(ELITE) The MAHOGANY Team

Before the Mienshao can even speak, he and the Persian both seem to notice something. They didn't have to wait long to find out what it was when the Mienshao said, "You're sweet to notice, but I think our game is actually over now." This was quickly followed by the Tauros backing out of the doorway, and the group inside was given a view of the new hostages and their captors. Heh, the two new guys had the same hair col-... holy shit the girl looks like a mini-Ariana. Even with Max's infamously terrible face recognition skills, she could tell that the young red head was likely related to the crazy woman. The older lady looked positively giddy over this haul, and that... was probably as close to a confirmation as she was going to get at the moment. Oh god, I hope crazy doesn't run in the family. Despite her usual aversion to looking at people in the face, the realization kept her staring at the pair of newbies for far longer than her typical quick glances. Following a random thought, she shifted her gaze to the male, but his eyes were different enough from Archer's that she quickly threw out the theory that these two were Ariana and Archer's children. Well, at least the guy wasn't.

Any further musing was cut short by Ariana practically gloating over the group of hostages,"So, we're all here again. I swear to God, if the dogs hear anything else, I'm going to just let them kill them. This is way too time-consuming." Despite being in this shit show, Max couldn't help but be mildly grateful that they hadn't had their fuck up later in the day. Ariana took the center stage with gusto as her Arbok slithered up to her, "All right then, everyone, listen up." As if I have anything better to do. The crazy redhead decided to better explain what was going on for anyone not from the region, "Most of you already know, but for the ignorant, we are currently standing in an old Hideout of Team Rocket's. While this was just the façade, the real Hideout is beneath us, and that's exactly where we're going. It'll be dark, cramped, and full of traps that are likely still functional, as most of them are triggered instead of electronically sprung. Archer and I know the way, but I suspect many parts of it have collapsed due to neglect and, you know, the apocalypse." Well, there was the confirmation finally about all the fucking traps. Assuming she wasn't lying, then they definitely had a better chance than tackling the Tomb of Horrors. Going through a collapsing building was not on Max's bucket list, and frankly, condemned houses unnerved her. So did cave systems and being in really dark places. In other words, she was going to have a great time. Horror games don't fail me now.

After that info dump, she chuckled as she shouldered the bag that held Grigori's pokeball and threatened, "I'll be keeping your leverage close to me, and you may use your own pokemon at our descretion. Any that surprise Archer or I and it's a bullet to the fucking head." Then, she added with a wink, "So don't." Part of Max was morbidly curious about which head she was threatening. The Pokemon Ariana held? The "surprise" Pokemon? Or the transgressing human? Figuring that the question would be unappreciated, Max held her tongue, but she couldn't help a certain image that flashed in her mind. She wouldn't want Grigori to get hurt; god she would never forgive herself if this happened, but the image of Ariana getting surprised when she let out an Aggron in a building with shitty integrity was sadistically amusing. Logically, she knew that they would all be fucked if that happened, but dammit she was having a moment. Max bit her lip to prevent any movement of her lips that would indicate what she was thinking.

Archer stepped forward with nearly military precision, "Your fellow hostage Fenix has already discovered some flashlights. There aren't enough for everyone, so if you already have one, we suggest you use it. Ariana will lead, various members of our teams will escort you in the middle, and I will bring up the rear. Be on your guard-- many of the traps that might still be down there involve captured pokemon, like Electrode, who may have become infected over the course of the Hideout's abandonment. I trust I do not have to explain why an Electrode exploding in the middle of a structurally unsound area is a bad thing." Max very noticeably winced at the mention of the Self-Destructing spheres and gritted her teeth at the image. It had been a few Geodude and Graveler... but the explosion had killed one of her Pokemon, heavily injured half of her team, and sent another on a rampage... She had gotten somewhat hurt too, but Kale had shielded her... Before her mind could wander too much, she nodded in grim agreement with the statement. No, she did not need a reminder about how devastating explosions could be.

When he finished his spiel, Archer then began to line the hostages up, and Max took that as her cue to finally stand up. Before straightening completely, she gave Misty one last ear scratch, and the pony gave her a concerned look that the human missed. Max was straightening the straps on her backpack as she was reminded of the heavy weight in her hoodie's pocket. Yeah... better move those batteries. Flashlight can stay though... When he finished lining them up, Max couldn't help but notice that he had very specifically put the two smallest people in the middle. While she wasn't complaining about that, since that included her, it was almost... strange. Usually you put the people in the middle who needed the most protection, and it only made sense that the smallest humans would need that the most. However, she hadn't thought that Archer would even bother with that consideration since they were all just meat shields to him. The New Guy next to her definitely looked frail; the apocalypse had obviously not been kind to him. Something about the way he looked very vividly reminded Max of Misty when she had first met the Ponyta. The small pony's ribs were showing, and she looked terrible. Though a big difference between the guy and Misty was that Misty had been terrified when she met her.  

Ariana looked the line up over and nodded her approval before starting back up, "For those concerned for your missing pokemon." Misty's eyes opened wide as she finally realized why Max had been so compliant, and the pony was terrified about which of her team-mates they had stolen. At this point, the redhead made her way to the once-hidden door and finally said, "Team Rocket has little need for pokemon they can't control. Especially since, you know, there's no Black Market to sell them on anymore. So really, once Archer and I get what we've come for, we do plan on letting you skitter away, your teams intact. Any questions?" There was always the chance she was lying, but there was nothing Max could do at this point. She had to take their word for it and hope for the best. She shook her head to indicate the negative. The woman heaved open the door, and several of the Rocket's Pokemon went ahead to scout. Seeing the ominous stairway reawakened her earlier panic, and Max's breathing hitched. She quickly bit her lip and gripped her hands tightly together as she sought to quell her fear of being underground in the dark in a dangerous building. Don't forget the potentially exploding Pokemon. And doing this with people she didn't know, at least one she didn't like, and a man that had immense leverage over her. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath as she imagined the ocean that was always within reach from home, and how she used to fly on Melody for fun... If she imagined hard enough, she could hear the crashing waves... Fenix's voice quickly drew her out, but she had missed the words said. Her heart was still racing, but at least now she didn't feel like crying. I have to be brave. I have to be brave...

(I really apologise for this but skip me. Daisy just complies and has no questions to ask.)

"So, the crazy begins, we're all here again. I swear to God, if the dogs hear anything else, I'm going to just let them kill them. This is way too time-consuming."

Charming.  Mars wills herself to not scowl.  Saturn is still clutching an arm.

"All right then, everyone, listen up." Kind of hard not to, when your voice is so goddamned loud.  "Most of you already know, but for the ignorant, we are currently standing in an old Hideout of Team Rocket's. While this was just the façade, the real Hideout is beneath us, and that's exactly where we're going. It'll be dark, cramped, and full of traps that are likely still functional, as most of them are triggered instead of electronically sprung. Archer and I know the way, but I suspect many parts of it have collapsed due to neglect and, you know, the apocalypse."

Mars drags a hand down her face with a quiet groan.  Why.  Why the hell are they doing this.  Nothing down there is worth this.  

