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

[ripped]

[ He'd say thank you, except he's too busy slamming his foot into a Rocket's knee. The guy goes down, but not before dropping his pokeball, which releases a huge, hissing Arbok.

Fuck. ]

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ And while she's trying to wrestle with the Rocket she downed, Bahamut the Gible's going to come up and Dragon Slash that Arbok in the face. IN THE FACE! ]

[ripped]

[ In the face??? Red is going to hop down from Nero's shoulders to go join Bahamut in taking down that Arbok. FLAMETHROWER ALSO TO THE FACE.

Xion's Rocket is unfortunately bigger than she is--and trying to roll her over to get the upper hand. Meanwhile, Nero is busy making sure the Rocket he took down stays down; he resists releasing Buster, and instead settles for a swift kick to the man's ribs before turning to assist Xion. ]

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Yes. He'd be using Outrage or Earthquake, but his trainer told him specifically not to use those, so..

Everyone ever is bigger than Xion, but that doesn't intimidate her! She's half basing what she's doing on Lightning's training and half-... winging it. Yeah. The Rocket's trying to knock her out with a punch to the face, but Xion rolls backward before sending a kick to his crotch.

Honk-honk. ]

[ripped]

[ Okay Nero kind of just has to. Pause. And wince.

Because manly sympathy. Ow.

The Rocket does effectively go down, though--and the douchebag had it coming in the first place. Nero steps in to give Xion a moment to stand, before clocking the guy in the temple with his fist. KO. He turns to Xion with a snort. ]

Talk about getting your point across...

[havemercy]

[ Boy, sure is lack of a certain dude's girlfriend around these parts. Kyrie's great at getting into trouble in a subtle manner... What might be noticeable though is the Mawile that gets knocked across in front of Nero's path. Not too rough, because her Pokemon is pretty boss.

Or well, it was because Kyrie was the one who shoved her out of danger. While she's not the best fighter, the woman's got enough sense to know when something is out her league. At her feet is purple sludge (none touching her thankfully), possibly from a nearby Muk.

So what happens when a person doesn't have any Pokemon nearby to defend them? ]

You're picking a fight with the wrong passenger! [ Feisty. She can't call for Nero every second of the day, can she? ]

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Xion would've responded back to Nero had a sudden Mawile be seemingly pushed onto Nero. She looks to where the Mawile came from and noticed a red-haired girl being cornered. ]

Hey! [ Without any thought, she's moving towards her. There's a Rocket trying to come up and do a sneak attack on the woman. ] Look out!

[ She'd say "sorry" for the slight shove past Kyrie were it not for the fact that a fist comes smashing into Xion's jaw. Ow. Xion only stumbles back a few steps back into Kyrie, but she stands her ground, lip bleeding.

The Rocket looks surprised he didn't get his target... until he howls as Bahamut just chomps on his leg. Taking that distraction, Xion turns to Kyrie: ] You have to go back.

[ripped]

Kyrie!

[ It's the first thing out of his mouth when her Mawile smashes into his legs, sending him to the ground. He curses the absence of all his power, his skills; he'd be by her side already. Instead he has to watch while a Rocket takes aim behind her, fist swinging down--only to smash into Xion's face instead. Making a mental note to thank her later, Nero vaults over Mawile and in a single stride, he has Kyrie in his arms. He fully intends to use the distraction Xion's given him. ]

Kyrie, get out of here!

[ He releases Buster, who, upon realizing that HIS PRECIOUS LADY is under assault, charges headfirst into the Muk, accompanied by Red. ]

[havemercy]

I can't in good conscience leave you here alone!

[ Nero really?? She can't quite get out of there when he's a) holding her and b) a little girl just got hit oh noes. If beating your significant other was a thing you do in this kind of situation, she might smack him silly for his ludicrous suggestion!

Plus, she needs her babby. The Pokemon. Not the man. ]

Nero, assist her! [ When mama bear Kyrie says do something, it better get done. Rarely does she ever raise her voice and towards Nero of all people. Bet he wishes she still had that sore throat. Even if that was most definitely a scolding tone, the look of gratitude in her softened gaze (laced with worry naturally) might speak greater volumes. ]

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

I'm fine, really! [ She calls over her shoulder because-- ack, the Rocket's attempting to shake Bahamut off and he's hurting her Pokemon. The bastard. Xion charges again and, with her left arm, swings a hook to the guy's chest, which effectively pushes him back with a wheeze and causes Bahamut to let go.

Hah! That training with Leon and Lightning did pay off. ]

Bahamut, help with the Muk! [ To which he does so gladly. She turns to Nero, and to Kyrie, specifically: ] Are you oka- ahh!

[ Sure, she knocked the guy down, but she's still a small person trying to attack a bigger target. The guy's recovered enough to swing a leg at Xion's, making her trip and crash onto the ground again. ]

[ripped]

[ Nero makes a frustrated noise, because damn it, he doesn't want to leave Kyrie vulnerable, but-- ]

Fine, just stay out of the way! Buster, watch over Kyrie!

[ That's all he says before he moves away from his girl to slam into the Rocket attacking Xion; Nero's considerably bulkier than she is, and the guy goes down easier--except that Nero grabs him before he hits the floor. Just for good measure, Nero headbutts him, then smashes his skull against the edge of a seat. The Rocket is effectively out, leaving them with nothing but the Muk to take care of--unless more Rockets show up, which is likely.

Nero takes Xion by the arm, hauling her back to her feet. Red the Charmeleon is keeping the Muk at bay by swiping her flaming tail at them, but they've much higher-leveled than she is. She may need backup. ]

[havemercy]

[ Oh no he didn't just talk to her as though she was a nuisance and getting into trouble. Thankfully Kyrie has a maxed out understanding stat and knows that he's behaving in this manner out of concern for her.

While she doesn't approve of how much he assists her, Kyrie can look the other way while he handles the Rocket member. Red shouldn't be too alone - she's got Kyrie's Mawile right at her side. Unfortunately, the Mawile is just crying.

They're fake tears though. Maybe she can play support and lower it's defense for the stronger Pokemon.

Kyrie will do as Nero instructed and stay out of harm's way, keeping herself fully alerted to her surroundings, as well as Nero and Xion's too. ]

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

Ugh... [ Xion scrambles to her feet with Nero's assistance. There's a sharp pain in her forearm, an indication she should be paying attention to, but she doesn't. That Rocket is down, but that Muk... he's being a persistent, smelly bastard.

Poison... Muk's are Poison-Types, right? ]

Bahamut, use Sand Tomb!

[ And the Muk is surrounded by a small sandstorm! ]

[ripped]

[ Distracted by Mawile's fake tears, the Muk hiss unhappily when they suddenly find themselves encased with hot, abrasive sand. Like with salt on a slug, they seem to contort and shrink, dissolving into KO'd piles of ooze when Red follows up with Flamethrower.

Nero runs a hand through his hair to dislodge the sand--and makes a face when the remains of a Muk dribbles onto his boot. ]

There any more of them?

[havemercy]

I don't think so.

[ The train is too much of a mess right now to fully analyze the situation. With everyone running about as though they were chickens with their heads cut off, Kyrie's doing all she can to not accidentally knock someone over. ]

Are you going to be alright? [ Addressing the girl instead of Nero. She knows he's going to be okay and frankly, he might feel insulted if she asks. ]