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She likes how Balder seems to think the city will get them treasures like equipment and advise.
[break][break]
No she doesn't.
[break][break]
The woman narrows her eyes because it's more likely to take them to a den of monsters than any of them, it's practically asking for it. She's a single voice however, and in a den of potential idiots you don't pick a fight until you have to. The woman takes a deep breath as she tries to tolerate the flawed logic. Mud and swamps can be handled, numbers potentially beyond their comprehension is a different beast all together.

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Sound becomes white noise becomes colors on colors in her head as they pass through yet another pathway into a foreign terrain. The abstract sense of it is almost jarring but not because of the contrast against reality no-
[break][break]
Isra already sees in abstract colors and concepts, like painted stars drowning in the seas and their light being snuffed out, like clouds in the sky singing her a story that only they can bare witness to, how the leaves of trees and shrubs alike reach for her ankles because they seek her company. This is different but she knows it just as well as home.
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And perhaps that is the problem, looking at the vacant contrasting lines, Isra almost feels at home.

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"Obviously." words pull her out of her head and back into the awkward reality in front of them. she looks at the rest of their little make shift party, deep breaths keep her from biting. Isra does not hesitate, barely waiting for the others to do another before heeled boots click down the street they've chosen.
[break][break]
It's a snap of fingers and a flick of her wrist, two pokemon release into the spaces beside her. The banette does not linger, knowing his place in the midplane better than anything else. He fades into the nothingness of their new reality and Zoroark looks to her, replying to the quiet whistle at follows. The pokemon cloaks them in an illusion, drowning out the image of them into the blackness of the buildings around it, seeking to mimic it as well as it possibly can, it is both a safety measure and a test. There's no promising it will work the same here as it does in what they call their home.
[break][break]
A hand reaches out past her side, delicate fingers looks to brush the side of a building, something reassure her that this. is. real.



[break][break][break]
Balder Schwartz Kazimir Wynter Orion Lykos PIERCE WILDE[break]
>>releases banette & zoroark[break]
>>banete uses phantom force to poof[break]
>>Zoroark's illusion activates, trying to cover their tracks[break]
>>Isra follows Kaz & tries to touch a building while she walks[break]

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[break][break]

"Well... My bad Isra, Orion. I think you guys were right after all." As they had appeared in this new area, the eerie silence was the first thing that struck Balder. So much for gathering information or items to help them on their adventure. There was nothing at all waiting for them. It's only fair to tell these two that they were possibly right and this place was actually more dangerous.[break][break]

The structures were different, but those barricades and the lack of individuals... It's like the team had stepped into the aftermath of a revolt. As if the individuals living in this district had rioted and those barricades were put up to guide their advances. And those lights... Search lights. That looks like something Rocket would've used back in Kanto to ransack the region and capture people of interest.[break][break]

The alolan man turned around, looking at Leo. "Sorry Buddy, you'll have to lay low for a while. I'll call you out once we're sure that everything's safe or we need you." Balder called Leo back into his pokeball. Since the lion was relatively massive in size, and white, leaving him out would only attract attention to the group as they try to hide. Now they had to play it safe, to go into the shadows and prepare for what's to come.[break][break]

Instead of the solar lion, Balder called onto a new friend onto the field: Marnie the Obstagoon. While unable to move in the shadows like the ghost types that were deployed, or the quick ones, she could serve as their defensive wall. As the others began to move towards a building, Balder looked at Orion. "Are you able to describe what you saw? Is it like one of the creatures we faced so far? We still gotta hide in the shadow of that building though..."[break][break]

And thus, Balder proceeded to follow Pokkenger and Isra. As they slowly came to a stop, hiding behind the building, Balder decided to put one of his hand on the ground, hoping to identify the materials used in this world. Yet... this felt different. Unlike any of the materials they have in their world. This truly was another world... Ignoring her master's weird behavior, the Obstagoon proceeded to stand near Pokkenger, ready to be the shield of the group.

