Unknowns....Those who were unknown to him. It was no secret about the mysterious rifts that opened up, and the one that he wanted to explore the most, was the one directly where Dialga had manifested. If he could find a clue as to the Time Dragons whereabouts, this would be the place to do it. The downside....He wasn't alone, a bunch of unknowns were assigned with him, and from what he could tell, they were all rank, and filers like himself. Unimportant in the grand scheme, but that didn't mean he could just let them die. It would look bad for her reputation within the syndicate itself. And so he just waited for the other three to appear.

Dressed up in his Cyber Suit, he had installed Jarvis into it earlier so that he could learn as much about this place they were stepping into as he could. The Porygon-Z would also keep tabs on his diagnostics, since he had upgraded the suit after his run in with Raziel Beckett a little. Nothing to out of the ordinary, just a way to measure his vitals, and help keep himself out of harms way. So that if he was close to death he could retreat at a moments notice. Looking at the small list of names of the ones joining him, he furrowed a hidden brow, not recognizing any of them.

Makoto Kurumi , Cathrine Fisher , and finally nanette bouvier . Three females....Amor had terrible luck with women. They were either his neighbors, and part of a criminal syndicate such as Lulu Flint . Trying to murder him as in the case with Melody Miro . Or potentially unstable like Eva Morales . And he was on a mission, to a another universe with three of them....

"Dialga, please let me live through this...." He said a silent prayer to himself as he did one last check on everything that he was bringing with him.

His six pokeballs which contained most of his heavy hitter pokemon. Along with Jarvis in his suit, his sword, comms device. He was as ready, as he could be. So now it was just a waiting game for the rest of them to appear.

TLDR
Amor is having PTSD about females, and the fact he is being left alone with three.
Prays that he survives.
Amor has brought his Dragonite (Tera Capable), Zeraora, Charizard (Mega Capable), H!Goodra, Dragapult, and Gallade
Amor's Armor
Your characters will know his codename which is Seraphim!

Wild dimensional rifts… It sounded almost like an idea stolen from one of her novels. She would have to sue whoever came up with it.

Nevertheless as a member of Rocket, she would have to partake in the investigation, and not only because information gathering was the one thing she provided Team Rocket. But also because of a personal vested interest in acquiring new inspiration for her next book.

As she walked toward their meeting point, clad in a uniform befitting the purpose. She noticed that she seemed to be the second one to appear. The first being someone in a peculiar full-body armor.

She sent him a curious gaze and a quick greeting wave alongside two words. “Hello there.”


OOC: SECOND!
Location: MECHANICAL KINGDOM
TAGS: Amor Rose / Makoto Kurumi / nanette bouvier

There was something almost funny, about the escalation of tasks that Makoto had been presented with. Certainly, they expected to be put to jobs such as theft - the sort of tasks that Makoto had already done for themself on the streets - or otherwise something like trafficking, that seemed rather run-of-the-mill for a crime syndicate. But the last thing that they expected, was to be sent to investigate a rift into what was basically a whole other pocket dimension, of all things!

Thankfully though, it was not a task that they had to face alone - they had been assigned to a group of four including themself; and even if Makoto knew none of the names that had been listed, they were still people that... They hoped had their back. Ultimately, it was hard to say for sure if any of the three truly did... But they could only hope.

When Makoto came onto the scene, they'd be riding on the back of Nobusuma - clad in a basic uniform, with a jacket worn over it to ward off the chill. Nobusuma would land before Amor Rose and Cathrine Fisher , though the crobat would look the armored ninja up and down in particular with an appraising eye. Whether or not Nobu approved of what he saw though would remain unknown, though, for Makoto would return him to his pokeball once they dismounted.

The only pokemon that Makoto had out now was Kuro - though the little Zorua remained hidden in their shadow, simply watching the duo's surroundings.

