ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

"Oh... how stupid of me to ask."

Wharf (Sarah)

*Sarah shrugs, looking back toward where she ran from* I mean like...I guess I hear you there...sort of. I'm too stubborn myself to be influenced by someone who's roof I'm staying under, y'know? Plus I don't think I won any friends with my tirade back there...

*she then hops onto a railing to get at eye level with Dieter, remarking with urgency* Still, are you sure you want to risk sleeping in the streets? If the muggers don't get you, the guards will...I've roughed it many times and it's way safer in the forest. Granted, I can climb trees, but still... *or dig burrows, in her former life*

well it's cerrrrtainly more common now that everrrrr. As for Niles, though, poor soul, therrrre's nothing in my power to deal with orrrrb effects. I do wish you the best of luck with that, and in dealing with the king.

Uryu flashes a wry grin as the gem on his forehead shines once more, and he leaps onto an awning, prepared to clamber up onto the nearby rooftops to make his exit.

edited 15th Dec '17 9:51:18 AM by Cabe_Bedlam

This takes place before the events of the last few pages.

Marduo, Scilio's tower

Y'think we hafta do anythin' about dat, Marly? Sounds pretty serious if ya ask me.

(I look briefly thoughtful then turn back to Marsha:)

I can't really say. Seems like a pretty big step to attempt to murder the king on our first night here.

(Marsha shrugs.)

Well, I'm gonna find somewheres for us ta sleep tanight, Marly. Ya wanna come ta bed now or what?

I'll try to find someone from our group who went over there and find out what happened. I'll join you after.

Alright, Marly. I'll see yas in a bit.

(Marsha gives me a quick kiss on the cheek as she leaves to find somewhere to sleep, and I hit the streets of Slak Rock again.)

Marsha, Present

(Marsha finds a bed that's enough to allow both of us to sleep in, and takes to one side of the bed. She falls asleep not long after.)

Marlon, Slak Rock Streets, Present > Eliot (Uryu?)

(I hit the streets to find a good amount of Slaking guards scrambling about, and a Slaking/Raticate couple walking back towards the tower. Confused, I press further downward until I spot Eliot with...Uryu? I keep pressing further down until I happen upon them both:)

So, uh...mind telling me what happened here?

edited 15th Dec '17 9:53:04 AM by Team42Larson

[I half-heartedly wave as Uryu jumps back onto the rooftops, then am somewhat startled by Marlon's appearance.] "Uhhhh...well, that Wailord got accused of...tryin'a poison the king...so we were tryin'a..."

[I look away from him and rub the back of my neck.] "I dunno, I was...kinda blindsided by all this. Bit of a blur if you ask me..."

Wharf

"...Right, that's a point, I suppose. I... yeah, think I'll go do that. Wish I could just be Rich or something, though, I bet he wouldn't be as messed up about this as me..."

edited 15th Dec '17 10:06:46 AM by CorvusAtrox

Wharf -> Forest (Sarah)

*Sarah pads alongside Dieter as she remarks* I've slept in the woods many times...I know just the trick for you to avoid any ferals, since you can't y'know...sleep in trees. *as a human, she did at least...though what she has in mind is somewhat experimental*

*getting to more serious matters as they walk along, she says* So like...are you still bummed about the whole backlash earlier? I mean...I've already gotten used to it, plus you're in pretty good company there...

Forest

"Hm, I was planning on having Taily-po watch my back. I saw Zeb do something similar with his tail."

Dieter hears the mention of the backlash.

"Heh... truth be told, with everything that happened, I kinda put it out of my mind. I... I'm glad it wasn't too bad, but..."

Marlon > Eliot, SR Streets

So what you mean to tell me is..

(I cross my arms, and tap one blade with the other as I continue:)

That someone already attempted to murder the King, not even one day into our time here?

Forest (Sarah)

Need to find just the right tree... *Sarah says to herself (albeit quite audibly) before remarking* ...I don't think Taily-po is exactly sentient. I know Talia certainly isn't.

*unsatisfied with Dieter's level of candidness, Sarah pushes* So then what does have you down? I mean, I could think of any number of things...this country is batshit insane.

Forest

"Well, Taily-Po might not be sentient, no, but they can move on their own and bite down if needed, which I don't think Talia can. Unless you've got some sort of secret I'm unaware of."

"Well, I guess it kinda is... it's a bit different, especially since he didn't deserve it, but I guess what happened with that Wailord is what I was going to happen with me: Losing all my friends, people turning against me, feeling alone... it's gotta be worse for him. And, well, I dunno, if I had run off, with how I was then... you might have found a Girafarig hanging from one of these trees in the morning."

Forest

Hanging? You mean like from a rope?

