FROG ARC.

...You're not quite sure how you got shanghai'd into this, but before you know it, you've found yourself walking behind the strange girl. How did this happen? One minute you're scouting things out on behalf of Team Rocket, and now here you are, stuck babysitting a civillian in this post-industrial nightmare realm. Joy.

Well, it could be worse. At the very least, nothing is trying to kill you right now. If you pretend that you're not surrounded by gigantic spires and overcast by a sunless sky, it's almost a little relaxing. Maybe the Megalopolans didn't have it so bad after all?

CRUNCH! Hm? As Andrea steps on one of the pointy crystals, you step on another. The difference is, you're wearing shoes, so while it stabs into her foot, it shatters against yours. Curious, you crouch down, proceeding to scoop up a handful of the shards. Huh, they're look like Z-Crystals, but they're nowhere near as shiny or colourful. You don't feel any kind of aura radiating off them, either, so you doubt they actually work. Still, you cram the handful in your pocket. Who knows? Maybe they'll be useful somewhere along the line. Worse comes to worst, you can always just hand them off to the science department. Lord knows they'll find a use for them.

But you've got to get back there first. Looking up, you peer into the distance, and just barely manage to make out a tower that's wider than the rest. Bingo. That one's going to be important somehow. It's got to be a factory, or a laboratory, or a government building, or something like that.

"There."

Shaking the crumbled pieces of crystal off from the bottom of your shoe, you walk ahead towards said building, glancing behind you to check whether the weird pajama girl is following or not.

---

Andrea Vaneau

Taking Spiritomb.

The brutal assault of the Grimmsnarl forces Ceruledge on the backfoot, and the knight has no choice but to retreat into an ephemeral state to avoid any further harm. But of course, just because it provides momentary safety, that does not mean that Phantom Force is necessarily safe. The moment that it returns to reality, the knight will be vulnerable once more, and the demon will not hesitate to continue indulging its ruthlessness.

It is fortunate, then, that the winds seem to be blowing in Thomas' favour. Out from the bodies of the beaten and the bloodied rises an Electabuzz, driven by rage and hungry for revenge. With a roar, it launched forth a Thunderbolt, a last-ditch effort to try and get its vengeance.

An effort that would go unrewarded.

CRUNCH! The Grimmsnarl lurched forth, dodging the electricity and landing a ruinously effective Sucker Punch straight to the neck of the Electabuzz. Bones were shattered. Blood was spilled. A body hit the floor, the hairy beast stood over the interloper, triumphant yet disdainful.

This wretch's life was so pitiful that taking it was not worth celebrating.

---

Thomas Benoit

Larvesta, huh?

You stroke your chin, examining the bug as it slithers along. It all makes sense now. THAT'S why they called it a Slither Wing! Your actual Slither Wing has legs, so it doesn't really do much in the way of slithering. Then again, this one doesn't even have wings, so you guess that the alternate reality bug still has some mysteries left to solve.

Although, maybe this'll help solve them? Y'know, getting a Volcarona and a Slither Wing in the same room. Maybe that's the secret to communicating with them. Or maybe you just really want this shiny little worm?

Either way, it's going in the ball.

---

Catching Larvesta.
1/4 Pokeballs remaining.

Claiming the rewards from Five Days of Remembrance:
Premium Gacha - Dark. Roll here: pkmn-hoenn.boards.net/thread/35215/shreds-gacha?page=2
1 TM/TR - Using to teach Bloodmoon Ursaluna Vacuum Wave (Replacing Lick)

[nospaces]

REMEMBRANCE DAY GIFTS

Celebrating survival and hope in the face of hardship[break][break]

TO: Navy[break][break] FROM: Shred[break][break]
MESSAGE: "Good job being the least worst cop I've ever met."

Day 1 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A full boxes of matches. Upon closer inspection, however, the entire box is revealed to be wet, and the matches inside won't light for love nor money.

