ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

I was startled by the sudden arrival of a new 'Mon.

[Geez, scare a guy, will ya.]

"Are you all right?" I walked over to the new arrival.

"Uh, yes," I answered, getting myself up off the floor. "Name's... Drabby."

top of the page post but fuck it. I see you're interested in our humble little forum game. If you want in, DM me and I'll give our invite link.

Campsite

I mean, yas are a Psychic-type now. You don't hafta ask us if you can do Psychic-type things like that! You can just, you know, do 'em! (Marsha chuckles to Steph.) So...yeah, I'm ready ta go if all of yas are. Marly?

(As Dinah finishes gathering Berries, she notices a Bagon that she has never seen before standing nearby with Daniel. "Where did that Bagon come from?" A bit confused, Dinah walks over.) Hello, who are you? (She asks.)

Foxfell

Oh, I wasn't going to do that, I was just gonna spook him a little bit. (Speck says.) Make sure he knows not to mess with us...

The campsite

After asking about the statuses of some of the others I turn back around after I hear my name get called again and head back over to Marsha.

Oh yeah, I'm ready. Guess we should start on, then. The others should be about ready and can catch up. Got a lot of ground to make.

I look forward to the woods ahead and start walking on a bit, but do notice the presence of Bagon I certainly didn't see before while still moving ahead, slowly.

Foxfell

Oh yeah, kekeke...we can certainly scare him, just like always.

The group arrive in the vicinity of the inn, Where we'll pick this up in a bit, after the main party is back in Foxfell

Edited by Team42Larson on Aug 9th 2019 at 6:52:32 AM

"I am Daniel von Siegfried," I respond to Drabby with a bow, "But call me Daniel, O.K?"

Then I turn my attention to Dinah, "Do Pokémon appear out of the blue like this to you group often?"

Campsite

Mila can't find the energy in herself to say or do anything as Eliot moves on. It's good that he's not breaking down now, but... this detachment doesn't feel right. She can't bring herself to understand it as the same person, even given that it's a different personality. She doesn't like it, and while she's holding it down there's an all-too-familiar panic eating at her. What if Koss can't find a way to help it? What if they're stuck like this? Whoever Eliot was— still is, she hopes, somewhere in there— subsumed half the time by someone so cold? For the sake of not crumbling right before everyone was planning to go, Mila forces herself standing, and busies herself with tasks. She walks back over to Autumn, and rouses the Braixen with a rub of her head, grasping her in a tight embrace when the princess finally awakes.

"Are you alright?"

"I—... I have to be."

Autumn doesn't respond, but a tight squeeze from the Braixen and a slight, slow nod of affirmation is all Mila needs to know that she understands. Moving on, Mila goes to the last of the mons she feels responsible for waking, patting Niles on his side just heavily enough to get his attention, hoping that past the bustle he'll hear her whisper.

"Come on, let's go, okay?"

Looking back to see if Niles is following her request, Mila hums a tune and starts to sing under her breath, unsure if she wants anyone else to hear.

"You are here alone again

In your sweet insanity

All too calm, you hide yourself from reality

Do you call it solitude? Do you call it liberty?

When all the world turns away to leave you lonely..."

Steph is practising her psychic powers while she is waiting patiently, but then she heard something, "Guys, do you hear something?" she asks with a quick twitch of her long yellow ears, as she uses the spoon to scratch her head.

(I'm not getting up.) I just stir a tiny bit, but without uncurling from my ball.

Campsite

Marlon goes to leave, I see, but he doesn't commit. Someone else has come in; another transient face, I guess. I look over the Bagon, not critically, just more to look, before I go back to eating my fill. One last berry plucked, and I pull myself from the tree, clutching the knotted strap of my bag. I wonder if the knot would ever slip as I was traveling; I'm not sure I would miss much of what was inside.

With the others preparing to leave as well, I file alongside the ones in the front and look headlong towards our destination...waiting...

Now beginning to leave campsite

I begin to commit to walking forth. Step, by step, by step, walking with these crutches. It's not the most pleasant experience imaginable but it's more preferable than to try and limp forward without them and cause myself even more pain. I think back to last night and think about the bed I slept on. Wasn't there another besides Eliot who slept nearby?

Campsite

(Noting some of the others (including Marlon) starting to move, Marsha gets up.) Welp, reckon we should get goin' before somethin' crazy happens. Everyone ready ta go? (She asks. She looks over at Dinah.) Hey, Bookworm? You fellas ready? Also, who the heck is that?

This Bagon suddenly showed up here. I think he may be like Marlon and the others. (Dinah explains.)

