808 may be panicking a little bit when she sees the big scary creature-thing eat Chai's weapon. It was just a trash grabber, devoid of any scrap metal that made it resemble a guitar once the magnetism wore off. And now it's gone. She's already wondering how Peppermint's going to-
Right. Peppermint. She should really know about this.
Before the robot cat can put out the call to her creator, she spies her new ally approaching poor, mentally-compromised Chai, who's curling and uncurling his robotic fingers into and out of a fist, again and again in time to the beat.
Huh... she remembers how the mp3 player in his heart had kept trying to start when SPECTRA overrode him. This is different; he's still playing music but he's pretty clearly under someone else's command right now.
But whatever sort of command it is, 808 winces when she sees this new ally grasp Chai by the shoulders, shouting at him, probably encouraging him to- what, break free?
The music pounding in his chest contrasts in a really ugly way compared to Adeline's motivational speech.
They tried to tell me but I - I couldn't stop myself and I - I came back, I came back haunted-
It's probably best she makes that call now.
"Peppermint here! What's going on? I got an SOS from 808?" Her voice is a bit clipped and winded, but it comes out of the robot cat's speakers loud and clear.
The jarring nature of those lyrics was not lost on her, either. Adeline gritted her teeth, unnerved by just how deeply this programming ran. Yet, speech only worked a fraction of the time when it came to such matters – which meant she would unfortunately have to pursue other means of snapping him out of this daze.
“I’m sorry,” she sighed, “but it looks like I have no other choice.”
A hand was lifted. Outstretched. And, rearing it back, she took a deep breath to scream.
Good thing that voice came in when it did, because she was probably about to make an even bigger fool of herself. Staring down at 808, she paused mid-smack, halting before she could actually hit the poor guy. Thank goodness, she had a lifeline here.
“Ah,” she lowered her palm, returning it to his shoulder. “808 is the cat, right? She uh, brought my attention to this young man who was acting off. Blank stare, it looked like he was about to attack the raiders before I stepped in.” The woman frowned.
“He uses a guitar as a weapon and is wearing a long red scarf. And there’s music coming out of him? Either or, he’s not in a good way. He’s not responding to a single thing I say.”
At least Shadow Pokémon could hear people. This was a whole other ballpark.
“Is there… anything else I could possibly do? I’m. At a bit of a loss here.” She was not about to admit she had nearly resorted to slapping him, as she had seen on television. It might have been a tad silly, in hindsight.
The area was bare. Stripped of its assets. Chimizo’s stroll through its labyrinthian halls went uninterrupted, for the personnel stationed about its every nook had perished beforehand. Although he did perceive movement on occasion, whatever its origin, it paid him no mind.
Part of him wondered if it was due to his repugnant vibes. This form tended to repel others, primarily due to its adverse effects. Lingering around him would invoke undesirable emotions, from paranoia to melancholy. The sludge inspired worse symptoms. That specific scientist he interrogated was wise to spit the grime out, because ingesting it might have sent him over the edge.
Nevertheless, his search was fruitless thus far. While there was still plenty of ground to cover, he was beginning to worry. What if he was too late? If a complete and total stranger found them first, then they could be…
His horrified inferences were blocked out by a welcome commotion. Up ahead, radiant flickers of rosy light danced about, flashing through the darkness and fading just as fast. Distant roars were cut off by their appearance, and the echoing of footfalls glided towards him.
To be safe, Chimizo hunched into a battle stance, anticipating the arrival of a monster. As the human-sounding steps neared, however, their source was identified before he could visibly discern her.
Shining cerulean eyes met his scorching scarlet ones.
“Chimizo?”
“Adeline?”
They paused. Adeline was the first to pipe up.
