Onward: Orange

[voidtreckermods]

On the second night those still on the train may be woken by rough seas, the train lurching and rolling in the waves.

If they manage to sleep through the choppy waters they might instead be woken by the voice over the ICPs. "Orange team to doors. Orange team to doors."

Those that head the instruction and exit out of the luggage carriage or dressing room doors will be met with a strange sight.

The sea is glowing. Or at least part of the sea. Underneath them, from where Bui lies there is a light that shines upwards through the dark water, rippling over the water, breaking into specks of light in the waves.

It seems it is time for another investigation.

Night Dive

The water is even colder at night, the water eerie as they make the dive down to the city. The whole city is lit up, light reflecting off shells and coral.

The light seems to be coming from the far palace. Outside the palace there is a sigil, in the shape of a shell, glowing brightly. It had not been there before, nothing to suggest there had been anything special about that patch of ground. Yet it glows now.

Crabs

The city of Bui, until now, has been peaceful, eerily empty even. But as they investigate they will find a different problem. Some of the giant crabs have found their way to the city. Not overwhelming numbers, but enough to be a problem, especially as their aim seems to be attacking the sleeping citizens.

On the Train

For those who remain on the train dawn brings it's own problems. Dawn breaks into darkness, the sun barely penetrating. Shadows are deep and the temperature cooler. It is not too dark to see, more like an endless twilight.

The seas remain rough and choppy, like a storm is brewing.

Comments

[singlefaith]

Ran is fine -- for once, at least, she's not just saying so. Maybe a little tired, but they all are by this point. She pinks a little more at the compliment, head dipping. "I just hope everyone else is doing all right, if this is supposed to be easy. I originally because of Conan-kun, but I'm glad I did if I could help with this." Her eyebrows knit a little. "Is this much fighting normal?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Knowing the other teams, they'll be fine." She hopes, but that's neither here nor there. "Though, for Orange? A lot of what we do tends to be away from the bulk of combat. This? It'd be a lot easier if it wasn't underwater and I mean that."

She nods to Lele. "I've got more pokemon than Lele on me, but on it can operate underwater."

[singlefaith]

"I'm glad for that," she says softly. "--That Orange is usually away from combat, I mean. I worry about Conan-kun. This kind of situation . . . he's really young, and it's not safe. It makes me worry that there will be more missions like this. People have told me the train 'recruits' people, but. Who recruits a little boy?"

She will be curious about the pokemon, but this is definitely foremost on her mind at the moment.

[mtsilver_conquor]

"I wouldn't know, though Conan-kun's not the only child we have," Eva says honestly, even as her gaze drifts around their surroundings. Alert and watchful, but also relaxed.

The area is clear, she's leaning against Lele and she knows the porygon2 would alert to any danger in a heartbeat.

"That said, we can't predict what the Missions will bring, and, from my own experience with my baby sisters, Conan-kun's that age were telling him no means sneaking off anyway because he wants to be involved." Eva shakes her head with a long-suffering sigh as memories of her baby sisters make themselves known. "Sometimes it's better to let a kid follow you around, even if you know it's into something dangerous." Eva laughs a little. "I guess... I'm trying to say it's easier to keep them out of trouble if you know where they are."

She'd offer to get them both pokemon, but that's a talk for post-mission.

[singlefaith]

Ran is quiet at the revelation that there are more children . . . because she doesn't like that. Not at all. Children should be kept safe. The ones at home have already seen far more than she's comfortable with -- Conan in particular, but all of them, really. Too much murder, too many kidnappings, too many people with ill intent. How any of them are as normal as they are, she doesn't know.

But she would throw herself into the line of fire to keep them that way.

"I don't know if I agree," she says in the same quiet tone. "I don't think you're wrong -- Conan-kun definitely tries to do what he wants, no matter what I say." The corner of her mouth lifts wryly at that. "And in the end, that's what I went with -- to have him come too, knowing he'd try to get away if he could. But if I could have anything . . . I wish he were back on the train. More -- I wish he were back home."

[mtsilver_conquor]

One day Eva will learn about that and she will WTF at that world. But today is not that day, and as it is, Eva doesn't like it either. Yet in the end, it is what it is, and she, like Ran, would throw herself into the first to keep a child safe.

"For some of the kids, I'd agree, but I think there's a few where the train and the missions are safer than their worlds. Is your world like that? Safer than the train-"

Lele shifts and Eva is instantly alert and ready to move -to protect Ran, never mind Ran can look after herself- in a heartbeat. Lele's now in front of them, and Eva looks to Ran. "Possible incoming. If you want, I can deal with them if we have crabs."

[singlefaith]

Ran is about to answer that, but with the other two shifting to alert mode, she immediately does as well, cutting herself off. A quick shake of the head, eyes flicking over the dark expanse of the water around them. "It's okay."

She isn't about to just let someone fight alone, whether she's tired or not.

[mtsilver_conquor]

Ah- that's right. Ran likely hasn't seen a pokemon in action before.

"Well... More like it'd be Lele doing it," Eva admits sheepishly, even as she peers into the darkness. She hates it's underwater, hates that they have to rely on their sight the most and that what sound they have is distorted, but by the water and the helmets.

Hates they can't move as fast they'd be able to if they had to.

At least they have Lele, whose eyes are starting to pick up a faint pinkish glow and Eva doesn't doubt there aren't crabs out there they can't, yet, see. "It can take them out from a distance, too, so less danger for us. But-"

There's only one of Lele who's running low on attacks thanks to the weird Pressure-like effect of the world, and gods knows how many crabs.

[singlefaith]

Less that, honestly, and more that Ran doesn't want anyone to fight alone -- not if she's able-bodied. It goes against all that she is; not doing her part and pulling her weight, risking others in the process, is antithesis to her being.

"Okay," she replies, but doesn't lower her guard. She'll trust the creature to do what it can, but she won't let it or Eva manage the load alone, whatever that load turns out to be.

[mtsilver_conquor]

Eva nods and files away the fact, that based on what she's seen, Ran would make an excellent professional trainer and that maybe later, when she's talked to the other woman more, she'd broach the idea of Ran with her own pokemon.

"If it helps, Lele is far stronger than it looks," Eva says softly, not sure if that will help, but it's something. "All pokemon are."

Though hard to see, Lele's eyes glow pink as psychic energy is literally manifested in the shape of several bright pink petals, that are sliced through the water and slammed into the shadowed, approaching forms of two crabs. Thankfully, the results are hidden by the kicked up cloud of sand and dirt.

"They're dead. I know that much." Eva says matter of factly and almost like it's the weather - she should probably work on that, but now's not the time. "But... if you'd like to be sure, we can. Though... I think we should get out of here."