Pokemon Umbral Charlotte's Sidequest, Act I

[Astral Harmony]

Armored Bishoujo Says: "The previous RP thread is where you should continue to do all that intermission stuff. I have a few things to post there, too. Anyways, on with the show!"

Charlotte's Sidequest Act I: Mind Over Murder

A general meeting was called for the Watchmen. One thing they had to note was that the location for these meetings was getting larger and larger with nearly every major mission. One couldn't possibly imagine why...

"Honestly, I was a little scared for our new friends Donovan and Hyacinth. They sort of joined during a particularly ridiculous scuffle, didn't they?" Irene observed to no one in particular, winking at the Watchmen in general. "Fortunately, this time we have a less chaotic mission that would better help ease them into the kind of work us brave and/or stupid volunteer heroes of Honmyr tend to find ourselves in, although they've proven themselves more than capable thus far."

Irene picked up a nearby remote from the podium and tapped a button, activating a Powerpoint presentation. Ugh. "Don't worry, I'll make this brief, but only because we haven't had any time to conduct our own investigations. Our destination is Nanny Village, or, to be more specific, the ruins of Nanny Village. The silly name comes from the fact that Nanny Village's unofficial mayor was named 'the Nanny.'"

The slide showed a small map on the local area and several pictures of the place. It was something of a small town on a grassland, the kind you'd find just about anywhere outside the cities. Only the place was totally FUBAR. Just what the hell happened to it?

"Was this 'Nanny' person a good mayor?" Harliette asked without permission. "Couldn't've been with the village now in ruins, could it?"
"Something happened to the village," Irene shrugged mindlessly.
"What happened?"
"Oh, a little something-something called the Second Successionary War."
"Woof," Harliette coughed.

Irene turned off the presentation. Wait, it was only one slide? Why'd she bother, then?

"Nanny Village was a shoddy ol' bed 'n' breakfast for travelers between Fainas and Hiroshiho. It was sort of starting to develop into an impressive little trading post between merchants of the two major cities, and then Sakuya decided to be a real douche-queen and, to officially kick off the war, hit Nanny Village and several other small towns with overwhelming and unnecessarily brutal force."
Sakuya's brow furrowed. "Are you trying to piss me off, Irene?"
Irene folded her arms. "Well, I figured that since my mere existence pisses you off all the time anyways, it couldn't hurt to call you out on all the times you were a complete, immoral monster."

Sakuya jumped out of her seat and opened her mouth.

Irene's eyes became hostile. "We all hate the Prideguard these days, Kazetsubaki-sama, but at least during the two wars, they didn't murder unarmed innocents in cold blood and burn villages to the ground just to put fear in the hearts of their enemies."
Sakuya's jaw was clenched and her knuckles were white. Still, she begrudgingly sat back down.
Irene visibly relaxed. "Anyways, we've gotten completely off track here. Today's mission involves a dead horse that you badasses have beaten to death but apparently still won't stop being a nuisance. I am, of course, referring to our good friends, the Harbingers of Ascension."

Jeanette raised her hand. Irene shook her head. "As for the possibility of your daughter being present, Jeanette, I'd keep my hopes high but my expectations low. We honestly have very little intel to move on. We don't even have numbers, though it can be assumed at least thirty people are involved. My guess is they're trying to find some way to get back on their feet after the epic ass beating they sustained in Millenium House. If I was one of them, I would've begged the Police Force to cuff me. Faynoc was killed, Ginnungagap's destroyed, Gransrax is in pieces, the Chroma Fragment was a piece of shit, and they were attacked by a three-pronged trident composed of us, the Prideguard, and Adonova. To add the final straw that broke the Camerupt's back, Millenium House is a smoldering ruin. You'd think they'd go find an honest line of work after that massacre."
"Maybe that's what they actually did?" Rachel suggested.
"You could be right, and I want to believe that, but there's too much suspicious stuff going on. They're way out in the middle of nowhere where few people would notice them and they're wearing their Harbinger raimants. I'm fairly certain it's not about a bake sale."
"When do we leave?" Discord leaned forward in her chair, eager to hurt some people.
"A few hours before dawn tomorrow," Irene said. "We don't really gain anything by making a night operation out of it. I highly doubt they're prepared to recieve any considerable assault so there shouldn't be any snipers or anything waiting for us."
"Sounds fairly straightforward." Discord approved. She loved a good ol' fashioned head to head assault.

Irene nodded. "Right, that's it for the brief. We go in, we hit 'em with decisive force, and we let the Police Force make the arrests and do the interrogations for us. Simple as that. Any questions out of you all before I dismiss ya for the rest of the day? Bitches? Moans? Complaints? Private requests for a striptease?"
"I told you I was kidding," Rio groaned.
"Oh, you were only kidding?" Irene chuckled. "I guess that means I shouldn't take you seriously. Too bad. I was really in the mood, too."
"You wound me, Irene. You wound me."

[Aldurin]

Donovan was using his cell phone to search for satellite images of Nanny Village, hoping to get a better idea of the terrain. "Given that the town is in ruins, it's likely they'll be working underground, right? Is there anything notable about the geology there?" He hoped to understand the environment they would be in, but really he was just cleaning up on minor details as Irene covered what was a rather simple mission. He had a moment where he thought of requesting a strip tease for both laughs and to see if Irene would really do it, but decided against it.

[Menarker]

Renny's face was a bit red at the thought of Irene offering a private striptease, as he absentmindly looked around to see if anyone was actually considering it, although all that did was made him catch some glimpses of some of the other ladies in the room and made him daydream for a second of them offering the same.

As Donovan asked his question though, Renny nodded slightly in approval. It was a good question. This mission was so simplistic that it bugged him that there was so little questions that he felt could be asked to clarify it.

Renny didn't say anything though. He himself didn't have any questions to ask quite at the moment. However he glanced toward Catherine with a knowing smile, given that the two of them agreed ahead of time to be partners for the next mission that came up.

[Astral Harmony]

"Just grasslands with few trees," Kurika said, surprising a few people. "A hill or two that you could piss over."
"You're familiar with the place, Kurika?" Irene asked the kickboxer.
"Back when I was a teenager, I was very poor," Kurika said. "The village has an underground area. I fought in prize fights in an arena down there just to be able to eat and sleep at the inn."

Some people looked at Irene. "What?" Irene asked.
"This underground area wasn't in your briefing," Harliette pointed out.
Irene scratched her head in embarrassment. "C'mon, sometimes there's stuff even I don't know."
"So that's where the weapons went," Silk mused. "Before the Second Successionary War ended, the Hiroshiho Empire traded some of its national products with the rest of Honmyr, but certain products were never, ever made available. Like our fine swords and armor."
"True that," Mirror said. "Love the empire or hate it, but no country has ever produced a finer blade."
"After the First Successionary War, there were some...malcontents who came to place riches over loyalty to the empire," Silk continued. "A black market came to exist where you could buy Hiroshiho goods that the empire normally would never sell."

"Bastards," Sakuya hissed.
"Yeah, but a combat arena too?" Shannon asked Kurika.
"People were bored," Kurika shrugged. "You can get to the underground area through the inn. There's a secret entrance in the janitor's closet that you can use to get down there."
"Do you think the Harbingers would know about it?" Harliette asked Irene.
"Depends on the Harbingers," Irene said after a bit of thought. "Faynoc recruited his makeshift army out of the castoffs of the world. The homeless, the prostitutes, the petty criminals, the orphans created both in war and peacetime, the drug addicts, and just about anyone down on their luck and looking for a solution to their mountains of problems. I say there's a fairly good chance one of them might know about that place. But we'll have to wait until we secure the town itself before we go checking down there."

"Some of us aren't exactly familiar with securing stuff," Harliette admitted. "What do we do?"
"It's pretty simple," Irene explained. "Snipers take an escort or two and go find some high points. Building roofs 'n' such. The rest of us form it up into small teams and go check out each individual building for hostiles. The Police Force detachment will hold the perimeter to make sure nobody escapes once we start tightening our grip on them. If the hostile response is controllable, we control it. If not, we withdraw and let the Destroyer units control it. That's the gist of it."
"I thought we were going to arrest them?" Lola wondered aloud.
"We'll try, but lethal force is authorized whenever lethal force is being used by the enemy," Irene advised. "Settling problems in a peaceful fashion is always preferable, but I'd rather have all of my agents return home alive than risk losing one who was trying to make an arrest."

[Dracorion]

Pierce listened to the briefing and everyone's questions afterward, making a mental note to ask Irene for a striptease later. Kurika explained about the underground fighting ring, and Irene explained how to properly secure the area.

"That's all well and good." Pierce piped up. "But we should assemble a team to tackle the underground area, shouldn't we? That's probably where the real action's going to be."

[Menarker]

Renny nodded as he verbally affirmed,

"I think so too Pierce. The fact that we have little info about the composition of our opponent's forces means that we should try to minimize our team's weakpoints and try to be diverse in the types of attacks or pokemon we bring with us. As such, we should probably bring slayers, with the trainers we do end up bringing being ones with mixed pokemon types. Additionally, since we're going to be applying force on cult members who are not in possession of a permanent headquarters with defenses, we should probably expect to be fighting humans, whether they are trainers, slayers or pokebrids"

That last comment might have been super obvious at first glance, but given that the last few missions involved ruin pokemon exclusively and the one before that was mostly robots and non-humanoids, the distinction seemed important for Renny to make.

Renny then thought for a moment... "If I could make a suggestion based on this, for the main attack force should comprise mainly of the Kimonos" and he looked at Discord eagerly bloodthirsty face for a moment, possibly worried about whether he was making the right call... "and the Vorpal Frenzy members, Lucian and Discord. The Kimonos are a team with plenty of experience and they don't have elemental weaknesses we'd need to worry about being hit. I hear Discord has a high success rate when dealing with humanoid enemies and she also has a diverse pokemon team typing. Lucian has prior experience working alongside her if I recall correctly and also has a diverse pokemon team of his own."

Renny then took a moment to catch his breath before continuing.

"That said, this is just my suggestion based on the little information that we have available and it'll be up to the other Watchmen to determine their own choice of support partners. "

He then looked around slightly, having said his piece, wondering if it was well received. He himself wasn't actually following his own suggestion, but he had his own reason for choosing his partner, and it was just as true that the others will probably have their own reasons for choosing as they will.

-----------------------------


As the briefing for the mission for the next early morning ended, Renny went toward the Blaziken pokebrid and tapped him very lightly on the arm.
"That was a good question you asked there Donovan. I hope you're feeling alright since that last mission?"
Donovan turned around to Renny,
"Yeah, I'll be fine this time. I'll keep myself in check."
"I'm glad to hear that. So, what do you think of the job and of Honmyr so far?"
"Well, it's one of the more advanced regions I've been to, though it does give that 'crap painted in rainbow colors' vibe. This place isn't that far from turning upside-down. As for the job, well that's the first time I've had to fight a giant . . . that wasn't a legendary, was it? Well between that and the crazy radiation that you guys embrace so lovingly, I guess I won't end up bored."
Renny chuckled a bit. Donovan was a "painter" with words.

"I guess that's all true. And ruin pokemon aren't really pokemon in a convential sense. Krunder, among several others, are known as Ruin Generals. A full explanation would take quite a while, but several hundred years ago, this guy named Malcom Elliot injected humans with this sort of Primal DNA that resulted into the transformation of ruin pokemon. They generally do not seem to have any intelligence or emotion aside from killing. Unfortunate really. The Ruin general however seem to have the capability to maintain their mental capacity, although judging from what I heard of Lathiron, this might not be true for all of them. We are actually in a truce with a few of them. You know Twiloch, but there are many more as well and some of them are rogue. Those ones are the ones we have to hunt if they don't cooperate."
Renny then took a quick moment to let that sink in.
"As for the rage thing, given the immense danger of everything we faced so far, I'm generally accepted its existence fairly easily. But maybe one day when Honmyr isn't as upside as it is now, that may change... So, I know you're still new here, but have you have any idea of who you might choose as your mission partner?"
"Well since I hardly know anyone and you've already taken the initiative to organize the squad, I'll leave the decision to you. All I care for is that my partner is able to contribute and hold their own."
Renny nodded.
"Well, as far as the squad goes, the only organization I actually do is with the pokemon that the trainers bring into combat. The rest is basically making suggesting who might have the upper hand in a given context. But yeah, you might be best off having one of the Kimonos as your partner. They spent many long years as a their own squad in the demon realm. I'm pretty sure they will be most helpful. Do you have any questions or concerns that I could possibly help you with?"

Donovan paused, taking in the bizarre information of the Kimonos, "Well sure, I'm just not gonna ask any further since I realize that I'll just open an avalanche of explanation. I'm gonna be over at the equipment room if you need anything."
"I actually do have a question to ask, just out of curiousity. I was wondering why you decided to join PATCA?"
"Well I've been on tour of each of the regions, doing mercenary work here and there. I don't know if I've been looking for a home or answers, and it's something I don't really think about. For PATCA, out of the far too numerous warring factions in Homnyr, you guys seemed like the best bet."
He took a moment to think. "And I guess it's working out since I'm already finding some answers."
"Answers? What for?"
"Oh, not important right now. It's just a pile of long stories within a long story, explaining it would just keep us from the mission at hand. Well, good luck with leading the charge."
"Thank you. Best of luck to you too."

[Astral Harmony]

"And he's off," Irene said, impressed once again at her own Sortie Coordinator. "Although I don't expect him to make any kinds of decisions right at this moment. Lack on intel, y'see, but I'm already taking steps. We'll be meeting with callsign Pendulum at Nanny Village. I say we'll be meeting because he's too damn punctual for his own good. Hopefully, he'll have some intel we can choose to prepare for this underground area. If that's all, then you've got the rest of the day off. Don't stay up too late. Granted the trip will take a couple hours but the Rig isn't a comfortable place to catch some Z's."

--------*and the next day, at Nanny Village...*---------

"Huh," said Irene, standing with the rest of the group when they stopped in Nanny Village.

Nanny Village or, judging from the half-assed sign placed near the entrance, Matron Village wasn't in ruins. Granted, it wasn't extravagant or anything like that, but the scars of war were mysteriously absent. And it was populated. By normal looking people.
"Ma'am, how old was that picture exactly?" Lola asked the chief.
"Apparently too old," Harliette shrugged, then looked at Irene. "Orders?"

Irene looked around. "There's Pendulum, over by the town hall. Destroyers, take your positions at the perimeter. Snipers, get high."
"I didn't bring any weed, though," Calisto admitted.
Irene turned around and was like :0, but then she LOL'd. "I hate you, Calisto. Anyways, you Snipers grab an escort or two and try not to make it very obvious that you're positioning yourself to kill people the moment you get line of sight."

With the Destroyers and Snipers gone, Irene had the Police Force squads and the Rig and other PATCA vehicles back up to the Destroyer perimeter, then lead the way towards Pendulum.
"Ma'am, how old was that picture exactly?" Pendulum asked Irene as the Watchmen approached in that scary synthesized voice of his.
"You weren't at the briefing, Pendulum...were you?"
"No, I was just reading the subtitles from your dialogue over there."
Irene facepalmed slowly. Suddenly, this mission didn't seem viable anymore. "What the hell is going on here, anyways?"

"Well, for starters, you can stop with the subterfuge, or lack thereof," Pendulum explained. "They know PATCA's here."
"Who knows PATCA's here?"
"According to the village's matron, Maven Levandrake, the Harbinger remnants are working with Team Rocket and some others who she doesn't recognize," Pendulum indicated the town hall. "There's an underground area beneath the village, in case you didn't know, but the targets have been expanding it ever since they came here, which must have been shortly after Millenium House went supernova. Matron Levandrake believes it's some kind of recruiting station. She suggested I speak to one of their members, a Misa Gunlong, to find out more."
"Misa...Gunlong?" Irene asked, then keyed up her Inquiry Visor. "Daphne, could you have Hector come over here, please?"
After recieving the affirmative, Irene focused her attention on Pendulum. "Who's this Misa Gunlong?"

"The Matron says she's a Team Rocket member who manages the Gauntlet, a series of tests for interested recruits in that underground area I mentioned earlier. I wanted to take action and get her for you, but I didn't want to begin until you got here."
"Let's go in and see this Matron Levandrake," Irene said. "Pendulum, when Hector comes here...umm, big, tall guy, lotta muscles, Umbreon on his shoulder, wealth of curly chest hair, could you send him in, too?"
"Understood," Pendulum said, then looked at Renny. "You are Renny Tresserhorn, the Watchman Sortie Coordinator, correct? If we are to fight in the Gauntlet, I have been tasked to assist you in battle. I am Pendulum, squad captain of the Black Page Society. I'm looking forward to making a clean sweep with you."

Before they headed inside, Irene imparted some rather unnecessary information about the Levandrake Family. The youth were trained in many different subjects, then forced out of the house with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and wouldn't actually be allowed to call themselves a Levandrake until they made a name for themselves with their own talents and ambition. If a Levandrake was all the way out here, then that meant this Maven character either wasn't accepted back into the family yet or wasn't trying to return to the family. It wasn't particularly uncommon for Levandrake's to branch out on their own, and that may have been the intention for the whole 'trial of adulthood' in the end.
Maven Levandrake's information confirmed everything Pendulum said, though the Matron had plenty of other information to offer. "At first I thought this whole operation was being lead by Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket. They hold the majority force here in my village. But I heard from a few of them that there's this other person in charge who apparently scares the piss out of them," Maven was saying.
"So you just let a bunch of criminals and malcontents run on in and take over?" Lola cried out.
"Pay attention, dumbass," Harliette chided her half-sister. "These people ain't got cops or nobody protecting them. If the Rockets or any other organized crime syndicate come out here, what can these people do to defend themselves? Most of them ain't even got Pokeballs."
"Our deal was that if we let them have free reign of the inn and the Gauntlet below it, they'd more or less leave us alone," Maven nodded. "So far, they've honored their part of the deal, so we didn't do anything to agitate them like call the police. 'Sides, I can't imagine the police coming out here to help us unemployed, free-livin' lowlives."

Tsubasa took time off from her usual time-passing activity of leaning against things and relaxing to step forward. "What do any criminal organizations gain from basing a recruitment center way out here?"
"Well, in the beginning, which happened two months ago, it was just me and a handful of others, doing whatever needed to be done to survive when you have no money," Maven explained. "We found this place ruined, weathered, and beaten. Slowly but surely, we managed to fix it up out of anything we could gather. We even went as far as the Weapons Graveyard to forage for stuff. I think we did pretty well for ourselves, and I don't know how people are finding out about this place, but we've been getting more people coming here over the past week or so."
"Yep. Too damn old," Irene said, still talking about the picture. "I think I get the gist of it now. The Harbingers are here to see if they can recruit from anybody who comes here to reside."
"It doesn't explain why Team Rocket is here, though," Maven pointed out.
"No, but maybe that guy can," Irene said, looking towards the double doors. Standing there was Hector, Pendulum behind him.

Irene provided a place for Hector to sit and got started. "Hector, do you know a Misa Gunlong?"
"Yeah," Hector nodded. "Is she here?"
"Yeah, and did you know she works for Team Rocket?"
Hector blinked. "Only Team Rocket? You would think she'd be an Adonova member by now. She's an excellent fighter."
Irene scratched her head. "How do you know her, exactly?" she got curious.
"Well, we are married," Hector said.

*cue a shot of the town hall from the sky as a very loud "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" erupted outward, shaking the camera.*

"I didn't know Hector got married!" Shannon shouted.
"It's not anything special," Hector tried to play it off.
"Oh, do you have a kid yet?" Lola asked excitedly.
"No, our marriage wasn't like that," Hector held up his hands as though trying to ward himself from the Eevee girls.
"It might be how Team Rocket came to contact us about that Pokemon egg that turned out to be a Ruin Pokemon," Moon suggested.
"I didn't think about it that way, but maybe you're right," Hector realized.

Irene clapped her hands. "That's all to be discussed at a later time, please. Hector, I want to know what options this marriage of yours to Misa might provide."
"Options?"
She looked thoughtful. "Tell me about this marriage of yours," she said finally, feeling a little stupid.
"It's really not a big deal," Hector said. "Okay, I'm a blacksmith who likes making old medievil weapons for collectors and shit like that. Misa's a Hiroshiho girl who wanted international citizenship. We met on a dating site, and she piqued my interested so I came to Honmyr and we hatched a deal right then and there. She acquired a scroll that has detailed plans for forging katanas, and I marry her so she gets that citizenship. The plan went off without a hitch."
"When did this take place?"
"Twelve years ago, I think," Hector said. "I have to admit I didn't really accomplish much using the scroll I received. Twelve fuckin' years and I only ever produced one katana. I knew they'd be difficult to make, but I still wasn't prepared to do that kind of work."
"So Misa's been a member of Team Rocket for twelve years?" Shannon wondered aloud. "That's quite a commitment to evil."
"She told me she wanted to join Adonova when we were making that deal," Hector said. "But I guess it just hasn't worked out for her. I don't think Misa's on good terms with Team Rocket after having spent all this time working for them and not receiving that kind of promotion."

"Adonova isn't a promotion from Team Rocket," Irene said. "They're an entirely different organization. Don't quote me on this, but I don't think any of the current Adonova members even have any Team Rocket experience. Bezelain handpicked those badasses herself. But it looks like we may be able to talk to this Misa person, right?"
"We can give it a shot," Hector said. "She might even more cooperative than you think."
"Then that's the plan, and I want to get started immediately. Matron Levandrake, where is this Misa Gunlong? The inn?"
Maven nodded. "Yeah. Shouldn't have to worry about being discreet or anything like that. Misa's a very open minded girl and has been sort of protecting us townsfolk from desperate Harbingers."

Irene nodded towards Hector and they walked to the door. "I'm sorry, but can I get you all to stay here? Hector and I will go find and speak with Misa alone. Don't worry, I think we'll be just fine. And if luck continues to remain on our side, we should have some intel for Renny when we return."
With the two of them gone, Lola sought comfort with Harliette. "Do you think they'll be okay, Sis?"
"Don't call me that, and yes, they'll be fine. If shit hits the fan, I'm sure Irene will give us a signal."
"What signal?"
"Irene will probably smash half this town with a purple mushroom stamp."
Lola's brow furrowed. "What's a purple mushroom stamp?"
Harliette grinned. "Ask Renny to show you one someday. I'm sure he'll love to when we can find the time."

-----------*At the Inn...*-----------

Misa Gunlong held up an index finger to hush Irene and Hector while she finished writing up a document.

Irene observed that Misa was quite a bit younger than Hector, though the age difference wasn't as great as Pierce and herself. Misa possessed the fine features of a pureblooded Hiroshiho woman, and she had a great body only somewhat concealed by her midriff exposing Team Rocket uniform. To make herself appear even younger and cuter, Misa took the liberty of doing her raven-dark hair into two poofy ponytails.

Misa raised her elegant face. "Okay, names and-ah cool, it's you two."
Irene and Hector exchanged glances. "You...know who we are?"
"Well, since I wasn't born yesterday off a turnip truck, of course I would know the legendary and super hot Irene Crosswald," Misa marveled. "And you have my estranged husband in tow, looking hairy enough to be mistaken for a Mamoswine."
"Chest hair is the status symbol of real men!" Hector declared with overdramatic masculinity.
"Also the status symbol of me not enjoying sex the way I'm supposed to because your chest hair keeps tickling me half to death," Misa taunted him. "Don't you think so, Irene?"
"I dunno, but I prefer my men to be as shaven in those areas as I am," Irene admitted.
"I ain't tryin' t'hear this," Hector groaned. "Misa-san, Irene needs to ask you a bunch of questions."

"What, about the Gauntlet?" Misa guessed.
"Lot more than that, I'm afraid," Irene confessed. "But I'm willing to pay handsomely for all the information you can provide."
"Well, I'm not a greedy woman," Misa countered. "But it's better to have a lotta money than not, right? Ask away and let's see where this meeting takes us. Oh, wait, we should probably have this conversation somewhere else, yeah? Follow me."

In one of the bedrooms still inside the inn, Misa took a seat at a nearby chair while Hector grabbed some wall to lean on and Irene collapsed on the bed. "So, what'm I talkin' about first?" Misa offered.
"I guess I'd better start with what's most important," Irene fumbled through her thoughts. "You already know that we're here and we intend to go through the Gauntlet if that's what it takes to find out who's behind all of this and why. Buuuuuuuuuuut...what can you tell us about any of this beforehand?"
[/"A lot. Hang on, lemme get my thoughts together," Misa said, then leaned on her knees. "Okay, the Gauntlet is a single battle trial under various conditions that the challengers either have to conquer or just withstand for a little while. Pass the Gauntlet and you meet the ringleader."
"Who's this ringleader?"
"I've never met the person myself but I hear she's scary as fuck. She doesn't work for the Harbingers or us in Team Rocket, so I assume she's from another organization. Maybe the Prideguard? Oh, I don't fuckin' know."
"What do you know about our opponents in the Guantlet?"
"Well, I used to be the one who tested the challengers," Misa said, gesturing to what had to be one of the largest and most menacing sledgehammers Irene had even seen. "But some weird girls randomly showed up looking for an easy way to make a buck. I guess they were given a chance and then they were hired to be the guardians of the Gauntlet. So far, nobody's beaten 'em, I hear."
Irene nodded, but was more absorbed with something else. "You're that strong, Misa?" Irene asked her, pointing at the sledgehammer.
"I call it the Megaton Maul. Mr. Chest Hair forged it for me as a wedding gift. I've gotten really good at it."
Irene spared a glance to Hector. "You forged a sledgehammer for a woman as a wedding gift?"
"She asked me for it," Hector explained. "Even had specifications in her request."
"Woof," Irene said.

"I know that the Harbingers of Ascension are using this town and the Gauntlet to try and recruit more members for their organization."
"That's what they said, yeah." Misa concurred.
"What is Team Rocket trying to accomplish here?"
"Well, grab onto the bedposts so that you don't roll out of that bed laughing your ass at this retardedness but," Misa paused for effect. "Giovanni is convinced Bezelain's on her deathbed."
Irene thought about it a moment. "Does he have a learning disability? Anyways, please continue."
"Giovanni wants to actually try and absorb Adonova into Team Rocket," Misa continued. "Team Rocket's whole reason for being involved in this plan or being involved in Honmyr at all is just so that Giovanni can try to proove himself to dear old mommy."
"Would that work?" Hector asked Irene.
"There's about as much chance of that happening as the maker of this RP getting laid," Irene said, blowing outward for no special reason. "Adonova never belonged to or was a part of Team Rocket to begin with. Their only relation to each other was that Bezelain created both, but she eventually passed the inferior Team Rocket onto her son and headed Adonova herself. It's most likely that if Bezelain was going to retire or, god forbid, die anytime soon, Edelweiss the second-in-command would inherit it no matter how much Giovanni did to impress his mother. He might've had a chance a long time ago, but ever since his constant loses to that one Pokemon trainer named Red, he and Team Rocket has been regarded by Bezelain as a joke, except the punchline isn't funny in the slightest."
"Put simply, the fucktard is wasting his time here in Honmyr," Misa concluded.
"I think this is about everything we need as far as information is concerned," Irene said, not getting off the bed yet. "Actually, Misa, I have some other questions, but I would prefer we be alone for this. Hector, could you return to the town hall and tell Renny what you learned about the Gauntlet?"
"You got it," Hector said, leaving the room and closing the door behind me.
Irene sat up. "You've earned quite a bit of money, Mrs Gunlong. How would you like to try the lightning round?"

-------------*The Lightning Round*---------------

"Over two years ago, at the Skycrown National Bank southern branch on Rose Plume Street..."
Misa became serious. "Ah, that Ruin Pokemon incident."
"So you know about it?"
"You're an intelligent woman, Irene. Intelligent enough to have become a Pokemon professor if you really wanted."
"Thanks, but I prefer the battlefield. According to the Evil Eevee Eight sans one, they were actually hired to acquire the 'Pokemon egg' at a five-finger discount by Team Rocket."
"What a happy coincidence. Yes, I was the one who hired them on behalf of Team Rocket. Me and two other lowlives named Jessie and James."
"A happy coincidence, indeed. Here's the deal. You tell me everything that you know, which should be alot, and maybe I can speak to certain Adonova members about an extremely talented fighter who would love to work with them."
Irene was suddenly tackled into the bed by a Misa so overjoyed that her cheeks were decorated with blush stickers. "Really, really, really?!"
"I can't promise a positive answer from them, but I'll certainly talk to them for you," Irene said.
"Still, it means a lot to me that you said you'd try!" Misa exclaimed, finally prying herself from her glomp victim and sitting on the side of the bed. "But I never knew you and Bezelain to be particularly chummy."
"I could tell you a story. A really amazing story," Irene explained. "But I'd really like to hear about the Skycrown incident first."

------------*The Skycrown National Bank Incident*-----------

"Where to begin? Oh, yeah," Misa wracked her brain. "Okay, Pokemon R&D has grown to such a height that anything new or mysterious related to Pokemon instantly becomes a really big deal until a Pokemon professor has had a good, long look at it. Giovanni and Team Rocket are both hurting big time from this Red asshole's antics. Thusly and therefore, Giovanni is always looking for an edge. He wants rare Pokemon for his personal collection, and he wants powerful Pokemon to strengthen the Team Rocket organization as a whole."
"So Team Rocket coveted the mysterious Pokemon egg," Irene observed. "So why involve the Evil Eevee Eight?"
"Aw, c'mon, I thought you were super smart," Misa teased playfully. "Okay, Team Rocket is staffed with morons but occasionally they realize they need to be careful instead of flashy. If it was known that Team Rocket jacked the egg, there'd be a huge backlash and Team Rocket would probably have been destroyed by Interpol. So we needed a way to anonymously acquire the egg. Hence our little negotiation with the Evil Eevee Eight. Or seven, I guess it is now. Now, I don't know about Adonova, but we genuinely thought it was just an egg, and when we found out what it really was, which wasn't until after the incident, we decided to conduct our own investigation. I assume you already know, but the one who submitted the 'egg'...well, we were never able to find out who the hell it was."
"PATCA never investigated it ourselves," Irene admitted. "Because the incident was so isolated and because we had seven of the Evil Eevee Eight on our side as Probationary Agents, Rayleen learned what she could about it that way and left the rest of the investigation to the Police Force. We had a lot of bigger fish to fry. Anyways, once I was back in action, I took it upon myself to have total control of the investigation and I called the whole thing off. To put it bluntly, I know who did it."
"You wouldn't be willing to share this information with me, would you?" Misa asked kindly.
"Sorry, but no can do. It's a problem that will actually take care of itself in due time."
"Well, then I at least get information on this egg?" Misa asked. "Once the incident concluded, I was left in the dark about what happened. I know a Ruin Pokemon was involved and that someone from the group was killed, but I really don't know anything about this Ruin Pokemon."

"My guess is that the Pokemon egg being put into the bank was a method of 'controlled release' to test the functions of the Pokemon by the one who owns the Progenitor," Irene said. "The Ruin Pokemon delivered to the bank vault was called a Gendom. Ruin Pokemon Progenitors are stationary monsters. They can't move from where they...come to exist. So they use a type of Pokemon they created themselves called the Gendom to deploy troops into the field at very great distances, which helps the Progenitor stay safe and hidden. Currently, most Ruin Pokemon are remnants from an ancient war and swear loyalty to the Ruin Generals, but I dunno where these Progenitors come or who they really swear loyalty to. They're probably not loyal to anyone."
"You sure know a lot about Ruin Pokemon," Misa pouted.
"Thanks to the certain tool, I had a lot of warnings about this and that," Irene said. "Okay, time to settle up. Your information was very helpful, Misa, and I'll make sure to honor my side of our deal."
"Well, actually," Misa faltered, looking at the ceiling. "I'm...curious about something."
"I'm not...that...into girls," Irene said.
Misa facepalmed. "No, not that, you ignoramous! Could I perhaps ask you about what happened at the Devouring Catacombs?"
"You're talking about Bezelain and I, yes?"
Misa nodded.
Irene focused her gaze on the ceiling. "Well, let's see. I guess I should start at the very beginning. It was five years ago-"

There was a sudden knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Misa inquired.
"This is Charlotte," came the voice. "Is Misa Gunlong in there? I need to talk to her."
Even though Misa was closer to the door, Irene hauled herself out of bed and answered the door. "Charlotte, what's up?"
"Nothing yet," Charlotte said. "But I need to talk to that girl. And I might need to talk to you later, Irene."
Irene turned an inquisitive glance to Misa. "The Gauntlet isn't running yet," Misa said. "I don't mind talking to her if it's important. I'll stop by to inform you when it's ready to recieve the next challengers."

[Astral Harmony]

---------*Into the Gauntlet!*------------

Charlotte and several other agents were mysteriously absent when Misa, still clad in Team Rocket attire, arrived at the town hall. "The Gauntlet is ready," she declared. "I know this may not sound genuine coming from a Team Rocket member, but I do wish you the best of luck."

A small trip across the only street in the whole damn village and they were funneled, one after another, into a giant dome-like cage. The large door securely closed behind them. "They wouldn't let any of the other agents into the crowd to cheer us on," Shizuka observed.
"That Misa girl said that six women took over as the Gauntlet guardians," Takano said as they heard the large metal door on the other side of the room open. "Reminds me of that one group of girls in the Hungry World."
"Those girls? Oh, those girls were so funny!" Chizuru said happily.
"Believe me, Chizuru, you're the only one who thinks of them that way," Rio shrugged. "The rest of us just thought of them as a fucking annoyance."
Shizuka facepalmed.
"Is something wrong, Mizuno-sama?" Kiyomi asked with concern. "It's not a headache, is it?"
"Oh, it's a headache alright," Shizuka said, nodding towards their opponents. "Four of them, in fact."

"We are the Dere Darlings!"

"Suddenly, I feel an urge to commit seppuku," Shizuka said, drawing her daikatana.
"I am the leader of the Dere Darlings, Tsundere Red," a redheaded girl wearing a combination of black medievil armor, a royal red catsuit and had her forearms and hands incased in two sleek metal gauntlets that left the fingers exposed. "But it's not like I became the leader because I wanted to be so don't get the wrong idea! We could've chosen any of us to lead, got it?!"
"Ugh, Christ..." Shizuka sighed, face still buried in her free hand and weeping from deep inside her soul.
"I am Yandere Black," said a woman with platinum blonde hair, a gothic style maid dress, and an axe with an extremely large, gothic blade. "I won't forgive you for loving anyone else but me. Nor will I forgive anyone for loving you when you have me."
"See? They're funny," Chizuru pointed out.
"Your definition of 'funny' must differ wildly from mine," Kiyomi sighed.
"I am Dorodere Blue," the next opponent identified herself. She had shiny black hair and wore a blue trenchcoat over a black tank top and jeans and carried what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle. She didn't say anything else, but there was something about the way she stared at her opponents that unnerved them a little.
"I am Deredere Pink," a lovely blonde woman kindly waited for introduce herself last. She wore the latest in adorable fashion trends and kind of looked like a pop idol who belonged on the stage, singing about how wonderful love and friendship was. She hefted a minigun that was painted in the same pink and white that its wielder wore, and showcased a big poofy red bow in case it didn't look girly enough. "Do you...umm..." she faltered, blushing furiously and averting her gaze. "I'm just...looking forward to the time we spend together."

"Renny, I'll tell you how to fight them best," Shizuka advised. "Fortunately, it doesn't seem like all six of them are actually here, so they can't use their Union Technique, Kaleidostorm."
"Kuudere Green and Dandere Purple didn't want to participate this time," Tsundere Red explained. "It can't really be helped, given how cool Kuudere behaves and how shy Dandere is...b-but it's not like I need them to defeat you! I-it just would've been easier with Kaleidostorm, okay?!"

Oh, bloody hell.

-----------*Shizuka discusses the Dere Darlings*-----------

"So our trial in the Gauntlet is to take on four of the six Dere Darlings. The Dere Darlings are Overhumans like Dinner, but on a much less devastating scale. We should be able to defeat them."

* Name: Tsundere Red (Boss)
- Organization: Hungry World
- Group: Dere Darlings
- Type / Attribute: Fire (Type) / Human (Attribute)
- Statistics: HP 570 / Att 21 / Def 11 / SAtt 17 / SDef 9 / Spd 11
- Moves
Tsunknuckle ~ 1 Target, 35 Phys/Fighting, 30% Burn
Tsunderstorm ~ Radius 1 (3 Targets), 20 Spec/Electric, 20% Paralyze
Tsunwave ~ 1 Target, 50 Spec/Dragon, 50% SDef -1
Tsun Up! ~ Self, Att/Spd +1, Dragon/Electric/Fighting Pwr +50%, Limit 1
- Ability: Tsundere's Temper ~ 100% Att +1 or Acc +1 or Eva +1 or Crit +1 per Upkeep Phase.
- Signature Technique: Tsunassault ~ 1 Target, 70 Phys/Dragon, 100% Bleed

* Name: Yandere Black (Boss)
- Organization: Hungry World
- Group: Dere Darlings
- Type / Attribute: Dark (Type) / Human (Attribute)
- Statistics: HP 610 / Att 24 / Def 10 / SAtt 13 / SDef 7 / Spd 9
- Moves
Yansector ~ 1 Target, 50 Phys/Dark, 20% Death
Yangrudge ~ 1 Target, 30 Spec/Ghost, 100% Deathclock T/2
Yancleaver ~ Radius 1 (3 Targets), 15 Phys/Ground, 50% Acc -10%
Yan Up! ~ Self, Att +1, Crt +25%, Dark/Ghost/Ground Pwr +50%, Limit 1
- Ability: Yandere's Devotion ~ 3 Turn Deathlock upon victory.
- Signature Technique: Yanvoid ~ 1 Target, 80 Phys/Ghost, Deathlock Tx3

* Name: Dorodere Blue (Boss)
- Organization: Hungry World
- Group: Dere Darlings
- Type / Attribute: Water (Type) / Human (Attribute)
- Statistics: HP 530 / Att 22 / Def 13 / SAtt 19 / SDef 12 / Spd 14
- Moves
Doroshot ~ 1 Target, 40 Phys/Water, Sure Hit
Dorocannon ~ Radius 1 (3 Targets), 20 Phys/Steel, Bleed 25%
Dorobash ~ 1 Target, 50 Phys/Rock, 100% Def -1
Doro Up! ~ Self, Def +1, Acc +1, Eva +1, Rock/Steel/Water Pwr +50%, Limit 1
- Ability: Dorodere's Mystery ~ Negates highest damaging attack targeting her per turn.
- Signature Technique: Dorodervish ~ 1 Target, 70 Spec/Water, LockdownTx1

* Name: Deredere Pink (Boss)
- Organization: Hungry World
- Group: Dere Darlings
- Type / Attribute: Normal (Type) / Human (Attribute)
- Statistics: HP 540 / Att 23 / Def 12 / SAtt 21 / SDef 16 / Spd 10
- Moves
Derespray ~ 1 Target, 7 - 10 hits, 8 Phys/Normal
Derebloom ~ Radius 1 (3 Targets), 20 Phys/Grass, 25% Leech Seed
Deremone ~ 1 Target, 50 Spec/Psychic, 25% Domination
Dere Up! ~ 25% Regeneration, Def +1, SDef +1, Grass/Normal/Psychic Pwr +50%, Limit 1
- Ability: Dere's Passion ~ 10% Regeneration to Formation. Doesn't stack with Dere Up!
- Signature Technique: Dererose ~ 1 Ally, 50% Heal, 25% Regeneration, NegStat & Debuff Immunity

"Their entire team is dere!" Rio shouted with a thick russian accent.
Just then, a door outside the caged arena burst open. "Looks like Charlotte's on the move now," Shizuka said. "Little earlier than I think she's supposed to be but I think we're set here."

A Team Rocket Pokemon trainer and a Harbinger Pokebrid acolyte turned sharply towards the door. Heidi and Kurika rushed in. The Rocket member prepared to deploy Pokemon while the Harbinger was left mercilessly to the wrath of two very big, very muscular women.
"Ready, Heidi?!" Kurika called out, seizing the Harbinger with his left arm.
"Ready, Kurika! Let's hurt 'em!" Heidi shouted as she grasped the Harbinger's right leg.
"Union Technique!"
"Vixen Vicegrip!"
The results of this new Union Technique was...well, it can't be very healthy to be sandwiched between that much muscle from both sides, despite how beautiful the tanned, white haired Kurika and overall clad, blonde Heidi could be. That guy was going to be pretty busy trying to pull his arm and leg bones out of his rib cage to be much help.
"What sick man sends babies to fight me?" Heidi taunted in a thick russian accent.
"I think her impression was better," Discord noted.

Charlotte and Impact were right behind the two muscle girls, Bretton and Kirie after, Milsha and Hector bringing up the rear.
"Fuck the arrests," Charlotte declared, taking the safety off of the shotgun. "These assholes die. Period."
Impact defeated both of the enemy Pokemon with an expertly lobbed grenade. "Yeah, I do believe I'm supposed to be the leader here, Beaufort."
"Aw, let her have her fun, sir," Heidi suggested. "She's never asked for much."
Impact puzzled over it for a few seconds, then sighed. "Fine. It would be refreshing to just leave the orders to someone else and just kill things once in a while."

"Slash, this is Daphne," Daphne spoke to Renny through the Inquiry Visor. "I'm detecting devices equipped on two of the Dere Darlings comparable to Pokeballs but not quite the same. I advise caution."
"Alright, if you say so," Tsundere Red said, bringing Renny's focus back into the fight.
"What did Mother Condor say?" Dorodere asked her fellow Dere Darling.
"She said just let the Gauntlet proceed as planned," Tsundere Red shrugged, then turned back to Renny's team. "The rules of the Gauntlet are simple, boy: if you survive, whether by living through our assault or, ha, defeating us, you pass and the Gauntlet is finished. We'll be fighting for five turns. Just know that we're not the only opponents you have in this Gauntlet. The environment is going to be just as dangerous as we can be, I guarantee. I recommend finding ways to defend yourself more than trying to defeat us. Although you won't look very cool if you can't hurt us. B-b-but don't think I'm just telling you this 'cause I like you or anything! I mean, you're just a little kid so it's only normally to worry about accidentally hurting you so that's why I'm giving you advise! Don't get the wrong idea, okay?!"

...and deep down, Renny was probably hoping this battle would end after the first turn.

Armored Bishoujo: "Basically, this is a tutorial battle for the new system. We may not need the full five turns to figure shit out, and if everything gets fixed or ironed out before then, so much the better."

- BGM: "Devils Never Cry" ~ by Devil May Cry 3 OST (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZUN89RaP60)
Initial Order Phase
- Catherine (Renny): HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 9 / Spd 10
- Dorodere Blue (Boss): HP 530 / Att 22 / Def 13 / SAtt 19 / SDef 12 / Spd 14
- Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160 / Atk 9 / Def 12 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 5 / Spd 13
- Takano (Sniper): HP 160 / Atk 13 / Def 7 / SpAtk 7 / SpDef 10 / Spd 13
- Pierce (Main): HP 100 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 8 / Spd 12
- Donovan (Main): HP 144 / Atk 14 / Def 5 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 5 / Spd 12
- Hyacinth (Main): HP 176 / Atk 12 / Def 10 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 11 / Spd 12
- Marionata (Destroyer): Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12
- Renny (Main): HP 128 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 11
- Shizuka (Pierce): HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 7 / SpDef 7 / Spd 11
- Tsundere Red (Boss): HP 570 / Att 21 / Def 11 / SAtt 17 / SDef 9 / Spd 11
- Matthias (Main): HP 128 / Atk 8 / Def 8 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 9 / Spd 10
- Deredere Pink (Boss): HP 540 / Att 23 / Def 12 / SAtt 21 / SDef 16 / Spd 10
- Mika (Matthias): HP 160 / Atk 4 / Def 7 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 15 / Spd 9
- Lucian (Hyacinth): HP 160 / Atk 13 / Def 11 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 8 / Spd 9
- Rio (Donovan): HP 160 / Atk 14 / Def 15 / SpAtk 5 / SpDef 7 / Spd 9
- Yandere Black (Boss): HP 610 / Att 24 / Def 10 / SAtt 13 / SDef 7 / Spd 9
- Kiyomi (Engineer): HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 11 / Spd 8
- Chizuru (Medic): HP 160 / Atk 8 / Def 15 / SpAtk 5 / SpDef 15 / Spd 7

Enemy Formation: [Deredere Pink] [Yandere Black] [Tsundere Red] [Dorobere Blue]

[Menarker]

---Just Prior to battle, entering Nanny Village---

The trip toward the village was rather uneventful. Renny looked at his team-mates back and forth as he pondered his many thoughts, but nothing occurred that made him gain any headway or distracted him. However, upon arrival, he was pleasantly surprised to see the ruins resurrected into a quaint but livable locale with people. Everything that need to be said though, the others said it before he needed to. Soon enough, Irene led what remained of the squad she splitted into groups toward the figured she named Pendulum. As he spoke in the synthesized voice to Irene, Renny studied his appearance with a certain measure of astonishment as if his unusual appearance clearly indictated that he performed a significant role. His statuesque frame completely covered in some fashion of dark black or green protective covering, including a hazmat mask and oversized boots, Renny wondered if he hadn't blown their cover just by his very blatantly obvious presence!

"Well, for starters, you can stop with the subterfuge, or lack thereof," Pendulum explained. "They know PATCA's here."

Renny's tried desperately to hide his expression which hit disbelief and bordered heavily on the temptation to facepalm just like Irene moments ago, as he listened to Irene and Pendulum's dialogue. Although he didn't dare mention a thing, especially given how he felt somewhat dwarfed in comparison. There was a certain degree of respect to be afforded to someone as imposing as him, especially one of Irene's peers.
Once Irene gave the orders to visit Matron Levendrake, Renny started walking along with the group before he was stopped in his steps...

"You are Renny Tresserhorn, the Watchman Sortie Coordinator, correct?"

Renny flinched in his step from the unexpected address as the others passed him by, the Gallade brid turning cleanly to look face to face with Pendulum (after craning his head up a little), whose hazmat visage was still hard to come to terms with.
"Yes, I'm Renny."

"If we are to fight in the Gauntlet, I have been tasked to assist you in battle. I am Pendulum, squad captain of the Black Page Society. I'm looking forward to making a clean sweep with you."

"There is that 'Black Page Society' again." Renny noted to himself mentally, as he has been increasingly paying more attention to the connected agencies of PATCA.
"Thank you, Pendulum. I'll try to do my part with your support."

Renny then hastened back to his position, listening in on the details regarding the Levandrakes and Misa, and her mildly suprising relationship with Hector. As Shannon succiently put it, her eager tendency toward evilness left him with a mildly bitter taste in his mouth, even under Maven's assertion that she was open-minded and assisted the townsfolk in what would otherwise be a bad situation. But he remained silent, sticking by Catherine as he waited for Irene and Hector to come back from their meeting with Misa. Hector did come back eventually and shared some details about the Gauntlet.

"Thanks Hector." Renny then addressed several of the group members. "Ok, they pretty much know we're here, but there is little reason to give them the chance to lead us into a trap or otherwise take advantage of us. So it might be a good idea to split up the group who aren't going to be part of this Gauntlet challenge, so that we can observe how things are operating both inside and outside the Gauntlet and keep their attention divided. As for how to do this, I'll leave it the details to Impact and Charlotte, given that they apparently will be part of this group."

Soon after, Misa showed up and gave some mild encouragement while sending them to the gauntlet. Renny just looked at Catherine for a moment and then the rest of the group he was with just to make sure everyone was ready. Eventually they were sealed in a caged dome with shut doors, which was unpleasant but somewhat expected. Renny stood on guard feeling prepared for combat.

"We are the Dere Darlings!"

But not that. He definately wasn't expecting the absurd crew of opponents that the Kimonos were bemoaning. They were... quite the cast of characters. As if they were collectively pooling their absurd quirks and tried to based their entire group and combat style based on it. They'd each would seem more intimidating individually than as a sentai squad parody.

"Renny, I'll tell you how to fight them best," Shizuka advised. "Fortunately, it doesn't seem like all six of them are actually here, so they can't use their Union Technique, Kaleidostorm."

"Oh, err, right."

"So our trial in the Gauntlet is to take on four of the six Dere Darlings. The Dere Darlings are Overhumans like Dinner, but on a much less devastating scale. We should be able to defeat them."

While Renny appreciated the input, he really had no idea of Dinner's actual statistics aside from the rumors of being completely over the top, so Renny merely nodded and read through the scan-results, even as the other agents caused a commotion.

"Slash, this is Daphne," Daphne spoke to Renny through the Inquiry Visor. "I'm detecting devices equipped on two of the Dere Darlings comparable to Pokeballs but not quite the same. I advise caution."

"Much appreciated. Thanks for telling me." He then directed to the group. "We should try to do this Gauntlet without using our pokemon." He glanced at Mika for a brief moment, her prior warning about their stolen pokemon strongly heeded.

"Daphne, can you pinpoint which of the Dere Darlings are holding these pokeballs? We should definately confiscate them afterwards."

Then the self-professed leader of the Dere Darling addressed the group, or rather, himself specifically.
"The rules of the Gauntlet are simple, boy: if you survive, whether by living through our assault or, ha, defeating us, you pass and the Gauntlet is finished. We'll be fighting for five turns. Just know that we're not the only opponents you have in this Gauntlet. The environment is going to be just as dangerous as we can be, I guarantee. I recommend finding ways to defend yourself more than trying to defeat us. Although you won't look very cool if you can't hurt us. B-b-but don't think I'm just telling you this 'cause I like you or anything! I mean, you're just a little kid so it's only normally to worry about accidentally hurting you so that's why I'm giving you advise! Don't get the wrong idea, okay?!"

For all the 'concern" that Tsundere Red expressed about hurting him, Renny just didn't feel any gratitude. In fact, he felt a little hot under the collar.

"I'm starting to really hate being constantly looked down on. Everyone, focus on them in the order of Pink, Black, Red and Blue as well as your attacks can manage. I'm quite sure we can take them!"


---------------------------------------------
Hyacinth's Post *Relm asked me to post it on her behalf*
---------------------------------------------

This gauntlet challenge was certainly something else, from what she knew it would get rid of a bunch of the problems that were being minor nusiances for the team, and for her part she could actually have something resmbling a challenge to fight against. Hyacinth was certainly looking forward to the fight. But after coming to the battlefield these people were... not what she expected. Disappointing would be an understatement.
Tsundere had no self confidence at all. Yandere was talking about love, what did love have to do with this? Sure there was the thrills of battle but that wasn't what she was talking about. Deredere seemed to think that we were on a picnic or a mountain flight for some reason rather than an actual battle. Dorodere didn't say anything at all, but judging from the others she might be comedic too. Least she isn't fool enough to open her mouth and make it apparent.
Hyacinth spread her wings and tilted her head to the side with a long sigh.
"You girls aren't even taking this seriously. Not to mention that I haven't heard a dozen sentences between all of you and I can already tell this is going to be silly." The dragoness shook her head and sat down. "Fine."

Arms stretching out with an exaggerated yawn before she pulled them back and curled her wings around her chest. Despite this she still spoke in a loud voice.
"Let me know when you want to really fight me. I'll be right here." And with that she closed her eyes, and let out something of a snoring noise. Whether she was egging them on, or actually catching a quick Z, is undiscernable. But her skin indeed did begin to glow in crack-like formations.

---------------------------------------------

Altered stats and speed list

- Catherine (Renny): HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 9 / Spd 10 *PRIORITY*

- Takano (Sniper): HP 160 / Atk 19 / Def 13 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 16 / Spd 19

- Shizuka (Pierce): HP 160 / Atk 17 / Def 20 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 13 / Spd 17

- Rio (Donovan): HP 160 / Atk 20 / Def 21 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 13 / Spd 15
(She has Attack of 26 with her enforcer ability)

- Mika (Matthias): HP 160 / Atk 10 / Def 13 / SpAtk 27 / SpDef 21 / Spd 15

- Kiyomi (Engineer): HP 160 / Atk 17 / Def 20 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 17 / Spd 14

- Dorodere Blue (Boss) Water/Human: HP 530 / Att 22 / Def 13 / SAtt 19 / SDef 12 / Spd 14

- Chizuru (Medic): HP 160 / Atk 14 / Def 21 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 21 / Spd 13

- Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160 / Atk 9 / Def 12 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 5 / Spd 13

- Pierce (Main): HP 192 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 8 / Spd 12

- Donovan (Main): HP 144 / Atk 14 / Def 5 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 5 / Spd 12
*Has attack of 20 due to Rio's enforcer ability*

- Hyacinth (Main): HP 176 / Atk 12 / Def 10 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 11 / Spd 12

- Marionata (Destroyer): Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12

- Renny (Main): HP 128 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 11

- Tsundere Red (Boss) Fire/Human: HP 570 / Att 21 / Def 11 / SAtt 17 / SDef 9 / Spd 11

- Matthias (Main): HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 9 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 9 / Spd 11

- Deredere Pink (Boss) Normal/Human: HP 540 / Att 23 / Def 12 / SAtt 21 / SDef 16 / Spd 10

- Lucian (Hyacinth): HP 160 / Atk 13 / Def 11 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 8 / Spd 9

- Yandere Black (Boss) Dark/Human: HP 610 / Att 24 / Def 10 / SAtt 13 / SDef 7 / Spd 9

Formation
[Discord] [Chizuru] [Pierce/Shizuka] [Renny/Catherine] [Donovan/Rio] [Hyacinth/Lucian] [Matthias / Mika] [Kiyomi]
Outside formation: Marionatta, Takano

-------------------------------------------


Battle Progression

It should be noted in advance that due to Lucian's presence in the party, female characters have a 50% of Lucian taking the hits for them (with damage being negated).

Additionally, no one has pokemon out, not even the shock trooper, in news of the suspicious pokeballs.

Catherine: Divided Wicked Hook. 2.0x STAB and 2.0x Super Effective.*First attack only costs 4 AP* Attacks twice due to this.
11 + 18 = 29.
Pink (12 Def) 17 * 1.5 * 2 * 2 = 102
Black (10 Def) 19 * 1.5 * 2 * 2 = 114
Done twice for a total of 204 (Pink) and 228 (Black) damage. Catherine's AP and rage is down to 0.
Puts Speed Edge Up on herself to better enable her accuracy. (Catherine's Speed Edge +1)

Rio: Divided Bitchslap. 1.5x STAB and 2.0x Super Effective.
Has +4 stages to attack stat due to her enforcer ability and Shizuka's ability for an attack stat total of 26.
26 + 18 = 44
Pink (12 Def) 32 * 1.5 * 1.5 * 2 = 144
Black (10 Def) 34 * 1.5 * 1.5 * 2 = 153

Shizuka: Divided Strange Bite. 2.0x Super Effective. *Need to find out if she gets STAB.*
+2 stages to all stats due to ability.
17 + 18 = 35
Pink (12 Def) 23 * 1.5 * 2 = 69 (It is 103 or 138 if STAB is 1.5x or 2x respectively)
Black (10 Def) 25 * 1.5 * 2 = 75 (It is 112 or 150 if STAB is 1.5x or 2x respectively)

Mika: RDPA Firestorm Radius1/3E . 1.5x STAB and 2.0x Super Effectiveness on two of the targets. Neutral on third. 100% burn/enflamed on Pink and Black? 50% on Red?
Mika is boosted by RDPA, her enforcer ability and by Shizuka's ability.
RDPA stats: Hitpoints 240, Atk 20, Def 23, Sp.Atk 37, Sp.Def 31, Speed 25
37 + 10 = 47
Pink (16 Sp.Def) 31 * 1.5 * 1.5 * 2 = 139
Black (7 Sp.Def) 40 * 1.5 * 1.5 * 2 = 180
Red (9 Sp.Def) 38 * 1.5 * 1.5 = 85
*Need to confirm that RDPAs can use STAB*

By this point, Pink and Black should be knocked out theoritically. If not, all attacks should be directed in order of "Pink, Black, Red, Blue"

Takano: "You're Not Worthy" (3 attacks). All three being Absolute Arrow. No STAB or Super effectiveness. 50% chance each of them hitting an adjacent enemy and 50% chance of crit. Astral type and thus cannot miss or be block.
+2 stages due to Shizuka's ability
19 + 18 = 37.
37 - Enemy Defense. Multiply by 1.5x (There are three of these hits)
Focus fire on targets with priority being Pink, Black, Red, Blue.

Kiyomi: Gatling Stab. 1.5x STAB, 100% Bleed and -2 Def and Sp.Def debuff.
+2 stages due to Shizuka's ability
17 + 3 = 20
20 - Enemy Defense. Multiply that by 1.5 for STAB and then multiply that by a random number from 11 to 15 (the number of times Kiyomi stabs the foe).

Blue attacks at this point. If she manages to KO anyone or render someone unable to attack, this might change a bit of the battle plan below...

Chizuru: Divided Shadowy Damsel. 2.0x Super effective to any of the targets.
+2 stages due to Shizuka's ability
14 + 18 = 32.
32 - Enemy Defense. Multiply result by 3 (1.5x * 2.0)

Discord: Divided Snake Venom. 1.5x STAB, 2.0x Super Effective, 1.5x multiplier for being particularly homocidal (her ability).
11+ 18 = 29
29 - Enemy Sp.Defense. Multiply result by 4.5 (1.5 * 2 * 1.5) Done to two of the dere girls.

Pierce: Attack with Dragon Slave. 2.0x Super effective. (Note he starts with an extra rage point due to held accessory Exponential Fury) His slayer attacks is upgraded in power. (24 instead of default 18)
Pierce is currently wearing Dragon, Fighting and Steel armor.
Due to his ability "Defiance", whenever Pierce (or any of his pokemon) reaches 1/3 of their HP, that one's damage increases by 25%. This boost is negated when their HP rises above 1/3.
12 + 24 = 36
36 - Enemy Defense. Multiply the result by 2.

Donovan: Internal Pokebrid action Fighting Type (self, +1 crit) Rage Rockets, P-Shifts (Blaziken form), and activates Stamina Boost to attack twice, both with Divided Doubled Kick. 1.5x STAB. If it hit Pink or Black, 2.0x Super Effective.
15 rage - 4 for P-shift, minus 10 for two divided attacks. Stamina Boost accessory loses its charge. Donovan has 1 rage left.
Donovan has +2 stage boost to Attack due to his enforcer ability with Rio. Making it 20 attack before P-shift.
Donovan is wearing Water, Ground and Rock armor. Also wearing Expert Belt.
P-Shifted Stats: HP 144 / Atk 40 / Def 10 / SpAtk 26 / SpDef 10 / Spd 24
40 + 4 = 44.
44 - Enemy Defense. Multiply by 1.5 * 1.5. Also multiply by 3.6 (Super Effective and Expert Belt) if attacks hit pink or black. Do this damage twice per foe since it is a two hit attack. (Check for crits each time) Total of four hits, two for each of the two girls hit.

Hyacinth: Shell Smashes 3 times. Debuffs both defense stats by three stages and max out her speed and both her attack stats.
Due to her upgrade "Unparalleled Expertise", her AP costs for these is only 4 each, not 6.
"Unparalleled Expertise: Hyacinth can raise or lower the BP of a move by 4 by raising/lowering the AP cost of that move by 1, up to 2 times per attack (BP change only applies to the first attack of a multi-hit attack)."
Her armors are Water, Electric, Dragon, Ice, and Ghost.

Marionatta: Kinetic Lance *Four times!* 2.0x Super Effective. *DO NOT TARGET BLACK*
45 + 15 = 60
60 - Enemy Sp.Defense then multiply the result by 3 (1.5 * 2) Attacks four times. Focus fire on the same target until defeated and move onto the next one. (BUT NOT BLACK)

Renny: Saving up rage and AP on the off-chance something unexpected happens which prolongs the battle. Uses Internal Pokebrid Action Fighting Type to raise Crit by +1. (Crit value is now at 33% due to held items, 50% if he uses improved crit moves)

Red would attack by this point if she is still active. Fairly unlikely though.

Matthias: Porygon Z form. Divided Hyper Beam. 1.5x STAB.
Matthias gains +2 stages in Sp.Attack due to Mika's enforcer ability. Also gains 50% chance of special attack immunity and 100% status counter.
20 + 15 = 35
35 - Enemy Sp.Def. Multiply result by 1.5 for STAB. (Hits two adjacent foes)
Matthias has an extra 2 rage point per turn (Including this turn) due to his upgrade.
All his forms has the ability "Compound Eyes" for increased accuracy.

Pink would attack by this point if she is still active, which is extremely unlikely.

Lucian: Divided Blister Buckshot. 2.0x Super Effective
9 + 18 = 27
27 - Enemy Sp.Defense. Multiply result by 2. Hits two of the girls. If only one girl remains by this point, make it a plain Blister Buckshot, not divided.

Black would attack by this point if she is still active which is extremely unlikely.

[Aldurin]

Donovan found himself speechless for a moment, but then he finally managed to get find his thoughts again. "Hey Pierce."
"Yeah?" Pierce replied, as he tried to stifle chuckles at the absurdity of their opponents.
"Why haven't you guys burned this continent? Seriously?"
"It would defeat the point. Besides, these girls come from the Hungry World. What you want to burn is a whole different continent."
"Well let's just burn both to be sure after this is all over."
"I dunno, I'm not really into burning continents. It'd be a shame to kill so many women... and, you know, other people too." He said with a mischievous smile, knowing Shizuka could hear everything.
"Well we can put the women and . . . other people into a fireproof room when we get around to the burning. Little details we'll work out after we deal with . . . whatever the hell these chicks are."

(The following part happens on Donovan's move, assuming he's not KO'ed at that point.)

Donovan held the rage rocket in his hand, victim to a split second of hesitation.
So much pain and memories, ready to come back through the point of a syringe whenever I choose.
He glanced toward his comrades as they were fighting.
But Ricewood said such power was necessary for PATCA this whole time, and everyone else can stay in control under its influence.
A quick glance at the rage rocket again. He almost coveted the power it contained, power which could have prevented so many past regrets.
He pulled the protective cover off of the syringe.
I still need to understand . . .
The syringe went into his arm.
. . . what do I have that allowed me to use this power beyond the Rezonscape?
The fluid rapidly emptied from the rage rocket's chamber.
And I can't understand that until I can control this.
He withdrew the empty syringe, his vision gaining a slight red tint around the combatants, not as severe as on the beach.
Besides, I really don't want to tolerate these bimbos.
His inquiry visor had already priority-marked the most vulnerable Dere Darlings with recommended attack types based on his Blaziken form, and in an instant he rushed the top two on the list, instantly feeling stronger and faster from the paradigm shift he was barely aware of. The moment he got into range he sprung onto his hands and landed two passes of Double Kick on them that would make a Hitmontop jealous.

[Astral Harmony]

Armored Bishoujo: "Sorry about the cockblocking, Aldurin and everyone else. I'll strive to do better next time now that I have the system all figured out. If anything, you get to keep your Rage, restock that rocket if you want, and I'll restore everyone else."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Action Phase (Turn Blah)

- Catherine: Deredere Pink takes 204 damage (335). Yandere Black takes 228 damage (382). Catherina's Rg = 0, AP = 0.
"Not a whole lotta resistance to my fists," Catherine noted, then looked at Shizuka. "You're...certain they're supposed to be tough?"
"These guys are a lot tougher than they look," Yandere said after being violently staggered. "I think I'm in love."
"Should we...use these Pokeballs?" Tsundere Red looked to Dorodere Blue.
"I advise against it," Dorodere Blue adjusted her glasses. "Remember the last time we deployed them? They wouldn't obey us at all."

Renny was a little relieved. If there were already Pokemon inside them, they weren't Snagballs, then.

- Rio: Deredere Pink takes 144 damage (191). Yandere Black takes 153 (229). Rio's Rg = 5, AP = 4.
"They're super mean!" Deredere pouted, examining her frilly dress for damage. "When's it going to be our turn?"
"Hopefully never," Rio said with slight disgust. That was surprising. Apparently there were pretty girls Rio wouldn't actually go for. Did she not like the really feminine types?

- Shizuka: Deredere Pink takes 69 damage...
Armored Bishoujo: "That must have been some hardcore 69...sorry, couldn't resist."
- Shizuka: Deredere Pink takes 69 damage (122). Yandere Black takes 75 damage (154). Shizuka's Rg = 5, AP = 4.
That attack was...pretty creepy. Basically, large segmented mandibles erupted from Shizuka's mouth. Pierce's fragile little mind would be broken for months.

- Mika: Initiate RDPA "Overmana."
"Time to show off the power of infernal magicks!" Mika shouted. She hopped up, but didn't come down. Magical circles spread out from behind her and runes snakes along her limbs. Elemental fury pelted everyone in the room, but it wasn't much more than an irritance. A large black book materialized before Mika's outstretched hands. "I hope I don't cook everyone in here," she breathed as the tome opened up, the pages rapidly flipping over. "Unholy fires of Gehenna, answer the beckoning of this most unworthy servant and-oh, screw it, just roast these bitches already!"
- Mika: Deredere Pink takes 139 damage (defeated). Yandere Black takes 180 damage (defeated). Tsundere Red takes 85 damage (485).
The massive wave of flesh-rending flames swept mercilessly over Mika's victims, flooring Deredere Pink and Yandere Black, who bothed screamed as they were taken out.
"Takano-san, don't give them a chance to recover!"
"Yeah, yeah," Takano replied as she launched three arrows without even checking her targets.

- Takano: 37 - 11 = 26 x 1.5 = 39. Targeting Tsundere Red with hits that strike two targets hitting Dorodere Blue. 1st Hit doesn't hit two targets and doesn't crit (39). 2nd Hit doesn't hit two targets and crits (78). 3rd Hit doesn't hit two targets and crits (78).
Tsundere Red takes 195 damage (290).
Tsundere Red was knocked back against the cage wall, fell to her hands and knees, then forced herself back into the fight. "You're in for a beating, you little brats!"
"Hello, Pot, this is Kettle. You are quite an ebony-skinned gentleman." Takano taunted back.
"Seriously, calling us 'brats'?" Mika laughed. "You girls have only been Overhumans for about thirty to fourty years. Compaired to us, you're still in diapers."
"Yep, and I'm about to prove it!" Kiyomi chimed in, then whirls her spear above her head. "Signature Technique! Gatling Spear!"

- Kiyomi: Tsundere Red takes 149 damage (141). Tsundere Red is now Bleeding. Tsundere Red's WDef falls by 2.
The thrusts were almost too fast to see, and forget trying to count. Eleven punishing stab wounds were inflicted on poor Tsundere, bringing the girl to her hands and knees as blood splattered on the floor beneath her.
"Goddamn it, Doro, do something!"
"Yeah, yeah," Dorodere Blue took aim as Chizuru rushed forward to connect her attack. Chizuru seemed to meld with her own shadow as she sped towards Tsundere Red but-

"Signature Technique! Dorodervish!"

- Dorodere Blue: Chizuru takes 111 damage (49). Chizuru is now locked down.

How that amount of water didn't flood the entire underground arena was anyone's guess. The amount of water used and the force with which it was deployed reminded Pierce of Laitharon.
"Damn, Doro, trying to drown Dere and Yan?"
"Shut up and grab Yan. We're getting the hell out of here. We can't defeat the Kimonos yet."
"Fine, but just you damn Kimonos remember that you haven't seen the last of us!"
Before someone could even check on Chizuru, the four Dere Darlings had vanished into spheres of light.
"Newbs to the end, I guess," Rio shrugged. Then she jogged over to the large metal doors on the other side. "Fuck, the door's still locked. I mean, they retreated and that means we passed, right?"
"Pierce, can you go help Chizuru off the ground?" Shizuka winked at him.

Don't gotta tell him twice!

Kiyomi checked the door they had come through. "This is still locked, too. I can't see outside the cage anymore."
"We've gotta find a way outside," Shizuka said, readying her daikatana to try and cut the whole cage apart. "Charlotte and Ray could be in trouble."
"That's definitely true," Marionata concurred. "I felt a huge surge of psychic activity and now...nothing. It's completely lifeless out there. But I can't really tell without looking at the bodies."
There was a loud pounding on the outside of the cage. "Someone or something really big is right outside," Kiyomi observed.
There was a pause...and then the pounding started up again. The Inquiry Visors began to spell out, letter after letter, a message of some kind. The pounding was creating a message in morse code.
"S-T-A-N-D-B-A-C-K," Lucian read the letters aloud. "Stand back? As in get away from the noise?"

This quickly turned out to be the case when a massive blade cleaved right through the wall. Then more pounding as heavy objects tore the hole even wider. It was Pendulum and Misa working together. "Are you alright?" Pendulum asked as he shouldered the gap wide enough for his bulk to pass through.
"Nice job, dude," Discord told him. "What's going on out there? We couldn't leave."
"All hell's breaking loose, that's what's going on," Misa said. "Team Rocket and the Harbingers have been ordered to retreat. I can't believe the one in charge of this whole operation was some little girl with pink hair."
"That's gotta be Moera," Chizuru said. "Are Ray and Charlotte and the others okay?"
"Dunno," Misa said. "There's another way to the surface from the recruitment office further down. I didn't even know it was there. Your guys didn't even talk to me on the way out. I guess they're giving chase to the leadership."
"We've gotta get after them," Discord said. "No way am I missing out on the good parts of this mission."
"Good idea, but," Pendulum interjected. "Let me just ask: were you agents attacked by any strange Pokemon?"
"Strange in what way?"
"Strange in a 'I've never fought Pokemon like these before' kind of way."
"Two of the girls had unfamiliar Pokeballs with them, but they never deployed them at all. Maybe if we went easier on them. What's up, Pendulum?"
"My mission," Pendulum said, turning back around. "I need to know what kinds of Pokemon those girls have, and if there's a chance to meet them again here, it's probably with you. I'll join you in the manhunt. Let's hustle."

[Pendulum joined the party as a Guest Unit*]

Shizuka stopped short of exiting to just glance at Pierce. "Pierce, when you join me in the Hungry World, please don't burn anything. Too much of it is already on fire, anyways." And with a wink, she was gone.
Donovan's situation was no joke, though. He had already absorbed the chemicals from the Rage Rocket in preparation for delivering a piping-hot ass whoopin' that never came to pass because those bitches got beamed up. He felt like his consciousness was split between a perception of the real world and another of the world he was in before with all the rusted metal and darkness. And it seemed like both sights were trying to come out the loudest. If he was lucky, something he could use his boiling rage on was right around the corner.
Back outside, Misa remained at the building. "Irene told me to just let myself get arrested by the police and she'd come get me later," she said, having left her maul inside the recruitment center. "Better than getting shot at, and I feel I can count on her, though I dunno why she's so nice to me. Anyways, good luck, and if you see my friend, could you maybe not kill her?"
"Who's your friend?" Chizuru asked her.
"Girl by the name of Sam. Harbinger robes. Not really a friend, I guess, but we bonded well enough over the few days we got to know each other."

Milsha then came running up. "You guys are safe! Hurry, you have to chase the others! Thataway!"
Irene was with her. "A Team Rocket transport chopper was just shot down by the Police Force," she reported. "I didn't think they'd be packing anti-armor rifles. Gotta give props to Chief Jenny for that shit. Anyways, if those guys are going to get out of here free and clear, they'll need to get out of range of the Police Force's cordon and find another way to evacuate. Seems like you guys raised hell down there. A group of men and women after my own heart."
"Forget that for now! Renny, something's up. Harliette and Lola were out here when we came back up, but Harliette hauled ass before we even knew where the enemy had retreated. And Lola chased her! I think they're in serious trouble!"
"Serious trouble is probably an understatement," Irene told them. "I don't think we have to worry about Team Rocket or the Harbingers anymore thanks to Impact and Charlotte, but my Visor detected both high energy spikes and severe psychic activity. Assault mechs and Moera, probably. I bet they were the kingpins behind this whole operation. You guys look okay, so I'd appreciate it if you could go lend a hand. But I'm not asking for heroes. Just, if things look bad, try to get Impact and the others out of it. Don't worry about trying to rope all the bad guys in. I have a bad feeling about today."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Several minutes of hard running later...-----

It didn't take them long to rejoin Impact's team...or most of them, anyways. Charlotte wasn't present, and they still haven't caught up to Harliette and Lola. Were they still chasing the enemy?
"You are slow," Kurika grimaced while gazing at a large bruise in her leg. The Visor indicated a complete bone fracture, but fortunately it didn't break the skin. She had taken other considerable wounds as well, plasma burn wounds and some that were wide enough to bleed profusely but had been burned shut. "Be careful if you continue to pursue them. We were attacked by three powerful robots. And there was some woman with pink hair using other machines to keep us from defeating them."

The fight could not have taken more than a few minutes. Were these mechs seriously powerful enough to defeat Impact's team?
Kurika passed on information from her Inquiry Visor to you. One of the mechs was clearly Whitepearl from Millenium House and another looked a lot like her, but black and armed with a lot of heavy long-ranged weaponry.

Lemme guess? Her name wouldn't happen to be Blackpearl, would it?

And the third looked like...Ginnungagap? There were some slight changes in its appearance, but it was definitely Ginnungagap. The last one was destroyed in Millenium House and could not have escaped before the place went supernova. They already built an improved version so soon? Maybe there's a Killbots 'R' Us store in Fainas or something.
Impact staggered up to them. He could walk, but he was clutching a large bandage in his side and he couldn't stand up straight, possibly due to immense pain. The Visor also indicated broken ribs. "The enemy's captured Beaufort. Moera dominated her during the fight. Guess she's got a score to settle with Charlotte." he said, pointing in the direction they must have fled to with his free arm. "Oh, and Harliette and Lola were chasing after them, too. I think they know the pink-haired woman, and I don't mean Moera. Just be careful out there. I think they were fully prepared to take us on before we even came here. Anyways, we've already called for some medical assistance, so keep Housewife (Chizuru) with you. You'll probably need her more than we do. We still have some items on us, so restock yourselves before you head on out. Don't worry about us. We'll try to hold together for the medivac."

The wind was calming and the grass underfoot danced gently in the breeze, and there weren't even any wild Pokemon that could cause trouble, making it the perfect spot for a lovely picnic, but everyone's hearts were a little too on edge. This place was going to be a little slice of hell before the sun set.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Guest Units: A combat unit that takes his or her own actions in combat. Occasionally, these units are capable of causing unique Stratagem Shifts that can reveal weaknesses or something to that affect, or they might just happen to be quite powerful, making them useful despite being not under your control.

[Menarker]

For much of the fight against the Dere Darlings, Renny had a satisfied, almost smug look on his face, although that lightened up a bit when they retreated. He had some pent up energy that he still had yet to discharge, but otherwise he felt good to proceed.

Upon finding out that the doors were locked, Renny was getting ready to have Swampert and himself break open the doors, although the situation worked itself out. Discord also took the initiative in discussion with Pendulum while he listened to what was being said, with him ultimately joining up with the party. Renny looked at the rest of the group to ensure everyone was ready. Chizuru was the only one of the group really damaged by the battle and it seems like she was getting support up. Donovan on the other hand seemed a little disoriented, staggering in his steps. Renny approached him, recalling the last time he had issues with rage rockets the previous mission.

"Are you alright? Can you move by yourself?"
"Yeah, if we get something to fight soon."

With that, the group soon left the building. Renny was paying more attention to their immediate surroundings than to Misa's presence when Milsha came running up to him in haste.

"...Harliette and Lola were out here when we came back up, but Harliette hauled ass before we even knew where the enemy had retreated. And Lola chased her! I think they're in serious trouble!"

Renny looked at Milsha in slight disbelief before he nodded. He was about to bolt off when Irene chimed in with some more detail.

"We need to catch up with the other group! Let's hurry!"

After a few minutes ago...

"KURIKA!" Renny, approached her, already moving as fast as he could already. "Who or what did this to you? Isn't anyone here to help you?"

"You are slow..."
Renny arched his eyes, considering that his group had beaten the Dere Darlings on the first turn. He doubt they could have arrived much faster.

"Be careful if you continue to pursue them. We were attacked by three powerful robots. And there was some woman with pink hair using other machines to keep us from defeating them."
Renny paid close attention to the data that Kurika was sending from scouter to scouter. Impact then approached and filled in some more of the detail.

"The enemy's captured Beaufort. Moera dominated her during the fight. Guess she's got a score to settle with Charlotte." he said, pointing in the direction they must have fled to with his free arm. "Oh, and Harliette and Lola were chasing after them, too. I think they know the pink-haired woman, and I don't mean Moera. Just be careful out there. I think they were fully prepared to take us on before we even came here. Anyways, we've already called for some medical assistance, so keep Housewife with you. You'll probably need her more than we do. We still have some items on us, so restock yourselves before you head on out. Don't worry about us. We'll try to hold together for the medivac."

Renny nodded, although he wondered who Lola and Harliette were chasing.
"Anyhow, we have to get going. We barely used up any supplies, so we won't need to take very much! We'll get them back!"

Renny summoned Togekiss and hitched a ride. "Up a bit! That way!" Renny pointed toward where Impact and Kurika guided them. Togekiss flew along (not too high up), with the group following, as Renny searched for any sign of the group, especially Lola.
"Please be safe. I just hope we're not too late."

[Dracorion]

Well, that was disappointing. The Deres went down before he even got a turn, sadly.

Hopefully the next enemy would pose more of a challenge.

"Pierce, can you go help Chizuru off the ground?" Shizuka winked at him. But Pierce was already moving to help Chizuru, who'd taken a nasty hit in the fight. "Are you okay Chizuru?" He asked worriedly, as he extended a hand to help her up.

----------------------------

Shizuka stopped short of exiting the arena to just glance at Pierce. "Pierce, when you join me in the Hungry World, please don't burn anything. Too much of it is already on fire, anyways."

"I promise nothing." He smirked.

----------------------------

Back outside, Misa remained at the building. "Irene told me to just let myself get arrested by the police and she'd come get me later," she said, having left her maul inside the recruitment center. "Better than getting shot at, and I feel I can count on her, though I dunno why she's so nice to me. Anyways, good luck, and if you see my friend, could you maybe not kill her?"
"Who's your friend?" Chizuru asked her.
"Girl by the name of Sam. Harbinger robes. Not really a friend, I guess, but we bonded well enough over the few days we got to know each other."

"What what?" Pierce piped up, approaching Misa without regard for personal space. "Did you say Sam? Black hair, green eyes, Flareon Pokebrid?" He refused to acknowledge the feeling of hope welling up inside him, not until he got confirmation.

----------------------------

Ginnungagap again? Just when he thought he'd put most of his past mistakes behind him. Plans for the machine still existed it seemed. He'd have to track them down and tear them up. "Alright. Impact, Kurika, take care of yourselves."

"Let's go rescue our Glorious Leader, everyone." And my sister.

[Astral Harmony]

-----Moments With Pierce-----

"I'm soaking wet, but otherwise I think I can shake off the aching-" Chizuru stopped talking, then looked at herself. Her kimono was pretty much hanging off of her. "L-Let's get going!"

She had hoped that Pierce didn't see, but it would've been hard to miss.

...and several minutes later...

"That describes her pretty damn well, actually," Misa answered Pierce when she questioned him about Sam. "You a boyfriend or a friend or a second cousin twice removed or something like that? I think you can still catch 'er. Jus' like Irene said, they'll have to get past the police's anti-air to land a ship and get out of here."

-----Lots Moar Running!-----

They finally caught up to Harliette and Lola, who were in the middle of confronting a regular fruits basket of villains. Pink-haired woman in shiny white labcoat, check. Other two members of the Dere Darlings, check. Couple of corpses wearing Team Rocket and Harbinger attire, check. Another young lady in Harbinger attire that Pierce recognized even from that distance and with her back turned, check.

The scientist and Harbinger were talking amongst themselves, ignoring Harliette and Lola.
"Look, there's not a whole lot I can do for the dead, Sam," the scientist was saying. "That woman Charlotte was pretty adamant about killing them all. All I can do is offer to take you back to my lab with me, that's it."
"Are you about done ignoring me, you egomaniacal cunt?" Harliette shouted loud enough for Renny to wish he didn't hear it.
The scientist sighed. "I know you two are my daughters and everything, but patience is a fucking virtue," she told them, then walked towards them. "Sam, if you don't want to be arrested, just go back to Moera and get on the damn transport. I can only stall these assholes for so long."



"See, I told you the filth-fucking whore was still alive," Harliette told her half-sister. "Of course, you'd better say your real goodbyes here. I'm going to be doubling that bitch's body mass with buckshot in a minute here."
"Well, well, well, if it isn't my rebellious little bitch of a daughter, Samantha...oh, I guess you call yourself 'Harliette' nowadays, huh? Sorry that I didn't get in touch with you when I learned that you started working for the Harbingers. You never were a particularly brilliant girl, and I was so curious about how you figured out I was still alive."
"It was pretty obvious when I met Moera for the first time," Harliette explained. "She reminded me too much of myself. The pink hair, the eyes, psychotic bitch tendencies. Hell, Moeni, your names aren't even that different from each other. You know, I love fate. That wonderful woman has dealt me a very interesting hand. After I ran away from home, I was really hoping that you would've survived long enough to be done in by me. You tried to kill me, Moeni. Time for me to return the favor, except-"

Harliette paused long enough to produce a vial of glowing red liquid. It reminded Donovan of Zero Void, the prototype chemical in Ricewood Masterworks that could shut a person's ability to generate rage. But this wasn't that. "I'm looking to succeed."
"Ah, a vile of Maximum Output," Moeni smirkingly identified the liquid. "Might I inquire as to where you acquired that? Oh wait, I recall it now."
Moeni's gaze sharpened. She was smiling. "Moera herself gave you that liquid."
Lola looked at the chemical. "I don't get it. Aren't you and Moera on the same side? Why would she give my sister this?"
"Because Maximum Output hasn't been tested yet," Harliette said, still staring at Moeni. "And I'm going to be it's first guinea pig. And a willing one, at that."
"What?!"
"The best method of testing that drug would be to have it used on someone who truely desired to unleash the full extent of his power," Moeni told Lola. "Or her, in this case. I advise caution, Lolianne: once Harliette injects that into her body, you'll either have to help her fight me, or kill her. You're not going to be able to stop her without bloodshed."
Lola could only watch as Harliette used the syringe to draw out that liquid and, despite any protests from her sister or the other agents, stabbed herself in the side of the throat and emptied the entirety of its contents.
"Kuudere. Dandere. Get ready to try and stop the unstoppable. Use those PokeWeapons. This'll be good data."

"So PokeWeapons are stored in those special Pokeballs," Pendulum observed. "False alarm then, I guess. I was looking for something else entirely. We'd better get up there and help them. I don't know anything about the effects of Maximum Output, but injecting that much pure liquid Rezonscape directly beneath your brain is probably not a good thing."
"Sorry, fucker, but this is a private dance. I've already prepared some music and dance partners for you." Moeni said, snapping her fingers.

You heard it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxH85KBoJiw) before you saw it.

Before you could clear even half the distance between yourselves and the girls, two sexy robots skated right onto the battlefield, crossing paths and passing around Moeni like professional skiers before separating you from the confrontation between family. And to add more metal to the mayhem, one more arrived much like a VTOL, landing gently behind the two other robots.
"That'll take care of that for now," Moeni said. "Now onto dealing with other annoyances, like my two estranged daughters, for instance."

Renny forced himself to look at the enemies right in front of him instead on checking on Lola. The two mechs in front resembled the Automechs from the Gabriel Force. Basically, voluptuous female forms with the arms and legs disappearing into weapon-ridden mechanical armor. One was white with blue hair, blue eyes and gold trim on the armor, and was clearly equipped for dealing damage at close range with that bigass beamblade of hers. The other was black with red hair, red eyes and silver trim on the armor. She was designed to deal overwhelming destruction at a distance, and one need only look at the ridiculous number of firearms, missile launchers, and beam cannons to tell. The third robot, bigger than the other two in size combined, was good ol' Ginnungagap, sporting new hardware, including two distinctive transparent spheres on its massive back.

"Whitepearl*, Blackpearl*, and Ginnungagap*," Discord said, in case it wasn't obvious enough. "We'd better play it carefully. They did sort of wipe out badasses like Kurika."
"I shall prepare the Azure Wail, sister," Blackpearl spoke suddenly.
"I shall protect you as you do so, sister," Whitepearl replied.
Ginnungagap responded by making an incredible leap. Blackpearl hopped back, taking Ginnungagap's spot while the oversized robot crashed down where Blackpearl had just been standing. Protected status had shifted from Ginnungagap to Blackpearl.
"Looks like they're used to working together as a team," Pendulum observed. "We'll have to figure out a Stratagem Shift or two to break their tactics."

-----Order Turn Draft of Watchmen Side (Turn 1)-----

- Enemy Formation: [Whitepearl] [Ginnungagap Mk II]
[B]- Whitepearl (Boss/Mechanical): Spd 15, Rg 20/100, AP 18/36
- Blackpearl (Boss/Mechanical): Spd 12, Rg 20/100, AP 18/36 [Protected]
- Ginnungagap Mk II (Boss/Special): Spd 10, Rg 20/100, AP 18/36
- Pendulum (Guest/Overblade): Spd 8, Rg 10/20, AP 12/24

The Inquiry Visors could barely obtain any kind of reading on the three Automechs, though it was able to roughly calculate the speed by their movements. Pendulum was the same. Were they all...somehow able to block the Visor's data gathering abilities?
It looked like all three enemies functioned as Destroyers, but they also had AP, which meant they could probably throw all kinds of attacks at you in a single turn.

The two spheres on the sides of Ginnungagap's body lit up, one dark violet and the other royal blue.
"I don't get it," Pendulum said. "What could those colors mean?"
"Do those probably represent the two types Ginnungagap is?" Kiyomi offered.
"That could be it," Pendulum said. "The royal blue is definitely Water. And the dark violet is...Poison? Ghost? Gawd, they taught this shit in school, if I could only remember."

"It's Ghost."

Lucian paused for a moment, then checked his own Visor. "Rachel's voice. I must have left the broadcast channel open. Are you sure it's Ghost?"
"Positive, but do Ghost and Water share a weakness?" Rachel's voice asked. "Maybe there's a different relation between the two types instead of them sharing a weakness. I'll try thinking hard, too."

-----Order Turn Draft of Harliette's Side (Turn 1)-----

- Ally Formation: [Harliette's Pokemon 1] [Harliette] [Harliette's Pokemon 2] [Lola's Pokemon 1] [Lola] [Lola's Pokemon 2]
- Enemy Formation: [Kuudere Green's Pokemon 1] [Kuudere Green] [Kuudere Green's Pokemon 2] [Moeni's Pokemon 1] [Moeni] [Moeni's Pokemon 2] [Dandere Purple's Pokemon 1] [Dandere Purple] [Dandere Purple's Pokemon 2]
- Harliette (Shock Trooper/Maximum Output): HP 160/160 / Atk 9(27) / Def 14(32) / SpAtk 8(26) / SpDef 11(29) / Spd 8(26) / Rg Unlimited / AP 18/36
- Kuudere Green (Boss/Human/Flying): HP 3000 / Atk 18 / Def 13 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 21 / Spd 23 / Rg 10/20 / AP 18/36
- Dandere Purple (Boss/Human/Ice): HP 3500 / Atk 15 / Def 19 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 18 / Spd 16 / Rg 10/20 / AP 18/36
- Lola (Medic/Lopunny): HP 144 / Atk 9 / Def 11 / SpAtk 7 / SpDef 9 / Spd 11 / Rg 10/20 / AP 12/24
- Moeni (Boss/Engineer): HP 2000 / Atk 10 / Def 11 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 10 / Spd 8 / Rg 10/20 / AP 18/36

Lola dropped onto her butt after seeing her sister Harliette literally go effing bonkers. Harliette looked at her hands.

It escalated into fullblown maniacal laughter. Lola observed that Harliette's veins were glowing...holy dogshit, her [I]eyes were glowing! And she was starting to drool! This was getting more and more out of hand.
"For all intents and purposes, she could be considered a Madsoldier right now," Moeni explained. "Whether she can actually come down from that, well, that's just what I'd like to find out. 'Bout damn time I found a use for one of you girls."
"Si-...sister," Lola's lips quivered as Harliette pulled out her shotguns...and negligently discarded them.
"Y'know what? Forget the fucking guns," Harliette managed to say through her laughter. "I'm gonna feel the end of your rotten life with my own fingers when I tear out your black soul and drop a big, steaming deuce on it!"
"At least the Maximum Output managed to let her keep her usual personality," Lola managed a half-hearted joke, which surprisingly helped her find the strength to return to her feet. And reach for her Pokeballs. "Sis, I will do my best to help you as I am able. But I would like you to know that I'm a little bit perturbed at your thoughtlessness."

Apparently the insanity of the situation was making Lola a little bit crazy, too. Despite wishing she could talk to her mother, Harliette took the reigns of the whole battle and forced Lola into a situation she couldn't quite do anything with...and wasn't sure if she wanted to. So what if her mother was willing to talk? What the hell would they talk about? Lola hated to admit it, but maybe, just maybe in this situation, Harliette had the right idea to just go for broke and try to rip her own mother's throat out. Dealing with that emotionally would just have to wait for now. "Right, I can be strong, too," Lola told herself. "Renny's helped me so much. I can't fall apart here so matter how much this will hurt."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

*1. Whitepearl - An Automech that was the prototype for the Gabriel Force Automechs, but has since been heavily upgraded. She is the older sister of Blackpearl, and was created to protect the Millenium House facility against deranged and powerful experiments like Asuras or perhaps Enmekki. Whitepearl excels at close quarters combat, and uses a variety of technologically advanced weapons and beamswords to turn her enemies into surprisingly tasty pork cutlets. She also functions as a combination of Engineer and Medic, able to literally build and maintain an army of combat and support droids on the fly.

*2. Blackpearl - An Automech created in the Black Cradle after the Gabriel Force Automechs were all finished and delivered, sporting all new prototype technology far exceeding the military androids. She is the younger sister to Whitepearl. Designed with heavy assaults at a distance in mind, Blackpearl rarely leaves evidence of her enemies' presense after her attacks. Just a bunch of blood, shell casings and smoldering craters. Blackpearl possesses equipment that allows her to fight as a Destroyer or a Sniper, putting down an entire squad of enemies before they can even see her, then swooping in to unleash relentless devastation.

*3. Ginnungagap Mk II - A reimagining of a powerful mech that ended up being rather easy to kill when you knew how to fight it, the Ginnungagap series of Automechs seem to be vulnerable to certain types of attack only when setup in certain ways. The last time, Ginnungagap switched its dual types and the only attack that could deal damage was the one the two types were both weak against. What would be the strategy with this one? You have a feeling those glowing spheres give a damning hint as to how to figure it out.

[Menarker]

*Just after the Dere Darling Fight*

Hyacinth opened her eyes a mere moment later at the sound of what she had thought was an attack coming at her. Her body immediately rised to a floating defensive posture with a blast of wind striking the air around her, but the attack never came. As she observed the surroundings and tilted her head, she exhaled with a mixture of disappointment and joy.
"Reallly? Just like that, and you are done? I didn't even get to fight."
Of course, a new problem in the form of a shaking stadium immediately presented itself, but her comdares apparently had all of this covered.
And so, it would seem that Hyacinth was regulated to trailing behind the PATCA team once more, patiently observing, and slowly putting a subsitute onto herself for practice and practicality.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Renny and Hyacinth (On Ginnungagap and the Colorless Pearls.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the group ran toward where Milsha and Irene indictated was the other group, Renny's curiousity about Hyacinth's substitute disguise got the better of him.
"Hyacinth, how exactly are you doing that and what is it for?" He never actually turned away while he ran though.
Her form had changed completely, and Renny seemed to be the first to notice. Not entirely surprising, given how much everyone was focusing on the task at hand. But the simple fact that Hyacinth had disappeared and been replaced with a ~16 year old red-head Aggron pokebrid was certainly startling.
"Oh, hello there. And... okay yeah you know this is me. In any case this is a disguise for tactical purposes, and to test out just what the boundaries of being in human form are. Alias name is Cynthia, but don't bother with that right now, tis for when dealing with enemies." And of course, as she moved alongside him, it was apparent they were about the same height.
It didn't take them long to rejoin Impact's team...or most of them, anyways. Charlotte wasn't present, and they still haven't caught up to Harliette and Lola. Were they still chasing the enemy?
What followed was a group huddle between everyone who was left and an update of tactics. Renny was distressed, almost totally distracted from the current topic of Hyacinth's substitute.
The mechs that followed were complete unknowns to Hyacinth, and since they were talking, she felt appropriate to simply turn her head to Renny and politely ask.
"So, what are these, anyway?"
"They are all powerful machines. I don't know much about Whitepearl and Blackpearl themselves aside from the bit of information that was there about Whitepearl when it was one of the ones fighting against in Millenium House prior to its explosion. I know Pierce was there though. However, I personally had a hand in fighting Ginnuagagap, also in Millenium House. It was a two part machine. The first part was a clone creator, where it created legendary pokebrid version copies of a person, specifically Professor Jeanette in that case. That's where Darcelle came from..." Renny left the exact details of her recruitment out.

"The other part, which is probably more relevant since I don't see any sign of clones in this video, was its unique defense system. It frequently shifted its duality of types which never repeated and was immune to attacks of all the element types except for the one element which would be quad effective against the combination of those two types. It would also use element attacks matching whatever type it was at the time. Also, the attacks dealt to it would always had the same effect against it, no matter how weak or potent the attack was. It was a difficult fight, although there were several compounding factors for that."
Renny was looking back and forth at the other agents impatiently, trying to find any way to hasten their immediate preparations in order to catch the trail while it and the two girls were still warm.

"Hm." She sat down on a barely visible cloud of air, mulling everything over in thought. "... well, we need to figure out what types it is. But overall this shoudn't be anything of a difficult fight. What types will it be, anyway?" There was much else floating around in her head, but Renny was flighty enough she wouldn't waste her time with such concerns right at the moment. The trail was almost found, and then he'd be off. As well he should, probably.

----------------------------------
*Start of battle...*

The two spheres on the sides of Ginnungagap's body lit up, one dark violet and the other royal blue.
"I don't get it," Pendulum said. "What could those colors mean?"
"Do those probably represent the two types Ginnungagap is?" Kiyomi offered.
"That could be it," Pendulum said. "The royal blue is definitely Water. And the dark violet is...Poison? Ghost? Gawd, they taught this shit in school, if I could only remember."
"It's Ghost."
Lucian paused for a moment, then checked his own Visor. "Rachel's voice. I must have left the broadcast channel open. Are you sure it's Ghost?"
"Positive, but do Ghost and Water share a weakness?" Rachel's voice asked. "Maybe there's a different relation between the two types instead of them sharing a weakness. I'll try thinking hard, too."

Renny responded nervously. "I'm really counting on you Rachel." Renny looked hastily past the immediate battlefield, frantic to rejoin Lola on the other side. "It'd be difficult to find a pattern with no evidence and we don't have time to do careful experiments while under attack! Trainers, get your pokemon to hit it once with as many different elements as you can. I know you all combined got elements of almost all types. If it reacts to any specific types, shout it to Rachel on the scouter! The rest of you, prepare yourself and focus on Whitepearl when ready!"

