2024-03-15: In Search of Psynards (Part 2)
- Log: 2024-03-15 In Search of Psynards (Part 2)
- Cast: Ethius Hesiod, Anne Aomori, Claude C. Kenny, Dias Flac, Rena Lanford, Grace Harvey, Chisato Madison
- Where: Cavern of Crimson Crystals
- Date: April 03, 2024 (506 PC)
- Summary: Team Rena-and-Claude find a Psynard--but so does a member of Team Rocket. To protect a mother and her babies, they must fight.
=======================<* Cavern of Crimson Crystals *>======================= The Cave of Crimson Crystals is located north of Lavender Town, a hike through hilly country that makes it truly remote. Unlike many places on Energy Nede, it is not well-maintained or regulated, and only the bravest Pokemon Trainers try their luck here. The cavern is a twisting maze, with walls made of the famous red crystal -- which is sometimes sharp enough to cut -- and a number of powerful Psychic-type Pokemon calling it home. Among these is the elusive Psynard, a powerful and rare Pokemon that few have caught. BGM: Star Ocean: The Second Story - Endlessly - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEeJYAEMzBQ
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
It'll take some time for ears to stop ringing... if they do. (If they don't, Rena's here!)
Grace was the first to ask as to whether 'it' is gone, and that is a question without an immediate answer to anyone's satisfaction. Something so powerful and frightening appearing out of nowhere, and then disappearing just as quickly...
"Not long ago on Marze, a number of us had to deal with strange Pokemon under the control of one of the Ten Wise Men," Ethius says, "although that one bears no resemblance to what we encountered." He's not sure how to describe it, other than that Raphael's menagerie had a distinctly... robotic appearance? That one didn't. He gives his little creepy spider friend a careful embrace to better gauge Arcmene's emotional state as he stands up.
There is an elaborate piece of equipment - armor, of some kind? - that might warrant a further look. Evidence of someone's presence? It's not bloodied or anything unsavory, but they have more pressing things to go over.
No other unpleasant surprises jump out at them (yet?), as they traverse further along the crimson crystal-covered caverns, though astute eyes can take notice of cameras and other observation equipment. (Some that even the most astute eyes will miss, because Nede's level of technological development is... 'yes.')
One thing that isn't missed, though, is the emotional air of vulnerability and distress magnified by the psychic power of very young Pokemon.
Ethius has a hand to his forehead as Arcmene hops out of his grasp, eyes looking a bit more intense for a moment. "I recall Professor Chandler," Noel, "spoke off-hand that young Psynards," Psynymphs, "are known to impart a desire to be protected to anything receptive."
That's a sense of urgency both imparted by outside forces (the Psynymphs themselves), and also because the wild population is very much endangered. Luckily, they don't have to go far to find at least one of the little lizard-puppies wriggling about unattended, looking up to the approaching with hopeful eyes. At least one other is further down, at the edge of visibility. Neither of them show signs of being injured (good!).
...
One of the nests has been disturbed. No signs of casualties, but something managed to scatter the Psynymph litter all over the place, and there's no immediate sign of their mother present. The defensive mechanisms of the Psynymphs are being weaponized, whether intentionally or otherwise, apparently to scatter attention all over the nesting grounds and the immediate periphery.
Where is the grown-up wild Psynard?
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
Vulnerability and distress. The nest is not full... but that's because its occupants have been scattered. There's the little Psynymphs wriggling about, unattended, and there's noise from further than that, too.
THe sound of a sudden gout of flame erupting out of another Pokemon's mouth, as a gigantic, ferret-like creature, its back ablaze, snaps forward at a Psynarch--an injured Psynarch, no less.
"Corner it," a woman's cold voice comes. "We don't have the luxury of time."
The Psynard screeches back, and if it wasn't audible before, it sure is now, with the battle the group was in with the Paradox Pokemon over with.
The woman has her back to the group, for now--but she'll notice when they approach. She is directing her Pokemon at the Psynard, but she herself is in head to toe black--black slippers, black clothes, black head-wrapping. She has her arms crossed, her stance ready.
She has a bag at her hip, and a few more Pokeballs at her belt... along with a pair of sai together at her side, their prongs shining in the crimson light.
"...Actually," she says, and starts to turn towards the group approaching.
They can see, then, the big red 'R' emblazoned over her chest.
"...Team Rocket gets what Team Rocket wants. You shouldn't interfere," she warns. "Content yourself with the young ones, and stay out of our way."
<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.
Dias takes a moment to inspect the abandoned(?) armor. Perhaps he'll take it with them to be identified later, if that's how it needs to be. They do need to move on after that encounter with the strange screaming Pokemon. It looked familiar, but it didn't act at all like how its appearance would suggest... He'll have to do more research later.
For now, they move onwards. Dias does note at least some of the observation equipment. Since this was originally supposed to be an animal sanctuary, he doesn't think too much of it; it makes sense that the local scientists would keep an eye on things, especially with the risk of Team Rocket barging in to steal Pokemon. Dias does make a mental note of the cameras and where he spots them, though. (Of the ones he does spot. Dias is only human.)
Then there's a strange feeling in the air. It's one Dias doesn't like--the air of something in need of protecting, begging him, in particular, to protect them. He grits his teeth against the psychic sensation as Ethius explains what's going on.
He likes the sight of the nest, scattered and brood wriggling about, even less. The mother isn't here. There's strange noises in the vicinity, and Dias looks up at their source. There's fire, and then a screeching Psynarch, and a woman's voice. When Dias and the others investigate, sure enough, there's a member of Team Rocket there, harassing the Psynard mother. She's commanding a Pokemon of her own, but Dias notes the sai at her side. This one will be competent at direct combat too, no doubt.
The Rocket woman tells them to stay out of their way.
"No," Dias replies, and draws his blade. In a swoop, it unleashes a violet blaze of demonic energy that arrows towards Anne. "Chaos Sword," he intones, racing up in its wake for a follow-up in a moment--whether against Anne's Pokemon or Anne herself.
GS: Dias Flac has attacked Anne Aomori with Ranged Chaos Sword! GS: Dias Flac has gained 2 Combo! GS: Dias Flac's stances have changed to Stoic! GS: Dias Flac gains 21 THP from his Cautious! GS: Dias Flac has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.
"What?"
Rena says in reply to Ethius' statements of the Ten Wise Men in Marze, "Hold on, my ears are still ringing - Condition Cure!"
Yes, indeed she is here, as the tinnitus status condition is removed from the entire party, via sparkly symbological light.
Still, she listens and- "That's terrible. I didn't think they were the type to use Pokemon but..." Something about that is depressing to her, "...I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."
As they traverse the caverns, Rena finds herself being drawn to something, she's not quite certain what it is, but it is making her - anxious.
As if there is someone that needs her help, and she has to get to them. "You feel it too?" She asks of Ethius - "... you think there are... - we need to move, fast!"
Indeed - the Psynard being so endangered, the idea of young being in distress just causes her to quicken her gait all the more.
When they get to one Rena just puts up a palm as if to display her lack of hostile intent, "Hey. We're not going to hurt you..." Her tone gentles considerably, even if the anxiety isn't eased, "... do you want to help us find your mother?"
She doesn't catch them, instead each one giving them the option to follow them, to place their hopes upon them.
are you scared
protect
find
For some reason - more and more - it feels like her feelings are coming across here, she's not sure why, perhaps it is as simple as them being more in tune to this.
Or perhaps their way of conveying their feelings is making it simpler to do the same.
However - at the broken nest, Rena looks distressed, as if she was going to let down the children. The sudden appearance of flame however, alerts them.
"Come on!"
She moves with the rest of them in haste, when... the woman, the strange Pokemon, she's turned her back to them and addressing them.
