While we're on the subject of gene splicing and Arvis raiding the manga for content, I will say that, technically, Pokémon fusion originally debuted in the manga, with Team Rocket fusing the Kanto Legendary Birds into a single unstoppable monstrosity (promptly stopped by Red, Blue, and Green). The Pokémon Infinite Fusion romhack very loosely adapts this for its late game plot, in fact, or it did last time I happened to catch my kid playing it.
Might as well say it, but Moreau and Bragg as well are both named after historical generals. A lot of minor characters, I pick the names of at random but with a theme for each "faction" so to speak.
Aha. Bragg I caught (being from the Southern US), but I wasn't familiar with Moreau. The Napoleonic Wars are rife with more interesting (and weird) generals and he got lost in the shuffle of my Trivial Pursuit tier knowledge of history.
The DNA Splicers were a thing in Pokemon canon. Sure they were only used on Kyurem to fuse it with Reshiram or Zekrom, but they were a thing from canon.
To be fair, the reason the DNA Splicers were unique to Kyurem is because Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem were all originally one pokemon if the legends are to be believed. There's no particular reason to believe that they'd work on any/every pokemon as-is, though there are absolutely scientists immoral enough to research that...
Also comes to mind that one episode (OVA? Special? regular? I don't remember the context) of the anime with the guy who can use a mixture of solid holograms and simulated genetic fuckery to make whatever the heck he wants, up to and including a simulacrum of Mew.
To be fair, the reason the DNA Splicers were unique to Kyurem is because Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem were all originally one pokemon if the legends are to be believed. There's no particular reason to believe that they'd work on any/every pokemon as-is, though there are absolutely scientists immoral enough to research that...
Also comes to mind that one episode (OVA? Special? regular? I don't remember the context) of the anime with the guy who can use a mixture of solid holograms and simulated genetic fuckery to make whatever the heck he wants, up to and including a simulacrum of Mew.
...wow thats a blast of the past.... I think it counts like a OVA? Kinda like the Raikou special with the Gen 2 protags Ethan and Crystal (although i think they were named differently) yeah it was kinda like liquid metal terminator that could shape itself into whatever he wanted... i remember it specifically because he made a simulacrum of the Johto Beasts and Mewtwo.... also remember that the Mewtwo used flamethrower by turning his hand into Entei's Head before firing (like the most eldrich Omega Xis of all time (a puffin to any fan that gets this) so yeah weird).
Y'know, I think Rotom's actually the closest we get to Omega. But anyways, yeah. Guy was basically mixing and matching DNA into whatever chimeric 'mon could do what he wanted, and he was pissed off because the scientific community refused to acknowledge his research or something, if I remember correctly? Stereotypical unethical scientist who's convinced his invention is the best thing since sliced bread, except he actually could back it up because it's one of the most absurdly powerful pieces of fully functional tech we've ever seen in the anime.
I'm pretty sure you're referring to Pokemon Chronicles, which yeah, was basically a bunch of side story OVAs. The episode i'd mentioned was unrelated to Chronicles though.
Also comes to mind that one episode (OVA? Special? regular? I don't remember the context) of the anime with the guy who can use a mixture of solid holograms and simulated genetic fuckery to make whatever the heck he wants, up to and including a simulacrum of Mew.
If I remember my thought process from last night correctly, I disqualified the Collosseum version of the Cipher battle themes for the same reason - inappropriately groovy.
Edit: im not goimg to touch my post anymore... theres so,e kimd of 5 media limit (if i try to edit it forces me to delete stuff) and i absolutely suck at this, ive ever only used the basic writing in this so im absolutely trash in this whole "spoiler" thing to reduce size. Sorry for long ass comment i tried.
[X] Plan: Witch, Dragon, and Mole Knight
- [X] Roland (Veil of Shadows)
- [X] Roland (Death from Above)
- [X] Renne (Cat Got Your Tongue)
- [X] Renne (Feel No Evil)
- [X] Ruby (Ironheart)
- [X] Ruby (A Certain Terastal Railgun)
CW: Mention and Depiction of Blood, Death (Human and Pokemon) and Gore. Reader discretion is advised
Cassandra recalls Numel away from Raichu's Iron Tail. Surge's Pokemon is slow and almost lazy, but that's in relative terms—to her each attack from the Electric-Type was fast. Too fast to do anything more than play keep away with her… remaining team members. The Iron Tail sends chunks of stone and dust flying, masking Raichu's position, while Orbeetle's barriers around her keep her safe from the debris.
She doesn't dare look, too focused on her own battle, but she can tell that the bastard is toying with her and that if he wanted to—
An almost mocking cry from the Raichu brings her attention back to it, yet again using another non-Electric move, this time Fairy TE gathers in its paws as with a leap they slam onto Volcarona. Raichu pushes past the skin-searing flames to pummel her starter to the ground. Normally Volcarona's flames get much hotter but without Araquanid to keep herself cooled off…
A split second later and Cassandra makes her choice.
'I'll warn the others.' Orbeetle's been with her long enough to know what she's thinking before she even says it.
"Burn them off, Full Power!" Cassandra yells as Volcarona, beaten and bloodied with a Pokemon far stronger than her looming over, glows red.
For a brief moment, what could only be compared to a second sun shines within that cavern. It blinds Cassandra even with her eyes firmly shut. Cries of alarm, humans and Pokemon inform her that it might've blinded everyone else as well.
Then the heat follows suit. Orbeetle keeps the worst of it away from her, otherwise she'd be dead. Through instinct alone, she recalls her starter back to her Pokeball; any further would be risking it. The heat simmers in the air until it slowly dissipates. The air now heated to a much greater degree, it almost feels like she's in an oven. She releases Numel back out to support Orbeetle, knowing that her newest Pokemon can handle the temperature.
A purple shadow splits apart as revealing an unharmed Leaf, whose Mismagius shielded her from the blast. Without missing a beat, the ranger goes back to ordering her Sliggoo and Wigglytuff to fight against the Plusle and Minun pair.
The variant Sliggoo is surrounded with a shield of mercury with a tendril connecting it to Wigglytuff, who's curled into a ball being used as a makeshift flail. A joint Thunderbolt strikes the Sliggoo, cracking its shell, and it retaliates by swinging Wigglytuff at the pair of Electric-types, while a green glow flows from the Fairy towards Sliggoo via their connecting tendril. Sliggoo's wounds are healing, as the Fairy rolls around crushing the Plusle and Minun duo.
As for Poppy, Lady Rika's Golurk has shielded her, an earthen facsimile of its hand protecting the child, its other layer hardened to blackened rock due to the heat. The kid looks at Golurk with worry before going back to her own fight, one she's winning handily. Using the momentary distraction Volcarona's attack provided, Golurk's fist backhands Electrivire into the cavern wall, breaking apart ancient ruins and homes in the process.
The Electric-Type attempts to resist, but is pinned down as a bevy of translucent spikes and steel feathers fly forth from Skarro's wings. Golurk rears its fist back for another strike, but a pink flash causes Electrivire to disappear and reappear right next to its Trainer's side.
