Mecha-Chomper’s LED display flickered, a Dragon Pulse fired from its middle mouth successfully driving away a wild Xurkitree that got too close for comfort, Raikou’s Pressure notwithstanding. With such powerful traveling companions, the duo had nothing to fear.

Upon making it to the underground power facility, an additional Electric Terrain summoned by Andrea’s Iron Boulder lit up the way ahead. The treasure that Josh sought lay inside.

“A Quickinium-Z, huh? I dunno if I’d want that. Speed isn’t really my style.” The young PokéManiac mused. “My style’s big Pokémon that hit hard!” And sadly, a feeble move like Quick Attack did not fit the criteria.

Josh Devlin //mission thread

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Learning about the Mauville Gym Leader’s childhood and his relationship with his Manectric was quite wholesome. “Wow, you’ve had Saber for that long? Reminds me of when I first met Chomper! I bet little Josh would be proud!” Andrea wistfully remarked.

She wondered what the Raikou rider might have looked like back then. Probably small and adorable. If she ever met Mr. and Mrs. Devlin, she would definitely pester them to show her Josh’s baby pictures.

Many of the locals recognized the legendary beast, flocking around them with curiosity and awe. For once, the Pokémon cosplayer was not the center of attention. A very light sprint was all it took for the thunder cat to outrun them. “Whoa, wait for us!”

It was only a matter of time before their group reached the park’s entrance, whereupon Andrea dismounted her Gyarados, putting the red leviathan back into its ball. “Is there even a contest going on today?” The dragon-costumed girl inquired.

Josh Devlin //mission thread

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The Johtonian landscape was nothing short of idyllic. Being smaller than Sinnoh, the whole region felt cozier and more rustic. Its people were friendly and easy-going, a stark contrast from how tense things were back home.

“I don’t mind enjoying the scenery! This must feel pretty nostalgic to you, doesn’t it?” Said Andrea, who rode her Shiny Gyarados alongside Josh and his Raikou. Despite its monstrous size, the scarlet sea serpent was light as a feather, allowing it to glide with the wind as if it were a Hoppip.

At the mention of a contest, the young woman looked down at the little Ogerpon nestled in her arms. “What do you think, Pon? Would you like to do some bug catching? You might get to fight a Pinsir or a Scyther if we’re lucky! Wouldn’t that be fun?” She asked.

“Pon!”

Based on that response, the ogress was ecstatic at the idea of squashing some bugs with her cudgel. Either that, or she was crying tears of joy because flying on a Gyarados was the coolest thing ever conceived.

Josh Devlin //mission thread

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Having explored the Ultra Plant before with Lulu Flint, Andrea was somewhat familiar with the realm. Familiar enough to know that, even with Saber’s assistance, flying in the middle of an electrical storm would be highly dangerous. As much as the young dragoness wanted to spread her wings, she had to stay grounded for this trip.

“It does look like a saddle now that you bring it up. Looks pretty comfy too!” She said in response to Josh’s comment about Raikou’s mane. Sitting on the hard, metallic back of an Iron Boulder did not feel as comfy for her, but the quadruped Paradox Pokémon was a dependable mount regardless.

“Hey, Mecha-Chomper! Keep an eye out for any hostile Ultra Beasts, okay?” The cosplayer hollered at the robotic replica of a Hydreigon floating above her head. Futuristic paradoxes felt right at home in the stormy wastes, the ionized soil acting as a continuously active Electric Terrain that powered their respective Quark Drives.

Josh Devlin //mission thread

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A whip of power lashed at Ogerpon, cutting her cheek. Tiny blood droplets sprinkled the grass. Andrea was reminded of the unlucky prisoners that had met their end in the feeding pit, reduced to bloody mush to be swept up alongside stale mochi. The scent of peaches that had gone bad tickled her nostrils.

“Pon, grab the vines!” She ordered, focusing back on the battle. Grabbing the vines was a tactic she had invented back in that nightmarish pit. Her ogreish companion merely adopted it. Their ugly trip down memory lane came with a pang of regret. “For what it’s worth, Pon is truly sorry for what she did back there.”

The Toxic Chain had turned her into a mindless beast with no agency over her actions. And yet, Andrea knew that the Oni was tormented by guilt. Which was more than she could say for their captors, who had shown no remorse. All they had done was beg for mercy without apologizing even once.

“What happened there, what they did… It wasn’t fair! It makes me so angry!” The girl’s justified anger resonated with the ogre, who attempted to yank the monkey’s green tendrils and Play Roughly with its opponent, throwing another barrage of kicks at close range.

DESIREE BLOOMS //augmented traditional 1v1

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Unlike Doug, Andrea found no humor in the situation. From the very beginning, those posters had read like a really bad joke. And yet, the councilman tried to make them out to be the bad guys for seeking answers.

Josh Devlin’s name came up once again, this time as a positive example; the ideal soldier, toiling away for the good of Hoenn. Propped up like a war hero, when in reality, he was a Wooloo sent to the slaughterhouse.

“You think I’ve been idle?” The young dragoness hissed, getting increasingly agitated the longer this charade lasted. “Navy told me to protect Fallarbor, and that’s what I’ve been doing. I may not be an Elite Four member or an avatar, but my dragons will keep my hometown safe from any oppressors, whether they’re Rocket OR League!”

She picked the crumpled poster off the floor, unfurling it. “If this was meant to teach us some kind of lesson, then all it did was scare a bunch of people. But if it’s real and the council goes after our friends, all I’ve gotta say is… Don’t tread on me.”

FERNANDO SILPH, Navy, illeana reyes, John Sullivan, Noel Parker

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