--------------------

"Sorry Moeni, I just can't leave you here to get eviscerated by your crazy daugher." Sam sighed, taking a combat stance.
"Sam!" Pierce called from the other side of the field. "Step back before Harliette hurts you!"
"Dammit Pierce, just leave! I can accept that you're not going to join me, but you have to get away from all this before it gets you killed."
"I don't think so. I'm taking you home, Sam. After what I did to you, I have to."

"Sorry guys, I have to keep Harliette from killing my sister. Take care of yourselves, alright?" Pierce said to the group at large, though he focused his gaze on Shizuka and Chizuru, trying to convey an apologetic look.
Renny swooped right beside Pierce still riding on Togekiss and grabbed his arm. "You'll get killed if you think you can waltz through those three without my support! Hold on for just a moment. I'll come with you, I got someone over there to protect too."

Renny then patted the jubliee pokemon who crooned loudly as a radiance of gentle light shone heavily, illusionary feathers dropping intermitteringly upon himself that vanished into enriching motes upon contact. Some of the agents seem to reveled in the light, dispensing their rage energy that evaporated and came back as illusionary and scantily but tastefully undressed illusion of themselves, granting blessings among several others.
Shortly after Chizuru buffs them up, Renny looked at Catherine. "I appreciate you backing me up earlier, but I really need to go on ahead. Can you please help someone else over here while I'm gone?"
As an afterthought, he spoke on the scouter to Pendulum, who might have had his own orders or battle priority, but he couldn't just leave things up to chance.
"Pendulum, I don't know if you have any other orders or priorities, but I would appreciate if you could focus on Whitepearl out of the enemies present, given Blackpearl and Ginnuagagap's own respective defenses, if it would not be inconvenient."

Renny then looked at Pierce firmly but supportively. "There... lets go!"

Renny and Pierce were basically about to go all the way to the other side. But Hyacinth simply shook her head in thought with closed eyes. It was moments before she opened them again, and by then it seemed like Renny and Pierce were already formulating how to best launch over to the other side of the combat. "No... no that won't work."
Hyacinth stood up and spread her wings, using her large lung capacity to get a commanding voice just for the brief moment, despite her currently freckled and dimunitive form. She pulled Lucian close, and looked straight ... up at him, as it was now. Although the confidence she exuded was enough to make it seem like she was still a foot taller rather than shorter.

"Alright... first off-" She promptly grabbed the neck of his shirt and tugged his face promptly to eye level with herself. "That's better. Now I know you wanted to help me earlier, and I have a plan that'll let you actually do that."
Lucian was blushing at the closeness with Hyacinth. He's kind of an innocent man, isn't he? But he recomposed himself quickly. "Right, what do you need me to do?"

"Good. Now, I know that the little red chimp you've got can dish out a ghost attack. Thats an incident story for another time but anyway..." She put him down and promptly took a step back, which likely made the man more comfortable in general. "And he better have a grass type move. Hells help you if he does not. So you're going to have him use both of those moves at once onto the Gingugay whatever its called." Lucian took a moment to register the talking, and then nodded quietly.

"Good." Hyacinth stated flatly, closing her eyes and backing off a few steps. Lucian fumbled around to get the appropriate Simisear pokeball. The currently steel shinning red head sat down hunched in a ball while letting out a loud yawn. He looked over to Hyacinth and raised an eyebrow to her counterintuitively .... preparing for a nap it seemed?
"Uh, so what are... you going to be doing?" He blurted out, averting his eyes as she stretched her arms up over her head to finish out the yawn. And Hyacinth rubbed her eyes, already beginning to let her substitute flare up with hairline fractures. "I'll be preparing to tear these robots up. Just hope it isn't over by time I'm sufficiently prepped so I can actually try my newest tricks out in battle. The trumpets of war already sound in my ears."

*Donovan* Shit, why did both of them have to be so reckless? Donovan was not happy that the two primary leaders of the squad almost immediately broke formation, leaving just a few protection buffs and some vague orders. Given how Hyacinth was preoccupied with Ginnungagap's puzzle and Matthias did not seem like the type to take charge, it looked like he had no choice.
"Matthias, get some protection on us and set up a rainstorm, we're going to need the boost to water and electric moves to take out the Pearl mechs! Everyone who isn't testing for Ginnungagap's weakness hold off your attacks for a moment and buff, I want Whitepearl downed almost instantly before it can run away and get protection! Takano, serve as support for now, but watch Blackpearl to make sure it doesn't flank Renny and Pierce!" His vision flashed to the . . . other place again for a brief moment, he needed to get this Rage out of his system soon.

Blackpearl wasn't prepared to flank Renny and Pierce. She was prepared to snipe them right out of the air. Shifting the massive charging energy weapon to just her left hand, Blackpearl raised what was clearly a large sniper rifle towards the sky above the young men. If they weren't sufficiently protected, a large burn hole right through the body was a very serious possibility.


--------------------------------
*Battle orders/stats/layout*

Kimono altered stats and viable offensive moves for all NPCs (generally type-wise).
The Kimono's stats are all taking in account Shizuka's +2 to all Kimono ability. If Shizuka is knocked out, reduce those stats by 6 points until she is revived.

- Takano (Sniper): HP 160 / Atk 19 / Def 13 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 16 / Spd 19
Uses Smokebomb Arrow. +25 FoW.
Speed is 25 after Kiyomi's Overdrive device.


- Kiyomi (Engineer): HP 160 / Atk 17 / Def 20 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 17 / Spd 14
Create Overdrive device to boost party's speed by +2 stages! Down to 0 rage.
If any of the mechanical foes die at any time, Kiyomi gains 4 rage.
Speed is 20 after her device is active.
Attack with Spear Lunge. Steel and 1.5x STAB. Down to 4 AP


- Renny (Main): HP 128 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 11
Starts with 14 rage and full AP.
Speed is 17 when on this side due to Overdrive device*
Pokebrid action Fighting type internal. +1 Crit rate (33% most moves, 50% on crit moves)
Has Togekiss out. Use Serene Blessing on himself, Pierce, Donovan, Discord, Lucian, and Shizuka. They and their pokemon are all Invincible for this turn, and gain (4) points to all stats and status affliction immunity for 2 turns. Down to 2 rage. (Other agents also spent 10 rage to fuel the cost. It is mentioned under their name)
His stats improve to Atk 16 / Def 12 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 14 / Spd 15 due to Blessing
Atk becomes 34 after Chizuru's buff.


- Chizuru (Medic): HP 160 / Atk 14 / Def 21 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 21 / Spd 13
Speed is 19 after Overdrive.
Summons Girantina to protect her. Summons Audino.
X Speed on Audino

Girantina: Leader Girantina (Legendary Ghost / Dragon)
- Stats: HP 120 / Atk 12 / Def 10 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 10 / Spd 10
- Ability / Item: Telepathy / Griseous Orb
Defending Chizuru

Audino: - Stats: HP 88 / Atk 6 / Def 9 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 9 / Spd 5
- Ability / Item / Gender: Healer / Jaboca Berry / Female
*Speed is 14 after Overdrive and X Speed*
Audino uses Divided Simple Beam on Renny and on Pierce's Blaziken. (Rage down to 5.)

Chizuru: Uses 3 X Attacks on the Renny and Pierce's Blaziken, maxing their Attack stat.


Renny: Move to other formation.


- Pierce (Main): HP 192 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 8 / Spd 12
Speed is 18 after Overdrive (while on this side)
Has Blaziken out.
Stats after Serene Blessing is : Atk: 16 / Def 12 / SpAtk / SpDef 12 / Spd 16
Moves to other formation after Audino and Chizuru finish buffing him.
Armor: Dragon (Sp.Def loss immunity), Fighting (Def Loss Immunity), Steel (Bleed immunity)


Blaziken: HP 64 / Atk 12 / Def 7 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 7 / Spd 8
Speed is 14 after Overdrive. Attack is maxed at 30 after Chizuru's buffs.
Stats after Serene Blessing is Atk 34 / Def 11 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 11 / Spd 18
Speed increases by 1 stage at the end of each turn.

- Catherine (Renny Hyacinth): HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 9 / Spd 10 *PRIORITY*
Speed is 16 after Overdrive.
Spent rage to support Renny's technique. Partner up with Hyacinth.
Attack with Wicked Hook twice. 4 + 8 = 12 AP. STAB is 2.0x due to 100% Guard against fighting. AP and Rage is 0.

Rio (Donovan): HP 160 / Atk 20 / Def 21 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 13 / Spd 15
Speed is 21 after Overdrive
Save up rage for "Everybody Dance Now" next turn.
Bitchslap, reducing AP down to 4. STAB is 1.5x.

- Shizuka (Pierce Lucian): HP 160 / Atk 17 / Def 20 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 13 / Spd 17
Speed is 23 after Overdrive
Stats after Serene Blessing is: Atk 21 / Def 24 / SpAtk 17 / SpDef 17 / Spd 21 (27 Overdrive)
Two pokemon attacking Ginnuagagap. 12 AP total. See Ginnu attack plan below.
Spent rage on Serene Blessing.

- Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160 / Atk 9 / Def 12 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 5 / Spd 13
Speed is 19 after Overdrive.
Stats after Serene Blessing is: Atk 13 / Def 16 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 9 / Spd 17 (23 Overdrive)
Two pokemon attacking Ginnuagagap and using Snake Poison attack (18 BP, poison type special attack). 20 AP used See Ginnu attack plan below.
Spent Rage on Serene Blessing

- Lucian (Hyacinth Shizuka): HP 160 / Atk 13 / Def 11 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 8 / Spd 9
Speed is 15 after Overdrive.
Stats after Serene Blessing is: Atk 17 / Def 15 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 12 / Spd 13 (19 Overdrive)
Partner up with Shizuka.
Two pokemon attacking. 12 AP used. See Ginnu attack plan below.
Spent Rage on Serene Blessing

- Matthias (Main): HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 9 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 9 / Spd 11
Speed is 17 after Overdrive.
(Castform form): Uses Lucky Chant and Rain Dance, Normal Type Pokebrid action on Donovan (+1 Rage)
Equipped with Brightpowder (10% more evasion) and Leftovers.


- Mika (Matthias): HP 160 / Atk 10 / Def 13 / SpAtk 27 / SpDef 21 / Spd 15
Speed is 21 after Overdrive.
Aquablast. 1.5x STAB and Rain Dance boost. 4 AP left.
Spent Rage for Serene Blessing


- Hyacinth (Main): HP 176 / Atk 12 / Def 10 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 11 / Spd 12
Speed is 18 after Overdrive...
Change parter to Catherine.
Triple Shell Smash. First attack reduced to 1 AP. The others reduced to 4 AP for a total of 9 AP.
Atk, SpAtk and Spd are all maxed out and Def and SpDef drop 3 stages.
Stats is now: Atk 30 / Def 1 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 2 / Spd 30
Equipped with Holy Guard and Divine Blessing. (Negate the highest dealt damage as well as 50% chance of reducing all other attacks by 50%)
- Insulated Armor (Electric -50%, Paralyze Immunity)
- Holy Talisman (Ghost -50%, Death Immunity)
- Thermal Underwear (Ice -50%, Freeze Immunity)
- Courage Emblem (Dragon -50%, SpDef Debuff Immunity)
- Water Armor (Water -50%, Sleep Immunity)

- Donovan (Main): HP 144 / Atk 14 / Def 5 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 5 / Spd 12
Speed is 22 before the attack due to Serene Blessing and Overdrive
(Blaziken Form): Mirror Move Hyacinth's Shell Smash twice, Fighting Pokebrid Action on self (+1 crit) (Hence he crits 12.5% of the time)
Add (4) to all stats due to Serene Blessing. Atk, SpAtk and is +4, Speed is +6 while Def and Sp.Def drop 2 stages.
Stats is now: Atk 30 / Def 3 / SpAtk 29 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 3 / Spd 34
Armor: Electric (Prlz Immunity), Ground(Spec. Acc Loss Immunity), Rock (Atk loss immunity)

- Marionata (Destroyer): Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12
Saving Rage.
18 speed due to Overdrive?

Pendulum: (GUEST UNIT): Suggest in-character to attack Whitepearl. Otherwise, he can't be controlled.


The following are all pokemon who are going to be attacking near the end of turn (just before Ginnuagagap which should be plausible considering everyone has +10 to speed due to Overdrive and Serene Blessing. The pokemon as well as their trainers are all invincible for this turn.)

Normal: Vicegrip (Pinsir) *Discord's pokemon*
Water: Brine (Huntail) *Discord's pokemon*
Fire: Sacred Fire (Ho-oh) *Shizuka's pokemon*
Ice: Ice Fang (Huntail) *Discord's pokemon*
Dragon: Dual Chop (Haxorus) *Shizuka's pokemon*
Ground: Earthpower (Probopass) *Lucian's pokemon*
Steel: Flash Cannon (Probopass) *Lucian's pokemon*
Rock: Ancientpower (Probopass) *Lucian's pokemon*
Bug: X - Scissor (Pinsir) *Discord's pokemon*
Psychic: Zen Headbutt (Ho-oh) *Shizuka's pokemon*
Fighting: Storm Throw (Pinsir) *Discord's pokemon*
Flying: Acrobatics (Simisear) *Lucian's pokemon*
Poison: Discord herself *See above*
Grass: Natural Gift (Simisear) *Lucian's pokemon* Grass type due to Liechi berry which then becomes lost. *8 BP*
Ghost: Shadow Claw (Simisear) *Lucian's pokemon*
Electric: Thunderbolt (Ho-oh) *Shizuka's pokemon*
Dark: Crunch (Huntail) *Discord's pokemon*

Formation after Pierce and Renny leaves:

[Discord] [Chizuru] [Shizuka/Lucian] [Donovan/Rio] [Hyacinth/Catherine] [Matthias / Mika] [Kiyomi] Pendulum?

Outside formation: Marionatta, Takano

[Astral Harmony]

Armored Bishoujo: "Like I said. Total nightmare. Well, lemme hear it on the edupad or theatre thread as you see fit. I should have the other part of the post up tomorrow, guaranteed. Might even be able to throw in a Haremon post if I'm not a total douche."

-----The Three Stooges Order Phase-----
- Player Formation: [Discord] [Chizuru] [Shizuka/Lucian] [Donovan/Rio] [Hyacinth/Catherine] [Matthias / Mika] [Kiyomi]
- Enemy Formation: [Whitepearl / WP's Shield] [Ginnungagap Mk II (Fire/Ice)]
- Battlefield Effects: Rainstorm
- Player Effects
* Overdrive Device ~ +2 Spd Stages (+6 Spd)
- Catherine (Enforcer/Hyacinth): HP 160/160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 9 / Spd 10 (16) / Rg 4 / AP 12
- Donovan (Main/Blaziken/Fire/Fighting): HP 144/144 / Atk 30 / Def 3 / SpAtk 29 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 3 / Spd 34 / Rg 15 / AP 12 / Crit 12.5%
- Hyacinth: HP 176/176 / Atk 30 / Def 1 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 2 / Spd 30 / Rg 10 / AP 3
- Shizuka (Lucian): HP 160/160 / Atk 17 (21) / Def 20 (24) / SpAtk 13 (17) / SpDef 13 (17) / Spd 17 (27) / Rg 4 / AP 12
- Takano (Sniper): HP 160/160 / Atk 19 / Def 13 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 16 / Spd 19 (25) / Rg 14 / AP 16
- Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160/160 / Atk 9 (13) / Def 12 (16) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 5 (9) / Spd 13 (23) / Rg 14 / AP 18/36
- Rio (Enforcer/Donovan): HP 160/160 / Atk 20 / Def 21 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 13 / Spd 15 (21) / Rg 19 / AP 16
- Mika (Enforcer/Matthias): HP 160/160 / Atk 10 / Def 13 / SpAtk 27 / SpDef 21 / Spd 15 (21) / Rg 4 / AP 16
- Kiyomi (Engineer): HP 85/160 / Atk 17 / Def 20 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 17 / Spd 14 (20) / Rg 4 / AP 16
- Chizuru (Medic): HP 160/160 / Atk 14 / Def 21 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 21 / Spd 13 (19) / Rg 9 / AP 12
- Lucian (Enforcer/Shizuka): HP 160/160 / Atk 13 (17) / Def 11 (15) / SpAtk 9 (13) / SpDef 8 (12) / Spd 13 (19) / Rg 14 / AP 12
- Matthias (Main/Castform/Brightpowder/Leftovers): HP 160/160 / Atk 11 / Def 9 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 9 / Spd 11 (17) / Rg 14 / AP 12
- Giratina (Chizuru/Ghost/Dragon/Telepathy/Griseous Orb): HP 120/120 / Atk 12 / Def 10 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 10 / Spd 10 (16)
- Whitepearl (Boss/Mechanical): Spd 15 / Rg 14 / AP 20/36
- Whitepearl's Shield (Boss/Mechanical): Spd NA / Rg NA / AP NA
- Audino (Chizuru/Normal/Healer/Jaboca Berry/Female): HP 88 / Atk 6 / Def 9 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 9 / Spd 5 (14)
- Marionata (Destroyer): Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12 / Rg 20/100
- Blackpearl (Boss/Mechanical): Spd 12 / Rg NA / AP 20/36
- Blackpearl's Auxilary Weapon (Boss/Mechanical): Spd NA / Rg NA / AP NA
- Ginnungagap Mk II (Boss/Mechanical/Fire/Ice): Spd 10 / Rg 14 / AP 20/36
- Pendulum (Guest/Overblade): HP 90/160 / Atk 16 / Def 15 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 5 / Spd 8 / Rg 7 / AP 16

-----The Three Stooges (Turn 01)-----
- Takano: +25 FoWP on Player Side. Takano's AP is 4.
- Kiyomi (Engineer): Constructs Overdrive Device. Formation SpdLv +2 (+6). Uses Spear Lunge. Whitepearl takes 23 damage. Kiyomi's AP is 4.
"Gawd, it's like trying to stab a solid steel wall," Kiyomi shook her hand rapidly to get rid of the pain. "I've almost never seen armor that strong before."
"And she's not even using that large shield of hers yet," Takano observed. "It looks like she tried to protect herself from your attack with it, but with that Overdrive Device, you were just a little too fast."

- Renny: Pokebrid Action IntFight (+1 Crit). Uses BondTech "Serene Blessing". Renny, Donovan, Discord, Lucian, Shizuka gain Invincible Tx1, +4 Pts to AllStat, and Affliction Imm for Tx2.
- Chizuru: Uses X-Spd on Audino. Chizuru's AP is 4.
- Giratina: Protecting Chizuru.
- Whitepearl: Uses Photonic Blade. Kiyomi takes 75 damage (85). Uses Remote Hack. Whitepearl was not able to hack the Overdrive Device. Whitepearl's AP is 2.
"Looks like Whitepearl can jack my Engineer devices," Kiyomi observed as she scanned her wound. "It probably can't hack Evoliths since there's no actual circuitry in them, but everything else is fair game for her...when she can make it work, that is."

- Audino: Uses Simple Beam on Renny and on Blaziken (Pierce). Chizuru's Rg is 5, AP is 0.
- Renny: Redeploys in other formation.
- Pierce: Redeploys in other formation.
- Catherine: Uses Wicked Hook x2. Whitepearl defends with the shield. Whitepearl's Shield takes 16 damage. Catherine's Rg is 0, AP is 0.
"Motherfucker, that shield is all kinds of solid," Catherine held her right hand to numb out the pain.

- Rio: Uses Bitchslap. Whitepearl cannot defend with the shield. Whitepearl takes 27 damage.
"Sure, I got past the shield, but these robots are extremely durable," Rio grit her teeth. "We're going to have to really bulk up if we want to walk away from this battle."

- Discord: Uses Snake Poison. Ginnungagap Mk II takes no damage.
"If we survive this, I'm probably going to kill Renny and Pierce," Discord sighed.
"I don't think they would've been able to turn the tables on this fight if they were here," Catherine said. "No offense to Shota Boy and Handsome Man, of course."
"No wonder Impact and Charlotte's team was rapidly defeated between when we entered that Gauntlet and before we left the town."

- Matthias: Uses Lucky Chant. Use Rain Dance. Weather has been changed to rain.
- Mika: Uses Aquablast. Whitepearl cannot defend with the shield. Whitepearl takes 143 damage.
"Looks like Whitepearl suffers from a low tolerance for special type attacks," Mika said proudly. "We'll have to be fast to get around that shield, and we'll need considerable special damaging ability."

- Blackpearl: Uses Charge Azure Wail. Azure Wail is charged to 33%. Uses Lock On. Blackpearl is locked on to Donovan with all weapons.
- All Pokemon: Probopass's Earth Power is successful. Ginnungagap Mk II takes 22 damage. Ho-Oh's Zen Headbutt is successful. Ginnungagap Mk II takes 11 damage.
- Ginnungagap MK II: Uses Vile Spray. All attacked units are Invincible.
"It was some kind of Poison type attack," Lucian observed. "Was that it's type? Poison is weak to Ground and Psychic and those are the only types of attacks that got through."
"Okay, but how the hell is Poison related to Ghost and Water?" Discord demanded. "Aw shit, it's changing its types again."

- Ginnungagap Mk II: Uses Configuration Shift. The Type Cores are now red and blue-gray.
"Those are the type colors for Fire and Ice," Rachel said over the Inquiry Visors. "I think I kind of get it. Try using attacks that are effective against the Water type."
"Huh? How do you figure that? Have you figured out its configurations already?" Discord asked.
"I don't wanna say unless this works."

- Pendulum (Guest): Uses Falling Steel. Whitepearl defends with the shield. Whitepearl's Shield takes 1 damage. Whitepearl counters with Rocket Thrust. Pendulum takes 70 damage (90). Pendulum is Enflamed. Pendulum uses Overpower. Pendulum is no longer Enflamed.
"Pendulum, are you okay?" Catherine called out to him.
"That was sad, yo," Discord said.
"It's not like we're superhuman or anything," Pendulum said, ignoring the majority of his pain.

[B]-----Upkeep Phase-----
- Ability: Blaziken's Spd increases by 3.

-----Idenification Phase-----
- Whitepearl Move1 Identified: Photonic Blade ~ 70 Phys/Steel, Crit 25%
- Whitepearl Move3 Identified: Rocket Thrust ~ 60 Spec/Fire, 50% Burn or 50% Enflamed
- Whitepearl Move5 Identified: Remote Hack ~ 70% Hack Engineer Device.
- Whitepearl Ability Identified: Supreme Guard & Counter ~ Incoming damage is transferred to the shield and the unit is counterattacked unless the unit has Speed Edge +1 (attack is shielded but not countered) or Speed Edge +2 (attack is neither shielded nor countered). If the shield is destroyed, there is no transfer of damage, but still a possibility of counterattack if the attacking unit possesses no Speed Edge.
- Blackpearl Move5 Identified: Charge Azure Wail ~ Once per turn. Adds 1/3 charge to Azure Wail, increasing overall damage and effective radius.
- Blackpearl Move6 Identified: Lock On ~ locks onto the target and is able to hit them unless Invincible. The locked on unit is attacked once every turn without AP cost using any of the attack moves. Only one unit can be locked on at a time.
- Ginnungagap Mk II Move1 Identified: Vile Spray ~ Rad1/3E, 80 Spec/Poison, 70% Poison or 30% BadPois. Requires Ghost/Water configuration.
- Ginnungagap Mk II Ability Identified: Strange Guard ~ The attack type and coloration of the Type Cores indicate Ginnungagap's weaknesses. Using attacks that exploit this weakness are the only way to damage it at all.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----The Dynamic Duo Order Phase (Turn 1)-----
- Player Formation: [Renny & His Pokemon?] [Harliette] [Snorlax] [Lola] [Lapras] [Pierce & His Pokemon?]
- Enemy Formation: [Gliskrow] [Kuudere Green] [Skaripper] [Lugia] [Moeni] [Darkrai] [Samantha] [Vanillass] [Dandere Purple] [Cloygonal]
- Harliette (Shock Trooper/Weeping Mode): HP 160/160 / Atk 9(27) / Def 14(32) / SpAtk 8(26) / SpDef 11(29) / Spd 8(26) / Rg Unlimited / AP 18/36
- Kuudere Green (Boss/Human/Flying): HP 3000 / Atk 18 / Def 13 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 21 / Spd 23 / Rg 10/20 / AP 18/36
- Vanillass (Dandere/Ice/Ghost/Ice Body & Snow Cloak): HP 112 / Atk 18 / Def 16 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 17 / Spd 19
- Cloygonal (Dandere/Ice/Water/Levitate & Shell Armor): HP 104 / Atk 15 / Def 22 / SpAtk 18 / SpDef 20 / Spd 18
- Gliskrow (Kuudere/Flying/Dark/Ground/Hyper Cutter & Super Luck): HP 152 / Atk 22 / Def 18 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 13 / Spd 17
- Pierce (Main): HP 192/192 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 8 (12) / Spd 12 (16) / Rg 10 / AP 12/24 / Invincible (Tx1) / Affliction Imm (Tx2)
- Dandere Purple (Boss/Human/Ice): HP 3500 / Atk 15 / Def 19 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 18 / Spd 16 / Rg 10/20 / AP 18/36
- Renny (Main): HP 128/128 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 8 (12) / SpDef 10 (14) / Spd 11 (15) / Rg 2 / AP 24/24 / Crit 33%/50% / Invincible (Tx1) / Affliction Imm (Tx2)
- Blaziken (Pierce/Fire/Fighting): HP 64/64 / Atk 12 (34) / Def 7 (11) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 7 (11) / Spd 8 (15)
- Skarlipper (Kuudere/Flying/Steel/Water/Keen Eye & Sturdy): HP 112 / Atk 13 / Def 25 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 14 / Spd 13
- Darkrai (Moeni/Dark/Bad Dreams): HP 64 / Atk 9 / Def 9 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 9 / Spd 12
- Lola (Medic/Lopunny): HP 144 / Atk 9 / Def 11 / SpAtk 7 / SpDef 9 / Spd 11 / Rg 10/20 / AP 12/24
- Lugia (Moeni/Psychic/Flying/Multiscale): HP 88 / Atk 9 / Def 13 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 16 / Spd 11
- Moeni (Boss/Engineer): HP 2000 / Atk 10 / Def 11 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 10 / Spd 8 / Rg 10/20 / AP 18/36
- Lapras (Lola/Water/Ice/Water Absorb/Leftovers/Female): HP 112 / Atk 8 / Def 9 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 6
- Snorlax (Lola/Normal/Thick Fat/Leftovers/Male): HP 128 / Atk 12 / Def 6 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 12 / Spd 3

"Oh, look, here's comes the dynamic duo of dumbshits," Moeni grinned as Renny and Pierce found their way to this side of the battlefield. "The more, the merrier, I suppose. I can see if Harliette is a danger to her own allies as well."
That worried Pierce. It wasn't that he was scared of an extremely violent and mentally unstable Harliette all that much, but there was the possibility that Harliette might attempt to kill Sam before he could get her out of this mess. He'd have to watch the crazy girl carefully.
When Renny and Pierce arrived, the battle hadn't yet kicked off, except that the battlefield was a little more crowded. Moeni, Kuudere and Dandere had deployed their Pokemon (or Pokeweapons in Kuudere and Dandere's case), and Lola deployed her own. Harliette, perhaps not surprisingly, didn't send out any of her own.

"Mom, what have you done to her?" Lola demanded to know.
"Oh, a little something called Project Weeping Lily," Moeni shrugged. "Post First Successionary War, there was this thing called Project White Lily. It was a colaboration of all the greatest minds in Honmyr for the sole purpose of unraveling the mysteries of the Rezonscape. You see, that war didn't end because Hiroshiho actually lost, though their defeat was mostly assured by that point. The Emperor called an immediate truce when some of his dedicated samurai and ninja soldiers started succumbing to the Rezonscape's effects and becoming Madsoldiers, slaughtering their own fellows. And then he worked with President Andricksen to determine just what the hell happened and what could be done to prevent further problems. Of course, when some of us learned how the Rezonscape could be used to unleash incredible power, some of us scientists created Project Weeping Lily. Basically, we recklessly and mercilessly used human and Pokemon lives to achieve...well, whatever there was to achieve. Creating a god? Merging human intellect with Pokemon ability? We were pretty excited to see the results of each and every experiment. I'm sure you probably know who some of us were."
"Like Reynold Faynoc," Lola guessed correctly.
"Well, I'm not necessarily at liberty to divulge the other names," Moeni said. "Could get some very important people in trouble. Hell, I would bet they open investigations on people from White Lily who never even knew about Weeping Lily, like Jeanette Ricewood and Elizabeth Irons. But I digress. So obviously I was a part of Weeping Lily, and some of my finest experiments were the ones I conducted on my own daughters. That means Moera and Harliette and even you as well."
"You...you did experiments on me?"
"You were too young to remember," Moeni pointed out. "Many of them were conducted while you were still in my womb. Experiments are the most effective when done while the patient's body is still developing."

Lola stared in disbelief, then her gaze hardened. "Harliette?"
"Yeah?"
"Our mother will not leave here alive."
Harliette froze for a second, then resumed her hunched over stance. "I think I'm actually starting to love you, sis."
Moeni sighed, undaunted by the unanimous decision of her two eldest daughters. Her eyes widened and the pupils shrank. Her smile was one of the creepiest one could ever find. "I beckon you to try, but I cannot guarantee how successful you'd be in killing me. I've conducted plenty of experiments on myself, after all, and I'm just dying to test them out on live subjects."

[Menarker]

"Oh, look, here's comes the dynamic duo of dumbshits," Moeni grinned as Renny and Pierce found their way to this side of the battlefield. "The more, the merrier, I suppose. I can see if Harliette is a danger to her own allies as well."

Renny disregarded Moeni's insult as he placed himself in position by her side, Harliette's infusion of Maximum Output looking downright scary
"I hope we're not too late."

Lola and Moeni's conversation went on. Renny already had low expections of Moeni based on his conversation with Lola, but he wasn't ready for the punchline,
"Many of them were conducted while you were still in my womb. Experiments are the most effective when done while the patient's body is still developing..."

Renny watched with agaped shock from the audacity which Moeni bragged about her sheer abuse of motherhood.
"... That's... just vile! Experimenting on your own unborn children? With essence of the Rezonscape which rob the sanity of many of the most veteran of war soldiers? You're hopelessly depraved."

He took another look at the enemy formation. Lots of experimented pokemon, a few legendaries, the remaining Dere darlings and a Flareon pokebrid.

"Pierce, your sister is that Flareon pokebrid over there, right?"
"Yep, that's my Sam." Pierce nodded, then turned to Harliette with a threatening look.
"Harliette, I know you're kind of on a drug-induced power trip right now, but I want you to know that if you kill or cripple my sister, I'll kill you. Superpowers or no."
"No offense to Harliette, but I'd rather not gamble on her ability to resist her violent drug-fueled urges. Let's get Sam out of the way first. Lola, can you please see if you can put her to sleep so she doesn't look like a target?

"Moeni..." Sam spoke up with a sad look. "Please don't hurt my brother. Just knock him out and let me handle him, will you?" She pleaded with the mad scientist.
Pierce rolled his eyes and sighed. "Sorry Sam, but you're the one who's getting knocked out." He released Enmakki from its Pokeball and entered the fray himself.
"Enmakki, use your Dark Abyss and try not to traumatize my sister, alright?"
"Of course, Lord." Came the telepathic response.

Renny looked at Enmakki for a moment with an expression of honest surprise as he looked quickly at the scouter results. "Enmakki, uh? That's... new." He then however paid more attention to what was in front of them.
"Lola, Pierce, most of these enemies seem to be weak to rock types, so I'm going to see if we can take advantage of that soon. With exception to Sam, of course."
Renny recalled Togekiss, as he himself landed on the ground, and called Mollesk to the field, his pokeball doing a special lightshow as it opened.
Renny looked to his left where his good friend Snorlax stood nearby Lola. "Hey, Snorlax. Got something for you!"
Using his Gallade's psychic side, he exerted some effort into switching their respective abilities, although he consciously chose to switch for 'Immunity' instead of the more tactically advantageous, 'Thick Fat'.

"I don't care that it would help me resist ice attacks better. I'd be so embarrassed if I suddenly went obese in front of Lola and everyone else! What would they think!?"

He then addressed the two Dere Darlings, "You guys really should quit before you get hurt. We already completely overpowered the other four Dere Darlings during our Gauntlet match before they could even attack. "

Renny was then wondering inside. "Wait a moment... why is Moeni even here? Is she even a Rocket or a Harbinger?..."

"Lola, did I mishear about her being Moera's mother? Remember back in Millennium House? Mio said that Moera's father was Faynoc. She also said that her mother hid in Black Cradle when the two of them went estranged and that she was the reason that Team Rocket or any other third party could interact with a recluse like Faynoc. Whitepearl was also in Millennium House just prior to it being destroyed. I think she also knows where Myrie is! We can probably find out where Black Cradle is in whatever transport she was going to leave from."

Renny's eyes then lifted his scouter from above his eyes and fixed an uncharacteristically reproachful glare at Moeni, staring down her wicked soul. The Gallade would not let her run free after all she had done.


--------------------
Battle plan (Moeni's side)

Order Phase:
Renny: Trainer Action (Steadfast Expertise on Mollesk, granting Debuff and status immunity for 1 turn)
Renny: Psychic Pokebrid action on Gliskrow (Confuse Ray) Giskrow is confused!


Harliette: HP 160/160 / Atk 9(27) / Def 14(32) / SpAtk 8(26) / SpDef 11(29) / Spd 8(26) / Rg Unlimited / AP 18/36
Uncontrollable

Renny: Ability (Simple) HP 128/128 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 8 (12) / SpDef 10 (14) / Spd 11 (15) / Rg 2 / AP 24/24 / Crit 33%/50% / Invincible (Tx1) / Affliction Imm (Tx2)
Skill Swap with Snorlax *Trading Simple for Immunity* (6 AP)
Mean Look on Moeni. (6 AP)
Use Rage Rocket on Lola. (4 AP)
AP = 2 after Mollesks three attacks (12 AP total)

Enmakki - Hitpoints: 96 / Atk 8 / Def 10 / Spc Atk 14 / Spc Def 12 / Spd 13
Ability: Magic Guard. Item: Life Orb. Typing: Psychic/Dark
Divided Dark Abyss on Skaripper and Lugia. (100% base accuracy, 2 adjacent targets, Inflict Sleep and Nightmare (Target loses 25% of HP per turn while asleep, same as pokemon move of same name)

Lola - Ability: Cloud Nine - Stats: HP 144 / Atk 8 / Def 11 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 11 / Spd 10 Rg 10/20 / AP 12/24
Has 15 rage after Renny's Rage Rocket
Switched to Altaria form (Stats noted above)
Altaria Song sync tech on Darkrai, Sam and Vanillass. (Down to 3 Rage)
X speed on Snorlax. (2 AP total)
Tailwind on slot location where Lola herself and Lapras are. (Speed is boosted to 20 after Tailwind) (6 AP)
Ap = 0 after Snorlax attacks once (4AP)

Lapras: - Stats: HP 112 / Atk 8 / Def 9 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 6
- Ability / Item / Gender: Water Absorb / Leftovers / Female
Protecting Lola.
Speed boosted to 12 after Lola's Tailwind


Snorlax: - Stats: HP 128 / Atk 12 / Def 6 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 12 / Spd 3
- Ability / Item / Gender: Thick Fat and Immunity / Leftovers / Male
Defense Curl. (Increase Defense to 12 thanks to Simple and double the power of future Rollout attacks)
Speed boosted to 9 due to Lola's X Speed and Simple)


Blaziken - HP 64/64 / Atk 12 (34) / Def 7 (11) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 7 (11) / Spd 8 (15) Invincible (Tx1) / Affliction Imm (Tx2)
Mirror Move on Snorlax's Defense Curl (Increase Defense to 14 and double the power of future Rollout attacks), Focus Energy (33% Crit to all hits)


Mollesk - Hitpoints: 104 / Atk 10 / Def 23 / Spc Atk 0 / Spc Def 23 / Spd 0 Rg 10/20 / AP 12/24 Light Screen (Tx1) Reflect (Tx1)
Equipped with Lum Berry. Ability (Simple, Sturdy)
Rock Polish (Boosts Speed to 12), Cosmic Power (Boost both defenses to 29)
EDIT: Cosmic Power to boost both defenses to 35. Remaining AP for Renny is 2.


Pierce (Main): HP 192/192 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 8 (12) / Spd 12 (16) / Rg 10 / AP 12/24 / Invincible (Tx1) / Affliction Imm (Tx2)
His pokemon is doing the work.
Down to 0 AP after his pokemon attacks. (3 attacks for 4 AP) 5 rage spent on Enmakki doing Divided Dark Abyss

[Menarker]

Double-posting on Aldurin's and Relm's behalf.
-------------------------------------------------------

When Donovan's invincibility wore off, his Inquiry Visor emitted a beep and a Lock-On warning popped up in the screen, followed by Blackpearl's weapons being individually highlighted in rapid succession.
"Well shit, something actually knows how to identify and deal with a threat."
He had also picked up on the conversation about the types puzzle and the gimmick suddenly struck him.
"Trainers, go nuts with your Pokemon on this and follow Rachel's recommendations for type! Matthias, go full offense and put a dent in Whitepearl!"
He turned to Hyacinth to find her already moving to attack Whitepearl, and saw the solution to his current problem. In a split second he switched to Ninjask form and almost seemed to teleport to Whitepearl before laying into her with the capacitor rod, the electrical arc being almost unable to keep up with the rod itself. He then tried to aim his backstep so that he could use Whitepearl as cover from Blackpearl while Hyacinth held White down, bringing up Protect just in case.


Hyacinth watched the battle going on, although having less interest in Ginnugagap and more interest in the other fighter. Whitepearl seemed like a particularly interesting target, good at fighting and parrying, weak to water and special moves.
"So, I trust you guys have the puzzle all figured out then?"
Without really looking at her group and already in stride towards Whitepearl, she let out a laugh acknowledging her team probably could handle the situaiton.
"Good, because I think I just found me a real fight."
The woman spread her wings, and sped right off up to the ceiling at a speed that almost broke the sound barrier.

She perched up there and stared down at Whitepearl momentarily, giving a psychic connection to Catherine.
~This is Hyacinth, I'm about to pin down the White Knight. I'm going to provde you an opportunity to disarm her and land some strikes. Ideally she'll never get free as I pry her armor open like a delicious lobster shell.~
Hyacinth narrowed her eyes as a grin spread across her face, bending back for a lunging dive.
"You know, we have scouters for this kind of thing..." ~I don't have time to fiddle with these buttons and shenanigans, there's lobster to be had!~

Hyacinth immediately slammed down from the ceiling right atop Whitepearl with the full brunt of her weight. The dragoness swung her arms up and around the armpits of Whitepearl. The shield posed little barrier to her as Hyacinth dug her teeth into the neck despite the flailing protests of the opposition. As she stumbled forward and let out an exhale to reconfigure her focus behind her to the new threat, that torrent of water swirled to life underneath them, almost like the sea was gripping forcefully at her legs.

"Whitepearl huh? You aren't so shiny and white for a real pearl are you now? How about we stuff you back in your shell and sink you to the bottom of the black sea for ten thousand years, maybe that'll fix you up nice and proper."
Hyacinth held the shield arm and cannon arm out of the way, Whitepearl's now vulnerable chest exposed to a more sustained line of assault. She spread out her wings to catch air and keep her balanced and rooted to the ground with her legs while her tail pressured the back of Whitepearls knee forcefully, beginning to force her to fall forward onto her knees.

----------------------------------------

Glossary: EDN (Everybody Dance Now!) Rio's Sig-tech

Order Phase!
Some pokemon switched out (pokemon sent out are in data below)
Hyacinth: Uses External pokebrid action (Ice) to attempt to inflict Frostbite on Whitepearl.
Donovan: Uses External Flying type pokebrid action. +1 radius?


- Takano (Sniper): HP 160 / Atk 19 / Def 13 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 16 / Spd 19
Uses Smokebomb Arrow twice. +50 FoW (Total of 75%).
Speed is 25 with Kiyomi's Overdrive device.
Has 50% evasion to everything
Altered stats after EDN: Atk 22 / Def 15 / SpAtk 16 / SpDef 19 / Spd 22 (28 with Overdrive)

Rio (Donovan): HP 160 / Atk 20 / Def 21 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 13 / Spd 15
Speed is 21 with Overdrive Device
Uses "Everybody Dance Now! tech. Rio becomes dance-fixated and entire formation gets +1 to all stats.
Altered stats after EDN
ATK 23 / Def 24 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 16 / Spd 18 (24 with Overdrive)


- Chizuru (Medic): HP 160 / Atk 14 / Def 21 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 21 / Spd 13
Speed is 19 after Overdrive.
Stats after EDN: Atk 17 / Def 24 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 24 / Spd 16 (22 with overdrive)
Chizuru uses Healing Potion on Kiyomi and Pendulum (adjacent to each other). 50% restore. (Cost 2 AP)
Meganium uses Reflect and Light Screen on Chizuru and pokemon. (8 AP)
Meganium acts as protector for Chizuru.

Meganium: - Stats: HP 72 / Atk 8 / Def 10 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 11 / Spd 8 (14 Overdrive)
- Ability / Item / Gender: Leaf Guard / Rowap Berry / Female
If hit by a special type move, then Rowap Berry disappears and foe loses 12.5% of max health (obviously due to enemies being bosses, this will be reduced)


Donovan: Base Stats : HP 144 / Atk 14 / Def 5 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 5 / Spd 12
Speed is 22 before the attack due to Serene Blessing and Overdrive
Stats is now: Atk 30 / Def 3 / SpAtk 29 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 3 / Spd 34
Armor: Electric (Prlz Immunity), Ground(Acc Loss Immunity), Rock (Atk loss immunity)
Uses External Flying type pokebrid action (plus 1 radius)
Activates Vanishing Blur (Effects: +(9) Spd, +2 Evasion, +2 Accuracy
For the next two turns, act as if you were taking two full turns instead of one.)
For two turns, Stats become: Atk 30 / Def 3 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 3 / Spd 37 (43 with Overdrive) (with +20% increased chance of evading and hitting)
Attacks Whitepearl with Capacitor Rod; 18 POW, Electric type
(Turn 2.5) Uses External Flying type action again and uses Capacitor rod on Whitepearl (again), then uses Protect to attempt to prevent damage for rest of turn.
STRATEGEM SHIFT: Donovan attempts to maneuver himself so that Whitepearl is between Blackpearl and himself, in attempt to draw fire to Whitepearl instead of himself (should be easier with Hyacinth getting up in Whitepearl's grill).



Hyacinth:HP 176 / Atk 12 / Def 10 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 11 / Spd 12 (18 Overdrive)
Change partner to Catherine.
Stats with EDN and Triple Shell Smash is now: Atk 33 / Def 4 / SpAtk 32 / SpDef 5 / Spd 33 (39 with Overdrive)
Equipped with Holy Guard and Divine Blessing. (Negate the highest dealt damage as well as 50% chance of reducing all other attacks by 50%)
- Insulated Armor (Electric -50%, Paralyze Immunity)
- Holy Talisman (Ghost -50%, Death Immunity)
- Thermal Underwear (Ice -50%, Freeze Immunity)
- Courage Emblem (Dragon -50%, SpDef Debuff Immunity)
- Water Armor (Water -50%, Sleep Immunity)
(Sub first so that any shenanigans hit sub first)
Substitute + Clamp + Whirlpool (12 AP used due to reducing cost of attacks. BP of both Clamp and Whirlpool is dropped 8 points lower.)
Substitute cuts off 25% of Hyacinth's hitpoints and uses it as a shield.
Clamp and Whirlpool are STAB and SE and boosted by rain 1.5x. Due to Hyacinth's high speed, it is safe to assume that their accuracy is 100%. Additionally, due to Hyacinth's partner being Catherine, her crit rate is 100% due to her high speed.

- Catherine (Hyacinth): HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 9 / Spd 10 *PRIORITY ATTACK*
Speed is 16 after Overdrive.
Stats after EDN: Atk 14 / Def 17 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 12 / Spd 13 (19 with Overdrive)
Wicked Hook once on Whitepearl. 2x STAB. 4 AP instead of 8. Attacks after Hyacinth does her actions.


Matthias:
Hitpoints 144 / Atk 9 / Def 10 / SpAtk 11 (17 Mika) / SpDef 10 / Spd 9
Stats after EDN is: Atk 12 / Def 13 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 13 / Spd 12 (18 Overdrive)
Uses Normal pokebrid action to gain rage.
Due to Rainy conditions, Matthias and the move Weatherball are both Water type.
Has these benefits due to Mika being his enforcer
1. Magical Afterbite ~ Status Counter 100%
2. Special Assault ~ SpAtk +2
3. Sublime Barrier ~ 50% Full S-Gd
Uses Weatherball twice on Whitepearl. SE, STAB, 10 POW, Rain damage bonus 1.5x


- Mika (Matthias): HP 160 / Atk 10 / Def 13 / SpAtk 27 / SpDef 21 / Spd 15
Speed is 21 after Overdrive.
Stats after EDN: Atk 13 / Def 16 / SpAtk 30 / SpDef 24 / Spd 18 (24 with Overdrive)
Aquablast twice. 1.5x STAB and Rain Dance boost. 0 AP left.


- Shizuka (Lucian): HP 160 / Atk 17 / Def 20 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 13 / Spd 17
Speed is 23 after Overdrive
Stats after Serene Blessing is: Atk 21 / Def 24 / SpAtk 17 / SpDef 17 / Spd 21 (27 Overdrive)
Stats after EDN: Atk 24 / Def 27 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 20 / Spd 24 (30 Overdrive)
Allegion uses electric attack.
Allegion: Tail Glow, Thunder Crush twice (used up all AP)
Zoroark: Does nothing, but looks like Golurk (Ground/Ghost) when on field, gambling on the chance to causes the opponent to use an ineffective attack like a dark type move.

Leader Allegion (Legendary Bug / Electric)
- Stats: HP 80 / Atk 10 / Def 8 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 8 / Spd 16
- Ability / Item: Volt Absorb / Alastor (Electric Pwrx1.5, Paralysis %x2)
- Atks: Thunder Crush (Rad1/2E, 10 Spec/Electric, 100% Acc, 30% Paralysis)
Stats after Serene Blessing and EDN and Tail Glow is: Atk 17 / Def 15 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 15 / Spd 23 (29 Overdrive)

Zoroark (Legendary Dark)
- Stats: HP 56 / Atk 10 / Def 6 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 6 / Spd 10
- Ability / Item / Gender: Illusion / Wise Glasses / Female
Stats after Serene Blessing and EDN is: Atk 17 / Def 14 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 14 / Spd 17 (23 Overdrive)

- Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160 / Atk 9 / Def 12 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 5 / Spd 13
Speed is 19 after Overdrive.
Stats after Serene Blessing is: Atk 13 / Def 16 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 9 / Spd 17 (23 Overdrive)
Stats after EDN: Atk 16 / Def 19 / SpAtk 18 / SpDef 12 / Spd 20 (26 Overdrive)
Simisage and Zebstrika (Grass and Electric on Ginnu)
Zebstrika uses Wild Charge 3 times. Simisage uses Energy Ball once. (total of 16 AP)

Zebstrika (Electric) (Leader)
- Stats: HP 64 / Atk 11 / Def 6 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 6 / Spd 12
- Ability / Item / Gender: Sap Sipper and Motor Drive / Shell Bell / Female
Stats due to Serene Blessing and EDN is now: Atk 18 / Def 13 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 13 / Spd 19 (25 overdrive)

Simisage (Grass)
- Stats: HP 64 / Atk 10 / Def 6 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 6 / Spd 11
- Ability / Item / Gender: Gluttony / Liechi Berry / Male
Stats due to Serene Blessing and EDN is now: Atk 17 / Def 13 / SpAtk 17 / SpDef 13 / Spd 18 (24 overdrive)


- Lucian (Hyacinth Shizuka): HP 160 / Atk 13 / Def 11 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 8 / Spd 9
Speed is 15 after Overdrive.
Stats after Serene Blessing is: Atk 17 / Def 15 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 12 / Spd 13 (19 Overdrive)
Stats after EDN: ATK 20 / Def 18 / SpATK 16 / SpDef 15 / Spd 16 (22 Overdrive)
Partner up with Shizuka.
Ampharos uses Discharge 3 times (Have Probopass nearby to absorb the backlash) (12 AP spent)

Ampharos (Electric) - Stats: HP 88 / Atk 7 / Def 7 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 9 / Spd 6
- Ability / Item / Gender: Static / Wise Glasses / Female
Stats due to Serene Blessing and EDN is now: Atk 14 / Def 14 / SpAtk 18 / SpDef 16 / Spd 13 (19 Overdrive)

Probopass (Rock / Steel)
- Stats: HP 56 / Atk 5 / Def 14 / SpAtk 7 / SpDef 17 / Spd 4
- Ability / Item / Gender: Sand Force / Air Balloon / Male
Stats due to Serene Blessing and EDN is now: Atk 12 / Def 21 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 24 / Spd 11 (17 Overdrive, but he's not actually acting this turn.)


Pendulum: HP 90/160 / Atk 16 / Def 15 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 5 / Spd 8 / Rg 7 / AP 16
Stats after EDN: Atk 19 / Def 18 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 8 / Spd 11 (17 with Overdrive)
Does whatever he thinks is best. Whitepearl if he can't come up with anything useful on his own.


- Kiyomi (Engineer): HP (85/160) / Atk 17 / Def 20 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 17 / Spd 14
If any of the mechanical foes die at any time, Kiyomi gains 4 rage.
Speed is 20 after her device is active.
Javalin (For Astral properties) Dismantles Overdrive Booster (Just before Whitepearl's actions) and gains 5 rage back.
Stats after EDN: Atk 20 / Def 23 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 20 / Spd 17 (23 with Overdrive)

Marionata: Saving rage for Kinetic Golem next turn.

[Astral Harmony]

-----The Three Stooges Order Phase (Turn 02)-----
- Player Formation: [Discord] [Chizuru (Protected)] [Shizuka/Lucian] [Donovan/Rio] [Hyacinth/Catherine] [Matthias/Mika] [Kiyomi]
- Enemy Formation: [Whitepearl Alpha] [Ginnungagap Mk II (Fire/Flying)]
[B]- Battlefield Effects ~ Rainstorm
- Player Effects
* Everybody Dance Now! ~ AllStat +1 Stage
- Order of Actions
* Catherine (Enforcer/Hyacinth): HP 160/160 / Atk 11 (14) / Def 14 (17) / SpAtk 6 (9) / SpDef 9 (12) / Spd 10 (13) / Rg 8/20 / AP 20/24
* Donovan (Main/Blaziken/Fire/Fighting): HP 144/144 / Atk 30 / Def 3 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 3 / Spd 12 (28) (37 Tx2) / Rg 19/20 / AP 32/48 (24/48 Tx1) / Acc +20% (Tx1) / Eva +20% (Tx1) / Crit 12.5%
* Hyacinth (Main): HP 132/176 (Sub = 44) / Atk 30 (33) / Def 1 (4) / SpAtk 29 (32) / SpDef 2 (5) / Spd 30 (33) / Rg 14/20 / AP 15/24
* Shizuka (Lucian): HP 63/160 / Atk 17 (24) / Def 20 (27) / SpAtk 13 (20) / SpDef 13 (20) / Spd 17 (24) / Rg 8/20 / AP 24/24
* Allegion (Shizuka/Bug/Electric/Volt Absorb/Alastor): HP 80/80 / Atk 10 (17) / Def 8 (15) / SpAtk 13 (23) / SpDef 8 (15) / Spd 16 (29)
* Takano (Sniper): HP 160/160 / Atk 19 (22) / Def 13 (15) / SpAtk 13 (16) / SpDef 16 (19) / Spd 19 (22) / Rg 18/20 / AP 12/24
* Whitepearl Alpha (Boss/Neo-Mechanical): Spd 25 (22) / Hyacinth = Clamp & Whirlpool (Tx3)
* Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160/160 / Atk 9 (16) / Def 12 (19) / SpAtk 11 (18) / SpDef 5 (12) / Spd 13 (20) / Rg 18/20 / AP 20/36
* Zebstrika (Discord/Electric/Sap Sipper & Motor Drive/Shell Bell/Female): HP 16/64 / Atk 11 (18) / Def 6 (13) / SpAtk 8 (15) / SpDef 6 (13) / Spd 12 (19)
* Rio (Enforcer/Donovan): HP 160/160 / Atk 20 (23) / Def 21 (24) / SpAtk 11 (14) / SpDef 13 (16) / Spd 15 (18) / Rg 9/20 / AP 24/24
* Mika (Enforcer/Matthias): HP 160/160 / Atk 10 (13) / Def 13 (16) / SpAtk 27 (30) / SpDef 21 (24) / Spd 15 (18) / Rg 8/20 / AP 12/24
* Simisage (Discord/Grass/Gluttony/Liechi Berry/Male): HP 64/64 / Atk 10 (17) / Def 6 (13) / SpAtk 10 (17) / SpDef 6 (13) / Spd 11 (18)
* Zoroark (Shizuka/Dark): HP 56/56 / Atk 10 (17) / Def 6 (12) / SpAtk 13 (20) / SpDef 6 (14) / Spd 10 (17)
* Kiyomi (Engineer): HP 160/160 / Atk 17 (20) / Def 20 (23) / SpAtk 12 (15) / SpDef 17 (20) / Spd 14 (17) / Rg 13/20 / AP 20/24
* Chizuru (Medic): HP 160/160 / Atk 14 (17) / Def 21 (24) / SpAtk 11 (14) / SpDef 21 (24) / Spd 13 (16) / Rg 13/20 / AP 14/24 / W-Gd 50% (Tx4) / Protected
* Lucian (Enforcer/Shizuka): HP 76/160 / Atk 13 (20) / Def 11 (18) / SpAtk 9 (16) / SpDef 8 (15) / Spd 13 (16) / Rg 18/20 / AP 8/24 / Eject (Tx1)
* Matthias (Main/Castform (Water)/Brightpowder/Leftovers): HP 160/160 / Atk 19 (12) / Def 10 (13) / SpAtk 11 (20) / SpDef 10 (13) / Spd 9 (12) / Rg 19/20 / AP 24/24
* Ampharos (Lucian/Electric/Static/Wise Glasses/Female): HP 0/88 / Atk 7 (14) / Def 7 (14) / SpAtk 11 (18) / SpDef 9 (16) / Spd 6 (13)
* Marionata (Destroyer): Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12 / Rg 60/100
* Probopass (Lucian/Rock/Steel/Sand Force/Air Balloon/Male): HP 56/56 / Atk 5 (12) / Def 14 (21) / SpAtk 7 (14) / SpDef 17 (24) / Spd 4 (11)
* Pendulum (Guest/Overblade): HP 160/160 / Atk 16 (19) / Def 15 (18) / SpAtk 6 (9) / SpDef 5 (8) / Spd 8 (11) / Rg 11/20 / AP 24/24
* Giratina (Chizuru/Ghost/Dragon/Telepathy/Griseous Orb): HP 120/120 / Atk 12 / Def 10 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 10 / Spd 10
* Meganium (Chizuru): HP 72 / Atk 8 / Def 10 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 11 / Spd 8 / W-Gd 50% (Tx4) / Protecting Chizuru

-----The Three Stooges (Turn 02)-----
- Donovan: Uses External Flying Pokebrid Action. The Radius Stage of his attacks has increased. His attacks will affect both Whitepearl and Ginnungagap.
- Takano: Uses Smokebomb Arrow (x2). FoW PlayerSide is 75%.
- Rio: Uses Signature Technique "Everybody Dance Now!". AllStat+1 for PlayerSide. BGM has changed to C'mon Everybody!.
- Chizuru: Uses Healing Potion (x2). Kiyomi's HP +50% (160). Pendulum's HP +50% (160).
- Meganium (Chizuru): Uses Light Screen. Uses Reflect. Chizuru & Meganium W-Gd 50% (Tx5).
- Donovan: Uses Capacitor Rod (x2). Whitepearl cannot defend or counter. 18BP + 29SpAtk = 47Dam x 1.5APM x 2SE x 2#Atks = 282Dam - (10Def x 2#Atks) = 262Dam (Whitepearl). The attack strikes Ginnungagap's vulnerability. 18BP + 29SpAtk = 47Dam x 1.5APM x 2SE x 2#Atks = 282Dam - (10Def x 2#Atks) = 262Dam (Ginnungagap). Donovan uses Protect. Donovan is protecting himself. Donovan attempts to catch Whitepearl in an attack from Blackpearl's Auxilary Weapon intended for him (Strategem Shift).

Donovan noticed that Blackpearl's lock on was intended for that shoulder-mounted cannon on her left shoulder. It followed him perfectly even when he managed to get Whitepearl between the gun and himself. Blackpearl refused to try and get an open shot and risk losing the protection she had, but the Auxilary Weapon wouldn't fire. It was less than what Donovan hoped, but probably better than what he expected. At least he wasn't getting cheap shotted.

Hyacinth then immediately slammed down from the ceiling right atop Whitepearl with the full brunt of her weight, and at that dizzying speed, Whitepearl couldn't even turn around, much less bring up her shield. The dragoness swung her arms up and around the armpits of Whitepearl. The shield posed little barrier to her as Hyacinth dug her teeth into the neck despite the flailing protests of the opposition...and found it to be difficult to rip into even with the Atk bonuses. Whitepearl flailed around with the strength and ferocity of a colossus trying to throw off a young boy, while Hyacinth's torrent of water swirled to life underneath them, almost like the sea was gripping forcefully at her legs.

"Whitepearl huh? You aren't so shiny and white for a real pearl are you now? How about we stuff you back in your shell and sink you to the bottom of the black sea for ten thousand years, maybe that'll fix you up nice and proper."

Whitepearl said nothing.

Hyacinth held the shield arm and cannon arm out of the way, Whitepearl's now vulnerable chest exposed to a more sustained line of assault. She spread out her wings to catch air and keep her balanced and rooted to the ground with her legs while her tail pressured the back of Whitepearls knee forcefully, beginning to force her to fall forward onto her knees.

- Hyacinth: Uses Substitute. 176 x .25 = 44 Damage (Hyacinth's HP: 132). Substitute has 44 HP. Uses Clamp. Whitepearl cannot defend or counter. -4BP + 33Atk = 33Dam x 1.5APM x 1.5STAB x 2SE x 1.5Rain x 2Crit = 392Dam - 30Def = 362Dam (Whitepearl / Tx4). Uses Whirlpool. -4BP + 32SpAtk = 28Dam x 1.5APM x 1.5STAB x 2SE x 1.5Rain x 2Crit = 378Dam - 10SpDef = 368 damage (Whitepearl / Tx4). Whitepearl cannot be protected.

For all the anguish Hyacinth was inflicting, Whitepearl was taking it like a champion, and wasn't giving an inch of ground. It was like...Whitepearl was actually enjoying taking damage. Something was up.

- Catherine: Uses Wicked Hook. Whitepearl cannot defend or counter. 18BP + 14Atk = 32 x 1.5APM x 2D-STAB = 96Dam - 30Def = 66 damage (Whitepearl).
- Matthias: Uses Internal Normal Pokebrid Action. Rage +1. Uses Weather Ball (x2). Whitepearl cannot defend or counter. 10BP + 20SpAtk = 30Dam x 1.5APM x 2SE x 1.5Rain = 135Dam - 10SpDef = 125 damage (Whitepearl).
- Mika: Uses Aquablast (x2). Whitepearl cannot defend or counter. 18BP + 30SpAtk = 48Dam x 1.5APM x 1.5STAB x 2SE x 1.5Rain x 2#Atks = 648 - (10Def x 2#Atks) = 628 damage (Whitepearl).

"Damage threshold exceeding fifty percent," Whitepearl reported in monotone like it wasn't a big deal that a badass giant mecha girl was more than halfway destroyed in less than two turns. "Attempting to restore energy to vital systems...error...gzzz..."
Moeni sighed. "Again? You guys are really good at breaking my robots," she said more to Hyacinth than anyone else.
"Goddammit!" Whitepearl shouted as she ditched her sword and shield and grasped at her face as though trying to force down a sudden headache.

- Whitepearl: Uses Alpha Configuration Mode. Physical Attribute has shifted. Attacks, Abilities and Signature Techniques have been altered. All statistics have greatly increased.

This was the most boring striptease ever. Whitepearl's armor simply uncoupled and slid off of her body. Then she moved with a sudden speed that dislodged Hyacinth, grabbed her by one of her legs, and hurled her with inhuman strength, forcing Lucian to ditch his weapons and quickly catch the flying girl. When Whitepearl finally brought her other hand down...she put up her dukes. The only clothing left on her bleached-white body was in her gauntlets and boots. There was also some strange third dimensional sunburst-shaped emblem just above her chest. "I shall now initiate the administration of extremely violent beatings upon the collective posteriors of you all," Whitepearl no longer spoke in monotone. "Both the good and bad kind of beatings, of course, for I am nothing if not thorough."

What...

The...

Fuck?

Lucian set Hyacinth back on the ground. "What did you do to her exactly, Miss Hyacinth?" he asked her, retrieving his large three-bladed axe and shotgun.

"When you overstimulate my robot guardians, except for Ginnungagap of course, they sort of...awaken," Moeni shrugged. "They have legitimate personalities and whatnot, but because it makes them unpredictable, I have some black boxes in place to suppress their natural thinking. You must've beaten her ass so badly that the black boxes shorted out. Oh well. Enjoy what you've brought on yourselves."

- Allegion (Shizuka): Uses Tailglow. SpAtk +9. Uses Thunder Crush (x2). Whitepearl Alpha cannot evade or counter. 10BP + 29SpAtk = 39Dam x 1.5APM x 1.5STAB x .5IE x 2#Atks = 88Dam - (50SpDef x #2Atks) = 0 Damage (Whitepearl Alpha). The attack hits Ginnungagap's vulnerability. 10BP + 29SpAtk = 39Dam x 1.5APM x 1.5STAB x 2SE x 2#Atks = 351Dam - (10SpDef x 2#Atks) = 331 damage (Ginnungagap).

"Whitepearl is no longer vulnerable to Electric attacks," Shizuka reported. "I think we might be in for a grueling fight."

- Zoroark (Shizuka): Tries to make the enemy believe it is Golurk (Stratagem Shift).
- Zebstrika (Discord): Uses Wild Charge (x3). It hits Ginnungagap's vulnerability. 9BP + 16SpAtk = 25Dam x 1.5APM x 1.5STAB x .5IE x 3#Atks = 85Dam - (70Def x 3#Atks) = 0 damage (Whitepearl Alpha). Zebstrika takes 48 damage (Zebstrika's HP = 16).

"This must have been how Impact's team was so badly and rapidly beaten," Discord observed. "It think it's our turn to be dragged through the slaughterhouse."

- Simisage (Discord): Uses Energy Ball. The attack hits Ginnungagap's vulnerability. 8BP + 17SpAtk = 25Dam x 1.5APM x 1.5STAB x 2SE = 113Dam - 10SpDef = 103 damage (Ginnungagap).
- Whitepearl Alpha: Uses Wild Charge. The next hit is going to hurt! Uses Nephilim Sledge. Whitepearl is preparing a rather nasty attack.

- Ampharos (Lucian): Uses Discharge (x3). Whitepearl evades and counters! 120BP + 80Atk = 200Dam - 14Def = Ampharos takes 186 damage (Faints). It hits Ginnungagap's vulnerability. 8Pwr + 18SpAtk = 26Dam x 2SE = 52Dam - 10SpDef = 42 damage (Ginnungagap). Probopass absorbs the backlash (Activates Overdrive). Lucian only uses 4 AP.
- Pendulum (NPC): Uses Ionic Grenade (Electric/Spec). It hits Ginnungagap's vulnerability. 18BP + 9SpAtk = 27Dam x 2SE = 54 damage (Ginnungagap).

"Hey, you can't take that! Give it back, Marionata!"
"My apologies, Police Chief Jenny, but it's all for our success," Marionata said as she telekinetically hurled a police armored van closer to her. "I should be able to create a decent Kinetic Golem from the van and Whitepearl's sword and shield."

- Blackpearl: Uses Lock On. Blackpearl's Auxilary Weapon is locked onto Lucian! Uses Charge Azure Wail. Blackpearl's Azure Wail Cannon is charged to 66%!
- Ginnungagap Mk 2: Maneuvers to get Donovan and Hyacinth into its targeting zone (Stratagem Shift) Uses Aquacalypse. 80BP + 30SpAtk = 110Dam - 13SpDef = Shizuka takes 97 damage (63). Shizuka avoids being ejected! Donovan protects himself! Lucian protects Hyacinth! Uses Configuration Shift. The colors in the corespheres are red and sky blue.

"Fire and Flying," Rachel said. "I don't get it. Maybe fire from the sky? Lightning?"

- Rachel: Identifies the Ginnungagap Mk II's type as Electric.

"Listen carefully."

Only a very few people recognized the voice that came over the Inquiry Visor. Sexy? What does she want?

"Those two mechanical women. They have human brains inside their head cases. If you can damage the one called Whitepearl a little bit more, you might then have a chance of destroying her by sniping the head."

If they really did have human minds, it might also be possible to affect them with Sleep or Confusion or perhaps even Love. If they didn't try something, they were going to eat the wrath of two overpowered robot girls on the very next turn.

-----Upkeep Phase (Turn 02)-----
- Auxilary Weapon: Uses Funnel Blast. 60BP + 39SpAtk = 99Dam - 15SpDef = Lucian takes 84 damage (76). Lucian has been ejected!

-----Idenification Phase (Turn 02)-----
- Whitepearl Alpha's Move3 Idenified ~ Wild Charge: W-Atk +6, Acc 100% and Crit 100% for next damaging move or SignTech. Counterattacks do not count.
- Whitepearl Alpha's Ability Idenified ~ Supreme Evade & Counter: Whitepearl Alpha will attempt to evade and counter unless the offending unit has Speed Edge +1 (attack is evaded but not countered) or Speed Edge +2 (attack is neither evaded nor countered).
- Blackpearl's Move2 Identified ~ Funnel Blast: 60 Spec/Flying, 50% Eject
- Ginnungagap Mk II's Move3 Identified ~ Aquacalypse (Fire/Ice): Rad1/3E, 80 Spec/Water, 30% Eject

Strategy Notes...

- Donovan and Hyacinth, both targeted by Ginnungagap Mk II's Aquacalypse, both rolled poorly for the Eject effect. Fortunately, Donovan's Protect and Lucian's CharSkill saved them both from the damage and the ejection.
- Because Ampharos was defeated after using the Discharge move the first time thanks to Whitepearl Alpha's Ability, the move was only used once and Lucian was refunded the 8 AP he never actually used.
- Robot girls with human brains? You got your Ghost In the Shell in my Pokemon Umbral!

-----The Dynamic Duo Order Phase (Turn 1)-----
- Player Formation: [Renny & Pokemon] [Harliette] [Snorlax] [Lola (Tailwind Tx3)] [Lapras (Tailwind Tx3)] [Pierce & Pokemon]
- Enemy Formation: [Gliskrow] [Kuudere Green] [Skaripper] [Lugia] [Moeni] [Darkrai] [Samantha] [Vanillass] [Dandere Purple] [Cloygonal]
- Harliette (Shock Trooper/Black Mode): HP 160/160 / Atk 9 (27) / Def 14 (32) / SpAtk 8 (26) / SpDef 11 (29) / Spd 8 (26) / Rg Unlimited / AP 28/36
- Kuudere Green (Boss/Human/Flying): HP 3000/3000 / Atk 18 / Def 13 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 21 / Spd 23 / Rg 14/20 / AP 24/36
- Lola (Medic/Altaria/Flying/Dragon/Cloud Nine): HP 98/144 / Atk 8 / Def 11 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 11 / Spd 10 (20) / Rg 7/20 / AP 12/24 / Protected by Lapras
- Vanillass (Dandere/Ice/Ghost/Ice Body & Snow Cloak): HP 112/112 / Atk 18 / Def 16 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 17 / Spd 19 / Sleep
- Cloygonal (Dandere/Ice/Water/Levitate & Shell Armor): HP 104/104 / Atk 15 / Def 22 / SpAtk 18 / SpDef 20 / Spd 18
- Gliskrow (Kuudere/Flying/Dark/Ground/Hyper Cutter & Super Luck): HP 152/152 / Atk 22 / Def 18 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 13 / Spd 17 / Confuse
- Pierce (Main): HP 192/192 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 8 (12) / Spd 12 (16) / Rg 9/20 / AP 24/24
- Dandere Purple (Boss/Human/Ice): HP 3500/3500 / Atk 15 / Def 19 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 18 / Spd 16 / Rg 14/20 / AP 20/36
- Renny (Main/Immunity): HP 128/128 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 8 (12) / SpDef 10 (14) / Spd 11 (15) / Rg 6/20 / AP 14/24 / Crit 33%/50% / Affliction Imm (Tx1)
- Blaziken (Pierce/Fire/Fighting): HP 0/64 / Atk 12 (34) / Def 7 (11) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 7 (11) / Spd 8 (15)
- Enmakki (Pierce/Psychic/Dark/Magic Guard/Life Orb): HP 51/96 / Atk 8 (4) / Def 10 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 12 / Spd 13 / Burn
- Skaripper (Kuudere/Flying/Steel/Water/Keen Eye & Sturdy): HP 84/112 / Atk 13 / Def 25 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 14 / Spd 13 / Nightmare (-25% MaxHP)
- Lapras (Lola/Water/Ice/Water Absorb/Leftovers/Female): HP 56/112 / Atk 8 / Def 9 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 6 (12) / Protecting Lola
- Darkrai (Moeni/Dark/Bad Dreams): HP 64/64 / Atk 9 / Def 9 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 9 / Spd 12 / Sleep
- Lugia (Moeni/Psychic/Flying/Multiscale): HP 66/88 / Atk 9 / Def 13 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 16 / Spd 11 / Nightmare (-25% MaxHP)
- Mollesk (Renny/Bug/Rock/Simple/Sturdy/Lum Berry): HP 104/104 / Atk 10 / Def 23 (35) / SpAtk 0 / SpDef 23 (35) / Spd 0 (12)
- Snorlax (Lola/Normal/Thick Fat & Simple/Leftovers/Male): HP 58/128 / Atk 12 / Def 6 (12) / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 12 / Spd 3 (9)
- Moeni (Boss/Human): HP ????/???? / Atk 10 / Def 11 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 10 / Spd 8 / Rg 14/20 / AP 20/36
- Sam (Boss/Flareon): HP 96/96 / Atk 13 / Def 7 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 11 / Spd 7 / Rg 14/20 / AP 18/36 / Sleep

Renny watched with agaped shock from the audacity which Moeni bragged about her sheer abuse of motherhood.
"... That's... just vile! Experimenting on your own unborn children? With essence of the Rezonscape which robs the sanity of many of the most veteran war soldiers? You're hopelessly depraved."

"My, and I thought you were perhaps the smart one amongst the lot of you," Moeni said. "Or you would understand that without experimentation, more than half of all the wonders we've created would have never come to pass. From slayer equipment to Pokemon hybrids to manmade Pokemon like Magnezone and Metagross, the efforts of scientists willing and able to go above and beyond the call of morality to do what must be done will give birth to a bright and wonderful future. My daughters should be down on their knees, thanking me and worshipping me for allowing them to become part of the ever evolving process. And besides, if anything I'm not a depraved monster. They could only benefit from what I've done to them, just as I could only benefit from what I've done to myself. Maybe you're just jealous that Lola will eventually far exceed your combat abilities?"

"Moeni..." Sam spoke up with a sad look. "Please don't hurt my brother. Just knock him out and let me handle him, will you?" She pleaded with the mad scientist.
"The handsome but stupid one, right?" Moeni said, smug grin plastered on her face. "Given just how many of the enemy there are, you might not be able to do much in the way of 'handling him'. But fine, since the Harbingers did sort of get destroyed in trying to help us out, I guess I can extend a few favors."

Renny then addressed the two Dere Darlings, "You guys really should quit before you get hurt. We already completely overpowered the other four Dere Darlings during our Gauntlet match before they could even attack."
Kuudere Green and Dandere Purple exchanged glances. "Well, actually-" Dandere Purple began, cheeks flushed and eyes averted. "They're...ahead of us...with Miss Moera..."
"We only caught that match a little before that Charlotte woman gave us trouble," Kuudere Green explained. "They were instructed to stall you, but Tsundere Red apparently translated that into letting you beat the shit out of her and her friends. I'm interested in seeing what you can do when confronted with a serious group of opponents."

"Lola, did I mishear about her being Moera's mother? Remember back in Millennium House? Mio said that Moera's father was Faynoc. She also said that her mother hid in Black Cradle when the two of them went estranged and that she was the reason that Team Rocket or any other third party could interact with a recluse like Faynoc. Whitepearl was also in Millennium House just prior to it being destroyed. I think she also knows where Myrie is! We can probably find out where Black Cradle is in whatever transport she was going to leave from."
"That's assuming we'll be standing after this fight," Lola said. "I don't really know why, but I'm surprisingly disinterested in Black Cradle or Myrie right now. I guess that's because my mom is standing right here in front of me."
"If you're that concerned for Myrie, she's with Moera," Moeni explained. "I'm not really the one you should be asking about her, anyways. She's Nosferatu's little pawn. And don't ask me what that death metal crab is thinking. Maybe that cat monster Rulag can tell you."

Cat monster? Does she mean...

- Harliette: Uses Fiend Cannon. It hits two times! 500BP + 26SpAtk - 10SpDef = 516Dam x 2#Hits = 1032Dam (Moeni).

Black lightning hopped and skipped all over Harliette's body. Her eyes glowed with dark energy and her veins pulsated. And the amount of black lightning suddenly increased in number and intensity until...

"Fiend Cannon!"

Apparently, Harliette trained extensively in Dragonball's Turtle School...because her first attack was to draw vast amounts of some kind of dark energy into her individual hands, then bring them together and discharge it all into a massive beam of black power. Moeni quickly raised her hands and tried to block the beam...and this did work...for about two seconds before Moeni was knocked clean off her feet and vanished into the beam. When the Fiend Cannon finally subsided, Moeni was on one knee, rubbing at her cheek.

"Umm...you alright there, Professor?" Sam asked the smoldering woman.
Moeni answered by smiling, hopping back into the formation, and assuming her stance without so much as a pained grimace. "Beautiful, Harliette. I guess all that mothering, or lack thereof, finally paid off. But don't tell me that's the extent of your abilities. C'mon, you little cunt! Show me how you love me, baby!"
"Gladly," Harliette said, practically drooling with rage.
"I must learn to never inadvertantly anger my sister again," Lola said to no one in particular. "At least until I get a giant destructo beam for myself."

Next up was Kuudere Green. Kuudere wore a steampunk-style dress with a long, well-maintained victorian curl hairstyle and wielded a pair of large tessen war fans that could be folded up into long swords.

- Renny (Trainer Action): Uses Steadfast Expertise on Mollesk. Mollesk is protecting from debuffs and afflictions on this turn!
- Renny (Pokebrid Action): Uses External Psychic action on Gliskrow. Gliskrow is confused!
- Kuudere Green: Uses Kuu Wheel on Blaziken. 15BP + 18Atk = 33Dam - 11Def = 22Dam x 2SE = 44Dam x 10#Hits = 440 Damage (Blaziken / Defeated).
- Vanillass (Dandere Purple): Uses Blizzard on Snorlax & Lola. 12BP + 20SpAtk = 32Dam - (9Lola's SpDef x 2D-STAB) (12Snorlax's SpDef x 2D-STAB x 0.5Ability) = 46Dam (Lola) & 20Dam (Snorlax).

"That stings a little more than usual," Lola rubbed her left shoulder. "I guess if the two Pokemon that were fused to create the PokeWeapon have similar types, those types create a Double STAB effect."

- Cloygonal (Dandere Purple): Uses Solar Beam on Lapras. Cloygonal is taking in sunlight!
- Gliskrow (Kuudere Green): Gliskrow is confused! Uses Sky Uppercut on Snorlax. 9BP + 22Atk - 6Def = 25Dam x 2SE = 50Dam.
- Dandere Purple: Uses Dan Hexagon on Lola & Snorlax. 40BP + 15Atk - (11Def Lola) (6Def Snorlax) = 44Dam (Lola) & 49Dam (Snorlax).

Dandere used a weapon that had to be a first on the battlefield as of late. She used a bejeweled fountain pen to literally sketch wriggly insects into the air and assaulted Lola and Snorlax with them.
"The Hungry World has some interesting weapons," Lola observed.

- Renny: Uses Skill Swap on Snorlax. Renny gives Simple to Snorlax and gains Immunity. Renny uses Rage Rocket on Lola. Lola's Rage +5 (15).
- Enmakki (Pierce): Uses Divided Dark Abyss on Skaripper & Lugia. Skaripper & Lugia are now asleep. Skaripper & Lugia are experiencing disturbing nightmares...like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUOw3JyPRlQ).

"Ah, so that's where my precious little Enmakki has gotten off to," Moeni observed. "You know, I was so close to extracting that move in order to create an iM for myself. I still can't believe Reynold was actually able to capture it. He was pretty damn inept as a scientist in nearly every other regard."
"iM?" Lola tilted her head. "Just what vile schemes are you plotting now, mother?"
"Oh, you'll find out," Moeni taunted. "I'm about to show you exactly what I mean."

- Darkrai (Moeni): Uses Dark Pulse on Enmakki. 8BP + 14SpAtk - 12SpDef = 10Dam x 1.5STAB = 15Dam (Enmakki).
- Lola (Altaria): Uses Synchronization Technique "Heavenly Voice". Darkrai, Sam & Vanillass are now asleep. Uses X-Speed on Snorlax. Snorlax's Spd has increased! Snorlax's Simple ability doubles the boost! Uses Tailwind on Lola & Lapras's slots. Spd boosts have been added to those slots!
- Lapras (Lola): Lapras is protecting Lola.

"Be careful with the enemies you disable like that," Irene chimed in over the Inquiry Visors. "Most enemy units will spread out their AP to their Pokemon 'cause they're all stupid 'n' stuff, so if you prevent them from attacking, you'll refund their AP and only the stronger boss units will be using it all. By keeping their Pokemon in the fight, you could potentially have your enemies waste their AP on letting the inferior attackers use it all up on more ineffectual methods. Just a helpful pointer. By the way, Granger...I think your sister's kinda hot."

Gee, thanks, Irene. This battle sure needed that awkwardness. "Well, you've shown me your hand, boys and girls," Moeni said, removing her hands from her pockets. "Now I'm gonna show you a little of mine."

- Moeni: Uses Bolt Strike on Lapras. 13BP + 10Atk - 9Def = 14Dam x 2D-STAB x 2SE = 56Dam. Uses Blue Flare on Enmakki. 13BP + 10SpAtk - 12SpDef = 11Dam x 2D-STAB = 22Dam. Enmakki has been Burned.

"It's Reshiram and Zekrom's signature moves!" Lola gasped. "But she's not even a Pokebrid...is she?"
"Behold the power of the Infinite Machine, or iM. I'm rather proud of it myself." Moeni bowed lightly. "With my special armaments, I can extract the signature moves of Legendary Pokemon throughout the world and use them as I see fit. Unfortunately, I cannot replicate them in order to outfit a powerful army, nor can I continuously extract the information from the Beast Circuit Refinery lest I accidentally destroy it and lose the power to create iM's completely."

The...Beast Circuit Refinery? The hell is that? Just another mystery, one would imagine, and Moeni didn't seem up for explaining herself.

- Snorlax (Lola): Uses Defense Curl. Snorlax's Def has increased! Snorlax's Simple ability has doubled the boost!
- Mollesk (Renny): Uses Rock Polish. Mollesk's Spd has increased! Uses Cosmic Power x2. Mollesk's W-Def has increased!

"Interesting creature, that one," Moeni observed after a curious glance at Mollesk. "Those tentacles make me rather uncomfortable, for some reason."

-----Upkeep Phase (Turn 01)-----
- Status Effects: Enmakki takes 8 damage (Burn). Skaripper takes 28 damage (Nightmare). Lugia takes 22 damage (Nightmare).
- Times Up!: Renny is no longer Invincible. Mollesk's Reflect has ended. Mollesk's Light Screen has ended.

-----Identification Phase (Turn 01)-----
- Harliette Onyx's Move1 Identified!: Fiend Cannon ~ 500 Spec/Ruin, 3-6 hits
- Kuudere Green's Move1 Identified!: Kuu Wheel ~ 15 Phys/Flying, 6-10 Hits, 10% Bleed per hit
- Dandere Purple's Move2 Identified!: Dan Hexagon ~ Rad1/2T, 40 Bug/Phys, 70% Flinch
- Moeni's Move Idenitified!: iM Power ~ Looks like she can use Pokemon signature moves.
- Moeni's Ability Identified!: Xtreme Mastery ~ D-STAB for all direct damage moves

[Menarker]

"My, and I thought you were perhaps the smart one amongst the lot of you," Moeni said. "Or you would understand that without experimentation, more than half of all the wonders we've created would have never come to pass. From slayer equipment to Pokemon hybrids to manmade Pokemon like Magnezone and Metagross, the efforts of scientists willing and able to go above and beyond the call of morality to do what must be done will give birth to a bright and wonderful future. My daughters should be down on their knees, thanking me and worshipping me for allowing them to become part of the ever evolving process. And besides, if anything I'm not a depraved monster. They could only benefit from what I've done to them, just as I could only benefit from what I've done to myself. Maybe you're just jealous that Lola will eventually far exceed your combat abilities?"

Feeling that trying to persuade Moeni was just wasted breath, Renny didn't bother to retort back. Out loud at least.
"I've already had my ass kicked by several of PATCA's finest ladies for training on a regular basis. I'd hardly be more upset if Lola did exceed my abilities, if she hasn't already. Not that they need to know that."

The responses from the Dere darlings did not really tell him anything interesting, accepting with a certain degree with resignation that they weren't going to flee any time soon. But Moeni's response voluntary contribution to his queries regarding Myrie left him interested.

"Nosferatu... and Rulag, a cat monster? Irene and the president are already making plans to let us enter the Corpsemire, so at least we can deal with that then. We should just focus on the task at hand then."

Harliette's Fiend Cannon left Renny with gaping eyes, its power being rather on the far end of the scale. The fact that Moeni shrugged it off as easily was a telling sign that she wasn't just a civilian grade mad scientist. As the fight continued, he looked sideway toward Pierce as Sam fell asleep, as if silently acknowledging that they weren't going to attempt to harm her if they could help it.

Then Moeni unleashed a twin assault of two of the tao dragon's signature techniques.

"Behold the power of the Infinite Machine, or iM. I'm rather proud of it myself." Moeni bowed lightly. "With my special armaments, I can extract the signature moves of Legendary Pokemon throughout the world and use them as I see fit. Unfortunately, I cannot replicate them in order to outfit a powerful army, nor can I continuously extract the information from the Beast Circuit Refinery lest I accidentally destroy it and lose the power to create iM's completely."

"I don't suppose you so happened to have absentmindly misplaced two ultra-powerful legendaries, have you?" Renny remarked snarkly, as he figured that either Faynoc got a hold of them just like he did with Enmakki, or Pokegeddon had stolen them directly from Black Cradle or Faynoc, which one being uncertain. Although considering that she had copied their signature techniques, she probably wouldn't have missed those two particular pokemon very much. Although he regarded Moeni with more wariness than before, considering she probably had more legendary pokemon in tow, as her Lugia and Darkrai could confirm for which to copy signature techniques from.

"Interesting creature, that one," Moeni observed after a curious glance at Mollesk. "Those tentacles make me rather uncomfortable, for some reason."

Even Mollesk's own trainer had to admit it was a little unnerving, especially having seen it first hand. He didn't have the heart to mention its role in the battle against Moeni's first version of the Ginnuagagap. However, Moeni needn't had worried since Mollesk tucked its tentacles back into it shell which started to shine with a grossly incandescent light.

"Pierce, let's focus on our targets one at a time!"

Renny looked toward Dandere unpleasantly, but he himself stuck to a supportive role, as he rummaged through his supplies for healing items. He then looked toward Lola with a nod so as to be ready to cooperate for their union-tech when she was ready to initiate it. Mollesk then spun in place, revving up so strongly that his stony shell grinded away at the ground bit by bit before he zoomed off toward Dandere attempting a full speed crash.

-------------------------------
Battle Data: (Renny/Pierce side)

Start of turn
-Lola: Changes to Lopunny form to avoid being hit by ice attacks. Switch Snorlax and Lapras's position. (Snorlax in Tailwind)
-Pierce recalls Enmakki and he takes up his slot in combat. Metagross takes up Blaziken's slot and retains part of Blaziken's stat boosts.

Metagross: (Steel/Psychic. Equipped with Expert Belt. Clear Body Ability) HP 72/72 / Atk 14 (26) / Def 13 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 9 / Spd 7
- Retains +4 Atk stage (Blaziken had +6 before it was knocked out)
- Bullet Punch on Dandere three times. STAB, Super Effective with Expert Belt boost for 2.2x damage instead of 2x. Priority attack and +1 extra Speed Edge

Harliette (Shock Trooper/Black Mode): HP 160/160 / Atk 9 (27) / Def 14 (32) / SpAtk 8 (26) / SpDef 11 (29) / Spd 8 (26) / Rg Unlimited / AP 28/36
- Controls her own actions.

Lapras (Lola/Water/Ice/Water Absorb/Leftovers/Female): HP 56/112 / Atk 8 / Def 9 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 6 / Protecting Lola
-Continues to Protect Lola

Lola (Medic/Lopunny): HP 98 / 144 / Atk 9 / Def 11 / SpAtk 7 / SpDef 9 / Spd 11 (22) / Rg 7/20 / AP 12/24
- Actions being used by Snorlax (12). AP down to 0 at end of turn.
- Prosperous Gifts: Full Restore on Lapras, Lola, Snorlax. If anyone else is attacked before Lola can perform this with Renny, heal them also. 1 RP spent per target. Lola spends 2 rage and Renny spends 1 initinally. (Divide up rage cost as evenly as possible.)

Pierce (Main): HP 192/192 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 8 (12) / Spd 12 (16) / Rg 9/20 / AP 24/24
- Stamina boost for free for a free slayer attack. Fire Attack on Dandere two times. 24 BP, quad effective. (8 AP and a freebie)
- Rest of AP spent by Metagross. (12) AP down to 0 at end of turn
- Request switching Steel armor to Flying type from Daphne if possible.

Renny (Main/Immunity): HP 128/128 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 8 (12) / SpDef 10 (14) / Spd 11 (15) / Rg 6/20 / AP 14/24 / Crit 33%/50% / Affliction Imm (Tx1)
- Prosperous Gift initinated by Lola. He spends a point of rage initinally.
- Renny's AP used up by Mollesk's attacks. (12) AP down to 2 at end of turn.
- Trainer Action Steadfast Expertise on Mollesk

Snorlax (Lola/Normal/Thick Fat & Simple/Leftovers/Male): HP 58/128 / Atk 12 / Def 6 (12) / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 12 / Spd 3 (9) *18 Tailwind*
- Belly Drum (Atk boosted to 30), Hitpoints drop by half (to 64 after fully healed by Renny). Rollout two times on Dandere. SE. Rollouts are boosted due to Defense Curl. First Rollout has 6 power, second one has 12 power.

Mollesk (Renny/Bug/Rock/Simple/Sturdy/Lum Berry): HP 104/104 / Atk 10 / Def 23 (35) / SpAtk 0 / SpDef 23 (35) / Spd 0 (12)
- Power Trick (Atk becomes 35 and Def becomes 10), Rollout, Rollout on Dandere. SE, STAB. First Rollout has 3 power, the second has 6 power

-----------------------------
Battle Data (Hyacinth / Donovan / Matthias side)

Donovan: Switch to Ninjask form.
Hyacinth: Switch to Gardevoir form.
Matthias: Switch to Porygon Z form.
Shizuka and Mika go into RPDA form.
Shizuka's ability triggers due to her entering combat.

Rio (Enforcer/Donovan): HP 160/160 / Atk 20 (23) / Def 21 (24) / SpAtk 11 (14) / SpDef 13 (16) / Spd 15 (18) / Rg 9/20 / AP 24/24
- Boosted by Shizuka's ability for (6) to all stats
New Stats: (Atk 29 / Def 30 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 22 / Spd 24)
- Still strutting her stuff with her buffing song.

Takano (Sniper): HP 160/160 / Atk 19 (22) / Def 13 (15) / SpAtk 13 (16) / SpDef 16 (19) / Spd 19 (22) / Rg 18/20 / AP 12/24
- Boosted by Shizuka's ability for (6) to all stats
New Stats: (Atk 28 / Def 21 / SpAtk 22 / SpDef 25 / Spd 28)
- Use FoW Arrow (FOW becomes 100%) AP goes down to 4
FOW 100% effect: Player cannot be targeted by enemy Snipers. Damage by enemy Destroyers is reduced to 40%. All other attacks are reduced in accuracy by 50%.

Donovan: HP 144/144 / Atk 30 (33) / Def 3 / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 3 / Spd 12 (28) (37 Tx2) / Rg 19/20 / AP 32/48 (24/48 Tx1) / Acc +20% (Tx1) / Eva +20% (Tx1) / Crit 12.5%
Equipped with Expert Belt and Stamina Boost
Pokebrid Action: Internal Flying (+1 att. to self, for a total buff of +5)
- Strategem Shift: Infiltrator Ability and high speed to bypass Ginnu's protection)
- Strategem Shift: Attempt to get close enough to Blackpearl to mess with the Lock-On.
- Use Stamina Boost accessory for a free slayer attack.
- Use Capacitor Rod five times on Blackpearl . 18 POW Physical Electric Type. SE against mechanical. (-32 AP of the 32/48 AP) Expert Belt boost Super Effective attacks with an extra 1.2x Multiplier.

Chizuru (Medic): HP 160/160 / Atk 14 (17) / Def 21 (24) / SpAtk 11 (14) / SpDef 21 (24) / Spd 13 (16) / Rg 13/20 / AP 14/24 / W-Gd 50% (Tx4)
- Boosted by Shizuka's ability for (6) to all stats
New stats: (Atk 23 / Def 30 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 30 / Spd 22)
- Buff Catherine with 4 X Attacks. (2, 2, 4, 4 AP for a total of 12)
- AP down to 2.

Girantina: (Chizuru/Ghost/Dragon/Telepathy/Griseous Orb): HP 120/120 / Atk 12 (15)/ Def 10 (13) / SpAtk 12 (15)/ SpDef 10 (13) / Spd 10 (13)
- Protect Chizuru still.

Hyacinth: (Gardevoir form) HP 132/176 (Sub = 44) Atk 29 / Def 0 (3) / SpAtk 32 / SpDef 2 (5) / Spd 31 /Rg 14/20 / AP 15/24
Equipped with Holy Guard and Divine Blessing
- Uses "Which Witch" tech. (-12 rage)
New Abilities from Which Witch:
Trace: Infilitrator (Copies Donovan's ablity)
+1: Swift Swim (Copies Discord's Huntail ability)
+2: Volt Absorb (Copies Shizuka's Allegion ability)
+3: *Unchosen ability. Conserved for later.*
Which Witch Stat Boosts: +2 Evasion, 1 Sp.Def, 1 Def, 1 Accuracy
- Two witch clones spawned.
After 3 turns, the duplicates become targettable. They are treated as having 1 HP, Magic Guard, 0 Def/Sp Def, and Evasion equal to what Hyacinth would have.
Any AoE attack that hits Hyacinth also attacks both of them.
If Hyacinth faints/dies, each surviving Witch gets one more action at no AP cost at the start of next turn (Priority action) before being self-KOed.
Attacks:
1: 2 AP (Witch clone) Helping Hand on Catherine
2: Catherine reduced move combined with your AP reduction move: 6/2 = 3 - 2 = 1 AP Stored Power
3: 4 AP due to your AP reduction ability. Stored Power
4: 4 AP Stored Power
5: 4 AP Stored Power
- All attacks directed toward Blackpearl, with Infilitrator ability and high speed allowing her to bypass Ginnu. Attacks are STAB and each Stored Power has a BP of 30 due to Hyacinth having at least 14 stages of buffs among all her stats. If Blackpearl is defeated and Whitepearl is still alive, attack Whitepearl then with Stored Power (which might gain SE for hitting psychic vulnerability)
-AP brought down to 0 and Rage brought down to 2.
- Def and Sp Def becomes (6) and (8) due to the boost of Which Witch
- Speed becomes 62 with Swift Swim in effect via her personal rain and the abilty she copied.

Catherine: HP 160/160 / Atk 11 (14) / Def 14 (17) / SpAtk 6 (9) / SpDef 9 (12) / Spd 10 (13) / Rg 8/20 / AP 20/24
- Attack stat becomes (26) due to three X Attacks from Chizuru.
- Attacks Ginnu with Illegal Move (Physical Ground type) for STAB and SE three times for 18 BP (First attack is only 4 AP due to enforcer ability 4, 8, 8 for 20 AP).
First attack has been boosted by Hyacinth's Helping Hand for 50% more power (27?)
- AP becomes 0.

Mika (Enforcer/Matthias): HP 160/160 / Atk 10 (13) / Def 13 (16) / SpAtk 27 (30) / SpDef 21 (24) / Spd 15 (18) / Rg 8/20 / AP 12/24
- All stats boosted by +(10) due to RDPA. RDPA Hitpoints is 240, seperate from her actual total.
- Boosted by Shizuka's ability for an extra (6) to all stats
New stats: (Atk 29 / Def 35 / SpAtk 46 / SpDef 40 / Spd 34)
- RDPA attack with Rayshower (3 enemy AOE, 20 power special Astral). AP down to 4

Shizuka (Lucian): HP 63/160 / Atk 17 (24) / Def 20 (27) / SpAtk 13 (20) / SpDef 13 (20) / Spd 17 (24) / Rg 8/20 / AP 24/24
- All stats boosted by +(10) due to RDPA. RDPA Hitpoints is 240, seperate from her actual total.
- Boosted by Shizuka's ability for extra (6) to all stats:
New stats due to two above boosts :(Atk 40 / Def 43 / SpAtk 36 / SpDef 36 / Spd 40)
- Arachnophobia form (RDPA) Attack with Gargantuan Leap, centered on Ginnu for Ground type damage. Attack three times in this way. 50% accuracy. 30 power, 5 target AOE. Radius 1
- AP becomes 0.

Kiyomi: Kiyomi (Engineer): HP 160/160 / Atk 17 (20) / Def 20 (23) / SpAtk 12 (15) / SpDef 17 (20) / Spd 14 (17) / Rg 13/20 / AP 20/24
- Boosted by Shizuka's ability: (Atk 26 / Def 29 / SpAtk 21 / SpDef 26 / Spd 23)
- Attack Blackpearl with Javalin (Astral/sniper property) 18 BP physical. AP down to 12.

