[attr="class","merkpokesI"]

[attr="class","merktagI"] Goro Shimizu

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[attr="class","kthread"][attr="class","solar"]









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The tree had garnered quite an interest. Enough to attract attention and even be used as the center of a contest. The resurrection of beauty contests in Hoenn they say. Did the League really think this was a natural occurrence and nothing should be done about it? No, knowing them, they surely had people investigating in the background. Surely they wouldn't be hosting so extravagant just for the sake of a display?[break][break]

Looking at Littleroot from the woods surrounding it, Balder analyzed the situation. Hard to say what could be happening inside, or how deep the tree can be. What was certain though is that the appearance in this remote town was... odd. Why appear in this town? Was it because of the calmness and it's closeness to nature? Or was it completely random?[break][break]

Solgaleo appeared beside his Avatar in a flash of red. Balder decided to embark upon him, rubbing the lion's mane at the same time. It's gonna be hard, but try to bring us as close to the roots as possible. I believe in you partner." The lion emitted a low growl as it opened a portal and jumped into it, hopefully landing at a discreet location inside.[break][break]

xiFRNv9t


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[attr="class","omgentop"]ROOT OF THE MATTER[break]
ROCKET VS. LEAGUE

[attr="class","omgenmid"]

DEATH-ENABLED

FACTION EVENT

SIGN-UPS CLOSED

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THE FIRST BASEMENT FLOOR

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The Galarian Mr. Mime vigilantly hold watch over the hall. Their perpetual smiles conceal the solemnity they possess for their work. Trained as security guards themselves, they scour the vast hall for wrongdoings or ne’er-do-wells. However, the trouble comes to them. They do not need to look far for it.[break][break]

As a disguised Goro Shimizu prances into the hall, the Mr. Mime find their own clownery mirrored. But it is the sound of raining water sliding over security camera housings that alerts them to foul play. At the same time, Ruby Walker’s Hatterene punches the clown with a resounding thwack. Any chance of silent infiltration shatters.[break][break]

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A Mr. Mime’s blue shoe, rimmed with ice, taps against the ground. The hallway’s flooring freezes solid, climbing up the staircase to the first ground floor. With a shriek, the ice kicks up, containing everyone in the hall by blocking the exit. The other Mr. Mime attempts to HYPNOSIS Ruby Walker’s Hatterene, to prevent it from attacking Goro Shimizu any further.[break][break]

Selena Desmarais’s attempt to SHADOW SNEAK does not work; her human body strikes an invisible barrier constructed by the Mr. Mime. Those attempting to enter the dressing rooms will find that Lane’s and Armstrong’s dressing room entrances are barricaded by invisible Mr. Mime barriers.[break][break]

The security guards before these dressing room doors, taunted and distracted by a myriad of pokemon and disguised characters, immediately find themselves questioning the circumstances in which everyone finds themselves in. Although FERNANDO SILPH’s initial method of entry proves to be effective at first, the ensuing balderdash interrupts any sense of logical sequence.[break][break]

On the other side, the two security guards and the Mr. Mime are alerted to the ruckus.[break][break]

marcel maeda’s Sylveon inspects the vents. They’re narrow, fitted with metal flaps that open to allow the debris from the stage above to be moved for disposal. Recently, chunks of stone from Rex Drago’s Aerodactyl, water and ice from Valerio Dachev’s Kingdra and Bailey Cooper’s Spheal, have been funneled down. However, the Pokemon is able to find that the tree’s trunk grows more twisted there— and branches too.[break][break]

Suddenly, the tree begins to grow. Thicker. Taller. The trunk twists and curves like a curling worm. The glass enclosure surrounding it cracks as the trunk widens and shifts before shattering as growing branches pierce the glass. The trunk bends enough to allow entrance to the other side of the hall, but the trunk has grown thicker to prevent anyone from simply dropping to the next floor. Balder Schwartz’s Solgaleo can not open a portal— perhaps it can not simply open an entrance to Ultra Space just anywhere.[break][break]

Curiously, the tree’s growth brings with it, a pleasant presence of vigor. One may attribute it to the sweet scent of cadis von klaussner’s Eternal Floette performing above, but the bleached oak seems to galvanize the body with adrenaline. Perhaps, this strange energy—although one may attribute it to the rush stirred on by the incoming chaos—is interfering with all manner of things as well.[break][break]


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”HOLD IT!” One of the guards shouts. The man wears orange-tinted sunglasses and bears the insignia of what appears to be a klink. ”WHAT’S GOING ON IN HERE?”[break][break] Able to traverse to the other side, the security guards and the remaining Mr. Mime burst into action.[break][break]

From the vents, a surge of water from Valerio Dachev's performance spills out from the vents above, rendering the slippery surface even harder to traverse. The Mr. Mime are too caught up with handling the infraction of the peace to funnel the water properly. Some spills in the central hole where the tree stands.[break][break]

