It wasn't a soft landing, a jolt of pain running through Hideo's legs as they hit the ground. Nothing broken, but he was gonna be feeling that tomorrow.

And he didn't have time to mull over the pain, nor to look for who it was that called out to him before he jumped down: Eris Halla pulled him and Lucia Aldrete along.

He could hear fluid around him, muffled by glass. Eris's words were quick to tell him what these were: those tubes everyone's Pokemon were in. The ones he and Melody Miro had found in their dreams.

His Pokemon were in these tubes.

How dearly he wanted to look for his Pokemon, to free them. To once more be able to know what was going on. If he could just get his Beheeyem out, then he could easily find the rest…

But Azelf's calls reminded him of his mission. He didn't have the time to go from tube to tube - nor did he know how to actually free them from their glass prisons.

He couldn't rescue them as he was. He wasn't strong enough to help them.

Hideo swallowed his regret, and followed Eris along. Azelf's calls were getting stronger, enough so that Hideo could find his way there even with Eris's guidance (though not without perhaps running into a vat or two on the way there).

He knows when they've reached Azelf - but the sounds of fists against glass tell him it's just as trapped as every other Pokemon. He knew it was a fruitless endeavor - he already knew they didn't have the strength to break through this glass.

Yet his hands search around anyways, trying to find a way to open this tube. "Azelf!" he shouted, "You gotta wake up! Please!"

He'd been looking for Azelf for so long. A year and a half, and now it was right in front of them.

For a moment, he felt a familiar sensation on his arm. It'd been years since he last felt it, but he knew it was right where Uxie's mark had been.

A familiar voice rang through his head. The same one he'd been hearing the past couple days.

WILL AWAKENS TO CURE THE SICKNESS, WHEN ALL ARE KNOWN.

WITNESS THE WILL OF THE WEAK. THE WILL OF THE RIDICULED. THE WILL OF THE UNLOVED.

With that, Hideo could feel the chains around his neck break off - and with it, he lost that sense telling him where other chains were.

But he couldn't be more eager to take that mask off his face and finally breathe easy again. He reached for it, ready to pull it off - only for a tail to push it right back on.

He only knew the source because it told him as much: Uxie was back…and was keeping his face hidden?

He didn't think to ask why, instead turning his attention back to Azelf…who he could guess was in a bad shape, from what Eris was saying. "Uxie, you gotta help too!" Hideo begged, as if Uxie wasn't already about to help heal its sibling.

The Legendary floated down to Azelf, taking its free hand. Uxie's body glowed, a Wish flowing from its body to its sibling - a wish to be reunited, to be a Trio once again.

Hideo turned to Cassandra Kubrick , who'd offered to give them a ride. "Just…we'll come when Azelf's alright," he answered. "Little guy's gonna need some help…"

He'd have to find his other Pokemon, once Azelf was safe and stable. With any luck, his Beheeyem was already gathering them up.

luh1Sm__

Oof ow the floor is made of bone-hurting juice

Gotta go tho

Hideo wants to find his Pokemon - but prioritizes the goal he's spent the last year and a half on

Tries to find a way to open Azelf's tube

Can feel his mark come back

With Azelf out, tries to take off mask - but Uxie appears and stops him

Declines Cassandra Kubrick's offer top go, wants to wait until Azelf is good (and then find his Pokemon)

Main Action: Sticking with Azelf, as Uxie tries to heal Azelf with a Wish

Genevieve Cromwell

if maki hadn't recognized zev's voice, it would have become obvious who he was once he tore his mask off and took back his powers. maki only nods, following after him, only stopping to confirm her own pokemon were in good health. it's a shame about her aurorus, but at least it wasn't her froslass or her houndoom that was chosen. she knows she can rely on them to carry out orders without question, so they've become integral to her survival strategy. for now, she keeps her houndoom at her side, and she remains near zev in case he needs anything of her.

not that she expects to do much here, surrounded by dynamax pokemon bursting with energy. she wonders for a moment if the structure isn't going to come tumbling down around them, entombing them forever.

before she can even do anything, though... she takes another step forward, and pain blossoms in her chest. it's enough to make even her stagger, as she realizes her roll from earlier may have damaged her ribs even further. maki staggers, her breath escaping her. it's not the worst pain she's ever endured, but for right now, it renders her rather useless. her fists clench in frustration, and she grits her teeth, waiting for the agony to subside.

then there's pressure against her leg. she looks, and her houndoom is pressing against her, almost... in a comforting fashion. she doesn't understand, and she just blinks. what are you...?

