ZONE A

This was it, this was H0LYN3V1L’s chance to be cool, be a hero, be everything the UNOVR game description claimed he would be. And he would be damned if he didn’t come out on top, quite literally it seemed as the elevator they were on kept going up. And up. And up. The cool fight music H0LYN3V1L was humming to himself was starting to be drowned out by the rushing wind around them.

It was in that moment H0LYN3V1L learned something new about himself: a fear of heights. A small whimper escaped his throat and his eyes grew wide. Oh fuck they were so high up. Vertigo hit him hard and it was only through his sheer force of fake bravado that he remained standing.

<Yo kid, you doing okay?> Snivy whispered in his ear. H0LYN3V1L jumped slightly, completely forgetting that he his only three pokemon were using him as a convenient perch. How dignified.

He swallowed down what was probably just bile and nerves and gave a very half hearted smirk. “Okay? Am I okay? Pfft, what a dumb question. Really. That’s even, pah, I can’t even describe, I mean, okay? Am I okay?”

Snivy shot a look to Fletching and Capsakid. <Yeah, uh, super convincing.>

Well that just wouldn’t do, Snivy’s condescending tone was just what H0LYN3V1L needed to pull himself out of the visions of his poor, squishy body bouncing off the ground from this height.

“I am! In fact, I’m better than okay. I’m great even! I’m the fucking best there ever was, okay? And I’ll prove it!” He shrieked.

<Ha, you sure about that, shortstack? ‘Cause I say this with nothing but love in my heart, you are kinda looking like the littlest fish in this very large pond.> Fletching said, hopping on top of his head.

H0LYN3V1L took a moment to look at the group around him and…well…sure there were some pretty strong looking people also going into the raid, but that didn’t mean shit! People who looked strong were weak all the time. Not him though, no, he already read the guide to this fight on Reddit, he was so prepared.

“Hey! I am the strongest one here! Just because I don’t have, like, stupid probably glitched pokemon doesn’t mean anything. I worked hard to be this strong, this glorious; I am a hero!” H0LYN3V1L smacked his hands to his hips in what he thought was a very heroic pose.

<Does that mean we get to kill it? Kill the bird? Kill it with fire?> H0LYN3V1L, Snivy, and Fletching all paused to look at Capsakid, who was almost frothing at the mouth with excitement over potentially setting something on fire.

“Dude. You are, like, really intense.”

<And coming from him that means something.>

“Shut up.”

While they were bickering, the elevator reached its goal. H0LYN3V1L (and all the others) were facing down Zapdos. It looked significantly bigger than its stats said it would be. That didn’t matter, probably, bigger enemy just meant bigger rewards, bigger accolades. Bigger fall, a voice in the back of H0LYN3V1L’s mind said, but he did his best to clench his shaking hands into fists and ignore it.

“This is it. This is our time to take back the world, to show Zapdos that we won’t stand for this kind of insubordination!” H0LYN3V1L yelled.

<Is he doing a speech? I can’t believe he’s actually trying to do a speech.> Snivy loudly said to Fletchling and to anyone who was close enough to hear the sass.

H0LYN3V1L ignored him though, and continued on with his super cool hero speech that he deserved to give, “...The only thing standing between Zapdos and total destruction is me. Us. All of us, just me more than everyone else. No offense.”

<Yeah good save, kid> Snivy snorted, but it was cut off by H0LYN3V1L wrapping his hands around his mouth.

“We are the protectors of this realm, saviors! Now we just need to attack!” H0LYN3V1L paused, expecting everyone else to rally at his glorious speech and actually charge into battle. But there was just a very loud silence.

<Boo, get off the stage!> Snivy laughed, pulling his mouth out of H0LYN3V1L’s grasp.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” H0LYN3V1L yelled.

<Make me!>

“Oh I’ll make you alright.” H0LYN3V1L sneered, moving to hold Snivy like a football. “If no one else is going to attack, I’ll show you all how it’s done!” H0LYN3V1L cocked his arms back and threw Snivy with all the power his virtual form possessed. “Use slam!” Snivy flew through the air till he smacked directly into Zapdos, bouncing off the bird several times before starting to drop.

