Pokemon Aftermath #1: Assault on Eterna. (IC)

[Color]

"Oh boy, the fights that are going to break out when we get back. Lucas is going to have our heads big time." Color muttered under her breath, her eyes scanning over the path of decimation Aeon left behind. Kael is mad, Josh is passed out on Bruiser's back, Aeon is gone, her team was nowhere to be found, and there is going to be one pissed off leader with probably an equal threatening Zoroark ready to shove his foot up everybody asses.

The ebony-haired trainer sighed, her whole body ached from exhaustion. All she wanted to do was curl up in a warm, comfy bed (of course with a well-deserved shower and equally deserved scrub down), and fall asleep. She looked down at Blade, smoke-grey eyes watching her as the grass-type's legs trembled from sheer exhaustion. She looked as if she was gonna pass out right there.

"Blade, c'mere", Color cooed, scooping up her partner in her arms and letting her head rest on the crook of her shoulder. The eeveelution protested, digging her claws in her trainer's back as a sign to release her. Moments passed and her struggle became more and more futile, her paws finally hanging limply over her shoulders and her eyes finally closed, falling asleep right in her trainer's arms.

"C'mon girl, let's get out of here. We're gonna hear a mouthful when everyone returns." Color turned her back to the scene, tapping her way from the gore that bombarded her nostrils and clawed at her own innards, the whole entire scene slowly burning it's way into her brain.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Color

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Lupus watched as Kael walked off. Though he knew Kael didn't want him to know, Lupus knew he was angry. He figured he would let him blow off some steam, so Lupus headed back to the rendezvous alone, placing Lobo back into his ball.. He was still wearing the black detective's Trench coat he had taken from the police office as well as the Fedora he grabbed to go along with it. He grabbed out a cigarette, normally Lupus didn't smoke. However it helped him calm his mind which he really needed right now.

It didn't work.

"How could Aeon murder all those innocent girls?" Lupus thought to himself. "Does he not know they aren't there of their own volition?" "I thought he was an assassin, a restrained killer...but he is no better than the church itself, carving a warpath for his own sick benefit." "Those acolytes were around the age of Serah when she died." That name hadn't come to Lupus in years, he had blocked out that part of his past to avoid the pain. Something in his subconscious roared those terrible memories back to life.

All of a sudden it began to rain. It was quite the downpour.

"The heaven's weep for the fallen..." Lupus thought to himself, the rain gently sliding off his new Fedora. "Just like that day as well, though nowhere near as much as now." He removed his sunglasses, it was getting much to hard to see with them on. "This rain isn't just for the fallen, it is trying to wash away the sins from today, the wanton destruction, and the murders of innocent young women, brainwashed, and kept against their wills." "However I feel different from the day Serah died, I know there was nothing I could do. I don't feel like this is my fault." Lupus mused to himself. "Maybe I should tell the terrible tale of my scar, and how I "failed" my little sister, there is no sense in carrying that burden around with me anymore. It is something I should have realized long ago wasn't my fault. It is a travesty that all these innocent people had to die for this revelation." "Who should I tell though?" he thought to himself. "Odin wanted to talk to me before the mission, I said I would talk to her when I got the time, maybe I will tell her. Or I could tell Kael, I am sure he would listen."

As the last blackened cinder fell from his cigerette, Lupus arrived at his destination. He saw Kael standing next to the statue they were to meet at, and no one else, he had gotten here ahead of everyone except for Kael it seemed. Lupus went to stand next to one of the only 2 people he ever called a friend.

[Chevaleresse]

Sarcus, after wandering about for a bit, had managed to find himself and Absolution a bit of food. He hadn't eaten since he had entered Eterna, and the body starts to protest after not being satisfied. He munched on a sandwich, and carried some Poffins in a small case. He was hoping to find Pokeblocks, but they were increasingly rare, especially outside of Hoenn. Contests had all but died off, with Dawn's emphasis on the power of a Pokemon. Though he had never participated in one, he still missed them, since his parents were both established Contest trainers alongside their battling prowess. He backtracked his way to the room where Absolution was enjoying some much-needed pampering, seeking out his lifelong companion.

When he arrived in the room, pushing open the doors, he jogged over to Absolution, petted him a bit, then turned to the man in the white coat on the other side of the room. He didn't look like the few other people he had seen here, but didn't appear to be a prisoner of any variety. Maybe that's the guy who wanted to meet up with me. Sarcus pulled a crumpled paper from his pocket. It had been folded and refolded many times, shoved into and ripped out of pockets, but the contents were still intact. It was a simple message, simply requesting a meeting in Eterna at his earliest convenience. Since Sarcus didn't have many obligations not set by himself, he headed there immediately. The name on the paper, which he assumed was a pseudonym, was simply Gold. Whoever it was had struck him as fairly intellectual, "Hey, not to bother you, but does the name Gold ring any bells to you?"

((OOC note: if gold is an actual character, I will change the name.))