"I'll be keeping your leverage close to me, and you may use your own pokemon at our descretion. Any that surprise Archer or I and it's a bullet to the fucking head."

Double charming.  This woman talks like a DC villain.  Except she's real and also probably her mother.

"So don't."

No fucking duh.  

Saturn bites his lip and stares at her.  Mars is losing her temper.  Hold it, Mars...

The man steps forward now.  He's less insufferable.  The tension in Mars's shoulders relax a little.   "Your fellow hostage Fenix has already discovered some flashlights. There aren't enough for everyone, so if you already have one, we suggest you use it. Ariana will lead, various members of our teams will escort you in the middle, and I will bring up the rear. Be on your guard-- many of the traps that might still be down there involve captured pokemon, like Electrode, who may have become infected over the course of the Hideout's abandonment. I trust I do not have to explain why an Electrode exploding in the middle of a structurally unsound area is a bad thing."

Saturn freezes when Archer begins to herd them into single file, cutting Mars off from him, but he shoves the fear down as hard as he can.  Now isn't the time to panic, especially not over something as silly as him being moved from her side when it was made very clear nobody was going to die right now.

He can do this.  He won't be happy, Saturn notes as he looks around at the others and realizes he's the second smallest there and probably the most frail, but he can do this.  Mars is just a few feet away.  

No, what he should worry about are the Pokemon.

"For those concerned for your missing pokemon."

Speak of the devil.  He forces his face to remain impassive, but his hands shake.  He folds his arms across his chest.

"Team Rocket has little need for pokemon they can't control. Especially since, you know, there's no Black Market to sell them on anymore. So really, once Archer and I get what we've come for, we do plan on letting you skitter away, your teams intact. Any questions?"

I could ask about the lighter...   Then again, that may be a terrible idea.  He's not sure who has it and he doubts Ariana would appreciate them taking time to search for it.  Besides that, there might be gas-related Pokemon down there.  A lighter would be a terrible idea.

He shakes his head.  Ahead of him he sees Mars do the same, her red hair bobbing a bit with the movement.

The Fenix lady, however, does have a question.  "You've got us all lined up here so tell me...Which end is the ass?"

Mars snorts with laughter, raising a hand to cover her mouth.  Wow.  The balls on this one.  Also, nice sense of humor.

Now please don't get us killed with it.

"You've got us all lined up here so tell me...Which end is the ass?"

Ariana gave a small, mocking smile to Fenix; she definitely needed to smack that pretty little smirk off of her pretty little face. Maybe slice it off, or smash it off with a hammer or club. "You are, dearie. Oh but you meant with the line? That's also you. So shut up now-- asses don't talk, they fart and shit and get fucked." When no one else spoke up, Ariana was relieved-- she was more than ready to just go one ahead.

The scouting pokemon returned rather quickly, each confirming that the starting hallway, at least, was clear. Ariana clicked on her flashlight and descended, the pokemon each taking their position around the group as she led the way down. Archer watched as they descended, quietly adding, "Do not speak unless prompted or there's immediate danger. Be careful where you shine your lights." As the group descended, he took the place behind Fenix and they were on their way.

It took a few hours of careful trekking to reach the first obstacle. One of the walls had collapsed, completely blocking the way. Ariana frowned up at the blockade. "Blowing it out of the way might make the roof collapse," she mused, Garmr sniffing it at her side. "Not really a way around it. Not a way under it. Maybe it's possible to dig through it, without completely destroying it?" She was more or less speaking to herself, but the quiet of the abandoned base made her voice seem louder than it was.

Still, she glanced back to the others, mildly annoyed that there was already an obstacle. "Sit there and be quiet for now while I get through this."

Archer watched the group as he leaned against a wall, wiping his brow free of the sweat that had accumulated. The abandoned hideout was humid and hot with so many warm bodies clustered together without ventilation. "Take this time to get a drink of water."

"You are, dearie. Oh but you meant with the line? That's also you. So shut up now-- asses don't talk, they fart and shit and get fucked."

Fenix scoffed at Ariana's attempted insult, instead rolling with it instead of letting the tiny spitfire think she was too in charge. "Sounds awesome, been a while since I got laid anyway." She uncrossed her arms and allowed the idiot to lead them down the stairs and into the tunnels, laughing to herself the entire way. It was so nice to see the boss-lady take the head of the group, it would make it so much easier to step over her rotting corpse when she triggered one of the traps down here and save Fenix the trouble of having to disarm it.

The first stage of the journey was mind numbingly boring, no one talking for fear of setting off Miss Priss or her pets, and even Sir Stick-Up-His-Ass was acting more controlled. Guess he didn't like being in confined spaces outnumbered by 'hostages' and under the thumb of the whore. Fenix was starting to wonder if they would even notice if she just stopped in the middle of the hallway and didn't follow. Actually....

Just as she was about to test her theory Ariana stopped cold and began muttering to herself, obviously distressed by the bit of collateral damage the hideout had taken during the plague. "Blowing it out of the way might make the roof collapse," Oh great, she liked to think out loud. "Not really a way around it. Not a way under it. Maybe it's possible to dig through it, without completely destroying it?"

The theme song to an old quiz game show started playing in her head as she watched Ariana mull about and Fenix couldn't stop herself from giggling. The answer was right there in front of her and she acted like she had no clue! "Sit there and be quiet for now while I get through this." Awww, she was annoyed! By her laughter or by the fact that she was too stupid to get through a minor obstacle? Both? Both was good.

Archer seemed to take the hint and branched off, leaning against a side wall and trying to cool himself. "Take this time to get a drink of water." His order was to the group but it seemed to be more for himself than anything else. Fenix simply shook her head and propped herself against an opposite wall, watching the group carefully. No point in wasting her water this early in the game, especially if she wanted to outlast the She-Beast.

Flynn, however, was not pleased with the confined state of their group. Ariana's Houndoom was panting and frustrated, reflecting the state of his trainer and leaving the Sylveon with a growing sense of trepidation. Which of them would crack first, he wondered. The hound or his trainer? He was thankful he maxed out his Calm Mind because he would need the slight advantage if things got out of hand down here. Fenix acting so aloof gave them another advantage, as the duo likely didn't expect the level of physical skill the human herself had. They probably believed her dependent on her Pokemon like most other gym leaders and trainers. But not the former Battle Girl. He had seen Fenix take on a Kangaskhan in the middle of an Outrage by herself, and win.

These two had no idea who they had chained to their backs.

Whatever Fenix had said had apparently amused or slightly pissed off the red head crazy; Max couldn't tell and wouldn't put money on either. Ariana mockingly responded, "You are, dearie. Oh but you meant with the line? That's also you. So shut up now-- asses don't talk, they fart and shit and get fucked." When the hell had asses been brought up? She looked down at the fire pony too see if Misty could elaborate, but the Ponyta was still looking at Max in concern. Max cringed when she realized that Misty had seen her moment of weakness; she couldn't keep letting that happen. She was supposed to be the strong one. The human tried giving a reassuring smile, but even she knew it looked forced.