Turning to face Amor - or as they knew him, Seraphim - Makoto would bow their head in a respectful greeting. "You must be Seraphim?" They asked, figuring that the individual in a strange set of armor would be more likely to have the moniker of 'Seraphim', as opposed to the other two names provided. Glancing to Cathrine, Makoto would bow their head to her as well, in a similar greeting. "Good to meet you both - my name is Makoto."

Was their greeting and demeanor a little stiff and formal? Perhaps. They didn't know what the best way to go about interacting with fellow Rocket members was, and felt stuck in the tug-and-pull of feeling as though they should keep their guard up, versus the fact that they kind of had (and wanted) to trust them. But, hopefully most of it could be chalked up to them just being an awkward newbie still figuring out their footing.

(and also klinklang Soon)

a sound looms over them. it is subtle, a noise stark in its whiteness, but not quiet. each of them should be able to hear it, for with it the world moves.

tick tock tick tock...

mechanism shifts beneath feet, gears move measured with each second passed. an eighth of a turn, nanette watches one particular tooth for the whole of its lifespan, from death until rebirth, refit right back into another gear.

and it's all so pleasing, isn't it? she finds herself moving in time with it. footsteps measured and choreographed, a series of one-and -two-and-one-and.

she looks up at her peers, stopped at the half second.

today she wears a version of what she wears everyday. a dress. comfort in its fabric, a mid-weight blend of cotton and wooloo wool. it's laced hem hits her knees where pantyhoes cover her. she stands at the center of a glass-plated gear. it moves beneath her, an eighth of a turn.

"hello," she curtsies ever-so-slight, synced with the world around her (tick tock). "i am nanette. i apologize for my tardiness. it's so unlike me. i got a little distracted on the way." 

---

TL;DR: nanette is weird, feels very comfortable. meets them at their agreed coordinates late because she was watching gears. 

Everyone had arrived, including one late arrival, and his eyes narrowed beneath his helmet, but he just sighed in his robot voice. It didn't matter they were about to put each others lives in each others hands. And while he was loathe to trust the girl who had just shown up, due to how airheaded she seemed. He had no choice. They each introduced themselves so he had their names finally. Catherin, Nanette, and Makoto.

At Makoto's question he nodded in affirmation to her, but spoke no further for the moment. He was sizing them up guessing what skills they may possess so they could work together effectively.

"I am going to go out on a limb, and say that none of you have ever done anything like this before have you?" Jarvis was scanning around to make sure there was no one coming around. The last thing he wanted was to have to fight the League before they even entered. "With that in mind I will take point unless any of you have objections." He had no real position of power, but the last thing he wanted to do was to have to explain to oscar clayton why there were three corpses being buried because he let them die. "The place we are going in, is not entirely hospitable to us, I am unsure how long we will be able to stay. Stay close, and do your best to not get separated from one another. This is a marathon not a race." Slow, and steady with a newbie group like this would be the preferred pace.

Especially since none of them had worked together before.

"If you get into trouble, or separated just use this comms device." He said, and he produced a small box with three ear pieces for each of them to grab. "They are already set up for use. Just tap the side of it, and talk, and voila." Came the robotic explanation. "With all of that out of the way, I suppose we should go." Without another word he simply turned his back to them, and began to go down the nearest side street.

Amor of course didn't know if the things here were hostile or not, but he wasn't going to take any chances. It was always best to just assume that everything, and everyone wanted you dead. Walking carefully, and quietly he pressed his back to the wall, and peeked out of the alley to the main street to see what was there. Clockwork Guards, or Volcanion were patrolling the streets along with Clockwork Gallade. Moving with jittery motions as they did their duty, it wasn't unpleasant to watch them in fact he began to hear the sounds of their movements as a song of some sort.

In the distance was their destination, a massive Castle made of metal gears, and steam pipes it appeared. It was a marvel for someone who liked machinery as much as he did. He was about to lead the group across the street into another alley since the guards had passed, but he stopped as he looked up, and saw a massive shadow fly right over them. It didn't seem to have spotted them yet, but grit his teeth.

