They quite literally fell for the trap hook, line and fucking sinker—

However, what the Unown did not realize was that they were dealing with a Zeraora who was blindingly fast—before some of the letter-shaped Pokémon began throwing balls of water (Hidden Power) after the Charcadet!

“…we fell for it, huh?!” he would exclaim, his eyes quickly looking around while his Zeraora sprang into action; because they were jumped on!

“Go, go!” he would urge the thunder catto on, and the white blur got to work; quickly firing up their Plasma Fists and smacking the closest bunch of levitating letters they could lay their paws on!

“See, the funny thing is—” he would trail off a few moments later before even more Unown started showing up.

“…why set out a trap for us if we’re not that special?!”



+ Audric Black
+ dorime

“You heard that,” he would rumble in the Zeraora’s direction.

“No wrecking shop unless we’re jumped on!”

Little did they know that they were going to be followed by several ‘more’ sets of eyes; all of them Unown that had blended into the darkness and were staring at them like literal living security cameras.

(Because that’s what they were!)

The Zeraora would take the lead this time; while he would follow not too far behind.

“Makes you kind of wonder, though… why they’re staked out here in such an inhospitable place,” he would muse a few seconds later; but in a quieter voice.

“Oh, and—you can call me Jack.”

There, at least they weren’t going to be awkward anymore!

The same strange, alien noise from earlier persisted… was it like a mating call of some sort?! He would put that question in the back of his mind for later.



+ Audric Black
+ ROLL 89 - 98. - Hear the following cry echoing from somewhere deep below (using the last post’s 93 roll for this fill):

[player]https://file.garden/ZXZrnWMYuz15frfJ/HOENN%20MUSIC/MYSTERIOUSCRY1.mp3[/player]

Now that the imminent threat of the Jigglypuff with a ponytail (the Scream Tail) had been dealt with, the ground underneath their feet rumbled…

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” he exclaimed as the Absol howled again; making sure that the Scream Tail had gotten the message to go the hell away and leave this place alone.

Thankfully the shaking of the ground subsided some time later; and it was finally doing what it was supposed to—

To start drilling into the ground!

“Hopefully no Pokémon knocks it down!” he exclaimed—recalling the Absol before the Gardevoir extended one of her arms towards Audric’s direction before warping all of them out (Jack included) with a singular, popping Teleporting noise.



+ Audric Black
+ Teleport stage exit for everyone!

He was standing here, gaping into the dark, this time accompanied by a particularly-white lightning cat.

(For he had a feeling he would need the Zeraora’s help in more ways than one.)

“What, going in unannounced and just wrecking shop?” he would muse out loud; while his thunder catto purred low, a dangerous warning sign to anyone who would dare approach them.

He’d seen just how fast this particular Pokémon of his could go, and he wouldn’t put it past… whatever lurked down there to attack them.

They were definitely going to need all the firepower they had on their side.

“Well, there’s a first time for everything, right?” he would crack a few moments afterward, stretching his arms above his head and shaking his head to get the tension out of it.

There was a lilting call that would echo throughout the space—but it sounded so… distorted, so alien and strange… it was like…

What else was waiting for them out there?!



+ Audric Black
+ ROLL 89 - 98. - Hear the following cry echoing from somewhere deep below (using the last post’s 95 roll for this fill):

[player]https://file.garden/ZXZrnWMYuz15frfJ/HOENN%20MUSIC/MYSTERIOUSCRY1.mp3[/player]

The Absol would look over at the Appletun, grateful that the other had managed to shut up the Scream Tail for a few moments.

While said Scream Tail was flailing around like some kind of demented ‘valley girl’ trying to get rid of the acidic fluid in its mouth, the Absol would look back towards them—

And Jack’s eyes would follow the trajectory as well—

“Holy—shit!” he would exclaim; seeing the incoming attack and dropping a second Pokéball; summoning Emm the Gardevoir onto the field.

“Emm, a little help, please!” he gasped at the direction of the incoming attack—to which she would respond with a burst of rainbow-colored Psychic energy to catch the Gyro Ball attack in its path and throw it off-course as best as her concentration allowed!

All this happened while the Absol quickly Detected the danger; changing directions mid-air and leaping towards where the two humans were to help protect them as needed!



