Thugs - A Team Rocket RP (Started, accepting sheets)

[SkyeNeko]

It was freezing in the tower. Ellie tucked her hands under her arms, trying to keep a decent pace in the dark. All she had to go on were the footsteps of the other Rockets, some of who were running into things themselves. Even without light, everything looked blurry. She almost fell over her own feet a dozen times.

Her lighter was useless. It kept blowing out, only giving her fleeting glimpses of the rooms. Shadows everywhere, at odd angles, flickering and moving. The bells didn't help, the loud clangs echoing through the whole Tower. She could really use a smoke now...

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

You killed me, you killed me!

It was Alex's voice, screaming insanely in his head. Max looked around but only saw black. He could feel the hairs on his back rising.

Oh, you think you're so clever Maxxie. But you can't stop me. Even in death I'll fuck you up!

"Shut up, shut up!"

I'm not going away. Not ever. I'll be in your dreams. I'll be in ever-

Max screamed in rage. It echoed off into the empty room of gravestones and grunts.

"Boss, what is it?"

"I... Er... Try to find the stairs." he muttered. The tower, which had once been so quiet on the way up seemed to be getting louder and cloudier. Sometimes voices could be heard giggling from the corners of his vision.

Just and wait until my family gets a hold of you. My brother and I are waiting an-

"Max, er, sir! I found them!" squeaked a voice. Mayu's voice. For the first time since he met her, Max was glad to hear that girl's high pitched tone.

"Everyone, follow Mayu's voice!"

The grunts who had accompanied up to the top gradually felt their way to each other. The bells above clanged loudly but at least here, a level down, they could hear each other.

"This is some fucked up shit. Giovanni never said anything about ghosts!" whined Daren. Max slapped in the direction of his voice, connecting with his ear.

"Ghosts aren't going to keep us here. We got in here, we'll get out."

They went down the stairs and stepped onto the sixth level. It was different. Well, that was putting it mildly. It was demented and distorted. The graves were curling around and there was an eerie blue mist around in the air. There was giggling in the air, from all directions then silence.

"Uh... Careful." said Max simply, looking at the weird room in disbelief.

I don't ever want to be in this stupid tower ever again.

They stepped forward into the insanity nervously.

 

[Kuroneko Aisha]

Mayu had excitedly called out to Max the moment she found the stairs, and continued to call out to assist the people who were trying to find their way out as well. When she felt that everyone had gotten in the right direction, she headed down the stairs with a small group. It was then she saw the distortion. Shivers ran up her spine as she asked. "W-what's going on? It wasn't like this before. Did those weird old women do something?"

 

[wilcoblackflame]

Following the brief pause in their progress due to Scott's meeting with the tombstone, Addison continued to follow him after Mayu and Max's voices rang out, leading them to the stairs.

Her reaction to the distortion and mists of the 6th floor was mixed. Puzzlement, Unease, but not fear exactly, not yet. Because there was also anger.

"If this is some stupid parlour trick that psychic is pulling..." she hissed quietly. She trailed off, more concerned with proceeding...just in case.

Continuing to follow Scott, she did her best to focus on getting out, rather than the fact that she felt like she was walking through a dream sequence.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Spoiler

Try as they might, the grunts couldn't find the stairs that went to the next level. Everywhere graves were curving and whispering to them and above them the swirling cloud of gas laughed at them. A grunt dropped to the ground, screaming.

"What is it? What?" asked Max, rushing to the man's side. He was a seasoned veteran of Yellow.

"The.... the.. Commander. You... He was... I..." the grunt sputtered. Possibly another victim of Alex back on the march and with this insanity all around them.

"ON YOUR FEET GRUNT."

The veterans legs moved and he stood up automatically but beneath this mask of obedience was the mind of a broken man.

If we all stay here, we're going to go crazy.

"Grunts, we have to find the way out. Look everywhere and..."

A voice erupted from the clouds above them.

"I'm not letting you leave my tools. Not now... NOT EVER!"

The voice was clearly belonged to Alex but it was different... Like the voices of other dead spirits had rallied to him or something. In anycase, the words were disastrous. Almost every grunt scattered and all sense of order was lost. Alex was laughing and whispering to each and every grunt.

Oh yes Maxxie. You can't kill my grip on yo-

There was a familiar roar and through the mists formed a single form. The form of the Pokemon they had faced at the top of the tower. It didn't have a face anymore in this ghost form but merely a skull with pits of fire in its eyes. It glared at the closest grunt, who scrambled for his feet and ran towards Max.

