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Ten days had came and gone for Team Snagem. Ten days of preparing for their biggest challenge yet, bigger than toppling Team Cipher, bigger than battling Shadow Mewtwo. Ten days ago Looker declared on international television the world governments' intentions to put Team Snagem on trial, whether or not they were there. A decision would be made one way or another on whether or not Team Snagem was innocent or guilty of the charges lobbied against them, such charges as conspiring with Ein to create and spread the Shadow Virus. While most Snagems were dismayed to see the onslaught of problems just did not end a majority of them were also welcoming, or at the very least accepting, of this legal challenge being presented to them. If they were going to clear their good name that they all worked so hard to obtain then this would be their one chance at doing just.

"Everyone ready?" Sub asked as he stood in the lobby of Trainer Hill, having put on his best vest, which looked no different from all his others. He claimed it was a different shade of blade but that was up for debate. On his right hand was yet again a Snag Machine, having acquired one from the Hoenn embassy, a spare one he had laying around there. He got plenty of ugly looks as he walked through the battle scarred Mauville City, the wounds of Aqua and Magma's class still fresh. While there he had come to learn that they were being blamed for that too, Sub's once secretive history with Team Aqua also exposed in the aftermath of their escape from Mauville. It was just another bit of information leaked that he found alarming, especially coupled where it came from. He didn't have time to worry about it then nor now.

"I figure we'll all teleport into Viridian City together, I was told they would disable the scramblers for a period of twenty minutes to give us time to pop in, otherwise it would require getting there the old fashion way." He informed the gathered group as he fiddled with his Snag Machine, making sure his Key Stone was affixed properly to his new Snag Machine. Something told him he might need it sooner than later. "Once there we'll head to the gym in the north of the city as a group, a show of unity as no doubt we'll have countless eyes on us. From what I heard people from all across the world have gathered in Viridian City just to be in earshot of the verdict. Don't be surprised if you see some familiar faces...and don't be upset if they aren't happy to see you either." The man warned his teammates.

Some of them had sought out what they thought were friends, to be character witnesses or give statements on their behalf. However for many they only discovered how deep these strange changes went, old friends now historical enemies, their memories and history no longer reflecting what once was. They still had no clue what that was all about but again they had no time to worry about it with the more pressing matters of SWIPE, WHITE, Looker and all their legal woes. Right now clearing their name took priority, if they could do that and continue to move around freely they could worry about the other matters.

Claydol would pop into reality beside Sub as he finished up with his Snag Machine, giving the Psychic Pokemon a little smile and patting him on the side before turning back to his teammates, taking note of everyone here. "Well, if you're ready put your hand on Claydol or on someone touching him. Let's get this over with."

Monique had mostly stayed inside HQ, tending to the garden, trying to go through more of the files left in the Trainer Hill Development Company's offices, and preparing herself.

She hadn't talked with Auntie Wilokia, Kasumi or Kaimana since her return. Given what she'd heard from everyone else, it was probably for the best. She had to wonder how they felt, or what they now thought of her. Perhaps their large exposure as Fallers shielded them? Perhaps their hearts had been closed to her, like a Shadow Virus for people? It was best not to think about those things. But she hoped her sisters were okay. She already had few scraps of her old life as it was, after all.

Her lone foray outside of headquarters had been revealing. The coffee with Amanita, where pre-trial coverage was on the television, and then going back to her lab to, of all things, listen to a podcast that was talking about her while Amanita was blissfully unaware. It took all her energy to not say something when she was in that lab. But it gave her an amuse-bouche of the buffet that was to come. Hardly anyone in any region, it seemed, could talk about much else.

She thought of all the places she'd been. What was her record at the academy looking like? Would Clavell be watching and wondering how a former student—or many of them—got caught up in this mess? Perhaps he'd be considering his admissions standards, tightening them up so he wouldn't look ridiculous next to Orre State? Would ChiChi be watching in between dance classes? Yoga and trial coverage?

What of the Shadow House in Spikemuth? At any hour, that place would be rocking. But instead of league matches from who-knows-where on their screens, they'd be chowing down on pies and ale while consuming the sights and sounds of the "trial of the century".

Or the Mead House Tavern and Inn, Lacunosa's licensed Pokémon Center? It was a lonely place at night, usually. But the trial would be at night. Would the scared denizens decide to watch this thing anywhere except the comfort of their own homes? Would they recognize the woman that saved them from Larae?

Would the fishmonger she defeated in Slateport recognize her? Anyone from Pyrite or The Under, after her outing as Missy Queen Boo? What would they think—or what were they now made to think?

It was chilling. She couldn't control whatever had warped them. But she could control her defense. Looker had to know as much that his case against her was shorter than the others. They knew she was a Faller.

