ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

Becchel (Patinkins' Inn)

"Wow...is she that brutal?!!", I thought as I heard about L'Arachel killing a...combee?

"I guess she would be, because when I asked the others about her, some of them were like "be careful about her...she can kill you" or something like that..."

I chuckle as some of the others start calling her derogatory names...

But I want to go outside to know more of this L'Arachel...

"Hmmmmm...Rainmaker, you seem to have befriended some people"...

...what...

"Who are you?!!!"

"You'll find out really soon..."...

wh...what?

What was that? Maybe I'm becoming crazier because I can't float now...I really hope that's case...

Becchel

   "Nothing..."    Should the Neyad say more? She winces a little as she glances back at the two former vassals...    "It's nothing pertaining to you. I just wanted to be sure you hadn't stowed away underneath the town..."    Though, with how grand and skilled a force as they were, the Cassides would've gotten her if that were the case. She did seem to know these people, however...though a stranger sight catches her eye: a melting Smeargle. A Ditto, maybe? She furls her claws some; she doubts this mon would reveal himself to be some foreign tool, but still, there's a nagging feeling...

"Are...are you sure?" [I...I did it? No, I...I didn't, I couldn't, I was...I had them in my hand, I—"

[Something touched me, someone touched me, who...] "Mila..." [...after what feels like another eternity spent staring at her, waiting for her to say something, anything that'll make just an ounce of this pit at the bottom of my heart go away—and maybe anything would've at this point—in some fruitless effort to get this horrible, horrible feeling out of me forever, I lunge towards her and wrap my arms around her...I can't stand, I just slide down, shivering...why am I so cold? She's warm...she's so warm...it's pathetic really, me holding onto her like this. Get up...just get up, you're embarrassing yourself out here...]

The Neyad flinches when the Smeargle (Ditto?) lunges for Mila before relaxing. She soon finds she's reciprocating the others' worry for him, though something stops her from feeling pity for him...she had seen his demeanor before, it was jagged and smarmy. Even earlier, she could detect his vitriol from the argument he was having. But now...he's a mess...she reengages her claws...

"Eliot..." Woodruff would shout, but everyone else already seems on edge, and his gut tells him it wouldn't have done much. This is worse than he could've imagined. He looks, in every way imaginable, just worse... Autumn said something happened. He didn't quite catch what from all the commotion, but it sounded...bad...something about L'Arachel...killing someone...but everyone was accounted for, right?

[...I can't even bring myself to cry. If I could, I'd rather do it later, but I'm barely holding it together as is...just get up, come on.]

[...you could, but you're shivering too much. Every time you try and pull yourself up again, your feet slip because they keep shifting...Mila's warm, you need to warm yourself up...be warm like Mila...]

Woodruff draws closer to try and help Eliot up, but he stops when he sees the Smeargle's form begin to solidify. It was like that before, and then it wasn't when he saw him just, it feels like it, a second or so later, but...

[I feel myself sink...warm, warm like her...like her...it's like the bath again now, now I'm like her again, warm like her...no...I'm still cold, though I feel a little more stable. I keep my arms wrapped around her...I feel cold...and tired...]

Eliot's falling down again...Woodruff swoops in and gives the Raichu-again some much needed support. He's let go of Mila, that's good, that's good...holding Eliot up, the Furret looks to the others, ready for the day to end. The Neyad looks even more confused, angrily so. She steps into the eye of the storm so all the rest can see her.

   "I concur with the krok."    She gestures to Dinah, obviously still processing all of this.    "You all need to head inside before you start making any more of a disturbance."    She will concede with the Krokorok and let this enigma rest outside of her watchful eye, but there's still something funny about all of this. If this Smeargle—Ditto—Raichu—whatver acts up anymore, she won't hesitate to perform any judicial action endowed to her by the crown.

Lol, so this is where the other Beverly is. That’s funny. Also, this looks interesting but also kinda complicated.

Oh hey! It's... uh, Beverly! Hello! You kinda got bad luck, I was actually just about to jump ship to a new account. Not that that woulda freed this account up, but ya know.

Whitney just looks onto the party, worried at best.

Terrified at worst.

