Exciting Things to Sea

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The libraries at Windrose had been surprisingly bare when it came to the oceans. That was only natural, she supposed; they were difficult to explore. But the urge to see a niche filled had tugged Robin towards the Coral Forests, where she sat perched on a large, white piece of dead coral. She sat with her paws tucked under her body, sketching a rough picture of the world below - at least, as best as she could glean it underneath the rippling water. Drawing with only your mouth wasn't a fate she would wish upon most pokemon.

The end result... wasn't anything impressive. Especially since she only had her single pencil, leaving her to roughly label the pieces as 'red' or 'yellow', shattering any lingering illusion. Oh, well. She hoped she could express in words what she clearly couldn't through pictures. Her pawprint in the lower right corner and a hastily scrawled 'Robin P.' might have even implied she was proud of her work, that childish mess of squiggles and unrecognizable shapes. No, it was just a reminder for later, nothing more.

It was no sooner than she thought of how humiliating it would have been if anyone saw the blasted thing then, as she turned to tuck her pencil back into her bag, a sudden gust of wind swept it away into the sky. Oh, no. Oh, no. It would either fall into the water and get ruined, leaving her to re-draw the coral - which was unacceptable, that had taken so long - or, worse, someone would find it. And trace it back to her.

"Oh, no, no no no no no, come back!" Robin plunged into the water before she could think, following blindly after her picture, even as the wind held it tauntingly out of her reach, fluttering dangerously above the water.

Oh, this was not her day.

Robin's Energy: 6

"What."

Phosphor blinked in dull shock. Was this really the time-? Were they friends? He was slow to friendship, granted, and he knew he could be a bit short sometimes. But he wasn't just being a jerk this time, right? That was a weird question? And this was absolutely not the time for that? Kero would have his head if he was mean to the kid, and he didn't exactly want to chew her out, but... right now? Really? "Well, I'm grateful you saved me." He managed, putting a solemn hand over his chest. "And I'll defend you with everything I have."

Still, he was... confused. Highly, highly confused, and he could only hope that this led to something. Granted, if Tsera thought it was a good idea, she was usually right.


"Of course!" Came Kero's breezy answer, seeming a bit more energized after Tsera's Heal Pulse. Not back to his full strength, granted, but he was pretty sure he could outswim the Gyrados again. Not that he was eager to test it, but there wasn't exactly another option - his trial by fire was coming right up. "I mean, you definitely saved our lives. If all you want in return is friendship, I'd say we got off easy."

Robin, meanwhile, tilted her head, slightly confused, though not as audibly as Phosphor was. Maybe Alki needed a bit of encouragement before she could fight on...? Their time was running short, but she could do that. That was, if anything, the least that she could do. "I know we haven't known each other long, but... I see a lot of myself in you. I already feel like I know you very well, Alki." She gently headbutted the little Jigglypuff, a gentle smile crossing her lips.

"I want to meet again after this. And there will be times after this - plenty of them."

Robin's Energy: 18
(+1, new page)

Venusian carried out 5 launched of one Coral Forest :

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Venusian carried out 5 launched of one Echo World :

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Alki tapped her hands together, nervous for what the response to her question might be. It sounded stupid, she knew that... But she had no clue how else she was supposed to control her ability... She knew it was useful... Against an opponent as strong as this, some extra protection could never hurt, even though Tsera had already taken care of some of that... The more, the merrier, right?

So when Alki heard the flat what from Phosphor, she couldn't help but feel very frightened, very suddenly. They probably just thought she was being stupid, and who wanted to be friends with someone this dumb? Alki's ears wilted as she expected some form of scolding from the Ralts, but while the response was a bit delayed, it seemed... well, it was sweet. Everything? He hadn't said yes, really, but... Wasn't that implied? Couldn't it be implied?

Despite everything that occurred around them, a small smile grew on Alki's pale, tired face. Kero expressed his own, more enthusiastic approval of her. "I-I-I'm s-sure y'all w-woulda b-been Ok..." She mumbled, the smile remaining on her face as she began to blush softly. Tsera giggled as she nodded along with her partners. "Hey, how could we not be? I... don't think things would be going quite this well if you three hadn't showed up. And you saved my brother, so... Of course you're my friend! How could I not be?" She nudged Alki softly, positively beaming at the little girl, before allowing Robin to say her piece.

She... wanted to meet again? Even after she'd exposed her criminality to them, and demonstrated how much of a wimp she was...? A crybaby...? Alki rubbed her wrist softly, a giggle escaping her despite the situation. She closed her eyes, as a soft blue aura seemed to surround the little girl. "W-W-Well, i-if t-there aren't times like this again, it... I'm r-really happy I g-got to meet y-you guys. T-T-Thank you for being my friend..." She said quietly, as the aura seemed to dissipate from herself, and instead began to surround the rescue team, Robin, and (despite the fact she hadn't spoken at all, and still had her eyes closed) Darcy.

