ROCKET BATTLE LOG

[indigo_league]

As the clock nears 10 PM on Saturday, the manor (or the parts of it that people aren’t blocked off from, anyway) is completely abuzz with speculation and gossip. What could Lance possibly be planning to announce? And why haven’t any of the Elite Four even been around? They’re fairly reclusive, but it’s safe to say that everyone is at least a little curious, if not actively suspicious.

But it’s time for the big reveal, so manor staff are bustling around, reminding everybody to be in the ballroom in a few minutes for Lance’s important unveiling of… well, whatever it is he’s unveiling! The staff all seem pretty excited, so it must be big, right?

There’s been plenty of room to dance and move around in the Ballroom until now, but with everybody packed in there at once, the space is a little tighter. Especially with the small stage and podium set up in the middle. As the last (or seemingly last, assuming there aren’t any carefree stragglers who didn’t bother turning up on time) person is ushered in by staff, complete with whispers of "Psst! Hurry up, it’s almost time!", the door to the ballroom is shut and the lights dim slightly, sending a hush over the audience.

After some fumbling from whoever’s in charge of the lights (... wait, is that Captain Garfield and his Rattata up there? He’s a theater tech too?! That guy must REALLY be a jack of all trades!), a spotlight flips on and centers on the podium, where the head staffer (who might be recognized as the one with the terrible hipster mustache who’s been doing a PARTICULARLY egregious amount of schmoozing and sucking-up to trainers over the course of the party) is stepping up to the podium.

He clears his throat.

"Welcome, welcome, ladies and gentlemen! On behalf of the Elite Four, we’re all so happy you could join us! We hope you’ve all been having as good a time as we have, because I’ve got to say, I think this is our best party yet!"

He looks around at the assembled trainers eagerly, as though anticipating unanimous agreement.

When there’s an impatient buzz (and a shout of "Get on with it already!" from someone) instead, he laughs awkwardly.

"Oh, yes, well, we’re all here for one reason, right? To see what Lance has brought you all here for! Well, folks, as you can see, he’s not here with us right now… He’s had a bit of a-- how shall we say… an accident! So sad, I know! But fortunately, he’s graciously allowing us to make his announcement for him. Which is…"

On cue, the spotlight turns stark red. If anyone has the presence of mind to look, Captain Garfield's Rattata is holding a bit of red plastic filter in front of it.

But chances are, everyone’s attention is probably going to stay on the stage, because the guy at the podium literally just RIPPED HIS CLOTHING OFF DRAMATICALLY, revealing… yes… a very, very familiar black-and-red uniform underneath.

It’s followed immediately by more ripping sounds as other staff and even some partygoers scattered throughout the audience follow his lead, and the telltale noises and flashing of Pokemon being released from their balls. And many voices, all yelling at once...

"PREPARE FOR TROUBLE! AND MAKE IT DOUBLE!!"

The music shifts.

OOC Notes: The number of characters who must participate in the battle to call it a success is 37! In order to keep track, once you have made your first comment to this post (either a toplevel or a tag to someone else!), please bring it to the CHECK IN THREAD by 10 PM EST tomorrow! YOUR COMMENT MUST BE POSTED TO THIS THREAD IN ORDER FOR IT TO COUNT TOWARDS THE TOTAL.

GUESS WHAT GUYS?

glittertextmaker.info

OOC notes: Here it is, the part where your characters get to explore the Rocket Base and discover its secrets! Maps of each level will be posted in this top post as they are opened up, with blacked out sections being revealed as obstacles are cleared. Obstacle clearing will be based on total comment count to any mod comment with a count listed, whether those comments are contained in a single thread or spread out over multiple different ones. As many people can comment to an obstacle or base level as wish to, for as long as they want, even after it has been cleared. There are a total of two obstacles (including the first one) which are triggered by character actions we will be watching for!

Anyone who wants to thread anything out in the base or mansion during the time characters are trapped (and who doesn't want to use this log for whatever reason) is free to make their own network/action posts with whatever they like! But mods will not be coming around to those with interaction, and they will not count towards clearing obstacles.

Questions? Ask them HERE!

NOTE FOR ITEM RNG: In order for the mods to give out your item, your character must be actively looking through the loot piles in whatever tag you'd like us to respond to with your item! Items can also be given out in the middle of an existing thread between characters, whenever they get around to searching the piles! The header does not have to be in your toplevel.

