(ELITE) The MAHOGANY Team

Maybe it was the last scraps of her optimism speaking, but Daisy wanted to believe that Fenix’s reluctant obedience was the end of it. Most of the Pokemon used for the fight-her own included-had been recalled. The Electrode were dead, nobody had been killed. In a different world, this would be considered the best outcome for a terrible situation.

She really should have known better.

"You don't seem to understand your situation, dearie, since you keep talking to me like that," Ariana said, her voice too sweet. It was a red flag, and Daisy tensed up hearing it. What was she planning to do? "You keep shrugging off my threats, even after I literally whipped one of your fellow hostages. I guess you don't care about a bunch of strangers and that's fair, but getting line after line of nothing but lip from you... Well, I'm fucking sick of it."

Ariana was still holding the Pokeball given to her, her smile screaming danger.

"You just don't give a rat's ass about when I point this gun at you, yeah? Well. Maybe this'll push you in the right direction. Queenie, Cleo darlings, I need your help. Archer, make sure she stays there."

When the Arcanine was rereleased, there was the briefest moment of confusion upon her face before Ariana’s Pokemon struck. Daisy watched, rooted to the spot, as the canine was bound and the Nidoqueen hung its tail over her neck like some sort of makeshift guillotine. It wouldn’t be a quick execution; she remembered what Ariana carved into Max’s back. She was like a predator who played with their food first; they wouldn’t be happy until their prey suffered.

The tail came down, and the Arcanine screamed.

She screamed over and over again as that Nidoqueen kept slamming its tail down onto her neck, whimpers and horrible cracking noises blending into a sickening chorus as the attacks continued. Daisy wanted to block out the sounds, those awful shrill yelps, but her arms wouldn’t move from her sides. Nobody could do anything. Not her, not Archer, not even Fenix as she watched her Pokemon die slowly and painfully.

Even when the Arcanine’s spine snapped, her agonized screams  continued, echoing in their underground prison alongside the sharpening of the Nidoqueen‘s claws. With how bad her injuries were, Daisy knew there was no chance of this poor, tormented Pokemon surviving. She had seen countless others die; so many of them had trusted her to be able to heal them. But even if by some miracle Ariana called off her Pokemon and let Daisy try to keep her alive, there was no saving the Arcanine that’d done nothing but help them survive. Helped them survive, and died because Ariana could not handle sarcasm.

The Nidoqueen finally took her life, caving in the canine’s skull, but even though it ended the pain there was no mercy in it. Mercy would have been letting her live. Mercy would have involved Ariana being dead a long time ago. No, this was nothing less than cold-blooded murder. A life had been taken away, Fenix had lost what was clearly a close companion, all because of a whim.

She couldn’t do anything except stand there, tears pouring down her face. Her body trembled; whether from barely-contained fury or the shock of watching someone die so brutally and needlessly, Daisy had no idea. It didn’t matter either way. She hated Ariana; she hated her Pokemon, both the ones that had helped carry out the murder and the ones that had stood by and let it happen. More than anything, she hated herself for once again being unable to save someone even when they were in so much pain.

Pain. That was what Ariana deserved to feel, not them-especially not Max, nor Fenix. She despised her fake sweetness, the smug superiority with which she’d sentenced that poor Arcanine to her death. Daisy wanted to rip that gun out of her hands and see what her face would look like when she was the one at the mercy of another.

After what she’d just done, that would be too good of a fate for her.

Saturn realized (one of) Fenix's mistake the moment he saw Ariana staring at the ball in her hand with that tiny, evil little smile beginning to perk its way onto her mouth.

She gave the ball to Archer. Not Ariana. It strike him like a lightning bolt, an icy zing flashing its way up his spine. She gave the ball to Archer because she respected Archer. Not Ariana.

And that smiling response was not much better than raging.

"You don't seem to understand your situation, dearie, since you keep talking to me like that," the woman said in a calm, lulling purr. Saturn felt his heard speed up to near painful levels. "You keep shrugging off my threats, even after I literally whipped one of your fellow hostages. I guess you don't care about a bunch of strangers and that's fair, but getting line after line of nothing but lip from you... Well, I'm fucking sick of it."

Saturn didn't move. He barely dared breath. Without moving his head he glanced at Mars to find she, too, had frozen, though the look on her face was a brewing storm. He willed her to shut the fuck up.

Movement from Ariana had his eyes darting back to her, stomach twisting at the poisonous syrup in her voice, in her smile. "You just don't give a rat's ass about when I point this gun at you, yeah? Well. Maybe this'll push you in the right direction. Queenie, Cleo darlings, I need your help. Archer, make sure she stays there."

Archer, face blank, obeyed. Saturn felt himself starting to detatch from the situation, though he was faintly aware he was trembling. One hand clutched the pendant dangling from his neck that he didn't remember pulling from its hiding spot underneath his sweater. Ariana released the Arcanine and instantly a giant Arbok wrapped around the frightened and confused dog.

"So long as you have pokemon for me, Princess, I can do with them as I please," She gave a little chuckle, turning her smile to her Nidoqueen.

"Kill it."

The Nidoqueen turned and brought her tail down onto the Arcanine's neck--not her head, which might have ended this faster, her neck--without hesitation. Without flinching. Without, even, the telltale emptiness of someone who was only obeying to survive.

Mars couldn't tear her eyes away. Wouldn't tear her eyes away. Her nails tore into her palms, blood roared in her ears. There were no coherent thoughts, just churning, screaming rage.

Eyes flicked to Saturn. His face was buried in his hands and she watched as he staggered back into the wall, sliding down it when his shaking knees decided they'd had enough of this.

She looked back to the Arcanine. Her cries choked with blood and what felt like a lifetime later a snap rang out. At the sound, the Arbok released her and returned to Ariana's side.

She was still screaming. No words anymore, but there was still terror and suffering and Mars wanted to vomit all over Ariana's face. The Nidoqueen began to swipe her claws against each other. Hone claws. Like a butcher preparing their knives. The Nidoqueen observed the Arcanine for a moment and then brought a glowing purple fist down on her head, caving in the skull and finally putting an end to this.

Across the room, Saturn made a tiny noise. Mars barely noticed, nor did she notice the tears on her cheeks. She couldn't look away from the victim, ever fiber of her being screaming for retribution.

I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to strangle you with my bare hands I won't need a pokemon or a weapon I swear to fuck-

The silence that hung in the air once the Arcanine was finally killed properly was oppressive, and Archer felt his stomach churn. The weight against his hands as Fenix slackened on the floor before him indicated that it might not be safe to remove them, but he wasn't sure he could afford to keep touching her without invoking some sort of wrath from the bloodlust-high Ariana. Who, as he glanced at her, was sporting a grin so wide one might think it was Christmas. His stomach churned again.

Knowing it was in everyone's better interest to let go, he didn't bother trying to offer Fenix some sort of condolence. After all, how empty it would have been for it to come from her pokemon's murderer's compatriot? With her and the other hostages as his best means away from Ariana, and that not even he could discount the loss she must feel at the moment, he knew it would be best to simply go back into the background. Archer looked to Treason and the worried Mienshao nodded, shifting so that his grip could keep Fenix at least balanced as Archer let go and walked back to Ariana's side.