"Boss... We're dead... WE'RE DEAD!"

The formation of the Marowak had done two things. The obscurity of the room had vanished and the stairs were plainly visible in the pale light. Also, to Max's intense relief, Alex's penetration of their minds was cut off. A form in the mist apart from the Marowak formed. Max didn't care to follow this supernatural freakshow any longer.

"FOLLOW ME!" he shouted, leaping over to the stairs. The Marowak roared and chased after them. Every grunt stumbled and fell down the stairs to the fifth floor. The apparition of the Pokemon seemingly was stopped at the stairs. It roared in rage and turned on the other form in the room. Alex's screams of pain and fear echoed down to the bottom of the stairs.

And then there was silence. No light. No sound. Nothing. The fifth floor was blissfully free of anything paranormal. They collectively caught their breaths.

"Did he...?"

"Yeah... he was in my mind. What the fuck..."

Max stayed quiet, the wound in his back causing him great pain if he moved his right arm.

"Now what?"

 

[SkyeNeko]

Something was watching them. If she thought she was having a bad trip then, she was definitely having one now. She jumped when she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. Just shadows...

"Ha ha, what's wrong, scared of ghosts?" Matt's annoying fucking voice rung out somewhere. Real brave when she couldn't see him.
"Are you scared of ghosts, wildcat?"
"C-commander?"
Ellie stopped in her tracks for a minute. Was she hearing things? It seemed so quiet. The bell sounded so far away. But the voice was so clear. She kept walking. Look for stairs. A way out.

A loud roar made her spin around. It was that pokemon... the one from the top floor. She had to look around to see if she was hallucinating, or if everyone else was seeing this too.

"FOLLOW ME!"

Ellie shook her head clear of the cobwebs, running to the stairs. Somewhere she lost her hat. All the running had her hair fluffed out. She bent over, catching her breath. Were they home free? She nervously combed her fingers through her hair. She felt irritable. When were they going to be out?

 

[MisterLillie]

Scott followed the Luitenant down the stairs off the distorted floor. They arrived at another pitch black level.

"When are we going to get out of this hell hole?" Scott said into the darkness.

 

[wilcoblackflame]

Addison was officially baffled by these latest developments and more than a little bit on edge now as the anger started to fade away and the slow uneasy chill of fear started to seep its way in.

"It'd better be soon." she muttered in response to Scott. "Between the pokemon being down, a handful of us being wounded and whatever the fuck.....that..was, the sooner we're out of this shitheap the better."

She was doing her best to maintain her usual composure, though any of the grunts not too distracted might notice the slight wavering to her tone that definately wasn't there before.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

They were alone in the silence for those moments of catching their breath and wondering what had happened. Then they came. From the black the eyes opened up and shatteringly cold tongues licked each of them. It knocked them to the ground in a fit of shivering.

Pokemon! What... Ghost Pokemon!

And as suddenly as they were on them, they were gone. A pale white light moved towards them.

"...Wex?" croaked out a grunt.

It was Wex. He was bruised and bloody and looked as if he had survived a rockfall. In his hand he held a chunk of rock that was glowing enough for them to see the walls.

"I... They... The woman..."

"Lead us out!" ordered Max, ignoring the pain in his arm.

Where were you when we needed you?

They walked towards the stairs. The grunts started asking Wex questions about what happened to him. He stayed silent.

"Stop bothering him. It's obvious he's been scared witless."

This time I can't blame him...

 

[SkyeNeko]

"Y-y-yeck!" Ellie shrieked, grabbing the back of her neck. It suddenly got really, really cold. She tried to rub her arms warm, not that it was too comfortable in the tower anyways. Wasn't the sun out already? Damn.

"Stop bothering him. It's obvious he's been scared witless."

It looked like Wex was in the front, with a light. Finally, we can get out of this goddamn tower... I really, really, want a warm shower now...

 

[wilcoblackflame]

With the sudden appearance of Wex, Addison's already frayed nerves slipped a little, a small noise escaping her mouth and semi-pulling herself closer to Scott's back as if instinctively trying to hide behind the bigger grunt.

That lasted only a moment or two though, the sound and action followed by brief cursing and resuming the previous distance between them. Very clearly she was not happy to have slipped up.

"We have to get out of here asap," She muttered. "There's enough injuries as it is already.."