"I can't believe you!" Is the extent of her indignation in response to Anne.
Dias acts which is certainly no surprise, and Rena can understand why he would - perhaps better than anyone here, almost simultaneously as he acts, she calls out, "... Deep... MIST!"
It is summoned forth as a brief runic pattern in front of her before enshrouding the woman and her visible Pokemon with a disorienting mist that makes it more difficult to see the battlefield - and thus by Rena's reckoning, to pursue the Psynard.
And thus hopefully, more difficult to see the Psynard, forcing them to engage with the rest of them.
"Wild Psynards are endangered and you're fine with just separating her from her babies!? Team Rocket isn't getting what it wants today!"
GS: Rena Lanford has attacked Anne Aomori with Deep Mist! GS: Rena Lanford has gained 2 Combo! GS: Rena Lanford's stances have changed from Counter to Counter and Hero! GS: Rena Lanford has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
"Did that one scream so violently it bounced you off the walls too?" Grace asks Ethius with an undertone of 'please no don't let there be more of them' carrying through her voice.
She does, however, blink (trink?) several times at Ethius' description. "So... what? They psychically make you wanna protect them? Or they're just that darn cute?" That... might explain the unease in the room. Still... "We should have found one of them by now... right?" She pauses.
"...do you think that pink thing... y'know... ate them...?" A vision of Scream Tail's fangy mouth with blood dripping from it slots into Grace's head, quielty making the evilest pokemon even more concerning in her head.
The next thing they hear, however, is what they're looking for. "Uh is that what we're after? Cause things sound bad!" Grace rushes ahead lifting her ARMs again to come face to face with-
Another of that Rocket gang. Grace narrows her eyes. "Hey, what the heck, we called dibs! You jerks already stole the one from the lab, what do you need another one for!" Grace links the weapons together into a more compact submachine gun form and rummages around in her pocket. "So do you have choreography too or what?" She scans the enemy. "Guessing not, though. You seem more the violent type." There's some concern under that bravado, Grace is putting up a front. "Not a chance! I'm not being run off after everything we went through to get here!"
Out comes another of those tiny explosive orbs, but this one has a green ring instead of a red one. She hurls it upwards, over Anne and her team.- where it bursts and a powder falls over the group.
And then she realises she hasn't warned her team. "Hey, uh, don't breathe that!" She hisses, hoping she's not overheard by Anne, a difficult proposition. "It'll make you nauseous as heck and it's got a kind of soporific to take the fight outta you!" So far, so ranged though.
GS: Grace Harvey has attacked Anne Aomori with Momma Harvey's Special Mix! GS: Grace Harvey has completed her action. GS: Anne Aomori mostly evades Dias Flac's Ranged Chaos Sword for 31 hit points! GS: Riposte applied to Dias Flac! GS: Anne Aomori fails to guard Rena Lanford's Deep Mist for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Blind and Drowsy applied to Anne Aomori! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: Anne Aomori mostly charges Grace Harvey's Momma Harvey's Special Mix for 0 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Break and Poison applied to Anne Aomori!
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
"The ones at Marze did not," Ethius responds to Grace about matters of screaming and bouncing off walls, but that's as much as he can append to the discussion's temporal record as things Begin To Happen(tm).
Most of the displaced Psynymph found along the way - there's psychic resonance suggesting there's a few more out there - are able to return to where the nest is supposed to be under Rena's kindness and guidance.
Behind Ethius, his Arcmene's gaze bears down upon the lot of them. Arcmene's presence is not a thing of comfort, to Psynards - the exact opposite.
The cause and/or opportunist - Ethius would wager the latter - makes their intent and stance plain. Team Rocket, again. Is she the only one here with their... what was the name of that one that's breathing flame?
It's urgent they deal with this right now, and he looks over to Arcmene behind him who seems to have their eyes trained on the Psynymphs. Ethius makes a suggestion that is born of ignorance on his part, as it's something Noel wasn't able to go into detail about the brief time they had before setting out.
"Arcmene, please see to getting the other Psynymphs to safety," Ethius remarks. He believes that Arcmene's inherent immunity to Psychic-type assault should make it safe for him to traverse the cavern and find the rest. Arcmene mumbles something in acknowledgement and skitters off, as Ethius sets down the travel bag used for Pokemon supplies - it's a little cumbersome for personal combat.
He maneuvers around Grace and Rena, taking his place towards the back as to ensure he doesn't endanger Dias with errant spellcasting.
The syllables are lost to the ear in the fighting, but not the fluid motions of his sequential gesticulations, expertly practiced that he's not a far cry from a typical Nedian practitioner in proficiency.
"Overheat!" He calls the spell's name, as the temperature rises uncomfortably upon the Team Rocket ninja-like figure to try and restrain their capacity to muster strength under the exhaustion of high temperatures.
GS: Ethius Hesiod has attacked Anne Aomori with Overheat! GS: Ethius Hesiod has gained 1 Combo! GS: Ethius Hesiod has completed his action. GS: Anne Aomori mostly guards Ethius Hesiod's Overheat for 32 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Weaken applied to Anne Aomori! GS: FP up! Arcane Font!
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
Chisato is over where the Scream Tail disappeared, grimacing at the ground and taking notes. "That was not normal teleportation," she mutters. "No way something that screams that much knows Teleport. Which means..." She hums, levering herself straight from squatting over the spot to a stand, tucking her pen behind her long ear. Then, she cracks a grin. "Which means I've got a scoop, is what that means!"
She mimes high fives in both empty directions, and then her entire focus turns on Ethius like she sensed prey. "Oh!? And that looked like a Jigglypuff from two hundred million years ago or something!" She flips her pen and notepad back into hand, immediately scribbling furiously. "Pokemon from across time, like some kinda...Chrono....Crossers....yeah....!"
The gout of flame is what gets her attention - also the yelling. "Oh, wow, it's real popular in here today," she says to herself, and slips her gear back away. She does not charge in - Rena and Dias have, of course, but Chisato takes a moment to rifle through her APPARENTLY CAVERNOUS jacket.
Then, she produces...HER MICROPHONE. "MA'AM!" Chisato calls over, scampering over behind the series of graceful energy strikes and blasts of energy. "Hi! Yes! I'm with the Nede Times, over in Celadon? I was just wondering if you'd catch this for me!"
Wait that wasn't a question
...she threw the microphone at Anne.
.....it explodes.
GS: Chisato Madison has attacked Anne Aomori with Trick Reporting! GS: Chisato Madison has gained 1 Combo! GS: Chisato Madison has completed her action. GS: Anne Aomori mostly evades Chisato Madison's Trick Reporting for 31 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo!
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
Dias swings his chaos blade, and Anne steps to the side immediately, though the rock at her feet is unstable. She's very fast, apparently.
"Hm. Fair enough," Anne says to Dias, even as Claude charges right into the fray, too. "Yeah, right!" he says, and swings his sword for her--she dodges once, fliping back into a handspring to get her next to her Pokemon. "Take care of that one," she directs the Typhlosion.
"I'll protect the Psynard!" Claude says, and engages her Pokemon directly. It'll be a difficult fight... and the Psynard is still cornered; it can't escape unless they can drive off the Rocket.
But Rena is up next, and Anne is separated from the Psynard by her mist, which threatens her senses. "And why not?" Anne asks Rena. "We have the technology to clone Psynards and return them to the wild. They're artificial in the first place. Should my concern over one animal outweigh everything?"
A faint laugh, then, at Grace. "We need as many as we can get. But no, no choreography. I save that for the young ones who are concerned with 'style.'"
She can't suppress the cough from Grace's gas grenade, though--despite her composure, some things are autonomic. "...So that's how you fight," she murmurs, audible in the sudden quiet.
