Welcome to Gaia! ::

((Yeah, it's a bit late. Sorry about that, I had it done on Friday but not the time to post it until now. I don't have character sprites up yet, but I'll edit them in tomorrow if I really feel like it. Tolin and Albus do the majority of the mission together, with ASAR and Puer briefly appearing later on.))

Tolin and Albus once more approached the bulletin board to take on a mission. The new rank they had conferred the privilege of increasing their access. Unlike before, they could now take the missions in the middle of he board. They were more dangerous to be sure, but the extra rewards were worth it.

Well, that's what they figured they would do, anyways. Albus tore down a mission from the rank one section the moment he found it. “Let's do this one.” Albus placed the sheet on the floor, turning it with his paw so that Tolin could get a better look.

It was a request from a Croagunk. Specifically, a small society of them. They needed bodyguards for scientific exploration into the Metalworks. The rewards didn't seem enticing and it would be slow, boring work. True, the plate offered was quite rare but they had little use for it. “I'm not sure... We don't have much of a reason to take this one.” Albus immediately countered with his cutest “Oh-how-could-you-not” stare, trying his best to coax Tolin into taking the mission.

Tolin gave a flat, disapproving stare back. “Fine, let's go.” He called over to a nearby attendant. “Excuse me, we'll be taking this request.”

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The pair found the building the Croagunk were working out of after a while. It was almost conspicuously built. Situated in the corner of the street only the edge of the building actually popped out to the street, giving only enough room for a single, unadorned doorway and a set of numbers indicating the address. “This would be the place, I believe.”

A note was stuck on the front of the door. It bore a large, red arrow that pointed towards a nearby button. “Please press button, wait 5 seconds, press again, wait 10 seconds, then enter. Couriers press three times consecutively without waiting.” Tolin cocked an (imaginary) eyebrow at the sign, but did as it asked. Press~ Press~~ Enter. The door swung open seamlessly with minimal force, stopping quietly after opening completely.

The insides of the building were a mess. It was essentially one large, compartmentalized room. Tools for who-knows-what and papers of Arceus-only-knows lay scattered about the large table in the middle. A soft “Croaaaaaaaa~... Croaaaaaaa~” could be heard throughout the room. “H... Hello?” Albus and Tolin took a few steps forward before hopping back a step in surprise when a figure crawled out from under the papers on the table.

“Croaaaaaaaaaaa~, Hello. What brings you here?” The Croagunk stuck his head out over the end of the table, his arms swinging lazily. He seemed oddly comfortable in the position, as if it wasn't the first time he had adopted it. Albus began to slightly regret pushing for this mission. “You requested an escort, I believe? We're here for the mission.”

“Croaaa~ Excellent.” The Croagunk turned over, his arms still hanging slack over the edge of the table. “Hey guys, someone took our mission.” A small chorus of “Croaaaaaaaaaa~” echoed throughout the room, 3 mysterious figures raising from the piles of junk that masked the floor. Each one was a Croagunk who had been sleeping under piles of paper and tools.

“Then, let's get going. Everyone, gather your equipment~” The four shuffled around the room, digging through piles of papers to pull out strange meters and pronged objects. Each roughly tossed the devices into sacks that each of them carried. Tolin watched the scene with mild bemusement. Albus watched with increasing regret.

They'd packed up their things after a few minutes and the group was on it's way. “Croaaaaaa~ I am Sam, the leader of the research team. I would like to explain what we will be doing so you know what to do. Is that fine?” Tolin nodded. “Yes, of course.” “Croaa~ Very well. We shall be checking on various pokemon within the metalworks. We need to preform some tests on the creatures and leftover machinery. The testing is very delicate, so we shall need you to keep watch and guard. Should something come near, please force it away even if it isn't aggressive.” “Alright, sounds simple enough.”

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The metalworks loomed before them, a set of massive doors standing open. The thin path that had been carved into the ground by the robotic Dunsparce still remained. The dull groan of metal scraping against metal still emanated from the building, a constant reminder of it's original purpose.

“Croaa~ Let's go.” The one who had addressed himself as Sam earlier took the lead, moving ahead of the rest of the group. The path through was easy. Magnemites floated around, all completely disinterested in the party. The few others that they came across were simple to avoid. It wasn't long before they saw a large vat in the distance. A pipe was leading out of it into some far off machine and another was pumping some kind of black sludge into it.

Sam confidently waltzed over to the vat and extracted a fishing rod from his pack. Swinging it up and over into the sludge, he pressed a button on the rod before pulling it back out. A small glass cube filled with black sludge was connected to the end of the string. “Croaaa~ I need to preform some tests on this immediately.” He immediately sat down and pulled out a series of heaters, vials and syringes. Each vial was filled with a small amount of the sludge and each heater was turned on. He donned (presumably) protective eye wear and gloves. The gloves were thick and long, covering his arms almost completely.

