The Twilight Realm's Recorded History

[Shadowshocker]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

Shadowshocker: Not wanting to attract attention by doing anything that could alert the man to the fact you know he's following you, you clasp Loretta's hand in yours and begin to walk through the crowd. She's quite surprised by the gesture, but considering your expression figures you have a reason for doing what you're doing. She slips her hand into yours and walks with you, and as you turn to smile at her you notice from the corner of your eye that the man is still standing at the stall examining the merchandise. Though he's making no move to follow you, you're not completely convinced that he doesn't intend to and so begin winding through the bustling crowds in the hopes of losing him. Loretta is extremely suspicious by now, and though she doesn't say anything it's pretty clear that she's guessed why you're acting so strangely. When you're in the centre of the plaza she halts you in your steps and leads you off in another direction. A few minutes later you're wading through an even larger crowd of people in the royal fairground. Music is playing loudly, the screams of people fill the air as they experience the exhilarating thrill of the carnival rides, and next to a large tent nearby is a circus clown loudly proclaiming that tickets to the next big show are on sale and that there are only a couple of minutes left until it begins. Looking around, you notice the same man you'd seen earlier scanning the crowd as though looking for something; or someone. He hasn't seen you yet, but if he is indeed following you and Loretta you'll have to think quickly in order to evade him.

Loretta is the one who makes the decision, heading over and dropping some coins into the clown's hand. With the entry fee paid, she pulls you inside the tent where you find a large stage set up in its centre with several rows of seats surrounding it. This place can hold at least six hundred people, and just as you're wondering what to do next the lights go out leaving the inside of the tent in total darkness. A moment later a spotlight appears on stage while smaller beams scan across the crowd. A colourfully dressed man is standing on stage and begins to address the crowd. "Welcome to the 'Stars of Fantasia'!" he cries. "Today you'll experience the a magical hour of puzzles, acrobatic performances, Pok?mon taming, and MORE! To get this show started, please welcome 'Gandalf the Great' and his beautiful assistant, Telphia!" The crowd bursts into raucous applause as a magician and his assistant appear on stage. "So," Loretta asks with a cheeky smile. "Want to watch the show, or slip out the back?"

An hour! Shadow thought. There's no way we can afford waiting an hour! Quickly Shadow attempted a brief scan to see if the mystery person was still around, but it wasn't practical in the darkness and the waves of movement. All that could be seen were seemingly countless members of audience, wildly cheering as one... albeit a chaotic, raucous one. Even Loretta seemed to be soaking in the joyful ambience, evidenced by her current expression.

"We need to get out of here, as soon and as quietly as we can," Shadow hissed to his travelling companion; a challenge against the noise surrounding them. "We can't linger if we want to get to the library. We'll ease our way to the nearest exit, and make a run for our target location. Unless we're cornered, we'll keep our Pokemon in our PokeBalls where he can't get at them with the beam machine."

Gripping Loretta's hand firmly, for fear of separation amongst the crowd, Shadow looked around for the nearest exit point, ready to advance once he spotted it...

[Joshua]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Incura Valley - Please reply in darkorange

Joshua: Nidoking releases a mighty Roar, stampeding forward and putting all of his Strength into a rampaging tackle. Metang finally takes a decent hit but before it can retaliate Shade lets loose with another freezing cold Ice Beam that smacks the ice type square in the face. Nidoking appears rather woozy now, but it doesn't stop him from spinning around and slamming his heavy Iron Tail into Metang who immediately hurls a Shadow Ball straight back at the enraged dad. Nidoking locks his gaze onto Shade and in a last ditch effort to try and kill two birds with one stone, spits out a strong icy cold gale of wind. His Blizzard washes over both Pokémon, Shade's Bubblebeam freezing solid before it can reach its intended target. It's too late for Nidoking though, as the beating it's taken combined with its depleted energy reserves cause it to keel over, KOed. Shade's win has helped him become stronger, a dark green aura surrounding him as he learns the egg move Imprison.

Meanwhile, Hayley and Miltank continue battling Nidoqueen who looks skyward before sending a Thunderbolt Hayley's way. The attack catches Hayley's tail, but thankfully her dual typing succeeds in protecting her from the attack. Hayley responds by saturating Nidoqueen with Water Pulse after which Miltank rams her with Body Slam. Nidoqueen, knowing she's about to be beaten, Crunches down hard on Miltank's leg which results in an agonised bellow echoing throughout the valley. Hayley makes her final move, dousing Nidoqueen with one final Water Pulse. Nidoqueen drops, KOed. A dark green aura surrounds Hayley as the battles comes to a conclusion. Her win has helped her to grow stronger resulting in her learning the egg move Fury Cutter.

"That was close," John sighs, returning his Metang while Elsa recalls Miltank. "It's going to get tougher from here on in though," he continues, his gaze turning toward the little Nidoran who had inadvertently caused all of the trouble. Not willing to leave the poor little thing sitting there crying its eyes out next to its two unconscious parents, John reaches into his pack and removes two strange looking herbs. "Revival Herbs," he says in response to your questioning gaze. "But we'd better make tracks before they wake up." Tossing the two herbs onto the ground next to Nidoking and Nidoqueen, John then turns his attention back to Nidoran. "This'll wake 'em up," he says with a smile, trying to help the distraught baby feel better. None of you stick around to watch the results, however, as you head further into the valley before the angry parents can resume their attack upon you.

Several minutes later you're standing at one end of a long, wooden bridge spanning Incura Canyon. There is a waterfall to your right which is cascading into the the fast flowing Incura River several hundred feet below. You can see several trails leading down the cliffside, but John and Elsa are not in the mood for sightseeing and immediately set off across the bridge. Unfortunately the bridge doesn't appear too stable, and a moment later your suspicions are confirmed when one of the boards cracks under the weight of John's Rapidash. The fire horse panics, rearing up and scaring Tauros who also panics. The results are catastrophic considering both Pokémon had been nervous enough by the sight of the water, but with the added panic associated with falling into that water, both become so fretful that their trainers are unable to control them. The narrow bridge is barely wide enough for one Pokémon let alone two, and when the cracked board along with two more fall out of the bridge beneath them, and they struggle to regain their footing, they barge into one another and fall over the side. Elsa and John react quickly, each returning their respective steeds to their Pokéballs, but that doesn't change the fact the two of them are now plummeting toward the raging river below...

OOC: Sweet, love the rewards Tessie. Has that always been done, or is it a newer addition?

Joshua smiled at Hayley and Shade, noting that both of them had become stronger for the battle. He was also impressed by John's actions, leaving behind those Revival Herbs to help Nidoking and Nidoqueen. Joshua couldn't help but reflect on the expression on the poor Nidoran's face as he stood beside his KO'ed parents.

Joshua was shattered from his thoughts by the panicked neighs of John's Rapidash, Joshua almost freaking at the sight of the bridge breaking under the combined weight of its travellers. As Elsa and John recalled their Pokemon, Joshua sprung into action, whistling for Hayley, and snatching two Pokeballs off his belt, unleashing Michael the Umbreon and Aurora the Glaceon.

"Hayley, Fly, grab them! Michael, Aurora, Psychic NAOW! Try and slow their descents if you can't stop them, so Hayley can grab them!" Joshua's hand fiddled with another Pokeball on his belt, Celeste the Butterfree his final option. If desperate, he could call on her, and she could try and Teleport to the falling trainers and bring them back, but... She was still young, and he'd never even asked her to use Teleport since she first learnt it, and the drain on her could prove dangerous, even fatal... Not something he wanted to do until he was desperate. He could only hope and pray, as Hayley's wings beat furiously and both Eon Pokemon began to glow with Psychic energy...

[S_M]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Forest of Mystery - Please reply in limegreen

S_M: Not wanting the fleeing person to escape, you instruct Ivysaur to go after them. She nods, racing toward the nearest tree and extending her vines. Latching on to an overhead branch, she begins to swing from tree to tree, Tarzan like, in pursuit of the runaway while Swellow makes use of her Quick Attack to try and head them off. Crashing through the trees with Buneary hot on your heels as you chase after your Pokémon, you hear a frightened yell before practically stumbling over a small boy whom Ivysaur has successfully managed to trap in her vines. Swellow is standing over the two of them, an expression of satisfaction in her eyes which tells you that her quick actions had aided Ivysaur with her capture of the child. Looking down at the boy, the first thing you notice is how filthy he is. He looks like he hasn't bathed in weeks, his tattered clothes making you wonder just how long he's been alone out here and what he's experienced in this Ariados infested forest. As you're examining him, his large brown eyes widen in shock, filling with horror. He opens his mouth and screams blue murder, but it only takes a moment for you to realise that it's not you he's screaming at. His eyes are focused on a spot over your shoulder, and while he struggles to escape from Ivysaur's grasp you come to the obvious, yet terrifying, conclusion that you must have some rather freakish company closing in on you...

Running through the forest after Ivysaur and Swellow, tripping over a branch every now and then, Stephen and Buneary hurry after the person. Stephen wonders who it could be, as well as why the person was at the village and, most prominently on his mind, why he ran away. It doesn't take very long for Stephen and Buneary to catch up, however, as Ivysaur and Swellow have succeeded in their attempts to restrain the person. Stephen looks at the boy, who seems to have been living in the forest for quite some time. His clothes are filthy, tattered, and ripped; it looks as though he hasn't bathed in weeks as well. The boy then begins to scream in fear. Originally thinking that somehow Ariados had gotten out of her Pokeball, then that the boy was screaming at him, Stephen realizes that the boy is screaming at something past Stephen's shoulder. Turning around, Stephen sees the bushes rustling.

"Damn." Stephen says, his eyes fixed on the forest. "Um..."

Realizing that sitting there bumbling like an idiot wasn't going to help, Stephen nods before gulping. "Swellow," Stephen calls, turning toward the bird who has a look of fear plastered across her face. "Swellow, I need your help. First, let's make sure this is an Ariados. As soon as you can identify it, charge up a Sky Attack before flying forward with a Sky Attack/Quick Attack combo to do some hard damage. Then fry it with a Flamethrower."

Swellow nods hesitantly, and Stephen makes a note to reward her for her work. Stephen then turns to Ivysaur and the boy. "Ivysaur, loosen your grip on him a little, but keep him within range of your vines: I want to know what he's about, but this isn't the time. If he tries to escape, do whatever you need - keep it to your vines or Sleep Powder, though. And don't hurt him," Stephen adds. The last thing he needed right now was his hostage being hurt. Stephen then turns to the bushes, awaiting whatever will come...

[Silver Wind]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Silver Wind: Arriving amidst the hustle and bustle of the thriving Elyra Port, you wonder how a land as highly populated as this could have remained off the radar for so long. Though Elyra is a popular tourist destination, it has only in recent months been attracting more than the usual number of travellers. All that aside, today is an excellent day to have begun your new adventure. The sun is shining strong, and the salty sea air drifting in from the open ocean has a pleasant feel to it. The cries of Wingull and Pelipper can be heard all around, some circling overhead waiting for a chance to steal their favourite treats from one of the many stalls on the docks selling freshly caught seafood while the more daring risk being crushed in the crowd to scavenge for tidbits dropped by careless merchants and customers. While there are several places to visit in the port area, your interest lays elsewhere. Turning toward the main walkway leading out of Elyra Port, you begin your journey into Elyra Field where thoughts of Cloud Island fill your mind.

Several minutes later, leaving Elyra Port behind, you emerge into a large expanse of open plains. You had an idea that Elyra Field will be huge, but its sheer size causes you to take a moment to reflect upon your preconceptions. The field is beyond massive, and as Elyra's central hub of activity, highly populated. Considering the size of the land, you figure you're going to need some form of transportation and so head toward Laramie Ranch where you're hoping you may be able to borrow a steed for your journey. While you're walking you notice that men, women, children, and Pokémon are roaming the vast acreage. Families are picnicking everywhere, trainers are engaging in friendly battles, couples are strolling hand in hand, travellers are referring to maps or asking for directions from the locals. In the distance you see two enormous mountains, one with steam wafting from its peak creating the faint outline of a smoky ring hovering in the air above it, the other seeming to be surrounded by an icy haze. These are of little concern to you however, as it's the ranch that you're focused upon. Walking along with the tunes of your favourite songs playing in your ear, you suddenly feel something hard ram into your leg. Turning around, you see a boy of about seven glaring angrily up at you while Butters is staring at him with an expression of utter astonishment. Realising the boy had kicked you to grab your attention, you remove your earpiece and look down at him. The boy crosses his arms and stares defiantly at you. "I was talking to you!" he yells in an accusatory tone...

This is a very late post, sry.

With a big yawn and with Butters walking along side, the pair walked passed many trainers traveling with friends and pokemon. Battles taking place here and there, while others decide to have a picnic in the beautiful weather. Gosh I'd like to nap right now but thoughts of the mysterys that wait to be found keep him feeling funky fresh. Butters frolicked carelessly behind Matt, with a half eaten daisy in his hand. As they went further the pretty sight of wild pokemon flying in the sky, carefree and happy. 'This should be smooth and trouble free trip'

'? ? ? ? I know you've been waiting but I've been off making babies & like a chef making donuts & pastries -It's time to make you sweat- Sex & sugar is the flavour, Ovens & beaters & graters, Beats made of bongos & shakers It's time to make you sweat ? ? ? ? *wack* 'I spoke too soon' feeling something slammed into his leg, he turned to his surprise see a little boy around six or seven glaring up at him. "I was talking to you!". Staring back, Matt was very confused now, and Butters wasn't aware what started the commotion. "Well aren't you alittle ball of sunshine." matt said slowly. Thinking that a seven year old couldn't cause THAT much trouble, he decided to humor the kid. "Alright, can I help you with something there squirt?" he knew his voice cracked as he spoke, even before he finished his sentence.

ernie is my link btw

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

lilbluecorsola: I own both, but have played neither. Fully intended to, but as soon as I brought them home the kiddies confiscated the games and started playing them. Still want to play them, along with Diamond and several other games I've stuffed into drawers, but just don't have the time ;-; One day...

Feeling guilty for having been nice which has resulted in you ending up here, wherever here is, you sink into the mattress and begin to allow the guilt to consume you. Your Pokémon aren't about to let you play the self pity game however, and are quick to console you. Far from being angry, or even disappointed, they're both as loving and understanding as ever which encourages you to focus on the present rather than on what could have been. Their support helps you immensely, and with renewed determination, you decide to work on a strategy in which to escape the confines of your small cell. Considering you're underground, trying to break through the brick walls will undoubtedly prove fruitless, so you toss that idea to the side along with the thought of trying to melt the steel door considering you have no fire types, or Pokémon with fire type moves, at your disposal. The only other reasonable option is to attempt breaking the door down with force. This may attract attention due to the noise, but it's the only logical course of action you can see that may actually have a chance of working. Having just the right team member for the job, you release Rhydon who appears confused not only by his surroundings, but by the fact he can hear an unfamiliar voice in his head. Alice quickly explains the situation after which Rhydon nods his understanding before he focuses upon the door, Hardening himself in preparation for his attack. He glows white before lunging at the door with Take Down. He rebounds slightly, taking some recoil damage from the attack, and even though his first attempt has failed, he's not about to give up. His second attempt causes the door to rattle, his third cracking the bricks around the door. His fourth attack breaks the bottom hinges, his fifth bending the door out of shape. Though he's becoming quite tired now, freedom is almost guaranteed and so he rams the door extra hard the next time around resulting in it flying completely off both of its hinges and crashing to the floor on the outside of the room.