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THE ALLEYWAY IS CHOSEN. as Isra Nightingale's banette floods into darkness, the illusion provided by her zoroark mutes their tracks. touching the building and ground will reveal an odd material. something unlike Isra Nightingale and Balder Schwartz have ever felt before. it's smooth. cold. sterile.[break][break][break]

as an obstagoon is summoned in place of a salamence, PIERCE WILDE's lucario stands at the ready. the eerie wailing and roar of explosions rumbles in the man's conscience. did the sounds even come from this place?[break][break][break]

Kazimir Wynter's lucario scouts ahead in a fierce blur of speed. however, it spots immediate danger. the aura pokemon uses its remaining momentum to swerve to the side as a searing laser is shot where it once was. upon impact, the laser explodes into a scattering of purple energy. the lucario sees the perpetrator of the attack. a single cube... with what seems to be a red eye.[break][break][break]

[break][break]

the lucario communicates such information to Kazimir Wynter through its aura... but the message continues. there is more to parlay. eight cubes dart out from nearby alleys, their red irises glowing as lasers begin to shoot forth. they pursue the lucario, flying around like weaponized droids. soon, they will find the party as well.[break][break][break]

Orion Lykos's alakazam's FUTURE SIGHT brings about an alarming vision. in a horrific scene of the future, many eyes join together in their cubical bodies, walling someone in.[break][break]

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[break][break]

FOR NECESSARY MODERATOR POSTS, tag shiv in the post / thread.[break][break]
repost in the research thread after all of you have posted, but you may post more than once depending on the circumstances of the round. as a note, this does not count as a "research thread".[break][break]

Balder Schwartz Kazimir Wynter Isra Nightingale Orion Lykos PIERCE WILDE

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[break][break]
before the pokkenger was even a foot towards the the alley's threshold the image that his lucario saw was flooding his mind. well that wasn't what he was expecting when they got here, they were barely here five minutes and already they were being targeted by weird little cubes? this really was going to be the most deadliest event in all of hoenn's history. either way he was going to get through this because he couldn't just leave hoenn alone without a hero.
[break][break]
"we got bogies incoming! busters! 'keeper!" the hero called out as his backpack released two lights that exploded into his falinks and trusty aegislash who joined him at his side as he entered the alleyway to be face to face with several cubes shooting lights at his lucario. no way he was going to let one of his own get owned by small little cubes.
[break][break]
"defense!" at his command his aegislash provided protection with its king's shield and the falinks troops flanked both of its sides and shot up a protect to form a wall for pokkenger to hide behind. "skywalker! pepper them and then get to us!" the lucario barked back in response as he bounced off a wall to run back behind the protective wall of his allies. before he did he was going to leave a parting gift in the form of a small aura sphere that shot out of his hand and aimed at one of the cubes to at least lessen the onslaught.

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[break]

Lacking the telepathy required to truly communicate the danger they were in, Orion's Alakazam does her best. She teleports around the group in rapid, panicked circles, her spoons drooping like wilted flowers.[break][break]

"They'll try to surround us," Orion guesses, and the Alakazam nods. "Yikes."[break][break]

Kazimir calls out a couple of his Pokemon and Orion notes the Aegislash in particular. "Good idea," he mumbles, retrieving a pokeball from his belt and sending out the ghostly weapon. The Pokemon adopts its defensive stance, protecting Orion with its king's shield should any of the lasers stray too close.[break][break]

"Alakazam, you're on guard to teleport anyone who starts to get surrounded."[break][break]

Circe nods again, the spoons returning to their regular composure as she readies herself.

