Just as Thomas was ready to finish off the Rocket, Nikita stopped him. Despite his experience telling him otherwise, he'd play along with the man. Thomas sheathed his knife, and instead took to restraining the poor Rocket.

"Always preferred probing their phones for intel, myself. But you do you.", he'd tell Nikita, allowing the old detective to carry out his interrogation.

As they spoke, a Porygon hiding in Thomas' phone already got to work infiltrating the phones of the Rockets, decrypting them for whatever data could be harvested.

---

tags: Nikita Sokolov
notes: +80 (Post x8)
+50 (Participation)
+100 (Mission Completion - Secret)
+200 (Victory)
+10 (Assist)
+50 (Zoroark KO'd)
+200 (Nidorina Killed)
Total: 690

As Thomas was tossed by the Tentacruel, the man began to transition into swimming, eventually gaining control, and stopping himself from colliding into the underwater cropping.

The Sharpedo followed after his master, leaving the Tentacruel to the Iron Valiant. Artanis flinched as they were subjected to the screech of the kraken. Despite this, the Iron Valiant still put up a Wide Guard, in order to defend themselves, and their allies.

Thomas would take notice to the flipper, turning his gaze to the source as quickly as he could.

---

tags: Calpurnia Kubrick
notes: Post (10)

Thomas watched as the fallen Togetic was recalled back to its Pokeball. At least the Rocket managed to save the creature, unlike him. Though he'd hope the Staraptor would make it, somehow washing ashore to be saved, a part of him knew how grim the prognosis was. The Sky Attack the bird took was particularly nasty.

As the Braviary went in for a Brave Bird, the Salamence flew in front of the attack. The dragon let out a cry of pain, before beginning to plummet from the skies as well. Thomas quickly recalled the dragon back to its Pokeball, intent on saving his friend from the same fate as the Emolga and Staraptor lost today.

Midir called down a Rock Slide on the Braviary and Rocket. Whether or not it connected, the Interdream Mist flowing in, and the Iron Moth flying towards the battlefield, was a sign that Thomas had to get out of there quickly.

No doubt the Rocket would do the same.

---

tags: Alba Evovae
notes: Post x5 (50)
Participation (50)
Mission Completion - Sky (100)
Draw - 250
Interdream Mist Spawn - 10
KO - Salamence (50)
Death - Staraptor (200)
Total - 710 MP

As the Pikachu and Hawlucha died by the hand of the Iron Treads, the Annihilape looked on in disgust and rage. The undead ape charged the Iron Treads, attempting to strike the creature with a Rage Fist. The mechanical beast, spotting the undead ape coming, rushing at the Annihilape with its Iron Head. Unfortunately for Ralph, the Iron Treads won out, launching the Annihilape back towards Thomas' feet, knocked out cold.

It was clear that the Iron Treads wasn't going down anytime soon. Continuing to fight the beast as they were was a death warrant.

"Shit, we gotta retreat!", he told Elise, recalling his Annihilape.

Colt fired the most intense Ice Beam he could at the Iron Treads. Miraculously, the attack managed to partially freeze the beast, and momentarily hold it in place. The partially frozen automaton furiously attempted to free itself. Thomas recalled his Clawitzer quickly, before bringing out his Arcanine.

"Need a ride?", he'd offer the princess. Whether she accepted or declined, the Arcanine carried him out of there with a burst of Extreme Speed.

---

tags: Elise Calcifet
notes: Post x5 +50
Participation +50
Mission Completion - Smog +100
Defeat +300
Interdream Mist Spawn +10
Assist +10
Death - Hawlucha +200
KO - Annihilape +50
Total: 770

As the opposing Rocket is dragged away, two Kartana attack the newly evolved Melmetal. The lumbering liquid metal attempted to swat them away like flies, keeping them off of his master. Once they leave, the Melmetal turns back to Thomas, whatever 'cuts' had formed on his body immediately sealing up.

"Gallium, you did it!", Thomas called out, giving the Melmetal a hug. Gallium cried out happily, hugging his master back.

"Let's get the fuck outta here.", he told Gallium, recalling him, and sending Rufus the Arcanine in his place.

