|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 8:56 pm
 ZahraZahra blinked, and her expression softened a little as she realized that the Meowstic fully understood. It was still uncomfortable to have knocked the stranger from his feet, but the feeling of his soft paws at her arms hadn’t yet faded. He’d tried to catch her; a fact that she was only just beginning to process. ”Yeah; nothing worse than a couple bruises, I think,” she answered appreciatively, offering him a sheepish smile. ”Thank you for catching me,” she added, her dark eyes soft as she gave him a second look.
He was fairly handsome for his species, if not traditionally masculine. Under better circumstances, she might have tried flirting with him. Right now she just felt a bit like an ungainly fledgling, and he was nothing but a perfect gentleman about the whole thing. Embarrassing was an understatement.
She caught the equally embarrassed apology from the Ditto and felt a stab of sympathy. She might have been a little angrier if he hadn’t just leaped to help them, or if it was in any way intentional, but mostly it was just embarrassing to have been caught off-guard at all. Swallowing her pride, she dipped her head the way she’d seen her captain do several times. It was supposed to show acceptance or respect, but really Zahra didn’t trust herself to come up with a response that wouldn’t just admit that she was feeling a little off-balance. She was annoyed and embarrassed, but it wasn’t really fair to the Ditto to take it out on him for what was essentially an accident.
He seemed un phased by the silent gesture, at the very least, and eagerly jumped back into his conversation with the Audino. She was apparently fairly confused about the subject, in spite of or perhaps because of the Ditto’s enthusiasm. Zahra didn’t get a chance to hear the Ditto’s explanation before the Gardevoir interrupted from across the room.
And then he stepped back into the doorway, sound entirely too nonchalant as he regarded the Ditto. He wasn’t talking about him as you’d expect to talk about another person, but rather about the qualities of his species- as if the Ditto wasn’t in the room to start with. Rather than his movements, that was Zahra’s warning that something wasn’t quite right.
The Meowstic tightly gripped her arm, pulling her back a step and further from the Ditto’s reach, and Zahra’s eyes widened in horror as she caught the flash of metal. ”Look out!” she screeched, her soft and feminine voice now shrill with panic.
The Ditto, apparently, was more than capable of defending himself, but it didn’t stop her stomach from tying itself into knots at the thought of how badly that could’ve ended. The knife froze in mid-air before the Ditto’s stomach, about where chest-height would have been as a Meowstic. He’d shifted to mimic the Gardevoir himself.
Zahra didn’t step out of the Meowstic’s iron-tight grip, and she couldn’t tell if she was shaking from shock or anger. Her stomach felt like lead. She just gaped, bristling indignantly at the idea of someone just idly throwing knives at someone to prove a point.
She wanted to fight him, honestly. She wanted to fly at him with sharp talons and lungs full of fire. But he was also a fully-evolved Gardevoir, and this was a far cry from a guild mission. Fighting him now wouldn’t prove anything- it would probably just cause trouble for her captain and it would put the rest of the room’s occupants at risk. They couldn’t fly off the balcony and expect to escape safely. There wasn’t even a guarantee that she could match him blow for blow; not with how physically fragile Togetic were.
She spared a sharp glance for the Meowstic beside her, eyes full of concern as his protective hold lingered. The Ditto, of course, seemed to miss how overtly concerning that exchange was for everyone else in the room. He was now streaming with questions and endless curiousity, much like he had for the Audino. It wasn’t as endearing when all Zahra wanted to do was sweep him under her wing and keep him away from the knife-wielding psychic across the room. ”Are you okay?” she called out worriedly, trying to swallow her frustration. She’d never felt less like a warrior until she’d come to the Guild.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 6:56 pm
Venari
Ty
The fact that Air caught the knife was utterly irrelevant; it was shocking, but not nearly as much so as the fact that a knife had been thrown. None of what Salem had said prior mattered at all. Throwing knives at people was something you did to kill them, this wasn't a matter as simple as just a prank or not following the rules. The reality that Air was fine, even jovial at the attack, and speaking freely didn't matter in the slightest. The strange, condescending and antagonistic Gardevoir had actually attempted to kill a complete stranger for no reason at all and you would have had to be out of your mind to expect anything other than what Ty did.
Once his mind actually caught up to what had happened his training and instincts together took him into a full dash in an instant, closing the gap in a speed unexpected for his size. A full twist of his body spun him around on the ball of his foot while his other foot struck against Salem's leg with surprising force, toppling him. "What the HELL is your problem!?" "Problem" didn't even begin to describe it. Stabbing someone unprovoked and without reason was beyond insane. "Why the hell did you throw a knife at him!?" Ty's heart was pounding in his chest in response to having seen something so gross and unfathomable. If the knife had actually pierced flesh, if the person had dropped dead in front of him, he probably wouldn't have been able to act at all. It would've been too much for Ty, who thought not terribly naive was not yet experienced with the world. To be ready for what lay out there didn't mean to have experienced of it and the shock would have been too much.
But the knife didn't pierce flesh, which was the same reason that Ty stopped after simply destroying Salem's balance. From the position he had been forced into, whether he fell or not, he was incapable of mounting a fair assault against anyone and any moves to do so would be met with further, greater force. If there had actually been a death, Ty might have attempted to knock him out then and there instead of something so simple.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waifu Trashu Vice Captain
|
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:18 pm
Viann screwed his eyes shut as the knife drew close, but was at surprising ease when the psychic currents shifted and his pink eyes opened with a sigh. The anticipation of someone dying was frightening, and, it was, at least for him considerably more stressful than the damage that would often without a doubt follow. That was easy to react to. You ran, you avoided confrontation... you lived. He would have hurried off the girls in a heartbeat had there truly been a threat but there was no malicious intent in the air, as if the 'attacker' had been playing off an act.
His expression twisted slightly, as if unsure of his next course of action before his body shook slightly due to his riled peer. Viann blinked, his awareness returning as he released Zahra's arm and turned toward Paper, who'd been silently standing behind Air at the time, motionless. She actually didn't see what happened from where she stood, but it was 'really bad' judging by... everyone's reactions sans the now united two Gardevoir. She appeared more dumbfounded than scared.