Superheated glass remains at ground zero, spreading like a flower, the tips of the petals being molten stone and ash, with Raichu lying in a crater at the epicenter. Unfortunately the Pokemon still lives, burned raw pink flesh rather than the same charred black corpse that the bastard made of her Araquanid.
The Pokemon turns its head towards her, and for the first time in the entire battle, she's unsettled. It looks at her with manic eyes and a matching smile, seeming to say to her, 'Please, may I have another?'
Surge grins and looks at her, a wretched look of approval in his eyes. "Not bad at all. You gotta learn when to go full tilt. If your boss is gonna start a scrap, she needs to drill this into your skulls. The only thing that matters is—"
"Shut the Fuck Up! Why are you even here?!" Leaf interrupts, the look of pure hate in her eyes lending more vitriol to her words.
Surge rolls his eyes at the question and elects to snap his fingers. Raichu leaps towards him, at such speed that it appears like a thunderbolt, coming to rest beside the criminal. "Come on, kid, you're getting rusty. Use yer' noggin. Why would I be interested in some regular old contraband? What sort of cargo would I be involved in?" Surge puts extra emphasis on cargo, stretching the word out in a condescending way.
Anger, then realization, then horror flash over Leaf's face in quick succession. She swivels her head to the exit where the kids ran, still covered up by a mix of stone and steel from Golurk and Sliggoo. "Missy, go!" Leaf's shadow detaches from her and rushes towards the exit. Cassandra orders Orbeetle to cover Leaf with a shield as she runs to the ranger's side, the latter having foregone protection for a reason she can't place.
"Oh no you fuckin don't!" A red beam erupts from a Pokeball Surge grabbed from his belt. From it emerges a Morpeko, who immediately switches to the dark purples of its Hangry form. A purple barrier so dark it's nearly black covers the exit, stopping Mismagius, who emerges to fight the Morpeko. The look of apoplectic rage on the Ghost-type's face is mirrored by the one on her trainer's face. Leaf is shaking from how angry she is.
"You should've realized sooner, kid! Might've let Missy through if you did. You used to be the brains between you and Silver. Now, you start getting emotional and all my lessons go out the window! I miss when you were all stoic like!" A picture is starting to form of Leaf Midorikawa's profile in Cassandra's mind. The chiding familiarity with how Surge refers to them rather gives it away.
"Besides, any student of yours needs to learn how to fight Rocket if they're gonna be worth shit. Shadow Pokemon are perfect for that."
The entire cavern was silent except for the deep ragged breathing of the Vigoroth. No one moved, you and your classmates are either too stunned or too terrified to do anything. The smell of blood and puke in the air makes you even more nauseous. Your Pokemon are on edge, ready to strike and defend their trainers at the slightest provocation.
It comes in the form of a roar. The Shadow Pokemon rears its head and long arms back as if to prepare for battle alongside an ear-splitting yell, one so loud and deafening that you're sure it can be heard throughout the ruins, past how many tons of dirt and stone. That's all the excuse Leo and Roland need to strike.
The Pawniard runs and leaps at Vigoroth with claws glowing a shining metallic white. Roland rushes through the air, jaw wide and glowing with Dark TE. The sight of the two Pokemon going on the offensive knocks you out of your stupor, bringing you to focus despite the horrid taste in your mouth. You shout orders faster than your mind can ponder, running on pure instinct.
"Roland, go for its limbs! Renne, help try and stop Vigoroth from attacking! Ruby, sink its feet into the ground as far as you can!" Just as Vigoroth swings its arms as if to counter the two Pokemon, a bright pink light seizes hold of its limbs and yanks the strike away.
It's not enough to fully put a stop to Vigoroth but it's enough to hinder it from counterattacking against Roland and Leo. A swipe that would've knocked the Dreepy out of the sky is nimbly dodged. Roland bites down on the offending limb with a heavy crunch, tearing through fur, skin and bone with a sickening squelch. A backhand that would've swatted Leo away is stopped, as a light pink aura seizes the offending limb and jerks it away from the Pawniard. It lets him close the distance and jab both its claws into the Vigoroth's arms, causing it to roar in pain.
Ruby sinks her claws into the dirt, turning the ground and stone beneath Vigoroth into mud, causing the Shadow Pokemon to sink and flail. This only results in Leo and Roland tightening their grip harder.
At the sight of her own Pokemon battling, Theodora snaps out of her own stupor. "S-Sharon, help Mariana's Espurr! Elise, get the Wild Pokemon out of here! Ostia, help the attacking Pokemon!" She shouts a bevy of orders to Class VII, human and Pokemon alike.
A look of focus crosses Elise's face at Theodora's voice. She wordlessly rushes over to where the Wild Pokemon are and guides them towards the exit Bragg came from, closer to the encroaching Wild Hunt. With a quick gesture of her head, Elise sends Murkrow and Charcadet to help the rest of you against Vigoroth. She takes the still restrained poacher on her back and fireman-carries them towards the same exit your group came from.
"A-Argy, Poly! Stop the Shadow Pokemon, we can't let them hurt anyone!" Ostia, terror clear in their face, nevertheless listens to Theodora and instructs their Pokemon to battle. The Beldum and Staryu, eye and gem alike gleaming, rush into battle. From Poly's gem, a continuous pulse of clear crystalline water is shot out at Vigoroth and hits it square in the face, preventing it from focusing on any of the attacking Pokemon. Argy floats around, using its own powers to restrain the Shadow Pokemon with the aid of the other Psychic-Type.
Charcadet, with Murkrow behind her, runs up to the Vigoroth and unleashes a massive gout of flame at the Shadow Pokemon from its hands. Murkrow unleashes a Gust to strengthen the Fire-type's attack and turns it into a veritable inferno. It hardens the mud Ruby's constantly supplying around it, further trapping them.
Vigoroth's stomps alternate between breaking free from and getting trapped again in superheated mud and stone. The fires extend all the way, burning the flesh and fur on the Vigoroth's legs and torso, causing the Pokemon to scream and flail even louder and harder. Leo and Roland remain on their spots on the Pokemon's claws to prevent the Vigoroth from closing its fist.
Three Psychic-Types and a Ground-Type to restrain it. A Dragon and a Steel-type to keep it occupied. And another three Pokemon to pelt it with attacks from afar.
Theodora, in the middle of the battle, pulls out her ARCUS. "I'm going to check the Pokedex. If it's a Trainer owned Pokemon, we'll be able to see what moves it has." You nod at your classmate silently, not wanting to even speak out of fear of disturbing Renne who's utterly focused in your arms.
Her ARCUS glows
Elise returns, having seemingly set down the poacher a decent distance away from the battle. She's fully unsheathed Rin, the Honedge's sole eye narrowed while looking at the ongoing melee. The swordswoman keeps her distance, only occasionally jumping in to strike at Vigoroth before it could hit any of the Pokemon pelting it with attacks.
Her ARCUS glows
Ostia walks up next to you, a look of worry clear in their eyes. You stomp down the urge to cover their eyes from the brutal display. It's too late for that now. You motion for them to get behind you and they follow as if clinging tightly to you.
