Pokémon Legends: Court of Kings

[Rae Guns]

Route 10- Pillar Feild

Noisy was brought back to reality from her little zoning out trip in reminiscence when a strong wind nearly bowled her over from the East. Fortunately Eurus was still there to steady her, though his thin arms couldn't move her back into an upright position. But Noisy didn't move to go back to her sitting position even with the balloon Pokemon struggling to keep her from falling. From her off kilter position on the pillar, the green eyed girl gained a new vantage point that allowed her to see an odd sight amongst the pillars. She couldn't quite make all of it out since it was so far off, but it seemed to her like a mad scientist had set up lab right in the middle of this sacred looking place. She could be wrong, but....

"Interesting." She muttered and suddenly reached up to grab Eurus' arms with her hands and jump from the rock pillar. The Drifblim, having not the proper amount of gases in his body to support both of their weight anymore, panicked and flailed two arms around wildly in the air as the remaining two held fast to Noisy's appendages. Their descent was rather fast, though not at speeds they could have been falling if Eurus hadn't slowed it somewhat. They landed together roughly at the base of the pillar they used to be at the top of, trainer resting on top of Pokemon. The two laid on the ground for a moment more before Noisy slowly stood and assessed her condition calmly. Only a bruised cheek from where her face had smacked the dirt, it seemed. Lucky.

The trainer took a considerably greater amount of time to check on her Pokemon, who seemed alright other than his miffed attitude.

[I mean, Honestly! If you are going to pull stunts like that, at least call Potpourri or
Pneumatic out.] The Drifblim huffed in Pokemonese as he inflated a bit more to get himself off of the ground, batting Noisy's worried hands lightly away. [I'm just not built for this stuff. Do I look like an air bag to you?]

Noisy assumed is chatter meant that he was fine, so she nodded to herself and turned to face the direction of whic hshe had seen the anomaly. The matter of fact was, she wasn't really sure which direction that was anymore. She shrugged to herself. She was feeling too lazy to go back and check which direction she was supposed to go in. So instead of doing that, she decided to have an adventure and pick a random direction. The girl peeled a bit of grass from her sore cheek and looked around while singing eeny-meeny-miny-mo in her head. As she scanned her surroundings, she noted that the odd little statue she had seen from above looked different somehow. Hadn't it been looking up and not right at her before?

Picking a direction and ignoring the strange statue, Noisy nodded and began walking. She hadn't taken three steps before hearing an odd 'click' and being pushed back into the grass on her rump. As she was falling back, a massive wall of flames came from the patch of mid calf grass she'd just been about to walk into. She simply stared in confusion at the flames whose proximity was causing her toes to burn in her sneakers when she didn't move them. The phenomenon didn't last fifteen seconds before it suddenly went out, leaving a charred patch of grass, a sizzling sound, and a trail of white smoke behind.

She looked back at Eurus, who had been stunned into inactivity at the surprise inferno. He obviously hadn't pulled her out of the way. A sound similar to what pebbles make when rattling around in a can came from her left, and Noisy turned to see the statue that had formerly been on her right standing there. Its arms were slowly moving down to its sides and its blank neon green stare was fixed on Noisy. The girl could have stared back for a long time in silence at the strange, living statue if Eurus hadn't been there.

[Ah! Oh! Thank you so much! I- I hadn't seen you there before!] Eurus mentioned, noticing only just now the ghostly life within the rocky body. The statue Pokemon turned just its head as it looked over to the Drifblim.

[You had not seen the trap, either.] To Eurus the voice seemed emotionless and matter of fact. To Noisy it sounded like two boulders scraping past each other and a bunch of air being released from a tire on a car. She looked between her Pokemon and the moving statue, realizing slowly that this was actually a Pokemon as well. Noisy reached lazily for her Hoenn issued Pokedex and flipped it open. She was glad to have paid someone to unlock the National Dex a few years back.

'Daut es een Golett! Woo du daut deed finjen? Es du nich Kanto en?'

"Jenüach! Dommet Dex." Noisy scolded her Pokedex after it gave her useless information other than the creature's name. Not everything had gone so well during the jailbreaking process, leaving her PokeDex stuck in an uncommon dialect of Hoennese and kind of stupid. Just like most of the people in Hoenn, if you asked her. She snapped the device closed and placed it back into her hip pouch. Standing up once again, the girl rubbed the soreness from her bum and looked down at the black and gray rock Pokemon.