The high temperatures sap her muscles; she feels the effects immediately, and her masked face turns towards Ethius. "So this is Federation Symbology. Impressive. I'll have to account for it."
Chisato's microphone explodes; Anne is mostly out of the way once it does, though the shrapnel hits her enchanted clothes.
"Ugh, journalists."
"Condition Cure!" The mystery Rocket intones, and green sparkling light suffuses her as the effects of much of what's just happened are neutralized. She makes gestures distinct from Ethius's, but still recognizable. "I guess I'll have to show you why Team Rocket isn't to be trifled with. I can't say I mind."
Then, she steps into the mist--
And disappears.
A few moments later, a set of vines erupts from the mist, surging towards Dias, a woman behind it. It turns out that it's a whip extended from her sai, and she whirls past Dias swinging, only to somersault off the cavern wall after.
Her other sai comes into her hand as she swings both, red flower petals washing over the group as she assaults both Rena and Grace with a sudden vibrant slash. Hitting the ground, she presses for Ethius, attempting to grip his wrist between the tines of her sai to knock him off-balance in preparation for a brutal slash of the other sai, its edge swelling with ki.
Finally, she jumps, rolling along the ground, and somersaults into a double-slash on Chisato that EXPLODES in white petals!
"Nede once ruled much of the galaxy. Do you think we entirely forgot those techniques?"
GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Anne Aomori with Condition Cure! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 1 Combo! GS: CRITICAL! Anne Aomori heals Anne Aomori! She gains 127 temporary hit points! GS: Restore! Blind, Break, and Drowsy removed! GS: Anne Aomori spends 2 Combo on Headshot! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Dias Flac with Ivy Razor! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori has activated Force Action: Extend! GS: Anne Aomori spends 1 Combo on Poison! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Grace Harvey with Camellia Slash! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Rena Lanford with Camellia Slash! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Ethius Hesiod with Zinnia Saber! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Chisato Madison with Datura Foil! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 2 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori's stances have changed to Stoic! GS: Anne Aomori gains 25 THP from her Cautious! GS: Anne Aomori takes 30 damage from Poison! GS: Anne Aomori has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Rena Lanford mostly guards Anne Aomori's Camellia Slash for 91 hit points! GS: Poison applied to Rena Lanford! GS: Shield applied to Anne Aomori! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Grace Harvey mostly evades Anne Aomori's Camellia Slash for 49 hit points! GS: Poison applied to Grace Harvey! GS: Quick applied to Anne Aomori! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Dias Flac mostly evades Anne Aomori's Ivy Razor for 54 hit points! GS: Quick and Shield applied to Anne Aomori! GS: FP up! Power Burst and Reaction bonus! GS: CRITICAL! Ethius Hesiod mostly evades Anne Aomori's Zinnia Saber for 66 hit points! GS: Disease applied to Ethius Hesiod! GS: Quick applied to Anne Aomori! GS: CRITICAL! Chisato Madison mostly guards Anne Aomori's Datura Foil for 59 hit points! GS: Blind applied to Chisato Madison! GS: Shield applied to Anne Aomori! GS: FP up! Power Burst and Reaction bonus!
<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.
One thing that's good about traveling with a group is that Dias can leave things like tending to wounds and ringing ears and frightened Pokemon to the others. Rena can cast all the Cure Conditions and fuss over all the baby animals she likes, and Ethius can direct his Arcmene to take the Psynymphs to safety all he likes, and Claude can take on that Typhlosion and protect the Psynard directly all *he* likes--and Dias can focus on what he does best, which is fight.
It's a strange feeling, relying on others. But not entirely terrible.
Grace does raise a fine point: why do they need another Psynard? Is it just greed, or is it something else? Anne claims they need as many as they can get. Is Giovanni planning on using them to reach those Four Fields that Mayor Nall mentioned? It doesn't much matter in the moment, but it's something to consider later.
The Deep Mist and the warning on the powder grenade are appreciated, too. Silently. Heat spells and exploding microphones come in from other directions, and Dias deftly avoids them as he keeps the lion's share of his attention on Anne herself. (Could it be that their teamwork training is paying off?? Well, Chisato hasn't joined the team yet, so they'll see. But Dias definitely notes her finally coming out of hiding too.)
The Deep Mist provides cover for Anne too, though. When she steps back into it, Dias is on high alert, something that pays off an instant later when those whip-vines erupt at him, directed by Anne as she swings past and ninjas off the side of the cavern wall. They shred at his armor, but only superficially, since he was able to get out of the way in time. (That *was* a devilish maneuver, though.) As she turns to attack the others, Dias follows, circling Swallowblade around in a rush to slash at her not just with his sword but with a blast of wind that follows the blinding swiftness of his maneuver, potentially shredding through her defenses.
GS: Dias Flac has attacked Anne Aomori with Near Air Slash! GS: Dias Flac has gained 1 Combo! GS: Dias Flac gains 24 THP from his Cautious! GS: Dias Flac has completed his action. GS: CRITICAL! Anne Aomori mostly charges Dias Flac's Near Air Slash for 78 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Drowsy applied to Anne Aomori!
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.
Rena's side of the argument is just 'they're that darn cute' she wouldn't need psychic coercion.
"Dibs?" Rena perks up, to give Grace a look, then Claude a look for explanation. But Claude is already- "Claude! Be careful! That Pokemon looks-"
Strange? She's not certain how to describe it.
As Anne asks, Rena seems momentarily taken aback by the argument, like she's not certain how to respond to her making a good point and yet, "And that means we should set back conservation efforts now for your selfishness? Trying to preserve wild populations like these is something important to Noel! And..."
That's not really her argument is it? It's not how she feels, after a moment, she finds how she feels. "It's not right to take babies from their mother before it's time for them to leave the nest! The bond between a mother and their children is too important for you to treat it so callously!"
She left when it was her time to do so... and she misses her mother every day. A look of gratitude is given to Ethius as he coordinates protecting the children.
Chisato goes for an interview and EXPLOSIONS - "Do you just carry exploding microphones around?" Rena asks, as if both a little taken aback and awed. "Like do interviews go that badly often?"
The sudden slash comes down upon her, and Rena tries to smack it away with her knuckles, but it still grazes a cut along her arm - and she feels the burn.
Indeed as Dias relies on all of them, in this case, she's relying on him too, because his sword techniques make him difficult to ignore, thus giving Rena herself openings.
"That's not really something to brag about."
Rena notes, a little low key disgusted with the legacy of conquerors of the galaxy, warily having difficulty following her movement, so instead she keeps her guard up, and when the moment comes...
"Guard! Haste! Guard! Haste! Guard! Haste!"
She's just - rapid fire casting some Symbological spells! Suddenly the battlefield is just alight as Rena just quickens limbs and erects defenses around multiple members of the group.
GS: Rena Lanford has activated Force Action: Extend! GS: Rena Lanford has attacked Dias Flac with Guard! Haste!! GS: Rena Lanford has attacked Grace Harvey with Guard! Haste!! GS: Rena Lanford has attacked Chisato Madison with Guard! Haste!! GS: Rena Lanford has gained 2 Combo! GS: Rena Lanford takes 36 damage from Poison! GS: Rena Lanford has completed her action. GS: Grace Harvey accepts Rena Lanford's Guard! Haste! for 0 hit points! GS: Blitz, Burst, Quick, and Shield applied to Grace Harvey!
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
Hopefully, Claude will be fine fighting the giant fire monster. Hopefully. The rest of the team have problems of their own in the form of Anne. ""Really? It seemed like style was the main thing you guys had going for you!" More of that bravado, more trying to seem cool and tough in front of the rest of the group- to Grace's definition of cool.
