EXCURSION SIGN-UP

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!

WHICH EXCURSION?: GC CHASM: A'PARTICIPATING CHARACTERS: Steven Campbell marina blanc

Thank arceus.

Steven wasn't one to beg, but when it came to his band - aka his one and only passion outside of surviving - nothing was off the table. Smiling wide, his arm took on instincts of its own, curling around her neck with speeds befitting a rambunctious pup bumbling out into the open world for the first time.

"You're the best," The side hug was short live - just long enough to punctuate his appreciation. "Really, anna, the best."

Retracting his warmth, Steven shuffled through the papers from his open bag and pull at one stained with yellow printer ink. On it, bold letters wrote out an address, all of it written by sharpie.

"Here's where we practice. We start at 6, but no worries if you're a few minutes late. Carter always is anyways."

PURCHASING/REDEEMING

welcome to the poké mart!

1X IRON BOULDER gacha!!!

SHIV2 INTO THE SUNSET

TOTAL

do come again!

00 PD

So much was happening at once.

Necrozma, wo-chien, now Palkia - all gods looking to polish their piece for the incurring war. Steven had no place in any of it.

"Thanks," was all he could mustered when being dropped off by BARNABY FINCH . There was no verbalizing the gratitude that swelled. No matter how annoying of a boss he was, he saved him. He was the difference between life and an early grave.

But wasn't that just the worst? That, despite standing here, he needed saving every turn of this battle. Wasn't there something only he could do? Something within his powers?

Just as this thought swept through his mind, a glint of metal came cruising through. Wide, brown, and brazen, the IRON BOULDER consumed his vision. It became his sole objection. To procure one would be to solidify a small victory for his resume. And so a battle ensued, with Delphox aiding with mystic fires.

When it concludes, Steven not only leaves with a tremor of fear, but a small trickle of confidence. Maybe there were some things he could still do.

"Maybe, but time is of the essence."

Between rehearsals and preparations, they could all use all the available. Especially with this absence turning perminate.

"you'll do great - probably," he tried adjusting his smile, fixing it into the one that typically earns a 'i love your smile' or similar shit to that. It was a pain playing pretend, but this was important. This was Humble's future on the line.

"Please? Just this one time"

Library? He never pegged her as the studious type. Maybe going on tiktok 24/7 or going out with her friends, but definitely not the 'going-straight-to-the-library-after-class' type.

Go figure.

"I got work in a few, so i'm about to head out."

For a second, his face darkened, only to be instantly swallowed by another smile. It was easier to play the easygoing guy without a care in the world. It allowed him to forget about the realities awaiting for him and focus more on the now.

"So anyways," His smile widened, "I heard from aaron faust that you're a bit of a singer."

More like he heard from someone who heard from someone who heard from aaron faust that she had a nice voice. But those details were irrelevant. What mattered most was that she could sing, and Humble needed a new lead singer. A match made in heaven.

"My band's lead vocalist transferred out of the region. Recent events caught up to her, I guess."

Who could blame her? Even Steven was itching for a reason to escape. Though, thanks to Rocket, his wouldn't be as simple as a quick transfer across the ocean.

"I was hoping maybe you could tryout to replace her? We have a show coming up next weekend, so you would be a real life saver."

Class comes and goes as expected. The professor was late by 15 minutes, only a quarter of the class actually showed, and the lecture portion could've easily been record and posted online, but "what is learning without effort," as their professor loved to say.

Reflexes slide the beaten laptop back into his back, and habit throws the sack over his shoulder. It was 2:00 already, which meant two things: his classes were done for the day and work was right around the corner.

Which meant BARNABY FINCH was right around the corner - that bastard.

If only he could delay the dread a bit longer...

"Hey Anna," he catches her driving right by him, already set for the door, so he eases into a short jog behind her. "Wait up."

Matching pace with her is easy - girl is a child compared him.

"Where you off to?"

Steven hadn't adjusted to the chaos.

It was only the very real threat of death that forced him to clamp onto the genesect for dear life, all while the world blurred around them.

"Holy shit..."

The only thing more terrifying than the giant world eating dragon was the very rocket beast aiding their forces. Eyes widened, there was no escaping the allure of power like that. To not only laugh at death's face, but shoot out a fucking laser. But, it's within a heartbeat of a second that admiration drips into dreadful realization. It was one thing to learn about these types of monsters, it was another to see them in action.

