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suddenly she could breathe again, only to start falling down into the sea. It took her a few moments to recognize what was even going on as she fell into the water. For a brief second, she thought this was how her life was going to end, drowning under the churning waves with almost all of her energy already gone. Deciding not to fight it, Celeste just closed her eyes... Floating amongst the ocean current, letting it take her wherever it wanted.  However it was just a few moments later  that she felt something familiar swarming over her body.

Her Wishiwashi was quickly moving to lift her up to the surface and pull her as far away from the Nihilego as possible. Luckily, the AQUA RING still surrounding the Wishiwashi helped soothe a few surface injuries as she pressed in close but she was still gasping for air, struggling to breathe as she surfaced. The Nihilego had almost squeezed all the air out of her lungs.

Blood rains down from above and Celeste is quietly thankful that it was not yet her time to perish for she has so much more work to do. It hadn't gone unnoticed that skyler dross 's actions helped rescue her... and she hated feeling in debt to someone else. Time to make things even. It takes but just a brief moment to glance up, despite her heavy breathing, to realize that Jaspers was unconscious and just being protected by Kelporeal at this point. Quickly recalling both her Wailord and her Espurr, Celeste motions for Leviathan to steer its school as close to the boat as it can.

It seemed like she arrived just a bit too late to stop the Megalopolans from hopping onto the ship. Unfortunately, it seemed Celeste was still too weak to even attempt to climb up the side with her heavy breathing. Perhaps she could be raised up later by her Dhelmise, but right now they had work to do. No time allow herself to be weak, it was time to protect those who willingly sacrificed their own safety for hers. With a shaky breath, she spoke out to her Dhelmise on the surface. "Kelp... remove those fools."

The Dhelmise cried out as it would suddenly sweep its seaweed-like chain across the deck of the ship with a POWER WHIP. Meanwhile, Celeste was already motioning for her Wishiwashi to attack at the Naganadel flying above with a powerful HYDRO PUMP, blasting huge bursts of water at the poisonous dragons. "Damn... everything." Celeste would briefly make a quiet prayer for strength before finally pushing through and reaching out to grasp at the side of the boat to climb herself. She couldn't just rely on her Pokemon, even with her incredibly shaky hands and unsturdy grip she was determined to  do this. She'd climb the side of this boat and join her allies or die trying.



Notes:
Espurr Fainted and is recalled.
Wailord is recalled temporarily.
Dhelmise uses Power Whip, to strike Megalopolans off the boat.
Wishiwashi uses Hydro Pump on the Nagandel flying above.
Celeste struggles to climb the side of the boat in her weakened state.

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It all happened so fast. One minute, she was sitting atop her Wishiwashi in the sea, and the next she and Jaspers were clutched into the tentacles of the beast. Her breath practically vacated her lungs almost instantly as she desperately reached for Jaspers, the young Espurr pulled away from her. A few others and their pokemon were also within the Ultra Beasts grasp, but at the moment she couldn't care less who they were.

If she was going to die then so be it. Her place had come and gone in this world. It was not designed for her, it was not built for her. A cold world without the fleeting grace of ease. Everything she had was earned through hard work, fighting with every breath as if it was her last. And if it was... she wanted to go out with a bang.

May the ocean currents carry her body somewhere gentle, where it may rest somewhere safe from the struggling seas.

Screaming with the last bits of air remaining in her lungs, Celeste commanded her pokemon. "Kelp! Get Jaspers out, now!" No matter what, that precious boy deserved nothing but good things. A better, safer home, perhaps should she perish. Immediately, the Dhelmise launched itself out of the water, flinging up towards Jaspers the Espurr. As soon as it got close enough for some of its kelp to brush against him, it would suddenly attempt to use PHANTOM FORCE. Vanishing with a ghostly sort of power, only to reappear back upon the boat near skyler dross and anyone else now aboard the Northern Boat, with the Espurr hopefully in tow.

Then the blizzards came and it shook Celeste to her very core. She was already wet from being in the water, the cold was literally chilling her to the bone with how skinny she was as she continued to fight to even speak. "T-t-tiny! BOUNCE!"

Immediately, the Wailord would let out a huge roar as it exerted its huge PRESSURE and began to swim under the water to gain speed. With all of its might, it suddenly leaped straight into the sky as high as it possibly could. Gravity immediately taking effect, the massive whale pokemon would attempt to slam straight down onto the top of the Nihilego holding Celeste. With any luck, the sheer weight would cause enough of a surprise and damage to let her and anything else still captured loose.

