deep blue [m]

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

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played by

thorn

the Harbinger
he/him
37
october 28th
circhester, galar
demisexual
the harbinger
underboss
I want corruption, I think I'm the devil in disguise.
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8,614 posts
part of
TAG WITH @gavin
Cillian Quinn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Mar 31, 2021 6:45:23 GMT
Cillian Quinn Avatar
In the deep blue waters of Route 128, a Dhelmise drifts slowly to the ocean floor. Sun fails to penetrate this far beneath the waves, leaving the sickly glow of Gavin's diving light as the only solace in the gloom. It curves across the seabed as he turns his head to survey his surroundings. Beneath the mask, his lip curls.

was alone, then. Excellent.

Though his heart flutters uneasily in his chest at the water that presses all around him, a comforting weight in his thoughts reminds him that he is not alone. Red eyes blink at him from the deep; so long as Lugia was with him, he was safe.

Gavin breaches the waters of the Seafloor Cavern swiftly and quietly, the only sound from his flippered feet as they slap gently against damp stone. He could not be far behind his prey. Wings flutter softly in shadow as an Aerodactyl is released, the dark predator's jaws dripping saliva as it hones in on its target. It pushes off from the cavern wall and glides down a passage, and Gavin follows.

They wait until their quarry heads down a passage with no exit, then strike.

Aerodactyl dives from above, surprisingly agile for a creature of its size. It roars, the sound echoing through the cavern. With his shadow Pokémon blocking the exit, Gavin steps from the shadow. He is unrecognizable thanks to the diving gear, only his jaw visible as he lowers the breathing apparatus to speak.

"I heard you've been asking questions about shadow Pokémon."

He turns his head to Aerodactyl, the dim light from his helmet catching on shards of black crystal that seem to swallow it whole.
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played by

Banished

Ro
He/Him/His
24
April 14th
Wyndon, Galar
Bisexual
Grunt
Ex-Rocket Beast
shelter
from the storm
5'10 height
5'10 height
It's a long way forward, so trust in me.
awards
1,762 posts
Rowan Wrynn DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @row
Rowan Wrynn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 2:34:12 GMT
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    “Pretty cool isn’t it, Mistral?” Rowan asked his Piplup as he shook some of the water out of his hair, watching his companion waddle across the rocky surface of the floor and let out a few amazed trills. Setting down the water-proof lantern he’d brought along, Rowan knelt down and flipped the ignition switch to illuminate the cavern in his immediate area. A few Pokemon dwelling in the darkness scuttled away immediately as the glow struck them, disappearing deeper into the Seafloor Cavern to seek out safety from the light. “Should be safe, I think they are more scared of us then we are of them.” Mistral let out a trill of worry, looking around the shadows as if there was something darker lurking within them. “Would be kind of a waste to go back now, mate.” Rowan reasoned with his Piplup, receiving a confident nod in return as the Pokemon summoned its courage to press forward. “That’s my little guy, let’s go explore.” He let out a small chuckle, picking up the lantern in order to press on further into the darkness.

    “Huh?” Rowan stopped suddenly, convinced that he’d heard an echo sound from behind him, but not able to see anything past the lantern light. “Hello?” No response, had it been in his mind? Places like this were known for messing with your senses, the appearance of sounds and sights in the darkness that aren’t really there. “Guess it was noth-...” This time the noise was incredibly real, some Pokémon roaring behind him with a ferocity he’d never yet experienced until this moment. “Fuck!” Rowan’s outburst was in tandem with the squeal that Mistral let out, turning around and backing himself against the rocky wall of the cavern. “Who...who are you?” Shadow Pokémon, how did they know? He’d taken an interest recently because of the power they provided, remembering that at one point his parents had been researching a cure for the disease they called ‘Shadowing’. Asking these questions and putting his nose into the business of the wrong people seemed to have caught up with him, eyes darting between the strange man with the scuba gear and the abnormal Aerodactyl.

    This situation was fight or flight now, and he wasn’t about to die in some damp fucking cavern underneath the ocean. “Mistral, do it!” Rowan expected his Piplup to generate a mighty Whirlpool that would wash away his enemies and provide an escape, but when he looked down at his companion all he saw was the small form shaking violently with fear. “Damn it…” A hand reached down to the Pokeballs at his waist, attempting to grab for the one that contained his Metang. It would be up to Gavin to stop him from making this situation worse than it already was, as Rowan was prepared to fight his way out of this place dead or alive.





