victory_road | 14th Run // In the Ashes, Anger Burns

Noctis hadn't hesitated. As soon as he heard what was going on, as soon as he knew that Ash was going to, Noct had gathered up some Pokemon that he knew could handle whatever they were going to find and headed to Goldenrod.

Initially flying in with Chocochick's help, the prince had ended up on the ground just outside of the disaster zone leaving the skies to Ash and Fionn. Shepard the Lycanroc and Pride the Luxray prowled ahead of their trainer, one on either side as they slowly made their way into the destroyed warehouse. Even now there still seemed to be confused Pokemon trying to make their way out of whatever had been going on here and Noctis hung back to let his Pokemon help a few. They all seemed wary and it gave Noct a sinking feeling as memories of Prom hit him pretty hard, the prince slowly making his way down into the basement where he ended up finding Ash.

And all the cages.

"...Team Rocket," Noctis murmured sourly as Pride gave a low growl at his side and Shepard bristled. "This was one of their places."

Ash nodded and Fionn hissed, before throwing himself at the nearest cage. He watched as the Braviary vented out it's rage, tearing it apart with his talons before giving an echoing, daring cry. Kinnagoe snarled, both at the situation and at Fionn for being so loud, crouching by Ash and watching for any Rockets who might still be lurking nearby.

"It looks like they were doing something with them here. But something decided it had enough." He muttered, stepping around. There were so many of the cages...and he noticed an odd machine. It didn't look like a fun machine either, attached to another cage. He walked up and tried to get a look at it. "Do we even want to know what this shit is...?"

"Good," Noctis murmured. The idea of a Pokemon doing this, especially towards Team Rocket, was something he could definitely appreciate. He watched as Ash moved over towards the strange machine and he motioned slightly for Shepard to go with him. The Lycanroc didn't hesitate, slinking over to be an extra set of eyes. Just in case. "I can only imagine. Whatever it is doesn't look good."

While they mulled over the machine Pride started to prowl around, the Luxray stepping silently around some of the wreckage, very obviously checking to make sure that none of the cages still had inhabitants.

"All I can guess is that the Pokemon would go in here." He gently pat the cage before withdrawing his hand and stepping back. It was so disgusting. Pokemon were sentient creatures, some just as intelligent and emotional as people. He couldn't help but wonder...had Scuabtuinne been in a place like this? His hands tightened and he had to step away from the machine, carefully stepping over blackened debris.

As Pride nosed around, he might catch some movement. There were some Pokemon still here, too frightened to leave the cages.

Noctis's fists clenched at his sides as Ash spoke, the prince's anger surging and God did he just want to find a member of Team Rocket and beat the crap out of them.

No. No. Anger wasn't going to help right now. They had to look for any Pokemon that could be trapped and maybe figure out what the hell was going on here.

"I wonder...I mean, a part of me doesn't want to know what they were doing but it might be a good idea for us to try and figure it out. Maybe then we can try and stop them from doing it anymore," he murmured as he made to follow Ash only to pause as he heard a low growl from Pride.

Said Luxray had stopped at the movement and let out a growl, ears going back briefly before they perked again as he slowly took a step forward.

"We aren't going to hurt you," he rumbled lowly, glancing to the side as Shepard came to a stop beside him, the Lycanroc dropping to all fours to seem less intimidating.

Edited 2017-12-18 14:54 (UTC)

"Maybe. But if it's wrecked then nobody else can try to copy their bullshit." Ash murmured. The computers and most of the paperwork was destroyed, so anyone wanting to recreate this would have one hell of a job figuring out where to begin.

You guys found something?" He rounded back slightly, keeping back so he didn't crowd the cage. Prom had been different. They had gotten in first and freed everyone at once. Any pokemon still here were frightened and had been released due to whatever caused the explosion and fire. They didn't know they were here to help. Instead he murmured to Fionn, to start checking the higher cages too. Kinnagoe refused to leave Ash's side, still crouched down and eyeing the cage Pride and Shepard were inspecting.

"True," Noctis murmured and honestly that made him feel better than the idea of trying to put a stop to this happening again. Reading about what they had done would probably only make him sick to his stomach. And even more pissed off.

He glanced over as Ash addressed his Pokemon just in time to see Shepard turn her head and give a nod. As she turned back towards the cage Noctis took a few steps closer, attempting to see what--or who for that matter--it was they found.

