He could feel the heat of the Dragon Pulse, its power as it had nearly struck him but missed only by a few feet and went crashing into the wall. He’d be dead had it not been for the darkness being the only thing that truly kept him and his partner hardly in sight. The damage to the cavern walls, however, still unnerved the man.

The Naganadel had gone back onto the offensive, a glint of its stinger shined as if it were of precious metal as it sped towards the duo, aiming to pierce its target and kill it instantly, but Gregori’s swift movement had given him the chance to live another day, the beast’s only course left it in the way of the sappy solution that it had created. It splatted the contents everywhere, coating the floor in the adhesive, creating a field dangerous to ignorantly tread. But it also gave them an opportunity.

The Ultra-Beast struggled in its trap, from the thick foam that covered it, and the few injuries it sustained, as it roared and cried out for its brethren, Laurence tried his best to silence it. He prepared his Shinx to try to take it out, however, Gregori’s advice had given them a different choice of action. He’d wish for the Ursaluna to take it on.

“Got it, Shinx, hit it with Thunder and try to collapse the entrance on it.”

He’d command the Pokemon before him, a bright yellow light coming from its fur erupting with the start of the command. It’d brightened the cavern for a brief second, showing a beautiful array of crystals and markings when the Shinx had released a burst of its power on the stuck Naganadel, the sound of crackling electricity loud enough to drown out any potential calls to its brood. The Entrance creaked as well, rocks shifting under the tremor of force the Shinx had, before it gave way, its heavy rock falling and collapsing it in on itself, locking the Nagandel inside. Laurence wouldn’t hesitate to begin his sprint, hoping the others would come with him.

“We need to go, just in case there are others. Do you remember the way we came through?”

Grigori Sokolov

His pity. Laurence couldn’t believe it, he had gotten pity from the man who had signed him up for this. Howard had the nerve. His shifting of blame wouldn’t have him be absolved in the doctor’s gaze, no matter how much he continued to shift the blame onto the organization that had caused such. Howard was a part of Rocket. A cog in that well-oiled, destructive machine that continued to run amok, that continued to be shown as much more of a problem that the league would have to deal with.

“You speak a lot for someone who keeps running errands for them. Yeah, they took me. But I won’t them take anything else of mine.”

Finality. He said it in various ways, and it would never change for him. He was determined, headstrong, and bravely ignorant of the storm that was Rocket, but he’d continue to fight it if it meant for Sophia’s safety. If it meant Diana would rest peacefully. He had turned to go when Howard began to say his goodbyes, his seeming acceptance of the man’s wishes having got to him luckily. Yet, when the man asked if Laurence would be returning to work on Monday, he simply sighed in reply.

“I’ll be in my office Monday. You’ll see me there. Goodbye, Howard.”

And continued to walk, not facing the man as he left him there to stand in the dried fruits, rather, when Laurence got back to Sophia, he said something inaudibly which made the young girl jump for joy, quick to grab hold of the basket and run towards the next isle to grab something else to fill the basket with. To enjoy with her father on his day off.

howard slayte

“January, huh? That is pretty long ago…You’ve gotta take much better care of yourself, especially if you don’t like ending up in these scenarios.”

He wrote something back down on his clipboard, recording something with those swift movements of his pen. However, while he wrote, his brow had raised as if he awaited to answer his previous question. He could tell that Navy had wanted to be set from those restraints, but until he’d give confirmation on not trying to run, then truly there was little he could do for him. So, when he finally agreed to the stipulations of it, Laurence got from his chair, letting out a breath of relief. Okay then, he’d be released.

The restraints were easy to undo for the man, the cloth strips unraveling from his limbs as the doctor rummaged around the bed, trying to keep the man as comfortable as he could. Once Laurence had finished, the doctor rolled the small table towards the patient, on its surface being the cup of water he had and some other things that could have only been for him as well. Once he finished, he’d find his rolling chair, plop himself right back down on it, and got ready to ask his question before it’d already been brought up.

What can I do for you?

“Well, what you can first tell me, is how exactly you got here. I am serious about not taking care of your health, but there are other reasons that brought you here, to Sootopolis. Especially since you can tell this is Rocket territory.”

