The Hero of Legend: Battle of Liberty

[*DANI*]

Dani doesn't want to believe it's happening again. The bodies in the water have been mutilated the same way the bodies in the desert had been so if history is repeating itself she better get ready to fight. Because they're in the water she can only use a water or flying Pokemon unless they get closer to land but she already knows who she wants to use if they're attacked and grabs a Pokeball, ready to battle if she has to. The water is calm for a while and Captain Frost stands up, looking through binoculars to find the shore. When he sees it he looks happy but then he drops his binoculars, shocked. Dani tenses, not liking his change in demeanour and scared for what it means for their group. She looks around feeling uncomfortable on a rubber dingy in the blood stained ocean and wishes they were closer to land. She holds her Pokeball tighter with her thumb over the release, and hopes they make it before anything bad happens.

Hoping isn't good enough because her fears have become a reality. The way Jynx is playing with the dead womans body is sick and makes Dani angry. It's bad enough that people are being killed, but playing with their corpses is disgusting. She wants to get out of the boat, but standing up won't be safe because they're too far from the shore and the water is freezing cold. Holding up her Pokeball, Dani releases Corsola.

"Go Coral!" she yells, pointing at the Jynx standing on the shore. "Shoot a Water Pulse in her face, use Harden, then Rock Smash her nose!"

[Inferno.]

"This is bad" Inferno thinks, looking back and forth between his enemies. The fight in the desert was bad but at least they could have run if they had to and hidden in a cave or tunnel or something. Here they're on a raft in freezing water with nowhere to run and down the only way to go. This is really bad. He tries to judge the distance between them and the land but it's not close enough for them to jump onto solid ground, and even if they could Jynx and Walrein are in their way. This is really, really bad. He wonders which one of the four Pokemon he should battle and hopes that the turbulence in the water when the fighting starts won't overturn their raft. He wants to battle Feraligatr, but he has to choose carefully so everyone's battling their enemies evenly. Missingno is attacking Tentacruel, Shadow is attacking Walrein, Dani is attacking Jynx, so that leaves Feraligatr with nobody to battle it yet.

"Feraligatr you're mine!" Inferno shouts, throwing Armaldo's Net Ball into the sea. "Use Crush Claw to stun it Armaldo, then Slash it and rip open its cut with Metal Claw!"

[Arc_Angel]

Having chosen her stead Stacey mentally prepared herself for the journey ahead. They had already met an obstacle in their path towards the beast and it had taken so much from the convoy, they couldn’t afford another setback like that; she wasn’t sure she was up to another battle of those proportions. Captain Frost and his soldiers had finished their preparations and shortly after he mounted his own Rapidash and gave the order to move out. All of a sudden Stacey’s horse leapt into action nearly startling her off and she grabbed onto the reigns as in sync the convoy moved out. After a good few minutes of riding Stacey began to comfortable with the feelings and felt confident enough to look around the surroundings as they passed. She saw the group of Fearow fly overhead as well as the Pokemon on the mountain sides. They watched the trainers pass with deep interest and Stacey felt a swell of pride as they roared an encouraging call, it felt as if they were willing them on with their quest. With so much as stake it brought on so much stress but knowing that they weren’t alone in their cause lifted her spirits. She managed a wave to the Pokemon before they passed continuing their trek through the Sunny Drylands.

After a good hour of riding, she couldn’t be sure it was an hour without a watch but it sure felt like it, they reached the shore and came to a stop. Stacey dismounted and patted her Rapidash on the neck thanking it for making her ride as smooth as possible. Soon the convoy of horses were returned to their Fire Balls and the soldiers dragged that large bag that was loaded onto the final Rapidash. Depositing it by the shore Stacey wondered whether it contained their next mode of transport since there was no sign of Captain Frost sending out a parade of Wailmer. Unfolding the material it appeared to be a raft of some sort and she gave it a scathing look, it didn’t seem sea worthy, wouldn’t a boat be better? As it inflated it looked a little better with enough room to house the convoy and their supplies yet the Captain noticed the sceptical looks and informed them to take a dive if they didn’t get on the raft and pronto! The thought of swimming the rest of the way made Stacey snort in disgust and she approached the raft leaping inside and depositing her satchel under the seat sitting next to the few that had already taken seats. With the raft full the soldiers pushed off and started the motor to get them going. It lurched forward with more power that Stacey expected and she held onto her seat tightly as they powered through the water and north heading to the icy waters surrounding Magnetic Island.

Stacey enjoyed the fresh air on her skin as they sped through the waters to their goal and she tried to break her mind away from the all out slaughter they had recently been unfortunate to participate in. That was one of the most destructive battles she had entered and she was lucky that Missy had come away as unscathed as she did. These memories began to make her feel bitter all over again and she wished she had never offered her services. Shaking her head she tried to think positive, a difficult premise for her in most situations but she kept the thoughts of all those they would save by completing this mission. She opened her eyes as she felt the raft slow down, had they reached Magnetic Island already? It certainly didn’t feel cold here. Looking around she heard gasps of horror and locked eyes on a raft very similar to their own, well what was left of it. The water was stained pink with the last remnants of blood mixing with the salt water. ‘Not again’ Stacey thought all positivity gone as quickly as it had encompassed her. That was another convoy destroyed, thankfully there were no bodies to look at but a scream from Dani at the other end of the raft had all heads turning. A bloated body floated away from the raft and Stacey sighed, not all the dead had gone. Captain Frost takes a moment’s pause before making the right choice to move quickly before any shreds of morale disappear like the convoys they kept finding. The raft’s motor splurges into life and they manoeuvre past the remains of the convoy and continue north.