Day 2 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

An old DVD copy of "Alolans Gone Wild". Said DVD is scratched so much that it freezes before it can even get to any of the good stuff.

Day 3 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A bag of assorted leaves whose true identity cannot be revealed. Disappointingly, the high is rather low.

Day 4 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A pair of surprisingly well-made cowboy boots that are also exceptionally flamboyant in nature.

Day 5 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A lukewarm six-pack of cheap beers.

[nospaces]

REMEMBRANCE DAY GIFTS

Celebrating survival and hope in the face of hardship[break][break]

TO: Grigori Sokolov[break][break] FROM: Shred[break][break]
MESSAGE: The package is left wordlessly and anonymously at Grigori's door.

Day 1 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A selection of artisanal scented candles, crafted to carry a variety of confectionary aromas.

Day 2 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A Brand New Nontendi Swotch and a copy of MinPik 4.

Day 3 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

Bath salts (The therapeutic kind, not the drug kind), made from the purifying salts of a Garganacl.

Day 4 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A nice red jacket, light and fashionable and suitable for most weathers.

Day 5 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A truly irresponsible amount of flour, sugar, milk, eggs, and other such ingredients necessary for the making of cakes.

[nospaces]

REMEMBRANCE DAY GIFTS

Celebrating survival and hope in the face of hardship[break][break]

TO: howard slayte[break][break] FROM: Shred[break][break]
MESSAGE: "Apparently, you're supposed to give gifts today? Because a meteor almost hit the Earth a year ago? This sounds fake. I don't think this happened. Still, here you go, I guess."

Day 1 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

An old disposable lighter. While it could theoretically give off light, it ran out of fluid long ago, so now it just clicks.

Day 2 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

The Miss Galarian Calendar 1994. It's hard to tell if the women are attractive or not, because it's practically falling apart. It's mostly held together by tape and staples and hopes and dreams.

Day 3 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A pack of cigarettes. There's only two left in the pack.

Day 4 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A wheel. It's rusted, deflated, and doesn't even fit Howard's car.

Day 5 Gift: You open your gift and find:[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

A stub with a reservation for dinner at a fancy restauraunt in Rustboro. It's paperclipped to a scrap of paper with "'grats on the promotion bud, drinks are on me" crudely scrawled on it.

"im from meltan village but i left so i could go on a wonderful adventure to become the strongest meltan of all time! ╰(▔∀▔)╯"

That answered approximately none of Howard's questions, and only served to throw you further into the depths of confusion. Meltan Village? There's a whole village of weird guys exactly like this one? And they're all named after him? If there's so many of them, then why haven't you seen one of these before? Where even is this Meltan Village, anyway? Is it nearby, hidden away somewhere in the caverns and tunnels of Route 105? Just trying to untangle it all is giving you at headache.

It's times like this that make you wish you had you a Pokedex, so you could just scan this little blob and have all your questions answered. Alas, you could never afford such a thing in your youth, and you sure as hell aren't shilling out for a Rotom Phone now. Then again, you can talk to him, can't you?

"So, Meltan... What are you?"

"im meltan :)"

"No, but like... What ARE you?"

"im meltan ._."

"Fuck's sake... But what IS a Meltan?"

"its me! :D"

"...We can worry about this later." You let out a long sigh, having been thoroughly defeated by this hex nut. "Preferably, when we're in an office or a laboratory, and not a literal hole in the ground."

And thus, you make your exit.