SNIVY used SLAM, doing 127 damage to ZAPDOS

<Damn. You really did make him.>

H0LYN3V1L scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Of course I did, I’m the hero of this story. Now go, Fletchling, use Ember!”

<Yay fire!> Capsakid cheered.

<And catch Snivy, right?> Fletchling said, glaring at H0LYN3V1L who held out for a moment before sighing.

“Yeah, and go catch stupid Snivy and bring him back here.” H0LYN3V1L grumbled.

Fletchling took off, spouting a flame at Zapdos before diving for Snivy.

FLETCHLING used EMBER, doing 97 damage to ZAPDOS

Snivy - Sweeper - 250/250 HP

Link to Roll
Core Ability: None
Action: Fast Attack
Battle Log:
- Took 20 (40) DMG from Strain
- Took 15 (30) DMG from Environment
- Other +10 buff from Zone A
- System Admin Healed 43, Guarded

Fletchling - Tank - 340/400 HP

Link to Roll
Core Ability: None
Action: Charge Attack
Battle Log:
- Took 10 DMG from Strain
- Took 30 Dmg from Environment
- System Admin Took 20 SE Dmg
- Other +10 buff from Zone A

ZONE A > MOVING TO ZONE B

Big Bee revved his motorcycle.

"Ow! Stop pulling at my head!" said Cyclizar, "And stop making those dumb noises."

The rev died on Big Bee's lips, but he nodded agreeably. "You're right. The time for fun is over. Now it's time for work." To others this might appear like a line of bravado or maybe even a cool catch-phrase, but for Bee this raid literally was work. Customer Experience was rooted in real-time observations and data collections.

Sure there was validity to surveys and interviews and engagement metrics and heatmaps and all that beautiful data, but there was nothing that could compare to being on the ground (in the air), rolling up his sleeves (sleeves down, it was cold), and getting down to some serious work (he was four hours into playing a video game on paid work hours, in his corner office, with the door locked and his phone on silent).

His bandana was on tight, his bro orioncayge was by his side, and as the platform slid smoothly to a stop in the lower troposphere he couldn't help but stare at the terrifying vista in front of him.

The grasslands were smothered by frothy seas of dark foam, and the occasional jut of steel above the roiling surface was the only indicator that a world below still existed. This was a world of surging, crackling, flash-bulb darkness, and from the depths came a colossal creature. A living soul to the storm that roared in his ears and drowned out his engine.

ZAPDOS

The prince surged towards them like an approaching cliff, his voice crackling like a jumbotron tuned to static.

"Are you ready?"

"What?"

Big Bee revved up the engine and leaned forward. Bathed in the light of helpful beams he took off across the platform, Cyclizar galloping towards the edge. "Go go go! Don't slow down!"

"Do you have a plan?"

"What?" Bee yelled above the storm, "QUICK! JUMP!"

Cyclizar jumped, Bee's helmet glowed beneath his bandana, and they pair raced through the air.

"WOOOOOO!" Bee shouted. His mouth buzzed with static and his eyes watered, but there was no time to spare. He leaned to the side, and Rio hummed beneath him as he sped up, getting used to the feeling of riding through open air.

The pair turned in a graceful arc, and Rio sideswiped the boss like a teenager in a drag race. They bounced off, like an RC Car bumping into a freight train, but Big Bee liked to think they'd left a dent.

Cyclizar - Tank - 650/770 HP

Link to Roll
Core Ability: Guard (Wide) - Guarding h0lyn3v1l's Snivy and Lucille's Cyndaquil
Action: Charge Attack
Battle Log:
- Took 30 DMG from Strain/Energy Drain
- Took 90 DMG from Environment
- +10 Bonus damage from attacking in Zone A

Snubbull - Tank -740/770 HP

Link to Roll
Core Ability: None
Action: None
Battle Log:
- Took 30 Dmg from Environment

ZONE A

It was finally time.

After months of prepwork with the professor, after endless manhours constructing the platform, and what felt like an endless amount of training it was time to put the final chapter of Asper to ink.  Tonight they would pen the story of how they took back the giant shrine from Zapdos, soaring to the sky to snatch the steely spire from his talons.  Or perhaps would be a cautionary tale about how the players soared to close to the sky, dreamed too big, and like Ikarus would be sent tumbling back to the earth with nothing to show for themselves.  Countless friendly and familiar faces gathered around, and at any other time Orion would have been dapping people up, clapping backs, and exchanging thumbs up and fingerguns.

