Unreal Archipelago: Zone of Mysteries

[Pearl's Perap]

Emp
Though the cards are stacked against your Solosis companion by way of his typing, the Cell Pokémon is happy to be given the chance to show you more of his might against the approaching Houndour. Quick to jump into action once more, the Solosis darted through the air and positioned itself squarely between you and the canine, glowing slightly as he formed another defensive barrier in front of where the pair of you stood. Despite this, the confused canine continues to careen forwards, firing the Ember it had been preparing right at its Psychic type target. Thanks to the freshly set up Light Screen, the damage from this attack is minimal and the Solosis quickly prepares his next move, crackling slightly with static energy before releasing a powerful wave of electricity at the Houndour.

Reeling from the electrical assault and the confusion the Solosis had put it under previously, the Houndour stops in its tracks and appears to dazedly stare through the large window to the side of the lounge, its attention appearing to be more on the Houndoom it had commanded in the moments previous than the battle it had started with you and your companion. Spying his next opportunity to strike, the Cell Pokémon begins to spin on the spot in the air between himself and his foe before lowering himself to the ground at just the right moment and zooming forwards, slamming hard into the shiny hound with the ordered Rollout attack. Though it seems to have taken a decent hit from the mismatched Solosis, this attack appears to bring the Houndour back to reality and it lunges forwards to Bite down hard on its target, delivering a fairly harsh blow of its own.

"Don't underestimate that thing, it's a spoiled brat but it's tough for a pup." The Dodrio's trainer has wandered to your side by this point, not wanting to get caught up in the battle unfolding in the already turned over lounge. From behind the door the thieves had been quick to head through, the two of you hear several different people shouting between metallic clanking noises as if something large was being shifted around. With the door closed, fast, though, you are unable to make out what any of the voices are saying.

What will you do?

 

[empoleon dynamite]

Emp
Though the cards are stacked against your Solosis companion by way of his typing, the Cell Pokémon is happy to be given the chance to show you more of his might against the approaching Houndour. Quick to jump into action once more, the Solosis darted through the air and positioned itself squarely between you and the canine, glowing slightly as he formed another defensive barrier in front of where the pair of you stood. Despite this, the confused canine continues to careen forwards, firing the Ember it had been preparing right at its Psychic type target. Thanks to the freshly set up Light Screen, the damage from this attack is minimal and the Solosis quickly prepares his next move, crackling slightly with static energy before releasing a powerful wave of electricity at the Houndour.

Reeling from the electrical assault and the confusion the Solosis had put it under previously, the Houndour stops in its tracks and appears to dazedly stare through the large window to the side of the lounge, its attention appearing to be more on the Houndoom it had commanded in the moments previous than the battle it had started with you and your companion. Spying his next opportunity to strike, the Cell Pokémon begins to spin on the spot in the air between himself and his foe before lowering himself to the ground at just the right moment and zooming forwards, slamming hard into the shiny hound with the ordered Rollout attack. Though it seems to have taken a decent hit from the mismatched Solosis, this attack appears to bring the Houndour back to reality and it lunges forwards to Bite down hard on its target, delivering a fairly harsh blow of its own.

"Don't underestimate that thing, it's a spoiled brat but it's tough for a pup." The Dodrio's trainer has wandered to your side by this point, not wanting to get caught up in the battle unfolding in the already turned over lounge. From behind the door the thieves had been quick to head through, the two of you hear several different people shouting between metallic clanking noises as if something large was being shifted around. With the door closed, fast, though, you are unable to make out what any of the voices are saying.

What will you do?

It was a battle between mind and matter, the Houndour bounding ahead before spitting Embers at the Solosis – the latter propping up a Light Screen in the nick of time. Shrugging off the flames, sparks began to fly up and down its gelatinous mass as it discharged a Shockwave of electricity. It appeared confusion was setting in as the foe’s attention was stolen by some doggos on the other side the view box, giving Solosis the window needed to Rollout; wheeling against the blood carpet, the Psychic-type steadily built his momentum before ploughing into the befuddled foe. Yelping in pain, the Houndour snapped back to its senses and retaliated with a Bite into its gooey opponent, incisors tipped with dark energy to deliver an extra sting. The Dodrio keeper came to his side, offering a word of warning that the Houndour’s bite was indeed as bad as its bark.

Emp grimaced, knowing full well they couldn’t let too many attacks like that slip through. If the fight ahead wasn’t enough to contend with, his ears piqued to a metallic clamour on the other side of the door, like something heavy was being shifted around. It was a stark reminder that time was running away with itself and the kidnappers wouldn’t exactly stand around waiting for them. The battle was a distraction from the real objective, rescuing Guppy. The trainer furrowed his brow in concentration, his new friend had put its own safety on the line and he wasn’t about to let them down.

“Keep Rolling Out Solosis – see if you can rack up enough momentum to overwhelm it!”

 

[ChrisClark13]

Chris.

CLING.

Fearing that whatever what was the origin of the noise was hostile, you prepare your team to attack. Better to blow something up if it looked even remotely hostile instead of risk your luck. Besides, it was better to sip regret than swallow death. Of course, this did actually require you to move forwards, so you did. Inching ever so closer to the light, the one you saw briefly before entering the cave.

CLING.

The noise was certainly increasing in volume at your approach. Though, it seemed oddly stationary. If a creature was creating that noise, and with the light, wouldn't it make more sense for it to start moving? Your entire team was on edge over this ordeal at this point. This was slowing picking away at your minds, each reverberating cling piercing through. A primal fear was rising deep within your souls. All by a simple noise.

CLING.

At this point, your anticipation was consuming you. The various anxieties that were wreaking havoc on your fragile psyche. No amount of playfulness could really detract from this. Nothing could really break through this. It echoed, and echoed, and echoed. It was starting to get to the point where it was the whole of your being. That awful, wretched, periodic noise.

And then it stopped.

You hear a loud shattering noise echo through the cave. It sounded akin to a gothic glass chandelier dropping from the top floor of a skyscraper to the ground floor. You hear a few yips from your Pokemon at the sudden loudness of the noise, and your adrenaline forces you all full center into the source of the light.

You see a lone figure putting down a pickaxe next to a bag of mining supplies. They then grab a hempen bag from within the bag and begin to put pieces of various sized rocks into it. This was what was causing the noise? But then the light? You noticed a lantern in the middle of the "room". All of this over a miner? They don't really seem to be noticing you though.

What do you do?

A deep sort of fear echoed through Curtis- one mostly borne of his fear that... what if he was wrong this time? What if he had gone to a place where his arrogance would finally be punished and he and, worst of all, his Pokemon would end up paying dearly for it. Still, that fear did not change the plan- he had gone into the lair of darkness and now the only way through this was, well, through it- directly through it. (After all, to back down from a challenge was something that went against all of Curtis's dreams of becoming a Pro Pokemon Trainer someday.)

CLING.

Jaws, fists, arms, even feet (and butt), and muscles in general clenched out of the sheer pressure coming in on him- the fursuited Trainer lead his team forwards into the darkness. The tunnel lit only by blue wisps of flame that gave everything an eerie hue and by that mysterious light in the distance. Able to feel how stressed her Trainer at this moment, the Vulpix, Annahime, too began to feel the pressure of the situation weighing down on her. How far had they gone? Was she going to be strong enough to face whatever was ahead? Had her human finally lost it with his crazy ideas?

CLING.

Meanwhile, such heady philosophical concerns barely reached the minds of the somewhat airheaded (but also fabulous) Delcatty, Toby, and Theivul, Finnegan. It would be a lie to say that the cavernous tunnel was not also starting to get to them. The strange, sharp noises from ahead woke some sort of primal fear in them. The fear their teammates were showing also was not helping their moods. Whatever lay ahead, their Trainer and that Vulpix clearly expected to be in for a tough fight. Toby having a better idea than Finnegan of what such a fight could entail- though surely there would be no mysteriously giant Pokemon showing up this time, right? Cautiously, the pair of troublemakers followed in the footsteps of their Trainer as they moved forwards...

CLING.

The periodic clinging brought everyone's tensions to the edge as they crept forwards.