His footsteps echoed in the silence, far too loud for his tastes, even as the hound's screams still sounded in their collective memory. He pulled his gaze away from Queen's disgustingly messy work, knowing that Giovanni would have found it distasteful. Clearly, the Nidoqueen had been in Ariana's care much too long. All of her pokemon had. He wasn't sure how she'd managed to find so many terribly sadistic pokemon to meld with her own personality, or if they had adapted it out of defense.

With an invigorated sigh, Ariana stepped forward, kicking the corpse a little. "Too bad the bitch is so big-- she could have made Cleo a great snack. Still, a body this big is going to stink, and there's already blood everywhere. So come on, let's fucking move before its useless blood stains my boots?" She led the way forward, tossing the ball back into Fenix's lap as she walked past. "Archer, get another one from her."

Archer's face fell a fraction, but he sighed and resumed his neutrality. It was to be expected, just... he didn't know how the blonde would react. Moreover, he needed to get a message to her and the others that he wasn't complicit in this, so when the eventual revolt happened, he wouldn't be lumped in with Ariana. Maybe they would offer a quick death instead of the long suffering crucifixion the others were likely planning, given the expressions they all wore. He gave another nod to Treason, who in turn took the opportunity of being behind Fenix to relieve her of another ball. After ensuring she wouldn't fall over, Treason took the ball to Ariana, then retreated back to his position next to his trainer.

Archer scanned the room a little, unwilling to look at the mutilated Arcanine before clearing his throat. "...Come on, everyone," he spoke softly as the pokemon stirred around him. He frowned at Bella, who hopped onto the Arcanine's middle and began to bounce and giggle. "We need to move."

"Today, hostages!" Ariana called from the hallway, tapping her foot impatiently. "Show's over, hurry up!"

Fenix slumped a little more as Archer's grip released but thankfully the Mienshao was there to keep her from slipping her entirely to the floor. Fenix was still replaying the sound of her beautiful girl's cries so no sound made it through to her conscious mind until she heard a string of words that had no business ever being in the same sentence as long as Ariana was still alive. "Archer, get another one from her."

Tensing beneath the Mienshao's grip Fenix watched with a sharpened gaze at every one of Archer's movements as he turned to her. He was either unable to meet her gaze in return or simply didn't care as he looked only to his own Pokemon who silently relieved her of another one of hers. The flash of black and gold told her instantly that it was Bonfire's ball that had been taken and she felt herself twitch as she tried to fight a sadistic chuckle. That Flareon was meaner than anything Ariana's limited imagination could conjure.

Flynn took the chance that once Ariana had the new ball in her hand to return to Fenix's side, a ribbon curling around her wrist as he waited for the inevitable. There would be no mourning, no chance to recover from the horror they were put through. Ariana wouldn't allow that. And true to form the call was made, at least by Archer who was far kinder about it. "...Come on, everyone. We need to move."

Helping Fenix to her feet the Sylveon scowled at the Vileplume who began gleefully jumping up and down on the poor Arcanine's corpse. He could feel Fenix's tension and ire rising as they began to shuffle past and could almost hear her mind screaming that she was about to drop kick the grass type. Pushing his calming aura toward her as best he could he all but guided her away using his ribbon as a strange kind of leash. He couldn't let her fly off the handle right now or they all risked being killed by the blood fueled monsters already summoned by Ariana.

"Today, hostages!" Ariana called out as though she hadn't just joyfully traumatized the entire congregation. "Show's over, hurry up!" Fenix's face didn't change as Flynn led her away but inside her voice was screaming.

'Get the fuck over yourself.'

There was so much blood. A sight she thought she had gotten used to, but there was brain matter, teeth, an eye, and they were all in the wrong places. Unable to properly vent her feelings, Max's body elected to strengthen the flow of her tears. When she finally pried her teeth apart to spare her tongue, her shoulders started to heave, and she couldn't tell if that was the scream or vomit trying to claw its way out. She finally had to turn away from the awful sight to even make an attempt at controlling her emotions from spilling out and making things worse.

Pressing her forehead against the wall, she took controlled, deep breaths and yanked her thoughts from the situation at hand. Immediately, she started focusing on the words of the most recent earworm song she had been dealing with. Due to all this, she missed the specifics of what was going on other than hearing Ariana saying something about taking another Pokemon from Fenix.

Which would have been a fatal error if not for Misty. The Ponyta bit her pants leg and tugged on it to get her attention. She whispered, "C'mon," And her eyes darted to the side to emphasize the fact. That made Max turn and notice that their "leaders" were already on the move, and Fenix was being half dragged away by her Sylveon friend. It also meant that she noticed the bitchy Vielplume was using the dead Arcanine as a trampoline.  

Taking a few shaky steps away from the support of the wall, Max closed her eyes and took another deep breath as she forced herself to look away. The emotional high of the moment was starting to wear down, and that left her feeling emotionally and physically drained. Eyes still red, she glanced around to the others, and she noticed Saturn not too far from her against his own section of wall.

He looked so horrified and upset that instead of immediately following after Ariana, she shakily went towards him and offered a hand. She didn't even think that her trying to help him stand up might make her back hurt, but she did look behind her to make sure they weren't falling behind. "We gotta go." Her voice was scratchy from crying, and it took all of her control to keep it from cracking loudly and calling unneeded attention to them.

Everyone was either shocked or horrified into silence after what happened; the entire room was heavy with tension, and not a single person spoke up. Nobody other than their gleeful captor, that is; she wasted no time in stealing another Pokemon from Fenix, because of course she would. Why not? It was the perfect way for a sadist to keep someone in line. Put someone else’s life in your hands, and crush it if they don’t obey, all with a smile on your face. It was disgusting. Seeing Ariana’s cheery grin in the midst of the carnage her own Pokemon committed made her sick.

Daisy tried not to think of how she couldn’t do a damn thing about it, but that didn’t help her calm down.

"...Come on, everyone. We need to move."

Already? Well... she hadn’t actually expected any respite, but she would give a lot to be able to simply say no, to refuse to be Ariana’s cannon fodder. Not that Daisy could call the feeling tempting after what just happened, but god she was tired of this. After what they’d all witnessed, she wanted to sit down and not have to move for at least a few days. She certainly didn’t want to see that evil little Vileplume making a mockery of the Arcanine’s dead body, jumping up and down without a single care in the world. Petulant thoughts, maybe, and pointless, but still.

"Today, hostages!" Ariana shouted at them, already far ahead from the group-but then, she hadn’t been slowed by little things like shock and trauma, had she? There was nothing Daisy could do but grit her teeth and follow with the others, even though she hated every second of it. ”Show's over, hurry up!"

Archer's footsteps were too loud but nobody took notice. Mars and Saturn were both silent, or at least mostly-- Saturn's attempts to keep silent produced tiny hiccuping noises as something inside him fought to claw its way out. Was it sobbing? Screaming? Vomit? He couldn't tell. He didn't want to know. He didn't want to know anything in that moment. He wanted to slide back out of this plane of existence and cease to be. What just happened couldn't have happened...

But it had. And all he could do was shake despite trying his hardest not to.

