Team Rocket: How the Muk are They Still Alive?

[Arcran]

As the group of you continue to fight, you all fall one by one. The men attacking Gerald strike him down with a rifle butt as he recalls Sparky. Ethan puts up a valiant fight but eventually goes down to Akinektos and his men. Paul is shot as he attempts to fight off the troops, his considerable bulk causing the wagon to creak. Dilumvium is returned, albeit reluctantly, by a soldier who grabs his Pokemon from Artemis's belt. Romeo, seeing his friends and allies go down, is surrender. When the soldier start gunning down the civilians though, they hit him across the back of the head, causing him to slump in his chair. When he screams to not hurt the kids, they actually listen, taking them hostage as well. You can't tell what happened to Mark and the twins but Jessica and Taylor weren't killed either. As you all pass into the avoid you awake many hours later.

Artemis:

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You awake from your sleep, not plagued by the nightmares for the first time in a few nights.

You find yourself in a small room. While it doesn't scream "PRISON," quite the opposite in fact, that is obviously what it is, although it is far too nice to be a real one. It is quite well lit with a cot, toilet, and even a small desk with some paper and pencils as well as a pen. A steel door marks the entrance. A small plate of food, apparently Pidgey Roast, sits on the table as well as a glass of water.

As you regain consciousness you notice the familiar weight of your Pokemon belt gone. You reach out instinctively with Telepathy but find your senses blurred, disoriented. An attempt to control the air gets you little more than a little breeze. Your armor is gone as well.

You step forward, noticing for the first time the weight of a heavy chain on your ankle. You also notice your burns feel far better than before; you feel almost fine in fact.

Paul:

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You find yourself in a small room. While it doesn't scream "PRISON," quite the opposite in fact, that is obviously what it is, although it is far too nice to be a real one. It is quite well lit with a cot, toilet, and even a small desk with some paper and pencils as well as a pen. A steel door marks the entrance. A small plate of food, apparently Pidgey Roast, sits on the table as well as a glass of water.

As you reach for Willy's Pokeball to break free you find your belt is gone. Gun, supplies, all of it. Your bullet wounds are magically healed, bandaged, and otherwise fixed.

As you walk forward you notice a heavy chain around your ankle, restricting your movements slightly.

You can't tell if it is a halucination from blood loss or what, but you could swear you hear the familiar squeak of a Rattata.

Gerald:

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You find yourself in a small room. While it doesn't scream "PRISON," quite the opposite in fact, that is obviously what it is, although it is far too nice to be a real one. It is quite well lit with a cot, toilet, and even a small desk with some paper and pencils as well as a pen. A steel door marks the entrance. A small plate of food, apparently Pidgey Roast, sits on the table as well as a glass of water.

As you growl in rage, reaching for Sparky's Pokeball, you find it gone. Sparky, Wagner, Kubota, all of them. Your gun; gone. Your mech arm has some strange restraint of the shouler and at an attempt to move it you find the movements severely restricted; your arms moves as if it was going through corn syrup.

As you get up to rush to the door and yell in rage you fall hard on your face, tripping over the heavy chain around your ankle. As you brace for the scabs from the shots and cuts opening you are surprised to find them all expertly bandaged and healed. You'd been captured a few times before, but good medical care? That was a first.

Romeo:

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You awake from your sleep, not plagued by the nightmares for the first time in a few nights.

You find yourself in a small room. While it doesn't scream "PRISON," quite the opposite in fact, that is obviously what it is, although it is far too nice to be a real one. It is quite well lit with a cot, toilet, and even a small desk with some paper and pencils. A steel door marks the entrance. A small plate of food, apparently Pidgey Roast, sits on the table as well as a glass of water.

It all comes back to you. The attack, the merchants being shot, all of it. You have a throbbing headache as well.

As you reach for the reassurance of Elly's Pokeball you find it gone as well as the rest of your team. You still have your wheelchair though, albeit slightly more beat up than it was before. All you medic supplies are gone as well as that good old cane.

