Hybrid Ascension: Ghosts of Lylat (Pokemon/StarFox Crossover RP #2)

[tangletail]

Ryan couldn't help but to feel sorry for Althea for being chewed out when the spy that had been roaming freely had been captured. In his opinion, the spy had been successfully captured without any real data loss, and all chances of his escape now had been reduced to zero. He also couldn't catch the insulting tone mentioned behind the woman's respectful voice, and common soldier like behavior. The fox did remain curious as to why the two would behave in such an odd way until the pieces he had collected from spy had been recollected by David.

 
He slowly turned around to follow him, only glancing over his shoulders once to glance back to Althea with a grim expression before looking back to the scientist. His eyes wondered over the carefully dismantled rifle as David continued to ramble on. He carefully picked up the barrel and gave it a quick look over as he sighed lightly.

 
“I don't understand why you would want the Demon Series technology, with your own unmatched weapons... but the scientist you want is Professor Leo Kalihari Cyrule. Or just Professor Leo... or Schrodinger's Cat... or Gravity Cat... or Parodox of Reality... they gave him so many nick names. He's a good friend of mine, and he was also the lone engineer behind the Demon Series... including this rifle. You two might become good friends in two seconds though. I've fired this thing once before. It's something else, it ionized a group of aperoids in a millisecond, and tore through a mountain side like it was nothing on a single round.”

[BusterBuizel]

David turned to Olaris, "So they have similar internet Memes on Lylat? If so, is your scientist friend amused while he's alive and dead? Would that make him undead? If moonlight is just reflected sunlight then wouldn't vampires burn at night too? And one last question: What is an Aparoid?"

[tangletail]

“According to him, the vampires are just a bunch of heliophobic sissies, who's bodies have never seen the light of day. And that they must fear being out in the day time because of their bodies slowly loosing melanin making direct sunlight hazardous,” the fox stated after a very blunt sigh. “They called him the Schrodinger's Cat because he ran several social experiments, one of which put his own life at risk in a situation similar to Schrodinger's Cat. I think he's amused dead or alive. Dying doesn't really bother him. You might love to work next to him, the guy is nuts. Nuts enough where the goverment he works for literally fears him changing his loyalty, or becoming a new andross, when really he doesn't have any intentions to. So... he's pretty much prohibited from leaving the research facility unsupervised, and he's only allowed to leave on some days. I'm not sure if that's his value to lylat or his sanity though.”

 
He then straightened up for a moment before slowly leaning over the desk heaving out another sigh as he tried to formulate a description out of words to describe them. “They are... creatures with an inconsistent form. They have the ability to take over machines, life forms, and mimic life. But they are technically not alive nor dead. Unlike the weird... bladed... monstrosities. Once a body is infected, it's pretty much infected until you manage to completely destroy it and the source. But... they are extinct now.”

[Otebon Albrecht]

Althea had steeled herself for discipline, but was caught off-guard by what actually happened. She had been expecting court-marshal, suspension, KP even; not being struck and thrown to the floor. But that was only the beginning.

She couldn't raise her eyes to meet Mikey's or Tanya's or the President's (a Pokemorph that she greatly respected) as they tore into her with their words. Only two things sustained her throughout her shame: her mental link to Ghost and her lack of regret. If given the same situation, she wouldn't have changed her actions one bit. But that didn't stop a stray thought or two from flitting across her exhausted mind.


How dare they call me out like this!? I captured the spy and did all I could. Our leaders fail in their duties to their followers. We don't need a figure-head to offer comfort, we need a General that will do what is necessary. Have they even read The Art of War? Go Rin No Sho? Bushido? They can't - NO! Stop that! That is too close to treason for comfort...

She had laid there, barely paying attention to the discussion about the finer points of Lylation culture going on next to her while she gathered what left of her dignity for what she knew what must come next. 
With weak arms and a weaker stomach, she struggled to her feet once more. Her cheek was beginning to bruise where Tanya had struck her, her side burned where she had collided with the ground, and the back of her head ached where it had impacted the bulkhead, but she forced herself straight and stared Mikey dead in the eye with all the dedication she could muster and saluted.

"Aye aye Captain," Althea said as though on a parade ground. She made a slight turn and repeated the motion for Tanya. "Aye aye Captain." She turned to the President and performed the full salute one last time. "Aye aye Mr. President. Permission to withdraw?"