"Too bad the bitch is so big-- she could have made Cleo a great snack," Ariana mused, Mars staring at her. Her blood thumped in her ears. "Still, a body this big is going to stink, and there's already blood everywhere. So come on, let's fucking move before its useless blood stains my boots?" She left the room, tossing the now-empty ball into Fenix's lap as she went. "Archer, get another one from her."

He obeyed, with help from his pokemon. Nobody else moved. Nobody had the will to.

"...Come on, everyone." There was a softness to his voice, something that looked out of place coming from such a stern face, and the tone was what prodded Mars from her fury just in time to look up and witness the Vileplume--vile--start bouncing on the dead body for no real reason what the fuck Arcanines were flesh and blood there was no air in there? "We need to move."

"Today, hostages!" Ariana called. Her tapping foot drove nails into Mars's head. "Show's over, hurry up!"

For one wild moment she considered just pelting into the hallway and tackling her, (it would be easy, so easy, her Pokemon isn't even right at her side right just do it just go running you match her weight maybe and you don't even need a weapon just strangle the bitch-) but movement from the others drew her attention. The Sylveon had helped Fenix to her feet and was guiding her out, Daisy following. Lynn and her pony were pulling themselves together as best as could be expected, but they didn't leave the room.

They stopped at Saturn.

"We gotta go," her quiet, scratchy voice told him. Saturn blinked, the world returning to focus. Horrible, horrible focus. One hand had found its way to his pendant and he winced as the muscles in his hand screamed. I shouldn't have been squeezing that so hard, ow.

Glancing beyond her, he spotted Mars. They locked eyes, glanced to the Vileplume, and Mars jerked her head towards the door.

Despite the fact that they both knew she should probably leave immediately, she waited. Saturn stuffed the pendant into his sweater and accepted Lynn's hand, letting her help him to his feet. "Thanks," he croaked, and once he was on his feet and talking, he saw Mars's shock of red hair leave the room.

He followed behind, matching pace with Lynn.

Ariana took the lead through the now empty hallways, confident and smug in her dominance over the sorry little group trailing after her. Little Bitch Princess was properly toppled off her little throne, her Probably Daughter was staying quiet and not fraternizing with that scrawny fuck, and everyone else was staying nice and obedient puppies. There wasn't much else that should be an issue with the hideout, but then again, they were in the apocalypse. Couldn't hurt to be a little cautious.

The double doors that headed into the main thoroughfare were hanging on their hinges, barely staying in place. Without much thought and earning a hard cringe from Archer, Ariana kicked a door in, sending the metal careening into the dusty laminate floor with a loud bang. It echoed a bit, but nothing else sounded around them. It seemed that they were somehow still alone. Triumphant, she led the way down the stairs and toward the hallway that would lead her to her goal. However, she paused when something odd caught her eye.

The light around them was dim, of course, from the few flashlights and the ambient light one of the hostage's pokemon put out. But something shone out in the middle of the hall and she motioned the others closer, glancing back. "Archer, send one of your pokemon to investigate. Something's ahead."

Archer sighed. Now she was being cautious? Nodding Tyranny ahead, the Persian padded closer, her slitted eyes seeing easily in the dark. At first she approached slowly, carefully, but then seemed to relax and move forward more quickly. "...It's... It's a blockade," she called back, staring up at the still intact ceiling. "This isn't debris... At least, it didn't fall here naturally. I think... this was made."

Once again the group strolled through the halls of this decrepit hole in the ground with Ariana practically floating on air like she hadn't a care in the world. Fenix couldn't stand it. Her beautiful baby was lying in the other room could for the first time in her entire life and the only mercy that her sweet Arcanine had been granted was that they destroyed her head so she couldn't come back. Oh...her precious pup...

Flynn watched Fenix carefully as they walked behind Ariana and company, beyond worried when he saw her begin to shudder with anger the further they got from the room. His calming aura was doing little to soothe the rage boiling just beneath the surface and he hoped Ariana didn't turn around any time soon and notice the change. Her echoing slam of the door she carelessly kicked open causing both of them to flinch didn't help ease that worry. She was close to gloating again, he could feel it.

Without warning, though, that feeling changed. Ariana grew quiet and suspicious after so loudly announcing their presence. She kept eyeing a strange shape in the distance that was far enough back the feeble light of their flashlights couldn't quite reach it. Even Fenix's rage took a pause to try and puzzle out what was in the way. It didn'tlook natural...so what could it be? "Archer, send one of your pokemon to investigate. Something's ahead."

Fenix rolled her eyes at the cowardly command. Once again Ariana couldn't be bothered to risk herself or her copious and healthy pokemon so she was picking the only one she didn't have the need to cow. Why Archer? Why his Pokemon? But true to form the other Admin did as he was told and sent his Persian to go investigate.  Fenix felt bad for her since she actually liked the kitty cat. It felt like forever sitting in silence before they heard the feline call back with news of the unusual obstruction. "...It's... It's a blockade. This isn't debris... At least, it didn't fall here naturally. I think... this was made."

Well shit. Just one more thing to the list. Some other fucker had been down here before them.

The poor guy took a moment to process her offer, but he soon put something he had been squeezing back into his sweater and grabbed her hand. Max had expected the pain, and she held back a hiss as she helped him to his feet. "Thanks," Saturn muttered.

"No prob," she whispered back. She turned to leave the room, and that's when she noticed Mars finally leave. She focused on the shock of red hair in order to not look at the disgusting Vielplume, and with everyone accounted for, she and Misty followed the group out.

The hallways afterwards were blessedly quiet from outside sources and from Ariana's infernal crowing. Even though her body language screamed her pleasure, at least she wasn't bragging about it. With absolutely no regard for caution, she kicked in a set of double doors that were barely holding on their hinges. The sound caused Max to flinch, and she couldn't help glancing around to see if they disturbed something. It was almost beautifully karmic that Ariana got unnerved by something almost instantly afterward. She beckoned them forward and then ordered, "Archer, send one of your pokemon to investigate. Something's ahead."

No words were spoken, but Tyranny moved forward to inspect whatever was ahead. The dim light made it difficult to see, so Max nor Misty could tell what exactly was going on in the room. After a few minutes, Tyranny called out, "...It's... It's a blockade. This isn't debris... At least, it didn't fall here naturally. I think... this was made."

The fuck? Wasn't this place mostly abandoned?

Saturn stayed alongside Lynn, trying to block out the world as much as possible. One foot in front of the other. Breathe.

If he focused on just those two things, maybe by the time something else went sideways he'd be in some frame of mind to deal with it.

At least Ariana was mercifully quiet. It provided precious small space to breathe, but even so, he glanced at her now and again. Just because she was quiet didn't mean she couldn't have another mood swing again, especially if she spotted something she didn't like.

It was a smothering reminder they were all trapped under a building with a bomb. The more time passed the more he felt the air choking him, and he chewed on his cheek to focus himself, trying to pull himself back to tasks he could do, something to direct his attention and force it onto something even mildly productive to the situation.

Mars. How was Mars? He looked. She was scowling, unsurprisingly, but she was quiet, too. For now. Everyone was. Fenix's stance was... uh...

Well she didn't look ready to explode at least, though his relief about that became guilt when he remembered why that might be.