Celeste had no more breath in her lungs to speak, suffocating within the tentacle as she fought with every fiber of her being to free herself, to sink down into the watery depths. However, not to be left sitting idly by the sidelines, Jaspers, whether he was freed or not, would be blasting another PSYSHOCK at the Nihilego that had his trainer capture, potentially aided by INFILTRATOR. At the same time, her Wishiwashi and its school, still surrounded by its AQUA RING for protection would be rushing to save her should she fall. Regardless, it would also leap out of the water and attempt to bite down onto the tentacle with an intense BEAT UP, encouraging not only the entire school but all of her Pokemon to strike at the Nihilego once more.



Notes:
Dhelmise uses Phantom Force on Espurr to attempt to rescue him.
Wailord exerts pressure.
Wailord uses Bounce to the top of the Nihilego holding Celeste.
Espurr uses Psyshock, free or not, with Infiltrator ability in effect.
Wishiwashi still has Aqua Ring in effect.
Wishiwashi uses Beat Up, to encourage the entire pokemon Party to strike again, and hopefully rescue Celeste.

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The boat breaches the top of the wave and crashes down on the other side and Celeste lets out a brief sigh of relief, her grip on Leviathan's school loosening for just a second. However, it seemed the worst had yet to come. Giant tentacle beasts, the very same reported to have the horrifying toxin, were waiting for them on the other side of the wave. Celeste cursed, swearing for acting so hastily.

"Kelp, Tiny, leave the boat, they can handle it! Firepower on the double!" Immediately, the Dhelmise began to unwrap its kelp chain around the boat, just in time as the giant Nihilego seemed to be grabbing for the boat itself. Celeste forced herself to steel her nerves, gripping tightly onto the school of fish beneath her once more. Luckily, the LIGHT SCREEN and the AQUA RING were still protecting her and her pokemon.

With her Dhelmise joining her in the water, Tiny the Wailord had to swim down and around to avoid slamming his massive frame into the boat, still emanating intense PRESSURE. As soon as she saw the massive water spout spring up from under the water from skyler dross 's Wailord, Celeste shouted. "Now! Sever the tentacles at the base! May the ocean run with alien blood!"

Both the Wishiwashi school and the Wailord fired off twin HYDRO PUMPS, intent to not only push the Nihilegos back but to damage them as much as they could. Meanwhile, her Dhelmise was quick to use ANCHOR SHOT, its massive anchor launching towards the tentacle closest to the boat aided by its STEELWORKER ability, with the Espurr on Celeste's shoulders letting loose its intense psychic power with a PSYSHOCK, focusing its energies as much as it can and hopefully bypassing any attempts at defense with its INFILTRATOR ability.



Notes:
Wailord still exerts PRESSURE.
Aqua Ring and Light Screen still in effect.
Wailord uses Hydro Pump.
Wishiwashi uses Hydro Pump.
Dhelmise uses Anchor Shot, aided by Steelworker.
Espurr uses Psyshock, with Infiltrator potentially coming into play.

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The Whirlpool worked as well as could be expected. The Megalopolan advance by sea had failed and it seemed they were resorting to drastic measures. Wormholes appeared in the far distance as some kind of strange beast fell from them, as a tidal wave suddenly began to form and their protective shielding vanished. Celeste listened to Orion Lykos 's words to attempt to redirect the wave and immediately came up with a plan of her own.

Whistling loudly to grab her pokemon's attention, Celeste quickly ran out into the water, only to be caught on the tail end of her Wishiwashi's school that had come back for her. Climbing on top, she motioned for the northern boat and they immediately began to set off with her Dhelmise shortly behind, and the massive Wailord beginning to breach by her side.

Celeste was quick with her orders, intent to waste no time against the massive wave. "Kelporeal, wrap around Tiny and the boat. Tiny, pull us through." Of course, the Wailord was hesitant to be wrapped around by its natural predator but right now they were fighting for all their lives. The Dhelmise's kelp chain was quick to wrap around Tiny, only to suddenly wrap around the boat as well. "Hang on!" Celeste would yell up to the northern boat from its side atop her Wishiwashi, who began to use AQUA RING to protect itself from the worst of the damage if possible. Jasper's still on her shoulder instinctively used LIGHT SCREEN once again to help lessen the blow, should it come to that.

