|
|
Post by Stygian Poe on Jan 18, 2015 8:46:18 GMT -7
Stygian stared up at the lighthouse that housed the Azzurra Dragon-type gym. The light wasn't shining, so the Ampharos must be with the old woman. Stygian groaned. He didn't want to be here. He would much rather be in his suite relaxing, so he'd have to make this quick to get back there. Stygian stepped up to the lighthouse doors and pushed them open. He entered a large open room with a few doors on the far side leading to living quarters and a ramp on the right leading further up into the building. He let out his Honchkrow and it flew up into the upper parts of the lighthouse to stretch its wings.
"Helloooooooo?" Stygian called, "Anybody hoooooooome?"
A small old woman came out of one of the doors, and adjusted her glasses to look at him.
"Stygian," she said, "What the hell are you doing here?"
Stygian giggled. "I got bored and was in the area, and thought I'd stop by for a friendly battle! Come on, Beatrix!"
Beatrix Naga frowned. "Its Master Naga to you. And if you really want to get your ass kicked, Styg, I suppose I can oblige."
Stygian twitched. He hated it when people shortened his name. It made it sound like stick. He forced a smile and pulled a Pokeball off his belt and threw out Umbreon.
The old woman laughed. "Well if you want to start out stupid, Styg, I won't stop you." An Ampharos came out of the Pokeball in her hand, and the keystone in her necklace began to glow. It grew larger and immediately called a thunderbolt down from the sky. It hit the top of the lighthouse and rocketed down to hit Umbreon, sending the Pokemon flying against the wall and raising the hairs on the back of Stygian's neck.
Stygian growled softly to himself, and then yelled, "Umbreon, Protect!"
At the same time, Beatrix was shouting a command of her own. The Ampharos opened its mouth and a shock wave issued outward, washing over the shield that Umbreon had brought up just in time.
Stygian giggled again, his frown turning into a malevolent smile. "Umbreon, Dark Pulse!"
The Umbreon glowed for a moment, then darkness engulfed the room and Stygian heard the faint but familiar flutter of his Honchkrow's wings. The Mega Ampharos reeled backwards, looking to its owner for its next move. Stygian's smile widened as both he and the Ampharos saw Honchkrow swoop down and grab Beatrix and pull her up into the air. The Dragon trainer didn't waste a moment, immediately twisting the bird's grip and latching her hands around its massive neck.
"I'm not going out that easily, you little shit!" She yelled.
A short bark of laughter shot from Stygian's mouth. "Actually, Beatrix, I'm thinking you will. Honchkrow, finish her off."
The Honchkrow rose in the air and the Ampharos roared. But before it could act Umbreon hit the dragon Pokemon in the back, shifting its focus long enough for the Honchkrow to slam Beatrix against the wall.
Beatrix spat in the Honchkrow's face, "Come on you damn bird, you'll have to do better than that!"
The Honchkrow screamed as Beatrix punched it in the face, and then the giant bird slammed her into the wall twice more, just enough to get her to loosen her grip on its neck. Honchkrow threw her down, and she slammed into the ground, immediately going limp.
Stygian roared. "HA! Take that bitch! Lets go, kiddies, I've got a bottle of booze with my name on it."
Stygian's Umbreon and Honchkrow ran out the door as the Ampharos ran to its fallen trainer. Stygian laughed maniacally as the lighthouse doors closed behind him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mr. Stricker on Jan 19, 2015 3:14:23 GMT -7
Mister Stricker blew on his Ray Bans, black on the outside, and pink on the inside, wiping them off with the sleeve of his long brown leather coat. He leaned against the lighthouse building, supporting a majority of his weight on his right leg. He replaced the sunglasses on his ears. He looked up to his left, noting the Crobat dangling from the rafter of the lighthouse building. There he was.
The doors burst open, flooding the peaceful bluff the noise of Stygian's laughter. Mister Stricker sighed. No one else was available to babysit Stygian this time.
"Is it done?" Mister Stricker did not like talking.
"That ancient bitch is dead," Stygian grinned.
Mister Stricker stopped his leaning against the building, turning toward the Elite Four member. "And?" the word made him grimace.
"The Ampharos is alive," Stygian was visibly disappointed.
"You better get out of here," Mister Stricker spoke to the man for the last time. "I think I hear someone coming."
Mister Stricker returned to resting against the building, unwrapping a sucker from his pocket and wedging the hard candy into his right cheek.
|
|
|
|
Post by Étienne on Jan 20, 2015 1:05:26 GMT -7
Louis's massive chest expanded, filling as he took in the lovely scent of his rose bushes. He was sipping his evening tea in his garden, his gaze was fixed on the Lighthouse. 9pm sharp, every night. That shining beacon would blaze forth, filling him with a fierce pride in his gym that sailors from across the world would see the power of dragon Pokémon and be safer for it. He knew his future, under the tutelage of Master Naga, would be as bright.
