The Pikachu were starting to lose track of time. Their purpose was thwarted by the large swaths of dirt thrown around, effectively making the task of digging for buried thunderstones all the more taxing. They hadn't yet wised up and started keeping Raichu from being hurt, though that would make the battle more complicated for the two sent from Rocket.

"Okay! Use Sand Tomb!" He said, followed by Trapinch kicking up a swirling pit of dried dirt and sand from the banks of nearby lakes. This'd grab the crowd of Pikachu infront and occupy them for a minute. Some would turn tail and run when they had the chance, some would use Iron Tail on the ground, trying once again to aspire to more.

Giona then nodded, getting the picture. He shuddered with anticipation, but ultimately he'd trust her. "Point taken. I'll try to wrap this up so we can go."

Giona said, looking back to the crowd of Pikachu. Trapinch did a good job of burying their coveted stones, but ultimately it'd have to scare them all off one more time. To that end, it kicked up more sand and bone-dry soil, doing Sand Tomb again to ward them off. It then came down to the Raichu, trying to lick its wounds and act tough.

TL;DR: Burying the stones to ward them off.

Giona nodded, as she turned down his offer. For her to come all this way just to meet someone on the ground... He wouldn't have time to ruminate on what that meant. If she was sent to inspect the place, or not. He stood from his seat and jogged through the door separating front of house from the back.

He returned with a hand pushing the door open. In the other, he held the closed bottle of water, and an opened wine cooler for himself. Thumb in his drink. The faint smell of white wine and pears bubbled to the top, a sweet and bitter soda that was just syrupy enough to go down smooth.

A place for you. For someone who stuck out like a sore thumb. She seemed nice enough. Like she wouldn't cause a stir on the submarine. He had a weak grin, of the sort that didn't reach the skin around his eyes. Giona passed the bottled water to her, and downed a 1/5 of his drink.

He glanced aside at the glass double-doors, and felt relieved that they were closed. That there was a tight seal keeping people outside from knowing of their business. Giona looked back at her, thinking for a moment. He wasn't very bright, she'd be able to see the gears turning in his head. "So! How long have you been around? Like, have you been on the submarine?"

TL;DR: advancing a dumb question, of the sort that a civilian could never hear.

The SUV at that point had taken quite a bit of damage. Toxicroak pierced the engine block and failed to cause an explosion. This could’ve happened for any reason, but what it proved was that it was safe to beat up the car. Perhaps if it was less dense, it could be shredded like a cardboard box.

Giona then whistled, and Vibrava gnashed its pointed teeth, just like his. He turned to the crowd, and tested the water by busting his balls a little. "Let’s make it easier for them, Vibrava. We had our fun. Get on the top and use Dig!"

The long cicada stepped back, then leapt onto the car and thrashed around, trying to punch a hole in the SUV going straight down. This would make it a little easier to puncture the sides. 5jjDQJpr

TL;DR: Let's see how this plays out.

The SUV at that point had taken quite a bit of damage. The plan was still to rip the top off. To give something to these hogs. He grinned, watching Theo give in and play along. Watching him beckon for them to cheer more.

Giona then whistled, and Vibrava gnashed its pointed teeth, just like his. "Get on the top and use Bulldoze!"

The long cicada stepped back, then leapt onto the car and thrashed around, trying to peel the hood back and lift the top off the car. nkjV9apn

TL;DR: Let's see how this plays out.

Another quick pop, followed by quickly dunking the shell on the head of the large hairless mammal. Giona then set Trapinch down, and demonstrated not only pulling the shell off, but also cramming it back on. He then looked the copper ant in the eye, and watched it do the same. Two pokeballs fell to the floor as he turned them in.

There was a slight lull in their work. They'd accomplished a lot, with just another shipping pallet to go. Seeing the other man stop to drink water gave Giona free reign to stop for a minute. He knelt down to dig a meatball and a fistful of cut olives out of his sub to gift to Trapinch, then he ate the rest for himself.

Asriel reached out to him again. Giona responded by digging around in his jumpsuit pockets, pulling forth a pokeball. He rolled it across the floor, so it'd sit between the two. "If you need to cool off, this one also has strong jaws. You can get away with working half as fast. I think Huntail will figure it out." He then paused, and acknowledged his greeting. "It's nice to meet you, Asriel. I'm Giona."

TL;DR: a slight lull.

The SUV at that point had taken quite a bit of damage. Chances are, they'd be able to peel the top off and wow the crowd if the hood of the car was pressed down.

Giona then whistled, and Vibrava gnashed its pointed teeth, just like his. "Use Crunch! On the front of the car!"

The long cicada stepped back, then lunged and tried to clamp down and push the hood of the car down into the chassis. bI|KaAmA

TL;DR: Let's see how this plays out.

Slateport. The port of West Hoenn. The town against the waves. Where the sun blasts the ocean, causing water at the surface level to evaporate. Where the wind carries this vapor inland, leading everything to smell faintly of seasalt. A smell that longtime residents carry with them when they leave.

Giona would never qualify for the tournament. Not in a million years. He had Emma Wolfe's Luxray. He busted out of jail. Nonetheless, he was missing the it-factor that the competitors have in common. This was fine. Being a sideshow.

