Oscar could not possibly notice Theo approach, but his dragapult easily spotted the underboss making a move on its master. It did not wish to intervene though, it had long learned that the quarrels between humans needed to be resolved by themselves. If Oscar's life came under threat it would step in, otherwise it simply sought to observe. It sent a leer toward Theo's Salamence, sending a very distinct message: I won't interfere if you don't.

The sudden pressure against his body shocked Oscar, gasping as his upper body was pushed over the rail. If he was not already grasping the railing with a vice grip, he would have surely fell over the edge. Oscar grit his teeth as he pushed back, attempting to free himself from Theo's body. However, Theo was a good deal stronger than Oscar and would not easily budge. Desperate to disengage, Oscar cried out as he whipped his head backward to deliver a reverse headbutt upon his assailant.

With distance created between them, Oscar swirled around. His hands remain latched onto the railing, ready to push him forward if Theo charged again. Oscar glared at his would-be murderer, his head ringing from the impact of his retaliation.

"Is this the gratitude of Theo Beckett?"

THEO BECKETT

Oscar found himself drawn to the city's edges, where a great wall offered Mauville its protection. It would have been impressive, if it had not been created virtually. Oscar tilted his head as he examined it, curious on how effective it would be against a fully assault. Yet he could not help but notice how terribly quiet it suddenly was, which slowly began to eat away at him.

"Where the fuck is everyone?"

Oscar would not be alone for long, as the walls would quickly explode open as a legendary musketeer and its rider would kick start an invasion. Oscar threw up his hands as steel and energy went in every direction, opening the wall wide for an army of heatran. Oscar scoffed as he lowered his arms. "That wall wasn't worth a damn. Probably wasn't made of melted down pokemon, amateurs." Had he known that he was insulting the craftsmanship of a virtual Aurelie Lefevre, Oscar would have felt incredibly bad. Luckily, ignorance is bliss.

As the charging horseman got closer, Oscar would recognize its rider as Josh Devlin. It was an amusing sight, though not one Oscar could appreciate for long. He had to take out Josh quickly, otherwise Oscar will lose track of the invading heatran. He pointed toward the encroaching foe. "Genesect, analyze and dispatch."

Genesect scanned the charging enemy, using its Analytic software to locate the best place to strike (its left side next to its legs, if you're curious). As the enemy came closer and closer, Genesect would begin charging its cannon. Josh was quickly approaching: fifty yards, forty yards, thirty, twenty...

Genesect had taken a moment to put some extra effort into its strike, diverting physical resources to enhance his Techno Blast's Steel typing (Steel Worker). Right as it began to become nearly too late, Genesect would unleash a dazzling silver beam to hopefully cut down the Terrakion and its master.

tl;dr
--Genesect used a steel type Techno Blast enhanced by its Steel Worker ability to stop the charging Terrakion in its tracks, hoping that its Analytic examination of the target will assist with its aim.

FP Count
+10 for referencing another character.
+10 for referencing MAUVILLE'S WALLS.
+10 for recognizing the character and tagging them in your post.

priam conrad SPIRAL

Oscar's dragapult burst out of the dark space between realms, skidding to a stop on top of the cycling road. It let go of Theo and his Salamence, floating idly as its master sat rigidly upon its back. Oscar's body shook with barely contained fury, his adrenaline still spiking from the chase. He tried his best to keep his eyes down, to not witness the escape of his target. Yet he could not help himself. Oscar looked to the sky, his red eyes twitching as it watched Zapdos's flight.

Zapdos had discarded its shell of energy, leaving behind an aura of its relative shape hanging in the sky. It looked down only once, its keen eyesight resting upon its betrayers in the distance. This fight had brought Zapdos so very close to death, yet it shall never happen again. It looked forward, pushing these pitiful humans out of its mind as it flew into the storm clouds above. The storm welcomed its king with open arms, thunder roaring as Zapdos disappeared into its protective embrace.