“What happened to…”
Oozing talons were raised. “It’s. An infrequent natural occurrence. We’d be submerged under rubble if I went into the specifics.” He answered simply, glancing to a remarkable presence around her ankle. To him, it looked to be a canine of sorts. One he had seen photos of. “And is that…”
Amusedly, Adeline snorted. “Yes, it is. She’s… pretty scared; doesn’t want to let go of my leg.” The magical critter was patted on the head. Her herculean grasp did not abate, even as she took the gesture without complaint. “We need to get out of here for her sake, but I’m afraid we won’t make it in time.”
A bulky cyclopic being, floating at about Chimizo’s ordinary height, settled at her side. Its ringed optic warily bore a hole into the ceiling. Judging by its exterior, it must be a fellow haunt. No doubt it too was having difficulties navigating the facility, troubled by the security measures they had taken as a result of his meddling.
“Well, you’re in luck, given who’s in front of you.” The oozing specter grinned. “Would you like me to send you home?”
Adeline’s mouth opened to reply, only to hesitate. Pensively tapping her free foot, she resumed, “Not home. Just outside the building. I want to patch up any wounded if need be.” She shyly fidgeted.
As a tremor passed, Chimizo inwardly frowned. “Alright. But I’ll have to drop you off at least a mile away. The last time one of these structures was raided, it self-destructed. I can’t risk leaving you inside a potential blast zone.” Noting the girl’s alarm, he ensured her, “Nobody was lost then. Our allies should be able to exit promptly. Though, if it’s necessary, I could transport whoever I run into.” It would give him more of a purpose, when he thought about it.
Lowering to the quadruped clung onto her, Adeline softly murmured in her ear. “Do you mind if I carry you? We’re leaving. We can rely on Chimizo for this.”
She cracked open an eye, whimpering. Yet she loosened, allowing the woman to scoop her up into her arms. There was an obvious refusal to perceive the horror in front of them, even if he was supposedly trustworthy. Shuddering, she tucked herself into as tight a ball as she could manage.
“Okay,” Adeline nodded, “We’re ready, then. Thanks for your help.”
Due to his enhanced capabilities, the portal out was opened with a flick of the wrist. The view of a lush forest devoid of blood and gore was heavenly to the group.
“You’re always welcome. Take care, and perhaps I shall see you later.”
Chimizo surveilled their surroundings as the three rushed through. Then, he closed the gateway with a curt tap on its surface.
That was one less set of raiders he had to fret over. Now, to ensure that nobody was left behind.
As Chai prepares to parry, 808 balances precariously on Adeline's shoulder, wobbling a little before launching her body at his lifted guard. She bounces off first before the dragon impacts, interrupting his attempt to deflect the attempted grab aaaand Chai's gripped successfully!
For the first time since he'd ever been hit with SPECTRA's influence, his expression changes, as the wannabe rockstar struggles once again to escape. His scrap guitar clatters to the ground, metal rolling off in all directions as Chai snarls like he's been possessed by some sort of metal singer.
He wants out. He hates having his hands restrained like this, held behind him like he's some sort of criminal.
808 shakes her head a few times to dispel the dizziness of her impact against Chai's parry shield. She looks pretty much the same, no external damage (thank goodness, and no thanks to a certain mean crocodile).
"Moo." Our favorite robot cat is still feeling the effects, but she's fine enough to pace anxiously around her restrained friend and the big friendly(?) dragon.
“Woah, what are you—” Adeline was not sure what she was expecting to happen when 808 stood up, but it certainly was not that. She gawked in amazement as she practically sailed towards Chai, knocking into him to provide a much-needed distraction. Thanks to her efforts, Maemie was able to lock his arms behind his back, squeezing them in silent urgence to cease struggling.
In his current state, though, the conveyance was ineffective. They would just have to chip away at this mind control however they could.
“Erastus, the guitar!”
Although his hand was not one-hundred-percent better, the specter heeded Adeline’s call and swooped over to retrieve the source of his pain, so as to prevent its owner from exacting further damage. Once in his grasp, he distanced himself, and, ah. Deposited the instrument into his mouth for safe-keeping. Fortunately, it nothing but a black void in there, typically reserved for transporting souls, but it had its other uses, apparently.