A small, nervous voice piped up. “Do we have to do this right here, right now?” Albus was hushing his voice intentionally. “Croaaa~ Of course. If we let the liquid sit too long, the tests become invalid. We didn't bring the equipment to repeat it, either.” Albus gulped. “Then, Tolin, we better be ready. I don't think this one is going to go undisturbed.”

Tolin glanced over to Albus to see his gaze sent skyward. Following the look upwards, there was something strangely curved sticking out from a support beam. If he looked closely, he could see the tip of something similar on the other end...

Suddenly, both shapes fanned out. The body took flight, letting out a far-away screech. The grey body and sharp head came bearing down towards them at ridiculous speeds for it's heavy body. Tolin muttered lightly under his breath, “I hate Skarmory.”

Tolin hopped up onto the edge of the vat, putting himself about a meter and a half above the rest of the group. “I'll take care of this one, Albus. Just keep an eye on the group.” Albus nodded, not taking his eyes off the sky. More were showing up. “Croaaa~ Make sure you don't disturb our experiments.”

Tolin breathed in deeply. The Skarmory were now circling them above head, no doubt deciding when to attack. It wasn't likely they'd get out without a fight at this point, anyways... Trying his best to sound aggressive and demeaning, Tolin's voice nonetheless showed his embarrassment. “C... Come get me, Bird Brain!”

Albus restrained a puff of laughter as one of the Skarmory let out a grating screech. It spun away from the group, gaining distance. It turned suddenly, angling it's body to collide with the Scyther.

Tolin began concentrating. A light, semi-transparent energy began to form around his broken scythe, lengthening it and taking the place of what was lost. The world around him slowed down, every insignificant detail becoming apparent.

The Skarmory was gliding towards him which made things simpler. It had strong, taut wings. It's body was skinny but... it would probably be wide enough. Tolin tensed himself as he waited for the Skarmory. He stayed perfectly still. Nothing to suggest a dodge, nothing to suggest an attack. He waited until it was as close as possible before suddenly turning and hopping. He brought his normal scythe down heavily, sending a jolt of pain through his arm as he tried to pierce the steel-like body.

But it worked. Tolin landed on the Skarmory, crouching in the hopes that he wouldn't get blown off. Taking his broken scythe, he plunged the psychic tip into the creature's skull. As the energy effortlessly sunk into it's skull, it let out a horrid screech before it's muscles forcibly went slack.

Tolin's concentration broke and the world around him sped up. He hurriedly tried to pull his scythe from the crashing bird's carapace, only to find it was stuck. He focused immediately, trying to pull the scythe out with Psychic.

It worked, but not quickly enough. The Skarmory's body contorted as it crashed into the ground, sending Tolin flying forwards. A loud bang resounded throughout the area as Tolin crashed into an empty vat. Tolin landed to the ground with a dull thud accompanied by pained coughing.

His efforts, unfortunately, did little to ward off the angry birds. In fact it just seemed to make them angrier to see one of their comrades fall. Screeches erupted from the sky as three came down, each intent on attacking the party. Albus started thinking carefully. “Alright, what can I do...!? Magical Leaf won't do anything and I certainly can't take them on physically. Hydro Pump doesn't have that kind of power and I can't reliably use water pulse like this... That only leaves... Ah dammit, it's their own fault anyways.”

Albus shouted above this screeches. “Sorry about this!” Albus focused as the three came bearing down. Two of them hovered nearby, maintaining flight just above the group and raining swift down on the Croagunk. The three nameless assistants scrambled around, apparently drawing their attention as Sam and the experiments were undisturbed. The third was stupid enough to land near Albus and try to actually attack him when he was using Heat Wave.

The air around him turned hazy as the temperature ramped up further and further. The two flying Skarmories flew up a bit, trying to escape the haze that had engulfed the area. The third Skarmory didn't have a chance. He tried to peck at Albus, his balance teetering as he pulled back for another one. The second attempt landed him on the ground when he shot his neck out too far and lost his footing. He didn't get back up.

The crash was met by the sound of glass exploding in triplicate. “Croaa~ Croaaaa~ CROAAAAAAAAA~ You broke the test tubes!” Albus quietly thought to himself, “Good!”

“Excellent! Then let us leave as quickly as we can!” Sam croaked angrily, pissed that Albus would make such a comment. “CROAAAAAAAAA~ Excellent!? You little brat, now we can't finish our tests!” Albus shot back, “I'd rather survive than finish some stupid tests!” The three assistants nodded vigorously, croaking in agreement. “Grab Tolin and run already!” Albus began panting under his breath, trying his utmost to sustain the heat. As long as it was up they'd stay back, but it's not like he was immune to the heat himself.

