PRISMATIC PENITENTIARY

Made the landing

He lands with surprising grace, surprising himself most of all by not immediately eating sh*t.

As his better half, Yuina Higashi must've felt like she needed to deliver in his stead, because she proceeded to eat several unhealthy cups in his place.

"F*ck!" He spat before he could catch himself, throwing himself atop her as a myriad of debris rained down upon them, his arms wrapping around her waist before hoisting her up and away from the hole, dragging her away from it gracelessly.

After a minute of fussing over her, quickly healing up her injuries— he remembered the kids he came looking for, and began fussing over them instead.

"No whining!"

After making sure Hideo Kino, Eris Halla and Lucia Aldrete had also been healed of their wounds, he finally began paying attention to their surroundings.

"Huh." He uttered, staring at the vats of green goo and pokemon duplicates with a properly weirded out look on his face, disturbed and discomforted.

Then he saw one of his pokemon.

Two of his pokemon.

Nurse Joy is here. He thought, staring at his blissey, his hand reaching out to touch the vat, his scowl reflected on the translucent surface.

Must've been caught on the way back from the ER, after all.

"I'll be right back, love." He sighed, his eyes averting past the ovaloid pokemon to look at the kids rushing ahead. "Still babysitting."

His eyes briefly moved to the other Nurse Joy, this one inflicted with a toxic chain. He stared at her, identical to the pokemon he had grown to know so well over the past couple of years, the chain the only differentiator.

He continued on, lips pulled taut as he rushed after the children. Hopefully he wasn't overthinking things.

---

The kids were around Azelf— so was a girl he didn't know.

It awoke.

Its will rippled through him, through everything.

The mask clinging to half of his face fell as the pixie did, his hand catching she shell automatically.

He stared at it for a moment, flabbergasted, before reaching for his neck, lips forming a surprised 'O'.

There was nothing there anymore.

Slowly, his gaze drifted down as he extended his arm, raising a single digit.

A single pink, petal-like scale bloomed from the tip of his finger.



"Oof. Think 'bout my feelings 'ere." He said, squeezing his hand into a fist and raising his gaze to Yuina. He smiled, much more easily than he had until now. "If ya say stuff like that, I'll feel like a jerk."

He stepped forward suddenly, leaning over to press his lips against her cheek, right besides her lips.

"I'll be right back. Miss me, okay?" He said, lingering there for touch longer, taking in her eyes— before raising his fists in the air.

His eyes shuttered close, everything around him disappearing as he focused on the feeling in his chest.

For a week, he had been kept from it. After what felt a lifetime, after growing accustomed to always having it with him, it had felt as if a limb had been taken from him.

The feeling in his chest welled up. It surged, overflowing with strength.

Finally, his eyes opened, finding a single cone on the ground before him. Slowly, it began to rise, an ovoid, pink shell rising from the steel floors before him.

"Well, there's a face I didn't think I'd miss so much." He said wryly as it popped open.

---

He took Lucia Aldrete with him rushed deeper into the complex, sticking close to her as they searched through the vats.

"Lucy, over there!" He bellowed at the girl in one instance, waving as he finds yet another one of their pokemon. It's a heavy reunion for him— not so much for his pokemon, few of whom seem to have even noticed the time that's passed.

Tapu Lele hovered nearby, cool as a cucumber, as ever. As if nothing had happened.

Better this than losing her temper, I guess.

While finding their own and their friends' pokemon was important, another thing that was important, something he had emphasized to Lucia, was identifying injured folk.

Didn't matter who they were, nor if they were the mega-folk— just identifying who was injured.

Eventually, their deepened search took them to the inner chambers of the bottom floor— where they, along with a rather unruly group, found their stuff.

That, and a bunch of megalopolan civilians.

Unfortunately, they had been playing dress up with some of their stuff.

"Come on now." He said dryly, making a 'gimmne' gesture at a kid wearing his mega dog-tags. "I kinda need those, kiddo. Cost me a pretty penny."

He let him keep the jacket, though. It looked funny on him, all oversized and junk.

Unfortunately, not everything was quite so funny. Not everyone was taking things in stride.

"[Jesus Christ Equivalent here]." He spits with a curled lip as he kneels besides freya morningstar's victim, his brow twisting with worry as he looks over her broken digits and bruised face. "Unnecessary and unjustifiable, fantastic."

