This world was . . . discomforting. But it held a great power that would put their organization a step ahead of the League – and it was about damn time they did so.

The all-out war was something she wasn’t used to, but she was thriving in. The violence bred into her by Rocket had truly had a chance to shine. She lingered amongst the ghosts of the fallen, simply waiting for time when she would join them permanently. One of these League officers was bound to get her at some point.

Was this the one?

Her amber eyes narrowed on the man trying to get his phone to work. Was he calling reinforcements? Had he found a Seal Stone? A Seal Stone that belonged to Rocket?

The cast a presence forward. The silhouette of a Gradevoir materialized in the distance before lam logan. She was a shadow amongst the sea’s strong mist. Her details obscured, but she moved with picturesque grace. Lost? Wounded? Something familiar within a world of alien beings.

---

lam logan

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (1)
+10 paranoia of the world

=70 MP

[attr="class","icon"]

Alas, Lam had not in fact found a seal stone. He didn’t even know where those were. And in truth, he wasn’t even looking for reinforcements per se, so much as trying to get in touch with one of the only people he knew out there.[break][break]

Alone. Susceptible. This had been a stupid idea.[break][break]

But the slightest of movement pulled his attention away from the device in hand. Lam squinted, trying to make out what had spontaneously manifested not far from where he was planted. “A gardevoir?” he asks it aloud to himself, wary of whether or not it was real.[break][break]

Or was this place just playing tricks on him? It wouldn’t have been the first time. He recalled his expedition there with friends not long ago. The hallucinatory mutations that Genevieve Cromwell had been subject to.[break][break]

Maybe this was just more of the same. Maybe… he let his shinx drift forward. The little cat glowed with soft gold light before puffing up his fur and casting a bright SPOTLIGHT down on the gardevoir. Less so to fix it in place for attack, but more to cast light through the shadowy gloom.[break][break]

To see what was hiding in the dark, or discover that it had faded away to nothing. An illusion.

[attr="class","bottom"]Alexandra Briarwood [break]
notes go HERE[break]

The SPOTLIGHT shines on a hideous figure. This Gardevoir is unlike any Lam would have seen. Beneath the tattered and blood stained dress, the sharp peaks of her bony figure shift as she moves to turn. With each slow inch, a more ghastly nightmare is revealed.

The long slender arms of the Shadow Gardevoir ends in bony, claw-like fingers that curl of their own accord. Her colors are pale, as if no life is left in her because there is none. Her red eyes glow dully in the brightness of the SPOTLIGHT but it doesn’t mask the malevolence that pulses from them. The pokemon’s lips curl into a chilling smile, rows of sharp, unnatural teeth drip with hunger.

The SPOTLIGHT makes it linger longer in its position, suspended from the ground by unnatural forces. She twitches, her fingers suddenly curling as if in pain. A guttural choke clicks through her throat, followed by and eerie scream.

---

lam logan

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (2)
+10 paranoia of the world

=80 MP

[attr="class","icon"]

Lam frowns at gardevoir revealed. Whaaaaat the fuck is up with it? At least, he’s pretty sure that’s what is supposed to be a gardevoir. He supposes the bigger question is, is it truly like this, or is it a trick of the deep sea? Again, he’s reminded of the mutations that had seemingly clustered on Genevieve Cromwell’s skin during their trip. The fleshy growths that has festered and spread within minutes, only to fade as soon as they’d left.[break][break]

The chilling scream that erupted from the longer it’s left in the light, though, makes him believed that is exactly how it’s meant to be. The eerie sound sends a chill down his spine. But who does it belong to? Are they friend, or foe? “Who’s out there?” he calls out, annoyed that his voice reflects his lack of fortitude.[break][break]

Or maybe the gardevoir is drifting on its own—either way, he isn’t keen on lingering around it. With a sharp whistle, he calls the shinx, who first darts forward to send a pulse of electricity at the special figure, before the effect of the VOLT SWITCH pulls him back. Returning to his trainer, a new Pokémon steps forward in his place to cover them—a quaquaval that stands at equal height and doesn’t waver as the SPOTLIGHT flickers and begins to fade into dark once more.

[attr="class","bottom"]Alexandra Briarwood [break]

SPOILER: Click to show

participation (50mp) + ic post x3 (30mp) = (80 mp)

[break]

Lam’s call goes unanswered - for now. There is no sign of movement in the growing darkness around you, only the nightmarish figure ahead.