Fenix snapped back almost jovially, "Sounds awesome, been a while since I got laid anyway." Someone is confident. Just the idea of backsassing people with power over her frightened her, and silence always seemed a better course of action with people like that. Less chances for them to get angry and hurt her to make her cooperate. As the old saying goes, "Don't poke the Ursaring with a stick."

Either in response to the comeback, or he just happened to time it this way, Archer commanded, "Do not speak unless prompted or there's immediate danger. Be careful where you shine your lights." Misty finally looked away from Max as they both nodded at the command, and Max pulled out the flashlight and pack of batteries from her hoodie pocket. She then shifted her backpack so that she could shove the batteries into the top of the bag before readjusting it on her back. The flashlight stayed in hand, but she wasn't sure how much she was going to need it with Misty standing next to her, and being near the center of the group. As she hefted it, she did take notice that it was decently weighted, and she had the thought of using it as a last resort club. If she couldn't have her bat, then this was the best she could do without resorting to her bare hands.

The scouting Pokemon came back with apparently good news, and then Ariana began leading them into the depths. Max gave one last, longing look out the windows before sighing and following the line. The darkness and closed in area did not help her mood, but she tried to keep her brave face in front of Misty. The Ponyta stayed close to her, and she clearly was as unhappy with this as Max was. Thankfully, the clear hallways at least meant that they didn't have to worry about an undead ambush yet.

The first leg of the trip ended up being a hell of a lot more boring than either of them could have imagined. They were both high strung for the first hour, but afterwards, the lack of anything happening and being forced to follow with no independent thoughts on what to do lead to both of them being bored out of their skulls. Generally when this happened, Max would almost unconsciously start humming or singing, but she managed to control this urge by simply mouthing the words of whatever happened to cross her mind at the moment. Every now and again, a very quiet hum would escape, but Misty would always nudge her to snap her out of it. As the songs went through her mind, she would think on the old stories that she used to make and played with the characters again. If she noticed anyone looking at her during these times, she would immediately stop for fear of being seen as unstable.

Fe fi fo fum, you better run and hide... The most recent song was interrupted by the first obstacle, and Ariana musing aloud, "Blowing it out of the way might make the roof collapse. Not really a way around it. Not a way under it. Maybe it's possible to dig through it, without completely destroying it?" She looked back at the group waiting and ordered, "Sit there and be quiet for now while I get through this." Oh wow, they had been recruited to help with this venture, and she was choosing to make them sit there and not help. Fine by her. She couldn't see an easy way around the problem at the moment, but usually more heads were better than one.

Archer leaned against a wall and wiped his brow, "Take this time to get a drink of water." Max had been feeling the heat, what with wearing a hoodie and standing next to a fire type with flames, but she had refused to take off her hoodie. Even though the ruse had been spoiled far too quickly for her liking, she didn't want people staring at her chest. The end of the world did at least make people consider their priorities, but her fear and cynicism was still there. No point in potentially tempting her captors either. She messed with her hood and lifted up her ponytail to let the back of her neck cool off, and she wiped at the sweat gathering there. She also pulled the front of her hoodie and shook it to allow the dense fabric to breathe some. However, she wasn't feeling thirsty yet, and there was no telling how long this venture was going to take, so she refrained from drinking from her canteen. As Fenix leaned against the other wall and also didn't get water, Max knelt down to eye level with Misty and silently tapped her bag. She was asking if the Ponyta needed any water, and thankfully Misty caught the unspoken question. The Ponyta shook her head no, and Max once again tried to give her a reassuring smile before leaning against the wall as well. The hard surface was cool against her back, and it allowed some of her heat to dissipate. Since her attention was still not needed, the song started playing again in her head. This time, she made sure her lips weren't moving. I smell the blood of a petty little coward...

Daisy cringes slightly at Fenix's sarcastic question. Sure, the woman has guts, but doesn't she know that sometimes it's smarter to not say anything at all? Of course not everyone can share her own motivations, but from what Daisy has witnessed in these past years, survival instinct is typically stronger than the need to mock one's enemies. The question of whether Fenix is unusually brave or especially foolhardy still rattles around in her head, and she has a sneaking suspicion that it won't be going away any time soon.

"You are, dearie. Oh but you meant with the line? That's also you. So shut up now-- asses don't talk, they fart and shit and get fucked." Charming... At least Ariana's vulgar response is fairly tame in the sense that she did not physically react to Fenix's sass. It could have been worse. As they are led into the Hideout itself, Daisy reflects on the irony that she, a Kanto native and friend to the very person who originally fought against them, was now right here in one of their old bases. "Life is strange" would be an understatement. Daisy takes a deep breath; she could very well never leave this place alive. How could anyone trust the word of a Rocket Admin? She cannot fall into fear just yet, though; there is too much at stake.

There are no words exchanged through the first part of their journey, making the passing hours about as exciting as watching the paint on a fence dry. If there's one bright side, it's the fact that nothing happening meant no immediate danger, and after awhile Daisy found it difficult to stay as vigilant as usual. She is not adjusted to her Pokemon being forced into their Pokeballs, nor traveling with a set path in mind. What Daisy would give to have Valjean sharing stories with her, or to hear Zippy's high-pitched chatter...it'd be a lot easier on her nerves. Cramped spaces like these only serve to make her feel like a caged animal. The heat of the hall does nothing to make Daisy feel any less trapped, and she must be pouring sweat underneath her coat.

After some time, the group came upon a collapsed wall blocking the way forward. "Blowing it out of the way might make the roof collapse," Ariana mutters to herself, making Daisy glance up at the ceiling; being buried under debris is certainly not what she had in mind for this day. The mere thought of suffocating, unable to claw her way to freedom, is enough to drop a metaphorical brick on her chest. "Not really a way around it. Not a way under it. Maybe it's possible to dig through it, without completely destroying it?" Interestingly enough, the woman doesn't ask for any of the hostages to assist her; is that not what they're here for? Perhaps she does not see this obstacle as being big enough of a deal to make the reluctant "tag-alongs" do the dirty work. "Sit there and be quiet for now while I get through this."

"Take this time to get a drink of water." Good advice for this awful heat, but upon checking her canteen, Daisy frowns. It can't be any more than half-full...with only this much left, she can't afford to waste it. Shaking her head slightly, she stows the canteen back in her coat, the dryness of her throat now becoming much too obvious. Well, it looks like she's stuck with this horrible heat and the constant threat of dehydration. Daisy wishes she'd gotten a chance to refill it before reaching Mahogany; it'd be nice to have something to combat the stifling humidity of the hideout. I'll have to keep myself from letting the dehydration go too far, though. Blacking out in this company...not ideal.

The beginning of this mandatory adventure is a lot more boring than either one of them supposed.  

Well... that's good, right?  Excitement would just mean danger.  This is good; boring is good.
Uuuuuuuuuuuugh somebody do SOMETHING I am DYING.

When excitement does come up, finally, it's a lot less dangerous than Saturn expected it to be.  He stares at the blocked path in front of them, flicking his eyes to Arianna.

"Blowing it out of the way might make the roof collapse." Kind of hard not to, when your voice is so goddamned loud.  "Not really a way around it. Not a way under it. Maybe it's possible to dig through it, without completely destroying it?"