Stepping through the open doorway, you find yourself in another room which is about double the size of the last. Looking around you see there's nothing spectacular about it with the exception of two archways at the other end. Alice taps your leg, pointing backward with a baffled expression. The doorway you'd just walked through is now gone, with nothing but a solid brick wall replacing it. This place is getting weirder by the minute, and when you turn back toward the two arches ahead you see that two Slowbro have now appeared, one standing guard in front of each opening. They certainly don't appear hostile, if anything they appear to be rather friendly, smiling as you approach.

"Hello there!" says the first, apparently quite pleased to have someone to talk to other than its twin. "It's so lovely to see a fine young lass such as yourself. We don't often have company, so why don't you stay a while?"

The second grunts, as though not believing a word his companion has said. "Oh, what a lie!" he moans, shaking his head. "The only one you're interested in talking to is yourself!"

"LIES!" responds the first Slowbro, looking aghast at such a suggestion. "My brother is merely jealous because I've found much more interesting company," he continues, beaming brightly.

You're not exactly sure what's up with these two, but something is definitely a little off...

OoC – Ah, man. You need to find a way to get them back. XP

What about the older games? (I haven’t played any besides LA and ALttP, and the only other Zelda game I’ve played is The Minish Cap.)

The three captives nervously held their breath as Rocky rammed relentlessly into the door again and again, each assault gradually bringing the worried prisoners closer to freedom. His first attempt yielded no visible results, however he refused to give up, and charged obstinately again at the door. His second attempt caused the door to rattle promisingly, and the third strike was so vigorous that it forced some of the bricks to crack around the frame. The fourth impact broke the bottom hinges, and the fifth finally bent the door out of shape. Although Rocky was now panting heavily from the exertion, he saw that freedom was nearly guaranteed, and so he could not back down now no matter what. Gathering all his remaining strength, he smashed powerfully into the gate once more, assertively dislodging the door from both of its hinges and sending it crashing noisily to the floor outside of the room.

He roared in triumph upon witnessing his success, and the liberated group cheered exuberantly as well, forgetting that their racket might summon the old witch back again. They quickly regained their senses though and hastily quieted down, realizing they were far from completely safe. Jess however ran forward to hug Rocky in appreciation, extremely grateful for his devotion to saving his friends. He grunted gently in welcoming response, still completely exhausted from the effort of his accomplishment. Jess smiled and patted his snout, whispering, “Thank you,” before she thoughtfully recalled him into his Pokéball for a well deserved rest.

Stepping warily through the opened doorway, Jess found herself in another area about twice the size of the room she was just in, immediately relieving her claustrophobic sense of captivity. Alice and Bobble followed cautiously after their trainer, both slightly more terrified of the possibility of their captor’s sudden appearance than perhaps Jess was. They paused outside the doorway in order to carefully examine their new surroundings, which seemed to hold nothing spectacular aside from two archways standing imposingly at the other end of the room, apparently the only viable exits.

Suddenly Jessica felt an urgent tap on her leg, and she immediately turned around to behold a solid brick wall in place of the doorway she’d just exited. She glanced swiftly down at Alice and Bobble, and the two bewilderedly shook their heads, just as confused by the event as their trainer was. Feeling a bit less secure about the assurance of their freedom, Jess turned back towards the archways, and started again when she realized there were now two guardians standing before the exits, each wearing an equally oblivious expression on his characteristic blank face. The two Slowbro smiled cheerfully as Jess approached them, so far revealing no traces of hostility towards her.

"Hello, there!" greeted the first excitedly, apparently delighted to have someone to talk to other than its twin. "It's so lovely to see a fine young lass such as yourself. We don't often have company, so why don't you stay a while?"

The second Pokémon grunted in utter disbelief at those words. "Oh, what a lie!" he accused, shaking his head. "The only one you're interested in talking to is yourself!"

"LIES!" his brother retorted, looking aghast at such a suggestion. "My brother is merely jealous because I've found much more interesting company," he continued in a much more mild tone, beaming brightly at Jess.

The girl stared at the scene with an odd sense of familiarity, feeling sure that she’d encountered a situation like this one before. [I]Two pathways, two guardians… And each guard accuses the other of being a liar. This ought to be interesting,[I] she thought as she smiled politely at the two Pokémon. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I’m afraid in a bit of a hurry. Would you mind directing me please as to which path leads to the surface?

Oh, and I don’t suppose either of you have seen an old woman dressed in black, have you?” she added, attempting to peer through the archways in case the woman might decide to come through one of them, a situation she’d very much like to avoid if possible.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Empyrean Mountain - Please reply in red

Inferno: Becoming rather frustrated with the fact that your mission isn't going as smoothly as planned, you immediately leap off of Arcanine's back so that she's able to battle unhindered. Figuring her to be a suitable match given the situation you're quick to issue your instructions, watching avidly as the battle begins. Arcanine moves quickly, her tail glinting with Steel energy as she rushes for Golem, spinning around and slamming her Iron Tail into the rock type for good damage. Golem's Roar of combined rage and agony echo's across the mountainside before it leaps into the air and comes crashing back down with Magnitude of seven. The earth rumbles, Arcanine feeling the vibrations ravaging her body while she struggles to keep her footing, but even though she's taken some damage from the attack she still manages to evade Golem's Rock Throw by Digging into the earth. Golem is peeved, and uses Rock Blast to hurl several large boulders into the ground to try and force her out. Arcanine isn't going to let Golem bully her into moving before she's ready, however, and a moment later bursts from the ground and slams into Golem using Rock Smash. Golem has taken some heavy damage so far but Arcanine hasn't exactly gotten off scot free either, and this battle has only just begun to heat up...

Inferno watches the battle with worry. He knows Arcanine can beat Golem but she's already been hurt and he needs her to help him get to the top of the mountain quickly. He thinks about switching her for one of his other Pokemon but Arcanine won't be happy if he does that. She's brave and strong and hasn't battled for a long time, and she's enjoying kicking Golem's arse so he decides to let her continue. Making her Dig was a good idea but if Golem uses Magnitude again when she's underground she could be hurt really badly so he'll have to think of another way for her to trick it. She can't bite it because its hard body will break her teeth and most of her other moves are defensive or stat raising. He's annoyed with himself for not teaching her more TM's. She's one of his oldest Pokemon and it was bad of him to overlook that part of her training. "That's our next stop" Inferno thinks to himself. His savings will go down and he doesn't want that to happen because he's so far away from the total he needs, but it'll be worth it to finish Arcanine's training.

"Golem is strong Arcanine so you have to be careful!" Inferno calls out. "Use Flame Wheel and Agility to run circles around it and when it's confused crash into it with Take Down!"

[Mirror]

Yes, I've decided to be brave and enter this zone. Is it true you have to be level 100 to be here?

"WAAAGHH!" Memory heard someone scream from inside Kasai's bag. He had been asleep for most of the journey to the light world, curled up next to an egg that would hatch in three days. He felt the bag swing wildly and tried to grab hold of something.

Kasai unzipped Memory's compartment. "Sorry about that. I nearly tripped. I don't think I have my land legs back quite yet." A hand reached in and stroked Memory, who was shaking. Harumi and Phoebe were in Pokéballs nearby. "Come on out. You have to see this."

Kasai lifted Memory out of her bag. He didn't even try to resist her. He was still a little weak from his Arcane Realm adventure.

The little ice pig squeaked as he saw Elyra Port. He never knew a place like it. So many people, such activity. So many people selling fish. Fish all over the place. Fresh fish, stale fish, good fish, bad fish, red fish, blue fish, me fish, you fish... (or maybe not stale and bad, but Kasai doesn't know how to tell.)

"I hate fish," Kasai muttered as she passed the vendors. "Why can't they sell samosas? I'd really love a samosa right now...

"So, Memory, we set off for Rainbow Reef?"

Memory squeaked in reply as*Kasai headed off, away from all the fish!

For once, she isn't daydreaming!

[enchantress]

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Mirror: If that were true, then I'm sure you wouldn't be posting...

Wrinkling your nose against the stench of fish that is overwhelming your senses, you try to block it out of your mind. Though it's easier said than done, you're not about to let the smell of Elyra Port put a dampener on your journey, and soon have Memory squeaking happily in your arms as you set out into this new and exciting land. You soon discover it to be the perfect day to be starting your newest adventure though, as the sun is shining strong and the salty sea air drifting in from the open ocean has a pleasant feel to it. The cries of Wingull and Pelipper can be heard all around, some circling overhead waiting for a chance to steal their favourite treats from one of the many stalls on the docks selling freshly caught seafood, while the more daring risk being crushed in the crowd to scavenge for titbits dropped by careless merchants and customers. While there are several places to visit in the port area, you've already decided in your desperation to escape the fish that you'll go some place with... more fish! Ensuring that Memory is bundled up safely so as not to be crushed in the crowd, you begin your journey toward Silver Lake's Rainbow Reef.

Several minutes later, leaving Elyra Port behind, you emerge into a large expanse of open plains. You had an idea that Elyra Field will be huge, but its sheer size causes you to take a moment to reflect upon your preconceptions. The field is beyond massive, and as Elyra's central hub of activity, highly populated. Men, women, children, and Pokémon roam the vast acreage. Families are picnicking everywhere, trainers are engaging in friendly battles, couples are strolling hand in hand, travellers are referring to maps or asking for directions from the locals. In the distance you see two enormous mountains, one with steam wafting from its peak creating the faint outline of a smoky ring hovering in the air above it, the other seeming to be surrounded by an icy haze. Noting that the path leading to Silver Lake is to your left you set off in that direction, enjoying the sunshine and the activity in Elyra Field.

About half an hour later, just as you're approaching the trail leading into the Silver Lake region, you hear a loud clanging sound come from behind you followed by some rather colourful language. Turning around, you see a boy of about fourteen standing over some boxes that are laying scattered on the ground. "Grrrr!" he yells, kicking the closest one in frustration, only to end up hopping about on one foot whilst clutching his newly injured toe in both hands. "You stupid thing!" he yells, his face turning an angry shade of red. Though for a moment you think he's about to kick another box, he instead limps about collecting them, stacking them on top of one another before trying, with some difficulty, to lift them from the ground. Just as he manages to get a grip on them, however, he trips over a stray football that at that moment rolls past him, and ends up dropping them again. A small boy races over to collect his ball, shooting the other an apologetic look. "Sorry," he mutters, before racing back over to his group of friends to resume their game. You watch, feeling sorry for the poor teen who is once again muttering angrily to himself whist gathering his boxes together...


Silver Wind: That's all right, mine is even later :p

"I said," the boy continues, a little more calmly now that he has your attention. "You shouldn't be walking around with him if you don't want the dark men coming." Confused, you can't understand why the boy would be pointing toward Butters who is looking between the two of you with a completely bewildered expression on his little face. You're sure your own face must be mirroring your Pokémon's confusion as you have no idea how Butters could attract the attention of "dark men" let alone anyone else. The boy can see your confusion and sighs. "Have you been living under a rock, or something?" he asks, as though talking to a child. "The dark men have been hunting bears. There are no Teddiursa or Ursaring left in Elyra. If they see your Teddiursa they'll take him too." At this point, a woman calls out to the boy and he turns around. "Coming mommy!" he calls, before turning back to you. "See ya mister! You better be careful!" The boy turns and runs back to his mother who is looking at Butters fearfully, quickly scooping up her son and hurrying off in the opposite direction, giving you the distinct impression that she doesn't want herself or her family associated with you in any way.

Shrugging off their strange behaviour, you continue on your journey toward Laramie Ranch thinking of the field games and other activities there are to take part in. Butters resumes his playful romping about the field, stopping to sniff the flowers and play with the Butterfree and Beautifly flitting about in the sunshine. Before long you reach the ranch and enter the grounds to discover many people gathered in different areas who are either taking part in some games or watching while others compete. A friendly female voice then comes from behind you, startling you somewhat since you'd been engrossed in watching the goings on in the grounds. "Wondering which one to try first?" she asks, and when you turn to look at her you note that the girl is quite attractive, appears to be around eighteen, has long black hair, a golden tan from hours spent outdoors, an engaging smile, and a mischievous twinkle in her dark blue eyes. "I'm Loretta," she smiles. "And you are...?"


Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

lilbluecorsola: Never played LA, ALttP was stolen, played a little on each of OoS and OoA, and finally started Minish Cap while my PC was offline. Didn't get far though, because I got distracted with other things. Can't wait to take some leave and play some games, though. It'll be nice ^-^

Watching the banter between the two Slowbro, you find yourself staring at them thoughtfully, an odd sense of familiarity with the scene niggling at you. Whether it's simply a mysterious case of déjÃ*-vu, or if there's something else at play here, you're not quite certain, but you're going to have to figure it out quickly if you're to escape this freak show of a house before the old woman discovers you've broken out of your cell. Hoping to stay on their friendly side you're quick to state that you'd love to stay and chat, but really are in a bit of a hurry so you'll need to move on. Neither seem too surprised by your response, in fact they seem to have been expecting it, yet the look that passes between them when you ask for directions leaves you feeling slightly wary. The Slowbro to the left opens his mouth to respond when your next question has him snapping it immediately shut. He frowns quizzically, as though not understanding your question, before looking at his twin.

"That's not part of the riddle, is it?" he asks, quite obviously perplexed.

"What's not part of the riddle?" the brother retorts, annoyed.

"The part about the old woman?" replies the first.

"What old woman?" answers his twin.

"The one dressed in black!" he yells, exasperated.

"What's dressed in black?"

"The old woman!"

"What old woman?!"

... While the two argue about an apparently non-existent woman, you're beginning to feel you're not going to get anywhere with these two when Alice shuffles forward to attract their attention. "Back to the point, please, lads?" she asks telepathically. "Which door will lead us out of here?"

The two brothers stop arguing, looking down at Alice and then up at you as though only just remembering that you're here.

"Oh yes!" replies the first Slowbro with a cheery grin. "I forgot!"

"You did not!" retorts his brother. "You just wanted to impress the little lady by winning the argument."

"What argument?" asks his brother.

"About the old woman."

"You told me you don't know anything about an old woman!"

"I..."

"BOYS!" Alice interjects, once again putting a stop to their frustrating bantering. "The way out, please?"

Looking back at you sheepishly, both Slowbro seem a little embarrassed by their behaviour.

"Oh, of course. The way out," replies the first. "Well the rules say that you can't ask both of us, you can only ask one of us." He nods solemnly, as though expecting you to understand what he means.

"But we must warn you," continues the second Slowbro. "One of us always tells the truth, and one of us always lies. That's a rule too. He always lies." He crosses his pudgy arms, lifting his nose into the air whilst awaiting his brother's response. Sure enough, it comes immediately.

"I DO NOT!" retorts his twin, indignantly. "I tell the truth!"

"Oohhh, what a lie!" replies his brother, spinning around and shoving his face into his twins', leaving less than an inch between their noses. He stares angrily directly into his brothers eyes, daring him to continue with the argument...