He smiled at the thought. The smile soon turned into a frown. Something felt off. He glanced at his watch.
9:03pm.
Strange. He couldn't remember Master Naga ever being late. He pulled the pokeball off of his belt.
"Tiamat, come."
The Charizard coalesced in front of him, a back-lit shadow in the twilight.
"Let's make a visit to the gym. We could use a late night workout anyway! The holidays have made us soft!"
Tiamat grunted as he hauled his bulk onto her back, then took off in flight. They both reveled in the sensation of flight. How the belly and heart seemed to dance as the warm tropical wind whipped around them. Unfortunately, it was not a long flight. His parents had said it was a matter of efficiency moving the manor closer to the gym, all those years ago; that a lad should never walk that far alone. His arguments about him and his powerful new Charmander handling anything had fallen on amused, though ultimately deaf, ears.
Coming back to the present as he came back to the earth, Louis looked at his watch.
9:09pm. Still no light.
Before he looked up he heard a piercing cry.
"Lucius?!" he bellowed. His shout was joined by a low rumbling from his Charizard. He charged at the front doors, almost knocking them off their hinges as he barged through.
His eyes immediately fell on the only light source in the room...
The Ampharos, keening over the limp form of Master Naga.
A choked sob escaped his throat as he rushed to her side.
"M...Master Naga! How...?! Who di..."
"Hush, boy." Beatrix rasped. "You know I hate it when you ask questions I would answer if you would just be..." She was interrupted by a fit of rattling coughs.
"...be patient."
Louis knelt in silence, tears beginning to gather in his eyes. He hadn't missed the blood that had accompanied those coughs.
"Now listen, boy, this is Styg's work. Fucking bastard knows how to fight dirty. He..."
"Stygian of the Elite Four?!" Louis interrupted, his shock overriding his manners.
Beatrix's eyes flashed in annoyance. She tried to raise her hand to admonish him, but instead winced.
"Yes, boy, now shut up! I don't know what he is up to, but the crazy bastard may be back. I need you to take this." She pulled a small velvet sack out of her robe and pressed it into Louis's outstretched fist. "It's time, Louis..." Her voice was getting quieter. Weaker. "You and your Charizard have grown strong over the years. With this you may finally awaken the dragon's full potential in Tiamat."
"Master, I..." It was Beatrix who interrupted this time, but instead with a series of wracking coughs. She doubled up eyes going wide. Her expression went to a grimace as the coughs suddenly stopped, replaced by a quiet sigh. The Ampharos cried out in a long trilling wail, joined by Charizard's roar.
It was many minutes before Louis dried his tears and stood up to leave. There were preparations to be made. For the funeral. For the gym. For revenge. He had only made it a short way out of the doors before he heard a loud crunch from behind him, to the right. He whirled around, ready to fight.
A man in a brown coat, eyes hidden by sunglasses, stepped out of the shadows. The man casually flicked what Louis realized was an empty lollipop stick into the air. With a few more crunches the man swallowed.
Then he crossed his arms and smiled.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mr. Stricker on Jan 20, 2015 1:26:27 GMT -7
There he was.
Mister Stricker was not quick to speech. The pupil had taken his master's final lesson well, as he waited for Stricker. Good. He needed to listen well.
"Soon Giulia Rossi will hold a press conference about the attacks on the gym leaders today," Stricker stopped, baiting the man to interrupt. It was to no avail. "She will call all surviving gym leaders and their families to safety at Haven Corp."
Mister Stricker unwrapped another sucker and tossed it into his mouth, sliding it across his teeth with his tongue and depositing it deep in his cheek.
"I'd start in Fiume."
Mister Stricker turned and walked away. It was getting to be close to 10, and a man of his age didn't stay up much later.
He turned around one more time. It wasn't a familiar feeling, wanting to console someone. Stricker walked a few steps back.
"She was never alone. And she held on for you," Mister Stricker ended the conversation.
A Crobat drifted down to Mister Stricker's shoulder. Suddenly a Xatu appeared at his side.
And just as suddenly, Mister Stricker vanished.
|
|
|
|
Post by Étienne on Jan 21, 2015 17:02:47 GMT -7
Louis's blood raced. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tiamat begin to smolder, ready to attack. He made a small hand gesture. Stay. There was something incredibly dangerous about this man, despite his seemingly relaxed demeanor. He concentrated on the breathing exercises Master Naga had tought him to quiet his heart. He had almost missed what the man had begun to say. He listened intently, trying to glean any information he could from the man. He had to suppress a flare of anger when the man littered in front of the gym. Again.
