ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

Gleamscape

(Being the closest to the ground, Tish notices the piece of paper fairly quickly. Curious, she starts to pull it within sight of the others.) Hey, guys, wanna see if this leads us anywhere?

Ugo shuffled closer.

"A mysterious paper? What does it tell us with its words?"

Gleamscape Beachside

(Quinn looked to the others as the Shroomish looks over the paper. Given that they have no other leads so far, this might be something worth checking out.) What does it say?

Gleamscape Beach

Milton quickly comes over to grab the paper. Together he and the professor read the letter, its contents coming off almost sinister in nature.

To Professor Andre and his “bright young ward”

So, my old friend, you want to destroy the very gift we have been given, huh? I am afraid we will not allow you to do that. I want to play a game. The rules of my game are simple. I am gathering my own group to help me find the bell in order to mass produce it and sell it to our benefactors. If you find the bell before my group does, we will allow you to destroy it. If we get it, you lose, and we will subject you and yours to our gift: it will only take mere seconds once you touch the bell to realize how wonderful the gift truly is.

Jack.

The Professor has a look of abject disbelief upon reading the letter, which he conveys in his words.

My goodness. How badly has he been corrupted by this thing?

We? How many has he got?

Gleamscape

Hope it isn't too many. (Tish remarks.) Eugh, I hope we find that bell first. I don't wanna be cursed or whatever.

Gleamscape Beach

(Quinn's blood ran cold when he heard the letter. Even if he isn't a fighter, he still kept his moves for safety's sake. Now that they potentially have a target on their heads, he contemplated on leaving now to save himself, yet a part of him wanted to stay. He could not understand why he would risk himself over some strangers, yet he still stuck around. Struggling to stay on his feet, Quinn asked the old mon.) D-do you know what kind of Pokémon Jack is?

"Calm thyselves, allies," said Ugo. "Laying out his entire plan like this... It is clear as day that intimidation is the first step to how he hopes to best us."

Gleamscape Beach

He is...or potentially was...an Oranguru. Very smart mon...but obviously as you know, this bell corrupted him.

Milton takes his turn to deliver a response to the letter.

Well...let's not allow him to do that. Professor?

I can't believe Jack has fallen this low. I wish I could talk to him myself right now. In any case...this is our first clue. We can head back to my study if anyone needs last second supplies but I suggest you all get moving as soon as possible.

As the Professor addresses the group a group led by his former friend convenes...and crosses paths with familiar faces.

Somewhere on Denalsi (several miles into the Marduo and Ed's journey

As we pass by a small stream I pull up and stop, breathing a little bit heavier than normal.

You okay, Marly?

Oh...I'm fine, but definitely feeling the strain. You don't know how much work having to cover long distances while having this big brace on you is.

I can imagine. Ya want water or anythin'?

Uh...sure. Check my pack, should be a few bottles. You can both take some if you need them.

Marsha hands me a bottle after rummaging through the pack, while also offering one to Ed.

Just nearby....

Stop.

The deep voice is in fact from Jack, the Oranguru the Professor mentioned, warning the small group with him to stop. He is in fact the leader of the group bent on finding the bell that "gifted" him such power.

One of you, let me see a map. Figure out where we are, maybe ask the bodies who belong to those voices where we are.

After doing that he takes a peek over the small hedges his group now finds themselves behind. What he finds is a Gallade who looked like his leg had been broken, an unusually short Swampert, and a heavyset Feraligatr.

Got three over here. Should I go talk to them or do one of you want to?

The Quagsire just stands there and nods.

Gleamscape

I mean, I dunno about the rest of you guys, but I think I'm set supply-wise. (Tish says.) I'm ready to head out as soon as the rest of you guys are ready.

Nowhere, Denalsi

Hey, I'm big enough that maybe you could just ride on my back or something for a while. (Ed suggests to Marlon as he takes a water bottle.) I can get around on all fours just fine.