Rain began to fall, and although Oscar would lose sight of Zapdos he could not help but continue staring upward. He slid off of his dragapult, slowly walking to the edge of the cycling road and placing his hands upon the road's railing. He did not flinch at the drops of water that fell upon his face, the chill of their touch was nothing compared to the fire that burned within him. He finally looked down, squeezing the railing as hard as he could. His body continued to shake, the sound of his breathing increasing as it became more difficult to restrain his anger.

He had failed.

THEO BECKETT

Oscar blinked, suddenly appearing somewhere within the sub. He could not precisely tell where, but it seemed vaguely familiar. Priam was back, and Razz was gone. Oscar's anger was unresolved, leaving him feeling a mix of disappointment and dread. Yet surely his spirits would rise again simply by being close to Priam. It was always better when Priam was around.

Yet Oscar could not shake the feeling of dread within him. No, not dread. Anxiety? It was an intense nausea, like getting off a rollercoaster right after eating a cheeseburger. Oscar looked to Priam, which somehow only made the rumbling discomfort in his stomach worse.

Every time he tried to say something, Oscar would dry heave as his body tried not to throw up. Yet he knew he could not hold back the tide for long, looking in every direction for a trashcan. There were none in sight, and as his eyes kept landing on Priam Oscar would find himself unable to control whatever was fighting its way out.

Oscar opened his mouth, "vomiting" a swarm of small vilvillions that began fluttering across the room. Oscar's expulsion lasted several prolonged seconds, until finally he felt emptied out. He coughed a few times, briefly watching as the beautiful insects glided in every direction. Oscar then looked to Priam, chuckling nervously as if this was a minor incursion.

"Sorry, I guess I was nervous."

priam conrad

Oscar's speech did little to soothe Howard's fury, his attempts at comfort being outright rejected. Oscar stood as he was shaken off, staggering back as Howard doubled down within his despair. If he was being honest, Oscar had seen this coming--and yet it still hurt. Oscar stared at the hand he had placed on Howard, blood spread across his gloved palm. He clenched his hand into a fist, spreading the blood to his fingers. How did he keep making the same mistake over and over again?

Kindness had no place within this cruel world, and being reminded of this fact yet again pushed Oscar forward. All that mattered was locating what value this tomb held, something beyond the horrible truths that broke a man like Howard Slayte.

Oscar simply nodded, following Howard as he ventured deeper into the ruins. Despite the uncertainty of his mental state, Oscar would not leave Howard to wander alone.

howard slayte

Oscar grew increasingly concerned for Howard as he appeared to have a mental breakdown. His hand slowly slipped from Howard's back, useless as the man raved about a devastating revelation. There was a craftsman, some sort of higher power that granted the golems their life. Oscar understood Howard's rage; he had based his entire belief system on the idea that humanity had managed to create something as powerful as the golems on their own. Howard's passion on the subject had infected Oscar, who truly wanted to be able to combat humanity's threats without the assistance of gods. He should have known it was too good to be true.

Yet Howard took this development very poorly, and Oscar could only watch as his friend's pain grew louder and more unhinged. The scientist felt nothing but pity for Howard, betrayed by knowledge hiding just beneath the surface all these years. Oscar would draw the line at the end of Howard's rant though, furrowing his brows as he resolved to correct his colleague.

"Fuck that." His statement was assertive, perhaps even confident in its tone. "It wasn't for nothing. Using the tool of a god does not invalidate your efforts thus far. Don't let them take that away from you."

Oscar pressed a hand into Howard's shoulder, his grasp gentle yet firm. "Eternatus is still out there, the golems could not slay it alone. They needed humans to command them just as much as the humans needed them to fight back. You are the heir to that legacy, of humanity continuing to fight no matter the cost."

Oscar knelt to be level with the disheveled Howard, unsure if his words were making a difference but too far in to stop now. "And just because the ancients failed to do so, doesn't mean we need to be saved by divine intervention to win. I've watched Eternatus die in another timeline, and you know what killed it? A weapon forged by human hands. No gods, no legends, just the neverending drive of human ingenuity. We can still forge our victory, succeed where they failed."