Just what he loved, his allies torturing civilians. Nothing like finding ways to throw in war crimes during a prison break.

"I'm sorry, ma'am." He muttered, holding her hand between both of his palms and reaching within himself. "I know it don't mean much, but everyone's been through a lot."

His heart burned and leapt.

His eyes flew wide, feeling his heart beat skip beats as it began to accelerate. The scales gathered around the woman's hand, healing away her wounds—

But it was not the time to stop yet.

Behind him, Tapu Lele coo'd as Doug's chest scar glowed brightly. Over a week's time had passed without once using her power. Not for healing the self, and not for healing others.

Booming clangs echoed above them as something began to descend. Towering titans emerged from amongst their ranks, legendaries he was well acquainted and not terribly in love with amongst them.

Didn't matter, though— allegiances could wait until they were out.

His cheek scar glowed brightly as well, his body welling up with Lele's power.

"...Hoooh...!"

The mass of scales exploded outwards spreading wide to heal the injured inmates and megalopolans in the vat level.

Meanwhile, Tapu Lele rose above him, her gaze on the ceilings above, eyes narrowing as a mystic aura began to envelop her.

---

ZJccduDV

TL;DR:
-Lands fine.
-heals Yuina.
-heals the kids.
-pockets his mask.
-takes Lucia with him.
-heals freya morningstar's victim cuz wth hero.
-unleashes the pent up scales on @everyone.
-oprah meme: u get healing, u get healing, everyone gets healing.
-Tapu Lele used Magic Coat.
-2x salac

He struggled against Jayden, who pushed him into the ground. “YOU…!”

Annalise took a sideswipe and held on for dear life. “YOU FORGET YOURSELF. REMEMBER YOUR VOW, OLD MAN.”

The world crumbled and cracked. He was back in that awful pit, surrounded by dozens of others who battle for their lives. Yet the one who held him down flickered in and out of reality like TV static. As if his mind didn’t, couldn’t, comprehend them. He struggled, but couldn’t with his limited senses.

“You promised me…” ■■■■ bashed his head into the stone. No matter how much he tried, the grunt could not overpower his adversary. He didn’t want to. His bones were too weak against him. Who could be so determined, so adamant, to remind him of these truths? Visions of a time long forgotten?

“...wake up. FLY.”

howard slayte . Together, they flew.

Down to the cold, hard earth. He’d known physical pain enough to know of its habituality. Of course, such a fall hurt bad. His back screamed, and his arms struggled to carry the weight of his upper body as he sat upright. Bones mended, muscles healed. Either they could, or they couldn’t. There was no middle ground.

But that look… the look annalise henderson gave him. His nerves shot on all cylinders. His heart raced. His eyes grew double in size. Slowly, he reached a numb hand to his face. The mask had cracked. A portion of his face was revealed to the world. Even as he desired for the toxic chain to hide him in his shame, that too disappeared.

Realization crept into his mind, and he rose without so much as a grunt or a scream or a sob or anything. One hollow step at a time, past the reuniting of thought-dead Pokemon, or of Ogerpon’s new human ally, or the dynamaxing of legendary beasts, of them at all, or Jayden’s attempt on another's life.

He did not deserve such happiness. Even as he shambled along, and found the team he had before he was imprisoned here. Six poke balls, lined up in a perfectly straight line. All he did was collect his belongings, eyes firmly affixed to the floor, and wandered back to the breeding pit.

Where danger loomed. Another fight. Would he even be able to protect himself, let alone those he thought dear to his heart? “I’m…”

A Kingambit emerged, and hugged him from behind. Grigori faintly felt wet tears stain his tattered robes. “Gambit! Kingambit!”

“Sorry,” he whispered. Then, hell broke loose.

---

Tl;dr
- Howard stops him, and he is too silly to fight back
- He and Howard fly
- On the ground, pain is temporary, but guilt and shame is forever
- Husk ignores all the hubabaloo, and gets his stuff back
- As his Kingambit attmepts to reunite with him, he apologizes
- Implied that this happens right as the 'threat' emerges from the ceiling
_H7nsIHe

Oscar's efforts proved partially successful, with at least one of the nihilego turning against the fiery monster. Oscar concentrated as hard as he could, attempting to get the other to act as well. Regardless of his failure to do so, the mask would end up getting ripped off. As the heat died down, Oscar extracted his chains. He found himself suffering a small daze, wobbling to-and-fro as the room started spinning. No doubt a side effect of further using his powers.