Then... another such sound did not come for some reason. Was this a good sign? Did it stop moving? Had it been doing something and now it was moving?

"Com'on", Curtis said in a curt whisper as he motioned for them all to press on.

Then there was a massive shattering noise, making everyone stop in their tracks and shout and yip in surprise.

"Everyone remember the plan?" Curtis asked. That seemed to get their attention once more and he soon got a series of nods back from his team after a few moments. Creeping forwards, they all came upon...

...a miner? Just a miner, with his pick, his lantern, and a few other things. Oh, that noise was... was just them mining.

Curtis, all of the sudden broke out into a small fit of laughter. It was only natural, after all he had expected much- much worse. Only to suddenly some entirely unexpected measure of relief at the moment when he thought everything was about to go wrong. Instead, he had let something entirely mundane put him on edge as if it was some spooky terror coming for him.

After gathering his thoughts, he simply walked forwards and waved to the figure in the distance, "Oh, h-hello there." He spoke, trying not to let how shaken he was still feeling effect his voice too much, "I'm Curtis and this is my team of Pokemon. So uh, what're you doing down here?"

Finnegan though, the sly fox he was, had a plan of his own. Suddenly overcome with curiosity, he began sneaking towards the miner's bag of mining supplies so he could get a look inside.

 

[Pearl's Perap]

Emp
Buoyed by a not too unsuccessful first round at your side, the Solosis awaits and listens to your command keenly before giving you a swift nod and resuming the velocity-increasing spinning that had already helped to land him a successful hit on the hound he was facing off against. Eyeing this familiar motion, the royal blue canine quickly prepared to retaliate, embers forming at his fanged maw once more - this time, though, the flames became more pronounced as the Houndour fired off a searing Flamethrower at the approaching Solosis instead.

Despite the flames, the Solosis managed to careen with an even stronger momentum than before into his opponent, narrowly managing to escape getting too burned up even though he had spun right through the Houndour’s flaming breath. Not wanting to give the Cell Pokémon another opportunity to continue his ordered barrage, the pup dashes directly to where Solosis is beginning to ready himself for another go. As it reached its floating foe, the Houndour leaped up and delivered another harsh Bite deep into your new friend’s squishy exterior.

Even though he had taken a number of decent hits and was slowing down, the Solosis continued to utilise the spinning technique that had been serving him well so far. Wondering when the Cell Pokémon would strike, the Houndour circled him nervously, eyeing him with caution. It was no use though as, like a flash, his tiny enemy dashed forwards through the air to land another successful Rollout attack square in the face of the dog that had just tried to take a chunk out of him. With such a direct hit, it was clear that this was the harshest blow of the battle by far.

Before the Cell Pokémon can continue his assault and attempt to deliver a third whirling Rollout in speedy succession, the Houndour lets out a final laboured growl and collapses into a heap before the battle’s floating victor. Though it was only a short battle, the Solosis appeared to be rather fatigued and lacking the gusto he had before the bout, having taken a number of effective hits from the pooch. Seeing the battle’s outcome, the Dodrio trainer is quick to chirp up, “That little guy is more impressive than he looks. I know he can probably regenerate but if he likes Sitrus Berries he’s welcome to my Dido’s dinner - looks like he needs it more than... she does... right now.”

As the man reached out to offer you a Sitrus Berry

he had removed from one of his suit’s inside pockets, his face dropped once more into a sorrowful state at the returning thought of the tri-headed avian he was now without. Not really paying attention to whether you take the item or not, he stares off into space through the large glass window. That is until the hurried sound of footsteps start to echo up the stairwell you had all descended and then ascended once again. Given where the two of you are standing, you can’t see if it’s friend or foe through the windowed wall and deliberate whether to press on through the now unguarded door or wait and see who the noises belong to.

What will you do?

 

[Liltwick]

Chris-

You burst out laughing at the entire situation. You let your mind play tricks on you, and the ensuing paranoia almost caused you to attack a random stranger. Of course, your laughter caught the attention of the miner, who just kind of looked at you.

"Oi' mate! Didn't know anyone else was down here. Was just gathering some sapphires for a client of mine," the miner stated. He was a tall, gruff-looking man. Yellow hardhat, green mining suit, and a five o'clock shadow.

"I'm all done here if you want an escort back to the surface. These lava tubes can be a pretty deadly place if you aren't careful, ya know?" He spoke his nonchalant attitude a sort of relief compared to the small trip down this tunnel.

He then notices Finnegan rummaging through the bag and promptly smacks the Thievul with the hilt of his pickaxe. The fox-like Pokemon lets out a yelp and scurries back to you. Seems none of its thieving antics will be tolerated with this man.

"Just a word of warnin' to ya boy. Folks 'round here don't take kindly to their things being messed with. Wait a minute. I was about to go off on ya' when I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Paul, one of the best miners in all of the archipelago. I know all of the routes inside and out across these islands, and there are certainly some rarities 'round these parts. Of course, the locals are creepy and the wildlife dangerous, but that's what makes it fun!" He boisterously exclaims, seeming to drop any hostility he had due to your Pokemon.

Grabbing his mining equipment, he hoists the bag over his shoulder and grabs the lantern in the middle of the cavern. You could start to hear this low, guttural growl coming from further within the cave, and the ground starting to shake.

"Ah shit, that's a Garchomp! They're especially vicious around here, I suggest turning tail and run!" Paul exclaimed as he started running away. Do you want to risk fighting this shark in the dark, or run away and most likely live to see the light of day?

What do you do?

 

[empoleon dynamite]

Emp
Buoyed by a not too unsuccessful first round at your side, the Solosis awaits and listens to your command keenly before giving you a swift nod and resuming the velocity-increasing spinning that had already helped to land him a successful hit on the hound he was facing off against. Eyeing this familiar motion, the royal blue canine quickly prepared to retaliate, embers forming at his fanged maw once more - this time, though, the flames became more pronounced as the Houndour fired off a searing Flamethrower at the approaching Solosis instead.

Despite the flames, the Solosis managed to careen with an even stronger momentum than before into his opponent, narrowly managing to escape getting too burned up even though he had spun right through the Houndour’s flaming breath. Not wanting to give the Cell Pokémon another opportunity to continue his ordered barrage, the pup dashes directly to where Solosis is beginning to ready himself for another go. As it reached its floating foe, the Houndour leaped up and delivered another harsh Bite deep into your new friend’s squishy exterior.

Even though he had taken a number of decent hits and was slowing down, the Solosis continued to utilise the spinning technique that had been serving him well so far. Wondering when the Cell Pokémon would strike, the Houndour circled him nervously, eyeing him with caution. It was no use though as, like a flash, his tiny enemy dashed forwards through the air to land another successful Rollout attack square in the face of the dog that had just tried to take a chunk out of him. With such a direct hit, it was clear that this was the harshest blow of the battle by far.

Before the Cell Pokémon can continue his assault and attempt to deliver a third whirling Rollout in speedy succession, the Houndour lets out a final laboured growl and collapses into a heap before the battle’s floating victor. Though it was only a short battle, the Solosis appeared to be rather fatigued and lacking the gusto he had before the bout, having taken a number of effective hits from the pooch. Seeing the battle’s outcome, the Dodrio trainer is quick to chirp up, “That little guy is more impressive than he looks. I know he can probably regenerate but if he likes Sitrus Berries he’s welcome to my Dido’s dinner - looks like he needs it more than... she does... right now.”

As the man reached out to offer you a Sitrus Berry

he had removed from one of his suit’s inside pockets, his face dropped once more into a sorrowful state at the returning thought of the tri-headed avian he was now without. Not really paying attention to whether you take the item or not, he stares off into space through the large glass window. That is until the hurried sound of footsteps start to echo up the stairwell you had all descended and then ascended once again. Given where the two of you are standing, you can’t see if it’s friend or foe through the windowed wall and deliberate whether to press on through the now unguarded door or wait and see who the noises belong to.

What will you do?