"I'll come with you, P-Phosphor! I... t-think I p-pissed him off t-too, s-so... t-the more the merrier, right...? Alki said, smiling at the Ralts who had seemed the most incredulous to her. She... softly nudged Robin as well, smiling up at her new friend. Where was the Gyarados? Hopefully not nearby... "I'll d-do my best, t-though, R-Robin..." She said softly.

~

Tsera cocked her head at the rather odd, insecure child before her. It... certainly wasn't a very opportune time for this. Although there was always the possibility that she just needed a bit of encouragement. In which case, she was more than happy to oblige. And if this was some sort of pre-requisite to an ace up her sleeve, even better! Tsera gave her response easily, smiling all the while, before allowing Robin to reassure her in turn.

The girl reminded her a bit of herself, once upon a time...

She was going to give her a hug. She was going to give all of these Pokemon a hug, all five of them, if they all survived...

The smaller Ralts watched as a small blue aura began to surround her, as the puffball expressed her... well, a bit cynical, but gratitude, nonetheless. "Nah, we'll be fine, I'm sure of it!" She resolved quietly, beaming at no one in particular. This would make for a fun journal entry, once they were safe...

She felt safer. She was pretty sure the ability that had just been used on her was friend guard. She wasn't sure how strong it was, exactly, given she'd never known anyone with such an ability, but at the very least, the group was a bit more resistant to attacks. "Just a bit more, Ok? Good luck, everyone!" Tsera yelled out, so even Darcy could hear. They'd all be ok. She just... had a feeling that things were going to be ok.

~

Where the heck was the sunlight it was so cold what the heck why hadn't she packed a coat why had she learnt solar beam she felt so stupid

Spoiler:

Phosphor broke out into a grin when the odd aura surrounding the Jigglypuff encircled the rest of them. Between Tsera's Reflect and this, he felt like he could take a Hyper Beam from that thing. It wouldn't be fun, but it might just be the boost that they needed to win. In most other situations, he probably would've pushed back against the idea of her joining him, but, well. She had just saved him. He wasn't exactly sure how, only that he woke up in Tsera's arms instead of a dragon's mouth.

This was something that even he couldn't do alone. Still... Tsera's optimism was infectious, and a smile played across his face, despite everything. "Sounds like a plan. The rest of you, chip away at it and keep it's attention off of Darcy. Stay alert." Kero dipped back below the waves with a final, playful salute. It was funny. He could feel the traces of something melancholy in Tsera, but more than that, a wholehearted determination that they could do this. They had been doomed minutes before, before these strangers showed up- And now she was bright as ever, and Phosphor couldn't help but admire her.

How had he ever done this alone?

He was gone in a blink, a wide, crooked smile crossing his face as he reappeared in front of the outlaw, idly scraping the coral. "Y'know, for a wanted murderer, you're not that scary after all. I'm underwhelmed." He observed, warping a foot to the left as a wide sweep of his tail grazed him, his hands crackling with electricity. He couldn't find the chance to land a Thunder Punch on it earlier, but if he could just get this thing to slow down for a second...


Robin gave Alki one last, reassuring nudge. "... stay safe." She added after a moment of hesitation. Alki clearly didn't have a high opinion of herself, complete with the dark places her thoughts had wandered to earlier, and Robin didn't like the thought of her pulling something self-sacrificial. "I meant that. I want to see you again." She urged gently before she was off, standing back on a separate platform as the Gyrados barged in, breaking from the water with a furious roar.

The wind and hail picked up once more, coating his scales in snow, before he dived back underwater and was gone, throwing his entire body weight at Phosphor and Alki. He looked downright feral, in that moment, all gnashing teeth and chipped scales.

Robin kept her head up and forced herself to focus. Even if it didn't feel like she was doing much, she was a line of defense between the Gyrados and Darcy. She couldn't afford to lose her will if they wanted to make it out of this alive.

Robin's Energy: 0
(Max energy: 10)

Alki gave the Ralts a small smile, enjoying the thought that it had been her ability that had helped cheer him up. Rough  phrasing aside, she was ahppy that he could count himself as a friend... That she could count all of them as friends... She nodded softly to the Ralts, too shy to say anything more. Not that she needed to. The small smile on her face, especially when compared to her expressions earlier, told everything that needed to be said. She felt the Vulpix nudge her softly, a reminder that they still had more to worry about. She nodded once more, but paused as Robin added in one more statement.

Stay safe.. She hadn't had any intention of not staying safe. It'd be silly to want to get herself hurt, to hurt herself after everything that had happened... Right...? The words that followed stayed with the girl even more, as she pondered over the meaning of the words. Why would Robin want to see her again...? She wouldn't want to see herself again... But then again... She wasn't Robin. And her friend guard had protected her, so didn't that prove that Robin was a friend...?

That, regardless of her reasoning, she truly did want to see her again...?

"Y-Yeah..." She said quietly, managing a shaky smile at her friend, before she stood up, and ran after Phosphor.

