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--V.S.
WAAPT@tropi.us → WAAPT: In-Universe → PMD Returns: stories of PMD-A and PMD-B
Algira buzzes around Coulomb and Lapras, then Maekrite calls her and the others and asks where they can find a place to sleep, because it's pretty late already and Silentran♂ is dozing.
(After too long =) )
Shahinne suddenly wakes up under Roc's wing, yawns.
Shahinne: <....Food! [Nuts]!> -- starts pecking Roc's wing. -- <And a tale!>
Roc: <ouch ouch ouch Fine, morning... ouch ouch ouch> -- lifts his wings and stares at Stratus and Mata Nui -- <Uhm... not that I'd like to interrupt your business but where should we go from here?> -- points to Shahinne.
Roc gives a sigh as his chick makes effort to break his concentration, then turns back to Lake.
Roc: <...Oh, that place. All right, I'll go feed Shahinne and see if I can hire somemon to find the others. Shahinne, up.>
Shahinne -frowns: <...Tired.>
Roc: <..Down then. We are going to glide down and find something to nom.>
Shahinne chirps, gives a wingwave goodbye to the others and walks to the border of the cloud following his dad. When she looks down at the immensity of the sky, she gets a bit scared, but goes forward to plunge after she sees her father doing so himself without as much as a chirp.
∽Last Night~
Somewhere in town, or perhaps right outside it, a Nidoran♂ is trying to get past the sensation that everything around him is strange and trying to calm himself down enough to sleep. However, after a couple of minutes of ears flickering and of leering at random leaves and stuff, the Nidoran sighs, decides to go curl by the Nidorino's warm chest.
In thirty seconds he is soundly asleep.
∽Today~
Maekrite and Silentran♂ walk around town trying to find the others. They know that Algira found one of Tagg's teammates so they start looking for him too.
Algira -dances around Coulomb: <...You are right, in fact there they are...>
Maekrite can be seen arguing with a peasant about where to go buy some food while Silentran♂ notices some mons carrying notes for the boards.
Algira: <...I am not too sure... come, let's see.> -- flies towards the Nidos, guiding Coulomb -- <He's been acting all weird and rushing to Maekrite for cover from everything, even me.> -- flashes an (according to her) nonthreatening pattern.
Maekrite turns around and notices Algira bringing a Eelektross along. He waves a paw then steps ahead.
Maekrite: <Hey, Algira, who's this?>
Algira: <Tagg's friend~> -- buzzes proudly.
Maekrite -blinks: <...R-really? That was fast....> -- to Coulomb -- <A pleasure, I'm Maekrite.>
Algira: <Oh, wait, during that tournament we don't like to talk about?>
Maekrite frowns at Algira, who goes perch nearby, then he goes pick Silentran♂ up and brings him along. However the Nidoran's reaction upon seeing Coulomb is not the best.
Silentran♂: <meeep~> -- starts flailing.
Maekrite -muffled since he's grabbing Silentran♂: <Ffffis Fffffilent, fffffethinfff fffaffenff fo fim.> -- drops Silentran♂ and pins him down to the ground -- <Calm down, would you? Hey, Coulomb, any chance Cobalt is around? We had a psychic, but she disappeared...>
Algira: <I wouldn't worry. Knowing Ichtacya, they'll somehow get here in no time.>
Meanwhile the kit, pinned to the ground, gathers some courage and gives Coulomb some exploratory glances.
Maekrite sighs in relief after Coulomb mentions Cobalt.
Maekrite: <Thank Frith-rah, I was already getting worried. He's been acting like a kit which is endearing, mind but uhm... we kinda need Silent to be... here, uh, normal.>
Silentran♂ -points at Coulomb: <...Attack him! Atta-oooof~> -- is pinned against to the ground.
Algira: <Apparently our coins are no good here. What can we do to secure a place to stay, Coulomb? I think there was something about a guild...>
Maekrite nods, then pokes Silentran♂ to make him walk along, the Nidoran complies in between growls.
Silentran♂: <...Strong mon, beat him up...> -- pokes Maekrite -- <then catch in a Pokébal...> -- blinks, thinks for a moment -- <Pokégear!>
The Nidoran jumps to the bag but is caught by Maekrite before he can reach too far into it.