Shadowshocker: Loretta nods, not arguing when you take her hand and begin weaving through the crowd. You can see thin slits of sunlight surrounding several flaps in the tent, and hurriedly move towards the nearest while a bright spotlight moves across the audience. As the beam approaches, you duck, not wanting your suspected pursuer to be seeing you amongst the crowd, and once the beam has passed, continue to make your way toward the exit. Once there, you stop to look back, wanting to ensure you're not seen as the flap opens and lights up your escape path with a bright patch of sunlight. Luckily, the spotlight shines directly into the man's face giving you just the time you need in order to slip outside.

"Let's go!" Loretta states with some urgency. "The library isn't far from here." This time it's her leading you as she hurries away from the tent, weaving through the crowded fairground and back into Atrea's main square before veering off toward the city's residential district. Glancing at a street sign you notice the name "Princeton Drive", but barely have time to take in the white cobblestone road circling a pristine park to your left when Loretta pulls you toward the entrance of a large and impressive building on your right. Entering the cool and silent Astral Library, you're initially taken aback by just how large this building is. You could definitely tell from the outside that it was big, but the interior looks even larger which is rather strange in itself. Shrugging it off, you assume you've simply misjudged it's size considering you barely caught a decent look at it before being dragged inside, but something about the atmosphere in here leaves a niggling feeling playing in the back of your mind.

"We need to find Owen," Loretta whispers, her gaze travelling along the rows upon rows of bookshelves and then up to the balconies on the upper floors. "But I don't even know where to begin." Several people who had been sitting at tables reading look up at you while you stand there, one girl in particular continuing to stare even after the others have returned their attention to their respective texts. She's young, possibly about eighteen, with her black hair tied into a tight bun and her brown eyes magnified by the thick lenses of the spectacles she's wearing. Both yours and Loretta's gazes are drawn to the girl due to the sheer fact she's taken such a keen interest in your presence, but you find yourself feeling slightly uneasy under such intense scrutiny.

Suddenly realising what she's doing, the girl smiles shyly before standing up and walking over to you. "Did you... Did you say... 'Owen'?" she asks Loretta, a deep blush creeping into her cheeks at the mention of the man's name. Loretta grins widely, looking at you with a cheeky twinkle in her eye before turning her attention back to the girl. "Why yes, yes I did," she replies cheerily. "You wouldn't happen to know where we can find him, would you?" Loretta asks, her tone of voice implying that she is perfectly aware of the fact this young woman knows exactly where to find the man she has such an obvious crush on. The girl's blush deepens, her eyes lighting up with pleasure as she points toward the large dome in the library ceiling, several floors above. "Owen is always locking himself away in the astronomy tower," she says, a slight hint of sadness entering her tone at this point. "I can take you to him if you like!" she volunteers, her eagerness unmistakeable. Loretta glances at you at this point, a question in her eyes. While it's clear she'd like to have a little fun with the love struck girl, she also knows that your mission involves secrecy. She awaits your response regarding whether or not you should allow the girl to show you the way, or if you should continue on ahead in order to find Owen by yourselves...


Forest of Mystery - Please reply in limegreen

S_M: Looking over the child you can't help but wonder what the boy has been through out here all alone, but Buneary seems happy to see him, rubbing its little face against the child's terrified one even though the boy is still bound up tight. The boys' expression is unreadable as he seems happy to see Buneary, scared about having been captured, and terrified by whatever it is that's closing in on you. He struggles harder to escape from Ivysaur's grasp, and even though she releases her hold somewhat so as not to hurt him, his hysteria is making it difficult to distinguish anything coherent in what he's yelling about. Spinning on the spot to face the danger you know must be there, you nearly trip over as you take several hurried steps backward when coming face to face with the largest Ariados you've ever seen. Swellow has no time to react, as she's hit with a String Shot before she has a chance to take flight. The speed with which Ariados binds her up in it's webbing is astounding, but she isn't about to let this freak of nature get the better of her and opens her mouth wide, releasing a Flamethrower that has Ariados scuttling back into the trees from where it begins to attack with an unrelenting Poison Sting assault. The toxic barbs are pelting the clearing, as well as you, your Pokémon, and the boy. Buneary throws itself over the child's face to try and protect him, being struck by several needles as a result. Ivysaur is shaved by several more of the projectiles, one hitting her so hard that she inadvertently releases her grip on he boy giving him just the chance he needs to scamble to his feet and speed off into the forest. Ivysaur takes off after him, using her vines to grab onto tree branches and swing along as fast as she can, while you're left to try and free Swellow of the sticky string binding her.

Realising you're a sitting duck, you have no choice but to return her to her ball to deal with the sticky substance later, and to chase after Ivysaur so that you're not separated from your teammate, but Ariados is in hot pursuit, unrelenting in its attack as you race through the trees. Just when you think you're not going to find Ivysaur, Buneary leaps out in front of you, tripping you over. Falling, you feel Ivysaur's vine wrap around you before feeling yourself pulled hastily across the ground and into a dark place where a small hand is suddenly clamped over your mouth and hear a whispered "shhhh" next to your ear. Huddled together in the darkness, you can feel heavy breathing against your neck as you watch Ariados scuttle past. Listening, you hear its movements fading as it races further away, not yet realising that its prey has already escaped, and only then does the boy release his grip on you before getting to his feet and stepping warily out into the sunlight. He looks around before turning toward you and motioning that it's safe to come out. Once you've stepped out from your hiding place, you realise that he'd dragged you into the hollowed out space of a tree trunk leaving you to wonder if he'd known it was there or had simply stumbled across it while he was trying to escape Ivysaur and Ariados, but that's the least of your concerns at the moment as the boy appears to be quite distressed now that you're all out of immediate danger. It's then that you notice a little lump of brown fur curled up on the ground beside the tree, and realise that the little bunny has been hurt rather badly...


Empyrean Mountain - Please reply in red

Inferno: Golem roars, enraged, leaping into the air and coming down hard, the first part of its Stone Edge attack resulting in a large rock rising up out of the earth. Golem lifts it and prepares to hurl it toward Arcanine only to find nothing but a Flamelike Wheel of fire hurtling around it with extreme Agility. Golem tries to follow her movements, but Arcanine is moving so fast that Golem can't keep up with her. Instead it tries to estimate when she'll pass by it and launches the rock through the air on one of her passes. It misses, flying past her and crashing violently into the mountainside. The boulder smashes into pieces, a cloud of dust exploding where it makes contact, large and small pieces of stone flying in all directions. Golem is ropable, but that only serves to work in Arcanine's favour. She continues to wind tighter and tighter circles around her opponent, her movements appearing faster and faster to Golem as she closes in. It's so angry now that it's prepared to take itself out in order to defeat her and rather than continuing to try following her movements, it stands stock still and begins to glow. Arcanine knows exactly what this means and isn't going to fall prey to such a dirty trick, veering off course and slamming hard into Golem with Take Down. Golem loses its concentration, the glowing stopping as it skids backward, and Arcanine yelping slightly at the pain caused from the recoil damage of her attack. Having stumbled, but not fallen, Golem is quick to renew its attack, slamming the ground and causing a powerful Earthquake. The ground rumbles in protest, the earth shattering tremor knocking Arcanine off her feet. She's taken heavy damage this round, levelling the playing field for the remainder of the battle...


Incura Valley - Please reply in darkorange

Joshua: It's not so much new or old, just a matter of the fact that both your Pokémon are Lv.100 so can't gain levels, and there wasn't really an appropriate item to be rewarded considering the circumstances. In this case, it falls back to training as the Pokémon who have battled should be rewarded. Since neither are fully trained (had to check your registration post first), unlearned moves seemed the best option. Glad you approve ^-^

With years of experience behind you, you find yourself reacting before your brain has a chance to catch up. Michael and Aurora are on the scene a split second later, their combined psychic energies slowing the descent of the falling trainers while Hayley speeds in to the rescue. Celeste appears from her Pokéball just in time to see the action, her eyes wide as saucers as she watches her teammates join forces to save the two humans. Hayley dives underneath Elsa and John, scooping them out of the air as they free-fall as gently as she can before flying them to the opposite end of the bridge. After Elsa and John dismount, both a little shaky after such a frightening incident, Hayley is about to return to you when she notices you disappear. Just as confused as she is, you're not quite sure what the sensation is you're feeling when you suddenly reappear right in front of Elsa, John, and Hayley. Celeste beams brightly, proud that she has helped her trainer as well as Michael and Aurora to Teleport cross the dangerous bridge spanning the canyon. A few sweatdrops bead her face since it's the first time she's used this unnatural move, but you're sure that with time and practice she'll excel at using her new skill.

"That was close," John mutters, his eyes scanning quickly over Elsa to ensure she hasn't been injured. "We owe you some thanks, boy," he says, his tone more friendly than before. Extending his hand, he shakes yours before giving Hayley a grateful pat. She looks a little indignant at this gesture, not at all pleased with him touching her, yet there is a look in her eye that demonstrates she's pleased to be receiving credit for her efforts. Elsa is quick to agree, thanking you and your team before releasing Tauros. John releases Rapidash, and while both trainers work on calming their distressed Pokémon, you have the chance to address your own team. A few minutes later you all move on, relieved to be leaving Incura Canyon behind, each lost in your own thoughts. The terrain here is obviously quite dangerous, and with two major incidents already having taken place before you've even reached your destination, you're beginning to wonder if the battles ahead are really worth the danger to your team. This isn't really your problem after all, but at the same time you're well aware of the fact that Elsa and John could really use your help. All they're trying to do is to rescue their children, and they've already lost so much through no fault of their own. Life isn't a fair game, that much is clear, and with this in your mind you're suddenly startled back to reality when John halts your group in your tracks.

"The Fortress," he whispers, gesturing ahead, and while it's not plainly visible at this vantage point you all move silently forward until you find yourselves staring at a huge and imposing structure that was once a prison used to lock away some of the most dangerous criminals in the land. You vaguely remember reading something about how a group of mysterious people are rumoured to have taken over the ancient structure and made it their own. Nobody has ever returned after venturing here so nothing is clear about who these people are or what they're doing, but as is true with all unexplained matters, fear surrounds the Elysian Fortress due to ignorance. You're not really sure you want to be finding out what's going on here, but if it's true that the children are being held captive somewhere in the desert then it's possible that whoever now resides in the fortress may know something about it. "It's heavily guarded," John whispers, motioning to the upper levels where several guards are patrolling. "We need to get to the gate," he continues, pointing to a large steel gate blocking the entrance to the Spiritual Desert. "The only problem is they'll see us if we pass as we'll be right in their line of vision. We'll either have to wait for nightfall, or try to find another way around..."

[Mirror]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Mirror: If that were true, then I'm sure you wouldn't be posting...

Wrinkling your nose against the stench of fish that is overwhelming your senses, you try to block it out of your mind. Though it's easier said than done, you're not about to let the smell of Elyra Port put a dampener on your journey, and soon have Memory squeaking happily in your arms as you set out into this new and exciting land. You soon discover it to be the perfect day to be starting your newest adventure though, as the sun is shining strong and the salty sea air drifting in from the open ocean has a pleasant feel to it. The cries of Wingull and Pelipper can be heard all around, some circling overhead waiting for a chance to steal their favourite treats from one of the many stalls on the docks selling freshly caught seafood, while the more daring risk being crushed in the crowd to scavenge for tidbits dropped by careless merchants and customers. While there are several places to visit in the port area, you've already decided in your desperation to escape the fish that you'll go some place with... more fish! Ensuring that Memory is bundled up safely so as not to be crushed in the crowd, you begin your journey toward Silver Lake's Rainbow Reef.

Several minutes later, leaving Elyra Port behind, you emerge into a large expanse of open plains. You had an idea that Elyra Field will be huge, but its sheer size causes you to take a moment to reflect upon your preconceptions. The field is beyond massive, and as Elyra's central hub of activity, highly populated. Men, women, children, and Pokémon roam the vast acreage. Families are picnicking everywhere, trainers are engaging in friendly battles, couples are strolling hand in hand, travellers are referring to maps or asking for directions from the locals. In the distance you see two enormous mountains, one with steam wafting from its peak creating the faint outline of a smoky ring hovering in the air above it, the other seeming to be surrounded by an icy haze. Noting that the path leading to Silver Lake is to your left you set off in that direction, enjoying the sunshine and the activity in Elyra Field.

About half an hour later, just as you're approaching the trail leading into the Silver Lake region, you hear a loud clanging sound come from behind you followed by some rather colourful language. Turning around, you see a boy of about fourteen standing over some boxes that are laying scattered on the ground. "Grrrr!" he yells, kicking the closest one in frustration, only to end up hopping about on one foot whilst clutching his newly injured toe in both hands. "You stupid thing!" he yells, his face turning an angry shade of red. Though for a moment you think he's about to kick another box, he instead limps about collecting them, stacking them on top of one another before trying, with some difficulty, to lift them from the ground. Just as he manages to get a grip on them, however, he trips over a stray football that at that moment rolls past him, and ends up dropping them again. A small boy races over to collect his ball, shooting the other an apologetic look. "Sorry," he mutters, before racing back over to his group of friends to resume their game. You watch, feeling sorry for the poor teen who is once again muttering angrily to himself whist gathering his boxes together...

Kasai wandered out of Elyra Port, entering the vast expanse of field. Vast indeed. Vastly vast. In fact, the vastness of the vastly vasty vast... Now Kasai was all confused. She tried not to think of the word "vast" any more.
Kasai looked in her bag to make sure everything was still there. No matter how hard she looked, she could not find half of her berries. A tomato berry was among them, but she could not remember the others. She looked at Memory, who squeaked sheepishly. Oh well. What's gone is gone, Kasai reasoned.
Kasai took note of two mountains which reminded her of Ho-oh and Lugia. She had never seen the legendary birds, but had heard about them. She wondered if-
Kasai's daydreams were interrupted by the angry words of an individual nearby. What was he carrying that was giving him this trouble? Kasai nervously approached him. She was nervously nervous. So nervously nervous that she was a little anxious, too. Anxiously nervous, even. Anxiously nervously nervous... aargh, here we go again.
"Excuse me," she spoke bravely to the young male, "do you need any assistance carrying these?"

[Xander]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Xander: Though the hawk lady isn't exactly your cup of tea, you can't ignore the fact that she'd performed an amazing and powerful magical feat. If she's capable of taking Dragonite out so easily then it's not too much of a leap of faith to believe that she just may be able to do something to help revive Skarmory. Without a second thought you follow the retreating quartet, and less than a minute later notice the air below you shimmering. The four trainers and their Pokémon all disappear from view as they enter the strange air currents and although you're slightly taken aback by their sudden disappearance, you're determined not to lose their trail and keep heading straight ahead. You soon enter the affected area as well, and as you pass through it you're surprised to find a village nestled into the rolling hills below. It wasn't visible until you'd passed through the shimmering phenomena in the sky, but you're immediately aware of the fact that you've found Zeppelin Village.

Coming in to land beside the four trainers, you can do nothing but watch as they immediately surround Crobat. They waste no time in removing Skarmory from his back, carrying your steel bird's lifeless body over to an alter in the middle of the village. Placing him upon it, they quickly surround him with incense sticks, lighting them while several people who appear to be village elders also surround the altar and form a chain. Holding hands, they close their eyes and begin to chant in an unfamiliar language as the aroma of incense fills the air. You can feel a strange vibe around you, something you can't quite describe, and even though it's like nothing you've ever seen or felt before, you instinctively know that Skarmory is in good hands. The hawk lady raises her head and stares straight at you, her dark brown eyes seeming to bore right through your soul. "How long as he been like this?" she asks, a hint of desperation in her voice. While you're thinking about it, she speaks again, this time her tone demanding an immediate response. "We have no time for you to sit and think! How long, man?!"