~

Tsera watched her brother, and the little girl that had saved him, run off together. She sighed, rather audibly, as she watched their figures fade away. A small smile was on her face as the two sprung into action. Saying something to the Gyarados, something she couldn't hear. It flickered with uncertainty as the Gyarados attacked them, but of course, both Pokemon were alright. Tsera played a bit with her Shadow Sneak, considering it, before her attention turned to the Vulpix beside her. They had a second, didn't they...? Darcy was behind them, and both of them were entrusted with protecting her. But so long as the Gyarados didn't attack them, they didn't have much to do. Not like they wanted to attract his attention...

"Y-Y'know, b-between you and me... Thank you for coming... All three of you. I... I think we'd be dead, if you guys hadn't come. " Her voice dimmed, as she kicked at a piece of coral. We included Phosphor, and the thought of him dying was enough to give her chills... After everything that he'd done for her, protecting her, keeping her safe, consoling her when things got to be too much... In the end, she hadn't been enough to protect her own brother... She felt a sense of longing for a book. A bit of warm coffee, a big book, full of stories of heroics and of bravery and toughness...

"He means the world to me, Robin. I'm happy you guys came along... Thank you..."

~

Darcy opened her eyes, and watched as her little sister, her teammate, teleported away, along with the larger Ralts. Her eyes widened at the sight. She was going towards the Gyarados...? Why? The Skitty stood up, intending to chase after her, before she remembered where she was. What she was doing.

She couldn't let it get in the way... She couldn't let Alki's recklessness get in the way... The Skitty whimpered, sitting back down, body trembling as she watched her sweet , little outlaw go straight into danger. Why was she like this...? Why couldn't she just be a normal kid, shy, but sweet, going to school, her biggest worry being the next exam instead of the next heist...

...Had she done a bad job...?

"O-Oh Arceus..." She said under her breath, closing her eyes as she did her best to focus on the sunlight once more. It was hard... All she could focus on was the danger her little sister might be in...

~

Alki observed as her new friend taunted the Gyarados. He was so... Non-chalant... And calm, and measured... How was he so cool? The Gyarados swept his tail towards them, but it wasn't too difficult to dodge. He was angry, and that made him, in a way, more predictable... If not more scary. Just another point in Phosphor's favor. He was calm and strong and collected and brave , and meanwhile, Alki was terrified out of her mind... It took all she had to even come with him, coward that she was...

She brought up her own hidden power to her side as she warped to the right, shielding her body from the debris the Gyarados was creating. She heard the crackling of electricity to her left, and there was Phosphor. His hands were sparkling with some form of static, and while the sight did bring back some very unpleasant memories, she couldn't help but be reassured by the sight of her ability around him.

This time, she wasn't going to be the one to get electrocuted...

But first, he had to find a way to land the punch... So in the end, she was the distraction...

That was ok! It'd be good practice for future thief-related activities! Of course, the stakes there were jail time, and here it was lives... No pressure...

Alki chuckled softly, tearing her eyes away from Phosphor and back to the Gyarados, as he recovered from the follow through of his attack. Distract him... Fake some bravery, piss him off some more... And let Phosphor hit him... And hopefully, Darcy soon after...

"He's right you know! You kinda suck. " Alki said simply, waving her hidden power in the air. It was the largest she'd ever made it, and it wagged in the air, like a teacher scolding a child. "Outlaw to Outlaw, this Ocean ain't big enough for the two of us! I ain't ever murdered anyone, but hell, someone like you? It'll be easy. " She smirked, bringing the hidden power back close to her. She was a bit less dizzy now, which was good. She'd need to teleport...

"You said you'd tear us limb from limb earlier, r-right? Well. I'll do ya one better! Scale by scale, one by one, till you're dead. Maybe. Not sure if you're worth the effort yet. All's I know, I bet I'd be a better murderer than you are. And I'm just a kid..." Of course, she had no intention of killing him, murderer or not, but... He didn't know that. And if she insulted his ego eno ugh, maybe he'd decide he really did want to target her... Just her...

Give Phosphor his chance...

"How bout a one on one? No teleporting... No items... No nothing. Just you and me... Outlaw to outlaw." She said simply, a cocky, fake smirk on her face. He didn't seem like the brightest, and he seemed angry enough that he might actually take her bait...

Robin's words echoed in her head. Staying safe? Here? She was just doing her part... But Robin would see her again. She'd do her best, at least...

Alki quieted down, eyes intently watching the Gyarados' movement. While her left hand directed her hidden power, flickering tantalizingly before the Gyarados, her right hand moved subtly into her bag. She had a silence orb... Or if she was feeling confident, maybe she could even use a seed...?

Robin snapped to attention as Tsera spoke, a clear jolt of surprise crossing her face. There wasn't much she could do, except keep her hailstorm going strong. Since it was tied to her fight-or-flight reflex, she couldn't dampen it even if she wanted to. While her eyes never left the Gyrados, she could hear Tsera's voice, far softer than the circumstances should have allowed. She fell very, very quiet as the Ralts spoke, dwelling on her words for just a moment. Something about her voice just then... it didn't feel like an exaggeration. It held a quiet gravity, almost a reverance, that made the Vulpix's heart sink with the weight of it.

