Zev watched with dispassion as the body of Gwyar Wledig skidded through the water. When it finally stilled, he tossed aside what remained of the sword. Hilt and guard hit the shallows with the splash before sinking to the sandy bottom. [break][break]

Briefly, Zev regarded the burning ships in the distance. A quick calculation estimated how many of Rocket's lower ranks had died in the artillery strike and burst of Dynergy. The number was sizable, but not enough to hinder the advance. [break][break]

As long as the other prongs of their assault succeeded, then Mossdeep was theirs. [break][break]

When Zev faced the island once more, movement in the periphery of his vision drew his eye. Gwyar. The Gym Leader was still alive, pulling himself into a seated position in the water. [break][break]

Humans really were such stubborn animals. [break][break]

Zev approached Gwyar like an inevitability. A cosmic force that could not be stopped. The crystals of his right arm twisted, forming a long, curved blade. No light gleamed along its surface. Instead, its black silhouette was a void cut into space itself. [break][break]

Standing over Gwyar, Zev lifted the blade for a killing blow. "You should learn when to die." [break][break]

But his weapon never sliced through flesh, for the air, the water, and the earth all shuddered, startling him. In the far distance, brilliant light and energy burst outward. A pinprick on the horizon at first, it grew bigger and brighter, blowing away storm clouds and curtains of rain alike. [break][break]

Zev stared, wide-eyed, at the explosion. In that direction was Sootopolis. [break][break]

He pivoted away from Gwyar, his arm resuming its normal shape. The comms device he'd been using was gone, blasted away during the shattering of Gwyar's sword, so Zev signaled for his Golurk to disengage from the Aegislash. The golem swooped down to pick up his master and FLY them away. [break][break]

On the deck of an intact ship, Zev gave the order to retreat. The troops at Mossdeep were not far from Sootopolis; they were the only ones who could rush back to its aid. As his ship cut through the waters, he looked back at the retreating form of Mossdeep's island. Battered and bruised, but not beaten. Not brought into Team Rocket's fold. [break][break]

Bitterness and rage swept through Zev. He slammed a crystalline fist against the ship's railing in silent fury, leaving a dent.

TAGS – Gwyar Wledig[break]
NOTES – the first wave: prelude[break][break]

– Zev is FULLY ARMORED: nothing can break through his defense, and things that hit him may take damage on impact. He has fired his laser once.[break]
– Zev tried to kill Gwyar but is startled/distracted by the explosion at Sootopolis.[break]
– Zev orders a retreat for all troops at Mossdeep.[break][break]

[break]

MP EARNED[break]
+50 MP: have an antagonistic exchange of dialogue between your character and another writer's character or NPC.[break]
+50 MP: have your character directly or indirectly spotlight another writer's character's strengths.[break]
+50 MP: have your character be injured by another's pokemon directly or indirectly.[break]
+10 MP: using a gimmick (e.g. mega, z-move, tera, sygna, avatar) in your prelude thread.[break]
+50 MP: have your character recall a past thread or event that they have participated in or not (link the thread).[break]
+25 MP: for knocking out another Pokemon in your prelude thread.[break]
+50 MP: for getting your Pokemon knocked out in your prelude thread.[break]
+50 MP: have your character make a regrettable decision.[break]
+100 MP: for total IC posts in the thread.[break]
+100 MP: for completing your prelude.[break]
+250 MP: for "tying" or having a "neutral" outcome for your character and their prelude.[break][break]

TOTAL MP: 785

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