While technically he’d managed to complete his mission (thanks to Yuan Wright’s warning about needing to get the fuck out of range), the resulting earthquake had…

Okay, he wasn’t as familiar with Hoennian legendary Pokémon as the ones from Kanto, but what in the ever-loving fuck was that rising out of the city center?!

(And for the record, why had everything gone dark…)

All he had to go on were the sound of panicked voices running here and there; however he was more than certain he would see that redhead knight’s visage anywhere—

Seeing as his target was distracted; he would use the cover of the ever-dark grit howling through the area to launch a surprise attack on the Galarian princess medic!

His Doublade, Yamato, was hiding in his shadows—waiting for an equally opportune chance to strike his human companion’s target unawares.

---

↠ current location: M-5
↠ knows his mission isn’t fully done yet, so is tailing the Galarian medic in a bid to sneak attack her from behind while her attention is elsewhere!
↠ Dragapult not listed because Dragapult has been KO’d

The moment the Charizard changed forms and Mega-evolved, his brow furrowed. Something bad was coming—but he knew that the Dragapult could handle it.

He then returned his attention back to the ‘royal princess’ and held her gaze with a glare of his own.

“Show me then, princess, what you’re really capable of.”

He would come in swinging with several more attacks before something crackled in his ear; wasn’t that Yuan Wright over the line?

“What is it?” he would quickly say over the line; while it was getting choppy due to being so close proximity with someone who was insisting on fighting—he’d caught sight of a bulbous-headed Pokémon (wait, it had to be a Pokémon, right) that was accompanying the royal.

After getting the full report, he would then sigh, before replying, “Copy that, Bug-boy,” he added before switching the communication channels to the one he shared with his team, “We’re getting out of here! Orders from the top, bring what you can!”

He looked over in time to see that the Dragapult had been blasted by a superheated burst of fire; he could hear the tiny little Dreepy riding on the ‘arrowhead ridge’ shrieking as the dual-type was knocked back, smoldering.

(Not dead, but knocked out.)

“Much as I want to keep this match going, hime-sama, I’ll be taking my leave for now. However, I do warn you to watch your back.”

He would then recall the unconscious Dragapult; before sheathing the battle knives and dropping a smoke bomb to conceal his escape from the scene; not realizing that an earthquake would strike while they were making their getaway.

---

60 for: IC post
50 for: for getting your Pokemon knocked out in your prelude thread
100 for: completing Prelude thread
200 for: Rocket victory

total so far: 660 MP

Dragapult has been knocked out!
↠ completing the 1 pkmn KO prompt + completing the retreat!

This was interesting.

Where had all the exit signs gone, at least for one part of this city?

Today, he would be poking around—without weapons, obviously, because why would you want to raise suspicion like that—and then see that there were these strange Pokémon acting like they were fleeing for their lives.

What even was up with them?

“Anomalies, all of you,” he would mutter to himself, spotting one that had seemingly picked up another stolen exit sign from somewhere and made to run away with it.

What was causing the Pokémon to behave like this?! Either way—

He would take aim with a singular Pokéball throw at the one that had made off with a rather nice-looking sign…

While the fight was happening—

The rest of the squad of associates that were assembled to fight under his command had already come and done mostly what they came to get—

Which was namely, seizing medical supplies to be added to the Team Rocket stockpile for later. The rest of the equipment that they could not carry along had to be destroyed; but such was the stakes in war. For one side to win, another side had to suffer.

And this was before the communications began crackling with news—news meant for their leader to hear.

Back where they were fighting—at least one of his Pokémon had managed to get fatal damage; which resulted in the Hydreigon meeting an unexpected end. The blood didn’t bother him, for he was used to seeing the carnage by this point.

The Dragapult, however, was now on the receiving end of a Charizard that had Mega Evolved and was now going on a rampage; most likely to avenge one of their fallen comrades.

A sharp whistle would then again summon the Dreepy artillery in the form of Dragon Darts as the little dragons ricocheted, screeching with glee as they flew towards the Charizard—never mind if they had to go through an Inferno of flames to do so.

Never mind that the Dragapult had to do this twice in an attempt to dissipate the flames!

Meanwhile, the Doublade would shake off as much blood that caked their blades as they could before he turned his attention to the ‘lady in waiting’ that had returned.

“I knew that was going to get a reaction out of you,” he would rile up the medic—there was nothing else right now. Titles be damned, she was a medic and she had to go!

Another soft whistle would summon the Doublade—straight into his hands as he sheathed the twin ‘blades’ that he’d been using since earlier.

“I know your cousin is good with the sword, let’s see if you can hold your own!”

With that, he would charge forward; never mind if he knew he was sacrificing some of his own life force to the Doublade for this.

He knew the story behind these ‘possessed blades’, but he was all the more happy to let the dual-type leech off some of his own life force in the process as this time, he would meet the Galarian princess herself in battle.

---

50 for: IC post
50 for: have your character make a sacrifice of some kind. (sacrificing life force to wield Doublades in combat!)

total so far: 300 MP

↠ roll is for determining the impact of the 1v1 attack against Elise!

Dragapult used Dragon Darts, twice, on Charizard!

“Coward,” he would hiss her way as she made an escape—leaving her to deal with the redhead that had taken out their own weapon and was now on the defensive after he’d pivoted back around to the ‘knight’ who would take a running start at him.

Oh, but this was where he would get that boost of confidence, because the fighting style he was currently using involved him going on the defensive; to turn the opponent’s power against them.

