Consider his reprieve cancelled.

[oceansbane]

[He had been aware of the town's presence for several days before he went anywhere near it.

He'd remained outside of it. Pacing the outskirts. Waiting. Things like this simply don't happen on this island, after all - at least not for no reason. But for three days, there was nothing outside the town that wouldn't be considered normal. The town was

Comments

1/2

[must_do_well]

[[Having woken up to find Maxie gone, Mitch wasn't worried. The boss always had a tendency to disappear for a few hours or so whenever the mood struck him, so he sat around in the cave, playing with Torkoal and preparing some food for when the boss got back.

That food currently lies discarded and forgotten; with the dawn of the third day of Maxie's non-return, Mitch has desperately set out to find him. It's been far too long; the boss is never away for such a long period of time, especially without any contact.]]

Argh, where are you, boss?

[[And so he's found himself wandering through this odd town; it's the last place left on the island to look. He has to be here.]]

2/2

[must_do_well]

[[When he finally sets eyes on Maxie, it's from behind. He's noticed the missing sleeve and the injuries, but nothing seems to be all that wrong. The wounds can be dealt with, and he's sure the Boss has had worse. After all, he's still standing, isn't he? That means he's fine!

No, everything is definitely fine! It has to be!]]

Hey boss, there you are!! Are you alright?

[oceansbane]

[The first indicator that things are not, in fact, all right, might be his reaction to your voice, Mitch.

No. No, its not your voice. Though his posture stiffens at the sound of your words - his hands forming fists at his sides, the muscles along his spine visibly going rigid even underneath his jacket - he's been aware of you since well before you saw him. He can sense you, you see. Blue Orb.

Kyogre.

He twitches a bit at the realization - not quite a shudder, but more like a tic, a large one, completely overtaking him physically before he settles again. Turns to face you, that aggressive look intensifying sharply as he approaches. His pace is slow, calculatedly so, as he takes a good look at you, though it's difficult to say what he's looking for through that odd sense of distance in his eyes.

You aren't the vessel he's used to. But that doesn't really matter, does it...]

[must_do_well]

[[Ok, the twitching and tensing is a bit...odd, but then again the boss has been acting a little strange since he arrived on this island, so that can't mean anything!

...right?

Mitch had been trotting dutifully towards Maxie, but when the other man turns around he pauses a few feet from him, that excited energy disappearing as he sees the look on his boss's face.

He takes a step back as Maxie starts to approach.]]

...boss, what....what happened?

1/3

[greatbantam]

[Ruby's not been in Silent Hills for most of the time. After all, it's Not His Problem. Not touching things that are Not His Problem has served him well in the past! He probably should keep at it.

But he hasn't! Maybe his Dex Holder spirit is actually working today, and he's taking a cautious look at this dangerous place. Maybe it's strange orb-related shenanigans. Maybe it's just plain bad luck. But he happens to be on the outskirts of the town, examining one of the houses with a look of concentration.]

2/3

[greatbantam]

[WILD MAXIE APPEARED
COMMAND?
> FIGHT BAG
> PKMNT RUN]

TRIPLE PLACEHOLDER ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE SKY

[greatbantam]

[COMMAND?
> FIGHT BAG
> PKMN; RUN
> SWEAR

Due to the FAMILY-FRIENDLY CANON, you cannot swear at this misfortune. But how you wish there was such an option.

Which is to say that Ruby is caught mostly unaware here. But he will not be pleased if when approached.]

...and this would be why I love you

[oceansbane]

[...You. He remembers you. It's been a while. But he remembers. Cave of Origins, right, grabbing you by the neck with your collar buried in his fist and if he can't defeat you now he'll take you with him -

But for now there's no Kyogre - nothing he can sense in the immediate area anyway - and yet you're. still. here, aren't you?

So yes, he does approach, that same dark, snarling laugh escaping him as he does so. It's been so long, Ruby. And there's business to settle.]

[terra_et_sol]

Oh, it's you.

[This is out of Terra's mouth before she notices that he's in an even worse state than usual. She frowns - it's hard to tell until he approaches, but the pattern of those welts almost looks like one she's very familiar with indeed.]

[oceansbane]

[As well they should; she's definitely seen them before.

He can't sense her - not like he can the other vessels, he's always been able to feel them here, but he's getting nothing off of her. And there's no outward indication that this woman is anything special. Nothing at all.

