Hayle Chapter 2: Down the Rabbit Hole

[Arcran]

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Marcus! Koon said as soon as you came in. I'm glad you arrived back. It seems that your hunches were correct. While I can't prove anything, Teller's activities since even before he left Varro Tech look suspicious. I've looped the other gym leaders in.

When I contacted Ibis, she mentioned that she was impressed by you. It's a difficult feat, as she's more than a bit egocentric. She mentioned you met Shackle delivering documents from Chronos? Generally the Elite Four aren't what I'd describe as errand boys.

"I was hoping I was wrong, but at least we know who one of our enemies is now," Marcus says with a sigh. "Did Lillian have the chance to investigate the Jamba members that were locked up?" Marcus asks, knowing it was unlikely that she would have but hoping regardless.

At the comment about Shackle, Marcus seems to become visibly older.

"Errand boy might not describe a member of the Elite Four, but it definitely describes somebody under Chronos' control," Marcus states. "She was clearly under some outside influence, which I'm going to assume is Chronos and Tenabre. She was offering me a position in the League if I can take out one of Jamba's Knights," Marcus says, rubbing his temples. "I don't know if the other Elite Four are under his control, but at least one of them is. I tried to warn Ibis about what Chronos could do, but you know her. She thinks she's invincible," Marcus says with a grim chuckle. His enemies kill children for their Pokemon and his allies turn powerful trainers into their personal puppets. For a moment, however brief, Marcus almost wishes for simpler times. "In any case, stay away from Chronos. He's clearly trying to recruit allies, in whatever way necessary."

[Jacior]

Dominic couldn't help enjoying himself thoroughly, taking the time to better get to know the neighbor girl who... was actually his sister as it turned out. Watching the lanterns was an entirely different thing though. It was one of the few if ever times he'd been rendered truly speechless. Just staring up at the lights, he absently put his hand on Katie's shoulder, practically gaping at the sight.

The next day was way more his style though. Energy and excitement were his pace, part and parcel. With all the fun going on, he almost didn't want to go fight in a gym battle... Almost. Watching Katie's fight was invigorating to the point that he was bouncing on his feet again. Dominic high fived Katie as they switched out, grinning at the sight of the field and the crowd. It was only when Leo asked his question that Dominic faltered a little. "Wait, how would we do your secret battle here?!"

[CosmicOccurence]

The sight of the hammer, black stone wreathed in blue flame, lit Angus's wide-eyed wonder in an azure glow. An eager grin sprouted on his face as he pointed the weapon significantly at the dragon.

Gauntlet, finding a surge of new confidence at the sight, laid further into their foe.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Gauntlet uses Mega Punch
AC 4: (1d20)[20]
Damage: (3d6+20)[26]
If it misses, it still deals half damage due to Smite.

Growling in pain, the dragon lashes out its tail at one of the crystals, splitting it in two. Shards of the jagged blue mineral fly at you like arrows, catching all three of you in the spread.

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Dragon uses crystal shower! AC 5 Physical Evasuion here (1d20)[20]
(3d6+20)[26] Physical Rock damage

Targets all of you

[CosmicOccurence]

Dominic couldn't help enjoying himself thoroughly, taking the time to better get to know the neighbor girl who... was actually his sister as it turned out. Watching the lanterns was an entirely different thing though. It was one of the few if ever times he'd been rendered truly speechless. Just staring up at the lights, he absently put his hand on Katie's shoulder, practically gaping at the sight.

The next day was way more his style though. Energy and excitement were his pace, part and parcel. With all the fun going on, he almost didn't want to go fight in a gym battle... Almost. Watching Katie's fight was invigorating to the point that he was bouncing on his feet again. Dominic high fived Katie as they switched out, grinning at the sight of the field and the crowd. It was only when Leo asked his question that Dominic faltered a little. "Wait, how would we do your secret battle here?!"

Leo shrugged. It isn't that hard to be totally honest. Let a few wild Pokemon free and let them run loose while we chase them down. In any case, the choce is up to you, but the others have mentioned your fondness for ... unconventional battles.

[CosmicOccurence]

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"I was hoping I was wrong, but at least we know who one of our enemies is now," Marcus says with a sigh. "Did Lillian have the chance to investigate the Jamba members that were locked up?" Marcus asks, knowing it was unlikely that she would have but hoping regardless.

At the comment about Shackle, Marcus seems to become visibly older.

"Errand boy might not describe a member of the Elite Four, but it definitely describes somebody under Chronos' control," Marcus states. "She was clearly under some outside influence, which I'm going to assume is Chronos and Tenabre. She was offering me a position in the League if I can take out one of Jamba's Knights," Marcus says, rubbing his temples. "I don't know if the other Elite Four are under his control, but at least one of them is. I tried to warn Ibis about what Chronos could do, but you know her. She thinks she's invincible," Marcus says with a grim chuckle. His enemies kill children for their Pokemon and his allies turn powerful trainers into their personal puppets. For a moment, however brief, Marcus almost wishes for simpler times. "In any case, stay away from Chronos. He's clearly trying to recruit allies, in whatever way necessary."

Koon sighs, Well he hasn't approached me yet, so I suppose that's something. I'm reasonably sure the Gym Leaders are free of his control, although why he'd snare the Elite Four members but not us is beyond me.

Anyways, all this and you're still willing to go save Tesla? he asked. Despite Jamba's involvement, Varro Corp is still aligned with the League. An attack on them, especially if unsubstantiated with evidence, won't go over well with the League.

[Arcran]

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Koon sighs, Well he hasn't approached me yet, so I suppose that's something. I'm reasonably sure the Gym Leaders are free of his control, although why he'd snare the Elite Four members but not us is beyond me.

Anyways, all this and you're still willing to go save Tesla? he asked. Despite Jamba's involvement, Varro Corp is still aligned with the League. An attack on them, especially if unsubstantiated with evidence, won't go over well with the League.

Marcus shrugs at Koon's question. He was no more privy to Chronos' thought process than the Gym Leader was. Still, at Koon's other question Marcus pauses for a moment, before replying.

"Tesla needs to be free," Marcus says with conviction. "According to Hero, the Cryptids that lost their Primes in the last war were used as weapons, and damn effective ones at that. All that power, along with absolute dispensability makes for a very dangerous combination," Marcus states. "He's likely half mad, still developing his powers, and being used as a living generator. I owe it to him to get him out of there, and I owe it to the region to make sure that Jamba never gets to use him," Marcus states.

"Worst case, if the League is angry, I assume they won't drag me in to court over it," Marcus says hopefully. "Chronos has already shown he's willing to reach out to me personally, which demonstrates a certain amount of favoritism, or at least interest. As long as I'm striking against Jamba I think I'll be able to do as I wish," Marcus says, hoping that his logic would appear as sound to Koon as it did in his head.

[Jacior]

Dominic took only a moment to think about it before nodding vigorously. "Sounds awesome. And uh, the rumors are definitely true. I haven't fought a single standard battle in my league career yet. Not planning on it!" He bounces a couple time in spot trying to work out the extra energy. "Wait... you guys talk about me?"