Links List

Level One



OBSTACLE - KEY CARD (CLEARED)

OBSTACLE - CONVEYOR BELT HELL (CLEARED)

Level Two



Level Three



ELITE 4 JAIL

OBSTACLE - FREE THE LEGENDARY

Comments

SECRET BASE LEVEL ONE

[indigo_league]

[The dust hasn’t quite settled yet, but it’s clear there’s been a shift in the battle - Rocket Grunts scramble to retreat in the wake of the prom-goers and their mighty Pokemon, and in their haste, the strange, newish door where a basement entrance would be has been left wide open.

Descend the stairs, and you’ll find yourselves in a room that feels like it should be much bigger than it is. The floor tiles have been laid down neatly, and a small room to the left has an ajar door. Piles of pilfered loot - trophies, rare books, tasteful paintings, many of which attendees of past proms might recognize as having once adorned the halls and rooms above - have been left in disarray before a very hastily constructed and shitty dividing wall. That too has a door, a decidedly mechanical one with a card key slot beside it, and beyond it you can hear the distinct, yet faint whirring of mechanics. Something’s on the other side for sure, but until you can get that door open, all you can do is guess.

Hm...knowing Team Rocket, it might be worthwhile to take a look around to see if a Grunt might have left a spare card key around in case theirs was lost.]

[The small room with the ajar door is surprisingly untouched, as rooms in ransacked mansions go. A plush carpet of purplish blue and a Welcome mat embroidered with Dratini welcomes you in. There’s photos on the walls of Lance posing with his various Dragons, and candid pictures of other notable Dragon-Type trainers from across the regions with their teams. Doodles of Dragonites breathing fire and articles on legendary dragon spottings are pinned up on cork boards, and a table stands along the far wall covered in...scrapbook notions? Yep - stickers, patterned cardstock, tape with designs on it, all manner of markers and pens - everything you need to make some really choice scrapbooks lays out in a clutter along the table...save for one very obvious empty spot, just big enough for an open book to lay.

There’s also a pair of black shoes peeking out from underneath the table that scuffle back at the first sound of someone approaching the entrance. Uh...what?]

((OOC: While digging through the items, your character has the chance to pull out one special-fun item that the mods will determine through RNG. Some are cool, some are harmless, and one or two are sure to earn a laugh. What have you got to lose? If you would like a mod rolled item, have your character digging through the pile and put ITEM RNG in your subject line!))

SECRET BASE LEVEL TWO

[indigo_league]

[The terrified shrieks of the rustled Rocket Grunt echo through the new rooms the warp brings you to - though, you’d do well to remember which warp you took to get in here in the first place, because this sure is WARP PAD HELL. Can anyone keep track of what warp leads where? It’s likely not even the Rockets can, but that Grunt from before sure is trying his best, because if you happen to spot him, it’s only as he steps onto the next pad to the next room!

What’s even in here? Well, that main long room you first warp into is chock full of cages where Pokemon native to the waters and forested areas of Tojo Falls have been locked up - so THAT’S where they were! Poor things look absolutely miserable, too. Surely you wouldn’t be as cold-hearted as to leave any of these Pokemon to become slaves to Team Rocket:

Electrike, Castform, Frillish, Rufflet, Vullaby, Shuppet, Pawniard, Roggenrola, Makuhita, Huntail, Gorebyss, Foongus, Poliwrath, Kingdra, Throh, Sawk, Gothita, Beldum, Swalot, Quilfish, Relicanth, Lotad, Slakoth, Spoink, Bibarel, Carvahna, Dwebble, Mantyke

These Pokemon will all be anywhere between Levels 20-30.

While all of these are awesome and rare creatures, we do ask that trainers who wish to bring any home limit themselves to one Pokemon per character. After all, these are wild Pokemon who would most likely want to return to their homes, and it’d be poor form to poach Pokemon that other poachers have poached. There is also a small machine at the end of the room that dispenses anti-vertigo medication...for P100 per two pill packet. What, Team Rocket’s gotta make money!

Some rooms are home to quite a few rows of old, clunky computers, the likes of which you’d have thought would surely be out of commission by the 1990’s. They seem to be stuck on the same kind of maze screensaver - maze-merizing, isn’t it? There is also a Rocket Rec Room with a beat-up sofa, a dinged up fooseball table, an air hockey table that will not work no matter what you do to it, a warp with a sign indicating that it leads to the bathroom (and it does, in fact, bring you to a small bathroom, freshened by the most disgruntled Spritzee and containing ONE HECK OF A BIDET) and...an inflatable pool that’s half deflated. And full of plastic balls. Like a ball pit. A sign has been posted on the wall above it that declares it as “NAUGHTY ROCKET JAIL”. Do...do you even wanna know?