Sam spoke up, his voice reflecting his mood. “Croaa~ Retreat. Grab the Scyther and run.” He walked off with a slow, arrogant stride as his assistants scrambled to grab Tolin. Albus gave them time for their retreat before letting the ability go as he sharply turning and sprinted off. The skarmory let out a sharp screech but were unwilling to penetrate the haze he had left in his wake.

He bounded forwards, reaching the science team easily in spite of their speed. The screeches had become rare and quiet, fading into the din of the light clang and grind of machinery. “Croaa~ You ruined our test, you little brat.” Albus glared at Sam. “And if we've stayed we would've died you worthless little man.” Tolin propped himself up by putting his weight on his dull scythe. Sam looked like he was about to scream when Tolin spoke. “Now, Albus. Give it a rest. What he did was stupid, but he's the one who outlined the task. Sam, we can return tomorrow. You can consider it a complimentary service as an apology for ruining your tests. I'll refund you the costs of anything you lost if need be.”

Sam turned away and crossed his arms. “Fine. We'll return tomorrow to redo that test.” Albus shook his head, turning back to Tolin. “More importantly, how are you? I didn't see what happened but it sounded painful.” Tolin chuckled lightly. “I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm more tired than injured. I sometimes forget the limits of this old body. Give me a few minutes and I'll be fine.” Jesus, just how tough is his shell?

Tolin's head turned suddenly, his eyes darting to a dark area under some automated system. One of the Croagunk looked at him quizzically, though he simply replied “Nothing, nothing.”

Tolin hopped back to his feet and lightly tested his balance by swaying back and forth. “Yes, that's much better. Let us continue.” Sam nodded and turned to head into one of the more open areas whilst signalling for the group to follow. “Croaa~ We need to defeat a magnemite. We just need it unconscious.” He turned to glare at Albus. “Croaa~ And don't use Heat Wave this time. You'll ruin the tests if you burn it out and you might damage our equipment.” Albus returned the glare, but said nothing.

The open area quickly lent to them a veritable field of magnemite. They floated around passively. Whether they simply did not care or did not notice the party was hard to tell. Either way, it was simple for Albus to shoot a Water Pulse at one of them. The magnemite flew back and fell to the floor, unconscious. “Croaaa~ Good.” Sam stepped over to the unconscious creature, being careful to avoid the other magnemites in the area. In short order, he extracted a number of tools from his bag.

He began to saw open the magnemite at the side. Moments later, he had cut out a small rectangular opening in it's side. He set to work immediately by hooking something up to the insides and tinkering with the wires. The device itself had a small screen which he checked back to occasionally, though it was hard to discern why. Tolin's gaze once more shot to the side. “I'll be right back. Albus, keep an eye on them.” Albus nodded as Tolin walked off, quietly slipping behind some machinery.

He quietly returned a few minutes later when the tests finished. Sam had quietly placed the removed patch back on and sealed it with... something. Some kind of goo. Tolin didn't say anything and nobody asked. “Croaa~ Let's go.” Sam took the lead and took a turn down the side, choosing a tight path between two machines. They had only been travelling about a minute when he stopped and extracted various tools. He popped the panel off of some unknown machine and once more hooked up the small-screened device to it. The machine began to crank and clang once more from it's stoic state before Sam pulled something out of it. The brief, horrible sound of gears stripping erupted from the machine before it was silent.

Sam continued onwards, unperturbed. “Croaa~ We need a Beldum this time.” “These are some rather unusual requests for scientific exploration.” Sam puffed up his cheeks, looking angry. “Croaa~ Just do as I say or you won't get paid!” And he was right. As the client, it was his mission. It didn't take long to find a Beldum, just a few turns and a bit of walking. A small crowd of them contentedly mulled around, blissfully unaware of the party that observed them.

“I'll take one of them. Just wait here.” Albus quietly circled the group of Beldum, looking anxiously for a straggler. He wasn't sure how they'd react if he attacked one of them, and he wanted to be as far away as possible if he had to run. And he was in luck, for one strolled off quickly. It didn't take Albus long to catch up and herd the Beldum into a quiet area. It didn't want to bump into him, so it was easy for Albus to make it slowly turn. As soon as he got the damn thing in a corner, he attacked. Spitting out a water pulse, he had hoped to knock it out in one blow.

Of course, that was what he had hoped. All he managed to do was rattle the damn thing. He'd done nothing more than anger it, and an angry Beldum was never a good thing. It spun around quickly, it's eye gyrating madly as it attempted to locate it's attacker. It soared towards Albus, the teeth on it's bottom looking especially flesh-tearing. Albus was well-warned and scrambled out of the way just before the Beldum crashed into the floor, the concrete under it crunching from the impact.

