Pokepunk: Somar IC

[Rater202]

Rachel carefully looks from a distance to see if the method of detection is motion sensing or a simple weight/pressure pad near the door. Because she doesn't doubt that a Pokemon center would be well-funded enough to afford motion sensing technology just to open its doors, she would expect the funding to go to more important stuff for y'know....healing pokemon. a pressure pad that you simply step on to open would be probably be more cost efficient and prevent needless expenditures of electricity. More times they use it the more the electric bill would rack up money after all, and they need all the money they could get to on their actual function, furthermore she'd expect such a motion-sensing feature to be something put in large cities that would have more trainers coming through. She is surprised that they have money to spare for a method of detection like that at all in a small town like this.

But then again, she is an ignorant criminal grunt who needs to save what money she has to get by and has been working for a criminal organization focused solely on profit so what did she know? Perhaps the motion sensing doors allowed them to cart pokemon into the emergency room faster or something and the expenditure is actually needed, she doesn't know. Depending on the answer she will generally stay away from the door but be more careful and farther away if there are motion sensors as she tries to sneak around to find a computer.

There does not appear to be a pressure pad

If you hug the wall opposite the door and move slowly you should be able to.

There's a loud smashing sound from the far end of the hall as something big bursts out of the drywall.

As the dust clears you can make out... What looks like the head of gyarados with a pair of spindly arms and legs crudely attached to its sides and where the neck would be on a regular gyarados.

It's facial features are somewhat misshapen, it's skin a sickly green instead of the traditional blue, and there are clear chemical burns on it's body. It walks toward you with steps that squish like boots through slush. It growls lowly, but you can understand it.

"Find... collect. Must... Collect... Eggs... Someone, please kill me."

The smell of chlorine grows stronger as it approaches.

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

Something's taken Rogue out of reality for a few moments being noticed by the Eevee. It takes a second before he realizes what's going on and has to back-track his brain to respond. Attention would be bad right now, but gym leaders... he seems to have the idea are the more independent sort that have seen a lot.

Of course the rest of them can't sneak in without a clear signal and no attention on the street anyway.
"Did you want to go say 'hi'?"

"Uh, no. I don't think that would be a good—"

You hear a loud crash from inside the Pokemon Center.

[Lord Raziere]

There does not appear to be a pressure pad

If you hug the wall opposite the door and move slowly you should be able to.

There's a loud smashing sound from the far end of the hall as something big bursts out of the drywall.

As the dust clears you can make out... What looks like the head of gyarados with a pair of spindly arms and legs crudely attached to its sides and where the neck would be on a regular gyarados.

It's facial features are somewhat misshapen, it's skin a sickly green instead of the traditional blue, and there are clear chemical burns on it's body. It walks toward you with steps that squish like boots through slush. It growls lowly, but you can understand it.

"Find... collect. Must... Collect... Eggs... Someone, please kill me."

The smell of chlorine grows stronger as it approaches.

Rachel's eyes are wide in fright and confusion at seeing this......this.....misshapen kind of Gyarados???
"What in Arceus's name?! Uh...."
Darn it, she is too criminal for this. This situation sounds it like it needed a hero, like one of those heroic trainers who beat up Team Rocket back in the day. Not someone like her.
".....Is that a serious request? Cause this is pokemon center....I think there may be other options....uhh.....and bein' murdery tends to get more cops on ya and harsher sentences."
also just because the....gyarados looks kind of pathetic and messed up doesn't mean it isn't as dangerous as any other pokemon. There are plenty of pokemon that look seemingly weak or sorry excuses for existence but are actually tough and any version of Gyarados is probably not a good idea to get into a scuffle with. While nervous she readies herself: she might have to fight though, given what its saying. It might not be in the right state of mind or have a choice. don't sound like what anyone would naturally say, to her at least. also stealth is probably shot to Distortion world at this point. Its probably time to deal with all this as fast as possible, get what she came for and get out.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

Pendra lands on her rump, but the noise is covered by the noise inside the Center.

“What was that?! What do we do? Do we run?” Pendra’s whisper is a little rough, she’s going to be spitting up sand in a moment if she keeps getting startled.

