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storylocke · 2 months

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When Different Paths Lead to the Same Place

[Ash finally shoved the Rare Candy into his bag and heaved a sigh of relief. Who knew such a small thing could block an entire passageway! Or at least, he noticed, the Voices had a weird aversion to stepping over Item Capsules like most did. And to think They cost him a TM for this. As he slings the backpack back over his shoulders though, there's an oddly familiar voice coming from outside his head…]

Blue:

Ash, wait!

Ash:

…? [He looks back to see the kid rounding the last of the gravestones] Um, hi? What are you doing here?

Blue:

I had to go heal, no thanks to you.

Ash:

[Straightens up in dismay] You’re the one who challenged me!

Blue:

[Finger to his lips] Shhhh. There are some baaad people in this tower, and the negative energy has all the ghosts here in a frenzy. You saw what happened to those Channelers? [Ash gives him a bewildered little nod] Yeah, so let's not attract any more than we already do. [Points at the strange looking telescope in Ash’s hand] I saw you had a way to fight these things, so I tailed ya. Where'd ya get that?

Ash:

This? It's a Silph Scope. All it does is show what the shadows really are, but my Pokemon still have to fight them.

Blue:

[Air of suspicion as he eyes his rival] Silph, huh? I thought Saffron City was blocked off.

Ash:

Um…. [Sheepish grin since it's not exactly a lie] Honestly, I sorta won it off a guy in a battle.

Blue:

Tch. Well… [tries to be quick] Give it to me!

Ash:

[Grips it with both hands and moves to pull it further out of reach, but even as he tries to leverage himself against Blue’s arm, there's no denying how physically stronger the boy is.] No! It's mine, and you have no idea what I went through to get it!

Blue:

[Surprised how he's actually struggling, he's never seen Ash put up such a fight before. Even as the little nerd pulls it out of his grip, he’s not giving up that easy] And if you keep going this way, you're gonna get yourself hurt!

Ash:

[Keeps the scope in front of him as he feels Blue wrap both arms around him. Curls forward before the guy can pick him up] Beat you, didn't I?! I can take care of myself!

Blue:

JUST BARELY! You're just lucky I-! [Caught off guard as he's the one being lifted off the ground]

Ge...t ouuut… Get ouuut…..

[They both freeze at the eerie voice and Ash starts to straighten up as Blue slides off of him. They stare in the direction of the call, making out a hazy shadow by the staircase. Ash gives a wary glance at Blue, seeing him frozen in fear, and slowly lifts the scope up to take a better look. It’s nothing like the numerous Gastly he’d been training against around the graveyard. But even if it wasn’t any normal Ghost Pokemon, the black aura surrounding it made the fiery eyes deep set in it’s skull face all the more distinct.]

Ash:

[The Voices rattled in his brain as They screamed, but his own voice comes out barely above a whisper] It’s the Marowak Ghost…

Blue:

[Glances at him in curiosity] A Marowak…? I can believe that. Just a lot of hurt and anger that’s probably the source of all the negative energy here. [Doesn’t want to take his eyes off of the shadow in case it tries to come any closer] You don’t seem scared.

Ash:

[Shakes his head] Something I’ve heard a lot about. I can’t really explain, but if you’ll just stay back here I’ll-

Blue:

[Hand on his shoulder to stop him] Don’t fight that thing! She’s not here to hurt us! The Channelers say she was murdered defending her baby… And… And now she doesn’t want anyone else getting hurt. I don’t want you getting hurt!

Ash:

[Genuinely confused by the very real concern in his rival’s eyes. A side of him he couldn’t remember ever seeing before. Even when he said it during their struggle before, he had taken it as another way of Blue calling him weak.] I’m not gonna fight her. Okay? I’ve heard this story many times now, I think I know what to do. Just watch my back if I’m wrong.

Blue:

Ash, it’s not about-! [Scoffs as he sees he’s being ignored and the boy cautiously walks towards the apparition with the scope still up. Going through a mix of emotions though as he watches, going from bitter to concerned again, then curious to what exactly Ash was planning]

Ash:

[He tries to keep the scope up where he can keep the Marowak in view, and holds his cowboy hat with his free hand for a little encouragement. Marvin wouldn’t have been scared at a time like this. The Marowak ghost stares at him with suspicion as her hollow eyes seem to narrow in on the whip at his side. His hand moves to remove his pack as she screams at him again]

Marowak:

Be gone… Intruders…

Ash:

[Holds up a hand to assure her he’s got nothing in hand, just gently crouches down as he places his backpack on the ground. He reaches in, so deep it seems to eat his arm, and he can see the bitter Ghost is winding up her club to attack. He flinches as it comes towards him and quickly pulls out the Poke Doll! …Nothing happened. He opens his eyes and looks up to see the mad spirit looks stunned by the harmless object. He holds it out to her] Here. It’s um… I brought it for you. [Her eyes shift from their fiery blaze to a dull flame, and something in the stern skull face softens as she lowers her club. She takes it quickly, but he doesn’t resist. No tricks. Just a soft smile as he tilts his hat back so she can see his face] I know it doesn’t make up for anything, but… We’ll make up for it. Me and my friend, there. You don’t need to fight anymore.

Marowak:

[Looks past him at the other boy who timidly gives the black shadow a wave. There’s a long pause as she watches him, but he doesn’t move any more. Still, as she turns her attention back to the one in front of her, he doesn’t move either. She pulls the doll close her to chest then, and with a sorrowful bow of gratitude, starts to fade away into a gray mist.] Fin…ish…

Blue:

[Deep sigh of relief to see she’s gone] Wow. How did you know that a Doll would calm her down?

Ash:

[Glances back at him with a wry grin] I don't. I have rock [holds up Fossil] and a map [holds up the scroll of Town Map] and somewhere in this pack I have a thing called a “Bicy.” [Blue just laughs, which is nice to hear after the all the wailing of the Tower, and just shakes his head at him] They all mean something. Like… I just know these things. It's not deja vu, because I'VE never done it, but somehow I know all of this has happened before.

Blue:

[The smile fades as his face turns serious again. Not mad really. But he has the strangest feeling as he takes the Helix Fossil, really looking at it now as it fits in the palm of his hand. ……. He hands it back] Yeah… 'Cause you keep messing with things Gramps warned us about. Even if you know a lot, maybe it’s best you start forgetting.

Ash:

Blue…

Blue:

[Crosses his arms and looks back in the direction of the stairs, a twinge of sadness, maybe fear in his soft tone] What do you think she meant by finish?