Right now he was too focused for such tomfoolerly.

He had a plan, and that plan needed focus.  They were taking this fight to the skies, and he had a few pocket aces up his sleeves.  Weapons scrounged up over his time, now loaded into the metaphorical cannon ready to rock this oversized sky chickens fucking world.  Yet their opening act was going to take all the focus and concentration he could muster.  

Did you know that Volcanic Debris can be lunched upwards of fifty miles an hour during an eruption?

With such force, even a small piece of earth could be turned into a deadly, life threatening projectile.  The ash could be upwards of three hundred degrees Celsius, triple the boiling point of water.  Said ash could even reach the upper limits of the Stratosphere with enough force, and despite their growing estrangement from the soil below, Orion could feel the energy within roiling and toiling as he focused his energy inwards.  He didn't have time to make any snippy comments about Nevil's cringe speech, he would have to make a mental note to give the young man lessons in Rizz.  He didn't even have time to wish Bee onwards as he charged.  Beads of sweat formed on his brow, absorbed by his signature yellow bandanna wrapped in its usual trademark style.  His body vented heat as his skin began to glow red slightly, his black tanktop beginning to soak through with sweat.  His legs stayed cool due to the sick pair of torn up Jorts he'd found in the cosmetic gallery that seemed to make his ass look even better, something he though scientifically impossible, but UNOVR finds a way it would seem.  

"He's here boss!"  Ares growled, towering behind his boss like a mini boss that foes would have to fight before throwing hands with Orion.

"Let me know when he's in position."  Orion muttered between gritted teeth.  "And stick to the fucking plan."

"Got it!"  The boar clapped his hands together, taking in a deep breath.  "Steady...."  Orion's whole body began to tremble from the exertion of holding this move for so long, and the errant bolts of lightning licked at his form, sending jolts of pain down his body and flashes of red and warning klaxons howled in his ears, yet he paid them no mind.

Thanks to the former princess of the Timberlands, his HP pool was just a suggestion.

"NOW!"  Ares roared, taking in a deep breath, his chest expanding dramatically.  Orion let loose all of the force he'd been holding on to, somewhere in the depths down below the earth shook, the ground parting in massive cracks as a pillar of lava and ash shot upwards like a surface to air missile.  A loud sonic boom ripped through the air, as lava and soot alike shot upwards with tremendous speed, aimed and timed perfectly as it pelted into the belly of this beast.  Orion let out a mighty howl, having let go of all the exertion was like dropping a ten ton weight off of his chest.  The sheer adrenaline was like a drug.  

"ARES!  LET IT RIP THE MOMENT HE SHOOTS BACK HIS RETURN SHOT!  LET'S SHOW HIM WHO'S THE MOTHERFUCKING BOSS!"

Orion wasn't going to let this bird boss them around, and if he had his way he would show him who the real Legendary was.

Orion The Player - Sweeper - 248/350 HP

Link to Roll
Core Ability: Recoil
Action: Fast Attack x6
Battle Log:
- Took 120 DMG from Strain/Energy Drain
- Took 60  DMG from Environment
- +10 Damage from Platform A
- System Admin Healed by 78, Buffed +10

Ares the Emboar- Tank - 560/600 HP

Link to Roll
Core Ability: Disrupt
Action: Charge attack
Battle Log:
- Took 10 DMG from Strain/Energy Drain
- Took 30 Dmg from Environment
- +10 Damage from Platform A, +40 to Disrupts with Thundercuffs

ZONE A > MOVING TO ZONE B

Oh man, what was she gonna do first?! Terastalize? Gigantamax? Crazy normal-type Metronome? There were tons of possibilities, each propelling her UNOVR cred to new, epic heights!

"I can't wait!" Yggy chatted to odile as they and the rest of the raid party stood on the elevator platform, waiting for the countdown to reach zero. Distantly, the silver shape of Professor Ash could be seen, pacing, checking her watch, marking the perimiter. "I've been training like, a ton. I have a lot of cool Pokemon! How about you?"

