Eyes locked. With this new enemy in sight, BARNABY FINCH readied himself for yet another battle. What he didn't know, however, was that there was another person hiding nearby.

Barnaby's GALLADE was the one who first noticed the HYPNOSIS issued from the shadows, and it was his GALLADE who acted without instruction - on impulse, even. To save his trainer.

The GALLADE TELEPORTed in front of Barnaby, taking the HYPNOSIS head on so that the ROCKET executive wouldn't be rendered unconscious and left at the hands of these League combatants. The effect was immediate; the Blade Pokémon staggered backwards but attempted to stave off sleep without success. He was about to slump to the ground until a gaping, toothy maw rushed toward them.

Leonidas Stone's GARCHOMP was wickedly fast. Too fast for Barnaby to release another Pokémon in time. Within seconds it's teeth were sunk into the GALLADE's chest, CRUNCHing and gnashing as soon as it made contact. The force of the blow had even sent them tumbling into Barnaby, leaving him supine in the dirt with his GALLADE on top of him. With this proximity Barnaby was able to hear his Pokémon's last shaky, pained breath.

Frothed blood and sticky drool fell from the GARCHOMP's clenched jaws and onto Barnaby's mask and upper torso. The scent in the air was distinctly metallic, intermixed with the earthy smell of wet dirt and hot, fishy breath. As Barnaby stared up at his Pokémon's killer, dark, predatory eyes stared back.

Was this how his life would end? Mauled to death by a GARCHOMP?

He tried to scramble away, to withdraw a Poké Ball from his belt, but the combined dead weight of his GALLADE and the GARCHOMP above him proved too much to do any such thing. Instead, a hidden knife was shimmied from his sleeve and worked into his palm. Barnaby gripped the hilt until his knuckles turned white and then attempted to plunge it into the shark's snout.

If he was going to die here, it wouldn't be without a fight.

• hidden identity (masked)
• GALLADE used TELEPORT, putting itself between Barnaby and the HYPNOSIS
• GALLADE is fast asleep!
• GALLADE is killed by GARCHOMP's CRUNCH
• Barnaby tries to stabby stabby the GARCHOMP

+ 50 MP for participating in a battle
+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
+ 200 MP for Pokémon death
TOTAL: 260 MP

☉

there are many ways this could have gone - and death wasn't something she expected to see. [break][break]

at least, not at the hands of her partner; she expects to see it coming from her, with how careless she can be when lives are at stake - but that's the old marisol, isn't it? when the cries of people and pokemon echo down the hallways of an older, run down laboratory where the sun don't shine. she takes a deep breath, watching the bloodied scene unfold, and she knows it's already too late to stop it when the garchomp has rushed towards it with an open jaw, with the speed as it soars. [break][break]

it acts too fast for her to call out a medic pokemon, too fast for her to swap out for her blissey to mitigate the damage that comes from the merciless bite, when the bones crack and the cartilage can be heard; then it finally sinks in when the body is discarded by a surprised garchomp. to their enemy, it looks like a cruel slaughter. to marisol, it looks like a genuine mistake. [break][break]

metal is mixed with earthy mud (it's hard to be unfamiliar with death when you're so well acquainted) and the stench is something that serves to make the woman perk up, and go on higher alert when the glint of silver finds a way to sliver into a man's hand. her immediate reaction is to tug at her pokeball, only for the voice of her gengar to abruptly shatter the silence with a brief "GEH". [break][break]

another man drops from above, not far away from her now, and she could have sworn that she's seen this mask somewhere; though that doesn't matter now, because when she sees it she quickly snags at another pokeball, swapping out the gengar who's fallen to the ground and can't get up with a large, round blissey. "embryo, light screen!" she commands as the blue light fades. it's not enough when the wind is already blowing and the petals are starting to slash at slightly thicker clothing, but a veil of brief yellow coats both her and Leonidas Stone 's team to mitigate remaining damage. [break][break]

then the figure reappears again, when he petals fade and the fog has cleared out, somewhat. dual-toned eyes glare through disheveled bangs to catch the vision of a gun in hand - something she's so painstakingly familiar with (and had she not treated herself her leg would still tremble from the lead that was only shot once in her leg). her blissey tries to stand in front of her, but she raises a hand to stop her. [break][break]

she wanted to avoid death, but death is still looking for her (and he wants her to pay her due). [break][break]

but where has she seen this one before? [break][break]

she doesn't move seeing the glint of dark metal, though now she's put in an icky position with a weapon pointed at her person. instead, she narrows her eyes to Leonidas Stone briefly, to quickly bark "be careful." with furrowed brows. then she maintains a glare to an armed Martín del Mar . [break][break]

fuck.