Ash:

[Rearranging all of the items back into his bag before he stands up. Casually dusting himself off] To finish what we started? Maybe… To finish what she couldn’t? You said you caught a Cubone earlier, didn’t you?

Blue:

[Softens a bit as he remembers telling him that now.] I did. Didn’t have the heart to use it though, after… [Subtle gesture to the empty stairwell] I wasn’t tryin’ to protect you from her. Team Rocket went on up, but she barred them in. I’m sure they’re in a ripe mood by now, looking for the first idiot to cross their path.

Ash:

[Only half joking] Guess I better go first then. I make the BEST decisions lately.

Blue:

I ain’t goin’ up there! Did you not hear what I just said? Those guys will KILL YOU. I don’t care how many fairytales you’ve read, Team Rocket doesn’t mess around. And any monsters willing to murder Pokemon and pile up their corpses like they’re loading up a fruit cart isn’t gonna think twice about taking care of you!

Ash:

Shhhh…! [Oh. He’s starting to realize that Blue was dead serious in trying to take the scope away from him earlier. Careful glance up stairs because if Blue is freaking out now, they definitely didn’t need to draw the men down with the ruckus. Silence. And in that shared silence between them, the whispers in Ash’s mind come as quickly as his thoughts try to piece things together. It HAD been a while since they last fought. Where was his Raticate? Blue had snapped at him downstairs how it didn’t look like he had come to the tower to bury anyone… Had he? The bitterness, the aggression, the vulnerability this time around, and that brief description gave Ash a shock. Just what had Blue been up to before he arrived? Maybe it was all just his imagination, after all a lot of these claims of truth were being pounded into his brain, and yet he finally breaks the silence with his voice barely above a whisper.] I guess we’ve both been through a lot since Vermillion, huh? [Shuddered breath as he tries to steel himself for what hes’s about to say] I won’t make you come. Just make sure the little Cubone is taken care of, okay? I’ll take care of the rest.

Blue:

[Fists clenched, face heating up, but he’s not sure if he’s more mad at Ash, the memory, or his wounded pride to turn back now. Snaps at him as he starts to walk off] This isn’t one of your books, you know. Playing hero, just gonna roll in, clean up the town, and fly off into the sunset. These guys own everything! Even if you win here, the cops won’t help you when their teammates come!

Ash:

[Pauses, looks back at him. Actually, comes back to place a hand on his shoulder in comfort. For all the rattling in his brain, he’s could really use Their help right now. Please… Lord Helix, give him the right words.] I know. I know things seem impossible right now, but I wanna tell you: it will get better. Remember what I said? About everything happening before? Team Rocket is going to fall. And I promise you, Giovanni may be a monster, but he’s still human. He CAN be defeated.

Blue:

…How do you know?

Ash:

Because while you were fighting the Rockets here, I spent hours lost in Team Rocket’s base. [Bit of a cocky grin] Took everything they’ve got, and threw ‘em out of Celadon. It's how I got the Silph Scope. And Boss Rocket? I took him down with just one Pokemon. He may be in charge, but he’s weak. And if you’re still giving me trouble, you’ve got nothing to worry about from them now.

Blue:

[Soft smile, bit of pleading in his voice] I wish I had that kind of confidence. You really have changed since the ship, huh?

Ash:

[Pats him on the shoulder and lets go] I may not always “get” you, but I think I’m starting to understand. [Takes off his hat and holds it between his hands, admiring it in a way as he lets Blue get a better look at it] I wouldn’t be jealous of me though. Sounds like you might have guessed, but I may actually be in over my head this time. [Pause] No going back now.

Blue:

For their sakes… [Straightens up a bit to try to sound more like his old self] Next time we run into each other, you better not hold back on me. I’m gonna get stronger and we’ll crush everyone one of those Rockets in Saffron into the pavement.

Ash:

[Returns his hat to his head and gives a firm nod] That I can do.

=+=

A/N: Just a little something that's been on my mind since I watched it live. I really loved the idea of how even though we had the Scope, we gave Marowak the Doll anyway, so the spirit was calmed without issuing a single attack. And if we say this Ash is the same as Bootleg Yellow, we actually capture the Marowak later on iirc? So that's sweet. It was supposed to just be a short clip, but then I had the idea of Blue (since we didn't fight him until after Rocket Hideout, I remember previous times we'd fight him then head for Celadon) actually being here for Ash to explain about the Doll, but the whole thing just kinda spiraled after that. We all know by now I can't seem to do anything without it turning dramatic on me. Obviously this isn't Anime Ash but we picked the default name. Ash has a whip like the Tamers do because he spent way too long at the Museum early on, then Marvin got cowboy lore before being released, and the idea of Ash being a museum nerd hunting powerful relics from the fallen timeline with a hat and water guns (we got like four over the run) led to the concept of him having some Indiana Jones aesthetics. The whip is not for Pokemon, but a great many other uses as he travels.

Still, even in chat, someone pointed out how it actually has been a while since we last saw Blue. And sure we can (and did) joke about him losing his Raticate, but Ash had also lost partners since we last saw him, and it had been days (in-game months? No telling how long we spent in Celadon) since they last saw each other. And one thing about Gen I I've always loved is how the game actually ages our hero and rival as they carve their own paths. These two have really had to grow up on since they both left home.

Another thing about this particular moment was how we hear about Cubone's mother giving up her life to fight Team Rocket, find out the tower is filled with restless spirits because of the vengeful ghost, actually face said ghost, and then we go after the first Rocket and Pixie destroys him and learns DRAGON RAGE! I wanted to include that, but it felt like getting away from the point of this fic, which was focused on these two, but holy cow Ash and his comrades are maaaaad facing these two pathetic Rockets after already raiding the base. They don't scare him. Heck, after Giovanni, apparently nothing does since it's after this we start wrecking gyms and played with the powers that be to grab a Missingno.

#twitch plays pokemon #Super Gauntlet Red #SGRed #Asher Elm #Blue Oak #trauma is a bitch #Short stories #Tw:death mention #Ghosts

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storylocke · 3 months

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This entire section is cringe. Not gonna lie, a big reason I wanted to write out this fic was just because of Chat's reactions to the entire ludicrous scenario playing out here. And the prior crash just played in well to how bonkers this was. I debated on how to go about this but I decided to just play it straight, so almost all of Iono's dialogue and the Voice inputs are directly from the stream with a few arranged for better plot alignment. It's almost funnier that way to be honest.