"It's no wonder we couldn't find it, it's cloaked." Xander thinks, passing through the shimmering air currents and viewing Zeppelin Village nestled in the hills below. They could have searched for days, passing over it dozens of times, and never seen it with the protective barriers the villagers have in place. "Why would one village need so much protection?" he wonders, but after witnessing first hand what these people are capable of perhaps this is a question best left alone. Glancing at Kayla's pale face he hopes that someone in the village will be able to help the girl. They'd gone out of their way to protect a stranger, and are exhibiting a keen interest in his deceased friend, an interest he's hoping he's not misinterpreted, but they've shown no sign of feelings toward the ill child laying in his arms whom he's sure they had recognised. It makes no sense.

As soon as Xander and his team touch down, the four who had come to his rescue waste no time in removing the bonds securing Skarmory to Crobat's back. He doesn't feel comfortable watching them handle Skarmory but feels it wise, and vitally important, to keep his thoughts to himself. Placing Skarmory on an outdoor altar, the four are joined by several village elders who form a chain around Skarmory. Incense is lit, and chanting begins, the scene very much resembling a sacrificial rite. The only difference here is that the sacrifice is not living. He can feel magic in the air, a vibe he cannot describe but can sense is full of good energy. If these people are capable of reviving the dead, and they succeed in resurrecting Skarmory, he'll never be able to repay them for their kindness. Feeling that Skarmory is in safe hands Xander is compelled to seek help for Kayla, but the hawk lady has other ideas.

"How long as he been like this?" she snaps, the question unexpected.

His mind races. So much had happened that it seemed like hours ago, but now that he thinks about it, it can't have been more than ten minutes. They'd been leaving the hospital when it happened. Their encounter with the man in black would have been less than a minute thanks to Dusknoir teleporting them out of the alley. He'd stopped long enough to secure Skarmory to Crobat and to feed rare candies to Spearow which can't have taken more than three or four minutes, and the aerial battle was raging for a minute or two when these people arrived. He'd been in their company for about two minutes already. That's around nine minutes.

"We have no time for you to sit and think!" she interrupts, her rudeness irritating him. "How long, man?!"

"About nine minutes." Xander replies hastily. "No more than ten."

[enchantress]

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Mirror: A little piece of advice; It's ok to be a tad quirky with your replies, but overdoing it only kills the overall effect. Try not to go overboard.

Your gaze travels between the two imposing mountains towering over Elyra Field, each very different, and both fraught with their own distinctive perils. You're beginning to wonder if there may perhaps be a connection between them and the legendary birds Ho-oh and Lugia, when the teens angry tirade attracts your attention. You can understand his frustration, as it can't be an easy task trying to juggle all of those boxes which are becoming more and more battered with each tumble. Though the thought of approaching him is making you rather anxious, you swallow your nerves and walk over, asking if he needs any assistance. The unexpected sound of a friendly voice startles him, his head suddenly snapping up, a surprised expression replacing his angry one in an instant. He stares at you for a few seconds which makes you feel even more uncomfortable, but when he smiles you feel yourself relax.

"Sure, that will be great," he replies, relieved. "If you can take these two," he continues, picking up two smaller boxes and handing them to you, "I'll take these." He immediately bends over and lifts the two larger boxes from the ground with much more ease now that he's not having to juggle the two that are now in your arms. They're surprisingly heavy which makes you wonder what's in them, and as though reading your thoughts the boy smiles again.

"Boat parts," he says. "My dad owns the boat shed at Silver Lake, and his order of motor parts came in yesterday. He has an urgent job that needs to be finished today, but someone playing a stupid joke drove his truck into the lake last night so he couldn't drive in to town to pick them up. He wanted to walk in and get them himself, but he can't leave the boat shed so I volunteered. I had no idea they're so heavy or I would have got my mates to come with me. I'm sure glad you turned up."

He stops walking, and it's then that you notice you're on the trail leading into the Silver Lake region. "I'm Jack by the way, and Silver Lake is just up ahead. If you want, I can show you around the area and even take you out on one of our boats. I owe you for helping me, so if you want to go anywhere at all just let me know and I'll take you. Is it a deal?" he asks, studying you expectantly...


Xander: Torn between finding help for Kayla and staying to watch whatever it is they're doing with Skarmory, the hawk lady puts you on the spot by demanding to know how long it's been since Skarmory had been hit. Everything rushes back, event after event rushing through your mind, and even though it feels like it's been hours since it happened, you come to the sudden realisation that it can't have been more than ten minutes. So much had happened in such a short time that it's no wonder time got away from you, but the hawk lady isn't impressed with the time it's taking you to work it all out and is pushing for an answer.

"About nine minutes. No more than ten," you reply, wondering what that has to do with anything.

The hawk lady says nothing, closing her eyes and placing her hands upon Skarmory while the chanting continues. You notice a lady with dark hair standing nearby, a pained expression in her eyes when her gaze falls upon the child laying in your arms. You can sense that she wants to approach you but her anguished gaze keeps flicking fearfully toward the people surrounding the altar. It's then that you feel a strange and powerful sensation passing through you, an unexplainable feeling of purity that you cannot describe, and you find yourself turning to look at the altar.

At first you're convinced you're only imagining things when you can swear you see Skarmory's wing twitch, but in the next instant you see his chest heave as he takes in a deep gulp of fresh air. Skarmory releases a triumphant cry, his piercing screech filling your heart with joy. He stands up, stretches his wings wide, and takes flight, the sight of him soaring across the sky the most beautiful vision you've ever witnessed. He circles the village several times, the feel of blood pumping through his veins elating him, before he finally comes in to land beside you to rub his head affectionately against your chest.

Skarmory, whom you'd thought was lost, is home...

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

lilbluecorsola: Never played LA, ALttP was stolen, played a little on each of OoS and OoA, and finally started Minish Cap while my PC was offline. Didn't get far though, because I got distracted with other things. Can't wait to take some leave and play some games, though. It'll be nice ^-^

Watching the banter between the two Slowbro, you find yourself staring at them thoughtfully, an odd sense of familiarity with the scene niggling at you. Whether it's simply a mysterious case of déjÃ*-vu, or if there's something else at play here, you're not quite certain, but you're going to have to figure it out quickly if you're to escape this freak show of a house before the old woman discovers you've broken out of your cell. Hoping to stay on their friendly side you're quick to state that you'd love to stay and chat, but really are in a bit of a hurry so you'll need to move on. Neither seem too surprised by your response, in fact they seem to have been expecting it, yet the look that passes between them when you ask for directions leaves you feeling slightly wary. The Slowbro to the left opens his mouth to respond when your next question has him snapping it immediately shut. He frowns quizzically, as though not understanding your question, before looking at his twin.

"That's not part of the riddle, is it?" he asks, quite obviously perplexed.

"What's not part of the riddle?" the brother retorts, annoyed.

"The part about the old woman?" replies the first.

"What old woman?" answers his twin.

"The one dressed in black!" he yells, exasperated.

"What's dressed in black?"

"The old woman!"

"What old woman?!"

... While the two argue about an apparently non-existent woman, you're beginning to feel you're not going to get anywhere with these two when Alice shuffles forward to attract their attention. "Back to the point, please, lads?" she asks telepathically. "Which door will lead us out of here?"

The two brothers stop arguing, looking down at Alice and then up at you as though only just remembering that you're here.

"Oh yes!" replies the first Slowbro with a cheery grin. "I forgot!"

"You did not!" retorts his brother. "You just wanted to impress the little lady by winning the argument."

"What argument?" asks his brother.

"About the old woman."

"You told me you don't know anything about an old woman!"

"I..."

"BOYS!" Alice interjects, once again putting a stop to their frustrating bantering. "The way out, please?"

Looking back at you sheepishly, both Slowbro seem a little embarrassed by their behaviour.

"Oh, of course. The way out," replies the first. "Well the rules say that you can't ask both of us, you can only ask one of us." He nods solemnly, as though expecting you to understand what he means.

"But we must warn you," continues the second Slowbro. "One of us always tells the truth, and one of us always lies. That's a rule too. He always lies." He crosses his pudgy arms, lifting his nose into the air whilst awaiting his brother's response. Sure enough, it comes immediately.

"I DO NOT!" retorts his twin, indignantly. "I tell the truth!"

"Oohhh, what a lie!" replies his brother, spinning around and shoving his face into his twins', leaving less than an inch between their noses. He stares angrily directly into his brothers eyes, daring him to continue with the argument...

OoC – I recommend LA, it was one of my favorite video games even before I became obsessed with Zelda. ^o^ Minish Cap is also great. <3 And guess what? I got a Gamecube over the summer, as well as Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. I’ve already beaten both, LOL.

I hope you can get time off soon. =3 Tessie deserves a break. <3

As soon as Jessica asked her first question, she perceived a sly, meaningful glance pass covertly between the two Slowbro, causing her to develop a slightly wary suspicion of their actions. Nevertheless, she continued in a polite tone, asking as well if either of them had seen the woman in black. The guard on the left had opened his wide jaw to speak, but quickly closed it upon hearing her additional query. He blinked uncomprehendingly at the question, then frowned and turned bewilderedly to his twin.
"That's not part of the riddle, is it?" he inquired, visibly puzzled by the idea.

"What's not part of the riddle?" his brother rejoined sardonically, irritated by the seemingly random question.

"The part about the old woman?" answered the first confusedly.

"What old woman?" demanded his twin.

"The one dressed in black!" his brother shouted, growing frustrated.

"What's dressed in black?"

"The old woman!"

"What old woman?!"

Jessica silently watched their argument shift pointlessly back and forth, feeling certain that if she were an Animé character there would be a large drop of sweat forming at the back of her head right now. But this was not a cartoon, and she needed an answer quickly, though it seemed like it would be next to impossible to receive one now. As their senseless dispute gradually began to rise to an even more heated level, Alice shuffled forward determinedly to put a stop to it. "Back to the point, please, lads?" she insisted via telepathy. "Which door will lead us out of here?"

The two brothers ceased quarrelling, both glancing down at Alice in surprise. They then looked up at Jess as if just recalling her presence, and the girl stared expectantly back at them while wearing a thinning patient expression.

"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the first Slowbro with a cheery grin. "I forgot!"

"You did not!" accused his brother angrily. "You just wanted to impress the little lady by winning the argument."

"What argument?" asked his brother in total bafflement.

"About the old woman."

"You told me you don't know anything about an old woman!"

"I..."

"BOYS!" Alice interrupted forcefully once again, putting a stop to their frustrating bantering. "The way out, please?"

Chided, the two Slowbro sheepishly turned their attention back to Alice and Jess, appearing slightly embarrassed by their juvenile behavior in the presence of company.

"Oh, of course. The way out," answered the first Slowbro. "Well the rules say that you can't ask both of us, you can only ask one of us." He nodded conclusively, as if believing they completely understood what he meant by that statement.

"But we must warn you," continued the second Slowbro. "One of us always tells the truth, and one of us always lies. That's a rule too. He always lies." He then crossed his arms smugly, lifting his snout triumphantly into the air whilst awaiting his brother's response. Sure enough, it came instantly.

"I DO NOT!" his twin insisted indignantly. "I tell the truth!"

"Oohhh, what a lie!" retorted his brother, who spun around and immediately shoved his face towards his twin’s, leaving less than an inch of space between their noses. The two began to stare daggers at each other, and Jessica sensed to her dismay that they were about to repeat the same course of conversation over without making any progress.

“Okay, okay, I get the picture!” she interrupted hastily, attempting to put an end to their needless staring contest. “Now, let me think about this… What was the answer to the riddle again?” She pondered, thinking back on where she had witnessed this type of situation before. That’s right. I need to ask one of them a question, and then do the exact opposite of what he tells me… I think that’s the answer.

Wait.

Jessica glanced up and then down at Alice, who was gazing fixedly at the two brothers with a troubled look on her face. She spoke in a concerned tone so that only Jess and Bobble could hear her, never once taking her eyes off the two guards.

What they told us doesn’t make any sense. If one of them always lies, one of the statements about the rules must have been false. If that’s the case, the only one who could’ve told the truth would be the one on the right, who just told us that one of them always lies and the other always tells the truth. We can’t confirm that what he said is even true though.

Jessica shifted her gaze from Alice and quickly glanced at Bobble, who merely shrugged his appendages and shook his head in bemusement. Jess returned her gaze to the floor, and tried to make it look as if she was still searching for an answer while listening to Alice explain further.

It’s possible these guys might have been lying to us from the beginning. They might even be working for that woman and are trying to trick us to prevent us from escaping. I don’t believe we should trust anything they say entirely. This whole thing might just be a trap to lure us in.

Jessica scratched her head in mystification. “I never did understand that episode of Yu-Gi-Oh with the Paradox Brothers…” she muttered with a sigh. All four Pokémon in the room stared at her in bewilderment. “Ah, nothing,” she said quickly, “Just thinking aloud.”

But anyway, how do we solve this then? If they are lying, there’s no way we can confirm that, is there? Perhaps we should just play by the rules for now and see how things turn out. We’ll have to stay on our guard though, in case this really does turn out to be a trap.

Alice lowered her head a fraction of a degree to indicate her consent to the strategy. Seems we’ve no other choice. Go ahead and ask.

Jessica looked up finally towards the two Slowbro who had been watching the group intently, awaiting a response. She faced the one on the left and addressed him solely:

“If I were to ask your brother which door is the exit, which one would he say it is?”

Whichever door he tells us is the answer, we’ll take the other one, she thought, hoping they weren’t making a huge mistake.

[Silver Wind]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Silver Wind: That's all right, mine is even later :p

"I said," the boy continues, a little more calmly now that he has your attention. "You shouldn't be walking around with him if you don't want the dark men coming." Confused, you can't understand why the boy would be pointing toward Butters who is looking between the two of you with a completely bewildered expression on his little face. You're sure your own face must be mirroring your Pokémon's confusion as you have no idea how Butters could attract the attention of "dark men" let alone anyone else. The boy can see your confusion and sighs. "Have you been living under a rock, or something?" he asks, as though talking to a child. "The dark men have been hunting bears. There are no Teddiursa or Ursaring left in Elyra. If they see your Teddiursa they'll take him too." At this point, a woman calls out to the boy and he turns around. "Coming mommy!" he calls, before turning back to you. "See ya mister! You better be careful!" The boy turns and runs back to his mother who is looking at Butters fearfully, quickly scooping up her son and hurrying off in the opposite direction, giving you the distinct impression that she doesn't want herself or her family associated with you in any way.

Shrugging off their strange behaviour, you continue on your journey toward Laramie Ranch thinking of the field games and other activities there are to take part in. Butters resumes his playful romping about the field, stopping to sniff the flowers and play with the Butterfree and Beautifly flitting about in the sunshine. Before long you reach the ranch and enter the grounds to discover many people gathered in different areas who are either taking part in some games or watching while others compete. A friendly female voice then comes from behind you, startling you somewhat since you'd been engrossed in watching the goings on in the grounds. "Wondering which one to try first?" she asks, and when you turn to look at her you note that the girl is quite attractive, appears to be around eighteen, has long black hair, a golden tan from hours spent outdoors, an engaging smile, and a mischievous twinkle in her dark blue eyes. "I'm Loretta," she smiles. "And you are...?"