Like Eurus before, she was only just able to sense the ghostly nature of the Golett. She smiled at the short Pokemon and pat its head in thanks for saving her from a fiery death, turning to set out once more in the direction she had been heading in. Golett, however, had different plans for her as it shook its head and moved to stand in her way. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she looked at Golett. The living statue lifted and arm and pointed in the opposite direction she was walking in.

[I have seen them set traps around this area. Thus it would be hazardous to continue in this direction. Please direct your step that way.] Golett said, and Noisy got the general idea by following his pointed finger, though knowing that there were more traps in the area. She nodded and changed her course. Eurus lingered behind just a step, gazing with his small eyes at the automaton Pokemon.

[Could you help us out some more, in case there are more traps she would fall into?] The Drifblim requested of the Golett, knowing his trainer well enough that he knew she would indeed set off more dangers. Probably a few on purpose. Golett seemed to consider this for a moment before its eyes flashed a green light.

[Request acknowledged. I shall accompany you.] Golett said tonelessly, beginning to walk at a stiff, albeit swift pace to catch up to Noisy. Eurus let out a sigh. At least they had a guide now to make things a bit safer.

Noisy was focused on marching straight in the direction that Golett had pointed out, not noticing said Pokemon was now traveling with her. She was currently wondering who could have played a fiery trick on her like that. It was quite amusing to think that someone was trying to play pranks on her of all people. She smirked and pulled her hood further around her face at the thought. If they wanted to win a prank war, then they chose the wrong enemy to go against. She was now more determined to find that crazy looking lab she had seen from above. Her gut was telling her that if she found that place, she'd find the culprit.

"Hey! Watch yourself!" A voice to her far left caught Noisy's attention and she stopped to listen as the female voice continued to yell at whoever hadn't just watched themselves. "Can't you read a map? You almost stepped into one of the danger zones, you dolt!"

Noisy grinned. It looked like she had located some soldiers of the war. She silently changed direction, which proved to worry Eurus as he followed her off of the trail Golett had marked for them. The sound of the voice had come from across a field of tall grass and flowers, behind one of the massive pillars. The only sound she made while traveling through the thick plant life was the up inescapable rustle of dry grass as she moved through it. As she went, other voices that weren't as loud as the first became more distinguishable.

"Well if you weren't hogging the map then I could find my way around!" A male tone complained. Noisy dropped into the grass and was on her hands and knees as she continued to advance. What fun would a prank be without the surprise? She couldn't let them see her just yet. Soon Noisy came across an edge of the meadow and used a hand to gently part the grass in front of her face. Sure enough, she could see her soon to be victims.

There were quite a number of them, around six or so, all dressed in stupid looking red-orange suits with their matching red hair tied in ridiculously identical fashions. Noisy assumed it must be the current fad in Kalos.

"I'm the one who has the map because I didn't lose mine, unlike you." The woman's voice she had heard before was coming from a young lass that looked like all the rest, except for her dark skin. Sunglasses covered most of the woman's face but the contempt she held there was evident. The young man she had been speaking to clicked his tongue and kicked the dirt angrily.

"It wasn't my fault!" He argued lamely, making Noisy want to laugh at his rather bashful attitude. The woman just crossed her arms and sighed.

"Either way, you don't have one. So stick with me if you don't want to end up hurt, or worse." The suited woman exasperated, shaking her paper map at him enough to make a deep frown come onto his lips. "If this plan is going to run smoothly, then we all need to know where the traps have been set!"

Noisy's brain nagged at her. That was quite the useful bit of information. And now she knew just what she needed in order to enact a revenge trick.  

[Jump Einatz]

Route 10 - Pillar Field

About thirty feet above Noisy and her company was Skarada's Murkrow, perched on an alcove jutting off a pillar and getting a literal bird's eye view on the situation. Keasbey wasn't sure how the girl got past Ska's perimeter of Alert traps without setting them off. Either she got lucky enough to step between them, or she entered Route 10 a different way. Regardless, this development was sure to give the Flare Admin something to do.

"Brawwk! Interesting, interesting," Keasbey parroted, mimicking what Noisy had said before. He flapped his wings and took off in the direction of Bryony's lab station where Ska was most likely to be to give him the heads up.

On the chance that Noisy had seen or heard him, Keasbey didn't care if the girl followed him or not. If she tracked his flight path on foot, she was bound to step into a row of Plant Traps around the corner of the next pillar that would bind her and the accompanying Pokémon in thick tangles on grass.  