On that note, I don't think the boat would have been anything dangerous in this context, but I did have the stray image of Clavell landing safely on the dock and looking back to see it glitch out of existence, and also the humor of a post-fic bonus clip where Penny is such a cyber nerd she explains the Dewfon meme to Tulio. Dewford is of course home of the Trendy House, I would not be surprised if the Trendy Sayings people have brought this phrase in particular to the TPP verse Definitely not going to have this finished before the Anniversary at this rate, so may be a while before the next one.

#twitch plays pokemon #Pokemon Scarlet #Tulio #2z #gym leader iono #director clavell #Meta #Not sure what else to tag

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storylocke · 3 months

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Having a ton of fun with the Meta, can ya tell?

#twitch plays pokemon #Tulio Zeta #2z #Pokemon Scarlet #Nemona #Game glitches #Game crashes #liminal spaces #Anxiety

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storylocke · 3 months

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The first of hopefully many shorter fics this year to celebrate TPP's tenth anniversary! Which do you guys prefer though? Links like this or posting the chapters?

#twitch plays pokemon #Pokemon Scarlet #Tulio Zeta #2z #Nemona #Oh these dorks #Game glitches #Game crashes #Liminal Spaces #Anxiety

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storylocke · 5 months

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I am proud of my dumb daily recaps so come with me down memory lane as we prepare for our 10th anniversary next February. <3

#posting these in both my main and my side blog #because I can #its like 3 am #I do what I want #twitch plays pokemon #Original Red #bullet point recaps #Praise Helix

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storylocke · 5 months

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Alolan Dusk 17

[The day passed without much incident, which just made the numerous members of Aether all the more uneasy as they started to wrap up their operations. A tense sense of peace filled the air as citizens got through the final meetings and partings, watching planes take off, and loading up the remaining treasures of each household from the ferries to the cargo. Some of it had already been sorted, but others would stay snug in their crates until a new port appeared. The Conservation Area would soon be overflowing with Pokemon as it would be converted into a sort of park for the hundreds, if not thousands, of restless non-human passengers. But for now, it was a matter of making sure everyone and everything was accounted for; that there was no unfinished business left on the islands; and to see to it that all of those on board the Very Large Floating Structure got a good meal before settling out in the morning.

With all the bustle upstairs it's eerily quiet stepping into the secured sector below. It's not the first time Molayne had gotten to see it, Colress said they weren't meeting in his lab this time. If the room they were in the night before was through the middle doorway, the Elite is still muddled about which of the other three doors to go through now. He pulls out a note from the inner pocket of his coat. Left, it looked like. This room was definitely different from the first one with a long metal walkway and two lab units set apart from each other and seemingly floating as the rest of the room seemed far too large for only two rooms. As a testament to Aether's wonderous innovation, he gazes around the great open space to see that stacked along the walls by the door were dozens of similar box-like units that appeared to be interchangeable. It made sense for such a contained place as the man-made island that they should have ways to store everything from equipment to Pokemon to their own creations in separate parts of the vessel. And just how many of those had been filled with Shadows from Alola now? A glance over the railing shows a steep drop into the waters below. Likely real ocean water since he had heard they used it to generate electricity. He'd have a lot of exploring to do! ….Once this was all over, at least. For now, he could only assume the others were in one of the two active units waiting for him. A quick glance inside should tell him right away if he had found the meeting place at least. He opens the door to a darkened office space with a large window made to observe the connected, larger testing room. The test room being already lit up is enough to make him curious, but there's someone else here silhouetted by the contrast of the light.]

Molayne:

Burnet? [The woman turns around as he moves closer and he gives a little wave to show he didn't mean to startle her.] How long have you been here?

Burnet:

Not long, I guess, but it's easy to lose track of time. Do you know where we're meeting?

Moylane:

I think it's supposed to be down here, but I still have no idea where I'm going in this place. [His smile vanishes as he catches a glimpse of his old friend through the window. It shouldn't have surprised him to realize why she came here first, but his heart sinks into the pit of his stomach.] Great gods, we're not testing on Kukui, are we?

Burnet:

No. Lillie said it's something we have to see to understand, so I think he's safe. [Adds with an air of melancholy] Safe from us, anyway. [She turns back to the large window to peer at the Shadow, her eyes trailing him as he continues to pace along the parameter like a caged predator. Was he anxious and agitated about the night or because he was looking for a way out? Did he understand where he was or had that too been long forgotten in his shadowed mind? Softly] Is it always going to be like this? Night after night just waiting for something that's already occurred?

Molayne:

I don't think so. Maybe once we get away from the Beast, he'll be able to rest easy. We know other Shadows have gotten better with time, I'm sure he'll see you eventually.

Burnet:

[Weak smile to herself] I'm not sure I'm much better right now. Here I am in a new place, with all of you, and all I can do is wish I could go back and change something. About that night, about this week…

Molayne:

Even if you could, knowing what we know now, what else could you have done? The way I see it, if anything had gone differently, you wouldn't be here right now. Trust me, this is something I actually have experience with. [Holds out a hand to her] Come on, let's see if we can find our crew.

[Burnet agrees, and reluctantly starts to follow him to the door when there’s an abrupt, loud banging behind them. They both glance back to see the Shadow with his fists on the screen as his face twists into a snarl. After a pause he tries again with alternating punches for a rapid attack. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang! The barrier seems to rattle slightly but it leaves no mark.]

Molayne:

[Hand to his heart as that honestly scared him, but he should have known it was just Kukui.] Can he see us?

Burnet:

I… I don't know. But don't underestimate him. I lost a door that way.

Molayne:

R-right. But, um… The lab is much more secure than your apartment, so- [There's an audible change as the surrounding equipment starts to power down with a decreasing hum and the light in the testing room fades to black.] I'm going to regret saying that.

Burnet:

Shush. [She squeezes his hand tightly and strains her ears against the darkness. A low hum of renewed energy whirs on as the normally blue lights set in the white architecture returns with a cautionary orange hue to give a guiding glow.] I guess that's just the backup generator? [Another pause as she listens for Kukui. Strange to find some relief in the aggressive pounding as it meant he was still inside the other room. Her heart begins to race at a new sound.] What's that rumbling? There shouldn't be any thunder tonight, or at least I wouldn't think it could be heard down here.

