Welcome to Gaia! ::

(NOT DONE YET, BUT I FELT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW I WAS WORKING ON IT. Planning on doing it in an alternating format - first Oddball's intro and first round, then Savage's, then Oddball's second round, et cetera.)



Q looked around the Jungle curiously, turning his head this way and that. "Huh... so this is the mystifyingly mystic jungle known as the Mystifying Jungle?" he mused. "...Mystifying."

Rika shook her head in tolerant amusement. "Yeah, yeah. Are we going or not?"

Off to the side, Guile rolled his eyes at his teammates' antics. Frankly, the Sableye doubted the wisdom of leaving Rush and Stormageddon alone; the two little hellions would probably end up wreaking havoc on some poor soul while they were gone.

The albino Elgyem considered this a moment, then nodded, striking his signature goggle-snapping pose. "All right then! Team Oddball, mission... START!" With that, they went into the depths of the jungle, searching for any victims. "Now, let's see... if I were sick peoples, where would I be...?" Off to the side, Rika rolled her eyes, but similarly kept looking.

Guile paused as he spotted a hint of white in the nearby trees, heading over to see if it was a Pokémon that needed help. Sure enough, there was a reddish Pancham there, looking rather dazed and woozy - though the trio of clawlike scars over its left eyelid startled him greatly. "Scrapper?!?" Q blinked as he hurried over, curiosity piqued - did his friend know this guy?

Scrapper blinked slowly, squinting slightly at the Sableye. "Guile? 'Sat you? Would say hello proper, but head feel all fuzzy..."

Cue the Mandibuzz from out of friggin' nowhere, swooping down with startling speed and snatching Rika off the ground. Fortunately, the Steel-type tomboy managed to bit down on the Flying-type's wing before she was silenced - it may have only done superficial damage due to the type resistance, but it was still painful enough to make her captor squawk in pain.

The remaining two members' gazes immediately snapped over to the Mandibuzz, spotting it just in time to see it fly out of sight with their teammate. "...Well, that's not good." Not only that, but Q couldn't track either of them with his psychic abilities. His sensory abilities were horrible already - add in the strange psychic interference in the area and the fact that Rika was currently in close proximity to a Dark-type, and it was nigh impossible for him. His eyes hardened, the albino finally putting his significant intelligence to use as his mind began calculating the best ways to keep this from happening again. He'd already failed one team member, he couldn't afford to fail the other.

Guile wasn't in a much better boat: a flying Pokémon didn't leave tracks, so he'd be forced to follow via the feathers and the inevitable screams of pain. The problem was, there weren't any feathers in sight and no screams either - he may not have been a psychic like his partner, but even he could tell something was wrong with the area and that attempting his usual tracking methods would be futile. As such, he reverted to his usual reaction in times of crisis: excessive snark. "Gee, you think?" Nevertheless, they began escorting the Pancham back, their client rambling all along the way.

They could only hope their friend was okay...



Demon blinked mildly at the task they'd been given and the warnings they got. So they were supposed to protect the sick Pokémon? Well, he supposed it was an acceptable task - helping others was what the guild was all about, though admittedly he was still struggling with the idea. Still, he felt a bit more motivated to do so after he heard about the predators - anything that attempted to feast on him would find themselves sorely disappointed... and quite possibly missing a limb or two.

As if sensing his friend's eagerness, Nightmare chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, Demon, I'm sure you'll get to have a fight or two," he assured the battle-thirsty Sandslash.

Serrin's eyes narrowed as he stared into the jungle. "Call it."
Although the guild members were unaware of the order, the psychic wave that came from it would rip through the jungle in a moment's time. The wave would carry a simple message: "We're done, come back."
What happened next wouldn't be fully understood by the members of the guild for a time.
The sick, the ill and the diseased would right themselves. In some cases this act would be incomplete and the sick individual would walk somewhat unsteadily but they were, invariably, well enough to make it to the camp on their own.
The aggressors on the other hand would spontaneously cease attacking. Those who had recently grabbed hold of victims would release them, so long as those guild members they had grabbed were well enough to make it back on their own or near an ally of their own.
The flames that had been whipped up in reckless abandon would suddenly be doused by a few Pelipper that seemed to emerge from the topmost heights of the trees.
In a moment's notice, all of the chaos within the jungle would come to a silence. Victims and aggressors alike would explain the true nature of what had exactly happened, though only if it were necessary to bring a guild member back towards camp. It was best they hear it from the source.

What the guild members would see upon returning would contrast strongly with the chaos that had been prevalent such short moments ago.

The medical staff that the guild had brought had all removed their masks and gloves and tended not to the victims, but to aggressors and guild members alike. Those who had been kidnapped were there as well. They were all unharmed, though no less confused and perhaps a little sleepy.
The rest of the aggressors, along with the victims, were waiting all together in a crowd. Some of them were talking. Many of them were anxious, some were excited. Others couldn't help but yawn, as late as it was.

Serrin was sitting where he had always been. Questions and all manners of address were politely halted. He waited until the guild had gathered entirely, or at least sufficiently. Once they had, he would begin to speak loudly and with the clearly authoritative tone he bore during such addresses.
"This was a test." A brief pause, then he continued. "There was no disease, there was no poison. Everyone you met in the jungle was a potential recruit of the guild. Some of them wanted to join an established team, others were rejected due to not being suitable to establish one themselves. They were collected in order to construct this facade in order to make sure that each and every one of you is ready for what's ahead." The actions of the "victims" and "aggressors" had been nothing more than an elaborate ruse. The "victims" were either actors or the willing recipients of mild drugs or hypnosis in order to help them portray the part. The darkness had done most of the work for them; in the constantly shifting shadows, the mind becomes quite adept at playing tricks. An awkward gait becomes a stagger, scratches become deep wounds... The aggressors themselves were nothing more than organized groups carrying sleep powders, or barring that, those with an affinity for hypnosis. Those who had been kidnapped had simply been put to sleep. Those who had pursued were usually put under in the same fashion... though one aggressor was only ever visible, each moving group contained multiple pokemon. It was the safest way. "As a guild, you were not ready for what was ahead of you. There will be rescue missions like this. Real ones. What happened here might happen again in the future, only it won't be a drill. As for the results of the test..." Serrin's gaze swept over the assembled guild. "The results are up to you to judge. Some of you abandoned the rescue effort to save your comrades. Some of you didn't. There is not a right or a wrong answer to what you chose to do; only you can make that choice. No one else can judge that. Your choices may cost you lives in the future but nobody can say you made the wrong decision. That can't be said by someone who already knows the result. I will say only that I am both surprised and overwhelmingly proud of the fact that not a single one of you chose to abandon your duty simply because of the risk. That alone is proof that each and every one of you bears the temperament and the courage needed to be a member of the guild."

That was the end of the "speech" proper, though Serrin did add in a few things as an afterthought. "Those who played the role of victim and aggressor were given considerable leeway in how they acted. If you feel that one of them acted inappropriately, or if you feel the need to criticize this, I'll accept your grievances privately in my office. We'll return to the guild by teleport once people have had time to settle down."

Though Serrin had made no effort to mention it, once an easy enough peace between the actors and guild members had been achieved the actors would disperse and begin moving towards their chosen teams. Apparently they had permission to join any team that would accept them, though each team could take only a single member.

[Rewards!]

