Operation: Express Car; [train plot log]

[these_balls]

Who: Everyone who wants to participate!
Where: Goldenrod City, the Magnet Train, Saffron City.
When: November 23rd, 11AM-5PM
Summary: Heist on the Magnet Train!
Rating: Might go up to PG-13, possibly R if exceptional violence of swearing occurs.
Log:

They've spent the last few days preparing. He wasn't sure at first, how this was going to turn out, but the Team is confident. They are confident and now he, Archer, is also confident. He has no reason to expect failure; he tells himself, even if they fail, this will cement them back in the public eye. A threat again. It makes his collar hot to think.

He reviews the plans again, Petrel's notes and schematics, engineering details. Phase 2 will be the most delicate, but he's confident in the abilities of the recruits. The aliens, the outsiders, are strange, but useful. They have skills no other Grunt would possess. Archer recognizes he has been given a tool, and only a fool would fail to use it.

At 9:30AM on November 23rd, Archer sends a message through the Rocket Network. It is short, and simple, and jubilant.

Operation: Express Car START

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It's a nice day out, considering. Cold, yes, but the kind of cold that buries itself deep in the lungs and blows the mind into crisp clarity. Cheeks are red, movements brisk to retain heat, and around Goldenrod's white-dusted Magnet Train station, the energy is thick enough to taste. People in their thick winter coats press together, some alone, some with families and friends, most with their trusted pokémon. The larger creatures are returned to their balls, tragically fated to miss the voyage, while smaller breeds are held in their trainers' arms or scurrying around their ankles.

The station attendants are supervising while customers pass through, touching the microchipped Rail Pass to the card readers and moving in slow, sluggish trails through the gates. There is no shoving; the atmosphere seems too cheery for it, excitement manifesting in the form of loud, vigorous conversation. The train itself is gloriously slick, smooth and polished as a new bullet or a freshly-minted coin, humming with power. We ask our passengers to please mind their electric-types, reminds the stationmaster over the PA, as we seek to avoid any trouble or inconvenience during the ride.

Once you've passed the gate, find a seat and stow away your luggage. Relax, unwind; it's a long six hours ahead.

[[ ooc: I kindly ask that players please DO NOT POST until all the subthreads have been made. Thank you!

GO FOR IT! Remeber to tag yourselves in!

NOTE: YOU CAN NPC ROCKETS IF YOU CAN'T NAB A PC ROCKET FOR PLOTTY FUNTIEMS. ]]

Comments

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Flare can handle it.

[And to that, Flare rolls his eyes and grunts. Phantom and Slash, on the other hand, move right ahead of Flare with no problem. Heck, Riku sends out his Rotom a second later.]

[Flare can probably move well enough if he crouches down, and he's got good aim. Before long, he'll be moving forward, spewing Toxic at the non-poison Rocket Pokémon and Will-O-Wisp at the rest.]

[paladinlost]

I almost feel sorry for those poor Rockets.

[Yet obviously not sorry enough not to call out Rosie and Tellah. Tellah adds his Toxic to Flare's, while Rosie greets a nearby Muk with Meteor Mash.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Tough luck for them.

[Slash and Phantom join in the Toxic onslaught, while Surge unleashes some nasty Thunder Waves and Confuse rays. Phantom might even launch a few Hypnosis.

But Riku's not expecting just status moves out of them. On the contrary, once a few Pokémon have been nailed with Status effects, the game is on. Flare takes careful aim slams a Zubat with a ThunderPunch.]

[paladinlost]

Still, you'd think they'd use more variety. Any decent Psychic-type could put an end to their plan, with all those Poison-types.

[Not that Cecil has any of his on-hand. But Esuna does have a few attacks, and so does Noelle once she comes out of her ball. Rosie and Tellah have to contend themselves with a Water Pulse competition, however.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Seriously. It's why I don't go monotype in the first place.

[Which gives him an idea... Bloop! Out comes his Scizor, who resists poison wonderfully. Plus, he's got a Lucario with a few Psychic tricks up her sleeve.

