Steelix, who left the scene.

Evily · Mar 19, 2019

Minami 'Mina' Haruka
Status: Shalour City - Fall | The Rescue!

Inventory

Spoiler:

Mina ran through the rumble, trying to find any survivors, Rima ran along her side, clinging onto her shirt with dry tears on her cheeks.
"Hello! Anyone there?!" All she heard was the sound of chaos, Mina flinched when a piece of rumble fell from one of the destroyed buildings, bringing Rima close, looked over and realized she was near the bank. "The bank's paper…" Just as Mina was about to run over and try to save the money, she heard a plea and unknown voices.

"Help! Help!" "No one's coming old man! Now hand over that egg!" "Never!"

Mina stopped her running and turned, seeing an old man in rich clothing on the ground protecting what seemed to be a pokemon egg while being kicked and pulled on by about three grunts. There was a Salandit, Pancham, and Seviper standing around, most likely belonging to the three grunts.

She looked between the two factors before looking over at Momo, who was standing beside her, having been at her side since Hinata's death. "You thinking what i'm thinking?" Momo smirked as Mina released Poppy and placed her on her head. "Hold on tight! Poppy, Bubblebeam!" Bark! "Momo! Sky Uppercut!" Haku! "Rima, stay close, alright?" "Alright sissy."

"Seviper, use Coil." Seviper wrapped itself around the old man and tightened his grip, causing the man to wince from the pain on his body. "Now hand over the egg or Seviper will crush you!" "You can't have it!" A stream of bubbles hits Salandit, knocking the Pokemon back as a Hakamo-o lands behind the seviper and uppercuts the snake under his jaw, causing him to let go of his captive from the pain, and former grabbed the snake, throwing him away to where Salandit was. "The hell?!"

"Hey! Leave him alone!" called out a voice, causing the three grunts to turn and see a dirty blonde with blue eyes and her clothes ripped and sooth covering most of her body, A Brionne latched onto her head with a Mystical Water around her neck, glaring down at the humans. Beside the girl was a younger child with long blonde hair and tearful green eyes, clinging onto the older girl. "Haven't you guys done enough?!"

"Who the hell are you? Pancham, use Circle Throw!" Pancham ran towards Mina and jumped, but, "Dragon Pulse!" A Swablu appeared from behind the girl and launched a draconian energy pulse, intercepting the Playful Pokemon and sending him back into Seviper and Salandit, causing the latters to cry out from the impact. "Why you!" One of the grunts ran towards Mina when Electra jumped from behind Rima and used Spark, hitting the man on the chest and pushing him back to the feet of his colleagues.

"Leave! Or else!" glared Mina as Electra jumped onto her shoulder, Momo stood to her right, Aria floated to Rima's left, and Nina walked from behind her to infront of her, all of them glaring as well.

"You don't give orders you brat! Salandit, Flamethrower!" Salandit jumped in front of his trainer and opened his maw, letting out a torrent of flames towards Mina and her Pokemon.

"Bubblebeam." Poppy leaned over Mina's head and let out a barrage of bubbles, countering the flamethrower and causing a small mushroom explosion to occur. "Electro Ball." A ball of electricity soared through the dust, dispersing some, and hitting Salandit straight on the face, causing him to fall back. "Flamethrower." A stream of fire shot out from the remaining dust, revealing Mina and her unharmed team, and blasted Salandit back, fainting the Pokemon.

"How dare you! You b*tch!" spat one of the grunts as he grabbed his gun from a pocket and pointed it towards them. Just as he was gonna pull the trigger, the head of a pokemon bite the hand with the pistol, causing him to let go. "What the?!" "We should be saying that, young man!" Everyone turned and saw the old man was standing now with a cone in one hand holding him up and the egg in the other, right beside the grunt was a Zweilous, the second head growling at the man. "Body Slam!" The Hostile Pokemon let go of the grunt, only to slam its body into Pancham, sending the latter flying into a piece of rumble and knocking said Pokemon out of commission.

"Seviper, Poison Fang!" Decipher sprang up and shot towards Zweilous with his fangs out and lit with posinois glob, but Momo jumped in front and used Headbutt, countering the Pokémon. While the snake was distracted, Momo grabbed her tail and spun for a couple twirls before stopping and letting go at once, throwing the snake into a piece of large rumble at high speeds from the spin.

"Leave, Zweilous doesn't abide well with bad men, do you?" Zweilous growled at the grunts, confirming the old man's words. "Tch. This isn't the last you've seen of us, you b*tches." The grunts then recalled their Pokemon and left, leaving Mina and RIma with the old man.

"Thank you for your help, young lady. If only my back hadn't failed me, I could have taught those youngest a move or two." thanked the old man as he turned to Mina, who smiled back. "No problem. I'm glad we got here in time before-" A loud rumble shook the ground as the bank behind collapsed, scattering dust around the area. "Oh, I forgot about the bank. There goes the money." Rima looked at the egg in the man's arms. "Mister, what is that?"

"Oh, this? It's an egg that my granddaughter gave me. She said she didn't have the time to take care of it, so she handed it over to me." explained the old man before turning to the two girls and smiled, walking over and extending the egg to Mina. "i would like for you to have this."

"Wait, me?! Are you sure? Your granddaughter gave it to you though." protested Mina, not wanting to take the old man's gift from his granddaughter, it didn't feel right. "I insist, think of it as a thanks for helping me. You are worthy enough to take care of it, I can see you have a kind heart young one." Mina stared at the old man before looking at the egg and hesitantly grabbing the egg. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, i'm sure. Take good care of it, but there's no need to tell you, I know you'll take care of it." Mina nodded before, hearing some cries far off. She and Rima turn in the direction. "Gotta go help others, let me lead you to-" Mina turned back to the old man, only to see nobody, not even the Zweilous. "Where did he go?"

ShinyDiamond · Mar 20, 2019

Dust Fabre

Shalour City - Fall
Location: Shalour Gym
Mission 9 - Encounter

Inventory

Spoiler:

Pokémon

Spoiler:

Finally. It was time to test his mettle. The night sky filled Dust with determination, looking about Shalour City with a fierce look in his eyes. He had heard about Korrina & what type of Gym she runs, not to mention what she knows about Mega Evolution. It sounded like another battle just waiting for him all this time. Very soon, he would be walking out the Gym in victory, Rumble Badge in hand!

At least, that's how it was supposed to happen.

Instead, the whole city was covered high in flames, people panicking as they run away from all this chaos. In the midst of this, Dust watches on, stunned at what had transpired. He had only just arrived in Shalour City, with hopes to take on strong challengers. This...

What would one even call this carnage?

"Well this is just the welcome party I need," Dust shook his head, still at a loss of thoughts. To make matters worse, a massive airship suddenly appeared out of thin air in the sky. Is it worse? He doesn't know. Then again, it's too much coincidence that it appeared just after the explosions. Dust took notice of the color palette on the ship.

Then he looks at his own attire.

"Should I be worried?" He scratches his head & just pays it no mind. He only just arrived in this city, but he wasn't gonna just leave with the city in this state. But boy is this one way to start an adventure. With Rozu atop his arm, Dust runs in the direction of the chaos, wondering what he might do to stop this.

Everything just looks awful wherever Dust went. Here a bunch of Pokémon were causing chaos, there some strange contraptions were catching Pokémon, & in the distance, where the Tower of Mastery could easily be seen, is in ruins. Dust really wanted to see everything Shalour City has to offer. It feels like he won't ever get that chance now. Was the Gym any different? Not so, seeing it up close. Dust just looks on at the Gym as he arrives at the building, feeling frustrated at the site. Was Korrina in there still? Was anyone? He looks over at Rozu, deciding on his next course of action. "Watch my back." Rozu nodded & hopped off his arm, keeping close to Dust from behind as they entered the Gym.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" A loud roar rang throughout the ruins of the Gym. It was the only thing that stood out in all the rubble. Dust did not like what he was seeing. In the center, a Lucario was dropping a body to the ground, then just slamming its fist down on it. Looking closer, Dust could see it was a Mega Evolved Lucario. That's just perfect.

"I think my eyes threw up..." Dust looks on in disgust at the display, wishing he could unsee this. Whoever that person was, he shouldn't have to go through this in any way, or anyone for that matter. He looks at the person's color attire, & once again looks at his own. "...Again, should I be worried?"

The Lucario finally takes notice of Dust, which spells trouble immediately. "Great, I wanted a battle, not a death match. Get ready, Rozu!" Both Dust & Rozu ready themselves, & not a second too soon, as Lucario lunges at Dust at high speed. Dust crosses his arms out of reflex to guard against Lucario's attack, but upon impact from its fist, he's pushed far back against the wall. "Rozu! Force Palm...!" he quickly shouted out despite the pain. Rozu throws its palm at Lucario, who counters by grabbing from around the arm & flinging him at Dust. He quickly catches his Pokémon, softening the impact just a smidge. If this were a competition, Dust would be enjoying this.

He is not.

"Be careful Rozu," Dust looks at Lucario, dropping Rozu onto some elevated rubble, "we can't let this Pokémon get loose." Lucario looks like he could kill, & he will. The only thing Dust can think right now; win. Just win & don't lose.

Stinging Bea · Mar 20, 2019

Avril Morris

Shalour City

Chapter 20-1 | A City Ablaze

Current Party:

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

A small groan escaped Avril's lips as she tried to roll over. Her body was stiff and her head was absolutely pounding in pain, as if she was trying to recover from a long night of drinking and partying. Just the very thought of opening her eyes so early in the morning was enough to cause the blonde trainer to want to vomit, and to be quite honest, made her want to find some way to extinguish the sun so she could get a few more hours of sleep.

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

"C-Come on, Robin... just let me get a few more minutes alright...? Tell mom I'll be down for school in a bit..." she oddly mumbled out.

What graced the younger of the Morris sisters was not a warm, comforting acknowledgement from her older sister. Rather, a sudden weight lifting up and then slamming down right in the pit of her stomach. The sudden wave of pain caused Avril's eyes to snap open in shock, the girl coughing violently as she attempted to try and recapture her breath. Avril's body quickly shot up, the girl quickly looking around at her surroundings. She wasn't in the warm, comforting embrace of her bedroom back in Laverre City. Rather, she was sitting on the rough stone pavement of a road. All around her was absolute chaos. A thick cloud of smoke was hanging heavily in the air, completely covering what was once a peaceful night sky with ease. The sounds of the spectators of the tournament and bustling of families enjoying the festival of Shalour were also gone. In their place was what Avril could only call a frightful melody of fear and flames. Feral roars of Pokémon and flickering flames reached her ears, mixing with the blood curdling, panicked cries of people and Pokémon alike most likely fleeing for their lives.

Avril glanced downward for a moment, the sight of a relieved Mint coming into vision. The Jigglypuff wasted no time in hopping off of the girl's lap, waving and calling over two other Pokémon that Avril quickly recognized to be her Flaaffy and Greninja. Marble practically threw herself at Avril, wrapping her arms around the trainer's body as she hugged her tightly. Shino sighed in relief, the frog Pokémon placing a hand on her shoulder to let her know that he too was glad to see her up and about.

"Mint... Shino... Marble...?" Avril slowly stammered out. The girl's eyes narrowed as she gazed at the ground. "What in the world is going on...?"

Avril closed her eyes for a moment, trying to remember what she could about just moments before she apparently lost consciousness. She remembered that she had been out enjoying her time at the Shalour Festival after her battle against Emma at the tournament. The girl had went out with Sebastian and Emma, where they played a few games and took in some sights before parting ways. Afterwards, she had stopped to grab a bite to eat at one of the vendor stands where she had a heart to heart conversation... finally admitting her feelings for...

"Victoria?!" Avril suddenly exclaimed.

The trainer quickly scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide with fear as she got a better look at the carnage around her. Flames blazed and engulfed the city, replacing what had once been homes and businesses with nothing more than charred ruins. The mighty Tower of Mastery was for all intents and purposes gone, replaced with a toppled mess of brick, shattered glass, and mortar. The only thing that Avril couldn't see was... Victoria. A wave of fear began to set in as she recalled what had transpired. The two were hugging... their lips were slowly inching closer to each other... when a violent set of explosions began to rock the entire city! Avril couldn't for the life of her fully recall what had happened next, only that she had essentially been sent flying during the impending chaos.

"Victoria...?! Victoria, can you hear me?!" Avril screamed out at the top of her lungs, the girl stumbling forward as she did so. She almost fell flat on her face, only to be steadied by Shino. Victoria never responded, however. All that reached Avril's ears were cries for help and the raging inferno that was swallowing the city whole. "Shit.. We have to go look for her! What if something happened to her?! What if she's hurt?!"

Shino let out a worried croak. The Greninja was worried for the missing Victoria, however at the same time he knew he needed to do his part to try and keep Avril safe as well. His trainer however, seemed completely oblivious to this. She pulled herself from Shino's grasp, and quickly began to run forward.

"Victoria! Victoria, can you hear me?!" she shouted out into the raging inferno. "How far did I get flung to, damn it...?"

The trainer began to sprint through the chaotic landscape, her eyes darting both left and right as she tried to spot her now officially appointed girlfriend. A feeling of dread filled Avril's stomach as she and her Pokémon began to explore what had once been a peaceful and thriving city. Shalour literally looked like some sort of apocalyptic nightmare. The streets were ablaze... buildings were in ruin... and the sight of even people and Pokémon alike who weren't as fortunate as she was... This sight was made even more harrowing by the sight of what appeared to be an elderly man... the lower half of his body completely crushed in by a pile of rubble, pain etched across his face. The only solace Avril could honestly find for him was the fact that he most likely only felt the pain for a few moments before passing to the other side.

