LuckyBlackCat

Spectral Corp

Mackenzie "Kenzie" Holt

@Cherrywitch @Leotamer

"Argh!" Kenzie winced, her head pounding as a girl in jogging clothes kicked the gate with an almighty thud. Loud noises were the last thing she needed in her current state. She pulled out of the way, causing her surroundings to lurch, as the girl nearly put her on the receiving end of one of those kicks by trying to clamber up the wall.

"Careful there!" She stared up at the hyperactive blonde, an uneasy look crossing her face. She wasn't just referring to having almost been stomped on. She was no stranger to watching people do dangerous things, but seeing someone climb that high, that recklessly... Her entire body tensed, her apprehension growing by the second.

She gave a rictus of a smile. "Wow... With that determination, I bet the spooks who get on your bad side regret it." Every word came out strained. "But it, uh, might be best to wait a little longer... At least it turns out we're all on time."

She breathed a sigh of relief as the gate creaked open, and a firm voice told the blonde not to climb the wall. Turning around, she saw a rather flushed-looking girl holding a basket. While the teenager had been behind the wall, out of sight, Kenzie hadn't noticed her approach - she hadn't seemed to emit any spiritual energy. As soon as the girl had stepped out, though, it had started emanating from her as if some kind of shroud had been pulled away.

Glimpsing the bracelets before the teenager pulled them back, asking to see everyone's SEO licenses, Kenzie rummaged through her bag. "Uh, it's in here somewhere..." Not quite being fully awake, she opened up the wrong compartment, but after some more searching, she pulled it out. "Here ya go!" Holding it towards the girl, she stumbled, nearly losing her balance.

Some first impression she was making.

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

The reminder brought a shudder of embarrassment and frustration from Roxy, who stomped behind. "Uh, it's ok," Jess tried to reassure her as they both headed down the stairs, even though her words probably wouldn't help. "Like you say, this is all going to take some getting used to." She wasn't going to judge Roxy for forgetting - it was all too easy to stick to old habits - but the anchor didn't know that. Especially with the way things were going right now.

As soon as she opened the door, those familiar warm brown eyes met hers, shining with joy. "Oh, Jess, I've missed you so much!" her mother said, pulling her into a tight hug. Jess returned it, some of her mother's emotions seeping through to her - not like before, nowhere near as strongly, but detectable. Her relief felt like a comforting hearth fire.

"I've missed you too," Jess replied, a tremble to her voice. The urge to apologise for all the stress she'd caused came over her, but while the whole mess had been happening, letting her guilt show had just made her family feel even more helpless. "It really has been way too long! But Mom... I'm going to be ok now. Uh..." Straightening her back, she glanced over at the anchor. "This is Roxy."

And here was where things would inevitably get awkward. The tinge of unease she picked up on from her mother as she looked at Roxy and surveyed the garage confirmed Jess' suspicion. The empath doubted things really would be ok as she'd said they would.

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy Yay! I'm on Showdown, ready when you are.

It's been a while since we last battled, so here's my username: LuckyBlackCat3.

Pokemon: New World

@Dark Light I'm ok with it being one of Ella's or Florence's Pokemon. If it's one of Ella's, it'll have to be a case of she sends one out only for it to instantly get hit by the psychic attack (the only one she has out at the moment is her Inkay, which is a Dark type and can't be affected).

I'll wait to find out what @Dusksong wants to do though.

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Jess bit her lip. That feeling of hurt and rejection still radiated from the anchor. Not only had she gone and deeply offended someone whose story she didn't know, this was far from the best situation for her mother to walk in on. The last thing she wanted was to upset both of them.

Even so, her heart leapt as she watched the car door open. As soon as her mother climbed out, she raised her head. The woman's eyes were shadowed, stress having clearly taken its toll on her, but at the sight of her daughter, her face crinkled into a wide, relieved smile.

Despite her worries, the same expression spread over Jess' face. "She's here," she called, glancing over her shoulder at Roxy. "Uh... you say we've got to be in the same room..." And she was doing it again, worrying so much about bothering the anchor that she was likely to do so anyway. She made her way towards the stairs, wondering how to minimise the awkwardness, and make this as happy an occasion as it should be.

Pokemon: New World

@Dark Light Do you want to post next, or do you want me to? (Not sure what to post because my characters' Pokemon have already attacked)

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Jess ate her breakfast in silence. Trying to talk to Roxy wouldn't help. It would just do the opposite. Maybe it would be for the best if they kept things separate. Roxy clearly didn't want to let anyone into her world, and from the outburst, Jess could tell the anchor had her reasons, even though she didn't know what those reasons were.

She was sipping the coffee, although it seemed an especially bad idea to set her nerves any further on edge, when she heard a car pull up outside. "That'll be her!" Standing up and heading towards the window, she spotted the grey Ford she hadn't seen in five years. A familiar sight even though everything had changed. One that brought mixed feelings with it. This would be their long-awaited reunion, but there was no way her mother would be completely happy with the situation.

Spectral Corp

Mackenzie "Kenzie" Holt

"Uuurgh, never again..."

The living room spun sickeningly around Mackenzie as she opened her eyes, instantly shutting them again when the light proved to be too much. With a groan, she pressed a hand to her throbbing head, feeling slimy day-old foundation under her fingers.