Phantom starts abusing Mean Look, Curse, Hypnosis, and Dream Eater, with the occasional Thunderbolt for good measure. Slash, being a dark type, doesn't have any Psychic moves, but his combination of Agility and Double Team make him tough to hit, and he lashes out with a series of dark, ice, and other moves to level the playing field.

In fact, they all know Double Team and are using it well. The whole team is going all out, careful not to harm any civilians in the process.]

[paladinlost]

It makes sense for the Gym leaders to do so, as they aim to test us. But a criminal group should value efficiency over image.

[Ooh, Dream Eater. Esuna likes that one. But she likes Tailwind even more, and the rest of the team also appreciates it. Then Rosie adds Lucky Chant and Light Screen to the mix, making sure to use them on Riku's Pokémon as well.

Tellah and Noelle would be more than happy to help with the team buffing, truly, but they are slightly busy felling as many Zubats as possible with AuroraBeam and Ice Punch. Tellah is winning.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Seriously. It's just not practical to stick to poison.

[Ah, Light Screen! Handy. Riku's team definitely appreciates the move. It'll make fighting off those Rocket Pokémon way easier.

Blade clobbers a few Zubats with her pincers and proceeds to use Focus Energy, Swords Dance, Iron Defense, and Agility to buff herself up. Once that's done, she unleashes her own Tailwind. With the others buffed, she starts abusing Iron Head.]

[paladinlost]

Unless they happen to be attacking a Grass-type lovers' meeting, and even most of those could take advantage of dual types.

[Esuna returns to her Psywaves and Confusions, while Tellah and Noelle continue their competition. This leaves Rosie by herself, but she has little trouble fighting back with Dig.

Cecil stares at that last one.]

...How can she use Dig while on a moving train?

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

[Okay, what. Riku blinks and stares. Man, that was weird.]

I don't know, but it's not a bad idea.

[Flare grunts and follows suit. Ground type moves should take care of those Muks.]

[paladinlost]

[It certainly does, considering the way some of them are screaming.]

At least all of our attack options are still open.

[Rosie snorts just as she starts digging again. Of course they are, silly trainer. The display is enough to encourage Tellah to try a few Mud-Slaps, but he quickyl realizes that he has better options.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's a perk.

[Dig, dig, diggity dig! Flare seems to be enjoying this.

As a whole, Riku's little army is landing some heavy hits. Probably helps that they're all maxed out, of course.]

[paladinlost]

Though they did warn us about electric attacks...

[Ah, the joys of being maxed out. Noelle would be jealous of everyone else present, if she wasn't busy Flamethrowing a Koffing unconscious.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Flare hasn't had too much trouble.

[Granted, he's using punches instead of moves like Thunderbolt.]

[paladinlost]

He's only one Pokémon. A whole group of Electrodes, however... I'm surprised they did not think of that.

[Not that he minds, even if it'd take many Explosions to knock one of his team out.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's too risky for them.

[Because they could get caught up in the explosion themselves.]

[paladinlost]

I'm surprised their leaders care about such details.

[Goodness knows the villains in his world never did, though they were mostly monsters.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

The grunts are probably too useful to just off at the drop of a hat.

[paladinlost]

Yet not useful enough to deserve useful Pokémon.

[He hits a Koffing trying to sneak up on him with his shoulder. His spike-covered shoulder.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's a pretty weird double-standard.

[Pfff, Riku punches a Zubat in the face, knocking it right over to his Rotom.]

[paladinlost]

Perhaps they know a breeder who sells Poison-type eggs at a particularly low price and are on a budget.

[Lucky thing the Jennies aren't there to see that.]

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't surprise me. Heck, they could get them for free.

[paladinlost]

They could even take care of it themselves, with a few specimens and a Ditto.

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

Maybe that's all they do in the first place.

[paladinlost]

...A criminal lair with a hatchery. That must be interesting to explain to new members.

[islandshore.livejournal.com]

If by interesting you mean awkward. Imagine what it'd do for their reputation.