[attr="class","monty"]Next, Montgomery spotted a GIBLE. That little thing was nearly lost under his boot due to his height, screeching up at him angrily from below.

She was so angry, she SLASHED at him, causing him to step back quickly.

"Damn! I'm sorry!" He threw a Poke ball as quickly as he could.

[attr="class","montytag"]premium safari ticket | x2 safari balls remaining

[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery walked down the trail past Littleroot Town, down route 101, with his DURALUDON in tow. The Pokemon nearly rivaled his height, but it wasn't quite as tall as him. It still made the perfect Pokemon for spotting any trouble or pests in the tall grass.

"Don't hesitate to charge if ya see somethin'," he told the dragon, who responded with stomping feet.

Though, the first thing they saw wasn't a thing: it was a who. A woman. "Hello, miss. What're ya doin' down here?"

[attr="class","montytag"]DESIREE BLOOMS | normal/grass/fairy

[attr="class","monty"]Duty called.

Being deputy to a sheriff as well known as Navy, Montgomery felt like he had to stay on the top of his game. If Dewford was sound, he would have to investigate places elsewhere, just to ensure peace in the region.

After all, war was on coming.

Little did he know, he'd find another prominent figure of Hoenn near the Sky Pillar. "Yo. You're ollie morales, yeah?"

[attr="class","montytag"]ollie morales | dw dragon/ghost/flying

[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery wasn't paying much attention, so he hadn't heard anyone react to his presence until he felt a presence at his side. Turning his head, a short woman had approached, saying something about his boss, Navy, and claiming they were friends.

Huh?

"Oh, uh... hi?" Montgomery wasn't good with sudden introductions. It was like he was dunked in a pool of ice water and emerged looking like a drowned RATATA. "Montgomery. Nice to meet ya."

[attr="class","montytag"]robin coello

[attr="class","monty"]If that were to be the case...

Montgomery released his grip on her hand, allowing her to walk in front of him. He would exit behind her, staying silent the entire way outside of the mist.

And once they were outside the mist, he reached for a Poke ball, releasing his CLEFABLE.

"Put her to sleep," Montgomery whispered, his voice lost of any hope or dream of a happier ending.

So, his CLEFABLE SANG, attempting to lull Ameena asleep before she could attack and kill him. And, if she fell, Montgomery was there to catch her in his arms, staring down at her with his lips frowning.

"I wish this could have been different, sweetheart."

He'd lower her to the ground gently, allowing her to sleep.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
- Montgomery leaves the interdream mist. Clefable used sing to lull Ameena to sleep
- Montgomery rests Ameena on the ground to be found by Rocket
TRACKER:
- 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread
TOTAL: 1125 MP

[attr="class","monty"]Even as she identified the creature — some apparent form of TORNADUS — Montgomery stood in awe at its wings stretching outward. However, there wasn't much time to ogle at it, as it took off in the sky. And, along with it: an opening.

"Lead the way."

He allowed her to drag him forward, retracting his Pokemon back into its ball for safety. The hole was only going to remain open for a short period of time, less they stay trapped forever and die.

Would that reality be better than the one they were rocketing back into?

Montgomery stopped, grasping her hand tightly and pulling her to a halt. "Ameena..."

His voice conveyed his doubt, if only for a moment. Here, they could remain happy if only for a few more minutes, until their demise. There, who knew what would happen to them.

Before them, the interdream mist's opening was closing. There wasn't much time left.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
- The Therian Tornadus flees into the sky. Ameena and Montgomery run to the opening left behind, but Montgomery hesitates.
TRACKER:
- 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread
TOTAL: 1115

[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery glanced at Ameena, ensuring that she was fine, before he turned his attention to the two paradox Pokemon in front of them. Reaching for a ball at the back of his belt, he released his NINJASK, which flew beside Ameena's CORVIKNIGHT. There was obvious tension between the two Pokemon, but there seemed to be a shared agreement between them that their target wasn't each other.

For now.

"It can do that?" he asked dumbly. "Shred it!"

The bug flew forward, charging forward to attack the BRUTE BONNET in a crossed pattern. The X-SCISSOR would be super effective on it, causing it to scream out in pain and stagger. But rather than causing the mist to withdraw, as he hoped, it only grew.

"Again!" With the SPEED BOOST, NINJASK was prepared to attack again, until a noise like thunder rumbled around them.

