An escort mission. Elaine had been informed partway through the day that she had been reassigned to a different assignment due to need to shuffle personnel. She had already been through one grueling battle in the alternate space and that was with no protection against the elements.

It seemed the superiors did have some humanity if they were willing to prevent people from succumbing, even if they planned to work them to the bone. Still, that meant she (and by association her Pokemon) got some time to rest before they were forced into their next deployment. As she spent a few minutes stretching, downing a bottle of water, and checking at the time on her phone, the person she was meant to escort finally made her presence known with a knock on the tentpole.

As she walked out, she finally met the protectee in question as well as her own seeming bodyguard.

Another Gallade? Does everyone have one? Then again, I guess I'm not really qualified to speak out about that myself.

Elaine sighed before she took a quick, curt bow and winked. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Lydia. Detective Highland at your service."

Though she was wearing something of stark contrast to what she would usually wear as in her usual line of work, she tried to avoid bringing attention to it.

After walking out of the tent, she opened up a Pokeball to allow Jeanne out. "This is Jeanne. She will also be assisting with the escort and any potential threats."

"Seeing as you're ready to get going, let's get moving to the rendezvous point." Without any hesitation, Elaine began to lead the way with the Ceruledge following from behind Lydia. "Seems like it's been a long day for you too, huh?"

---

MP Total: 50 MP (participation) + 10 (ic post) = 60 MP

Lydia Magnusson

"Precinct?" Elaine found herself chuckling as she was asked that. "I'm sorry. I actually am not a part of the police. By detective...well, I'm independent. You ever read mystery novels? My role is similar to the main characters of those so to speak, though one could call me a bit of a has-been."

Elaine shrugged as she gave a quick smile, both to the young lady and the man they were escorting.

She had to wonder what kind of info would be so pressing that they would need to have two bodyguards escort someone for an in-person disclosure but she figured she'd try and tease out that answer later and merely shelve her curiosity for later. She was stuck wih Russel now for better or for worse so she would have plenty of time.

Given how timid the man was, maybe bringing Jeanne out was not the best of ideas, but most of her Pokemon were pretty intimidating in their own rights so trying to give a better impression of what security he was afforded was for the better too.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Russell." Just like with Lydia, she gave a quick bow to the man they were escorting.

Without much delay, the group seemed to be moving off to a decent start, and though she would have rather stood at front, Elaine gladly took up the position of rear guard without issue.

"I can understand that sentiment." Elaine sighed as she heard the young woman's mild relief from lament. "It's a rough day for everyone involved. The fights wear you down so it's nice to have some change in pace and not feel as powerless."

---

MP Total: 50 MP (participation) + 20 (ic postx2) = 70 MP

Lydia Magnusson

"I'd be glad to. It's rare that a has-been like me gets to relive the glory days." Despite the self-derision in her words, Elaine was chuckling. She was no longer as front-facing as she was as a child. To say she was far less naïve about the underbelly of what she viewed would be nothing short of an understatement. Though she had lived through certain hells, she was not sour nor dour about it all. "We've got enough time. Any particular types of stories that pique your fantasy? Murder? Cloak and dagger? Or perhaps something stupid but funny? You'd be surprised just how many weird events a child can get into."

It was something even the timid Russell could relax over hearing. Though it probably wouldn't be best to go for one of her most intense tales, it was ultimately something for the other two people in the group to decide.

"That should make this at least a bit easy, then." Elaine replied. "Hopefully, there are no hiccups for Russell's sake. Though..."

Elaine gazed at the listless young woman, clearly restless as she fidgeted with her amulet and uttered a prayer.

"Guess it's best not to pry," she muttered as she decided to try not to pursue Lydia any further. Given her demeanor, Elaine could make a few good hypotheses, but it was better to not play detective when she was not hired to do so. That kind of thing was never taken well by anyone. Better to let sleeping Houndoom lie.