There is one Pokemon here that ISN’T sad and in a cage. There seems to be a Clefairy bouncing around the base...but he isn’t catchable, so he must belong to someone. All attempts to capture or reason with the Clefairy will be rebuffed, because this is one angry little pink marshmallow. What is he so angry about? Who knows, but he’s liable to give you a Pound attack right in the knee and run off to a warp if you approach.



There IS an exit, though, and it’s possible to find it. It just takes determination!]

This level will take 30 comments to clear.

SECRET BASE 3

[indigo_league]

[Thankfully, this new floor that the long-sought warp pad brings you to doesn’t seem to be any sort of hell. There’s a hallway, light spilling into it from where it hooks to the right, and when you emerge, the first thing you’ll notice is two doors with keypads mounted on them. One is a double-door set, large, to your right, and it looks fairly sturdy and important. There’s also a locked glass case on the wall beside it, with five sets of Pokeballs resting inside. The other is a single door that is VERY sturdy, right across from it. That darned slippery Rocket you’ve been following all through the base is scrunched up on the floor by the second door, holding that scrapbook like it’s a lifeline. He’s also looking at you with the widest eyes and palest face imaginable as he presses his back against the smaller door like he’s trying to barricade it with his body.

Somebody didn’t think you’d end up making it this far, but somebody’s got nowhere else to run. This might be your best chance to get some answers on where the Elite Four are, what Team Rocket expected to get out of ambushing such a large group of trainers at once...

...And what’s that crackling noise coming from behind the far wall on the left?]

OOC note: In the interests of mod sanity, interrogating the Rocket is first come first serve!

[cyan_maid]

[Okay so as far as Jane knows, evil team takeovers are NOT part of the typical prom experience. When everyone had been shuffled into one room, her Pokemon had gone into their balls to make room for the humans shuffling in. Before she'd been a little warm and uncomfortable, but now? Oh, she's pissed.]

What the - hey!

[When a nondescript Grunt reaches out for her clutch, the first thing she does? Smack 'em with it!]

Back the heck off!!

[Dinah will be out soon, just. Help her get this fucker to step away?]

[agent3]

[Thida hadn't really been intrigued by the apparent surprise going on, but she'd filed in with the rest of the guests when the staff urged her inside. So to her, she doesn't quite register the sudden shift in tone and mood as dangerous - she doesn't even know who the heck the Elite Four are or what they stand for, only that suddenly, shit is going down.

And heck, that is exactly what she is all about. That sure is a Granbull she's letting out.]

Buru! 'S a battle!! C'mon, Play Rough!

[GET OUT THE WAY HERE COMES THE FAIRY BULLDOG]

[a_sin_for_him]

[No. Absolutely not.]

[Lust has been enjoying herself tonight, despite the less than glamorous spread. She's not about to let Team Rocket of all people ruin it. How lucky she's brought some of her stronger Pokemon, simply because she's well aware that everyone comes to this prom.]

[Which means a nearby Grunt makes a move towards her, he's met with a sudden facefull of muscular, growling, shiny Houndoom.]

Oh, just try something. I've eaten better men than you for breakfast.

[Well, technically fed them to Gluttony, but it doesn't make for quite as clever a quip.]

[better2do]

[What the heck is this, what the heck. Asriel comes out from the buffet table for two seconds and suddenly people are ripping off their clothes and letting out Ratattas and Zubats and Koffings and Ekanses and he just wanted more MooMoozarella sticks, why this.

Though he feels Gracie tense in his hair, he's too scared to call out a battle command. Instead, when a Rocket creeps up towards this seemingly defenseless little kid in pastels, he reaches out for the closest item and throws it.

That sure is a clump of pasta salad smacking that Grunt in the face.]

D-Don't come near me! Stay away! Leave me alone!

[FOOD FIGHT]

[thenightsky]

[Noctis had heard about these Team Rocket jerks in passing but he'd never encountered any; at least that he knew of. And now their amazingly fun night is turning into a fight and apparently these guys want to steal their pokemon? Hah. Good luck with that.

Bean is already out and behind him, looming dangerously because she understands that these means the party is over. Which means no more food.

Unacceptable.

He spots the Granbull charging into the fray and--hey he recognizes that trainer!--glancing back at Bean, he grins sharply.]

Bean, use Giga Impact.

[The Snorlax rumbles lowly before she's joining in the fray with Buru, slamming into some of the Team Rocket pokemon right alongside the other.

Meanwhile, Noct darts over to Thida's side.]

