Katharina gives the other an empathic smile at the understandable reaction to another reminder of the current and messed up situation. She'd really like to think maybe it were untrue, but she can't afford herself or others the luxury unfortunately. It's literally bleeding out in front of her, after all, and she doesn't think she's ever seen so many wounded at once, even when she interned at a hospital. Never seen so many lives being taken.

The monster appearance is almost a welcome distraction from their own hauntings, though it's a bone-chilling one indeed. "That would be really nice," Katharina says with a lopsided smile, not believing quite in the theory. She does almost jerk forward as Mitsuru approaches the monster- "Mitsuru, don't get closer-" she warns, one hand holding out for the other ... but she isn't connecting just yet, not wanting to spook the other further.

The beast now comes into full view, too. An Ursaluna, though it's not regular as the others. Standing on two legs, with a mark that mirrors the moon above, though it has a distinct red glow.

It regards them with passive interest, though there's something alert behind its gaze.

"We need to slowly back off ... and if that doesn't work, run," Kat suggests in a whisper. Though it hasn't attacked them yet, that situation can change any moment for sure ... and similiar to the beast, her muscles tense, readying for a quiet and painfully slow retreat or a deadsprint.

Mitsuru Kagami

At least he knows. Katharina's gaze softens slightly, though the worry still remains etched into evry expression, every movement of her eyes as she looks at his frame. And his words ... She lets out a breath, the sound bordering on disbelief with a lack of surprise.

"No one tried to come here yet. Rocket's progressing every day, trying to - you're not safe here," she retorts almost immediately as he finishes. She moves to grab his shoulders, reaching upwards from her smaller stature that's containing a lot of intimidation. Even if she isn't sure how it's holding against that stubborn head of his, but she'll give her damnest to get him out to safety.

She can understand him in part, however ... she isn't sure if she would do the same if the tower in Unova's ever in danger, if the place of her coven's legacy would be endangered, even as she seeked momentary distance. It's still the dear place that she calls home.

But homes can be rebuilt in the end - and she doesn't want to rely on whimsical powers of resurrection. Powers that are reserved for people in higher positions, dictacted by something she doesn't want to comprehend - can't even begin to, anyway.

"They will find you here one day or another if you stay here ... please, you can't," she pleads with resolution in her voice, not about to abandon him even if she might have to drag him kicking and screaming ... actually, better not that scenario. That would definitely attract more unwarranted attention than needed. "How long can you even survive in here, cut off from the world? Your supplies will run out. Your garden's energy is still ... ... yeah."

benji sawyer

The relief of seeing Ben lurking out of the front window as Kat approaches the door is brief, as both worry and exasperation are quick to follow. It's good to see him well - as well as he can be, considering the circumstances, but gods ... But his franticness does have a point when they're essentially in enemy territory, and it's frankly a miracle that he and the house are still standing.

She gives him a thumbs-up in her usual casual manner, but her steps are quickened as they walk to the back door. Nervousity about having ended up here catches up to them, as they wait close to the door for Ben to let them in.

And as soon as the door would close behind her, she'd not let him have the first word.

Tackling him with a hug, the relief has won in the end, though the force of it might also make the hug mildly painful. Still, the physical contact reassures that she hasn't seen a ghost at the window. "Thank god, what the fuck. I thought you're."

She can't say it.

"What are you doing here still?!" she does her best to whisper-shout as she distances and grabs his shoulders, a hiss that can't conceal the concern she wears on her face as she looks over Benji's current state. "Did you leave the house like, at all?"

benji sawyer

[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"]

The click of the pokéball serves as a reminder for Katharina's heart to start beating again, lest she'd faint from a cause different to "have a terrifying beast breathe into your face" (and gladly, it smelled more like tera crystals than anything ... bloody). Still, the strength leaves her legs as she collapses, with Froschl quickly running up to her to provide some emotional support. She pats the stickiness incarnate with a faint smile, as Teein also goes to demand comfort in her trainer's arms again. "You did really great, you two," she tells her pokémon as she goes to pick up the Heal ball.

That now contains ... a Roaring Moon.

"Yeah, I can imagine that this is gonna be ... very interesting indeed," she replies, though the experience is still shaking her bones a little bit, even if she can pull herself upright and standing again. It's an exciting and terrifying idea, though she can't deny her curiosity regarding those type of creatures. But before she can think on that topic further and how to approach it best, the pokéball in her hand moves.

