The Arcane Realm: Land of Freedom and Magicks

[Maskerade]

King Ghidorah:

Drampa's teary eyes shift from the shattered incense burner to you, all signs of aggression gone, replaced by guilt. At the mention of Madeleine's name, however, he seems to cheer up a little, and his gaze shifts to a small, golden door on the wall behind him. You realize then, as you'd already suspected, that Drampa serves as guardian, preventing trespassers from going past the main hall into whatever lies beyond the golden door. But if that was the case, and the fake nun had indeed passed before, how had she managed to bypass the dragon? And why was Drampa asleep when you arrived, if Madeleine had only just passed through in her pursuit of the silent nun?

Drampa lowers its head, revealing a strange key dangling from a piece of rope tied to his neck which, in your panic, you had not noticed earlier. But when you hold out your hand to grab it, the dragon suddenly lifts its head again, and the key becomes out of reach. Then, with one of its wings, it pushes the broken incense burner toward you, and looks at you expectantly.

Yamask, meanwhile, stares at the scene with apparent indifference, before casually hovering over to the golden door. It seems to think the key is completely unnecessary; after all, you did manage to break into the archives with the ghost's help, why would this be any different? But as the phantom approaches, light bursts through the door's keyhole, engulfing Yamask in a blinding flash. When you open your eyes again, Yamask is standing right next to you once more, as if time had been pushed back once it attempted to phase through the door. There is some strange magic protecting the door, and clearly resorting to same tactic as earlier will yield no results.

It seems you have no choice but to get the key from Drampa; however, the deal remains. There is something you'll have to do for the dragon before it relinquishes what you need.

 

[King Ghidorah!]

King Ghidorah:

Drampa's teary eyes shift from the shattered incense burner to you, all signs of aggression gone, replaced by guilt. At the mention of Madeleine's name, however, he seems to cheer up a little, and his gaze shifts to a small, golden door on the wall behind him. You realize then, as you'd already suspected, that Drampa serves as guardian, preventing trespassers from going past the main hall into whatever lies beyond the golden door. But if that was the case, and the fake nun had indeed passed before, how had she managed to bypass the dragon? And why was Drampa asleep when you arrived, if Madeleine had only just passed through in her pursuit of the silent nun?

Drampa lowers its head, revealing a strange key dangling from a piece of rope tied to his neck which, in your panic, you had not noticed earlier. But when you hold out your hand to grab it, the dragon suddenly lifts its head again, and the key becomes out of reach. Then, with one of its wings, it pushes the broken incense burner toward you, and looks at you expectantly.

Yamask, meanwhile, stares at the scene with apparent indifference, before casually hovering over to the golden door. It seems to think the key is completely unnecessary; after all, you did manage to break into the archives with the ghost's help, why would this be any different? But as the phantom approaches, light bursts through the door's keyhole, engulfing Yamask in a blinding flash. When you open your eyes again, Yamask is standing right next to you once more, as if time had been pushed back once it attempted to phase through the door. There is some strange magic protecting the door, and clearly resorting to same tactic as earlier will yield no results.

It seems you have no choice but to get the key from Drampa; however, the deal remains. There is something you'll have to do for the dragon before it relinquishes what you need.

“Uh huh…okay…so you want…you want me to repair the incense burner, right? And you’re not going to give me the key until I fix this? This priceless artifact that seems to be damaged well beyond repair. You want me to put it back together,” Hugo announced. He knew that’s exactly what the Drampa wanted him to do. But maybe saying it aloud would make it easier? Like the lightbulb would go off? Doubtful.

Meanwhile, Yamask’s apathetic attitude had turned instead to one of frustration. Hugo watched as the Spirit Pokemon made repeated but futile attempts to phase through the golden door. Yet, each time he found himself back at square one, next to Hugo. After the fifth try, Hugo could see Yamask was getting angry and was prepping for a Shock Wave to try and blast the door down.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough!” Hugo finally intervened. “The last thing we need is to destroy anything else and get our giant friend here in even more trouble, right? We’re going to need to get the key and a deal is a deal. Why don’t you help me try to put this thing back together instead?”

Yamask conceded and agreed with Hugo to instead try and funnel his frustration into fixing the incense burner. It was heavy and metal and in several pieces. Yamask examined each piece of relic closely, finding where exactly it had been broken. Once he was satisfied, Yamask cloaked himself in an aura of pink Psychic energy, slowly pulling each portion into the air and piecing it together like an awkward jigsaw puzzle. A few maneuvers later, Yamask had the burner reassembled, looking almost as good as new. He pulled back on the psychic energy however, and it began to fall apart again, with Yamask catching it just before it clattered to the ground. He held it together again and looked to Hugo. He had done his part, now Hugo had to figure out to make it stick.

“So uh…have any tape? Or maybe some crazy glue?” Hugo asked the Drampa. The dragon raised a feathery eyebrow at Hugo’s suggestion and turned to Yamask with a look that read “Really? This guy?” Yamask shrugged, holding the incense burner in place.

“Okay, so I’ll take that as a no. Uh…hmm...looks like we may need to weld it together. Perhaps a blowtorch?”

Drampa shook it’s head, clearly getting frustrated with this line of questioning.

“No? That’s okay. I brought my own.”

Hugo pulled a Pokeball from his waist and released Salandit. The Toxic Lizard hissed happily, a small amount of purple gas being expelled from his muzzle.

“Salandit, I’m glad you’re here. See Yamask there? See what he’s holding?” He gestured to Yamask. “Well, it’s broken and we need your help. I need you to use Ember along the cracks and weld it back together. Do you think you can do that?”

 

[Maskerade]

King Ghidorah:

Reassembling a fragile incense burner that is probably worth a fortune is no easy task for a common man. But it becomes considerably more trivial with psychic powers at one's disposal, doesn't it? Yamask seems to think so too, as he effortlessly grabs all the pieces and joins them together, haphazardly at first and then, realizing how to solve the impromptu puzzle, correctly at last. But something else is lacking - a means to weld everything together.

Drampa raises one of its massive yellow eyebrows at your subsequent plan, which seems to be setting fire to the priceless relic you're trying to fix. But it did ask for your help, and it seems to have been taught humility by the nuns, so it says nothing and does not interfere. Good boy. Or girl. Plot-wise it doesn't matter.