"Uh..." Whitney says to the gator. "Good I'm cleared. I'm gonna, just, check on 'em really quick now. Okay?" She quickly excuses herself, running over to Autumn and... staring concerned at Eliot and Mila. She'll check on those two later when she gets the chance.

"Autumn Farbridge?" She asks, already knowing the answer to her own question. "It's me! Whitney, the girl from the inn? I climbed all across the island to see you, could we talk inside?"

She looks again at Mila and Eliot, concern and confusion returning, then looking back to Autumn. "Of course, you can also just be alone if you want."

Becchel, Outside the Patinkin's

Mila doesn't know what to say still, even as Eliot latches on to her. She does her best to hold on to him, though, even as much as she wants to say something but can't find the words. She'd done awful things today herself, but she could take this... this forgiveness, maybe, if he was offering it. She tries to support him, but she can feel him slip. She can't even bear to open her eyes for now, not wanting to ruin whatever she's making herself think she's providing. When she feels him let go, she looks over at him again to find that he's once more a Raichu. He seems... somewhat together, and she's glad that Woodruff seems to have some grasp on him, metaphorically and physically.

"Eliot, I'm... sorry for what I said earlier. Do you need any help to get inside?"

Not now, guard. Could she get a moment without an interrupting force? What would she have to give? Or was it her penalty, her penance for hurting the others, that she'd be frustrated like this. No, that was no time to think that way, she had to make sure Eliot was okay. That hug, as much as she knew it was something she'd needed in times past and Eliot probably needed now, it was not a sign that things were better. It was a sign that he knew things were bad, and he wanted her to know. She figured at least that much from experience.

Mila steps towards Eliot, and tries to offer him support so Woodruff can go on ahead, if he wants to.

"Whitney..."

The way Autumn aspirates the first syllable in the Growlithe's name is too much like a sigh to be accidental. Still, Autumn doesn't seem to be moving away from her, and instead closes the gap between them to give her a short, tight hug. She was a blessing right now, with all the thoughts running through her head. It'd be a chance to talk about something else, something she could handle. At least, she hoped she could handle it.

"Sorry about that, I haven't really had the best day today. Of course we can talk, if you're willing to listen to a pathetic mon like me. But the guard's right, let's get inside."

Autumn waits for Whitney to lead the way to the inn, not wanting to take the lead on any actions any more, for today at the least.

Edited by Cabe_Bedlam on Nov 23rd 2018 at 11:28:35 AM

"...!" She doesn't entirely know why, but she's a decent bit flustered from the sudden contact. "Yeah, no problem! Sorry you've had it rough." Whitney trots on down the stairs and enters, immediately making herself comfortable.

"Actually, it's nice to be in a building again, I've been trekking for a good while!" She says, chuckling.

"Anyway, uh, do we just sit somewhere and get this started? I have something big I wanna say."

Edited by Beverly on Nov 23rd 2018 at 2:48:56 PM

Becchel

"...y...yea, tha'd be good..." [I push myself off of Woodruff and try and get a hold of Mila...I feel Woodruff shifting underneath me and moving himself to support me before we all move towards the inn.]

The Neyad turns back towards Montresor and Notte, saying,    "We will be getting a special room."   

Edited by BlackMageAnolis on Nov 23rd 2018 at 2:48:42 PM

Streets

Kevin tries to reassure Autumn, though now Whitney suddenly shows up.

No, Autumn, I don't think any one of you can really be blamed for what happned there. Clearly, L'Arachel succeeded in getting that far off the deep end, and we all need to figure out how to stop her.

Kevin trudges on to the inn..

Becchel inn

shifting to a new post

Edited by Team42Larson on Nov 24th 2018 at 11:01:31 AM

Becchel

Wow...we've really got our work cut out for us here, huh, guys? (Cole muses to Dodie and Gene after hearing from the others about the sheer extent of L'Arachel's actions.)

Indeed, the fact that this nefarious Pokémon would be willing to exterminate her own underlings just for displeasing her is simply...dreadful. (Gene says, shaking his head.)

Oy, what a awful way t' go. Here's hopin' somethin' that doesn't happen to any of us, yeah? (Dodie asks.)