But somehow he knows. Memory, perhaps, though those aren't really clear - they belong to the body, not to him, whatever was here doesn't exist anymore, does it? Hasn't existed for a while, except when it does just not like this and oh, fuck, what is happening to him -

Groudon. He's in the presence of Groudon, and exactly how he knows isn't important - she's not the one who calls to him, but he approaches her anyway. He's shaking a bit, his breathing jagged; he doesn't speak to her right away, but his gaze remains alert. Wary.]

[terra_et_sol]

['Wary' describes both of them right now. She's thankful he's approaching her straightforwardly; it keeps her from having to turn or circle around him, because to be honest she has an instinctive feeling that she doesn't want him behind her.

Maybe it's just this place; she's never been much for cities in general, but small towns don't usually irritate her quite as much - except for this one. It just feels wrong, and just at this moment an equal amount of wrongness is coming from Maxie, enough that he stands out even from the town around him.

And that very familiar pattern scratched into his arm is rather worrying her - as are the scratches on his head, and the look in his eyes. It's very clear that nobody's home... nobody who should be there, at least.]

What are you doing, Maxie?

[oceansbane]

[He laughs a bit at that, though it isn't anything like the way he normally sounds; this is dark, guttural, almost snarling, and the act only strengthens those tremors coursing through his body as he stops in front of her.]

You...you would know, I think...

[of_the_land]

[In a remarkably alliterative turn of events, Giovanni is still searching Silent Hills for Silver, with... no luck yet. The town is beginning to wear on his psyche-he's been in and out of the town a few different times, so he's begun to draw some conclusions... it seems as though the longer he's in, the more likely he is to hallucinate, so of course-

...oh, there's someone-]

Have you seen a-

[...and dear god, it's certainly someone who he wouldn't want Silver running into-]

Oh. ...never... mind, then.

[oceansbane]

[He's already approaching by the time Giovanni's changed his mind, though he doesn't seem too interested in responding to his words - in fact, he doesn't seem to have heard them at all. His approach, however, is deliberate, calculated; he's definitely studying, though it's a bit hard to say exactly what he's looking for.

You don't mind if he comes a bit closer to you right of course you don't...]

[of_the_land]

[how close are we talking, exactly

like

personal space invading

...whatever the case, Giovanni tenses up, his hand moving closer to Beedrill's Pokeball...]

[aquaboss]

[It's been a few days since he first set foot in this town, and despite how damn weird it is, Archie's actually quite amused by it. He's been in and out, mostly avoiding the grass - the things in there are not Pokemon - but it's only today that he finds a familiar face.]

[A very familiar face. And not one he's pleased to see.]

[His stay on the island has been quite short - he only arrived right after this strange town popped up - but it's been completely free of Maxie. That right there was a good sign. But now? Well, it's Maxie. And Archie loathes Maxie.]

[There is something odd about this Maxie though - besides the obvious scratches and unkempt look. It's not even the nearly-mad expression but something else. It's that he hasn't immediately attacked Archie on sight. That's what the problem is - that's the way they've worked since they were... well, for a long time at any rate. It's very rare that they're ever civil to one another. So Archie pauses, folding his arms as he examines the Maxie-that's-not-really-Maxie.]

[oceansbane]

[Don't worry. A lack of outright physical aggression doesn't imply civility. Not by a long shot.

He'll approach a bit, that intense look not leaving his eyes; there's a tension to his posture as he does so, causing a sharp twitch to course through his system once in a while, his hands forming tight fists at his sides. He won't be meeting you, though, Archie, shifting direction somewhat a few feet away with the intention of circling. Predatory.

He recognizes you, at least physically. Another vessel. Isn't it?

...

No. Something wrong with it.

Should be.

But isn't.

And when he speaks, there's an odd, snarling darkness to his tone.]

...You...

[aquaboss]

[No, this is definitely not the Maxie he knows. That one's crazy, but this guy is quite the piece of work. The sudden tics that shake him almost worry Archie - not for Maxie, of course - but for himself. It's rare he's ever intimidated by Maxie.]

[He stands still, arms folded, posture defensive as Maxie begins to circle him. Archie keeps his gaze levelled at his long-time rival, silent. Another warning bell goes off in his head when Maxie speaks - that is not his voice. He almost sounds like a different person, a more feral, animalistic one.]

Yeah, me. [The reply comes back as sarcastic as usual, though it's hiding something close to fear now. What exactly is this guy?]

[oceansbane]

[He laughs a bit at that, the snarling undercurrent just as present there as it is in the words he speaks.]

It is...and it isn't...

[He continues to circle, his pace deliberate.]

I can't sense you anymore...

[He stops entirely then, though he doesn't break eye contact; he does tip his head a bit, however, and his expression is something that would be almost curious were it not so completely manic.]

Where have you gone, Kyogre?