Their ARCUS glows
Vigoroth roars and roars and roars. It struggles, flailing against its restraints, Pokemon and Psychic grip alike. It breaks them but they return still preventing them from fighting, from unleashing its full power onto your Pokemon and the rest of Class VII.
Your ARCUS glows
the girl struggles against the knee on her back against the tears in her eyes and kowtows at the foot of the man who took her home the thing who calls itself Father all to spare her real brother and real mother who took her in despite everything now she lives a lie a lie called living
the girl has forgotten more of her life than she has lived of it she has forgotten her first friend her first name and now she has forgotten her mother all she remembers is the woman who was her mothers sad sad face and an empty feeling where her heart should be
the child is ready to die theyre so hungry that they can no longer move theyre so hungry that they can no longer think theyre so hungry that theyre sorry that the murkrows waiting to eat will have to eat more bone than meat the last thing they see is that man with glasses approaching they think it mightve been better if they had died there
the girl cradles her younger sister to keep them quiet hoping against hope that the stench of rotten meat and trash will mask her scent from the mightyena prowling the encampment she covers her sisters ears from the screams and yells of terror a growl approaches and she hugs her sister tighter
the pokemon struggles and fights despite his trainer vanishing into the cold ground he fights beyond that battle he fights against the restraints and needles and all the things that pierce his flesh he fights to keep his mind from the machine that takes and strips him down until hes nothing he fights to think he fights to resist he fights he fights he fights hefights hefights hefightsfght fghtfghtght
The ARCUS glows
You blink away the visions from your mind, flashes of images and sounds you have no context for. You sneak a glance towards your still glowing ARCUS. What even is this thing?
"It has Facade! Watch out!" Theodora's panicked yell snaps you back to attention. Turning your gaze towards Vigoroth, the Shadow Pokemon is hunched over as if building towards something.
And everything snaps. Vigoroth rears itself back and roars, a sound that makes you feel as if your very bones are vibrating. The dark aura surrounding the Pokemon blooms into a raging bonfire, the sheer force of which knocks you all back. The Pokemon closest to it are sent flying; it's a testament to Roland and Leo's stubbornness that they cling on, desperately holding on to the Vigoroth. It blows like a miniature typhoon, a tempest that threatens to sweep you off your feet and send you crashing onto the rocky walls and floor of the cavern.
The sound of shattering glass and stone marks Vigoroth tearing free from your group's efforts to restrain him. Its once bloodshot eyes are now a pure red, its muscles bulging as sheer power flows through them, so much so that it almost looks like it's leaking out. It resembles its more muscular evolution or even a Fighting-type like Machoke more than it does the slender and sleek form of its species.
Vigoroth opens its jaw wide and tries to bite down on Roland, but the Dreepy slips away and melts into the shadows, barely avoiding the Shadow Pokemon's maw. Vigoroth bites onto its own fist and tears a chunk in a spray of blood and viscera. Then it leaps faster than any of you could respond and with its other arm slams its limb, Leo still attached, onto Charcadet.
"Renne, Barrier them!" You yell while gathering yourself from where you got thrown by the blast of energy. Renne makes a noise as she focuses, eyes glowing in order to protect the other Pokemon. A pink barrier forms over the Charcadet, which solidifies just in time to cushion a follow-up blow from Vigoroth. It holds against the attack after it and the one after that.
Still burning, Vigoroth pummels Leo onto the Charcadet over and over, slowly but surely forcing its way past Renne's barrier, like glass being chipped away at. The Shadow Pokemon is ignoring any attacks unleashed against it, from Charcadet's frenzied point blank flames burning off more and more of Vigoroth's fur and skin to Leo's weakening attempts to cut and gouge out the larger Pokemon's flesh.
Elise jumps in to slash at Vigoroth, but the Shadow Pokemon catches the strike with the limb it had bitten. Rin cuts deep, slicing through flesh and even scraping against Vigoroth's bone- but despite the state of its arm, Vigoroth twists its limb and flips Elise over, then lifts her up to slam her into the ground. The Shadow Pokemon uses your friend like a bludgeon, to smack away Murkrow and Roland with two heavy strikes, then throws her straight at you.
You barely even have to shout for Renne to use her psychic powers to catch your friend, but the slip in concentration gives Vigoroth the moment it needs.
Leo slips, unconscious. With one last roar, Vigoroth grabs the Pawniard and slams them like a ragdoll into the barrier protecting Charcadet, shattering it and bringing the Pokemon as hard as it can onto the Fire-Type.
A small crater forms in the wake of the impact, the sound of creaking bones and armor as with the sheer force of Vigoroth's strike causes Charcadet to bounce into the air. You hurriedly grab the Fire-type's Pokeball off of Elise's belt, who's still recovering from being thrown by the Vigoroth.
You recall Characadet in just the nick of time, preventing them from getting eviscerated from the Shadow Pokemon's Slash. A similar red beam sees Leo recalled by his trainer. Unconcerned at the disappearance of its opponents, Vigoroth's gaze swivels to its next target, Ostia's Pokemon.
With its right arm, it grabs at its dangling left limb from the elbow down, and rips it clean off. The sounds of breaking bone and tearing flesh make you sick, ready to hurl all over again, Theodora herself nearly pukes but manages to force it down with a queasy gulp. Ruby and the Psychic Types attempt to restrain Vigoroth once more. The pressure from their psychic grips push Vigoroth, still ripping off its arm, down onto the mud Ruby's created below—but to no avail. With a flare of its aura, the Shadow Pokemon breaks free from their control and throws its arm at Poly.
Argy pushes the Staryu out of the way of the attack and takes the hit. The projectile slams onto the Beldum, crumpling steel and knocking them away. Ostia recalls Argy before the Shadow Pokemon could follow up its attack.
Vigoroth, with a roar, leaps once more into the air, this time towards Theodora and Sharon, a malicious glint in its deep red eyes. Psychic barriers form in front of the two, courtesy of Renne, freeing Sharon to unleash a barrage of flames at the approaching Shadow Pokemon.
"C'mon, Miss Elise! Get up!" Ostia pushes Elise to stand up as you tell Ruby to change tactics. Vigoroth is now fully unencumbered by any of your group's Psychics, letting it easily dodge and leap over Drilbur's mud traps.
"Rock Throw, as strong as you can!" Ruby nods as she digs her claws into the ground, pulling out a large stone almost as big as her head. Putting the stone between her two claws, static begins to gather as Ruby prepares to launch the rocky projectile.
At the same time, Elise has finally recovered. Her eyes fall straight to Theodora, and widen in alarm as she sees the danger encroaching her friend. With an expression like she's gritting her teeth through the pain of broken bones, she throws herself up and forward onto her feet, the movement transitioning smoothly into her darting forwards at the Vigoroth, desperate to intercept it before it could reach Theodora. Murkrow and Roland follow after her, now recovered.
Said Shadow Pokemon is upon Sharon and Theodora, raw red muscles still bulging and burning, right arm rearing back in preparation for a strike.