Everyone began to get that feeling that they were growing close to their destination as snow began to fall along with the temperature. Having wore on light clothing Stacey cursed and began to rub her hands together to generate heat. She was never good with the cold. Fumbling around in her bag she searched for something muttering that she hoped she had remembered it. Managing a smile through her shivering she pulled out a black jacket with indigo swirls along the long sleeves. Slipping it on she felt a little warmer and rubbed her arms to keep the warmth. As the trainers huddled together to keep warm they saw some movement from Ruben as he stood up looking through his binoculars announcing that land was up ahead. Everyone smiled at the thought of being on solid land again and the raft kept its course speeding ahead steadily. Stacey notices that Captain Frost suddenly loses that look of optimism as he sees something through his enhanced view that disturbs him. The trainers speak to one another worriedly wondering what he could have seen and peer over the sides of the boat to see around him.

As they approach Stacey feels her heart drop even lower if it was possible at the sight that greeted them. On top of a pointed ice spear was another raft, the final convoy’s raft in pieces. That meant … they were the only ones left now. Some of the bodies were in sight frozen to the sides of the ice structure silent screams tearing at their mouths; one poor soul had even made it to the shore only for his lower half to be torn off. Lost in sorrow and fear the last convoy took in the remains of the other before screams of terror permeated the air. The half-corpse had started floating in the air even Stacey held her breath wondering what the hell was going on. It clapped its cold dead hands a wet sickening sound following before it was launched towards the group. Stacey hit the deck not wanting that … thing anywhere near her and heard a loud splash behind the raft followed by the crunch of bone on bone. Looking over her shoulder she saw a Feraligator happily eating the corpse its not yet frozen blood splattering against the poor trainers at the back of the raft. A cackling laughter arose from up ahead and Stacey turned to see a Jynx swagger out hands on her hips flicking her hair over her shoulder as she smirked at the horrified look on the trainer’s faces. Stacey suddenly thought to her little Smoochum and paled, she hoped she’d never turn into such an ugly soul as that Jynx obviously was. A loud roar echoed behind Jynx and she sashayed out of the way to allow a Walrein to slide in next to her, blood on its long tusks. ‘How many more of them were they?’ Stacey thought as a set of tentacles rose out of the water and smashed into the raft eliciting a scream of panic from her throat as she held onto the vessel for dear life. As the raft came to a stop she saw a Tentacruel from the corner of her eyes flexing its tentacles dangerously.

“Not again,” she whispered, they were surrounded and this time they had the disadvantage of being stuck in the ocean with no way onto the shore, what with the wicked witch of the North and her blubbery friend next to her. They couldn’t even try turning around with Feraligator and Tentacruel holding their positions in the sea. With no other choice but to battle Captain Frost sent out his shiny Pelipper, an odd choice but she wasn’t one to doubt his team, especially after that Metagross had cleaned house so easily. He was right, there was no other choice no matter how much Stacey wanted not to fight again, and she didn’t want to risk her Pokemon’s lives against such savage beasts. She clasped her hand tight around Missy’s Love Ball closing her eyes as a small tear left it, she had been lucky, could she keep next fighter in such a state? Already several trainers had sent out their own Pokemon knowing that time was of the essence and pitting them against the wild ones of water and ice. A small Quilfish squared off against the poisonous Tentacruel, a much larger Electivire took stance before the Walrein, that would seem a good match in their favour, a shiny Corsola had decided to take on the sassy yet vile Jynx and the last trainer had sent out his Armaldo against Feraligator and she wondered how well it would fare not being a know brilliant swimmer. Stacey though for a moment of sending out her Smoochum to show Jynx how its pre-evolution could battle but decided against it, she didn’t want her being put off evolving by her first view of her evolution being that sick creature. She reached for a plain Pokeball and enlarged it, the creature within was still young but a fierce battler letting natural instinct guide him. She turned to face the Tentacruel, that jellyfish had sent their boat flying, she would make it pay.

“I need a savage to take on another savage” she said throwing the ball into the sea releasing the Pokemon withing submerged under water. A brown shell arose and a pair of feral red eyes took in his surroundings. He spotted his mistress behind him on a raft and looked at all the Pokemon in the sea.

“Quilfish is fighting with us, your target is Tentacruel,” she explained and the little Kabuto began to froth bubbles at the mouth staring at his opponent with wild eyes, he would take on any foe of any size, this jellyfish was merely another victim.

“Start off by boosting your speed with Rock Polish that should make this battle run more smoothly. Then combine your Mudshot with Quilfish’s Bullet Seed to strike and finally add the pressure with a Waterfall.”