[Flux]

Flux followed Silver wondering where they were going. He assumed they were going to get his Aggron first, and he wondered what kind of condition it would be in, considering how quickly its rampage had been stopped. As they arrived at the door, Silver gestured for him to enter. Flux turned the handle and walked in. The first thing he saw made him relax a bit. It was an Absol being groomed by many breeders. It looked so content that he couldn't help but smile. Then he turned his gaze farther down the room and saw his Heavy Ball. It was resting on a Pokemon Healing Machine, appearing to have just finished the healing process. He walked over and grabbed the Heavy Ball, then turned to thank Silver for the treatment Ogre had received. But when he turned, Silver had already left. Not having much else to do at the time, Flux examined the healing mechanism. It was similar to the machines where he was from, but it had a few innovations that intrigued him. He didn't really work much building the machines themselves, but he knew a little bit about them. The engineers here sure knew what they were doing. As he was looking over the various mechanisms he heard someone ask,

"Hey, not to bother you, but does the name Gold ring any bells to you?"

Flux had assumed they must have been talking to someone else, but when they asked again, he turned. There was a young man standing there with long blonde hair. His eyes were a deep gray color; a contrast to Flux's startlingly violet eyes. Flux cleared his throat.

"Sorry. Please excuse me for not answering sooner. I was enamored with this machine over here, and I'm not used to people seeking conversation with me." Flux laughed a little as he said the last part.

"Gold, you say?" Flux searched his memory. Gold was a bit strange for a name. The only name of a similar style that he had heard was Red, almost a legend in the Kanto region.

"Sorry," Flux said, shaking his head, "it's not ringing any bells for me. I'm not from around here, so you might have more luck asking one of the breeders. I'm just a new recruit."

Edited December 7, 2013 by Flux

[Chevaleresse]

"Hmm. You looked like the intellectual type, which Gold always struck me as." He thought about what the scientist had said. "This is a Pokemon healing machine, right? Who's your partner? Must be pretty big," Sarcus noted as he saw the Heavy Ball.

((I would make a longer post but there's not much else I have to say.))

[Flux]

"Hmm. You looked like the intellectual type, which Gold always struck me as."

"This is a Pokemon healing machine, right? Who's your partner? Must be pretty big."

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

Flux laughed. "Well, I did spend quite a bit of my time studying Pokemon before ending up here, so you may be right in calling me the intellectual type. As for my partner..."

Flux opened the Heavy Ball. A white light spread out into the looming shape of an Aggron. "This is Ogre, my Aggron." Ogre looked down at Sarcus and tilted his head. He then made a small sound, almost like a quiet roar. "Well," Flux said, "I think he likes you. Normally he doesn't get along well to with people, so I'd take that as a good sign."

Flux held out a hand. "My name's Flux. I'd be interested in seeing your Pokemon as well. Ogre could use a new friend."

[Chevaleresse]

Sarcus looked up at the Aggron. "I always thought they were interesting Pokemon. They've got massive strength and tend to be pretty aggressive, but the almost loving way they care for their territory is astounding. Anyway, my partner is the Absol over there. Speaking of him, I think he's gotten enough attention." Almost as if on cue, the Dark-type padded his way over to where the three were standing. He stared the Aggron straight in the eyes, and let out a polite yet proud cry. "This is Absolution, and my name is Sarcus. It's nice to meet you and Ogre." Sarcus watched the two Pokemon intently, interested in seeing where Absolution's attitude got him.

[Flux]

After hearing Absol's cry, Ogre walked closer, until he was standing directly in front of the Absol. He looked straight down at it and met its gaze, before spreading his arms and letting out a deafening roar straight at Absolution, blowing its fur back from the force. Then, Ogre turned his back and walked a few steps, the ground shuddering each time, before stopping. It was almost rude, until he gave a brief glance over his shoulder, an expression that could be a grin spread across his metallic face.

Flux laughed. "I think that's his own way of saying hello. He's a tad bit self-centered..." Flux said shaking his head. "It's nice to meet you, Sarcus and Absolution," he said giving a small nod to each one.

[Chevaleresse]

The Absol simply looked back at the Aggron. He chuffed in irritation about his fur, but barked a laugh when Ogre looked back at him. "Well, that was. . . interesting. Nice to meet you, too." Sarcus returned the nod. "Before I wander off, I've got one last question. Have you seen a Japanese girl and her Jolteon? We arrived under similar circumstances; circumstances involving a bit of a misunderstanding and some potent tranquilizers. "

[Code: PIRULUK]

(to Miki)

“A-all I ask of you is to let Raito go. Just please, PLEASE, let him go! He doesn’t deserve any of this! He was only following me to keep me safe! The Goddess… They… You… W-Whatever you are! THEY TOOK MY PARENTS AWAY! HE’S ALL THAT I HAVE LEFT FROM MY FAMILY! JUST LEAVE RAITO ALONE! PLEASE!”

At Miki's desperate cry, Silver opened the door to the interrogation cell.

"Hmm. It's been a long time since I saw anyone who cared about a Pokemon that much. It's commendable."

Silver slipped a knife out of his belt and slowly advanced towards Miki.

"That said, you're a risk factor."

