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Today was a hang-out-with-Kyle day, the kind of day that came far too rarely. The both of them lead busy, important lives, and she hadn't been able to formally congratulate him for being elected one of the Elite Four alongside Bailey, Persephone and Mateo. [break][break]

She had asked him out to lunch, eager to shoot the shit and see how he had been doing since their last interaction. They had had a brief interaction courtesy of close-quarters at the recent costume party but hadn't had time to formally catch up. So, she had made it a point to invite him out to do something with her.[break][break]

She stops short of her tour with Kyle when he interrupts her. For a moment her bubble of irritation flares as he quickly changes topic from her explanation of the local hot springs to some weird interjection about creepy alleyways.[break][break]

"Man, I don't know? Were you not listening to me at all?"[break][break]

Taking a breath, however, she quickly realises that some unnerving sense of dread had settled in and there almost seemed to be spooky smoke coming out from the alleyway next to them. She frowns, whatever thoughts about the hot springs gone and replaced with confusion.[break][break]

"I mean? Maybe? I can't honestly say I spend a lot of time exploring the not-so-pretty places in Lavaridge."[break][break]

She squints as she takes a step into the alley, hands on her hips. There's a whisper in the air that almost sounds like a question. It's asking her to choose a colour: red or blue.[break][break]

"Wait a second, Kyle, do you hear that? I think it's asking us something but I can't quite make it out. Or am I just losing my mind?"[break][break]

Maybe she'd had a glass too much wine tonight.

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Her hands move from her hips to wrapped around her torso as a cool breeze cools her skin. She shivers, but she isn't sure if it's due to the sudden cold or because she's on edge. [break][break]

Kyle repeats the words that she was sure she had heard but wasn't sure she wanted to admit to hearing. The hair on the back of her neck feels tense as she glances back over her shoulder to the man and his tapping foot.[break][break]

"You scared?"[break][break]

He shrugs and she mirrors it, unsure what to make of this awkward situation. When he admits he doesn't have a favourite colour she realises she'd already decided on 'red'. She furrows her brow, however, at his suggestion that she look cute for whatever hidden camera might be around.[break][break]

"Don't I always look cute? I really try to not look like a slob."[break][break]

She thinks hard about whether she really wants to choose a colour and what the consequences might be. Was there a wrong answer? Would they die on the spot of they chose wrong? She hated these kinds of mind games.[break][break]

"We choose red."[break][break]

She'd shrug again, taking a step back to stand next to Kyle, waiting for whatever boogeyman or clown was sure to pop out and shank them.

[nospaces]

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The way he gives her the order sends a chill down her spine. This might have been the first time she'd ever heard him sound so stern and intense. She glances over her shoulder, fingers reaching for a pokeball just as the Tyrantrum appears in the strange loop.[break][break]

Panic makes Stormy gasp as she takes a step back instinctively. The incredibly large and dangerous Pokemon appears confused and afraid, and charges towards them without hesitation. The deafening roar makes her ears ring and her head ache, but Kyle's arms wrap around her and she's suddenly winded on the ground, sitting on top of the man.[break][break]

"Thanks for the save, let's go!"[break][break]

She says as she's out of breath and getting back to her feet, not even bothering to brush off the dust. Her hand clutches a pokeball on her belt and she tosses it out to reveal a Bastiodon. The Pokemon's youth is obvious as it prances about, assuming Stormy has a stick to throw for it. Her aggressive gesture to the rampaging Tyrantrum stuns the fossil Pokemon into looking over his shoulder.[break][break]

"Sorry, buddy, but now isn't the time for a game of fetch, we've got a scared dino to trap and calm down!"[break][break]

She points at the target and the Bastiodon settles into seriousness. He bellows, taunting the Tyrantrum into attacking him instead of the civilians who are continuing to scream and appear unsure how to defend themselves.[break][break]

"Run! Get the hell out of the way!"[break][break]

Stormy yells, waving her hands aggressively to encourage them to evacuate. Meanwhile, the wild Pokemon has turned to face Bastiodon and he hunkers down, presenting his wide forehead for impact. The Tyrantrum's head smash connects hard with Bastiodon's iron head and the two skid backwards a bit as a result of the impact.

