”Coulda fuckin’ fooled me.”[break][break]

A remark equally as annoyed as it was blunt, truly. Far be it for him to be so strict while off the clock, though that, alone, had been his singular saving grace. In spite of what most may have assumed him to be when meeting him on common ground, professionalism and tact had been things of the utmost importance to him, and thus had he found himself at a brief, exasperated loss within the face of her words.[break][break]

Yet that exasperation had been all too fleeting as he, too, noted the footsteps afar— though it had taken him several more moments to discern them as such. His eyes narrowed towards the source of the sound before long, however, and he slowly began to lift himself from his idling spot in favor of beginning to stalk towards the further end of the cavernous corridor.[break][break]

”That’s somethin’ we can agree on, though,” he murmured, shifting into his communications line despite the shortened distance. A hand hovered over the gun within one of the holsters upon his belt. ”Already on it. Be ready.”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (80 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cave, 1/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (recon) (+10 MP)

ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

Between the barrage of attacks that followed in the short amount of time, as well as the sudden ringing and force he felt within his ears and against his body, there had been little time he could afford to waste. Similar to the rest of those within the dreamscape, he immediately pressed his hands against his ears for just several moments—long enough to properly brace himself and accustom himself as much as possible—as the Flygon’s Bug Buzz reverberated throughout the area. Though he hadn’t quite fallen, he found himself nearly stumbling back from its prowess, only preventing himself from properly falling over as he leaned forward and lowered himself closer to the ground.[break][break]

All the while, his Aggron had been slowly taking steps back with the manifestation of his initial barrier, though as one Pokemon had been traded for another, he found himself with little opportunity to do none other than cast another Protect before him as both mother and child lunged for him. A low, agitated growl left his maw as he could only block the barrage of Power-up Punches thrown at him (though a brief, spitefully amused rumble had also left him as the smaller of the two seemed to be flung with little warning), all while he continued to take slow, careful steps further back and towards his own trainer and using his newfound barrier as his own defense against the Bug Buzz.[break][break]

The Rocket’s eyes fixated upon the buzzing drake with an annoyed glare beneath his mask as he gradually began to stand properly once more, still holding a hand to the side of his head as the remaining lifted the gun within its grasp once more.[break][break]

”Gonna need ya to shut the fuck up, there, bud…” he growled under his breath, casting an aim, tried and true, towards the beast as it buzzed before firing a few more rounds at it in hopes of purchase, if not at least a long enough distraction to stop it.[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (180 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Battle Participation (brackets) (+50 MP)
• Incorporating realm's mutations (+10 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)
  

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)/li]
  [li]Assisting (in battle) (+10 MP)

---

• Get a Pokemon KO'd (+50 MP)
• Assisting a character (+10 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (in battle) (+10 MP)

Josh Devlin Andrea Vaneau ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

The rock-typed hound seemed to be the more annoying of the bunch— or, at the very least, enough of one to prompt a soft groan to hiss from the Rocket’s lips upon seeing it shift to and fro across the battlefield. As it initially bounded through the clearing—finding purchase against the Tyranitar with its Accelerock in passing, though simply deflecting off the Protect of the Aggron standing by him—he merely kept a close eye upon it.[break][break]

So many movements and skills used in a single window, it seemed, though it had been far from the only foe in battle.[break][break]

For the Marowak afar, he simply manifested his bone after it had been flung away once more, standing ready and watching the Aura Sphere form within his opponent’s paws with little to no concern nor stress upon his expression. With a somewhat open, yet readied stance, he merely stood his ground and allowed the bipedal hound to close the distance, almost flashing it a coy, taunting glare as the orbs, themselves, found no purchase. As they simply phased through him, another bone manifested within his remaining hand, with another conjuring above head prior to crushing all three towards the Lucario in a quickened Bone Rush.[break][break]

