Spring Cleaning: the log!

[these_balls]

Who: Everyone!
Where: The six urban centers: Goldenrod, Olivine, Ecruteak, Violet, Saffron and Celadon, as well as outlying routes.
When: May 5-8
Summary: It's the Toxicalypse, and the Rockets are out to make a racket! Hide yo kids, hide yo wives, they lootin' errybody out here. The pokemon are between levels 5-95 as required, and include Grimer, Trubbish, Muk and Garbodor. NPC Rockets will probably be packing Skuntank and Weezing for lulz and grossness.
Rating: PG-13 for violence, swearing, the usual.
Log:

At 7:30AM on May 5th...

It can't be heard. It's one of those sounds, far out of range of human hearing; some pokemon might pick it up, if they have sensitive ears, but even to them it probably registers as little more than an unpleasant buzz. In fact, it doesn't even interrupt regular broadcasting; if you're on a route, the likelihood of noticing any sort of danger is slim. The effect in the urban areas, however, is instantaneous.

Letters have been flying to Gym leaders and mayors and other important people about the poor trash collecting job of the last few days; it seems the streets of Johto and Kanto have never seen this much garbage. The heat is stifling, oppressive, the rain of just yesterday pushing down the smog and the smell, trapping it low against the sizzling concrete. For the ecologically-conscious citizens of this world, who sort their trash into six neat piles, a harmful act against the environment like this is unthinkable, horrendous; it never occurs to them that it could be intentional, because honestly, what kind of monster would treat the habitat of pokémon so lightly?

Team Rocket, it seems, picks up quickly on new and different ways of thinking.

The devices whirr to life, beep and flash and pop open very lightly like waking insects. From them, a special radio wave is emitted; around them, the vast swaths of trash begin to move, and warp and dissolve into sludge and organs and joints. One Muk is two Muks, two is suddenly four, and then there is nothing but panic and rushing and the smell, the horrendous toxic smell.

Someone screams, and after that, chaos.

[[ooc notes: each sub-thread involves not only the individual locations, but also directly connected routes. For example, if you're on Route 34, feel free to use the Goldenrod thread.]]

Comments

[wormed]

[[Kariya looks down at the Pokemon cradled in her arms. It's very small. He frowns; how is that supposed to protect her? Good thing he's giving her something to help, too.]]

I'm glad you're staying safe, Sakura. By the way....when this is all over, I....

[[...he smiles again.]]

...I have a present for you.

[returntospring]

[She can't hide the look of curiosity crossing her face when he says that.]

Oh? What is it?

[wormed]

[[Instinctively, Kariya moves to lean down to eye level with her, when he realises he....doesn't have to lean very far. You're almost as tall as him, Sakura...]]

It's a surprise.

[returntospring]

[Sakura laughs a little. It's... sort of strange, when you finally reach the height of someone you've (literally) looked up to for as long as you can remember. It hasn't even really sunk in until now.] Alright. I'll wait till things calm down, then.

[Ah, speaking of....] We should probably see if any other areas of the city need help. there are a lot of those monsters roaming about...

[wormed]

[[....Kariya can't understand it. Why isn't she just staying safe? Why does she need to help everyone....?

After all she's been through, to think...she still has such a selfless spirit....]]

A-ah, Sakura, wait! There was a strange device that I found in the alley; would you like to see it?

[[At least this way he can keep her out of the fray for a bit longer!]]

[returntospring]

... A strange device? [Well that's... well. Strange. She nods.] Okay. It would be good to check something like that out.

[wormed]

[[Kariya leads Sakura back to the alley in which he was hiding, pointing out said strange device.]]

I've never seen anything like it before, and it's making a strange noise....what do you think it could be?

[returntospring]

[Luckily, Sakura isn't the walking techbane like her older sister is, so she's not 100 percent clueless. Still, she's not sure what exactly the device is.]

I'm not sure... but a strange device like this, placed in a hidden, out of the way area... it's suspicious.

[wormed]

My thoughts exactly.

[[In a rare moment of clarity, Kariya ponders the device, thinking. This swarm of poisonous Pokemon....a strange machine that just appeared, abandoned yet obviously fully functional, in his alley...it's odd. Very odd.

But he does have to be grateful; at least it's given him an excuse to keep Sakura away from the main battle.]]

Maybe we should destroy it. Or at least find a way to turn it off.

[returntospring]

[It only takes another glance at the machine for Sakura to make up her mind. She was thinking the same thing as Kariya; it was way too out of place to just be nothing.]