This eased Adeline’s reservations as she began to approach Chai. She took a breath to compose herself, brows knitting with focus.
“Whoever you are, I know this can’t be what you’re like. Your friend here wouldn’t have gone for help if that wasn’t the case.” Her voice was clear, stern. As if she had dealt with a situation like this before.
Once she was in front of him, she placed her hands on his shoulders, unfazed by his wild behavior. “You need to remember. And you have to fight the influence of the force that’s controlling you.” She glowered, though her serious expression was not directed towards him. Rather, what was tormenting him on the inside. “You didn’t come here to attack the raiders, did you?! No, you came here with a purpose like everyone else – to put an end to the terror this organization’s been spreading – right?!”
She shouted, raising her volume to overcome the music.
“Please remember! This isn’t YOU!”
Her eyes sparked. A curious energy was surrounding her, albeit faintly. Words might not be enough, but she had to try. If not, then there were other ways to bring him back down to Earth. Ones she did not quite like, yet she could not hesitate if it meant saving someone else.
Lab after lab, they weaved around the floor until they entered one which was astonishingly pristine. Whatever was the cause of the mess outside of it, it had not reached this particular outlier. The lack of metallic tang in the air eased the weary girl, significantly lowering the tension in her rigid body. Her guard had not been discarded, yet she was relaxed enough to actually breathe in here. Thinking came second.
“Do you feel that…?” Adeline whispered.
“(I believe so.)” Erastus replied.
Tucked away in this room was quite the unique sort of spirit. Those he detected stalking the grounds were about parallel to each other. The guards, the beasts, they lacked presence. This soul, like their fellow raiders, did not. Not only did it stand out, but it was infected. Restrained. Plus, it boasted a quality Pokémon tended to possess, as opposed to humans and the other oddities involved.
“Then she must be hiding around here. Leave no table unturned, or equipment for that matter.”
In the most literal sense, they did check under overturned furniture. Behind desks, below chairs, and above light fixtures. Accessible vents were hollow, and every corner was empty.
Those were the more open spaces. They were saving the cabinets and lockers for last.
Adeline crouched beside a cupboard and reached for it.
Another clattered.
She paused, breath hitching. Then she straddled over to the one which moved. Gradually, her delicate fingers wrapped around the handles and pulled.
A startled cry threw her off, reeling backwards at the sound. Erastus was immediately at her side to evaluate the source, which he stared at in disbelief.
Huddled inside the cubby was a discolored sylveon, as his trainer had claimed. Her pink fur was dyed purple, while the typically azure spots were a bold magenta. Burning eyes of the latter hue shone intensely in the dark. They brightened further as the psychopomp leaned in, bristling at the added attention.
“Oh, I’m sorry…” Adeline frowned. “We didn’t mean to scare you. Erastus, do you mind watching the door for us?”
Shaking his head, Erastus crept off towards the entrance and stationed himself there. He was fully aware of how intimidating his species could be – keeping his distance would be for the best.
“Thank you,” she smiled, regarding the corrupted Intertwining Pokémon amicably. “You’re Tutu, right? Or at least, that’s the name Lovrina gave you.”
Uttering either put a bitter taste in her mouth. Saying the former aloud, she could not help but notice how exactly it sounded. Sure, it could be equated to the article of clothing, but this one was reared to be a tool. And whenever Pokémon wound up in these situations where callous people or organizations kept them, they tended to be classified in a certain way.
Tutu bowed low, sinking to retreat as far as possible. She seemed to wince at the questions, sheathed claws extending to cling onto the floor.
“It’s ok. You don’t have to trust me straight away.” Adeline draped her arms around her legs. “And if you don’t like being called that, we can always come up with something that suits you better.” Her eyes lidded. “You’ve been through a lot, I’m sure. And you must be terrified right now, because of what’s going on.”