Each team gets:
3 Mission Points
One recruit. Your recruit may be any first or second stage pokemon that that team has encountered.
Third stage pokemon may be retroactively devolved, or a pokemon of their kind (but not the specific one you encountered) may be recruited.
Additionally, you may roll three twenty-sided dice per team in your post. Match your numbers up with the Partner Assignment Office. You may recruit any non-restricted stage 1 pokemon of this type.
If one of your rolls is a 20, you may recruit up to stage two of your available types.
Two rolls of the same number (ie: two "Water" results) mean that you may recruit a second stage of that type.
This is to give extra options to people who aren't interested in the pokemon they encountered in the chapter.

Nyx was still in hot pursuit of his quarry when the pulse of Psychic energy hit him, clearly conveying the order to stop and return to base. Naturally the Vulpix ignored it. Caught up in the moment and still without his partner, there would be no stopping the enraged Fire Type; at least until the sudden downpour of water.

”What?!” Nyx’s growl cut through the sudden silence of the jungle as he found himself suddenly soaked to the skin by a stray stream of water--or perhaps it could have been deliberate. Peering up, the Vulpix found his flames suddenly extinguished by the vague forms of Pelipper far beyond his reach, and the fox tore at the ground with his claws in frustration. Their enemies had more allies than he had anticipated it seemed; it was a highly irritating setback. Still ignoring the signal to return to base, Nyx hurried forward in the vague direction that the kidnappers had been headed when last he saw them, relying on the light of his collar now that his flames had been made ineffectual. It was a great surprise to the Vulpix when he spotted the pair standing not far ahead, unmoving, and his lip curled in distain. ”A foolish mistake for such organized enemies,” he muttered, turning off his neck light and allowing his eyes to adjust before he rushed them.

”What were you thinking?!” A voice reached the Vulpix’s ears, distinctly feminine, as he waited in the shadows, and it was quickly met with a lower masculine response.

”I--I don’t know! I forgot he was Psychic!”

”How do you forget something like that?!”

”Hey, you’re the one who hit him first.”

I was aiming for the Vulpix!”

”So was--oof!” The Houndoom was cut off as Nyx rushed him, ramming into the dog’s side with a vicious Quick Attack. The Vulpix didn’t care to puzzle out the meaning of the pair’s conversation: he wanted his partner back and he wanted revenge on the kidnappers who had crossed him--anything less would be insufficient. ”Whoa whoa! Hold up buddy!” The canine yipped, staring down at the small fox who growled back at him. ”It’s all over now.”

”It is not,” Nyx said curtly. ”It won’t be over until the both of you pay for what you’ve done to my partner.”

”Oh come on, that was an accident!” The Houndoom said, laughing sheepishly. ”We’ve got him right here: you can have him back now, we’ve done our part.”

