"I guess they are, but I don't see how they could have known I'd bring Kaoru with me," Yumi replied between gasps of air, eyeing her Tsareena. The Pokémon was oddly composed, as if waiting for the two humans to catch up. Rhys, at least, had recovered more quickly than Yumi. [break][break]

"Smart thinking back there, by the way," the woman said. "Your Tinkaton bought us some time." [break][break]

Unfortunately, their respite was short-lived. The elevator carriage shook with the weight of multiple heavy objects landing on the roof. Panic shot through Yumi. She fumbled for a Pokéball as the elevator lurched and picked up speed. [break][break]

"Get us out of here, Ryuusei!" she cried out at her Starmie after it had emerged. "We're going to crash!" [break][break]

The Pokémon's gem sparkled with psychic power. Then, miraculously, all of the humans and Pokémon within the elevator vanished with TELEPORT. They emerged a heartbeat later just outside the elevator chute on a lower floor of the building. [break][break]

Yumi did collapse to the floor that time. She willed her heartbeat to slow down as she gazed around the area. Several objects lay strewn about, inert. They appeared to be large, mechanical dolls, similar to the one she'd seen before in a portrait of a little girl. [break][break]

She would find out later that they were SOULLESS MAGEARNA.

TAGS – Rhys Collins[break]
NOTES – mechanical kingdom #3

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TAGS – MARILYN HASEGAWA Hitoshi Inoue[break]
NOTES – social

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Yumi hated running. Exercise was the bane of her existence and yet there she was, running for dear life. She passed Rhys and heard a massive slam behind her, but she didn't dare look back. Had the mechanical Tsareena gotten him? [break][break]

No, it seemed his Tinkaton had helped out. What a relief she was there with someone competent. [break][break]

Yumi spotted the elevator at the end of the hall. "We have to," she gasped, putting in a little burst of speed. Her side was cramping and her lungs burned for air. "Kaoru!" [break][break]

Her own Tsareena turned and unleashed a cloud of RAZOR LEAVES at their pursuers. A couple of the squad toppled, the connections in their legs severed, but the rest avoided much damage. [break][break]

Just when Yumi thought she was going to collapse, she reached the elevator. Once Rhys and their Pokémon joined her, she slammed the button to close the doors over and over again. [break][break]

Thankfully, the machine worked. The doors shut just as the hostile Tsareena reached them. One of their blades got stuck; the sound of shearing metal filled the air as the elevator descended down its chute. [break][break]

Yumi fell back against the wall, panting hard. Her eyes were wide, her long hair wild. "Holy shit." [break][break]

TAGS – Rhys Collins[break]
NOTES – mechanical kingdom #3

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Yumi's phone buzzed on the nightstand next to her bed, but she barely registered it. She lay curled up under the covers, her skin and clothing doused with the sweat of a fever. Her arms wrapped around her midsection, though nothing seemed capable of soothing the ache in her stomach. [break][break]

The door to her room opened, throwing light upon the darkened interior. Her Shaymin, curled up at the foot of her bed, looked up at the sudden intrusion. Footsteps suggested that someone else had entered, but Yumi kept her eyes closed. [break][break]

"Is that you, Mei?" she murmured weakly, shivering.

TAGS – Mei Liu[break]
NOTES – mission

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Yumi dashed as quickly as she could across the desert sands, panting heavily. She had gotten too close to a Rabsca swarm raising their young, and several of the insects had charged at her. [break][break]

But the loose sand made running all the more difficult. She couldn't get enough momentum or speed thanks to the soft ground. [break][break]

Opening a Pokéball, Yumi cried out, "Hibiki! Get us out of here!" [break][break]

The shiny Crobat understood the situation at once. Flying low, she waited until her mistress had grabbed both of her hind wings. Then, using her SPEED BOOST ability, she surged ahead, away from the poisoned Rabsca. [break][break]

TAGS – poison patrol 2[break]
NOTES – obtained 5 mochi

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Shivering, Yumi pulled her raincoat tighter around her body. She had not expect to encounter Pokémon of legend while traveling along Route 119, but there they were, before her very eyes: Latios and Latias. [break][break]

The Latias seemed sick, though, the Toxic Chain growing from its body the likely culprit. Yumi hurried toward the Pokémon, releasing her Comfey. [break][break]

"Can you do something for it, Hanawa?" she asked the Fairy-type. [break][break]

With a chirp, the Comfey attempted to use FLORAL HEALING on the Latias. Yumi watched, an uneasiness growing in her stomach. She felt like she was going to be sick. [break][break]

TAGS – poison patrol 2[break]
NOTES – obtained 3 mochi

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Mumbled chanting drew Yumi off the main path through Rusturf Tunnel. As she drew closer, she saw the source: several humans engaged in worship of three strange-looking statues. [break][break]

Are those Pokémon? she wondered, propping her hands on her hips as she continued watching. [break][break]

One worshiper near the back of the ground noticed her and scrambled to his feet. But instead of a coherent sentence, he began frothing at the mouth as he lunged toward her. [break][break]

"Ew! Stay back!" Yumi screamed, throwing a Pokéball in the man's direction. Her Pheromosa emerged, lashing out with a devastating HIGH JUMP KICK at his chest. [break][break]

Seeing the aggressive attack, the other worshipers rose up and tried swarming Yumi and her Pokémon. The Ultra Beast snatched up its mistress in its arms and dashed away down the tunnel. [break][break]

TAGS – poison patrol 2[break]
NOTES – obtained 3 mochi

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When Mei Liu originally mentioned that she was venturing into the new Area Zero on some business for Team Rocket, Yumi had no intention of following her there. She was busy setting up her new restaurant in Slateport City, after all. [break][break]

But eventually, curiosity got the best of Yumi, and she soon found herself traversing the Tera crystal-studded tunnels of the subterranean maze. [break][break]

A terrible ruckus from around a bend drew the woman's attention. She gestured for her shiny Delphox, Yuuyake, to go ahead. [break][break]

The sight that greeted them was not what Yumi had expected at all. Purple, chain-like growths protruded grotesquely from the hammers of several Tinkaton that were in the midst of brutalizing some humans. [break][break]

Humans wearing the red "R" patch of Team Rocket. [break][break]

"Help scare off those Tinkaton, Yuuyake!" Yumi hissed. Her Delphox glided forward, wielding his wand. A FLAMETHROWER burst forth, engulfing the hostile Pokémon and forcing them to flee. [break][break]

TAGS – poison patrol 2[break]
NOTES – obtained 3 mochi

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