Althea remained perfectly still, a statue in the leisure uniform of an ESFP officer out of the Marines.

[BusterBuizel]

"Permission granted. I'll transfer you to a different squad. Olaris, are you up for getting back into the furball?" the President glanced at the fennec, "We'll have your friend back to normal in just a matter of days. We've got the medication and expertise to do so now that we've learned a bit about Anthro biology."

[tangletail]

Olaris glanced over his shoulder, looking towards the president as he was addressed and turned his body to face him correctly. He seemed to have held a very confused expression to the “getting back into the furball” comment, but the expression was quickly replaced after hearing of his loves condition with something more nuetral, but secretly eccentric from the typical fox that everyone sees. His eyes did show a large amount of happiness as he made a quick response, “Thank you Buster. But if I may make a slight recommendation. The mission to Titania you had proposed, and I did mention a useful asset before. He actually has the full complete knowledge over the Demon Rifle, that David here is progressing with, and other weapons of the same series. I'd figure now would be a good time to retrieve him.”

[Otebon Albrecht]

Althea dropped her salute (and her link to the spy, now that he was well in hand) and turned towards the door. Taking the measured steps of a Color Guard Marine, she left the bay and went all the way to her room. Closing the door, she let her body lean against it. She let exhaustion rule her physical body as her mind wandered back down the corridors to Ghost, checking his vitals. Even with such a short time frame, he seemed to be getting better already.

One trouble being dealt with... the others... Althea covered her face with her hands. Stupid stupid stupid... Why'd you do that? Training? Disdain? Ugh... What to do? I don't think that Mikey or Tanya will be assigning punishments any time soon. They just aren't those kind of people. Tomorrow I'll have to go to the kitchens and ask to be put on the dish washer's roster for a week. That'll be good, useless labor for me.

Barely aware that she was still dressed, Althea stumbled to her bed now that she had a plan of action in mind. She somewhat flopped onto it and fell asleep, too tired to care about the lights. She did keep the presence of mind to keep Ghost in her mind however...

[BusterBuizel]

"I wish we could muster up the forces to do so," the President shook his head slightly at Olaris' comment, "Give the others a break, it's been a long day. We'll get your scientist back when we've got our star special forces back. You should do whatever you feel like, go see Tohaku, Ghost, or help David if you can. I'm interested in the capabilities of that rifle. If you'd like we can show you the new equipment the Federation is fielding. I think you've earned a place in the Federation. In fact, I have a plan for you, Tohaku, and Althea to be in the same squad along with a new recruit. I shouldn't really say 'new' she's been a soldier for quite some time. Nevermind, is there anything you need for me to do?"

[Otebon Albrecht]

Dreaming was always a magical experience for Althea.

Ever since the day that her psychic abilities had manifested, she'd had the most wonderful dreams. It was funny though, because even though she was older, her ability awakened at the exact same moment that her sister's did. She had always suspected that Kimiko had reached out to her that night and activated her mental powers, but she had no evidence. For days they had shared dreams and drifted through a void filled with light together, thinking it was the most normal thing in the world, until they had found the dreams of their mother and decided to take a peak.

That was when Althea learned about the privacy of other people's minds and why they should never violate the sanctuary of a person's most inner thoughts. That was also the day that Mother had purchased a Psychic dampener so that their minds wouldn't link during sleep. But that hadn't stopped the dreams.

Now, here in the barracks of a ship and with no Dampener, Althea "woke" into a familiar landscape of lights within a void. She knew that each pinprick of light was both infinitely distant but she could reach it with but a touch. Each and every point of brightness represented the mind of someone within her reach. Some she recognized because of linking with them previously, like Mikey's and Tanya's (both still colored from their emotions), the President's (firm and strong), Olaris' (turbid with worry about Tohaku, but focused), and the dim light of the spy. She'd hurt him more than he thought... But the one she was interested in was growing as she approached it. It was dim, it was dark, but it pulsed with life renewed.

It belonged to Ghost.

She hovered above the "bubble" of Ghost's mind, a hair's breadth away, and reached out with a thought. It was delicate what she did, not unlike trying to touch a droplet of water with a finger without having it move, but she reached out to Ghost's mind and touched it.

Hello Ghost.

