Welcome to Gaia! ::

As I tried to help Freth speed along trying to open back up the cavern, Freth and I perked up, looking back towards the new person that decided to make themselves known. A overly eccentric person who dressed up as some sort of…weird…magical girl? That dress and styler was really not helping anything, if nothing else. “What…the hell?” I couldn’t help but to ask. I couldn’t help but to stare at Freth, wondering if she was seeing what I was seeing. To say the least, Freth was dumbfounded, a look on her face that deadpan showed she was at a loss for words. From disgust, if not bewilderment, was shared between the two of us.

“I got nothing.” Freth said.

“It’s still not in the league of Ein.” Eris ended up reminding her. “Though, I guess the quality of villain has…quite the bar to clear to make it to that mad man’s level.”

“Let’s just hope no one actually makes it that far.” Freth told her.

As Sub insulted the Dim Sun administrator, Freth and I would take notice to the back up staring to arrive to aid the administrator and I couldn’t help but to stare with a bemused look on my face. “Because that clearly worked a little bit ago.” I said.

“I wouldn’t celebrate yet…look.” I then looked over towards the various Pokémon that the Snagems had out in the field and how they started to act strange about. She then looked down towards her Absol who wasn’t getting affected, only left flabbergasted at the sudden demeanor change out of its fellow Pokémon. Never mind it was feeling on edge already from the volcano threatening to erupt. “We need to take her out.”

“Fine by me.” When I started to step forward, the grunts nearby Lavana started to toss Pokeballs out, sending out various Spritzee. As one started to rush for me, I fired off a couple of ice beams to deter the Pokémon away. I didn’t want to try to take Weavile out in this situation, him being my ace in the hole of sorts. However, to my surprise, the Spritzee started to manuver about, averting the Ice Beam shots. The more I tried to lead the Spritzee and correct my aim, the more it frantically predicted and weaved about. It looped about trying to keep me off balance and out of my aim with my Ice beam shots until finally it managed to land a peck on me. “Gah! The hell!” I shouted, swatting at the Spritzee and giving a couple of shots. It scrambled away in a hurry to go fly off to any other potential targets.

“The hell was that about?” Freth asked me.

“I don’t know, it was-…huh.”

“What? Blizzard, what are you waiting around for?” Freth asked. Freth then listened to Lavana, staring in confusion. “Extra push? The hell is she talking about? Blizzard, go hurry up and take care of business while I try to get this cavern open!” she said.

“I mean…do we need to fight?”

“Wha?” Freth stared in confusion and when she got a good look, all she could see was the look of confusion on her significant other’s face. A paralysis, as if a child being told that it could only pick one candy from the small shelf in the grocery store checkout isle. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I…don’t…I…um…”

“One of the world’s strongest hybrids. His weakness? Indecision.” Eris said, deadpan. “He’s lovestruck. That Spritzee Sweet Kissed him and left him vulnerable to the hypnotic waves in the air. He’s still deep down loyal to you, but that kiss made his loyalties split without him actually realizing it. He’s trying to figure out how to ‘save’ everyone and take you both in the end, and the math isn’t mathing to him.”

“So much for true love conquers all.” Freth said sarcastically.

“Only in the romance novels you like reading.” Eris said.

“To think it’s only the psychics Blizzard complains about fighting. Son of a…I’m going to need to get involved.”

“We need a way out first. You need to get back on that exit. You’re probably the best shot at getting everyone out right now.” Eris said.

Freth went back and started to focus, trying to chip away at the ‘wall’ that was at the cavern entrance. Before she knew it, though one of her hands was taken. She looked back, seeing her hand grabbed by her severely love-inebriated partner. “We need to work together!” Freth could only hear spoken in a panic.

“Blizzard, we need-“

“We have to make them all stop, so no one gets hurt. We need to get Lavana to help too.”

“Okay, I do NOT have time for this!” She would grab her significant other with her telekinetic forces and slammed him to the floor, his arms telekinetically driven hard behind his back and wings clamped together just so that there was little chance of getting out one way or another in the midst of that absurd amounts of confusion.

“ACK! FRETH! WAIT! STOP! HEY!”