Emp’s better judgement was shrouded in a red mist, he wasn’t about to play it safe; the pair were decidedly in sync as Solosis bowled ahead at snowballing velocity, the carpet muddied in a trail of green jelly. Houndour met their advance with a flamethrower, sizzling against its membrane which held its speed. Emp let out a relieved sigh as the Solosis socked the Hound’ in its fiery maw, veering around the viewing box as it built its momentum. The foe broke into a frenzied chase, intercepting the green chew toy and biting down hard. The Solosis teetered but was determined to hold its velocity, u-turning and delivering its most powerful blow yet!

The Houndour released a yelp before keeling over, their path to the casino (and Guppy) set clear. While it had overcome the unfavourable odds handily, the Solosis was showing visible signs of weariness, its gelitenous mass sagging some. Emp couldn’t let the poor glob take any further damage on their part – though the Dodrio trainer would quickly come to their aide with an offering of Sitrus Berries. The cerebral cell released the berries from their gravitational ties and swallowed them into its mass, where their nutrients would be absorbed. Emp offered his thanks, but their conversation was quickly cut short by the sound of rushing footsteps.

“Let’s press on, if that’s Bonnie approaching she’ll know where to go – if it isn’t, well, we can’t afford any further delays,” Emp hesitated for a moment; the Solosis had already gone above and beyond for his cause, he couldn’t ask much more of it. There were likely greater dangers lying ahead, and there was no telling whether the kidnappers would try adding Solosis to their growing plunder – as a wild Pokemon, it would be as easy as weakening it and throwing a Pokeball. Then an idea struck-

“Solosis, you’re welcome to leave us here if you wish. I can’t guarantee your safety ahead.” Emp’s eyes darted from Solosis, to the door, then back to Solosis, “Or – if you join me, I’d like to offer you a permanent spot on my team. I’d hate for those crooks to capture you against your will – and to be honest, I think we have a great chemistry. So, what do you say?” Emp had fumbled a Green Cyber Ball while making his plea, extending it outward with bated breath.

 

[Pearl's Perap]

Emp
Having made fairly short work of the blue-coated Houndour blocking your advance whilst at the same time synergising with the wild Solosis, you feel a sense of accomplishment at your successful teamwork. Giving the wild Pokémon the choice to make a clean break and escape similar treatment to the stolen shinies or join up with you on a much more permanent basis, you are quick to offer up a neon green Cyber Ball to the Cell Pokémon. With this simple gesture, the whimsical childlike voice that had echoed deep within your mind returns once again:

Though riches you did come to seek
You can see now I’m far from meek
I almost won that ersatz race
Now, I shall show you might and grace​

As the words dissipate, the Solosis bobbing in the air before you offers a curt nod and floats forwards to nudge the release button on the sphere, disappearing in a flash of luminosity (You have successfully captured a Lv15 Solosis with EM Confuse Ray and MT Shock Wave

) Before you have any chance to celebrate with your newly obtained friend, though, the echoing footsteps appear to have almost reached the lounge and you decide to make a hasty retreat. In a heartbeat, you quickly head for the door, closing it behind you so as not to get caught up in another fracas on the way to rescuing Guppy...

~​

On the other side of the door, you are met with what you can only describe in the gloom as a hangar of sorts. At the end of this fairly large, rectangular space, there appears to be a another small room within the hangar itself where the light of a lamp shines from within and bathes the surrounding area. Given how dark the rest of the space is, you can see a number of silhouettes moving around as the lamplight ebbs out every now and again causing the shadows to grow and shrink. As your eyes adjust to the darkness surrounding you, you notice a number of antiquated-looking transit vans flank the room; their shutters were probably the noise you had heard from the lounge. Nearby, a series of large cages stand empty. Before you can begin to investigate this mysterious space further, a banging noise starts to come from one of the vans, followed by what you can only surmise are the sounds of a distressed Pokémon.

What will you do?

 

[ChrisClark13]

Chris-

You burst out laughing at the entire situation. You let your mind play tricks on you, and the ensuing paranoia almost caused you to attack a random stranger. Of course, your laughter caught the attention of the miner, who just kind of looked at you.

"Oi' mate! Didn't know anyone else was down here. Was just gathering some sapphires for a client of mine," the miner stated. He was a tall, gruff-looking man. Yellow hardhat, green mining suit, and a five o'clock shadow.

"I'm all done here if you want an escort back to the surface. These lava tubes can be a pretty deadly place if you aren't careful, ya know?" He spoke his nonchalant attitude a sort of relief compared to the small trip down this tunnel.

He then notices Finnegan rummaging through the bag and promptly smacks the Thievul with the hilt of his pickaxe. The fox-like Pokemon lets out a yelp and scurries back to you. Seems none of its thieving antics will be tolerated with this man.

"Just a word of warnin' to ya boy. Folks 'round here don't take kindly to their things being messed with. Wait a minute. I was about to go off on ya' when I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Paul, one of the best miners in all of the archipelago. I know all of the routes inside and out across these islands, and there are certainly some rarities 'round these parts. Of course, the locals are creepy and the wildlife dangerous, but that's what makes it fun!" He boisterously exclaims, seeming to drop any hostility he had due to your Pokemon.

Grabbing his mining equipment, he hoists the bag over his shoulder and grabs the lantern in the middle of the cavern. You could start to hear this low, guttural growl coming from further within the cave, and the ground starting to shake.

"Ah shit, that's a Garchomp! They're especially vicious around here, I suggest turning tail and run!" Paul exclaimed as he started running away. Do you want to risk fighting this shark in the dark, or run away and most likely live to see the light of day?

What do you do?

As he wasn't paying attention to Finnegan's shenanigans at all, Curtis flinches a bit at the suddenness of the yelp. He can't help but let out a laugh at the way the Fox Pokemon came scampering back and immediately began to try and escape from the miner's line of sight by hiding behind his trainer's faux-tails. "Sorry about that, Finnegan is... very determined to get himself into trouble," Curtis explained as he gave the naughty fox a little shove to get him out from under his own feet, "he also doesn't think things through."

"Anyhow, my name's Curtis, this Vulpix is Annahime and..." Annahime stretches and preens from her perch upon her trainer's shoulder as she's mentioned. Curtis meanwhile is looking around for the Delcatty to see that he's decided to just laze around a short distance away, "...that Delcatty is Toby. We're all down here to look for a Fire Stone for Annahime here, though I'm realizing that I probably should've gotten some mining equipment of my own instead of assuming that it'd find one just sticking out of a wall somewhere..."

"...though, maybe you could help me out? Ah-"

Curtis's attempt at conversation is cut short by a low, guttural growl coming from deeper within the depths of the cave. The expression on his face falls from cautious optimism to very worried, "Ah... oh no... that's not good is it?"

Paul's next words confirm Curtis's bad feeling and... and then for once in his life he decides that this is a fight he's not going to take. Mostly because he's not at all prepared for it, seeing as he currently lacks an ice-type in his roster. "Finnegan, Toby, we're following the miner! We're not set-up to fight a Garchomp right now, especially in these close quarters so we're gonna book it!"

Curtis turns tail and runs, shortly followed by Toby and Finnegan who soon outpace him, "Don't run too far guys! You'll get lost!" Annahime meanwhile just clings onto her perch for dear life, unable to keep the Will-O-Wisp lighting up as they all chase after the miner and the light of his lantern.

 

[empoleon dynamite]

Emp
Having made fairly short work of the blue-coated Houndour blocking your advance whilst at the same time synergising with the wild Solosis, you feel a sense of accomplishment at your successful teamwork. Giving the wild Pokémon the choice to make a clean break and escape similar treatment to the stolen shinies or join up with you on a much more permanent basis, you are quick to offer up a neon green Cyber Ball to the Cell Pokémon. With this simple gesture, the whimsical childlike voice that had echoed deep within your mind returns once again:

Though riches you did come to seek

You can see now I’m far from meek

I almost won that ersatz race

Now, I shall show you might and grace​

As the words dissipate, the Solosis bobbing in the air before you offers a curt nod and floats forwards to nudge the release button on the sphere, disappearing in a flash of luminosity (You have successfully captured a Lv15 Solosis with EM Confuse Ray and MT Shock Wave

) Before you have any chance to celebrate with your newly obtained friend, though, the echoing footsteps appear to have almost reached the lounge and you decide to make a hasty retreat. In a heartbeat, you quickly head for the door, closing it behind you so as not to get caught up in another fracas on the way to rescuing Guppy...