You call upon your relatively young Salandit to finish the job, but the salamander stares at you with just as much apprehension as Drampa. Still, it does seem to be the only option available; Salandit raises her body temperature until flames escape its nostrils, and lets loose a stream of small Embers that heat up the metal until it turns red. After a few more attempts, the pieces seem to have been welded together, such that they no longer fall apart on their own. When the incense burner cools off, it'll be good as new!

Drampa stares silently at the artifact, evaluating the handiwork. You do the same, and clearly, the two of you are thinking the same: was it already that asymmetrical?... Drampa shrugs, hoping nobody will notice the tilted handle. Who knows, maybe it was always like that - art, right?

*Yamask gains 2 Levels!*
*Salandit gains 2 Levels!*

The dragon lowers its head again, this time letting you take the key. It feels heavy in your hand - its weight and color make you wonder if it's made of solid gold. And it if is... does that mean the door is too? Because it's one thing for a door to be painted golden, and another to be made of actual gold. Monetarily speaking, at least. But since you can't quite take the door with you and cash it in on the PokéBank, you decide there's little point in dwelling on it.

Drampa backs away, grateful for your help. You can now explore the main hall of the Archives at your leisure, or head straight for the door that Yamask couldn't breach.

 

[King Ghidorah!]

King Ghidorah:

Reassembling a fragile incense burner that is probably worth a fortune is no easy task for a common man. But it becomes considerably more trivial with psychic powers at one's disposal, doesn't it? Yamask seems to think so too, as he effortlessly grabs all the pieces and joins them together, haphazardly at first and then, realizing how to solve the impromptu puzzle, correctly at last. But something else is lacking - a means to weld everything together.

Drampa raises one of its massive yellow eyebrows at your subsequent plan, which seems to be setting fire to the priceless relic you're trying to fix. But it did ask for your help, and it seems to have been taught humility by the nuns, so it says nothing and does not interfere. Good boy. Or girl. Plot-wise it doesn't matter.

You call upon your relatively young Salandit to finish the job, but the salamander stares at you with just as much apprehension as Drampa. Still, it does seem to be the only option available; Salandit raises her body temperature until flames escape its nostrils, and lets loose a stream of small Embers that heat up the metal until it turns red. After a few more attempts, the pieces seem to have been welded together, such that they no longer fall apart on their own. When the incense burner cools off, it'll be good as new!

Drampa stares silently at the artifact, evaluating the handiwork. You do the same, and clearly, the two of you are thinking the same: was it already that asymmetrical?... Drampa shrugs, hoping nobody will notice the tilted handle. Who knows, maybe it was always like that - art, right?

*Yamask gains 2 Levels!*
*Salandit gains 2 Levels!*

The dragon lowers its head again, this time letting you take the key. It feels heavy in your hand - its weight and color make you wonder if it's made of solid gold. And it if is... does that mean the door is too? Because it's one thing for a door to be painted golden, and another to be made of actual gold. Monetarily speaking, at least. But since you can't quite take the door with you and cash it in on the PokéBank, you decide there's little point in dwelling on it.

Drampa backs away, grateful for your help. You can now explore the main hall of the Archives at your leisure, or head straight for the door that Yamask couldn't breach.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Hugo says to Salandit in appreciation before recalling her to her Pokeball.

The incense burner wasn’t a masterpiece, but given the sheer number of relics in the chamber, Hugo believed…or hoped, anyway…that any slight changes would go unnoticed. At the same time, what did it matter? He got the key. At this point, Drampa would take the heat. Hugo didn’t necessarily want that to happen, but he did the best he could.

The key was heavy and solid. It appeared as if it was made entirely out of gold, much like the door that it unlocked. Hugo understood the church was ancient, but how exactly any religious institution was able to amass such sheer wealth to have entire doors made of gold caused Hugo a good bit of distress. So much for charity.

Hugo lifted the heavy key to the lock, ready to open…but paused. Certainly he needed to find Madeline and the Silent Nun, but at the same time, how many people have ever or will ever be in this room? “The door is made of gold,” he thought to himself, “all of these other objects…all of these precious archives…what secrets do they hold? And even more importantly, how much are they worth?”

Hugo noticed Yamask floating through the hall, examining the various artifacts and scrolls. “You’re curious, too?” He asked the Spirit Pokemon. Yamask responded with a cold gaze. Though this was pretty much how Yamask responded to everything, Hugo had learned over time what the different looks meant.

“Perhaps we can take just a few minutes to look around…”

 

[Faiyaa]

XIV. Island of Temperance - An island off the coast of the city, another tourist attraction for visitors to the city and the patrons to make money off of. It was once a temple where monks practiced their beliefs in order, and those that have defiled this sacred land are said to meet with a grisly fate. Though, the temple remains intact, even if it is slightly submerged now. Spelunkers try to find the treasure still hidden in the temple, and the treasure that has been lost under the waves. Weather land or sea, there is something for everyone at this island.

It started off just like any other journey for the veteran Pokemon trainer. Whenever the existence of a new land was made known, the adventurous spirit in Gary couldn’t resist seeing it with his own two eyes. Like its name suggested, the Arcane Realm was a region that was ancient and hidden, shrouded in mystery, with a sort of mystical and magical story behind it. It was almost as if the realm had been actually hidden by magic for all these years only to reappear now for some unknown reason. While he had experienced some peculiar supernatural phenomenon over the years through his travels, Gary possessed a scientific brain and was skeptical of everything he saw and heard.


As he looked at a roughly sketched map of the region, there was one destination that immediately called out to him; the submerged temple ruins off the coast of the Island of Temperance. He had little to no interest in the tourist attractions on land, but underwater archeological expeditions were a big part of his life’s research of underwater ecosystems. Whether he would be able to find any treasure hidden in the ruins would merely be icing on the cake; Gary simply just wanted to see what was down that and what kind of life had adapted to the man-made conditions.


Gary had arrived at the City of Pentacles, but he didn’t plan on staying long. The sights and sounds were surely worth a look, but Gary was focused on his mission at hand and made his way towards the port. His first task was to reach the Island of Temperance, where he would then look for directions to guide him toward the ruins. Looking around at the port, Gary searched for a ferry that could take him to his destination. If that wasn’t possible, then he would just have to Surf over there with his Pokemon. He made sure he brought his diving wetsuit along with him and wouldn’t let anything stop him from finding his way.

