The Raids

[bravenewmods]

[As the people of Union begin to move out into the plains, they'll find that the Councilor's warnings were apt. Though not everyone is targeted, it isn't long before a few unlucky travelers find themselves on the receiving end of the same type of attack. The bandits, whoever they might be, are experts at swooping out of the blue, striking so swiftly that the victims almost never even catch a glimpse of them.

How exactly will they put this to a stop? There's so many, it seems impossible to take them out one group at a time... Perhaps they have a base somewhere.]

((This post is for both groups who wish for mods to run and players to thread freely amongst themselves. You may feel free to handwave having been attacked and thread the aftermath of that event. Please respond to the appropriate section depending on where your character is. Thanks!))

Comments

Re: The Rolling Plains

[usedstringshot]

[Once he'd finally stopped bringing up how disturbing the councilman's nudity was, Peter had immediately signed up to head out to search for the missing caravan.

And so it was that a group of three Rangers and one Guard were now in the Rolling Plains. Peter warped in Gordon, his Herdier, as soon as they arrived.]

Alright Gordon, think you can sniff out the caravan's path for us?

[He was rewarded with a serious-sounding bark.]

[makeitquick]

Slugger, you back that up. [ Melaka commands this of her Donphan. The thing has been out for now here, and when ordered, makes to try to get the sent as well, getting in step wit the dog. He's always had fairly acute senses.

[freelyfalling]

[Heading out into the lands far away from the city is something Braig still isn't used to. His companions are definitely the experts here, not that he'll admit it in a hurry. Still, better show some community spirit, better pull his weight...

His Skarmory is flying overhead for the moment: he gives it a wave.]

Now, if they're using their noses, you use your eyes. Go scout along with them. Come back soon, you hear?

[bravenewmods]

After maybe half an hour, the Pokemon have yet to return. Those with keen eyesight might, however, catch the flash of electricity to the north of their location - and not a cloud in the sky either!

[usedstringshot]

...that can't be good. C'mon!

[Peter started running. It wasn't with a speed anyone would call superhuman, but with his generally enhanced physiology, he was still booking it northwards pretty quickly.]

[freelyfalling]

Jeez. No kidding...

[Braig's own enhanced speed's helping him out here as he follows.]

24-ish hour advance tag

[bravenewmods]

As the team gets on site, they see their scouting Pokemon have been injured and are trapped in nets by a group of three muscular women riding a Pidgeot, a Fearow and a Staravia respectively. The women are wearing furs, their clothing definitely designed for a somewhat colder climate.

Re: 24-ish hour advance tag

[usedstringshot]

[Peter's eyes focus on the riders, using his skills as an Analyst to attempt to determine if they have Enlightened abilities of their own. He also activates Detect, just to be on the safe side.]

Hey! Birdbrains! You wanna tell us you're doing with our friends?

[freelyfalling]

[Well, so much for being subtle. But - damn. Braig's hand's on his pistol as he approaches, peering at the whole group.

Ugh. He never thought he'd find himself feeling this bad over a Pokémon. But it's his fault it's in this mess...]

You see, ladies, we know they're all a wonderful bunch. But they just so happen to be ours.

[bravenewmods]

[The women glance at each other and one of them shrugs]

Should've taken better care of them, then.

[She snaps her fingers and a Raichu leaps forward and launches bolts of electricity at the team]

[usedstringshot]

Nice choice, but..

[Peter dodged effortlessly out of the way, and proceeded to warp in his Trapinch.]

...you probably shouldn't put an Electric-type against a guy who started with Ground. Amanda! Sand Tomb!

[Amanda charge fearlessly towards the Raichu, whipping up a localized sandstorm.]

[freelyfalling]

[Braig dives out of the way of the electricity, though he's not quite as unfazed as Peter. He rolls, and comes up again -

- in two separate places, Double Team kicking in. Both look equally smug.]

A bird can't fly without someone wanting to clip its wings around here? Now we really are in the wilds...

[bravenewmods]

[The Raichu screams at the sight of the sandstorm and runs back to hide behind the woman who clicks her tongue disapprovingly. Another one pats her Pidgeot who flies up into the air and starts flapping its wings, creating a gale of wind to blow the sandstorm away. Meanwhile the Staravia takes to the sky and starts circling the two Braigs, waiting to see if he will make a move]

[freelyfalling]

[Well, he's got their attention, which is pretty much what he wanted... perhaps he can wind them up a bit, make them guess...

Both images turn to fire, but only one of those sets of bullets, flickering with Psychic energies, will be real.]

[makeitquick]

[ Melaka, of course, had been right on the heels of this whole journey. She had followed out of her concern for her elephant. But then, confronted with this scene, she once more had her somewhat distinct hesitation about fighting other humans in a serious battle. But, for the sake of Slugger (and her companions already fighting) far be it from her to hesitate.