"YOU! CONTROL YOUR HATTERENE." The same security guard barks at Ruby Walker. The other directs the Mr. Mimes into position, their mitten-like hands tracing the lines of squares. "YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT SECURITY CAMERA?!" A Mr. Mime points at the disguised Alexei Ivanov. The water on the security camera has frozen, every droplet a small icicle.[break][break]

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On their uniforms, above the heart, a logo in the shape of a 'C' is displayed brazenly.[break][break]

Another security guard shouts, "PLEASE STAY PUT. WE NEED TO HOLD YOU ALL FOR QUESTIONING." The Mr. Mime advance, hands raised as if preparing attacks.[break][break]

From the vents above, a wind seems to be stirring, causing the metal flaps to rattle.[break][break]

OBJECTIVES

IN ORDER TO CLAIM COMPLETE REWARDS FOR YOUR FACTION, and to facilitate plot moments within the event thread, your respective groups will have objectives to fulfill collectively. for example, if your rocket character becomes captured, that objective is fulfilled for the entire group.[break][break]

throughout the event, more objectives may be added/these objectives are subject to change.[break][break]

league

• ic objective: extract a biosample of sap from the tree's roots; protect the tree. ☐
• sub: have three league-affiliated pokemon die by rocket hands. ☐
• sub: be captured, seriously injured, or killed by a rocket character. ☐
• sub: heal/defend a teammate against a rocket's attack (pkmn or human). ☐
• sub: every character must reference every teammate at least once throughout the thread. ☐

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rocket

• ic objective: poison or destroy the tree from its roots, at all costs. ☐
• sub: have three rocket-affiliated pokemon faint/die by league hands. ☐
• sub: be captured, seriously injured, or killed by a league character. ☐
• sub: heal/defend a teammate against a league's attack (pkmn or human). ☐
• sub: every character must reference every teammate at least once throughout the thread. ☐

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THINGS TO NOTE:

• please try not to invent new npcs; however, i've worked the new security guards in alongside the canon two that have now moved closer to your side. for simplicity's sake, we can say there are a total of four security guards, one for each mr. mime.
• the exit to floor one is now sealed by ice; everything is slippery and icy.
• one can now move to the other side of the hallway; there is also enough space to hop to the bottom floor.
• the security guards will attempt to hold everyone for questioning.

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RULES & GUIDELINES

• the 3 pokemon you have signed up with are now locked in for the event.
• each of your pokemon can only perform 1 move per round.
• PLEASE DO NOT META-GAME; this event is not a competition.
• if you do not post by the round's deadline, you will be skipped.
• for this round, please ROLL once.

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DEADLINE & TAGS

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Selena Desmarais illeana reyes Ruby Walker Kaida Adachi Balder Schwartz Kazimir Wynter beckett carlson @matteo Alexei Ivanov FERNANDO SILPH[break][break]
priam conrad Cillian Quinn Katherine Fairburne Emma Wolfe marcel maeda Eva Dumont marie jules @zacharias dominic sinclair Goro Shimizu

[attr="class","kheader"]

[attr="class","mthread"][attr="class","league"]

Kaida isn't a fool, and she recognizes two things about her current situation. She is in a pack. There is another pack. She is not stupid enough to see FERNANDO SILPH nearby and trying to get in and not recognize that there is something amiss, and that their enemies may have already been in here. Freya hugs her in fright as Ruby Walker and her Hatterene end up smacking the man clowning around...as happy as it made Kaida to have a little less noise, it really did not help the situation. [break][break]

Then, all hell broke loose. [break][break]

Kaida didn't know what to gape at first. The rapidly growing tree or the man and steel lion that seemed to step out of the ether (Balder Schwartz ). A frightened stress grew in her chest, and she fought the urge to cover her ears, substituting by hauling up Freya and placing her on her own back. The Salnazzle seemed frozen in fear, and at least there she could protect Kaida. [break][break]

Kaida snapped back into reality as another man (beckett carlson ) leapt into action, suddenly aware that if she didn't get moving, she would be trapped. A Pokeball dropped from her hand, releasing a Seviper that hissed as she impacted the cold ground. "Sorry Hema, you'll have to bare it, we need a friend to help us." The words were the signal, and Hema hastily looked around for a suitable Pokemon. The Mr. Mime were a clear choice, what with their abilities. Psychic powers were always a boon. Thus, fixing her eyes on one, Hema's eyes glowed a pink that radiated daintily. An Attract sure to sway a Mr. Mime into helping them, she was so beautiful after all. [break][break]