She had her medical kit yes, but between Max and Wex's serious looking wounds and everyone else's minor ones, she was probably going to need to empty out some more supplies from the locals before they left town.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Spoiler

Wex winced at the sight of the lieutenant. He looked as if he had survived an assault of some sort. The rest of the grunts with him looked dazed, confused and unsettled.

"They're coming... Follow me." he said, turning to limp. Climbing out of the passageway had been an agonizing experience, his bruised and cut legs had sent sharp pains up his spine as he had fumbled up through the opening. Still, there were the voices. They were always in his head now.

"Do you hear that?" he asked a grunt behind him?

"Can you lead us the fuck out of here?!?!" said the brute, panicking.

Perhaps they did hear them too. What had that woman done to him?

It is free... She tamed it.

Free... free...

What will she do...do...do...

Wex led them along the wall, staying far away from the hidden passageway. The pale light of his rock shone against the walls and they avoided the gravestones easily.

"Where are they?" wondered Wex aloud.

"Who?"

"The pokemon... Dead Pokemon... the-"

They came upon the stairs but it was the appearance of a disheveled grunt climbing up breathlessly that startled them all. He looked as if he had just emerged from a massive brawl, which was ridiculous. Max had left them with a bunch of old women. Something on the fourth floor was amiss.

"M-max!! Oh thank god you're here. We need to leave now, down belo-"

"Where's Boris." demanded Max.

Trying to re-assert yourself as the leader I see.

Max had been brutally attacked. Moreover, he looked as if something had hit him hard inside. His face had a gaunt, hunted look to it but... at times there was a flash of a smile. Something was keeping him going.

"Boris? Oh god... When they changed, they... they... Well, Boris was... He... Oh god..."

"Speak grunt!"

"Boris found one of the younger girls in the group... He was going to take her downstairs seeing as we beat them all... then... There was a scream. One of the oldest women broke free of the rope we tied her in and reached for her Pokeball. We knew we had them beaten, we fainted all of their Pokemon but... It wasn't her Chansey that came out. It was something... dark, horrible. Black all over and red eyes. It sounded like a bunch of different Pokemon at once.

We tried to take her down but her... thing... it kept throwing around our Pokemon like they were nothing sir! And... well, the girl Boris had screaming over his shoulder changed too and she... She... I don't know what she did, but he dropped like a sack of potatoes. Then suddenly all of them were different and they all had those... demons. And they were all stronger than us too! An old woman worked me over! I..."

The grunt looked at the group of them as if seeing them for the first time.

"What happened up there?"

"Nothing, we're going down."

"Do you have any Pokemon at all?"

Wex paused. He wasn't going to volunteer his Rattata up to be demonbait or anything.

"Well, we're doomed."

"Why?" asked Wex, shining the light down the stairs curiously.

"Every single Rocket who stayed to fight is kind of... knocked out. And the women are... doing things. I don't know, it can't be good. It's like they're not human anymore!"

Wex.... Wex...

The voices in his head were bothering him again. He tried to shake it.

Use the stone... the rune... Use the rune...

"Who are you?"

Every grunt looked at him like he was nuts.

"I'm a fucking Team Rocket Grunt, just like you dipshit." snarled the beaten grunt. He still had some fire left in him somehow...

Use the stone...

Wex looked around. Nothing.

"Well, I don't see what we can do." said Max, gritting his teeth.

"Let me go." said Wex strangely. He didn't remember saying that. Or even thinking that.

"...wha?"

"I'll clear the way, follow me." he said again, his lips moving without his knowledge.

That witch! That fucking witch! It has to be! What is going on!?!

Before he knew it, he was moving. In fact he was running. Who told his body to run? Who told his body to...

He was in control again but he was alone. Max and the others had stayed at the top of the stairs.

And he was here.

Alone.

And the women turned to him. Eyes yellow and mouthes stuck open like rabid animals. Wex had never been more frightened in his entire life.

The stone started to glow very bright, filling the room with a white glow. The women shrunk away, moaning pitifully and fleeing from the Rockets strewn across the floor. They hid behind the tall graves and muttered curses.

"I....I don't know h-how I did it... But.... C-c-come down! Come down! Quickly!!"

 

[SkyeNeko]

She forced her legs to move. If the only way out was through a pack of demons, then it was through a pack of demons. Her knuckles were white, as cold as the metal she armed them with.

