mt. pyre looms in the near distance; threatening in nature yet also calming in a sense. he peers at it with great admiration. he's always been fond of nature, of the historic landmarks that make a region memorable: kanto has mt. moon, johto has mt. silver, and hoenn as mt. pyre. landmarks need to be preserved because once gone they'll be forgotten.

forgotten, like the region-renown extreme sports athlete, mr. banks if they fail their mission.

"it is safer on foot." 

nodding, alexander reaches for his belt and calls out india, who takes a quick sniff of the air before turning to meet his trainer, wagging his tail in excitement afterwards.

"we need your help, india." 

kneeling, he pulls out a sports shirt and allows the poochyena to sniff for as long as he needs to. india's head perks up and he immediately turns on his feet only to run off through the mist towards the entrance to the mountain.

"i fear the mountain has more than the spirits of resting pokemon. be careful, freya."

freya morningstar

"it might. but i hope not." 

he meets her ill attempt at humor. they past the threshold of the entrance and there is an immediate change in the air. the scent changes; it's heavier, almost more damp. it also gets darker and darker and freya's charmeleon does what it can but it can only do so much. twenty-feet vision soon greets them.

woof! 

india's squeaky bark cries out, guiding them as they venture deeper and deeper into the mountain. the terrain soon changes, growing rougher and more jagged. in the distance, shapes start to form and as they approach it becomes clear as to what they are: tombstones.

a lot of them. his fingers trace the surface of one as he approaches; eyes reading what's inscribed. "have you ever lost one?" he asks, assuming she already knows what mt. pyre is most famous for: housing the dead. "my mother used to tell me stories of how the spirits buried here would appear to those who mourned for them. she brought me here a few times; to talk to the spirits. to feel the spirits." he pauses.

"i never did feel them."

freya morningstar

he kneels by one of the tombstones and runs a hand over the engravings, wiping off a collected layer of dust. he looks at it with a somber expression. "maybe i was." he doesn't turn away, his fingers tracing the outlines of letters.

"it never bothered me much, not feeling the spirits. i was never superstitious to begin with. but then i lost her and suddenly i wanted to feel them. i wanted to speak to her and let her know that i was sorry. i must have sat here repeating those words a few hundred times before finally giving up." 

india's bark beckons for him to move on but he doesn't. he remains kneeling even as he hears the scitter-scatter of india's small feet on the ground trailing off in the distance.

"she looked like yours. smaller, younger, but just as beautiful." 

clearing his throat, he rises back to his feet. he turns, stepping away from the tombstone of his fallen friend to walk after where he had heard india's bark come from. he blinks his eyes dry.

freya morningstar

she didn't know. she couldn't have known. which is why her apology catches him off guard. he turns when she touches his shoulder,nodding head once as the solemn look fades. "thank you." he doesn't need to say it but her words, no matter how brief, do bring him comfort. "they truly are mythical creatures." 

india's bark cuts their conversation short. he nods at freya, and takes a step in the direction of the bark. the pathway grows narrower as they venture deeper; they start curving upwards, indicating that they are most likely traveling up the mountain. but as they continue down the path, the mist grows thicker.

"india!" 

and then he feels it: a chill on the back of his neck. he narrows his eyes, turning his head to the side to look backwards at nothing. absolutely nothing. when he looks down again the mist has risen a considerable amount. "something is not right." 

he says the obvious but even then his voice is muffled, soft. he isn't even sure if she heard him. bark! india's faint bark comes from the right and alexander doesn't hesitate. he steps into the thick of the mist, almost recklessly disappearing into it but he knows she has his back. she is right behind him, isn't she?

freya morningstar

bark! bark! bark! 

more frantic in nature, india's bark sounds through the narrow confines of the mountain. it is the only thing that leads alexander on the right path. a look behind him and suddenly his heart drops, eyes widen, and he swivels his head left and right, looking for her.

"freya." 

her name leaves his mouth normally but no sound comes from it. his brows furrows anxiously as he reaches a hand to his belt and with a push of a button, light bursts free to battle the darkened mists for mere seconds. gallade lands in a battle stance, ready to defend and counter should he need to.

a hand is held up. alexander allows both silence and darkness to surround them, enveloping them but not rendering them of their senses.

and then he hears it: the familiar scitter scatter of india's feet. the sound grows louder and louder and from the mist emerges the same poochyena. india tilts his head and glances up at them but doesn't bark. the oddity of it is what tips alexander off.

that, and the sudden increase in temperature.