"If he caught the three of us alone, I'm sure we'd be dead, too." She answered, her tone just a bit too light for the subject matter. She wasn't afraid of dying, not really. But Alki and Darcy... they didn't deserve death, and especially not one like that. Sure, she could have sacrificed herself to keep the two of them safe - whether she would have actually had the courage to, that she wasn't sure of - but it wouldn't solve the root of the problem. Even if he kept his word and spared Darcy and Alki, he would keep rampaging, keep killing. "Maybe... this was meant to be. Maybe we were supposed to meet here, so we can stop him together."

Wherever here was, she still didn't know. But for once, she had the chance to do something good. If she was cursed to bring havoc everywhere she went, at least she could put it to good use, find someone who deserved it.

Her words were a gentle suggestion, and one that she wasn't sure if she believed, but she did like the idea. She nudged Tsera's shoulder gently, the ghost of a smile crossing her lips, even as she kept facing forward, as the battle before them ground to a pause, and Alki began saying something that she couldn't hear. "So, let's call it even. We won't let each other die - not you, or Phosphor, or Alki."

Nobody died today.

It was a nice sentiment. Maybe if she hoped hard enough, it would become true. If she was incredibly lucky, maybe it would become more than simple talk.


The girl's little chuckle was worrying. Was she cracking under the stress? Phosphor couldn't afford to cast so much as a glance her way, only able to trust - more like hope - that she could take care of herself. Was the stress getting to her? She didn't seem like the type who was built for combat. He could feel her anxiety as keenly as if it were his own, but that at least let him know that it hadn't spilled over into outright panic yet. She was still lucid, thank goodness. If she lost her bearings, he wasn't sure he'd be able to get everyone out. And he needed to get everyone out. He was the leader, and so it was his responsibility to make sure they all got out alive.

Or, at least, his job to take the fall if worst came to worst.

The dragon was agile, for it's massive size, and he couldn't land a strike without taking a blow of his own. It wasn't worth the trade-off. And so he continued to dance this way and that, waiting on a razor's blade for his chance to arrive. If only he could make the thing sit still. He could teleport on it's back, if worst came to worst, but that was risky, and it would be more prepared this time. If it reacted before he did, Phosphor could be dead in an instant. It was a gamble, and one he was weighing the pros and cons of, when the girl-

"Wait-" There was so much to unpack there, enough that the lightning coursing across the Ralts' fist flickered out with a dull crackle of electricity. Was this just a bluff? It must have been, she couldn't be the kind of pokemon to break the law, she'd seemed so anxious and sweet. It must be, but then again, she'd been scarily competent when she'd saved him earlier...

... no, that wasn't what was important. Outlaw or not- "No. You're not." He demanded, warping in front of Alki and holding an arm out protectively, he eyes narrowed into a glare. "You can't do this alone, I'm not letting you throw your life away. I'm the guild leader here. If anyone takes a risk like that, it's me."

He demanded, not understanding Alki's gambit, his teeth clenched and his hand crackling with electricity.

If anyone was expendable here, it was him. Kero was sunlight embodied, positive and quick; Tsera was brilliant enough to be whatever she wished, and yet she chose to stay by his side. Robin was clever and enigmatic, but ceaselessly kind. Darcy was their only key to success, even if he hadn't known the Skitty well, and her odd attitude earlier left a bitter taste in his mouth. And Alki... she was just a child. Just like Tsera when she was young. He couldn't let her die, much less like this.

The monster watched in cruel amusement, leaning down, uncomfortably close. "Tell your pet to watch her tongue before I tear it out." He answered Phosphor, smiling with far too many teeth. "Unless you'd like to lose your vocal cords in her place? Stay very, very still, and I might not slip and rip out your jugular." He was taunting them, still, Phosphor realized through gritted teeth. He wasn't just enjoying this, he was relishing in it, making a steady attempt to sap the hope from them, break their spirits before he broke their bones.

"You're pathetic." Phosphor snapped back. Let him waste time gloating. Every second he wasted was another closer to Darcy's solar beam.

"Scared I'll pop your balloon, little hero?" He answered, leaning towards Alki, then, shoving the Ralts unceremoniously aside. "Hit me, then. I'll let you take a swing. Pour all your little heart into it."

Tsera's eyes didn't lift from the ground, for the first time that day, beginning to allow herself to feel more of her companion's emotions. And boy, was it a lot... It was like a stew. Or... a storm. Just like the storm around them, emotions of all shapes and sizes flying around and around, like ice and snow above churning waters... There was a sudden burst of surprise, perhaps from her own words? Certainly still some fear, some confusion, but somehow that wasn't even the bulk of it... There was frustration. Directed at who? She couldn't tell... She never could tell who these emotions were directed to, she'd never been good at this, but she could tell there was frustration... But above all else, a steady sense of hope... Maybe not optimistic. Not one hundred percent earnest... The kind of hope you had on a test you hadn't studied for. Multiple choice. None of the questions make any sense, let alone the answers, so you circle the letters at random: A, B, C, D... And you hope you get some of them right. Enough. Just enough right to pass... But you almost never do...

