[@Heckno12] [@fer1323] [@OtomostheCrazy] [@Noxx] [@Iatos]

[color=orchid][center][h1]Sophia Danvers[/h1]
[h3]In the ambulance about to leave for Mesalon[/h3][/center][/color]

Sophia's eyes widened at Oscar's reaction. Before now, she'd only seen his calm, collected side. To see him so utterly consumed with anger... Not that she could blame him, though. [color=orchid]"Oscar..."[/color] She tried to struggle to her feet, slipping in the mud, only managing to stand with Amber's help. As the two girls approached him, Gothita ran forward, looking up at Oscar with concern.

[color=orchid]"Hey..."[/color] Stiffly reaching out, Sophia placed her hand on Oscar's shoulder. Would he pull away, or yell at her? [color=orchid]"We'll... We'll be alright"[/color] she reassured him. [color=orchid]"And, you know... You may be a smart aleck, but I'll admit, you did pretty well just now."[/color]

Great, she'd just smeared mud on his jacket. Cringing, she lifted her hand from his shoulder. This whole comforting thing really wasn't her strong point. Hopefully, her Pokemon would do a better job of it than she could. Gothita, who still had that worried expression, gave a compassionate-sounding squeak.

All of this was still too much to take in. The sudden attack, the team of grunts, the Aerodactyl... She shuddered at the memory. [color=orchid]"Th-That Aerodactyl..."[/color] she said in a choked whimper, facing Lan. She sounded more like a scared child than ever, in front of Lan of all people, but she no longer had the energy to put up a front. [color=orchid]"It... It really was modified. I could see it. There was this black, tainted aura... Like it was cloaked in shadow. L-Like there was just this empty space where something important should have been."[/color]

She didn't even know if she'd made sense, but that was the best way she could describe it right now, her thoughts clouded by disgust at the thought of something like that happening to a Pokemon.

She was silent as Amber helped her into the ambulance. Sitting in front of Rheese, she watched him slip in and out of consciousness. He'd be ok, Lan had said he would... He had to. Sophia glanced around at the others. Kero had disappeared... But where to? That guy clearly wasn't who he said he was.

Everyone else, though, was still there, Nyxx dozing off next to Amber, Alexis sitting with folded arms. Sophia's Pokemon followed her onto the ambulance, Gothita hugging her leg, not caring that she was getting covered in mud.

Sophia's expression softened, and she gave a slight laugh. [color=orchid]"You should all rest, after that."[/color] Returning all three of her Pokemon, she slumped backwards into the chair, as much in need of a rest as any of them.

[color=chocolate][center][h1]Amber Pine[/h1]
[h3]In the ambulance about to leave for Mesalon[/h3][/center][/color]

Finally, the ambulance was here. Now they could all get out of this place. The incident, though, wasn't something they could leave behind.

[color=chocolate]"Kabuto, Yanma, return,"[/color] Amber commanded. Once they were inside their Pokeballs, she headed towards the rest of the group, letting Sophia lean on her. She let out a small gasp, looking ahead in concern as Oscar started screaming in anger. Sophia's attempt at comforting him was a little on the clumsy side, but Amber could barely find the words to say herself. [color=chocolate]"Come on. Let's... Let's get to Mesalon,"[/color] she said to him, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

She listened to Sophia's description of the Aerodactyl. Given what she'd seen the girl do just a few moments ago, she didn't doubt that Sophia had seen something none of the others had, but what did it mean? What had happened to the Aerodactyl? She didn't want to think about it.

Taking a seat in the ambulance, she breathed deeply. She had to at least try to remain level-headed and stable, if only for the rest of the group, but that was becoming more and more difficult the more reality sank in. They'd all just narrowly escaped death. Amber had been prepared to face a certain level of danger along the way, but nothing like this.

As Nyxx fell asleep on her shoulder, Amber tried to focus on the fact that they were all still here. Only due to luck, though - and if Lan was right, who knew what else this team would try?

[color=orangered][center][h1]???[/h1]
[h3]Mountain trail leading from Ponderous[/h3][/center][/color]

Meanwhile, unaware of the recent chaos, a young woman hummed to herself as she strolled down a mountain trail, still buzzing with energy from the latest show.

The chill wind against her face started to lessen, the snow patches on the ground becoming sparser, until the Pokemon floating beside her changed form. The ice surrounding her small, cloud-like body vanished.

[color=orangered]"Hey, Summerstorm. Want to take a rest?"[/color] Sitting down on a rock, the woman took a Poketreat from her bag and passed it to her Pokemon. With a cheerful squeal, Summerstorm munched the treat. [color=orangered]"You did great back there!"[/color]

None of her Pokemon had minded Ponderous, what with the dome keeping the cold out, but Summerstorm was the only one who could handle being out of her Pokeball for any length of time during the walk back through the snow. Now, though, the girl was far down enough to travel a much faster way.

[color=orangered]"Go, Charizard!"[/color] The fire Pokemon appeared in a flash of light. With a friendly, rumbling growl, he nuzzled the woman, almost knocking her over.

[color=orangered]"Hey, careful!"[/color] she laughed. [color=orangered]"Never learned your own strength, did you?"[/color] She jumped up. [color=orangered]"So, ready to go home?"[/color] With a nod, the Charizard soared into the air, flying in loops, leaving a trail of golden sparks behind him as his tail flame blazed brighter. He was clearly still pretty elated from the success of the show. [color=orangered]"Alright, alright, I get what you're trying to tell me. Don't you make yourself dizzy,"[/color] the young woman chuckled. [color=orangered]"You've got more than enough strength for the journey, huh? Well, here's some fuel anyway."[/color] She threw a Poketreat as high as she could. The Charizard zoomed through the sky, catching it in his jaws in midair, and landed beside her.

She checked the time on her Pokedex. If she went straight to Vareena, it would be pretty late when she arrived. [color=orangered]"How about we stop at Mesalon first?"[/color] she said, returning Summerstorm and climbing onto the Charizard's back. Mesalon was a little quiet for her liking, but its location between Ponderous and Vareena made it a convenient rest point. 

The wind blew the hood of her coat back, making her flame-red hair whip around her shoulders, as the Charizard took off. Laughing from the thrill of the flight, she kept her gaze focused ahead as the mesa, a pinpoint in the distance, came into view.