It was a quiet journey to safety. Sombre, silent. Even the Quagsire could not find it within itself to continue to yelp and yap as it normally did. Instead, it simply swam along the way, a sadness lingering on its otherwise blank expression. In a way, Isaac had won, and yet, nothing about it felt like a victory. Strange, how that worked.

Either way, he didn't leave empty handed. As he made it back to shore, he'd heal the two scouts, who would quickly explain their story - They had been following up on reports of a string of "kidnappings" all across the battlefield, only to get captured themselves. Had they been targeted deliberately, or were they simply in the wrong place and the wrong, and ended up paying an ironic price for it? Even they don't seem particularly sure. Either way, they're safe now, and that's what matters.

The two go on their way. So, too, does the Quagsire, who splashes off to return to Arceus-knows-where. And just like that, the Liberator is left alone once more.

Mission accomplished.

---

"HERE! HERE! HE GOT MUCHLY BURIED HERELY!!!"

"SILENCE, short one! I cannot WORK with you BABBLING down there!"

Psychic energy peels away layers of rock and sediment, like a knife peeling the layers of an onion. Even with the powers of the otherworldly, it takes hours to burrow through the collapsed tunnel. For Quagsire, it is an experience riddled with anxiety and panic. For Farigiraf, it is so terribly boring. Must the master truly be burdened with such trifling tasks? Could not they get the Zigzagoon and the Poochyena to perform this grunt work? Apparently, the answer had been no, and thus, he dug.

And, before long, they find him.

The Aggron is in rough shape, just as anyone would be after being buried alive by a solid ton of stone. He's unconscious, barely breathing, but alive. Quagsire is quick to waddle over to his side with a relieved scream, while the Farigiraf finds that he could not care less.

"Mister Aggron! Mister Aggron is okay! Quick, Farigirafarig! Helpingly him!"

"Oh dear." The giraffe sighs, gripping the monster with Psychic energy, and dragging him along as the makeshift rescue team leave the tunnel behind. "Bit off more than you could chew, brute? Of course you did. Never send a rookie to do the job of the master! Alas, such is life when one lives foolishly..."

This is a loss. But, it is a lost "battle", not a lost "war". One failure isn't a dealbreaker: Operation Yoink will continue nonetheless.

---

Isaac Merlo
FINAL MP COUNT FOR SHRED:
+100MP for SEA.
+90MP for 9 IC posts.
+10MP for Quagsire and Farigiraf assisting Aggron in the final post.
+10MP for spawning a Paradox Pokemon.
+50MP for Aggron getting knocked out.
+100MP for completing an RT Mission.
+150MP for completing an RT Battle.
+50MP for participating in an RT Mission/Battle.
+300MP for "losing" an RT Battle.
TOTAL = 860MP.