What... happened? Her friend took off suddenly for a new source of entertainment and everyone else was panicking or angry.
There was nothing but conflict.
Paper turned toward her Meowstic teammate, rubbing her arm as she walked over to the duo and he attempted to soothe the flying type with quiet "It's alright" and "No one's hurt" ... She only had one question on her mind: "Should... we leave?"
Salem's only response to the sudden transformation was a hushed, awed gasp, clapping his hands together in a very short lived applause. "My, you're quick! I actually expected it to go through you... or get stuck in you?" He smiled as Air looked his slim figure over, lowering his hands as he stared back at his now approaching, enthused counterpart. Air's stress--or surprise, didn't seem to last long. He wondered momentarily if Air actually stopped the knife on such short notice knowing Paper were behind him, and that that wasn't a risk worth taking... but maybe he didn't? It was as though the world around him no longer existed. What a strange soul.
"Ah, I used to." was the extent of his reply. If he weren't confident he'd hit his mark, he wouldn't have bothered. He aimed high, enough so that Paper wouldn't have been a risk... but then he would have lost it over the edge if Air didn't respond. He accepted the knife silently as his clone began to speak, giving it an inquisitive glance before returning it to it's rightful place in the inner pocket of his coat.
His following question earned the Gardevoir's attention again, and for a moment Salem beamed, stepping away from the doorway to rise his arms. "Do you like it? It's actually common where I'm from. It's often a show of notability." No, it was fairly normal. Even the quadrupeds had some form of black colored wear- it was just the place they lived.
"But no, you look fine!" His arms lowered a moment, stepping forward to gently rest his hand on his counterpart's cheek, his smile widening ever so slightly. "I was often told I had a pretty face." he added quietly, carefully drawing his fingers down Air's cheek before his icy blue eyes suddenly widened shock, and the Gardevoir's figure stumbled back and onto the tower floor. He would have caught himself if his immediate reflex wasn't sacrificing an arm to keep his hat in place.
He laid there on his back for a moment, staring dumbfounded above him before silently reaching into his pocket as Ty rambled on, and raising the knife toward the Pancham. "You would have just gotten yourself killed doing that instead of fleeing- and what for? What if I were an attacker?" He sighed dropping the knife on the floor in what could have been an admission of surrender. "But I'm not. Actually, your drive is commendable. You must have had good teachers." The Gardevoir smiled again sitting upright and rubbing the back of his head... why were all these kids here again? Paper merely sighed. It was enough for one day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 9:48 am
Air Air couldn't keep the smile off his face after seeing the Gardevoir's response to his efforts. The Ditto, while used to commentary on his incredibly foreign nature, rarely had so bright and accepting a response. Most people were frightened or off-put or critical when he assumed their form, but this Psychic was different--he took it in stride and seemed to understand, to appreciate Air's transformation for the skill and finesse involved in reacting to a split-second situation as he had. It was nice to feel like someone understood him, especially before he'd had to go through any complicated explanation on that individual's behalf. This Gardevoir really was different from the others.
"Hm?" Air blinked, considering his original's comment as the Gardevoir took the knife back. "Oh, it would have stuck," he said, nodding as he watched the blade vanish into the Psychic's coat. "Something that sharp would go right in--it'd probably hurt for a second until I could reshape my body around it or pull it out." But it wouldn't do any lasting harm. Every organ, every vital point a weapon could strike was only borrowed with the form he took--they functioned when he had them, but they were entirely unnecessary: that said, it didn't change the fact that things could hurt when his body was solid, but pain was little more than a fleeting concept to a Ditto. After he spoke, Air turned to glance back at the group he'd left behind as an afterthought, his ears rising in response to the wavering question that escaped the well-meaning Togetic's lips behind him. "Oh, I'm just fine!" he replied, with a smile and a jovial wave to dismiss her worry. "I really am sorry about before though. You two are both okay, right?" He peered across at them uncertainly, face clouding with a hint of worry. "I'll be more careful not to get carried away with my Psychic from now on."
He might have carried on, but his original took that moment to respond to his own question, and Air turned back to the Gardevoir immediately. He didn't expect to find himself on the receiving end of such a genuine, heartfelt smile when he did so, and his eyes widened with surprise at first before they grew soft with something like contentment--he recognized the joy his original was displaying, and was pleased to have brought it about. The Ditto-Gardevoir nodded numbly in response to the Psychic's question, blue eyes bright with admiration as his counterpart showed off for him. "I do, I think it's--" He was cut off when his original continued, stopping him short to praise his appearance. Air smiled shyly, feeling a deeply moved by the Gardevoir's proclamation, only to be thrown off his guard once more as his original closed the distance between the two of them, still beaming. Air felt his mouth go dry as the Psychic raised a hand to his cheek, the Ditto-Gardevoir's face the picture of innocent surprise. They were very close, and that look in his counterpart's eyes...he'd never been looked at like that before, or spoken to in such a way. "...beautiful." Air barely registered the word that escaped him, finishing his thought from before in spite of himself as he stared into those ice-blue eyes that mirrored his own. Yes, he was beautiful--and that look made Air feel like he was the only thing that mattered in the world for that moment. And then things shifted into motion again, and the moment was broken: the eyes across from him filled with half-panic, and Air's face flickered with astonishment as his original toppled to the ground in front of him, the workings of a very irate and vocal Pancham.
It took a minute for him to respond, his thoughts crawling like molasses as he witnessed the exchange between the fallen Gardevoir and the Pancham, although the words didn't register. When his mind finally caught up with things he felt, for the first time, the crackling tension among the other Pokemon of the room, and his face grew slightly pale. "Whoa, whoa, everyone, calm down!" The Ditto-Gardevoir's heart pounded violently as he took a step forward, putting himself effectively between the Pancham and Gardevoir, and looking down at the smaller of the two with a wounded expression. "Why would you do that? Everything's fine. Like I said, a knife isn't something that can hurt me--not enough to fight about anyway--and nobody else was in any danger." As far as Air was concerned, a flying knife was similar to Ty's own combat training--a test of his reflexes that might sting, but would keep him in practice and definitely wouldn't do any lasting harm. If the Gardevoir had thrown the knife at someone else it would have been a different story, but it had been for him and no one else was ever in any danger. And, of course, the Psychic's intentions were anything but malicious, which was as clear to any Psychic Type, but less so to someone like Ty. "Thanks for being worried about me, really it means a lot, but you shouldn't just attack someone like that. I know you didn't know, but..." Air bit his lip, glancing back at his counterpart behind him, "Even a Fighting Type shouldn't use violence as a first response. Especially when there's no immediate threat."
