The shadows shift, and the Rocket Beast looms over the Ranger with a mischievous smile. The light makes her features look even harder than normal, accentuating the scar torn across her left eye, “Yes, yes I can. And I will,” The sickening squelch of the Mr. Mime’s head being torn off its shoulders doesn’t phase the Beast as her pokemon finishes it off. In fact, it widens her smile.

What does break her composure, is the bright FLASH CANNON that zips through the darkness. It strikes the Runerigus true. The ghost’s stones disarticulate from their body and shatter against the rocky outcroppings surrounding them in this strange world.

“Hmph,” she grunts in displeasure, accepting the pokemon’s fate with a casualness that seems cruel, “Not you again,” she growls as she turns to face Razz.

A shadow shimmers in the darkness behind her, crimson eyes glowing beneath a tuft of red locks. Red? “Hmph, how creative,” she mocks with an exaggerated eye roll. The shiny Spectrier silently strode beside her, an ebon stallion as lifeless as the Mr. Mime on the ground, “Not a chance,” her arm thrust forward, giving the stallion permission to BULLDOZE it’s way through the Metagross and its trainer while Lex made a move for the cargo.

---

Raziel Beckett

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 for STICKY GOB
+10 per IC post (3)
+10 for KO/killing an opposing pokemon
+200 for killing a pokemon

=300 MP

It was natural to question her wariness and distrust. After all, didn’t people get further in life with allies and support? They did, but to a woman who has known little other than betrayal, trust doesn’t come easily. She tried trusting Rocket. She tried trusting her superiors. What did she get in return? Tortured, beaten, branded a rat, and even when it all came to light she wasn’t, not even an apology.

Those that were given any sort of glimpse into her vulnerable core had twisted it and used it against her, “Being avoidant protects me,” she answers plainly, “And that’s all that matters,” the last time she ‘took one for the team’ ended in her misery. And not a single one of them said thank you, “You all care about one thing,” she lumps Fern into the upper echelon, “And it sure as hell isn’t me.”

---

fern delaney

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (3)

=80 MP

The spark of anger that flickered in her gut was easily suppressed by shift of their reality. They found themselves in Goldenrod. The Beast tensed, her jaw so tight she felt like it was going to snap right off. She slowly turned around to watch the scene unfold before them.

A short, tragic story like many of those that found themselves within the clutches of the organization.

A father betraying his family.

A daughter betraying her mother.

A mafia boss betraying his word.

A lover betraying the one that meant the world to her.

A slave betraying her master.

Even when she fled Johto, nothing seemed to change.

She found herself enslaved again but the theme didn’t change.

Betrayed by a mentor then betrayed by a superior.

The Lex presented to them reeked of weakness and distrust. The only thing she knew for certain was that she would be betrayed. So she corrected it, gathering her vulnerabilities and any sort of connections that kept her tethered to people and she cut the ties.

No one could betray you when you didn’t give them the chance to. It left her alone and isolated but that abyss was the only place she could find comfort. And it was that isolation that latched itself onto her like a parasite, a darkness reaching out with ebon tendrils that curled around her ankles, her wrists, her neck. The pressure of solitude weighed down on her, tightening so slowly around her windpipe until didn’t realize it until she tried to gasp for air.

Her mouth opened, a guttural choke cracking out. Her eyes bulged, the whites turning red. It would kill her, and she would let it.

---

jayden cross

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (6)
+10 for PARANOIA

=120 MP

More mechanical abominations materialized in the mist. Lex quickly lost interest in the deceased Iron Valiant fallen before them. The new, bulky pokemon seemed more interesting - to a degree.

The ground snapped to life with ELECTRIC TERRAIN. The Beast scowled as a whip of yellow current stung her ankle. The Shadow Gardevoir moved ahead slowly, an apathetic gaze studying the creature before her. It rushed forward with WILD CHARGE but found itself wrapped up in another PSYCHIC. It seems most of the pokemon here were weak to it. Good to know.