Marionata: * Marionata (Destroyer): Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12 (15 with Rio's song?) / Rg 80/100
- Gains 20 rage at start of turn for 80 rage
- Stratagem Shift Mental Attacks on Whitepearl. Possibly along the line of Domination, but so long as it hopefully removes Whitepearl as a combat factor.
Possibly combine it with Matthias's own hacking tech detailed earlier.
(Use up 80 rage presumably for this course of action)


Matthias: (Porygon Z form) HP: 144 / 144 / Atk: 10 (13) / Def: 8 (11) / Sp. Atk: 13 (16) / Sp. Def: 8 (11) / Spd: 10 (13) Rg 19/20 / AP 24/24
Equipped with Brightpowder and Leftovers
- Uses Nasty Plot twice to gain +4 stage boost in Sp.Atk (making it a total of +5 and thus making his Sp.Atk (28). AP down to 12.
- Use Hacking Technique on Whitepearl. (-12 Rage) Try doing it alongside Marionatta's Mental attacks.


Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160/160 / Atk 9 (16) / Def 12 (19) / SpAtk 11 (18) / SpDef 5 (12) / Spd 13 (20) / Rg 18/20 / AP 20/36
- AP spent by Excadrill for total of 8. (-12 AP due to three pokemon attacks)

Excadrill ~Discord~(Ground / Steel) HP 88 / Atk 14 (17) / Def 6 (9) / SpAtk 5 (8) / SpDef 6 (9) / Spd 9 (12) Sand Force / Muscle Band / Male
- Drill Run three times on Ginnu. STAB, SE. 1.1x Muscle Band multiplier. 8 BP Increased Crit Ratio +1.

Huntail ~Discord~ (Water) HP 48 / Atk 11 (14) / Def 11 (14) / SpAtk 10 (13) / SpDef 7 (10) / Spd 5 (8)
- Swift Swim / Mystic Water / Male
- Summoned only so Hyacinth can copy its Swift Swim ability and for Ginnu to possibly target it instead of a more important target.

Pendulum: (Guest/Overblade): HP 160/160 / Atk 16 (19) / Def 15 (18) / SpAtk 6 (9) / SpDef 5 (8) / Spd 8 (11) / Rg 11/20 / AP 24/24
- If he has a ground move, instruct him to use as much AP as possible attacking Ginnu with said type. If not, he does his own thing.


Allegion ~ Shizuka ~ (Legendary Bug / Electric) HP 80 / Atk 10 (13) / Def 8 (11) / SpAtk 13 (16) / SpDef 8 (11) / Spd 16 (19). Volt Absorb / Alastor (Electric Pwrx1.5, Paralysis %x2)
- Only summoned so Hyacinth can copy its Volt Absorb ability.


Lucian and pokemon: Lucian returns from being Ejected at end of turn.

[Menarker]

*Placeholder post for Relm, Drac and any other players to post their RP stuff before AB posts*

[Astral Harmony]

Armored Bishoujo: "The calculations were an absolute travesty. I'm certain there's something wrong, and you should specifically pay attention to damage dealt to your side than against the enemy. Too many random factors came popping up and I tried to do it all but I might've missed something somewhere. I'll do the move discovery later, I'm friggin' tired."

"An asterisk by the name indicates that he/she/it has been defeated, though that may not be the definitive case if someone points out a flaw I made with the calculations. I'll try to correct any mistakes as soon as they're pointed out. Just remember that Lucian can't protect girls when ejected, Takano didn't dodge the Auxilary Weapon, W-Gd for Chizuru and Meganium were taken into effect and damage to Takano from Frostbite didn't occur this turn because it happened after the status effect stuff during upkeep. Chizuru didn't do anything due to being Enflamed this turn because she had already done all her actions. So ummm...yeah, huge clusterfuck."

-----The Three Stooges Order Phase (Turn 03)-----
- Player Formation: [Excadrill] [Discord] [Huntail] [Chizuru Pokemon #1] [Chizuru] [Giratina] [Zoroark] [Shizuka (RDPA)/Lucian] [Allegion] [Donovan/Rio] [Hyacinth/Catherine] [Matthias/Mika] [Kiyomi]
- Enemy Formation: [Ginnungagap Mk II (????/????)]
- Battlefield Effects ~ Rainstorm
- FoW Effects ~ You = 100% / Them = 100%
- Player Effects
* Everybody Dance Now! ~ AllStat +1 Stage
- Catherine (Enforcer/Hyacinth): HP 160/160 / Atk 11 (26) / Def 14 (17) / SpAtk 6 (9) / SpDef 9 (12) / Spd 10 (19) / Rg 12/20 / AP 12/24
- Arachnophobia (Shizuka RDPA/Tx2): HP 158/240 / Atk 40 / Def 43 / SpAtk 36 / SpDef 36 / Spd 40 / Rg 12/20 / AP 12/24
- Overmana (Mika RDPA/Tx2): HP 240/240 / Atk 29 / Def 35 / SpAtk 46 / SpDef 40 / Spd 34 / RG 12/20 / AP 16/24
* Donovan (Main/Ninjask/Bug/Flying/Infiltrator): HP 0/144 / Atk 30 (33) / Def 3 (0) / SpAtk 29 / SpDef 3 (0) / Spd 12 (28) (37 Tx1) / Rg 19/20 / AP 0/24 / Crit 12.5%
- Hyacinth (Main/Gardevoir/Psychic/Trace/Infiltrator/Swift Swim/Volt Absorb): HP 36/176 / Atk 29 / Def 0 (3) / SpAtk 29 (32) / SpDef 2 (5) / Spd 31 / Rg 2/20 / AP 0/24 / (W-Def +1, Acc +10%, Eva +20% for Which Witch) / BadPois x1
- Witch Clone A (Magic Guard): HP 1/1 / W-Def 0 / Eva% = Hyacinth / Invincible (Tx2)
- Witch Clone B (Magic Guard): HP 1/1 / W-Def 0 / Eva% = Hyacinth / Invincible (Tx2)
* Allegion (Shizuka/Bug/Electric/Volt Absorb/Alastor): HP 0/80 / Atk 10 (17) / Def 8 (15) / SpAtk 13 (29) / SpDef 8 (15) / Spd 16 (29) / Elec Pwr x1.5 (Alastor), Para% x2 (Alastor)
- Takano (Sniper): HP 89/160 / Atk 19 (22) / Def 13 (15) / SpAtk 13 (16) / SpDef 16 (19) / Spd 19 (28) / Rg 20/20 / AP 18/24
- Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160/160 / Atk 9 (16) / Def 12 (19) / SpAtk 11 (18) / SpDef 5 (12) / Spd 13 (26) / Rg 20/20 / AP 26/36
- Rio (Enforcer/Donovan): HP 96/160 / Atk 20 (29) / Def 21 (30) / SpAtk 11 (20) / SpDef 13 (22) / Spd 15 (24) / Rg 13/20 / AP 24/24
- Zoroark (Shizuka/Dark): HP 1/56 / Atk 10 (17) / Def 6 (12) / SpAtk 13 (20) / SpDef 6 (14) / Spd 10 (23)
- Kiyomi (Engineer): HP 160/160 / Atk 17 (20) / Def 20 (23) / SpAtk 12 (15) / SpDef 17 (20) / Spd 14 (23) / Rg 17/20 / AP 16/24
- Chizuru (Medic): HP 118/160 / Atk 14 (17) / Def 21 (24) / SpAtk 11 (14) / SpDef 21 (24) / Spd 13 (16) / Rg 17/20 / AP 14/24 / W-Gd 50% (Tx3)
- Lucian (Enforcer/Shizuka): HP 76/160 / Atk 13 (20) / Def 11 (18) / SpAtk 9 (16) / SpDef 8 (15) / Spd 13 (22) / Rg 20/20 / AP 20/24
- Matthias (Main/Porygon Z/Normal/Brightpowder/Leftovers): HP 160/160 / Atk 19 (12) / Def 10 (13) / SpAtk 11 (28) / SpDef 10 (13) / Spd 9 (18) / Rg 11/20 / AP 24/24
* Ampharos (Lucian/Electric/Static/Wise Glasses/Female): HP 0/88 / Atk 7 (14) / Def 7 (14) / SpAtk 11 (18) / SpDef 9 (16) / Spd 6 (19)
- Pendulum (Guest/Overblade): HP 160/160 / Atk 16 (19) / Def 15 (18) / SpAtk 6 (9) / SpDef 5 (8) / Spd 8 (17) / Rg 15/20 / AP 12/24
- Giratina (Chizuru/Ghost/Dragon/Telepathy/Griseous Orb): HP 64/120 / Atk 12 / Def 10 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 10 / Spd 10 (16)
* Meganium (Chizuru/Grass): HP 0/72 / Atk 8 (2) / Def 10 (4) / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 11 / Spd 8 (14) / W-Gd 50% (Tx3)
- Marionata (Destroyer): Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12 / Rg 0/100
- Excadrill (Discord/Ground/Steel/Sand Force/Muscle Band): HP 88/88 / Atk 14 (17) / Def 6 (9) / SpAtk 5 (8) / SpDef 6 (9) / Spd 9 (12)
- Huntail (Discord/Water/Swift Swim/Mystic Water): HP 48/48 / Atk 11 (14) / Def 11 (14) / SpAtk 10 (13) / SpDef 7 (10) / Spd 5 (8)

-----The Three Stooges (Turn 03)-----
- Donovan (Pokeshift): Pokeshift into Ninjask (Bug/Flying).
- Hyacinth (Pokeshift): Pokeshift into Gardevoir (Psychic).
- Matthias (Pokeshift): Pokeshift into Porygon Z (Normal).
- Shizuka (RDPA): Engage Rapid-Deployable Powered Armor "Arachnophobia".

Donovan's Pokeshift was badass. Hyacinth's Pokeshift was sexy. Matthias's Pokeshift was mezmerizing. But they are suddenly dwarfed when Shizuka stepped forward, stripped away all of her clothes in one fluid motion...and exploded.

What they all now beheld was a very large spider with prickly spines all over its abdomen and armored legs. Eight glowing red eyes stared down her enemies, and behind the eyes was the upper body of Shizuka, her outrageous curves expertly hidden by her black, shiny godiva hair. "Ahhhhhnn," Shizuka sighed with contentment. "Sometimes I forget how good it feels to just stretch out once in a while."

- Mika (RDPA): Engage Rapid-Deployable Powered Armor "Overmana".

Mika, fortunately, did not strip. She simply floated up and made a whole buncha arcane magic symbols appear in random locations around her body. "Drawing Infernal Mana from the Hungry World. Careful, guys, this could get a little bit creepy."

- Rio (SignTech): Still dancin' o'er here. See anythin' y'like?
- Takano (Attack): Uses FoW Arrow. Ally Formation FoWP is 100%. Enemy Snipers = No Action, Enemy Destroyer Damage = 40%, Frontline Enemy Accuracy = 50%.
- Donovan (Brid Act): Uses Internal Flying Action (+1 Att).
- Donovan (Stratshift): Donovan attempts to rely on his Infiltrator ability in order to bypass Blackpearl's protection. This is a very successful strategy.

In order to get around Whitepearl and Ginnungagap Mk II to strike against Blackpearl, Donovan would need unparalleled speed and reflexes. Heh. He figured he could do it.

- Donovan (Stratshift): Donovan attempts to break BlackPearl's Lock-On move by getting inside her attack range. This strategy didn't work.

The Auxilary Weapon mounted on Blackpearl's shoulder didn't seem to have a minimum range requirement...unless maybe Donovan was close enough to dry hump one of her legs. Then again, since Blackpearl wasn't actually locked on to him anymore, it was impossible to know if Blackpearl was even going to be aiming for him next.

- Donovan (Attack): Uses Capacitor Rod on Blackpearl (x5). Blackpearl cannot use interception fire or counterattack! 33 Atk + 18 Pwr - 12 Def = 39 Dam x 2 SE x 1.2 Item x 5 #Atks = 468 Damage!
- Chizuru (Medic): Uses X Attack on Catherine (x4).

"I should be able to punch right through their armor now," Catherine said, slamming her fists together. "Probably break my knuckles, though."

- Hyacinth (SyncTech): Uses Synchronization Technique "Which Witch". Hyacinth trace'd Donovan's Infiltrator, Huntail's Swift Swim, Allegion's Volt Absorb, and leaves one ability slot blank. Hyacinth's Eva% has increased! Hyacinth's Eva% has increased! Hyacinth's Spec Def has increased! Hyacinth's Def has increased! Hyacin- *cough cough hack* -...damn you, Menarker. Two Witch Clones have spawned.
- Witch Clones (Attack): Uses Helping Hand on Catherine. Catherine's Pwr is boosted by x1.5.
- Hyacinth (Attack): Hyacinth uses Stored Power on Blackpearl (x4). Blackpearl cannot use interception fire or counterattack! 32 SpAtk + 30 Pwr - 25 SpDef = 37 Dam x 1.5 STAB x 4 #Atks x (1 Crit) = 278 Damage!

Blackpearl held up well despite the mighty beating. "I don't think we can stop her from firing that cannon," Mika said grimly. "Brace for impact. Though I dunno how you can protect yourself from lasers."

- Catherine (Attack): Uses Illegal Move on Ginnungagap Mk II (x3). 26 Atk + 27 Pwr - 10 Def = 43 Dam x 1.5 STAB x 2 SE x 2 #Atks = 129 Damage! 26 Atk + 18 BP - 10 Def = 34 Damage x 1.5 STAB x 2 SE x 2 # Atks = 204 Damage!

"We're bruising them badly," Catherine said, shaking the pain from her hands. "But bruises don't win battles. Still, we just gotta be close!"

- Mika (Overmana): Uses Rayshower (x3). 46 SpAtk + 20 SpAtk - 50 SpDef (Whitepearl Alpha) / 25 SpDef (Blackpearl) / 10 SpDef (Ginnungagap Mk II) = 16 Dam (Whitepearl Alpha) / 41 Dam (Blackpearl) / 56 Dam (Ginnungagap Mk II) x 3 #Atks = 48 damage dealt to Whitepearl, 123 damage dealt to Blackpearl, and 168 damage dealt to Ginnungagap Mk II!

Mika's attacks involved the magical symbols that floated around her. To hear her explain it, these symbols were "gateways" to the primal realms of the elements, and by disturbing these gateways, she could release controlled blasts from those gateways while also being able to aim them. Her Rayshower involved, as expected, a buncha bright white beams of flesh-eating light.

- Shizuka (Arachnophobia): Uses Gargantuan Leap (x3). 40 Atk + 30 Pwr - 10 Def (Ginnungagap Mk II) / 12 Def (Blackpearl) / 70 Def (Whitepearl Alpha) = 60 Dam (Ginnungagap Mk II) / 58 Dam (Blackpearl) / 0 Dam (Whitepearl Alpha) x 2 (SE on Ginnungagap Mk II) x 3 #Atks = 360 damage dealt to Ginnungagap Mk II, 178 damage dealt to Blackpearl!

Shizuka's attacks were...well, they weren't particularly elegant. But then again, nobody could possibly expect Shizuka to lift her now-massive body off of the ground, let alone several hundred yards into the air...and let alone three times in rapid succession.

"Damage index exceeding fifty percent," Ginnungagap Mk II reported in a very droll way.
"Note to self: no more skimping on armor just to create a complex but overall stupid defense system," Moeni said with a dismissive shrug. Is this chick serious?

- Whitepearl Alpha (Attack): Uses Wild Charge on Self. Whitepearl Alpha is preparing to put all of her power into this next attack!

"I've had enough of you!" Whitepearl shouted. "It's time to show you that I'm not to be screwed with!"

- Whitepearl Alpha (SignTech): Uses Signature Technique "Fempact". 150 Pwr + 98 Atk - 10 Def (Meganium) / 43 Def (Arachnophobia) / 3 Def (Donovan) = 238 Dam (Meganium) / 205 Dam (Arachnophobia) / 245 Dam (Donovan) x 2 Crit x .5 (Arachophobia) x .4 FoW = 191 damage dealt to Meganium (defeated), 82 damage dealt to Arachnophobia (158), 196 damage dealt to Donovan (defeated). Meganium's Atk and Def have plummeted (-2)! Arachnophobia's Atk and Def have plummeted (-2)! Donovan's Def has plummeted (-2)! Chizuru is no longer protected!

Now they knew how Ray's team had been defeated so quickly. The Signature Technique, powered by a one-time boost like that, was nothing sort of eating a tank shell at point blank. "It looks like Wild Charge makes the attack incredibly powerful and accurate," Chizuru pointed out. She was about to break formation to check on Donovan but knew she'd be putting the others at great risk if she did.

- Whitepearl Alpha (Attack): Uses Rocket Thrust on Chizuru. 60 Pwr + 40 SpAtk - 24 SpDef = 76 Dam x .5 Gd x .4 FoW = 16 Damage (144)!
- Whitepearl Alpha (Attack): Uses Wild Charge on Self. Whitepearl Alpha is preparing to put all of her power into this next attack!
- Whitepearl Alpha (Attack): Uses Nephilim Sledge. Whitepearl Alpha is preparing to unleash a powerful and widespread attack!
- Kiyomi (Attack): Uses Javalin on Blackpearl. 18 Pwr + 26 Atk - 12 Def = 32 Damage!
- Marionata (Strategem Shift): Let the mind raping commense! It was super rape-tastic!

"Just what exactly are you doing to her?" Discord asked Marionata. "She really seems to be suffering."
"YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_GvNw93eJ4)," said Marionata. [B]"For nothing is more mentally damaging than that. Matthias, now would be the time."

- Matthias (SyncTech): Uses Synchronization Technique "Hacking Technique". Matthias is hacking into Whitepearl Alpha!

Matthias was probably surprised yet again at how different a feeling it was to transform into information and travel through a mechanical body. What the hell? It was all combat systems and other crap. There wasn't much in the way of anything useful, like the coordinates to the Black Cradle. But just how did-?

"Whitepearl, extract yourself, now!" Moeni shouted.
Whitepearl grasped at her head. "I-! I-! Gawd, this is awful!"
Moeni sighed. "Whitepearl, override independant control and extract yourself."

Whitepearl suddenly dropped her hands and stood straight up. "Processing commands. Overriding independant control. Extracting."

- Whitepearl Alpha (Formation Change): Whitepearl Alpha has retreated. Blackpearl is no longer protected!

Then she suddenly spun around and darted away, jumping up and activating two very powerful jumpboots. When Matthias could see again, he was standing where he was before he jacked into Whitepearl. It was confusing. Just why didn't Whitepearl have the coordinates? She probably couldn't return to the Black Cradle without knowing where it was located, could she? Just how the fuck was Moeni running this game?

- Matthias (Attack): Uses Nasty Plot on Self (x2).
- Excadrill (Attack): Uses Drill Run on Ginnungagap Mk II (x3). 8 Pwr + 17 Atk - 10 Def = 15 Dam x 1.5 STAB x 2 SE x 1.1 Muscle Band x 3 #Atks = 149 Damage!

Pendulum didn't have a ground type move to whack Ginnungagap with, but figured he had the next best thing.

- Pendulum (Attack): Uses Void Slash on Ginnungagap Mk II (x4). 13 Pwr + 9 SpAtk - 10 SpDef = 12 Dam x 2 SE x 2 (2 Crit) x 4 #Atks = 144 Damage!
- BlackPearl (Attack): Uses Charge Azure Wail on Self. The Azure Wail is charged to 100%!

"Get ready! It's coming!" Chizuru cried.

- Blackpearl (SignTech): Uses Azure Wail Storm. 120 Pwr + 30 SpAtk - 24 SpDef (Chizuru) / 10 SpDef (Giratina) / 14 SpDef (Zoroark) / 36 SpDef (Arachnophobia) / 11 SpDef (Allegion) = 126 Dam (Chizuru) / 140 Dam (Giratina) / 136 Dam (Zoroark) / 114 Dam (Arachnophobia) / 139 Dam (Allegion) x .5 (Chizuru) x .4 FoW = 26 damage dealt to Chizuru (118), 56 damage dealt to Giratina (64), 55 damage dealt to Zoroark (1) / 46 damage dealt to Arachnophobia (30) / 56 damage dealt to Allegion (24).

"And that," Takano paused just long enough to give a fancy bow. "Is why you must never underestimate Fog of War."
"Uhh...Takano? She's not done attacking us yet." Pendulum shrugged.

- Blackpearl (Attack): Uses Lock On on Takano. Blackpearl's Auxilary Weapon is targeting Takano!
- Blackpearl (Attack): Uses Toxic Flechette on Hyacinth. 60 Pwr + 20 Atk - 3 Def = 77 Dam x .4 FoW = 31 Damage (101)! Hyacinth has been badly poisoned!
- Ginnungagap Mk II (SignTech): Uses Internal Cooling. The generator spheres are shield and the colors cannot be seen!

"Hmph...with those colored spheres now covered by those armored barriers, I can't tell what the colors are," Rachel groaned.
"That's probably not a big deal," Discord pointed out. "I'm sure we'll want to take Blackpearl out next, anyways. And it looks like she can still take quite a beating."

- Ginnungagap Mk II (Attack): Uses Avalauncher (x2). 80 Pwr + 30 Atk - 15 Def (Allegion) / 30 Def (Rio) / 3 Def (Hyacinth) = 95 Dam (Allegion) / 80 Dam (Rio) / 107 Dam (Hyacinth) x 2 (Allegion) x .4 FoW x 2 #Atks (1 for Hyacinth) = 152 damage dealt to Allegion (defeated), 64 damage dealt to Rio (96), and 43 damage dealt to Hyacinth (58)! Enemy Fog of War is now 100%!

The Avalauncher was not only a painful attack that hit multiple opponents, it also kicked up massive clouds of choking dust. "I can barely see them anymore!" Catherine said. "I wonder if my fists are quick enough to hit them where they hide?"

- Ginnungagap Mk II (Attack): Ginnungagap changes its type combinations, but Internal Cooling prevents you from seeing the new combination!

-----Upkeep Phase (Turn 03)-----
- Status Effects: Hyacinth takes 22 damage (Bad Poison/36). Lucian returns to the battlefield.
- Auxilary Weapon (Attack): Uses Diamond Beam on Takano. 60 Pwr + 30 SpAtk - 19 SpDef = 71 damage (89)! Takano is suffering from frostbite! Takano's Spd has fallen by 25%!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armored Bishoujo: "You don't get no Identification Phase 'cause I'm too damn lazy and next turn is the last turn and I wanna work on the next Daisy the Disgruntled Trainer."

-----The Dynamic Duo Order Phase (Turn 2)-----
- Player Formation: [Renny] [Mollesk] [Harliette] [Lapras] [Lola (Tailwind Tx3)] [Snorlax (Tailwind Tx3)] [Metagross] [Pierce]
- Enemy Formation: [Gliskrow] [Kuudere Green] [Skaripper] [Lugia] [Moeni] [Darkrai] [Samantha] [Vanillass] [Dandere Purple] [Cloygonal]
- Battlefield Effects ~ Toxic Spikes (Player Formation/Poison)
- Kuudere Green (Boss/Human/Flying): HP ???? / Atk 18 / Def 13 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 21 / Spd 23 (29) / Rg 4/20 / AP 28/36 / Eva +20% / Pwr x1.5 / Kuu Up!
- Harliette (Shock Trooper/Black Mode): HP 160/160 / Atk 9 (27) / Def 14 (32) / SpAtk 8 (26) / SpDef 11 (29) / Spd 8 (26)
- Lola (Medic/Lopunny/Normal): HP 144/144 / Atk 9 / Def 11 / SpAtk 7 / SpDef 9 / Spd 11 (22) / Rg 9/20 / AP 12/24 / Protection (Lapras)
- Vanillass (Dandere/Ice/Ghost/Ice Body & Snow Cloak): HP 56/112 / Atk 18 / Def 16 / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 17 / Spd 19
- Cloygonal (Dandere/Ice/Water/Levitate & Shell Armor): HP 104/104 / Atk 15 / Def 22 / SpAtk 18 / SpDef 20 / Spd 18
- Gliskrow (Kuudere/Flying/Dark/Ground/Hyper Cutter & Super Luck): HP 126/152 / Atk 22 (28) / Def 18 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 13 / Spd 17
- Pierce (Main): HP 129/192 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 8 (12) / Spd 12 (16) / Rg 9/20 / AP 12/24 / Eject (Tx1)
- Dandere Purple (Boss/Human/Ice): HP 3266/3500 / Atk 15 / Def 19 (25) / SpAtk 20 / SpDef 18 (24) / Spd 16 / Rg 18/20 / AP 22/36 / Pwr x1.5 / Dan Up!
- Renny (Main/Immunity): HP 128/128 / Atk 12 (16) / Def 8 (12) / SpAtk 8 (12) / SpDef 10 (14) / Spd 11 (15) / Rg 9/20 / AP 14/24 / Crit 33%/50%
- Blaziken (Pierce/Fire/Fighting): HP 0/64 / Atk 12 (34) / Def 7 (11) / SpAtk 11 (15) / SpDef 7 (11) / Spd 8 (15)
- Enmakki (Pierce/Psychic/Dark/Magic Guard/Life Orb): HP 51/96 / Atk 8 (4) / Def 10 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 12 / Spd 13 / Burn
- Skaripper (Kuudere/Flying/Steel/Water/Keen Eye & Sturdy): HP 56/112 / Atk 13 / Def 25 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 14 / Spd 13
- Lapras (Lola/Water/Ice/Water Absorb/Leftovers/Female): HP 54/112 / Atk 8 / Def 9 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 6 (12) / Protecting (Lola)
- Darkrai (Moeni/Dark/Bad Dreams): HP 48/64 / Atk 9 / Def 9 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 9 / Spd 12
- Lugia (Moeni/Psychic/Flying/Multiscale): HP 66/88 / Atk 9 / Def 13 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 16 / Spd 11
- Mollesk (Renny/Bug/Rock/Simple/Sturdy/Lum Berry): HP 104/104 / Atk 23 (35) / Def 10 / SpAtk 0 / SpDef 23 (35) / Spd 0 (12)
- Snorlax (Lola/Normal/Thick Fat & Simple/Leftovers/Male): HP 52/128 / Atk 12 (30) / Def 6 (12) / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 12 / Spd 3 (9)
- Moeni (Boss/Human): HP ???? / Atk 10 / Def 11 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 10 / Spd 8 / Rg 14/20 / AP 8/36
- Metagross (Pierce/Steel/Psychic/Expert Belt/Clear Body): HP 72/72 / Atk 14 (26) / Def 13 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 9 / Spd 7
- Sam (Boss/Flareon): HP 48/96 / Atk 13 / Def 7 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 11 / Spd 7 / Rg 14/20 / AP 18/36

- Lola (Pokeshift): Transforms into Lopunny.
- Lola (Formation Change/Her Pokemon): Snorlax and Lapras have swapped positions.
- Renny (Action/Mollesk): Uses Steadfast Expertise. Mollesk is protected from status afflictions.
- Metagross (Attack/Dandere Purple): Uses Bullet Punch (x3). Dandere Purple's Ability stopped Bullet Punch 1 time! 4 Pwr + 26 Atk - 19 Def = 11 Dam x 1.5 STAB x 2 SE x 1.2 Item x 2 #Atks = 80 Damage!
- Harliette (Attack/Moeni): Uses Mad Buster. It hits 5 times! 100 Pwr + 27 Atk - 11 Def = 116 Dam x 5 #Atks = 580 Damage!

"RAAAAAGH!!" Harliette roared like a bloodthirsty barbarian. Then she vanished. And then Moeni vanished. They could see the two women when Harliette's raged-fueled blows connected with Moeni's ragdoll'd form. After five inhuman blows, Moeni righted herself and struck Harliette down from the sky when the two collided again. Harliette struggled to her feet, her mind gone from the experiments and chemicals but her body fighting just to be able to stand.

"I'm still standing, girl," Moeni taunted the raging madwoman, and indeed she was. Despite how much damage she ate, the only damage Moeni seemed to have sustained was in her tussled-up hair. "But it looks like you've just about reached your limit. Just how far will you go, Harliette? Are you will to even give up your own life to destroy me?"
"I'm gonna-!" Harliette shouted, but was halted by a sudden coughing fit.
"Please speak up. Mommy can't hear you, sweetheart."
"You! Are! DEAD!!" Harliette howled with rage.
"It pleases me greatly to see you've still got the spirit to make tiresome and hollow threats," Moeni chuckled. "I was starting to think it was a mistake to put so much money into you...though that mistake would pale in comparison to not aborting you in the first place."
"You heartless, sadistic megacunt! I will strip the flesh from your bones with my bare hands and prepare a grand feast for my Pokemon!"

They could all see it plain as day. Moeni's cutting remarks were custom made to goad Harliette into putting all of her power into her reckless and psychotic attacks. Moeni wanted to see just how much raw destruction Harliette's powers could inflict. But judging by the looks of her body, Harliette was going to destroy her own body long before she could put Moeni down.
"Sis, please! You've got to stop! This isn't worth it!" Lola cried.
"There are just some things in life you cannot help but take on, despite how impossible or immoral you know it to be, Lola," Moeni calmly told her eldest daughter, then gestured towards Renny. "When the boy there finds himself in mortal danger and you're the only one who can save him, I think you will understand that with crystal clearness."
"What?" Lola asked in disbelief, staring at Moeni. Then she grit her teeth. "I...I can see it...! Alright!"

Lola assumed her stance again. "Sis, whatever you do, you absolutely can't die on me. If you die on me, I'll kill you."

- Kuudere Green (Buff/Self): Uses Kuu Up! Kuudere's statistics have grown (Spd +2, Eva +2, Flying/Fire/Poison Pwr x1.5)!
- Kuudere Green (SignTech/Opponents): Uses Kuunado. 60 Pwr + 15 SpAtk - 9 SpDef (Lola), 12 SpDef (Snorlax), 12 SpDef (Pierce) = 66 Damage (Lola/32), 63 Dam (Snorlax/16), 63 Dam (Pierce/129). Pierce has been ejected!
- Lola/Renny (UnionTech): Uses Properous Gifts (Full Restore). Lapras, Lola, and Snorlax's HP have been restored to full.

Lola always looked serene when her lovely body, only obscured by countless feathers (bastards), opened up a large gift box full of healing light that was converted from a simple Full Restore. Just another wonderful vision for Renny to seal deep within his most precious memories.

- Cloygonal (Unleash Attack/Lapras): Fires the Solar Beam. 12 Pwr + 18 SpAtk - SpDef 10 = 20 Dam x 2 SE = 40 Damage (72)!
- Cloygonal (Attack/Mollesk): Uses Confuse Ray. Renny's Steadfast Expertise protects Mollesk from confusion!
- Cloygonal (Attack/Formation): Uses Toxic Spikes. A sparse layer of toxic spikes has been scattered around you!

"Slash, this is Bloody Rose," Irene's voice came over Renny's Inquiry Visor. "I've occasionally discovered on the battlefield that water does a fine job of washing away stuff like Toxic Spikes. Then again, if you're not going to swap your Pokeymans, you might not wanna bother wasting precious AP. Oh, but be careful. People or Pokemon who return from being ejected are also at risk. But if Pierce just happens to have poison armor on, no problems. And if necessary, he can swap armor before he returns to combat to render himself immune. Just hang in there, alright?"

- Gliskrow (Attack/Self): Gliskrow attacked itself in its confusion! 4 Pwr + 22 Atk = 26 Damage (126)!
- Gliskrow (Attack/Buff): Uses Swagger. Gliskrow's Atk +2! Gliskrow is already confused.
- Pierce (No Act/Eject): Pierce cannot act due to being ejected. His Stamina Boost is still useable. He still retains 8 AP.
- Pierce (Daphne/Reequip): Daphne replaces Pierce's Platemail armor with Windbreaker armor!

"Okay, you're all set!" Daphne said after reequipping Pierce. "By the way, you don't happen to need my phone number, do you?"
"Daphne," Irene said disapprovingly over her Inquiry Visor. "He's already got enough girlfriends, he doesn't need one more."
"Oh c'mon, I was jus' kidding!" Daphne said. "Careful, guys, I think they might try to use Uproar to awaken all of their sleepers."

- Dandere Purple (Buff/Self): Use Dan Up! Dandere Purple's statistics have increased (W-Def +2, Ice/Bug/Astral Pwr x1.5)!

"Looks like they're starting to take us seriously," Lola observed. "That's my Renny! Even a small team like ours can rock the party when he's calling the shots!"

- Snorlax (Buff/Self): Uses Belly Drum. Snorlax spends half of his HP to send his Atk to the maximum!
- Snorlax (Attack/Dandere Purple): Uses Rollout (x2). 6/12 Pwr + 30 Atk - 25 Def = 11/17 Dam x 2 SE = 56 Damage!

"She's a lot like Renny's Mollesk, isn't she?" Lola whimpered lightly. "I think we'll be taking her down around the end of next year."
"It's probably not a problem," Irene said over the visors. "I don't think Moeni's fighting this battle to the death. Not that I'm able to read minds, but I have a feeling those mechs are only there to stall for time so Moeni can see Bloodsoul's supernatural skills in real combat."
"Sis..." Lola murmured.

- Mollesk (Buff/Self): Uses Power Trick. Mollesk's Atk and Def stats have been swapped!
- Mollesk (Attack/Dandere Purple): Uses Rollout (x2). 3/6 Pwr + 35 Atk - 25 Def = 13/16 Dam x 2 SE x 2 Crit (16 Dam) = 90 Damage!
- Moeni (Attack/Lapras): Uses Night Daze. 9 Pwr + 10 SpAtk - 10 SpDef = 9 Dam x 2 D-STAB = 18 Damage (54)!
- Moeni (Attack/Snorlax): Uses Sacred Sword. 9 Pwr + 10 Atk - 12 Def = 7 Dam x 2 D-STAB x 2 SE = 28 Damage (36)!

"I think we're about at the end of this little skirmish, wouldn't you say?" Moeni asked casually. "Time and fate have dictated that this is not where you are meant to die, nor that I shall be the one honored to deliver you to your final moment. So let us finish this with haste, shall we? I'm a rather busy villainess."

-----Upkeep Phase (Turn 01)-----
- Status Effects: Vanillass takes 28 damage (Nightmare). Skaripper takes 28 damage (Nightmare). Darkrai has recovered from Nightmare. Lugia has recovered from Nightmare. Sam takes 24 damage (Nightmare).
- Hold Items: Snorlax recovers 16 HP (Leftovers).

[Menarker]

OOC: AB said we'll be ending the fights this round, so we don't need to get all caught up in the battle results. I'm just including the rough draft results of the plan I came up with so as to validate the roleplaying aspect.

Battle Plan:
Harliette: (Uncontrollable, infinite rage)
Lola: Send out Rapidash in Snorlax's place. (Gain speed boost) (Poisoned by Toxic Spike)
Trainer action to give up a pokemon attack (4 AP cost) to make a move 100% accurate. Make Rapidash's Hypnosis 100% accurate.
Rapidash: Hypnosis Harliette, preventing her from injuring herself any further before she can act. (32 speed after Snorlax's buff and Tailwind)
Lola: Uses After You on Renny, making him go next regardless of speed.
Renny: Rage Rocket himself.
Uses Serene Blessing, leeching the 'infinite rage' out of Harliette (possibly reducing drug harm , while protecting entire party (and Sam)).
Mollesk: (Stragetem Shift) Use Wrap to secure Sam from enemy side, and preventing her from running away or possibly attacking if she wakes up.
*Take Sam and entire party to retreat under the cover of the protection of Serene Grace and/or the 100% FoW from the enemy group behind them, assuming it hasn't been dispelled yet.*

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"I think we're about at the end of this little skirmish, wouldn't you say?" Moeni asked casually. "Time and fate have dictated that this is not where you are meant to die, nor that I shall be the one honored to deliver you to your final moment. So let us finish this with haste, shall we? I'm a rather busy villainess."

Renny gritted his teeth, exceedingly pissed off by the Moeni's unrepentant smugness and villainy. The enemy forces were still going strong and Moeni herself showed no signs of aggravation either physically or emotionally even after several head-on assaults from Harliette. On the other hand, Pierce was promptly ejected, and Lola was desperately choking back her tears to support her suicidally vengeful sister drug-addled rampage.

"We've been played for fools the whole time..." Renny looked quickly behind him, scanning the other half of the team's battle composition. The entire length of the battlefield was enveloped in 100% pure Fog of War, one of the mechs having fled and the other two heavily damaged. Then he looked back at the field his group was occupied with. Sam was still sleeping, Harliette was poised to attack any moment even as her body was torn apart from the massive rush of nigh infinite amount of rage energy shoved into her body...

"Lola, trust me on this! Send out Rapidash in Snorlax's place! Have it listen to me for a sec!"

*Assuming AB will allow the following to occur*

The Lopunny pokebrid switched out the large pokemon and sent out the graceful and fast unicorn pokemon whose speed was dashing from the boost that Snorlax passed on, even as it reared up painfully from the poison spikes laid on the ground. It probably looked a little frustrated being sent out this way, but its attention was directed toward Renny by Lola.

"Sorry about that, but it won't take long! Point your Hypnosis that way! Mollesk, support Rapidash!"

Renny pointed his finger straight at Harliette, not wanting to give away his intention to disrupt her kamikaze attack. The flame horse bolted with superior speed in front of frustrated shock-trooper and glared heavily within her eyes, a soulful ember dancing furiously within its eyes even as Mollesk exherted some unusual cosmic influence that stemmed from his moon-stone evolution. Harliette stumbled over in a deep sleep without fail like a marionette with cut strings.

Renny ran up toward Lola, as he apologized profusely.
"You were absolutely right, Lola. This fight was just a senseless mess and we got caught up in their pace. We should have just focused on getting the both of you back. We still have to save Charlotte and we don't have time for all of this nonsense. But now we have the best possible chance to escape, and take Sam back with us. But only if we act now."

He then adjusted his visor for a moment.
"Bloody Rose, with your permission I'm ordering a retreat to regroup back at Impact's location.
He then looked earnestly toward Lola. "Help me prep my Rage Rocket. We need to hurry before they try to interfere."

The two quickly managed to rummage through his gear, as the medic injected the vial of rage into the youth. Without wasting a moment, he channeled his personal energy into yet another wave of Serene Blessing. Unlike all the previous ones however, Renny sought to siphon all the excess rage from the sleeping Harliette, reducing the immediate harm that the drug would have wracked as it coarsed within her blood. Easily a hundred worth of rage energy was converted as a temporary but indomitable barrier that shielded each and every single one of their side from harm... and was also applied to Sam on the other side even as she slept. Renny beckoned the Rapidash to approach as he help lifted the prone and exhausted sister onto its back.

"Lola, take Harliette and yourself onto Rapidash and go through the Fog of War as fast as you're able."

Renny then sent a message over to Pierce who was probably some distance away and coming back after being ejected.

"Pierce, don't bother coming back to this side. We're retreating, and we're going to take Sam with us, so take Daphne and hurry over to Impact's location!"

Renny then looked at Mollesk urgently and firmly.
"Mollesk, WRAP your tentacles AROUND Sam," Renny ennunciated every word so as to avoid another tentacle related accident, as he pointed at Sam "and CARRY her over to Pierce." Renny swooped his finger from Sam and directed it to Pierce a bit off into the distance.

"LESK!"

Even as Mollesk wrapped several strands of tentacles that bounded up Sam and snatched her from her group, the PATCA teams on both side scrambled and started to make way back, protected several times over by his blessings and the fog of war which hindered the opposing force's vision. Mollesk used some of its spare tentacles to stretch across the field, bury it within the ground and pull itself toward it, even as Sam was carried overhead. Renny redirected Metagross, who was temporarily master-less to head back to Pierce, a request that he felt would be heeded without complaint. The Gallade glared for a brief instance toward Moeni, whom imprinted into his memory with disdain. If there was any small consolation, there was an odd sense of smugness if he had managed to inconvenience the detestable witch for putting an unsatisfying end to her battle with her estranged daughters.

[Astral Harmony]

"I think we're about at the end of this little skirmish, wouldn't you say?" Moeni asked casually. "Time and fate have dictated that this is not where you are meant to die, nor that I shall be the one honored to deliver you to your final moment. So let us finish this with haste, shall we? I'm a rather busy villainess."

Renny gritted his teeth, exceedingly pissed off by the Moeni's unrepentant smugness and villainy. The enemy forces were still going strong and Moeni herself showed no signs of aggravation either physically or emotionally even after several head-on assaults from Harliette. On the other hand, Pierce was promptly ejected, and Lola was desperately choking back her tears to support her suicidally vengeful sister drug-addled rampage.

"We've been played for fools the whole time..." Renny looked quickly behind him, scanning the other half of the team's battle composition. The entire length of the battlefield was enveloped in 100% pure Fog of War, one of the mechs having fled and the other two heavily damaged. Then he looked back at the field his group was occupied with. Sam was still sleeping, Harliette was poised to attack any moment even as her body was torn apart from the massive rush of nigh infinite amount of rage energy shoved into her body...

"Lola, trust me on this! Send out Rapidash in Snorlax's place! Have it listen to me for a sec!"

"Of course, you don't even need to ask," Lola said, already swapping out her Pokemon.

The Lopunny pokebrid switched out the large pokemon and sent out the graceful and fast unicorn pokemon whose speed was dashing from the boost that Snorlax passed on, even as it reared up painfully from the poison spikes laid on the ground. It probably looked a little frustrated being sent out this way, but its attention was directed toward Renny by Lola.

"I'll have extra-tasty oats prepared!" Lola apologized to Rapidash.

"Sorry about that, but it won't take long! Point your Hypnosis that way! Mollesk, support Rapidash!"

Renny pointed his finger straight at Harliette, not wanting to give away his intention to disrupt her kamikaze attack. The flame horse bolted with superior speed in front of the frustrated shock-trooper and glared heavily within her eyes, a soulful ember dancing furiously within its eyes even as Mollesk exerted some unusual cosmic influence that stemmed from his Moon Stone evolution. Harliette stumbled over in a deep sleep without fail like a marionette with cut strings.

Harliette staggered momentarily, then reared her left arm back and slugged Rapidash right in the side of its face. "You...bastard..." Harliette coughed, as both woman and Pokemon collapsed to the ground. Rapidash struggled and managed to stand back up. It was extremely lucky to escape with consciousness. That kind of punch could have broken its neck.

Renny ran up toward Lola, as he apologized profusely.
"You were absolutely right, Lola. This fight was just a senseless mess and we got caught up in their pace. We should have just focused on getting the both of you back. We still have to save Charlotte and we don't have time for all of this nonsense. But now we have the best possible chance to escape, and take Sam back with us. But only if we act now."

He then adjusted his visor for a moment.
"Bloody Rose, with your permission I'm ordering a retreat to regroup back at Impact's location."

"You're the bossman, bossman," Irene's voice came over the Inquiry Visor.

He then looked earnestly toward Lola. "Help me prep my Rage Rocket. We need to hurry before they try to interfere."

The two quickly managed to rummage through his gear, as the medic injected the vial of rage into the youth. Without wasting a moment, he channeled his personal energy into yet another wave of Serene Blessing. Unlike all the previous ones however, Renny sought to siphon all the excess rage from the sleeping Harliette, reducing the immediate harm that the drug would have wracked as it coarsed within her blood. Easily a hundred worth of rage energy was converted as a temporary but indomitable barrier that shielded each and every single one of their side from harm... and was also applied to Sam on the other side even as she slept. Renny beckoned the Rapidash to approach as he help lifted the prone and exhausted sister onto its back.

"Lola, take Harliette and yourself onto Rapidash and go through the Fog of War as fast as you're able."

Rapidash scoffed.

"Please, Rapidash? I'm sure she'll realize that we're doing the right thing," Lola begged of it.

Rapidash's response was to allow Lola to ride it, turn around and spear Harliette's jacket, then haul ass right through the two enemy mecha and pierce the fog of war like an arrow. What a trooper.

Renny then sent a message over to Pierce who was probably some distance away and coming back after being ejected.

"Pierce, don't bother coming back to this side. We're retreating, and we're going to take Sam with us, so take Daphne and hurry over to Impact's location!"

Renny then looked at Mollesk urgently and firmly.
"Mollesk, WRAP your tentacles AROUND Sam," Renny ennunciated every word so as to avoid another tentacle related accident, as he pointed at Sam "and CARRY her over to Pierce." Renny swooped his finger from Sam and directed it to Pierce a bit off into the distance.

"LESK!"

Even as Mollesk wrapped several strands of tentacles that bounded up Sam and snatched her from her group, the PATCA teams on both side scrambled and started to make way back, protected several times over by his blessings and the fog of war which hindered the opposing force's vision. Mollesk used some of its spare tentacles to stretch across the field, bury it within the ground and pull itself toward it, even as Sam was carried overhead. Renny redirected Metagross, who was temporarily master-less to head back to Pierce, a request that he felt would be heeded without complaint. The Gallade glared for a brief instance toward Moeni, whom imprinted into his memory with disdain. If there was any small consolation, there was an odd sense of smugness if he had managed to inconvenienced the detestable witch for putting an unsatisfying ending to her battles with her estranged daughters.

"Probably for the best," Moeni shrugged. "She would have to get used to those powers of hers before she can fight with absolute efficiency. Blackpearl. Ginnungagap Mk II. Extract yourselves. You two can go as well."

Then Moeni turned back to Renny as all other enemy forces retreated. She didn't say anything, just stood there, staring at him. And when she had determined that everyone else was gone, she backstepped...and vanished before her foot hit the ground.

The fog of war was beginning to clear. There were no more hostiles. And Harliette looked like shit. Lola couldn't really do anything for her, so she focused on easing Rapidash's pain. "She won't wake up, but she's still breathing," Lola reported. "She's probably going to be crippled for at least a couple weeks. I'm sorry, Renny, but I think I'd like to stay with her, if only to make sure she doesn't kill herself. I'm sure she'll blame us for letting Moeni get away."

Minutes passed, and it looked like everyone was healed right back up with Lola and Chizuru tag-teaming both groups. Ray showed up, looking a lot better than before the battle. "I'm fit to go with you this time," he told Renny. "What lies ahead could very well be a trap, and you'll need all the help you can get."

Lucian volunteered to guard Sam, which was probably for the best. He could keep her from harming anyone or herself, yet was gentle enough in restraining her to not aggravate any wounds or cause her discomfort. "I don't praise him for this, but he's really nice to girls," Discord said.

"I think she's waking up," he reported. "I wonder if she knows anything about what's ahead?"

[Menarker]

As they regrouped along with Impact's side, Renny had Mollesk lower Sam's sleeping form near Pierce and some other PATCA agents guarding her.

"There you go Pierce... I hope things work out between the two of you... If you excuse me, I'm sure we both got someone we want to talk to."

Patting Mollesk's head appreciatively, he recalled the pokemon and walked over to Lola, Harliette and Rapidash, as he thought of what to say. He petted the horse pokemon apologetically for its trouble with Harliette and for being sent out among the poison spikes. All the revelations of the previous battle made the air feel thick with tension.

"She won't wake up, but she's still breathing," Lola reported. "She's probably going to be crippled for at least a couple weeks. I'm sorry, Renny, but I think I'd like to stay with her, if only to make sure she doesn't kill herself. I'm sure she'll blame us for letting Moeni get away."

"Yeah, that's fine. I was going to ask you to stay with her and the rest of the inactive group for this mission." Renny said slowly. "This sort of reunion... I would guess you both would need time to adjust. I'm sorry that... everything happened like this."
Renny hugged her firmly. "I was so worried when I heard the two of you ran off. I know you got a good head on your shoulder, so I figured it must have been very important. But, I'm just glad as long as you're safe."

After a few moments, he spoke again. "We learned quite a bit though, so I should report to Impact about the details we'll need to take advantage of soon."
Renny walked away for a bit before turning back, glancing toward Lola and pointing toward Harliette. "If she wakes up, tell her this for me. 'There will be another chance, and we'll fight Moeni AND win on our terms. I'm not going to allow anyone to suffer being a tool in her schemes. Until then, we'll get even stronger.'"

Soon after, Ray came toward Renny, looking in a lot better shape. "I'm fit to go with you this time. What lies ahead could very well be a trap, and you'll need all the help you can get."

"Glad to hear. There was a lot of things we learned from that fight. The main thing being that Myrie, Professor Ricewood's daughter, who was involved with Moeni for a time in Black Cradle is acting as a spokesperson for Nosferastu in Corpsemire. If Sam here happens to know little about what is going on, then heading to the Corpsemire as previously planned would not only be our best bet for finding Myrie, but possibly our best lead toward finding Black Cradle. Unless Donovan and Hyacinth's team discovered something..."

*Minutes after*
After Renny talked with Ray for a bit, he searched for Catherine and came back to her side with a bit of a run.
"Catherine! Are you alright!?" He hugged her with a degree of affection. "Sorry that Pierce and I had to ditch you and the main group like that. I doubt Lola and Harliette could have managed that entire group by themselves. Your occupying the mechs did us all a huge favor. I really owe you one.
Renny thought for a little moment as he looked at her, making sure she was fine.
"Anyhow, do you feel like sticking close with me for the next part? Impact thinks it's going to be a tough one.

[Astral Harmony]

As they regrouped along with Impact's side, Renny had Mollesk lower Sam's sleeping form near Pierce and some other PATCA agents guarding her.

"There you go Pierce... I hope things work out between the two of you... If you excuse me, I'm sure we both got someone we want to talk to."

Patting Mollesk's head appreciatively, he recalled the pokemon and walked over to Lola, Harliette and Rapidash, as he thought of what to say. He petted the horse pokemon apologetically for its trouble with Harliette and for being sent out among the poison spikes. All the revelations of the previous battle made the air feel thick with tension.

"She won't wake up, but she's still breathing," Lola reported. "She's probably going to be crippled for at least a couple weeks. I'm sorry, Renny, but I think I'd like to stay with her, if only to make sure she doesn't kill herself. I'm sure she'll blame us for letting Moeni get away."

"Yeah, that's fine. I was going to ask you to stay with her and the rest of the inactive group for this mission." Renny said slowly. "This sort of reunion... I would guess you both would need time to adjust. I'm sorry that... everything happened like this."
Renny hugged her firmly. "I was so worried when I heard the two of you ran off. I know you got a good head on your shoulder, so I figured it must have been very important. But, I'm just glad as long as you're safe."

"I'm surprisingly adjusted," Lola said, sounding very calm despite all that had happened. "It's Harliette I'm worried about. Her body is undoubtedly broken, and there's nothing I can do to speed along her eventual recovery. I'm sure she'll regain functionality of her body some day, but she won't be on her feet anytime soon."

After a few moments, he spoke again. "We learned quite a bit though, so I should report to Impact about the details we'll need to take advantage of soon."
Renny walked away for a bit before turning back, glancing toward Lola and pointing toward Harliette. "If she wakes up, tell her this for me. 'There will be another chance, and we'll fight Moeni AND win on our terms. I'm not going to allow anyone to suffer being a tool in her schemes. Until then, we'll get even stronger.'"

"That probably won't stop her from punching you," Lola winked.

Well, he had to try.

Soon after, Ray came toward Renny, looking in a lot better shape. "I'm fit to go with you this time. What lies ahead could very well be a trap, and you'll need all the help you can get."

"Glad to hear. There was a lot of things we learned from that fight. The main thing being that Myrie, Professor Ricewood's daughter, who was involved with Moeni for a time in Black Cradle is acting as a spokesperson for Nosferastu in Corpsemire. If Sam here happens to know little about what is going on, then heading to the Corpsemire as previously planned would not only be our best bet for finding Myrie, but possibly our best lead toward finding Black Cradle. Unless Donovan and Hyacinth's team discovered something..."

*Minutes after*
After Renny talked with Ray for a bit, he searched for Catherine and came back to her side with a bit of a run.
"Catherine! Are you alright!?" He hugged her with a degree of affection. "Sorry that Pierce and I had to ditch you and the main group like that. I doubt Lola and Harliette could have managed that entire group by themselves. Your occupying the mechs did us all a huge favor. I really owe you one.
Renny thought for a little moment as he looked at her, making sure she was fine.
"Anyhow, do you feel like sticking close with me for the next part? Impact thinks it's going to be a tough one.

Catherine was silent. Renny could see that her face was red. And then suddenly she burried his face in her chest. "Awww, you're just so adowable!" Catherine squeeled with delight.

Good grief, lady. How did Shevenston ever keep up with this woman?

Thankfully, she rescued him before he suffocated in her embrace. "You'd better believe that you're taking me with you. We're certain Moera's just ahead, but there's no telling what she's bringing to the party. I don't much think I can get along with Charlotte, but we can't very well just leave her out here, can we?"

[Menarker]

It was Renny's turn to turn red in the face as it was buried in Catherine's bosoms, but he was rather delighted by her support.

"Yeah, we gotta help Charlotte. Even if I fear her more than most of the enemies we dealt with thus far." *Cough*

When Renny saw Pendulum for a moment, he recalled his stated objective.


"My mission. I need to know what kinds of Pokemon those girls have, and if there's a chance to meet them again here, it's probably with you. I'll join you in the manhunt. Let's hustle."


"Pendulum! A quick moment of your time?"

Renny moved with a bit of haste over to the large warrior, not wanting to cause any delay to the rescue mission.
"Those Dere-Darlings we just fought now. You said that there was special pokemon you said you were concerned about in special pokeball. Were you perhaps talking about the pokeweapons that they had? Like that Skaripper and Vanilass?"

[Astral Harmony]

Pendulum looked thoughtful. "Well, I suppose it's alright to talk about it to a fellow PATCA member," he said finally with a shrug. "I'm looking for something called a Fiend Pokemon. PokeWeapons aren't classified as Fiend Pokemon, and in the military and Republican Guard, they're actually somewhat legal, though Irene doesn't approve of them and neither do I. Out of curiousity, I did see the process by which two Pokemon are fused into a PokeWeapon. It...seemed painless, kind of like being processed into a Pokebrid. In fact, I'd say it's exactly like that, except the human is also a Pokemon. Still, there's no real telling just how Pokemon feel about their bodies being altered like that."

"But I digress. Everytime we hear reports of 'never before seen' or 'unusual' Pokemon, we deploy to investigate. Fiend Pokemon are often very hostile to humans and other Pokemon on top of being quite a bit more powerful, and are a danger to all walks of life. There's a place deep underground where they dwell, and they're not supposed to be able to escape from there, but sometimes there are breaches and anywhere from one to a full squad might find themselves out here. Me and all other members of the Black Page Society are specially armed, armored, and trained to handle and defeat Fiend Pokemon. The reason our unit is so secretive is because the knowledge of Fiend Pokemon could cause a huge public outcry. Fortunately, they've never seemed to surface anywhere densely populated, which is probably the only reason casualties have been prevented."

Pendulum frowned. "Just who the hell were those women? PokeWeapons are not available to the general public. I get the feeling they were 'acquired' from the Prideguard, though whether they were stolen or someone's palms were greased...oh well, that's completely out of my field of expertise."

[Aldurin]

It was already too late to react when Whitepearl's attack hit Donovan, in his intent to strike at Blackpearl the only forewarning he got was noticing the ebb of rage created by the attack, then a flash of vision toward the darker world before he woke up, feeling the sensation of the Revive in his body.

Getting up and watching the others recuperate, he took the moment of serenity away from the usual Rage saturation to gather the situation. He put his shades back on and began checking his pistols as he approached Renny. "So did we get any of them, or was it a full retreat on their part?" The slide slammed into place with a resounding and precise clang, an oddly soothing sound for Donovan. "This outfit can rely on you to maintain formation during our next fight, right?"

[Menarker]

Renny looked moderately contrite as he replied. "I'm sorry that Pierce and I, err, ditched the formation. The situation pretty much demanded it. But, you guys pulled off your side quite well. Whitepearl especially looked like she really had been messed with."

The Gallade pokebrid looked toward Donovan and Hyacinth with an approving nod as he continued to answer the queries with his arms crossed.
"Anyhow! Along with rescuing Lola and Harliette, we technically stole away one of their attacker and supporter, who happens to be related to Pierce." Renny pointed toward Sam briefly, "Confirming her condition and rescuing her has been a side-objective for a while. So we managed to accomplish that! It'll be a net-win for us if we can also get back Charlotte. Considering she is their hostage right from the start instead of a potentially active agent in heated combat, I don't expect that we'll be splitting up our forces again in order to support her."

[Astral Harmony]

Armored Bishoujo: "The battle hasn't really started yet and you've got time to chat it out amongst yourselves or with the enemy. Also, this could help Menarker formulate a plan of attack with y'all."

Ray had separated briefly from the group to use his Inquiry Visor, and returned. "Called up Irene. We can leave it to her to pick up Lola, Harliette and Sam along with the rest of our injured and extract 'em back to HQ. Pierce can deal with Sam then. They should be here in a few minutes tops. Until then, grab a smoke or take a leak, whatever will help ease the tension."

It didn't take long at all for the Rig to catch up. Irene and Jenny popped out. "We'll get 'em out of here," Irene said as she opened the back doors. "C'mon, resupply and get back out there."
Ray gestured towards the Rig. "You heard the lady, grab yer peelz and get mobile."

Fortunately, Ray was not run over by a double decker bus for his blatant violation of Meme Code Article II, Section IV, Subsection C, Paragraph II.

"I hope Charlotte's not too pissed at us," Chizuru mused. "She's probably been waiting all this time."
"Only one way to find out," Ray said with a quick check of his weapons before taking point.

Meanwhile, at their destination...

"Are you mad?"

"Is that even a question?" A surprisingly quick response for such a dazed individual.

Sometimes Charlotte found her mind drifting away from the subtle domination, but when her captor spoke up, it snapped her right back into reality. Charlotte probably wasn't so much mad as she was exhausted. How could she be mad? She got to kill two of the biggest names on her bucket list.

"Look, I was completely broke and starving when I hooked up with those demon girls and I desperately needed money. If it's any consolation, I'll share some with you if we both manage to survive this somehow."

This woman was kind of strange. Her hair was a vivid orange and her eyes...well, 'eye' was a pale green. The other eye was covered by some kind of white wrappings...as well as most of the rest of her body. What was she pretending to be, some kind of mummy? She wasn't a Pokebrid of any kind, but her powers were clearly supernatural. Some of the wrappings had been transformed into a strange kind of drill, a drill that the woman was holding near Charlotte's neck.

Charlotte didn't have much to do while it was just the two of them, so she could only take stock of her situation. When she made it to the bottom of the Gauntlet's outer ring, she found that Moera was leading the entire enemy operation, helping out Team Rocket and the fledgling Harbingers of Ascension. And to add some tasty icing to the already flavorful cake, two other people that Charlotte wanted very dead were present as well. There was her ex-boyfriend Clive, clad in Harbinger robes with the features of a Mew Pokebrid, and Ursula, her mother, adorned with the cheap and gaudy raiments of a Team Rocket executive. Everything was almost a blur of action after that.

Clive and Ursula were both dead now, sprawled on the ground a few meters in front of Charlotte and her captor, their bodies bloody and their faces splashed with terror. But what about her own situation? They had removed her Inquiry Visor, but she knew the status of her Pokemon. They had been defeated in battle against Moera's ambush, but not killed. All she would need to do is find some items or, heaven forbid, maybe there was a Pokemon Center somewhere out here.

It was then that Moera reappeared, apparently having been out scouting this whole time. "Moeni's done with them," Moera said as she placed Charlotte's confiscated shotgun in Ursula's cold, dead hands. "I imagine they'll be here in several minutes after they've licked their wounds. Saw a lot of unfamiliar faces in that crowd. PATCA must be doing really well for itself. Or maybe they'll just take anyone in."
"Oh, they do."

Moera had changed much since the last time Charlotte kicked her ass back in Millenium House, and Moera had been kind enough to tell her why. After that third resounding defeat, Moera's body just couldn't hold up. The regeneration wasn't restoring her body like it should and her unparalleled psychic powers were ripping her body apart from the inside out. So her mother Moeni simply fashioned a new one for her and swapped her brain from the old body to the new one. She looked quite normal, except for the strange armor and the features that identified her as a Meloetta Pokebrid in Aria form. Charlotte would describe her as being about fourteen years old this time, with short pink hair and a rather large, frilly hairbow around the back. Apparently she was still in the 'pretty little princess' stage of her youth. Charlotte had seen other people with that armor before during the ambush, and figured it was the fashion of combat units from the Black Cradle. "You're probably wondering why I haven't tortured you to death," Moera told her prisoner.
"By this point I think we're all pretty sure of my immortality and immunity to Karma," Charlotte retorted.

"Honestly, I'm not stupid enough to forgive or forget the building grudge we have for each other. But, believe it or not, I have respect for you, Miss Beaufort."
"I don't," Charlotte interrupted her.
Moera seemed to ignore her. "I see the anger in your eyes, the rage in your heart, and the relentlessness in your attacks. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was looking right into a mirror. And while I might very well take great pleasure in your slow, painful demise, I take no solace in robbing you of the revenge that you so voraciously crave. However, you did sort of bring our little operation to an epic fail back there. Killing the head Harbinger fanatic and the chief Team Rocket executive of Honmyr? It was our intention to ally ourselves with them for the sake of using them to distract PATCA from what us in Black Cradle and Adonova were doing, but with those two bodies, we've lost those advantages. Not that I particularly care. I rather enjoyed seeing how horrifically gruesome you were when you exacted your own brand of justice upon them. Tell me; just how many simultaneous orgasms did you experience when you tore them apart?"

"Pretty sure Clive never gave me an orgasm even when he was alive," Charlotte responded dryly. "I highly doubt you or mummy girl will be able to give me that sort of satisfaction either. I wonder what those two thought would happen? Maybe thoughts of revenge or a chance of clearing a bad apple off the family tree? I wonder what you think will happen Moera. You always come back to life right? Well next time you're up or down in the afterlife, ask 'em for me."
Moera frowned, then looked at the mummy girl. "Astarte, you told me your parents killed you, right? What did you feel?"
"Honestly, I didn't really think anything," the mummy girl replied. "I was sort of pissed that I could no longer just go back to shaking my ass at night clubs, but that was all. Anyways, Moera? Maybe you shouldn't be pissing her off."

"I'd be killing you even if I wasn't mad," Charlotte said, the lack of edge in her voice making her threat even more disturbing.
"Relax, Astarte, she's not going to be able to do much without her gun and her Pokemon," Moera sighed, then turned around. Charlotte could see them, too. PATCA was here.
"I pretty much entirely see myself as unstoppable. That's just a roadblock."
"You're not unstoppable yet," Moera replied softly. "But once we're done with your rescue party, we'll see about getting you there. Astarte, don't let her escape your grasp. You fail me and I'm killing you both."
"Meep," Astarte said.

"Warm greetings, you foolish fucks," Moera bowed politely when she believe she was in earshot of Ray and the others. "Tell me, was my mother a good host? She can't make tea worth a crap. And do not ask her to make you a grilled cheese. You will involuntarily learn Sludge Bomb."

And then, Moera snapped her fingers.

BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B54jN0PaUfQ

Suddenly, large plumes of smoke rapidly built up from Charlotte's flanks as Moera was very quickly reinforced. Charlotte didn't recognize any of them, since she hadn't seen them before. They were...a colorful cast, to be sure. A woman now stood with Moera who had a physically honed body with what looked like two cannons strapped to her powerful arms. Two platinum-blonde ninja, one an incredibly handsome male and the other a ridiculously curvaceous female, both armed with Pokemon. A young brunette girl armed with some kind of edged hoop and adorned in black armor that seemed to breathe and move on its own, with a raven-haired...man...woman? It was a really cute boy and one couldn't be sure as to whether it was really a him or a her. But he definitely wasn't human. A woman whose left arm was a Blastoise's water cannon and whose right arm was that of a Conkeldurr, toting a concrete column. And last but not least, some kind of slightly translucent platinum ooze with strange lights flowing along its mass. Charlotte could make out one or two weapons held inside of its body. Katana and whatnot.

There were also what one would consider to be rank and file infantry courtesy of Black Cradle, two heavily armed and armored mutants and two men clad in that same silvery armor Moera wore. And to top it all off, Moera closed her eyes and raised her open hands, which slowly and jerkily brought the slaughtered duo of Clive and Ursula staggering to their bloody feet. Clive's psychic powers activated while Ursula cocked Charlotte's stolen shotgun.

"Well, there's Madame Ursaring," When he wasn't being kind to women, Lucian also had a knack for pointing out the obvious. "She looks okay, but her Pokemon have all been downed."
"And correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that young girl in the black armor is Professor Ricewood's daughter, Myrie," Pendulum pointed out. "The Inquiry Visor says so, anyways."

Moera teleported back behind the rest of the force, taking up the role of Destroyer. Everybody else, including Myrie, were steadfast in the vanguard. "I see you've got quite a few new members in your entourage," Moera said, looking at Donovan and Hyacinth. "Allow me to introduce myself, the only way I know how."

Another powerful psychic surge and then Donovan and Hyacinth were seeing body doubles of themselves on the side of the enemy. Psyshades. Again. The two ninja armed themselves and deployed their Pokemon. Myrie, who had been disturbingly quiet this whole time, gave a brief nod. The androgynous person standing next to her advanced and was then devoured by his/her own shadow, becoming a creature that Pierce recognized immediately. The body and head of a panther with the feet of a large bird, wings of a giant bat, great stag antlers protruding from the head, and the tail of a serpent. The creature from Millenium House that he saw...it was a servant of Myrie?

Enemy Formations

- Vanguard: [Cradle Trooper A] [Myrie] [Rulag] [Asura Echo A (L-Type)] [Drapion] [Sasuke] [Dustox] [PsyDonovan] [ZombClive] [Mifuyu] [Shibito] [ZombUrsula] [PsyHyacinth] [Staraptor] [Shinobu] [Yanmega] [Asura Echo B (L-Type)] [Astarte/Charlotte] [Sixty-Nine] [Cradle Trooper B]
- Rearguard: [Cradle Sniper A] [Moera] [Cradle Sniper B]

"This isn't good," Takano said. "Not only is that a lot of enemies, but the Visors are pinpointing two sniper units out there."
"Yep, that would be my doing."
"Your voice is unfamiliar, speaker," Ray said. "Identify yourself."

"Callsign Opticka on station, sir," a cool female voice chimed in over the Visors. "In the interest of meeting new folks, let me tell you about myself. I'm a Scout Specialist. Us scouts use powerful scanning equipment, similar to your Inquiry Visors, but on a much larger scale, to assist you indirectly in combat. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't've known about those two enemy snipers. I can use my equipment to discover things like hidden enemies and send the relevant data wirelessly to your own Visors."
"That's helpful. What else can you do?"
"Don't you worry, sir. I'll show you all my talents as this battle gets underway."
"We're counting on you, then. Well, do we have any words to trade before we start trading blows?"

Inquiry Data Loading...

- Cradle Trooper ~ Human-attribute frontline infantry. Relatively unremarkable when compared to the other units. Opticka's scans of them reveal that their weapons are geared for hostile specimen control, employing Electric, Fire, Poison, Psychic and Steel damage on top of some debilitating attacks like nets, tranquilizers and tasers. Their armor is made for protection in hostile environments, offering protection from fire, ice, normal, poison, and steel attacks and preventing fire, ice and poison related status effects.

- Cradle Sniper ~ Human-attribute infantry equipped for long-range sniping. Opticka's scans revealed that they are very similarly equipped to the troopers. She recommends utilizing Fog of War and allied snipers in order to deal with them before their killshots can reduce your numbers too quickly.

- Asura Echo ~ Despite their hideously mutated forms, the Asura Echo mutates still have the Human attribute, making them weak to fire and poison. They brandish large firearms like heavy machineguns and brutal melee implements that can inflict devastating damage and severe status effects and debuffs, all while having large amounts of health to weather multiple concentrated assaults. They are also quite large, and attacks aimed at two enemies can hit them twice since they occupy two slots apiece.

- Myrie Ricewood ~ Daughter of Bretton Collings and Jeanette Ricewood, Myrie has indeed become a Shadow Pokebrid, making her a Shadow type. Opticka's information provides that the power of the shadow type allows one to reduce rage generation, prevent it entirely, or drain it. The shadow type of attacks are usually super effective. Her weapon is the unique Snake Hoop, a weapon created by Hiroshiho blacksmith Toshio Igarashi, who occasionally creates such ridiculous and complex weapons like the Snake Hoop and Pizza's Sawstaff. The Snake Hoop's katana-edged segments can separate like a snakesword, to lash out and slice up targets at a distance. Why Myrie has it is anyone's guess.

- Rulag ~ A Shadow type, though Opticka doesn't think it's actually a Pokemon or that it belongs to Myrie. Most likely, it will fight a lot like Myrie, affecting your abilities to generate and use Rage. Caution is advised.

- Sasuke ~ An elite ninja of Hiroshiho origin and the older twin brother of Shinobu. A war orphan, he and his sister were picked up by Adonova and became a deadly and loyal shinobi who serves Bezelain's orders to the letter. Opticka believes he is a Human/Poison unit and all of his Pokemon are Poison types. It is likely that not only does he have extremely powerful Pokemon Co-Ops of the poisonous variety, but also a deadly UnionTech with his sister. The toxins contained in his weapons can add deathclocks and even deathlocks that will prevent the revival of fallen units. His defenses protect him from Bug, Ghost, Grass, Poison, and Water damage, and he is at least immune to various poisons and instant death and deathclocks.

- Shinobu ~ An elite ninja of Hiroshiho origin and the younger twin sister of Sasuke. A war orphan, she and her brother were picked up by Adonova and she became a deadly and loyal kunoichi who serves Bezelain's orders to the letter. Opticka believes she is a Human/Flying unit and all of her Pokemon are Flying types. It is likely that not only does she have extremely powerful Pokemon Co-Ops of the flying variety, but also a deadly UnionTech with her brother. The accuracy and precision of her strikes can inflict grievous criticals and sharply reduce vital statistics, going so far to place seals that prevent one from making a full recovery. Her defenses protect her from Electric, Fighting, Flying, and Steel damage and prevent paralysis and bleeding.

- Shibito ~ A former Sparta Arena champion who eventually lost her title to Irene Crosswald's mother. After that resounding defeat, she vanished off the face of the earth, though it was believed she was going out on a pilgrimage in order to find herself and strengthen up for a rematch. Now she seems to have become an unwilling member of the Prideguard's secret Project Arsenal and has been loaned to Moera, who is using her psychic powers to dominate and boost Shibito's potential. Shibito is a Human type who fights using dual arm-mounted recoiless cannons that can blast opponents with electric, fire, ice, poison, and steel shells that can hit one target or multiple targets for more spread out damage. Her armor suggests a resistance to fighting, fire, poison, and steel damage as well as protection from burns, toxins and bleeding.

- Mifuyu ~ Opticka's deeper scans reveal that Mifuyu is some kind of 'omnimorph', able to alter her entire body or merely parts of it to assume the skills, abilities and movesets of virtually every non-legendary Pokemon in existence. By mimicking only parts of them, Mifuyu can gain the advantage of STAB without having any specific weaknesses, and is considered a Human/Astral combination. She apparently has specific resistances to status effects or debuffs.

- Sixty-Nine ~ Get the innuendo jokes out of your system now because the rest of Sixty-Nine isn't particularly funny. It appears to be an amorphous mass of liquid circuitry, and brandishes a full armory inside its body. It can slice, shoot and kill with lethal efficiency and deceptive speed that sets it apart from every other warrior ever encountered. It's difficult to determine just how best to attack it, but Opticka thinks that it's possible to hack into it, reducing its combat potential or locking down some of its moves. Being a non-living construct, it is more or less immune to nearly all normal status effects.

- Astarte ~ Astarte is unique in that she seems to be a genuine undead being as opposed to the two zombies that are products of Moera's psychic influence. Opticka suggests that you attack her with Bug, Fire, Flying and Grass damage, but doesn't recommend Ghost, Poison, Psychic, Ruin, or Shadow attacks. However, you should hold off on engaging her for now. Attacking her might put Charlotte in danger, and Astarte shows no desire to attack you herself.

- Moera ~ Opticka has observed the three legendary Psychic types of Meloetta, Cresselia and Victini are meshed with the DNA of her new body. It is likely that her Destroyer-based attacks will involve mighty psychic payloads of destruction topped with nasty status effects like sleep, confusion, berserk, apathy, and disobedience.

- Psyshade Donovan / Psyshade Hyacinth ~ Psychically generated opponents who are believed to be like Donovan and Hyacinth in every way except for type weaknesses. These Psyshades, despite their attacks, will always have the Psychic type of weaknesses.

- Zombie Clive / Zombie Ursula ~ Not actual zombies, per se, these two have been reanimated by Moera's limitless psychic powers. Clive is the ex-boyfriend of Charlotte and a Mew Pokebrid in Harbinger robes. Ursula is Charlotte's mother and a Team Rocket officer, using Charlotte's poison shotgun that Charlotte herself took from Harliette. While Clive can be fought like a Mew Pokebrid, Ursula possesses the weaknesses of a Human attribute unit.

-------------------------------
The Ultimate Rivalry

"I've found her," Chizuru said with a low voice. She seemed to be shivering, though it was more out of excitement than out of fear. "I've finally found my rival!"

Before anyone could say anything, Chizuru directed one of her tonfas towards the enemy, but specifically towards Shinobu. "I've finally found you! My perfect match! My ultimate rival!"

"Oh god, not again," Shizuka sighed.
"So she forms rivalries with powerful kunoichi?" Catherine asked.
"Nope," Shizuka said, feeling a headache coming on. "It's a rivalry between two powerful kunoichi...with unbelieveable bustlines."

Shinobu looked at Chizuru in confusion, then at her own breasts, and shrugged. "You know, it's not like I wanted these breasts. I'm not really looking for a boyfriend, they ache in the shower, I can't hug my pillow tightly to myself like I want to and-..."

Her face suddenly turned red. "Damn it, look what you made me say! I'm going to put you down!"
"Bring it on, my ultimate rival!" Chizuru shouted in defiance.
"You have our sympathies regarding your nutty sister, shinobi-san," Shizuka offered her condolences.
Sasuke nodded quietly.
"Not much for talking, are you?"
Shinobu chuckled. "Oh, don't worry about my brother. He's not good at conversing with girls. Especially pretty ones."
"So that's why he's so quiet and withdrawn," Moera murmured.

-------------------------------------------------
The Power of Sixty-Nine

"Okay, I'll bite," Rio said. "Just what the hell is that...slime thing?"
"Oh, that thing?" Moera indicated the platinum ooze. "That is Professor Moeni's sixty-nineth major successful experiment, but she's really bad at naming things so she just calls it Sixty-Nine."
"Sixty-Nine, huh? I wonder just how powerful Sixty-Nine really is?"
Moera shrugged. "I have no clue, this is its first field test. But if Sixty-Nine turns out to be as awesome as mom told me it was, we might see if mass-production is possible."

Mika looked thoughtful. "Then what happens? Will you try to unleash the terror of Sixty-Nine throughout the entire Pokemon World?"
"I suppose that's always possible, given my mom," Moera coughed. "If it's possible, all people and all Pokemon in the entire world will know the power of Sixty-Nine."
"Mizuno-sama, this could be really bad," Rio told Shizuka. "If Sixty-Nine is really as powerful as that, then we should take it on together."

Astarte, who had been observing quietly all this time, was now quite weirded out. "Charlotte, are you absolutely certain these people came here to rescue you, or are they perhaps escaped asylum patients?"

[Menarker]

Creating placeholder post in case anyone wants to post before AB posts again on Friday.

[Astral Harmony]

Strategerization Phase

1.) Primary Objective: Reduce Moera's PP to 30%.

"Priority for this battle is rescuing Madame Ursaring," Ray pointed out. "Pacifying the enemy will be necessary only for the sake of reducing incoming damage and giving her a window to free herself. Opticka, what can you tell us about her condition? Our visors read that her status is Domination and that her Pokemon are at zero HP."

"That's it, sir," Opticka said with finality. "As for where the Domination is coming from, it is being reapplied to her body again and again from the direction of Moera."
"She's in the far back of the formation. It may be impossible to free Beaufort by defeating Moera."
"If I may, sir, I've noticed a stark decrease in her psychic power when she reanimated the corpses and manifested those Psyshades. Allow me."

Moera's PP: 80%

"I recommend that you fight this battle as normal. Successful pacification of forces should coerce Moera into utilizing more of her psychic powers, which in turn will weaken the grip she has over Madame Ursaring. Specifically, you should defeat anything she personally deploys onto the battlefield."
"Got it, thanks. We'll keep that in mind. It's likely that she will also reanimate any other dead we create, like the snipers, troopers and Asuras. Judging from the numbers, I guess it costs 5% of her PP each time she reanimates a casualty or constructs a Psyshade. We'll just focus on the weaker foes, then. The Asuras can probably be ignored. Their health and endurance is probably too high to make them helpful in reducing Moera's PP."

2.) Point of Interest: Use Wispiance to heal heavily damaged and defeated units and remove negative status effects and debuffs.

"Ah, here we go," Pendulum said. "I'm detecting a Fiend Pokemon. It's a Wispiance. Not a dangerous Fiend Pokemon, and actually we can use it to help us out a bit."

Pendulum directed the parties' attention to a swarm of strange, glowing lights. "By using a contact move on Wispiance, it will restore your HP, cure all status effects which includes death, and remove any negative debuffs. I've actually been saved a few times by the presense of these things. It's a Strategem Shift called Stimulate."

Catherine observed the Wispiance, and then frowned. "That's nice and all, but won't the enemy notice we're using it to heal and start using it themselves?"
"If necessary, we can also 'Disrupt' it. That's another Wispiance-based Strategem Shift. You do it by attacking Wispiance with a long ranged attack. It will reconstitute itself and there's no telling how long it will remained disturbed, though. Additionally, it cannot heal everything that touches it. I imagine none of Moera's little terrors can use it. We can probably also count Sixty-Nine out of the picture as well."
"How long can we use it?" Catherine asked. "I mean, does it run out of healing power or whatever?"
"Right, the Wispiance does only have a finite amount of power. Let's see..."

Wispiance's PP: 15000%

"If I remember correctly, it takes 10% per HP healed, 100% per point of debuff removed, and 500% for whatever status it removes, which can include being defeated. I think 15000% should allow us to abuse the hell out of it. It's a rather high level Wispiance. No wonder it managed to escape from Fallen Eden."
"But if we want to use it, we'll have to use our AP to attack it, right?"
"True, it's not an absolutely free source of power, and you'll need your AP to use it. I recommend only using it if our Medic is overwhelmed from the enemy's damage. Pokemon Trainers can spend their own AP to heal up their Pokemon, but if the person is a defeated Slayer, one of us can use our AP to drag the person there. If we're lucky, the enemy doesn't know about how Wispiance functions, but let's not abuse it too much or they'll figure it out."
"Point made," Ray said. "I'm sure anyone would get suspicious if they saw their enemies constantly jumping from their spot in the formation to go play with the pwetty wittle wights."

3.) Opticka's Briefest of Briefs: Use it so you know how to attack all enemies at all times!

"Once again, here's the enemy formations that we're looking at right now..."

- Vanguard: [Cradle Trooper A] [Myrie] [Rulag] [Asura Echo A (L-Type)] [Drapion] [Sasuke] [Dustox] [PsyDonovan] [ZombClive] [Mifuyu] [Shibito] [ZombUrsula] [PsyHyacinth] [Staraptor] [Shinobu] [Yanmega] [Asura Echo B (L-Type)] [Astarte/Charlotte] [Sixty-Nine] [Cradle Trooper B]
- Rearguard: [Cradle Sniper A] [Moera (80% PP)] [Cradle Sniper B]
- Healing Formation: [Wispiance (15000% PP)]

"And a quick summary of how to best fight each individual unit..."

- Cradle Trooper (Human)
Threat Level: Low
Features: Unremarkable
Attack Types: Electric, Fire, Poison, Psychic, Steel
Status Attacks: Lockdown, Sleep & Paralysis
Strong Vs: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ghost, Ice, Normal, Poison, Steel
Status Resists: Burn, Plasmaburn, Enflamed, Oiled, Freeze, Frostbite, Deep Freeze, Soaked, Poison, Bad Poison
Weak Vs: Dragon, Psychic

- Cradle Sniper (Human)
Threat Level: Medium
Features: Sniper
Attack Types: Electric, Fire, Poison, Psychic, Steel
Status Attacks: Lockdown, Sleep & Paralysis
Strong Vs: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ghost, Ice, Normal, Poison, Steel
Status Resists: Burn, Plasmaburn, Enflamed, Oiled, Freeze, Frostbite, Deep Freeze, Soaked, Poison, Bad Poison
Weak Vs: Dragon, Psychic

- Asura Echo (Human)
Threat Level: Medium
Features: L-Type units, high damaging potential, very high HP and defense, very low speed and special defense.
Attack Types: Dark, Fighting, Normal, Rock, Steel
Status Attacks: Bleed, Confusion, Eject, Paralysis, Phys Debuffs
Strong Vs: Bug, Flying, Normal, Ghost, Weather
Status Resists: Apathy, Bleed, Distress, Domination, Exhaustion, Fear, Flinch, Infatuation, Love, Flinch, Paralysis, Phys Debuffs
Weak Vs: Dragon, Fire, Poison, Psychic

- Myrie (Shadow)
Threat Level: High
Features: Able to drain Rage, disrupt Rage generation, and prevent use of Rage. Can enter Reverse Mode which greatly boosts her critical hit rate but costs health per turn.
Attack Types: Dark, Flying, Ghost, Poison, Shadow, Steel
Status Attacks: Apathy, Disobedience, Enshroud, Uninfluenced
Strong Vs: Ghost, Ruin, Shadow
Status Resists: Apathy, Deathclock, Deathlock, Fear, Flinch, Infatuation, Love, Instant Death, Madness
Weak Vs: Dragon, Electric, Normal

- Rulag (Shadow)
Threat Level: High
Features: Able to drain Rage, disrupt Rage generation, and prevent use of Rage. Can enter Reverse Mode which greatly boosts its critical hit rate but costs health per turn.
Attack Types: Shadow
Status Attacks: Apathy, Disobedience, Enshroud, Uninfluenced
Strong Vs: Ghost, Ruin, Shadow
Status Resists: Apathy, Confusion, Deathclock, Deathlock, Domination, Fear, Flinch, Infatuation, Love, Instant Death, Madness, Sleep
Weak Vs: Dragon, Electric, Normal

- Sasuke (Human/Poison)
Threat Level: High
Features: Has Pokemon, Strong Poison-based SignTechs, very high speed, accuracy, evasion, and criticals. Capable of inflicting severe criticals.
Attack Types: Bug, Dark, Ghost, Grass, Poison, Steel, Water
Status Attacks: Poison, Bad Poison, Ninja Poison, Deathclock, Deathlock, Instant Death
Strong Vs: Bug, Fighting, Ghost, Grass, Poison, Water
Status Resists: Apathy, Bad Poison, Confusion, Deathclock, Deathlock, Distress, Exhaustion, Fear, Flinch, Infatuation, Instant Death, Love, Poison, Sleep
Weak Vs: Dragon, Fire, Ground, Psychic (x2)

- Shinobu (Human/Flying)
Threat Level: High
Features: Has Pokemon, Strong Flying-based SignTechs, very high speed, accuracy, evasion, and criticals. Capable of inflicting severe criticals.
Attack Types: Dragon, Fire, Grass, Ground, Ice, Steel, Water
Status Attacks: Bleed, Fear, Flinch, Recovery Seals, Statistic Seals
Strong Vs: Bug, Electric, Fighting, Flying, Ghost, Grass, Ground (Immune), Normal
Status Resists: Apathy, Bleed, Distress, Exhaustion, Fear, Flinch, Fog of War, Gravity, Infatuation, Paralysis, Turn Order, Weather
Weak Vs: Dragon, Fire, Ice, Poison, Psychic, Rock

- Shibito (Human/Steel)
Threat Level: High
Features: Stats increase as her condition worsens, powerful AoE attacks, under Domination status that renders her immune to mental status effects.
Attack Types: Electric, Fire, Ice, Poison, Steel
Status Attacks: Poison, Bad Poison, Burn, Plasmaburn, Enflamed, Oiled, Freeze, Deep Freeze, Frostbite, Paralyze
Strong Vs: Bug (Immune), Dark, Fire, Flying (Immune), Ghost (Immune), Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison (Immune), Rock, Steel (Immune)
Status Resists: Burn, Plasmaburn, Enflamed, Poison, Bad Poison, Bleed
Weak Vs: Dragon, Fighting, Ground, Psychic

- Mifuyu (Human/Astral)
Threat Level: Medium
Features: No specific strengths or weaknesses but extremely versatile, allowing her to almost always deal super or ultra effective damage, but her overall damage potential is still expected to be manageable.
Attack Types: All except Astral, Ruin and Shadow
Status Attacks: Depends on move used
Strong Vs: None
Status Resists: All status effects and debuffs
Weak Vs: None

- Sixty-Nine (Mechanical/Astral)
Threat Level: Uncertain
Features: Composed of liquid circuitry and difficult to determine just how dangerous it can be. Hacking can reduce statistics and disable attacks. Very difficult to damage.
Attack Types: Astral, Dark, Electric, Fire, Ice, Poison, Steel
Status Attacks: None
Strong Vs: Physical attacks and criticals
Status Resists: All except hacking
Weak Vs: None

- Astarte (Undead/Ground)
Threat Level: None
Features: Attacks targeting her could hit Charlotte. Engaging her in battle is not advised until Charlotte is freed. She will not be attacking you.
Attack Types: Bug, Fighting, Ghost, Ground, Poison, Rock, Shadow, Steel
Status Attacks: Poison, Bad Poison, Bleed, Recovery Seals, Statistic Seals
Strong Vs: Electric (Immune), Ghost, Poison (Immune), Psychic (Immune), Rock, Ruin, Shadow
Status Resists: All poison, All death, Paralysis, All mental status effects
Weak Vs: Bug, Fire, Flying, Grass (x2), Ice, Water

- Moera (Psychic/????)
Threat Level: Extreme
Features: Has Meloetta, Cresselia and Victini forms. Destroyer specialist with devastating psychic-based AoEs. Expect widespread debilitating status effects. She reanimates corpses to fight you.
Attack Types: Varies, usually Psychic
Status Attacks: Apathy, Berserk, Confusion, Disobedience, Sleep
Strong Vs: Depends on Pokebrid form
Status Resists: All mental effects
Weak Vs: Depends on Pokebrid form.

- Psyshade (Psychic)
Threat Level: Low to Medium.
Features: Can fight like the individual they mimick. They resist physical damage due to being semi-incorporeal
Attack Types: Varies
Status Attacks: Varies
Strong Vs: Fighting, Psychic, Phys damage.
Status Resists: All status effects, debuffs, environmental effects
Weak Vs: Bug, Dark, Ghost

- Zombies (Psychic or Human)
Threat Level: Low to Medium
Features: Reanimated bodies of Cliva and Ursula. Clive is a Psychic Mew Pokemon while Ursula is a mere Human attribute.
Attack Types (Clive): All except Astral, Ruin, Shadow
Attack Types (Ursula): Dark, Fighting, Poison, Rock, Steel
Status Attacks: Varies
Strong Vs (Clive): Fighting, Psychic
Strong Vs (Ursula): Bug, Ghost, Flying, Normal
Status Resists: All status effects and debuffs
Weak Vs (Clive): Bug, Dark, Ghost
Weak Vs (Ursula): Dragon, Fire, Poison, Psychic

4.) Ordering Opticka: she'll reveal enemy statistics, attacks, abilities and SignTechs by using her AP. You can also scan for possible Strategem Shifts.

Opticka's AP: 12/24

"You can spend my AP to reveal things about the enemies in front of us that you don't know yet," Opticka told the Watchmen. "For 4 AP a pop, I can reveal all of an enemy's statistics or all of their attacks, or their abilities, or their Signature Techniques! Oh, and if you spend 6 AP, I can scan for possible Strategem Shift opportunities. It might help you manage the incoming damage."

Summary

"So, uhh...y'know, just to summarize," Ray cleared his throat. "Our objective is to extract Charlotte, not defeat the enemy, although any enemies slain is a plus. We can free Charlotte by reducing Moera's PP to 30% or less, and her PP is reduced whenever she reanimates any corpses we make out of her subordinates. I'll see if we can't get any reinforcements. In the meantime, we have a lot of information on the enemy already, but we can acquire even more by having Opticka scan for us. I have a feeling we won't recieve as much information during Order Phases and Action Phases this time around."

[Dracorion]

"Moeni..." Sam spoke up with a sad look. "Please don't hurt my brother. Just knock him out and let me handle him, will you?" She pleaded with the mad scientist.
"The handsome but stupid one, right?" Moeni said, smug grin plastered on her face. "Given just how many of the enemy there are, you might not be able to do much in the way of 'handling him'. But fine, since the Harbingers did sort of get destroyed in trying to help us out, I guess I can extend a few favors."
"You know, it could be argued that the person who decided it was a good idea to shoot up someone who hates them with unbridled passion with superpowers is the stupidest person here." Pierce replied snidely.

--------------------------------------

"Ah, so that's where my precious little Enmakki has gotten off to," Moeni observed. "You know, I was so close to extracting that move in order to create an iM for myself. I still can't believe Reynold was actually able to capture it. He was pretty damn inept as a scientist in nearly every other regard."
"iM?" Lola tilted her head. "Just what vile schemes are you plotting now, mother?"
"Oh, you'll find out," Moeni taunted. "I'm about to show you exactly what I mean."

"Gee, I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you." Pierce replied with a deadpan tone, rolling his eyes.

--------------------------------------

"Be careful with the enemies you disable like that," Irene chimed in over the Inquiry Visors, after they took several enemies out of commission by putting them to sleep. "Most enemy units will spread out their AP to their Pokemon 'cause they're all stupid 'n' stuff, so if you prevent them from attacking, you'll refund their AP and only the stronger boss units will be using it all. By keeping their Pokemon in the fight, you could potentially have your enemies waste their AP on letting the inferior attackers use it all up on more ineffectual methods. Just a helpful pointer. By the way, Granger...I think your sister's kinda hot."

Once again, Pierce had to roll his eyes. "Yeah well, I'll make you a deal Irene. You don't hit on my sister and I won't hit on your daughter."

--------------------------------------

"Oh shi-" Pierce began, before Kuudere Green slammed him out of the battlefield and into next week. "Fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-!"

"Ow!" With a loud metallic thud, Pierce reached an abrupt stop when he smashed into something hard. Rubbing his head, he looked up and saw he'd flown right into Whitepearl's back.

With a snarl, he rose and bounded back off to his side of the battle, uncaring about the deadly robot whose attention he'd just drawn. "That's it, I'm gonna kill a bitch."

On the way, Pierce was met by Daphne, who was ready to equip him with new armor.

"Okay, you're all set!" Daphne said after reequipping Pierce. "By the way, you don't happen to need my phone number, do you?"
"Daphne," Irene said disapprovingly over her Inquiry Visor. "He's already got enough girlfriends, he doesn't need one more."
"Oh c'mon, I was jus' kidding!" Daphne said. "Careful, guys, I think they might try to use Uproar to awaken all of their sleepers."

"I think Irene just doesn't want me to date anyone she doesn't want to sleep with too." Pierce commented with a smirk, knowing Irene could hear.

--------------------------------------

Pierce only arrived just in time to watch battle end and the sleeping Sam being wrapped in Mollesk's tentacles. There was a look of worry on his face, but fortunately it seemed the tendrils hadn't gone anywhere inappropriate.

As the whole team regrouped, Pierce carried the unconscious Sam in his arms and approached Chizuru and Shizuka, looking ashamed, his head hung low. "I'm... I'm really sorry for ditching you, I just wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

After some healing, everyone was ready to move on, though Lucian volunteered to guard Sam, which was probably for the best. He could keep her from harming anyone or herself, yet was gentle enough in restraining her to not aggravate any wounds or cause her discomfort. "I don't praise him for this, but he's really nice to girls," Discord said.

Pierce said nothing, but rather reluctantly laid her down for Lucian. "Keep her safe, okay?"

--------------------------------------

Finally, they found Charlotte and the rather overwhelming enemy formation. Two members of Adonova, as well as Moera, Myrie, the cat creature from Millenium House, and several of what Pierce assumed were experimental subjects. All in all, it wasn't likely to be an easy fight.

"I've found her," Chizuru said with a low voice. She seemed to be shivering, though it was more out of excitement than out of fear. "I've finally found my rival!"

Before anyone could say anything, Chizuru directed one of her tonfas towards the enemy, but specifically towards Shinobu. "I've finally found you! My perfect match! My ultimate rival!"

"Oh god, not again," Shizuka sighed.
"So she forms rivalries with powerful kunoichi?" Catherine asked.
"Nope," Shizuka said, feeling a headache coming on. "It's a rivalry between two powerful kunoichi...with unbelieveable bustlines."
"... Really?" Pierce inquired, utterly perplexed.

Shinobu looked at Chizuru in confusion, then at her own breasts, and shrugged. "You know, it's not like I wanted these breasts. I'm not really looking for a boyfriend, they ache in the shower, I can't hug my pillow tightly to myself like I want to and-..."

Her face suddenly turned red. "Damn it, look what you made me say! I'm going to put you down!"
"Bring it on, my ultimate rival!" Chizuru shouted in defiance.
"You have our sympathies regarding your nutty sister, shinobi-san," Shizuka offered her condolences.
Sasuke nodded quietly.
"Not much for talking, are you?"
Shinobu chuckled. "Oh, don't worry about my brother. He's not good at conversing with girls. Especially pretty ones."
"So that's why he's so quiet and withdrawn," Moera murmured.

"... So he basically never speaks? That's harsh." Pierce noted, then turned to Chizuru. "Really though, Chizuru, wanting to beat the crap out of enemies is all well and good, but maybe we should have better reasons for it? Like saving the world, or something crazy like that. It looks like Shinobu has bigger concerns, too."

"If it helps, I love your breasts." He smirked.

--------------------------------------

"Okay, I'll bite," Rio said. "Just what the hell is that...slime thing?"
"Oh, that thing?" Moera indicated the platinum ooze. "That is Professor Moeni's sixty-nineth major successful experiment, but she's really bad at naming things so she just calls it Sixty-Nine."
"Sixty-Nine, huh? I wonder just how powerful Sixty-Nine really is?"
Moera shrugged. "I have no clue, this is its first field test. But if Sixty-Nine turns out to be as awesome as mom told me it was, we might see if mass-production is possible."

Mika looked thoughtful. "Then what happens? Will you try to unleash the terror of Sixty-Nine throughout the entire Pokemon World?"
"I suppose that's always possible, given my mom," Moera coughed. "If it's possible, all people and all Pokemon in the entire world will know the power of Sixty-Nine."
"Mizuno-sama, this could be really bad," Rio told Shizuka. "If Sixty-Nine is really as powerful as that, then we should take it on together."

"... You have got to be doing that on purpose." Pierce said with a tone of incredulity. "There's just no other way."

--------------------------------------

Pierce decided to pipe up his suggestions for a battle plan.
"Alright, I think we should focus on disrupting Moera's PP, then. The sooner we can get Charlotte free to help us against the enemy, the better. And let's not be afraid to use the Wispiance. I wonder if there's maybe a way to keep the enemy from using it, I mean in the long term?" He wondered.

Then he lowered his voice, speaking into his Inquiry Visor for only everyone on his side to hear. "By the way, that Shibito chick? See the necklace on her? That's Project Arsenal. The necklace turns her into a drone working for them. I thought that was Prideguard tech, but it looks like Black Cradle's got something to do with it. I'm trying to keep them from hearing because, you know, if we know something they don't know we know, regardless of what it is, it's probably prudent to keep it that way."