That said, Air turned around and crouched down to offer a hand to his original, his other hand tingling with healing energy that he readied without a thought. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly, eyes scanning the Psychic for any signs of lasting damage. His original had a very frail body, one that clearly wasn't meant to take the kind of abuse that would seem inconsequential to a Fighting Type, even a small one like the Pancham. If the Gardevoir was hurt, Air would gladly provide him a Heal Pulse if it was wanted; if the Gardevoir wasn't hurt however, Air would simply help him back to his feet, taking great care in the process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 2:01 pm
ZahraZahra’s arm felt cold as she lost the firm grip of the Meowstic beside her but his voice was ringing softly in her ears, reassuring her in place of his touch. He was right, that no one had been hurt. It didn’t make it less alarming to see a knife thrown at someone, particularly with so small a reason as their species. She forced her feathers to lie flat, no longer looking as frazzled and puffed up as she had a moment before, and looked gratefully at the Meowstic. He hadn’t left her side since she’d fallen and she was definitely appreciative of the support. She didn’t say it aloud, but the loss of tension around her face and neck spoke volumes of the effect he was having in calming her.
The Audino had joined them now, looking as anxious as Zahra felt. She addressed the Meowstic directly, apparently already familiar with him in some way, and wondered aloud between them if they should depart from the tower. The Togetic couldn’t really blame either of them if they wanted to. If she’d been alone, she might have already made her way back off the balcony and into the streets below. It was a bit of a high-stress situation for a mid-day walk through town.
The Ditto interrupted her thoughts and she twisted to look blankly at him. He looked positively joyful in spite of the situation, offering a jovial wave and a very casual dismissal of her concerns. The only worry that clouded his face was when he asked about their health, at which Zahra merely glanced at the Meowstic once more. He seemed alright, though she hadn’t gotten the chance to ask him properly. She didn’t even know his name, she realized. She didn’t know any of their names.
She nodded awkwardly in reply, wondering if maybe the Audino was right. It was probably better if they started leaving. She didn’t recognize the social rules at play, here, if knife-throwing was a casual offence.
Zahra spotted the Pancham as he started moving, the second glint of metal as another knife was drawn and dropped, and heard the resonating thump as both Pancham and Gardevoir hit the floor. She winced, but felt fairly satisfied that at least someone had the strength to accomplish it. When the Ditto cried out in protest, though, she was just about done with all of this. ”I have to agree,” she told the Audino quietly, looking thoroughly worn by the constant shift of tension in the room. ”I can deal with fighting, but this is a little… over my head. I can’t even tell who’s supposed to be the reasonable one, at this point.”
The Togetic was very much a black and white sort of person. She preferred it much more when there was a right and a wrong, rather than this jumbled mess.
She wouldn’t be talking to the local Gardevoir any time soon, that was for sure. And, she supposed for future reference, she would eventually have to find out how to fight Ditto. If knife-throwing was a casual greeting then she doubted there’d be a simple solution for that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:26 pm
Venari
Ty
What if he had been an attacker? "I'd smack you again." That went without saying. Whenever you fought someone, you fought until it was over. If they'd done something wrong, you took them to wherever they'd get punished. In reality, Ty was at an insurmountable number of disadvantages that extended far beyond simple height; the flighty, unnatural attacks and movements of both psychics and fairies were difficult to combat through simple strikes and Salem had both the advantage of biology and age. Ty didn't really know, or care, about any of that. What was in front of him mattered more. He'd have punched a wall if that had been the right thing to do. The compliment might have mollified him under any circumstance, but not here. Throwing a knife was excessive--especially without an explanation, which Salem had avoided giving. He had said plenty on his own, but that wasn't what Ty cared about. When you threw a knife, you damn well better have a reason.
Ty stepped back willingly as Air got between the two of them, he hadn't stepped any closer anyways, but Air's questions would be met at first with an incredulous stare. "He threw a damn knife at you!" It was the only thing he could say for a moment. It was completely insane that the near-victim of a stabbing was standing in front of him and defending the near-criminal who had thrown the knife. Was this guy and idiot, or was he just even crazier than the a*****e with the knife? "There's no way he could've known that it was safe! Even if your skin was made of steel, what if it had hit you in the eye?" Air might have been quick to brush it off as "impossible" for a Ditto, but as far as Ty was concerned nothing was immortal. And he was right about that; even a Ditto could lose control of its form and be hurt for more than a moment. If it were otherwise, the world would be covered in immortal Ditto. If his body were disrupted beyond what he could handle, it would be bad. "And what if he missed? What if he slipped and hit somebody else, or it went over the side and hurt somebody down there? What happens then? He could've killed somebody."
Ty, due in part to his lack of knowledge, was certainly reacting excessively. He was angry and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest, both in frustration and from the terrifying moment he had had to witness. If he had totally understood the truth of it all, he might have been calmer and better spoken. The risks he outlined were far smaller than they seemed from his perspective. Air was a Ditto, and not an inexperienced one. Salem was skilled in his craft, and he could probably halt the knife with psychic if it went over the railing.
