[RAID] Stag Party

[Magician Arcana]

They could make it. They could make it. This was going to - Aw damn it all. Adam cried out in frustration as another wave of pokemon, this one larger and angrier than the last, appeared from the bushes.

"Flicker! Send out a smog behind the rockets to stop the horde!"

The ghost aquiesced, sending out a low crawling wall of poisonous smog towards the pokemon.

Adam grinned, forgetting to watch were he was going. Suddenly he hit the ground, a cry of dismay tearing from his throat. A strong pain slashed up his right leg. Adam jerked and kicked and punched. The houndor who had attacked whimpered and took off as Maki stood on guard, letting his master get up and continue his run.

"Thank you, Maki." Adam panted, winded and bleeding now on his right leg. Adrenaline made his heart beat wildly. They were close. They were so close. They could make it. They could make it home.  

[TawnyAngel]

A Houndour's flame scorched his leg and Frost beat at it to put out the fire, his lips pressing together in a flat line. This was not pleasant!  

[Gwennythe]

Tambrey's eyes widened.
Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!
Those even had /elec/ in the /name/!
This fact made Tambrey try to avoid the Electrike more than she did the Houndour... Thus, she strayed a little too close to a couple of Houndour; one fastened it's teeth around her left ankle and bit down... She hissed and stumbled, pitched forward and came up, feeling a burn sear away some of the stolen uniform over the left side of her midriff. That was going to sting too...
Even if she stumbled she kept going... Fire. Bites... It was better than electricity.

"OW! BOLLOCKS! PISS OFF! STOP BLOODY DOING THAT!" were a few of the things Clancy shouted as, giving up any semblance of running, he was now stumbling and crashing along, getting shocked, stumbling into and through fire, and feeling teeth rake across his legs more than once. At one point, his hair caught fire, and he smacked himself in the head as he ran to put out the flames.  

[Shawn Darrow]

One of the Nidoran's Poison Barbs had managed to stab Shadow's bare leg and he found himself slowed down considerably due to the poison combined with the pain. His adrenaline kept him going, but he tried not to think about the fact that his heart pumping faster meant the poison was spreading quicker through his system. They still had a long way to go.

"Oh hell," he gasped when the Houndour and Electrike began to take up the chase. It seemed like things were only going to get worse and not better as they closed in on their way out of there. "Please let us survive this..." He hadn't realized Xerneas had meant so much to the wild pokemon in the area, but he also knew they weren't about to give up their prize when they were so close to getting away with it.

With how his speed was decreasing with each new step, though, and his breath was getting more and more shallow...maybe he wouldn't last. Burns and electricity began to add to his pain as he forced himself to press on regardless of his physical state. If there was one thing the kid knew how to do, it was run.  

[Suudonym]

"Great," Rook replied to the news of the pokemon's motive, then muttered to herself, "Well they can get the hell over it."

Despite the two hordes slowing them down and trying to assault them, the team was making quick work of the route on their way to the jet. Said aircraft slowly came into view through the trees; they were almost there. Their boots thudded across the ground as they ran towards it, the sound of their footsteps slowly rising in volume and starting to make the ground shake...

...except human feet couldn't do that, not in such small numbers.

Heavy four-legged pokemon could, though; even the trees and bushes seemed to quiver moments before a herd of Tauros and Miltank crashed through the underbrush to the northeast, throwing their heads and brandishing their horns as they cast around wildly for their targets. As they caught sight of the Rockets, they zeroed in on them, and, with enraged bellows, the normal-types charged towards the group from various directions, ready to gore them with horn or hoof. From the south side erupted a group of Absol, growling with their fangs bared, and swiftly darted towards the team as well, their horns similarly lowered, their fangs and claws ready to rend flesh and bone. The sound of beating wings filled the air shortly before the sky seemed to darken, and within moments a flock of Staravia swooped down upon the team with talons outspread, aiding the Tauros, Miltank and Absol in trying to bring down the Rockets.

These angry pokemon would prove much more difficult to dodge or pass uninjured than the last two hordes, given their anger, determination, and strength compared to the last, but Claire gritted her teeth and tried anyway, loosing a few of her pokemon along the way to try and help keep them at bay. "All right, just to clarify: Not dying from these stupid things is our top priority, followed by getting that legendary back to base!" The elite grunted as a Tauros ran past, leaving a series of cuts across her back that went deeper than just the fabric, but she ignored it and threw an arm out to point to the jet that was within view - so close, they were so close, "Try to get past them as best you can and get to the jet!" Despite her pokemon's attempts, they couldn't keep all of the attacking pokemon away, and the angry creatures continued their assault on the various Rockets as much as they were able.

((Final pokemon group - last call for injuries!))  

[BlackFireKitsune]

((Just a quick clarification that they aren't at the jet quite yet - that'll be the next post!))  

[Gwennythe]

Tambrey stumbled along and then gasped as she saw the sight of so many pokémon incoming. It was like something straight out of a horror movie. In fact, she wouldn't have been surprised to see nearly exactly this scene in one of the movies she might have watched with Aulus.