From instinct, Montgomery held his hand out toward Ameena, acting as a shield against this impending threat. The thunder came again, though with it, soaring through the sky with extreme winds, came-



THERIAN TORNADUS.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
- Ninjask attacks Brute Bonnet with x-scissor. The interdream mist doesn't disippate
- Therian Tornadus appears through the mist
TRACKER:
- 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread
TOTAL: 1105 MP

[attr="class","monty"]There's an overwhelming feeling overtaking Montgomery's body: possession. Lust. A desire to hold Ameena Abadi in the palm of his hand and trap her there, where no one else can take her. And as she deepened their kiss, a feral noise escaped his mouth.

As though Montgomery was becoming a beast.

Though that same sound from further away caught his attention. It wasn't him, after all. It was-

"We have company," he said, sitting back and reaching for his Poke balls.

The BRUTE BONNET wasn't alone: beside it came a SLITHER WING, claws gouging the earth. The flowers that decorated his fields were beginning to rot beneath the Paradox mons, tainting the interdream mist.

"Get up. Let's take 'em down."

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
- Montgomery thinks he's going feral until he realizes that Brute Bonnet and Slither Wings are there to attack.
TRACKER:
- 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread
TOTAL: 1095 MP

[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery was certain that, even with that incredible maneuver by his Pokemon, he and Ameena were going to die from the impact of comets. Even though she was stunned beneath his body, which served as a protective barrier against the oncoming danger from the stars, he held her close. His eyes squeezed shut, as he recounted his mother tucking him to bed.

"Remember: you always wish upon the shooting star. Or else your wish won't come true! Why don't we do it together?"

"I wish upon a shooting star..."

---

Impact never struck — or if it did, it was a painless death. Still, Montgomery found himself frozen, stiff as a board, over Ameena, bracing himself with his eyes squeezed shut. He was muttering under his breath, whispering the phrase like a prayer until warm hands drew him from his pleas to ARCEUS.

Green grass. It expanded into a field as far as the eye could see. It reminded him of home: Unova. Milkweeds, sunflowers, and asters colored the area in a portrait of pointillism.

And the most beautiful flower of all: "Ameena? What's goin' on? I mean..." He found himself cursing before he leaned down, every last bit of restraint breaking in him as his lips chased hers.

After all: it was only a dream.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
- The interdream mist brings Montgomery's setting to home: Unova
- Ameena and Montgomery have a moment. After all, it's only a dream
TRACKER:
- 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread
TOTAL: 1085 MP

[attr="class","monty"]The projectiles explode or are charted off course thanks to CLAYDOL'S ANCIENT POWER, though a few scattered debris wouldn't spare them. He rolled out of the way as one came crashing down on the cliffside, shielding his face from the explosion.

Though he noticed another piece falling down, a shooting star, toward Ameena and her GARDEVOIR. Time froze.

Was it the pink mist's doing?

In one spectacle, he walked away, allowing the fate of the Rocket CEO to be sealed by the fiery inferno of steel tumbling down toward her and her Pokemon. The other, he was able to save her, for better or for worse. One of these outcomes would come true. And one of them was the correct answer.

Though, Montgomery was never known for picking right.

His BRELOOM shot out of her ball, sending a STUN SPORE to render Ameena and her Pokemon useless. "Fuck me!" he shouted, sprinting as fast as his long legs could take him toward her.

Montgomery was the angel of death... but Ameena's time wasn't here yet.

He swept her into his arms, ensuring that her Pokemon were safe, and signaled for CLAYDOL to charge upward. With its ability to LEVITATE, the robotic Pokemon flew upward, meeting the shrapnel, and-

EXPLOSION.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
- Montgomery chooses to save Ameena instead of letting her die. Breloom uses stun spore on Ameena and Gardevoir
- Claydol explodes
TRACKER:
- 50 MP for getting your Pokemon knocked out in your prelude thread
- 50 MP include a motif or recurring symbol of some kind in your thread (angel of death)
- 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread
TOTAL: 1075 MP

[attr="class","monty"]The Poke ball closed, rolled, and clicked. His encounter was successful. It was time to move along.

Montgomery's next encounter was a HISUIAN QWILFISH. However, he had one in his PC, so he decided to sidestep and continue to his next encounter.