On the other hand, even if he knew the objective reality of it he likely would have been no less indignant even if he handled it better. Ty could have been omniscient, but Salem was not. Even if a "real injury" had been a one in one hundred chance, was that worth risking someone's life? For... what? Fun? Messing around? Proving a point? You didn't "know" how something would work out until it happened. That was why it was so important to avoid doing stupid things that could get somebody hurt. That's why it was so important to follow rules like that--because you didn't "know" how it would go. A tossed knife wasn't the same as a punch or a kick. Sometimes if you got stabbed, you didn't get up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waifu Trashu Vice Captain
|
Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 7:05 am
((Incredibly short and idle post for reasons- on of them being "what's wrong with my keyboard and why isn't plugging it in/out working"- apologies))
'You can't smack people if you're dead.' Salem did not reply aloud, rubbing the back of his head and acknowledging the subtle pain with each passing of his hand. He merely watched the young trio debate their next course of action over by the railing, Air and Ty's exchange reduced to background noise as he did. He was glad he found the Meowstic- it was a good call for Paper's well being, as forcibly as the meeting was. He insured it would happen, but it was a good thing in the long run. Salem's eyes drifted to the matching blue sky as the thought faded before catching Air's gesture of help out of the corner of his peripheral, stealing his attention away. He offered a quick smile of thanks in return, accepting his copy's hand.
For such a basic form of contact, it left a lingering out of body sensation, a strange encounter he wasn't necessarily ready for and while his body didn't tense, his mind began to run circles. You could touch the hand or paw of your own species countless times, but touching your own hand, acknowledging it as someone else's, was not an experience one could readily explain-- if at all. It was a too perfect fit and too familiar feeling and it left the original Gardevoir to stand there absently, hat lopsided without ever removing his hand from Air's as his mind tried to make sense of the interaction. Not that it would. You didn't just sort of interact with your reflection in the mirror.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 9:52 am
Air Air frowned at the small Fighting Type's words, brow furrowing as he considered them. There was so much about what he was saying that was wrong, but some part of it struck a chord with the Ditto. It didn't seem worthy of consideration because there were so few ways it could have gone awry, but if by some horrible accident it had and someone had been hurt because he was too slow... The Ditto-Gardevoir shook his head. "I wouldn't have let it happen," he said firmly, his last remark to the Pancham before turning to offer his hand to his original. "No matter what might have happened, I wouldn't let someone else get hurt if I could do anything about it. And I don't think he would have done what he did if he weren't confident that no one else would be hurt either. It's one thing to show concern for other people--it's another thing not to trust that most of us have good intentions, and the same concern for others you do." It hurt to recognize how little faith some people had in the world--especially how little faith someone could have in him.
As Air helped his Gardevoir companion to his feet, the Ditto smiled back at him gently, pleased to find his original didn't seem too shaken. In the end, nobody was hurt; they could all move past this and it would be alright. While the sensation of original-on-copy was far more familiar to the Ditto-Gardevoir, Air found himself jarred by his original's reaction to it. He'd had many people pull away from the peculiarity of the feeling, and while the Gardevoir had taken even this in stride, the last thing Air expected was the slight resistance when he moved to let his original go. The Ditto-Gardevoir felt a rush of that unfamiliar something flood through him, threatening to burn heat into his cheeks as he allowed his hand to be held in those lingering moments, not daring to meet his original's eyes--hardly daring to breathe.
As his gaze strayed downward, away from all the others, the Ditto-Gardevoir's ears twitched as something caught his eye. That was strange, what was that flicker of yellow? He strained his gaze but he couldn't see anything other than a shaded bench facing out to the view beyond with something round resting on top of it. Maybe something someone forgot? Air frowned, expression attentive as he stared into the distance: there had been something yellow though, he couldn't have just imagined something so vivid. "Hey... Did anyone else see that?" He said it loudly enough for the whole group to hear, confusion ringing in his tone as he began to turn his gaze back toward his original uncertainly. The moment he did he caught sight of something flickering again, but it wasn't yellow this time--it was the bench's shadow, blurring strangely. When he snapped his gaze back to the bench it stopped, but this time Air was certain: something was there. He reached out with his Psychic and felt nothing, then he gasped softly and reached inward, tapping into his aura. The Ditto-Gardevoir's eyes shimmered a slight turquoise as he stared and--there. The shadows were filled with a yellow aura, clear as day.
Confused by his discovery, Air let go of his original's hand to step forward. "Um... Why are you hiding?" he called out to the open space. "Did we frighten you?" he tilted his head, stepping still closer to the auraed silhouette in the shadows. "Things are alright now, we just had a bit of a misunderstanding. Why don't you come out?"
"If I must." The bench's shadow elongated and a Sableye emerged from it, eyes and chest gem gleaming a brightly polished yellow, much like his aura. He stared at Air with a thoughtful expression on his face, shaking his head as he reached into the messenger bag that hung at his side. "You know, I'm quite glad I got to witness that misunderstanding of yours. I think I learned a lot about you all, which is just as well." He shrugged. "Even so, you've pressed me shortly I'm afraid. So this is going to be a little more drastic than I wanted." The Sableye pulled out a capsule from the bag and weighed it in his hand: it was about the size of one of his eye gems, a sphere with a red top and white bottom. "I want you to remember something you said for me, Ditto," the ghost said, staring pointedly at Air, "Most of us have good intentions." With that, the Sableye tossed the ball towards the Ditto who caught it on instinct, staring down at the curious sphere in his hands. "Do watch out for sparks now." The small ghost grinned and touched a hand to the gem in his belly; a moment after a surge of electricity pulsed out from him, causing hair-raising static to surge all over the ground, making it Electric Terrain. In a chain reaction, three explosions went off as the wave of sparks reached them--one on the bench behind the Sableye, one at the center of the tower, and one at the head of the spiral staircase leading downwards. The bursts were destructive but compact: the first set the bench ablaze and sent splinters flying, the second burst a hole in the wall on the side opposite the doorway, and the third disconnected the stairs from the platform, keeping the less Psychic or Flying-abled members of the group from an easy way down.
There was a fourth explosion as well, but this one was centralized on a certain member of the group, who trembled as he saw the sparks creeping toward his legs. Closing his eyes, Air's body shone once more as he allowed himself to melt into his Ditto form, clutching the bomb to his chest as he forced a barrier of Protect around himself. He'd meant what he said--he wouldn't let anyone else get hurt. Inside the shield, the bomb exploded and the Ditto's body was sent flying on impact, most of him hitting the back of the barrier he'd set even as it faded. A weak moan escaped Air as he fell to the ground, eyes clenched shut and gooey body trembling as it worked to shift to something moveable again, so he could reunite with the parts of him that had ended up a few feet away. It hurt--oh, it hurt.