"This is absolutely disgusting... Who the hell could've... why would anyone...?" Avril began to question.

Before she was able to properly formulate an answer however, a shrill, fright-filled scream reached her ears. Avril and her Pokémon all spun around, eyes widening at the sight before them. A small girl, battered and bruised, was limping with tears of horror in her eyes. On her heels was a feral, wild Houndoom. Blood dripping from its fangs, it was clear that the wild Pokémon had been on quite the rampage in the chaos.

"Marble, Take Down!" Avril quickly ordered, a command that her Flaaffy had no hesitation in obeying.

The sheep Pokémon dashed forward, quickly slamming her body into the wild dog Pokémon with as much force as she could possibly muster. The Houndoom let out a surprised whine as it slammed into a nearby wall, its prey both relieved and surprised that someone had managed to come to her rescue. Avril wasted no time in running towards the frightened child, taking the time to place herself between the girl and the Pokémon.

"Are you okay?!" Avril questioned, eyes filled with concern as she looked the child up and down. Dirt and blood covered her body, her clothes torn and ripped most likely as a result of the explosions and flames that were covering the town. Avril's eyes narrowed down to the child's leg, biting her lip as she noticed the deep, bleeding gashes that were most likely a result of being attacked by the wild Houndoom. "It's not safe here, where are your parents?!"

The small girl began to sniffle and sob. "I... I d-don't know w-where d-daddy is...! I w-was here with him and M-Mommy and w-we were g-getting c-cotton c-candy and then e-everything got loud and the b-building f-fell on M-Mommy a-and..."

Avril felt her heart breaking into pieces. It didn't exactly take a genius to figure that the little girl's mother was another victim of this madness. And most likely from the state of the city her father didn't pull through either. At the very least however, Avril wasn't about to tell the child that.

"L-Lady, look out!" the child cried.

Avril's gaze snapped back ahead to see the wild Houndoom picking itself back up, a deep growl of anger and hate slipping out of its mouth. Thankfully, her Pokémon were on point. Marble slammed herself into the wild Houndoom, before grabbing hold and zapping the beast with a quick Thunder Shock. The wild Houndoom pulled itself away, eyes narrowing before it quickly lunged itself forward in an attempt to take a chomp out of Marble. The sheep Pokémon was quick to respond with a powerful Iron Tail however, and the Houndoom was slammed into the pavement with a powerful thud.

"It's not safe... Come on, we have to go," Avril said, turning her attention back to the child. She was clearly in no condition to walk, and Avril was not about to let some other wild Pokémon try to make a snack out of her. The child seemed hesitant, clearly wanting to search more of the wreckage for any signs of her missing father, though. Despite the carnage, Avril gave the girl a reassuring smile and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure your daddy is looking all over for you. My Pokémon are pretty strong, so let us help you find him... okay...?"

The trainer's words seemed to reassure the small child enough to cooperate. Not wanting her to put anymore strain on her leg, Avril knelt down and offered the girl a piggy-back ride instead. It took a few moments, but the child managed to climb onto Avril's back in a way that allowed the trainer to carry her with ease. Once the young girl was properly situated, Avril began to make her way forward with her Pokémon close behind.

"...What's you name, sweetie?" she suddenly asked.

The young girl sniffled. "C-Cindy..."

"You're a very brave girl, Cindy... Smart too... You knew to try and run away from that Houndoom instead of just trying to fight him all on your own," Avril said, trying to her best to make small talk in an attempt to keep the child calm. "I'm sure your daddy is gonna be very proud of you."

"Well, well... isn't that just heartwarming...?" a voice suddenly said, chuckling at the sight before him. Avril paused, her head slowly turning in the direction of the voice. A tall, imposing man in a black suit stood with his arms crossed. A smirk stretched across his lips as he lowered his sunglasses to get a better view of both Avril and Cindy. "I really didn't expect to find too many survivors wandering around this part of the city... Well, no matter. I'll just fix it myself."

"Team Cinder..." Avril whispered. Of course, it all made so much sense. The chaos behind the city, it was suddenly so reminiscent of the incident that happened in the forest all the way back at the start of her journey. Back then, Avril had been lucky enough to avoid pretty much all of the danger and destruction that was brought forth in Santalune Forest... Now however, she wasn't so lucky. "Don't you guys have anything else better to do?! What the hell is actually wrong with you all?! What did any of these people do to you that you thought this was a good idea?!"

The man raised his hands in defense, yet the sickening smirk never left his lips. "Hey, hey... I was just following orders now. Besides, we're just trying to get our message across... if a few casualties happen to be made because of it, well, that's just the nature of the game you know?"

"Nature of the game...?! What the hell, are you talk- you know what, forget it... All of you are the same," Avril spat, the blonde seething with anger. Slowly, she lowered herself to the ground and had Cindy slip off of her back. She then glanced down at Marble and Mint with a nod. "Go take Cindy and find somewhere safe to hide." Mint's eyes widened, a look of desire filling them as she glanced back and forth between the Cinder grunt and Avril. "Now, Mint!"

Mint reluctantly obeyed Avril, the balloon and sheep Pokémon leading Cindy away as quickly as they could. The Cinder grunt chuckled again, taking hold of a poké ball and tossing it forward. "Playing the hero? How cute... The problem is, I don't recall dismissing either one of you!"

The grunt's poké ball snapped open, revealing a rather fierce-looking Golbat. The winged Pokémon let out a loud screech as it quickly dove downward towards Mint and Cindy, causing a frightened scream to escape the limping child. Thankfully, no harm came to the duo. With an angry croak, Shino intercepted the grunt's Golbat with a Feint Attack that sent the bat toppling to the ground.

"If you think you're gonna go after her... you're gonna have to get through me first," Avril said, eyes narrowed at the grunt.

"Hey, it doesn't matter which one of you dies first... If you wanna it so badly though, I'm happy to oblige!" he shouted. "Golbat, Wing Attack!"

"Shino, Feint Attack!" Avril ordered.

The Cinder grunt's Golbat let out a wild screech as it dove down, attempting to slam its wing into Shino. Shino was quick to leap over the bat's attack however, and slammed a froggy fist into the flying Pokémon. The Golbat crashed down to the ground, Shino pinning it down as it landed.

"Poison Fang, now!" the Cinder grunt commanded.

Before Avril had a chance to react, the Golbat managed to open its mouth wide before snapping shut around Shino's left arm. The Greninja croaked in pain, staggering back as he somehow managed to pry himself free from the Golbat's toxic grip. Shino gripped his arm in pain, wincing as he tried to regain his composure against the enemy Golbat.

"Now Golbat, launch an Air Slash!" the Cinder grunt barked.

Golbat let out a wild screech as it flapped its wings wildly. A sharp wind kicked up in the direction of Shino, cutting into the frog fiercely. Shino remained standing strong, however. The Greninja doing everything in its power to keep up the fight for Avril.

"Hang in there, Shino! Use Smoke Screen!" the blonde girl called out.

The Greninja launched a small black blot in the Golbat's direction. The enemy Golbat slapped the blot with its wing, however that action played right into Avril's plan. It exploded as soon as the Golbat's wing connected, clouding the flying Pokémon in a thick cloud of smoke.

The Cinder grunt smirked. "Golbat, blow that smoke away with another Air Slash!"

Golbat began to rapidly flap its wings once more, but it was once again playing into Avril's hand.

"Shino, now! Use Ice Beam!" the girl shouted.

Golbat and its trainer's attention both snapped forward just in time to see Shino jump forward and once more pin itself against the Golbat. The water Pokémon took a deep breath before exhaling a strong, chilling breath against the grunt's Golbat. The Golbat screeched in pain as the frigid blast crashed into it, quickly coating its wings in a deep, deep freeze. The grunt cursed under his breath, clenching his fists tightly in frustration.

"Golbat, what the hell are you doing you worthless Pokémon?! Get that damn ice off of your wings and take down that stupid Greninja!" the Cinder grunt yelled.

"Shino, Feint Attack!" Avril ordered out.

Shino ran forward stopping just short of the Golbat. A panicked look was on the bat's face as Shino seemingly vanished from sight, only to reappear behind the Golbat and slam its fist into the winged Pokémon once more, a wild screech escaping the creature as its face met the pavement seemingly instantly. The Golbat fainted upon impact.

"Good work, Shino!" Avril shouted out.

"Wipe that damn smile off your face, you little bitch! You think you've won just because you took out one of my Pokémon?!" the grunt sneered. Avril watched as the grunt pulled another poké ball off of his belt and tossed it forward. The ball snapped open to reveal an imposing Pyroar, his main glowing in the light of the burning city. "This fight is just getting started, kid!"

Before Avril could respond, the sound of clapping hands quickly reached her ears. Both the trainer and her Greninja began to look around, their eyes landing on a young woman wearing a suit similar to the Cinder grunt they had been battling.

"Unbelievable, Dan... I can't believe you're letting some kid beat you down and get you so worked up..." the woman sighed, rubbing her forehead in annoyance. "This is one of the reasons why you're still scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of rankings in the organization."

The grunt known as Dan glared at the woman. "Bite me, Suzy... If you think you're so much better, why don't you get down here and give me a hand!"

Suzy cackled in response. "Ohohoho! Is that so...?" The woman paused, glancing downward towards Avril and her Greninja. "Well... I suppose I have a few minutes I could spare..."

The woman stepped forward, tossing a poké ball of her own out onto the battlefield. The ball snapped open, revealing a snarling Scrafty. The Scrafty looked over towards Shino, cracking its knuckles as it stepped forward and took its place beside Dan's Pyroar. Avril groaned in frustration.

"Look, I don't have time for this crap! Just shut up and get out of my way!" Avril snapped. The girl reached for her wrist and attempted to pull off one of the poké balls she normally kept on her bracelet... only to feel nothing. Her eyes widened. The girl brought her arm up to her face only to find that nothing was there! "Shit..."

"What's the matter, kiddie? You got a problem?" Suzy taunted. "Because we ain't waiting for you to be ready! Scrafty, Hi-Jump Kick!"

"Shino, jump back!" Avril shouted. The Greninja nimbly hopped backwards, just narrowly dodging the oncoming attack of Cinder grunt Suzy's Scrafty. Unfortunately, this left the poor Shino open to attack from Dan's Pyroar. Without warning, the lion Pokémon slammed its head into Shino's gut. Shino was sent falling backwards, gasping for air as he barely managed to land on his feet. "Shino, please hang in there! You can d-do this! Use Feint Attack!"

Shino slowly staggered forward, making his way towards the Pyroar. After a few steps, the Greninja picked up his pace and suddenly lunged forward to deliver a sucker punch to the lion Pokémon. However the Greninja was suddenly surprised when Suzy's Scrafty hopped in front of the Pyroar. Without warning, the Scrafty delivered a sharp chop to the Greninja's face, sending Shino reeling back in pain. This was followed by yet another Headbutt attack from the Pyroar, causing Shino to fall flat on his backside...

"S-Shino!" Avril cried out, abandoning all sense of common sense as she ran towards the Greninja. Shino was struggling to try and pick himself off of the ground, but simply could not find the strength to. He staggered forward, falling to his knees as his bruised and battered body was struggling to remain awake. "S-Shino just... just wait, we're gonna get you out of this!"

"Ha! What did I tell you, dumbass? You're going to die... You're all going to die..." Dan grinned. The feral growl of Dan's Pyroar reached Avril's ears. Time seemed to slowdown around her as she looked over towards the Pyroar, her eyes taking sight of flames flickering from the beast's mouth. "Pyroar, Flamethrower!"

forg · Mar 21, 2019

Margarita Fas

The pitter patter of little feet was barely audible alongside the panic and continuing explosions. Deino often stumbled upon obstacles; fire, debris, smoke, explosions.

Pawniard was still nowhere to be seen.

A piece of metal suddenly landed beside Deino, startling the poor thing. He ran every other way without a sense of direction, more preoccupied with staying alive.

Pokémon scurried and fled from the city, to which Deino blended in with. They would come across grunts throughout the fallen city, the fates of targeted creatures unknown. At first Deino ignored their pleas, prioritizing himself over the captured Pokémon. But the repeated scene began to gnaw at his subconscious, a small drop of guilt caressing his small heart.

"Yip!" Without a second thought the dragon leaped between an incoming grunt and an injured Pachirisu, their excessively large pink ribbon covered in dirt and scum.

He trembled before the villain, yet stood his ground in front of the squirrel. "Oh this is cute. This is so cute that I almost don't want to capture you two." The female cinder grunt stepped aside to allow her seviper to slither close to the duo. "But you already know how it is."

RIIIIII- CHIIIUUUU! the squirrel shrieked, curling herself into a fetal position. Small sparks danced around her furry body, large tail shielding her eyes from the hell around.

"Poison Fang the cutesies~"

The viper's fangs dripped poison as they poised for the attack, poison of their own visible in their eyes.

Suddenly, Pawniard snatched Deino out of the scene the very millisecond before the snake strikes, causing then to impact the squirrel instead. Deino cried to the victim, head swiveling to witness their eventual capture.

The scene shrunk as they ran further and further, adrenaline allowing Pawniard to run for as far with Deino's weight. Eiiiii! Grrrrrrruuuuu! the dragon protested against the rescue, feeling remorse for having been unable to save the Pachirisu.