Now that's an idea, but how to actually do it?  Does anyone even have any digging Pokemon in their parties? 

"Sit there and be quiet for now while I get through this."

Mars has to bite back a noise of outrage.  Really.  Really now.  Aren't obstacles like these the point of forcing them to come along on this fucked up field trip!?  If she was going to make them do that at least give them something to fucking do when a problem comes up!

But no, they have to sit and be quiet like children.  Mars puts her back to the wall and sinks to the floor, folding her arms across her chest.  Now she gets to sit here and contemplate gross thoughts like "why is my mom insane" and "is that actually my mother" and "how to convince your mother to stop being a piece of shit if she actually is your mother."

Saturn glances at the girl at his side, unable to help tapping his foot along to her humming before realizing the movement of his foot and stopping it.  Should he take a drink?  He might want to preserve that water for later...

Maybe next time they stop.  Or when he starts to feel a little lightheaded.

Ariana frowned and scowled at the obstacle as if it would actually break the damn thing on its own. Of course, physics and common sense dictated that no, pouting at a wall wouldn't break it. Archer watched his fellow former admin with an air of annoyance and glanced down at their hostages while she continued to mumble to herself. They all seemed perturbed, but again, they were taken hostage into a hostile, humid and frankly disgusting ruin to essentially works as flashlight-bearing meat shields. He wouldn't blame them for having a sour attitude.

Hell, there was a reason why he was never as cheery as his "partner".

His sharp eyes lifted from the group and returned to Ariana's surprisingly broad back as the clicking from her heels stopped. "Ok," she announced, turning back to face the group. "Blondie and the twink boy-- you two, take some pipe shards or something and dig through this. That's the only way we're getting past this piece of shit dry wall." She stepped aside and pulled her gun, actually taking a precaution since she was actually telling them to pick up a few items that could easily be seen as weapons. "Hurry up."

It seemed everyone was of a similar mind as herself at Archer's suggestion of water, which only made Fenix curious about the individuals around her. Of all of them she was the only one who wasn't sweating or near panting from the heat inside the bunker, in fact to her this was almost cool. Growing up and working inside a live volcano tended to build one's resistance against heat. The humidity was a bit of a bitch though, making her hair start to stick out in weird places, but that was about it.

So instead Fenix occupied herself by watching Ariana huff and puff and wish that she could blow the crumbled wall down like she were the big bad wolf. The faces she made were hilarious and more than once the blonde had to stop herself from giggling at the She-Beast's plight. It was still so obvious, as long as one had some grasp of how physics worked. But alas, Rocket probably only kept the smart people in the lab. Poor Ariana....

"Ok." Oh? Was there finally a plan? "Blondie and the twink boy-- you two, take some pipe shards or something and dig through this. That's the only way we're getting past this piece of shit dry wall." Guess not. Because that sucked if it was the plan. But Ariana was sticking to it and even pulled out her gun, likely as incentive, to get them to move faster. "Hurry up."

"You know if you asked about twenty minutes ago we'd already be through this and onto your next roadblock," Fenix muttered, grabbing a bent piece of a metal support bar and shoving it deep into the rubble pile. "Back up a sec kid," she said to the small blue haired boy, giving him a little wink. "Wouldn't want to hit you." Flynn stood up and moved around to see what his companion was up to with her little game and saw that she had planted her pipe near the bottom left of the pile. How exactly was that going to help?

Fenix stepped around the bar she planted and pulled back her leg, holding the position for a moment and giving Ariana a smile before driving her foot straight into the side of the bar and dislodging a large chunk of metal and concrete that launched a fair distance away and slid down the hall. The pile started to shift and rumble as the barrier attempted to keep its shape but eventually it started to collapse into the hole she made, the stability no longer there. With the weak point dislodged pile soon started to collapse further and further, spreading out until less than half of the original height remained and there was a large gap at the top of what was now more of a small mound than a blockade.

Fenix brushed her hands together loudly as she admired her handiwork, then looked around the room to gauge the size in comparison to the company. "The pony may have to squeeze a bit but there ya go. Have hole. Can we go now please?" Flynn tried to hide his shock at not only her bravado but with how far she was starting to push the buttons on her captors. Eventually they were going to snap and punish her, or her pokemon. She needed to calm down.

The wait for Ariana to finally tell them to do something was agonizing, and Max's mind was so far away from the present situation that she hadn't noticed that she had started humming until movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. The blue haired guy that was stationed next to her's foot had started tapping along with the song. He had stopped, as if realizing he had been doing it, but it also snapped Max back to attention to her surroundings. She immediately stopped her humming and pointedly looked away from the guy as she tried to control her embarrassment. At least she didn't get in trouble for it, but it was still mortifying that someone had heard her.

Finally, crazy red head announced, "Ok. Blondie and the twink boy-- you two, take some pipe shards or something and dig through this. That's the only way we're getting past this piece of shit dry wall." Wow... all that waiting for the most obvious answer, and she was only using two of them to do this. Max couldn't help but be grateful that she wasn't going to be doing the heavy lifting this time, but part of her was wondering why Ariana would have arguably the scrawniest person try to do this. Said red head pulled out her gun to allow no arguments or funny business as she ordered, "Hurry up."

Fenix appeared almost irritated with the situation and let everyone know about it, "You know if you asked about twenty minutes ago we'd already be through this and onto your next roadblock." The confrontational tone caused Max to almost freeze in place, and she beckoned for Misty to come closer to her. She knew that Fenix had gotten away with this so far, but she also knew that eventually enough would be enough. And Max did not want her or Misty to be in the crossfire if Ariana or Archer finally snapped. With complete nonchalance, Fenix picked up a long piece of metal and stuck it into the bottom left corner of the barricade, and winked at the younger blue haired male. "Back up a sec kid. Wouldn't want to hit you." She sent a cheeky smile to Ariana before kicking the everloving shit out of the metal, and that sent a rather large piece of concrete and metal flying down the hallway. Nice use of levers. That particular piece must have been integral to the barrier, for it's absence caused the rest of it to almost crumble apart. There was now a rather large gap at the top that everyone could squeeze through. "The pony may have to squeeze a bit but there ya go. Have hole. Can we go now please?"

Misty glanced down at herself at the comment and couldn't help but wonder if that was a fat joke or something. She wasn't that big. Max shrugged at the comment and stood up properly in case they were ordered to move, but she still hung back waiting for orders. She kept worrying about their captors getting fed up with Fenix, and if Ariana ordered something other than "go through the dang hole" Max didn't want to accidentally disobey it. She thoroughly looked the gap over as she tried to see if there would be any problems just shoving Misty through it. If it were just a bit lower, the pony could have attempted jumping through, but that was a risk Max didn't want to take. Who knew what was immediately on the other side?

(please skip me.)

Saturn shrinks in on himself a little when the girl has an obvious reaction.  Oh.  He must have... made he realize someone was listening.  Cursing his ineptitude, he shifts his body to face away from her as he waits for Ariana to end his misery by making some kind of decision.  

"Ok."