[break][break]

> GENGAR went GEH upon being stepped on[break]
> mari's having fecking FLASHBACKS[break]
> swaps GENGAR for BLISSEY to LIGHT SCREEN (and halve SPRINGTIDE STORM)

[break]

---

[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]
+10MP for a sneak attack[break]
+10MP for assisting another character and/or pokemon[break]
+50MP for participating in a battle[break]
+10MP per IC post

+10MP for assisting another character and/or pokemon[break]
+10MP per IC post[break]
TOTAL: 100 MP

Leonidas Stone + BARNABY FINCH + Martín del Mar

☉

He could feel it growing inside the pit of his stomach. Clawing its way upward until it laid heavy in his chest, cutting off the air he might have used to scream in the face of such massive teeth.

Fear. The anxiety of impending death.

Barnaby would ignore it for as long as he could.

Cold steel made contact with flesh. Blood immediately welled around the hilt of the knife and dripped downward, onto his deceased GALLADE's chest. Feeling the give of his blade within the GARCHOMP's snout, Barnaby was about to swing for a second hit before a sharp whistle broke him from his frenzied attack. A wave of familiar petals followed moments later, as did the relief of a weight taken off of him. The GARCHOMP had been recalled.

Barnaby wasted no time; his GALLADE was immediately pushed aside and left in the dirt as he sprung to his feet. A sweeping glance around the field showed him several things: two League combatants stood before him, now with a PRIMARINA and a BLISSEY, an all-too recognizable BRAVIARY hovered in the air above them... and Martín del Mar was there, too.

He'd saved him.

As much as Barnaby wanted to express his thanks in that moment, there would be time for that later. The battle wasn't over yet, as evidenced by the SING that had just left the PRIMARINA's lips - this time aimed at Mars himself. Within seconds Barnaby's hand was on his belt and releasing another of his Pokémon. As the Luxury Ball snapped open, he shouted his command,

"Protect!"

• hidden identity (masked)
• barnaby's feeling hella grateful for being saved ♡
• STARMIE used PROTECT to block SING

+ 50 MP for participating in a battle
+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
+ 200 MP for Pokémon death
+ 10 MP for assisting another character/Pokémon
TOTAL: 280 MP

☉

she can't help but wonder:[break][break]

he sounds familiar, doesn't he? although maybe she's deluding herself with the sound of a muffled voice. so she maintains a steady and cautious glare towards the man who points a gun at her, with slight annoyance that the man who was rescued take advantage of the scene so conveniently taking place. she sighs; mari didn't want any violence - she just wanted to take someone in during this mission. she's long since moved on from killing those she captures, although maybe rocket hasn't realize that yet. [break][break]

you can't resesarch when every researcher has been killed in this god forsaken region. [break][break]

and though it's godforsaken, it's still the region she lives in, and the region she tends to come back to, for better or for worse. really, she'd like to just set up a small little clinic on the side to live and tend for, maybe spend her entire life working in a local clinic, peacefully. without all of these faction fights and power striving. we can't have that if the region is gone for good. [break][break]

"embryo" so she starts, watching as the large, panda-esque pokemon starts to charge up, claws planted in the ground. she doesns't need to command it, and the egg quickly moves away from the punch that's so fixated on her. it's not difficult to dodge, thankfully. [break][break]

it doesn't look like the pokemon is intent on attacking her, though, which is a good thing. [break][break]

now her attention is on the man in red.. or his mask. where has she seen this mask before? it's starting to irritate her, until the familiar image clicks, and her glare grows cold. [break][break]

ah, yes. that one. they ran into that one. [break][break]

"careful with that one." she says, though she can deal with herself. it's times like these where she wishes she had a pokemon with protect, but she doesn't doubt that the enemy has some sort of counter for that, too. as usual, she'd like to focus on the support; she'll be alright. probably.[break][break]

.. she'd like to do more, though.[break][break]

"sweet kiss." she quietly commands the pokemon, who blows out a sweet, pink heart from her lips, and sends it in the direction of the URSHIFU. the less pokemon and people they have to deal with, the better.

[break][break]

> MARI recognizes Martín del Mar, kind of, but now she's hella on guard with the gun still pointed at her.
> BLISSEY avoids DYNAMIC PUNCH[break]
> BLISSEY uses SWEET KISS on URSHIFU

[break]

---

[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]
+50MP for participating in a battle[break]
+10MP for a sneak attack[break]
+10MP for assisting another character and/or pokemon[break]
+50MP for participating in a battle[break]
+20MP per IC post (2 posts)[break]
+10MP for assisting another character and/or pokemon[break]

+10MP for assisting another character and/or pokemon[break]
+10MP per IC post[break]
TOTAL: 120 MP

Leonidas Stone + BARNABY FINCH + Martín del Mar

☉

Triumphant in their assist, Evangeline turned to the new Pokémon released by Leonidas Stone and waved their periwinkle arms in angry resolve. ELECTIVIRE was not exactly an optimal match-up, though, and before Barnaby could issue his commands the electric-type was already unleashing a DISCHARGE of energy onto the field.