It would be because of this daze that the floor's caving in would be a surprise to Oscar. He felt Theo's chain rip itself out of him, sending a bolt of pain across Oscar's body. This pain would end up becoming a blessing, as it brought him back to his senses so that he may act. Heedless of the consequences, Oscar sent his chains toward three nearby random prisoners. As they latched onto them, Oscar would pull the trio toward him and begin exerting his will. The three obeyed his whim, and clung onto each other to form a bracing buffer to cushion Oscar's fall.

The three would hit the ground first, with Oscar quickly landing onto of them. Oscar was shocked that his maneuver worked, sliding off the miniature dog pile and wobbling off to the side. As his chains returned to him, Oscar would examine the three prisoners to make sure he had not just used their corpses to break his fall. The three seemed alright, though multiple limbs seemed to be bent in an unnatural fashion. Oh well, they probably did not even have names.

Oscar trotted after Navy and the one known as Baki. Trotted might have been a generous term, as he more so limped with extraordinary tenacity. His various ailments were taking his toll, with that last little stunt truly kick-starting his fatigue. As he caught up Oscar would look around without focus. There was too much happening, though his gaze would end up fixating on the floating body of his unique Genesect: Prime. It was trapped in one of these tanks, with toxic chains wrapped around its body. Oscar felt a sense of dread, suddenly imagining having to fight his most faithful companion one on one. That would not go well...

Luckily other forces were at play, and Oscar's attention would be drawn to the mangled Azelf. Despite its current state, the Azelf would unleash a wave of power that would free everyone from their chains. As Oscar felt his chains disappear, he would sigh heavily with hoarse relief. He ripped off his mask, exposing his sweaty face to the cool air of the room. Finally, a respite from his torment.

He could not indulge for long, as the tanks would start rapidly depositing pokemon. As he saw Prime get regurgitated by its tank, Oscar's first instinct was to run and embrace his cyborg comrade. Yet he hesitated, Navy's voice keeping him planted like a tree. Oscar suddenly became very aware of his recent actions, particularly the acceptance of aid from THEO BECKETT. Had Navy noticed? Would he notice Oscar embracing a Genesect? How many others would notice? He still had a front to upkeep, damn these mundane complications!

Oscar looked toward Navy's Urshifu as it approached, followed by a discolored Urshifu shooting a death glare toward its counterpart. It was Abner, Oscar's own Urshifu. He too took the liberty of gathering his master's equipment upon being released, resisting his genetic desire to beat down any other Urshifu within the vicinity, notably Navy's. Oscar noticed that his other pokemon were following Abner's lead, each of them looking overjoyed to find their master. None were happier than Prime...

Oscar thought quickly, "Uh Abner, gather the troops. We can do a reunion later." Abner furrowed his brow, had he not played the servant enough today? Fine, as his master commanded Abner began withdrawing Oscar's other pokemon into their balls. Oscar stood to the side of the broad Abner, trying to block Navy's view to perhaps keep him from noticing Oscar's Genesect being withdrawn. "Can't let them see their master like this. They might think I lost my edge." Oscar chuckled nervously, trying to keep attention on himself while Abner finished up.

The grumpy Urshifu pushed Oscar's ball belt toward him, and Oscar would frantically click it on. The bear warrior then pushed his other hand toward Oscar, a shining ring resting within his palm. It was Oscar's Mega Accessory, which he gladly slid onto his left ring finger. "My hand is complete again." Oscar kissed his ring, happy to see its glimmering visage back where it belonged. Oscar suddenly noticed the loud banging that was rapidly approaching from above, as well as his fellow trainers preparing for a huge fight. Oscar would lift his ring, which flashed as it activated its keystone. Abner was suddenly surrounded by pink energy, which quickly burst to reveal that his black and white coat had been replaced with red and white. The mega-Urshifu roared, slamming his fists together as he awaited his oncoming foe.