“Sorry, Blizzard, this is a little bit of tough love. Can SOMEONE for the love of God take care of those hypnotic waves!?” Freth would then shout to the others. She would have her hands full, both literally and figuratively.

Immediately observing the heat and rumbles of the volcano. Jezebel sees all the members of Sanger take off in almost a bloodlust trace. So with pleasure others with anger.

“I can’t say I’m familiar with what’s going on, or even this region but the veteran members are taking this extremely aggressive; and on some level personal. I may need to talk with sub about the heated history surrounding these events.” She thought to herself.

Jezebel quickly took note of the landscape; typical volcanic terrain. Not to her surprise she finds some steam vents, as well as a nearby cooled dome that still retains heat. “I may not be able to fight as aggressively as the others. Between my upbringing and skills in the kitchen; I can say that this is. My food is of the soul and brings comfort to those that need it.”

Quickly Jezebel gets to work, finding some cooled magma slabs, and tempered rocks to use as a table. “I need ingredients; Claydoll. I need your assistance please.” The claydoll appears instantly. “Sweetie I need these berries from the HQ garden please. Also may I request some vials as well please.” With a chirp the clay doll was gone.

While waiting for the claydoll to return she takes another quick glace around. “Hmmmmm. The salt water is my best assumption for a source of water; since I’m lacking a water type” she sighed with embarrassment. I need to make a crude water filtration device first.” She hastily looked again to find some magma that have odd shapes like bowls almost. Quickly gathering them up and place them with the slabs. “This won’t produce a lot of water, but enough.” Taking a brief moment to crate what she could construct; it was a small crude bowl like shape that is simple and effective.

“I’m glad I was trained on how to do this while living with my Caravan. Otherwise I would be even more useless than I feel like. I need to Quickly finishing everything thing before something bad happens, like them getting injured… or worse.” Looking over at the water filtration; “It seems to be working the best i can hope for I suppose.”

Only gathering roughly one to two cups on water at a time. Jezebel turns to find claydoll standing before her with a large bundle of mixed berries. “Oh thank you love.” Reaching into her personal bag she pulls out a cookie for the Claydoll. With a happy chirp it vanished. “Aright. Time to get started.” She said with gumption while also pulling up her sleeves and pulling back her hair.

“Fire resistance and a cooling drink. These are the two I need to prioritize.“ digging into the bundle she pulls out a bunch of Rawst berries. “Awesome. Smells fresh too!” She starts by mashing the berries I’m the bowls she found. “Now for some water, and add some neutral mints for a zing.” After spending several minutes of milling the berries, waiting for water to filter, and mashing the mint. Jezebel takes a bottle and drinks it with pride.

“GaaaaAAAKKKK” the contents of her stomach came up; tonic and all. With a raspy voice and staggered cough Jezebel caught her breath. “For the love of Arceus. That was disgusting.” She said spitting out even more left over contents from her mouth.

“What did I just Ty to ingest?! What did I do wrong? I could swear-“ she was prompted to freeze in place and remain silenced by a rustle in the nearby bushes and brush.

”I think there’s something over there.” she whispered softly with growing fear. Peering through the brush, she found it was a Ponyta. “Oh, sweet baby. Are you lost?” She said putting out her hand with some food in her palm.

“What happened to-“ the Poynta whined and neighed, as if it was injured. Jezebel investigated closer to find it was caught in a trap. The gash looked bad, but fresh.

Jezebel’s fell to the ground, tears filling her eyes. “How?! How can anyone be this cruel to any living being?!” She claws at the ground clinching her fists hard enough to pull up chunks of debris. Seconds later termors of heatwaves started to radiate from her body, simultaneously strands of hair starts to change to a crimson red.
Cayenne suddenly pops from her poke ball. Walking up next to Jezebel; offering a soft and tender nudged. Jezebel breaks from her trace to See her sweet Vulpix sitting next to her. With a pair of cute babydoll eyes, Vulpix was able to quickly bring her mom back to her senses.