Shakes.

And a healthy Roaring Moon appears by her side.

Immediately, it roars- though that's quickly halted as it takes a step almost behind the much smaller blonde woman as it sees the Gouging Fire that's injured it before, and its companions. "Up to speed and only got nonsense in your head, hmm?" Katharina couldn't help the light jab, playful and usually only reserved for less ... unusual pokémon. "But it seems like for now, we got the benefit of stronger company here."

She looks at the paradox.

... should she try and ride it? She doubts that any of Josh's pokémon are better suited for her, and this should still be the slowest amongst the present mountable pokémon, given that the others have been trained by the Master of Faster himself.

Josh Devlin

[attr="class","emapkmn"]

Arthur pauses in its frolicked floating for a moment to ponder how curious it is to have a mug that is the same size as an entire pot, or something like this ... how curious! But, there's still a look of misfortune on its face at the words of the other. "Oh Arceus. I'm ... I'm allergic to the concept of milk!!!" it wails soft-spokenly, its expression utterly broken-hearted by the fact. "You see, I just do not fit the consistency of a latte, no matter what ..."

(Mostly inspired by Katharina despising milk in their coffee and tea beverages - and rather taking a ridiculously high amount of caffeine and theine.)

"I do want to ... but I'm afraid I might ... I might DIE if I do!!!"

Morrighan Cahill

[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"]

Now there's a thought. Katharina pauses - wrong move, he needs to move ASAP - at Xuying's speculation. "It could be imitating pokémon, too, indeed - I was thinking it's like a Spiritual Guardian version of a pokémon, kinda like ... dead and not dead. Undead, in a way," he adds, voice oddly calm despite the frantic attempts at staying alive and not be slain by the Hisuian Liligant.

Roaring Moon is also- they look at it with a concerned look. A frenzy almost, but it also works ... Gods, they really shouldn't do that. But given the ferocity of the spectral pokémon, they wonder what other choice they might have.

"Your lack of imagination sometimes," she murmurs at Xuying's maybe even a bit defiant words, shaking her head. "I'm more like ... I mean, the region's changing constantly. And I feel like there's some old, old powers waking up, too."

She looks at the golden glowing pokémon with red eyes that seems to look back directly.

"We really got here in time to witness The End Of The World TM, huh?"

Xuying Zhou

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Katharina watches Genny carefully, picking up on the cold sweat that comes up even with something that otherwise doesn't seem like it takes too much effort. Leaning down isn't as easy as it used to be, but ... that's not the only thing, she wonders. Thinking back on the file, the horrifying words put down on multiple occasions as people braved a god of the sea like ... she doesn't know. Idiots, sure, but heroes, or something, too.

Wondering what would be if they'd just leave them be. Total annihiliation? Actual pace? She has no answers to this.

The movements are routined, practiced, so Katharina focuses fully on Genevieve's words. Confirmation for what she's thought before. And it makes her frown with compassion and a gentle shake of her head. "Do you want to try taking sleep medication?" she asks first, while switching sides for the leg stretches. "Are you seeing a psychotherapist?" she also adds, before falling uncharacteristically silent for a moment.

"I think you're not doing nothing right now. Healing is difficult in its own right, even if you might not feel the effort that your body does." She moves to gently pat Genny's head once. "I'm not a trained psychotherapist, but ... I can imagine that it's hard feeling safe right now. Maybe it helps to put some trust in what you did accomplish, too, keeping others safe, and let them do that in kind for you?" She knows that a feeling of safety after being put against such overwhelming odds is nothing but Herculean, but everything starts with a few steps.

"And right now ... you are doing your part by being here and not becoming too much of a repeat customer," she adds, though thinks if there might be things to do even while resting up ... even if nothing comes to mind right now.

Genevieve Cromwell

[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"]

As Josh calls for Entei and Suicune, Katharina knows now not to expect the actual bearers of the name to appear - though it's hard to say they aren't somewhat related, as Walking Wake and Gouging Fire appear on-stage. In collaboration, they leap towards the Roaring Moon which has snatched Froschl. Seeing action being taken immediately is reassuring, and gives her a moment longer to look down at the pokémon in her arms.