He glanced at Max, grateful she was walking well enough. Probably best to not offer his help with her bag right now. He shifted his own on his back to a slightly more comfortable position.

Shortly after he'd looked over to check on Max, they came to a pair of double doors, and Saturn had only a moment to brace himself for whatever might lie behind them before Ariana kicked them in like an overzealous child playing at being a superhero.

You idiot! he shrieked inside the safety of his head. Oh god she was really going to get them all killed even if it wasn't a fit of sadism! How had she lasted so long!? Did you MISS the undead earlier!? USE YOUR HEAD THERE COULD BE MORE!

Nothing came running, Saturn swallowed and followed the group down the stairs, but it was in the hallway at the bottom that Saturn felt his heart thud in his chest.

There was a shape in the darkness, their flashlights illuminating it from down the hallway.

Ariana tensed, motioning them all closer. Saturn didn't move. He was safer by Max than anywhere near her, and given what Ariana did to her just yesterday, the same was probably true for Max. "Archer, send one of your pokemon to investigate. Something's ahead."

Archer sighed and Saturn did too, dragging a hand down his face. They'd made enough noise that acting like they might remain undetected was the dumbest thing he'd heard in at least a month.

Archer nodded to his Persian, who slunk ahead. Nothing happened to her. Probably not alive, whatever was ahead- objects, maybe?

"...It's... It's a blockade," she called to them, lifting her head. "This isn't debris... At least, it didn't fall here naturally. I think... this was made."

Made. Someone made that?

As shock settled, Mars finally exploded.

"Oh great," she snapped, a look from Saturn--who had left Max's side specifically to walk up here to stare at her, probably--able to quench her fire enough for her to lower her voice to a more irritated hiss. "Should've guessed this from the start- world ends, nowhere to go? Come hide in that hideout that only a small portion of the population knows about! Of course there were gonna be Rockets here at some point! Probably still here, too, if they're alive. Awesome. Just what we needed."

Archer frowned at Tyranny's description, then strode forward a little to investigate himself. While he trusted his Persian's cognitive ability, he knew Ariana would want him to look closer anyway. With his flashlight in hand, he drew to his pokemon's side and looked it over with an increasing frown. "Yeah," he called back. "Blockade. Someone else must be down here."

That news did... not go over well with Ariana. As he turned around to gather his next direction, he flinched slightly when he saw her eyes almost comically wide. Her nostrils flared and she stomped her way forward, likely to look at the blockade herself. He and Tyranny stepped back without hesitation as they didn't want to be run over. Ariana's good mood banished, she looked the structure over and snapped her head to him, looking in his eyes for her answers. Since Archer wasn't even aware of the questions, he stared at her, lightly confused.

Irate that her minion couldn't read her mind, she growled under her breath. "...Who... could be here, Archer? Only we had access afterward. Only we, a few trusted, and that shit-eating Lance and his child lackey. They'd have to be one of those to know how to not set off the hallway traps. You knew they were there and you still set them off! Who the FUCK is down here?!"

"I'm sure I don't know," Archer sighed. "Maybe it's one of ours that was squatting here and got trapped by the hallway. It might not be an enemy--"

"Of course it's a fucking enemy," Ariana spat. "Everyone is. And if they've been down here this whole time, that means they probably have what we're after. They might have... moved them or ruined them!"

Archer spared a glance back at the others, knowing their conversation was completely audible thanks to Ariana's lack of an inside voice. "...We can look for another way forward," he suggested in his trademark monotone. "With all the structural damage, maybe another wall has opened up we didn't see. But for now, I think it would be wise to turn back and find another way instead of going through this. We'll be too loud and in a terrible position to be ambushed otherwise, if your assumption is correct and this stranger is hostile."

That was as civil as he could be, and he dearly hoped it would work. Ariana chewed on her lip and growled, not wanting to admit defeat to a wall of trash. Still. Now that they knew they weren't alone here, she felt pressured to go faster. They had competition. "Fine," she growled, then whirled back around to face the others.

"Change of plans," she snapped. "Seems like there's an intruder here. Archer and I are here for a very specific item, you see, and if this intruder gets their grubby little hands on it first, that renders the entire point of you staying alive completely moot. So. You all need to be as motivated as possible to find a way either through that stupid blockade or another way into the main area before this intruder gets what we want. Got it? You help us, we keep you alive. You act slow, lazy, or defiant," she shot a pointed look to Fenix, "then that Asshole gets it first and we kill you anyway. Fantastic. Start looking."

"Someone else must be down here."

Someone else...

Someone...
else....

'Grandpa.'

That was the only thought that found its way into Fenix's mind from everything else being said between Archer and Ariana. She had come down here hoping to find some clue or idea of where Grandpa had gone and how she might find him so it made sense that if someone was here, or at least had been, then it could possibly be him. It was a long shot but one that she couldn't shake the feeling of. Thanks to her distraction she missed the pointed look Ariana gave her which was probably a good thing all things considered.

Ariana began tossing out her demands but Fenix could only look over the blockade. It wasn't much of a trap, not really. The only thing that would give them away is if they knocked it over but it was pretty sturdy. Definitely pieced together as tightly as possible while still giving it some bulk. "Your only option is to take it apart piece by piece," Fenix muttered, eyeing the way one of the chairs was carefully interlocked into another piece of furniture with legs to make a chain. "And that's going to take a long time if you don't want any noise. Other than that we need to go back and take the long way and hope there aren't any more cave ins. I remember the plans mentioning another set of stairs somewhere."

While Max had a lot of questions as to what the hell they were down here to grab, she knew better than to try asking. Even with her emotions riding high, Ariana somehow had the self control to not blurt out whatever it was, and of course, she had to end it all with threats. Great. No wonder she suspected her former coworkers would go against her if this was any indication to how she once acted.

There wasn't much Max could do here until Ariana decided which way she wanted to go. While Max mentally agreed with Archer and Fenix's conclusions that they should go a different way, Ariana did what Ariana wanted, everyone else be damned. So for now, she kept her eyes on the volatile redhead with the intention of heading in whichever direction she wanted. She really hoped they just backed out and hid for a bit, because the long day was catching up with her. The medicine from earlier was beginning to wear off, and the burning ache on her back gained a bite.

With so many emotions still volatile from... what happened earlier, the last thing any of them needed was a blockade in their path, alongside the implication that someone else could have been-and might still be-inside this seemingly abandoned place. Sure enough, Ariana's mood went straight from morbid glee to loud anger; it was impossible not to overhear the conversation between her and Archer. What caught Daisy's attention more than anything else said was the mention of the Rockets' prize, but whatever "them" was, neither of the two let it slip, and with so little details she couldn't think of what it might be. Disappointing, considering most of everyone here were meant to find the damn things under pain of death. She hoped that whoever had been down here, they left without taking anything, least of all the things the rest of them needed.

"Change of plans," Ariana growled as she turned to them, "Seems like there's an intruder here. Archer and I are here for a very specific item, you see, and if this intruder gets their grubby little hands on it first, that renders the entire point of you staying alive completely moot. So. You all need to be as motivated as possible to find a way either through that stupid blockade or another way into the main area before this intruder gets what we want. Got it? You help us, we keep you alive. You act slow, lazy, or defiant, then that Asshole gets it first and we kill you anyway. Fantastic. Start looking."