Nai! Pawniard shot back, stung by the lack of a 'thank you' from their comrade. The continuous struggle Deino resorted to led to his eventual drop, frustrating Pawniard. For a while the two argued, Pawniard's blades thrown around while Deino jumped in place, believing the leaps to be menacing within the shouts and growls.

Pawniard wished to save themselves and look for Margarita. Deino demanded to return to the Pachirisu and rescue those who were just as terrified and vulnerable.

But they were getting nowhere and the ashes began to convert Deino's dark fur into a speckled reminder of the disaster still occurring around them.

Tch. Aaaaaaa, nei, grumbled the small knight, giving up on the dragon. Deino was no different, confident he could save others by himself.

The two went their separate ways. Yet it took only a few steps for Pawniard to regret his decision, blades pressed against his face as he let out a wail. He quickly turned and chased after Deino.

To his misfortune Deino was quicker than he remembered. NAI! he called out for him to slow down, already having used most of his energy running amok during the explosions. NAI!

Shalour was gone. No longer. Death and carnage rotted within, revealing to the world that true evil still lurks. It was made no better with the tournament having been broadcasted live. The two Pokémon ran past the original battlefield the festival held. It was here Pawniard witnessed an image that would forever haunt him for the rest of his life.

On the heated cobblestone near the broken stands lies a broken Pokémon egg. It had been dropped, it seems, for it is broken into two and not into dozens of pieces were it to have been squashed instead. Its contents were splattered around, cooked by the searing heat.

Deino did not bother to wait for Pawniard, already rescuing a Roselia pinned down beneath rubble.

Together they rescued Pokémon in peril. Pikachu, Stunkfish, Omastar, Vulpix, even a rare Clefairy.

Pawniard took a Cottonee to a working, yet broken, water fountain. Meanwhile Deino rushed to the next victim; a Pikipek whose wing was trapped between the ground and a dead body. Tears and dirt stuck to their face, sticky to the touch.

Pikipek squawked and scratched in a fit of hysteria upon seeing Deino approach them. Ei! It was Deino to the rescue.

The little knight returned from dropping off Cottonee. He was several seconds away when he noticed a grunt further off, who appears to have noticed Deino. Their tall, skeleton-thin complexion made their clothes look too big for their own good.

"Ey! A small dragon! A motherfreakin' Deino too!" they hollered out, their day made. "All I found were lame'o Pokémon but here you are buddy!" He took long strides, pokeball in hand.

Niaaaa! NIAAA! Pawniard tried to warn his companion. Unfortunately they were still sour from their earlier argument, refusing to listen and instead continued to heave the human body off the bird. Niaaaa! It was pointless.

"I'll make it easy for you guys, you'll thank me later." From the pokeball a Malamar materialized, its cry finally attracting the dragon's attention. "Hey, go use that thing you do that makes them-"

Pawniard leaped above Deino and managed to slash Malamar before being slapped by its tentacles. He lands and jumps into position, blocking Deino from the prying eyes.

"Oh shoot, a Pawniard? Dude, I know somebody that's looking for a Bisharp, this is perfect." He sauntered over, approaching the small group with a frustrated Malamar. "Hypnosis."

Unwilling to give up, the humanoid steel Pokémon performed another attack on the squid; it occured over and over, yet each attempt was met with blocks from the purple tentacles.

Deino at last pulled Pikipek from underneath the body, some feathers having been torn off due to being pinned by too much weight. Squaaaaa!

"Come on dude, you really think you got what it takes?"

With the bird having flown to safety, Deino did not hesitate to dash past Pawniard. His little, chubby legs pushed the dragon off the ground, chomping down on the man's left arm. "FUUUUU- The hell are you doing?! Now I don't want your ass."

The grunt punched Deino into letting go, succeeding in the fifth go. Pawniard was unable to act, too slow to dodge Malamar's tentacles as he was placed in a headlock. Blades furiously attempted to slice them off, but he was easily subdued, slammed on to the ground with arms pinned behind his back.

"Besides, I got me a motherfreakin' Pawniard baby! And... I don't want any witnesses, you hear? I still think ya'll are capable of being vengeful machines. Don't want no John Wick on my ass." He restrained Deino, pushing their head against the gravel and ashes with his boot. "Except I didn't kill a Rockruff this time haha."

From his pocket a gun was retrieved. "I killed a Deino." Pawniard squirmed underneath Malamar's weight, hot tears trailing down his cheeks in fear of what's to occur.

Aaaaaaiiiiaa!

"Only cuz you're a Pawniard am I not gonna kill you too. Knock him out for me, will ya?" Malamar grinned in response as Pawniard observed the gun get cocked and loaded. Deino was unaware of the weapon, face pressed against the heated pavement that was mangling his black fur.

Pawniard refused to stop his struggle, yet Deino had given up, instead glancing at his friend with a look of defeat.

"Click." The trigger went off. A single bullet left the weapon.

Deino was no more.

"Wait, you let the poor guy watch this thing die? You really are messed up, dude." Malamar let out a chuckle. Below him Pawniard did not budge, frozen as his mind refused to process what had just occurred. He was in denial, eyes never parting from the small, lifeless carcass.

Then he felt a single tentacle hold his head down before his world turned to black.

Jay · Mar 21, 2019

-CINDERS-

"N-No..." A young woman lies sprawled out on the floor, fire all around her, the flames seem fit to consume her, to burn her away to nothing. Standing before her is a massive machine, it has legs and arms but its no man, no pokémon. Its metal limbs are smeared with blood and on its back is a capsule containing countless stolen pokéballs. She curls up in a ball, clutching her unconscious partner, returned to his capsule to her chest.

She knows this monster will kill her, she knows it will try and use her best friend as a weapon... but as long as she can move she won't let it. She won't allow it to hurt her partner, not here, not while she can breathe and feel and think.

Its hand closes in, massive grasping metal claws ready to crush her, ready to break her. She's paralyzed with fear... when something miraculous happens.

The flames themselves rush forward, beating into the machine with unbelievable force. She watches as the metal arm recoils back and melts away. The very metal used to make it turning to molten liquid in response to the unbelievable force of the fire. Rushing to stand before her, an arm outstretched in her defense is an elderly man... his long red hair is tied, matching the colour of the fire he commands. No, he does not command it, he is commanding a force that is fire itself. A pokémon.

His eyes are glowing through the smoke like a rainbow.

"Volcarona! Fire Blast, again!"

Alder's partner rushed from the fire in her Mega Evolved state, this fire was nothing to her... mere minions to a queen. With a single mote of her will the moved from those they would hurt and formed a lance of light she would use to strike down the evil before her. Just as she and her trainer had always done. With an eruption of force to rival the explosions surrounding them, Volcarona fired a blast of flame once more. The outer chassis of the mech now melted away, it found itself rather incapable of protecting itself without arms.

As the liquid steel flowed down onto the cobbles below a computerized brain was revealed, the inner workings already overheating with the intense temperatures around it. Still, better safe than sorry.

Darting down from the sky was a flash of crimson blades, a massive and imposing pokémon struck down from a massive leap it took, crossing over the majority of the city with a single bound to deliver a crippling blow.

As the central control unit of the mech exploded in a burst of energy and flames, focused around the massive gash now delivered onto it, the Mega Evolved Garchomp that had dealt the blow stood up straight and its trainer stepped off of its back. The woman was dressed in recognizable garb for the event, her signature black dress and hair ties... the cape like attachments flowing behind her. Cynthia found it hard to admit, but she was in her element right now.

Still, distraction often proved fatal.

As she focused on the thrill of battle she didn't notice a second and a third mech dropping towards her, she moved towards Garchomp who rolled in to take the brunt of the attack...

But alas that proved unnecessary.

Both mechs were held mid-air by an immense psychic power. Their mettalic bodies began to collapse and crumple, forcing themselves inwards until they coalesced into a single metallic cube no more than 1 foot in diameter. Perfectly formed, analytical even.

Without missing a beat, Mega Metagross flew in and glided to a halt beside the Sinnoh League champion... and Steven Stone wasted no time in hopping down from his back, affixing his tie carefully. Even now he had an odd sense of style, ever maintained. "You really need to be less reckless Cynthia..." He mumbled, his eyes still glowing with the prismatic light that tied him to his partner, a similar colour to the one reflecting in the eyes of the woman he addressed. "...and give up one of the things you like most about me? Not a chance." She grinned in response and Garchomp stepped forward, nodding respectfully towards Metagross, who bowed his massive head back. Those two had sparred often alongside their respective trainers, they had come to know one another quite well.

"Now now, you two can flirt later eh?" Alder sprinted up to join the other two, his Mega Volcarona following suit and floating behind him idly, its mere presence enough to show off its power. "Look at us...! Three champions all together, what are these Cinder clowns even thinking eh?"

"It's not as simple as that... look." Steven pulled out a devone device, one monitoring news and police feeds across the Kalos region... mere hours before the attack on Shalour there had been a string of smaller terrorist operations in townships in the South East of the region. Almost the entirety of the Kalosian interpol presence and the mobilized police forces of nearby towns had moved in to address what they perceived as a serious threat. Yet in the end? A clear distraction.

"Bastards..." Cynthia spat. "They knew we'd be here, they knew that law enforcement would never expect an attack on a city where we were all set to appear at once. Our presence here isn't an inconvenience for them, it's a key part of their strategy." To which Alder closed his eyes and thought. "One that is perhaps a flaw ready to be exploited... together, let's show them that they bit off more than they can chew! Don't lose fate in your abilities friends! Not now!"

Cynthia's look of annoyance and concern remained for a moment, before settling into a soft, calm smile. "Optimistic as always... but you're right, we can't let ourselves doubt now. Steven, how fortified is their airship?"

"Too fortified for the regular trainer to follow us. They're armed to the teeth with powerful pokémon and human artillery. If we're going to stop them then we have to go alone and we have to do it now." Steven crossed his arms and turned his attention towards the airship calmly. A moment of doubt gripped his heart but he forced it away, this was what being a champion meant. This is what he was born to do.

Wallace said:
In another time, in another place... I won here Steven, I can feel it. Somewhere out there is a place where you lost and I would be moving to the seat of champion at this very moment.

But no... not this you, not this me. I look in your eyes and it rings true in my heart. You are the champion of our Hoenn region, this place we call home. I believe in you totally... and soon you'll believe in yourself too. I know that you know that.

Wallace... his friends words rang clear in his mind and he quickly moved to stand upon Metagross' back. It was time to go, to save Shalour, to protect the trainers of the future. His thoughts flicked to the class raised by Sycamore's school, brave and bright futures for every one of them. That was it, that was the world he wanted to protect.

No more words were needed. Alder climbed upon his Volcarona and Cynthia once more clung to Garchomp's back... before with a burst of speed they raced upwards.

***

The wind resistance tore at them, as the Champions charged the ship. It picked them up immediately, though that wasn't a surprise.

"Line formation!" Alder called, gesturing for the others to fall in behind them as two massive chainguns mounted at the bridge of the vessel turned towards them. "Volcarona, Heat Wave and Protect! Now!" Without any more words needed, Volcarona split its attention. One concave eye blazed red while the other shone blew, a mystical shield surrounded it and a wave of hot air spun out behind it, cloaking the group in shimmering, waving visuals. The heat signals from within the group were almost impossible to read and their visual position wavered. Bullets that did manage to hit grazed and bounced off Volcarona's shield without putting too much pressure on the party within.

"Outrage!" Once they were close enough, Garchomp launched out of romation and darted along the side of the ship, onlookers below could see as a crimson blade struck through metal plating of the vessel and a line of explosions rocked down the exterior. Still, the main target were those guns. Once it had footing on the jagged metal platform it had ripped loose with its appendages, Garchomp grabbed one of the mounted canons and held it in place with all of his strength, preventing it from firing or moving at all.

"And Psychic, Metagross!" Steven called the command from across the sky and his pokémon too broke free of the protective bubble, using its psychic power it gripped the remaining gun and pulled it to one side. Forcing the barrel towards the gun that Garchomp held in place, it fired a few rounds until the machine was ruined, before crushing it into a cube with his mind, disabling the frontal weapon systems for good.

"Incredible work you two!" Alder cried as his fellow champions fell in line behind him. The path to the bridge was finally clear before them. Rushing forward with moves primed and ready. They were finally there, prepared to board.

When they were stopped, by a single masked man stepping onto the ships bridge alone.

They froze in place, calling of the attacks of their pokémon, unwilling to kill but clearly acknowledging their enemy. He wore a black and red suit with a sweeping black cape, upon his head was a mask of black glass, a dome protecting his face from onlookers. When he spoke, his voice echoed across the intercom and was broadcast to the entirety of the burning town below. The sound was scrambled and altered enough to prevent any form of voice identification from the start.

"Dearest Champions... you have arrived at last." The voice was calm and welcoming, almost mockingly friendly. Not the type of voice one would expect from a man facing down three of the greatest and angriest at that point, trainers in the world.

"You! Are you the one behind all of this?!" Alder responded, crying out to the masked adversary with more rage than previously seen. "Are you the leader of Cinder?"

"Alder of Unova... yes, you are correct." The voice echoed throughout the town and at the mention of Alder's name several people below looked up with greater attention.

"My name is Zevran... and I am the leader of Team Cinder."

"You dare...!" Cynthia cuts in, Garchomp already moving closer to the bridge. "You arrogant bastard... yet a coward all the same! You're coming with us, mask and all!"