Ah Life in TR can go on without you, so I'll let it slide xP

'The Dark Men' Matt thought to himself, 'Why is there always dark men? Why couldn't there be happy women jumping around in bikini's?' A cold breeze lay lingering in the air, fall was quickly approaching, or so it seemed. "Have you been living under a rock, or something?" Having a child talk down to him as if he were a child made him quite annoyed, but before he could come back with a witty remark of his own the youngster went on, "The dark men have been hunting bears. There are no Teddiursa or Ursaring left in Elyra. If they see your Teddiursa they'll take him too." 'How could there be no more Ursa's left in this Region? Were they being hunted or....' before Matt could finish that though, the boy's mother called, who had a look of concern on her face, leaving him in utter bewilderment of what the tales of the Dark Men and the Ursa's.

Butters on the other hand paid no such attention to the matter, and gleefully went back to his frolic in the fields. Doing the same as his little bear companion, Matt took in the beauty of his surroundings, Butterfree and Beautifly fluttering freely. 'Who knows, with all that goes on around here, probably just an old folks tale.' leaving that sense of worry far behind

In a distance he could finally make out what seemed to be Ranche, immidiatly assuming it was the one he was looking for, he set off in a dash toward it. Butters, not wanting to be left behind, clawed his way up on his back before he was left behind. Games and activities were taking place all around, trainers and pokemon alike. "Wondering which one to try first?" she asks, and when you turn to look at her you note that the girl is quite attractive, appears to be around eighteen, has long black hair, a golden tan from hours spent outdoors, an engaging smile, and a mischievous twinkle in her dark blue eyes. "I'm Loretta," she smiles. "And you are...?"

Still abit jumpy, the pair turned out half expecting a giant man with a gun to be there. "Oh hello! Wow.. Yeah.. Hi..." he managed to push out, pulling himself together, "Yes Hi! Hehe.. My names Matt and Im kind of new to this... Well this whole region" Butters, now abit curious himself.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Empyrean Mountain - Please reply in red

Inferno: Golem roars, enraged, leaping into the air and coming down hard, the first part of its Stone Edge attack resulting in a large rock rising up out of the earth. Golem lifts it and prepares to hurl it toward Arcanine only to find nothing but a Flamelike Wheel of fire hurtling around it with extreme Agility. Golem tries to follow her movements, but Arcanine is moving so fast that Golem can't keep up with her. Instead it tries to estimate when she'll pass by it and launches the rock through the air on one of her passes. It misses, flying past her and crashing violently into the mountainside. The boulder smashes into pieces, a cloud of dust exploding where it makes contact, large and small pieces of stone flying in all directions. Golem is ropable, but that only serves to work in Arcanine's favour. She continues to wind tighter and tighter circles around her opponent, her movements appearing faster and faster to Golem as she closes in. It's so angry now that it's prepared to take itself out in order to defeat her and rather than continuing to try following her movements, it stands stock still and begins to glow. Arcanine knows exactly what this means and isn't going to fall prey to such a dirty trick, veering off course and slamming hard into Golem with Take Down. Golem loses its concentration, the glowing stopping as it skids backward, and Arcanine yelping slightly at the pain caused from the recoil damage of her attack. Having stumbled, but not fallen, Golem is quick to renew its attack, slamming the ground and causing a powerful Earthquake. The ground rumbles in protest, the earth shattering tremor knocking Arcanine off her feet. She's taken heavy damage this round, levelling the playing field for the remainder of the battle...

Inferno is getting worried now. He didn't expect the battle to turn around like this but Arcanine's been hurt and he wants to make sure it doesn't happen again. He has to be more careful and think properly before he orders her to attack. Arcanine doesn't have a lot of attacks that will be effective against it but if she can use the ones she does have she might not take so much damage from now on. Golem's Earthquake and Magnitude are the most dangerous ones because she's fast enough to avoid most of the others so if he can think of a way to stop it from doing that she can still win. He looks around trying to think of something when he looks up at the mountain. They're fighting on the mountain trail so she could use the side of the mountain to get over top of Golem. It will still be dangerous because if it hits her with an attack while she's up high the fall can hurt her, but if she jumps off if it tries to use Earthquake she can avoid taking as much damage if she lands properly. He doesn't know if it will work but it's worth trying. "Arcanine you have to get on top of it!" he calls out. "Use Rock Climb to climb up the mountain far enough to get on top of Golem then jump off! When you're near its head use Strength to give it a super strong Iron Tail!" Inferno hopes his plan will work because he's nearly out of ideas.

[Shadowshocker]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

Shadowshocker: Loretta nods, not arguing when you take her hand and begin weaving through the crowd. You can see thin slits of sunlight surrounding several flaps in the tent, and hurriedly move towards the nearest while a bright spotlight moves across the audience. As the beam approaches, you duck, not wanting your suspected pursuer to be seeing you amongst the crowd, and once the beam has passed, continue to make your way toward the exit. Once there, you stop to look back, wanting to ensure you're not seen as the flap opens and lights up your escape path with a bright patch of sunlight. Luckily, the spotlight shines directly into the man's face giving you just the time you need in order to slip outside.

"Let's go!" Loretta states with some urgency. "The library isn't far from here." This time it's her leading you as she hurries away from the tent, weaving through the crowded fairground and back into Atrea's main square before veering off toward the city's residential district. Glancing at a street sign you notice the name "Princeton Drive", but barely have time to take in the white cobblestone road circling a pristine park to your left when Loretta pulls you toward the entrance of a large and impressive building on your right. Entering the cool and silent Astral Library, you're initially taken aback by just how large this building is. You could definitely tell from the outside that it was big, but the interior looks even larger which is rather strange in itself. Shrugging it off, you assume you've simply misjudged it's size considering you barely caught a decent look at it before being dragged inside, but something about the atmosphere in here leaves a niggling feeling playing in the back of your mind.

"We need to find Owen," Loretta whispers, her gaze travelling along the rows upon rows of bookshelves and then up to the balconies on the upper floors. "But I don't even know where to begin." Several people who had been sitting at tables reading look up at you while you stand there, one girl in particular continuing to stare even after the others have returned their attention to their respective texts. She's young, possibly about eighteen, with her black hair tied into a tight bun and her brown eyes magnified by the thick lenses of the spectacles she's wearing. Both yours and Loretta's gazes are drawn to the girl due to the sheer fact she's taken such a keen interest in your presence, but you find yourself feeling slightly uneasy under such intense scrutiny.

Suddenly realising what she's doing, the girl smiles shyly before standing up and walking over to you. "Did you... Did you say... 'Owen'?" she asks Loretta, a deep blush creeping into her cheeks at the mention of the man's name. Loretta grins widely, looking at you with a cheeky twinkle in her eye before turning her attention back to the girl. "Why yes, yes I did," she replies cheerily. "You wouldn't happen to know where we can find him, would you?" Loretta asks, her tone of voice implying that she is perfectly aware of the fact this young woman knows exactly where to find the man she has such an obvious crush on. The girl's blush deepens, her eyes lighting up with pleasure as she points toward the large dome in the library ceiling, several floors above. "Owen is always locking himself away in the astronomy tower," she says, a slight hint of sadness entering her tone at this point. "I can take you to him if you like!" she volunteers, her eagerness unmistakeable. Loretta glances at you at this point, a question in her eyes. While it's clear she'd like to have a little fun with the love struck girl, she also knows that your mission involves secrecy. She awaits your response regarding whether or not you should allow the girl to show you the way, or if you should continue on ahead in order to find Owen by yourselves...

"For someone on a rescue mission, Loretta certainly doesn't have a long attention span," thinks Shadow as he watches the mischief sparkle in Loretta's eyes, though he doesn't say it out loud while he mulls the situation over. The decision is not an easy one -- the hopelessly smitten girl's allegiance, Shadow notes, could not be immediately established, and more time might be spent if the new acquaintance was involved. On the other hand, searching for Owen in the vast library might use up far more precious time, considering he had no idea of how to navigate the astronomy tower. Somehow, thinks the scientist, a balance must be struck between the matter's urgency and giving away too much sensitive data. Selective disinformation, he concludes, has to be the key.

"...Why, yes, of course. We'd appreciate the gesture," he says in a normal tone, then brings his voice down to a whisper. "In fact, it's about something rather urgent -- something that might endanger Owen. It's imperative that we get to him as soon as possible and resolve the matter." Well, that's somewhat true. Our very action of entering the library may well have involved Owen in our endeavour, considering his prominence, Shadow thinks with an inevitable bit of smugness at his wordplay. If this girl really has a thing for Owen, she won't impede our efforts to see him, not after what I've told her.

"If it's possible, we need to be undisturbed as well. The less people that know about this, the better," he adds quickly.

[Emp]

It's been a while since i've roleplayed so sorry if i'm a bit rusty

“Horson Hodgson Hodge!” Wes shouted at the baby sea horse that had slithered out of his arms, hopping towards the sea, “It’s not safe to go in there! You could get wrangled up in someone’s fishing net!”
The fresh, sea salt air blew up and down the port of Elyra - the smell was beautiful, mostly because it hid the smell of dead fish. Many boats could be seen ported across the harbour, one of which Wesley Wallace had just gotten off. Wes was on his way to become a Pokemon Master, and with his new Pokémon: Totodile, Shroomish, Teddiursa and Horsea – the Twilight Realm seemed the place to continue this Journey.

“Horson I’m not telling you again!” He dived towards the edge of the dock - rampant on beating Horson to the edge of the dock. Suddenly, Wes’ foot collided with a fish sending him flat on his face and unloading the contents of his bag, ’Why me?...’

“Horsea! Seee!” Horson said, giggling at his master’s lack of experience. Wes gritted his teeth and got back onto his feet. Rummaging through his items on the floor, he picked up his Pokeballs and Teddiursa released itself at the sight of his master’s face.

“Ursa!” he growled. Wes sighed again – he couldn’t handle Horson, never mind the Honii. Something about Teddiursa’s charm ensured he got at least 5 minutes of fresh air though. The Teddy bear pulled out a candy bar from his fur and started munching on it, ’Where did he get that from!?’ A memory of the crying child on the boat came back to him, he definitely needed to teach Honii a lesson on stealing.

“Come on then...” He sighed, carrying Horson whilst Honii stayed close. Wes pulled a postcard out of his pocket he’d received earlier – It was from his friend Kasai. He matched up to the picture of her and her Pokémon with the surroundings, “This must be the place, next stop, Silver Lake...”

Edit: Decided i'll probibly join the Haunted Mansion instead.

[Xander]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Xander: Torn between finding help for Kayla and staying to watch whatever it is they're doing with Skarmory, the hawk lady puts you on the spot by demanding to know how long it's been since Skarmory had been hit. Everything rushes back, event after event rushing through your mind, and even though it feels like it's been hours since it happened, you come to the sudden realisation that it can't have been more than ten minutes. So much had happened in such a short time that it's no wonder time got away from you, but the hawk lady isn't impressed with the time it's taking you to work it all out and is pushing for an answer.

"About nine minutes. No more than ten," you reply, wondering what that has to do with anything.

The hawk lady says nothing, closing her eyes and placing her hands upon Skarmory while the chanting continues. You notice a lady with dark hair standing nearby, a pained expression in her eyes when her gaze falls upon the child laying in your arms. You can sense that she wants to approach you but her anguished gaze keeps flicking fearfully toward the people surrounding the altar. It's then that you feel a strange and powerful sensation passing through you, an unexplainable feeling of purity that you cannot describe, and you find yourself turning to look at the altar.

At first you're convinced you're only imagining things when you can swear you see Skarmory's wing twitch, but in the next instant you see his chest heave as he takes in a deep gulp of fresh air. Skarmory releases a triumphant cry, his piercing screech filling your heart with joy. He stands up, stretches his wings wide, and takes flight, the sight of him soaring across the sky the most beautiful vision you've ever witnessed. He circles the village several times, the feel of blood pumping through his veins elating him, before he finally comes in to land beside you to rub his head affectionately against your chest.

Skarmory, whom you'd thought was lost, is home...

Xander is finding it increasingly difficult to tear his gaze away from the altar and from Skarmory. The hawk lady may be rude and intimidating but she appears to know what she's doing and this fills him with hope. He has no wish to allow himself to believe Skarmory can be revived, because failure will be a devastating blow. Losing his friend has been painful enough, to lose his hope is unthinkable. Shifting Kayla's weight he gazes into the child's pale face. She's barely breathing and these people have shown her no interest, a fact he finds incredibly insensitive for a number of reasons. He's going to make them take notice even if he has to cause a scene because if he'd not been trying to protect the girl Skarmory would never have been in harms way and he'd be at the lighthouse with Bulbasaur and Kecleon delivering Roger's package to Lighthouse Keeper Lenny.

He notices a woman standing to the side who is watching Kayla with a pained expression. Examining her closely he's relieved to find at least one person in this village who has taken an interest in the child, but is confused by the fear she's exhibiting towards approaching him. He needs to know what she's afraid of, and moves to approach her when he feels an indescribable source of energy pass through him. He stops walking, turning to face the alter, his heart skipping a beat upon witnessing Skarmory's wing twitch. Can it be possible, or has he imagined it? Skarmory's chest heaves next and this time he's certain the movement is real. Skarmory rises to his feet, screeching with joy, stretches his wings, and takes to the sky. This has to be one of the most exhilarating and miraculous moments of Xander's life, and one that will stay with him for the remainder of his days. The moment in which his friend rose from the dead to reclaim his rightful place in the world.

Embracing Skarmory when he lands, Xander is too overcome with emotion to speak, his actions expressing his gratitude for Skarmory's miraculous return. After welcoming his friend home, he walks over to the hawk lady to thank her. "You have done more for us than I could have hoped, leaving me in your debt. If you require my services at any time I'll gladly do what I can to repay your kindness, but there is one thing I need to ask of you." He's unsure of the reaction he'll receive to his request, but he believes the villagers owe him this much. "We were bringing Kayla to you when we came under attack. If we'd not been protecting her we'd never have encountered the man to begin with. I've tried all I can to aide her but nobody is willing to help. The boy at the hospital told me to bring her here which is why we have come, so please take her and do what you can. You have powerful magic at your disposal, so if you can help Skarmory I don't see why you're unable to aide an innocent child." Holding Kayla out, he meets the hawk lady's gaze, unwilling to take no for an answer.

[enchantress]

A note for empoleon dynamite: I could have sworn I saw you post somewhere saying you're dropping out of the TR, so I've not included an update. If this isn't the case then PM me and I'll edit one in.


Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Silver Wind: "Ah, so you're new to Elyra?" Loretta laughs, looking down at Butters curiously. "You might want to consider staying in the guest house for tonight then, that is if you've not already made alternative accommodation arrangements." You have the distinct impression she's more interested in Butters than she is in where you're staying though, for the look of concern in her eyes when she looks at him is unmistakeable. Winding her arm through yours she starts walking toward the stables, gazing out over the ranch along the way. "Let me show you around," she says brightly, deliberately keeping you away from the people in the grounds. "We have such fine Ponyta and Rapidash here at Laramie Ranch that we'll start with the stables and then we can go out into the main grounds to find some games for you and your Pokémon to play." At this, Butters looks up at Loretta with a smile, his innocent little eyes full of wonder at the thought of game playing which is something he's never done before. She looks back at him with an adoring smile of her own, but you catch a glimpse of sadness in her eyes and begin to wonder exactly why she's taken such an interest in you when there are so many other people here that could just as easily be shown around. "You find out soon, though, for the moment you're through the stable doors she shuts the door behind you and scoops down to lift Butters up into her arms.

