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

-----------------------------------------------

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

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

[Hibiki can be found getting her leg tended to in the Pokécenter, should anyone come looking for her. There's nasty cuts and a sprain all along her left leg from some fighting she got into, not to mention a few other bruises from falling.

She has a feeling she's never going to live this down, so she's resting her head on Takane's Clefairy as she holds her close.]

I said I'm fine! It's not a big deal, I can still walk!

[10yen_idol]

[Yayoi makes her way over, waving at Hibiki- she's still a little weak on her feet, and is being assisted by her Kingler, so it'll take a little while]

[... and for some reason, she's not saying a thing, even though she's in perfect hearing distance.]

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

[Hibiki might not have noticed her, but Takane's Clefairy always politely says hello when she sees a friend.]

H-huh? Oh, Yayoi...are you doing any better?

1/2

[10yen_idol]

[Yayoi nods and opens her mouth to reply-]

--! ... --!!

2/2

[10yen_idol]

...

[She motions towards her throat, the one thing that ISN'T okay.]

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

[She gestures next to her, patting the seat. After they had been separated...she didn't know how badly Yayoi got it.]

Did Nurse Joy check you out already? Y-you can just nod, of course.

[10yen_idol]

[Yayoi sits down- more like SLIDES down- in the proffered seat, nodding again.]

--! ...

[.. though she tries to speak a second time before remembering that she can't. She's still putting on a brave face, despite the damage done to her voice.]

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

Um, Yayoi, do you wanna wait with me?

[Hibiki will just scoot closer so Yayoi has someone else to lean on before patting Iori. She loves this Kingler, okay...]

They've still got most of my Pokémon in the back. Only Takane and Santa-san came out of it okay.

[Does Yayoi remember the Delibird that attacked Hayate? Well, guess who joined Hibiki's party when she went to Mahogany to battle team rocket?]

[10yen_idol]

[Iori doesn't seem like she's going to tear Hibiki's arm off and crus it between her pincers- which is a VERY good sign, showing that the Kingler rather likes the other idol!]

[For her part, Yayoi's more than happy to lean on Hibiki's shoulder, listening intently. She then nods, breathing a sigh of relief. So her Pokemon all made it out okay...]

[After a second, Yayoi tugs on Hibiki's sleeve.]

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

[Good. Hibiki probably sneaks Iori treats when Yayoi isn't looking, anyways.

Even if it's just a sigh of relief, it's still comforting knowing that Yayoi is here, too. That was way too rough for both of them, even for Makoto...especially since collectively, they never give up. Ever.]

Is something wrong, Yayoi? Do ya need something?

[10yen_idol]

[Yayoi makes sure that Hibiki's looking at her face, before mouthing the following words:]

Thank
You

[and hugging the older idol, putting as much strength into it as she can.]

gah I forgot to do this one

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

[That's not very much strength, is it Yayoi? Hibiki winces a little because she turns from her seat to hug back, and her leg is still hurting a lot.]

Y-yayoi...I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise...

I know that feeling ;u;

[10yen_idol]

[Yayoi shakes her head, tearing up a little bit; she tugs Hibiki's sleeve again, and mouths the following:]

You did! You saved me.

[- patting Hibiki's arm at 'you' and putting a hand on her own chest at 'me.']

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

I...I know I did, but I didn't do it alone. Makoto fought really hard, too, and so did Scallion and Poochiko and Takane...

[She's stopped saying Clefairy at this point in reference to Takane's Clefairy, but there's not much of a difference.

She clears her throat, trying to hide her own tears.]

And you know how it is, Yayoi. If a member of your pack is in trouble, you gotta stand up and protect them no matter what. We're like family, right? I won't ever break a promise again.

[10yen_idol]

[Yayoi nods, though the sight of Hibiki's tears- well, it causes a chain reaction, even as she keeps mouthing words that the other idol probably won't be able to catch.]

But you DIDN'T break your promise! You saved me, and- and- we saw each other again after everything...

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

Y-yayoi...

[Here, she's just going to offer you a towel to wipe your eyes with. It's not really a tissue, but it should do. The only words she really catches are "you" and "we," which don't mean much.]

You don't have to push yourself so hard. You should preserve your voice.

[That's far from an attempt to shut her up, though, since she's going to pass Yayoi her Pokégear. She has to fiddle with it for a moment, though, but the ID field is blank, so they can pass messages back and forth.]

Just use this. It should work just fine, right?

[10yen_idol]

[Yayoi nods, taking the proffered towel; when she looks back up, she blinks at the Pokegear before smiling shakily. Her first words are, of course:]

thank you

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

O-of course! You don't even have to thank me, I'll do it every time! So that's...that's not a big deal.

[It's so hard to be mad at yourself when Yayoi is being innocent.]

[10yen_idol]

it is a big deal
you savedme from taht rocket ,adn
you were really cool, hibiki!1

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

You were pretty cool, too, though, Yayoi! It was like...you're getting a lot stronger. Soon, you'll be as strong as Makoto and I!

[10yen_idol]

rrealy
do u think so!?/ i mean i diddnot do a lto

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you did a lot! Think about all the Pokémon you saved and the people you helped, Yayoi. It wouldn't have been possible if you weren't such a good trainer!

[10yen_idol]

was it really taht many.....1/

[nankurunaizer.livejournal.com]

Yeah! And when you think about it, if they had gotten more Pokémon, they'd have used them to hurt people next time...so you helped even more!

[10yen_idol]

i... i guss when you put it taht way

[She DOES look pretty happy about that, though.]