"AUTUMN LEAF CUTTER!" There's a desperation in Elise's voice as she yells her attack. You blink, and in the time between your eyes opening and closing, she's traveled the remaining distance. A massive bloody gash cuts through the Shadow Pokemon's right side and, for a moment, it stumbles back..
"Now, Ruby!" Not even giving it a moment to recover or counterattack, Ruby fires the electrified projectile she'd been charging up. With a deafening boom, the stone is launched towards Vigoroth, almost fast enough you feel it should make a second boom as it pushes through the air. Sharon is barely fast enough to push Theodora and Elise out of the projectile's path. It impacts Vigoroth and with a crunch, tears a massive hole in its left, piercing through its body and crashing into the wall straight ahead.
The Shadow Pokemon roars in agony- but despite everything, despite the damage and grievous injuries that it's taken, Vigoroth is still standing.
"Sharon, Fire Spin! Use Murkrow's Gust!" The Braixen sends a look towards the Flying-Type , who's on the opposite end of Vigoroth along with Elise and nods at him, putting Theodora's order into action. Pointing her wand at the Shadow Pokemon, a continuous stream of fire flows out of the wooden instrument and circles Vigoroth. It grows into a full inferno as Murkrow's flapping wings fan the flames making them stronger and stronger, to the point black marks begin scorching their way into the cavern's roof.
The fire is large enough to completely obscure and consume Vigoroth, an inferno that deafens the shouts and yells of your class, to the point you can barely hear yourself think. For a few moments you thought it would be enough. That hope is dashed as a blackened blur leaps out of the inferno and with its remaining arm slams itself into Elise's stomach, its sheer force sending her flying.
Rin's ribbon wrapped tightly around her arm. The Honedge lashes out, stabbing its blade into the ground with enough force to cut a furrow into the stone below. The abrupt movement yanks Elise to a stop before she can slam into a wall, though she's looking disconcerted and worryingly pale.
"ELISE!" You and Theodora yell out at the same time—but with Elise pushed out of the way, your attention is dragged back to the fight as Vigoroth continues its attack on Sharon despite the attempts of the remaining Pokemon to assist. Water Pulses, Infestations, and Gusts are not strong enough nor fast enough to even pause Vigoroth's approach.
In a heartbeat, the Shadow Pokemon is upon Sharon. It grabs her in its claw before smashing her down onto the ground. Pink flashes at every hit as Renne does her utmost to maintain the barrier for the Braixen, but barriers can only do so much. Sharon is still in severe pain and bleeding from Vigoroth's attacks.
"T-throw you? O-okay…" You hear Ostia mumble to your right, not registering it in your head as you're too busy shouting orders at the remaining floating Pokemon attacking Vigoroth.
A brown-gray blur flies from your right, hitting Vigoroth square in the face. To your shock, it's Ruby. The Ground-type jabs her static-filled claws right into the Shadow Pokemon's shoulders. The light from Vigoroth's electrocution lights up the entire cavern, and smoke begins to waft off of the Shadow Pokemon, the smell of cooked flesh reaching your nose.
With gritted teeth Vigoroth releases Sharon from its grip, the Braixen immediately being recalled by Theodora as she runs towards you and Ostia. With their now freed limb, Vigoroth's grabs Ruby and to your horror, squeezes her until you can hear bones pop and the electrocution stops. Roland cries out in anger and closes in. Taking a deep breath, the Dreepy unleashes a hazy purple stream of fire at Vigoroth's face.
Even still, the Shadow Pokemon does not relent in its grip. The only thing preventing the worst from coming to pass is the bright pink shield over Ruby mitigating the brunt of the damage.
'Damnit, I'm reaching my limit. I've gotten dull.' Renne bitterly remarks telepathically as she strains to maintain the barriers while trying to restrain Vigoroth as best she can alone.
With a pained cry and a forced smile, Ruby's claws begin to glow brighter and brighter, until it starts to hurt your eyes, but you refuse to look away, not wanting to feel even more useless as your Pokemon fight for their lives. Suddenly the light explodes as Ruby's claws detonate, breaking Vigoroth's grip and turning their hand into a smoking stump.
You recall Ruby before she even hits the ground, cold horror in your heart.
With Ruby freed, Roland unleashes a full burst of draconic energy at Vigoroth. You recall him before Vigoroth could even retaliate, releasing him immediately back onto the field away from Vigoroth's immediate grasp but still within range of Roland's new attack.
You flinch as the Shadow Pokemon roars again, as their dark aura flares once more even in consideration of just how damaged they were. But as Vigoroth's gaze falls on the fleeing Theodora, your mouth runs dry.
"Hurry, Miss Thea, hurry!" Ostia desperately cries out next to you, as Theodora runs for her life. Running in a panic, Theodora's ankle bends the wrong way causing her to trip onto the ground.
"T-Thea!" Elise limps up to stand on two legs, still deathly pale but forcing herself to go into the same stance that preceded her attack from earlier. But Vigoroth is faster, it's always been faster.
As Vigoroth leaps towards Theodora, a pink barrier slowly forms over her, and you hope that it's enough.
Suddenly a black blur emerges from one of the caverns exits and slams into Vigoroth, knocking them away from Theodora. Vigoroth lands with a heavy crash, hitting the cavern floor and sending dust and debris up around them, before immediately recovering and getting back up.
Landing right next to Theodora, skidding on the floor as it comes to a stop, is a familiar black serrated carapace, bright orange lines that radiate power flowing through the gaps in his armor, all underneath a dark shadowy aura.
Lokix.
Elise tightens her grip on Rin's hilt, pushing herself up to steady her stance despite the pain shooting through her lower back. Her connection to Rin allows him to restore himself from any sort of damage they might take by feeding on her, but the reverse isn't true. While wielding Rin might make her faster and more durable, that really doesn't mean much when facing something like Vigoroth.
The cavern is silent except for the ragged and exhausted breathing of the humans and Pokemon within it. There was a standoff between the Shadow Pokemon and the new arrival, Lokix.
She looks at both Pokemon, at the damage she and Class VII have done to Vigoroth in their efforts to first restrain then fight back against it.
The Pokemon is near unrecognizable. Most of its skin and fur has been burned off, causing the putrid smell of cooked flesh and hair to permeate through the cavern. Underneath is raw bloody muscle, coursing through engorged veins with whatever energies are involved in the creation of Shadow Pokemon. Now looks closer to a badly scorched Conkeldurr, mutilated to such a degree.
Its left arm has torn off from the elbow down and Ruby's attacks blew large chunks off its chest and upper torso, to the point that the last remains of Vigoroth's left arm are only clinging via thin strands of muscle and bone. Bone peeks out of the Pokemon's jaw and face, having been melted off by Roland's Dragonbreath. One of its legs is limp, being dragged along with the Pokemon's every move. Its eyes, however, remain a deep red ever since that burst of energy earlier.
But most grotesque of all is the Pokemon's remaining arm and leg, the former a stump from Ruby's attack, both disgustingly swollen with dark purple energies flowing into both like air pumping into a balloon.
She takes a deep breath, clearing her mind as her master taught her and focusing on what she knows.