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played by

thorn

the Harbinger
he/him
37
october 28th
circhester, galar
demisexual
the harbinger
underboss
I want corruption, I think I'm the devil in disguise.
awards
8,614 posts
part of
TAG WITH @gavin
Cillian Quinn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 3:39:07 GMT
Cillian Quinn Avatar
Rowan would see a sharp smile curl across Gavin's lips; in contrast to the other's panic, the scuba-clad stranger appears calm and unconcerned by the man's fight-or-flight instinct.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you."

Muted flashes of red light reveal more of his Pokémon: a snarling Sandslash who spreads frost from its claws, a Corviknight whose metal wings glint dangerously in the pale light, and an Eelektross whose maw reveals razor-sharp shards of crystal in place of teeth.

"It wouldn't end well for you, or your friend here."

As Gavin gestures to the terrified Piplup, a sudden breeze disrupts the still air of the underwater cavern. Wisps of dark fog curl through the cave, and the Sandslash at the front of the pack growls. Gavin lifts a hand, and the creature falls silent.
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played by

Banished

Ro
He/Him/His
24
April 14th
Wyndon, Galar
Bisexual
Grunt
Ex-Rocket Beast
shelter
from the storm
5'10 height
5'10 height
It's a long way forward, so trust in me.
awards
1,762 posts
Rowan Wrynn DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @row
Rowan Wrynn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 5:23:22 GMT
Rowan Wrynn Avatar


    “I wouldn’t do that, if I were you.” Rowan’s hand stopped moving as the words echoed through the cavern, his fingers beginning to tremble with a fear that he’d never known before in his life. Challenges had presented themselves over the years that were difficult to surmount, but never before had he come close to death until this moment. As much as he willed himself to move forward, Rowan’s body wouldn't be obliged, paralyzed entirely in the wake of these twisted and unnatural Pokémon. They were unlike anything he’d seen before, macabre facsimiles of the Pokémon they represented, and the exact phenomena he’d been so interested in prior to seeing one staring him down with bloodthirsty eyes. “I-i…” Words came to his lips but immediately retreated back into his throat, threatening to choke him as they hid from the danger that lay outside his mouth.

    A million thoughts raced through his mind, but there was only one that he cared about as he stared down certain doom. He’d never see Adrian again, and they wouldn’t know what even happened to him. It was gut wrenching to even imagine. “...Alright…” Arms dropped to Rowan’s side limply, resigning himself to putting his fate in the hands of this stranger and the monsters he commanded. “...w-what do you want?” Bargaining, one step closer to acceptance along the trail of grief and the possible relief it presented. “...I don’t know anything, I swear.” Rowan knew more than he was letting on, but that only served to push him further into the flames, for now he’d have to play dumb and hope it spared him.

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played by

thorn

the Harbinger
he/him
37
october 28th
circhester, galar
demisexual
the harbinger
underboss
I want corruption, I think I'm the devil in disguise.
awards
8,614 posts
part of
TAG WITH @gavin
Cillian Quinn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 5:38:22 GMT
Cillian Quinn Avatar
"Strange thing to say for a man with nothing to hide." Gavin's laughter echoes. "What am I meant to believe you know nothing about?"

is scared, which is good — fear meant desperation, meant he might say more than was wise in an attempt to save his own skin.

"I want to know what you're after. Ask too many questions, you're bound to attract the wrong kind of attention."

He wouldn't be the first to indulge a dangerous curiosity, but he was the first to ask the right people, where Gavin was concerned. Rocket's intelligence network wasn't infinite, but it was far-reaching enough in Hoenn that Rowan had tripped more than one alarm with his inquiries. From what surveillance he'd performed, Wrynn had no shadow Pokémon of his own.