"You haven't seen half of how-" She starts, before realizing a little too late that the petals are coming for her. She makes a dive out of the way- and as a result, there are only light slashes across her leg and side. Just light enough to draw blood. The downside is it means Anne has a clear line towards Ethius with Grace jumping out of the way. The many light cuts sting- but a sting is worse than the most likely outcome. As Grace stands back up though she feels... unwell. Something's off. "...H-hey, Rena. You... uh, you feeling okay?" Grace clearly isn't.
Dias has charged in though, and that means Grace's usual technique of firing wildly at the enemy is a bad idea. At least, she thinks that's the case. The ARM reconfigures into rifle mode and she lifts it to her shoulder. She's waiting for an opening. If this lady moves around so much, maybe Grace can land a hit in the moment she has to stop.
So, when she thinks she sees her moment, Grace fires a beam of bright green energy at Anne, the power of an ARM from beyond the system launched at the Ninja.
It's a good thing Rena has been dissuaded from the Sword of Light thing by now, huh.
Rena's lament about taking children from her mother thought seems a little... close to the bone. She doesn't say anything to that.
Her eyes DO glint at Chisato's special technique though. "...That's RAD!" She yells, turning away from Grace to look at Chisato. "Do you have any other cool gadgets?"
GS: Blitz! Grace Harvey has attacked Anne Aomori with One Perfect Shot! GS: Grace Harvey has gained 1 Combo! GS: Grace Harvey gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Grace Harvey takes 37 damage from Poison! GS: Grace Harvey has completed her action. GS: Dias Flac accepts Rena Lanford's Guard! Haste! for 0 hit points! GS: Blitz, Burst, Quick, and Shield applied to Dias Flac!
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
'Impressive,' Federation Symbology is called. Ethius' eyes narrow, and he's not actually able to get a word in before the ninja takes her swings back.
"She's on the move," Ethius calls as the ninja disappears into the mists, and it's further credit to her that she gets to him before he can draw his quarterstaff. He moves with her lunge even as she catches his wrist, a backwards roll almost enough to miss the ki-tipped point as it pokes into a pressure point somewhere.
If it poked any deeper he might've been incapacitated outright, he mentally recognizes as he feels off in ways he can't put a finger on. He's able to draw his quarterstaff to catch himself and stay upright as he parses the sudden onset of fatigue in time for the Rocket Ninja's exposition about Nede and having once ruled much of the galaxy.
He thinks back to what Rixia got her hands on, made from what Ashiya found and reverse-engineered, and its likeness to a faint memory of a briefing for a mission of higher clearance than he'd normally have been chosen for, in the moment. There was the reaction of the Kanto Police Department against Rixia's wielding of said device. The particulars are another's story to tell, in less tense times, but there is evidence backing the claim if the authorities of Energy Nede and their reaction is anything to go by.
"Is it Team Rocket's intention to pursue this... legacy?" The pause is fatigue, from what he was struck by. "I've been afflicted," he's able to get this out with a cough. He's watching Chisato from over yonder, and how Grace is reconfiguring her ARM. He takes a few steps off further to the side again as he works on another spellcast. He's not sure what inherent defenses the weave of the Rocket Ninja's outfit might have, but he knows the value of stressing probable barriers with countless tiny probings of particulate matter, and as he finishes the spellcasting ritual (in one take, a credit to his skill despite his lungs feeling depleted)...
"Fine Dust!" He calls, a spray of fine particulate matter being flung towards the Rocket Ninja.
MEANWHILE
Wild Arcmene, naturally, tend to travel in groups - often around an Arachnovia - overwhelming larger creatures with numbers in order to feed off fear. Arachnovia, itself, is known to have a particularly cruel method of hunting among those Pokemon used to seeing their Nedian partners as friends and safety.
Arcmene tends to live in urban environments when by themselves, watching and learning how Nedians move, act, and otherwise do things in anticipation for their evolution. A small population thrives near the Cavern of Crimson Crystals for its abundance of Psychic-type Pokemon.
One of the lost Psynymph babies continues to emanate its calls for help and protection, as Arcmene approaches them. They shudder, frozen in fear and using their natural Psychic-type defenses of suggestion in vain.
Ethius' Arcmene watches, unblinking.
Was this a critical mistake on Ethius' part?
GS: Ethius Hesiod has attacked Anne Aomori with Fine Dust! GS: Ethius Hesiod has gained 1 Combo! GS: Ethius Hesiod has completed his action. GS: Anne Aomori critically fails to guard Grace Harvey's One Perfect Shot for 172 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Hyper applied to Grace Harvey! GS: Anne Aomori mostly evades Ethius Hesiod's Fine Dust for 27 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Cripple and Jam applied to Anne Aomori! GS: FP up! Arcane Font!
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
Chisato is mysteriously good at unplanned cooperation. This is due to her long history of productive emotional conversations with interviewees, and not secret government training.
"Yes! I'll get to the bottom of your schemes yet, Team Rocket! Going after rare and powerful Pokemon, pushing businesses around, I don't buy that it's just for power! Power's so...boring! Get a hobby! I bet you'd be good at whittling!"
The unknown Rocket has not been there for like half of that sequence, and Chisato blinks owlishly at the mist she disappeared into. "Goodness she's quick," she mutters.
She laughs at Rena and Grace. "I mean, have you seen Team Rocket? A pretty girl's got to be able to defend herself from miscreants, these days. And sometimes you just kinda gotta start swinging!"
--"SPEAKING OF!" she yells, sensing the approach, and swings around quickly, a jacketed arm coming up to catch that slash and knock it aside with the faint glow of a personal shield.
"No," Chisato says, with a certain gravity to it.
Then her palm explodes into blue-white light.
"I know we didn't," she says, and jabs it forward into a straight palm strike to the Rocket's midsection yelling, "Palm of Lesser Destruction!" before the impact releases a BLAST of energy and light.
GS: Chisato Madison accepts Rena Lanford's Guard! Haste! for 0 hit points! GS: Blitz, Burst, Quick, and Shield applied to Chisato Madison! GS: Blitz! Chisato Madison has attacked Anne Aomori with Palm of Lesser Destruction! GS: Chisato Madison has completed her action. GS: Anne Aomori mostly evades Chisato Madison's Palm of Lesser Destruction for 60 hit points! GS: FP up! Reaction bonus! GS: Strain! Chisato Madison takes 150 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
No, Chisato says, and palms Anne. Anne blurs out of the way, but still comes away with an explosive blast that knocks her off-balance and forces her to handspring back up before she can rush off.
Meanwhile, Claude will be fine! Or at least, he doesn't immediately come back lost and on fire. THe mist makes it hard to see his battle, and he's too focused to converse much.
But Anne sees Rena taken aback--and for a moment, judges her handled, socially. After all, Noel's argument is secondhand. "...So you do have more than someone else's argument," she says after a moment, coming to a brief stop on the battlefield in a defensive position with her sai in front of her.
"...What you say is true. But for the sake of my goals, I'll do what I must. Even if it's a 'sin'."
"If you want a clever speech or a good costume, I can point you to the right people. Most of us are a little more workmanlike," she says to Grace then, and narrows her eyes at the green beam as much as she did Rena's support magic. She begins to weave a Symbological barrier-
But not fast enough. BLAM. Anne is sent flying by the blast. The ninja may be in enchanted clothings that protect her from injury, but that much force still knocks her away. "Gh--"
Ethius has a fair question. He's still up, which is also impressive, but the ninja shakes her head then as she rises to her feet. "No," the ninja answers. "We have no interest in ruling the galaxy. Just in changing our stagnant society. ...And profiting along the way, of course. We are a business."
Anne isn't watching the Psynymphs at all; Arcmene can do as it will, as far as she's concerned. It's the way of nature.
