Despite the man's affiliation, he couldn't be mad at him. Especially since he otherwise displayed behavior unlike what he'd expect of a Rocket. Thomas internally questioned if the vigilante was among those who got suckered into joining Rocket after that press conference they crashed. If he had been wooed by the lies they told that day.

"You did what you could, I can see that. Thank you.", Thomas told the masked man, before slumping over.

"Tell me, what are you doing working for Team Rocket? Surely by now, you've seen their true colors.", he'd ask him.

---

tags: Isaac Merlo
notes: +10

Truth be told, Thomas had no faith in finding the trainers alive. For one, the Ultra Deep Sea was currently a warzone, and at best, they'd end up as hostages to Team Rocket. That, or they either got taken out by the inhabitants of the realm, or became parts of the scenery.

The temptation to scratch at the gills forming on his neck was there, but Thomas knew better than to potentially irritate them. After all, they 'd go away, once they got out.

What they didn't expect to see was a strange Donphan-looking Pokemon. It was similar to the Salamence-like Pokemon he had captured earlier. Though unlike that one, befriending it didn't look to be an option.

All Thomas could do was to bring out a Conkeldurr to defend himself with.

---

tags: Callan Young
notes: +10 (Post)
+10 (Mutations)

Following his harrowing encounter with Cillian Quinn, who had stolen his Shadow Luxray, Thomas was in a rush to escape the Ultra Deep Sea. Though he had lost one Pokemon, he had managed to gain a new friend, one who held a mutual grudge against the Underboss, and with training, could prove to be a potent ally.

As Thomas swam through the area, he'd notice the scales on his arms beginning to thicken and become more prominent. Like he was wearing a sleeve of scales, starting from his elbows, and ending at the backs of his hands.

Riding on the back of a Steelix, he'd hope that he could plow through whatever obstacles lay in his path.

Of course, things were never that simple.

---

tags: jayden cross
notes: PD Mission - Clash
+10 (Post)
+10 (Mutations)

Some help would come in the form of a Psychic-type attempting to lift rocks away from the trapped Pokemon. But alas, the Mienfoo didn't make it. All Thomas could do was attempt to comfort the creature in its final moments, holding its hand as it passed on.

Thomas silently mourned the Mienfoo, tempted to punch a wall in anger at his inability to save the poor Pokemon. Despite this, he held off, knowing that he'd probably break his hand in the process.

Thomas turned to thank whoever tried to help him, only to discover, to his surprise, the same vigilante he encountered on that fateful day. Though he wouldn't recognize him as Wraith, the man would surely know who Thomas, formerly of the Elite Four, was.

"You - why did you try to help me?", Thomas asked in a haggard, defeated manner.

---

tags: Isaac Merlo
notes: +10
+200

"Stay with me!", Thomas called out to the injured Mienfoo, who was trapped under rubble.

A Lucario and Scizor began to smash away at the rocks trapping the the Mienfoo, attempting to do their best to liberate the trapped Fighting-type. But the small Fighting-type's life was fleeting before the trainer's eyes, who was also attempting to pry whatever Rocks he could out of the path.

---

tags: Isaac Merlo
notes: +10
PD Mission - Cave

As the trio hiked towards the Jubokko Tree, Thomas reflected on what he saw at the base of the mountainside, and behind the waterfall on the previous trips. Strange, bitter leaves in the first one, and the white hot remnants of the second seal. He wondered what they could mean, and what they were supposed to be sealing.

As they stepped inside, Thomas saw nothing at first. Then, a cold feeling of pure hatred crept up. The Kalosian was all too familiar with hatred, but this felt different. It felt wrong.

Before they could edit, a wall of ice formed over the exit.

"Shit!", Thomas called out, before turning to see a phantom of a large, lean, saber-toothed feline manifest in the middle of the area.

"What the hell is that!?", Thomas asked the group.

The Kalosian prided himself on his knowledge of Pokemon species. He had religiously kept up to date with discoveries of new species through various journals. But this strange phantom cat was something he had never seen before.

The strange feline immediately formed an Ice Shard, which hurdled towards Thomas. The Kalosian barely had time to bring out Ripper to defend him. The Scizor grunted in pain from the attack. He would look down, noticing the shard of ice left quite a mark on his exoskeleton.

Whatever this thing was, it hit considerably hard.

---

tags: milo sharpe DEREK HOFFMAN
notes: Vestigal Spirit of Chien-Pao Appears!

The Roserade and Urshifu weren't alone in loading crates onto the truck. Freke the Alakazam, with the aid of his telekinesis, also loaded in the boxes, organizing them into optimal spots, before helping to secure them, and joining the others in the back. They would also be joined by a Bisharp.

"Food, water, munitions. As well as some other goods that should help give the League an edge in this.", he'd tell the fellow vigilante, before starting up the car, and driving off.

"So how have you been faring lately, Wynter?", Thomas would inquire.

---

tags: Kazimir Wynter
notes: +10

The sight of the Ceruledge impaling a Gabite and killing it distracted Thomas, who looked on in horror at the death of another Pokemon. Meanwhile, the Ceruledge let out a satisfied cry, as blood was coughed up onto his face.

This gave the Glaceon the opening it needed to kick Thomas, sending him careening through the rift, knocked unconscious by the blow from the Shadow Pokemon. Even if the Scatterbang didn't drive Mordred through the rift, the sight of his master being knocked through it would.

The duo would end up going through the rift, ending up back in Granite Cave.

Mordred, after getting his bearings, noticed his master was unconscious. Acting quickly, Mordred latched onto Thomas' unconscious body, and whisked him away through Phantom Force, intending to get him to a League medic.