He would find an opening not too far in, landing a slashing hit on one of the man’s shoulders—but not cutting any deeper since the other was also a skilled combatant (much to his chagrin) that could hold his own despite them wielding completely different weapons.

Over where their Pokémon were fighting—the Doublade would then sink into the Shadows as the flames would sail over where it had been a few moments ago—before Sneaking and rising out on the back side of the Charizard and attempting to aim a Night Slash on the unprotected Charizard’s back!

While the Dragapult would weather the assault for a few moments, the sudden Force that compelled them to slip into the shadows would strike the dual-type as well, before another attempt at a hit using Phantom limbs would lash out on the Hydreigon’s back as well!

---

40 for: IC post
50 for: have your character experience great pride, joy, relief, or have confidence grow.

total so far: 240 MP

↠ roll is for determining the impact of the 1v1 attack against Cadeyrn!

Doublade used Night Slash on Charizard!
Dragapult used Phantom Force on Hydreigon!

He didn’t need telling twice—the moment the sparking electricity began rising from his Pokémon, and the stench of electrical burns permeated the air—his own Xurkitree would come rumbling over and lay down a second Electric Terrain as well; an attempt to dampen further the effects of the overloading wires…

…or were they just delaying the inevitable?

He would then recall his other Pokémon with this unreadable look on his face while he recovered the knives he’d stripped down and out from in order to get done what needed to be done earlier. The Xurkitree, however, would amble over to where he stood, waiting.

“Keep that terrain up until we’re out of the warehouse. Follow us, but make it quick,” he would instruct his own strange Ultra Beast, who would tilt their head his way.

“We can definitely do that—did you make sure to use batteries that can be traced back to the League’s stockpile when they come nosing around?” he would confirm as he joined the quick getaway.

“Hello, Gavin—or should I call you Cillian now?” he would hum, amused at the other man’s approach.

Truly, three years did so much to people—people change as time slipped by. True, the other man’s return to Kanto was rushed; and due to time sensitivity and preparations he was forced to return ahead of the other man (which had resulted in a terribly awkward meeting with THEO BECKETT the moment he’d gotten back) due to pressing matters.

“Well, asides from that time when one of the game corners was attacked and that load of bullshit about how Rocket has Kanto under lockdown—total lies, all of that, the rest of the world doesn’t get it—nothing much, really.”

Before he could elaborate further, the sound of jangling keys would attract his attention—and rather than summoning the Doublade hiding in his shadow, a Charmeleon would hit the grass, ready to throw hands with the Klefki that had just gone on ahead and used Fairy Lock for the sheer hell of it; a powerful burst of Infernal flames would hit the jangling keychain Pokémon full in the face.

As the Klefki squealed at the intense heat, he would wave his hand in the general direction of the flames. A singular sharp note would make the Charmeleon dial back the Inferno attack, before throwing a Pokéball at it.

“I picked up some new fighting styles while I was back home. I couldn’t stand idling by.”

---

catch attempt on klefki!

He could hear something pinging—the next Pokémon was something he could potentially use to create that shiny, expensive thing that he had his eye on—however.

However.

There was something about this Pokémon that made him second-guess about sacrificing it to the incinerator the machine so rather than having his Doublade handle this; a rogue Charmeleon would emerge from a red beam of light a few seconds later.

The dual-type would scream obscenities at the Fire-type; however the Charmeleon was immune to such insults and bore the grunt of the incoming Power Trip attack in stride.

While the Corviknight was busy Honinig her Claws, the Fire-type would then get to work; immediately lashing out with a superhot, Infernal burst of flames on the preening steel bird.

The flames would’ve cooked the damned thing had he not thrown a Pokéball before the flames petered out.

“We need to work on your temper, apparently,” he would scowl in the Fire-type’s direction, who would just leer at him defiantly.

---

catch attempt on Corviknight!

The next Pokémon that would come by… he had to blink a few times and make sure he wasn’t hallucinating this; he had to make absolutely sure he was not shitting himself the moment he saw the Capsakid (not that he knew what it was called) trundle by, not a single care in the world.

“You’re not even a Bug or a Steel-type!” he would exclaim to himself; and much as the Doublade was all too eager to lay into the other Pokémon, but a singular warning stare from him made the possessed pair of blades sink back into his shadow as they moved on.

Surely there was more interesting quarry waiting for them further inside…

---

skipping Capsakid

He wasn’t dumb or stupid enough to handle the situation without proper protection, so making sure he had no metal whatsoever on his person, he would remove any metallic articles he had on his person—namely, all of those hidden knives he carried on his person, and piled them off to one side before getting an extra pair of rubber gloves and slipping them on.

“Surely, they will work to your satisfaction,” he would reply back before hooking up the Luxio and the Lanturn to the wires that had already been strung up to the pile of batteries that had not yet been used.

Once the two Pokémon were secure, he would then back away a safe distance, and then whistle exactly once—the cue for the Electric-types to start discharging their excess, pent-up electricity naturally. No specific attacks yet, because who knew how those wires would react.

Three years could change anyone—the evidence was also there, across the room, staring at him like he was a filthy coward or something.

“Yes, I’m back,” he would confirm; keeping his stoic façade up as he stared at the other man.

“Kanto sent over additional manpower for the upcoming sorties. Came back ahead of Cillian Quinn as they still had other business to attend to.”

And there it was.

Was he in trouble? Who knows?