[Rae Guns]

Route 10- Pillar Field

Noisy had ducked behind the closest monolith and had started pulling out a PokeBall, mind whirling with ideas on how to snatch her target away from the Matchy-Matchy's clutches. Eurus hanging back on her order, as was the Golett that she hadn't noticed yet that was following her. Noisy's eyes flickered from person to person from her hiding place, noticing the dark skinned girl and her mapless companion at her side. They were getting closer to the edge of the clear spot, the girl keeping an eye on her map and the guy searching the ground for something. Good. Just a little closer and she could-

“Brawwk! Interesting, interesting!” Noisy flinched at the sound, turning her head slightly to see a black bird Pokemon that looked suspiciously like a Murkrow taking off from another pillar relatively close to her. It was difficult not to hear it, with it squawking all over the place and whatnot. She looked back with knowing green eyes to see that the two people closest to her position had also heard. Her targets were now heading in the direction the Murkrow had been yelling in, which would also end up leading them to uncover her position. Well played, unknown prankster. Noisy stood and began moving away from the hiding spot since she didn't want to be discovered quite yet. She gripped onto the PokeBall in her hand and took a few running steps before her foot fell into a hole, hit something round with the edge of her toe, and she landed on her face.

“Okay... Ow.” She grumbled as she picked herself up and ended up stuffing her PokeBall in her bra instead of putting it back in its pouch so that it was out of the way and yet still handy. Noisy looked back to see what she had tripped over. It looked to be a rather large pothole that had been mostly covered by debris, keeping it hidden from her immediate vision. In the middle of it was the shiny round object that she had pulled out of the earth with her toes. Toes which stung currently thanks to that.

“I think I heard something weird over here! Is it safe?”
“Hold on, let me check the map real quick.”

Noisy scowled in irritation as she picked up the very close sound of her previous target's voices. She was glad she was hidden by the taller grass and flowers surrounding her, but the stupid sphere had caused her to compromise her position further. In a fit of petty anger, Noisy lashed out with her foot at the object and sent it flying somewhere among the thick brush and grass. With a satisfied huff, the girl nodded and began army crawling away from the scene. She hurriedly went along until she came up to another pillar and began slowly standing up and going around it. It seemed she had lost the two soldiers somehow, as they had moved off in the opposite direction from where she was heading. She was just about to call herself lucky when she realized a little too late that there was probably a legit reason for that.

The instant she had come around the corner of the pillar, she had stepped in a patch of seemingly innocent flowers. Seemingly innocent flowers that now seemed to have sentient minds and who did not appreciate being stepped on. At least, that was what Noisy told herself when the white and purple flowers grew and wrapped around her legs as if she were their trellis. Their roots expanded and continued to bind around her body so quickly that Noisy had no time to react. Soon she was completely immobile by means of the monster blooms and somehow was hanging upside down from their grasps. Her hood no longer covered her eyes and the sunlight reached her face, making her hiss like a vampire would and squint harshly. This sucked.

---------

Meanwhile Eurus the King of Indecision stood on standby, wondering if he should have gone after his trainer when she had disappeared from his sights or follow her orders. It was probably the former. But then again he couldn't be sure he would ruin her plans if he came out of hiding from a pillar's shadow. The Drifblim looked over to Golett, who was standing silent and stoic.

[F-five minutes, okay? Then we go after her.] The balloon decided out loud, hoping that Golett would still be willing to help them. The statue turned its head ever so slowly towards Eurus, its unblinking eyes flashing green as it registered the comment.

[Five minute countdown initiated. I will warn you when the time has reached the predetermined limit.] Came Golett's toneless, genderless, and emotionless voice. Eurus let a nervous and awkward chuckle escape him.

[Thanks... I guess?]  

[Jump Einatz]

Route 10 - Pillar Field

Three minutes after Noisy had gotten herself caught in a Plant Trap, a man and a Murkrow's shadow stretched past the pillar across from to her. "Did we catch a vampire, mate?"

Skarada walked into view and Keasbey perched onto his shoulder. He rubbed his chin, looking over the Hoennite with the eye not covered by a huge lock of hair. "Nope, just a hipster. A shame, coulda been more interesting." He leaned against the pillar, arms folded and a sly smile on his face.

On the other side of his pillar, a Lopunny emerged from the shadows. Around her neck was a steel bangle with a cream colored orb encrusted in its center. Unlike her trainer's uncanny playfulness, Sergio was more overtly cold. Her seriousness made her seem to loom in a way that was bigger than she. Sergio leaned on her side of the pillar just like her trainer did, keeping her eyes on the area.

"Let me guess." Ska pointed at Noisy. "Lookin' for a bit of mischief, thought you'd find it here, and now you've got more than you bargained for?"  