[Astral Harmony]

Into the Past, Part I

"You know, it could be argued that the person who decided it was a good idea to shoot up someone who hates them with unbridled passion with superpowers is the stupidest person here." Pierce replied snidely.
Moeni shrugged. "It was either that, or spend years waiting for the day you'd all stumble across my place so I could run tests on my daughters in an approved laboratory environment. Science does not come without risks, handsome."

--------------------------------------
Into the Past, Part II

"Gee, I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you." Pierce replied with a deadpan tone, rolling his eyes.
"Considering it's you who has Enmakki now, I should be the one apologizing for inconveniencing you," Meoni actually seemed concerned. "Seriously, I'm actually kind of surprised that you're not a Madsoldier or something."

-------------------------------------
Into the Past, Part III

Once again, Pierce had to roll his eyes. "Yeah well, I'll make you a deal Irene. You don't hit on my sister and I won't hit on your daughter."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the Inquiry Visor, then Pierce got to hear exactly what he knew he was going to hear. "...So, uhhh...if I do let you hit on my daughter..."

Well, you can't win 'em all. Or maybe this was a resounding victory. Kinda hard to say now.

------------------------------------
Into the Past, Part IV

"I think Irene just doesn't want me to date anyone she doesn't want to sleep with too." Pierce commented with a smirk, knowing Irene could hear.

Pierce couldn't tell quite well, but he was certain he heard a swear on the other side of the visor. Yep, I'm on you like a hawk, woman.

------------------------------------
Into the Past, Part V

Pierce said nothing, but rather reluctantly laid her down for Lucian. "Keep her safe, okay?"

"You can count on me," Lucian said. "You just make sure she has a brother to wake up to."

-----------------------------------
Into the Present, Part I

"... So he basically never speaks? That's harsh." Pierce noted, then turned to Chizuru. "Really though, Chizuru, wanting to beat the crap out of enemies is all well and good, but maybe we should have better reasons for it? Like saving the world, or something crazy like that. It looks like Shinobu has bigger concerns, too."

"If it helps, I love your breasts." He smirked.

Pierce knew what to expect when he said that and got exactly what he wanted. "That's...thank you, Pierce," Chizuru breathed, her red face turned away from him. Awwww yeah.

---------------------------------------
Into the Present, Part II

"... You have got to be doing that on purpose." Pierce said with a tone of incredulity. "There's just no other way."

"Doing what on purpose?" Rio asked innocently. "We're just talking about Sixty-Nine."

Pierce felt a headache coming on, and Moera hadn't even unleashed her first psychic payload.

-------------------------------------
Into the Present, Part III

Then Pierce lowered his voice, speaking into his Inquiry Visor for only everyone on his side to hear. "By the way, that Shibito chick? See the necklace on her? That's Project Arsenal. The necklace turns her into a drone working for them. I thought that was Prideguard tech, but it looks like Black Cradle's got something to do with it. I'm trying to keep them from hearing because, you know, if we know something they don't know we know, regardless of what it is, it's probably prudent to keep it that way."

"My guess is that Burkmont and Moeni are in bed with each other," Irene said quietly after arriving on the battlefield with Impact. "But uhh...not in that way. And to think I used to respect that fat fuck."
"You used to respect Vladier Burkmont?" Catherine said in disbelief. "How the hell did that happen?"
"Well, just think about your own past, Catherine," Irene said. "War changes people. It tears our futures apart, it tears our minds apart. Nobody ever goes through war, particularly two of them and comes out the same. I didn't remain the same, you didn't remain the same, Antonio didn't remain the same and Vlad didn't remain the same. Oh, if only I could show you what Burkmont was like twenty years ago, you'd fucking flip. He was almost as sexy as Pierce."

...Buh-what?!

"I said almost, geez!"

[Dracorion]

Into the Past, Part II

"Considering it's you who has Enmakki now, I should be the one apologizing for inconveniencing you," Meoni actually seemed concerned. "Seriously, I'm actually kind of surprised that you're not a Madsoldier or something."

Pierce raised an eyebrow in surprise, as Moeni seemed to have dropped her smug countenance for once. "Okay, now you have to spill it. Why would you say that?"

--------------------------------------

Into the Past, Part III

There was a brief pause on the other end of the Inquiry Visor, then Pierce got to hear exactly what he knew he was going to hear. "...So, uhhh...if I do let you hit on my daughter..."

Well, you can't win 'em all. Or maybe this was a resounding victory. Kinda hard to say now.

Pierce facepalmed. "Fine, but if Rayleen does agree to go out with me then we have to have a threesome, Irene. Are you prepared for that?" This conversation was probably disturbing to most, but he couldn't help but continue.

--------------------------------------

Into the Present, Part III

"My guess is that Burkmont and Moeni are in bed with each other," Irene said quietly after arriving on the battlefield with Impact. "But uhh...not in that way. And to think I used to respect that fat fuck."
"You used to respect Vladier Burkmont?" Catherine said in disbelief. "How the hell did that happen?"
"Well, just think about your own past, Catherine," Irene said. "War changes people. It tears our futures apart, it tears our minds apart. Nobody ever goes through war, particularly two of them and comes out the same. I didn't remain the same, you didn't remain the same, Antonio didn't remain the same and Vlad didn't remain the same. Oh, if only I could show you what Burkmont was like twenty years ago, you'd fucking flip. He was almost as sexy as Pierce."

...Buh-what?!

"I said almost, geez!"

Pierce had to bury his face in his hands as the involuntary mental image popped into his mind, horrifying him completely. "Ugh, God. Irene, if it ever looks like I'm turning into a fat slob hellbent on dominating the world and womankind, promise to shoot me in the head."

Shaking his head and removing his hands, Pierce did his best to put that thought aside and keep going. "But, uh, are we really putting it past Moeni to sleep with Burkmont? 'Cause she seems to me like the type of woman who'd do that if it got her people and things to experiment with. Though Burkmont would probably have to sleep with one eye open to make sure he didn't wake up with a pump-action tentacle mecha penis that fires lasers and is powered by Rezonscape madness and the tears of babies."

[Astral Harmony]

Into the Past, Part II

Pierce raised an eyebrow in surprise, as Moeni seemed to have dropped her smug countenance for once. "Okay, now you have to spill it. Why would you say that?"

"Oh c'mon. How long have you even had Enmakki?" Moeni asked in an irritated tone. "Nobody plops Enmakki into their Pokemon arsenal and walks away from that without a few screws loose. Why do you think Faynoc kept Enmakki locked up all nice 'n' tight until he could figure out what the hell to do with it? Spend enough time with that freak and soon you'll be confused about who's supposed to be the master and who's supposed to be the servant. Still, I have to say that I'll be observing you about as much as my daughters when I can. Not a whole lot of people would actually volunteer to have Enmakki in one of their Pokeballs and I'm a little excited to see what long term psychological problems you will undoubtedly suffer for the sake of having Enmakki's powers at your call."

----------------------------------------
Into the Past, Part III

Pierce facepalmed. "Fine, but if Rayleen does agree to go out with me then we have to have a threesome, Irene. Are you prepared for that?" This conversation was probably disturbing to most, but he couldn't help but continue.

There was an even longer pause on the other end of the visor. "I'll...have a talk with her."

Awful lot of landmines around here today.

----------------------------------------
Into the Present, Part III

Pierce had to bury his face in his hands as the involuntary mental image popped into his mind, horrifying him completely. "Ugh, God. Irene, if it ever looks like I'm turning into a fat slob hellbent on dominating the world and womankind, promise to shoot me in the head."

"That would never happen!" Irene said defiantly. "You'll become hellbent on dominating the world and womankind, sure, but there's no way you'll turn into a fat slob. I dunno what I'd do to myself, then."

Shaking his head and removing his hands, Pierce did his best to put that thought aside and keep going. "But, uh, are we really putting it past Moeni to sleep with Burkmont? 'Cause she seems to me like the type of woman who'd do that if it got her people and things to experiment with. Though Burkmont would probably have to sleep with one eye open to make sure he didn't wake up with a pump-action tentacle mecha penis that fires lasers and is powered by Rezonscape madness and the tears of babies."

Irene blew out a breath. "Don't worry about what he just said, folks. His brain doesn't get quite enough oxygen when he's under a certain someone's desk."

[Dracorion]

Into the Past, Part II

"Oh c'mon. How long have you even had Enmakki?" Moeni asked in an irritated tone. "Nobody plops Enmakki into their Pokemon arsenal and walks away from that without a few screws loose. Why do you think Faynoc kept Enmakki locked up all nice 'n' tight until he could figure out what the hell to do with it? Spend enough time with that freak and soon you'll be confused about who's supposed to be the master and who's supposed to be the servant. Still, I have to say that I'll be observing you about as much as my daughters when I can. Not a whole lot of people would actually volunteer to have Enmakki in one of their Pokeballs and I'm a little excited to see what long term psychological problems you will undoubtedly suffer for the sake of having Enmakki's powers at your call."

Pierce just shrugged. Enmakki was noticeably silent about Moeni's accussations.

"Hey, if you can spy on me there's not much I can do to stop you. I just can't promise that what you'll see will be safe for work."

----------------------------------------
Into the Past, Part III

There was an even longer pause on the other end of the visor. "I'll...have a talk with her."

Awful lot of landmines around here today.

"Fine, it's a deal." Pierce said, digging his grave further. He'd just agreed to something terrible but dammit morbid curiosity wouldn't let him stop. Mentally, he was kicking himself.

[Astral Harmony]

Into the Past, Part II

Pierce just shrugged. Enmakki was noticeably silent about Moeni's accusations. "Hey, if you can spy on me there's not much I can do to stop you. I just can't promise that what you'll see will be safe for work."

"It's Enmakki we're talking about, handsome. I think someone would be wrong if it was safe for work."

----------------------------------
Into the Present, Part III

"Fine, it's a deal." Pierce said, digging his grave further. He'd just agreed to something terrible but dammit morbid curiosity wouldn't let him stop. Mentally, he was kicking himself.

"This is a very wrong conversation," Lucian observed. According to him, Sam woke up shortly and Lucian just turned her over to the medics. Apparently he really wanted to save Charlotte. Not every woman wants to be protected like that, Lucian.
"Quiet, you. I don't get enough fun during my day job," Irene sniffed.

Wait, you don't get enough fun butchering assholes so you try to hook up with your boyfriend's sister? Irene seriously needs a vacation, and not the kind induced by a coma from taking a fucking Bastiodon to the face.

[Dracorion]

Into the Past, Part II

"It's Enmakki we're talking about, handsome. I think someone would be wrong if it was safe for work."

Pierce just smirked. "I know you think you've seen it all, but believe me, Enmakki is the least you'd have to worry about."

----------------------------------
Into the Present, Part III

"This is a very wrong conversation," Lucian observed. According to him, Sam woke up shortly and Lucian just turned her over to the medics. Apparently he really wanted to save Charlotte. Not every woman wants to be protected like that, Lucian.
"Quiet, you. I don't get enough fun during my day job," Irene sniffed.

Wait, you don't get enough fun butchering assholes so you try to hook up with your boyfriend's sister? Irene seriously needs a vacation, and not the kind induced by a coma from taking a fucking Bastiodon to the face.

Pierce made a mental note to take Irene on vacation one of these days.

[Menarker]

Pierce decided to pipe up his suggestions for a battle plan.

"Alright, I think we should focus on disrupting Moera's PP, then. The sooner we can get Charlotte free to help us against the enemy, the better. And let's not be afraid to use the Wispiance. I wonder if there's maybe a way to keep the enemy from using it, I mean in the long term?" He wondered.

Renny responded quickly.

"Agreed. Although I'm not too worried about the Wispiance myself. Since the enemy probably doesn't know about it, it'll be probably be for the best that we don't use it until an emergency where our medic can't do the job. They already can heal and cure status effects with less effort."

Then Pierce lowered his voice, speaking into his Inquiry Visor for only everyone on his side to hear.
"By the way, that Shibito chick? See the necklace on her? That's Project Arsenal. The necklace turns her into a drone working for them. I thought that was Prideguard tech, but it looks like Black Cradle's got something to do with it. I'm trying to keep them from hearing because, you know, if we know something they don't know we know, regardless of what it is, it's probably prudent to keep it that way."

Renny was stunned as he whispered back.

"You're kidding me. A brainwashing slave collar? Can't we just remove it from her?"


Irene commented.
"My guess is that Burkmont and Moeni are in bed with each other," Irene said quietly after arriving on the battlefield with Impact. "But uhh...not in that way. And to think I used to respect that fat fuck."


"Those two again!? I know I only just met Moeni today, but it's like every time I hear something about one of those two, it is about how they came up with a new way to top each and every previous atrocity they committed before!

Meanwhile, he looked at the enemy formation for a bit and then shouted an order.

"Optikca, see if you can scan for Stratagem Shifts as you have said. Also, see if you can scan everyone for their total stamina. No need to get all their stats yet. Just get the health-meter up on display please!"

"First, let's deal with the shadow users! Donovan! Hyacinth! Pokebrid actions on Myrie. Catherine, play with Rulag for this battle. Don't let him, er... her focus on the rest of us!"

He then recounted the enemy forces and their resistances.

"Primary targets, snipers. Takano, you deal with those! I'll support you with rage rockets! Chizuru, support buffing! Shizuka, can you deal with the Asuras? They got lots of health but seem to be vulnerable to instant death techniques like yours! Someone see if you can help her power up! Everyone else, deal with the troopers or with those zombies when you get the chance. Leave the high threat stuff for later!"

He then looked at the data again and back on the team's combat profile... and blushed so much that his vital readings probably registered on the scouters.
"... On second thought, Slight change of plans! Rio! Kiyomi! Do that errr... thing! Focus it on that ninja, Shinobu! Chizuru, Sorry to jack your fight with your 'ultimate fated rival'. Instead, you'll just have to settle for having the "ultimate fated ally"."



------------------------------------

Formation
Irene/Impact, Pierce/Shizuka, Donovan/Rio, Kiyomi, Chizuru, Hyacinth/Lucian (and Venusaur), Discord, Mika/Matthias, Pendulum, Catherine/Renny (and Umbreon)

Outside formation: Marionatta, Takano

Battle Plan (Taking modified speed in account)


Before attacks: Donovan and Hyacinth both* attempt to Sleeps Myrie via pokebrid action. Renny attempt to afflict confusion on her via pokebrid action as well. Renny also uses trainer action to protect pokemon from various status affliction and multi-turn effects.
Modifiers: None. (Is it 50% chance of success for each or 100% chance?)

Priority: Optika: Scan only the hitpoint stats, but for all opponents. Also scan for viable Stratagem Shifts.
Modifier: 6 AP for Stratagem Shift scan. Dunno how much exactly for Hitpoints scan. Leave that to you AB.

Priority: Catherine: Sig-Tech on Rulag
Modifier:
And In This Corner: 8 Rage, 100 Phys/Fighting, Taunt, 100% Evade & Counter Tx3
10 rage - 8 = 2 rage remaining for Catherine. 2.0x STAB due to her immunity to fighting type moves.

Priority: Renny uses Protect! He is protected.
Modifier: Enforcer ability (Catherine) cuts AP cost in half! Protect only takes 3 AP out of the starting 18. Renny/Catherine AP = 15.

Priority: Renny's Umbreon uses Scapegoat on Donovan and passes it to Renny who is Protected. Umbreon gains Light Screen and Reflect buff for this turn only due to Renny's passive ability for summoning his pokemon.
Modifier: Umbreon's first move is discounted by half due to Catherine's enforcer ability! Renny/Catherine AP (15) - 2 = 13.

Takano: Aim for a snipers with Kill Shot. Smokebomb Arrow twice!
Modifer: 10 rage - 10 = 0 rage for Takano. Two Smokebomb arrows for 8 AP each = 16 AP. 18AP - 16 = 2 AP. FoW is 50%.

Shizuka: Applesauce once on a Cradle Asura for OHKO. Uses Cursed Edge (Ghost) twice on Clive.
Modifier:
Applesauce ~ 10 RPs, 100% Death, 50 Phys/Steel if enemy is Death Imm (Asura is NOT immune to OHKO moves)
10 rage - 10 = 0 rage left for Shizuka. Killed Asura means Shizuka gains 5 rage back due to her passive.
Cursed Edge used twice for 8 AP each is 16 AP out of 18 leaving 2 AP. No STAB but it's Super Effective for 2x modifier.

Rio/Kiyomi use "Inappropriate" centered on Shinobu to Dominate her. Attempts to flinch the others around her, which will likely work for her pokemon, but not for the other two targets.
Modifier:
Inappropriate ~ 16 RP, Rad1/5E, 100% Domination on Target, 100% Flinch on all others
Technique is done using Rio's speed.
Shinobu dominated (She's not immune to Domination techniques). Flinch the two pokemon beside her although the other two beside the pokemon won't be affected likely.
Rage cost is split evenly between Rio and Kiyomi, taking away 8 rage each from the 10 they both have.

Mika: Dominance (Psychic) on Cradle Trooper B twice.
Modifier: 1.5x STAB and 2.0x Super Effective. Two attacks worth 8 AP takes away 16 from her 18 AP. 2 AP left for Mika/Matthias

Kiyomi: attacks using Assassin Lunge (Ghost) twice against Clive.
(If Clive is KOed and she got attacks leftover, focus on Ursula with Poison Lance instead)
Modifier: 2.0x Super Effective either way, but no STAB either way.
8 AP used twice is 16 drained from her 18 AP, leaving 2.

Chizuru: Buff Shizuka/Donovan with X attack twice. Buff Hyacinth/Discord with X Special Attack once. X Speed on Renny/Catherine and Impact/Irene. Modifier: See modified stats list below for more details on results of buffs.
Chizuru items have splash effect.
Medics get discount on first two items. 2 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 16 AP out of 18, leaving 2 AP.

Renny: Rage Rockets on Takano twice.
Modifier: 13 AP - 8 AP (two items worth 4 AP each) = 5 AP left. Takano's rage is back up to 10 Rage.

Takano: KillShot the other sniper.
Modifier: 10 rage - 10 = 0 rage for Takano. (Again)

Donovan: Crunch three times on Clive. (Attacking Ursula if Clive is defeated by this point)
Modifier: 1.5x STAB, 2.0x Super Effective on Clive, 1.2x extra multiplier on Super Effective moves due to Expert Belt item. Three pokebrid attacks (6 * 3) = 18 AP spent leaving Donovan with 0 AP.

Hyacinth: Substitute and 2 Shell Smashes.
Modifier: Hyacinth's health cut down to 132 (unless she was hit prior to use), leaving her with a 44 hitpoint shield that protects her from attacks and status conditions.
See below for results of modified stats from Shell Smashes.
Please note her held items and Multiscale ability to prevent/reduce attacks sent her way, especially prior to Substitute use.
AP costs reduced due to her passives, making them 4 AP each. (3 * 4) = 12 AP that is deducted from her 18AP shared with herself and Lucian leaving them with 6 AP.

Lucian's Venusaur: Light Screen that AOE onto Irene and Shizuka's slot.
Modifier: 4 AP subtracted from Lucian/Hyacinth's 6AP pool leaves them with 2AP.

Impact: Rage Rocket Twice on Shizuka.
Modifier: Two items worth 4 AP each reduce Impact/Irene's AP pool by 8 leaving 10 AP left.
Shizuka's rage increases by 10 raising her amount from 5 to 15.

Shizuka: Applesauce again on the other Asura for OHKO.
Modifier:

Applesauce ~ 10 RPs, 100% Death, 50 Phys/Steel if enemy is Death Imm (Asura is NOT immune to OHKO moves)
10 rage - 10 = 0 rage left for Shizuka. Killed Asura means Shizuka gains 5 rage back due to her passive, leaving her with 10 rage still.

Shizuka/Pierce: Uses Union-tech "Apple Season" with Shizuka! Targets 3 of the following, choosing the ones with lowest hitpoints but still alive. (Cradle Troopers, Clive, Ursula. If all of those are dead, target Psyshades Donovan and Hyacinth, Sasuke and his pokemon.)
Modifier: Apple Season: Apples rain from the sky in front of three* unsuspecting enemies and Pierce and Shizuka split them all in a flurry* of strikes and impressive acrobatics, damaging the targets.
Effect: 40 Pwr, Almighty damage to three enemies, 50% chance of Internal Bleeding, 50% chance of Instant Death.
Consumes 18 Rage Points. (Consuming 9 from Pierce and Shizuka since they are both in formation). Leaving both Pierce and Shizuka with 1 rage left.

Discord: Dominmatrix Dance twice (Psychic) on Cradle Trooper A
Modifier: 1.5x STAB, 2.0x Super Effective, 1.5x modifier for Homocidal bonus against humanoids.
2 attacks worth 8 AP each = 16 AP deducted from her Shock Trooper AP pool. (Uncertain how large a pool ST starts with under our new rules and how much they gain per round compared to other characters)

Marionata: Uses Kinetic Lance once on both Cradle Troopers.
Modifier:
Kinetic Lance ~ 10 RP, 15 Spec/Psychic, 50% Confuse
2.0x Super Effective. 100% confusion assuming they live past this turn. All rage gained this turn for destroyer attacks are spent.

Pendulum: Attacking Cradle Trooper A with a super effective attack if possible and attacking as often as is AP can afford him to.
Modifier: Depends on what attacks he does.

(If anyone attacking cradle troopers kill their targets and have attacks left, they switch focus onto the other cradle trooper. If both troopers are dead and not revived yet, focus on Ursula with same attacks.)

Irene / Matthias: Neither do anything this turn, saving up AP and rage.





List of character passives, items, typings and MISC

Renny Tresserhorn *Gallade Form*
Type: Psychic/Fighting
Ability: Steadfast
Held Items: Razor Claw and Scope Lens
Stats: HP 128 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 10 / Spd 11
MISC:
- Pokemon summoned by him get LightScreen and Reflect for that turn.
- Extra Trainer Action (or can be used in same turn as pokebrid action)

Pierce Granger
Defenses: Dragon, Fighting, Steel
Equipped Weapons: Dragon, Fire, Ground
Held Items: Stamina Boost, Exponential Fury
Stats: HP 192 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 8 / Spd 12
Misc:
-Defiance: Whenever Pierce or his pokemon reaches 1/3 of their HP, that one's damage increases by 25%. This boost is negated when their HP rises above 1/3.


Hyacinth *Cloyster Form*
Type: Water/Ice
Ability: Skill Link
Defenses:
- Insulated Armor (Electric -50%, Paralyze Immunity)
- Holy Talisman (Ghost -50%, Death Immunity)
- Thermal Underwear (Ice -50%, Freeze Immunity)
- Courage Emblem (Dragon -50%, SpDef Debuff Immunity)
- Water Armor (Water -50%, Sleep Immunity)
Held Items: Holy Guard, Divine Blessing
Stats: HP 128 / Atk 10 / Def 16 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 8 / Spd 11
MISC:
- Always affected by single single Rain Dance.
- Multiscale to all forms.
- Unparalleled Expertise: Hyacinth can raise or lower the BP of a move by 4 by raising/lowering the AP cost of that move by 1, up to 2 times per attack (BP change only applies to the first attack of a multi-hit attack).

Donovan *Sharpedo Form*
Type: Water/Dark
Ability: Speed Boost / Rough Skin
Defenses: Electric (Prlz Immunity), Ground(Spec. Acc Loss Immunity), Rock (Atk loss immunity)
Equipped Weapons: Electric, Psychic, Steel
Held Items: Expert Belt, Stamina Boost
Stats: HP 144 / Atk 14 / Def 5 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 5 / Spd 12
MISC:
- Pokeform types have status and statistic defenses depending on the type they are. A Poison type Pokemon is immune to Poison and Bad Poison status effects, for example. The best way to know what does what is to look at the special defenses of Slayer armor.
- All forms gain all of their possible abilities. Future forms get a second ability (within reason and theme).
- Base rage generation increased by 1.

Impact
Defenses: Dragon, Fighting, Steel
Equipped Weapons: Dragon, Fire, Ground
Held Item: Stamina Boost, Exponential Fury
Stats: HP: 160 / Atk 12 / Def 8 / Sp. Atk. 12 / Sp. Def 18 / Speed 10

Matthias *Porygon Z Form*
Type: Normal
Held Items: Brightpowder, Leftovers
HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 19 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 19 / Spd 11
Misc:
- Compound-Eye shared with all forms.
- Base Rage generation is increased by 1.


Irene Crosswald (PATCA Chief / Shock Trooper / Warbringer)
- Defs...
1. Gd 50% ~ Normal, Steel, Fire, Poison, Ice, Ghost
2. Imm ~ Bleed, Poison, Frozen, Death, Apathy, Exhaustion, Morale
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 15 / Def 14 / SpAtk 5 / SpDef 6 / Spd 10
1. Powerful Presence ~ AllStat +1 to A-Party
2. Bloody Vengeance ~ 100% Death Counter on Rcvd Crit, 50 Phys/Steel if Imm
3. Synergy of Sin ~ 70% Ax2, 40% Ax3 if Ax2 succeeds.


Shizuka Mizuno (Hell Samurai / Shock Trooper / Warbringer)
- Callsign: Arachne
- Defs...
1. Gd 50% ~ Normal, Steel
2. Gd 100% ~ Bug, Flying
3. Imm ~ Poison, Bleed
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 7 / SpDef 7 / Spd 11
- SignTechs...
3: Applesauce ~ 10 RPs, 100% Death, 50 Phys/Steel if enemy is Death Imm
- CharSkills...
1. Kimono Queen ~ +2 AllStat to allied Kimonos
2. Soul Feast ~ +5 RP when killing an enemy
3. Doting Mother ~ +3 AllStat to her children



Lucian Caprico (Vorpal Berserker / Shock Trooper / Warbringer)
- Callsign: Cerberus
- Defs...
1. Gd 50% ~ Normal, Steel, Rock, Fighting, Ground
2. Imm ~ Bleed, ATT Debuff, DEF Debuff, ACC Debuff
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 13 / Def 11 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 8 / Spd 9
- CharSkills...
1. Protector of Women ~ 50% Guard on female units, Dam -100%


Discord (Vorpal Dominatrix / Shock Trooper / Warbringer)
- Callsign: Venom
- Defs...
1. Gd 50% ~ Normal, Poison, Dark, Ghost, Steel, Psychic
2. Imm ~ Poison, Flinch, Death, Bleed, Confuse
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 9 / Def 12 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 5 / Spd 13
- CharSkills...
1. Homicidal ~ Damx1.5 to Humanoids

Chizuru Suzuki (Black Kimono / Medic / Warbringer)
- Callsign: Housewife
- Defs...
1. Gd 50% ~ Dark, Rock, Ground
2. Gd 100% ~ Normal
3. Imm ~ Flinch, Debuff
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 8 / Def 15 / SpAtk 5 / SpDef 15 / Spd 7
- Character Skills...
1. Share Item ~ All items used by her affect two units
2. Sharp Eye ~ Generates a random item per turn

Takano Uchimura (Brown Kimono / Sniper / Slayer)
- Callsign: One Arrow
- Defs...
1. Eva 50%: AllType except Astral
CharSkill: People Kabobs - 50% Atks that damage gain 2E


Kiyomi (Blue Kimono / Engineer / Slayer)
- Callsign: Shoujo-ai
- Defs...
1. Gd 50% ~ Fire, Electric, Steel, Ground
2. Imm ~ Burn, Paralyze, Weather
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 11 / Spd 8
UnionTechs
1. Inappropriate ~ 16 RP, Rad1/5E, 100% Domination on Target, 100% Flinch on all others
- CharSkills...
1. Scrap Scavenger ~ +4 Rage whenever Mechanical dies.




Mika Mutsumi (Infernal Sorceress / Enforcer / Slayer)
- Callsign: Sorceress X
- Defs...
1. Gd 50% ~ Fire, Ice, Electric, Poison, Water, Psychic, Ghost
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 4 / Def 7 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 15 / Spd 9
- ForceSkills...
1. Magical Afterbite ~ Status Counter 100%
2. Special Assault ~ SpAtk +2
3. Sublime Barrier ~ 50% Full S-Gd


Rio Ikage (She-Devil / Enforcer / Slayer)
- Callsign: Bible Black
- Defs...
1. Gd 50% ~ Fighting, Steel, Dark
2. Imm ~ Flinch, AttDown, SpdDown, Paralyze
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 14 / Def 15 / SpAtk 5 / SpDef 7 / Spd 9
- UnionTechs
1. Inappropriate ~ 16 RP, Rad1/5E, Target Dominate 100%, Others Flinch 100%
- CharSkills
1. Wardrobe Malfunction ~ 20% Dominate upon contact, immune to Killshots
- ForceSkills
1. Ironheade ~ Steel Pwrx2
2. Pain Purpose ~ Atk +2
3. Deep Wounds ~ Crits also cause Bleeding


Catherine Shevenston (Boxing Babe / Enforcer / Slayer)
- Callsign: Ring Girl
- Defs...
1. Gd 50%: Ground, Rock, Steel, Ice
2. Gd 100%: Fighting
3. Imm: Exhaustion, Apathy, Sleep
- Stats: HP 160 / Atk 11 / Def 14 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 9 / Spd 10
- CharSkills
1. Supreme Speed - Starts Order Phase at top regardless of Spd
- ForceSkills
1. Go!: First Atk costs half AP.
2. Move!: Speed Edge +1 or E Speed Edge -1
3. Get ‘Em!: Crit% increases by 5% for each point of Spd she has over her opponent.


Marionata (Psychic Ruin General / Destroyer)
- Callsign: Craniac
- Stats: Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12



(Lucian) Leader Venusaur (Grass / Poison)
- Stats: HP 72 / Atk 8 / Def 8 / SpAtk 10 / SpDef 10 / Spd 9
- Ability: Chlorophyll / Overgrow
- Item: Starf Berry
- Gender: Male

(Renny) Umbreon (Dark)
- Stats: HP: 88 / Atk 6 / Def 12 / SpAtk 6 / SpDef 13 / Spd 6
- Ability: Synchronized
- Item: Lum Berry
- Gender: Female




Character Stats as modified by Passive bonuses

All character stats below are modified from their normal base to include Shizuka's and Irene's boosts wherever they apply.
Everyone by default gets +1 to all stats except for the Kimonos which get +3 to all stats unless Irene or Shizuka get KOed.

- Catherine (Renny): HP 160 / Atk 14 / Def 17 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 12 / Spd 13 *PRIORITY*
*See below for modified stats*

- Takano (Sniper): HP 160 / Atk 22 / Def 16 / SpAtk 16 / SpDef 19 / Spd 22

- Shizuka (Pierce): HP 160 / Atk 20 / Def 23 / SpAtk 16 / SpDef 16 / Spd 20
*See below for modified stats*

- Rio (Donovan): HP 160 / Atk 23 / Def 24 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 16 / Spd 18
(She has Attack of 29 with her enforcer ability. Thus her Attack stat is at +5)

- Mika (Matthias): HP 160 / Atk 13 / Def 16 / SpAtk 30 / SpDef 24 / Spd 18
(She has Sp.Atk of 30 courtesy of her enforcer ability. Special Attack stat is thus at +5)

- Kiyomi (Engineer): HP 160 / Atk 20 / Def 23 / SpAtk 15 / SpDef 20 / Spd 17

- Chizuru (Medic): HP 160 / Atk 17 / Def 24 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 24 / Spd 16

- Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160 / Atk 12 / Def 15 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 8 / Spd 16
*See below for modified stats*

- Pierce (Main): HP 192 / Atk 15 / Def 11 / SpAtk 14 / SpDef 11 / Spd 15

- Donovan (Main): HP 144 / Atk 17 / Def 8 / SpAtk 16 / SpDef 8 / Spd 15
(Attack boosted to 23 due to Rio's enforcer ability. Thus his Attack stat is at +3)
(Sharpedo form)
*See below for altered stats at time of attack*

- Hyacinth (Main): HP 128 / Atk 13 / Def 19 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 11 / Spd 14
(Cloyster form)
*See below for altered stats at time of attack*

- Marionata (Destroyer): Atk 15 / SpAtk 45 / Spd 12

- Renny (Main): HP 128 / Atk 15 / Def 11 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 13 / Spd 14
*See below for altered stats at time of attack*

- Matthias (Main): HP 160 / Atk 14 / Def 12 / SpAtk 23 / SpDef 12 / Spd 14
(Special Attack boosted to 23 by Mika enforcer ability. His Special Attack stat is at +3)
(Porygon Z form)

- Impact: HP: 160 / Atk 15 / Def 11 / Sp. Atk. 15 / Sp. Def 11 / Speed 13
*See below for modified stats*

- Irene (Impact): - Stats: HP 160 / Atk 18 / Def 17 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 9 / Spd 13
*See below for modified stats*

- Lucian (Hyacinth): HP 160 / Atk 16 / Def 14 / SpAtk 12 / SpDef 11 / Spd 12

(Lucian) Leader Venusaur (Grass / Poison)
- Stats: HP 72 / Atk 11 / Def 11 / SpAtk 13 / SpDef 13 / Spd 12

(Renny) Umbreon (Dark)
- Stats: HP: 88 / Atk 9 / Def 15 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 16 / Spd 9




Stats after buffs that aren't Irene or Shizuka's buffs or passive buffs of enforcers:

Stats after boosts from items and techniques


- Renny (Main): HP 128 / Atk 15 / Def 11 / SpAtk 11 / SpDef 13 / Spd 17
(End result: Extra +1 Speed due to being buffed by Chizuru. His Speed stat is at +2 and everything else +1.)

- Shizuka (Pierce): HP 160 / Atk 26 / Def 23 / SpAtk 16 / SpDef 16 / Spd 20
(End Result: Her Attack stat boosted by Chizuru's two X Attacks making it +5 and everything else +3.)

- Donovan (Main): HP 144 / Atk 23 / Def 8 / SpAtk 16 / SpDef 8 / Spd 15
(End Result: His Attack stat boosted further by Chizuru's two X Attacks making it +3 and everything else +1)
(Extra Note: Due to Sharpedo's Speed Boost ability, Donovan's Speed stat will rise by +1 stage making it 18 speed at the end of the turn)

- Hyacinth (Main): HP 176 / Atk 15 / Def 13 / SpAtk 28 / SpDef 14 / Spd 15
(Two uses of Shell Smash, giving her -1 stage in both defense stats and +2 stages to both attack stats and in speed stat for a total of 2 stage loss in defenses and +4 stage boosts in offenses and speed stat. Chizuru boosts her Special Attack stat once more for stage.)
(End Result: Special Attack +6, Attack +5, Speed +5, Both defenses -1.)
* Protected by Substitute worth 44 hitpoints*

- Discord (Shock Trooper): HP 160 / Atk 12 / Def 15 / SpAtk 17 / SpDef 8 / Spd 16
(Boosted by Chizuru's X Special Attack making Special Attack at +2 stage and everything else +1.)

- Catherine (Renny): HP 160 / Atk 14 / Def 17 / SpAtk 9 / SpDef 12 / Spd 16 *PRIORITY*
(End Result: Boosted Speed by Chizuru's X Speed, making her Speed Stat +2 and everything else +1.)

- Impact: HP: 160 / Atk 15 / Def 11 / Sp. Atk. 15 / Sp. Def 11 / Speed 16
(End Result: Boosted Speed by Chizuru's X Speed, making his Speed Stat +2 and everything else +1.)

- Irene (Impact): - Stats: HP 160 / Atk 18 / Def 17 / SpAtk 8 / SpDef 9 / Spd 16
(End Result: Boosted Speed by Chizuru's X Speed, making her Speed Stat +2 and everything else +1.)

[Astral Harmony]

GM's Notes: "Charlotte's dialogue hasn't quite been approved by BardTheFifthLightWarrior yet."

Clean Yourselves Up

The battle unfolded with some hurdles that Renny couldn't help but consider. When Shizuka dealt death to the Asura Echoes, they had fierce counterattacks that struck not only her, but all closeby units. Shizuka was on her last leg after absorbing so much damage. It was a lesson that Renny would have to consider later, that not every battle was best fought by dealing as much death as physically possible without seeing if maybe there was going to be a few tricks up the enemy's sleeves.

Still, the battle went incredibly well. It looked like Moera was having the worst headache one could possibly imagine from overstraining her mind, resurrecting all the slain units that Renny's nigh-infallible tactics had annihilated. Now all Renny would have to consider was how to best defeat all the other units when Charlotte was freed.

But then something terrible happened.

Charlotte was freed.

"I'm putting you down like the little bitch you've always been, Moera!" Charlotte shouted. She expertly elbowed Astarte in the face, sending the poor girl staggering to the ground. Then in a mad sprint, Charlotte picked up her shotgun from her twice-butchered mother and rushed Moera. This probably wasn't a huge deal, except that Moera had just released a massive sphere of psychic power in desperation to stop Charlotte from killing her once again.

And then everything was white...or black...or whatever color you people see when you're rendered unconscious.

...

Pierce was the first one whose senses were starting to come back to him.

- Shinobu's Voice: "Irene? You...protected me. Wait, what's up with your arm? And the rest of your body, for that matter?"
- Irene's Voice: "Later, Shinobu. Just get off your ass and help me find everyone."

Pierce then heard footsteps in the grass as someone approached his body and gently picked up his head.
- Irene's Voice: "Pierce, can you hear me? Hey, wake up for no mouth-love for you tonight."

The hell, you say!

When Pierce could finally open his eyes and mentally register what the hell he was looking at, Irene didn't seem to have anything unusual about her. What was Shinobu talking about? The others seemed to be coming through. "Beaufort's missing," Irene said as she helped Pierce to his feet and held his head to stifle his headache for a bit. "Moera's attack was devastating. It caused a good portion of the ground behind her position to sink down. Not that you can easily tell, what with all the dirt in the sky."

There actually wasn't a lot of evidence that suggested a fight had occured at all. A massive plume of dust obscured the gigantic hole. With Moera gone, the corpses she reanimated...uhh...de-reanimated and were strewn about the wrecked battlefield. "Looks like the psychic shockwave also knocked Shinobu-chan out of her domination funk, but her brother's missing too, so I think we can count on her to help us search for everybody."

"Moera probably ran away, didn't she?" Lucian input while seeing if Hyacinth or any of the other girls needed assistance. "Most of the enemy were Black Cradle, so they probably fled when she did. That leaves us...what, Sasuke and that one girl who had Miss Beaufort hostage?"
Irene thought about it. "That sounds about right. Hmph, I hope Charlotte and Myrie are okay."

"Oh, I'm just fine."

The little Shadow Pokebrid daughter of Bretton Collings and Jeanette Ricewood was simply standing there, not really doing anything except holding her sharpened hoop weapon.
Irene walked over to Myrie, who made no move to attack or flee. "Should I call your mother over here or do you plan on fleeing?" Irene asked the little girl.
"Ugh, I don't know if I want to deal with my mom right now," Myrie sounded afraid. "But yes, I guess go ahead and call her over so we can get that part over with. I'll need time to convince of what I'm going to want to do, anyways."
"I see. Well, what happened to that Pokemon you were with?"
"She'll probably be by Nosferatu until she's needed again."

Irene ordered a search for those who were in any condition to conduct a search in order to locate Charlotte, Astarte and Sasuke. She also instructed everyone on how to use the Inquiry Visor's visualization functions which would provide a polygon-based map that would help them see where the hell they were going when all they could see with their normal vision was just thick airborne dust. The use of defog didn't exactly help matters. There was just so much dust and defog only seemed to kick up even more debris.
"Remember, we're not out of danger yet," Irene advised. "There are probably still some Harbinger cultists, Black Cradle troopers and Team Rocket agents loose in the area, so heal yourselves up before you head out and make sure to travel in pairs. If you encounter any, try to subdue them but not if it puts your lives in danger. I don't wanna lose anyone else today."

-------------------------

Beaufort Born Again

The first thing Charlotte saw when she opened her eyes was a really pretty face. A really pretty face that didn't have the mark her elbow put on it just several minutes ago.

"Oh good, you're conscious," Astarte said with relief. "I was hoping that you were able to be reanimated, and I was also hoping I didn't waste all that vitae on you."

Charlotte reached for a shotgun that she no longer had or could grab for. Astarte sighed. "I'll give you your gun back in a second. First, I think you should have a look at your body."
"What the fuck're you-" Charlotte froze when she instinctively followed Astarte's suggestion.

There was no way she was supposed to be alive after checking out her ravaged body. Deep wounds, broken bones, turn muscles, massive blood loss...and yet none of it hurt. It also didn't seem to stop her from moving or even standing. "What the fuck just happened to me?"
"Well, to put it simply, you kinda died," Astarte said. "But after injecting enough vitae into you, your body was able to hold on to your soul."
"So, I'm dead but I'm not?" Charlotte asked her, then noticed something else. They were nowhere near the battlefield, and Phantomere was standing near Astarte. "Just what the fuck-"
"Astarte, could you go and retrieve her gun? I'll explain everything to her," Phantomere said with a polite gesture.
"As long as she doesn't shoot me when I get it to her," Astarte said and walked away.
"Talk to me, Phantomere," Charlotte demanded.

"Alright, well, let's see if I can possibly explain this," Phantomere scratched the back of his large perfectly spherical head. "Remember when you went for broke and tried to kill Moera when she lost control over you?"
Charlotte nodded.
"Well, she killed you instead. When Astarte found your body, I urged her to bring you as far away from the battlefield as I thought we would need in order to figure out what to do. Your body was trying to eject your soul and I was wasting away trying to keep it bound."
"You...tried to save me?" Charlotte asked him.
"We're in a symbiotic relationship, you and I," Phantomere said. "If your soul evacuates your corpse, then I'd be right behind you. I didn't want to die for real and I'm sure you don't plan on perishing until you've accomplished everything you really want to do, so I did what I could to keep you here. But in the end, it was Astarte who truely saved your life."
Charlotte frowned. "Remind me not to shoot her when I get my gun back...yet. So how did she save me, exactly?"
"Oh, it's very simple. As a surprisingly powered undead, she transferred some of her captured vitae into your body."
A brief moment passed. "Is that a euphemism or-?"

Astarte returned not only with Charlotte's shotgun in hand but another person, one that Charlotte didn't see in the fight. The woman had long black hair, gold eyes, and clothes that you'd see on just about any street in Fainas. But most notable of all, she had wings. Large blood red angel wings.
Before Charlotte could say anything, Astarte handed Charlotte her shotgun. "Charlotte, this is Crow. Crow, this is Charlotte. Hope you'll be pals but right now, it's fightin' time."
"I thought you didn't want me to shoot you?" Charlotte said, checking her gun to make sure it could fire. It was caked in dirt but otherwise it looked serviceable.
"Not us," Astarte said, then pointed towards four men, two in Harbinger attire and two in those ridiculous outfits worn by Team Rocket, running towards them. "Them."
"I don't think I'm in any condition to fight," Charlotte said.
"Don't worry, you're fine," Astarte said. "And you'll feel loads better very shortly, I assure you."

"That's the bitch!" one of the Harbingers yelled. "She killed our priest and your chief."
"What about the other two girls?" a Team Rocket member called.
"Who cares, fuck 'em!"
"Their minds are quite small," Phantomere observed. "They can't even see me like you three can. I'll just return to Charlotte now. I can't do anything in this fight until she acquires more vitae."
"There's that damn word again," Charlotte said. "Just what the hell is vitae?"
"I'll tell you all about it later," Astarte said. "But for now, I'll just quickly show you what it is as we put these guys down."

When the enemies got in range, Crow produced two beams of blood red light that started at her elbows and extended a few feet beyond her hands. Astarte's bindings seemed to move on their own, forming two long drills that began at her hands and were as long as Crow's lightsaber-esque swords.
"Let's focus on one at a time and take 'em out quickly so Charlotte can heal herself," Astarte ordered.
"Right," Crow said.

After a quick exchange of 'pleasantries', Charlotte noticed something unusual about the corpse they just made of a Rocket operative.
"There's some kind of weird green shit fuming off that dead body," Charlotte observed to the others.
"That's the vitae!" Astarte said enthusiastically. "Praise Ra that you can see it. Go ahead and suck it down, Charlotte."
"Uhh...do what, now?"
"You can inhale that green stuff all the way from where you stand. Just give it a shot."
Charlotte thought Astarte was full of shit, but gave it a shot regardless and found that it was incredibly easy to do. And holy shit, did she feel amazing when the vitae entered her body! Her numerous wounds healed almost instantly and with no pain at all.
"Vitae is fucking awesome!" Charlotte shouted. "I've never felt this powerful before!"
"Good! Go ahead and inhale the vitae from the other bodies as we kill the rest of them."
"Shit, ain't gotta tell me twice."
"Just what the hell happened to that woman?!" the remaining Team Rocket cried. "All those wounds she had are gone! Instantly!"

A few more minutes passed and Charlotte had never been exposed to such bliss. Not even orgasms could match this feeling.
"So uhh...how do you feel now?" Astarte asked her suddenly after the fighting had ended.
"This isn't too bad at all," Charlotte downplayed her euphoria. "Anyways, you were going to explain this to me?"
"Oh, right. Now, picture this; your soul is a boat and your body is a pier. Oh, and the ocean represents whatever you people have as an afterlife. Now, if your soul isn't moored to your body, then it's just going to drift on out to your afterlife."
"I get it now," Charlotte interrupted her. "The vitae is the mooring lines that keep my soul bound to my body."
"You got it," Astarte said. "When a living thing dies, you'll see the vitae bleeding right off the body as the soul is released. What you did was consume the vitae for yourself. It'll keep death off your ass and, as you consume massive amounts of vitae, unlock otherworldly powers that you can command."
"You mean that drill shit you were doing in the fight?"
"Explaining that part is where I'm afraid I cannot help you," Astarte apologized. "Different undead gain different powers. Some undead gain psychic powers like telekinesis, some undead can reanimate the dead and command them, and some like me can enchant my mummy wrappings to form drills and other weapons. I'm not a very experienced undead myself, so I can't really tell what powers a different undead will actually get."

Charlotte looked thoughtful for a moment, then started to walk away. "Wait, where're you going?" Astarte called after her.
"Where the hell do you think, bondage girl? I'm off to gather more vitae."
"Suicidal," Crow said.
"Yeah, wait up," Astarte said, hurrying to rejoin Charlotte. "Look, I know you probably feel strong enough to crush a skyscraper between your thighs, but all you've got right now is a little power and massive vitae high. You're not nearly as powerful as you think you are. Why don't you just return to those guys you're with?"
"I can't go back to PATCA like this," Charlotte said. "Besides, I'm an undead now. I have the ability to gain all this power on my own and kill whoever I fucking want to without having to wait for it to be a part of a mission. Besides, my Pokemon still need healing."

Phantomere decided to reappear before Charlotte. "That doesn't mean we should make a beeline for the Wingswept Desert where the Prideguard HQ is located," he countered. "If we're not going back to PATCA, fine, that's probably for the best. But we're not ready to take on Burkmont without them, either. I mean, you did just die."
Charlotte gave him a cold look. "Remember, if you die again, I die for real. And you'll probably never believe this, but I plan to repay you for not killing me. So, please, let's not be is a hurry to invade military bases. Just like Confucius says, 'Woman who leaves laundry detergent on top shelf will jump for Joy.'"
Charlotte's gaze didn't change. "I mean, 'The cautious seldom err.' Just don't mistake the power of vitae for invincibility. I'm certain you would rather achieve everything you want instead of getting so far only to fail just before you reach your goal. This is a great opportunity for you, Charlotte. Please do not squander it."

She finally stopped to think. "Astarte, what are you and Crow going to do from now on?"
"Well, I'm not getting any money for that job so I'm still broke 'n' stuff. And Crow's not really doing anything, either."
Charlotte sighed. "Then could I ask you to come with me?"
"Huh?"
"You might not be the smartest undead, but when it comes to understanding vitae, you and Phantomere are all I've got. That big fuck's right in that without PATCA, I just can't afford to fuck up this time. So, could you come with me?"
"Sure thing, I have nothing else to do," Astarte said, then turned to Crow. "How about you, Crow?"
"Together," Crow said, joining the two undead girls.
"Our only problem right now is transportation," Charlotte noted. "I'm sure we'll be spotted if we try to steal a police cruiser or something."

"If that's your only problem, then we don't have any problems," Astarte said, then gestured to Crow. Crow spread her big beautiful wings.
"This is already starting to pay off," Charlotte said, then pointed in the general direction of Fainas Metropolis. "That way."

GM Notes: "I'll be working on Impact's PMs and might still do an update post tomorrow or something. Let me know, in the theatre thread or by PM, if you have something you wanna do before you're all returned to PATCA HQ, where we will introduce Opticka and Amelia."

[Menarker]

As the battle progessed, Renny watched with increasing anxiety from all the punishment that Shizuka took from the Asuras. She soldiered on successfully but...

"I'm sorry about those counterattack Shizuka! We'll try to get you patched at the earliest opportunity!"

But he needn't have worried. The overwhelming simultaneous mental pressure that Moera forced on herself with mass ressurrection caused her to drop the ball on keeping Charlotte restrained and before he or the rest of the PATCA squads could react to this turn of events, the battle was over in one explosion of mass devastation.

Renny woke up after a short while as he tried to reorient himself to the situation as it was. He was only mildly surprised that Myrie had shook off the double sleep and the confusion sent her way during that incredibly quick short battle, although he reasoned that the force of the detonation might have snapped her back to attention. They couldn't have all be out for too long, or everyone who escaped would have just taken the time to finish the job while everyone was unconscious.

As Irene gave the orders to search for Astarte, Sasuke and Charlotte in two person teams, Renny headed over to Catherine, who earlier was fighting evasively within the enemy ranks baiting Rulag's combative efforts and was probably closer to the blast than most of the PATCA group. Thankfully though, Charlotte and Rulag was on opposite sides of Moera so whatever damage taken was very indirect at best.

"Catherine? Are you alright? I'm here, the battle is over... uh, give me a moment!"

He readied some of the unused healing items from that rather short battle. Approaching her prone body, Renny reached one arm around her back tucked under her right armpit, leaning her back into a sitting upright position against his chest for support as he sprayed the restorative spray onto her limbs and rubbed the limbs soothingly, wrapping his finger and palm all around her hands, arms and legs to spread the medicine until he could bring her around to attention.

-------------------------

Shortly after Catherine recovers enough to move on her own, Renny continues to walk along with her as part of the two person teams as they search for the three targets that Irene told them to look for. But the Sortie Coordinator came across a 4th target.

"Hey, it's that Wispiance from before! I think Pendulum wanted to examine this pokemon to find out more about the Fiend types or something!"

The Gallade pokebrid did a few Sword Dances to prep up. Then he quickly used a partial dose of his revive item on Wispiance before he used Mean Look and False Swipe on the pokemon in quick succession preventing it from fleeing and reducing it to a single hitpoint before he captured it in the pokeball which disappeared into his PC box from having too many pokemon.

He then reported quickly on the scouter.
"Pendulum, I'm attempting to capture the fiend type Wispiance pokemon from earlier. I'll pass it to you or Professor Ricewood later for the purpose of looking into the details of Fiend type pokemon if I succeed."


*Some time later, after the point where we either find Sasuke or give up on finding him*

"... So we retrieved Sam and Myrie, but Moeni got away with much of her crew, Harliette is in serious condition... and I don't see Charlotte anywhere."

The failures and costs of the mission left the mission victory taste a little bitter. That, the entire encounter with Moeni and the revelation of the slave-collar technology from the Prideguard weighed heavily on his mind. But the mission still bore some unexpected fruit, which Renny tried to savor as the entire PATCA squad eventually filed into the Rig to head back to PATCA HQ.

[Astral Harmony]

Renny: "I'm sorry about those counterattack Shizuka! We'll try to get you patched at the earliest opportunity!"

"Eh, I've had worse," Shizuka said. "I have to say those creatures were considerably powerful, though. If I was using a normal blade, it would've snapped clean off after that much action."

When Renny began to provide his own brand of healing care on Catherine, she did her best to point out where she could use his touch the most...although in certain cases...

"Don't worry, I don't mind at all if you touch me there," Catherine cooed. "In fact, I would say you should just focus your full attention on it."

Most of the other Watchmen had their visions conveniently turned elsewhere, though one would suspect this was on purpose.

-----

Renny discovered that trying to attack and capture Wispiance was extremely tricky. The swarm of strange lights didn't respond at all as Renny amassed his power or when he used Mean Look, and all that False Swipe accomplished was that Wispiance healed him.

Capturing it seemed to be damn near impossible, too. Renny observed that Wispiance was more or less a innumerable collection on intangible creatures. They didn't really move away from the space they were circling around, and Renny could even walk right into the swarm without suffering any kind of attack.

Pendulum joined him and Catherine. "Wispiance is something that Irene knows quite well. They've shown up more than any other Fiend. I honestly don't think they even have the numerical representation for their health. They're either just here or gone."

"I wish we could take them home," Catherine observed. "They could make for some really romantic lighting, although I'm not sure they wouldn't clash with the feng shui of the apartment."

-----

It was about this time that the Rig showed up with several police force escorts in tow. The first feet to touch the ground was Jeanette.

"Brace for impact," Irene told Myrie.
"I can't attack her, can I?" Myrie sounded very afraid.

Jeanette cleared the distance between Rig and daughter in just seconds, and Myrie's face disappeared into her mother's chest.
"Don't suffocate her," Irene cautioned the professor. "You just got her back."

"My god, sweetie. Just what did those Black Cradle bastards do to you?" Jeanette said with tears in her eyes.
Myrie tilted her head in confusion. "They didn't do anything to me. Nosferatu did. He made me into an agent of justice! Shadow justice!"
Jeanette blinked, then her head hung. "Let me guess. You actually think this is a good thing, don't you?"
Myrie stepped back and did an adorable little twirl. "Aren't I so cool?! Just like those superheroes in the movies!"

Jeanette wiped her eyes and stood back up. "While I'm very glad you haven't been hurt or anything, I'm still going to have a long talk with Nosferatu."
"You're not more concerned about your daughter?" Irene asked.
"Well, Myrie says that Black Cradle didn't do anything to her, and I don't think Nosferatu is a bad Pokemon. While I can't exactly approve of any of this, especially with her having that hoop weapon, there's almost nothing I can do."

"Ummm...actually, mom, that's not all," Myrie said, poking her index fingers together. "Nosferatu...it uhh...wants me to join with Auntie Irene."
"You'd think Nosferatu could've rid her of her compulsion to call me that," Irene sighed.
Jeanette was instantly taken aback. "Join PATCA?! Absolutely not, I forbid it!"
"But mom, the fate of the world could depend on me!" Myrie said. "I'm a Pok-ee-brid now and I know how to use this weapon! And besides, you're in PATCA too! You never really had a lot of time for me before this, but if we're both agents-!"
"I...but...that's-"
"Don't worry, mom, I promise I won't do anything stupid!" Myrie begged her. "And if you don't let me, I'll...I'll steal your boyfriend!"

Can we not have one conversation that doesn't get really awkward? Just one?

Jeanette stared at her daughter for several seconds, then gave up and slumped forward. "Fine."

Wait, that actually worked?!

"If I'm going to rid you of that Shadow Pokemon DNA inside your body, I would probably have to take you to Nosferatu anyways. You can come with us at least that far."
Myrie jumped up and down in excitement. "Yay, I knew you were the perfect mommy! That's what I always tell my friends!"
And then Myrie hugged her mother tightly, the final nail in the coffin that significed Jeanette's utter defeat. Talk about being controlled by your children.

[The Shadow Pokebrid Myrie Ricewood has joined the Watchmen!]

"I'm an Army of One (Pokebrid and Slayer mix) class that specializes in screwing up the enemies' rage abilities," Myrie told Renny later. "This will probably make me really strong against living beings, but not so much against machines."

[Dracorion]

After the explosion, Pierce wasn't exactly sure where he was or what was going on. His mind felt dull and sore, just like the rest of him, so he just lay wherever he was trying to remember how to open his eyes and trying to process all the things he was hearing and feeling.

Irene and Shinobu talking about... Irene's arm? Was she hurt?

"Pierce, can you hear me? Hey, wake up for no mouth-love for you tonight." Said the voice of a person that was cradling his head, which prompted him to open his eyes and groan. "Hey..." He smiled with relief, since Irene looked perfectly fine.

When Irene helped him up and explained the situation, Pierce was all but slumped against her. She was one of the few people he trusted enough to show his weakness to. He was glad to see Myrie was safe, and decided to stand by Jeanette when she showed up to talk to her daughter. He also made a mental note to inspect Irene's arm later and ask her about it.

In the meantime, it was time to stop enjoying being pressed to Irene's body and start looking for people. He was feeling better now, at least his head stopped throbbing. He released his Pokemon and gave them some quick orders. Metagross and Enmakki would use Psychic to push some of the fog upward, with Aria using Defog to help as well. Pushing the smoke up should help visibility for PATCA members to search on the ground for whoever needed to be found. Blaziken, Adamantitar and Dialga would work together to track down PATCA members and take out any remaining hostiles.

Pierce set off to search on his own, until eventually he found Shizuka and Chizuru, and knelt beside them. "Hey, you two okay? ... Shizuka?" He had to admit he was worried for her, after those counterattacks she took and then the explosion, even though she was probably fine it was still more hurt than she deserved. "That was some nasty damage to take so close together. Think you can let me give you a full body massage when we get back to the city? And afterward we can go out and give the police a hand with taking out criminals in Fainas." He suggested with a smirk. He wanted to treat Shizuka well, even if he had to bribe her into it.

-----------------------

When Jeanette arrived, Pierce had already finished checking up on Chizuru and Shizuka and had been hanging around with Irene and Myrie.

As mother and daughter had their tearful reunion, he was surprised about Myrie's lighter attitude compared to the other times he'd seen her. Sidestepping the comment about stealing him, he placed a reassuring hand on Jeanette's shoulder. "I know it's not ideal, but if she's with PATCA you can keep an eye on her, not to mention everyone else, and be positive influences. It's better than leaving her alone with just Nosferatu to talk to, don't you think?"

[Astral Harmony]

Shizuka gave Pierce a long stare, then chuckled and looked at Chizuru. "See? This is why I like this guy. He's just a big, lovable dork."

Was she complimenting him or-?

Pierce observed that Shizuka's wounds were already out of the danger zone, attributed to her demonic blood. She stood up without needing assistance. "This isn't nearly the worst battle I've ever fought, but you're still really sweet to show concern for a woman like me. Thank you, Pierce." I'm more concerned about Harliette-san. The human body isn't built for unleashing such power without any problems. If all she suffers is a mild coma, then she has the devil's luck indeed."

-----

"Well, excuse me for worrying about my daughter when she winds up nearly fully incased in black armor and toting around a dangerous weapon," Jeanette said with an exagerrated and playful huff that was just adorable. "Anyways, I guess I really can't do anything until I talk to Nosferatu. Though I'm not sure that giant deathmetal crab will be all that helpful."

-----

Even More Beautiful Girls Join the Party...

There was quite the commotion just outside the PATCA HQ when the Rig showed up. "I'll check it out. This had better be damn important," Irene said.

What probably freaked some of you out was that the crowd was mostly consisting of the media, and Irene intended to sort out this mess by drawing her swords.

"All right, people, piss off somewhere," Irene called out as she deployed Balor and Unownaut, her two favorite intimidators. "I'm sure you all know that it's illegal for any members of the media, including freelance reporters, to be this close to the PATCA building. Now get lost."

One of the women, Jonessa, broke out of the crowd to approach Irene. "It's big news, Irene! Really big news!"
"Okay, big news, yeah, what-fucking-ever."
"No, I'm serious! The legendary Pokemon from the Jurich region, Belzybrand, has finally arrived in Honmyr! It's the only legendary Pokemon that wasn't here until now."
Irene grinned. "Looks like she made it."

Before Jonessa could ask what was going on, Irene tilted her head gently towards Balor. "Exodus Breath, wide dispersal, if you would be so kind."
Balor inhaled deeply, and then blasted a massive dark violet miasma towards the gathered crowd. That did the trick. Jonessa, who wasn't in the path of the attack, simply stood there as Irene strolled right through the miasma to meet with the two ravishing young girls standing near the main door.

"It sure took you long enough," the raven-haired beauty told Irene as the veteran soldier approached here. "I was about to have Belzybrand attack them myself."
Irene sighed. "Don't you think you could've been a little more discreet?" Irene asked her. "The science community is going to explode with news of Belzybrand's appearance in Honmyr, Daisy. Anyways, come inside, and bring that blonde girl biologically fused with your arm and looking like she's about to lose all bladder control."

Irene, Daisy, and the young blonde girl decided to simply chillax in the cafeteria.
"I'm still surprised you managed to defeat your mother," Irene said. After a satisfying meal, the blonde girl, who Daisy introduced as Bianca, didn't seem so incredibly fearful of Irene or the situation that surrounded her.
"Yeah, about that, we were fighting inside the summit of Mt. Sugaroma and she was about to defeat me, but then something happened to my arms and I think it's the kind of thing I should talk to you about in private," Daisy said.
Irene frowned. "Well, then. I think I know why Yuzuru allowed you to leave. Try as she might, she's no more able to evade her destiny than I am. But before that, let us do something about her."

Irene moved around Daisy and with some effort managed to seize Bianca's hand, frightening the girl back into a babbling stupor. "I'm sure your friend Daisy has told you entirely too many scary stories about me and the things I've done and I just want to say that, true as those stories most likely are, I'm a very nice person who wouldn't hurt someone like you."
Bianca paused for a long time, but then managed to look up to Irene. "Do you promise?"
Irene smiled one of her most disarming smiles ever. "Cross my heart and hope to trade Balor for a level 1 Magikarp."
Bianca managed to smile back. Irene released Bianca's hand and looked at Daisy. "How did you manage to bring this girl with you?"
"Actually, ever since being absorbed into the kind of life I live, she was too afraid to leave my side," Daisy said. "Between my guns, my Pokemon, and my attitude, she probably didn't feel safe anywhere else in Jurich. And I'm sure this goes double for Honmyr."

"But isn't she going to have to let you go at some point?" Irene asked, more for Bianca's benefit than Daisy. "I mean, you're obviously going to join PATCA and nothing I say is going to change that, eh?"
"Naturally. I think I can learn more about what happened to me that way while Javier is trying to find a place for him and I here in Fainas."
"Then obviously Bianca will have to manage on her own once you do. I don't think she's the type who would want to fight highly dangerous terrorists."
"Eh, of course she will."

Bianca was silent while Daisy started to explain how useful Bianca actually was. "Besides, I can look after her, and I really think all this PATCA stuff will be a good while not altogether wholesome experience for her. She's been absolutely sheltered in the Unova region and I think she could really use this. She's really got a lotta potential besides her bustline, and I think she'll surprise all of us on the battlefield, but probably not so much as she'll surprise herself."
"Well, I can agree with that, but that's really kind of her call," Irene said gently.
Irene looked at Bianca. Daisy looked at Bianca. The camera very slowly zoomed in on Bianca. And finally, Bianca managed a really small nod. "I...I want to try."
"Told ya," Daisy said.
"You really need to stop turning girls into your bitches," Irene reprimanded her niece, then took Bianca's hand again. "I just want to say that I admire your courage and willpower, and I will always try to be available to you whenever you feel like getting something off your chest, Miss Bianca."
"Like your bra," Daisy chuckled.
Irene ignored that. "And I'd also like you to know that you should not feel pressured in the slightest to remain with PATCA or to quit. Just like how there are people who don't like Miltank ice cream, PATCA is not the kind of thing for just anyone. So I want you to feel comfortable here and, hey, there're plenty of fellow women just like you that you can probably talk to and who would like to meet you...except for Discord. She's a bitch."
Bianca's beautiful green eyes met the red and blue eyes of Irene and the young Pokemon trainer managed a lovely smile.

Irene then slowly backed away. "Once Bianca feels comfortable here, Daisy, I'd like to have you come to my office. I'll let Daphne know to approve you for access. As for me, I'm just going to get out of here before I lose my composure and glomp Bianca to the floor. If you'll excuse me."

-----

Renny's Harem Minus One...

"Sh'ain't back yet, shurry."

Milsha's folksy statement wasn't alien to Renny. He knew exactly what she was talking about.

Ever since their return to Fainas Metropolis, Harliette was confined to a hospital bed and Lola insisted that she wasn't leaving Harliette's side until her sadistic half-sister's condition improved. Harliette wasn't in any kind of physical danger. She was just comatose, expected to wake up at any time. And maybe Lola intended to possibly learn something about what Moeni may have done to Lola's own body.

Whitney and Catherine were both in the kitchen, apparently going back and forth about how specific sides for dinner should be prepared.
"If you don't cut the carrots thin like this, they won't cook as quickly or evenly," Catherine suggested.
"My brother always preferred the carrots just be submerged in cooking grease," Whitney offered. "He liked 'em in baby cuts drowned in grease. In fac, he liked all his vegetables that way. I have no clue why he didn't end up fat."

The apartment didn't lose much of its liveliness. Whitney started to hang out here more since Lola was gone. When she wasn't around, she lived in the rural area to the far south, a very small house she used to share with her brother Wyatt. According to Whitney herself, she sort of stopped living there after his death and started embracing nature more, camping and whatnot, although she still paid the bills on that house. Even a small house like hers can feel too empty when you're all alone. She and Catherine had gotten along very well as of late, owing perhaps to their shared tragic experiences of losing loved ones.

[Menarker]

"Sh'ain't back yet, shurry."

The accent was only mildly obscure for a brief moment, but being around with Milsha long enough as a room-mate, Renny was quick to grasp what she was saying.

"Yeah, I can understand why. I was there for almost the entire time it went down and the situation looked like quite a mess physically and mentally. But thanks for letting me know Milsha. I'll give her a call quickly before I come back to help in the kitchen, ok? I'm thinking of heating up a loaf of garlic bread for all of us with some gravy on the side for dipping."

He smiled toward Milsha for a second before he stepped into his room as he pressed a few buttons on the Inquiry Visor, dialing up Lola's number, ready to leave a message in case Lola couldn't pick up the call directly in the hospital wards.

*General gist of message. Lola may or may not have picked up the call*

"Hey Lola, it's me, Renny. I hope everything is proceeding smoothly. If you ever need me to run an errand or stop by for something, just give me a call and I'll come by as soon as I can make it. Otherwise, feel free to take all the time you need. I wish the best of health for the both of you."

As Renny hung up, he privately mused to himself that even if Harliette was conscious, she probably wouldn't have wanted to see his face (or that she would gave said face a mighty blow if she showed up to visit) after how he indirectly interrupted her ill prepared death-match with Moeni, even if it was with the best of intentions to preserve her own life. But he didn't see the need to mention that to Lola.

He stepped back into the den of the apartment and made his way toward the kitchen where the two unexpected but entirely welcome guests, Catherine and Whitney, stood preparing dinner. Even with Lola temporarily gone, the apartment had gotten even livelier than before. Reaching into the freezer, he pulled out a wide loaf of garlic bread in silverish wrapping. He set the oven to pre-heat as he left the loaf to thaw out a little. He pulled out a saucepan and stirred in water and a little butter with the gravy powder on top of the stove which gradually turned a dark brown sauce with a thick smoky flavor not completely unlike barbecue sauce. Just the thing to go with meat or bread toasted to a fine crisp. The garlic bread got popped in the open part-way during the procedure. Now all that really remained was a little waiting.

"Oh, those carrots are looking great." Uncharacteristically, he mischievously snatched a small chunk with a fork and dunked it into the just finished gravy sauce, sampling the bit early on. Feeling the soft carrots slide down his throat like cream and smolder with gentle warmth inside, he stabbed another two carrot chunks, dipping them slightly into the sauce and dabbed the forks toward Whitney and Catherine's lips, tempting them with their tenderness.

"I think we're all going to bed with a very happy belly." His expression was of complete elation, completely eager for dinner to start once all the food was made.
"Its great we could all get together to have a relaxing evening. These days, its almost like there is no such thing as a simple or easy mission."
The previous two missions had been fraught with several revelations which were hard to accept, in addition to all the close calls combat wise. Fortunately, Catherine's help in the most recent one and Whitney's help during the beach mission prior to that one made the burden much easier to to bear.

He then asked, to no one in particular, letting either Milsha, Whitney or Catherine chime in.
"I noticed that the PATCA beach photoshoot pictures had been completed. Did you all like how your photos came out?"
He said this as candidly as he could possibly manage... although deep down it was a personally arousing sight. He had already received "autographed" photos of Liz and Leprihare not too long after the shoot itself. In response to that, he had ordered a copy of the entire PATCA swimsuit catalogue (sans the ones he already received) some time prior to the previous mission... for the good memories.

*A little bit later, possibly when they are all eating at the dinner table*

"Whitney, I was wondering if in a week or so, if you could please help guild me on my combat training. Catherine, Milsha, and Bretton have all helped me out so far in refining my combat style. Bretton in particular suggested that I might be able to go a bit further if I was able to channel my form's psychic capabilities into my entire movement and attack patterns instead of only using it when I specifically perform psychic attacks. He then said that you might have some insight on the matter."

[Astral Harmony]

Charlotte at the Pokemon Center...

"There certainly are a lot of eyes on us," Astarte commented as Charlotte returned from having her Pokemon fully restored. Considering that all of her Pokemon were high level and all were reduced to zero health, the nurse handling her Pokemon had a question or two for her, but Charlotte used her typical answer of 'just heal my goddamned Pokemon already' whenever dealing with the nurses.
"It's probably you two freaks," Charlotte deadpanned. "One woman in bandages and one with blood red wings. Yeah, that surely won't draw any attention."

Charlotte had to admit, Astarte was right about the vitae high. Once it drained out of her mind like so much adrenaline, Charlotte felt surprisingly normal. And speaking of vitae. "Well, since my Pokemon have been restored for the next fight, can I hear more about vitae?"
"I kind of did tell you everything you need to know and that I do know," Astarte said. "I don't suppose you mean the technical aspects? 'Cause I guess you could use that information."

Astarte looked thoughtful for a second, then cleared her throat and began. "Okay, so you have three values for VP, or Vitae Points. You have your current reservoir of VP, your maximum capacity of VP, and...well, something like a VP Seal."

"Now, your VP Seal works like this: as you continue to consume vitae from your victims, you accumulate more and more VP and once that VP equals the VP Seal's value, you grow in true power as an undead."
"I'm assuming my VP maximum is less than my VP Seal, right? So how could my VP ever reach the same value as the seal?"
"The VP value doesn't go down, even if you spend your VP."
"Wait, what?"
Astarte frowned, but mostly to herself. "Damn it, this really isn't easy to explain. Oh, hey, I think I got it. Are you a fan of role-playing games?"
"We're in a role-playing game," Charlotte retorted.
"Alrighty then, Miss Self Awareness," Astarte apologized. "Then think of it like this: when you consume VP from the opponent, it applies VP to you to use as fuel for your powers and stuff like that, but it also adds to the VP that is actually EXP. In other words, vitae will charge your powers and level you up when you consume enough. And it always charges, even if you're already maxed out your VP."

Charlotte nodded several times as it came together in her mind. "So, let's assume I drain some vitae of someone I've killed. That amount of vitae is...oh, thirty, I guess. My VPMax is 100 and my VPSeal is 1000. So, when I do consume that vitae, I have 30/100 VP and 30/1000 VPSeal. But if I use 15 VP, I end up with 15/100 VP yet still have 30/1000 VPSeal?"
Astarte spared a glance at Crow. "I'm telling you, she's fucking brilliant." The she looked at Charlotte again. "That's absolutely correct, Charlotte. Once you hit that VPSeal, you 'rank up' as whatever type of undead you turned out to be. Phantomere says you're a lich, which is basically like a necromancer who is herself a powerful undead. I wouldn't be surprised if you surpass me."
"Limitations," Crow said simply.
"What do you mean?" Astarte asked.
"Nonliving," Crow continued.
"That's one annoying character quirk," Charlotte groaned.
"I think she hangs around me because I have a very high chance of understanding her," Astarte apologized. "What I think she's trying to say is that you won't find vitae in just everything you kill or destroy. For example, machines and other things that were never alive to begin with, like certain Steel type Pokemon, will not give off vitae when slain."
"I guess that includes undead like you and me, huh."
"Undead can be a gamble," Astarte said. "Lesser undead, like your average shambling zombie, won't be packing nearly the amount of vitae that they possessed when alive. You'll get something, but not enough to make it worth the power you wasted on destroying it. But there are some powerful undead that have massive reserves of vitae that you can consume which would make it well worth the effort."

Charlotte grinned like a wolf after cornering a sheep. "Like you, perhaps?"
Astarte saw where this was going. "Yes, like me. But if you want real serious vitae, more than you could possibly consume, look to the demons. Or to the angels, like Crow here."
Charlotte glanced at Crow. "Incapable," Crow simply said without feeling threatened.
"Crow is a Fallen, a disgraced angel," Astarte translated. "Either the god was destroyed or the angel was dismissed of his or her service or something else happened, but Fallen were powerful when they served their gods, and sometimes they become even more powerful after they've plummeted into hell."
"Companion?" Crow asked.
"I know you don't want to hear this, Charlotte, but you're in no condition to attack either of us. And if you stick with us and pursue your actual revenge, you might find acquiring vitae a lot easier a task as opposed to trying to win against powerful undead, angels, and demons. C'mon, let's go get you some lunch, and I've heard about a really nice buffet."
"Oh really? Where?"
"Metal Hell. It's chock full of tasty vitae, if you have the talent for retrieving it from the local beasts and madpeople."

Charlotte pondered that for several seconds. "Yes," she said. "Yes, I do believe I have said talent."

-----

Renny Digs Himself a Deep Hole...

Renny: "I noticed that the PATCA beach photoshoot pictures had been completed. Did you all like how your photos came out?"

Renny probably didn't really expect his mention of the photoshoot to have such bizarre consequences. When the meal preparation didn't require anyone to attend the oven or stove, Catherine dragged Whitney and Milsha back into one of the bedrooms.

Five minutes later, Renny was now dining with Catherine, Milsha and Whitney in the very same swimsuits they wore during that photoshoot. How in the hell di-?

Y'know what? Nevermind. It's good to be the king.

Renny: "Whitney, I was wondering if in a week or so, if you could please help guide me on my combat training. Catherine, Milsha, and Bretton have all helped me out so far in refining my combat style. Bretton in particular suggested that I might be able to go a bit further if I was able to channel my form's psychic capabilities into my entire movement and attack patterns instead of only using it when I specifically perform psychic attacks. He then said that you might have some insight on the matter."

Whitney swallowed a hunk of pot roast. "I assume he's referring to psychic reading. It's a lot like what Catherine does when she uses her Signature Technique 'And In This Corner'. I imagine he told you something about reading an enemy's moves, like watching for a flexing muscle or observing where the opponent has their weapon situated. It's a lot like that, but instead of checking for any physical indication of an attack, you're delving into the mind of your opponent, and that's where you can almost literally hear them say 'I'm gonna kick him in the balls'."
"Or I'm gonna ride him like a theme park goer on LSD," Catherine chucked. "Sounds really neat and more effective than me. But if he relies on that, he won't be able to sense an attack coming from things that don't have a brain, huh?"
"Everything has its own limits," Whitney agreed. "Me, I can probably help you understand it, but I don't exactly use it myself. With the growing strength of the Rezonscape's influence, you could inadvertently suffer some kind of madness effect. A lot of us psychic types have to learn to guard our powerful minds. Or else you become like those howling madmen in Metal Hell. Before he died, Faynoc did try to study them, but not to much avail. For the most part, you won't even get coherent thoughts out of them, just wild attacks with improvised weapons."

[Menarker]

Dinner tonight came with tons of eye-candy as Renny's eyes hopelessly darted from girl to girl which then wandered toward lewd places. The momentary surprise (especially the part where Catherine and Whitney somehow had their swimsuits with them) was quickly suppressed in place of arousal and admiration. Milsha wearing her swimsuit along wasn't quite as surprising since she shares the same living space, but he had already saw her in all her glorious wet nakedness before Lola had interrupted so the sight of her partial nudity made him recall the sight of the complete one.


As Renny listened to Whitney talk about the psychic reading, he thought about the previous time he trained with Bretton.

"... I don't think this was exactly what Bretton was talking about back then, but this is bound to be useful."

The Gallade pokebrid smiled and nodded toward his female counterpart.
"That would really help. Perhaps some time in the next few days? That'll give me some time to practice... and it'll also give a little time for me to prepare for the party I hope to throw for my 18th B-day. I hope you all can make it."

Indeed August the 24th was approaching unflinchingly and while Renny intellectually knew there wasn't an actual physical or mental difference between the day he is officially recognized as an adult by society and the recent days beforehand, his thoughts on the milestone was filled with anticipation. That he'd just like to have a decent excuse to have another party for everyone to relax in.

[Astral Harmony]

"Renny's eighteenth birthday, eh? I call dibs on being inside the cake!" Catherine spoke quickly, and knowing Catherine, she most definitely meant to do exactly that.
"I imagine he'll have as many friends as he can get to come to this party, won't you, Renny?" Whitney asked him. "Do you think it'll be possible to provide fanservice for the entire party?"
"A private cake, then," Catherine said stubbornly.
Milsha tilted her head in thought. "Can Renny even eat a cake by himself that's big enough to contain a mature woman like you, Cathie?"
Catherine froze at that remark, then sighed, defeated. "And to top it all off, he'll probably be so full from the cake that he won't have any room to eat me."

They all laughed at that. There was a knock at the door. "Do you think Lola's back?" Whitney asked, feeling a little sad.
"I'm sure she would've called Renny to let him know she was about to come back," Catherine answered as Milsha hopped up to get the door.

It was Irene, who paused as she saw what Milsha and the girls were wearing at the dinner table. "I uhhh...should I go and come back with my swimsuit?"
"Hello, Irene. Don't worry about the swimsuit. If any more blood rushes to Renny's head, it'll rocket out of his nose and send him all the way to Hiroshiho."
Irene chuckled. "Good idea. If Renny winds up there, he'll only end up with yet another willing harem of japanese girls."
"Do you want some roast?" Catherine offered. "We're gonna end up with way too many leftovers tomorrow."

Irene thanked them and seated herself. "I had Aster check and see what the next mission will bring us," she said. Always about business, eh Irene? "So I figured I'd stop by and inform our dear Sortie Coordinator about it so he had ample time to prepare for it."
"And?" Catherine asked for the rest of them.

-----

The Next Mission...

"As you probably are well aware, we're heading into the Corpsemire," Irene said. "Two weeks from now."
"I'm actually kind of excited," Whitney said, hands clasped. "Not even Faynoc was able to get in there. He really wanted to learn more about Shadow Pokemon, especially Nosferatu."
"Y'ever watch Star Wars?" Irene asked rheutorically. "Well, the Corpsemire is about as close as you'll ever get to experiencing what it must be like on the planet of Dagobah. There's a constructed platform that runs all the way to the center of the place, but it's still going to be an eerie and unsettling experience for all of us. Regardless, I knew that we weren't going to be fighting anything there and Aster's precognitive abilities assured me as such, so you can just think of it like going to a haunted house or something."

Catherine and Whitney suddenly got bloody noses. "Huh, I think I have somehow acquired a bit of Aster's psychic powers," Irene deduced. "The two of you are imagining that you'll have Renny closeby and that something will scare him so he hugs you tightly out of fright, which will be so goddamn adorable that you completely lose control."

The two women turned there faces towards the floor, but the others could easily see how red those faces were. "Geez, girls, he's already seventeen. Anyways, it's what happens afterwards that frightens me a little bit," Irene said, refocusing all their attention. "Aster expects us to be separated...somehow, into very small groups. I get the feeling that something's going to happen when you enter the Hungry World. Therefore Renny, I'm asking that you setup a handful of formations based on a couple of unique requirements."

-----

The Formation Setup...

DSS Setup: 1 PC, 1 Enforcer & 1 Specialist per formation
Requirements & Limitations: Either the Enforcer or the Specialist must be a Kimono. Lola and Harliette cannot be assigned.
Number of Encounters/Formation: 2 Each

"Each of you in the Watchman's inner circle (Player Characters) will have two units assigned to you, one of them as an Enforcer and the other as a Specialist, although since some Specialists can also function as Enforcers, that should help you a bit. You can assign Scouts and Destroyers as the Specialist, but the Destroyers and Opticka cannot function as Enforcers, so if you do that, you might be restricting yourself. These micro-formations will be the only encounters you will have, so you need not worry about what Specialists you assign to whom. However, because this is the Hungry World we're talking about, I would mandate that you assign a member of the Kimonos to each micro-formation. They should be able to help you reunite with each other."
"You make it sound like you're not coming with us, Irene," Whitney said.
"I might very well not be," Irene explained. "Aside from the Kimono requirements, Renny should in no way feel pressured to assign anyone in particular to those formations. I'll come to the Corpsemire with you, but in reality I'm no more knowledgeable of the Hungry World than anybody else at this table. And that's why I'm specifically requesting that you bring those girls with you, at least on this mission. Their knowledge of how the Hungry World works will offer you the best chances of reuniting with each other. Fortunately, Slayers will still be able to swap equipment although Daphne can't be in two places at once and won't be going with you regardless. The Kimonos will be in charge of that. I also talked to Miss Phelps. Harliette's condition is very stable and it's expected that she'll awaken any moment now, but Lola doesn't think she'll be in any condition to fight this time, and Lola doesn't seem to want to leave her side until Harliette can fight on her own."

-----

About the Enemy...

"So, what do you think we'll be fighting in the Hungry World?" Milsha asked anyone in particular.
"Unless the Hungry World has duplicated a part of our Pokemon World into itself, you won't be fighting any Pokemon," Irene mused. "I'd wager that you'll come across enemies of each attribute. You know, humanoid, mechanical, undead, demon, that kind of thing. I'll talk with the Kimonos about it so that Renny will know how best to deal with each attribute so that he can build an effective series of formations."

-----

About the Scout Specialists...

"Oh, by the way, I'll be introducing Opticka to the rest of the Watchmen in just a couple of days, but I figured I'd bring her with me just so that Renny could see her first," Irene said. "Opticka is the only Scout we've got so far that cannot function as an Enforcer, so you probably won't be bringing her with you on the next mission regardless."
"Oh, that's soooo super mean, Master!"
"It's da truth, ain't it?" Irene said as she reached beneath the table and then brought out a very small machine for all of them to see. "Ladies and shota, I present to you Opticka."

Opticka was an eight-inch tall Fairy Sexy trope (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FairySexy) wearing the attire of a Sexy Jester trope (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SexyJester). Between her blush stickers and pale blonde hair, she was weaponized kawaii desu to the power of a million.
"Don't not squeeze her," Irene cautioned very firmly. "She's very expensive and takes a long time to repair."
Catherine and Whitney were physically doing everything in their power to avoid glomping the shit out of Opticka. Renny could tell that they grabbed their own seats and were holding on for dear life. It really didn't help that Opticka's voice was also high pitched and really cute. Milsha was easily in control of herself. She obviously liked cute things like the others, but was a lot more in control of any tendencies she might have towards them. "Beneath Opticka's custom-tailored appearance is the Pokemon World's most advanced sensing suite. Her diminuitive size allows her to easily stay out of harm's way. She didn't even take any damage from Moera's psychic assault."

"So who else is going to be working as Scouts for the Watchmen?" Milsha asked, hoping to defuse the ticking bomb that Irene created right at their dinner table.
"Garus Wilderschmidt, Aster Lloyd, and a recent recruit named Bianca. You'll meet her and some others in a couple of days, too. The Scouts will all have a group of common abilities amongst themselves, but they will also have some abilities that will be unique to each of them and I think you'll be amazed by what each of them can bring to the battlefield."
"Yep, you can count on me!" Opticka said with a big smile that could outshine the sun itself.

So...much...cute...

[Menarker]

"Renny's eighteenth birthday, eh? I call dibs on being inside the cake!" Catherine spoke quickly, and knowing Catherine, she most definitely meant to do exactly that.
"I imagine he'll have as many friends as he can get to come to this party, won't you, Renny?" Whitney asked him. "Do you think it'll be possible to provide fanservice for the entire party?"
"A private cake, then," Catherine said stubbornly.
Milsha tilted her head in thought. "Can Renny even eat a cake by himself that's big enough to contain a mature woman like you, Cathie?"
Catherine froze at that remark, then sighed, defeated. "And to top it all off, he'll probably be so full from the cake that he won't have any room to eat me."
They all laughed at that.

Renny smirked at the suggestions, but he privately mused out loud...
"I'd imagine that stripper cakes aren't actually made of real cake, what with all the hassle of bits falling onto the floor or furniture or getting into your hair. Probably for the best too, since I was hoping to get some ICE CREAM cake among a few others, which would probably be a bit chilly to crouch inside long-term. It'd probably melt a bit too, gradually covering you with a layer of cool cream... soft cookie bits..."
The more he spoke, the more his eyes lit with hunger and 'excitement'. Additionally he peeked a glance at Milsha whom he guessed would react favorably to the selection of ice cream cake. He then replied to Whitney's question.

"But yeah, I'd like to get as many of my friends to this party as I can. You have all made my arrival and stay in Honmyr and PATCA very special, and helped me out through some very tough spots too."


Soon after the door knocked and Milsha answered it, revealing Irene on the other side who clearly was not expecting a swimsuit dinner party in Renny's apartment. He greeted her warmly even as the others joked about and Irene sitting herself at the table and joining them for the meal.

Irene thanked them and seated herself. "I had Aster check and see what the next mission will bring us," she said. Always about business, eh Irene? "So I figured I'd stop by and inform our dear Sortie Coordinator about it so he had ample time to prepare for it."
"And?" Catherine asked for the rest of them.

Renny lead slightly over the table's edge in attention, giving Aster's words a significant amount of weight. He listened earnestly, but then came the punchline.

"Anyways, it's what happens afterwards that frightens me a little bit. Aster expects us to be separated...somehow, into very small groups. I get the feeling that something's going to happen when you enter the Hungry World. Therefore Renny, I'm asking that you setup a handful of formations based on a couple of unique requirements."

Renny looked quite serious as she said this, but didn't interrupt as he listened on for the requirements. They essentially summed up into having the core members each having an enforcer and a different specialist, with one being a Kimono for guidance.

"... I also talked to Miss Phelps. Harliette's condition is very stable and it's expected that she'll awaken any moment now, but Lola doesn't think she'll be in any condition to fight this time, and Lola doesn't seem to want to leave her side until Harliette can fight on her own."

"It's good to hear that Harliette is recovering nicely. Yeah, they can take the time off. It's probably for the best, since Lola also told me that the Corpsemire, with all its stories of unburied deads of the past wars, gave her the creeps and otherwise made her feel depressed."

"So, what do you think we'll be fighting in the Hungry World?" Milsha asked anyone in particular.
"Unless the Hungry World has duplicated a part of our Pokemon World into itself, you won't be fighting any Pokemon," Irene mused. "I'd wager that you'll come across enemies of each attribute. You know, humanoid, mechanical, undead, demon, that kind of thing. I'll talk with the Kimonos about it so that Renny will know how best to deal with each attribute so that he can build an effective series of formations."

Renny was thinking for a moment. "I'll probably have to talk to one of the Kimonos for details on the Hungry World, how it is structured and the inhabitants it would have. Especially for fighting demons, something we haven't really had the chance to fight in the past."

"Oh, by the way, I'll be introducing Opticka to the rest of the Watchmen in just a couple of days, but I figured I'd bring her with me just so that Renny could see her first," Irene said.

Renny looked quizzical as he didn't see anyone enter with Irene. For that matter, he didn't see her when she offered her assistance in the previous mission. But he was interested in the meeting.

"Opticka is the only Scout we've got so far that cannot function as an Enforcer, so you probably won't be bringing her with you on the next mission regardless."
"Oh, that's soooo super mean, Master!"

The sudden unexpected voice coming from under the dinner table surprised Renny for a second.

"It's da truth, ain't it?" Irene said as she reached beneath the table and then brought out a very small machine for all of them to see. "Ladies and shota, I present to you Opticka."

Opticka was an eight-inch tall Fairy Sexy trope (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FairySexy) wearing the attire of a Sexy Jester trope (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SexyJester). Between her blush stickers and pale blonde hair, she was weaponized kawaii desu to the power of a million.
"Don't not squeeze her," Irene cautioned very firmly. "She's very expensive and takes a long time to repair."

Renny held out his combined cupped hands in front as if giving the newly introduced pixie girl a platform to stand as he introduced himself in turn.
"I'm Renny. I hope we'll get along well as part of a team."

After a few moments of Irene sharing some more details about Opticka and the other scouts, Renny changed the topic a little. He decided to keep Opticka entertained by summoning Shaymin to the table. At night-time, Shaymin's Land-forme was tiny, also 8 inches tall in height. The flowery and shy hedgehog sniffed about around Opticka in curiousity. Shaymin's cuteness was a more understated natural look, but it was still charming to see, especially paired up right beside the mechanical pixie girl.

"Ah! while you're here Irene, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming to my birthday party that's coming on the 24th, which is about a day or two before the Corpsemire mission. Open invitation to all my friends at PATCA. Err, I know you told me that Rayleen and Dormond are probably busy with other tasks, but if you could pass the invitation to them as well, it would be nice to see them again, if they have the opportunity to make it.

He then glanced warmly at Opticka. "I know I only just met you, but you can come too Opticka. Now that I think of it, Irene, maybe you could pass the invitation to the new recruits. It might help them make some connections in a more relaxed environment and it'll help me know more about what sort of people they are and what capabilities they have before potentially assigning any one of them to any of the groups."

[Astral Harmony]

Renny, Catherine, Whitney, Milsha, Irene & Opticka: "You're my new husband! I just decided!"

Opticka seemed to be blushing as she flew up and landed gently into Renny's hands. "And just like that, Renny ropes another love slave," Irene said with no hint of sarcasm.
"Bullshit," Catherine retorted. "Renny likes 'em busty. I mean, just look at us and Lola."
"I don't think I'm that busty," Milsha said. True, she was the smallest of Renny's inner circle of babes, but she definitely wasn't humble in that department.

As time passed and Opticka decided to turn Shaymin's Land Forme into a mount, Irene heard Renny's invitation. "I think I can swing on by and I'm sure I can get the others to come. You'll probably want to get to know just how effective they are in combat. Just don't hit on the raven-haired one too much. She's got a boyfriend, and he knows how to swing a length of steel. Not that I expect a man like him to be much of a threat to a fighting type Pokebrid."

-----
Irene & Daisy: "Daisy, when a woman and a giant mysterious and suspicious source of power love each other very much..."

"Whoa, you have a secret room in your office!" Daisy exclaimed.
"Yep. It's the only place in the entire landmass where I feel like I can sit my ass down and come to terms with who I am," Irene sighed as she sealed the entryway. "And the clusterfuck that perhaps only I can defuse."

Daisy waited patiently as Irene made herself comfortable, and then turned on a monitor on the wall across from the entrance. Daisy saw that it was panning horizontally to see the left end and then the right end of something she couldn't quite recognize. A large black object with blue specks on it and a white misshapen thing moving around it.
"What's that white thing?" Daisy asked.
Irene glanced at the monitor. "That's Phosphode, a legendary Pokemon. A very unfriendly legendary Pokemon."
"And that other thing? The big black thing in the back?"
"We'll discuss that in a moment. Now, tell me about the fight between you and your mother."

Daisy recounted the battle between herself and Yuzuru, her mother and Irene's sister. They were deep in the summit of Mt. Sugaroma and the legendary Pokemon Belzybrand was circling overhead after having made a huge journey overseas. "At first I was having to deal with this couple of goons from a group called Chariot, and they were actually starting to beat us, but then I was able to take them both out singlehandedly. It was that Signature Technique that I learned here in Honmyr. You know, Golden Voice. That's when I knew that the Rezonscape had reached the Jurich region. I mean, I can't use Signature Techniques like that without the power of Rage, right? Of course, mom had her own Signature Techniques and she was so much of a better fighter than I was. Belzybrand helped out a bit but I didn't have the opportunity to get away until...that weird power emerged from my arms."
"Can you describe it in as much detail as you can?"
"It was really weird. My arms were glowing and then pieces of my arms came off. Then my hands transformed into guns! I shot my mom with them! She looked okay as we were getting away but...oh god, Irene. I didn't hurt my mom, did I?" Daisy actually seemed concerned about her mother's well being. Irene smiled at that. At least it was a much better relationship than what she had with her own daughter.
"Pfft. Yuzuru? Nah, don't worry, my sister's built tougher than any Steel Pokemon you'd care to name," Irene said, standing back up. "Then again, she has the same powers...and so do I."

Daisy didn't seem too surprised by this revelation. "Where do the powers come from?" she asked, then, turning her face to the monitor, she suddenly had an idea. "The powers come from that big thing in the back, don't they?"
Irene nodded and told Daisy everything in a matter-of-fact kind of way.

"I don't know much about it myself, and I honestly don't think I can trust it. No source of power should ever come at absolutely no cost. But then again, when you've seen as much crazy shit as I've experienced and done as many crazy things as I've done, you can't even bring yourself to trust your own reflection in the morning."
Daisy slowly turned away from the monitor to face her aunt Irene. "And that's where I come in," she said.

-----
Renny & Whitney: "So ummm, about applying psychic force to your own attacks..."

Whitney and Renny were standing apart from each other, about to face off. This always drew a crowd, particularly those were looking into becoming Pokebrids. "Gallade versus Gardevoir," Whitney declared. "Let's see if you know how to merge your fighting and psychic abilities as a single force!"

BGM: RBY Gym Leader Battle Metal Remix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHrKI2cYWws)

"Given how intelligent you are, Renny, I'm surprised you haven't figured this out for yourself," Whitney teased. "Using your psychic powers to bolster your own attack power isn't really difficult or even unconventional. Us psychic types are always using powers like telekinesis and teleporting to...well, 'get around' problems that most people solve with a good kick to the chops. Like punching while teleporting so you're instantly inside the target's defense zone where they have no chance to react. Or using telekinesis so that the punch lands with a lot more force than if you merely threw it without psychic help. Or both."

Whitney paused, then thrust her right hand out to her side and created some kind of sphere that Renny automatically knew was constructed from highly condensed psychic force. "Best way to learn something is to practice it, right?" Whitney asked no one in particular. "So, Renny, try punching this sphere of psychic power. Now, if you just use your fighting energy, you're going to get repulsed about ten yards. Nope, you're gonna need to strike it a lot more oomph, and that's where channeling your own psychic power into your fighting techniques is going to make the difference. If you punch it just like I explained it, you'll burst it like a bubble."

Whitney remained quiet after that. Guess it was now up to Renny to see if Whitney knew what she was talking about.

-----
Pierce, Irene, Shizuka, Jeanette & Chizuru: "Yes, you're going to be taking all of us out, Pierce!"

One day Irene called Pierce into her office during one of those rare occasions that he wasn't already in her office and, to be more specific, in a certain place in her office and, to be even more specific, under a certain piece of furniture.

"Find some good ol' fashioned 'gettin' some' clothes and prepare for a night on the town tomorrow night, Granger," Irene said in the same tone of voice she would use when discussing missions. "Because you're taking all four of your favorite girls out for a night on the town."