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Faiyaa- Having heard tale of sunken ruins, you can't resist travelling to the Arcane Realm. The City of Pentacles was far from your scene, but if it lead you to where you wanted to go then it was worth enduring. You had to work out how exactly you could get to the Island of Temperance, you could use your own Pokemon if you had to but a guide would make the journey a whole lot smoother. As you reach the port, there are plenty of people and plenty of ships, you just had to find the right one. Cruise ship probably wouldn't be right, nor would the fishing vessel. You spot a large yacht, loaded with traps and cages, as well as a large trawling net. For a vessel that was meant to be a joyride for the rich, this yacht seemed to have been modified for a specific purpose. Then something draws your eye, a young woman with honey blonde hair, waving a sign in front of the yacht. She sports a one piece swim suit, mostly dark blue with some light pink accents, she also seems to be kicking up a bit of a stink.

"Stop trawling around the ruins!" The woman shouts, drawing the attention of the nearby crowd. "They're destroying the reef, destroying the ecosystem!" The crowd watches for a moment before moving on, they didn't really seem to care. "Bloody tourists, you're as bad as they are!" As you get closer, you notice a uniformed officer approaching her.

"Mam you've been told before, continue to do this and you'll be thrown in jail", the officer seems to have crossed paths with her before. "Move along, I don't want to be the one to take you in."

She throws the sign to the ground and storms off, heading towards a small catamaran tied up to the dock. She leaps aboard and begins to prepare the vessel for departure. She was passionate and seemed to know about the ruins, perhaps she was exactly who you were looking for?

 

[Enigmatic Professor]

Krelia soon appeared again, Jayson wondered how exactly she managed to create her portals. Magic for sure, but could something like that be taught and learnt? That didn't really matter right now, what mattered was the information Krelia was giving. The Pokemon within the temple was a Jirachi, a Pokemon Jayson had heard of but never actually seen. If he chose to venture into the temple, he'd be given the opportunity to write a wish on the legend's tag, an opportunity he surely couldn't pass up? As he was about to give his answer, the familiar buzz of his Pokegear drew Jayson's attention away.

Emergency, need you home immediately! Valka

"Ahh shit" Jayson mumbled, he had to get going. Before he could go however, it seemed he had a choice to make. He'd bonded with both the Zorua and Cubone, he couldn't take both with him, he'd have to chose between them. Zorua was a rare Pokemon and a telepathic one to boot? A Pokemon of its talents would certainly come in handy. However, he couldn't stop thinking about the Cubone. The poor thing was in need of some real support, Jayson knew with a little time and training, he could help it overcome its issues. Looking into the Ground type's eyes he could see the passion, the desire. His choice was made.

Jayson pulled out a Pokeball and offered it to the Cubone. "Want to come with me little fella?" Jayson turned to Krelia, "I think I can really help this Cubone out, thank you for the offer to go into the temple but it appears I am needed back home. Will I be right to fly off the mountain?"

(using 1 Pokeball to capture the Cubone!)

Krelia looked on at Cubone, who tentatively reached out and tapped the Pokeball, but before it pressed the button, he looked at his friend Zorua
Zorua looked back at him, tears in his eyes. "Don't you dare worry about me Cubone, I will travel with Krelia. And someday we will meet again
Zorua nuzzled his friend and walked over to Krelia, who was holding out a Pokeball as well.

Cubone looked up at you, and you could see something fierce in its eyes. While he was indeed sad, he was ready to leave this mountain behind, and see the world. He pressed the Pokeball button, and the ball opened up, shooting a red beam at him. Once he was wrapped up in the beam, it pulled him inside the ball and closed.
Rock
Rock
Rock
Click

The Pokeball sent up some stars to show that you now own Cubone.
Krelia looked at you as you spoke, tucking her Pokeball away.

"Well, leaving the temple should give you no problem, though just to be sure, I will wait here as you fly away.
Thank you Jayson, and may the Sun be with you."

You hopped up on Artemis's back and flew as fast as you could back home to Valka.
As you flew, growing smaller and smaller in the distance, Krelia smiled.

Someday we will meet again, that is for sure Jayson, she thought.
Krelia turned on her heel and opened up a portal, and with one last glance at you, she hopped in.
The portal fizzled out soon after Krelia stepped through.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You get to keep the 6x Sitrus berries if you wish
The map is useless, but you may keep it.
Cubone's Stats
Male, Level 5
Ability: Lightning Rod
Ht: 1' 7"
WT: 6.5 kg
Relaxed Nature
Moves: Growl, Tail whip, Detect.

I hope you enjoyed your adventure TKF

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Krelia looked on at Cubone, who tentatively reached out and tapped the Pokeball, but before it pressed the button, he looked at his friend Zorua
Zorua looked back at him, tears in his eyes. "Don't you dare worry about me Cubone, I will travel with Krelia. And someday we will meet again
Zorua nuzzled his friend and walked over to Krelia, who was holding out a Pokeball as well.

Cubone looked up at you, and you could see something fierce in its eyes. While he was indeed sad, he was ready to leave this mountain behind, and see the world. He pressed the Pokeball button, and the ball opened up, shooting a red beam at him. Once he was wrapped up in the beam, it pulled him inside the ball and closed.
Rock
Rock
Rock
Click

The Pokeball sent up some stars to show that you now own Cubone.
Krelia looked at you as you spoke, tucking her Pokeball away.

"Well, leaving the temple should give you no problem, though just to be sure, I will wait here as you fly away.
Thank you Jayson, and may the Sun be with you."

You hopped up on Artemis's back and flew as fast as you could back home to Valka.
As you flew, growing smaller and smaller in the distance, Krelia smiled.

Someday we will meet again, that is for sure Jayson, she thought.
Krelia turned on her heel and opened up a portal, and with one last glance at you, she hopped in.
The portal fizzled out soon after Krelia stepped through.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You get to keep the 6x Sitrus berries if you wish
The map is useless, but you may keep it.
Cubone's Stats
Male, Level 5
Ability: Lightning Rod
Ht: 1' 7"
WT: 6.5 kg
Relaxed Nature
Moves: Growl, Tail whip, Detect.