“Fascinating,” her voice dripping with apathy and sarcasm without sparing the man’s observation a second glance. The Iron Hands crashed into a nearby rock formation with a thunderous blow. Once again, metal scraped against stone and she found herself leaning over the fallen anomaly, its hands clearly detached from its body and strewn elsewhere, “Is everything here mechanical?” Weren’t there rumors of vicious, primal beings?

As if manifested by her thoughts, a Great Tusk roared and came barreling through the mist towards Hitoshi Inoue.

---

Hitoshi Inoue

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (4)
+10 for KOing a pokemon

=80 MP

Her brows rises at the mention of the councilman, her interest instantly piqued, “Really?” the question comes out like a melody ripe with intrigue. She eyes mint and his ‘Neon’ get up up and down with obvious judgment, “And you survived?” her lips curled into a light smile, surprisingly genuine, “I’m impressed,” a rare compliment from the Beast.

Lex’s amber gaze watched the bug scuttle away. She automatically assumed it wouldn’t be up to snuff if something was lurking. A flick of her wrist sent her own ghost to aid in reconnaissance. The Lampent floated forward before disappearing into the mist.

After the rare compliment her stomach churned with annoyance at the slip in her normally cold exterior. She had nothing else to say on the matter.

---

mint frost

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (4)

=90 MP

The shuffle of feet, the clatter of stones, and below it all, a low ominous moan crawls out from the mist covered Deep Sea Floor. A single crimson eyes pins itself on the Mr. Mime caught in their trap, “Kill it,” a voice commands from the darkness.

Obeying, the Runerigus shudders in place, the apparition blinking back into existence just in front of the woman and her Mr. Mime. The ghost’s clawed hands lash out with a SHADOW CLAW. The ethereal appendages sink into the pokemon’s skull, phasing through before materializing and applying great force - the intent to rip its head clean off its shoulders.

“I’ll be taking that cargo the rest of the way,” the voice smiles and takes the shape of a lithe redhead wearing an amused grin.

---

Raziel Beckett

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 for STICKY GOB
+10 per IC post (2)

=80 MP

Lex’s eyes harden, gaze narrowing in clear displeasure. It’s the same look she’d give a grunt that disobeyed a very clear order, “I don’t want you to come with me,” or was he too dense to pick up on that when she didn’t give him the option?

But it doesn’t matter, her demons will come to her.

A familiar voice, a familiar silhouette whispers in her ear and his words drip from her own mouth in her own voice: “The last thing I need is another Rocket snooping around my mind and using it against me,” her tone is drenched in resentment for lessons learned all too well.

---

jayden cross

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (5)
+10 for PARANOIA

=110 MP

Lex doesn’t object to the brutal methods of the grunt.In fact, as soon as she sees the shimmering blades, she takes a long step back to be out of the way. This is what grunts were for: to do the dirty work.

The Iron Valiant screams, their body wriggling against the penetration into their core. Their limbs attempt to flail but the Gardevoir’s PSYCHIC doubles down. The pokemon’s metal exterior creaks and bends against the immense pressure. After another minute of agonizing cries and crushing PSYCHICs, the Iron Valiant falls limp to the ground. Bent, broken, and the core no longer shines.

“I guess so,” she muses out loud, squatting beside the creature. No doubt it’s screams attracted the wrong type of attention, “Be on guard, Hecate,” she reaches forward to flop over the head of the robot. There’s no blood, only a strange viscous fluid lubricating the gears. Was it even alive to begin with?

---

Hitoshi Inoue

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (3)

=80 MP

So it wasn’t just her, but it was clearly a figment drawn form her mind and made real. The INTERDREAM ZONE had chosen its victim. Curiosity is a powerful force, and it clung to her logic, smothering the desire to leave. Instead, she wanted to follow.

Lex carefully glanced over at Jayden. This time, she didn’t hide the critical evaluation she was making in her mind. Her gaze traced him up and down, ripe with suspicion, “I’ll follow her, you stay here or leave - whatever you want to do.”