Ethan:

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You find yourself in a small room. While it doesn't scream "PRISON," quite the opposite in fact, that is obviously what it is, although it is far too nice to be a real one. It is quite well lit with a cot, toilet, and even a small desk with some paper and pencils. A steel door marks the entrance. A small plate of food, apparently Pidgey Roast, sits on the table as well as a glass of water.

You notice your right arm feels much lighter; your mech arm appears to be gone. As you reach for the Pokeball containing Mjolnir you find it, as well as the rest of your team, gone.

There is a small laptop lying on your bed. As you step to investigate you notice the clanking of the iron chain around your ankle.

All:

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Teams, items, and anything else I mentioned are gone. I suggest you find out what the muk is happening.

4k EXP for the fight.

[Eshkigal]

Gerald growls, still, before turning over. Fact: He was trapped. Arm dysfunctional, detach working? He attempts to will the arm off, before pulling himself up with one arm. Need tools. Kitchenware. Poor bastards, he could possibly use this. He looks at the shoulder guard and manacle, trying to figure out a way through this...

[MesiDoomstalker]

This certainly wasn't what I was expecting. If I don't see a shadowed figure on the laptop, taunting my captivity and how useful I'll be to him, I'll be thoroughly thrown for a loop. Ethan goes over to the desk and sits down. No big hurry. No need to panic. Something was up and I bet they want me to find out. Why else would they give me tech? Probably not connected to anything, but worth a shot.

He flips open the laptop and hits the power button. He ignores the food for now. He wasn't exactly hungry right now.

[Esprit15]

Artemis kicks the chain, trying to phase her leg through it. The place was clearly too well prepared for her to try to leave, based on the people they fought earlier, but might as well be more comfortable, right?

Regardless of whether she succeeds or not, she takes a look around her room, looking for anything of note.

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Spot Check: (1d20-2)[8]
Suggested INT Check as well: (1d20+3)[21]

She just glares at the food. Burnt, captured, knocked out and then a nice little meal? Who the Void captured her?

[IrnBruAddict]

Romeo snatches the locket of Mew he always wore under his shirt. He looks at it with pure venom and hatred. Where were you?Where were you when they took Elly and Arte and the others? he thinks. He tears it off himself and throws it across the room. Then he rolls over to the plate, and chucks than at the door, smashing it against the wall. The glass soon follows. Then he climbs out of his wheelchair onto the floor. He tries to chuck his wheelchair away too, but he was probably too weak to do so.

'WHERE THE VOID WERE YOU?!? YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! WHERE WERE YOU!?!'

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str check to chuck the wheelchair at the door: (1d20-4)[-2]

[Arcran]

Gerald growls, still, before turning over. Fact: He was trapped. Arm dysfunctional, detach working? He attempts to will the arm off, before pulling himself up with one arm. Need tools. Kitchenware. Poor bastards, he could possibly use this. He looks at the shoulder guard and manacle, trying to figure out a way through this...

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You manage to pop the arm off, a burst of steam following it. A quick lookover shows it isn't the most professional job to clog it up; it seems to mostly just have been jammed full of some kind of spray foam that appears to be inhibiting the electrical currents. It feels spongy to the touch but when you attempt to apply pressure it seems to be quite tear resistant.

This certainly wasn't what I was expecting. If I don't see a shadowed figure on the laptop, taunting my captivity and how useful I'll be to him, I'll be thoroughly thrown for a loop. Ethan goes over to the desk and sits down. No big hurry. No need to panic. Something was up and I bet they want me to find out. Why else would they give me tech? Probably not connected to anything, but worth a shot.

He flips open the laptop and hits the power button. He ignores the food for now. He wasn't exactly hungry right now.

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As you open the laptop the familiar log-on screen appears with one small change; instead of "Password" it is displaying "Name."