Vigoroth should be dead. Or in shock at least. Intellectually, she knows that Shadow Pokemon are supposed to have incredible durability, but she never imagined something like this. They've mutilated this Pokemon beyond the point of recognizability. She had hoped they'd be able to restrain Vigoroth and handed them over to the authorities to rehabilitate.
That avenue has passed.
Opposite Vigoroth is Lokix, the Bug-type standing over Theodora after saving her from the Shadow Pokemon's attack. Elise is grateful for that. She was simply too weak and too slow to make it in time to have stopped it herself.
The Lokix hasn't changed much from when she last saw him a few days ago. He has more injuries. Parts of his carapace are missing, likely from battling the poachers as part of the Wild Hunt. In the gaps between each segmented exoskeleton flows bright orange energy, the same color as his eyes.
Elise vaguely remembers Theodora mentioning something about a special 'Showdown Mode' that the Lokix line can use to their power in battle. Steam erupts out of the Bug-Type's joints as the Pokemon settles into a low crouch, ready to strike, while facing Vigoroth. The provocation causes the Shadow Pokemon to snarl and growl at its new opponent.
Vigoroth launches itself at Lokix with its good foot. The Shadow Pokemon's arm is reared back for a punch. Lokix side steps the attack, moving so quickly that he sends a shockwave of air where he used to be. Lokix responds by rapidly kneeing Vigoroth in the gut, causing the Shadow Pokemon to roar and spew blood. Forcing itself past the bevy of strikes, Vigoroth grabs one of Lokix's back legs, lifting him with one arm and launching the Bug-type at the cavern's stone wall.
Lokix lands with a heavy crash, dust and stone erupting from the impact crater. The Pokemon immediately rights himself and quickly dodges out of the way of Vigoroth's follow-up attack. The Shadow Pokemon leapt after Lokix, embedding its stump in the wall as it misses, causing a good chunk of its arm to get stuck in the hard stone.
Elise prepares her own stance in support of Lokix, doing her best to hide the grimace on her face. She hesitates as Theodora glares at her from across the cavern, an expression all but demanding she stop. Theodora can scold her as much as she wants later.
Suddenly Lokix faces her and makes a chittering sound with his mandibles, then looks around repeating the same noise to the other Pokemon in the cavern. Roland, Poly and Murkrow all look hesitant but slowly back away from Lokix and Vigoroth. Whatever the Bug-Type said, Rin's ribbon begins to relax, his grip on her arm loosening. She's able to breathe much easier, and she can already feel the blood rushing back to her face.
"What's going on, Rin?" she whispers in a low voice to her Honedge, hoping for an explanation.
'I shan't interfere in a battle between brothers. The insect shall deal with the accursed one. Come, let us tend to our wounded.' Rin explains through their bond as he returns to his sheathe. Right; Charcadet probably needs some quick medical attention. They should have enough potions to at least last their wounded Pokemon until they can get them to a Pokemon Center.
As she walks towards the other members of Class VII, she watches Lokix repeatedly beat and kick Vigoroth in the back. He's making sure to prevent it from extracting itself from the wall, pushing Vigoroth further in as he attacks its joints.
"Are you guys alright? How about you, Thea?" she asks her friends. Theodora's expression seems to struggle between an irritated glare aimed towards her and a look of pure relief.
Ostia and Mariana are busy attending to their injured Pokemon while they still can. Argy's situation wasn't as bad as it looked from afar, though they struggle with floating and are still slightly injured. The Beldum is even insistent that it could still fight if needed. Ruby is fully unconscious though, with Mariana's face trapped in that self recriminating and guilty look she occasionally has. A Potion and bandages has stabilized their condition, but the Drilbur will definitely need an overnight stay and then some at a Pokemon Center.
Ostia and Mariana's other Pokemon are exhausted from the battle but otherwise seem to be unharmed. According to the latter, Renne is spent after maintaining so many barriers over so many Pokemon for so long, especially ones that can weaken Vigoroth's strikes. Mariana had set the Espurr on the ground since she needed both her hands free to tend to the wounded Pokemon.
The trio of still fighting floating Pokemon maintain a sort of perimeter between the group and the ongoing battle between Lokix and Vigoroth, all three of them seem ready to attack if either Pokemon approaches her and the others.
Theodora hands Sharon and Leo's Pokeballs over to Mariana, as well as the bag of potions and other healing items that she'd been carrying with her. Group 1 had used a decent number of the supplies they brought with them to heal the various Wild Pokemon they freed, but there are still some Super Potions left to use for their Pokemon.
Mariana releases Charcadet first. The Fire-type is in rough condition, with their flame burning weakly and their limbs dented or bent in odd directions. The Potion does decent work, closing wounds and mending some of the cracks in their miniature armor, limbs creaking and returning to what they should appear as. She'll likely have to stay in a Pokemon Center as well. Hopefully it won't be long before Charcadet can reunite with the rest of her family, or at least the ones they rescued today.
But still, it could've been worse. "Thank you, Renne, for helping defend us. I wouldn't know what would've happened if you hadn't been here." Elise thanks the Psychic who is struggling to keep her eyes open, her head swaying back and forth, already halfway to falling asleep from exhaustion.
A roar brings her attention back towards the ongoing fight, Vigoroth finally manages to push Lokix away and free itself from its predicament. Vigoroth smacks the Bug-Type away with a nasty backhand that directly strikes Lokix at the side. The attack crumples part of his carapace, his hard exoskeleton unable to withstand such a hit from Vigoroth. Knocked back, Lokix jabs his hind legs into the ground behind him to arrest his momentum and prevent himself from flying back any further.
Just in time, too. Vigoroth immediately follows up its backhand by attempting to grab Lokix's head. It's only stopped by an axe-kick that puts a massive slash across Vigoroth's chest and tears part of its jaw off, faint orange energy trailing the hind-leg the Bug-Type used for the kick. Both Pokemon stumble from the attack, but Lokix recovers first and thus capitalizes on his advantage with a dropkick that sends a shockwave through Vigoroth as it connects.
The Shadow Pokemon is knocked off its feet, not given a moment to respond as Lokix nimbly lands and follows up with a leg-sweep and kick that punts Vigoroth backwards, impacting another cavern wall hard enough that it bounces and ends up crashing, sprawled out onto the cavern floor. Yet despite the opportunity, Lokix doesn't immediately go in for a follow up like before. Instead he remains standing where he was prior, wobbling slightly as the orange light across his body flickers.
"He's losing his advantage, he won't be able to maintain this for much longer." Theodora suddenly says, her eyes transfixed on the battle.
Despite the heavy punishment Vigoroth has taken throughout the battle, the Pokemon remains standing, now having forced itself up after Lokix's attack. A deep indent resembling the soles of the Bug-type's hind legs on the Shadow Pokemon's chest.
'The insect is holding back. Fighting one's brother with the intent to kill does not come easy to the insect. If he does not finish this soon, the other brother will triumph.' Rin finally speaks up through her bond with the Honedge. She winces at the words. Of course Lokix would try to restrain Vigoroth like they did.
"Rin says Lokix is holding back, they're hesitant to take Vigoroth out." Theodora grimaces as she hears Rin's observation. Elise looks at the two Pokemon with sadness in her heart. Were they both Pokemon belonging to the same trainer?