Molayne:

[Doesn't let go as he leads over to the window near the desk. It doesn't view outside, but instead lets him peer into the cavernous room to see the second lab is… moving?] It may just be a security procedure, but it looks like the neighboring unit is being switched out. We should probably go before this place gets rotated somewhere.

Burnet:

[Uneasy as she looks up at him] What reason would it have to rotate units? There's no one here but us.

[As they step around the desk again, the door to the lab suddenly opens! But it's not one of their friends. A woman walks in, tall, pale, and all in black as her lavender hair spills over her shoulders in unbridled curls. Her slow gait makes it look as if she were floating. A ghost if the Elite he ever saw one.]

Molayne:

[His breathless shock only manages a whisper] Anabel…? [Drops Burnet's hand as he gravitates toward the vision of his wife. She turns to him sharply, clearly unaware of his presence before then, and quickly shifts into a defensive pose, causing him to freeze.]

Burnet:

[Stays back, but sternly warns him.] Careful, Mo…

Molayne:

[He knows the Shadow doesn't recognize him. He can see the hesitancy in Anabel's fearful stance as her eyes flit about the dimly lit room as though trying to assert where she is. He tries to approach her more slowly.] I don't know how you got out, but we need to get you back. Alright?

[The Shadow straightens up a moment and lowers her fists at the soothing tone. She's still wary though as he reaches for her while her hollow gaze reads him with a mix of scrutiny and trust. Just as he places a hand on her back to guide her, Anabel snaps into action, slipping under his arm to get behind him, and wraps an arm around his neck to bring him down to her height! Molayne is stunned from the abrupt turn, but she doesn't try to hurt him as he feels her free hand dive into his pockets to search for something. Burnet only sees the attack though and rushes forward to help him. Molayne recovers quickly though, straightening up from his hampered position to lift Anabel off the floor, grabbing her by her thieving hand, and leveraging himself to pull the startled agent around to throw her to the floor. A pang of guilt runs through him as he sees her face when she hits the tile, but instead of pain, the Shadow lets out a cry of righteous fury. Burnet pulls him away as she heads out the door before Anabel can spring to her feet.

There's no time to question how she got out as the two researchers exit to find the walkway is occupied by several more Shadows, all of whom are heading their way from the neighboring unit. As Burnet tries to dart for the corridor gateway, she runs smack into a man blocking their way, and falls back. He’d been moving with such speed himself he must have been running towards the lab from the other way. Molayne isn't surprised. Looker never was too far away when Anabel was on a mission, but it only confirms for the Elite that the escape isn't by chance. Anabel comes out of the lab to block the way back, leaving the intruders surrounded.]

Molayne:

[Whispers] Do you have anything that can guard?

Burnet:

[There's a hint to his voice that tells her he would only ask if he was planning something. She doesn't hesitate though as she tosses a ball in the air overhead.] Protect us, Tornadus!

[Above the walkway appears a large, green, bird-like Pokemon that holds its wings out wide as a thin, shimmering barrier forms over the pair in the center. The Shadows seem confused in the moment as they strike the wall, but it falls as quickly as it formed. Another Protect! It's good, but she knows it won't last forever.]

Burnet:

[While she doesn't want to hurt anyone, she doesn't want to find out what the crowd plans to do with them either. She backs up against Molayne, close enough to hear him muttering something under his breath in a rushed whisper, but they're running out of time.] Uproar!

[The avian lets out a screech that reverberates in the cavernous room, and Burnet covers her ears to watch in some mild satisfaction to see all of the Shadows stop their assault to do the same. She feels her friend flinch though and hopes the noise didn't break his concentration, but all he does is turn to grip onto her shoulders to bite through the pain. A second screech rings out and she faintly catches him saying "recall".]

Burnet:

Tornadus, come here!

[She holds out her arms to the creature as it lands defensively with a hard thud on the walkway to keep Looker away from her. It doesn't seem the Shadow has any intention of moving as the Legendary gives a haughty turn to let its Trainer put her arms around its neck. Anabel is fearless though as she shakes off the ringing in her ears and charges forward when suddenly all three of the targets vanish! It's quiet in the large room. Just the faint sound of panic from the other units still tucked away, the audible confusion of the young followers coming to check on the senior agents, and a distant rumble like thunder.]

=+=

[Lillie was beside herself and had no words or grief to show for it. On the one hand, she was happy to be informed and included after all once she learned about possibly the biggest decision Gladion had made yet without her. On the other hand, this was their mother they were talking about. Anything that could help her should be welcomed, and yet she found herself seething at the idea of Lusamine being locked away where not even they could reach her. It brought back to mind the argument from earlier. Mother hadn't been a real threat for at least a year now, but she could be with so many strangers on board. Just like Ilima was no threat to them, but he could be given enough time. And to return home to find Gladion went ahead with the move without asking her didn't have her in the best mood to face him again. Still, all they had were each other now, especially if they were to say goodbye to their mother… No, she had to comfort herself, it wasn't just them. Colress would be there, even if it was apparently his idea, but Molayne would be there too! And Burnet! Lillie knew her adopted mother had gone down early to have some quiet time, so maybe they could talk in private about what was about to happen. As the elevator came to a stop though, the only one in the main hub was Gladion.]

Lillie:

[Flushes a little red in annoyance] Oh. You're here early.

Gladion:

[Crosses arms as she approaches him] I just got here before you did. I guess we're both too anxious to wait for the proper time, huh?

Lillie:

[Eases up] Yes… [Looks around] I thought you were going to bring Guzma with you.

Gladion:

I offered, but you know how he is. As far as he's concerned, Mother left years ago and he'd rather leave it at that. Colress should be down here somewhere though. Probably has Molayne with him.

Lillie:

[Somehow that doesn't surprise her in either case.] Burnet told me she was going to go on ahead. I thought if we were here before everyone else, she and I could take a look at Ilima. Like we were planning to do when we arrived-

Gladion:

[Annoyed] I know. Lillie, we're not getting into this again here, are we?

Lillie:

I'm not mad, I'm just saying while we're down here, I still want her to have a look at him.

Gladion:

[Uh…huh…] I guess we might as well since we're already running a few tests tonight. [Looks at the middle corridor entrance as it opens to reveal Colress coming towards them at a brisk pace.] Are you ready for us to get started?

Colress:

[It's very strange to the siblings to see him appear somewhat distressed.] That might be difficult when we have a bit of an emergency on our hands.

Gladion:

Emergency? Like what?

Lillie:

Is it Mother?