I hope you enjoyed your adventure TKF

Jayson watched anxiously as the Cubone was enveloped in the light of the Pokeball. He'd been through this many a time but no matter what, he still managed to get a spike in anxiety as he watch the ball rock back and forth. Eventually the ball came to stop and the tell tale click sounded the success of the capture. Jayson bent down and collected the ball, he had a lot of work to do with this Cubone. It would take a lot of time and training, but eventually it would overcome its burdens.

"I guess this is farewell then Krelia and Zorua, I might see you around, you have a habit of showing up when you're needed, its quite a talent." Without her help their was no way he would have overcome Matthew and Mayvis, he probably also would have continued to doubt Zorua's motives and potentially could have harmed the innocent Zorua. Jayson released Artemis from her Pokeball, the Aerodactyl dug her claws into the rocks, making sure to get a firm hold. Jayson climbed up onto her back and gave Krelia and Zorua a wave. He drew Fenrir and Genghis into their Pokeballs, they'd have to move with speed and they'd only be extra weight for Artemis to carry. With a nudge of his foot, the Aerodactyl spread her wings and with a few mighty flaps she was in the air. Jayson looked around to make sure none of the sentries were firing at them, breathing a sigh of relief when he realised they were in the clear. Artemis arced around the mountain, retracing the route they took on the way here, they had to get home.

 

[Faiyaa]

Faiyaa- Having heard tale of sunken ruins, you can't resist travelling to the Arcane Realm. The City of Pentacles was far from your scene, but if it lead you to where you wanted to go then it was worth enduring. You had to work out how exactly you could get to the Island of Temperance, you could use your own Pokemon if you had to but a guide would make the journey a whole lot smoother. As you reach the port, there are plenty of people and plenty of ships, you just had to find the right one. Cruise ship probably wouldn't be right, nor would the fishing vessel. You spot a large yacht, loaded with traps and cages, as well as a large trawling net. For a vessel that was meant to be a joyride for the rich, this yacht seemed to have been modified for a specific purpose. Then something draws your eye, a young woman with honey blonde hair, waving a sign in front of the yacht. She sports a one piece swim suit, mostly dark blue with some light pink accents, she also seems to be kicking up a bit of a stink.

"Stop trawling around the ruins!" The woman shouts, drawing the attention of the nearby crowd. "They're destroying the reef, destroying the ecosystem!" The crowd watches for a moment before moving on, they didn't really seem to care. "Bloody tourists, you're as bad as they are!" As you get closer, you notice a uniformed officer approaching her.

"Mam you've been told before, continue to do this and you'll be thrown in jail", the officer seems to have crossed paths with her before. "Move along, I don't want to be the one to take you in."

She throws the sign to the ground and storms off, heading towards a small catamaran tied up to the dock. She leaps aboard and begins to prepare the vessel for departure. She was passionate and seemed to know about the ruins, perhaps she was exactly who you were looking for?

Gary had been walking up and down the piers of the Pentacle City harbor looking for a suitable vessel to take him to his destination when he came across a small demonstration. A young woman seemed to be protesting to a crowd of onlookers about tourism destroying the reef around the ruins. He couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for he too had come here somewhat as a tourist, but the heart of his intentions aligned more with hers. It was at that time that an officer approached her and threatened her to disperse that she finally gave up her protest and stormed off.


While not wanting to come off as a stalker, Gary couldn’t help but notice the woman board a small catamaran and prepare to disembark. Now wasn’t the time to be shy; this could be his best opportunity to set sail for the ruins. “Umm, excuse me,” he called out as he approached the ship. “Hi, I saw your protest just now. My name is Gary and I’m a marine Pokemon biologist. I came here to do an ecological survey of the ruins and the surrounding area and was wondering if I could tag along with you to the reef.”


Gary stood there with an anxious smile and scratched his head, unsure if the young woman would receive his intentions in a positive manner. Even still, if worst came to worst, he was ready to just dive into the seas by himself and ferry across the bay on the back of his own Pokemon. He just hoped it didn’t have to come to that.

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Faiyaa- Going out on a limb, you approach the woman's vessel and introduce yourself. She remains silent as you do so, but you can't help but notice her eyes scanning you. You had good intentions, you just have to hope that she sees that. "A scientist you say? Can't say I've had the best experience with your kind in the past. My name is Marian." She continues to prepare her vessel for departure, fixing ropes and checking the sails. "Many come to the reef, expressing a desire to help, but not once have I met someone with pure intentions. It's all about personal gain, you come in, get what you want, then leave. They might make a discovery, then when others find out they come here in droves, tearing through the reef like a school of starving Carvanha. Are you any different Gary? I'd like to know, but your words mean little. You have Pokemon with you yes? I'd like to meet one. Pokemon have pure hearts, I'll be able to tell what type of person you are just by looking into your Pokemon's eyes." It was an odd request, could she really judge you as a person just by looking at one of your Pokemon? At this point it looked like this was the only way you were going to hitch a ride.

Waves begin to lap at the catamaran's hulls, looking around you soon spot the source of the waves, the yacht loaded with traps is leaving port, its destination unknown. "Bastard, you see Gary, that there is a perfect example of what I am saying. A crazed young scientist with money to burn, intent on chasing a myth and showing no compassion for the reef as he does so. It's people like that who make me think that people don't deserve Pokemon."

 

[Faiyaa]

Faiyaa- Going out on a limb, you approach the woman's vessel and introduce yourself. She remains silent as you do so, but you can't help but notice her eyes scanning you. You had good intentions, you just have to hope that she sees that. "A scientist you say? Can't say I've had the best experience with your kind in the past. My name is Marian." She continues to prepare her vessel for departure, fixing ropes and checking the sails. "Many come to the reef, expressing a desire to help, but not once have I met someone with pure intentions. It's all about personal gain, you come in, get what you want, then leave. They might make a discovery, then when others find out they come here in droves, tearing through the reef like a school of starving Carvanha. Are you any different Gary? I'd like to know, but your words mean little. You have Pokemon with you yes? I'd like to meet one. Pokemon have pure hearts, I'll be able to tell what type of person you are just by looking into your Pokemon's eyes." It was an odd request, could she really judge you as a person just by looking at one of your Pokemon? At this point it looked like this was the only way you were going to hitch a ride.

Waves begin to lap at the catamaran's hulls, looking around you soon spot the source of the waves, the yacht loaded with traps is leaving port, its destination unknown. "Bastard, you see Gary, that there is a perfect example of what I am saying. A crazed young scientist with money to burn, intent on chasing a myth and showing no compassion for the reef as he does so. It's people like that who make me think that people don't deserve Pokemon."