Albus grimaced as the Beldum rose, leaving a well-mushed paste where it had landed. He really did not want to get hit by that. He followed up with a concentrated Hydro Pump, hoping to knock it off balance. It didn't work and Albus realized far too late that his legs were braced against his Hydro Pump, sealing his movement.

The Beldum bore down on him, trying to crush him into the ground. It was, however, to his fortune when something flat and swift smacked him out of the way. Albus tumbled off to the side as the ground near him crunched under the Beldum. He got back to his feet as he heard a shattering sound to see Tolin forcing his good scythe through the creature's eye. Sparks flew from his Scythe as the Beldum shook wildly from electric shock. ((Thunder Punch))

It fell to the ground with a loud clang. “Th... Thank you...” Tolin nodded and signalled over to the Croagunk squad by waving his scythe in the air. They hopped over in a few moments and set to work, sawing open the Beldum and hooking up the small-screened device to it's insides.

“Well, that was... pathetic of me.” Albus's voice was somewhat apathetic, but lined with frustration. “Nonsense. Beldum are difficult enemies to fight, you did fine.” Albus replied with a passive “mmm”.

A small chorus of gleeful “Croaaaaa~” erupted from the small gathering as Sam held up the small device triumphantly. Whatever he'd done, it seemed like something major. Sam himself croaked gleefully as he spoke. “CroaaaaA~ Let's continue! We need to take another look at a Magnemite.” Sam charged off back towards the group of Magnemites from before anything could be said otherwise, his assistants following eagerly.

“Croaa~ Please defeat two.” Albus spoke with uncertainty. “I'll... I'll guard them.” Tolin stared at him for a moment before nodding.

Tolin simply walked up to one of them, raised his scythe and brought it down as hard as he could. The unaware Magnemite made no attempt to dodge or defend itself. Tolin's Scythe cut into the Magnemite, leaving a deep gash. It made a crackling noise and fell to the ground, unconscious. It was simple to repeat the process for a second creature.

Sam set to tinkering with them as quickly as he could. The first began to vibrate violently as he moved on to the second, which vibrated in turn. The two shot together, colliding with a loud clang. The pair began to rattle against each other as they vibrated uncontrollably. A third Magnemite simply floated on by idly, unaware of it's comrades pleas. It too began to vibrate against it's will before it shot towards the other two.

The trio vibrated and banged against one another until the vibrations became unison, and then ceased. The magnemites rose, combined as a magneton. Considering that two had been violently assaulted and the third pried from it's happy place, it was unusually docile. The trio's eyes were half open and it buzzed contentedly, as if unaware of what had just transpired.

The three assistants began clapping gaily as Sam triumphantly cheered, hopping foot to foot as he clapped his own hands. They seemed rather pleased with the results of their experiments, for whatever reason. It seemed like they'd celebrate on their own accord for hours if left alone, so Tolin chimed in. “Are we done for the day, then?” Sam nodded vigorously, his distaste for the group disappearing with his glee. “Yes, yes. We just need to come back in tomorrow for the failed test to fine-tune the procedure.” “Then, let's depart.”

Sam nodded and the group was off in an instant, all four still smiling gleefully.

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Team Southern Cross retired to their rooms for the night. Albus began writing his journal and Tolin talked to Puer. Puer himself had been at the floral park all day with a very excited Bulbasaur at the request of Tolin. It was Puer himself who sparked the conversation.

“His name is Serrin, apparently.” Tolin didn't understand and only returned the statement with a curious glance. “The Bulbasaur, I mean. He said his name is Serrin.” “Serrin” as it was was dozing contentedly within his crib, obviously pleased with the activity of the day. Tolin simply looked at the Bulbasaur, a glint of somber recognition going across his face.

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Tolin stooped down by the entrance to their room, lightly tapping at the computer a few times. The strange voice that came out belonged to their programmed companion, ASAR. “Hello theRE, Tolin! What can I dooooo for you?” Tolin bent down, leaning over the computer and spoke quietly. When he finished speaking, ASAR chimed back in. “Alllllllrighty!”

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Albus had reviewed the contents of his journal and began to pen a new entry:

“It is today that I look over my “accomplishments” and examine myself critically. For the sake of introspection, I feel I must first explain what has brought me to such an entry.

It was earlier today. Tolin and I started a mission together, delving into the metalworks in order to help some strange Croagunk. Some scientific exploration, it doesn't really matter. First, we battled some Skarmory. I could do little more than hold a pair off, and at the expense of one of the experiments. Tolin himself was rendered unconscious(?) in his efforts to incapacitate one of the Skarmory. Had the Croagunk not been there to save him, I have little doubt one or both of our lives would have been lost.

We continued on further. I was frustrated but capable after the encounter, and eager to continue. We reached a Magnemite, which I disabled with ease for what little it is worth. Eventually, we came to attack a Beldum. It seemed as if Tolin would be a poor match, so I took to the fight myself.