---

jayden cross

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (4)
+10 for PARANOIA

=100 MP

Grunts tend to whisper, but it seems they hadn’t whispered about her yet. This one tries to make small talk, asking questions she really doesn’t care to answer and are unnecessary to begin with. She’d rather wander the mist in silence. She would tell him that, if the Iron Valiant hadn’t appeared out of nowhere.

The ghost-type’s blade screeches against metal. Even if it was a steel type, it was an unnatural sound that vibrated down to the bones. The Beast tenses at the unpleasant cacophony and her amber eyes shoot towards the paradox pokemon to drink it in, “Hecate,” she pushes a hand forward towards the intruder, and her ghost obeys.

Another unnatural being melts from the shadows. This Gardevoir is clearly an abomination. She is lifeless and haunting. Her bony fingers resemble claws more so than a hand. Her sharp teeth sparkle with an insatiable hunger for death in the dull light of this strange world. She floats ominously above the ground, her tattered and blood stained dress Sensing the greater threat, the Iron Valiant turns to strike at her with CLOSE COMBAT.

It phases harmlessly through the Shadow pokemon’s ethereal form. A crushing pressure suddenly seizes the Iron Valiant, PSYCHIC locking it in place. Her fingers curl, and the pokemon wriggles in pain, “Hmph,” she the Beast grunts, stepping closer to inspect the paradox pokemon, “You are a strange creature,” she leans closer to squint at the swirling light in its chest, “Does that look like a power source to you?”

---

Hitoshi Inoue

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (2)

=70 MP

The itch if agitation manifests across her bare skin. She picks at it like a poisonous rash. The more she tries to brush it off, thes stronger it becomes, “What the fuck,” she grumbles to herself, looking down to see nothing there expect her smooth, pale skin, “Let’s just get the fuck outta here,” there’s a mild sense of desperation in her voice, almost as if she’s begging Jayden to lead them out of this mist because she doesn’t quite know the way.

Where is she?

’You're late!’ the soft giggle of a small girl breaks her attention away from the phantom itch and towards the young redhead. She’s innocent and pure, a time before Lex fell into darkness, “How-” how was she seeing herself?

'You’re late!’ she repeated, turning to skip through the mist and lead them to whatever it was they were late for, “Did you see that?” she asks Jayden, curious if it is just her mind being toyed with or if he was along for the twisted ride as well.

---

jayden cross

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (3)
+10 for PARANOIA

=90 MP

A deep, rich laugh echoes through her throat. A shadow of a smile even tugs at her dark red lips. She offers Fern an amused look in response to his statement. She brushes a strand of red hair behind her shoulder, as if casually casting aside any notion that she may give a fuck, “I don’t have a desire to get to know you,” she’s blunt and to the point which is an off-putting trait to many, “I don’t see what good that would do either of us.”

---

fern delaney

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (2)

=70 MP

Once upon a time, Lex was a rather pleasant person. She was social, outgoing to a degree, and even had a sense of humor. It was Rocket that broke her, made her stronger, but also slaughtered the woman she use to be. She recognizes the strength, relishes it, in fact. But she hates them for it most of all. Her loyalty is out of necessity, not a sense of family or gratitude. She had nowhere else to go. The vulnerability is something this realm can sniff out, extract, and turn against her. It would only be a matter of time before her closely kept secrets would be laid bare in front of Jayden. Of course, she didn’t know that.

Jayden encourages her to stay close, but she keeps her comfortable distance with only a minor shift closer to his side. The tendrils of mist tickle her mind, and she swats it away like a bug. Her red lips twist in disgust at the sight of whatever it is growing on his skin, “What is that?” she asks, rubbing her own neck to make sure she wasn’t also affected.

The mist nips are her mind again like a Herdier, encouraging PARANOIA to amplify her already sensitive psyche.

---

jayden cross

+50 for participation in mission/battle
+10 per IC post (2)
+10 for PARANOIA

=80 MP