Not soon after a bipedal feline saunters into view; a whole lot less intimidated by the ice steed as it tries to chase it away. Instead it stands to challenge much to both steed and trainer's surprise.

[break][break]
It seems ill-fated though. Although it outclasses Trygve in close-quarter speed, a well-aimed Double Kick sends it flying into a nearby tree. Trygve dabs at the ground, wanting to end the challenge and its challenger alike, but is halted by Calliope's outstretched arm. It snorts in discontent but obeys, and watches as his trainer throws a pokéball at the feline.



[break][break]

+ SW Normal/Grass/Fairy || Capture attempt [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

She looks sympathetic as the other woman explains her plight. That the literal and figurative long days always came accompanied by more issues than one wished or could manage to tackle that day was a given. The unlucky lot dealt to many mortals.

[break][break]
But at least she had a spare tire. "I feel you. In fear of jinxing myself, I've been on the lucky side of things as of late, might as well share some of that and make your day a little bit better." Calliope smiles reassuringly and nods. "Don't you worry one bit! We'll have this fixed in no-time flat."

[break][break]
It's when she goes to check the trunk that she's taken aback for a split second. The sight of several military-grade rifles, immaculately polished, does that to a person. Even moreso when the owner in question looks and acts so innocent in turn. So she acts in kind, pretending the contents of he trunk are as regular as a bag of groceries, having to force herself to smother a snicker.

[break][break]
As Rosemary keeps fumbling around in search for the tire, her face all but hiding the quiet panic, that Calliope subtly moves closer. "Alright, let me just," her voice is laced with amusement as she takes over, carefully moving the rifles back and lifting the double flooring keeping the spare tire hidden. As she picks it up and out of the trunk, she casually nudges the other woman. "And no worries. I haven't seen a thing. Just a spare tire in that trunk, right?"

[break][break]
"The names Calliope, by the way. Alvara."




[break][break]

+ Rosemary Lovelace | Social[break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

It's been days since the battle at Sootopolis has ended. Having come down from her poison high and now wandering the grounds of a decimated city with a sober mind, it all hits different, and leaves the Rocket with odd feelings to process.

[break][break]
What had all seemed natural and 'right' to her poison-minded self was a whole lot less so now she could properly think. Maybe the anemia had something to do with that as well. Although it was not her to blame for the damages done, helping to return the city to a semblance of what it once was seemed the right way to show penance.

[break][break]
She'd taken to finding survivors; mortal or mon alike. And once Alecto and Altera's noses had deemed the building's site free of anyone trapped, they'd start clearing out the lot. The Mightyena were just inspecting the last section when one of them stopped and perked its head up at the newcomer, letting out a soft growl to warn Calliope of the newest arrival moments before they speak.

[break][break]
Gesturing she understood, Calliope rises from the debris to look at the man, nodding in greeting. He seems familiar somehow, but her memory's still too foggy to realise why. "Be my guest. We're almost done checking for survivors... or less fortunate ones, but afterwards we could use some more muscle if you're free."


[break][break]

+ Rowan Wrynn

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"I have no idea, could be illumina, but I've never seen them in that color before." She tries to get a closer look, one hand at the ready in case they'd need to defend themselves. The Tropius is enormous, and by the looks of it, rather restless too.

[break][break]
"It could be marking its territory... but if it is, it's a good thing the wind hasn't betrayed our presence yet." she mutters into the comms, squinting at the Tropius. "What do you want to do with it?"




[break][break]

+ mint frost

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Had she been afraid of Ian, than she would tremble in fear at hearing Nikolai's voice. The kindness in his honeyed words made it all the worse. At times there had been smiles, faked kindness and compassion that had lured her in the first place.

[break][break]
How swiftly she had learnt that 'kindness' too could be a chain. When 'maybe just this once' became twice, four times, ten times, until she'd lost count of all the times pain had been the only outcome. It had numbed her. Whipped her into a sense of obedience far stronger than angered words and a heavy hand could ever.

[break][break]
So when Nikolai speaks, it's as if her tiny body loses its will to fight. She looks at both men with pleading eyes, but where Ian's face remains like stone, Nikolai's remains shrouded in her mind. Instinct takes over as her feet drag her towards the seat he gestured at, crawling into it and sitting down. She doesn't even fight back when the leather straps are pulled a tad bit too taut.

[break][break]
Doing so would only prolong the inevitable.

[break][break]
Soon he'd bring out the needles. His many, colorful vials with names she couldn't even start to pronounce. At least they looked pretty. Even thought she'd come to realise the pretty ones were usually the most painful. Maybe there wouldn't be any pretty ones today? Maybe he'd try something different this time?

[break][break]
Maybe...

[break][break]
Her heart sank.

[break][break]
Maybe not.



[break][break]

+ jayden cross || Poisonous Possessions

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"I wouldn't make that mistake twice." Had the fear not kept her body in a vice, she would have spat the words, and perhaps more, back into his face. Her voice can only seethe, laced with that unmistakable tremble.

[break][break]
"I know you're an addict,"

[break][break]
"Oh, how kind of you to notice!" Sarcasm takes form now it settles in properly that the monster plaguing her nightmares is not with her right now. The tremble does not leave, but she denies to acknowledge it as she glares at the icey blues holding her in place. His voice awfully kind... deceitfully so.