It was a lot to take in at once, least of all the obvious death threats. If someone was still here, all of them were on a time limit, but where to even start? They'd almost died just taking this path, and that blockade didn't look like it would come down quickly nor easily, especially not when all of them were likely both physically and mentally exhausted, not to mention flat out traumatized after all Ariana had done. The rest they'd been given felt like it happened days ago. Knowing there was potentially someone else here, Daisy doubted they'd get another chance for one.

"Your only option is to take it apart piece by piece," Fenix spoke up, interrupting her thoughts, "And that's going to take a long time if you don't want any noise. Other than that we need to go back and take the long way and hope there aren't any more cave ins. I remember the plans mentioning another set of stairs somewhere."

That sounded like the most reasonable option to her, but she didn't say as much out loud. Ariana was already pissed off enough as is due to this mystery intruder, who knew if simply voicing an agreement with the others would be enough to set her off again. As irritating as it was to hinge their actions on whatever Ariana decided for them, it wasn't like she had any other ideas.

Nobody responded to her rant and Saturn could tell that was making Mars in equal parts frustrated and emboldened. Surprised that Ariana had opted not to comment on it (and swiftly less happy a moment later when she began spewing the death threats) Saturn looked at Mars and shook his head. She locked eyes with him again and growled, but simmered down, though her burning eyes remained fixed very unsubtly on Ariana's forehead.

"Your only option is to take it apart piece by piece," Fenix murmured as she eyed the blockade. Oh great. That wouldn't set Ariana off at all. Really, given the state of the place, Saturn would be reluctant to take that long even without the trigger-happy lunatic breathing down their necks. "And that's going to take a long time if you don't want any noise. Other than that we need to go back and take the long way and hope there aren't any more cave ins. I remember the plans mentioning another set of stairs somewhere."

Mars snorted, to which Saturn gave her another look. She ducked her head and kicked a nearby piece of rubble into a wall with a quiet tink, shoving her hands in her pockets. Yeah, well...

Okay she got his point, really, but jesus christ, she needed some kind of release or she would go volcanic! Tearing apart the baricade was actually looking almost attractive at the moment; at least she'd get to tear something apart with her hands!

The worst part was waiting for Ariana to have to approve the obviously reasonable suggestion.

God, I want to drink myself into another plane of existence.

Though the others seemed to understand that her plan was the one that was obviously the only way forward, Ariana's nostrils flared as little Princess Titties opened her mouth again. "Your only option is to take it apart piece by piece," she grumbled. "And that's going to take a long time if you don't want any noise. Other than that we need to go back and take the long way and hope there aren't any more cave ins. I remember the plans mentioning another set of stairs somewhere." So focused on the blonde was she that she didn't notice her fellow Admin wince.

"Did I ask your fucking opinion on the situation?" Ariana predictably snapped, taking a few steps back toward Fenix. Her volume raised as she ranted, and she slowly closed the gap between them. "Do I need to kill another of your pathetic fucking pokemon to get my goddamn point across? I'm tired of your fucking voice. I'm sick of seeing your defiant little eyes and I want to burn that obnoxious head of hair right off your fucking scalp. Is that clear enough for you, you stupid fucking bitch?

"Keep. Your swollen, dick-sucking lips. Shut!"

The last word rang a little in the hallway, and Archer took in a small breath. He was the only one that could possibly defuse this situation and even then it was a long shot. He gave a rare pleading look to Fenix; he knew she'd just watched a brutal murder of her own companion, but... unless they all wanted to get shot like fish in a barrel, she needed to be more compliant. His face reverting back to its neutral mask, Archer strode forward.

"We can split up into teams and fan out," he began in a calm tone, keeping his eyes on Ariana. Dismantling the barricade was still an option, but seeing as how it was Fenix's idea, he'd rather not touch on it unless Ariana herself brought it up. "One of our pokemon can stay with each hostage. Or, mine can and yours can continue to secure the perimeter and look for whomever built this barricade-- whichever you would prefer."

Ariana seemed to think on the idea; thank the Legends. It was a start, even if she would probably use the opportunity to make someone else's life a living hell. After a moment of consideration, Ariana cleared her throat and addressed everyone, "Listen up, hostages. We're going to be splitting up; don't get too excited. You want to be looking for a way forward, and if you try sneaking off, my and Archer's pokemon will have no problems with killing you. Mkay? So here's the teams:

"Doctor Bitch, you're going to go with Cleo and Grim." Archer sighed and released one of two pokemon he hadn't yet revealed: Serperior. The grass snake frowned at her surroundings but otherwise didn't move. Take the hallways we just went through and see that we didn't overlook any missing bits of wall.

"Whipping girl, you're with Fop, Justice, and Anarchy." Archer sighed again and released his Crobat. She was just adamant on showing all their cards at once, wasn't she? "Go and see if you can't use the weakened hallway to smash through the floor-- make a hole so they can fly down and scout around." Archer thanked whatever deity had kept him behind her, as he couldn't help but frown at the order. She... wanted to go and destroy the floor... where Undead had just been... and then explore the unknown  beneath it? What if it caved in? What if those traps were above them? What if there were so many more pokemon hidden-- oh fucking hell this was a terrible idea.

"Little blue shit," she continued confidently, her expression widening into a cruel grin. "You and Queen will be together." She looked to the Nidoqueen and lingered on her a bit as they locked gazes. "I'm sure you can make a hole in a wall if the others don't find one themselves. Make one and send him in." Her grin grew a little more. "You know.. to explore."

She turned her eyes to Mars and the grin became its widest. "You, dear child, will stay with me. Bella, on me sweetie." The Vileplume bounced over to her, giddy and joyous. It was sickening, as it was the same sort of mood she'd had when bouncing on the freshly dead Arcanine. She giggled and waved to Mars. "We'll be checking out another path the other way. And for Her Royal Highness..."

Ariana turned and her expression reverted back to a thinly-veiled snarl. "Archer, she's with you. If I see or hear her again anytime soon, I'll just shoot her. So I'll save your precious hostages and you can fucking deal with her." Archer didn't visibly react, but internally he was practically rejoicing. He didn't worship a Legend and never had, but now he seriously contemplated doing so. Such a serendipitous arrangement meant he could speak to Fenix frankly and they could plan something... and they could be rid of Ariana for good. Still, he merely gave her a small nod and she turned back to the others, triumphant.

"Now... go on. Meet back in an hour."

"Did I ask your fucking opinion on the situation?"

This fucking woman... The woman demands answers then bitches when she gets them? It was already obvious there was no pleasing the ginger bitch but just because it was Fenix who did exactly what Ariana wanted it was now suddenly the wrong thing to do. Sure. Yup. Made total sense.  "Do I need to kill another of your pathetic fucking pokemon to get my goddamn point across? I'm tired of your fucking voice. I'm sick of seeing your defiant little eyes and I want to burn that obnoxious head of hair right off your fucking scalp. Is that clear enough for you, you stupid fucking bitch?"