Tsera waited until Robin had finished speaking, trying to sort out the emotions... Or more accurately, filter them out. They weren't hers... She didn't have a right to them, and she had enough trouble unpacking her own emotions... Tsera felt the gentle nudge from the Vulpix, and the Ralts gave her own nervous laugh in response, before playfully shoving Robin back. She was still watching the Gyarados, watching him lean in, closer to the girl, but Phosphor was still, and Alki was still talking, so... Things hadn't gone horribly wrong. Yet.

"I'll... I... Thanks... I-I'll d-do my best too..." Tsera said, warming up to the Vulpix. She had known just what to say, and Tsera had no clue what to do... Phosphor wasn't there to tell her what to do... Should she go help? Should both of them? But then Darcy would be alone, no one to protect her, but right now Phosphor and Alki were alone, with no one to protect them, but what could she do...?

"I d-don't know what t-to do..." Tsera said softly, watching the two figures off in the distance. Without really meaning to, she found herself leaning against Robin, the cold oddly comforting. She couldn't understand what her teammates saw in her. She was the weakest link. The worst one. Phosphor admired her cause she was smart. Where had her smarts gotten them? Phosphor and Kero had done all the heavy lifting. What did it matter that she read big literature books and saw plays, and could do advanced math if she couldn't protect either of them...

If they'd always have to protect her instead?

~

Alki jumped as the Ralts teleported in front of her, holding his arm out protectively in front of her. He was only a tiny bit smaller than her, but so much stronger and tougher and braver and better than her in every single way that she began to feel quite disappointed in herself. Her abilities. Her intellect. Her bravery (or lack thereof...) He said that he wouldn't let her throw her life away. Well, that was good. Because she wasn't! She was just the distraction! So he could hit him, and if... well... Getting eaten would probably make for a pretty decent distraction, right?

Better her than anyone else... Alki's self loathing began to bubble up again, although it was hardly chief on her mind, because the Gyarados was so close now, leaning in closer and closer, probably within biting distance, if he really wanted to, but his cold eyes were meeting hers, and Alki found herself taking a step back, staring up at the Gyarados, and she suddenly found herself plainly aware of who was who... Of who was the prey here, and how no matter how much of a tough act she put on, it'd never change.

He called her a pet. He probably wasn't wrong. She was the weakest person here, by far. Weaker than any of the guildmons, or Darcy, or Robin... And she quite liked her tongue. She wasn't sure how much it'd hurt, or if her tongue getting ripped out would kill her... She wasn't an expert on tongue ripping. But she couldn't sing without it, could she? She quite liked singing... It was one of the few things she liked... The jigglypuff's ears flattened as she found her hand trembling, trying hard to control the sudden urge to run away...

She didn't know what a jugular was... Phosphor said something back, but the Gyarados was so close to her, and he could kill her... Both of them... They were both just one screw up away from being dead in his stomach, and there was so much she wanted to say still... apologize to people for... She'd never been good enough... Everyone she knew deserved better, and she'd never get to tell how much she appreciated them... How much she loved Darcy for sticking with her, despite how shitty she'd been... How grateful she was for the other phantom thieves to let her stay in the group, even if she probably was the worst thief, and for that night with Yera, not to mention her apologies to Sova and Skylar and everyone and now she was gonna die and never say anything ever again... Was it cold when she died? Lonely...?

There'd be no one left to hate her, right? Would she still be able to hate herself...?

She didn't want to be popped... He pushed Phosphor aside and was staring at her now, his only focus on her, and Alki was shaking now, unsure of what to do... Everything was pulling on her in a million directions... She wanted to go to Darcy and hug her and say sorry and say she loved her and cry and hide behind her tail before she was eaten up and dead, but she also wanted to thank Phosphor and Tsera and Kero for being her friend, even if it had only been for like 5 minutes, and Robin and hug her and cry and say how kind she'd been and how she was so so sorry for being such a bad friend and being such a disappointment and dying but she'd never do that because she was about to be dead...

Her eyes focused on the nearest friendly face, Phosphor. She simply stared at him, dumbstruck, too terrified to cry. She didn't want to die... At least, not like this... If she ever died, she didn't want it to trouble anyone... Her eyes slowly turned back to the Gyarados, still smirking at her, waiting. Was he that confident? He was so sure she couldn't even hurt him, he was in her face, not biting, not eating her, not yet at least... But if she didn't do anything, he'd lose patience and eat her anyways...

Do something? What? What to do? What moves did she know? Sing? Could she sing? She wanted to sing or hide or scream but none of those were very good moves so as soon as she got it in her head that she had to do something, she immediately opened her mouth, leaned forward, and flames erupted from her mouth. It didn't occur to her that Water resisted fire, and it didn't occur to her that he might be able to still hurt her as a result of that. She was too terrified to think, too panicked to reason. She just wanted to hide.

She wanted to hug Phosphor and hold his hand and cry and be alive, at least for a bit...

Tsera's quiet confession made a ping of pity ring in Robin's heart, wishing there was more she could do, something more reassuring that she could say. Another nudge seemed a bit too touchy, for someone she had barely met, didn't it? But Tsera solved that problem by gently putting her weight against her, and Robin fell quiet again, watching the scene play out before them. Silence, then a burst of flame-

And then blinding light, sweeping their way.