"The problem is that while Shizuka-san, Jeanette, and myself are relatively okay with the idea of being dated by the very same man, Chizuru-chan is a little reluctant. Don't worry, though. I attribute this more towards her total inexperience with men in general, not out of any real malice towards a guy who wants his cake and can eat it while having three other tasty looking cakes in case he's still hungry."

Then, without even leaving her chair, Irene grabs her larger Brymstone sword and directs it so the tip of the blade hovers just inches from Pierce's nose. "So, in order to help Chizuru warm up to you, I've decided that the best way is for all five of us to go out for one big date. Kinda like a girl's night out but then there's this guy who we think is cute that we invited with us for some reason. And don't worry because this won't cost you one damn dollar. I'll be footing the bill because honestly, I kinda wanna hang out with some girls too from time and time, and not even for any kinky reasons."

-----
Matthias & Moon: "Once you understand the technology behind something, it'll be child's play to fuck it up with your Porygon Z form."

Moon found Matthias in the HQ one day while Moon was seeing if he could improve on his own Evoliths and then had a sudden inspiration. "Mr. Sona, can I talk to you for a moment? Or would you prefer just being called Matthias? You remember me, right? Moon Travorian, one of the former Thirteen Eevee Threat and fellow PATCA agent. I know this is sudden since we haven't really had much excuse to speak with each other but I think I might be interested in seeing just how far your powers can really go. Ah, that is, specifically your Porygon Z form."

Moon explained that as Matthias might become even more comfortable with his Porygon Z form, he would find it helpful and even humorous to experiment with all kinds of electronics just to see what he can do to them. Moon was a very intelligent guy, and was probably speaking as fast as he did because that's how quickly ideas were overcrowding his mind. Hacking Pokeballs so that they could forcibly recall and lock in their own Pokemon? Hacking advanced weapons to lock them up and even make them explode? Hacking advanced items so that they couldn't be used?

"I would like to experiment with you and see if I can't reprogram your Inquiry Visor," Moon said. "And if successful, the Inquiry Visor could point out certain enemy attacks, items, and Pokeballs and indicate them as hackable or "Matthack"-able. Then you can use your powers to really screw up the enemy's strategy. But if you don't really like the idea, I'd understand. It's just that electronics and stuff like that are a really big part of my hobbies and what I like, and I think you have a lot of talent in that area, perhaps without even realizing it. I mean, how much potential did you expect you could get out of your Porygon Z form before you had the DNA processing done?"

[Menarker]

Renny, Catherine, Whitney, Milsha, Irene & Opticka: "You're my new husband! I just decided!"

Opticka seemed to be blushing as she flew up and landed gently into Renny's hands. Renny face was quizzical, caught off guard by the declaration of matrimony. "And just like that, Renny ropes another love slave," Irene said with no hint of sarcasm.
"Bullshit," Catherine retorted. "Renny likes 'em busty. I mean, just look at us and Lola."
"I don't think I'm that busty," Milsha said. True, she was one of the smallest of Renny's inner circle of babes, but she definitely wasn't humble in that department.

"I don't choose my friends based on their chest. I mean Rachel is one of my closest friends, the first one I had since I moved to Honmyr and joined PATCA. She's definately not busty, but that was never a turn-off. Interesting thing is, when I gave her that Light-Ball bracelet for her birthday, she thought I was proposing to her and said she wouldn't have minded if I did."

"I think I can swing on by and I'm sure I can get the others to come. You'll probably want to get to know just how effective they are in combat. Just don't hit on the raven-haired one too much. She's got a boyfriend, and he knows how to swing a length of steel. Not that I expect a man like him to be much of a threat to a fighting type Pokebrid."

Renny nodded. "Getting to know how they operate in combat would be nice, but I won't take up that much of their time. It would help if they could make some connections with the others prior to partaking in any of the missions. I can always look at their dossiers when they become completed anyhow.

By the way, what is our ultimate objective for the mission? I thought that we were seeking Nosferasu who was in the Corpsemire. So why would we need to pass through the Hungry World? Did he change locations?"

-----

"Given how intelligent you are, Renny, I'm surprised you haven't figured this out for yourself," Whitney teased.

"Different type of intelligence perhaps. I haven't even been a pokebrid for a full year and now I'm trying to bolster its performance to slayer standards! So it might be self-awareness that is lacking instead of tactics stuff."

"Using your psychic powers to bolster your own attack power isn't really difficult or even unconventional. Us psychic types are always using powers like telekinesis and teleporting to...well, 'get around' problems that most people solve with a good kick to the chops. Like punching while teleporting so you're instantly inside the target's defense zone where they have no chance to react. Or using telekinesis so that the punch lands with a lot more force than if you merely threw it without psychic help. Or both."

Whitney paused, then thrust her right hand out to her side and created some kind of sphere that Renny automatically knew was constructed from highly condensed psychic force. "Best way to learn something is to practice it, right?" Whitney asked no one in particular. "So, Renny, try punching this sphere of psychic power. Now, if you just use your fighting energy, you're going to get repulsed about ten yards. Nope, you're gonna need to strike it a lot more oomph, and that's where channeling your own psychic power into your fighting techniques is going to make the difference. If you punch it just like I explained it, you'll burst it like a bubble."

Whitney remained quiet after that. Guess it was now up to Renny to see if Whitney knew what she was talking about.

The Gallade had extended the length of the blade on his forearm as he busied himself with trying to accumulate psychic energy within the blade itself. In practice, he was attempting to do an improved Psycho Cut, but for this exercise he then bolted up close, leaping into the air and then swung the length of the blade down hard to collide with the sphere itself while trying to keep the psychic energy contained within it.
Renny's attack was pretty good. The sphere nearly gave in and when it repulsed, he merely landed a few feet away, easily able to land on his own feet.

"Sometimes it's all about hitting it from a certain angle. I don't mean that the sphere is more vulnerable to destruction from a particular angle, just that you might be able to wield more power into your attack when attacking from a certain point. Like, I dunno, leaping at it from underneath? I can move it around for you if you want."
"If you can, please Whitney."

He was fairly happy that he wasn't fully repelled, but he still had a slight plea to his voice. For all he knew, that might have only happened because he used a move that was already psychic innately.
"I want to be able to use this in any given situation regardless of whom I might face."

"Up, up, up she goes," Whitney said mindlessly, raising the sphere so it hovered in place roughly ten feet from the grass. Renny craned his head a little. He'd have to jump twice his body height to reach it. Ah the misfortune of a (slowly growing) shortie.

Renny then attempted to change it to a fighting type move, Rock Smash. Trying to force the power into his fist, he darted once more into the fray, digging his heels into the ground and sprang from the dirt as he forced his clenched hands to connect with the orb from above in an uppercut of sort.

"Rock Shoryuken!" Whitney called out after him. The sphere held this time as well, nearly slamming Renny into the ground.
"Maybe not so high," Whitney said, lowering the sphere by about two feet. Renny could reach it without any kind of supernatural jumping.
Renny actually felt like he should have been the one to call out the name's attack, but it just never occurred to him. Whitney stole the best line! He groaned as he staggered onto his feet. But he changed his approach yet again to a simple Slash attack. It wasn't in the same scale of power as the other moves, but it was simpler and maybe if he could succeed in a plain move, doing it with the others would follow suit. He jumped again, his arm swinging out to the side to accumulate velocity as it swung over his head and swiped at an cleaving angle, this time trying to just wrap the energy around his blade like a coat.
Renny found the repulsion sphere much more responsive to his attack this time, and quickly discovered why. Whitney looked a little exhausted after Renny successfully burst it. It must've taken a lot of energy to maintain the repulsion sphere, and even more so to keep it holding strong when Renny struck it.
He noticed her exhaustion and stood beside her, putting one arm around her shoulder. He was starting to have doubts about whether his attack would have been effective if she was in perfect shape.

"Thank you for helping me Whitney. But how about we stop right here, take a break and go out for a bit? Anywhere you'd like to go?"
Whitney kept Renny from looking directly at her face. "Can we go absolutely anywhere?"
"As long as we can both go and enjoy ourselves, I imagine."
"Then...maybe we can go to a love hotel or something?"

He looked a little flustered by the proposal, although not quite as much as he had been in the past for similar comments. While she had made it a bit more difficult to look at her face, he glanced in her general direction with a more... intent observation. She was clearly very fine to behold and he could not deny there was a sort of attraction to be had.
"I, err, I don't think I'm legally allowed in one of those. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble. Maybe we can save that for later? Like after my 18th at the very least?"
Whitney came alert and, in a flash, had Renny's pinky finger wrapped in her own.
"That's a promise!" Whitney said, with her cheeks red and a serious expression on her face that was very difficult not to find funny.
"Well, I guess if we can't do that now, then maybe we should check out the Sparta Colosseum. As operatives of PATCA, let's not forget what Marionata seems to know about the locations of the other rogue Ruin Generals."

The younger Gallade was taken off guard by the zeal and earnestness that the suggestion made and the expression she made as she initiated the pinky swear. It was an odd mix of maturity and cuteness. Then she made another suggestion.
"Ah?" Renny's eyes arched from the information which was somewhat new to him.
"I suppose it would be worth a look if there is evidence of a Ruin General. I half expect it to be a fighting type if it hangs around in the arena. Although that might just be narrative coincidence, haha." He chuckled at the idea that the ruin generals followed sterotypical literary convention.
"Shall we?" He offered her his hand as he leaned half a step to start walking.

----------

Sparta Colosseum was having one of its slower days. The place always had a lot of people there, but it usually isn't packed unless some bigtime celebrity shows up.

"I think my brother actually had kind of a crush on Miss Spartina," Whitney said, observing what Renny would probably call a rather uneven Pokemon match. Spartina was there, and this was the first time Renny had seen her other than on the net. She was a lovely, fit-bodied brown-haired woman who wore golden-colored armor, equipped with a spear in her right arm and a large shield in the other.

Renny looked at Spartina with a cursory glance.
"Well... your brother seems to have good tastes. She is nice to look at." He admitted, although he spent more time looking around for the ruin general or looking at Whitney.

"Any location you want to start looking?"
He had pulled out his wallet once he saw a food stand selling churros although he'd probably have to pay for admittance too he gathered.
Whitney frowned. "If the Ruin General is really here, I should think it would be really big and clearly noticeable. I guess we should ask Miss Spartina about it. She looks bored out of her mind."
"Well, Marionatta isn't that big, but it's entirely possible. But yeah, let's go ask her."

Leading the way, he approached the magnificently cladded warrior. "I beg your pardon. I'm Renny Tresserhorn and I'm from the PATCA law enforcement. I was wondering if you could spare a moment for a few questions?"
He left out Whitney's introduction in case she wanted to remain anonymous or just a moment to relax.
"Renny, we should probably not go for broke and simply ask if she's seen any giant monstrosities in the colosseum," Whitney offered quietly. Renny nodded, heeding her words.
"Are you the one we should talk to regarding security within Sparta Arena?"
"We have security?" Spartina actually sounded surprised. "Well, we do, I admit, but it usually shifts between what people with guns happen to be handy at the time. Sometimes it's the Republican Guard, sometimes it's the Prideguard, sometimes I think it's military cosplayers. I don't even freaking know half the time."

Whitney gently elbowed Renny. "I don't think this chick is completely right in the head."
Renny ignored the comment, trying to avoid any possibility Spartina might overhear it.
"We're acting on rumors to avoid a possibly preventable disturbance. I was wondering if there has been any new additions to the staff or contestants within Sparta Arena."
Spartina looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, you might just be able to find that out for me yourselves."
...Huh?

"There's been an...uncharacteristic zeal, in both the competitors and the crowd as of late. I've had more riots in the last two months than I've had all of the year before," Spartina said. "Security's been increased, but I don't even think it's dissuading any possible rioters. Fortunately, nobody's dead, but I just don't get it. And then so I said to myself that maybe it has something to do with the mind, you know? Which is why you could probably help me out. I'm thinking that maybe it's some kind of bizarro psychic effect of sorts. I'd like to investigate it myself, but momma didn't raise me to be a bright girl, just a sharp one."
Spartina demonstrates this with a few quick jabs of the spear. Despite its size and length, she was quite adept of wielding the heavy thing with one hand.
"Ah, I see. Ah, my companion here told me your name is Spartina, but I was wondering if you could tell me more about what you do here and maybe a little detail about the arena? "
"Okey dokey, smokey. Right this way."

Spartina pretty much lead them on a length tour, starting with a rather large digital bulletin board of sorts.
"A lot of people like battling Pokemon, but more often than that, a lot of people like battling Pokemon where lots of other people can see them. I guess it's so they can impress attractive members of the opposite sex or something. And that's where Sparta Colosseum came from."
"That's a rather simple and honest philosophy," Renny thought to himself, but didn't interrupt. He wondered for a second if she chose this particular introduction to appeal to the Gallade/Gardevoir pair she was entertaining with the tour.
"I myself am a former soldier of the First Successionary War. Yep, I used spears and shields back then, too. Those Hiroshiho samurai never knew what hit 'em. Anywho, even when I saw just how many zeroes the president was going to put into the colosseum's construction, I though he was a loon. Placed as well as it is, I just couldn't see how explosively popular the place would become. Some Pokemon trainers actually stop journeying when they reach Fainas because of this place. Four badges and that's it. The Elite Four would probably be lonely as hell if they didn't have each other, heh."

Spartina continued the tour by stopping near a number of statues. Renny recognized Irene's statue and Spartina's along with...that one woman with the arm cannons that we fought only a few weeks back. Shibito?
"Hall of the Destroyers," Spartina said. "Whenever we have a bigass tournament, typically called a Gauntlet of the Gods, the winner has a status erected of them right here. We usually have one every year."
Spartina turned back towards Renny and Whitney. "And that's the gist of it."
Whitney tilted her head. "Uhhh...seriously? That's it?"
Spartina shrugged. "Aside from those two points of interest, there's the actual colosseum grounds that you already saw, I'm sure, and the various department rooms that sponsor this or that competitor and the various stores for buying food or souvenirs. But really, the Sparta Colosseum isn't a big or complex place."

The explanations covered a bit, but the hall provoked a question of its own.
"I got one question to ask before I ask about how the colosseum works. I recognize those two statues over there, but not that one of the woman with the arm cannons. Who is she? Did she stop being a contestant recently?"
"That would be Shibito," Spartina said. "Odd girl. So obsessed with being the most powerful Slayer there ever was that she pretty much legally had her name changed and then did everything to prove she was the best. So naturally she held the championship title for several years. That all ended when we managed to convince Irene Crosswald to take part in the tournament. And would you know it, she won. That was about the last time I saw Shibito. From what I overheard, she went on a pilgrimage or something trying to find greater strength through enlightenment or whatever."
Renny thought privately to himself "And somewhere down the line, she was snagged into that Prideguard slave collar..." with a grim expression on his face before he re-adopted a professional expression.

"So how exactly do the fights operate? I mean, what are the various formats of the battles?"
"We do have a battle type matchups. Sometimes Pokemon. Sometimes Slayer. Sometimes the Super Romantic Tag Team Battle."
Whitney looked at Renny. "A guy and a girl and their Pokemon versus another guy and a girl and their Pokemon. I guess the whole format is to get lovers together or something. We should try that sometime."
"Are there any restrictions on contestants? Age, forbidden weapon types, criminal status?"
"That really just depends on the battle formats. Specifically, I try to restrict them from using overwhelming power which would kill their opponents, but generally we don't try to screw with the contestants. That's what really draws the crowd. I swear it's like Caligula up in here."
"What measures of protection is afforded to the audience? Any security regarding audience? Is betting permitted within the arena?"
"We have a really big ol' window surrounding the entire rim of the battleground that has so far stopped all wayward attacks on both sides," Spartina said. "And of course betting is permitted on matches! Who the hell is going to watch these fights, then?"
"People who simply like watching really kickass battles?" Whitney suggested innocently.
Spartina looked thoughtful. "Your point has merit, but it's just not enough."
"I imagine some of the proceeds go toward maintainance of the buildings as well as possibly providing reward money for the combatants to draw in competitors just so there would be something to watch in the first place. Fighting, among other risky professions, is simply not something that all people would do if it didn't profit them in some way."
"Absolutely," Spartina said. "Just think about all those kids out there going on Pokemon journeys. They usually owe about 9/10s of their entire income to beating up the less capable trainers along the way."

"Anyhow, this tour is really helpful, but maybe we can get down to the details?
"Details? You mean like application? Well, it's not hard, just filling out some forms and then a small practical exam. You basically fight me and my Pokemon. You don't have to beat me, you just have to prove you know how to take a beating and dish it out."
Renny looked a little sheepish as he clarified. "I meant the details behind the riots. Like any new contestants that came just before the riots, changes in technology or something that happened that might have led to the thing you want us to investigate."
"But I thought I already told you, it's gotta be in the mind," Spartina sounded a little more desperate. "They're just plain going nuts out there and nothing else has changed. I think they all have a fetish for going for the throat now, competitors and spectators. I tried to figure out what it could possibly be. The Rezonscape's influence doesn't seem to have changed and the doctors aren't detecting any physical changes of the brain. It's gotta be some kind of hypnosis or suggestion effect."
"I see. Can you give me a moment with my friend here?"

Renny stepped aside with Whitney.
"Do you have any ideas on this? Otherwise, I might as well considering fighting a single round just to see if I detect anything."
"I can sort of feel what I think Spartina is talking about, although I don't think it's actually trying to make me angry for now," Whitney told him. "My guess is that this 'battle zeal' is kinda like an on-off switch operated by the Ruin General. Since PATCA will likely be fighting the Ruin General, you might as well go ahead and register by taking on Spartina now. There's no strings attached. She's not going to make you fight anyone you don't want to."
Renny thought for a bit. For a moment, he had an impish grin.
"I'm kinda tempted to make a bet myself. If it works out well, I could partly fund my party. It's probably going to be pretty expensive with all the food I have to get. Although I dunno if betting on a trial fight with Spartina is allowed... or if there are ways to tailor the bets... you know, like 'first to 5 hits' or something like that, since her expertise as a slayer is probably significantly higher than mine."

Renny approached Spartina. "Are the combatants themselves allowed to put bets on their own match or is that strictly against the rules to prevent arranged throwing of matches?"
"No, you're not allowed to do that, but...BUT, I'm still very certain you can make a lot of money on this. Don't worry, you'll see. Whenever you feel you're up to this, you can go talk to one of the colosseum receptionists you met when you first arrived. They'll register you for the trial match and you can pick your sexy title. Try not to make it humiliating because it will be shouted out for all to hear before the match."
And with a wink, Spartina turned on her heel and left them alone, clearly to prepare for the match.
"Thank you for everything Spartina. I guess I'll see you soon!"

He turned back to Whitney.
"Alright... No betting allowed on my own matches, but she reassured me that the money shouldn't be that much of an issue. And that's not really what we're here for anyhow. So it's all good. Shall we move on?"

As they walked, Renny stopped by one of the refreshment stands, feeling a bit peckish and in the mood for some of the churros he saw earlier. He also grabbed a few fruits for his pokemon.
"Would you like something to eat?" His young face all lit up with sugary anticipation.
"No, but you care to have a side of advice to go with those churros?" Whitney asked him, then without waiting for a response, continued.
"It looks like Spartina and her Pokemon gravitate towards three types; Steel, Fire, and Fighting. It's probably going to be a physically brutal matchup."

Renny thought for a moment regarding his pokemon team composition. Swampert (good against steel and fire) was practically born to fight in the Collosseum, and Togekiss (good against steel and fighting) would be pretty handy too. Mollesk (Good against fire) and Shaymin (Good against fighting) would be useful as well while Umbreon and Magnezone (not very effective) would mainly be running support and otherwise staying out of the way. He himself could still come in handy (Good against Steel and fighting).
"Thank you. That would really help a lot... You wanna choose my stage name?"

Whitney agreed to help out with the introductory announcement while Renny was told the rules of the trial match.
"After having sized you up and heard of your reputation courtesy of Irene Crosswald, Miss Spartina has gone ahead and decided the nature of your match. The rules are simple: you will use yourself and any two of your Pokemon, swapping them out as tactics deem necessary. Items are not allowed for the match. You win when Spartina says you do. Now when you're ready, just proceed through the large automatic doors that open slowly and dramatically that are behind me."
Renny thumbed his Swampert and Togekiss pokeballs. Shortly before the matches started, he gave them a little bit of the fruit he had bought for them as a snack and gave them a heads up on the battles they would engage in. Swampert, in particular, was all giddy to compete, stomping the floor on one foot and pumping his arms with glee and boastful enthusiasm.
The colosseum battleground was very plain and basic, but then again this was merely a trial match and thus the terrain wasn't going to make any issues for the contestants.

"Welcome, one and all, to a special trial matchup!" shouted a tall black woman in a sparkling red dress. "Place your bets everybody because we've got a very special challenger here to challenge Miss Spartina for the honor of battling within this prestigious colosseum!"
"That's Plum, the vocalist of the all-female death metal band Mass Martyr," Whitney advised Renny to his Inquiry Visor. "Now I know why there's so many spectators for a mere trial match. She's not as big a celebrity as Alphonsine, but there isn't much a gap between their popularity, either."
"Entering the arena from the Azure Dragon door is the beauty of the Sparta Colosseum who can entertain all night without you even being able to touch her! Put your hands up and give your praises for the warrioress forged in the flames of hell itself, MISS SPARTINAAAAAA!!"

For a relatively small crowd, the roar was pretty damn loud as Spartina walked majestically through the door and onto the battlefield, spear and shield at the ready.
Then Plum gestured to the door on the other side of the battleground, the door that Renny was walking through.
"And coming from the Ivory Tiger door is our challenger. Receiving unbelievably high praises from champion Irene Crosswald and the very lovely Gardevoir Pokebrid he arrived here with, he's a genius tactical prodigy and relentless fighter all wrapped up into one of the cutest goddamn young men you'll ever lay your lucky eyes on. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the living Deus Sex Machina of Honmyr, RENNYYYYYYYYY TREEEEEESSERRRRRHOOOOOOOORRRRRRRN!!"

Swampert burst through the door powerfully, roaring in a hammy fashion as Renny rode in on Togekiss right after, swooping down low near the ground before creating a sudden updraft of wind that caused the graceful pokemon to soar to great heights. The audience can't quite tell, but his face was embarressed by the title.
"Is that going to be my title for all my future matches?" he thought to himself quickly in disbelief, before he refocused his gaze on Spartina.
"Ahhh, a very graceful and noble first impression, folks," Plum marveled. "But can this youthful prodigy back up his boastful style with some actual substance?"
"It's so weird to hear her talk like that," Whitney said. "I mean, she's a death metal vocalist for crying out loud. She's usually screaming like a female Exploud."

Spartina watched him carefully with a carefree smile."You don't have to work so hard, the women are already throwing off their tops," she said, clearly enjoying herself.
Renny didn't know if she was just being figurative or if the crowd was literally stripping off their shirts, but he focused on the fight, mindful that Whitney was presumably watching him.
"Well, I only get one first impression. I might as well go the extra mile for everyone." He responded politely to his opponent.
Spartina responded by tossing up two Pokeballs, catching them on the length of her spear's shaft, and flinging them onto the battlefield. "I'm deploying my Pokemon! Heatran! Infernape! Let's turn on the brutality!"
Two very large, very imposing Pokemon showed up and dutifully assumed their places. Obviously, they and Spartina had been partners for a number of years.

Renny smirked as he saw the two pokemon in question. Typewise, Togekiss and Swampert both had the advantage. Water type for either one, Ground type for Heatran, Flying type for Infernape, Togekiss having Fighting moves for Heatran, and Renny being effective against both too. Although he was trying to be mindful of the most hidden factor, Spartina herself.

Overall, Renny didn't have as much trouble with Spartina as he expected, but it did pay to be careful. Spartina had her own special abilities that actually allowed her to guard and counter moves directed at her own Pokemon. This ended with Spartina taking quite a bit more damage than her Pokemon when Renny was really aiming to take them out. She countered with her spear, a defense-ignoring steel type attack that stung quite a bit, but wasn't a strategy breaker. To make matters even more absurd, one of Spartina's Signature Techniques was Shield Berserker, which taunted all attacks to her while she guarded and then countered with an AoE shield bash that dealt its share of steel damage and a single turn Fear effect that caused flinching in the next round. Renny observed that Shield Berserker activated at the very beginning on the round and didn't actually deal damage until just before the upkeep phase.

Regardless, despite all of Spartina's techniques, Renny still had an easier time dealing damage to her than vice versa. She seemed to be themed after her own Pokemon, being resistent to fire, steel and fighting damage herself and was immune to bleeding, burns and a loss to her own physical statistics, which helped her a lot since she was definitely a physical girl, having high ranks in both her attack and defense.

After nearly ten turns, they had pretty much wiped out each other's Pokemon or severely injured them to the point that merely coughing on them would knock them out. Spartina was soaked in sweat, covered in wounds, and had discarded her broken shield out of all the damage it took.
Renny was bruised quite a bit, his clothes ripped in chunks in several places, to which he was thankful he wasn't a girl and he was finding that although Spartina was heavily damaged, more so than he was, 1 on 1 she was definately a formidable opponent. He thought he had at least an advantage with his ranged Psycho Cut, but against her defenses, the attacks mostly did chipping damage and she was able to close the gap.
Spartina was really bad at dodging things, and Renny felt that she was somewhat like a drug-addicted freak. His attacks staggered her and made her stumble but he could probably drop a skyscraper on her and she just wasn't going to buckle. Her attacks were kind of predictable as well. Spear thrusts which she was careful not to aim at his vitals and if she missed or was deflected enough times, in came a kick or a shoulder charge. Granted, they were powerful kicks and shoulder charges, the kind that elicited the vomiting of tasty churros, but predictable kicks and shoulder chargers nonetheless.

Renny's breath was increasingly raspy as he focused on dodging more and doing glancing blows at her side with his blade arm, but often enough her attacks were fast enough that he'd abort his attack some of the time to avoid his arm getting a nasty poke. The few times he did connect, the attack seem to partly bounce.

"My attacks aren't, *Wheeze* really making the cut."
He dodged to the side with a slight stumble as he tried to stand guard, to which his eyes shot open as she slammed the shaft sideways against his belly causing him to nearly double over.
"I... it's so hard, but I must keep... fighting? *Cough wheeze* I... I just... I just want to breathe. I need air!"

He stood his ground as he took his focus away from attacking, his arms held in a cross-guard in front of him as he breathed. First they came in sharp gasps, still feeling the effects of the blow, but then his slower and deeper second wind came in. When next Spartina swung her weapon, his mind felt just a little bit more clearer... As he breathed once more deeply, he subconsciously wrapped his entire self in compressed psychic energy. Then he exhaled sharply right as he stabbed his right heel against the ground which caused the compressed psychic energy rocket him to the left. As he breathed again in mid-air, his left foot shot out to stop himself on the ground as he exhaled again. As if each breath was reloading his movement with inner power like a bullet. Raising his right arm near his head as he breathed in, he expelled a large breath in time with the next blow, which pounded in so much harder than he ever expect it to.

"False Swipes." Calling out the attack as the blow connected. Normally a weak move, it hit with all the force of a slayer attack, which exceeded even that of his normally strongest move.

"This was a good fight... *cough* But I don't want you to get hurt any more than neccessary..."
He said this courteously and while this was true, he also had enough punishment and would rather hope he didn't have to leave the match as a defeated challenger.

Spartina started to chuckle, which only grew until it was complete laughter.
"You know...you pretty much won ten minutes ago," she told him. "C'mon, let's get you some churros."
"And the winner of a trial match that went on entirely too long while still giving the fans what they fucking asked for...the Deus Sex Machine, Renny Tresserhorn!"
"Before you get any weird ideas, Spartina, I had Whitney choose the name." Renny said with an aside voice and with an embarressed blush.

Renny staggered a little as he went back in. He called out his pokemon and tended to their wounds while he waited for Whitney to come back. "We won. Thanks you for helping. Great job."
As he said this, he took a deep breath and punched the air at an invisible target as if rehearsing the movements that took hold of him before he'd forget. After a short bit of fresh air for his pokemon, he called them back in.
Spartina had been bandaged and dressed up in more attire that was more appropriate for non-violent settings but was equally sexy.

"One agent down, thirty of you people to go," Spartina said. "Although since you're helping me out, I might as well not have bothered having anyone go through the trial match. I mean, it makes sense. Some of your agent buddies look like winners right from the get-go. Like that Lucian fellow. I don't even want to know how he wields a three-bladed axe with one arm."
"Yeah, PATCA has lots of amazing people inside. Being part of it is really quite an honor." He then glanced at Spartina. "Thank you for being my opponent. It was right near at the very end, that I felt like I learnt something that made me stronger at that attack. I've trained with lots of people, and somehow I think the fight help brought everything I learnt together."
Renny smiled as he ate his churros with lots of little nibbles.

He then looked at Whitney.
"How did the match look from your seat? Did you see anything odd the entire time?"
Whitney blinked. "You...you mean you weren't aware? I was sensing it in you and Spartina. The trial match doesn't go on nearly as long as it did. You're lucky you're not eating those churros through a straw...although I guess churros are kinda straw-like, aheh."
He chuckled. "Maybe that was the case for a bit... But Spartina was holding back on hitting my vitals, I think... and at the end, I did use False Swipes, something incapable of KOing someone, instead of a more powerful move. So it's not like we were completely under its influence... But yeah, it is odd that the match lasted as long as it did. So... did whatever you sense seemed like it came from a ruin general?"
Whitney folded her arms. "There's no way I would know something like that, you big doofus. But I can say that it isn't as natural as the Rezonscape...y'know, relatively natural, I mean. Something here is trying to deliberately fuck with us."
"I see. Then it'll be worth investigating in the near future probably by bringing another ruin general with us when we return. Maybe they'll be able to identify one of their own. But yeah, I guess that's pretty much it for today. He held out his hand for a warm shake.
Thank you for everything today Spartina. It was a pleasure meeting you."

Spartina offered her hand, but in it was a considerable amount of money. "Your earnings from the wagers. You might wanna take one of the side entrances or something. There are a lot of young ladies who'll probably jump you on the way out."
Renny didn't need to look at Whitney to tell that was probably a good idea.
"Ah, thank you!" He took the hand again for a shake and bid farewell, taking the side-door with Whitney as suggested.
"We'll see you again soon Spartina!"
Even using a less common door didn't really save Renny from fangirls, but there were several tricks in place. Spartina and Plum lent a hand, throwing soft punches and high heel kicks to the stomach while Whitney and Renny partnered up for some teleportation leapfrog tricks.

They had finally lost the fangirl crowd after about traveling seven city blocks down the street.
"You are no longer allowed to show off in front of girls," Whitney told him quite firmly. "Unless it's in front of me."
"So I guess that mean today's was fine." Renny glibbed. "Spartina said the girls were excited enough to be throwing off their tops during the match, but I didn't look in case it was a ploy to catch me off guard. Although... I suppose I should have looked in your direction at least." He joked, while imagining Whitney gone wild with the shirt-stripping too.
"No worries there, Renny," Whitney said with flushed cheeks. "I'll use Flash on you later."

[Aldurin]

Donovan and Calisto
*NOTE: Due to Calisto and Donovan sharing the same color, Calisto's speech color will be RoyalBlue during this conversation.

As Donovan proceeded down the hallways of PATCA when he felt a small bit of familiarity nearby, something that he couldn't quite place. Looking around one of the corners he almost bumped into Callisto, explaining his premonition.
"Calisto? Well I guess I shouldn't be surprised that other MIU affiliates wound up here."
Calisto blinked. "I uhhh...sorry, Donovan, but I don't think I know you from there," she apologized. "But yes, I guess it is good to know you're from there. Kind of inspires confidence in your abilities, eh heh heh heh."
"Oh right, sorry about that. I forgot we never actually met, I just remember you were on the database when I was gathering intelligence for a job once. But I guess because I was never in Honmyr until recently I wouldn't actually have acquainted with anyone here. Hell, I don't even know much about the MIU outposts here."
He shuffled a little, embarrassed by the confusion about someone he really knew nothing about.

"What brought you to PATCA? I know it's a decent gig, but the stuff we deal with seems a bit . . . abnormal for what the Union established a price range on."
Calisto placed a clenched fist on her chest.
"I guess I just have a desire for justice. You can almost feel it yourself, can you not? That for some reason, you're drawn here just like so many others. I always kind of thought that it had to do with the Rezonscape, but maybe it's something even less tangible, like this instinct that this is where you belong. I know it's where I belong. Me and my rifle."
She closed her eyes. "Then again, I probably would have never thought of leaving MIU if it weren't for the Bower Incident."

Donovan had vaguely heard of it. One of the senior members who made his bread and butter by doing all of the quick, easy missions. But as MIU numbers increased, Bower was running out of work, and eventually went on to snuff the lives of anyone who took his work away from him. He's dead now, with the rumors being a headshot from a sniper. Could it be?
"I believed in MIU for a long time, but that man's actions sort of ruined all the devotion I had to it. So I ended up quietly leaving and drifted here, where there's no shortage of work for someone who knows which direction a rifle's barrel is supposed to go."

Donovan turned away for a moment, the talk of justice hit close to home, but he tried to shrug it off.
"I don't believe in justice, not when the law bends to a wallet, not when we risk being marked as the monsters we're trying to destroy. For me, I guess being here is for truth. In Hoenn I'm not going to find out much about why I ended up as a Pokebrid there years before the tech was perfected in this region, nor will I be able to bury everyone that had a hand in it."
He turned back,
"I guess I was never truly devoted to the MIU, but it was a home for me. Something to do while I coped with being an outcast. I've had my own share of dark experiences during those days, but never anything like a person in the MIU killing off his own associates. I guess I was already prepared to accept that the world is a flawed place, driven into the ground by flawed people."
He paused for a moment,
"I do envy that you had the luxury of remaining distant, even in problems you're involved in. It's not easy to put a pistol to a man's head and pull the trigger, regardless of justification."

Calisto tilted her head. "It gets easier when you try to understand the value of those lives that you extinguish, odd as though that might seem. Just as every life means something, usually by simply being alive, I can bring myself to pull the trigger again and again by knowing and understanding that a life also means something when it ends. Life and death are nothing more than a change, the kind of changes that happen every single day. So it really falls down to one thing, Donovan; will you be the one who stands there and watches change occur all around you, or will you be the one who wields the power of change with your own potential? I think about it all the time, and I've come to the conclusion that only by wielding the power of changing things myself will I be able to build the future I envision, the kind of future in which I can one day just put down this rifle and never need it again."

Donovan turned toward the window, overlooking a large portion of the city.
"But how do you know whether that day shines on a thriving, peaceful world or a barren graveyard? Many people that see things to change in the world become overwhelmed by the drive to change, often themselves becoming the monsters until the only good thing left to do is turn the gun on themselves. I don't see the kind of change you want happening, and I'm not going to drag myself down a dark path to struggle against the inherent problems of humanity. There do need to be people who try, who use hope to convince themselves that one day there won't be evil to fight, but I've seen enough to know that the sides aren't clear and the middle ground is the best way to observe and decide what needs to be done. A peaceful world is a nice prospect though, and there's enough shit poised right above the fan that maybe this cycle can change in the aftermath. I do wish you luck though, maybe you can find the right people whose deaths ensure the lives of everyone else."

Calisto listened carefully.
"So uhh...I guess you believe the truth lies in serving PATCA?"
"Well, it currently serves as the best means of finding the truth, although I did originally come here looking for a line of work with a company I didn't have to constantly question and investigate in order to stay safe."
"I uhh...wish you luck with that, but I don't think it's possible," Calisto told him with an anime-style teardrop in her hair.
"The more battles I participate in working here, the more I realize that Honmyr's secrets run deep, and that we may never know who is the real puppetmaster. I'm personally banking on Chief Crosswald. I guess that's why I'm still here. Even though I'm sure I can trust her, I'm intrigued by her, and I'd like to find out just what her true angle is in all of this."
"I know there are other motives here, I'm just sure the web became tangled enough before I came here for me to avoid being seen as anything bigger than a pawn. It's still a risk, but I've learned the hard way that it's necessary to know when to back out, so I'll take my chances."
Calisto didn't seem to have a response to that, so she walked up to Donovan and placed her hand on his shoulder as she passed around him.
"Don't wait too long. I think you can tell that the future is going to very complicated."
And that was about it. Calisto continued down the hallway in the opposite direction.


-----------------------------
Donovan Within His Mindscape


"The wayward nomad of his own mind returns."

Donovan found himself inside the nightmare world again. It was different this time, but not by much, creating a startling contrast. The ground seemed to randomly shift between rusted, bloody steel and verdant fields of flowers. The sky was a maelstrom of dark swirling clouds and beams of pure sunlight. A large opening that lead into a bottomless void of darkness was being fed crystal clear water from a lake that didn't seem to be draining at all.

"I can see into your mind," the voice called out to him. "You are slowly being subjugated by the powerful will of the Rezonscape. You might already be able to tell this on your own. If you should see pleasant imagery, that is the will of the Rezonscape taking form, so do try not to be enthralled by it."
Donovan looked around the area for the source of the voice,
"And what happens if this . . . change . . . overtakes whatever this place is? Why does my attunement to the Rezonscape draw me here?"
"Everyone has an attunement to the Rezonscape. You're just...conflicted," the voice struggled. "It seems that as part of you is surrendering to the madness, another part of you and pulling it back and away from the abyss. I find it rather interesting. Nothing seems to be holding you back from just going insane, and yet you struggle to retain your sanity and morality. How could this be possible?"
"Early innoculation? Trauma that already takes up too much room for the Rezonscape to take hold? I felt the influence of this place long ago, once, during darker times."

Donovan continued to search for the source of the voice.
"Just how far does the Rezonscape's influence truly go? And just who are you, as being the only person able to speak with me while I'm here does raise questions?"
The voice was silent for a little while, allowing Donovan to notice that the terrain wasn't really static. In places the rusted steel was suddenly awash with greenery and then the nightmare reclaimed the land.
"I think the first thing to do is to help you escape from this place yet again. You might find it odd but you should try to retreat further into the nightmare. Do not be lured by the lush scenery or anyone that invites you to join them there. They are victims who are already lost, victims of the madness, and are definitely not your friends."

The terrain was much easier to negotiate this time around. No tower scaling or chasm crossing, just a bunch of short jumps across gaping voids between solid platforms on heaps of bloodied steel.
"The Rezonscape has consumed all of the land you call Honmyr, even stretching out a good distance into the ocean. The effects that it has on humans are obvious, but for some reason it does not seem to effect Pokemon. I guess it has something to do with their much simpler natures as beasts. Anyways, you're doing rather well, just keep it up."


Donovan saw something up ahead after a minute or two of traveling that he wasn't sure was a good encounter. Another person. And they seemed to be perfectly content, just smelling the nearby flowers.
"That is a Madsoldier," the voice informed Donovan. "Although they aren't dangerous when encountered on this side of the facade. Downright friendly, obviously. Whenever an individual from the other side of the facade speaks to them, they temporarily see the reality and that can often lead to bouts of psychosis and violence, which is what people observe when they try to communicate with them from outside of the facade. You can talk to him if you really want to, but I wouldn't expect any entertaining dialogue out of it. It's like talking to an infant."
"So their minds aren't destroyed, just . . . displaced? Would it be possible to bring this part of a person out of this place, restoring them to their madsoldier body?" He asked the feminine-voiced void.
"It is too late for them. I try to protect whoever I can, but you're the only one I've ever been able to get through to. They're completely lost, their minds irreparably damaged. Be careful when you encounter them in the real world."

Donovan noticed that the facade seemed to be breaking down. He could continue to hear the woman's voice, but it was getting indistinct, randomly decreasing in volume and becoming unintelligble.
And that was when he woke up. He nearly registered the whole thing as a bizarre dream but, just for a brief second, he saw it again. The flowers, the blood-soaked steel, and that pitiful person. And then it was gone.

[Geminex]

Kicked Upstairs


For an organization with such high-risk missions, PATCA sure made a big deal over losing an operative. Ray frowned as he filled out yet another form in duplicate, one copy for the Internal Casualty Commission, the other for the Police Union. That Charlotte had neither been unionized (thank god) or actually confirmed dead (regrettable) was, apparently, not relevant. He finally finished the forms, and signed both papers with an exhausted sigh. He didn't really answer to anyone (he reported to the President, in theory, but Andricksen had enough on his plate not to bother him), but Bureaucracy was unrelenting. It demanded its price, in blood and triplicate, and ignoring it would only cause trouble. He shuffled the forms into his "out" folder and picked up the next document. Just a short memo from Irene, he saw to his relief, reminding Ray that a replacement would be needed for the Watchmen's Field Officer. She'd even listed a couple of candidates. And... she'd recommended...
Oh for the love of god.
Barely a minute later, Pierce's pager buzzed.

"Pierce.
In my office, ASAP.
-Ray"


Knock knock.
Pierce stood outside of Impact's office, curious as to what the new boss wanted.
Ray looked up from yet another form (this one an agreement with a major pharmaceutical, for the sale of 200 max revive) and sat back in his chair. He pulled out Irene's memo again, giving it one last thoughtful look, before letting out a tired "Come in".

The door opened and Pierce stepped into the room, giving the man behind the desk a curious look.
"You rang?" He asked, closing the door behind him.
Ray half-smiled. "I believe I did. And you answered rather quickly. Did I interrupt your training? Didn't think you'd be here on a Saturday."
He gestured to a straight-backed chair, opposite from him. "Have a seat. We might be a while."
Sleeping on a couch was some kind of training, somewhere in the world.
"Yeah, I was training." Pierce replied, then walked across the office to sit on the offered chair.
"What's this about?"
"I don't think I have to remind you of the unfortunate conclusion of the Watchmen's last mission. I might have to remind you of the fact that Charlotte was, in fact, your squad leader."
"Wait, really?" Pierce asked in perfect deadpan sarcasm.
Ray scratched his chin.
"She didn't really play the part, did she? In any case, she's... Missing In Action now, which means we're going to need a new Squad Leader. Given that none of our past candidates have seemed to be capable of holding the position for more than a few months at a time, we're trying to refine procedures a bit."

That last line was bullshit, but Pierce didn't necessarily know that. Ray would be lying if he said he didn't like duplicity, but he certainly didn't enjoy conversational cat-and-mouse as much as he used to.
Pierce resisted the urge to mention that Impact was one of those past candidates, and let the man continue his spiel.
Ray paused, then shrugged.

"In any case, given that the post of Squad Leader has been... somewhat democratic in the past, we figured that approach might be fruitful. No official process, of course, I'd just be interested in your input. Got any candidates you'd like to see lead?"
Pierce shrugged. "There's Renny, I suppose. Rayleen did nominate him once, and if I recall correctly we shot him down. He's got the brain and the heart for it, I'm just not sure I or anyone else could take him seriously."
Ray tried, and failed, to hide a grin.
"Harsh, but... reasonably accurate. Youth is a problem. Besides, he's been doing a sterling job managing loadouts and formations as Sortie coordinator. I don't think stacking on responsibility would be a good idea. Any others?"
He tilted her his head up, stroking his chin as he looked up to the ceiling in thought.
"There's Shizuka, she's got experience... but I somehow doubt she'd accept. And... Milsha? I dunno, she's smarter than you'd think and doesn't seem to have any issues that might get in the way, and she seems honest and competent."
The man seemed honest. Ray had never had the best sense for lies (too busy telling his own, he supposed, to watch out for others'), but as far as he could tell, Pierce was genuine. Which meant the cocky bastard had not, in fact, asked for this.

"As it happens, Station Chief Crosswald has also nominated a candidate. This one officially." Ray looked up from the memo to meet Pierce' gaze for the first time this meeting.
"Would it surprise you to find out that she nominated you?"
Pierce met Impact's gaze and sighed at the revelation. "I suspected it when you asked me who I thought should be leader. Did she say why?"
"I'm sure that, if I asked her, she'd have a reason or seven. But I haven't asked her. What do you think she'd say?"
Ray's voice had dropped a bit, not quite a whisper, but certainly conspirational. Maybe a little sinister.
"I honestly don't know." Pierce shook his head.

"Alright. Listen, I don't think you asked her to do this. Whatever..." Ray sighed. "Else you may be doing, I don't think you'd want her to privelege you. That's not what this is about."
Ray paused a second, looking at Pierce in silence. "What it's about, I suppose is... do you think you're qualified?"
Pierce raised an eyebrow and barely suppressed a smirk.
"Considering the last person to hold the job, I'm surprised there are qualifications."
"Charlotte filled a certain requirement. But you know that's not what I meant. And I don't think, when you proposed Renny and Milsha, you were doing so out of false modesty. I'm asking you if you think you're the best choice for the job. If you're ready."
Pierce sighed again.
"I don't feel like I'm the best, no. Shizuka, or Sakuya probably would do a better job, but I doubt either of them would accept and in Sakuya's case, well... she's the empress of Hiroshiho. And at the end of the day neither of them are from here. I don't think I'm ready, either. Sam's in the hospital and I've got this whole monetary situation and a living situation..."
Another sigh. Then he met Impact's stare, hard.
"All I can say is I would do my best to put my personal crap aside and do the job. But if you've got another candidate, then I'd rather you didn't pick me."

"Given that any watchman is eligible, and we seem to have dropped our hiring standards recently, there's plenty of alternatives. But... I'm not gonna go looking for them. For two reasons."
Ray's voice softened, he looked off to the side.
"You know who else Irene put forwards? Threw them into a leadership position without so much as asking them first? Booted right up when they really weren't ready to play that kind of role yet?"
Ray paused, a moment, two.
"Yeah, me. Probably not a huge surprise. Hell, two years ago we'd barely begun at PATCA, and now I'm here? Nobody does that good a job, and I sure as hell didn't. No, that was Irene. Making Plans. She puts people where she needs them. And she needs you here. And, unless you ask me to, I'm not going to deny her.
Not just because, frankly, she's scary, but also because she has... a nose for things. For potential. You're not ready now. But, if you take the post, in a few months, you will be. People develop depending on their environment, you're the last person i need to tell. And Irene can find... the right environment for the right person, to produce the right result. For me, that was command. Power mingled with danger. I think, for you, that's split-second responsibility."
Ray sighed. "Listen, can I trust you not to go running back to her with this?"
"I was planning to talk to her and ask why she nominated me." Pierce replied.

Ray snorted. "Because she believes in you, because she knows you have potential. And both of those are true. But it's also true that she knows you'll rise to the occasion. And you change. Like you said, if you end up being promoted, you'll put your personal crap aside. Focus on work. Become stronger for it, harder."
Ray sighed again. This was hard.
"Look. Irene has a good cause. The best of causes. But, in pursuit of that, she uses people. She uses me. If you do this, she'll use you. Not to your detriment, necessarily. But I don't think she's doing this to advance your career. She's doing this so you'll be ready when she needs you for real."
He paused again, frustrated. None of this was coming out right.
"I'm not trying to ruin your relationship here. She's perfectly capable of both caring for someone and still use them for her ends."
When he looked up, his eyes were haunted. "Believe me on this one. I'm just saying... think about it. I'll promote you on the spot if this is what you want. But it might hurt you."
Pierce couldn't help but look curiously at Impact's haunted expression, wondering what that was about. In the end, he just sighed again.
"I probably will. But I think I need her to convince me of all this first."
"By all means, talk to her. But I doubt you'll get much. And mentioning I said this will probably just make things more difficult. for everyone involved. I stuck my neck out to tell you this much, don't make that bite me in the ass."
"Yeah, yeah. I only intend to tell her that you offered me the job and told me she nominated me. That good enough for you?"
"Just fine. Good luck with her." Ray smiled weakly. "And not just in this, either. Dismissed."
"Mm, thanks." Pierce grunted and stood, leaving Impact alone in his office.

[Menarker]

*A few days after the events of Nanny Village and a little over a week before Renny's birthday.*

It was just before noon and the breakfast table was crowded. Pokemon were swarming around a platter of sliced fruit and bowls of nuts, berries and pre-sliced small fish for the carnivores. Swampert were practically racing against the more nimble Umbreon and Shaymin trying to get at some of the treats before they all disappeared

"Thank goodness I buy in bulk." Renny thought to himself as he nibbled on a cantaloupe slice and on a crispy croissant. He was sitting on the couch in the den with a small table in front of it, which had a few papers he was working on as the pokemon ate. The most note-worthy of them all being a list of PATCA members, some of which had their names scratched off. "In fact, I'll probably need to buy much more for the party. "

"Anyhow, who is next on my list?"
He consulted the list with overly cautious intensity, hating the possibility he could alienate someone by forgetting to invite them. He then pressed the buttons on the visor, as it started dialing for Liz. As the dialing sound could be heard, he recalled the exchange with Moeni from the previous mission, where she dropped the hint that Liz was part of this White Lily Project, the origin of the Weeping Lily Project.

Renny kept calling for a while, but there was no answer. Weird. He couldn't imagine Liz would turn down one of his calls.
Renny tried once more, with the intent of leaving a message if he failed to catch her on the phone. Once the machine picked up, he summed up his invitation.

"Hi Liz. It's Renny. I hope you and Leprihare are doing well. I'm throwing a party in a little over a week for my birthday and I wanted to give you some of the details such as how to get there and so on. When you have a moment to spare, could you give me a call? Thank you!"

There was no reply, of course, and Renny continued sending out his invitations uneventfully. Renny then decided to help himself to a shower after he had finished his brunch and ensured that his pokemon were all fed and healthy. It was a relaxing break from all the invitation sending.
As Renny soaped himself up, he felt the shower was a lot warmer than usual, and there was a nice flowery scent wafting in, as the soap caressed his body, almost like a pair of hands...

He paused for a briefest moment. His thoughts all sprang up in the same instant, as he started to turn his torso and face.
"Eh? What's that scent? I never used something like that before. Did I forget to lock the door again? Is Milsha sneaking up on me for one of those little brother duties while Lola isn't around?"
"You rang?" A familiar voice said happily, as Renny was greeted by a faceful of supple breasts, and a pair of tender hands continued to soap him up helpfully.
"Oh my gawd, Liz!"
Startled, he recoiled for an instant, although there was little room to actually step back, the knobs for the shower close to his back. His sense of modesty and shame kicked in as he covered his manhood with his hands as best as he was able. The sight of her was stimulating to the point of mental overload when combined with the shock of her unseen entry.

He was going to say something along the line of "What are you doing in here?" but the question had a blatantly obvious answer.
"How did you get in here?"
"Hi Renny!" The blonde mechanic greeted him, stopping his escape by pulling him into a hug and pressing his head into her chest. "Thanks so much for inviting me to your party! I'll be there, definitely. What exactly are you planning for it, hm? And why wouldn't you let me throw you a surprise party?"
Knowing her it'd be a naked surprise party, much like the current situation.
"Oh, the door was open." Liz replied dismissively to his question.
"Even the apartment door?"

He feared that he had screwed up in such a monumental scale. He didn't think he was that irresponsible regarding the apartment.
His face was red from blushing as he was buried into her chest and the warm water didn't help much.
"Sure, why not that too." Liz responded again. "Don't ignore the matter at hand, though!"
He took that answer as to mean that that particular door was locked and that she managed to get herself in somehow. He reminded himself that she had confessed to having been a thief in the past. The fact that she sent him those photoshoot pictures meant she also knew where his address was, so that was nothing odd. At least that was one bit of relief for him, however slight.

"Well, uh..." He stammered a bit as he tried to collect his thoughts. "I didn't really have any specific plans that much for the party. Lots of food, drinks. Inviting lots of us from PATCA to relax. I haven't thrown one since the welcoming party for the Kimonos a while back... which Lexhur and a bunch of Faynoc's men crashed into... that was not exactly the sort of party I meant to throw. I, err, I got the photoshoot photos that you and Leprihare sent by the way. They were quite... stunning."
"Aww, I'm glad you liked them! You've got the real thing here with you now, though, and none of your roommates are home..." Liz trailed off, slightly pushing him even more into her chest.
"Well, it is good to see you, but I'm not ready for something like that. At least not now."
He then remembered what he had wanted to ask her before his mind went into chaos. He blushed as he removed his hands from his genitals which was frankly becoming difficult to hide, grasped her arms and pull himself apart, but still keeping her at arms distance, gradually being desensitized from the surprise. So driven he was in getting answers that the thought of actually getting out of the shower to strike a conversation didn't occur to him.

"I actually had something I wanted to talk with you about though. I don't know if you heard about the last mission that I was in, but the PATCA group I was in went to Nanny village to suppress some Team Rocket forces. While we were there, we came across this... lady called Moeni. Although she is Lola and Harliette's mother in blood, she is a real nasty piece of work. She had done lots of body-altering experimentations, some on her daughters themselves, mainly under the code of 'Weeping Lily Project'. She claimed that particular project to be borne from the previous and more benign project that was researching the Rezonscape called the 'White Lily Project'."
He took a moment to catch his breath. "She said you were part of that project too. Is that true?"
"Alright, alright." Liz conceded with a sigh. "But if we're gonna have this conversation here, we'll do it while washing up, since it's impolite to waste all the hot water."
She said with a grin, and leaving no room for discussion she took hold of Renny's shoulders.
"Now turn around, c'mon." She said, turning him so his back was facing her, and she began washing him with a pair of soft... sponges, that's what Renny wanted to think they were.
"Yes, I was part of White Lily, but only one part. I don't know Moeni or her research, and I wasn't privy to every part of the project. I designed the Rezonscape Dampening Field, which is a very important piece that keeps the Rezonscape epicenter from turning everyone in Honmyr into Madsoldiers, y'know. I'm kinda proud of it, which is weird since it was an entirely legal endeavor."

That was a significant feat, as Renny's impressed face would have shown, if he wasn't turned in the opposite direction, although he felt more at ease for not being in the position to inappropriately flash her even if she was in the mood for it.
"Incredible! I never knew there was such a device! All along I thought that everyone who didn't turn had significant willpower."
For a moment, he wondered who was in control of that device and if there were redunant tamper-proof systems to avoid weaponizing it. However, he shelved that particular worry and addressed a different one.
"I wanted to ask partly because I wanted to understand more about what we are dealing with. But also because the Weeping Lily Project might get publicly revealed, maybe even soon if the hospital that Harliette is in can find traces of the Weeping Lily Project drug that she took. In that case, people from the White Lily Project might become investigated or put under pressure for the illegal outcome of the project that used data from the project that you were part of, even though yours was a fringe portion of research that was used. I don't want you to get in that sort of trouble, so I wanted to give you that warning."

"Aw, jeez..." Liz sighed, giving Renny a loving stare. There seemed to be an actual blush on her cheeks as she pulled Renny into another hug and kissed his cheek.
"I'm so happy you care so much, thank you Renny. You're a great friend, you know that?"
He smiled warmly, returning the hug earnestly, although he still blushed heavily from the naked contact.
"Well, you're a great friend for me too. I'm just doing what I think I can do."
Liz smiled fondly at him. "I really just wish you wanted to be more than friends..." She sighed, and the smile faded and turned into a forlorn look.
"I know I come off as just wanting to sleep with you, but I really care about you, Renny. Your innocence, your pure heart... you're just infectious. I imagine that's why I'm not the only woman wishing to be at your side." She admitted, staring deeply into his eyes.

The confession touched him a bit, but all the same he was firm in his position.
"Well... it's not like I only ever want to keep it at 'just friends'. At the very very least, I don't want any of my friends to get in trouble for the affection when it's only a few weeks more to wait until it is acceptable. I would feel guilty if I caused anyone that sort of trouble for not being a little patient. But it would be a pleasure to go out and spend some time with you."
Liz smiled again, a genuinely happy smile, and kissed his cheek again.
"I'll take it, and hey, we can do that even before your birthday." She winked. "And maybe... on your birthday, you'll hopefully... consider me?"
"Well, I suppose we'll see how the party goes. With all the people that want to come, I imagine it'll be robust with all sorts of activity. Still have to decide where to hold it. It's not like I can fit 30ish people in this apartment! Especially if it turns into a slumber-party like my last one!"
Liz sighed, but kept up the smile as she pressed one gentle finger onto Renny's chest and started twirling it in slow circles.
"Well, what I meant was... when your birthday comes by, and you're eighteen and you don't have to worry about legal ramifications, so you can be with whoever you want, that you'd consider... me."
His chest was heavy from the atmosphere and it somehow felt twice the weight with the touch of the finger.
"I understood that. I... in all honesty, I'm still sorting out all my thoughts and all my feelings. I know it's difficult to try to make everyone happy, but all the same I want to try, even when I worry I might screw up once or twice somewhere down the line. I might not even do it right away. I hear what you're saying... and a large part of me wants to say yes."
He hoped that Liz wouldn't retort about a particular large part he was trying not to bring attention to in this profound and awkward moment.

Liz, it seemed, decided to be tactful for once.
"Okay, I understand." She pulled her finger away from his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck instead, pulling him closer.
"But, right now... there's just you and me, and no one else has to know... about... this..."
Closing her eyes, she leaned in and pressed her lips into his.
His heart was flushed as it painfully pumped with intensity, but Renny for a few scant seconds returned the kiss before he pulled away, lest he be drawn into something more.
Liz refused to release him as he broke the kiss, opening her eyes and pleading him with her stare.
"No, please, just a kiss, Renny."

He touched her waist with one hand and her back with the other, as he stepped in a little and pressed his lips into hers, still self-conscious, but he put some passion and force into the embrace for as long he could hold breath for that one breath before he released it softly.
Liz smiled as their embrace broke, cupping his cheek gently as she looked into his eyes.

"Thank you. I think you're clean enough now..." She said, wordlessly saying that she was done accosting him in the shower.
"I suppose I am." He blushed as he gazed at her. "Next time, I suppose I should do my part to wash you too."
"That... would be excellent." Liz chuckled. "Can we still go on a date before your birthday?"
"I'll give you a call if I can. I think so, but I haven't checked my schedule for work for this coming week yet."
"I'll look forward to it, and I won't even try to hijack it. Something tells me you're going to need dating practice." Liz winked at him. The two of them proceeded to turn off the water and dry off, and a few minutes later Liz was standing at his front door.
"Thanks for entertaining me Renny, I had a great time. Good luck!" She said, kissing him on the cheek one final time.
"You're welcome. It was... a pleasure. I'll see you soon, especially for the party."
Renny then proceeded to continue with the organization of the party, especially the plans to book the needed hotel facilities for the event...

[DanteFalcon]

*In which Matthias heavily derails the conversation for Moon and plans are made*

He takes a moment at Moon's offer, staring off into space and thinking. Clearly this offer was very tempting to one such as Matt, so tempting that he could be heard muttering to himself. "Matt...hackable. Mathackable....Mattackable. I'm not really sure how those words meld together. What a curious question. What do you think Moon?"

"Well, it's going to be your technique so you can name it whatever you want," Moon said, fiddling with his Inquiry Visor. "Maybe you'll figure out the right name for it as you start experimenting at your enemy's expense."

Matt responded almost immediately, his mind clearly fascinated with this naming nomenclature. "This is important though. Pokemon have to be told what to do and pokebrid's -- especially ones with new abilities -- can find their new abilities are only triggered by names and if I don't have something to name it at the start it could trigger some psychological block."

"I like yo' style," Moon said. "But sometimes you often can't think of a good name for a technique until you've actually seen what it does. Umm...do you know the game series Wild Arms? The game lets you name the spells, and that's what I'd like to do, but now until I've actually cast the spell in battle just to see what it looks like. It really helps me figure out an excellent name for it."

"I'll name it something dumb and after you if you don't help me think of a name. Like, Moon's CD Tray is a Drink Holder." The threat voiced and the tone of Matthias making it sound like he's only partially kidding.

"Yeesh, fine, mister grumpy-moth," Moon said. "All I can think of right now is the Sona Pulse."

"Let's call it the Sona Scrambler and call it a day then. So.....how does this even work? Do we stick needles in my arms? I'm used to that at this point." Matt ended with a smirk, clearly pleased with his terrible move names.

"I...don't think so? I'm really new to this as well, but here's the hypothesis behind it," Moon paused, presenting Matthias with an average Inquiry Visor. "Unlike us who are separated from our Inquiry Visors, you are not. You can wirelessly connect yourself to the visor and then...I dunno, probably have it scan mechanical and electronic enemies in a much more detailed way. And then you can just figure out how you wanna Sona Scramble it from there."

Matthias nodded sagely in response and then paused for a moment. "Do you want eggs? I find myself with a craving for eggs."

"You...don't mean raw, do you?" Moon thought about it for a moment. "I...think I would eat eggs, but I would prefer that it be on top of a slab of chicken-fried steak between two pieces of roasted buttermilk toast."

Matt looked puzzled at the concept of the sandwich before shrugging it off. "That sounds like a heart attack. I'll let you have the heart attack, I just want scrambled eggs. Maybe with some cheese on top. Are there any Chanseys around here? Have you ever wondered if you have to cook Tepig? I mean is it just bacon as it is?"

"I'm sure it's bacon, but pigs offer a lot of different meat products, from common pork to pickled pig feet," Moon actually seemed interested in this bizarre conversation. "Can't imagine who would eat a pig's feet. I prefer my meat to not look like the animal it came from."

Matthias nodded, already thinking ahead. "I wonder if Alice would be interested in hunting down a wild Pignite. I'm feeling like some pork, sausages and bacon to go with eggs now. I'm sure we'd have enough if you'd join us Moon."

"I...sure," Moon said. "Sounds really interesting to go get the ingredients as opposed to just buying them at the store."

[Menarker]

Renny, Catherine, Whitney, Milsha, Irene & Opticka: Continued-Ending
--------------------------------------------------------------

"You're my new husband! I just decided!"

Opticka seemed to be blushing as she flew up and landed gently into Renny's hands. Renny face was quizzical, caught off guard by the declaration of matrimony.

"And just like that, Renny ropes another love slave," Irene said with no hint of sarcasm.
"Bullshit," Catherine retorted. "Renny likes 'em busty. I mean, just look at us and Lola."
"I don't think I'm that busty," Milsha said. True, she was one of the smallest of Renny's inner circle of babes, but she definitely wasn't humble in that department.

"I don't choose my friends based on their chest. I mean Rachel is one of my closest friends, the first one I had since I moved to Honmyr and joined PATCA. She's definately not busty, but that was never a turn-off. Interesting thing is, when I gave her that Light-Ball bracelet for her birthday, she thought I was proposing to her and said she wouldn't have minded if I did."

"I think I can swing on by and I'm sure I can get the others to come. You'll probably want to get to know just how effective they are in combat. Just don't hit on the raven-haired one too much. She's got a boyfriend, and he knows how to swing a length of steel. Not that I expect a man like him to be much of a threat to a fighting type Pokebrid."

Renny nodded. "Getting to know how they operate in combat would be nice, but I won't take up that much of their time. It would help if they could make some connections with the others prior to partaking in any of the missions. I can always look at their dossiers when they become completed anyhow."

He paused for a moment as a realization bubbled within his thoughts.

"By the way, what is our ultimate objective for the mission? I thought that we were seeking Nosferasu who was in the Corpsemire. So why would we need to pass through the Hungry World? Did he change locations?"
"Some of us are and some of us aren't," Irene shrugged. "If you don't have any business in the Hungry World, I suppose you can find something to keep you busy...like all the women you're bringing with you."

"... So we don't have an official objective? I mean, I imagine several people will be aching to go just out of curiousity, but it would help if I knew what purpose we have for going there, especially if we'e going to end up seperated at some point. Having a general direction to head to and all that."

Irene leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "Well, then, let's see...this isn't an official mission, but we are going prepared for combat just in case we run into trouble. That...shouldn't happen inside the Corpsemire. The Shadow Pokemon and Nosferatu itself are more or less the only inhabitants, unless you consider human corpses to be inhabitants. Those who are looking to visit the Hungry World and gain powers of that nature should expect combat. Our objective there would be to safely arrive at Kimono Kastle, where the Kimonos hold authority over their patch of land. I really can't say much on the subject, since it's a place I haven't been to, either. Maybe you should talk to Mika about it. Y'know, the youngest-looking girl in the yellow kimono."

"Well, if you talk about powers of that nature, I suppose you're refering to the Magatamas that the Kimonos showed us back at my party... my first one I mean. I had another party that PATCA showed up at as well before you woke up from your coma."
Renny was perfectly understanding about the fact that Irene was out of commission at the time and would probably not have known about those exact details.
"The little scorpions that you consume whole and get demon powers and immortality once you wake up from a pain induced coma lasting a few hours."
Renny hoped that if no one would mention about the sleepover aspect of his previous party, especially since Rayleen was one of the ones sharing his bed, along with Lola, Harliette... and Whitney. He glanced at Whitney as he thought this.
"Although I wouldn't want it myself. Mika is stuck as a 12 year old due to it and I still have room to grow! And honestly, I don't know what would happen if we tried mixing demon powers with pokebrids and I really don't want to risk it."
"Nor what it would do to potential offspring," Whitney mused to herself, not aware of Renny's eyes on her. "Then again, I would guess all this demon stuff has nothing to do with DNA and more to do with the soul. When it comes to mortals, angels, and demons, I always thought the difference was in the soul."
Renny listened as his Shaymin prance around on the kitchen table, Opticka mounted on top.
"I suppose that's possible. But I wouldn't risk myself on that just yet. I don't need demon powers or immortality. At least not yet anyhow."
"Me neither, but I think I'd still like to go," Whitney said, looking at Renny. "You know, break up the monotony of what we usually fight."

Monotony? You would call the bizarre and insane villains that PATCA has to deal with monotony, Whitney?

"At any rate, we have a destination to go to at any rate. And I suppose we should probably catch whatever magatamas we can find while we're there. After all, if other people in PATCA really want the demon powers, we shouldn't have to pester the president for permits for another expedition each time. I'll try to think of how we can improve our chances of success over there."
"It will undoubtedly be difficult to prepare. It's a new world with new creatures and perhaps even new rules. So it's a scenario of hoping for the best and preparing for the worst." Irene said, then looked around.

"I don't really feel comfortable being fully dressed when everyone else is lettin' it all hang out. Mind if I strip?"
"... do you need someplace to change?" Renny felt nervous about the sudden shift, but he kinda got the feeling that it was kinda pointless to object.
"Nope!" Irene said cheerfully as she stood up with one hand dramatically raised. "Contestant #666, Irene Crosswald, ready to bare it all!"
Irene didn't have a bikini, and was content to simply strip down to her underwear.
"Not fair," Milsha said. "My underwear isn't nearly that sexy."
"I've totally seen that brand at Veronica's Secret," Catherine marveled. "You wear it well, my lady."
"I know. Sometimes it's a curse," Irene feigned sadness as she had herself a beer. "This is nice. I should get almost naked at Renny's place more often. We should totally go with an underwear theme at Renny's party."
"Best idea ever!" Catherine chimed in. "I think it would actually help us all get to know each other a little bit better."

Renny was red-faced with surprise and admiration from the sheer audicity of the strip-show and the raciness of the underwear barely covering her figure.
"... you're definately very... alluring in that Irene."
Suddenly, the other girls stood up and, with a big huff, exitted the kitchen. "Game on," Irene chuckled.

And then Renny was treated to a lingerie dinner. This was starting to get really out of hand. He couldn't even look at Catherine. Her lingerie was practically transparent. Milsha was a lot more appropriate, wearing pure and simple cotton white. Whitney preferred red, lacy lingerie, which seemed to reflect her surprisingly fiery passions.
"Nice, girls, very nice," Irene nodded several times. "Looking damn good in lingerie is an important skill to have in PATCA."

How the fuck is that an important skill?!

Renny held his naptain to his nose, rubbing it discretly and hiding the slightly red thing in his pocket.
"... Wow."
The normally talkative lad was pretty much breath-taken. The bikini party was already an awesome thing, but now he couldn't notice his food as his eyes feasted on the flesh that they so boldly presented.
Renny privately deliberated for a moment as if conflicted with his inner thoughts, but somehow he made up his mind on something.
"Will you please excuse me for one moment, ladies?"

He disappeared into his bedroom, Shaymin nipping at some of his potatoes, when Renny came back after a minute in swimwear shorts. After several long months of physical training and sparring, while he had only become a few inches taller, his muscle tone and abs had definately changed. Something which he attempted to show off, given that the ladies were doing the same and it wasn't exactly fair that he didn't do a thing in return.

"This coming mission, I'll be a full-fledged Slayer. But I won't be using their weapons though, so I've been hard at work training building my body to as fine a quality as I could make it." He commented as he showed off the fat-free body that was lightly toned with muscles.
"Yeah, take it all off, baby, wooooo!"
Irene and the other girls looked at the really excited Opticka.
"Yep, definitely gotta get her fixed," Irene sighed.

The day was starting to wind down. Irene and Renny were discussing other details Renny had about the party.
"I can throw in some words with Cecilia," Irene concluded. Renny then remembered that Cecilia's family owned the hotel they were staying at and presumably would be using for the party.
"You know, I don't think anybody in all of Honmyr is so overexcited about their birthday than you are. Not that it's a big deal, mind you. Just wait until you get my age and you'll regret the damn things half to death."

"Well, I'll try to enjoy them while they last. I hope it'll also be good for everyone to kinda relax and wind down. We did seem to lose Charlotte. While she may not have been the best of us, it's yet another reminder that we aren't invincible, no matter how much we try. Frankly, I'm lucky that I got everyone's support since the day I joined."
Irene looked towards the window.
"I would think that the reason Charlotte hasn't come back is that she believes she is invincible," Irene sighed. "Not that I would've stopped her if she want to leave, but you'd think she could've left a note, even if it was something stupid like 'gone fishing'."
"Ahh, that would explain why there was never any funeral service, eh?" Catherine asked.
"They ain't dead until there's a dead body," Irene said. "It's something I've believed in ever the First Successionary War. Really helped in making sure that I didn't leave living enemies behind me as I made progress."

Renny nodded although not necessarily out of agreement but in understanding.
"Well, it's been one crazy night. Thank you for coming over and... sharing everything."
Irene stood up and made her way to the door. "Sure thing, although I think the girls here would prefer if you shared a little something of your own?"
Renny decided to power through, leaving that question unanswered for now.
"Are you going to go out with just your underwear, Irene?" Milsha asked.
Irene looked thoughtful for a moment. "Surprisingly, yes. But mostly I'll be riding in the skies with Balor, just to enjoy the evening breeze. I guess I should depart from the balcony, though."

Our glorious leader, ladies and gentlemen.

"Sure" Renny opened the sliding door out to the balcony. "Well, I hope you have a good night. Same to you Opticka."
Irene stepped out and deployed Balor.
"Eh, why don't you keep Opticka for now? You can figure out all that weird Scout stuff. Besides, it's important to spend time with your diminuitive fiancee before you tie the knot."
And before Renny could respond or object, Irene stepped onto the edge and hopped aboard her big purple dragon.

"I guess then we've gotta find a bed for her...or does she even sleep?" Catherine said, gently poking Opticka.
"I can shut off for the night," Opticka said, playfully shoving Catherine's finger away.
"Does someone need to turn you back on after?" Renny said with a little bit of concern.

Ha ha, double entendre!

"You can turn me on all you want to," Opticka said without a hint of a smile.
"I like her even more than before," Catherine chuckled.

Renny yawned a little, "Well, I got some stuff to do for the party and such, so I'll probably head to bed before long. Thank you for coming over! It was... very exciting."
He looked to Catherine and Whitney. "Will either of you need to stay the night?" It was getting pretty dark and Renny would have liked to know they were safe the next morning.
"Eh, we'll be fine," Catherine shrugged as she put her clothes back on. "This is a nice part of the neighborhood and we're both fighting women."
"Besides, I can handle portpooling," Whitney said. "Looking forward to the party, Renny."
And just like that, it was just Renny, a nearly undressed Milsha, and a happy little mechanical fairy perched on Milsha's head.

Renny hugged Milsha quickly. "Thanks for the dinner and the show. I think everyone had a good time."

Renny quickly put the dishes away, giving some of the leftovers to the pokemon, although Shaymin had some to eat already from the looks of things. He then headed over to his room to end the night as his nightly thoughts turned toward future expectations of the party and the still boldly lingering mental images of the bikini/lingerie dinner show.

[Dracorion]

Pierce and the surprise

It had been a couple of days since the Nanny Village mission, and Pierce was busying himself with helping the workers finish the dojo. He was so consumed with worry that he needed to do something to pass the time. Sam had been held at the Police HQ for the last two days, until they got around to processing her, and while Pierce had gotten in to see her a couple of times, she'd been just as raving a zealot as she'd been back at Millennium House. He still couldn't believe his sister had turned into one of Faynoc's flunkies. She couldn't have.

*Ring ring!*

Wiping sweat from his brow, Pierce went to pick up his inquiry browser.

"Hello?"
"Yes, this is he. What do you need?"
"WHAT?!"
"She what?!"
"Where is she?!"

And after getting his answer, Pierce hung up, hurriedly picking up his shirt and pokeballs and running out of the dojo.

Oh God, oh God.

Sam had a seizure in her cell. They'd called an ambulance and taken her to Fainas General Hospitals. The cops present said it looked like drug withdrawal.

Dammit, this was not how he wanted to be proven right.

-------------------------------

Pierce and Irene: Maximum Kink

Pierce's latest arrival in Irene's office found the woman speaking with a lovely young but physically honed woman with teal hair.

"Oh, Granger," Irene noticed her lover. "Don't worry, I was just getting finished with this one."
"This one," the woman retorted. "You make it sound like you don't want me around."
"The same could be said for how you feel about me, Jen," Irene laughed.
"Granger, you know Police Chief Jenny, right? She was just here because we decided to call off the search. No way is Beaufort anywhere near the site of her disappearance anymore. I won't declare her dead, yet. She would'nt have died from that. But since she's still alive, just what the hell is she doing, you know?"

"Well, everyone knows Chief Jenny. Nice to meet you, ma'am." Pierce said pleasantly, waving to the police chief.
"And don't mind Irene, she has so many women up here I expect even she gets sick of it sometimes." He joked, smirking.

He turned to Irene as she explained why the chief was here.
"Knowing Charlotte, she's probably capping a bitch. I'm not too worried, really. That may be because I didn't like her much." He replied dismissively.

After a brief moment, Jenny left the office and Irene went scrambling for something hard, and she didn't mean Pierce.
"Fuck, nothing but beer. Oh, well, time for beer, and beer, and beer-beer-beer."
"Am I that annoying?" Pierce asked, mock hurt in his voice, though the smirking made it obvious.
"Most people like Jen know me to be doing either one of three things: killing somebody, getting crunk, or doing something random with you, although that third one started kinda recently. So, what it be today, homey?"
"Irene, you're like the whitest woman alive." Pierce chided her.
"Yes, sir," Irene said, shoulders hunching. "Now I don't even want to get drunk anymore. You're nothing but a huge meany."
"Hahah, sorry." Pierce apologized, chuckling. "You want me to get under the table and make it up to you?"
"You should probably get out of that habit," Irene sighed. "I can only imagine how badly damaged your neck will be when you get my age."
"Eh, I feel fine so far, and you seem to enjoy it." Pierce shrugged.
"Well, it does get my mind off of things," Irene said thoughtfully. "But that would be because I can't focus on acount of the stimulations. But seriously, Pierce, it doesn't seem like the reason you came here was to see about the remodeling of the place under there."
"Nope."

Pierce took a seat across from Irene and his expression turned serious.
"I actually came here from Impact's office."
"Now I'm wondering why you aren't drunk," Irene shot quickly.
"He offered me the team leader position, said you recommended me."
"Oh, I'unno, I recommended lotsa people," she countered.
"I think I even recommended Elizabeth. Kind of as a goof, you know, but then I think she might've remodeled the whole PATCA HQ into some kind of sex palace and I actually would've liked to see that."

Goddamnit, this woman is always so hard to get under control.

Pierce chuckled. "Yeah, she'd probably do that. Though really, if you want you can just give her an empty building. Then you can have your sex palace.
So... no particular reason why you nominated me? You were just throwing names in the hat?"
"Pierce, if you're asking if I might've nominated you because I love you, I would've actually came and asked you. Truth be told, if you do become the leader of the Watchmen, we're probably going to be working together a bit less. I'm uhh...running out of time on something."
Pierce raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Right... he'd circle back to the time thing.
"Well, it'd be nice to hear the L-word, make no mistake, but really I was wondering what you thought my qualifications actually were."
"Fine, then," Irene said, then clasped her hands together and had a really dreamy look on her face.
"Pierce Granger the Watchmen Leader and Renny Tresserhorn the Sortie Coordinator working closely together in a really dark room with dim lighting-"

Oh god, no!
There was a loud smack as Pierce facepalmed.

"Look, what do you want me to say?" Irene shrugged. "I voted for Pierce Granger because I believe I can trust him with the lives of others and when questioning said others, the opinions were rather favorable. But I think that had more to do with how their loins felt over their minds. Why the hell did I pick a playboy to be my boyfriend? This must be what Lola feels like."
He sighed. "Sorry. I just thought... well, you're my girlfriend, and an experienced leader, I value your opinion on this."
Irene walked up and placed a strong hand on his shoulder.
"Pierce, you're destined for great things..."She lowered her gaze slightly. "...whether you like it or not."
He looked up at her curiously. "I don't put much stock in destiny, you know. Not that I don't believe in it, I just refuse to drive myself crazy over it."
"That's good," Irene actually sounded relieved. "So do you wanna do it? Leadership, I mean."

Pierce sighed.
"It's... kind of scary to look at, I'm not sure I'm capable or emotionally ready. But... apparently I'm the best candidate, so Impact believes. I think I might just do it, thanks to you. Nice to know I have people's trust. I hope I can put aside my crap and do the job right."
"Put aside your crap? What the hell do you even do?! Sometimes you spend up to six hours under my desk,"
Irene went on and on. "You know what? Nevermind, I'm not sure I want to know what else you do."
"Well, there's this whole business with four girlfriends and also taking care of my sister in the hospital, not to mention like ten rowdy Pokemon as well as money troubles and part-time jobs, and evading my landlord so he doesn't ask about the rent because I haven't actually been taking any part-time jobs because I've been taking care of Sam." Pierce explained jokingly.
"You could always let me take care of Sam," Irene suggested.
"Anyways, don't feel pressured to meet my expectations or anything like that. Commanding units ain't so hard. Or maybe it is. I dunno how Renny does it. Guys like you and him, those wars in the past would've been a lot more one-sided if you crazy bastards were on the front lines."
"Hah, thanks for the compliment. Though if I shouldn't worry about your expectations, I guess I should return the penis pump?"
Irene was now six beers down.
"I guess I should tell you to try and keep your hands off the other girls, particular my niece Daisy and the blonde girl who's always with her. Attractive though they might be, my niece is already pretty much gonna marry the guy she's dating and the blonde isn't currently in any condition to be corrupted by guys like you. You know what I mean."
"Oh, you wound me." Pierce jested, clutching his chest dramatically.
"I already got you to agree to a threesome with your daughter, and I'm sure I could snake Daisy away from whoever that guy is. I'm not that evil, though."
"Well, my ambition to own the entire Crosswald Collection aside, what did you mean when you said you were running out of time?"
Irene folded her arms. "Kind of for the same reason I want you to be a good leader on top of being the talented warrior and Pokemon commander I know you are, Honmyr has far more problems on the horizon than just a collection of giant ancient monsters and a heavily trained military force run by a madman. This whole world will one day be under siege, lover boy, and I still have a lot to do to prepare the battlefield for threats coming from high above and deep below us."

And if Pierce thought Irene might've been exagerrating a bit, Irene decided to show him something that would make him take her a little more seriously. Unfolding her arms, Irene held out her right hand which began to change as though willed by Irene alone. Pierce could only describe it as some kind of crystalline dragon claw.
"I think you already know this, but Honmyr's a really special place with some really special people. But until you've seen things like my unique Pokebrid form, it's really hard to discover just how fucked up Honmyr really is."
"Pokebrid form...?" Pierce trailed off, just giving Irene's arm a look of surprise. "Huh... that's kinda hot."
"I don't know whose tastes in women is more fucked up, you or Ray," Irene sighed, though it looks like Pierce made her very happy.
"I got my form from my father. Ergh, my second father. He's a giant rock living deep underground. I'm still not sure how my form is that of a dragon when the one I inherited it from was a rock. Oh, do you think Aria will be jealous? Y'know, us dragon girls kind of have a complex about these things."
"Well, she's already jealous to the point of bursting, I gotta do something about that. Anyway, sounds like you have some fun childhood stories, I'd love to hear them sometime. But first I wouldn't mind if you brought the arm and all the rest of it to bed."
Irene blinked once, then blew out a sigh.
"Yep...weirdo fetishes from you boys," she said, and almost eagerly joined Pierce for whatever absurd deviant activities he had planned for her and her claws.

"Anyway, you still haven't said exactly what you're running out of time for." He noted.
"War is on the horizon, Pierce," Irene said. "Honmyr is a wonderful place, but all of its wonders came from somewhere else, and I don't mean from a different nation or excavated from the ocean or anything like that. And soon, all too soon, we're going to have to deal with those who originally owned all the nice things we have."
"Oookay? I'm not sure I see how this relates to the two of us working together less, but I get it, stuff is serious."
"There are still things I cannot show you or tell you about. It's important that I keep certain secrets secret, lest the revelations of who I am and what I've done destroy everything that I've worked so hard to accomplish. I'm sorry, but that's just how it is."
"Well... alright. I could argue that nothing you tell me could make me any less in love with you, but something tells me you're determined. Don't worry about it." Pierce said with a smile.
"You're a good boy, Pierce, and good boys get a little something special from me," Irene chuckled, and then Pierce was subjected to some of the best minutes of his life.

[Dracorion]

Pierce, Irene, Shizuka, Jeanette & Chizuru: The Sequel: The Game: The Book: The Cartoon: The Comic

"Yes, you're going to be taking all of us out, Pierce!"
One day Irene called Pierce into her office during one of those rare occasions that he wasn't already in her office and, to be more specific, in a certain place in her office and, to be even more specific, under a certain piece of furniture.
"Find some good ol' fashioned 'gettin' some' clothes and prepare for a night on the town tomorrow night, Granger," Irene said in the same tone of voice she would use when discussing missions. "Because you're taking all four of your favorite girls out for a night on the town."

"The problem is that while Shizuka-san, Jeanette, and myself are relatively okay with the idea of being dated by the very same man, Chizuru-chan is a little reluctant. Don't worry, though. I attribute this more towards her total inexperience with men in general, not out of any real malice towards a guy who wants his cake and can eat it while having three other tasty looking cakes in case he's still hungry."

Then, without even leaving her chair, Irene grabs her larger Brymstone sword and directs it so the tip of the blade hovers just inches from Pierce's nose.
"So, in order to help Chizuru warm up to you, I've decided that the best way is for all five of us to go out for one big date. Kinda like a girl's night out but then there's this guy who we think is cute that we invited with us for some reason. And don't worry because this won't cost you one damn dollar. I'll be footing the bill because honestly, I kinda wanna hang out with some girls too from time and time, and not even for any kinky reasons."

"Not even for kinky reasons? Well now I'm disappointed." Pierce joked, grinning at Irene.
"You don't have to threaten me with a sword to get me to go out in a date with four gorgeous women, you know."
"Well, what's the point of even having a sword if I'm not going to threaten you with it," Irene said.

Our glorious leader, ladies and gentlemen.

To begin with, there was the obvious thing that girls and women do when they're together.
"I'm sure there are plenty of colors that suit you well other than black, Chizuru," Irene said, showing Chizuru a green dress.
"Besides, black works with anyone. It's a cheap-o color worn by those who don't even wanna try having any fashion sense."
"To be fair, you wear a lot of black in your clothes too, Irene-san," Chizuru shot black.
"It goes well with the red," Irene said defensively.

"Well, I can proudly say I've never worn black. Wait no, I did have a black leather jacket for the longest time." Pierce shrugged. "My fashion sense has never been any good anyway."
"Besides, it makes sense for her to wear it," Shizuka said. "Chizuru's the Black Kimono. She can't really be the Black Kimono if she isn't wearing a black kimono."
"Couldn't she change to a teal kimono and be the Teal Kimono?"
"Ooo, great idea!" Irene said, then hung the dress up and went sifting through colors. "Let's have her try on all kinds of colors that aren't used."

And this quickly went out of hand. From different clothes to different hairstyles and makeup, they dolled Chizuru up.
"I'm not sure how I feel about twin ponytails," Chizuru said. "The back of my neck is very sensitive."
"At least just wear it for tonight," Irene suggested. "Maybe you'll warm up to it. I know Pierce is."

Then again, Chizuru would be sexy wearing a trash can full of medical waste. Flaming red pumps combined with white thigh-high hose and a black denim miniskirt. A studded belt, a matched red strapless top with a short black leather jacket and a compliment of makeup. She seemed to be really uncomfortable in the getup.
"It's hard to walk like this," Chizuru admitted, leaning heavily on Pierce for support. Irene secretly gave him a thumbs up. Maybe that was the evil plan?
"W-well, if you don't like it you can change it. For what it's worth, though, you look amazing." Pierce complimented her, blushing as she held onto him.

Next stop was a sort of 'Pokemon petting zoo' that Chizuru became extremely excited about when she saw the sign.
"She has her own Pokemon," Jeanette said to no one in particular. "Why doesn't she just cuddle with them?"
"I...think they specifically breed the ones here to be extra friendly and playful and cute and-oh god, I need a beer," Irene groaned. "But I guess if you wanna get a close to a girl who's into this kind of thing, this place would be heaven."
The playpen was full of fluffy Pokemon like, you guessed it, Flaafy, Biberal, and Jumpluff.
"Well, this date is to help Pierce and Chizuru build some chemistry," Irene shrugged. "We should focus on places she likes...at least until we get 'er hammered."
"I really don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to cuddle cute Pokemon, frankly. They seem to like it well enough. Frankly I'd do it more if I had any tiny Pokemon." Pierce noted.

And then came...something that Pierce couldn't quite describe.
"They call it Psychotic Smorgasbord," Irene said. "Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, and Karaoke Hero all in one game. Popular amongst ladies who wanna go down several dress sizes in one week, but not recommended if you're trying not to break your hip."
Jeanette had to be coaxed to even give it a shot, and was even worse than she said she was going to be.
"I told you I didn't wanna do it!" Jeanette cried, shaking Irene by the shoulders. "This is so embarrassing!"
"You're only saying that because you're not drunk yet," Irene said. "Just wait until you've had about two more mugs. I bet you'll be a pro at this shit in no time."
Irene and Shizuka weren't bad, but it was Chizuru who really owned this game. Who knew a wannabe housewife could be a master at the six-string?
"Are you sure you still want me, Pierce?" Irene joked. "Everytime we turn around, she kicks my ass at something else."
"Well, it's hard not to touch your ass." Pierce teased back, after a humiliating defeat at Chizuru's hands. "I'm glad Chizuru's having fun at least, even if I'm terrible at it."
Irene smiled. "Eh, the point is to have fun, and if your spirit's into it, having fun is something you'll never be terrible at."
"I didn't say I wasn't having fun. I just said I was terrible at the game." Pierce shrugged.
"Well then, what are you good at, Granger-san?" Chizuru asked innocently, wiping her own brow.
"Se-"
"Don't say 'sexy time'," Irene whispered to him.
"Dammit."

"Um... well, there's fighting, obviously. And I'm kind of a science afficionado. And basically any videogame that doesn't require using my feet." Pierce said bashfully.
"Huh. Kinda makes me wonder why you never became a Poketologist or something," Jeanette said. "You seem to have a good, strong relationship with your Pokemon."
"Well, I probably would've, but then my parents died." Pierce noted matter-of-factly.
"Oooo...touchie subject," Jeanette sounded wounded.
"We already touched on it back in Millenium House, remember? I really don't have anything left to hide from you guys."
Irene looked towards the outside.
"Something up?" Jeanette inquired.
"I...see someone that I know but I never talked to them in a long time," Irene said, already backing away. "If you'll excuse me for a while."
Then it was Shizuka's turn to mysteriously vanish.
"Maybe she saw someone she recognized, too," Jeanette said. "Kind of odd in a world she doesn't live in. Damn, I'm out of booze. I'll go get some more."

And then it was just Pierce and Chizuru.
"Hmm," Chizuru looked thoughtful. "Maybe this is an opportunity for us to get to know each other better? I've read this in a manga before. A gathering is planned but then everyone but one of the guys and one of the girls cancels at the last possible minute and it just turns into a date."
"Sounds a bit silly, and I can't say I've heard of it. Would that be so terrible, though?" Pierce asked, with a hopeful smile.
Chizuru seemed to be building up courage.
"No, not terrible at all," she managed to say, then reached out and hugged Pierce's arm. "So where would you like to go?"
"Hm... I'm not really sure. I would've suggested the zoo but we already went there. Maybe we could get some food, if you're hungry after kicking our asses up and down the arcade?" He suggested with a grin.
"Totally, I could probably eat an entire Hippowdon at this point," Chizuru said, and let Pierce lead her off.
"Hm, I know this italian place not too far from here, would you like that?"
"Ahh, noodles. The main diet of us japanese girls," Chizuru said in a sarcastic tone, but it sounded like she was totally for it.
"Right then, off we go." As they walked, Pierce was acutely aware of Chizuru's chest pressed against his arm, and did his best not to blush.

When they finally got to the place Pierce mentioned, one of the things they couldn't help but observe was that the waiters sometimes sang to the patrons.
"I didn't recognize who Irene was talking to, but Shizuka was talking to Tsubasa and Sophia," Chizuru said, mostly to make small-talk. "I've never known Tsubasa to have a friendship. She can be rather dutiful to a fault. It's nice to see her with a friend."

Oh, if only you knew, Chizuru.

"Yeah, Tsubasa seems nice, but not the type that makes friends easy." Pierce noted, remembering a certain white kimono's part in his first date with Chizuru. He approached the greeter and asked for a table for two, and not long after he and Chizuru were seated.
Chizuru didn't take long to order. Shrimp with noodles, an undeniable favorite.
"So, uhhh," Chizuru fumbled with her fingers. "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

"Hm, well..." Pierce looked thoughtful, after ordering meat raviolis for himself. "I don't really know, considering everything that's going on. I sure hope I'll be alive."
"But, in five years... I hope this is all over, and I hope to have gotten my life straight by then. I hope I'll have settled down and found the people I want to spend the rest of my life with, you know?"
Chizuru leaned back at gazed at the ceiling.
"A life where all the problems are over, huh. That must be nice," she said. "Life isn't that easy for us. I think we just get dragged behind the more energetic of us. Shizuka, Kirie, and Rio. They always have to go save the next world and the next world. Not that I mind, it's fun to see new sights. I just wish I didn't have to fight everything at those new sights."

"Your life is great too, I think. I mean, you get to save worlds, all the time, all over. The scope of that isn't lost on me, Chizuru. That's why I admire you so much. You can do so much good and see so much bad stuff, but you keep your kindness. If I had a life like yours in five years... I don't think I'd mind that either, if I had someone to keep me company." Pierce admitted, staring fondly at Chizuru.
"Oh, ah aheh heh...really?" Chizuru blushed and was averting her eyes. "Well, I would certainly love to have you by my side more often...if you don't mind terribly."

Aww yeah. Pierce had a knack for targeting that particular weakpoint.

"That's... great. I'm really glad, Chizuru. I'd like to have you by my side often too." Pierce continued to admit, now blushing at her reaction.
This time Chizuru actually found within her a decent topic to discuss.
"So, are you looking forward to checking out the Hungry World?" she asked him. "I'm sure it'll be quite a trip. It was for me. One day I was just a normal woman in Sengoku Era Japan and the next thing I know I feel like I'm on an entirely different planet. I don't know what I would've done if not for Shizuka-sama."
"I am, actually, I'm really curious to see what it's like. You guys have done a good job of describing it, but I get the feeling that actually seeing it is gonna be something else."
"I'll be praying that the experience is nice. There are some really horrible Reality Shards in there. Places that will make you question your faith in humanity." Chizuru's eyes were really serious and sad. The Hungry World wasn't all fun 'n' games.
"In that case... could you come with me? I get the feeling that no matter what, as long as I've got you and your kind spirit beside me, I'll be okay." Pierce blushed fiercely and averted his gaze from Chizuru as he made his rather forward request.
Chizuru took his hands in hers. "Of course. Well, also because I'm a little scared, too. I guess we'll just be scared together."
Pierce smiled as she held his hands. "I- well, to be honest... I'm scared in every mission. I think if I weren't scared, that be worrying. I wouldn't want to become jaded."

Time passed and they really did end up being the only ones left.
"Shizuka texted me," Chizuru said. "Looks like Irene's gonna catch up with friends and Shizuka will take care of Jeanette. I guess the professor isn't a really good drunk."
"Well, I imagine Jeanette's gotta unwind somehow. Um... is there anything you'd like to do now?"
"Oh, I dunno," Chizuru shrugged, offering her takeout bag to a couple of Houndoom in the nearby alleyway. "Maybe we should call it a night? It's getting pretty late and all."
"That sounds okay, if you want. It's been a great day, Chizuru, thank you."
Chizuru bowed deeply to him.
"Of course. Please, let us do this again sometime."

As they stepped out of the restaurant, Pierce decided to try something bold. He took Chizuru's hands in his, and leaned in slowly for a light kiss.
Chizuru seemed to resist, though in actuality it was because she froze like a statue.
As she froze, Pierce pulled back and let go of her hands, a worried look on his face. "I- I'm sorry, Chizuru, I shouldnt've..."
Chizuru's arms waved wildly to the point Pierce was certain she would start flying.
"No, no, no, I really should've expected it and it was really good and oh my gosh, what'm I saying?!"
"It- it was really good for me too." Pierce said, a small smile peeking through his worried expression.

An awkward moment, but still a really good one, to be sure. As far as dates went, this probably couldn't've gone any better.

-------------------------------

A NEW CHALLENGER ENTERS


Amelia stood before the illustrious headquarters of the Pokemon Advanced Tactics and Counterterrorism Agency. She was here for two reasons: now that she was no longer dean of her own academy, she found herself with no end of free time. It was nice, but having absolutely nothing to do was starting to drive her nuts. So she figured it was best to get into the counterterrorism business. Never a dull moment there.

The second reason was that she really hadn't seen Irene Crosswald in a long time. This made sense as they were both really busy women. Amelia had to admit she was kinda curious as to how Irene may have changed over the years.
"Like I wonder if by some miracle she actually found herself a boyfriend," Amelia pondered out loud.

At the desk was the usual receptionist.
"Welcome to the Pokemon Advanced Tactics and Counterterrorism Agency," Daphne repeated her hundred-times rehearsed line. But then the girl halted and stared at Amelia.
"But you look like the kind of badass that doesn't really need counterterrorism agents."

Being so bored that Amelia decided to come here after her morning jog, wearing workout pants and a tank top, the woman leaned on the desk with one arm and smirked.
"Nope. I'm the kind of badass who wants to be a counterterrorism agent. Is Irene around?"
"Yeah, I think she's just having her morning deskwork. Could I possibly get your name?"
"Amelia Reinhart."
Daphne blinked, then did a quick take of surprise.
"I know that I knew you somewhere! I see you on TV! Ah, hold on, let me see if she's taking applications right quick."
"Huh, I heard PATCA would take in pretty much anyone at any time."
Daphne picked up the nearby phone, set it for loudspeaker, and dialed Irene's internal number.
"Oh, we definitely are. Seems like the terrorists are just coming out of the woodwork these days. First it was dealing with this or that violent criminal, now we've got giant beasts of legendary power rampaging everywhere, but Miss Crosswald can fill you in on all the details."