Gary listened as Marian introduced herself and began describing her past experiences of other scientists who claimed to have similar motives as Gary. He could see that she was right to think that way after how some of his contemporaries acted, and would have to somehow convince her that he was different. After expressing her desire to gauge if Gary’s intentions were pure through the eyes of one of his Pokemon, Gary smiled and nodded, agreeing that this would be the best way.


“It’s sad what you described, but unfortunately that’s the world we live in. You won’t find my name in any scientific journals or on big discoveries though; I don’t do this for the fame. Why don’t you see for yourself? I hatched this little one at the Springtime Isles a year or so ago, so she is pretty special.” With a gentle smile, Gary reached down to his belt and pulled out a Luxury Ball. Holding it out, the ball popped open and in a bright flash of light revealed a squishy, green, jellybean-looking creature who Gary caught in his arms. He didn’t seem bothered by the slimy texture of her blob-like body in the slightest.


“Pyuuu,” Pickle cooed as the shiny Pyukumuku looked up at Marian. Gary couldn’t help grin, but Pickle was still like a baby to him. However, as all of this was going on, a large boat pulled by, its wake causing Marian’s catamaran to rock back and forth. It was loaded with traps, yet another reminder to the woman’s apprehension of outsiders. Gary sighed, knowing this wouldn’t help his cause any. “My dream is to observe underwater ecosystems and leave them preserved in their natural state, so we can learn more about how they grow and adapt to the world around them. If we hurry, maybe I can help you stop others from disturbing the natural order!”

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Faiyaa- After reassuring Marian that you seek only knowledge and not fame, you select one of your Pokemon for her to inspect. You settle on Pickle, releasing the shiny Pyukumuku from its Luxury Ball. Holding the squishy Alolan native in your arms, you give Marian a quick introduction before she reaches out to grab her. You hand the green bundle of squish over, some people would be reluctant to handle a Pyukumuku but you see no reluctance in Marian at all. You watch anxiously as she lifts the Water type up to eye level. She suddenly begins to hum a hauntingly beautiful tune and you feel your body relax. Pickle seems to relax as well, slumping in Marian's hand as she continues to hum. Eventually she comes to a stop and gives her verdict.

"Your Pokemon has a lot of love for you Gary, she's a little cutie as well", she gives Pickle a little tickle, causing the Pyukumuku to giggle and let its innards slip out a little. "You can come with me to the ruins, I'll give you a personal tour and then bring you back here, no one knows the ruins better than myself. I could probably use some extra assistance removing his traps before any Pokemon fall prey to them, but its best not to take him head on, he has plenty of resources at his disposal after all." Marian hands back Pickle as you step onto the catamaran. She unties the rope holding it to the dock before lowering the sail and steering it out onto the open water.

The catamaran glides slowly over the water, although the steady pace gives you plenty of time to take in your surroundings. You pass a small pod of Wailmer, one is inquisitive enough to come up close, bumping the catamaran. You quickly grab hold of something, although it didn't mean to the Wailmer almost knocked you off. It isn't long before you spot the island in the distance, some of the temple is still visible above the water, but not much. Marian brings the vessel to a halt a couple of hundred metres away from the island, lowering the sail and dropping an anchor. "We aren't far off the reef now, so it's time for us to get in the water. Since you were planning on coming out here anyway, I'm assuming you have dive gear?" Marian pulls out a pair of white flippers and a small breathing apparatus. It looks like it's time for a swim.

 

[Faiyaa]

Faiyaa- After reassuring Marian that you seek only knowledge and not fame, you select one of your Pokemon for her to inspect. You settle on Pickle, releasing the shiny Pyukumuku from its Luxury Ball. Holding the squishy Alolan native in your arms, you give Marian a quick introduction before she reaches out to grab her. You hand the green bundle of squish over, some people would be reluctant to handle a Pyukumuku but you see no reluctance in Marian at all. You watch anxiously as she lifts the Water type up to eye level. She suddenly begins to hum a hauntingly beautiful tune and you feel your body relax. Pickle seems to relax as well, slumping in Marian's hand as she continues to hum. Eventually she comes to a stop and gives her verdict.

"Your Pokemon has a lot of love for you Gary, she's a little cutie as well", she gives Pickle a little tickle, causing the Pyukumuku to giggle and let its innards slip out a little. "You can come with me to the ruins, I'll give you a personal tour and then bring you back here, no one knows the ruins better than myself. I could probably use some extra assistance removing his traps before any Pokemon fall prey to them, but its best not to take him head on, he has plenty of resources at his disposal after all." Marian hands back Pickle as you step onto the catamaran. She unties the rope holding it to the dock before lowering the sail and steering it out onto the open water.

The catamaran glides slowly over the water, although the steady pace gives you plenty of time to take in your surroundings. You pass a small pod of Wailmer, one is inquisitive enough to come up close, bumping the catamaran. You quickly grab hold of something, although it didn't mean to the Wailmer almost knocked you off. It isn't long before you spot the island in the distance, some of the temple is still visible above the water, but not much. Marian brings the vessel to a halt a couple of hundred metres away from the island, lowering the sail and dropping an anchor. "We aren't far off the reef now, so it's time for us to get in the water. Since you were planning on coming out here anyway, I'm assuming you have dive gear?" Marian pulls out a pair of white flippers and a small breathing apparatus. It looks like it's time for a swim.

Although he didn’t need to be proven of her intent, Gary smiled and was impressed as Marian handled Pickle without any qualms of the sea cucumber’s mucus-like body. Pickle seemed pretty content as well, as she was handed back to Gary and the two of them boarded Marian’s catamaran. It was time to set sail for the reef and the ruins where Gary could finally accomplish his goal as well as help out with removing and traps along the way.


As the catamaran skimmed across the water, Gary eagerly took in his surroundings. He was practically glowing, as he was happiest out in open water. Something about the salt in the air and a cool breeze at his back made him feel like he was right in his element. Gary had experience on sailboats before as well, so he took no time at all getting his sea legs. It was as good of a time as ever too, as a playful Wailmer swam over and nudged the vessel, causing it to rock. Gary laughed and waved at it, thinking about his own pudgy whale, Mist.