[CosmicOccurence]

Marcus shrugs at Koon's question. He was no more privy to Chronos' thought process than the Gym Leader was. Still, at Koon's other question Marcus pauses for a moment, before replying.

"Tesla needs to be free," Marcus says with conviction. "According to Hero, the Cryptids that lost their Primes in the last war were used as weapons, and damn effective ones at that. All that power, along with absolute dispensability makes for a very dangerous combination," Marcus states. "He's likely half mad, still developing his powers, and being used as a living generator. I owe it to him to get him out of there, and I owe it to the region to make sure that Jamba never gets to use him," Marcus states.

"Worst case, if the League is angry, I assume they won't drag me in to court over it," Marcus says hopefully. "Chronos has already shown he's willing to reach out to me personally, which demonstrates a certain amount of favoritism, or at least interest. As long as I'm striking against Jamba I think I'll be able to do as I wish," Marcus says, hoping that his logic would appear as sound to Koon as it did in his head.

Officially, I cannot support you he said. Unofficially I wish you nothing but the best. I'd say keep me in the loop, but I'd bet anything that both our phones are already tapped.

Don't be stupid, and don't be afraid to run when confronted with a stronger foe. I doubt that Teller will be there personally, but you can bet that he has one of his cronies guarding it, and you aren't strong enough currently to handle a Jamba Bishop.

Spoiler

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Skip ahead to Shooting Stars please! Assume you have them all gathered and have their attention

[CosmicOccurence]

Dominic took only a moment to think about it before nodding vigorously. "Sounds awesome. And uh, the rumors are definitely true. I haven't fought a single standard battle in my league career yet. Not planning on it!" He bounces a couple time in spot trying to work out the extra energy. "Wait... you guys talk about me?"

Don't let it go to your head, Leo said with a smile. We talk about most trainers on the gym circuit: it's part of the job. I probably know the names, teams, and skills of about 75% of trainers challenging gyms at the moment. Certainly all of them with three badges or more.

Now, about my battle, he continued, It's important to remember that you can't -

He was abruptly cut off as sirens cut through the air. Both Lillian and Leo's heads snapped up, eyes narrowing. When you too looked up, you saw plumes of smoke curling into the air from several places around the city as screams started to filter into your earshot. The largest plume of smoke came from where you knew the tree was.

Lillian was already in the air, her not-so-frail frame on a Pidgeot. Leo was in the process of releasing a Tropius. Most of the people here aren't trainers, he shouted. Help where you can, but don't go running into a burning building, alright? Without waiting for a response, his leafy dinosaur took to the sky.

Katie ran up to you. This is probably the worst possible time for there to be a fire with so many wood stalls and people around, she said.

[Arcran]

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Officially, I cannot support you he said. Unofficially I wish you nothing but the best. I'd say keep me in the loop, but I'd bet anything that both our phones are already tapped.

Don't be stupid, and don't be afraid to run when confronted with a stronger foe. I doubt that Teller will be there personally, but you can bet that he has one of his cronies guarding it, and you aren't strong enough currently to handle a Jamba Bishop.

Spoiler

Show

Skip ahead to Shooting Stars please! Assume you have them all gathered and have their attention

"Of course," Marcus says with a nod, understanding Koon's stance exactly. "And don't worry. I don't plan on letting a Bishop kill me," Marcus states, standing up an offering a hand to Koon. "Hopefully I'll see you in less than a week."

---

Marcus looks at the gathered Shooting Stars, a massive lump in his throat. He kept having flashbacks to the first time he'd met the group and embarrassed himself. Of course, this time was a little different. Puck was standing in the back, while Quicksilver lounged only a few feet away, idly directing Champion and Rider about.

"Thanks for meeting with me," Marcus says, casting a sidelong look at Brandon. At least there was somebody here that would believe what he was about to say. "Before I start, I just want to warn all of you. What I'm about to tell you is, well, probably something you're not supposed to know, and I doubt Jamba or the League will appreciate it much. It's knowledge that might make you an enemy of both of them, and if you aid me you almost certainly will be. If you tell anybody what I say here, I will probably end up dead, or worse. If that's too much pressure for any of you, please leave now," Marcus says, nervously adjusting his glasses.

"If you leave now, your world will probably stay mostly the same, at least for a time. However, if you stay, you'll tumble right down into the rabbit hole with me, and I doubt your life will ever be the same."

While Marcus was too busy trying to appear serious to notice, everybody in attendance could likely spot Quicksilver rolling his eyes at the comment.

[CosmicOccurence]

"Of course," Marcus says with a nod, understanding Koon's stance exactly. "And don't worry. I don't plan on letting a Bishop kill me," Marcus states, standing up an offering a hand to Koon. "Hopefully I'll see you in less than a week."

---

Marcus looks at the gathered Shooting Stars, a massive lump in his throat. He kept having flashbacks to the first time he'd met the group and embarrassed himself. Of course, this time was a little different. Puck was standing in the back, while Quicksilver lounged only a few feet away, idly directing Champion and Rider about.

"Thanks for meeting with me," Marcus says, casting a sidelong look at Brandon. At least there was somebody here that would believe what he was about to say. "Before I start, I just want to warn all of you. What I'm about to tell you is, well, probably something you're not supposed to know, and I doubt Jamba or the League will appreciate it much. It's knowledge that might make you an enemy of both of them, and if you aid me you almost certainly will be. If you tell anybody what I say here, I will probably end up dead, or worse. If that's too much pressure for any of you, please leave now," Marcus says, nervously adjusting his glasses.

"If you leave now, your world will probably stay mostly the same, at least for a time. However, if you stay, you'll tumble right down into the rabbit hole with me, and I doubt your life will ever be the same."

While Marcus was too busy trying to appear serious to notice, everybody in attendance could likely spot Quicksilver rolling his eyes at the comment.

Well that was overly dramatic, Jun said in response after a moment of silence. Seriously Marcus, if you thought the people in this dorm would balk at something being dangerous, then you don't know the most powerful dorm at this crazy school well enough. We've all faced danger and death before.

We appreciate the chance to bow out, but I think I can speak for all of us that we aren't going anywhere. Some of the younger members nodded in agreement with fear and determination on their faces, but you noticed that the Rank 7 members were mostly silent. Jacquel bent over and whispered something in Rosso's ear, who cracked his knuckles eagerly. It seemed they were more excited than scared at the prospect of hearing what you had to say.

[Arcran]

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Well that was overly dramatic, Jun said in response after a moment of silence. Seriously Marcus, if you thought the people in this dorm would balk at something being dangerous, then you don't know the most powerful dorm at this crazy school well enough. We've all faced danger and death before.

We appreciate the chance to bow out, but I think I can speak for all of us that we aren't going anywhere. Some of the younger members nodded in agreement with fear and determination on their faces, but you noticed that the Rank 7 members were mostly silent. Jacquel bent over and whispered something in Rosso's ear, who cracked his knuckles eagerly. It seemed they were more excited than scared at the prospect of hearing what you had to say.

"Sorry," Marcus says a little awkwardly at Jun's comment. "I just want to make sure everybody knows what we're getting into," Marcus states before adjusting his glasses one more time.