~​

On the other side of the door, you are met with what you can only describe in the gloom as a hangar of sorts. At the end of this fairly large, rectangular space, there appears to be a another small room within the hangar itself where the light of a lamp shines from within and bathes the surrounding area. Given how dark the rest of the space is, you can see a number of silhouettes moving around as the lamplight ebbs out every now and again causing the shadows to grow and shrink. As your eyes adjust to the darkness surrounding you, you notice a number of antiquated-looking transit vans flank the room; their shutters were probably the noise you had heard from the lounge. Nearby, a series of large cages stand empty. Before you can begin to investigate this mysterious space further, a banging noise starts to come from one of the vans, followed by what you can only surmise are the sounds of a distressed Pokémon.

What will you do?

Emp was left on tenterhooks as the green glob weighed up his sales pitch. While his gut told him it was the right call to make, the two were still relative strangers; not only that, he had initially encountered the curious creature in its matured form, perhaps creating another barrier. This could all be some trick of the mind, or worse, a trip into its past where such extreme actions could have dire temporal consequences. The young adult was rescued from his spiralling anxiety as the Solosis took up his offer, in his own poetic way. He gave the cybernetic sphere a nudge, activating its capture mechanism and sealing the deal. Emp could feel a fire stoking in his belly, realising while he had set out on this journey in search of riches – he would be leaving with something no amount of money could buy.

The happy moment was fleeting as the rhythm of footsteps grew louder, the trainer making a break for the door where with any luck he’d find Guppy. The hangar was dark and drab, a perfect juxtaposition to the flashy casino decor. In its corner was a room no bigger than a storage unit, perhaps housing an office of sorts where incoming and outgoing shipments would be logged. Emp strained to catch a glimpse of its interior, a few silhouettes dancing amidst the lamplight. The hangar was lined with old fashioned transit vans, a ruckus in one of the nearest vehicles enough to give the trespasser pause. He had been generous in his assessment of their logistical operations, with large cages dotted all over the garage it was growing clear that the hangar was a base for their illegal Pokemon trafficking. With light footsteps he edged closer to the sound of the distressed captives, careful not to stand out of the shadow. With a gentle flick of his wrist he brought the Solosis back on the scene, its psychic powers well suited to a stealthy sting operation.

“I think the stolen Pokemon are in this van”, he whispered to the green goop, “Do you think you could Teleport us both in there to find out?”

Raising

bond to 23 and teaching him TM Teleport and U-Turn

 

[Pearl's Perap]

Emp
Stealthily making your way from one outstretched shadow to the next, you waste no time in requesting your newly captured Solosis to help you to further infiltrate the gloomy hangar and one of the suspicious vehicles that lined the space. Inside, the pair of you can still hear the same distressed sounds as before, only now they seem to have sensed that someone is just outside the vehicle and quietened down, almost as if they were trying to hold their breath in fear.

Happy to oblige with your plan of action, the Cell Pokémon floats up towards your head and delicately places himself atop. Distracted by this act for just a split second, you are surprised to find yourself in an entirely new location in the blink of an eye. As planned, the Psychic-type Pokémon had transported you inside the van the pair of you were just hiding outside with the greatest of ease.

As the two of you adjust to the even darker space you now find yourselves in, you spot a familiar Pokémon shaking in a cage in the corner of the cab; the shiny Ampharos who had been snaffled similar to your own Magikarp. Once the terrified creature spots you, she carefully pushes a hand through the cage and starts to tap at something which appears to start to stir as she does so.

“You... did you come to help us?” A weary voice reaches you both through the darkness and you recognise it as the Ampharos’ trainer who had entered the sham race alongside you and Bonnie. As you move closer to the man and his imprisoned partner, you can see that his clothes are all scuffed and dirty and he has fresh blood on his silk shirt; whoever had decided to lock him in the van with his beloved Ampharos wasn’t messing around.

Attempting to stand before slumping onto a nearby crate, the man attempts a feeble kick at the bars keeping him separated from his Ampharos before letting out a laboured sigh, “I’m sure those bastards have the key to my Amanda’s cage but that might not be the only way of getting her out...”

What will you do?

 

[Liltwick]

Ghost Train: Enter if you dare - The Ghost Train, the site of the disaster responsible for the final closure of the theme park. Ghostly visits from children lost are reported to have scared many a construction crew away from this site while some of the strongest and darkest Pokemon of all are rumored to dwell within the burnt out remains of this once popular ride.

This is sort of a continuation of my old Phantom Isle adventure. Sequal might be a better term. Link here.


The stench of death hung in the air. It clung to the ground, permeating the area with its vile scent. It was obvious enough that this was the area of untold death. Growing closer, and closer, and ever so closer only seem to prove that point. But to describe this massive, charred grave didn't really capture the true horrors that it held. Those fading memories... They were what led him here. Broken, fractured memories.

Ethan couldn't really care less about the actual environment here. It felt hollow, and the wraiths of this park's past avoided him. Was it the unholy protection that he held with him? He held Ozy's ball and pondered. But no, the Heracross was an emergency tool. Surely he wouldn't invoke ▂▂▃▃▄▄ without proper cause.

He looked to his side and saw that his Raichu was having an entirely different reaction. The Pokemon was in a heavy unease. The horrors of these isles had an entirely different effect on him. But, the Pokemon was feigning a strong face. Don't let weakness show in order to not be read. Keep your enemies on their toes, for not knowing how you'll react keeps you alive. He was proud of how he trained his Raichu.

Though, he knew that this wasn't going to be an easy place to deal with. With what memories he has of this place, it's incredibly dangerous. But those memories were the reason he was here. There was a lapse. How did it end? How did the boy escape? He didn't know. But, there was a Pokemon who might.

And that was the other one at his side. A Litwick, standing on the ground looking at the train in pure terror. It felt like it was fate when Ethan happened upon the Pokemon. It was lost and confused, seeming to not know what happened for a long period of time. Almost... Almost as if it was asleep. But, the name that came to his mind when he saw that Pokemon. The very same name that so often appeared within those borrowed memories. When he uttered that name, the Litwick knew.

And so, William was here with him. A guide of sorts, to figure out where all of these memories were. What exactly happened, and why did he have memories of someone else? These questions have plagued his mind for months now. But no matter, they only served as a past time as he became stronger. Even if it left him with questions, the answer needn't matter. As long as he could finally achieve silence, he'd do whatever it took.

That was the reason why he was here. To figure out how that boy escaped from this hell. To fully figure out the lapse in that memory. How did things end? It was certainly the question of the hour. Whatever it took, and whatever hell he'd have to brave, he'd do it to get some peace. And so, he brazenly entered the charred remains of the Ghost Train.

 

[Liltwick]

Chris-
Running through the tunnel, you and your team could feel a deeply rooted fear welling from deep within your soul. A primal terror that could be cumulated into a single phrase: prey. Even if the Garchomp couldn't get to you, there was that creeping feeling that you'd be consumed. Torn apart and ripped to shreds. That alone was your motivation to escape.

Soon you reached the entrance of the cave, seeing Paul there panting. The miner jumped a little as he heard your footsteps, but sighed with relief as he saw you and your team making it out. He immediately grabs a Pokeball from his belt and throws it up. From a pulsating light, you see a Solrock appear.

"Okay my man, use Rock Slide to block the entrance!" he yells, and the sun rock complies. You can see the Pokemon's eyes glow an ethereal blue before chunks of rocks start to fall over the mine's entrance. You hear a loud thud as something from the other side hits it. It then lets out a booming, draconic roar before you hear a scraping noise.

"That won't hold it, but we'll be able to get away from it by the time it burst out," he states, trying to reassure you of the situation.

He motions for you to follow him, and you comply. After that situation, your entire time was too shocked to really get up to their usual mischief. Scaling the cliffside, you could feel the sun's warmth beating down. Time had certainly passed, and the sun felt even hotter than normal. Like it was born into your flesh and baking it. You were going to be roasted at this rate.