All the while, the Ancient Power curved swiftly around the Aggron and his barrier, crushing into him with a barrage of dust and particles that caused him and his trainer to stagger briefly. A roar emitted from the steel beast as his eyes found themselves upon the aforementioned wolf shortly after, and without wasting the chance to close the already shortened distance, he took a single, hefty step forward and rammed his head towards its flank with an Iron Head.[break][break]

The remaining Tyranitar, taking a short amount of time to shake off the prior blow, glanced around her surroundings long enough to accommodate them before giving a roar of her own. The stones around them—inclusive of the remaining Ancient Power and Stealth Rock—swiftly began to lift and surge within a brief torrent, tossing themselves up a short distance before falling down towards the League trainer in the form of a Rock Slide. In the same amount of time, the Rocket member leaned over to attain another look towards the Druddigon afar once more, firing several more bullets off towards it, though with more attention upon the canisters within the box it held.[break][break]

---

Battle TL;DR[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Rangatira (Tyranitar) is hit by Accelerock.
• Kaitiaki (Aggron) deflects Accelerock with Protect. Unaffected.
• Kaitiaki (Aggron) is hit by Ancient Power.
• Toa (A!Marowak) is unaffected by Aura Sphere due to Ghost-type immunity.
• Toa (A!Marowak) uses Bone Rush on Heimdall (Lucario).
  [li]Kaitiaki (Aggron) uses Iron Head on Minerva (Lycanroc).
• Rangatira (Tyranitar) uses Rock Slide on Lydia with the stones and remaining debris from Stealth Rock and Ancient Power.
• Inigo shoots at Kerberos (Druddigon) and his box, aiming to break the canisters inside.

MP TRACKER (80 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cargo, 2/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Character Post (+10 MP)
  

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)

Lydia Magnusson [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

Though the words spoken his way met his ears, its only response seemed to be none other than a brief scoff under his breath, alongside a furrow of the brows, and a faint quirk of the lip in equal parts amusement and confusion, alike.[break][break]

I think ‘bullying’ is putting it lightly, in light of what I just said, but alright.[break][break]

A thought spoken to none other than himself— and even then, it remained within the sanctity of his own mind as he watched the conflict occurring afar. Whilst lowering his gun and unloading the emptied clip from within its hold, he kept a watchful eye upon the reactions of those within the skirmish—both trainer and creature, alike—before settling his focus upon the Flygon as it briefly caught itself within an imbalance.[break][break]

Although weakened severely by the prior onslaught of attacks, the Sharpedo seemed to only teeter for a moment within its hover before beginning to make a line towards the Hydreigon once more, though had caught itself within the crossfire as it found itself all too rearing to go. Alongside his accompanying Pokemon (and as she found herself lifted away), the toothed beast took enough of the blast to begin teetering once more, all before he ultimately crumbled onto the ground.[break][break]

As was expected, though, given the beast’s normal temperament— and so with the fall of one Pokemon had another been swift to join the fray in his place. Another Pokeball shone briefly as it flew high across the clearing, briefly stopping to unleash a dormant Aggron from within before the capsule, itself, shot back to its handler, all while the beast, herself, conjured a swift barrier—a Protect—to further shield her companions and their attack.[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (160 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Battle Participation (brackets) (+50 MP)
• Incorporating realm's mutations (+10 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)
  

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)/li]
  [li]Assisting (in battle) (+10 MP)

---

• Get a Pokemon KO'd (+50 MP)
• Assisting a character (+10 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)

Josh Devlin Andrea Vaneau ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

As chaotic and lacking caution as his approaching trainer, the Sharpedo had arrived between the League members and their own Pokemon with a violent flourish, scattering waves of water within its midst as it careened into the lot of them. The Rocket watched as his own became quickly involved with those he’d sent him towards, firing still as the Outrage and Superpower paid their dues in collision, landing blow after blow upon the aquatic beast.[break][break]