They went down the stairs, step by step, all eyes on the floor below as it came into view. Wex was at the front. The bright light in his hand had taken away the darkness, revealing the old hags hiding behind the graves. The Rockets that stayed behind were all knocked out cold, and had weird letters on their foreheads. No skin off my back She wasn't going to make any heroic moves to rescue anyone: it was a stupid idea, and she was a Rocket. Didn't have to think about things like being good.

The light revealed something else. Actually, the lack of someone in particular. Someone she had just heard a few minutes ago.

"Where's... the Commander...?"
She wasn't sure if she was talking out loud or not.
"You know what would be fun? You should kill them. Splatter their blood across the walls. Just like-"
Growlithe
"Yes, just like that Growlithe... you remember what you did to it didn't you? It'll be easy. Just like that. You still have your knife."
What?
"Come on wildcat... you wouldn't say no to your Commander, would you?"

I'm hallucinating. It's the drugs. It's these ghosts. It's this tower! But what if he was giving her an order...? But someone random? Was she just supposed to off a random Rocket? It didn't make sense, but maybe it wasn't supposed to.

 

[wilcoblackflame]

Addison did not need to be told twice. At this point she wasn't about to risk losing a way out of this hellhole. Breaking away from Scott, she half stumbled, half ran down the stairs as fast as she could manage.

She risked a glance behind to see that some of them were also heeding Wex's calls, but beyond that, she didn't plan on sticking about to see that everyone made it. She was just about to move forward again and get well inside Wex's little "safe" area when she paused.

The lieutenant. They were down a commander, albeit a fucking crazy one already. The green officers wouldn't have the respect to control the yellow group and it'd all come apart.

...Wex was still close, the lieutenant wasn't far behind her either, but she had to make sure he got out of here or it'd be chaos afterwards.

Taking a few steps back, she grabbed Max by the arm without the wound and hurried him forward a little, doing her best to keep him close behind Wex. "Please keep up sir! I'll have a look at the damage when we get out of here but if you don't get out of here there'll be no leader and it'll all go to shit!" She hoped she looked less unhinged than she felt. Keeping her thoughts lined up at the moment was not easy. Not easy at all.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Spoiler

Max, angry and running purely on adrenaline, was far to weary to protest the green grunt's help. He shoved the complaint away from his lips, instead issuing new orders.

"Scott, Caid. Get those Rockets on their feet! Now!"

The grunts did as they were bidden. The grunts laying unconscious on the ground were easily awoken with a punch to the face. One by one they rose.

"Am I alive?"

"What were those fucking freaks doing to me?!?"

"BOSS! YOU'RE BACK!"

Max just kept up a steady stream of orders, giving his shattered force the sound of his voice as a beacon to keep moving. He felt sick. He felt tired but... he still felt exuberant.

He's dead! He's deaaad!

Alex's fall was the one thing that kept him going. Yellow was his. He wouldn't have to gamble with his Pokeballs anymore. He would be in for a larger share of the loot. He was closer to joining the executive!

"MAX!"

Wex's voice broke him away from the fantasy.

"Wha-"

One of the grunts getting up had created a shadow in the room. One of the elderly women had jumped at the chance and pulled one of the grunts back behind a tombstone... Caid was gone. There wasn't even a scream. Boris, back on his feet, glanced nervously at Max.

"We need to go lieutenant."

Max nodded. The Rockets started moving to the stairs, with Wex in the middle providing the light. There was a horrible screeching sound. The shadows started to lengthen as the light retreated and... things started coming out of them.

"The fucking demons!" screamed Boris, barreling past a grunt to get down the stairs quicker. All semblance of order was then lost, with every grunt making a mad dash for the third floor. Max, assisted by Addison, managed to keep up.

Everyone was on the stairs except Scott, who had tripped and Ellie who had seemingly lingered behind. They were left alone in the dark as the rest of the team regrouped on the level below.


****************************************

"Mother, why did you go in there?" asked Will, sitting on a park bench outside of the Tower. The lady Kat smiled beneath her mask and sat beside him gently.

"Someone in the country has made a force so powerful that whoever holds it can change everything Will. We have foreseen Giovanni coming into power and we do not like that vision."

Will, out of curiosity, tried to move the shadow black Pokeball out of Kat's hand. It didn't budge and it caused him physical pain to concentrate on it.

"Wha....what is that?"

"This... this is the our only shot. A dead Pokemon of incredible power... A phantasm." she looked at Will's blank expression and smiled again.