"Every thousand years something called the Era of Convergence happens," Marcus begins, looking at Puck occasionally as he speaks, trying to gauge how much of this information Puck already knew. "Essentially, Arceus chooses eighteen Trainers, one to represent each Type called a Prime, and pairs them up with a Cryptid. Obviously with the power of a Cryptid at their disposal, these Trainers tend to have a bit of an impact on the region. The last Era of Convergence was when the League began. If you've heard of the mythical Pokemon from that time like Dirgesong or Hero, they're real. Toto, that monster that Dorothy broke out, was a Cryptid from that time as well. Used by a Trainer named Oz. Terrison was the Dragon Prime of his cycle, and you all know what he accomplished," Marcus states, pausing for a moment to breath. "I believe Chronos and Julius Varro are Primes from the previous Era of Convergence as well, and have some evidence to support those theories," Marcus adds, intending to give as much information to the Shooting Stars in this little session.

"The reason I know this is because I am this cycle's Ice Prime, and Quicksilver is my Cryptid," Marcus says, pausing to give Quicksilver the chance to give a lazy wave with his claws. "Champion and Rider are part of his power, although it's still a bit of a work in progress. The reason I'm bothering to tell all of you this is because I need your help," Marcus says, pausing for a moment. "Some time ago Raymond Neville, the Electric Prime, was killed by Team Jamba, and his Cryptid Tesla was stolen. I need you to help me steal him back. I've tracked where he is, but I can't assault a Jamba base on my own with any hope of survival, and there's a few other complications," Marcus states. "Jamba has Primes of their own, or at least two. Water and Ghost at the very least, along with who knows how many others. In addition, I believe Teller is Blueberry," Marcus states, pausing a moment to let that set in. "Which means we risk the League's wrath as well as Jamba's after this rescue."

"In any case, we need to rescue Tesla from Jamba. He's a fully sentient, intelligent Pokemon that had the closest thing to his family murdered in front of him. Even more, if Jamba has a Cryptid but no Prime to dictate how they use it, they essentially have a weapon of mass destruction. We can't let them keep him enslaved," Marcus says, pausing for a quick breath before looking to Quicksilver. "Did I miss anything?" Marcus asks the Pokemon.

"Nope, I think that just about covers it."

"Alright then," Marcus says with a nod, grinning slightly as he sees people's reactions to Quicksilver speaking. "Questions?"

[Prehysterical]

Between Angus's armor and Gaunlet's own Grounded nature, the attack is not nearly as devastating as it should have been. The dragon may be shrugging off their blows, but the knight and the golem intend to repay it in kind.

With his newly kindled hammer, Angus darts back in with Gauntlet right by his side.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Gauntlet uses Mega Punch
AC 4: (1d20+1)[8]
Damage: (3d8+34)[48] Normal Physical Damage
Smite triggers if it misses.

Angus uses Wear Down.
AC 2: (1d20+1)[14]
Damage: (2d6+8)[15] Normal Physical Damage
Lowers target's Defense CS by 1 on even-numbered rolls.
Blue Flames deals an additional (4d6)[9] untyped or Fire (Physical? Special?) damage (whichever deals more).
Angus activates Fortress and Marks the dragon. The dragon takes a -4 accuracy penalty against Gauntlet and the Torkoal.

[Jacior]

Dominic let's Gareth out even as the gym leaders take off. "I feel like whoever started the fires was kind of counting on it. This would be a perfect time to pull something horrible." Dominic sighs and lets Arlo loose on top of Gareth as he climbs up. "Come on. They're probably going to the tree first, we can take care of the smaller fires. And probably whoever set them." He almost growled to himself, steering the big head of the dinosaur pokemon around and urging him towards the nearest plume of smoke.

[CosmicOccurence]

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"Sorry," Marcus says a little awkwardly at Jun's comment. "I just want to make sure everybody knows what we're getting into," Marcus states before adjusting his glasses one more time.

"Every thousand years something called the Era of Convergence happens," Marcus begins, looking at Puck occasionally as he speaks, trying to gauge how much of this information Puck already knew. "Essentially, Arceus chooses eighteen Trainers, one to represent each Type called a Prime, and pairs them up with a Cryptid. Obviously with the power of a Cryptid at their disposal, these Trainers tend to have a bit of an impact on the region. The last Era of Convergence was when the League began. If you've heard of the mythical Pokemon from that time like Dirgesong or Hero, they're real. Toto, that monster that Dorothy broke out, was a Cryptid from that time as well. Used by a Trainer named Oz. Terrison was the Dragon Prime of his cycle, and you all know what he accomplished," Marcus states, pausing for a moment to breath. "I believe Chronos and Julius Varro are Primes from the previous Era of Convergence as well, and have some evidence to support those theories," Marcus adds, intending to give as much information to the Shooting Stars in this little session.

"The reason I know this is because I am this cycle's Ice Prime, and Quicksilver is my Cryptid," Marcus says, pausing to give Quicksilver the chance to give a lazy wave with his claws. "Champion and Rider are part of his power, although it's still a bit of a work in progress. The reason I'm bothering to tell all of you this is because I need your help," Marcus says, pausing for a moment. "Some time ago Raymond Neville, the Electric Prime, was killed by Team Jamba, and his Cryptid Tesla was stolen. I need you to help me steal him back. I've tracked where he is, but I can't assault a Jamba base on my own with any hope of survival, and there's a few other complications," Marcus states. "Jamba has Primes of their own, or at least two. Water and Ghost at the very least, along with who knows how many others. In addition, I believe Teller is Blueberry," Marcus states, pausing a moment to let that set in. "Which means we risk the League's wrath as well as Jamba's after this rescue."

"In any case, we need to rescue Tesla from Jamba. He's a fully sentient, intelligent Pokemon that had the closest thing to his family murdered in front of him. Even more, if Jamba has a Cryptid but no Prime to dictate how they use it, they essentially have a weapon of mass destruction. We can't let them keep him enslaved," Marcus says, pausing for a quick breath before looking to Quicksilver. "Did I miss anything?" Marcus asks the Pokemon.

"Nope, I think that just about covers it."

"Alright then," Marcus says with a nod, grinning slightly as he sees people's reactions to Quicksilver speaking. "Questions?"

The younger members were pretty wide-eyed the whole explanation, but even the older members showed amazement and surprise when Quicksilver casually talked. It took them all a bit to process the short speech, but a comment from Brandon validating what you'd said made things a bit smoother.

You fielded a wide variety of questions ranging from specifics on how this whole Prime thing worked to immortality to Puck's role in this whole mess. It was wide ranging, and there were plenty of questions that you weren't able - or weren't willing - to answer. That being said, the dorm seemed to take the situation in stride, although the Belle groupie did have a bit of a meltdown at one point when she realized that there was a sonic-based cryptid in Serenity and she hadn't even figured it out.

However, conversation inevitably circled around to the planned rescue of Tesla. So walk us through what you know and what your plan is, Devyn said. I assume you've done some legwork. It wasn't a question of your preparations, but a statement of his faith in them.

