Ah, so this man was one of those that had been in Rocket through family relations. Shizue could not say that she could, well, relate. Hence, she just shrugged. As far as she knew, her family did not have a lot of connection to the organization, aside from potential business ties. It was difficult to do too well in that region without at least running into Rocket. But she had not had noticed anything in particular back in the day.

And not now, either. Mostly because there was next to no contact. They were the kind of family that had grown estranged due to emotional cold. No hard feelings at all, but no interest to change anything, either. Which was fine by her, really. But she was aware that she potentially was doing something wrong there, in a way.

There just was no way to change that. “I can’t say anyone ever sent me any Pokemon. Well, outside of research purposes,” she guessed. Though she had once sent away a specimen she did not need to fulfill an outside obligation. But that was neither here nor there. “It still is a bit suspicious. You should at least make sure that ownership was properly transferred. Pretty common tactic to hurt others: sneak in some Pokemon they think they now own, but that turn on them quickly enough.” Just having the ball in hand didn’t mean much for a Pokemon’s loyalty, after all. Every grunt learned that on their first mission, really.


@bryeholstein

Redeeming 250 PD, Iron Leaves and Commendation from Rightward!

Sometimes, even a scientist struggled believing in objective facts. But that could not be helped. Her memory was good, bordering on eidetic when she concentrated, but even she had trouble keeping everything that had happened straight. The Kyurem, the Hoopa, hordes of paradoxes, fighting with the league – all things she had observed from afar, tried to reason, committed to memory to the best of her ability.

But she was still struggling to believe that she was actually riding this green, mechanical steed, as she approached the rest of the rockets that had retrieved something interesting from the looks of it. With battle lines drawn, she had deemed it best to seek strength in numbers – after her encounter with the paradox had finished.
After all, she was not that much of a fighter. Her encounter with the Iron Leaves had shown that. Despite Inteleon not being a complete weakling, its attacks had done nothing to the strange Pokemon aside from being a minor nuisance. And the Iron Leaves itself had done nothing in return. It had taken her a good few minutes to realize that she could even try and throw a ball.

Somehow, it had stayed in. She had called it out right away, just to make sure that this was not some sort of trick or so. But for now, it obeyed. Shizue intended to figure out why. But for now, it was good enough to have a steed and return to the others, making for where the stone was kept, but observing it quietly for the time being, unless addressed. It was her natural way of doing things, after all. She kept to it.

---

Iron Leaves captured
Returns to the Rockets on the Iron Leaves, quietly observing the nice stone for the time being

That was not good.



She had made it to the chasm, that hole in the ground. Yes, she had known that it was some sort of active combat zone. Even from beyond the edge, she could see it. Trainers and their Pokemon going in, evidently fighting.



But she had expected a snake. Like some sort of giant snake below. Akin to the prophecy. One big enemy, as had been the case so far. Yet, this was almost the exact opposite. Briefly, she had to give up her full observation of the Hoopa to take in the scale of the opposing…army? That was the correct word. Possibly. If there was a sufficiently developed command structure and antagonism.



Semantics probably was not the right thing to care about right then, though. Shizue did take a step back from the edge, knowing that with her current abilities, she would not be able to make a dent in what was going on down there anyway. It wasn’t her job to begin with. She was just here to observe. To study. To learn. That alone was risky already. But she was willing to do it.



Yet, getting close to that army was akin to getting close to Kyurem – a fool’s errand. And she was no fool. She was –

Shizue jerked back when she saw a focused beam of water cross her field of vision, too close to her eyes for comfort. She knew that one. But it took her a few seconds, along with a glance to the side, to realize just what that meant to begin with.



Once she did look though, she recoiled, trying to get a few feet back as the Iron Leaves that had left the crater to her left was shaking off the water from Inteleon’s Snipe shot.



It had done its duty, covering her. But now it was looking at her, as if expecting her to do hers, giving orders. Yet, oddly enough, she just found herself staring at the strange Pokemon. And it stared back at her.


