>>37634228
What the fuck is this
What the fuck is happening

>>37634282
Yeah, sorry. Got pulled away at work and couldn't finish the OP. Here it is:

>>>>

The 'shrew trills a bit. "I'll take that as a yes. Sprig, how about your kiddo?" She gives a happy song in response. Apollo seems excited too. Volts, well, he's the only one that completely understands your words...

"WE ARE HEADING INTO DANGER, YES?" You confirm. "YOU COULD SAY... RIGHT INTO THE DANGER ZONE?"

You groan. "Not that song again, Volts. Please? You had it on loop for an hour already..."

"I WILL NOT APOLOGIZE FOR GOOD TASTE."

You sigh, "I need you guys to take this seriously. Especially you, Volts. You know what we're heading into." You get to eye-level with your team and let the gravity of the situation fill your voice and posture. "This'll be dangerous, alright? TITAN wants us to suffer. They want to stop our way of life: they want to take you away from me and everything we care about. You guys care about each other, right?" Quiet, but you think they're getting it. "Right, well I damn well care about you guys. I honestly love you all, and I'm not letting TITAN or anyone else fuck up the good in the world. They want to be gods? Fine. They want to take the world on their shoulders? Fine. We'll bring it all down on top of them: the world, the sky, and everything we hold dear. We'll do it for us, for each other... And for all the people and Pokemon counting on us. Everyone that was hurt or died because of TITAN. Alright?"

Noises, barks, buzzing... You even hear Erwin give a "Hell'eah! Hoo!" from the front. You smile. "TITAN will be dangerous, alright? Dangerous, but no where near as dangerous as we'll be. Let's kick some ass!"

Ness's voice buzzes over the ship speakers: "Excellent points, Grey. Well said." Her tone doesn't match her words, but when does it ever? "ETA twenty minutes until landing."

You hunker down and wait.

>You'll be moving up on the tower by flying or riding Pokemon. Your choice.
>Flying
>Riding

File: 1388731774835.jpg (384 KB, 1000x1050)

384 KB JPG

>>37634412

Voting periods will be 10 minutes usually, with votes during high-stakes, "react fast!" events taking 5 minutes. I will wait 10 minutes here, initially, so that people can show up.

Write-ins are always welcome and, actually, I try to reward them when possible. Creativity, flexibility, thoughtfulness... All important things to consider when you're in the middle of guiding Grey through this quest.

If you have any questions or concerns at any point in the quest, please feel free to voice them. That said, let's try not to shitstorm in thread. That hasn't been a problem with this quest and that's because you guys, the playerbase, are the shit. Keep up the good work.

Useful shit:
Twitter: @TheHeraldQM
Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=herald
Document link: http://pastebin.com/wPmrDbds (embed)

Here's some strawpolls. Please vote:
http://strawpoll.me/3341184 (embed)
http://strawpoll.me/3391511/r (embed)

>>37634412
>Flying

>>37634412
>Flying
>Jump out before we crash the heliship into the tower

also FUCK YEAH!
also also get on DJ you butt

>>37634412

You, Erwin, and Ness decided that flying in the last stretch on the Skarmory and Pidgeot would reduce the risk of early detection and retaliation from TITAN. If you could sneak in and then destroy or disable the tower with little warning you'd be fine.

ETA 5 minutes.

You think over better times, simpler times, happier times... Basically, what little you tasted of the good life before TITAN. That's what you're fighting for, right? To get all that back.

ETA 2 minutes.

You miss Dani. You miss Mittens. You hope they're doing alright.

Landing.

The ship settles onto a clear patch in central what-used-to-be-Georgia, northern Southern Shores. You gather your team together, return them, and then stride down the ramp with a purpose. Erwin and Ness follow, with Ness incapacitating the pilot mentally before exiting the ship herself. Erwin releases Nickel and Pidge. You note that the Skarmory is large enough for two people to ride astride, one sitting behind another on the saddle. The Pidgeot? Well, someone is going to have to be elected to star themselves into the harness it carries off of its chest.

You chuckle a bit. "Erwin? Any recommendations on who gets to ride harness?"

"Ehhhn. Either of you do't? Any volunteers? It's not bad, and Pidge'll jus'n follow Nickel."