Of course, this was important. The idea of what had brought him here was needed yes, but there was much more than his medical problem that needed to be addressed. Michael Navidson had been known in the league, he’d been on television, and surely he knew that. His ending up in Rocket’s clutches had to have been for a reason…No one just willingly threw themselves at their enemy.

“Ah, I should apologize, try to drink some water before you speak again, and have that with the red pill. It’ll help with the inflammation and dehydration you have. I’ll be patient.”

Michael Navidson

“We don’t need Rocket’s pity.”

And he meant it. What would Rocket’s transactive pity do for him but ask for something in return? He’d rather Howard had been realistic, told him he’d wish the best of luck and that there was a bomb planted on his chest, that would have been much more like the Rocket way.

But in true Howard-like fashion, he reneged on his word, the idea of Laurence ever keeping much time with his daughter only a way to rope the doctor in until the time would come that it’d be taken away. The idea of it almost choked Laurence in his rebuttal, he could feel the agitation and anger rise, but he wouldn’t make a scene. Not here of all places.

“And until it comes, I plan on keeping my time with her. The war will come, and I said I’d join, like a man to my word. But until then, I expect you to remain one to your own. You already have me chained to this place, but I won’t let you chain Sophia’s hopes of having me here. When it comes, I’ll make sure that I send her off…Boarding School someone far from the place. But until that time comes, I’ll keep her safe. I’ll keep her happy.”

He hadn’t wanted to hear Howard speak on the man’s past beloved as if he had known her. He didn’t know anything of the Whateleys as yet here he spoke as if he were an uncle or family friend.

“My promise to her mother, and myself, will be done…That, you don’t have to tell me about. Now, I want to spend time with my child, Howard. If there is nothing else you came to inform me about in this conversation, I suggest you say your final goodbyes to Sophia and leave us be. The breakrooms need refilling today, anyways.”

howard slayte

"Not what you said when you told me to join the damn org, Howard. My off days are my off days. Rocket or not."

He tried to quote words as if they meant something to the man, promises on paper could only do so much when the person could ignore them, and who exactly would he go to about it? Human Resources? He’d have a better time trying to catch Dialga.

Howard’s backward compliment hadn’t flattered as it was supposed to, Laurence knowing the tone being as unreal as the simulations they’d brave together. Instead, he simply listened, letting Howard get his words out, the urge to reply simply burning inside him till he was done.

“I plan on continuing to, regardless of whether I am lucky or not."

This came with a fierceness now, with Laurence’s eyes attempting to burn a hole through the ground when he could respond. Sophia was more than lovely to the doctor; she was everything to him. And he’d keep her that way, ignorant of both his and the world’s issues, of Howard, and the sacrifices that had and would have to be made. He wasn’t going to let her know of it. Not yet.

“As for why she’s still here? Her mother, Diana, had passed away a little over four years ago…She too was from here, so you can easily guess where her family had been. As for mine, I don’t have any living relatives who could take her in, and the last thing I want is for her to lose me too. So, she won't. That much is easy to understand.”

The doctor turned to do a quick check on the girl, she quietly waiting for her father to return. Laurence made sure not to break character, to give a faint smile as if he were simply recounting the weather or a fond memory, just to keep the girl’s worry at bay.

“It’s what I owe her, and her mother.”

howard slayte

Howard speaking her name brought an involuntary movement from Laurence, a twitch of his lips trying to hold off the scowl that would soon come. He couldn’t speak her name so casually, speak as if he hadn’t dangled her existence like a carrot in front of him. Hearing it could only be akin to hearing the click of a gun being readied to be shot. The question would be, who would come out alive at the end of it?

The reasoning for their meeting hadn’t been a lie, but Laurence had wished that it never happened. He’d have let Howard freeze to death on that cot if he had the chance to do it again, watch as Rocket lost an admin if only he’d be skillful enough to simply escape the watchful gazes from the organization.

Sophia nodded along, going with whatever narrative the man created of her father. Laurence had always been someone who seemed to have a heart full of gold, that much didn’t need much evidence for.

