A Rift in Time... [RP]

No one took them seriously. They were just a bunch of crazies with silly outfits and an impossible dream. Even the local trainers who fought them off every time they showed up just thought of them as regular nuisances that showed up like clockwork.

But that thinking may have doomed us all.

Welcome to the region of Sinnoh, a land once known for its rich history and big cities. Now, it’s known for tragedy. As best as anyone can tell, several weeks ago Cyrus of Team Galactic finally succeeded in summoning Dialga and Palkia, the legendary rulers of time and space, and his request for them to create a new world according to his vision didn't go over very well.

Very few people were aware of the meeting that took place that day, but they (and we all) became aware as soon as half of Mt. Coronet simply disappeared, leaving an empty abyss in its wake. If that wasn't bad enough, spatial distortions have been added to the mix, manifesting as rifts of varying size that tend to hover in midair, like a gaping rip in the fabric of the world. These rifts, however, do not simply appear--they announce their presence by generating almost explosive outward bursts or doing the opposite, pulling everything towards it like a less powerful cousin of a black hole. Regardless of whether they generate force outward or pull everything inward, they are also accompanied by what has been dubbed the “Ripple Phenomena,” in which a single wave of varying strength (thought to be linked to rift size) travels outward in a single ripple some distance from the rift on all sides, and is believed to bend time and space inside and around everything it touches. Buildings and objects have be comically bent, aged at astonishing speeds, mutated in different and bizarre manners.

But most of all, it has been proven to affect humans and Pokemon alike. Some have gone missing, others appear to have been transported from where they were standing when brought into contact with the Ripple to where the ripple ended. Some have suffered or benefited from physical mutations, and according to slowly emerging recent reports…

Well, some have developed “superpowers.” A young girl was seen floating several feet off the ground in Eternia City, a little boy rescued from the tragic rift appearance in Veilstone was suddenly capable of making the ground shake with his screams. Another Veilstone survivor is rumored to sport abilities simply described as being "Ditto-like." As a result, the Sinnoh government issued the order to have a special task force created to deal with the rifts, study the Ripple Phenomena, and handle survivors--particularly those of the mutated and superpowered persuasion following the declaration of a state of emergency in the region.

To make matters worse, reports are surfacing that Team Galactic members are attempting to continue to recruit people, insisting the rifts are the pathway to a new world, and should not be bothered, going as far as to fight off government affiliated people attempting approach newer rifts in order to perform research. Some have mutated Pokemon and people at their disposal. In other areas, crime has skyrocketed, both at the hands of the mutated and the twisted opportunists, meanwhile some places are filled with people trying to continue on like nothing is wrong.

Oh, and while some smaller rifts have disappeared in time, the larger ones seem to be getting bigger. The appearance rates of rifts of all sizes seem to be picking up. If things aren't sorted out soon, this could be the end for Sinnoh.

So are you going to help save Sinnoh, bury your head in the sand, or help wipe the region off the map?

Need-to-Know

• The task force is headed by one Miss Astrid Kain, former head of criminal interrogations for the Sinnoh FBI, and accepts volunteers from both civilians and those affected by the Ripple Phenomena. Ripple survivors, however, are often paired with volunteers or higher ranking agents in order to keep mass hysteria from breaking out.
• Ripple affected Pokemon are rare--it seems the Phenomena affects humans more frequent
• It's been theorized that a person's personality may affect their mutation, as such, no two Ripple mutations have been found to manifest in the same way
• The largest and most destructive rift appearance to date occurred shortly after the disappearance of half of Mt Coronet, in Veilstone City, which has since been evacuated. Most people try to avoid the city entirely, if possible, and a large number of those sporting Ripple mutations from this event specifically are under the care of the task force.
• No one is sure who is in charge of Team Galactic now, as neither Cyrus nor his officers have surfaced, and no one else has publicly announced taking over.

Rules
All PXR rules apply, people...
1: Please avoid bunnying (taking control of non-NPCs without permission) and godmodding
2: Let’s also avoid “invincible” characters… Yes, some characters have superpowers, no they cannot be invincible
3: Please be active--if you’re going to be gone for an extended amount of time, try to notify someone in the RP beforehand
4:Be nice to everyone, guys
5: Keep posts PG-13 (on all fronts) and below, and limit use of profanity
6: Lastly, have fun!