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[break][break]

A cold and smooth material.... Clearly, this was from another world. An unidentified material. If they had been the more entrepreneur kind, maybe the group would've brought back shards of this material to have it be analyzed and recreated. But their mission differed from that. There was no time to consider what they could do to better society.[break][break]

Still, it didn't take long for trouble to show up. As Pokkenger called out that we had some invader showing up, Balder proceeded to pull on one of his pokeball on his ammo belt. Opening the pokeball, a Coalossal emerged. "No time to lose. Colossus, do your thing." The stone creature turned back and nodded at Balder before taking off in a heavy sprint, the ground shaking at his every step.[break][break]

Getting close to the barrage formed by Pokkenger and his pokemons, the Coalossal created flames from the pile of coal at the top of his body, having it surround his body. The creature then used the flames to help him propel himself towards the sky, between the alley. The flames condensed upon the front of his body as he began to fall towards the beaming units. Hopefully the difference of weight was massive enough to cause a severe amount of damage.[break][break]

"Marnie, stick to Isra and Orion! Use Obstruct as necessary. I'll get closer." After declaring his orders, Balder proceeded to join Pokkenger on the front line to get a good view of the opponents they were facing, but also to be able to respond in kind. As for the Obstagoon, she proceeded to bring her arms forward, ready to use Obstruct as she stood before Isra.[break][break]

The man of steel noticed Alakazam warping around most people to display her vision. Hearing faintly what Orion said as he was going to join Pokkenger, he decided to warn him as well in case he never saw the psychic creature act. "Pokkenger, make sure they don't surround you, otherwise this might turn ugly."

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Empty.
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The material bellow her fingertips feels as if it were void of something, anything, everything, nothing? Yes, no, it's odd in a way she cannot name, cannot describe, perhaps even cannot quite comprehend. The otherness of it makes her grin, in so many ways it hold something in the nothing she feels from it. The material is a truth and lie.
[break][break]
The fact she does not get to dwell on it, to follow the pathways of her mind to something she can only see while she is here makes her frown. Deeply, genuinely, the displeasure on her face is momentary but present all the same. The voices of the others draws her away from herself and out into the open air of the alley way.
[break][break]
In moments a foreign pokemon is at her side to defend her and Isra must bite her tongue. As if perhaps she is some damsel in need of saving. Whatever good will might have been meant by the gesture is thoroughly lost on her as she reaches for a third pokemon. The zoroark clings to her heels, the illusion focusing on them, shifting them into being the same nothing as the material they touch. There is an inkling in her head that it means nothing but until it is proven for certain she must allow the fox to try.
[break][break]

The off colored Golurk joins them, but it does not take its place at her side. Much like her banette the hulking giant fades into the nothingness with a wave of her hand and will await its turn. Her trust in the automaton is well beyond that of the creature before her as she moves to keep pace with the party. "Watch their movements, keep track of what they are doing"
[break][break]

Isra trust that should a threat break through the wall placed by the rest of the party her own automaton's protect should be more than enough to buy them time.



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Balder Schwartz Kazimir Wynter Orion Lykos PIERCE WILDE[break]
>>Zoroark attempts to make them all blend into the background with illusion![break]
>>Banette is still in limbo waiting![break]
>>Isra releases her Golurk who uses phantom force, fading into the midplane[break]1
>>Should he be needed the Golurk will emerge with phantom force and follow it up with a protect to intercept a threat

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[break][break]

Kazimir Wynter's LUCARIO'S AURA SPHERE smashes into one of the cubes. for a moment, the flickering eye goes dark. the cube falls to the ground with a clatter.[break][break][break]

[break][break]

the two aegislash hold defensive positions, while golurk, alakazam and obstagoon hold their actions. however, Balder Schwartz's coalossal's HEAT CRASH propels into the middle of the action.[break][break][break]

the cubes seem sentient. the heavy steps telegraph the pokemon's approach, and as the pokemon leaps in flames, the cubes move to opposite sides.[break][break][break]

six cubes reconvene in the air and begin to shoot psychic beams. a unified TELEKINESIS holds the coalossal' limbs down and begins to float the stone behemoth upward for transport.[break][break][break]

as Isra Nightingale's zoroark blends them into the background. however, they soon realize they must move. the downed cube from before whirrs back to life. alongside the other remaining cube, ROCK BLASTS begin to barrage where they once were.[break][break][break]

in the distance, eight more cubes (total of 16) arrive like flying drones. as if they have been communicating in squads, the cubes begin to fire ROCK BLASTS and FLASH CANNONS.[break][break][break]