[ZoraJolteon]

Watching everyone's reactions to the carnage around them, Zora felt a twinge of guilt over his apathy concerning these victims. While the people around him might of considered them friends and colleagues, to him they were faceless, both figuratively and moreso literally, some of the remains too mutilated to even identify their original species.

{Aquatic combat. This one is my domain.} Slowqueen whispered, climbing up onto the edge of the raft, in preparation to leap into the sea, but was stopped as she felt Zora's hand clamp down on her shoulder.
"No." he said, firmly. "I still need you. Look at this destruction. It's mindless. I can't risk having you out of action when the true threat emerges. Besides," he added, looking around as other trainers also prepared their companions to enter combat. "There are plenty of aquatic Pokémon being sent into battle already. Lets deal with who's left on the beach. Jynx is Ice and Psychic. That gives a double stab advantage to a Steel Bug."
"Forre." came a growl from behind them, Forretress now looming above them having heard the reference to her.
"Cannons primed and ready, Forretress?" Zora asked her.
"Tress!" she growled again, as her turrets shot out from within her shell. Looking up at them, Zora suddenly realised that he'd never seen Forretress actually fire anything out of them before. She had yet to gain any kind of experienced with fighting in her newest evolutionary form.
"Hmm. Guess you're getting a baptism by fire. That's OK, you can do it gal." Reaching up, he rubbed her metallic shell in encouragement. "We'll just begin with some techniques you're familiar with. Set up a Reflective wall to augment your defence to begin with. Then target Jynx and strike her with Double-Edge. Follow on from that by rolling around and hitting again, this time using Gyro Ball!"

[Rakurai]

OOC: I noticed that the latest update said that Kiba was trying to keep up with the convoy on foot, when according to my reply, he was supposed to be riding with me. I'm assuming it was a mistake, so I'm writing this reply as though the latter were true (I hope that's okay...).

After receiving a signal from the captain, the Rapidash Katsu was seated upon burst into a gallop along with the others, as they began to head through the valley. He felt a little uncomfortable with the pace his mount was traveling at, but Kiba seemed to be enjoying it, for he liked getting around at high speeds, only this time, he wasn't having to strain his legs to do so. Concerns of future attacks from the enemy were still on Katsu's mind, and he couldn't help but worry a little when he noticed that the convoy was drawing the attention of the attention of the valley's resident Pokemon. Any feelings of distrust soon faded, however, as the Pokemon began to cheer the group on, seemingly aware of what they had set out to accomplish. Kiba responded to them with a spirited howl, to which Katsu smiled, for he could sense the determination in his companion's call. Despite his doubts and fears, he too, was determined to help put a stop to the source of the pain and suffering that had occurred today.

After about a hour, the ocean came into view, and before long, the group had reached the sandy shores. At that time, all but one of the Rapidash were recalled, following some words of thanks from their riders. From the back of the remaining horse, some soldiers removed a package, which was soon revealed to be a inflatable raft, just big enough to carry all the members of the convoy, as well as their supplies and belongings. While it looked capable of getting everyone to their destination of Magnetic Island, Katsu would've much preferred riding in an actual boat, as the intended transport seemed like it wouldn't be able to take much abuse in the event of one of the attacks he so dreaded. Regardless, after taking a moment to loose Kiba and pick him up, he quickly took a seat in the raft, the captain's words and the urgency of the mission having spurred him on.

However, as the raft made its way towards Magnetic Island, Katsu felt more tense then ever. With everyone confined to such a small space, and with nowhere for them to run, it seemed like the perfect chance for the enemy to strike. When the captain suddenly called for the raft to be brought to a stop, he knew it couldn't possibly have meant anything good, and to his dismay, the chance of another attack seemed to have changed from a possibility to an inevitability. Beside the raft floated a few shreds of rubber, the only remnants of the similar transport that had attempted to pass through. As for those who had been riding it, it seemed like the blood in the water was the only traces of them that could be found. That was, until a sudden scream from one of the passengers had Katsu turning his head in their direction, half-expecting that the culprits behind the attack had shown up, only to catch sight of a water-logged corpse that had floated to the surface. He quickly turned away, not wanting to expose himself to the sight of death any more that day, but continued to keep his eyes on the water's surface, hoping to spot the attackers before they struck.

A mere few minutes after the pause, the captain called for the raft to be brought into motion once more, partly to Katsu's relief. The weather continued to grow colder as Magnetic Island drew nearer, and he soon found himself clinging to Kiba for warmth, as his light jacket provided little in the way of insulation. The Electrike didn't mind the treatment, though he emitted a whimper of concern, for he could feel how tense his trainer was. Seeing the second destroyed convoy had been enough of a cause for concern, but he had recently spotted what had appeared to be a tentacle sticking out of the water, though before he could draw anyone's attention to it, it had vanished. By that time, the shore of the island had finally come into view, and the captain seemed to have a grown hopeful they might make there without incident, but his feelings took a sudden shift, as he had caught sight of something so awful, that he unintentionally dropped his binoculars onto the floor of the raft. He was clearly a very strong man, both physically and mentally, judging from how well he had endured everything up until this point, so Katsu knew that whatever he had seen had to be something else, and took a deep breath to brace himself for whatever was coming up ahead.