Maekrite: <No no no, you walk!> -- sets him down on the ground and pokes him with his horn -- <Come on, focus.>
The two walk behind Coulomb while Algira goes perch in random places to see if she catches sight of more mons she knows. As usual, she flashes S.O.S. signs.
A group of seven Pokémon move along a tunnel somewhere, an unnatural creation of soft, grayish walls and some strange bumps on the ceiling. They walk in pairs, two of them carrying some boxes. Their eyes were fixated on the exit, though the rest of their senses also focused on the tremendous length of the tunnel. A Pokémon's claws shone in the dark as he let out a growl back, a warning against any eventual attacker.
???? #1 -pats the larger Pokémon by his side: <You don't have to worry. Amn't I here?>
???? #2: <Mom can be here if she wants, I'll still be on alert.> -- gives an aside glance.
The leader of the group, walking on the center, gave an approving glance at the two Pokémon at the tail of the group, but also incited them to keep up, now that they were closer to the exit. All of the Pokémon picked their gait, breathing a little faster, perhaps involuntarily, it wasn't like they wouldn't be happy.
About one minute later, the group emerged from some staircases. First a Linoone♀ and a Snubbull♀ examining their surroundings, once they were happy to perceive no threat or observation from the nearby ruins or the large building behind them they moved to a nearby wall and awaited. Then the leader of the group, a Nidorino, rushed up and took center stage, giving a soft growl to assure the Machoke and the Graveler that they were free to bring the [boxes] up. As soon as they did, the Ursaring♂ and the Espeon♂ from before walked up the stairs as well and took a look at the surroundings.
Espeon♂ -pats the Ursaring again: <See, we are almost there. And you should be able to get back home by the evening.>
Ursaring♂ -shakes some dust off: <Geez, sorry for being actually worried about my job.>
Nidorino -walks up to the boxes: <Ok, it seems we reached the last checkpoint without any issues. We'll thank you both for your help once we arrive to the forest.>
The Snubbull and the Espeon meanwhile have gone to check up a wall to the south, not too far away, and part of what appears to have been an important building once. Past the wall, a small park can be seen, with the grassy ground separated into slots, each larger than an Arcanine is long, and each growing different herbs and plants. The Snubbull's view focuses on a weird large object lying on the ground some distance beyond.
Snubbull: <...Oh, so that's how they look on the inside?>
Espeon goes catch up and sees what looks like part of a [skeleton] resting on the ground. At first glance it looks to be the spine and chest of a Pokémon, but a very, very large one. Larger than a Dragonite, considering that the sole chest cage is about as big as a Dragonite would be. The entire piece of skeleton seems to be held standing by what looks like a large metal lance dug straight on the ground.
Snubbull: <...I wonder how much of the [Slayer]'s myth is true...>
Espeon: <Probably not much of it, considering annoying dragons are living and warring wars just southeast from us.> --focuses on the rest of the group for a moment, then pokes the Snubbull -- <Come on, the others are about to go.>
Snubbull -frowns: <...Well, they have not attacked the forest in a long while, eh?> -- follows.
Snubbull and Espeon return to the group to see Ursaring and Nidorino trying to convince a hesitant Graveler about something.
Graveler: <I don't mind doing this, really...> -- rubs an arm against the ground -- <but I'm worried about how to return home. The [cave] is so far away, and there are Grass-types in the forest.>
Nidorino: <Worry not, She shall provide.> -- waves a paw -- <Surely Her mandate will be that we escort both of you to your homes.>
Ursaring♀ -pats carefully: <If it helps I can escort you up to the Unruins of Alph. Then I have to turn to the mountains...>
The conversation follows for a moment, then the Machoke and the Graveler give a nod and go stand by the boxes. As they do, the other Pokémon gather in a column formation, with the Linoone taking the front and giving cursory glances around.
Above them there is nothing but the sky and a very large, if somewhat ruined, building. There do the Murkrow usually perch, though this early in the morning they are often spread around the old settlement of Golrod and across the beaches to the south in search of shiny stones and other weird objects. The main concerns of the group, two large boxes giving strange floral and marine scents, are safe.
Linoone♀: <I shall lead from here to the place for the trade. Let's go.> -- drops to all fours and marches ahead.
