The Calling Of The Court: Outside
The chase leads on. Having been just past sunset when the disturbance first arose, the moon is bright through the trees of the Sage Forest. Apparently the size of the group is preventing much in the way of predators, thankfully considering their leader is a mere child. Still Kree goes on tirelessly, though she seems a little confused, <It was out this way I think...>
Asuka just... follows along. Not much else to really do at this point.
Ciere follows along, admiring the scenary inside of the Sage Forest. He always loved frolicking in the woods and spending times with non-dangerous wild 'mons. <3 They're cute and playful, "Oh...." The Ralts-morph rung out quietly, glancing around.
Helio looks around, just wary as hir tail starts to act like a beacon..letting a bit of thunder go through her tail to light it up.
Team Massimo, still, are just running along with the group. Sudoku, floating around in the City Park for now, is wracking his considerable brains. Sage Forest, Sage Forest...he's thinking what might be there. Forests. Usually hold many bug types and flying types. He knows of many people who make their homes there, many forms of creature out there. Think, /think/. Who's been missing...George? Bug-type, may be in a forest, has been missing for quite some time. A possibilty he'll consider. He just keeps thinking, though, waiting until the destination is found -- and the danger assessed -- before he'll consider teleportation.
<... It's gone, I can't hear it anymore.> Kree shivers, her ears perking about for a moment, then whimpering, <I lost it!> that's when a call comes through the brush, <Kree?> <Huh?> she perks up, <Rose?> heading off in that direction, <Are you following them too?> As the party inevitably draws closer, there's a few more of the Court present, one of them having a few wounds nursed. Looks like they got too tired to continue. A fit of nuzzling goes on, <Kree, we couldn't make it.> speaks the apparent Rose of the group, his hide just the deep enough shade. <What do you mean?> <Too tired...> <We have more to help, Rose. Could you lead us?> <.. I could, but what about Reun?> that one being the one detained by his injuries.
Asuka goes over to Reun and kneels down next to them, pulling a berry out and sticking it in their mouth. "There, eat that and it'll help." She looks up at Rose and asks, "So where is it you were going?"
Hrrrrrm. Team Massimo stops. Massimo and Flexo stick back, Sudoku's orders filtering through into their brains. The Awesomes, deemed a waste of time to bother ordering, just begin to wander around in this little area a bit, apparently bored after the run. And Kaladont? She, despite being a Wild, is the only one given encouraging orders by Sudoku, walking forward with that blank expression before she squats down, watching silently, taking everything in as she looks around the area.
Ciere blinks and he reaches into the pocket of his hoody, pulling out a light cardboard box, opening it afterward to reveal gauzes, medicial stuff, and such. Why is he carrying it in the first place anyway? Well, he often scrape himself and he bleed easily. c.c He steps up to the young nidos and kneels down near the injured nido, wrapping guazes around Reun, applying a pressure against the cuts and such, stopping them from bleeding, "There there.. better go back to your mother and get healed up.."
Helio nods s lightly. "Yea, let's know where youre going so we can come help." shi speaks softly, kneeling down to pet the injured Nido. "Possibly help if I was able to transform into a Nido.. but don't have that ability.."
The phalanx of help descending upon the wounded Nidoran does the trick, and after a moment of munching the berry and with bleeding staunched by Ciere's expert touch, Reun stands up, shaking his head a bit. <Alright... let's go. She needs our help... badly.> A cry of solidarity rises from the small group before they continue on. It's another hour or two before something is indeed visible. It's not ten, or twenty, or even fifty... that's gotta be at -least- a hundred pink and blue, large and small, clustered likely around something farther on, not quite visible yet.
Asuka stops and stares at the huge gathering of Nidos, blinking a few times. "Wow... that's a lot of Nidos."
Ciere stands back up and follows after them with his mouth gaping, ".....that Nidoqueen gave birth to ALL of those Nidos?! How did she surivive is beyond me..."
Helio shakes hir head a bit.. "I highly doubt she gave birth to all of them." shi mutters as shi takes flight back up into the air, trying to see what all is going on.