But Ethius calls forth particulate spray, and it gets in through the fine mesh of her mask. Anne coughs. "Ugh. So that's the kind of spell you use. A saboteur..."
But Anne is on the move again. "What's wrong with power and money?" Anne asks Chisato. "You can do a lot of things with power and money. And in point of fact, I am pretty good at whittling."
Whittling down HP!? Anne extends both hands with her sai, and spectral vines race forth. They are heavy, and barbed, and stick to everything, and they try to wrap around both of them. She cuts them off with her blunted blades, and stows her sai to make a set of hand gestures that result in Grace receiving a fluttering of lily petals--which add more corrosive ki to her problems. Chisato, meanwhile, is due for payback; Anne swings around and uses a sudden punch that erupts in greenery straight for her midsection this time.
As that happens, she spins around and flips towards Ethius, performing a verdant knife-hand strike and getting right up close. "Can you still cast with someone in your space?"
GS: Anne Aomori spends 3 Combo on Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Rena Lanford with Kudzu Whip! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori spends 3 Combo on Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Dias Flac with Kudzu Whip! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Grace Harvey with Lily Curse! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 1 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Chisato Madison with Poinsettia Jab! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 2 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori has attacked Ethius Hesiod with Gardenia Blade! GS: Anne Aomori has gained 2 Combo! GS: Anne Aomori's stances have changed from Stoic to Stoic! GS: Anne Aomori gains 25 THP from her Cautious! GS: Anne Aomori gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Anne Aomori takes 30 damage from Poison! GS: Anne Aomori has completed her action. GS: COUNTER! Rena Lanford counterattacks Anne Aomori with Light Cross! GS: Rena Lanford fails to charge Anne Aomori's Kudzu Whip for 196 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Rena Lanford gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Entangle applied to Rena Lanford! GS: Anne Aomori mostly guards Rena Lanford's Ember for 94 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: CRITICAL! Ethius Hesiod mostly guards Anne Aomori's Gardenia Blade for 53 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Ethius Hesiod gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Drowsy applied to Ethius Hesiod! GS: Dias Flac fails to evade Anne Aomori's Kudzu Whip for 174 hit points! GS: Entangle blocked! GS: FP up! Power Burst! GS: CRITICAL! Grace Harvey critically fails to guard Anne Aomori's Lily Curse for 89 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Grace Harvey gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Dispel! Blitz, Burst, and Quick removed! GS: Cripple and Mute applied to Grace Harvey! GS: Quick and Shield applied to Anne Aomori! GS: Chisato Madison mostly evades Anne Aomori's Poinsettia Jab for 47 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Chisato Madison gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Shieldbreak applied to Chisato Madison! GS: FP up! Power Burst!
<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.
As Rena rapidfire shoots off support spells to improve everyone's speed and defenses, Dias... doesn't give her any thanks. But he *is* grateful. He takes note of Ethius's call that he's been 'afflicted'--so this Rocket is playing the same kind of game Grace tried to. And then Ethius himself throws dust towards the ninja Rocket...
At least Chisato fights more straightforwardly, even as she gaily chats with Rena and Grace across the battlefield. Of course, Anne is proving to be quite a combat conversationalist herself. Dias resists the temptation to roll his eyes when she calls Team Rocket a 'business.' He has no doubt that there's a line internally about changing the stagnant Nedian society, but to him, it's telling that they follow up any claims of such noble goals with mention of a bottom line.
So he doesn't pay it any mind, any more than the threatened Psynymphs. Someone else was supposed to handle them while he handles what he's good at.
Anne extends her sai and spectral vines shoot out to coil around Dias. The initial blow is a hard one--'heavy' plus 'barbed' means some very nasty cuts are incoming--but as they try to coil around him and Chisato, his blade flashes with ridiculous movement. Chunks of vine drop a moment later. It takes a lot of effort to do something like that, which takes a toll on Dias on top of his wounds... but at least he hasn't been wrapped up.
That blur of movement comes crowned with a final forward burst, sword point-first, towards Anne. Wind whips around him at that speed as he seeks to pierce through her defenses and potentially run her through--or at least put her on the back foot trying to avoid that fate. "Gale Thrust!" he snarls, deep voice nearly lost in the gale force motion.
All talk of money aside, if there's nothing wrong with power, then he'll show her what a difference in power makes.
GS: Dias Flac enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Blitz! Dias Flac has attacked Anne Aomori with Gale Thrust! GS: Dias Flac has gained 1 Combo! GS: Dias Flac gains 30 THP from his Cautious! GS: Dias Flac enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Dias Flac has completed his action. GS: Anne Aomori mostly evades Dias Flac's Gale Thrust for 48 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo!
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.
Rena feels bad for a moment, because well, being a part of Nedian Society is a challenge - she feels behind. Like there are so many basic things she doesn't know.
So it gets under her skin a little when she's told she can do more than parrot someone's argument.
"What you must?" Rena repeats, angrily... perhaps taking that one very hard, "I can't believe you."
She's heard many people say such before, why is she taking this one extra hard?
There's unspoken respect at Chisato's words perhaps as she certainly understands the perspective of a pretty girl needing the means to protect herself. But Ethius asks a question she's suddenly curious upon too. "A business?!" She sounds surprised again, but - that gives way to anger.
Spectral Vines start to extend towards her, and Rena suddenly charges forward, trying to get close to her, dragging herself through the vines as she shouts-
"Light... Cross!"
As she stops, the space around her is suddenly alit by brilliant bursts of radiant symbological light, burning away at least part of her bonds.
Pivoting around suddenly, Rena suddenly races towards Masked Blossom as she appears by Ethius, the vine suddenly growing taut, but she drags at it, aiming to flank Anne before she can do anything critical to Ethius.
She feels it pull at her right arm, and abruptly, aims a KICK towards Anne's mid-section with her left, trying to get just enough power at it to launch her just off the ground - or at least away from Ethius. "Expense - this!"
Then suddenly ceases to resist Anne's vine, feeling herself getting drawn back away abruptly as the taut vine suddenly lacks resistance to its pull- at the same time shouting.
"Star..."
Symbological lines suddenly draw themselves in the air, like a cage, wrapped around a tiny pinpoint of light, a core of power that expands like a tiny star within the confines of those grid like lines.
"... FLARE!"
It didn't matter much to her really trying to hurt Masked Blossom with that kick, what mattered was the direction, because a side of the grid suddenly disappears, an arc of flame bursts out like a solar flare...
... and fills part of the room with radiant flame.
GS: Rena Lanford spends 1 Combo on Link! GS: Rena Lanford has attacked Anne Aomori with Star...! GS: Rena Lanford has launched an attack Link! GS: Rena Lanford spends 3 Combo on Gatling, loading 3 into Gatling! GS: Rena Lanford has attacked Anne Aomori with ...FLARE! GS: Rena Lanford has gained 1 Combo! GS: Rena Lanford takes 36 damage from Poison! GS: Rena Lanford has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Anne Aomori mostly guards Rena Lanford's Star... for 149 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: Anne Aomori mostly guards Rena Lanford's ...FLARE for 109 hit points! GS: FP up! Arcane Font! GS: Anne Aomori enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Poison and Weaken expired!
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
"Ugh, really?" Grace sounds almost... disappointed. "If you wanted to be like that, why not just get a job? This place seems pretty damn post scarcity and all." A sigh escapes her lips. "Majorly lame."
Her shot hits, and Grace lets out a whoop. "Take that, you nine to five ninja lady!" It's Anne's question to Chisato that gets Grace's attention. "...Hey, money I can understand, but power? Hard pass. Criminals who are in it for power tend to leave a wake of bad stuff behind them and end up dead the hard way and deserve it." Does... does she have standards? Are Team Rocket not meeting Grace's standards?