- on her own, near the edge of the hole, encounters an Iron Leaves (Post 7/7, starting the process of catching it)


dD3N4MTh

Well, it seemed like staying out here was becoming more and more untenable. The other woman seemed to still be busy tending to her frozen Pokemon, but that couldn’t be helped. The Blizzard had let up sufficiently to allow for ease of movement, to an extent, and it likely would not kill this person.

Hence, she should be legally in the clear to leave them to their own devices. Shizue decided that doing so would be relatively reasonable, at least. And it seemed reasonably safe from a distance, at least. Fighting was still ongoing, but she recalled her Salandit for the moment and instead brought out her Inteleon. “Keep an eye out for threats for us and cover me,” she ordered it while starting to jog towards the chasm that had opened, intent to observe what was happening there as well as keeping an eye out for the Hoopa.

The sickness and serpent part of the current lines had her intrigued, after all. While the black acid belching one had hardly been a serpent, she still felt reminded of that incident – and could not help but want to know more. After all, that was her purpose. To learn more about the legends and myths – and how they could be used to create the most potent poison in the world.


- leaves her erstwhile companion and moves towards the chasm, bringing out her Inteleon for cover


eepGU68u

“It probably won’t matter too much whether we go in further or not,” she continued to talk to the other, who presumably was still preoccupied with trying to restore her Pokemon. It wasn’t like there was much they could do from where they were, anyway. Giants were fighting. Shizue knew her own limitations. She was not like those avatars or gym leaders or what not. Her contributions were little enough, just trying to shield two people from the blizzard. And even then she was only shielding this lady out of convenience.



She was already here. Might as well. It wasn’t too bad to have someone around. That way, when she talked to herself, it almost even seemed as if she was speaking to someone. That was something, at least. Better than nothing. “I know that I, myself, would only get in the way of a battle like this. But that is fine. Not everyone is there to be a warrior. Some of us can have value in just being witnesses,” she added, before making mental notes of the prophecy again, still trying to engrave every detail of what she was in her mind.



“Heroes must return to slay giants. Space will mend, while time continues to bend. Cute,” she continues to muse, only to then notice her Pokemon once again succumbing to the cold. She sighing, realizing that she was running out of Fire types to keep this going. This was going badly.

Especially when she noticed rings opening up around them and only barely managed to dive sideways, trying to tackle Zahra Poetri out of the way as she did.



Again, out of convenience. “Ugh, not even here we are safe from that mischief-maker. I told you, I am not a fighter.”


@talks to Zahra Poetri if that one is still there (i did not find another post, so i just figured), would get attacked by hoops and try to get herself and zahra out of the way.
m6INM7DU

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she cautioned towards the other trying to break the ice around her Pokemon. The same had happened to Electrivire, but Shizue evidently wasn’t quite as fazed as the other by this. It probably had not only to do with her natural disposition, but also her experience regarding matters like this. She’d seen Pokemon melted down to puddles by the assault of legendaries before, after all.



This was tame in comparison. “You would probably risk damaging your own Pokemon further, even if you can break through the ice,” she added, arms crossed, before looking at the now more enraged Kyurem. The Hoopa had, by now, revealed what it had to say. Which was evidently a warning of what was to come. This was not Kyurem trying to invade Hoenn to bring its doom, no. Its actions did not line up with that motive in the slightest. If it had wanted to, it would have immediately frozen everyone as they trickled in, not have given any warnings – and probably appeared in a major population centre to begin with.



No, this was something else. Which was why she was observing and recording what she could. Though she also made sure to not disregard this strange woman that would probably be able to provide her with some assistance, indirect or not. Plus, anyone this agitated was also potentially dangerous, so she should defuse this situation a bit. “As a scientist, I can obviously not give you a decisive answer to that. That would be impossible without all information. However, I would deem it likely. Pokemon are capable of recovering from frozen states already. If they can the thawed and stabilized, they should be able to recover. But the longer they stay encased, the smaller that window of opportunity becomes.”