>Volunteer
>Ride Nickel with Erwin

>>37634554
Wasn't trying to ignore you, but I had already started on the update.

>>37634657
>Volunteer

>>37634657
>Volunteer

>>37634696
Nah it's fine. pretty sure people wouldn't wanna wreak the heliship anyway. I've just been playing WAY to much just cause 2.

>>37634657

You decide to volunteer. Erwin gives you a thumbs up and introduces you to the rather-imposing bird. Not your first time seeing a Pidgeot, as they are one of the more-common carrier-birds that people use. No doubt, Pidgey are rather ubiquitous, so it's easy to catch one in a sense. However, raising one to a Pidgeot can be a rather long process, wheras training up and bulking up a Fearow is faster in many ways. Pidgeots are praised for their ease of temperament and intelligence relative to the fierce, aggressive Fearow.

Getting an up close look you get the distinct impression that this bird is beautiful, no doubt, but also capable of ripping your face off or working up a hurricane should it feel inclined.. Pidge's plumage is shimmering, sleek, and yet also intimidating. The dark outlines of her eyes and various contours only emphasize the sleek musculature of her body The body of a predator. And her wingspan... It's huge! What a large bird. Still, smaller than Nickel by quite a bit.

"Ready?" Erwin asks, petting down and reassuring his old friend of a bird. You nod to him in response. "Then le's get'yah strapped in nah, 'kay?"

Erwin guides you through the process of looping harness around your legs and waist, securing quick-release buckles and ensuring nothing's tangled... Finally Pidge begins to rise into a hover, allowing you to get the full harness secured and properly positioned.

"An'when she's innah air completely, you just pull'n this, al'rah?" Another thumbs up and then Erwin gestures with a whistle. Pidge begins to rise into the air. Your feet lift the ground. This... Much more than being with the confines of a plane, lifting up like this while suspended from the belly of a bird? This is amazing!

>cont.

>>37634899


You give the hitch-n-lock a sharp tug and your legs are drawn backwards, towards the tail of Pidge. She gives one final, huge flap of her wings and you start moving forward, banking into a tight circle as Pidge soars upwards... It's like you're flying yourself! This is awesome!

You watch from the stillness amid some thermals as Erwin and Ness take to the skies on Nickel, her slim metallic wings beating in a blur against the air.

Time for an air-raid.

>Skim the tops of hte trees, have some fun
>Soar into the sun, taste the atmosphere
>Try something fancy
>Click on the headset you grabbed. Chat up... (Erwin? Ness?)
>Write-in

>>37634906
Do a barrel roll

>>37634906
>Skim the tops of hte trees, have some fun

>>37634906
>Click on the headset you grabbed. Chat up... (Erwin? Ness?)
Chay up Ness.

>>37634906
>Time skip to getting to the tower

I love how no one has agreed with anyone.

>>37635046
I agree...

>>37634906

Green needles and the broad leaves of nut trees form a green sea below you. You feel a small moment of weightlessness as Pidge flaps, comes to an apex, and then begins to angle towards the ground. You pick up speed. The wind flows past you and you laugh into it: you shake the hair out of your eyes and you laugh a whooping, joyous laugh. Nickel's like a silvery dart, beating her way through the air by force. Pidge? Pidge is soaring, gliding through the air with wings wide and body taut, feathers dragging just enough for a controlled descent. You pick up more and more speed as you near the canopy of the forest: broad-leaves of nuttrees and thick carpets of needles lay before you. Pidge pulls up just a bit, angling her tail and wings in order to arrest your downward motion. A couple small flaps and you're skirting the forest... If feels like you can almost reach out and touch it. Maybe you could reach out and grab a pine cone or two! You laugh again.

You spot a flash of yellow.

"BEEDRILL!"

A large, angry bee: stingers at the ready, wings a chitinous fury. It darts right for you, and you yell at Pidge to do something, anything! Maybe she doesn't...- Her wings tuck in, and you feel a horizontal motion that's sharp. Your body pulls outward, rushes inward; you suck in some deep breaths as you feel your world go topsy-turvy..!

You come out of the tight spiral, Pidge unfurling her wings with a loud. threatening cry. You look back and see the beedrill missed you due to that barrel roll. Unfortunately, it's picking up speed and aiming for you again. Seems it still wants a piece of Grey-flesh. Well fuck if that's happening today!