"I sense your anger Champion Cynthia... and I understand that you do not." Zevran's voice remains calm and even, letting no emotion leak between the cracks. "You don't understand what I aim to do, all the good I hope to achieve... you are blinded by a broken, tainted morality that pollutes you. Something that prevents you, ALL of you from achieving what you were designed to achieve..."

"Another megalomaniac madman... you're surrounded by three of the strongest pokémon in the world. You're coming with us, no matter what toys you throw at us. You underestimated as at your own peril." Steven spoke calmly and confidently, as a Champion should. This was what Wallace had spoken of, this was the power and responsibility he was to wield.

"The strongest, perhaps, at your limited level." Zevran spoke, extending his arms widely as his voice began to pick up. "Alas you are wrong Mr. Stone... I am not possessed of hubris, not like Lysandre, Archie, Maxie, Cyrus or Ghetsis, they were fools consumed by arrogance. I am not. They sought to control the forces of the world but I? I now reveal myself only after I have already succeeded!"

Immediately the sky grew darker around the airship, a blackened wind swiftly rushed passed the three champions nearly knocking them from their pokémon in an instant. From a calm sky to hurricane force gales in the blink of an eye.

"Mark my words, people of this cruel and unforgiving world... mark them and remember this voice. The voice of the one who set you free!" Zevran shouts, his voice echoing over the world below like an almighty siren crying out to a pleading, dying strain of mortality. "This world has burned for eons... it was always burned and hurt and carved away at the good in itself until only your stains remain! So I have gathered, I have combined and I have forged a weapon that is only a taste of what is to come! Perdition! Reckoning! Hark Kalos as you are the sight of the beginning of the end..."

Raising a small cane from his side, Zevran opens the orange, crystaline head like a latch and presses a button inside. While no humans hear it, every pokémon in the city covers its ears in pain. From the airship rings an incredibly high frequency sound, one that only pokémon an hear.

"N-No... Volcarona!" Only Alders voice rings out as the three champions pokémon drop, falling swiftly down to the land below, disappearing into smoke as their trainers grasp on desperately. No longer impeded, Zevran steps to the edge of the bride and addresses the world one last time. His voice echoing across the land as the ear piercing noise fades from the ears of pokémon that could hear it.

"...now. I shall intensify the flames... and reduce this burning world to cinders."

With a streak the clouds part and shooting from the dark vortex is a blade of black and pink energy, laced with an orange tint. It cuts the building below and returns echoes of screams and pain, rubble from buildings breaking and shattering into pieces on impact. A single, massive gash across the heart of Shalour...

And it came from a single pokémon.

Descending from the sky, beckoned by the screeching siren that brought normal pokémon to their knees... was Cinder's trump card.

"Reduce them to ashes... My Mewtwo!"

A creature of immense darkness looked onwards over Shalour like the whole city was its plaything. Maniacal laughter echoed over the intercom as the enslaved pokémon, teeming with anger, descended further with bloodlust in its eyes. As it touched down on a cobblestone street, the flagstones ripped and tore themselves out of the ground, shattering and smashing, forced away by the sheer might emanating from the aura... of Shadow Mewtwo.

A pair of trainers immediately recall their pokémon and attempt to flee. They run as quickly as they can, but soon find their steps don't even hit the floor. Overwhelmed by fear and suspended in the air, they are forced to turn and face Mewtwo as it holds them aloft before it. It almost looks curious, regretful, for a brief moment... but before such emotions can be examined its expression goes cold again.

With the lightest flash of orange in its eyes, it snaps the trainers necks and throws their lifeless bodies to the side of the road. The first of many, as its mission had just begun...

Its only objective? The end of all life in Shalour City.

NEW MISSION AVAILABLE

[OPEN]★ Mission 3:
Survive the onslaught of Shadow Mewtwo!
As Shadow Mewtwo descends on Shalour it is clear that its power is beyond your capabilities. It may even be beyond anyone's capabilities. If you encounter it, it will take everything you can muster to simply survive.
Rewards: Orange Crystaline Shard

Sephear · Mar 21, 2019

Shalour Festival tournament round 1 Intermission: A fashionable diversion fo 'model' citizens!

Now that the tournament was properly underway the streets of Shalour were almost unbearably packed. Laurent was more thankful now than ever that he'd practiced so much at weaving skillfully through crowds. His attempts were going well and he was sure he'd make it off the streets in no time until a hand reached out from the chaos and grabbed his sleeve. Just like that he was yanked aside to a storefront blessedly free of the clutter of humanity. "You!" The voice belonged to a woman in very traditional Kanto wear and she looked quite distressed. "You're in the tournament right? I saw your battle, it was magnificent!"

"Oh, thank you, I -"

"You won the Santalune Contest too! Laurent Hessel, right? Have you ever modeled before?" She asked, speaking a mile a minute.

He had been completely caught off guard, enough so that it even took a solid second for his signature smile to form. "Well I can't say I've never thought about it, but no.

The woman smiled and got an almost sinister twinkle in her eye. "Then I'm the first, perfect. You've already got a place in the public eye and a solid reputation, too. Doesn't hurt that you're decent looking and dress okay. This tournament has come at the worst possible time! I just finished my newest design for my yukata but it hasn't gotten any groundswell yet and I need to get it out there with a strong push! For that I need good models and it's a lot harder finding men who can pull off yukata. I can't get a pro on such short notice but you seem like a good pull as far as amateurs go, what do you say?"

The Tournament was off to a raring start, and as much as Sebastian was enjoying the chance to lean back and watch the battles, eventually he began to feel claustrophobic, packed into the arena with so many others. During the intermission he chose to step outside, in hopes of getting some fresh air, and a chance to clear his head from all the noise.

...It seemed he would have no such luck, as the entire city had become just as packed as the inside of the building. Sebastian rubs his temple before he pivots around a large group. Perhaps he can step towards the outskirts of town for a bit, it should be quiet out there. At least, that is his plan, until he takes note of the familiar face of Laurent, and a woman latched onto his arm. She looks somewhat distressed, and he seems...well, he's Laurent, he's always been hard to read.

"Laurent?" Sebastian asks once he's close enough to be heard, his head tilting curiously as his eyes flicker towards the woman with the death grip on his friend's sleeve. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, Sebastian! So good to see you." He greeted his friend. "This lovely woman was requesting my assistance. It seems she needs a yukata model. You wear yukata from time to time, yes? You've always seemed like you have a good grasp of traditional Kantonian culture."

"I should hope so, I'm from Kanto." Sebastian smiles, somewhat relieved he walked in on a modeling crisis. With everything their group has encountered as of late, his mind went to a much darker place when he saw the woman clutching onto Laurent's arm. He turns h is attention from his friend to the woman holding his arm. "I won't take up any more of your time. Go easy on my friend, won't you?"

The woman got that gleam in her eye again and stepped forward, masterfully pressing against Sebastian's personal space without actually penetrating it. "Yes, yes, I can see it. I'd even guess your bloodline is fairly pure Kantonian too. You'd make a great model!" She burst out, beaming at the trainer. "We can't have too many and you could help tie the sashes! It makes such a difference not to have to teach someone how to wear yukata."

"M-model?" Goodness, what has he gotten himself into? No, perhaps the better question is: What has Laurent gotten the both of them into? Ah, well...tying a few sashes certainly won't kill him, and he can think of plenty worse ways to spend his evening, rather than spending it with Laurent. The two haven't spoken since they teamed up with Simon within the cave. This will be far more pleasant. "I'd be happy to help."

"That's Princy for you, always dying to help." An uncomfortably familiar voice is heard behind the woman. Sebastian tilts his head to see Victoria, her signature smirk piercing into his skull as she cuddles her Meowstic in her arms. Is she involved in this project too? Is it too late to bow out?

"My, my, who is this dazzling creature I've yet to have the pleasure - the privilege to meet?" Laurent asked, taking a step towards her.

"This is Victoria." Sebastian states, his voice wary. When they met again in Ambrette, it seemed as if she was trying to reform her ways, though that hardly made up for her actions in Lumiose City.

"Charmed." The blonde smirks as she bats her eyes at Laurent. "Are you going to be modeling the Yukatas too?"

Laurent's own smile widened a touch and he nodded. "Yes, it appears so. I'm Laurent and it's just marvelous to meet you, Victoria." He practically purred the name. "Sebastian is a dear friend, I'm always glad to encounter more people who know my friends.

"Yes, yes, yes, everyone's all cozy and friendly that's great." The fashion designer stepped in. "Now let's get to work! Victoria, I've already measured you so get into the changing room and get your yukata on. If you need help with anything you can call, I've got to take these boys' measurements and pick out theirs."

Sebastian withholds a sigh of relief when their designer friend attempts to send Victoria away. Laurent's had a need to flatter those around him for as long as Sebastian as known him, and he's seen first hand how manipulative Victoria can be. That's a dangerous combination.

"Don't worry. If I need any help I'll just ask Mr. Kanto." Victoria winks towards Sebastian, then turns her gaze back to Laurent. "I can't wait to see what she picks out for you, new guy~" With a playful wink, the blonde disappears.

Sebastian rests his hand against the back of his neck and shakes his head. "She's...a handful."

"Aren't all the most interesting people?" Laurent asked innocently smiling close to Sebastian's face. "Just think of all our classmates, us included~" His smile changed to a smirk and he tilted his head. "I'm sure even if I hadn't been here that designer of ours would have grabbed you, she seems to have a good eye. With your looks, style and familiarity with the culture you'll make a much better model than me! If her yukata is as good as she seems to think it is I wager you'll be too embarrassed to ever wear it in public with the way everyone you pass will look at you. I'll have to consider myself lucky to be one of the few people that ever gets to see it in person~"

Sebastian can feel his body growing steadily warmer the more Laurent speaks. It seemed...redundant to be put into an outfit he can't wear in front of people, doesn't that defeat the purpose of...modeling? Sebastian lets out a stammering, nervous laugh. "I think you're laying the flattery on a bit thick, friend." With that, he drops his hand back to his side and steps towards the designer, hoping for a subject change before his skin becomes the same color as his hair. "Right. Where do we begin?"

The woman had been tapping her foot the entire time during their brief exchange and now she shot between them "Now I take your measurements. It would be better with less clothes in the way but I guess I can't just go dragging young men off the street and asking them to strip." At that she tapped her nose and the mischievous smile that overtook her face made her look twenty years younger for a moment.

"Oh, there's no need." Laurent blurted out. "I have my measurements memorized. Most of my clothes are personally tailored and fitted, you see so you don't have to wo -"

"I'll be damned of some rando fancypants Kalosian hack's measurements are good enough for my models!" She interrupted him, going straight from impish to crone-like in an instant. She grabbed Sebastian's left arm and firmly but smoothly stretched it out then repeated the motion with his other arm. She wrapped the measuring tape around his chest just underneath his arms and squinted at it. "Right, you're a lithe one. Perfect, yukata are more suited to graceful forms, that's why men can't pull them off as often."

When she released Sebastian for the moment she turned to see Laurent with his blazer on a chair behind him and his whimsicotton dress shirt having its last button undone, leaving him in a breezy V-necked white undershirt when it joined the blazer. "What's that look for?" He asked, the picture of naiveté. "I thought such a true master would want the most accurate measurements possible?" In a flash she was on him, forcing his arms up into the same position as Sebastian, measuring his chest and admiring the contours of his well defined muscles more than Laurent had bargained for when he decided he was overdressed for the occasion.

For the second time in a matter of minutes, Sebastian had to question what he had gotten himself into. Fortunately, she was respectful enough not to ask him to disrobe in front of herself and Laurent-- although Laurent didn't seem to mind. Sebastian glances to a spare corner of the room, where he presses his hand into his face. While he's certain Laurent's physique is one to be proud of (Laurent seems to think it is) it would do their friendship well if he didn't gawk at the man while the frighteningly intense woman measures him (and whatever else she was choosing to do at the time).

Laurent had no such reservations when the designer let him drop his arms and moved on to Sebastian's waist. "You're right, miss yukata master. I think he does have the perfect build for this. and his luscious hair would fit right in around some Cheriblossom trees." He said in admiration. Before Laurent could say anything else she was on to his own waist and she cinched the tape tightly enough to cut off any further speech.

"Were we not in front of a lady, I would remind you that I know where you sleep." Sebastian mumbles against his hand. He knows Laurent's teasing, and he's spent enough time with the young man that he's begun to feel comfortable japing back...a bit. "...Although the lady seems to have silenced you herself." He chuckles weakly as he eases his hand down, though his eyes remain closed.

When he was finally freed Laurent took a deep breath, glad to finally be capable of inhaling again. While the lady in question was busy finishing up their last measurements, Laurent found his voice again. "Oh? But I sleep in a different place almost every night. Are you keeping track, my dear Sebastian? My, how scandalous~" He hid his mouth behind his hand to cover his smile and leaned back in mock surprise.

"Keeping silent tabs on others is a ninja's job." Sebastian jokes. It was only recently that he had begun referring to himself as such; he came to Kalos under his mother's maiden name, intent on leaving that part of his life behind...only to realize that running from his family was cowardly, and unacceptable.