After a short while, the Island of Temperance gradually became visible in the distance, as did part of the remains of the now underwater temple, poking through the surface of the sea. Not wanting to get too close, Marian pulls in the sail and drops anchor. As Marian prepares herself for a dive, she asks Gary if he has the proper equipment. With a grin, he replied, “I never leave home without it,” as he laughed to himself at the irony of his statement considering his home was on a mountain. Always prepared for an aquatic expedition, Gary stripped off his hoodie revealing a dry-fit diving top and a pair of swim trunks underneath. He opened up his back and swapped out his hoodie for his own pair of flippers and a similar breathing apparatus. After returning Pickle to her Luxury Ball, Gary wrapped a pair of goggles around his forehead, ready to go. “After you!” he called out.

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Faiyaa- Always prepared for a dip, you quickly strip down to your swim gear and retrieve your flippers and breathing apparatus from your bag. Marian dives into the water first, she quickly does a lap around the catamaran, she was surprisingly graceful in the water. She seemed to move almost effortlessly, but it was likely just due to growing up by the water and her flippers. You dive into the water, thankfully it is nice and warm. After giving you a bit of time to get used to the water, Marian calls you over, it was time to dive. You pull your goggles down over your face, following Marian as she dives under the water.....

At first you see nothing but an empty sea bed, but emptiness soon gives way to coral as you begin to swim over the reef. It was like an underwater rainbow, a vast array of coral of all different shapes and sizes. You spot multiple Pokemon hiding among the coral, some more shy than others. Scores of Corsola, a school of timid Finneon, a pair of male and female Frillish among other things. With so much going on it was hard to determine where to focus, but Marian soon spots something that requires her attention. She surges through the water, her flippers pushing her through the water with startling speed. You pursue her, doing your best to keep up. Where was she going? You look around, you can't see anything that would have alarmed her, but she certainly seemed to be heading towards something. You eventually see what she is heading towards, a Popplio! The young sea lion seems to be in distress, as you get closer you notice some sort of trap is clamped down on its tail. Marian latches onto the chain that secures the trap into the reef. She pulls with all her might but it doesn't budge. You assist her but the chain isn't coming lose. Marian points towards the surface and swims up, you follow.

Marian removes the breathing apparatus from her mouth as you surface, "I've got bolt cutters on the catamaran, you try and calm the Popplio while I go get them, we have to help it." She doesn't give you an opportunity to answer, she simply turns and swims towards the vessel which you can just manage to see in the distance. The Popplio needed your help, but how would you help it?

 

[Asteiri]

Missingno. Master​

"Tump!" It screeched out again, a shrill cry that made Laugh's ears burn from a mixture of the loud sound and of the immeasurable amounts of anger she felt seeing Terri be attacked by the small stump Pokemon. It seemed to feel little remorse for it's actions, turning back to Terri with a malicious intent in it's eyes. It seemed to look through Laugh, disregarding her presence as it focused on Terri. It ignored Laugh's question, aiming an Astonish at it's target only to be quickly intercepted by Laugh who absorbed the blow with a quick Protect.

Laugh was confused by the sudden actions of the Phantump, it seemed to attack them without warning. However, it seemed to hold little regard for the Froslass, instead seemingly angered at the presence of Terri for some reason. Laugh couldn't help but want to try to engage the creature further, but it seemed to grow even angrier upon having it's attack interrupted by the protect. It lunged forward, only to be met with a chilling blast of Ice from the mouth of the Froslass. As it reeled back from the blow, Laugh blasted it with a ball of Shadow. The Phantump gave a harrowing howl, it's body shaking from the blows it had experienced. It looked like it was on the verge of fainting.

"Phan... tump..." It growled out, eyes suddenly aflame with a fire that Laugh hadn't noticed before. Laugh eyed the Phantump closely before feeling a sharp pain across her entire body. She groaned out, feeling some of her life be drained by the small tree stump. "Tump..." It moaned out, it's Pain Split sharing Laugh's own energy with itself. The two Pokemon were on an even playing field again.

"Tuh tuh tuh..." It laughed out, approaching Laugh slowly before using a Feint Attack. It seemed that the creature seemed intent on fighting back.

What do you do?

Mana Opal​

The darkness had just begun to creep through the trees of the forest as you entered the Chariot Inn, finding the place wasn't as hard as one may assume --- especially with the help of a psychic companion. As you entered the Inn, you noticed all sorts of people around the entranceway. Travelers, soldiers, even a bard or two. You couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder from being within such a bustling location.

"Oi!" A cheerful voice called out to you, causing you to turn your head towards the main counter of the building. A thin woman stands behind the counter, a large warm smile plastered upon her face. "Are you looking for a room?" She asks as you slowly approach the counter. "Not to worry! We always have lots of vacancy here at the Chariot Inn!" The line sounds rehearsed, a somewhat forced line that drags across the woman's lips like she's been forced to say it numerous times. She hands you a room key, it's wooden and very worn down. The card attached to the key reads "VII". You begin to walk away before the woman quickly grabs your attention again.

"Oh! Youngin'! Please don't enter the forest again at night... there should be no reason to leave the Inn once the darkness creeps in. Bad things befall those foolish enough to do so." Her face is grim as she speaks, but it suddenly perks up when she says her next line. "Enjoy your stay!" Again, rehearsed and somewhat robotic. You couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was something... off about the attendant.

You shrugged, taking the key and looking around. You had the option to try and strike up a conversation with the grizzled soldier that was hunched over a table, or the meek looking bard that stood by the fireplace. Or you could just head up to your room...

What do you do?

 

[Missingno. Master]

Missingno. Master​

"Tump!" It screeched out again, a shrill cry that made Laugh's ears burn from a mixture of the loud sound and of the immeasurable amounts of anger she felt seeing Terri be attacked by the small stump Pokemon. It seemed to feel little remorse for it's actions, turning back to Terri with a malicious intent in it's eyes. It seemed to look through Laugh, disregarding her presence as it focused on Terri. It ignored Laugh's question, aiming an Astonish at it's target only to be quickly intercepted by Laugh who absorbed the blow with a quick Protect.

