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The signal comes out, and in between rushing from battle to battle he has time to rest. Well, not rest but choose to answer the call. He's not engaged, and perhaps someone was just stuck...or lost. He follows the signal, jogging while trying to reach their comms before nothing connected and running a little harder. [break] [break]

The clouds of pink grow and grow without him noticing until the coral reef begins transforming into...other. Human architecture, wood and stone. A homestead. [break] [break]

Acres and acres of land...blooming with sunflowers. And as he approached the white picket fence...the flowers turn to follow him, like their namesake. Except he is no Sun. [break] [break]

And as Petals turn from yellow to dripping with strangely bright pinks and greens and blues, Mint knows why they turn to him. They follow their creator, living form his essence like plants photosynthesizing. "Neon en rotue to emergency signal 2.759, come in!" he said as he darted through flowers, splatters of saturated paint dotting his black and bright blue clothes. [break]

He moves through, without a care for stealth, kicking in the back door and trying to move through a kitchen. "Answer!" he snapped, just as something explodes in the nearby room. He hears the shattering of rocks and dust and skids to the doorway. "Sawyer?!" BOOM! [break] [break]

Another STONEEDGE this time on the kitchen door frame at Mint. Whirring grows louder as a pair of bright red eyes beam at him, scanning over his body. At the same time his own computers go into overdrive identifying the threat. His vision swaps to heat vision form all the dust and debris kicking up. He throws out a pokeball letting out a Hitmontop that rolls on its head before landing on its feet. "TRIPLE KICK, focus on one!" he ordered while darting to the sides to take cover. "Sawyer, to me! Back out the-" but as he turned from his pokemon to the exit he'd kicked in the door is magically repaired. Not only that. [break] [break]

It's a door he recognizes. His mouth opens to let out nothing before closing. He sets his jaw, cold and angry and freaked. What would Jayden do? [break] [break]

"Nevermind, out the front!" he said preferring to rush into battle against crazy robo mosnters than face his own baggage.

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it's a highway, highway to the dark [break]
and a neon medusa's got your heart .

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PARANOIA rises rises in his throat but he swallows hard, grounded by Ashley's presence. He runs close to him, before turning to face what they're running away form. "What the fuck is going on with these Tyranitars?" he asked as one began glowing, the ground around it turning foggy and yellow as it activated ELECTRIC TERRAIN. The other next to it didn't move, only locking onto Mint's form with an obvious BEEP-BEEP-BEEP and beginning to spark and ?? inhale??? the yellows fog? It sounded like more whirring and the sound of suction as it CHARGEd up while locking onto him. [break][break]

Spumoni doesn't stay to help Bongo, instead skidding forward and leaping through the open door to secure the way out for their trainers. The robots seem held back by the pink petal spectacular. But what they find isn't those acres and acres of neon sunflowers Mint had seen on his way in. No, its a shadowy hallway with unfamiliar floors and walls. He turns to Ashley, LED screen reflecting a simple sad face as he spoke. "Recognize this?" he asked. [break][break]

The hallway is long with all kinds of doors. There seemed to be an end but it's shrouded in shadow. He waits for Bongo to run through, turning to slam the door behind them and lock it. There's quiet, eerie quiet. Muffled sounds come form different doors. And then there's that banging, and Mint is nearly slammed off the door form the sheer amount of shaking and force put through thin wood. Mint begins looking for his own familiarities. [break][break]

"What happened- where were you going when this shit started?" he added, shouting at his companion as Spumoni rushed to help Mint hold down the door.

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it's a highway, highway to the dark [break]
and a neon medusa's got your heart .

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"Abusive POS got not one but TWO robo tyranitars?" He asked sarcastically. He grunts, looking up to the Rillaboom as they catch him and nods. "Thanks buddy." The beast straightens up as their Hitmontop keeps track of the front for threats that may come. "Greyson?" he echoed, looking over at Ashley. Was it the same Greyson Connors he knew? Shit. "Kicking the shit out of you?" he asked, more or less prodding for the details. [break][break]

"There really isn't' a way to avoid this shit huh? Except run and hope you don't fall off a cliff getting away form the mist." he said, shuddering. The last time he'd seen in here...things had gone horribly wrong. He hadn't slept right for weeks after it. [break][break]

"Looks cheap." Mint noted with a small nod. He leans in to look over a the office, checking for any alternative exits before huffing and trying another door. "Oh! This one!" he said rushing to a metal door with an exit sign glowing. But when he pushes the bar in and shoves the heavy door back he's met with baby cries. The wailing of an infant in the arms of a woman with mosaic for a face, and long dark tresses falling down her shoulders. [break][break]

She cradles a child that shrieks in seeming agony, face red and sticky. Mint freezes, unwilling to step through. But the muddled roars get louder and despite the muffled, conversations inside that delivery room there is a door someone's comes through. "Fuck it, I don't have time for this- Spumoni, Sawyer!" he calls for, holding the door open and keeping his back to the scene. The room seems hazy, like covered in a strange film. Lines run down his vision as the room reflects that old CRT feel. Except he's walking in it. [break][break]