This is too cruel.
"Leo's done, could you help me with Sharon next, Theodora? Not really sure how to handle head injuries." While the two of them were distracted watching the battle, Mariana and Ostia finished up bandaging and healing Leo. The Steel-type, while unconscious, is in better shape than expected.
Which reminds Elise that Leo is looking for his father, also abducted by the poachers. If what Moreau and Surge mentioned earlier is true, then it's likely Leo's parent and a bunch of other stolen and kidnapped Pokemon are already gone, taken to who knows where.
"Right, of course. Elise, darling, keep an eye out for us. Loathe I am to admit it, but you and Rin are the best suited to defend us or intervene in the battle if needed." Theodora explains while turning away from the battle to face her.
The lighting within the cavern is dim, many of the orbal lamps still within it having been damaged by the stray blasts and attacks from the battle. But even under such conditions, Theodora's deep blue eyes almost seemed to shine, almost hypnotically so from her perspective. Just staring at Thea makes some of the day's exhaustion leave her body.
She nods. It was her idea to try that led her friends to this situation after all. In a way, it's her fault that their Pokemon even got injured in the first place. If Elise had her way, she'd have gone by her lonesome, but she doubts it would've worked. Maybe if she'd convinced Miss Leaf to just have the two of them go…
Focus, Elise. Letting herself get distracted like that is dangerous. As Theodora walks past her to release Sharon to treat them, she brings her attention back to the ongoing battle.
Lokix had managed to steady himself despite the clear exhaustion in his frame. Despite the speed in his movements, the Bug-type rushes across the battlefield, swiftly closing large distances and responding to strikes as if predicting them, Lokix seems almost lethargic in some way. This goes beyond hesitating to fight Vigoroth.
Elise closes her eyes and focuses. Through Rin she can sense a quiet despair in Lokix's movement. A sense of futility permeates his being, only remaining in motion through pure inertia.
Lokix lands in front of the recovering Vigoroth, as if to stand over it. The Shadow Pokemon's absurd durability allows it to remain in the battle despite its numerous injuries. Lokix makes a noise with his mandibles, indecipherable to her but the emotion within it carries the desperation all the same.
She catches Thea staring, almost distracted as she keeps stealing glances at the battle.
Vigoroth roars, any hint of intelligence having long vanished. It lifts itself to strike at Lokix, the Bug-Type raising his blood-covered hind legs as if to decapitate the Shadow Pokemon.
The orange light flowing through Lokix's body, once bright upon his arrival, flickers then stops.
Lokix stumbles, losing his balance. The swings of his legs go wide, missing Vigoroth's head entirely. One of them cleaves the last dangling remains of Vigoroth's left arm clean off. The other cuts into Vigoroth's shoulder blade, but fails to penetrate deep.
Closing in, Vigoroth bites down and closes its maw on Lokix's own missing stump of an arm, the sickening sounds of crunching carapace and squishy meat fills her ears. The Shadow Pokemon's right arm strikes Lokix's stomach, going straight through the other side, impaling the Bug-type. Then Vigoroth started pulling.
The mouth, jaw clenched tight around Lokix's arm pulls him towards the left while the hand impaling him pushes the right, both movements tearing Lokix in half. The Bug-type had mostly been silent during the entire battle, not even making any sounds or grunts of exertion like the Pokemon of Class VII during their battle. But now, Lokix is screaming at such volume that it seems to echo all across the cavern. A haunting chittering noise that could stay in a person's memory for the rest of their life.
Elise moved before she could think on what she was doing. She doesn't need Rin wrapped around her arm to do this.
In a flash she's right next to both Pokemon, almost tripping due to underestimating how difficult pulling this off without being directly connected to Rin would be. But without even saying a word she slashes at Vigoroth's neck, cutting first through Lokix's arm before reaching its destination.
The sheer volume of muscle makes cutting through difficult, Rin barely makes it in before his blade is stopped. But that part doesn't matter. Lokix's trapped arm detaches from the rest of his body. The momentum and force pulling the Bug-type in one direction sees him flung off his impalement on Vigoroth's arm to be thrown like a beaten and broken ragdoll, dust and stone overturned in their wake.
Shocked cries, human and Pokemon, ring out throughout the cavern before it once more descends into action.
Roland, Poly and Murkrow close in to unleash their attacks at Vigoroth with Lokix out of the way. Emerging from Elise's shadow, the Dreepy smashes his tail, aglow with Dragon TE, right into Vigoroth's face. The attack hits Vigoroth straight in the eyes, blinding the Pokemon who roars and swings its arm around to try and hit her and Roland, who zips away.
With Vigoroth distracted, Elise dodges away and rushes to reach Lokix's side. Kneeling down, she takes a look at its injury and grimaces. It's dire, a gaping hole where Lokix's stomach is supposed to be. For him to even have a chance of surviving, Lokix needs to be in a Pokeball stasis as fast as possible.
Elise grabs an empty Pokeball from her bag and shows it to Lokix. "I'll only be temporary but this is to keep you from—"
She's interrupted by Lokix weakly putting up his arm as if to stop her from pushing the Pokeball onto him. A weak and utterly exhausted noise crawls its way out of the Pokemon's mandible, at such a low volume that she could barely hear it over the din of the battle.
'Hmmph, resigning yourself then? I shan't stop you.' Rin whispers through their bond, reacting to what Lokix said.
Any further explanation is interrupted by the sound of rumbling and shaking approaching behind her. Elise stands up and turns to face Vigoroth as it barrels towards her. Feathers jut out from its blackened, burnt face and behind it; Poly, Murkrow, and Roland rain down attacks from above at a slower rate than before. They were finally getting exhausted.
And yet Vigoroth, from how fast it moved and how the ground still cracked at the strikes of their claws, is still as deadly as ever.
Rin wraps his ribbon around her as she prepares to face it head-on. She lifts Rin in a stance to counter any overhead from the Shadow Pokemon, her face utterly calm despite the trepidation she feels in her heart.
Behind her Lokix makes another weak noise, almost irritated. 'I shan't bother. The girl can be quite stubborn. Besides, this is not a fitting death for a warrior like you.' Is Lokix telling her to get away? Her grip on Rin's hilt tightens.
No. She's not gonna let any more people die, human or Pokemon.
Vigoroth lifts its arm to strike.She adjusts her blade and braces herself for impact.
The blow collides with Rin's metallic edge. Despite her best efforts, the sheer force of the attack causes her feet to skid backwards on the stone, her stance unable to prevent the attack from pushing her back.
At such a close distance she can see just how horrendously damaged Vigoroth's face has become. Most of it is now charred black meat with the Pokemon's skull sticking out. One of its eyes has popped in their entirety from feathers sticking out of it. A direct hit from Murkrow.
She's forced to adjust her footing as Vigoroth pushes her even further towards Lokix, the Shadow Pokemon even ignoring Roland crunching onto its neck, tearing burned meat in his effort to help her. Murkrow lethargically swings his wings, throwing feathers at Vigoroth's back, sheer exhaustion slowing his movements and attacks. Poly is no longer floating, the Staryu standing on two of its edges unleashing weak weak bubbles to try and support the others.