[MCerberus]

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

Well it sounds like something went wrong and he's not going to make it quickly through the same window. "Not going to feel right leaving her there," Rogue responds to Pendra as he makes his way towards the front door. There is a moment to stop him, but absent that he'll go in.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

Not being keen on being left alone outside with no way to get back together again if they get separated, Pendra follows Rogue.

[Rater202]

Those of you outside the Center get in side just in time to see the Gym Leader and the suddenly quite wakeful Nurse Joy rushing through an automatic door.

In the back of the center, Rachel, you see the nurse joy come in with a man dressed in comfortable but functional dark grey clothes, similar to a professional athlete. He has neck-length light grey hair and has an Eevee sitting on his head.

The Nurse Joy looks at you, the Gyarados, screams, and faints.

"Gather the eggs... Put the eggs in the basket, deliver the basket to the nest," the Gyarados says, seemingly nothing else on its mind.

"This isn't a nursery, dumbass" the Eevee says. It then looks right at Rachel. "Oh hey, another one of you. Can you understand me?"

At the same time, the man finally notices you. "...I don't know what you are or where you came from or why you're dressed like a member of an international criminal organization. I just have three questions: Can you understand me, can you speak human, and are you in any way involved in this?"

[Lord Raziere]

Those of you outside the Center get in side just in time to see the Gym Leader and the suddenly quite wakeful Nurse Joy rushing through an automatic door.

In the back of the center, Rachel, you see the nurse joy come in with a man dressed in comfortable but functional dark grey clothes, similar to a professional athlete. He has neck-length light grey hair and has an Eevee sitting on his head.

The Nurse Joy looks at you, the Gyarados, screams, and faints.

"Gather the eggs... Put the eggs in the basket, deliver the basket to the nest," the Gyarados says, seemingly nothing else on its mind.

"This isn't a nursery, dumbass" the Eevee says. It then looks right at Rachel. "Oh hey, another one of you. Can you understand me?"

At the same time, the man finally notices you. "...I don't know what you are or where you came from or why you're dressed like a member of an international criminal organization. I just have three questions: Can you understand me, can you speak human, and are you in any way involved in this?"

"Okay one thing at a time:
1. Eevee, yes I can understand you

2. Human guy with Eevee, yes I can understand you

3. Already answered in human twice.

4. No I'm not involved. Believe it or not, I came here to do something legal then this gyarados just burst in. honestly, I'm just confused an' freaked out at what I'm looking at 'ere. Who would do this? How would they do this, aren't like magikarp and gyarados two of the most adaptable and resilient species in the world? and why is he talking about eggs in baskets?"
and if it was a hybrid, why is it so screwed up? You'd think a mer-gyarados would be a no-brainer as something to aim for.

[MCerberus]

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

Rushing into the center, any notion of disguise falls off in the harsh revealing lights. Of course, the whole... situation doesn't seem to make a lot of sense at first glance. His brain still trying to catch up to the situation, Rogue can't think of anything to say, but lets a low growl escape.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

((Okay, since Pendra’s following Rogue I guess we’re in the back too now. Yell if I’m misinterpreting and I’ll edit.))

“What do you mean, ‘another one?’” Pendra asked from behind the man in gray and the nurse.

[Rater202]

((Okay, since Pendra’s following Rogue I guess we’re in the back too now. Yell if I’m misinterpreting and I’ll edit.))

“What do you mean, ‘another one?’” Pendra asked from behind the man in gray and the nurse.

The Eevee turns around and gestures to Rogue. "I saw this one a minute ago, then I saw that one. And my sis Rati-Kate saw a bunch of you earlier."

"...You can understand Fluffy?"

"Can one of you tell my human that my name is Mister Fluffy, Lord of all Floofinness? He has to say the whole thing."

"He says he wants you to call him Mister Fluffy, Lord of all Floofiness."

"I'm a girl."

"She's a girl"

"But you said 'Mister' and 'Lord?' "

"...Wait, do humans use gendered titles? That's weird. You're weird."

The Gyarados meanwhile seems to be agitated by so many beings around.

"Eliminate threats, capture eggs."