(Cole and Gene nod as they both turn to Dodie.) Yeah, especially you, Dodie. (Cole agrees. He and Gene having spent much of their lives as two of Dodie's only friends, both as kids in their hometown of Kreimhild and even now, Cole tries not to think about what he and/or Gene would do if something happened to Dodie on this mission after everything the three of them had been through. He looks at Gene, and the look on Gene's face seems to say that he's thinking the same thing.)

Uh huh, now let's hurry up and get inside so I can get this guy offa me, okay? My back's killin' me. (Dodie says as she begins lumbering toward the inn. Cole and Gene follow.)

(Suddenly, I feel Eliot pull away from me. I spin around just in time to see Eliot...seeming to just melt into a double of Mila again like last night and hug the original Mila. Before I can say anything else, I hear the Feraligatr guard agreeing with me and everyone starting to gravitate toward the inn. Not knowing what else to say, I nod at the Feraligatr and simply begin following everyone, continuing to keep an eye on Eliot as Mila and Woodruff help him inside as we head in.)

(As we do, I look over at the guard again. Her appearance reminds me of the Feraligatr form I've seen Benji take sometimes and reminds me of how much I miss he and Lucy. A sigh escapes my lungs; I can only hope they've both been getting along fine....)

Gleamscape

(By this point, Benji and the others have returned to the inn (except for Delilah, who decided to spend the night with Renata to help her get ready for the trek to Whispering Pines and Danjor Island). Benji has been feeling a bit restless thinking about the kidnappings that have been going on and how Lucy could be a target of one. He tosses and turns in his bed and even changes into different forms in an attempt to get comfortable, but it doesn't seem to help.)

(Currently in Lilligant form, he rolls over and looks at Lucy in her own bed. Lucy is her normal Riolu self again and is sleeping peacefully with her arm wrapped around her beloved Arbok plush. Benji sighs. Lucy probably hasn't even thought about the kidnapper who is specifically targeting her species all day with all the fun she's had today. Meanwhile, Benji has been worried about it off and on all day, and especially right now when it's so quiet and his thoughts and imagination seem to be louder than usual, conjuring up all manner of horrible scenarios involving Lucy being kidnapped and the consequences thereof.)

(Benji swallows nervously and tries to think of ways to reassure himself that he can go to sleep without worrying about Lucy disappearing during the night. His eyes dart around as he looks at everyone else asleep in the same bedroom as he and Lucy. Even with Delilah spending the night at Renata's tonight, there's still all of the others besides him here to protect Lucy should the kidnapper try to break into their inn room, right? And heck, what kidnapper would even try to break into (or phase or teleport into) a crowded inn room full of other Pokémon to attempt to abduct a Riolu (or any one of them, for that matter) when he and a bunch of his friends are in here ready to jump into action, anyway? Is he just being overly paranoid? Or worried about failing Dinah?)

("Get a grip, Benji, Lucy's fine." Benji thinks to himself. "She's got all of us here if somethin' does happen. Just go tuh sleep...")

(After some time of reassuring himself that the worst case scenarios playing in his head probably won't happen, Benji does soon go to sleep...after he shifts into Marjorie and begins hanging upside down from the rafters directly in front of Lucy's bed, juuuuust in case...)

Edited by kablammin45 on Nov 24th 2018 at 10:58:54 AM

Becchel Inn

...Except Kevin diverts himself right toward the now-awakening Glaceon.

It's okay, sir, you're in Becchel, there's an inn over there. Are you hurt?

Meanwhile I cascade down toward the inn with the others, wondering a few things. For one, what does Whitney have to say (but it seems maybe more directed at Autumn than the rest of us , at least based on what I've been able to observe)? Two, when did Eliot acquire a form that made him look like Mila? Regardless of what I'd want to know or not know, I enter the inn...

Edited by Team42Larson on Nov 24th 2018 at 12:16:48 PM

“No, I just have a splitting headache.”

[Becchel, heading inside inn]

"Indeed, such brutality was always normal for her when she became angered", Noriaki commented on L'Arachel's nature before following everyone moving in to the inn, Nephenee behind him.