46qfdPSw

maki remains with Zev Harcourt for now, waiting for further instruction.
unfortunately, her injuries flare up, and she's not able to do much else.

PRISMATIC PENITENTIARY

Reckless and Restraintless

It was all gone. Perhaps, that last moment where Elaine had landed safely, sparks flying out of her legs as they gracefully slid down the wall and touched the ground of the breeding pit that was its final embers.

The chains had been poison that robbed them of their wills and encroached on their bodies, but thanks to that last spurt, they had given them the power to stand back up. Even if it was but a pittance, it was a gift through and through.

"Well, it was never truly mine to begin with."

The Toxic Chains merely fell to the ground as if they were fruits drained of all vitality.

In that moment, however, though she felt the last of that power vanishing from her, she had also seen the greatest restraint she had left no longer be a part of her. She took the mask off her face and then stared at its back for a moment. It was no longer attached to her. It was no longer stuck as if it were her appendage.

She could finally drop it and never pick it up again. So, she did. Without a moment's hesitation, she smiled and merely let it fall off her hand. She did not look back on it nor did she stamp upon it. She would not let that damned object even have that shred of dignity.

She had told Ever that this was merely one hell, but that hell was falling apart at the seams and purgatory seemed to be ever closer in reach.

After taking one last gaze at the ogre who had finally found her home with a new friend, she walked away. It was hardly her place to intervene, even if she was the one to fully destroy her mask.

"I wonder if I should apologize to her. I hit her and that mask quite hard. Maybe someday."

But not today. They may have been out of harm's way for now, but the storm would fast approach and there was no guarantee of how long this calm would last. She quickly grabbed up all of her belongings.

Pokeballs. She had never been more glad to see all of her Pokemon alright and in her hands once again. She had to treat them all to a good meal and grooming once they all got back. The week had to have been a killer on them too.

Her Mega pen and journal, safely together.

Her clothes...bereft of her shoes, socks, and her blazer.

"I guess...I did probably take those all off when I went to sleep, huh. Guess I can't get rid of these sandals just yet. Ah...screw this. Sieg! Cover me for a moment."

After releasing Siegfried, she hid behind him and immediately tore off her current clothes and put her regular clothes on in a quick, roughshod manner. She couldn't button up her shirt or its sleeves, tuck her shirt into her skirt, or tie up the ribbon, but that would have to do. At least she had her underwear on. Even if it was roughly placed.

She had seen Aurelie Lefevre beat her to the punch at one of the windows, so she merely went to another. As she walked, she issued one command.

"Use Future Sight now. It's not over just yet."

As she moved towards one of the windows, she attempted to slide open the panelings covering the window.

As she did, a thought arose. She hadn't seen ever blackwell since the floor collapsed. Nor had she seen Violet Fairbanks or Kyrenai Black since the two of them had exited from the feeding pit.

"I hope they're alright," she muttered.

---

TL;DR:

• Leaving Hotel California
• Elaine takes no damage and lands safely (RNGesus bless)
• Leaves Ogerpon alone with Andrea and Thea, questioning if she should apologize for the rough treatment she gave at some point
• Recovers her Pokeballs and belongings, proceeds to speed change while not fully dressing up
• Commands Gallade to use Future Sight while she opens up one of the windows
• Wonders how her companions through this ordeal are doing

Tags: Aurelie Lefevre (No interaction, just mention), Violet Fairbanks , Kyrenai Black , ever blackwell
JsnaYfXy

Shielding Andrea Vaneau and OGERPON from STEALTH ROCKS with his great speed, Josh worked tirelessly despite his leg injury. Under his watch, he swore to keep them safe, deflecting and shattering several sharp stones. For each one he batted away, two more approached him. Seeing things in slow motion strained the powers of Josh's TOXIC CHAIN to the point where his concentration broke for a split second. And that was all it took for a series of stones to stab him in his left arm, the heat-seeking rocks exploding on contact.