He turned and strolled behind the chair where Miki was bound. With a downward swing, he cut the ropes.

"I'm not too sure how I feel about the fact that you were willing to sell yourself out, though. Have a little dignity. Would that Jolteon of yours appreciate you defying your own beliefs?"

Silver helped Miki up from the chair.

"Even so, I'm going to take a risk with you. Name's Silver, head of Team Dusk Covert Ops. This is not the Church, this is the temporary staging grounds for Team Dusk. I apologise for springing this on you, but... would you like to join us? We can't have any more of that easy willingness to sell us out though. Please consider, and let me know when you're decided. If you decide to join, please steel your resolve."

Silver led Miki by the hand out of the pitch black room and into the light-filled corridor.

"Your Jolteon is safe, in the room down the left hallway. I'll see you later. Please have a response for me then."

With that parting statement, Silver casually walked down the right corridor, away from Miki and her thoughts.

[DarkLight]

Miki’s thoughts were silenced as she saw a redhead walked into the room. She stared numbly at the imposing figure towering over her. “Is this it? Am I dead?” But as she listened to him, she started feeling relieved. Her sobs began to subside as she tries to stifle them. Miki didn’t even feel threatened when he approached her to cut the ropes. The trainer watched his progress and mentally noted his eyes: They were cold, unmoving gray orbs, like that of steel. They were nothing like that of Sarcus’, which had a suspicious look in them, but she can still feel a bit of warmth.

"Even so, I'm going to take a risk with you. Name's Silver, head of Team Dusk Covert Ops. This is not the Church, this is the temporary staging grounds for Team Dusk…”

“Silver… How fitting… It matches his eyes.” Miki thought as the said person helped her up and led her to the hallway. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard “Dusk,” realizing that the rebellion is really upon her. “A temporary staging grounds? So… this must be one of the buildings Dusk managed to take from Dawn. This is really my chance.” But she didn’t speak, afraid that her voice will crack. So, instead, Miki listened and nodded politely to his words. Although Silver did offer her a chance to join in the fight, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of shame when Silver talked about her “willingness to sell us out.” Doubt began to cloud her mind as she considered her previous actions. The screams, the tears, the betrayal. She thought she was ready, but now? Is she ready to sacrifice her Jolteon to bring down the Church?

Those thoughts began to gnaw at her as Silver left her. She watched him leave as she took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves once more. When she deemed herself calm enough, the trainer decided to turn to face in the opposite direction. “Well, first thing is first: I need to find Raito. Silver said he is behind the door down the left hallway…? Then,” she gulped, “My decision…” She walked slowly at first to get the blood moving, then ran the rest of the way towards the said corridor.

“Raito?” Miki called as she opened the door down that hall. The next thing she knew, she was lying her back with her Jolteon’s beaming face looming over her. He then proceeded to lick her face and nuzzle her, calling happily at seeing his young trainer.

Miki couldn’t suppress a laugh as she struggled to her feet, pushing Raito gently off of her. She then took Raito into her arms and embraced him in a tight hug. “Thank goodness you’re safe, boy. I was so worried! I thought Dawn had you!” Raito escaped her arms and gave her a disapproving gaze, offended at her comment. As if to demonstrate his skills, the Jolteon generated a few sparks of electricity from his yellow fur and barked a cry of defiance.

"I'm not too sure how I feel about the fact that you were willing to sell yourself out, though. Have a little dignity. Would that Jolteon of yours appreciate you defying your own beliefs?"

She sighed and walked into Raito’s room. She found a very comfortable room filled with pillows and blankets. There is even a bookcase with Pokemon related subjects. It reminded Miki of their Sunyshore home before they were forced to flee. Raito jotted to a nearby table and jumped to get her attention. Then, he made his way to his Pokemon bed and proceeded to eat his half-eaten Tamato Berry, observing his trainer’s reactions to this whole situation they are in.

The young lady went over to the small table to find 5 Shuca berries neatly wrapped in a small package. “No way! They can help Raito survive those ground attacking moves. But how…? Those are so hard to find out here in Sinnoh now!” She looked around her before becoming absorbed into her own thoughts once more. “Dusk has a lot of resources, even more than I ever had. Of course,” she shook her head, "I won’t be persuaded that easily. After all, I don’t even know now if I can risk everything, emotionally.” She turned to where Raito sat; he was contently eating a big, red berry with a huge grin on his face. Next to him is her gray knapsack that she calls her trainer bag. Miki took the Shuca berries from the table and puts them inside. “At least, if I do decide not to join, I will still have something to protect Raito. Thank you, Dusk… And Silver, too.”

Raito looked on as Miki sat next to her. Her bag is now in her hands and he is here, but she doesn’t seem as happy as he thought she would be. He thought Miki would be telling him the great news about how they are accepted into Team Dusk and how they are going to beat up those girls. Something is off, and he must find out why. He gobbled up the remainder of his Tamato berry and nudged her gently. Then he twitched his ear – a sign of his curiosity.

After a few seconds, Miki turned to face her Jolteon. She knew that she can never keep a secret from him. After all, he is her only family left; what use is a family if you can’t even trust them? The Japanese trainer patted her Jolteon and gave a long sigh.