It is here that my considerations begin. Before the Beldum, I was helpless. My strongest attacks did little but anger it, though I did not use Heat Wave at request. I have little doubt that Heat Wave wouldn't have served to alter the fight, however.

We exchanged one blow each, mine being ineffective and his missing. My 2nd blow was equally ineffective, although his was not. Through my own failing I put myself in a position where I was incapable of dodging. Had Tolin not forced me out of the way, I do not doubt I would have perished. He then defeated the Beldum on his own.

Although I have no doubt that these feelings are temporary, I feel I must analyze them. And I do find myself questioning the dubious nature of my past accomplishments. In truth, I wonder if anything I have done could be called “great”.

I find that though as a team we have reached goals that I find pride in, very little could be attributed solely to me. Indeed, the only “great” thing I have truly done would be to fell the Feraligatr. However, had she not been mad she would have killed me with ease. And, it is hard to say if such a thing is a true win; in truth, I simply tied her state to mine. I did not “beat” her so much as lose with her.

And it is for this that I find myself acting critical. What accomplishments do I have to my name? What greatness? What strength? It is with a heavy heart that I contemplate these things, realizing full well that as I stand my possibility of claiming the house wanes. Atra had the morbid luck to enslave a Skarmory to himself and remains uncontested, even by stronger creatures.

Could I possibly lose? Could I, in my weakness, be defeated by my brother? I had not yet in my private arrogance considered such a possibility. Truly, I had always worked with the goal of winning. The concept of a loss had always stood far and away, if only because of Atra's mediocre attitude and meagre efforts. I wonder now, though; will mine be enough?

--Albus”

Albus had written the entry quite quickly, having long-since analyzed the contents of his adventures. Albus finished up the entry shortly before Tolin entered. The dull knock of the back of his scythe was accompanied by the slight creak of hinges as Tolin entered the room.

Tolin simply walked in and sat down, staring intently at Albus. Albus stared back for a while, but he found the gaze oddly antagonizing. As if Tolin were somehow challenging him to some mystery he couldn't comprehend. Albus laid down on his bed, curling up into a ball and covered his face with his tail.

“You did fine, you know.” Albus's ears fluttered slightly, though he remained silent. Tolin continued, “You have more than enough strength. You're a fine fighter.” Albus's body unfurled as he turned to face Tolin. He spoke embittered, somewhat angry that Tolin would have the... audacity to speak as he did. “For as strong as I am, I'm still far too weak.” Tolin sighed, speaking quietly with a level voice. “You're far stronger than most. For an Eevee, you are phenomenal. Most of your species are useless in combat at your age. Overcoming foes as you have is a testament to your capability.”

The Eevee's brow furrowed, his voice shouting out in anger. “I'm strong Tolin, but not nearly strong enough. Above average? Excellent? I cannot begin to settle for that. If I wait there idly, I'll lose everything I strive for. Merely being good for an 'Eevee' is not enough!” He spoke the term “Eevee” with contempt, as if cursing the inability of his species.

Tolin merely stared back at him. “Then get stronger.” Albus's stare was incredulous, his voice caught in his throat, unsure what to say. “But that's--” Tolin cut him off simply, speaking above him. “So cheat. Find a way around your weakness, regardless of the method.” Tolin pushed himself off the floor and stood up. “As an Eevee, you have plenty of options.” The door swung open seemingly of it's own accord as Tolin walked out of the room, the door closing behind him.

Albus stared at the doorway briefly, his mind quickly working out the meaning of Tolin's last statement. When it came to him he simply muttered to the empty room, “I had never considered that...”

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The pair once more headed for the building, Albus in a somewhat brighter mood than he had been the night before. The door inside already stood open, so the pair entered quietly. The room was much more tidy than it was before. The papers that had been strewn about the room had been neatly piled and sorted, each one grouped up with the adjoined research. Unused tools had been righted and stored in a mish-mash of boxes that piled up against a wall all the way to the ceiling. Many of the tools from yesterday were sitting on the table in a neat group with the relevant research nearby. A translucent box sat beside them, ready to take the papers and tools in.

Sam sat at the table, nestled half-asleep in a chair. His eyes fluttered open when he noticed the team. “Croaaa~ You're here! Everyone, let's get going!” The three assistants pulled themselves out from under the table where they were sleeping. The tools and supplies were gathered easily.

This time, however, three strange suit-case style containers were pulled out from side rooms. They were long and thick, each one almost the size of the Croagunk that carried it. Each assistant towed one behind him while Sam carried the much smaller bag.

Tolin glanced at the three containers with a questioning gaze. “Croaa~ It's the results of our testing. We were planning to do it the day after the tests were completed, but since they'll only take a moment...” Sam shrugged slightly. “Let's go, team! We're just about done.” The three assistants let out strained “Croaa~” as they pulled the heavy cases along.