The STARMIE withstood the attack without fainting, but was obviously greatly injured in the aftermath. They staggered backward and their arms began to fall limp. Silently, Barnaby recalled his Pokémon and reached for an odd-looking Poké Ball on his belt. It looked similar to a Cherish Ball, but with a distinctly dark coloration.

SHADOW STEELIX appeared seconds later.

He was a gargantuan, hulking beast, standing forty feet tall from the ground to the base of his bulbous head. Unlike most representatives of the species, this particular STEELIX was darkly crystalline in structure with only glimpses of the usual steel alloy patchworked along his body. Most noticeably, however, were the quartz-like protrusions jutting out from all angles; even within the hazy fog they glinted beautifully, yet there seemed to be a shadowy, ominous power emanating from their cores...

Predatory eyes surveyed the battle. The STEELIX immediately honed in the ELECTIVIRE in front of him and acted with a startling speed, not bothering to wait on his trainer's orders. His heavy tail slammed into the ground... moments later the EARTH surrounding Leonidas Stone' Pokémon erupted with POWER.

• hidden identity (masked)
• STARMIE was hit by DISCHARGE
• SHADOW STEELIX is sent out
• SHADOW STEELIX used EARTH POWER on ELECTIVIRE

+ 50 MP for participating in a battle
+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
+ 200 MP for Pokémon death
+ 10 MP for assisting another character/Pokémon
TOTAL: 290 MP

☉

the urshifu changes, and doesn't it just act as confirmation? [break][break]

it's all the confirmation that she needs, now she'd rather not deal with someone she used to know (someone who was sick, head so filled with power, someone whose ambition can sometimes overshadow what he intends to bite off). the urshifu's appearance changes, and there's a cringe in her continuous glare. "brace yourself, emmy." she softly commands the blissey. it's not in hopes it can withstand it; it's in hopes it will survive. [break][break]

the egg pokemon stands her ground that time, although the swift dash from the urshifu now hits the blissey, who lets out a higher, pained squeal as she flies into the air and plops onto the ground with her round body. when marisol takes a closer look, she isn't dead, and that's enough to have marisol let out a soft sigh of relief when she pulls out her pokeball to quickly recall her. [break][break]

she's keeping a sharp eye out - she isn't one to move carelessly when there's a firearm aimed at her - and when she sees an opening, her hand hovers over the pokeball and she gives the command. "on all of them." now she speaks, with a cold glare at the overbearing steelix and urshifu. they're towering, and scary, and their massive sizes can make anyone shake in their boots;[break][break]

but what she's had to face in rocket, was scarier than any pokemon. [break][break]

in the midst of darkness and fog, a whistle comes from the blue glow of the pokeball. a sylveon pops out, with a smile on her lips all the same as ribbons flutter in the air. marisol doesn't like attacking, and would sooner assist and heal at the businessman's side. she's a healer, but..[break][break]

"light of ruin." she commands, she doesn't care if it hits the trainers, either. it likely won't kill them, anyways. the intention was to take them in quietly, for questioning - but if her suspicions are correct, then maybe knocking them out would be a better idea. [break][break]

with the order, the pokemon begins to use it - until there's the glow of a bright, pink radiance from a gemstone on the sylveon. the light is transformed from a magenta, and an eerie light extends from the sylveon instead. the zone and battlefield becomes something of a bright cosmo, with the sylveon standing on solid ground and, with a cute cry and grin on its face (she's toying with them, and she enjoys it - much more than her trainer is), its ribbons extend and commands countless stars from its space to attack at the mega evolved bear; the stars are magenta in colour, scaling with the power of LIGHT OF RUIN it took the place of.

[break][break]

> BLISSEY is knocked out :dorime:[break]
> SYLVEON is called out[break]
> SYLVEON uses TWINKLE TACKLE (from LIGHT OF RUIN) on URSHIFU[break]
> used z-crystal from the clamperl dive :dorime:

[break]

---

[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]
+50MP for participating in a battle[break]
+10MP for a sneak attack[break]
+30MP for assisting another character and/or pokemon (3 times)[break]
+50MP for knockout on BLISSEY[break]
+40MP per IC post (4 posts)[break]

TOTAL: 180 MP

Leonidas Stone + BARNABY FINCH + Martín del Mar

☉