Thomas got on the Arcanine, riding back to the League camp.

---

tags: Hitoshi Inoue
notes: +60 (Post x6)
+50 (Participation)
+100 (Mission Completion)
+200 (Win)
+25 (Legendary/Mythical)
+10 (Interdream Mist)
+10 (Kill - Krokorok)
+50 (KO - Ceruledge)
+200 (Death - Garbodor)
Total: 705 MP

The Annihilape continued his assault on the Iron Thorns. Upon seeing one of them going for the Dragonite, the undead simian attempted to leap onto the mechanical beast's back, driving a Rage Fist into the back of its head, in an attempt to destroy it. Colt fired a Heal Pulse at the Dragonite, attempting to help her heal off any damage she suffered.

The Hawlucha landed with a backflip, only to collapse to one knee. Thankfully, the Indeedee's Heal Pulse gave him the second wind he needed. The Hawlucha called out in thanks to the Indeedee, before leaping at the Iron Treads again. The wrestler attempted to take out the automaton with a Flying Press, smashing down directly on top of it.

Unfortunately for the avian, the Iron Treads did not go down so easily. As the bird landed, the Iron Treads retaliated with a brutal Steel Roller, crushing the Hawlucha underneath it, and destroying the Electric Terrain it had set up earlier.

---

tags: Elise Calcifet
notes: Post +10
Assist +10
Death - Hawlucha +200

Once the Seismitoad had fallen, the Decidueye wasted no time in joining his master in dealing with the ambushers. The owl took to the skies, bow at the ready for the coming attack.

Thomas gave the man a nod. Perhaps after this, he'd direct the HBIC agent to read the file they had on him. After all, he was serving his probation with the HBIC, for this sort of thing.

As the Houndstone drew first blood, the Weavile wasted no time in joining the undead hound. An Ice Shard threatened to rip violently through the neck of one of the Rockets. Ripper grabbed for one of the Rockets, attempting to crush their head with a Bug Bite from his steely pincer. Clint fired a Spirit Shackle at a fleeing Rocket, pinning them to the area, and allowing Thomas to start slicing their arteries from behind in a disturbingly well trained set of motions.

---

tags: Nikita Sokolov
notes: +10 (Post)

The Garbodor roars in panic as he's buried alive with the Krokorok. As a last resort, the living heap of garbage begins to glow. Rather than allowing himself to suffocate to death, the Garbodor instead chooses to go out with one last Explosion, sealing both of their fates.

Thomas narrowed his eyes at the other man, wielding the Honedge. So he was supposed to be some kind of muscle? Someone who just followed orders? It hardly mattered, he was just another cog in the Rocket machine. One who wasn't going to be stepping down anytime soon.

The final Z-Move consumed the Ceruledge, before he had the chance to disappear into the Phantom Force. By the end of it, Mordred dropped to the sands, rendered unconscious.

After recalling the fallen knight, Thomas reached for a new Pokeball. That was when Gallium, his Meltan, dropped down off of his back.

Interdream Mist flooded the area. But rather than being greeted by a Paradox Pokemon, or another threat, a horde of Meltan manifested. Gallium's lugnut head began to spin rapidly, drawing the newly manifested Meltan to his location. They all began to meld into Gallium, until the many became one being.

Gallium had evolved into a Melmetal, this time in the real world.

---

tags: Hitoshi Inoue
notes: +10 (Post)
+10 (Interdream Mist)
+50 (KO - Ceruledge)
+200 (Death - Garbodor)

"You don't even know the half of it!", Thomas retorted dryly.

The Roaring Moon took the Return, giving the small fairy a look of irritation, more than anything. In retaliation, the beast once again slammed into the fairy with an Iron Head.

The Staraptor attempted to meet the charge of the Braviary with a Brave Bird of his own. Unfortunately, the Sky Attack got to the Staraptor first. Upon impact, the Staraptor fell out of the sky, before plummeting into the waters below. With a violent splash, the Staraptor sank into the water, before floating up to the surface, drifting aimlessly.