---

howard slayte

MP TOTAL -
13 IC Posts x 10 = 130MP
Assisting Howard at least once = 10MP
Mythical = 25MP
Spawned Paradox Pokemon = 10MP
Chester knocked out = 50MP
Completing an RT Mission = 100MP
Participation = 50MP
Winning = 200MP
TOTAL = 575MP.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠈⠉⠉⠈⠈⠈⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⠙⠻⣄⠉⠉⠉⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠓⣄⠀⠀⢀⠀⢀⣀⣤⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢷⣉⣩⣤⠴⠶⠶⠒⠛⠛⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣧⠤⠶⠒⠚⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⠶⠶⠖⠚⠛⠛⣹⠏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠛⠛⠉⡁⠀⠀⠙⠻⣿⣷⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣿⣿⡷⠷⢿⣦⣤⣈⡙⢿⣿⢆⣴⣤⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⣠⣤⡀⣸⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣤⣿⣿⣟⣩⣤⣴⣤⣌⣿⣿⣿⣦⣹⣿⢁⣿⣿⣄⣀⡀⠀⢸⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⢠⣿⠋⠻⢿⡁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡿⠿⠛⢦⣽⣿⣿⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⠋⠁⠘⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣼⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⢸⣿⠁⠀⠀⠙⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠒⠿⣿⣯⣼⣿⡿⠟⠃⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡛⣿⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⢸⣧⣴⣿⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣺⠟⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢁⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣠⣀⣀⢀⢀⢀
⠀⠀⢿⠿⣿⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡆⠙⠛⠛⠙⢻⣶⣶⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⡇⠀⠘⠃⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡞⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⡟⢿⣿⣆⠀⣸⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢄⡼⠁⢀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⣦⣄⠀⣠⡄⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣷⣬⢻⣿⡿⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣧⣰⣿⡿⠿⠦⢤⣴⣿⣿⣷⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣸⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠛⠛⠒⣿⣿⣿⡿⠟⠹⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⠸⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿⡖⠀⢠⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⡿⣾⣿⣸⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣆⣀⣀⣤⣴⣶⣶⣾⣿⣷⣦⣴⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⡇⣿⣿⡛⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⢾⡟⠛⠛⠻⠛⠛⠛⠿⠿⠿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⠓⢁⣬⣿⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⡿⣻⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣶⣶⣶⣶⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⢐⣯⠞⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣄⠱⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⡧⠟⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⠿⢿⠿⠿⣿⡿⣿⠃⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⡾⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⢦⡈⠂⠀⠑⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢠⣿⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠒⡄⠀⠀⠑⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣤⣦⣦⣼⡏⠳⣜⢿⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⠀⠀⢠⣷⣦⣤⣀⣀⣀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠻⠆⠸⣎⣧⠀⠈⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣄⠀⠀⠀⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠁⣠⡄⠀⣿⢹⡇⢸⡀⠀⠈⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿

howard slayte

Y/N.

"Matias Silph? I don't know who that is, but they sound like a real asshole."

The name sounds familiar, but you can't place it. Silph... Like, the Co? The one that used to make the Scopes back in the day that helped you find ghost Pokemon? You could never afford them yourself, but they were a bit of a fad back in the 90s. You figure they would've gone out of business sometime in the 2000s, so it's surprising to hear that they're still limping around today. Still, you can't really say you much care about whatever trust fund babies are heading the company right now.

With that tangent out of the way, you return to your present task. So, you're looking for barnacles, rust, and bullshit, huh? Sounds simple enough, if a little boring for your tastes. Still, while the Ceruledge is handling the ghosts on the platform, there'll probably be a few ghouls hanging about below the water, too. So, slinging your crowbar over your shoulder, you grab a Pokeball and send out your Basculegion, which emerges and dives down into the water in one singular motion.

"Do me a solid and keep an eye on the water, bud."

"Gyahaha! Very well, then!"

With that angle covered, you take a few steps further along, following after Navy as you lazily glance about the place for signs of wear and tear. That's a little harder than it sounds, given that you're in currently standing on a decades-old decommissioned research station. Feels more like looking for straw in a haystack, so to speak. Still, it gives you plenty of time to think, and even more to talk.

"Why is this even your problem, anyway? Isn't this heap the property of one of those big Mauville megacorporations? Why does the Dewford gym leader have to clean it up?"

---

Navy