Oscar's hand let go of Howard, turning into a fist that he gently pressed into the archeologist's shoulder blade. "But we'll never achieve that if we give up. That's how Eternatus wins."

howard slayte

Oscar looked on, pondering on nothing more than what the hand represented. Oscar did not spare a second on the miracle of his own survival, as far as he knew it was chance. He simply does everything he can to continue living, and if he is successful then his choices were sound. If Howard knew how little Oscar cared about the bodies left in his wake, would he still respect him? Would he become revolted, as he was with the rest of Rocket? Hopefully Oscar never has to find out.

Oscar thought out loud as Howard examined the braille inscriptions. "I have witnessed two legendary pokemon take on the form of a hand--Eternatus and Arceus. Perhaps the image represents them." The hand did not look right though. Eternatus and Arceus appeared more like claws, this hand seemed almost normal. What did it mean?

Suddenly Howard cried out, slamming his fists against the wall while shouting. Oscar hesitated, shocked by the outburst. Eventually the distress of his friend became too much to simply ignore, pressing a hand against Howard's burnt back in an attempt to provide some form of comfort. "What's wrong? What does it say?"


Babayaga had been trailing his master, and he would be the one to notice the arrival of another. Babayaga did not know if they were friend or foe, but as he set his eyes upon the Decidueye that had saved him earlier, Baba would send a resolute nod. It would be an immense honor to fight such a warrior, but he hoped it would not come to that.

howard slayte lam logan

Oscar saw a lot of himself within the people of the past. They turned toward powers beyond their control, desperate to stop a threat that could crush them like the mites they were. Genesect seemed like a reflection of their efforts, although the golems seemed--purer. Instead of forcing nature to bend to their will, they worked with nature to create something more from what they already had. It was admirable in a way.

Yet such wholesome methods had no place in their day and age. The technology they had available today allowed for even greater feats of creation, to not utilize them would be foolish. Oscar kept these musings to himself though, this was Howard's moment and he did not wish to sully it with his conflicting world view. At the prospect of catching Registeel, Oscar eagerly nodded. Another golem would be a welcome addition to Howard's arsenal, and thus Rocket's.

"It is trying to hide itself so it can recover, it does not care what it reveals during its efforts to flee. We cannot let it rest." Oscar stepped toward one of the corridors. "And thus we cannot rest in return. Let's keep moving. There has to be a way to get further down."

howard slayte

Oscar held back a wince as Howard took to his shoulder. Thanks to the molten Sygna Suit, he was a bit heavier then expected. Nevertheless Oscar shared the load faithfully, letting Howard dictate their direction while simply helping him along. They passed by the identified grunt and continued deeper into the ruins, stopping at a mural Howard seemed to resonate with.

As Howard stepped away, Oscar looked up at the mural with disguised detachment. He was never proud of it, but his interest in history mostly stemmed from its possible monetary value. Even so, Howard's passion was infectious. Oscar could not help but smile a bit as he recognized that this was indeed humanity's history, witnessed for the first time in a millennia.

Oscar looked down the dark corridors that surrounded them. He thought about the humans that possibly walked these halls, and the amazing feats they accomplished despite their lack of modern technology. It ignited Oscar's curiosity.

"Hey, tell me about how the golems were made. You've mentioned it before but I've yet to hear the whole story."

howard slayte

The Hurricane disoriented Zapdos long enough for the vines of the Frenzy Plant to fully wrap around its body, rending it completely immobile. Zapdos screeched as the vines dug into its flesh and the harsh winds ripped at its beautiful feathers. For the first time in perhaps centuries, the great bird was starting to fear for its life. It had never imagined that it could be dragged into such a position but lesser beings--yet here it was on the brink of defeat.

...No...No no this was not how it ends.

It would rather tear the sky asunder then let such base creatures bring about its demise! Zapdos began to glow, Infinity Energy crackling across its restrained body. The air around it would begin to heat up, ionized by Zapdos gathering all of its remaining power. Oscar was still approaching their position, but even he could feel Zapdos's strength from more than twenty feet away. This was not good.