She realised she'd never make it through just her on her own, and she reached for a ball.
Glancing up, right as she pressed release, she saw a Taurus coming directly for her... And suddenly it was gone. Blocked by Ella, allowing the hooved pokémon to crash into her instead of into Tambrey.
The Steel type shuddered but stayed in place and roared defiantly.
Tambrey, grateful, and not really sure there was a better option anyway, clambered onto the Aggron. The pair of them made for the jet, Tambrey wincing as the fabric was torn away from her right leg, exposing, and adding to, one of her zig-zagged scars.

---~~~---

Why was the ground shaking?
Oh.
Suddenly there were birds whistling by his ears... Bloody gurt pink cows rushing around him... Brown cows tossing him into the air... Wait?! Into the air... He wasn't running anymore, and everything hurt and he really was airbourne! Clancy registered this fact, yelled "Arrrgh!" and crashed down again. It hadn't been a very far flight, but it had landed him a little closer to the jet again... He was probably going to need help getting all the way into the jet, though, as he zombie wobble-limped toward it.  

[Shawn Darrow]

When an Absol leapt in front of him to stop his progress, Shadow very nearly ran into it. His vision was starting to blur, but not enough to miss the attack it threw at him with a toss of its bladed head.

Stumbling back to avoid it, he yelped as a Tauros reared up, bellowing angrily and causing him to fall hard on his back. The bull pokemon's legs came crashing down, dashing the young grunt over the head with a hoof and knocking him unconscious. He was almost clawed and trampled to death by the pokemon closing in, but a pair of clawed, disembodied hands picked up the teen once more and carried him toward the jet.

the Haunter said, presumably to the unconscious boy in his grip as he endured the Staravia attempting to slash and peck with wings, talons, beaks, and more. He did his best to shield his charge, but could only block so much. Speed was the only way they could hope to get out of there alive.  

[TawnyAngel]

Frost made a displeased noise as the new horde of pokemon appeared. "Understood," he said, and released Skiron and Persephone to help punch his way through the crowd to the jet. Despite their best efforts and attacks however Frost found himself pitched over by a Miltank and then, when he staggered back upright thinking a rather rude word, he was raked by a Staravias' talons.  

[TawnyAngel]

Those sounded like great priorities to him! KO steered Viceroy towards the jet and urged him on, hoping desperately that hunkering down on the Arcanine's back would keep him safe.

It didn't.

A Tauros' charge slammed into Viceroy's side, sending the fire type sprawling with an agonized howl and pitching his trainer across the ground.

KO tried to scramble to his feet but heavy hooves came down on his back and legs, he felt bones break and screamed. Something moved the weight - didn't know what, didn't care, tried to pull himself towards the jet, Viceroy would get up and find him right?

Wrong, what found him next was another Tauros; it lowered its head and tossed him into the air. KO landed in a heap some way off and this time he couldn't even scream. Pain was blooming in his chest, he didn't dare even look down, he couldn't- he was close, so close to the jet!

He managed to raise his head, made out the shape of the jet blearily and started to drag himself towards it again. His legs were agony - good, his back wasn't broken - but his chest.... It was getting harder to think, and to move his arms, but he had to! If he didn't... if he didn't then he was going to die.

He looked around at a howl and saw Viceroy fighting an Absol that had been coming for him.

Viceroy was bleeding.

There was a trail of blood on the ground behind him. A lot of blood. It was getting harder to breathe.

KO turned his head back towards the jet and reached a trembling hand forward to drag himself a little closer. He didn't want to die. If he got to the jet maybe... maybe....  

[Magician Arcana]

His leg hurt, slowing the rocket down considerably. Hardheadedness kept him moving, one step at a time, faster and faster. Each foot fall felt like an earthquake. No. That was an earthquake. Adam didn't have much time to process the scene. In that fatigue addled state of his mind he knew two things: That was a s**t ton of pokemon and he was very, very dead.

Still, he kept moving, running as fast as he could from another burst of adrenaline speed. Maki growled and Litwick poured yet more smog out, trying to keep the pokemon at bay. It as a futile effort.

Like many of his other falls, one minute Adam was moving, the next minute the earth was moving in odd directions. This time, a blast of white light erupted behind his eyes. Someone was screaming. No, he was. He was screaming. Adam didn't know when he hit the ground, but he knew that when he opened his eyes next, he was being drug by both Maki and Flicker across the ground. The blast that had hit him had thrown him away from the hordes main attack. By that same grace he was not trampled to death.

Numbness and a ringing in his ear pervaded Adam's consciousness. All he could do was get drug for the moment. One of his legs was lying oddly, but when he tried to think about it, the numbness made his stomach turn. His chest was numb and that ringing. He wanted to sleep. Too much had happened.

Maki bit on his trainers shoulder, eliciting a cry of pain. It was a new pain and it drew certain other pains into sharp relief. They cut like a knife through the fog of his mind, releasing Adam's consciousness to act finally. "********..." He groaned.

