PTU: Unnatural Selection

[Arcran]

The light pours into the small room that houses Seven. You've long since deduced that the light source is artificial, as the one in the "garden" you're allowed to roam likely is. The facility is obviously underground, so why would there be true sunlight?

In the corner your two companions sleep soundly, Garn snoring loudly with every breath, Ozy occasionally spontaneously teleporting. Your breakfast should come in a few minutes, as long as they stick to the schedule, as they always have.

Good morning Eta, an all too familiar voice projects into your mind. Did you sleep soundly?

[Mr Stereo1]

"Yes. Good morning to you too." Eta replies, as he was taught. He moves to wake his companions, Seven dislikes being awake without them. It's not unbearable as long as they're still in the same room - as long as he knows that they're there - but he doesn't like it. "What will it be for breakfast today?"

Garn is easy to wake, though he requires a careful hand. [Charm Roll [roll0] ]

Ozy is more difficult. He moves you see, you have to know where he is going to be before he teleports to catch him. [Intuition [roll1] ]

[Arcran]

Why the formality? the voice projects, hurt. Are we not friends?

It would appear the guard is bringing you eggs and spam. Do not bother asking how I slept, it says sarcastically. I am just the voice they make you talk to.

The Slowpoke looks up, eyes glowing a strange purple. That wasn't something that normally happen.

Do you like my new trick?] Garn says aloud, but in the voice from your head. The mind of your Slowpoke is strange. Sluggish. Very odd. How does this creature remember to breath?

You manage to grab Ozzy just as you hear the footsteps of a guard. The purple light vanishes from Garn's eyes.

"Here you go kid," the guard mutters, sliding a bowl of gruel in. "The usual." You know from experience that it tastes good, despite its looks. It also contains just about every vitamin you could possibly need.

How do you stomach that stuff? It looks disgusting.

[Mr Stereo1]

Seven smiles, placing a hand on Garn's rubbery head.

My apologies, and yes, we are friends - and I talk to you because I want to. We're all that's left now, we need to stay together. The others had all faded - but as long as they were together they would be alright.

As for your trick, why the glowing eyes? Does my dear friend have a flair for the dramatic? Seven smirked in no particular direction, collecting his plate.

Taking a bite of his meal, Seven quietly savors the taste, attempting to ascertain his friend's point. A thought occurs to him.I suppose I haven't thought to ask before now, my friend, but what do you eat? Surely they feed you the same, do they not?

[Arcran]

The eyes glow? That is rather unfortunate. I thought it was more subtle that that, the voice says, confused. I can only make it work on Garn right now. I tried Ozzy, but it didn't work.

And you know I don't need to eat, the voice says. Outside of my metabolic processes, I don't burn calories as I am completely immobile. The geletin around me provides whatever nutrients are required.

At least, that is what the scientists say. I would like to eat. Maybe- no, nevermind. You can't have that in your mind.

[Mr Stereo1]

What is it? If you want to eat, could you do what you did to Garn to me? I would be glad to help you.

[Arcran]

I tried you too. It didn't work, the voice says, clearly saddened by its inability to eat.

I'll try again though!

You feel a presence pushing on your mind, trying to gain access. If you wanted to block it, it would take little effort.

Focus to block, or just let it go.

[Mr Stereo1]

Allow it. Hell, try Shared Senses on the two of us if his attempt fails. Seven wants to help his friend try something new.

[Arcran]

You feel yourself slowly fade away as you allow the power in, the energy permeating every inch of your being. You're still in control, maybe the power isn't that strong yet? It can only handle the simple mind of a Slowpoke? But you can feel the two of you sharing the same senses from your body.

This is... odd. How do you use only five senses?

[Mr Stereo1]

These are all the senses I have ever had. I am used to it, though perhaps I am the less for it, compared to you. Do Ozy and Garn have more as well? His friend always seemed to know more than he did. Perhaps he could teach him one day? It was something to think about.

[Arcran]

I have not tried to control Ozy. He seemd rather hostile to the idea. I would say Garn was dead if it wasn't for the occasional flicker of intelligence. Their senses are even more basic than your own.

[Mr Stereo1]

Curious. Seven wondered why his senses were so different from his friends. They looked different from each other, certainly, but he's always assumed they were more similar on the inside. At any rate, his friend needed his help with something - Seven reaches for his spoon and takes a mouthful of gruel. He eats at his usual pace, though paying closer attention to the flavour and texture than usual. After a few bites he stops, focusing on their connection.

So, what do you think?

[Arcran]

You unconsciously spit the food out, spraying it all over the wall.

Grossgrossgrossgross you hear in your mind as you feel the presence vanish.

I think that I would prefer to stick with feeding goo, if you don't mind.

[Mr Stereo1]

Was that quite necessary? I don't know how to clean that up. He looks mournfully at the remnants of his meal, gingerly beginning, once again, to eat.

You don't suppose I could get another bowl, do you? I don't want to eat that now it's been all over the floor.

Seven thinks on the implications of his friends speech. He had always known more than Seven had, for as long as he could remember. Perhaps he could teach Seven how he knew so much?

[Arcran]

Sorry. You still have some in the bowl, the voice says, ashamed.

Have you ever wanted to see the sun Eta? Not the little fake sunlights they give us, but the real sun?