[Rae Guns]

Route 10 - Pillar Field

Noisy wanted to hiss again, if only to disprove the whole hipster notation. Being hipster was just as mainstream nowadays as being a vampire would be. But the girl was able to hold back her urges more or less and merely glared at the guy as she swung lightly in the flowers' grasp. Obviously he deserved the glare. After all, any decent person would have cut her loose upon seeing her predicament. Plus, there was the fact that he had already mentioned he'd been the one to 'catch' her. Noisy frowned at the man as he spoke in his odd accent, vaguely aware of her mind wondering if her frown looked like a smile since she was upside down.

At first she didn't answer his question, just struggled a little bit to see if she could jostle the PokeBall between her boobs out. Unfortunately she was only a b cup and they didn't move around much at that size. Not with the bandeau she had on, at least.

"Pretty much." She grunted as she let herself fall limp in the plant's hold. The blood rushing to her head must be making her face turn red by now. Wasn't this a technique they used in torture chambers back in the Medieval days? She would have to store away the curious thought for later as she did her best to focus on the man. "So this is your flower, then? Mister....?" She hated having to have a conversation with a guy whose expression she wanted to smack off his face, but she needed to buy some time. Surely Eurus was nearby and just waiting for an opportunity to unbind her. Her eyes darted briefly to the rather serious Lopunny just within her line of sight. Battling the Normal type could be a problem, though, if it came to that.

-----

[Has it been five minutes yet?] The Drifblim hadn't meant it in a literal sense, really. But it seemed like Golett was very particular about time.

[Approximate time remaining until the predetermined time allowance is over: Ninety three point seven eight four continued seconds.] Golett replied. Eurus sighed a whispy breath. Five minutes seemed to be taking hours to him, though he knew it was just the worry getting to him.  

[Jump Einatz]

Route 10 - Pillar Field

The moment Noisy looked at Skarada's direction, he snapped his fingers. The eyes of the raven on his shoulder glowed a sinister white. He walked closer to Noisy.

If Noisy had met Keasbey's eyes, she would perceive this simple action quite differently. The Murkrow had been trained to utilize Quash with Prankster for a very efficient shift in his target's perception: by looking into his eyes when he activated the technique, the target's perception of time would be frozen, if only for four seconds.

To anyone else that could be watching, Ska walking to Noisy would look ordinary. If Noisy had indeed been enthralled by Keasbey's Quash, it would appear in her next moment of perception that he had more or less teleported soundlessly a few feet in front of her, and other things such as the position of the clouds or the grass would seem off.

Ska's right side up and very wrong smile loomed over Noisy's upside down face. "Mister Skarada. Ska for short. Y'know you're in Team Flare's territory, yeah?" He took one of his razor sharp steel playing cards out of the holster on his hip and spun it between his fingers. "So the last bloke I cut down from one of these, he stuck around. Got himself screwed over, that fruit loop. I'm not in the business of beating up kids-"

Skillfully, he swiped the card at key points of the bindings, cutting the trellis. Noisy would drop to the ground. "But I will if I gotta. So do yourself a favor. Walk straight that way, make a right at the third pillar, and piss off before I decide to make entertainment out of you." He pointed his directions out, then put his hands in his pockets and waited to observe what the Hoennite would do.  

[Rae Guns]

Route 10 - Pillar Field

Noisy was confused. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she was pretty sure that this guy was either really fast, or she had just blinked too slowly. She had landed on her front and had heard the subtle click of the PokeBall she held at her chest. The girl didn't move from her position on the ground even though her arms were available and ready to pick her up. If she moved even a bit she would release the mechanism that opened her PokeBall and another one of her ghostly companions would make an appearance, and that would probably send the wrong idea to Ska. She really didn't want a fight. After all, she had only wanted her Pokemon to set her free. Battling just wasn't her idea of a good time.

As the girl looked up with just her eyes at Ska's rather unlovable expression she was having second thoughts. Seriously, what was it about his face that made her want to cover it with a paper bag? He wasn't ugly or anything, just irritating. It reminded her of her annoying little siblings. Especially since he had come almost nose to nose with her while wearing a grin that she had gotten a different view of than most probably ever would.

At that time Noisy realized something else. She had to move at some point. So that meant her companion would have to come out anyways and would no doubt cause a scene, for not all of her Pokemon seemed to share her sentiments on fighting. So if that was the case, then she may as well try to juice some fun out of this dry lemon of a situation. She didn't take to threats, really, so his not-so-subtle one just bounced off her brain as she thought up of a comeback.

