The Elite Four Strikes

[bravenewmods]

An unsettling calm hung over the streets of Union, a chilly, early morning fog settling in. The words of their newest visitors were unwelcome, and when word spread that the two would be leaving at sunrise, the people were grateful, if not a bit apprehensive. The Elite Four, their Champion, and the whole of Ever Grande—their radical ideologies were not only off-putting, but their methodology was more than a bit off-putting. They would need to be watched, closely.

In the early hours of the morning, warp bands around Union buzzed with life, a gentle light spilling from the devices. “Hello again, friends.”

It was her.

Her voice rang clear, and while her face wasn’t present, one could hear the smile in her voice. “I hope I didn’t wake any of you up. I wanted to thank you all for being so hospitable to Alina and myself, at least initially. But talk about the Union chill. Normally I like a little cold, but this is a bit much.

“When we first heard about Union, we were excited. Finally, we had found a worthy ally for our cause. So you can imagine our... disappointment, when we saw your true colors. You’re nothing but cowards! And here I thought, a city championing for peace, who were blessed by the Gods themselves, willing to live alongside pokémon without subjugating them to your will, would be able to understand the world that we wish to create. Instead, you hide behind your wall, hide behind others, and assume that by ‘defending yourself’ or those you deem unable or unfit to fight that you’ve somehow absolved yourself from guilt.”

Her voice grew cold, turning deep; “People like that make me sick.”

“Divinity is wasted on you, to be quite honest.” Her voice bounced again, chipper and clear. “If you can’t walk alongside us, then you’ll only serve as stepping stones toward a peaceful tomorrow. Union, like Glacier and so many other settlements before it, will serve as an example to those who wish to defy the will of the Gods. The pit of humanity needs to learn its place, crawling on its belly in fear from the true inheritors of the earth. We lay ourselves prostrate to their glory!

“Union believes that they’re able to decide what is right and what is just, but I disagree. I bring to you, the divine word of the Gods themselves! Listen well, people of Union, and all others! This is the world we seek to create, our perfect vision of peace! Hear me, O Great One, and come to my aid. Strike down these heretics where they stand!”

BMG: Gates to Infinity: Clash with Kyurem!

Answering Sveta’s call, a great dragon bearing the frost of the deepest winter appeared in the center of the city. With a roar of power, it’s unearthly presence sent waves of fear in the souls of even the bravest citizens of Union. Opening it’s vicious maw, it unleashed an enormous roar, a battle cry of deafening proportions, a Hyper Voice attack! While the sound was ear splitting to all who dwelt within Union, its power was focused. The great Signal Tower, a beacon of Union technology and innovation, began to crack heavily. Jagged scars appeared as chunks of stone fell unbidden from the tower. It still stood—but against such an assault, not for much longer. The force of the blast sent cracks sprawling through nearby towers as panicked shrieks began to echo throughout the city, a chorus of terror at the power of the god before them.

But in that moment, the humans were not alone. Two high-pitched cries met the titanic roar as twin dragons flew to Union’s aid, spiraling around the mighty ice dragon and attacking with twin Dragon Breath attacks. Once again, the great hounds and birds, as well as the Lady of the Moon and the Lord of Nightmares, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Entei, Raikou, Suicune, Cresselia and Darkrai stood at Union’s side, unleashing their own attacks. The people of Union felt the blessings of the gods with them. Here they would have to stand and fight—drive back the invaders and save their fair city!

[OOC: With the damage to the signal tower, Warp Band communication is offline and Pokemon cannot be summoned - thankfully the habitat is close and your Pokemon allies will come to your aid as the logs begin]

Comments

General Reaction

[bravenewmods]

Post general reactions here as the characters scramble to defend their city. The logs will begin tomorrow at midnight.

[expertonshutters]

[ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME.]

[THAT WAS THE FUCKING TOWER. THAT WAS A GOD BLOWING UP THEIR TOWER AND THE CRAZY ONE CONTROLLING IT AND NOW THERE ARE GODS EVERYWHERE. THEY ARE LITERALLY DROWNING IN GODS.]

THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I'M AN ATHEIST!

[Sorry for anyone getting that telepathic yelling in their head.]

[miracle_miko]

M-Mister Ichimonji?!

[ MIKO SOUNDS VERY UPSET.

Probably because the city is in danger.

Also because why are you in her head?

But also because YOU CAN'T SAY THAT WTF ]

[warriormouse]

At least most of the gods are on our side!

[niepokonany]

What's your issue? They're here to do us a solid!

...Most of them.

[sparrowfeathered]

I think this isn't the time to doubt the existence of the things helping us!

[What's even happening...!]

[divine_braid]

I couldn't have said that better myself.

[Yeah... he went there, too. Take that, gods.]

[untalented]

You can be Athiest all you want, but are you going to doubt your own eyes?!

[Waver....doesn't even know entirely who he's talking to at the moment.

He's too busy cursing somewhere in the undercurrent while he tries to pull an enraged Skitty off his head.]

[encouragetomorrow]

This may not be the time for that...

[She sounds distant, but still familiar. This whole situation is really throwing her.]

[rainsrespite]

[Have a startled yelp.]

SONNOVA! I knew that bitch was bad news...!!

[niepokonany]

Freaking right? She creeped me right out! Ugh!

["Ugh!" is surprisingly hard to convey telepathically, but Feliks does his very, very best.]

[untalented]

I'm not even that kind of psychic and I knew she was nuts. Why did we even let her in?????

[Waver is so done with this shit.]

Re: General Reaction

[conquerorofwaves]

...You know, I regret telling her she's cute -

[Sinbad makes a face as he realized he broadcast that]

Disregard that! Is everyone all right? Anyone trapped or hurt?

[flying_chains]

It had to be a dragon. Why did it have to be another dragon?

[Images flew through her mind of attacking Reshiram. Or of flying helplessly through the air towards a gaping maw filled with teeth like swords and being SURE she was about to die.

Not a chance in hell she was going to make that mistake again.]

[niepokonany]

You know, kinda called it?

The "wow, this girl's totally cray" bit, I mean. Maybe not the dragon quite so much.

She couldn't wait until morning, though? Like, my pajamas are not made for this kind of weather! Totes rude, honestly.

[vistapoint]

[INTERNALLY SCREAMING]

What the--?! This lady's insane!

[But more importantly--] We need to get people out of here, now!

[divine_braid]

FUCK ME! What the hell is that?

[This was so not cool. Duo scrambled as best he could, the two Pokemon that normally stayed with him in his apartment already by his side as he ran outside. He knew the others wouldn't be long in coming. Well, most of them.]

[wise_maiden]

This is... I had a feeling something like this was going to happen ...

[And yet they all sat there and let it happen.

Perhaps because they didn't expect it in quite this way. Thanks, Absol.]

[actsmagnificent]

Theater, report. I want us spread out.

[ ....given the number of thoughts all flooding her head at the same time - not all of which are her own - Haruka could do without the telepathy, thanks. Not knowing who's going to overhear her means she can't do Secret Organization things properly.

That's more an irritation, though. She can deal with that. She can crowd other people's voices out of her mind the same way she can stomp out her own. She is the leader of the Divine Defense Force. This is the crisis they were trained to prevent.

The crisis they failed to prevent. In the city she'd sworn wouldn't bloody its hands. But she'd never had control over that last part, had she?

Haruka won't focus on those things - she can't change them. But she can grab her newly-reinforced flight jacket and a pair of goggles Natto handmade...somehow...on her way to the Habitat, Passion the Ninetales padding along beside her. You'll only hear her murmur to Natto as he hands her the jacket if you're already in the area. ]

....Be brave.

Van! [ Natto salutes. Honestly, he is terrified. But he will look after the Pokémon who live at the theater! So Trainer doesn't have to worry! ]

[[ ooc: Haruka can be encountered either in the Theater or heading towards the Habitat!! ]]

[senpaidol]

[Rise was nervous enough that she'd actually been (mostly) awake when that call came out, and after muttering "no" at her Warp Band during Sveta's little speech over and over again, she was completely ready to duck and cover when the attack started. Fortunately, the Theater isn't anywhere near the initial site of the attack and, even better, Rise keeps several of her stronger Pokémon in her place instead of the Habitat, so she's ready to rush out as soon as she throws a coat on.]