Fenix's eyes twitched as she struggled not to slug Ariana in the face. The woman was so close, so terribly close that Fenix could imagine the feel of her gasping throat in her hands. How it would feel to sense her pulse quickening beneath taut fingers as air grew shorter and more desperate. Ariana was a dangerous creature but she was stupid. She failed to recognize the threats in front of her, thinking herself the only predator in the room, but oh how wrong she was. Fenix had no qualms in killing those deserving of it and even in a world where civility and decency were in short supply none were more worthy of death than this cunt right here.

"Keep. Your swollen, dick-sucking lips. Shut!"

Fenix kept her face as neutral as possible as Ariana practically spit on her with her final insult. One that was honestly a little pathetic since Fenix actually had rather thin lips for a woman and Ariana looked like she got stung by a bee but whatever. No sense in pointing out the one who actually looked like she swallowed more cock than a back alley hooker. And Legends forbid Fenix point out she even dressed the part.

For some reason satisfied like she had the upper hand Ariana jumped on Archer's idea, which seemed more like a way to diffuse the situation than actually be productive, once again barking orders. Fenix couldn't say she was particularly happy about the groups she chose either. Shooting a nervous glance to all of them, young Saturn in particular, the blonde bit her tongue to the point of bleeding to stop from asking what the hell Ariana was thinking. These pairings seemed more like another form of abuse than a chance to actually be useful and she hoped that Archer's Pokemon would be able to mitigate at least some of it for the others. But if anything too sever happened to Saturn while out of eyeshot Fenix was going to have one more reason to peel the armor off the Nidoqueen and boil the ground type's insides into soup.

"Now... go on. Meet back in an hour."

Glaring Fenix turned on her heel and followed Archer wherever he decided to go, the mental map she had of this place rearranging itself in her head as she tried to remember where the other stairways were. The maps she had seen were so old and this place had been updated at least twice since then. Once she was sure they were alone, however, Fenix's stony facade fell away into one of cold, deadly rage. "I'm going to kill her," she spoke aloud, breaking the silence between them. There was no sarcasm, no joviality, nothing but an even voice stating a calm fact as easily as one might point out the weather. "It's up to you if you get in my way or not but she is going to die before I leave. Painfully."

Fenix's suggestion was immediately shot down by Ariana with enough venom that Max genuinely worried she was going to see another execution in front of her. Ariana's rant grew in volume the longer it went, and the last word rang in the otherwise quiet hallway. With the knowledge that someone or something else was in here, Max couldn't help but glance back the way they had come from. If it was anywhere near them, they had lost any hope of keeping hidden or quiet.

In a much calmer tone, Archer suggested, "We can split up into teams and fan out." One hand, the suggestion sounded like a terrible idea given their lack of knowledge on the situation, but on the other... getting away from Ariana would be a great respite. "One of our pokemon can stay with each hostage. Or, mine can and yours can continue to secure the perimeter and look for whomever built this barricade-- whichever you would prefer."

The idea seemed to calm the angry redhead down long enough to consider the options... And of course, Fenix's was completely ignored. "Listen up, hostages. We're going to be splitting up; don't get too excited. You want to be looking for a way forward, and if you try sneaking off, my and Archer's pokemon will have no problems with killing you. Mkay? So here's the teams." Ariana listed off who was going with who, and more Pokemon were introduced that she hadn't seen before

"Whipping girl, you're with Fop, Justice, and Anarchy." The degrading nickname nearly made her miss the order while Archer released a Crobat that she assumed was Anarchy. "Go and see if you can't use the weakened hallway to smash through the floor-- make a hole so they can fly down and scout around." ... Weren't they concerned about the whole building just collapsing on them? Making holes sounded like a terrible plan.

Unable to argue, she eyed the rest of the group as she waited for the order to actually go. Of course, almost everyone had to put up with at least one of Ariana's Pokemon, but Max was worried over the fact that Saturn only had Queen with him. The Nidoqueen that held her up to be whipped, and then killed a Pokemon in the most painful way possible. This wasn't going to end well if the look on Ariana's face was any indication.

If he disappeared or was brought back dead, Max wasn't sure how well she could take it. Any hope of actually escaping by playing nice was already gone, and if Ariana just started taking out the people who annoyed her, it wouldn't be long before she got fed up with the absolute load she made of Max.

... If their plan of making a hole worked, she might be alone with one of Archer's Pokemon. After what she had heard the night prior, she doubted they liked this any more than she did.

It was her only shot.

"Now... go on. Meet back in an hour."

She was going to make a hole or die trying.

Like clockwork, Fenix’s suggestion made Ariana so angry that she was soon ranting loud enough for her ugly words to echo throughout the hall. Her voice had always been unpleasant, but now Daisy utterly despised it. She wanted her to never speak again.

"We can split up into teams and fan out.” Hearing that surprised her-separating the party was rarely a good idea. But then, it wasn’t as though they were safe around a volatile killer. Still... "One of our pokemon can stay with each hostage. Or, mine can and yours can continue to secure the perimeter and look for whomever built this barricade-- whichever you would prefer."

That, at least, gave Ariana some form of pause, but it didn’t take long for her to start talking again. "Listen up, hostages. We're going to be splitting up; don't get too excited. You want to be looking for a way forward, and if you try sneaking off, my and Archer's pokemon will have no problems with killing you. Mkay? So here's the teams.”

"Doctor Bitch, you're going to go with Cleo and Grim." The casual insult was so immature, it couldn’t make her more angry than she already was. Daisy would have rolled her eyes, if it wouldn’t lead to her getting shot. More important than schoolyard level pettiness were the Pokemon she was paired with; Archer’s was one she hadn’t seen until now-a Serperior. Daisy wasn’t too familiar with Unovan species, but starters were always easy to recognize. Then there was the Arbok... it would be impossible to forget them, and how they’d helped with murder. The idea of being stuck with ’Cleo’ made her skin crawl. ”Take the hallways we just went through and see that we didn't overlook any missing bits of wall.”

The others were split up after her, but it was painfully obvious what Ariana was planning to do; she didn’t even try to hide her evil smile. Max digging holes in the unstable floor of an even more unstable building, Saturn alone with the same Nidoqueen that had brutally murdered another right in front of them? And Mars, stuck with Ariana and her revolting Vileplume-it was hardly a wonder why everything the Rocket woman said made alarm bells blare in Daisy’s head. Just the thought of returning here only for one or even more of their group to be missing was enough to make her feel sick. And that was assuming the Arbok didn’t try to kill her too.

"Now... go on. Meet back in an hour."

An hour didn’t seem like much, but it was more than long enough for something to go wrong. Daisy was certain Ariana’s Pokemon could find a way to rid their trainer of the hostages she hated in that time. As she departed with the two who were paired with her, Daisy thought of the job she’d been given. She doubted there’d been anything they’d missed, and if there was, it was unlikely to be safe. Maybe not as dangerous as what Max and Saturn had been assigned, but even so, she needed to be careful. Especially when she had that Arbok watching her.

"Did I ask your fucking opinion on the situation?" Ariana snapped, already beginning to slide down into a rage. Mars and Saturn froze as she closed the gap between herself and Fenix, panicky glances flicking back and forth between the two. "Do I need to kill another of your pathetic fucking pokemon to get my goddamn point across? I'm tired of your fucking voice. I'm sick of seeing your defiant little eyes and I want to burn that obnoxious head of hair right off your fucking scalp. Is that clear enough for you, you stupid fucking bitch? Keep. Your swollen, dick-sucking lips. Shut!"

