[ti]quest[/ti][Q][C/Aero] End the Invasion

Thankfully for Josh, he didn't have to wait a terribly long time for Aero to show up. An hour was not a long time to wait, considering the great distance they were apart. He couldn't wait to be high enough level to sit astride a flying mount of his own. Riding horseback was at least possible in the real world. The real world had no flying animals capable of sustaining both themselves and a human on their back. This would be a completely unique experience, and he couldn't wait to get into the air! He would prefer something other than a Yanmega, though; while he could fly on Xira after evolution, the constant vibration would be a big adjustment at best, and make him sick at worst.

"I think we'll get more details once we party up," Josh explained as Aero's stats accompanied his in the bottom right corner of his UI. As if on cue, several more alerts scrolled across the top of it:

Information> New Objective: Distract Attention
Information> New Objective: Gain Entry to Office Building
Information> New Objective: Copy company memo and leave original
Information> New Objective: Repel Invasive Species

"Again, looks like we've got a lot to do. The hardest part is probably going to be finding that memo before we get overwhelmed," Josh tried to prepare them both mentally for the work they were to do. While there might not have been a strict timer, the danger the duo would be putting themselves in was great.

As Josh turned a corner, a yellow caution message flashed in his UI:

Caution> Invasive Species detected within 1,000 units.

He was certain Aero received a similar alert. "Stay on your toes. I don't know anything about these Invasive Species other than that title. Gotta be ready for anything."

"Let's get a bit closer first. See if we can identify any behaviors of these invasive species first," Josh suggested, withdrawing Granmarg for fear of his hooves being too noisy. In his place, Saber the Manectric appeared, a bark making his trainer jump. "Quiet!" Josh shout-whispered. "They'll hear us!" That "mount" button taunted him again. He knew that electric wolf could run, and far faster than Granmarg at that. He just lacked the levels needed to craft a saddle for such an advanced Pokémon. They would come in due time.

"If they're small enough, I have a Rufflet that can potentially blow them off their feet with a Tailwind. Otherwise, I don't think stealth is an option," Josh fake-lamented aloud. To him, stealth was a four-letter word. As many classic series as he was into, Metal Gear was not one of them. He would rather go in guns blazing, heroically ramming and trampling foes from the back of a super fast steed, and preferably with a polearm in hand to skewer those too large to be crushed underpaw.

"If they're too big, I can distract them with a Roar from Saber here," he suggested. Provided they followed his suggestion to get close for observation, another alert would pop up on their UIs:

Warning> Invasive Species detected with 500 units.

"These all sound like good options," Josh nodded in agreement. "The office building in sight, but I don't see any--"

A loud, explosion-like sound rocked Josh's ears, a Buzzwole carrying an entire storage shed in its muscular arms smashing it to pieces against the ground. It even drowned out the aural warning associated with the red message on his UI:

Alert> Priority status alert. Invasive Species detected within 100 units. Combat imminent.

"It's... huge," Josh gasped. "I don't think there's any fighting something like that. We're gonna have to make a break for it. I'm gonna withdraw Saber and roll his Poké Ball next to it, so we can get past it. Withdrawing him in time is going to be the hard part, but it's the best way I have to distract it." While he wasn't sure about Aero, Josh felt like he or any of his Pokémon would be squashed in a single slam of the Buzzwole's fist.

"We have little choice. I'm gonna have to use Saber to distract them," Josh dejectedly mused aloud, morbid vibes in his voice. He skillfully rolled Saber's Poké Ball beneath the Invasive bug, who promptly shot a paralyzing THUNDER WAVE at it. "Now, Aero!" Josh cried as soon as the Buzzwole turned around, the bug-type sinking its lengthy proboscis into Saber and bleeding him dry of life energy. The evolved electric wolf, downed in a single hit, returned to the trainer's Poké Ball. Provided Aero was able to keep up with him, they would be able to make it past the Buzzwole and slam the door shut behind them.

Information> OBJECTIVE A: COMPLETED
Information> OBJECTIVE B: COMPLETED

The screen shake from the Buzzwole banging on the small office building was disorienting. One encounter with that Buzzwole could wind up squashing them flat. And it was a mission objective to repel the blasted thing. Josh breathed a deep sigh. "You got any Pokémon with healing moves handy?" he asked Aero. "We might need them. Once we find that memo, we're gonna have to engage the Buzzwole long enough to get it to run away."

Josh's ears still rung after the impact; he couldn't have imagined how painful it would have been had he not elected to engage pain limiters. He would have been flattened by that thing were he a combat class. HP from full to zero in one attack. "Except we can't exactly get away from it. We still need to find the memo the quest is asking for. I think one of us is going to have to hold it off long enough for the other to get the work done."

Neither of the jobs was exactly easy. Finding an important note under stressful conditions would be challenging, particularly if the Buzzwole started rocking the office building with its fists. "You better with Pokémon or with computers?" Josh asked as the building's front door whizzed and whipped between the two, narrowly missing them both.

Josh had to work fast. Aero was the more experienced combatant of the two, but after seeing the colossal damage the Buzzwole could deal, he expected even she wouldn't last long. With no Pokémon he could saddle, he was stuck on foot. Little did he know that the building interior disabled mounting in the first place. "Back as fast as I can!"

It would be as simple as finding a working terminal. While a few monitors were out of commission, there were plenty of working ones. He clicked the power button on one of the computers, and it hummed to life. Sitting down in the office chair, Josh felt a lump underneath the mousepad when he was presented with a login screen. Storing credentials in such an insecure space? The office building's employees must have had to evacuate suddenly. He wasn't going to look away from a gift Rapidash, though!

Signing in, he noticed a memorandum on the desktop screen. Opening it, he read on in horror:

---

9:38 12-01-XXXX

Urgent Memo
For internal circulation only

It has come to management attention that a number of environmental irregularities are causing significant distress among the office staff.

Due to the irregular circumstances, the Pokemon League has issued a Stay at Home order, effective immediately.

Please return to your homes and continue work from there, and be prepared to evacuate if necessary. The current recommended evacuation route is via Liberty Pier to the South.

We appreciate your continued efforts and hard work in this trying time.

Stay safe.

---

Josh copied the contents of the memo and sent it as a direct message to Aero. Sprinting toward the entrance, he had only hoped the young girl was able to hold off the Invasive Species long enough for the duo to make their getaway. Once it had been sent, a pop-up would appear on the top of both their HUDs:

Information> OBJECTIVE C: COMPLETED