"Looks like business as usual; Someone big things they have a right to step all over the little people", said Achilles before following the rest.

"Heh, yeah... Just like always, we're gonna just have to go and show 'em what for", Hector responded to his old friend as they went inside.

"If that's how she reacted there, I know as soon as she's able to she won't hesitate to raze all of Narcia after she's lost her connections there...", Gerome mumbled before pulling his cap down and following the group.

Notte and Montresor nodded at the guard's direction as they followed.

Becchel, Inn

Mila takes the steps slowly as the approach the stairs. If she can just do this, just make sure Eliot is okay, then maybe things would go better. She could make that deal. As the first step down comes in front of them, she shifts slightly so more of Eliot's weight is on her shoulder, and gradually lowers herself to the step, making sure there's enough time for both Eliot and Woodruff to respond.

"Hey, we just gotta take these down. We can do that, right?"

Assuming everything goes smoothly, Mila follows the same pattern down to the ground, frustrated by the duration of the short flight of steps but hopeful that something would come of it. It had to, didn't it?

"Sure, the others can handle checking in. What did you want to say?"

Autumn follows Whitney's steps to the inn, only breaking off once they're inside to look around for a chair to sit down in. After so much travelling, a chance to rest her feet and her mind was an opportunity she wasn't going to pass up.

"Well, it's just like..." Whitney begins as Autumn starts searching for a place to sit. "I know you guys are, uh, in a bit of a situation right now. Cuz you guys are talking about bad things. But..."

She looks at the others, probably watching them, looking a bit nervous. "Well, I wanna join you. I travelled all the way across the island just to be with you all, and I want it more than anything. See, at first I thought we just couldn't be together. You were the real hero of us, and I was meant to just be a side character."

She pauses, feeling a bit more off. "But..." No, just say it. It's cliche, but just say it! "I'm not! I'm meant to travel alongside you, I just know I am! I came here with my person's spirit, and you got their memories. That really couldn't have been an accident, right? I think it's my destiny to be with you guys!"

God, that was dumb.

"... Ya know?" She asks, sheepishly.

Becchel, The Patinkins' Inn

After helping Mila help Eliot down the steps, Woodruff helps to direct the two inside with the others...

The lobby is spacious, the floor to the right covered with soft, ornate mats while the counter sits to their immediate left, a Mawile clerking it. He looks out past the wall separating the two sides of the room.

"...I'll say, George, this group is quite a catch," the Mawile, likely Pierre as Marie has stated earlier. "Yea," his son answers flatly, laying down, only lifting his head a little to lap up some tea from a little bowl in front of him. His mother is busy between the uncovered pathways ferrying tea to a Fraxure wearing a green, hooded cloak with a yellow trim. A Casside, the Neyad recognizes. She also recognizes them as her superior, though only in status and not in rank...even then, it's enough for her to start feeling a little nervous, turning her watchful eye a little more towards herself.

"Oh," Marie exclaims, almost dropping her tea. "I see you've finally let yourselves in...I was worried you took one look at our rinky-dink little shack and bolted off!" Pierre and George exchange worried looks...the father emits a chuckle, but it's not a laughing matter for the son, who simply looks unamused as he goes back to his tea.

"I-if I may, I'll get you your keys. You can sit down for some tea..." It's then he notices the Neyad, who, taking her cue, approaches the counter. They lean in close, Pierre's eyes darting to the rest of the group. "If you're watching after all these people, I don't think you'll be able to fit everyone in the room without gettin' some help from Palkia..."

   "It's not everyone of them,"    she answers, keeping her cool. Unbeknownst to the two of them, the Casside is looking over as well, curious as to the goings-on of this Neyad. She seems a little familiar to the Fraxure, but it's more of the kind of familiar you get with a face you've seen for maybe a second as you pass along the street. Eyeing the two, the Neyad rests one arm on the counter and beckons Montresor and Notte over with her free hand; the Casside trails the Neyad's gaze and looks at the vassals in turn.    "It's those two...I don't know if you've seen them when they were here last, but they used to be with the hag. The one who's been spiriting away people left and right. They say they've changed allegiance, but I'm just being careful at this point."   

