Route 29: ｍｏｄｓ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
these_balls) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
route_10652015-02-01 10:55 am
these_balls) wrote in route_10652015-02-01 10:55 am
Entry tags:
You have no chance to survive
Who: Rocket Grunts, Magma Grunts, and Aqua Grunts! Basically all the Grunts!
Where: The Whirl Islands and Cinnabar Island
When: February 1st
Summary: Pretty much this
Rating: PG-13? It doesn't need to higher than that? Right, guys?
Log:
The orders are pretty simple. Go in. Wipe out the Team Aqua and Magma Grunts. That's it. So there's not going to be any farewell speeches or anything like that from the Admins because they're of the opinion that you guys have totally got this.
And if you don't...
Well, don't worry about that for now.
Instead, just worry about getting to the nearest base and boarding a helicopter. After that, you've got a short (or long, depending on which base you're heading to) ride ahead of you to some islands in the middle of the ocean, inhabited by a bunch of Aqua and Magma Grunts who have no idea this surprise is on the way. So just do what you do best, Rockets!
And as far as the Admins are concerned what you do best should be to win at all costs. Anything less and well, that would just be an embarrassing return to the region for them. And nobody wants that.
QUICK LINKS
EVENT INFO | QUESTIONS | PLOTTING POST
☆ HELICOPTER RIDE THREAD ☆ TEAM AQUA BASE THREAD ☆ TEAM MAGMA BASE THREAD ☆ AFTERMATH THREAD
Where: The Whirl Islands and Cinnabar Island
When: February 1st
Summary: Pretty much this
Rating: PG-13? It doesn't need to higher than that? Right, guys?
Log:
The orders are pretty simple. Go in. Wipe out the Team Aqua and Magma Grunts. That's it. So there's not going to be any farewell speeches or anything like that from the Admins because they're of the opinion that you guys have totally got this.
And if you don't...
Well, don't worry about that for now.
Instead, just worry about getting to the nearest base and boarding a helicopter. After that, you've got a short (or long, depending on which base you're heading to) ride ahead of you to some islands in the middle of the ocean, inhabited by a bunch of Aqua and Magma Grunts who have no idea this surprise is on the way. So just do what you do best, Rockets!
And as far as the Admins are concerned what you do best should be to win at all costs. Anything less and well, that would just be an embarrassing return to the region for them. And nobody wants that.
EVENT INFO | QUESTIONS | PLOTTING POST
☆ HELICOPTER RIDE THREAD ☆ TEAM AQUA BASE THREAD ☆ TEAM MAGMA BASE THREAD ☆ AFTERMATH THREAD
no subject
Have you got the rank to back up that order, hm?
[A question that probably constitutes fighting dirty, but you know what, if you're gonna fight why wouldn't you do it dirty.]
no subject
...oh, what a stupid thought! Keeping her hands on her hat, Celes continues to glare. Why? Why isn't he leaving?]
What, do you want a fucking salute?
[Despite her best efforts, Celes' voice cracks at the end of that sentence, and she can feel her temperature rising. She knows she needs to be polite, she can't be so...combative, but she can't control herself. This can't...this can't be happening, no-one can see her like this, looking so ugly...least of all...!!
Shuddering, she steps back further.]
no subject
[He throws in the expletive mostly to echo hers; otherwise, he sounds almost amused.]
Lighten up, I wasn't mocking you. That really was an impressive show, even if I only caught the tail end of it.
no subject
How she's supposed to look.
She doesn't remove her hands from her hat, but her next reply is far more even.]
I'm...sorry, I just...don't like being here.
[That'll do.]
I just want to defeat these idiots, and go back to Goldenrod.
no subject
[...Schuldig, you jumped into an active volcano to get here, there are plenty of reasons why someone might be worked up.
You complete tool.]
This isn't your first fight, is it?
no subject
No, it isn't. I've been here a while, and I don't like to lose.
[...although that...
...fuck. Victoria. Victoria is standing right fucking there, she's had her with her every time they've met-
-stay calm, stay calm-]
Especially not to the fools running around this base.
no subject
[Pause.]
And don't have a fit worrying about mouthing off to me. I'm not made of glass, my precious ears won't shatter the instant someone lets fly a naughty word.
no subject
[...well. She's not worried about his opinion of her language, anyway.
...it's probably the one thing she isn't worried about, when it comes to his opinion, but it's something, at least.
...]
I take it you're not a grunt.
no subject
[A subtle deviation, going from "worried" to "afraid", but it's also one that spins the remark from standoffishness into something that almost resembles a compliment.]
You take correctly. Is your next question going to be whether or not I play favorites?
no subject
...ugh.]
If you do, I'm not interested in being on the list. I just want to be left alone.
[...]
...to do my job, and all that.
no subject
[He nods slightly, touching two fingers to his temple in a vague almost-salute, and then pushes off from the doorjamb as if to leave — before pausing and tossing over his shoulder: ]
Nice to see you, too, Victoria.
no subject
...the fallout from this will not be fun to deal with. As it stands, she can feel the waves of panic starting to flood through the room, the source of them crashing back against the wall and placing her hands over her face.]
...what do you want?
[Celes has shifted her hands from her cap to her face, her fingers splayed out in a desperate attempt to hide her appearance. He knows, he knows he knows he knows he knows he knows HE KNOWS-
It takes all her strength to keep herself on her feet.]
Why can't you just...why can't you just go...
no subject
[He half-turns back to look at her, subtly doing as much to block the door to prevent any passerby from glimpsing in as to cut off the exit, and lets the smug edge fade away from his tone.]
