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Post by subtleAssiduities on Sept 16, 2011 21:15:31 GMT -5
Donetello's long barbed tail wagged weakly at the girl's encouragement. Even with his wounds healed by Ellie's potions, he was growing fatigued; he didn't know how much longer he could do this. He turned unsteadily back to the battlefield, reluctant but ready.
Note watched the Houndoom with pensive uncertainty. He followed him back into the room but not before sparing a glance back at Ellie.
Elliot let our a low growl as he sent Nidoran flying acroaa the room. He gripped his wounded arm; he was poisoned, ut was not yet feeling the effects and continued to fight. All the while his eyes continued to shift to Vivian, foe he was ckmpletely taken aback by how she was fighting. She was moving like a machine, fighting several opponents at once, and some did noteven know that she was fighting thwm before they were attacked.
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Post by Atticus on Sept 16, 2011 21:28:06 GMT -5
Ellie scrambled towards the top of the stairs. "There's more up here," she coughed out to her companions on the battle field. "Finish up these guys and let's go," she ordered, though her voice was hoarse from her throat clogging with ash and soot. She pressed herself against the wall, squinting against the smoke and explosions radiating from all the attacks. During one of Raichu's Thunderbolts, jeans had gotten singed from a wandering spark. This scared her; it really did.
Hannibal noticed Vivian was giving off something fierce. Her movements were lethal, as he noted. He made a mental note not to get on her bad side. A flame-colored orange caught his attention from the corner of his eye and he noticed that Elliot, Note's Charizard, had been poisoned by a foe. Slithering stealthily away from the battle field, he nudged his dry-eyed trainer and gingerly grasped a Pecha Berry from her bag. Licking his trainer's cheek in support, he hurried off towards the dragon. ("Hey, Elliot! Catch!") He hollered, chucking the peachy-spotted berry into the air towards him.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Sept 16, 2011 22:00:43 GMT -5
The smoke and zoot in the room was starting tomake seeing difficult. Note grabbed his sister by the shoulder and pushed her toward the stairs. "Go!" He coughed.
Tunes looked back at him, startled, but had no time to argue as he shoved her toward the stairs. She stumbled to Ellie's side and looked at her nervously. "How are we doing?"
Elliot shot a thankful glance in the furret's direction. He popped the berry into his mouth and as the healing effect took place he turned back to a group of Mightyenas that began attacking. The small pack brough the Charizard to his k ees before he could propperly react, and he cried out in surprise as he struggled under them. The wolf Pokémon bit and tore at his arms as he fought to get free.
In the thickening smoke he did not see Vivian until she was on top of one of the Mightyenas and her victim was screeching in defeat. She turned, her eyes burning with the thrill of the fight, and faced the four remaining wolves as they all leapt at her. Elliot shot up, ready to jump to her aid, but before he could the Mightyena's pelts were amoldering with thick black fire and they were writhing back. Vivian pulled herself to her paws, snPping viciously at their heels as they were sent running.
Her ferocity shocked Elliot, and for a moment he was unable to respond. It was only when he heard Note's voice somewhere else in the room that he came back, and jis head shot up, peering for his trainer through the smoke.
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Post by Atticus on Sept 16, 2011 22:21:40 GMT -5
Ellie, gathering her companions, busted into the final floor, her lungs grateful to be free of the thick blanket of smoke. To her eternal surprise, though, there appeared to be no grunts on this level. Just equipment from the studio, untouched since the workers had been herded out like a flock of Mareep. Licking her lips in unease, she steadily took a few steps forward, deeper into the small room. Ahead of the group was an oak colored door. She didn't even have to guess who was behind it. But why would he be alone? Surely he didn't trust his grunts enough to protect him from the lower levels and not have any guards upstairs? It was unnerving. Her whole body had tensed.
She walked towards the door hesitantly, now sure that the current room they were in was grunt-free. She glanced back at Note and Tunes. Was she just supposed to open and casually stroll in, or make a scene and bust out attacks on their asses. But... what if it was also a trap?
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Sept 16, 2011 22:33:04 GMT -5
Note hung back in the doorway as Tunes walked into the room with Ellie. They both had the same apprehension as their friend, and Note glanced warily around the seemingly empty room. Tunes' eyes fixed on the oak door uneasily.
From where she stood at Note's side Vivian snarled warily. The fur along her spine prickled uneasily, and her claws pressed into the floor tensely.