That was just her reading of what was happening, but she did not truly think that it was wrong. Again, this did not seem like an assault to bring eternal winter to Hoenn. “It may not be necessary to kill this, either. Just beat it back. Once the blizzard stops, something can be done. Our opponent is not here to eradicate us.” Saying that, she resumed her observations. Her fire type was currently busy shielding them against being frozen themselves, so she would leave the fighting to the other.



“But the chances of you restoring your partner go to zero if you perish as well, so do not go beyond your ability. Everything will be fine, for a given definition of the word.” That was her philosophy, allowing her a measure of calm in this situation. It wasn’t easy, but she was not one to allow such things to cloud her mind. Her duty was to keep a clean mind and open eyes.




Zahra Poetri
Trying to calm down Zahra by reassuring her as much as she can without lying, continues to observe and think while shielding them from the Blizz
zW2|b4Ej

Well, that was a good sign already. Eating with others was good – in places like this. Lash liked eating on her own if she was on her own. But being alone in a huge crowd like this was just kind of depressing, so she appreciated having company for this.



As long as their fight did not leave them embittered rivals. Unlikely, given how the other acted so far. But one never knew. Sometimes the friendliest people ended up being the, um, saltiest? That was what kids these days said, right?



Anyway, combat. Focus. Her opponent was already busy using her own Pokemon to grow to giant size. “Well, that is one big Shrew,” Lash noted, though she was not exactly in awe. It was big. So what?

Still, a big quake was bad news. She could not follow her usual tactic like this either. “Try to get airborne and away from that. Rock Slide in midair!” Her orders were clear enough, but she hoped Lyca got them in time, given that they usually started with something else entirely.


Genevieve Cromwell
HP: 3/3
Z-Move on standby
Using Rock Slide

WAPMM|HC

So, he wanted to play this long, ranged, eh? Ah, well. They could do that, too. The ember did not seem all that threatening anyway. Sure, being hit would take away something as per the rules of the tournament, but for one, well, Lyca was not really well-versed in those yet. Instead, believing that it could take it, the Rock type instead used the opportunity to howl and set up a Stealth Rock, causing jagged rocks to erupt from positions all across their field of battle.



That was much more in its and Lash’s nature. Though it was probably an odd strategy for someone that looked like she did to use. “Do you really think you can stay at range forever? Because if you give us that much room, we are going to punish you for it, you know?”

Colin Roche
HP: 3/3

Z-move on standby

Using Stealth Rock, taking Ember like a champ (though probably still taking a heart loss)
(was still logged on wrong account, but the post is as it should be still, so not making work for the mods here:P)

hj|h6ykN

Oh, someone was worrying about another here on the field of battle like this? Shizue immediately thought it had to be a League operative. Especially with that kind of lackadaisical attitude, making jokes in a situation like this. That was a bit of a tell-tale sign.



Still though, that was someone else managing to survive in this storm. It was probably not an issue trying to stay close to that one. Hence, she swiftly obliged and disembarked her electric ride. Though she did carry a quizzical look. “What makes you think I am love with a Pokemon of all things? You are much more my type.” As always, her statement was very blunt, which made it difficult to tell what she took seriously there and what might have been teasing of her own. Still, she got off while Electrivire still tried to shield her.


8IGeZdcg

For as much good as it did it. The Electrivire was soon overwhelmed by the cold, freezing up. Her expression cloaked in strained neutrality, she recalled it right away, replacing it with a Quilava that would try to keep her, well now them, warm with Ember. Her attention was still mostly focused on their opposition. “I thank you for your concern,” she noted, describing a brief, but polite bow. “But I am a scientist. And the best I can do is observe that thing, try to figure out what it is trying to tell us about the sleeping matriarch and look for potential openings the fighters can use. Hence, I have to stay close enough. I know I am not a fighter myself but…in the face of this, one has to do what one can do.”

Zahra Poetri

Well, the Beast at least agreed. But she had already known that. Yet, Shizue could not help but notice that her Pokemon was grunting under some kind of heavy strain. It probably would not be able to shield her indefinitely from this Blizzard.



