Three lefts. Three rights. Six hallways and thrice as many rooms. The maze that was the Rocket Headquarters stretched on and on, to areas she could vaguely recognise. Even though she had been here long enough once more to get a better lay of the land, she'd kept to the areas most necessary.

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They'd never questioned why. Not that she was noticable enough to make it a problem, a mere grunt among grunts. A returnee, in fact. But those who were in the know didn't bother with the plebs.

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She liked it that way.

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And had it not been for that strange dream sequence, and the beast she'd gotten through it, it would've remained that way.

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Beast, for the grass serpent within the pokéball dangling from her waist could not be called a pokémon anymore. It was vicious, violent, and all but controlable under her command.

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"Find Underboss Quinn. He will help you tame the Shadow."

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"Tsk." Calliope stopped in front of a door, only hoping the Underboss was inconvenienced enough not to help her. Looking left and right so none was there to witness, Calliope pulled out a small flask and took a swig, allowing the soothing sting of poison-laced alcohol into her system.

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The choice had never been hers to begin with.

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Rapping the door, she finally announced herself. "Excuse me sir, this is Grunt Alvara. I was told to seek you out?"



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

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Something moved in the distance.

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A small lump of sand dared venture into the tunnel right before the two Mighyena. Alecto ceased its happy trot immediately and bared its fangs into a silent growl, shadows coiling around it. At his side, the golden wolf stilled too, eyes peered on her counterpart. As soon as he started sinking into the shadows the unnamed Mightyena burst forth, claws swiping at the ground below and kicking up a cloud of sand into the Sandygast's face.

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Alecto resurfaces behind the confused Sandygast and strikes hard, launching it back into the other Mightyena's maw. She can hear the Crunch before she sees it take effect, but the smile on the Rocket's lips tells her she's content.

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Especially so when she notices how the golden Mightyena seems to struggle with maintaining her grip as similar wounds appear on her.

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"Well well, aren't you a spicy one... release it." she orders the Mightyena, who promptly drops it, but remains looming over the wounded mon.

"Well done, Altera," she gently pets its golden fur, finally granting the Mightyena a name. "But we'll be taking this one with us."



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Catching Sandygast~

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+ Steel/Ground SW

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Rusturf Tunnel might not have been the best route for a walk, but it was one she could traverse with her two Mightyena at this time of day without having to worry about surprise visitors. Alecto, her all-time companion, was scouting ahead, just in sight but not enough to lose track of him--- or he of her.

At her side her newest addition wandered. A mighty canine with immaculate golden fur, that despite her namelessness had bonded to her almost instantly, much like Alecto had when he was still a pup. In a way they were alike, but she was still trying to figure the shiny Mightyena out, and how it would work together with her team.

Which, coincidentally, was exactly why she was here.



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+ IC post endeavour [break]
+ Steel/Ground SW

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Training day had never seemed as static as it had today. Quite literally so, with the amount of Voltorbs scattered about in the large room; they seemed everywhere, both on and off the obstacle course. It made the model frown, even looking up at the training officer 'hidden' on the balcony a dozen feet above the obstacle course.
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They didn't seem very interested as long as they weren't using the course, but it was obvious that despite their nonchalance they were paying attention to the grunts present.
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The grunts in question being herself and a her training partner for the day, who seemed chipper, even with their text-to-speech voice. Learning that they was non-hearing made her pause for a moment; which would make things a lot harder if they were to do a team exercise.
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Innerly cursing that she'd left her phone in her locker, Calliope nodded and started typing furiously on the small watch on her wrist, then thrusting it out towards her partner.
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"Here, this should help!"

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A ping, and the device would receive Calliope's encrypted ID data, allowing their texts to reach one another's devices too.

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"Calliope, or Cal, whichever you prefer." she gives the girl a brief smile, then points at the obstacle course as a new text arrives. "Sorry if it's a bit forceful, but I have no idea what the training today will entail. Rather cover all my bases in case this is a team exercise and we're too far away from one another."

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+ Fenelle Miller [break]

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