Another step back, as sweat falls down her brow, she grits her teeth to try and push Vigoroth back but even on its last legs…
"Do you want to die!?" Theodora's shouting voice rings out from across the cavern. Elise resists the urge to turn her head, too focused on fighting back against her opponent.
A silver blur slams into Vigoroth's side, giving her the opportunity to push the Shadow Pokemon away and knock its arms away from Rin's blade. Argy reorients themself before floating away to join the other three Pokemon still in any sort of condition to help her.
A light pink barrier covers Elise before fading and becoming dormant, only set to activate when an attack from Vigoroth makes contact. With it, she's a lot more confident now and decides to go on the offensive. Putting as much force as she can behind it, she slashes at Vigoroth's chest while the Pokemon's guard is down, cutting a deep gash, building upon what all of them had done to damage them so she can try and reach either a lung or its heart.
But as Rins scrapes through ribs and bones, she feels something try to push her away, as if the same force animating Vigoroth despite the horrific damage done to it is doing all it can to prolong its life. What could've been a finishing blow is now turned into merely a vicious one, as her slash finishes emerging from her opponent's chest.
She barely dodges away from Vigoroth's own slash, the tips of their claws missing her face by inches.
"Are you just letting it end here?! Letting Bragg and the people who did this to you and your team get away!?" Oh, Theodora wasn't addressing her, she's trying to speak to Lokix. Despite herself she spares a brief glance to look at Thea's direction and her eyes bulge out of their sockets to see her friend running towards her and thus the battle. What is she doing!?
Behind her Lokix makes a low rumbling noise, accompanied by the sounds of limbs shuffling and dirt shifting. But she can't pay attention to that. In front of her Vigoroth goes in for a Crush Claw, at such speed that Elise isn't sure she can dodge it in time. She grits her teeth to prepare for the pain, willing to take any punishment if it keeps the others safe.
Something pushes her aside, a force behind her shoves her away from Vigoroth's incoming attack. A part of her heart grows still thinking it might've been Theodora, but a different worry takes its place the moment a black carapace comes into view. Lokix, weak orange energy coursing through his body, and with a gaping hole in their abdomen. The Bug-type meets the Shadow Pokemon head on, his hind legs poised to strike for one last exchange in the long exhausting battle.
Her ARCUS glows
Goodbye,Vigoroth. Tell Marida I'm sorry
With a swift slash from his hind legs, the serrated limbs decapitate Vigoroth clean through the neck. And, like puppets with their strings cut, both Pokemon collapse onto the ground. One, a corpse, a Shadow Pokemon deprived of everything that makes a person what they are. If Elise's eyes weren't playing tricks on her, she can almost see the ghost of a smile on Vigoroth's ruined visage. The other, a corpse to be, at least without medical attention.
Utterly spent, Lokix faints but before his head could hit the dirt, a Pokeball impacts him, capturing the Bug-type. Tracing its trajectory, Theodora threw it, likely to try and save the Pokemon. With a single click, the Pokeball snaps shut and shines to indicate Lokix had been captured. Hopefully the stasis can keep them stable long enough until they get them to a center.
With Vigoroth gone, she only now notices the pain in her chest, exhaustion finally catching up to her. But she ignores it. Looking up to Theodora's outraged but worried face, Elise manages to force a smile on her face to reassure her friend. Sparing a glance to Mariana and Ostia, she sees the former on her knees hugging the latter as well as both of their Pokemon in sheer relief.
As the first Ursaring of many makes its way through the cavern entrance, one of Charcadet's friends on the Normal-type's back, it finally sets in for her as well.
The battle's over. They're safe.
Surge's burner rings, one connected to the little network they had set up, a way for the various agents to quickly communicate without any Peeping Toms listening in.
Battle's still in a stalemate anyways, might as well take it.
"Surge here." He doesn't have to say anything for Dreizhen, his Alolan Raichu, to block out sound around him, preventing Leaf and the others from hearing his little conversation.
"Where are you? There's a complication." An over-exaggerated Kalosian accent speaks out from across the line. Sird's brand new identity to ingratiate herself with those expats.
Sird. No last name as far as he could find, and not her real name either. His best guess on her is that she's a Church spook that went off the reservation. He'd been working with her as far back when he was a Gym Leader and her an Admin of the Rockets. He hadn't known she was a rat for his current employers back then. If he had, he'd have wrung her little neck out.
Resisting the urge to call her accent stupid (not that Sird would care), Surge responds. "Badajoz Base, Intel was right, Primera sent at least one of her four to here to flush us out. Also got a little reunion with the tyke. What's the sitch?" Leaf is officially getting downgraded from kid to tyke, she's fuckin regressed. The tyke's got all sorts of moral nonsense in her head now, the soldier that he raised buried deep.
He's gonna have to find the time to fix that. Ugh, more work. Ein, his Raichu, makes a noise of agreement below him.
"One of the Count's seneschals got arrested. He had a number of documents and hard drives that got confiscated. Important ones. Cascaraffa's bastard might've been involved." Ugh, fucking nobs. Goldsmith needs to get his allies in line. This shit is getting obnoxious.
"Do you want me to handle it?" He's not the best at infiltration but he's already in the area so he might as well offer.
"No. We have assets that can silence the seneschal. The physical evidence is a lost cause." Sird says across the line. He can barely hear the sounds of what seem like industrial machinery in the background. At least she's starting to drop the accent, maybe his hatred for it reached her across the phone.
"It better not be one of that Alolan's freakshows." He knows he has no room to judge, Leaf is in the same fuckin room after all, but he raised her and the others as Soldiers. Like how good ol' Orre taught him, refined by his years of service to the Don. He's half-convinced that the freak's a nonce but Sird says he isn't and she's the one who makes it her business to know that sort of shit.
"Extract yourself and rendezvous with the transports. Do be subtle about it. Temperance, out." The fact she doesn't answer him means the answer is yes. That nob is a poor pitiable fuck. Hopefully it's one of the ones who's quick about it.
"Chariot, out." With the call over, it means his fun is also coming to an end.
Dreizhen returns sound from the outside and he takes a little gander on the state of the battle. Hmm, not bad. Leaf was always a fast-learner and she's never the one to forget lessons. Drei, his Electrivire is in an utterly fucked state. Two-weeks recovery at minimum. Zwanzig, his Morpeko, is faring better, though her only job is keeping Missy away from coming to the rescue of those brats.
"Not bad at all, consider yourself passed with flying colors!" he yells from his little alcove in the massive cavern, not bothering to listen to what new expletive Leaf or the cop calls him. Though he does wonder if he can get that tot with them to swear? Plans for later.
He presses a button in his prosthetic arm, all of his Pokemon bar Dreizehn are recalled into their Pokeballs. A little custom addition to his loadout.
His Alolan Raichu makes a noise next to him, as if asking whether to pick Bragg up as well.
