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While supporting THEO BECKETT and Raziel Beckett against Remiel Calcifet and his ZEKROM, a wayward DAZZLING GLEAM from bryan delarosa's AUDINO sideswipes one of MOLTRES' wings, sending them careening downward. The great bird attempts to right itself before slamming into the turbulent, rising waters, and barely manages to do so. [break][break]

Fatigue grips both BARNABY FINCH and his patron. All around, their efforts against the titan KYOGRE and the LEAGUE appear to have been in vain — Sootopolis was engulfed by a raging sea, the DYNA TREE had seemingly succumbed to an onslaught of attacks, CALYREX lay shot and bleeding beside Aurelie Lefevre.[break][break]

KYOGRE continues its rampage, unsatisfied by freya morningstar's draconid blood. Blasts of ORIGIN PULSE stream through the air and, this time, MOLTRES is not strong enough to endure. It attempts to PROTECT itself and BARNABY FINCH, but KYOGRE's power is too much to overcome. Together they fall into a waiting sea.[break][break]

The impact practically knocks the wind out of him. After a few panicked seconds of frantic swimming, Barnaby breaches the water's surface, scrambling to recall MOLTRES and release his own LAPRAS as a raft. [break][break]

Around him civilians stranded on jutting buildings call out for help. Guiding his LAPRAS to them, BARNABY FINCH helps them onto his Pokémon while watching the rampaging KYOGRE in the distance.[break][break]

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[break]
• masked [break]
• location: D3[break]
• MOLTRES/barnaby hit by bryan's AUDINO (DAZZLING GLEAM)[break]
• MOLTRES/barnaby hit by KYOGRE's ORIGIN PULSE[break]
• MOLTRES faints and they slam into the water[break]
• barnaby releases LAPRAS and helps nearby stranded civilians

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The branching boughs of the DYNA TREE cast dark shadows beneath a pale moon. [break][break]

CALYREX continued its steadfast vigil here, perched atop the great tree's crown, while two men on its chosen side sat below on a bench at the tree's base. They kept close contact, with shoulders touching and knees spread apart as to be comfortable. [break][break]

They'd already exchanged brief pleasantries, but BARNABY FINCH wasn't in the mood to humor formality. After a short pause, punctuated only by the sounds of a nearby sea, he asked of THEO BECKETT:[break][break]

"Do you trust me?"

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The depths would not take him this day. [break][break]

Aurelie Lefevre saw to that. As jarring as her rescue had been — with a sudden jerk and claws clapped tightly around an injured body — BARNABY FINCH was relieved to know that his people were watching out for him. [break][break]

As the ROARING MOON carried him to safety, he saw a flash of familiar blue in the roiling waters below — Lyra? Was Caleb Harcourt here, ensnared by all this chaos as well? Had he sent the LAPRAS to help in his time of need? Or finish him off?[break][break]

When they finally settled on a nearby, nearly-flooded rooftop, Barnaby clasped Aurelie's shoulder appreciatively and expressed with a crimson smile, "You've got quite the timing, hm? Thank you."[break][break]

Though it wasn't intentional on his part, the other ROCKET might notice herself becoming slightly more fatigued — a consequence of their shared comradery, where palm met shoulder. Barnaby was having trouble controlling his powers considering the great strain his attack on RAYQUAZA had put on his body. Blood seeped into the padded armor at his back from an earlier wound, the corners of his mouth were stained red, his breathing was labored and wet.[break][break]

But there was still more to be done and no time to recoup. All around, titans bellowed in anger as they joined the fray: NECROZMA with its power over gravity, GROUDON against its PRIMAL nemesis, and a renewed, transformed RAYQUAZA.[break][break]

From the rooftop BARNABY FINCH surveyed the scene and calculated his next move. Almost immediately his attention was captured by THEO BECKETT astride his trademark NAGANADEL — slamming recklessly into the side of Remiel Calcifet's ZEKROM in a bid to distract it away from an ailing MOLTRES.[break][break]

