Oscar was startled by the popping cork, flinching as it flew across the room. As Lulu handed him a brimming glass, Oscar would eye it quizzically. He did not know what exactly they were celebrating, but whatever put a smile on Lulu's face made him happy too. Oscar accepted the glass. His face shifted into a smile, and he gladly tapped Lulu's glass as she lifted it. "Fuck yeah, cheers."

He took a small sip before turning his attention back to the machine. His enthusiasm began to steadily build, fueled by his curiosity at what Lulu had meant. He had not given the paradox pokemon much thought, which in retrospect was foolish. They were as mysterious as any legendary pokemon or natural energy--and if Lulu had the key to their secrets Oscar was more than happy to take a peek.

"Now tell me everything. Spare not a single detail, what do you have planned for us tonight?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar's efforts proved partially successful, with at least one of the nihilego turning against the fiery monster. Oscar concentrated as hard as he could, attempting to get the other to act as well. Regardless of his failure to do so, the mask would end up getting ripped off. As the heat died down, Oscar extracted his chains. He found himself suffering a small daze, wobbling to-and-fro as the room started spinning. No doubt a side effect of further using his powers.

It would be because of this daze that the floor's caving in would be a surprise to Oscar. He felt Theo's chain rip itself out of him, sending a bolt of pain across Oscar's body. This pain would end up becoming a blessing, as it brought him back to his senses so that he may act. Heedless of the consequences, Oscar sent his chains toward three nearby random prisoners. As they latched onto them, Oscar would pull the trio toward him and begin exerting his will. The three obeyed his whim, and clung onto each other to form a bracing buffer to cushion Oscar's fall.

The three would hit the ground first, with Oscar quickly landing onto of them. Oscar was shocked that his maneuver worked, sliding off the miniature dog pile and wobbling off to the side. As his chains returned to him, Oscar would examine the three prisoners to make sure he had not just used their corpses to break his fall. The three seemed alright, though multiple limbs seemed to be bent in an unnatural fashion. Oh well, they probably did not even have names.

Oscar trotted after Navy and the one known as Baki. Trotted might have been a generous term, as he more so limped with extraordinary tenacity. His various ailments were taking his toll, with that last little stunt truly kick-starting his fatigue. As he caught up Oscar would look around without focus. There was too much happening, though his gaze would end up fixating on the floating body of his unique Genesect: Prime. It was trapped in one of these tanks, with toxic chains wrapped around its body. Oscar felt a sense of dread, suddenly imagining having to fight his most faithful companion one on one. That would not go well...

Luckily other forces were at play, and Oscar's attention would be drawn to the mangled Azelf. Despite its current state, the Azelf would unleash a wave of power that would free everyone from their chains. As Oscar felt his chains disappear, he would sigh heavily with hoarse relief. He ripped off his mask, exposing his sweaty face to the cool air of the room. Finally, a respite from his torment.

He could not indulge for long, as the tanks would start rapidly depositing pokemon. As he saw Prime get regurgitated by its tank, Oscar's first instinct was to run and embrace his cyborg comrade. Yet he hesitated, Navy's voice keeping him planted like a tree. Oscar suddenly became very aware of his recent actions, particularly the acceptance of aid from THEO BECKETT. Had Navy noticed? Would he notice Oscar embracing a Genesect? How many others would notice? He still had a front to upkeep, damn these mundane complications!

Oscar looked toward Navy's Urshifu as it approached, followed by a discolored Urshifu shooting a death glare toward its counterpart. It was Abner, Oscar's own Urshifu. He too took the liberty of gathering his master's equipment upon being released, resisting his genetic desire to beat down any other Urshifu within the vicinity, notably Navy's. Oscar noticed that his other pokemon were following Abner's lead, each of them looking overjoyed to find their master. None were happier than Prime...