Upon regaining her focus. Jezebel turned her attention to the Trapped Poynta. “Let’s help out our little friend here shall we.” Jezebel slides around to where the trap was wrapped around the Pokémon’s leg. she goes to try and pry it open with force, giving the Poynta plenty of time to move free from the trap. Still injured the fire Pokémon struggles to stand and keep its balance. Jezebel jumps to offers it support but the Poynta flares it’s nostrils in protest.

Jezebel takes a small cake made of sweet chilies and citrus berries. “At least try to eat something please. You cannot recover just by lying here and squirming in pain.”
The Poynta kept resisting with scoffs of embers and neighs.

“Fine. I have bigger things to worry about.” She said leaving crumb to entice the Pokémon to follow her to the camp. “That’s it!” Jezebel rushes to the makeshift stove throws a rawst berry, some of her cake crumbs, and a very small sweet dash of neutral mint. After a few minutes of it bubbling she throws it into a water bath. She eagerly waits for the new drink to cool down to taste. Blowing and fanning the liquid; it’s finally ready to taste.

A sheer cold shiver rushes down her spine. Memories rush back to her of back in the frozen mountains of Kalos. Taking her back to a trip when she was but a child; the snow crunch and biting. A rush of cold energy coursed through her body; “My heavens that’s a kick of cold. I’m crazy for saying that I might need a coat on a volcanic island.” She laughed to herself.

Quickly preparing as many vials as possible and achieved recreation of the tonic. She adds a note to every vial. *Dear reader, please protect yourself from the heat of the volcano. This tonic will aid you in refocusing your energy to the battlefield and more. -Jezebel*

“Claydoll. Please deliver these tonics to each member of Snagem here at the volcano. I’m sure you can find them more quickly than I can.”

Problem: Lavana. The pink haired, purple two piece wearing, sounding brat of a woman who made Tsuki want to throw hands with the moment she started to speak. He directed Terra to fly at her directly, intent on recreating the leaping leg sweep maneuver that he had done to the earlier Dim Sun Grunt- but he’d quickly learn that most strategies in a fight had the life expectancy of a single use. The wave of pink energy overtook the two of them mid flight and soon the Flygon began flailing around to shake him off of her. Terra LOVED Lavana, poor helpless Lavana. Those Snagem bullies had no right stepping into her safe space and attacking their crew- HER crew! She’d fight for her and scare off those ‘mon stealing jerks!

Reminded of Sub’s warning about mind control, Tsuki cursed as he tumbled and fell off of Terra. He ducked his head and covered them with his arms before safely rolling onto the ground with the expertise of someone who was regularly thrown off flying Pokemon without warning (Hi Titan Bombirdier, who Tsuki gave to Sub). Wanting to both get his Pokemon back and help the others wherre he could, the Snagem sent out Grumps. As a Hypno, he had to have some kind of natural resistance to hypnosis. “Try to shake off the hypnosis effect Grumps, we gotta break Terra and any others free!” He yelled as he watched the psychic type struggle.

Natural defenses? Zilch. But any defense? Grumps did have one. Pulling out the coin on a string all Hypnos were known to carry, he looked to his trainer for some kind of help. One hand to his ear and the other to his shoulder, he struggled to maintain concentration and resist the mental intrusion. Tsuki thought about Lavana’s command. “Oh! She’s making them love her and attack us for ger! Maybe… make her betray you, like she- she cheated on you, that b$*@&!”

With a nod Grumps used Hypnosis on himself, making him temporarily believed that Lavana had been cheating on them with some more impressive projection of himself. No, no he wouldn’t fight for her, these Snagems were simply former flames who were also victims of her adulterous ways. Allies? Who could say, but to say enemies…?

Grumps shook his head, not free of the hypnotic mind wave that Team Dim Sun’s machine was transmitting, just tweaked ever so slightly. He looked towards his… trainer? Fellow ex partner of Lavana? That Tsuki kid, he looked to him and waited for him to say something.

“Right, well if you’re good now we have more than enough problems on our plate. You think- watch out!” Tsuki yelped, tackling Grumps over as Terra swooped down with a Fly and tried to take them out. They narrowly avoided getting flung into the air, instead enjoying a bruise causing tumble onto the ground. The trainer scrambled up and pointed at her. “We don’t got time to handle her and help the others. Put her to sleep and get ready to broadcast your own hypnosis. I’ll…” Tsuki looked at his hands. A Hypno’s Hypnosis required line of sight. “… figure something out. Now!”

