Snakes; why'd it have to be snakes? [break][break]

Normally Eddie wouldn't be freaked out by the things; Pokemon like Arbok and Seviper were actually kinda cool, in a sleek and vicious way. But their propensity for devouring creatures whole was downright gross. Something about it was particularly criminal to Eddie as a man who thought that a good meal should be savored and enjoyed, not inhaled purely for it's nutritional value, [break][break]

“Hit 'em hard, Vash! But, uh, not too hard; don't wanna hurt the poor bastard wrigglin' around in there.” [break][break]

Eddie gestured to a particularly content Arbok, fat and happy in it's post-meal repose under a tree. The Pawmot cried in affirmation and surged forward with a quick MACH PUNCH. The fat snake balked, and with a noise that Eddie knew was going to haunt his nightmares for the next few weeks, produced the contents of it's most recent meal, [break][break]

“Oh thank God!” exclaimed a little old man, now thoroughly saturated in stomach acid and saliva. [break][break]

He scampered across the ground towards Eddie, past the knocked-out snake, and Eddie had to do everything in his power not to wretch at the sight of him, [break][break]

“Goodness gracious, I don't know how I could ever repay you! You saved my life!” [break][break]

Eddie only offered a pained smile in reply; this was really, really gross. He averted his gaze as the rescued man patted his pockets to try and take inventory of his possessions, but noticed something curious when he looked back at the snake lying in the grass nearby. [break][break]

Had he seen something like this before? Purple chains had bound the creature, but had begun to fall away and crumble to dusky ash. Wait, maybe Eddie had; such chains had bound some of the previous people and Pokemon he had encountered during some of the strange events he had recently witnessed. There was probably a connection there, something that could unravel the true nature of the bizarre calamities that had been taken place across Hoenn during the past couple of weeks. [break][break]

Any such speculation immediately ceased the moment he felt a bile-drenched hand clasp his arm. Eddie tried as hard as he could to maintain his composure as the old man produced a wad of damp Poke Dollars as a sign of thanks, but Eddie was pretty sure a rather undiginifed yelp had made it's way out anyway.[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]prompt: save someone who has been swallowed by the arbok. [break]
notices the toxic chains, but hasn't exactly put 2 and 2 together yet

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Trey hadn't come to Ever Grande to tackle a vicious swarm of Arbok. Hell, he hadn't arrived at any of his destinations with the intent to play hero and save the day, but—

He grimaced as the scene before him played out, the pokeball in his hand slowly enlarging as his finger rest on the trigger.

When in Rome, right?

Devi was actually the one he sent out first, the little Mudkip alert with his head held high as they surveyed the area again. Almost everyone was tackling a problem pokemon on their own, people and creatures alike traveling up and down Arbok throats depending on the circumstances. A swathe of the cobras were slithering up from the cliffside, and it was there that Trey directed his attention, giving Devi a nod that signaled it was time for them to begin. The Mudkip seemed to know what he was thinking, resorting to a move that had an area of effect versus something that would target just one creature. From above fell a Rock Slide made by the small water type, several of the snakes writing about as they were crushed by the fall. Trey could see Toxic Chains disintegrate from at least one pokemon before it fainted—one even regurgitated a stray Emolga—but the rest seemed too hardy to fall victim to the attack.

As his vision strained, no doubt from prolonged exposure to these events, Trey couldn't help but chew on the makeup of the Toxic Chains themselves. Was Rocket orchestrating this? Not that Trey could tell based on appearances alone, but from the rumors that spread, Rockets were being affected just as much as the general population. Who was creating them, then? Another organization he didn't yet know about? Pokemon? Why? If someone wanted chaos alone, this was certainly a way to do it, but was this just a childish prank gone too far or more? He had no fucking idea, nor did he know who to ask to gather more information. He'd studied Arbok populations before back in Kanto. He didn't recall them being so hostile, nor this organized. He lifted a weak arm to instruct Devi to shoot a Hydro Pump at another one, this one nearly gorging itself on some poor kid who was probably developing a justified fear of snakes. Trey managed a weak, incredulous laugh. "Hoenn is kind of batshit, eh?"

-use a move that causes a target to flinch
-be swallowed or save someone who has been swallowed by the arbok
-if your character has participated in AT LEAST 3 POISON PATROLS, they may feel slightly unwell during this patrol; furthermore, your character may be able to discern that the TOXIC CHAINS do corrupt and imbue Pokemon with unique abilities

☉

She breathed deeply, inhaling what she thought was crisp, clean air. Something wasn’t right, perhaps it was all the stress and sleepless night catching up to her as she scrambled to unsuccessful seize control of whatever this pandemic was.

“Mmhhmmm,” she groaned, bending over to rest her hands on her knees. She nodded to the Gallade in reluctant acceptance that she needed some HEAL PULSE aid to keep her going. She let the move wash over her like a gentle wave. It took some of the unsettling sickness away, but something unnatural still lingered.

She was no good dead or infected, so she checked herself into one of the medical tents to be seen and make sure she was clean. While waiting and being monitored, she had plenty of time to review the cases she’d been studying which led her to a number of conclusion, including the curious abilities the infected pokemon demonstrated. She replayed battles over and over again until she was confident she could piece together the unique abilities these TOXIC CHAINS were granted their host.

---

😈if your character has participated in AT LEAST 3 POISON PATROLS, they may feel slightly unwell during this patrol; furthermore, your character may be able to discern that the TOXIC CHAINS do corrupt and imbue Pokemon with unique abilities...

[attr="class","icon"]

nothing could've prepared her, not this time. ailments from the mochi intoxication befall petra, who finds herself in a clouded stupor as the arbok aspire to swallow her and the others whole.
[break]
[break]

her cubone, mimi, appears completely immune to the effects. and though she is scared, the baby pokemon is unwilling to stand back and watch it's mother perish for a second time.
[break]
[break]

a stomping tantrum unsettles the ground as it marches forward, causing the arbok with petra halfway down it's gullet to lose it's balance. the stomping only continued from there, forcing the serpent to regurgitate it's meal before an eventual defeat.
[break]
[break]

"mo...mm...mimi?" she wasn't sure what exactly happened, but it seemed like the cubone just saved her? watching tears build up in the cubone's eyes, petra hugs her pokemon tight before moving on to help the others desperately in need.
[break][break]

---

[break][break]

tl;dr
- (+1 mochi) attack/defend against the arbok.[break]
-if your character has participated in AT LEAST 3 POISON PATROLS, they may feel slightly unwell during this patrol; furthermore, your character may be able to discern that the TOXIC CHAINS do corrupt and imbue Pokemon with unique abilities...