Pride continued to rumble encouraging things and slowly but surely something inside the cage began to move around. Another moment passed before the being inside was actually visible and the little Magby that edged it's way out was clearly ready to bolt at a moment's notice. The Luxray slowly sank down to lay on his stomach, ears falling to the sides in a gentle look as he let out a low sound.

"..It's just a baby," Noctis said in a breath, fists clenching at his sides as he watched the little Magby hesitantly started to edge closer to Pride and Shepard.

Ash sucked in a breath. Of course, he immediately thought of his own baby Pokemon. Imagining An Toirneach in this place...he curled his hands into fists and swore, pacing away. He knew that getting angry or crying (which he was in danger of, he could feel the water in his eyes) wouldn't help the little Pokemon relax. Fionn followed him, sharing his anger and frustration and trying to dig his talons into the flooring.

He flew up to Ash's shoulders, his weight forcing Ash to hunch over. He sank into a kneel, fuming and looking around to distract himself. Of course it didn't work well given where he was, but something caught his eye. Something shiny.

Kinnagoe could keep his cool. With the other Pokemon, he also lowered himself down, copying their lowered stance. He gave a soft, encouraging sound to the little Magby.

Noctis looked over as Ash turned and walked away, not blaming his friend at all. This entire thing was horrible and to think they had done this to baby Pokemon as well as adults...

The Magby paused, watching Kinnagoe warily for a moment before continuing to edge closer, a soft sound escaping it as it reached Pride's snout. She hesitated then reached out to touch his nose, immediately drawing her little hand back as if waiting to see what his reaction would be. The Luxray just let out a soft huff, a rush of warm air engulfing the Magby and causing her to let out a squeak. She blinked a few times before touching his nose again, drawing away to look at Shepard then Kinnagoe.

..Friends?

Meanwhile, Noctis had gotten distracted by some more of the journal pages that were scattered about. The prince had spotted some under a nearby piece of cement and was knelt down near it looking them over.

Did this maybe belong to the person that did this?

It's with Caine as her ever watchful guard that Diana makes her way through the scorched rubble. She hasn't taken any sort of precautions, honestly it didn't cross her mind.

She's at the cages now, searching through them, looking for anything stuck inside warped metal, sometimes checking under crumbled infrastructure. With Caine's help she cracks them open, with whatever is inside usually content to just scurry away. Some are more hostile but an angry growl and bristle from Caine sends them running off from this depressing place. Diana doesn't react, she just shuffles along to the next cage or pile of rubble.

Ash spotted Diana and waited, to see what she was doing before approaching her. At seeing her let the Pokemon go, he relaxed a little and came forward. Not a member of Rocket, or someone intending to make bank on this mess. Fionn stepped after him, eyeing the cages with clear disdain.

"Top cages, Fionn." Ash said in Irish, pointing to the cages higher up that would be difficult to reach. They weren't stable at all, piled upon the other burned out husks. In English, he addressed Diana, still with his hood and fabric up to conceal his face. "You got the bottom cages?"

Diana jumps at Ash's voice and Caine bristles, but by the time he starts growling and steps to stand between Ash and Diana, she's already pushing his head down.

"Sure. I'm mean, I'll try anyway."

He kept an eye on the Luxray, keeping his distance from it. Fionn's feathers raised and he clicked his beak at it in warning. Do not attempt to attack his trainer. Ash smoothed out Fionn's feathers as Diana calmed Caine, and gently directed his Pokemon tot he cages again. Fionn spread his wings and took off, striking at the locks with his talons and wings.

"If they're like the ones at Prom, they'll be tougher on the inside than the outside." He reckoned, pulling the fabric from his face. "Name's Ash by the way."

Caine just gave a huff and shook his massive head, keeping a yellow eye on the large bird as Diana made her way deeper into the rubble.

"Diana." She responded, thinking. Ash, huh? "You know a short skinny twig that goes by the name of Jinx?"

"With pink hair and punk aesthetic? Yeah, I know her. We've chatted a few times and I try to keep in touch. She a friend of yours too?"

Ash stepped after her, making sure the cages were empty and still keeping his distance from her, in case Caine decided to take offense. Fionn returned once the top cages had been busted open, shaking his head. No-one in there. Ash was quietly grateful. The idea of Pokemon being stuck in the cages after what had happened here wasn't a pleasant one.