There were smeared red pawprints off to the side, as if she had been furiously wiping away the filth. Any traces left on her, she must be concealing them from herself.
“But you can’t stay here,” the woman advised, “because although this spot might feel safe… it won’t be for much longer. You’ve felt the tremors, haven’t you?” As if on cue, the building quaked. “There are people here who want nothing more than to tear this whole facility down. And if you stay, you’re just going to get hurt.”
Or worse. Shining pupils broke contact with her, trembling as they lowered. The fairy-type appeared to be considering her options, conscious clear in spite of the shadows constricting her heart. She was terrified, and the miasmic aura which began to envelop her made this apparent.
“I came here because I didn’t want anyone to be left behind.” Her ears twisted, unable to tune out Adeline’s speech. “Especially not you, who’s also lost something precious.” A hand hovered close; she could sense it. Yet, the human did not touch her.
No. It was a bizarre gesture. She seemed to be offering its warmth, but in an indirect manner. There was something radiating off of her which the sylveon vaguely registered.
How it was possible, she could not begin to understand. Her gaze lifted to look, nevertheless.
Pulsing across her palm was a mystical light. The temptation to lean in towards it was faint, drawing her to a stand. She still could not bring herself to interact directly, but those words, even if they were muddled in her mind, seemed to resonate with her.
“So. At the very least, will you let us lead you out of here?”
Tentatively, the frightened pixie took her first step. Adeline paced rearwards to give her space, genially watching her take the next one. Little by little, she clambered out, and the haze veiling her receded. “That’s it, there you go,” she was encouraged. “It’ll be okay, alright? I promise we’ll—”
CRRRK
Glass shattered. Erastus hollered as a profound thump reverberated behind them.
“(ADELINE, LOOK OUT!)”
The human jumped to her feet. She spun around, lump in her throat as a raging behemoth barreled towards her. A startled squeak was heard, and her leg grew heavy.
But she did not scream. Nor did she run.
Instead, her hand glided towards her belt with practiced agility and grasped for something.
It was upon them in seconds. Yet, before it could so much as lay a claw on them, a crescent lashed into its front. The impact flung it to the wayside, crashing into the furniture. Splintered pieces of metal and wood toppled over it, burying the aftermath of the strike.
What the nymph was witnessing defied common logic. Her savior was bordered by a rose-colored tint, which gently washed over her. Wielded with courage was a bronze sword’s hilt, which hummed in her grip. The same energy she exuded brimmed within the jewel set at its center, producing a blade fashioned from that dazzling aura.
Undaunted, Adeline sincerely grinned to her newest acquaintance, who was clung tightly to her ankle. Her eyes were shining bright.
“…as I was going to say. We’ll protect you.”
As she uttered this promise, the one once known as Tutu experienced a sensation through her feelers. She had forgotten what it was like to read one’s emotions, suffocated by the fog repressing her memories. But in this very moment, what the stranger felt resounded to her with utmost clarity.
Compassion.
Her vision warped. This moisture, its stinging, it seemed so foreign to her. Yet the water flowed freely, as if she had done it plenty of times in the past. Embracing it and the trainer, she tautened her hold, affixing herself as if her life depended on it.
Technically, it did.
Raising her sights to Erastus, who was relatively unharmed, Adeline beamed. “Alright. Let’s find our way out of here.”
Sylveon in tow, the two exited the freshly ruined lab and hurried out.
It was a repressed magical aura. Caged by shadow, its ability to cleanse and comfort was left abandoned. This potential was sealed to create a killing machine, and when that killing machine failed to forsake the kindred spirit trapped within her, she too was deserted in this cold and unforgiving place.
The sting of blood made Adeline wince.