Hey! Thida, right? Let's clear a path to the door and see if we can get it open?

cw: enochlophobia

[rosehecate]

[She'd disappeared ten minutes before the announcement to pin her hair up and put her lenses-less glasses on. It was the best way to try and calm her rattled nerves, putting on that old persona. Shedding the girl and becoming the Witch. It's a lot harder to do nowadays, because even as she emerges in her uniform, Calyx's Pokeball in her hand, the sheer chaos makes her heart clench up...but...she has to try, she has to try...]

C-Come on out! Use Confusion!

[The Espeon she releases does not use Confusion. When it pops out, its focus is on Anthy alone...and it tries to push her back into the shadows.]

No - no, we have to fight - Calyx, please...

[kissmyaspis]

[She knew it. Athena goddamn knew it. There was just something so off about this whole thing; the shitty cleanup job, the fact that they were forced to sleep in garages despite being honored guests or some shit... and the way they were all herded into the ballroom like that was setting off more alarm bells in Athena's head than anything else on this planet had before.

Her hand had been itching towards her belt during the whole announcement, and when everything just exploded, she was one of the first to snap to the defense, grabbing the first ball on her belt and releasing Typhon the shiny Haxorus in one brilliant flash.]

Alright, Typhon. Ready to deal with these fools?

[Athena may not be as intimidating as she usually is, devoid completely of her armor and usual clothing in favor of a simple suit, but the murderous look in her eyes and the hissing from the very intimidating black-and-red Haxorus behind her absolutely has a few of the nearby Rockets stumbling back in fear.]

[callbacks]

[Holy shit. This is hilarious.

Over a year spent in Johto, and Dave has never once felt so entrenched in Saturday morning anime bullshit. That dude totally just ripped his entire outfit off in one go, and here's Dave, eating previously smuggled hors d'oeuvres in his fancy dress, utterly fuckin' delighted. He whistles sharply and raises his voice up towards fake hipster mustache.]

Take it all off!

[The Dedenne sitting in his breast pocket covers its face, ashamed. Wiglaf didn't ask for this. All he wanted was a cheese cube.]

[in4apounding]

What?

[Penny is by the buffet when the big announcement goes down, feeding the Vulpix in her arms off a small plate of snacks. She freezes for a moment as the lights go red and the battle music kicks in. But only for a moment.]

But- this is-

[There's a definite Moment in which her expression shifts from confusion to something that's probably unfamiliar to most people that know her; Penny is very obviously and unsubtly pissed.]

How DARE you!

[She sets down that plate of snacks with a lot more force than necessary, reaching into the small handbag containing her Pokeballs.]

Flynn? Return.

[The Vulpix, already trying to shrink into his trainers arms, vanishes into his ball gratefully. With practiced fluidity, Penny produces and releases two more.]

Teale? Junior? GO GET THEM.

[It's. Probably a little too cramped for two Aegislash. Definitely too cramped for them to use their blades properly, but they're working on making room. So, sorry to any grunts or very unfortunate bystanders; you may be getting smacked in the face with a shield.]

[agent3]

[The Giga Impact catches Thida's attention, and she gapes, impressed, as Bean takes out some opponents. When Noctis appears, recognition brightens her already excited expression.]

Yeah, yeah! 'N Noctis! [She glances back over to Buru and whistles.] Let's do it!

ROCKET GRUNT ??? BLOCKS THE WAY

[11121_assumption]

Walter slipped out to change into his Rocket uniform, tucking his formal clothes into his backpack. Now, with the uniform, hat and domino mask firmly in place and his hair tied back in a small ponytail, he was ready and almost unrecognisable. At the battlecry he pulled out a pokeball and released Chaos. The Luxray gave a hearty roar, far more eager than her trainer for this. To her, it was a chance to crush a legion of Pokemon and establish her power!

Walter had never liked stealing others Pokemon. Especially after he'd come to think of his own so...so closely. But Team Rocket had given their Orders. He prowled around the perimeter, Chaos growling softly at his side.

[styxiedust]

...[A heavy sigh comes from Botan. Really? Still with these fellows...honestly.]

Aku, if you please.

[The Gengar, in between I told you something was off! cries, reaches into his........mouth...and pulls out a baseball bat from deep within somewhere.

Ghost Pokemon are scary. Equally scary is Botan just taking this bat in hand like it's nothing. Scarier is how her Pokemon don't think this is weird.]

All right, everyone, it's time for a throwdown!

[Only Sawakou, the tiny Smoochum, looks not-annoyed by this whole thing. She has her Ice Punches fired up and ready to go, jumping up and down in place eagerly. Arceus help anyone that gets in the way.]

[styxiedust]

[WHACK!