The metal beneath their feet seemed to hum slightly as the elevator began to rise at last into the air. Most of the trainers fell silent as Ash's projection began to speak, but Yggy just lowered her voice to a whisper and kept going. "I'm Yggy, by the way! It's short for Yggsbekistan. That's a country in the middle east! Hey, are you playing that new geography Wordle game? It's so fun, right?"

She finally fell silent as Zapdos emerged from the storm, great and gold and spiky. "O-oh man. It's like, baseball stadium-size! No way... two baseball stadiums, maybe!"

Had Kyogre been this big? Yggy racked her brains, but couldn't remember. In her memory Kyogre had been even more immense, even more daunting, like an alien mothership on the crest of a wave. But they'd climbed on top of it, right? It hadn't been that bad after all.

I don't have to be scared. I'm ready for this.

Maybe it was because they had the high ground. Maybe it was because they had trained for this.

"We're gonna be fine," she said as the elevator came to a stop in the middle of the storm. She turned and grinned at odile even as electricity played through the air, setting her hair on end. "'Cuz we have all the big players on our side!"

Time to jet.

Yggy took off running for the edge of the platform, then jumped. She skipped a second impossible step on the air itself, windmilling her arms clumsily as she teetered on an invisible hit box.

"Kitkat, go! Mega Evolve! Junkrat, catch!"

White light that was far too long fountained from the Pokeball, stretching down, down, down like a waterslide into the thunderstorm below. For a moment, it looked like the Gigantamax Meowth would simply vanish like a lost noodle down the drain.

Then tiny wings broke the cloud cover as Junkrat the Pidgey rose triumphantly back up, towing the scruff of the giant cat. "Wooooo!" Yggy yelled, pumping a fist. She pointed across the gulf towards Zapdos himself. "Let's get over to that side! Fury Swipes, Kitkat!"

Junkrat crossed the way, carrying Meowth's head and front paws like a fly carrying a pool noodle. Kitkat's distended, furry body stretched tantalizingly behind her, forming a looooong cat bridge between Zone A and Zapdos's wings.

Yggy beckoned eagerly to her friends back on the elevator. "This way, guys! It won't be able to hit us if we're on top of it! Haha!"

Whether it was bravado, game logic, or something else, Yggy was counting on this feeling to get her through the raid trauma-free.

Kikat the Meowth - Sweeper - 215/250 HP

Link to Roll
Core Ability: None
Action: Fast Attack x4 (298 DMG)
Battle Log:
- Took 20 DMG from Strain
- Took 15 DMG from Environment
- Mega Evolved! Guarded by Pidgey

JUNKRAT THE PIDGEY - Tank - 500/600 HP

Core Ability: Guard on Meowth
Action: None
Battle Log:
- Took 100 Dmg from Environment

ZONE A

Odile would be honest; she was not entirely entirely sure if she fully understood the importance of getting the shrine back from Zapdos. It wasn't like she hadn't been listening to Professor Ash; quite the opposite in fact. Though, in the end of the day as she thought about it, did it matter if she really understood the finer details of the mission? No, not really. The base goal was simple enough to understand. Bring the big bird down. While she hadn't been here nearly as long as some of the others, didn't nearly have the pool of Pokemon, didn't nearly have the depth of knowledge and strategy... she was still here.

That had to count for something. She was going to make it count.

Really did help that this girl, Yggy, was chatting with her as the elevator soared skywards. The blonde spoke so nonchalant, so confident in herself, that well... Odile couldn't help but to feel that this would go well. Look at all the players around them! Everyone with their own unique experiences and ideas all coming together for a singular goal. Odile knew how to do some teamwork; the corps de ballet worked as one, all for the expressed purpose of making a night to remember. This would not be as refined, not as practiced, but it held a similar spirit, and Odile held onto that spirit as if was a dove. 

A dancer couldn't get stage fright after all.

She couldn't get stage fright, but that never stopped the nerves. The electricity in the air tingled exposed flesh, goosebumps erupting. This beast of a bird, carrying his burden like a baton. They were supposed to strike him down. Alright. With all of them, that could be done. 

Her team didn't have the best match-up in the world, but that was just the nature of things. Giselle and Mercurio made their appearances, and immediately Giselle was waving her tail, the topaz-like gem gleaming and glowing. "Oh this is my sort of alley..."