Before the game could continue, the designer thrust a neatly folded bundle at Laurent. "Here you go, prettyboy. I actually have three different designs I need to get out. This one suits you best." It wasn't a question, simply a statement of fact as far as she was concerned. Laurent unfolded the bundle and when it rolled out he gasped. It was a white yukata with red trim, the sash was red and yellow and accented by a silk purple string - the twin of which ran through the collar - it was breathtaking! Just his style, too! "Elegant, dignified but simple, some might even say understated despite how easily it stands out." She continued and Laurent's face actually reddened a few shades. That was exactly how he tried to present himself. "Now you get in one of those other dressing rooms and get started. Get down to your skivvies in there. Wrap the right side of the yukata over to your left side, then wrap the left side over to your right and make sure the bottom matches up nice and even! Then you can come on back out and have your friend here show you how to tie the obi. Go on, shoo! I've got to pick out strawberry boy's yukata!"

"Straw...berry?" Sebastian finally opens his eyes, if only so the look of pure confusion can show through. He waits until the woman darts off to tug a piece of his hair in front of his eyes to examine it. "Is it dark enough to call strawberry?" He asks. Is this really the conversation they're going to have right now? Yes, it seems it is.

"Strawberries come in a few different shades depending on ripeness. They're red and they're sweet, what, that not good enough for you?" The woman cajoled from her place at the stacks of variously-sized yukata. "What, would you prefer Red? Scarlet? Firehair? You worry too much. Prettyboy seems to like the way you look just fine."

Sebastian's eyes narrow into a squint when he hears laughter from the other side of the wall; sounds like Victoria's having a fun time listening to this woman's biting tone scold the duo. "Never mind...Did you find what you were looking for?"

"I suppose she had her fun with you before we arrived? Lucky Devil." Laurent called out from his own stall.

The older woman presented a significantly darker bundle to Sebastian than Laurent recieved. "Here! Flowers suit you well, but you're not as... loud as those other two so softer, more subtle colors should compliment your demeanor and bring out the vibrant life of the flowers."

"Is she mocking us for being bold?" Laurent said quietly from behind his curtain.

"No, she's making him feel better for not being bold." Victoria chimes from behind the thin walls.

Sebastian looks at the presented Yukata and finds himself smiling: Black with-- ironically, fuchsia blossoms. He can't deny that the colors suit. He collects the bundle in his arms and bows respectfully. "Thank you...it's truly lovely."

It was at that moment Laurent exited his dressing room, wearing his own new apparel. It certainly fit him well, both in size and style. However, his brow furrowed melodramatically when his obi slipped just enough to loosen up the entire yukata slightly. "Alright, how does it - hm? Mmm... it truly does take some practice to do yourself, doesn't it? And here I was so confident after my research back in school. I guess some things just require proper teaching or practice..." He glared down at the sash as if it were a snake fighting against him.

The designer smirked at his failure and waved it away nonchalantly. "That difficulty is part of the draw! It helps those who really can wear yukata well shine! Some would consider it an exclusive club for anything beyond the bare bottom basics."

Sebastian can't hold back the quiet chuckle that slides from his throat as the sash begins to slip away from Laurent. "Much like modern ties, they take some practice." That being said, the redheaded trainer steps over to Laurent and undoes the sash completely, only to adjust it and tie it around his friend properly. Over a decade of dealing with these particular sashes have allowed him to wrap them with little thought, and once it's done, he takes a moment to straighten Lauren's robe as well. "Better?"

"Ho boy, what did I walk in on?" Victoria, having left her own changing room, leans in the doorway,arms folded over her chest, a playful smirk on her lips.

Realizing how close he's standing to the other male, Sebastian brushes it off with a soft, nervous laugh as he takes a wide step back.

"Just a bit of friendly assistance~" Laurent replied, switching quickly from intensely watching and memorizing Sebastian's technique to smile at Victoria. "I must admit to some disappointment that you have it all well in hand, I would have loved to practice on you now that I've seen it done right~" He swung his head back around to tilt at Sebastian again. "I have to do my teacher proud, after all, thanks again~"

"Not my first rodeo. We have yukatas in Sinnoh, too." Victoria's icy gaze falls on Laurent, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "But maybe next time~"

"Teacher? Hardly." Sebastian smiles, his hand rising up to rub at the back of his neck. "All I did was tie a sash."

"Prince Humble, over here." Victoria playfully rolls her eyes. "Alright, teach, looks like we're locked and loaded. What's next~?"

"Mmm, princely indeed. I dare say we could all pass for royalty right now, I doubt there's a better looking trio to be found~" Laurent purred his agreement while their host ignored all three of the trainers and shuffled over to a trio of large tarps. The tarps were ripped away dramatically to reveal three distinctly framed sets with very high quality cameras prepared to capture them. Each one was designed to compliment and accentuate a different one of the three yukata the trainers wore.

"This is next!" She announced proudly. "We're going to take some pictures for me to run through just about every sort of media I can get my masterful hands on!" She cackled as if some sort of villanous plot she'd masterminded was coming together. "Between my flawless designs and my beautiful, cheap young models there will be a stampede of people begging for my yukata at any price I'll accept! And with so many people this far out from Kanto and Johto having no experience I can probably charge extra for lessons in how to wear them!"

With a deeply worried expression, Sebastian inches his way closer to Laurent and Victoria, in order to whisper without being detected by the...excitable woman. "Does...she realize she's saying this out loud?" Did she realize she was monologuing like a super villain? Were they pulled in to be a part of a Yukata themed crime ring?

"More importantly...did she call me cheap?" Victoria peeks over Laurent's shoulder to join in the whispering.

"...Yes, but...I believe she means we're modeling for free, not..." Well, this is uncomfortable.

"I'm sure... it's all more innocent than she makes it sound." Laurent said, the slightest hint of uncertainty in his normally silky voice. "After all, it is just clothing, right? I can't imagi -" He was cut off by a hand firmly yanking him by the shoulder away from the whispering cluster and then shoved onto the first stage under a strangely real looking Cheri blossom tree.

"Mmhm, yes, yes definitely the right pairing. You're up first, cassanova!" The designer declared, making a hand signal off to some curtains beside the set---from which exited a Bellossom, the very picture of grace and prim propriety. The woman set herself up at her camera, making sure she had just the right angle, then signaled to her partner again. The Bellossom nodded and began to sway back and forth, rocking its hips back and forth, hypnotically swishing its natural grass skirt back and forth until genuine cheri blossom leaves materialized seemingly out of thin air and swirled through the room, tickling Victoria and Sebastian's faces and filling their noses with a relaxing, sweet scent that was all too nostalgic for the Fuchsia native. The petals arced upwards and then began to fall down upon the set, drifting at the perfect angle to appear as if they were falling from the faux tree at the corner of the set from a light breeze.

Victoria fills the Laurent sized gap between herself and Sebastian, a quizical look in her eyes. She cups her hand in order to whisper in his ear. "I've played this game: She drugs us and then she takes really weird pictures of us, and then one of us dies."

"I knew you would be the death of me." Sebastian murmurs-- only half kidding.

"Alright, handsome, wipe that smirk off your face. None of that playfulness you can't seem to let go of! I want you contemplative, thoughtful, stare off into the distance---yes, exactly like that! Perfect!"

Spoiler:

Several pictures were rapidly snapped and upon reviewing on the camera itself their hostess giggled with satisfaction, then stood in front of the next set and gestured to Victoria while Laurent took his place next to her and Sebastian again. "You next, hot stuff. Red over here probably isn't in the habit of posing, so now it's your turn to show him how to make love to the camera."

"Alright, but that last part's gonna be extra." Victoria chuckles playfully as she strides towards the stages. She playfully flips her hair as she stands in front of the three stages. "Which one?"

"The forest." The designer delcares, gesturing to an especially verdant set, placed so as to be shaded just right to look like a deep forest at night. A Haunter and a Ninetails skirt either side of the set, seemingly from out of nowhere and watch the proceedings. As soon as Victoria stepped upon the set the Haunter's eyes glowed and the Ninetails let out a soft howl, moments later small glowing lights and wisps of ghostly flame were scattered about. "Walk across, watch out for the roots. Don't give us your normal strut, let's see a curious, meandering stroll. I wanna see some fae maiden of mystery, make everyone who looks at you want to get lost just so they might run into you."

The woman might be zubat-shit insane, but the blonde has to admit: She's got a real talent for this. The scenes are beautiful and her Pokemon have a real way of setting the mood. Now...walk, don't strut. Meander. What's that even mean? Rivers meander, so it's like...walk in a bendy way? She'll walk around the roots-- like a fairy. Wait, she's got it. Victoria's superior smirk melts away into a soft, distant smile as she spreads her arms out towards her sides, as if feeling a gentle breeze. Dark blue eyes gaze shyly at the camera as she flits her way through the faux-forest with soft, dainty steps.
Several snaps rang throughout Victoria's short journey across the forest set. "Beautiful, beautiful!"

Spoiler:

She spared Laurent a quick glance between pictures. "You two have a real talent for this, either of you done any modelling before?" She asked the trainers who'd already had their turn. Laurent shrugged happily but she waved off his reply. "Thankfully it doesn't really matter, I'm glad I got a hold of you three. You may not be pros but once everyone sees these promos you'll be able to get work anywhere anytime you want I bet. Just try not to get typecast, Arceus knows you'll never look as good again as my yukata make you today!" She smirked at her own praise and waved Victoria back towards the group. "Alright, alright. You're next, Strawberry. I hope you were paying attention."

"Wanna get in touch with some modeling agencies when this is all over?" Victoria asks as she returns to the group, playfully bumping into Laurent with her hip.

His smile brightened as he matched the gesture. "I don't see why not, we appear quite suited to it. If we teamed up, who could hope to stop us?"

Sebastian's smile towards the blond duo's antics is quickly cut short when he realizes he's being called forward. With another nervous rub against the back of his neck he steps towards the third stage.

The third and final set seemed much more modest than the other two at first glance, almost the the point of being plain. It was just a wide, graggy round rock that ended at a point to some empty space above the floor and before a wall covered in shades of orange. However, when one looked more closely the wall was not even a screen, it had been painted on directly and so had the floor underneath the rock! The paint blended just right to create a magnificent sunset off in the imaginary distance, revealing the rock the set focused on was in fact a cliff overlooking that sunset. "Up on the cliff, Red." Sebastian's gruff director commanded. As soon as Sebastian stepped onto the set, the designer's Bellossom hurried over and handed him an abnormally large pink blossom that looked specifically like a Cheri. Despite the fact that the tree on the first set was fake, this flower was clearly real, its sweet, delicate sent cloaked the young trainer and left him no doubt it was so.

The woman at the camera nodded sagely, then adjusted her equipment for a better angle and looked back through the lens. "Okay, crimson cutie, your scene is like a sequel to pretty boy Longshanks' over there, think of it as the sunset to the same day. Take a big whiff of that flower, enjoy it, think deeply about whatever that smell brings to mind and look over the 'cliff' at a side angle from the camera with the expression born from those feelings." As her instructions concluded she snapped her fingers at the Bellossom and it quickly began to dance, leading to the same light rain of fragrant pink petals on Sebastian's set as on Laurent's earlier.

While Laurent had always had a charming air about him, and it seems Victoria was born into this world flipping her hair for the camera, Sebastian...doubts he has any such flare. Luckily, their photographer's instructions give little room for him to mistake. She's given exact directions, and all he need do is follow them. He looks towards the faux cliffside and breathes in the scent of the flowers. Unsurprisingly, they remind him of home. His mother planted these very same flowers in their backyard garden. The redheaded trainer looks dreamily into the distance as the scent brings a memory to his mind: Sitting under the cherry tree in that very same garden, a small array of food laid out in front of him. His mother and father sitting beside him, his newly born baby brother cradled in his mother's arms, asleep. A soft gust of wind blows the freshly blooming petals of the cherry tree, causing pink blossoms to delicately rain down.

Sebastian reaches out to collect one of Bellossom's falling petals in his hand as the memory plays out behind his eyes.

Spoiler:

Snap snap snap snap The woman handling the camera stayed silent, refusing to risk surprising her subject out of his reverie. Laurent nodded appreciatively, also pushed to stay quiet by the beatific expression on Sebastian's face.

What? Are they afraid they're gonna spook Sebastian? Victoria quirks a brow at Laurent and the designer, who, prior to this, wouldn't shut her mouth. Is she missing something? Guess it is kind of a reserved scene. With a fake, silent yawn, she flops her head on Laurent's shoulder.

"Mmm, welcome, stay as long as you like~" He purred too quietly for anyone aside from his shoulder's new guest to hear. Responding to what would surely either fluster or enflame most by simply leaning into it, tilting his head and letting its side rest against the top of Victoria's head.

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!" An ecstatic voice interrupted the game before it could go any further, drawing the pair's eyes once again to the yukata designer as she pulled away from the camera - apparently not caring a whiff if she startled Sebastian now that she was satisfied with the quality and volume of her pictures. "This is my best work yet! All of it! The Yukata, the pictures and of course my sets and direction!" Nobody mentioned the fact that she hadn't given her models an ounce of the credit but after she finished her monologue she shuffled away from the sets to examine her wares. "Well, I suppose I was lucky to have pretty good models too, just don't let it go to your heads."

"Oh, never~" Victoria purrs with a playful bat of her eyes. Sebastian steps from the stage and returns to the two blonds with a quizzical look to the young woman cuddling up to Laurent. The last time she used her charm like this it was to take Angel the Meowstic away from a very sweet elderly woman. Her sudden interest in his friend gives him a sense of unease. Victoria notices that questioning gaze, and chooses to ignore it. "Sooo are we done here, Edna?" She asks with a smirk.