[Mr Stereo1]

It's alright I guess. They'll feed me again soon enough. As to the Sun - could we even see it? Seven stares up at his cell's light, trying and failing to conceive of the size necessary to be seen across the unimaginable distances his friend had described.

It is so far away - I cannot imagine how bright it must shine to be seen from such a distance. Seven feels something deep in his throat he cannot recognise, But yes, I should like to see it if I could.

[Arcran]

I- I think we could find a way out. I've been listening to the people talk. You're stronger than you think Eta. If you try, I think you could manage to get out. I have a few ideas, but I'm not sure. But if I help you, you have to promise to take me with you.

[Mr Stereo1]

I wouldn't leave without you. The thought of leaving his friend behind is inconceivable.

Tell me about your ideas, and any information you have on the people.

[Arcran]

I wouldn't leave without you. The thought of leaving his friend behind is inconceivable.

Tell me about your ideas, and any information you have on the people.

You get to go to the atrium every few days, right? What if the next time you're there, you overpowered the guard? Between you, Ozzy, and Garn it should be a piece of cake. I'd guide you to my location, trying to use my powers to slow down the guards in any way possible. Obviously a somewhat shoddy plan, but a baseline to go off of. If you give me more time, I'll figure out what day has the least number of active guards in the halls.

[Mr Stereo1]

We can divide the plan into four required stages. First, getting myself, Garn, and Ozy, out of cell. Second, traveling to you. Third, breaking you out of your tank. Fourth, leaving the facility. Seven spends moments deep in thought. This could easily be the most important decision of his entire life.

For the first stage, we must aspire to not alert the guards - though we will need some ability to pass the secured doors. Alternatives to waiting for the Atrium visit that occur are one: have Ozy teleport us out, two: you force a guard to release us when we're next fed, three: Garn and I break the door down.

Of those, only teleporting out is preferable to the Atrium plan - should Ozy be able to. Compared to the second, and third, we would at least be already out of the cell before we initiate our plan.

For the second stage, you can guide us towards you - but we shall need some way of opening the secure doors along our route. If Ozy can Teleport so often that would be an option, but if he can't take passengers or continue to Teleport so often, we'll need a guard's set of keycards.

For the third stage you'll need to be able to leave your tank. Either you could break it, tell me how to release you without sounding an alarm, or make a scientist release you.

For the final stage - we will need to gather supplies for our journey. I rather doubt they will continue feeding us after we run away.

Seven considered the variables.

So, Ozy do you think you can teleport carrying me and/or Garn?

My friend - do you think you can force a guard to obey you unwillingly - or perhaps put one to sleep? If you could knock out the one watching the surveillance cameras we could avoid raising the alarm entirely. What about the scientists around your tank? Could you make one release you, or do you know enough to instruct me how to?

Finally, do you think you could break out of your tank by force if necessary?

[Arcran]

At your question, Ozy just shrugs. Sometimes he can take others, but more often than not it doesn't work.

My powers are dampened considerably by whatever material this tank is made of. I can neither break out, and I could barely control you when you allowed it. I may be able to lift a pair of keys though, try to sneak them towards you. If you do not make it to my tank, this plan is a failure.

I am unsure as to whether I can knock out surveillance. I can't really cut the camera feed, and they'd notice a redirected camera. I'll see what I can figure out. There's always at least a scientist, but we can find some way to incapacitate him easily. Only a handful have Pokemon.

[Mr Stereo1]

It seems we shall have to fight our way to you and hope for the best then. I shall trust your judgement on our route and timing, given your superior knowledge, but can I ask whether the route to the atrium leads towards or away from your own location? I'd like to know when I'll need to remove the guard.

Seven continued to think, contemplating his pokemons' capabilities. Ozy would have little use in a fight, except maybe to disrupt opponents with strong ranged abilities for a short time. Garn was slower than Seven himself, but could contribute his water gun to any conflict - though Seven would remain the main threat with his Pulse ability.

It would not be easy, but he did so wish to see the Sun and the Sky and the Moon and Stars. Rarely did his friend ask anything of him, but when he did Seven would do anything to give it to him. If that thing was enjoyable to him in it's own right as well, then all the better.

[Arcran]

Good. I will tell you when to strike. You likely won't have access to Ozzy and Garn until the atrium, so unless you think you can incapacitate the two guards on your own, I'd suggest striking at that point. If you believe taking both down is within your capabilities, then we will follow that plan.

[Mr Stereo1]

I'll wait until I'm with Ozy and Garn. I won't leave them behind either.

[Arcran]

Good. How long until you wish to attempt this plot?

[Mr Stereo1]

Unless you need the time to become more proficient in your new abilities, it would seem wise to move as soon as possible. I don't know what they might observe.

[Arcran]

Good. We move today then. I have been creating a mental map of the facility through guards movements. As long as you can exit the Atrium, I predict a 63.79% chance of success.

[Mr Stereo1]

Those are far from inspiring odds... but I suppose we have experienced all we can hope to in this place. It is time for us to leave.

[Arcran]

That it is. I shall contact you when you are in the Atrium.

And so the waiting game begins. A guard should come by in the afternoon to allow you some exercise, but who knows if that will happen?

Post any prep you can somehow do in a cell.

[Mr Stereo1]

I suppose I'll go over the moves my pokemon know with them, and explain how they can best use them against the guards. Not much else that can be done with no equipment or space.

[Arcran]

Narrate it and you ca get a solid training session in.

Also, you may want to fix your images on your sheet.