"It's not mine." Mercurio muttered, the Frogadier's skin crawling from the static in the air. He was not liking the prospect of getting struck by that lightning at all, no siree. "Is this the... what you spoke about?"

"Yeah, it's time guys. I know we don't have too much practice or anything, so just do your best. Let's get it done! Giselle, stand on guard! Mercurio, be on the lookout, you'll have a chance to attack soon!"

Mercurio couldn't help but to raise an eyebrow but Giselle was already sparking away, before glowing a powerful yellow, as if almost fueled by the storm itself.

Giselle the Mareep - Tank | Mercurio the Frogadier - Sweeper/

Core Abilities: Disrupt 
Freeform Action: 100 DMG 

ZONE A

This is one of the best parts of the game, and a result, also one of the best parts of Hilda's job. All the excitement in everyone's faces? The way many look as if they had been preparing for months for this moment? The awesome soundtrack? The complex lore? The stunning graphics? The awesomeness of it all? It makes her damn proud of working for Hydance, that's for sure.

That's how Hilda feels about the raid, but when Domino steps onto the elevator, the Beta Tester and Catalyst is as cool as a cucumber. The harsh wind sways and ruffles her short pastel-toned hair, no biggie. The sky speaks of storms and approaching danger, her multicoloured gaze watching the clouds closely, also no biggie. The temperature drops harshly in their ascent; cold as fuck, but no biggie, she can deal with it. And then... then Zapdos appears.

"Damn, that's a biggie right there." Domino declares, as chill as can be, and at her lips a small smile forms, because Zapdos is rad as fuck. Have you seen him?! Huge and with the thunder and the lightning and the storm and the loud raspy voice? A thousand chef's kiss emojis. Everyone had done such an spectacular job.

<'Gooo!'> The amorphous blob on her shoulder coos, muted by Domino's decision to disable PokéSpeech. That doesn't mean that she doesn't want to talk to her Pokémon, though!

"I know, right? So cool." She smirks, nonchalantly tossing up a Pokéball to summon something that's very cool in a much different way from Zapdos: a Mew that stretches up in the air as if he actually were a cat waking from a nap, one pink, adorable, and clad in a Burning Bandana and spikey black collar. "Bart, people are gonna need heals, so have at it. Throw a buff in there too, yeah? Gotta help the homies!"

<'Goo?'>

"Nah, Blobert, you're staying with me. I wanna keep an eye on you 'cause of Bunya's experiment thingy, so you're here to keep me company" Domino pets the Ditto, just in time for that Frost Rotom to pass by and offer her a chill drink. She takes it even though she's already cold, because why not, no? And, while she enjoys her refreshing beverage, Bart flies away, giggling to himself after having just buffed the fridge. Does he think that's funny? Obviously.

He circles around players, greeting them with delighted little <'Mew!'>s here and then, and when the fridges begin to pelt Zapdos with cans, he cheers for them, giggling and deciding at that very moment to heal them.

<'Mew, mew, mew.'>

The Mew creates a bubblegum pink ball, gathering the electricity in the air via his REFLECT TYPE and making it his own. It courses through his body and into the ball, the inside of it now looking like one of those plasma globes (this is not how this move should work, but thank a Beta Tester's Metronome). Then, he splits the electricity-infused bubble in two, tossing one towards the nearest fridge and leaving with the second ball.

Among players upon players and players, one stands out to Bart. Maybe because this one had made similar fashion choices to this Burning Bandana-clad legendary or maybe because he had been very very loud — loud enough to make the ground erupt! So cool!

So, naturally, the Mew gets right in orioncayge's face, mere suddenly inches away, holding his dangerous-looking ball of electricity.

<'Mew!'> Bart greets, and just like that, he passes the ball to Orion, its static healing him.

Bartholomew the Mew - Support - 220/300 HP

Link to Roll
Core Ability: Buff
Action: Heal x5
Battle Log:
- Took 50 DMG from Strain/Energy Drain
- Took 30 DMG from Environment
- Buffed Tuesday's Pixel
- Healed Tuesday's Pixel for 118
- Healed orioncayge for 78

Blobert the Ditto - Sweeper - 120/150 HP

Battle Log:
- Took 30 Dmg from Environment