“Okay Ska of Team-” Flair? Flare? Either one would work considering the outfits she'd seen and assumed the others were related to this. But she couldn't choose which word fit better, so, “- whatever. Sounds like you're bored. I choose to 'entertain'.” With that she pushed herself up quickly, causing a red light to appear from between her breasts and brought between she and Ska the lithe form of an icy being.

Since PokeBalls weren't exactly soundproof, Noisy's Froslass came into the confrontation battle ready and smiling like a vixen. The ghost raised both little hands to her lips and kissed them quickly, blowing the invisible gifts at the man and his bird. As an added little improvise attack the kiss had a gust of Ominous Wind behind the Captivate technique. Hopefully if the first ability failed to affect the opponent's Pokemon, then the flurry of wind carrying ghostly energy would put some distance between them.

---------

[Fifteen seconds remaining.] Golett mentioned suddenly, startling Eurus since he was tense and awaiting the signal to go. [Shall I begin countdown from the ten second mark?]

The balloon couldn't take it anymore. Five minutes had been way to long. He should know as well as any of his trainer's Pokemon the kind of mischief Noisy could get into within such a period of time. Eurus looked seriously to Golett and shook itself since it didn't have a head separate from its body to do so. [No. We go now.] The Drifblim stated as it began to set off in the direction it had seen its trainer go in.  

[Marsuru]

((Mr. Skarada Kalnoky, at your service, mate. Also that Golett is the best))

Route 10 - Path to Bryony's Lab

Team Flare Grunt Hank couldn't have been less lost, navigating the route's stone pillars with ease. He stepped nimbly around a Hurl Trap, which would've sent him flying straight into a Hawlucha nest, and carried on his way. The tall grass framed even taller pillars that varied in height; some were relatively stubby, though still huge, and others were almost as grand as they must've all been thousands of years ago. He paid them little mind, though on another day he might have liked to observe them. As a member of Team Flare he couldn't afford to waste time on anything less than the epitome of style.

And according to Team Flare, the epitome of style was a garish red outfit with pants so tight you could spot knee definition. Still, Team Flare Grunt Hank couldn't complain. He'd been waiting for this.

He passed through a crop of pillars, though not directly. Traps were placed around its edges and between most gaps. You had to know which gap was safe to pass to get in, and which was safe to get out. It was next to impossible without a map. Thankfully, Team Flare Grunt Hank had such a map, though he didn't envy the poor fool who had lost his.

After the pillars there came a clearing, and in the distance was his goal. Bryony's field lab. Allowing for a flutter of elation, he pressed onward, map in fist.  

[Jump Einatz]

((Skarada's last name is actually Kalnoky, so you're psychically blowing up my spot, dude. Also by pure coincidence, this is Ska's first battle theme. Enjoy))

Route 10 - Pillar Field

A girl who summoned ghosts from her boobs? This challenge was already way more interesting for Ska than the old guy with the Graveler. "Bring it, mate!"

The moment Sergio saw the flash of red light come from Noisy, she was making her move. The Lopunny crouched down and sprang with such force that she left a crater in the ground where she Bounced, rocketing high into the sky.

Keasbey felt his strength drain when the Froslass blew her kiss, Captivated by her presence. With the speed of Prankster, he was able to counter it at top speed by filling his brain with dark thoughts, storming up a Nasty Plot. As Ominous Wind blew towards them, Ska was forced off his feet, gritting his teeth. He regained his footing against the force for long enough to brace himself momentarily. The Ghostly move was repulsive, stinging Ska as it passed. He wouldn't be able to keep this up for long.

"Tch." Ska was still grinning despite himself, catching stray rocks in his hand before they hit his face. "Quick on your feet. Keasbey!"

Keasbey jumped from his trainer's shoulder and flapped his wings, rending the air with a force that turned it into solid blades that twisted into the attack. The Air Cutter violently shred up the Ominous Wind on contact, causing a draft of windy grim feelings to race out of the lane of pillars.

Skarada wasn't one to stand still while his crewmates fought for him. As soon as his Murkrow left his shoulder he was on the move, running out in a wide circle to get to Noisy's flank. The long red coat on the Flare Admin billowed in the supernatural draft as it started, revealing his two deck holsters. With the quick draw of a genuine cowboy, Ska threw two cards in the direction of Noisy and tossed one behind himself with the other hand.

The cards were not the plain steel blade kind he'd used to cut the trellis trapping Noisy. These cards had emblems on their white surfaces. The two cards flung at into the ground on Noisy's sides had pictures of blue bubbles. When they found their way into something solid, the cards disappeared, and the same blue emblems from the cards would flash in that spot before disappearing as well.

