MURALS

SURVEY

HOWARD’S WARNING BUYS A MOMENT. he doesn’t raise his hand, but he doesn’t move either. a pinpoint crossroad between escalating or submission. fernando already knows his choice.

never give up. never give in. not even in the face of certain defeat. but his opponent does know that. the fact that they have this hesitance, this moment in time, rather than a swift blast to his chest, tells him everything he needs to know.

he can win this.

the only question is can he move before the VOLCARONA registers his intent and attacks? he can release his pokemon, he’s sure, but the time between it materializing, registering the situation, and then responding, gives the VOLCARONA plenty of time to nail them both.

for a moment, he doesn’t believe a word howard says. but that lull is enough of an opportunity. for the pokemon too much register the gap between conversations.

“mega!”

a finger taps the release mechanism of his ball. it immediately spits out his GLALIE, positioning it in front of him. quick, but a ready opponent should be able to attack right as the pokemon appears.

which is why he picks his GLALIE. his most trusted shield. the one that knows to always PROTECT when being summoned. whether it be battle, feeding time, or being called upon in a pokemon center. it knows is has one job, and that job is to be reliable.

“shinka!”

and, to its credit, it PROTECTS, shrouded in a bright light as its form starts to enlarge behind a translucent barrier.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
200 MP for pokemon death.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP use mega evolution in your thread.

He's fast! Howard's eye widened as he registers the motion. "Don't you DARE-"

Too late. His Volcarona is already registering the strike, and retaliating. Burning scales ignite in the air, and the cavern becomes an oven, and the ruin becomes a tomb. Letting out a Fiery Dance to strike at the Glalie, it glances off the protective barrier. That's fine. That's perfectly fine.

By protecting its master, the Glalie has made Howard's decision far easier. A prolonged war with Fernando Silph is not ideal. If it was, someone would've put him under by now.

"Get UP!" Howard kicked another grunt, who groaned to their feet. Several against one wasn't a particularly fair fight, but Howard wasn't honorable, and neither was Rocket. It didn't help that many were still struggling against Natu's attack, leaving the grunt with several slightly less useful grunts.

Joy.

"I'll help!" One of the grunts said groggily, and Howard shook his head. "But... Galarian."

"I didn't want this fight, Silph! I was going to let you go! I was going to let you go!" His voice cracked. Howard reached for his belt, and reached for another Pokeball as he backed away.

He allowed a glance at it. This would ensure their escape. He just knew it.

---

FERNANDO SILPH

MURALS

SURVEY

“EXECUTE.”

there is no banter. no side conversation. just focus, as the command to battle commences. once the PROTECT shatters, the flames start to eat away at the GLALIE. but it resolves the damage with little recoil. in its MEGA form, the GLALIE is already in constant pain, aching from its dislodged jaw.

and, from the black void of its throat, comes a suppressive volley of ICE SHARDS.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
200 MP for pokemon death.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP use mega evolution in your thread.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.

Its jaws crack. Volcarona breaks.

Or it should. Storms of ice shards flood the cave. Several melt in the heat of the Volcarona's wingbeat, but many still cross the distance between the Glalie and Volcarona. The Volcarona turns, flapping its wings violently. Several Ice Shards sink into its flesh. Before the rest can land, a loud sound rings out in the cavern.

CLACKCLACKCLACKCLACKCLACK!

Dozens of bricks form a wall in front of the Volcarona as the wounded Pokémon falls. In the darkness, several eyes glow a bright blue as the Stakataka defends its colleague from death.

The Ultra Beast becomes a steadily retreating wall for the grunts, spitting Stealth Rocks into the air. The jagged stones form a defensive wall of airborne mines, eerily similar to the jagged walls of the cavern. From behind the wall, Howard drags a grunt alongside him.

Howard hated these grunts. They had ruined his chat with Fernando. Yet he was obligated to defend them.

"Stay, Fernando!" Howard shouted from behind the wall as they disappeared into the darkness. Couldn't the councilman see that there was no fight here. Howard had killed Fernando's Natu, but that wasn't his fault. He was different from the other Rockets. He didn't kill. It was an accident.

Why couldn't Fernando see that?