It was but a few moments later that he saw it; the members of the last convoy aside from themselves, dead, and strewn about the formations of ice, some in pieces, some not. Judging from the anguished expressions on their faces, it seemed like their deaths had been anything but quick or painless. The sight left Katsu feeling completely dejected, and he could only shake his head out of pity for unfortunate victims. But then, he saw something even more horrifying; something that left his eyes wide with fear, and had his heart racing.

The body of a convoy member on the shore of the island had suddenly rose into the air, suspended by some unknown force, where it proceeded to clap its hands together before flying straight in the direction of the raft. Katsu impulsively ducked, and felt mildly relieved when he heard a splash behind him shortly after, knowing it probably meant that the corpse had landed in the water, though when he turned around to look, his face grew pale, as he saw the splash hadn't been from the corpse falling into the water, but rather, from a huge Feraligator leaping out. It had caught the corpse, and proceeded to devour it in a truly cringe-inducing fashion, which made Katsu turn his gaze back in the direction of the shore, where he caught sight of two more Pokemon; a Jynx who was clearly the one responsible behind the previous supernatural occurrence, judging from how amused she looked by the scare the raft's occupants had gotten, and a Walrein, who looked eager to spill more blood then it had managed to do earlier with its sharp tusks. Then one more Pokemon made its presence known by slamming into the side of the raft with the tentacles Katsu had seen earlier, rising out the water shortly after to reveal itself as a Tentacruel, the name seeming more then appropriate as it crushed the bones of an arm it was holding before tossing it aside carelessly.

With the raft surrounded, it was clear that the only choice was to fight, and the captain was the first to react, sending out an oddly colored Pelipper to do battle. Given the opponents that they were dealing with, it was clear to Katsu that Kiba would be the one most capable of fighting them off, and after quickly noting the current distribution of the Pokemon that had been sent out by his fellow trainers, as well as the presence of Shadow's burly Electivire, he gave his orders, but not without hesitation, for he feared terribly for the life of his friend, and couldn't help but wonder whether or not the commands he was giving him were leading him to his demise. He also hoped Shadow wouldn't be bothered a certain spur of the moment decision he had made.

"Kiba... I want you to support Zapster against that Walrein. Get his Motor Drive going with a Shock Wave, then strike Walrein with a Thunderbolt. Be ready to Protect yourself from retaliation, as the worse has yet to come, and I need you in the best shape possible for then."

His commands having been given, the Electrike leaped into the fray, looking fearful, yet angered by what the four Pokemon had done. Katsu wished he could be out there with him, for the sake of helping to keep him safe, even at his own expense, but he knew that would only complicate things for the others...

[lilbluecorsola]

As they rode in steady silence, Jessica kept her head down, focused solely on the clouds of dust that rose and settled beneath the Rapidash’s hooves. A pounding rhythm that synchronized with her heart’s. Her hand clenched the reigns firmly, then gradually slackened as she realized that her steed was guiding its own, falling routinely into formation with the band, led by Captain Frost at the forefront. Still, she did not look up at her surroundings. The elongated shadows of the charger’s legs in front of her, plus the sliding of heat across her back, were enough to tell her that the time had passed. She could feel eyes upon them, watching from above, and the cries of Pokémon echoing throughout the valley, praying for their success. Still, she did not look up.

Time elapsed. She heard a squelch underfoot, followed by an exultant cry up ahead, as the rough dirt gradually gave way to soft, loamy soil. She glanced up, finally, to see the sparkling strip of sea that lined the distance up ahead. The Rapidash were picking up their pace, and she reasserted her grip. When they reached the shore, the fiery creatures skid to an instinctive stop, shying away from the surf as it crashed towards their hooves. The Captain patted his mount, soothing its red mane as he descended, the others quickly following suit. Jessica smiled as she turned to her steed, stroking its snout as she thanked it for the ride. It snorted and obligingly shook its mane, trotting back to the soldiers in order to gladly return to its Fire Ball for some rest.

“Marines, bring the vessel to the water.” Captain Frost commanded three soldiers to coax a remaining Rapidash reluctantly through the sand, bringing it as close to the intimidating waves as it would tolerate. Jessica watched curiously as they unstrapped a package from its back before returning it to its Ball, placing it along with its companions’. The trainers looked on in wonder as the soldiers released the surprisingly bulky contents of the container, dragging the black and grey heap towards the water. As it unfolded and began to take shape, they realized it was in fact a motorized raft, or at least what hopefully looked like one. Pressing a button, the rubber began to inflate, sliding out and expanding until the craft began to appear somewhat seaworthy. Seeking confirmation, the trainers all turned to Captain Frost, who nodded at them sternly.

“This raft will take us the rest of the way through the ocean to Magnetic Island, it has a simple motorized engine that was unaffected by the pulse.” Noting the incredulous looks, he grunted unconcernedly. “It’s either this or you swim.”

The medics were already filling the back with medical supplies, and once everything was secured, the soldiers persuaded the raft out into the sea, motioning for the trainers to hop aboard. A few nervous glances exchanged: in the end, no one liked the idea of being stranded by themselves in the desert. One by one, they climbed in with the help of the soldiers, wedging tensely together as they quickly filled up all the available space. Watching others do the same, Jessica bent down and carefully stowed her bag underneath the seat, wondering how long it would be before circumstances required her to access it again.