For a swift moment, it flailed to and fro within the aftermath, briefly teetering and shuddering violently from the attacks before a low, repetitive growl resonated within its maw, growing louder and louder within the span of a moment or two. It peaked into a proper roar before it jetted forward once more, though that time towards the triple headed drake as pricks of frost soon enveloped its fangs, briefly transforming each tooth into icicle-like spikes as it struck forth with an Ice Fang.[break][break]

It seemed to flail vigorously behind the Hydreigon while doing so—almost as if a rabid dog—in an attempt to shield itself from the Dazzling Gleam that shot out. Meanwhile, the selfsame Rocket that sent him out continued walking forward at a brisk pace, shooting a couplel more rounds as his voice (loud, booming, and continuously distorted through the filter of his mask) called across the clearing.[break][break]

”This’ll be the only time I’ll ask ya guys nicely,” he called out, sparing only a brief glance to ensure he stood between them and the woman accompanying him. ”Take ya merry asses back to the entrance, and maybe ya won’t be leavin’ all bloody and bruised~. Sound good?”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (90 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Battle Participation (brackets) (+50 MP)
• Incorporating realm's mutations (+10 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)
  

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)/li]
  [li]Assisting (in battle) (+10 MP)

Josh Devlin Andrea Vaneau ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

A pretty little thing with looks to deceive, then.[break]
He smirked beneath his mask, sparing an eye towards his quarry and her companions.[break][break]

”Don’t say I didn’t give ya a chance, then~,” he chuckled, an audible smile met in tandem with a sweep across the capsules mounted upon his person. Within mere moments, a series of flashes had borne creatures within their midsts; a simple means of leveling the playing field as those selfsame beasts lunged forth with a furor.[break][break]

Within an utmost, churning blaze did a bone emerge, soaring true towards the aura Pokemon in the form of a Bonemerang while the Marowak it belonged to followed after it. Following his trail had been another duo—a Tyranitar and Aggron—as they, too, cast themselves from their capsules. A faint quake took the earth as they landed, prompting dust to flick and fly from beneath them— though in the case of the green-scaled beast, they seemed to almost polarize and attract toward her form, coalescing within a rapid vortex around her prior to bursting forth across the field before them all, scattering sand across the vision of any and all present.[break][break]

Immediately afterward, she started towards the Lycanroc baring its fangs, roaring as the ground beneath her quaked once more with a Stomping Tantrum, all while the remaining Aggron simply remained further back and by his trainer, procuring a Protect before the two of them at the sight of the firearm within the woman’s hand.[break][break]

With a click of the tongue, however, the Rocket had shifted a hand towards one of the two holsters upon his hip, swiftly brandishing a gun of his own as his Pokemon had begun to situate themselves and act as they did. He spun it within his grasp swiftly prior to catching it within a firm and familiar grasp, narrowing his eyes and grinning wider as he aimed not towards the League member so confident in her act of steadfast defiance, but rather, the drake that held the goods.[break][break]

He fired just before the barrier manifested itself.[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (70 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cargo, 2/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Character Post (+10 MP)
  

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)

Lydia Magnusson[break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

To be met with the sights before him yet again had been something he hoped wouldn’t happen— but he found hopes and dreams to be a futile thing to have as he found himself stepping forth within lands both similar and dissimilar, once more. Though with a touch of meaning and purpose within each step (heavy and swift, and perhaps even aggravated at first glance), his chest rose swiftly as a breath entered his lungs, though it found itself expelled within a much slower and deeper manner, and accompanied with a faint growl of impatience, all the while.[break][break]

”Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter if ya don’t like it here, now does it..?” he sighed, his voice hushed beneath its distortions as he pressed onward with a watchful eye. ”Fuckin’ hate it here, too, but it ain’t like we can just ditch this shithole…”[break][break]

He furrowed his brows beneath the mask he wore, watching bits and pieces of the environment fluctuate and fly past him, and before long, the familiar sight of red and stardust had seemingly begun to creep along the outskirts of the background the further he trekked along. His face contorted faintly at the sight, prompting another sigh to leave his lips as he trekked on.[break][break]

