[player]https://file.garden/ZedspRo9KEiz9gm9/Hoenn/NEXT%20TO%20YOU.mp3[/player]

(Parasyte - Next to you.)

The last thought she had had before entering the portal was of Megan and her desire to return to her. That’s when the rift took her and her Pokemon.

So Johanna had no idea where she would emerge; she simply hoped it would be wherever Megan was.

When they emerged from thin air it was not together, but separated by milliseconds. Just enough time for Johanna as the first to fall into Megan’s arms, assuming she had the time reaction to catch the weary and weak former-Gym Leader.

Her long blue hair was a mess, her skin paler and more sweaty than usual Her breath ragged and weak from exertion, and if one didn’t know any better they might think she had acquired the fire-type with the warmth she was currently exuding. Blood slowly dripped from the wounds opened by what few pieces of Stealth Rock that hadn’t lodged themselves in her back when they stabbed into her.

Gengar and Claydol emerged less violently quickly catching themselves and regaining balance before they would share a fate with their trainer.



MISSION: Post Prismatic Penetentiary

Mercy had won and Johanna could finally know peace. She knew the peace would be short-lived. People were bound to hate her for the stance she had taken. Not all saw the righteousness of second chances.

She would not judge them for their shortsightedness, no she leaned against the fact she would simply have to show them the right path. Though she may stumble and waver and maybe even lose sight of the balance of forgiveness at times. She knew she would simply have to forgive herself such failures in the grander scheme of things.

[player]https://file.garden/ZedspRo9KEiz9gm9/Hoenn/NEXT%20TO%20YOU.mp3[/player]

(Parasyte - Next to you.)

She felt her injuries catching up, her vision blurring. She would not stay upright much longer. But there was still one thing she had to do. With weak steps helped forward by Claydol and Gengar she walked into the pink portal with one single thought in her head.

Take me home to Megan Whitmore

TLDR:
- Johanna is going home.

MISC OOC:
- INJURIES: Several STEALTH ROCK's embedded in her back like knives. (Using Gengar to keep herself upright standing)

@tag

As Johanna and Claydol continued on their way. They were beset by an Ambush predator. The plant-like Lileep thought them easy enough pray and so tried to tangle them in its MEGA DRAINing tentacles.

It may have tickled a little bit had Johanna not decided that now was as good a time as any to train Claydol’s Terastelization. And so with a flash of light and the sound of forming crystals the Claydol found itself adorned with a ghostly hat.

Its new typing kept the damage of the grass type down to a minimum, before it retaliated with an ICE BEAM. The beam of ice was quickly followed by a thrown Safari Ball from Johanna.

OOC: Capturing Lileep

@tag

The next Pokemon to be stumbled upon was a Varoom. It had been taken a good, nice, hopefully well earned, nap when it was rudely awoken by Johanna and her Claydol.

Unfortunately with a Slow Start the little engine got off on the wrong cylinder and began to TAUNT johanna and Claydol. They were not inclined to let such foulness go unpunished and so Claydol



A wave of EARTH POWER washed over the little engine, defeating it quickly. And allowing Johanna to throw a Safari Ball at the little Pokemon.


OOC: Capturing Varoom

@tag

Johanna had made her way to Littleroot with one purpose. There was a badge here to win, and she intended to do so. She knew it wouldn’t be easy though, and so she had taken one of her heavy hitters with her.

But when she stood in front of the Ordeal Gym doubt began to worm its way into her mind, she had to do a double take of the address. Where she had expected a Gym, there seemed to be a Library. But the address was 100% correct, and so she went inside, quickly looking for the nearest person or Pokemon to ask.

“Hello there, Sorry to interrupt. I am here for the Gym challenge.”

A reckless Mienfoo thought Johanna and her Claydol were easy prey. It bounced at them, trying to DRAIN PUNCH the Claydol who simply LEVITATE’d out of the way.

A quick shimmer of blue announced the psychic energies Claydol sent into the future, and moments later the Mienfoo flew away, pushed by an unknown force as the energies collided with the small body.

“Weren’t you a bit rough there?” Johanna asked.

The Claydol did not respond. Probably had been.

OOC: Skipping

@tag

Claydol’s humming was brought to an end as a Fletchling thought it wise to attack. A quick ACROBATIC maneuver disturbed the Claydol in its track, forcing it out of BALANCE for a quick moment.

Claydol quickly regained his balance though, and as the Bird went in for seconds the clay figure raised rocks with its ANCIENT POWER. The display of power was enough to strike fear in the avians heart, and so it flew away.

With the battle over, Johanna and her Claydol moved on.

OOC: Skipping

@tag

Johanna had decided to take a quick tour at the Safari Zone. There was no particular reason. She just figured she could use the fresh air.