Although still BERSERK, the LEGENDARY BIRD had endured enough attacks to see it visibly lagging. Something needed to be done. [break][break]

"Come."[break][break]

Connected despite the distance between them, MOLTRES immediately rounded midair and beelined for its Avatar. When within range, Barnaby then activated his TERA ORB, causing his patron to bloom in a kaleidoscope of dazzling crystals and become the STELLAR TERA TYPE. Renewed and rejuvenated by this burst of power, it sidled close enough for both BARNABY FINCH and Aurelie Lefevre to climb onto it before moving toward the DYNA TREE in flurry of wing beats.[break][break]

Mutual concern for THEO BECKETT drove them back to ZEKROM. If the underboss was still engaged with Remiel Calcifet's patron, he'd urge MOLTRES forward to help mitigate blows, circling around for openings and icy potshots whenever possible.[break][break]

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[break]
• masked [break]
• location: D4 near dyna tree/calyrex[break]
• saved by aurelie; thankful for her!![break]
• notices caleb's lapras and is like 🤨[break]
• holy shit all the legendaries are popping off[break]
• MOLTRES comes to him and TERASTALLIZES[break]
• MOLTRES is now the STELLAR TERA TYPE [break]
• MOLTRES is going BERSERK (ability)[break]
• barnaby and aurelie ride MOLTRES back to the DYNA TREE[break]
• barnaby directs MOLTRES to support theo in attacking ZEKROM[break]
• MOLTRES flies around ZEKROM and shoots FROST BREATHS when there's an opening while theo's NAGANADEL attacks head-on

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A great clap of THUNDER seized MOLTRES in midair, causing the malevolent creature to screech in both agony and anger. The pain was enough to make it go BERSERK, sending it into an unbridled rage as it flipped around and scanned the skies for its next quarry. [break][break]

Soon its eyes narrowed on yet another draconic interloper near the DYNA TREE: ZEKROM. Looming closer, MOLTRES released an empowered FROST BREATH toward the opposing LEGENDARY POKÉMON, hoping to freeze its wings and send it hurtling toward the rising waters.[break][break]

Meanwhile, The Infernal continued to sink his shadowed talons into RAYQUAZA's scaled flesh.[break][break]



The lifeblood of a deity burned hot in his hands. He could feel himself inwardly tapping into MOLTRES' gifted power like he never had before. Magenta energy bubbled up from his skin and clung to him — a physical manifestation of his patron's influence.[break][break]

[break]

Hate dripped like a poison from freya morningstar's lips. [break][break]

[break]

And BARNABY FINCH relished every word. He matched her feral intensity with a mocking laugh even as she summoned a mighty gale to cast him away.[break][break]

Though she'd succeeded in shaking him off, it was too late for her to save RAYQUAZA. With declan walsh's anesthetizing blow, the great dragon tumbled out of the sky and into the churning sea below.[break][break]

Wind roaring in his ears, rain stinging his skin, gravity pulling him down toward an electrified, watery abyss — it appeared BARNABY FINCH would likely suffer the same fate as the dragon he'd helped to fell.[break][break]

Down to the depths, then. IN PROFUNDIS.[break][break]

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[break]
• masked [break]
• location: D4 near dyna tree/calyrex[break]
• MOLTRES is hit by THUNDER; goes BERSERK (ability)[break]
• MOLTRES uses FROST BREATH on ZEKROM's wings (to freeze them)[break]
• barnaby mocks freya and her gods[break]
• barnaby is pushed off RAYQUAZA and freefalls towards the water

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Waters rose and gorged themselves on hallowed earth as gods and their prophesized bedlam bore down on Sootopolis City. Shred and his radiant coronation, Zev Harcourt and NECROZMA's horrifying return to their dimension, CHIEN-PAO's RUINATION. Cutting snow, burning heat, torrential rain. [break][break]