“Well, you’re super lucky! My Dad is very good at doctoring…But okay, you can speak to him. Is that okay with you Dad?”

The request could have been declined, and he could have left Howard foolishly waiting for a conversation that could never happen, but there was no way that he’d have gone without it. Sophia had so innocently perched herself beside the basket, as if to watch over it while the two men talked.

“It’d be a pleasure to talk with you, Howard…”

He had had answered as well, knowing how Howard planned to play this game. He’d been dealt a losing hand in this, but it wouldn’t mean that he would stop playing all together. If he had to continue, then it’d be on his terms. Laurence said something to Sophia, assuring her that he’d be back in a second, and would only be a few feet from her, beside the dried berries and fruit. And took his leave, waiting for Howard. However, once the Admin had gotten over there, Laurence would be the first to speak.

“What do you want, Howard. I am off the clock and you know it.”

@magnetic

His daughter had remained ignorant of it, of why her father had been stilled and almost growled at the man before them. Howard’s politeness came off as genuine to his daughter, but to Laurence, he knew there was nothing truly nice about him, pawing his child off as an excuse to bring him into Rocket, to fight…The man was everything but polite. The brief movement of Sophia placing the apples in the cart brought the words to his throat, his own smile coated in a visible nihilego poison.

Howard moved closer, breaching the threshold of the basket that Laurence kept between them. His cheerfulness plucked a nerve in Laurence, but he played it off, as suave as he could while Sophia watched him with those curious eyes of hers.

“A pleasure to see you as well Howard, I hope you are faring well.”

He’d brushed off the question of the surprise of seeing him shopping in the store. It’d been only one of few others in the area, and fortunately, this one had been the closest to the Whateley’s residence. But he knew that. Rocket knew exactly how many stores were around in the city they’d had commandeered. The admin’s eyes went to the box of frozen food that had littered Laurence’s cart, the red and black coloring bringing a newfound shame in Laurence once he recognized it.

You're stricter on my diet than you are on your own!

The jest had been harmless, enough to at least bring Sophia’s gaze towards Howard once again as she moved toward’s her father direction, her head barely peaking over the cart as she spoke.

“Are you one of my Daddy’s patients? He is always so strict on food but look at these!”

Her hand rummaged in the cart for a second showing the RedBouffalants, a past-time favorite energy drink for the doctor, innocently showing them off to the man as Laurence blanched. A nervous but controlled laugh came from him, his hand coming to Sophia’s ginger hair, ruffling it up a bit from its neat braids. They looked identical, a spitting image of one another.

“Doctors can eat what they’d like in moderation, and unfortunately for Mr. Slayte, I had him on a strict diet due to his personal life, I don’t want him wasting away in my office…But forgive me for my rudeness, this is my daughter. Sophia.”

It felt like giving gold over when he handed the name to Howard, as if he were simply giving an entry to a door that had been carefully kept shut. Sophia smiled at the man, the introduction a pleasantry for her, and in turn, a way to enjoy seeing someone new.

“Nice to meet you Mr. Slayte. What are you shopping here for? We were going to find what to eat for dinner.”

howard slayte

Days off didn’t come by easy, the time he had seemed to dwindle more and more with the upcoming cases of those who had eaten the strange mochi exponentially growing by the week. First, it had been his Wednesdays off that had been turned into frantic calls from the hospital, then his Fridays…And then finally, his Sundays. He’d damn near had to curse the head director of the hospital for him to take this day for himself. For Sophia. Luckily, he hadn’t been fought on the idea.

“Dad, there’s the cereal I want, can I get it?”

The voice brought him from his internal stir, two orange irises looking right at him as he had to reintroduce his surroundings to himself. Ah…Yeah, he was at the grocery store. He watched as the young girl weaved through the aisles, making her way while his cart followed her. The girl put two into the cart, the brand covered up by the myriad of colors that the box showed, childishly scrounging her face as if to weigh her options as her father picked up the box. Laurence eyed the box, looking at the nutrients listed on the small label…

“What the hell are they putting in these things? 120 grams of sugar…Jeez, you’ll be bouncing off the walls.”