Artemis kicks the chain, trying to phase her leg through it. The place was clearly too well prepared for her to try to leave, based on the people they fought earlier, but might as well be more comfortable, right?

Regardless of whether she succeeds or not, she takes a look around her room, looking for anything of note.

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Spot Check: [roll0]
Suggested INT Check as well: [roll1]

She just glares at the food. Burnt, captured, knocked out and then a nice little meal? Who the Void captured her?

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Try as you might it seems something is blocking that connection to your psychic powers. An attempt to cut it with a blast of air fails as well.

As you look over the room you see a miniscule camera in the top corner that appears to be tracking your movements. There is also are poorly disguised parts of the wall that seem to have been patched.

Romeo snatches the locket of Mew he always wore under his shirt. He looks at it with pure venom and hatred. Where were you?Where were you when they took Elly and Arte and the others? he thinks. He tears it off himself and throws it across the room. Then he rolls over to the plate, and chucks than at the door, smashing it against the wall. The glass soon follows. Then he climbs out of his wheelchair onto the floor. He tries to chuck his wheelchair away too, but he was probably too weak to do so.

'WHERE THE VOID WERE YOU?!? YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! WHERE WERE YOU!?!'

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str check to chuck the wheelchair at the door: [roll0]

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As you crawl out of the wheelchair to throw it you tip it over. The chair, seemingly not heavy, falls hard on your legs, causing you to fall unconscious in pain. As you fall into darkness you see the door open and a pair of boots.

You find yourself drifting away from your body, looking down. You see Akinektos looking down on your body, a frown on his face as he points to two nearby goons to carry you away. Before you see more though you are pulled up, a sharp tug around your navel. You fly up at an incredible rate, becoming noxious but without anything to puke out. You find yourself far above the world, looking down. It is truly a wondrous sight; the globe glittering up at you. Then you hear the music; a light, airy tune. As you turn towards the source you see a pink light apparently coming down from the moon.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Name? Surely you could have found my name on my person. I had a wallet you know. I better find all the same bills in it too. Ethan types Ethan James Halsey.

[Esprit15]

Artemis tugs at the chains, but they don't give. I'm locked up, why do I need to be chained too? She was getting hungry though. No, focus. Patched walls... She gets up and tries to push against the (if she is too far away from them to touch them, she throws a pen at it as hard as she can).

[Eshkigal]

Hm. How did they get this in without taking the arm off? Have to waterproof this later...Experimentally, he tries the silverware, and the pencil and pen on the substance after removing the thunder stone shard. Tear resistant doesn't mean blade resistant, after all...

[IrnBruAddict]

As Romeo sees the pink thing before him, he's still trying to work things out. 'What, so I'm dead now? Well thanks! Why the void didn't you let me die to the hitman earlier. I know this would probably still have happened,but I could have died with some peace. But NO! You keep me alive just to **** with me more?' Romeo gives the finger to he ball of pink light. 'I'd rather burn in the Void with Darkrai than go to heaven with you. You abandoned me when I needed you. Yeah, you suck! I said it. I'm glad Elly is an Umbreon. Cos if they kill her, I know she'll come and kick your ass.'

Romeo feels all the anger drain out of him. Not just anger, but all his emotions. Hope, joy, sadness, fear, every little thing that made Romeo who he was was slipping away. 'Just .... go.' he says, sounding tired, looking away from it. 'Go away. I .... I ... I can't. Not now. I'm done.'

[Arcran]

Name? Surely you could have found my name on my person. I had a wallet you know. I better find all the same bills in it too. Ethan types Ethan James Halsey.

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Acess granted.....
A brief loading screen later you find the desktop with two icons. One is labeled "Potential Recruit File #167830, the other Weapon C13 (Intel).

Artemis tugs at the chains, but they don't give. I'm locked up, why do I need to be chained too? She was getting hungry though. No, focus. Patched walls... She gets up and tries to push against the (if she is too far away from them to touch them, she throws a pen at it as hard as she can).