Yes! It's very disappointing!
"Makes sense," she responds to Chisato. "It's just pretty impressive to pack that much into a mic that still functions. Hey, wanna compare notes after this?"
And then the petals wash over Grace and- oh hey the stinging and bad feels have gotten worse. She opens her mouth to retort-
"!"
and nothing comes out.
That gets Grace a little panicky. More than a little. Unable to speak, the ARM reconfigures again, into it's submachine gun form and a barrage of light bolts fires in Anne's general direction as she dashes for somewhere with cover- a rocky outcropping will do. She's not aiming, she's just moving for safety.
GS: Grace Harvey has attacked Anne Aomori with Blindfire Barrage! GS: Grace Harvey has gained 2 Combo! GS: Grace Harvey's stances have changed from Counter to Counter and Stoic! GS: Grace Harvey gains 5 FP from Gleam! GS: Grace Harvey takes 31 damage from Poison! GS: Grace Harvey has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Anne Aomori mostly evades Grace Harvey's Blindfire Barrage for 88 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Cover applied to Grace Harvey!
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Ethius doesn't have his eyes on his Arcmene or what he's doing, as he recognizes the ninja's speed is as such diverting attention could have fatal effects.
"I would advise, on a personal.... and, and professional level," says a guy who is 'just' a Visiting xenoanthropologist - alongside capable warriors and sorcerers - wielding Symbological spells primed and utilized specifically for technological vandalism, "not to make your business in... endangering civilizations beyond," cough, "yours."
He was blessed to have that much room to speak even with the poisonous ki coursing through him, because Anne has a question he's not fast enough to answer as the knife-hand strike from an awkward angle. He holds his quarterstaff to intercept.
Were it not for a timely interception by Rena's martial skills, that knifehand would've once again been a decisive strike. It pierces some other ley meridian from a blunted impact that sees him take leave of consciousness for a split second as he staggers a foot back, and then more purposefully hops back to give more space to an emergent Star Flare. (But not far enough to feel safe enough to spellcast, as the Rocket Ninja has aptly put forth an obvious question with an obvious answer.)
"No," he says the obvious answer, flipping the grip of his staff to suddenly lunge at the fullest limit of his wingspan to try and jab the point of his quarterstaff at the Rocket Ninja with respectable precision.
"Far Point!"
ELSEWHERE
The Psynymph cowers, as Ethius' Arcmene taps their mandible-limbs together a few times. Clacking. Motions oft equivalent for 'hungry,' by their body language. Psynymphs are natural prey, and great lengths have been taken to prevent Arachnovia and their ilk from predating upon the endangered Psynard line while still allowing them to help naturally keep Psychic-type numbers in check.
Hungry, the Arcmene signals.
The Psynymph continues its fruitless cry.
...
To what end has Ethius' Arcmene witnessed the Nedians of this world, and those Visitors who have partaken in aspects of their culture? To what end has it adapted its observations towards its eventual evolutionary adulthood?
...
Moments later, a prickly pinkish berry is produced, having been stuck to Arcmene's person - a Colbur Berry. It shakes loose, as Arcmene picks it up, places it down in front of the cowering Psynymph, and makes the motions for 'hungry' again.
...
Then nudges it, closer, to the Psynymph, from the time the Arcmene learned how to play with toy balls with Ida's own Pokemon friends, once again making the motion for 'hungry' with its mandible-limbs.
An invitation for the vulnerable Psynymph to eat.
GS: Ethius Hesiod spends 2 Combo on Headshot! GS: Ethius Hesiod has attacked Anne Aomori with Far Point! GS: Ethius Hesiod has gained 1 Combo! GS: Ethius Hesiod has completed his action. GS: CRITICAL! Anne Aomori mostly charges Ethius Hesiod's Far Point for 120 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Cripple and Jam applied to Anne Aomori!
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
Anne's lightning-speed strike nearly deceives her - but even though she's still stinging from her own chi strike, she is able to juke aside, blurring slightly with speed as the spear of vines scrapes past her armored and shielded vest. "Revolutionize the world and make bank while you do it. You know, I think it's been a few thousand years since someone actually tried it around here," Chisato says, quickly checking that she hasn't been poisoned or worse. But...she can tell her guard's open...
"Honestly, I get a lot of my kit from Armlock," Chisato notes to Grace. "Those guys can build anything, it's really cool."
Relatedly, she reaches into her jacket again and pulls out something that looks kind of like a taser stick.
And while Rena releases spell after spell, Chisato answers, "ONE HUNDRED!"
Oh that's not so bad--
"THOUSAND VOLTS"
OH NO
--then sweeps the weapon, causing RAKES OF LIGHTNING to scar across the battlefield toward Anne!
GS: Blitz! Chisato Madison has attacked Anne Aomori with One Hundred Thousand Volts! GS: Blind expired! GS: Chisato Madison has completed her action. GS: Gamble: ??? Anne Aomori mostly guards Chisato Madison's One Hundred Thousand Volts for 92 hit points! GS: Reaction switch bonus! Anne Aomori gains 1 additional Combo! GS: Drowsy removed!
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
Anne isn't concerned with convincing our noble heroes--but she knows that what she tells them will be something that goes beyond just this battlefield. Is it in her best interests to claim that Team Rocket wants to profit, instead of pretending to be completely noble?
Either way, Dias notices that point-first movement towards her, as he snarls his attack. A difference in power oculd be significant. And his is nothing to be sneezed at. Nevertheless, she dodges swiftly out of the way, her attacks seeming to grant her ever-increasing agility. His blade only cuts her side, instead of driving into her.
"Hmm. You're a dangerous one. You don't let yourself be distracted."
Grace's disappointment merits a shrug. "Because a normal job doesn't change anything. A normal job just feeds into the same old society we've had for ten thousands of years."
Take that! "Money and power go together; they're currency you can spend to get what you want. That's all."
Rena, meanwhile, can't believe her. "Believe it or don't. But I'll fight for the world I believe in, whether you see it or not."
Light Cross! Brilliance cuts through the Masked Blossom, despite her defenses; it burns. "Hmmm." That's one data point.
Star Flare is another two. A tiny star erupts, and Anne flips back after it hits her, visibly sizzling from the sheer power of that combined spell. "...You have magic like that?" Anne asks. "A Nedian with those spells unlocked... That's not normal. What are you?"
Grace interrupts that by shooting her. Anne is knocked backwards by the shots, and can't in the moment interrupt her getting to cover. That might be important later; in the meantime, it sure does give her something to worry about for a minute.
And does Ethius. "Don't worry too much. We have no designs on ruling Filgaia or Lunar. Just doing business."
But Ethius says 'no', to her question--and demonstrates that he has a different kind of answer for threats like this. His quarterstaff jab smashes into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her long enough to ensure that she doesn't have a quip for that one.
"It's been a while," Anne agrees with Chisato. "But the other attempts didn't have the Ten Wise Men to deal with. Team Rocket doesn't intend to ignore them, either."
Suddenly--
BZZZT. The Masked Blossom is hit by a taser stick, and while her magical clothes help a lot... She's still visibly shocked for a few seconds, going bzzzt until she rips away from the current. "Gh-- this is why I hate dealing with the press."
She backflips again, moving back towards where Claude is with her Pokemon--and indeed, Claude strikes--
The Typhlosion roars!!! Anne considers, and pulls a Pokeball, recalling the monster. "...Hm. I guess I don't have enough firepower to disssuade you after all."
She's still in fighting shape, but...
So are her opponents.
"All right. You win this round. But don't think this is the end." Anne steps back, and throws a smoke bomb.
As the acrid smoke spreads through the chamber, her voice says, "Team Rocket hasn't shown half what we can do yet."