Colress:

No. Come see for yourselves.

[Colress leads the way back, and Gladion can already see where they're going. He places a hand on Lillie's shoulder as they reach the room he had placed Ilima, preparing her for what he's sure they're about to see. Colress doesn't open the lab door though and, with great hesitation, the Aethers step forward to peer through the window on the door to see why.]

Gladion:

Wait… is that June?!

[Inside is a woman, a technician out of uniform and wandering the wrecked office portion. The door to the testing room is open, though the woman seems more desperate to try climbing the walls to try the other windows.]

Colress:

It seems our guest had a visitor tonight, since we know he couldn't have created a new Shadow on his own.

Gladion:

[Tears himself away from the window as his mind runs wild with a variety of possible scenarios] It doesn't make sense! How could Roark have gotten inside Aether Paradise? How could he have gotten down here?!

Colress:

I'm far less concerned right now with the "how" than I am with the "why". The important thing is either he or Ilima currently has an Employee uniform which means they're probably somewhere else in the building. Ms. Lillie, do you have a number for Professor Burnet? She needs to be on the alert and told not to come down here.

Lillie:

[With the rising panic, she's not sure who to be more afraid for, her friend or her family] She should already be down here, just probably in a different hall.

Gladion:

Then we better find her quick. Colress, can you call Molayne? I’m going to-

[Suddenly, the entire hall grows dark. All three stand perfectly still as they watch and listen closely for any other potential surprises, but after a few agonizing minutes, the emergency lights come on to guide the way out with a fiery glow. Gladion exhales his pent up breath, but it’s far from relief.]

Lillie:

[Hurries to the door, and after a few attempts, looks back at the other two.] The power isn't off, but it seems to be in lock down.

Gladion:

Great. Let’s hope then that Wicke is already on top of the situation.

Colress:

If we're lucky, she's the one who shut us down at the first signs of trouble. [Analyzes the door a moment before pulling up a Pokeball to unleash a Rotom. The little spritz of energy gives him a smile before slipping away into the panel.]

Gladion:

Hmph. If our "visitor" has somehow gotten to our controls, that at least means it’s not on this floor. We should be safe down here while we regroup.

=+=

[Burnet's mind is swimming as she opens her eyes. They were back inside the office of the lab, leaned up against the wall where she could look up to see the glow coming from the enclosure behind her. Did she faint? Was it a bad dream? She feels her hand get nudged as the large avian works its way under her arm to be close to her. Its head felt warm like a fever was trying to set in. She rolls her head to see Molayne seated beside her, but he just stares ahead and breathes deeply as though he couldn't get enough air. Definitely not a dream if they all had… something? But as she sits a moment more, then tries to push herself to her feet, all she can think is how quiet it is. Kukui had gone back to his earlier pacing, and she could see the lights through the window to the larger room.]

Burnet:

Mo, you okay?

Molayne:

[Hearing his name seemed to bring him out of his trance. Blinks up at her] What time is it?

Burnet:

[Odd to ask, but glances over at the digital clock by the desk] 22:25 according to Aether. [A bit of intrigue and fear as she's almost not sure she wants the answer.] Mo? What did you do?

Molayne:

[Checks his own watch and starts to scramble to his feet.] I can explain, but we need to get out of here.

[Burnet urges Tornadus to follow as they hurry out the door. The large room encompassing the smaller labs is still bright and gray with its thin blue lines of energy marking each unit. She doesn't want to look back, but for just a moment she dares to peek at the second unit where a figure stood. She doesn't see who, but has a dreadful feeling that she knows as the lights suddenly go off again.]

Molayne:

I was afraid of that. [Releases two flashes as a pair of Pokemon appear beside him.] Secure the path for us, old friend?

[The little Klefki gives a jingle and flies to the back of the group just as the orange glow starts to make its way along the foot lights. He doesn't need further instruction as he casts a Reflect screen while Molayne heads for the door with Magnezone. The lights also reveal that at the far end of the walkway now is Anabel. Burnet freezes as she can see the woman is looking straight at them, but decides to be patient as she waits for the new unit to lock in place, and goes inside.]

Burnet:

[Backing up to where Molayne is working] I don't want to rush you, but we're running out of time.

Molayne:

[Has the panel worked off to access the cables and watches the screen of a personal scanner as Magnezone steadily increases the voltage. They don't want to accidentally fry the system, but hearing the rising commotion behind him has him silently urging the core to cooperate with them.] We're almost there!

Klefki:

[The Shadow from before has returned and is heading their way. Sensing the urgency in the humans' voices, he spits out a dozen or so spikes over the area behind them and starts drifting back. Seems to be communicating with Tornadus.]

[Anabel isn't alone this time as Looker steps out of the lab as well. He doesn't follow though since his focus now turns to her previous job of switching out the units. Burnet watches with unease and wonder to how they coordinated, but with someone else ready to summon the others, Anabel starts to charge forward. Charging at least until the first spikes found her. As the Shadow reels back from the surprise pain, she pauses and crouches down as though to study the trap.]

Burnet:

They're coming this way!

Molayne:

[There's a sound! A click! The door swings open! His exuberance is short lived as he discovers on the other side is a steel covering to seal them in.] Are you kidding me?!

Burnet:

Talk to me, Mo! What happened now?!

Molayne:

[Feeling over the new barrier, he decides to recall Magnezone. Whistles for his other partner and Klefki goes straight to the door to see what's wrong.] If they had any sense of safety, there has to be a way to manually open it from this side. [As the little Fairy prods every possible indention in search of a lock, all he can do is wait.] You know how when you first came down, there were three paths. Two of them had doors and the third has some sort of security cover over it?

Burnet:

[Somehow pales in the fiery caution lights.] I don't want to hurt them, but if they get much closer…

Molayne:

Just stall as best as you can. Can you do that for me?

Burnet:

[Deep breath as she looks back for where their attackers are now. Anabel has wisened up and decided to climb onto the railing to slowly sidle her way over the spiked path. She mutters to herself in renewed determination and reaches into her bag] Best as we can. Tornadus! [Her partner snaps to attention and flaps off the ground to hear her plan.] Hold her off.