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The wall seems slightly less solid then the surrouding area; not enough that you could punch through but a good heavy object could easily punch through it. To where, who knows?

Hm. How did they get this in without taking the arm off? Have to waterproof this later...Experimentally, he tries the silverware, and the pencil and pen on the substance after removing the thunder stone shard. Tear resistant doesn't mean blade resistant, after all...

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The butter knife can, albeit slowly, cut through the spongry material. The pencil and pen punch holes efficiently but don't seem very adept at removing it.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Ethan ponders for a moment. If this is what I think it is, I'll have new found respect for them. Ethan clicks on Potential Recruit File #167830.

[Arcran]

As Romeo sees the pink thing before him, he's still trying to work things out. 'What, so I'm dead now? Well thanks! Why the void didn't you let me die to the hitman earlier. I know this would probably still have happened,but I could have died with some peace. But NO! You keep me alive just to **** with me more?' Romeo gives the finger to he ball of pink light. 'I'd rather burn in the Void with Darkrai than go to heaven with you. You abandoned me when I needed you. Yeah, you suck! I said it. I'm glad Elly is an Umbreon. Cos if they kill her, I know she'll come and kick your ass.'

Romeo feels all the anger drain out of him. Not just anger, but all his emotions. Hope, joy, sadness, fear, every little thing that made Romeo who he was was slipping away. 'Just .... go.' he says, sounding tired, looking away from it. 'Go away. I .... I ... I can't. Not now. I'm done.'

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"Darkrai? You'd rather be with Darkrai?" the voice says, melodically sweet and strangely calm after your tirade. "You would not like my sibling; all darkness, shadows, gloom. Yours and his spirit would be in direct opposition which would lead to your death. No, you are not dead. Not yet at least," the form says, coalescing into a breathtakingly beautiful woman with shoulder length blonde hair.

"I'm am not your patron; I am not Mew. And you are right; rarely does he interfere in the affairs of mortals. I doubt he even knows of your current plight. I do though, Alan Versa. You are different than those you call allies. You are a bright light among a sea of grey. I know your hopes, your dreams. I gave life to them."

[Eshkigal]

Gerald pokes several holes in the foam with the pen and pencil, before using the butter knife. They want to muk with him? Muk them, all life has ever done is muk with him. They come in, he has a muking club now.

[Esprit15]

"Heh, idiots..." She gives a glance at the camera though. Judgement, they'd see me in a heartbeat. And I'm still chained in her pretty well. Hm...
"Well!? What do you want from me!? Why go through the effort, huh!? You set up an ambush, likely put up with Uxie knows how many violent wilds, go through the effort to take us out and probably killed more than a few people on the caravan, then patch me up and put me in a cozy little cell! Why!? If you want something, just MUKING TELL ME!" She breaks into Unovan. "I MEAN WHAT'S THE MUKING POINT!? ****ING ****S AND GIGGLES!? ONE OF YOUR CRAZY GUYS WAS ABOUT READY TO ****ING MURDER US! VOID! WHY THE MUK DIDN'T HE!? HE HAD A PERFECT SHOT, CLEARLY!!!"
She grabs the chair and throws it at the camera.

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STR: (1d20+3)[15]

"SOMEONE LET ME OUT OF THIS THING!!!" She yanks on the chain that was restraining her.

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STR again: (1d20+3)[8]

[IrnBruAddict]

'I ... I can't do it anymore. I'm not a hero. I'm not. I'm just some jerk with a big ego who hurts people. Too weak to protect anyone. Too pathetic to die. I'm not sure what to do anymore. My desires caused all of this. I'm a failure as a healer. I'm a failure as a breeder. I'm a failure as a person.' If Romeo could cry in this extra dimensional space, his face would be covered with tears and snot. 'You said Darkrai would kill me? Maybe that's what I deserve. Maybe ..... maybe...'