"Tsera! Warp!" Robin demanded, frantically trying to get the Ralts to warp away before it was too late- and then the beam had reached her, hitting her with the force of a truck slamming into her ribcage. She was tossed limply into the air like a ragdoll, vaguely aware of gravity and vertigo tossing her body high into the sky-

And then she hit the water, and she was sent plummeting, salt water stinging at her eyes. Her fur wasn't built for swimming, weighing her down as she flailed all four of her paws, her lungs aching for breath, a searing pain in her side where she'd gotten hit by something. She couldn't tell if the sky was getting any closer, only able to desperately force herself to keep swimming until her muzzle finally breached the surface of the water. She gasped desperately for breath, flailing towards the coral platform again.

From behind her, the Gyrados breached the water with an outraged roar, the waves from the impact sending Robin crashing unceremoniously back to the platform. Dear Arceus, everything ached. She blinked the water out of her eyes, fighting through the stinging pain of saltwater, trying to get her bearings back before the dragon charged again.

It's roar resounded down to the very depths of her bones, and Robin wondered, then, if this might be where she died.


This was going downhill, and it was deteriorating fast. Phosphor could feel two distinct emotions in the air, coursing through his veins as intensely as if they were his own. On one side, murderous rage and smug superiority, all the cruel victory of a cat batting around a mouse, seeking nothing more than amusement before finally clamping down it's jaws. A cruel vindication that made the marrow of his bones feel hollow, leaving room for nothing more but something twisted and dark to overtake his soul-

And on the other, a steadily growing terror, feeding off of itself until it imploded and self-destructed, so intense that it made his hands shake. No. Focus. These weren't his, he didn't want them, and the world couldn't force them on him. He took a steadily breath, assessing the situation as quickly as he could. Alki was breaking down. He couldn't rely on her in this situation - no, it fell to him to keep her safe, and Robin and Tsera were guarding Darcy.

(Some part of him, selfish and small, thanked the Crowned Gods that she was out of the line of fire.)

He forced his mental walls higher, imagining a barricade that rose between him and the two of them, letting their emotions filter out with his breathing. The monster did not so much as flinch in the face of Alki's flamethrower, only sending her a toothy grin, a harsh shard of laughter ripping itself from his throat. "My turn." He snarled back, a hot core of light forming deep in the depths of his throat. Phosphor could feel the heat radiating off of it as he stared down Alki, a predatory glint in his eyes.

If she was standing in front of him when he fired that thing- and oh, she was looking to him desperately, as if silently pleading for help, and he had to force himself not to look at her, less her pure panic spread to his own mind.

Moving before he thought, Phosphor reeled back his fist and slugged it across the Gyrados' face, still crackling with electricity, managing to throw off his angle as he fired the beam. The beam swept wide and high, pure light and heat and destruction. If he hit Alki point blank with that- he could only hope that she'd recovered herself enough to move. "Alki! Move!" He shouted, only able to hope she was listening-

It didn't matter if he took a hit. He just couldn't let that hurt Ts- Alki. Alki. He warped once more onto the water dragon's head, changing the angle of his jaw with another low blow, cracking a Thunder Punch directly to it's skull. It was ready for him this time, though, diving underwater and forcing Phosphor to hold on for dear life as it twisted and churned below the waves, sure to break him to pieces in an instant if he lost his grip.

The outlaw surfaced next to Tsera and Robin, and the Fox Pokemon was reeling from some sort of blow. That Hyper Beam must have hit her. He forced himself not to flinch, only warping next to the fox as the monster slammed all his weight against the coral platform, fracturing it. If Phosphor had teleported a second later, he would've been crushed.

He really hoped that Solar Beam was coming soon. He didn't know how long they could keep this up. It was all he could do to fire off an Icy Wind, hoping that the frost collecting on his scales would slow him just a bit - but with a dip into the water, any progress that Phosphor might have made on slowing him was gone, and the outlaw was ready to strike again.

Tsera opened her mouth to say something, but the battle in front of her seemed... it seemed much less like a battle now. All three of them were still, watching each other, talking, before the little girl used flamethrower on the Gyarados. "T-That's not..." Tsera stammered out, trailing off, as her eyes widened. That was a fire move, obviously, and the Gyarados was Water Type, and strong... Did Alki not know that? Had nobody taught her? Or was she just too frightened to remember... Tsera was about to remark on this, turning to Robin, before a distinct look of fear crossed her face.

Tsera! Warp! The demand came, and instinctively followed the instructions of the fox. The sound of coral buckling and breaking nearby filled her head. Her teleport landed her near the Skitty, whose eyes shot open at the nearby sound. Tsera managed a smile at Darcy, before she turned to look for Robin, who was nowhere to be seen.

"R-Robin...?" Tsera yelled out, the waves crashing about as she scanned the ocean desperately, her strange, new friend nowhere in sight. The Gyarados was though, and her brother was on as well. Really nearby, the waves crashed against the coral, and a distinctly white form came into view. Alive? She hoped so...

