Welcome to Gaia! ::

((Cinders, it was my full intent to post this weekend. Unfortunately, time constraints kept that from happening. Admittedly, one of those was a three-hour Bollywood movie that involved a tractor fight and sliding a horse under an 18-wheeler as though it was a motorcycle. I feel like it was an equivalent trade - the name of the movie is "Alluda Majaka."

The other reasons were more legit.

Sincere apologies for the delay. I'll see you all on Friday, assuming I live through this week biggrin ))

"No hostages," Paul told Juno. "They told me..." Paul hesitated. How much to spill? She deserved to know, but deserved and ought were two strikingly different things. Paul considered the consequences. All he would be telling her was that she was very important somehow. Possibly to the world as a whole. A good explanation, really, for his motivation. The whole truth, neglecting only critical details about his own plans. If those were his plans.

"They told me you might be critical to the world," Paul told her. He still held back the genetic modification. That was hearsay, anyway - Paul had no reason to believe it for sure. And... it seemed improbable. On this girl? He didn't know much about her, but... she seemed normal enough. "I've been more or less manipulated into my own situation, and so I'm hoping to get some answers. I imagine protecting you like Dr. Terrian asked will help with that. I imagine you could get much the same, but I don't know. I'm... very confused about the whole affair, honestly.

"And, uh... I'd just as soon not have you riding with Willam," Paul added, hesitantly. "I mean... he tried to kill me. He's dangerous to us. He's here as a meat shield, and he knows it. I'd hesitate to bring him along for anything, but right now the two of us have the upper hand on him. Putting the stranger with him, disarming him... makes it a bit safer for us, frankly."

((Please welcome Enradus, playing Lorenzo Guiser, and welcome back Xitemo, still playing Thomas Rikes! *claps* Good to have you (back).))

Willam and Marcus exchanged glances as they were spoken over. In all honesty, they were aware that they were effectively items in this affair, even though Willam seemed to accept that that was simply how human interaction worked. He'd've preferred things to be more clearly reversed, but he'd engineer that situation soon enough.

"Like hell am I ri-" Willam started to say, before the other two simply turned their backs on him. Well, fine, then. He could use a back-up host if these two crapped out on him. Beginning to like his new plan more and more, he leered at Marcus. But he couldn't - not like he usually could. The man... well... he was a big, dirty, muscular, man! Alone and beat up by a geezer in an abandoned stretch of highway. Having lived underground for many more months than originally intended, Willam didn't like open spaces and he didn't like big, dirty people.

"Look, punk," Marcus began.

"Who're you calling a punk?" the boy hissed.

"You, sneasel-bait. I know you're an accessory and you know I'm baggage, so get any filthy ideas out of your head and drive the God damn bike when they get back over here. All I want's a ride." His features were dark and clouded as he spoke. "I've had a bad f***ing day."

When Juno and Paul finally returned, Marcus informed them that yes, in fact, it had been Bogdan whom he'd encountered. He requested a ride to Riverdale, as he'd asked for originally, and neither asked questions nor offered any sort of resistance or story. Willam, cowed for the moment, shot the two of them a dirty look and kept his mouth shut.

---

The other three children, finally freed of the ethereal inanity that had entangled them for a few moments, went on their way, leaving Gabriel to do as he would in their wake. The rest of the ride to Glenville was decidedly uneventful. The late afternoon sun was setting into early evening, so the air was filled with a kind of calm, peaceful darkness, giving the young-uns time to settle their thoughts on the ride.