"gallade!" 

a sudden WIDE GUARD is enacted; its mystical barriers surrounding them in an arc just in time to stop a flamethrower from burning them alive. the flames lick at the barrier that holds, and when the fire dies out is when the battle tilts in their favor.

the barrier breaks only because of the psycho cut that is sent flying. it soars through the air, psychic energies rippling as it hits something; what exactly, they aren't sure, at least not until gallade lunges up and slams into the ground. another wide guard booms in a sweeping arc, clearing the mist immediately to reveal a sweaty-looking man and his magmar.

india barks at the man then charges straight at the fire-type, showing his sharp teeth as he lunges forward to play rough. it is from this distraction that allows gallade to finish the magmar off with a precise close combat before teleporting behind the sweaty man. gallade holds a sharp psycho cut to his throat, pinning him to the wall.

"where are they taking her?" 

that is the first question alexander asks because he already knows the situation. from india's bark to the unnatural mist, it has become clear to him that this is a set up. he approaches the man; gallade presses harder.

"where?"

freya morningstar

[attr="class","ihead"]

[attr="class","ipad"]
THE BRIEFING[break][break]

Five days ago, a region-renown extreme sports athlete went missing while on one of their trips. The athlete's family is used to these impromptu escapades of theirs and didn't think much of it until now. You've been sent to locate them and return them (or their remains) to their family. Be careful. They're known to traverse rugged terrain and dangerous landscapes.[break][break]

setting: mt. pyre, route 119 or any water routes.[break]
requirements: at least 2 rocket/league, and at least 5 posts each.[break]
rewards: 50 poke, 5 infamy.[break][break][break]


[break]

[attr="class","ihead"]

[attr="class","ipad"]
THE BRIEFING[break][break]

One way or another, you've been captured and detained at Slateport by Rocket thugs. They've held you for ransom, but you know the League's stance on terrorism like this. They will not give in. It is up to you to break before dawn: the date of your supposed execution. Escape from your location of containment (you can be creative) and flee the city before you meet an untimely demise.[break][break]

setting: slateport city.[break]
requirements: at least 2 league, and at least 5 posts each.[break]
first time rewards: 50 poke, 4 infamy, potential item.[break]
repeatable rewards: 25 poke, 2 infamy, potential item.[break]
bonus condition: have one rocket member join / +1 infamy.[break]

through the skies of hoenn they soar, flying at an immense pace because no time can be wasted. his hands awkwardly hold on to whatever they can and his legs are wrapped tight around flygon's body, buckling every now and then as they battle the resistance of the skies. he holds on despite the discomfort, determined to find her.

it's not hard to. like savages they transport her in the back of a truck. a fucking truck. the ambush was well set up but what follows is what gives them away: they are amateurs who expected a lowly league personnel. it was only out of pure luck that they managed to find a councilwoman.

he will be their reckoning.

this dragon will be their reckoning.

the pale truck comes into sight. "there." redirecting flygon by shifting his weight, they start their downwards descent. his eyes narrow under the pressure but he tugs again once closer. still hidden by the clouds, they continue flying, following the truck before it disappears into the walls of the city. but they remain in the air, floating, as they watch the truck pull up at one of the buildings near the outskirts. they make their stealthy landing not too far away, hidden by the trees.

he knows how dire the situation is. the grunts might be dumb but rocket as a whole will know what to do with a councilwoman. so he knows he has to act before someone of real threat arrives.

risky. but that's how it must be played.

"over there, flygon. we will not be long. when you see us leave, you leave as well." 

flygon purrs, nodding as he turns to face the front of the building. it's a two-story with far too many windows, making it easy to judge where people are. he sees the most movement on the bottom floor. back against the wall, he takes a deep breath and then nods.

"go." 

the dragon takes a large leap up into the air, wings flapping once, twice, before landing in front of the building with a loud crash. the ground cracks under the pressure and he releases a loud screech, beckoning for those inside to react. and they do. not all of them but enough start to make their way outside.

from this distraction, alexander approaches one of the windows, staying close to the wall to remain hidden before peering in, pokeball in hand.

freya morningstar