Hrm. Another ponderance for Sudoku. 'She'. He has a rather annoying, sinking feeling about all of this, more or less along the lines of 'some people don't die and /stay/ dead like they should and just keep wanting attention'. Well, more eloquent than that, but you get the gist. He'll stay back here, wait until any suspicions are confirmed or debunked, whilst Team Massimo...well, they just keep following through those long hours. Sudoku just passes the time via continuation of his chess games. Oh hey, a few psychics are in the area. LET THE CHESS COMMENCE (via psychic powar over the psynet)
Most of the Court present appear to be standing guard. As those present start to get close enough to see their objective, it seems said objective is twofold - two Butterfrees are there in a small clearing, one of them dressed in a kind of petal-patched robes as she holds a Nidorina's leg up softly, tending a scrape. It's the missing Seprala, alright.
George is the other, wearing his normal clothes, jeans, shirt, leather jacket. He's sitting near Seprala, looking a little sad and depressed. He's stroking the back of a female Nidoran as he lets out a sigh.
<There she is!> the leading Nidoran replies, heading off at a more spirited run than before to join the group. Much court chatter follows...
Asuka watches the two bug types and tilts her head a bit. "Hm, what are those two doing here?" She walks slowly towards the mob of Nido's but doesn't start wading through them. I mean, it'd be like walking on poison spikes.
Well, be a blaziken and hop over them.. they can jump over what? Hundred of buildings? Ciere? Feh, the Ralts boi levitates off his feet and starts walking on the air toward the two, "E-erm.... hello?" Oh yes, he can sense the sadness as clear as a day, "What's the matter, you two..?" He half lids his eyes, slowly growing concerned, and wait...? Why is he getting that Fatal Frame feel?
Helio does hir little AngelChu and flies over the Nido... slowly. Hir eyes scanning the mass crowd of Nido.
Oho, now /this/ is interesting. Sudoku has the Team hold back. Massimo, flexo and Kaladont all just watch from outside the SWARM, KEKEKE, whilst the Awesomes...get bored again and start wandering off. Eh, they'll come back eventually. Nonetheless, the two there were 'calling for help'. He suspects something is 'up'.
George looks around to those that just got here...oh look, there's Team Moron. Helio, a welcome sight. A Ralts he doesn't know and someone he recognizes form a gym challenge. "Hi there...I suggest you move back, all the Nido's here are very protective of Seprala and might attack if you get too close." He looks to Helio, almost begging her to come closer with his eyes.
Seprala looks up from the work she's doing, sighting... more of the Court, and they've got friends. She steps back, looking a little panicked. "Who... Who are you!?" Helio flaps hir wings as best as shi can as shi darts over towards the two 'free's.
Ciere stops there midair and he crosses his arms in behind of himself as he begin to explain, "Uhm... Lady Nidoqueen got concerned with her children and she lost control... she pushed bunchloads of trees down, scared wild 'mons out of the gym, and such and Kree brought us here... so what's going on here, really?"
It /does/, at least briefly, occur to 'Team Moron' that one Earthquake would pretty much shred the entirety of the SWARM, KEKEKE, if it came to being attacked. I mean...c'mon. Poison. Ground. /Win/. Nonethless, Sudoku notices George. Hah. Oh, the urge to incite those 'mon to a fight, /just/ so he can have George gangbeaten. Such a sweet, tempting concept, tantalizing his mental tastebuds. Nonetheless, he leaves that at the back of the expanse of his mind, letting himself be busied by keeping the 'mon of Team Massimo under control. They aren't saying a word, just standing out there, just waiting. Except, y'know, the Awesomes who've just completely wandered off. Sudoku will have to teleport them back in later, he supposes, if things go sour. For now...he waits to see how things go, oh mmyes.
George catches Helio in his arms and hugs her close. He turns to Seprala. "See, I told you the Lady wouldn't stand for this. I imagine that the Lord is holding her back, he never loses his cool." His eyes glow very faintly purple for a moment before returning to normal. "Seprala this isn't going to work, if they could track us down think how easy it would be for an assassin? They're trained for tracking."