Well, let's take him along, then! He can introduce himself on the way. (Marsha says.) Let's go!

(Marsha moves to keep up with Marlon. Dinah nods and turns to Daniel and Drabby.) We should probably get moving. (She tells them, starting to move ahead herself.)

Narcia (Evening of Day 26)

(It's getting close to dusk, and the Slurpuff owner of the cake shop hasn't seen that Whimsicott he hired all day. He's beginning to think that Larry just made an excuse to quit...which is odd to him since Larry seemed like a good worker. You win some, you lose some, he reckons.)

(He is about to give up and return to his stand to tear down for the night when he hears what sounds like scuffling from behind a nearby house, followed by muttering.) What in the world...?

(He listens more closely and realizes that it's someone speaking in loud whispers.)

My name is Verna. Vern-ah. I don't even know a Benji! Let me go before I call my friends over here!

Have you perhaps seen a Krokorok or a Riolu who answer to Dinah and Lucy?

(The Slurpuff rounds the corner and finds a Machamp holding a very cross and struggling Noivern in all four arms. Upon seeing him, the Machamp screams and drops the Noivern.)

AHH! Gary! I-erm, I mean, who are you? I-I tell you, th-this is not as bad as it looks...

What in the world is going o-... (Gary trails off before realizing something.) Wait, I've never met you before. How do you know my name?

Would you believe that I eavesdropped on someone?

This Ditto was disguised as a shiny Whimsicott when they pulled me aside as I was going to find the rest of my group and began asking me all sorts of questions! (The Noivern says, standing up and brushing herself off.)

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Larry? You were a Ditto this whole time? (Gary says.)

It's Winifred, actually... (Winnie sighs.)

Whatever your name is, you're fired. I've had enough trouble with dishonest Pokémon already. (Gary says, shaking his head.) And I've got good mind to call the police on you for worrying this poor woman.

Oh, please don't—I mean, erm, this was all just a simple misunderstanding, wasn't it? (Winnie protests.) Surely you wouldn't get them over that...?

Actually, if you had looked a lot closer at me when you were leading me back here, you would have realized... (The Noivern motions to her shoulder, showing that she is wearing a silver armband at the base of her wing that, in embossed letters, reads "V.T. - R.P.": ) I'm an off-duty policewoman from Roseleaf on vacation with her friends. And our friends from Gleamscape have told us a lot about you, Winifred...

(Winnie does not hesitate for a minute before gasping, turning into her Mismagius form, and phasing-shifting again. Verna groans and turns to Gary.) Ugh, Dittos are an absolute pain to apprehend.

It sure sounds like they are... (Gary sighs.) What a shame, she was such a nice worker when she was pretending to be Larry, too. Do you need me to tell you anything about her I found out?

If you don't mind. I'll take you to where my friends are so they can hear what you have to say. (Verna says.)

(She leads Gary back toward town.)

Campsite

*Speaking of other people who’ve slept on nearby bedding! A certain electric lizard drops down from the branches of a tree near Marlon, luckily managing to catch the lowest one. It’s yours truly, PJ, and I must admit that this is not one of my brighter moments.*

PJ: “Dammit, shoulda figured my tail wasn’t long enough for that...”

Upon seeing the Bagon, the Decidueye who wears his hood down tipped the top hat on his head.

"Welcome, lost one. I would like to get more properly acquainted, but we are now about to embark", he said, "For now, just know that I am Noriaki. Pleasure to meet you."

Noriaki followed the rest of the group advancing, as did the Aromatisse behind him who was clad in a floppy white hat.

"Hikari", she quickly introduced herself before hopping off after the others.

"Pleasure to meet you, too," I offered. I would shake his hand but that's not really an option with these stubby appendages.

Leaving campsite

As if my suspicions didn't need to be confirmed, dropping out of the trees comes PJ. After briefly being startled, I regain my composure and look the little dude over to make sure he's okay before resuming the trek.

Woah, shit—did not expect to see you there, dude.

Campsite

Oh, PJ! Are you alright? (Dinah asks PJ upon seeing him drop down from the tree. She's relieved he caught himself before hitting the ground.)

Oh, mornin', Peej! (Marsha chuckles.) Nice of yas ta drop in, heh heh...

Whispering Pines—guard duty

Oh man...Captain? You awake?

One of the guardsmen for the operation attempts to rouse his boss, codename "Overlord"—the Tyrantrum friend that was also on the expedition when Stellan's old man died in the accident.

Mmm? Yawn... What could you ingrates want from me now?

Our new recruits, the ones Clayton got for us—they got here last night. Sir, they're—

The Tyrantrum snatches the sheet of paper from the underling with one of his claws and reads it over.

