Requiescat In Pace (Open/Mod)

[Victor Von Doomstein]

A peaceful autumn day. It wasn't long after Thanksgiving. Garci was offered some decent respite, some nice R and R away from Era and back home in Hoenn for a week or two until after Thanksgiving. He was guaranteed a way back home right on the day of Black Friday so he could get a good head-start on the shopping spree shenanigans. It was the usual tension with him and his dad, a tension that quickly melted away into a heartwarming reconciliation. They finally seemed on good relations, and to Gaston, Garcian was well on his way to becoming a young man.

It was only of a slight disconcerting to him that Garcian had decided to keep exploring Era. After all, what sorts of problems could have cropped up? He was enjoying himself, he was learning quite a lot. He was especially proud that his son managed to evolve the supposed 'burden' placed onto his shoulders - what Garci at first considered to be an annoying little earwig soon grew on him, as she evolved to become a majestic creature, bathed in flames. However, what did concern both Gaston and Grace was the rumors of growing tensions in Era. They weren't aware that it would all reach quite the volatile point eventually, and it would be too long until they'd get to see their son again.

As Garci stepped back onto the welcome docks of Wharfenfair, he sniffed the ocean air appreciatively. He was back in a region he found himself growing increasingly used to. He continued to pity the deckhands and laborers - not only were they forced into these jobs, which he felt that nobody could derive any pride from, but they probably couldn't explore Era for all it has to offer. Sure, it was a land torn in tension, but it had all of its beauties. He even got to meet quite a few friends, something he, upon landing in the region, believed could not even be a remote possibility.

His promise. He couldn't forget his promise, Garci uttered to himself. He had to go visit the Bronzong again. In his week spent during Hoenn, he encountered Psychics. Testing himself against them, he managed to actually bridge a coherent mental connection. Something about proper mental connections interested him. Maybe it would make a neat parlor trick to show his friends, or it just felt right. Whatever the case, he decided that the very first thing he would do when he landed back into Era would be to visit the old bell again, and that Swablu friend of his. He was almost certain that the Tower would be just as he left it.

The day he figured it all out, he was kicking himself for how incredibly wrong he was. He heard the news. He didn't want to believe it for himself, but he heard it all. It was a good three or four days after Black Friday, and, in spite of his incredulity, he was incredibly apprehensive about seeing the tower only a few days after the blast. No, he'd have to bring a particular party of Pokemon to the Tower.

The weather that day was decidedly dreary, indicative of just how good of a day it'd be for Garci and his team. It wasn't a long trek from the hotel. In fact, he remembered it as the exact same one he stayed at before and after his first trek to the tower. Now, it would be a mourning. With him, he brought several Pokemon who shared memories of the tower. The timid Plusle and her Minun brother, Linn and Tomas respectively. Lightburst, the tender-hearted mother figure to the 'twins.' Thanos, an old and wizened Klinklang who has taken years of time after being shipped from Unova, and likely has very fond memories of his life in the tower. Bellator, who fought his first few fights within, and Lexus, his oh-so necessary translator, and an invaluable companion.

All at once, Garci sent out all six of the Pokemon in his party. Upon seeing the collapsed tower, Tomas and Linn held each other and quivered, confused and frightened by what they saw. Lightburst, ears lowered, looked intensely saddened, shaking her head and wiping away what tears were manifested by seeing the display. Thanos's gears began to churn very slowly as he contemplated everything. He remembered that he was the one on the topmost floor. He remembered every minute detail, and now he could see the top of the tower, crushed and collapsed against the floor. Of the Pokemon in Garci's party, he took the biggest blow, though showed no signs of it.

Bellator crossed his arms. He felt no real sentimentality for the place, barring the fact that he fought there. It was a secret sorrow - the first major area of his initial brawls as a Pawniard was now mostly collapsed. Lexus shook her head slowly, floating from side to side of Garci. "I don't understand why this had to happen, Garci.." "I don't either. They said in the news that they could not track the one who blew the tower and the Commerce District up. The newspapers and tabloids are just spewing out names and accusations as to who could possibly have triggered.. this."