Why, then, was he so curious about them?
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played by

Banished

Ro
He/Him/His
24
April 14th
Wyndon, Galar
Bisexual
Grunt
Ex-Rocket Beast
shelter
from the storm
5'10 height
5'10 height
It's a long way forward, so trust in me.
awards
1,762 posts
Rowan Wrynn DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @row
Rowan Wrynn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 6:10:16 GMT
Rowan Wrynn Avatar



    Rowan cursed himself internally as the stranger questioned his admission of ignorance, having let the fear get to him and make a blunder that couldn’t be easily reversed. “I…” He hesitated on his words, thinking them over carefully for a moment to avoid digging himself a similar hole. “...wanted to know about Shadow Pokémon.” Information was what the stranger was after, and Rowan had to play along to a certain degree. “I’ve heard...they are stronger than any normal Pokémon.” This wasn’t exactly a secret, those that knew of this phenomena were drawn to the concept for this reason. “I’m...weak.” Rowan admitted, perhaps for the first time even to himself. “...I came to Hoenn to make something of myself, but I found out quickly I’m no stronger than anyone else.” This much was clear with the more time he’d spent around Adrian, paling in comparison to the strength and will that his Pokémon represented.

    “I...overheard about them when I was living in Galar, after the war.” Rowan assumed that he didn’t need to explain further about what conflict he was describing, since this person seemed well acquainted with the result. “I thought maybe...one of them could help give me the edge I need to not be a failure.” It was more introspective than he intended to be, but lying wasn’t exactly going to win him points with the one that could murder him. What he didn’t know was how obvious it was that he was holding something back from the conversation, exactly how he knew who the right people to talk to were and the right questions to ask them.

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played by

thorn

the Harbinger
he/him
37
october 28th
circhester, galar
demisexual
the harbinger
underboss
I want corruption, I think I'm the devil in disguise.
awards
8,614 posts
part of
TAG WITH @gavin
Cillian Quinn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 6:21:44 GMT
Cillian Quinn Avatar
Gavin listens without interruption, a slight sneer the only hint toward his thoughts.

"Galar, you say?"

Perhaps would realise, in that moment, exactly what mistake he's made. Gavin drops his carefully crafted accent to allow his natural Galarian to come through, edged as it was by Hoennian flair. Too much time spent in this region... but not so much to forget his homeland.

"Shadow Pokémon are native to Hoenn... but you didn't know that, did you?" The smile returns, curved and cruel. "You'd have to know the right people, have access to the right information..."
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played by

Banished

Ro
He/Him/His
24
April 14th
Wyndon, Galar
Bisexual
Grunt
Ex-Rocket Beast
shelter
from the storm
5'10 height
5'10 height
It's a long way forward, so trust in me.
awards
1,762 posts
Rowan Wrynn DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @row
Rowan Wrynn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 6:59:58 GMT
Rowan Wrynn Avatar


    Just when Rowan didn’t think the hole couldn’t get any deeper, he soon found himself waist deep in the one that he was digging and it was getting larger by the moment. They caught onto his mention of where he’d discovered this knowledge, revealing their own hidden Galarian accent to help drive the point home. “Native to Hoenn…” There wasn’t a lie or half-truth that could save him from this one, the stranger smelled blood and before long he would end up getting honesty out of him one way or another. “...I didn’t know that.” Rowan admitted with a grimace on his face, taking a step backwards only to feel the jagged rock of the cavern wall press into his back.

    “My name is Rowan Wrynn, my family owns Wrynn Technologies.” Rowan felt strange saying this aloud for the first time since leaving Galar, as though the words coming from his mouth belonged to someone else. “I know about Shadow Pokémon because my parents were among those contracted by the League to research and attempt to create a device to purify them, permanently.” There was a part of him that felt guilty betraying the trust of his family, despite everything they had done to make his life miserable from the day he was born. “I used their credentials to access our home network remotely and download the research files, that's how I knew so much about them.” The truth, finally what Gavin had been searching for, but Rowan wondered at what cost it may come.

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played by

thorn

the Harbinger
he/him
37
october 28th
circhester, galar
demisexual
the harbinger
underboss
I want corruption, I think I'm the devil in disguise.
awards
8,614 posts
part of
TAG WITH @gavin
Cillian Quinn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 7:35:31 GMT
Cillian Quinn Avatar
"I know your name."

He does not elaborate on how he'd learned it, nor what else he might have discovered. Only a single, ominous statement. Wrynn Technologies were enough of a name in Galar to ring a distant bell, though Gavin couldn't say exactly where he'd heard it before.

Behind the mask, unseen to , his eyes narrow.

"Permanently?" There's an edge to his tone that hadn't been present before. "How much are those research files worth to you?"

