[Locked to Residents]

[malnosso]

[Appearing on the journals is a written message as follows. A voice option is provided for a computerized reading of the text.]

Attention Luceti Residents.

The following names are being called to participate in a strike against the cultist hordes:
[the names listed here appear on the journal.]

All subjects are required to arrive at the tunnels at 8AM on the 27th of March for deployment. All listed individuals are required to be present. Subjects will then be escorted to TERRACE for battle preparation and further details.

Target will be Region One, a former Malnosso stronghold, presently in cultist hands. Subjects are advised to prepare for combat in forested areas. Further information will be made available at TERRACE. Questions and answers will not be provided at this time.

[The Malnosso will not reply to this message, but everyone is free to use this post to discuss among themselves, whether using voice options on the journal or doing action threads.]

Comments

[heartofthematter]

It probably isn't anything like Team Galactic either... Maybe we should train in the forest together? I bet our seniors will want to show us some things, too.

[since they'll be fighting in forested areas.

yeah.

plus one on keeping bad feelings away he's happy they get to train together nope not thinking at allll about war nope nope.]

[acuity]

We can definitely do that. But... it definitely wouldn't be like fighting Team Galactic. These people don't have pokemon to defend themselves with.

[ it feels wrong. but it'll be necessary. she glances worriedly at the other two, uncertain what their thoughts on the matter would be. ]

[willpowered]

We have to do what we have to do. [Easier said than done.] We'll need to prep our pokémon, since they're the ones who'll be...

[...Gurk.]

[heartofthematter]

[Diamond's glad they're all feeling sick. Because the thought of Moo ramming through people, or Wig's leaves striking true... Even Lax with his heavy self...

He'll focus on watching his two best friends instead. Keeping out possibilities. Juuuust quiet. He doesn't like it at all.]

[acuity]

... Should we call our team out and let them know right now?

[ glancing back at the house, rapidash is actually nibbling on some grass on the front lawn already, oblivious 8( ]

[willpowered]

Yeah. [Rayhiko'll probably take it the best. He used to be wild after all. He's not so sure about Chimhiko or Chahiko but --!!] They won't get surprised then.

[heartofthematter]

[hrrrmmm look he's still unsure about this guys

he doesn't want to tell his pokemon that they're gonna kill people

none of them are exactly used to that



except maybe Moo but.]

Mm... Do you think they'll... you know... on instinct, if we get hurt... [Will they kill a person if their trainer gets hurt?]

[acuity]

[ beckoning over rapidash, who whinnies behind him to call out empoleon and lopunny nearby, too. as well as Pearl's and Dia's teams if they're in earshot. ]

... I'm not sure. But we'll need to fully inform them of every possibility.

[willpowered]

[Pearl's is, and Chahiko's the first to come flying and settling on Pearl's shoulder. Chimhiko and Rayhiko follow shortly after.]

There you guys are! [...A dumb grin.] How far behind are Dia's team, huh?

[heartofthematter]

[That's so mean!! But they're trodding along, still a bit far away, and Diamond watches them somewhat listless. Moo's leading them with Lax riding on a tusk, dozing.]

I'll go and meet them.

[Without waiting for a reply, he jogs to meet his team half-way. Because he doesn't want to hear his friends speak of the possibilities, and he has to tell his own team don't kill, just knock them out - even if I get hurt, don't hurt them any more. And he knows Pearl wouldn't like that.]

[acuity]

Surely they aren't too...

[ and then trailing off as Dia rushes off. she was curious, but only watched after worriedly as her and Pearl's team made their way over. ]

... Should we see what's the matter, Pearl?

[willpowered]

[Dia? Rushing off?

It smells as bad as a cart of Stunky.]

Yo, Dia!! [Did you say something, Missy, he's already running off after him. His Pokémon look bemused at best (Chahiko) and distracted by soft tickling grass (Chimhiko) at worst.]

[heartofthematter]

[OH NO NO NO it's a good thing Diamond didn't look back because he's breathlessly explaining to his Pokémon that they can't do this and that.

Lax had been woken by Wig's gently nudging and is pretty damn befuddled. What. The other two are the same. So Diamond catches his breath and surely Pearl can hear at this point. And Missy too, if she's followed.]

We're going on a draft, which is part of this big war people've told us about, and we're gonna be in it and expected to do things we shouldn't. [He pauses very briefly. Man it's hard to talk fast when you're used to being the calm one.] That means... war's... Um, war's about killing people... who are our enemies... But we won't, okay? Whatever you do, don't kill anyone. Okay--

[wow ow okay he has not been boxed by Pearl in a while, that hurt bro.]

