[attr="class","box3"]



The call to stop the Hatterene earns Gunner Graves a smirk, although it’s not like he would know this. Not many would rightfully identify the real threat after seeing the Beheeyem go for the primal point itself. It’s a good call, and yet the irony is that said ‘good call’ marks the officer as a potential threat. Threats must be dealt with.
[break][break]
The snarl rings through the air just as the kick makes contact, and behind a mask, golden eyes fall upon the brawling pokémon. In his mind, his assets are put on a balance scale and weighed against each other. Which is more valuable? Which is more useful? Which does he need the most to fulfill his mission? The answer is obvious.
[break][break]
”Switch. Full delay.”
[break][break]
The command is immediately responded to. MOONLIGHT falls upon the mountain’s peak, yet just as it's about to meet its target, there’s a sudden SWITCH. The Beeheyem takes the hit instead, its defences lowering, and where the Cerebral Pokémon had once been, the witch stands instead.
[break][break]
Hatterene greets the Zoroark with the most wicked of grins.He may attempt to TORMENT her, but her MAGIC BOUNCE ability makes it so such pain and anguish is reflected right back at her opponent. The effect is returned. This is not where the volley ends.
[break][break]
Spectral energy gathers in the witch’s claw, forming a SHADOW BALL that is then thrown towards the Zoroark.
[break][break]
At the same time, an officer seems to believe it’s time for a fist fight. Oh, how easy it would be for Mars to reach for the gun at his waist and put an end to this. How easy it would be to grab onto this stranger, teleporting high up in the air, and then drop him to his own demise.
[break][break]
He chooses to do neither of these things.
[break][break]
Instead, he plays along, or at least he seems as if he were doing as much.
[break][break]
Fists fly, slowed in their trajectory by the effects of the TRICK ROOM. The masked man ducks, although perhaps not low enough to account for the horns of his mask. When he does as much, something begins to appear in his hand. A blade of cool steel and as sharp as can be, aimed to kill. There’s no swift sword fighting techniques in this environment, no multitude of hits. There’s just one precise and terrible strike.
[break][break]
”Sure, let’s go.” The distorted voice whispers, mocking and cruel.




[break][break]

---

MASK / DISGUISE

[break]+ IMPRISON IS ACTIVE (BEHEEYEM)
[break]+ BEHEEYEM uses ALLY SWITCH to trade places with HATTERENE
[break]+ BEHEEYEM is hit by MOONBLAST (Spec. Att. lowered)
[break]+ TORMENT activates HATTERENE's MAGIC BOUNCE
[break]+ TORMENT is reflected towards ZOROARK
[break]+ HATTERENE uses SHADOW BALL on PSYCHIC-ZOROARK
[break]+ MARS tries to STAB GUNNER...

[break][break]
MERITS EARNED: 80 MP

[attr="class","box3"]



The rosy hues of a MISTY TERRAIN mingle and intertwine with the whites and greys of the fog, their wisps obscure the witch’s face, yet if only for a second, a twisted and broken smile shines beneath the wide brim of her hat.
[break][break]
Locks of hair seem to have a life of their own, twisting and turning in strange manners. Sinuous, they undulate, tangling up into a claw that takes hold of the Illusion Fox Pokémon. Something shimmers and spreads; a MAGIC POWDER that sticks to the Zoroark’s dark fur. What for? It may be unclear at first, but the fox would likely sense it right away: it changes him.
[break][break]
The Beheeyem’s light swifts from yellow to red, and able to act after than the Zoroark thanks to the TRICK ROOM’s presence, it TELEPORT’s out of harm’s way – causing the NIGHT DAZE to do no more than cut through pink mist and fog before all traces of it vanish completely. A hum tells him to get back to work. Dutifully, it does so.
[break][break]
There’s no panic. There’s no anger. There’s no rushed actions.
[break][break]
The psychic pokémon are as calm as the masked figure that commands them, who at those moments watches the officer that runs towards him. A commendable effort. Futile, but commendable. He too is affected by the TRICK ROOM. He too can’t make use of his full athletic capabilities. The difference between them is a simple matter of knowledge, preparation, and a skillset most would not account for unless aware of its existence. At this moment, this is a battle in his domain.
[break][break]
And so is that when Gunner Graves almost reaches him, the masked man disappears as if he had never been there to begin with. He stands to Gunner’s left instead.
[break][break]
”Mm. You’ll have to be less obvious than that.”
[break][break]
A kick is delivered to his side.