He turned and looked a the pink light who was now a woman. If Darkrai was the brother then that meant ...

'I don't know what to do anymore. How can I go on? Can I save Elly? And Arte and Jessica and the kids? I don't know what I should do. Help me Cressila. Tell me what I should do. Please' He was practically begging the woman for guidance.

[Arcran]

Ethan ponders for a moment. If this is what I think it is, I'll have new found respect for them. Ethan clicks on Potential Recruit File #167830.

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As you open the file it's.... you.

Your less than savory experiments. News clippings. articles about your trials. Analysis of them.

Towards the bottom, a footnote.

"Currently in Team Rocket application process. If turned could be critical in Weapons Department. Anni sent on snatch for whole crew of potentials. Results pending."

Gerald pokes several holes in the foam with the pen and pencil, before using the butter knife. They want to muk with him? Muk them, all life has ever done is muk with him. They come in, he has a muking club now.

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You work on the arm for almost an hour. By the end the elbow is almost done but that's about it. Just then you hear pounding on your door.

"Heh, idiots..." She gives a glance at the camera though. Judgement, they'd see me in a heartbeat. And I'm still chained in her pretty well. Hm...
"Well!? What do you want from me!? Why go through the effort, huh!? You set up an ambush, likely put up with Uxie knows how many violent wilds, go through the effort to take us out and probably killed more than a few people on the caravan, then patch me up and put me in a cozy little cell! Why!? If you want something, just MUKING TELL ME!" She breaks into Unovan. "I MEAN WHAT'S THE MUKING POINT!? ****ING ****S AND GIGGLES!? ONE OF YOUR CRAZY GUYS WAS ABOUT READY TO ****ING MURDER US! VOID! WHY THE MUK DIDN'T HE!? HE HAD A PERFECT SHOT, CLEARLY!!!"
She grabs the chair and throws it at the camera.

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STR: [roll0]

"SOMEONE LET ME OUT OF THIS THING!!!" She yanks on the chain that was restraining her.

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STR again: [roll1]

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Your throw crushes the camera, sparks flying.

The steel door swings open and a man walks into the room; obviously Anni.

[b]Now Artemis, why would you do that? That was just rude." he says, a sinister smile on his face. Please, take a seat. We have things to discuss.

'I ... I can't do it anymore. I'm not a hero. I'm not. I'm just some jerk with a big ego who hurts people. Too weak to protect anyone. Too pathetic to die. I'm not sure what to do anymore. My desires caused all of this. I'm a failure as a healer. I'm a failure as a breeder. I'm a failure as a person.' If Romeo could cry in this extra dimensional space, his face would be covered with tears and snot. 'You said Darkrai would kill me? Maybe that's what I deserve. Maybe ..... maybe...'

He turned and looked a the pink light who was now a woman. If Darkrai was the brother then that meant ...

'I don't know what to do anymore. How can I go on? Can I save Elly? And Arte and Jessica and the kids? I don't know what I should do. Help me Cressila. Tell me what I should do. Please' He was practically begging the woman for guidance.

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"Go on? First, escape. You will find a way. I will guide you. I will help you escape and save your allies. I have conditions though; rules, if you will. Would you hear them?"

[Eshkigal]

"Go away, I haven't even gotten up to making the shiv yet. What the Void did you pour in here anyway?"
He doesn't look up from his work. If it only took an hour to clear the elbow, the rest should only take a day!

[MesiDoomstalker]

Mostly what I expected. Though your obviously not Rocket. Question is who are you? No doubt your other planted info will reveal that. Ethan tabs out of his file. He knew its interworkings already, but he'd look over what they knew later. He opens the other file.

[IrnBruAddict]

'Go on Cressila. Tell me how I can save them. I can't promise I can forgive Mew, but I'll place my faith in you. Me and Mew will sort it out later. Tell me your rules. Please.'