[acuity]

[ wow pearl, leaving lady behind, RUDE!! she hurries to catch up, empoleon and rapidash and lopunny in tow. SORRY DIA, SNEAKY ISN'T YOUR FORTE when you're not infiltrating galactic like solid snake. ]

Diamond? Pearl? Excuse me...!

[willpowered]

[bros before hos little miss sry

but he is not sorry for boxing Dia's stupid head.]

We're gonna have to! [His voice is higher. Strained. Angry.] Or-- We might! You don't know! I don't know! I --

[A deep breath.]

I don't want to kill anyone either, Diamond, but we gotta watch our backs. And we gotta look out for Missy. What would the old uncles say if they knew she got hurt while under our care!? And that professor, and her dad!

[He's probably grabbed Diamond's shirt by now. Shaking him a bit.]

We're gonna do our best not to kill anyone, but dammit Dia you can't control a Pokémon's instincts!

[-- he doesn't even know his point, he just knows Diamond's being dumb and he's being dumb and please, someone, calm this fuckass down.]

[heartofthematter]

[Diamond lets himself be shaken, though Wig's vines whip out to stop Pearl. He knows it's best to let his best friend's anger to wear down, and he lets his emotions subside for the better. For now. A look of calmness. Not the epitome, since his voice is shaking a little, but it's still strong.

He's not going to kill. At all.

(If he can help it.)]

They might have family and friends too, Pearl. I'm going to do the best I can to keep you and Missy and everyone else safe, but I'm not going to let Wig or Moo hurt anybody that badly.

[Very firm. He glances over at Platina worriedly. Not wanting to picture his princess covered in blood - whether it be her own or someone else's.]

[acuity]

[ arriving just in time to catch the tail-end of their argument. and even Wig had to hold Pearl back... watching Diamond and Pearl fight, even if it was over something as terrible as this, was terrible enough. she lays a hand on Wig's vine. ]

Let's discuss this more calmly. Something as important as this... we shouldn't be considering killing at all. But if we are, let's listen to each other.

[willpowered]

[But it's --

He fists his hands into his pants and sighs. It's a lot like letting a lot of hot air out of a balloon; one long, big whoosh. His shoulders slump and he pats Wig's vines.]

You're right. [A struggle for words that aren't calling Diamond a big ninny.] Sorry, Dia. Missy.

[heartofthematter]

[Happy to have helped, Wig unwraps his vines from around Pearl and settles for letting Diamond lean against him. Almost as a comfort.

He nods and relaxes. Let them go at it first.]

Okay.

[acuity]

[ glancing between the two, but... good. watching them fight was wrong. but she'd be here to help. ]

... Diamond, if there's something important you wanted to tell your pokemon, you should tell us, too. We need to trust each other.

[willpowered]

[Pearl rocks back and forth on his heels, then uses Rayhiko for support as soon as the Luxray wanders over from keeping an eye on his and Platina's teams. His voice is, unsurprisingly, hardly level, but at least he's not yelling.]

Our pokémon have to hear it too, you know. [Although none of his are within hearing range -- whatever, he'll just tell them later.] Tell us what you were gonna tell yours, and we'll relay the orders back to ours.

[Leader.]

[heartofthematter]

[... Diamond inhales, watching the ground briefly before looking back at Moo and down at Lax. Patting Wig. Straightening up with his palms up in front of him as a silent plea.]

I was telling them what a draft was, and what it meant, and that I didn't want them to hurt anybody too badly. Even if I got hurt, I didn't want them to... you know... [to kill] the person who did it. Um, we'll focus on distracting enemies so you two can fight, and since my team is big we can all stay behind them... If things get tough, Moo can do ice things and Wig can handle warding off people too.

[His team isn't the strongest or the fastest, but as the defense build of the team they can sure as anything do that. Lax tugs at Diamond's hand because what is he gonna do.]

Lax can help distract too, even if he's not as big as the others, so with his fur we'll be okay too. I know everything he's hiding in it after all. [A pause. He's not a leader.] I don't want... I don't want to see either of you at your full power either, no matter what. I want everyone to stay safe.

[He knows it's asking a lot, but he's baring his heart and that's honestly all he wants.]

[acuity]

I... I have to agree. And I'll be fighting to incapacitate, too. Battling someone who doesn't have pokemon to defend themselves is just...

[ it just doesn't sit well with her. and when she glances back at rapidash and empoleon, they look similarly doubtful. none of them were wild, they'd always been pampered, and even if empoleon liked fighting, it was always against other pokemon. ]

What do you think, Pearl?