Pokemon Paramount Ventures! The New Cygrus Region! [IC/Accepting via OOC]

[Zextra]

Caden walked off the ferry, which had just arrived at Immortafreeze City. The first thing he did when he got there was buy a jacket. In the t-shirt and vest Caden was wearing, he was freezing. His next stop was the Pokemon Center, where he started training again. Outside on the Pokemon Center's back field, he started his vigorous "crash course". "Gabite, Riolu, Electivire, and Gallade! Come on out!" He threw four of his six Pokeballs. "Glaceon naturally has an advantage in this weather, and Milotic should be alright" he thought. "Riolu, fire Aura Sphere! Gabite, withstand it! Electivire, use Earthquake, and Gallade, use Psycho Cut!" Riolu shot its blue orb at Gabite, who was hit, but stayed on its feet. Electivire used Earthquake, creating a fissure directed at Gallade and Gallade countered with Psycho Cut, which he aimed at the ground, which intercepted the Earthquake. "Good job, everyone! Now, switch attackers! Gabite, use Dragon Pulse! Riolu, use Force Palm! Gallade, use Leaf Blade! Electivire, counter with Cross Chop!" Gabite shot a greenish orb at Riolu, who hammered it down with a Force Palm. Then, Gallade charged into Electivire, its armblades extending with a greenish glow. Electivire managed to stop the blades with its Cross Chop, which forced both of them back. "Good job, all of you! Now, let's continue" he said, as they kept launching attacks at each other.

-THE NEXT DAY-

"Time for the gym battle" Caden said, as he made his way to Immortafreeze Gym. "Well, here it is" he thought as he stepped inside. "Hello, my name is Caden, and I would like to challenge the leader of this gym to a battle" Caden declared.

"Very well. My name is Virgil; It's nice to meet you" Virgil greeted. "Let's make this one 3 on 3" he called. "Staring...with Glaceon!" he threw a Pokeball, revealing a slender blue Pokemon, resembling an arctic fox.

"I see..." Caden thought. "In that case, Glaceon, come on out!" Caden called, throwing his Pokeball, revealing another Glaceon. "Start with Shadow Ball!"

"Glaceon, freeze that Shadow Ball with Ice Beam!" Virgil's Glaceon shot a blue beam at the black ball, freezing it.

"Glaceon, counterattack with Iron Tail!" Caden's Glaceon charged in with a glowing tail and shot the frozen ice ball back at Virgil's Glaceon...

-EVENTUALLY-

"Abomasnow, you can do it! Attack Glaceon with Wood Hammer!" Virgil shouted.

"Glaceon, use Last Resort!" Glaceon charged in with tremendous force, hitting Abomasnow, while being hit by the green, glowing hammer. Both Pokemon were knocked out. However, Abomasnow was Virgil's last Pokemon.

"Return, Glaceon. Excellent work today" Caden smiled.

"Abomasnow, you did very well" Virgil said. "Return and relax a bit" Then, he turned to Caden. "Congratulations. Here's the [Blizzard ?] Badge" he handed Caden a glint.

"Thank you very much" Caden said, accepting the badge. Then, he left to the Pokemon Center, where Nurse Joy healed his Pokemon. "I wonder where the next gym is..." Caden thought, as his Pokemon were being treated.

[Zextra]

Caden left the Pokemon and made his way to Gloomy Shades. "Hmm...this sure is an interesting place" he thought. "These clouds are so dense and green in color that I would mistake it for a forest!" he continued, apparently surprised. Caden continued to walk deeper and deeper into Gloomy Shades. "I don't even know where the next town is... I just know that it's somewhere under these dark clouds" he thought. "Man, I really hope I don't get lost around here" he said as he kept walking.

[CrystalCyae]

Kalin rode alongside his Pokemon on his way to the Rockius Mountainside. Along the way he made his 2 Pokemon battle, which they found great. "Flareon, use Fire Fang! Now use Tackle! Slugma, counter that with as many Hardens that you can fit in! Now, counter attack with Lava Plume!" However, about half way there, his Pokemon where exhausted, so he made them return. After that, his ride was boring. Without his Pokemon to occupy him, there was nothing to do except ride, and look at trees and rocks.