Upon arriving in Glenville, they were checked by the guard and allowed inside, then swiftly ushered to the Oaks' laboratories, where they had a few seconds to see Thomas Rikes and Dr. Andrej Bogdan seated with a glass of soda and water, respectively, before Nayana presciently intercepted them, very nearly physically booted the Protectors who had taken them that direction out of her way, and dragged them (in a mothering fashion) by the napes of their necks away from the Oaks' office. Ulysses had the opportunity of seeing four helplessly bewildered teenagers and a man roughly his age being shoved by a (now-familiar) large, black woman down a hallway. They were soon seated in front of a table with dishes of vegetable casserole, macaroni and cheese, and a small bit of fried chicken. As Nayana served them, she cheerily chatted at them, updating them on how Glenville had fared after the attack, telling Gerard that his parents would be pleased as pigs to see him, introducing Alex and Lexi to the laboratory, and asking if there was anything more they needed or wanted because Lawd in Heaven she could not understand why these white-coated, googly-eyed professors needed to send children out on missions when they was wild pokémon and wild people all trampin' about in the middle of everyone's business and look at the three of them, not a one older than twenty-one if she could trust her agin' eyesight and they didn't even have a bodyguard "Now hold on just a moment," she said, pausing without seeming out of breath and staring down Gerard across the glass of cold milk she was handing him. "Gerard, I b'lieve I heard Mr. Thatcher was watchin' your back on your way out; what in the good graces of God happened to him?" Her face, though it had been shining and maternal, grew taught.

Next to their table, sitting quietly by himself, sat a young man in a dark brown coat, blue jeans, and a plain, white tee shirt. This was Lorenzo Guiser, and by him on the floor sat a vulpix. The red fox's shining, black eyes regarded the newcomers curiously. It sneezed ones, releasing a gossamer haze of pollen; this creature had been modified, like the other children's, but in this case had been given the oddly contrasting latent third type of grass.

---

Maddy was likely unsurprised to see the barrel of a shotgun pointing almost directly at her own. This was the issue with a lack of subtlety. "Who are you and what the f*** do you want? I just took on the Exterminant and won; don't you f***ing mess with me." Vivian was in pain and sagging as she held her weapon, clearly nearing exhaustion, but her trigger finger was still steady. As she stared Maddy down, Vivian's featured took on a look of respect. Even in these times, it wasn't often one found a woman as a long wolf, holding her own gun. Maybe... "Hey, if you drop your gun, I'll drop mine - I don't need more scraps today and 'sides, if you screw me over..." she smirked, thinking of the pokémon in her pocket. "I'll still Shiv ya."

((One (1) person has submitted a profile for Vivian Ross. Applications will be accepted for one week; a decision will be made next Monday.))

---

Luckily for Abraham, the source of the dizziness was quickly identified - apparently invisible to the others, one Dr. Alex Terrian - in a charcoal shirt, pitch jeans, onyx shoes, and an unforgettable, sable hat - waved cheerily at the engineer from a few feet away. "Hi! Abe, right? Right. I think I know what you're up to. Don't worry; I didn't poison you. Nothing did." Abe would notice that there was in fact nothing in his neck; it was merely an illusion. "The Exterminant doesn't like to get to close to the Oblivion. Bad juju. They'll be here in like... ten minutes. Mostly because they expected him to win. Then it didn't. 'cuz Elian's a beast." The words flew out of his mouth almost like Morse code; in starts and stops that seemed to mean his thoughts were flowing too quickly for his mouth.

"They'll sweep the area with electronics first, though, so get a read on that. I'm gonna go work on breaking in ethereally, but I think you'll find it all leads back to Beatrice. She knew everything." The dizziness began to fade. "I'll tell you what I find. For now..." He gestured, and an explosion a hundred yards away drew everyone's attention that direction. When they looked back, Solomon was whole again. Terrian grinned as he saw Richard's flustered reaction. "I love screwing with people, y'know? 'specially guys like him. Teaches a man never to lock up his psychic pokémon. Anyway, what I was saying. For now, head on back, go with the flow, see what the Oak brothers say. I know the Howards'd know a lot, but... theeeeey're not really up for having anything to do with this mess right now. Got enough on their hands."

And with that, he was gone. Richard had come to grips with Solomon's return, released David to keep him contained, and positioned the former in his lap and the latter on his shoulders. Everyone was prepared to go back.

---

"You." Terrian appeared in front of Gabriel where he had been left, with the mewtwo standing threateningly at his side. Even encased in darkness, the man could feel the impressive and imposing presence of the violet and ivory pokémon. "You're not as crazy as you think. That's not what happens. How do I know? Because the Oracle isn't insane, either. Yes, you were a child, but that is no excuse for this.