"We will need to be careful." he whispered so that they would hear him through their ear pieces.

Cathrine Fisher , Makoto Kurumi, nanette bouvier

TLDR
Seraphim takes up the Lead position if there is no objections.
Seraphim gives the other three comms devices for easier communications!
Current position is an alleyway that leads into a mainstreet with patrolling guards.
Castle is not very far away.
Mechanical Corviknight sighted, but it hasn't spotted us yet!

“And I am Cathrine.” She interjected when Makoto and Nanette introduced themselves.

Cathrine wasn’t exactly impressed by the lineup that finally stood before her. But there was little she could do about it. Luckily the robot-ninja-wannabe seemed all too inclined to want to take the lead. And so she almost eagerly replied with. “I have no objections.”

And so the conversation seemed to lead on. First introductory notes on the dangers of the place, quickly followed with Seraphim offering them some communications devices. All of which would simply be granted affirmative nods of agreement as she readied the comm’s piece in her ear.

She was quick to sneak into a position right behind Seraphim, almost becoming one with his shadow as she snuck about. Her eyes and ears worked as much as she could to take in the sights, watch for patterns of walking guardians, and listen to the song of this place, so hauntingly beautiful in its serenade. It was almost as if it was telling her a tale of sorrow, one that ought to be written down and retold.


OOC:
Location: MECHANICAL KINGDOM
TAGS: Amor Rose / Makoto Kurumi / nanette bouvier

Though Makoto could not read Seraphim's face, they nonetheless could practically feel the attention on them - a prying gaze. Though their instincts from before-Rocket wanted them to hide away from such attention like a little zorua - to make a polite exit before anyone can notice a thing and blend into the crowd - they'd attempt to meet Seraphim's gaze evenly instead. It felt dangerous, to show even a sliver of weakness around these people - people that they didn't know, especially. Who knew, whether or not any of their 'teammates' would decide to tear them apart like some small fragile thing for slipping up?

Yet, Nanette's arrival would interrupt that train of thought (a likely dangerous train of thought, anyhow.) As they glanced over to the older woman - dressed as if a pristine doll, and moving like one too - they'd offer a polite smile. "It's good to meet you as well, Nanette." They'd respond to her greeting with a respectful tilt of the head, adding - just incase she wasn't here to catch it - "My name is Makoto."

With introductions out of the way though, came preparations. Seraphim would be the one to take point, with the instruction to stay close and not rush - and Makoto had no issues with that plan. They'd accept the offered earpiece, putting it in and briefly tapping it. "Testing." They spoke into it - and with the confirmation that they appeared to work, they nodded to themself in approval. Better safe than sorry, in either case.

And with that, off they went - moving with the group through a sidestreet. Makoto's eyes would scan ahead - and they were plenty confident that Kuro, hidden in their shadow, was sure to be watching the rear. But even if they knew what direction their destination - a distant castle of gears and steam - was, there was still the question of guards. Which was to say, that there were plenty of them patrolling, back and forth, stepping in a rhythmic fashion. Not only that, but there was also something above, something massive, flying through the air - yet it moved all too quickly for any of them to make much out.

Makoto nodded in agreement with Seraphim's whisper - although, something like this didn't feel all too unlike the sort of things they've done before. "I could obscure us." Makoto offered in a whisper of their own - a hand dropping down to one of their pokeballs. "Illusions, to make us appear invisible to the naked eye. But you'd all need to stay close to me, and we'd need to take it slow."

But if the others agreed, they'd do just as offered - letting out Tsume. "Conceal us." They spoke hushed yet plainly - both to him, and to Kuro as well. The blackfurred fox would cast a sideeye at the others, but nonetheless did as instructed - a small dome of illusions forming. As long as the others remained within this dome - which from the inside, almost looked glassy - it'd be all the more difficult for anything outside (and most importantly above) to percieve them.

