[RAID] Stag Party

[Shawn Darrow]

Darn, darn, darn! Everything had been going so well! Shadow supposed that meant it would have only been a matter of time before they were exposed, though. He had already become anxious when the champion began asking questions. She hadn't become the champion for no reason after all, right?

Shadow was shocked to read the message on his dex. Surely all of them could take just one trainer, champion or not, right? Well...maybe not with the legendary on their side. It was bitter to think they might have come all this way and gotten this far with nothing to show for it, but at least they had rescued the other branch of Rockets. They would have to be content with that.

Sighing, he withdrew Lindsay and Jack before following after Kyle and Jerome to the exit. He prayed no one else with the league was waiting for them there.  

[Gwennythe]

Shite! Clancy just /knew/ Frost was going to screw this up when he announced himself like that!

His dex buzzed and he looked at it to read the message.
Well he didn't even like being in this cave anyway!
The redhead sprinted toward the exit.
Bugger all of it! He just wanted to be away from the crazy strong critters and the scary lady! Also, their big fancy prize stag went this way, right? SO! He was, uh, chasing after it.. Yeah... He wasn't running for his life in an 'every man for himself' mentality at all... Nope...

Neph let out a noise that was nearly a screech as Diantha dodged her Spider Web, and Xerneas fled the cavern.
No! It was /playtime/! Fleeing just wasn't fair! Or becoming of such a strong opponent! The spider turned and her eyes caught on the Tyrantrum.
/That/ would do...
She tried a Shadow Sneak on it.

So much was happening! And suddenly Neph was off after some other target... Xerneas was fleeing... And that 'dex message looked urgent. Tambrey looked around to decide what to do, and fled toward the first familiar face she spotted.
"Retreat orders?" Of course, she knew Frost got the message too but... she had the nervous compulsion to double check, and she looked around for the rest of the team too. "I guess we flee?"
She'd recall Neph whether the spider liked it or not, once she was assured they were all getting out together.  

[TawnyAngel]

[Elite]

Frost produced a sharp pocket knife from his belt and used it to cut through the elite's bonds in one quick movement, which may have given the man a small flesh wound but at the moment that was the least of their worries.

His next action was to send out his Metagross, jump up onto its head and crouch to grab one of the two handles that had been welded on there. Recalling his two eeveeloutions he nodded to Tambery. "Yes, with me now! Elite," he passed him the knife, "free your other Agent and run, we will be a rear guard. 'Keith' I require your Umbreon."

Once Tam was aboard and everybody who was running had passed him Frost gave Koios the signal to set off with a Protect thrown up around him to block any attacks coming up the corridor.
____________

[Leo]

That was exactly what KO had wanted to hear! Regent's Protect covered him for long enough to call climb aboard the quickly released Viceroy and reach a hand down to haul Leo up behind him. "On your side Rocket, no time to lose, hang on tight!" Duke had climbed up in front of him and was hanging on, Regent had gone and jumped onto Frost's Metagross, was there anything else? Were the others okay? s**t, he couldn't hang around to find out!

With all passengers as aboard as he felt they could be Viceroy howled and tried to charge away up the passage, grabbing Clancy by the back of his jacket - simply because he happened to be the first Rocket he passed - as he went.  

[Magician Arcana]

The message on his dex was very clear. Flicker fled from the Moonblast, turning invisible and trying his best to dodge the attack. It hit him in a graze, lowering the Litwicks health. Turning, he retaliated with another Nightshade towards the Mega pokemon.

Adam turned on heel and began to run for the exit. He held out the pokeball and withdrew his Litwick, much to Flicker's dismay  

[Shaddaling]

Time to go!

Lex read over his dex, nodding, and pushed it into his jacket pocket. He recalled both Grimlock and Spins, moving swiftly towards the opening that Bro had made from them. Time to get out of there... and ugh, maybe the elites would manage to grab it when it came out of the cave?  

[BlackFireKitsune]

She saw him coming this time, and she made a noise as the tattooed Gengar looked like he wanted to try and swallow her whole. Well! The Champion quickly ducked and her Tyrantrum rumbled angrily as it swung its wide head - and most of its upper body - over Diantha to protect her. If Bro wanted to swallow her, he'd have to go through a large, angry dinosaur to do it.

The elite flinched as Frost cut his binds - and his arm - but accepted the offered knife with a surprised "thanks" just the same, and hastened to free the brunette from hers. Conversely, the blond agent flailed a bit. "H-Hey, wait! What are you doing?!" He shouted, confused, and flailed around just long enough to successfully fall face-first off the Metagross with a graceless "oof!" though it was unclear whether he'd meant to do that or not. Either way, his teammates ran up, released him from his bonds using the gifted knife, and all three ran ahead of the other Rockets as Frost had instructed.

Moving without instruction, most of Diantha's other pokemon turned and fired several attacks towards the retreating "Rangers" and known Rockets as they made their way down the corridor, aiming to impede or halt their progress: Namely, a Moonblast, Dragon Pulse, and Seed Bomb. Her Gourgeist, on the other hand, disappeared.

All rockets would receive a second hastily-written message to their 'dexes, followed by a set of coordinates to a location a little northwest of Reflection Cave: Xerneas left cave, giving chase. Lose Diantha, head towards coords  

[Magician Arcana]

Terrific! More running! He pushed past whatever fatigue the day had brought already and kept moving, rapidly moving towards the exit and stairs.