Oscar thought quickly, "Uh Abner, gather the troops. We can do a reunion later." Abner furrowed his brow, had he not played the servant enough today? Fine, as his master commanded Abner began withdrawing Oscar's other pokemon into their balls. Oscar stood to the side of the broad Abner, trying to block Navy's view to perhaps keep him from noticing Oscar's Genesect being withdrawn. "Can't let them see their master like this. They might think I lost my edge." Oscar chuckled nervously, trying to keep attention on himself while Abner finished up.

The grumpy Urshifu pushed Oscar's ball belt toward him, and Oscar would frantically click it on. The bear warrior then pushed his other hand toward Oscar, a shining ring resting within his palm. It was Oscar's Mega Accessory, which he gladly slid onto his left ring finger. "My hand is complete again." Oscar kissed his ring, happy to see its glimmering visage back where it belonged. Oscar suddenly noticed the loud banging that was rapidly approaching from above, as well as his fellow trainers preparing for a huge fight. Oscar would lift his ring, which flashed as it activated its keystone. Abner was suddenly surrounded by pink energy, which quickly burst to reveal that his black and white coat had been replaced with red and white. The mega-Urshifu roared, slamming his fists together as he awaited his oncoming foe.

Oscar looked to Navy, shooting him a thumbs up and a smile. "I've got your back."

v2avKoUz

tl;dr
--Oscar uses his chain power one last time to force three randos to cushion his fall.
--Oscar hesitates to celebrate their freedom, realizing that he will have to be careful about how he handles his Genesect if he wants to maintain his cover.
--Oscar has his Urshifu withdraw all of his pokemon for him, hoping to distract Navy from noticing his Genesect.
--Oscar stays by Navy and Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki, Mega Evolving his Urshifu as the mysterious threat approaches.

As Oscar made it to the lift he found himself struggling to maintain his balance. Using his strange new ability seemed to drain him greatly, if not for THEO BECKETT's empowering chains who knows if he would even still be alive. Everyone else seemed more or less alright, so maybe things were not so bad for him either. As the platform moved Navy would introduce Oscar to Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki. Oscar stammered as the stranger insisted upon a shorter name, "Uh ye-yeah, pleasure and all that." No one said he would have to socialize today.

This Baki would end up expressing gratitude, and declaring her protection should Oscar ever require it. Oscar was taken aback, not sure how to react to this gesture. Perhaps it would prove useful in the future, though that would require making it out of here alive. Nevertheless he was expressed his thanks plainly, "Thanks, it was no problem really." It was actually a huge problem but she did not need to know that.

They arrived at their destination, and were greeted by an incredible heat. Oscar gasped as his body buckled under the intensity, nearly doubling over. He regained his senses fast enough to see Navy and his allies pushing forward. Oscar was glad that he did not need to prop up Navy any longer, but it made it much harder to keep up with him.

Oscar staggered after the cowboy and his posse, clocking howard slayte among them. Oscar probably would have tried to greet him if not for the imminent danger. The source of the heat was a bizarre creature flanked by two twisted nihilego. It wore the visage of a familiar mask, one of the three that the megalopolans had been building during this whole endeavor. If this was the power of one mask, Oscar could only shudder to think what the others entailed.

His first instinct was to run, but alas his sense of duty pushed him forward. Navy would end up asking for his assistance, but just like him Oscar was not sure what he could do. He felt Theo's chain tighten, he could not go much further without losing it entirely. Yet without its power, his ability could not overpower the toxins of the chain. Then he shall make his stand here, he decided.

The three monsters were being battered by every side, but this would not stop Oscar from trying to do his part. After all, these were very durable creatures. Surely they would not be so easily killed by such simple volleys. Oscar extended his own chains toward the trio, hoping to latch onto them and exert his will. Theo's chain flexed from within, filling Oscar with that familiar euphoric strength.

He exerted his will upon the trio: If they could not rip off the chains, rip the mask off of the creature!