[She pulls out the Reveal Glass which starts emanating a blinding light. Tornadus also gets engulfed by the energy and the avian form starts to shift as though it were evolving before revealing an upright human-like figure on a cloud. Anabel freezes and holds onto the railing for dear life as though expecting some kind of attack. Further down, Looker has gained a handful of followers, but in the flash of light, he finds himself holding back the younger members from racing into the array of spikes. Klefki quickly draws in the remaining light to try shooting at the door! The moment passes and Tornadus flies over to Anabel to physically grab her. Despite her best effort to kick at the djinn so she can hang on, the powerful brute easily picks her up and casts a Protect to momentarily stun the other oncoming Shadows.]

Burnet:

[She can't help but notice even after the light fades, the mirror holds a golden glow in its reflection. It's not Tornadus though. Just as he stooped to pick up the woman, Burnet realized the blurred silhouette with the shimmering aura is Anabel. Somehow that doesn't seem good… Hears the Flash Cannon, and glances over her shoulder.] Any luck?

Molayne:

[Not even a scratch. Punches it himself in slight frustration, but the gate is definitely solid. He shouldn't be surprised considering it was designed to keep intruders out and possible monsters trapped within. Softly to himself] We couldn't go very far back, so something must have locked in the first time…. [Watches as a second Protect succeeds. Curious. The odds of that working just like before could just be coincidence, but those are odds worth taking.] Burnet! You have to attack!

Burnet:

[Confused] I HAVE to attack?!

Molayne:

Just like before!

Burnet:

[If he says so. Calls up] Tornadus, use Uproar!

[Molayne recalls Klefki and this time covers his ears as Burnet backs away from the field to lean up against the gate beside him. The raucous cry fills the room like a siren, not all that different from when Tornadus had been a bird. Many of the Shadows grab at their ears as the sound blast stops the group in their tracks again. Until the round ended at least. Burnet looks up to see that Anabel, being so close to the source of the attack, had fainted in the Pokemon's arms. Looker is also staring up at them, lost for what he could possibly do about it, but the younger, more aggressive underlings move passed to rush the intruders as though to avenge her.

With the Shadows making their move,Tornadus lowers to block the path again and lets out the second roar at the oncoming wave, and this time only a handful stagger back to their feet. Burnet clutches the Reveal Glass to her chest like a shield again, unsure what else to think when suddenly the wall behind them gives away and they tumble backward out the door! In the moment on the ground, Molayne and Burnet gaze up at a startled Colress and horrified Lillie staring back at them. The pair help them up without question though, and with the Shadows hot on their heels, they all run across the lab hub to where Gladion stands and waves them to another doorway. Burnet turns to recall her partner just in time to see Looker staying back in the other room. He isn't as fast as the others, but as Tornadus disappears and Anabel slips to the floor to crash into some of the underlings, it seems it doesn't matter. The last she sees of the senior officer, he's more preoccupied with tending to his team as the steel cover snaps shut. The chase is forgotten for now.]

Burnet:

[A wave of emotions courses through her, as Gladion secures the inner door. The wash of relief at being saved. The quiet aftermath as her ears still ring from the cries of her partner mixed with the howls of the wounded Shadows. The rush of panic and adrenaline that causes her whole body to shake as she tries to catch her breath. The rising anger as she clutches the mirror to her chest and glares daggers at their seemingly unconcerned project leader. Steps passed Lillie to confront him even as she feels the girl's light attempt to hold her back] You have a lot of nerve, Colress! [Points at the hall behind her now] Is this some kind of game to you?!

Colress:

[Intrigued] Me?

Molayne:

Who else? [Still trying to recoup some energy as he addresses Colress, though a little less angry than Burnet] When we met the other day, you wanted to push me to a point where I would be more open about my capabilities. You even said you wanted to make sure I wouldn't choke in the moment if I had to confront Necrozma with others around. Today, you tell us you want us to meet for a test run involving our artifacts. And somehow you expect us to believe that only once Burnet and I were alone, there just "happened" to be a blackout that just "happened" to have us trapped with half a dozen Shadows? [He can see the man is thinking how to respond, but his tone turns bitter as he makes his point clear.*] You mean to tell me that of all the Shadows gathered here in the last few days, I got directly attacked by Anabel, MY ANABEL, by… by chance?!

Colress:

[Still curious, but now there’s a deeper concern as he reaffirms] The Shadow Anabel…? By chance? No. I was down the hall in another lab, dealing with a Shadow problem of our own.

Lillie:

[Nervously keeping her voice down and urgently tries to reason with them] Colress wouldn't have anything to do with the Shadows. He was with us when the lockdown occurred!

Gladion:

[Coldly] What would be the point of hosting a trial in there? Even if he did want to put you through hell, we can't see anything from here to analyze it. How do we know you didn't mess up something since you're not even supposed to have access to that room in the first place?

Burnet:

[Spins on her heels to face him] Lillie gave me access because she and I were going to take a look at Ilima. I thought he'd be with the other Shadows.

Molayne:

I've had Colress' card since I first got here. [Pulls out both the Admin ID and the note from earlier to hand to him] And I was told to go there, so why wouldn't I be there?

Gladion:

[Frustrated] You two are the last people I would expect to need a babysitter! [Stares at the paper] This isn't even his handwriting!

Colress:

[Quickly snatches the note from him and starts to walk off.]

Lillie:

[Annoyed] Gladion, don't even start.

Gladion:

On what? What am I supposed to think when you four are all making plans behind my back, and it just “so happens” that when you all gather up here, everything falls apart?!

Molayne:

[Pretty sure the young man is mocking him, but fighting the urge to bite back] Now hold up a minute, we're the ones who keep getting left in the dark! You and Colress made the arrangements about a trial this morning without me. You made arrangements about Ilima without Burnet. I assume you told Lillie what's happening since you all came together, but we were left with some vague instructions about only finding out once we got here, and now you're getting mad about US for not following?!

Lillie:

[Just hands over her ears. The shouting is making her VERY anxious]

Colress:

[Checking the monitor on his wrist, he pauses as he looks at something else on his screen. Raises his voice to catch their attention] Can I point out something?

All Three:

[Annoyed with rising suspicion as they all turn to see him some feet away from the rest of them now.] WHAT?!