It was a fine plan. No harm would come to the Mr. Mime and she would gain a powerful ally, however temporary. "I need help! We need to get over there!" She pointed across the tree, trusting Hema's hisses to translate her words, then leaned down and prepared to slide, shouting over her shoulder to the only two allies she knew here (Selena Desmarais and illeana reyes ) "Be careful, the people here are strange!" She only had time to shout those words before balancing herself and preparing for movement. Up on her back, Freya hatched a Nasty Plot and whipped her tail against the floor, launching Kaida forward in just the way she imagined. Hema launched after them with her own sharp tail, hopefully alongside the Mr. Mime to either defend them or help them move faster. [break][break]

k0buaoI8

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[attr="class","illieicon"]

[attr="class","illie b"]okay, the decent into madness has apparently started already... this is, quite literally, where all hell breaks loose. between the man with his dinosaur making an entrance and Ruby Walker's hatterene effectively silencing the fool, she's distracted. perhaps a little too distracted to fully place the logo on guard uniforms as they close in. it's familiar, perhaps too familiar for her to be comfortable with. but... where has she seen it? the news? a random pokejob she took? that now abandoned game? all of the above, none, she doesn't know. the chill in the air increases until it's racking her body with shivers, freezing fingers clawing at her exposed skin. poor choice of outfit noted.

what she does know, however, is that she needs to move. now.

a grateful quirk of the lips is flashed toward beckett carlson, a dip of the head following. thank you for the distraction, detective. it'll provide a cover, an escape.

something stops her. perhaps it's the very councilman beside her, the one who's words still echo in her mind. FERNANDO SILPH, in the flesh. he has something in his hand that her gaze drops to take note of. some paper... credentials, maybe? ah, that would make the most sense. he's a man of power and influence, after all. to expect him to show up to a gun fight ill-prepared is ludicrous.

Kazimir Wynter and Selena Desmarais both prove ineffective, just as she had, for their own agendas. guards and mr rimes close in on the entirety of the group. some show late, like the familiar Balder Schwartz, while others linger in the background. one man, @matteo, sits quietly to observe. another man, Alexei Ivanov, is being called out by the guards closest to them and it all feels increasingly suffocating. she can't dwell on this or them, however. before she can sweep her gaze across the chaos, however, former partner Kaida Adachi is calling out and snagging her attention. "be careful, the people here are strange!"

strange, indeed.

her mind races through options, possible scenarios flashing in hazy increments. escape, be held for questioning, or attack. each one comes with another series of actions to follow, adding to the weight of their choice. in the end, she'll opt for the lesser of evils, the one with the least amount of damage. the path to hell is laced with good intentions.

"virgo," she whispers, voice dropping as the kirlia at her heels doesn't even spare a glance up. she doesn't need to. no, the prickling sensation in her mind is telltale enough for illeana to know her psychic companion is hanging on every syllable. "get us out of here." the cape swishes a little further, a badge of information fluttering against her chest in the process. head scientist, league operative. sure, it's not as high and mighty as fernando's but it'll get the job done.

another pokeball is carefully plucked from the bulky belt at her hips, contents released behind the cover of a cape. a golett rumbles behind her lower back before disappearing into the shadows she's provided it. an automaton in waiting, a protector in the shadows.

and then, time and space shift sideways with the action of TELEPORT, stomach churning in the process. closer to the trunk, to the other side of the hallway. it could fail, this much she understands. she could be held here for questioning while others descend to the roots. and as they try to whisk themselves to the other side, a small voice in the back of her mind confirms her intentions. make it to the end, discover the secrets of this tree. something is going on, more than the commotion at hand.

faintly, she's aware of the surge in her veins, that fuzzy feeling of adrenaline. is that normal? or peculiar? had it been there before? is it merely the events around them lending themselves to the sensation? too many questions, not enough escaping.

[attr="class","kheader"]

[attr="class","mthread"]the barrier is the least of his worries. marcel doesn't bother to hold back his sigh, for it's soon lost to the ruckus around them. his gaze passes over emma and gavin to check on priam conrad, @zacharias, Eva Dumont, and dominic sinclair; then marie jules, sitting some way off from them. it takes a moment longer to find Katherine Fairburne, but once he's finally assessed the position of all his teammates, it becomes clear that this spiral of events was the sole product of league intervention.
[break][break]well, save goro. the idiot.
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his sylveon shakes her head at his questioning glance--the vents were a no-go then. marcel doesn't want to waste any more time--the situation was changing rapidly enough as it was--and he's more than grateful when a kirlia catches his eye. "change of plan." he mutters under his breath, quiet enough that emma and gavin might not have picked up on it.
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as his sylveon's ribbons wind around his ankle, marcel moves to grab the hands of his teammates. "get us downstairs." focusing on the stairs on the opposite side of the hall, amour uses COPYCAT. hopefully the guard's attentions were diverted enough that they'd be able to make a clean getaway to the next floor down.
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