Tolin and Albus followed the research team towards the Metalworks.

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Once more the group approached the large, imposing double doors that acted as an entrance to the factory. “Before we enter, I have a question. Why is it that the tests need to be conducted so quickly?” “Croaaa~ If the liquid cools down before we heat it, it begins to clump. It cools quite quickly, and if it clumps we can't use it.”

Tolin pondered the statement for a moment before speaking. “What if Albus kept it warm? He has the ability to heat the air around him... Certainly, he would be able to keep it hot enough.” Sam stared thoughtfully at Tolin before glancing at Albus, a look of distrust marking his eyes. “Croaa~ Alright, but he has to keep it exact. If it's too cold the test is ruined, if it's too hot the test will be inaccurate.”

Tolin nodded. He had expected as much, all things considered. “Albus, would you be up to the task?” Albus nodded. Something easy like that, even he could do.

They entered the Metalworks and retraced the old path, the old ditch from the Dunsparce winding along beside them. It wasn't long before they reached the vat again. Knowing that they were already there, the group easily picked out the Skarmory sitting contentedly on the rafters above them. Not that they were completely docile; each one of them kept an eye on the party, wary of any attempt to trespass.

“Croaa~ Please come this way. We'll have to act quickly.” Albus followed behind Sam, who swung the box up into the sludge. He started charging up his heat wave, the air around him heating up rapidly. Sam pulled the box out and placed it by Albus, unhooked it and ran back to the party. “Croaa~ Bring it over here.”

Albus stared at his hands — or rather, lack of — then back at the group. How the hell was he supposed to push the damn thing?

Of course, he settled on just nudging it along with his head. It wasn't like he had time to really pick another option; if he waited any longer he would probably be attacked. The glass bumped and hopped along the floor until it reached the research team. Sam already had his tools at the ready and quickly pulled out samples of the sludge to put into the vials. Each one was set to heat as Sam began to furiously scrawl out notes.

When the process was completed, he nodded, apparently satisfied. “Croaaaa~ Thank you for all your help.” Sam reached into the small bag of tools and pulled something out. It was a small, glass case with a folded sheet inside. “It's a notification of mission completion. Croaaa~ I told the Guild that we would be finishing today. This is your proof that it's done.” Tolin took the case between his scythes, holding it aloft through pressure. “Thank you. You'll be doing a few extra tests?”

Sam nodded. “Croaa~ Yes. We plan to reap the benefits of our research. We'll be fine on our own, however.” Tolin neatly set the case down on the floor. “Are you sure? I would be happy to escort you for the remainder of your experiments.” Sam shook his head vigorously. “Croaaa~ No. From here on our, everything is secret. We'll be fine on our own.” Tolin nodded. “Alright then, we'll be on our way. Good luck.” He grabbed the case from the floor and walked off. Albus followed.


“Why do we have to come out here, anyways?” Puer grumbled as he walked, displeased by the turn of events. About a half hour after Tolin left, ASAR popped out of his computer and began badgering Puer, waving around a large sack.

“Tolin asked me too! He sa-a-aid it was very important that we” ASAR's electronic voice skipped out and was replaced by Tolin's. “head for the Metalworks gates a half hour after I leave. Bring Puer and a large sack with you. I'm not sure, but I may need your help.” “So it's important that we do it!”

Puer sighed. Well, whatever. Tolin usually had a good reason for doing whatever he did and it's not like anything else was going to happen today. He might as well.

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Tolin began speaking quietly as soon as he thought he was out of earshot. “Albus, I need you to keep walking. We're going to turn around and follow them as soon as we can. The moment I say so, turn to your left and hide.” Albus did his best to keep his body neutral and show no signs of the conversation. Tolin glanced back over his shoulder. “Now.” Tolin and Albus shot sideways, taking cover behind an assembly line.

“Why are we hiding, exactly?” Tolin checked the location of the Croagunk by sticking his head out for a moment. “They're up to something. So, we're going to follow them. And deal with them, if necessary.” Albus shrugged. He didn't really care, although he wouldn't mind putting that arrogant scientist in his place.

So, the pair followed them. The Croagunk doubled back to one of the more empty areas, it was only a few minutes away from the entrance. A large tarp had been placed over the floor, various lumps and bumps present under it. Sam lifted the tarp, it's contents laying bare.

Four Beldum lay tied to the floor. Heavy steel rope and magnetic sheets kept them disabled in spite of their angry buzzing. Three circular steel plates sat nearby. The assistants immediately set to opening the large packages they had brought with them, placing the contents on each one. They were large, flat steel boxes decorated with switches, levers and buttons. Each one had a plug at the bottom which fit snugly into the steel discs. The three assistants moved as a group, carrying the devices one at a time.