>cont.

File: pidgey____pidgeot_study_b(...).png (717 KB, 800x641)

717 KB PNG

>>37635156

"Hey, NESS!" You flick on the headset, a bit of static filling your ear as you scream into it against the wind. "I got a beedrill on my ass! What should I do?"

You hear Ness muttering into the wind, perhaps at Erwin."There is a beedrill on Grey's ass. I believe he needs medical attention, Erwin./"

"No, no! Dammit, not literally on my ass: it's chasing me!"

"Ah." You hear her voice in the background once more: "It is not physically on his body. It is chasing him." Then back to you: "Erwin suggests getting behind or above it, then gusting it down."

>Shoot it down with a well-placed shot from your sidearm.
>Rise up, gust its bitch ass out of the skies
>COBRA STALL! Then gust it down.
>Outrace it.
>write-in

>>37634906
herald we need you

>>37635196
I'm right here bby. What's wrong?

>>37635170
>COBRA STALL! Then gust it down.
this will probably be my last vote for a while, my lunch period is almost over.

>>37635170
>COBRA STALL! Then gust it down.

>>37635170
>COBRA STALL! Then gust it down.
Watch the trees...

File: theusualsuspects.jpg (194 KB, 680x1174)

194 KB JPG

>>37635170

You call out to Pidge and explain, in the best way you can manage right now, that the Beedrill is behind you. You need to get above and behind it, then knock it down. Pidge gives a raptor-scream in response. You're... honestly not sure if she understands. You just hope for the best.

You throw a glance behind you and see the Beedrill coming up on your tail. They can't do distance or endurance, sure, but Beedrill can do bursts of speed. They're like tiny drones of hate-fueled death. Yellow bastards...

It's almost on you. Might as well try something you saw in a movie once: "Pullup! Stop! PULL. UP!" And Pidge does: you're pressed against her form, forces wrapping about and crushing your body as Pidge flaps into an immediate full-stall, tail and wings beating against her forward motion for just a second. You watch with darkness creeping into your vision as the Beedrill skirts past you, zooming by... And just like that, Pidge falls out of the impressive stall and goes back to chasing. With some strong flaps she gets some altitude...

You cough and drag air back into your lungs. You're right above and over the Beedrill, which is trying to bank on you. Now's the time, and you say so: "GUST! Now, Pidge! GUST!"

The Pidgeot beats a harsh, slicing wind into the treeline, catching the hornet and sending it violently into the trees below. You did it! Good job!

Time to catch up again...

>cont.

>>37635437

Pidge finds Nickel and goes into another climb. once more, you rise up and then set into a steady, controlled dive to pick up speed. The rush of wind greets you like a new friend, and you let the anxiety in your stomach come undone.

You're getting onto the tower now. Let the show begin...

>>>>

The Tower has two main parts: the tower itself and a compound nearby composed of two auxiliary buildings and one larger, main building. On the whole, nothing is that large. It's all rather unassuming. You figure there will be some posted guards, right? There has to be. Also, assuming some things, you imagine you can either disable the set-up in the compound or bring the whole fucking tower down to make this work. What'll it be, Grey?

>Go after the compound, fight your way in
>Focus on the tower, play defensive while you tear it down

>Go for the guards, let the others work on the signal
>Go for the signal, have Erwin and Ness cover you

>Write-in

>>37635466
>Go after the compound, fight your way in
>Go for the guards, let the others work on the signal

>>37635466
>Go after the compound, fight your way in
I figure we been defensive enough...time for some wrecking

>Go for the signal, have Erwin and Ness cover you

>>37635466
>Go after the compound, fight your way in
>Go for the signal, have Erwin and Ness cover you

>>37635466
>Go after the compound, stealth your way in
>Go for the guards, let the others work on the signal

If we can dispatch the TITAN personnel before they send off any messages, then we shouldn't have to worry about unwanted interruptions while we bring down the tower...

>>37635466

Your low-altitude flight takes you over the crest of the treeline and... there it is, the fucking compound. The damn tower is a huge lattice and guy wire-supported structure, at least half a mile tall. You decide on taking out the compound: less chance of serious collateral damage and, well, you won't have to deal with knocking over a fucking tower.