"I don't think you realise just how dangerous it is to let him walk around out there," she whispers, as though afraid of being overheard. "There are men who have appeared in Elyra, strange men who have been hunting down specific breeds of Pokémon, and Teddiursa are one of them." She stokes Butters head affectionately, giving him a comforting squeeze in case she's scared him if he's been paying to attention to what she is saying. "I'd hate for you to unknowingly become a victim of these people, especially since there are two of them out in the grounds right now who are scouting around unsuspecting tourists to see if they have any of the Pokémon they're interested in. If they've already seen this little cutie then you may as well consider him gone because they'll stop at nothing to get him, but if they've not caught a glimpse of him yet then he's still safe." She stops talking, an expression of fear entering her eyes. "Recently Rapidash have been starting to disappear as well. Luckily none of ours have been stolen yet, but if Ponyta and Rapidash are their next targets then I have a vested interest in knowing what these men are up to. Will you be interested in helping me to find out where they're taking these Pokémon, and what they're doing with them?"

Finding it hard to take all of this in at once, and part of you not believing that recent events in Elyra can be quite as serious as Loretta is making them out to be, you stare back at her wondering what to do. One thing is certain, if you wanted adventure then you're sure as hell on the right path to obtaining it...


Xander: The whole time you're talking the hawk lady is staring disapprovingly into your eyes, that is until you mention the boy at the hospital. At this, woman's expression immediately changes and you can swear that you see fear in her eyes, if only for a moment. "What boy?" she asks sharply, her stone cold eyes peering deeply into yours. You briefly explain the circumstances under which you'd met the boy, giving a brief description of the child, and how he had eventually disappeared after leading you out of the hospital. While you speak, the hawk lady is becoming visibly paler, her eyes flitting between yours and the unconscious Kayla in your arms. Finally, she reaches out and takes Kayla from you without a word, calling out to the elders who then all disappear behind her inside of a house set back from the rest of the village dwellings. Left with nothing to do but wait while they tend to Kayla, it takes you a moment to realise the girl you'd first met in the sky above Elyra Field is now standing beside you. "It was admirable of you to bring Kayla home, especially considering the danger you were facing. Not many people would do that for another human being, let alone someone they've never met before." She looks at you for a moment before continuing. "I'm sure you have many questions, Xander, so let's walk and we'll see if I can answer them for you." Taking your hand she begins walking, leading you away from Zeppelin Village so that you're be able to speak undisturbed.


Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

lilbluecorsola: Between the grumpy brother on the left and the seemingly friendly brother on the right, you can't wait to get away from these two as it appears they've been left down here for a little too long and are actually quite mad. At this point you're not sure you can trust anything either of them says, but you decide to give it a shot anyway, drawing their attention and focusing on the grumpy Slowbro to your left. "If I were to ask your brother which door is the exit, which one would he say it is?" you ask, hoping the two of them don't end up in another pointless argument.

Slowbro stares at you, dumbfounded, as though shocked that you've asked him the question rather than his more friendly twin who enjoys charming the young ladies. His eyes soften and he smiles, and for the first time in the few short minutes you've been here you see a more pleasant side to him. "He'll tell you that his door is the exit," Slowbro answers, before his tone changes and his eyes harden again before adding, "Because he's a LIAR!" Staring hard at his brother he dares his twin to argue, but his brother simply stares back at him and shakes his head with a ridiculous smile on his face, one that unnerves you slightly considering the hard look in its eyes...


Shadowshocker: The girls eyes bulge at the very thought of anyone wanting to harm Owen, her jaw dropping open before she realises how ridiculous she must look and she snaps it shut again. She looks around quickly as though searching out strangers, anyone who seems out of place, mysterious, or who might be a danger to the man she loves. "Of... Of course," she replies, turning around and rushing for the nearest staircase so quickly that she trips on the first step. Loretta reaches down to help the girl up, all amusement now gone from her eyes as she shoots you a hard, disapproving stare. "Are you mad?" she whispers vehemently after helping the girl to her feet. "We'll never be able to get rid of her if she thinks he's in danger. If anything, she could run for the police wanting protection for him and then we're going to have some explaining to do." Desperate to calm the girl, Loretta tries to smooth things over before the young woman works herself into a state of hysteria.

"What my brother means is that we believe Owen may be in possession of a particular piece of reference material that a certain group of people are looking for. If he has it they'll do anything to obtain it and he'll only be in danger if he doesn't hand it over, but if he doesn't know anything about it at all then there's nothing to worry about. We're just here to ascertain whether or not Owen knows anything, and to warn him if he does."

At this point the girl spins around, now very angry. "What kind of idiot do you take me for?" she rages, her face a bright red. "How do I know you're not the ones here to hurt Owen? I've never seen you before, why should I believe anything you have to s...." at which point she falls silent, an astonished expression appearing on her face as something dawns on her. "Did... Did you say... Brother?" she asks, her anger completely subsiding in a couple of seconds. Taken aback, Loretta is looking a little sheepish now herself as it appears she's not handled the situation any better than you had. "Umm, yes," she replies slowly. "Shadow is my brother."

"Andromeda... Perseus... Peg..." the girl says so softly that you can barely hear her, before looking at you and whispering, "Mango...". Though she's spoken softly, her words were just audible enough to have an impact. Loretta grabs her by the arms, demanding, "How do you know about them?!" her raised voice attracting the attention of several people in the library. "Shhh!" the girl responds, wriggling out of Loretta's grasp and rushing up the stairs. "You need to see Owen right away, there is no time to lose!" From this point on the girl moves so quickly that you can barely keep up with her let alone ask any more questions, and a couple of minutes later you're on the top floor standing in front of a locked doorway which undoubtedly leads to the Astronomy Tower. "He's up here," the girl says after you finally catch up. She presses a button and you can hear a bell chiming somewhere above before a voice comes out of an intercom to the right of the door.

"Who is it?" an annoyed male voice asks, obviously none too please with being disturbed

"It's Emma," replies the girl. "You need to let us in. They're here."

Silence follows while Loretta shoots you a "What the hell?" look, clearly confused as to how this girl could know about Pokémon belonging to both of you, and why Emma is referring to the two of you as though both she and Owen have been expecting you.

"Owen!" Emma hisses. "Now!"

"Of course," Owen replies, as though Emma's voice has just pulled him out of a trance. "Come right up."

At this you hear the door click as it's electronically unlocked from above, and Emma opens the door, gesturing for you to follow as she heads up the stairs. A moment later you're standing in a circular room whose walls are lined with specially designed shelves that encasing the entire room. An enormous telescope is standing in the centre of the room, pointed toward a glass panel in the ceiling. The panel is currently open, though as you walk in a tall and lanky young man with dark hair and dark eyes who appears to be roughly twenty five years old presses a button on a desk that causes it to slide shut. His creased clothing, unkempt hair, and five day growth of stubble covering his unshaven face show he's not one to get out much, but he is obviously keenly interested in the two of you.

"I'm Owen," he says nervously, walking forward to introduce himself. "I guess we'd beter get started. I take it you're after the map?"

Loretta is, for once, completely speechless, and even if she wasn't you're not sure it'll be a good idea for her to do the talking...


Empyrean Mountain - Please reply in red

Inferno: Arcanine gets up and shakes off herself off, loose gravel flying from her hair before she leaps for the mountainside and uses Rock Climb to scale the craggy cliff. She jumps from one ledge to another, almost falling from one particularly fragile outcrop, before scuttling her way up again. Golem is none too pleased to see her climbing further and further out of its reach and begins using Mega Punch, smashing its fist into the mountainside over and over again. Having nowhere left to go, a very long drop beneath her, and an unstable cliffside as the only ground she has to hold, Arcanine is left with no other choice than to jump before one of the rocks falling down around her actually knock her off. She leaps for it, Golem racing out to meet her on her downward plunge, its fist glowing white with energy, prepared to slam her for a six. Arcanine has other ideas though, tensing herself and concentrating on putting all of her Strength into a brutal physical attack. Just before she reaches Golem, the rock type notices a metallic sheen coating Arcanine's tail, and in that instant knows it's in very big trouble. Arcanine spins in the air, her Iron clad Tail whipping around to come smashing into the side of Golem's head. Golem drops like a brick, knocked out, while Arcanine comes to a graceful landing on the ground and stands over the rock type, a low growl rumbling in her throat as though she's expecting it to get up and retaliate. It's a good thing your plan has worked though, because Arcanine is spent and it looks like she might not have the energy needed to help you reach the Empyrean Mountain Crater as quickly as you had hoped. Noticing something on the ground next to Golem, you scoop it up to find it's a Lava Cookie. Seems Golem must have dropped it when it was knocked out...

[Mirror]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Mirror: A little piece of advice; It's ok to be a tad quirky with your replies, but overdoing it only kills the overall effect. Try not to go overboard.

Your gaze travels between the two imposing mountains towering over Elyra Field, each very different, and both fraught with their own distinctive perils. You're beginning to wonder if there may perhaps be a connection between them and the legendary birds Ho-oh and Lugia, when the teens angry tirade attracts your attention. You can understand his frustration, as it can't be an easy task trying to juggle all of those boxes which are becoming more and more battered with each tumble. Though the thought of approaching him is making you rather anxious, you swallow your nerves and walk over, asking if he needs any assistance. The unexpected sound of a friendly voice startles him, his head suddenly snapping up, a surprised expression replacing his angry one in an instant. He stares at you for a few seconds which makes you feel even more uncomfortable, but when he smiles you feel yourself relax.

"Sure, that will be great," he replies, relieved. "If you can take these two," he continues, picking up two smaller boxes and handing them to you, "I'll take these." He immediately bends over and lifts the two larger boxes from the ground with much more ease now that he's not having to juggle the two that are now in your arms. They're surprisingly heavy which makes you wonder what's in them, and as though reading your thoughts the boy smiles again.

"Boat parts," he says. "My dad owns the boat shed at Silver Lake, and his order of motor parts came in yesterday. He has an urgent job that needs to be finished today, but someone playing a stupid joke drove his truck into the lake last night so he couldn't drive in to town to pick them up. He wanted to walk in and get them himself, but he can't leave the boat shed so I volunteered. I had no idea they're so heavy or I would have got my mates to come with me. I'm sure glad you turned up."

He stops walking, and it's then that you notice you're on the trail leading into the Silver Lake region. "I'm Jack by the way, and Silver Lake is just up ahead. If you want, I can show you around the area and even take you out on one of our boats. I owe you for helping me, so if you want to go anywhere at all just let me know and I'll take you. Is it a deal?" he asks, studying you expectantly...

Kasai could not believe her luck. "Certainly," she replied. "It's my first time here, so I don't really know my way around." She noted how incredibly heavy the boxes were. boat parts? That wasn't what she expected.
Kasai followed Jack down the path to Silver Lake. The day was beautiful; if you liked sun, that is. Kasai knew Phoebe was looking forward to seeing the lake. She had never even known a body of water, despite being a body of water herself. Harumi would probably not enjoy water, her being weak to it. Kasai realized that she didn't have a Pokémon strong against the water type.
Nevertheless, Kasai lifted the boxes of boat parts. She thought about her friend Wes, blushing slightly at her letter and her idea to never hold a pen again. It's not my fault if I hate writing letters... oh well.
Kasai paused a moment, still in disbelief of her incredible fortune. It couldn't be better if Giratina gave her 1,000,000,000 coins. Kasai continued, a slight spring in her step, along the path to Silver Lake.

[Shadowshocker]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Shadowshocker: The girls eyes bulge at the very thought of anyone wanting to harm Owen, her jaw dropping open before she realises how ridiculous she must look and she snaps it shut again. She looks around quickly as though searching out strangers, anyone who seems out of place, mysterious, or who might be a danger to the man she loves. "Of... Of course," she replies, turning around and rushing for the nearest staircase so quickly that she trips on the first step. Loretta reaches down to help the girl up, all amusement now gone from her eyes as she shoots you a hard, disapproving stare. "Are you mad?" she whispers vehemently after helping the girl to her feet. "We'll never be able to get rid of her if she thinks he's in danger. If anything, she could run for the police wanting protection for him and then we're going to have some explaining to do." Desperate to calm the girl, Loretta tries to smooth things over before the young woman works herself into a state of hysteria.

"What my brother means is that we believe Owen may be in possession of a particular piece of reference material that a certain group of people are looking for. If he has it they'll do anything to obtain it and he'll only be in danger if he doesn't hand it over, but if he doesn't know anything about it at all then there's nothing to worry about. We're just here to ascertain whether or not Owen knows anything, and to warn him if he does."

At this point the girl spins around, now very angry. "What kind of idiot do you take me for?" she rages, her face a bright red. "How do I know you're not the ones here to hurt Owen? I've never seen you before, why should I believe anything you have to s...." at which point she falls silent, an astonished expression appearing on her face as something dawns on her. "Did... Did you say... Brother?" she asks, her anger completely subsiding in a couple of seconds. Taken aback, Loretta is looking a little sheepish now herself as it appears she's not handled the situation any better than you had. "Umm, yes," she replies slowly. "Shadow is my brother."

"Andromeda... Perseus... Peg..." the girl says so softly that you can barely hear her, before looking at you and whispering, "Mango...". Though she's spoken softly, her words were just audible enough to have an impact. Loretta grabs her by the arms, demanding, "How do you know about them?!" her raised voice attracting the attention of several people in the library. "Shhh!" the girl responds, wriggling out of Loretta's grasp and rushing up the stairs. "You need to see Owen right away, there is no time to lose!" From this point on the girl moves so quickly that you can barely keep up with her let alone ask any more questions, and a couple of minutes later you're on the top floor standing in front of a locked doorway which undoubtedly leads to the Astronomy Tower. "He's up here," the girl says after you finally catch up. She presses a button and you can hear a bell chiming somewhere above before a voice comes out of an intercom to the right of the door.

"Who is it?" an annoyed male voice asks, obviously none too please with being disturbed

"It's Emma," replies the girl. "You need to let us in. They're here."

Silence follows while Loretta shoots you a "What the hell?" look, clearly confused as to how this girl could know about Pokémon belonging to both of you, and why Emma is referring to the two of you as though both she and Owen have been expecting you.

"Owen!" Emma hisses. "Now!"

"Of course," Owen replies, as though Emma's voice has just pulled him out of a trance. "Come right up."

At this you hear the door click as it's electronically unlocked from above, and Emma opens the door, gesturing for you to follow as she heads up the stairs. A moment later you're standing in a circular room whose walls are lined with specially designed shelves that encasing the entire room. An enormous telescope is standing in the centre of the room, pointed toward a glass panel in the ceiling. The panel is currently open, though as you walk in a tall and lanky young man with dark hair and dark eyes who appears to be roughly twenty five years old presses a button on a desk that causes it to slide shut. His creased clothing, unkempt hair, and five day growth of stubble covering his unshaven face show he's not one to get out much, but he is obviously keenly interested in the two of you.