---

tags: Alba Evovae
notes: Post (10)
Death - Staraptor (200)

Thomas heard the sounds of the Great Tusk's continued rampage. Though Paxton managed to get his Klefki out, the fact that he lost his Durant to the beast still weighed heavily on the ex-Elite Four member.

The Fairy Lock broke on the beast. As it attempted to pursue the Steelix, and his passengers, Thomas brought out his Greninja, Hotsuma, to hold it off. The Greninja, in desperation, fired a Hydro Cannon at the beast. Despite being knocked out by the Headlong Rush, the attack seemed to slow it down. Thomas was barely able to recall Hotsuma in time.

Eventually, something else would fly in, and distract the behemoth. The ensuing conflict allowed the Steelix, and the humans, to make their getaway.

"Fuck, that was rough.", Thomas remarked. "Sorry about your Durant.", he'd tell the man, genuinely lamenting the loss of the Pokemon. It was a feeling he knew all too well. Such a loss never got easier, no matter how many died.

---

tags: paxton concordas
notes: +60 (Post x6)
+50 (Participation)
+100 (Mission Completion - Smog)
+250 (Draw)
+10 (Assist)
+10 (Interdream Mist Spawn)
+50 (KO - Greninja)
+200 (Death - Totodile)
Total: 730

Thomas frowned as he listened to her response. The fact that the prospect of such bad PR haunted her made him sad. Perhaps Thomas was the last person to talk to on the subject, considering how readily he sullied his good name. How he was once at the top of the world, only to piss it away in what he thought was a calculated move. No matter how badly he wished he could tell her 'fuck the world', he knew that wouldn't fly, not from where she was standing.

"I suppose some fools can't be convinced of the truth. Especially if they want to see the bad in someone.", he'd concede. "I wish it was as easy as saying 'fuck those people', though.", he'd admit to her.

Thomas picked up on her description of the Toxic Chain. How it seemed to take control of the host's body. That they seemed to be aware of what was going on, but couldn't do anything to stop it. Being reduced to prisoners of their own bodies. Such a prospect was horrifying, and silently, Thomas counted himself lucky that he wasn't afflicted with it.

"It's a lot more complicated than that.", he'd begin.

Once again, her statement began to eat at him. Prior interactions, including the one that lead up to their arrival at the swamp, went through his mind.

"Desiree, I remember what you said to me, under the influence. I have to ask, have I been - suffocating you?", he'd finally inquire.

---

tags: DESIREE BLOOMS
notes: tl;dr

As the effects of the Rage Powder wore off, the Sharpedo looked on in horror at his friend. Thankfully, the Seadra could still be saved. Still, the Sharpedo was mortified that he could attack a friend like that.

That was when Finn realized that Thomas was no longer on his back. The Sharpedo quickly turned around, diving down to search for his master. Upon seeing him and Artanis dealing with a Tentacruel, the Sharpedo swooped in, charging the Tentacruel with a Night Slash.

Artanis let out a cry of 'pain' as the Poison Jab struck him. Despite this, the Iron Valiant was far from being out, swinging at the Tentacruel with yet another Psycho Cut.

Thomas was too busy attempting to free himself from the grasp of the Tentacruel to really be paying attention to the Rocket beneath him. Keeping himself from drowning came first.

---

tags: Calpurnia Kubrick
notes: Post (10)
KO - Seadra (50)

"Good to know you got experience with these things!", Thomas called back to the Ambassador.

The Annihilape gave the Shiny Indeedee a nod of approval, as the Heal Pulse restored his lost vitality. The undead ape wasted no time in joining the fight, lunging at the Iron Treads with a Cross Chop. The Wild Hawlucha, meanwhile, Honed his Claws for the coming battle. The Clawitzer covered the group, firing an Aura Sphere at an Iron Thorns that threatened to run down the Indeedee.

Narrowing its red eyes at the group, the Iron Treads stands on its hindlegs, before slamming its body back down to the ground. An Electric Terrain surged from beneath it. Following up on this, the Iron Treads charged the Hawlucha with a particularly nasty Wild Charge, ramming into the wrestling bird, sending it flying back.

---

tags: Elise Calcifet
notes: Post +10
Assist +10