Nyx’s eyes were like ice. ”I told you, we aren’t finished here.” That was the last thing he remembered before his vision went black.

~~~~~

”Nyx! Nyx wake up!”

The Vulpix raised his head groggily, displeased by the sluggishness of the motion. He wasn’t in any pain, but his body wasn’t responding appropriately and his mind was hazy. Drugs? The kidnappers had resorted to that? That was hardly enough to slow him down, let alone stop him. ...But wait. The one who had called him back to consciousness, that was… ”...Neo?”

”He’s alright!”

Nyx’s ears twitched as another familiar voice caught his ears, though the words sounded awfully muffled in his drug-induced stupor. ”And...Air too?” Blinking the blurriness from his eyes, the Vulpix found Neo kneeling beside where he lay, eyes wide with concern, and an unfamiliar Audino who must have been Air leaning down as well, one of his feelers pressed to Nyx’s chest.

”That’s right!” The Ditto chirped, grinning down at him. ”The medical staff are pretty busy helping with some of the people worse off than us. Apparently there was a forest fire that led to a lot of smoke inhalation. I asked how I could help and they told me to monitor your heartbeat and let them know if anything changed. It’s a little slower than usual, but otherwise fine.”

”But...what happened?” Nyx asked, moving himself to a sitting position with a bit of effort. ”Where did the Houndoom and Gothorita go?”

”Even we don’t know that,” Neo replied, speaking up for the first time since Nyx had awoken. The Meowstic’s eyes were bright with emotion and although Nyx was improving by the moment Neo’s paw remained resting firmly on his partner’s shoulder, as though he were afraid the Vulpix would vanish if he let go. ”We, um, just woke up a little bit ago. There are a lot of Pokemon here--way more than there were when we got here--and they’ve taken the masks and gloves off so I guess they’ve discovered a cure or found out how it spreads or something?” All the while he spoke Neo’s eyes never left Nyx’s, and tears gathered in them when he finished. ”Thank Arceus you’re alright. I was worried when you didn’t wake up on your own.” The comment was followed by another hug, one that Nyx didn’t have the strength to resist, but the Vulpix found that it didn’t seem as bad this time: he was just as grateful to find that Neo was relatively unharmed.

When the Meowstic pulled back, Nyx looked him over with concern. ”And how about you? You’re not seriously injured, are you?” He hadn’t noticed before, but while Air seemed fine Neo wore a tightly bound set of bandages around his torso.

Shaking his head, Neo offered his partner a vague smile. ”No, there’s just a few spots that can’t seem to stop bleeding. Apparently Houndoom can have that effect on you. They say it’ll heal in time though.” The Meowstic laughed slightly. ”Actually I’m just fortunate he didn’t burn me in the process. They have to go through crazy detoxification processes when that happens.”

Nyx paused contemplatively, speaking up after a long pause. ”Neo… Why did you push me aside back there?”

The feline frowned, looking at his partner curiously. ”Well you would’ve gotten hurt if I didn’t,” he replied matter-of-factly. ”All I could think back then was ‘I can’t lose Nyx too’.”

Perhaps one of the two would have said more if given the chance, or the time to process the emotions behind their words, but Serrin chose that moment to speak up, and the Ivysaur’s words demanded their attention. As the speech progressed, a change came over each of the members of Team Essence: a change that would impact them for the rest of their days at the Guild, for better or for worse.

Neo felt empty. The color drained from his face as he heard Serrin’s explanation and he grew slightly weak in the knees. It was all...a lie? The Meowstic couldn’t even feel angry, only hurt and betrayed. This was his Sector Leader, the one in charge of Rescuers, and he would toy with other Pokemon’s fears and emotions like this. Neo hadn’t joined the Guild to play games, he’d joined it because it stood for something he believed in; being fooled into thinking he was fighting for a cause--risking his life even--only to find out that there had been no stakes, no meaning, no substance to the work wasn’t just disheartening, it was utterly crushing. How could someone who believed in helping other Pokemon think it right to terrorize them like this? They had volunteered for this, and now they had been treated like nothing more than playthings. It was one thing to test someone, but to do so in such a terrible way was… Well, it was practically unforgivable. He was supposed to go back from this and pretend that everything was fine--to take orders from the Pokemon who had seen fit to play with his emotions and lie to him. The Meowstic wasn’t sure he’d be able to do that.

Nyx felt furious. Were it not for the drugs that still slowed his motions he would likely have done something drastic, but incapacitated as he was--by the Pokemon Serrin had recruited no less--the Vulpix could do nothing more than glare daggers at the Ivysaur; if their Leader was cold and calculating enough to do something like this, then he knew he would need all of his wits about him before attempting to get back at him for this damned scheme of his. There was no excusing something like this, one glance at Neo confirmed it; the Meowstic had bowed his head and was sobbing quietly into his paws, which was completely and utterly the fault of the Ivysaur before them. A “test” did not involve its participants believing their lives to be in danger; a “test” did not involve causing needless emotional trauma; a “test”--as the fool Ivysaur was doomed to find out--did not involve compromising the trust of your subordinates. It was poor planning on Serrin’s behalf, and poor judgment on the other leaders’ parts for allowing this plan to slip through: no group of Pokemon would risk their lives for a person so apathetic and cruel as to betray their trust, and trust was a thing easily broken and incredibly difficult to regain. The Vulpix wished for a Fire Stone more than ever, so that he could set the curse on Serrin that he properly deserved, but for now patience was the only option; with luck the Ivysaur wouldn’t need the extra magic to ensure he paid for his mistake.

Air felt baffled. The Ditto-Audino watched Serrin with a blank stare through his speech, trying to process the Ivysaur’s words and what the thought process behind his actions could have been. For the first time, Air doubted that adopting Serrin’s form would help him to understand what the Pokemon had been thinking, because there was nothing in the world that could help him comprehend that level of disregard for other Pokemon. He’d put everyone in danger, both his assistants and the Guild members, and he’d also made them feel dread and anger and sadness and betrayal all at once. What sort of strategy was this? Sure it told you whether they were capable in a situation where little harm could be done in the end, but at what cost? All of your credulity was lost and it might even cause some of the members to leave. It sure looked like some were thinking about it, Neo and Nyx not excluded. Air didn’t know what he would do if his Team was disbanded because of this--he didn’t have anywhere else to go. He just hoped they’d be able to get past this, and that they wouldn’t have to deal with Serrin much in the near future.

Nyx was the first to speak, padding over to Neo and pressing a gentle paw to his partner’s back. ”I suppose there’s nothing left to do but make our peace with it for now,” the Vulpix said, his calm collected once more. ”But I promise, I’ll see to it that we’re never put through something like this again. I shall be writing a rather stern letter to the Guildmaster I think.” He planned to do more than that, but it would take time. Fortunately, time was one thing he had copious amounts of.

Neo sniffed a bit, wiping the tears from his face though they wouldn’t stop. ”I just…” the Meowstic whispered, ”I just really believed in what we were doing. And now…”

”You still can.” The trio turned toward the low voice that interrupted their conversation, varying expressions of surprise and uncertainty on their faces. A Lucario stood before them, watching them with deep golden eyes. His fur was all white, with the exception of the pale grey that dominated the areas where black would normally be found on one of his species and the silver spikes jutting out of his chest and paws: one had to wonder how such a conspicuous Pokemon could have sneaked up on them as he had.

”And what makes you say that sir?” Nyx said, expression dark with suspicion. He didn’t approve of the Pokemon’s audacity, and something about the Lucario didn’t sit right with him--the lack of expression in his eyes and the way they stared through him...something was off about the stranger.

The Lucario smiled wryly. ”There’s no need to give up on your own beliefs because someone else violates them,” he said softly, ”In fact, that gives you all the more reason to fight for them, wouldn’t you say?” His eyes seemed to burn into the three as he panned his golden stare across them. ”You are members of the Guild, yes? But you joined it for the purpose of others and for reasons that are true to you alone. The same holds for Serrin. Clearly your motives are in conflict, but that doesn’t mean your only options are to surrender your beliefs or leave your position. Your purpose is what you make it out to be; no Pokemon can take that from you--you’re the only one who can accomplish that.” Crouching down to eye level with Neo, the Lucario’s golden eyes bored through the Meowstic’s green ones: ”What is it you aim to do?”

Neo sniffled again, ears drooping as he tried to hold the Lucario’s stare. ”I...I want to help,” he whispered, ”I want to help all the Pokemon who can’t help themselves, because everyone deserves to have someone who cares.”

Something shifted behind the Lucario’s gaze and his eyes seemed to shimmer, though they didn’t move at all. ”Then why should one Pokemon’s actions be enough to deter you from that?” he said gently, patting the Meowstic on the shoulder and straightening back to full height. It was only then that Neo caught sight of what Nyx had begun to suspect from the start: the Lucario’s eyes didn’t respond at all to the change in proximity to the light--although his stares were eerily deliberate and accurate, they had no sight to accompany them.

The Dual Type turned his gaze on him and smiled again, seemingly in response to the shock that registered on Neo’s features. ”Ah so you’ve noticed,” he murmured. ”You see? I also had a time when the actions of another Pokemon robbed me of something precious and fundamental to my being. Yet here I am--I haven’t given up either.” Neo stared back at the Lucario, a sense of awe growing within him, and he wiped the tears from his eyes as he straightened up. This Pokemon...he was incredible. Spotting the look on Neo’s face, Nyx’s expression darkened dangerously, disliking the situation more and more.

A soft cough broke the moment of silence that had stretched out between them, and Air smiled nervously, looking at the stranger curiously. ”If you don’t mind my asking mister, if you can’t see then why does it look like you’re watching us?” The Ditto-Audino had been watching in silent rapture the whole time, enthralled by the appearance of this marvelous new Pokemon and the vibrant energy his Audino form could feel pulsating from the Lucario. He suspected that might have something to do with it, but he liked to hear straight from the source if the option was available.

The Lucario chuckled, clearly used to the question. ”In a sense I am watching, just not with my eyes; they follow from force of habit--my blindness was far from recent but I saw for long enough that they’ve never forgotten the old patterns. However, my inquisitive friend, I see everything I need to know using aura.”

”Aura…” Air murmured thoughtfully. He’d heard of the concept but never experimented with it himself. Fighting Types were the only ones who could see it, and not even all of them experienced it. He itched to copy the Lucario, but thought the better of it when a glimpse of a certain Dunsparce caught his eye; for now he’d have to wait. ”That must be so fascinating,” he said eagerly, hoping to learn more, but Nyx shut him down before he got a response.

”Perhaps that’s true,” the Vulpix said coolly, ”But it’s not the time to be discussing such things, not to mention prying about such matters is quite rude. I apologize for my companions sir. We appreciate your words but I’m sure you have other places to be.” Nyx didn’t like the Lucario one bit, and every new thing he learned about the stranger added to his discontent. Pokemon who could perceive aura were troubling, since there was no way to hide from them--they were far worse than Psychics could ever be. The sooner this Lucario departed the better off they would be: the last thing he needed was someone to distance him from Neo further than the children already did.

”Oh no, please!” Nyx cringed at the sound of his partner’s words, closing his eyes as a headache began to settle in; it may have been a side effect of the drugs, but there was enough stress involved in this situation to bring on a full-fledged migraine. ”Don’t leave yet! We didn’t even get your name!”

The Lucario smiled again. ”Lux,” he replied simply. ”And I’m afraid you may misunderstand my intentions sir,” he added, looking to Nyx with his unresponsive eyes, ”I didn’t stumble upon your Team by chance, I approached you deliberately. You see, I was a participant in this simulation so that I might find a Team that suited me. I believe that yours would be an ideal match for me.”

Nyx’s eyes shot open in response to Lux’s claim and he opened his mouth to send the Lucario back, but Neo spoke first. ”You--You really want to join our Team?” the Meowstic said, eyes wide with amazement, ”Well, I mean, you’re definitely welcome Lux! We’d be happy to have you!” Beaming and raising a paw to shake the Lucario’s, Neo’s attitude seemed completely changed from before, bursting with his usual air of excitement and optimism at the prospect of a new teammate.

”Oh wow, welcome to the Team Essence Lux!” Air said, eyes sparkling with delight at the knowledge that he could continue to learn from this fascinating new Pokemon. He’d never copied anyone blind or with aura before--what would it be like? Toddling over, still in his Audino form, the Ditto shook the Lucario’s hand as well, pleased that this unfortunate event had had a happy ending.

Nyx said nothing as his teammates fawned on the Lucario, the pain in his head continuing to spike as his anger began to stir, hotter than ever. This was far worse than before: it would have been better if they’d never come on this mission--it would even have been better if Neo had stayed miserable. This was the biggest setback he’d had yet, but it was a part of the growing strain of setbacks that had been occurring ever since the children had been born. As he stewed in his frustration, the Vulpix felt eyes on him and looked up, not surprised to find Lux watching him closely. ”Do I have your permission as well sir?” The Lucario’s voice was calm and steady, his eyes shimmering thoughtfully. ”I don’t wish to incite any conflict with my presence.”

”Nyx?” Neo looked over at him with wide eyes filled with the hope that had been lost to them before, and the Vulpix felt as though he'd rather claw his own eyes out rather than deal with all of this.

”...You have my permission.” He hated hearing the words in his own voice, but there was no other option. Refusing Lux would lead to further problems in the future and explanations he didn’t care to make, so it was easier to allow it though he regretted it more than he’d regretted anything else in his life.

”...I see.” Lux’s voice was soft and serious, his golden eyes never leaving Nyx’s for a moment. ”I do appreciate it Nyx. I promise I will endeavor to cause as little trouble to you as I can. Perhaps we can discuss matters further after we’ve been returned to the Guild.”

”Perhaps,” Nyx replied, mind working quickly as he began to ponder the best way to approach the situation. If he and Lux did have this little chat, there would be a good deal to discuss--and to avoid.

Neo beamed at his partner, pleased with his decision. ”I’m glad that’s settled then,” the Meowstic said cheerfully, looking over to Lux. ”By the way, I’m Neo and this is Air. You’ll meet Eliot and Clara when we get back--my kids: I’m sure they’ll be excited to meet someone new.”

”I look forward to it,” Lux said gently, placing a gentle paw on Neo’s shoulder. The appendage glowed slightly, golden energy swirling around it as the Lucario touched his aura to his new leader’s, closing his eyes as he breathed it in for its full effect. Yes, this was a genuinely good Pokemon: aura never lied. He had made the right choice.





It was minutes after Erinn had parted ways with the baby Emolga when the pulse was sent over the area signalling the end of the search. The Paras briefly wondered how it was that Serrin could know that all the Pokemon were safe, but the thought was quickly pushed to the side as he watched a miraculous change overcome the base camp. All of the medical staff removed their gloves and masks, and the sick who had been being carried off righted themselves and began chatting with each other and some of the Guild Pokemon. It was like some sort of switch had been pressed and everything that was wrong became right again--which was honestly more terrifying than if everything had gotten worse.

”What on earth?” the Paras muttered, staring around in utter bewilderment. This didn’t make any sense at all, there was no way the sickness had just disappeared, and they also hadn’t had the chance to administer any sort of cure to some of them, regardless of how effective it was. Slightly dazed, the little bug dug his claw into his side, yelping when the pain registered: he wasn’t dreaming then--or else it was Cresselia or Darkrai’s doing. ”Why?” Erinn moaned, squeezing his eyes shut in frustration. Nothing could be normal here could it?

”Why what?”

The unfamiliar voice touched his ears and Erinn looked up quickly--a decision he regretted immediately. Before him stood the tiny Emolga he’d just rescued, her chest puffed out proudly and eyes sparkling with excitement. ”No, no, no,” Erinn mumbled, pressing his claws to his ears, ”Just leave me alone!”

The tiny Electric Type huffed angrily, glaring at him. ”That’s awfully rude. You shouldn’t say that sort of thing to people. You sounded nice before but I guess you’re just a big meanie!”

”What?!” Erinn cried, staring at the little squirrel desperately. ”No I--”

”Calliope!” This time a familiar voice caught his ears, and the Paras turned to spot Anton hurrying over to them, another equally memorable Emolga following after him. ”Calliope you know it’s not time yet. He doesn’t know what’s happening, you’re confusing him.”

”The both of you too?” the Paras said mournfully. ”Are you alright? I mean, you seem okay but how…?”

Maria stepped forward and placed a gentle paw on Erinn’s back, her eyes shining with a maternal softness. ”Don’t worry, everything’s fine,” she murmured, rubbing his back in soothing circles. ”We’ll stay with you, we just have to wait for the others to get back before we’re allowed to say anything.”

By this point Erinn was worried out of his mind. He’d been through this before, seeing tragedy turn into peace and then finding out the latter was false far too many times to fall for it again. What was it this time? Was he under hypnosis? Had he run afoul of some Legend? Was he dying? The Paras quivered underneath Maria’s paw but waited beside the family of squirrels nonetheless, having no other option. He only hoped he’d snap out of it soon, whatever ‘it’ was.