In just seconds, that familiar voice chimed in on the phone. "Crosswald, go ahead."
"Miss Crosswald, you're not going to believe this but Amelia Reinhart's here to see you."
There was a slight pause at the other end of the line before Irene's voice could be heard again.
"I'd say 'it's always nice to reunite with friends but I have a feeling she's not here for the sake of courtesy. Go ahead and send her up and apologize to her because I don't think I have her favorite alcohol. Although we can go out for that later."
Then a beep. Irene hung up on her end.
"You can reach her office by entering the elevator behind me. The chief's office is straight ahead once you exit the elevator on the top floor."

Irene seemed to be a bit flustered when Amelia entered her office. Had Amelia caught her at a bad time or something? Irene stood up from her desk and walked around to take Amelia's hands in hers.
"You came at a weird time with weird attire, and by that I mean 'let's go out drinking immediately' since it's been so long."
S'up with her?
"It's the middle of the day," Amelia told her.
"Hey, six p.m. was only eighteen hours ago," Irene said. "C'mon, it'll be fine. I'll just need you to step outside for a bit while I get ready real quick."

Irene politely shoved Amelia out of her office, and then returned to her desk and kneeled underneath it.
"Pierce, sorry, but I'm going. Something just came up. And no, you can't keep them this time. I'm tired of going lingerie shopping every two weeks."
Pierce groaned. "Oh come on, it'll be hot if you go without them."
"Oh, hush. I'll bring them back to you later if you really, really, really need them."

Several minutes later, Irene was driving Amelia down the road towards an establishment called the Mouse Hole.
"Are you sure you couldn't have just dropped me off my house real quick?" Amelia said. "I'm not exactly dressed for bar hopping."
"Eh, it's cool, I come here all the time."
A large man was standing just to the side of the entrance.
"A fine day to you, Miss Crosswald," the large man said politely. "Getting started a little early today, aren't you?"
"I can drink when I want to, Cole," Irene told him jokingly. "You're not my real dad!"
"And who is this? A business deal or perhaps an...acquisition?"
Irene looked thoughtful for a moment. "Both, probably? Anyways, this is Amelia Reinhart. She's the dean of a strong rival academy to my own."
"Not anymore," Amelia sighed, but quickly rebounded with a mischievous smirk.
"Though I was hoping to acquire a new job and maybe something else today." She added, giving Irene's ass a light smack to give the bouncer the wrong idea. Or the right one.
"Sounds like a rough reunion or something," Cole said sympathetically. "Anyways, I won't keep you two. Go on ahead."

Amelia had never been here before, and more often than not a drinking establishment's name would color the kind of atmosphere one would expect within. However, she was surprised to find that the Mouse Hole was a very clean and professional night club. The staff wore trendy suits and dresses. There were two women on the small stage in the far corner, one singing and the other playing the piano. And although the bartender had quite a wild haircut, he seemed to be quite the gentleman.
"Welcome back to the Mouse Hole, young mistress," the bartender bowed politely while he thoroughly cleaned a glass. "Are you already prepared to order? Or would you like to take your time? Allow me to get you the Rat Poison menu."
Amelia spared a glance at Irene. "Rat Poison?"
"The Mouse Hole's special menu for the most intoxicating and tasty alcoholic cocktails," Irene told her. "Basically, if you want to get shitfaced and do something incredibly stupid as fast as you possibly can, that's where you would start."
"Stupid like joining PATCA? I want to see this menu." Amelia replied.
Irene offered Amelia the menu and ordered several glasses of ice water, just in case Amelia desperately needed it.
"So, joining my agency, eh?" Irene sighed. "Alright, girl, just what the hell happened? I sort of read something on the Internet about it, but I knew a lot of the shit that really must've happened never got mentioned."
"Okay, gimme a sec. If I have to tell this story I need to be shitfaced first." Amelia said, and then ordered several drinks off the menu.

Irene started off relatively light. She wanted to be able to get everything she could out of this meeting. Maybe she could do something.
Amelia regretted ordering so many drinks. Yes, they were really good. Yes, Amelia felt a lot better. But she wasn't quite prepared for how powerful these cocktails were.
When Amelia could finally begin to register the situation any more, they weren't even in the bar.
"Not bad for your first time," Irene sighed gently.

After Amelia passed out, Irene must've paid the bill and dragged the poor girl off to the nearest place where she could rest...a love hotel. God forbid they just sit on a park bench or something, but then again the Mouse Hole was located in the seedier section of the city.
"Toilet's in there if you're going to puke. Let me know if you need me to hold your hair. Feel free to shower if you feel like it."
Irene apparently already had showered, and wore a large towel, having left her clothes folded neatly in a nearby chair.
"Jeez, I must've lost track of how many drinks I had, that was some strong stuff. I can usually hold my liquor better." Amelia said, rubbing her eyes.

"Not this kind of liquor. Mouse is really particularly proud of his original concoctions. I think I hit on him in the past when I was just getting started on that stuff. Not sure if it progressed to anything. He won't tell me. I'm not sure how that makes me feel."
"Well, at least I don't need to puke, though now I'm mad you didn't wake me up to shower together."
"Eh, I just figured you probably have a boyfriend by about this point," Irene admitted, then leaned her head back to gaze at the ceiling.
"Your academy does have a lotta handsome guys, after all, and it's your academy. Have all the bizarre relationships you want."
Amelia raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what kind of a ship you run, but when I was dean everything was strictly professional. I hadn't gotten laid for close to ten years until I got fired, thanks for reminding me." She gave Irene a mock pout.
"But I wouldn't call the hookups I've had since then boyfriends. I just needed to blow off steam. A lot of it. Funnily enough, a few were my former students."
Then she leaned forward, studying Irene. "Don't tell me you've got a boyfriend." The former dean smirked.
"Yeah, well, the appearance of giant monsters that dwarf even most legendary Pokemon isn't the only weird shit going on Honmyr, because apparently I do have a boyfriend," Irene admitted. "Though, it's more out of him being a really persistant man than out of any real need I had for companionship. And now that I got him, I kinda wondered why I was so fine with being alone before. I'm starting to think men only exist to drive us ladies batshit."
Amelia laughed. "Well, I'm glad you got yourself a guy. You might say you don't need companionship, but I know you're the only person in the world who could compete with me in the work-obsession department. Frankly if you didn't have a boyfriend I'd be offering to take up the position myself."
"Knowing that pervert, he probably wouldn't mind if I brought another girl into the relationship," Irene sighed. She had a feeling that Pierce was still under her desk.

"Alright, let's get down to business, shall we? Just who the fuck did this to you? Something major must've happened for you to be showing up at PATCA looking to blow off some steam by blowing off some heads."
"What, I didn't tell you at the bar between drinks? Shit, this is why I wanted to be drunk first..."
"You kinda did tell me, but you kinda did other things while you were telling me and...well, we just won't get into that."
Amelia took a deep breath.
"Alright, bottom line is there was a lot of tension between me and the board of directors and a few of the teachers about the way I ran things. I wanted to keep tuition fees low and keep a strong scholarship program so the school could take in more students and train them, but the other guys wanted to be more exclusive and raise tuition fees and make more money, not to mention redo a lot of the curriculum. They accused me of being unable to adapt, when I'm the one who saved the college from anti-Hiroshiho sentiment after the war." Amelia added bitterly. "I just didn't sacrifice the school's values to do it. A name is a name, but the college is what it teaches and how it teaches it, and they just couldn't understand that. Or, I guess they did, and just didn't care. Anyway, it all came to a head when the two teachers who most supported the board, Alastor and Schneider, came to my office and threw down the gauntlet. They challenged me to a fight, and if I won they'd drop the whole thing, but if I lost I'd have to step down-"
"Got it," Irene said with finality. Then she stood up and moved over to the cupboard which contained, you guessed it, more alcohol.
"Alrighty then, welcome aboard the PATCA pain train. I'm almost so happy that you joined that I forget it came after all that terrible shit happened to you, but I think a whole lot of good could come from this experience."
Amelia pouted for real as Irene interrupted her, and spoke up anyway.
"Hey, I had them, even when Schneider cheated with an Aggron, but he drank some weird-ass liquid and then laughed while I lopped off his arm, and Alastor suckered me." She finished defensively.

Irene poured herself a glass and swirled it around. Her eyes were somewhere else, and that meant she had some evil thoughts on the horizon.
"Yes...I think this could work marvelously."
Amelia raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Just what're you thinking, Irene?"
"Oh, don't worry about it," Irene said after draining the glass in a split second.

"I think we should be careful about you. Who knows what'll happen when you start your work as a PATCA agent? I bet you'll be super popular."
Amelia shrugged. "Eh, I can deal with it. Or are you worried about me stealing your boyfriend?"
"Actually, I'm more worried about him stealing you. Like he's stolen me. And I think three others. Not that I really mind. I'm keeping a lot of secrets from him about myself and I don't think our love can truely be real until he knows everything and I just can't show my true self to him right now. Maybe after all the crazy shit is over."
Amelia touched a finger to her cheek thoughtfully. "I think someone's just scared to fully commit."
Down goes another glass. "Gawd, if only that was the problem!" Irene threw herself backwards on the bed.
"Let me tell you something, Amelia. Sure, everyone's got skeletons in their closets, but me? It's a goddamned boneyard in there. And in the end, it's the perks that came with that boneyard that's holding me together."
Amelia just laughed. "Okay, now I wouldn't date you because you're kind of a drama queen." She chuckled and poured a glass for herself.
"Really though, Irene, it sounds to me like the real reason is you're scared of what he'll think, and maybe you're right, maybe he won't understand. But in the end it comes down to whether or not you trust and believe in this mystery guy."
"Can't now, too strange," Irene said childishly. "So when would you like to start working? We don't have much going on, and I'm not sure if you'll want to do our next mission. It's in the Corpsemire."

Amelia knew the Corpsemire well, but the difference between her and Irene was that Irene had actually been there and seen the Shadow Pokemon face-to-face. Amelia scoffed.
"You think I'll pass up a chance to go to the Corpsemire? Not a chance. I can start tomorrow, I'd like today to finish drinking and finish seducing you." She grinned.
"Besides, if I show up dressed like this I'd probably have to beat all the boys and girls off with a stick."
"I wouldn't worry. You'll almost be apalled at what some of the agents wear," Irene said, then gestured to the bathroom with a flick of her head. "Now, about that whole 'showering together' thing..."

Amelia tackled Irene and dragged her to the bathroom and against the shower wall faster than a Dodrio on speed.

[Geminex]

*Much cooler placeholder*

[Geminex]

*It's been a while since I last posted, hasn't it. I'd forgotten about my avatar*

[Geminex]

*vorpal is such a weak ability, though, unless you happy to be fighting any jabberwocks*

[Geminex]

*In case anyone's reading this wondering, these are all placeholder posts*

[Geminex]

*TH1S 1S SO 1LL3G4L*

[Menarker]

Fight Club Episode 0: Donovan and Renny (You guuuuys, you're not supposed to talk about that!)


Since he was sticking around with this company for the forseeable future, it was probably a good idea to for Donovan to determine how strong the veterans were. The (play)boy wonder Renny hadn't proven anything yet while he was around, so it was a good start.

Renny slowly walked within the PATCA HQ. In many ways, he was exhausted from preparations for the mission, the party and everything else, as well as preparing loadout accquisition forms to accomodate the new members of PATCA he'll meet during his party. But he was in good spirits despite all that. He was soon ready to contact several members about their possible roles in the Corpsemire and Hungry World mission.

Donovan caught up to Renny while he was still on the first floor.
"Hey, I need a partner to spar with, and I haven't seen you in action enough to really know what you're capable of. Care for a brawl?"
A little taken aback by the abrupt request, Renny turned to face his challenger and smiled faintly.
"Ah, hi Donovan. I suppose I can spend a moment to spar, if you don't mind just letting me place my files someplace secure."
He jerked his head a bit forward as if beckoning the fellow pokebrid to follow along.
"I know I haven't been fighting much during the last few missions, but is there a particular reason why you need to know what I'm capable of doing? Or just a mild curiousity?"
"Well, while you're not necessarily ranked up there with Impact and the others, you do hold some of the strongest sway among the company where firm official matters don't come into play." Donovan replied as he kept pace.
"Ah, I suppose I'm just lucky that just about everyone so far had trusted me to do my part." Renny said as he entered a common work room with some lockers. He proceeded to unlock the needed doors and file his documents inside.
"I'm just trying to do my best to help everyone stay alive. But I still don't understand the need for a challenge. Or at least I have an idea of what you're thinking and I'm hoping I've guessed wrong about."

"It's good to know the capabilities of your allies in a fight, and I'm not just talking about the numbers our Inquiry Visor spit at us. Besides, knowing each other's way of fighting makes coordination and tactical teamwork less encumbersome."
He looked at Renny, "Unless you're actually a noncombatant this whole time, which I really hope isn't the case."

The Gallade proceeded to walk alongside Donovan toward the closest sparring room.
"I actually have fought in actual combat before. In fact, I had directly fought in one of PATCA's missions the same night I had the surgery. Although in all honesty, I had become a pokebrid only a few months ago. The rest of my life prior to that point was spent as a trainer, so my actual combat experience without using pokemon is basically being guided by my pokebrid instincts and the crash courses that several of the others in PATCA have been giving me. I've been trying to fill in the gaps with training between work although I haven't sparred very much with others."
"Well you should spar, being a pokebrid affects your muscle structure enough to change the way you move in a fight, especially with a fighting type form. Since we both have such, I want to see how familiar you are with the Gallade form's influence on your range of movement and dexterity."
Donovan added, making sure he was in Blaziken form to keep clear what he was talking about.

As they arrived in a large training room, Renny looked for one that was as far away from other training members as possible as he removed his jacket and backpack and placed it on the bleacher nearby.
"Well, it all sounds like a good idea. I got no reason to object."
He rolled up his sleeves to let the blade on his arms fully manifest to its full length and stood off on one side.
"I assume from the discussion you wish for only a pure fighting type style battle? No tricks, buffs or type advantage? Just up and up straight combat?
"Exactly." Donovan said, removing his jacket to reveal that his torso was almost identical to that of a Blaziken, in fact his entire physique matched the pokemon far more than it should have for a normal 'brid. He stood at the other side of their area, relaxed with arms loosely hanging at his sides.
"First, show me how you initiate combat."

Stretching out his arms, legs and torso for a tiny warm-up, Renny then got into a stance that was low(er) to the ground with bent knees and one foot partly lifted off the floor. His torso was turned so as to keep the amount of attackable surface area narrow, his right side being a bit further away from reach. His left arm was held up in a semi-stiff horizonital guard obscuring the area closest to the neck and upper chest. The right arm was held more loosely and ready to respond to an opening or an attack in a perpendicular position from the left arm but held lower to guard the lower body with more ease.
He made little movements as he slowly approached, considering the method he'd take, weaving left and right in his steps before he bolted straight at an angle. With his left arm raised, he rushed inwards until he was close in melee range. He then made a single strong step to his left, a partial feint as he let his body flow in that direction as his right arm followed the path for a glancing blow to the liver on Donovan's right side with the blade.
"If it helps you feel any better, I picked up a trick about being able to fuse the use of False Swipes with a few of my other moves. So I won't have to worry about accidently going overboard when sparring!"

Donovan suddenly kicked off the ground lightly with his left leg, making his body take the same path as the strike in order to dodge before resuming his original composure.
"Good, you could telegraph your strikes a bit less, but a strong follow through can overcome that well enough."
And with that his arms and legs suddenly lashed out in rapid succession. The strikes would be light if they landed, but still surprising and hard to avoid if Renny wasn't on guard.
Consciously drawing breath, Renny attempted to weave his body back and forth as he kept his blade arms on guard and to tighten his posture to keep himself smaller. As he got closer, he was getting hit a bit more often, but he twisted his body as they would hit in the attempt to get them to glance past him and reduce the overall force. Then at one moment that Donovan lifted his legs for another kick, the Gallade bent his legs deeply into a crouch and swept low with a kick of his own.

"My reach isn't great... but while Gallades do focus on arm moves a lot, its not like I should just ignore my kicks either. I imagine it's harder to move in mid-kick."
The kick managed to get Donovan off the ground, at which point he twisted in midair to spring off of his hands to jump away.
"Not really."
Upon landing he launched a kick from what should have been too far away, but the force of it seemed to throw Donovan at Renny surprisingly fast.
Renny grimmaced as he held his ground and tanked the blow with his arms, blade held outwards. His arm bumped into his face a bit, passing some of the force of the blocked kick. He then pulled his arm back, the blade that was already connecting with the foot moving to slice against it, the hand attempting to grab onto the protruding limb as the other arm moved to slash the captured leg.
Donovan was surprised by the sudden change in tactics, but it was a good change of pace. With a somewhat playful grin on his face, he swung his grabbed leg overhead as hard as he could, attempting to drag Renny with it for a throw. Renny found himself lifted off his feet and he let go at the height of the uplifted leg. His smaller frame going high, he landed on the ground cleanly.

"I'm glad that mattress training paid off. Too bad it's such a weird method, I can't really boast about it seriously."
Renny mused as he closed the gap between the two of them. At the moment that he predicted a high blow, he tumbled beneath it in a roll quickly before he came out of the sombersault with another dart inward, practically daring to hinder Donovan's attacks by controlling the ultra-close range combat, his blocking limbs also serving as an offensive barrier against hands-on combat.
"It's getting harder to keep up with him and if I let him move uncontested, he'll just evade my blows and bypass my defenses. Whoa, scary scary..."
Renny looked startled as he tried to evade a direct blow to the face. "...But getting up close will probably make it more difficult for him to keep his focus. He already has the advantage of a more developed body and hands-on experience... and a form that is superior to mine in a pure fighting match. Annoying speed boost! I thought he said no buffs!"
Renny was starting to look visibly angry as if he felt more cheated in his restrictions than his opponent.
"If I don't at least try to take some risks where it is possible, I won't be able to progress any further! I'm... I'm sure I can handle the closest range. Psychic and Fighting type combo means that my eyes and reaction time are my best features, as long as I don't flinch in the face of his attacks..."

The Gallade then aimed to attempt to force an opening in his opponent's attack, by deflecting a blow on the side of his arm and then stepping in and shoving the limb aside with his own arm, forcing his opponent to overextend on his movement. If that succeed, he'd follow through on the step-in movement and deal a blow to one of the vital points like the solar plexus or the liver to hinder his breaths.

The gambit worked, knocking most of the breath out of Donovan. He made a quick half-inhale to recover, and suddenly dropped himself. Halfway down he propelled himself into a breakdancing spin kick at Renny, with the intent of knocking him off of his feet to set up for a midair grapple and pin.
The kick connected powerfully and Renny went down easily, but having seen it coming, he fell forward instead letting his arm come down from above as a chop with his full body weight behind it and having his other arm ready to speed up the process of propping himself back up when he hit the floor.

Donovan had to cancel his rising grab at the last second, redirecting his momentum to the side and using the rolling motion to reposition himself upright a few feet from where Renny tried to land.
"You fight better than you show for it, you should carry yourself more with that confidence and that power."
"Thank you." Renny's expressions and mode was calming down to his normal disposition.
"But you really tested my limits. I haven't had a spar where I would be expected to hold back on all my other moves. I would have had more tactical approaches if I had access to ranged attacks and teleport. It is absolutely reassuring to have your experience and capabilities at our side."
"And you can make a great leader, don't be afraid to show strength though, it's the only way some people will see past your age. Those that can ally anyone are the most capable of bringing change, and the whole world knows that too many people have used that to make it worse." He replied, giving Renny a pat on the shoulder before grabbing his jacket and leaving the dojo.
Renny was in thought about Donovan's words when he remembered something.
"Hold on. I wanted to let you know that I am hosting a party about a week from now and that most of PATCA is invited. It's, uh, my 18th birthday but I'm mostly treating it like a big get together event as well as an informal orientation for some of the new recruits that are joining PATCA. Attendance is not required, but I would be happy if you could make it."
Donovan continued walking but shouted back,
"Sure, just send me the details!"
Renny privately made a memo to send Donovan an Inquiry Visor mail to him containing the details needed at his earliest convenience.

[Menarker]

Renny and Liz (Part 2)


It was getting closer to the day of the party. Renny had booked the hotel's dining hall and working with them on the party logistics for the purpose of entertaining the vast majority of PATCA members. Guests were mostly invited and he had a rough idea of who he'd bring for the next mission, although leaving that thought until he had a chance to look at the new recruits Irene promised to bring to his party which would end up doubling as an informal orientation session for the new members.

"Swampert, I'm getting more food so don't snatch the berries off Mollesk's plate!"

Renny gently but loudly chided the pokemon from the kitchen who was more shocked at being caught from a distance than the actual admonishment itself.
As traditional, Renny and his pokemon had breakfast together in the morning, this time Renny making pancakes for himself and some of the pokemon who can handle that in their diet. As he did so, he was looking up coupon flyers for the various markets around the area.

"I need to get some things for the party. I wonder if I should call Alphonsine for ideas regarding entertainment. I never really did have the best mind for music. And I'm going to need food too. Lots of it."

Of course, it's to be expected the hotel will have some food on hand, but having seen Milsha and Catherine's competitive and prodigous eating spree, the sort that could empty a restaurant, he could expect much of the good things to disappear fast, and he'd want to ensure all his guests went home happy...

"Hmmm... I suppose I have an idea... if she's up for it."

Renny picked up the visor and dialed up Liz, waiting to see if she would pick up or if she was going to leave it hanging for him to leave a message and then ambush him in his own house again. The weirdest things to be paranoid about!

Surprisingly, this time Liz did answer.
"Hi Renny! Nice to hear from you. Ready for our date yet?" Came the buxom blonde's lusty voice from his Visor.

"I do have a proposition of one." Renny answered. "I was thinking of an all-day road trip of sort. I kinda need to get party food and things, and I could use some help with that. It would also be nice to know what you and Leprihare would like to see on the table for the party. We could also check out some places along the way to have fun. If you're interested that is."

"That's... your idea?" Renny could hear Liz break into a fit of giggles over the phone, until she was able to compose herself enough to speak again after a few moments.
"You want to go grocery shopping and invite another woman on our first date? Oh Renny, you really have no idea, do you? It's a good thing you're cute." Came the blonde's playful voice.
"Alright, I'll stop by your apartment, and actually ring the bell this time. I hope you don't mind if I don't bring Leprihare."

Renny felt a bit embarressed. He'd probably be the first to admit that it wasn't the best first date idea. "Heh, yeah, I guess you're right. But yes, I"ll see you then!"
Renny took a quick shower, did all his normal daily rituals and dressed himself up in his more dressy/casual clothing.

Later, Renny heard a knock on his front door.
Recalling all his pokemon, he promptly opened the door ready to go. "Hello" he said, expecting Liz there.
He was, instead, greeted by a faceful of soft, squishy flesh, as he was pulled into a warm, boob-filled hug.
"Hello Renny."

A muffled "Hello Liz" could be vaguely heard from between her tits as he hugged back for a bit and then pulled his face back.
"Glad to see you're excited to go out today."

"Oh, I just can't resist pulling you into a boob hug." Liz admitted with a smirk. "Though I'd say you're quite a fan of them yourself, since you haven't resisted one so far."

He blushed a bit "It surprised me the first few... well, they still surprise me oddly enough, but I'm sure they all have been with good intentions. But they do feel quite soft and warm."

"Well, what I intend would be veeery good for you..." Liz trailed off, still smirking.
"But I'm glad to hear you love my breasts."

Renny side-stepped the things that Liz intended, having the general idea already and having already said it'd have to wait a while longer. They might as well enjoy today.
"Well, who wouldn't? You're very alluring overall, not just there. Shall we get started?"

"Oh Renny, you're being very flattering all of a sudden..." Liz replied huskily, pulling him into her bust again while she leaned into his ear.
"It's like you're trying to get me going. I thought you wanted to wait until your birthday? Not that I'd be against doing it early..."

"But it's the truth!" he remarked with a mix of arrousal and nervousness.
"Anyhow, it's barely even a week away. Its something to look forward to."
He said trying to divert this particular train of thought until a later station came up. He decided he needed to take the initiative and hooked her arm in his and took the first step forward.

"Oh, does that mean you've decided on me?" Liz mused, allowing Renny to lead her away.

Renny was hot under the collar, but left that question hanging as a silent maybe as he proceeded to escort Liz through the hotel's halls and elevators down to her car.

"So, where to?" Liz asked as they got in the car.
"Well,..." Renny tried to think of someplace interesting to start things off.
"...there is a novelty store nearby that sells mist liquid for the fog machine I bought for the party. Funny thing is, I was approved to purchase it using the Sortie Coordinator funds, since we can use it afterwards to run combat trainings under Fog of War situations. We can probably check out other things there too."

"Oh, what exactly are you planning to do with a fog machine on your birthday, Renny? Make a subtle escape to be with your chosen bedmate after blowing the candles?" Liz asked him with a sly grin.

"Hehe, oh it'd probably add some atmosphere to the party." Renny said, trying to ignore the entire bedmate comment.
"Maybe we can find a bunch of other items that'd be neat for a party... although it might end up partly like a night-club in practice."


*Upon entering the novelty shop... Google Spencer's novelty store.*

Renny approached the back of the store where the fog machines and fuel would be. Although along the way were several fetish items and sexually lewd gag items like fancy lingerie, board games, and toys that were unavoidably noticable as he walked past toward the fog machine. He really hoped that none of the merchants would harrass him for walking through that section given it was the only way to get to said machine.
"So... Liz, when is YOUR birthday?"

Liz didn't seem to pay much attention to the gag items, as she accompanied Renny to the back of the store.
"Oh, about five months from now. Why, are you already wondering what to get me? Because I can think of the perfect gift..." She said with a sly smirk, as one of her hands reached down to grope Renny's left buttock.

"So that's about some time around mid-late January at least... At least finding a gift won't be a difficult task..." He thought to himself as he felt the grope.
"Well, you're coming to mine, right? I figure it is only fair I return the favor, right?"

"I suppose so. We can even give each other the same gift, if you like..."
Renny smiled and nodded without actually confirming, as he paid for the device. As large as the device and all the fuel was, he was somehow able to carry them in large reusable bags.

"Anything you wanna get while we're in the area Liz?"
"Oh, not really, I already have anything interesting they sell here." Liz replied, accompanying Renny.

"Ah, alright. Let's head back to the car then."
*After arriving back in car*

"Well, we got that. What to do next... Hey, I got an idea. Liz, you don't have any flying pokemon, right? How would you like to hitch a ride with me on Togekiss? Fly over some forests, rivers, cut through some clouds and maybe even land on a mountain. Heck, if we go grab some food, we could make a private picnic out of it."

"Well, it'd give me the chance to ride behind you and cop a feel, so sure! Whisk me away, Renny."

Renny ignored the cop-a-feel comment.
"Alright, let's put the car someplace safe where we can find it again easily after."

When the vehicle got parked, Renny summoned the dainty looking pokemon who stretched its wings as soon as it came out of its pokeball.

"Togekiss, we're going for a ride. How about you stretch a bit while we get ready?"
The jubliee pokemon did a bunch of little hops and floated in the air a bit as Renny did some Sword Dances on the side. Afterwards, Togekiss used Psych Up to boost its own physical power a bit by copying some of Renny's potential strength.

Renny explained. "I'm just ensuring he has the strength to do this for the entire length of the journey. Normally he carries myself and all my equipment. Today, you're coming along with me but I don't have any of my gears aside from the pokeballs, so it mostly evens out with a little preparations."

The pokemon did a little touchdown on the pavement, it bending low for Renny and Liz to sit.

"Keep your legs bend along the side during the flight, ok? Togekiss kinda floats rather than fly most of the time, but even cruise control needs steering." He joked a little.
"Anyhow, hold on tight, ok!?"

At first the 'lift-off' was a small slow thing, barely levitating more than a few feet off the ground, but within a few seconds, elevation picked up smoothly until they were already over shrubberies, trees, small houses, and within a few moments later, were going over skyscrapers. Still rising up, Renny called out."

"How about picking a direction for us? Or would you like to keep going up a little bit more? The upper atmosphere are a bit chilly though."
"You know, Renny, sometimes I think you do these things on purpose." Liz joked. The soft lift-off didn't stop her from holding onto Renny's abs tightly, getting a good feel.
"Up!"

"Toge-ge-iss!"
The pokemon soared ahead as its wings bent a bit to create an updraft that caused it to rise up, occasionally slicing through patches of cloud. In fact, it might have been targetting little wisps of cloud as it went higher. Laterally, it headed in the direction of a mountain, presumably so it would take less time to touch-down if he needed a quick rest. But so far, he hadn't need it as soon the trio penetrated a plateau of clouds that left bits of dew and the sun glistening on its upper layers.
Of course, things got a little chilly, and the scantily-clad blonde started shivering, as Renny could feel. It seemed to be part of her plan, though, as it just encouraged her to hold Renny tighter, nuzzling up her body against his.

"Alright, let's touch down on that mountain a bit. Get a moment to rest up and warm up."
"Kiss-ge"
The pokemon chimed as it drooped its wings down and within moments brought them all down on a ledge that wasn't exactly close to the top, but had plenty of space away from perilous edges and wasn't so high up as to still be so chilly. But the view was still high up. One could see Fainas in the distant.

Renny dismounted and plopped his light jacket on Liz's back, while rubbing with his hands.
"Here. I wouldn't want you getting sick."
"Oh, I don't think I'm sick. I feel great right now. Couldn't think of a better place to be." Liz said happily, though her teeth were chattering, as she held Renny by the arm and hugged him tightly.

The chattering of teeth said enough as he took his closer arm away and wrapped it around her back and shoulder, letting her hug him still all while warming her up a bit.

"So, Liz, I was wondering what was your family like? I know you said you were a thief before you joined PATCA, but I don't really know anything about what you were like before then." Renny asked with interest.
"Well, I don't know that there's much to say. I mean, dad was always focused on his work, grooming my sister to take over after him. I was a bit of a grease monkey, I started building things and making stuff for the company. It was all perfectly fine and happy."
Liz's expression turned sour.
"When my sister died, dad's method of coping was to try and push me to take her place. And I could never do that to her. That's how I ended up leaving."
"Oh. I'm sorry that you had to go through that. You must have really missed her if you felt that strongly about it."
Renny stopped for a moment with some questions rising up in his head.
"How did she died? Did you ever got the chance to see your father again? Do you even want to? And what about your mother?"

"Mom passed away a long time ago. I haven't seen dad since, but if I did he'd probably just keep trying to get me to marry my sister's fiancee. He's... not a bad guy, I guess? I just don't really know him and I'm not interested. It's just a marriage to symbolize a merger between companies."

Renny nodded as she said this, not in particularly favorable with the entire arranged marriage thing. It was one thing when both participants had at least some degree of affection or relationship for each other like Moon and his arranged partners, but even in that arguably more ideal case, the stress of it all was what drove him away from his adoptive family too. He noticed that she didn't mention the cause of her sister's death, but let it slide.

"I guess I can see that. I haven't gotten back into contact with my parents yet either. I don't know if you know the exact details, but ever the destruction of Millennium House and Sexy's invasion, they tried to pull me out of PATCA and Honmyr altogether. Hence why I'm waiting until my 18th before I try to see them again, when I don't have to deal with the issues of them being my legal guardians. I imagine they won't press the issue then. I mean, how do you prevent a teleporter such as myself from sneaking off to do whatever I need or want to do?"
He joked even going as far as sticking out his tongue for a brief moment before falling back into a calm silence.
Liz chuckled. "I guess stubborness is a parental trait. Well, your parents seem nice enough, I'm sure they'll come around. I'd already heard the gist of what happened. PATCA is basically just a big gossip pool, you know."

"I somehow ALWAYS seem to forget that particular bit." He said half with jest and half with amazement. "I somehow always seem to be surprised that almost as soon as something happens, half the force already knows about it!"
He was silent for a bit, mulling over the things he learned about Liz and his own thoughts regarding his hopefully temporary separation with his parents.

"So... what did you think about flying? It's a bit different than a normal bird pokemon, but that's pretty much the gist of it, at least when Togekiss isn't doing a massive midair dive or doing stunts and evasive manuevers."

The pokemon cuddled over to his other side, perched on the stone ground, watching the sun with innocent marvel.
"Oh, it wasn't my first time flying, though it was my first time on a Togekiss." Liz replied simply.
"Though flying with you makes all the difference."
"Hehe, thank you. Anyhow, shall we get going? I got one more place in mind to check out. Part sight-seeing, part errand."
Togekiss harped to those words with a chirp of sort and a turn of its back, allowing it to be mounted again.

"Oh, sure. It's great flying with you."
Once they were back on Togekiss, Liz got right back to feeling Renny up.

"Well, I guess you don't need to be asked to hold on tight, but I assume you're ready?"
"'Course."

Upon receiving confirmation, Togekiss did a few silly hops from its position and jump off the ledge as it opened its wings into a swooping glide.

"Togekiss, head for our berry patch please."
The pokmon squealed in confirmation, possibly giddy to get something delicious to eat. In about 5 minutes, Togekiss was hovering over a large berry glade, surrounded mostly by trees, with the eastern side being bordered by a fast but shallow river. The pokemon touched down nearest its favorite berry patch, slowly dumped its riders onto the ground and immediately headed toward its desired snack. Renny let the rest of his pokemon come out and eat some as well.

"Alright." Renny smiled pleasantly for a bit. "This patch is mostly Shaymin's work after I left my parent's house. Couldn't really use their garden anymore, so I had to improvise something. It's a bit of a trip getting here, so I tend to come here once in a while after I let most of them grow."
"It's a very pretty garden you've made here. Must've taken a lot of work."

Renny went over to a bush and pulled out a bin which was hidden within it, covered with a tarp. Inside it where several medium sized containers with lids.
"For most of the common berries, I could just grab them from the supermarket if I just want to be efficient about it. But the rare ones are fairly pricy and rare, so I need to have my own supply if I want to use them for Mollesk's wine... speaking of which..."

The rock snail was taking to the familiar scene with delight. And hunger, much hunger.
It looked at Liz for a moment, trying to recall if she was someone he knew although drew a mental blank, a fairly common occurrance.
Looking at Renny, who nodded briefly, it moved slowly toward the Salac berries bush, grabbed several with its tentacle before dumping it in the holes of its shell.

"The Salac berries have a very sweet and sour flavor." he explained. "What sort of food do you like best? Any particular flavor?"
"Oh, I prefer sweet food. Like you."
He smiled for a moment from the flattery, although he slowly realized the innunedo from that.

"I got a sweet tooth myself. Although sour would be my next best." he said as he took a Sarlac berry for himself. He then looked around for a different one. He gave that particular one a little slice with his arm blade to get past the tough skin.
"Here, for you. This one is the sweetest of all the berries. It also has a tiny bit of bitterness, but very slight." he said as he handed a Custap berry to Liz. He pretended to toast with his own Sarlac berry before he took a bite into it.

Liz took a bite out of her own berry, humming approvingly. "Mmm, it's really good."
She looked up at Renny.
"Ooops, you're dripping, hold on..."
She leaned in close, and licked up the small trickle of juice on Renny's chin, all the way up to his lips, planting a soft, quick kiss on him.
He was stuck on pause for a moment before he returned the kiss, especially tasting the lingering berry juice that was on her tongue.
"Mmm, your lips are delicious." Liz said with a wink.

"I'm hoping to get lots of berries for Mollesk to make into berry juice, for which I can make into the wine I have made a few times. I made a deal with Pierce a while back. Some rare berries in exchange for some wine. Mainly so I can get some practice in finding out what kind people like. Although my original batch worked out fairly well, I would guess."
"Really?" Liz said quizzically, then laughed. "Well, I guess it's not so surprising after all. Pierce is a horrible drunk, but he can't stop himself."
Renny recalled the drunken bender he caused as he rampaged through his family basement and drank the entire wine stash. He nodded in agreement
"He does seem to be one. He even kissed Charlotte once during his hangover. CHARLOTTE!" He emphasized with jest and disbelief.
"She didn't take it very well." He said in a manner as if he was revealing a huge movie spoiler.

Ah, I did hear you were aqquainted a bit with Pierce. Did you have a big history with him?"
Liz blinked. "You really don't know? We were both thieves back in the day, and we dated. It was pretty serious until he left for PATCA."
"Ah?" He stopped for a moment, thinking on it a bit. He knew that both of them were thieves, although that particular detail was normally shoved in the back corner of his mind, but he never really mentally paired the two of them together.
"Well, I'm glad you're spending time with me now. But was there a reason why the two of you never got back together when you came to PATCA as well?"
"We broke up on a bad note, As friendly as we may be now, we basically burned down the relationship bridge."
"Oh, I see."
The lad was still curious about the circumstances, but he decided that buried matters that didn't involve him should remain buried.

Renny looked at Mollesk switching between consuming some berries for himself and dumping some unceremoniously in his shell. Renny stood near a row of several filled jar of berries.

"Heh, I remember the first time I heard your voice. You said Mollesk had... magic hands."
Renny said with mixed feelings. While it was the first time he learned about Liz's existence, it was also right after the Mollesk/Darcelle mix-up which was embarressing and very very questionable. Even if Darcelle liked it in the end.
"Well he does, considering they turned an enemy into an ally. Why, have you been thinking about using them on me?" She gave Renny a mischievous smirk.
"Well, not his particular hands." He retorted although his limbs were tight with tension, his stiff boundaries buckling under the light teasing. There was the urge to go with it, while his mind says to just wait.
"Mmm, well, here I am."
Liz took a seat on the grass, legs crossed before her, as she looked up at Renny. "You're free to go as far as you want to."

Renny stood in deep silence, one foot forward but the other remaining rooted. For a moment or two this remained. Finally, he approached closer, but stepped to her back and knelt behind her as he somewhat timidly place his hands on her back, and moved them in a massaging sort of way. His mental compromise was essentially to do something similar to what he had done once already for Lola and Catherine, giving a body massage of sort. Although what he did for those two, he did out of concern and healing. This one was more for inducing pleasure.He let a surge of relaxing psychic energy pass from within his arms, penetrate harmlessly through her clothing and gently soak the soothing sensations within her skin. Intermittingly, he would apply pressure with his fingers within a specific area. For several minutes, this sensation that tingled lightly for him, and he guess possibly for her continued as he move the light touch of his fingers and palm to her arms, stroking along their sides and underneath and touching her own fingers. And then her onwards to her waist and hips, which he wrapped around into a hug. Although there was the temptation to go on more, this was where he drew the line in the sand.

"Oooh..."
Liz relaxed, leaning back against him as the psychic energy coursed into her, filling her body with pleasurable sensation. When his hands hugged her waist, her own hands came to rest softly upon his, not imposing any force but conveying the message that she didn't want him to pull away.
He made himself more comfortable sitting himself down so his legs were side by side with hers and having Liz held close for a while longer.

After a while her hands did try pulling his somewhere a bit... higher.
She couldn't see it from where he was sitting, but he was already practically red in the face. By all rights, he shouldn't have been quite so embarrassed given that he had literally had his face shoved into her bosoms on several occasions. But the briefest moment of contact as his hand brushed it was very close to electifying. He nudged his hand back down. The last thing he needed was more arousal when the slightest more was going to make her notice what was accidently poking at her rear from behind. He pulled her back so she could lean against his chest for a while, his head close to hers.

Taking the initiative, Liz turned around, pushing Renny to lie back on the grass and lying atop him, kissing him deeply, her hands gently resting on his cheeks.
Renny quite nearly protested but he was drawn into the passionate embrace which he accepted for a while, his hands cupping her cheeks during what he thought was one last throe of energetic kisses in between breaths.

"We... we shouldn't go any further... just yet."
He finally said, trying to make some sort of stand, although he probably didn't look very convincing where he was, lying on his back.
"It's just a few more days."
"That's okay. Like I said, you can go as far as we want. Can we just stay like this for a while?"

A few of Renny's pokemon watched from within the bushes but none more so than Umbreon who peeked with voyuerish interest, mentally trying to assert her non-existent power to influence the universe to get the two actually doing something hot and heavy.

"... just a little." Renny said as he planted a kiss on her cheek and held her close.


Shortly his pokemon started to gather back, each taking a jar of berries as a held item before being recalled into their respective pokeball. All except for Togekiss who still needed to fly and frankly can neither hold it within its wings or carry it with its single-digit feets. The sky was starting to get a little darker but also more majestic with an orange tint as the light creeped behind the horizon and shadowed the mountains.

"... Ok, I think that's about everything. Shall we head back to the car?"
Renny started putting a few of his equipment away so they weren't out in the open for any random passerbys in this otherwise isolated area. Then he mounted his pokemon with Liz right behind.
As they got on Togekiss, Liz kissed Renny's cheek sweetly. "Today was the perfect date, Renny, thank you."
"Err, you're most welcome."

Renny was all flushed even as Togekiss flew with them towards the car on a flight that took about 15-20 minutes. Upon arrival, Renny recalled Togekiss into the pokeball and got into the car.
Driving back to Renny's apartment and up to his front door, Liz kissed him on the cheek one last time.
"Thanks again. It was great."
Renny put down the fog machine equipment and gave her a quick hug.
"I had a great time too. Thank you for helping me. I guess I'll see you at the party?"
"Or before, if you want to have another date." She told him with a wink.
Renny shook his head. "The party is going to be a huge task and I still have PATCA things to do as well. I won't really have free time to do another before it. I'll see you soon though!"

[Menarker]

Hyacinth/Renny convo


A certain Gallade was poring over his various assignments at his desk in PATCA's common work hall. It has been a few hours since his spar with Donovan and the signs of exhaustion and sweat had mostly disappeared, and he touched up most of his injuries with the use of some of his pokemon's healing moves. Once or twice, when a PATCA agent showed up in the hall, he would leave everything behind and engage them in conversation, focused on inviting them to his party. It looked like it would be a big one.

He gradually got to the point of his work documents detailing the personnels assigned for the Corpsemire and Hungry World mission that Irene told him about. While it is all too tempting to assign agents in the groups, he believed that the leader of the groups should each at least have a say on who to take in their teams. Looking at the schedule of agents who would normally be called in for immediate duties for today, he noticed that Hyacinth was listed. So he dialed her number with his Visor and waited for her to pick up.

"Heya, how's it been?"
Hyacinth smiled, flying about in the sky but always in contact. It was a fairly nice view from above, and her flight was conveniently almost over, so she wouldn't mind stopping a minute early for some kind of business talking.

"Hi, this is Renny. I'm fine thank you. Been pretty busy on my end. I hope you have been doing well since the last mission. Would you mind stopping by the common work hall? I have some things to discuss with you. Part business, but also part pleasure if you can spare the time."
"I recognize your voice Renny."
She smiled and kept floating over, shaking her head with a simple
"Nah. I'd definitely like to talk some of this with you. Is this partly about the party? I heard a couple people mentioning it, and I'd sure like to know what exactly is going on here."

"You're well informed." Renny said, while secretly rolling his eyes over PATCA's invincible rumor mill.
"The party is pretty much the pleasure side I was going to discuss with you, although there is another important thing to go over as well. So yeah, if you can drop on over, we can talk in person. I'll see you then!"
"Sure thing."
She grinned and let herself float down. It wasn't too much later on that she was in the room, having a snack of a simple pretzel, and sitting down on the chair. She tufted herself up with air to not crush it, and looked forwards.
"So whats this about, then?"


Renny sat casually with his legs crossed on the chair and holding a can of mountain dew. His third from the look of it with another on table and Umbreon playing with an empty one on the floor, batting it between her two paws. On the table, Shaymin in landform was snoozing in the rays of the sunlight through the window while acting as a cute paperweight.

"Good to see Hyacinth." He smiled. "Firstly, I was wondering what were your impressions of your first full official mission, back at Nanny Village and about your stay in PATCA overall. Are you more or less comfortable with how things are going?"

"Well, to be completely honest, boring. I kept waiting to do stuff, and I want to take my time. Just stretch, get myself all ready, analyze stuff. Meanwhile you guys just WIN everything and smash them before I even get my warm ups stretches done and I'm just sitting here watching like a poser."

Renny chuckled a little.
"I'll admit that the last mission did go by much faster than would normally occur. Only the battle against Moeni and her guards seem to last a while. Thank you for helping covering for me and Pierce when had to ditch the formation. Thanks to that, we managed to get Lola and Harliette out of that situation and we rescued a civilian, Pierce's sister in fact, that we had been searching quite some time for."
Renny looked downright content and at peace as he said this.
"Lola is a dear friend of mine, so it really means a lot to me that we got her back in particular."
"Yeah, I understand. People close to your heart are always worth ensuring fighting for, and making sure they're alright."

He then continued on.
"Normally I'd be happy when a battle ends successfully and quickly. A drawn out battle in the past normally meant that we're taking more punishment than we'd like, but I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy the last one... So maybe you'll like this next one that is coming up? I have some details to share with you about that. Apparently, it's taking place in a whole new world."
He glanced to see if he had perked her curiousity.

"It isn't necessarily the fun... well maybe part of it is. I just felt like I was on a bloody vacation and was watching a whole bunch of stuff happen. What's the point on going on a big mission if all I get to do is observe tactics. But tell me about this new world. I am interested in learning about new things, despite what I just said implies I don't."
"Hehe. Alright. You know the Kimonos right? And those Overhumans we fought in the previous mission? They hail from a place called the Hungry World where demons reside, not entirely surprising since most of the Kimonos are half-demons themselves. This different world is apparently connected by a gate found within the Corpsemire, a swampy location which Irene assures me is like Dagobah of the Star Wars movie, but with lots more corpses from the wars that Honmyr had."
"Yep, heard of them. So basically there's this whole new place out there, with a entire slew of demons who are just naturally better than everything else? What's the downside?"
Hyacinth smirked and finished the pretzel, looking about and taking a sip of the water cup she brought in and filled with the rain.

"Well, I dunno about naturally better, but we can expect them to be challenging. As for the twists. You know Aster? Lumineon pokebrid primarily. Despite not having any psychic type pokebrid forms, he's a powerful seer who has occasional flashes of pre-cognitive ability. Basically he can predict the future to some extent. I personally vouch on his reliability."
Renny stopped to gather his thoughts and provide dramatic pause.
"Anyhow, he claims that we'll be scattered somehow on arriving, but that we'll have a good chance of surviving if each of main Watchmen group leaders take 3 agents with them, one which must be an enforcer and one of which has to be a Kimono who can help guide them through the Hungry World through their experience. As for the other, any specialist you haven't already taken is permitted. No more or less. So basically, we're assuming that our group formation is going to be forced into much smaller chunks and that group resources will thus be restricted."
"So I'm assuming that we're just going with this particular setup, because he forsaw it as such? Is there a reason we can't just bust up heads of what attacks us? I mean if there's something that dangerous coming after us, then one of our groups is 100% hungry hungry hippo food, whichever it comes after. If we can't take it as a group how will a 'single' group handle it?"
Renny paused for a moment to gulp from his Mountain Dew before clarifying.
"Well, I'm just passing on the requirements as Irene sets them, whom I presume is basing it on his precognition. It might be a monster like you mentioned, but it might also be some sort of erratic weather condition or the like. Irene said that Aster believes there will be a total of two encounters per group. But otherwise, this is what he roughly determined to be the best method of success. Also, one of the biggest reasons we can't all bust in there is due to legal meddling. The Corpsemire is a heavily restricted zone, where the loadout of any given team must be approved by a lengthy permit that is approved by the president himself and presumably there is a maximum limit. The main reason we're doing this mission now and not some time ago was because the permits have just been recently completed. But of course, this means we can't just add more troops to prepare for the worst scenario either because we either reached our full size or because it would take too long to requisition new permits."
"Oh, so basically the safety permits are the biggest impediment towards us being safe? Why am I not even remotely surprised..."

Renny tried to reassure her.
"I can offer my advice on who you might want to take in your group like their recorded capabilities and what not. But ultimately, I'm leaving the final choice of your group up to you. Slayers might need to be careful about their weapon and armor selection since Daphne won't be coming to help switch them especially since she can't be at multiple places at once. You can still switch them, but it'll probably be more difficult to do in the heat of battle. Any questions at this point?"
Hyacinth gave a nod, refilling her cup once again.
"Oh, and do you want a drink? You seem like yours is mostly done with. As for my group..."
Renny interrupted as he looked pained to have forgotten to mention one last detail.
"I'm good, thanks. Too much energy as is. The mission is not set to start until after my party, so there is still just a little less than a week to reflect before choosing. In fact, we're getting some new recruits who will also be introduced at the party as well."
"Oh, so I'll meet the new group before making that decision, so I should think about it now."
Hyacinth folded her legs the other way and then rested them on the ground.

Renny nodded approvingly.
"Anyhow, on to the next thing. As you likely heard, I'm hosting a party on the 24th of August for my 18th birthday. I'm inviting as many of my friends at PATCA as I can, but which I mean to invite you too if you would be so inclined. From the looks of all the people who said they'd come, it looks like it'd be a pretty big one!"
"Aka, the whole business thing was pointless, and you're asking for me to come to this party. Well, who am I to refuse, I can only imagine it'll be a great time. What kind of party though is this, exactly? I know that everyone mentioned that it was very special for you and they've been anticipating it."
"Ah right, you're not quite from around here." Renny recalled.
"Well, for the business side of things, I just wanted to let you know it was coming and it would be something to think about when you're at the party. Maybe you might feel more inclined to choose someone in your team once you had the chance to talk with them. And at the party, you'll probably find everyone more or less in one place, which would make things easier."
"Definitely, and maybe I'll get to have a good workout with them and see who would be fit to keep up with me in the valley of death."
Hyacinth let out a small laugh, closing her eyes but full well aware as noticed by the dim glow on her eyelids.

He chuckled along for a second or two before he cleared his throat.
"As for why everyone has been waiting for it... Well, in Honmyr, legally a person is considered a full-fledged adult when they hit the age of 18. I joined PATCA about 2 years ago. For the first couple of missions, I wasn't always treated very seriously, although in retrospect, sometimes the stuff I did were kinda silly."
"Maybe you could tell me what some of the silly stuff you did was. Might help to know what is silly. Then again, being a whelp, that's probably a different kind of silly than I'm thinking I might cause."
With a shrug of her shoulders, Hyacinth stood up, looking out the window momentarily before sitting back down.
"I feel like we're being watched a little. You ever get that feeling?"
"Watched, you say?"
Renny peered around and so did his two pokemon that were out on the floor.
"Yeah, I get the feeling a lot of the time. Like somebody is just peering around the corner, waiting to snatch."
"Sorry Hyacinth, but I haven't noticed anything of the sort. Although I suppose I tend to be preoccupied with other things... PATCA is full of some pretty strong agents, especially ones like Irene."
His thoughts immediately settled on Sexy, the missing ruin generals and tenatively on the Pokegeddon.
"While I can imagine a few enemies with power on par with hers, there isn't really any I think can think of that would be willing to do that on top of dealing with all the other agents inside here."

Renny then settled back down on his seat after grabbing another drink, this time a lemonade. Hyacinth took the time to grab another snack from the hall nearby.
"Well, silliness... I kinda did some inappropriate hugging for a time and I had a very noisy panic attack. Although it was my first time seeing a zombie when I panicked. I was young...er and had the wrong impression about the job."
He quickly tried to power through that issue before Hyacinth went further into it, which was successful as she only gave a small laugh in response, noticing his unease.
"I'm trying my best to do what I can in PATCA, but obviously there will be people who look at my age and just think I'm incapable of doing anything without having my hands held the entire way. But when I become 18, I will technically become an adult and am allowed to do just about anything that an adult can legally do without outside reprecussions or without needing the consent of a legal guardian such as my parents."
He paused briefly as he said this.
"In some way, it's a silly thing. I'm already doing military tasks and even engaging in life and death combat. Chances are, there is no difference between me on August 23rd and the me of August 24th aside from the status that society assigns to me. But that's kinda how it is."

"So could you give me an idea of what kinds of things you couldn't do now that you could then? I mean, as you said you're already fighting in wars."
Renny paused for a moment, wondering if there was an answer that wouldn't be so personal to give.
"Well, owning my own living space is a large task for an adult to begin with. For a minor, it's forbidden, largely because it is a contract dealing with a very sizable amount of money, something of which is unlikely for a minor to be responsible for. I'm actually living in an apartment under someone else's name. I... had to do that because before I was living with my parents."
By this point Renny just went along with telling the story which was probably fairly common knowledge by now due to the rumor mill.
"At first they were fine with me working here. Partly because I was a trainer and thus my pokemon did most of the fighting while I stayed in the back. But then the Millenium House mission happened. I became the pokebrid you saw, got into my first up-close battle and nearly died as a result. Then we all nearly died when the place self-destructed. And then I got involved in a duel to fight Sexy, whom was more than a match for Irene and I was desperate just buying her time. The fact that our former Chief of PATCA Shevetson died during that very short time frame only added to their paranoia and fear once it all got revealed in public news. So they tried to remove me from PATCA, no, Honmyr all together. I didn't want to leave, but as a minor I wasn't allowed to make my own choices, nor could I living space to live by myself without the consent of my legal guardians. So what I did basically amounted to running away from them until I could be an adult and not be bound by those particular laws."
"I think that makes a kind of sense. And I completely understand that. Still, I feel like you followed your heart and did the right thing."
The woman gave an approving nod, finishing up the pretzel again and looking down at her hand fleetingly before turning up towards Renny once more.
"...Thank you."
There was a bit of silence but Renny continued on, more relaxed after Hyacinth's approval.

"That said, I haven't gone through all my reasons for the party. The new recruits of PATCA will be able to meet the rest of their co-workers under a more relaxed informal condition. I could also claim that we're celebrating the successful rescue of Myrie and of Pierce's sister Sam... And another... unfortunate side of things is, we should acknowledge the people we lost. We lost Charlotte in the last mission, Shevetson was assassinated and as far as anyone is concerned, each and every one of us is always one bad mission away from dying too."
Renny's expression became somber as he continued on.
"When I first joined, I was... naive... ignorant to how Honmyr truly was. Maybe I still am a bit, but back then I was horribly unprepared for what was going on. Frankly, if it wasn't for the good friends I have made at PATCA who went out of their way at times to help me, I would probably not be alive today or I might have even called it quits a while back."
Renny looked to the corner of his eyes for a moment, the hand not holding his drink emotionally tighten into a fist.
"So while the main purpose is celebrating my 18th birthday, we're ultimately trying to have everyone mingle, get together and try to enjoy life, our own and each others, while we still have it."

Hyacinth took a moment to consider a few things, giving off a smile. While she was glancing up at his fist she was otherwise preoccupied staring downwards.
"... yeah. ... But, you didn't. Now you're here, able to do a fantastic job, about to complete the final adultation rites. Don't worry about losing it though, we can't actually lose. We'll never lose. So we'll never lose anybody else."
She laughed a bit with her overwhelming confidence, but it sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as Renny.

Renny smirked a bit as she said 'adultation rites'. He drank for a little as he added another timbit that was a bit unprofessional, but probably would be useful info for someone not terribly used to human culture. That and the discussion had turned a little dark regarding the possibility of death and it would be a boon on both sides to lighten it up a bit. He mentioned it in a whisper of sort, hoping Hyacinth would get the idea that it's not meant to be spread around more than it may already have been.
"Although there is another thing about the... 'adultation rights'. Some of the ladies have... expressed their eagerness to see me turn 18, so there wouldn't be an legal issues of them pursuing myself in a romantic relationship, especially physically."
One corner of his mouth had a slight upward curve of a excitable grin.
"I admit that while I'm still nervous about handling the affections of multiple wonderful ladies such as them and trying to keep them happy, I'm also rather excited, even just knowing they have such affection for me and that I'll be able to share my feelings with them without any worries of the law getting anyone in trouble over it."
"Well, I don't think you should be that nervous about it. They love you, and want to do all kinds of exciting things with you. But whether you want to is ultimately your choice. It's your party after all."
She had something of a knowing grin, mood change of the topic not catching her off guard.
"Stuff like that I understand, crosses 'cultural boundaries', I'd say."
The Gallade nodded. "Well, it wouldn't just be the party, but yeah."

He then changed the direction of the topic.
"Anyhow, there will be plenty of food and drinks, live entertainment with opportunities for dances, plenty of people to mingle with. The party is held at the hotel I live in, so there is the opportunity to use the hotel's swimming pool, and for people who get really tired or drunk or want some privacy, there is the opportunity to rent a hotel room."
"What kinds of food and drink, and what kinds of entertainment?"
She laughed and ruffled Renny's head, standing up and moving her hand to the direction of the doorway.
"Like the snacks we've got here? Or something meatier and fuller? And other than the expected carnal 'mingling' you're talking about, what kinds of entertainment is there? I hope this isn't entirely for that purpose, I'm kind of out of place in that regard. But surely like any big gathering there'll be at least one kind of huge event, maybe dancing, maybe a fight, maybe just some sports."
Renny blushed the moment when she implied that the entire party might be for 'carnal mingling' considering that he was briefly an accidental witness to one such coupling during his previous party.
"For food, I expect lots of meat, pastry, ICE CREAM CAKE, fruits and veggies, that sort of thing. Aside from the swimming pool I mentioned, I'm hoping that our live entertainment will allow for some dancing. There is a park not far from the hotel if we really wanted some sports, but I haven't planned anything of the sort myself."

"Ice cream cake?"
Her ears perked up, and she tilted her head. "What... you seem excited about that, what is that kind of delicacy then?"
Hyacinth shrugged and looked out the window again, then sat back down, there was indeed a place somewhere in the city that had a sign of 'ice cream' on it, so this wasn't too rare. Renny seemed excited regardless.
"Have you tried normal ice cream before?"
Renny asked, since it would be difficult to explain the concept of an ice cream cake without experience of ice cream itself.
"Ice cream is a cold treat, basically cream or yogurt chilled to the point of hardening into a solid that is sold in a cone or cup and served in several different flavors or with added sweet toppings. It's very popular especially on warm days and especially the summer. They can also be made into drinks like Milkshakes, or served in layers with things like cookie bits and chocolate like a cake. Quite a few members in PATCA love it, especially Milsha.. and I'm a fan of it myself. For that matter, several other members of PATCA like Rachel, Lola have a fondness for sweets."

"I guess all I have to ask is why there's none of it here, or why it wasn't offered at the last party. It can't be that rare, if it's a cheap convenience."
Renny clarified.
"Well, there are a lot of different flavors and many people have some very specific tastes. They also need to be kept chilled until serving, otherwise they melt and be unsuitable for eating. Most places don't have the facilities to hold enough of a variety of flavors to serve everyone on an occasional basis in addition to holding onto other items that need to be kept cold. Normally there would be a store dedicated to having a large supply of lots of flavors fulltime, there would be certain special vending machines with specific selections have them in some common places, and the places that do have ice cream part time normally only have a very limited selection of ice cream flavors."
"Sounds normal enough, I'm gonna try this. Remembering that with Ice in the title it probably isn't something I should chomp directly into. Now could you explain the second part, cake?"
"Oh, ice cream is actually quite soft to bite into. But the key is to eat it somewhat slowly or you might get a head-ache that people call a Brain-Freeze that lasts a few moments. Many people lick their ice cream, especially when served on a cone instead of a cup or plate."
"I more meant that it was cold, not that it was hard to chew, but alright."

Then he went on briefly to explaining cakes.
"As for cakes... they are a traditional treat for a birthday. Normally they are made with layers of baked dough with frosting on it, although that's not the case for an ice cream cake. Basically on the cake will be a number of candles based on how long the person lived. In my case, 18 candles would be on the cake. Lots of superstitions regarding cakes like making a wish before blowing out the candles or another one where every candle that the person fails to blow out is the number of girls or guys who would end up being their romantic partner... A silly idea really, probably invented just to tease little children who thought the opposite gender had cooties and would avoid them. Pointless, but mostly harmless fun. I might have a few normal cakes in case someone doesn't like ice cream or can't handle it."
Renny thought for a moment.
"It wouldn't take long to go to an ice cream store. Would you like to go out and try some with me?"

"Sure, it'd be quite nice to try out. I'm a bit interested in what this tastes like. Also, I'll keep that in mind for whenever you actually blow out these candles."
Hyacinth gently walked to the window, staring for a moment and shaking her head.
"... nah, I'm too big for this window."

[Menarker]

Renny / Hyacinth Part 2

Renny got out from his seat and recalled his pokemon, leading onwards to just outside the building, he summoned Togekiss and got on, with the understanding that Hyacinth would follow him to the ice cream store. Specifically, the one where he believes Milsha goes to the most.

What Renny most definitely didn't expect was to see a battle unfolding inside the ice cream shop.
"Uh, what? What's going on?"
Renny clambored to see who or what was causing a disturbance.

A rather disturbing man with a large brown afro craned his face towards Renny. "This young rapscallion is trying to consume the last of the lunar cheesecake ice cream!"
The other warrior in the conflict who Renny recognized as Milsha, turned to face him.
"Nobody stands between me and my daily intake of dairy products!" she told Renny. "And I'm not about to let this disco freak rob me of my barest essentials."

Oh gawd. As Renny and Hyacinth saw it, the hilariously weird guy was using two muscular fighting Pokemon, a Hariyama and a Hitmonlee, both in sparkling white leotards. Milsha was using her signature Techsaber. They both seemed to be relatively good at fighting in such close quarters because aside from having two powerful Pokemon and a giant sword involves, they hadn't actually damaged the restaurant yet. Maybe the fight hadn't gotten to that part yet?

The two of them were arguing with each other again.
"You don't understand!" the afro guy was saying. "If I don't get this ice cream and take it back to my wife, she's going to kill me!"
"And you don't understand," Milsha shot back. "Daily. Dairy. Intake."

Renny looked at Hyacinth for a moment. "Hyacinth, you can go ahead and order something that isn't a Lunar Cheese icecream. You can ask for a few sample just so you know what the flavor is like..."

Renny mentally face-palmed at the thought he was going to get involved. "Milsha, does it have to specifically be lunar cheesecake for your intake? I could take you out to another ice cream store and buy you whatever you'd like."

"This is a woman's pride, Renny!" Milsha shouted defiantly. "And besides, this guy's a fruit! What makes you think he deserves to have what I want?"


Renny waved his hands in front defensively, trying to reassure her that he was trying to help both side. "I didn't Milsha. I was just trying to understand what is going on."
"Allow me to explain, you handsome lad, you," the man said. "The fact of the matter is that we told the kind young saleslady that we would like that flavor and were pointing at the lunar cheesecake ice cream at the exact same time."
"So I tried to flex my charms and asked him if he would allow a lady to partake," Milsha said.
The man looked away and was poking his fingers together. "And then I sort of offhandedly said that she has a long ago to go before she can refer to herself as a lady."

Milsha swung her sword dramatically. "And I took offense to that."

Renny said quietly to himself. "Ok, so it's NOT just the ice cream. For a moment, I feared that was becoming serious business."
Renny suddenly had both of their faces really close to his. "IT IS SERIOUS BUSINESS!!" two demonic voices violated his ears.

Meanwhile, Hyacinth just stares, standing a little back, tilting her head in confusion and half wondering if she should split the pair up.

Now they were facing each other again. "I will only ask you one more time, young ma'am," the man told Milsha. "Please allow me to purchase this ice cream for my wife at home."
"And I'm saying that this isn't even about ice cream anymore!" Milsha said, brandishing her massive blade. "Now I just wanna rip every chest hair right off of you!"

And before Renny could brace himself for the worst, another saleslady came out of the employee's room with a full tub of the ice cream in hand. The restaurant was now deathly silent. "I still wanna kick his ass," Milsha pouted. "But now it just feels like I'm being a bully."

Renny spoke up to the man. "Sir, now that the ice cream isn't a problem, I personally want you to apologize to my friend here. I imagine you would take offense if someone was to call your wife less than a proper woman. Your ill-spoken words brought this on."
Renny turned his torso a bit as he spoke, standing in between with arm-blade at ready.
"Even if you see someone as not meeting your particular set of standards, a true gentleman would have held his tongue."
"You make a good point," afro man said. "Sometimes I can get a little disrespectful whenever a woman professes to have any considerable charm. Then again, if you were to compare any woman to the radiant beauty of my wife, they would be about as appealing as three-week old meatloaf."

"That h's gawt t'be th'wawst apologeh Uh've e'er hurd," Milsha drawled. "It's s'pitiful th't I don't e'en wanna bleed 'im dry anymore."

Renny looked rather annoyed and pissed at him. Then he called out to the sale's lady.
"I would like to order that entire tub right there and the remainer of that one too." pointing to the lunar cheesecake ice cream in question.

He looked toward Pierre with a defiant expression. "You want some of this, you come outside with me. I would rather not involve anyone else in this. You seem very much ready to fight with your pokemon out and I rather no one else got accidently involved if it comes to that."

And that's how Renny and Pierre were about to have a good ol' street fight out in the middle of the road. Between Renny's good looks and Pierre's...uhhh...unique style, this fight drew quite a crowd. Milsha was leaning against a wall, licking ice cream.
"My name, it is Pierre Jean Barsalou," the man said. "And don't expect me to take it easy on you just because you're cute."


"Renny Tresserhorn. I couldn't care less about how you feel about my looks. Your blasted insensitivity is an offense to me and my companion here. You... might be able to have some of the ice cream, but until I feel you understand how to talk to other women without insulting them, I'm going to have the exact the same sort of tax on you that you implied you would have gotten if you came ice cream-less home to your wife."
"Hah, truely you overexaggerate your own potential, young lad, just like you overexaggerate the feminine charms of that country bumpkin or the woman you came with. And if you've ever laid your eyes on my wife, you would know that I'm not even embellishing her beauty or her brutality. Yes, my lovely Yvonne is the best!"

"Go ahead then. Call your wife here. I'll tell her what her husband has been doing to other women. I imagine she wouldn't be pleased to know her husband is a habitual bully, especially if she has ever been the sort to have recieved slanders from others."
Pierre dug his fingers into his afro in shock. "Oh god, that'd be even worse! No, I have to teach you a lesson about your own superiority complex right here before all the ice cream is gone! Hariyama! Hitmonlee! Time to style all their balls!"

Renny didn't expect it, judging from Pierre's extremely thin physique, but Pierre was a Slayer in his own right. Not only was Pierre's dance moves making it extremely difficult to land any kind of strike against him, but his legs were deceptively long. While taking on and defeating Pierre's Pokemon wasn't too difficult, Renny found that he was going to need a very serious Speed statistic just to land any considerable damage on the dancing fool.

Hyacinth noticed that this guy was doing a dance, and she stared at him a bit. He'd insulted all of them, herself included. If this person wasn't such an obvious fool, she might have taken offense. Maybe when his wife showed up, there'd be a discussion. Women seemed to be the more powerful half humans anyway, if the population of Patca was any indicator. "Go ahead Renny, whip his pokemon good. You're plenty strong enough."


Renny nodded. "Indeed. Milsha, you mind introducing Hyacinth to some ice cream? It's what I brought her here for. Also, Hyacinth, I dunno if your dragonite form might react to it due to its quad ice weakness, so if that happens, maybe switch to one of your other forms."
"Are you sure?" Milsha asked. "This is far more entertaining than ice cream at this point."
"I can try ice cream at any point, but go ahead and get it. And just cause the form's weak to ice never meant I can't take the cold."
"Meh, order it here and watch at the same time." Renny joked, feeling only a slight better that Milsha looked like she wasn't quite in as bad a mood as earlier. Maybe watching Renny beat up an obviously retarded guy was her bread and butter?

Renny had summoned Togekiss and Shaymin to the field and also had his arm blade out, although there was glowing blunt energy to the blade. To the more experienced fighters, they'd probably note that he was going for non-lethal damage.
Both pokemon took to the skies, sniping with either never-miss attacks, super effective 100% flinching Air Slashes or 'bombing' the place with AOE flower power thus making accuracy mostly moot even as Renny retricted their movements via super effective ranged Psycho Cuts.

Several rounds later, despite Pierre being a surprisingly difficult opponent, the flashy moron was finally brought to his knees in defeat.
"Huh?" Milsha said, looking at her ice cream cone. The last scoop has fallen off the cone.

...But that wasn't the only sign that trouble was coming...

It reminded Renny of the movie Jurassic Park when the water in the glass was rippling from the impacts of something large stepping on the ground. A nearby sewer lid popping off of its opening. His Pokemon were calling out in alarm. Various bird Pokemon shot up into the sky. Something big was coming. Something big...and angry...

The uhh...'woman' as Renny would describe was roughly eleven feet tall, with bronze skin and strawberry blonde hair. He had to admit that she could've been considered beautiful if you were into that kind of thing. Just how in the hell were there women like this one that even dwarfed Kurika and Heidi?

The woman called Yvonne came to a stop next to the beaten Pierre. Then she took one look at Renny and, without words, strolled off to the side. Holy shit, she just literally yanked a telephone pole right out of the sidewalk!! "I will break you," Yvonne said, assuming a battle stance.

BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTztIkoNqbU

Renny's observances of Yvonne made him certain that he was dealing with a Destroyer. An eleven-foot tall woman and who the hell knows where she got clothes to fit her muscular frame brandishing a fucking telephone poll complete with snapped-off wires.

"You got interesting tastes, Pierre." Renny said with a brave front, although the situation looked significantly larger than he'd probably could handle.
"Alrighty, already!" Milsha said, negligently tossing aside her empty cone and hopping into the fray. "This would be about the largest steer I've ever tried to tame, but I couldn't call myself a real farmgirl if I ignored something like this."
Hyacinth simply smiled, looking up at her and tilted her head. She seemed completely unphased by the size of her, and almost appeared eager. Though she wouldn't do anything, this was still Renny's fight.
"... You're large."

"Enjoying your ice cream over there, Hyacinth?" Renny thought of some way to at least put a pause to this fight. "Yeah, just let me know if she's a bit much for you. Your business, unless she picks a fight with me personally."
"Your name is Yvonne, right? I got this tub of what Pierre assured me was the ice cream you wanted. I'll give the two of you the tub if you stop for a bit and listen to what I have to say. But I'm not afraid to dump it!"
He readied himself to teleport away if she swung the oversized weapon.

"I will deal with my husband in due time, but I will deal with you now, young man," Yvonne said, and down came the gauntlet. Renny managed to teleport out of range, but was nonetheless surprised at how fast and accurate those heavy, wild swings could be. It was like Yvonne had practiced swinging telephone poles for a long time, and how the hell would that work?

Yvonne also surprised him with her ability to inflict some grievous area assaults and could even offer up some aerial denial attacks. Togekiss very nearly dodged a pickup truck to the face.

"Both of you, return!" Renny recalled the two fragile pokemon and decided to switch to some of the more defensive ones. Swampert and Umbreon came out, while Renny tried to levitate Yvonne off the ground with Levitate to restrict her movements.

Yvonne took a lot of effort to lift, and unfortunately she was still dangerous from the air. This would be the first time Renny had ever seen a telephone pole being used like a javelin. Then Yvonne reached down and slammed her fingers into the road, pulling herself to the ground, then swinging towards Renny.

"Milsha, if you got any particular plans for taming this 'steer', go ahead! I'll support you any way I can!"
"Did you try jiggling the handle?"

Not funny, Milsha!

"I think we're just going to have to go for major damage, Renny," Milsha shrugged. "Treat this like fighting a Madsoldier, because I hear they don't have any obvious constraints in their fighting, either."

Renny nodded. Anyone looking at his arm blade would probably be curious about the unusual shine that his arm took ever since Milsha joined the fight.
"I'll focus on using plain slash attacks. They will be more powerful and accurate with you fighting with me! Come at her from behind, ok? I want you in one piece! Swampert, you cover Umbreon! Umbreon, you know that Foul Play move? She's a perfect target for it."

Umbreon glanced at Yvonne frankly hulkish appearance and chortled at what could be seen as a stealth insult if you stretched it far enough. The rabbit-cat pokemon then used its nimble and smaller form along with using Swampert's much larger and tankier body as cover to avoid direct attacks, while aggressively dealing damage that packed an incredible punch compared to its small size. Renny's astral flavored slashes bit into her skin combined with the capability to by-pass her reach to engage in ultra-close combat with teleport. Silently, he also kept in mind that if Yvonne ever tried to switch her focus from himself to Milsha, he could use Ally Switch to make one take the place of the other.

Hyacinth took a taste test of the ice cream, and then a few more. This was quite delicious stuff, and despite being in the side lines she had a bit of a loud proclamation.
"Sorry if I'm interrupting your play date or anything, I know tussling is always a good time. Just remember that you're supposed to help me find some cake after tossing her into the drink. Don't want the rest of the tasty things to slip your mind."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, but we could probably use your help here if you feel like it." He swung his arm in an sideward cut around Yvonne's leg.

"You want help? Don't you want a good fight on your own... well I guess your pokemon are already helping."
Hyacinth shrugs a bit, stretching wings out and yawning a great yawn.

"Well, lots of people fight for pleasure..." Renny grunted as he tried to dodge or block attacks with the occasional Protect. "But lots of people don't really feel any joy in battles. They tend to avoid it barring matters of great importance. I'm one of those latter ones. I'll see what I can do about the cake thing afterwards."

"Pity. Fighting for sport and thrill is one of the highest pleasures. Like this stuff." Hyacinth licked her finger clean of the cream. "It's not even like this is a real fight. If you truly find no pleasure in it, I could certainly take your place. But it does seem like she wants to fight you specifically."

"Well, that's because she's trying to beat me bloody for harming her husband, even though I was using attacks that could not possibly deal lethal damage! I can empathize about what where she's coming from, but she doesn't know what had been going on and it doesn't look like she will care to know! Or at least I imagine she won't want to listen to anything that comes from me or anyone close to me."

"Oh, I just figured that whipping the whipping boy over there meant you were worthy to challenge her, or something. I don't know." She shrugged, laughing a bit and checking to see if the afro man was still conscious to do anything.

So this was what fighting a Madsoldier was like, eh? Renny and his Pokemon and Milsha were easily dealing serious damage, but it was like Yvonne had the ability to completely ignore agony and suffering. Was she some kind of machine?

"Hold it," Yvonne said suddenly, holding up her free hand and stopping the fight completely. And then came the facepalm moment of all facepalm moments. "Where are we?"

Milsha pointed towards the ice cream shop with the tip of her sword. Yvonne looked, and then let out a really long sigh. "Darling husband, I believe I already told you about that other ice cream shop that was closer to our house. I swear, you can be so stupid sometimes. I came running because I sensed you were getting beaten up again, but now I have a feeling that I do not understand the entire situation."

Yvonne turned to Renny. "Young man, I must apologize terribly but you please explain this situation to me?"

Renny rubbed his arms, feeling quite bruised. "How about we all have a seat while I tell you what has been going on. I think that tub of ice cream has your favorite flavor if what Pierre said is true."

After they had gotten seated (Renny taking a seat away from the wall in case any tables got flipped), the Gallade started the story

"I came in the middle of the conflict, but from what your husband Pierre and my friend Milsha has said and agreed on, the argument first started when they both tried to claim dibs over the last bit of this ice cream flavor here, Pierre saying it was for you. Apparently Milsha tried to be charming about it but Pierre offended her by saying that she wasn't anything close to being a proper lady. As a result she said he offended her pride as a woman so much that the ice cream didn't matter as much and they almost started a fight inside this store, blade and pokeballs at ready."

He took his time explaining it, letting it all sink in and letting them enjoy some of the ice cream.

"It was at that point that I arrived and they both explained what was going on. The saleslady found another tub of this ice cream and Milsha decided that while she was still angry she didn't want to fight anymore now that there was enough ice cream for everyone. I then requested that since Pierre was getting the ice cream like he wanted, that he should apologize-"
"Don't worry, sweetie pumpkin, I think I get it now," Yvonne said, then turned to Pierre, and he could tell that he was in trouble. "Darling husband, I understand why you acted...or rather, overreacted the way that you did, but you could at least not insult women the way that you did? I know that you love me with all of your heart and would gladly do everything you can to keep a smile on my face, but I would recommend that you don't cause trouble for others in the pursuit of that goal. Now if you understand, I'd like you to go home while I sort everything out."

And Pierre dutifully went home after apologizing and even paying for their ice cream himself while Yvonne fixed up everything that she broke with surprising ease. It was almost like she didn't rip a telephone pole out of the sidewalk at all!
"They didn't stay long, did they?" Milsha observed to the others. "You'd almost think we were having some temporary group hallucination."

Hyacinth shrugged and shook her head. "Not nearly that short of a while. Besides, I can still see the place she ripped that pole out of."
"That'd be true, there," Milsha slipped back into her folksy drawl. "Ah can't b'lieve the' e'en make wurmen that big. Musta been ah high proteen d'et."

Renny chuckled. "Must have been! ... Thanks for helping me out there Milsha. I don't think I could have handled it alone."
"I was gonna jump in, cause you asked. But then she stopped. So funs lost I guess. Ah well, there's always more."
Renny was still amazed by the logic that Hyacinth lived by.
"Anyhow, Milsha, I was wondering... will you be my partner for the next mission? I'm sure that the two of us can keep each other safe."
"You're the boss," Milsha shrugged. "Next up is hell, huh? And I always tried to be a really good girl."
"Hehe, I know!" He hugged her for a bit. "You're a really good girl. Well, if Kirie is any indicitation, Heaven might not be that much better."
"Yes, but I always thought that Heaven was a single place and Hell was, too. Seems like there are numerous heavens and hells just lying in wait for wherever our souls end up after death. I kind of hope I end up in a heaven that's just like my farmland. If I'm not working really hard every day, I just don't feel right."
"Well is the place we're going to just called hell or are we going into some literal formation of the afterlife? Just remember with all your dreams of being in the afterlife, there's a good chance that you won't be in any shape or form to recognize it."
"The place is called the Hungry World. It's not Hell, although apparently it probably took chunks out of places that look like or might even be Hell and adapted itself in that regards. Anyhow, I'm too busy in this world for anyone to think I can call it quits and lay myself down to eternal rest."
"It is certain to be an experience unlike any you could possibly have throughout the entire Pokemon World," Milsha added. "So I'm actually really excited Renny chose me to go with him. Hell, when we get home, he can ask me to do anything he wants in exchange for this experience."

Renny blushed as she said this, trying to hide it behind his cup of ice cream, although it was a pleasant feeling. Hyacinth had a small smile knowing pretty well that the comment was more Milsha's way of trying to get further in with Renny rather than actually doing a strict favor.
"So... Hyacinth wanted some cake. Does this place sell it here? Or shall we check out one that does?"
"Well, if an ice cream store sells ice cream, it usually sells ice cream cake," Milsha pointed towards a few display cases. "And only ice cream cake. If it doesn't incorporate ice cream directly, they probably don't have it, then."

"You want to try that Hyacinth? Since that is going to be at the party."
"Well, I was wondering what cake was like, since the way you said it made it sound like cakes weren't inherently made of ice cream. But while we're here sure, ice cream cake it is."

"You're right about that, but yeah, it's worth trying! Milsha, you will join us?" He started to pull out his wallet and heading inside to find a smaller one that would be suitable for 3 people to eat in one sitting.
Hyacinth went along with them, taking a glance back at the ice cream store and wondering what kinds of ice cream the cake would be made of.

Renny selected one with a top and outer layer of vanilla ice cream with frosting and whipped cream, a thin layer of chocolate fudge on top of a layer of Oreo cookie crumbles with a bottom layer of chocolate ice cream just below that.
"Now this tastes truly delicious, you know." She ate way slower than expected, but ate all the same.
Renny nodded eagerly as he bit into the ice cream and cookie chunks with delight.
Milsha spent her time alternating between scarfing ice cream like a madwoman and grasping at her aching head because she was scarfing ice cream like a madwoman. Some might describe this as really cute, but one had to wonder if she was even tasting the stuff before swallowing it down.

"Well, I gotta get back to work. I wasn't expecting this short trip to lead to such a drama. I'll see the two of you later!" With the unspoken comment that in Hyacinth's case, he might see her next at the party.

---------- Post added at 03:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:11 PM ----------

Renny/Pierce

Back at PATCA, Renny was walking down PATCA's halls, about to head on home when he saw Pierce. He then ran with a bit of haste so as to not lose sight of him.

"Pierce! Hold up!"

The pokebrid ran until he was about a meter and a half away when he slowed down.
"I don't know if Irene told you, but I'm hosting my birthday party not long from now, and I wanted to make sure you got the invitation!"
Pierce turned, eyeing Renny curiously.
"Oh, yes, I heard. Thanks for the invite." He said, somewhat absent-mindedly.

"Also, I had heard that you were nominated for leadership of the Watchmen!?"
He looked suitably impressed and his voice had a sort of congradulatory air. Irene's conversation with several of PATCA's members left fertile ground for the rumor mill to sprout seeds of rumors.

"Yeah, that happened. Thanks for that too." Pierce replied with a small smile.
"Not a problem. Do you have any plans or thoughts about how you might proceed with it?"
"I think I'll probably accept."
Renny clarified, "Oh, I didn't mean like that. I meant like how you'd run things, or the approach you'd take. You know, the sort of direction you'd intend to help lead PATCA down."
"Oh. I... don't really know. I thought I'd play it by ear, try to keep everyone alive."
There was a bit of nodding on Renny's end.
"I can understand that. I try to do whatever I foreseeably can to help ensure that we are sufficently prepared for whatever we might encounter. So we can all go home safely. But it might be different in both our cases. Your job is different so the way you can help is probably going to be different to. That's why I was wondering if you had thought of something."

Renny thought for a moment as he tried to explain what he was thinking in less ambigious terms.
"Ah, for me, I'm kinda like a manager. It's my role to micro-manage the several small details that allow for success, to give them the tools they need to do the job. I have to assume that something could go wrong and work things around so we can address it! But in your case, you don't need to neccessarily deal with all that! You're surrounded by so many talented people who generally know what they are doing and can do great things if they can feel confident that they can succeed and that it's worth doing. Of course, that partly depends on you."

He paused for a moment to catch his breath.

"I mean, if you, as the leader, is doubtful that the group can win, then what they going to feel about their own chances of success? I don't know if that is how you might want to lead, but I guess it's a possibility. If you knew enough about those working under you, and of your own talents, to reliably know the group's chances of success so you know when to fight and when to fold, then we'd have less risks of running away from fights that we can win, or from rushing into fights that we can't reliably win. So... honing judgement calls and confidence, I guess?"
Renny shrugged, hoping if what he said would help things any bit.
"But Pierce, I'll try to help you as best as I am able. You have my support. "
Pierce sighed and smiled again, somewhat amused. "Yeah, that sounds like the gist of it. Thanks for the support, Renny. It means a lot."

"Anytime. Have you heard the details of the next mission? Or of the fact we're getting some new recruits?"
"Heard both. Kinda hard to plan for the Hungry World, but I'm trying."
Renny nodded. "It is. That said, the recruits are also being invited to the party, so there is the opportunity to talk with them if you wish to. Or at least just being able to break the ice with them."
"Mm, yeah, I probably will."
"It's going to be a big one." Renny looked excited.
"It's at the hotel I live at, owned by the Veldyne corporation. Fancy place. Lots of food, access to the swimming pool, dancing. I even bought a fog machine!"
"... The hell do you need a fog machine for?"
Renny looked a little sheepish.
"Atmosphere I suppose. After the party is over, it can be used for combat simulations to imitate Fog of War scenarios, so I was able to buy it with PATCA funds. Very practical thing and not that expensive for the purpose."
"Atmosphere? What, are you trying to make a porn set- oh I forgot who I'm talking to."

If this was a manga, Pierce's words would have struck like arrows painfully in the panels, as Renny flinched from the remark.
"Well, I'm trying to make the party exciting and memorable. Especially to take everyone's minds off the past week. We did lose Charlotte after all. I admit, I didn't particularlly care for her attitude, but I didn't want to see her go like that. Plus it was the first time anyone went MIA or possibly dead as a direct result of a mission. Shevetson may have been the first to die since the Watchmen came, but his was a result of a seperate assault on HQ while we were gone elsewhere."
"Well, there was that thing with Rayleen and her butler, but I guess you're right."
"So yeah, while we're all still alive, it's best to enjoy one's life with the people you're most fond with. And since I'm inviting pretty much everyone in PATCA, I have to make some attempt at being a good host, keeping them in high spirits."
"I suppose so, though don't forget to have fun at your own party."
"Thank you, I imagine I will. Most of the hard work is just the preparations beforehand. During the party, I can relax while the hotel staff takes care of everything else."

Renny paused for a moment as he explored his mind, trying to think of whether there was anything else to mention.

"... Out of curiousity, has Sam been alright since that mission? It took us a long time trying to find her after all."

"... No." And Pierce's tone made it clear that Renny should leave it at that.
"I'm sorry. But if you want to invite her to the party for any reason, feel free to do so."
"I doubt she'll be out of the hospital by then, but thanks anyway."
Renny nodded. "I wish her the best of health. Thank you for helping me get back Lola and Harliette back then too."
"Yeah, of course. Sam was there too."

Renny nodded understandably, still thankful even if Pierce has his own reasons for doing so.
"Well, I should probably be going. Thank you for sparing the time to talk with me. I'll see you at the party for certain."
"Yeah, good luck with the party stuff."

[Menarker]

Scene in Ray's office.

There was a short sharp rap on the office door leading to Impact's office, mere days away before the party and several weeks before the scheduled Corpsemire and Hungry World run.

"Do you have a moment to spare? It's Renny. I'd like to confirm some details about this memo I received."
Ray looked up from the order form he'd been proofing and signing, mouth ever so slightly downturned at the latest price hike. It really was true what they said about military pricing. Ten times the cost for the same quality. Thank god Irene had connections.
"Memo? Oh, regarding Myrie. What about her?" He motioned for Renny to take a seat and leaned back in his own chair.

"Well, I was wondering what position was Myrie intended to fill. Also, I wasn't expecting that she'd be cleared for combat duty so soon after we retrieved her from Moeni."

Ray thought for a moment
"As I understand, she has an instinctive understanding of her own capabilities, not at all unlike that of pokebrids. I know there's certain ethical concerns about using a child in combat, but her abilities, combined with her armor make her more suited to combat than many adults, at least physically. Mentally, I'm of the firm belief that Myrie can handle the stress of a combat situation, and that she's trustworthy, at least at the moment. She'll be an assets, and we need all the asets we can get, right now."
He tilted his head very slightly. "Do you have a different assessment?"

"Not strictly so. I get the fact she's a pokebrid and slayer. That much she has told me herself. I was more wondering about the aftereffects of the Shadow typing on her due to Faynoc's experimentations, even if we assumed that Moeni did nothing to her during the time the two were together. Also, she was saying that Nosferasu was responsible back then. Saying that he wanted her to work with Irene and all that. Given that we're heading to the Corpsemire to learn more about him, I was wondering if putting her into action before learning more about his influence and what it has to do with Myrie is, I guess, the more prudent option." Renny clearly was going with the 'discretion being the better part of valor' notion.

Ray drummed his fingers on the table, suddenly strangely tense.
"Nosferatu is... not, at this point in time, our enemy." He said slowly, deliberately. "Myrie is his agent, at least in part. But I do not think it's against our interests to employ her. You can consider it a gesture of goodwill, on both sides. We employ his agent, he gives us manpower. It's mutually beneficial, rest assured."

"But why do you trust him though? You say that Myrie is his agent, but how did she contact him in the first place? Is her being an agent of his even true? I thought she was stuck with Faynoc and Moeni this entire time when Faynoc kidnapped her in the first place? And now despite him being situated in the Corpsemire, she knows his intentions? I mean, it might be possible that "Rulag" is involved in some way, especially given how silently and suddenly it was able to leave the last time. Have you found out more about it?"

Ray shook his head. "Rulag has been a non-issue, thus far. As for Nosferatu's intentions, I never said I trusted him. I do trust Myrie as his agent. And so does Irene. I'm going to ask you to rely on our judgement when I say no harm will come of this. From a purely practical standpoint, having her on our side will be extremely helpful in getting through the corpsemire later. Besides, considering all the riff-raff we've picked up so far, Myrie's really not a stretch."
This was said with a smile. "Was there anything else?"

"Getting through the corpsemire? Was she ever actually there? Or do you just mean from a combat stand-point, in which case there might be better choices available?" He paused for a moment and then dismissed his earlier question. "Although it would probably be best to bring her along when we go talk with her all the same."

He then asked something else completely unrelated.
"I'm not sure if anyone directly passed the memo to you, but I'm hosting a party a few days from now. If anyone else hasn't already, I'm inviting you if you want to come."
Ray's eyes lit up. "Oh? What an occasion. I wonder if you'll be able to top last time. I'd be happy to attend. And speaking of invitations..."
He scooted back from his desk and reached into a drawer, pulling out an envelope. "I have... an invitation of my own for you."

Renny's eyes were wide in mild surprise and somewhat mild confusion. "Oh? What's the occasion for this, Ray?"

The invitation was hand-written in cursive, on beige parchment with gold borders. Ray had clearly put in effort.

Ray Green
hereby cordially invites
Renny Tresserhorn
to
Stop beating up former criminals
on
A public street
in
Broad daylight

Ray paused for a moment to let Renny digest it, then sighed. "There was absolutely no need for that, and you were lucky there weren't any cameras around. Next time, please just let him have the ice cream."

Renny stared at the paper, feeling fairly indiginant, justified even, but remarked with a simple "I see. I'll keep that in mind."

Ray nodded. "Please do. You're supposed to be one of the nice ones."

"I'd say there was much more to the situation than what is apparent, but I know I overstepped my boundaries even then. I personally still think the situation warranted it at the time. Now he seems to be actually remorseful about it. I don't think he'll pick any more fights with anyone else."

Ray drummed his fingers again. "There's actually a very concise list of situations that warrant you using your police training on a civillian. In self defense, to prevent a crime, or for their own good. This was not the first, as you were in no danger from him. It was not the second. And I very much doubt it was the third."

"It was the second and eventually the third. He was going to start a fight inside the store against a slayer with himself and his pokemon inside a tiny ice cream shack with people crowded all around him. I gave him the opportunity to stop, but he was very much spoiling for a fight , so I move it to a spacious location where no one else would have been caught up in it. After his wife got involved, whom he had tried to hide his guilt from, he formally expressed his regret and actually tried to make amends. Something he wouldn't have done outside of this situation. I did have personal reasons as well, but it was volitile before I got there in the first place. In fact, it might have been worse if anyone other than us did it since his wife was easy to anger and had power on par with a Destroyer."

"From what I hear, it was you who intiated the battle." Renny nodded. Ray's eyes were a bit more dangerous now.
"I talked to the Saleslady" He added by way of explanation. "You broke up a fight when you got there, and that was good. What was completely unnecessary was your insistence that the fight continue outside because Pierre refused to apologize to Milsha. He was spoiling for a fight, maybe, but you're the one who forced the issue. The fact that he tried to save face before his wife doesn't change the fact."

"Really? I thought it would show that he knew that he behaved wrongly in some level."

"Oh, he was in the wrong to insult Milsha, certainly. But you were much more so when you provoked him to combat. I'm aware you feel protective of certain female agents, but that hardly excuses police brutality."

"I wasn't acting as a police then. But I know what you mean."

"You said Pierre seemed remorseful and wouldn't pick any more fights from then on. That's good. I want to see the same from you. Or, if not, then the next time you bully someone, don't let me find out about it. Because if I can, then the press can."

"I understand. I'll try to have more restraint in the future."

Ray nodded. "I'll trust you to. You may go, unless there was anything else."

"No, there isn't. You have a good day." Renny held his hand up in a short wave before he turned for the door.

[Menarker]

*Posted on Drac's behalf*

Liz's Adventures!

Rio and Kiyomi

Elizabeth found Rio and Kiyomi just exitting a love hotel out near the red light district. Rio looked extremely satisfied while Kiyomi was leaning on Rio for support. Apparently her legs no longer worked the way they were supposed to.

"Oh dammit, I'm too late!" Liz bemoaned, an amused smile on her face, placing her hands on her hips as she faced the two women.
"Eh, Yomi here seizes up like a statue whenever I try to involve more people," Rio sighed. "And then it's like trying to hump a giant ice block. A sexy ice block, mind you, but an ice block nonetheless."
"Riooooooo, people are staring at us," Kiyomi whimpered.
"Uhh...yeah, Kiyomi, that tends to happen when two women exit a love hotel in the middle of the day," Rio said impatiently.
Liz sighed, still smiling. "Well, I wouldn't mind melting that ice with a few licks... but maybe we can talk business first."
Rio looked left and right quickly, then leaned in close. "Alright, it's $30 an hour. $50 if you want it to be weird..."
"... What's the price if I want it to be really weird?"
"Now that, my friend, is free," Rio laughed. "Anyways, I'm sure you're talking about a business proposition of a more professional nature? What'cha be needin'?"
"Well, how much did you two enjoy the photoshoot at the beach?"
Rio glanced at Kiyomi. "Well, I was kinda disappointed. I don't think there were enough guys eye-humping me, but then again, it was a reserved stretch of beach. If this is about something better, I'll be all over it."
She then squeezed Kiyomi's shoulder tightly. "Her too, of course. I think it'd be a good learning experience."
"Hm, I'll speak to the director, then. But yes, I worked out a deal with him. Us PATCA girls are really popular these days, you know? So if you'd like to make some money on the side, or just make a hot pose while getting your picture taken, he'll tell me about some jobs, which I'll offer to you, and you can accept what you want. That's the idea for this little business, just some part-time modeling gigs."
Rio definitely seemed interested. "Do we start now? She can't walk right now but I can carry her to wherever you want."
"Well, nothing high profile yet, because I wanted to check on your interest first. I do, however, have a small job available. A 'private' shoot in a hotel room or my apartment, involving the three of us and some whipped cream." She added with a wink.
"What do you think about that, Yomi-chan?" Rio asked Kiyomi.
"Urgh," Kiyomi managed to say. "It's not like I have a choice, do I?"
"That's my girl," Rio approved, then pulled Kiyomi onto her back to carry her.
"Good thing there's a place nearby..." Liz chuckled as she helped Rio carry Kiyomi back into the love hotel.

----------------------------------------

Lola, Whitney, Milsha and Catherine

For once, Liz wasn't knocking on Renny's apartment door in order to flirt with Renny. Well, she'd still do that, but it wasn't her primary concern this time.
Milsha answered the door. "If'n yer lukin' t'flurt w'Renneh, 'e ain't here toduh," Milsha told Elizabeth is her classic drawl.
"Oh, Miss Liz is here?" Catherine's voice was heard from the living room. "Let her in, Milsha. Might be some fun on the horizon today."

Catherine explained the current situation of the house with Elizabeth. "I'll go and talk to Lola about whatever you might be interested in," Catherine promised. "It'd do her some good to get out of that damn hospital."

"Hm, shame Renny isn't here. I'm not actually here for him, but seeing him's always a nice bonus." Liz remarked as she was let inside.