Both Saturn and Mars perk up, wary eyes watching the redhead.

Thank god finally something to do.
Shit did you finally figure something out?  Can we leave now?

"Blondie and the twink boy-- you two, take some pipe shards or something and dig through this. That's the only way we're getting past this piece of shit dry wall."  Wait, him?  Is she serious?

She pulls out a gun and he feels the color drain from his face.  Oh.  She is.  "Hurry up."

Fenix moves to obey, mumbling as she does. "You know if you asked about twenty minutes ago we'd already be through this and onto your next roadblock." Saturn moves to follow her, feeling lead gather in his stomach.  If Ariana gets tired of being sassed, he's right there in the line of fire...

Mars's eyes don't leave her friend as he joins Fenix in front of the blockage.  He starts to look for something to dig with, but Fenix's swift, purposeful movements give him pause.  He watches as she jabs the metal support bar into the rubble.  She stops for a moment, turning to address him.  "Back up a sec kid. Wouldn't want to hit you."  She gives him a wink, and he feels his face grow hot.

Fenix gives Ariana a shit-eating grin before slamming her weight on the lever, creating a chain reaction that opens a hole for them.  Saturn can't help but smile a little.  Huh.  Clever.  He'll have to remember that one.

"The pony may have to squeeze a bit but there ya go. Have hole. Can we go now please?"

Look, you have balls and I admire that, but how about you stop poking the fucking hornet when we're all trapped underground with her, eh? Mars stands up but doesn't elect to move any further, waiting for Ariana to say they can, watching Saturn closely.  He's impressed, but Fenix's comments at their captor has stolen the moment from him, judging by how his gaze is now nervous and locked onto Ariana.  He shrinks against the wall, waiting.  Mars tenses, waiting to see what the psychopath will do.

"You know if you asked about twenty minutes ago we'd already be through this and onto your next roadblock," the blonde muttered, earning an immediate glance from everyone in the room. Archer watched his companion warily, his own pokemon tensing in apprehension. Pretty little fire girl was toeing a very delicate line... Archer's eyes stayed on Ariana a moment, catching a glimpse of her expression, but not enough to determine it. This could be very badly. "Back up a sec kid," she said to the small blue haired boy, giving him a little wink. More sass, more acting as if she were in charge. This didn't bode well. "Wouldn't want to hit you."

She placed her pipe and used brute force in addition to leverage to carve a hole in the blockade. However, it had been Ariana's entire point to prevent it from collapsing, in case it was a load-bearing blockade. Both Rocket Admins flinched and glanced up as the dust fell from the ceiling, its support shifting and crumbling from beneath it. Queen opened her claws, as if she could somehow prevent the collapse, but the rumbling quickly died as the rest of the structure settled back.

Ariana brushed the dust off of her shoulders as Fenix took a surveying look at the hole and their party. Her eye twitched with the other woman's tone-- a tone of a confident leader. Her sass had been funny before, but now Ariana no longer amused. The dumb bitch had nearly brought the building down on them. "The pony may have to squeeze a bit but there ya go. Have hole. Can we go now please?"

Archer's eyes widened a little and he glanced to Tyranny, who immediately took a spot in front of the Sylveon, facing him in a defensive stance. Ariana took only a few steps to close the gap between her and Fenix, took the hand that was currently holding the gun and struck the blonde across her sassing mouth with enough force to put her to the ground. She glowered at the other woman in a silent dare to push her further, then said, "We sure can, you little cunt. Better keep that mouth shut though, or it'll do more than bleed. Got it?" With her eyes still on Fenix, she snapped and the two Houndooms went through the hole first, sniffing out danger. It wasn't long till they were back, lightly barking the all clear.

Ariana went through first, and the party continued forward. Archer took his place at the blockade and waved them through, person after person, until it was Fenix's turn. "That was reckless," he spoke quietly, then waved her through.

"We sure can, you little cunt. Better keep that mouth shut though, or it'll do more than bleed. Got it?"

He didn't know if what happened was the desired result but after the entire day poking and prodding at Ariana for reactions Fenix finally got one, and it left Flynn scared for his friend. Ariana barely gave the blonde a chance to bask in her triumph before pistol whipping her across the mouth and sending the slightly taller female to the floor with a thud. She lay there for a moment and the Sylveon crept closer to make sure she was alright, laying his paw on her her splayed hand before noticing her face. She was smiling.

Her face was pointed straight at the ground, hidden from view to anyone standing over her, but from his vantage he could see the smile stretched across her face clear as day. Blood dripped from her lips, thick and sticky with saliva while pooling in large drops onto the metal floor, but she was still smiling. The creepy expression sent shudders down the Sylveon's spine but he tried to keep his composure, lest he give away his friend to one of the other Pokemon in the small hallway, yet that didn't stop his concern from flaring even higher than it had been. Had she...had she wanted to get hit?

Little did Flynn know but yes, yes in fact Fenix had been hoping for that exact reaction from their so-called captors. The Cinnabar Gym Leader lay there for a moment to let Ariana think that the blow had actually done some damage before planting her hands on either side of her and pushing up off of the floor. As she sat up her mind began to catalogue every detail of Ariana's reaction. The blow spoke volumes about the ginger-cunt's state of mind and Fenix relished in the results of her experimentation. After all, the Devil is in the detail.

It had taken hard work but finally Fenix found either the right combination, the right limit, or the right button to get Ariana to actually react on her threats. More work would be needed to figure out whether or not it was the singular act of dominance or a combination of the days annoyances. But the reaction itself told its own tale. The fact that Ariana had a loaded weapon but chose to assert her dominance in a more direct fashion showed she simply wasn't fond of being undercut on her authority, that they were less disposable than she kept telling them they were.

Secondly, she used the gun hand while still holding the weapon to apply more force, implying that despite preferring the more dominant gesture she was worried she was too weak physically to actually do enough necessary damage without aid. Third, she kept implying rape jokes to their situation meaning she needed to feel like she had all the power regardless of her captives actual strength. Power through sexual dominance was a sign of weakness and it was one Fenix would be all too happy to exploit. Lastly, she was quick to believe that one simple crack of the whip was enough to put the pecking order back into alignment, that there would be no further rebellion because she showed her claws.

Poor kitty, she was about to learn the hard way that wasn't how things worked at all.

With her over-confidant attitude it was going to be much easier to slip things in unnoticed, as long as she feigned compliance to the She-Beast's whims. She stood up and patted herself off, spitting the last of the blood pooled in her mouth onto the ground before wiping her lips with the back of her wrist. Once Ariana gave the all clear the group began making their way through the now open passage, Archer standing guard and waving each of them by. He paused her for a moment, when her turn came up, and seemed to take special care to speak only to her. "That was reckless," he droned out in his bored monotone. "Only on the outside, babe. Only on the outside,"  Fenix said with a smile,  walking away without any further explanation.