7IchnDwg

tl;dr
--Oscar feels woozy.
--Oscar notes Baki's promise for later.
--Oscar follows Navy and his crew into the battlefield.
--Empowered by Theo's chain, Oscar uses his own power to try and exert his will upon the Nihilego and Ogrepon and command them to rip off Ogrepon's mask.··

No one came to the door. If one tried to open it themselves, they would find the door to be locked. By now, faint noises could be heard from within the lab. The grinding of metal, the lashing of chains, something resembling a bone saw slicing through meat. Whatever was going on within this lab was truly ghastly. Further lingering would allow one to overhear the mad muttering of Oscar:

"No it's too small...stop it stop it fit damn you...I need more, I need mooooore...what is that melody!?"

Eventually one should reach the conclusion that Oscar was not ready yet. Surely he would call upon Shred when it was time...

Oscar would end up working on the arm for a month. He would gradually get more casual with his work as he gained progress, but the mess he had left during the first week of the project was so immense that he kept that lab locked at all times. He had to, lest Naomi Sato discover what he had been up to this entire time. The other scientists knew to stay away, the fear of what they would find preventing them from investigating what was now unmistakably Oscar's lab.

Shred would eventually be summoned by Oscar, though they would not meet within that grotesque laboratory. Instead Oscar would bring the finished product to one of the open workshops during the slower hours of the day, presenting a polished robotic arm upon a pedestal.

It was a work of art, a metal arm with pristine chrome skin. A fusion of the technology of today and tomorrow, the very first of its kind. The stainless surface of the arm hid technology so complex that it would make any sane person wonder how it could even function in the first place, yet Oscar ensured that it would work flawlessly. Dressed in his finest suit, Oscar would proudly present his masterpiece to Shred.

"Here we are at last, what do you think? Be honest."

Shred

All tasks fall to the wayside whenever Lulu comes calling. Oscar would not dare miss a new development from his closest scientific ally, and so he dropped everything to meet up with her. As he entered the lab, Oscar would provide a vibrant wave before abruptly pausing. The machine that stood behind Lulu was what first caught his eye, it was a startling creation lined with tera crystals. The sight was nearly overwhelming, and Oscar's joy managed to choke him up.

"You--you're using the tera crystals?" He pressed a hand to his chest as he fought back giggles of jubilation. "And here I thought you were reluctant. Oh Lulu, this warms the fuck out of my heart." It was like being presented with a beautiful gift, a surprise of immeasurable value. Oscar had assumed that he would be alone in his tera crystal research, as Lulu's fear of the material seemed to outweigh her fascination. This device was a wonderful sentiment, even if it was not intended to be so.

Oscar stepped forward, wiping his eyes with one of his gloved hands. "I am so glad I cleared my schedule for this. What is it?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar was satisfied. He did not expect Howard to ever switch to Oscar's way of thinking, and as fun as to would be to debate preservation versus progress Oscar did not need that either. A simple compromise was good enough, an open door to a new opportunity. A chance to learn and discover.

Oscar nodded, smiling as he looked Howard in the eye. "Deal. Clean and easy. I'll make sure your suit is repaired by the end of the week. I should have an idea for the playdate by then." Oscar turned back toward Genesect before abruptly snapping his fingers and swinging back toward Howard. "Shit speaking of playdates I wanted to take you somewhere."

Oscar had been so fixated on the tension between him and Howard that he had nearly forgotten about an idea he had for a fun outing. A small way to bond as compatriots over a possible shared interest. "Tell me Howard, what do you know about Charjabug racing?"

howard slayte

Prime was ecstatic. To witness its fellow Genesect claim an identity of its own provided something resembling jubilation, and it would not be shy about it. Prime began to chant the same few beeps over and over, cheering on the one now known as Sam so that all would know of this momentous occasion!

Oscar eventually realized that Prime was saying the same thing over and over, looking back with a perplexed expression. He had a rudimentary understanding of the bizarre 'code' language Prime invented to communicate, only enough to understand simple words or phrases. As he translated Prime's rhythmic beeping in his head, he could not help but think that his cyborg sidekick might be suffering from some sort of software error.