Astrid Kain
Task Force, Unaffected
Sinnoh FBI Building (Meeting Room), Jubilife City

The head of regional security was looking at her like she’d grown a third eye. Astrid Kain might have wondered if she indeed had, but thus far, no one but Ripple survivors had mutated, and she hadn't been near a Ripple phenomena yet. Instead, she’d likely earned the look the moment she dared open her mouth to interrupt Hearthome City’s mayor. Despite the city’s reputation for diverse inhabitants, the man that had been elected to run it reminded the task force head of a Muk--a large pile of toxic sludge.

“I’m sorry, sir, I must have misheard you,” she started flatly. She wasn't sorry, nor was she certain she had misheard. “But did you just suggest that we begin taking basic human rights away from Affectees?” Directly across the table from her, the third eye look intensified, and her boss added raised brows to the mix. The mayors of Sunnyshore and Eternia turned their attention to her, and Veilstone’s mayor was shaking her head. The mayor of Celestic Town looked a bit worried, and the others seemed not to know what to think. Astrid refused to take her eyes off of Hearthome’s mayor, however.

The man had once been a contest hall legend, but those days were long past. They had, however, left behind a stubborn, competitive man whose sense of beauty was more than a little limited. A Muk, he was a Muk, Astrid’s mind chimed smugly--his hair was thinning, his waist had already expanded, and he looked as though he was roasting within the meeting room. At least turning up the heat would make him cook faster. With the elegance of one eternally used to getting his way, the mayor waved a hand, as though dismissing the question.

“Actually, Miss Kain, you did not. That is exactly what I propose.” She had never been tempted to commit an act of violence against a government official, but Stanley Heron was making her reconsider.

“That, Mayor Heron, is absolutely unacceptable,” Mayor Janet Cresswell of Canalave spat before Astrid had time to open her mouth.

“I agree with Mayor Cresswell. Unacceptable.” Astrid spared a glance over at Sunyshore’s Mayor Frederick Spar, who now appeared livid.

“But these Affectees, surely you all understand the danger they pose, we need to find some way to keep them in check,” Rhonda Weiler of Celestic practically whined.

“They are victims of this crisis as much as anyone else in the region,” Astrid finally said, stepping back into the conversation. “They are also valuable allies, and right now, a large number of them want to help. We’ve requested part of the emergency funds go towards outfitting the police with a wide range of Pokemon and equipment to help them deal with and apprehend those Affectees that would use their mutations for the wrong reasons. Eliminating their rights is the fastest way humanly possible to serve Team Galactic the upper hand on a silver platter. No one would volunteer, then.”

The newly appointed Mayor of Veilstone seemed to be inspecting the table as he murmured, “There are a Number of Affectees working as part of the restoration effort. It hardly seems ethical or fair to punish them for all their help, especially after what they have been through.”

“I can't imagine that their families would be pleased, either.” These meetings were pointless, ridiculous, and often insulting. People feared what they didn't understand, and that extended to those who had undergone mutations from the various rift incidents around the region. While it made far more sense to try and convince the people of Sinnoh to band together against the threat to the region, it was hard to convince even those among the Sinnoh government to cooperate. Sure, some of the survivors were dangerous, but so were some people Pokemon. In the long run, was it really important to focus on that? The Ripple Affectees were still people, and at the very least, the people of sinnoh could do well to remember that and treat them as such, otherwise the potential that a number of the Affectees would go over to helping Team Galactic would likely rise, and they didn’t need that.

In fact, they really didn’t need that.

“And what about the unaffected families? Is their safety--” Mayor Heron began to protest, however he never finished the thought.

“Enough.” Astrid’s attention snapped over to the head of regional security as Gordon Swift slammed a fist down on the table, drawing the group's attention. “The Affectees as of this moment are performing more good than bad. Reduction of their rights is currently an unacceptable action. Move on.” In Astrid’s lap, her Meowstic shifted, and let out a purr of approval, which the woman quickly disguised by scratching the catlike Pokemon’s ears.