---

tags: Tempest Quinn
notes: Thomas is KO'd by S-Glaceon
Thomas is knocked through the rift
Ceruledge is driven through the rift after Thomas
Ceruledge used Phantom Force to whisk Thomas away after ending up in Granite Cave
TALLY:
Post x5 = 50
Mission Participation = 50
Mission Completion = 100
Defeat = 300
Pokemon Death = 200
Mutation (Scales) = 10
Pokemon Killed = 10
Total = 720

The armored ghost's blades clashed against the fossilized blades of the Kabutops with a frustrated grunt. As their blades locked, the Ceruledge gazed intently into the eyes of the fossil. Mordred's flaming eyes were filled with bitterness and rage, before he'd break the lock, leaping back, before charging his blades with solar energy, and lunging for the Kabutops.

Meanwhile, the Glaceon showed its true colors, unleashing the terrifying power of Shadow Frost on the Venomoth. Despite her best efforts, the unholy attack consumed her, covering her body in a sinister frost, before she fell to the ground, dead.

Thomas attempted to reach for the Pokeball of Ripper, his Scizor, in order to defend himself from the frightful Shadow Pokemon.

---

tags: Tempest Quinn
notes: +10
+200
Venomoth took Shadow Frost
Venomoth is dead
Ceruledge clashed swords with Kabutops
Ceruledge used Solar Blade
Thomas reached for his Scizor's Pokeball

Mordred is proud of his handiwork, as he manages to sever the oversized head of the ancient beast. Thomas, on the other hand, is mortified at what he saw. Pokemon death, regardless of who was on the receiving end, was something that Thomas didn't handle too well. It wasn't until his Hydreigon got knocked out by the flurry of blows from the Purrloin that he was snapped out of it.

Thomas recalled the dark dragon, and was about to have Mordred finish the Purrloin, when he noticed the horde of Pokemon coming their way. No doubt they were attracted to all the blood pouring from the fallen Arctovish.

"Shit!", Thomas called out, before producing a Sticky Glob, and tossing it towards the biggest cluster he could immediately spot. Mordred would immediately grab Thomas, and whisk him off with Phantom Force, attempting to get him as far away from the pandemonium as he can.

As Thomas surfaced, he looked down at his arm, and noticed scales forming over his arms. His eyes went wide for a moment, as he groped and picked at it, before calming himself, remembering reports that such mutations occur over extended stays in the area, and that they'd go away upon returning back to Hoenn.

---

tags: Calpurnia Kubrick
notes: Hydreigon is KO'd by Play Rough
Thomas noticed the horde coming their way
Thomas throws a Sticky Glob at the horde to try to bind them up and stall them
Ceruledge used Phantom Force to escape with himself and Thomas
Thomas noticed scales forming on his arm
POINT TALLY
Post x10 = 100
Battle Participation = 50
Battle Completion = 150
Tied in Battle = 250
Hydreigon KO'd = 50
Kill Earned = 10
1 Mysterious Ore Used = 10
Incorporated Realm Mutations (Scales on arm) = 10
1 Sticky Glob Used = 10
Total = 640

"Your funeral, pal!", Thomas growled at him.

The Venomoth shielded her master from the Swift barrage coming her way. All she could do was cry out in pain as the stars of energy struck her body. Despite this, she persisted, performing a Quiver Dance in order to raise her spirits, and strengthen herself for what was to come.

Thomas tossed a Pokeball towards Temp's feet, while attempting to stay on the move, in anticipation for whatever Temp would deploy.

Mordred the Ceruledge emerged from his Pokeball, coming at the human with Bitter Blades burning with hatred.

The fact that the former Elite Four's Pokemon was so willing to kill, without hesitation, should've been a sign to the Rocket.

---

tags: Tempest Quinn
notes: +10
Venomoth took Swift
Venomoth used Quiver Dance
Ceruledge deployed
Ceruledge used Bitter Blade

Despite the Purrloin escaping the vicious melee attack, Mordred still found satisfaction in hacking away at the mixed up fossil Pokemon. Despite this, the oncoming Water Pulse was still a threat to him, and in the aftermath of the assault, he didn't know if he could dodge it.

Thankfully, Thomas deployed his Hydreigon between the two of them, allowing Kalameet to take the Water Pulse for him. Though roaring in annoyance, the Hydreigon's years of training, on top of his natural resistance to such an attack, allowed him to survive it easily.

In retaliation, the Hydreigon fired off a pulse of draconian energy at the wounded Arctovish. Mordred, who had gathered himself, charged up as much solar energy as he could into his blade, before jumping over the Hydreigon, and lunging at the Arctovish with a brutal slash.

---

tags: Calpurnia Kubrick
notes: +10
Thomas sent out Hydreigon
Hydreigon took the Water Pulse
Hydreigon used Dragon Pulse on Arctovish
Ceruledge used Solar Blade on Arctovish

The Hydreigon's very presence managed to scare off the Sharpedo. But before Thomas could have Kalameet rain hellfire down on this woman, and her Pokemon, the Dragovish managed to slam the Hydreigon with a Dragon Tail.

The attack caused the Hydreigon to be forced back into his Pokeball. The Purrloin was closing in, causing Thomas to act fast, and bring out Mordred again.

The haunted armor took the Play Rough, making an angry hiss as he took the melee. In retaliation, he began to slash and jab at the fat cat in a vicious act of Close Combat.

Thomas began to move away, reaching for another Pokeball to deal with the Arctovish.

---

tags: Calpurnia Kubrick
notes: +10
Hydreigon took Dragon Tail, forcefully being recalled
Thomas sent out Ceruledge
Ceruledge took Play Rough
Ceruledge used Close Combat on Purrloin