DarkLight

Miki glanced at the blades that Sarcus is holding before he put them into his sleeves. They seemed like ordinary kitchen knives to her, why is he so keen on getting them back? But then again, she is no expert on knives, nor on any weapon for that matter. She focused her eyes on the abundant shelves full of knives, swords, and guns. Team Dusk definitely hit the mother-load of weapons with the capture of Eterna City. It made her wonder if she should pick up one weapon just in case she could not run. It wouldn't hurt to try but, considering her thin frame, the only things that she can lift easily would probably be a knife or two, or a small handgun. "Err. . . sorry about that. Let's go find Flux." "Mhm," Miki nodded, "We probably have been gone long enough." She walked quickly after him and closed the door to the weapons room. Raito, in his hyper state, ran swiftly to the healing room once more without a word to any one of them. "Let's hope there are people that are willing to battle once we get there," she thought. "Maybe those breeders...?"

"I think--" Before Miki could finish her response, Raito darted by the two trainers and ran off in the direction of, what she assumes to be, the weapons room. "Looks I have no choice but to follow you then!" she laughed. "And, b-besides, we need to find the t-training room too. Four pairs of eyes a-are better than just two." As the two trainers and Absolution head to the weapons room, the lights above flickered for a second. Miki heard a small chuckle just ahead. Raito's trainer suddenly recalled that he had eaten a Tamato berry when they met up again, which would explain a slight, almost unnoticeable, decrease in the Jolteon's agility. She would have to help her Jolteon get back up to speed, no pun intended, before their mission begins. "Raito," she called after him, "Get away from that outlet! You can cause a blackout when we get to an enemy conclave, not here!" She turned to the duo to explain. "A little training definitely would not hurt; Raito gets too restless if he has built up too much electricity. Plus, it will keep his mind away from his bad habit. He loves investigating electrical outlets since he was an Eevee."

I say yes because some of the newer players will probably not shift through pages of forums to find a solution to a gym. Given how many topics deal with Noel, I doubt anybody even bothered with the search bar.

After her leader gave them his first instructions, Miki instinctively bowed as a sign of her appreciation. Inside, she was elated to be working alongside Sarcus and Flux because they are two familiar people that she knew since she has been out from her hidden home. Although she doesn't mind meeting new people, Miki didn't want to overwhelm herself just yet. Two people are good enough for now. Miki decided to stay with Sarcus before leaving to find Flux. The trainer is quite curious about those knives that Sarcus mentioned. Maybe she could ask Sarcus to show them off in their spare time. She positioned herself on the side of the wall and gave them some space, just in case she wasn't allowed to listen in on the upcoming conversation. Miki then waved Raito over to respect their privacy.

Seeing as Silver is not going to budge from his position, Miki steeled herself for her response. She was hoping that they can discuss this in a more comfortable room, but Silver's decision did make sense. Who would want an outsider to know about their base? Raito came up and gave Miki's right hand a comforting nudge. Miki smiled at the Jolteon sitting at her feet before facing the leader of the Dusk's Covert Ops. "It's now or never." She took a deep breath and nodded in Silver's direction. "Yes, I have made my d-decision. B-But before I say it, I-I do want to say a f-few things. First off, I want to thank you... F-For those Shuca berries. I know that they are r-rare to come by and by g-giving them to me, Dusk c-could be at a d-disadvantage at some point in time. A-And thank you for taking c-care of Raito while I-I was away. It really means the world to me.The second thing is... Well, I-I want to say you're right. I am, indeed, a risk factor. Back there, a-at the interrogation, I shouldn't have done what I have done. I was f-foolish and, perhaps m-most importantly, I underestimated my partner. I n-never took into account my Pokemon's desire to end this hellhole we are in. This desire, I feel, is what can m-make all of the difference in a b-battle. In my t-three years of hiding and isolation after Dawn drove us out of our h-home, I had r-relied on s-statistics to win a fight, but I had forgotten to f-factor our will to decide a victory. In a s-sense, I became a robot. A-And that will not do at all, since I am a human. Sarcus, Flux, and you made me realize my flaws and I'm r-really grateful." Miki paused for a brief moment as Raito stood up and face Silver. It's time to wrap this up, and her Jolteon knew it. Her voice grew steady as she passed her final decision. "I know that I need to a-assimilate myself back into the world and f-face the threat that my parents tried to save me from. A-And to that, I need to be a-around other people... That is, people that I can trust. You, and the members of Team Dusk, are all that I have left. I want to make a better future for everyone, a future where trainers, and even ordinary citizens, can live in peace without the threat of a tyrannical Goddess. And I know it will not be easy. Raito and I know that there will be sacrifices along the way, sacrifices that will force me to lose my loved ones in order to protect Team Dusk's mission. We are willing to do that and anything else that is required of us." She offered a handshake to Silver. "I know I have a lot to learn outside of books. And I know you are taking a risk by accepting me. I can definitely assure you, though, I can learn quick. I will make sure that the risk you are taking is worth it. And with that, I am honored to accept your invitation to join Team Dusk."