<Have I ever mentioned that I like him?> The woman fought to keep herself from cracking a smile at her most trusted partner.

<On multiple occasions, actually. I think part of that is that he actually speaks to you like you’re there, and doesn’t immediately dumb things down for you,> Astrid’s mind whispered back over the mental channel the Pokemon had opened up between them so that they could speak.

"Mayor Rich,” Swift finally said, breaking the awkward silence that had followed his interruption by turning his attention towards the mayor of Veilstone, “you mentioned the restoration effort earlier. How are things progressing?” Astrid perked up at this, turning her attention outwards, towards the man sitting two seats away from her.

“They’re coming along. Having Affectees willing to help has sped things along fairly well--the heavy lifters are a true gift in disguise. We’re still getting reports of some individuals raiding homes and closed businesses, but more and more it’s reflecting poorly on the non-Affectee population as opposed to the Affectees.” Astrid watched as a Persian-ate-the-Starly grin spread across Swift’s face, and the man settled back in his office chair.

<Win,> Prim observed, purring as Astrid scratched her ears again.

<One battle of an entire war, dear. We still have more on the horizon,> Astrid reminded her mentally, and sat back herself.

These meetings were pointless indeed, and they were just as long as they were pointless. Unfortunately, they were also requirex.

Avery Doe and Kione Sirkut
Task Force, Affectees
Sinnoh FBI Building (Front Lobby), Jubilife City

Kione had fallen asleep. Her glasses rested askew on her face, her head tipped back, though comfortably rested against her shapeshifter friend’s shoulder. Avery, however, was more concerned about the girl’s laptop than anything. The girl had been doing some kind of analysis that required waiting for results when she had passed out, and the laptop she’d convinced Miss Kain to provide funding for, since hers had been melted in the Veilstone incident, still rested in her lap. Any twitch or jerk could have sent it to the floor, though she hadn't moved a millimeter since Avery had first heard the soft purr of static they supposed was Kione’s version of a snore.

“Miss Doe?” Avery started slightly as the cheerful, redheaded government field agent that Astrid has passed their supervision duties off to spoke up. She seemed somewhat busy, and had mostly let the pair sit in the FBI building's lobby and do as they pleased there while she made trips around the building, occasionally checking in on them, making sure her temporary charges didn't need anything. If Avery remembered correctly, she’d introduced herself as agent Renee Straddler.

“Yes...Miss Straddler, right? Is there something you need from either of us?” the voice that left Avery’s lips was soft and feminine, almost childish--and too unfitting for the person they wore today, they decided. That was to say, it didn't fit with the tall, lean semi-goth punk of a woman that was lending her shoulder to the small, pink-haired woman who was out cold next to her. To Renee’s credit, she did not appear startled, as most would have. Instead, she gave Avery the same friendly smile she had given them each time she had stopped to check on them--a smile Avery longed to try on, alongside those kind eyes of hers--they made a note to try shaking hands with her later. It wasn't as though Miss Kain frowned on this, in fact, she always seemed a bit interested in their explorations of appearance, commonly asking if they had found something that felt right, or familiar.

“Yes, or Renee, if you’d like. I’m not really a fan of formality,” The agent said, nodding to herself, “and no, I don't need anything from you, just stopped by to ask if there was anything I could get for you again--water, food, a book, that kind of thing? The meeting is still ongoing, and I have my own assignments to attend to, otherwise I’d offer to take you two out.” At this she frowned for a moment before the smile came back, though it was marred by a degree of dissatisfaction. Avery brushed a few loose strands of raven hair out of their face, and gave her a kind smile of their own.

“If you could move Kione’s laptop, that would be great. I’m worried it will end up on the floor, and can't really move it without waking her up. But other than that, I’m still fine, thank you for asking.” Renee nodded, and easily relocated the computer from the girl's lap to the tile floor. "Thank you."