Oscar looked to Navy, shooting him a thumbs up and a smile. "I've got your back."

v2avKoUz

tl;dr
--Oscar uses his chain power one last time to force three randos to cushion his fall.
--Oscar hesitates to celebrate their freedom, realizing that he will have to be careful about how he handles his Genesect if he wants to maintain his cover.
--Oscar has his Urshifu withdraw all of his pokemon for him, hoping to distract Navy from noticing his Genesect.
--Oscar stays by Navy and Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki, Mega Evolving his Urshifu as the mysterious threat approaches.

It burned. From this close the heat was intense, and as his 'guardian' did not see fit to grant him the boon of its ward the sparks and flames quickly caught. First were the sleeves of the 'uniform' he'd been forced to wear. Beginning at his elbows and searing its way either direction the fabric provided no protection from the blaze as it scorched along his arms. Next even his hair caught, sparks settling in the mess of his unwashed hair filling his nostrils with the stench of burning hair. On the bright side, it was far more potent than the scent of his cooking flesh and so he was spared that particular issue.

Fortunately the pain was soon mostly snuffed out as some sort of energy washed over him, shielding his body from the inferno and cutting off their sustenance. Normally he would have found this rather interesting, perhaps even suspicious, but with all that was currently going on it hardly moved the barometer of his notice. Though the searing pain was gone the heat remained, not even the magical ability being able to quench the heat that was so intense, even with the barrier, it almost burned him on its own.

That issue, too, was soon quelled. The beast began thrashing and lashing out which, combined with the chaos being inflicted to and around it, was more than enough to break his weakened grip. Leon was knocked aside, once more landing on the metal floor with a heavy thud and a pained grunt. This time he was unable to regain his feet, all his attention being diverted to simply rolling out of the way of the maelstrom of attacks and explosions. By the time he'd finally managed a moment of respite it was too late, and his stomach lurched as the ground beneath him disappeared.

The next few moments stretched into hours as his still battered body plunged through the darkness. It seemed to him that his fate was to die not to the blows of a rampaging beast, but the cold constance of gravity slamming him into the floor below. And yet, even as his mind began to come to terms with this, the hours contracted and time returned to its natural flow. Leon, fortunately, did not fall straight into the floor. Instead he slammed into a slope of rubble, the angle taking the brunt from the impact even as it rolled him down the rest of the way. He wheezed, dust filling his lungs even as the muscles in his chest spasmed from the force of the fall. Yet, he was still alive, and before anything his thoughts turned to Aubre.

Forcing down the pain radiating throughout his body he struggles to his feet, eyes casting around for the shock of red that would tell him she was okay. And there she was, like an angel in a storm, giving him a little wave as though they'd just run into each other on the street. It was almost comical. He embraces her, and for the briefest moment the world is calm, before shouts begin to spring forth from the crowd. Pulled begrudgingly back to reality, his eyes quickly scanned the room, noting the unfamiliar faces of the humans as well as the more identifiable features of the pokémon. His eyes narrow in rage at the sight of his companions crammed into the tubular vats; yet another indignity to return in kind.

Then the blast of power erupts through the room and he is momentarily dazzled. Blinking away the stars in his eyes he notices first the disappearance of the chain throttling him, a welcome relief. Next is the sight of the pokémon gradually beginning to emerge, and his grip loosens as Aubre rushes over to them. For his part, Leon pays them little mind. There are few he trusts more than the three steel types, and he sees no need to tend to them; they know their roles, and he knows they will fulfill them flawlessly.

Instead his eyes follow the various members of the assemblage filing into a nearby room, some emerging quickly, others not at all. Those that do return are not empty handed, and it takes but a moment to surmise they have discovered the storage area where their belongings wee kept. That their captors would keep both their accoutrements as well as their pokémon in the same place beggared belief, but to Leon it was yet more confirmation of their ineptitude.

As things were, for the moment, relatively peaceful, he consented to leaving Aubre under the watchful eyes of Victoria while he headed into the room to retrieve what was his, the Empoleon and Bisharp already sharp on his heels. The aliens he spared barely a glance, and only then to establish their capability as a threat. It seemed to be little more than a gaggle of refugees, however, and so he quickly dismissed them. When he found his items, he thoroughly checked to ensure nothing was missing, including the rounds in his pistol and the threadcount of the suit. Satisfied that all was as it should be he, without thought, shed the filthy, half burned garments he was wearing. Instead he swiftly replaced them with his suit, the feeling of the pistol nestled in its proper place beneath his arm more comforting than almost anything else he had experienced this week.