She might feel sick in a moment.

Either way, she's diving right in personally. With them occupying all the pokémon which were readily obvious, Mel's intention was to go and try to swing a punch at one of the women. A high-speed Mach Punch, that is.

Who knows if she can make it with all these birds though ]

[usedstringshot]

[With the Raichu more-or-less out of the way, Peter had to pick a new target. Problem was, nothing he had was very good at handling Flying-types. New tactics were needed, so he activated his warp band.]

Amanda! Dig!

[Through the link, he impressed upon her the need to tunnel under the net and make it wide enough for the trackers to escape through. Once she made it, she'd jostle them awake, and help them in.]

[bnw_void_npcs]

[Melaka's punch strikes the woman square in the gut, slamming into densely knotted muscles. The woman smiles]

My turn.

[She then returns the punch with one of her own, a megaton punch with incredible force behind it.

Meanwhile, the Staravia, seeing the bolts, launches itself even higher into the sky, out of range of most attack.

The last woman clearly doesn't grasp the meaning of the dig. Amanda is able to reach the others quite easily, but she has turned her attention to Peter. She points at him and her Pidgeot comes flying down toward him, its body glowing with white light - preparing to unleash a Brave Bird attack]

[usedstringshot]

[Moving quickly, Peter calls in Spots, who, without any prompting because holy hell that's a Pidgeot why else would you bring me here, uses Reflect.]

Gods this is gonna hurt.

[Brave Bird connects, but thanks to Reflect Spots and Peter just barely manage to weather it, the Bug Pokemon somewhat better than the Ranger, but neither of them are going to be able to take another hit like that. Peter slowly picked himself up, straining with the effort.]

Okay, new plan. Spots, nice work, but you'd better return.

I gotta tell you, you play rough. Let's see how you like having that turned against ya. Kit, you're up to bat! Confuse Ray!

[The shiny Vulpix replaces Sots, and fires a beam of light at the Pidgeot.]

[freelyfalling]

How about that, then, featherbrains?

[As his target retreats, Braig takes the opportunity to call in a bit of reinforcement: his Meowstic's brought into play. Why not have a cat chase the birds? Yet more psychic energy flying around, then, as it launches a Psybeam at the nearest target...]

[makeitquick]

[ Well that's new. Oh sure, Melaka's punched a few thing which meet with a resistance to fend off her punches, but not many and none of them, until now, had a human shape. The return punch at least came with a warning, and she's able to mount a guard. But despite the guard she's send sliding back away from the woman. And it hurts. That'll take a while to Recover, even with her healing. Precious seconds she might not necessarily have.

Still.

She won't let up. Pumping out her muscles, she winds up her fists. But also leaps forward to try to land a kick to try to force the woman back a little. Pride and all - ]

Strong, but I got this!

[bravenewmods]

[The woman returns with a kick of her own, leg locking with Melaka in midair as she hurls her fist forward. There's the sound of a click as two darts are fired from a device on her arm at intense speed, right at Melaka's midsection.

The Pidgeot immediately starts moving erratically, before crashing into the ground. Its trainer clicks her tongue and decides to take matters into her own hand, spinning a bola and launching it right at Peter.

Braig fares a bit better, the Pidgeot takes the Psybeam square in the chest but keeps coming, dropping down on him and completing it's flying attack]

[usedstringshot]

[Peter dodged the bola, and Kit, taking offense at the trainer attacking her partner, let out a Roar, targeting the bola-throwing Valkyrie.

Meanwhile, Amanda had managed to get the last of the trackers down into her tunnel, and quickly leading them right back behind Peter.]

[freelyfalling]

[Dodging, dodging, here too: Braig takes the worst of the hit. he frantically throws Double Teams up as he recovers: he can't afford to take another blow like that! There's four of the Guard here, now, trying to play distraction. Another Psybeam from Meowstic for good measure, too.]

[makeitquick]

[ Which, of course, means they connect. You can't guard or Detect from this position and so she gets darts right in her belly. But she also makes to swing a cross-counter with her elbow, trying to make it on the woman's face ]

[bravenewmods]

[The Valkyrie flinches back from the Roar. Stepping back, she remounts her Pidgeot as it shakes off the confusion and takes flight, circling warily but not making another move.

The Psybeam almost strikes the Pidgeot that hit Braig, but another woman drops down from the saddle and takes the blast instead. She grits her teeth before swiftly remounting and taking to the air.

As Melaka swings, she suddenly feels much weaker, as if something is sapping her strength. The other woman weaves back and dodges the fist before launching a kick at her midsection intended to send her flying, her Pidgeot hovering and waiting for its rider to finish.