As the group moves forward, again with the Ursaring and the Espeon taking the back positions for protection, the Nidorino goes do some chitchat with the other Pokémon. He inquires the Graveler about the origins of the plants contained in his crate, to which the Graveler admits he knows not much, most of them were collected over the weekend by some other Pokémon living in the cave, such as Zubat and Makuhita.
A couple of minutes later the group leaves the old settlement behind and they reach the first line of trees that marks the place known as the Golden Forests. As they reach the first clearing, in a place where the road turns left to reach to a small lake, the group stops and resumes a more loose formation. The seven Pokémon bask in the sunlight for a short while (even the Machoke and the Graveler, even if they don't get much from it), then respectfully stand still as they look up to the north.
Far to the north one other edification can be seen. It is much taller than the dark, steel tower the group left behind not too long ago, and is also much better preserved. As the sights of the Pokémon reach further up and closer to the top, they mutter some words about their own cultures, then the seven bown in reverence to [Her] and thank Her for the warm sunlight of the day.
Nidorino: <Well, let's go to [Calino]'s place soon. I'm sure between these crates and the herbs, [Frith-rah] will love the offerings.>
Snubull♀ -barks happily: <I hope she does. This is the first time my family can go see the ritual.>
Graveler: <...A-are you sure I can climb up there without problems?> -- shifts nervously.
Linoone♀ -raises an eyebrow: <I don't see why not. Last year there was a visiting Blastoise I hear. Besides,> -- points to the west -- <Has Her Perch ever faltered?>
The Graveler shrugs, then goes pick his crate while the Machoke picks also the other crate. The group walks off the main road and keeps marching deeper into the forest, watched over by some Hoothoot and Rattata among other Pokémon who mask their presence with the activity of the forest.
Maekrite and Silentran♂ follow Coulomb around to where the Guild is, while Algira goes look around for food stands to understand what do mons here do instead of hunting their own food. She is not too perplexed by the trade of currency, considering it also happens in the normal verse, but wonders what is its true name, since nomon completes the sentence beyond "Poké-".
~Yesterday~
Shahinne and Roc are perched on a tall tree, observing the world around them. The Starly is tired and hungry and worms have done not much to quell her hunger, which she makes patent by pecking the tree and chirping annoyingly. After a moment, Roc goes to nest by her side and asks her how hungry she is.
Shahinne: <Very very hungry...> -- listens to a stomach grumble that is not hers -- <You too?>
Roc: <Me too...> -- spreads wings -- <Okay, Shahinne, you are a bit young but since you learn fast... what if I show you how to hunt aerial prey?>
Shahinne: <...Aerial?> -- eyes open wide as she looks up to her dad.
Roc explains to Shahinne that sometime later when she grows into a Staravia, she won't be able to feed only on worms and [nuts], and she will have to get her own territory outside of her parents's wings. While Shahinne disapproves of the idea, she listens carefully as Roc explains that Staravia and Staraptor are designed to hunt "on the go", in particular the final evolution.
Roc: <It is very important that you learn because with a group like ours...> -- thinks back to Tagg and the others -- <you won't always have the comfort of a place to feed and sleep. Understand?>
Shahinne looks a bit worried, wondering if Copahue and Harriet can not do enough for her, but nods after a moment. Roc motions her to get up and she does, mimicking the father's graceful motion to detach from the tree and take flight over the valleys.
As they gain altitude, Roc explains to Shahine the basis of diving as well as how to correctly fold her wings and fan out her rectrices to achieve near-instant direction turns, then tells her that he will demonstrate and get a meal for both of them, as they scout the grounds below in search of a Pokémon like a Metapod, a Mankey or a Slakoth. He instructs the younger bird to stay airborne, facing the valley, and to give a high-pitch shriek if she finds herself in any trouble.
And with that, Roc flies ahead and starts gliding in a very large circle around the valley below, wings tense in expectation of an unaware prey.
Ichtacya -looks around: <...W-where are we?>
An Espeon and a Leafeon walk around in the grass as they head towards a house in the distance. Sol, the Espeon, squints as she picks a noise coming from the house, then stands up for a moment to see something... someone, coming out from the house. It seems to be a [person] in green garment and holding some stuff on his hands.
