[attr="class","samjermain"]At Fern’s question, her purple eyes shift toward him—the panic vanishing with a forced little laugh. “Oh, come now, Mister Delaney.” She tried her best to remember how the mask fit. The way to hold her nose. She unfurled her little bundle slightly, revealing the letterman jacket. “I couldn’t just leave a designer piece like this behind.” Watching as the other man teleported, she sighed.

It really was the most graceful form of transportation. Though she did wonder about the age-old question: was the reassembled person really you? What kind of things in that dragon’s brain allowed it to transport them in one piece? As Cillian volunteered to go last, Calpurnia nodded. The laptop pressed itself squarely against her chest. “Ever the gentleman, Mister Quinn.”

She watches as the darker-haired spouse makes a mess of the landing. She then turns to Purrseus. “I’ll take my chances with the dragon, my love.” The cat nods. He did not want that fat ass sitting on him anyway.

With a signal to Fern, the scientist uses the dragon’s portal. Hopefully, the woman put together on the other side did not get sentimental over an alien’s jacket. When she emerges into the apartment, any signs of tears are limited to smudges on her bottom lashes.

As Cillian lands, Purrseus waits a moment. As the door breaks, he unleashes a wave of Hypnosis upon the crowd. The hive members in front grow drowsy, crashing into one another in a tangle of limbs and stingers. One of them spat a chunk of goo at him, the viscous liquid landing in his shoulder tuft. Looking at them as if they were the morning’s litterbox droppings, he leaps across the barrier. After a moment, he manages to squeeze through the window frame.

With an almost mocking wave, Calpurnia closes the windows behind them. A secretive smile was spared for Tempest and Cillian. Truly two peas in a little anarchistic pod. Though cracked, it seemed solid enough to prevent a few stray stingers. “I am not sure they will care. The hive is likely far more important than some silly little interlopers.”

As commanded, she heads for the nearby staircase. Perseus moves to squeeze around the blond man, though the hallway makes it difficult for them to walk double file. Grateful for the silence, Calpurnia allows herself a moment to reflect. Had she truly missed that brainless dolt that much? Enough to risk life and limb for some dreamt-up chance at a reunion?

It was unlike her.

Ah, well, she was in a different world! This was no time to be crying over lost spouses!

She heard a click. With a hiss, she reached for the shirt in front of her, hoping to press them to a wall as a door swung open.

[attr="class","samjerpoke"]

[attr="class","petalbase"]











[newclass=.petalbase]font:11px roboto;--accent:#5fb2c9;[/newclass]

[newclass=.petalbase]max-width: 450px; height: auto;border: 1px solid #1a1a1a; border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; background: #252525;

[/newclass]

[newclass=.star1]border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0; max-width: 460px; height: 220px; background: url(https://i.imgur.com/zsBjQYG.png), #000; background-blend-mode: screen; background-attachment: fixed; background-size: cover; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center;[/newclass]

[newclass=.starimg]width: 100px; height: 100px; position: relative; border-radius: 100%; object-fit: cover;[/newclass]

[newclass=.starimg img]height:100px;width:100px;border-radius:100%;[/newclass]

[newclass=.star2]width: 350px; padding: 20px; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify; color: #eee; margin: 20px 0px 20px 0px; border-radius: 5px;[/newclass]

[newclass=.petalpoke]text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; [/newclass]

[newclass=.petalpoke img]margin-top:0px; [/newclass]

[newclass=.circleoutline1]border-radius: 100%; width: 120px; height: 120px; background: var(--accent); opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; [/newclass]

[newclass=.star2 b]font-weight: bold; color:var(--accent);[/newclass]

[newclass=.star2 i]padding:1px; text-decoration:italic; color:var(--accent);[/newclass]

[newclass=.star3] border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0; max-width: 460px; height: 50px; background: url(https://i.imgur.com/zsBjQYG.png), #000; background-blend-mode: screen; background-attachment: fixed; background-size: cover; display: flex; text-align:center;[/newclass]

[newclass=.rouxcredit]align:right; color:#AB4646; font-size:10px; text-align:right; padding:10px; [/newclass]

[attr="class","main"]

Though Tempest Quinn's landing had lacked the grace of Cillian's own, the Rocket underboss still turns to his husband with an approving smirk.[break][break]

Unfortunately, celebration is cut short by the need to flee.[break][break]

The last of their group as they file down the stairs, Cillian presses himself against the wall to allow Calpurnia Kubrick's Pokémon to pass. He halts immediately at the sound of an opening door, vision straining in the dark.[break][break]

Just barely, he sees fern delaney's cue and nods.
[break][break]
They make for the stairs, and for freedom.[break][break]



[break][break]

[attr="class","main"]

It is a shame they can't have any playful banter in this tense situation. There would have been some gentle teasing of fern delaney and Calpurnia Kubrick. Perhaps even Cillian Quinn.[break][break]

But for later, for later.[break][break]

Now, it seems like they had company.[break][break]

Temp huffed grabbed for his pokeballs. While the other booked it down the hall- he would face whatever might follow. Only after they were past would he turn to follow them.[break][break]

Ever willing to be a sacrificial lamb.[break][break]

[attr="class","samjermain"]The door slowly creaked open, its hinges unoiled. Behind it, she caught the sound of mumbling—the language not one she knew. Still, it sounded more intelligible than the moaning and groaning they heard earlier. When gestured toward the stairs, the woman is quick to nimbly spin around the doorway. Her heart—pressed tightly to the laptop—pounded like a frightened rabbit.

It was a strange sensation for a woman so self-assured. Some stubborn part of her wanted to stand her ground merely to prove she was not frightened. Take out her earlier rage and powerlessness on whatever thing poked its head through that door. But the non-lizard part of her brain won out. With surprising nimbleness, she danced around the door. The Purrugly bounded behind her, its tail trailing across the doorknob.

Purple eyes caught on her superior’s movements, noting how he stretched for a Pokeball. What the hell Tempest doing? Starting a fight in this hallway was a dangerous endeavor. If anything was in this place, it’d flood the stairs before they made it out. And, of course, attacks could ricochet onto them like

She turned to face the doorway as it finished swinging open. A Megapolan poked its head out, alarmed. Maybe it was logical. Perhaps he was waiting for a friend to bring the sugar. It didn’t matter. She came before good manners. “Purrseus.” The whisper drew the blue-skinned man’s face toward her. His yellow eyes widened as he found himself inches from the pancake cat’s face.

A burst of blue energy dropped him to the floor.

Without looking to see who followed, she bolted up the stairs. With freedom in sight—a treasure trove in hand—she removed her high heels. The last thing she needed was to take a tumble on a flight of HUD stairs.

[attr="class","samjerpoke"]