[It doesn't prepare her for the sight of what's happening, though. Another great dragon, tearing the city - her city - apart. It's just like Glacier...]

[She's too numb to cry. Instead, she just sends out a psychic message to anyone who can hear it.]

The Warp Bands are down but it sounds like something's happening to let everyone use an ability like mine, so don't freak out if you hear people in your head. If you can get to the Habitat, go there and get your Pokémon. If you're attacked by Sveta, she's an Ice/Ghost/Dark type, so don't try Fighting, Normal, Psychic, Poison, or Ice attacks. She should be weak to Fairy, Rock, and Steel, but she might have the ability to cover one of those. If she wasn't a Ghost, Fighting would be the best bet, but...

Oh, do not attack her if the Dragon's nearby - they might be Bonded. I can't read the dragon, but Fairy worked well on the other Dragon god, so...

[She takes a deep breath, even though she's not actually speaking.]

Everyone, please, be safe. We can't let people like this win, or the world's going to go back to how it was, but first and foremost, if the god's attacking you, get away.

[warriormouse]

[As soon as everything hits and Martin gets over the flood of voices in his head, he starts broadcasting:]

If you have a Fairy-type, keep it with you! We're strong against Dragon-types and the god she has is obviously part Dragon. Avoid tall buildings and if you can't fight, underground or the Forest might be the safest. Try to stay out of the way of the gods.

I don't think it needs to be said, but if you have a Fire-type, Sveta is obviously at least part Ice-type so keeping yours close would be a great idea.

[encouragetomorrow]

[She remembers battles and why she hates them, watching the tower crack and realizing what it meant for the city's communication. She remembers the fear and the helpless feeling she's felt before in the face of this, and it stills her. Quiets her.]

[She hadn't met Sveta. She'd still been avoiding much mingling, still figuring herself out. She supposed this made for a good reason to have been so diligent. More cracks in the tower and the surrounding buildings finally earn a subdued response.]

No...

[And then it all catches up with her. The attacks, the tower, the damage. And most importantly, the fact that she had the audacity to address them, caustic and sarcastically or otherwise, as friends. Divinity was wasted? Perfect vision of peace? Ohh, Sveta, you've earned yourself an enemy you didn't even pretend to be nice to.]

[She was pretty sure she'd never been so angry in her life.]

Maybe my heart isn't in the right place here, but has anyone got dibs on knocking her off her Royal Ponyta?

[soulofmagus]

[ She had hoped to catch the Ever Grande party before they left, to give them a parting gift and wish them well. Things had not turned out as they had hoped, true, but Sophia had been certain that in time things could be reconciled. They all wished to give peace a chance.

But apparently that had never been an option at all.

The call had come through when she'd already crossed half the city. And so she'd been witness to the summons from two angles before that first attack rang out. A bit battered from where she'd been knocked aside by the blast of ice and the Hyper Voice, the present crushed and forgotten, the Gods' gifts help but it takes time to sort her own thoughts from the wave of panic around her near the tower leading to the industrial district. ]

The Industrial district is...chaotic. The-- the bridges are unsafe. Please be careful, everyone!

[Then, a quieter thought, not really intended for broadcast, but who can help these things right now? ]

I cannot find Elhaz...

[heartandsoul]

I really want to punch that smug bitch in the face.

[Maka's not aware her thoughts are broadcasting but there's a load of unrestrained fury in there, not just the cursing. Congratulations, it's now been discovered that Maka is actually a lot more violent than she originally comes off.]

Who the hell is she to call us cowards when we welcomed her and her pretentious "Elite Four" crap.

[comparative_insanity]

There are so many things we should all probably try not to think of now, huh?

Anyone need an overhead view anywhere? I don't particularly feel like flying too close to that thing, but brief sweeps should be fine... I hope.