I don't know what sort of device this is, though. I don't know if I can turn it off, so we might have to destroy it...

[wormed]

We can use....!!

[[Dammit, no, they can't use Mika....she's currently in the Pokemon Centre thanks to that bastard Tokiomi!

Kariya lets out a small, pained cry, before furiously pulling himself together. He will not let himself look weak in front of Sakura! How could he worry her?!]]

...we can use....ah, my Surskit!

[[And said Surskit crawls up from behind Kariya's hood, onto his shoulder, looking at the pair curiously.]]

Use Bubble, Shin. Make it short out!

[[And he does, soaking the machine in water. With a crackle, it quietens down. Kariya helps it along by heaving a full bin of trash onto it, with some more help from Shin.]]

...that must have done it.

[returntospring]

[It certainly looks like it isn't working anymore.] Seems like it. Good job!

[Any celebrating has to be put on pause, though, when several more Grimer and Trubbish show up at the mouth of the alley.]

Ah...

[Looks like they won't snap out of it right away. :|a]

[wormed]

It didn't work.....?

[[Clenching his jaw, Kariya places a hand on Sakura's shoulder and positions himself in front of her.]]

Stay behind me, Sakura!

[returntospring]

I'll be fine, really! [Sakura, being the kind girl that she is, has bonded quite well with her pokemon. She trusts them as much as she trusts any of her other companions.] We'll team up, okay?

[wormed]

[[Kariya hesitates for a minute, before stepping back in line with Sakura. He's obviously still unsure, however. At least there doesn't seem to be too many of the creatures.]]

You must promise me you'll run to safety if things get dangerous. Promise me.

[returntospring]

[She smiles and nods.] I promise.

[Looking down, she notices that Dahlia's still looking tired. She doesn't want to push her, so she lifts her up onto her shoulder - Dahlia's favorite resting spot - and pulls a ball out of her bag. She releases it, and out comes a large purple snake, coiled up and already glaring daggers at their opponents.]

Okay, ready.

[wormed]

[[....well that's quite a Pokemon, Sakura.

Kariya gently places his Silcoon on the ground in front of him, and as he leans down his Caterpie and Sewaddle scoot out from his sleeves, settling next to Aya. His Surskit, clambering down from his shoulder, also readies himself to fight.]]

All of you, stop them from coming any closer.

[[His Pokemon are young but they're filled with vitality; they don't hesitate.]]

[returntospring]

[Sakura's eyebrows raise a little. Not because of the pokemon themselves, or how they appeared, but because Kariya had already caught so many. Despite already having four pokemon, the Ekans in front of her was the only one Sakura had actually caught... seems like she was falling behind.

Speaking of falling behind, the snake was still waiting for orders. Better fix that!]

Go, use Wrap!

[The Ekans surges forward and does just that; she wraps around an enemy one by one, just enough to incapacitate them. Sakura doesn't look that happy about doing that, but... there was no other choice.]

[wormed]

[[And Kariya's Pokemon soon make short work of any outliers with a swift round of Tackles; it's obvious he's relieved.]]

I thought we were in real trouble there, but we did alright! Well done Sakura!

[returntospring]

Mm! We're a good team! [Her bright smile is back, and stays firmly on her face when she turns to the Ekans as she slithers back towards the duo. The snake affectionately curls 'round Sakura's ankles and raises her head, tongue flicking out. Sakura laughs, and lovingly rubs the pokemon on the head.]

You did well too, Rider.

[wormed]

[[Kariya smiles happily at the pleased look on Sakura's face. This fiasco, it...it's almost like a bonding exercise, for the two of them. He hasn't been this happy in a long time. His Pokemon disappear back into his clothes, and he gently picks up his Silcoon.

...he blinks sharply, however, when he hears Sakura addressing her Pokemon.]]

....that's an interesting nickname.

[returntospring]

[... Sakura only just now realizes she said something very, very wrong. She chews on her bottom lip for a moment, staring intently at "Rider" and not Kariya.]

It's... it's a nickname. Of someone very important to me, back home...

[Well, it's not like that's a lie.]

[wormed]

....someone important to you has the nickname 'Rider'?

[[....no, this can't be right. It just....can't be.]]

[returntospring]

[She's still not looking at him.]

Yes. She's a good person... she looked out for me. Protected me.

[wormed]

[[He's noticed.]]

....protected you from what?

[[It's then that Kariya remembers something that strange Lancer told him. About the Fifth Heaven's Feel.

....but that couldn't possibly be true, could it...?]]

...Sakura. Please look at me.