No, she could sense something... Fear? Dread? But emotions meant life... Tsera ran towards the icy fox, grabbing a paw as she roughly tried to pull Robin back onto land. "H-H-Here, here, I c-can heal you, p-please..." Tsera said, her distress audible as she began to use her heal pulse on Robin, hoping it'd be enough for the Vulpix to feel better...

Phosphor teleported nearby, and the Ralts stared at her brother. "Ph-Phosphor, I... H-How c-can I h-help?" Tsera stammered, continuing to attempt to heal Robin. That was all she could do... She looked back at Darcy, who was pretty nearby, and watched as the Skitty stood up, her tail practically glowing a bright, natural green.

~

Darcy stood up, trotting nearer to the group. She knew she should be keeping her own presence minimalized. That'd be the right thing to do, strategically, but she didn't have to be a psychic type to notice the nervousness in the smaller Ralts, and she couldn't imagine that Robin was feeling particularly enthused from getting launched into the water. The Solar Beam was ready, she could feel it... She just needed a good, clear shot.

"We're all still alive, right?" Darcy said softly, joining the other three. She smiled at all three of them, a sense of freshness and confidence emanating from her. She could see Alki, off in the distance, clearly shaken, but relatively unharmed. She smiled and nodded at the jigglypuff, she could feel the Gyarados nearby, and she knew she didn't have much time to talk, but she knew that if she didn't say anything... Well, three of the four looked quite shaken...

"I just need a clean shot. Don't lose focus, and... d-don't give up. We've got this, ok? Just... give me an opening..." The Skitty said, trailing off as her sister appeared. She was shaken, quite terrified, but... alive. "And stay safe, ok...?" Darcy said quietly, managing a small, shaky smile at her sister, who happened to be an outlaw. She couldn't believe she'd brought herself to hate the little girl before her... Had she made mistakes? Yes... big ones... But she was still so small and fragile and vulnerable and she just needed help and reassurance...

~

Alki heard the instructions, and acted accordingly. Move? She could move. She was too scared to think for herself, but if Phosphor knew what she had to do, she could do it. Move. Alki teleported. Away. Away from the fire that'd eat at her, away from the dragon that'd kill her without a second thought...

She was wet again. She was in the water. She hadn't given any thought to where she'd teleport to, just away... She heard a splash, off somewhere in the distance, but all she could manage was to keep herself afloat, sputtering as she attempted to keep her mouth above water. Her eyes were shut tightly, the seawater hurt, and she could hardly hear anything except the roar of the waves, the anger of the Gyarados, and the distress of her own thoughts. A particularly large wave crashed over her.

It hurt. Her head hurt. She was dizzy. She'd been trying too hard, she'd used up so much energy with her flamethrower, instinctively trying to protect herself but she'd failed and now because of that what was going to happen? Her bag was floating away, sinking down... She watched it, slowly, as she realized that it was still pretty important. She could see a silence orb in particular, in her bag. The bag was floating down... And she was floating up... The jigglypuff kicked out with her foot, attempting to reach it, pull it up, back up towards her, but she wasn't quite that flexible, or maybe her body just hurt too much...?

The bag's strap was hanging by her foot now, dragging her down, back into the water... But she couldn't let go... Both Crunch and Hyperbeam had come from his mouth, right...? So if he couldn't use it...

But it wouldn't matter if she would drown... But if she teleported, she'd let go...

She pondered this conundrum as she sunk down. Or maybe there was nothing to ponder...? Maybe it was fine...

She felt something touch her, lifting her up, and as she looked down, she could see Kero, beaming up at her, a contrast to her own emotion. One of his fins lifted up her bag, and she grabbed it with her hand, staring down at him. They resurfaced. Alki took a large, gasping breath, looking down at him. "T-That's t-the second t-time..." She managed, but Kero simply grinned, nodding.

"I'm not keeping track."

They swum back towards the others, and Alki shook, grabbing her bag tightly. Her moves were useless... But as long as she had the orbs... They were back on land, and Kero helped her up gently. The coral felt slippery, and the world seemed to be spinning around her as she took a few, cautious steps towards her sister. She leaned against Darcy, still holding the back, managing a shaky, pale smile at Kero. She was dizzy, and she'd probably pass out if she teleported much more, and she probably couldn't really hurt him, but if she could throw the orb just right... That'd be half his moveset, gone...

"G-Guys, I-I'm s-s-scared..." Alki stammered out, unsure of who to focus on, her limbs shaking as she watched the Gyarados. She looked less like an outlaw, and more like a young child, standing in the doorway of her parent's doorframe.

"I had a bad dream," She'd say. And the parents never said anything, they just kept sleeping, so sometimes she lit a candle, staring at the shadows in her room until the morning light came. But this time it wasn't a dream, and there were no shadows. The shadows brought her comfort now... But the nightmare was right there, large and grinning and staring at them...

"Why should you be?" Kero said breezily, looking at them without paying the Gyarados behind him a second thought. The Lanturn's confidence in the group seemed almost to match the Gyarados' arrogance in himself. "You said it yourself! We're the good guys!"