On command, Grumps spun his coin like a pendulum when Terra came back to dive bomb them with another Fly attack. As she approached, just as recklessly as she plunged into the initial hypnotic transmission, she found herself face first into the move and fell asleep mid air. The Flygon came crashing down ungracefully with a slam harsher than Tsuki would have liked. She was definitely going to wake up in pain after that. But they didn’t have time to plead with a Pokemon who couldn’t be pinned down long enough to have a heart to heart. Once that was handled, he created a Light Screen platform and circled around, swinging his pendulum like a lighthouse- a lighthouse! That’s how Tsuki was going to get the attention of those hypnotized!

Leaping onto the platform with his Pokemon, Tsuki rubbed his hands together like one might do if they were trying to collect static electricity. Instead, he was trying to pool his inner fire chi into his hands. He could feel the evenly distributed pool of energy that he had inside of him shift and focus into his palms. This wasn’t anything flashy, hell it wasn’t even a proper channeling ability, it was just a skill he picked up. Ever since he started walking around with his Blaze Amulet and learned how to focus chi, he couldn’t direct it in his body and let it out in tiny ways. Flicking his fingers to create a candle light in his palm, warming up a cold Pokemon with a hug, and in this case? Clapping his hands together hard enough to create a bright flash, ideally to draw even a moment of a hypnotized victim’s attention. Lavana’s mind control wasn’t something he could turn off or alter- but he could add an addendum.

You do love Lavana. But she CHEATED on you, like she cheated on those Snagem guys.

Ulla took out Togekiss and raced to the volcano. Swiftly dodging and twirling around rocks being thrown at them and flamethrowers. She placed Hisuian Zorura on her lap as he was taking it all in. While they were flying through, Ulla looked at the Pokemon's expressions. "They...looks so empty." She said as she finally caught up with her group. She landed right next to Sub as they met Lavana. The Fairy child got off of Togekiss as she listened to her rant. ...Something doesn't feel right. She thought as she was fixated on her Capture Styler.

That's when a sudden wave of pink energy came form Lavana. The Fairy Child quickly linked with Togekiss as they created a bubble around them to protect them from the wave. Her heart was racing, as she wasn't sure what that energy would've done. But she would soon find out as she started to feel her connection with Togekiss flicker for a second. She looked at her partner as it looked like Togekiss was struggling with something. "Tama? Tama what's wrong?" She said as she noticed the pink heart energy above their head but then quickly break. Looks like Ulla made a good call to make a bubble around them. She sighed of relief as she made sure her partner was okay.

That's when Ulla started to look around as all of Snagem was either struggling against their own Pokemon. Or the Hybrids were having trouble distinguishing friend from foe. Her heart got twisted in a knot, seeing how easy it was to sway them. "What a monster...messing with others emotions." She said as she took notice of Keiko first as she screamed to make it stop. She was about to run over to her to aid her but then noticed Freth and Blizzard. She ran to Freth and Blizzards side as she had to come up with an idea fast. "Let me try something. Blizz, no promises. But this might feel weird." She said as the fairy child held her hand out as her and Blizzard started being outlined in Fairy Energy.

Inside Blizzard's conscious, they would see a pink silhouette of Ulla. And if they were to look at themselves, they would see a pink chain with and a heart shaped lock on their chest. Ulla floated over and examined the lock and chain. "How interesting. It's kind of like the Shadow Virus. But instead of a fog...it's a lock and chain. How ironic....This should be simple." Her voice echoed in Blizzard's mind. An orb of fairy energy formed into her hand as a staff as big as her appeared. It shared a strong resemblance to Xerneas's antlers, as crystals of different colors shimmered at the end of it. This must be what Ulla's artifact now. What use to be a hair accessory, changed into a staff. She tapped the end of her staff onto the lock as it glowed brilliantly. The glow soon faded as the lock made a loud click noise as it unlocked. The chain and heart lock then disappeared.