Mint leads on, shoving a random nurse out of the way and out the door. Not second later he's fighting through a swarm of journalists, photographers, and paparazzi screaming questions like he knows anything about anyone. [break][break]

F̸̳̥̣̿͑ ̶̘͚͉̹̙̍͒͌͊͑̚I̵̻͛ ̶̨͙͆͛̔͘̚Ś̵̬̤̠̦̓̈́̂͒͝ ̶̧̻̦͖̱̩̪͛͂̓̓K̶̬͖͑̃̆͛̈̒̄.̸̧̰̣̻̪͇̾̀̒̾̏͒͝

[break][break]

The name echoes in bits and pieces everywhere but Mint seemed adamant with Spumoni roughly shoving parts of the mob aside as they go to another door, another exit. Sliding doors out of this hospital. "Sawyer!" he calls out, turning to look back and make sure they didn't get stuck.

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it's a highway, highway to the dark [break]
and a neon medusa's got your heart .

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A city. And he's relieved its not Hearthome. But he's also disappointed it's not the end of this. "Fuckin' right it ain't." he sighed as he followed Ashley, who seemed to recognize it a bit better than he did. Mint didn't want to proceed, mainly because Ashley looked...bitter. [break][break]

And while he didn't know him very well, he knew enough to recognize the change in expression. Mint doesn't press him on it though. The place is dirty, old trash and mud on the ground. As he looking though, the bit of dampness on the mud turns...oily. Like rainbow colored oily, and the earth begins to darken more than it already was. "Go." His voice is low before he repeats himself again. "We keep moving or-" [break][break]

A building them behind them explodes, bricks and dust scattering upwards into the air. Faint screams of the people caught in the crossfire and mechanical screams echoing behind them. [break][break]

He feels bad for Ashley. The oncoming pressure, the mud turning abyssal black. It's coming. And he wishes so badly in that moment that it's his companion's turn. But that's selfish. jayden cross wouldn't do that. Jayden would protect any Rocket. And now that's his job, as beast. As one of the alleged strongest in the organization, per job title. So he dives into the tunnel. "Spumoni, cover Sawyer." he ordered as he scrambled, on his knees through the shitty tired tunnel. [break][break]

He tumbled out on grass under grey skies. It's not raining yet, but the wind is harsh. The lawns are perfectly manicured, expansive. It's a playground with all manner of things in it. Sandbox, slides, swings. A little wedge maze, a marbled stone patio. A fucking gazebo, flower gardens. Bushes' trimmed into pokemon, flowers color coordinating into intricate patterns and ivy growing everywhere it was deigned acceptable to grow. [break][break]

There's the faint sound of children laughing. And Mint tenses. He sees the doors into the school. "Don't- Don't look around. The more agitated we get the worse this shit turns, I think." he said trying to stand firm, and keep his cool. But while bee lining straight forward, and stopping for Ashley, he can see it out of the corner of his eye. A lone child sitting abandoned in a gazebo, quiet and nearly invisible in the shadows. The sky rumbled up ahead and as little droplets begin to break, as doors open for the few children still outside, daring Mother Nature to drench them, they don't move. [break][break]

Michaelis Fisk doesn't move. He will not move. He hates how this is framed, how dream logic forces this into the eyeline, how that fucking child doesn't look up. Mint tears away his eyes when they begin to, not wanting to look at Michaelis ever again. It'd be an insult to fern delaney 's work, to his own efforts. He takes a shaky breath, and swallows. [break][break]

And when he sees a flash of pale white, moving to comfort a lonely child he nearly stops to give chase. Gelatto. Gelatto, the only thing he really wanted to see again this horrible mist but Spumoni smacks him, herding him and Ashley through. There it is again, muffled and terrible the mechanical screeching of the things chasing after them. He can't stay, can't look, can't hug the little vulpix ever again.

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it's a highway, highway to the dark [break]
and a neon medusa's got your heart .

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"I-" They're similar, but Mint wouldn't call it him. But, yeah, un-metaphorically. Totally him. The small stature, the fair skin, the shitty cyan blue hair from his Mother's side of the family. All him. Even the little Vulpix. Ashley and Spumoni crash into him, pulling him away from danger that he nearly lets himself get caught up in. Spumoni slows at the threshold, glowing red with REVENGE as he takes both STONE EDGE'S before sending back the flying rocks with double the force at the mechanical monsters. [break][break]

"Fuck!" Mint hissed as they run through the school. It's just as auspicious as the outside. Tall ceilings, marble floors, gold and silver detailing. Ornate fabrics and floor to ceiling windows, expensive wood furniture, beautiful porcelain. And amongst is all he hears the whispers. Occasionally a giggle, like a hiccup, but whispers growing and growing in volume. And as Spumoni catches up after smashing the Tyranitars, little eyes blink into existence from the shadows, the classroom doors. [break][break]