You then feel an earthquake and huddle down towards the ground. You could smell fire, and see a lava plume within the distance. The Thermal Cliffs were a hotbed of volcanic activity after all. You could see a Fletchinder and Talonflames fly towards it, and ride the thermals up into the sky. It was a magnificent sight compared to the dank cave you were just in. It was refreshing in a way.

At this rate, Paul was a ways ahead. He seemed unfazed by the lava plume erupting. You figured that for somebody that frequented the area. You run to catch up to him, feeling he was the only safety net in this red hellscape. You do notice that the trainers you saw earlier were now battling. While it was interesting, Annahime tugged on your shoulder to keep going. She wanted no part of this.

After a while, you notice what seemed like a few stalls. Was this the main hub of the gem trade here? You notice a younger woman standing towards the entrance, glaring in your direction. She had chestnut brown hair neatly tied into two buns. Her eyes shined a vibrant azure, and she was wearing a royal blue qipao.

"Paul, you're late!" she yelled, obviously tired of waiting.

"Sorry my lady, there was a slight change of plans," he laughed before motioning at you/

"I could tell," stated before walking up to you. She had a feisty look in her eyes.

"Now tell me, who are you?"

How do you respond?

 

[Sneasel12]

Missingno. Master - In sheer awe of the size of this gargantuan Pokemon, you quickly set to work recording your findings, all the while being prompted that you should likely leave the beast alone in its entirety by Homer. Nonetheless, your mind is made up on fighting the monster, and orders are quickly issued to do so.

Homer erects a translucent pane of energy upon your command, the Reflect meant to help keep physical attacks from hurting quite so much. And it's a good thing to, as the Onix moves itself about just slightly, the grinding of its boulders emitting a loud Screech as they rub against each other, causing a shuddering to wash over Homer and lowering the Alakazam's defense. Retailiating, Homer looses an Energy Ball, capitalizing on the type of the rocky behemoth, which takes the attack remarkably well, groaning in a moment of pain before a stone strikes Homer from seemingly nowhere. Looking about, it would seem this Rock Throw came from the end of the creature's tail, easy enough to miss due to the sheer size of the Onix taking up more than just your periphery vision. Recovering quickly, the Alakazam looses a Psychic blast, doing a bit of damage but barely even managing to nudge the Onix away thanks to the weight of the monster. Clearly fed up, the Onix begins to curl for a moment, bringing much of its more than sizable mass together before whipping its tail out to slam against Homer. The Dragon Tail sees Homer sailing far back into the jungle you had just emerged from, temporarily removing the Alakazam from the fight.

Staring down at you with a groan, the Onix turns away for a moment before barreling headfirst into the ground, an action that takes quite some time for all of its boulders to disappear beneath the earth but simultaneously causes terrible tremors preventing any reaction. Once the tremors die down, the Onix has vanished entirely, though rumbling away and towards the Spire itself may hint to where it went. Just moments later, Homer returns to your side, having found his way back through the jungle, with a fair bit of bruises and scrapes to take away from the fight.

Enigmatic Professor - Recovering from your blow you watch as your partners begin battling the foe that has appeared before you. This strange Slowking that you had trusted to lead you through the maze, only to fall into this trap of a room of now broken mirrors. A Firestream erupts from Wolfe's mouth, setting the area ablaze in a bit of a defensive tactic that also manages to deal some damage to your foe. You think for a moment you spy a shadowy figure in the now shattered mirrors through the haze of the heat created by the flames, but it's only for but a blink of a moment before Voltsy regains fighting composure and looses a Discharge through the room. The electric jolt strikes at the Slowking, managing to paralyze the Pokemon, but the beast does not seem overly bothered by this predicament.

"Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were." The voice rings out from the Slowking, as if mocking your current predicament.

Pulling a Sitrus berry from its side, the Slowking proceeds to quickly chow down on the fruit before turning to your team and loosing a gut wrenching Belch. The noxious attack wafts through the air and over Wolfe, who looks visibly ill as a result.

"Memory is more indelible than ink."

Taking a moment, the Slowking lets out a loud Yawn, creating a soft pink bubble that drifts through the air before popping in front of Voltsy, rendering the eel rather drowsy as a result of the technique.

CyberBlastoise - Deciding that getting through the entrance guarded by the large boulder is your best idea, you watch the area as Megas and Silver work on getting through the entryway. The bowl of the volcano seems quiet and undisturbed as various rope bridges sway in the thermals, the only sounds here being the creaking of the wood and the straining sounds made my Megas as the Golett slowly moves the slab. It's rough work but soon enough there is room for you and your companions to squeeze through, while Silver gives you a nod to indicate that the area ahead seems to be safe, at least for now.

The room inside is large and expansive, with various carvings along the walls of what you assume to be different Pokemon species. The area is suddenly lit with flames of bright blue on six torches lining the walls as you step inside, the sudden lighting causing something lurking within to startle, promptly scurrying through a very small hole on the opposite end of the room. Nearby the hole is a large, intricate door with seven symbols etched upon it.

A small flame, a large wing, a slab of stone, a snowflake, a gear, a flask, and a strange orb.

A small altar sits in the center of the room with three clear crystals sitting loosely atop it, glinting in the glow of the blue flame. The light reflecting off of the crystals highlights pillars in each corner of the room, with a small bowl sitting atop each. Each pillar has an etching similar to those around the room, but they are crude at best, with only rough anatomy to figure out what's what.

A coiled snake made of circles. A creature shaped like an orb with multiple small branches coming from its form. A small dog standing on its back legs. A head with three small hairs.

Liltwick - Venturing back onto Phantom Isle, you are desperate to determine the events that led to escape some time ago after trials and tribulations abundant. Making your way from the coast of the island, it's clear things are different now, as a strange purple fog envelopes sections of the park that you could once see towering over much of the land. Spying the entrance to the Ghost Train ride, memories of these trials begin flashing in your mind, a strange specter fought on the train with another trainer by your side.

Stepping inside the attraction, the whole area rumbles, and you remember the fall when a sudden shake caused a tumble out of the loosely attached train car. A strange, ghostly world below with a crazed man desperate to escape from this land filled with lost souls. The train creaks with each step, the sound ringing more and more memories, as though inviting you to discover the events that took place. But where to start?

William seemed to know where to head, at least for the time being, trekking through the creaking train with fearful trepidation, eventually coming to a door in a train car, ripped open by force. Even coming near the opening causes the train to rock heavily. But you spot something down in the void below, a faint glow of sorts drawing you in. There must be some way to get closer to the source of these strange, borrowed memories without falling victim to the same fate as the boy that brought you here in the first place.

 

[Enigmatic Professor]

Enigmatic Professor - Recovering from your blow you watch as your partners begin battling the foe that has appeared before you. This strange Slowking that you had trusted to lead you through the maze, only to fall into this trap of a room of now broken mirrors. A Firestream erupts from Wolfe's mouth, setting the area ablaze in a bit of a defensive tactic that also manages to deal some damage to your foe. You think for a moment you spy a shadowy figure in the now shattered mirrors through the haze of the heat created by the flames, but it's only for but a blink of a moment before Voltsy regains fighting composure and loses a Discharge through the room. The electric jolt strikes at the Slowking, managing to paralyze the Pokemon, but the beast does not seem overly bothered by this predicament.

"Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were." The voice rings out from the Slowking, as if mocking your current predicament.

Pulling a Sitrus berry from its side, the Slowking proceeds to quickly chow down on the fruit before turning to your team and losing a gut wrenching Belch. The noxious attack wafts through the air and over Wolfe, who looks visibly ill as a result.

"Memory is more indelible than ink."

Taking a moment, the Slowking lets out a loud Yawn, creating a soft pink bubble that drifts through the air before popping in front of Voltsy, rendering the eel rather drowsy as a result of the technique.

Wolfe was visibly ill from the belch attack the Slowking let loose. Drake knew that his sense of smell must be bombarded right now and he was surprised his Arcanine wasn't vomiting already because even as a growlithe and an Arcanine from when they were in their home dimension he always had issues with very strong smells. Drake struggled to get back to his feet, his mind was still reeling from the Psyche overload thrust upon him from Wolfe through their telepathic connection. He knew this was to ensure that at least Wolfe was able to battle with a clear sense of mind because Voltsey was struggling like his trainer and now on top of that he was growing drowsy.