And at the DYNA TREE, now halfway claimed by the biting ocean, an electrical storm created by the likes of Yujin Ha's ARCHALUDON and an unwavering RAYQUAZA. Coupled with this surge of energy came a SHADOW BALL from robin coello's JELLICENT, too — all aimed to claim a power they had no right to disrupt. [break][break]

"Waters are rising all throughout Sootopolis," He radioed back to Zev Harcourt, noticing the MUSICAL BARS courtesy of Melody Miro out of the corner of his eye. "Combatants are using this to their advantage. They need to be dealt with, God General."[break][break]

MOLTRES arced wide to reroute toward the great dragon.[break][break]

"I'll focus on Rayquaza."[break][break]

As prismatic stones clashed against reptilian scales, BARNABY FINCH used this distraction to urge his patron on, steadying beside the serpent's neck just long enough for him to try and leap onto it — grabbing hold wherever his hands and body could make purchase.[break][break]

If successful, MOLTRES would depart to rain down its FIERY WRATH on two other nuisances defiling its tree: Yujin Ha's ARCHALUDON and robin coello's JELLICENT.[break][break]

Shadows coalesced around him, shielding him from the roiling wind and spitting rain, sharpening against the tips of his fingers to dig down into godflesh.[break][break]

[break]

Immediately, RAYQUAZA's very essence began to drain where mortal met immortal: a sweet ichor siphoned away.[break][break]

[break]

INFINITY ENERGY surging through his body, Barnaby clenched his jaw against the strain of it all, stifling groans of pain behind gritted teeth. Though chosen by a godlike creature, he was still but a human vessel, now pushed to the limits of its capabilities.[break][break]

Fire roared to life all around, hideous and dark and unfazed by the pelting rain. More and more and more the flames spread out, hungry for the blood of a dragon, eager to burn and burn and burn. [break][break]

[break]

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[break]
• masked [break]
• location: D4 near dyna tree/calyrex[break]
• replied to zev over comms[break]
• has a botw dragon climbing moment[break]
• uses avatar powers to conjure shadow flames + drain RAYQUAZA's energy[break]
• MOLTRES does flyby attacks (FIERY WRATH) on yujin's ARCHALUDON and robin's JELLICENT

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Melody Miro's call to arms echoed off the old, seaworn cliffs surrounding Sootopolis and spurred BARNABY FINCH on from where he'd just contended with the likes of freya morningstar and ana fell. Consequently, Cillian Quinn's order fell on deaf ears. Admin Bee — and the MOLTRES he rode — was focused solely on RAYQUAZA's descent and its bid toward the DYNA TREE. [break][break]

Aurelie Lefevre's pleas were answered — for now. The compulsion to guard the DYNA TREE and its caretaker, CALYREX, was stronger than the desire to beat back KYOGRE.[break][break]

They needed to protect the king and his fruit. After all, the tree harbored power that couldn't be allowed to be lost or stolen from them. [break][break]

"I need backup at the Dyna Tree," Admin Bee called out over comms. [break][break]

An otherworldly screech then thrummed out from MOLTRES' gullet, warning LEAGUE interlopers to stay away, though it hardly slowed RAYQUAZA's charge toward them. As flames licked at the great dragon's lips, MOLTRES spread its wings wide to PROTECT CALYREX from RAYQUAZA's fire and, by extension, paxton concordas's bullet as well.[break][break]

When a break in the flames presented itself, MOLTRES then flew in close toward RAYQUAZA and released FROST BREATH near the tender areas of its head and neck, though it was ready to nimbly dodge away, if necessary.[break][break]

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[break]
• masked [break]
• location: D4 near dyna tree/calyrex[break]
• admin bee calls for backup at the dyna tree over comms[break]
• MOLTRES uses PROTECT to guard the tree/calyrex from RAYQUAZA's flames and paxton's bullet[break]
• MOLTRES uses FROST BREATH on RAYQUAZA

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