Ariana's pistol whip knocked Fenix to the ground, and Max couldn't stop herself from flinching. She took a step forward as if she wanted to check on the downed female, but Ariana's harsh reprimand reminded her why she shouldn't. "We sure can, you little cunt. Better keep that mouth shut though, or it'll do more than bleed. Got it?" Afterwards, Ariana snapped her fingers and the pair of Houndoom went over the barrier to check the hall ahead. Max wasn't naive on sexual matters, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out Ariana's threat. It probably wasn't helping that she kept staring at Fenix and hoping the other girl was okay. Thankfully, the fiery woman eventually stood back up, and despite spitting out some blood, she didn't appear very injured. The blood was probably just from a cut inside her mouth and nothing more dangerous than that. At that point, Max released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

The hounds weren't gone for long and quickly assured Ariana of the safety of the next area, and then the group started moving through the hole. Ariana went first, of course, and Archer remained on the group's side as he waved everyone through. Max decided to wait until her appointed place in line came up for two reasons. One, she didn't want to break the status quo so soon after someone just got disciplined. Two, she was hoping the others would smooth out the hole so that Misty wouldn't have as many troubles getting through, and if the pony did have trouble, there would be someone on the other side who could help. When her turn came up, she motioned for Misty to go first. The Ponyta had to carefully pick her way over the mound, but with Max following behind her, the pair safely made it across. Then they moved to the side so that they wouldn't be in the way of the humans and Pokemon who still had to come through.

"Blondie and the twink boy-- you two, take some pipe shards or something and dig through this. That's the only way we're getting past this piece of shit dry wall."

"You know if you asked about twenty minutes ago we'd already be through this and onto your next roadblock." She is still mouthing off to their captors? There is a fine line between showing no fear and being foolhardy, and this was simply jabbing at the hornet's nest for no good reason. Daisy says nothing as the blonde woman, without the help of the blue-haired boy, brings down the barrier by dislodging debris that was apparently integral to keeping the entire thing together-without it, all of the supports begin to collapse. She tenses as the structure collapses and dust falls from the ceiling; that could have brought the roof down on their heads. Being buried alive is not high on her list of priorities, and thinking about it makes her feel sick to the stomach. This is exactly why Daisy had never been the adventurous type, especially not in places like Mt. Moon or the Rock Tunnel. Underground and her just didn't mix well. Well, on the bright side, it didn't actually collapse. Yet, at least...

Fenix seems pleased with her handiwork, and Daisy cannot deny that she has done well in opening up a path for them. But her frustration only keeps building as Fenix continues to taunt the Rocket Admins, her outward lack of concern striking a nerve in the woman who is nothing but concerned. "The pony may have to squeeze a bit but there ya go. Have hole. Can we go now please?" Does she want Ariana to finally snap and attack her? Speaking of said devil, Daisy watches apprehensively as the other woman strides towards Fenix, and winces slightly as the Rocket Admin pistol-whips the blonde woman with enough force to knock her onto the ground. Using a gun to strike somebody...that could've caused some sort of fracture. Daisy glances at Fenix with genuine worry, wondering if that blow had done more damage than what could be seen on a surface level. Even if she barely knows the other lady, the last thing Daisy wants is for anyone here to die at the hands of such a despicable, power-hungry person. She doubts they'll give her a chance to examine the injury anytime soon, or if Fenix would even let her do so in the first place. What could I do without my medical supplies, anyways? Fenix, for your own sake, please don't keep setting her off.

"We sure can, you little cunt. Better keep that mouth shut though, or it'll do more than bleed. Got it?" As they are shepherded through the newly-created pathway, Daisy reflects on the fact that this obstacle and Ariana's show of dominance are likely to be the simplest parts of this little "quest." She has to keep herself together. Her Pokemon are relying on her to get them out of this mess, after all...but that in itself presents an entirely different problem. Assuming they get through this unscathed, and Ariana somehow manages to stay true to her word, Daisy would be cut loose with the knowledge that two remaining members of the organization that terrorized her home region were still out there, free to work whatever loathsome plans they could still stick to. Would there be other hostages after her and these other people? Who else would be threatened, hurt, killed?

And just what did the two admins want, that they would risk venturing down into these trap-ridden, collapsed depths for it?

Both Mars and Saturn flinch as Ariana strikes Fenix with the gun.  

"We sure can, you little cunt. Better keep that mouth shut though, or it'll do more than bleed. Got it?"  

Oh, ouch...
Jesus lady take it down a notch.

They watch as Ariana sends scouts ahead to check, Mars contemplating the situation as the hounds howl the affirmative and everyone starts trying to funnel through the hole.

Hm.  Actually... that's interesting.  She chose to hit her, not shoot her...  There's seven of them: Redhead a'la crazy, stoic salty sidekick, volcano lady, shy girl, Ms Doctor, herself and Saturn.  That's not even counting all the pokemon.  If Ariana had just... offed the volcano lady, that still leaves six of them left.  More than enough people for whatever they might come across.

Why didn't you kill her?

Only two reasons for that.  Either you're not as comfortable with killing as you pretend to be-- which she does not believe, not for a second- or you actually do need all of us for some reason.

Shooting a glance at Saturn, she can see the gears turning in his head, the usually nervous young man quietly eyeing Ariana out of the corner of his eye, calm and calculating.

You need us.  Why?  Do you know about something in there that you're just not sharing?  Are we supposed to be death fodder for something?  

God he hopes not.

So, he considers as he crawls through the hole, Mars behind him, I guess in the end there really is nothing we can do yet.  Not when we still know jack squat.

"Only on the outside, babe. Only on the outside." Her bravado would have been commendable if it weren't so extraordinarily stupid. Still, Archer did not comment further, instead allowing Fenix to go through her accidental victory before himself. Once through, Ariana led the way further in.

Their old hideout was something the both of them knew like the back of their hands, but that knowledge was almost useless with how different their former home had become. Many of the pathways were in shambles, which didn't help that the first leg of their venture was little less than labyrinthine. Despite the dark, dank transformation of a place he'd spent a decent chunk of his life, Archer found some nostalgic comfort to see the occasional Persian statue still standing at their guard. He didn't linger on them too long, but it still gave him some small, insignificant fraction of joy.  

They marched. Hours, they marched. Small obstacles were dealt with, the occasional undead rat quickly disposed of, but for the moment, all seemed optimistic despite the slow, grueling pace. Much of the trek for their hostages was made on hands and knees as they were forced to dig into the filth and grime to make a better pathway for not only their captors, but their pokemon as well.

Currently, the group had been halted by another cave-in. Unable to go the other path that led through one of the more notorious traps in the hideout, Ariana had decided that going through a solid wall was a better idea than to deal with the other path or the cave-in. She had led them into an alcove that had once served as a break and storage room, the cave-in on the other side of the west wall. While the hostages dug and Ariana watched over them, Archer and a few of his pokemon did their own digging, pawing through old boxes of ruined supplies. There wasn't much there that hadn't been touched with mildew. It made Archer wonder if they were risking any respiratory dangers with staying down there without plentiful ventilation. He half wanted to look through the Doctor's bag for face masks.

