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Cass' mind is running too fast, with no coherent thought in reach or in sight. The only thing she knows is that her home's under attack, but not really - her mom's made sure of that. But she doesn't- Petalburg is her home. Not some stupid four walls. She feels like throwing up. She doesn't, as she clutches her Trubbish in her arms tighter. It rustles with sad noises, and she only holds onto it even more.

Eris-

She focuses on the slimy arms on her arms, her sleeves pulled up so she could feel it touch her bare skin. Poisonous sludge, miraculously moving like arms - poisonous sludge that doesn't sting her, doesn't harm her. It's an added pattern to the purple that stains her arms, now visible but she couldn't care less as her eyes dart around in a frenzy.

Don't lose it. Goddammit, don't lose it-

Jon wiggles in her arms, forcing her to stop for a moment and look down at his big, dumb and yet clever eyes. As ever, there's nothing but determination that somehow, things will work out. Despite his track record of losses and failure, he'll make it work. Somehow. "I believe in you," she whispers, and knows he believes in her, too.

She also feels another presence, entering weakly, but more strongly than before. "... do you sense any of the others?" She hopes Hideo would be safe in Littleroot. She anticipates he won't be - but well, given his qualifications, it's ... yeah. Azelf, disguised as a Ralts, nods. Its presence also eases her, but she does smile at them with a thankful nod for not doing more even if she knows it could.

Follow Me.

Eris Halla Hideo Kino
MP 110
50; have your character "hit rock bottom" (their lowest point). - coming in fresh from her mom's rocket reveal during the starting invasion of her home
50; "showcase a meaningful moment between your character and their Pokemon." - JON BELOVED trubbish inspiration after the fall

Petalburg was under attack. Not by some unknown force, not by a Legendary out of control: by Rocket. An entire army of Rockets were invading.

Hideo had wanted to be deployed over at Sootopolis, to help retake what Rocket had taken. But now, he wanted to stop Rocket from taking even more.

Petalburg was only a couple towns over from Littleroot. His town would soon be next if Rocket wasn't stopped.

And he knew Cassandra Kubrick and Eris Halla lived here. He had to find them. Fast.

Helped that he hadn't been deployed on the frontlines. Him and the Gym Trainers he'd brought with him were focused on supporting the civilians trapped within Petalburg. It gave him enough autonomy to be able to search for them - his other Pokemon could help direct people.

They were smart enough to do that much.

"You know where to find them?" Hideo asked Uxie, who sat upon his shoulder, its usual Ralts Illusion serving to keep it trur form hidden. He would've preferred to have his Beheeyem guide him, to avoid risking Rocket realizing he had the pixie, but speed was of the essence here.

Uxie didn't give him a direct answer - but the sudden knowledge of which streets to take, which turns to make, told him all he needed to know.

Though he wasn't aware he wasn't exactly being led to where Cass and Eris lived…

Eris Halla , Cassandra Kubrick

MP Tracker:
+10 IC post
+50 have your character reflect on why they're fighting/reflect on their loyalties.

Total: 60

[nospaces]

PHONE POST FIX CODE NEXT WEEK

Cass blindly follows Azelf's lead - and for a moment, she feels like she's back there, in the corridors surrounded by a crowd of people fighting for their freedom. In a way, this maybe hasn't changed - but here, the people are more clueless. Simply caught in this conflict between oppressing forces.

The Trubbish in her arms and the Ralts in front of her, as well as the pokémon in their balls, are a stark reminder that no. It's not like back then. They're all here now.

Almost all ...

She might've missed Eris', not hearing her name through the chaos of the streets, not over the blood rushing in her ears.

If she stops running, the past minutes catch up to her again and she might-

Her mind latches onto Azelf's pulse, drawing her attention to a small blue-haired girl, another Ralts and a Luxray.

She feels dizzy with relief as she changes course immediately. "Eris!" she says-shouts - maybe not a good idea to shout, actually. "You're safe ..."

In the near distance, she also spots another figure. "Is that- Hideo?" There's a vague relief about seeing him, as well as an equally vague feeling that no, another in danger- but here, well, they can at least protect each other.

"We need to move-" she may say, but she doesn't move. Where to in this hell ...