Outside of Blizzard's conscious, if anyone was paying attention. Anyone could see Ulla focusing her energy on Blizzard's condition. Her eyes were closed but then she opened them as she heard the unlocking. Her eyes were glowing with her channeling as she lowered her hand and breathed out a sigh of relief. The outline between her and Blizzard dissipated as he should be back to normal. "Blizzard? Are you back with us?" She asked, she found a way to cancel out this hypnosis. Now the bigger problem was. Getting all of Snagem to break out.

Ogerpon's eyes blink once, twice, dazed by the wave of energy coming from Lavana. Her mask rotates from her water mask to the Cornerstone, a giddy drunkenness plastered beneath the carven face as she starts to stumble and gambol around, a feeling flowing that was unfamiliar to the minute warrior. "Pyoooon pon pon pon~" She chuckled, weaving to and fro as her head lolled back and forth. Oh Just Darts you old so and so~ Ignoring any protests or attempts to remove her, she would wander back to her trainer and start to clamber him. Small as she was, she was not tiny, and her weight was throwing Darts off balance as she ascended, finally reaching the top of his shoulders to take her rightful seat on top of his neck, riding him like a little child might ride their parents.

"Pyooooon pon pon!" She trilled, giggling as she leaned backwards, wrenching on Darts' neck and back as she tried to encourage him. Go my mighty steed go! The gambler would have loved to remove her, at least she wasn't attacking him, but he had other issues that he was currently dealing with elsewhere...


As the now top-heavy Giratina hybrid was shoved off his feet an unceremoniously thrown to the ground by Crystal. Hey, at least she wasn't killing him right? But she was making biscuits on his jacket. And unlike normal bakeries, the main ingredients in these biscuits were pain. It takes all of Darts' self control to keep from yelling in agony as the other hybrid's claws slice near little incisions in his jacket's fiber, before she settles in for a nap atop of him, with Ogerpon still riding on his neck and shoulders, cackling and rocking back and forth.

"Pyon pon!" Horsie fall down go boom! She had reverted to the mentality of a small child with the drunken haze Lavana had forced on all of them, and of course that wasn't the least of Darts' problems...



"Arceus damn it..." Darts groaned from underneath the pile of allies that were currently atop his prone body, growing heavier by the second. Bombs, tentacles, he was pretty sure he knew where all of this was going and it wasn't anywhere good. But he couldn't just take things lying down. Figuratively or literally. He wills a burst of Outrage to his legs and arms, giving him the physical strength to stagger to his feet, Ogerpon still wrapped around his neck and amusingly enough Crystal, like any cat mid nap, still sunk into his back with her claws firmly in place. He was going to have to carry both of them on his own if he was going to get anything done, so he did. Step by agonizing step he made his way forward, each stride punctuated by another blue fire blaze of his draconic steroid. You can only imagine the scene the Grunt for the nearest bomb saw, a Giratina hybrid with an ogre playing horsey carrying a curled up sleeping Solgaleo hybrid on his back like a backpack wreathed in dark fire, straining so hard that his red eyes were bulging out of his golden crest practically. He doesn't even have enough air intake to muster any kind of quip as he conks the grunt on the head, similar to the one earlier, knocking them out before he hefts the bomb with his other hand, stumbling slightly from the combined weight of his passengers before he tosses it into the Distortion World.

That was one down. Darts shoots a look at the next nearest bomb, FAR too fat away from him by his calculations and he starts heading in that direction anyway, step by agonizing step. "I swear, they don't... ngh.... pay me enough for this..." he growls, barely able to make any progress.

"Pyooon pon!" Onward Just Horsie!

Cera stopped herself in an instant when she heard the rocks falling, looking around in apprehension. "Wait, have we overdone it? Or was I off about how long we should've had?" She asked herself, eventually catching the Aggron and Rhydon trying to seal the entrance off. "No, they're trying to keep us inside. Kiri, head them off and slow them down! Kangaskhan, you're... fine sticking around a little longer, yeah?"