[CosmicOccurence]

Dominic let's Gareth out even as the gym leaders take off. "I feel like whoever started the fires was kind of counting on it. This would be a perfect time to pull something horrible." Dominic sighs and lets Arlo loose on top of Gareth as he climbs up. "Come on. They're probably going to the tree first, we can take care of the smaller fires. And probably whoever set them." He almost growled to himself, steering the big head of the dinosaur pokemon around and urging him towards the nearest plume of smoke.

Katie hopped onto Garath, grumbling about how the fires had to start when half her team had already been rendered relatively useless. It became clear as soon as you left the arena that these fires weren't natural.

That's because there were Jamba Pawns everywhere.

The checkered masks were iconic enough, and you saw more than a few hooked masks that indicated a Rook. There were a few clustered around each fire, usually with a fire type Pokemon egging it on while their trainers defended it from the attempts of the few league trainers who were around.

At least around the arena, it seemed as though there were enough trainers to handle the situation. However, it seemed clear that, the further from the League's center of power in the city, the fewer trainers there were to help prevent fires. When Katie saw a Pokemon Center under attack, she leaped off it and ran over. As she released Cavern, a Crobat with unnaturally long fangs and a Poison symbol above its head, she waved you off.

I need to heal my team. Cavern and I can handle this, but they need you further on. Your team is rested enough that you can handle opponents that the lower ranked trainers won't be able to.

As she was speaking, you began to feel a strange itch in your head, similar to the one you experienced when there were Primes around, but different at the same time. It eventually coalesced into a voice in your head, although how you knew the two were connected was beyond you.

They're targeting the Cryptid you came to see. It said, it's voice sounding something like a young boy. And if they attacked during the festival, they've prepared for the Gym Leaders. However, they might not expect a Prime to arrive who works against them. If you want to save your father, you've got to keep that tree from burning down.

[CosmicOccurence]

Between Angus's armor and Gaunlet's own Grounded nature, the attack is not nearly as devastating as it should have been. The dragon may be shrugging off their blows, but the knight and the golem intend to repay it in kind.

With his newly kindled hammer, Angus darts back in with Gauntlet right by his side.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Gauntlet uses Mega Punch
AC 4: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] Normal Physical Damage
Smite triggers if it misses.

Angus uses Wear Down.
AC 2: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3] Normal Physical Damage
Lowers target's Defense CS by 1 on even-numbered rolls.
Blue Flames deals an additional [roll4] untyped or Fire (Physical? Special?) damage (whichever deals more).
Angus activates Fortress and Marks the dragon. The dragon takes a -4 accuracy penalty against Gauntlet and the Torkoal.

The Dragon really seemed to be feeling the blows now. It was more sluggish, moving with less aclarity and grace than it had before. It tried to slink backwards, away from the battle. All the while, its three mouths opened. Orbs of darkness began to form at each of their jaws, clearly winding up for a powerful attack.

Light from the crystals (and the flames on your hammer) seemed to be drawn into the orbs, almost as if they absorbed all light.

Spoiler

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Hydreigion sets up for ????
Hydregion gets +2 evasion for the round and +2 SpAtk CS

[Arcran]

Spoiler

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The younger members were pretty wide-eyed the whole explanation, but even the older members showed amazement and surprise when Quicksilver casually talked. It took them all a bit to process the short speech, but a comment from Brandon validating what you'd said made things a bit smoother.

You fielded a wide variety of questions ranging from specifics on how this whole Prime thing worked to immortality to Puck's role in this whole mess. It was wide ranging, and there were plenty of questions that you weren't able - or weren't willing - to answer. That being said, the dorm seemed to take the situation in stride, although the Belle groupie did have a bit of a meltdown at one point when she realized that there was a sonic-based cryptid in Serenity and she hadn't even figured it out.

However, conversation inevitably circled around to the planned rescue of Tesla. So walk us through what you know and what your plan is, Devyn said. I assume you've done some legwork. It wasn't a question of your preparations, but a statement of his faith in them.

Marcus does his best to field the questions, giving as detailed of questions as he can without wasting too much time. He's grateful for the support that Brandon is able to supply, as well as the degree of legitimacy that the other Trainer adds to everything he says.

"Quite a bit, but likely not enough," Marcus readily admits, pulling some diagrams from his backpack. "Tesla is located in Central. One week after Raymond was murdered the 17th district power plant experienced a notable spike in power. I believe he's being held there and used as a generator," Marcus states. "If the other Primes will agree to it, I believe I have a way to distract Jamba and divert at least some of their resources away from the plant. If a half dozen primes seem to suddenly go towards Zahaard, they're sure to take note," Marcus says, nodding towards Puck in the back of the room.

"Brandon and I did some legwork in the library and have found schematics of the power plant, and believe we've identified likely holding areas for Tesla, as well as likely barracks for any Jamba troops.," Marcus states, pausing for breath before continuing. "Beyond that, I managed to get Dirgesong to provide me with a panic switch of sorts, and he has promised to provide safe harbor for Tesla after he's rescued. Jamba won't be able to touch him there," Marcus says confidently.

"Puck is the last piece of the plan. He and his Cryptid can handle the cameras, which should give us coverage. I'll have Quicksilver use some sculptures as distractions and try to set off as many alarms as far from us as possible to divert additional people. We go in fast and hard, grab Tesla, and get out just as fast. No prolonged battles. Jamba is willing to kill, so I'd rather keep our interactions with them limited," Marcus says, unconsciously touching the scar on his stomach. "Which leaves us with an escape route. Most of you should come back here; I've already arranged transportation. Koon and the barrier will keep you safe from retaliation, but I'd like a handful of people to head to Serenity with me and make sure Tesla safely gets to Dirgesong," Marcus states, knowing that Stella would almost certainly volunteer, more to meet Dirgesong than anything else. "At least, that's the high level plan," Marcus says with a smirk, pulling out two journals. "We can get a lot more specific," he states with a grin.

"Don't forget the phones," Quicksilver states, looking over the map critically.

"Oh, and the last part. No phones," Marcus says, a little embarrassed to have forgotten something so simple. [COLOR="#0000FF"][B]"Blueberry can use them. Leave them here, preferably on, in the dorms. I may have Quicksilver leave a small sculpture behind to move them around, make it seem like we're here. If we can buy walkie talkies or something similar, that will be our primary method of communication."

[CosmicOccurence]

Spoiler

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Marcus does his best to field the questions, giving as detailed of questions as he can without wasting too much time. He's grateful for the support that Brandon is able to supply, as well as the degree of legitimacy that the other Trainer adds to everything he says.

"Quite a bit, but likely not enough," Marcus readily admits, pulling some diagrams from his backpack. "Tesla is located in Central. One week after Raymond was murdered the 17th district power plant experienced a notable spike in power. I believe he's being held there and used as a generator," Marcus states. "If the other Primes will agree to it, I believe I have a way to distract Jamba and divert at least some of their resources away from the plant. If a half dozen primes seem to suddenly go towards Zahaard, they're sure to take note," Marcus says, nodding towards Puck in the back of the room.