In the chaos, the ghost's shadow stretched out from him and surged forward through the hole he'd made in the wall. Before anyone would have time to respond, the Sableye was gone, leaving the group to decide what to do in the aftermath.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
|
Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 9:53 am
Chapter: Defuse the Situation
Goal: Try to stop the Sableye. He’s disappeared into the tower and could be headed anywhere, but you know of eight places a hostile would be likely to target:
1- The cafe on the ground floor, often bustling with civilians who stop by for lunch or dinner
2- The living quarters on the second floor, home to Salem and the full-time members of the Tower Watch
3- The surplus stores on the seventh floor, where items to be used in times of war are kept
4- The police repository on the eighth floor, where items of contraband are stored
5- The library of records on the ninth floor, where copies of all reports sent to the Guild are filed
6- The meeting rooms on the tenth floor, where Pokemon from each of the sectors that work in the tower congregate regularly to share general reports with the various sector leaders
7- The police outpost on the twelfth floor, where a handful of police correspondents keep an eye on the city’s population from above
8- The weather station on the fourteenth floor, where meteorologists observe weather trends and write daily forecasts
The viewing platform is floor 15
What You Know About The Bad Guy: He can’t be tracked due to his Typing, and he’s disappeared into the shadows heading deeper into the tower. Who knows what he could be planning, especially with those explosives of his? Better find him fast!
How It Works: The characters will split up into two separate groups to cover ground faster, and each team will have a Psychic to alert the other of anything they find. Together with your team, chose a location to investigate and search the area for the Sableye. I will add an occ comment to your post after I’ve read it telling you if your character finds anything, and you and your team can then decide on a new location to investigate (unless, of course, you succeed and must take further action).
Teams (Probably, given how the character relationships stand at the moment, but open to change if you like):
Salem & Air
Viann & Zahra & Paper & Ty
How This Round Works: The next round (give or take) is for reactions and splitting off into the teams I entail above--thereafter we'll have two groups and follow those rules! Also no rules about posting order from here on out really, just don't post twice in a row.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 1:02 pm
"...There's this one place I went to a lot that has good food." 'before I went completely broke,' an unspoken truth. Paper tapped her finger idly against her cheek as her mind traced the city streets. Really, there was a lot of everything to see and do. Parks, food, entertainment, people watching-- though some weren't that keen on people watching... she thought of it like an art. One she was fairly good at with all of her idle window side reading. The Audino raised her eyes to glance at her teammate, staring inquisitively into the distance as he often did. "Anywhere's fine." Assuming she were looking for his input, his eyes unmoving.
"Was that always there?" Paper turned as his curiosities were brought to light, following Viann's finger to the stairway.
It was... small. "It's... not ours?" It wasn't hers, at least and it clearly wasn't Viann's. Whatever it was.
She offered Zahra a glance to confirm as much herself.
'Why are you hiding?'
Viann's attention lifted from the girls beside him while Paper mused silently, glancing back to Air. The ring of his tone and words alike were both out of place. He wasn't the only one caught momentarily confused as Salem's attention too followed the Ditto-Gardevoir's eyes... Someone was here? Why didn't he know?
Paper finally glanced away from Zahra as the air grew quiet. Too quiet given all the prior noise. Her blue eyes simply shifted between her teammate and Air, offering only a quick glance at the others upon the tower before her gaze returned to Air again. There was a question on the Audino's lips, but before she could get it out, the individual in question came to light.
A Sableye, to be exact. Her body came still and her senses focused on the murmurs of conversation. What a creepy individual- she had no intentions of getting close unlike Viann, the Meowstic taking a moment to walk out and forward a few feet to get a proper view.
He was holding something as he spoke and the Meowstic's eyes squinted. It was small. Just like...
Viann turned, glancing at object at the head of the stairs. There was more than one, it's placement... The feline took a sharp breath as a pang of psychic touched his mind, it was a warning from the Gardevoir, one that'd confirmed his suspicions.
Without delay, Viann turned sharply, dropping to his paws as he dashed back to the girls. He slid as he brought himself upright, holding out his arms as a barrier covered the trio moments before the explosion feet away went off, cracking it. Paper's scream could barely be heard over the noise as the other two bombs went off.
The Gardevoir had half an idea of what was going on after his time spent looking about from where he sat on the tower floor prior.
Unfortunately, he wasn't sure how to handle it-- if they would explode on contact or if anyone came close... He couldn't have just casually walked around and collected the two he noticed. Was it a toxic gas? A powder? Inevitably, he did get his answer. It just... would have been far easier if it happened after getting this group to leave.
It all happened very quickly once it began.
Salem's gaze returned to Air, but before he could shove his clone out of the way, take the capsule and throw it off the side of the tower, the Ditto already made his choice. "What are you..." His breath hitched, skewed between rage and horror before turning to sweep Ty off the floor and lunge away, covering them in a Barrier as the final bomb went off. He laid on the ground a moment as he finally exhaled and released the Pancham, standing back to his feet to take in the damage.
He was pissed- he was beyond pissed, but no one was dead and that was all he could ask for. The psychic walked back to Air, looking the newly reformed Ditto over. "You're insane," he sighed, "but you're the reason we're alive. Thank you." He didn't touch Air, unsure if such an act would hurt him. He didn't actually expect him to survive that at all.
Viann faced similar exhaustion. Dropping his barrier and squinting his eyes through the dusty fog as he turned back to Paper and Zahra, the latter probably no less traumatized than the former. "It's okay no one's hurt." He insisted, "Everythin's fine."
"Not exactly."