-Has been trailing Deiter and Sarah this whole time but has just now spoken up-

edited 15th Dec '17 11:32:09 AM by Umbramatic

Forest (Sarah)

Huh... *Sarah gives Dieter's tail a better look...how did she not notice the Pac-Manesque shape before...albeit with jagged teeth. She then addresses the other things* Want to know a secret? I have a lot of anxiety, too...never could stay with a group for too long. Worried about being attached, then betrayed...or worse, worried something would happen to them and it would totally be all my fault...

*Sarah catches Milo's words...and is a bit surprised. Her cat-like hearing missed the Umbreon stalking them* That's what I guessed and...huh, I guess it makes sense an archaeologist would want to rough it, y'know?

*she then points her paw at a large tree with bunch of fallen leaves, and remarks* That's what I was looking for. You could use the leaves as camouflage, and I could watch over you from the branches even if I'll be mostly sleeping...but what would Milo do?

Forest

Suddenly Milo reveal.

"Gah! ...びっくりした…"

"...But, yeah, rope, vine, whatever I could have found around here."

They then hear Sarah.

"I getcha... My anxiety's... kinda more on the end of being alone. Getting abandoned or shunned because of stuff. At least... that's when it's been at its worst. Plus, I'm pretty sure I get kinda attached to people..."

They then look at the fallen leaves.

"...Huh. That could work nicely."

"As for Milo, can you sleep in trees?"

Forest

I can climb, yes.

Forest (Sarah)

*nodding to Milo, Sarah says* Safety in numbers then, huh? *before responding to Dieter with* It's a good thing the two of us followed then, huh?

*she looks over to the fallen leaves and remarks* Milo and I can help you get covered up...maybe Taily-po can be exposed as a honey trap — in case anyone tries anything.

edited 15th Dec '17 12:59:18 PM by sarysa

Forest

"Sounds goo-"

"Oh, wait, let me get these berries planted first..."

They take some pots and a few Iapapa, Cornn, and Grepa berries out of their bag.

Forest (Sarah)

Huuuuuh..... *Sarah says, as she watches Dieter stick berries into the pots. Knowing nothing of botany in this world, she asks* ...are you sure they'll get enough sunlight? Maybe they could be left out wherever the others are sleeping, when we meet up with them tomorrow...

edited 15th Dec '17 12:33:36 PM by sarysa

Forest

"...If I weren't too bleh about going there, maybe. Might mean they grow a bit slower, but the Iapapa should still yield berries by tomorrow evening."

Forest (Sarah)

That fast, huh? *noob-to-the-series Sarah asks aloud...she hopes her ignorance isn't unusual for world natives, as she adds* Mon, I wish I learned this stuff growing up... *in a sense* ...that's insane. Does that mean you like...bunked with berry farmers while staying in Hillih?

Forest

"Yup. Learned pretty well from them. Berries are pretty convenient for that reason. Besides, I guess I kinda look the part after the curse too..." Dieter says with a bit of a chuckle.

To note, Dieter's jacket disappeared, but they are now wearing overalls. They now have a noticeable beard and their black stud earrings have been changed for Grepa berry earrings. Taily-Po is also wearing a straw hat.

Forest (Sarah)

*and while Jani once wore a beret with thin metal plates sewed in, Sarah's hatless, with tousled hair giving her a punk appearance. Her duffel pack is black with a white Carbon Footprint logo adorned, though I'm fine with shrub's "blue pack" rendering since black clothing doesn't work well with line art*

*Sarah rubs her eyes and says* How did I not notice the straw hat on your tail? That's cute... *she pads over to look at it...almost tempted to poke it with one of her claws, but figures it'd be best not to*

All my years as a wanderer and consumer...I feel like a walking ecological disaster, y'know?

edited 15th Dec '17 1:27:29 PM by sarysa

Forest

"Eh, fair... I need to work on my environmental stuff too. I get you."

They have finished planting the berries.

"Okay, I'm ready. Leaf me up, y'all."

edited 15th Dec '17 1:30:07 PM by CorvusAtrox

Finley watches as Sarah runs off. She feels a bit weird, about all of this. About how the situation was treated, how nobody really knows what to do, how they're kinda stuck here until it's all sorted out.

But more specifically...

Did Sarah know Jillian was a cannibal? She never recalled seeing her be told that...

No, isn't she supposed to forgive and forget here?

Not when a friend is missing...

It's for Jani's sake she finds her. Surely... Finley keeps quiet, following the rest of the party as she holds onto Niles and Mila gently.

I'm starting to doze off a bit. Being held like this… it's nice. Like being held by my… mom or dad… "Um… Ms. Finley…?"