---

MP Total: 50 MP (participation) + 30 (ic postx3) = 80 MP

Lydia Magnusson

"You mean the whole glory days bit? You're not wrong." Elaine scratched at her head. "It's a bit of an exaggeration, but I did get some of my best performances during my days as Jubilife's Juvenile Ace. Things changed after...well, that was more my decision to go underground after that case to begin with. Admittedly, the reputation I had really contrasted with how grim the cases I ended up following got. But I can't coast on that reputation after I cast it aside. Sure my old glory days came to an end, but I just need to build up new ones."

The young woman shrugged as she reminisced over her past. "It started as you'd expect. A child solves a case and exposes the murderer of a complex case with a bit of out-of-the-box thinking. I was only 11 at the time but I had come up with ways to make the killer expose himself before the police and they recognized what had happened. After happening a few more times, I was somehow both the force's darling and their secret weapon. Moreover, I tended to have the curse that follows mystery protagonists. Cases tended to follow everywhere. Cases led to results. Results led to reputation. And it just kinda spiraled till I was waist deep in some pretty crazy crimes. Just goes to show how much a kid with a few screws loose can do."

Elaine lazily pointed at her temple all while smiling.

"Every thing I mentioned before was a type of case that I'd worked on. Though the usual funny ones were the missing person cases that turned out to be false alarms. Or some of the ones that had no police involvement and were just strange mysteries I got involved in because of friends."

Elaine shrugged. She had been asked to regale with a light hearted story but she had already found herself more delving on her general past than any individual story. She had taken care to avoid saying anything that would cause the man they were guarding to stress further but certain terms were unavoidable in that venture unfortunately.

"Don't worry, though. Even if something slips through, we've still got things covered."

---

MP Total: 50 MP (participation) + 40 (ic postx4) = 90 MP

Lydia Magnusson

"You're right. It isn't that simple. The past can't be killed after all. No matter how much you separate from it, it will stick and never let go." Elaine placed a hand on her chest. "Though sometimes the question is whether separating from it all is the right answer. After all, your past is, for better or for worse, intrinsically linked to you."

“That is a lot to ask of a child.” Elaine saw that smile on the young woman's face.

"Perhaps it was, but it was my choice. At the end of the day, I was the one who dived headfirst into it. The adults probably would have been glad to never see me again after all."

“It makes me feel unaccomplished.”

"Don't. It's not worth it. No matter how much someone else has done, they've trampled upon something else to get there. It's not worth pining for the silver lining if you're not aware of what it actually is lining."

But all of that conversation had come to an end eventually. Before Russel could even tell what kind of story he wanted to hear, the (small) convoy had found itself coming to a stop. It had been interrupted by a singular man on the road. But that singular nature was whittled away as his great Iron Snake Pokemon emerged from the ground, whipping the air into a frenzy of grains.

"So much for a clean-up." Elaine muttered before snapping her fingers, prompting the black knight by her side to assume a set of stances as if making a DANCE of SWORDS before settling on one final stance, its blade pointed straight towards the source of the storm.

"Keep your distance from them." Though it was easier said than done, there was no talking the enemy before them down so they at least had to keep the man they were escorting safe from harm.

---

MP Total: 50 MP (participation) + 50 (ic postx4) = 100 MP

Lydia Magnusson

“But, no matter the shape of the cloud, Arceus brought you here today.”

It was a bit of a spiritual way of putting it, one Elaine was not in full alignment with. But Elaine had no reason to talk back to it or refute it. That kind of spirituality was a beautiful thing in its own right and to tarnish it would be something she reviled.

"Yes. You're right. No matter what happened in our pasts, we're here now."

They were here. But it was hardly like they were the only people who that could apply to. After all, no matter the shape of the cloud, the straggler of an enemy before them was also here. And as those far flung paths crossed, the collision was imminent.

She watched as Lydia took the helm and started their attack off with a singular burst. But that was not enough to bring down the enemy as it charged headfirst towards them.

As she watched the iron snake's hasty advance, she snapped her finger to her side, signaling the spectral knight by her side to jump forward. As the blades became clad in unearthly flames, Jeanne jumped aiming to let its Bitter Blade slash across its head.

"I think I'll have to pass on that offer." Elaine said in response, winking while brandishing a grin.

---

MP Total: 50 MP (participation) + 60 (ic postx6) = 110 MP

Lydia Magnusson