Oscar looked to Lulu, "For some reason Prime seems to be fixated on the name Sam. Anything you might know about that?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar felt--odd about the chains he found within the tower. The dream had been void of their influence, yet here they thrived. It was more repulsive here, more disturbing. As if the chains had concentrated all if its corruption here in order to contain Azelf.

Oscar left feeling hopeless, but that dread would be short lived. Azelf had shared knowledge with certain prisoners, and that knowledge was relayed to everyone within the dream. It was not much to work with--but it was something. All they had to do was clear the way.

It was now or never.

Oscar woke up alongside Navy, and even though they had not communicated within the dream he knew exactly what they had to do. It was a gut instinct, an inate desire to break free from these chains. He helped Navy to their work station, and began working as usual. However, he did not have to tend to his pointless duties for long.

Like the rest of his fellow prisoners, Oscar felt the warmth of control. His longing to escape this place mixed with his longing for what he had seen through the eyes of the mask. He wanted to dominate, not submit.

Suddenly his fellow prisoners would spring into action, wielding their chains as powerful extensions of their desires. Navy was no different, summoning forth some sort of anchoring chain gun. Oscar did as he was told and stayed close to his cellmate, lifting his own chain with refreshing ease.

His body boiled with the intense desire to reclaim his freedom, and he would instinctfully cast out his chain like a long lure. His chain would split into several segments, latching onto guards that Navy's gun otherwise missed. Oscar attempted to force his will upon them, to get them to turn on their allies and attack the warden. Yet the power of their chains outweighed Oscar's will, and they simply struggled against his tethers.

That was when Oscar spotted THEO BECKETT , who had tethers of his own reaching for him. Oscar inched himself around Navy, reaching with a fully extended arm for Theo's chains. He barely managed to grasp one, and welcomed it as it dug into his skin. Theo's chain fueled Oscar further, it was euphoric rush of pure will. A fitting allegory for Oscar's desire: Dominance through Rocket.

Would the boost from Theo be enough to turn the guards against the warden?

zxrFGWfz

Tl;dr
--Oscar stays by Navy, inching close enough to Theo to accept one of his chains to empower his own ability.
Oscar's Ability: Smaller chains latch onto guards and allow Oscar to force his will upon them. In this case, Oscar wants the guards to attack the warden.

Oscar half expected them to spend the next ten minutes prepping for a fight instead of actually starting, but luckily the councilwoman had gotten impatient. Just as Mint's genesect jumped into a Magnet Rise, so too would Prime transform to hover off the ground. The cyborg would swoop down, scooping up a prepared Oscar to transport him above the roaring flames.

Floating just above their previous positions, Oscar would point toward Mint to direct Prime to float toward him. His aim was to scoop up his neon compatriot to lift him above the fire, all Mint had to do was not resist. Oscar would quip as he got near, "Need a lift?" before tucking his arms under Mint's.

What Mint was probably not expecting was what Oscar would say next. "Alright I'm gonna throw you." Before Mint could object, Oscar would use Prime's momentum to chuck Mint toward Remiel.

Remiel Calcifet, freya morningstar, mint frost
tl;dr
--Genesect used Magnet Rise.
--With Genesect's help, Oscar tries to raise Mint above the fire.
--Oscar tosses Mint at Remiel.

• player/ooc name: Hollow
• character tags: oscar clayton , August Colgan , Ambrose Hendrix
• dropped characters' tags (if applicable): N/A
• ic posts for characters: Oscar Ambrose August is exempt
• are characters in directories?: Y
• any notes/comments: So this is wild, but I just realized that I am coming up on my 4th year anniversary. 4 years writing on Hoenn! That's wild to me, especially since in the past I'd usually lose interest in a site after a few months. I guess I am just in love with the community and setting. Thanks for a great 4 years pals o/

The morning brought Oscar to his breaking point. After a frantic breakfast of Mochi, Navy was called upon by their warden. Oscar tried to help him over, but the warden had other plans. The great bird flung pheromones into Oscar's face, forcing a feeling of reverence to constrict his brain. He dropped Navy instantly, with the knowledge that it would please their glorious master leaving a warm feeling in Oscar's stomach.