Eventually Serrin spoke up, once the clearing had filled with other Pokemon who were either just as confused as he was or just as calm and confident as those who weren’t members of specific Teams seemed to be, and the truth came out. When the Ivysaur had finished Erinn was left dumbstruck, hardly able to react to the trick that had been played on him. It would have been easier for him if the truth was opposite--that this was some sort of hysterical delusion and everyone was actually still at risk of dying--but instead he had to attempt to process the fact that no one had ever been in danger to begin with.

Erinn felt wounded. The pain of Serrin’s psychological test was terribly difficult for him to bear, and somewhere deep down he felt personally offended that the Ivysaur didn’t recognize that; if he was left feeling like the ground had opened up and swallowed him whole, then how would the others feel? From the looks of it they were experiencing similar crises to his own, and that was enough to make the Paras’s hurt turn to a justifiable anger. ”So this is the new Guild…” Erinn muttered, his gaze growing darker and filled with worry. It was a good thing Era wasn’t here--she would never stand for this. As it was, Erinn himself had half a mind to bring up a word with Serrin himself, fueled by the mixture of stress and leftover adrenaline that churned within him, but his thoughts were interrupted by a soft clearing of the throat.

”Excuse me...Erinn?” Shooting a glance in the direction of the voice, he found Maria watching him expectantly, Anton and Calliope watching from behind her. ”I know that you must be processing a lot right now, and that it must be difficult to handle, but I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of my family.” The Emolga smiled tentatively. ”You see, the Guild was looking for volunteers for rescue training, and we didn’t know the details, but Anton and I knew that we fit the description of ‘weak and defenseless’ pretty well, especially with Calliope. She’s actually been hatched for a while now, but she’s small enough that people confuse her for a hatchling all the time.”

”Which I’m not!” The younger Emolga said defiantly, crossing her arms to accentuate the point.

”My point is,” Maria continued, ”You didn’t know that there was no real danger, and you were willing to put your life on the line for all of us. You didn’t stop looking until you found me and Calliope both after Anton mentioned us, and you carried all three of us back even though we’re practically the same size as you. That’s...really incredible. You have so much dedication to your job that you’d do anything for a Pokemon you don’t even know, and you did something that most Pokemon like us would consider impossible. You’re really an amazing person Erinn: I hope every Pokemon who works for the Guild is as selfless and devoted as you.”

The Paras paused, feeling the anger drain out of him as quickly as it had come. In truth he had begun to harbor a bit of resentment towards the squirrels as well for playing along and tricking him, but after Maria’s heartfelt speech it was difficult to feel anything other than intensely flattered. ”...I-I’m not really,” Erinn muttered after a moment, thoroughly embarrassed by the praise, ”I’m just doing my job. I’m sure you’d do the same for me.”

Anton chuckled, coming forward and shaking his head slightly. ”See, that’s what she’s talking about!” the Pachirisu said cheerfully, ”Most people don’t have that kind of attitude these days. It’s great to see that you can still have that kind of faith. I’m sure you’ve been quite the inspiration for little Calliope as much as you have for us, though knowing my daughter she’ll never admit it.” The last part of the squirrel’s comment was added in a stage whisper with a wink and a gesture at the tiny Emolga, who quickly looked away, blushing furiously and earning another laugh from her father. ”Really though Erinn, thank you,” Anton added with a heartfelt smile, ”Even though we knew it was all an act, it was clear to me how real it was to you from the start, and you should be proud of what you’ve done today. In our eyes you’re a hero.”

The Pachirisu pulled his mate and daughter close when he concluded and Maria nodded in agreement while Calliope squirmed a bit in her dad’s firm grip. Realizing the futility of the effort in another moment the tiny Emolga sighed. ”Yeah, alright,” she conceded, ”You were pretty cool back there for helping all of us. But my acting was just as cool if you ask me.”

Erinn let out a laugh, surprising himself with the light feeling that descended upon him in that instant. ”It was very cool,” the Paras informed the child, earning a smirk of satisfaction from the girl and beams of approval from her parents. Looking back to Anton and Maria, Erinn offered a smile: ”It was good to meet you, in spite of the unfortunate circumstances. I wish you the best of luck in the future, and don’t be afraid to come find me if you need any help.”

”We won’t,” Maria said with a smile. ”But for now we’ll excuse ourselves: it looks like someone else is waiting to talk to you.”

”Someone else…?” Erinn asked, turning around to see who Maria might have been referring to. The result sent him taking a few steps back as he found himself staring up at a Pokemon who stood taller than even Ethfael, though only when the Dragonair was coiled up so his head rested at a reasonable height.

”That would be me.” The voice was light and relaxed as the Lapras dipped his head down to look at Erinn with an easy smile. ”It’s good to finally meet you in person Erinn. I’ve heard only good things.”

The Paras gawked at the other Pokemon, eyes wide with surprise. He didn’t know the Dual Type at all, but there was something pleasant about his demeanor that was vaguely familiar. ”Ummm… Who--?”

”Am I?” the Lapras replied with a low chuckle. ”My name is Cassiel. I’ve journeyed from the far seas to win the favor of your company.”

”From the sea?” Erinn said, his heart skipping a beat at the thought. ”Does that mean…?”

Cassiel chuckled again, nodding. ”I believe your assumptions are correct my friend. My prince sends his regards, as do his honorable companions, the lady Sereni and the guardian Nox. He wishes to visit soon, but his father has been keeping him quite occupied recently.”

Erinn’s eyes filled with happy tears, blinking them back as he beamed up at the Lapras. ”Phione and Sereni and Nox too? They’re all doing well then?”

”Most certainly. They send their love and regards, as well as myself in their stead.”

”In their stead?” Erinn asked, tilting his head in confusion. ”What exactly do you mean?”

”My prince fears that you may be lonely staying at the Guild on your own. We received word from Clive that he intends to join a Team headed by Riley and Keiran, and young Phione believes that you may be lonely without any of your former Teammates on the Team you have joined. He has informed me how difficult that can be for you, and sent me to be there where he could not.” Cassiel smiled again. ”The bottom line, my dear Erinn, is that I wish to join your Team if you would have me.”

Erinn almost couldn’t contain his eagerness to answer, heart swelling with joy at the thought that he hadn’t been forgotten by his friends, and Phione (bless his heart) had been worried about him enough to send one of his friends. There was no doubt in the Paras’ mind that Cassiel must be a good person--any of Phione’s friends were bound to possess that quality, especially the ones he was close enough with to share such specific information about himself with--yet he hesitated nonetheless when a lingering thought weaseled into the forefront of his mind. ”How were you involved in...this?” It was an unfortunate question to ask, but he needed to know.

The Lapras sighed and bowed his head. ”...Regrettably I had no other choice. There are few ways to be approved to join a specific Team, and this was the option I found to be most readily available to me. I was among the ranks of the kidnappers--my size made my motions quite limited, so I primarily remained in one location most of the time and the difficult ones would be brought to me. A Lapras' song, you must understand, is a very powerful soporific. It can put even the most agitated of Pokemon to sleep in a moment, and so long as the song continues they shall not wake. It was convenient seeing as we had to keep a large number of Pokmon unconscious for a rather lengthy amount of time. ...I hope you will be able to forgive me for my desperate measures: although I was involved I cannot say I condone the Ivysaur’s actions.”

Considering Cassiel’s explanation took Erinn several minutes, as the Paras considered the Lapras’ motives. He believed every word that the Dual Type had spoken, but it was difficult to imagine such a gentle creature as the Lapras seemed to be involving himself in something so terrible for other Pokemon. In the end however, Erinn couldn’t help but allow the matter to rest. The torturous test was over now and Cassiel looked truly remorseful for what he had done: one look into the Lapras’ deep blue eyes and the Paras’ heart melted for the larger Pokemon. ”...Okay. I can forgive you.” His words were soft but sure, and he offered a smile. ”When we get back you can meet my new partner, I’m sure you’ll get along well--he gets along with everybody. Once I explain things to him we should be able to sign you on no problem.”