"Now, I don't know your game. Not all of it. For now, though..." The mewtwo held up a quivering hand, palm out, and placed it on Gabriel's forehead. The boy/man felt the little energy he had left be sapped from him. "We can contain this for long enough for you to be useful, for yourself and the rest of the world, by not making yourself out to be yet another god in this world. You have enough energy left to make it to Glenville." The mewtwo backed off, sweating and pulsing with a chaotic glow, but maintaining his gaze. "Get there, and help the professors. Or I kill you." Yet again, the good doctor vanished with a pop.

((Little bit of an interlude here while everyone gets gathered up. I know there's a little god-mode-shepherding I'm doing, but we're about to enter chapter 3 biggrin it's worth it.))

Ulysses made himself useful as best he could, helping set the table for the guests and such. He'd been setting down the final set of dinnerware when the children arrived, as if on cue.

Then Nayana was gabbing away and Shonevsky let a small smile slip through. He let her run off at the mouth for awhile, and when she seemed to pause momentarily, he stepped in, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Come on, now, let's give them some time to breathe and relax. We can play twenty questions when their bellies are full and their minds are refreshed." With a firm grip, he led her away from the children to the kitchen.

"Here, for you." He proffered Nayana one of the two surviving flowers from Beatrice's porch. "I'm no horticulturist, so I think you might find out its secrets easier than this old man. And they seem to have a... revitalizing effect. Every man and woman over fifty ought to have one of these on them every waking hour. Why I ran from Beatrice's house all the way back, and barely broke a sweat- and no pain, either. Hopefully it'll be as helpful to you as it has been to me- Lord knows you need it more than I do." Then he left her side, returning to the dining area to sit at a table near the children's with a glass of water. He watched silently and with a small smile.

Gloria had been as stoic as ever during all these events, but as the children settled into their meals, found her way to sit beside Gerard. His principles were powerful, and his will was mighty, and this was alluring to the ninetales- similar traits were what first drew her to Ulysses all those years ago. She eyed them all silently, but as unobtrusively as those burning red eyes possibly could.

(*bow* Hello.)

Lorenzo Guiser sat at the table adjacent to those talking some distance away, propping his feet up on the table and leaning back a bit. Flora, the Vulpix accompanying him, had been sitting next to him and sneezed a green wisp. His face scrunched up slightly.

"Well, that can't be good."

He stopped leaning and bent down to see what it was that was bugging her.

"Let's see what the damage is."

He gave her a look and patted his lap, signalling her to jump into his lap. Flora growled in her throat, but did it anyway. He rubbed the sides of her face, looking into her eys to see if there was any redness.

"Hmm, you seem fine. Still ticklish?"

He dragged his fingertips lightly upward across Flora's stomach. She felt a delightful tingle flow through her body that resulted in a short euphoria that, when ended, made her bite his hand. Lorenzo let out a short yelp.

"Mmm. Stiiiiill ticklish."

Flora let out another growl.

"Now what's your deal? You just BIT me, ya little fart, that always calms you down."

He turned his head around to see the deal behind him, a red-eyed Ninetales.

"OOOOooohh. I thought we were over this. You grow up at your own pace..."

Gerard shook his head as he swallowed another mouthful of water - a difficult task that caused him to clear his throat. "Ah, no. When I left, there was a group of us; young adults, I mean, about my age or so. We all received third-types from the Doctors - speaking of which, where are they?" he asked politely of Nayana before turning back to Lexi. "We split up when we set off, but other than the Doctors and a few guardians, it was just us. I must say, it makes me happy to see that our numbers have grown."

Gloria's skull leaned into the touch, a silent approval of his gesture. Justice was then scrutinized beneath her stare. After a few seconds, Gloria gently lay her nose against the larvitar's great spine in a gesture of goodwill.

Then a quiet sound caught her attention, its source: a little rascal of a fox. The ninetales slowly strode over. In the process, the vulpix- Flora was her name- got uppity with yet another young pokémon. Gloria took a seat between the two, staring down Flora. It was a very simple statement: Behave.

Dr. Shonevsky watched with interest. He knew what these things meant: the first was Gloria's acknowledgment of the strongest child, the one that held her utmost respect. Justice in turn had been given Gloria's greatest blessing for the future. She must have predicted fantastic things. As for Flora... well, Ulysses had to agree with the ninetales' stance.