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Post by Atticus on Sept 16, 2011 23:19:01 GMT -5
Ellie could hear her heart drumming in her ears. This was it! This was what all the fighting had been for. Closing her eyes and letting her determination spread through her body, she busted open the door, Pokémon by her side. She was shocked, however, seeing the two grunts by the boss' desk, lift guns out of their pocket and aim them directly at her face. Cold fear replaced any bit of determination she'd held just seconds ago. Giovanni wasn't even facing her; his chair swiveled in the opposite direction. Her mouth went drier than the Hoenn Desert.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Sept 16, 2011 23:29:16 GMT -5
Note blanched at the sight of the guns, and Tunes, at Ellie's side, stiffened visibly, eying the weapon as if she could somehow make it disappear.
There was a a soft rumble from Giovanni's Persian as he turned in his chair. The soft creeeeaaaak that filled the room was deafening. Giovanni's dark eyes flashed wistfully at the three blondes. "Your Pokémon are strong. I'll give you three that." A ccynical smirk played across his lips as he continued. "But I don't think that human flesh would hold up so well to a bullet. I wouldn't try anything."
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Post by Atticus on Sept 16, 2011 23:38:18 GMT -5
Ellie had to force her bottom lip from quivering. Maybe it would have just been smarter to call her father for the battle... But, ooh... he was all the way in Kantō! It would have taken a while before he'd arrived...
Raichu pushed himself in front of Ellie, ready to protect his Trainer's daughter. He wanted to zap those guns right out of their hands, but the soft "shh" that linger from the blondes cracked lips. He couldn't jeopardize their lives... Even if a short zap could save them. Right now, he couldn't take chances. Wolfgang would never forgive him if he failed to protect his daughter. Raichu glared daggers at Giovanni. He knew this crook far too well. Ellie would never know, but long before she was born, Lt. Surge had been part of Team Rocket for a little while before being talked out of it by some hopeful young trainers. He could only hope Giovanni wouldn't recognize him, now.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Sept 16, 2011 23:54:15 GMT -5
Giovanni eyed the Raichu curiously for a moment. Recognition tugged at the back of his mind, but when he could not put a name or a face to it he disregarded the thought, and instead turned his attention back to the three teenagers. "You were foolish to come here thinking you could make a difference. Instead all you've done is made me and my grunts mad. And I'm sure you know what will come of that."
Tunes glared at the man rebelliously, and he looked back at her with an eerily amused expression. He enjoyed the look of defiance there, how very much she wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. He respected that. But alas, she was of no use to him. So why not use her?
With a snap of his fingers and a quick hand gesture one of the grunts grabbed Tunes by the arm and pulled her to him. The girl cried out in surprise as his thick arm warapped around her midsection and his gun was pressed to her temple. She gasped, squirming pitifully in the man's strong grip.
"Emily!" Note gasped, his eyes widening as he watched the gun be pressed to his sister's head. He started toward her, but stopped short as he realized that there was nothing that he could do, not with the deadly weapon inadvertantly close to Tunes's head.
Giovanni crosed his fingers and rested his chin on them, a pleased smile spreading across his face. He looked at Note and Ellie expectantly, watching with derranged curiosity to see what they would do.
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Post by Atticus on Sept 17, 2011 0:00:04 GMT -5
Ellie bit her tongue, blinking away a helpless tear that threatened to cascade down her soft, bruised cheek. "Wh-What are you doing to her?" She croaked, but quickly cleared her voice once she was able to find it again.
Static flickered from Raichu's yellow cheeks, expressing the Pokémon's anger. He whirled his ginger head towards Emily and the grunt, feeling as if he were chained to the ground. ("Hey, Pipsqueak!") he called to Lemondrop, who he hadn't really been introduced to. ("I don't think the grunts know you're in her pocket! Do something,") he ordered, though more worry for the teenagers laced his tone than simple bossiness.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Sept 17, 2011 0:10:03 GMT -5
Giovanni's gaze shifted to Raichu as he spoke to Lemondrop, and then to the girl inquisitively. He saw the shift of her pocket and quickly caught on to what was happening. "One move," he said calmly, "one tiny flick of an ear, and I blow your head off, young lady. I think it's fair that you know that."
Terror shined in Tunes' eyes, and she sucked in a sharp breath to keep herself from trembling. "Lemondrop, no," she said as sternly as she could.
The tiny Pikachu, hidden from sight in the girl's pocket, did not even twitch; her tiny heart was thrumming like the beat of a hummingbird's wings, as was her trainer's. She had never felt Tunes' heart beat so rapidly, and it terrified her. She obeyed the order, keeping still as stone. Giovanni saw no sign of her fom his desk, nor did the grunt who was holding her.
"What do you want!?" Note demanded again, his voice raised in panic.
Giovanni looked back at the two teenagers critically. "Oh, many things," he replied, his voice at the same tone it would be if they were speaking of the weather. "This city, its Pokémon, its trainers behaving... and you three to have never meddled." His eyes narrowed darkly, but his voice remained level. "I'm afraid you've set me back several weeks, with all the damage you've done to my building and my grunts." He tut-tutted. "You will need to be punished for that."