"Fluffy, this guy seems to be getting aggressive. Immobilize it with Buzzy Buzz."

"That's such a dumb name."

The Eevvees fur stands up on end for a bit and a jolt of electricity shoots out...

And the Gyarados counters with Reflect, protecting itself from the special attack.

[Lord Raziere]

Rachel:
"But "Fluffy, Lord of All Floofiness", isn't? Got weird standards don't ya, Fluffy?"
She remarks as she charges forward to Scratch at the Gyarados with her claws to try and subdue the Gyarados. Given that its pathetically flopped on the ground though and sounds brainwashed, she doesn't feel good about it. Feels like she is kicking a Lillipup.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

“WAIT!” Pendra yells, then addressing the green mask monster, says slowly and clearly: “If you fight in here, you’re going to smash the eggs. Stay here, let me get them.”

Pendra glances down at the fainted Nurse Joy and adds less certainly, “Ummm…I’m going to need her.” She bends over and awkwardly starts dragging the nurse down the nearest hallway ((not sure what Pendra’s post-human strength is, if she’s strong enough to carry the nurse she does that instead)), hopefully out of the blast radius of the upcoming potential fight.

Once she is out of sight of the mask monster, Pendra looks for a Chansey to hand the nurse off to and asks it for directions for the kitchen.

[MCerberus]

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

In the back of his brain, a peace of wisdom from Rogue's before-life comes up. "Just get their call right, Vee's are picky about it"

It starting to get crowded at the fight and with Pendra's plea, he stays back from attacking and instead tries to get a feel for current situation, addressing the trainer. "You want to explain why you're so casual about all this?"

[Rater202]

Rachel:
"But "Fluffy, Lord of All Floofiness", isn't? Got weird standards don't ya, Fluffy?"
She remarks as she charges forward to Scratch at the Gyarados with her claws to try and subdue the Gyarados. Given that its pathetically flopped on the ground though and sounds brainwashed, she doesn't feel good about it. Feels like she is kicking a Lillipup.

The scratch lands but the creature barely seems to notice.

"You'd get if you were an Eevee."

“WAIT!” Pendra yells, then addressing the green mask monster, says slowly and clearly: “If you fight in here, you’re going to smash the eggs. Stay here, let me get them.”

Pendra glances down at the fainted Nurse Joy and adds less certainly, “Ummm…I’m going to need her.” She bends over and awkwardly starts dragging the nurse down the nearest hallway ((not sure what Pendra’s post-human strength is, if she’s strong enough to carry the nurse she does that instead)), hopefully out of the blast radius of the upcoming potential fight.

Once she is out of sight of the mask monster, Pendra looks for a Chansey to hand the nurse off to and asks it for directions for the kitchen.

"There are no eggs here, this is a Pokemon Center not a nursery."

There are no chansey on duty at this time, but at the very end of the current hall is a room that looks like it's meant to make fresh Pokeblocks.

The nurse is starting to stir.

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

In the back of his brain, a peace of wisdom from Rogue's before-life comes up. "Just get their call right, Vee's are picky about it"

It starting to get crowded at the fight and with Pendra's plea, he stays back from attacking and instead tries to get a feel for current situation, addressing the trainer. "You want to explain why you're so casual about all this?"

"I'm the spinabase Gym Leader. I have to keep my head on in a crisis. Speaking of which, everyone back up!"

As he says that, the deformed Gyarados opens its mouth widely and sort of belches and suddenly a few dozen sets of sickly purple spikes erupt out of its throat

(Toxic spikes)

[Lord Raziere]

Rachel
For some reason despite him saying that, Rachel doesn't. Her instincts tell her to block and she moves, taking the brunt of the spikes but....aside from minor scratches and clothes getting torn up, isn't real hurt by it. Ah right, she remembers now. Toxic Spikes doesn't affect poison type pokemon and she easily just....gets kicks them away, clearing the floor wherever they fell, the poison-energy of the spikes just dispersing with the strikes. Much like how she sees many poison type pokemon did in pokemon league battles to clear the way for the rest of their teams.
"Heh. I remember this. You can't poison a poison type. Look likes I'm finally useful for something eh?"
She then charges forward and tries to punch the gyarados in the eye, dispensing with moves for now.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

“Nurse Joy? Wake up please, I need a batch of culinary eggs and something to hold them in. Where is the kitchen?” Pendra was hoping the Center kitchen had a carton or two, there probably wasn’t time to run to the nearest Mart and buy some, even without the logistical issues that would raise.