The heat and light from both of Drakes's pokemon's attacks filled the room and for a moment he thought he saw another shadow figure as the Slowking mocked him and his current Pysche struggles. But he couldn't focus on that at the moment, He needed to regain his composure so he could work out how to handle this situation and how to get out of it. So Drake started to slow his breathing and focus on stilling his mind. With each breath, he worked on ignoring the memories that bombarded him and made him question what was real and what wasn't, and worked on centering his focus right here and right now. He reached out with his mind to anchor himself further with Wolfe and used the feedback from Wolfe's mind to focus on the Slowking.

Wolfe assisted out greatly despite trying to remain focused on the situation at hand, From Drake's knowledge of the pokemon slowking and his memories from their home dimension, He knew that this thing packed some water moves as well as psychic moves and it was probably best if Wolfe changed his typing. Now, normally Arcanine would not be able to do this at all, But Wolfe was not your average Arcanine. The 12ft monster of an arcanine focused on his muscles and flexed them all over his body, Causing the stripes to move and shake. Wolfe started to Camouflage himself to his surroundings. Now since this was a rather tight space and he figured the Slowking probably could find him easily either with its psychic powers or by reaching out and attacking his trainer, Wolfe didn't bother to hide for very long and thrust forward at the Royal Pokemon, moving as fast as Thunder, and striking like a Bolt.

Voltsey as drowsy as he was decided to do two things, He positioned himself so that when he fell asleep soon he would land on top of his Trainer, and then aiming at the Slowking, he hissed out and sprayed lots of Acids, hoping to burn through the opponent's special defenses so Wolfe could hit harder with special attacks. Drake sat upon his legs and took his shirt to gently wipe the blood away from his face. He finally gained enough composure to focus on the here and now and he started to adapt to his 27-year-old fit body and the memories that accompanied it. The Slowking was right, His memories weren't easily forgotten nor removable but they could be hidden, and Apparently his memories of this place were hidden from him for a long time... but why... Why come back here. What happened here that got hidden away until Dialga shattered the flow of time?

 

[Missingno. Master]

Missingno. Master - In sheer awe of the size of this gargantuan Pokemon, you quickly set to work recording your findings, all the while being prompted that you should likely leave the beast alone in its entirety by Homer. Nonetheless, your mind is made up on fighting the monster, and orders are quickly issued to do so.

Homer erects a translucent pane of energy upon your command, the Reflect meant to help keep physical attacks from hurting quite so much. And it's a good thing to, as the Onix moves itself about just slightly, the grinding of its boulders emitting a loud Screech as they rub against each other, causing a shuddering to wash over Homer and lowering the Alakazam's defense. Retailiating, Homer looses an Energy Ball, capitalizing on the type of the rocky behemoth, which takes the attack remarkably well, groaning in a moment of pain before a stone strikes Homer from seemingly nowhere. Looking about, it would seem this Rock Throw came from the end of the creature's tail, easy enough to miss due to the sheer size of the Onix taking up more than just your periphery vision. Recovering quickly, the Alakazam looses a Psychic blast, doing a bit of damage but barely even managing to nudge the Onix away thanks to the weight of the monster. Clearly fed up, the Onix begins to curl for a moment, bringing much of its more than sizable mass together before whipping its tail out to slam against Homer. The Dragon Tail sees Homer sailing far back into the jungle you had just emerged from, temporarily removing the Alakazam from the fight.

Staring down at you with a groan, the Onix turns away for a moment before barreling headfirst into the ground, an action that takes quite some time for all of its boulders to disappear beneath the earth but simultaneously causes terrible tremors preventing any reaction. Once the tremors die down, the Onix has vanished entirely, though rumbling away and towards the Spire itself may hint to where it went. Just moments later, Homer returns to your side, having found his way back through the jungle, with a fair bit of bruises and scrapes to take away from the fight.

The battle got underway! Homer's Reflect was almost immediately nullified by the Onix's Screech, but what Eddie was watching intently was how the Energy Ball went, and the budding cryptopokologist's eyebrows flew up as he saw how well the gigantic Rock/Ground-type took the Grass move. The following Rock Throw did a fair amount of damage, and then Homer unleashed Psychic, which barely made Onix budge. And then came the Dragon Tail, sending the Alakazam flying back into the jungle. Eddie gritted his teeth, looking up at the Onix, who... turned away and burrowed into the ground! A lengthy process for such a lengthy Onix, but the resultant tremors made it impossible for Eddie to do anything in the meantime. Once it was done, however, and Eddie could see Homer re-emerging from the jungle, Eddie took out his tape recorder and spoke into it some more.

"The Onix proved formidable and powerful," Eddie was saying as Homer shot him a dirty look. "Despite Onix being more known for physical defense than anything else, least of all offensive prowess, this one put up a formidable fight, inflicting noticeable damage on my Alakazam. Most notably, it took an Energy Ball far better than one would expect to see from the likes of Onix. Between this and the ease with which its Dragon Tail sent my Alakazam flying, it is certain that this Onix is high in level. Unfortunately, further analysis may well prove impossible, for the Onix has burrowed under the ground to make an escape."

Tell me we're not going to chase after that thing, Homer said telepathically.

"Hm," murmured Eddie. "Judging by the direction of the rumbling, it's headed towards the Spire, which is on the west side of the island... Why, Homer, it could very well be heading for the Missingno.'s nest!" he declared. "And don't worry- ideally, you won't have to battle it anymore. Ideally," he added as he dug into his bag, producing a single Sitrus Berry from within and offering it to his Alakazam, who almost certainly would've had a snarky response were he not too busy greedily devouring said Sitrus Berry. "The battle might not have been the most telling, but the Onix is at least sufficiently strong to have attracted my attention. Homer, Hermione, let's move- to the spire!" declared Eddie.

"Weedle!" declared the Weedle on his shoulder. Homer, having swallowed his last bite of Sitrus Berry, rolled his eyes, but followed nevertheless. At least he wasn't absolutely guaranteed to be battling that thing again.

OOC: Sitrus Berry is #5 of 5.

 

[Liltwick]

Liltwick - Venturing back onto Phantom Isle, you are desperate to determine the events that led to escape some time ago after trials and tribulations abundant. Making your way from the coast of the island, it's clear things are different now, as a strange purple fog envelopes sections of the park that you could once see towering over much of the land. Spying the entrance to the Ghost Train ride, memories of these trials begin flashing in your mind, a strange specter fought on the train with another trainer by your side.

Stepping inside the attraction, the whole area rumbles, and you remember the fall when a sudden shake caused a tumble out of the loosely attached train car. A strange, ghostly world below with a crazed man desperate to escape from this land filled with lost souls. The train creaks with each step, the sound ringing more and more memories, as though inviting you to discover the events that took place. But where to start?

William seemed to know where to head, at least for the time being, trekking through the creaking train with fearful trepidation, eventually coming to a door in a train car, ripped open by force. Even coming near the opening causes the train to rock heavily. But you spot something down in the void below, a faint glow of sorts drawing you in. There must be some way to get closer to the source of these strange, borrowed memories without falling victim to the same fate as the boy that brought you here in the first place.

Ethan clutched his head, his migraine worsening. It always was like this when something was about to resurface. It felt like his head was about to be torn asunder. Picked apart, dissected, then hastily patched up and shoved back in. Every single memory was like this. Then something would resurface, and the pain would stop.

There he stood in that moving train. Seeing that wretched creature stand as the train went ablaze. Someone else was there, but it was obvious the boy didn't care enough to remember details. There was this feeling that clawed into his mind. Dragging him down and choking him. He felt like he was drowning, but at the same time had too much air to breathe. It was the feeling of being trapped. And the boy had to escape.

Blinking, he was back at the charred remains of the train. Stepping within, the entire attraction shook. He could sense the feeling of falling. The escape. But, it was stable here. What was that kid thinking, doing something so reckless? Well, he was going to find out one way or another.