“Raito, I know I said that we have to fight now. And we now have that opportunity. But… After what I did… And what Silver said, I really don’t---“

A loud roar suddenly echoed into the room. Both Miki and Raito paused until the roar ceased. The looked towards each other and, without another word, went straight for the door.

-----------

Miki walked out into the hallway first with Raito trailing right at her heels. She looked left and right; there were no signs of alarm anywhere, which can only mean one thing. “There must be other trainers nearby! Perhaps,” she gasped, “Sarcus and Absolution!” She immediately turns to her Jolteon and pointed to down the hallway. “Was that noise from over there?” she asked, suddenly excited at the thought of seeing someone familiar. Raito nodded happily and began walking towards the noise. Miki followed hesitantly until Raito stopped in front of a room. She saw the Jolteon peer into the room and walked in casually. Then she heard a familiar, male voice:

“…Have you seen a Japanese girl and her Jolteon? We arrived under similar circumstances; circumstances involving a bit of a misunderstanding and some potent tranquilizers.”

“Sarcus! Absolution! I’m here!” She ran into the room. Sure enough, she found the duo to her left. To her right is a man in a white lab coat and an Aggron looming over the trio. “O-Oh! You’re h-here too!” Her awkwardness is coming back tenfold at the sight of a stranger. That must be a sign that she is getting back to normal. “I’m g-glad t-that you’re o-okay! W-we s-saw y-you fell and… and…” She trailed off as she saw Raito leaping around Absolution. “A-Anyways, d-did you j-join D-Dusk too? I-I want to j-join b-but…” She looked down at her feet as Silver’s statements occupy her brain once again. “I-I don’t know if I’m s-strong enough a-anymore… After w-what h-happened… A-and h-how I c-could have b-betrayed Dusk… For Raito…”

((EDIT: Will edit the spaces for clearer viewing later, I have class now))

Edited December 10, 2013 by DarkLight

[Flux]

"Have you seen a Japanese girl and her Jolteon?"

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

Flux looked at Sarcus as he asked the question. He seemed genuinely concerned for this girl, and that seemed like a rare thing in these times. He was trying to think of a kind way to say no when the door burst open.

“Sarcus! Absolution! I’m here!”

A young girl with shoulder-length brown hair ran into the room, followed quickly by her Jolteon.

“O-Oh! You’re h-here too!” she said, looking at Flux. “I’m g-glad t-that you’re o-okay! W-we s-saw y-you fell and… and…” She trailed off and looked at her Jolteon jumping playfully around Sarcus's Absol. “A-Anyways, d-did you j-join D-Dusk too? I-I want to j-join b-but…” She looked down at her feet. “I-I don’t know if I’m s-strong enough a-anymore… After w-what h-happened… A-and h-how I c-could have b-betrayed Dusk… For Raito…”

"I am grateful for your concern," Flux said. "The tranquilizer incident was unfortunate. I didn't know that you had been caught up in that as well. Anyway, I have joined Team Dusk. I believe that their goal is the right one, and I have nowhere else to go after the incident at my lab. As for your strength..." Flux closed his eyes and thought. "If you truly believe in Team Dusk and would like to assist in taking down the Church, then I think you should join. Besides," Flux smiled, "if you're willing to run into a room shouting in an unknown building, you must have some sort of courage."

[Chevaleresse]

"Well, that answers that question," Sarcus said as Miki burst into the room, just behind Raito. He smiled when he saw her, but it faded upon hearing the last few things she said.

“I-I don’t know if I’m s-strong enough a-anymore… After w-what h-happened… A-and h-how I c-could have b-betrayed Dusk… For Raito…”

Sarcus thought for a moment. He reached out to put his hand on her shoulder, but reconsidered halfway through the gesture, and let it fall. "Look, Miki, I'll be honest. I have no idea if you are strong enough, or brave enough, to do this. I don't know for certain if I am, either. However, that's the whole purpose of joining up with Team Dusk; so we can live in a world where you don't need to be brave or powerful to be happy. A world where you can simply do what you love doing; whether that would be battling, competing in Contests, breeding Pokemon, or something else. The only way to pave the way for the people that wouldn't be able to do this IS to do this, and, well, you're here. You got a lot farther than some people I've known." That called up some unpleasant memories, but he forcibly suppressed them. They were long gone. "You love your Pokemon, too. You don't see Raito as a tool to increase your status in the world, or a weapon to use against people. You see him the same way I see him; as a friend and partner. That's why I decided to join Dusk; so people can treat Pokemon that way again without fear."

[DarkLight]

Miki listened to the two guys, considering what each of them has to say. She was glad to hear Sarcus speak; it is one human voice she has grown familiar with. She felt comforted by his words of encouragement. The one in the lab coat (sporting a weird hairdo) seemed like a good person too; his words sounded very scientific and rational. Perhaps he's a scientist of some sorts. She was a bit intimidated by the Aggron at first, but since the Aggron never attacked them as she spoke (or when Raito was poking around), the girl assumed he is not a threat.