Her last word was so shrill it rang in the hallway. Saturn had to assume everything down here must be dead-dead or the entire building full of undead would be on them.

"We can split up into teams and fan out," Archer said to soothe Ariana before her rage could go nuclear. "One of our pokemon can stay with each hostage. Or, mine can and yours can continue to secure the perimeter and look for whomever built this barricade-- whichever you would prefer."

She paused, and the fact that she was considering it at all meant some relief. Her rage had cleared enough to at least try to be rational.

Not that this totally wouldn't blow up in their faces somehow, Mars bet. But at least it meant they'd probably all survive the next few minutes.

"Listen up, hostages. We're going to be splitting up; don't get too excited. You want to be looking for a way forward, and if you try sneaking off, my and Archer's pokemon will have no problems with killing you. Mkay? So here's the teams: Doctor Bitch, you're going to go with Cleo and Grim."

Archer sighed and let out a Serperior. Despite the situation, Mars took a moment to admire the grass snake and she could tell from her peripherals that Saturn was, too. Take the hallways we just went through and see that we didn't overlook any missing bits of wall.

"Whipping girl, you're with Fop, Justice, and Anarchy." Saturn went rigid at the nickname. Mars glared death at the floor. Archer sighed again and let out-

A Crobat. Mars's eyes widened and snapped to Saturn, now not only rigid, but growing quite pale, eyes sliding out of focus.

"Go and see if you can't use the weakened hallway to smash through the floor-- make a hole so they can fly down and scout around."

If Mars cared about anything other than stopping an impending mild breakdown she'd have probably stared in disgusted at such a stupid order. But she didn't, so she shot Saturn a pleading look while Ariana was busy barking orders.

"Little blue shit," she went on, and it was not Mars who pulled Saturn back to reality, but Ariana. Grinning at him like a Cheshire cat. He blinked, trying not to flinch. "You and Queen will be together."

Queen. Queen? You mean the one who just-

Oh no. Oh no no no. He backed away a little from the Nidoqueen, staring in barely-contained horror not helped by what Ariana purred to her companion. "I'm sure you can make a hole in a wall if the others don't find one themselves. Make one and send him in."

She grinned wider.

"You know.. to explore."

Her eyes turned to Mars, grin now somehow even wider. Mars tore her eyes from her best friend to stare at Ariana, revulsion and rage tangoing in her heart at the sick, perverse way she was looking at her. "You, dear child, will stay with me. Bella, on me sweetie."

The Vileplume bounced over to her human's side, giddy as any pokemon would be to spend more time with their human, which very much did not fit given that just earlier she'd had the same reaction to a murdered person. "We'll be checking out another path the other way. And for Her Royal Highness..."

Neither Mars nor Saturn heard the rest, exchanging furtive looks of horror and disgust and fear.

Saturn was going to be alone with that Nidoqueen. Saturn was going to be alone with the Nidoqueen.

And Mars, with Ariana. 'Dear child.' She called me 'dear child.' What the fuck. What the FUCK.

"Now... go on. Meet back in an hour."

Saturn looked at Mars one last time before Queen herded him away, hoping that she couldn't hear the pounding in his chest. Mars's eyes stayed on her friend until Queen blocked him from sight.

Please just let him come back alive don't let anything bad happen to him I swear to god-
Just let her be okay that's all I want just let Ariana not do anything too terrible to her-

The parties dispersed into their separate groups and Archer had to admit some relief upon seeing Ariana finally leave, even if it left one of the children in her jaws. Surely she wouldn't do anything to her little mirror. He closed his eyes and allowed a small sigh to escape him as his body relaxed just a hair-- it was all the respite he could afford. The woman beside him, however, did not seem to share in that relief. Not that he could blame her.

"I'm going to kill her," was the casual comment she offered once they were left alone. He opened his eyes again and turned slightly toward her, his rigid posture set at attention intact. "It's up to you if you get in my way or not but she is going to die before I leave. Painfully."

Archer regarded her a moment, his expression blank as normal. There were several responses in his mind, most of them agreeing with Fenix's sentiment, but he withheld. Instead of congratulate her or offer his camaraderie, he simply asked of her, "How?" In the tone and volume he posed the question, it wasn't asked in defiance. He turned toward the blockade and stared up at it. "You won't succeed if your plan is brute force and tenacity, I promise that."

---

As the others split off of the main area, the Honchkrow, Crobat, and Tauros circled the small woman they'd been assigned. The Honchkrow seemed absolutely disgusted he had a charge and upon giving her a quick look-over, he angrily squawked and hopped away. The current area they occupied wouldn't forgive his wide wingspan. In the meantime, the Crobat quietly nodded to Justice, who then in turn positioned himself astride the woman and lowered his head a bit. His horns were now at the perfect height for her to grasp, and he was still enough for her to mount.

"It's better for you to ride rather than walk," Justice mentioned in a muttered voice beside her as the two flying types began their route.

"This is ridiculous!" Fop exclaimed as he awkwardly walked on the slick linoleum. "Actually, no. Beyond ridiculous. This is a travesty. I am Ariana's most beautiful, stunning, VALUABLE pokemon and she sends me -ME!- with the shit-caked bull and the legless paperweight to not only babysit her toy, but to delve into the lower floors where there's bound to be so much more filth and rot? I can't believe it!" He whirled and glared at Anarchy. "You had something to do with this, didn't you? You were always so jealous of my beautiful plumage!"

Anarchy hovered in the air, his stale frown oddly reminiscent of Archer. Perhaps they'd copied the expression from each other? "...I... literally just came out of my ball," was the deadpan reply. "I only just now recognized where we are."

"You're lying to me? You're lying. How-- You fiendish devil, I'll peck out your disgusting lying tongue and then have your stupid butt wings write out a confession!"

Not bothering to respond, Anarchy turned in the air and watched for Max and Justice. "Are you two coming?"

---

Cleo, on the other hand, was excited to see her partner. Too excited, even, as the Serperior did not reciprocate such happiness, especially as the Arbok slithered her way onto the grass-type's coils. "Oh my God, Grimey! I haven't seen you in like, so long! Oh my God, oh my GOD, you look so tired! You poor thing. Have you not been doing those beauty tips I gave you a while back? Gurl. I know you're like a million years old, but like, you need to take care of yourself? Oh my God you don't have dementia yet do you?"

Grim knew there was no point in speaking. Her name wasn't Grimey. Cleo had been informed many times, but it never stuck. She wasn't that old, but the fact that Cleo was a Poison type made all her leaves wither and withdraw. And that Grim hated her. That likely didn't help. She centered herself through the deluge of the Arbok's nonsense like white noise aiding meditation and she glanced to the human assigned to them. It didn't take long to realize where they were and that these unknown people were hostages. Ok. She could handle this task.

With a look to the human, she wordlessly began to slither forward, careful to avoid large debris. "Oh my god oh my God, ohmyGOD, Grimey? Grimey! Oh my god, she forgot her name. She forgot her name and now she's just-- You! Hey!" She whirled around to the human near them, almost frantic. "Ariana like, said you were some kind of like, doctor, right? What's wrong with Grimey? Does she have dementia? She has dementia, doesn't she? Oh my God, do we have to like, put her down? Do you do that? How do you do that? If she lays down to long does she just, like, die?"