"Ah, right, of course Lola's in the hospital with her sister... well, I was hoping to talk to all of you guys about a business proposition. Is Whitney here?"
"Nope, not her either," Catherine apologizes as she grabbed another beer. "Maybe she's stalking Renny. Or just getting some fresh air. Can't really tell what that girl's thinking."

"Well-"
"Ri!" Unexpectedly, Riolu sprinted in throught the front door before it was closed and leapt straight for Catherine's chest.
Liz giggled, rolling her eyes in amusement. "Right... so I worked something out with the direction of the photoshoot at the beach. PATCA girls are really popular with the public, so I thought we could capitalize. Basically, if you'd like to do some part-time modeling and make a few extra bucks, I'm your girl."
Milsha blinked and looked at Catherine. "Have we gotten popular?"
"Sure fuckin' have," Catherine said, draining half the can. "It's uncanny, but these days PATCA has the finest ass you could ever hunt throughout all of Honmyr."
"Exactly, we'll be selling like wildfire. I can already imagine you adveritising doggie food with Riolu nestled in your bosoms, Catherine." Liz suggested, and Riolu yipped his approval, snuggling into Catherine's chest.
"Well, if Riolu approves, I'd be dumb to not go through with it," Catherine said, then looked thoughtful. "And maybe there can be a Riolu costume for me. Not a stuffed animal costume, more like a bunny girl thing...except in Riolu form."
"I would probably be best for modeling farm equipment," Milsha offered. "I've actually sort of done that before, but it was for free. Couldn't hurt to actually make some money off of it this time. Maybe I can buy some nice things. I always wanted to wear a pretty dress."
Liz clapped her hands happily. "Good to know. If you two can talk to Lola and Whitney for me, that'll be great. Thanks for signing up."


---------------------

Jeanette

Elizabeth found Jeanette where she usually finds Jeanette; in her cold, unfeeling and spacious office, looking over data. She had been spending nearly all of her time since the Millenium House nonsense, going through Faynoc's documents.

"Ah, Professor Ricewood? Got a minute?"
"This is unusual," Jeanette said as turned around in her rotating chair. "But anything, Miss Irons. Please. I'd do just about anything to break up the monotony of data research. Would you like some coffee? I think the pot's only a few minutes old."
"Coffee would be excellent, thank you." Liz replied pleasantly. "I actually came about a business proposition, Professor. Though I do know... other ways to break up monotony." She winked.
Jeanette fixed Elizabeth a mug and sat down. "I have to wonder. Was it you who made Pierce as perverse as he is or the other way around?"
"I'd say we were like birds of a feather."
"Then I imagine one day that you and him will team up to sexually conquer the entire world," Jeanette said jokingly but then her expression... "So, anyways, a business proposition, is it? Some kind of colaboration between Ricewood Masterworks and Ironworks or something far more intimate?"
"Oh... somewhere inbetween. You know I'm not with Ironworks anymore, Professor, though I wouldn't mind working together on a project with you. Or getting 'intimate'. But right now, I'm talking about you, nibbling the rim of your glasses thoughtfully, dressed in naught but your labcoat, studying a vial of love potion."

After a moment, Liz grinned. "I'm talking about a part-time modeling business I'm starting for us PATCA girls. We're very popular, Professor. You especially."
Jeanette removed her glasses to clean them. "Well, it doesn't sound like something that could explode in my face," she said thoughtfully. "If it gets me away from Professor Faynoc's mad experiments, then it really couldn't be a bad thing. I just hope my daughter doesn't get joked at for her mother doing some modeling. Or maybe it'll make her popular? She really does look like me when I was her age. Oh well. Yes, I think I'll take you up on your offer."

Jeanette paused. "Should I uhhh...spread your offer to others? I think both Darcelle and Karin would jump at such an opportunity as well."

Liz grinnned. "Of course. If you know anyone else who would be interested, I'd appreciate it. Though... you're okay with Darcelle modeling?"
"It's not like I'm her mother or anything, even if she is a clone of me," Jeanette said. "Besides, she already seems to be displaying frightening intelligence. I still don't have a clue how Faynoc made her, but I'd swear sometimes she's even smarter than myself."
"Well, okay then. I'm not too busy right now, so if you don't mind spreading something else, I can make your day more exciting for the next hour." Liz grinned.
Jeanette sighed, then set her glasses on the nearby table. "Alright, but try not to brag to Pierce about this. I imagine he'll demand more out of me."
"I promise nothing."

-------------------------

Irene

"So Irene, how'd you like to have some fun by doing some part-time modeling?"
"Yes," Irene said with no hesitation.
"Wanna have sex?"
"Hang on, lemme ask Pierce," Irene said, then checked under the desk.

And that, as they say, is that.

--------------------------------------

Eevee girls: Evangeleen, Shannon and Alphonsine

"Modeling, eh?" Shannon frowned. Elizabeth had found the three girls relaxing at an outdoor cafe. "I think I'd like to try it. It would certainly give me a competitive edge over Mirror and Cecilia."
"Ey, if I can make some scratch off of this, I ain't got no problems," Evangeleen shrugged. "But I can't imagine you'd make much off of me, or convince Alphonsine here. I mean, have you checked my webpage? My ass is all over the place. I don't even wanna talk about the videos I made of Mardi Gras. And Alphonsine has a professional modeling career with professional people setting up professional photoshoots. Couldn't it, like, hurt her reputation?"
"It could, but I think I'd like to try this anyways," Alphonsine butted in. "I've been having some...'friction' with my staff. And pictures of the us girls might in some way soften the opinions of any PATCA naysayers."
"That's a weird way to put it," Shannon chuckled. "It's like saying 'you can hate us all you want but you'll still be touching yourself inappropriately to our photobooks every night.'"

Elizabeth also noted that the three girls preferred to pose with their Pokemon.

"Don't worry, Alphonsine, we'll do our best not to hinder your reputation, and yes, you'd be doing these shoots as officially one of the women of PATCA."
Liz turned to Evangeleen. "And I'm sure we can find something new and exciting for you, Evangeleen." She smirked, rubbing the electric trainer's ankles under the table with her feet.
"Heh heh heh," Evangaleen laughed. "Y'know what? Maybe you should ask Angelo. I bet if he turned away from the camera, you wouldn't even tell he was really a guy."
"I think he's really trying hard just to get over that image," Shannon said. "Back in those days when he was the vocalist of that one band. What was its name?"
"Slash Fiction," Evangaleen said. "An all-boy rock band that decided their name when yaoi fanatics were already cranking out horrible fanfics about them. I have all their CDs. And posters."
"... Can I borrow them?"
Evangaleen nodded. "Well, it's all up on the internet, but sure, go apeshit."
"Well then, thanks for signing up, ladies. Evangeleen, did you want me to stop feeling you up under the table?" Liz smirked.
Both of the other girls looked at Evangaleen and Elizabeth. Evangaleen leaned on her hands. "Under the table, yes."
"I like how you think."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Kimonos: Shizuka, Chizuru, Tsubasa, Takano and Kyrie

Elizabeth found the Kimonos either dutifully training or dutifully lazing about their mostly finished dojo. What's important is that it was all dutiful.

"Hello?" She asked, knocking.
Tsubasa was the first to greet her while the other Kimonos seemed perfectly happy to mind their own dutiful business. "Ah, Irons-san. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Hello Tsubasa.-san Do you mind if I come in? There was something I wanted to discuss with all of you."
"Of course. I shall gather the others."

Ten seconds ago, they were gathered. So much for their duty. Chizuru basically had a large and varied lunch platter prepared for all of them.
"The freak scientist is here?" Kirie asked out loud. "Whatever she wants can't be good."
"Sometimes, a bad thing isn't so bad," Shizuka said, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Especially if it's really bad."
"Then I think you may be delighted at what I have to offer, Shizuka-san." Liz smirked.
"I'm starting up a part-time modeling business for the girls of PATCA, you see. So if you'd like to excite your boyfriends and make a little money on the side, I could line up some jobs for you."
Takano frowned. "I don't think I'm perfect enough for this."
"The only reason you say that is because you haven't tried," Tsubasa suggested. "Chizuru's gonna go, see?"
"I am?" Chizuru asked innocently, her mouth half-full of pastry.
"You are, right?" Tsubasa told her more than asked.
Chizuru lowered her head a bit. "I...I guess so, huh."
"I'm sure Pierce will have many nice things to say, Chizuru-san."
"Count me in," Kirie said simply.
"That's uncharacteristic of you, Kirie," Takano said. "Why the sudden spirit?"
"If Tsubasa's going, then I'm definitely going," Kirie shrugged. "I bet I'll have more fans that she ever will."
"I guess everything has to be a competition between you two, huh?" Takano said. "Well, if everyone else seems fine with it, then I guess I can stop making arrows for at least that long."
"Great! What about you, Shizuka-san? I'm sure we can find a job you'll like."
"I would be interested in knowing what it's like to feel young again," Shizuka mumbled. "I'd ask Mika, but she keeps insisting that her decades of being a demon still doesn't excuse the fact that she's still a little girl. Regardless, the rest of us will gladly assist you."
"If you wanted to feel young, Shizuka-san, I would've been happy to help..." Liz suggested playfully.
Shizuka smirked. "I'm not sure how 'that' is supposed to make me feel young," she said. "I mean, maybe if we went out to the festival or something before it and got ridiculously blitzed..."
"Sounds good to me. How about I pick you up tonight?" Liz grinned.
"For some odd reason, I have a feeling I should bring my sword."
"Kinky. I can work with that."

------------------------------

Melanie / Kurika / Heidi

Elizabeth knew about Melanie's little S&M dungeon for quite some time, and found the black leather-clad Pokebrid nurse hard at work...

Although she probably didn't expect to encounter Kurika and Heidi down there.

"Surprisingly, they aren't masochists or anything," Melanie told Elizabeth. "They find this to be some kind of extreme endurance training. Well, masochists or not, those girls are more hardcore than any other of my clientelle. So, what're you here for, Elizabeth? Looking for pain? Looking to inflict pain on others? Or are you actually here for an abnormal reason?"

"Well, I've got Leprihare when I want to get that kind of kinky, you know? I was actually here about a business proposition, Melanie." Liz explained.
"Business," Melanie repeated. "I'm happy to listen to whatever goes on in that sick, twisted mind of yours."
"Oh, I'm starting a part-time modeling business for us PATCA girls, and I was wondering if you were interested. You'd be filling a certain... niche, for the fans that like it."
Melanie stroked her cheek. "That's-" she paused. "That's...surprisingly normal for a woman like you, Miss Irons."
Then she nodded. "Hell yes, I can do this. I've been dying to show off this really badass nazi uniform. And it could certainly boost the popularity of my own business."

She then pointed her left thumb at her two "prisoners". "Do you think the perverts would have an eye for muscle girls? I bet it wouldn't take any convincing at all to get them into whatever kinky attire you've got planned."

"Hah, I'll bet there are. Though now that we've got the normal, boring, business stuff done, maybe I could pull you away from your two... subordinates for a while?" Liz suggested innocently.
Melanie looked at Kurika and Heidi. "Ah, some fun of a different kind. I should probably let them out of their chains, though."
"No!" Kurika yelled. "Actually, me and Heidi are prepared to hone our abdomens! Get the candles!"
"Fine, back in a minute," Melanie said, excusing herself.

When she returned, she used the pulleys to make Kurika and Heidi dangle horizontally over two identical tables and then setup and lit roughly a dozen candles on each. The idea was that the candles would hurt a lot if they just lazily dangled there, forcing Kurika and Heidi to flex themselves back up. "Apparently it's one of the best weight-loss systems they've ever tried," Melanie shrugged. "Right next to that damn Psychotic Smorgasbord game. Anyways, shall we?"
"Well, I don't think most women in Honmyr have trouble losing weight. We seem predisposed to being at least moderately pretty." Liz shrugged. "Yes, let's. And don't worry about getting a bit rough."

-----------------------------------------------

Cecilia / Mirror / Wilhelmina

Elizabeth's hunt for some of the richest girls in PATCA drew her back to the headquarters itself. Mirror was kneeling before Wilhelmina and was digging around inside her robot maid's left knee. Something about a faulty joint actuator. Cecilia was mindless practicing her magic tricks, focusing around tarot cards. Wait, card tricks using tarot cards? Isn't that just fortune telling?

"Hello you two. Not too busy I hope?" Liz greeted them cheerfully.
"Not really," Mirror said, not taking her eyes away from Wilhelmina's knee. "She's surprisingly easy to maintain."
"It would be difficult if I was a high-maintenance kind of woman, Mistress," Wilhelmina said matter-of-factly.
Cecilia looked into Elizabeth's eyes. "Hmm...well, if Moon is going to look at them, I don't think I'd mind."
"What do her eyes tell you?" Mirror said, switching tools.
"I have one clue," Cecilia said cheerfully. "I'm just reading the immoral hunger in her gaze."
"That sounds about right. Though I'll have you know I haven't gotten around to 'looking' at Moon. Yet." Liz smirked.
Mirror stood back up after digging around in the knee a little more. "Alright, give me a good walk around."

There didn't seem to be any problems with Wilhelmina from Mirror's observation, and then Elizabeth had all of their undivided attention. "So what're you immorally hungering for there, Elly?" Mirror asked her.
"Well, right now I wouldn't mind stealing Moon's harem, and Wilhelmina too." Liz remarked mischievously. "But I'm also starting a part-time modeling business for us PATCA girls and I wondered if you two would be interested in getting some sexy fame."
Cecilia mindlessly shuffled her deck. "I kinda wanna do that just to see what daddy would think," she said finally. "Fine, count me in."
"Well, if I didn't go, I'd just be losing to Shannon and Cecilia both," Mirror groaned. "So I'm taking on this challenge, too."
"Mistress, I do not believe this is a challenge," Wilhelmina sighed. "And besides, this might not be very safe."
"That's why you're coming with me," Mirror said. "Our company hasn't even thought about making more women androids like you, Wilhelmina. Maybe showing you off the world would bring in some lucrative offers?"
"As the Mistress wishes," Wilhelmina bowed.
"Well then, ladies, I'll have you know that as manager I hold the unique responsibility of, ahem, testing the good." Liz explained in a tone of mock seriousness.
"That might be helpful, 'cause I honestly don't know if she has those," Mirror said.
"Have what, Mistress?"
Mirror turned to her. "Wilhelmina, strip."
"What exactly would that accomplish?"
"I think a lot of the costumers would buy other models of you would wanna know if you're packing the good stuff."
Wilhelmina tilted her head. "Worry not, Mistress, I always have my rifle with me."
"Not your damn rifle! You know! Naughty bits!"
"Please define 'naughty bits'."
"Just strip, already! It's your mistress's orders!"
"Do you know I have to report all direct orders given to me by you directly to your father?" Wilhelmina folded her arms. "I think he would probably venture off to join a monastery if he learned his daughter was trying to get freaky with her own robot maid."

Mirror huffed and turned towards Cecilia and Elizabeth. "You two! Strip her!"
In one smooth motion, Wilhelmina deployed her sniper rifle and had it aimed directly at Elizabeth's left eye. "Yes. Please. I've been eager to test my rifle's latest calibrations."

"Well, uhhh..." Cecilia faltered. "So we're looking forward to that whole modeling thing, right?"
Wilhelmina lowered her rifle. "Yes, Miss Veldyne, we are."
"Hm, does she have networking capabilities? We could probably hack her that way. Maybe bring in Matthias to be sure." Liz suggested helpfully.
"Must you get down with every single woman in Honmyr, Miss Irons?" Wilhelmina asked.

Uhh...yeah?

"I have been hacked before," Wilhelmina pointed out. "All it does is fuck up my data and activates my Hell's Groove Mode. Not really the kind of thing you'd want to deal with."
"Fine, why not get naked with us, Wilhelmina?"
"I will do that if the situation calls for that," Wilhelmina insisted.

Liz sighed. "Okay, you can watch the door while the rest of us get naked and freaky."
"What kind of mistress have I been created to serve?" Wilhelmina whimpered pitifully.

--------------------------------------

Laurith

This time it got a bit interesting. Elizabeth found Laurith while she was spying on somebody else. But just why did Laurith have any kind of interest in Donovan of all people?

"I'll admit, he has his good qualities, and Blaziken is a handsome form." Liz whispered, sneaking up behind Laurith.
Laurith turned around sharply, mouth open as though to gasp but, of course, no sound came out. No sound except for the slap of her Mantine's fin striking the wall. Her surprise quickly vanished, and it seemed like she was thinking of something. Then she raised her left arm and Elizabeth could see...something...shining inside of it.

Then Laurith pointed to Donovan. Just what the fuck was she trying to say?

"Um... okay, can I get a better look at what you've got in your hand there?" Liz asked.
Laurith turned her arm around so Elizabeth could see that the shining object was buried inside Laurith's arm. It was...uncomfortable to look at.

Elizabeth suddenly had an idea. Putting on her Inquiry Visor and switching on a certain program, the Visor could sort of accurately translate Laurith's words if she mouthed them carefully. The mute was quick to catch on, and explained that she and Donovan were very much alike and that she was worried about his...suffering?

Then Laurith asked what Elizabeth wanted.

"Oh right, well. I had something to ask you. I'm starting a part-time modeling business for the women of PATCA, and I was wondering if you were interested in looking sexy for some photos." Liz pitched her idea quickly. "I'm sure Donovan would like it." She added with a wink.
Laurith raised an eyebrow. Maybe Elizabeth was wrong about how Laurith felt about Donovan? But Laurith gave her a very enthusiastic thumbs up for some reason. This girl had some problems. Maybe it was a good thing that she couldn't give a voice to her thoughts. It could probably increase the number of Madsoldiers.
Liz shrugged at the lack of reaction over Donovan. "Well, if you're not worried about Donovan, then I think I should test the goods, you know how it is." She smirked.
Laurith was rather submissive about the whole thing, kind of still as though Elizabeth was going to play with a mannequin. It was really interesting to play with her. Perhaps due to her lack of a voice, Laurith was surprisingly more expressive with her body language. It sort of made Elizabeth hungry to tease her more.

------------------------------------------

Alice

Alice was playing Psychotic Smorgasbord. Funny. Alice didn't seem to be the kind of girl who was into wacky shit like that.

"Agility training," Alice said. "And until I master 'Sundering Stars' on Psychopath, I consider my skills lacking behind Leonneth's."

Elizabeth knew Leonneth both for being the current Director of the Republican Guard and also a very lovely platinum blonde. A very, very deadly lovely platinum blonde.

"A worthy goal. Though, if you feel like showing off your lithe body, you might like my proposition." Liz said.
"Ah, rumors of that have been getting around," Alice frowned. "I don't mind terribly, but are you sure you want me to do it? I have an artificial arm and leg that are pretty obvious. Spoils of the war, you know."
"You just tell everyone it's a top of the line arm with heating pads, automated lubricant, six hundred horsepower hydraulics, and pump-action and you're gold." Liz jested.
Alice gave Elizabeth a long stare, then lowered her head. "Tell you what. I'll agree to your little voyeur ventures and then I'll go lock myself into a closet and weep. Does that sound fair?"
"... Why weep?"
Alice folded her arms. "Never you mind. It's just that knowing there are women like you kind of makes my faith in humanity hurt."
"Well, now I'm offended. How can I improve your impression of me?" Liz asked, folding her arms under her breasts.
"It's probably better if you don't waste your time trying," Alice advised her.
Liz shrugged. "Well I'd be breaking my streak of sleeping with everyone I've asked to model. I didn't even intend for it but now I kinda wanna see it through."
"You do realize that there's actually a problem with what you're doing," Alice got angrier. "But fine, if it'll get you to shut up and go away, then we'll do something that I'm not going to like. But not right now, I've got a report to make to the president."
"Well I'd love to know what that problem is, but something tells me if I ask any more questions you'll rip my head off." Liz sighed. "That being said, if you feel like getting it out of your system I don't mind hatesex."
"If it'll make you go away, we'll negotiate this at a later time," Alice said sharply and left.

Can't win them all...at least not immediately.


--------------------------------------------

Violet

Elizabeth didn't even need to think about where she might find Violet. That girl spent half her day partying her ass off and the rest of the time waking up from being facedown in a bathtub as she stumbled around to find her now-missing ass.
Violet was in the middle of getting shitfaced when Elizabeth found her that evening.
"Hey, I'll have what she's drinking." Liz told the bartender as she sat down beside Violet. Turning to her friend, she smiled. "Hey hotness. Feel like having a wild night like we used to?"
"Normally I would, but I'm too fucking blitzed to remember it if we do," Violet said. "I'm still trying to figure out how I got that bite mark on my thigh. So, what brings you here, other than getting smashed?"
"Oh, that was Riolu." Liz commented offhandedly. "And, aside from thinking that it's been a while since we've had a drunken fivesome, I came to ask if you want to model for me. And yes, I do mean professionally as well as private nude shows just for me." She smirked.
Violet gave Elizabeth a long stare. "Yeah, just gimme four more drinks."
Liz ordered four more drinks for Violet and then four more for herself. "Don't worry, this time I won't take you over the bar." She said with a smirk, as she began to down her drinks.


-----------------------------------------

Calisto

Elizabeth kinda felt bad for Calisto. The girl spent entirely too much time in the PATCA HQ, doing maintenance on her sniper rifle. Granted, sniper rifles did demand a lot more care because of how accurate and reliable they needed to be, but the amount of attention Calisto gave her rifle, honestly, made Elizabeth a little jealous.
Right now the reclusive girl was flat on the floor of the firing range, using the only sniper firing lane available.
"Hey there Calisto. I know someone who wants to see you." Liz greeted the sniper, as Riolu bounded past her to hug Calisto's chest.
Calisto kneeled down and opened her arms to snatch up the excited Pokemon. It was like trying to handle a struggling fish and Calisto and Riolu made a really cute scene for a minute or two.
After the two managed to settle down, Calisto gave Elizabeth her undivided attention. "You wouldn't be happening to bribe me into doing something, would you?"
Liz smiled. "That depends. Would you like me to? Because my silver tongue has been praised a lot."
"I...don't quite understand."

Yep, definitely a pure young woman.

"Let's find a bed and I'll show you." Liz replied playfully, putting an arm around Calisto's shoulders and dragging her off.

----------------------

*Placeholder for Liz interaction with Hyacinth and Sophia*

[Menarker]

Hospital Visit and Slumming the Ghetto!

Renny was carrying a small cardboard box with some pastries and a large slice of sweet almond/lemon cake as he approached the hospital lobby. Approaching the receptionist, he politely questioned. "Excuse me, I would like to visit Harliette."
The receptionist was confused for a few seconds, then playfully popped herself on the head with the palm of her hand.
"Ah, yes, you mean that one with the Lopunny sister. Third floor, room 312, dear."

Renny found a really cute scene that he might've wanted to capture in the visor's internal library. Harliette was still a coma. Lola was in a chair next to the bed with one of Harliette's hands in hers. She was fast asleep. She must've remained awake for at least a day until she finally couldn't remain alert anymore.
Renny stepped into the room silently, closing the door so there would be no outside disturbance, especially to the patient. He took one of the spare chairs in the room and placed it right in front of Lola's 10'clock position. He then reached his hand out to touch Lola's free hand.

Lola suddenly jerked away and yanked on Harliette's hand.
"Sister?!" she yelped, then realized where she was and who was with her. Yep, she's definitely putting herself through the wringer.

"Lola, it's me." Renny said quietly but quickly as he rushed to put a hand on Lola's shoulder to calm her down. "Are you feeling alright?"
He held her close in a hug, his arm around her, still holding the box of sweets.
"I'm perfectly fine...well, physically, anyways," Lola said, reaching for a hot chocolate. Judging from the number of mugs that used to contain hot chocolate, Renny would wager that Lola has more or less been subsisting entirely on it.
Renny silently pulled his arm away to reveal the small box of sweets for them to share, although the cake belonged to her. His smile was kinda mischievous as if hoping she'd enjoy it.
Lola sighed. "Sometimes I think that you're just too good for me, Renny," she said, then looked at her sleeping sister. "I never thought I'd say this, but I really wish Moera was here. Not mom, though. I don't think I could stop myself from hurting her before she told me what was wrong with my sister."

Renny sat beside her with one of the canncinnos pastries in his hand.
"Yeah, I felt all too ready to continue that fight against her. What she has done, it's staggering to see how far she was willing to go. You think you could help bring back Moera, just like Harliette?"
"I didn't bring back Harliette, Renny, she joined on her own, and I think finding mom was the reason why. It must've had something to do with the mansion mission. Harliette probably knew about Faynoc's connection with mom, and then just put two and two together."

"Four."

"Renny, you don't have to...wait, what?" Lola paused.
Harliette slowly sat up and placed her back against the wall of the bed.
"Two and two is four, right? I can't exactly sit here in a damn coma when you so sugary sweet sickening lovebirds are having fun right above my prone body."

"Sis, you're okay!" Lola squeeled with delight, then froze when Harliette used her free hand to aim one of her shotguns at Lola's head.
"If you hug me, I will kill the stupid out of you. Hey, squirt, can you take Pinky with you and leave me alone?"

Renny looked downright surprised and happy to see Harliette back up, although that was quickly diminished with the appearance of the shotgun.
"I will." He clasped Lola's hand lightly ready to lead her out gently.
Lola was rambling on at high speed, offering her sister everything from fluffing Harliette's pillow to even sleeping in the bed with her so she'd have company. Harliette showed amazing restraint in not decapitating Lola, then finally made a decision.
"Could you go convince my father to visit?" Harliette asked suddenly.
Before Lola could ask, Harliette put her gun down and fished for a piece of paper and a pen.
"No way to know for sure if he still does what he does, but I guess he runs this small, poor hotel in the red light district. And remember, my dad's a black man, just so that you can't be mistaken about his identity."
"Of course, sis, I'll go right-!"
"No, you're not going to go right away. You're going to let the squirt drag you out of my sight and then you're going to sleep in his bed until those premature wrinkles go away. Then when you're refreshed, you can go scavenging for my pa. I guarantee it won't be easy if you don't have a full tank of energy."
"We'll find him. So just try your best to rest... You want a snack before we go?"
"Will it help my legs work?"
"Errr... I doubt it could do that. I guess that's a no. See you later Harliette."

He escorted Lola down the halls.
"Let's go home. You really do need a rest, after all you have done."
"I'll probably still be checking in on Harliette often. In her current condition, it took all the strength she could muster just to lift that gun. Almost made me sad that she didn't even have enough energy to remove the safety. But yes, sleep first. I wonder if Harlie's father is just like her? I have a feeling he's going to be a nice man."

Renny ended up having to lend Lola support just to get her into bed. Her body was so deprived of sleep that she was more or less in the same state as her sister.
Renny held her close during that night, cradling her in his arms.
"I missed you here while you were gone."
"Mmm...cheese buscuits," Lola mumbled.

...What? Lola was already soundly passed out. She was clutching the note Harliette wrote for her tightly in her hands. This woman could definitely be a handful, and if it was true that Moeni also did experiments on her body as well, then this was just the tip of the iceberg.
Of course, it's usually hard to think about things like that when a heart-meltingly beautiful woman was snuggling in your embrace. Renny knew. Renny knew that he could easily do just about anything he wanted to this woman and she wouldn't even care.

Renny woke up the next morning realizing that he spent much of the night with his face snuggled against her huge soft bosoms in lieu of pillows.
"You know, there are other inviting breasts in this place," Catherine said, standing in the door way with skillet in her hand, fried eggs still cooking on the heated surface.
He lifted his groggy head off Lola's chest wondering what was going on when he realized that one, Catherine was in his house again early in the morning, and that he had been using Lola's chest as his own pillows.

"Eehhh? OH!" He looked a little sheepish. "Good morning Catherine."
He gently removed himself from Lola's place and let her sleep some more as he got out of bed and moved into the kitchen, still dressed in very light pajamas.
"Are you feeling well today?"
Catherine ignored his question. "So do you want some milk, or have you already had enough last night?"
"Oh, leave him alone, Catherine," Whitney's voice was heard from the living room, just over the volume of the television. "I'm sure Renny needs all the milk he can get. That's why we're all here, right?"
Catherine sighed. "Well, I can't really complain about him being addicted to breasts since I have a nice set of my own," she said as she left the room.

Renny felt like he was walking on eggshells, as if the girls wanted that he didn't exclude them from whatever he was doing, even though he wasn't aware that his head moved to the wrong pillow set.
The talk of milk made him thirsty though, as he went to the fridge, only to be disappointed.
"Oh, we're out of milk. I was hoping to have some." He said as he switched to orange juice, plopping in a few berries and grabbing some of the prepared eggs that Catherine made.

"Thank you Catherine. Today is going to be a bit busy. Harliette woke up yesturday. She wanted us to find her dad." He said aloud so Whitney could hear, since the two were best friends.
Catherine looked thoughtful. "Probably not too busy. I bet Harley knows exactly where her father is."
"Well, she did give us directions for the place she believes him to live."

Renny pulled out the instructions that Harliette gave to him and Lola and showed it to Catherine as he was eating.
Catherine checked out the address. "Oh, hey, I know that place. Kind of a home for those of us that don't have a home. I went there more often than not back when I was doing just about anything to survive on the mean streets. Yeah, it's definitely in one of the more dangerous parts of the city. Might wanna bring some weaponry."
Renny looked a little surprised to hear the place was an unruly location. But he nodded with determination.
"I'm sure Lola and I can handle it with our pokemon. I'll definately watch over her."
"Well, as long as your Pokemon are vaccinated," Catherine said. "You seem a little uninitiated so I'll bring it home. In other nations, you got the Pokerus which is actually a good thing for your Pokemon to catch. In Honmyr, totally different bag of tricks. Madsoldiers become Madsoldiers because of the Rezonscape, Pokemon become Rabandito because of the Rabano Virus. Rabandito aren't really widespread or anything right now so you should be safe. Just...you know, be careful, alright? Your first conflict with them can be a really startling experience. It certainly was for me."

Renny arched his eyes with concern. "Rabano virus turning them to Rabandito? What exactly is that?"
"Well, thar, shunny boy, lemme terr you 'bout dem Rabandeetos!" Catherine drawled.
"Don't be stealing Milsha's shtick," Whitney scolded her lightly.
"Anyways, all those Pokemon experts started discovering Pokemon infected with Rabano several years after the creation of our fine city,"
Catherine stroked her chin. "And while I don't believe a cure was ever found except for a solid buckshot wound to the head, they did sort of come up with a vaccine that was mandatory for everyone living in Honmyr and everyone coming into Honmyr."
"For people who were already here, the vaccine was administered kinda incognito," Whitney told Renny. "At the Pokemon Centers. For everybody coming into Honmyr nowadays, you get your Pokemon confiscated, vaccinated, and then returned before you can leave the airport. Still, for as long as there are wild Pokemon here that haven't been vaccinated, there's always going to be Rabandito. They're fierce, violent, and inhibited by notions of fear or pain. I've never encountered one personally, but I hear that you should probably avoid them."
"Does the virus cause anything to humans or pokebrids? And is there a way to confirm whether my pokemon has been vaccinated?"
Catherine chuckled. "Do you or your Pokemon have glowing orange eyes and mouths foaming with pasty red mucus?"

Hooooooly shit, that's disturbing.

"They're pretty distinctive when encountered," Catherine said. "Poketologists say the virus isn't cross-species...at least not yet, so Rabandito bites are painful and all but not infectious."
Renny looked downright nervous and worried as he absentmindly thumbed his pokeballs.
"I meant a way to find out if my pokemon has been protected. Although I suppose I can stop by the center first to make sure before we head over there. In fact, I should make a point to reconfirm that all of PATCA's pokemon has been vaccinated later on, as part of my duties."
"As an agent of PATCA, your Pokemon have definitely been vaccinated, but if you really must know, you can just check them with your own Inquiry Visor," Whitney explained. "Actually, you should be able to identify whether any Pokemon you scan are infected or vaccinated or not, though when they're infected, it's usually pretty obvious at first sight."
Renny nodded. "Ah, ok. I was just wondering because I caught Shaymin out here in Honmyr. Or rather, befriended her, but still. And some of our pokemon were taken from other trainers who may have not have paid much attention to their wellbeing. Like Latias came from Moera. But I imagine all the healing devices in PATCA's medical center and that of the pokemon centers have vaccine detectors so as to alert the practitioners to administer the vaccine. But I'll double-check our pokemon before we go just to be sure. Thank you for your concern though!"
Renny gave Catherine an affectionate hug in gratitude.

He then went to grabs an extra plate of food and placed it on a tray and brought it back to bed. He gave Lola the slightest nudge.
"Good morning Lola. I got some food for you in bed."
"Mmmm...does it contain cheesy biscuits..." Lola asked, half asleep.
"I'll make some for her," Catherine said. "You should head out if you're going to do this today. Rabandito are more active in the evening hours."
"Good to know. We'll go as soon as possible and try to get everything done in that area before sunset."
Renny rummaged through the top of the dresser where she kept the previous day's clothing and retrieved her pokeballs. One by one, he summoned all of her pokemon and summoned all of his own, just to confirm whether they had all been vaccinated or not. He returned Lola's pokemon to their earlier location.

He quickly went to take a shower and making himself look presentable if he was going to meet Harliette's dad and request him to see her. He then went back into his room and grabbed his clothing so he could get changed in the bathroom, so Lola could eat without any distractions or embarrassment. He proceeded to feed his pokemon and get healing supplies ready for the trip, as if it was a mission. Once he finished with all of those preparations, he went straight into the bedroom to see how Lola was faring.

When Renny learned about Rabandito, he suddenly became sorta unnerved when he heard the calls of Pokemon as they moved through the red light district. He held her hand protectively as he had Umbreon on his shoulder watching his backside, the pokemon being partly amused by the sights of the red light district despite not entirely enjoying being out during the bright day.
The barking of dog Pokemon, shrieks from some inhuman creatures, etc. Still, there was quite a bit of light left in the sky and Renny found the address unhindered by anything so far.
"I don't think we'll be safe for the entire time" Lola said. "I doubt Rabandito are going to wait for us to stroll through the tall grass."
Renny thought hard for a bit.
"When we find Harliette's father, we'll fly home. It's a little bit tough, but Togekiss can manage two people if I leave behind most of the items in my backpack to make things lighter for him. He's used to carrying me and a full supply of trainer items. I only brought a few healing items though, so you should be fine if you ride with me."
"Awww, does that mean we don't get to help the city?" Lola asked him. "Besides, I'm pretty sure it's going to be three of us. I'd be willing to bet sis's dad doesn't have any Pokemon of his own."
"... You might be right. We'll see when we get there."

The building left a lot to be desired. No paint. Badly weathered. "I bet all money this place was here before the republic," Lola breathed.
While the outside was bad, the interior of the place seemed to be better maintained.
"The tenants understand the basics," a large black man told them when he saw their expressions as they entered.
"This place is only going to get as good as how willing we are to make it good. Hello there, I'm Samuel Gibson, one of the proprietors of this place. The two of you have some car trouble or something? We'll try to help, but the majority of us are working our butts off just trying to eat a sensible dinner so please forgive us if we can't help you."

"He's surprisingly nice," Lola said, then quickly corrected herself. "The name's right. This must be him."
"Samuel, I'm Renny and this is Lola. I'm here because of your daughter Harliette, err Sam, is in the hospital right now. She's getting better now, but she requested that she wished for you to visit her. Would you be able to come with us to see her?"
Samuel stood up and grabbed his leather jacket.
"She hasn't told you much, has she? My Harliette wouldn't exactly ask you to come get me if she wound up in the hospital. She and the hospital are quite familiar with each other as is. If there's one reason she would want me to come see her, it's because she's found out that Moeni's alive."
Renny's face went a little darker at her name.
"Yes. In fact, that's why she is in the hospital now. She encountered her directly and overexherted herself in her attempt to kill Moeni during our last mission."
Samuel laughed. "Guess she couldn't control 'erself when they met again, huh. Right, let's get going."

They heard some unmistakeable noises shortly after exiting the hotel. Even the young Renny knew those noises all too well.
"Sounds like little lady Mist is giving them a sound ass-beating," Samuel said.
"Lady Mist?"
"Mist is a fairly decent merc over at the Vorpal Frenzy," Samuel told the young lad. "She prefers taking on jobs to exterminate Rabandito. This neighborhood's filthy with the poor things."

Before they could really say anything, Lola suddenly broke away from the two men and starting sprinting towards the noise.
"Ah, the young damsel who loves looking for trouble," Sameul said with a sympathetic pat on Renny's shoulder.

Renny bolted to chase after her, looking back to make sure that Samuel was following. Umbreon jumped off his shoulder and ran ahead to catch up with her.
Lola's trail lead to a rather thin alleyway that opened into a filthy rectangular space connected to three other alleyways. She was very certain that the woman in the space was Mist. She was just so...white.
Samuel stopped just long enough to kick up a long, rusty metal pipe for him to use.
Renny sent out Magnezone to the area, reasoning that his robotic body would a solid choice to defend against these rabid things.

Mist was a tall, statuesque woman with white hair and makeup whole dolled herself up with a fancy fur coat and leggings. She used a long slim blade and seemed to prefer white Pokemon to boot, the neatest of which was a rare breed of white Arcanine.
The Rabandito were nearly perfectly described by Catherine. Glowing orange eyes, strange blood-colored sludge dripping from their mouths. They kinda resembled what a dire creature would look like.

"Out for an evening stroll, are we?" Mist said with no fear of the murderous beings in front of her.
"Gotta get some sun sometimes, eh Mist?" Samuel responded.
"Renny, I can't run away from this," Lola apologized. "If we ignore the infection, who knows how many more it can spread to?"
"Alright, let's take care of it quickly then."
Renny identified a Raticate, a Primeape, an Ampharos, a Houndoom and, much to Renny's chagrin, an Umbreon.

"Alright, change of plans... Return!"
Renny sent out Swampert in place of Umbreon who looked at the opposing horde with disgust and minor fear. The Gallade himself then took the place of Magnezone who was also swiftly called back.
"Swampert, use Earth Power on that Ampharos!"
"Swam?" It looked confused for a moment.
"We can't use Earthquake in this alleyway! Too much local damage."
"PERT" Swampert slammed his large foot onto the pavement as the earth underneath rippled and rumbled until it exploded underneath the rabid sheep's feet.

Renny darted sideways, staying close to Samuel as he swung his arm, sending a ranged psychic blade hurling toward the fighting type.
Both Samuel and Mist were a little unusual in her fighting styles. Samuel only used one hand to brandish the pipe, relying on his other hand to hold his jacket. Mist was a fencer who was impossibly flashy with her attacks. If there was ever someone who could rival Pierre in 'overpresentation', it'd be this chick. And just like Pierre, her Pokemon were also all about the presentation.
Samuel, on the other hand, had a very functional fighting style. His pipe really knocked some heads around and he could really put some serious hurt with those massive work boots of his.

"So uh, Mist, is Raine doing well over at Vorpal Frenzy?"
"Dunno. Spend most of my time here," Mist said dismissively. "Don't kill them, by the way. My job is to capture them using this variety of experimental cure balls."

The Rabandito were fierce, but grossly outnumbered. Aside from Samuel, all of them were packing Pokemon, although Mist's situation got a little more desperate with each capture. Unable to risk Rabandito being placed in the PC Storage System, she had to send one her current Pokemon there, and couldn't use the Rabandito she captured in battle itself. Too risky. But the fight was over before it really got good.
"Isn't it a little late for you to usually be out here, Mist?" Samuel asked the swordswoman.

Mist directed her slim blade towards someone they hadn't seen until now, a young man cowering near a pile of garbage with a gun in his left hand, covering the back of his head with his hands and shaking uncontrollably.
"Is that...a Madsoldier?" Lola asked.
"I wish," Mist coughed. "At least that would bring a little excitement to this mission. Hey, asshole, just how long are you going to hide there? If you pissed your pants, I'm leaving you behind."
The young man managed to finally stop shaking and stand up. "A-a-are they gone?"
"Yes, they're gone," Mist sighed. "Now do you see what it is we do out here? If you understand, I suggest you just go home and have a good long talk with yourself about whether to join the Vorpal Frenzy."
"Ah, a cherry popper," Samuel said, negligently tossing his rusty pipe aside. "Why did he wanna join the Vorp Corps?"
"Stop calling us that," Mist said, then looked at the retreating man. "I guess he was trying to prove how much of a man he was to some chick so she'd go out with him or something. Guys can be so stupid."
Lola looked thoughtful. "Miss Mist, can I ask you something?"
"You can just call me 'Mist', and fine, whatever."
Lola tilted her head. "Is the Red Light District where the most Rabandito show up?"
Mist lit up a cigarette, took a drag, and sighed yet again.
"With the crime and ne'er-do-wells all over this place, the City Management Bureau isn't able to provide as much service to these areas."
Lola frowned. "I don't get it. What does that have to do with anything?"
"Look at the ground, Tits McGee."
Lola turned her gaze towards the filthy pavement. "It's a manhole."
"There are roughly a hundred eighty different entrances throughout the city that link into the massive abandoned underground labyrinth you might otherwise know as Metal Hell," Mist explained. "The City Management Bureau tries to keep these entrances either permanently sealed or securely locked to all but authorized personnel only. The bureau's findings suggest that most Rabandito that enter the city come from underground, and since assholes in this district keep dicking around with these entrances into Metal Hell, Rabandito are finding their way up here. There's a small group of members in the Vorpal Frenzy, myself included, that specifically handle jobs posted by the bureau to handle Rabandito encounters before they become a serious threat. Scientists working on a possible cure for the Rabano Virus give us special Pokeballs to test out on any we encounter. We go in, fight 'em, capture 'em, then turn 'em in to the guild. Not really difficult work and it pays well. At least, for now it's not difficult. Can't imagine how fucked up things will get in the coming years."
Renny pondered to himself how increasingly frequent the location Metal Hell has been popping up in conversations. As dangerous as it was, it was bound to have something there worth noting. But that would be for another day.
"Ah, well, glad to know you're doing just fine. You take care. Thank you for your hard work."
Renny was not going to apologize for his and Lola's unasked intervention, if Mist had taken any offense to it.

"Lola, Samuel, shall we move on?" He glanced toward the two of them, as he lightly tugged on Lola's hand.
"Ah, Samuel, will you need a lift back to your place after you're done seeing Harliette? Or will you stay with her for the night at the hospital? It might be safer that way, not wandering these streets at night on the way back."
His unspoken mention of the Ranbandito was yet fairly obvious to anyone present.
"I think I'll be at the hospital for a good while yet," Samuel frowned. "My baby and I have some catching up to do."

The trip back was uneventful. "Okay, you two can leave now," Harliette said.
"You're oh so welcome, sis," Lola said in monotone.
"Well, if you guys weren't going to get him, I would've just visited him after I got out," Harliette shrugged. "All you guys did was save me a walk. A walk I'll probably be taking anyways. I love the red light district."
Samuel sighed. "I know that she doesn't get her attitude from me."
"Thank you for coming with us anyhow Samuel." He then looked at Harliette. "We'll be seeing you later."

Once he stepped outside with Lola, he looked at her. "Are you feeling alright? You seemed kinda down."
"I guess I was sort of hoping for a more heartwarming reunion of parent and child," Lola sighed. "Then again, our mother is the same psychopath so maybe I was expecting too much."
Lola did a full body stretch. "Anyways, I guess this means I'm done babying my sister. Now I can just go back to babying you, huh?"
"Oh hehe." Renny smirked a little as she said that although he was silent for a moment.

"I kept myself busy, but I missed you while you were away... you wanna go grab something to eat? You kinda pushed yourself hard watching her!"
"Sure, let's, but..." Lola frowned in thought. "For some reason, I'm craving cheesy biscuits."
"Yeah. You sleep-talked with cheese biscuits in your dreams." Renny lightheartly teased. "Let's go grab some."
He then added as an afterthought. "I've been preparing for the big party soon. It'd really make me really happy if you will come."
Lola looked thoughtful. "Okay! And I think I already have an idea on what I'm going to bring."
He looked curious at Lola's comment, but said nothing more, but smiled as he walked her to a store that sells Cheese Biscuits.

---------- Post added at 03:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:23 PM ----------

*Posted on AB's behalf! Need to confirm with Drac about Sam's condition at this point and whether she'd be introduced.*

"Possibly the Final Truckload of Friends You Can Get Without Grinding Optional Sidequests..."

Irene called for a general assembly in the Watchman's briefing room. General assemblies were pretty much casual but mandatory meetings. The top members of the Watchmen had to be there, although all were informed of it ahead of time, and since this meeting concerned two big items, new members and what would be the first time most of them had even seen the Corpsemire or met Nosferatu, the room was packed.

"So, as you are all aware, in a mere eight days we will be traveling north by northwest to go splashy splashy in the Corpsemire," Irene said. "But before I talk about any of that, allow me the opportunity to go ahead and introduce all these people because I don't think they want to remain standing up here for an hour. So, from your right to your left, here we go."

The first girl Irene stood by had a resemblance to her presenter. She was ravishing, with black hair styled in pigtails and what was apparently the Crosswald family's signature left red eye and right blue eye combination. One had to wonder why Rayleen didn't have those eyes. "This is my niece from my sister's side, born here in Honmyr but raised in the nearby Jurich region. Her name is Daisy Miltower and she already has a boyfriend that she is very, very happy with. Try not to bother her too much. If you think her aunt Irene is bad enough, just wait until you meet her actual mother."

"I have a question for Miss Miltower," Jeanette said.
"You can just call me Daise," Daisy said. "Or Daisy if you absolutely must."
"Well then...Daise. You arrived her on the back of the legendary Pokemon Belzybrand, is that correct?"
Daisy nodded. "Yep. He's my new best friend."
Jeanette frowned thoughtfully. "Belzybrand was the last one."
The blonde girl standing next to Daisy came alert. "Huh?"
"That's right," Irene concurred. "Belzybrand was the last legendary Pokemon that wasn't currently living on Honmyr. The convergence is complete."

Irene then turned to the blonde girl. "By the way, Bianca, that woman who just spoke up is Professor Jeanette Ricewood. I heard you were working with Professor Juniper? She might be able to help you out."
"I see," Bianca said as Irene walked behind the girl and placed both hands on her shoulders.
"This is young Bianca Tanders, from the Unova Region. She's an assistant and friend of Professor Juniper and has been helping in some of the research conducted by the poketologists and scientists over there. She's also a very innocent and honest girl, so expect me to be a tad angry with anyone who tries to hit on her."
"He-hello, everyone," Bianca waved.
"Nervous already, Anca?" Daisy grinned.
"Everyone here looks so strong and intimidating," Bianca admitted.
"Yeah, but we're all good people," Bretton said, trying to make himself seem more approachable. "Well, some more than others, I guess."

Irene stepped away from Bianca and gestured towards the next individual. "Here we have Amelia Reinhart. Some of you might be aware that she was the dean of her very own combat academy. The reason she is here is due to...well, getting backstabbed by academy politics. I asked her to come work with us because I think she can be both an excellent leader and a great role-model. And who knows? She might actually get to love the simple pleasures of beating the crap out of unimaginable creatures, eh Amelia?"

The next woman was also familiar to some. "If you've spent some time with Professor Ricewood, then you've most likely met me and this little girl," the woman said, kneeling near the small girl standing next to her. "I am Karin Millsworth. I serve about the same role to my professor as Bianca does to Professor Juniper, except I have a lot of physical combat experience under my belt. And this girl is Myrie Ricewood, although she probably doesn't need to be introduced. Some of you had to fight her not long ago, didn't you?"
Bianca's eyes widened. "Fight her?! But she's just a little girl!"
Myrie laughed. "Don't worry about me! I have a crab on my side!"
"She's got crabs?" Daisy asked. "And I thought I started out too young."

Irene silenced Daisy with a light bonk on the head. "Karin is especially trained to handle dangerous experiments and rough environments. Think of her as a sexier Gordon Freeman. As for Myrie, she is host to the legendary Shadow Pokemon that we call Nosferatu. And in just eight days, you all will get to meet Myrie's host face to face."

And last but not least, Irene did what she could to downplay the strangest new addition to the group by far. "You've heard her voice in your Inquiry Visors during the fight with Moera and some of the Black Cradle troopers as though a fairy was whispering into your ears, but I bet you didn't quite expect her to be an actual fairy."
Irene opened her hands and presented a small mechanical woman with fairy wings and a simple black skirt dress. "This is Opticka. Do not hug her or pet her or call her Steve. She is a prototype. She is expensive. And she is also probably not able to be fully repaired from any considerable damage she might suffer. So be really gentle with her if you ever must touch her."

Calisto and many of the other girls were having some trouble resisting the urge to make Opticka theirs. Irene released Opticka who then flew over and landed on Bianca's right shoulder. "You can all be seated now, please," Irene said. "Time to start the briefing."

-----------------------------------------------------
"Time to get your feet wet...and cold..."

"The Corpsemire is an unnaturally-formed marshland about eight miles in diameter, vaguely shaped like a diamond," Irene said in her official speaking voice as she directed everyone's attention to the holographic presentation on the wall. "In the dead center of the mire, forgive my pun, Nosferatu waits patiently, fully aware that we will be there soon. Additionally, some of you may recall that the gateway that connects our Pokemon World to the Kimono's Hungry World lies right there as well. After we try to figure out why Myrie had to become the host body for Nosferatu's will, we will be attempting to enter this gateway and proceed to the Hungry World. I'm not going to name any names, but there are some people who will want to go there to acquire powers of a demonic kind. For those who aren't interested in these unfamiliar but otherwise safe powers, you can consider it training in advanced tactics, since it's very unlikely that any enemies we encounter will be familiar with you."

Irene turns away from the presentation to face the others. "In others words, even though the Kimonos are experts on the Hungry World since some of them have centuries of experience living there, they cannot give you any clear idea of what you might run into down there. Because of the Hungry World's nature of emulating other dimensions into itself, there are far more different kinds of creatures there than our entire world's population of Pokemon. I recommend that you prepare for just about any kind of encounter, which I'm certain will undoubtedly help you in the future."

"Now, when we get to the Corpsemire, let me do the talking," Irene continued. "The Pokemon inside the Corpsemire are federally protected species, and we will need to observe some courtesies. I know what to do, so don't freak out when you see them and just leave it to your leader."

Irene looked around at the gathered Watchmen. "So, uhhh...I guess that's actually about it. Are there any questions that you would like to ask me about the mission or about the new recruits?"

[Menarker]

*NOTE: Due to the number of characters present, some colors have been changed to make identifying certain characters like Milsha and Whitney easier.*

18th Birthday Party:

Apparently, for a special little guy like Renny, your birthday tends to be celebrated three times.

The first time, in the morning, Renny's most favorite girls catered to his every whim.
"Don't fill up too much," Catherine advised the young lad. "You can't imagine how big the second party actually is."

She wasn't kidding. The second party began in the early evening and was a grand affair.
"Although in hindsight, we never should've made his eighteenth birthday into such a big thing," Irene mused. "Now every bachelorette in Fainas is going to know about this boy becoming legal."
"It's even worse than Chiyo-chan from Azumanga Daioh," Catherine said, already quite tipsy.
Irene blinked. "Why aren't you in the cake?"
"Have you seen the size of that thing?" Catherine pointed at the sugary monstrosity. "I'd probably have long suffocated in that thing before they ate enough of it away."
"Or froze to death," Lola observed.
Sure enough, it was a massive ice cream cake, intermittently being rechilled by ice Pokemon like Articuno and Garus' Pokemon.

Renny had a small plate of food that was almost bursting at the edges, having severely underestimated how hungry he'd feel looking at the delicious food, having lopped off a slice of cake and grabbed some ribs and fresh fruit.

"I'm glad you could all make it!" He said to Irene but kinda meant to everyone in general.
"Did you invite your family?" Irene asked him. "I feel like we're taking you away from them by having the party here and all. You're only eighteen once."
Renny was a little silent for a brief moment.
"... I'd probably see them shortly after the party. Have a private one of our own. Somehow I feel like something like this might be overwhelming for them at least. And they might want to monopolize my time after I left for months. For now, I just want to spend it with everyone here."

"Well, that'll probably take the rest of the day. All your buds are here, and I'd bet some of them want to monopolize quite a bit of your time," Irene said. "I remember back when I was that popular. Of course, I was also very intimidating so it was karmatically balanced."

Seems like most of the first floor was rented out for the party. Elizabeth had her own room for setting up her oversexualized photoshoot and the outdoor door belonged to them as well. And by some weird quirk of fate, they had two bands, although one of them performed a lot more than the other.
"Burfdeh pahtehs 'n' deff medel don't rightleh belung togeteh," Milsha said. "So Angelo is performing a lot more than Mass Martyr."
According to what Renny discovered, Angelo was the lead guitarist and one of the vocalists for a rock band called Slashfic. The band's appearance was specifically designed to inspire yaoi fanfiction, although Angelo was the only member from that band performing. Other members of the Thirteen Eevee Threat were performing with him.

Renny wandered within the same room, looking for the Eevee Evolution team members, but noticing that a bunch of them were on stage, he approached closer, expecting to find some of the others nearby to chat a bit after a song or two was done. Quite a few were available for chatting while the rest were playing instruments. But their attention seemed to be occupied by the way Alphonsine was looking at Angelo.
"She's been staring at him since he showed up on stage," Shannon observed to Garus.
"I didn't read too much into it," Garus admitted. "But apparently those two had a celebrity-esque relationship going on for some time. Seeing him back on stage must have rekindled some old cinders."

Angelo's appearance was rather wild. His pants were dark violet and obviously made of shiny leather. He didn't bother with a shirt, and it was clear that he must've rubbed oil all over his torso and arms. To top off the ridiculousness of it all, he went as far as to doll himself up with hair extensions. Apparently, a lot of the girls seemed to enjoy it.
Renny privately mused to himself. It had been a while since he first joined PATCA and the majority of them were his first opposition, especially Evangaleen and Garus, and soon after semi-reluctant allies, like Shannon in the mission after.

"It's really been a while since you guys all joined us. That bank mission was my first day on the job." He said to Moon and Shannon in particular. Out of all the main Eevee group, he got along with Shannon probably the easiest because of the second mission, and the occasional chats they'd have while off the job.
"Really, your first?" Shannon genuinely seemed surprised. "You sure had your head together a lot better than the others. Are you sure you're not a military experiment? I didn't know Burkmont had young men in his fucked up projects."
"... I probably did better then, than the next one with all of those zombies." Renny recalled him screaming in his headset from the shock of Moera's fight. "Glad you could all make it though. I hope you're all having a good time,"
Renny smiled as he intermittingly looked at the agents nearby and switched to watching the show while eating at his half eaten plate of food. "Things going well with the two of you?"
Shannon's face slowly became red. "No comment."
"Although it's obviously a lot better than the relationship between A&A," Garus remarked. "Unrequited love is the pits."
There was a nod there, although Renny wondered how they could have been in a celebrity-esque relationship and still have an unrequited love.
Garus seemed to be ready to explain it when an elegant fist crashed down on his uncombed hairstyle.
"You wouldn't by chance be saying anything about me behind my back, would you, Gary?" Alphonsine asked with an edge in her voice.
"I'm going to go swap out the Pokemon refreezing the cake," Garus bowed out.
"Be seeing you then!" the birthday boy waved as he looked at Alphonsine intergreting herself within the group.
"You really showed some great moves up there." Renny complimented, with a thankful tone for her showing up to the party. As popular a model as she was, she probably already had a full schedule.
"Yeah," Alphonsine said with an unhappy expression. Looks like seeing Angelo like that was really affecting her.
"I checked out those beach photoshoot pictures. Your agency did a really great job. Everyone, especially you, came out very well in those pictures!" Renny didn't mention about his own huge private stash of pictures. If anyone asked, he'd probaby just claim to view them on the internet.
Alphonsine seemed to be thinking. Her face was serious and unreadable. Just what was going through her head? "Did you really like them?"
Renny unmistakenably nodded in a huge grin.
"I see," Alphonsine said, her expression unchanged.

By this time, the band was over. Alphonsine had wondered off as the others stepped down. What would freak some people is out is how feminine Angelo looked from behind.
"Thanks for the performance Angelo! It was interesting to listen to your music." Renny normally didn't pay much attention to the music scene to compare to others, but he appreciated the entertainment nonetheless.
"Glad you like it, Renny," Angelo smiled. "I was pretty nervous. Haven't played this stuff in years. Too many memories, y'know, not all of them good."
Renny nodded. "The other players did well too. I didn't expect Bretton to be that skilled at playing one of your songs, even if he wasn't one of your regulars."
"Well, excuse me for looking like a musclebound oaf," Bretton folded his arms, but didn't sound hurt. "See if I train you on how to play and increase the number of chicks you get."
"I think his boyish good looks is enough of a chick magnet," Evangaleen chuckled.
"I have no talent with performing arts anyhow. I'd stick with what I got, since it seems to be working so far." Renny partly joked. Every word of it was true, but he was flippantly light-hearted about it.
"So... how did you all meet? I know many of you remained together as a gang, but I'm wondering what brought most of you together in the first place."
"Our hometown," Bretton said. "I think all thirteen of us were born in Mugenburg. Hard to remember. It's not like all of us met up at the same time and decided to be a thing."
"Some of us weren't so close but we were all together like that, yeah," Evangaleen said. "I met Bretton first myself. I think Moon, Darcen and Shannon were all really close neighbors and stuff."
Renny privately recalled Moon's confession to Shannon and how he berated himself for letting Shannon's attraction be taken by Darcen first.
The Gallade's sharp eyes spied some vaguely familiar faces entering at the door, people he barely knew but thought it might have been the group that Irene introduced.
"If you excuse me, I think I see some of the new PATCA members coming in, and I want to help them feel welcome, so I'll see you all later. Please enjoy yourselves! And thank you for coming!" Renny said as he glanced to all of the members briefly in turn.

"I'm sure he wouldn't have minded if you brought Javier to the party," Bianca was telling Daisy.
"He's furniture shopping," Daisy groaned. "I don't really care where we live as long as it's not cold enough to freeze my nipples solid, but that man is insane when it comes to this housing stuff. I'm sure he's got his mind on having a good house to raise our kids."
"Oh, children? That's so nice!" Bianca said. "How many?"
"I'unno, three?" Daisy shrugged. "I guess he's got a good idea going. I wouldn't want my kids growing up to be as fucked up as I am."
Renny waded through the crowd and made his way to approach them warmly. "Hello! I'm glad you could make it!" He thought for a moment to recall their names "... Daisy and Bianca, am I right?"
"Daisy Miltower," the raven-haired temptress confirmed with an extended hand. "Good to meetcha. And I hope you're not as much of a wimpy dork as Harliette says you are."
"Gosh, that's rude," Bianca said, then offered her own hand. "Bianca Tanders. A pleasure, I'm sure."
He took both of their hands in turn with a single warm and firm handshake.
"Likewise. Renny Tresserhorn. I hope you're both having no problems adjusting to life here in PATCA?"
"I'm not," Daisy said, then nodded her head towards Bianca. "That one is."
"I've been having problems adjusting to life ever since I met you, Daisy," Bianca sighed miserably.
"Want me to deploy Belzybrand to make you feel safer?" Daisy suggested.
Renny quickly confirmed Irene's warning to himself about their personalities.
"I work as the Sortie Coordinator in PATCA, to help determine our formations during our missions. So if you have any questions or concerns, I'll do what I can to help. But that can probably wait for later."
"I've been assigned as a Shock Trooper," Daisy told him. "Pretty obvious, considering how hard I work my body. Looking forward to our first fight."
"I just recently spoke with my professor back home," Bianca said. "I'm supposed to be receiving a really powerful scanning device, something like an uber-camcorder or something. Based on that, I've been asked to function as a Scout for now."
"She had her own Pokemon," Daisy pointed out. "But that whole Ranbito Virus scare you've got going on around her has her afraid for their lives. Couldn't convince her that the vaccine would work. Some girls can be so stupid sometimes."
Renny nodded rather understandably, given he reacted the same way. "I just learned about it a while back myself and even fought a few infected in the slums. It's rather disconcerting but at this point we can overcome it." He then pointed a short distance within the crowd, "Daisy, I last saw Irene over in that direction, if you are by any chance looking for her, but otherwise, feel free to mingle and enjoy yourselves. Bianca, you can obviously do the same, but I could also introduce you to Professor Ricewood. Her support would be a big help and you'll probably would have plenty to talk about, especially if you're here on your professor's behalf. We've all benefited from her wide array of expertise."
Renny shrugged "Up to you though. As exhausting as our missions have been, I'm hoping we can all relax and enjoy ourselves."
"Hey, Bianca, hold my drink," Daisy said suddenly.
"Something wrong?" Bianca asked.
"My ass hears a Hollywood Undead song," Daisy shrugged. "I am compelled to shake it."
Apparently, shaking one's ass to Hollywood Undead's "No Other Place" was a common practice for many of the girls at the party.

"So, what brought the two of you here to PATCA?" Renny started conversing with the dainty lady, trying to be gentle-spoken given her nervous nature.
"I believe that Daisy was trying to get away from the monotony of living in the Jurich region," Bianca spoke for the woman who went off to go make her hips bend in ways that one wouldn't expect of hips that large.
Bianca continued. "I went there to help with research on the Convergence Event. It's a scientific theory suggesting a great calamity bound to occur in Honmyr in the future, and the evidence is due to so many Pokemon congregating here, particularly all of the legendary Pokemon."
A small smile came out of that. "I guess I owe my friendship with the legendary Shaymin to that then." He thought for a moment though.
"Are you comfortable with the idea of working in PATCA though? I promise, I try my absolute hardest to make sure that everyone, regardless of their prior experience or lack thereof, makes it back safe and as unharmed as can possibly be from the missions. I mean, many of us here don't have any formal military training at all, myself included. Despite that, it can still be pretty scary sometimes."
Bianca looked thoughtful. "Well, it's not like I can just go home now, heh heh," she scratched the back of her head. "Besides, for some reason I feel rather compelled to stay with Daisy. I don't know why. Probably the same thing is what caused so many to join with Irene. They just seem to ooze charisma, even if they never mean to."
"Our numbers DID jump a lot when Irene woke up from her coma, although our numbers were gradually rising even before then... Anyhow, I have an idea of sorts if you can listen." He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.
"This next mission is actually one of the best opportunities to determine your abilities and whether you'd like to continue working in PATCA as opposed to possibly working in a non-combat role, possibly as Professor Ricewood's assistant. We have an agent who has some powerful although limited capability to precognitively see the future. He was able to glimpse into several details of the next mission. Heading into the Corpsemire is scary, but it's supposed to be ultimately harmless to us according to him. Then there would be expected 2 battles once we get into the Hungry World. I can put you in a group with myself, and two other powerful agents. I can handle a bit of healing if push comes to shove, but this would be a perfect opportunity to see first hand what you might have to deal with on a regular basis but with greatly reduced risks for your first time. The chance to observe Shadow pokemon in their natural habitat is also a rare opportunity, given that the place is normally locked down by the president. What do you think?"
"I'll try, don't worry," Bianca said, sounding more certain than her expression suggested.
"Rest assured, we'll all watch each others backs." Renny looked at Daisy still dancing away. "This song is longer than I expected. May I introduce you to Ms. Ricewood, Bianca?"
"Don't worry, I already know her," Bianca said. "Thanks, though."
"Anytime. Anyhow, I'm going to wander around a bit more and enjoy my own party a bit, talk with some more of my friends and all of that. If you need anything at all though, you can ask me anytime. It was nice meeting you though. And Daisy." Renny quickly added her name as if it was an afterthought. Then he left to check out talk with the Kimonos. Since he'd have Bianca in the group, he'd want to have someone reliably strong to shoulder the burden and guide the way. And he had someone in mind.

Catherine recently finished shaking her ass to the music and was enjoying a beer while talking to Whitney, the latter of which did not participating in the gyrations of posteriors.
"It has to be one of us, Whitney," Catherine said. "What are the odds that Renny's going to spend tonight with Lola? They love each other, sure, but it's kind of a slow developing love. I'm just saying, if we're aggressive, then we get to be Renny's firsts."
"Maybe, but who will be the first of his firsts?" Whitney asked back.
Catherine crushed her empty beer can on her midsection and tossed it expertly into the nearest trash can. "You can have it. Renny wouldn't be my first like you, so I think I can stand aside while you experience your first times together. Besides, I have a feeling I've been too aggressive and didn't give any of you girls a chance at all. Lola's too pure, your emotions are too conflicted, and Milsha's too casual. When it comes to aggressiveness, I think Rachel's my only real competition."
"Hi! You're both having fun?" Renny was on his way to talk to Mika and Nyoka, but he slowed down for a moment as he saw the pair chatting.
"Heyo, Renno!" Catherine said, alcohol on her breath. "You know about the third party tonight, ey?"
Renny cocked his head in curiousity. He had an inkling of what they might be talking about, but he didn't have anything specifically planned that evening. "Not off the top of my head, but go on?"
"Yer eighteen now, m'boy," Catherine slurred slightly. "And there's probably no end of ladies in this very hotel tonight that would love to celebrate your coming of age in a very special way. So, a lot of us curious, and not just us who know you so well. I suppose you could always run away from it for now, but could you call yourself a man from running away from dozens of women ready and raring to tear you apart and make you forget what your own name is?"
"Ah, that." Renny thoughts were confirmed. Catherine defintely made it easy to figure out what was on her mind, especially when she's been drinking. "I guess we'll see what happens." He said in a simple "we'll see" sort of air. He wasn't completely certain either, although temptation, being what it is, was enticing.
"Told you he wasn't ready," Catherine elbowed Whitney.
"Give the man some time," Whitney reasoned with her. "It's not like he gets to decide when he turns eighteen. It's not like we can imagine what he must be going through right now."
"Well, I also kinda want the moment to feel good and natural and not just like clockwork just because I hit some semi-arbitrary date like my eighteenth. At least I don't have to worry about any of the legal issues anymore, so I won't have that holding me back. But yeah, I kinda want to let my feelings decide that when it comes, not having it preplanned like an agenda or anything. Anyhow, I got some more people to talk to, so I'll see you both sooner or later!"
After Renny left, Catherine and Whitney just looked at each other. "He's so innocent," Whitney said. "Kinda makes you want him more, doesn't it?"
"Actually, it just makes me feel terrible about how I abused my body in the past." Catherine frowned. "Seriously, why would he pick a beat up used woman like me?"

Renny next found Mika, Nyoka, and Cecilia all together. Apparently, the topic was technology.
"So Hungry World has technology like this, huh?" Cecilia said, gently caressing Nyoka's face.
"Depends on where you look," Mika was leaning on the nearby wall. "Thanks to those Reality Shards, it's possible for the Hungry World to have technology that is both extremely ancient and super futuristic, if you have the courage to hop into the shards and search for it. But Nyoka does come from modern Hungry World technology."
Renny silently melded into the group as he listened in with interest, curious about what was being said. He waited for them either to continue the interesting conversation or for them to change the topic.
Cecilia was now massaging Nyoka's tail. "So how do you get her tail to work? She's kind of like an actual Pokebrid, the tail and ears move so naturally."
"Magic," Mika said matter-of-factly. "Magic. Science. Technology. One of them or a mix of two or all three is the method by which we solve all our problems."
"She's so cute, I just wanna take her home and declare her to be my little sister," Cecilia stroked Nyoka's ears.
"Or big sister," Mika countered. "She's been around for a very long time."
Renny stroked her tail a little, although not nearly as much as the others. "It's still hard to believe that technology could create someone so unmistakenly life-like. Nyoka, I was hoping if you would be the guide for my group through the Hungry World for the next mission?"
Nyoka looked at Mika. "You can do it," Mika told her. "We built you tough just so that you could last even on your own."
"But Ren-nyan doesn't know anything about maintenance of infernal drivers, nya," Nyoka said.
"Infernal drivers aren't fragile, y'moron," Mika closed her eyes. "Especially in your case. You'll be fine. Trust your creator."
Nyoka paused, perhaps to ponder what Mika said, then nodded to Renny. "I am under your care, Ren-nyan," Nyoka said, her expression far too serious for her cute way of speaking.
"That's my line! You're my guide through the Hungry World after all!" He exclaimed jokingly with a warm chuckle. "I'll do my best to help take care of you too. You all enjoying the party, I hope?"
"I like the getting-together-with-friends part," Cecilia admitted. "Don't need cake or booze for that, though. Still, I'm glad I came."
"Me too. I especially want to thank you for helping me set this party up in this hotel." He privately mused to himself that she went a fair way in helping him despite very few interactions with each other. At most, she had pleasantly joked that Renny was heading toward the Harem route.
"It was surprisingly easy," Cecilia said. "I just told the female staff about you and they practically overpowered any judgment call made by the guys. Then again, my father does own this hotel."

Darcelle took a bit of time to track down and Renny found her in the pool. It was raining, though that was clearly because of Darcelle's Kyogre form. She was swimming gracefully under the waves, but apparently noticed Renny and quickly exitted the pool.
"I've been cautioned about being inside the hotel," Darcelle apologized. "All three of my forms could wreak havoc on your party, Ren-Ren. Sometimes it's inconvenient being so powerful."
"No no, I'm happy you could make it. Well, if you want, I could have Shaymin cast Worry Seed on you. You'll have a tempory case of insomnia, but you won't have the weather issue and you could stay up all night long for the party no problem."
Renny called out Shaymin from the pokeball, who was happily soaking in the rain as it looked up at Darcelle.
"I don't mind hanging out by the pool for now, though," Darcelle admitted. "The other girls like the rain, and...maybe...you like my swimsuit?"

Indeedy he could have. For the most part, one would argue that Darcelle's choice in swimwear was more dictated by her form than by any choice of her own. Basically, she was wearing a Kyogre-themed one piece that didn't seem to be anything more than the aethestics of a Kyogre Pokebrid.
"I do! It looks especially good when you wear it." His eyes looked her over with admiration.
"Anyhow, how about I leave Shaymin with you for the time being? When you want to come to the main hall to get some ice cream cake or mingle or whatever, just ask her to use Worry Seed and come right in. I'd be upset if you couldn't join us whenever you felt ready because of your powers. She'd like the rain too. Of course, she'd like the sun too."
Without waiting, he passed the pokeball over to Darcelle. "You can give it back later, of course."
"Aww," Renny heard Darcelle's really cute pouting.

He stuck around for a little bit for a bit of small-talk. "Are you enjoying yourself here?"
"I am getting better at situating myself around here," Darcelle said. "One would think I would have trouble working somewhere, but my sister has had much use for me."
"Sister? Ah, I was wondering how Myrie would feel about you. The two of you are getting along well then?"
"We hardly speak," Darcelle admitted. "I was referring to the professor. She seems to believe there must be some kind of link between how I became a legendary Pokebrid and how my niece Myrie became a Shadow Pokebrid. Those both involve very difficult procedures with great risk."
"Entirely in keeping with what we knew of Faynoc." Renny said with some distaste of his memory. "But what you say sounds very plausible. "
"I should thank Mollesk again when I get the chance," Darcelle chuckled. "Odds are that if I remained down there, father would have tried to splice me with every legendary DNA sample available. Possible if only remotely, but I do not believe I would be able to retain my mind. Just having the three forms is what occasionally causes me to relapse into my childish state."
"Forgive me for asking, but if there was any possibility that Jeanette could reverse or remove at least one of the forms, if not all of them, would you be interested in that? Would that actually make it easier on you?"
"I'm fine with what I've got," Darcelle said cheerfully. "Seems like you find my child state rather cute, anyways."
Renny blushed a little, but nodded.
"Besides, even the smallest Pokemon DNA splicing can be fairly permanent," Darcelle pointed out. "Any attempt to remove the influence could remove something far more precious. I'd hate to lose things like memories and mental capability."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. You're pretty much perfect the way you are right now. I'd rather not mess with a good thing. Anyhow, I'm going to get going a bit. Still have some more people I'd want to talk with. You can hold onto Shaymin during the party, ok? She can use Worry Seed so you can freely move about without any worries. See you later!"

For reasons known only to Renny himself, Renny's next search target was Aster. Still a girlishly cute young man who continued to wear clothes that suited him really well but didn't offer him any points in masculinity.
"Happy birthday, Renny," Aster said, trying to sound cheerful about it but the expression didn't quite fit. "I'm surprised you can move around this place at all. Do you know how many girls are currently staring holes right through you?"
"Are you offering exact numbers?" Renny joked. "I'm glad you could make it. You know kinda deep in thought though. Is something on your mind?"
"It happens whenever I move close to Chief Crosswald," Aster said. "It could be attributed to that woman having so much violence and senseless bloodshed reigning her memories, but there's always something that never adds up."
Renny recalled the White Catseye Gem conversation. It spurred a lot of his recent plans and developments into action, although he still had no reason to doubt Irene at this point, as friendly and helpful as she had been.
"I see. Hopefully you'll figure out that gap sooner or later. By the way, your prediction on the next mission is definately a lot of help. Before I heard your prophecy, I thought the Corpsemire was an extremely hostile place."
"Ironically, it's probably the only really peaceful place in Honmyr anymore," Aster said somberly. "I'm sure the Corpsemire will be both a disturbing and yet beautiful place."
Renny nodded. "Quite a few agents want to check it out. That and the Hungry World. Out of curiousity, do you get much reception from there? Ignoring the mission portion of it, it seems like it'd be a fascinating place if it took bits of different worlds and incorporated it into its new design. And that the physics there is unusual as well."
"I do not intend to extend my sight there, for I cannot imagine that everything down there is going to be lovely or nice," Aster apologized. "In fact, there could be some very hideous, unspeakable places that will turn your heart cold and black."
There was a pregnant pause of sort before Renny nodded again.
"I see. Well, I'll try to be prepared for the worst for the mission. One more thing... I was just wondering if other people in your family had the same gifts as you, or how they thought of it. Or whether it was a heretitary trait."
Aster stared at Renny for a while, then smiled weakly.
"My family were cultists and archaeologists," he said. "Trying to figure out all the weird things that make Honmyr such a unique place. All of them receiving death as the spoils of their efforts and leaving me a nigh-incomprehensible book larger than an RDPA Operator's Manual."
"They left you a book?" Renny confirmed as if he thought he had misheard. "Incomprehensible, how? Was it the language? Writer wasn't entirely sane?"
"My parents were...fucked up," Aster said. Renny definately felt like he put his foot in his mouth at this point. "And the book cannot be read by normal means. You have to sort read the 'feelings' of those who wrote. It has multiple authors, you see. I think I've detected about nineteen different people involved, not all of them necessarily sharing my bloodline."
Aster shrugged. "I'm sure I'll figure it all out as I gain further power."
"I'm sure you will. I wish you the best of luck."

"Stop trying to eat that."
...What?
"Stop trying to eat that."
That's Irene's voice but...
"Stop trying to eat that."
...Oh. Heh.
Irene was gently using her right index finger to gently prevent Opticka from eating a spoonful of ice cream cake by nudging the spoon before Opticka could lift it to her diminuitive face.

"For fucks sakes, you don't even have taste buds," Irene groaned.
Renny approached and picked up Opticka from behind, cupping her into his palms, "And how are you doing Opticka? Hey Irene." He gave a side glance to Irene.
"Opticka is quick to accept ridiculous challenges," Irene told him. "Today's giver of challenges is apparently Bretton, and the challenge is consuming this frozen dairy monstrosity."
"I can do it if you'll just give me this damn spoon!" Opticka wrestled with Irene's hand.
"The only thing you'll accomplish by eating that is providing us with a scientific sample explaining how many parts per million is vanilla extract."
"Maybe just give her a new challenge?" Renny suggested absentmindly.
Irene thought about it, and then had the most unnerving smile ever.
"Opticka, I bet you can't take Renny's virginity before some other girl gets it." Renny flinched at the suggestion.
"That's ridiculous," Opticka said. "I couldn't possibly have sexual relations with Renny Tresserhorn."
"She's sharp," Irene observed.
"But I can surely eat this entire cake!" Opticka cheered and continued fighting Irene's fingers for control of the spoon.
"So, Irene, I met Daisy a short while ago. Just briefly. Apparently good friends with Harliette already." He said as mildly as possible.
"Gun-toting bitches just flock together, don't they?" Irene said casually. "Don't worry. Daisy finds being called a bitch a true compliment. Sometimes the world needs a good few hard bitches, right? I guess a crazy ass hard bitch like me knows that better than anyone."
Renny just smiled, while trying to not accidently confirm her statements. He'd hate to be thought as someone who called anyone a bitch or whatever.
"Stop struggling Opticka" as he restrained her a bit. "One slice of that cake is larger than your entire bodymass. I'm pretty sure Bretton was joking with you. Seems to the sort of thing he does regularly. Anyhow, I'm glad that we can all relax from all the missions we have dealt with so far, even knowing that there is more dangerous ones to come."
Then his imagination wandered toward the darker end as he wondered just as bad it could be. "Irene, what were the past wars like? I mean... how do I say it..."
Irene turned her gaze in the vague direction of the ceiling, which was pretty damn high up.
"Well, I guess now that you're eighteen, it couldn't hurt to tell you about war is. Simply put, war is hell. A whole bunch of samurai and ninja charging headlong into a battle they couldn't win because they believed their honor and faith rendered them literally invincible versus a bunch of roided up juggernauts brandishing guns and swords both larger and heavier than a human torso who saw money and opportunity in a foreign land. Corpses all over the ground, land on fire, skies of black. You can't get much more hellish than the Successionary Wars."
"And yet, it can only get worse..." Opticka said, no longer trying to eat the cake. "If we were progressing towards more peaceful times, I wouldn't exist."
"The only reason you didn't exist up until now if because we just didn't have the technology to make your cuteness truly manifest," Irene stroked the little machine's head.
"And what about you and Shevenston?"
"He was almost as good as I am," Irene said. "At least, when I wasn't using my full potential, that is. He wasn't that good at closing off his heart to the tragedies inflicted by war. Hence while he lived a relatively normal life despite having quite a bit of money, and why he yanked Catherine and those two children right off the streets."
"I... I think I see. A little at least. I'll probably see a little more soon. The Corpsemire is the site of one of the battles, right?"
"Yep. Probably not very indicative of the chaos of war," Irene frowned in thought. "Going there, you would swear you're visiting a different planet."
"I see."
Renny tried to soothe his mind and heart by grabbing another slice of ice cream cake, his expression changing to sheer delight upon biting the cookie and cream. After a few minutes and one less cake slice, he decided to wander around some more.

[Menarker]

Renny knew he was going to be walking into an awkward conversation when he neared Lola and Rachel. No doubt about it, the subject was who would claim the boy's innocence. Lola's entire face was beet red and she was obviously being playfully bullied by the younger, less curvaceous girl.
"Relax, it's totally going to be you," Rachel was saying. "Just use those ridiculous boobs of yours and he's totally putty in your hands."
"But...I...yet..." Lola faltered between words.

Renny didn't hear the details of the conversation as he approach from the sides and lightly slapped his hands on both their backs. "Lola, Rachel. How are you two doing?"
"You're a big jerk, Renny!" Rachel said, jabbing one of her fingers into Renny's chest. "Look, Lola can't do this on her own. All you have to do is attack her! C'mon, you got 12 AP!"
"It's fine like this," Lola seemed really uncomfortable. "Yes...it's fine like this."
"You can even use my AP too, you know," Rachel said. "Believe it, it's the only time you'll want to have the Exhaustion affliction."
"That's about enough, mousegirl."
A massive heavy blade slowly lowered itself to form a barricade between Rachel and Lola. Milsha sighed. "Y'all be jus' like eh buncha mankehs 'n eh zoo," Milsha drawled.
"Hey, Milsha!" Renny was relieved to see her, because the entire last 20 seconds was nerve-wracking in all the ways that Rachel specialized in. "Everyone enjoying the party so far?"
"Kinda hard to," Milsha said, lowering her sword. "There's something outside, bothering the good ol' folks."
"Eh?" Renny excused himself quickly as he went to check out what commotion was going on outside.

He wasn't quite sure what he was looking at. The creature was the shape of a fully grown man, muscular and roughly ten feet tall. But he was completely featureless. Naked, but completely white, like he was made of salt.
"I didn't wanna do nothin' to him...it," Milsha said, walking up from behind to join Renny. "He hasn't hurt anyone and people are only kind of creeped out by him. So I just called the cops."
"Did anyone offer him pants?" Renny said absentmindly. It would have been the simple solution, but for a 10 foot man, it was kinda unlikely. "Or at least, shorts?"

Police sirens finally got the large white man's attention. The man responded by turning to look at the approaching police cars, but made no other movements.
"Can you speak?" Renny said to the salt man as he craned his head up.
If the creature heard Renny, it made no effort to acknowledge him. The police exited their vehicles. Fortunately, no guns were raised.
"I wonder what brought him here of all places." Renny said quietly.
The usual police bullshit came out over a loudspeaker. The creature did nothing to acknowledge them, either.
"Milsha, let Irene know about this. If there is any possibility of a conflict, I'd want to avoid a panic at least. Possibly to be ready for combat." Renny privately bemoaned having another of his parties crashed by unexpected visitors.
In all fairness, that fucker was probably asking for it.

"To be fair, if the problem is him creeping people out, if you were actually interested in preventing it you'd just have thrown him a towel."
Hyacinth had enjoyed the party quite a bit during her stay, and had a bowl of the cake stuffed in best it could. Right now she was just sitting and watching the commotion, waiting for the inevitable fight.
Eventually, the police force lost patience with being ignored and one of the police, a rather large man in his own right, tried to force the creature to the ground. It didn't budge an inch despite the cop's struggles.
Irene stepped out just as soon as the policeman lost patience and then stepped back to fire a taser at the creature's pure white chest. Yet again, not even an inch of movement.
"Christ, just what is this thing?" the man demanded.
Finally, a movement. The monster reached for the live electric wire, then casually yanked them out and released them.
"There's two little red markings where the taser probes struck him," Irene observed. "Not blood. Just what the fuck is that?"
The question was answered quickly when the little red spots...started to move. They moved up and then down the monster's right arm, gathering into one spot on the palm.
Ein moved quickly then. In one quick movement, the arm was reared back and then flung forward, blasting the cop with massive electricity.
Ein then simply returned to his motionless standing position.
"Holy shit, shoot him!"
"Aw hell," Irene groaned as the police opened with small arms gunfire. "More spots are appearing on the body. I think I know how this is working."
They observed as the spots moved towards the palm again.
"The spots are becoming one again," Irene observed. "I bet it's going to fire one large shot instead of all the bullets it was hit with."
Irene's observation was right on the mark. The bullet that was projected from the palm was far larger and aimed at one of the police cars, causing it to crunch and explode from the mighty impact.
"So not only can it absorb any damage that hits it," Irene said. "It can even change the form the counterattack takes somewhat. Electricity for electricity, bullet for bullet. I guess it cannot break the rules of properties."
"Damn it. Can we get the police out of here? Like get them to block off the permimeter so no one wanders in the area?" Renny said as he looked at the demolished police car.
"Eck. A Shiny Wobuffet. Those're a nusiance for sure." Hyacinth smiled, calmly watching the rest of the force try to fire on the creature to no avail. "I wonder how you'll beat it..."

Ray did not want to be here. The decor was kitschy, the drinks were flat and the music had been selected by someone with a teenager's taste in entertainment. He could just have ignored the invitation and not gone, of course, but somehow, he was here, in a suit, sampling the 7-layer dip at the buffet. It wasn't even like he had anyone to talk to. Pierce had taken the job, Irene was (probably) still pissed at him, and he'd be shocked if Abereth let herself be seen anywhere around here.
It was a testament to the party's quality that Ray's mood actually improved when the supernatural abomination showed up. He came up behind Renny, nodding in assent.
"Yeah, clear the area. Honestly, get everyone out of here. It seems passive so far, but there's no guarantees it'll remain that way." He glanced at Irene, careful to keep his voice neutral. "You don't happen to know anything?"
"Pfft, like I know that guy," Irene smiled with a good humor. "He's very interesting, though. I wonder how we can even damage his milky white skin?"
Ray sighed. Once again, he was the only one taking the situation seriously. "You sound like you're in a toothpaste commercial."
He approached the creature cautiously, careful to make no sudden movements. The creature was largely passive, which, at this point, was probably a godsend, but Ray didn't count on it lasting. The man's blank, featureless expression was more foreboding than it was reassuring. Still, if they couldn't hurt it, maybe they could get it to respond. He stepped close and slowly, carefully, touched his palm to the creature's, tensing to jump back at any moment.
No reaction. Did this fucking thing respond only to hostile actions? But then what the hell brought it here in the first place?
But then, it seemed like the creature's turn to attack had come up. And Ray was its target. Ein turned towards Ray, then hopped back as its right arm turned into a lance larger than a tree. The road was savaged as the lance was thrust directly at Ray's heart.
Oh wonderful. It was aggressive. Ray desperately through himself aside, feeling the lance just barely graze his side, shuddering to think what that would have done if it had hit.
Instead of withdrawing the lance after thrusting it, the extra mass that Ein had built simply vanished into white gas that dissipated very quickly. And once again, Ein simply stood there.

"You violated his personal space," Irene chided Ray. "Let me try now."
Apparently, "trying" to Irene was little more than "take out both swords and slice the man up rather violently".
"Because thats totally not violating his space." She laughed, taking in their fighting capacities while putting another spoonful of cake in her mouth from her bowl.
Ray stood back, trying to make up a good retort to "personal space". He hated being talked down to. Which was probably why Irene talked down to him that much. God, that woman. At least he had a good chance of seeing the Salt Man retaliate, though. That'd be entertaining.
The only indication that the man has been cut up was that there were merely red lines on its body where Irene had slashed him. The red flowed to both of the forearms and Ein rushed Irene, swiping at her with both of his arms. Irene dodged near an object, then stepped to the side.
"When his hands and arms are covered in red, they can slice even better than my swords," Irene observed aloud, hopping away. She was also counting the number of slashes Ein made, finding them to be equal to her own number of cuts before the red vanished from the body.
"And what wonderful swords they are." Ray agreed. "Thankfully, it seems to telegraph its attacks, so we're not in too much danger, if we keep our wits about ourselves. Do you think we're hurting it at all?"
"Nope, but check this out!" Irene said, summoning Balor. After ordering Balor to basically soak the poor pasty bastard in toxic fumes, Irene laughed. "Hey, Kool-Aid!"
Don't make him entirely red, you crazy bitch!
Now Ein was projecting blasts of toxic fumes from his palms as the red coloration congregated there. Balor ignored the attack and Irene just stayed out of range. "Damn it, how do I fight this thing?"
Ray sighed, careful to keep away from Ein, intermittently dodging acidic jets.
"How about not making him entirely red, you crazy bitch?" He wasn't quite sure why he'd expressed it that way, but damn it felt good. Or maybe the fumes were just making him light-headed.
"Fuck... can we get Opticka out here? And evacuate all civillians? We need more information. And less risk of collateral."
"I'll go get her! You keep it busy!"

Ein was almost abnormally patient as they got Opticka to give it a good look.
"He's a strange fellow," Opticka said as she scanned him. "Seems to be made of some kind of salt. The only other records place this salt as existing in the Offlands."
"The fuck is an Offlander doing so far west from there?" Irene said, keeping her swords ready for the next attack.
"I'm sensing something else...kind of like an umbilical cord? That might be the reason it seems to regenerate completely and instantly from every wound."
Irene pressed a button of her Inquiry Visor. "Show me."
Ein suddenly disappeared in a similar way to how he deconstructed his lance.
"Crafty bastard," Irene growled. "It must be on to us."
A quick search revealed that it was pretty much gone.
"Well... that was an anticlimax. Glad we got rid of it, though. No other signs of it, Opticka? Can you point out where the umbilical cord was leading from?"
"Probably back to a big ol' salt chunk or something," Opticka shrugged. "Like wearing one of those beer helmets, except the beer is from Shadows of the Damned."
"What a strange comparison." Ray said, slightly bemusedly. "No, I'm more interested in this thing's home base. It must've had an origin. And I have the feeling it'd be in our interest to check in on whatever place that is. And... do some salt mining. Still, that'll have to wait. Let me know if you find anything else."
"Y'sed Offl'ns, eh?" Milsha asked Opticka. "That's that one place way out east where time and space are all fucked up."
"It's difficult to categorize the Offlands," Opticka said. "There are so few willing to brave such a dangerous place and most who do don't come back with a lot of helpful information."
"Regardless, put it all behind you for now," Irene instructed the others. "This is a birthday, a time for celebration, and we should be celebrating it. I'll talk to the Ruin Generals that work with us later and figure out what the hell that thing was. At least nobody's seriously injured, not even that officer that got the shock treatment."
Renny nodded, and left the police to cleaning up the mess outside while he and his other guests head back in.
The party was quick to recommense. In fact, in most areas, the party never stopped, particularly at Elizabeth's photoshoot. Those girls who weren't currently posing were just talking to each other while still wearing this or that rather flattering swimsuit or lingerie. If there was one thing Elizabeth knew how to do, it was to doll someone up.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few hours later (Less mingling overall, more intense)


Angelo hadn't changed out of her band clothes after the song, but had at least toweled off all the lotion by the time Alphonsine found him.
"It's almost like I traveled back in time," Alphonsine began. "And all that time I thought you had tried to burn your ties to me."
"I didn't try to burn my ties to you," Angelo said. "I was trying to get rid of my ties to all those assholes who went nuts when I turned you away. 'Why the hell did you reject Alphonsine Dionne? She's so hawt, lulz!' Ridiculous. It's like they think I didn't have a life that I wanted."
Alphonsine lowered her head. "I'm sorry for that. I didn't recognize the pressure I was putting on you."
Angelo finished his drink and set it aside. "It's fine. Slashfic wasn't going to last forever. I'm still surprised that it lasted as long as it did."
Alphonsine and Angelo turned to face the window outside. "What do you think you'll do once your time in PATCA is over?"
"My time in PATCA is already over," Angelo said. "Same for the rest of us. We don't need to be here anymore, we just are. I prefer it this way. There's just nothing else I want to do now."

The woman was silent. "Then, do you think that...maybe..." she faltered. "I mean, I don't think I'm going to get to be a celebrity myself for much longer."
Angelo was quiet.
"After all, if you didn't believe there was still some connection between you and me," Alphonsine affixed Angelo in her gaze. "Then why would you ever put on leather pants again?"
Angelo finally laughed. "You do realize that I actually enjoyed being in Slashfic, right?" he said. "I'm just going to say it like this. I never really liked the idea of being with you. I especially hated it when everybody thought it was so awesome that this rock star and that professional model were going to be a couple."
He then removed the hair extensions. "I'm not going to lie to you. When I said what I said in those interviews, that was really just to spare your feelings, alright? I didn't pursue a relationship not because I thought it would adversely affect our careers or because I thought that our popularity would ruin any blossoming love we might've had between us, but it was really because I just didn't like it. I was really uncomfortable, Allie."
"I...see..." Alphonsine said. She remained on the spot for a minute or two, perhaps searching for something to say, but merely ended up walking away.

"You couldn't have put her down better than that?"
Angelo continued staring out the window. "What was I supposed to say, you know? Ever since people got that whole Angelo X Alphonsine thing in their heads, it's been a massive lose-lose situation. My reputation was destroyed, my band was destroyed. And my popularly skyrocketed, although that's not an entirely positive thing."
Evangaleen looked back out the door. "Do you think she'll be okay with what you said?"
"She'd better be, 'cause I'm not going back on it," Angelo folded his arms. "I still...I don't like to admit this, but I still...hate her for what happened back then. If only she put some forethought into what she told the press that day, I would probably be a lot more respected. I mean, this is the only place I can wear my stage costume, where there are people who either know the whole story or don't care."


Speaking of, the next time Renny turned around he found his face bumping into a familiar pair of pillows. "Happy birthday Renny!"
Renny looked up a little at her familiar face, "Liz, I'm glad you made it! I was actually going to head to the photoshoot to see if you were there, since I heard you were hosting it and all."
His eyes arched up in curiousity as he remarked with a little coyness, "We seem to be starting some sort of tradition of having bikini photoshoots at birthday parties. Either for 18th birthdays or people whose name starts with R. Don't know which."
"Well the photoshoot can run itself for a little while." Liz replied simply, still hugging the birthday boy as she kissed his forehead. Seemed she was mindful enough not to go for the lips in plain view of Renny's other beaus.
"How's the party? I really wish you had let me plan it instead, not that this is bad or anything, I just think my personal touch would've been fun."
"It's been pretty good so far. So far, everyone seems to be more or less enjoying themselves and I'm having a good time too. Would have been a little better if that Ruin General didn't cause a disturbance earlier, but overall it's been a good day. How about yourself? Did you get the chance to do anything else other than run the photoshoot?"
"Not quite yet, though I was hoping to change that. Would you grace me with a dance?"
"Oh, uh sure!" Renny replied. "Hope I don't screw up in front of everyone. I'm not exactly on top of this entire dancing thing!"

("Currently" playing is Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xweiQukBM_k).)

Liz took Renny's hand and pulled him to the dance floor. The song wasn't very good and Liz considered going up there and putting something good on, but that would cut into her time with Renny and she was sure as soon as she let go of him someone else would nab him. Instead she held him close in the middle of the floor, shaking her booty and grinding to the rhythm slowly with him, throwing her hands up above her head.
He stood close beside her as he pumped his feet lightly with the beat, one arm held up in the air and the other touching her back, occasionally bumping his butt against her own and feeling a rush of electric (pleasant) shivers as the two rubbed up and down against each other at intervals.

"I guess that means you all lost to Elizabeth," Calisto observed, now wearing her normal dark blue trenchcoat. "What do you thi-aw shit."
Renny and Elizabeth were suddenly and forcibly separated and before Renny could tell who it was that segregated them, Renny's face was shoved into a different large pair of breasts. These were a lot more familiar, however, and Renny didn't need to know who was asphyxiating him now.
"I might welcome Catherine's advances on him," Lola said, affixing Elizabeth with a double dose of stinkeye. "But I do not wish to tolerate you with him."
"Did...not expect her to have that kind of reaction," Calisto said.
Liz sighed, placing her hands on her hips as she met Lola's stare with a bemused look.
"I'm pretty sure I can't turn him into a sex fiend, if that's what you're worried about." She replied simply.
"Considering that I'm the girl he likes the most, I'm pretty sure he's already a sex fiend," Lola says, releasing Renny and folding her arms in a way as to emphasize her already-absurd breast size. "But he's my sex fiend, and you don't get to have him."
"Sex fiend?" Renny thought, too shocked to do much more than react.
"Maybe it's because of all the huge threats we've been dealing with these days," Irene said while nursing a drink. "I guess it's broken down Lola's saintly patience bit by bit and now we see the barebone results. She's not a shy little rabbit anymore."
"Well, if you're finally making a move on him, you should go all the way, you know?" Liz said with another sigh. "And no, I don't mean sex. Just don't half-ass your confession."
That was Lola's weakness. Being put on the spot. But it was being put on the spot like this that caused Lola to behave in irrational, extreme ways.
"Fine, then!" Lola said, forced several shot glasses down, then grabbed Renny by the head and almost slammed her face against him.
Renny was about to interrupt her, but his aborted "Wait" was intercepted with the forceful kiss.
There's a sound effect in which a record is stopped in mid-play. This is a perfect time for that.
A lot of people stood there, dumbstruck, watching Lola kiss Renny, despite it being obvious that this was something that should've happened a long time ago. Others were smiling. Some even started to applaud.
When Lola finally removed her lips from Renny, her face was darting back and forth between emotions that she simply couldn't seem to grasp. Confusion? Nervousness? Even fear, by the looks of it.
Renny's expression was similar, as if taken aback by the sudden aggression and force that Lola uncharacteristically used.
"You were hoping that giving Renny your first kiss was going to be a more romantic, perfect moment than this," Irene spoke Lola's warring emotions for her. "Well, to be fair, there were plenty of worse opportunities that you expertly sidestepped."
Irene then raised her glass. "Congratulations, Renny. Congratulations, Lolianne. May your wedding be bright and your kids be as nutty as you two fuckers are."
"Good for you. But I hope you realize this means war." Liz said with a fire in her eyes as she locked eyes with Lola.
Liz's words seemed to bring Lola under control. With a flushed face, Lola walked over, retrieved Milsha's TekSaber, then brandished it with both hands, although she clearly wasn't built like Milsha to hold giant swords.
"Just don't half-ass your assault, you succubus," Lola hissed.
Another cliche was inbound as some people could swear they were seeing two mighty beasts being shaped out of the violent auras being displayed by both girls.