Helio nods slightly at George before whispering back...
Seprala takes a deep breath, rising into the air a bit, backing a little away from Helio and looking toward her and the other arrivals. "If she's with them, then she's with them...." her antennae twitching as her wings fail for a moment, sending her back down onto a nearby tree branch. "At least they listened when I needed someone to listen. No one else did." she pauses, "You're... here to kill me, aren't you?" addressing no one in particular.
George just shakes his head and looks around, waiting for the new arrivals to respond.
Helio looks at Seprala.. "No... I can't kill you even if I wanted to. It's not within my heart to.
Asuka sweatdrops a bit. "Uh... none of us are here to kill you." Well, you never can be too sure about Team Moron.
Ciere blinks...blinks and he gestures to himself, "Me? Kill you two..? Have you ever seen Ralts' ability? We're pathetically weak, no.. we thought that there was something wrong going on but guess not... so are you two in some sort of witness protection program or what..?" He arches an eyebrow as he attempts to move closer, "Beside, Asuka and I helped a injured nido out by healing him but I'm not sure about... them." He jerks a thumb in behind of himself toward Team Moron, "They tried to pile on Kree earlier."
'Here to kill me'. Oh, my, Sudoku can't help but be gleeful. The concept is so, so /tempting/, isn't it? Why, he could just have Kaladont do it, claim she was acting outside his influence, claim she was a 'rogue element'. He doesn't want to cut loose his protege...but, he supposes, it /would/ be worth it. The amount of trouble she's caused...but nonetheless, he decides to leave it. He can have Kaladont go 'rogue' anytime. Surrounded by people who would oppose her isn't the correct time. Team Massimo remains silent, but they're still standing out from the SWARM, KEKEK-...oh, you get the idea.
Seprala's eyes move from George, to Helio, to Ciere, then to the Court as they stand warily watching the intruders. "Witness protection... Hah. Look around you." she gestures to the gathering. "These are my protection. They're the only ones left..." she sounds determined, "Celebi left me. Father left me. Septa left me. Even Onuris..." this one has her choking a bit, "Left me... wants me dead..." taking a moment to compose herself, she rights herself again from where she's kneeling on the branch. "Go away. All of you. Go back and tell the city I won't bother them again."
George sighs and lets Helio go, stepping toward Seprala. "What's happened to you? I can't believe how much you've changed in the time I was gone. You use to call Helio sister and now you're wondering if she's here to kill you?" He points at Ciere while still looking at Seprala. "A child found us! This spot won't keep Bastardris away, please come back to the gym, please send everyone back to the Lady. You keep talking as if you're alone, but you're not. There's me, Helio, Enzo, Gracie."
Helio nods.. "I'm here for you Seprala... through thick and thin." shi starts tearing up slightly.. "Sister... please... come back... I don't want to see you this way.. Celebi hasn't left you... She wants to help... I want to help... Gracie, George and Enzo want to help. My Pokemon and my entire GYM wants to help." she whimpers, approaching Seprala as she shifts fully into a Butterfree right there..
Aha. The 'oh, everyone is helping' card. Perfect. Sudoku smiles. He smiles right at George and Helio and Seprala, because he's no longer floating around in the park. He is, cross-legged and cross-armed, floating right there. "And, of course, all /affiliates/ of Mr. Enzo, as a result, fully support you in all endeavours." Oh my.
Ciere..blinks, "Actually, Kree led us here because her mother told her to led us here so we didn't 'really find yah' guys..." He smiles and he shrugs his shoulders, "Well.. if you want me to leave, I guess I can always teleport away but that's up to people her.."
Asuka doesn't really have much to say, not wantng to intrude on Butterfree-snuggle-time, so she stands there and watches, giving a brief glance to the teleporting 'zam. "Took you long enough to join us."
"That's what they all said," Seprala shakes her head, blinking and pausing momentarily, looking up at the moon, or something near it, and then down at the periphery of the camp of sorts, freezing in place as if startled. The quietest "Oh no..." escapes her lips as she tenses, turning away from the others as if to flee from something, post-haste. Just as she starts to push off the branch, a thin line reflects the moonlight for an almost infinitely short moment, passing by Seprala. She starts to fall.