((I would just have Pendra find a Chansey and ask her to spam Softboiled a few times, but I don’t think her knowledge of Pokémon extends that far. ))

[MCerberus]

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

Hey what would you know. If you don't run right into poison you can avoid the worst of it. This does, however put Rogue into combat mode. They don't seem to be getting any answers regularly, so we'll see how much a rock throw against the Garados-ish works

[Rater202]

Rachel
For some reason despite him saying that, Rachel doesn't. Her instincts tell her to block and she moves, taking the brunt of the spikes but....aside from minor scratches and clothes getting torn up, isn't real hurt by it. Ah right, she remembers now. Toxic Spikes doesn't affect poison type pokemon and she easily just....gets kicks them away, clearing the floor wherever they fell, the poison-energy of the spikes just dispersing with the strikes. Much like how she sees many poison type pokemon did in pokemon league battles to clear the way for the rest of their teams.
"Heh. I remember this. You can't poison a poison type. Look likes I'm finally useful for something eh?"
She then charges forward and tries to punch the gyarados in the eye, dispensing with moves for now.

Surprisingly this proves effective. The Gyarados screams incoherently.

“Nurse Joy? Wake up please, I need a batch of culinary eggs and something to hold them in. Where is the kitchen?” Pendra was hoping the Center kitchen had a carton or two, there probably wasn’t time to run to the nearest Mart and buy some, even without the logistical issues that would raise.

((I would just have Pendra find a Chansey and ask her to spam Softboiled a few times, but I don’t think her knowledge of Pokémon extends that far. ))

"What, uh... No eggs here. Just pokeblocks for the patients and... Gah!"

The joy goes another look at you and goes from groggy to panicked.

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

Hey what would you know. If you don't run right into poison you can avoid the worst of it. This does, however put Rogue into combat mode. They don't seem to be getting any answers regularly, so we'll see how much a rock throw against the Garados-ish works

This seems to hurt it, but not by much.

Violet, inspired by Rachel's comment about being immune to poison, feels no qualms about using Poison gas on the gyraos even though Rachel is in the area.

...Apparently forgetting that she was able to posion those Muks earliar.

Oops.

[Lord Raziere]

Rachel
As she continues punching the Gyaradoses eyes, heedless of the poison at first she starts...coughing and feeling as if her body is burning inside.
"cough....cough...what the, why do I feel pain in my chest.....I should be..."
She looks back at Violet, sees her and remembers something she learned in pokemon biology classes. While due to their poison energies poison type pokemon were immune to their own venomous conditions, Salandit and Salazzle's unique combination of poison and fire energies resulted in a volcanic poison that hurt anyone and anything, almost like it was some universal acid in the case of inorganic pokemon. It was a lesson on such status effects as well as how certain pokemon had certain traits that created exceptions to the rules. It was no surprise Rachel forgot this fact or that Violet might not know it- out of so many pokemon in this world, who remembers the particulars of every single one?
"Arcrevit! COUGH! COUGH! The one pokemon with poison that hurts me...and its my ally....just my freaking luck! Cough!"
He attacks slow down, as one of her hands is now clutching at her chest.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

Pendra flinched and took a deep breath to hold off the crying fit she could feel coming on. “Then do you have anything that could pass as eggs? Rice balls, empty Pokéballs or something? Because you have a big green mask monster smashing up your hospital looking for eggs.” It had looked sick and at least a little out of its mind, Pendra hoped it wasn’t going to examine anything given to it too closely; she didn’t have any better ideas.

[MCerberus]

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

With Rachel seemingly having a heart attack, Rogue decides he has to get involved, either to get her out or at least be the next one in the way of the attacks. He attempts to push Rachel back away from the fight before throwing another rock at the raging were-mon.