Once everyone was settled, the soldiers heaved the raft further into the sea and leapt in, starting the motor. It stuttered, then whirred to life, starting them off on the next leg of their journey at a satisfactory speed. Jessica cast her gaze back over the waters, watching the gold of the shore recede into the distance until there was nothing but a speck. Then she turned to the direction the boat faced: north, to Magnetic Island, the lone isle of mystery and continuity. The wind was warm, residual heat flowed mildly from the Drylands. The sea was also quiet, calm. The calm before a storm, they say.

As they sailed through the wind, Jessica couldn’t help but wonder where exactly they were headed to. To death, perhaps. Like crossing the river Styx. But then, who knew what death was like? Maybe it wasn’t as bad as the legends made it out to be. It could even be disappointing, once they got there. Wait waited for them on the horizon was unsure, but so was her heart, which yearned for a reason, for some kind of valid explanation, for rational- no, even irrational justification. For justice.

An hour elapsed. Suddenly, the raft began to slow down. Jessica jerked away from her trance, gazing bemusedly about as she expected to see their destination. Instead, her eyes were met with bright crystal waters, same scenery as before…

…Except for the remains of another raft, bobbing 10 meters away from theirs on the surface of the water. The engine had been ripped out, and shreds of rubber clung barely to the craft, smeared with signs of deep, rich blood. It was almost artful, the way the spatter ornamented the float, as if the aesthetic composition was deliberate. A macabre canvas.

Looking closer at the water, Jessica realized it was tinged pink, like diluted wine. She heard a scream, and glanced over to see Dani pointing in shock over her edge of the raft. Other trainers crowded around, immediately falling back, repulsed, colliding with one another. Jessica could tell from their tone that they had discovered a victim of the attack, rather than an imminent threat. She had no inclination for further nausea right now, especially while on a boat, so she remained on her side, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs of the beast who did this, grimly expecting an encore performance of their Drylands encounter. Everyone soon caught on, glancing nervously about at the still water surrounding them, anticipating any ripple, any indication of blood. Captain Frost stood up even, silently scanning the subdued atmosphere for traces of hostility.

A few minutes of motionlessness passed without finding any. The release was palpable as Frost quietly sat back down, followed by the others.

“Lets keep moving, whatever attacked this convoy has moved on,” he announced as the soldiers powered up the engine, speeding them thankfully away from the scene of death and despair.

Jessica clenched her fists, unclenched, then clenched again. Godamnit. That made the second time she bore witness to the aftermath of destruction she desperately wished she could have prevented (third, actually, counting Seaside City). All the doubts that once riddled her mind came swirling back as snow. Aside from her own feelings of uselessness, she had to also wonder now: What was the point? She unclenched her hand, staring at the lines of her open palm. …In the end, there may be nothing left to fight for.

A tiny white flake fell into her palm, followed by many younger brothers and sisters. She exhaled, seeing her breath as smoke. The air was growing cold, indicating that they were drawing nearer to their destination. Jess shuddered, reaching down under the seat for her backpack. She pulled out her sweatshirt and a jacket, hastily donning both against the chill, ignoring the bulkiness and lack of custom. Looking towards the left, her heart brightened a little as she noticed land in the distance, though formed so far by jagged rocks. Hugging her warmth close to her, Jess sighed and closed her eyes, ready to simply withdraw into her soul until they arrived.

She heard a slight commotion, and opened her eyes again to see Zora pointing over the side of the raft, surrounded by others shaking their heads. He was claiming to have seen something below the surface, but in her dreamlike state, she didn’t pay his alarm much attention. She was about to close her eyes again when suddenly she felt a tug on her sleeve, and turned around to find a boy staring intensely at her, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. His expression reminded her somewhat of a Magikarp.

When she asked him what he wanted, he claimed that it wasn’t him, that something rose out of the water and pulled at her jacket. Jessica frowned, unsure whether to believe him, her judgment still vaguely clouded by her trance. She attributed it to nerves and turned offhandedly away from him, desiring simply to be left alone.

Captain Frost stood up, gazing through a pair of binoculars at the outlook ahead. A smile finally surfaced on his face.

“Land is straight up ahead. We’re not far off now, boys, keep it up,” he barked excitedly, echoed by a round of ‘yes sir’s. As the tension and relief began to mount, so did the fall of snow that gathered in thick clouds over their heads. Jess lightly brushed away the ashes from her dark hair, and drew up her hood thickly around her face. In the distance, an expanse of blue and white emerged underneath the sky.

Captain Frost was watching the expanse stretch eagerly through his binoculars. All of a sudden, the smile fell from his face, as did the instrument from his hands, clattering wildly to the bottom of the boat. The sound startled the passengers, and Jessica winced, exchanging bewildered and fearful glances with the others. His men tried to inquire of their captain, but he was completely frozen, his stricken face like stone. A slight panic began to rise; if they were to lose their leader at a time like this, how would they be able to survive?