"There we go! Is that all I can do for you, then?" Renee asked, flashing that lovely smile of hers again, and Avery almost wondered if she was hoping for something more, if she was looking to get out of her duties. Avery hardly blamed her if this was true, though they had a feeling Miss Kain would be displeased if she knew that...or maybe she had given their supervision over to Renee because she knew the woman would want to pay them more attention than her assigned duties.

"For now, yes. I can't speak for Kione, but I don't need anything. Thank you for asking, though. I'd ask if there was anything I could help you with, but..." Avery smiled a little helplessly, and gestured with their free hand to the girl asleep against them. Renee gave a soft laugh, and shook her head.

"No, no, there's nothing you could do anyway--security clearance and all, besides, I can't really assign you anything since you're not officially my charges. Don't worry about it, Miss Doe," she said rapidly, gesturing with her hands to the secretary's desk behind her. "Now if there's anything you need before I come back, please just ask the secretary on duty to page me, and I'll try to come running as quick as I can."

“We'll do that,” Avery replied, settling back further into their chair. “Thank you again, Miss Renee.”

“You're welcome, Miss Doe. I’ll be back to check on you again in a bit, so see you soon,” the field agent replied, and after giving a brief wave, she turned and started off down one of the hallways connected to the lobby, effectively leaving Avery and Kione alone.

Before the questions and depression could begin tugging at their mind, Avery began focusing on the appearances of those traveling through the lobby, looking for traits that might be familiar, that they’d have liked to try for themselves. Legs hidden beneath a baggy, army green pair of men’s cargo pants shifted so that they crossed at the knee, slender-fingered hands played with the fishnet sleeves of their undershirt. Kione mumbled something in a short burst of static, and finally shifted, turning her body towards Avery’s and rubbing her face against a shirt - covered shoulder.

Not alone. They were not alone. Releasing a breath, they leaned more towards the girl that had been their first friend, giving her more of their shoulder to rest her head on.

Abigail Lazuli
Neutral, Affected
Caravan, Moving South towards Jubilife

It had only taken one little riot to frighten the Lazuli family into fleeing Eternia. The details were still being sorted through by the local police and some of their national counterparts, but some kind of incident allegedly involving an altered human killing an unaltered one sparked off a wave of panic. Fear quickly cauterized into rage and soon mobs were marching across the historic old city of Eternia, destroying, looting, and setting fire seemingly indiscriminately. Order had been restored only when riot police marched into the fray and started trying to put Humpty-Dumpty back together again the only way that they knew how, with tear gas and clubs. The noise had quieted but rumbled dangerously as the fires continued to burn. The suburbs where Abigail and her family had resided for the last year managed to avoid any comparable outbreaks of violence, but the whispers between neighbors and PTA members made it clear that many folks were not waiting for the violence to breech the walls of their gated communities. They were heading to the safest place they could think of, Jubilife City, the country's western metropolis. The Lazulis were going with them.

The family of three had gathered up all of the belongings that they could manage to squeeze into a few backpacks and duffel bags. Initially there was talk of taking their car, but the prospect of driving in the nightmarish traffic on the route south combined with the idea of safety in numbers convinced the Lazuli patriarch to purchase three tickets on one of the buses serving as make-shift transportation for families and individuals looking for safety and security. The driver of the bus ended up selling more tickets than he had seats, with the result being that many passengers had to leave behind prized possessions and heirlooms as well as more mundane possessions in a pile of bags by the road as person after person crowded aboard the rickety yellow school bus that had been commandeered for this new lease on life.

Luckily the Lazulis were at the pick-up location incredibly early so they had secured three spots on the bus. Unluckily this meant that the trio were cramped in one of the far back corners of the vehicle, hemmed in closer and closer as more bodies pressed in. Still, they were safe for the moment and grateful for the seats when the bus started moving and the people standing on the bus began to be jostled by the movements of the vehicle. The lost possessions seemed like an alright price to pay for being able to rest for a little bit. Besides, Abigail still had her sketchbook and her Pokemon, so even without her guitar she was still two for three.