There's an undercurrent of threat Gavin doesn't try to hide. From somewhere back toward the cavern's entrance comes the distinct sound of something breaching the surface. A distorted grumble echoes in the distance.

"How willing are you to ensure the League never gets their hands on them?"
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played by

Banished

Ro
He/Him/His
24
April 14th
Wyndon, Galar
Bisexual
Grunt
Ex-Rocket Beast
shelter
from the storm
5'10 height
5'10 height
It's a long way forward, so trust in me.
awards
1,762 posts
Rowan Wrynn DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @row
Rowan Wrynn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 8:40:43 GMT
Rowan Wrynn Avatar

    Rowan honestly wasn’t surprised the stranger knew his identity, he imagined that they would know quite a bit considering they were concerned enough with his interference to confront him here in the Seafloor Cavern. “Yes, permanently.” There was something different about their tone now, as though he’d finally told them information that they didn’t know previously for once. “How much?” Confusion was clear in his voice, not realizing this interrogation had suddenly turned into a negotiation until the stranger offered. Rowan had leverage, but he couldn’t be sure how much of his hand that could be shown before their patience ran short. “Can’t really put a price on freedom.” There was a sad note to his tone, knowing that accessing the information cost him providing his location to his family, meaning he was no longer hidden.

    “I risked everything to get this information, they know where I am because of it.” Rowan took a step towards the stranger, crossing his arms over his chest with a renewed sense of confidence temporarily overcoming his fear. “I’m terrified you’ll kill me, but I’d rather be dead than have my family bring me back to Galar. I’m not going back to that hell, not after I already escaped it once.” Not after he’d found the one person that finally gave his days meaning, and rediscovered friends that he thought he’d lost years ago. “I have no love for the League, but harming them doesn’t help me. Unless you can find a way to get them off my trail, I’m going to my grave with these files. I’m going to be free, one way or another.” Rowan seemed adamant, even in the face of certain demise, he wasn’t going to live a miserable life willingly.

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played by

thorn

the Harbinger
he/him
37
october 28th
circhester, galar
demisexual
the harbinger
underboss
I want corruption, I think I'm the devil in disguise.
awards
8,614 posts
part of
TAG WITH @gavin
Cillian Quinn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 9:04:19 GMT
Cillian Quinn Avatar
"No, you can't."

So it was freedom was after. From who, or what? It doesn't take long to get his answer: they must be his family, the ones whose sensitive information now rested within the youth's hands. Interesting. An unexpected angle, but one Gavin could play with.

He's surprised when Rowan steps toward him, but neither hesitates nor makes any move toward further violence. The Sandslash growls and clicks its claws together, but does not attack without command from its master.

"Kill you?" Gavin laughs. "It's your information I want, not your life. You'll get no favors defending the League, kid. You're new to Hoenn, so I'll give you this for free: the League looks out for its own interests. You won't find your freedom there."

He shakes his head. "Hoenn was one of the worst places you could have run."
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played by

Banished

Ro
He/Him/His
24
April 14th
Wyndon, Galar
Bisexual
Grunt
Ex-Rocket Beast
shelter
from the storm
5'10 height
5'10 height
It's a long way forward, so trust in me.
awards
1,762 posts
Rowan Wrynn DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @row
Rowan Wrynn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 17:26:52 GMT
Rowan Wrynn Avatar


    Rowan’s expression went from indignation to confusion as the stranger laughed at the notion of killing him, especially after the trouble he’d gone through to create such a tense atmosphere with his show of force. “What?” They’d played him for a fool, and if it wasn’t for the fact that he would certainly lose any battle against the nightmare creatures he commanded, Rowan would have immediately leapt into a fight at this point. “I’ve been avoiding the League for a reason. The last thing I want is documents or dossiers with my name on them.” There would be ample time to lick the wounds of his pride later, for now there was a negotiation to be had and angering them would only harm his chances.

    “I didn’t have much of a choice, Hoenn was the first destination available.” Rowan shrugged sadly, realizing this would have revealed his desperation but no longer interested in protecting his motivations since everything had been laid on the table. “It won’t be long before they track the IP address I used and send people after me, either from their company or from the League here.” Rowan was fully aware he’d committed a federal crime stealing those classified documents and could be held liable, which he anticipated would be used against him to force his hand into going back to Galar. “Unless you can cover all this up, I’m fucked either way.”