They held their breath as they approached the land. Suddenly, someone noticed a dot in the sky: a black mass on top of a white peak. As they drew closer, gasps rang out as they recognized the ruins of the last convoy, torn to shreds and fatally impaled on an ice staff, like a flag rising above someone’s territory that they claimed. The waters and shore were bathed in blood, and as the boat slowed down gradually, they discerned with horror the incomplete faces of men and woman frozen against the ice, like a display in a museum. Half flesh, half unfeeling, their mouths open wide, Jess thought she could hear their screaming.

Over by the shore, one man’s body clung desperately to the ice and snow. But only his upper half. The rest had been swept away by the tide.

“The last convoy, it can’t be.”

Jessica heard a woman’s voice whisper, one of the medics.

Suddenly, the half-corpse lifted from the ground, evoking screams of shock and terror as the party fell immediately back, panicking. Between the jostling of humans, Jessica caught a glimpse of a female shape in the shadows of the ice, hair of golden silk that flowed in the storm. The body began to clap its hands, moving around like a puppet. Then, it screeched down at them like a ghost, and Jessica ducked along with the others, screaming. Something leaped out of the water behind them, she could feel the ice-cold spray on the back of her neck. There was a loud crunch as it caught the flesh in its teeth. Turning around, Jessica paled as she realized the sight of a Feraligator towering over her, masticating the flesh with glee as icy blood spurted towards the girl, who hastily shied away.

She heard a cackle of laughter from the shore, and turned to watch a Jynx swagger towards the group, flicking her hair over her shoulders as she gazed with pride over her composition. A roar echoed behind her, and she politely stepped aside for a Walrein to pass through, razor tusks stained with blood.

The raft upset suddenly, and Jessica grabbed onto the edge, watching in horror as a gigantic mass of tentacles rose from below the surface, the Tentacruel gazing malevolently down at its prey. In one of its members it retained another’s limb, crushing the bones into pulp before tossing it aside.

Captain Frost had watched the proceedings calmly, analyzing the situation with stoic silence and efficiency. His eyes were cold and soulless, no longer liquid but ice. Dangerous, perhaps, but necessary.

“We may be close but these monsters will not let us past. We must battle once again and quickly, there is little time remaining before the beast escapes.” As he sent out a Pelipper with green wingtips and flippers. Others followed suit, and Jessica again found herself cursing the situation, but knowing she had to act quickly if she wanted to ensure that they would all survive this horrible mess…

Her hand hovered towards her Pokéballs, trying to determine within critical seconds whom she should pick. Custard’s abilities, perhaps, would be best suited for this terrain. Or perhaps she should choose a Water Pokémon…

“Go, Coral!”

Jess heard, and instinctively turned. A beautiful creature met her eyes, here, amidst all the chaos and madness and ice, of all places. A Corsola, blue and white, blended against the frost and snow. For a moment, she was enraptured, longing to lose herself in adoration. Then she remembered, and quickly shook her head of such fantasies. What was she doing? This was no time to be spacing out! However, she was determined of her choice now. Plucking the Ball from her belt, she proudly unleashed her Shiny Corsola beside Dani’s. Not only was Jessica eager to assist a kindred comrade, but she was thoroughly enraged by Jynx’s treatment of her victims as models and toys. Death was not a device to manipulate for her own sick pleasure. She would definitely make the bitch pay for the lives she abused…

“Haruki, team up with Coral and use WATER PULSE. While she’s HARDENing, distract Jynx with a ROCK BLAST, and finally use POISON JAB!”

[enchantress]

Travelling across the desert Tess tries to prepare herself for what lays ahead. Despite the heat, a shiver courses through her as her mind wanders back to all they've been through today. It's only been a matter of hours since they were enjoying themselves at the festival, but the amount of death, destruction, and carnage that has taken place since then makes it feel like the fun and games were a lifetime ago; nothing but a distant memory. She shudders, pushing the images of mutilated bodies to the back of her mind as the convoy moves ever closer to its final destination. Wild Pokémon are gathering on the mountainsides and flying overhead, all offering their encouragement as she and her companions travel toward what very well could be their final battle, and even though their moral support is greatly appreciated Tess wonders if their little group is really up to the task. So many lives have been lost already, the only shreds of hope she's clinging to being the fact there are still two convoys ahead of them with which they'll eventually join up, and also that they're now more prepared for trouble should it arise before they reach Magnetic Island. The desert ambush had taught them all a very valuable lesson which had come at a heavy cost. Yes, they are definitely on guard now and will not allow themselves to be ambushed again.

The ride itself is pleasant and Tess makes a mental note to engage in more outdoor activities should they be lucky enough to survive their encounter with the Pokémon responsible for the current mayhem being wrought upon Fizzytopia, and as day moves into late afternoon they eventually find themselves standing upon the Southern Ocean's sandy shores. Sea travel. She's always had a love/hate relationship with the ocean, and as her mind wanders back to her childhood fantasies of turning into a mermaid and diving into the ocean to swim away and leave her troubles behind, she's suddenly brought back to the present by Captain Frost's voice ordering his troops to "Bring the vessel to the water". Her eyebrow raises sharply at the sight of the motorised inflatable raft, the utmost thought in her mind being, "You've got to be kidding...". She watches as the marines inflate the rubber dinghy, barely aware of the fact the Rapidash are now being returned to their Pokéballs, and also noting that most of her companions appear just as uncomfortable with the thought of travelling in this flimsy contraption as she is. They nonetheless hop in, one at a time, and although Tess is sorely tempted to fly overhead on Skye she sighs and steps in herself, holding her seat tightly as the motor roars to life and they move out, away from solid ground and into more dangerous territory.