"Nah, don't bother. Was getting bored of him anyways. He's more cop than soldier y'know?" He shrugs, putting his latest apprentice out of his mind. Good luck to him wherever he is.
"Till next time, Leaf!" He yells as Dreizhen finishes activating Miracle Eye to get him past the Dark and Ghost barriers. A miniature tear in reality masquerading as a third eye, where just looking at it makes him wanna puke. With their path clear he teleports out, frowning as he barely catches Leaf not bothering to curse his name, her and Missy immediately running off to rescue her new brats.
He'll need to fix that at some point.
Pushing past the bothersome headache from exerting herself too much, Renne examines the scene before her.
The various freed stolen or kidnapped Pokemon are reuniting with their friends and family in the Wild Hunt. Many of the latter are in rough condition, scars and wounds from recent battles, missing limbs or eyes in some cases patched over by what supplies the Wild Hunt had managed to scrounge up or what her human and the others she calls friends had handed over to help.
But even in her state she can see it, a vast tapestry being woven before her eyes. The yellow threads of relief and joy from loved ones that were brought back together. Teddiursa crowding around an Ursaring who's making sure the little ones are free of any wounds or injuries. An Amoongus half-heartedly scolds a number of its pre-evolutions for wandering off and getting captured. A Tranquil plucking messy feathers and taking care of a placid Pidove, too overwhelmed with joy to even react.
The child who tagged along with her human's class and who smells of iron looks over the preceding with a smile on her face.
And yet the edges of the yellow grow blue, shifting as the tapestry continues to grow. There is great sorrow in the air, tinging the reunion with a bitter sour taste. A blue Pawniard like Leo sends her minion scurrying to look further into the ruins.She knows she will not find anything but desperation pushes to try. A sole Lurantis silently hugs a single crying Fomantis, a tragedy clear as the colors that flow from their tears. The Charcadet that is with the one named Elise, having woken up from their injuries, comforts a Treecko. The gray melancholy of a farewell between the two of them.
The adult who she remembers as the trainer of Ruby's Numel friend, who in a quiet corner of the cavern, mourns alongside her Pokemon for the one they've lost.
Yet there still remains a seething unrest which paints the tapestry a deep red, amongst the masses of Pokemon, wild or otherwise. The Wild Hunt is over. Soon, the natural order of the wilds shall reassert itself as best it can. From what her mother taught her, it will fail. Something like this will scar the Pokemon of this province for years to come. A clutch of Woobats discuss the fate of their colony and their home, defiled as it was, their many enemies poised to strike at the weaknesses shown that day. That Spidops they fought with mere days ago fresh off an argument with the Theodora human, both claimed that they would be better equipped to see Lokix healed. The Insect had lost and yet there was a contemplative look on her face, mandibles scrunched in thought.
Keeping an eye on everyone silently is Strangling Flowers, the unsightly reds of irritation anger directed elsewhere bleeding in the air. It flows like a reopened scabbed over wound. Sorrowful Jubilee glares at Renne, a silent warning to cease peering at her trainer.
She rolls her eyes and looks away. What a bother.
"Are you done?" She turns to face Roland who's floating above her. He has a serious look on his usually dopey face, his eye flicking between her and Mariana.
At a little corner of the cavern are Mariana and her friends. At the insistence of the two named Elise and Theodora, a small grave had been dug for Vigoroth, with one of the Ursarings using a strange capacity to control the earth to facilitate such. Renne feels nothing but sadness thinking of the ape.
A creature utterly twisted to be unrecognizable by his loved ones, from what she could hear of Lokix's pleas to them during the battle. A mind deprived of all capacity for thought with the exception of violence. Even the anger she had felt when the ape had nearly crushed Ruby has long faded. The wyrm is quiet. From the red hanging like a pallor over him, she can tell he is still angry, and not at her for once. It is tinged with the purples of fear and worry, for Mariana and Ruby alike.
"Speak your mind." For once she cannot find the urge to antagonize him, and the long present kernel of disdain for her in the wyrm's core remains still but burns less brightly, less intensely than it usually does.
"...Thank you." Roland looks as if merely saying those words to her is like pulling teeth from his maw, and yet here he is, doing it. She nods in understanding before turning away from him again.
She focuses on Mariana, her…trainer, and thinks. The colors of the human's emotions are muted from the day's exhaustion. Beyond the ever present kindness and worry for the little one who smells weird, she senses a strange color in Mariana's heart. It is orange, a similar shade to what she has occasionally sensed in Ruby. Not quite fear but something close. It's a sticky clinging substance to her eyes and as she focuses, she sees it vanish , suppressed inside of Mariana's mind.
During the haze of the battle she remembers a brief moment where she had touched something in Mariana's mind. Something that shielded parts of her human's mind. It seems similar but different to a mental shield, which from what her mother had taught her is meant to protect a mind from privation from hostile Weavers. It was brief but she saw something that she is sure even the human does not know herself.
'Mariana, may I ask you something?' Her trainer turns to face her, excusing herself from the makeshift funeral to approach her. Out of habit, Renne puts her little arms up for Mariana to carry her in her arms.
"What is it, Renne?" Her trainer asks, oh so kindly. It's almost saccharine just how kind and patient Mariana is towards her. She does not deserve it at all.
'Sometime, but not now, I wish to speak with you about some things.' Willing her strength, Renne briefly pulls that curse her captors had placed on her, that hexagonal symbol appearing in front of the two of them before vanishing. A blasphemy of the Star Child's power, sickening to even look at.
Understanding flashes on Mariana's before settling upon her typical look. "Of course, take as much time as you need to explain it." Hmmph. With their little conversation over, Renne relaxes into Mariana's embrace, doing her best to resist falling asleep. She can sense Roland floating over to wrap himself around her trainer's neck.
Despite the battle's conclusion she remains uneasy, she feels that this is merely a portent of things to come.
Next Chapter will be the conclusion for Field Exercise 1 and ending your time in Cortondo, after which you return to your regular weekly schedule
400 SKLL XP, 800 Poke XP to all Pokemon, 2 MXP to all Pokemon (Not valid for Renne's Phantasmal Moves)
Greatly Increase Bond with Renne; Greatly Increase Bond with Elise, Theodora, and Ostia
Special Training Options unlocked for Roland and Ruby (Roland has learned a Simple version of Dragonbreath and Dragon Tail, achieving Mastered Proficiency will upgrade it to Advanced) (Ruby through Training Actions can learn Iron Burst and Railspike, her first unique moves.)
Thanks to Nemastrea and Tempera for proofreading this chapter
"Not bad at all, consider yourself passed with flying colors!" he yells from his little alcove in the massive cavern, not bothering to listen to what new expletive Leaf or the cop calls him. Though he does wonder if he can get that tot with them to swear? Plans for later.
I'm guessing Iron Burst is more closer ranged, similar to that claw exploding thing done at the end of the battle, while Railspike is the charge move done in the middle.
So, which would you all prefer for Ruby to take, assuming she can only get one?. I'm leaning more towards the Railspike, though it isn't as sure thing as it would have been if we didn't pick the terrain control strategy during that gym battle. I still think it would work if the terrain is merely used to give space to unleash the move though.