Tunes made a low sound in the back of her throat that was quickly silenced by the but of the gun pressed harder against her forehead. She closed her eyes, cowering feebily away from the cold metal, but there was nowhere for her to go, and the gun remained against her temple.
Giovanni wagged his finger at her scornfully. "Quiet now, little girl. I don't often hurt children, and I've certainly never killed one, but there is a first for everything."
The words sent a sickening shudder down Note's spine, and he had to work to keep from wobbling. His gaze fixed on his sister, silently begging for her not to make a sound, promising to get her out of this safely. But how were they supposed to do that?
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Post by Atticus on Sept 17, 2011 0:44:02 GMT -5
Ellie bit her lip. If only there was someone that could help them... But there was no way to contact anyone. The platinum was sure that Giovanni wasn't going to let Ellie get 'one free call' like they do in prison. She regretted getting these two into her mess. She stared at the ground, drilling holes into the slick tiles.
"What do you plan to do to us?"
She almost wished she never asked, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She hated feeling so helpless and kicked on the ground... She'd dragged them into this... and she was getting them out. No matter what.
"Let her go," she begged, though her tone sounded more like a dull order. "Let them both go. They'll leave the region and you can punish me," she bowed her head. She could feel Raichu's horrified stare burn into her forehead, but she wouldn't be able to stand herself if Note or Tunes got hurt because of her. Flora, who was out of sight and eavesdropping, shook her head defiantly. She glanced at Hannibal who was perched on her back.
("I have an idea, Hannibal,") she whispered, perking the frustrated Furret's interest. All those bruised, beaten Pokémon in the lower levels... She was sure not all of them had been given the option to join Team Rocket. Maybe... ("I'm too heavy and I'm positive I'll cause a ruckus, but take these Hyper Potions Ellie left by the stairs and sweet-talk some Pokémon. The only one of us who looks like they could be a Team Rocket Pokémon is Don, but I don't know where he is.")
The Furret listened, nodding his head. ("Ai see where yer' goin' with this, mate,") he nodded, adjusting his dirty maroon handkerchief. He crawled down Flora's back and slithered down the stairs and looked at some of the fainted Pokémon. How was he supposed to tell which had been manipulated, though?
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Sept 17, 2011 19:58:24 GMT -5
"Rest assured, miss, you will be punished," Giovanni replied, as if his words should have reassured Ellie. "All three of you will. I simply cannot afford to have three plwerful trainers running around, undoing all of my hard work. It's best to end things heere before they get too complicated."
Note stared at the Team Rocket boss incredulously. Team Rocket had never been this violent. What had changed? When had they gotten so serious?
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Post by Atticus on Sept 17, 2011 20:55:12 GMT -5
"I'm a bigger threat than the both of them combined," she lied, furrowing her brows. "Do you know who my father is? Lt. Surge," she pretended to brag. She was sure her father had kicked Giovanni's ass in the past; maybe that rekindle an old rage that he'd take out on her if he let the other two go. He'd probably take it out on her anyway, whether Tunes and Note were still here or not. How could she get them away without having the grunt blow the poor girl's brains out?
Hannibal rummaged through the fainted Pokémon. At first it had sounded like a good idea, but now what? What if he healed a dangerous Pokémon and just put his trainer at more risk? He clenched his small white fangs and pondered what to do.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Sept 17, 2011 21:14:05 GMT -5
"Lt. Surge..." Giovanni muttered thoughtfully, his eyes glinting at the memlries that accompanied the name. He nodded a bit. "Impressive. Well, you can certainly die first." With nother snap of his fingers the oyher grunt had cocked the gun and pressed it to her head.
"Ellie, No!" Note said, starting forward and stopping suddenly. He turned sharply to Giovanni. "Don't kill them! I'll do anything you want, but please don't kill them!"
Giovanni frowned. "I do hate to torment children," he mused. "And this carpet is new; I do not want it stained with blood. This is not howI imagined this happening." He sighed and reached under his desk, producing a hand gun of his own. He pointed it confidently at Note. "But I guess it can't be helped."
EV's fur rose on her spine at the wave of fear scent she scented from the other room. She let out a low growl that immediately caught Giovanni's attention. His head cocked in the sound's direction, the gun shifting slightly in his grip, and Note stiffened, fearing that there was nothing left he could do to davw them.
Donetello stood rigidly over the crumpled form of the houndour he had once considered his son. He was stuck in a state of disbelief, unable to comprehend how this could have happened. How could Solitaire have gotten mixed up with Team Rocket? Was it by choice, or had he gone over the edge, and here lied the result? As he considered it, he realjzed he didn't care; he only wanted to help his friend as he had so long ago. Bring him to something better. Anything better than this.
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