"I don't, but there's her," she tells Josh, "We'll figure something out-"

She gives him a thumbs-up, before turning fully to Teein. "Okay, dear. Teleport to Froschl and bring him back here, okay? We don't want him hurt himself," she says, already seeing how their Froggiursa is attempting to Play Rough while remaining stuck via frog-super-glue to the side of the Roaring Moon as it roars, evading the Gouging Fire, but not quite managing it. It's struck, but not knocked out yet despite the bleeding wound.

Teein takes a deep breath, before nodding. She's quickly teleported beside Froschl, holding onto his honey-covered, flailing figure, and then teleports again.

Easy enough, in theory.

Except that Teein also somehow teleports the entirety of the Roaring Moon, attached to Froschl, right next to Katharina. Blinking for a moment, instincts on what to do with an extremely injured pokémon kick in as Katharina reaches for a Heal Ball and- throws it.

...

...

Click.

Josh Devlin

Katharina's social skills are sharpened to pick up what others might not want to have heard, so naturally, she replies, "Ghost hunting?" to highlight the other's more whispered words. "True, I have the feeling there's more ghosts around these days ... probably because of the war." She sighs, her expression turning to a frown as she looks around, sorrow quickly making room for skepticism.

"Yeah, though I don't mind a break from the lonesome spooks ... except it seems like ..." She falls silent as she stares at something behind Mitsuru, before reaching for the other's arm to pull them closer, away from- "We got company."

The shape is only discernable to be monstrous, but there's a huge, red glowing orb visible even through the thick fog that has gathered around them. "Is it bloodmoon already again?" she whispers, wracking her brain for the lunar calender, but there's not much time for that either, as the silhouette moves.

Mitsuru Kagami

EXCHANGING MP

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS!

MP GAINED:
vs madd 1035
vs maki 1520
and lavi 815
TOTAL: 3000

EXCHANGING:
- 500: paradox pokémon > slither wing
- 2000: mythical paradox > iron crown
- 10: shard > yellow shard
TOTAL: 2510

CURRENT TOTAL MP: 490

[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmnteam"]

"Mh-hm," Katharina nods at Evette's remark, something that she has also considered quite a lot - after all, it's also partially what has lead them to Teein in the first place, even if she ... despite her potential or maybe because of it ... Katharina does her best not to look at her pokémon there, however, knowing that it might only further pressure the little ball in her arms.

It's also that same Natu that she points at when Evette voices her concern, and she nods reassuringly. "I won't be near it, no worries - or well, not immediately after. Sing would be a great help, so I'm counting on you there!" Katharina gives the other a thumbs-up as she seems to have recovered near fully from the rather exhausting and adrenaline-inducing experience from before.

"Let's put it to sleep first, then you can place me near the pipe and get some distance before I get it out?" they ask, also holding the pokéballs of their Audino in hand while their Poltchageist floats nearby. They'd have to apply every healing move they know to keep the Wailord from losing too much blood.

Evette Moreau

[attr="class","emapkmn"]

Arthur is fascinated by the other's swirl, and definitely distracted because of it. "Oh! Your brew certainly looks quite intriguing, but I am also ... ah, I'm sorry for the question, but do you have any lactose perchance? It seems like there's some milk in your brew, as well! I get the worst farting from milk, I'm afraid."

However this Poltchageist might actually fart is another question and one that won't be answered anytime soon.

It is however quite happy to have finally met another tea that could talk! "Oh, I have not, I have not!" Arthur replies with a sad face, slightly dropping in its floating. "But! Now I have met a very special blend then, how exciting!"

Morrighan Cahill

There's a good moment of silence passing as Katharina recovers from the jumpscare that is meeting another human (!) being when you don't really expect one. Frankly, it's probably just any being that does the trick here. She takes some deep breaths to still her heart, similiarly to her TeddiFroggiursa next to her, before replying, "Yes, Katharina here. I'm doing a night shift, a literal one ... gonna have to clock in in the middle of the night, and I'm on my way there."

Another deep breath, just to make sure her heartrate's sort of back to normal, "What're you doing here?"

The reply might be swallowed, however, as the fog around them suddenly intensifies - and it seems like the air itself is whispering, every direction filled with ghastly sound that doesn't combine into words, but ideas ... Imagery of death, and something dangerous approaching.

Mitsuru Kagami