Grateful to be back to her senses, she'd give a thankful nod before putting her hands together. Kiri, in the meantime would barrel her way back towards the entrance, head reared down as she charged towards the Aggron with Iron Head.

"Good. Stick with me, then, we could use the extra muscle."

She'd catch up with Sol, Amaranth and the others as things had otherwise calmed down. "Is... that it?"

"With numbers like those, quality assurance's probably down compared to anything Ein and Cipher did," Sol commented.

"I guess, but that means anyone bigger's either further in or we're about-" She'd be cut off from Lavana's voice calling out, confirming both of her suspicions then and there. "...to get their attention..."

The three would shield their eyes from the pink light, greeted by even more pink as Lavana revealed herself proper. Pink top, pink skirt, pink hair, pink pink pink and more pink.

"...when'd she raid your room?" Amaranth asked, looking at Cera as more grunts came in. "Cuteness contests don't have that much pink."

"I'm not that gaudy with the pink!" Cera hissed, an almost viscerl reaction as she glared at Amaranth briefly.

"No, but you do have a lot of pink plushes," Sol chimed in. "And a pink bed. And one of those pink princess canopies..."

"This isn't the time to be calling me out!" At this, the Kangaskhan that had been tagging along found the exchange humorous, her and her child both having a laugh about it.

Cera's attention would snap back towards Lavana instead when she saw the longer Capture Styler on her, hearing the hum of a nearby machine and keeping her distance. With that hum came a mental tug, like a light voice whispering sweet nothings at her. The Rock and Dark energies she was mimicking allowed her the resistance needed to ignore it, but it wouldn't last forever. "And I take issue with the methods besides," she added at Sub's remarks. "Let alone wiping Boyleland off the map."

She and Sol braced themselves from the pink wave that washed over the cavern, though in the moment, nothing really happened yet. Cera could feel that mental tug getting a little stronger, but she was still fine... for now.

Sol, being a proper hybrid rather than a Mew trying to look the part, instead gave an unenthused look. "Right. It's pink now, that's your attack," he said in a deadpan tone. "If that's all, how about we handle this quickly?"

"...Gale?" Amaranth felt nothing at all from the wave, but that wasn't the issue she had right now. A few seconds after it washed over the cavern had her Pidgeot land on the ground as the pink energy heart appeared and coated all over her. A quick lean over would reveal the glazed over eyes too, just before Gale twisted into the air with a songlike cry. She'd throw Amaranth to the ground with the Whirlwind she kicked up, her contest training kicking in and picking up on the lingering, albeit faint, Water energy from Chinami's Aqua Cutter.

As the channeler tried to get to her feet, Gale was already at her again, now using Mirror Move to mimic the attack with a slicing motion with one of her wings. Gasping and rolling to her stomach, she'd let the hammer still strapped to her back take the brunt of the blow, though the attack would somehow be sharp enough to cut the strap and force the hammer loose. "Gale, what's come over you!? It's me, snap out of it!"

"Amaranth, what happened?"

"It's Gale, she must've-"

A defiant chirp followed before a Sand Attack was kicked up, Amaranth coughing as she braced herself. She knew this combination, practiced it constantly. Especially the move that came next. Gale would find just the c***k to strike at with Feint Attack, striking her side and sending her back down. With a series of songlike chirps, she'd begin to glow, already poised to finish this fight as soon as it started.

In the process of all this, Sol would miss the Spritzee that came at him, finding a wide opening to peck him with the Sweet Kiss. His attempt to try and get between Amaranth and her Pidgeot would see him stop a second later, the c***k in his mental fortitude struck with surprising ease.

At seeing this, Cera backed up a step. "Sol? Not you too..." Terrified about having to ready herself for an attack, she'd see him draw Arcoiris before he moved- no, spun, danced practically, to Lavana's side with the coordination of a well-timed bit of Paldean guitar.

"Ah, señorita," he whispered to her, a sharp glare given to the others as he stretched his sword arm out, holding the blade closer to a rapier. "No te preocupes por esta porquería. Yo me encargaré, y tendrás todas las joyas del mundo, mi amor." His first target would be Tsuki, no thanks to the flash he created. He would pause briefly at the addendum added through his Hypno, free hand snapping to his chest as if he'd just been stabbed in broad daylight. "Cheated? Mi corazon!" The burning anger in his heart, the way it ached, would see the tip of Arcoiris' blade pointed towards Tsuki's throat. "Whatever you think she sees in you, estas equivocado! You lack the Paldean heat, the pasión! En guardia!"