Laugh was confused by the sudden actions of the Phantump, it seemed to attack them without warning. However, it seemed to hold little regard for the Froslass, instead seemingly angered at the presence of Terri for some reason. Laugh couldn't help but want to try to engage the creature further, but it seemed to grow even angrier upon having it's attack interrupted by the protect. It lunged forward, only to be met with a chilling blast of Ice from the mouth of the Froslass. As it reeled back from the blow, Laugh blasted it with a ball of Shadow. The Phantump gave a harrowing howl, it's body shaking from the blows it had experienced. It looked like it was on the verge of fainting.

"Phan... tump..." It growled out, eyes suddenly aflame with a fire that Laugh hadn't noticed before. Laugh eyed the Phantump closely before feeling a sharp pain across her entire body. She groaned out, feeling some of her life be drained by the small tree stump. "Tump..." It moaned out, it's Pain Split sharing Laugh's own energy with itself. The two Pokemon were on an even playing field again.

"Tuh tuh tuh..." It laughed out, approaching Laugh slowly before using a Feint Attack. It seemed that the creature seemed intent on fighting back.

What do you do?

To Laugh's frustration, not only did Phantump seemingly have no intention of answering her question, it also seemingly had no intention of letting this matter go without a fight. Exactly what its problem was, Laugh couldn't say, but Phantump's beef seemed to be with Terri specifically.

This was not lost on Terri, who shivered in fear, the Worry Seed's effects still very much in play. She hated to just cower and do nothing, but the thought of doing anything filled her with so much unwarranted dread.

"Don't worry, my love," Laugh said to Terri. "It won't hurt you. I promise."

Terri nodded slowly, locking eyes with Laugh. But this eye contact was suddenly and forcibly broken by Phantump's growling, allowing Laugh to turn her attention back to the fight just in time- Phantump had now used Pain Split, evening out their health levels. Terri gave a shuddering gasp as she saw Laugh in pain like that.

"N-No!" Terri managed to exclaim, bravely managing to overcome her botanically magnified worries. "Don't you hurt her! It- it's me you have a problem with, right? Wh-what did I ever do to you?"

Laugh was not convinced that Terri's questions would get any more of an answer than her own, so the Froslass kept focused on the battle (though was certain to give Terri a grateful smile for her brave words). Another Protect against the Feint Attack, followed up with a Crunch and a close-range Frost Breath, that was what Laugh was thinking. Would it hurt? Most likely. But this Phantump had a problem with Terri, which meant Laugh had a problem with this Phantump. If it wanted to do things like this, fine. Laugh would show it exactly what happened to anyone who tried to mess with her beloved.

 

[Faiyaa]

Faiyaa- Always prepared for a dip, you quickly strip down to your swim gear and retrieve your flippers and breathing apparatus from your bag. Marian dives into the water first, she quickly does a lap around the catamaran, she was surprisingly graceful in the water. She seemed to move almost effortlessly, but it was likely just due to growing up by the water and her flippers. You dive into the water, thankfully it is nice and warm. After giving you a bit of time to get used to the water, Marian calls you over, it was time to dive. You pull your goggles down over your face, following Marian as she dives under the water.....

At first you see nothing but an empty sea bed, but emptiness soon gives way to coral as you begin to swim over the reef. It was like an underwater rainbow, a vast array of coral of all different shapes and sizes. You spot multiple Pokemon hiding among the coral, some more shy than others. Scores of Corsola, a school of timid Finneon, a pair of male and female Frillish among other things. With so much going on it was hard to determine where to focus, but Marian soon spots something that requires her attention. She surges through the water, her flippers pushing her through the water with startling speed. You pursue her, doing your best to keep up. Where was she going? You look around, you can't see anything that would have alarmed her, but she certainly seemed to be heading towards something. You eventually see what she is heading towards, a Popplio! The young sea lion seems to be in distress, as you get closer you notice some sort of trap is clamped down on its tail. Marian latches onto the chain that secures the trap into the reef. She pulls with all her might but it doesn't budge. You assist her but the chain isn't coming lose. Marian points towards the surface and swims up, you follow.

Marian removes the breathing apparatus from her mouth as you surface, "I've got bolt cutters on the catamaran, you try and calm the Popplio while I go get them, we have to help it." She doesn't give you an opportunity to answer, she simply turns and swims towards the vessel which you can just manage to see in the distance. The Popplio needed your help, but how would you help it?

Gary took no time at all following Marian into the water, eagerly slipping into the warm sea and quickly dipping his head underwater to get his hair wet and his body acclimated. Much like Marian, who seemed perfectly at home as she swam a lap around her boat, Gary felt natural as he waded in the water, almost more comfortable than he did on land. Marian saw that he was ready to go and dove first, so Gary followed suit.


It didn’t take Gary to see all kinds of stuff that caught his attention once he was underwater. A healthy and vibrant reef of coral stretched across the seabed. There he spotted a number of Corsola happily going about their business, and Gary swam down for a closer inspection. He pulled out a small waterproof digital camera and began snapping some pictures, so he could make notes and more detailed observations later. Spinning around, he gazed upon a school of Finneon and a male and female pair of Frillish. He again took some pictures for posterity, and then contemplated adding to his personal collection of water Pokemon, not having the chance to study a Finneon up close and personal yet, and additionally he’d like to get a male Frillish to pair with his own female one, Peach. But deep down he knew that splitting up this pair would be cruel, and as he looked over, Gary spotted Marian signaling him over. She looked pretty serious as she sped off.


Leaving his treasure trove of research subjects behind, Gary followed Marian in pursuit. It wasn’t long until he was able to take notice of what had caught her attention. There was a poor young Popplio caught in one of the very traps they had set out to destroy. Gary’s eyes went wide and sped over to Marian and the sea lion, trying his best to free the creature to no avail. Marian signaled to return to the surface, which he promptly did so they could form a plan. Marian said she would return to her ship to retrieve a pair of bolt cutters and that Gary should remain with the Popplio, trying to calm it down. Gary quickly nodded and dove back under to where the trapped critter was. He knew time was of the essence, as mammals such as Popplio couldn’t stay underwater forever. This trap must have been sprung recently, but who knew how much time it had left before drowning. Something had to be done, so Gary quickly thought of a plan.


Pulling out a Luxury Ball, Gary released his Lanturn named Apollo into the surrounding water. Apollo looked around inquisitively and happily called out to his trainer. “Hey Apollo, no time to waste,” Gary answered, his voice somewhat muffled with the re-breather in his mouth. “Slowly and gently create some Bubbles so this little one can breathe! If it gets too riled up, try to calm it down with a light display of Eerie Impulses, and if that doesn’t work, maybe a soothing melody of your Heal Bell will do the trick!”