[break][break]

---

MASK / DISGUISE

[break]+ IMPRISON IS ACTIVE (BEHEEYEM)
[break]+ BEHEEYEM TELEPORTS out of harm's way, then returns to primal point
[break]+ HATTERENE uses MAGIC POWDER on ZOROARK (Type change: PSYCHIC)
[break]+ MARS TELEPORTS to GUNNER's left and attempts to KICK him

[break][break]
MERITS EARNED: 70 MP

[attr="class","box3"]



A cacophony of sounds rings in the fog. The clashing of steel and claws, elemental attacks, explosions, cries, snarls, growls, shrieks, and roars. There’s the beeping of the Beheeyem as it interacts with the primal point, and then, with the click of a pokéball, the quiet, snickering laugh of a witch.
[break][break]
Her long hair flows to the ground, strands billowing with the gelid wind. Her eyes are dark as night, her white pupils are like full moons, and it’s upon Gunner Graves that they look.
[break][break]
Behind her, by the primal point itself, the masked man stares at the stranger as well. Inaudible to Gunner, he clicks his tongue, and the Hatterene responds.
[break][break]
The ground trembles, the air thickens, and their surroundings shift. Everything seems slower. Well… Perhaps everything but the Hatterene. Her TRICK ROOM overtakes; a trap of her making.
[break][break]
The Beheeyem’s IMPRISON is still in place.
[break][break]
Its task remains the same: disable the primal point.


[break][break]

---

MASK / DISGUISE

[break]+ HATTERENE and BEHEEYEM out
[break]+ HATTERENE uses TRICK ROOM
[break]+ BEHEEYEM's IMPRISON is still in place
[break][break]
MERITS EARNED: 60 MP

[attr="class","box3"]



He bides his time.
[break][break]
In this mountain that has been overtaken by the chaos of battle, timing can make all the difference. There had been necessary diversions, a moment taken to recruit Aidan Hereford to their side and another to aid BARNABY FINCH when facing Leonidas Stone and MARISOL SIMONE, but in the end, his mission remains the same: retrieve the primal crystal and disable the primal point.
[break][break]
Shadows move, drawing some of those closest to the primal point (Gwyar Wledig and Aaron Toral) into a fight, and in the fog, Mars recognizes the familiar figure that is Team Rocket’s boss, declan walsh. The opportunity is not put to waste by the underboss.
[break][break]
In the midst of battle, when all those near the primal point seem distracted, a masked man appears under the cover of dense fog. By his side is a Beheeyem, its lights flickering ominously. One gesture, one red light, and the area around them is suddenly IMPRISONED. Another gesture, an intermittent yellow light, and the Beheeyem attempts to interface with the primal point in order to disable it.
[break][break]
If worse comes to worst, more extreme measures will be taken.
[break][break]
Yet, as all this occurs, the masked man hears it over the endless sounds of strife all around them: someone approaches.
[break][break]
He reaches for a dark pokéball, facing towards the steps.
[break][break]
”Very well, then.”



[break][break]

---

MASK / DISGUISE

[break]+ Mars appears by the primal point in the middle of the fog while most people are distracted with fights (will likely teleport away soon, we'll see o:)
[break]+ Beheeyem IMPRISONS the area by the primal point
[break]+ Beheeyem attempts to interface with primal point in order to disable it
[break]+ MARS LOCKS EYES WITH Gunner Graves
[break]+ MP Spin-off Thread: HALLOWED GROUND

[attr="class","box3"]



The scent of blood mingles and intertwines with that of the fog, and even from behind his mask, Mars can smell the metal and frost. The scents are unwelcomed, yet they’re not unfamiliar, and ultimately, it has been long since they last had any effect on him at all.