“Here. She’s somewhere… around here.” She spoke quietly with purpose. “I can’t say where, exactly… but she must be close.” Frowning, the woman trained her gaze away from the floor. “Keep a lookout for those monsters, Erastus. We just have to follow this trail, and.” A soft breath was taken. “When we find her, there might be a bit of a confrontation. It depends on how her condition might be affecting her.”
Her companion gave a slow nod. Frankly, he was a tad perplexed by Adeline’s behavior. They had rescued plenty of Pokémon before, but they tended to gather intel beforehand. Somehow, without much research, she had an idea of what they were looking for.
Was this why she was on her C-Gear more often? She must have read up on the facility from there. Even so, it was strange. Her senses seemed keener than his, striding towards the signature of a specific living being close by. How was she doing this? He understood she was different from others, yet. This had never occurred before.
Once they had accomplished their mission, he would just have to prod her about it. But for now, the real quest had begun.
While those who had gone on ahead had definitely cleared the majority of the threats ambling about the corridors, some had managed to evade the throng of raiders and were scoping the area for anyone they could terminate. Adeline detested ordering her Pokémon to attack a fellow human, but she had little choice in the matter. Maemie was able to knock out the sentries required to steal their key cards and go, but those were not the only threats they had to worry about.
There were beasts prowling about. Ones which were not Pokémon. Whatever they were, they were horrifying and rather ferocious at that. Even when they attempted to creep by, they could track them by scent. Her partner handled them all the same, though this exhausted her eventually. She needed a break.
At the very least, she could swap her with Erastus. He seemed to be perfectly fine existing within this space, which made his inability to enter rather curious. She did not have to wonder the logistics for very long as they progressed, utilizing his ability to become intangible for sneaking by. This worked on the anomalous monsters; however, the patrols had inexplicably detected them regardless of their cover.
They fired not bullets, but bright laser beams which the Gripper Pokémon readily defended her.
And they hit him. Rather strikingly, at that.
“Shadow Ball!” She cried in desperation. He complied, charging the sphere within his maw and launching it at the offending guard.
It was nullified by a resplendent shield.
“How did…” Adeline whispered, trailing as the pieces came together. A barrier had obstructed him, the men could see him whilst incorporeal, their attacks were most effective on him, and his ghost-type move did no damage to them.
Their tech was specifically geared towards repelling specters. Why was that?
Not like she had any room to ask. Raising a familiar capsule in-hand, she made another command.
“Ice Beam, Body Slam!”
Upon chucking it into the air, Noah made his return to the action. Lethargic as he may be, his cryogenic ray was swifter than that of the armored guard’s rifle, freezing him on contact before he could even shoot. The ancient being then barreled towards him as a frigid sheet encased his body and boosted his power. Slamming into the crook, ice scattered off of him and sent his unconscious figure flying.
Adeline quietly thanked the eldest of her partners and withdrew him. She and Erastus kept their eyes open as they approached their felled foe to snatch his badge.
Holding it up to the limited light, the brunette frowned. “We’ll have to be more strategic from here on. I’ll be relying on you to escort us past the monsters, and Noah will handle the guards. When the coast looks clear enough, I’ll tend to that wound. Okay?” She glanced to the lofty phantom.
Erastus grunted in affirmation. His burn stung, though he had endured far worse.
“Alright. Let’s keep going, then. This feeling of mine… it’s growing stronger.”
Allowing her partner to take her by the hand, they vanished in the eyes of mortals. Regardless of how they skirted past the rest of the hazards, they should reach the lower levels soon.
"Yann..." Normal cat meow, but she seems to agree with the words on electric attacks. While 808 had seen Chai tank it in the past, she doesn't know what could happen now. Considering the... sigh... second bout of mind hijacking he's currently under.
Chai, despite his blank gaze and lack of noticeable expression, is clearly mad about the attempted electrocution. He swings one last time as his foe cringes away, before starting to turn at the sound of that order.
His brow furrows as he tries rushing forward, just barely avoiding getting grabbed by the middle - but that scarf is just within reach!