"Kangaskhan, I'm gonna need some help... I'll try to handle Sol somehow, can you get between- Ammy?" Cera's remaining salvation would also be the one she failed to notice had a lovely pink glow washing over her and her child, already departing from her side. She didn't lift an arm to attack, as Lavana's love extended to everyone and there were ways to fight that were better left to a mother's touch rather than brute force. There was never a time too early to introduce someone to that love, after all, and upon seeing Leslie, she'd give a gentle call to her before suddenly attempting to lift her off the ground. If successful, she'd admire her for a few seconds before cooing at her like a small child and trying to fit the hybrid into her pouch to not only join her child, but give a comfortable ride back to Lavana and the Spritzee.

As the whole thing went from bad to worse, a loud cry came from Gale as the Sky Attack was readied, Amaranth's mind screaming to lay low or brace herself as panic tried to take hold. Nothing seemed to get through to Gale, even as she went about her deadly performance...

Wait.

Getting to her feet, she'd stomp a foot against the ground, causing a now confused Gale to stop her charging. The Pidgeot was only performing in a way Lavana would surely like, but had she done something wrong?

"We don't finish that routine with Sky Attack!" She called out. "Not with those moves." Through the firm tone would come a gentle smile, keeping her guard up for any further attacks. "But it's okay. We'll practice it again from the top."

Gale would continue to be thrown off by the reactions she got. This was her enemy, right? She was supposed to strike her down. So, why was her body betraying her now of all times? Of course, she wanted to perform her best for... Lavana, was it?

Amaranth would clutch the totem artifact in her hand for a moment, taking a deep breath as she knelt down. "We start from a rested position, Roosting as the night goes on."

Still confused, the depths of Gale's mind could still recall the movements and found herself resting her body against the ground. Why was she obeying her enemy like this, why was she so compelled to follow her?

Giving an affirming nod, Amaranth would continue by placing a hand along the ground. "In time, the morning comes to greet us with its gentle breeze." She'd stand back up and throw her arms out wide, as if opening a window to allow a breeze into the room.

Gale knew that to mean she should leave her resting position and send a Gust blowing through. Her inner turmoils and confusion would see those winds going Lavana's way instead, the part of the performance intended to complete the slight pantomiming from a second ago. But judging by the pink glow, Amaranth hadn't gotten properly through. She frowned at this realization, sighing to herself. Nothing to it but to keep going.

"Finally, we let those winds crescendo into the skies, letting their song carry through for all to hear!"

A Whirlwind would kick up around Gale, now finding herself in the air again. Though a melodious series of chirps would follow, they'd be louder to try and make them heard across the cave. It'd lead into a sort of Uproar as as she continued, assaulting the ears of friend and foe alike. If Amaranth couldn't entirely get through to her in the moment, she could keep Gale busy somehow, long enough for her to take her Pidgeot's ball into the Snag Machine and toss it to snag her (and her senses) back. "Still in there somewhere... I'm glad," she said to herself, also grateful to end the Uproar she'd managed to cause.

"Now, for you," she added after another second, slamming the hammer into the ground for emphasis and glaring at Lavana. "I don't think I'm a fan of that machine of yours." Rushing headlong at Lavana and the grunts, her hammer would be raised as she went to approach the machine, all too ready to perform a bit of percussive maintenance on it.

Cera gave a sigh of relief, with one crisis hopefully handled... oh, right, the bombs. "Er! Sorry, I'm on it!" Wary about possibly putting herself in the way of the hypnosis, she'd have to start putting Psychic energy at the forefront again, trying to start trying to move a couple of the explosives away from one of the grunts planting them.