That warm feeling faded as Navy was forced to play a fool in front of the entire ward. Oscar felt remorse for contributing to the man's suffering, even if it was against his will. Yet he could not express it, the collars would not allow such negativity during the 'laughing hour'. Oscar was forced to laugh, like a virus would force him to cough. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he struggled against the words and chortles that wretched from his lips. He had no control here, and he doubt he would have any control again. Except for in...

Oscar's days were numb, following the routine forced upon him so that he may sleep peacefully. He had initially written off the dream, yet its consistency became the one thing that kept Oscar from shutting down completely. At least here he had control over his thoughts and desires. There was nothing he could really do here, but just being able to think for himself was worth the day's struggles.

Oscar mostly hung out with priam conrad , who seemed concerned about that mark on his arm. Oscar had always thought it was a tattoo or something, he did not know that it had actual significance. They would visit the Ultra Tower often, looking up to try and catch a glimpse of Azelf. When he had first seen it during their first night, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. Yet multiple prisoners had claimed the same vision from within the dream, including Priam.

"There has to be a way inside." Oscar said to Priam during one night's excursion. "Maybe we can have tea with it or something." Oscar still was not convinced that this dream was real, but having something to work toward would give dreaming further purpose. He would need purpose if he was to survive.

D0OnD3K3

tl;dr
--All this despair causes Oscar to go into auto pilot.
--In the dream, Oscar hangs out with Priam.
--Oscar searches for a way to get inside of the Ultra Tower.

Oscar heard Howard out, refusing to break eye contact the entire time. Not due to any sense of common courtesy, but rather due to a fixation with Howard's eye. It was just--so fiery. A bright spark like a blazing star, a clear measure of Howard's passion. Oscar admired it, and yet at the same time found it exhausting.

It was the passion of a man that was set in his ideals, cemented in his world view so tightly that the world would need to quake to change his mind. It was the very same passion that gripped Oscar's heart when it came to progress, a classic immovable object meeting an unstoppable force. As Howard winded down, Oscar could not help but reflect on their similarities and laugh.

He leaned back, high spirits replacing his momentary bitterness. "I'm not mocking you or anything, it's just funny how similar we are. Yet, we're complete fucking opposites. We're a couple of locked magnemites, you and I." The thought of it made Oscar laugh again, because it was just too amusing! Such was the splendor of life, that he would find such an attachment to someone so infuriatingly different than himself.

Oscar managed to regain his composure and relayed a proper response. "I respect you Howard. Fuck, I'd even dare to say I like ya. In that spirit, I won't push you too hard on your convictions. Today." He gave Howard a sneer, as he expected to have his own world view pushed as well. After all, was that not the thrill of keeping around someone so fiercely different?

"Though if you don't at least try to train Regice, you're not gonna get as much utility out of it. At the very least, to understand its limitations. If it's a tool then it's a tool, but what good is a tool if it doesn't perform how you expect it to. So what I suggest..." Oscar rolled his tongue into his cheek, expecting an amusing reaction from his compatriot. "Is a play date. Let's have Genesect and Regice meet up and--exchange notes, if you will. I have a sneaking suspicion that they can find a way to communicate."

howard slayte

Oscar did not look at Navy. Maybe it was scorn, maybe it was shame, but he could not bear looking at the man. He sat himself down at the desk and sighed, "It's--no problem. Not like you asked to be--as you are. Besides, none of us deserve this." Oscar laid his head down onto the desk, chuckling at the thought that crossed his mind. "Actually, maybe some of us do." He chuckled hoarsely, thinking of all the terrible things he had done over the years.

Eh, he still did not think he deserved to be here.

Oscar heaved as he tried to find a comfortable position in this damn chair. "You have the cot of course. Get some sleep." Oscar stared forward, and would continue to stare until his toxic thought loops forced him to sleep.

Navy