"I'm Owen," he says nervously, walking forward to introduce himself. "I guess we'd beter get started. I take it you're after the map?"

Loretta is, for once, completely speechless, and even if she wasn't you're not sure it'll be a good idea for her to do the talking...

Wow. Just wow, Tess.

Whatever Shadow was expecting or hoping would happen, the events that followed certainly didn't factor in his hypotheses. Had his brain been that of a machine's, Shadow was sure his had short-circuit a couple of times along the way. Nevertheless, an endeavour had to be made to figure out the true nature of the scenario, so a mental reboot is quickly made for the thought process to begin.

Factoring in the recent events that took place, Shadow mulls over the possibilities: the girl named Emma either had powers of sight that extended beyond human limits, or she and Owen were not alone in their collaboration. While it had been proved that anything was possible in his adventuring, Shadow decides he wouldn't venture into realms of the supernatural... yet. But how was it that Emma knew of their plan to fake a sibling relationship? The only other person who was in on the secret was the stranger with the Drifblim and Persian. Could he have disseminated all information to Emma and Owen? Shadow had not checked the time since they had left the Elyra fields, being concerned solely with their progress; all sense of the passage of time had been lost to him. Hours might have passed since they had parted ways with John, and nothing was mentioned about John informing anyone else beforehand if he thought it helped Loretta's cause. Quite possibly, it could have been the same reason why Emma was familiar with the nicknames of the Rapidash and his Quagsire. But even this still left a few questions unsatisfied: Why the trance-like state Emma had gone in while repeating said nicknames? Why wasn't Grim mentioned? (Shadow made note that quite possibly, his Dusknoir had not been completely relevant where fighting the men in black had been concerned.) Who else knew about the mysterious organisation... and were fighting against them? How long had Owen been expecting them -- or anyone, for that matter -- to take the organisation on?

Multiple thoughts swirl around his head, some wispy, others erratic but otherwise nothing conclusive. The geekish boy decides that he would have to save the bulk of his questions for later, and ask only what was immediately required.

"Damn," he can't help thinking for a moment as he composes himself. "Why don't conspiracy theories ever come true when I think about them?"

"Mr. Owen, is it? I'm Shadow, and this is my sister, Loretta. We're both here for information about a band of Pokemon thieves dressed in black garb; possibly a map of their headquarters, if it exists." A second passes before Shadow realises the redundance of his speech; Owen had referred it to the map rather specifically. "We're planning on taking on their headquarters to engage in a rescue mission, and for that we need to know as much as possible about their history, location and organisational structure."

Mentally, Shadow steels himself for whatever Owen and Emma might have to say. Whatever it might be, he had a hunch that something mind-blowingly epic was around the corner...

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

lilbluecorsola: Between the grumpy brother on the left and the seemingly friendly brother on the right, you can't wait to get away from these two as it appears they've been left down here for a little too long and are actually quite mad. At this point you're not sure you can trust anything either of them says, but you decide to give it a shot anyway, drawing their attention and focusing on the grumpy Slowbro to your left. "If I were to ask your brother which door is the exit, which one would he say it is?" you ask, hoping the two of them don't end up in another pointless argument.

Slowbro stares at you, dumbfounded, as though shocked that you've asked him the question rather than his more friendly twin who enjoys charming the young ladies. His eyes soften and he smiles, and for the first time in the few short minutes you've been here you see a more pleasant side to him. "He'll tell you that his door is the exit," Slowbro answers, before his tone changes and his eyes harden again before adding, "Because he's a LIAR!" Staring hard at his brother he dares his twin to argue, but his brother simply stares back at him and shakes his head with a ridiculous smile on his face, one that unnerves you slightly considering the hard look in its eyes...

As Jessica waited somewhat impatiently for an answer, she noticed that the brother she directed her question at seemed taken aback by the question, as if he had not actually expected to be involved in the challenge. He then smiled broadly, pleased that he had been chosen over his brother to take part in the conversation.

"He'll tell you that his door is the exit," he answered with a quick implicative jerk of his head towards his sibling, who rolled his eyes in response to the childish derisive action. The first Slowbro’s tone then swiftly changed and his gaze hardened visibly. "…Because he's a LIAR!" he concluded assertively as he swerved his head around to glare fiercely at his brother, daring him to argue against that statement. His brother simply regarded him with a queer smile, shaking his head. Jessica began to feel slightly uncomfortable as she watched the two stare unblinkingly at each other, their slightly demented expressions suggesting their quite possible madness.

I suggest we make a decision quickly, Alice interjected, frowning mentally at the situation. These two seem like they could really be insane, and I’d like to get out of here as soon as possible. Please, Jess, can we go?

Jessica nodded in reply, though she did not move her body. As she watched the two brothers gaze with mystifying intent at one another, she began to feel a bit of sympathy well up within her towards the deranged pair. Their mental unbalance might’ve been caused by the fact that they’d simply been left alone together underground for so long, in which case their psychological condition wasn’t too surprising. Perhaps there was even a chance that they could be helped if they left this place and interacted with the outside world, as both creatures seemed to be in desperate need of some different scenery and company other than each other.

Alice could trace her trainer’s train of thought and she shook her head slightly, still highly distrustful of these two potential nutcases. However, just as before, she found that she couldn’t object to her trainer’s overwhelming desire to help others, and with a yielding mental sigh she consented to follow Jess’s good will. Bobble as well voiced little objection, this time willing to place some trust in his trainer’s kindhearted faith.

Jessica cleared her throat to direct the contending Slowbro’s attention towards herself. “You know, you guys seem to be pretty bored down here. Do you want to come with us outside, just for a little bit? If you’re not allowed to leave your posts then I understand, but…”

She paused, and glanced hopefully towards Alice. The little Ralts sighed inwardly again, and silently agreed to go along with the plan. She held her dress as she shuffled forward, and with a gentle swish of her head she threw the brothers a charming glance, smiling coyly at both of them. Bobble started a little, surprised to see this side of Alice as she played coquettishly with her hair, trying to look as ATTRACTive as possible.

We really could use somebody to guide us… And you boys seem quite capable. Wouldn’t you like to come with us a little ways, so that we can chat a bit more? She lowered her head demurely, smiling invitingly at the twins. It would really be a shame for us to part ways so soon after we’ve met, don’t you think?

Bobble’s shades had fallen halfway to the floor (along with his jaw), and even Jessica was impressed by Alice’s newborn ability to roleplay a part so well. She shook her head, amazed, and turned to the two Slowbro, amusedly anticipating their reaction.

“Well, we’ll be taking the left corridor.” She nodded indicatively towards the mentioned doorway. “If you two wish to come, by all means you’re welcome to join us. If not, then it’s been very nice meeting you, farewell.”

[Silver Wind]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Silver Wind: "Ah, so you're new to Elyra?" Loretta laughs, looking down at Butters curiously. "You might want to consider staying in the guest house for tonight then, that is if you've not already made alternative accommodation arrangements." You have the distinct impression she's more interested in Butters than she is in where you're staying though, for the look of concern in her eyes when she looks at him is unmistakeable. Winding her arm through yours she starts walking toward the stables, gazing out over the ranch along the way. "Let me show you around," she says brightly, deliberately keeping you away from the people in the grounds. "We have such fine Ponyta and Rapidash here at Laramie Ranch that we'll start with the stables and then we can go out into the main grounds to find some games for you and your Pokémon to play." At this, Butters looks up at Loretta with a smile, his innocent little eyes full of wonder at the thought of game playing which is something he's never done before. She looks back at him with an adoring smile of her own, but you catch a glimpse of sadness in her eyes and begin to wonder exactly why she's taken such an interest in you when there are so many other people here that could just as easily be shown around. "You find out soon, though, for the moment you're through the stable doors she shuts the door behind you and scoops down to lift Butters up into her arms.

"I don't think you realise just how dangerous it is to let him walk around out there," she whispers, as though afraid of being overheard. "There are men who have appeared in Elyra, strange men who have been hunting down specific breeds of Pokémon, and Teddiursa are one of them." She stokes Butters head affectionately, giving him a comforting squeeze in case she's scared him if he's been paying to attention to what she is saying. "I'd hate for you to unknowingly become a victim of these people, especially since there are two of them out in the grounds right now who are scouting around unsuspecting tourists to see if they have any of the Pokémon they're interested in. If they've already seen this little cutie then you may as well consider him gone because they'll stop at nothing to get him, but if they've not caught a glimpse of him yet then he's still safe." She stops talking, an expression of fear entering her eyes. "Recently Rapidash have been starting to disappear as well. Luckily none of ours have been stolen yet, but if Ponyta and Rapidash are their next targets then I have a vested interest in knowing what these men are up to. Will you be interested in helping me to find out where they're taking these Pokémon, and what they're doing with them?"

Finding it hard to take all of this in at once, and part of you not believing that recent events in Elyra can be quite as serious as Loretta is making them out to be, you stare back at her wondering what to do. One thing is certain, if you wanted adventure then you're sure as hell on the right path to obtaining it...

Red looked down at Butters, who was still in Loretta, and wondered if he should be worried or suspicious of all that has been brought to his attention. Obviously he stuck out like a sore thumb, so being caught a victim in a huge Teddi scare would go easy on most, but there was something about Loretta Red found comforting. Even though Butters has only been apart of Red's team for a short amount of time, he cherished him none the less. Why someone would be hunting Teddi's in the first place baffled him. Nothing really special about them, maybe their fur or their paws even. But nothing really worth anything him couldn't see. 'There has to be something bigger behind this, or maybe its just the start of something bigger' Red stood up straight and turned around to face Loretta.

"Look.." he spoke softly, trying not to be over heard but loud enough to understand, "This.. this might be abit of a problem." Red thought it over for a moment as he sat on nearby stool, "These people.. You say they're looking for specific pokemon, yes?" Sitting there, thoughts popping up here and there, what would be the best course of action. Perhaps luring the two scouters into the Stables with promises of a unknowing tourist with a Teddiursa, quick ambush, then questioning them personally seemed like a great plan, but that might cause too much unwanted attention to the Ranch. And possibility of error was too great. Things need to go smooth if things are to go right.

Red still looked a little skeptical, but shrugged. Grabbing a pokeball, he withdrew Butters back to his pokeball and handing it to Loretta. “Im trusting you with him Loretta” he said and sighed. Turning toward the door, Red shared his plan to get some information. "Look, this can go one of two ways. A - it can get bad quick, or B - it will get really bad, really quick. But im telling you now I'm not going to stop until I know enough that its not a threat to me, and in this case you also." His conscious finally agreed to it, and then that was settled. Red breathed in relief to himself, "I want you to keep Butters for me, please keep him safe. I also want you to tell the poachers that I have some rare pokemon in my possession. Give me some time to leave before you tell them though, and I'll meet you in Spiritual Hills. There we can hopefully beat some answers out of them."

'Just getting them there would be a problem, but what to do once they catch up?' this frustrated him greatly, with limited pokemon at his disposal and the chance they outnumber both Red and Lorretta. 'Pange's Dig could be useful, maybe make some trap holes, then a blast of Grimace's Smog to slowly cut off their air supply'.. No no that was too risky, there would be a chance he could fall into his own trap. "A bright Flash to the eyes, followed by a SuperSonic.." Red muttered.
Of course if things should turn south, an escape plan would be necessary. These people are not playing around so powerful pokemon would be something they would own. He paused for a second before averting his gaze back at Loretta, "unless you have some plans of your own we can work with?"

[enchantress]

Elyra, The Light World

Elyra Field - Please reply in lemonchiffon

Silver Wind: Loretta is clearly relieved that you're apparently willing to take her word for what's going on. She realises it's a far-fetched story, especially for a newcomer to Elyra who really has no idea of the strange happenings in the land recently, so the fact you're willing to take her at her word, at least for the time being, is saving her the trouble of having to convince you. Surprised that you've entrusted Butters to her care, she hesitates for a moment before thinking it over. It probably is best to leave him with her for now anyway considering those responsible for the Teddi napping don't really see her as a Teddiursa kind of girl and wouldn't suspect for a moment that she'd have one on her. She reluctantly agrees, gingerly accepting Butters' Pokéball before shoving it deep into her pocket. She listens intently to what you're saying as you lay out your plan, but the moment you mention trying to forcibly persuade the information out of them, shakes her head.

"They're very strong so you won't have a chance of beating them either physically or in battle unless you have a high levelled, fully trained team at your disposal. Our best bet will be to follow them to find out where they're staying. Once we have that information we may be able to infiltrate their organisation and discover what they're really up to. They know me, so I can't follow them or they'll become suspicious if they catch me tailing them, but you're new to Elyra so you may have a better chance of sliding under their radar. Of course if you're confident you'll stand a good chance against them I'll give you a fifteen minute head start before dropping word of a newcomer having some rare Pokémon in his possession, but if you do decide to ambush them in the Spiritual Hills and don't already have a flying type, then I'd suggest you find yourself one on the way. Otherwise we'll just bide our time, wait for them to leave the ranch, and see where they go. Does that sound okay to you?"


Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

lilbluecorsola: Deciding that the living conditions of these two brothers, specifically their isolation, could have a little something, if not everything, to do with the fact they've quite obviously lost their marbles, you figure it can't hurt to invite them along with you while trying to find your way out of this Godforsaken old house. Alice and Bobble are far from impressed, trusting neither Slowbro after the witnessing their antics during the past few minutes, but reluctantly agree because of their devotion to you. Both Slowbro are taken completely by surprise by your question, the dumbfounded look they exchange giving you the impression they'd never even considered leaving this little room of theirs. The Slowbro on the right shakes his head fearfully, utterly terrified at the thought of leaving his comfort zone, but the grumpy Slowbro on the left seems to be considering your invitation. At this point Alice, though sighing inwardly at having to perform such a persuasive task, puts on her most feminine guise and shuffles forward. Holding her dress daintily, she looks up at the brothers and gives them both her most charming glance with a gentle swish of her head. Smiling coyly at them, Alice plays coquettishly with her hair, making full use of her Attractiveness in order to reel them in. Bobble is dumbstruck, and if truth be told just a little bit jealous, at witnessing Alice's more seductive side, his jaw practically dropping to the floor while watching the sexy little thing in front of him playing a rather convincing role.

"We really could use somebody to guide us... And you boys seem quite capable." Alice says sweetly. "Wouldn’t you like to come with us a little ways, so that we can chat a bit more?" Lowering her head demurely, she smiles invitingly at the twins. "It would really be a shame for us to part ways so soon after we’ve met, don’t you think?"

While Bobble is trying to control his rapidly beating heart, at least one of the Slowbro is won over by Alice's performance, the grumpy brother's personality doing a complete one eighty as he smiles charmingly down at Alice. It seems Bobble has his work cut out for him with Don Juan here, as Slowbro reaches behind his back and pulls a red rose out of thin air, handing it to her with a gallant bow. Alice shoots you a concerned glance while he's not looking, clearly conveying the message that you owe her big time for this one, before she graciously accepts the rose with a shy smile.

"I will be honoured to accompany you, my lady," Slowbro replies with a smile, completely ignoring his twin who balks upon hearing his brothers response.

"They're leading you into a trap!" cries the second brother, trying to talk his twin out of leaving, but his brother will have none of it.

"Oh, you're just jealous because someone has finally seen through your charade," replies the first while following the three of you through the doorway he'd previously been guarding. "Goodbye, brother."