The bus made its way onto the highway with its human cargo, and eventually the stop-and-go traffic mellowed out and, on the second night of the journey, the gentle rocking of the bus, combined with the picturesque view of the sunset-speckled countryside at her window seat caused Abigail to drift off to sleep, following the example set by her parents.. Even as she had her fitful dreams, the teenage girl's body began to bleed through the dirty metal surface that she was leaning against, pushed along by the weight of her resting parents. Her secretive practice had paid off thankfully enough, and when the young woman phased through the side of the bus and onto the side of the road, driven by a particularly alarming vision in her mindscape, her clothes and bags followed after.

Abigail slept on the side of the road, obscured from the view of the passing cars by the falling night and the dark sweatshirt she was wrapped up, using it as a kind of make-shift blanket. When she awoke, the bulk of the traffic had passed and she found herself alone at the side of a highway leading towards Jubilife. All of a sudden realizing just how cold and hungry she was, the girl's green eyes frantically scanned the horizon, lingering on the empty spot where Mt. Coronet once stood, but to no avail. It looked like she was abandoned on the side of the road.

Opal Roleau
Neutral, Affected
Jubilife City
ARP’ers: None

Sunlight flashed in my eyes, almost painfully bright after spending a couple of hours under the ocean. I winced, instinctively raising a hand to shield my vision - only to hurriedly return to gripping Angelica’s harness as her back arched in a stretch, threatening to buck me off if I wasn’t holding on properly.

After a few seconds, Angelica’s body extended again as she stretched lengthwise. Once she seemed to be done, I patted her flank three times. With a low rumble, the Gyarados swam up to shore, slithering sideways through the shallow water like how a Serperior would move on land. She stopped near the shore, and I jumped off, landing in water that was a few feet deeper than I was tall. With smooth, unhurried strokes, I swam ashore - though I winced a bit as I got seaweed and then prickly beach grass under my feet.

“Yo, Angelica!” I said. The Gyarados’s fins perked up as she swiveled her large, sharp-toothed head towards me. She seemed a little bit tired by a long swim with a passenger - as a gilled Pokemon, she was an excellent Dive user, able to provide a continuous flow of oxygen to herself and her undersea passenger while she swam. However, despite her being a large, swift Pokemon built for submarine travel, carrying my weight while also supplying me with breathing air wasn’t exactly easy, even in short jaunts like the one between Canalave and the mainland. “Are you hungry?” When Angelica dipped her head - a humanlike gesture that I was sure to always teach my dragons - I said, “Alright, why don’t you go hunting for a few minutes while I change out of this wetsuit?” She nodded again, then disappeared under the water.

While she was doing that, I toweled off and slipped my shirt, jeans, and boots back on. I wanted to change out of my wetsuit entirely, but this beach didn’t exactly offer much privacy. At least I was somewhat dry - my bag was pretty much waterproof when it was shut, so my clothes weren’t even damp.

Having made myself presentable, I clipped my Pokeballs onto my belt and let out Hercules. The Gible sniffed curiously at my legs, taking in the saltwater smell that still baffled him at times. Once he was done sniffing, I rubbed his forehead a bit. He chuffed quietly at the affection, returning the favor by rubbing his nose against my fingers.

I smiled, “Hey, bud, we’re going to a new town today - Jubilife City. It’s a pretty big place, with lots of Trainers; I think you might be able to get some battle experience. Sound good?” His head dipped in a nod.

There was a loud splash; Angelica’s head rose up from the shallows once more. “Hey, Ange, you ready to go?” When she nodded, I recalled her.

“Right,” I said, half to myself. “Let’s get going.”

Jubilife came into sight within a few minutes’ worth of walking. I had heard that Jubilife City was the one of the biggest, busiest cities in Sinnoh, and it definitely lived up to the hype with its flashing signs and crowds. Like Castelia, my home city, its streets were alive, pulsing with light and energy. Of course, it wasn’t as big or as loud as Castelia, and the buildings were a bit older and more stately. Sinnohians seemed to have a thing for stone and marble, and there were decorative plants all over the place… I was glad it had such a distinct appearance. Anything that felt too Castelian would bring along feelings of homesickness, which I really didn’t want.

Fortunately, pretty soon I would be too distracted to think about anything except the thrill of a Pokemon battle - and, hopefully, the nice sums of cash I would be raking in. I didn’t have much money to bet yet, but I was confident that my team and I would be able to multiply my wealth in short order.