Something else dawned on him. Garcian was quick to remember that he encountered the Bronzong and his Swablu companion at a high point in the tower. This was.. horribly foreboding. Approaching closer to the tower, he got on his knees. Not quite the praying child, he stared up at the ruination and clasped his hands together, hoping for the safety of those two Pokemon who just managed to get away. Lexus remained close at his side. Bellator continued to stand where he was - he wasn't attached to the place, remember?

Linn and Tomas were both being held together by Lightburst, who carefully guided them. At this point, they were each beside themselves with sorrow. The worst part had been that, the Plusle and Minun, still being innocent Pokemon, would likely never have much a concept for why the Tower was demolished now. Lightburst knew, though. She already had an idea that only humans could have ended up causing damage of this scale.

Thanos's gears churned and clicked. He reluctantly swayed forward, though closer to the tower than Bellator, further away from the rest. <What purpose could any of this have served? To what end could destroying this place, a haven for many Pokemon, have served?> Thanos questioned this, primarily to Lexus. He knew, at least, the birds would be free to perch on the higher floors. But this did nothing to soothe the fact that his beloved home was absolutely ruined.

<I don't know, Thanos. This was a human machination. We can tell that much, but..> Suddenly, Bellator allowed for some input. <It was going to happen. The place was a relic. Nobody needed it.> Growling disdainfully, Thanos looked down at Bellator for a moment before turning back to the tower.

Garci continued to look down, bow, keep his hands together, and shake his head. "No.. Tell me they're alright. Please. I just need to see them again. See that they're safe. That'd be enough."

[Jay]

The area was void of any sings of pokemon. Where there might have been the chirping of flying types, there was a deathly silence. Where there might have been the sight of a few young pokemon playing, there was nothing but destruction and rubble. The stench of death was prominent. The pressure in the air was heavy with loss. There was no life in the area, none what so ever.... Suddenly the sound of a struggle hit the air. Some rubble shifted, and an extremely wounded Pidgey had forced his head up from the rock and cried out in startled pain. He had been unconscious for what had felt like a long time to him, somehow, but now that he had come to, he was afraid. His startled cries were now breaking the silence, at least.

[Victor Von Doomstein]

Garcian, still feeling somewhat broken, immediately got up upon hearing the wounded cries of the Pidgey. To be honest, he didn't have much a penchant for the things. They were loud, obnoxious, got feathers all over the place. Most Pokemon, had he been in a situation within the Clock Tower prior to this, he would have simply ignored and continued on. It was the sort of mentality he adopted when he entered the region, and it was the sort of mentality he maintained even as he returned after Thanksgiving. However, times were different. Everything was different, to him.

To see some life at all in this tower, to all of them, was a miracle. Garci was convinced that whatever Pokemon surviving fled after the blast. Though hoping for survivors, even faithful Lexus had her doubts. Bellator, of course, didn't seem to care either way. This wasn't any time to start counting fatalities, though. In most normal circumstances, Garci would have found relief a waste of effort, but he gradually found himself enamored with the sprawling life of the region. Hurrying to the rubble, the party moved close to the Pidgey. "Someone needs to get it out of there!"

Hurriedly, Garci pulled away at the rubble. Lexus released gentle flames to melt some of it to facilitate the Pidgey's escape, while Linn, Lightburst, Tomas, and Thanos watched on. <Is.. is he alright?> Linn meekly asked. <I wish I knew.> Lightburst retorted weakly.

The moment after they cleared away the rocks, Garci hurriedly reached into his suitcase and removed a Super Potion, carefully spraying at the wounded bird. Lexus looked to the Pidgey and decided to ask. <Are you okay? How did this happen - did you see?> While concerned about the little bird's well-being, she was filled with questions about the whole atrocity.

[Jay]

The Pidgey did his best to get free, but his exhausted body was still far from strong enough to pull out even as some of the rubble was moved away. Nearly falling forwards when the area had been cleared, the small bird was fighting for consciousness. The administered Super Potion gave the Pidgey a bit of energy back, but he still felt so weak. At the questioning, he looked towards Lexus and did his best to find the words in his still very frantic mind that would explain what had happened. However, he ended up falling into stuttering instead. <I...I...the... tower.. fell... boom... smash... falling....hit....everything...everyone...and...all ...I...it... tower... clock...> were only a few of the slur of words that escaped from the small bird.