The second Slowbro isn't so friendly anymore, his string of obscenities suddenly silenced as the door swings shut behind the four of you, much to your relief. You're still not so sure you've made the right decision by inviting Slowbro to travel with you, but he appears to be quite taken with Alice so you doubt he'll do anything to harm any of you, although that doesn't stop Bobble from watching him like a hawk. Taking in your new surroundings, you're disappointed to discover that there still doesn't appear to be any stairs leading up into the house and to eventual freedom, only a single stained glass door on the opposite side of the room. The walls, ceiling, and floor also appear to be made of an opaque glass, but other than that there is nothing of interest in here. Sighing, you look to Slowbro for some guidance but he appears to be just as mystified as you. Seems he really hadn't gotten out much at all. Walking toward the door you hear the sound of rushing water and spy a stream of it entering the room through a small hole in corner of the ceiling. Suddenly realising this room is nothing more than a giant fish tank you run for the door only to find it locked tight. Slowbro attempts to shatter the glass with his Psychic attack, but nothing happens. It's then that you notice some writing within the pattern on the door. Surrounded by shapes of the moon and stars is a flaming ball from which rays are emitting, and within the fiery ball are the words:

When the tide has engulfed all but one
A bolt of light must strike the sun,
Only then a path will lead the way
Out into the light of day.

Shadowshocker: All the while you're talking, Loretta is examining Owen curiously, as though trying to figure something out, before she finally says slowly, "I know you..." whilst looking him directly in the eye. At this Owen blushes, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking down at his feet.

"Uh, yes," he replies, rather uncomfortably. "I've been visiting Laramie Ranch since I was twelve," he says, before turning his attention to you in order to avoid more of Loretta's questions.

"It's an honour to meet you, Shadow," Owen says with a smile, removing his hand from his pocket and reaching out to shake yours, all the while avoiding Loretta's increasingly suspicious gaze. "I've been expecting y..." he falters, taking a moment to choose the rest of his words carefully before continuing, "someone to arrive soon to ask about the map." He glances between you and Loretta. "With all of the thefts at the ranch recently, I guessed as soon as I saw Loretta that you're here to help her uncover the mystery organisation responsible."

"Owen!" Emma interrupts, aghast. "You need to tell them the truth!"

Owen shoots her a warning glance, obviously wanting Emma to keep her mouth shut, but it doesn't appear she's willing to oblige.

"Don't you give me that look, Owen Masters!" she retorts, colour quickly rising in her cheeks. "They're about to embark on a mission that is going to change their lives forever, you can't let them walk in blind! You can change it!"

As soon as these words escape Emma's lips, Owen's eyes turn hard. Whatever Emma is talking about, Owen obviously doesn't agree. Why, you have no idea, but they both seem to know a lot more about your futures than either of you. Glancing at Loretta you can see her expression turning even more suspicious, the sickeningly familiar glint in her eye warning you that her temper is about to explode.

"That's enough, Emma," Owen says quietly. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT?!" Emma yells, her outburst causing Loretta to start, an utterly astonished look crossing her face as she stares, gobsmacked, at the young woman she'd previously considered to be a meek little mouse, and who, less than ten minutes ago, was literally falling over herself in her haste to warn the man she has a serious crush on that he may be in danger. It is now Emma who appears to be the danger to Owen, and all because she believes he should be revealing something to the two of you that Owen does not agree with. For her to react this passionately, the information he's choosing to keep from you must be important.

"Don't know what I'm talking about?" Emma repeats, a little more calmly. "You know that I know what I'm talking about. I know every detail of their story, just as much as you do, and you know it!"

At this point Loretta raises her hand, takes a step forward, and says bluntly, "Excuse me, don't you think it will be nice to fill us in on exactly who it is you think we are?"

Three pairs of eyes turn toward her; Yours, Owen's, and Emma's. Owen opens his mouth to speak, but before he can utter a word Emma blurts out, "Why, you're the 'Chosen Ones' of course. 'Andromeda's Tale' is the story of legends, told through the centuries, written in history books more than twelve hundred years ago..."


Silver Lake - Please reply in deepskyblue

Mirror: Arriving at Silver Lake, you stop for a moment to take in the breathtaking sight before you. Secluded in its own corner of Elyra Field, the lake is much larger than you'd imagined, its dazzling silver water glinting in the sunlight as people swim and play. Various types of water craft are in use as well, from kayaks and jetskis, to sailboats and a luxury catamaran that's cruising lazily around the lake while the tourists on board take snapshots of the water sports and competitions taking place on the lake. Families are gathered around for picnics, the sounds of children giggling and squealing with excitement as they splash about in the water filling your ears. On higher ground a suspension bridge stretches out toward the centre of the lake, circling four islands situated in the middle with narrow gangways leading down to the three larger ones and leaving the smallest of the four islands inaccessible. Many Water Pokémon are roaming about the lake, most of whom belong to the people visiting the area. On the far side of the lake is a trail leading off to another area as well as a long, cordoned off area that boats can't access due to the fragile nature of the coral reef lining the edge of the lake. Many mysteries surround the Rainbow Reef area, namely how such a beautiful coral formation could even exist in a lake, but in Elyra, anything is possible. A waterfall to your right also draws your attention as it flows down from the Incura River, but as to how and why Silver Lake has not flooded due to the constant stream of water is yet another of its mysteries. Most believe there to be a recess somewhere deep below the lake where the water runs out into the ocean, though nobody has ever verified this as being fact, it's just accepted as truth seeing as it appears to be the most reasonable explanation. Taking in the area, you completely forget the fact that you have company until the sound of Jack's laugh startles you back to the present.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" he laughs, gazing across the lake himself. He then nods toward a modern looking boat shed on the other side of the waterfall. "That's me," he says with a smile, walking toward the large, white structure. Following him, you note that it's much bigger than you'd imagined, its off-white walls the perfect colour to both attract the attention of those at the lake, yet ensure the sunlight doesn't reflect too glaringly on bright days such as this. "I'll just take these parts in," Jack says, gingerly taking the smaller of the two boxes from your arms and juggling them with the ones he's holding. "I'll be back in a few minutes. If there's anywhere in particular you'd like to go just give me the word, or I can give you the grand tour and show you around the whole area. We can even go out onto the lake if you want, I'll let you decide." With that, he rushes off into the boat shed leaving you to decide what you'd like to do next...

[Shadowshocker]

Originally Posted by enchantress

Atrea, City of Fortune - Please reply in hotpink

Shadowshocker: All the while you're talking, Loretta is examining Owen curiously, as though trying to figure something out, before she finally says slowly, "I know you..." whilst looking him directly in the eye. At this Owen blushes, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking down at his feet.

"Uh, yes," he replies, rather uncomfortably. "I've been visiting Laramie Ranch since I was twelve," he says, before turning his attention to you in order to avoid more of Loretta's questions.

"It's an honour to meet you, Shadow," Owen says with a smile, removing his hand from his pocket and reaching out to shake yours, all the while avoiding Loretta's increasingly suspicious gaze. "I've been expecting y..." he falters, taking a moment to choose the rest of his words carefully before continuing, "someone to arrive soon to ask about the map." He glances between you and Loretta. "With all of the thefts at the ranch recently, I guessed as soon as I saw Loretta that you're here to help her uncover the mystery organisation responsible."

"Owen!" Emma interrupts, aghast. "You need to tell them the truth!"

Owen shoots her a warning glance, obviously wanting Emma to keep her mouth shut, but it doesn't appear she's willing to oblige.

"Don't you give me that look, Owen Masters!" she retorts, colour quickly rising in her cheeks. "They're about to embark on a mission that is going to change their lives forever, you can't let them walk in blind! You can change it!"

As soon as these words escape Emma's lips, Owen's eyes turn hard. Whatever Emma is talking about, Owen obviously doesn't agree. Why, you have no idea, but they both seem to know a lot more about your futures than either of you. Glancing at Loretta you can see her expression turning even more suspicious, the sickeningly familiar glint in her eye warning you that her temper is about to explode.

"That's enough, Emma," Owen says quietly. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT?!" Emma yells, her outburst causing Loretta to start, an utterly astonished look crossing her face as she stares, gobsmacked, at the young woman she'd previously considered to be a meek little mouse, and who, less than ten minutes ago, was literally falling over herself in her haste to warn the man she has a serious crush on that he may be in danger. It is now Emma who appears to be the danger to Owen, and all because she believes he should be revealing something to the two of you that Owen does not agree with. For her to react this passionately, the information he's choosing to keep from you must be important.

"Don't know what I'm talking about?" Emma repeats, a little more calmly. "You know that I know what I'm talking about. I know every detail of their story, just as much as you do, and you know it!"

At this point Loretta raises her hand, takes a step forward, and says bluntly, "Excuse me, don't you think it will be nice to fill us in on exactly who it is you think we are?"

Three pairs of eyes turn toward her; Yours, Owen's, and Emma's. Owen opens his mouth to speak, but before he can utter a word Emma blurts out, "Why, you're the 'Chosen Ones' of course. 'Andromeda's Tale' is the story of legends, told through the centuries, written in history books more than twelve hundred years ago..."

For the second time in a short span of time, Shadow's cerebrum undergoes another short circuit. Though cards were starting to fall into place, it didn't leave the scientist confident in the usual way when he correctly predicted turns of events. The news that he and Loretta appeared to be bound to a tale prophesised since centuries past only unsettles him further, but the information must be taken in. Noting the disagreement between Emma and Owen, though, tells him only so much that whatever Andromeda's Tale held in store him and Loretta, the news was likely bad. Owen was showing signs of someone unwilling to intervene where predictions and prophecies were concerned, while Emma was functioning as a direct polar opposite; had the story been mostly positive the scenario before Shadow and Loretta likely would be different.

"Regardless, though, we'll only know the truth when we hear it," thinks Shadow. "The story might not fully apply, either; for certain Loretta and I aren't related by blood, and it'd contradict the story if it says we are, henceforth potentially disregarding the tale's canonic history."

"...Is that so, Miss Emma?" he pipes up thoughtfully. "Perhaps you could enlighten us about Andromeda's Tale, if it's alright with you? Maybe the information could help our endeavour to rescue Andromeda and the other captives, along with the map. Any amount of data you could give us might make all the difference."

[S_M]

Originally Posted by enchantress

S_M: Looking over the child you can't help but wonder what the boy has been through out here all alone, but Buneary seems happy to see him, rubbing its little face against the child's terrified one even though the boy is still bound up tight. The boys' expression is unreadable as he seems happy to see Buneary, scared about having been captured, and terrified by whatever it is that's closing in on you. He struggles harder to escape from Ivysaur's grasp, and even though she releases her hold somewhat so as not to hurt him, his hysteria is making it difficult to distinguish anything coherent in what he's yelling about. Spinning on the spot to face the danger you know must be there, you nearly trip over as you take several hurried steps backward when coming face to face with the largest Ariados you've ever seen. Swellow has no time to react, as she's hit with a String Shot before she has a chance to take flight. The speed with which Ariados binds her up in it's webbing is astounding, but she isn't about to let this freak of nature get the better of her and opens her mouth wide, releasing a Flamethrower that has Ariados scuttling back into the trees from where it begins to attack with an unrelenting Poison Sting assault. The toxic barbs are pelting the clearing, as well as you, your Pokémon, and the boy. Buneary throws itself over the child's face to try and protect him, being struck by several needles as a result. Ivysaur is shaved by several more of the projectiles, one hitting her so hard that she inadvertently releases her grip on he boy giving him just the chance he needs to scamble to his feet and speed off into the forest. Ivysaur takes off after him, using her vines to grab onto tree branches and swing along as fast as she can, while you're left to try and free Swellow of the sticky string binding her.

Realising you're a sitting duck, you have no choice but to return her to her ball to deal with the sticky substance later, and to chase after Ivysaur so that you're not separated from your teammate, but Ariados is in hot pursuit, unrelenting in its attack as you race through the trees. Just when you think you're not going to find Ivysaur, Buneary leaps out in front of you, tripping you over. Falling, you feel Ivysaur's vine wrap around you before feeling yourself pulled hastily across the ground and into a dark place where a small hand is suddenly clamped over your mouth and hear a whispered "shhhh" next to your ear. Huddled together in the darkness, you can feel heavy breathing against your neck as you watch Ariados scuttle past. Listening, you hear its movements fading as it races further away, not yet realising that its prey has already escaped, and only then does the boy release his grip on you before getting to his feet and stepping warily out into the sunlight. He looks around before turning toward you and motioning that it's safe to come out. Once you've stepped out from your hiding place, you realise that he'd dragged you into the hollowed out space of a tree trunk leaving you to wonder if he'd known it was there or had simply stumbled across it while he was trying to escape Ivysaur and Ariados, but that's the least of your concerns at the moment as the boy appears to be quite distressed now that you're all out of immediate danger. It's then that you notice a little lump of brown fur curled up on the ground beside the tree, and realise that the little bunny has been hurt rather badly...

Watching as Ivysaur struggles to hold onto the boy, Stephen sees Buneary run up to him and rub its face against his, obviously happy to see him. Stephen frowns somewhat as the boy continues to thrash around, Ivysaur having trouble keeping him still and trying not to hurt him at the same time. Wondering what the boy could possibly be that frightened about, Stephen turns around and freezes in place – an Ariados, larger than even the one that he had encountered before, is staring right back at him, preparing to attack. Before Swellow has even an opportunity to react, a String Shot shoots from Ariados and binds Swellow. Not about to allow them all to be eaten, Swellow opens its beak wide, creating a jet of blazing flame which sends Ariados scuttling back into the trees. Taking a deep breath as the danger seemed to have passed, Stephen shouts as a volley of glowing white needles of poison energy fly from the trees, aiming at the boy, Stephen, Swellow, Ivysaur, and Buneary. Buneary is struck by several of the needles as it jumps in front of the boy to protect him, and Ivysaur is grazed just enough to force her to release her grip on the boy. The boy runs off into the trees, followed quickly by Ivysaur and Buneary. Stephen runs over to Swellow, trying to untangle her. However, Ariados is quick behind him, so Stephen pulls out Swellow’s Pokeball and returns her to it, sprinting in the direction the others had went.

“Oh God, there’s no way I’m getting out of this one,� Stephen mutters to himself. Running forward as fast as he could, Stephen sees a brown blur out of the corner of his eye as he trips forward. A flash of green vines later, Stephen and Buneary are pulled back into the dark space of a hollowed out tree trunk. A small hand is placed over Stephen’s mouth as the giant Ariados scuttles past. After a few moments the boy sticks his head out to check that it’s ok to go out, and he nods, beckoning for them to come out. Stephen sees that even though the immediate danger has passed, the boy is quite distressed. Glancing around, Stephen sees a small bundle of brown fur on the ground by the tree, seeing that the Buneary had been hurt rather badly.

“Oh no…� Stephen breathes, as he bends down over the Buneary. Ripping his bag open, pulling things out wildly to try to find a Lum Berry or Pecha Berry, Stephen’s face falls as he finds that he had used his last one to heal the Persian, what seemed like so long ago. “I don’t have anything to help if its been poisoned,� he says to no one in particular, as he pulls out a blue spraybottle. “But this will help a little,� Stephen says as he sprays the Super Potion over the Buneary, hoping that it would be enough to help at least for now…