"You know there are few of us, those who actually have the sight. Centuries ago, we ruled. The Clements were a minor house but we had plenty of land. Pokemon were controlled by willpower alone. We didn't bother with creating a personal bond, they were slaves and that is the proper place of them. One day... our power failed. The Pokemon all left us and the commonfolk rebelled. We killed many but we were in the end scattered..."

"What does that have to do with that... ball?" asked Will.

DO NOT INTERRUPT!

There was a mental slap. Kat continued as if Will hadn't spoken although the boy rubbed his head as if something had struck him.

"After we fell out of power, one of the commoners found one of our tomes. We don't know how they did it but they melded it with their science to create... Pokeballs. Control without willpower. Anyone and everyone could have power if they worked at it. For our ancestors, that was unacceptable. There was a war. We lost and we were all put to the torch as demons from the old world... Well, everyone except us."

"What the fuck are you doing here?" asked a patrolling grunt, spotting them on the bench. Will lifted a hand and a rock hit the man in the forehead, knocking him out cold.

"Why do we need this power Mother? Surely we could just take this... thing Giovanni is constructing."

"That thing... is beyond even our control. We have foreseen it. A Pokemon with enough will, enough power to deny even us... It is a thing we must have or we will fall away into obscurity forever."

"And this... thing... We can control it? It can beat it?" asked Will, eying the ball with fascination.

"The dead... We have a sort of arrangement with them. Suffice it to say, we can only use this once. One shot at taking Giovanni's power for our own. Come child, we must return to your father."

They teleported, leaving the bench empty. The grunt came to and saw the empty bench.

"Must have dreamed it..."

 

[wilcoblackflame]

They were dropping like flies now. Addison risked another glance backwards as she skittered down the next flight of stairs with Max.

Scott wasn't following anymore.

She couldn't see Ellie anymore either, let alone many others.

Worse were the few she did see fall just far enough behind to be snatched.

That was enough. That was enough to crack what remained of her composure for now.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!? RUN YOU STUPID CRETINS! RUN!"

That outburst released, she made every effort to speed up a little more, dragging Max with her down the stairs in the wake of Wex and his luminous safezone.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs with the others, she managed to calm herself, noting the lack of immediate ghoulish malevolence.

"Oh. Good. Are they gone?" she managed to get out weakly, catching her breath. She did however, stand well within Wex's light while she did so though.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Spoiler

Wex sank down onto a bench in the lobby on the first floor. The other Rockets looked exhausted but nobody was as damaged as Max. He barely managed to order Boris to take him to the Pokemon Center before passing out from the pain. With Boris and Max gone, the Rockets who remained in the tower glanced at each other. Thinking independently wasn't their forte.

"Hey, I could always give you your orders. I am an officer after all and I don't pass out from my wounds!" mentioned Commander Daren. His gag was off now and amazingly, despite what they had gone through, he still had an arrogant air to him. Wex watched with tired amusement as Yellow and Green grunts alike started pounding the shit out of the asshole.

"If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have had to... Fuck you, fuck you!!!" shouted a grunt, smashing the commander into the tower wall. They were all getting into it until a voice called out.

"That's enough guys... As much as we want to kill him, I'm sure the Boss has a lot more in store for him." stated a Yellow Grunt. It was Brian. Either he was too tired to continue throwing punches or he was still more afraid of Giovanni than the residents of the tower.

Wex pocketed the glowing rock.

My Pokemon may be shit but this can be my good luck charm. Ha... Good luck...

The Rockets started filing out of the tower, dragging the bloodied Green officers out with them. Addison didn't move, looking up at the stairs.

"What? What is it?"

"Not everyone is down..."

Wex did a quick mental count. In the confusion he had run as fast as he could. He wasn't thinking about those behind him.

"Where's Ellie? Or the biker chick who smelled like a Muk..."

Or Scott but I hope the tower ate him alive.

Addison just kept looking at the stairs.

"Hey, I don't like ghosts either... At least you didn't..."

The memory of the tunnel was too frightening to even mention out loud. Maybe if he didn't talk about it, it never happened...

* * * * * * * *

When Max came to, he was on a bed in the Pokemon Center. A nurse was glowering at him but he felt as good as he had when he had walked into Celadon those scant few days ago... That is until he rubbed the spot where the knife had pierced his shoulder.

"Auuugh... Dammit!"

"I gave you the best treatment I could. Keep tearing at it like that and you'll reopen it. The steroids are already working on fixing the damaged muscle. Your Pokemon are fully recovered too." she said, every word icily laced with hatred.