[Esprit15]

"Setting fire to people in metal is rude too, but you have no qualms about that." She sits on the desk. Not grabbing the chair. Shows weakness, regretting actions. She just glares at him. "What do you want?"

[Arcran]

"Go away, I haven't even gotten up to making the shiv yet. What the Void did you pour in here anyway?"
He doesn't look up from his work. If it only took an hour to clear the elbow, the rest should only take a day!

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The door is pushed open. Two guards appear at the door.

"In it? The good stuff," they say, kicking you down and taking your arm before leaving you with a butter knife and a newly forming bruise on your eye.

Mostly what I expected. Though your obviously not Rocket. Question is who are you? No doubt your other planted info will reveal that. Ethan tabs out of his file. He knew its interworkings already, but he'd look over what they knew later. He opens the other file.

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This one is far more interesting. On the very front is a picture that is painfully familiar; the Skorupi mechs. Hundreds of pages go through their inner workings, how they were made, where they were made. What makes them work. How there are different tiers in their society; apparently the Drapion you had fought likely belonged to the Warrior Caste, a higher group of the hive. They can communicate telepathically. Engineered as killing machines they still had some flaws. Interestingly, they were made by Team Rocket, obviously not who these people are. Just as you're getting into how they work you hear a knock at the door.

'Go on Cressila. Tell me how I can save them. I can't promise I can forgive Mew, but I'll place my faith in you. Me and Mew will sort it out later. Tell me your rules. Please.'

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"You will become my champion, my tool. You will go forth as an instrument of light. War is coming; I have forseen it. The other gods ignore the signs, ignore the war. You will join Team Rocket; only there will you have a chance to stop the inevitable conflict. You must escape this prison. You will be my knight in shining armor among the mortals. From now to the day you die you will be my servant, my tool."

Seeing your likely surprise at the mention of Team Rocket, she explains.

"While their methods are rarely savory, they will not force you to do unnecessary evil. I can not tell you more than that; you must simply trust me when I say whatever evil you do will be repaid four times over in good."

"Setting fire to people in metal is rude too, but you have no qualms about that." She sits on the desk. Not grabbing the chair. Shows weakness, regretting actions. She just glares at him. "What do you want?"

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A sharp tongue to match those air blades, he says with a poor attempt at levity. We have a business proposition for you. We know of your involvement with Team Rocket. Now tell us, why are you joining? Money? Some personal vendetta? Or is it something else?

[Eshkigal]

Gerald sits up, not even bothering to rub the eye as he shakes his head.
"Judge Void it, grimermukers are annoying. Can't hit worth a damn, either."
And with that, he begins taking stock of what's left, and tries to pick the lock on his leg manacle with the butter knife and pen because what're they going to do, kill him and his team? Probably going to do that in the end anyway.
(1d20+5)[18]-dex check, subtract what you deem fit
(1d20+4)[6]-int check (Of course it's a terrible idea. But really, what ideas are left?)

[MesiDoomstalker]

Ethan just grins. They at least knew how to properly bribe him. Without looking away from the screen as he studies the files, searching for information on the strange heart-like orb he collected. A prisoner with privacy? This is a first. I'm sure you will enter with or without my consent, but you may enter if you wish. I won't put up resistance, I know when I've been bested.

[Esprit15]

Artemis sighs and spins a pencil in her fingers. Had to at least move or she'd probably go insane. "I honestly don't see why I should even say. They found me, invited me to speak to them about a job offer. It fits what I'm good at." She looks around the room absentmindedly before returning to glaring at Ani. "Now if you wanted business, there are numerous better ways to go about it than assaulting us in the wilds and abducting us. Have you ever tried notes? Or phone calls. Much less of a mess to go about things that way." She leans back a bit. Hm, that Pidgey does look good- no, focus. "In all, what little I've seen of you doesn't impress me. You're a more adept fighter, sure, but that was in conditions that HEAVILY favored you and your allies. And you had to severely outnumber us. Far too many resources. Void, from some of the screams I heard, Gerald even was able to take two of them for a while, and he has been a long time since a real fight. You guys had trouble with a few new recruits who were still trying to prove their worth, and nearly failed!