Miki took a step back to examine the mahogany door once more. Sure enough, as Sarcus mentioned, there was no sign of Arceus' counterpart anywhere. There was no space left on the door for Giratina's figure to be represented. Surely, even the Goddess isn't that ignorant to not know of the serpentine of the underworld. Giratina is always mentioned in mythology, especially those of Sinnoh. To Miki, it can only mean one thing. She turned to Sarcus to voice her opinion. "Nowhere. I-I think Dawn purposely left Giratina out... B-Because G-Giratina represents us."

Oops! Sorry as well! I got a response typed up now so it should flow smoothly from here. Um... I hope Fluffy doesn't die, but I think it's up to his owner and the others to decide. Whatever the case may be, I'm fine with it.

"Oh, t-this must be it." Miki commented as she, Raito, Sarcus and Absolution stood in front of an imposing door. Compared to the rest of the cell doors, this one had a particular flair to it that screams authority. It seems to be made of a dark-red mahogany tree etched with fancy designs with the three deities of Sinnoh in the middle of it all: Dialga and Palkia stood at the sides looking up at Arceus, their creator. Miki would have been impressed by the intricate details if it weren't for the fact that Arceus is now controlled by their enemy. Her eyes then ran to the top of the door; there were 4 little holes that would make a perfect fitting place for a plaque. Miki gave a grin despite her nervousness. "I guess Team Dusk did away with this place. I wonder whose office this belonged to." She tore her eyes off of the door to face the others. "S-So, Sarcus and co, shall we?" Without waiting for a response, Miki knocked on the door. "S-Sorry to interrupt, but i-is Silver here?"

I don't have a 3DS T.T But I do train in Pokemon Reborn if that counts for anything ^^; @Murdoc: I'll bring them there then

Oh no! I really liked Aruma and i wanted Raito to meet Pearl. As Murdoc said... Any chance for reinforcements? Oh and I'm not sure how I should continue... Should I bring Sarcus and Miki to stop at Silver's room and wait for Silver's response?

You need to look for those trees that you can put the Honey on. After an hour or so (of playing btw), a Pinsir and Heracross will appear. Heracross cuts the webs down to unlock new passages on Route 1 and the forest and Pinsir will destroy the logs for the same purpose. I heard we can also get either a Heracross or Pinsir, but I haven't gotten around to that yet.

Sorry if I seemed impatient or anything. I meant no harm. ^^; I guess the decision on mega-evos is left to Kaito now. So, we'll see~ @Hakuna: Oops, you are right. I thought Pokelord was done with the battle... ><

Miki smiled politely to the scientist and his Aggron. "Ah, it's n-nice to meet you, too, Flux and Ogre. It was... quite an experience to hear an Aggron's roar. I think it might be useful actually... Hmm... Well, I guess we shall l-leave you be too. J-just don't break it or anything. I d-don't think S-Silver, or a-anybody, will be too happy if t-this healing machine c-can't heal their Pokes." She laughed nervously, scratching her head with her left hand. Raito, in the meantime, ran up to Ogre and gave a "Jolt" as a friendly greeting. He looked curiously at the huge, metallic Pokemon. As Sarcus and Absolution walked out of the spa room, Miki snapped out of her nervous state and turned to the door. "Weapons? Ah, w-wait up you two! Come on, Raito!" She quickly ran out of the room to catch up to them with Raito trailing close behind her. Then, a few seconds later, she poked her head into the spa room once more. "Oh, I'm Miki, in case you didn't hear it before. A-And Raito is my Jolteon. Bye!" And just like that, she disappeared from view.