When the smoke clears, Anne is gone. And Claude, huffing, looks to the Psynard ahead. It's hurt, but...
"Psyyyy!!" it roars once, wary of what might come next... but safe.
<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.
"Rena!" Dias calls over to his 'little sister' as she grabs Anne's vines--but then she runs in, mixing magic with martial arts. "...Nice moves," he concludes, the corner of his mouth ticking up, as molten starlight fills the cavern.
Grace meanwhile tells Anne to get a job if she wants money that bad. Dias cannot quite hold back an amused snort. He might not like her very much, but he can appreciate her standards.
Still, Anne remains a potent enemy; whatever she did to Grace, it's got her panicking. Anne manages to evade the worst of his thrust, making an observation on him as she lands. "That's right," he replies, and lashes forward several more thrusts that turn out to be feints, to help herd her towards the others. Not his usual style, but if she's even faster than he is...
It works well, too--even if Anne seems surprised by how strong Rena's Symbology is. The others take over, from quarterstaff strikes to taser blasts. Dias moves to follow up, but Anne ends up deciding on the better part of valor, recalling her Typhlosion and throwing down a smoke bomb. Dias keeps his guard up even as he angles his free arm over his face, just in case that was a feint of her own--but the smoke clears, and she's gone, leaving behind an ominous promise.
"...Hmm." He looks over at Claude, giving him a curt nod, and then over at the Psynard. ...And then over at the Psynymphs and Ethius's Arcmene. Good thing that *didn't* end up in tragedy.
He slices his sword to one side, then sheathes it. "Looks like you're up, Rena," he comments. After all, treating injuries is her specialty. He takes a few steps out of the way, settling near Chisato. He watches the others for a moment.
Then he looks at her. "So do you plan on coming clean about your stalking now, or are you going to run away again?"
(That Dias, always the charmer.)
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
"What you consider 'just' doing business is--" Ethius doesn't get to say the full of it, because there's a smoke bomb. He waves his hand, trying to clear away space. He fails to do this. He coughs out of a Symbological spellcasting ritual three times in a row before--
"Dust Compress!" He finishes it on the fourth try, sending all the errant smoke hurtling to a distant wall, but it's far too late to catch the Rocket Ninja - but it's enough to clear the air. He coughs a few more times, leaning on his quarterstaff for balance as he manages the disrupted ki-flows of those martial techniques that struck him. He's not sure what level of difference there is between Nedian physiology and his own, but it's impressive how much of it largely seems to apply (if unfortunate, as the compatibility is ultimately to his detriment).
"...Now," a hand to his forehead, "...they aren't screaming for protection." The feeling in his head did kind of feel like it. It's something he has to be keenly aware of in his line of work - psychics are an existential threat to operational security, but the sudden absence from the displaced, scattered Psynymphs is...
...well, for one, they're not scattered.
OVER THERE
The remaining Psynymph babies have all banded together, and Arcmene has helped himself to Ethius' dropped Pokemon traveling bag, and thus the entire supply of berries he had on hand.
"Arcm." Armene mumbles cryptically as he watches the Psynymph babies eat those pilfered berries. It seems something of a domino effect, for creatures so tuned to make their first and last line of defense to be to cry for help from anyone and anything around them.
Arcmene has expertly applied the following observations: a) The Visitors have been largely kind, patient, understanding, and giving to Pokemon like himself and others. b) They are also gathering no small number of them.
... c) if they get scared they're all right there and it feels nice and fulfilling, because he's still an Arcmene that feeds on it.
"Good job," Ethius goes to his Arcmene, unaware of how great an achievement in ignorance he has managed once again. (Noel is going to chew him out when he sees the footage of how it all went down, and someone in the observation stations had to be checked into a local Center for the fright.)
"Rcmen." Arcmene numbles as he taps his mandible-limbs again, when...
'Psyyyy!!' The wild Psynard cries, and the Psynymph babies shudder and make their calling noises. Arcmene looks up and proceeds to hide behind his Trainer, because even he's not so bold to attempt to approach the pained mother Psynard.
"...I need to leave the rest to you," he says to Rena, Claude, Dias, Grace, and... their press-stalker, as he stands at attention with arms behind his back. He is preparing to exercise his 'camera-covering hand' prowess if it comes to it.
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.
Rena actually smiles DESPITE being entangled by a vine at Dias' praise, because Dias doesn't praise just because. It makes her happy - at least until Anne's question.
I don't know.
She has no answer to why it's not normal. Coming to Nede she found out what she is, but that's not what she's really asking is she? What is she? What is she that these things just are a part of her? Rena doesn't have a good answer to that question.
OST - Theme of Rena Second Story Arranged - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARFywV1lnzE
"...I'm me."
Is what she eventually answers. She may not have those answers, but she knows that the bond between her and her original mother still exists. That there is love there, she wasn't just abandoned, she wasn't just sent away. She'll find the answer in time, but until then she knows at least that she's Rena Lanford of Arlia - even if she was born of Nede. Westa's daughter, and Dias' little sister.
She'll find the answers some day.
As Masked Blossom tackles them all, Claude returns to the fray and suddenly smoke, she coughs, and-
"No, I wouldn't think it is."
After all, she has a goal worthy of taking on the sin of something horrendous. The call of 'Psyyyy!!' suddenly takes on her attention. And Claude warily raises his sword again, as if ready to face it down, ready to do what Noel said they must, but something changed with the discovery of the Psynymphs and he knows it, as he looks towards where the Arcmene went, and lowers his sword.
"Fighting to establish some stupid pecking order? I can't do it. Besides - even if she weren't injured, it isn't right to fight a mother who's just trying to protect her children." Sheathing it, putting it away, and he nods at Dias' statement in agreement. "Yeah. I think of all of us, she'd definitely let you approach her."
Rena seems relieved, but doesn't approach immediately, instead she is staring at the Psynard, and it back at her. There is a moment where it just clicks, and a desire to care until eventually feelings go beyond that into thoughts.
Help you. I can help you.
The message is conveyed, somehow instinctually she knwos it is. And the moment she manages, the Psynard, relaxes just subtly, enough that Rena moves forward. Healing Pokemon is still difficult for her, it's not precisely the same as people, but- she lays a hand upon her injured flank and...
"Faerie Healing."
Light streams forth, and the Psynard is still for a few long seconds before calling out again, "Psyyyy!!" She flexes her wings, which brighten, and its injuries for the moment, seem to be steadily erased by Rena's symbological magic rebuilding her body, albeit slightly slower than for a person.
"... It's all right. The hard part is over now." She tells the Psynard, her hand upon her neck, Claude smiles then walks over to the party, "I guess we're done here. We'll go back to Noel and see if there's not an alternative."
At that same moment however, "PSYYYYY!!" It calls out, more urgently and Rena asks it, "You want to help us? But..." Claude asks not out of disbelief, but just surprise, "Really? You can understand what she's saying?" And after a moment, she replies with a strange sense of certainty, "Its just a matter of getting your thoughts across."
Her eyes close, as if listening to her - or something at least, then. "This is your resolution... then." Rena replies, "You want to protect this world for your children. But... what should we call you?" She asks, "You want us to?" She asks the group in wonder after seeming to just have a one sided conversation with a Pokemon for a bit, "She's asked us... for a name."
Her eyes seem to be soliciting ideas from the group.
"Does, anyone have any good ideas?"
The Psynard stands up fully, flexing it's radiant wings as it yells, "PSYYYYYY!" Which is definitely probably it's way of saying NO PRESSURE!!!
(No actually she's just calling her babies back.)
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
Grace can't really speak back to Anne right now what with having her voice stolen by evil ninjutsu! She peeks out from behind cover when Anne announces she's retreating and then- smokebomb time.