[StealthyTyranitar]

"I'll go with those conditions. Go! Mareep!" "Maaaaaareeep!" said Mareep excitedly. "Mareep, Use defense curl, then tackle!" Mareep formed a hard ball around his body and started running at a high speed at "Yuko-chan".

Meanwhile.....

"Oh honey wheres our little Wilas? I wish that we had had faith in him,but now hes run away!"Cried Wilas' Mom, Jesse. "I know, I know. it'll be ok. The police are now out looking for him." That was his dad,john. "Oh, but what if hes moved out of the reigon? Then we'll never find him! Its not like he's an item and we have a Dowsing MSN."

[Serenity the Candyman]

Nathaniel was at the Entrance to the Barren Colosseum when a call was coming in from is phone. Now what, he thought opening his phone. "Sir, sorry to bother you but 2 things. First is that a boy is coming towards the base at Gloomy Shades near the Cave. Second is teh Vortex in the cave you asked us to monitor has reached its maxed size and now we can enter it. Your Orders, Sir?" said the Grunt. This could prove useful in many ways....., Nathaniel thought,"Go ahead and stop him. Contact Dante and tell him that the location of Giratina is found. But dont let him near that cave till I get there. Send over a shuttle, Now!"
More peolple snooping around. This is one of the reasons why he hate humanity. "Also, any information on the location of the feather?" The Grunt shook his head and said " Only one thing. It is near Flamvius Town." "Keep Searching until you get a definite location on it."

[StealthyTyranitar]

ooc<BR>since whatever his name is isnt responding i would like to cancell the battale. can i do that? if so, here is my continueation. <BR><BR><BR>Wilas walked into Grandis Forest, totaly bewildered by the sheer beauty of it. first, he sent pidgey out to find the exit. "Now ts time to catch some pokemon. sudenly, to his right he heard a excited "Oooooooodish!" he turned and released his mareep. "Go mareep, use shock !" the odish sidesteped to the right easily and dodged the attack."hmmmmm. i know! ok use double spark out of your two horns,directing to the right and left of odish, then defense tackle!" The attack hit. Wilas threw his pokeball and caught the oddish. Then, suddenly, mareep began to glow "MAAAAAA-FY" there was a blast of light that was so huge that Wilas' Pidgey saw it. Pidgey was just trying to figure out how to find Wilas, but now he didnt need to. he saw the burst of light and started following the location. Back with Wilas, Mareep had just evolved into a Flaafy. "Wow, that was my first evolution. that was absolutely amazing!" he had caught an Oddish and evolved Mareep! And even better, Pidgey had found the way out and was leading Wilas to the exit. He was out of the forest and there was pokemon center to his left, and Grindas village was just a half mile away. He goes into the PC and heals up his pokemon. Next stop, the Grandis Village Gym .

[Zextra]

Caden was still walking in Gloomy Shades, trying to find the city concealed under the clouds. However, as he passed by one area, an alarm sounded. Caden looked around him, with a worried look on his face. "What was that?" he thought, his heart thumping from surprise. He looked around and hid behind a tree, as he saw a couple men with matching suits, containing a pattern of stars on each one. "Who are they?" Caden wondered, looking back at them, as the men dispersed, apparently looking for something. Each one of them sent out a different Pokemon: One sent out a Mightyena, another sent out an Ampharos, then the other three sent out an Armaldo, a Rhydon, and a Cacturne. Caden tried to reach a Pokeball from his bag just in case, but a dark figure grabbed his arm before he was able to reach it.

[Serenity the Candyman]

As the shuttle picked up Nathanial, A Grunt appeared and said, "Sir we have located the boy, and we will stop him at all cost." "Not until I get there then Follow my lead."

When the Shuttle landed in Gloomy Shades, Nathaniel ordered, "Surround him and make sure he is alone." Walking to the spot where the boy was, he took out the device and scan the boy. Appearently his name was Caden and on his way to becoming an Elite Trainer. Satisfied by the report, he put the Device away and came up to Caden. As he was reaching for a pokeball, Nathaniel grabbed his arm and replied, "That wont be needed. Grunts stand down. I want to talk to him alone."

[Zextra]

Caden let out a small yelp as he quickly turned around. "Who are you?" he asked the man, noticing that he was also wearing the same starry emblem on his uniform. "And why did that alarm go off?" Caden asked as his arm was pulled back. Caden struggled to get free, but the man's grip was too strong. Then, seeing as how he couldn't get free, he attempted to grab a Pokeball from his bag with his other free hand, but with no avail.