”And t’answer your question, yeah— I saw people come in.”[break][break]

He spun a gun within his grasp before catching it within a firm grip, all while the remaining hand held itself atop one of the several Pokeballs locked upon his belt.[break][break]

”It wasn’t that long ago, so if I’m right, they shouldn’t be too—...”[break][break]

Far.[break][break]

His steps slowed faintly and only momentarily as they stepped into another portion of the dreamscape before them, all while a speck of black within moderate distance met his eye. He took another, deep breath—that time of what seemed to be relief, and ever-brewing impatience—as he lifted his gun and pressed the button of one of the beast-holding capsules upon his person.[break][break]

”They’re just up ahead,” he spoke plainly, firing a round towards the pair in the distance as the Pokemon he’d released—a Sharpedo—immediately jetted towards them with a haphazard Liquidation. ”Sooner we get ‘em the fuck out, the sooner we get outta here.”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (70 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Battle Participation (brackets) (+50 MP)
• Incorporating realm's mutations (+10 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)
  

Josh Devlin Andrea Vaneau ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

Protecting and patrolling the cave routes, huh?[break]
Simple enough of an assignment, even if he was being paid fuck all for this and everything else he’d done.[break][break]

Yet regardless of pay, or motive, or anything else of the sort, he’d already spent the majority of the past while busying himself, and so busy he’d find himself continuing to be as word of League members entering the cave rang through communications. Just as those traversing the tunnels had been undoubtedly doing, he wove through dirt and rubble with deft, light steps, though had encouraged a particular, beloved Aggron of his to take the further lead for a number of reasons, really.[break][break]

Unless the trainer were to be glued by its side, it would normally be relatively hard to tell the domesticity of a wandering creature, after all.[break][break]

And so he followed a copious number of steps behind Kaitiaki’s tail, silently glancing to and fro throughout the varied dips and turns of the cave systems around them. Though the prospect of peace had been one that most would be relieved to take part of, he couldn’t help but breathe a low sigh of impatience as he and his companion trekked along. He was promised a fight, after all— and after encountering someone outside a while before, his blood had already been boiling; his battle-forged appetite ready and rearing to continue upon a newfound conquest.[break][break]

And conquest he would have, it seemed. Possibly.[break][break]

Before long, the Aggron had trudged its way into another fork in the path, turning his head one way before pausing at the sight of movement some ways away, all while his trainer brought himself to a hastened stop, holding an arm out to his side as a means to stop the person by him by means of touch or shortsighted grace.[break][break]

He breathed a low, barely notable, ”Fuckin’ finally...” under his breath while urging his fellow Rocket along the wall and behind a couple of stones jutting out, all while he waited to see how the situation would unfold.[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (60 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Battle Participation (brackets) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)
  

faelan foxgrove Kyrenai Black ARIADNE MAUCH[break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

Word of people attempting to seize supplies on the way to Granite Cave had been something he’d heard, so what was he supposed to do? Wait around? Let others do the work?[break][break]

If he was fine with that, then why the Hell had be bothered showing up?[break][break]

No, no, no…he was there for a reason— a very varied reason that shifted as the situation called for it, but he was prepared to back Rocket up. Swift as they were, the location had been briefed as quickly and concisely as it could be, and so in a jetting rush had he embarked towards the thief’s location. WIth a quick turn upon Sharpedo back, he and his companion careened around a few boulders before he caught wind and sight of the aforementioned person he’d gone to confront.[break][break]

With a quick sweep off of his Pokemon, he landed onto the dirt beneath him without breaking stride, immediately recalling his shark and hovering his hand upon one of the other Pokeballs upon his person.[break][break]

”Heeeey, Cuz, I’m real sorry,” he called out, grinning beneath his mask, ”but I can’t let ya do that. Put the shit down. Now.”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (60 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cargo, 2/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Character Post (+10 MP)
  