But as they moved, and as they planned... There was something, itching at the back of their mind. They were hearing something - something that was almost like a song, and it... Felt strange, the way it wormed through their ears and into their head. Their heart couldn't help but skip a beat, before thumping as if in time to the clicks and whirrs of the music - and from there, a certain warmth spread. Something loving, gentle, a feeling that they almost had to share - it was filling them almost too much, really! But with whom? It felt as if something was missing - like a gear absent from its machinery - without someone to share the feeling with...

Without thinking, Makoto turned towards their own shadow, and crouched down. "Kuro," They spoke - calling, gentle. "Come here." What were they doing, when they had previously so focused on not showing weakness? On putting on a more serious front? Makoto was not sure - a voice in the back of their mind trying but failing to bring them back on track. But this was how the gears should turn, they knew - and the gears in their mind would be all the happier for doing this.

At first, Kuro was hesitant to reveal itself - especially with this strange and sudden change in Makoto's demeanor, one that had even Tsume casting them a quizzical look. And yet, as Makoto gestured as if to encourage Kuro into their arms, the little hisuian zorua obeyed - first poking its face out of their shadow, before hopping up into their arms.

'There,' Makoto's mind murmured to them as they stood up fully, and resumed moving with the group. 'Things are as they should be now.' But aside from this brief pause, things - at least for the time being - continued as planned. The only difference now, was Makoto holding Kuro close in their arms - protective, loving, a hand gently stroking over its fur. The gears were in place, turning in perfect rotation.

Cathrine Fisher Amor Rose nanette bouvier

it's almost like a face, isn't it? it's easy to see the human shape beneath all that mechanism. it must cling closely to his skull, ears built into the design and ventilation slitted above the visor. nanette wonders if his eyes are green too, but oh well! this green is much prettier, too inhuman for his eyes to match. she smiles into her own distorted reflection.

"thank you."

ever polite.

how fascinating, this little tool pressed into her ear, capable of reaching such distances. she resists the urge to whisper into it, to say all the things she'd never say out loud. but she doesn't. not when the music distracts.

nanette gasps when it starts. a bright twinkling of music steady over the mechanical kingdom. it's much like a music box, isn't it? through all those pretty notes, the mechanism plucking at them can be heard. little ticks and tocks and clicks and clocks pulled at the shift of each note.

who might the ballerina be? zigzagging on her metal post, twirling with the coil that some mysterious stranger wound. she feels it too, like she is strung and wired and pulled by mechanism. like her little box was wound and now for the durations of the song she too must dance...

---

TL;DR: she is nice to seraphim and smiles at him. shes fascinated by the communication device. she hears the music and feels like a dance is coming on
TAGGED: Cathrine Fisher Amor Rose Makoto Kurumi

At the mention of using illusions to remain invisible he gave a curt nod to Makoto, and when the glassy texture moved itself in a dome around them, they began to move across the street. It was slow as they had to remain close to the illusionist, but it was better than risking being caught by the mechanical guards. However something was strange, the song that he had heard faintly murmuring in the background began to play louder. His body began to twitch involuntary muscle spasms as they moved across the street. His feet were starting to step rhythmically, and he stopped, as his body fidgeted. Whispering into the comms so they could all hear him.

"Something is wrong." Was all he said as he stopped, he was fighting to remain in control of his body, if that was even possible? Was something trying to mind control him? He had never encountered something like this before, it felt like he was in control, but it felt wrong at the same time. Still he tried to take a step, but rather than walking it came out to be more like a waltz two step. "Everyone, are you okay?" His voice was still calm as he awaited an answer, but his body continued to contort like a cirque du freak show. Amor was incredibly flexible due to his training by Walter, but it wasn't suppose to be used like this.

Despite the growing horror of losing control of his own body, there was a sense of freedom as well. To just let go, and as the jerky movements stopped as he relented rather than trying to tear his own muscles apart by resisting. His body moved fluidly as he wove himself through the small group towards the girl who was late. nanette bouvier was a prime target for what he was after. And thus when he appeared in front of her, his now uncontrollable body made the moves for him. One hand swept hers up, and his second planted firmly against her lower back.