---

There were no words as Queen turned to the tiny twig of a boy and drew closer to him. She didn't need to speak. Instead, she just glowered down at him, knowing just how easy it would be to break his cowardly spine. She snorted and then looked up to their assigned path, then back down to him. She wouldn't be leading this pair, no. She would be behind him to ensure he didn't skitter off somewhere like a little roach and find some crack to slip through.

To make her point a little more clear, she placed herself between the boy and the child that looked so much like her trainer. With another huff, she took a step forward, almost stepping on his foot and glaring more. He'd move. They always moved.

---

Ariana was on cloud nine. She had what could only be her long-lost daughter, her most beloved pokemon, and no other distractions. No skinny little blue-haired twig, no big-tittied porn stars, nope. No one else that pissed her off. Just good mother-daughter quality time.

She looked down to her prize and her expression softened into one that resembled genuine happiness. The malice faded little by little as the seconds dragged on, and in a rare moment of hesitation, she found herself speechless. What did she say to this young woman?

"...You know..." she began in a soft voice, one that she never used on anyone other than her pokemon or Giovanni himself. "I had... hoped... to meet you a long time ago." She looked around. "I... I couldn't take you in when you were born. It wasn't the place for a baby back then. But... when I could finally support you on my own, even if your father was willing, I... I couldn't find you. They'd lost you, the people that took you in. And I... I thought..." She took in a sharp breath and the Vileplume beside her offered a pat of support.

Ariana cleared her throat and shook her head. "But you're here now. So tell me about yourself, dear. I want to know absolutely everything."

"How?" Of all the ways Fenix imagined Archer taking the news, even the very possible chance she had misread him entirely and he shot her for defiance, the simple question of 'how' threw her. No sarcasm or mockery, just genuine intrigue. The query staggered her a bit, stopping her in their trek as she bit the inside of her cheek and truthfully considered his question. "You won't succeed if your plan is brute force and tenacity, I promise that."

Nodding Fenix crossed her arms and idly wondered how Flynn was doing. The Sylveon was unusually quiet for the longest time before this new tactic of splitting everyone up and it worried her. He would be essential for any plan in getting rid of Ariana. "My biggest obstacle is the Nidoqueen," she answered flatly after a minute, gaze still distant and cold as she ran different scenarios through her mind. "That fat, soulless monster is the only one who has a risk to me and my team. The rest I have no fear of no matter how much they would like to pretend otherwise. Ariana herself is no threat once the Pokemon are dealt with, just a wad of used up tissue that is too trashy to even realize someone missed the garbage can when she fell out."

Fenix inhaled deeply and held it as she continued her trek after Archer down the hall. Her mind was a whirlwind of battle scenarios and different ideas that she was having trouble figuring out which ones wouldn't kill everyone else in the attempt. There was only one constant in the ones that kept the most people alive; she couldn't do it alone. "While brute force may be the eventual tactic to take out the Pokemon it will have to be in a carefully crafted blitz attack. No chance for them to rally. Which means.... I'll need help." Voice trailing off she eyed Archer with a slightly raised brow, questioning silently whether or not he would be inclined to consider such an offer. If she had Archer she was already halfway to victory and while his loyalty wasn't 100% she knew with no doubt he hated the woman as much as any of them. It wasn't his loyalty to her that would stall his decision, it was his loyalty to the psycho that employed them both.

The Honchkrow gave Max a once over before sqauwking in irritation and hopping down the corridor. Same to you, buddy. The bird was basically a reminder of who she couldn't have out right now, and the thought made her feel bitter. Anarchy and Justice shared a look before the Crobat turned to follow Fop as he hopped away. Before she could follow them, Justice pointedly placed himself where she could hop on his back. "It's better for you to ride rather than walk," He quietly offered.

It was practical, what with her back making quick movement difficult, but she still found herself a little touched by the thoughtfulness. "Thank you." Carefully, she reached for one of the horns, and then after taking a deep breath to brace herself, she quickly scrambled onto the bull's back. She tried to not grab any thing too tightly, and muttered apologies if she thought she had. Her back twinged about about halfway through her throwing her leg over, and she couldn't help gasping.

The sound was enough to make Misty break her silence. The Ponyta looked up in concern and asked, "You okay?"

Lying wouldn't do anything, but telling Misty that she just wanted to crawl in a hole and cry wouldn't do her any favors either. She finally settled on saying, "Been better. Watch out, okay?"

Throughout the ordeal, the bird had not shut up his little tirade about the situation, and Max found herself wanting to chuck something at him. Melody was much prettier than he was, and it was much harder to keep tan and white feathers clean.

Anarchy finally paused to check on them; though whether that was so he didn't have to focus on Fop's speech anymore, or not, Max couldn't tell. "Are you two coming?"

"Yeah, I'm good," She said as both an answer to the question and to give Justice the go ahead to move. To Justice, she added on, "If you need me to loosen up, let me know."

So, the Arbok liked to talk. A lot. Somehow, that made things worse. It was too casual of her, too fake friendly, and Daisy hated it.

"Oh my God, Grimey! I haven't seen you in like, so long! Oh my God, oh my GOD, you look so tired! You poor thing. Have you not been doing those beauty tips I gave you a while back? Gurl. I know you're like a million years old, but like, you need to take care of yourself? Oh my God you don't have dementia yet do you?"

The flippant use of dementia might have annoyed her if she wasn’t long since used to people tossing out random diagnoses like they were candy. Daisy followed alongside the serpents, noting how the Serperior didn’t say a word in response even as the other chattered away. She wondered how many times the Grass type has heard similar spiels. If she had to guess, far too many times. Grim probably wasn’t even listening.

"Oh my god oh my God, ohmyGOD, Grimey? Grimey! Oh my god, she forgot her name. She forgot her name and now she's just-- You! Hey!"

“You”? She had a name, was what Daisy wanted to say. Not that Ariana ever used it.

"Ariana like, said you were some kind of like, doctor, right? What's wrong with Grimey? Does she have dementia? She has dementia, doesn't she? Oh my God, do we have to like, put her down? Do you do that? How do you do that? If she lays down to long does she just, like, die?"

...Okay, sorting through that nonsense would only give her a migraine. She refused to so much as mention putting anyone down, after what happened. Did Cleo think bringing that up was funny? Daisy wasn’t laughing.

Still, she had to say something. The question was, what? Her first thought was logical, for some absurd reason. And more than a little spiteful. I’m no neurologist, but this seems less like dementia and more a case of your ‘friend’ just hates you. Satisfying, yes, but probably best left unspoken.

”No, it’s certainly not dementia,” Daisy said instead, leaving out that little part about neurology not being her specialization. How she can even pretend to entertain the Arbok’s ridiculous idea is beyond her. Hostage adaptation, she supposed, playing along even if it’s pointless, who knows if the Poison type is even being serious. Though, if Cleo wasn’t in the way, maybe the Serperior herself would be safe to talk to... ”Isn’t her name actually ‘Grim’?”