[break][break]

under the barrage, the PROTECTS and KING'S SHIELDS bide them some time. however, a FLASH CANNON forces PIERCE WILDE out of position. he yelps, and his body stumbles out of the ILLUSION'S effect.[break][break][break]

swiftly, several of the cubes converge on him. they bludgeon his body with IRON HEADS. his lucario, in defiance of her master's capture, attempts to rescue him- but the lucario is immediately crushed to death under a terrible surge of rock. even Orion Lykos's alakazam is unable to TELEPORT PIERCE WILDE to safety, due to the immense barrage they are sustaining.[break][break][break]

his bloodied body is swiftly carried away by four cubes, darting into an alleyway towards the central tower.[break][break][break]

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[break][break]

FOR NECESSARY MODERATOR POSTS, tag shiv in the post / thread.[break][break]
repost in the research thread after all of you have posted, but you may post more than once depending on the circumstances of the round. as a note, this does not count as a "research thread".[break][break]

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[break][break]
the crashing of beams and rocks belting the protective shield between the team and the cubes may not have a physical effect on them but it was sending waves of unease through the masked hero's body. only a few minutes of entering another world and already they were pretty much surrounded by strange cubes that were ready to murder them at the drop of a hat. luckily the didn't seem that powerful until a few of them managed to catch the coalossal that tried to get the literal drop on them and lift it up in the air. then came the ones that bludgeoned the poor guy known as pearson who joined them and managed to carry him off after crushing one of the guy's pokemon. the troubles before them were a bit too hectic for the pokkenger to clearly thing straight, the only thought on his mind was making sure everyone was safe.
[break][break]
he reached down to release his meowstic madame from her capsule who flipped her hair with a flick of her paw at the situation keeping her composure in all of this danger. "busters, madame, save that big boy and squash those cubes!" the lil busters dropped their shield and jumped at the cubes holding to coalossal captive with each of them using a smart strike to skewer the cubes with their horns. at the same time madame conjured up several little stars and used a swift attack to finish them off, both attacks were sure to hit their mark and reduce their numbers greatly.
[break][break]
kazimir had his sights on pearson however, he couldn't let another guy get lost in here on his account after all. "skywalker, oathkeeper! save that guy!" as the aegislash dropped his shield the lucario gripped it in his paws and turning the aegislash into a hold item, something he learned from a battle with a famous silph member, and with his extreme speed raced towards the cubes carrying away PIERCE WILDE while the aegislash charged his body with energy as he was swung around by the lucario and adding his sacred sword to the swings the lucario was making. "get that guy back! we ain't losing another in here people!" he called out to the group hoping that they would have the same agency as him.

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[break][break]

"God fucking damn it." Was all that Balder could usher as he saw everything happen. His pokemon getting caught by some of those cubes, Pearson getting beaten bloody and carried away while his Lucario got crushed to death... Things were definitely not going well, and just the illusion that the lady's Zoroark most likely wouldn't be enough to protect them.[break][break]

But Pokkenger had already began moving forward, assaulting the cubes to try and free everyone involved. Yet... It was most likely too late for Pearson. The cubes carrying him had flew away much quicker then the others, heading for the central tower. Maybe making their way there after clearing these foes would be an idea?[break][break]

But now, Colossus was Balder's top priority. "Marnie, return!" The Obstagoon quickly returned to her master's side before getting called back into her pokeball. Balder then pulled two pokeballs from the belts, opening them to reveal Mizuryuu the Kingdra and Koga the Crobat. "Cover the field and weaken them."[break][break]

The Kingdra proceeded to release an intense smokescreen from its beak, hopefully covering the whole field. While it would impair most of the individuals here, Balder believed they would be bright enough to circumvent this issue and act accordingly. As the screen finished setting up, the Crobat rose up and unleashing the biggest Screech it could do, hoping to startle the cubes and weaken their defenses.[break][break]