Cassiel beamed at him and Erinn felt the same indescribable warmth at the Lapras’ pleasure. He recognized it now: it was the same look of pure joy that came onto Phione’s face when he was happy, that was why it seemed so familiar. ”I’m most grateful Erinn,” Cassiel said, bowing his head to the little bug. ”I hope I will prove to be a valuable member of your Team, and a good friend to you.” Lowering his head all the way to the ground, the Lapras turned his eyes on Erinn expectantly. ”Would you care for a ride? You must be terribly tired after all your hard work this evening.” Erinn nodded gratefully and climbed up onto the large Pokemon’s head, feeling a rush of excitement and anxiety when Cassiel straightened his neck again and he could see the world from the Lapras’ height--it simultaneously more thrilling and terrifying than he would ever have expected it to be. Nestling into Cassiel closely, Erinn held on to the Lapras’ horn and looked out over the crowd, waiting with his new teammate for the inevitable Teleport that would take them home. The Paras felt himself calm down slightly as another soft sound graced his ears and he looked down curiously as he felt the odd vibrations beneath his legs: Cassiel had begun to hum softly to himself, a beautiful and haunting tune that made time seem to lose all meaning when it caught you in its spell.





Riley was beginning to tire as he padded out into the jungle once more on heavy paws. The hour was growing late and they’d received no further news about their situation: only the unmoving stare of Serrin prompted the remaining Teams to keep going. The Espeon made his careful way back towards the growing flames, his fur prickling in response to the rise in temperature as he drew closer and braced himself for the return to the fire’s heart. And then everything stopped.

It happened in quick succession, catching the unsuspecting magician off his guard. First the Psychic pulse hit, ordering an immediate halt of the rescue mission and that all members return to base; then the forest went dim, its fire doused by a flock of birds who the Espeon assumed to be Pellipper, though he couldn’t spot them clearly through the smoke and growing blackness above the fading embers; and after his Psychic suddenly cleared up--whatever had been blurring it before vanished, and he felt his senses shift back into focus. ”What on earth…?” Riley breathed, staring around into the darkness with wide and uncertain eyes. Whatever was going on here he had a bad feeling that it couldn’t be anything good.

As he turned around to direct himself towards the base, Riley spotted other Pokemon doing the same. Some scurried ahead of him while others walked along in groups, but their numbers were many more than the Guild Pokemon had numbered at the beginning of the mission. He didn’t recognize many of them, but they were following the Psychic pulses as well: that much was clear. The magician’s cape flared out behind him as it was stirred by a warm night breeze and he shivered at its touch. There was an air of calm about the other Pokemon and that was the eeriest bit of all, as if they were oblivious to everything that had just happened, and the danger that lurked within every shadow.

A familiar tingling behind Riley’s eyes caused him to start, recognizing the onset of a Psychic signal that he hadn’t been expecting to find, and he blinked with surprise. ”Keiran?” The Espeon spoke his partner’s name softly into the night, recognizing the sensation of his partner’s life force coming from the same direction as the other Psychic pulses. This was growing stranger by the second. Coaxing vigor back into his steps, Riley began to run back towards the Guild base, honed in on the beacon of his friend’s aura-lit energy. He didn’t stop until he reached the edge of the crowd that had begun to gather in front of Serrin, and only then because his senses were overcome by the sheer number of Pokemon present. Quelling his Psychic instantly before his head started reeling, the Espeon took a look around hoping beyond hope that Keiran would be within sight; against all odds that hope soon came to fruition.

”Keiran!” Riley called out, uncertain if his friend could hear him over the dull roar of voices that filled the clearing. The Espeon was frustratingly confined to one place, unable to weave through the sea of bodies, but fortunately his partner had already beaten him to it and was on him in an instant. ”Keiran, it’s really you!” He beamed at his partner, nuzzling him fondly and taking comfort from the Riolu’s closeness. ”Thank the Legends you’re alright.” He stifled a laugh when Keiran asked after his own health, nodding in response to his partner’s question and regarding him with relieved eyes. It was absurd, the whole situation, but at least he had his friend back somehow and unharmed nonetheless--at once everything was once again right with the world.

The feeling of contentment lasted for as long as it took for Serrin to speak up in explanation, but the smile on Riley’s face slipped away the instant the ploy was revealed, and it was replaced by something dull and sad. None of it was real, and they’d fought all this time in the name of no more than a lie: that realization was almost more than the Espeon could bear.

Up to this point Riley had been feeling better about joining the Guild with each passing day. He felt fulfilled working in the aid of his fellow Pokemon and assured that things were changing for the better. His confidence had grown and swelled into something truly suited to one who follows his passion and does what he loves--something he always had while performing magic, but that had been wavering in and out since the day he’d parted ways with his former captain. This sudden trick, this violation of trust, shook the Psychic to his very core, and it left his confidence in the Guild shattered beyond recognition.

”It wasn’t real…” Riley muttered, turning his gaze downward and doing his best to swallow the sickening feeling that churned in his stomach. This was all too familiar and unsettling, and he didn’t like it one bit. It explained Serrin’s odd actions throughout the mission to be sure, but it did nothing to make him feel better about the situation. The Espeon placed a great value on honesty: it was a vital part of magic and of his interactions with others. Now on his first mission with the new Guild he found himself being tested and lied to, like some sort of object. He was more than that, and so were all of the Pokemon here. He sunk to a sitting position and bowed his head as he fought the pain that was building from the anger and sadness and confusion inside of it. This was exactly the thing he’d been willing to believe wouldn’t happen, it was at the heart of his decision to strike out on his own instead of conceding to Era, and he...he had been wrong.

For the first time since the day he’d arrived, Riley felt the crushing weight of sadness pressing against him again and had little desire to fend it off. He’d made a promise to himself not to get too upset in front of Keiran, but it was very hard to keep at this point. He wanted to turn around and head back to Era and apologize and let her know that everything she’d said had been right, but he didn’t have that luxury. With all the energy he had left in him, he looked up to find Keiran watching him, the Riolu studying the depths of his eyes, and Riley tried his best to smile in response to his partner’s expression. Fortunately he was saved by an unexpected yet familiar voice. ”Forgive my intrusion, but I couldn’t help overhearing, and if you were to ask me I would say it was very real.”

”Ivilon?” It was difficult to forget that measured tone, and it was something for Riley to latch onto before he fell apart, so he did so with everything he had left in him. The magician was caught by surprise to find the Beldum he’d aided before hovering beside him, his brilliant white body a stark contrast to the muddy Ivilon he’d helped before. ”W-What…?”

”I must entreat your forgiveness for my deception Riley,” the Dual Type said softly, remorse present in his echoing voice, ”But I had to find you again so that I might tell you how profound of an impact your actions had on me this evening.” Riley stared at the Beldum dumbstruck, uncertain how to respond as Ivilon’s golden eye watched him steadily. ”You see, I have been searching for some time for a group of Pokemon who are committed to others in the same way I am. You proved to me tonight that you would stop at nothing to help another, and I was stirred by the amount of strength your heart possesses. I wish to ally myself with you, if you would have me. It would be an honor to call you captain.”

Riley stared back at the Beldum blankly for a moment, words not coming to him as readily as he would have liked. ”I...that is…” the Espeon said weakly, ”I appreciate your gratitude, but…”

”You are overwhelmed.” It wasn’t a question, but an observation. Ivilon let off a soft chiming sound as his eye grew sympathetic. ”I understand that it must be difficult, and that you are still pained by this evening’s revelation. It pains me to see you in such distress.” Hovering closer to Riley, Ivilon rested his head upon the Espeon’s and chimed again: this time the sound was accompanied by a gentle pulse of silver that expanded out from the Beldum’s cranium and washed over the Espeon--the residual energy washed over Keiran as well, hitting the Riolu with its soothing aura before it faded into the air around them. ”Sometimes it is impossible to understand another’s state of mind if one cannot understand one’s own. Peace Riley. I wish to help: not to harm.”

The magician breathed in and allowed his mind to settle, the pain fading as the effects of the Calm Mind set in. His thoughts felt sharper again, less hazy and filled with emotion, and he finally began to register the request that Ivilon had asked of him. ”I...I’m sorry,” the Espeon responded, shaking his head a bit to clear it further. ”So you want to join the Team, is that it?” Receiving a nod in response Riley shot a glance at Keiran. ”Well, I’d be alright with it so long as it’s fine with my partner. ...Keiran?”