The breeze turns cooler as they approach the Glacier Islands, and although Tess is rather enjoying the feel of the brisk sea air on her face, she pulls her coat tighter around herself to help shield her body from the cold. A little knot of dread is slowly but surely forming in her stomach which is only natural considering what they're about to face, but she can't shake the feeling that it's not only their inevitable encounter with Connor's space creature that is responsible for her fraying nerves. It isn't long before the first signs of disaster appear, and with a sinking heart Tess realises that another convoy has been struck down as she stares at the shredded remains of another raft that was once identical to their own. The familiar feeling of dread rises and as she looks around at the ocean surrounding them seeing no sign of land in the distance, she reaches for her belt, plucking off the smooth, blue Dive Ball attached to it and proceeds to clutch it so tightly that her knuckles turn white. She sometimes wonders why she'd kept the little Magikarp she hatched some time ago, never really seeing herself as the trainer of a Gyarados, but over time she'd come to find herself really loving raising Frenzy, and right now she's thanking her lucky stars that she'd seen something special in the baby Magikarp the first time she'd seen him that had prompted her to keep him. He may be a bit rough around the edges but at this moment in time he's the only one of her team she feels has the necessary bloodlust required to take on the kind of Pokémon they've been encountering lately, particularly in this environment.

A couple of hours later, with land finally in sight, Tess allows herself to relax a little. Her muscles are stiff and sore from having remained so tense during their trip, and she's aching to get herself out of this flimsy contraption and onto the safety of solid ground. Her relief is short-lived, however, as it appears Frost has seen something on the shore that has shaken him enough to cause him to fumble his binoculars and drop them into the raft. Captain Frost isn't the type of man to be rattled so easily, and even taking everything that has happened today into account, whatever he's witnessed is definitely enough to have scared him. Tess immediately tenses, her gaze straying between the land and the water surrounding them, but she sees nothing out of the ordinary. This only serves to make her more wary, her forefinger immediately moving over top of the release mechanism on Frenzy's ball as she holds it up to the side of the raft to face the frigid water. She's not the only one to be concerned either, as all of the trainers are fidgeting now, their faces pale and reflecting the same concern she's sure is evident in her own expression. As the land grows ever closer Tess finally sees for herself what had rattled Frost, her mind almost numb upon comprehending the horror these poor souls had experienced. The last convoy, their only allies left on this suicide mission, have met the same horrific fate as the other two, albeit under different circumstances. She stares at the grisly scene before her, every fibre of her being wanting to turn away and pretend it isn't there, but is completely hypnotised by the tragic scene and unable to look away.

Bodies, and parts thereof, are scattered upon the shore, partially frozen in the ice, their faces eternally frozen in time to reflect the utter horror they'd experienced during their final seconds on this earth. Good people, innocent people, all of whom had volunteered to embark upon a mission to save their land from an invading force, just as her own group had. These people have friends and family waiting at home praying for their well-being, hoping they'll survive their ordeal and return home safely. Tess feels sick, thankful the loved ones of those who have died today will never witness for themselves the torment they have suffered. It's hardly any consolation, but it's better to remember those they've lost the way they were while they lived rather than having the grisly image of their death scene permanently burned into their minds. While she's watching, the half-corpse of a woman, her long hair flowing in the breeze, rises from the ground to hover in the shadow of a looming ice formation. Tess feels her blood run cold for the only thing that could possibly do this is psychic energy, and considering nobody in their group would be sadistic enough to pull a practical joke of this vile nature, she comes to the swift conclusion they're not alone. The woman begins to clap her hands before her remains are launched at the horrified group in the raft, everyone ducking before something leaps out of the water behind the boat to catch it. Looking around, Tess watches a Feraligatr happily consuming the woman's remains, an expression of sadistic joy on its face before cackling laughter from the shore causes her to spin around and notice a Jynx swaggering toward the water, hands on hips, completely satisfied with her handiwork.

Jynx flicks her hair over her shoulder and gazes at the group with malicious intent, but it seems Feraligatr and Jynx aren't their only problems. A roar echoes across the icy terrain, a large Walrein, its tusks stained with blood, making its way toward the shore eyeing the group in the raft with pleasure, licking its lips as it contemplates its next meal. Before any of them really have a chance to process all of this their raft is sent skidding across the frigid water. Tess holds on tightly, nearly dropping Frenzy's Pokéball in her haste to hang on before she's thrown from the raft, and moments later sees a Tentacruel rise from the water, a severed arm in its grasp which it crushes effortlessly before casting it aside. So it seems this group of enemy Pokémon had their little ambush all planned out before their own little group realised they were here. Great. Just great. "So much for being prepared", Tess rages silently, angry with herself for allowing this to happen. If the bodies they'd passed in the water weren't omen enough, the corpses on the shore being a second big red blinking warning sign, then what the hell was? Now they have two enemies in the water meaning they have nowhere to retreat to, and two on the land in front of them, blocking their access to the shore. They're sitting ducks and if they're not careful will end up exactly as those from the previous three ill-fated convoys. "Dammit!" she curses, finally releasing Frenzy into the sea.