"Please. please. Edna is my cousin's name. Don't make me think of her, she's the worst!" The designer responded with a grimace and a wave of her hands. She ran from camera to camera, making sure everything was in order, then looked back at the trainers. "Yes, that's all I need from you kids!" She handed each one a small amount of poké and... a business card? "Here's your payment. It may not seem like much but you can each keep the yukata you modeled and trust me, they're expensive! Normally none but the social and financial elite could be seen in such splendor and even then only on special occasions! But you three are now a part of the exclusive club, enjoy."

There certainly weren't any complaints to be heard from Laurent. "A princely reward indeed. Not what I would call travel clothes, though. I'd better change before I make my way to the Tower of Mastery."

"She just sorta looks like an Edna, ya know?" Victoria whispers to the two others.

"Now that you mention it..." Sebastian murmurs before taking the payment with a respectful bow. "You're going to the Tower of Mastery? Good luck."

"I should change too. There's too many people walking around with deep fried butter to be wearing something so...exclusive." Victoria winks as she flits back towards her changing room. "See you around, boys. We should do this again~"

"Absolutely~" Laurent agreed, heading to his own changing room. "Until then~"

Stinging Bea · Mar 21, 2019

Avril Morris

Shalour City

Chapter 20-2 | Rising Conflict

Current Party:

[sound="Dangerous Battle]http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/czxpdjxiu5/Dangerous_Battle.mp3[/sound]

"Roland, Protect now!"

Avril stared in shock as a Mr. Mime suddenly came barreling out and planted himself between the girl and her Greninja and the blast of flames being shot out from the Team Cinder grunt's Pyroar. A strange wall of light was quick to be erected. The Flamethrower crashed against the barrier, causing the fire to split off and completely miss both Avril and Shino.

"What... where did this Mr. Mime come from...?" Avril questioned.

"I think the better question is what kinda thugs think they're so high and mighty that they gotta double team a single trainer like that, don't ya think?" a familiar voice rang out.

Avril turned, her eyes widening at the familiar sight of her sister. Robin offered the younger girl a smile as she stepped her way forward, quickly arriving by the girl's side. "Ya holdin' out okay, Avril? Some of your little buddies were worried 'bout ya and came to seek me out."

As if on cue, both Radar and Lulu came zipping out from behind Robin. Radar proudly perched himself onto Avril's shoulder, while Lulu made herself busy zipping circles around the two trainers. A sigh of relief escaped Avril's lips with this revelation. Not only had her sister just managed to save her and Shino, but two of her missing Pokémon were both alive and well. Things were starting to definitely look up for her. Robin smiled down at the girl, tossing her a familiar looking bracelet.

"I found this on the way over, I'm pretty sure it belongs to ya," Robin said.

"T'ch... whatever... It doesn't matter if you've got reinforcements or not, we're still about to paint these streets red with your blood," Dan sneered. "Pyroar, Fire Fang now!"

The Cinder Grunt's Pyroar charged forward, heat pouring from his mouth as he leapt forward to take a bite out of Robin's Mr. Mime. The older of the Morris siblings looked more annoyed than worried, however. Robin's Mr. Mime glared at the charging Pyroar, his eyes never blinking as the lion Pokémon quickly began to slowdown before coming to a complete stop. The Pyroar let out a strained groan as he tried to move, but it was no use. He was completely helpless as he suddenly found himself being lifted off of the ground before being slammed hard right into ground.

"We weren't finished talkin' just yet... Why don't ya make like a tree and leaf before I actually start gettin' mad, yeah?" Robin questioned, her voice actually sounding quite angry.

"Shut up, you stupid bitch! Just who do you think you are?!" Dan shouted as his Pyroar picked himself off the ground slowly. "Pyroar, Take Down!"

"Have it your way, then..." Robin sighed. "Roland, Focus Blast!"

The Mr. Mime closed his eyes, his body starting to glow with a strange light. His eyebrows furrowed, it looked as if the Pokémon was suddenly in deep concentration. Avril glanced nervously between the charging Pyroar and Robin's Mr. Mime. Was he falling asleep or something? The blonde's question was soon answered. Roland's eyes suddenly snapped open as a blast of energy suddenly shot out from his hands. The blast of energy completely engulfed the Cinder grunt's Pyroar, causing a bloody, pain-filled roar to echo throughout the burning city streets. What followed was a sudden explosion of power that left the Pyroar in a crumpled heap on the ground. Dan stared in disbelief at the sight, the Cinder grunt falling to his knees as his body visibly shook in anger.

"What the hell is this...?! How the hell are there still people able to fight like this?! This wasn't even part of the plan!" he spat. "Suzy, do something to back me up here!" His eyes shot over to where his partner in crime had been standing, only to find that the woman and her Scrafty were no longer there. Spinning around, he found the woman running away from the scene as fast as her legs could carry her. She only stopped when he started shouting again. "What the hell are you doing?! Get over here and help me out!"

"For what? I think it's easy for even you to see that we're out of our league here!" Suzy shouted back. "I have no intention of dying in a place like this. I'm out of here!"

With that Suzy turned and began to run away once more. The woman didn't manage to get too far, however. She came to a screeching halt when a a large, imposing Pokémon appeared in front of her. Avril stared in horror. Her body trembling at the sight in front of her. A towering Magmortar stood in between Suzy and the exit from where they stood. Its body shook violently, the creature growling as it clutched its head for a moment. The massive fire Pokémon stared down at the female Cinder grunt in silence with blood-red eyes as it calmly lifted its cannon-like hand and pointed it in the woman's face. Without so much of a moment of hesitation, it unleashed a massive burst of flames that completely engulfed the woman. Her shrill screams echoed out into the night sky as flesh and muscle began to be scorched from her body, her hands clawing out for someone anyone to help her.

"What the hell...?" Robin could only stammer, the older of the two Morris sisters fighting back the urge to vomit at the sight.

"Absolutely disgusting..." a deep, male voice said. Stepping out from behind the Magmortar, a well-dressed man appeared. He seemed to be dressed in a similar manner to the Cinder grunts, however his suit's colors were reversed, being red with black lining instead. His graying hair was slicked back, his brown eyes seemingly lifeless behind a pair of thick, black glasses. "To think that you would both cower and run in fear from two simple trainers... Absolutely disgusting..."

"B-Boss...? What are you doing here?" Dan questioned, the remaining grunt falling back as both the red-clothed man and the Magmortar stepped forward.

"It seems we're here to clean up this mess you've made..." the Cinder alpha grunt spat. "To think the two of you couldn't even finish off a single trainer... You aren't worthy to even be called members of Team Cinder..."

"W-Wait, you don't understand! This woman showed up and..." Dan began to protest.

He didn't get the chance to finish, however. Much like before a blast of raging fire soon engulfed the man, causing him to scream in pain as he essentially began to melt from the intense heat. Robin remained silent as the Alpha grunt's attention was focused on the now burning corpse of Dan. She quickly scooted close to Avril and handed the girl a bottle.

"A Full Restore..." Robin whispered. "Use it quick... I got a feelin' we're gonna need ya at full power..."

Avril eyes didn't move from the sight in front of her. It was too familiar. The intense heat of the flames, the screams of burning humans as they gasp for air and mercy before being silenced forever, even the Pokémon itself... It was all just like that night in Lumiose all over again.

"Avril! Wake up!" Robin snapped.

Avril jumped at the tone in the girl's voice, her eyes quickly glancing down to the Full Restore in her hands. She quickly grabbed the bottle, spraying its contents onto Shino right after. The Greninja winced a bit from the sting of having the solution sprayed on his wounds, but he instantly began to feel relief as the pain faded from his body. Shino slowly pulled himself from Avril's grasp, climbing to his feet as he prepared for his next challenge.

Robin too prepared herself for battle. She took hold of a poké ball and recalled Roland, before taking another ball and tossing it out in front of her. The poké ball snapped open to reveal a stocky, purple Pokémon with a horn growing out of its forehead. "Alright Caesar, you're up!"

The powerful Nidoking let out a fierce roar as he stepped forward to side with Shino. The Cinder alpha grunt turned from the charred remains of Dan to face the two trainers properly. Despite being outnumbered, the man did not seem even the slightest bit concerned about the challenge before him. In fact Avril was able to pick up a sense of confidence coming from the man, one that seemed much stronger than the one Dan had earlier.

"I can tell you're both skilled trainers in your own rights, I must say I'm impressed you've both made it this far... especially you, Avril Morris..." the alpha grunt said.

"...Do ya know each other...?" Robin questioned, glancing back and forth between the duo.

"No, this is the first time we've met..." the alpha grunt answered. "But we at Cinder happen to know quite a bit about few pesky trainers that have been getting in our way as of late. Avril Morris... Jackson Crane... Laurent Hessel... just to name a few. Quite interesting, it seems that Sycamore's students have become quite the thorn in our sides. No matter, though... I'll be rectifying that now."

As if on cue, the Magmortar let out a fierce roar as its cannons pointed straight at the trainers and their Pokémon. Powerful volleys of flames were launched at the group, causing them all to scatter as quickly as they could. Avril and Robin both took shelter behind a nearby pile of rubble, while both Shino and Robin's Nidoking both split up, attempting to flank the alpha grunt's Magmortar.

"Caesar, use Mega Punch!" Robin called out.

The Nidoking let out a mighty roar as he charged towards the Magmortar. His mighty arm reeled back, before slamming into the Magmortar with as much power as he could muster. The Magmortar was quick to bring his arm up, attempting to block the attack as best as he could. He staggered back a bit, but managed to maintain his balance, his trainer quick to order a counter attack via calling out for the creature to attack with a Fire Punch. The end of the Magmortar's began to glow with intense flames as it slammed down into the Nidoking, causing Caesar to let out a pain-filled groan as he staggered back.

"Now Magmortar, follow up with Flamethrower!"the alpha grunt shouted.

The massive fire Pokémon took aim at the recovering Nidoking, his cannon-like arm starting to spit out an intense flame. "Shino, Water Pulse now!"

Thankfully for Caesar, Avril was quick on the follow up. The Greninja suddenly hopped in front of his battle partner and shot out a quick blast of water in the Magmortar's direction. The water was quick to extinguish the oncoming flames, leaving the Magmortar open for another attack.

"Caesar, Megahorn!" Robin ordered.

The Nidoking barreled forward, his horn jamming deep into the Magmortar. The Pokémon let out a fierce roar of pain it struggled to try and pry the Nidoking out, but the purple Pokémon refused to be moved. The alpha grunt did not seem the least bit concerned, however. Rather his smirk seemed to only grow.

"Now Magmortar, Brick Break!" the man called out. The Magmortar let out a deep roar, clutching its head in frustration before wildly bringing down a heavy arm right into Caesar's temple. The Nidoking's legs began to buckle, suddenly falling back. "Again Magmortar, Brick Break!"

"Shino, Feint Attack now!" Avril cried out.

Shino suddenly hopped onto one of the Magmortar's arms and prepared to slam on of his fists into the Magmortar's face. The Magmortar glared at the Greninja, however. Before the froggy-fist could connect, a sudden blast of electricity sparked from its cannon and gave Shino a most shocking surprise. Shino wailed in pain from the point-blank Thunderbolt as he fell back from the surprise. Caesar took this moment to pull himself back to his feet, doubling back to rejoin his battling companion.

"This ain't lookin' too good..." Robin muttered, the girl clenching her fist in irritation. "This thing is strong... too strong. Our attacks are barely even effectin' it..."

"Of course not," the alpha grunt began to explain. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a satisfied chuckle escaping his mouth as he spoke. "This Magmortar was made from the cream of the crop, only the best DNA being put into it to make a lethal weapon!"

"...Made...? What are you talking about...?" Avril questioned.

"You don't understand? This isn't your average Magmortar... We created him, using DNA from the Magmortar belonging to Flint of Sinnoh's Elite Four."

A fierce roar echoed out from the Magmortar as his origins were exclaimed. Its arms were flailing about, slamming into the ground with irritation as it began to slowly step its way towards the recovering Shino and Caesar. Avril couldn't believe her ears. Team Cinder was actually making Pokémon? That didn't seem possible. Then suddenly, Avril's eyes seemed to light up as she recalled her conversation with Jackson back on Versant Road. He had told her about how he battled against the clone of a Garchomp back at Lumiose City!

"So it was true..." Avril thought, suddenly feeling sick at the thought of Pokémon being used and essentially made in some sort of sick, scientific method.

"Avril, snap out of it!" Robin suddenly shouted.

The blonde looked up just in time to see the alpha grunt's Magmortar suddenly tossing flaming chunks of rubble at both Caesar and Shino. Both Pokémon were just barely able to dodge the assaults, but were both suddenly left exposed as the Magmortar suddenly slammed its heavy arms into the ground. The broken, cobblestone road began to quake and buckle with great intensity, causing more of the damaged buildings and ground to start cracking and collapsing all around them. Shino was suddenly sent flying, with the loud sounds of cracking brick and and clanking steel reaching the two trainers ears. Ceasar groaned as he fell to his knees, struggling to keep himself balanced in the assault.

Radar let out a loud screech as he began to flap his wings wildly. Time seemed to slowdown as the girls turned to look behind them in horror. The remains of the building behind them suddenly began to give way. Brick began to topple forward. Robin cried out as she began to move out of the way... but Avril's legs refused to move...

LuluRina · Mar 21, 2019

Annika Jiraiya

Mission 5

Annika, still on the Arcanine with Vulpix, and her mother were rushing through the city towards the harbor.