Viann turned, toward the voice. "He went into the tower. He's probably heading toward the ground floor to get out." The psychic covered his mouth with his hand. The particles in the dust stinging his lungs and eyes. Breathing was difficult, but it would air out quickly, being outside. "Or, he's looking for something else to take the tower down with." "Y-You're kidding..." Salem shook his head with a frown, his hat clinging to the back of his coat by the golden chain that kept it connected to him. "Not at all unfortunately, we can only head down from here. If he's smart, he'll target points that will create chain explosions, or something that will burn easy... The library, filing rooms?" He would have immediately ran in after the Sableye, but any attempts would be in vain. He'd just immediately lose sight of him and he had no way of tracking a Dark type. They were one of the select few things untouchable by his psychic. It was infuriating, but he'd take it out on the Sableye eventually. He wouldn't rest until then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waifu Trashu Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 2:35 pm
Venari
Ty
"That's the point! Nobody tries to make a mistake, that's why it's a mistake!" That was exactly the point. Nobody tried to mess up grabbing a knife and get stabbed. It wasn't a matter of trust as Air suggested; trust wasn't unreasonable. Stupidity was unreasonable. And that's what it was, along with a bunch of other things. It was all just stupid from the ground up.
And that was the point at which Ty decided that this wasn't worth his time. The attacker was a judgmental a*****e, the victim was scolding him for trying to stop someone from getting killed. It was all so incredibly surreal and unreasonable and there was obviously no point in him being there any longer. They were both insane and as much as he wanted to smack both of them around and teach them a lesson it didn't seem like the right thing to do here. The only thing that kept him for any length of time was the loud question that had been phrased to deliberately capture his attention, along with everyone else's. He turned back to look at the underside of the bench and was the first to recognize the blurriness of a Sableye and the first to assume that it was up to no good; there had been enough of them at the Arena Ruins that he was well wise to their ways of pranks, theft and malice Ty that's racist. He didn't recognize the sphere for what it was until it was too late but all the same: his first instinct was to reach forward and smack it away, something he might have been successful in had the weight of Salem not come crashing down on him. A fighting type's weapon was their instincts and their technique; shoved and pressed down by the pure force of mass, Ty found himself clumsily dragged along with Salem in what would be a less-than-graceful maneuver for either of them. He lacked the power and the size to do anything else, but he still got to his feet as fast as he could in pursuit.
There was nothing on the other end of the hole. Or rather, the Sableye was already gone.
Ty doubled back quickly, prioritizing on what was in front of him rather than blindly searching throughout the tower that he knew nothing about. It was his first time visit, and even if he wasn't he wasn't the type to dissect plans so thoroughly or quickly; given the time and information necessary to think it over he might have wondered if the Sableye were pursuing the contraband or surplus, the former of which would suit a thief and the latter of which would be useful to the more nefarious purposes Salem had suggested, but he lacked both the time and knowledge for such insight. He instead focused on the Ditto, who he somewhat uneasily approached with the reminder that the pink puddle likely wasn't viscera but instead some strange life form of which he had no recognition. He crouched down by Air's... body, not certain if he should touch it or really do anything at all. "Hey, are you alive!?"
It might have seemed obvious to the rest that Air was, but to anyone unfamiliar with puddles of goo that was hardly the case.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2016 11:45 am
Air Air was out of sorts, to put it mildly. While the others were picking themselves up off the ground, the Ditto was literally pulling himself back together. Much of his body was puddled on the ground closest to the others, and the other parts were slowly moving closer to him as he lay there, shaking violently at the effort expended to accomplish the task. Air's head was spinning and there was a ringing in his ears that wouldn't stop, so loud he could hardly hear anything. He didn't dare try to open his eyes until he felt himself back in one piece, and even then he regretted it when he did: everything was out of focus and more than a little too bright--he blinked his eyes several times before they cleared, struggling to find something to latch onto other than that awful feeling of being ripped apart. Fortunately for Air, he was given that something in the approach of the Gardevoir and the Pancham.
When the Gardevoir approached, Air locked eyes with him and quickly attempted to pull himself into a standing position, only to sink down into himself a moment later as the movement caused his vision to blur frighteningly. The Ditto was left in a half-upright position, looking very small, his face peering upward at the Gardevoir with wide, half-worried eyes. The Psychic's voice sounded distant in his ears, the words themselves barely audible through the ringing, but the sound echoed with something like gratitude, which resonated with the Ditto. Air's eyes calmed and he smiled, the expression slightly pained. The Pancham's words followed, and while Air didn't recognize the voice he followed it to its source and found the concerned and mildly disturbed Fighting-Type to his other side. He repeated his slight smile for the bear's benefit as his mind finally caught up to the words each of the pair had spoken. "Yeah, I'm alive." His voice was quiet, a jarring contrast to all the noise that had come to pass. Air looked back at the Gardevoir then and added. "I'm just glad nobody else got hurt." Not as far as he could see anyway.
The Ditto was quiet then, his body churning within itself, ensuring its parts were securely connected and easing his pain by recalling its own elasticity. He looked around the viewing platform wordlessly, noting the damage caused by the various explosions without put much thought into the "why" of it. He felt his body prickle at the sensation of electricity running through it from the currents in the ground and glanced down to watch the sparks dance as he listened to the discourse between the Gardevoir, Meowstic, and Audino. He felt drained now, his body absent its usual vitality. The others were talking about going after the Sableye, whoever he'd been, and all Air could consider in response was how he'd manage to be of any help as he was now. He needed to be able to transform freely--that was what made him so invaluable, every person he'd worked with had made that abundantly clear. Right now, however, he wasn't sure he'd be able to hold any sort of transformation for more than a minute. He needed his strength back: there was a way to do that, right? Yes, of course, plenty of Pokemon had those sorts of moves, so why couldn't he think of any right now?
