4.5th blade [Action; FOURTH WALL EVENT]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[The first change Veronica noticed was in her hands, specifically the tips of her fingers. The needles; the ones that injected the paralyzing poison that also fought regenerative effects. They were back, sticking out of the tips of her scarred fingers just enough to be noticeable if you were looking right at them.

Everything was back. Her eyes were seeing in infrared again, her muscles were already feeling stronger. The urge to just... jump up and down with joy was not one Veronica felt before, but dammit all if she wasn't excited about this.

She had to get out.

Everything seemed brighter somehow, as she walked down paths and streets, feeling what little snow there currently was crunching underneath her boots. It wasn't that cold, she had her cloak on. She didn't care about it anyways, she was too happy about this.

She wanted to do so much. Breathe fire, jump off a building and land unharmed, fight with any foe and come out on top.

But, for now, she'd settle for slicing through the trees that dotted the random routes like they were butter with the multiple swords the poked out from under her cloak. She'd also even do a little training with her Pokemon. Sword fighting with her Honedge, some hand-to-hand combat with Greninja. They seemed just as happy to see Veronica in such high spirits.

There was also an urge, almost overwhelming, to fight someone. She missed doing that, and there was no way that she'd let this moment go to waste.]

Comments

[organloaner]

Adorea was taking this all in stride to be sure.

She'd arrived in a strange place and was accompanied by a strange creature. Lost and adrift she moved through the forest like a ghost with a blue squidlike creature hanging off her shoulders.

She was still wearing her school uniform so it stood to reason she'd gotten lost walking home from school...but where had this creature come from? It didn't seem to be making any move to hurt her though. It just draped off her shoulders like a backpack.

Her bandages bristled as she came across a stream and she paused to consider if it was best to follow it upstream or downstream. The creature took this moment to climb up her and spring into the air splashing into the water happily.

Tilting her head thoughtfully she watched it wondering just what the doctor would have to say about this thing....maybe she'd created it?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[There was nothing about today that would have brought Veronica down. She could just feel somewhere in her guts that today would be good to her. Who knew what would happen.

She walked briskly down the path, making headway much more quickly that before, and not just because her abilities were back. The world seemed... a bit smaller, in a way that she couldn't put into words.

Her musings came to a stop though, as she looked up and spotted someone ahead of her on the route. The first thing she noticed were the bandages wrapped around every visible body part, then the black hair that spilled out of the top, then the Tentacool, playing in the water...

...Was that?]

...Adorea?

[organloaner]

Hmm?

[Turning in the direction of the familiar voice Adorea's bandages shifted again and her voice was pleasantly surprised.]

Oh hello Veronica, how are you?

[As if it was just any other day]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

A... Adorea...

[As emotionally shy as Veronica was, there was no stopping the smile that spread across her face. Her Honchkrow, Ako, had to watch in confusion as her trainer dashed forward and wrapped her arms around the bandaged woman.]

A-adorea... you're here.

[She wasn't dreaming. It felt way too real.]

[organloaner]

[Adorea had to admit she was surprised, but pleased at the embrace. She slid her own arms around the shorter girl and hugged her close she was warm and still smelled faintly of their home. The subtle scents that only someone with heightened senses could pick up.]

I am here. I don't know where here is, but I am here. It's nice to see a familiar face.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[The scent of home was a missed one, one that brought up memories that had seemed so distant a few days ago. A surgery room, a large manor, weird friends and enemies...

Veronica took in the scent hungrily. She missed it.]

Yeah, it really is... [She let the hug go on for a little longer before she broke off, looking up at the woman's face, or where it should have been.] Uhh, it's a long story. So, this world... [She gestured to the area around them, probably.] Isn't our world.

[organloaner]

[Even with her bandages in place, someone who knew Adorea like Veronica did could feel her gaze.]

Are you OK? You seem distressed.

[Despite the hug being broken Adorea remained close enough that they could reach out and touch if need be.]

It's a nice place wherever it is.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

...Well, it's just that... [It was moments like this that Veronica found herself unable to call out the right words. There was simply too much to say.]

Uhh, yeah, it's pretty nice around here. It's going to be winter soon, too. But...

[she shifted from one foot to another.] I... I haven't seen you in months, Adorea. Or Fran.

[organloaner]

Oh...

[And just like that there was an air of weight between them. Veronica may have never been the most sociable in the house but everyone knew her all the same and Adorea had grown particularly fond of her during their time spent in school.

Without another word she stepped forward and hugged Veronica close again]

I'm sorry that happened to you. I would miss you dearly if I were taken away somewhere for months.

[Adorea rarely exaggerated, so these words were earnest and heartfelt]

[action]

[unkinder]

[While Nagi may not be looking for a fight himself, he's come to find himself just as invigorated by the feeling of his powers being back. There are so many things he wants to do that he cannot think of one thing, and the random teleporting that keeps happening isn't helping him to be able to make a decision. None of that matters, though. What matters is that he has his telekinesis back, and all he can really think about now is taking Dist and Kato's test again.

So he hadn't actually been planning to go to the forest today but...here he is. Very suddenly. His Abra is with him at least since he had been lounging on his shoulders. Even though the teleporting keeps happening, he hadn't been expecting to teleport to a place where a massive tree trunk was hurtling right for him.