Sam set about adjusting the plates themselves. Two open, adjustable sockets were apparent on each plate. Once he'd finished tinkering with them, he set to tinkering with the Beldum. His three assistants quickly joined him, each Croagunk taking a Beldum. They peeled the sheets back cautiously, quickly stabbing tools into open panels. The four Beldum quickly quieted down while they were tinkered with.

They abruptly began to buzz as they vibrated against the cables. The team untied them as they shot towards the discs, two per. It was at this point that Albus noticed Tolin had disappeared, leaving the voucher tucked neatly under some machinery. The newly formed Metang floated up, their eyes half-closed. Sam and one of the assistants leaped up and began cranking levers on the installed boxes.

A small explosion broke the otherwise routine cranking. The whole group turned to see Tolin standing on the third unattended circle, his scythe sticking into the device. Electricity crackled through his arm as the sparks fried the device. Surprised croaks erupted from the group as he leaped towards one of the ground-bound attendants, sticking his still-electrified scythe into it's chest. The Croagunk let out a oscillating croak as he lost consciousness.

He was just as quick to jump onto the Metang, colliding with the assistant Croagunk and taking him to the ground off the creature. The psychic end of his broken scythe plunged into his head, knocking him unconscious. His eyes dulled over as his tongue fell out of his mouth, a vacant unintelligent stare masking his face.

The presence of one of his assistants didn't deter Sam in the slightest. The hard fist of the Metang he was riding came crashing into Tolin like a truck, launching him far off. Of course, all this took place in a few seconds. Albus hadn't even had time to get out of his hiding spot. Tolin skidded as he bounced off the floor. He forced his broken scythe downwards, slowing his slide considerably. “CROAAAAAAA~! You damn explorers are ruining everything!” Sam began cranking levers and buttons frantically, his Metang shifting.

Within moments, it comfortably sat on top of the now-unattended Metang beside it. The metal box that had been firmly planted into it was scraped off as the two creatures moved together. Air hissed out at the seams as the two metal discs forced themselves together and combined.

Sam now stood on a Metagross. “Ah, hell.” Tolin stumbled back to his feet, dodging around the Metagross. It stamped down it's legs, trying to crush him as he passed. Tolin invoked Agility, allowing him to step around the blows with ease. A discerning eye might see the third assistant running off, hoping to escape the combat.

He reached Albus in a matter of moments. “I need you to hold him off.” Albus was shocked, to say the least. “Wha... What the hell are you talking about!? There's no way I can hold off a Metagross!” “You just have to attack Sam. Keep him busy and you'll be fine. I only need you to stall him for a moment.”

Albus wanted to protest some more, to explain how impossible it was. But, Tolin ran off before he had the chance. So, Albus was left there alone with an angry Metagross headed for him. Running wasn't exactly his style, and Tolin had confidence in him at least...

Albus popped out from cover and launched a Hydro Pump at Sam. The water jet wasn't nearly strong enough to knock him off, not from this distance. Sam cranked one of the levers to the max, pushing it all the way down to the surface he stood on. A psychic barrier engulfed the Metagross as it slowly floated towards Albus, undeterred by the attack.

He'd have to do something else.

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Tolin went straight for the entrance. The two he was looking for were sitting in front of the entrance. “Come on, let's go. We don't have time to waste.” Puer decided not to question it yet.

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“Well, maybe something a little bit stronger.” Albus pooled a ball of water in front of him and shot it off as a Water Pulse. The pulse splashed off the psychic barrier, but Albus had half-expected it. The water that splashed off solidified in moments, spears of ice raining down on the Croagunk. Each one got half-way through the barrier before stopping.

His tail began to glow slightly as he used each attack. He formed a gaseous ball, letting it disperse over the Croagunk. The Smog acted as a shield, letting him dodge about unseen. “Come back here, dammit! I'm going to squish you into the ground!” Albus tossed a Will-o-Wisp into the cloud, setting it alight.

Unfortunately, the psychic barrier kept Sam safe. “Dammit...” Albus gritted his teeth. What could he do, at this point? He hadn't had the choice to run to begin with, and it was certainly no more feasible now.

Of course, when Tolin showed up, he didn't have to run. For some reason, ASAR and Puer were here too...? Whatever, the help was welcome. “Good to see you back!” Tolin kept little time for a response and spoke directly to ASAR. “ASAR, go interface your programming with the Metagross.” ASAR began his on-off salutes as he floated towards his prey target.

Sam cranked a lever, the sounds of gears stripping apparent above all else. A large, white orb began to charge at the Metagross's front. However, it simply dissipated when it's eyes went blank. “Get out from under there, ASAR.” The Metagross stopped floating, landing to the ground with a bang. It's legs soon gave way, causing it to fall down completely. Sam lost his balance and stayed on only through the virtue of gripping the levers tightly.