Sol: <...Wait, not a personmon?>
Ichtacya: <Oh? What is going on?>
The Leafeon looks far ahead and sees the human... yes, the human, turns and starts running towards them. For a moment Sol wonders what is going on, this is very strange. Weren't they supposed to be in a mon-only universe? You know, with Silent and the others?
Suddenly what looked like a shining butterfly came flying at the group from where the man was and started dancing around the duo.
????: <Hey, listen~>
Ichtacya: <...Algira? is that you?>
Suddenly the butterfly thing starts hovering above Ichtacya and trying to cling to her head.
Ichtacya: <...What are you-?> -- flails, swipes at the "Algira".
Algira: <...Hey!>
Looking at the events before her, Sol can not do much more than tilt her head and wondering what is going on. However that is abruptly ended when she senses a trigger of violence. She turns her ear to the direction the human is coming from to hear something tensing and to sense Ichtacya as the focus of something.
Sol: <...Ichtacya!> -- leaps ahead projecting a [Barrier].
A faint sound is heard and Sol senses something fast crashing through the Barrier and flying past her side, before she can turn her head and confirm anything, a very strong and pained [yelp] comes from Ichtacya. And a second later, when the Espeon turns around, she finds the Leafeon with what looks like an arrow with a red glow stuck on on her hindleg. There's some smoke coming from the wound.
Ichtacya: <...That f****! That hur->
Ichtacya is cut off when a fire extends from the arrow, in a matter of seconds the Leafeon is covered by fire. Sol looks jaw open.
Ichtacya: <Eeeeeep~ Help! Help!> -- runs around, trying to roll on the grass for little effect.
Noticing some more violence now aimed towards her, Sol turns around to see the butterfly thing now flying around her; she looks at the human in the distance and sees a bow and an arrow being tensed aimed at her. With a cry of "<Oh no you won't!>", Sol leaps up and charges a Psybeam.
???? -flies away: <...Watch out!>
As soon as she fires the Psybeam, the human aborts his arrow shot and produces a shield from his back; the psychic attack hits squarely on the shield pushing the human backwards, but beyond that the human does not seem to have taken damage.
Ichtacya: <HELP! I'M ON FIRE!!!!>
Sol psychically shows Ichtacya the lake nearby and the Leafeon runs away, then she returns her attention to the human who is strafing around. Suddenly, Sol hears something above her.
????: <Hey listen~!>
Sol -growls: <You shut up! Come on, Ichtacya, run!> -- picks the smoking Leafeon up.
Sol chases after Ichtacya who has already put the fire out at the lake. The Leafeon grumbles, looking at her hurt hindleg, then warns Sol in time for her to leap aside and avoid an arrow that embeds itself on the ground right where Sol's left paw was.
Sol: <To the mountains!> -- points to the east -- <Come on! Let's go look for someplace to hide!>
Both Eeveelutions start running away towards the river and then up to the mountain through a narrow passage. To offer Ichtacya some protection, Sol puts up two extra Barriers some distance behind them, hoping that the arrow-shooting human will at least be delayed. After the two jump over the river and climb to a ledge, Sol takes a look down the river to see the human still chasing after them.
Ichtacya: <...Sol, look!>
Sol directs her gaze to a ledge in front of them which Ichtacya is showing to her. there she sees two holes in the ground. One is just black and round and seems to lead to a cave, but the other has white shining edges and looks just like the [portal] they found at the Entralink where they focused.
Sol: <Come on! That's our ticket out of here!>
Both Eeveelutions run around the ledge towards a safer place to jump, Sol being grazed by another arrow that flies up past her and to the sky, leaving a chilling effect and a white-ish mark on her skin. They leap into the magic hole together and disappear from that not very welcoming world.
Ichtacya: <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH~>
Sol: <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH~>
Roc is standing on a branch, examining the contents of a torn Metapod hanging from his talon and a strand of silk while Shahinne, one or two branches underneath, hops around and chirps contently.
Shahinne: <Canned food is the best!> -- goes to nom.
Roc -stares at her: <...and that's how you pick food on the fly. When we can fly to another [isolated] place you'll be practising this, Shahinne.>
Shahinne looks up and trills because she loves the maneuvers Roc pulls off when flying around.