With a laugh, Ska stepped back. The Hurl Trap Card he planted behind him activated, and suddenly he was being hurled at Noisy at speeds that'd get him in trouble on the highway. The acceleration was sudden, parting the grass in front of him as he blurred his way to the hipster vampire, stretching out his hand to Noisy's neck.

If he made his mark he'd grab Noisy by something, preferably her neck, and carry her along on his hurtle to chokeslam her into the pillar behind her. If Noisy dodged to the sides, she'd activate the Bubble Traps and cause highly compressed, volatile bubbles of air to float from the ground. Once they popped, they'd explode with the force of a pro boxer's punch only wetter.

Route 1 – Bryony’s Lab and Field

Bryony’s lab had been set up in full by now. There was a small tent covering the worksite, and inside was the same lab table and a crate. Nestled amongst a bed of straw in the crate were three Mega Stones, beautifully colored gems forming perfect spheres. Bryony added a fourth to the tray, heaving a sigh of admiration at Team Flare’s findings.

A notification pinged on her green visor. She tapped at buttons on its side to bring up the source. The visor of the Team Flare Scientist functioned as radars as well, able to sense the presence of Pokémon much like a Pokédex. The range was upgraded after Aliana had been killed, as was programmed to notify at the arrival of certain Pokémon.

One of those Pokémon just appeared on the path to her lab.

“Team Fashion Patrol, please go meet Agent Hank at the south end of the field,” she said calmly into her intercom earpiece. “Ask him what’s trending today. Try the newest power pose.”
“What? You can’t be serious,” came the flabbergasted reply. “Do you really mean-”
“Try. The Latest. Power Pose.”

The Grunt complied with the command. Bryony hung up and turned to the Grunts present in the tent as lab assistants. “Take down the lab. This is an emergency evacuation. Threat level is non-ironic steampunk ensemble, people!” The lab workers gasped at the horror and dove into a frenzy, packing up research and materials with much haste.

Bryony swept out a hand. “Pokémon out! Protecting the stones takes priority! The Area-7 auxillary territory is going off, do NOT forget to watch your step!” She backed away from the squeals of the laboring grunts to tap into a different channel on her earpiece.

“We’ve been compromised." Bryony gulped, then pressed forward. "Switch on Area-7 and get here now, Skarada.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the edge of the path to Bryony’s lab, Team Fashion Patrol converged together to meet Flare Grunt Hank. Leading the dozen member ensemble was Flare Grunt Jeff, who had met Hank today and had been hoping to bond with him over how they both had relatively generic names. If Bryony’s coded message was true, they could never be friends. It made his heart heavy.

“Oh my gosh, Hank, hey,” Jeff exclaimed, mustering as much pep as possible. Behind him his teammates tried to hide shade they were throwing Hank’s way. “Do you remember today’s trending power pose? It was like, step step pivot squat thrust flex drop, right?”  

[Marsuru]

((D'yarh, it be a tune pirate ))

Route 10 - Path to Bryony's Lab

Ah, the welcoming committee. Team Flare Grunt Hank expected as much, deep down, but still acted a little concerned by the way the other grunts were grouped together. They each stood in a different kind of super sentai pose, and gave off menacing vibes. Team Flare Grunt Hank struck a pose of his own: body turned to the side, legs straight and joined at the heel, arms crossed at the wrists.

'Jeff?' Team Flare Grunt Hank said, as if only just recognising the man. Non-Flarians may have struggled to identify the similar yet unique features of the Team Flare Grunts, but Team Flare Grunt Hank had no such trouble. 'You're far behind the times, my friend. That pose is so yesterday! Today's is more like-'

Team Flare Grunt Hank was glad for Team Flare's standard issue CrimsonRed™ sunglasses, for in that moment they would mask the subtle red glow around his iris. He felt connected with Jeff, and gently eased the man's feeling of suspicion as he looked into his mind.

'Flex, thrust, handplant, hop, spin, drop, rest,' Team Flare Grunt Hank said, performing each movement in turn. By the end of it, he was lying on the grass with his knee in the air and propped on his elbows. 'Power poses are a way of life, Jeff, each as beautiful and fleeting as a snowflake in the sun.'

Team Flare Grunt Hank twirled to his feet, and came to a stop with his fingers splayed before his face. Between each finger was a round, glass-like stone. 'More mega stones for Bryony. I ask only that you lead the way.'  

[Rae Guns]

((I love it too, the stiff little Golett. Noisy's take on the battle song would probably be not so coincidentally like this. Also, this Team Flare is very strange, you guys.))