That just meant she had to rise. She approached Claydol. It was about time.

Anxiety filled Deo's mind. He knew that when SNAGEM testifies, Deo might be called as a witness for SWIPE instead. What was he to do? He had to put his worries to the side. As Deo knew that he could easily defend SNAGEM, because he knew SWIPE was on a witch hunt, and SNAGEM was in the middle of it all. Arceus help him if he was to lie on the stand. After all, a good policeman follows the law. Instead, the law is corrupt and the policeman is being a marionette on strings. This time, the marionette will cut its strings loose.

"Let's hope and pray to the powers that be that we are in the clear" he says to himself. Knowing that it might be futile and in vain.

Wren calmy walked down from the roof, Destro safely tucked into his Heavy Ball, his lower half finally recovered after several days planted in the rooftop garden and carefully tended. He wore a tailored suit in a deep green with a chestnut brown vest and an, admittedly, somewhat dorky-looking but very professional bow tie. What irked him the most, however, was the pair of very nice dress shoes he wore. "I hate these things even more han normal shoes..." He muttered to himself, gently tapping the toes against the floor every few steps to try and feel **something** through them. He'd heard the announcement to gather on his way down and approached Claydol and the gathered Snagems nervously. Was this their final day as free men and women? He placed his hand on Claydol as he approached, staying quiet for now.

Lykas adjusted Odd's tie for him, the bags under his eyes still not gone from his days in a coma but at least conscious and up to speed regarding what was happening next. The trip to Realgam and th discoveries found there were still a confusing blur to the hybrid but what mattered to him most was that it sounded like they'd found something that might defend them and there was now a chance to clear their names of at least the worst of the charges that had been levied against them all. The hybrid was dressed in a much nicer version of his usual clothes: A white suite with a purple undershirt. His usual obi was under the open blazer, his keystone affixed to the "buckle" of the rope belt as it usually was. He worse his Snag Machine on his left hand as well.

Odd sighed as Lykas finished the knot of his necktie. He wore a pair of black suit pants and long sleeved black shirt with a crimson neck tie, forgoing the blazer because it inhibited his movement. He wore his Artifact clip on his belt as usual, Wraith Harvest hanging from his hip as he nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "We're bringing her home and they're not going to separate us again." He assured Lykas, eyes narrowing. The pair heard the call from Sub to gather and headed his direction, Lykas guiding Odd, as needed for the moment, to ensure they were ready to leave when Claydol Teleported them out.

If anyone bothered to notice, a strangely familiar unfamiliar child roughly the size and apparent age Ulla had been before disappearing into the Fairy Realm entered the group wordlessly. Wavy blonde hair pulled back behind their head fought to not stay there as they wiggled through the Snagems to get close to Claydol. Bright blue eyes were focused on the Pokemon for now. They knew questions would come eventually but right now, they had to be sure they didn't get left behind. They could answer the questions later, after things weren't quite so crazy. The lavender-tinted child wore a long denim skirt with a pair of white stockings underneath, a white button-down blouse with a flowering vine embroidered on the left side and a pair of black pumps. Where had those even come from?!

Ulla was having trouble tying her hair in a bun. The best she could do is make it a loose bun. "So. Why does my outfit look like a....school uniform?" She asked as she was starring at the mirror as she wore a cream turtle neck with a checkered brown dress. "Would you rather a suit?" Lucario asked as he handed her KeyStone necklace and a colorful tree branch hair clip. "From what I heard. This is suppose to be a 'light academia' look. Even though you are part of Snagem. You are still a kid. So they might use that against all of you." "Yes. But I am a very capable kid." She said as she finished getting dressed. Lucario bowed his head. "I know you'll come out of this with your innocence proven Master." He said as he returned back into his Pokeball.

The Fairy Child ran to the main lobby as she saw everyone else dressed up a little more proper. Ulla looked around as she spotted Ter and Keiko. Antsy but also very eager to see their kids. She merely smiled as she held her hands close to her heart. ...Master...I hope you find the answers soon. Your information will help us a great deal...Lord Xerneas...please light my way.. She prayed, unsure if they would even be heard. Ulla then walked over to Claydol and placed her hand on the side of Claydol.

With everyone gathered and ready, touching Claydol or someone touching someone else, Sub would look around at his friends one more time before they left. Giving them all a little smile he looked up at an old camera in the corner of the lobby, one of GRAY's eyes, and gave it a little nod. In that moment a picture was silently taken by GRAY, of all of them gathered around Claydol, together. Sub didn't know when the next time they would be able to be together like this, especially if things went south at the hearing, so he wanted a snapshot of this moment to hold onto. He had faith GRAY would take the picture whether or not he nodded at the camera and so focused back onto the matter at hand. It was time to go to court...for some of them, that is.