She decided to address this scientist’s comment first with a chuckle. "T-Thanks, but it wasn't r-really anything. I-I, actually Raito and I h-heard Sarcus, so I t-thought it s-should be o-okay." She sheepishly replied. "Oh, R-Raito is my dancing J-Jolteon by the way. A-and I'm Miki Shizayuma, t-the Japanese girl Sarcus was t-talking about." The young trainer then paused, considering what she can say to try and make the scientist (she assumed), Sarcus and, most importantly, Raito understand her inner turmoil.

With a sigh, she unveiled her true thoughts. "I do b-believe Team Dusk has the b-best chance to bring down the Goddess. A-after all I h-have seen in Eterna, i-it's enough to j-justify this organization's s-strengths. I do also w-want to take down the Church. I f-feel that it is wrong for D-Dawn to force her teachings u-upon us. And n-not only that, t-to force us to abandon an already great badge system and e-everything else to s-satisfy her o-own ambitions? It’s just not fair for the others, like you said Sarcus. B-But t-the problem lies with me." She looks at the others straight in their eyes. "Sarcus, Absolution, you and your Aggron, and of course Raito, you guys are s-strong enough to not give i-into desperation. You guys didn’t give into the-the temptation to rat out what you know a-about Dusk to save someone you loved. I wanted to do just that, w-when we were captured. I-I was so scared… I d-didn’t want R-Raito to be killed… It was stupid of me… J-just stupid! I d-didn’t think at all! I-If w-we were captured by the C-Church, I w-wouldn’t have been able to s-save anyone! Dawn would probably just use all the i-information I gave and have Raito and me killed regardless!” Tears threatened to cloud her vision once more. Miki struggled to control her emotions; her right hand clutched her left arm.

“I-I am glad Silver gave me a c-chance to j-join but… B-but what if I did that again? What if I blurted everything out despite knowing the c-consequences? I was l-lucky that I didn’t know much Dusk n-now to give it away but now… Now… I-I just don’t want to e-endanger you guys either!” At that, Miki broke down crying once more. She turned to face the door to hide her shame.

Edited December 11, 2013 by DarkLight

[Chevaleresse]

"Miki. Look at me. Do you truly believe in this cause? Do you truly love your Pokemon? If the answer to either one is no, then leave. I don't think that's the case, though. If your conviction is strong enough, which I believe it is, the benefits to any team outweigh any possible risk you might think you pose to them. Besides, when you ratted Dusk out, as you say, you had no connection to them. None whatsoever. The Church had your partner; what did you care if they obtained some scrap of information about a group of people you had no reason to care about? The thing about that is, is that there's nothing wrong with it. To me, that just proves how valuable you would be as a member of this organization, even if you aren't a skilled battler. You care about Pokemon, and you saw what this kind of system encourages." Sarcus had started with a strong, passionate tone, his suprisingly deep voice resounding throughout the room. He started to falter near the end of his last sentence, however.

"My mother was a Pokemon breeder. She wasn't a very good battler, but she and my father worked together to raise both their own Pokemon and the Pokemon of others with care and love. Almost every Pokemon raised there got stronger. Of course, the only one who met the qualifications for multiple Pokemon when the new system struck was my father; and that was just barely two. Do you know what happened when they refused to give up their Pokemon?" Sarcus cleared his throat, and became even quieter. "They were torn apart. They were both stubborn, proud people, and the Church tried to take them by force. The last sight of them that I remember was my father's Salamence flying into the air and being hit with multiple ice attacks. It froze solid and shattered when it hit the ground. My father was on its back, trying to draw them away from my mother." He blinked a few times, then tried to finish strongly. "THAT is why you HAVE to join this team. The Church might profess to be against the mistreatment of Pokemon, but Dawn the human died with her Empoleon. What was left over is what caused this. All of this."

"My story isn't unique; not even close. I believe that you love Pokemon with every fiber of your being, and something inside you won't let you refuse to join a team like this." Realizing how far he had rambled, and how long he had been speaking, he shrunk back, his introverted side asserting itself once again. "I need to sit down." He walked over to Absolution, and sat next to him, stroking his back gently. The Pokemon settled next to him defensively, glaring this way and that.

Edited December 11, 2013 by KingMurdoc

[DarkLight]

Miki didn’t turn around, but she did manage to listen and to the whole monologue as she puts herself back together. As Sarcus told his tragic past to them, her heart ached. She remembered how her parents and their respective partners in crime had stayed behind to protect her and Raito. Her parents had told them to run for their secret base and to wait for them there, but they never came. “They must have met the same fate as Sarcus’ parents. If that is the case, I hope you are safe now.”

Wiping the last of her tears, she turned around just as Sarcus sat down next to an apprehensive Absolution. Miki wanted to give him a hug, but she decided against it and sat herself down a respectable distance across from him, folding her legs inwards to provide a resting place for her head. Raito, however, went to his side and issued a small whine of sympathy. He then turned around to Miki and gave a nod.