“You ready for the usual hustle?” I asked Hercules. He nodded, but let out a low, almost grouchy bark. I patted his head. “Don’t worry, if I run into anyone on your level, I promise I’ll let you fight.”

Hercules huffed and relaxed a bit, no doubt satisfied with my offer. I smiled. The little Gible was handling being new to a team that was all leagues ahead of him, but it wasn’t always an easy process. As thanks for his cooperation, I gave him a quick scratch behind his dorsal fin, to which he responded with a low, pleased croon.

As usual, I found a group of Trainers gathered at the Pokemon Center; a lot of Trainers tended to congregate around Pokemon Centers to meet up and socialize - or battle - their Pokemon. Hercules, a bit uncomfortable at some of the bigger Pokemon, tapped my leg in an “up” demand, and I hoisted him into my arms. “Hey!” I called out, doing my best to project over the chatter of the crowd. “Does anyone want to fight me? I can do one-on-one to six-on-six, and that includes doubles or triples! Come on, let’s fight, unless you’re too much of a coward to face me!” For his part, Hercules growled a challenge at any Pokemon who looked his way.



Jeanne Hemlock
Team Galactic
Eterna City
ARP’ers: None

“Excuse me, ma’am? A moment of your time?”

The woman in the business suit stopped, giving Beq and I a wary look before she said, “Sure, miss…?”

“Hemlock. Jeanne Hemlock.” I smiled, extending a hand. When she made no move to shake it, I returned it to my side and said, “We of Team Galactic are hosting a meeting in front of the Galactic building on the north end of town, this afternoon at five-o’-clock p.m. We will be giving a brief talk on the Rifts - both causes and effects - clearing up a few myths about the Affected, and answering any questions the public may have. Are you interested in attending?”

The woman still looked a bit guarded, but I could tell that she was somewhat interested. “You’re really fielding questions? I’ve heard a lot of rumors that Team Galactic is actually responsible for these problems.”

I shook my head. “Such tragic misunderstandings are exactly the reason we’re having this meeting,” I informed her. “Here,” I reached into my satchel and pulled out a flyer. Thankfully, the woman took it; I’d half expected her to just refuse. “This flyer lists the address and time of the meeting, as well as a brief agenda. We would really appreciate it if you came.”

The woman smiled tightly, “I’ll think about it. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

I let out a quiet sigh. Handing out flyers didn’t sound as tiring as it was when most of the people you spoke to already wanted to dislike you.

“Jeanne,” rumbled a deep voice behind me.

I suppressed a sigh as I turned toward the other grunt. Rolland Hastings was one of the toughest grunts on my squad. A big, fair-skinned man with premature gray hair, he would have looked like someone’s gentle giant of a grandpa if it weren’t for his perpetual scowl.

“Nice work,” Hastings continued. He hoisted his own bag, which didn’t seem to have any less flyers in it than it had when we’d hit the streets this morning. “Your ability to get people to not see us as idiots and-or scum of the earth never ceases to impress me.”

“Hastings,” I greeted the man. He gave me a dispassionate look, green eyes shadowed beneath shaggy gray brows. “You need to get to work.”

He shrugged, “Nobody is taking me seriously; they all think I’m a thug, a cultist, or a cultist thug. And somehow I think that forcing these people to come to this meeting would send a different message than the one you want to send.”

The challenge in his voice was plain. Beq’s ears twitched like she was ready for a fight, but I put a hand on her head in a warning to stay back. “Until we receive other orders from further up the chain of command,” I said, my tone firm, “this division is mine to do with as I see best. Right now, the best thing we can do is to ingratiate ourselves to the people of Sinnoh. Quite simply, we are scattered, we are low on resources, and we could be toppled if the region suddenly all agreed that we are a serious threat. We need these people to like us - not just potential recruits, we need to be able to walk through the street without uppity preteens trying to ‘bring us to justice’. We need diplomats rather than warriors. I’m not asking for one hundred percent success; I’m just asking you to be polite. Do you understand?”