Welcome back Kaito! Here is a really brief description of the squads. I'll let the respective members post the details: Squad 1: On the second floor; Color currently separated from the group. Squad 2: Completed mission Squad 3: Also completed (with a bang if I recall)

*Pokes Flux* Don't leave Miki hanging with that question~ ^.^

Those words stung, but they were fair and, most importantly, they gave Miki a sense of who she is in front of other people. Those words have noted her strengths and weakness, something she could never learn by reading. The trainer also noted his flinch as he neared the end of his opinion. She can see that, even though he is a scientist who works with Pokemon, he cares just as strongly for them just like any normal trainer would. Miki nodded with approval at the scientist's response. "Thank you, s-sir, for your honesty. Y-You are right. I don't have c-confidence in myself, the only thing I am p-proud of in my life is my ability to retain knowledge from b-books. I thought that by reading, I-I would know everything. I have lived a sheltered life before being on the r-run. I thought I was strong and that I was prepared for everything, but I was not. A-And because of that, I also underestimated Raito's true abilities." The young girl turned to Raito and reached out her right hand. The Jolteon gave a suspicious glance at the scientist before he came and allowed himself a quick scratch. "Raito, do not blame him. H-He is quite correct. We have both lived a normal, happy life b-because Volkner had our backs." Her voice grew steady as she set her gaze on Raito's eyes. "When it was gone, it was you who r-risked your life to find food when we were running low. You knew how bad it actually was outside. Me?" She gave a chuckle. "I was never injured because you always had my back. I never actually experienced real pain, physically nor emotionally. And because of that, I also never knew your real strengths. I was all about the statistics before this experience... How much damage a Thunderbolt can do, what a Pin Missile can accomplish on a Zubat... I never took into account your willpower and your heart to fight against the Church. Those two things, those two critical things can help turn the tide around in this fight. And those two things are what I failed to account for when I gave myself away during the interrogation. That is what made me doubt myself and in you." She took her hand away from his ear and held it in front of Raito. "Raito, I'm sorry for my mistake. I should not have doubted your strengths from the beginning. I should have not given myself away because I thought that you would not make it. I should have realized your spirit in this revolution. I know now that we both need to be strong, and that means we might be forced to sacrifice one another to protect Team Dusk in order to create a better future. I do hope it doesn't come down to it, of course, but I am willing to do so to see a real light at the end of this hell. That is why we came out to Eterna after all. So, boy, will you help me fight alongside Dusk and be willing to do the same for me if that situation ever comes around?" The Jolteon faced Miki, his eyes looked solemnly into her brown orbs before he looked at her palm. After a silent, painstaking minute, Raito gave a grin and placed his paw in her hand. He looked back at her with the same determination that has graced his face when he decided on evolving and gave a "Jolt!" in response. Miki smiled. "It's a deal then. We promise we won't betray Dusk... for a brighter future." She got up and turned to Sarcus, Absolution and the other duo, her voice steady for the first time in front of people. "Raito is ready to fight, but I still have a lot to learn. As I said before, I have learned a lot from books, but never much from people. So it would do be a great honor if you guys can share with me some knowledge if we are ever placed on the same team." She pointed to the hall. "I still have to give my response of Silver. He's down the hall, on our right, I think. I saw him go that direction from where I was released. If you want, you can come with me and Raito." Miki then headed towards the door before stopping to turn back to the scientist. "By the way, I don't think I caught your name... Nor your Aggron's either?"