Edited 2017-12-12 22:35 (UTC)

"Yeah, that's her. We go about together, yeah."

She doesn't push more into who they are and who they are, it's hardly the time. As they keep walking through mess her eyes continue to search around but... "Honestly, I don't really know what I'm looking for..."

"Well, I'm here for the Pokemon. Anyone who got hurt in...whatever the hell happened here. I mean, it's obvious what was behind this. I guess it'd be nice to figure out how it got blown to shit but that's not the real reason I came."

Ash was in the dark about how a lab like this got destroyed, especially when the Pokemon were clearly well contained beforehand. He glanced over to her. "Did...did they take a Pokemon of yours before?" Maybe she was looking for something like that but did want to get her hopes up?

"Maybe something just couldn't take whatever they were doing anymore." Something or someone. She kicks one of the cages with her foot, making her toes sting.

Diana gave her head a shake. "I... I have some guys they used to have. But they haven't taken anyone off me."

Ash sighed. so she was in a similar spot to him. "Same. Fionn being one of them." He nodded to the Braviary stepping along beside them warily. In the light, the terrible scar on his front was unavoidable. The feathers still wouldn't grow there."He was just a Rufflet back then. But I found him in a cage like these ones, at that fake prom they held. He was rattling and shaking it like his life depended on it...and seeing this place, he was fucking right to. I've got others like him but, he was the first. And he's the one who gets the most- not like angry, but he's the one who'll go straight for a Rocket instead of being scared or hiding."

Ash paused as the layout opened up a little. He followed the scorch marks on the walls and the patterns they left behind. "Whatever decided it couldn't take it anymore, definitely decided it was going to take everything with it..."

Diana's eyes flicker to the Braviary, taking in the scar. Her stomach tightens and turns a little, casting her eyes downwards against and chewing on her bottom lip. "Well, like you said, it makes perfect sense he'd be like that after what they did."

Her hand reaches out to catch in Caine's fur an attempt to sooth herself a little. "I suppose when you get that angry, it's hard to even think straight."

Ash noticed her looking at Fionn nervously and with what she said about anger...shit, did she think Fionn was going to attack everyone?

"Yeah. I really hope it's somewhere better now... and hey, don't worry about Fionn, he won't act up. He helps a lot of my other Pokemon who are timid to feel safe. He's not gonna throw himself at anyone and everyone he sees. Just, people in Rocket uniform."

And they hadn't found any Rockets trying to reclaim anything from this place. Ash paused and approached one of the desks. "...Wait-" He brushed aside from debris and dust to reveal...a book? it'd been singed but it was still together enough to be very carefully opened. "Shit. Someone left their notes."

Edited 2017-12-13 22:00 (UTC)

Diana gives a little nod and offers Ash a wry smile to let him know she believes him about Fionn.

Though that doesn't necessary make her feel much safer.

With a pat to Caine to tell him to give her a little space, she approaches the table, keeping herself a pace or two from Ash. Her eyes take in the burnt book, surprised it's holding together at all. "Can you read any of it?"

The way Ash carefully turns the pages gives Diana an idea and she digs in her bag and takes out her Gear. "Maybe some pictures? In case it, you know... crumbles when you're touching it..."

"Oh, good idea! Let's see..." He flipped the pages very gently but even then, it still threatened to break. He paused on a page that clearly had some writing but was half burned, eating up some of what had been there. He pulled out his Gear to take a snap as he began to read.

"Twenty-ninth of July...shit, when did this start?" That blew any theories Ash could've had about this being destroyed not long after set-up. This had been here for at least five months. No wonder the Pokemon were in such terrible shape. His face reflected the horror at the idea of them being here for so long and he looked up to glance around again at the remains.

"A while, I guess." She's not that surprised really.

Diana brushes some more of the burnt junk off the desk and looks at the debris around their feet. "I mean, whatever all this is, who knows, this place might have been used for something else before that."

She kicks up a dust cloud. "Something just as shitty. Who knows what these assholes would do?"

Ash huffed. "I've got a few ideas. Fionn's not the only Pokemon of mine who's been on the receiving end of their bullshit."

