Marie started slowing down, looking around..she could hear the music..the music that she and Sarah play together..

Rosa leaned on the ground, she gripped her head and closed her eyes tightly, before opening them around 2 minutes later."I...I think it was...I think straight ahead..?

Rosa panted."Y-yeah, it's just getting harder to track it down, now.."

Marie kept marching forward...the music sounded like the ones from Sarah's 17 re- birthday party..

Up ahead, strobes of light could be seen.

Underneath Canalave Island

The bloody, bruised, and bearded Locke slumped next to the wall, covered in a patchy, thread bare poncho, chewing on some hardened bread, before the woman from before came back.

She stood in front of him like a giant, and said"Now, go get your water." She tossed a bucket at his feet."You know the course, other side of the island, get on moving."

He glared at her, but she cracked the baton next to his head, and dragged him up by the hair, tossing him forward."Get on moving!"

Locke sighed, picked up the bucket, and started running.

Rosa cuddled up against him for support.S-same here.

The music...oh Arceus, it was one of the ones from her wedding.. Thankfully, they started to fade, as Marie, who looked around and thought the cave was shifting, sometimes it looked brand new, others it looked like it had been there for a thousand years, turned the corner.

There, floating in a sphere, with four camoflauged people working around it, was an unconscious Celebi.

Iron Island

Locke got to the end of the path, his bucket full, and looked around. No one seemed to be around for now. He turned a corner, one very few might see, around the end, and ended up in a hollowed out place, boulders filling it.

Picking up a boulder at a time, Locke started clearing the space in front of him> He really wanted to beat Amida up, preferably with her own baton, but, he thought, looking up, not likely given how there were a hell of a lot more guards upstairs.

Bringing down Silver Foundations was probably a bad move in hindsight, seeing as how it led to this, he smirked,  but he didn't regret it.

There came a howling sound from behind him, and he quickly slipped out and sat with his back to the wall, slurping the water. Another woman, a blonde one with her hair all under a baseball cap, came in with a torch and baton in holster, a Houndoom in front of her."Hey!"

Locke held up his hands in defense, smiling at the woman and saying:"Hello, Emily." The woman smiled a little, and said"Hey, Locke. Sorry, have to run a security check." The Houndoom sniffed him and then came back to her, barking. She pulls him up by the hand, and says:"C'mon, we gotta get you back, sorry."

"Aww" Locke fake pouts, and she giggles a bit, as they walk off. He leans close to her ear."Any luck confessing, yet?" She blushes a dark red."You know I can't."

"C'mon" he teased."Worse that can happen is a no."

"Followed by a severe tongue lashing, worst case scenario." She looked at him with a hopeful look in her eyes "Could you.."

He snorted."I can't very well ask if  Amida if she's willing to be asked out by you in the middle of a torture session." She lowered her head."Right, right.."

She looked back up at him, sorrow in her eyes."Anything I could to to make this less...you know?"
He shook his head, and patted hers."Nothing that wouldn't lead to you getting punished too. Don't worry," he grinned, remembering the tunnel entrance, "I can handle myself."

Rosa harrumphed.Well, excuse me for being protective! And I DO have Heal Block, y'nk- she then  halts, and puts a finger to her mouth, shushing.

Marie looked around and saw a small tunnel, leading to the other side. Let's see if we can sneak up on them.

Rosa hugs back.It's okay.

Marie kept rapping on the sides of the walls, echoing, to see how much farther. She turned a corner, and one of the guys was only a little bit away. He was typing away at a desktop,  a couple more in front of him.

She turned to Jason."Now would be a good time for your Aura thang."

The ice smashed down on the man's head, laying him flat on the ground. Rosa raised her hand, and Psyshocked the other standing next to her. He tremored, and fell to the ground.

Marie grinned."Easy."

A man suddenly rushes out from the corner and smacks Jason with a metal baseball bat. He seems to be one of  the researchers, his hair unkempt, his eyes wild.

"JASON!" Marie rushes forward to stop the other man, but hee pulls Jason by the hair, and sticks a knife under his head as he faces the others. "Nobody MOVES!"

The man panted."This...was supposed to be...a quick..and easy job.." he shook his finger at them "until YOU came along and wrecked it all!" Unbeknownst to him, behind him the dials connected to the Celebi started to shift...

He then smirked."Thankfully, I still have.." he let Jason go and pushed him forward "THIS" He grabbed on to the Celebi, and in a flash of purple, astral light, he was gone.

Marie grinned."Yeah, about 2 minutes. Thank you for messing with his calibrations,, Rosa." At that Rosa turned her chin up proudly.

She and Balthazar both stood at the exact spot the man had warped from, their fists primed to knock him out."Join us."

Apartment, Castelia City

-Morgan Heiden opens her eyes as morning light shines through the window blinds. Normally she'd be starting work at the local center, but today is a day off. Still half asleep, she instinctively reaches for the alarm and is shocked to see a Zoroark's paw. She turns around as an equally groggy Ninetales looks at her.-

Dash: <Mornin' hun.> -licks-

Morgan: -fake pouts- <Dash! You let me fall asleep with the armband on again.>

Dash: <Sorry Morg. You're much cuddlier this way though.>

Shroud: <Now now, baby. It's Shroud in this form.> -She puts a paw around the gold fox.-

Dash: <What's today's plans, Shroud?>

Shroud: <I figure take the kids to the park, get some exercise. Maybe visit mom and dad. Call up the family, see how they are.>

Dash: <Sounds like a plan. Who's the trainer this time?>

Shroud: <I choose...you.>

-Shroud slaps an arm band on the Ninetales, who is suddenly a tall human woman with flowing blonde hair. Her trainer ID lists her as Diane Miller.-

Diane: -gently strokes Shroud, who zors in approval- You wake up the kids, I'll get dressed.

-Shroud pads down the hall to check on Nadia and Madeline.-

Hia Cave

-Jason chuckles.-

Jason:I suppose this is-

Senshi:~Mission Clear!~

Yeah.

-He hefts the man and begins to walk back toward.-

C'mon we can turn them in to HQ in a moment. And no Legend punching, Balthy. That never ends well.

Castelia City

-Lane, having returned to Unova and his gym, wanders about the streets of the city in his flame print suit.-

Lane:Heh...home sweet home...

Castelia City

-Lane is liable to find himself pounced by a Zoroark.-

Shroud: <Brother! You're back!> -slurps-

-Diane, walking nearby with Maddy and Nadia, facepalms.-