Seeing the Litwick start to move forwards, Ethan followed. His gaze was guarded, and he was ready to react to whatever demons waited. He'd crush, tear, and destroy anything that stood in his way. If he was going to be strong, then he had to cull the weak. Meekness had no place on the battlefield.

But no such thing awaited him in this broken but the call to delve deeper. Such was the process whenever something such as this occurred. It was something that he always had to do alone in the end. But, that didn't really matter here. There was just one thing he was missing. The escape. How did it all end? Revisiting the beginning only helped so much. He placed his hand on the interior wall of the train.

"These ruined halls entomb such feelings..." He muttered to himself before looking at William.

The Litwick was waiting at the exit of the car. The door was gnarled and bent, forced open by some unnatural force. Were the fire and subsequent explosion that caused the closure of this park natural? Or was it the cause of otherworldly forces? It mattered not, that wasn't his concern at this point. His concern was completing this memory.

He walked over, feeling the creaking and shaking of the train with every step. He kneeled, noticing a shimmering light in the abyss below. The abyss... Without even thinking, he returned William and Lucas to their Pokeballs. This wasn't something he was going to subject them to. He then sprung into the air from his current position and plunged straight in.

 

[Sneasel12]

Enigmatic Professor - With the crown bearing Pokemon taunting your every move as it slowly pokes Wolfe and Voltsey in combat, you take to focusing yourself, calming your thoughts to determine what it is that brought you here and why you are fighting this Slowking in the first place. His stripes shifting as he begins to Camouflage himself while lending you what solace he can, Wolfe's form shifts like the mirrors surrounding him, his visage appearing much more similar to some Psychic types you've seen in your time. Meanwhile, Voltsey starts to give in to the sleep attempting to grasp at his mind and body, slowly slumping his form over yours, but not before spitting up a volley of Acid over the Slowking, which does its job in lowering the Special Defense of the creature, though it doesn't seem particularly bothered by the actual attack itself. Reappearing, Wolfe strikes at the weakened Slowking with a mighty Thunderbolt, the shock causing a brief flash of light that once more reveals a shifting shadow moving through the shards of mirror scattered about the area.

"It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards."

The shade moves through the mirrors quickly, and a few scattered around the Slowking dissolve into bright light, washing over the form of the creature to reveal instead the true creature that has been speaking to you throughout the maze. The form is similar, yet with a different helm altogether, colored a much darker hue and reaching further down over the face of its wearer, instead presenting its own eyes to stare at you. The darker form's eyes glow before an Eerie Spell is cast over Wolfe, draining the dog of energy considerably, though his recent shift in type seems to help prevent taking too much damage for now.

Missingno. Master - The Onix demonstrated more than the expected amount of power for its considerable size, taking off towards the Spire after sending Homer flying into the greenery behind you. Upon the Alakazam's return he promptly scarfs down the offered Sitrus Berry in order to heal up, putting him back into proper shape on the off chance that further combat is required, though the look he gives at the mere mention of the battle might hint to the idea that he isn't exactly keen on going through the experience again any time soon.

Marching forward from the coast and back down a different path into the jungle, Hermoine points the way as her sniffing tracks the continued scent that brought you to the Onix in the first place. That is, until your slow trek through the plant life towards the still rumbling area ahead is suddenly interrupted, a small grumbling sound breaking out to your side before two more moving boulders emerge from the trees. These two are decidedly different from the large chain of rocks you are tracking, smaller boulders each with naught but a pair of arms and what appears to be electric current flowing through parts of their bodies.

Stopping as they spot you, the Geodudes look a bit confused by the presence, having clearly expected something else to be causing all of this commotion. The duo stares between yourself, Hermoine atop your shoulder, and Homer at your side, before further rumbling gives them each a start and they proceed to bolt off into the jungle in opposite directions, leaving your path forward unobstructed once more.

Litwick - The trek through the Ghost Train was almost as haunting in its emptiness as the spirits and specters that the ride was long rumoured to have. But approaching the end of the car you've found little opposition in reaching this point, naught but the creaking and swaying of the car to break your own thoughts in the silence. Returning your Pokemon safely to their balls as your stare down into the deep abyss below, you decide it's best that they not have to suffer through the same terrible nightmare that you remember from the memories you share with this boy for yet unknown reasons.

Your team now safely tucked away from the experience of the darkness below, you take another look at the shimmering spotted below the train before leaping forward from the train and down towards the depths to discover exactly what the ending is to the past you remember.

But the abyss does not greet you as it did this boy. No, your feet come to ground far sooner than expected, your knees proceeding to buckle below your weight as you find yourself on a small ledge on the cliffside below the train, only darkness above you with the space below darker still. The shimmer you spotted from the train becomes much more obvious here, a small glittering crystalline orb in the hands of what appears to be a complete skeleton. The shape and size of the bones reveals that this man, nay, this boy, was likely a bit shorter than even yourself, a mere teen at most, clutching desperately at the orb in both hands even as life has long since left this body.

Approaching the corpse, the shimmering orb suddenly flashes with light before being replaced with a simple stone, similar in shape and size but decidedly different. You catch a brief glimpse of light out of the corner of your eye before spotting a shadow further along this narrow ledge scurrying away, quickly jumping to a ledge on the other side of the chasm and disappearing into a small cave entrance in the wall there. At least you've found a likely route out of this place, but how to reach it with the other ledge being separated by what must be a twenty foot gap with nothing but darkness below to greet you should you fail?

 

[Liltwick]

Litwick - The trek through the Ghost Train was almost as haunting in its emptiness as the spirits and specters that the ride was long rumoured to have. But approaching the end of the car you've found little opposition in reaching this point, naught but the creaking and swaying of the car to break your own thoughts in the silence. Returning your Pokemon safely to their balls as your stare down into the deep abyss below, you decide it's best that they not have to suffer through the same terrible nightmare that you remember from the memories you share with this boy for yet unknown reasons.

Your team now safely tucked away from the experience of the darkness below, you take another look at the shimmering spotted below the train before leaping forward from the train and down towards the depths to discover exactly what the ending is to the past you remember.

But the abyss does not greet you as it did this boy. No, your feet come to ground far sooner than expected, your knees proceeding to buckle below your weight as you find yourself on a small ledge on the cliffside below the train, only darkness above you with the space below darker still. The shimmer you spotted from the train becomes much more obvious here, a small glittering crystalline orb in the hands of what appears to be a complete skeleton. The shape and size of the bones reveals that this man, nay, this boy, was likely a bit shorter than even yourself, a mere teen at most, clutching desperately at the orb in both hands even as life has long since left this body.

Approaching the corpse, the shimmering orb suddenly flashes with light before being replaced with a simple stone, similar in shape and size but decidedly different. You catch a brief glimpse of light out of the corner of your eye before spotting a shadow further along this narrow ledge scurrying away, quickly jumping to a ledge on the other side of the chasm and disappearing into a small cave entrance in the wall there. At least you've found a likely route out of this place, but how to reach it with the other ledge being separated by what must be a twenty foot gap with nothing but darkness below to greet you should you fail?

He could feel himself hitting the ground, his body rebounding from the shock as he lands on his feet. Wiping his nose with his arm, he gets up to assess the situation. Looking around, all he could see at first was the shining light. Focusing his vision on it, he sees a sort of orb start to take shape. Holding it was a corpse, clutching onto it for dear life. It looked like a younger teen's body, that much he could tell. But, whoever this was, didn't matter to him.

He gets up and heads towards it. If he could retrieve it, then it might prove a clue to his purpose here. Before he could even get close, he noticed a skittering shadow quickly swipe the orb and replace it with a plain stone. Watching it intently, he sees it sort of fly into a cave on the other side of this chasm. Looking over the cliffside, all he could see was pure darkness. If he could figure out a way to get over it, he could continue his pursuit of the creature. Of course, there was a way of figuring out how to do so. As he began to reach towards his bag, he could feel his arm locking up.

"Damn it no-!" He yelled before a severe pain cuts him short.

[SYSTEM ERROR]

His head suddenly felt like it was about to burst. Covering his eyes and clutching his head with both of his hands, he lets out a primal scream. His vision fades into black.

---

Through hazy vision, he could see himself enveloped in green goo. What was going on here? Why was he here?