The pop of electricity provides snaps of color to the otherwise dull and dark world of the Deep Sea. The Shadow Gardevoir hisses out in retaliation as she is hit with the VOLT SWITCH. Her clawed hands lash out to nab the kitten, but the secondary effects of the attack suck them back into their pokeball.

She’s presented with a new target. As the SPOTLIGHT fades and darkness once again settles, so too does the Shadow Gardevoir. She sneaks into the darkness and their shadow crawls across the rocky terrain. She’s suddenly behind the Quaquaval and her ghastly appendages are lashing out with the full power of SHADOW SNEAK.

---

lam logan

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (3)
+10 paranoia of the world

=90 MP

[attr="class","icon"]

No one shows themselves at his beckon. He is met with silence and darkness that swallows him up. Nearby he hears the reassuring trill of his quaquaval, but it does little to settle that sense of impending doom that creeps in like a cool breeze against the back of his neck.[break][break]

He is not scared of the dark. Or he hasn’t been since he was small. But the deep sea has a way of sneaking in under the skin–nothing about it is right. It’s all eerie and off-kilter, and there’s something less than appealing about being pitched in the dark with that abnormal gardevoir.[break][break]

“Ginger, let’s move.” Better they just get the hell out of dodge if it’s alone.[break][break]

Lam hadn’t realized that the space between the two of them had grown until he hears the bird’s pained screech. It no longer sounds close, and he whirls as he tries to pinpoint where the gardevoir pulled the quaquaval down.[break][break]

His shinx is freed again, and the dimly luminescent glow from the feline’s fur is again able to locate his pokemon as she flails and twists to retaliate in CLOSE COMBAT before the gardevoir dissolves into shadow again.

[attr="class","bottom"]Alexandra Briarwood [break]

SPOILER: Click to show

participation (50mp) + ic post x4 (40mp) + deep sea paranoia (10mp) = (100 mp)

[break]

“Your not going anywhere,” a deep, feminine voice nearly purred from behind him. As the mist wafted past her red hair, her dark silhouette became more clear. Piercing amber eyes smiled at him above the malicious curl of her dark red lips. With a long stride, she quickly closed the gap, a hand flashing out to grab at his shirt and pull him into a right hook with the other.

The Gardevoir lacked any empathy. The only form of emotion it felt was the ever present rage that teemed in its unholy soul. The pokemon’s essence was unwillingly stripped from it and in its place an undead creature remained. The pokemon struck out at her with CLOSE COMBAT, but the fighting type phased through her spectral form without harm. An insatiable hunger growled in her stomach. She feasted on souls, and this one seemed particularly appetizing.

Her claws uncurled and lashed out like knives, an attempt to bury themselves in the Quaquval’s gut to keep them in place. Her gaze morphed into something more tantalizing, an unhindered HYPNOSIS aimed at lulling her prey to sleep.

---

lam logan

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (4)
+10 paranoia of the world

=100 MP

[attr="class","icon"]

Yanked in unexpectedly, he has little time to deflect the punch that cracks across his cheek. Stars dance in his vision as it blurs on impact—like his brain is being shaken up inside his skull. “Who—?” The smile she greets him with is cutting. It shivers through him as his eyes go wide, but reactive instinct kicks in. Trying to twist out of her grasp even though it makes his shirt collar choke at his neck where she grips the fabric, he throws a bony elbow at her middle.[break][break]

It isn’t enough to free him in time, though. Noodle darts away from the risk of getting stomped on. The glow of his fur receding into the dark and then returning as he skitters around the pair. Trying to CRUNCH at Alexandra Briarwood’s ankles despite the dark.[break][break]

“Ginger!” he howls for the quaquaval, “Ginger, fall back!” The trilling coo from the bird is faint as she’s snagged by the gardevoir’s spindly claws. It’s a sound that turns frantic and shrill, drowning out his calls for her, as the gardevoir tears through bright blue feathers and flesh. “Holy shit.”[break][break]

In the low light, from what little he can see…it’s a gruesome sight.[break][break]

The panic builds, water for a WAVE CRASH to blow the shadow Pokémon back building around them before it sloshed to the ground again. Ginger’s wings go slack and her shrieks quiet to nothingness as she falls into a lulled trance. Silent as claws rip and tear, locking her into an undeserved fate.