[Serenity the Candyman]

"Calm down, Caden. This is a secure area and you happened to set off the alarms. Now why dont you head the way you came and dont come." Nathaniel said, hoping this boy would know better and turn around. "Infact I will escort back to the entrance and make sure you dont get in again." Now dragging this kid, he hope this kid wont try anything stupid.

[Zextra]

"H-how do you know my name?!" Caden asked, shakily, Caden thought for a minute, then recognized the emblem from a Crime Magazine he had seen before. "Team...Nebulus" he thought. "Hold it! You're all part of Team Nebulus" he said. "And you guys are one of the two evil organizations in this region" he explained. "What are you doing here?" Caden asked. "Plus, it's not like I'll be able to get to Gloomdelta Town any other way...This road is the only one that leads me there...and the rest just lead out of this cloudy place" he thought. He stood his ground and said, "Where I'm going requires this road, and something's not right. Why are you so worried about people passing through here?" he asked, now sneering at the man.

[Serenity the Candyman]

Now the boy was getting annoying, "Caden, Caden, Caden. Do you honestly want deal us right now? Because I will be a bad choice if you do." With this, Houndoom came out, Roaring with the Blueish-Green Flame. " You think you can take me out with that Milotic and your "Strong" team of pokemon. but let me tell you something, I've seen people like you and they wished they never crossed me."

[Zextra]

"Honestly, I'm not strong. I still have much to learn. However, with you guys around, I can't just stand around, now can I?" Caden explained defiantly. Suddenly a purple fragment started glowing and suddenly appeared right in front of Caden. Using his free hand, he grabbed it. The purple glow disappeared and shot in between Caden and Nathanial, pushing them away from each other. Caden looked at the stone in a puzzled manner, then turned to Nathanial. "Now, Gallade! Come on out!" Caden shouted. "Use Aerial Close Combat!" Gallade jumped up into the air, glowed white, and charged at Houndoom. "Now, this attack is infused with Aerial Ace, which prevents you from escaping it" Caden declared.

[StealthyTyranitar]

As Wilas walked down the road of he found a TM titled "TM 51" and an egg attached to it with purple markings AND a pokedex "Bringing you all my love, Brenda"" who is Brenda, i wonder" thought Wilas aloud.Then he remembered. Brenda was his girlfriend before he had ran away. But how did she know where he is. He decided to carry the egg around and see what the TM was on his Pokedex. It turned out to be roost. "Well, i might be able to teach this to pidgey." He turned on the TM and it did teach Pidgey the move Roost. "But what about the egg? Well, we'll find out soon. lets go!" He now had 3 pokemon and an egg. he decided to challenge the gym leader now. He ran full speed to the gym and threw open the doors and said " Gym leader, i challenge you to a battle!" he then realized that there was yet another forest ahead of him. he decided to use the same straegy as he did in the Grandis Forest. He sent Pidgey up into the air and spot the gym leader. Pidgey found her and they stsarted walking through the forest. In one of the trees Wilas spotted a lunotone hiding in a tree. "Go! Oddish, use bullet seedall the seeds hit lunatone and it fell to the ground, totally unconsious. "GO, pokeball" he said as he threw the pokeball at it and waited till he was sure he had captured it to scan it. "HMmmm lets see it knows psybeam, hypnosis and rock throw. he should be helpful later" he found his way out of the forest and into the gym to battle the gym leader"Gym leader, challenge you to a gym battle. 3 on 3."

[Dementuo]

Atrus walked towards the Rockius Gym. "Hm... Caden's probably already got all his Gym Badges... But I still have been training more than he has, I'm sure of it." Atrus thought. "Still, while I'm so far behind, I have to catch up quickly, otherwise I won't be facing him in the League... I have to hurry." Atrus thought. Atrus took a few deep breaths, and he walked in. "Im here to challange the Gym Leader!" Atrus called out. "Now I can test my new Pokémon." Atrus thought. A voice came out from behind a nearby rock. "That would be me." The 4th Gym Leader said.
-Later-
Atrus had won, using his new Pokémon, and a clever strategy involving many, many, MANY earthquakes, generated by one of his new Pokémon. "Here's your badge." Atrus took it, placed it into his case, thanked the Gym Leader for the battle, and moved onto the ferry. After he arrived, he bought a ticket to Immortafreeze City. He then walked into the next Gym. "I'm here to challange the Gym Leader!" Atrus called out. "Another Gym to pass through... Ugh, this could get tiring, but my Pokémon seem to be doing ten times better than they were before..." Atrus thought.