For the first time Ivilon turned toward the Riolu, a curious look in his eye. It hadn’t occurred to the Beldum that the Pokemon nearby was Riley’s partner, though it seemed obvious now that he considered it. ”Ah, so you are Keiran,” Ivilon said, his tone soft and sure. ”It is a pleasure to meet the partner of one such as Riley. I sense you also are one with great strength of heart, and strength of body and mind. It is an honor to make your acquaintance.” The shiny Beldum bowed his head to the Riolu. ”I do not know you yet, but I would most like to. Would you grant me permission to join you and Riley on your Team?”

((Can I just say that the Skeleton example is my favorite and I might adopt it from now on? Spooky scary skeletons~
But anyway, yeesh I'm going to have to work hard to justify taking any recruits here, we'll see how it goes and if chance is compelling enough for me to work things out. ^ ^ Edit: Welp, guess I'm going to be making those justifications after all.
Also sure, I'll make the roll LunLun. I'll send you a message once I see the results too, so we can figure out what we're doing.))

Hanae and Bryant


Hanae bristled at Bryant's side. A test? A test. That was what this entire thing had been? She noted absently that she was shaking now. Bryant shied away from her but she didn't care. How could they do this to them? From the sounds of it, a lot of the others in the guild had been sick with worry for their 'kidnapped' partners. Serrin and the other leaders...why did they think this was a good idea?

Her eyes fell on a pidove. Judging by the ruffled feathers she was almost one hundred percent certain it was the same pidove she and Bryant had saved alongside that mankey--which was no where in immediate sight. Ah, if she had arms they would be crossed in irrtation right now. Betrayed. That was one of the feelings that was burning in her heart. It was only because of Bryant that she didn't turn and leave right then.

Bryant would stay, if only out of obligation, she felt. And there was no way she was returning to her home. Her mother...she missed her but she most definietly didn't miss her father. Hanae took a deep breath and released her anger and betrayal into the winds. She could deal with this on a later date, perhap even complain to Serrin himself for these actions. For now...She could start packing the feelings away.

"H-Hanae...?"

The petilil looked down at the swadloon. Her light charm necklace swung slightly. "Yes, Bryant?"

He looked up at her with an almost knowing expression. "Are you a-alright?" He asked, concern lighting up his features.

...Was she alright? Hanae wasn't sure. She might've...stifled her negative feelings but she was still not feeling well. "I'm fine." But that was no reason to worry Bryant.

The swadloon didn't seem to believe her but turned his gaze back to Serrin. "...W-we should help p-pack everything u-up right?"

"Hm." She was tempted to say no, that they could handle it themselves but that would hardly set a good example. "Right. We can find out if we got any recruits ourselves while we're at it."

"D-don't we find t-that out later...?"

Hanae made a gesture similar to a shrug. "I guess we'll find out. At least that fire is out now..." The last bit was muttered under her breath but Bryant had clearly caught her comment as he sent her a sympathetic look. Ah, right. Fire wasn't his greatest ally either. Of course they'd have to make sure they didn't breath in too much smoke later.

The duo stepped through the crowds of pokemon to volunteer in helping pack up whatever was needed to be packed. The faster they finished packing the faster they could return to their quarter. Returning to their quarters meant sleep which Hanae was almost desperate for by this point. Hopefully it won't be too early in the morning before they get back to their room at the guild.

Venari
Katherine, Arturius, Ty

Consciousness was a slow moving thing. Katherine didn't have her wits about her as she awoke. Her mind was in a fog as she awoke. The feelings of a moment past came rushing back to her and she suddenly grasped against the weight on her chest. It was with a sense of relief that she found it to be from a familiar shape clothed in a familiar texture. Arturius was resting against her, having apparently been mistaken for an actual sword by whoever had done so. She shifted Arturius slightly in order to get him off of her chest. With her body now free, she simply pushed against the ground and propped herself up to look around. The brief moment of clarity aside, she still didn't know where she was or what had really happened. She seemed to be with the guild and she seemed to be out of the jungle so that was good but the recognition was a very dull and somewhat imprecise one. It was only thorough enough to let her know that she wasn't in danger. Which was good. She wasn't in danger anymore and she had Arturius back. That was really all she needed. Though she had never considered it, nor would she for quite a while, Arturius was one of the precious few things in her life that was both static and reassuring. It was good to have him around.

With her in depth analysis of the world around her complete, Katherine simply slumped back to the ground and rolled onto her side so that she was facing Arturius. She was so very, very tired and nothing bad was going on so it seemed like an okay decision to go to sleep. Rather, she was tired and there was no reason for her to be awake so why not go to sleep? Sleep was nice. Sleep was very nice. It was so very, very nice...

Needless to say that didn't quite work out the way she expected it to. Although she managed to lie down for a time she was very rudely roused from her slumber by a hand gently shaking her shoulder. She ignored it at first, hoping it would simply go away and leave her alone. A few shakes later and she gently swatted at it in an effort not to hurt whatever it was but to clearly communicate "go away". "You alright?"

Katherine opened her eyes and blinked a few times at the familiar voice. She propped herself up slightly in order to face the source properly. She knew this voice, it belonged to Ty. "I'm..." Katherine paused to let out a loud, very deep yawn. "...fine." And with that, she lowered herself back to the ground and got comfortable again.

"I believe the soporifics may have affected her more deeply than most." That was Arthur... that was good, he could talk for her.

A brief period of silence ensued as Ty figured out what "soporifics" meant. "As long as she's okay, I guess." He didn't really seem to know what to do. That was fine too. She could hear Ty sit down near her after that but she didn't really care. Sleep was nice. Even if there wasn't sleep, there was resting which was also very nice. She was allowed to stay like that until someone started speaking. She was quickly shaken awake by Ty. She didn't know who it was that was speaking beyond a recognition that he was "someone important". None of what he said really clicked. The basic idea, that it was all a test, was pretty plainly comprehensible but the subtleties and complexities of the operation were completely lost on her addled state. More crucially, the basic message behind it escaped her mind entirely.

As she stared at the Ivysaur blankly, the only thing she said before going back to sleep was a plainly spoken "You're a butt."

Robin
Jessica, Tobias

There wasn't that long a chase. The Golduck was agile and it had a lead on Tobias but there was a key difference between "agile" and "fast". The Golduck was merely agile while Tobias was both. Both paw and claw tore through the earth as he sprinted away from the dropped lights, towards their assailant and silently slipped through the foliage that it retreated back into. Tobias's footsteps became slower and more methodical. The dirt below him remained undisturbed as he passed around plantlife. The Golduck glanced back from time to time but Tobias remained unseen. The source of light he had held had been cut free of his neck by his own claw. The would-be kidnapper put Jessica on the ground as it struggled with something in its hands and that was when Tobias struck. He crawled in, retrieved Jessica and simply left. It was a quick, silent and utterly methodical series of actions. His retreat was just as quick and just as silent.

With the immediate threat gone, Tobias deftly shifted onto his back legs while hugging Jessica to his chest. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for; a particularly close set of trees would provide a suitable place to hide. It was there that he leaned back against the tree and did what he could to wrap himself around Jessica herself. His paws busily moved down and across her body as he did what he could to brush away the water. He was not a doctor nor a biologist but he knew well enough what chattering meant. The water being brushed away and the heat that came from his body soothed Jessica, causing her breathing to relax and the chattering to come to a slow stop. She pushed weakly against Tobias in an effort to free herself and to stand on her own but whether Tobias didn't notice or he didn't care, his gentle hold did not relent. It wasn't until well after the final pulse had rung through that the two parted properly. "Are you well?"

"I'm alright." She was inwardly glad that she couldn't blush. She hadn't been held like that in a long time... maybe it made sense for what had happened but it was still a bit embarrassing. "We should get going back to camp."

"Yes." Tobias dropped down to his feet, stepped forward and over to Jessica. She stared at the harness he was wearing, well aware both of what he wanted and that it made sense. Her legs were still a bit unsteady, they no longer had any sources of light and while they had been safe staying there that wouldn't necessarily prove to be the case en route. The only light they had was the one from Jessica's tail, making it all the more pressing; she was both weak and an excellent target. It was begrudgingly that she brought her body up and onto the harness. It was too small for her and the grips were awkward to hold but once she got her fingers wrapped around them it was good enough. Tobias took a few awkward steps as he adjusted to the weight. "Lets go. Hold on tightly. I will try to be careful."