He could no longer feel the throbbing in his leg, for its thumping was drowned out by his left arm. Just beneath the wrist halfway to his shoulder felt like it had liquid iron injected into it, causing him to wail in paralyzing pain. Before he fell to the ground, it crumbled away, causing him to land hard on the BREEDING PIT below... and on his bad side, at that. The remaining STEALTH ROCKS within him crumbled, though the damage had already been done. Blood dripped from every puncture the rock-type attack left, his left arm visibly convulsing as it hung limp. The impact had been so hard and at such an angle that the mask he was wearing shattered, though the Champion was in too much pain to feel his red, sweat-covered face begin to dry.

With searing pain in his arm, his leg felt good as new by comparison. Crawling in the neon light, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of Pokémon. As he scanned them, the light of an EXPANDING FORCE shattered his TOXIC CHAIN, the world around him traveling at the speed of sound by comparison of what he had adapted to under its power. While the venom had left his body, OKIDOGI's cut was still there, though now it could begin to heal.

Were these the tubes from the dream? Where were his Pokémon, and were they all okay? Where was his RAINBOW FEATHER?

Those questions would be answered as the EXPANDING FORCE not only destroyed the TOXIC CHAINS, but ripped open holes in the tubes containing the prisoners' Pokémon. Josh's electric-types crowded around him, their eyes beading with worry. All he could do was yell and screech, he was in so much pain. Horrible memories of his grandmother's last days flooded his mind, particularly the moment he stopped inside her hospital room three days before she died. All she could do was scream. He knew she was trying to say hello, but could not manage it from how much pain she was in. That person was not his grandmother.

That must have been how his Pokémon felt seeing him in a condition where he was about to bleed out.

Mastema took flight quickly, raining LIFE DEW over Josh. Anyone else hurt would be able to shower in these waters if they wanted to. Its waters provided temporary pain relief, but it would be far from permanent. Even after his pain had been soothed to become bearable, the Champion still could neither feel nor move his left arm.

LONG-TERM INJURY

A barrage of STEALTH ROCKS have exploded on and around Josh's left arm, causing severe trauma to it. The healing and rehabilitation process will be slow, tedious, and induce great hardship for Josh. He will lose the use of his left arm until JUNE 17, 2024, and will suffer EXCRUCIATING PAIN if not regularly treated with Pokémon healing. Furthermore, after that time, any tasks that involve the use of his left arm will be made more difficult. All of his Pokémon will have all of their RACING PARAMETERS reduced by one rank, and actions taken using his left arm are LESS LIKELY TO SUCCEED. This injury can be removed no earlier than NOVEMBER 17, 2024.

As Josh experienced meaningful consciousness for the first time since the explosion of STEALTH ROCKS, he saw a glistening object in Raikou's mouth, lowered to the same level as his good arm. Grasping it, he breathed a sigh of relief. His RAINBOW FEATHER, Swift's vessel, was still intact and in good condition. One of the first things he heard was zachary stellar 's voice. "You're... here too, Zachary...?" Josh huffed. "I'm doing far from alright," he gestured to the massive blood pool beneath him. "I need to get out of here and to a hospital, now."

With Mastema's help, Josh struggled to his feet, having difficulty walking without his left arm to help his balance. Tripping over debris on multiple occasions, she noticed Andrea Vaneau in her Sygna Suit. "Andrea... where did you... find that?" he asked his Gym Leader friend. Were she to divulge that information, he would head to the back room, retrieve his possessions, withdraw his team except for the theraputic Togekiss, and do his best to change into his MANECTRIC Sygna Suit. He would need to suit his team up with their saddled, too... and so with only one arm might prove to be incredibly challenging...