Route 10- Pillar field Noisy vs Skarada

Noisy was kind of entranced by the oddness of it all. Ska sure was one for the dramatic battle sequences. But she really couldn't dwell on that too much as she was far too busy trying to get the world to stop spinning and remove the man's hands from around her throat. She had seen the rather suspicious cards as they disappeared on either side of her and hadn't been to keen on getting caught in another annoying trap like the plant one, if this was indeed what that was. Not that her current situation was much better. Noisy held her breath subconsciously as her glare tried to fix on one of the three Skarada's in front of her. She figured the cause of the triplication had been the smack her head had taken against the rock. Still, the girl had fight left in her and when coupled with her natural contortionist abilities, she was able to lift her legs in between them and tried to push him away from her, though she was probably a lot weaker than this full grown dude and didn't think it'd do much.

The Froslass, Pnuematic, turned instantly. She wore a frown as she had not been expecting the human to be so fast. The ice creature turned in time to see her trainer being pushed into a pillar. She grunted angrily and brought her palms close together to prepare an Ice Beam. She just had to get a clear shot without Noisy in the picture and she could attempt to freeze Ska in his tracks, literally. Unfortunately Noisy was not out of the way, and it looked as if another of her teammates was about to butt in, too.

By this time Eurus had found his trainer in peril and could have popped himself out of guilt for not going off to find her right away. He left Golett, who was considerably slower than he, and went towards the human pair as quickly as he could. If he'd been successfully able to reach his target, the air balloon would have wrapped his ribbon arms around Ska's waist and yanked him back away from his trainer and up off the ground where he could hopefully do no harm.  

[Jump Einatz]

((The other Flare Admin set off a town-destroying stampede by playing Funkadelic, so this is pretty run of the mill. So far. And this song is sweet, I do love me a good battle theme))

Route 10 – Noisy vs Skarada

When the wind settled down, Keasbey looked for Ska. He seem to be able to handle himself, struggling against the girl’s legs pressing against his chest but able to keep his grip on her neck for now. “You’re scrappy for a whatever-your-label-is, mate,” he told her.

Pneumatc was taking aim at Ska’s back with a classic beam shooting hand position, so the Murkrow took it for his cue to play support yet again.

He flew at the halfway point between the humans and the Froslass and looked Pneumatic in the eye. If she met his shining gaze she’d fall under his Quash in a literal blink of an eye. And in her next moment of perception, four seconds would have passed while she floated still. Assuming Keasbey had success with this endeavor, he would reposition himself to be flying over the two Bubble Traps in those four seconds.

“Team Rocket, Galactic, Plasma, those hippie guys, you ever hear of ‘em? This is another one of those things. You should’ve taken my directions-“

Ska was interrupted by Eurus, who pulled the Flare Admin away from Noisy and into the air. He saw the ground below him getting small, and it gave him some wry amusement. Ska reached into his holster and pulled out a white card with a leaf emblem. With a flick of his wrist he tossed the Plant Trap on the pillar next to them, where it activated and disappeared. Then he took the stray rocks blown by the Ominous Wind he had caught before and threw them at the same spot.

The Plant Trap was sprung, sprouting out the same kind of trellis that trapped Noisy before from the pillar. It grew and spun its way to Eurus to bind the balloon before it could go higher. As the vines grew to grab onto them, Skarada pointed up.

This was when Sergio the Lopunny came down from her Bounce like a surprise meteor, one leg outstretched as she flipped out an axe kick in an attempt to plant it directly down on the Drifblim’s puffy top, trying to spike the Ghost down into the ground.

((I should mention Keasbey's level is 25, and Sergio's level is 42))

Route 10 - Path to Bryony's Lab

Jeff rubbed his chin. Something about Hank’s pose wasn’t quite right, but any doubts he were having were being phased from his mind. Hank was his buddy, there was no way he wasn’t right. “Yeah, that’s right, I think. Great flex thrust, on point, on point.”

Brynnjarin, one of the squad’s grunts who had been shy about bonding with Hank and Jeff because of her super unusual name, heaved her shoulders. Someone had to say what the rest of them were thinking, and with a heavy heart she pointed at Hank. “That was the trending pose last week, Hank! There was no handplant hop in this morning’s! J’accuse!”

The other grunts gasped, then became serious as they grabbed their Pokéballs. Jeff took a step back, unclipping his own Pokéball from his belt. As the girl with the weird name and the rest of his teammates became suspicious, his worries started to return as well. “I don’t wanna believe it,” he gulped. “H-Hank, buddy, tell me Bryony isn’t right. Tell me you’re not…him.”  