[break][break]
She notices the needle his hand and recoils, the railing keeping her from going far as she does. Her eyes fall towards the syringe, and her rage seems to flare once more when he mentions her limits.

[break][break]
"My limits are my own, Cross. Your father seemed to have little regard for it anyways, so why should I trust you to?" The words are said with a bite, but she attempts to keep them in check as she nods at the needle tucked away in his palm. It's obvious she feels like a cornered animal, ready to strike if the situation -or her mind- so demands.




[break][break]

+ jayden cross || Pre-Prelude [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

She's late. And not just by a little. Some would think her sorry as she ventures through the Upper City streets so close to midnight, but not a single muscle betrays any of the sort. Even her tread is at ease; albeit that she walks with a purpose, and a face that promises violence to anyone daring to walk in her way.

[break][break]
It's the eyes. Flickering left and right at unhealthy speed, scanning every nook and every cranny, analysing everything that flexes a muscle within her view. A funny side-effect she noticed had stuck ever since the events of Sootopolis. Just like the discolored dark veins visible in her neck, not-so subtly disappearing underneath a large bandaid plastered on the side of her neck.

[break][break]
Filtering through the door of the bar, its emptiness is her solace. Calliope cares little for onlookers when she conducts her private business... not that it's truly that private anymore, considering what had passed. She spots Absinthe and her briefcases somewhat further, saying the light made the sight look eerie would not do her justice. The hint of a smile settles on her face as she walks over, grabbing a chair as she goes and planting it down in front of the woman and her prized possession. Soon-to-be her prized possession.

[break][break]
Paltry introductions did not sit long enough upon her mind for the poison-minded to care about. Mayhaps a slightly more sober version of herself would have minded. The current her was too excited for the new shipment.

[break][break]
"I believe you have something for me?"

[break][break]

+ Absinthe Blackwood [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

A howl of challenge. The Serperior hissed back, but remains put.

[break][break]
A good fight. A vicious fight. Calliope can feel the nervousness shaking her core when she inhales, the soft shiver she expels the oxygen in her lungs anew. This went too smoothly. But who was she to pass on granted permissions if they could aid her?

[break][break]
"Okay." We got this. She nods at the shadow viper and, for the first time since she'd had the beast, Calliope lets go of the reigns barely containing Damo. "You heard the man, Damo. Let hell break loose."

[break][break]
It was all Damo needed to hear. She lunges at the bloodied canine, fangs bared in an attempt to Coil around its body once more, her tail prepped to follow up with a Leaf Blade in case she were to fail.




[break][break]

+ Cillian Quinn || Keep Your Shadow on a Leash [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

A Dunsparce creeps unto the road, scuttling its way towards the grass the ice-made steed has taken to graze. When it notices the small mon it dabs at the ground with one of it hooves, and a second time when normal type keeps steady to reach the grass.

[break][break]
Its nostrils flare as it struts forth, slamming its hooves into the ground before the Dunsparce. A warning to make scarce before it will repeat its actions, this time upon the smaller pokémon's body. The Dunsparce thinks better and scatters, speeding away from horse and trainer alike.

[break][break]
Trygve looks content, and after a few moments lowers its head again to nip at a patch of grass.



[break][break]

+ SW Normal/Grass/Fairy || skipping [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

So this is what's become of the other battlefront.

[break][break]
Equal parts destruction as Sootopolis, but for the Krookodile it's all the same. Mayhaps better with the lack of water. He knows Calliope is nearby, somewhere, out of sight of them, but not necessarily the other way around. Tinkering with poison while he tinkers with fallen timber and the larger pieces of debris.

[break][break]
It was his saving grace, his strength. And also his pride, being among many of the strong titans clearing Petalburg of debris. The gawking eyes of the smaller children a fair boost to the crocodile's morale. And once certain lots had been cleared, he'd be allowed to show his actual power and waltz the ground flat again.





[break][break]

+ [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Eyes shift back and forth between the grass viper at the werewolf's throat and the underboss beside her. There's a sense of wariness in her posture, like she's expecting him to lash out at her as well, mayhaps for the guts her Serperior has to attack one of his.
[break][break]

However odd it is as the man remains seemlessly unbothered by it, much like his Shadow mon. It suffers through Damo's raging fangs like they're mere pinpricks, and retaliates with such force that the Serperior lets go immediately, coiling angrily as it tries to put out the flaming remnants dancing on its skin.

[break][break]
There's a sense of pride sparkling in the Rocket's eyes at its balsy attitude, quite contradicting to the tone in which she haphazardly apologises... only to change her mond midway.

[break][break]
Madness perhaps. Or opportunity.

[break][break]
"If there's no apparent enemy in sight... can we fight you?" she turns to face Cillian, tearing her eyes away from her hissing Shadow viper long enough to look the underboss straight in the eyes. "I'd like to- no, I want her to go all out. See where her limits lie... so maybe I can start to understand Damo too."

[break][break]
The worst she could get was a no. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Things could get way worse. But there was a little idea smouldering in the back of her mind. She just needed a spark for it to light again.



[break][break]

+ Cillian Quinn || Keep Your Shadow on a Leash [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]