[break][break]
”No, I would have dealt with you without a word.” He admits, taking a moment to put the gun away. ”I’ve never condoned senseless violence. You know that.”
[break][break]
That much has always been true. There had been many violent acts during their time with Sinnoh’s syndicate, many which had been forced upon him and a few of them which still haunt him, yet whenever it had been his choice, Mars had always chosen violence when it was a means to an end. He had always cared for efficiency, for effectiveness, and that much is true to this day.
[break][break]
He would never do the kind of thing the syndicate had dared do to his wife.
[break][break]
He would have his revenge for that.
[break][break]
”We can further discuss this later on. For now, stay out of Rocket’s way.” An Unown is released. It stares at Aidan for a long moment before its attention turns to the corpse of the fallen pokémon. Through the air, it moves closer – eternally curious. ”If any of them try to give you trouble, tell them you’re with Tuesday. If they insist, give them Underboss Del Mar’s name. With discretion, obviously.”
[break][break]
There’s the wet sound of an explosion, blood and brain matter splattering. The Unown’s HIDDEN POWER had caused the dead Delphox’s head to burst. Why? Not even Mars would have an answer.
[break][break]
Blood coats the symbol. ”DEATH” it whispers the Unown Report entry in his head.
[break][break]
”It's good to have you with us, Aidan.”
[break][break]
With that said, the masked man and his Unown disappear as if they had never been there to begin with.



[break][break]

---

MASK / DISGUISE

[break]▷ RELEASING UNOWN
[break]▷ UNOWN EXPLODES dead Delphox's head, blood goes everywhere (lol)
[break]▷ MARS says his goodbyes to their new ally and disappears POG

[break]
[break]+ 50 MP for participating in a battle
[break]+ 10 MP for a surprise attack
[break]+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
[break]+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
[break]+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
[break]+ 10 MP for knocking out another character and/or their Pokemon
[break]+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
[break]+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
[break]+ 10 MP per IC post in a spin-off thread
[break]+ 100 MP for completing a battle
[break]+ 150 MP for winning a battle

[break]TOTAL: 380 MP

[attr="class","box3"]



When it comes to pokémon battles, lack of knowledge about a species, their typing, and their moves can spell doom, and that much is particularly true when speaking of battles where the only rule is that anything goes. As fate would have it, water pokémon are one of Martín del Mar’s specialties, and out of all water pokémon, Primarina is one of his favourite species.
[break][break]
Their opponents would not know this, but the moment the pokémon appears, he knows what might be coming and thus he prepares for it. The pistol is held in his right hand, still pointed directly at MARISOL SIMONE. His left hand is raised, and circling up above, the Braviary watches from behind a mask of azure flames.
[break][break]
Just as he’s about to close his hand into a fist to seal the command, BARNABY FINCH’s Starmie raises a PROTECTIVE barrier between him and the Primarina’s SINGING. He gives him a nod, appreciative.
[break][break]
And just like that, strategies change quickly.
[break][break]
His hand lowers, returning the Braviary and then hovering over two of the black pokéballs clipped to his belt for a single second. Two different options. Two approaches he could take. A choice is made.
[break][break]

[break][break]
With a flash of light, a silent Urshifu appears, huge and mighty. It stares down at MARISOL SIMONE, Leonidas Stone, and its pokémon alike, and all over its black and white fur there’s the crimson marks of blood. It’s not its own blood.
[break][break]
They make quite the pair: a man clad in black and red, with a black and white pokémon that has been marked by its own bloodshed.
[break][break]
No words are spoken. The only sound there is is one single click.
[break][break]
The Wushu Pokémon responds to it, swinging for the Blissey with a DYNAMIC PUNCH filled with all the force it can possibly muster. It breaks right through the LIGHT SCREEN.


[break][break]

---

MASK / DISGUISE

[break]▷ PROTECTED from SING by STARMIE
[break]▷ BRAVIARY is returned
[break]▷ URSHIFU is released
[break]▷ URSHIFU uses DYNAMIC PUNCH on BLISSEY (Physical Move | Causes CONFUSION)
[break]▷ GUN still pointed at MARISOL hehe
[break]
[break]TOTAL: 100 MP
[break]