"Get back, do you have any of the berries left"

[Rater202]

The nurse closes her eyes. "No, we don't have empty balls here, only the balls the trainer carry and the ones that correspond to long-term patients."

Whether or not Rouge succeeds in moving Rachel depends on if Rachel resists.

Violet, however, overcome with panic or remorse, in lieu of attacking attempts to hug Rachel and start apologizing over and over again.

"Fluffy, use Sappy Seed."

A big stalk made of spiraling vines appears in the middle of the center and seeds rain down on the Gyarados.

Between the poison and the Leach Seed, it should faint soon.

...And then one of the young trainers staying in the hospitality room pokes a head out to see what the commotion is. The Gyarados sees...

"Eggs..."

[Lord Raziere]

Rachel
She gets pushed back, she isn't in the best shape to be resisting. As Violet suddenly hugs her and apologizing, Ravhel looks her and grunts
"Agh. This ain't my style but.....I accept yer apology. Ya wouldn't have known. Its obscure. but try not to do it again."
Rachel then sees the Gyarados look at the trainers. It looking for trainers? why? no time to worry about that. She saves the trainer from the Gyarados that'll get her on peoples good side.
"Oh no ya don't."
Being poisoned while painful, is not paralyzed. She suddenly leaps onto the gyarado's face to punch its eyes again.
"Yer eyes wanderin' already!? Thought we had a special relationship, now I'm jeal-COUGH!"
She snarks at the gyarados while she attacks but coughs at the end, kind of ruining it.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

Pendra frowned. What kind of lousy hospital is this? Did they not have Pokéballs for moving Pokemon between hospitals? Surely they got the occasional wild monster in that needed to be transported somewhere else? Then how did they move them??? Even she knew that some of those things were huge…

“Then do you have a sedative or something that works on whatever that was?”

[MCerberus]

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

Finding himself on the front line against a hybrid based off an apex predator, Rogue tenses up and gets ready to dodge or move out of the way. Still the others are in less of a situation to take a punch, he believes, so he tries to keep in front of the raging were-mon's vision. "Soon better be soon."

[Rater202]

the Gyarados tries to hydro pump Rachel...

...But faints from the poison and/or leach seed before it can.

The fight is over.

The kid who poked his head out is just... "What's going on?"

Violet immediately turns around and starts waving her hands. "This is a dream. ooohhoohh."

Kid yawns. "Yeah, that seems right. See you later lizard lady" and closes the door.

Violet just looks very confused now. "That was too easy. And..."

"Nurse Joy, do you have any idea where the Gyarados-like creature came from?"

"Uh... Earlier, someone from Poburi's pokemon protection division came in with a Magikarp. They said they rescued it from someone who put one in a bucket and poured bleach on it. We were treating it for chemical burns and..."

[Lord Raziere]

Rachel
"Right, now thats done I need to find some anti.....dote...."
She falls over, fainting as well, the female nidoran hybrid collapsing on the ground.

Meanwhile....with Professor Tubert Stanwix
Tubert Stanwix is an Abra hybrid. He had turned himself to an Abra very recently. His new psychic powers allowed him to sense the explosion that was going to happen and teleport away. He is floating around in random wilderness. Sigh. but now he doesn't know how his experiments went. The next evolution of life, and he didn't even know if they were alive!
"How.....frustrating. But. Oh well. I have my research notes. With some experimentation, some resources stolen....I can start anew. The theory is sound. I just need time and power to make it happen."
He floats around, testing his powers through self-levitation. After all abra did it easily, why not him?
"This vile world....needs a transformation. Soon the newer form of life will overtake the old! With my research....humanity will become obsolete, last generation. Those Poburi fools know not the true potential of this! soon the pokehybrids will rise and rule the world! Pokemen? Pokepeople? Pokefolk? Poke-sapiens? Pokenian? "
He thinks on these names and shakes his head.
"....Yeah the name of the new apex of evolution needs workshopping. I'm sure I'll come up with something impressive one day."
He teleports away to begin his work...