She stirred. Here went nothing. Letting out another moan, she propped herself up. Big mistake. Her neck and shoulders ached from the weird position she'd slept in, and she felt as if someone were striking at her forehead with an icepick. It was all she could do not to throw up on the couch.

Of course she'd go and let this happen again. The morning's payback was something she wasn't exactly going to think about at the time. Besides, she'd had to celebrate having been chosen for the new site somehow.

... The new site.

"Oh shit." One glance at the clock, and she staggered upright, ignoring her protesting head and stomach. She showered as quickly as her stiff limbs would allow, changing out of the party dress she'd fallen asleep in and into her frayed-jeans-and-vest-top combo, trying and failing to make her hair resemble something other than a bird's nest that had been hit by a particularly violent gale. There was no time for coffee or a bacon sandwich. Not that she wanted to think about food right now anyway. Gathering the belongings she'd need, she stumbled out of the door.

Despite nearly getting on the wrong train, she managed to make it to her destination. The damp chill to the air was starting to make her feel more awake, even if just a little. As she walked, she sang to herself, softly and off-key. If she could seem cheerful and carefree, maybe she could trick herself into feeling that way.

"But it don't make no difference, cause I ain't gonna be easy, easy, the only time I'm gonna be easy's when I'm killed by death, killed by death, killed by de-"

She stopped. That was odd. As soon as the manor came into view, it stood out. Not just because its old, forbidding appearance contrasted with the modern buildings surrounding it. The place didn't give off the same spiritual energy other areas did. Maybe her senses were a little thrown off at the moment, Kenzie thought. Then again, she'd visited a fair number of strange locations during her time in the SEO.

Just as she'd expected, the others had turned up first, a small group already outside the gates. She hurried, her headache spiking, the spring in her step turning into a wobble. Leaning against the wall, she gave her soon-to-be coworkers a somewhat strained smile as she squinted through the morning light at them.

"Hey! I know I'm late, but it's all part of my training - according to the movies, it's the job of every decent hunter of the supernatural to make their dramatic entrance at the last minute," she joked. In her current and rather obvious condition, it was the only way she could hope to save face. "My name's Kenzie. Good to meet everyone!"

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

At first, Jess remained silent. She didn't know what to say. No change there. Not that there was anything she could say to fix things. Behind her, she heard the toast pop up. She wasn't hungry any more, but she'd have to eat it anyway. Eating somebody else's food was one thing. Wasting it was quite another.

"At least... At least things will be fair that way, if I help out," she eventually mumbled. That was the important thing, she told herself, although she knew deep down it wasn't enough. "Uh, I'd better get that. Mom's going to be here soon." She glanced at the clock before going to butter the toast.

Her nerves tightened again. The last thing her mother would want would be to visit for the first time in years only to find her in the middle of an argument.

Pokemon Spiral

Vivianne Cypress

Mesalon Gym

@fer1323

"Team Noble..." the woman muttered. "People are saying they're the ones behind this. Given what I've heard, I wouldn't be surprised." She frowned. "I've only been in Kosei for a few months, so my knowledge is limited, but as for comparisons... In Kanto, Team Rocket once planned to take over the world with stolen Pokemon, and funded rather less than ethical research. What happened here certainly sounds like some kind of experiment gone wrong."

Although she didn't want to, she thought over the possibilities, her eyebrows furrowing further. "Thanks, uh... what's your name? I haven't introduced myself. Vivianne Cypress. The professor asked me to investigate some strange Pokemon behaviour around the town, but I wasn't expecting this."

Her gaze shifted towards Sophia. It wasn't so much the fact that the girl was a psychic that intrigued her. Having grown up in Saffron City with two Silph Co employee parents before leaving to assist scientists around Kanto, Vivianne had met a few psychics who had sought mentoring from gym leader Sabrina. Rather, it was that this girl had to be the person the monk had just mentioned, the person who might have some idea what was going on with the Aerodactyl.

"And you," she said, not sure how to continue. She didn't want to make this girl any more uncomfortable. "You didn't... see anything noteworthy, by any chance?" It was best to be honest, she decided. "I heard one of the people involved was a psychic. And that she said she'd seen something out of the ordinary. I take it that was you."

---

Sophia Danvers

Mesalon Gym

@fer1323

As Vivianne made her rather formal introduction, Sophia studied her, allowing herself to relax slightly. So this woman wasn't working with Hammer. The detective most likely wouldn't be smart or subtle enough to get somebody else to investigate anyway. Besides, the Riolu would probably know if there was anything off about the researcher.

"I'm Sophia," she replied, "and about what I saw... I have no idea what it meant. It was something I'd never seen before. All I know is it looked... it felt... wrong. Like something was missing. No, more like something had been shut away. Shut away by this cloud of black filth."

She shivered, the memory of the sight and sensation etched deeply into her mind. If only she could be more helpful right now. Someone like her should have been able to figure out more. She had these extraordinary abilities, and yet she couldn't even help her friends with them? Or do anything useful, in any way, for anyone?

Notes

Pokemon Party: Gothita "Lacey" lv13, Purrloin "Grimalkin" lv12, Staryu "Arcturus" lv12, Darumaka "Lumas" lv11
Pokemon in PC:
Inventory: Pokeball x2, TM33 (Reflect)