"Brandon and I did some legwork in the library and have found schematics of the power plant, and believe we've identified likely holding areas for Tesla, as well as likely barracks for any Jamba troops.," Marcus states, pausing for breath before continuing. "Beyond that, I managed to get Dirgesong to provide me with a panic switch of sorts, and he has promised to provide safe harbor for Tesla after he's rescued. Jamba won't be able to touch him there," Marcus says confidently.

"Puck is the last piece of the plan. He and his Cryptid can handle the cameras, which should give us coverage. I'll have Quicksilver use some sculptures as distractions and try to set off as many alarms as far from us as possible to divert additional people. We go in fast and hard, grab Tesla, and get out just as fast. No prolonged battles. Jamba is willing to kill, so I'd rather keep our interactions with them limited," Marcus says, unconsciously touching the scar on his stomach. "Which leaves us with an escape route. Most of you should come back here; I've already arranged transportation. Koon and the barrier will keep you safe from retaliation, but I'd like a handful of people to head to Serenity with me and make sure Tesla safely gets to Dirgesong," Marcus states, knowing that Stella would almost certainly volunteer, more to meet Dirgesong than anything else. "At least, that's the high level plan," Marcus says with a smirk, pulling out two journals. "We can get a lot more specific," he states with a grin.

"Don't forget the phones," Quicksilver states, looking over the map critically.

"Oh, and the last part. No phones," Marcus says, a little embarrassed to have forgotten something so simple. [COLOR="#0000FF"][B]"Blueberry can use them. Leave them here, preferably on, in the dorms. I may have Quicksilver leave a small sculpture behind to move them around, make it seem like we're here. If we can buy walkie talkies or something similar, that will be our primary method of communication."

Brandon built off of your explanation, pulling up the map and showing the three likely locations that Tesla was being held: the Nuclear Power Converter, the Storage Coils, and Main Power Generator. We can all enter through the same entrance, he said, pointing to a janitorial entrance in the back. Once we get inside and down through the first security door, we can split up. Jacquel, your Ghosts should be able to help us get into the site, especially since you can temporarily negate the effects of Cleanse Tags that are likely built into the walls.

Since there are three sites and fourteen of us, we'll split up into two teams of five and one team of four. We can hash out the specifics later, but Devyn will head one team, I'll head one, and Rosso and Jacquel will lead the third. Puck, Marcus and I are in charge of the strategic vision, but when it comes to combat, everybody follows the orders of the The implications were clear: by dividing up the Rank 7 Trainers, each team had some major combat potential at their fingertips.

Any Pawns should be pretty easy to handle if we run across them in reasonable numbers, and I have confidence that each of you can handle a Rook without too much trouble. If we run into any Bishops though, leave them to the Team Leaders and get out of our way. Those will be difficult battles even for us.

And, he paused. If Tesla is as important to them as we think it might be, there could be a Knight around. If anyone stumbles across one of them, everyone evacuates immediately, no questions asked. I don't care how important this is, but it isn't worth your life. Brandon gave you in particular a look that said 'I won't negotiate on this even if you are blessed by a god,' but you couldn't be sure.

[Arcran]

Spoiler

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Brandon built off of your explanation, pulling up the map and showing the three likely locations that Tesla was being held: the Nuclear Power Converter, the Storage Coils, and Main Power Generator. We can all enter through the same entrance, he said, pointing to a janitorial entrance in the back. Once we get inside and down through the first security door, we can split up. Jacquel, your Ghosts should be able to help us get into the site, especially since you can temporarily negate the effects of Cleanse Tags that are likely built into the walls.

Since there are three sites and fourteen of us, we'll split up into two teams of five and one team of four. We can hash out the specifics later, but Devyn will head one team, I'll head one, and Rosso and Jacquel will lead the third. Puck, Marcus and I are in charge of the strategic vision, but when it comes to combat, everybody follows the orders of the The implications were clear: by dividing up the Rank 7 Trainers, each team had some major combat potential at their fingertips.

Any Pawns should be pretty easy to handle if we run across them in reasonable numbers, and I have confidence that each of you can handle a Rook without too much trouble. If we run into any Bishops though, leave them to the Team Leaders and get out of our way. Those will be difficult battles even for us.

And, he paused. If Tesla is as important to them as we think it might be, there could be a Knight around. If anyone stumbles across one of them, everyone evacuates immediately, no questions asked. I don't care how important this is, but it isn't worth your life. Brandon gave you in particular a look that said 'I won't negotiate on this even if you are blessed by a god,' but you couldn't be sure.

Marcus nods as Brandon gives some of the more specific commands, reluctantly agreeing when he mentions the point about the Knight.

"Agreed. If anybody sees Teller there, run. We can't hope to beat him in a real battle, even with all of us attacking him," Marcus states, knowing the unfortunate truth of the matter. Hopefully they'd manage to get what they needed before Teller showed up but, if not, they'd have trouble. "In addition, Puck, Brandon and I can identify other Trainers who have been blessed by Arceus. If you see one, leave them to a Rank 7. They'll have Pokemon at least as powerful as Quicksilver, if not more so," Marcus says as he begins to hand out group assignments, making special note to not have any team of five, even though it messed up the even distribution of teams that he'd had. "Green Team," Marcus says, nodding towards Rosso, Jacquel, Yishu and Puck.

"You're job is information and disruption. Puck, have Dawn keep the enemy as blind as possible. Jacquel, put those Ghosts to work and take out as much infrastructure as possible. Yishu, monitor other teams and scout with Jacquel's Pokemon. Rosso, you're protection," Marcus says, figuring that he'd enjoy the role.

"Purple," Marcus says, nodding towards Brandon. "I'm trust you with the distraction. We'll all have to fight, but I'm relying on you six to be the loudest, hardest-hitting of the teams," Marcus says, looking at Jun in particular. "Green and Quicksilver's constructs will assist as best as possible, but I'm relying on you to hold the line. Bring as many restoratives as you can carry," Marcus adds.

"White Team," Marcus says, looking at Devyn. "We're finding Tesla. Devyn's Pokemon can be living demolition tools, and we'll break him out as quickly as possible," Marcus says, rolling his shoulders. "Unless we have more questions, I vote we start preparing. It'll be a long day, so come prepared," Marcus says, heading to the back of the room towards Puck if there are no further questions.

"I need you to relay a message to Q. See if he can contact the other Primes, and tell them to send their phones to Zahaard. Just dump them on a train and leave it be," Marcus states. "I know it's a lot to ask, but it'll hopefully divert some Jamba troops. Just tell him to make sure it isn't five people," Marcus says, surprisingly serious for a strange request like that. "Four can send their phones, six can send theirs, but not five. Let them know I'll reimburse them if they're concerned about cost," Marcus says, not too concerned about how he'll acquire the funds for that.

[Prehysterical]

The Dragon really seemed to be feeling the blows now. It was more sluggish, moving with less aclarity and grace than it had before. It tried to slink backwards, away from the battle. All the while, its three mouths opened. Orbs of darkness began to form at each of their jaws, clearly winding up for a powerful attack.

Light from the crystals (and the flames on your hammer) seemed to be drawn into the orbs, almost as if they absorbed all light.