@open[break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

Of course they had to run back into this fuckin’ shithole…[break][break]

He’d already had enough of the ever-shifting dreamscapes that had already begun to change in tandem to his very steps and presence once more, yet there he was, back within its embrace while on the trail of someone—League, civilian, whoever—that seemed to be cocky enough to hit first while he wasn’t looking.[break][break]

He was always an advocate for dirty play, but running away from shit you started?[break]
What a way to get on his nerves.[break][break]

And so did he press forward at a quickened pace, gritting his teeth beneath the mask he so fondly wore while gazing quickly across his surroundings. Just as it had done before in his earlier recon, each step he took seemed to transform the already whimsical environment back into the former starscape he’d witnessed before— though unlike earlier, gradients of red seemed to border the skies as he pressed on.[break][break]

”Come out...!” he bellowed, his voice heavy and booming beneath the distortion filter integrated into his gear. ”Ya started this damn thing, and if ya ain’t gonna finish it, I sure as Hell will…!”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (70 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (interdream, 2/2) (+50 MP)
• Incorporating realm's mutations (+10 MP)
• IC Character Post (+10 MP)
  

@open[break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

If he had the time and luxury to pause, he absolutely would’ve— but with the group of trainers following uncomfortably close behind him, he settled with nothing short of a stressed furrow of the brow, alongside a quick glance around his surroundings again.[break][break]

”The fuck do you mean, close—” he’d begun to yell in frustration, only to cut himself off at the sight and shine of a familiar trio of Pokemon and trainer. The moment’s worth of confusion hidden upon his face had been quick to contort into a brief look of disbelief and fear as memories of past excursions crossed his mind.[break][break]

Just closing his eyes reminded him of how much the light stung.[break]
The image. The afterimage. It still haunted his waking nightmares.[break][break]

And so with a quick jolt and a signal to his Sharpedo to stop, he reached an arm around as far as he could to cover its eyes, all while he pressed his face against its back and fin. He gritted his teeth as his remaining hand found purchase against the holster against his hip, and with only a decent amount of skepticism and tenseness, he waited.[break][break]

One second.[break]
Barely a second.[break][break]

Then the flash—thankfully toned down in lieu of the warning—even through his eyelids. Immediately after the brunt of it had went off, he quickly whipped himself and his Pokemon around to face the group tailing him. He pulled the gun from its confines as they found themselves blinded, firing towards them (though deliberately past them) before leaning forward again, urging his companion to hook back towards the city.[break][break]

”Make a line towards the outskirts of the city,” he called through the comms again, closely watching the shoreline and the streets as civilians who had heard the gunshot began to scatter. ”Keep low, too. Ya blinded a lotta people, but you’re still a fuckin’ sitting duck up there.”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (100 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cargo, 1/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)
  

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Feelings of paranoia (of being caught) (+10 MP)

---

• Feelings of paranoia (of being caught) (+10 MP)
• IC Post (+10 MP)

ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

The answer was yes, actually.[break]
Yes, he could hear her. Yes, he did hear her.[break][break]

”Excuse the fuck outta me?”[break][break]

Yes, he thought the idea was a bit stupid.[break][break]

Smart in another context, but stupid in this specific one. What hadn’t been conveyed by expression had instead been conveyed through the sheer audacity at her audacity within his tone, and in the same moments she’d suggested as such, he’d snapped his gaze over towards her within nothing short of an instant.[break][break]

”Ya wanna blow this joint up. Here. And risk, I dunno, trappin’ us here? Collapsing the fuckin’ roof of the cave? Nixin’ a possible place out?”[break][break]

He cast a glance towards the outskirts of the cavern, altogether, quirking his lip.[break][break]

”And ya realize if we blow this shit up, us bein’ the only people here is probably gonna change, yeah? May not be anyone now, but there’s gotta be at least one fucker that’ll be curious enough to look.”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (60 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cave, 1/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10)

ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