As soon as he regained his sense of self, he set to moving them back and forth. “Work, dammit! Why! Won't! You! Go!?” Each word was punctuated by the grind of gears as he forcibly pushed the levers.

“He's broken, Sam. We infected his programming.” Sam began sobbing, curses leaking from his mouth between fits. Tolin brought his psycho cut into Sam's brain, causing him to fall slack. Slow, indiscernible tears fell down his face, even in half-consciousness.

Puer watched the scene unfold with mild interest, though he didn't understand one thing. “Alright. So, you figured out what they were going to do. So you needed ASAR to infect them. I get that. Why do you need me?” Tolin grabbed the voucher from where it was neatly tucked and sat down to rest. He chuckled slightly at the comment and lifted a scythe to point at the sack.

“We can't just leave them here, can we? I certainly can't carry them on my own.”

Puer groaned.

((I know the Voucher's/notifications aren't exactly the "norm", but I figure that the rewards have to (or at least often are) deposited before mission completion. Thus, the way I see it, they would at least accept them in certain cases, right?))

((Hargle-bargle too many chars))

Albus's ears flickered slightly at the proposition. A new plate... That was always tempting. He stared at the Pikachu for a moment before hazarding a guess. His posture was upright and his stare straightforward. It was the kind of stance he used when he spoke to someone with an actual position. "Forgive me if I am mistaken, but are you not Tempest? Tempest, second-in-command of the Guild of Roaring Thunder?" The question and phrasing was odd, but it served a useful purpose. It served to inform the rest of the group who she was.

Albus nodded. "Of course, we would be interes--" Tolin put one of his scythes in front of Albus, signaling for him to shut up.

Tolin spoke is a dignified (if somewhat forceful) tone. There was no aggression in his voice, but it was certainly not passive. "We'll only accept payment upon completion. Otherwise, we accept." Tolin didn't really like the idea, nor was he especially interested in a plate.

However, whatever the request was it was doubtless to be fruitful, if only in insight. And as long as it was "payment on completion", they had no obligation; there was no theft or subterfuge involved in abandoning a job that had not been paid for.

The Metagross and Magnemite came in together. The team thought for a moment, but decided to turn them away. Metagross, although powerful, offered more... practical living issues. The Magnemite simply wouldn't have been able to associate with the team.

However, Sam of all people crept up beside them. He spoke in a hushed tone, trying to avoid suspicion. "Heyyy, heyyy. Help me out." Tolin stared at him. Why was he here...?

"Come on, help me out. Those Magnezone police are after me, and they're crazy! They seem to think I was planning to kill Solaris or something! Mind you he's not my favourite guy but we were just gonna rob a bank, or something! We hadn't even thought that far ahead!" The buzz of the police officers became apparent as they came towards the group. Sam let out a hushed squeal. "You gotta hide me!"

Sam pressed himself into a corner, trying his best to remain unseen. It was a really mediocre effort, though. Tolin thought it over for a moment before heading towards the gates. The magnezone floated up to him and spoke. "Bzzzt, did you see an escaped Croagunk go by here?" Tolin shook his head. "Alright, thank you citizzzzzen."

Sam spoke up as soon as he was sure the Magnezone was out of hearing distance. "Oh, thank you. Thank you so much." Tolin let on a sly, malevolent grin. Sam shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, no, no problem at all. But, you're going to work for us. You see, we have to track down a Charizard. And, once we track down that Charizard, we are going to beat it down. And, once we've beaten it down, you are going to help us restrain it and transport it." Sam began to twitch nervously, realizing before he even spoke that Tolin had an ace in the hole. "And if you don't cooperate, a quick call is going to guarantee that it'll be your last chance."

Sam shook his head up and down vigorously, unwilling to respond otherwise. "Excellent. Then, we're going to need a transport bed for roughly 200~ pounds and some thick cable. If you do well, we'll keep hiding you. We'll hide you until everyone's forgotten about this little thing you did and you'll keep working for us so we don't remind them." Sam nodded, to terrified to disagree. He still had a pounding migraine from that Psycho Cut, and he wasn't keen on crossing the Scyther again.

"Excellent. Then... Puer, please head to the Sunflora's Garden. Get 10... no, 20 Oran berries. Get us about 15 Rawst berries. ASAR, take Sam back to our team room. I'm going to head for the Battle Emporium and stock up on supplies." "Allllrighty!" "Alright."

He turned to face Albus. "Albus, I believe you have something to do?" Albus nodded. "Yes. I'll be back soon." Tolin nodded. "That's fine. We head out tomorrow."

The group split off, Sam following after the Porygon looking rather nervous. ASAR wasn't exactly the most stealthy individual...

Juuuuuuuust in case.

Eh, let's see. You get an Endure TM, 1000 PD, and take the Voltorb if you want.