Being on one side of the car. The beat up old SUV, that still had hundreds of muddy footprints on the foothold of either set of doors. Probably from ferrying an untold number of children to and from soccer practice. Abandoned now, a sign of an empty nest. Giona clicked open a pokeball, calling his Vibrava.

Giona then whistled, and Vibrava chirped excitedly. He nodded, briefly acknowledging that there was a person on the other side of the car. "Good luck, man. Alright. Use Bulldoze!"

The long cicada stamped its feet, kicking up the ground and trying to bash the car in the process. k6QiTR6O

TL;DR: He starts beating the car!!

There were rumors, and low-res images floating around of something haunting the submarine. Sightings were reported in the dorms, baths, and offices. Whatever this 'ghost' is, it's something of a pervert. Giona was awoken by a vague sickness. A sharp, shallow breath all of a sudden as he slept in his dorm room. A feeling adjacent to nearly having his wig split by Haunter in the warehouse.

Giona rolled over, falling off of the top bunk. Two to a room with another grunt. The Rockets really were sardines in a tin, in the submarine. He landed with a thud, then rolled over. Irritable because he couldn't smoke while on the sub, he stood up and gathered his belongings. He wore the black uniform with the red R as pajamas, at this point.

Standing up, he ran out and looked both ways. There seemed to be a vague, darkly colored shadow at the end of the hall. He rubbed his eyes, and saw that there wasn't anything connected to it. He ran down the hall in the dead of night, Seemingly catching up with it, it passed through him and lifted the beanie off his head. He keeled over, utterly demoralized by the ghost pushing through his body. His head landed against the door of someone's dormroom. This utterly defeated the purpose of going in alone, but atleast they'd be done with it quickly.

TL;DR: It's time to get the ghost!!!

The dense, cavernous tunnel leading to Sootopolis was intimidating. As far as he'd ever been from home, and only possible thanks to a Huntail he'd gotten in a swap-meet. The city inside was just as densely packed, with houses lining the sheer cliffs as if nobody was scared of an earthquake.

Giona decided to scope the place out in a way that was conducive to his impish nature. He'd go to a tavern situated on one of the rocky ledges, and push through the glass double-doors. A bell rang behind him, and he sat at a stool. He waved over the bartender, and dropped a few bills on the counter.

He'd ordered his drink, a tincture of a dark red wine and whatever cola they had on hand. An intimidating charja-cola was poured into the glass-- the reddish purple and red-orange balancing out and forming a dull, muddy red. The overlapping hues under the light looked like someone being dismissive towards a Rothko painting. Like you melted together every concievable red crayon. Having just a sip, he felt more at-home than a minute ago.

Overhearing a neighboring conversation on the topic of League membership rates changing, he chimed in. "I'm glad they're in hot water. Those people nearly burned Fortree to the ground." Nevermind the fact that he was there, doing arson and poaching with three other guys. The forest fire part was... technically true, thanks to whoever brought the Charizard. He said this, before looking back down at his drink and downing a fifth of it.

TL;DR: It's the mission where a small part of a larger smear campaign starts.

The picturesque farm provided a much needed break from skulking around the big cities. From being recognized in public, for better or worse. The ad specified that he'd have to protect some Wooloo from predators. From anything that dared hop the fence. He'd also stumbled upon a wanted ad, though that was on an unrelated hike from Petalburg to Rustboro, to stay in shape.

"It's been a while since you got out for a walk, little man." He called forth his Trapinch. The copper-colored ant woke up from what looked like a nap. It sprung to life, and began scuttling around the premises on its toeless feet.

Standing next to Leo, Giona had a drink in his hands. A vague dark red liquid, a mix of cherry cola and red wine in a plastic cup within a plastic cup to catch the condensation of the melting ice cubes. He nodded to the other man, adjusting the collar of his jumpsuit with an outstretched thumb. "Whatever's out there... I'm sure we can handle it. I had a job like this about a week ago. Nonetheless, thanks for being here."

TL;DR: It's the mission where they uhh stop wooloo from being eaten!!!

Fortree City. A quiet town to the northeast. People are more physically fit here on average than they are in any other town, owing to constant ladder and rope-bridge climbing. The building they were in lied to the east, adjacent to a Pokemon Center.

Time felt like it moved slower than ever before, thanks to Manectric causing a blackout. Thanks to what could only be scores of people inconvenienced by the lights and cameras short-circuiting. By a burst of power hitting every conceivable circuit. Giona withdrew the large hound. His face was only illuminated by the orange dot mere inches from his face.

Giona felt his way around to the row of holding cells. He fed the keyring in between two bars, dropping it at the feet of someone else scheduled for questioning.

Giona took a drag, letting an adidas-lace sized line of ash slough off onto the white tiled floor. The camerupt crush had just another few minutes before it'd need to be discarded. Her offer was fascinating. He dug the cigarette from his mouth and flicked it down the hall, adding a dim light so they'd see the keyring.

He made his way back to Chryssa, and took a second to pull in a full breath. Leave together, or risk getting pulled apart again. He felt conflicted, guilty even. A chill ran down his spine, thinking about the possibility of this child being left alone, having done something they can't take back. "Seems like there's only one option on the table. We're leaving together, it's up to you if it's with Phantom Force. Let's not even think about them tracing us until it happens. And even then... I'll be there to fight them."

TL;DR: It's the Prison Break Mission. We're doing Prison Break. The mission where someone breaks out of prison.