His attention was drown to the side as he buttoned his cuffs, and the sight furrowed his brow. Some woman was assaulting one of the aliens, slashing them across the face seemingly as nothing more than spiteful insult. Furrowed brow was accompanied by narrowed gaze. Leon had killed people, more than his share in fact. Death did not bother him. But he had never had a taste for the pointless tortures favored by some, finding it wastefully cruel. To him, torture was the instrument of those too ignorant to obtain their goals by more effective means. Needless to say, he was not impressed.

Fortunately for him, it seemed that some of the others were addressing the matter and so, though it rankled, he could relent in delivering his own brand of morality to the gutless heathen. Blue eyes landed briefly on the form of John Sullivan, his jaw tightening once more, before he turned away and exited. Behind him a gentle wind blew, and he felt his steps lighten. Some other manner of magicks, he presumed, quickly becoming thoroughly fed up with this storybook charade. Nevertheless, the rejuvenatory effect was not entirely unwelcome and, though his body still ached and the poison still burned through him, he was far more steady on his feet than before.

Emerging back into the laboratory his eyes are drawn first to his wife's voice, and thence to the object of her attentions. Once more his stomach writhes and his eyes narrow, his hand already moving beneath his arm as the pair flanking him tense. But then yet more intervene, and with a grimace he slowly lowers his hand and turns back to his wife. It is just as he approaches her that a howl rings out, and he instinctively moves quicker, wrapping his arms around her and holding her securely once more. Eventually the storm passes, and Aubre turns once more to herself. His arms slacken as she moves to do what she does best, and his eyes begin to roam the facility.

It is but a moment before they land on the group now assembling at one side of the room, and but a moment more before they are drawn upwards to the cacophony coming from above. Whatever he'd sensed following them appeared to be gaining ground on the scattered group; and it certainly did not seem pleased. Unsurprising, he supposed. Actions and reactions quickly raced through his mind, each examined in turn before either being discarded or placed aside in the eventuality that something more promising was not landed upon. While he did not know what it was that was approaching, it was safe to surmise that he needed to keep it from Aubre. Likewise it was plain to him that the display of force awaiting it was far more relevant than anything he could currently muster, and so to him the choice was obvious. But just as he turned to tell Aubre they needed to leave, she spoke, and he felt his heart wrench. On the one he was proud of her, pleased to see her acting more like herself than the frightened rabbit she had been at times. At another, however, this was possibly the worst time for it. In the end Leon could only sigh, a small, bemused smile on his lips as he stared into her eyes.

"I know, mi amore. This will end." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Just not here or now. This fight is not ours." She turned away to her pokémon and once more the arithmetic started in his mind, calculating all the courses of action. His natural instinct was to form a guard with his own pokémon, but it was quickly apparent that strength in numbers was not the proper course; not with everything else going on, at least. As Serena moved towards the entrance he sighed, his hands quickly moving to recall all but the Bisharp at his side. Mobility would be greater asset than force or bulk, and so there was only one logical choice. Leon nodded at his old friend, who responded in kind. "Keep the lady safe." Without a sound the bladed pokémon moved to stand next to the Swampert, taking a protective stance just ahead of her, its arms pulled back and ready to rip shred anything that might approach her with a Night Slash."

Leon watches them for just a moment before he turns, placing a gentle arm around his wife. "They will be fine. We need to be elsewhere, however." She resisted at first, he was not surprised that she did, but soon they were moving, heading away from the crowded entrance towards the ephemeral safety of distance.

⚰︎ divider made by milky!

*Burned by the Hearthflame Mask
*Knocked arouund some more and dropped again
*Briefly reunites with Aubre and is joined by his pokémon
*Retrieves his belongings and changes clothes, Noting freya morningstar and her actions with disgust
*Likewise none too pleased with the attempted kidnapping
*Moves away with Aubre McKenna-Settentrione to what he hopes is safer ground, leaving his Bisharp behind to help guard her Swampert, the former preparing to attack anything that approaches her with Night Slash
_V5z_nH1