"Homuncular Vitals- 20%. Initiating energy overcharge."

Before he could ask any more questions there was a surge of electricity as he felt himself waking.

---

Coming too, he was back where he was. Shaking his head, he looked back at the skeleton. Who was this? It seemed important enough if ignoring it caused something like that to happen. If only he could figure out a way to retrieve a piece of it. An idea flashes through his head, and he retrieves William's ball.

"Come forth! William, use Psychic to retrieve that skull for me!" He ordered the Litwick, who looked horrified but willing to complete the task.

With that being taken care of, the other thing he needed out was how he was going to survive a 20-foot fall. There was an easy way out of this, but that was the obvious answer. In places so close to death, simplicity was a death sentence. Improvision was the best way to do this.

"Lucas, come back out! Let's see if you can hold this for as long as I need you to," he ponders as his Riachu comes back to his side.

"Try and use Stone Edge to create a bridge between the ledges!" he commands the Raichu. If this works, he could hop along the stones to reach the cave. Of course, this all would depend on if Lucas could endure keeping the attack up for that long.

 

[Missingno. Master]

Missingno. Master - The Onix demonstrated more than the expected amount of power for its considerable size, taking off towards the Spire after sending Homer flying into the greenery behind you. Upon the Alakazam's return he promptly scarfs down the offered Sitrus Berry in order to heal up, putting him back into proper shape on the off chance that further combat is required, though the look he gives at the mere mention of the battle might hint to the idea that he isn't exactly keen on going through the experience again any time soon.

Marching forward from the coast and back down a different path into the jungle, Hermoine points the way as her sniffing tracks the continued scent that brought you to the Onix in the first place. That is, until your slow trek through the plant life towards the still rumbling area ahead is suddenly interrupted, a small grumbling sound breaking out to your side before two more moving boulders emerge from the trees. These two are decidedly different from the large chain of rocks you are tracking, smaller boulders each with naught but a pair of arms and what appears to be electric current flowing through parts of their bodies.

Stopping as they spot you, the Geodudes look a bit confused by the presence, having clearly expected something else to be causing all of this commotion. The duo stares between yourself, Hermoine atop your shoulder, and Homer at your side, before further rumbling gives them each a start and they proceed to bolt off into the jungle in opposite directions, leaving your path forward unobstructed once more.

Eddie had had a choice to make here- investigating the coast more thoroughly was something that had crossed his mind, but right now, he had an opportunity to potentially study the sort of abnormally powerful Pokémon that tend to be drawn to the presence of Missingno. and 'M. Why were they so powerful? Why was it so many of them seemed capable of surpassing even what a Trainer-owned Pokémon could achieve? What about Missingno. and 'M drew Pokémon like these to them? So many questions. And right now, he hoped he would soon get to maybe answer some of them.

Hermione, big red nose working overtime, kept Eddie on the right path, while Homer followed not far behind. The chunky Alakazam wasn't the most interested in all of this, least of all at the prospect of having to potentially battle that damn Onix again, but he reasoned that the bit of battling he'd done had already told Eddie everything he'd wanted the battle to tell him, and contented himself with that much for the moment. Besides, if this really was going to lead to some big cryptopokological breakthrough, he confessed himself interested- not even he, with the 5,000 IQ inherent to the Alakazam species, knew much about this sort of thing, and when one's Trainer happens to be descended from eight generations of famed cryptopokologists, one tends to gain something of an intere- damn it, he actually was interested in all of this! Homer mentally facepalmed as he silently followed behind Eddie. Well, interested he might be, but he wasn't about to start gushing over every aspect of this. Eddie did enough of that for the both of them.

Before long, their way was blocked by more moving boulders. Eddie paused warily, before said boulders revealed themselves to be no more than just a pair of Geodude. Though not the kind of Geodude Eddie was expecting to see.

"Alolan Geodude?" Eddie murmured as the pair of Rock/Electric-types looked at him and his Pokémon. "Fascinating. Evidently there are magnetic rocks on this island if the local Geodude have taken this form... Hm..." And just then, more rumbling. The Geodude were startled and fled, but this wasn't of much concern to Eddie, who nodded to Hermione. Hermione nodded back, the Weedle continuing to sniff, continuing to set Eddie on the right path, while the youth took out his tape recorder and started recording yet again. "In the process of pursuing the Onix, I came across a pair of Alolan Geodude," he was saying as he continued onward. "While this variety of Geodude is unheard of in Kanto, it should also be noted that Geodude of any sort don't live on Cinnabar Island. Notably, this variant is the result of a diet consisting of magnetic rock, and Onix navigate while digging by way of a magnet in their brain. Perhaps the same source of magnetic rock that has resulted in Alolan Geodude on this island is where this Onix makes its home?" He stopped recording, thinking all of this over in his mind as the group continued onward towards the spire.

 

[empoleon dynamite]

Emp
Stealthily making your way from one outstretched shadow to the next, you waste no time in requesting your newly captured Solosis to help you to further infiltrate the gloomy hangar and one of the suspicious vehicles that lined the space. Inside, the pair of you can still hear the same distressed sounds as before, only now they seem to have sensed that someone is just outside the vehicle and quietened down, almost as if they were trying to hold their breath in fear.

Happy to oblige with your plan of action, the Cell Pokémon floats up towards your head and delicately places himself atop. Distracted by this act for just a split second, you are surprised to find yourself in an entirely new location in the blink of an eye. As planned, the Psychic-type Pokémon had transported you inside the van the pair of you were just hiding outside with the greatest of ease.

As the two of you adjust to the even darker space you now find yourselves in, you spot a familiar Pokémon shaking in a cage in the corner of the cab; the shiny Ampharos who had been snaffled similar to your own Magikarp. Once the terrified creature spots you, she carefully pushes a hand through the cage and starts to tap at something which appears to start to stir as she does so.

“You... did you come to help us?” A weary voice reaches you both through the darkness and you recognise it as the Ampharos’ trainer who had entered the sham race alongside you and Bonnie. As you move closer to the man and his imprisoned partner, you can see that his clothes are all scuffed and dirty and he has fresh blood on his silk shirt; whoever had decided to lock him in the van with his beloved Ampharos wasn’t messing around.

Attempting to stand before slumping onto a nearby crate, the man attempts a feeble kick at the bars keeping him separated from his Ampharos before letting out a laboured sigh, “I’m sure those bastards have the key to my Amanda’s cage but that might not be the only way of getting her out...”

What will you do?

In the blink of an eye the boy and the blob discombobulated – waking a moment later in the van’s interior. Emp’s ears pricked to a faint rattle, eyes following the sound through the pitch black to its maker: the Shiny Amphoros. It had barely any fight left in it, mustering the strength to tap at something obscured in darkness. A second later, its master stirred.

“You... did you come to help us?” The weary voice whispered, the glimmer of hope in its tone perhaps misplaced. Emp rubbed his head apprehensively, doubt taking hold while his improvisational skills worked overtime. He was expecting to find a missing partner in the cramped cargo space – instead, a pair of relative strangers had fallen into his care.

“Yes, we’re here to rescue you,” he hushed back with feigned reassurance, breaking gaze with the captured competitors to pore over their prison. “Did either of you see my Magikarp?” he asked finally, determining Guppy to be nowhere in sight. There's nothing else for it... Emp would have to set personal losses aside for the time being, busting out the Ampharos and its master first. He fumbled at his belt for a moment before unclipping a Red Cyberball, lobbing it into the darkness to provoke a scarlet flashbang. While Emp was blinded by the sudden contrast, the sprightly Salandit had already skittered from one side of the van to the other in keen assessment of the situation. The gaseous flames spitting from her tail markings would offer ample lighting for Emp’s escape plan – one that required speed and precision in equal measure.

“A key won’t be necessary. Detox, carefully melt away the cages with your Corrosive Gas,” Emp braced for the inevitable looks of protest from his captors’. He wouldn't worry though, stealth was in the Salandit’s genes and there was little time to dwell on the ramifications of releasing hazardous chemicals in such a confined space. The trainer had bigger fish to catch.

“This lil’ Goop here will Teleport us to the next van – and the next – until we have rescued Guppy and all the other captives.”