34 - text/action for Celadon Training Center;

[islandshore]

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Listen up. This is urgent.

I just got back from investigating Saffron City. Turns out Cobra Commander launched an attack on the gym, and that's not all. He was using Pokémon attacks.

Yeah. I'm just going to let that sink in.

I don't know what Team Rocket's up to, but if one of their members can use Pokémon attacks, what does that say about the rest of them? The fact that he attacked one of the Gyms doesn't settle well, either. I managed to jump in during his attack, and my team held him off for the most part, but the place is still a wreck, and he got away.

Just stay on guard. I don't know what they're planning, but things are getting too weird for my tastes.

If anyone else has news from Goldenrod or any of the other cities, I'd be glad to hear it.

[The rest of the day, Riku will be trying to rest up over at the Center. Last thing he needs is to worry his friends any more than he already has. Between his injuries, the violent red blotches of skin, his light headednesss and now what feels like weird bumps on his head, something's... definitely amiss.]

[ooc: Takes place a few hours after the Saffron Gym attack. Tags will be slow, since I still have backtags to get through here and in other games, but I figured it'd be good to throw this up.]

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[soggypastry]

[Pokemon attacks. Used by someone who can't be anything more than human. ...Could it have been the same for the attack on Goldenrod? The same thing that blew up the Centers? It's insanely strange, even for this place, but...it would make sense, in a way.]

What kind of attacks are you talking about?

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[islandshore]

Dark type moves. Payback, Embargo, the list goes on.

It took a while for me to put two and two together, but I knocked out his only Dark type early on, and he actually attacked me with Payback.

Kind of hard to mistake a direct counterattack.

[It would explain the Goldenrod attacks, though. If people could suddenly use Pokémon moves...]

That's not all, though. Ever since yesterday, my skin's been slowly turning red. And when I looked in the mirror... well, my eyes changed color, too. It's... strange.

I don't know if it's got anything to do with Team Rocket, but there's definitely something weird going on.

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[soggypastry]

So no electric type attacks or anything that could cause an explosion?

[She can guess the answer, but needs to be sure. If there's more than one person out there able to use Pokemon attacks, they're in trouble.

Especially since those symptoms don't sound good. What could make skin and eyes change color like that? Unless...no. They wouldn't.]

Were you near one of the Centers that exploded when it happened? There may have been something inside them.

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[islandshore]

Nah. He didn't have any electrics on hand, either. Just an Arbok with Hyper Beam.

[As for the Centers... hah. If only.]

And the symtomps kicked in before I flew out to Saffron. The skin patches started out small, but they've been spreading all over. My jaw's hurting like crazy, too. Not to mention my head.

[Horn growths and sharpening teeth will do that. It's just a little disturbing that this is happening.]

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[soggypastry]

Then that first attack probably was't him. He was just taking advantage of the chaos.

[And considering he's probably got a flying type, there's no point asking where he went. No, what's more important is Riku's symptoms. Jaw and headaches? Spreading skin issues? That doesn't sound like any kind of poison or toxin she knows, but who knows what this world can do.]

Have you had the nurses check? If it was something in the center, the explosion and the wind could have carried it to other cities.

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[islandshore]

But that doesn't rule out another Rocket. If nothing else, it's a possibility.

[...And, man. The Nurses probably would know something. Why didn't he think of that?]

Well, Kairi insisted that I get some rest. Plus, the Celadon Pokémon Center looked pretty packed when I got back. Not that I expected anything less.

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[soggypastry]

You're right about that. And it's better than having no ideas at all.

[And it's easy to overlook the nurses, considering their track record and how crowded the Centers must be. Olivine and Blackthorn are also no doubt suffering from losing two of their own.]

Rest won't do you that much good if it's just been getting worse since the first symptoms started showing up. The worst they could do at this point is tell you to take some aspirin and come back in a few days.

[Which is it's own brand of uselessness, but it's something. Better than waiting and making things worse because he got no treatment at all.]

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[lightofheart]

[Yeah, that's right. You'd better be resting, because Kairi's worried. In fact, she's going to sit right next to him and make sure he stays down.]

How are you feeling right now?

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[islandshore]

Still pretty lightheaded. I don't know what's up.

[But, whatever it is, he does sound a little frustrated. Teeth still aching, head still throbbing. What the heck?]

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[lightofheart]

[She reaches out, a bit hesitantly of course, to place one of her hands over his forehead, though it's hot.]

I hope it doesn't last too long...

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[islandshore]

Just be glad it hasn't hit you, Kairi. I'd hate to see you in this position, too.

[He sighs. Having her here definitely helps, if nothing else.]

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[lightofheart]

[She manages a laugh, though it's a little forced.]

Believe me, I'm grateful it hasn't hit me. Or else there wouldn't be anyone to make sure you and Sora stay in bed.

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[islandshore]

You do realize that he'll probably sneak out, right?

[He crosses his arms. C'mon, this is Sora they're talking about.]

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[heartdive]

What are you doing still up? Go back to bed!

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[islandshore]

It's not like I'm tired, you know.

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[heartdive]

Does that matter?

You gave us a heart attack.

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[islandshore]

And I beat the snot out of that Rocket.

I know I should've let you know, but there just wasn't time.

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[heartdive]

Nuh uh. C'mon Riku. Full fledged apology or I hunt you down.

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[islandshore]

[Weighing the options...

Apologize or see what Sora's gonna do.

Hah.]

Try me.

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[tapestodiane]

Pokémon attacks. You witnessed them? Can you describe them?

_{[Yeah, that doesn't sound good at all. Also what.]}

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[islandshore]

Standard dark type moves, basically. A lot were indirect, like Embargo and Quaff, but he wound up attacking me and my team with Payback an Fling for good measure.

They weren't exactly the strongest moves, but the fact that he used them is what's bothering me.

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[tapestodiane]

I -- yes, that is troubling. I'd very much like to know how he managed that little trick.

_{[A moment's thought, then]}

Could be linked to what happened in Goldenrod, possibly.

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[islandshore]

That's what I'm thinking. Wouldn't it be something else if the Rockets figured out how to pick up powers?

It's too soon to draw any serious conclusions, but if one of them can use attacks, I'm sure others can, too.

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[tapestodiane]

_{[Unseen, obviously, Coop shakes his head.]}

We have to figure out where the illnesses fit into the picture. The news of powers is just one of two extraordinary events.

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[islandshore]

Yeah, and there's no way it's a coincidence. All these things happening so close together... There's definitely a connection.