Spoiler

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Hydreigion sets up for ????
Hydregion gets +2 evasion for the round and +2 SpAtk CS

One way or another, the fight was going to be over very soon. "Press forward! Don't let up!" Gauntlet strikes with Angus, desperation lending strength to their blows... but they swing wide in their haste.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Gauntlet uses Mega Punch
AC 4: (1d20+1)[5]
Damage: (3d8+34)[44] Normal Physical Damage
Smite triggers if it misses.

Angus uses Bash!
AC 2: (1d20+1)[3]
Damage: (2d8+22)[32] Normal Physical Damage
Reduces target Initiative to 0 on 15+
Blue Flames damage: (4d6)[13]
Angus procs his last use of Guardian's Punishment to deal an additional 16 damage. Dragon takes -5 to Damage, but AC penalty ends.

[Jacior]

Dominic kicked his heels and wheeled Gareth around towards the Tree. "I'm going to the Tree. Don't lose until we fight again." It was the closest thing he could think of to good luck that wasn't... saying she couldn't handle herself. "They're after it." Kicking his heels again, he starts towards the Tree, prompting Gareth more than once to clear people out of the way of the rather large pokemon and his trainer.

Spoiler

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Effectively using Sprint a bunch of times. :P

[CosmicOccurence]

Spoiler

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Marcus nods as Brandon gives some of the more specific commands, reluctantly agreeing when he mentions the point about the Knight.

"Agreed. If anybody sees Teller there, run. We can't hope to beat him in a real battle, even with all of us attacking him," Marcus states, knowing the unfortunate truth of the matter. Hopefully they'd manage to get what they needed before Teller showed up but, if not, they'd have trouble. "In addition, Puck, Brandon and I can identify other Trainers who have been blessed by Arceus. If you see one, leave them to a Rank 7. They'll have Pokemon at least as powerful as Quicksilver, if not more so," Marcus says as he begins to hand out group assignments, making special note to not have any team of five, even though it messed up the even distribution of teams that he'd had. "Green Team," Marcus says, nodding towards Rosso, Jacquel, Yishu and Puck.

"You're job is information and disruption. Puck, have Dawn keep the enemy as blind as possible. Jacquel, put those Ghosts to work and take out as much infrastructure as possible. Yishu, monitor other teams and scout with Jacquel's Pokemon. Rosso, you're protection," Marcus says, figuring that he'd enjoy the role.

"Purple," Marcus says, nodding towards Brandon. "I'm trust you with the distraction. We'll all have to fight, but I'm relying on you six to be the loudest, hardest-hitting of the teams," Marcus says, looking at Jun in particular. "Green and Quicksilver's constructs will assist as best as possible, but I'm relying on you to hold the line. Bring as many restoratives as you can carry," Marcus adds.

"White Team," Marcus says, looking at Devyn. "We're finding Tesla. Devyn's Pokemon can be living demolition tools, and we'll break him out as quickly as possible," Marcus says, rolling his shoulders. "Unless we have more questions, I vote we start preparing. It'll be a long day, so come prepared," Marcus says, heading to the back of the room towards Puck if there are no further questions.

"I need you to relay a message to Q. See if he can contact the other Primes, and tell them to send their phones to Zahaard. Just dump them on a train and leave it be," Marcus states. "I know it's a lot to ask, but it'll hopefully divert some Jamba troops. Just tell him to make sure it isn't five people," Marcus says, surprisingly serious for a strange request like that. "Four can send their phones, six can send theirs, but not five. Let them know I'll reimburse them if they're concerned about cost," Marcus says, not too concerned about how he'll acquire the funds for that.

You got a few questions about the dynamics of the team, and Brandon gave you a few weird looks, but in the end everyone went along with it. You and Puck had the opportunity to talk privately. Puck passed the message on, and he assured you that seven phones, his included, would be on their way to Zahaard asap.

-----

The trip to Central was normally an easy one, but Devyn and Brandon insisted that you travel on side paths that would add several days to your trip to avoid detection. While it slowed you down, and you realized just how deadly the wilds could be off the main paths. There was a hairy incident when a tangle of Arbok caught your scent and thought you were dinner, but even that swarm was handled relatively easily by the dorm.

----

The power plant in district 17 wasn't the largest you'd seen in central, but it was still an intimidating structure. Large coils spiraled into the sky, sprouting from the concrete structure much like malformed arms of a diseased child. There was a fence surrounding the compound, on which you knew would be there. The guardpost nearest your planned point of entryway was out of sight: there wasn't much reason to guard a generator after all ... at least publicly.

You Symbolsight didn't project a massive symbol as it did with the ancient cryptids, but in the air you could certainly feel like there were a few too many legendary presences nearby to be you and Puck. While you couldn't pin down an exact number - it didn't work like that - there were anywhere from 1-5 others blessed by the gods within your radius. Assuming your intel was correct, Tesla would likely be one of them. A glance at Puck and Brandon told you that they sensed it as well.

However, as you approached your local entry point with Devyn about to release his Steelix to serve as a faux-bridge for you all to walk across, you noticed three Crobat in the air, circling lazily throughout the interior. They could be wild ... but it certainly wasn't their natural habitat, and there had been no mention of aerial sentries in the schematics you pulled up. Of course, the three of them wouldn't be able to stop a group of 14, and they weren't even in the way of you making a run for the door.

Looks like we've got company, Devyn said. But at least they haven't noticed us yet. He was less laid back than usual, more akin to his attitude when he was battling than anything else. The carefree forgetful man was gone, replaced by somebody with intense eyes and who you could sense now could become a scarily powerful battler.

Spoiler

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Just so I know, did you tell puck about brainwashing? Or is everyone still in the dark about it?

We won't actually do this battle if you choose to fight, as it'd be a waste of time. This is as much an opportunity for Marcus/you to have time to RP arriving as much as it is to have you make choices that will affect the mission.

Let me know anything you'd like to know about the surroundings if you feel its relevant.

[CosmicOccurence]

Dominic kicked his heels and wheeled Gareth around towards the Tree. "I'm going to the Tree. Don't lose until we fight again." It was the closest thing he could think of to good luck that wasn't... saying she couldn't handle herself. "They're after it." Kicking his heels again, he starts towards the Tree, prompting Gareth more than once to clear people out of the way of the rather large pokemon and his trainer.

Spoiler

Show

Effectively using Sprint a bunch of times. :P

The trip to the tree was a difficult one. You faced a particularly hairy encounter with a Skarmory and a mounted rider who seemed intent on keeping you from your destination. However, a helpful blast of thunder from a trainer's Plusle kept it distracted while you passed through, the mount jeering with his lance pointed at the new threat.

When you arrived, you were greeted by a bleak sight. The entire base of the tree was alight with flames, and the surrounding buildings were beacons of fire. The whole area was hot, much hotter than one would normally expect. The lanterns mixed with the flames to produce an eerie multicolored ambiance that flickered and shifted as smog filtered through the air. While the fire hadn't spread to cover the whole tree, it was slowly advancing up the trunk.

About an arena's length away, you could see Lillian and Leo battling on the rooftops. Their opponent was a figure shrouded in an intricate dark green dress. Its gloves extended all the way up her arms, and she wore practical, not stylish shoes underneath the layered garment. A golden mask covered her face, but even if it hadn't, the massive shroud of insects surrounding her body would have made it difficult to make out the details of her outfit.