He muttered under his breath, earning a glance from the young lady. Her smile brightened, showing a few missing teeth.

“I was promised remember? You said that if you’d worked last week I’d get another thing I wanted!”

Her logic had been flawed, the first box would have been what he’d gotten her technically, but with that smile, he couldn’t resist it. He put it back, sighing and giving a shrug, feeling the outline of his smile form on his face. Fine. She’d won this.

“Okay then, since you’re getting this, I’ll expect you to have no protest when you have to go to the dentist…Knowing the sugar in these things, your big kid teeth may never come in unless we get a professional.”

Laurence pushed the cart forward, letting his daughter guide him throughout the store, sometime they’d stop and put each other on trial for the next item they’d put into the car. Her? Frozen PikaHut Pizzas. Him? RedBouffalants. For the moment they shopped, it felt light and easy, and both Father and Daughter seemed to be invested in the shopping until he’d turned on the produce aisle…Sophia had reached for the apples, determined to grab some for both she and her father to enjoy when she’d politely asked a stranger to excuse themselves. The figure moved, and in the strangest moments, Laurence’s heart plunged into his stomach, his smile dropped a bit, but he remained silent. Howard.

“Sophia…”

The Doctor said, defensively, sternly. The girl stilled herself, looking at her father as her orange eyes curiously eyed him. Something must have happened.

howard slayte

After his turn of humiliation at the hands of the Munkidori, life continues, work is done, and humiliation is dosed out like medication. Laurence is forced to endure it all, lest he be corrected by the various examples that the monkey had made of ignorant and rowdy prisoners. He tries his best to stand in line, to keep himself unseen and unheard, especially in the battered and bruised condition he is in.

The dreams had seemed to become more and more vivid, leaving him in a more fevered state than the chain that bound him to his cell at times. There were moments where he felt hot, scorching even as he woke up, his throat parched and demanding water…A complete opposite in regards to the depressing fog that he was used to. He welcomed it, this new change in things.

It would seem that this change would be much more dramatic though, for it would be the last day that feeling seemed to blossom into something more volatile, something that his body seemed to hunger for when he heard the first start of commotion. Freedom. His body lightened up a bit, though not enough to have him forget the limp he had earned from the cruel games before, demanding to yearn for that freedom a bit more as he moved on.

To the bottom.

He could hear a voice inside him call, pulling his legs towards the center platform as droves of prisoners pushed on. Laurence tried to let the crowd carry him a bit, letting his weight lessen even if a little. The wardens, however, took issue with it, a few were caught within the attack’s of the monkey, but as it tries to strike one of the few prisoners that Laruence could see, the pokemon finds that its attack fails, rather, the chain of Laurences’ locks onto the strangers, keeping them bound to one another rendering him immune to the attack for that moment…

“Keep going, I’ll make sure to stick next to ya! Long as you keep pushin’ I should be able to hold them back from getting you!”

Laurence barters, getting an agreement from the stranger as he trudges on towards the center. It would seem that whatever was at the bottom would await everyone soon enough…

---

Ability of Laurence Whateley: Guardian Angel -- Whenever Laurence touches a person, for as long as they are remained in contact, the effects of Munkidori's psychic attacks are lessened. 
UNErxZxy

The man looked like Deerling in headlights the way he looked around the place those eyes of his wary and faintly accusatory...Granted, many would have acted that way had they woken up and found themselves strapped to their cot, no one liked being unable to move, that much he understood.

“There isn’t any need to apologize to me, I’m just saying you are quite the tough patient. I’m sure you helped the nurses know what work would be cut out for them here anyways.”

The doctor shook his head, almost as if waving off the apology and absolving him on the nurse’s behalves. His laugh turned coughing fit seemed to get him a cup of water, in a smooth motion a cup was brought to him to at least alleviate him of it. When Navy was done with his fill, the doctor gently placed the cup on his tray, beside two pills and a needle.

Fuck…Temp really did…a number on me.