Which wasn’t too terrible. It was a tool to be used to protect her, after all. If it was content with doing that, she would be content with using it up, regardless. But still, she needed to find a more sustainable solution to all of this. As such, she looked around, trying to find someone else who was engaged in this battle, but in a bit more of a fortified position.



The bright light nearby was a good indication for that, as far as she was concerned. Whether that was league or rocket, it did not matter. She was not a fighter anyway and she doubted anyone would even bother to recognize her like this, especially with her signature green hair being tucked away in the heavy winter coat she was wearing. “Bring me close to them,” she ordered the Electrivire – which in turn picked her up in a bridal carry, still using that Charge to ward off the worst of it. But also making sure that she was still able to observe and listen, even hold out the recording device, just in case it would work in this weather. Nothing lost if it didn’t work out, after all.


tl;dr: tries to link up with anyone on the ground that she can find (feel free to have her run into someone) being carried by Electrivire (miss 2)


MrjiAuwv

So, Hoenn’s doom had returned. It was even more impressive up close. Well, as up close as one could call her current position. Shizue was not exactly someone made for the front lines, after all. A researcher was not necessarily a fighter. Some of the others were. And she had her Elektek out, shielding her from the snow for the time being. But she knew that she could not actually face that thing. Not when others tried so much harder to, using much more power than she had access to.

The Beast had told them not to engage, but those words fell on deaf ears, of course. It was bound to happen. In the face of this much power, one had to recognize the threat it represented to one’s very existence. She had felt that, at that tree. This was much the same. But also different.

But Shizue had learned from that. “Not crazy. Charging headlong into the unknown is,” she started over the comms, for once agreeing with mint frost and disagreeing with kepler brueshaber . Yet, she also knew that the others were right. It was too late now. The fight had already begun. Some might say that it had even before they had arrived. And some might say that rushing in without as much as a proper strategy might mean they already lost. But that was why she was here, along with others.
Shizue held onto her binoculars, while her electric type shielded her from the blizzard’s strongest side for the time being by using charge to disperse some cold air. “That being said, hitting it with everything is the best course of action now,” she continued, though this time mostly musing to herself, all but forgetting the comms were a thing.

If nothing else, she could observe from here and try to see if she could spot something helpful. This scientist did know her place. It was not far away from danger, cooped up and waiting for good news. But she also was not here to fight a hopeless battle with the power of her Pokemon. If she could contribute to this fight, it would probably be her mind doing that.

Which was probably a thing, now that she could make out words in the storm. “This is being translated to us, so it must have meaning,” she mused to herself once more. “But the Hoopa could simply tell us right away. Does it want us to prove ourselves here or something like that?” Legendary Pokemon….they truly had minds unlike their own, did they not?

tl;dr: Shizue has her Pokemon try to shield her from the Blizzard while she observes and listens, trying to find some clues while others fight

V4HTZ8rg

Cruel? Oh, he was talking to his Pokemon. She never understood how people could treat Pokemon like, well, people. They were animals. They weren’t cruel or nice, or anything like that. They just acted on instinct and did what they wanted to or needed to do. Nothing more, nothing less. Well, aside from the actually intelligent Pokemon, of course. She had met deities of sorts, after all. Considering those to be animals would simply be wrong. But your common Solrock? That was just, well, rock.

Shizue had briefly raised a brow but returned to the conversation proper when the other clearly addressed her instead of this Pokemon. “Me? Well, it depends on your definition. I have been affiliated for years. But I have only officially joined about two years ago due to certain happenstances.” That probably was a good enough answer. Rocket was a place for people without anywhere else to go as much as anything else. She figured he would understand as much. Plus, their conversation was interrupted anyway as she watched someone bring the man a Pokemon. That was…unusual. “It seems that you have some kind of benefactor, then.” Sure, she was given Pokemon all the time to experiment on. But this was not that. It was different, so someone was just giving this man an unexpected gift, which was odd.