"I...ugh..." Air rose up to his normal height to speak, then immediately slouched again for the second time, raising a blobular hand to his head when the volume of his voice made his head ache. "I don't know a thing about that guy, but it seemed like he had some sort of plan. His aura...He was really sure of himself." That yellow aura had shined with brilliant resolution, akin to that he could feel from the Gardevoir and Pancham beside him even now, although he didn't have the wherewithal to tap into their auras and confirm that theory. Air looked up at the Gardevoir beside him. "I'll help however I can, just tell me what you need." The Psychic beside him had lost his casual attitude and replaced it with one far more grave; it was clear that he knew something about this place and protecting it was important to him. And even if that wasn't reason enough, Air was well aware that a small bomb had done something awful to him, and he didn't want any other Pokemon being put at risk of a similar fate. Other Pokemon wouldn't be able to get up after experiencing what he had. Air wavered slightly at the thought, and the unsure state of his own body was brought back to his attention. "Um...before that though..." He looked down sheepishly. "Can--Can anyone think of a Pokemon that knows Recover? I could really use it, but my head's still a little jumbled and I can't think of anything."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2016 11:46 am
ZahraZahra twisted as the Ditto’s loud voice broke through their conversation, and as her eyes eventually caught sight of the shifting bench shadow she watched the Sableye emerge to speak with them. Her heart sank. She wasn’t as good at judging intentions and hearts as many of her peers were, but even she could tell that something was odd about the ghost that now graced their conversation. They spoke a little too casually, like the words were forced. The Meowstic evidently agreed that something seemed amiss, because now he was stepping away from them to investigate more closely. He didn’t seem like the type of person to drop his guard so easily, and being caught unaware would probably intrigue him more than anything else.
The Sableye continued to speak, though only addressing the Ditto directly. It was only when the Sableye echoed Air’s speech about intentions and Zahra watched something sail through the air that she had an inkling of what was to come.
A couple seconds too late, unfortunately enough for them. Explosions burst from around the central room, the impact nearly knocking over Viann as the Meowstic abruptly turned and threw himself around both herself and the Audino beside her. She could hear Paper screaming, but the Togetic herself made absolutely no noise as she flung her small wings around their heads in a delayed attempt to shield their faces. Even through the Meowstic’s psychic barrier, Zahra could still feel way the tower swayed and trembled from the force. The sheer noise of everything was ringing in her ears long after Viann’s exhausted form slumped and stepped away from them, his barrier dropping as quickly as he could manage.
Her sharp, avian eyes could see more clearly in the dust and debris than most, but even so it stung a little not to squint. She hadn’t relaxed, still tensed up beside the young Audino and she had to force herself to fold her trembling wings back where they belonged against her shoulder blades. ”What happened?” she croaked, feeling a little shell-shocked by all of this. She’d spoken too soon, the smoke and dust whipped up in the aftermath being sucked into her lungs and sending her into a brief fit of coughing as she belatedly covered her mouth to stifle the reflex. She was only breathing in more, this way.
The Meowstic was already looking them over, going through the motions of soothing her all over again, and she felt a stab of shame that she wasn’t holding herself together as well as she could be. Her dark eyes watched with trepidation as he reassured them that no one was hurt, and her heart sank further when the Gardevoir- the real one- chose that moment to correct him.
”s**t,” was her hoarse answer to that. ”We won’t have long, then. There’s a police outpost here, too, right? Can we get a message down to call for help?” They needed more people helping them. There was no way they’d be able to cover enough ground, and thoroughly enough to actually be effective, in the short time they had left.
She hovered, for once using her abilities in place of her weary wings, and swept over the damaged floor to join the Pancham and injured Ditto across the room. His injuries would have been fatal to any other species, she was sure. If she hadn’t heard his voice herself, she’d probably have assumed him dead as quickly as the Pancham had. What he’d just done was both incredibly selfless and probably more traumatizing than anything else today. It felt awful, that he’d thrown himself around a bomb to protect them. If he hadn’t lived, she wasn’t really sure how she’d handle it. She wasn’t sure how to handle it now, either.
She waited, hearing him out. ”I don’t have Recover, but I have this;” she answered him, firmly not meeting his unfocused eyes. She couldn’t look at him right now. She let her own eyes slide shut as the silken feathers of her palms touched together, a soft white light shining out from between them. The single-minded will to heal welled inside her, more like a prayer than a Wish, and the light seeped from between her short fingers to shine on across Air’s battered skin.
Her palms parted as she spread them against his forehead and the center of his chest, letting the healing magic flow directly against him. Swirls of vibrant greens mixed into it, the sweet scent of fresh flowers and the dampness of a forest rainstorm pressing back against the overpowering stench of smoke and melted metal. To heal by a Wish was to offer your own energy as theirs. Air would be healed, but at the cost of her own strength. When Zahra allowed her eyes to open again, they would be more heavy-lidded with exhaustion and her hands would tremble without hard focus. But she was not entirely spent- she couldn’t allow herself to be drained entirely when they had yet to stop the Sableye from hurting anyone else. ”I’m sorry,” she told the Ditto regretfully. ”That’s all I can spare. You’ll be tired, but hopefully I took the pain away.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2016 10:24 am
"Not like we can get help in time." Viann's shoulders rose and fell dismissively at Zahra's comment before watching her make her way to the injured Ditto. He personally could not reach that far with his own psychic, so even if he wanted to it was out of the question. Besides, explosions were hard to miss. Someone noticed, surely... He just silently hoped no one tried to check it out themselves, gods forbid there might be bombs below to be set off.
Paper followed Zahra after a moment's hesitation; the Audino biting her lip and breaking her stubborn shyness as she spoke. "Let me help- the healthier, the better... We're going to need it now, anyway." Crouching down beside Zahra, her extensions glowed a soft green, and the color bled down her arms as she held her hands over the Ditto, feeling the warmth of her own Heal Pulse as it resonated outwards. It was the least she could do- maybe even the most but it was nothing to overlook or feel bad about so she didn't. It was a useful skill to have.
"I believe you." Paper looked up, forgetting Salem's existence for a time. He silently stared into the hole in the tower from where he stood, hand still guarding his mouth and nose from the settling dust. He was a Gardevoir. He couldn't read any aura nonsense, but he very naturally felt intent and motives from others and it was why he did what he did. He felt everyone around him for a little over 2 miles and while that sounded maddening in concept, he next to muted incoming feelings outside malicious intent. They were moving, flashing lights... But Dark types still moved under a Psychic's radar.