Shahinne: <...that part offscreen where you were escaping the [evil wind] and the Manectric tried to shoot a Thunderbolt right below you was awesome!> -- trills -- <Are you going to teach me how to brake like that?>
Roc: <That's something Harriet can teach you better. For now, I'm going to nap.> -- yawns, sleeps on-the-spot.
Maekrite and Silent keep waiting for Coulomb, in the meantime they walk into a random building to be determined. Algira meanwhile hovers around for a while then heads... flies to Spinda's Café...
Shahinne has flown down from the tree and is pestering a Taillow for conversation. Roc meanwhile is sleeping on a high branch.
Ichtacya: <...AAAAAAAAHHHHHH~>
A Leafeon and Espeon materialize from an airborne portal and fall to their doom the confy yet gelid safety of a snowbank below. Ichtacya is quick to emerge from the snowbank and limp away, cursing her luck, while Sol emerges a short moment later and chastises her for "TemptingFate", just like that, without a space.
Sol: <...I wonder where are we now...> -- starts scanning her surroundings.
Ichtacya -tries to bite the arrow off: <So long as no one sho->
Sol: <Don't jinx us...> -- psychically muffles Ichtacya -- <And don't remove the arrow, are you nuts?>
Ichtacya growls for a while, mutters something about she of course knowing she shouldn't remove the arrow, it's just that it's quite painful and inconvenient to have stuck on a hind leg. Then she goes carefully lie somewhere near the snowbank while Sol walks around looking for mon trails or any indication of where they are.
Algira flutters around and goes to perch on the Juice Bar.
Algira -flashes friendly patterns: <...What does a beautiful lady have to do here so that a gentlemon will invite her to a drink?>
A raft slowly approaches the beach. Its two occupants, a mon in black robes wearing a [mask] and a Lampent providing some light and warmth, await for the waves to take the raft to the shore, without making any motion that would speed up their docking.
Any motion that would reveal their presence.
????: «Would I be worse than I am, I would curse this day. But this is a business day and nothing else, just like any other day...»
The Pokémon looks back to the sea, where a school of water mons, as well as a flock of Wingull, are marching across the sea to the north, headed away from the coast and towards the Whirl Islands carrying algæ, flowers and other offerings. He can't blame them, he would stop doing everything and follow his brothers and sisters in their pain and mourning for a beloved regent...
????: «...maybe.»
The mysterious Pokémon returned his sights to the beach, there no mons could be seen more than a random shadow or two of Pokémon that were past the first line of trees, minding their own business. He grew worried for a moment that, given the delays he had suffered, his dealers, a Rattata family from the lands to the north, had leave the place or worse, had been found out by law enforcement...
...Nah.
As he focused on the sound of waves crashing against the beach which we could now hear clearly, he laughed off at the idea.
Lampent: <...Is something the matter, boss?>
???? -shakes his head: <I was worried about the Rattatas, that somemon would have caught them...> -- sneers -- <would you believe it? As if these feral lands had any kind of police.>
The Lampent imitated the laughs as well as it could and floated ahead, his light diminishing, as the raft touched land and sand. While the ghost Pokémon inspected around, looking for any hint of the drug dealers who were doing business with them, the Pokémon in the mask started unloading two small crates containing what could only be concentrated Lansat juice. He heard some trees and branches bristling, surely because of the wind.
Yeah, it was the wind. He was so sure...
????: «They must be close, perhaps hiding for the moment... I only have to wait...»
Not for a moment thought the mysterious mon or his partner that the Rattatas would not come, not today and not any other day.
Or that neither would he, to follow the same fate the Rattatas had.
Algira flies to Igneous and perches besides him.
Algira: <My, thank you, good gentlemon, tee hee~> -- fans her antennæ proudly.
Algira receives her Oran Margarita, she starts sipping contently and gives some looks around taking notice of the patrons. She wonders if Helios would come around here.
(In response to this and following posts)
Algira: <You are very kind...>
Because Igneous is so nice, Algira flashes some nice patterns at the Pokémon. Then she hovers and spins around in the air catching sight of the different mons. She notices whom she thinks is the same Lapras from before and reminds herself to invite him over to Silent's group later, when things with the little 'ran are sorted out.