As he peers over the counter a little to get a look at the two of them, Pierre's back maw clamps shut with a sour frown. He gulps. "Aye..."

Noticing her husband's busy with the Neyad, probably about to get her the key to the guard room, Marie addresses the others: "While you're waiting, I can fetch some tea for the rest of you. Go on, take a load off on the mats...it looks like you need it!" George groans a little as he laps up some more tea. The Casside sighs and takes her eye off the vassals, giving the boy some thought before going back to staring at the wall as she takes another sip.

"I smell tea..." [I'm still hanging onto Woodruff and Mila...oh, I'm a moron, there's more people, they're going to ask, and I don't want to explain myself, I don't want to explain anything...] "Well, there is tea." Woodruff's feeling a little parched himself, and he figures Eliot would be good with some himself. He gives the air another whiff. "...chrysanthemum tea," he says, amused.

"Oh, you know it? I thought I was the only person in the world who drank it...and forced it on my customers!" "It's good tea, mom." "Yes." Marie smiles bemusedly at the contemplatives lounging and drinking her tea on the mats before returning her attention to George's catch. "...anyway, it'll be first come, first serve as I need to make some more for this...party, BUT in the mean time, why don't you all populate the mat? Congregate...rejuvenate...contemplate...that's what these mats are for, all those things and more!"

"I wanna...propagate on the mat..." [I'm almost off to the races, off towards softness on the floor so I don't have to worry about such terribly hard things as standing and supporting my body weight, but Woodruff stops me. He helps to ferry me over and lay me down. He's good...he's so good...I continue to hold onto him, the known arbiter of reason and impartiality in a street-wise package.] Woodruff and Marie just kinda...look.

"Well, don't do that, that's what the rooms are for." The Casside coughs and sputters out her tea a little. George, meanwhile, sits up in confusion wondering what went on. Marie gives a weird, smarmy look to Woodruff, whose face contorts with a snort, before dipping back behind the left wall to fetch some more tea. Watching their hostess disappear, Woodruff belly-flops onto the mat right beside Eliot, rubbing his hands against it and sighing in satisfaction. The Casside is not not concerned by the noises the Furret is currently making, considering the hostess' snark.

Becchel (Patinkins' Inn)

When I noticed that Woodruff and the Raichu...Eliot, they called him, drop on their mat, my eyes were tearing up...

Well, they weren't, but that's not the point here.

Anyway, I felt really relieved,   DODIE!   , I shouted happily to the Venusaur,    Drop me in a mat! It doesn't matter which one, just drop me in a mat, please!   , I said desperately.

Edited by Theyja on Nov 25th 2018 at 8:16:26 PM

Becchel, the Patinkin's

"I get it, but... I don't know if it's really what you want. Everything has been so dangerous recently, and I've only made things worse. I'm flattered but... if you want to come along, don't make your entire decision just yet. I can't handle another mistake to my name if something happened to you."

Autumn makes her way around to a mat decently far away from Mila and the others before sitting down on it with the barest amount of control required to not call her descent a fall. She's not sure if she believes what Whitney is saying, but it's not worth an argument, particularly now. She just worries for the girl, that she might have gotten the wrong impression about them.

"You know we're not heroes, right? Anastasia... got away. We're not strong."

Mila follows Woodruff's lead inside the inn, and once Eliot is lowered onto a mat himself Mila takes the opportunity to sit at the other side of him. She's not sure what to do now, and she's honestly not too pleased with Marie's remarks. Still on her train of thought, however, she tries to do what she can to help Eliot, and begins to rub him lightly behind his ears with one of her paws. What would it have looked like to those who didn't know them? Perhaps they'd guess that they were somehow related, appearing to be the same species. The thought of seeing this and thinking that Eliot was her son, perhaps to Woodruff based on their actions was patently absurd, but a minor amusement given the rest of the day. Maybe doing this would make things better.

"Should I... get you anything?"

Becchel

Okay, okay! Gimme a sec! (Dodie says as she quickly deposits Rainmaker onto the mat near Eliot and the others. Once she does that, she joins Cole and Gene on another spot on the mat. Once she does, she takes the opportunity to stretch her back.)