(A portly-looking Drakloak floats up to Jack.) Ah'd go 'n talk to 'em, but that darn kid's wandered off again. (He says, feeling the top of his head where his Dreepy nephew would normally be and looking around their immediate surroundings.)

Gleamscape

The professor looks down the beach just a bit at one of his assistants, who stood just offscreen, who comes on over and prepars to push the elder mon back to his study.

Alright. I expect nothing less from a group assembled by my former top student. Good luck out there, your next potential clue will be near that destroyed inn. The Bedsheets, I think it was. Keep me updated however you can!

And so the professor's assistant wheels him off, leaving the group of adventurers on the beach. Milton looks amongst his compatriots.

Well, let's do this.

He begins to move off. Meanwhile....

Nowhere, Denalsi

You'd really be able to do that? I guess it makes sense since you are a pretty big guy, so...alright, I'll do it.

I'll go look for your kid, Dayton. I take care of my people, you'd be the first to know that. Just make sure to not reveal what we're trying to do to these mons, we don't need anyone else finding our trail.

The Oranguru moves off to find the Dreepy.

Edited by Team42Larson on Nov 8th 2020 at 5:40:29 AM

Nowhere, Denalsi

(Dayton grumbles about his nephew running away again as he goes over to castigate the travelers.)

Alright! (Ed starts to get down on all fours when he notices the approaching Drakloak.) Hey, uh, who's that?

Just outside Gleamscape

The intrepid group, led by Milton, begin their journey to find the location of the bell. The Medicham has never truly led a group like this before, so he walks to the exit of town with some hint of nerve in his step. He looks at the map that the Professor gave him.

On the map is a straightforward path to their next destination: somewhere just nearby the collapsed remnants of what was once the Bedsheets. But it will be a good bit before they arrive, so Milton decides to break the ice with his new allies.

So...what are you all hoping to do after we finish doing this job for the Professor?

Nowhere, Denalsi

Before I can climb aboard Ed's back a Drakloak emerges from the shrubbery nearby, drawing me to ask a question to this guy, erring with some form of caution.

Uh, who are you?

Heading out of Gleamscape

Just gonna keep working to evolve, I guess. (Tish says.) Then maybe figure out what to do with my life next.

Nowhere, Denalsi

Allow me to introduce mahself. (The Drakloak says.) I'm Dayton Allgaier. Just wanderin' these woods like the lost soul I am.

(It won't take long before Jack (and anybody else with him) will find the Dreepy a ways behind them all. The Dreepy, a rather young one named Robin, floats along slowly (and a bit sadly) as he catches up with everyone.)

Sorry, there was a Berry bush and I was hungry and...I'm sorry.... (He says, wiping berry juice off his face.)

Outside Gleamscape

Huh, yeah, I have been hoping you'd evolve for quite a bit, Tish. What about the rest of you?

Nowhere, Denalsi

Allgaier. Now how come that name sounds so damn familiar? Probably because his first name isn't Justin. But nevertheless we figure we have to engage this "lost soul".

Are you trying to get somewhere? Or what's the deal?

———

Hey, it's alright, Robin. You're more than welcome to take some from our reserves. Your uncle and I, we go way back, you know that. Now come on, he's trying to talk to some travelers we found.

The Oranguru walks back forward to await anything from Dayton.

"Aye, I am coming along because as an esteemed Hexpert, I feel I owe it to the Pokemon of this lovely place to help extinguish the threat of this foul bell," Ugo explained. "Once I have done my duty, I will return back to my home in the mountains of Tempesta, my daughter Miranda awaits my return. I am a bit of a hierophant there, our lord Prospero- whom we have taken the surname of- has quite the divine presence and has blessed me with the crown that allowed me to evolve. Thusly, I feel somewhat of a, ah, spiritual gravity towards the place."