-MEANWHILE-

Zura Glory had given up looking for Rectus. "Ive searched everywhere, and he's not here. I'd better go someplace else... There's work to do." Zura thought. Zura walked out the door of the Evraflow building, hopped onto his Charizard, and rode off towards the rest of the region.

-MEANWHILE-

Zura Trancella was in his office. "Hm... I may have missed my appointment with Dr. Lobos, but..." Zura was looking at a personel file of Nathaniel. "He was part of Team Nebulus all along... This is very disturbing..." Zura turned on a small speaker. "Commander Regulus, report to my office immediately." Zura spoke over the speaker.

[Zextra]

"Yo" Virgil called. "You want a battle? Sure" he chuckled. "Let's see now...I'm just about to go on my ski trip, so let's make this fast. How does a 2 on 2 Double Battle sound to you?" Virgil asked, looking down at Atrus. "Alright, then! Let's go, Glaceon and Weavile!" he called, as two Ice-Type Pokemon appeared. A black blur with blinding speed rushed past Atrus and and landed, revealing itself to be a Weavile, while Glaceon took no effort to show off. "Let's see who you've got" Virgil called out to Atrus.

-MEANWHILE-

"I don't know how strong he is, but I can't take any chances. If he defeats me, I have to keep my Pokemon safe" Caden thought. "Now, to use that emergency transporter" Caden pressed a button on his Pokedex, revealing an additional feature to the scanner. "I implemented this just for emergencies" he thought, taking out his remaining 5 Pokeballs and placing on the slot. "Nathan, take care of them for me" he whispered, as the Pokeballs disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared in Nathan's transporter.

[StealthyTyranitar]

Wilas saw another trainer to his left,seeming to be waiting to battle. "Hey, you want to battle?" The man asked "Sure." Wilas amswered. "Okay, i'll battle you for your pokemon! Go, Quagsire!" the man yelled, as he took of his shirt to reveal some sort of uniform."Perfect. Go Oddish!" "Ooooooodish" "Use bullet seed !" A direct hit! The quagsire fell to the ground. Uncoincesse. then he realized that there was nobody battleing the leader.

Meanwhile-

"It's been weeks since anything has happend with Wilas!" Jesse wailed."Honey, it's been 4 days since we last saw him." "Oh. Well its still terible that he been missing for that long ."

[Mr Dr Professor Spaz]

Daniel just stepped off of the boat with his Vibrava hovering above him. "So, what can my new Vibrava do? He already used Steel Wing and Silver Wind on the ferry. Oh well, there is a nearby cave where I can train him." he said. With that thought he headed to Greenvine Hill. When he arrived, he decided to check his Pokemon's moves, Vibrava knew Dig, Dragon Pulse, Steel Wing, and Silver Wind. While he was walking in the small cave, he noticed a yellowish spot near the wall. He proceeded to that spot and had his Vibrava use Dig to excavate the small spot. It was an Old Amber. "I wonder where I can get this revived." he said putting the Amber into his bag, "I'll just send it to Araragi back in Isshu and tell her to revive it. The problem is how slow the revival process is in Isshu."

[Dementuo]

Atrus pulled out two Pokéballs. "Alright, sounds good to me. Go, Ninetails, Lucario!" Both Pokémon appeared. "Ninetails, use Eruption, and Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" Lucario charged then fired a glowing blue sphere, and Ninetails fired a barrage of fire and rocks.

-MEANWHILE-

Shibi came out from behind a nearby tree. "Huh, so you're here to battle? I would say yes, but first, release that Pokémon you took here. They all belon to me, and I let them roam the forest in here. So if you would just do that, then we can begin the battle. I'm sure that you didn't mean any harm. You seem like a nice guy." Shibi said.