Ariana, torn between the sadistic glee of tormenting her prisoners and the frustration of going too goddamn slow, was teetering on the thought of using one of the hostages as a chew toy. Her hand stayed on the leathery contours of the whip strapped to her side, its pliable, cool touch lightning to her senses. How she'd love to flog one of them now-- they had so many hostages, surely having one in constant pain wouldn't be all that bad? "Maybe you all just need some incentive," Ariana griped, pacing behind the digging morons. "First one to dig through doesn't get whipped. How about that, huh?"

[[let me know if I need to change anything.]]

Bad, this was bad, bad, bad, bad. Fenix's attitude had put Ariana in what seemed like and even more foul mood since the last obstacle and now the entire group was being forced to dig at the next one. Fenix had to keep herself in check this time to not so quickly upset the beast and that left everyone else feeling the brunt of her ire. Flynn could only watch helplessly as the humans worked tirelessly to continue on their journey through this god awful hallways.

He had tried digging alongside Fenix for a bit but had managed to only get in the way of the legs and arms of the other humans, the tall blonde eventually pushing him off to the side in favor of more room for herself. This left the Sylveon feeling very nervous as he could only watch Ariana's angry pacing and her fingers twisting around her whip. Devil woman.

Eventually it seemed as though the angry red head had enough, growling out a threat as the time passed by too slowly for her liking. "Maybe you all just need some incentive. First one to dig through doesn't get whipped. How about that, huh?" Fenix looked over to the younger ones in their small group and frowned heavily, angry that they should even have to fear such an outcome. Even the white coat seemed too delicate to withstand that kind of treatment. She paused in her digging and stood up to look at Ariana, not really trying to poke the hornet's nest but not wanting to let the others get injured either. "If you want to hit something, hit me. Hitting one of them will only make this take longer because they won't be able to move. Let them keep going. ...Please." God that last word tasted like bile in her mouth.

The next few hours led to some small inconveniences, and this time, all of them were on their hands and knees digging. As much as she hated the manual labor, it was at least better than mind numbing nothingness. Also, since Max wasn't standing, it was much harder for people, especially their captors, to notice that something was off with her. As they spent more time kicking up dust in the stagnant air, Max's nose, throat, and chest protested. It started off with a runny nose that she constantly had to wipe at, and that was followed by her eyes beginning to itch and water. Thankfully, her hands were busy enough to control the urge, and she knew the consequences of rubbing at her eyes. There was a tightness in her chest every now and then, and she tried to muffle each cough and sneeze into the crook of her elbow. If she couldn't move her arm subtly enough, she had to settle for her shoulder and hoped no one was too close. She didn't complain or stop, however, for she didn't count on her captors caring about her shitty allergies. Hell, for all she knew, they'd decide she wasn't worth the bother and off her. To help block some of the problems, she lifted her shirt up to cover her face and nose, and that seemed to help a little bit. The bad part was that it refused to stay up, and she couldn't afford to waste time with the crazy redhead stalking around them as if waiting to pounce.

They had run into another cave in, and instead of trying to go through the cave in itself, Ariana had them trying to dig through a goddamn wall. Misty was physically incapable of helping them with digging, so Max had the pony hang around behind them near the Sylveon. Archer and his Pokemon were pawing around their old hideout presumably for supplies, while Ariana continued to lord her position over them. Max's single minded determination kept her from paying much attention to either of them beyond that. Until Ariana got impatient and threatened, "Maybe you all just need some incentive," She was right behind them when she said that, and Max couldn't help pausing in anticipation of what the trigger happy redhead would say. Ariana then taunted, "First one to dig through doesn't get whipped. How about that, huh?" While Max had endured fights and been on the receiving end of some nasty attacks, a whip was something else entirely. They were meant to cut and inflict pain, and until this point in her life, she had stayed far away from those things. She never understood why some humans thought using them on Pokemon were a good idea. Despite the threat of pain, there was a strong sense of relief that if she failed, then it would be her taking the hit and not her Pokemon. She had mildly feared that the bitch would suggest casually killing their Pokemon or something. However, she didn't want to suffer more pain then she had to, so she tried digging at a faster pace. Her small hands did her no favors here.

When she heard Fenix begin to speak, she prayed to whatever god that might be listening that the fiery woman wouldn't piss Ariana off further. She was almost shocked to hear the woman plead for them, "If you want to hit something, hit me. Hitting one of them will only make this take longer because they won't be able to move. Let them keep going. ...Please." Max blinked in total shock and had to glance at her. Fenix was being genuine and was trying to take the brunt of Ariana's ire? While she was grateful for her trying to stand up for them, but she wasn't sure how their volatile captor would take it. God, if Ariana decided to beat the shit out of Fenix, Max wasn't sure if she could take it. A darker thought informed her that Ariana could just beat the shit out of the rest of them just to spite Fenix. Until this resolved, however, all Max could do was keep digging and try not to piss Ariana off. Of course when Max mentally decided this, her nose decided now was a great time to have a sneezing fit. She pulled up her shirt again quickly as she tried to muffle the sound, but the force of the sneezing almost had her curled up on herself as she weakly pawed at the wall to continue her appointed task.

The hours lying ahead of them could not be considered pleasant for any of the hostages, Daisy included. With most of the passageways blocked, they were often on their hands and knees, digging paths through the debris. It wasn't done for their own sakes, but for that of their captors, and it left a bitter taste in Daisy's mouth. Not once did she complain, however. She knew better than to dare to speak up against the Admins, and admittedly, it gave her a fleeting sense of satisfaction to stick to her code of shouldering through tough work without a complaint. At least these loathsome people couldn't take that away from her.

Still, the reality is that digging through this muck is no easy task, and though she hates to admit it even to herself, Daisy is not used to manual labor. While the term "delicate flower" is an affront to the woman, shame creeped forward every time she thought about how, this time around, it might be fitting. Her arms and legs both ache, and the dust covering the hideout is doing her lungs no favors. Daisy almost shudders at the thought of what this awful place was doing to her body; how could the Rocket pair think it was a good idea to shove people into this infested place? For what could have been the hundredth time, Daisy dwells upon what their end goal was here, only to throw away the thoughts in frustration. She has no information, not even the slightest clue as to what their true intentions were, and there is no way around it.

Their next roadblock is yet another cave-in, a word Daisy is starting to strongly dislike. Again, she and the other hostages are made to dig through a solid wall, the task coming along at an excruciatingly slow pace. Every second morphs into an entire hour with Ariana pacing behind them with that sadistic whip of hers; Daisy cannot relax knowing that, at any moment, the woman could choose to take out her wrath on any of them. Sure enough, it is not long before another threat is thrown their way; Ariana's impatience has grown to dangerous levels. Did she truly expect her likely-exhausted hostages to be able to get through an entire wall in a timely manner, or was she simply looking for an excuse to hurt them? "Maybe you all just need some incentive. First one to dig through doesn't get whipped. How about that, huh?"

Of course such a despicable, callous...bitch would utilize such barbaric, inhumane methods. Daisy can't remember the last time she called anyone that petty word, but this blatant disregard for basic human decency is enough to push it forward. While she's been through some significant pain in her lifetime, Daisy is well-aware that this would be something else entirely. Instinct tells her to dig faster, to avoid the pain, but doing so would leave all of the others at Ariana's mercy. No matter what, though, somebody is going to suffer. She bites down on her lip-what should she do? Try to outpace them and increase her chances of lasting through this journey, or intentionally let herself not make it through first?