"Does he do that a lot," the grunt gasped, referring to Zev Harcourt , "And how wasn't that enough?"

All the while, Steven Campbell's delphox continued to aid the battle, throwing out fire blasts.

Ice encased the two men, swallowing them whole. The world had decided their fate and life held no place in it. But, before shadows could feast on their corpses, a flash of color crossed the youth's vision. Red, white, and blue, the valiant pokemon made its mark on their stories, sending assistance through a 'helping hand'.

"Keldo? No way..."

He hadn't seen or heard of the Pokémon in years. Where was it again? The Last Keldeo?

Before he could continue to ponder, BARNABY FINCH took action again, dragging his nearly frozen body onto the genesect. Balancing might've not been his strength in high school, but here Steven transformed into an Olympic gymnast, maintaining his seat with ease.

"Trying!"

The more they moved, the more their bodies swayed, shifting with each bump of the road. This time, when directions came, Steven did his best to listen, immediate hurling instructions out to his rental pokemon.

"Delphox, hurry and burn the bastard already!"

AKA, throw another FIRE BLAST.

"Campbell here."

Showing up in a pair of overalls and rubber boots, the fisherboy in training was confused as hell when the sudden invitation for whale watching showed up on his door. Not only did he only vaguely know Lulu Flint (who apparently recommended him), but oscar clayton was a figure far from his sphere of influence.

"Wasn't sure what to bring..."

Hopefully jayden cross 's rental pokemon were enough.

"What's the plan then, sir?"

White bled into his worldview, suffocating every orifice with a deluge of snow. If it hadn't been for the spike of fear that gnawed down his bones, the frost would've won its claim and another silent victim would meet their end. But, to both his surprise and relief, light dawned once more, returning the vibrancy of color and life back to him. All because a hand had dragged him out from the mound and forced him into a sitting position.

"Th-th-th-thanks." Jaw jittering, teeth clanking together, the secretary could barely formulate a single show of thanks. Now released, the numbing cold had concluded its business, allowing fear to thrust its presence and grapple his chest. All he could do was lose himself to the hefty breaths raising his shoulders. That is, until...

"Just stay with me and follow my lead."

Steven looked up toward the voice, eyes bright. He didn't think his boss was the type to, well, save someone like him. Maybe if it was convenient, but otherwise? He thought it was a league who made the effort. Or another grunt with a heart of gold.

"O-okay."

But Kyurem's cry had made its move, carving out a giant chasm through the middle of the field. Hoopa made its vengeance, too, and of course, one of its first victims were them.

'No,' Steven shook his head to the sudden flash of gold, 'not this time.'

He kicked back up from the ground, prepared to take a stance against the incoming fist. This time it'll be him defending BARNABY FINCH . This time he won't succumb too easily.

But then, before he could make his first step, a figure lunged over him, forcing his body back into snow. Again, the wind is knocked out of him as frost encased his skin. The only other time he's ever gotten this cold was back when he worked at the Pokemart, working stock in the back.

"I'm f-fine," was, again, all he could make out between coughs. "agreed."

Difficulty was found in deciphering the different voices hurling through the snow. Only BARNABY FINCH 's, whose voice had its own personal etchings in his brain, allowed for the young secretary to understand. Instead, he looked to the shifting shadows.

The way Zev Harcourt manipulated gravity, as if the world was moldable to his whims.

The way jayden cross moved with the snow, drifting in and out of sight, his silhouette a ghastly froslass.

The way a streak of green kept twisting through the sky, casting a godly barrage of holy rock unto groundbreaking beast.

The way, even those without shadows lurching over their shoulders, valiantly pushed forward, with mint frost indiscernible shouts and BARNABY FINCH 's swift directives.

It felt like a strip from an old comic book. One where the hero is dealt the first blow of reality, the moment they realize they're in over their head. Only, here, Steven's limbs felt like lead and stress strained his expression. Every attempt of movement felt like a battle, every shout a war. Hoenn might've been battling Kyurem, but Steven Campbell was battling himself.

"What are we doing?!" Was all he could ask, clarity being the one thing he sought. "Should we-"

Words were cut short. Another burst of the Dragon's ongoing blizzard battered him from the right, sending the boy flying into the snow. Into the ice.