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played by

thorn

the Harbinger
he/him
37
october 28th
circhester, galar
demisexual
the harbinger
underboss
I want corruption, I think I'm the devil in disguise.
awards
8,614 posts
part of
TAG WITH @gavin
Cillian Quinn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 1, 2021 22:46:16 GMT
Cillian Quinn Avatar
Gavin only smiles wider at 's indignant expression. He'd stepped into a trap, and now he was well aware of it.

"You're of more use to me alive than dead," he elaborates, as casually as if they were chatting about the weather. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I definitely could kill you if I wanted to, but where's the fun in that?"

The smile turns almost sad, wistful, as Rowan admits Hoenn to be his only, desperate chance. Now that was a shame.

"See, the League's in talks with Galar. Got their help during the war, and all that. Galar wants you, the League'll hand you over on a silver platter if they think it'll be to their political benefit." Whether or not that was true mattered little to Gavin in that moment; it was believable enough to run with, knowing the history between the regions. "I'm afraid I can't help you," and he pauses, deliberately, savoring the drama of it all, "but I have friends who can. For a price."

Given the conversation thus far, Gavin's price is fairly clear.

"You've got to really want it, though. This is, ah... let's call it a one-way street." He wonders, then, how much Rowan has heard about Team Rocket since arriving in Hoenn. "Don't get me wrong: this isn't blackmail. Not our style. You want to leave, be my guest." He steps aside, then, reveals the yawning darkness from whence they'd come. "But if you breathe a word to the League, well... it wouldn't be personal, but..."

His smile is sharp, deadly.
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played by

Banished

Ro
He/Him/His
24
April 14th
Wyndon, Galar
Bisexual
Grunt
Ex-Rocket Beast
shelter
from the storm
5'10 height
5'10 height
It's a long way forward, so trust in me.
awards
1,762 posts
Rowan Wrynn DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @row
Rowan Wrynn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 2, 2021 4:16:58 GMT
Rowan Wrynn Avatar


    “...Alright.” Rowan had weighed his choices enough, even though he was aware placing his trust in this stranger was foolish at best and dangerous at worst, the reward was far greater than the risk involved. “You can have it.” There was no price that could be placed on freedom, though Rowan imagined this was as close as one could come without selling their soul in the process. Reaching into the collar of his dampened shirt, Rowan produced what appeared to be a small capsule on the end of a chain. “Here.” It soared across the cavern towards Gavin, lobbed slow enough to allow him to catch it with ease. “It’s water-proof, so don’t worry about the data being damaged.” Were Gavin to open the capsule, inside would be sitting an unlabeled microSD card, allegedly containing the information that was promised to them.

    “What do I have to lose, anyways?” Rowan’s voice was dejected, as though he’d given up entirely in the wake of these unfortunate developments. Either this stranger would come through for him and he could continue to live out his life both happy and free, or he’d be in the same hopeless situation he once was. There was nothing he hated more than not having control over his own destiny, but it wasn’t like he could pull something like this off by himself, and he certainly wasn’t going to leave Hoenn without Adrian. “You have what you want, now what?” Amber eyes once full of fear were now deadened with weariness, wondering if he’d simply be dispatched now that the stranger had what he wanted.

A fitting enough end to the story of his miserable life.

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played by

thorn

the Harbinger
he/him
37
october 28th
circhester, galar
demisexual
the harbinger
underboss
I want corruption, I think I'm the devil in disguise.
awards
8,614 posts
part of
TAG WITH @gavin
Cillian Quinn
deep blue [m]
POSTED ON Apr 2, 2021 5:45:22 GMT
Cillian Quinn Avatar
agrees more readily than expected. Gavin is surprised, but not disappointed; quick reflexes see him snatch the capsule, wisps of fog following the path of his hand through the air. There's no way to check its validity this far below the surface of the sea, but Gavin isn't fussed. If Rowan were lying, it would be him to pay the price.

Now what? That was the question, wasn't it?

"You're new here," he says, and leans against the damp cavern wall. His Pokémon, too, seem more at ease, as if they can sense his shift from predator to ally. "How much have you heard about Team Rocket? And from whom?"
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Celestial Guardians, AU Sailor Moon RP
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