Tsera's stammering broke his heart. She was looking to him for guidance, like she always had - but what could he do or say? He needed a plan, but he just didn't have one, not yet, he needed more time. Time that they didn't have as the outlaw crashed through the waves. Robin groaned as she forced herself back up to her feet, while Phoshor sighed in relief as Kero re-surfaced with Alki. Darcy was right. They hadn't yet reached a point of no return.

"That's all you need, huh? I can get you a clear shot." Phosphor said, though he didn't elaborate any further. He hadn't broken his word yet. They hadn't lost anyone. He could still get them all out of this alive. He scraped together all his courage, his hands and horn glowing with a bright psychic aura, strong enough to be visible to the naked eye, warping the air around him in waves. "It's going to get messy. Whatever you do, don't let yourselves get hit."

That was his job, he thought in dull amusement. But, hey. That was what he was good for - hitting things and getting hit. That was all he had ever been good at. He wondered if he could take a Hyper Beam from that thing. He remembered it even now, standing far too close to the hollow of it's throat, heat and light radiating from it as strongly as a star.

He wasn't sure he'd survive. But there was only one way to find out, huh?

He squeezed his eyes shut, his mind straining with effort, aching so badly that it threatened to come apart at the seams. And the Gyrados rose from the water - no, it didn't rise, Robin realized with a dull shock. It was being lifted. It flailed, outraged, unable to find purchase in the air, suspended above the ocean.

Robin knew she was weak, knew there was precious little she could do here, but she had to try. Even if her ribs still ached and her lungs were still choked with saltwater... she'd made a promise, hadn't she? That Alki could rely on her to keep everyone safe? Robin didn't know if she could keep her word, but all she'd known when she made that promise was that no one so young should have lives on their shoulders.

She could only summon the snow and wind once more, peppering the Gyrados with it. He hardly seemed to pay any mind to her. She wondered if her attack was really so ineffective until she followed his gaze. The monster had gathered his bearings, realizing after a few tense moments that he wasn't completely out of options after all. That Hyper Beam was building again, heat and burning white light, aimed straight at the Ralts that was holding it in place.

Phosphor made no move to dodge.

Battle Summary:

Tsera watched in shock and awe as her brother demonstrated just how potent a guild member he really was. She wasn't sure she'd be able to do that, even if she knew the moves her brother did. He was so strong... But now wasn't the time for admiration. She could save that for later, once this whole ordeal was over and done with. She'd let herself begin to panic, maybe thanks to the girl who had recently re-surfaced along with Kero. She could feel her terror as though it were her own, and a lot of other things too, things that reminded her of herself, even...

But she had to calm down! If she was panicking, she was of no use to any of them, and she was a guild member... A bad one, sure, but she still had more responsibility to keep the group safe than the Skitty, the Vulpix, and the Jigglypuff. The Gyarados was suspended in mid-air, but it was too far for her to really do anything with her own moves. She watched the events unfold before her, before she felt the little girl nudge her side.

"H-Here..." Alki said, holding out an orb to the Ralts. Tsera took it and turned it over, identifying it as a silence orb. "I-I'll miss..." The girl seemed visibly shaken up, and could hardly stand steady. Tsera would have to check on her afterwards, but for now, there were more pressing matters.

The Gyarados used his mouth for the Hyper Beam.... But she could stop it...

"Thanks, Alki..." Tsera said, a small smile returning to her face, growing into a smirk. If Phosphor could hold  him in place, it'd be difficult for her to miss him, and if she hit him, Phosphor would be fine...

"D-Darcy, wait until I h-hit the water, please..." Tsera said, a sense of small urgency in her voice as she showed off the orb. A look of understanding came over the Skitty, her tail pointed at the Gyarados.

"Just don't be long..."

Tsera nodded, mumbling a word of thanks as the jigglypuff walked up to the Skitty, an arm wrapped around Darcy's leg.

"I won't be," She said, confidence returning to her as she turned to Kero. She winked at him, prompting a look of confusion to come across the Lanturn.

"Tsera, what..."

That was all she could manage before Tsera teleported up and towards the Gyarados, off to the right of where he was pointing his Hyper Beam. She couldn't go to a platform, it was too far away, and she wasn't quite sure how long a Hyper Beam took to charge. She was in the air now, falling, falling...

Aim...

Throw!

She watched the orb arc through the air, towards the Gyarados... She wasn't sure if he'd even noticed, but he was taking too long to aim, and he seemed adamant in firing on Phosphor, but... She splashed into the water, sinking, but thankfully, unlike the balloon, she more or less knew how to swim... Although the platform the others were on was far...

She broke the surface of the water, looking up at the Gyarados. His mouth was shut, still suspended in the air. She grinned, her old, cocky demeanor flaring up once more.

"What's the matter, ya freakin' stupid? " She said, taunting the Gyarados as he glared at her now. "Did ya even SEE me hittin' ya?" She yelled out, louder, as she began to feel Kero pulling her away, back to the platform, he seemed to be moving kinda fast...

And then a bright, flash of light filled her eyes, as the Solar Beam rocketed directly towards the Gyarados.

Spoiler: