bravenewworld | The Raids

The Raids

[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!))

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[ Of course, regardless of the warnings that had been given out about the bandits and how dangerous going outside of the city was, there was no way Usagi could just stay holed up inside the city. Besides, it was really only when people were heading to the new location that they were being attacked.. right?

So, if Usagi went to places around the city then she'd be fine.... right?

That had been the general plan, but, a wrong turn at a kind of? familiar rock has now led Usagi quite a ways away from the city and she is none the wiser about it. Pinky, on the other hand, is pretty sure that they're lost again and is trying her darndest to get her human to go back the way they came. ]

Oh, come on, Pinky! I totally know where I'm going! We'll be fine, no problem!

[ Denial. It's not just a river. ]

(ooc: The order is going to be kind of wonky at first since not everyone is part of the group yet. But, eventually, they'll all be in here? >_>)

[Makoto had been out with Sunny - the order of the day was a good solid training session for the little Mareep and afterwards a nice, quiet outdoor picnic. Both had been accomplished to the pair's satisfaction (Sunny had just used Electro Ball for the first time!) and it was time to head back.

The leftovers were packed and the two were walking side by side, when Sunny appeared to become agitated. With a cautious bleat at Makoto, alerting her to the change of direction, she turned from their path toward some unknown goal. After briefly glancing around to get her bearings, Makoto followed. Sunny never insisted on striking her own path unless she knew or sensed something Makoto didn't, and Makoto had no plans to disregard her companion's instincts now.]

[ They continue trekking through the forest, Usagi still completely unawares that they're going in the wrong direction and humming a happy little tune. Pinky knew that they didn't have much time before they were really too far from the city, and Usagi wasn't even bothering to listen! So, it was time to take things into her own paws! So, what kind of plan does the bold Clefairy plot to get her human to stop being dumb?

Why, over dramatically fall off Usagi's head and pretending to look exhausted. ] Ah! What the heck?!

[ Looks like someone's kept a bit of that theater training from the play contest a few months ago.

Are you tired already, Pinky? You've been doing nothing but sitting on my head this whole trip! But...

[ Usagi looks up at the sky, noting where the sun is up about and huffs. ] It shouldn't be taking us this long. We should have been there sooner. Lucky!

[ From above, her Fletchinder soars down from the tree tops and lands on a branch that's rather close to Usagi with a chirp. ] There you are, girl! [ Lucky lowers its head and without fail, Usagi gives the bird pokemon and nice pat on the head. ] Hey, can you glide up and tell us how much farther to the Lake Shrine we are? I'll let you have one of your snacks early if you do~!

[ With another excited chirp, (because who wouldn't want a snack after flying around), Lucky pushes herself off the branch and soars up into the sky. Usagi watches as her pokemon floats past the tree tops, head tilted backwards as her body just sort of moves to face the direction that Lucky points them to when she finally figures out which way to go. ]

So, this way? [ The moon rabbit finally straightens herself out and what does she realize when her gaze is the right way? ] EHHHH?! WE'VE BEEN GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION?!

[ And from in Usagi's arms, Pinky just paw palms and sighs. ]

[Well, Makoto didn't need to be a pokemon to hear that distressed shout. And it sounded familiar, too...

Since it seemed they were already on course towards the source of the loud noise, Makoto didn't have much to do except...continue onward.

And it wasn't long at all before she was pushing aside some obscuring branches to reveal one agitated blond bun-head and her pokemon friends.]

Usagi? What are you doing out here?

[...Besides being lost. >.>]

[ The sound of the bushes rustling is enough to make Usagi scream suddenly. In fact, it spooks her so badly that she as she's trying to scamper away, she doesn't pay attention to where her feet are and ends up tripping.

Face first.

Into the ground. ]

Ow.

[And...she faceplants right in front of Rei. Who's looking down at her with her arms crossed. Again.

She should have known it was that girl...]

Usagi-san...

[there's the sound of galloping hooves, ~~though Usagi might be the first to hear the vibrations.~~ The sound gets louder, and then here's a Rapidash, tightly rounding a stand of some convenient vegetation, before skidding to a halt right in front of Usagi.

A few rose petals drift by on the wind, but the rider doesn't exactly look happy to see any of you.]

Usagi...