As the bat's sound resonated in the area, Balder pulled another pokeball from his belt. "Go save your friend, Blaze." The Alolan man threw the pokeball in the direction that the cubes were bringing the Coalossal. As it started falling towards the ground, the pokeball opened to allow an angry Charizard to emerge, immediately firing a Flamethrower at the cubes holding the rock giant. As the dragon-like creature fought, Balder looked behind him, speaking loud enough so that all humans could hear him.[break][break]

"You're gonna hate me for this, but forget about Pearson for now! We know where they're heading so we'll rescue him... Once we are out of this situation! Use this smokescreen as a chance to move forward and hide, I'll get my pokemon free and catch up as soon as possible!" Was it the brightest idea he had? Probably not. But it did seem like the best option to ensure the majority's survival right now. And he couldn't just abandon his pokemon after what he did...

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template by kay

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There's a moment of relief as one of the cubes falls beneath Lucario's attack. That these things are defeatable, vulnerable, that maybe they have a chance—[break][break]

Such comforts are stolen away as the cube whirs back to life and joins its brothers. Their barrage of attacks is intense and Orion takes shelter behind the relative safety of his Aegislash, praying for its continued effectiveness and for the illusion to hold.[break][break]

Pierce's yelp draws his attention too late.[break][break]

Pokkenger reacts faster than even the Ranger's reflexes, and the first conflict between their gathered group becomes apparent as Balder demands that they leave their captured member behind. Outrage flares along with Orion's nostrils under a sharp intake of breath, his dark eyes blazing fury as he rounds on Balder.[break][break]

"Yeah, if he lives that long!" How could they possibly rely on that vain hope? "I came here to rescue someone, not consign the rest of us to these things one by one!"[break][break]

He's scared and there's a thread of it in his voice, which quavers slightly on the words. He's shaking, but already turning away from Balder to join Pokkenger's efforts against the cubes. Alakazam had been unable to whisk the man to safety, so...[break][break]

"What will they do to him?" he demands of his Pokemon. "Can you see it?"[break][break]

Ever calm in the midst of a storm, the Alakazam closes her eyes and uses FUTURE SIGHT in an attempt to discern Pearson's possible fate.
[break][break]
Flashes of red herald the arrival of new Pokemon from Orion's arsenal: Dhelmise and Tentacruel.[break][break]

Dhelmise emits a harsh METAL SOUND to lower the special defenses of the mysterious cubes, where Tentacruel attempts to REFLECT THEIR TYPING to gain some form of insight into their foes.[break][break]

Caught between a hero complex and self-preservation, Orion dares not charge out from beneath the safety of their illusion.

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Ah, and so they begin to fall. She wonders again why they went to the city? Oh right. Because this is a magical fairytale and surely cities are full of things to talk to and gt treasure from and not an unknown reality.
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Isra could care less for the man whisked away, dead weight stripped from a group that she's not sure will last long to begin with. Perhaps they have a better chance (or she a better chance) with one less body to try and save.
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"And all of you would risk leaving the whole of us as bodies in a foreign world over one?"
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She scoffs, moving to follow the only other one that seems to think better of saving the fool but increasingly on edge and aware of what surrounds them. With a whistle and gesture of her hand the spectres that follow her command emerge from the midplane they sit in, releases dual waves of phantom energy into the area around her with the express intent of keeping the cubes back.
[break][break]
A sap of her fingers signals the golurk again, stay close, stay safe, his protect will hopefully be enough if the smoke and fire isn't.


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Balder Schwartz Kazimir Wynter Orion Lykos PIERCE WILDE[break]
>>Zoroark and its illusion are on the move beside Isra![break]
>>Banette emerges from the midplane with a wave of phantom energy![break]
>>Golurk emerges with a wave of phantom energy![break]
>>Golurk goes on standby to use protect again!

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