Colress: [He shuts the lid on his sleeve and places a finger to his lips.] Shhhh…. [Gestures above them] You're going to wake her.

~~~~~~~~~

A/N: And with that, we are all caught up with the story written so far! And what a doozy to end on since this is probably one of the longest chapter I've ever written. Hang on, gang, we're almost there!

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#twitch plays pokemon #alolan dusk #horror #mystery #story #professor burnet #colress #lillie aether #gladion aether #molayne lillie

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storylocke · 5 months

Text

Alolan Dusk 16

[The man made island was always a madhouse first thing in the morning, and there’s a buzz in the air as dozens of Foundation Employees all try to make their way to their stations for the day. Even if the president hadn't told them of the details from the night before, it’s clear that speed is on their minds. But not everyone is off and running, and it's amusing to Guzma then how easy it still is to spot Molayne in the rush of white uniforms.]

Guzma:

[And yet, the guy still wasn't alone. Casually walks up to the pair of researchers] Morning. Where are you two off to?

Molayne:

[Surprisingly chipper] Good morning~! Did you sleep well?

Guzma:

[As if his friend didn't notice.] Better than him. Colress? You alive there?

Colress:

[Yawns as he leans against the wall and nods at him] I'll be alright, just… Discovering even I have limits.

Molayne:

[Motions for Guzma to lean in close and keeps his voice low] We ended up working late last night, and I was able to show him some of my… hidden talent. You know clock manipulation is always a little disorienting. I don't think he's caught up yet.

Guzma:

[Crosses his arms and shakes his head at him. Softly] Yeah, I remember the first time ya did it to us, we were all wound up for like a week.

Molayne:

[Harshly] That one was an accident. It was more like, uh… a defense mechanism.

Colress:

[Perks up a bit in curiosity. Even if they are trying to be secretive about it, he takes a guess.] Hold on. Guzma knows you…?

Molayne:

[Straightens up, speaking more normally] Yes. Guzma and Kukui did their trials the same year I did, so we've known each other a long time. I wouldn't say we've always been friends, but he's been kind enough to not spill my secrets.

Guzma:

And find out what you could do if you were actually mad at me? I ain't touching that! Besides, we had other stuff going on. [Smiles as he sees Colress is dozing off on them again] Tell the truth, how far did you go?

Molayne:

I think I bought us another six hours last night? But I would estimate that made for a twenty two hour work day for him yesterday?

Colress:

You guessed wrong. It's been much longer than that!

Guzma:

Hehehe… He's gonna be so dead at that meeting then.

Molayne:

[Alarmed] Meeting? What meeting?

Guzma:

Ah, he didn't tell ya? I just came from Gladion's office, but he told me to go on ahead with the others and he'll meet me in Po Town. Said he needed to stay here so he could discuss some things with Colress about whatever it is you two are up to.

Molayne:

[Frowns] If that's the case, I should probably go too.

Colress:

I appreciate the offer, Mr. Lillie, but didn't you promise Professor Burnet something? [Waves him off] The meeting is not until nine, and I can still try to get an hour's rest before then.

Guzma:

[Amused] Yeah, you heard the man. Just dump him in one of the offices, and he'll be fine.

Molayne:

[Sighs, but they both have a point]

Guzma:

[Slaps him on the back] Cheer up, Mo. The cafe should be clearing out by now, so why don't we get you guys some Komala Coffee, and then you can decide which way you're going?

Colress:

In a moment, but what have we here?

[The other two turn to see what he means and find some of their coworkers had started gathering where the path widened to go around the elevator.]

Faba:

It seems Ilima will be able to come off the support sometime today.

Lillie:

[Nervously] That's wonderful, but I'd rather discuss that in private.

Faba:

With everyone about to leave, when I see you? And it's not a secret when- [A look of intrigue at her companions, but feigns surprise] I mean, considering how much you two have been in contact since we arrived, I thought the professor would have been the first to be informed on our guest's conditions.

Burnet:

[Frowns] Quips and I were just happy to hear Ilima reached you after the attack, I just thought…. I hoped he wasn't at dinner with us because he would have gone back to the Interpol Headquarters. I wouldn't blame him for lying low after nearly getting killed back there for just delivering the message.

Wicke:

I'm afraid not. You wouldn't have seen him because he's been in the hospital wing since he arrived.

Faba:

Yes, and we'll need the hospital wing for other passengers soon enough. It's been suggested, given the circumstances of how and when he came to us, that he be moved for safer observation.

Guzma:

Are you for real?

Faba:

Gah! [Slight jump as he moves next to Wicke] I wish you wouldn't sneak up on everyone like that.

Colress:

Is it really "sneaking" when you choose to hold your discussions in the middle of a walkway?

Lillie:

Exactly. I'm sure you mean well, but I wasn't planning to discuss this with the others until we knew Ilima's condition for sure. [The shakiness in voice only increases as she gazes down the hall again.] With all due respect, Mr. Faba, I need to attend to something. Wicke? It sounds like you have some new information to go over, would you mind going with the others to sort things out? Gladion and I will meet with you all later.

Wicke:

Of course. [Gives a little bow to the girl and watches her leave before turning to the ex-chief.] She is right, you know. Unless there was something more urgent you needed to tell us?

Faba:

[No need to hide his hostility between them.] Only urgent to me. But as the young mistress says, we have other things to attend to. [Hands on his hips as he looks at the three who interrupted them] I don't suppose you have anything better to do right now?

Colress:

Always! But she did tell us to go with you.

Wicke:

[Gestures to quiet the group before these two can get started] Then I suggest we all get to our business. Burnet, Molayne, you're going with Lillie to Akala, correct? I'm sure she can explain more on the ferry.

Guzma:

[Holds himself open. What gives?]

Wicke:

You can ask Gladion when he arrives. And remember, as per the young mistress's wishes, try not to start rumors until we know anything for sure.

[There comes a muddled murmur of agreement, and the team starts to break up again.]

=+=

[Burnet was right to say it wouldn't take long to pack up what remains of the Dimensional Research Lab. As a handful of Employees help to pack and haul out dollies of boxes, Wicke observes it all through the large central screen and categorizes each item in the Aether inventory before seeing it packed away.]

Burnet:

[They're more or less done now!] Thanks, guys. It's SO MUCH easier having a direct line to Aether now to know what we actually need to take instead of grabbing everything. It's still going to be weird working with my old teacher again.

Lillie:

[Pleasantly surprised] I thought when you said you knew each other in college, you meant as classmates!

Burnet:

I think the original Dreamyard has been gone since before I was born.

Molayne:

[Wrapping up a spool of cords] I could see that. I think the Chief was working with your grandmother when I first visited Aether as a boy. [Nervously at the screen] I mean no offense.