"Well aren't you just special. What, are you expecting thanks? What do you want from me?" he said, glaring back at the woman.

"I want you to leave and never come back." she said tersely.

Max rose. The echoes of Ridner's beating and the steady ache near his shoulder blade were for the most part gone.

So this is what the taxpayers are paying for. Huh.

He stepped outside and watched the sun rising slowly. Had it honestly taken that long to get out of the Tower? Suddenly he remembered something, bolting to the foundation of the Tower. After some searching, he found him. The body of Alex lay broken in tall bushes along the North side of the building. Max picked up his Pokeballs, opening them one by one.

The Golbat flew away immediately, shrieking horribly. He opened a second ball which to his surprise contained some sort of large snake Pokemon. It hissed at him and for a moment he thought he would be bitten but it slid off into the grass. The Primeape however looked at him eagerly.

"Your master is dead. Fight for me and I guarantee you won't be bored." said Max slowly, eying the fighting Pokemon warily. After a few minutes, it slowly nodded. Max returned it, placing it on his belt.

Spoils of war Alex. Ahaha... And I'm Commander too... The tower was tall indeed!

He pulled out the ball that had his Spearow in it. He threw it as hard as he could into the rocky hill.

"Good riddance!"

Max kept walking. He needed something else too. The bat. Before Alex lucked into control of the team, it had belonged to the Commander before him. Whoever had the bat, had the team. Stupid but nobody ever accused his associates of being smart. It took some time but he did find the bat. Picking it up he felt good. It felt like power.

"Right... Time to gather the grunts."

That was when he noticed he was being watched.

 

[wilcoblackflame]

Addison managed to pull her attention away from the stairs and back to Wex. "True." She almost asked him to continue with that last little sentance that trailed off, but thought better of it.

"Let's just get outside. How you got that battered without being in a knifefight I'm not sure I wanna know." She shrugged. "I can clean you up some at least though, you deserve that much considering...y'know." She gestured vaguely towards the stairs.

She wandered outside, steering clear of Daren's beating and sitting down off to the side, feeling much better about the open sky above. Digging around in her bag, she pulled her little medical kit out again, cleaning and bandaging the cut in her hand before doing anything else. The last thing she wanted to do was to try and work with that leaking about the place.

Now that was taken care of, to business. "Alright Wex. Where's it hurt?" She paused. "I mean in particular, cos you look like shit right now." Addison managed a grin. Amazing what a lack of uncanny spectres breathing down your neck can do for your sense of humour.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

The smile was refreshing... How long had it been since he had last seen one? Wex felt along his back and...

Shit! It's right by...!

"Ummm... um... I think I'll be fine." he said, trying to smile back. He couldn't hide the wince of pain where a sizable chunk of rock had hit his back.

I can't let a Rocket see... What if she knows?

"Well... I guess my arm hurts a little.." he said.

 

[SkyeNeko]

Ellie bolted back towards the stairs. A feat easier said than done what with all the crazies running around. And almost no light. Still, she didn't make it far. An iron grip clamped like a vice around her wrist. Running high on adrenaline, she reflexively lashed out, but a very distinct and familiar voice cried out.

"Ah! What the fuck Ellie? Come on, we gotta get out of this Tower!" It was Scott.
"Let me go! GET OFF! The Commander!"
Scott picked the small grunt up and threw her over his shoulder.
"Let me go dammit! LET ME GO!"

Scott barreled through some of the wraiths, stumbling down the stairs before missing a step. Scott and Ellie skid across the floor. Ellie was on her feet, but Scott blocked her way, grabbing her shoulders.
"He's dead, alright!? Alex is dead!"
She froze. "You're... you're lying!" She heard him in the Tower. He was still up there.
"For fuck's sake Ellie, the crazy bastard is gone! Get that through your head!"
She just reacted. She punched him in the face. Of course, he tackled her to the ground, easily pinning her under his weight. Ellie's hands searched the ground until they grasped a chunk of rock. She spun, and slammed the concrete into his head. He let go, and she shoved him off. But she didn't stop. Her arm went up, and down again. Up, and down again. Like her arm wasn't hers. She was coated with fresher and fresher coats of blood. And it was wonderful.

By the time she stopped... He was still. He was dead. She dropped the rock, looking around. There was no one there. Where was the bathroom? She wanted to see how she looked.

She slowly descended the last few steps to the first floor. Still no one. Finally Ellie stepped out into the sunrise, not even glancing at Wex or Addison as she brushed past them to go to the Pokemon Center.