+ Audric Black
+ Gardevoir incoming to save the day!

Putting two people who did not know jack shit about technology was bad enough…

But for something that looked like a Jigglypuff, only with a ponytail, well…

“That—I saw another Pokémon… is it even a Pokémon… almost decked me a few days ago! It looked like a mechanical, robotic Volcarona!” he exclaimed; and just before the Absol could charge forward and deliver a Night Slash attack, she was knocked off her feet the moment it… screamed.

“Cordy! Snap out of it! And go!” he would continue, getting in front of his companion to act as another ‘layer’ of defense while the Scream Tail retaliated with a Hyper voice scream!

“It’s really loud!” he would continue, stuffing a finger into his other ear while the Absol lashed out with a Psycho Cut attack.

All this in the span of a few seconds; while there was a strange, antiquated-sounding cry of something that managed to make itself heard over the racket!

“What the—it’s not alone?!” he would exclaim as the other noise continued for a few moments longer than the Scream Tail’s yelling.



+ Audric Black
+ ROLL 2-10. - Hear the following cry echoing from somewhere deep below (using the 2 roll from last post):

[player]https://file.garden/ZXZrnWMYuz15frfJ/HOENN%20MUSIC/MysteriousCry2.mp3[/player]

Thankfully, the other Pokémon keeping an eye out is an Absol; and the moment her fur began to prickle she lets out a warning howl in the Appletun’s direction, getting up from her position and approaching, ready to swing her head horn at whatever threat was lurking in the undergrowth.

“Huh… guess Cordy’s seen something over there,” he would muse as he looked up at his Absol suddenly ready to cut a bitch. Or shred, depending on what was lurking in the undergrowth near where the Appletun was grazing.

He then looked back at the thing that they had to cobble together, it looked… really complicated.

“Oh, uh… if we find the manual I can help with setting up the stand, but I’m not too great with technology myself,” he would admit a few moments later.

“Grew up in the literal mountains herding Wooloo, and all that.”

At least he was an extra pair of hands they could rely on once they figured out how to get the danged thing set up!



+ Audric Black
+ notes here

He was of the belief to “get in trouble first and ask questions later”.

Which was why he was out here today, down in the very same place close to where he’d met the metallic, robotic Volcarona that had almost decked him and very nearly given him a concussion to match… but he wasn’t alone.

“Beats me,” he would shrug—clearly he wasn’t too great with technology either!

“But uh… did it come with an instruction manual of any kind?” he would follow up a few moments later; looking over to where his Absol was lounging at one of the corners of the work site, keeping an eye while looking ‘disinterested’.

(That was just Cordy-speak for ‘I’m bored, why are we here?! But I’ll follow you anyway.’)



+ Audric Black
+ notes here

Oh, no.

He knew that Petalburg Woods had an excess of Pecha Berries but…

What was going on? Why were those chains here?!

(In some other world, he may have begun using his tome like a spell book to burn away the chains, but that was not here.)

“This place is… cursed,” he quietly muttered to himself as he quickly picked up a few Pecha Berries, staying out of the line of sight of angry Pokémon as best as he could.

Which was going to be rather difficult, all things considered, as there were a multitude of Grass-type ‘mons that called this place home (Shroomish was one he could immediately identify) who were also trapped by the chains and were basically attacking anything that moved…

+ @tag
+ involve a PECHA BERRY in some way.
+ not at 20 mochi yet

How did he end up here in the first place…?!

He sighed, because—whoa, holy shit, what were those robot-looking things doing out here?!

He was quick to the draw; already accompanied by his Gardevoir who was now assessing the situation and—

His Absol had appeared a few moments later snarling as she swing her horn around in a defensive Night Slash as one of the metallic-looking… they kind of resembled Volcarona, but not quite so came screaming down their way—before the Gardevoir, literal essence of serenity—

Spread out her arms and used Calm Mind; the warm, suffusing energy dispersing around the three of them.

“Thanks, Emm,” he would hum quietly as he looked around; trying to make heads or tails of what the strange robotic-like Volcarona were doing, just swinging and attacking everything in sight!


+ @tag
+ does not have 20 mochi
+ attack/defend against the IRON MOTHS.
+ use a SPECIAL DEFENSE STAT RAISING MOVE (Calm Mind)