After Josh and maiyra nori had parted ways following a Magnemite hunt and a very disorienting race on an electromagnetic Mobius Ring, there was a curious anomaly in New Mauville's lowest sublevel that Josh felt compelled to investigate. He withdrew all his electric Pokémon and climbed atop Kamuy, his Umbreon, taking a more stealthy approach. Perhaps it was unneeded, though; he had discovered a Secret Base, and its flag was in plain sight! He examined it, and the Ranger logo on its reverse side meant it was the real thing!

Once he picked it up, all hell broke loose. The rapidly-shifting floor panels made it difficult for Kamuy to move, visibility was lowered thanks to steam spewing out of floor and ceiling vents, and the sound of a minigun discharging dozens of rounds per second filled the air. Though the rounds were foam and not lead, there were still enough of them to startle Josh and agitate Kamuy. She just wanted out, and there was no treat sweet enough to entice her to stay longer than she had to for Josh to get his flag and leave!

Alec felt that wandering around this bunker was way too easy... There were no traps as far as he could tell, and from the looks of it, he didn't see any pokemon guarding the place. except ... he could swear he heard someone laughing as they continued on, yet saw nothing. "Keep your eyes peeled," Alec said to Inferno as the two of them walked. There was the occasional creaking of metal, and even some sparks of electricity harmlessly jutting out from the walls along with the occasional hissing coming from the pipes before they finally made it to the flag.

"Bingo," Alec said picking up the flag. However, as soon as he grabbed the flag, a voice echoes throughout the bunker, acting some sort of alarm. The once flickering lights above them now are a violent reddish color, as well as the introduction to some ominous tune. All hell had broken loose and it was because of picking up the real flag. However, what caught Alec's eye was a rotom flashing on the monitors in front of him where the flag was sitting. It came out of the monitor, hopping inside of a roomba with what appeared to be a knife taped to it. "Jesus, crap! Run!" Alec had said, not wanting to have anything to with this crazy-ass ghost pokemon. Inferno and Alec sped down the long halls with the rotom-controlled, knife-wielding roomba behind them. As they made it down half-way through the last hall back toward he only exit, Inferno grabbed Alec and blasted their way out of the closed bunker door. the rotom's laugh cackling stopped when the door shut back in place. "Welp, whoever made this secret base is a complete and utter psychopath." Alec said, slightly irritated. "At least we got ourselves another flag," Alec said, sighing.

---

Notes:
- Flag Captured!
- Prompt Completed: Fall for a trap/decoy.
Isaac Merlo

Though large portions of the once-abandoned New Mauville have long since been reclaimed and refurbished, there are still a number of parts that remain in disrepair. Places of flickering flourescent lights, broken monitors, and the like - where pokemon such as magnemite have long-since made home.

And, in this case, where humans have decided to make their secret bases. Bases like the one El was investigating now - in the search of a flag. At their side, Bibidi and Yggy both followed - keeping one's eyes out for flags, as well as wild pokemon who may have strayed this way.

Thus far though, things have been quiet. The only things they could hear were the hums of worn-out and flickering electronics, the hiss of steam, the crackle of sparks, the creak of metal... And the occasional clicks of monitors turning on, talking about some strange pokemon; A pokemon called Sugondese...

... Yeah, El had spent more than enough time online to know the joke for what it was. And they may or may not have had a little snickerfit over it as a result. Truly, the most terrifying of 'mons known to man, hubris personified.

But eventually, it seemed as though their destination was upon them. Off in the distance, at the other side of a sizeable room, there stood the flag! That was easy, El mused to themself as they went to grab it - only for things to make a turn for the dramatic. At the call of a voice - one that seemed familiar, not that El had much of a chance to process it - the room was filled with a red glow, and dramatic music began to play. And on a monitor, the face of a grinning rotom could be seen - staring down at the trio.

It was clearly time to leave - but the traps that now activated throughout the room would pose trouble, not that El was worried. In fact, they were too busy laughing as they were pelted by foam darts - and even Bibidi couldn't help but share in the amusement with a gentle smile, as she scooped them up to make for the slowly closing bunker door.

Yggy, however, would be faced with her greatest foe: a roomba. The little turtwig squeaked in surprise as the foam knife suddenly poked into her backend - and as she leapt away and whirled around, she'd come face to face with her opponent. At first, she regarded the little vacuum cleaner with a puzzled expression, wondering what was going on - but when the roomba began to menacingly advance once more, she recognized the challenge for what it was.

And with a snort, she'd form her Leaf Blade horn, and pawed at the ground. Challenge accepted.

El and Bibidi could only watch on, as Yggy and the roomba - silohuetted amongst the red glow, and set to the choir chanting of the music playing, began to joust against once another. Horn clashed against blade, two fearless warriors facing off against one another in a duel to the... Well, maybe not quite a duel to the death - it was all play, in the end - but it was as if the both of them were treating it with the impetus of one.

As if to avoid ruining the moment, the turrets had paused - and jets of steam were released to add fog to this dramatic scene. Sparks flew at the edges of the battlefield, adding brief flashes of illumination to the combatants - and one could see the furrowed brow of determination on Yggy's face. Back and forth, ground was gained and lost on both sides - an equal match, between equal opponents.

Grinning widely at the sight, El would pump a fist in the air, calling "You got this, Yggy!"

And of course, only one could win. With a valiant squeak, Yggy would manage to slip past the roomba's guard - and hooking her horn underneath the chasis of the roomba, she would flip it over with an exuberant swing of her head!

The vacuum cleaner was sent spinning across the ground, before knocking against a wall, and falling still as the dramatic music came to a natural end. The rotom piloting it must have had its fill of shenanigans, as the traps had toned back down a little - and with it, came a victorious theme that was absolutely fitting of the glorious fight.

But, something else had caught El's eye... Did something flutter, over there, where the roomba had bumped against the wall? Bibidi would bring them closer to the wall - where upon closer inspection... They'd find that there was a tarp or curtain of some sorts, laid over the wall. And behind it was... A door?

There was nobody to be found in the hidden room beyond - but it nonetheless looked like a cozy space. Beanbags, comics, a minifridge and minibar - even if those were locked up - and even a monitor for a number of the security cameras, which... El distantly realized, that the rotom had set things up so that Yggy and the roomba were dueling in perfect view of one of them - which, the thought got a snicker from them.

Lastly though, they'd also notice a candy bowl - with the usual 'take one' sign hanging from it. Smiling gently, El would oblige - grabbing a little chocolate bar from it, before the trio made their way out of the secret base.

This had been pretty fun, all things considered..!