All watching him and Ashley dart through corridor after corridor trying to find their way out towards the foyer, the front door, anything! [break][break]

And in his horror, Mint watched Spumoni trip as something tugged him back. Stray oil, slick and sticky in appearance had dropped form down its arms to tie up its legs. The Hitmontop yanks itself out but, Mint's suddenly horrified, LED helmet matching it. He takes off with greater speed, now more desperate than before to find the exit. All the while, letting Ashley pass as throwing and tossing furniture in the way as obstacles. "I-It's getting worse!" he shouted trying to keep the panting calm. But he leads Ashley anyway, as they funnel into the foyer with magnificent oak doors carved in all sorts of beautiful Pokémon and human illustration. Spumoni darts for, TRIPLE KICKING THE behemoth of a door open.

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it's a highway, highway to the dark [break]
and a neon medusa's got your heart .

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"No! Haven't you noticed-?!" Mint tried to yell back as Spumoni blasted through wooden doors and they were faced with a new memory. A new distorted scene from their past. Mint slows, not understanding what he's looking at. This isn't familiar to him so...he turned to Ashley. [break][break]

"Wait-" The Raichu. The boy. THEO BECKETT ?! He shouldn't pry. He doesn't want to pry, but he's trying to understand. Had Ashley-? Mint's eyes are on the pool of blood, dark and darker. Darkening into pools of sticky abyss. Tendrils jiggle out, trying to form and slither towards Ashley and him. [break][break]

Mint is horrified and mesmerized and before he can point it out the STONE EDGE goes flying and he can see it. The tyranitars dripping oil from the damage, except its that same impossibly black goo oozing out of them and reaching out for the humans. [break][break]

And Bongo has them moving and- "Sawyer?" He noticed quickly his companion isn't moving. "Sawyer!!" he repeated before grabbing one of his arms and tugging at the wrist. "Spumoni! Break it down!" he ordered before the little fighting type broke began pounding at another exit. This one harder to smash through. Like the dream wanted to keep them there a moment longer.

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it's a highway, highway to the dark [break]
and a neon medusa's got your heart .

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tw: he kills himself

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There's nothing left but a family cozy hallway. The ceiling drips with something black and sticky. But the path, for the most part is clear. Even with the chaos of the two robots behind them, this area is calm. Quiet. "No." the word is strained, his grip on Ashley's wrist tighter and tighter. He doesn't realize he'd still holding him. Because its the same as before. It's the same at the soiree its- [break][break]

A blast from behind and a mighty roar pushes them all forward. The black tendrils snap to life, their intended prey so close to home now. "No-!" into protests as they snap to his legs and his arms, yanking him down with a suddenness. Even the vice grip on his companion is nothing to the inhuman strength of the dream's narrator. [break][break]

Mint resist, suddenly panicked, desperate. The bravado of a Beast falling miserably as he understand fully where he's going back to. "No! No, no that's not me! That's not me anymore!" his shrieks rip through his vocal chords as he and, by virtue of being so close, Ashley are pulled forward. The door is simple and fine. It slams open to a large open apartment. A small kitchen next to the entrance. The light inside dim, with big floor to ceiling windows and soft gossamer curtains letting in the dying rays of sunset. The room reeks of something harsh. Bottles of paint thinner tossed onto the ground mixing in with the smell of old leftovers in stacked dirty dishes everywhere. The buzz of flies and the stench of garbage piling up all mix into a powerful wall of smog. Inside, by the windows are stacks of canvases torn through with half finished paintings of sunflowers and the sky. So many has been carved or punched through. In the corners of the room there's pieces of canvas frames thrown in anger. Paint stains on the wall form impact. [break][break]

And right under the window sill? A young man, with sunken eyes, and rolled up sleeves. With a cup full of canvas knives, fading in the stink of it all, as he takes the sharpest he can find and carves into stained fair skin. Blood pools dark under him, and Mint cries in protest at the sight. There banging on the front door now, having slammed shut to trap the pair inside. At first the cries of women pleading, begging for the owner to come out. Then slowly, that banging morphs into stomping. [break][break]

The mental Tyranitars getting closer and closer as black tendrils latch onto a small artist's body, glasses broken, and hair shaved back into a crew cut. So much smaller than Mint in one way and exactly the same in others. And he's forced to watch just like before, that same poor artist pick up a knife and carved himself open again and again. Mint is sobbing, with Spumoni pulling at the leftover sentient oil slick from their trainer. It unlatches with ease, having succeeded in feeding off their prey. He looks up at Sawyer as something explodes down the hall, moving towards the door to prepare for whatever came next.

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it's a highway, highway to the dark [break]
and a neon medusa's got your heart .