"Okay, let's go, Claydol." Sub instructed the Pokemon, the living doll letting out a moan as its many eyes lit up and in an instant they all disappeared from the lobby of Trainer Hill. Destination; Viridian Forest.

-----

As soon as they disappeared the Snagems would reappear, all of them standing in the middle of Virdian Forest, all of them gathered around Larrimore the Pinsir hybrid. Apparently he was used as the focal point for the teleport. "...took long enough..." Larrimore said with a sigh as he stood up from the log he was sitting on, the hybrid stretching as he did.

No doubt everyone would be confused as to why they appeared here instead of Viridian City, all save for Sub, of course. "Thank you, Claydol. Hang here a bit for me though." He said, patting the Claydol on the head and petting it as he turned his attention to his teammates.

"Had some last minute thoughts about today. What if we all go into the gym only to discover it was a trap? They certainly plan on having enough firepower there to handle us if so. Then they'll have us all with little to no outside help to rescue us. That's why I think it might be best if a good number of us stay outside the gym, just in case it is a trap, or even if it's not initially a trap to prepare to help us escape if the verdict isn't one favorable to us. They said we had to show up but they didn't say all of us did." The man pointed out. "Of course they'll want the most infamous there like myself, Sol, Reno, and most certainly the Noble Hybrid..." He said, winking at Blizzard teasingly.

"It's also why I chose for us to teleport here instead of directly into Viridian City. As Blizzard already knows the place is crawling with SWIPE, it would be almost impossible for us to split the group there undetected. So what we'll do is some of you will hang back here in the forest and prepare for the worse while the rest of us go to court. I know for our forest dwellers, our cavalry, it's not a fun role but we have to be cautious, SWIPE and the regions of the world are no longer playing so we can't either. I'll let you all decide on who goes and who stays. Once you're ready we'll teleport again to keep appearance, this time to the Pokemon Center." He continued.

"Well you know I'm staying here...without complaint. I like this forest, reminds me of home." Larrimore commented as he looked around his surroundings.

(If you only have one character you'll send them to court. If you have multiple at least one needs to stay behind in the forest.)

-----

With the group split the Snagems deciding to go to court would teleport again, this time appearing in front of the Viridian City Pokemon Center like they had expected prior. As Sub predicted they were immediately noticed as the outside of the Pokemon Center was already surrounded with people from across the world, all here to see what would become of the famous/infamous Team Snagem. As they appeared they would be welcomed by gasps and fingering pointing with plenty comments and remarks, none of them particularly silent. Quickly the surprise turned to jeers and boos as such words were thrown around as 'criminals', 'monsters' and 'Cipher lapdogs'. Sub had to admit, it stung but he couldn't waste his mental and emotional energy on them, he had to save it all for what was to come. "Ignore them." Sub said as he began walking, heading north and away from the Pokemon Center.

The streets of Viridian City were no less packed as they past up throngs of people, the city perhaps seeing more people than they ever had at one time. As they walked it became clear this was not just a court case but an entire spectral, in fact it was more like a carnival as they past up food trucks and booths to feed the hungry spectators as well as stalls to hawk random wares to these 'justice' thirsty travelers from across the globe. "This is...I don't even know what this is..." Sub commented, almost unable to believe what he was seeing. "Hell, where are the rides for the kiddies?" He said with a scoff, finding a little bit of humor in the absurdity of it all.

Still ignoring all the hate that was being thrown their way Sub and the rest of the team would make it soon to the Viridian City Gym to find the place blocked off with steel barricades, manned by countless SWIPE agents and their Pokemon. Throngs of people were gathered around the gym making it impossible for them to actually get to the door. However they would soon be recognized one of those tasked with controlling the crowd.

"Heh, didn't think you'd actually show..." The towering blond haired man said as the crowd parted for him, his oversized Raichu following short behind him. It was none other than Lt. Surge. "Takes guts and I can't help but respect guts...even if said guts are inside such a sorry bunch of freedom hatin' scum such as Team Snagem." The man said, arms folded as he spit at the ground to his side. "Sorry, the name leaves a bad taste in my mouth." He hissed, glaring at them all the while, his Raichu staring at with while giving off a low hiss with just the faintest flicker of static electricity from its cheeks. "You're lucky I found you first and not Emma, she has been itchin' to cross paths with you again. Had she I reckin' all you wouldn't make it into the gym, she'd put you down right here and blame it on the crowd or something." Surge said with laugh, dismissing the thought with a shake of his head. Sub said nothing, only because it wouldn't do any good to, just staring back at Lt. Surge with a blank expression.