Dragging out his dex, he wrote a message to everyone as best he could, given the circumstances:

B0NES: cavein entrnc stp champ yn

Adam released Flicker. "Go Invisible and use Astonish on the Mega Gardevior."

Flicker turned invisible, his wax body scuttling along the ground carefully. He attempted to get behind the Mega pokemon and slap it with the Astonish move.  

[Shawn Darrow]

Shadow read the message quickly and paused to glance back to see who was following. What he found was a bunch of pokemon along with his teammates. Eyes widening, he called to the two remaining ghosts he knew were still lingering about.

"Eris, can you try to sense any other invisible ghosts? I thought I just saw one disappear. Try to find it," he told the Shuppet. "Haunter, please help Bro any way you can. Uh, use Shadow Ball on the dinosaur (Tyrantrum)! Distract it!"  

[TawnyAngel]

[Adam / All]

Frost was seriously considering never ever leaving base again, except in the specific circumstances he had previously considered re: dangerous vehicles. Lose Diantha, but how? Perhaps they could trap her? Frost touched Tambery's arm and gestured behind them as he lent in to speak to her. "We must prevent pursuit, block the cavern?" The message he had just read suggested the same, he sent back: //Copy that// to the whole group.

As he spoke he released Skiron on top of Koios' head and pointed behind them. "Try to slow them."

Skiron nodded and turned an Ice Beam on the floor to make it slick, which was unexpectedly powered up by a Helping Hand from Regent.  

[TawnyAngel]

KO lay low over Viceroy's neck, and much though he shouted at the fire type to go faster the Arcanine seemed determined to stay at the head of the group but not to leave it behind. Stupid dog and its stupid pack mentality! "Faster, we can help them more from outside!" he tried, and it actually probably was true as well as getting him further away from the Champion and her pokemon.

Viceroy seemed to consider this for a few moments before accelerating to a full gallop.  

[Blood_Goddess]

(Diantha)
Bro was knocked away by the swinging of the Tyrantrum's tail, clearing him away from the Champion.
With a cackle the Gengar went invisible again, his laughter drifting away as he did.

Kyle released his Zoroark back out. taking up the rear with the illusion creator, who once all the Rockets were out, manipulated the aria around them to create false paths and walls to conceal what way the Rockets were going.

Jerome released his Metagross as soon as the other Rockets were out Turret floated up, slamming her arms in rapid succession over the doorway to crumble boulders in the walk way and block the champion in, holding her off for longer.  

[Shaddaling]

He needed a lot more Pokemon, at the moment, he couldn't think of one that would be better used outside their pokeball then inside it. At least not on the run.

Lex sighed, rubbing his fingers over the balls and left them. Keep moving, and if needed bring out Howlback to use Confuse Ray on who ever was behind them. He wasn't going to let her out because it was a cave, she was a rather large giant bat.  

[Gwennythe]

"Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggghhh!" Yelled Clancy as something grabbed him in it's mouth and then was running along with him. Aside from flailing as he travelled, he wasn't really in the frame of mind to do much else.

Tambrey rode with Frost on his Metagross. She might have appreciated the ride, and the rather fascinating pokémon more, if they hadn't been fleeing some very powerful pokémon.
She called out Franklin to perch on her shoulder.
Didn't have to worry about hiding her away any more, at least.
"Franklin, use a Psychic on anything that comes too close to us, okay?"
<>
"Yes!" Tambrey replied, ducking as ranged attacks seemed to be firing off all around now too.
She, at least, felt the 'dex, twice, and, despite the hectic ride, managed to glance and read the messages.
"I see the message!" She called to Frost, her way of saying she agreed.
"I'll let Ella out to help block the cave as soon as we're clear!"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Unfortunately Eris would be unable to sense any other ghosts until the last second, when the Gourgeist abruptly reappeared without warning and slammed its hair-like hands down towards Regent with a Phantom Force, completely ignoring whether or not he'd had Protect up.

While some of Diantha's pokemon attempted to overcome the suddenly icy floor, others stopped short, but regardless of whether or not they stopped or slipped while trying to continue, they all launched another barrage of attacks at the retreating Rockets and their pokemon; this time a Psychic, Dragon Pulse and Blizzard. While a couple of them had been attacked in turn, none of them seemed much worse for wear.

The glittering jeweled walls of the cave seemed to brighten the further they went, until the cave's entrance came into view up ahead. Any attacks on or around it caused dust and small rocks to begin falling already; it wouldn't take too much for it to collapse.

Another message was sent to everyone's 'dexes, as well as a second set of coordinates: Cornered Xerneas at following coords. Hurry here and get ready to use your quickballs the instant you see it  

[TawnyAngel]

[Protect roll: 1 = success 2 = failure]

Regent crumpled instantly at the powerful blow from the Gourgeist; Frost grabbed the Umbreon by the tail to prevent him from falling off Koios.

Koios meanwhile threw up his limbs to shield his passengers from the worst of the attacks and attempted a Protect a moment later but unfortunately it failed, leaving the steel type to take quite a beating as they shot out of the cave.

Frost jumped to the ground and indicated the cave mouth to Koios as soon as everyone was out. "Meteor Mash!"

The weary Metagross obliged, attempting to seal the entrance.

It was then that Frost looked down at himself and noted that some of the Blizzard had got through Koios' protective arms and cut his arm. "Blast," he muttered, "well at least it's my blood this time."

"No time to waste!" he called to anyone who cared to listen. "I have two spare Quick Balls for anyone who used theirs, my own, you may repay me later."