Brian managed to approach the machine mostly without being seen, but he didn't realize that Lavana had taken refuge there in an attempt to hide from... was that Lykas? What in tarnation happened to him? He didn't think the hybrids could be affected by the hypnotic waves, but apparently, he was wrong. A screeching voice brought his attention back to the machine to see Lavana calling him a pervert. "Pervert?" he asked, confused. Did she honestly think he was trying to come onto her? Wait. A sudden thought popped into his head, and he let out the most perverted grin he could muster. "Oh, honey, you haven't seen me being perverted yet," he said, purposely lowering his voice a tone. "I could have so much fuuuuuuun with you!" Arceus, he was disgusted by his own actions, but if they got her to leave the spot he was aiming for, so much the better. "Oh, Lavana," he said in a singsong voice. "Come here, my sweet cupcake! Let me show you what looooooove really means!" Having said this, and seeing her back turned toward him as she turned her attention to Amaranth, he lunged toward her, hoping to knock her away from the machine. Anyone that was aiming for the machine, now was the chance to try and shut it down.

Amber and Rachel both went after grunts that were trying to stop the Snagems from getting rid of the bombs. Rachel was liberal with her crotch hits, wanting the men to feel just as much pain as possible. Hopefully, that would stop them from procreating anytime soon. Amber, however, wasn't quite as kind. She had Bubbles attack from behind while she was quite liberally using Shadow Ball to the face of any grunt stupid enough to get close. Those that went down, Bubbles attempted to pin with Water Shurikens, hoping to keep them in place while they took out the rest of the grunts. Amber let out an involuntary shiver as she heard Brian's voice, and she stared momentarily in horror as he tapped into his inner pervert to focus on Lavana, leaving the machine wide open. The two women both saw the cool drinks Claydol was handing out, and each took one for themselves, Amber immediately finding that she was far more energetic with said drink.

Keiko was surprised when the human shape she was pummeling quickly disappeared, her fists striking the hot ground and the resulting pain causing her to freeze up for a second - just enough time for a wandering tentacle from the nearby whirlpool to drag her into it. Her survival instincts kicked into overdrive as she was submerged, making it impossible to hold onto her anger. That would soon change as she emerged inside the center of the whirlpool for air, as the tentacles swimming with her and one of the grunts started... 'exploring'. Between her desire to stay true to the marriage she was VERY happy to be in and the hypnosis affecting her body in very familiar and undesired ways, with the explorative tentacles serving as the cherries on top of this worst-case-scenario sundae, Keiko's rage was through the roof now that she could breathe, causing her Frustration to finally overpower the hypnosis-induced Return.

This wouldn't last, though, as she was once again submerged - though this time by two pairs of highly-trained and POWERFUl arms. Once she was out of the whirlpool entirely, she could see what happened - Absinthe came to the rescue. The adolescent descendant of Chaos immediately recalled her Machamp now that Keiko was free from the water, amongst other things. She'd also recall her Bewear and Pawmo - the latter not standing much of a chance against the former due to a difference of size and power caused by the species of Pokemon they were. Pawmaster's type advantage against Fluffy wasn't enough for it to prevail.

"Where is she?" Keiko gasped after coughing up a bit of water. "I'm gonna rip her in ******** half-" Keiko started, her rage building up again due to her still somehow being under the effects of the hypnosis. Abby wasn't gonna let her lose control again if she could help it, though. "I don't know what you're going through, Cake, but if you REALLY want it to stop, then find a way to destroy that machine," Abby urged, pointing at the large machine that Lavana was clearly trying to protect. "She'll probably be easier to deal with after that."

Looking up at the machine, Keiko put her anger aside as best she could while listening to what Abby was saying. Then she immediately used Agility to get a running start before leaping on top of it. She then focused on how much she hated what the hypnosis felt like to build up Frustration so she could pummel the device with a Frustration-boosted Dizzy Punch in hopes of breaking the hull and exposing the interior wiring. Assuming nothing interfered with her attempts before the hull gives way, she'll use multiple Ice Punches to freeze the inner mechanics. She assumed the heat caused by being inside the volcano would quickly melt the ice, and the resulting water would do the heavy lifting and damage the device enough to render it non-functional without having to put herself at risk by ripping out the wiring with her bare hands while the machine was still functional.