When the man began to walk away he looked at Tiamat and nodded. He was about to signal the attack when the man stopped and turned.
"She was never alone. And she held on for you." Louis was so stunned he couldn't move. Before he could recover the man disappeared with his pokémon.
It was almost too much to take in in his current state. He walked over to clean up the trash as he thought. Others had been hurt? But it was so senseless! And how did he know Ms. Rossi would hold that conference? Was she in on it somehow? Louis hoped that was not true. What would he find in Fiume? A trap, perhaps? Louis wasn't afraid. He would do what he must to set this right!
He was pulled from his reverie when Tiamat gently nuzzled his shoulder. He hadn't even heard her approach. "Right, my friend, we have to get Master ready." He clenched his fist. Grimacing, he glared at the trash he had forgotten in his hand. He noticed something stamped into the sticks. Mr. Stricker? He had never seen this brand... Was that the man's name? He put them in his pocket. He did not want to forget. He took a deep breath. Then, steeling himself against another wave of tears, he gathered the supplies to transport Master Naga's body.
When he arrived at the manor, he informed his servants of the tragedy that had taken place. There were many cries of anger an anguish. Beatrix was close to the whole family. When they had settled down, he sent many off to make preparations. The funeral would be tomorrow.
As he retired to his study he started a journal writing down any details and what the man, Mr. Stricker?, had said. He then began to plan his journey to Fiume. He would get to the bottom of this. He would avenge Master Naga.
|
|
|
|
Post by winstonthebutterfly on Jan 21, 2015 23:13:12 GMT -7
Life had become … uncomfortably busy as of late for Odette, from having to coordinate teams of new breeder hires all of which were specialized in specific fields, to meetings and presentations where architects, scientists, marketing paraded back and forth boasting their models and graphs. Not to mention the stacks of paper work that seemed to grow at an extremely alarming rate. She hadn’t even set foot upon the island and yet it was all she seemed to hear about! Azzurra , a jewel floating upon the gleaming ocean waves , it’s beautiful buildings only matched by its beautiful flowers. Odette had little hope for any rest and relaxation for even on this early morning ferry to the island Odette was being constantly pestered to sign this, schedule that. All of it, Odette found, was rather tediously uninteresting. Even from where she stood upon the deck looking out to the island where the light house stood tall like an ancient arbiter guarding over the bay below, any sense of adventure was lost on her.
The ferry passed by flanking rows of squashed together buildings in the wide crescent harbor, It was soon stopped alongside the centermost of the ancient stone docks that stretched from the town like roots. Odette disembarked from the ferry not paying much mind to her surroundings. From the base of the docks a low, wide stair case, flanked by two curved ramps, lead up to the main town square. The square was more of a long rectangle with a large reflecting pool at its center and crowned on the far end by a stunning religious building. On the Left, directly along reflecting pool was a long row of open market stalls with a pleasant walk way that separated them from the tall ornate pushed together homes and shops that walled in this side of the square. On the right of the pool was two story gothic promenade that only housed a few market stalls beneath its arches. It was attached to a long equally beautiful building that walled in the right side of the square. Both sides were broken by large gates on the farthest side near the temple. The town, directly harbored, to the ocean with its many interlocking streets and buildings was utterly picturesque in its refined renaissance style and beauty , the playful mix of water features, trees and flowers only added to the towns aura of splendor.
But alas from every flag pole and seemingly every window, hung black banners. The shimmering jewel upon the waves had veiled itself in mourning. Odette was taken back as a very panicked assistant ran to her almost falling down the stone stairs to greet her an tell her the bad news.
“WHAT?” Odette asked louder then she meant to “The gym Leader is… is dead!?” Odette ran in hands over her face in exasperated defeat. She had planned on meeting with the gym leader and giving them a tour of the new facility for Odette new the importance that a gym leader held not only in the local community but in the larger regional community as well. Having the gym leader’s support is crucial when trying to gain public favor! Her death could destabilize the area; hopefully the gym leader had a heir or heir elect! Since that was always the smoothest transition as the local residents would know the gym leaders child or heir. She would have to find out who this person was and soon.
“Have a note, from the company, of sentiment and condolences published in the local paper as soon as possible I won’t be blindsided by this” Odette said looking back to the panicked assistant “And someone get me a black hat to wear, I’ll have to change on the ferry and quickly!” Odette turned on heel returning on the ferry to change and to write a small speech of condolences to give if she makes it to the actual funeral ceremony. It was a bit generic but it would have to do. Finally changed into an all back short simple dress and hat Odette as well as her Espeon and Umbreon at her sides climbed the stairs not knowing what she would find.
.
|
|