Meanwhile.....Lizzie
Lizzie Duskley and her....three remaining rocket grunts pant as they get out of the ghost woods. They weren't as nice as the hybrids, as thus had to fight their way through. They lost a grunt amid their rush to get out though. They don't know where he ended up or if he's still alive. Their pokemon are all spent and tired.
"Maybe....we should try and get back in contact with the Somar Rocket Branch"
one of the grunts says
"y'know, regroup and replan this. Cut our losses."
"No" she says "We come back empty handed, we'll get chewed out at best. We should return with at least one of those hybrids. If we can take one back for study....imagine what Team Rocket could do with such power! Imagine the reward we'll get! If we do this, we might be the grunts that change Team Rocket forever!"
The three grunts think on this. They all imagine living on mountains of money while pokemon hybrid soldiers fight for them.
"....Sure high risk, but high reward." they all agree "We'll go with this....for now."
"Sure" she says, well aware that their loyalty was shaky right now.
"But first we find somewhere to rest....we go searching in the morning when there is light."
They nod and go find some place to lay down.

[MCerberus]

Rogue the Rockruff Hybrid

Could that last part have been cover for a chemical burn? The question quickly races into then exit's Rogue's mind as the possibility of there have been more... 'leaking' from the events of their escape takes lower priority over other things. First thing's first, getting Rachel away from the cluster and especially the knocked out river-dragon.

With that taken care of, he looks over to the trainer. "So who gets to ask questions first?"

[Kareeah_Indaga]

The nurse mumbled something Pendra didn’t catch and scampered off; Pendra hoped that was a ‘yes we have sedative, I’ll go get some right now’ or something along those lines.

It was about then she realized the noise back the way she came had stopped; fearing the worst, she made her way back.

She peeked back in to see the mask monster collapsed on the floor along with Rachel. Rogue was talking to the man in gray and Nurse Joy.

Wait, what?

There was no way the nurse had gotten back before Pendra did, especially going in the opposite direction! Pendra peered closer, and then realized this was obviously a different person - her hair and uniform weren’t mussed from falling on the ground and there was a small scar on her chin. Twins maybe?

[Rater202]

Violet looks at Rachel as she faints.

"Uh, is there a way to get her some kind of treatment?"

The Nurse, who looks like sh's still not comfortable with what happened, is...

"Are... Are... Pokehuman-things susceptible to Pokeballs? If you are I can put her in a temporary ball and run her through the healing machine, otherwise... I mean, we have an emergency room but it's small. This isn't a dedicated hospital, it's a place for kids on their pokemon Journey to stop, rest, and get their little friends' scratches and scrapes were taken care of. Even with the Magicarp, we were only treating it until it was stable enough to be run through the healing machine and then released back into the wild."

"...Also, I think the emergency treatment room got smashed by this guy. I could check the storeroom if we have any revives or antidotes to spare."

"That's okay, Nurse Joy. This should get our friend back on her feet."

The Gym Leader reaches into one of his pockets and pulls out a single small blister pack, out from which he pops a star-shaped crystal which he, very carefully, places under Rachel's tongue.

Rachel has been given a max revive.

"And as for this guy," the Gym Leader pats the mutant Gyarados on the side... And notices something under its fin.

Reaching behind, he pulls something out from under its scales... Some kind of computer chip that'd be painted red to blend in with a Magikarp's scales

"This wasn't an accident or freak mutation. Nurse, I'm using my authority as a Gym Leader in association with the Somar League to temporarily seize custody of this Pokemon until such a time as it is no longer needed for my investigation."

He pulls out a pokeball and captures the Gyarados.

"And as for the rest of you... Given your circumstances, none of you are in trouble but I would really appreciate it if you'd come back to the Gym so we could have a proper discussion about it... This. And, you're more than welcome to stay there and rest if you need to."

The Eevee perks up and begins to speak. "I'd take the offer. My human's mate bakes these... I think humans call them cookies? They've got these little chips of this white creamy stuff that's sweet and a little tangy, these nice mild curvy nuts, and these red berries that are kind of sour but really good. Cooks them up in huge batches and keeps the Gym stocked with them and sometimes I get one and they're better than a weekend at the daycare center."

Violet has a blank expression on her face. "...The Gym leader's romantic partner bakes white chocolate, cashew, and cranberry cookies and they're better than sex?"

"Isn't that what I just said?"