“I don’t think just a fight had done you in like this. Unless Tempest planned on leaving you in a damn well ‘near death’s door’ experience, we can add a few more reasons as to why you’re like this. Like first being, the last time you’ve gotten any sort of medical help?”

His words weren’t admonishments, rather they were observations, easily played as concerns too. Laurence took a seat, bringing it up as he moved it towards Navy’s cot, trying to close the distance between them. The next question should have been expected, though judging from Laurence’s facial expression, it was easily shown that the doctor hadn’t heard of him being a prisoner.

“Huh? You’re no prisoner I know of. If you’re worried about the straps, then we did it because you were convulsing pretty heavily. You were a danger mostly to yourself, couldn’t even keep water down without it seeming like you were going to choke on it. As for why you aren’t on the submarine…Let’s say I’m best away from the headquarters. I enjoy my office, I can work freely here.”

With another tone of frankness, Laurence looked back at his clipboard, his eyes scanning through the paperwork he had nearly kept on it as he waited for another question to be asked by the patient. However, had he and Navy had the same thought, he’d be the first one to answer them.

“If it makes you feel better, I can loosen them. However, I can’t tell you what running will do with you. You have a few stitches that will need to be looked at again, running and trying anything dumb could tear them. So all I ask of ya is to go and stay still and answer a few questions of mine too.”

Michael Navidson

He'd only have Regice to bet on hope, the only Pokémon he felt could have even stood a chance against the raging golem. Anything else would have been useless...And while there was little to show that the Pokémon he'd unleashed would listen to him, it did seem to recognize its current wielder. A series of unintelligible beeps sounded once more, each rapidly going as they conversed before something ungodly had been heard.

The sound was similar to glass shattering, perfectly uniform and yet devasting simultaneously. The sights followed such too, the translucent shards of Regice caving into one another as if he were nothing but grains of sand pieced together. The destruction left a bloody mark on it, courtesy of the newfound pieces of bloody material that the Regirock had grafted onto itself. Laurence damn near wanted to hurl, the only pieces remaining stained with a tint of red. Almost immediately, Regice was lost.

ün ün ün ün ün ün AAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOORRRRXT 01001000

That cryptic sound came again as if it were confirming the death of its fallen opponent, and quickly it turned its front to them.

ün ün ün ün ün ün

For a large being, it moved surprisingly fast, the rock platting sending Howard flying towards the corpses almost immediately, Laurence watching as the man nearly was crushed under the force of it. Another crack sounded out, this one just as grotesquely musical as Regice’s final appearance.

"HOWARD!"

Laurence turned around back to face the behemoth of stone as it rose its fist, ready to send him too back to his maker. His legs urged him to move, but the signal to his muscles died along with his chances of surviving it. He looked at the creation in fear, as it came down with its heavy hand–

Simulation complete.

He let out a hard gasp. His body, taut and plucked, as if a violin. He wanted to vomit–No, he did vomit. The goggles felt suffocating, a feeling that he could only associate with how his patients must have felt during surgery, before some poor scientist went to pull them off of him, commenting on how he should drink some water.

“Ye–yeah…Water please…”

He managed to speak, his voice hoarse and broken. But, as he waited for such, he could only see his vision fade a bit. In a brief moment of lucidity, his head turned to Howard, the only outline of his figure still as ever while he dreamt through the simulation, and soon enough, the man passed out too.

howard slayte

The world stayed white for a moment, letting the doctor stew in his newfound wish while Howard looked at him, defeat and bewilderment marking what little feature the admin had. And oddly, while guilt racked through his body, a sense of relief had been hidden inside him.

He had wished that Rocket had lost. That Rocket had never set foot in Sootopolis. 

"Don't ask why Howard."

Laurence responded, almost reflexive, with an instinct to cover himself from his choice. it was logical, something that anyone in his position would have chosen and died for if they'd been in such...And yet, now that it was here, he could see the betrayal Howard marked it as. He couldn't look at the man beside him, rather for that moment, Laurence stared at the blank ground underneath him, simply letting his mind drift back to when he had the tag in his hand. If the wish had called out to him if it'd be true...Then...THEN...

Rebooting... Next stage.