A massive hurricane formed in their battle, proving the level of seriousness with which the gym leaders were taking this battle. While the figure was being pushed back, she was holding her own against two Gym Leaders, although half of Leo's attention was focused on a trio of Rooks who were shooting pestering attacks at him from the sidelines, chipping away at his Darmantian's health. Judging from the level of the battle, you could assume the figure was likely a Knight, one of the administrators of Team Jamba and one of their strongest battlers.

Your view of the battle was cut short however, when a building to your right exploded. While you weren't injured, you were knocked off your feet into the ground, whose dirt had been hard packed by hundreds of feet. A deafening ringing filled your ears, and, as you picked your head out of the dirt and soot, you saw a figure in bright red robes emerge from the wreckage, carrying a Pokeball in his hands. It was clearly a unique outfit, one worn by Bishops in Team Jamba, who were allowed some semblance of individuality compared to the masks and capes of the Pawns and Rooks.

His mask was that of a multicolored clown, although when he saw you, he removed it. The crimson hair underneath and the scarred face were the one you'd spoken to earlier.

Dominic! he cried, spreading his arms wide, a manic grin appearing on his face. It was difficult to hear his voice with the ringing in your head, but you could make out his words. I told you she could get even more beautiful didn't I? Fire is the most beautiful form of artwork. And to burn something akin to a god? Jamba has truly allowed me to reach heights I'd never thought possible!

[CosmicOccurence]

One way or another, the fight was going to be over very soon. "Press forward! Don't let up!" Gauntlet strikes with Angus, desperation lending strength to their blows... but they swing wide in their haste.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Gauntlet uses Mega Punch
AC 4: (1d20)[5]
Damage: (4d6+30)[47] Normal Physical Damage
Smite triggers if it misses.

Angus uses Bash!
AC 2: (1d20)[9]
Damage: (4d6+30)[49] Normal Physical Damage
Reduces target Initiative to 0 on 15+
Blue Flames damage: [roll4]
Angus procs his last use of Guardian's Punishment to deal an additional 16 damage. Dragon takes -5 to Damage, but AC penalty ends.

The sketchy nature of the light in the room didn't help your strikes as the dragon roared, and the three beams of light shot at each combatant. While the Torkoal seemed to take the hit well enough, it hadn't been engaged in combat as long as you had, and it sent loop of flame towards the dragon, trapping it in place and keeping it from moving as well as it had.

Spoiler

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Darke Hyper Beam! vs Angus AC 5 (1d20)[5] On a hit, target is vulnerable for one round
(4d6+30)[47] Special Dark Damage.

Darke Hyper Beam! vs Angus AC 5 (1d20)[9] On a hit, target is vulnerable for one round
(4d6+30)[49] Special Dark Damage.

[Arcran]

Spoiler

Show

You got a few questions about the dynamics of the team, and Brandon gave you a few weird looks, but in the end everyone went along with it. You and Puck had the opportunity to talk privately. Puck passed the message on, and he assured you that seven phones, his included, would be on their way to Zahaard asap.

-----

The trip to Central was normally an easy one, but Devyn and Brandon insisted that you travel on side paths that would add several days to your trip to avoid detection. While it slowed you down, and you realized just how deadly the wilds could be off the main paths. There was a hairy incident when a tangle of Arbok caught your scent and thought you were dinner, but even that swarm was handled relatively easily by the dorm.

----

The power plant in district 17 wasn't the largest you'd seen in central, but it was still an intimidating structure. Large coils spiraled into the sky, sprouting from the concrete structure much like malformed arms of a diseased child. There was a fence surrounding the compound, on which you knew would be there. The guardpost nearest your planned point of entryway was out of sight: there wasn't much reason to guard a generator after all ... at least publicly.

You Symbolsight didn't project a massive symbol as it did with the ancient cryptids, but in the air you could certainly feel like there were a few too many legendary presences nearby to be you and Puck. While you couldn't pin down an exact number - it didn't work like that - there were anywhere from 1-5 others blessed by the gods within your radius. Assuming your intel was correct, Tesla would likely be one of them. A glance at Puck and Brandon told you that they sensed it as well.

However, as you approached your local entry point with Devyn about to release his Steelix to serve as a faux-bridge for you all to walk across, you noticed three Crobat in the air, circling lazily throughout the interior. They could be wild ... but it certainly wasn't their natural habitat, and there had been no mention of aerial sentries in the schematics you pulled up. Of course, the three of them wouldn't be able to stop a group of 14, and they weren't even in the way of you making a run for the door.

Looks like we've got company, Devyn said. But at least they haven't noticed us yet. He was less laid back than usual, more akin to his attitude when he was battling than anything else. The carefree forgetful man was gone, replaced by somebody with intense eyes and who you could sense now could become a scarily powerful battler.

Spoiler

Show

Just so I know, did you tell puck about brainwashing? Or is everyone still in the dark about it?

We won't actually do this battle if you choose to fight, as it'd be a waste of time. This is as much an opportunity for Marcus/you to have time to RP arriving as much as it is to have you make choices that will affect the mission.

Let me know anything you'd like to know about the surroundings if you feel its relevant.

Marcus frowns as his Symbolsight triggers. He'd expected the possibility of at least one other Prime here, but if his estimates were correct there was an (albeit slim) chance that there would be two of them. The Trainer holds up a hand for a moment, before looking to Quicksilver and releasing Gelver an instant later, doing his best to hide the Pokeball's flash.

"Alright," Marcus says, whispering softly as he addresses the team. "I'm sensing a few other people touched by gods but, at this point, can't tell an exact number. Expect at least one other Prime inside, maybe more," Marcus says, before looking at Yishu and Jacquel. "I don't like the Crobat, and I don't like that there's people we don't know about inside. Jac, can you let out a few ghosts, and Yishu, can you Channel them, as well as Quicksilver and Gelver?" Marcus says, before handing a walkie talkie to the Weavile. "I'm not too concerned, but I'd rather not go in blind. Focus on guard locations, as well as whether or not there's more activity than we were expecting. Don't attack anybody yet; a Wild Pokemon running away outside shouldn't draw too much attention, understood?" Marcus says, before leaning back to wait a few minutes, trying to decide what to do with the Crobat. They'd be extremely dangerous for Green Team, and if they were going to bring up the rear they couldn't afford for those Pokemon to be present. If Purple hit the Crobat and made enough noise, they could draw away the guards and provide an opening for them to get in...

Spoiler

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Yeah, let's assume that Marcus has clued the others in on what he knows about Chronos, other old Primes Abilities, and what he knows about Terrorfang. Nobody is going in blind about the really scary parts.

Right now I'd just like to scout out the area a little bit, make sure we're not walking into any sort of obvious trap, as well as spotting if there's anything else with the Crobat.

[CosmicOccurence]

Marcus frowns as his Symbolsight triggers. He'd expected the possibility of at least one other Prime here, but if his estimates were correct there was an (albeit slim) chance that there would be two of them. The Trainer holds up a hand for a moment, before looking to Quicksilver and releasing Gelver an instant later, doing his best to hide the Pokeball's flash.