"Tch...whatever. Smug little..." The man grumbled as he noticed Sub's lack of reaction. "Hey! The worms of the hour are here! Part the crowd and let them through!" Surge shouted. Soon numerous SWIPE grunts would scurry up and began to push people aside, using Pokemon like Machamp, Kingler and Bastiodon to push the crowds back and make a corridor from here to the front door of the gym. With the path cleared Lt. Surge would look back at them once more. "Go, justice awaits you." He said with a sneer.

"Let's go." Sub said to his teammates as he began to advance forward, preparing himself mentally for the worse of the verbal hate they were about to receive from the crowds. He wouldn't be surprised if a few rotten Tamato Berries came their way with how heightened the hate for Team Snagem was in this city.

"Keiko and I have to go for obvious reasons," I stated matter-of-factly. Keiko held my hand and nodded with a determined look on her face. Being present was the only way we could see our biological children. Meanwhile, Absinthe looked like she was unsure. "I want to see if my old man is there, but if he isn't, then I'm offering myself up for no real reason," she said to herself. I let go of Keiko's hand and pulled out my Porygon Phone. "You've got one of these, right? I'll text you if I see him," I offered. Absinthe seemed to calm down at that, nodding in confirmation at my offer. That sealed it - Keiko and I would go, and Absinthe would stay. After teleporting to the city, Keiko and I held hands and walked side by side, keeping ourselves facing forward and ignoring the crowd. As we did this, we eventually made it up to Lt. Surge, who had apparently drawn the short stick and got bouncer duty. He seemed focused on Sub, which was all well and good, but then Deo opened his mouth and made me want to smack him on the back of the head. Agitating the malcontents only made us look worse, and it in no way helped our situation in the slightest. Dude could probably fold me in half with one hand, though, so I held back my anger at him.

As we passed through the door, Keiko's gaze wandered to Surge. "Sorry about him," Keiko said calmly as we passed. Apparently she agreed that Deo's taunts were uncalled for.

Upon arriving in Viridian Forest, Lykas and Wren looked around as Odd’s ears picked up the sounds around them. “This doesn’t sound like the city…” Odd remarked a moment before Sub began to explain. He had to admit the man made a fair point. “Lykas and i are definitely going, right?” The Channeler asked his husband, turning to look at the colorful pop of soul beside him.

“You’re damn right we are! Libelle’s been away from us for too long already. I don’t care what they throw at us. We’re getting our baby back!” Lykas replied, already prepared for a fight if that was what it took to get Libelle back with them.

“I’ll stay here, then.” Wren decided. “I actually like the woods… Feels cozy here.” He admitted. “I can use the time to make sure Destro has fully recovered from the tower anyway.”

“I’ll stay, too.” Came a small voice from amid the Snagems. The strange blond child that had snuck into the crowd properly revealing themself at last. “I don’t think’d let me in, anyway, looking like this.”

~~~

Once those heading to court arrived, Lykas found himself getting heated over the jeers almost immediately. “Just breathe.” Odd told him. “They don’t know us. They only know what the media has told them about us and with so many strange things going on, who knows what anyone believes?” The Channeler remarked, taking a breath of his own. The training he’d received at the Abbey helped here but even he was having a hard time drowning it all out.

Lykas sighed, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Hooking his arm around Odd’s as he let that breath out, the pair began walking along with the others. The jeers and accusations stung for sure, some cutting far deeper than either thought they might, but for the most part, Lykas in particular, was too distracted by the spectacle of it all. “They’re treating this like some kind of carnival.” He told his blind partner, mirroring the incredulity of the others. This was an utterly ridiculous showing of joy from people who, ultimately, didn’t know a single real thing about the team even if the world wasn’t currently twisted into some kind of reality tie-die.

“People always find things to celebrate over…” Odd replied, beginning to hear the the sounds of joy and amusement underneath the jeers and cutting remarks being directed at them as they walked together on what most likely assumed would be their funerary march. “They must be so convinced of our guilt and supposed crimes they see us facing justice as reason for a party, believing it impossible for us to escape their truth.”

Lykas nodded. “You’re probably right there… Let’s just hope we can actually do just that.”

The pair continued on with the others as Lykas looked out over the strange collection of activities around them, his attention drawn back as they approached the building to find a familiar face waiting for them. Lt. Surge. The hybrid knew of him more than knew him but that was enough. He kept his mouth shut as Surge slung insults at them, biting his lip until he drew blood at one point. He even went so far as to reach up with one of his tentacles and smack Deo across the back of the head as they entered the building. “Don’t make things worse! Temper your anger for now and you can let it out after we’re done.” He scolded.

Odd, however, had a few words as he entered the building. Looking to Lt. Surge, he spoke coldly. “I wouldn’t speak of worms, military dog. You’re no less animal in their eyes than us.” He snapped at the man. He’d heard of Surge’s army days, after all. Who hadn’t?