Miki cleared her throat from the phlegm that had built up when she was crying. Hopefully, revealing her history will not only help Sarcus, but also help her find an answer to this decision.

“I’m sorry about your loss Sarcus. I know how you feel. I-I really do.” She hesitated, waiting for a response. A small cry from her Jolteon allowed her to continue. “My family and I lived in Sunyshore City. We-we were p-pretty well off. M-My dad was a trainer in Volkner’s g-gym and my mom was a n-nurse at a P-Pokémon Center. We lived a p-peaceful life b-before Dawn’s influence spread to Sunyshore… Well, no,” she thought for a few seconds, “I-In retrospect, m-my parents were probably hiding this news… You know, to-to not worry m-me. I s-still remember my parents t-taking me to a secret cave every o-once in a while. I asked them what i-it was for and all they said was “I-It’s a secret base.” I didn’t think m-much of it at first, but then… Dawn came…”

Raito growled at the name. Miki continued softly, closing her eyes.

“I-It was 3 years ago. Volkner wasn’t as s-supportive of the Church as s-some leaders were. S-so, when D-Dawn f-found out, s-she came to punish him. He r-resisted a-a battle broke out… M-My dad j-joined him with his Raichu… And t-told my mom to t-take me and Raito a-away. W-we got our b-bags and our Pokemon before we l-left our house. We were on the p-path to the “secret base…” I’ll s-show where it is a-after the C-Church is taken down… Anyways, i-it was chaos… People were running and s-screaming. My mom and I were able to s-sneak out to the gate… But that was when a f-few acolytes caught us.” She took a deep breath, attempting to keep her voice steady. “My mom sent out her Charmeleon i-in order to set me and Raito free. Her l-last words were “Run to the base! Go! We will m-meet you there!””

Miki felt her body relax, as if a big weight has been lifted from her shoulders. She looked sympathetically at Sarcus and Absolution. “N-needless to say, t-that was the last time I saw my parents. I-I think they met the same fate as your parents for resisting. Sarcus, y-you were right, Dawn d-died. She is a monster now. I do want to punish THEM for doing this to us and really do want to join Team Dusk. I-I really, really appreciate that you two,” she gave a nod to her friends and the scientist and his Aggron, “don’t mind me joining. I really do. But Silver… he d-didn’t seem as l-lenient as you are. Would it really b-be okay?” She directed her question to the scientist. Miki knew Sarcus would have her join no matter what, but his argument came from his feelings. Is there a more rational side to this? She would get that part from asking him, no doubt.

[Chevaleresse]

Shape up, he thought. You might feel comfortable for now, but make no mistake; this is an underground operation. Don't show weakness. He scrubbed at his eyes, and attempted to compose himself. Miki's story had also unsettled him, so he was having a hard time steadying his feet and his voice. Now what prompted that speech, anyway? Do I really feel that strongly about joining Dusk already? Even after my experiences with them so far? Another side of himself answered. Of course. Look at the world we live in. People have always said the world was going to hell in a handbasket, but looks like they're right this time. He sat quietly, continuing to analyze his own feelings and the current situation. As he did so, the small emotional tremors ceased. He stood up, awaiting Flux's response.

[Flux]

"I-I really, really appreciate that you two don’t mind me joining. I really do. But Silver… he d-didn’t seem as l-lenient as you are. Would it really b-be okay?”

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

Miki seemed to be directing the last question to Flux specifically. Sarcus seemed to be awaiting a response from him as well. He sighed and closed his eyes. Counseling people wasn't really his specialty, and he believed that he lacked the communication skills to do it well. However, this girl seemed on the verge of a breakdown, and he did not want that to happen. He thought about everything she'd told him.

"I do b-believe Team Dusk has the b-best chance to bring down the Goddess. A-after all I h-have seen in Eterna, i-it's enough to j-justify this organization's s-strengths. I do also w-want to take down the Church..."

"You guys didn’t give into the-the temptation to rat out what you know a-about Dusk to save someone you loved. I wanted to do just that, w-when we were captured. I-I was so scared… I d-didn’t want R-Raito to be killed…"

“I-I am glad Silver gave me a c-chance to j-join but… B-but what if I did that again? What if I blurted everything out despite knowing the c-consequences? I was l-lucky that I didn’t know much Dusk n-now to give it away but now… Now… I-I just don’t want to e-endanger you guys either!”

"I-If w-we were captured by the C-Church, I w-wouldn’t have been able to s-save anyone! Dawn would probably just use all the i-information I gave and have Raito and me killed regardless!”

"I do want to punish THEM for doing this to us and really do want to join Team Dusk.."

Flux sighed again, deep in thought. While Miki seemed to want to join Team Dusk, she also appeared to lack willpower. She was not confident enough in her own abilities or those of her Jolteon. Flux opened his eyes, their bright violet color seeming to darken as he steeled himelf. "Miki, I'm going to be blunt with you. This is a serious matter, and I'll give you nothing but my true thoughts on the issue." He took a breath. "You definitely have motivation to join Team Dusk. They have harmed your family and taken your home. I know what that is like. You have also said that you want to join and take down Dawn multiple times. I believe those words to be true." Flux's face took a grim expression.