Ahh... (Dodie says as she rolls into her side and stretches her back back and forth.) If I carry somethin' or someone that heavy again, it'll be way too soon...

(Marsha likewise simply flops onto her stomach, exhausted.) You fellas gonna be okay? (She asks Eliot and Frost.)

(I quietly take a seat by Eliot, Mila, and Woodruff.) I’d like some tea, myself, if it’s not any trouble. (I say before turning to look towards the three. I hope some tea will help Eliot feel better...)

Edited by kablammin45 on Nov 25th 2018 at 2:47:44 PM

... Whitney, for a good while, looks completely crushed. She wasn't told outright, but Autumn may has well had told her no just now.

She remains quiet for a while, and it even looks like she begins tearing up until,

"No!" She shouts. "No, I have to come with you! I don't care what happens, I don't care if I die! I need to be with you all!" She seems to have worked herself into a lather, and she doesn't seem to be slowing down.

"Who cares if you didn't beat Abraham or whatever, you got them to stop, right? Even if it doesn't feel like it for you, I know you're doing good! And I need to help." Now slowing down in her rant, she wraps it up. "Please, just give me a chance. I know you're worried, but I came all this way just to do this. Please."

Becchel (Patinkins' Inn)

   Oh...yes...hmmmmmmmm...   , I moaned, relieved and relaxed.

The tender surface of the mat...just makes to—hmmmm...

   Anyway   , I said, relaxed,    I feel like I haven't introduced myself properly to you   , I say to Eliot and the Glaceon,    My name is Rainmaker. I am one of the recruits that the group from Narcia has managed to find to battle L'Arachel!   , I said, introducing myself.

Dinner for Schmucks...?

I'm gonna assume Kevin carried Frost inside.

Finally. Finally a chance to sit down, stretch, and think about what the fuck just happened, and what the fuck we need to do next. Kevin, after having placed Frost down carefully near the others, soon sits down himself a decent bit away from the others, taking out the pack of notes he had and begins to scribble down some.

As for me, I carefully wedge my way through to (obviously) sit down next to Marsha. Once I balance myself properly, I lay my legs out, and lay a hand on Marsha's neck, idly running my hand along it and parts of her upper back as I attempt to come up with a general statement.

I'm not sure anyone is solidly okay after what we've all been through today, honestly.

[Becchel: Inn]

Noriaki seats himself near the others on the mats, roosting in a rather organized-looking manner. His wings seem crossed over his chest, allowing them to drape over most of his body almost like a blanket. Nephenee curls up on the mat as well, while the others still stand at the side.

Noriaki gives an acknowledging nod to Rainmaker before looking over to Autumn and Whitney and interjecting, "I fully understand where your concern comes from, Autumn, but Whitney has shown she knows what dangers we face and that it is her decision to come along with us. We should be able to welcome her among our ranks, at the very least it will be more strength in numbers. Besides... It would seem she believes she is "finding herself" in joining us, so to speak. I would not want to deny her that."

Montresor and Notte follow the Neyad's lead and bow respectfully to the Mawile. They do wish to join everyone else on the mat, but they acknowledge that everything must be cleared up first.

Becchel, the Patinkin's

After everything, this is what breaks Autumn down. She hates it, she'd kept going after so much, and now here is where she finally ruins the last thing she had going for herself. Before she responds to either of the two mons talking to her, she sinks her head to the ground and covers it with her paws to try to choke down the sound of her sniffling.

"I can't... please not now, I can't..."

"... Oh no."

Whitney suddenly doesn't know what to do. She pushed too hard, didn't she? Fuck, shit, uh. Only when she begins to speak does she notice her own anxious arm in her mouth.

After taking it out, she speaks hastily. "Wait! Oh my God, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push that hard, I just thought it would seem cool, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!" Just like that, all the conviction and determination in her melts away as she quickly grabs her in a hug.

Well, as much of a hug that a quadruped could manage. "I'll go home if you want me to, I'm sorry for upsetting you, please don't cry."

Becchel

Eh, true dat... (Marsha nods at Marlon.) And ta think dat it's not even ova yet...

Yes, I can only imagine how we'll all be feeling after we stop L'Arachel...if we stop her... (I sigh.)