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Tyrantrum recoils, throwing it's head back in anger and surprise at how hard the Bastiodon's head was. Meanwhile, the shield-faced fossil Pokemon shakes debris from his face, shifting his weight and preparing for the next round. [break][break]

Fortunately, it doesn't come thanks to Kyle's quick thinking. One of his several Mightyena appear, launching himself onto the back of the dinosaur and using it's attract to distract and incapacitate the wild Pokemon. It works like a charm, making it nearly impossible for the beast to decide who to attack.[break][break]

Stormy glances back to see that Kyle has sprinted back towards the alley and she follows him out of her own curiosity. Bastiodon and Mightyena seemed to have handled the situation for the time being, granting the pair a moment to investigate.[break][break]

She turns back to the fight as Kyle does, only to find that Bastiodon has locked himself together with the Tyrantrum again, struggling against the immensity of the beast. The two separate for a moment but only because the Tyrantrum seemed to have changed targets. While thrashing to try and remove the dog from it's back, she turns to trample the humans. There seems to be no method to her madness, only desperation. It's likely she isn't even aware they're under foot.[break][break]

With a gasp, the woman dives for cover, only to see that Bastiodon had charged to intercept, using take down to throw the Tyrantrum to the ground. It writhes and panics, bellowing in rage and pain. Stormy, out of breath, waves to Kyle wildly.[break][break]

"Don't just stand there, catch it! We can't let this thing run wild!"[break][break]

Bastiodon does his best to keep the monster at bay, burying his shield head into the Pokemon's ribs to keep it pinned.[break][break]

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Kyle throws a pokeball, containing the fear that had made the air reek. Stormy breaths a sigh of relief, stretching out her back that had involuntarily been strained and battered in the confusion. She rubs her neck as Bastiodon slowly makes his way back to the group, shaking his head from time to time despite his exhaustion.[break][break]

She gives the Mightyena with the pokeball a brief glance, a small smile on her face, before turning back to face Kyle. He's asking her a question and she scratches her head, deep in thought. Nothing immediately comes to mind, but she's well aware that this isn't a dream.[break][break]

"Honestly? No idea. But it's definitely something we should be looking into, or at the very least, notifying the League about. I've never seen any Pokemon be able to make portals and force things through it, let alone force an entire Tyrantrum into a tiny alleyway."[break][break]

With a sigh, she brushes the dust off of her shirt and makes a weak effort to make herself look less disheveled.[break][break]

"Have you seen anything like this before?"

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Stormy watches the Mightyena take off with the pokeball with the intent to try and track where it came from. There's a slight lull in the conversation and in her thoughts before Kyle interrupts with an answer to her question.[break][break]

Oh. Right. Teleport was a thing. She furrows her brow, unconvinced just like Kyle that teleport was what had been used in this situation.[break][break]

"I'm relieved it was us who encountered this. I'd hate for a couple of regular civilians to have had to deal with this dino."[break][break]

She rubs the back of her neck anxiously as Bastiodon nudges his massive head under her hand. Like a dog, he seems to pant and grow excited - if a little weary and tired - at Stormy's scritching.[break][break]

Mightyena returns with nothing and Kyle makes a mad dash to leave, his words a blur and leaving Stormy stunned and confused as he takes off without her. Civilians clamber at her back, begging for information and rightfully enraged that such a dangerous Pokemon had been set free.[break][break]

"I-- uh--"[break][break]

One more glance is cast over her shoulder at the cowardly man, her eyes like flames or daggers at his back.[break][break]

"Everything is under control, you don't need to worry. We handled the situation and we'll be looking into the cause of it as soon as possible. For now, just stay alert and stay safe, I have a feeling this won't happen again. It's probably a prank being pulled so close to Halloween."