As her Gyarados enters the water with an almighty roar, Tess notices her companions taking action as well. A Qwilfish and Kabuto are converging upon Tentacruel; Electrike and Electivire upon Walrein; Forrestress and a couple of Corsola are heading for Jynx; and a lone Armaldo for Feraligatr. Though she has her concerns for each group she can't let Armaldo battle alone and quickly points Frenzy in Feraligatr's direction. "Help Armaldo!" she calls, Frenzy's eyes immediately zooming in on the enemy he's been instructed to target. "Use Ice Beam when Armaldo is clear, then follow up with Body Slam and Bite!" Trusting Frenzy to deal with Feraligatr, Tess turns her attention to the shore. Her next priority is to get the hell out of this raft because she's not going to sit here and wait for another enemy to come along and finish her off while she waits for their Pokémon to dispose of these four. She reaches for her belt, plucking off Nessie's ball and releasing the Lapras into the water. Nessie's eyes widen at the scene that confronts her, tears filling them upon noting the corpses littering the shore. Tess feels a moment of guilt for having allowed her sweet Pokémon to witness such a grisly scene as Nessie's heart is so pure that this kind of cruelty is completely incomprehensible to her, but at the same time Tess doesn't want Nessie to be completely ignorant of the very real dangers the world holds. She's protected the Lapras on many occasions, not wanting her heart to be tainted by all of the cruelty out there, but there came a point at which Tess had to realise that protection isn't what the Lapras needs. She needs to understand the reality of the world and all that it holds so that she's able to protect herself should Tess ever be unable to do so.

"You're not here to fight sweetheart, I just need you to get me to the shore," Tess assures her, reaching out to stroke Nessie's cheek affectionately. "Can you do that for me, hon?" she asks, gazing into Nessie's eyes. Nessie blinks the tears from her eyes and musters up a smile, nodding. "Thanks, Ness," Tess replies with a smile, stepping out of the raft and seating herself atop Nessie before turning back to the boat. "If anyone else would like a ride we can carry a couple of extra people," she says, waiting a few moments to see if anyone will take her up on the offer before they head for land.

[Aquatic Angel]

Kim has never been so grateful to see water as she is now. Sliding off her Rapidash she's happy to hand it over to its rightful owner and walks to the waters edge rubbing her back. All of her muscles are aching after the ride through the desert, but looking across the sea and smelling the fresh salty air, she closes her eyes and smiles. This is more like it. Their journey from here should go smoothly and she's looking forward to the soothing ocean currents which should help to relieve some of her nerves before they reach their final destination. Initially surprised by Captain Frost's choice of transport for the next leg of their journey, she steps into the raft thinking it can't be easy for them to arrange transport for several large convoys at such short notice when the pulse has knocked out so much of their equipment, nor can they be expected to carry Pokemon to suit every environment, so she isn't going to question them. As long as they arrive safely, it shouldn't matter how they get there.

Some hours later with the Glacier Islands approaching and the discovery of two more slaughtered convoys, Kim isn't feeling as relaxed as she'd thought she would. Land is almost within reach but the bodies littering the shoreline aren't providing herself of her companions with any feelings of security. The people frozen in the ice were a part of the final convoy that had left before them. Kim had hoped they'd have a lot to talk about when they finally caught up with the trainers travelling ahead, but instead she has more questions than answers. The scene is grisly and she can't imagine the horror these people suffered. Looking away she lifts her backpack from the bottom of the raft, rummaging around until she finds what she is looking for, tucking it into her jeans pocket for safekeeping but when she looks up is greeted with the vision of a half corpse floating over the water. She ducks is it flies over them, too shocked by the incident to properly absorb what is happening when the raft suddenly lurches sideways. Holding on she looks up to find a Feraligatr and Tentacruel far too close to the raft for comfort, with a Jynx and Walrein on the shore.

Kim does some quick calculations in her head and feels her stomach lurch. They have four enemies to fight off and have lost some members of their own convoy along the way. They'd had enough trouble fighting off Tyranitar, Rhydon, and Steelix, and if these four Pokemon are as strong as those three were she's guessing they're in very serious trouble now. The only thing she's thankful for is they are fighting in an environment she's comfortable in. The downside is the majority of her team are weak to ice attacks so she's going to need to avoid Jynx and Walrein at all costs. Deciding to save her dragons for later Kim reaches for Milotic's pokeball and releases the beautiful water type watching while he appears in the water next to numerous other Pokemon released by her companions. "Keep your eyes on Tentacruel," she warns, eyeing the Jellyfish Pokemon. "Wait until Qwilfish and Kabuto are clear then hit it with a Twister. While it's spinning use Ice Beam, and before it can recover show it your Confuse Ray."