It's a good thing his reflexes are just as good as they always were, because the tree suddenly grinds to a halt in midair just a centimeter or two shy of Nagi's face.]

[action]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[The tree trunk did seem to come right out of the blue, didn't it? Veronica hadn't planned on throwing the plant, per se. Only letting it get sliced into planks of wood to further her impromptu workout.

Silence, until a voice speaks up.]

...Uhh...

[It's likely familiar, and Nagi wont have to wait long before Veronica reveals herself, poking her head around the floating tree stump, and looking pretty sheepish at the moment.]

Sorry about that.

[action]

[unkinder]

[Nagi holds the trunk there for a moment, watching Veronica out of the corner of his eye. Then, he carefully lets it down to the ground, placing it neatly off to the side.]

Apparently more individuals here have abilities than they let on.

[action]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Yeah...

[eyeing him now, especially with that display of psychic skill. She walks over to the trunk and with one swift motion, plants the sword she'd been using deep in the wood and sits herself down.]

I guess you're some sort of psychic?

[action]

[unkinder]

Yes.

[It's not something he would have gone around telling before, but now she's already seen it. It can't be helped.]

For as long as this world allows, anyway.

[Nothing about suddenly getting his powers back makes any sense, but he's not going to question it.]

[action]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

And, from what I've heard, it's not going to allow it for long.

[She inspects one of her hands; terrible scars were painted on it, and a needle stuck out of each fingertip. She had missed them, in a way.]

So, I want to try and make the most of it. In any way possible

[action]

[unkinder]

[Hahaha that's not what he wanted to hear at all.]

It isn't going to last?

[action]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Someone told me that this sort of thing happens twice a year, and only for a few days.

[She scowled, pulling out a dagger from her cloak to inspect it.]

Which mean, then, we're going to lose all of this soon. And we can't do anything about it.

[darker_alice]

It never failed. She settled down one place, she would find herself in another. Alice tired of this, but always found that exasperation balanced with a curiosity of the things around her. Commonplace never sat well with her, so she started by dusting off her stockings and walked around, a moment later finding she had a curious creature following her.

It was something like a dog, but with odd darker color that started at the top of his forehead and extended a little past his neck. He growled at Alice, but found that the girl simply stared until he stopped, and then a moment later he was walking alongside her, looking tough as ever but no longer trying to intimidate the girl.

"Now where am I say," she said aloud. "Do you know the way, pup?"

No answer, of course.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Veronica's training was quick and ruthless. Slice a tree apart, move onto the next one, maybe do some kicking and punching in between. Her Greninja, that had just evolved recently under her training, watched from a safe distance, transfixed in his trainer's movements like a ninja watching its sensei work.

Something happened though that caused her to pause. A voice; it wasn't too far away and her ears could pick it up perfectly.

Looking up, Veronica noticed as Alice came near, the younger girl not even bothering to sheath her blade.

"Uhh, is something wrong?"

[darker_alice]

"I am here, for one thing," Alice said, raising an eyebrow at how nonchalantly Veronica seemed to take Alice arriving in such a fashion. Her Poochyena, noticing the other Pokemon, let out a low growl, but did not seem more aggressive than that. Alice already knew Veronica, and somehow the Pokemon seemed to sense that much.

"Keeping yourself busy? You at least seem more familiar here."

[stitchedupbodyguard]

"Uhh..." A blank look greeted Alice. There was no way that Veronica knew who this person was. She'd never been to a mirage universe or something like that. Her Greninja sensed her confusion, and moved slowly to her side.

"Yeah, I have...." Blink blink. It was almost possible to hear the gears turning in her brain. "Have we met before?"

[darker_alice]

That look was unmistakable: clearly Veronica did not know who she was, and that made for a strain in things. It looked as if she would have to play this by ear. She looked down at the strange creature that seemed to be in tune with her, and then back at the woman.

"You are someone I know, in another place," she said. "Perhaps you can help me. Can you tell me where I am?"

[stitchedupbodyguard]

"I do?" She found that extremely hard to believe, given who she was. Although, that may have just meant that this person was an associate of Fran. That was the only reason she could think of that made sense.

Getting onto the point at hand, it looked like another new person was in need of help. "Then, you must be new." She nodded. "Well, it's not an easy thing to explain, but... you're in another world."

[darker_alice]

"Yes," Alice said, with such a severe look of assurance that Veronica was not likely to doubt what Alice was saying. Alice felt every reason to be so adamant: she'd spent enough time in the asylum consumed with doubts to her sanity.

"That's easy enough to understand," Alice said. "It is not the first time I have been moved from one place to another with no notification. It would help to know what the nature of this place is, as well as the creature who is following me."

[stitchedupbodyguard]

"...O-okay then." Alice's adamant nature was a bit intimidating to Veronica. It was an odd sort of feeling, kind of like looking at her own reflection.

Which was indeed very odd.

She didn't understand what Alice meant by that. "Not the first time?" You were very unlucky, girl. Still, she had to do her best to help this person out, it seemed like the right thing to do.

"Well, this is the Johto region. And, that creature with you is a Pokémon." She gestured to her Greninja. "They're the animals in this world, and you're supposed to train Pokémon to do whatever you want them to do."