On top of that, Chai's movements are revealing a pattern...
808 gently baps at the stranger's face with a gel paw to get her attention, before swiping that same paw in the air to the rhythm of the song.
"Me-ew?" Get what I mean?
Shoot. She completely missed her target. Stumbling to a stop, Maemie flared her nostrils, whipping around to face the young man. While she could nab him by that long scarf, the possibility of choking him nullified that option. Like her trainer, the drake was pretty pacifistic – causing harm was purely a last resort if they could help it.
“Huh?” Adeline blinked as she was pawed at. She stared in perplexion as her ally made a gesture, which could have bewildered her more had she not noticed the pulse of the music in the air. While the conflict surrounding them had not entirely abated, it was simmering down enough for her to hear it clearer.
Taking note of the movement, she then glanced to Chai. Even when he was idle, he was bobbing to the beat. So, not only was the source of it acting as a pacemaker, but a metronome.
The brunette tapped her foot. She was more musically inclined than her Pokémon, meaning they might not follow it as well as her, though they had to try. “3…2…1…”
And, snapping her fingers, she called, “Again! Follow the sound if you can! Step to it!”
Blankly, Maemie stared for a moment, focusing on Adeline’s hand. She seemed to register what she intended, stomping towards him one beat at a time. Her mitts went to nab him a third time, to snatch at his forearms. If she could, it might be best to pull them around his back.
Adeline was advancing. Erastus trailed behind her, to be safe. As for Noah, he had stacked a wall of boulders around their battlefield, to keep the sentries out of it.
Thanks to the rowdy titans who busted through the foundation, Adeline had a straight shot into the complex which surpassed a decent chunk of the floors, providing her a safer route towards the bottom. Seated upon Maemie’s back, the two descended the chute produced by the crash, eyes open for patrols or any other suspicious sorts. They must have been busy because of her fellow raiders, because she had not seen any.
She understood it was not going to be this easy going forward. If they were to survive this ordeal, they had to keep vigilant and raise their defenses wherever it was required. It was almost like infiltrating a base from their world, only the humans were armed with guns rather than Pokémon.
Her lips pursed in discomfort. She would have preferred the latter, for obvious reasons. All of this death and destruction made her stomach churn.
But she had to endure it, because something hidden here resonated with her. While she could not confirm it with one-hundred percent certainty, part of her felt as if she knew what it was.
Pokémon were only utilized by crooked people as tools. Disobey orders, and they were left abandoned or worse. Nausea gripped at her throat, settling when she inwardly assured herself that the latter could not be. Otherwise, this sign would not present itself to her.
“Use Hurricane if you see any guards, Maemie,” she whispered. “Once we’ve reached the end of this path, we’ll have to be stealthy. I won’t send anyone else out unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Erastus could not enter the building from the outside, this much she discovered. Hopefully he should be fine to roam around once they were deeper in.
Maemie softly snorted in understanding. She would protect her, as she always had.
Whatever he was aiming at, Chai doesn't really... analyze it. If he was lucid, he would've freaked out. But all he does is stare at this strange... thing... as he's flying toward it.
The arm struggles to free itself. But he sees what's coming, and the wanna-be rockstar brings about the guitar with his other hand. As he brings it up, Chai smashes the weapon into the electrified fist aiming for his robotic arm, attempting a new(?) type of parrying- well, it was new for him, at least.
The jolt travels down his scrap guitar, causing him to grip it tighter as electricity buzzes through his body.
808 mewls in dismay, rushing over to Adeline and attempting to climb onto her shoulder.
How does she inform this group what she knows about Chai, if all she can do is meow?
Chai, meanwhile, has turned his robotic arm from a grappling hook back into... a robotic arm again. He's struggling once more like a wild animal, swinging his weapon of choice in an effort to free himself.
He's lucky that his heart rate is limited to the bpm of the current song. Hell, he's lucky it functions as a pacemaker.