Edited by Konkfan7 on Nov 14th 2020 at 4:47:03 AM

Outside of Gleamscape

(Huh, a hierophant. I would have figured he'd be just some stage magician. Color me surprised, Quinn thought as he listened to the Slowking. Seeing as everyone else is opening up about themselves, he might as well join in.) Personally, I hope to be a doctor one day. I guess I have that desire to help others. All I need is the training and that costs money, which hard to come by these days.

Outside Gleamscape

Huh, fascinating, guys. (Tish says. She had heard of the mountains on Tempesta before but wasn't aware that anyone actually lived there. )

Denalsi

Eh, nowhere in particular. (Dayton says.) Right now, I'm just tryin' to figure out where my nephew is.

He the Dreepy that's supposed to be on your head? (Ed asks, now noticing that the Drakloak has no Dreepy with him.)

Sure is.

Outside Gleamscape

Milton listens along to the answers of his group before delivering his own answer.

As for myself, well....see, Professor Andre already picked me to be his successor, but, I don't know how ready I would really be to teach classes like he did. It's not like I hope this journey would help me confirm whether or not that's the path I want to be on.

Nowhere, Denalsi

A likely story.

A Drakloak without his Dreepy, but the question is....is he truly alone? Besides his missing nephew.

Well.....where was yer nephew when yas last saw 'im?

Leaving Gleamscape

Well, you know, a lotta stuff could happen on this little trek. Maybe your mind'll be made up by the time we get to that bell. (Tish says; she'd shrug if she could.)

Denalsi

Just behind me in the woods. (Dayton says.) Kid's always wandering off.

Near Gleamscape

Hey, maybe you're right, Tish. Perhaps this was exactly what I needed to decide if I was really up for the job. Alright, we can't be far from the Bedsheets now.

And so Milton continues on ahead.

Nowhere, Denalsi

Right...unless you need anything more from us, we've gotta get going. We're trying to get to Glastone.

Leaving Gleamscape

(An abandoned hotel seems like the last thing Quinn wanted to search, yet if the bell is right there, it might be for the best. A friend of his once told him that eventually, you'll have to face your fears, but the friend in question had vanished some time ago. Seeing as he's in this deep, he couldn't back out now.) I'm ready... _{I think.}

Nowhere, Denalsi

(Right next to Jack, a Morgrem showed up next to him. He spoke to him with a high-pitched but harsh accent.)    'Pologies, boss. Just 'ad to look out for any tailers.   

Leaving Gleamscape

An abandoned hotel...wonderful... (Tish says, not entirely enthusiastic about this.)

Denalsi

Not a problem, not a problem... (Dayton floats off back into the woods.)

...Well, that happened, I reckon. Hope he finds his nephew. (Ed says.)

(Dayton finds his companions with his missing nephew.) There you are, boy! Quit wanderin' off like that.

Yes sir... (The Dreepy floats back to the top of Dayton's head.)

Edited by kablammin45 on Nov 20th 2020 at 11:39:44 AM

Nearing Bedsheets

Don't be concerned, we aren't actually going in the place itself, Tish. Now come on.

After some more time of walking straight on, behind one particular tree Milton spots something rather....odd. What could it be? Milton looks around his group.

Any of you seeing that?

Denalsi

Once the Drakloak moves off I scratch my head in confusion and simply nod in agreement with Ed.

Guess so. Now, let's get back going.

I get ready to climb aboard Ed's back once again.

Meanwhile, from behind the shrubbery Jack reconvenes with his group.

Well, just as long as everyone is accounted for that's fine by me. Dayton, did you find out anything from those travelers?

Edited by Team42Larson on Nov 22nd 2020 at 6:16:04 AM

Leaving Gleamscape

See what? Reminder that I'm two feet shorter than the rest of you guys. (Tish says, trying to peer over the tall grass.)

Denalsi

Just travelers headin' to Glastone. (Dayton says.) Didn't say anythin' of note.

(He sees his nephew.) There you are, boy! Get back up here! (Dayton says, sternly pointing to the top of his head.) This is the fifth time this week one of us has had to go find you.

I'm sorry... (The Dreepy slowly floats back over to his uncle.)