"However, a motive is not always enough. I think that you lack the confidence in Raito' abilities and your own. You need to steel your will if you are going to join Team Dusk. Have confidence in your Pokemon, and they will see you through. "

"You will see things that you would rather not. People will die. Pokemon will die." Flux cringed a little at the last part. Pokemon should not be caught up in human destruction... He continued. "I believe it to be possible. It may be hard at first, but if you sincerely want to join, you can do it. I believe the willpower required is somewhere within you. You just need to let it out. But know that by doing this, you will be a changed person at the end of things. We all will."

Flux stopped. "I leave it to you to make your choice."

Edited December 13, 2013 by Flux

[DarkLight]

Those words stung, but they were fair and, most importantly, they gave Miki a sense of who she is in front of other people. Those words have noted her strengths and weakness, something she could never learn by reading. The trainer also noted his flinch as he neared the end of his opinion. She can see that, even though he is a scientist who works with Pokemon, he cares just as strongly for them just like any normal trainer would. Miki nodded with approval at the scientist's response.

"Thank you, s-sir, for your honesty. Y-You are right. I don't have c-confidence in myself, the only thing I am p-proud of in my life is my ability to retain knowledge from b-books. I thought that by reading, I-I would know everything. I have lived a sheltered life before being on the r-run. I thought I was strong and that I was prepared for everything, but I was not. A-And because of that, I also underestimated Raito's true abilities."

The young girl turned to Raito and reached out her right hand. The Jolteon gave a suspicious glance at the scientist before he came and allowed himself a quick scratch.

"Raito, do not blame him. H-He is quite correct. We have both lived a normal, happy life b-because Volkner had our backs." Her voice grew steady as she set her gaze on Raito's eyes. "When it was gone, it was you who r-risked your life to find food when we were running low. You knew how bad it actually was outside. Me?" She gave a chuckle. "I was never injured because you always had my back. I never actually experienced real pain, physically nor emotionally. And because of that, I also never knew your real strengths. I was all about the statistics before this experience... How much damage a Thunderbolt can do, what a Pin Missile can accomplish on a Zubat... I never took into account your willpower and your heart to fight against the Church. Those two things, those two critical things can help turn the tide around in this fight. And those two things are what I failed to account for when I gave myself away during the interrogation. That is what made me doubt myself and in you."

She took her hand away from his ear and held it in front of Raito.

"Raito, I'm sorry for my mistake. I should not have doubted your strengths from the beginning. I should have not given myself away because I thought that you would not make it. I should have realized your spirit in this revolution. I know now that we both need to be strong, and that means we might be forced to sacrifice one another to protect Team Dusk in order to create a better future. I do hope it doesn't come down to it, of course, but I am willing to do so to see a real light at the end of this hell. That is why we came out to Eterna after all. So, boy, will you help me fight alongside Dusk and be willing to do the same for me if that situation ever comes around?"

The Jolteon faced Miki, his eyes looked solemnly into her brown orbs before he looked at her palm. After a silent, painstaking minute, Raito gave a grin and placed his paw in her hand. He looked back at her with the same determination that has graced his face when he decided on evolving and gave a "Jolt!" in response.

Miki smiled. "It's a deal then. We promise we won't betray Dusk... for a brighter future." She got up and turned to Sarcus, Absolution and the other duo, her voice steady for the first time in front of people. "Raito is ready to fight, but I still have a lot to learn. As I said before, I have learned a lot from books, but never much from people. So it would do be a great honor if you guys can share with me some knowledge if we are ever placed on the same team."

She pointed to the hall. "I still have to give my response of Silver. He's down the hall, on our right, I think. I saw him go that direction from where I was released. If you want, you can come with me and Raito."

Miki then headed towards the door before stopping to turn back to the scientist. "By the way, I don't think I caught your name... Nor your Aggron's either?"

[Chevaleresse]

Sarcus stood up, nodding to acknowledge Mili's words. "I'm in the same boat, I'm afraid," referring to her knowledge of people - or lack thereof. "I've tried to stay away from civilization for a long time. The only reason I'm here today is because I was following Dusk's trail with the assistance of a contact." He hesitated to call Gold - or whoever it was - a friend. They had never actually met, and their conversations hadn't been of a cordial nature. Sarcus stopped what he was going to say next, habits of secretiveness kicking in.

"Anyway, I'm sure Silver has resources for us. Speaking of him, I need to have a chat with him. I feel naked." Realizing this statement needed explanation, he simply lifted an arm, letting his sleeve fall to reveal the empty sheath strapped beneath his arm. "Do you think Dusk has access to mega stones?" Sarcus asked, moving on.

[Flux]

"By the way, I don't think I caught your name... Nor your Aggron's either?"

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

"My name is Flux, and this is Ogre," Flux said as he reached up and patted the Aggron's shoulder. Ogre tilted his chin up proudly and made a snorting noise. Flux laughed. "He has quite the attitude. You probably heard him showing off before. His roar reaches a long way - which isn't always a good thing..."