Eris Halla Hideo Kino
MP +60
reference a past event (pp)

Uxie had an easy time guiding Hideo - after all, it'd spotted Mesprit as it searched around. And it knew Hideo would've been hopelessly lost in the streets he rarely roamed - much less during an active invasion.

A left here, a right there. Stop and wait for that patrol to pass, then advance quickly.

The commands were easy for Hideo to follow. He was already used to following them from Pokemon that were harder to understand - Uxie's were crystal-clear. One could almost swear he could actually see - if they ever spotted him.

Well, someone did spot him. He could hear a voice from an alley, one exclaiming a familiar name - and Uxie told him just who it was.

Relief washed over him - he'd found them. He had to wait a moment before he had a chance, but Uxie would notify them before he made his approach - a mental message.

WE ARE HERE

Hideo snuck into the alley, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Thank Arceus I found you guys," he quietly exclaimed, the "Ralts" on his head waving to the other two "Ralts"s that were present. "We gotta get you guys outta here."

He didn't need to explain why.

Eris Halla , Cassandra Kubrick

MP Tracker:
+10 IC post
+50 have your character experience great pride, joy, relief, or have confidence grow.

Total: 120

[nospaces]

It's an expected drop as the question comes - a question that is too familiar, all too familiar because she's asked it herself just a little while ago. But the answer has been vile, and she could still taste its bitterness on her tongue.

She shakes her head, then nods in agreement, looking conflicted but noddinh eventually. "I ... haven't," to no one's surprise. She looks at Hideo, wondering if he might know.

Cass looks around at the chaos, and their bubble that is undiscovered - for now.

"Have you agreed to a place to meet maybe? Shall we try- your house?" Her eyes cloud over, as if the remnant toxin's on her skin have moved to her irises. But the Trubbish in her arm wiggles a reminder, asking her to stay here in this present moment. She'd always answer him, and shakes the feeling of a pristine house in the disaster.

"But we can't stay here for long - they'll find us sooner or later." She looks at the Ralts trio, now united once more, wondering if they might know a good next step.

Azelf looks to its sibling, nodding once. There'd be something to be done - in peril, there's no room for hesitation.

Hideo Kino Eris Halla
MP +10

Hideo shook his head as well.

"I've had to keep my comms off," he said. "Couldn't risk Rocket overhearing and spotting me. And this ain't the best spot to turn them back on." He also had to keep an ear out, in case he somehow spotted a threat before Uxie could.

And he knew he was a high value target, out here on his own. It was a risk, one he was fully aware he was making.

"Your house is probably the best place to find him. And we gotta move; there's Rockets all over the place. Only a matter of time 'til-"

"Oi, who's there?"

Hideo froze in place.

"I'm gonnah give ya 'til the bloody count of three befawh i make ya come out. Fahkin' bloody oath mate."

"Shit," Hideo muttered. "We gotta go, now-"

"'n three!" He could hear the footsteps - as well as the strange, mechanical steps accompanying it - reach the entrance of the alley.

A Rocket grunt - and a Genesect that accompanied him.

"Three little shits. 'n it's the bloody fackin little gym leadah with'm."

Hideo went to grab a Pokeball - and he could hear the *click* of a radio from the grunt. Not good; he knew he wouldn't be fast enough to stop the grunt from radioing in their position.

He felt Uxie leap off his shoulder - the Illusion around its body dropping. The Genesect aimed its cannon straight at the little pixie, the grunt pausing as he saw the pixie.

"Is that fackin-"

And suddenly, silence. The grunt just stared emptily ahead, the Genesect beside him similarly motionless. It wouldn't be apparent to the kids, who could only see Uxie from behind, what'd happened - but Uxie soon informed them all that the threat was neutralized.

Hideo could still feel his heart beating in his chest. "Fucking hell…"

The pixie floated back to Hideo, once more sitting on his shoulder - and depositing the grunt's radio into his hands. "I…I guess this helps? But we gotta move, before whatever just happened wears off."

Though little did he know, it wasn't going to wear off any time soon.

a member of Team Rocket will attempt to communicate the whereabouts of Eris Halla, Cassandra Kubrick and Hideo Kino; however, Hideo Kino and his UXIE will be able to wipe their memory before it is too late.

Eris Halla , Cassandra Kubrick

MP Tracker:
+10 IC post

Total: 130

[nospaces]

Cass is frozen with fear at the sudden appearance of the Rocket and the Genesect. Suddenly unmoving when faced with the clear enemy now, as terror fills her with its slow and steady entirety.