"He has no idea who you even are. It sounds more like a vendetta against the guild itself." He wondered why, but there was only one way to find out and he sure as hell was. He closed his hand into a fist over his lips for a moment before dropping his arm to his side and turning: "Well! I advise we split up and search from there." "You wanna cut our numbers?" "Yeah." Viann's eyes narrowed with uncertainty, much opposite the Gardevoir's literal-minded tone.
"As long as I'm not with you, everything is fine." The Meowstic's mouth opened, affronted before Salem rose his hand. "The teams need to communicate of course. I need to be able to contact you." He smiled. "I'll start from the bottom of the tower. We'll search it out and meet half way, how's that sound?" The psychic crossed his arms under the safety of his coat, eyes scanning the crowd momentarily as his mind backtracked in a moment's silence. They had plenty of Fairy coverage. The Sableye was either insane, or had some concrete idea as to what he was doing and honestly, he couldn't say which.. but it was likely the latter. His head finally tilted to look back at the Ditto. "Protect me." Because he was selfish that way, but: "I'm squishy, you know. If I get knocked out, we can't communicate." He gave an uneasy laugh. He knew how to fight and he knew how to take a hit if his psychic were ever not an option, but he was frail. He was by no means hard to take out once you got passed his hindering abilities.
"I'll go with anybody." Paper was on board with it, at least, though Viann's tension seemed to fade. The sooner this was over the better. "It'll get things done faster, right, we just need to find him?" The Gardevoir frowned. "There could always be more bombs. Just keep an eye open."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waifu Trashu Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
|
Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 9:35 am
Air Air was overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of attention that came his way. He didn't fully register the Togetic's meaning when she approached, her comment prompting a look of confusion from the Ditto. "Oh, I know Togetic don't have Recov--" he began, but the words died in his mouth as he caught sight of the white energy collecting about the bird's hands. All the Ditto had been hoping for was a recommendation on what to Transform into, but what he got was so much more than that.
When she reached out to touch him, Air closed his eyes as well, inhaling the damp, floral scent that enveloped him as the healing magic seeped through his body, strengthening him and bringing his mind back into focus. His eyes shot open a moment later, prompted by the touch of different healing energy mixing with the Togetic's, and, when his eyes locked on the Audino, the Ditto's mouth quavered with gratitude. These two hardly knew him--he'd even caused them some form of distress before--but they were still willing to share their strength with him; all the pain he'd experienced was made worthwhile with the knowledge that it had introduced him to such wonderful, caring Pokemon. With the combined efforts of the pair, Air didn't just feel better, he felt invigorated, like he'd just woken up from a restful sleep. His physical form was mended and his thoughts were sharp again, giving him the strength he needed to confront the situation alongside the others.
When the white and green light faded, leaving the Ditto to look back at two pairs of concerned eyes, he smiled weakly, tears trickling down his face. "Thank you--both of you," he said, sniffling slightly as he blinked hard, trying to pull himself together. "I feel a lot better now, thanks to you." His gaze lingered on the exhausted Togetic for a long moment, and Air reached a hand up to take her small, feathered one. "You even shared your own energy with me." The Ditto smiled gently, and the hand that held the Togetic's glowed with healing energy of his own. The cool turquoise flowed through him into the bird's body, the Heal Pulse calm and focused to restore her energy in turn. When it was done, he released the bird, shooting her one last, grateful smile. "I hope that helps."
Thanks expressed, Air turned his attention to the others, wiping the tears from his face with a prickle of embarrassment as the Gardevoir spoke up again. Now that his head was clear, Air was able to keep up with the strategizing of the pair of Psychics, and it sounded reasonable enough: split up, cover more ground, and hopefully cut the Sableye off, in the middle of the tower if not sooner. "I think it's a good plan," Air piped up, looking closely at the five Pokemon around him as his mind began to churn, thinking of the best way they could divide themselves. "If each Team has a Psychic, that's good. If each Team has a Fairy, that'd be good too." He turned to the Togetic, looking her over with a concerned gaze. "If you would go with him," Air said, pointing at the Meowstic, "then we should be covered on that front."
That left three of them, and Air's mind raced with possibilities until his thoughts were halted by a pair of words: Protect me. The Ditto looked up, finding the Gardevoir's eyes had strayed to him, and Air felt a rush of adrenaline course through him at the casual expression of faith in that simple statement. The Gardevoir trusted him--really trusted him to ask that of him--and the Audino and Togetic must have been the same to have taken such good care of him. Filled with gratitude once more, Air nodded, mind made up: he would protect all of them, no matter what--even if it meant taking the brunt of every bomb that Sableye had. The Ditto began to glow and his body shifted, growing taller and stouter until the light faded and he looked around the room through the eyes of a Clefable. He caught the Gardevoir's eye and smiled, raising a single finger that glowed faintly in the dispersing smoke, drawing the gaze of every Pokemon in the room. "Don't worry," he said, a reassuring smile on his face. "So long as I'm there, he won't even be able to look at you." There were other reasons for the form too: Clefable were a strong Fairy Type, and their hearing was very good--if Psychic wouldn't help them track the Ghost, then it would serve them best to use more direct observational means. Follow Me though--that was the most important quality it had: with that at his disposal, Air knew he'd be able to keep his companions safe.
There were only two of their group left then, the Audino and the Pancham. Air weighed the options in his mind, considering the pair's capabilities against a Sableye. Honestly, both of them were a bit helpless against a Ghost Type, but at least when it came to the Audino she had a natural immunity to a handful of the Ghost's abilities, whereas the Meowstic was particularly vulnerable... The Ditto-Clefable opened his mouth to offer a suggestion when suddenly another explosion rent the air. Air's hand rose to his mouth when he heard the sound of metal groaning and stone crumbling, shortly followed by the crash of what he didn't need to look to know was more of the outer stairway falling to the ground. Did that mean the Sableye was back outside, or were there just other bombs he'd set that could go off on their own? One thing was certain either way. "One of you come with us, one of you go with them." Air said, looking at the Pancham and Audino, all seriousness in his gaze. "Either way works, we just need to go. Now."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