By her side Clay levitated. The Claydol hummed a melody that it had concocted. It was a discordant mess of rumbling earthy tones. But to its hearing it sounded good. After all, it had heard it's trainer hum similar tones many times before so surely it could not be bad. It was really bad, like nails on a chalkboard.

But Johanna didn’t have the heart to tell him, but perhaps a wild Pokemon would come by and disturb the awful music.

@tag

Johanna watched as the combined might of Hoenn rained against the villainous masks of their former-wardens. The masks broke, the Wardens died. And though she wanted to let herself be at ease another Dynamazed Monster stood before them.

Johanna tried to ready herself against the weight of her own Gengar. Steadying her legs, calming her ragged breath. “This isn’t over yet.” She would remind both Pokémon.

But before they could begin another attack others joined the fray. The new allies brought confusion to her at first. Had she missed something? Had she while wallowing in self-pity allowed others in need to go unnoticed. How could she have done that? SHE was supposed to help people.

She was not given much time to ponder as the Toxic Chains threaten to turn her and her Pokémon into holed-mochi. Through nimble skill and ghostly agility Gengar saved her from this fate. Quickly pulling her into his arms and carrying her like a white-ghost-knight carrying a Princess.

Claydol too dodged as best he could LEVITATE’ing away from the danger.

For a precious moment they seemed safe. Then they were all forced to the ground as the whole prison crashed onto its destination. Gengar made sure to become the pillow that protected its trainer from further danger.

“Thank you.” Johanna said, giving the ghost a grateful but weak smile. The Gengar gave its signature wide grin in response and forced itself back on its feet, still carrying its trainer in its arms.

They were not given long to appreciate still being alive as Cyllora and The Pecharunt rose once more. Chains attempted to bind Johanna, Gengar, Claydol and the rest of her Pokemon. And at first Johanna feared she might succumb. But then she felt it. The pull was weak. She could push through and break them even weak as she was.

The same could not be said for their temporary allies. Though the spectacle was a grim threat. Johanna couldn’t help but empathize with Cyrolla’s words. Misguided as Cyrolla’s actions may have been, Johanna on some level thought she understood where they came from. Had her heart been colder, she might have done similar if it meant she could make her home Region a better place.

But what could Johanna do now? To attack Cyrolla and end it here and now would be the same as proclaiming that not everyone can be saved, not everyone deserves second chances. And if that was the case how could she possibly decide who was deserving and who wasn’t?

While she was paralyzed with decision making people began to attack, raining their grudges down on Cyrolla. She was certain she even saw Josh Devlin summoning a Raikou. She didn’t have time nor bandwidth enough to be surprised at that point. No, she had but one thing to do. If even kindhearted people like Josh were succumbing to anger, hatred and grudges. She had to become a lighthouse that guided people toward a different path.

“Put me down, Retnauh, I need to stand up.” She whispered. The Gengar looked surprised, then worried at first. But it complied, putting its trainer down on her own two legs, making sure that even through her wobbling she would stay up.

“Clay don’t hurt anyone, okay?”

The Claydol nodded.

Johanna then took a deep breath and yelled as loudly as she possibly could, hoping to be heard over the sound of attacks.

“I know you meant well! But this was and still is not the way! Can’t you see that you caused pain and suffering to everyone, even your own people, your own friends! - ”

The strain of speaking grew but she would not back down.

“- I know some people won’t forgive you. But I forgive you! I understand why you did this and if you just put down the chains I am sure we can come together and find a way that will help everyone!”

TLDR:
- Johanna is surprised by their new allies.
- Realizes she had been blinded by her own self-pity to help others.
- Saved by Gengar from all the dangerous bits.
- Starts emphasizing with Cyllora
- Tries to do talk-no-jutsu on Cyllora
- VOTE: ALLOW CYLLORA, THE PECHARUNT, THE MEGALOPOLANS AND THEIR CLONED POKEMON TO BE FREE.
2BH0asud

MISC OOC:
- INJURIES: Several STEALTH ROCK's embedded in her back like knives. (Using Gengar to keep herself upright standing)

@tag

Johanna did her best to look good for Megan’s photo. Eyes glinting with happiness and a wide smile beamed straight at Megan’s camera.

And with Megan’s permission granted Johanna would do a similar task, retrieving her own phone and doing her best to get the two of them in one Wallpaper-worthy shot. Though in her case she worried slightly that her shot did not do Megan justice. But she did not wish to bother Megan with a futile pursuit of SoMe-worthy picturesqueness.

“It is.” Johanna would muse back.

With a new wallpaper acquired for her phone she returned to just enjoying the moment, a moment she prayed would last forever. She knew it wouldn’t, but even if it didn’t, she would appreciate it.