But she smells garbage mixed with determination and a hand resting on her arm and her shoulder. She nods, but is relieved to find Uxie has managed the situation.

Just for Eris to run off, in time stopped by Reiner. Cass looked shocked as she comes out of this state of fear, rerunning the information that she couldn't process these past seconds.

Is her brother Isaac with the rangers?

Or possibly ...

"We need to approach carefully," she says quietly. "Maybe Effie or Saude can scout ahead for us ... how does your brother look like?" she asks, reaching for two pokéballs to call her Fletchinder and Emolga. "We'll find him, okay? We've got this. We can't be rash here."

Effie and Saude would be ready to go and fly ahead as fast and stealthily as possible - two dots on the sky, to return hopefully with information that doesn't make it necessary for them to go there. But part of her also swallows with another thought.

Shouldn't they help, somehow? If they know ... without her best friends here (thank Arceus they're not) her moral compass is pointing steadily towards herself ... or is it? She looks at Hideo and Eris, trying to keep it all organised and together, but isn't able to hide the hint of helplessness, of being lost.

Where does she stand? Why does she even find herself thinking about fighting when all she really wants to do is run away? (But that's not true either. There's multiple truths co-existing, battling right now and she needs to really focus not to get a headache.)

Eris Halla Hideo Kino
experience fear: rocket appearance
question loyalties/why they're fighting: knowing that rangers are lined up for doom and unsure if she should or wants to do that fight

Hideo didn't stop Eris from taking the radio: she was far better with handling it than he was. It wasn't the first time they took advantage of Rocket communications.

He listened as the voices crackled over the radio, discussing something about Rangers…and keeping some alive for a main show.

"Shit," Hideo hissed. His goal might've been to help Eris and Cass get out of here, but he couldn't ignore the danger posed to those Rangers. Rocket didn't bluff about that kind of thing, and ignoring this was tantamount to letting people die.

He wouldn't let anyone die because of his failure. Not again.

"Even if Isaac isn't with them, we gotta go save them," he declared. "If you guys wanna just get out, I got a Pokemon that can Teleport you guys out." He knew Eris well enough to know she wouldn't take that offer, but it was still open for Cass. "But I'm gonna stay."

Long enough to get them, Eris and Cass out, at least.

"Just…gotta find out where they're gonna be." There'd been no word on where it was, and there was too much going around here to pinpoint where exactly an execution was happening.

Fortunately, Uxie was already working on that, its eyes glowing as its Future Sight peered into the future around them - pinpointing exactly where they needed to go.

Information that was soon sent into the minds of the kids - as well as Mesprit and Azelf.

"Guess that answers that. Let's go!"

Eris Halla , Cassandra Kubrick

MP Tracker:

Total: 240

[nospaces]

War doesn't leave room for hesitation, a lesson that Cass will have to learn now because she has no other choice. Her heart's in tatters still, but seeing Eris Halla and Hideo Kino so determined, so brave plucks a heartstring. And there's Jon in her arms. Shivering, but she knows without looking that his eyes are fixed on Eris, too, and Hideo as Azelf shares Uxie's information with him and her other pokémon.

"Let's be careful-" she says. The Trubbish in her arms is still trembling, but also holding her arm tightly. A moment of truly being in tune with her partner - certain of what the right thing to do is but hella unsure about how to go on about it. Still, there's a growing determination that weighs heavily in their guts. "I'll follow your lead. Effie, Saude," she says, nodding at her two Flying pokémon who let out quiet cries and fly ahead.

She looks at the "Ralts" for a moment, who seems to reply to Mesprit with a look of Of course. Cass wouldn't stop it from joining Hideo and Eris, for sure - would probably not be able to anyway. The Being of Willpower is more than ready to tackle the challenge, without any fear in its eyes as it keeps by Eris, leading the way towards the captured rangers.

There's fear rattling her guts, but she thinks she manages to keep it up alright. "Do you have a plan?" she also asks in a whisper, when they hide from patrols. She does her best not to think about just what the hell they're doing right now. "How many are there? Both Rockets and Rangers ..." she asks, looking at Uxie and upwards to see if any of her pokémon have returned.

MP +10
have your character become inspired by another: cass inspired by hideo and eris to join the fight!