Then there was that little stunt you pulled in Saffron. And I thought I did some rash things." She motions to herself, and gives a small smile. She tries to look at his mind, but grows dizzy, and clasps her head. "Bleh...what did you guys hit me with? I feel like I'm looking underwater without goggles..."

[hustlertwo]

Paul staggers to his feet, holding his head.

Too long without a proper fix...haven't been feeling like myself lately.

He spends a few moments slamming his mixture of brawn and flab into the door, then settles back into the chair and absentmindedly chews on the Pidgey.

Sorry Hank, but it's been, what, three days? Guy's gotta eat. The real tragedy is that they roasted one of your brethren. Everyone knows Pidgey is best when deep-fried.

At the sound of the squeak he perks up.

Who's there?

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Does the Ace Trainer bonus apply to the 4k?

[IrnBruAddict]

Romeo still looks miserable. But a bit of hope was shining through. 'I'm not a soldier, but I'll try. And I assume when you talk of necessary evil, you mean things like killing guys like Anni? I've never been one to fight, but people like him need to be stopped. I'll try. Even if I die, at least I can say I tried my hardest. I'll fight for my happy ending.'

[Arcran]

Gerald sits up, not even bothering to rub the eye as he shakes his head.
"Judge Void it, grimermukers are annoying. Can't hit worth a damn, either."
And with that, he begins taking stock of what's left, and tries to pick the lock on his leg manacle with the butter knife and pen because what're they going to do, kill him and his team? Probably going to do that in the end anyway.
[roll0]-dex check, subtract what you deem fit
[roll1]-int check (Of course it's a terrible idea. But really, what ideas are left?)

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With a clink you just manage to pop the lock open, relying more on skills and instinct than any form of studying it. There is no immediate response; nobody rushes into your room to beat you down or anything. You can barely contain a sigh of relief as the blood rushes into your foot; did it really have to be so tight?

Ethan just grins. They at least knew how to properly bribe him. Without looking away from the screen as he studies the files, searching for information on the strange heart-like orb he collected. A prisoner with privacy? This is a first. I'm sure you will enter with or without my consent, but you may enter if you wish. I won't put up resistance, I know when I've been bested.

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Akinektos strides into the room, still wearing his armor, albeit without clothes over it. On the chest you see a small insignia blazed one it; a golden "G" right above his heart.

That's good; we'd hate to have to hurt you again, he says, taking a seat at your desk.

So tell me; why are you joining Team Rocket? Is it the money? Some personal vendetta? A chance to let those experiments thrive? he says with a gesture towards the laptop.

Artemis sighs and spins a pencil in her fingers. Had to at least move or she'd probably go insane. "I honestly don't see why I should even say. They found me, invited me to speak to them about a job offer. It fits what I'm good at." She looks around the room absentmindedly before returning to glaring at Ani. "Now if you wanted business, there are numerous better ways to go about it than assaulting us in the wilds and abducting us. Have you ever tried notes? Or phone calls. Much less of a mess to go about things that way." She leans back a bit. Hm, that Pidgey does look good- no, focus. "In all, what little I've seen of you doesn't impress me. You're a more adept fighter, sure, but that was in conditions that HEAVILY favored you and your allies. And you had to severely outnumber us. Far too many resources. Void, from some of the screams I heard, Gerald even was able to take two of them for a while, and he has been a long time since a real fight. You guys had trouble with a few new recruits who were still trying to prove their worth, and nearly failed!

Then there was that little stunt you pulled in Saffron. And I thought I did some rash things." She motions to herself, and gives a small smile. She tries to look at his mind, but grows dizzy, and clasps her head. "Bleh...what did you guys hit me with? I feel like I'm looking underwater without goggles..."