Helio blinks and dashes forth, diving to either catch the 'free or let her fall on hir back.. Either way, shi wasn't going to let Seprala hit the ground.
Ciere blinks, unsure what to do. He's just... in a state of shock when the 'free lady moved so hastly but from what? He's not sure.
George's antenna twitch and looks at a bush on the ground. Damn it! How did he let him get so close, an assassin. He looks to Seprala, Helio has her, he can deal with the assassin. He pulls out a flash light and gets a quick charge of Solarbeam. "Take this you son of a bitch!" He holds his hands out and lets the stream of light flood toward the bush.
Oh my! Sudoku floats higher, reflective bubbles briefly shimmering around him and the 'Team'...not anyone else, though. They can all die, really. He does, however, look down at the various Nido*. He'd rather have expected some of them to react to this, y'know? The rest of the Team remain standing where they are, thoughts being directly controlled by Sudoku for the moment. Less chance of them doing something undesirable to him.
Ciere can't do really much... he's underpowered... so all he can do is stare. Having a brainfart here. X.x;
Asuka blinks as Seprala falls, and she leaps towards the spot where George fires a Solarbeam at, landing nearby and ready to kick the shit out of anyone who may appear there.
The hasty Solarbeam tears a piercing path through the foliage, revealing... something shiny, for a moment. Mon go scattering, Kricketots, Shinxes, even a Zangoose. As Helio and Seprala both hit the ground, the Butterfree sprawls over in the dit-free's arms, leaning against her helplessly as blood starts to soak her hair on either temple. And the Court? When the strike comes in, they all jump, as if smacked in the noggin from behind, looking toward the fallen Seprala, then to the nicely lazed area from George. Some of them charge with Asuka, but most seem like they just came out of a daze... the Blaziken finding, left behind, an assembled sniper rifle and a metal suitcase.
Helio grunts softly, holding Seprala in hir arms as shi looks at hir.. "No.... NO..... GEORGE! SEPRALA'S BEEN SHOT!" shi cries out, brushing the hair away to try to find the wound...
George sees nothing left where he fired, unsure if that meant that he hit or missed. Either way, he doesn't know where the assassin is and he does know where Seprala is. He dives for Seprala and Helio, screaming as he sees her blood soaked hair. "SEPRALA! NO! Don't you dare die on me! What ever happened to growing old together, to getting the badges together, to having children! DON'T YOU FUCKING DIE ON ME!" He does the only thing he can do, hope that someone here knows anything about first aid and cry like a baby. Their too deep into the forest to be able to rush her to the PC, they need to do something now.
Ciere blinkblinks and he snaps out of the state of shock, rushing toward the 'frees, "Wait! I can teleport you to PCs and I will now!" The Ralts boy attempts to clasp down onto the 'frees with his hands and if successful, he'll teleport out along with the 'frees, transporting them over to the nearby PC in the blink of eye... c.c hopefully that it's fine to do that.
Asuka looks down at the rifle and suitcase, figuring the others can take care of Seprala for now she carefully reaches down to open the briefcase. Just in case it's gonna shoot sleeping gas in her face or something dumb like that she points it away from herself while doing so.
The briefcase opens up to reveal, predictably, a padded interior with hollows for what look like parts of the rifle. Identification tags have been filed off and cut away. Other than that, though, it's... a briefcase. The area around Asuka grows quiet for a moment, then rife with growls as the angry Court searches for the assassin, seemingly coming up empty. Discovering the wound isn't hard, and with Ciere's assistance, the three Butterfrees and the Ralts vanish into the night.
Asuka takes the briefcase and the rifle and gets closer to them then. Sheesh.
George looks around once he finds himself in the PC and yells out. "She's been shot! I need help NOW!" His face a mixture of anger, sadness, and concern.
Helio is just crying as shi holds Seprala tightly in hir arms.. the Dit-free clearly upset at the fact... "please... help."
Asuka phones the cops on her pokedex in the meantime to come get the rifle as evidence and do their other cop things.