"Compound! I'll take to the front entrance and bust my way inside. Erwin, Ness? Cover me an good luck! Meet you inside once you've mopped up!"

You encourage Pidge to hit the ground near the compound, and you come racing in... Shit! Gunfire! Pidge takes a rougher descent, weaving about and shrieking as projectiles whiz past. You're close enough to the ground, now, and stopping completely is going to leave you wide open... You have to stay mobile. You tense your muscles and pull the two quick-release cords simultaneously, the harness coming undone with a few snaps. Just like that, you're freed and hurtling to the ground. You take your fall into a roll, getting a bit filthy and banged up but escaping serious harm. Pidge flaps up, banking around and upwards to do some passes on the opposition.

>RUN FOR THE ENTRANCE AND TAKE COVER!
>QTE! ENTER THE COMMANDS!
↑! ↓! →! B!

>YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES!

>>37635942
↑

>>37635942
↑!

>>37635942
↓

>>37635942
→

>>37635942
B

>>37635942
these time limits are bullshit man
jus sayin, not everyone is paying attention to the thread

File: WOMBO COMBO.gif (292 KB, 239x167)

292 KB GIF

I'm going to give it to you guys!
Admirable effort! Great job!

>writing

>>37636015
Eh. It's an experiment and I totally agree. No worries, okay?

>>37635942

There's some scattered vehicles and some fiberstone barricades set up around the entrance. Perfect! Why> Because you need some fucking cover on those shots coming your way!

(Up: Success!) You push your legs into the ground and take off, body pumping and legs burning. Left, right, left, right.. A bark of gunfire hits off and you dive behind the hood of a truck...

(Down: Success!) You keep low, listening for the gunshots and the ricochets off the metal hood. You draw your own rifle, thumbing the safety off and running your index finger along the trigger. Adrenaline's kicking in, now: time to kick some ass! You roll out and into the cover of a barricade. A few more shots go off, hitting the dirt where you just landed. You pull out Volts's container and release him, asking for a spot and a distraction. Without a word he bolts up and over the barricade, jack-hammer casing pulled in close to his form. Bullets go after him and bite into the metal but there's little to no effect: can't shoot a ghost, asshole!

"ONE O'CLOCK! LOW ROOFTOP!"

You give Volts a thanks and peek over while the shooter's distracted. With a few testing shots you get close, then you nail one right on his form, near his shoulder. Pierced or not, he's down for now. You take the chance and jump over the barricade.

(Right: Success!) You stick to the right where the cars and barriers are thickest. There's a loud, terrible cry from the air above you: you look up and are forced to shield your eyes as a terrible beam hits the building in front of you.

On instinct, you dive away and curl behind the safety of a thick truck tire. There's a large explosion that rocks you to your core. You take a few breaths and urge your body back into the fight, though you're shaky to rise and have to put your palms to your eyes. A moment later, as you still wait for the dilation to wear off, you hear a dull thud and then the telltale sounds of a release.

>cont.

>>37636329

You look around and see Nickel flying off from her hyper-beam run. Also? Ross is at your side. Ness must have dropped him off.

You pick up his ball and encourage him to follow you, releasing Apollo as well. You'e so close to the door now...

(B: Success!) A trooper appears in the now-blasted doorway, ducking over a piece of wall and taking aim at you. You call out for Apollo and the man is met with a twin-storm of fire and lightning. He didn't have a chance.

You're in... What's the plan now, Grey?

>Stay low, take'em out quietly and avoid trouble?
>Fuck'em! Take out everything you find with full, overwhelming force!

>Look for the signal
>Look for opposition first, signal second?

>Who do you have out?

>>37636361
>Stay low, take'em out quietly and avoid trouble?
>Look for the signal

>>37636361
>>Fuck'em! Take out everything you find with full, overwhelming force!
BLITZKRIEG!

>>37636552
I'll change my vote to this

I'm gonna cut here. I figure I'll just hold off for Friday night and start pulling nightly threads once a week so that we can get a bigger crowd.

To the few anons here? Thank you. Always a pleasure to quest with you.

>END OF THREAD

>>37637041
kay, see you later bubblebutt!

>>37637041
Thanks again Herald...Take it easy friend...

>>37637041
Crap I'm sorry Herald but I work Mon-wed-Fridays until 4-5. I'll miss threads when you run on those days sorry.