It was the announcement from the system that killed his thoughts then. The mechanical words are sharper than any needle, and more potent than any poison. In a second he could feel his vision blur, his body demanding to break into pieces, but he kept silent. Of course, it was a simulation. The wish wasn't real. The doctor closed his eyes, grappling with the thought of it. It was a simulation. It was a simulation.

He'd open them once again whenever he heard the screams of people. He'd heard many cries, but blood-curdling screams had been things he'd not been accustomed to, nor the sound of rock being launched at anything moving. What he'd seen, had been terrible, the bloody carcasses of others spawned along the walls, painting the glyphs in dark hues of red. The doctor took a step forward to try to find some sort of cover for himself, but he was greeted next, by a Pokémon already finding the new intruders on the scene with ease. It'd donned the same patterns as its brethren, but its material had been all the more different. Where Regice had had sleek ice, this being had been born of chiseled fine rock. 

Regice? 

Laurence could hear Howard say, the voice beside him but when he turned, Regirock had already started to launch its assault, its giant fist aiming to beat the man to death with its natural club. It would be only seconds before it would connect, that club so close to Howard that had the screen of thick mist not covered for the man to dodge, he too may have been a fresh display on the walls. A cold descended upon them, and then a confirmation, coherent in a few beeps. Laurence dropped the ball, its contents empty before he too was consumed in the fog, the only thing in front of him, a new entity. Regice. 

---

HNpun1KU
howard slayte

It had been hellish from the repetitiveness of dreams to the hellish beatings from the chained creature below them to the torture of simply being ridiculed by others. It became a cycle, waking up in almost the same degree of cold sweats, and enduring the rest, the only prayer from the doctor being that he’d be the only one he knew having to go about it.

It had started simple, Laurence having to scarf down the mochi with as much regret as possible, hoping it would at least subdue that growing and demanding feeling of sludge going through his body. It’d been a week now, and it had seemed like clockwork the toxic chain would do as much damage to his system as it could before the first meal would be given. Sometimes if he hadn’t eaten what he could without having it come back up, it’d linger, like a hangover that refused to be cured, having him silently wish for death to come and sweep him up like the mochi they’d pick up from the basement floors.

Today, however, would be different. That repetitiveness would be broken right after he’d eaten his “fill” of mochi. A tightness would surround his throat, playfully teetering on the edge of crushing his windpipe and leaving him gasping for air, before he’d find himself going towards the center of the ward, his destination. Right towards that damned Baboon of a Warden. Munkidori hadn’t been gentle with its incoming person, dropping him quite haphazardly onto the ground with a thud as Laurence gripped his chest for a moment, almost hoping that the lighter pressure would trick himself into pulling in some sort of air. But the monkey had little care of how long it’d take him, the game would begin…It raised a hand in the air.

“How many fingers am I holding up?”

A megalopolan would ask, the translator looking at the writhing doctor and the Warden with such a stoic expression. Laurence continued to clutch his chest, trying to bring life into his already stressed lungs. A second passed…Then two. Then three. And once Laurence could get an actual breath in, he gave the paw a look, spotting only 3, but when it came to his lips…

“Four.”

“The answer is three.”

The megalopolan responded almost immediately, the monkey snickered in glee before its eyes glowed a proud purple, the aura tensing around Laurence as well before he was sent flying toward the group of prisoners watching. Hurdling into a few, who were unlucky to catch the hurtling man.

“Come back up and take another guess. We shall do it until you answer correctly.”

The interpreter said once again, waiting for Laurence to stand up. The doctor took a moment but found that there was little reward in provoking it, rather he walked back to the center. This time, the monkey raised 2 fingers. Laurence sighed, fixing his lips to say the answer, but once again it came out wrong.

"Five."

And in almost the same manner, he found himself being flung again, this time, towards another direction. 

"Come up once again", the megalopolan said again, his blank tone only bringing a wary wave of fatigue through the doctor. This would be a long hour. 

---

W62q4ZHi

TLDR:
* Laurence goes through the motions 
* Laurence is then chosen for the Laughing Hour 
* Laurence gets fucked over multiple times in the number game