[Spinne Biss]

Route 10 - Bryony's Lab

"That guy isn't here?" boomed Goldberg's voice as he arrived at the lab. Standing close to seven feet tall, and all muscle, he arrived on the scene. The white and orange suit bulged under his arms, and the buttons down the front were undone. Goldberg, hair clearly dyed a vibrant orange, held the tip of a cigar between his teeth.

Slung across his back, held in place by several button straps, was a rifle. Clutched in one hand was a meteorite, and the man wore a perpetual grin.

Ska was an unreliable partner, Goldberg mused to himself. It wasn't that he resented the man for it, however. Goldberg was hardly reliable himself. One of them had to be the anchor here, and Goldberg was hoping that not showing up sooner would force that role on to the pirate.

"Hell, no wonder you're retreating." Goldberg said this with his eyes on Bryony. "We don't need to retreat, I'll take care of whoever shows up."  

[Rae Guns]

Route 10- Noisy vs Skarada

Pnuematic smirked as Keasby put himself between she and her target, assuming the bird was trying to sacrifice himself. She pulled back a bit and went to shoot the bird with her icy powers when she could have sworn she saw a glow in his eye. The next moment, Keasby was gone and she was already firing in the direction of where the two humans used to be. Except now it was just Noisy by the pillar, and Eurus was in the air. She let out a little yelp of alarm while trying to steer her beam as best she could, freezing a large portion of the ground around the pillar instead of her trainer. Grass, dirt, and stone all were covered in a thick icy layer that resembled a skating rink rink that was only ten or so feet in diameter.

The Froslass was glad not to have hit her trainer, but angry at herself for losing sight of the Murkrow. She whipped around at the sound of flapping wings to see Keasby hovering nearby. She almost went to go after the bird and give him a what-for, but she paused when she noticed the Golett wandering in behind him. The Pokemon seemed aimless, as if there for no good reason. The Froslass got herself into a battle ready position and waited to see how things would play out with the new Pokemon in play. She didn't know if he was friend or foe, but she'd find out sooner or later.

Unfortunately for Golett, it knew nothing about the traps set around where the Murkrow was. It had meant to bypass the bird Pokemon and follow Eurus to wherever the balloon now was. It didn't mean to set off a trap that let loose the pressurized bubbles. It really didn't.

Meanwhile Noisy was finding herself pretty damn irritated. Currently she was lying on her back because while she had been trying to catch her breath again, ice had materialized underfoot and she had slipped and slid into the middle of the patch. She had no doubt that this was one of her Pokemon's fault. This was why she hated battling. It was no fun and she generally wasn't very good at it. She laid there for a moment, staring up at Eurus as he lifted Ska away from her. She only tried getting back up when plants sprung from the pillar suddenly and entangled her Drifblim. She had just managed to slide out of the way on her hands and knees when Eurus came crashing down into the ice, shattering it into pieces.

Noisy stood the moment she was on ice free ground again and hurriedly looked to her plant covered, human holding, bunny mounted pokemon. Well, not human holding anymore since it seemed Eurus was too weak from Sergio's attack to hold onto Ska. Noisy grit her teeth as she grabbed the Drifblim's Pokeball and activated it. She almost recalled him when she saw his arm flutter a bit to signify that he was still awake, if only just barely.

"Give me some cover, Eurus!" She called to him, hoping he would hear her. The balloon, which was already halfway deflated, took in a breath at her command and then let out a long, Haze filled sigh. In a matter of moments the area surrounding the pillar and more around it would be filled with a thick, white, chilling mist. Afterwards, Noisy would activate her PokeBall and grab her no doubt entirely deflated Drifblim, grabbing another Pokeball at the same time that held a fresh Banette waiting on standby. But instead of advancing, Noisy would slowly slink back against the pillar, trying her best not to slip on what ice was still on the ground and keeping absolutely silent. She'd wait for Ska's next move before deciding what to do next.  

[Marsuru]

Route 10 - Path to Bryony's Lab

Hm. Aural dysfunction. No matter. Happens to the best of us.

'Of course I can't be... him!' Team Flare Grunt Hank said, sounding shocked. 'You all know me well. Remember, it was just this morning that we all became close, as if the best of friends! All of us... except her!'

Team Flare Grunt Hank struck another pose, this one with his finger aimed dramatically at Brynnjarin. 'Would you rather trust me, your friend, Team Flare Grunt Hank, or the woman who I swear I saw wearing socks... with sandals!'