-MEANWHILE-

Zura Glory had arrived at Immortafreeze city. "Hm... I was close by here when Virgil found us on Mount Aquamarine... might as well check theHedron. It had almost broken free that one time..." Zura could remember the details vividly. The Hedron had cracked, which indicated a large disturbance, and Kyogre nearly escaped the seal placed on it. Zura would make sure that nothing like that happened again, so he was going to check the Hedrons every now and then. Most he could check through the Star Fissure, but a few of then he had to check in person.

[StealthyTyranitar]

"Oh, yeah sorry. Release, Lunatone" The lunatone flew out of the pokeball and flew away. "Okay, Lets battle. go, Flaafy!" A Pink sheep-like pokemon burst out of the pokeball."Fffffffffffflaafy!" Said the cute pokemon. "So, what pokemon are you gonna use? I've heard alot about you from my girlfriend, Brenda. She said she tried to battle you but got creamed. She came back to Blackkthorn and stayed there. I know alot of your startegies.I can't wait to battle you!"

[Serenity the Candyman]

Nathaniel saw that Caden's pokedex was transporting his other pokemon somewhere else, but his mind was focused on the stone that appeared. "Houndoom, get up!" After taking the hit, Houndoom got up and looked at the Gallade. "Now let me tell you about this Houndoom. It takes much more then sure effective hit to take him down, Houndoom Extreme Nitro Charge to Purgatory at Caden!" (OCC: CHeck http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/229.shtml if you dont beleive he learns those moves) he shouted. If Gallade was going to block any of those moves, he better sure hope the burn wont overtake him.

[Sakurazaki Daisuke]

([i]OCC: Sorry for don't replying, it was because I went to the park with my friends yesterday and only returned at midnight, all broken, sorry again ultima[/i])After seeing Vulpix trying to reach his leg he grabbed it and put it on his head.Then they started to walk again throught the forest, after 1 hour of walking Sono saw the exit of the forest and some trees with Kakuna on it, "[i]I think this will not be a problem, right?[/i]" he smiled with a little fear on it, then his Vulpix spat some fire from its mouth like if it was splashing, it wasn't a big quantity but enough to incinerate one leaf that was falling at the same time and called the attecion of all Beedrills in the area that were protecting the Kakunas, "[i]This cannot be good[/i]" he thought with a funny afraid face.Then the Beedrills started to run after the carefree Trainer with his Vulpix throught the forest."Yuko-Chan, Confuse Ray, fast!!" he ordered while running, after he ordered Yuko-Chan's eyes started to glow in blue and a puple ball appeared in Vulpix's tail, then Yuko-Chan shaked it and the ball went in the direction of one of the Beedrills, the Beedrill in the front received the purple ball, turned back and crashed with the one behind it making a Domino effect.After this, Sono searched in his Pokedex for another route, other than the one with the Kakunas, after found it he took his way to the exit, in the way he found a couple of Oddishs, "[i]They are so cute togheter!![/i]" he thought with a will of capturing them, "[i]Ok, this one will be easy they're defenseless![/i]" he added to his thought while smiling and ordered "Yuko-Chan, use the Phantom Wave Combo!!", after this Yuko-Chan's eyes started to glow in blue and its tails started to shake, then some blue fire balls and purple balls started to appear around the tail."Ok now shot them in the direction of that couple!" he whispered.The balls went throght the coulpe making they start to burn and with no plans of flee thanks to the confusion, "Now, go on Pokeballs!" he thew 2 of them at the same time, both of them hit and after some shooks they stopped."Yeah found the way out and captured 2 cute Oddishs! This is great!! Hihi!!" he said happily while putting the 2 pokeballs in his backpack.After he left the forest, he found a Pokemon Center and stopped by to heal his new Pokemons, "Excuse me, Nurse Joy could you please heal this cuties, please?", the nurse nodded and took the Pokeballs from Sono hands and the Vulpix from his head.

[Zextra]

"Oh, no! I can't let Gallade take this attack for me, and it's too large for me to dodge" Caden thought. "Gallade, return now!" Gallade disappeared in a flash of red light. The huge, flaming attack hit Caden, knocking him back against a tree, injured and unconscious.

Then, a voice called, "Salamence, use Canon three times!" A Salamence burst through the clouds and shot three glowing blasts, each deflecting a portion of the flaming combination. "Nathanial, trying to bully kids, are you? How low have you sunk?" Rectus called, as he picked Caden up and lifted him onto Salamence. "And attacking the trainers directly? Back to your dirty ways, I see..." Rectus muttered. "I have no time to deal with you right now, but rest assured: Team Nebulus will be stopped!" he called, as he and Caden rode off on Salamence towards Gloomdelta Town.

