Eva still hadn’t figured out the strange gravity in this world, “Shit,” she huffs to herself, sliding down a rock crevice she thought she could easily clear with a well-timed jump, “Fuck,” she glances back; they are gaining on her.

Despite the bright red cross boldly plastered on her back, Rocket could care less about her being a medic. Civil rules of war grant her amnesty to treat the wounded. She should have known better. This is Rocket, the same bastards that tried to murder her around every corner those years ago in Kanto as well despite her status as a medic.

“Zap Cannon!” the Magearna humming behind her twirls and lines up their shot. A sharp zap of electricity lights up the dull world as the attack snaps like a whip at the three enemies chasing her down, “This way,” she takes a sharp turn around an outcropping only to nearly run into Annalise’s Altaria, “Whoa!” Eva skids to a stop but running face first into its fluffy bottom.

---

annalise henderson

+50 for participating in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (1)

=60 MP

“Anna!” her tone is full of surprise and relief when a familiar face pops from behind the Altaria. A palpable sigh release some tension as her smile brightens in response. She lays equally tired eyes on the ranger suddenly grabs her shoulders.

“Sh sh shhhhhhh,” she encourages Anna to keep her voice down and shuffles to kneel behind a splintered rock, “Yeah, I got a couple Rockets on my tail,” she glances back to see the Magearna swivel around the outcropping to hide with them. Eva shifts the med pack to her lap, “I’m way fucking lost,” she admits in a hushed tone.

---

annalise henderson

+50 for participating in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (2)

=70 MP

Just a couple. Eva winces at the realization. Yeah, she probably could take them. But really her party if skating on thin ice. Between the encounters in the caves, the fight against a Rocket Underboss on the beach, surviving the anomalies within the Interdream Zone, she’s barely keeping them together even with her extensive medical knowledge. They’ve all been through the ringer tonight.

“They just keep popping up like little zits!” she growls, easy to pop, but annoying nonetheless, “My team’s pretty beat. There’s still a lot of night left so I’m trying to take it easy,” likely not going to work, though. There was no mercy in war. It already sounds like the grunts were circling their way back around.

Eva returns Anna’s grin with one of her own, “Better being lost together than alone,” she agrees, “First, let’s ditch these pests. You got an SCATTERBANGS on you?” Eva has one left. She reaches in her pack and cradles the device with care, “Could be a good distraction to get a jump on them.”

---

annalise henderson

+50 for participating in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (3)

=80 MP

It would be easy to see Rayquaza was no where to be found. The legendary didn’t venture into the rifts or the INTERDREAM ZONE. The presence of these anomalies was already weighing heavy on their world’s borders. They feared the added presence of a powerful legendary would push the instability over the edge.

“Alright” Eva takes a quick glance over to Anna’s bag before nodding once a plan clicks into place in her head, “Alright, so, I’m gonna throw this, they’re gonna freak out, Syah and your Altaria can crush them while you make a break for it to grab your bag, then we’ll get the heck outta here,” she takes a brief moment to get her bearings, “We gotta go . . . that way,” she point deeper into Ultra Space where a Rocket Outpost is being challenged. There are many wounded in need of attention.

“On the count of-“

’HEY THERE! OVER THERE!’

“Now! The count of now!” Eva pitches the SCATTERBANG towards the incoming Rocket. It explodes violently, expelling a mass of dark, impenetrable smoke, “Syah! Go!” Eva tosses the Machamp’s pokeball towards the enemy.

---

annalise henderson

+50 for participating in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (4)
+10 using a SCATTERBANG

=100 MP

A Machamp explodes from the pokeball, roaring to life in the smoke of the SCATTERBANG. It casts a WIDE GUARD for more protection. A battering of attacks splash against its surface as the two blondes make a break for it. A DRAGON HAMMER lashes out at the closest Rocket Grunt, knocking the poor guy right off the rocky outcropping and sending him Arceus knows where.

Eva grabs a hold of Anna’s hand, following easily in step behind her as they make their escape. The Altaria’s DRAGON PULSE clears a path and they take it.

The second SCATTERBANG gives them a clean break. Between dealing with now mega-evolved Machamp and the smoke, the opponents were unable to keep their eyes on Eva and Annalise. Syah would catch up eventually, Eva had faith in the fighting-type.

“I think we lost ‘em,” she pants between deep breaths, her heart racing and thrumming in her ears. She pulls back on Annalise’s hand, encouraging her to slow down to a walk with her, “This whole thing is a fucking nightmare,” she sighs in exhaustion.

---

annalise henderson

+50 for participating in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (5)
+10 using a SCATTERBANG
+10 for MEGAEVOLUTION

=120 MP

Eva’s own breaths come quicker than usual. The stamina required of them over the course of this night has been unnatural. How any of them are still walking is beyond explanation, “Yeah, I’m fine,” she assures the ranger, giving her new companion the once over with a doctor’s look up and down, “Are you ok?” she had no idea what Annalise has been through tonight but she imagines it’s a lot for someone in their first war. Unfortunately, Eva’s had practice.

Eva follow’s Anna’s gaze back to their dueling pokemon, also convinced that they had the situation under control. The doctor gathers her bearings with a quick look around to make sure they are heading in the right direction, “I have to get to sector 4, over there I think,” she point in a direction just southeast of them, “They desperately need medical supplies,” she shrugged the overstuffed medic pack on her back, “To many wounded . . . I guess,” the words hurt to say. She always struggled with the fact that she couldn’t save them all - but she wouldn’t rest until she tried.

---

annalise henderson

+50 for participating in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (6)
+10 using a SCATTERBANG
+10 for MEGAEVOLUTION

=130 MP

Eva’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes, “Right,” she breaths a half-assed agreement past her cracked lips. The wounded may be ok . . . if she wasn’t too late already. Her failures seemed to be piling up one after the other. A few more lives lost to her incompetence would be excellent kindling for the smoldering insecurities plaguing her.

As they walk, a hand instinctively reaches back to check the zippers to make sure she hasn’t lost any of her precious cargo. Everything seems in place, and her attention bounces back to Annalise when she inquires about Eva’s well-being.

Christmas. She relishes to find comfort in a time that holds certainty, love, and hope like this last Christmas. How quickly things have gone to hell since then.

“I’ve been fine,” she lies. She always does. She’s still uncertain how many people truly know what’s happened and she avoids it whenever possible. She can’t stand the sympathetic looks, the acquaintances that suddenly smothered her with comfort now that it conveniences them to be a part of the scandal, or the violent divide a separation like this can cause when Hoenn needed stability now more than ever.

“Busy, of course,” she adds on, shrugging her shoulders, “Going back to Kanto was harrowing,” she does admit to that since her publication made her trip well-known, “How have you been?” She doesn’t ask about Greyson Connors because she prays Annalise won’t ask about MATIAS SILPH.

---

annalise henderson

+50 for participating in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (7)
+10 using a SCATTERBANG
+10 for MEGAEVOLUTION

=140 MP