Oh, good...more who could probably disappoint me.

Foxfell

(Three hours later, the party will arrive back about mid-morning. Things appear to be as it was when everyone left.)

Dang, it feels like it's been ages since we've been heres... (Marsha says, relieved to be back in Foxfell.)

(Dinah is looking toward the ocean to see if the Shifter is there. She doesn't see it, though.)

(Oh, it's no use...nobody seems to have seen them yet. I tried to ask Darnell since I figured he would know, but he didn't seem to be home. Ugh, where are they?! We're wasting time!)

(I find a bench in front of the cafe where we started from and wait for Benji and Lucy to come back.)

(Benji, meanwhile, is in Noivern form and flying overhead with Lucy on his back.) Are you keeping your eyes peeled, Lucy?

Uh huh... (Lucy says. She sounds a little bored since they've been flying over the town for quite a while but still haven't seen any sign of Eliot and the others.) How much longer are we gonna be up here, Papa?

Not too much longer. My wings are starting to ache, just saying...

The Shifter

(As daybreak arrives, Renata is the first one awake. She looks around at their current surroundings around the boat and spots an island within sight. Behind it further off into the distance appears to be another island with a smoking mountain on it. There doesn't appear to be anything between them and the islands besides a small lagoon.)

That wouldn't happen to be Whispering Pines and Danjor Island over there, would it? (She asks.)

(Sunny, who has been sleeping on top of Maran, stirs and wakes up. She looks up and out at the island as well and excitedly shakes Maran.) Maran! Mi amour, we have    MADE IT!!   

(Sunny's voice suddenly raising sharply causes Maran to nearly jump through the boat's canopy. He thumps into it and awakens June, who had been asleep on top of it.) BZZZzZZzzZZzzzZZZZZ!! What??

Oh my goodness gracious, please forgive me, Maran. That slipped out... (Sunny says, embarrassed.)

You're good at gettin' people up, Sunny! (June laughs from on top of the canopy.)

(Before Sunny can respond, Cortez grumbles awake and sees the island.) YES!! One step closer to this nightmare ending! One step closer to becoming my normal adult self again!

Bzz? We are? (Maran asks, rushing over to the side of the boat.)

(There is the sound of scampering on top of the canopy as June rushes over to the side to look from up there as well.) YEEEEEAHOOO! We're almost there! We're comin' for ya, Gooby!

(Rich stirs.) What's goin' on, mateys? Are we there?

Yes! We're almost there! Yes! (Cortez says, looking as though he might leap out of the boat and swim the rest of the way there.)

Oh yes! (Rich says, sitting up and making sure his gloves are on.) I'll finally git t' see me Polly again...

(Bo and Liesl wake up as well.) Oh, thank goodness...I'm ready to be off this boat... (Bo says.)

No kidding... (Liesl says.)

Foxfell, three hours later

That was quite a walk back to say the least. The city, since we left, hasn't gone into shambles, which is a relief. What's also a relief is that we're finally back in civilization. Civilization, means food. And man am I hungry. Also still pained a bit, but the crutches have minimized the need to place pressure on my leg by a lot.

Man, it's good to be back in civilization. I can almost smell the food from here.

The boat

Stellan and Melani both awaken.

Edited by Team42Larson on Aug 12th 2019 at 7:49:11 AM

"Ah, this place looks lovely as ever", said Noriaki as he took in the atmosphere of Foxfell once again.

"So this is the 'Foxfell' I overheard being mentioned a few times", said Hikari, "It is quite a lovely kingdom. The architecture feels..."

"Nostalgic, yes indeed", Noriaki finished her thought, "I thought the same thing when were last here..."

The Decidueye chuckled to himself as he gave a rather gentle smile towards the place.

Foxfell

(At least the trip back didn't have anything to interrupt us, a new Bagon aside. Looks like the city's still just fine even after that Granbull's attack. When the topic of breakfast was mentioned, I nodded to the group.) What sounds good?

"Anyone got any plans?" I speak loudly to the group, "If not, I'll be at a nearby cafe or bar."

[Let's see what info I can dig up, here in the kingdom of Foxfell.]

Foxfell

Anything sounds good ta me right now. (Marsha says, starting to walk ahead of everyone.) Let's find somewheres that has a good breakfast!

Shifter

Oh, you're up! (Liesl says to Stellan and Melani.) We're almost to Whispering Pines, in case you weren't listening.

How far out do ya think we are at this point? (June asks.)

"Maybe, yeah. Granted, not entirely right in the head meself but think I'd be a better parent than her, hehe..."

"And hrm, looking at the map... we should be there pretty soon."