"Alright," Marcus says, whispering softly as he addresses the team. "I'm sensing a few other people touched by gods but, at this point, can't tell an exact number. Expect at least one other Prime inside, maybe more," Marcus says, before looking at Yishu and Jacquel. "I don't like the Crobat, and I don't like that there's people we don't know about inside. Jac, can you let out a few ghosts, and Yishu, can you Channel them, as well as Quicksilver and Gelver?" Marcus says, before handing a walkie talkie to the Weavile. "I'm not too concerned, but I'd rather not go in blind. Focus on guard locations, as well as whether or not there's more activity than we were expecting. Don't attack anybody yet; a Wild Pokemon running away outside shouldn't draw too much attention, understood?" Marcus says, before leaning back to wait a few minutes, trying to decide what to do with the Crobat. They'd be extremely dangerous for Green Team, and if they were going to bring up the rear they couldn't afford for those Pokemon to be present. If Purple hit the Crobat and made enough noise, they could draw away the guards and provide an opening for them to get in...

Spoiler

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Yeah, let's assume that Marcus has clued the others in on what he knows about Chronos, other old Primes Abilities, and what he knows about Terrorfang. Nobody is going in blind about the really scary parts.

Right now I'd just like to scout out the area a little bit, make sure we're not walking into any sort of obvious trap, as well as spotting if there's anything else with the Crobat.

As Quicksilver slipped over the fence, you almost immediately lost sight of him. It was like he became the night itself. He regularly reported in as he flitted around the outer compound. According to him, all the guard stations you knew about were staffed the same, and, after listening in on their conversations, it didn't seem like they were aware of the Crobat lurking above. Nor could he find any trainers commanding the pokemon from the ground.

However, he did notice flashes of light coming from a second story window on the other side of the building. It wasn't in the line of sight of any of the guard posts, and the Crobat were always within sight of it when it began shining. It came in short bursts, flicking on and off rapdily in what Quicksilver assumed was some sort of code.

And then the bats do some sort of synchronized flight thing. Reminds me of what they used to have us Pokemon do for show, moving in unison. Blech! I think they call it contests now.

Anyway, it isn't a code I know, but its definitely a code that the Crobat are used to report in with. They're trained well to respond to lights like that. Crobat aren't stupid, but they don't respond like an Arcanine would to training. There must have been some serious time put in on those puppies for them to react like that and not fight each other for hunting territory. Reminds me of a setup they had on one of the southern isles before we sunk it into the ocean. That didn't work too well for them either.

Anyways, the communication lasts for about three minutes and happens about every ten minutes or so.

[Arcran]

Spoiler

Show

As Quicksilver slipped over the fence, you almost immediately lost sight of him. It was like he became the night itself. He regularly reported in as he flitted around the outer compound. According to him, all the guard stations you knew about were staffed the same, and, after listening in on their conversations, it didn't seem like they were aware of the Crobat lurking above. Nor could he find any trainers commanding the pokemon from the ground.

However, he did notice flashes of light coming from a second story window on the other side of the building. It wasn't in the line of sight of any of the guard posts, and the Crobat were always within sight of it when it began shining. It came in short bursts, flicking on and off rapdily in what Quicksilver assumed was some sort of code.

And then the bats do some sort of synchronized flight thing. Reminds me of what they used to have us Pokemon do for show, moving in unison. Blech! I think they call it contests now.

Anyway, it isn't a code I know, but its definitely a code that the Crobat are used to report in with. They're trained well to respond to lights like that. Crobat aren't stupid, but they don't respond like an Arcanine would to training. There must have been some serious time put in on those puppies for them to react like that and not fight each other for hunting territory. Reminds me of a setup they had on one of the southern isles before we sunk it into the ocean. That didn't work too well for them either.

Anyways, the communication lasts for about three minutes and happens about every ten minutes or so.

Marcus talks back and forth with Quicksilver, having the Weavile relay the communication as exactly as he can. If he could figure out how they were communicating, that would give them a bit of an edge. Fortunately, Marcus' research with Toto paid off rather quickly, and soon enough he'd managed to piece together a usable bit of information. Marcus frowns slightly as they mention watching the north, more as a matter of simple geography than anything. While it wasn't indicative of them expecting an attack, it did indicate that they might be suspecting something to occur, which obviously put them somewhat at odds.

"Quicksilver, find Gelver and monitor the Crobat. If anything significant changes, take them down fast and hard," Marcus states, confident in his Pokemon's abilities, especially in an ambush. "Send the sculptures towards the north, and get ready to make them loud," Marcus adds, preparing to time out the next five minute window, before looking to the others. "Puck, get ready to cover any cameras in the yard that can spot us. We have a window, and are moving soon," Marcus says, waiting until the window is open.

"3.... 2.... 1.... GO!" Marcus whispers loudly, waiting for Brandon to provide a bridge before charging forward. "Quicksilver, if anything changes make some noise to the north, get them to split up," Marcus commands, doing his best to keep up with the other Shooting Stars as they dash towards the entrance.

[Jacior]

Dominic put a hand to his head to quiet the ringing, but it only grew worse when he saw who stepped out of the building. "You... that guy from the tree yesterday..." He looked between the man and the tree. "How... could you ever even consider it?" Dominic stared at him with wild eyes as he started walking towards him, one hand still on his head. He felt sick to his stomach and the world seemed muffled by the ringing... Maybe he was partially deaf now. "You... Jamba... how... could you hurt something like this? How could you just break a thousand years of effort, of tender care and love?"

Dominic didn't even realize he was swinging his fist before he saw it. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU THAT YOU THINK THIS COULD BE GOOD IN ANY WAY? THAT YOU CAN JUST DESTROY WHATEVER YOU WANT?!"

Spoiler

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ARCEUS I HATE YOU DIE STRIKE (Rock Smash)
Attack vs AC 2: [roll]1d20+1[/roll] +1 from Spending AP
Damage: (1d8+14)[22] Physical Fighting (DB 4: 1d8+6, +8 Attack)
If Crit: (1d8+6)[8]
Special: Rock Smash lowers the target’s Defense 1 Combat Stage on 17+.

[Prehysterical]

By the barest margin, Angus was able to avoid the beam of light from the dragon's mouth. Gauntlet, unfortunately, is not so lucky and so is struck by the attack. He staggers, trying to keep his footing and looking as if a stiff breeze is enough to blow him over. All they can do is keep fighting, although their straits are starting to look very dire.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Using the 20 from earlier to activate Gauntlet's Focus Band.
Angus uses Wear Down
AC 2: (1d20+1)[21]
Damage: (2d6+19)[29] Normal Physical Damage
Lowers target's Defense CS by 1 on even-numbered rolls
(4d6)[11] Fire or Untyped Damage from Blue Flames
Angus activates Fortress as a Free Action. The dragon takes a -4 penalty to AC vs the Torkoal and Gauntlet.

Gauntlet uses Mega Punch
AC 4: (1d20+1)[18]
Damage: (3d8+34)[50] Normal Physical Damage
Smite triggers if it misses.