"If you want to hit something, hit me. Hitting one of them will only make this take longer because they won't be able to move. Let them keep going. ...Please." It takes every ounce of willpower to not take her focus away from digging to look at Fenix. This has to be the first time she's heard the woman actually ask Arianna for anything; she is willing to take on that pain for the sake of strangers? Daisy...honestly admires the strength it takes to do that, if it is really her intention to spare the rest of them. However, that did not mean Arianna would accept her pleading. She might even do the exact opposite, in some petty show of dominance. Daisy could not predict what the red-haired woman might do, who she would take out her impatience on. Would it be the quieter hostages, or the one that had previously defied her?

However, at that moment, another one of the hostages grabs Daisy's attention. It is the girl with the blue hoodie, and though she has not said a word this whole time, there's something off. Her posture, and the way the girl could barely seem to keep digging-heavens above, Daisy knew these terrible conditions would lead to something happening eventually. If only she had a way to get to her supplies, or at least communicate with the girl to find out what was wrong.

(I hope it's okay if Daisy notices Max like that. I can change if need be, just let me know.)

Saturn didn't really think it would get that much worse from the first leg of their journey.  It was hot, and stuffy, and boring.  And their feet soon hurt.  Miserable, but nothing very stressful after the first hour had passed and stress gave way to dullness.  But after their first obstacle was dug through, things took a sharp turn downhill.  More problems popped up, and Saturn found himself wishing for the boredom back as he crawled on his hands and knees in filth, digging with his hands alongside the others to try to widen paths enough for the passage of the people forcing them on this stupid sidequest.

This latest one is the most gruelling, but at least he and Mars got to stay close.  It's not like they can talk, but there's a certain comfort from her being near, even if it's relatively small given their situation.  He can see her jaw clenched in sheer determination and is tempted to smile.  

She's decided she's gonna power through on pure spite.

Hearing Archer walking around in the background makes him wish that some of them could take a break and help him paw through whatever boxes he's looking at.  That would be a much easier job.

"Maybe you all just need some incentive."  Mars feels Saturn stiffen next to her and stop digging when Ariana's boots stop walking nearby.  "First one to dig through doesn't get whipped. How about that, huh?"

She's about to tell her exactly what she thinks of that bullshit when Fenix speaks up, and to Mars's great surprise-

"If you want to hit something, hit me. Hitting one of them will only make this take longer because they won't be able to move. Let them keep going. ...Please."

-she pleads for their safety.

... Noble.  But probably not going to work.

Time to take a more direct approach.

"Look," she growls, turning to look over her shoulder as she digs and nudging Saturn to remind him to keep digging.  "how about, as a personal favor to the person you admitted might be your daughter, and probably is because just look at our hair, that you don't touch anyone with that thing.  If you're gonna make us do this, at least don't torture anyone, all right?"

Ariana was not terribly surprised when Miss Blonde Bitch decided to stand, the demonic redhead's eyes flashing with glee at a possible opportunity to use her weapon and relieve some pent-up anger. However, she truly was surprised when the blonde's tone and mannerisms were so... submissive. "If you want to hit something, hit me. Hitting one of them will only make this take longer because they won't be able to move. Let them keep going. ...Please."

Ooooh, did she really have that big of a soft spot for the others? She didn't even know them. I do LOVE me a good martyr, she mused to herself as she ran her tongue over her upper lip. Though for such a sassy and independent woman, what made her want to throw herself to the wolves for a bunch of strangers? Archer watched disapprovingly from behind his fellow Rocket admin, shaking his head slowly. Two outbursts in a row wasn't going to do anyone any favors...

"Look," the tiny Ariana clone barked,"how about, as a personal favor to the person you admitted might be your daughter, and probably is because just look at our hair, that you don't touch anyone with that thing. If you're gonna make us do this, at least don't torture anyone, all right?"

Archer could only sigh in disappointment and continue working as Ariana strode forward to place a loving hand on her likely-daughter's head. "Oh, Sweetie, you just haven't seen how much fun it can be." Her eyes flashed to Fenix, her grin widening as she considered her options. Retracting her hand and placing it back on her whip, she looked the woman over and shifted her weight, cocking out a hip. "Tell you what, girls," she cooed, "Beg me, and I might consider not using my whip." She took another step closer to Fenix, removing the whip from its strap that attached it to her hip. "Get on the ground, Fenix, and beg me. I want you to whimper. Plead for my mercy. Kiss my fucking feet. Worship the filth underneath my boots. That might just change my mind."

Seeing as how this was more a power struggle between Ariana and Fenix, Archer took a moment to try and pull the tiny Ariana clone from the fray. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder, subtly trying to pull her back to her spot, but Ariana raised a hand to halt Archer while keeping her eyes locked on Fenix. "No, no, Archer... Let her stay there. Baby girl needs to know who's in charge." With a small sigh, he let his hand fall and he returned to trying to salvage something worth keeping, though he kept his eye on the confrontation. Either way, this was probably going to end badly.

Fenix watched and waited for Ariana's reaction, to see how she would respond to her 'correction' working, though she made sure to keep her gaze low in case Ariana took staring as more defiance. What she hadn't expected was the mini redhead piping up so aggressively. "Look, how about, as a personal favor to the person you admitted might be your daughter, and probably is because just look at our hair, that you don't touch anyone with that thing. If you're gonna make us do this, at least don't torture anyone, all right?" Wait... Ariana admitted that the pipsqueak was possibly hers? That there might be some attachment? Fenix filed away the revelation for later use.

"Oh, Sweetie, you just haven't seen how much fun it can be."

Those words made the foul taste of bile return as the blonde fought hard not to throw up at how aroused Ariana was getting to her own feeling of power. Disgusting bitch. "Tell you what, girls," she practically purred, voice dripping with ego. "Beg me, and I might consider not using my whip." Ariana kept moving closer to the fire gym leader until just in front of her and pulled out her whip to play for more chance at intimidation. "Get on the ground, Fenix, and beg me. I want you to whimper. Plead for my mercy. Kiss my fucking feet. Worship the filth underneath my boots. That might just change my mind."

Fenix's eyes narrowed dangerously, every instinct in her body screaming to just rip the woman's trachea out with her fingers just to see the look of horror on her face when she realized her mistake. But there were others to consider. Ariana had her pokemon out, one a deranged hound that was pitifully raised under a bad trainer, she had their pokemon in her custody, she had them in custody, so as much as she wanted to make the slut scream in agony now was not the time.

Flynn watched in horror as Fenix began to drop to one knee, head bowing low to keep Ariana from seeing her painfully grit teeth. The Sylveon had never seen the confidant trainer bow before and it made him sick to his stomach but he could only imagine what it was doing to Fenix. He wouldn't have known this but the intimidating blonde had only been brought this low a handful of times, though each encounter was by someone infinitely more worthy of her respect that trash like the Rocket Admin. But would it be enough to placate the vicious beast or would she demand more of the woman at her feet?