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Give you? Why nothing of course, Akinektos says, grinning widely. Even without your psychic powers you can tell he is lying.

So you take us having greater resources and better supplies as weakness? That's interesting... he says, playing with the shirt he has on. You can tell he has something bulky underneath; presumably the armor from earlier. That may mean you are cut out for working with us; winning against the odds is not something we are fond of.

I understand how you feel. You likely think I'm a sociopath out to simply kill and murder. I'd be lying if I said I didn't take pleasure in the battles but I don't do this for the fights. No, I do it for so much more. Now, I'll ask once again. Why are you trying to join Team Rocket?

Paul staggers to his feet, holding his head.

Too long without a proper fix...haven't been feeling like myself lately.

He spends a few moments slamming his mixture of brawn and flab into the door, then settles back into the chair and absentmindedly chews on the Pidgey.

Sorry Hank, but it's been, what, three days? Guy's gotta eat. The real tragedy is that they roasted one of your brethren. Everyone knows Pidgey is best when deep-fried.

At the sound of the squeak he perks up.

Who's there?

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Does the Ace Trainer bonus apply to the 4k?

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Sorry, 1.2 does in fact apply. Forgot to do that for you guys.

As you look for the source your keen hearing leads you to a small hole in the wall by your toilet. I can't be more than an inch or two across; its small. Two beady red eyes glare out of it at you.

Romeo still looks miserable. But a bit of hope was shining through. 'I'm not a soldier, but I'll try. And I assume when you talk of necessary evil, you mean things like killing guys like Anni? I've never been one to fight, but people like him need to be stopped. I'll try. Even if I die, at least I can say I tried my hardest. I'll fight for my happy ending.'

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"That is good. The world has more than its fair share of soldiers; those who are willing to fight and have honor, virtues, honesty? And those that held onto a faith through it? Far more rare and far more valuable." Cressalia says, obviously well pleased with your choice.

"The time has come for you to return," Cressalia says, looking at you. Your Mewish Necklace appears in the air. Cressalia reaches out her hand and grabs it. Her hand glows bright for a second before she hands the charm back to you. As you take it you see a half crescent of a moon; the token is warm to the touch.

"Whenever you have need to speak to me simply clutch this and speak my name; I will hear you. I have one last parting gift," she says, cutting of a lock of her hair. As it separates from her body it becomes a softly glowing feather, pink in hue.

"When your need is most desperate use this gift. Be wary; only once may it be used, and I am only permitted to give this to a mortal once in a very long time. Beware as you return; just as I have chosen you as my champion, my brother has his own throughout the world; among them the one that captured you and your friends."

Cressalia gestures as if to send you back but then stops as if remembering one last detail.

"Before you leave, take this," she says, handing you a chain that would seem to fit right around Elly's throat.

"Even as you chose the Form of Light for your companion, this will allow her to return to the Light whenever she dons it. Now return my Romeo. You have sworn yourself to me; exactly what that entails is a conversation for when we have more time; My first command is to break free. Beware Akinektos; he will be able to recognize you as one of mine."

With another lurch you find yourself launched back down to the ground below.

You awake, gasping for breath on a hospital bed. Your wrist is chained to it.

"He's concious. Somebody get Anni. He wants to talk to all of them in private."

In your pocket you can feel the chain and feather from Cressalia, her necklace now lies around your neck. Even more curiously, your legs feel fine. You can tell from your medical experience that the drugs they have hooked up to you wouldn't have that profound of an effect; could she have healed you as well?

Break free.

[MesiDoomstalker]

This is quite interesting. I assume your with some other organization like Team Rocket. An organization who takes pains to remain hidden, or at least your illicit activies don't come to light. What does the G stand for?

[Eshkigal]

With freedom to move, Gerald looks around first, before trying to drag the cot and table over to the side. He then takes stock of what's in the room with him.