[and a Roselia is curiously peeking out of one of the saddlebags]

[The drama of Michiru's majestic entrance may be squashed somewhat by a starstruck Mareep wandering up to her Rapidash.

Uwaaaah, Vivace, you're even more elegant and pretty now! So pretty! so cool! Uwaaaah!

...Nobody mind her, she's just going to stand there bleating softly up at Vivace for the moment.

Makoto, meanwhile, is hurrying over to Usagi's side to make sure she's alright.]

Are you okay? That looked rough.

[She reaches out to help her up.]

[ As if falling on her face wasn't enough of an embarrassment, Usagi's body twitches once she hears not two but three familiar voices fill the quietness when originally it had only been just her.

Can she just crawl under a rock and die? Seriously. What is up with this scenario? ]

Y-yeah, I'm okay...

[ Usagi's hand reaches up to try and grab onto Makoto's hand, and the first few swipes miss, but, thanks to the help of Pinky, who is completely unscathed and now trying to also help her human out, leads Usagi's hand where it needs to go so she can pry her face from the dirt. ]

Ow ow ow... Thanks. I'm okay.

[ Sitting up, Usagi just dusts off her forehead and nose that is just a little pink from the impact, but, now she's got a better view of everyone who's finally here.

She's not entirely sure why everyone's out and about.. because not everyone is like her and is easily lost. ]

Uh... hi? What a coincidence all of you guys are here!

[ Time to insert a nervous and embarrassed laugh. Because, seriously. Why her? ]

[Amid the chaos that is Hurricane Usagi, the fluttering sound of wings might be easy to miss. However, as three shadows--large shadows--begin to descend quickly upon their merry band, that might be harder to miss.]

[Somehow, Rei is not entirely surprised to see Makoto and Michiru again either. The way they'd come across one another was rather unforgettable, and she was never one to believe in coincidences really. She'll stand there, looking down at Usagi for a moment before joining Makoto in offering a hand for support.

A hand that drops at a warning growl from not far away, a deep basso rumble that Rei had already come to know meant possible danger. Casius, her newest Pokemon companion, took guarding her very seriously, and in the short few days since she'd met him...his protectiveness had become quite clear.

The dark haired girl's eyes dart up, searching for danger and spotting those shadows she shouts to the others! In the same instant, she steps around Usagi and places herself firmly between the oncoming danger and the space cadet on the ground.]

Look out!

Edited 2014-07-23 03:30 (UTC)

[Vivace the Rapidash's eyes light up at the sight of her friend, but she feels Michiru tensing up. Greetings might have to wait. A light tug on the reins, and Rapidash is wheeling about, planting herself firmly on Usagi's other side and flaring up for good measure.

Whatever those are will have to get through a literal wall of flame, while Michiru takes the moment to try and assess the situation. This...isn't good.]

[Makoto is barely one step behind Rei, alerted by her shout. She pulls Usagi somewhat unceremoniously the rest of the way to her feet and wraps one arm protectively around the smaller girl's shoulders, eyes darting left to right, searching for the danger.

Sunny joins her much taller Rapidash friend, although in slightly less impressive capacity, smashing herself somewhat awkwardly against the backs of Makoto's legs.]

What's going on?

Woah!

[ There was just so much going on now! First, it was being scared to the moon and back. Now, she's surrounded by friends by the one thing that she had been trying to avoid this whole entire time.

Lucky the Fletchinder, having been high up to try and help her human, takes it upon herself to make a dive towards the three shadowed figures with a loud caw, using Agility as a distraction and perhaps get a better glimpse as to what it is that's trying to get the jump on the party on the ground. ]

Lucky! Be careful!

[With ~~the puppy~~ Usagi properly guarded on multiple sides, and Fletchinder taking to the skies, they would seem relatively safe. The fire bird does manage to catch a glimpse of what is going on in the skies; three flyers, all appearing to be Fearows, and moving in some kind of formation. Sitting atop them are three human-like figures who, despite altitude and the quick movements of their mounts, appear to be doing fine.

It would appear that they've figured out that they have been sighted and, one "human" raising its arm up, the other two bird-and-riders dive toward them at break-neck speed.]

[Watching the shadows, Rei has a little bit of indication that something is coming down at them...but not a whole lot. Reaching back behind her, she grabs Usagi by the arm and dives to one side, hoping to prevent the girl she sees as...less than capable...from being hit.]

They're coming! Move!

Stay close.