Ciere took all others along with him, yeah Asuka too. He drops down onto his knees, panting heavily. Taking alot of people is putting much stress on his ability and he closes his eyes, "Help the lady.. she was shot and she need a help right away!" He lets go of the others and he crawls toward the seat, sweating like mad.. he never teleported bunchloads of people with him before so he's surprised himself, "Nghh." He turns around and flops into the seat exhuastedly.
As the group teleports into the middle of the Center, startled gasps draw up - sadly this is a common sight for the medics here. Quickly they take up Seprala, performing what help they can, though it's barely minutes before the news returns. The only good news is that now Seprala can smack Celebi in person.
Helio blinks... and falls to hir kness, tears flowing from hir eyes as shi pounds at the ground with a furious force. "No..... please... tlel me you're lying.... tell me you're lying now..."
George stares at the nurse who delivers the news. He finds himself unable to say anything at all...all he can do is join Helio on the ground, hold her tightly, and cry on her shoulder.
Ciere heard the news and he became quiet, casting his gaze away down to the bloody sleeve of his hoodie. Oh dear, looks like the Ralts boy is going to blame himself for being in the shock and being unable to do anything. Dammit! Why can't Seprala be some sort of a steel type so the bullet will be deflected?! Damn her! Damn her family! WHY?! Oh well, guess she can be a ghost if she wanted to.
Asuka just doesn't say anything... she doesn't really have anything to say, she was never good with the sympathy thing.
It's all the nurse can do to provide sympathy. As for Asuka, she finds herself standing before exactly who she was hoping - no, not a priest and an altar and a particular typ-- ahem. The authorities have arrived, and with the necessary respect for the dead and grieving, claim the information and the evidence provided.
Helio is unable to speak, just crying heavily as shi collapses onto the ground. "It... isn't... fair.. It's.. just.. not fair..."
Ciere is still quiet, having nothing to say beside blaming himself mentally.
George finds himself standing up and looking around. The sky will do though a shrine will be better...seeing no shrine within eye sight he looks into the sky and screams at the top of his lungs. "DAMN YOU BITCH CELEBI! She devoted her entire life to you and you give her nothing but crap in return! You enjoyed watching her squirm didn't you, you bitch! Why couldn't you give you a brake! JUST ONE FUCKING BRAKE!"
Asuka ignores the crazy screaming guy and deals with the cops, giving them the gun and telling them what happened and all that stuff.
Helio eyes bolt towards George.... giving him a swift slap in the face... "Don't you dare... Celebi gave everything she offered for her... I was there..." shi spoke softly, tears streaming from hir eyes... "Celebi will be there to give her another chance.. I know it. I don't care what Seprala comes back as if she comes back.... She's my sister... and I'd gladly give my life for hers."
Ciere bets that Seprala will come back as Celebi's avatar or some sort... c.c However, the Ralts boy cringes from the shouting and he squints an eye shut, shivering. He knew that it's his fault... if only he was quicker, she wouldn't be dead...
George is breathing very hard and looks to Helio. "And I'd give my life for her...DAMN IT! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN HE WAS THERE AND JUMPED IN THE WAY!" He looks around and finally lands his eyes on the nurse. "When can I have the body?"
The nurse had backed away at George's challenge to Celebi, though at the question of claiming the body she fidgets slightly, "We... still need to perform some basic precautions... but soon..." she's shaking too.
George nods. "Fine, call me...I'm George, leader of the Conservatory gym." He starts to walk out, looking at the cops, the nurse, Ciere and Asuka, then finally Helio before looking at the door again. "I'll be home if anyone needs me...drinking...a lot of whiskey." He starts moving again for the door.
Helio nods.. "I'm Helio.. Call me as well.. I'm Seprala's sister..." shi whimpers.. "I"m coming along with you George. I need something strong.."
Ciere raises his hand briefy, "Umm.. name's Ciere, Loretta is my mother..." He cracks a weak smile and he bows his head some, unsure what to do right now.
The nurse gives them both a soft nod, trembling softly. "We'll... contact you asap. Please... be well."