Sweet dreams, Rocket team, that fellow just got a flying kick from Botan in the head. Well and truly annoyed they'd go picking on a defenseless kid!!!]

Asriel, honey, are you okay?

[She seems very calm for having just given someone a concussion and also holding a bat.]

[brokencode]

[That was entirely unexpected.]

[After the glowing review from Dave, Angel had expected nothing but fun times, delicious food and good music. A sudden strip tease, and apparently an assault from villains she'd only heard whispers about.]

[One grunt was quick to approach Angel, attempting to catch her (and her fussing Vulpix) from behind. The former siren started forward as she saw the arms in her peripherals, but likely would have been entirely too late, if not for the bone club that cracked the grunt in their head.]

[The girl whirled about, gazing at the Riolu staring threateningly at the incapacitated grunt.]

Skagbait!

[Despite the chaos, and there clearly being no time for emotional displays, Angel fell to the ground beside the Riolu and threw her arms around her. Distant as the creature had always been, she'd never really subjected her to such copious amounts of affection. Even now, the canid creature looked uneasy, but mimicked her trainer all the same.]

[A pulse of light followed, the dog-like form in her arms shifting shape abruptly. In surprise, Angel let go, left to simply gaze up at the Pokemon as she shifted, growing altogether taller.]

[When she finished, she let out loud, vicious bark. Her gaze locked on any nearby Rockets, a bone club at the ready. Her stance shifted, placing herself in front of Angel, with a gentle hand resting upon her trainer's shoulder.]

[eclectictype]

Hey, asshole!

[HOW ABOUT GETTING BODYSLAMMED AWAY BY A LARGE DOG.]

Sirius, sit boy!

[FWUMP goes an Arcanine on this hapless villain's back. That...that should keep him occupied.]

Jane, are you okay? Did stranger-danger get his stink on you?

[11121_assumption]

As Anthy backed away, she'd draw close to another Rocket - Walter. He noticed her as she let her Espeon try to ease her back into the shadows. Silently he approached her and considered her thoughtfully.

"...The perimeter needs to be patrolled. To make sure the forcefield doesn't falter." Would she pick up on what he was trying to do?

[rosehecate]

[Huh? She jumps a little when a voice is in her ear, and though the black uniform doesn't calm her nerves in the least...]

...Are you sure?

[Shouldn't she stay? What will they do to her if she doesn't...]

[mustachioedmagister]

[If Dorian were the type of man to be attracted to either danger or women, perhaps he would have given Botan a much different look. As it was, he simply offered an impressed smirk, perhaps even a wink.]

[Naturally, this was much to the chagrin of his battle ready Serperior, who was busily attempting to use his vines to hurl two grunts into one another.]

That is what I would call resourceful, my dear. Mind teaching me how to do that at a later date?

[better2do]

-!

[Holy shit

Asriel's boss is boss]

Y-Yeah! I'm okay! Thank you, Miss Botan!

[Though now he's able to breathe a little, and Gracie tugs his hair in the direction of the food. Hey hey, get some ammunition!]

Who are these guys?

[11121_assumption]

"To prevent the trainers from escaping." He murmured. It wasn't a lie. It wasn't what they had been told to do...but it wasn't what they hadn't been told to do either. That's how he was justifying it and, truthfully, he had intended to do it himself to avoid the actual act of stealing Pokemon.

He leaned down to whisper to her. "My name is Walter. If they ask who told you to do this. I normally work in the labs. If you don't want to fight, then go."

He didn't know what the punishment would be either. But he had endured a lot, even when he had obeyed the Order. He could handle Team Rocket's treatment of him...he thought.

[cyan_maid]

[Ooh shit that's gonna smart in the morning. Jane holds her clutch close, eyes brightening as Jade comes to her rescue.]

Jade! Thank goodness, no, he didn't - but he certainly must have known where I've been keeping my abridged team. [Quick as a flash, she retrieves Dinah's Pokeball and lets her out. Bless this Audino, she's still in her little white coat and she's looking around in confusion.] Dinah, sweetie, we've been duped - I'm going to need your help in kicking some booty. Let me hang onto the jacket, will you?

[As the Audino complies and lets Jane put on the jacket, Jane looks to Jade.] What do you say? Want to team up for a double battle?

[rosehecate]

...It wouldn't be wrong.

[She gets what you're picking up, buddy, and scoops the Espeon into her arms, holding on even as Calyx squirms a little to try and lead the way herself.]

Mine is Anthy. I - I'll stay, but - I'm not going to be much help.

[Just let her stay on the edges please don't let her be sucked into the crowd then everything will go pear-shaped]