"Maki..." The Growlithe stopped dragging his trainer, "Go find someone else. If they're knocked out or need help, drag 'em too." Maki stared incredulously at the downed man. What was he thinking? That was mad! "Do it!" Reluctantly the growlithe turned and left, running as fast as he could through the fray to find if anyone needed help.

With Flickers help, Adam drug himself with one arm and a leg toward the plane.

----

Maki didn't enjoy leaving the side of his injured trainer. Sure, they didn't have the best relationship, but Maki didn't want to see him dead. From what he understood, other Rockets weren't nearly as sweet to their 'pets' as Adam was to his.

There was a Haunter carrying the body (corpse?) of a young teen. Huffing, the Growlithe wove his way around the battle field and ran underneath/beside the Haunter.

Man, he deserved like all the belly rubs and treats for this. ALL of them.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Hurry!" Claire urged them, both her and her pokemon helping along anyone who needed it - namely Clancy, Adam and especially KO who looked absolutely horrible; Claire saw to KO while her pokemon raced to help Clancy and Adam whether they wanted help or not - so they wouldn't fall behind and get trampled by raging pokemon that meant to tear them to shreds. Rook released her Noivern and took to the skies, fending off the Staravia that made her their target with her pokemon's Dragon Pulse. With the aid of the bat-like pokemon's attacks, she joined Frost in securing something of a path through the angry hordes, then leapt from her Noivern to the door of the jet to block any hostile pokemon that would try to enter. The Noivern took on the role of a guardian, swooping down with Steel Wing upon pokemon that threatened harm to Rockets that were having trouble moving.

Said hostile pokemon followed the group even as the Rockets escaped from the midst of them, bellowing and grunting and snapping at their heels the whole way. Rook hurriedly ushered the team into the vehicle, kicking an Absol away and slamming the jet door closed in its face once they were all safely inside.

"All right," Claire panted as she leaned on a seat and cast around, taking stock of the state of each Rocket, "how's everyone do--ah!" The jet suddenly quivered and a metallic clanging erupted from below them as the sound of multiple sets of horns banged against the belly of the aircraft, intent on destroying it or at least tipping it over, even as the craft shuddered to life and took off into the air. A group of stubborn Staravia attempted to divebomb it as it turned and departed, though they weren't able to keep up and soon left the craft alone.

Claire grabbed the Ranger hat off her head and threw it into a corner of the jet before she pushed a hand through her hair to get stray wisps out of her face. "Okay," she breathed, once the threat had finally, finally passed and left the jet relatively quiet, "how's everyone doing?" Some of them looked relatively okay, but others obviously needed immediate medical attention. Unfortunately, neither elite was personally equipped to give it. "We're stopping at the Kalos base before anything else," the taller elite informed them, her voice quieting now that the adrenaline was wearing off and realization of the critical states of some of their team hit her, "to drop off their Rockets and to get medical attention to those that need it. It shouldn't take long to get there."


((This is the official conclusion of the raid; there will be no more action posts from here on. You're welcome to continue playing out any interactions you need to or would like to and can speak to Claire and/or Rook about anything as well. There will be a post-raid ORP going up tomorrow evening.))  

[Gwennythe]

Ella, once Tambrey was ushered inside the plane, did her best to help in protecting the others from attacks. She had to act on her own, as the scientist was rather shaken by the running and the fact that the pokémon had... well, they had come to kill them. Their goal might have been to get Xerneas back, but it certainly seemed like the hordes had decided to do it by killing them.
The Agent stood inside, offering help as the team arrived, even if she had to limp to do so, but not venturing too close to the door, and not going to sit down until she was sure she'd seen everyone was inside, even if she had to see them in terrible condition... Ella found herself having to bellow to ask Tambrey to return her when it was time.

Clancy was helped, without even realising by what, or where he was going until he found himself inside the plane.
He held up two arms, trying to see through a haze of blood and dizziness from.. whatever poison was inside him, and all the various injuries he'd suffered. Broken bones, bruises, open gore wounds, lacerations. His body was very very damaged, and most of his stolen clothes were gone or damaged beyond repair.
"D-does... anyone else smell colours?" He queried before uttering "Bloody 'ell..." and toppling backward, unconcious, pulse weak, breathing shallow, but still alive. At least he was already inside the plane.  

[TawnyAngel]

Somebody dragged him onto the jet; Claire.

Lying on his back on the floor he tried to press a hand down over the wound in his chest but he could feel blood flowing around his fingers.

He heard Claire ask how everyone was doing, her voice seemed to come from a long way away though.

He tried to speak, to ask for help, but all that came out was a wet cough.

Turning his head to the side he looked up at the blurry shape that he thought was the elite; fear and agony and pleading were etched into his face. He reached his bloody hand out across the floor towards her, his fingers stretched.... and went limp.

The Rocket's eyes were glassy, and his chest had gone still.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

((Totally forgot to add a part about medical to that post, whoops >__> They're not ignoring injured Rockets, I promise!))

Once everyone was aboard the jet and they were safely airborne, the brunette Kalos agent requested use of their well-stocked first-aid kit in order to begin giving medical attention to those Rockets that needed it.