But he didn't want to go into details with her. It didn't exactly make pleasant conversation. He read the journal and hummed, leaving it where it was. It didn't explain the tech, but it was something. He ventured deeper and froze, seeing the massive, ten foot cage. It had been violently smashed open and the floor was pitch black. Clearly this was the start of the fire. "Jesus Christ..."

Diana winces at the sight. She hadn't wanted to see the cage again, it still seemed just as terrible as the first time. Different, but still awful. "If I had to hazard a guess, that's probably where they were keeping whatever had had enough..."

"Yeah...I'm really glad I wasn't here immediately after the news broke now." Something told him that there was a death toll to this now. He couldn't imagine standing here as the Pokemon broke free and decided to burn everything and anything in it's vicinity.

At his side, Fionn dared to fly over the to the cage, inspecting the inside for any clues. "Just...it must have been something massive. My friend's got some big Pokemon and I've seen the damage they can do when they get over-excited. Shit. I hope it's not like...really injured, and in the wild." It'd suck if it managed to escape only to be really hurt, especially since it'd probably avoid people for the rest of it's life now. Fionn gave another cry and fluttered to the top of the cage, sharp eyes noticing something important.

She's only able to keep her sights on the bent and broken husk for a moment before refusing to look any more and instead chooses to follow Fionn with her eyes.

"I don't think anyone can get out of an explosion without being hurt..." People or Pokemon, Diana's not sure everyone in such close quarters could survive a firery inferno. "But if you're already hurting, a little more pain for freedom isn't that big a price."

"I just don't want it to be hurting and unable or unwilling to get help."

Fionn called over to them and Ash nodded to him. "What is it?" Fionn demonstrated. Inside the cage he stood and pecked at what remained, shaking his head. He fluttered outside and then attacked it savagely. As they drew closer, it was obvious what Fionn was telling them; the cage's bars twisted into itself and fragments of it lay inside the cage. A Pokemon bursting out wouldn't leave debris inside like this.

It doesn't Diana long to piece together what Fionn is trying to put across, but she doesn't react much to the revelation.

Mostly because it's not a revelation. She'd seen the creature trapped behind that cage struggle inside to no avail once. Someone had to let it out. Someone who had told her as much a few months ago.

"Looks like whatever was inside wasn't the only one who'd had enough." She turns back to pick up the journal again to read for herself.

Ash didn't notice her lack of reaction, petting Fionn and approaching the cage himself. He lightly touched the wires, as if expecting them to still be hot.
"It must've been a Pokemon. To break something like this...there's no way a person could do it, not without magic. Which, isn't a thing here."

Fionn shifted beside Ash, looking for more clues and turning sharply at any sound. He watched Diana read the journal, still careful about dropping his guard to anyone in this place.

"I don't think any of the Pokemon here could have done that..." Diana murmured as she delicately turned the pages, remembering the scared and scarred creatures that'd been spotting trying to get as far away from the site as possible.

She sighs as she closes the book. "Someone brought a stronger Pokemon down here."

"You think someone turned on them?" Ash looked over to her. She'd been reading the journal, so it might have had more details on whatever built up to this.

Fionn fluttered over to Ash, sharp eyes taking in the rest of the damage for any clues. There were some computers around but they seemed charred. Ash was avoiding them in case they had exposed live wires that could electrocute him.

She nods, looking at the book. "They named the thing in the cage. Tried to help it. Said they would 'cleanse' the place." Diana lifts her head to look around the charred landscape. "Looks pretty cleansed to me..."

The term 'cleanse' wasn't normal. But everything else, Ash couldn't fault.

"Well...I hope they knew what they were doing when they did this. I doubt Team Rocket's gonna take this kind of shit lying down." It was obvious to Ash that they wouldn't take this kind of betrayal with any sort of mercy. "Shit. Do ya think they took the Pokemon too? I was thinking it might have just escaped, but if they named it they might have caught it or stolen it from them while setting it free?"

Well the person in question wasn't known for being normal...

"Who knows what was going through their head..." Diana didn't know. She only reason knew had a vague idea of the cause of all this because Walter had wanted to make an example out of her. She didn't pretend to get the logic.

"I don't know. But if no one's spotted it yet, it might be possible." Her eyes flicker upwards briefly. "But it seems like they really wanted to help it so, I don't think they'll do anything bad to it. If they're still around..."