[Rapidash steps forward to fill up the spot Rei had vacated, and then sends out a Fire Spin into the air. It's ostensibly aimed towards the enemy, but Michiru is mostly using it as cover fire. hah.

While that's happening, she's activating her Warp Band and summoning her Gardevoir.]

Gar... [the Pokemon's eyes glow and then she's casting Reflect on the party.

And...that's a Sweet Scent, gently wafting up with the fire, thanks to the Roselia ensconced protectively in the saddlebag.]

Sunny!

[Although she's far more timid than Makoto in social situations, Sunny does share a bit of her partner's tenacity in battle...which isn't all too surprising, considering how long they've been together. She responds readily at Makoto's call, leaping readily if a bit inelegantly to her Rapidash friend's side. Thankfully Vivace is close, so it's not really all that big a leap.

She knows what to do thanks to Makoto's patient coaching, concentrating the static in her wool and directing the resulting Thunderwave attack upwards, towards Vivace's targets.]

[ There was something about this moment that felt familiar -- being pulled to safety and then carefully covered by other people. Where did this feeling of deja vu come from?

But, the feeling immediately disappears. Why? Because in her deja vu stupor, she's not paying attention and instead unintentionally proves to Rei that she's less than capable.

By trying to catch herself from the dive in an elegant manner, scraping her knee on a rock and immediately wailing. ]

OW! That hurt!

[ Pinky, not even bothering to shake her head at her Human's intolerance to a small scrape, rushes for the most highest perch she can reach within a few seconds, takes a deep breath and sends a nice little Song to one of the two Fearows that are on a bee line for them. ]

[Their efforts are not in vain, however, the aerial assault seems to be more as a threat than anything else. Maybe they weren't anticipating anyone putting up a fight. They seem to dodge the Fire Spin relatively unharmed, although the smell of singed feathers in the air may tell otherwise.

The two flyers that dove toward them stopping just out of reach instead of directly engaging them--although one of the Fearows does appear to be flying a bit strangely, due to the Sing from Pinky. The third lands, and the person riding it dismounts. Despite being masked, it's easy to tell it is a woman. She appears to be sizing them up.]

Your goods, or we attack.

[Rei sets herself, Casius taking a defensive posture in front of her as she stands guard over Usagi, but she looks to Michiru for guidance. The older girl is plainly a veteran trainer...]

[startled, Michiru had looked over when Usagi cried out, but no. Looks like the ~~Princess~~ bunhead is relatively fine.

And when the raider spoke, Michiru took a moment to assess their small party. Rei had proven herself capable before, and it looks like Makoto and Sunny the Mareep have been practicing. And Pinky the Clefairy is as plucky as ever.

The apparent difference in experience, however...

She shares a look with her Gardevoir, who nods in understanding. Michiru smiles. She hates losing, but she's not about to drag these girls headlong into a battle without an Escape Rope (or Teleport).

The raider gets a polite smile.] As you can see, we don't have much on us.

[there's a Nasty Plot gleaming in her eyes, even as her Gardevoir sets up a Light Screen for the party.]

[Makoto is more than happy to defer to Michiru in this matter. She and Sunny are comfortable training together in the forest around Union, but they've never taken on three opponents at once - even with allies on their side - nor such large ones.

She shifts her position slightly, keeping her eyes on the sky while she listens to the exchange, doing her best to shield Usagi from direct view of the fliers.]

[ Usagi pulls up her knee, blowing on the hardly bleeding scrape for a moment to try and get it to just stop stinging so darn much! After a little while, it doesn't hurt as much but now all she wanted was a bandaid and maybe some delicious ice cream to make this all better.

But, first things first.

With a rather frustrated and angry expression on her face, Usagi jolts up from her spot on the ground and starts waving a fist angrily at the raiders. ]

What's the big idea, you bullies?! You think you can just come up to anyone you want and scare them to do what you want?!

[ Yeah... that's definitely Usagi's temper getting the better of her. ]

Even if we had anything on us, you don't deserve it anyway if you're just going to take without asking!

"Bullies"?

[The lead woman laughs. You're cute.

If she senses anything amiss, she does not make it immediately known.]

Well, then this won't take too long. Drop your weapons, call back your Pokémon, and leave your goods on the ground. Now.

Usagi, Makoto, Michiru, Rei

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dw notifs I hate you

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