Drawing her way to close for someone he had just met, and wasn't planning on taking home. His mind was annoyed, but he couldn't do anything to stop this mounting rhythm. Thankfully their cover hadn't been blown yet, still within the safety of their invisible dome.

"It would appear I want to dance with you Miss Nanette." Quite literally he swept her up in a simple waltz, that teetered on the edge of their dome, and if this persisted their cover would surely be blown. "I apologize, I can't stop myself...." There was something at work, and as they waltzed unseen by the guards for the moment, Amor hoped the others could figure it out.

TLDR
Amor has lost control of his body and is now slow waltzing with Nanette within their invisible dome!
Amor has no freaking idea why he can't control his own body right now.
Still hidden! For now....MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Cathrine Fisher Makoto Kurumi nanette bouvier

A bubble of invisibility had been offered by Makoto. Cathrine was rather surprised at this, she had not expected something this useful from the woman, and yet that was what she had been given. She stayed within the sphere, making sure to not inch too close to the dangerous edge.

But the mechanical guards weren't the only danger here. The song had reached her ears first. Peaked her curiosity in ways it shouldn’t.

But she was not the only victim. It seemed they all was beginning to feel its effects, some in subtle ways like her own and Makoto, and then others like Seraphim who had lost full control of their body.

A gulp escaped her. The songs tugging in her fingers became more obvious. She was not inclined to dance… But write. Oh how her fingers missed the sensation of paper and pen. But wait she had those very things in her pocket!

She grabbed her pen and her small notebook. The pen began to dance almost maniacally in its speed and precision as she wrote the tale of the Dancing Ninja, vividly describing the scenery as her gaze took in the view.

She had been lost to the song, all she could do was write what was happening in front of her. Deep down she loathed this powerlessness, for she was well aware that she ought to focus on the task at hand, and yet her fingers would not stop, her hand would not relent.

She was cursed to keep on writing.


OOC:
Location: MECHANICAL KINGDOM
TAGS: Amor Rose / Makoto Kurumi / nanette bouvier

Things were, safe to say, starting to go awry. Having been more focused on plotting the group's path and making sure everyone remained obscured, Makoto didn't immediately notice the effect that the song was starting to have on the others (let alone consciously notice the effect the song had on themself.) But when Seraphim spoke, Makoto stopped - glancing back to see the suited ninja twitching and moving as if a robot with broken motors, his conscious mind at war with the song for control over himself.

Was everyone okay? That was certainly a good question - Makoto could see as Cathrine began to scribble on a notebook almost compulsively, the way that Nanette was beginning to move... Initially, they were about to open their mouth to say that they felt fine - but glancing down to Kuro in their arms, a question suddenly occurred to them. Why were they holding Kuro? He usually preferred hiding in their shadow, didn't he...? "I..?" The gears of their mind stuttered, hitched, metal grinding discordantly as they furrowed their brows at themself - wondering what had gotten into them...

... But they wouldn't have enough of a chance to question their own actions before Seraphim and Nanette were suddenly dancing - a twirling waltz that verged dangerously close upon the already-small boundaries of the illusionary dome. Makoto cursed under their breath upon realizing this - and Tsume let out an irritated growl at being troubled in this way, even if involuntarily. The trio of human and foxes would attempt to follow after Seraphim and Nanette, trying to keep the dome moving with the duo to ensure that they wouldn't inadverdantly reveal themselves.

Even if they were somewhat able to keep up though, there were two problems. Firstly, was Tsume and Kuro having a hard time maintaining the illusion's integrity, with the sudden movements that the two dancers made as they waltzed along; there was the very possible risk of something noticing the subtle irregularities forming in the illusions as a result of it. But secondly, there was also the issue of the group still being in the middle of the street. All it would take was for one of the mechanical pokemon occasionally patrolling along to bump into the dancers, and their cover would be blown wide open.