"Yeah...but, it could be the other way around. Not all stories work out like that whole, lion and the mouse proverb. If it was mad and decided that they had been holding them here too long, they might not have left at all. Same with any of the other Pokemon that were set free too."

Ash didn't know whether to predict if the guy was dead or alive and with the Pokemon he released. He wasn't naive enough to assume the latter, even if he hoped that might be the case. Even if the firestarter hadn't attacked it's rescuer, there's nothing to say the other Pokemon in the cages hadn't lunged for them.

Diana just shrugs. "Well, it seems like we're not gonna be finding out exactly what happened easily or any time soon."

She begins walking among the cages again. "Maybe they're gone, maybe they're not, either way, Rocket's gonna do something to respond..."

Some people explored quietly.

Other people cursed like sailors.

"Fucking slagged! All of it. I'll be lucky if I can make a toaster out of this garbage. Whoever nuked this place REALLY didn't want them to be able to start up again."

Gaige was half in and half out of a machine that had been smashed and half melted in the attack, pulling out spare parts and tossing them to her pokemon who were sorting them for her into two piles. Salvage and slag.

"Man fuck these guys! This isn't exactly E-tech but this shit is expensive! I coulda built a damn rocket ship with some of these processors." She continued to rant as her Hitmontop and Charmeleon just rolled their eyes and kept watch. Surely all that noise would get Ash's attention.

Edited 2017-12-13 23:14 (UTC)

The noise did catch his ear. Seeing who it was, he was half relieved to see it was Gaige looking for scrap metal...and half worried about her trying to salvage anything from this place.

"Given what they were using 'em for, I can't blame the Pokemon that burnt this place down." He casually added, approaching her almost casually, but his walk wasn't entirely relaxed. He couldn't in this shitty place. Fionn watched the Hitmonchop and Charmeleon carefully, in case this girl decided Ash was a threat to whatever she was doing. The large Braviary was on edge, even as Ash reached out and stroked his back.

"Ahh!" Gaige was startled having not been warned by her pokemon that there was someone else listening and gave a jolt, smacking her head on something inside the machine.

As she hauled herself out with screws and wires dangling from her hair she offered a lopsided grin.

"Well of course. This is the Rockets after all. Blowing up their buildings is pretty much what you gotta do or else they just come back. It's just too bad so much of this useful stuff had to get trashed in the process." She pulled free what appeared to be a glass bulb with something spinning inside admiring it before tucking it away.

"You scrapping too? or looking for someone to fight?" She offered thoughtfully in case Ash wanted company. She wouldn't mind another human to chatter at while they explored.

"Looking for any Pokemon who might've gotten trapped or left behind. But if I see any Rockets, they're not getting out of here without a beating." Fionn gave a low hiss of agreement.

"I already found some notes. Sounds like someone working here turned on them and set free one of the Pokemon, and it did all this."

"HA! Tale as old as time. See this is why corporate structures don't work! They just breed resentment and betrayal." Gaige cackled delighted as she started gathering up the scrap she was keeping.

"Well OK then. Let's explore together! Four eyes are better then two, and if we can find any working computers down here maybe I can get us some useful info on where else the Rockets might be doing stuff like this huh?"

Anti-corporation huh? That got Ash grinning cos, fuck he's on with this. "Tell me about it. It's even worse back home. Corps are the ones running the world, so everyone's fucked unless they got the cash." Money was power back home. Unless, you got a means to upset the money.

"Sounds good to me. I'll point out any scraps that look interesting but, I don't know shit about mechanics so don't rely on me for that." He added, a little sheepish.

"Oh dude, you need some Anarchy in your life. I mean Pandora is a lot like that. The more money and guns you have the more you can get shit done, but at least with some help from me and my friends we kicked the corporate scumbags right out."

Or at least they took down the CEO and wrecked a bunch of their property.

"Money is somehow the root and cure for all evil. Until we get it taken care of though there's always the old fashioned way." She punched her hand into her metal palm, then winced and waved her hand to get the soreness away.

As fate would have it though, not all the pokemon had escaped in the rush. Gaige set out to find more machinery to scavenge, when a blast of lightning shot out of a nearby computer console nearly catching her in the face. She hit the dirt and scrambled for cover as the room began to crackle with electricity. Some scared and angry electric pokemon had found them.

14th Run // In the Ashes, Anger Burns

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