Miki didn’t turn around, but she did manage to listen and to the whole monologue as she puts herself back together. As Sarcus told his tragic past to them, her heart ached. She remembered how her parents and their respective partners in crime had stayed behind to protect her and Raito. Her parents had told them to run for their secret base and to wait for them there, but they never came. “They must have met the same fate as Sarcus’ parents. If that is the case, I hope you are safe now.” Wiping the last of her tears, she turned around just as Sarcus sat down next to an apprehensive Absolution. Miki wanted to give him a hug, but she decided against it and sat herself down a respectable distance across from him, folding her legs inwards to provide a resting place for her head. Raito, however, went to his side and issued a small whine of sympathy. He then turned around to Miki and gave a nod. Miki cleared her throat from the phlegm that had built up when she was crying. Hopefully, revealing her history will not only help Sarcus, but also help her find an answer to this decision. “I’m sorry about your loss Sarcus. I know how you feel. I-I really do.” She hesitated, waiting for a response. A small cry from her Jolteon allowed her to continue. “My family and I lived in Sunyshore City. We-we were p-pretty well off. M-My dad was a trainer in Volkner’s g-gym and my mom was a n-nurse at a P-Pokémon Center. We lived a p-peaceful life b-before Dawn’s influence spread to Sunyshore… Well, no,” she thought for a few seconds, “I-In retrospect, m-my parents were probably hiding this news… You know, to-to not worry m-me. I s-still remember my parents t-taking me to a secret cave every o-once in a while. I asked them what i-it was for and all they said was “I-It’s a secret base.” I didn’t think m-much of it at first, but then… Dawn came…” Raito growled at the name. Miki continued softly, closing her eyes. “I-It was 3 years ago. Volkner wasn’t as s-supportive of the Church as s-some leaders were. S-so, when D-Dawn f-found out, s-she came to punish him. He r-resisted a-a battle broke out… M-My dad j-joined him with his Raichu… And t-told my mom to t-take me and Raito a-away. W-we got our b-bags and our Pokemon before we l-left our house. We were on the p-path to the “secret base…” I’ll s-show where it is a-after the C-Church is taken down… Anyways, i-it was chaos… People were running and s-screaming. My mom and I were able to s-sneak out to the gate… But that was when a f-few acolytes caught us.” She took a deep breath, attempting to keep her voice steady. “My mom sent out her Charmeleon i-in order to set me and Raito free. Her l-last words were “Run to the base! Go! We will m-meet you there!”” Miki felt her body relax, as if a big weight has been lifted from her shoulders. She looked sympathetically at Sarcus and Absolution. “N-needless to say, t-that was the last time I saw my parents. I-I think they met the same fate as your parents for resisting. Sarcus, y-you were right, Dawn d-died. She is a monster now. I do want to punish THEM for doing this to us and really do want to join Team Dusk. I-I really, really appreciate that you two,” she gave a nod to her friends and the scientist and his Aggron, “don’t mind me joining. I really do. But Silver… he d-didn’t seem as l-lenient as you are. Would it really b-be okay?” She directed her question to the scientist. Miki knew Sarcus would have her join no matter what, but his argument came from his feelings. Is there a more rational side to this? She would get that part from asking him, no doubt.

True true. And Miki, Sarcus and Flux are still in the spa room. I'm currently writing a response to Sarcus' post. Then I'll wait for Flux's before I wrap it up and go see Silver. (Miki does have a general sense of where he went so yeah...)

I wouldn't mind. Miki needs to open up to people more after her 3 years of isolation. She has her Jolteon with her but it's not the same. ^^

Miki: o.o W-Why must you torture me?! Haven't I been through enough?! Screw that. Love will find a way~ *cue music* Okay, I almost laughed out loud in class when I saw that on my IPod. I can feel a shipping coming around the corner too. Hi Kaito! I look forward to working with you! ^^ Don't worry about not posting so much. Like you, I'm in college right now and I have finals next week. So, expect my IC posts at night.