Hastings didn’t seem happy, but he backed down. “Yes, ma’am,” he answered. “I’ll get to it.” He then walked away. I didn’t take my eyes off of him until I saw him approach someone new, a hand extended in greeting.

Sloane Jackson & Dylan Thomas
Neutral, Affected & Task Force, Affected
Route 203 (towards Jubilife)
Affected RP'ers: None

The sun crept high in the sky above the two trainers walking slowly towards the looming city before them. One, a young man, was leading along the other, a young woman. The young woman was shorter than he but also seemed to have trouble walking, requiring help when it came to jumping the higher ledges. Several hours before the two had landed in Hearthome City following a long flight from Ecruteak City in Johto. They would have landed in Jubilife but for so reason or another that didn't work out so the two were forced to walk instead.

"Let's rest! Just for a little bit, please." Dylan Thomas squeezed his girlfriend's hand as she breathed hard. It was extremely hot out right now and the long walk filled with climbing and hills had not been kind to her bad knee. He knew she was hiding how much pain this was really giving her so he didn't dare disagree to rest. Dylan guided the young woman over to a nearby bench on Route 203 underneath one of the trees. Sitting down next to her, he wrapped his arm around her and gazed out over the pond nearby. It was a pretty sight in the natural sense. It was one of the things Dylan had always enjoyed about Sinnoh. He loved how Sinnoh didn't shape the land, but rather shaped with it. Sure, the other regions had this to some extent, but with cities like Goldenrod and Saffron, it was undeniable that Sinnoh was just different.

“How are you holding up? We’re almost there.” Sloane Jackson lifted her head from Dylan’s shoulder to look up into the young man’s eyes. He smiled at her warmly, triggering a similar response from her. It didn’t seem like that long ago they were camping out to catch a Spiritomb which ultimately caused this journey. Sloane didn’t really mind it, she enjoyed Dylan’s company. Sloane just wished it could possibly be under different circumstances. She knew Dylan was extremely busy due to the recent events that had plagued Sinnoh, and she had just made it worse by trapping them in a rift.

“I’m all right, I guess. My leg hurts but that’s not entirely unusual. That’s what you’re here for, and the stick.” Sloane waved her walking stick in the air for emphasis. “How much further?”

“Jubilife is just at the end of this route. Then we can take a break, get something to eat, whatever you want.” Sloane’s smile wavered as she caught on to what Dylan was trying to do. Sure, he was a gentleman, but he was also a very focused man when it came to his work. Under normal circumstances it would have been straight to the office without detours. He was either hiding something, or feared something. Sloane’s first conclusion was he was hiding something, but she had come to learn that Dylan was not one to hide things. She could tell, underneath his comforting exterior, Dylan was really nervous to head back to work, especially with Sloane along. If she had to guess, it was because he was not sure what was going to happen to either of them once they returned. For all they knew, they would be taken away and experimented on.

“Dylan… I get you’re nervous, but you don’t have to hide that from me.” Dylan’s smile dropped and he glanced away, knowing he had been busted. “I’m not opposed with getting something to eat and sightseeing a little, but we should head to the office as quickly as possible. It’s pointless to delay the inevitable.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Dylan said with a long sigh. He stood up and stretched, Sloane right behind him. It was not a long walk before the two entered Jubilife and began to search for somewhere to eat.

((Sorry for taking so long, I've been really busy lately.))

Anthony "Tony" Joy
Task Force, Affected
Flying over Sinnoh

Tony sighed as he flew over the region he knew so well. Sinnoh was like a second home to him, and now, as he flew on Char's back and passed by where the region's distinct mountain used to be, he felt uncomfortable. This wasn't right. Then again, neither was the fact that rifts were opening up and changing everything else, or that two rifts had opened in practically the same location in Snowpoint and he got caught in one. As he had no way of contacting anyone after the incident, he took care of what he could while there, then began to head to the Sinnoh FBI headquarters to get help for the rest of it. It didn't take long for him to get out of the colder area and switch out his pokemon, sending out Draco and riding one of the fastest pokemon towards Jubilife, landing mere minutes later in front of the building and heading in.