Crack. Erastus’s bashed mitt recoiled as it was struck, spasming from the blunt strike. Fortunately, there were no bones to break, but it did hurt. Not enough to cancel his charge, though it was temporarily immobilized as a result of the throbbing pain. He clasped it in his other, grunting lowly at the discomfort.
“Are you alri—” His trainer went to ask, but her voice stopped short as she heard that familiar meow, and then something latched onto her.
Had she not been perceptive, she would have freaked and attempted to throw whatever it was off, but she was relieved to find it was just a cat. Likely the one she had heard. A brow raised as she glanced over at the robotic creature, puzzled by her urgency. “What’s wrong? Is there something I…”
She trailed as her sights shifted to her compromised ally, frenzied in his efforts. Erastus was ducking away from the flailed guitar to the best of his ability, preferring not to be whacked in the head next.
Something was wrong. Moreso than before. While she could chalk his behavior up to desperation, he was more deliberate before the shock. Even though Erastus had tempered it, this guy must be particularly sensitive for a reason.
With the cacophony in the background seeming to die down a tad, she was also starting to hear it more clearly. Music? But where was it coming from?
Could it be…
“Electricity’s a bad idea then.” She bit her lip. “Sorry about that.”
Maemie was still open while his affliction had him distracted. Maybe this time, they could do this right.
“Go! This time, lock them up like this!” She positioned her arms up front with her hands over her head, taking care not to let their new friend lose her grip.
Nodding, the dragonite began to stomp forward and rushed at Chai from behind, aiming to secure his arms above him to make it difficult to maneuver them. It might be tricky with how he was tossing his weapon around with reckless abandon, but if she could time this precisely, then maybe she could nab him mid-chop. Should Maemie actually nab him, it would hopefully retract into a detrimental position where it could not be aimed at anyone.
For such a friendly-looking critter, her grip was firm. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, yet not enough to deal serious harm. She clutched him just a tad to urge him to stop struggling, which he gratefully did. Tail flicking, Marmie turned her head up towards her trainer and snuck a smile, as if asking her, ‘did I do good?’
“Great job, Maemie!” Expectedly, she cheered. “Now, hold him there, so I ca—HWUH?!”
Both girls snapped up in alarm as his prosthetic launched at the human, which caught them off guard. Adeline stepped back to run, though with the hail of bullets raining around them, she had nowhere to safely rush off to. To her fortune, the shout which left her had alerted Erastus to her encroaching plight.
Twirling to her front, he raised an arm to be caught by the grapple in her stead. Maemie yowled as this evidently allowed the brainwashed man to slip through her hold, flying towards the large specter instead.
Narrowing his eye, the Gripper Pokémon anticipated his arrival and raised his free hand.
Adeline cracked her eyes open to make a split-second assessment. That arm of his was mechanical. If it could somehow be fried, he might not be able to use it. But they had to be cautious about it to avoid serious damages.
“With less voltage—Erastus, use Thunder Punch!”
Sparks crackled between his fingers at her command. Rather than strike his opponent as he swung towards him, he clapped the electrified hand down on the arm which snagged him, sending a controlled jolt through it. He might be smashed into regardless, but it was worth a shot.
Little by little, their group amassed. There were a few individuals Adeline recognized from the chat room besides Grey, of which she had actually spoken to before, but this was obviously not the best time to indulge in idle chit-chat. Everyone was on edge, understandably so, and it was not as if they would be given a chance to discuss a plan, here.
Because the instant sirens blared, all hell broke loose. Armed guards spilled out from the facility and started unloading their weapons on them. Fortunately, they seemed relatively prepared for this, retaliating in a chaotic frenzy of attacks. People, Pokémon, no matter who or what, they were relentless in their counterattack.