We've all got secrets when it comes to wearing this uniform, right? I've got nothing to gain by gambling with yours.
[Pause.]
And it's like I said. I stopped because I saw a performance worth watching. That's all.
1/2
It didn't matter if people saw Taeko. It mattered if people were able to connect her to Celestia Ludenberg - which is what has happened now. She should have left Victoria at home...but she knew she couldn't do that. Not when she depended on her so much.
...speaking of which.]
Victoria! Use Teleport, now!
[If he thinks she hasn't got a back-up plan, he's completely wrong-]
2/2
...]
What?
[Despite herself, Celes lets her hands fall away from her face as she whirls to face Victoria, who is looking at her sadly.]
Why aren't you doing it? Teleport us out of here!
[Sighing, Victoria just shakes her head.]
I'm sorry, Celestia-sama. But he holds the Beta rank; I cannot go against someone of that level. I...I just can't.
[Celes falls silent for a moment, her eyes wide with shock. This...this isn't possible...Victoria has never disobeyed her before, why now...
Releasing a cry of frustration, Celes quickly returns her hands to her face, collapsing back against the wall. She just...has to think. There has to be another way to get out of here.
...for the moment, she falls silent again - keeping her eyes on Jaeger.]
no subject
Of course there'd been something vicious lurking underneath that perfect, pristine cover; he's known that since the beginning, since he first decided he was interested in her in the first place. But this — the rage, the vitriol, the spitting hatred and frustration and urge to lash out at something — that's all too familiar, isn't it? It's like seeing Crawford smile from behind the barrel of a gun when he says, "You're no longer useful." The polish, the poise, and the knowledge that underneath it all there's something so beautifully raw with pent-up anger and revenge...
Crawford makes it look better, obviously, but he'd be fooling himself if he tried to pretend like he couldn't draw the comparison.
So of course he wants to pull her apart like a trapped butterfly; hasn't that always been his favorite part about people? To dig in and strip off that thin layer of "reason" that makes them conform, just for the sake of seeing what much more fascinating complications they were desperately hiding beneath...
Hmmm.]
Why won't you do it, Victoria?
[Understandably, he's only heard half the conversation, and probably this girl will slaughter him for daring to talk to her Pokemon — but then, she's got every reason to slaughter him for a lot of things, so one more can't possibly make that much of a difference.]
no subject
...for a moment, she reaches one up to her head, closing her eyes as she feels around, as if there's something there that is bothering her...but whatever it is, it can't be too important, as she quickly returns to her original position.
When she 'speaks', both humans will be able to 'hear' it.]
Do I have your permission to Teleport us away, sir?
[Celes remains silent throughout the exchange, but she's still watching him like a hawk. Just...just in case he tries to approach her. She'll make him regret it if he does. She's so...tired, she's so tired of everything being out of her control, always, whether it's here or Hope's-fucking-Peak, she never seems to be in control of her life any more-]
no subject
Besides, this is...curious. And frankly, unsettling.
So she was waiting for permission? From him, as opposed to her own trainer?
...You know, he's long expected that he probably shouldn't trust the Pokemon he was given by the organization to the fullest degree (why else would he have caught the rest of his psychic team by hand, from the wild?), but if this is the proof of it, that at any time Schlingel could refuse one of his orders in favor of getting a superior's permission...
Well, fuck that, basically.]
You take orders from her, not from me.
[Maybe he'll regret that someday, but no one ever said he was a strategist, either.
Maybe he'll regret that the remark comes out a little quieter than he means it to, as well, but that would involve admitting to regret in the first place, and professionally speaking he hates that.]
If you want out, then go.
[He pauses, reaching for the balls at his belt long enough to retrieve his Zoroark, which when called out abruptly takes up its place at his side like it's supposed to.]
...But if you want to stay and wreck shit, an illusion might go a little farther for you than trying to keep your hands over your face.
1/2
As you wish. I will take my orders from my trainer, in lieu of you.
[She'll have to try and explain this to Celes when they return home, but...how much is she allowed to reveal? This...this interference from Team Rocket has never bothered her before, but then again...her trainer has never done work for them before, has she?
Closing her eyes, Victoria casts her mind over to Celes', keeping the conversation between the two of them.]
I can teleport us back to the helicopter if you like, Celestia-sama. It would be best if we stayed with the Team, for now, but I will keep people away from you if you wish it.
[Celes remains silent after Victoria has spoken, still glaring at Jaeger through her fingers.]
If I'd wanted to use a Zoroark, I would have brought my own.
[Her voice is uneven, and she's not making any effort to hide the bitterness that flavours it. It's...too late now, isn't it? It doesn't matter that she's hidden her face so desperately...he knows who she is, and he's seen her face, her disgusting face...why would he want to stay around her now, especially after she's done her best to be cruel?
He's interested in Celestia Ludenberg, fool. Not you.
The thoughts run through her head with uncomfortable force, but Celes can't banish them; not here, not in this tense situation, not...
...]
2/2
[The next seconds zip past in a blur; her Milotic flies safely into her Pokeball, while Victoria sends her one of those scarves they'd discovered in those Magma crates. Wrapping it roughly around her face, up to her eyes, Celes gives Victoria a nod.
They're getting out of here. She can't take it any more.
The second before she disappears into the Teleport, Celes locks eyes with Jaeger. She's not going to the Helicopter; not now. Not when she's feeling this worked up. As long as Victoria sends her somewhere else in the base, far away from him, she won't mind.
She's got work to do, after all.]