[attr="class","bottom"]Alexandra Briarwood [break]

SPOILER: Click to show

participation (50mp) + ic post x5 (50mp) + deep sea paranoia (10mp) + complete a bracket battle (150mp) + have a Pokémon killed (200mp) + lose a bracket battle (300mp) = (760 mp)

[break]

The man’s elbow falls short,but his Shinx hits the mark. The Beast rips her hand away from his collar as she howls in pain. The kitten’s sharp teeth CRUNCHed deep into her ankle, “Little shit!” she hissed, kicking at the pokemon with her other foot to get it to let go

Meanwhile, the Shadow gardevoir watched with pleasure as the duck writhed in pain. If she wasn’t so hungry, she would have enjoyed watching it struggle a little more. Unfortunately, her appetite is insatiable. As the Quazquaval falls limp beneath her claws, she draws it in closer. Her cracked lips peeled back, her chin wet with drool in anticipation. She sank her fangs into the pokemon, digging them straight into the other’s life force. She ravenously consumed her prey (DREAM EATER) until there was none left, and the lifeless body would fall limp to the ground. Then she would search again, forever cursed.

---

lam logan

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (5)
+10 paranoia of the world

=110 MP

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The shinx lets out a squealing cry as the toe of a boot kicks at his ribs. He tumbles to the side, but as much as Lam would like to lunge for him, he takes the opportunity to shove at the woman to create space between them. Panic flares in his chest–he is out here alone. No one to call. No one to know to look for him. Anxiety itches under his skin, only barely overruled by his instinct to escape.[break][break]

Right now, flight is favored over fight.[break][break]

There are no taunts to make, no snarky remarks to toss at the redhead. The brutal message has been received loud and clear as the gardevoir tears into his quaquaval with greater vigor. The wet squelches that echo through the dark tell him all he needs to know–if they don’t get away soon, there will only be more of this to come. He has to think fast– the light. He recalls how the creature had frozen in place. And maybe there was no guarantee it’d happen again, but it’s something. Lam twists to the side, spotting where Noodle is curled and cowering. “Again– use SPOTLIGHT again!”[break][break]

Mewing weakly, the golden feline pushes himself up to shaky paws and lets out a burst of bright energy like the lights on a stage coming up. It’s a bit difficult to avoid looking at the carnage left behind– a mass of gore and feathers that was once a bird named Ginger.

[attr="class","bottom"]Alexandra Briarwood [break]

SPOILER: Click to show

participation (50mp) + ic post x6 (60mp) + deep sea paranoia (10mp) + complete a bracket battle (150mp) + have a Pokémon killed (200mp) + lose a bracket battle (300mp) = (770 mp)

[break]

Pain burns up her leg, clouding her judgment and her mind. The Beast stumbles back, looking to find purchase on the injured ankle that gives out beneath her weight. She falls down with a loud, pained grunt. She wouldn’t be able to pursue a fleeing Lam with this ankle.

The SPOTLIGHT shines bright on the gorey scene surrounding the Gardevoir. She hisses, snapping her gaze up from her meal in defiance and warning that the interruption is not appreciated. Regardless, she would be momentarily stuck there, paralyzed by the Shinx’s SPOTLIGHT until she could come to Lex’s aid and TELEPORT them back to a Rocket encampment for medical attention.

---

lam logan

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (6)
+10 paranoia of the world
+150 for completing bracket battle
+200 for ‘winning’

=470 MP

[attr="class","icon"]

The move is all that Noodle can muster. He crumples, though remains on the cusp of consciousness. As the woman falls backward, he darts away to scoop the shinx up. Another keening cry from the little cat at the movement confirms the kick landed hard. His eyes lock on the beast for a moment, then the stunned gardevoir. The remains of his Pokémon. All of it burns into his mind in the harshness of the light.[break][break]

Ginger’s pokeball is rendered useless in his hand. No beam of light collects her, but he doesn’t have the time to gather her. Mourn her. Instead, it’s Mallow who is set free. With Noodle still gathered in his arms, Lam swings up onto her back and the altaria lifts into the air in a flurry of nervous coos and cloudy feather wings.[break][break]

As they retreat, he looks down and releases a shuddered breath. Nerves continue to crawl through him like live wires, but he shuts his eyes and lets Mallow take them away. Willing that last image of the quaquaval to be sealed away so that he can focus on getting his shinx the attention that’s needed for its ribs.

[attr="class","bottom"]Alexandra Briarwood [break]

SPOILER: Click to show

participation (50mp) + ic post x6 (60mp) + deep sea paranoia (10mp) + complete a bracket battle (150mp) + have a Pokémon killed (200mp) + lose a bracket battle (300mp) = (780 mp)

[break]