Algira: <Now, what is there to do around here...?> -- looks for a bantender -- <...Hello? Anymon has seen a [Volcarona] around?>
From a not too far away spot at the shore, a figure is observing as the two Houndours and the dragons are holding their conversation. He stays out of view, not that it'd be any hard for someone like him, and his ears flicker, scanning the sensations around with some degree of expectation.
♨č▒⢫╠␣☣ł₤舸▟: «It happened fast... faster than it would be sane... trial shall be provided again...»
The Nidorino-like figure scans the surroundings, trying to find out if any other mons have found about this meeting. After that, it fades away into a cloud of smoke...
Sol and Ichtacya are wandering around trying to find anything to help them. What they get out of their troubles is mostly being chased around by mid-level Golduck and Vigoroth spam-attacking them.
Sol: <Hmph... I'm running out of energy for shields...> -- casts the next-to-last Light Screen.
The two Pokémon run towards a lower platform while evading some Water Guns and random attacks. Ichtacya fires a Razor Leaf at the Pokémon chasing them before leaping, some cries of pain can be heard.
Sol: <Way to go~> -- senses something -- <...Uh?>
Suddenly a strong evil wind starts circulating in the island, growing stronger and stronger. Sensing it, most of the wild mons around start running away, while Ichtacya and Sol look around.
Ichtacya: <W-w-what is going on?>
Sol -frowns, tries to stick to the ground: <...I don't know, but I have the bad impression we'll be around to find out...>
The wind quickly grows strong enough to tear anything off the ground, including the poor Eeveelutions who are flown around like mere specks.
Ichtacya: <...AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH~>
Sol tries to focus enough to send a [psychic SOS] before her senses are overcome by the increasingly strong and dark wind.
A silly Pidgey carrying a message lands on a random tent in the outskirts of Treasure Town. A couple of minutes later, a Pokémon adds a job notice to the Board:
Help! I have a magical [arrow] stuck on my butt! Oh and we are lost and freezing to death.
Client: Leafeon♀ and Espeon♀
Location: Some kind of "blizzard island"
Reward: Said arrow and a Piloswine's tusk.
After a long flight session, a Staraptor and a Starly finally arrive to the town. They glide gracefully while taking quick looks around, the Starly impressed with the tents and buildings.
Finally, they perch on the rooftop of the Xatu Appraisal.
Shahinne: <What are we going to do today, dad?> -- trills.
Roc: <The same thing we do these last few days, Shahinne...> -- looks around seriously -- <Try to take o- er... find the others.>
Shahinne obediently puts up a serious face and starts looking around, wondering if she'll see the same mons from the sky.
Maekrite and Silentran♂ are taking a walk near the Kangaskhan storage tent, while they look for any opportunity to find something of interest. The Nidorino ponders if there is anything in the bag that they can trade for items while they get some currency.
Silentran♂: <...So, what's the money named?> -- pokes the Nidorino's leg.
Maekrite: <"Poké"-something, I'm not sure what...>
Silentran♂: <....Eeeep!> -- sees a "large" Swampert and gets in combat stance, ears down.
Maekrite -steps in: <...T-Tagg? That's you, right?> -- points to Silentran♂ -- <We arrived here some time ago, but we are facing some troubles. Uh...> -- gulps -- <Shahinne and Roc are missing, and something's wrong with Silent, see?>
Maekrite picks Silentran♂ up and hangs him closer to the Swampert, with the expected effect of making the kit flail in annoyance and giving Tagg one leer or another.
Silentran♂ -blinks: <...Snack? ._.>
Maekrite: <...Wish I knew.> -- pins the Nidoran♂ down. -- <He does not remember who he is, or me... and he is acting just like any random Nidoran. Not that it isn't cute...> -- pets the Nidoran♂ who swings his paws at him.
Maekrite remembers something and points to the Spinda's Café.
Maekrite: <Algira has been asking for Helios ever since we arrived. We lost Ichtacya, Sol, Roc and Shahinne even before we arrived. Anything like that ever happened to you?>
WAAPT@tropi.us → WAAPT: In-Universe → PMD Returns: stories of PMD-A and PMD-B
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