She waits a few seconds to make sure there's no tricks coming either, then coughs to try clearing her throat. It doesn't work, as her throat isn't blocked.
Fortunately, time cures all status effects except when it doesn't. Eventually, she can speak up again. "So... this is actually it this time, right? This one's not gonna go berserk, right?"
Dias and Claude seem to entrust this to Rena, and so Grace moves back toward the rest of them, staying quiet. This seems... important. Grace has never really had much of a connection with animals- an organic pet on the Hightailer would have been difficult. But Rena certainly seems to be connecting.
And having a conversation they can't hear. "...A name? Us? She doesn't have one already?" Grace looks at the group- Okay, Ethius and Dias are out by default, they'd just call her Psynard. She knows this in her heart. Chisato's a cool mysterious reporter lady but does writing headlines equate to names? And Rena's asking everyone else, and Claude... he'd probably call her like 'Perry' or 'Paula' or 'Preeti'... So someone has to step up.
"...Well... She seems cool, and strong... and there's how she flies..." A name comes to Grace. Something she had been waiting for, before the crash onto Filgaia. She'd saved up for a while too...
"...Got it. How about... Lady Brightwing?"
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
"That's right! My shocking insight!" Chisato jabs. "So you're hanging your hopes on the Ten Wise Men, is it? Those are some big coat tails to ride!"
She can't stop Anne from leaving - doesn't even really try, instead moving to tuck away her weapon promptly. And then--
Dias just fully stares at her, and she puffs up. "It's hardly stalking. I'm a reporter! Obviously I'm gonna follow the biggest scoop on the planet-and-possibly-galaxy."
She leans forward, equal parts accusing and conspiring, and her lips shifting into a Cheshire grin. "You guys are after the Ten Wise Men. The other Drifters, yeah, sure, it's not like they'll pass on the ride, and anyone coming through the Barrier is the news of this century. But you're not just here to sight-see and relive the childhood dream of catching 'em all and smashing a jerk with Hyper Beam like the others. Maybe you think you're keeping it quiet, but in my circles you'd have to live under a rock to miss it."
She straightens up, proud. "And I'm gonna get it on the front page. Don't even worry about me! I'll just be a fly on the wall! Ooor maybe a paraglider, probably? I doubt there'll be a lot of walls once you're fighting the guys who can blow up mountains." ... "Do I still have that old Dragapult, that could work..."
She half-turns, eyes catching and watching the work being done on the Psynard - and its bellowing reply.
"Oh, heck, gonna miss it! 'scuse me!" she says, excusing herself from Dias, and pulls out her camera, quickly lining up shots of the grand healing. "Can't miss a moment like this!"
<Pose Tracker> Dias Flac has posed.
'This one's not gonna go berserk, right?'
"Probably," Dias says, reassuringly. (The joke is that isn't not reassuring at all.)
It's just like Claude to be unable to follow through in a situation where there's room for softheartedness. Still, that's why both of them left this to Rena. Dias doesn't want to be the bad guy here any more than Claude does. As Rena handles that, he calls Chisato out.
Who openly admits that she's a reporter following a scoop. "Uh huh. I thought as much," he replies. But... His eyebrows furrow as she goes on to explain that Team Claude And Rena is actually big news in her circle and just about everyone in that circle knows about it, and her goal is to get everyone *outside* that circle knowing about it too. "Hm." He mulls on this for a moment. Then: "As long as you don't get in the way."
She's clearly a competent enough fighter to protect herself, and he's willing to believe her at face value. There's a certain forthrightness in her gaze; also, she's not actually good at stealth. Why waste energy stopping her, then? ...Claude and Rena might have a different idea on how to handle Chisato, but *Dias* sure isn't going to invite someone to join their merry band.
And so he lets Chisato run off to get a photo, following her with his eyes and going from there back to the roaring mother Psynard and Rena passing on that she wants a name. She doesn't have one already? He shrugs at Grace. "Apparently not."
...Yup, he's definitely not going to be any help there. Lady Brightwing seems as good a name as any, and better than most Rena would come up with, and so he simply nods his agreement.
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
Claude gives Grace a knowing look. "...Yeah, that's a pretty name," he agrees, not revealing her Dark Secret for now. Instead, he smiles. "I'm glad we could protect them..."
"You know," Claude says, "It'd be easier to write your story if you just came with us. Then you wouldn't have to sneak around so much."
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Ethius watches from a safe distance as Rena sees to the well-being of the wild Psynard. He holds his trepidations and concerns in check, as Claude prepares to make good on Noel's instructions for how one tames a wild Psynard...
And decides against. Ethius nods his head, and his Arcmene refuses to peek out to meet the Mother Psynard in the eyes.
A Faerie Healing is applied, and the Psynard makes their healthy call pronouncing her presence - and then more urgently, and that has Ethius leaning forward as if he were to say 'uh oh.'
But Rena repeats what it is she thinks - knows! - they're asking. The mother Psynard will be coming with them, and... she requests a name.
Ethius puts a hand to his forehead. "...I understand she is personally requesting, but... I'm afraid that's something I can't do professionally." Even if Nede is not a protected underdeveloped society.
"Ene." Arcmene mumbles.
"Arcmene is under no such constraint, and... I suppose I will have to be a representative for his consideration."
"Ene." Arcmene repeats. Was that a sincere suggestion? Who knows.
A call for the babies to come back, and they comply. Arcmene leans over and tries to wave a mandible-limb goodbye, shyly. Very shyly, because their mom is right there.
Pre-emptively, to Chisato. "No comment at this time," though he hasn't been asked anything. He's a spook, that's kind of his default, but nonetheless, a moment is happening!
<Pose Tracker> Chisato Madison has posed.
"I'll quote you on that," Chisato asides to Ethius, which is an extremely funny joke to only her.
And maybe her secret partner that is snickering somewhere in this very room. "teleteleteletele..."
With most of the light show over, she peeks away from her camera toward Claude, blinking at him thoughtfully. Then she crooks a grin at him. "...sounds like a pretty good idea," she says. "You only get one chance to back out!"
<Pose Tracker> Rena Lanford has posed.
Ethius says he can't do it professionally, and Rena asks in surprise, "I don't really consider naming a profession?"
Noone tell her about bunnies on the Moon, they might get offended.
Grace however offers an option, and Rena sounds impressed, "Oh! That's perfect! Thank you Grace!" Rena smiles appreciatively at Grace, perhaps giving Chisato an accidentally candid shot for the next edition.
"Do you like Lady Brightwing?"
She asks, which leads to a throaty, pleased sounding, "Psyyyyy!" Reverberating through the caverns.
The babies come back, and make high pitched noises at their mother before, turning they move over to Rena, "The two of you too?"
She suddenly squats down, examining them a little closely as one squeaks in excitement her way, "You're kind of chatty."
Rena then looks at the other, who has a subtly different sheen of metal, such that they shine a little brighter in the crimson light, "And you might be a little vain?"
He begins to preen a little at the attention, and Rena giggles... and suddenly stands up, walking over to- Arcmene.
She leans in close to whisper, and it's like the two are conferring for a while, before nodding, "I see I see. Thank you for your input."
She then declares towards the chattier sibling- "From now on you're Gabby!" Rena then points towards the other vain one, "And you're Fabby!"
Claude then invites her to the party and... "That's a great idea!" She enthuses, before- 'Only get one chance to back out.'
Rena considers the issue, "Well let's put it to a vote then, Lady Brightwing?"
The Psynard turns to Chisato as if Rena somehow translated something for her and- "Psyyyyyy!" -promptly, telekinetically picks up Chisato, lifting her right onto her back, to deposit her there as if to make her vote very clear.
"It really feels like the matter is settled."