"Maybe if I come back..."

[attr="class","montytag"]premium safari ticket | x3 safari balls remaining

[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery couldn't get to SKARMORY'S body, or what was left of it. The MYSTICAL FIRE kept the area scorching hot, and the metal had melted down and flooded down the grass like a silver river. He fell on the ground, beating the earth with closed fists.

SKARMORY, who he had found injured in the wild in Unova. SKARMORY, who he'd nurtured back to health. SKARMORY, who he had put many hours, no, months in gaining his trust. SKARMORY, who had seemed to understood him when he said they were leaving the bloodshed of Rocket behind to come to Hoenn.

Montgomery was the angel of death, and he was the reason his trusted Pokemon died.

He was vulnerable, and Ameena took herself to attack him in his vulnerable state. Montgomery didn't realize that the PYSCHIC was heading his way, until flashes of pink whisps caught his eye. And he wondered if this was the beginning of his end.

Until CLAYDOL stood before him, intercepting the attack with its psychic-type. It resisted GARDEVOIR'S attack, sparing its trainer and giving him a chance to rise again.

Though a chance to strike back at Ameena was forfeited by the appearance of shrapnel falling from the sky. If that wasn't rid of, they'd both be dead.

"Get rid of the shards!" CLAYDOL sent an ANCIENT POWER skyward, hoping to propel the hot steel out of their vicinity.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
- Montgomery grieves Skarmory and misses Gardevoir's attack. Claydol absorbs the psychic aimed at him.
- Claydol attacks the falling shrapnel with ancient power to divert course or destroy it
TRACKER:
- 50 MP showcase a meaningful moment between your character and their Pokemon
- 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread
TOTAL: 965 MP

[attr="class","monty"]GRAVITY struck the field, pulling weight down like an unmeasurable force. It forced SKARMORY to stay on the ground and negated CLAYDOL'S ability to LEVITATE, essentially leaving it balancing at a center focal point.

Montgomery knew that Ameena's GARDEVOIR would be the main threat to him and his team. The blue creature had been there from the beginning of their exchange. She's seen their rendezvous, their walk along the tightrope of morality.

He had to get rid of it. But that would be impossible with the MAGEARNA locking them down.

"Claydol! Break the ground under that thing!" A buzzing beep of acknowledgement was all that he heard, a confirmation of his order, as it locked one of its eyes on the metallic creature in front of it. A blast shot through the earth from below its body, shooting out toward the MAGEARNA. The earth split apart before it, to swallow the beast and crush it into pieces.

The heavy weight on his chest only grew more powerful as the GRAVITY lifted. He'd done the unthinkable to her.

But, Montgomery wasn't supposed to play nice.

"Stop talkin' like ya know me!" Montgomery spat, standing straighter beside his Pokemon as they stood tall beside him. CLAYDOL'S LEVITATE activated once more, and SKARMORY prepared to take off.

"I've been a Rocket before. They did the same shit whatever ya think the League's doin' to you to me. I left it behind for a damn reason. So leave it in the past. Stop tryin' to dig up my skeletons, Ameena!" he screeched.

Orders. Orders, orders, orders, each one falling on his ears, telling him to do this and he'd be rewarded. Do it, and he'd never have to worry again. It was the betterment of Unova. Blood, spilling on his hands, leaving him thrashing and drowning in hot, thick, red ink, until one day, he said enough.

Death. He was the angel of death.

MYSTICAL FIRE swept forward, catching him off guard and igniting the area around him. Montgomery cursed, groaning in pain as hot flames licked as his right hand and arm. But it didn't hurt more than-

"SKARMORY!"

The bird ignited in the flames, the whirring screech of metal cries becoming drowned out by the fire burning it down. What was flesh of the Pokemon became charred and stank the area of burning flesh, while the metal glowed white hot.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
- After being held down by Magearna's gravity, Claydol attacks and kills it with earth power
- Montgomery begins to lose his mind, believing he's becoming death reincarnate
- Ameena's Gardevoir kills Skarmory with mystical fire
TRACKER:
- 100 MP for getting your Pokemon killed (does not stack with KO) in your prelude thread
- 50 MP have your character be injured by another's pokemon directly or indirectly
- 50 MP have your character "hit rock bottom" (their lowest point)
- 10 MP per IC post in your prelude thread
TOTAL: 905