Jessica's entire body was wrenched back as Tobias suddenly kicked and tore into a full sprint. There was no turning or slowing down in the typical sense but rather sharp corners whenever the need was had. A front paw would shoot forwards, bracing his body and eliminating the entirety of his momentum only for him to kick again and launch himself forward as if he had never stopped. A journey into the jungle that had taken the better part of half an hour walking was cleared in a sparse few minutes by Tobias's sprint. When they finally came to a stop near the entire guild Jessica was thoroughly shaken, not by the after-effects of the cold water but by the sudden shifts in the "ride". Each one had caused her to be wrenched in the direction that Tobias had been going prior to the stop and the only thing that had kept her on top of him was a white-knuckle grip on the handles. She was surprised they hadn't been torn off. Hell, she was surprised her arms hadn't been torn off... They hadn't hurt before but they ached now. Holy hell...

The speech didn't happen long after that. There hadn't been much time for her to really question the strangeness of the gathered pokemon. It was... a training exercise?

Well then.

She couldn't say she was particularly mad. Others were, that much was clear, but she couldn't harbour such strong emotions. She was too tired and too worn down for any real outrage and, even if she hadn't been, it was hard to muster up any kind of indignant fury when nothing had really happened to them. She had been attacked but given what he was saying she had never been in any real danger. She would have just been dropped off with the rest of the guild and cared for. It was hard to be mad about that, even if others were. Jessica glanced sideways to Tobias. He had been staring intently at Serrin for the entirety of the speech but he hadn't said anything nor were there any clear emotions on his face. Well... maybe it was worthwhile.

Cut
Donovan, Theodore

The world would come back to Donovan in a manner very much befitting of his kind and, accordingly, very different from that of the other guild members. His awakening wasn't slow or easy and it wasn't brought along by the careful touch of nurses or trained staff. It was sudden, quick and angry. The mental fog was lifted the moment his memories came back to him; he remembered pursuing the attackers, some powder being tossed into his face and then all of a sudden it went black. And then, there he was, lying on the ground and tied up with his scythes turned inwards to prevent him from freeing himself. He was ready to kill.

"What the ******** is this!?"

"You got destroyed." Theodore was already nearby. The speech had finished. Most, if not all, of the pokemon that had been put to sleep had already woken up. "This was a simulation." Yup, all a simulation. It seemed... pointless, to Theodore. It was an unnecessary use of time and resources that could have been better done elsewhere but it didn't really matter. He guessed it probably meant more to other people; there was certainly plenty of anger to go around. He had assumed that Donovan was off killing someone, given that that was what Donovan did. Maybe it might have meant more to him some other way. Meh. "They wanted to see if we were ready for a rescue mission so they put this together to test us. You ran off, ambushed and put to sleep."

The result was a seemingly endless, directionless rage. There was no one to fight, no one to take it all out on. There was nothing he could do about it; he wasn't enough of a fool to lash out at the staff. "It was all a test?" What a waste of time! There was no point in this, no merit, no value. It was all worthless. All pointless. What was the value in a test? What did they gain from it? Readiness? No, that was ludicrous. Those who weren't ready died. This was absurd.

There was, given the state of Donovan, only a single creature to approach Team Cut. A lone Froakie. It was the one Theodore had saved earlier, he knew that much. However, it wasn't quite clear that the Froakie even realized their affiliation. Donovan had walked off on his own in his rage and you wouldn't have been able to pair the two of them together unless you knew they were a part of the same team to begin with.

"I need you to help me kill someone."

The Froakie looked as prepared as was possible for the request. Spit was swallowed, breath was held and the little thing's entire body was stiff and upright. It wasn't a question that it asked easily. "Then ask the guild."

Donovan merely responded with a dismissive hiss. But the girl did not relent. "No. There's no point if I don't do it myself. I need to be stronger." She stopped speaking and lowered her head to the ground as she settled onto her hands and knees. "Please let me join your team."

Donovan looked down at the little Froakie as he internally weighed the positives and negatives. He had no interest in taking on another useless team member, Boris was bad enough. Beyond that, while the Froakie was certainly engaging in the proper degree of reverence, the behaviour itself disgusted him in a certain sense; banding together with stronger creatures was what the weak did. But... it was the duty of the strong to rule over the weak. That was very much true. It was his right and his duty to rule over weaker creatures and perhaps one that was not of his kin or proven by blood was worth such a thing if she were willing to swear fealty to him. Perhaps it would be more suitable to treat his team as he would a tribe... as creatures who existed to help and benefit him in exchange for his protection. It certainly helped that if there was any motivation that would charm Donovan, it was bloodlust. Overturning the natural order of things was not a right that the Froakie had. Allying oneself with a stronger creature was an example of this. On the other hand, it was very much Donovan's right to do as he wished. He simply had to feel the desire to do so. "How are you with children?"

"Chil...dren?" The Froakie stiffened and shifted slightly as if she were to stand and look at Donovan but instead she kept her face to the ground. "I can learn."

"...Fine then."

[/Froakie]

Ivilon's eye widened slightly in surprise at the deepness of Keiran's voice, but it quickly returned to its usual easy acceptance once he'd had a chance to process it. While it was unusual to encounter an under-evolved Pokemon of the Riolu's evident age it wasn't unthinkable, and surely he must have had his reasons for the action; the Beldum himself was surprising unevolved, so it didn't trouble him. "I thank you Keiran," the Beldum said quietly, pleased to detect the tones of warmth in the other Pokemon's voice. "I assure you I will be an obedient and dedicated member, and defer to the decisions made by the both of you." Clearly there was strong history between the two Pokemon of this Team, and he would respect that. The pair of partners heading a Team were in charge after all, both standing before any of their members in the chain of command, and Ivilon was at peace with that--in fact it was what he was hoping for. It would be a unique experience to place his trust in the decisions of another, and one that he knew he would learn a good deal from.

Riley smiled, slightly embarrassed by Keiran's requirements, and nudged the Riolu fondly. "The same holds true for you you know," the magician said teasingly, "I may be the captain in title, but this Team is just as much yours as it is mine." Fortunately, Ivilon seemed to be on the same wavelength as he was, as the Beldum specified them both as a pair in his comments a moment later. It was comforting to know that their new recruit was so perceptive: it could prove to be quite helpful in the future.

Though his mind was soothed a bit, the Espeon still felt a wave of hesitation as a thought struck him to his core: this was his first major decision for his new Team. Ivilon wasn't asking to be a member of MistMelody, he was asking to join Synchronicity. He didn't know Era or the others--he might not even get along with them if they ever met; instead this Beldum wanted to join himself and Keiran because he liked the two of them. It was daunting, coming to such realizations, and almost enough to make him second-guess his decision to accept the Beldum, but then he glanced at Keiran. The Riolu was standing there, apparently approving of Ivilon, and he'd had enough faith to agree to a new recruit so long as they gave him due respect. Riley didn't know what he'd done to deserve such a wonderful friend, but he drew from Keiran's confidence to carry out his own duties. "Well then," the magician said, tipping his hat to Ivilon with a reinvigorated grin, "Allow me to welcome you to Team Synchronicity Ivilon. We look forward to working with you!"

Ivilon's eye glowed with happiness as he dipped his head to the pair again, watching Riley replace his hat curiously. The Beldum was thoroughly pleased with the pair despite the emotional turmoil that stirred within each of them. This would doubtless be a learning experience for all of them; hopefully it would turn out for the better. "And I you," he replied gently. With that, he quietly stood down to allow his leaders to fall back into their gentle conversing idling to the side of the pair. He watched Keiran with great interest and a hint of concern, given the unsteadiness of the Riolu's stance, but he sensed that it would be unwise to offer his assistance; it wouldn't do to harm the pride of either of his new leaders, but particularly the one who he knew less about. For now he watched and waited, inputting his opinion when it was asked for and quietly observing the Guild members as a whole otherwise. He was eager to learn the structures and relationships that were the heart of this organization, and each Team within it.



((And this concludes Synchronicity's closing round))