-SHORTLY AFTER-

Caden slowly opened his eyes and came to his senses. He saw that he had a number of bandages on him and he noticed himself in a beautiful room. "Where...is this place?" he asked, slowly. Then, he looked around and saw a teenager on a computer.

Rectus turned around and smiled. "Awake already, I see?" he smiled. "This is my manor in Gloomdelta Town" Rectus explained. "I saw that you were trying to get through the shades" he said. "But, since Team Nebulus was up to their nasty schemes again, I'm guessing you couldn't get through" he told Caden. "Anyways, according to your Pokedex, your Pokeballs have been transported to the Gloomdelta Pokemon Center" he explained. "Perhaps you should get there?" Rectus suggested.

"Oh, alright. Thank you very much" Caden said as he winced when he tried to stand up.

"Wait a minute. First, I need to change your bandages" Rectus said, as he grabbed some white wrappings. He replaced the bandaging on Caden's brachium, and replaced one on his face. "That should do it" he smiled. "Good luck on your journey" he called as Caden left for the door.

"Thanks a lot for your help" Caden called, leaving for the Pokemon Center. Eventually, he arrived, and picked up his Pokeballs, which Nathan had left there. "Now, for more training" he thought, as he headed for the other side of Gloomy Shades. He arrived in a clearing, and started training. A couple hours of hard training later, Caden had completed what he had aimed for. With that, he healed up and headed to the Gloomdelta Gym.
After a stunning victory against Lucas, the gym leader, using his newly evolved Lucario with his newly perfected techniques, Caden thanked Lucas and walked out of the gym with his 7th badge. He healed up once again and left for the harbor, where he took another ferry to Hauntra Town. once he arrived, he left straight for the gym, and entered it.

-MEANWHILE-

"Glaceon, take that shot of Aura Sphere and used Mirror Coat! Weavile, use Agility to rush past eruption. Now, hit Ninetails with Night Slash!" Virgila called. Glaceon was hit with the glowing sphere, as the damage reflected onto Lucario's body. Weavile barely evaded the attack, and was about to strike Ninetails with his glowing claws.

[Dementuo]

"Ninetails, Substiute! Lucario, use Aura Sphere again!" Ninetails was replaced with a doll, and Lucario fired off an even more powerful Sphere. "Lucario's strentgh lies in his image ability to get stronger the more he battles. So now all this is is a contest of who has the tougher Pokémon! Of course, Mirror Coat must fade over time, and when it does, I'll finish off that Glaceon!" Atrus said enthusiastically.

-MEANWHILE-

"I thank you for releasing that Pokémon, and so now, we battle." Shibi pulled out a Pokéball. "Go, Grovyle!" Grovyle appeared. "O remember her, by the way. However, that was a long time ago, and I've got a few new tricks up my sleeve this time." Shibi said. "Grovyle, use Leaf Blade!" Grovyle's leaves started shining green, and Grovyle lunged towards the Flaffy.

[Zextra]

(OOC: I apologize for all the off-screen battles; They're necessary, but their controllers have not been here lately)

After a harsh endurance test against Lucario, Glaceon broke down and was knocked out. Then, after a fierce speed/avoidance battle with Ninetails, Weavile finally collapsed. "Hehehe...very good! Here is your badge, the Tear Badge" he handed Atrus a glint of a badge. "Good luck in your upcoming battles!" he called out to Atrus.

-MEANWHILE-

Caden was finishing his battle with Enzo, the 8th Gym Leader. "Now, Glaceon! End the match with Shadow Breeze!" he called, as Glaceon unleashed a barrage of Shadow Balls, which dissipated into a Blizzard, which wiped out Gengar, who had remained strong up until now. Caden sighed. "That's it...that's the last badge" he thought as Enzo handed him the badge. He put it in his badge case, thanked Enzo for the battle, and walked out of the gym.
He went to the Pokemon Center to make a videocall to Nathan. "Hey, Nathan!" he took out his badgecase and revealed his eight badges. "Yup, I'm finished. Anyways, where are you? Maybe I should visit you for a while?" Caden asked, smiling, the bandages still on his face.