Miki listened to the two guys, considering what each of them has to say. She was glad to hear Sarcus speak; it is one human voice she has grown familiar with. She felt comforted by his words of encouragement. The one in the lab coat (sporting a weird hairdo) seemed like a good person too; his words sounded very scientific and rational. Perhaps he's a scientist of some sorts. She was a bit intimidated by the Aggron at first, but since the Aggron never attacked them as she spoke (or when Raito was poking around), the girl assumed he is not a threat. She decided to address this scientist’s comment first with a chuckle. "T-Thanks, but it wasn't r-really anything. I-I, actually Raito and I h-heard Sarcus, so I t-thought it s-should be o-okay." She sheepishly replied. "Oh, R-Raito is my dancing J-Jolteon by the way. A-and I'm Miki Shizayuma, t-the Japanese girl Sarcus was t-talking about." The young trainer then paused, considering what she can say to try and make the scientist (she assumed), Sarcus and, most importantly, Raito understand her inner turmoil. With a sigh, she unveiled her true thoughts. "I do b-believe Team Dusk has the b-best chance to bring down the Goddess. A-after all I h-have seen in Eterna, i-it's enough to j-justify this organization's s-strengths. I do also w-want to take down the Church. I f-feel that it is wrong for D-Dawn to force her teachings u-upon us. And n-not only that, t-to force us to abandon an already great badge system and e-everything else to s-satisfy her o-own ambitions? It’s just not fair for the others, like you said Sarcus. B-But t-the problem lies with me." She looks at the others straight in their eyes. "Sarcus, Absolution, you and your Aggron, and of course Raito, you guys are s-strong enough to not give i-into desperation. You guys didn’t give into the-the temptation to rat out what you know a-about Dusk to save someone you loved. I wanted to do just that, w-when we were captured. I-I was so scared… I d-didn’t want R-Raito to be killed… It was stupid of me… J-just stupid! I d-didn’t think at all! I-If w-we were captured by the C-Church, I w-wouldn’t have been able to s-save anyone! Dawn would probably just use all the i-information I gave and have Raito and me killed regardless!” Tears threatened to cloud her vision once more. Miki struggled to control her emotions; her right hand clutched her left arm. “I-I am glad Silver gave me a c-chance to j-join but… B-but what if I did that again? What if I blurted everything out despite knowing the c-consequences? I was l-lucky that I didn’t know much Dusk n-now to give it away but now… Now… I-I just don’t want to e-endanger you guys either!” At that, Miki broke down crying once more. She turned to face the door to hide her shame.