A tightness constricted her chest. The wailing seemed to echo in her mind, overlapping as numerous images of sterile halls flashed past her. Whizzing bullets tore at the visions assailing her, causing the muscle by her shoulder to throb. Her breath picked up, attempting to avert her gaze from the gory sights in motion. If this continued, she could effortlessly be picked off.
But she was not alone. Immediately, a towering dusknoir surfaced from her shadow, snarling between jagged teeth. Hefty arms were raised to defend her while he awaited further instruction, which she kindly provided with a stutter.
“Er—Erastus, use Psychic to divert the bullets from everyone! I-If you get a chance, use it to send the guards flying, too.”
As commanded, a mystic aura shrouded his singular optic and he unleashed waves of telekinetic power upon the projectiles, harmlessly bouncing them away into the air. Whenever a guard came even close to his trainer, he punched them dead-on.
Adeline swallowed dryly. This would not be enough, she knew. So, she reached into her hidden belt and procured two Pokéballs: one a Dive Ball, and another a Quick Ball. “Maemie, Noah, I’m counting on y…”
Her words trailed as a robotic caterwaul somehow graced her ears above the explosive gunfire. Gasping, she pivoted, eyes drawn to what appeared to be a black cat running this way. Behind her was one of their own, however, he seemed… off.
That glazed, neutral expression. It was harrowingly familiar. Why was he approaching the others with such purpose, toting a reinforced guitar like a cudgel?
“…Noah, use Ice Beam to trip up the guards. Maemie, I’ll need you for this.”
The Quick Ball was tossed off to the side. Emerging from its emitted beam was an aurorus with faded color, numbly assessing the scene before firing off the cooling rays, freezing patches of land beneath platoons rushing at them. He stood firm in order to keep the woman safe alongside his ghostly teammate.
Another breath was taken. Gritting her teeth, she began to advance towards the young man, Dive Ball in hand.
Now, how was this supposed to work? And how did it know her real na…
Typically, she would not ask somebody she was unfamiliar with for a favor, especially not when it regarded transportation. But she was desperate, here. And it seemed this creature was trusted in that chatroom. That should have helped her nerves some, although her jitters would say otherwise.
This was just a precarious situation all around. Why throw herself to the wolves, if this could worsen everything for her?
Well, that was simple: her conscience would not allow it.
Fumbling with her hands, Adeline anxiously waited for a sign. When it was Chimizo opening the portal, at least she could see him doing it. Here, she had no frame of reference as to the when. Awkwardly glancing to-and-fro, she bit her lip, doubts beginning to creep in until her C-Gear buzzed, startling her.
As she instinctively raised her wrist, the device sparked with flecks of muted shades, and a bolt of static shot out in front of her. It hit the air, seeming to collide against an invisible structure and tear a rift into it. Inside was the image of a foreboding facility, plus a growing crowd of people surrounding it.
Imposed upon the building was an insignia shaped like a parasol.
She sucked in her breath. This was it, then.
“Ready?” Oceanic hues drifted to her shadow. It shuddered with anticipation. “Right, then. Let’s go.”
Swallowing, the young woman strolled through the gate, emerging in front of the Umbrella lab next to the others who had gathered. To Grey, she managed a curt nod, for he was the only one she recognized. Too nervous to speak, she politely folded her hands, considering how she would follow the charge when it came.
Anything could happen here. She might see things she did not like. Worn scars might be ripped open. But it did not matter, if it meant one life or more could be saved.
That was what she hoped to accomplish, above all else.
Trembling fingers clutched at the C-Gear, too frail to potentially damage it in their grasp.
“Since… she’s not there, I shouldn’t bother, but…” A breath was sucked in. “What if…?”
The woman only ever heard of what the facility had done in passing. How people were hurt because of it. New life was born there, only to be abused. To be manipulated by callous, pathetic excuses for researchers.
She was not relevant in this. Why, then, was part of her tugged towards it?
“It’s… not like I can do anything.” Adeline sighed. “Chimizo will be too busy to take me. Maybe I should just… let it be.”