[BusterBuizel]

In the pseudo-reality of Ghost's mind Althea's surroundings became swirled in a vivid green. Colors, scents, and emotions mixed around as the scene became clear. The whole cornucopia materialized into a forest of indeterminate location. She could smell the leaves, blossoms, and the crisp air around her along with the smell of grass to her right. She noticed a clearing beyond the trees where the slight outline of Ghost was sitting. She could hear a child's laugh and could see two other orange dots next to Ghost. As she approached Ghost took notice.


"Hello there sweetheart! Alyssa and Will missed you," Ghost smiled, playing with the two Vulpixes around him, "Isn't the war over dear? You're still wearing your battle dress uniform."


"Mommy, you look funny," Alyssa pounced on her and smiled. Will pawed at her foot and pointed up with his nose.

[tangletail]

The fox gave the poke-morph an appreciative nod, “Uh... nothing that I can think of really, and I appreciate the opportunity of being apart of the task force. But honestly, depending on how things turn out after this mess, I do plan on returning home. As far as that rifle, I don't know the technical bits about it. All I know was that it was a small piece of that cat's research. It shoots well, and obliterates everything.” The fox would offer a small shrug and then finally giving the president a salute before making his leave to the medbay.

[Otebon Albrecht]

Althea's first reaction when she saw the forest was irritation with herself. She hadn't meant to step into Ghost's dream. That was definitely classified as breaking into someone's mind. But then, that irritation gave way to curiosity and a child-like sense of mischief.

Well... since I'm already here, why don't I take a look around?

As she approached Ghost and heard what he said, she froze in what she could only assume was dead surprise.

Alyssa and Will? Sweetheart? Dear? MOMMY? With almost numb hands, Althea reached down and patted the heads of her... children. Alyssa and Will. Such beautiful names. Such a beautiful name for my daughter and such a strong name for a son... This is so wrong, but I can't leave. I have to know if this is a true belief or if this is a fever dream. I must know...

"Ghost," she said as she picked up Will and held him in her arms. "What was our first mission together?"

[BusterBuizel]

"Which one? The one where I charred my fur on the walking nuke or the time we went on the research rig in the middle of a sewage ocean?" Ghost smiled as Alyssa jumped back onto his head. There was a flight of fighter jets with a paint scheme of the UPF Flag.


"Daddy, what's that?" Alyssa looked down at her father.


"Fi-2s. Daddy flew one a while back. Those are the Patriot Angels."


"Are they fast planes daddy?" Will turned to Ghost, still within his mother's arms.


"Very fast buddy," Ghost smiled to his son.


"I wanna fly one! I wanna fly one!" Alyssa jumped repeatedly on top of his head.


"What do you say dear? You think these kids could try out for the JSFP? What's wrong Althea, you look like you saw," he chuckled, "A ghost."

[Otebon Albrecht]

Althea dropped her eyes. So he remembers completely. This is no fever dream. He's completely lucid. Then there's nothing to do but continue the game. She looked up at Ghost with a smile that encompassed her entire face.

"More like a specter. A shadow of what could be." She looked down little will in her arms and rubbed her nose against his. "Who? These kids? These little tykes could do anything they want. Fly Fi-2s? They could become the best pilots that the UPF can put in the field." Althea laughed as she hugged Will to her chest, but it couldn't last. She looked up to Ghost with as serious an expression as she could manage.

"Ghost, this is a dream. You've been injured by a Lylatian spy. I'm told that you are stable and will be back on your feet soon. I kept the mental link we held when you and I went after the saboteur and I was checking in on your dreams. I apologize for stepping into them. It is an unforgivable offense to invade someone else's mind. I simply had to check in on you and make sure your mind was intact."

[BusterBuizel]

"I know..." Ghost smiled as he put Alyssa down, "I let you into my mind myself. I wanted you to see that I was okay. Remember how Dark types like myself can chose to let psyonic frequencies influence them? When I'm dreaming I like to play along and believe it to be real, if it was realistic. But somehow I'm not in control of these little ones. Usually I have complete control of my dreams, but I can't complain. I truly love them," he picked a long blade of grass and started to tease Alyssa. She playfully pawed and bit at the elongation leaf, "Do you believe in Deja Vu Althea? Do you believe that, someday, this might actually be real?"


Alyssa giggled as Ghost rubbed her fur. Will yawned as he grew drowsy in his mother's arm, ears drooping forward.