Miki’s thoughts were silenced as she saw a redhead walked into the room. She stared numbly at the imposing figure towering over her. “Is this it? Am I dead?” But as she listened to him, she started feeling relieved. Her sobs began to subside as she tries to stifle them. Miki didn’t even feel threatened when he approached her to cut the ropes. The trainer watched his progress and mentally noted his eyes: They were cold, unmoving gray orbs, like that of steel. They were nothing like that of Sarcus’, which had a suspicious look in them, but she can still feel a bit of warmth. "Even so, I'm going to take a risk with you. Name's Silver, head of Team Dusk Covert Ops. This is not the Church, this is the temporary staging grounds for Team Dusk…” “Silver… How fitting… It matches his eyes.” Miki thought as the said person helped her up and led her to the hallway. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard “Dusk,” realizing that the rebellion is really upon her. “A temporary staging grounds? So… this must be one of the buildings Dusk managed to take from Dawn. This is really my chance.” But she didn’t speak, afraid that her voice will crack. So, instead, Miki listened and nodded politely to his words. Although Silver did offer her a chance to join in the fight, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of shame when Silver talked about her “willingness to sell us out.” Doubt began to cloud her mind as she considered her previous actions. The screams, the tears, the betrayal. She thought she was ready, but now? Is she ready to sacrifice her Jolteon to bring down the Church? Those thoughts began to gnaw at her as Silver left her. She watched him leave as she took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves once more. When she deemed herself calm enough, the trainer decided to turn to face in the opposite direction. “Well, first thing is first: I need to find Raito. Silver said he is behind the door down the left hallway…? Then,” she gulped, “My decision…” She walked slowly at first to get the blood moving, then ran the rest of the way towards the said corridor. “Raito?” Miki called as she opened the door down that hall. The next thing she knew, she was lying her back with her Jolteon’s beaming face looming over her. He then proceeded to lick her face and nuzzle her, calling happily at seeing his young trainer. Miki couldn’t suppress a laugh as she struggled to her feet, pushing Raito gently off of her. She then took Raito into her arms and embraced him in a tight hug. “Thank goodness you’re safe, boy. I was so worried! I thought Dawn had you!” Raito escaped her arms and gave her a disapproving gaze, offended at her comment. As if to demonstrate his skills, the Jolteon generated a few sparks of electricity from his yellow fur and barked a cry of defiance. "I'm not too sure how I feel about the fact that you were willing to sell yourself out, though. Have a little dignity. Would that Jolteon of yours appreciate you defying your own beliefs?" She sighed and walked into Raito’s room. She found a very comfortable room filled with pillows and blankets. There is even a bookcase with Pokemon related subjects. It reminded Miki of their Sunyshore home before they were forced to flee. Raito jotted to a nearby table and jumped to get her attention. Then, he made his way to his Pokemon bed and proceeded to eat his half-eaten Tamato Berry, observing his trainer’s reactions to this whole situation they are in. The young lady went over to the small table to find 5 Shuca berries neatly wrapped in a small package. “No way! They can help Raito survive those ground attacking moves. But how…? Those are so hard to find out here in Sinnoh now!” She looked around her before becoming absorbed into her own thoughts once more. “Dusk has a lot of resources, even more than I ever had. Of course,” she shook her head, "I won’t be persuaded that easily. After all, I don’t even know now if I can risk everything, emotionally.” She turned to where Raito sat; he was contently eating a big, red berry with a huge grin on his face. Next to him is her gray knapsack that she calls her trainer bag. Miki took the Shuca berries from the table and puts them inside. “At least, if I do decide not to join, I will still have something to protect Raito. Thank you, Dusk… And Silver, too.” Raito looked on as Miki sat next to her. Her bag is now in her hands and he is here, but she doesn’t seem as happy as he thought she would be. He thought Miki would be telling him the great news about how they are accepted into Team Dusk and how they are going to beat up those girls. Something is off, and he must find out why. He gobbled up the remainder of his Tamato berry and nudged her gently. Then he twitched his ear – a sign of his curiosity. After a few seconds, Miki turned to face her Jolteon. She knew that she can never keep a secret from him. After all, he is her only family left; what use is a family if you can’t even trust them? The Japanese trainer patted her Jolteon and gave a long sigh. “Raito, I know I said that we have to fight now. And we now have that opportunity. But… After what I did… And what Silver said, I really don’t---“ A loud roar suddenly echoed into the room. Both Miki and Raito paused until the roar ceased. The looked towards each other and, without another word, went straight for the door. ----------- Miki walked out into the hallway first with Raito trailing right at her heels. She looked left and right; there were no signs of alarm anywhere, which can only mean one thing. “There must be other trainers nearby! Perhaps,” she gasped, “Sarcus and Absolution!” She immediately turns to her Jolteon and pointed to down the hallway. “Was that noise from over there?” she asked, suddenly excited at the thought of seeing someone familiar. Raito nodded happily and began walking towards the noise. Miki followed hesitantly until Raito stopped in front of a room. She saw the Jolteon peer into the room and walked in casually. Then she heard a familiar, male voice: “…Have you seen a Japanese girl and her Jolteon? We arrived under similar circumstances; circumstances involving a bit of a misunderstanding and some potent tranquilizers.” “Sarcus! Absolution! I’m here!” She ran into the room. Sure enough, she found the duo to her left. To her right is a man in a white lab coat and an Aggron looming over the trio. “O-Oh! You’re h-here too!” Her awkwardness is coming back tenfold at the sight of a stranger. That must be a sign that she is getting back to normal. “I’m g-glad t-that you’re o-okay! W-we s-saw y-you fell and… and…” She trailed off as she saw Raito leaping around Absolution. “A-Anyways, d-did you j-join D-Dusk too? I-I want to j-join b-but…” She looked down at her feet as Silver’s statements occupy her brain once again. “I-I don’t know if I’m s-strong enough a-anymore… After w-what h-happened… A-and h-how I c-could have b-betrayed Dusk… For Raito…” ((EDIT: Will edit the spaces for clearer viewing later, I have class now))

Yes ma'am~ I will post once I get to school.

Currently waiting for Acqui's response for Miki. So nothing from my end yet. (And sorry if I spelled anything wrong, mobile Reborn forum isn't the best...)