In an attempt to bring the situation back under control, Tsume stepped forward - the zoroark attempting to grab Seraphim and Nanette both by the upper arm with either claws. And if successful, he would begin to try and pull them along - trying to move for some alleyway or building that they could duck and hide into, for the time being. . .

Hopefully, things wouldn't go further awry in the process.

Cathrine Fisher Amor Rose nanette bouvier

screws and bolts, hinged on on the plucked strings of a music-box-melody. she dances as if she was programmed to. foot placement there and and hands set here, rested on metal shoulder and pressed lightly to metal hand. her dress moves with her, folds undulating with each turn turned.

and she turns. and turns and turns and turns. spins, twirls, cast in a huge circle, music box taking them round and round again. she has no choice, she lets it. nanette is but a cog in the machine. they ignore reason and warning because what else are they to do besides what they were made for?

they dance past protection. past shield and reason. past safety and into danger. she even hums along as they do. knowing the melody to a song she has never heard...

It was a problem when their waltz carried them out past the fields of illusion that had concealed them, and now the guards were coming, but the music was driving him forwards. Inside his mindscape there were two versions of himself, one was dancing with reckless abandon lost to this world, and the other was desperately trying to stab, and kill the dancer, to no avail. A similar scenario played out in front of the guards as they came for him, and his partner, but with swift, and fluid movements they were dodged, but only by a hair. It was this that was keeping them alive, and the music continued to weigh down on him like a tidal wave with the pressure crushing his senses. Everything was starting to feel floaty, and for just a split second he gave in, as he wove the dance between the guards causing them to attack one another accidentally.

"We need to regroup, gonna try to dampen the songs influence...." Even as he said those words, he had already dipped nanette bouvier. The bottom part of his mask retracted reveal his lips as he leaned down. His body, his emotions were no longer his own as this song overrode everything about his being for this single moment in time. Leaning down, inches to centimeters, and then in a flash of white light, his Gallade appeared, and a protective dome shimmered to life around him, and his unwitting dance partner, just before their lips touched.

The song died instantly, and realizing what a compromising situation he had been in, his mask automatically covered his lips once more, and he shook his head as if a fog was clearing.

"If you can use protect do it! It drowns the song out! Or use another sound based move! Quick!" He gave the order to the other two even as guards came crashing down on his own barrier, but that was only going to be the start of their troubles it would seem. So groaned. "Jarvis, how close are we to the Castle?" He asked the question, and soon a reply flashed across one of the screens in his helm.

"Currently we are two kilometers out, the probability of their being more guards on the way is very high." Amor clicked his tongue, he couldn't use Teleport because the other two weren't near him. That would be risky, and then he heard it, the screech of an Apex Predator as a shadow loomed above them all.

Massive claws clenched around his barrier, and began scooping it up like it was some sort of bauble gouging out the road beneath them, and he turned to see if the other two had been grabbed as well before he was jumbled up in the protective ball with his ally for the moment. Amor just grit his teeth before he realized that they were heading towards their destination anyways. To the castle....

"Everyone....Report in...." He gave another sigh as this mission had been derailed by the many unknown elements already, he may as well do his best to salvage it.

nanette bouvier , Cathrine Fisher , Makoto Kurumi


TLDR
Amor, and nanette bouvier dance dodge the Guards!
Gallade appears to use protect around both Amor, and Nanette!
Giant Mech Corviknight appears to snag easy pray while Protect is up!
Amor is checking to see if the other two got captured as well!
We are heading to the castle bby!

Prompts fulfilled so far
Prompt 4 - Experience your emotions being overridden by the song sung periodically throughout the kingdom; conversely, become cursed by the song and find yourself perpetually dancing before breaking the curse (e.g. dampening sound).

Prompt 13 - Battle, flee or become captured by a massive mechanical corviknight that continually hunts you to cage in the castle.

Makoto's Prompt - Will suddenly express and feel the need to tend to a child upon hearing the kingdom's song.