Flux nodded to Miki and Sarcus. "It was a pleasure meeting both of you. However, I think I must decline to meet Silver right now, tempting as it is." A hint of a smile appeared on his face as he said that.

"In the meantime, there are other matters I'd like to look into, such as the structure of this healing machine." Flux grinned broadly and waved. "Toodles."

[Chevaleresse]

Sarcus grinned. "'Lookig into the structure,' eh? I don't suppose that means disassembling it or anything like that, right? I'd love to help you 'look into' it after I collect my weapons." He turned to Miki. "I'm going to hunt out Silver. Care to join me?" Without waiting for her answer, he started to walk away.

[DarkLight]

Miki smiled politely to the scientist and his Aggron. "Ah, it's n-nice to meet you, too, Flux and Ogre. It was... quite an experience to hear an Aggron's roar. I think it might be useful actually... Hmm... Well, I guess we shall l-leave you be too. J-just don't break it or anything. I d-don't think S-Silver, or a-anybody, will be too happy if t-this healing machine c-can't heal their Pokes." She laughed nervously, scratching her head with her left hand. Raito, in the meantime, ran up to Ogre and gave a "Jolt" as a friendly greeting. He looked curiously at the huge, metallic Pokemon.

As Sarcus and Absolution walked out of the spa room, Miki snapped out of her nervous state and turned to the door. "Weapons? Ah, w-wait up you two! Come on, Raito!" She quickly ran out of the room to catch up to them with Raito trailing close behind her. Then, a few seconds later, she poked her head into the spa room once more. "Oh, I'm Miki, in case you didn't hear it before. A-And Raito is my Jolteon. Bye!" And just like that, she disappeared from view.

[Flux]

Flux watched Miki and Sarcus leave the room. He was only 27, but they made him feel so old.
"Oh, the freedom of youth," he sighed. After he was sure they had gone far enough down the halls to be out of sight, Flux sent Ogre back into his Heavy Ball and left the spa. He walked down the hall until he found an empty room. He opened the door and walked in, closing it behind him. "Ogre, come out." he said, holding the Heavy Ball in his outstretched arm. A white light took the shape of an Aggron, before solidifying into Ogre. Flux took out his PokeGear. He had modified it himself to have a few extra features that he used for his work. He navigated to the "Modifier" section he had added and held the PokeGear to Ogre's chest. He attached the electromagnets to the Aggron and waited for the results to load.

"Damn. Unstable..." he thought to himself, looking at the readings. "This won't do. On top of that, I don't have access to the same resources here that I would at my lab. I'll just have to use what I can get." Flux called Ogre back and left the room. When he reached the spa again, he walked up to one of the breeders. "I don't suppose you have any friendship berries do you?" Flux asked. The breeder smiled. "Having trouble with your Pokemon? Don't worry about it. It's tough times for all of us." The breeder chuckled to himself. "What kind do you want?"
Flux thought back to the readings he had obtained earlier. "Five Kelpsy Berries would be fine if you can spare them."
The breeder seemed a little taken aback. "A-are you sure?" he asked. "They do have some negative side effects concerning the Pokemon's abilities to battle..." he trailed off.
"I'm sure." Flux said.
"Well, here you are then..." the breeder said, almost reluctantly handing Flux the berries from a pouch at his side. As Flux walked away, the man muttered, "Seems people can't be bothered to actually spend time with their Pokemon anymore..."

As Flux reached the healing machine he had been inspecting before, he brought out Ogre and gave him the berries. Ogre ate them happily. "That should keep things stable for a while..." Flux said quietly.

[Skullkin]

"Of all the idiots we could've been paired up with, we had to get stuck with the suicide bomber and Mr. Drug-your-own-teammates." Kael grunted to Lupus, offering his companion a cigarette from his package. "They're scented, so they don't leave that tobacco smell on your breath." The statue offered just enough shelter for both of the men to stay dry, and keep the tiny flames of their cigs from going out. Kael took a deep drag off of his before exhaling a thin tendril of smoke from between his teeth, "I personally don't have a problem with killing...Just, not like that. Not so reckless, and not with risk of hurting my own allies. Loyalty is everything, and if you can't trust your own team to not put you to sleep with spores or blast you into the Distortion world, then who can you trust?" Kael murmured with a sigh, lightly dropping the used cig to the ground before crushing it with his boot.

Kael pulled up his sleeve, exposing a pale arm covered with twisting black tribal designs occasionally marred by a scar. A black waterproof watch coiled around his wrist; it had been nearly an hour and a half since the Squads had split up. Biting back a curse, the trainer rolled his sleeve back down and lifted himself up onto the statue before sitting down between Dialga's leg-pillars. Kaine emerged from her ball in a shadowy haze as her master pulled his guitar out of his bag and began to strum a familiar slow, sad melody on the instrument. "If you want, we could have a friendly little battle between our pokemon whilst we wait--I doubt the other teams will be finishing anytime soon, and we're close enough to the pokecenter should we need to heal up." Kael suggested, continuing to pluck at the guitar strings as his Luxray let out a slow yawn.