With the kelp chain in place, Dhelmise's anchor sat firmly on the boat itself near Olivia Abbiati and skyler dross . Tiny let out another loud roar, charging forwards with a PROTECT up and ready to push through the waves and anyone who dared to harm them. "Come on big guy..." Celeste said with a slight frown spreading across her lips, gripping tightly onto Leviathan's school as best as she could. "Get them through, you can do it."



Notes:
Celeste is taken to the northern boat via her Wishiwashi's School.
Dhelmise forgoes using a move, to wrap some of its hundreds of yards kelp chain around the boat and the Wailord.
Wailord uses Protect, pulling the boat through.
Wishiwashi uses Aqua Ring to protect and heal.
Espurr uses Light Screen to protect atop Celeste's shoulder.

[attr="class","merkI"]Celeste wasn't rich, far from it. Spending her money wasn't something that happened often, typically only when she had something she truly needed. And yet, even she could see the war on the horizon. People were going to die, people already had died, and there would be no world to enjoy after the war if everything else fell apart while she was too greedy.

She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes as she looked at the donations. There weren't many there yet... Almost nothing at all. Feeling that guilt slowly starting to tear at her cold heart, she finally sighed and gently dropped in a few coins. Maybe it would benefit somebody she actually cared about as compared to some random stranger. Regardless, at  least it would benefit somebody in Hoenn, as compared to those other-worlders who think they had the rights to their home. 

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Celeste was no stranger to sudden noises and surprises amongst Sea Mauville. It was a wildlife habitat, after all. Pokemon of all kinds made this giant ship their home. Not to mention, Ghost pokemon were often quite mischievous after all. They seemed to enjoy the occasional teasing once they warmed up to you. However, this sound was unlike anything she had heard before here. Human, paired with the crash of steel.

Slowly, Celeste's eyes opened up. There was a flashlight rolling across the room, its light shining up against a wall now. Someone was here, someone had been listening. Stopping her singing for a brief moment, she simply began to hum the rest of the remaining verses in quite a melodic tone as she slowly walked across the floor. Her careful movements as light as ever as she evaded any weak spots in the floor, her footsteps almost inaudible.

Finally standing against the edge of the hole, Celeste slowly leaned over just enough to glance downwards to see what had befallen her surprise visitor. A sudden crack of thunder paired with lightning shook the boat, the lightning illuminating the hallway she was standing in. From below, her silhouette would be illuminated, revealing a figure standing above and looking down below. Her hair perfectly framing her face, kept back with a simple hairband.

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This was it. This was how she was going to die. She saw the darkness forming along Lugia's jaw and knew there was no consoling the corruption. Its gentle soul was held captive, trapped within this twisted flesh and mind. And yet, if this was how her god wanted to end her life she would have accepted it. Spread her arms wide and allowed it to take her, stare death right in the face.

And yet, death did not come.

One word from Gavin and it stopped. Her life was spared, and a small part of her didn't know whether to be thankful or upset over the matter. Regardless, she stared unblinking as the corrupt Lugia vanished back into the Beast Ball, the only thing granting Gavin control over such a powerful being. Only after it was gone did Celeste let out a shaky breath she didn't know she had been holding on to.

Her legs were shaky, practically barely able to stand. With that in mind, Celeste silently moved to grab her parasol once more from the floor. As soon as it was within her hands again she leaned on it rather obviously heavy despite her best attempts to somehow appear to be put together, despite her flustered state.
Celeste glanced over at him, silent for a few seconds before eventually speaking. "Thank you." However, she didn't clarify what she was thanking for. She purposefully kept it ambiguous, there was no reason to allow others to feel she was indebted to them. Let Gavin think what he wants of it, but she did not  want him to feel like his time was wasted, of course.

"I must admit," She continued, her voice a tad bit shaky despite her hardest efforts. "It was not what I was wanting, no. However, it was the attempt that counts." They were meddling in the affairs of gods... One day, when Lugia is free, she hopes that she will be remembered favorably. It was inevitable, she was sure of it. However, to act now would only cause more suffering. Despite the obviously untrusting eyes towards the beast ball, that same distrust was never shown directly towards Gavin. He had proven himself in her eyes.

After realizing she had been awkwardly silent for a few moments more, she began to speak again. "You must understand, I-" And that was when her balance suddenly gave out on her. It wasn't a good day for her health in general, but everything combined was too much. Her parasol slipped against the ground as she began to tumble forwards.