See... Howard's eye widened.

Sight.

---

FERNANDO SILPH
+100 posts
+50 mission start
+100 mission
+200 (win)
+25 (UB)
total: 475

MURALS

SURVEY

“TCH.”

the sound of ICE SHARDS bursting against the STAKATAKA tells him all he needs to know. there’s no proceeding. their source of light fades behind obscurity and fernando knows better than to proceed without proper lighting. too many chances for them to catch him by surprise.

and for what?

nothing.

which only leads to silent frustration. one that last until he can no longer hear them. only then does he confirm his NATU’s death, leaving the carcass behind without second thought.

for it is just one of many that will be laid to rest in this buried tomb.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
200 MP for pokemon death.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP use mega evolution in your thread.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
100 MP for completing a RT Mission.
300 MP for "losing" a RT Battle/Mission.

TOTAL: 780

The grunts scrambled through the darkness, guided by the fluorescent lights of the Ultra Beast. Its bricks clattered unevenly across the ground. Howard stumbled, foot hitting a rock as he continued. He hissed and cursed.

As they fled, the murals slowly disappeared. Drawings of primordial gods were replaced with unmarred stone. History was replaced with emptiness. Humanity with nature. Howard had never felt more furious. There was so much to study. So much to understand. So much to comprehend.

Yet he was leaving it behind to save his own skin. It felt like a betrayal to his very ideals. Team Rocket had never interested him on an ideological level. He joined them for money. He joined them because nobody would hire him for his skills. He joined them because...

I didn't want to leave my passion behind, and rot as a everyman.

Yet in this moment, he had fled and left it behind with a councilman and murals that he'd never see again.

The group of grunts stopped in a cavern, and Howard stopped to catch his breath. He dropped the grunt he was carrying, and wiped his brow. He made sure to drop the grunt on his right side, so he wouldn't have to look at him. Howard was glad that his vision was lacking on that side, if only for a moment.

"Galarian, you did it!" Howard turned to face the grunt that had interrupted his conversation with Fernando. The man was battered, but overall looked better than most. He looked better than Howard felt, at least. "You defeated Fernando Silph. You killed one of his Pokemon."

"It was a Natu. Nothing relevant. He can replace it in a week." Howard frowned. It hadn't even been a fair fight against it. He had struck at it when Fernando's back was turned. The councilman would've crushed them all if Howard hadn't struck him from behind. "You interrupted my conversation."

Silence.

"Why does that matter. Slayte, you beat him." The grunt laughed, and the others nodded in agreement. "You'll be a hero for this."

Howard clenched his fist, breathing heavily. He adjusted his hat and looked at the grunt. This man was just as important as Howard was to Team Rocket in regards to rank. Both were grunts with specific objectives, but Howard had been experiencing something. He had interrupted Howard's discussion with Fernando Silph. A chat that could've extended on for longer.

In that moment, Howard realized something:

He had enjoyed talking with the councilman.

"You realize that, by exposing me, I didn't get any more information from him?" Howard raised an eyebrow. "About this island? About the Desert Ruins? About Regirock? That you made me..."

Kill a Natu? Yes, Howard had done that too. He had killed a Pokémon in cold blood. Team Rocket would be so proud.

That Natu... hadn't it been doing something as it died? Howard blinked once, then cocked his head. What had he seen? His mind flashed back to Fernando, and his missing eye. Sight... Howard cocked his head again.

Future Sight.

Howard's nose began to bleed as that dying strike took effect. Then his ears. His eye socket began to bleed as well. Finally, the pain arrived. Howard held his head in his hands as the pain throbbed. The grunt ran over and shook his shoulders, though his voice rang strangely in Howard's ears. He barely heard anything through the blood bubbling out of them.

"Galarian. Slayte! Are you okay?"

Howard looked up, grimacing in pain. Then, he smiled at the man who had ruined everything with Fernando. Infinite possibilities, washed away due to a foolish error of a group of people who had interrupted academics.

"Never better." He wiped his nose.

Howard punched the grunt, knocking him to the floor.

"Never better."

---

FERNANDO SILPH
+110 posts
+50 mission start
+100 mission
+200 (win)
+25 (UB)
total: 485