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Faiyaa- With Marian swimming back to the catamaran, you're left in charge of calming the still trapped Popplio. You figured a mammal like Popplio would need oxygen soon, or else it would likely drown. You dive back down under the water, releasing your Lanturn from its Luxury Ball. Apollo is quickly filled in on the situation at hand, he seems glad that you chose him to assist you. The first point of action was getting the Popplio some air, Bubbles would be the perfect solution for that. Considering Popplio's natural love for bubbles, you hope that it'll know what to do with them, even though it is in distress. Apollo blows some nice big bubbles towards the Popplio. The first few it pops in distress, unsure of what is going on. Apollo keeps trying and eventually the Popplio catches on. It catches a bubble on its nose and inhales the air, doing so a number of times. With the Popplio now having enough air, at least for a while, Apollo was now going to attempt to calm it. The Lanturn flashes his lights in a strange display, catching the Popplio's attention. The Popplio slowly starts to calm, even more so when Apollo begins to chime with a Heal Bell.

With the Popplio now calm, it would be a lot easier to free it once Marian returned with the bolt cutters. Once free from the trap, you could attempt to heal its wounds. You pause as you hear a melody playing over Apollo's Heal Bell, then something rushes past you sending you tumbling backwards through the water. The Primarina smashes through the chain before circling back around to scoop up the Popplio, its tail still stuck in the jaws of the trap. You lock eyes with the Primarina for a brief moment, it's long blonde hair marked it as a Shiny Pokemon. With a flourish of its powerful tail the Primarina whisks the injured Popplio away. Would it be able to take care of the Popplio on its own? Would you pursue the Primarina on your own or wait for Marian and risk losing it?

 

[Faiyaa]

Faiyaa- With Marian swimming back to the catamaran, you're left in charge of calming the still trapped Popplio. You figured a mammal like Popplio would need oxygen soon, or else it would likely drown. You dive back down under the water, releasing your Lanturn from its Luxury Ball. Apollo is quickly filled in on the situation at hand, he seems glad that you chose him to assist you. The first point of action was getting the Popplio some air, Bubbles would be the perfect solution for that. Considering Popplio's natural love for bubbles, you hope that it'll know what to do with them, even though it is in distress. Apollo blows some nice big bubbles towards the Popplio. The first few it pops in distress, unsure of what is going on. Apollo keeps trying and eventually the Popplio catches on. It catches a bubble on its nose and inhales the air, doing so a number of times. With the Popplio now having enough air, at least for a while, Apollo was now going to attempt to calm it. The Lanturn flashes his lights in a strange display, catching the Popplio's attention. The Popplio slowly starts to calm, even more so when Apollo begins to chime with a Heal Bell.

With the Popplio now calm, it would be a lot easier to free it once Marian returned with the bolt cutters. Once free from the trap, you could attempt to heal its wounds. You pause as you hear a melody playing over Apollo's Heal Bell, then something rushes past you sending you tumbling backwards through the water. The Primarina smashes through the chain before circling back around to scoop up the Popplio, its tail still stuck in the jaws of the trap. You lock eyes with the Primarina for a breathe moment, it's long blonde hair marked it as a Shiny Pokemon. With a flourish of its powerful tail the Primarina whisks the injured Popplio away. Would it be able to take care of the Popplio on its own? Would you pursue the Primarina on your own or wait for Marian and risk losing it?

Gary watched intently with baited breath as Apollo tried his best to resuscitate the Popplio and calm it down while they waited for Marian to return and free it from its predicament. He was finally able to smile and relax slightly as the plan seemed to be working, listening to Apollo’s melodic Heal Bell. However, an eerie operetta seemed to echo in from the distance, almost in response to the Lanturn’s tune. Gary turned around to face the direction of where it came as he felt a rush of water and a blur of long golden hair coming his way.


Was it Marian? No, couldn’t be. The figure darted in so fast the only thought that crossed Gary’s mind was the image of a mermaid. Fortunately Gary held on tight to his breathing apparatus as the figure zoomed by, nearly knocking the air out of him as the current sent him swirling backward. Gary quickly tried to regain his bearings as he righted himself in the water and was astonished to see a fully grown Primarina smash through the chain holding down Popplio like it was a twig. On top of that, this one’s flowing golden locks were not normal either; this one was clearly shiny.


Gary had little time to reflect and observe in awe, as the Primarina scooped up the still-trapped Popplio in its mouth and began swimming off at a high speed. Popplio might not be immobile anymore, but it was still in a life threatening trap and would need to be freed with the proper tools. Marian still had yet to return though, and Gary didn’t want to lose sight of the Primarina. He quickly took off through the water in pursuit of it. “Apollo!” he called out, “Wait here for Marian to return so you can show her the way! Keep a Spotlight on us so you know the way to go!”

 

[TheKnightsFury]

Faiyaa- You couldn't afford to wait for Marian, if you lost the Primarina, the Popplio could lose its life. Instead you instruct Apollo to stay behind, the Lanturn would serve as a beacon for Marian while keeping a Spotlight on you, hopefully making it easier for you to track it. You swim forward as fast as you can, you've no hope of matching the speed of the Primarina but you could at least follow its wake. It seems to be heading in a straight line, as if it has an intended destination. You're chest is beginning to ache as you swimming through the reef, doing your best to avoid running into any coral. You notice Apollo's light is beginning to fade, you've travelled quite a distance from him already. It is then that you spot something up ahead, some sort of stone structure. It takes a moment before you realise, it is the submerged portion of the ruins! The worn stone structure still seemed to be relatively stable, you can just make out the faint melody of the Primarina coming from inside. All signs pointed to the Primarina heading inside, but as you get close, two figures swim into few, blocking the entrance. The two Clawitzer brandish their oversized, cannon-like claws, it seems they don't want you to enter.

With no change in Apollo's Spotlight, you can only assume that Marian hasn't returned. What could be taking her so long? Perhaps she'd gotten lost? Gotten trapped herself? Or maybe she was struggling to find her bolt cutters? Either way, it seems like you're alone for now and if you want to get to the Primarina and injured Popplio, you will have to go through the Clawitzers.