While they were running, Annika started asking "Mom, what's happening? Why are you here? Why is the town…"

"Later" Her mom interrupted as a building near them exploded. The Vulpix jumped at the explosion and curled up close to Annika. Holding her close, Annika started comforting her as they turned a corner and was confronted by a group of Carvanha lead by a Sharpedo. As soon as the group of pokemon saw them, they immediately went for Aqua Jet and aimed for Arcanine.

"Rina! Protect!" Annika yelled, throwing out a Pokeball as an Eevee popped out. She landed and set up a forcefield, causing the Carvanha and Sharpedo to bounce off it. "Bagel, Thunder Fang!" She said, throwing out Bagel's pokeball as Rina started looking around. Bagel appeared before her with his teeth glowing with electricity as he bit down on one of the Carvanha.

He let go fairly quickly, his teeth hurting from its rough skin, but it fainted soon after. Rina started shrinking back, panicking, when Annika called out "Rina! Return!" She withdrew Rina as her mom called out "Gardevoir, come on out!"

Gardevoir appeared next to Bagel, preparing for battle. "Moonblast!" She raised her glowing hands up to the red sky towards where the moon was, before slamming them back down as a ball of moonlight slammed down on some of the Carvanha, knocking them out.

Bagel's Spark and Thunder fang and Gardevoir's Moonblast quickly took care of the rest of the Carvanha, leaving only the Sharpedo left. Howling in anger, the Sharpedo rushed up to the Gardevoir, its teeth covering in poison. "Thunder Fang!" Annika shouted as soon as her mom said "Moonblast!" The Sharpedo was hit on both angles, but not before it managed to bite down on Gardevoir. Bagel was panting and Gardevoir was poisoned, sinking down.

Annika and Vulpix looked over at the hoard of fainted water types while her mom turned away and walked a few steps towards a building. "Okay! You all can come out now!" she shouted, causing Annika to look over and see some townsfolk walk out and look around.

One man, looking no older than 20 years old, ran over to her mom and said "Thanks for your help, Miss Jiraiya!"

"Please, just Veronica will do!" Veronica said, smiling.

"I wanted to give you these for all your help!" He said, handing over a ball and some money. "Now I really must be going. Thanks again!" He ran off, following the other townsfolk as they were leaving.

Veronica looked over to Annika, who was asking "Can you explain what happened now? Why are you here? Where is dad? Why is my leg hurting?"

Veronica sighed and started saying "I suppose an explanation is in order…" She walked over to Annika and leaned against Arcanine, returning Gardevoir in the process.

"I came here to cheer you on in the tournament, but when I got here, there was multiple explosions and the town was caught on fire. I ran over to where the tournament was being held and went inside, only to find you fainted on the ground with some wood smashed on your leg. I got Gardevoir to get the wood off, but it seems that your leg is still badly hurt. As for your father… he's still in Vermillion. After you left, I learned that he just wanted me to give him a child that could continue his legacy, so I left him"

"Wait you two… divorced?" Annika said, shocked.

Veronica nodded, then looked at the gift that the man had given her. She gave it over to Annika, saying "You will need this more than me"

Annika took the stuff and put it in her bag.

Obtained the Net Ball and 450 Poke

Suddenly, they heard screams from nearby. Annika withdrew Bagel, then they started running over towards the screams.

Spoiler: Inventory

ShinyDiamond · Mar 22, 2019

Dust Fabre

Shalour City - Fall
Location: Shalour Gym
Mission 9 - Death Match

Inventory

Spoiler:

Pokémon

Spoiler:

Everywhere you see is nothing but pain & suffering around every corner. In the ruins of the Gym stood a trainer & his Riolu, facing off against a Mega Evolved Lucario. This, however, isn't a battle to test the skills of the fighters.

This is life or death.

Dust starts to sweat a little, maybe from the heat coming outside. Lucario puts the spikes on its paws together. A white sound wave emits from its paws & towards Rozu, who covers his ears in pain. "Not good. Rozu!" Dust shouts out to his Pokémon, who shakes his head to shake off the ringing in his ears as he glances at Lucario. It has an Aura Sphere at the ready while Rozu was distracted. It shoots one right at Rozu. Fearing for his life, Rozu dodge rolls out of the way & stumbles onto the ground. Dust quickly charges in front of Rozu, just as Lucario throws down a bone of energy. He knocks the bone away with his fist, sustain some damage. No way he was gonna let Rozu fight alone. He does his best to fend off Lucario's Bone Rush, his arms starting to bleed from every impact. "Rozu, quick...! Copycat!" Dust doesn't take his eyes off Lucario. He can't afford to back down. Soon after, Rozu hops over Dust's head, a bright aura surrounding him as he puts his paws together, summoning a bone of energy similar to Lucario's move, & blocks an incoming attack from it.

Both Rozu & Lucario were swinging their weapons at each other, but Lucario was gaining the upper hand. With faster reflexes, he knocks Rozu off the ground & slams its weapon down on him. "Rozu!" Dust quickly rushes to Rozu's aid, swiping him into his arms as he avoids Lucario's attack. "Gotta act fast...!" Looking back at Lucario, & at Rozu, he was really worried of the danger he's in. Rozu's taken too much damage from that last attack. Anymore & he could be killed.

"I've had enough," he glares at Lucario with a serious look. He returns Rozu to his Pokéball & takes out another one. "You have NOT seen me when I'm pissed!" He throws out the Pokéball into the air, Nyx coming into the scene. "Quick Attack!" Without hesitation, Nyx slams into Lucario, who takes the impact & grabs onto him. "No you don't! Night Slash!" Dust shouts as he runs towards the onslaught. Making no efforts to escape, Nyx takes his right arm outward, his claws glowing a purple aura, & swiftly swipes at Lucario. It growls in response, loosening its grip on Combusken. Dust takes that chance to jump kick it from the side, knocking it away from Nyx. "I'm not done!" He kept his eyes on Lucario, intent of beating this Pokémon with no mercy.

"GRAAAAAH!" The Lucario, recovering from the surprise attacks, growls at the top of its lungs, speeding towards Dust.

"Sand-Attack, Nyx!" Dust commands, making no move to escape. Nyx swipes at the ground, shooting sand at Lucario. It gets blinded a little & just misses Dust, but right at Nyx instead. "Damn!" That could've gone better. Nyx quickly recovers, as does Lucario. "Bulk Up!" Dust hopes to finish this up soon, but it doesn't seem like he'll be able to. Nyx, surrounded in a crimson aura, flexes his arms & body as his muscles thicken. However, he & Dust only just notice the Aura Sphere launched at Nyx, giving him no time to dodge, thus taking the impact. Dust clenches his fists, hoping Nyx was okay. Lucario takes that brief moment to attack Dust, the spikes on his paws glowing white. "Metal Claw?!" Dust reacts too late, taking a hit at his side as he plummets to the ground. He holds his side in pain, glancing at Nyx. The dust just clears up around Nyx, who's breathing has risen. They were definitely in a pickle. They can't take much more, else they'll be dead in a matter of seconds. "Gotta finish this fast..." Dust tries to take a knee, seeing as he may have to sit this one out now. "Nyx, you have to wail on him, & don't stop until he's done for!" Dust relayed to Nyx, who nodded in response. Lucario begins shooting multiple Aura Spheres at Nyx, & Dust shouts as loud as he can before wincing in pain, "Quick Attack! Get closer!" Nyx runs at breakneck speed to the side, escaping an array of spheres. Now a little closer, it's time to act.

"Flame Charge!" Still running, Nyx covers himself in flames, & makes a break for it at Lucario, slamming himself into him. It's pushed back far, stumbling on its feet. It then summons another bone of energy, clearly intent at wiping them out. "Don't hold back, Nyx!" Dust encourages him, holding his side tightly.

Just Nyx & Lucario now. Nyx's claws once again glow purple, swiping his claws at Lucario, who blocks with his weapon. Guess Dust knew what move he wanted him to do next. They clash over & over with their attacks, giving each other no room. Every clash rung out in the Gym. Dust, watching this battle unfold, could hear nothing but the sounds of the Pokémon's clash. Lucario manages to knock back Nyx, taking the chance to swipe at his legs & knocking him off balance. "Now, Double Kick & Flame Charge!" Dust shouts. Nyx, regaining his composure, plants his claws to the ground & kicks an oncoming bone attack from Lucario, knocking him back. He takes advantage of the situation to use the second kick by pushing off the ground & shooting his leg at its face. Landing on the ground while Lucario stumbles back, Nyx covers himself in flames once more & growls at the night sky, launching himself at Lucario.

A loud crack can be heard throughout the ruins of the Gym. Dust limps over to Nyx, taking out a Super Potion. He sprays Nyx's wounds, soon looking over at the Lucario lying on the ground. Nyx gave his all in that Flame Charge, & it seems to have payed off. "What even..." Just as Dust was about to turn & leave, what happens next freaks him out. The Lucario dissolves into a pile of ashes, & in that is a stone of some kind. "Hey hey hey! What gives? What is this?" Dust couldn't process what just happened. He just saw a Lucario turn to ash. "That's not normal!" He rubs his forehead, wondering what this even means. He doesn't know much about this, but the stone does catch his attention. Was it a Mega Stone? He slowly approaches, bending down to pick up the stone. He examines it closely, a little intrigued. "Maybe this is why it was Mega Evolved." He looks over at Nyx. He waves his arms around, showing signs of healing. Dust smiles, glad this was over. "I should heal Rozu soon after we deal with outside."

The person from earlier. What happened here? Dust was just staring at the dead body, taking no pleasure in this. "I don't want to keep seeing this grimace..." he pulls his hood over, Nyx at his side, & begins walking out the Gym. There was no sign of anyone else, nor was there any sign of Korrina. That might be a good sign. He didn't find her body earlier, so she could still be out their somewhere. For now, Dust's attention was on the ship in the night sky. That has to be the source of this chaos. He decides to take his chances & begins his trek towards the airship. Whatever's behind this, they pissed off the wrong guy.

Spoiler:

Daisuke Mitsuharu · Mar 22, 2019

Family ; Hearthome City, Sinnoh

Kaito Ishikawa ; ♂, 14

[h2][/h2]

"Dad, who's this?" Five at the time, Caius gently yanked at sides of his father's tuxedo, pointing at the boy who sat across from him. "He's a lot older than me." He remarked as he looked the boy up and down. His hair, which was a deep black, knotted and twisted in interesting ways, and he smelled like he hadn't taken a shower for weeks; at first glance, Caius didn't like him at all.

"He's an intern of mine back at the clinic." His dad answered as he unloosed his tie and took off his blazer.

"How was your first day, Kaito?"

Kaito. So that was his name, Caius thought. The five-year old leveled his gaze at Kaito, expecting the older boy's response.

"It was good sir! Yeah, very pro-pro-producive!" Kaito mispronounced a word. Confused at its definition, Caius chimed in for clarification. "Dad, what does that mean?" He was referring to the term "productive."

Mr. Flynn patted his son on the head. "It means you're a busy body."

"So, like you?"

Mr. Flynn laughed. "Yes, like me."

It was rare that Mr. Flynn was home for dinner as he often worked so late in the night. Any time Caius could spend with his dad was time that he cherished, especially since he was constantly away. To celebrate the occasion, mom even cooked his favorite food, which was pasta. "Eat up you three!" Mrs. Flynn came up from behind them and sat a plate of food on the dinner table.

"Thank you!" Kaito grabbed a helping and immediately wolfed it down. Caius just stared at him as he stuffed food down his throat. Worse he was using his hands to scoop it up. That didn't sit well with Caius. "You should use a spoon and a fork."

Kaito turned in his direction. "Sorry!" He slurped a noodle hanging from his lips. "Bad manners?" Caius nodded a deep nod. "Gotcha. Won't do it again, little guy."

The Flynn family, accompanied by the raven-haired boy, enjoyed a hearty dinner that night, and once the liveliness died down with everyone going their separate ways, Caius led their guest to a spare bedroom. "Are you really working for my dad?" Caius asked the guest, whose name he discovered was "Kaito."

"Actually, yeah – I'm a new hire. He just showed me the ropes today." Kaito wasn't sure where the question was coming from, but he answered it anyway. He figured Caius was just wary of him; he was a complete stranger to the Flynn household, after all. So the apprehension wasn't at all unjustified.

"Doctors need ropes?" Caius didn't understand the idiom. Kaito shook his head. "Nuh-uh." Caius pressed for an explanation. "So what did you mean?"

"I meant he gave me a tutorial."

"Tutorial? Like in games?" Caius recognized the word.

"Someone's a smart cookie."

"Are you a gamer, Kaito?" Caius jumped at the chance to talk about games. Most of Caius' games demanded a second player, so he was working up to asking Kaito if he could play with him in his free time.

Seeing the 5-year-old's excitement, Kaito rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'm not really…" He trailed off.

There it was! An opening to ask!

"Could we—" Shoot. He bit his tongue.

Fortunately Kaito was able to follow where he was going and responded accordingly. "Sure thing! After work, it'll be the first thing we do."

Eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree, Caius stuck out his pinky and extended it towards the boy towering over him. "You promise?" He could barely hide the giddiness in his voice.

"I promise."

Displacement ; Shalour City Outskirts, Kalos

Caius Flynn ; ♂, 21

[h2][/h2]

"So, are you really a doctor like dad now?" Caius fielded the question again, which prompted Kaito to gesture at himself. "Me? Like Mr. Flynn? No way in hell. Besides, I wouldn't dare call myself a doctor."