"ENOUGH!" Renny cried out, rather disconcerted by the manner in which the two, especially Lola was behaving. He leapt in front and used Knock Down on the blade, trying to prevent any accidents from the oversized blade, especially when wielded by someone with seemingly unstable and/or drunken emotions.
Milsha strolled up and easily hefted the mighty blade over her shoulder with one arm.
"Easy, girl. Sure, everybody wants to see you and Elizabeth do some sexy wrestling in the middle of the floor, but no need to be hauling my steel into this mess."
Not the fucking problem, Milsha!
"Okay, okay, that's enough now," Irene stepped in. "This is a time for celebration, so let's just get back to celebrating. Let's let Renny do what he wants and when the party is over, he and his new lover will have a long and possibly steamy talk, okay?"
"Don't I get a say in this? Sex Fiend this, lover that! End of party "celebration". I'm just not ready!"
His chest looked tight as he suddenly became self-conscious that potentially the entire gathered group might be gathered and staring at him.
"I invited everyone because in some way or other, I care for what might happen to any of you, especially in the future when we don't know which of us will live on to the next day. I know it is getting to be very much an open secret that I'm especially fond of several individuals in particular... But I'm still struggling with... all these pressures! All these expectations everyone has, all these feelings from many of you, and I'm trying to accomodate everyone as best as I can! But I draw the line at those I care for fighting each other, or trying to declare who are my real friends or lovers!"
He looked at Lola in particular. "Can we go and talk a bit? What I saw there... It was so much unlike what I have always known of you."
Liz chuckled. "No one's really fighting, Renny, we're just posturing. And I think we all know to respect what you believe in the end." She tried to explain.
Renny's expression looked downcast. Lola never seemed to have been the sort for posturing. He feared that her actions, along with several influences, were based off her very real emotions.
Lola was definitely not herself.
"I...I uhh...I'm sorry!"
And that's when she ran away. At a full sprint, no less.
"That girlie's pro'bleh best leff all alone," Milsha said in her characteristic drawl.
Despite what Milsha advised, Renny chased after Lola, leaving the party to its own device.
"I guess I've got some catching up to do." Liz said quietly as she watched Renny chase after the nurse.


The chase took them right outside. Lola was pushing her talents to their breaking point, literally leaping from wall to wall on nearby buildings to scale upwards and hit the roofs.
Previously, Renny would have had to use Togekiss to follow along, but the slayer training over several months had done a lot to improve his overall agility, as he pushed himself to not lose track of where she was.
Lola was pretty easy to track, given that her coloration was very bright, all pink and white. However, she wasn't easy to catch up to. She was running like a demon possessed, and great leaps carried her from rooftop and rooftop.
"She must have gone completely berserk," Irene's voice emanated from Renny's Inquiry Visor, which helped greatly in keeping her position locked on. "I would expect that the only reason she's running now is because you're chasing her. Catch that wabbit, Mister Fudd."
Renny didn't know if Irene was joking about how Elmer could never actually catch the rabbit no matter how much he tried, but he had more tools on his hand than the typical games-hunter.
Renny finally jumped up and deployed his Togekiss, raising his elevation so he could see her clearly, and then glared with his Mean Look technique, one meant to prevent non-ghost types from fleeing. The pair flew over to approach.
Lola jerked violently when caught by Mean Look and remained on the roof of what Renny remembered as the Skycrown Metropolitan Bank, where his very first mission for PATCA had taken place.

As Renny approached, he could see that Lola was doing everything in her power to try and escape again, and couldn't raise her face to look at him. He'd have to approach her with caution. If he pushed too hard, Lola might be crazy enough to deploy her own Pokemon to fight him off.
"Lola, can we sit-"
"No, I'm just going to say something stupid again!" Lola cried, still hanging her face low enough that Renny couldn't see it. Judging from the sound of her voice, Renny was glad to have stopped her so soon. She was definitely crying, and with tears in her eyes she could've missed a leap and suffered deeply for it.
"Lola... How long ago have you felt this way?" He was a little nervous, although felt a lot better about asking this conversation in private. "I was always feeling nervous because I was always second guessing whether you liked me in quite that way. I mean, I know a lot of people suspected it... but I was never confident enough to assume that was 100% true."
"I! I don't know anything!" Lola continued to wail. "All I can think right now is that I want to punch something!"
True enough. Lola's fists were balled so tightly that her knuckles were pasty white. And her stance was suggesting that she was about to lose the ability to keep herself still.
"Just hug her you fool." Came Liz's voice over his visor.
Renny was surprised by Liz's voice popping up on the visor. But after a moment of deliberation, he took a few steps forward, trying to appear as unthreathening as possible. And then another few steps.
Step by step, Lola matched his pace backwards. Fortunately, the edge of the roof was still pretty far away, so that wasn't a problem. The problem was that Renny was seeing two small red lights coming from near Lola's downturned face.

"Careful, Tresserhorn!" Irene shouted over the visor. "Her fractured emotional state is allowing Rezonance to build within her at an alarming rate. I'm on my way."
It took nearly an entire minute for Irene to arrive on top of Balor, but it felt like an eternity.
"I don't think she's in danger of becoming a Madsoldier, but we've gotta bleed her Rage out of her," Irene said. She passed on her swords and Pokeballs to Balor and discarded her armored overcoat. "Let's try not to beat up your girlfriend too badly, shall we?"
"Wait what? I don't want to beat her up at all." Renny protested, even as he noticed the raised levels of rage within her.
"Lola, please listen to me. Many of us have people who touch our lives in varying different ways. Over the past two years, I have several people who have had a strong point in my life...
"GrrrrRRGH, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!" Lola shrieked as they finally saw her face. Two big red lights where her beautiful pale green eyes used to be. "Go away! Leave me alone!"
Irene sighed. "If only I could've just said that during the two wars and made my enemies go away."
"Alright, I guess I'm ready for that intervention now." Renny said with a rather depressed expression. "What do you suggest I must do?"
"Tucker her out," Irene said, assuming an Aikido martial arts stance. "She's too excited and her emotions are playing havoc with her rationality, making her a perfect conduit for Rezonance to invade her mind. You don't really have to pound the stuffing out of her, just get her too tired to think of anything."

That having been said, Irene certainly didn't fight like she was merely trying to exhaust Lola back into control. Irene rushed Lola. Lola rushed back. Irene was a methodical machine of grab and counter, with each counter offering more force to stagger Lola for longer.
Renny sword danced while Irene kept her occupied.
"I'll deal one large blow on her. I know I can put her down without going overboard. It's what I've trained to do for so long." His arm looked blunted as if false swipes was active.
Lola struck again. Irene countered once more, this time knocking the bunny nurse clear off the roof. Renny jumped off in pursuit as Irene leapt down after her. Lola met the pavement of the nearby parking lot feet first and hurled herself back up. The two ladies clashed in midair, causing both to bounce to the ground. Lola was now on all fours, poised like a panther.
"Probably a positive," Irene observed to herself. "I wonder how happy you'll be if she was this wild in the sack, eh Renny?"
"Can we keep that imagination in check for a moment?" Renny bounced in, springing on his ankle before pivoting at the last moment and struck downwards toward her back with his arm.
"If she goes down on the floor, I'm pinning her." He strategized to himself, knowing that his blow would not actually knock her out, although it might come close. He didn't mention the plan to Irene in case Lola caught wind of it... and because Irene would probably quip about how kinky the strategy was.
The blow almost knocked Lola off of her hands and feet, but she hopped back, only the rise as Irene struck her with a palm to the stomach.
"With me, Renny. I'll set her up. You take her down. Then we swap. Lather, rinse, repeat until sedated."
Surprisingly, despite their opponent, this strategy worked well. Lola became too focused on the first hit that never came, she wasn't prepared for the next strike, and in four of these set up, take down maneuvers, Irene had Lola braced against a brick wall by the throat.

It was over. Lola's eyes weren't glowing anymore. Irene reared back with her free hand and nearly smashed Lola in the face, causing the nurse to yelp.
"Clear," Irene said, releasing her grip.
Renny jumped in and pinned Lola to the wall, holding her close in case she would fall or run.
Renny could feel nearly Lola's entire weight on him. She had passed out.
"I think she's under control now," Irene shrugged. "I dunno, I'm not a specialist in the Rezonscape, although I don't think anyone is. Now all she should need is a good night's sleep...and possibly some morning snuggles."
"I'll take her then. When you head back, tell the others that they can still party or whatever, but I won't be there for the rest of the night. Although..."
Renny rested his hand on her body, and expended some of his own rage that was building up during the conflict as he focused on her. Drawing upon some of Lola's supply, he drained away a sizable portion as a currently pointless Serene Blessing upon the two of them.
Togekiss, who had stayed out of the fight due to having not been given an order, flew back down to see if Renny needed him at this time. The Gallade carefully propped the Lopunny's body against its back as he sat behind her.
"Thank you for your help, Irene." Renny said glummily. The hysterics of the previous situation aside, he privately lamented that he couldn't save Lola himself. That he needed someone else to run in and practically do it for him.
"I'll take care of the party, just take care of her," Irene sighed. "She's a special lady, one that hasn't lost all those dreams girls like us had when we were kids. It's a powerful gift, but with the Rezonscape, also a damning curse. It couldn't hurt to reassure her every now and again that you're not going to abandon her, no matter what."
And with that odd note, Irene turned on her heel and lazily strolled back to the party as Balor gathered her overcoat and went ahead to wait for her, leaving only Renny, Lola, and his Pokemon in the dark and street lights. This was about the perfect time for a saxophone.

"Togekiss, home. To the balcony." Renny didn't want any particular attention from anyone else, bringing back the unconscious Lola. So he hoped that entering their home from the balcony would be more private.
Renny's apartment was bare of life, which suggested that the other girls were keeping their distance so that Renny could work in peace. Lola seemed to be fine when she was placed in her bed, even going as far as to unconsciously grab for the nearest pillow and hug it into her chest, her unique sleeping ritual. To ease her comfort, Renny instinctively removed her Pokeballs and set them on the nearby counter.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. It was Milsha.
"Irene's got the party back on track," she said. "And she's told everyone quite firmly not to discuss what happened with Lola unless you do. Anyways, why don't you let me watch over her while you get back to celebrating your birthday, hopefully with no more interruptions."
His first instinct was to shoo Milsha back to enjoying the party while he stayed with Lola. He didn't think he could really enjoy the party anymore with Lola in her current state. But looking at Lola and recalling the freakout was painful and personally embarressing, and he could definately trust Milsha to take good care of her.
"... Alright. Thank you. Milsha. I guess I'll see you later."
Renny went back to the balcony, making sure that Milsha was not in eyeshot and recalled Togekiss, who seemed a little surprised to be resummoned so soon. If anything it wasn't expecting to be soaring the skies again.
Renny climbed Togekiss and whispered. "Let's go home."
Togekiss looked at him with a puzzled expression until his master pointed out to the far distance toward a familiar landscape. The pokemon cooed knowingly as it took off and sped away toward the old home.

[Menarker]

About 15 minutes later, Togekiss touched down onto the backyard, leading to the back of the house. Renny tip-toed along the path of his own home, or what used to be home for him. While he didn't think mom or dad would react that badly, there was an ill-feeling at heart. The tension of the separation that he forced when they wanted to take him away from everything here.
He did notice something a little odd though. The place was mostly spartan in design. While it was somewhat clear that someone was still living at this residence, gone were the decorations that the yards and the outer walls of the house had. At most were a few chairs, a table and one or two tools closest to the garden.


*Remaining part of Family Reunion is To be Written*
----------------------------------------------------------

*Assume a few hours has passed and it's possibly a little after midnight*

With bitter-sweet parting, Renny flew back to the hotel. He stopped by first at the balcony to ask Milsha if anything had changed since he left... and to check on Lola.
"Hello? Milsha?" He said with a low whisper as he opened the door to his and Lola's room, partly expecting Milsha to be there watching over her.
Milsha rose up from the chair she placed by the bed. "She's been awake for quite a while now," Milsha told Renny as she was about to leave. "Give her time to explain herself. She's probably the same emotional wreck that she was when she fled from the party."
"I heard that," Lola's voice emanated from under the trick blanket.
"And you should be more honest with your feelings," Milsha shot back at her. "Anyways, take your time and scream if a naked white dude bursts into the room."

Renny was silent, but nodded thankfully toward her as Milsha left the room. Then, taking a deep breath to calm himself, he climbed on the bed and snuck under the sheets too. He gazed at Lola as he tried to collect his thoughts and while he waited for her to speak first if she wished.

BGM: Innocence from Katawa Shoujo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7zgT_eioHI)

"I uhh..." Lola began. "This closeness really makes me nervous. But this could be okay, too."
She couldn't look into Renny's eyes, though this seemed to be because she wasn't sure of her feelings quite yet.
"Well, I'm humilated myself completely just a little while ago so I guess a bit more embarrassment couldn't hurt."
Now her eyes met his.
"I'm just going to say it. I'm in love with you. Madly, absurdly, ridiculously in love with you. And I've felt this way about you for a long time. I didn't say anything then because I did kind of think that it wasn't healthy for me to feel this strongly for you so soon, but the more I thought about it, the more I saw that it possibly couldn't be anyone else but you."
"But don't worry, I don't expect you to say or do anything right now that you might regret later. I feel like I've put you on the spot with what I just said and I don't want there to be any mistakes. So, uhhh...you don't have to respond to me immediately. I'm happy enough that you might think about what I said, and that's good enough for now."
Having run out of what she thought about saying, Lola's eyes drifted away again.
There was a lingering silence. An incredible warmth. A little hot actually. Was the room turned up a little too high or were the blankets just that good at keeping heat in? The confession was something he had privately hoped for a while and his thoughts dwelt on her expressed feelings. Then he spoke slowly, and while he tried to be calm about it, it may have come across with a little bit of tension, like walking on a tightrope.
"I... was surprised by what happened earlier. I've always known you as a gentle person, with an open heart... I was... Do you remember back over at the bank? When I was saying about there being many people who touch our lives in different ways?" He didn't know for sure if she recalled everything that had happened during that high-powered spat.
"I think I remember hearing you say that," Lola said. "I was so absorbed in trying to solve my unsolvable problems."
He sympathized with an understanding nod.
"Well, over the time I've been here in Honmyr, there have been several people to whom I'm fairly fond of. They have helped me out in various ways, lending me their support and all that. But you... you changed the shape of my dreams."
The words he wished to say took a little effort to voice, but became easier by the moments.
"For a time, things looked so bleak in my mind that I was this close..." He had his index finger and thumb held in mid-air almost in contact with each other. "to possibly leaving PATCA and maybe Honmyr all together. But you changed everything about that. I was scared about what could happen the next day when I go to sleep each night. But your words then and the kindness you've given me since then... I then can't help but want to stay. Every other person, who had touched my life with their kindness also helped me feel more confident and stronger. But you in particular always made me look forward to the future. I... wanted to say this before, but at times I worried that you merely thought that we were just good friends or that it wasn't the right time to say it. I admit, that I was afraid of that and I regret that I didn't say something earlier... That I want to devote myself to fulfilling everyone's happiness. Especially with you."

Lola was silent for a moment, then let out a sigh and closed her eyes. "So, in other words, I put you in even more danger than I already have."
Then she smiled. "Just messing with you. Anyways, I'm ready to get out of this uncomfortable heat and maybe find something cold to drink."
Renny smiled back, but leaned over as he kissed Lola on the lips, slower and warmer than the hasty one at the party. Then he could go for a drink too, he figured.
"You can go ahead and get a drink first," Lola told him. "I just need to do something real quick."
"Alright." He slowly moved out of the bed, feeling much elated and calmer, now that the issues both recent and long-term had been resolved in his mind.
He went for a glass of water, and fed his pokemon. He recalled that he left Shaymin with Darcelle to enjoy the party.
When Renny left the room, Lola did the only thing she could think of.
She shook her ass. "I got myself a boyfriend! I got myself a boyfriend!" she chanted with all the happiness of a devoted cheerleader.

"Milsha, did Darcelle happen to drop my Shaymin off somewhere? Or is she still holding onto her for now?"
"It's on the balcony," Milsha nodded towards the open screen door.
"Seriously?" He looked a little puzzled and bemused as he went to collect the pokeball and let Shaymin out to get her dinner. "Did the rest of the party go well? As least according to her?"
"More or less," Milsha shrugged. "Cake's in the freezer if you want some. I think the party's pretty much wound down now."
"That's probably for the best. It is getting pretty late. Thank you."
Renny truly wasn't that hungry, but he had a tiny slice while it was still 'fresh' and which he rinsed it down with a glass of water and brushed his teeth since it was pretty much time for bed for anyone who wasn't staying up late. His pokemon remained out, content to laze about. Togekiss especially dozed on the sofa after all the flying he had done.
Renny then knocked on Lola's door, letting her know he was there.
The door opened suddenly and it was almost like Lola teleported right through him.
"I'm gonna be for a while," Lola said while wearing her red form-fitting negligee. "All this conflict resolution has made me so hungry."
"Alright! Cake's in the freezer. Enjoy yourself!"

He recalled that after all this commotion, he forgot to check out any presents that might have been given to him at the party. Finding them in the corner of the den, he started opening up the wrappings.
"How kind of them to bring it up here for me." He remarked, pleased with their thoughtfulness as he proceeded to determine what new gifts his friends had given him.
The gifts were a random bunch of things that were either really nice ideas or ideas that were difficult to comment on.
He got several holoframes. The things were just hitting the market, but they didn't require any manual to figure out. The Inquiry Visor and just about every 3D camera or recording device were compatible with them. All Renny had to do was transfer any kind of image data to the frame and it could project the image as a 3D "holorama". Given the IV's access to a lot of different material both saved to the PATCA server and on the net, he had a lot of different images he could put there. They even have a 'girlfriend' mode that allowed him to use a "safeword" to quickly change all the images within earshot to something more tasteful.
"Oh neat! I really got to thank everyone for these!"
He could see several useful purposes for these as well as the various sentimental aspects of them.

Next up, a collection of eromanga. Sigh. Renny could tell from the art style that all of these were drawn painstakingly by the same bowl-haired, bespectacled, overdressed young man with a Glaceon. Now probably wasn't the best time to enjoy them, but they seemed focused on the circle of girls Renny had to himself with various concepts like yuri and power fantasies.
In hindsight, Renny was pretty sure these could easily be acted out in real life.
Renny quickly flipped through a few pages quickly in genuine surprise before he quickly moved to stash them with his photoshoot album collection (including a small digital camera storage disk compatible with the new holorama he just got).

Oh hey, toys. The action figure and model varities. Most of the action figures were based on stuff like RDPAs and there even seemed to be a few Pokemon and PATCA agents. Although it was kind of dissatisfying. The action figure of Catherine couldn't punch half as fast as the real deal.
The models? Girls, obviously. Seemed to be Elizabeth hard at work, promoting a whole new generation of hikkomori. Renny wasn't sure how he felt about there being mass production models of his girls to be lusted after by perverts all over the continent.
He also wasn't so sure about having them openly in display in the same appartment that he shared with Lola and Milsha.
"I'm going to need a bigger hiding place for my stash." He thought as he delicately handled the models.

That holorama technology was also being pioneered in the next present Renny recieved, a set of eight Pokeballs. By visiting a Holoprogrammer, of which there were quite a few and going to be far more as the technology became more commonplace, he could get the Pokeballs to display just about anything when his Pokemon took the stage.
He stared at the pokeballs, somewhat conflicted. "These look downright neat, but my pokemon's current pokeballs makes them feel more comfortable. I wonder if there is a way to combine the two effects. Wasn't there a similar casing for pokeballs that did the same for smaller effects? Maybe they can work on that." He set them aside carefully while looking to see what else remained.
His reputation for being a lover of his Pokemon apparently shined through, as the majority of the other gifts involved Pokemon care products. Lotions, perfumes, polishes, brushes, snacks, instruction manuals for breeders...or maybe they just didn't know Renny enough to think of anything else?
"Oh, I could use these. At least it saves me the money and time to get these later." Swampert came right over and snatched the bag of snacks, opening it up and munching on it a bit before hugging Renny as in belated wishes happy birthday. Or perhaps thanking him for the snacks.
Renny started multi-tasking between opening what few remaining presents there were, and fiddling with his holo-frames, linking them with some of the videos and images captured by his Inquiry Visor. He didn't put in any pics requiring the girlfriend mode yet, although he'd probably do that once he could think of a safe-word that wouldn't be utter easily in complete.
"Got a lot of new stuff Lola! I'll show you them tomorrow though!"

He moved back and forth between his room and the den, moving his gifts to the top of his dresser or the closet as needed, and throwing away the wrapping papers as he got ready to head to bed. He snuck a few glances toward Lola, his thoughts still bubbling from her confession... that and the general arousal of the red lingerie she wore that accented her curves.
Renny could hear it over the silence after he turned out the lights. Faint footfalls. Having been hugged by her and hugging her more times than he could conveniently count, he knew the contours of his main squeeze.
"I assume you're still awake, huh Renny?" Lola's voice asked him.
"I am." He turned around and hug warmly, as he held her closely within his embrace as he gently swayed.
"I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep at all tonight," Lola admitted as she snuggled close. "What the hell is it about you and attracting all manner of crazy troubles whenever you want to celebrate something?"
He chuckled mirthfully. "The thought has occurred to me as well. I'm thinking that I'd tone down my future parties... keep to... a select few individuals." He grinned for a moment as he looked at her face.
"Lola. I love you." It took some effort to say it straightforwardly without any evasion or sidestepping. But Renny felt that it must be said in complete honesty with no room for misunderstanding.
Lola was silent for a moment.
"It all just seems so unreal, doesn't it?" she asked herself. "It's difficult for me right now, Renny. It's next to impossible for me to get my mind straight, not with everything that's happened recently."
Then Lola got wild, rolling over until she was on top of Renny and sitting up. She reached up and release her hair so it hung naturally instead of the ponytail she was so fond of. And then...she negligently threw off her negligee. Renny could see it all.
"My mind's too overloaded, Renny. I can't process what I'm hearing. So...I need to know how you really feel through our touch. I'm sorry, I know I must sound completely crazy, but-"
His face was also in a mix of disbelief and amazement as he shook his head to reassure her.
"Then... shall we remain silent for the night? Let our actions speak for itself?"
His hands reached for her, touching her sides and pulling her in closer as he kissed her deeply.

--------------------------

It had almost seemed like a dream until the next morning. Lola was wrapped in sheets, the only thing she was wearing, sleeping peacefully and obviously content. How many times had they done it last night...and this morning? At least she looked like she didn't regret it. And what a helluva birthday present. Renny was still practically attached to her, close together using her chest as substitute pillows.

Catherine and Whitney were both in the kitchen, the former instructing the latter on cooking, an increasing common sight in the apartment. Milsha wasn't in sight, and since she usually awoke as early as four in the morning, she was likely already gone, probably over at PATCA. Letting Lola sleep was probably the best option. She was going to head back to the hospital once she was ready and the scent of breakfast would wake her anyways.
Renny got up first, as he ventured toward the shower, getting himself washed up, still slightly dazed but otherwise in hearty spirit. He then headed to the breakfast table where he greeted the other two ladies in his household as he looked at the food nearly prepared.

"Good morning! I hope you're both feeling well!" He sniffed delightfully at the aroma. "That smells great! I can't wait to have a taste."
Catherine and Whitney turned around at the same time. "Yep, he totally did it," she said.
"He did, huh?" Whitney frowned. "How can you tell?"
"There's definitely a change in a person when they're done it for the first time," Catherine shrugged. "I bet Lola will be a lot different, too. Probably not Milsha, though, whenever she gets her first turn. She seems like the kind of girl who doesn't think about it as a big thing, like me."
Renny blushed a little with amusement at Catherine's keen insight on sexual matters, but said nothing in response.

Catherine and Whitney returned to their cooking lesson while some of the items were already placed on the table. Standard breakfast items like biscuits and butter and waffles with chicken. One of those days, someone would have to explain how fried chicken and waffles ever became a combination. With a bit of maple syrup added to his waffles and honey garlic sauce to his chicken, Renny enjoyed the breakfast, doing the dishes while the other two continued with their lessons.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Enter the terrific yet terrifying teacher, Xiulan!

Some days later after the party, Irene introduced a seriously looking Xiulan to PATCA. While she isn't employed as a combatant, she was exceptionally skilled in various techniques and possibly equally adept at teaching those same skills. She didn't look like she favored small talk though as she went off to train as soon as introductions were over.

*AB may put his own introuductions here if he wishes*

Some days later, Renny found Xiulan where he would probably always find Xiulen; in her designated training space, training more and more. Renny figured that not even the hardcore warriors like Irene, Kurika or Bretton were this devoted.

"Hello, uh, Xiulen." Renny stammered slightly as he attempted to recall the name. "Have you been doing well these days?"

Xiulen didn't even spare Renny a glance. Irene had told Renny that Xiulen was a completely no-nonsense kind of woman and that he should simply state his purpose, receive what he asked for, and leave. Still, old habits of courtesy were a diehard quality in Renny.

The elite move trainer was thrusting her palms forward to collide with a thick log of wood bundled in rope, and Xiulen's nature of being quiet and focused only made the crunching sounds of her strikes even more disturbing and fearsome. Oh well, at least she wasn't a mean woman like Harliette or Discord, and was very helpful and supportive for those who needed her.

"I heard that you could teach pokebrids and pokemon techniques that they would otherwise be unable to use through normal means. If that is true, will you please teach me and my pokemon?"

"Which moves?"

Renny explains the moves he wants to learn while deploying Togekiss and Swampert, then lists moves that he would like them to learn as well. Xiulen remains motionless and affixed Renny with a rather unnerving gaze through the whole explanation, and only starts to move again after Renny is finished.

"I can teach you and your Pokemon all of these moves. However, there is one issue that I must address with you. In order for you, Renny Tresserhorn, to learn Flame Charge, your body will need to be subjected to a little corrective physical restructuring."

Xiulen closed her eyes. "In other words, I will examine your body closely, have you do specific poses for me and hold them, and then I will inflict injuries upon you. The purpose of this is to alter your body in subtle ways. You will be in pain for a couple of days as your internal wounds heal, but after the procedure is complete, you will be able to use Flame Charge without losing the potential of using other moves. You can have this move learned at a Poketology Clinic just like how you got your Pokebrid form in the first place, but the process is long and gradual in order to ensure safety, and they will require that you remain bedded and monitors for several days while you are recovering from any potential side effects of the drugs or procedure. Either method is suitable, it's just that mine is more barbaric and quicker. There are no issues with the other moves or for who I am to teach them. Now, if you choose to learn Flame Charge through me, I advise that we start immediately so that you have ample time to recover and practice while I teach you and your Pokemon the other moves you have requested. Now what say you?"

Renny knew. He knew that it was going to be more than a little painful. Xiulen was too well built to not hurt him badly. She was sort of like a shorter, less muscular and sexier version of Kurika.

"Thank you. Let's get started right away." Normally Renny might have gone on a bit more about how important this was, but Irene's advice on her personality meant that he decided to just 'Cliff's Notes' the acceptance and get straight to work.

Xiulen nodded. Then she instructed Renny on how she wanted him to stand. As Renny held the position, Xiulen was all over him, checking his torso, arms and legs. After roughly one minute, Xiulen returned to her position and nodded again. Then she did perhaps the most ridiculous pose Renny had ever seen.
"Stand like this. I will tell you when you are doing it correctly."

Renny stared for a moment as if wondering if she had a sense of humor, but he dared not risk offending her and twisted his body, making minor adjustments trying to match the pose she had been doing.
Xiulen watched him for more than a minute.
"I guess that will just have to do. Now close your eyes."
Renny wasn't quite expecting the next thing that happened when he closed his eyes.
"And now to rape you."

0.o

...What?!

Before Renny could come down from the shock of what Xiulen had just said, his body was struck in about seven different places, followed by a second of air time, following by colliding with a padded wall.
"Hmm...okay, that is it for now. You will feel some discomfort."

Uhhh...some? You broke my freakin' spleen before I could even one-day find out what the spleen does in a Wikipedia article, Xiulen!

Renny felt some aching in some areas and tingling in others. According to Irene, Xiulen had well over a decade of experience in both acupuncture and chinese martial arts. She could literally alter her opponent's body with her hands. Was this how it worked? Could Xiulen literally use finger strikes to allow him to use Flame Charge?

Renny groaned a bit from the aches and pains, and a burning sensation inside. His other two pokemon, despite knowing that it was for their own good regarded Xiulan with a sense of fear, especially Togekiss who was cowering behind Swampert's ankles to protect his soft soft body.

"You two can just relax. Learning moves like Foresight, Sweet Kiss, Aeroblast and Belly Drum are a lot easier and less painful. Just be lucky I don't need Lugia to help me teach Aeroblast. It's not exactly easy to learn and memorize moves when you might've only seen it on the internet once."

Swampert went up first, presumably to reassure Togekiss if Xiulan's words about the rest of the moves being less painful was true, but also so he could quickly try out Belly Drum as soon as possible.

Xiulen was relatively quieter about this, actually doing the move herself to help give Swampert visualizations so he could help himself along.
"You should stop there. Remember what the move does to your health."

Swampert tried to follow along although he was a little impatient. After a few minor repetitions of stances that Xiulen did, Swampert went ahead and went all the way, roaring from the sudden raw power. Picking up Renny by the back of his shirt with seemingly casual effort and then stood his master on his feet. Renny didn't try to charge at first, his legs still feeling like lead pudding, so he focused on gathering heat within his body and extending the flames around his forearms to further cover his body, bit by bit.

"Take your time," Xiulen instructed quite firmly. "Neither of you are in any condition to do this continuously. Start off slow the first day and put more effort into it on following days. Otherwise, your bodies will feel like shit in a few hours."

"Alright."
Renny calmed down the flames a bit and sat down near Togekiss, trying to reassure the pokemon with his presence. Swampert walked about slowly. While calming him down was somewhat pointless in his excitement, he focused on burning his energy in slow stretches. Togekiss still looked nervous but went ahead and spreaded its wings widely for Xiulen to get a better look. He also took deep breaths in the attempt to ease his tension.

Watching Xiulen train Togekiss was quite a sight. When it came to Renny learning Flame Charge, Xiulen struck him in very specific locations. But when Xiulen was training Togekiss, there was a lot more to show. Just how in the hell could Xiulen use her arms to cause massive blasts of air like that? Was she some kind of freak?
Togekiss tried to flap its wings in the same pattern and rhythm as his tutor.
Xiulen nodded. "That is good form. Now you would just need to focus on making it stronger."

That left such moves as Foresight, Miracle Eye, and Sweet Kiss. "Renny, step forward. Don't worry. I will not punch you this time."

When Renny approached to reach a certain distance, Xiulen asked him to stop, and then did something Renny would never expect a normal person to do. He had to check his Inquiry Visor just to be sure that it really happened. Somehow, Xiulen was actually able to make herself into a Ghost type!
"Watch me carefully, trying to focus on my body and then strike with a Normal or Fighting type of attack. If you land the blow, then you've managed to capture the technique of Foresight, if at least at that moment."

Renny rubbed his leg and shoulder for an instant, still aching as he glared at Xiulen, not out of malice, but because he tried to use the sensation he'd experience whenever he used Mean Look. He had half a guess that if he could alter the move slightly, he could force the Ghost type to be unable to "flee" to the opposite dimension that ghosts were privy to. He then bolted forward with a Rock Smash attack at normal power. Something weak but appropriate.
His blow passed effortlessly through Xiulen's body.
"I can see that you're trying. Keep it up but don't push yourself too hard," Xiulen encouraged Renny, hopping back so that Renny could just rush her again.

"What is it like, being incorporeal?" Renny was curious about the capability, both for the practical purpose of trying to determine if he could take advantage of the knowledge and for pure youthful curiousity.
"It's...cold," Xiulen said. "But not in a way that you can just shiver for warmth or throw on a jacket. I think that when it comes to using Foresight the easiest, that you're not actually aiming for what you perceive to be my body, but something that you can't normally see. My soul. In other words, Foresight isn't about seeing me with your eyes. It's about seeing me with your own soul. Hell, you might be able to do it better if you struck me with your eyes closed."
Renny figured that this might in some way be related to the auras that Mika told him about. Seeing his target in a way his eyes wouldn't normally perceive, eh?

Renny decided to try it Xiulen's way and closed his eyes, taking deep breathes that got quicker and shorter. He looked deep in thought for several moments, but his forehead looked relaxed as he finally moved toward Xiulen in a smooth darting motion and just threw his fist in the direction he thought Xiulen would be.

It seemed like he actually felt a little resistance this time. "Sorry, I accidentally used Detect," Xiulen apologized. "I'm just kidding, that was better. I could feel your fist this time.
"It was... hard. I kept trying to think how exactly I should make the attack, the approach, what style. Then I just felt that I shouldn't really try to think of a tactic or trick. Or rather, nothing at all. I can't really explain properly... just that I felt that using a specific move, or a style of some sort was kinda... deceptive? I dunno. It just felt more like the truth when I just put all of myself, and just throwing it out there."

"However you envision it, it's starting to work," Xiulen said. "And now perhaps trying the Miracle Eye."
Here, Xiulen assumed a rather sinister-looking combat stance that made Renny wish he was wearing a protective cup.
"My Dark Stance allows me to be a very interesting opponent for you. Your Gallade form's Psychic powers are completely useless, but I'm weak to your Fighting type skills. Regardless, the point of this is to help you use Miracle Eye so that your Psychic type attacks get through my otherwise impregnable defense. To understand how to breach a Dark type's defenses against Psychic damage, you need to understand the mentality behind Dark type attacks. It's all about violence. Dirty tricks. Playing nasty just to win. It's this dark, abysmal mentality that makes the Dark type so resistant to your psychic attacks."

Renny understood what she said, although his perception of the dark type felt different due to his own experience with Umbreon.
"To explain it in easier terms, a psychic cannot see the mind of the dark target in other to strike it with mental assaults. Miracle Eye makes that psychic connection possible by shining an invisible light in a sea of intangible blackness. You will use your special vision like before, except this time you're looking for my mind, which in my dark stance might even be more difficult than hunting down my spirit."

At least Renny didn't have to move very far. With his signature move, Psycho Cut, he could release the attack from the distance. He stared once more into Xiulen, looking into her eyes, and drawn drawn into a seemingly expanseless void. He staggered and shook his head.
"It's like trying to find your keys when you dropped them in a public pool filled with used oil, isn't it?" Xiulen asked. "It takes a special kind of focus to see in this kind of darkness."

"You are a painter with words." Renny said, feeling that had pretty much exactly described the enveloping darkness. After a moment, he tried again, looking back into it.
It really was like trying to see when you were completely submerged in tar. How the hell were Pokemon able to make it look so easy?

"Why is it that this move allows psychic types to hit dark types? Why is it that psychic types are ineffective against dark types? I didn't think that smarts and tactics would be useless against their rough tricks... Or rather, why they weak to dark moves in the first place? Psychic types weaknesses... dark, ghost... and bug. Is there a link to them?"

After a moment, young Tresserhorn powered up a large beam of violet light from his arm and flung it toward Xiulen watching it impact.
Renny took a deep breath as he looked at Xiulen. For the minor amount of physical exertion, he looked visually exhausted.

"It... it is fear. The phobias such as creepy crawlies, the supernatural and the unknown in the dark is what causes both the psychic type to become vulnerable, and in the case of dark type to lose their power, because they can't defend against what they can't comprehend."
"You might have a point in saying that," Xiulen nodded. The damage she received was genuine, but Xiulen knew how to take a blow...any kind of blow. "Poketologists the world over are always conducting research on matters such as these, trying to figure out the reasons that things are the way they are, like why the water and ground types are effective against fire but not the ice type. For me, it's little to do about research and more to do about feeling. Not even the wisest people in the world can figure out absolutely everything. Otherwise, Poketologists probably would no longer exist."

"Before it evolved, my Eevee used to be afraid of the dark. She would be practically paralyzed come nighttime, rattled from the slightest noise and terrified by the shadows that moved from beyond our sights. I tried to encourage her, let her know that I was there and so were my other pokemon, but that didn't help much because back then when we were out in the wild at night and all of my pokemon were unevolved, we all feared the night then. Then one night, we were caught outside on a cloudy night. At first Eevee and I were spooked by the various outdoor noise, but then the clouds parted and we were under the light of a harvest full moon. Everything under its pale glow was revealed for as what they actually were, mostly others that hid in the dark because they too feared what they couldn't see. It wasn't long until Eevee evolved and was able to shine her own light."
"Be that as it may, consider your training over for now. If we continue any further, you're gonna pop your carotid artery or something. Eat some food, get some sleep, saddle up with your favorite girl, etc."

And just like that, Xiulen dismissed him and returned to her own training. She had some crazy potential, literally able to change her own form based on how she stood.

[Menarker]

*About two days later*

After some time had passed Renny came back, feeling still slightly sore but mostly rejuvenated. He had spent much of his time on aiding Swampert with Belly Drum, healing the pokemon's self inflicted stress by some application of Heal Pulse. His own training was more gradual, as he felt like he burnt more energy than normal, especially when he tried to practice with Flame Charge. He compensated for this energy expense in between training with delicious food and lots of soaking in the bath. Practicing Miracle Eye was mostly a matter of trying to levitate his Umbreon and doing other non-damaging psychic moves to the rabbit/cat pokemon. However, it would be more difficult to train Foresight given that he owned no ghost pokemon of his own. And the only ghost pokebrid he knew off the top of his head Whitney, he didn't want to directly challenge to a training spar, especially so close to the party.

He then dropped by again to see Xiulen, respectfully sneaking into the room quietly while she was in the midst of training only speaking up once there was a lull in her actions.
"Hello? Xiulen? I was wondering if we can pick up from where we left off?"

Xiulen nodded. "I am to teach you Sweet Kiss and your Swampert is to be taught Soak. Very well, then. Leave Swampert here and I will begin his training. As for you, I will require that you bring a girl here with whom you will learn and practice Sweet Kiss. If you should decide that this girl is me, that is fine. But I'm sure you would prefer to choose who you will be kissing."

And without waiting for a response from Renny, Xiulen began to train Swampert in the use of Soak. It looked easy enough. Just generate enough water with which to thoroughly drench the target from hair to clothes to skin.

Renny looked downright sheepish as he left Swampert with Xiulen, waving to his pokemon, promsing to be back soon, which Swampert seem to have assumed without needing to be reassured. The Gallade wandered the PATCA halls slowly, thinking on who he would be kissing.

Swampert inhaled and took a deep breath, his belly swelling to large proportions until he released the lock on his mouth and let it all erupt, flooding Xiulen general location with water.

Renny wandered the PATCA halls nervously as he thought of whom he would have to do the kiss with. Then he bumped into Darcelle.

"Darcelle! I wasn't paying attention. I'm so sorry!" He apologized for not paying attention to his surroundings, absorbed in his thoughts as he was. "Have you been doing well?"
Renny then realized that it was kind of pointless to ask that when talking to Darcelle. This chick always looked like she was jacked up on sugar. "Oh, it is you, Ren-Ren! You seem to be in a rush of some kind! What is that has you rushing to and fro so much!?"

Goddamnit, she was so unusual to have a conversation with.

Renny explained without thinking. "Xiulen was going to teach me the move 'Sweet Kiss', and she needed me to bring a girl along to practice with." He rubbed the back of his head in embarressment. "I wasn't looking where I was going because I was thinking who I should ask."
"Oooo! That sounds like such fun! You should totally ask Miss Rio to help you learn that! I think that she is the kind of person who has a lot of experience with kissing people! I would volunteer myself, but I do not think I have ever kissed anyone before! It would not be easy for you to learn that way!"

Renny just had to note that Darcelle was saying all of these things rather loudly. It wouldn't be long before his fellow agents were going to show up to investigate this awkward conversation.
Renny thought quickly about what Darcelle said. Although Rio was attractive for sure, he just didn't feel that sort of chemistry between them. As for the girl in front of him...
"If you are interested... Would you like to try it anyway?"
Renny tugged on her hand trying to lead her along gently to Xiulen so as not to be stuck in the same place if someone showed up to investigate her loud voice blurting out potentially embarrassing facts.
Darcelle was strangely quiet and obedient when Renny brought her along for his kissing lessons back in the underground.

"Okay," Xiulen began as she dismissed Swampert. Seems like he mastered the very easy technique, given how thoroughly moistened Xiulen was. Renny just had to wonder how in the hell Xiulen was able to use Sunny Day inside a building to dry herself off.
"Please describe for me your kissing experience."

Renny flinched a little. "Err... I have only done it a few times, like two or three times ever? I think I can safely say that I'm not very experienced."
"I have not kissed anything except for a tentacle!" Darcelle shouted enthusiastically.

Oh gawd.

Xiulen folded her arms.
"I would think you should find someone with considerably more experience, because it could be difficult to master Sweet Kiss when you are a person inexperienced with kissing who is kissing someone else that is inexperienced with kissing. But at least one of you seems to be enthusiastic about this."

Renny felt a little embarressed by this comment. He did like Darcelle, it's just that the entire ritualized aspect of this kiss done to learn a pokebrid move caused him to be nervous. But he tried to relax and lower his guard for her sake.
"When one thinks of a sweet kiss, they expect it to have a single defined form," Xiulen pointed out. "However, that is not the case. Remember that the object of using Sweet Kiss is to impart confusion unto your opponent. The same kind of kiss delivered to the same kind of place will not work. So, in actuality, practicing with just this woman will not be enough for you to master this move. Still, by this practice alone, you will at least come to understand the principles behind it."

"Your objective in learning Sweet Kiss is to kiss your partner that you can literally rock the person's mind," Xiulen continued. "Unfortunately, you won't be able to learn this without trying. So, begin and experiment, and try to figure out just what can make your target feel like they're flying."

Having to kiss Darcelle was difficult and nerve-wracking enough, but then Renny saw her face. Her expression was dead serious, like Darcelle was trying to crush him with her own gaze.
Without a single word, Darcelle grasped Renny's head, holding him in place. And then her face came in for the kill.
"Renny, I believe that you're supposed to be the one to learn Sweet Kiss, not her," Xiulen was laughing.

If confusion was something that was supposed to happen, then Renny had to admit that Darcelle was an expert. He had to focus on breathing through his nose because Darcelle had nearly clogged his throat with her tongue.

Renny was short on breath as his tongue pressed against hers trying to push it from the back of his throat to get some air. The sensation of her tongue and lips against his was electrifying. Then he tried to wrest control from her, one hand running along the back of her head, held firmly and the other sliding down her spine down to her rear which he clasped just as tightly as he pulled her close to the point that there was no space in between the two. His tongue was wrapped in hers forcefully, a fierce power struggle between the two in the attempt to determine who could pin the other into submission.

Xiulen sighed, then turned to Swampert. "Swampert, use Soak!"

Swampart almost seemed too enthusiastic to splash his master with water.

Renny parted, still feeling very hot under the collar, and looking at Darcelle with downright amazement. She was even sexier when soaked. Water droplets in her raven black hair caught the light and sort of resembled a tiara. Though this was offset by the fact that she was in her rather spooky Darkrai form.

"You're supposed to be trying to learn Sweet Kiss, not dueling each other to each which of you can eat the other's tongue out," Xiulen said with a shrug. "I would tell you to try again, but this isn't really something you should rush because then you'll end up impregnating Darcelle. Try it later, and maybe get some other girls to try it with. Just don't get weird about it."

Renny recalled his smirking pokemon to the pokeball. He was stumped since the previous instructions was to try to mentally overwhelm her although if something on the scale of what Darcelle and Renny just did failed to, then he was kinda lost on how to proceed from there.

"Well, we were trying our best to 'rock each other's world' so to speak. If something like that isn't the way to go, do you have any other suggestions on how to approach it? Frankly, I felt dazed from that at first, so I thought she wasn't too far off."

However, he also thought privately to himself... "Although I probably need to think of a faster kiss that'll do the trick. It's not like I can prolong the kiss in the middle of intense combat situations. Not unless everyone stops what they are doing to watch..."

"Unfortunately, this is not one of those moves that you can understand by pounding on your stomach or flapping your wings in a certain way," Xiulen said. "There's a sort of X-factor that you just won't understand until you happen upon it, usually entirely by accident."

"... I guess so. Thank you for the help you have given me and my pokemon. I won't let you down."

Renny took Darcelle's hand and started to lead her to a dressing room, where she could get a towel and dry off. For that matter, he'd need to dry off too after that torrential output.
"... I hope I didn't betray your expectations for your first kiss." He absentmindly licked his lips from the lingering sensation.
"What expectations could one possibly have, Ren-Ren?" Darcelle asked him with a cute little tilt of her head. "A kiss is far more than merely the pressing of one's lips upon those of another. It is rather difficult for anyone to express what a kiss might truly be about."

Renny was very certain that Darcelle was packing multiple personalities in that head of hers. This wasn't anything like how she behaved merely fifteen minutes ago.

"I guess you're right. I suppose I was thinking too hard about it." He was a little surprised at the response. It was a very mature sort that clashed with the behavior she had shown not too long ago. "But... I really enjoyed it. At least I feel happy having done it with you."
Darcelle blushed happily and embraced Renny with a hug that could make any man melt. "Awww, you're such a little sweetie pie! Just don't forget that you are supposed to actually learn something from kissing me other than what I had for lunch."

Renny hugged back feeling much better about the entire experience as a whole, even if he was a bit nervous earlier.
"Well, I definately feel more experienced now, thanks to you. But it's like Xiulan said... I'll have to practice some more... Maybe we should do this again sometime..."
"You can count on Darcie!" Darcelle said, flexing one of her slender arms. "But you might learn quicker if you kiss lotsa girls!"

Kissing a lot of different girls, eh? Renny knew some that he could count on for training.

"I suppose I would." He smiled broadly. "Anyhow, we should be getting dried off! Swampert really went overboard with soaking us. I'm so sorry about that."
Darcelle already had a solution in mind, Pokeshifting into her Groudon form. They were getting dry really fast.
"There, all dry. Or maybe you would have preferred I shift into Kyogre and we could get even wetter?"

Renny chuckled. "Perhaps at a later date. Got a lot of preparations for the coming mission to make." He said as he turn around to face the rays here and there, drying off his shirt and pants.

[DanteFalcon]

Matthias / Jeanette / Mio

"You might feel a sharp prick..." "I feel this is hardly the time."

Jeanette was studying a bunch of notes on a clipboard at her desk. According to what she had told Matthias, these were datalogs retrieved from Millenium House. If there was any chance of Matthias safely becoming a Ruin Pokebrid like Mio, it was going to have to be at the expense of relying on the late Reynold Faynoc's nefarious research.

"Are you certain this is how it goes?" Jeanette asked the very young daughter of Empress Sakuya.
"Is it safe? Am I certain that's how it goes? What are the possible side effects?" Mio asked in mock sarcasm. "Professor, try to understand that there are no absolutes when it comes to this. If Sona-san is that determined to become a Pokebrid and you're not going to give him a definitive 'no', then you're just going to have to trust Professor Faynoc's research."

Jeanette looked at Mio, hoping she might say something more helpful or reassuring, but got nothing. She sighed and slid the clipboard so that Matthias could have a gander.
"The process is remarkably similar to how one splices Pokemon and human DNA to create either Pokemon Hybrids and Pokesapiens, but there're some alarming differences in specific areas. Like large injections of drugs that I would normally never offer in such grandiose amounts. And Mio's saying you'll probably be hallucinating the whole time you assume that form, whether at peace or in combat. I can't really deny you since this is you and your body, but are you sure you want to go through with this procedure?"

"The hallucinations aren't terribly bad," Mio shrugged. "Seeing random splotches of blood on walls, spotting flowers growing right out of solid ground, a possible run-in with a ghost that doesn't actually exist. It's not so bad when you get used to it."

Matthias flipped through the clip board slowly, just re-examining the paperwork while the two informed him.
"Well as far as I see it, the insight could be useful, I've been through multiple pokebrid forms already so I'm used to side affects with each one. Hell, for a while I couldn't invite anyone over without effectively calling in a hazmat squad to clean up the apartment. Besides..." Matthias smiled slightly as he continued. "No absolutes right? I might gain super powers from this then. What's the worst that could happen? And if you say death, I'd say you aren't creative enough so please don't."
He shrugged slightly.
"Frankly the choice isn't really about me one way or the other so I'd rather not waste more time talking about it."

Jeanette stared at Matthias with a concerned expression on her face. Geez, her green eyes were so pretty.
"Well, that's that, then, I guess," she said finally, getting out of her chair. "If the patient would follow me, please. Kazetsubaki-chan, you too."

Matthias was strapped down as usual and left to wait for the injection that would knock him out so that the procedure could begin. When he awoke, he had to admit that he didn't feel any different.
"Is he experiencing any side effects, Mio-chan?"
"No way to tell. He's still in his current form. He should be able to sense the addition to his little DNA library. Once he Pokeshifts into a Pulverot, that's when the magic happens."

For the safety of the staff and the facility, Matthias had been moved to a large but solidly confined space. A dark window on one wall indicated that he was probably be watched by people he couldn't see. Mio, on the other hand, was inside the room with him.
"Professor, once he shifts to his Pulverot form, there needs to be absolutely no sound coming from the exterior of this room. If his mind gets taken over by the Rezonscape, your voice is going to drive him to violence."

Mio then slowly approached Matthias as he was automatically released from the holding table until she stood about ten yards apart from him.
"Well, Sona-san," Mio said after a deep breath. "Give 'er a shot."

Matthias stretched slightly, glancing to the window and then to Mio before closing his eyes, breathing slowly, counting under his breath as he cleared his mind and found his center.
"If this goes poorly, my apologies in advance Mio."
And with that he tapped into the new and reticent DNA, bringing it to activity. His skin paling as it became dominant, small blades forming near his wrists and a dark spot between his eyes, doing his best to remain focused and in control.

Matthias automatically noted several odd features as he Pokeshifted into his new form. For one, he was quite a bit taller as he watched Mio get smaller. He could smell his own body, a scent that he couldn't quite describe but didn't find all that unpleasant. And holy shit, the muscles! He could probably crush bricks with his chin. Mio seemed completely calm despite the sudden changes in her temporary roommate.
"Is your sight okay? I doubt it's normal."

True dat. Matthias was certain that Mio was standing on soft grass and that he could see a waterfall not five feet behind her. The colors seemed to wash together on occasion but he was getting used to it, bit by bit.

"Well, just to make sure, we have not, in fact, teleported outside of the room we were in right? And they did not do sudden landscaping and adding of a waterfall in here in the time it took me to transform. Just to make absolutely certain that yes, I am crazy and not just narcoleptic. Otherwise, physically I feel mostly fine. Sight is....partial colorblindness and hallucinogenic but improving. Admittedly, I'm not used to being this physically fit. I feel like I just cheated my way through a lot of steroid usage."
Matthias shifted about slightly, stretching about as he lightly tested the limits.
"That's it? Kinda boring," Mio admitted. "I think I was in Narnia for a whole month after Faynoc pulled this kind of crap with me. Anyways, on to the hard part."

Mio turned towards what Matthias now saw was the black window.
"Alright, Professor, please read off the following internet memes provided. Let's see how he reacts to voices not from others of a similar mental state."

The loudspeaker crackled with the clearing of Professor Ricewood's voice. If Matthias was expecting agony, he was quite disappointed.
"Vegeta, what does the scouter say about his power level? It's over nine-thousand!"
Then there was a pause. "How is that an internet meme? That doesn't seem really funny."

The whole time, Mio was carefully watching Matthias. "No fair. You're doing a lot better than I was. I wonder if it's because you've been a Pokebrid for a long time before the procedure?"

"Admittedly, I did find anger about that meme still being around. At all. Seriously, it wasn't even funny the first time. It must've been originally said when I was like 5 or something."
And with that, his face paled a bit, his eyes flickering to a ghost at the edge of his vision.
"That's...gonna take getting used to. Deceased siblings are not fun to see. Any actual hauntings or just sporadic hallucinations from your experience?"
Matthias was visibly shaken for the first time in quite a while, rolling his shoulders to try and work off the shock.
"But if that's the worst of it I guess I should count myself lucky. Though I did miss out on Narnia."
"I'll keep an eye on him," Mio offered to the professor when they were allowed out of the chamber. "I'm sure he's fine, but you can't be too careful. He might have an adverse reaction in combat. The Pulverot mind is all about a lust for violence and destruction."

"That's the reason I chose it so I would hope so. I'll do my best to keep it targetted on our enemies alone. I might also want a sparring partner to get used to controlling it during high stress situations."
Matthias walked slowly, still getting used to the body change and trying to ignore hallucinations as they cropped up, no matter how much Jeannette looked good in a hotdog outfit.
"Have you ever sold concessions at ball games Jeannette?"
Jeanette tilted her head quizically. Mio shrugged. "It could be worse. He could be seeing you in a dominatrix outfit."

The professor frowned. "And to think I had enough disturbing thoughts with my daughter being a Shadow Pokebrid."

[Menarker]

When dating gets really physical: Renny X Catherine


It's not often when a guy and girl consider a training gym as a place to have a romantic date. But then again, Catherine wasn't a particularly romantic girl. She was more about relationships with a strong physical attachment.

"I'm just saying, don't you feel a little embarrassed that I can benchpress more than you?"
Catherine was asking Renny as she checked out a towel. "Then again, you've never had much of an ego on you, have you?"

Renny wiped his brow a bit.
"Well, I've only started training in earnest some months ago." He protested halfheartedly. "I'm actually a bit stronger than I was before!"

That said, the fact that Catherine could benchpress more didn't bother him, given that several other ladies in PATCA have proven to be able to kick his butt already. Kurika especially did a number on him already. Also, the stronger they were, the better the chance they'd survive the future battles.

Renny noticed that Catherine focused a lot more on speed training and aerobic exercises as opposed to beating the snot out of a punching bag. He found it particularly arousing when Catherine was jumping rope. So much jiggle... He stared a bit with his head bouncing in tempo, although he would turn his head away and get back lifting weights when she looked his way, so as not to look like he was slacking.

"Do you always train like this? Or rather, if for some reason we didn't have to be fight in the future, would you still want to practice boxing?"
Catherine looked thoughtful for a moment. "Here's an interesting tip about women, Renny. We actually love to punch things. We just don't have the fists for it, so assholes get a slap instead. Although I guess some women still put their fists to work in the end, I got around it by boxing."

Renny nodded slightly, as he laid back and refocused his effort on lifting the bar and a few bells attached to it. He was awfully self conscious about not dropping the bar onto himself or finding himself in a situation where he'd lack the strength to lift the bar back onto the rack, but continued to exert himself.
"I'll grab it if you can't lift it anymore," Catherine offered with a smile.

Well, thanks for the offer, Catherine, but do you have to straddle me while you watch?!
No doubt about it. People were definitely watching Renny pumping iron while Catherine pumped Renny. Some of them were shocked. Some of them were jealous.

The Gallade finally lifted his last rep of the set as he let his arms droop for a moment along the side of the bench, as he looked up at Catherine who had mounted him. He sweated a lot, and he looked at her shirt for a moment, half tempted to see if her shirt became a little more form-fitting or see-through after a heavy work-out too.

"Don't overdo it or you won't be able to get out of bed in the morning," Catherine encouraged him. "Although I would have no problem being in bed with you all day."

As usual, she didn't hold back. Catherine also did some muscle training, mostly abdominal crunches while holding weights similar to the ones used on the weight bench. She already had an impressive muscle line, but it looked rather beastial when she was flexing it like that.
During the moments that Catherine took brief breaks, Renny approached from behind and used some of that massaging touch of Heal Pulse to soothe any of the aches, although he was a little less self-conscious about using it this time around, as he dug his fingers in a more firmly, starting with her shoulders and back, and running them along the sides, arms and hips. For the legs, he switched to moving to her front, where he devotively worked to soothe her calves and the outer part of her thighs, although he did blush heavily as he did contemplate being a bit more thorough.

"I was exercising with Bretton a while back. Hurt myself during training, so I got a massage from Raine. Trying to do it a bit like that, since it worked wonders for the pain."
He moved his fingers along her collar and neck, rubbing warmly, firmly but not gripping.
"Is that helping you feel better?"
"Maybe if there wasn't so many clothes between you and me." Catherine sighed contentedly, then checked the time on the Inquiry Visor.
"I guess it is about time we call it done after a nap in the sauna."

Renny helped her up and let her used his shoulder, even if she probably was strong enough to do without, leading her toward the change room. "I guess I'll see you in the sauna then."

Renny went to get changed into his swim shorts, black with yellow and red stripes slanted along the outer sides. He then checked outside not too far from the change room to find her relaxing exactly where she said she'd be.

Catherine was with him in the sauna, though Renny couldn't quite tell if she was topless just to tempt him or if it that was just how she also sat in the sauna. She had leaned back against the wall with her eyes closed, so Renny was certain that she probably did intend to take a nap here.
With her eyes closed, the more perverted and curious side to his nature overtook him as he studied her well built and endowed curves. He sat beside her protectively, watching her breathe in and out as she supposably slept. One hand was upraised, instinctively tempted by sight to touch what dangled seemingly unprotected in the open. With her leaning back against the wall at an angle, he slowly and gently wrapped one arm around her bare back. Then he leant in close and gave a kiss on the cheek, not wanting to go further while she was still possibly sleeping. All the while, he constantly made sure she was breathing and not overheated.

Catherine shifted towards him to lean on him.
"Maybe you shouldn't train all the time though," Catherine murmured. "I only like it when certain parts of you are hard. The rest can be nice and soft all it wants to."
Renny eyes were arched in a bit of surprise, but he was embolden as he gave her a kiss on the lips, held one of her hands and held her close to make sure she didn't fall over as she leaned on him more. He also whispered in her ear.
"Catherine, with you helping with my training, you can probably help mold me to be the best... at anything."
"2 B A Mastah?" Catherine joked lightly. "Do you want to be the very best? That no one ever was?"
Renny chuckled mirthfully as he held her tight in an embrace, feeling her chest against his own.
"Mind if I say something before this sauna gets a whole lot steamier?" Catherine offered.
"Renny Tresserhorn has many fine qualities," Catherine began. "He's young, cute, cunning, I could just go on and on, but the more I say, the more that I feel any relationship between us is a bad idea. You know my past, but I feel I should clearly point it out in comparison to those of others. In other words, Renny Tresserhorn could easily have a harem of dozens, but I speak more of quality as opposed to quantity in this case. Lola is a fine woman, as are Milsha, Whitney, Rachel and Darcelle. But myself? Seems even to me to be kind of an awkward curve ball. At least those five were, or are, virgins. But I'm just a used up tramp, regardless of how lovely my gift wrap may be."

He looked downhearted as he heard all of this. "Was that bothering you all of this time Catherine? Your past was never something I would have ever been ashamed of. You were and still are the sort of freely caring, afffectionate and supportive person that I'm attracted to. That isn't the sort of thing that would get 'used up' no matter how much you give it away. "
He cradled her in his arms as he tried to reassure and comfort her. "You're just as incredible a woman and I would be a fool to throw a gift like you away because of something like that."
"Well, in that case, you can just consider me the gift that keeps on giving," Catherine said.

Needless to say, Catherine was a lot more experienced than any of the other girls, and as such, took the initiative on doing things that Renny certainly hadn't done with Lola yet. It was rather short lived, unfortunately, as they really couldn't remain in that sauna forever.

Renny heaved with heavy breath. "We... should probably find a more appropriate location. Or at the very least go for something good to eat. Something to enjoy after a workout like this." He commented mischeviously, much elated.
"We will go to Subway for pizza!" Catherine declared. "Which I always found weird, like how Dairy Queen has chicken strips. Why the fuck does Dairy Queen have chicken?"
"Heh, sure. Let's go!" He held onto her up until the change room where they had to part and get cleaned up in the showers to continue the rest of the date.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whitney/Renny: Connection in Metal Hell


During one of the days that Whitney came over to his place, Renny sat nearby on the couch.
"So... I have the day off tomorrow. Would you like to go out-"
"I don't think I'll be available for a while, Renny," Whitney interrupted him. "I'm going to Metal Hell and I plan to be there for some time."
Whitney then checked her Inquiry Visor. "Actually, I guess now's as good a time as any."
Renny still had questions about her departure to Metal Hell, but tabled them for later, while he got ready quickly. He had a notion there was going to be little negotiation in the matter.

"Alright Whitney. Do you have someplace in mind?"
"I have no idea. Metal Hell has so many entrances," Whitney looked thoughtful. "I guess the entrance right behind this hotel will do."

Renny nodded as he proceeded to escort his current partner down the hotel and through the manhole cover. Slumming the sewers was definately not something he had planned this week, or the next, although he knew deep down that he'd eventually have to check it out one day.
"So, Metal Hell has various levels right? Were you hoping to checkout the first floor? Or one of the deeper levels?"
"It's probably deeper than the first level," Whitney said, never elaborating on what 'it' was in reference to. "Well, ladies first."

Metal Hell described the place they found themselves in pretty damn well. There was a lot of metal, plus it was both dark and a little hot.
"Definitely lower than here," Whitney observed to herself. "Maybe there's a ladder or some steps or something..."
Renny looked around in the dark slowly, watching his steps making sure there wasn't any sudden drops or sudden threats around the corner. He activated Flash (The TM move, dummy!) and lit the place up, although it was still spooky as the walls glistened with wetness and trash littered the floor with mold and a stream of whatever... gunk it was... Probably sewage.
"If we follow that, there is probably going to be a section leading down. Perhaps a service maintence ladder would be nearby... Not that this place gets any much needed clean-up."
As they traversed the tunnels, it wasn't long until they figured out that using Flash wasn't the best idea.
"We're getting into a lot of Pokemon battles," Whitney said as she checked Scolipede and Armaldo's status. "I think the brighter lighting is pissing them off."
Renny shut down the beaming radiance with a sorry expression. Without Flash, Whitney had to instruct Renny on how to use psycho vision. It was...weird. Like seeing vague lights in a fog.
"Well, just stick close to me, then," Whitney offered, taking Renny's hand. "I'd never forgive myself if you got hurt because of me."
Renny took her hand, the feeling being rather mutual.

Granted, it wasn't that dark, and they began to realize why. Metal Hell was quite populated in certain areas. There were even a few ramshackle houses with working television sets after some people with electrical skills connected the electronics up to power boxes that they should never have been hooked up to.
"So err, why did you want to stay in Metal Hell for a time?"
"I might not have to," Whitney said. "Maybe. I need to see what my mind is telling me."
"Alright." It was still vague, but he was getting used to that.
They stumbled across what could only be thought of as a makeshift Pokemon Center. One of the healing machines was hooked up to the city power and a young girl wearing flattering, if not filthy, clothes was standing near it, ready to serve customers.
"Welcome to the Pokemon Center," the girl said with a smile on her face. "Unfortunately, Pokemon Centers here in Metal Hell do charge money. Gotta eat somehow."
Whitney shrugged and paid for her services and Renny did likewise. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Information is still free down here."
"Odd. Information can get pretty expensive aboveground," Whitney observed to herself. "Anyways, I'm looking for a man. A Gallade Pokebrid."
"But miss? There's one standing right next to you. And he's really cute."
Whitney shook her head. "No, this guy is different. Actually kinda looks like me, goes by the name Wyatt."
Renny looked astounded but said nothing while Whitney was talking to the Center's Matron.
"So, another Gallade Pokebrid?" the woman confirmed. "Well, if there is one, he didn't come through here."
Whitney frowned.
"Don't worry, I would know," the woman continued. "We all would know. People pass through this place maybe once every two weeks or so, and they usually liven up the town just by being another conversation piece. By the way, a word of advice, if I may. People got their eyes on you. You look like you carry more money than what you paid me, and some assholes don't much care for good, honest work to earn their daily bread."
Whitney thanked the woman and left.

"Metal Hell extends far and wide...and deep. Maybe he found a different way into the sub basements."
"So... What made you think Wyatt was down here? Did you overhear some info or something like that?" He didn't dare mention that it sounded absurd to search for a man supposably killed in front of their own eyes by Phantomere himself.
"I...can't really explain it very well," Whitney said. "I can admit the truth. He's dead, and I saw it with my own eyes, but not very long ago I started...sensing him. I've been having dreams, seeing visions whenever I let my mind go idle. Maybe it's because we were twins, I don't know. But something down here 'feels' like him and it's going to drive me apeshit."
"Let's go find it then." The other Gallade said, clenching Whitney's hands reassurably and with a small smile. "Doesn't matter what we saw before. You think you sense him? We'll check it out until you're satisfied."
That said, he paid more attention to his surroundings. While he left Whitney to focus on the feelings of her brother and whatever direction she might scry him to be, Renny bared his attention on the more earthly matters like random pokemon or the more unruly bums out for their money and goods. The arm not holding her own wielded protectively with an extended armblade.
"We should probably turn back," Whitney decided finally. "I dipped around the minds of those below us...and I'm not comfortable with what I got. If we go down, we should be prepared to kill something."
"... As you wish. But I've been practicing. I can fight to my fullest without worry that I might kill anyone. It's up to you though. We can come back later with a bigger team."
"Who do you think we can get?" Whitney asked him as they started heading back.
"Hmm.... Lola said that Laurith has been around Metal Hell before. She might be useful as a guide. If it isn't too traumatizing to ask. Aster might be able to help with detecting psychic energy or using his psychic abilities to guide us in other ways. Otherwise, we got lots of good fighters." Renny said offhandingly with some suggestions.
"So... Anything else down here you want to check out? Or you wanna head back to the surface and do something else?" Whitney's escort tried to think of ideas. "I do have a promise I haven't kept with you yet still."

And then Renny had to stop when he realized that he was the only one walking. Whitney was suddenly as still as a statue... well, except for the shivering. Her eyes were wide and afraid, darting in random directions. Her mouth hung open as though she couldn't fit her thoughts into words.
He darted back toward her taking his place at her side, blades at ready and focusing his willpower toward his eyes as she had recently instructed him.
"Whitney, I'm right here."
Renny didn't sense something until he accidentally brushed up against her. The psychic shockwave nearly floored him. Then he could see it, too.
"So you believe that I should have been the only one who repented..." a familiar voice emanated from ahead of Whitney.
Renny was sure it was Wyatt, but somebody emptied the special effects budget for him. His body appeared wobbly and indistinct and his face was so warped and mangled that it didn't even look human. Renny recognized the fatal wound left on him. It continued to bleed far more than a wound should ever have.
Whitney fell to her knees and was weeping uncontrollably in her hands. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to! Forgive me, my love!"
There's that creepy incestuous vibe again. You'd think she'd have gotten over it after he died.
It wasn't easy to tell, but Wyatt was now holding a great scythe that resembled the one wielded by Phantomere when the latter ended the former. Wyatt took one step and somehow cleared ten feet.
Renny stepped in between Wyatt and Whitney, opposing his counterpart defiantly.
"If you have any love for your sister, stand back. Why do you torment her like this now when she had nothing but affection for you and your memory? Why are you here specifically in this place?"
"I remember you," Wyatt lisped. "I take it this is why my sister refused to end her suffering."
"Stop it, brother!" Whitney wailed. "He has nothing to do with it, I stayed my death on my own hands!"
"We thought... I thought Wyatt fought to the end to protect her life, to ensure her happiness. How dare you demand she ends what her brother Wyatt spent his life, alive and at death for? I doubt if you're truly him, or an imposter. But even if you're truly him, that is truly a selfish demand."
"You are one to speak of imposters," Wyatt chuckled. "Did you become a Gallade Pokebrid in order to replace me as her most precious object? Perhaps you did so to convince her that life was still worth living? I wonder what would happen if I were to simply remove you from her life?"
One more step and then the great scythe was arcing towards Renny's neck.
"Go away!" Whitney shrieked, driving Wyatt back dozens of feet with a psychic blast that almost knocked Renny off his feet.
Whitney stood up and walked forward several paces. "Harm him and I will consume you!"
The distorted Wyatt struggled to his feet. "Is that the power of your pure and selfless thoughts or perhaps just focused insanity, sister? Well, I suppose I will go now. I wish not for my sister to be devoured by the Rezonscape. Not even she deserves that."
And like that, Wyatt vanished in a distorted wash of colors. Renny barely had a chance to move before Whitney dove into him, hugging him close enough to break him in two and crying.

Renny said nothing but held her close and let her cry. Nothing that he felt he could have said seemed like it would have made this tragic moment any better. To have the spirit of a devoted loved one perverted into a hostile spectre seeking her death. It left a bitter taste to his memory.
After a while, he stood her up, still holding onto her. "We should go. I don't think there is anything we can do here now."
"Yes," Whitney said, managing to pry herself from his body. "Yes, we should hurry. I need to think about this. I hope this doesn't mean that Phantomere hasn't died properly."
They were troubled no further as they made their way back up. It wasn't the entrance they used before, and now they were standing near an Italian buffet that Renny recalled to be just a few city blocks down from the hotel.
"I don't remember too much of Reynold Faynoc's research into the Rezonscape," Whitney took in the fresh air. "But I think that bringing back the lost psyches of the slain is beyond the power of the Rezonscape, no matter how mysterious and powerful it is. Something else must have bound my brother to this place, and I can think of no-one or nothing save his murderer, Phantomere."
"It's a possibility. While I could have sworn we dealt with him, something that deals with souls and spirits might have a means of dealing with their own death. I'll keep an eye out and make a report to Irene about this, if you want. So we can all keep an eye out for him." He then thought for a moment.
"If Wyatt threatens you again, will you let me know? I don't want you to be alone when trying to deal with him."
Whitney nodded. "Yeah...but for now, we should eat. I overused the piss out of my mind and I will require many calories."
"Would here do nicely?"
Whitney took a quick moment to sniff herself. "Yeah, I think we look okay."
Renny sniff himself for a moment too, given that they just came out of the sewer. "Not exactly smelling like a Roserade, but I guess no one will complain. We could freshen up later." He agreed.

Whitney's mood dramatically improved now that she was well fed.
"One thing you guys should remember is that the way to a woman's heart is usually also through her stomach," Whitney pointed out as she dragged Renny off to a love hotel. Renny may have had some reservations about doing these kinds of things with Whitney after what happened just beneath the very streets they were walking on, but they weren't walking.
They were staggering. Whitney hit the sauce pretty damn hard, though Renny was sure she didn't do it to put her awful experience to rest.
Renny had Whitney lean on him for support even though he wasn't the stablest at the moment either. When they got to the love hotel, he reserved a room with a big bath so they could freshen up in comfort and then took the elevator to the room.
Whitney laid on the bed after her shower, loosely wrapped in a towel as she surfed channels of the television.
"You know, I'm surprised," Whitney slurred. "I thought there would be a lot more porn. They actually have cartoon network and stuff."
"They probably got everything to cater to anyone's interests, especially before and after." Renny said as he wiped himself off with a towel, getting himself dry and soon laying beside Whitney on the mattress. As his first experience in the love hotel went, he felt more relaxed than he expected to be.
"I guess I was overthinking things when I thought of a love hotel before." He mused to himself privately as he glanced from the TV to look at Whitney wrapped in only a towel right beside him. He was curious about what she was thinking at this exact moment, especially with all that was happen not even a few hours ago.
In one movement, Whitney turned off the television and turned over to mount Renny while leaving her towel behind.
"I had to drink, you see," Whitney told him. "I had to drink to get my nerve up. Otherwise, I don't think I could have ever mustered the courage. I won't lie to you just like I won't lie to myself. I'm a damaged woman, Renny. Not physical or nothing but mentally. Who knows? Maybe it was me that created Wyatt since I've never been able to get over his loss. But regardless of what my mind might do to destroy me, I won't let it harm you."
She leaned back so that Renny could see everything.
"I don't know if you ever intended anything by becoming a Gallade Pokebrid, but in a way it kind of cementing the connection I feel with you. You've taken up a place in my heart. A place I simply can't empty anymore. A place not even my brother could hold. So please, Renny. I'll do absolutely anything, just never leave my side."
The Gallade didn't say anything at first, listening intently as he carressed her thighs and sides and eventually cupping her chest with his hands as he gazed at her nakedness. Then when she finished, he leaned forward with a kiss.
"Well, I'd try to say something deep, but you told me before that I talk too much during these moments. Instead... let me demonstrate to you how I feel..."
He pulled her closer as he nuzzled the nape of her neck, kissed her firmly on the lips with raw passion and touched at all of her intimate and secret places with his hands and the rest of his body, holding back nothing from his companion.

It was too bad that they couldn't stay, but the trek back to Renny's apartment wasn't difficult and Whitney was responsive up until he placed her in his bed.
"Brother, I'm so sorry..." Whitney mumbled in her sleep.
No doubt about it. Whitney was probably never going to be alright in the head until she defeated this demon within her.
Renny was deep in thought about how to deal with this phantasm that plagued Whitney. In particular, he especially worried that he could physically manifest again and attempt to take her life.
After she rested a bit and woke up... He made a suggestion.
"Whitney, about before. I don't like the idea of Wyatt being able to phase in at almost any time he pleases and trying to kill you. I was wondering if you like to stay here as one of my room-mates, at least until we get all of that sorted out."
"For the sake of making any kind of shoddy defense for him, I will go ahead and at least say that my brother can't just up and try to guilt trip me into suicide whenever and wherever he prefers," Whitney said in a really oddball humor. "There's something keeping him here and it isn't me. It's down there where he is, in Metal Hell, and I plan to go down there again at some point to find out what. I can't just leave it like that. No way in hell. But are you sure it'll be alright for me to stay here? I don't want my brother spying on Lola in the shower or anything."
"Well, he definately tried to kill me with that scythe of his, so I'm not ruling out the possibility that he couldn't kill you on his own. And I'd rather you'd not have to deal with this alone. I suppose I'd still need to ask Milsha and Lola if it is alright for you to room here, but I doubt they'd leave you alone like this. Anyhow, I agree something is odd with Metal Hell. I mean, I don't know of any reason why he would be connected to that place. His place of death was in Mystery Mansion... Did you or he have any deep connection down there during his life? Like living there for a time?"
Renny sighed for a moment. "Anyhow, when you try to go to Metal Hell again, take me with you."
"Well then, I guess I'd be an idiot not to accept staying with you, especially after what we did back at the hotel. As for Wyatt, I guess there's a possibility he was involved with that place while working for Faynoc, which of course he did until he died. I know Reynold was investigating the Rezonscape and probably Madsoldiers as well, perhaps believing they could be some sort of bridge when it came to understanding that phenomenon. But that was just business. I doubt he had a spiritual connection like a girlfriend or nothin'. He would've told me, I'm sure."
Renny nodded. "Alright. I'll talk with Lola and Milsha about letting you stay here, and I'll talk to Irene about this Metal Hell business, since there seems to be several messy business surrounding that area for it to be left alone for much longer."
"Sounds more like Prideguard business than anything PATCA can do, but sure," Whitney nodded. "There must be thousands of violent wackos beneath the first sub basement. With all of that, my brother should actually be the least of my worries."

[Menarker]

Renny's Household! Discussion of the future and adventure with Milsha.

Renny had gathered several of his closest friends around the dinner table. Lola, Whitney, Catherine and Milsha. He had a serious but non-threathening visage.
"Alright. I brought us here today because there might be some possible changes to make for the next few months. Whitney has been getting violent hauntings from her deceased brother Wyatt, who seems to be responding somehow to Metal Hell. He has also tried to kill me during the most recent one. There is also the experimentation done on Lola by Moeni that seems to react to strong emotions, which is also tied to the Rezonscape below Metal Hell. As such, until we dealt with these issues, I've offered to Whitney that could possibly join us as a room-mate. Also, Catherine, I was wondering if you'd like to join in as well. You practically already live here, you and Whitney get along well it seems, and with more people in the apartment, we can have a better chance of watching over each other."
He paused for a moment though. "That said, Milsha, a large part of this is up to you since the apartment is under your name. Also, I cannot deny that this means that for the next few months, we might be under a fair deal more risk. I can't be sure it will or won't... That and we'd need to discuss all the normal stuff like who sleeps where, getting a second fridge for all the food we'd need to get and all that." He was a little light-hearted as he said that last sentence but got more serious again.
"That said, I don't want any of you to have to cope with these situations alone. So I suppose I'm asking if we'd all agree to watch over each other, like one big family."
Milsha nodded without a second thought.
"They pretty much spend the night here sometimes anyways. And I've always been a huge fan of scary movies and video games."
Catherine got herself a fresh beer. Did she already start drinking this early in the morning?
"Yes, but these are real ghosts that can probably really kill you, Millie."
"That makes it even better!" Milsha said cheerfully. "Relax, we're not gonna die. We've got the sortie coordinator with us."

That part out of the way, the girls began their usual daily routines. Lola prepared to leave to go see her sister in the hospital again.
"She can't even stand without assistance," Lola was telling Catherine. "Think you can come with me and maybe figure out how to help her recover faster?"
"Eh, sure," Catherine said after crushing the can against her head and tossing it into the garbage. "You'd better take the wheel, though."
"Guess I'll help Whitney get her stuff back over here. I'll do the same for you Catherine, once you're done helping at the hospital. Hmm... Do we have enough spare rooms?" He was wondering if sleeping routines needed to change as well.
"It's not a big deal. I don't even use my room," Milsha said. "Strangely enough, I find the floor more comfortable than the bed."
Milsha took Whitney to her room that they now shared, although it was going to become Whitney's room very shortly. Milsha was an incredibly simple girl.
"Ok, so Milsha is sharing with Whitney. So I guess that means Catherine is sleeping with Lola?"
Then he wondered where he was going to sleep. Although most of his stuff was already in Lola's room. Although he didn't rule out the possibility that he'd end up sleeping on the couch, or switch rooms regularly.
"I guess you find something like this easy to get used to Milsha, living with several brothers on your farm." Renny observed. He on the other hand was an only child.
"My room is eight times larger than I need it to be," Milsha shrugged. "Then again, I do have a giant sword now, so maybe I need a little more space, but not much. If there is one thing I'm concerned about, it is where this Wyatt will sleep whenever he shows up. We may have to buy a sleeping bag or something."
"Wyatt has been harassing Whitney for quite a while. I'm not putting up space for him to sleep when he has been trying to kill her." Renny said flatly. Normally, he'd think that comment was a joke, but coming from Milsha, he was less certain.

Milsha looked thoughtful, then reached for her sword and left the apartment. Oh gawd, what's going on in that head of hers?
Renny stared with a little confusement and curiousity before he left the other girls to their devices and followed after Milsha.
"Everything alright? I didn't mean to be that curt with you. Or did you have something in mind?"
Milsha turned around and gave Renny a victory sign with her free hand. "I'm gonna go talk to Wyatt," she said as though she was just visiting a neighbor, then made her way out of the hotel.
"What? Err, wait, let me come with you. Perhaps I can at least show you where I last saw him. Or try to detect the energy I felt when he was around." He remarked quickly as he followed after her and into the sewers of Metal Hell again.
He guided Milsha through the darkness with the psycho senses that Whitney taught him recently.
"The wild pokemon don't seem to like bright lights" he explained. It didn't take that long to head back to the original point once they knew where to look...
But Milsha didn't stop there. Without even hesitating, once she found a way into the second sub basement, she took it. The air got slightly cooler, and more foul.
"I smell something that shouldn't be," Milsha said quietly, finally drawing her sword. "Try not to speak or make any other loud sounds."
Renny readied his arm-blades, following after her with a little distance between the two so she could swing her sword freely without worry as he tried to focus on her immediate surroundings, wondering what Milsha detected with her senses. He also readied his Foresight to prepare a defense against apparations like Wyatt.

The first scene they came across was like something out of a nightmare. A man in rags writing on a wall using blood from a severed Pokemon limb. Looked like a Houndoom's paw. And if that wasn't violent enough, the three-legged Houndoom darted out of the shadows and tackled the man to the ground, violently tearing at his face and throat.
Renny felt like he was gonna be sick, and doubted he'd get any sleep that night as he held a hand to his mouth.
It looked towards Milsha's direction before running away again. Milsha held her sword loosely and began to walk forward.
"So this is what the Rezonscape does to people," Milsha breathed as she glanced briefly at the corpse, still clutching the Houndoom's claw, and then examined the writing on the wall.
"I can't believe it's possible that someone can write worse than my little brother Jeb," she said. "Scarlet baptism... worship She who has paid the price of blood to grant us freedom from our fears. The hell?"
There were eyes in the shadows. No doubt that they were being watched by Rabandito. "No clue what that madman's thinking. There's plenty to fear down here."
The Rabandito scattered in small groups, spurred into flight by mad cackling. The snaking tunnels made it difficult to determine just where it was coming from, or how close it could be.
"If Wyatt is a maniac at this point, then he certainly belongs here."
Renny had clutched onto Milsha for a moment after the cackling, his teeth gritted as he watch the bandito scatter. He got off shortly, but still looking downright shaken. "I'm sorry. I've never been one for horror. The sight of gore, and all that... makes me feel sick."
"It'll probably only get worse if we go deeper," Milsha said, setting her sword aside and kneeling to look at the body. "These clothes of his are ripped to shreds, but I think...yeah, these're prisoner clothes. Was this an escaped convict or-?"
The sounds of violence jerked Milsha into action, and in one smooth motion, she had her blade in her hands and was staring into the shadows.
"Another one of those Madsoldiers," Milsha listened carefully. "Fighting something a lot bigger than itself."
And a lot louder. Whatever this thing was, it had a big gun to match its big bulk. Milsha shifted to the right as a man's shape flew out of the shadows and collided with the ground near the corpse, also dead. This one's body had been impaled with seven metal stakes. The one that killed him could be seen as a black silouette against the very dim light.
"That's a tall drink of milk," Milsha observed. "Screw it, let's get out of here. We probably should've run into Wyatt by now. Maybe Whitney needs to be with us down here for that creep to show up."
Renny agreed all too readily as he assisted in guiding their steps back.

"By the way, I wanted to thank you again for letting Whitney and Catherine stay. I get that you might not think it's a big deal, but it probably meant a lot to them. And it definately means a lot to me." He was starting to feel a little better now that they were getting out of subfloor 2.
"I think I remember now," Milsha said to herself. "I'm not proud to talk about this, but one of my uncles was a political prisoner after the First Successionary War. Mom and dad wouldn't tell us his crimes, but I think he did something really naughty to a Hiroshiho girl that didn't want it. That uniform that those two bodies were wearing is the exact same one. I wonder if that means that my uncle's now a Madsoldier down here? He was a pretty unsavory kind of guy, had no respect for the other gender. I've no clue how he was in the Republican Front."
"I see. I kinda wonder why he is down here. This doesn't seem like the sort of place one would normally hold a prison, if you meant to rehabilitate them..."
"There's always a lotta mysteries surrounding that whole thing," Milsha looked thoughtful as they reached the streets. "There was this construction project and nobody knows where they went after that or what the hell they constructed in the first place. Just talk of a big accident."
Renny nodded. "Any thoughts about that thing that killed the other guy? Those metal stakes don't seem like conventional weapons. If that place was supposed to be a prison and away from everyone else, maybe there are robotics?"
"Renny, that's a great idea!" Milsha marveled. "They're not using conventional weapons and stuff. We should totally send Arnold P. Howard down there to have them fill out some files."
Renny arched his eyes for a moment, wondering how getting them to fill out forms would help one bit.

Milsha decided to be serious now. "I expect that kind of weapon to be used by an RDPA or a wicked military weapon, although I guess those terms are synonymous."
"I guess that's possible." He thought over the recent events for a bit.
"I'm glad you're coming with me for Hungry World and the Corpsemire... If it is anything like down there... I, I could really use your support." He felt a little ashamed that he would have been shakened up like that in front of her."
"It's going to be super fun," Milsha was smiling like it was Christmas.
"Glad to hear. Anyhow, we should definately freshen up. This is the second day in a row that I've entered the sewers. I, for one, really need to get extra clean." He said that last bit with a little bit of annoyance as he looked at his shoes, legs and arms.

He recalled briefly with a little blush the time the two shared a shower. For all he knew, that might become more common with more people joining the household. He always had trouble remembering to lock the bathroom doors and it's going to be increasingly unlikely that at least one person won't be using it.
"Anyhow, I guess we should tell Whitney what we, err, saw. Even though we didn't find whom we were looking for." He privately hoped she wasn't being haunted during the time she was alone in the apartment.
The apartment was entirely undisturbed since they left. After Milsha set aside her sword, she sat at the table and placed her chin on her joined hands.
"Scarlet baptism," she recalled. "Worship she who has paid the price in blood to free us from our fears."
She leaned back. "Doesn't seem like the kind of stuff you'd just write at random when you go mad. It has to mean something."
"Now that you mention it, it is oddly coherent, although I don't have that much experience with Madsoldiers admittably." Renny pondered the recalled words while trying to block out the scene itself.
"Seems like yet another cult, and a rather bloody one from the sounds of it. But it's not really our immediate concern. We can investigate it on the side, but it doesn't seem to be directly connected to anything we know about."
"Not 'we'," Milsha said. "You don't know anything about it. It'll take some research, some net surfin', but I might be on to something."
"Ah?" He looked a little taken back, but still impressed. "Alright! Let me know if there is anything I can do on my end. I'll research to see if there are any events in the past related to this or if this is a recent thing."
"Judging by the looks of their bodies and the wear and tear of their clothes, they've been down there for years," Milsha pointed out. "I'm sure they were prisoners, and I think I know exactly which prison."
"There is one other thing though... The wording of "she who paid the price of blood to free us from our fears". I'm not exactly certain if this is a cult with a slightly benign martyrdom angle toward someone who they believe is comforting them... or a death cult, possibly with a sacrifice aspect, which basically kills them to end their suffering of fear. " Renny said all this with a great deal of disgust.
"Try not to think about it," Milsha said dismissively as she activated her Inquiry Visor and passed out on the couch.
"Ah, one more thing," Renny gently nudged her. "What was your uncle's name? The one you were telling me about?"
"Don't worry, you don't know 'im," Milsha replied.
Renny meant more for research purpose, but he left Milsha to rest peacefully on the couch as he went to soak in the bathtub, cleansing himself and meditating on the recent events in Metal Hell and trying to recall other details he might have heard about it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Renny / Liz (Third Time is the Charm)


The young man was a little stumped as the Inquiry Visor said that the Liz's phone had not been picking up. While he was busy for about half of the several days that came after the party, there were other days that he was at PATCA HQ. During those days, he had saw Liz and called out to her in what he thought was a friendly conversational manner, but she had been ignoring him or blowing him off. Just recently he tried to call her, but that ended uneventfully with no one picking up the phone.

"Did I do something wrong or offensive to her?" He questioned to himself. He tried to recall the last tiime she was open and friendly with him.
"I guess that was back at the party during the dance. Then Lola started that fight which started to go out of control. I broke it up and went after Lola when she fled. Liz was paying attention too. Even gave me advice at the time. What did I do then to upset her?"
He mulled things over, trying to do some of his tasks, freshening up and agonizing over the question of what he did wrong.

"Or rather, what did I NOT do. I didn't see her afterwards, instead heading to my parents' place. Especially since that scene was probably not that pleasant for her either. And I probably imagine the news of me and Lola improving our relationship is probably going to be big in PATCA's gossip chain. And possibly also of Catherine and Whitney. She probably thinks I went and forgot all about her. Shit, I really screwed up. Badly."
Renny resolved himself to redeem himself for his insensitive omission as he thought of what to do. He got some white roses and did something a little unusual. He cut the stems vertically in quarters and put each individual stem in water mixed with a bright food coloring. He got himself cleaned up and dressed nicely, spending a bit of time to get ready. By the time he was done, the roses had drawn in the colored water into the petals, giving them a bright custom rainbow hue.

If he couldn't reach her by phone, then he was probably going to have to visit her in person. Fortunately, since he had gone to her place twice, he was pretty familiar about the location of the apartment she lived in and where-in. He knocked on the door, waiting quietly as he mulled over what he was going to say, his roses in hand. After a few moments, the door opened and Liz appeared in the doorway. As soon as she saw who was calling on her, her expression became worried before she quickly caught herself and gave him a gentle smile.

"Oh... hi Renny, what's up?" She asked politely.
Renny didn't say anything at first, but presented her with the bouquet. After a moment, he spoke with an element of boldness.
"I would love to take you out at your earliest convenience. I'll be glad to take you wherever you'd like to go."
Liz looked surprised as Renny presented the bouquet, but took it before as she replied nervously.
"Oh... that's... really nice, Renny, but I have a project to work on and not enough time, so..." She answered dismissively.
"Then, I'd be happy to help you with whatever it is you need!" Renny looked a little desperate as he said reactively. "I realize that I really blundered back at the party. I panicked much of the time, but I know that I must have left you hurting badly... and I would really like the chance to rebuild our relationship again, if you could forgive me."
Liz sighed. "Renny... I know you want to be friends, and I'd really like that, because you're great. But I really need some distance from you first, to stop myself from seeing you as this really amazing guy I want to be with. Otherwise, I couldn't keep my hands off you, and you'd get in trouble with Lola." She finally admitted with a sad look on her face.
"You're absolutely incredible too though. And I don't see why I should have reject any of the amazing people in my life. Let me worry about whether I'd have trouble with Lola. I'll talk with her if the time comes. But I still want to spend time with you, especially if you feel the same way deep down."
This brought a small smile to her lips.
"That's sweet, Renny but... we don't feel the same way, do we? You want to be friends and I want more with you, and I couldn't stop myself if I went with you tomorrow."
Renny stepped closer toward the door within its doorframe.
"I just follow my feelings at the time. Back then, it was just very good friends because I worried I would get those I love in trouble if we went any further... But now..."
Liz almost flinched away as Renny stepped closer, but she held steady. Her lips parted as she exhaled a breath. "Renny, are you saying what I think you're saying?"
He touched one of her hands and stepped closer inside. "I want to show you how I feel, no holding back this time."

Before he knew it, Liz's lips pressed against his and her arms were wrapped around him. She kissed him deeply and passionately, taking all of Renny in and sharing her feelings through the connection. Eventually, she broke the kiss, but still held him.
"Why, Mr. Tresserhorn, so brave after just one little birthday." She joked, giving him a genuine smile now.
He smiled back with incredible warmth as he held her tightly, the tension lifted from her brand of forgiveness.
"So... are you still busy with that project of yours?" He stepped inside and closed the door, just to make sure no one was peeking at them.
"I can definitely take some time off now..." Liz whispered sultrily, nibbling Renny's ear as she led him to the bedroom. He nuzzled the nips of her neck and giving generous amounts of kisses as he followed her to her bed, removing some of his more cumbersome clothing like his jacket along the way.
As far as sex with Liz went, she was actually surprisingly receptive, letting Renny take the lead and explore on his own. At least... for the first few times. Then she went all out, and boy was his world rocked.

Afterwards he looked downright dazed but kept his hands on her as he rubbed soothingly and still pressing his lips to hers on occasions.
"So... Still up for tomorrow?" He said with little words, as he caught his breath between speaking and kissing.
"Definitely." Liz purred as she kissed back and nipped his neck. "Are you, though? Because I'm sure whatever you have planned is going to get you laid... a lot."
He nodded. "Well, if you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear."
"Nah... I think I'd like to be surprised."
"Heh, alright. Bring a towel though. Swimsuit... you can decide if you need it."
"Oh, maybe I won't bring a towel. I'm sure you'd like to see me all wet and gleaming..." Liz teased.
Renny chuckled.
"I'll be sure to bring a swimsuit just for you, too."
"Ah, alright." He noted to himself to bring a towel anyways. While seeing Liz wet would be awesome for a time, he wouldn't want her to catch a cold at the end.
"So, what have you been up to after the party?"
"Mainly? Keeping to myself, and avoiding you... which honestly seems very silly now."
"Well, I suppose I could understand that. I am sorry about putting you through that grief." He kissed her again.
"I spent the last few days checking out Metal Hell. I hate that place so much. Gruesome atmosphere and the like. Whitney is being haunted by the ghost of her brother, which tried to kill me too. Don't know exactly why, but we suspect something in Metal Hell or the Rezonscape below is causing his spirit to act up."
"Well, that doesn't sound very pleasant at all. You should really be careful, Metal Hell isn't someplace you should just wander into. Bring a proper team in with you next time."
Renny nodded as he calmed down. "I will. The first time Whitney and I saw him at the first floor. The second time, when I went with Milsha, we didn't see him even though we went as far as the second floor, but scary stuff aside, there seems to be a prisoners held there. Political ones based on what Milsha said. Also, one of the Madsoldiers was scribbling cultish scriptures of some sort on the wall. Talking about 'Scarlet Baptism' and this woman they worship who paid a blood price to free them from their fears. Clearly there is a lot more going down there than we suspected."
"Sure sounds like it, seems like PATCA should go down there in an official capacity at some point and figure out what's going on."
He nodded "I plan to ask Irene about that soon, after the Corpsemire and Hungry World mission."

He then buried his face in between Liz's bosoms, as was their customary greeting and otherwise holding her tight.
Liz laughed happily. "I'm glad we're together too, Renny."

[Dracorion]

Sam and Pierce Reunion

A stiff breeze could probably cut the tension. It was palpable.

Pierce sat beside Sam's hospital bed, averting his gaze from his sister, while she attempted the same.

"So... you wanna talk about anything?"

Pierce shrugged.

. . . . .

"I'm so sorry, Pierce."
"What? Sam, you have nothing to be sorry about, I-"
"I told you you couldn't come back, I was so angry and-"
"-couldn't deal with mom and dad's deaths and I took it out on you-"
"-I'm so sorry about the things I said to you when we met again I was screwed up-"
"I should've been there to take care of you, if I had this wouldn't have happened to you-"

At this point the two siblings realized they were blabbering over each other and both fell silent at the same time.

After a minute, "Well I screwed up the most."
"I'm not arguing that." Sam replied with a chuckle.

"Look, we're both safe, we're together, I'm not hopped up on creepy mind-control drugs and you've got your head out of your ass, how about we just enjoy it?" Sam suggested, holding out her hand.

"Sounds good to me." Pierce smiled and took the offered hand, holding it tightly.

. . . . .

"So... are you seeing anyone?"
"Um, well..."