Oscar tapped his Dragapult's head, and it would speed up in an attempt to reach the battle sooner. Yet as the air around them grew thinner, Oscar began to panic. "Fire at will, don't let it finish whatever it's doing!" Dragapult fired off more Dragon Darts toward Zapdos, but the poor things evaporated before they could even get half way. Oscar suddenly felt the pressure mounting: To kill Zapdos--to keep Theo safe--to serve Rocket. Zapdos's body became enveloped by energy, ripping away its restraints by simply flexing its wings. Fueled by rage and hatred, the great bird cried out as it launched itself at a staggering speed toward its enemies, a majestic silhouette of power enlarging and extending its wings into an unavoidable size (Sky Attack).

There, as Oscar came up upon Theo, he made a snap decision. "Grab him and bolt!" Dragapult followed orders, wrapping itself around Theo and attempting to Phantom Force away to safety.

THEO BECKETT

Oscar fell back as Howard began to scream. The scientist froze, rigidly staring as someone he had never seen struggle unleashed every bit of pain he felt in a timbre thought to be unattainable by human lungs. Oscar found himself--ill-equipped to handle such a agonized vocalization, and simply remained fearfully frozen until Howard's scream died down.

As Howard spoke and sat up, Oscar would finally breathe with relief. He chuckled as his stress left his body, "We don't have time to die. Still got shit to do." Oscar looked back as Howard pointed out Shred, who had managed to sneak up behind Oscar without him noticing. Shred looked--pretty normal. I mean he looked like shit but he usually looked like shit because of the--you know, full body burns. Point is, Oscar was relieved that he too was alright.

Howard had gotten up and was seemingly set on exploring the ruins within the pit. Normally Oscar would object since Howard looked about ready to die, but he knew that they would not get another chance to explore the ruins in such a 'fresh' state. His own greed further spurned on his desire to delve into the unknown, picking up as many of his discarded gems as he could before following Howard. He offered his help to both of his human companions, should they desire it. "My shoulders are available to lean on if you need the support. Just try not to lean onto my neck, the burn is still tender."

There was already someone within the ruins by the time they approached the apparent entry, someone Oscar did not recognize. He would let the more knowledgeable Howard and Shred pass judgement first before making any moves against them though. Babayaga followed behind the humans, none too pleased to be pressing forward despite everything that had just occurred. Could they not rest for even a moment?

howard slayte Shred lam logan onyx straub

Oscar did not need to answer Lulu's confirmation for readiness, he was born ready for this moment. To witness the physical manifestation of a dream was a privilege he would value forever. His body shook as the mist manifested images right before his very eyes. When the scene solidified, Oscar could not help but stare in complete awe.

He watched the machines grow more and more complex, eventually becoming incomprehensible to his regrettably contemporary mind. The cobalion, however, could not keep up with such staggering progress. It became older and older, withering away until it turned into nothing but ashes. The scene paused as the noble pokemon's remains settled onto the ground.

Suddenly, the ashes shifted as an iron hoof burst out from within. An Iron Crown pulled itself from the dust pile, as if digging its way out of a grave. As its full form was revealed, the Iron Crown let out a triumphant roar before turning and running back toward Oscar and Lulu. Oscar was almost too entranced to find the meaning in such a display, though luckily for him the symbolism was rather obvious.

"Perhaps..." He said quietly as he collected his thoughts. "...in the future, maybe we will have to find a way to adapt in a world without legendary pokemon. Would we let things be as nature dictates--or will we make our own?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar was enthralled by Wright, believing him to be just what he needed to solve this conundrum. He even believed him to be a bit of a genius--until he introduced Oscar to the 'Gerald Method'. Oscar's enthusiastic face slowly turned neutral as Dr. Wright had a mental breakdown right in front of him, yelling at what seemed to be an ordinary rubber duck.

Oh well, all great minds were a little loony. The man had some good ideas, so Oscar would not write him off just yet. Or should I say, Wright him off!? HAHAHAAA HA HA HA HA

HA HA HA

HA...heh.

Oscar feigned a smile as Wright returned to the realms of coherency, "For sure a ray in the future. Right now though Wright, I wanna focus on the portable extractor to power our existing war machines. I like your idea about a lighter metal, though the smelted steel pokemon I've been employing have proven to be about as light as metal can get."

Oscar tapped his cheek as he pondered his options. "Would you happen to know the lightest steel type off the top of your head?"

Yuan Wright