"I'm just someone who knows a thing or two about medicine is all." He clarified; he still had a few years of medical training ahead of him. At 30 years old, he was behind in his studies; that was because he'd spent most of his younger years playing at trainer. It was a dream of his to eventually achieve the title of champion. But, after countless attempts at various Pokémon leagues, it never came to be. So he put the dream to rest.

"Sounds like you're being modest." Caius jabbed.

"I'm not."

"But you are—"

"Not." Kaito cut him off.

As Shalour City gradually came into view, Caius was able to see firsthand the entire scope of the destruction Team Cinder wrought. Everywhere his eyes turned, there was fire and broken concrete. He could hear the sound of gunshots whizzing through air, disturbed only by cries for help from victims and the sizzling of property now long lost. "It wasn't just the stadium…"

When Kaito first found Caius, he had passed out from a mixture of exhaustion and dehydration. Caius knew things were bad the moment he heard explosions go off, but he didn't think the damage had spread this far. "Team Cinder's the responsible party." Kaito's baritone voice broke Caius out of his daze.

"Team Cinder?" Caius was vaguely familiar with the group. Only surface-level information on Team Cinder was available to the general public, so Caius knew little about them. He knew they were an organization notorious for their complete indifference towards any and all life, but beyond the superficial, Caius was in the dark.

He knew neither their plans nor their motives.

Regardless, he stood steadfast on the notion that goals needing to be reached through bloodshed weren't goals worth pursuing – at least, not through methods where one party stands to benefit at the expense of someone else. Nothing was going to change his mind on it. Perhaps that was just his naivete talking.

"What's the point of it all, Kaito?" He blurted out.

"Of what?"

"This destruction."

The fact that there were people who relished in the chaos unfolding before him greatly perplexed Caius – more than perplexed, it angered him to his core. In the midst of the wanton violence, families were losing family members, their livelihoods forever displaced due to the thoughtless actions of an irresponsible third party. Their entire world, the isolated bubble in which they conducted their daily routines, was like glass dropping to the floor; there was no picking up the pieces and putting them back together in the aftermath.

"It's just how things are Caius."

The answer hung suspended in the air.

Caius said nothing back.

Despair ; Shalour City, Kalos

A purple light appeared from overhead, and it wasn't a star. Squinting at the expanse that lay above him, Caius could tell the light was artificial, radiating from a humanoid Pokémon hovering in air.

Then, like a comet, the Pokémon nosedived to the ground, reaching a speed so high it became a blur as it descended.

In that moment, Caius locked eyes with Kaito. "Run."

As scorched earth trembled from the impact, Caius' legs quickly regained their balance and forced themselves into a full sprint. The flight-or-fight response urged them to flee the scene immediately.

Adrenaline fueled Caius' every step, and just as he was putting some meaningful distance between him and the monster that had recently landed—

"Caim, Psychic on the bystanders!" He heard a familiar voice resonate through the commotion.

Caius looked back.

A Chimecho could be seen harnessing its telekinetic powers to lift two trainers – a male and a female – out of harm's way. A powerful Psybeam was fired in their direction and it grazed nearby structures, leaving them with deep impressions if not outright causing them to topple over.

"Thank you, sir."

The couple waved a hand at Kaito before seeking safety elsewhere, passing by Caius as they did so. "Kaito!" Caius called out as he ran towards the source of the Psybeam, likely against his better judgement.

"Kai—"

Dust clearing from the blast, he was starting to get a good look at the Pokémon which fired it. Just a few hundred meters from him was…

Mewtwo.

The Genetic Pokémon stared at him with vacant eyes. Once he met its gaze, he couldn't move.

His attention shifted to the headless corpses resting beside the Mewtwo.

No. No. No. No. No.

"Move dammit!" With every ounce of strength he could muster, Caius tried to mount some resistance against his assailant, who now had control over his body. Try as he did, however, he was powerless against the Mewtwo's Psychic.

"Razor! Tear that son of a gun up with Night Slash!"

A mega-evolved Gallade emerged from above the Mewtwo, and with his hand blades brandished, he struck the mythical Pokémon in a downward arc. The Mewtwo flinched for a moment as the move sent it flying, its figure getting dragged through fire and wreckage.

"Caius, we're booking it! Let's go!" Kaito knew it wouldn't take long for the Mewtwo to recover. "We can't beat that thing with just the two of us." For the first time in a long time, Caius sensed genuine panic in Kaito's voice.

Though his expression rarely wavered in putting up a façade of calm, the cracks were showing, and Caius was slowly but surely becoming aware of them.

After tilting his head for a peek, Kaito picked up his pace. "We need to get a move on." Just in case the Mewtwo tried to do anything funny, Razor followed closely behind his trainer, keeping a steady eye on the cloud of dirt which covered the enemy Pokémon. Having served its purpose, Caim was shortly returned to its Poké ball.

"Lead the way."

Caius raced to Kaito's side. His legs were moving a mile a minute, and his heart felt as if it could jump out of his chest at any moment. It was do or die, and he was determined to do anything he could to prevent the latter.

LinearAxel · Mar 22, 2019

This is War

Sebastian Allender

Shalour City

Sebastian has the arena in his sights, frantically fighting his way through the crowd of festival goers to get back inside. He needs to get to Sasha, she can notify the Rangers that Cinder is somewhere within the city. He needs to tell Sycamore, the professor seems to know more about the Cinder situation than he was willing to let on to a group of beginning trainers.

There it is, the arena's doors are in his sights. Another thirty feet and he'll be able to find--

A loud sound rings out as a hot, forceful push from his backside sends him flying. He collides chest first into the very building he was so desperate to get to, and the world around him goes black.

---

"--Tian…"

"Bastian…"

"Sebastian!"

The voice shouting his name slowly pulls him from his unconscious state. Sebastian opens his eyes slowly, the world around him a blurr... a pink blurr. Pink? "...Renia?" His voice comes out muffled-- what? There's intense pain from his shoulder as he reaches his arm to feel his face, which is blocked by a piece of plastic covering his nose and mouth.

"Easy! It's a mask. I found it in your bag." Renia admits. When she found him, Selkie was standing beside him, desperately searching for something inside the bag. When Renia pulled out the mask, the fox seemed intent on putting it on Sebastian. She assumed it was to protect his asthmatic lungs from the smoke that had overtaken the night sky.

"My…" Sebastian blinks as the world comes back into focus-- only for his eyes to grow wide at the sight before him. Smoke is rising from every corner, there's an airship hovering above them-- Cinder. He was running to warn the Professor and the Rangers about Cinder when that sound-- no, that explosion caught him in the back. With a cringe of pain from between his shoulder blades, he pushes himself upward. He's hardly steadied himself before he feels Selkie's slender little arms embracing his arms. He feels his chest muscles relax as he lays eyes on the others; everyone is here. Everyone except… "The Pokemon center-- is it alright?"

"I-- I don't know, I haven't seen it." Renia stands and begins to tug Sebastian to his feet. "We've got to go. The Rangers are trying to get as many people as they can to an underground bunker underneath the performance stage."

"I have to get to the center first. Ksenia--" His words are cut off by the shrill cry of a Pidgeot, amongst others. Sebastian and Renia both look to the sky to see a dozen flying type Pokemon rising above the smoke of the city.

"What are they doing…?" Renia asks. Before there's any time to speculate, the Pidgeot lets out a mighty battle cry and flies towards the airship, the other flying types following suit as even more rise from the smoke. Many have trainers on their back, while some seem to be guided by trainers below.

"They're going to charge the ship." Sebastian murmurs as realization strikes. His eyes become wide as one of the flying Pokemon rises above the smoke to follow the others: A pearl white swan. "No-- STOP!" Sebastian shouts, his voice muffled by his mask. He quickly pushes the mask down before shouting out again. "KSENIA! Stop! It's too dangerous!"

The shouts fall on deaf ears to all except the determined swan. She cranes her neck towards her trainer's voice and immediately turns to glide back to the ground. It seems she only flew upward in an attempt to find Sebastian amongst the chaos. Now that he's been found she has no need to follow the others.

Whatever joy the swan and trainer felt for reuniting was short lived; no sooner than webbed feet touched the ground before the sky above them came to life with a blast of red. A powerful blast of energy from the airship was fired in a sweeping motion, striking each and every winged Pokemon. Sickening, pained cries fill the skies as charred remains of Pokemon and human alike fall back to the ground. Sebastian grasps his hand over his mouth as the charred body of that proud Pidgeot falls towards them. Its trainer's upper body is mostly intact-- her pale pink braid flowing behind her as she falls.

Everything goes numb; everything is white, the screams and cries of those around Sebastian fade away. All he can seem to feel is the sensation of falling. What feels like an eternity could be no more than a couple of seconds, his senses being shoved back into him as Renia shoves him forward.

"We can't stay here!" Renia shouts in a voice that isn't her own; when experiencing true fear, the throat tightens, the voice that manages to squeak out is almost inhuman. Those ruby eyes that usually hold such joy are filled with tears, the color has drained from her skin as she clutches onto Sebastian's sleeves.

Swallowing back whatever sick wanted to spill out of his mouth, Sebastian can only wordlessly nod. He grabs Renia's wrist with one hand as the other pushes his mask back over his nose. Adrenaline spills into every inch of his body as he rushes towards-- what was only hours ago a thriving festival ground. What was once a stage for musical performances and comedic skits is now a small pile of charred wood and shattered, multi-colored glass. Within the charred remains of the stage Sebastian can see three Rangers helping a small group of ash-covered children into what appears to be a trap door.

"Sasha!" Sebastian calls out. The blue haired Ranger lifts her head towards the call, and it's all too obvious that she's holding back tears. In that instant, Victoria's words from earlier in the evening repeat in his mind: "Sasha's husband to be's in one of the bands." That sickening feeling returns, though it's quickly choked back down. Sasha's fiance was likely performing when the bomb that shattered the stage went off.

"Sebastian." Sasha answers. Her voice cracked, yet steady and strong. Now was not the time to fall apart. "Get inside and seal the door. If we need inside, we'll find another way."

"You're staying out here?!" Renia asks.

"It's our job. Get inside." Sasha insists before a beckoning howl can be heard in the distance. The blue haired ranger grits her teeth. "****...Get inside, you two."

"What was that?" Renia asks, once again.

"We don't have time to explain this to you. Inside!" Sasha snaps.

"If it's that dangerous, you need help!" Renia looks to Sebastian for backup, though it doesn't seem she'll get any. The Rangers are trained to handle disasters. Having to protect two untrained forces will only slow Sasha and the others down. If another were to die because the rangers were too busy protecting them to protect others, how could he ever forgive himself?

"We need to do as she says." Sebastian explains.

"But they--" Whatever Renia argued was drowned out by another howl, this time significantly louder-- significantly closer. Standing at the top of the rubble, gazing down at the Rangers and trainers with a murderous gleam in its eyes, is a furious Houndoom. Its gleaming eyes lock onto Sasha, and with a snap of its jaws, it lunges.

A blue blur leaps from Sasha's side and collides with the beast. Sasha's Lucario grabs the hell hound by its horns and flips it over his shoulders. It hits the ground forcefully on its back, and is then dug further into the ground by a fierce elbow drop from the Ranger's partner. There's a sickening cracking sound from inside the fiery beast as it, much like the Aggron Sebastian had fought earlier in the evening, begins to break into fragments, which quickly dissolve into ash.

"What…?" Renia asks.

"They're clones, made of unstable genetic material." Sasha explains. "At least...that's what the village Elder said when she told us she'd hold them off." The young woman grimaces as she looks towards the direction the Houndoom came from, and without another word, begins to charge up the rubble. "Guard the door!" She calls to the other rangers. Another blur of blue and her Lucario is at her side, charging fearlessly ahead.

"Master Hinashi…?" Renia asks. No longer waiting for the Rangers to offer permission, the pink haired trainer drops Sebastian's hand and begins to chase after Sasha.

"Kid!" A male ranger cries out.

"Forgive us. The Elder is a friend of ours." Sebastian explains before he, too, gives chase. His previous fear of getting in the way and causing more harm than good quickly melting away by the mental image of Hinashi, Sasha and Renia being swarmed by an army of the cloned beasts.

[PKMN OPEN] Z: A Kalos Journey - Rebirth [M] [IC]

[font=Brawler][color=#91a8d4][i]Here comes the boi

[font=Brawler][color=#91a8d4][i]Here comes the boi

Always follow your Dreams ~

[font=Brawler][color=#91a8d4][i]Here comes the boi

I got this feelin' inside my bones

Punching Bag

Parasitism / Symbiosis ; Shalour City, Kalos

Kaito Ishikawa ; ♂, 30

Caius Flynn ; ♂, 21​

ba-dum tssss. [icon]coffee-pot[/icon]

Always follow your Dreams ~

[b]The Other Promise[/b]

ba-dum tssss. [icon]coffee-pot[/icon]

[font=Brawler][color=#91a8d4][i]Here comes the boi

Believe in the you that believes in cheese

Shalour Festival tournament round 1 Intermission: A fashionable diversion fo 'model' citizens!

I got this feelin' inside my bones

[b]The Other Promise[/b]

Punching Bag

Family ; Hearthome City, Sinnoh

Kaito Ishikawa ; ♂, 14

Displacement ; Shalour City Outskirts, Kalos

Caius Flynn ; ♂, 21

Despair ; Shalour City, Kalos

That Dream...Make it Come True!

Shalour City

End

Caius Flynn ; ♂, 21