Wicke:

None taken. [Vainly brushes her bangs from her face.] A rare benefit of Outsider corruption, you could say. But unlike a few others I've known, I've found the best way to not dwell on the long years is to keep moving forward.

Lillie:

[Growing concern] Others…?

Wicke:

It's more common than you think. You'll meet them some day, I'm sure. Hold on. [Looks over at someone off screen and steps aside while the other three continue looking over the equipment. Returns.] Sorry about that. It seems Colress will be heading to Melemele, so he wanted me to pass a message on to you three: Get some rest when you get back, you'll be doing a test run tonight. No time set yet, further instructions will be given.

Molayne:

[Now he's the one concerned] Test run…?

Burnet:

You said that's for all of us? What am I testing?

Wicke:

[Shrug] He's gone now, so I'm not sure. But given the subject of our plans last night, he likely means for you to demonstrate the Reveal Glass to the others.

Burnet:

I was afraid of that. I guess I could showcase one of my partners…[Goes to her desk where she had hidden the unusual object while working and peers into the looking glass. She should heed her own warning about using it too much, but all she sees looking back this time is herself. A bruised, sleep deprived version of herself with tear stains deeply marked. She wonders then if it was so obvious to everyone who saw her.] I don't know if I can do this.

Wicke:

If all we need is to use the mirror on Necrozma, one of us could do it instead. [Thoughtful] And we can still test it on other things in the meantime.

Molayne:

Like what?

Wicke:

Perhaps as a sort of detection device. One of the things Aether hasn't figured out yet is how to tell a Shadow Pokemon apart from a regular Pokemon until we have time to analyze its aggressive behavior. I heard Alola hasn't fared much better.

Burnet:

[Hesitates] We can try it. But once we put some distance between Aether and Alola, we really should hide it again.

Wicke:

[Sly grin] Aww, even from me?

Burnet:

[Bluntly] Especially from you!

Lillie:

Well if you don't mind… [Shifts uncomfortably as she debates on asking] Would it be alright to use it for… something similar?

Everyone:

[Look at her with curiosity and uncertainty]

Lillie:

Shadow people, I mean. [Saddened as she focuses on Burnet] I was wondering if it might be possible to use the Reveal Glass on Ilima.

Wicke:

Miss Lillie, you were supposed to-

Lillie:

I did, but all I told them was about the message and the ship and… Gladion and I were somewhat arguing about it after I found out the plan this morning, and I wasn't sure about asking yet. [Turns to address the other two] Gladion wants him moved because, if he's a Shadow, and we've long suspected he is, we don't want him to wake up and go on a rampage with other patients around. But even if his wounds have been healing and he's reported to be stable, I just don't feel like it's a good idea to move him right now. [Little nod to Burnet] I told Gladion to at least wait until I could talk more with you since you said the mirror could tell us for sure if he's any kind of threat instead of us just guessing like we have been.

Molayne:

[Thoughtful] You said the mirror can cause a form change, maybe show how things really are… [Softly] but does it do anything to the Shadows?

Burnet:

[Shakes head] It's only certain Pokemon that change, but I admit I was curious and tried it on Kukui since I was holding this in case Roark came back. The reflection… [Curls into herself] Just a misty, black silhouette of who he was. With how blank the Shadows seem to be, I'm sure it's some indication of what he remembers about himself right now.

Lillie:

Hmm… That might change as he calms down, like we've seen with the others. I guess if we try it out tonight, we can see if there's any variation between the Shadows. If nothing else, we just need some obvious difference with Ilima to confirm his state of being.

Burnet:

When it sounds like the situation is so dire, how could I say no? We'll see what we can do when we settle in for tonight.

=+=

[With all of the willing Shadows already taken out of town, the plan had shifted to Lillie's suggestion of having to wait for the more fearful to get curious of their visitors. Gladion decided the best place to stay out of the way as he answered for earlier was for him and Guzma to head to the roof where they could oversee the rest of the town]

Gladion:

She said she understands the need for precautions, but I don't think she gets the urgency of doing it as soon as we can. I don't want to call Lillie out for caring too much, I just feel like her personal ties might be causing some poor judgment. She's pretty fond of him.

Guzma:

[Voice dripping with sarcasm] Of course she is, that's part of the problem. Everyone loves Ilima. Melemele's golden boy.

Gladion:

[Pauses as he stops to do the math] You would have moved off the island by the time he was born. What's your problem?

Guzma:

Ya want a list? The only thing I need to know is what happens when Detective Gumshoos wakes up? Is he along for the ride or getting shipped back to HQ? Because Burnet was pretty sure he had already left until this morning.

Gladion:

[Feels kinda bad to admit it] The conflict right now is we're not sure he will. I want to have him moved downstairs before he wakes up, so we don't have a new Shadow on the rampage. She's worried if we do anything before he's had the chance to fully recover, it'll only make his condition worse. If I guess wrong, there's a chance he could be unconscious indefinitely, but if we do it her way, he may need to be kept under intentionally until we have some kind of breakthrough.

Guzma:

[More curious than concerned.] Wait, so he's not a Shadow? I thought you guys were keeping him under so he didn't run off.

Gladion:

I'm more than sure he is, but it's not just that. He… I drove out to the Interpol cruiser and we found him inside not far from the wheel. The door was broken, [forms his fingers to mimic the claw marks] there were these huge gashes along the inside, and… a lot of blood. [Closes his eyes to fight against the memory of it. The scene had weighed heavily on him ever since he saw the video] A lot of blood. I'm no medical person, but if it was me, I would have said he was dead. Even getting him into the ward, I didn't think he'd have long. It's still some miracle he survived in his state for likely over a day since he had no way to address his injuries while unconscious. Ilima isn't just recovering, he might somehow be fully functional after all this.

Guzma:

[Wry amusement] Except you don't believe in miracles.

Gladion:

Exactly. There's something that's been bugging me about the whole thing. [Drops his head in thought] I can only assume one of two things: either Shadowfication causes a victim to be locked in a sort of stasis so he couldn't get any worse; but if that were the case, I'm not sure how he was able to get better either; or there's something else sustaining him. And if it's the latter, I'm scared Necrozma may have wanted us to find him.

Guzma:

So you're worried he's a Voltorb?

Gladion:

[Softly nods] The more I try to think about it, the less it makes sense. If Necrozma fed off of his aura for the energy like any other Shadow, why leave him there? Why not blast the ship like it did to the lab to ensure there was no possible way for Ilima to do any more damage? Why not stay on the boat to reach Aether and stop us before we could even begin the evacuation? That's why it tried to kill Kukui and Ilima before was because it wanted to stop the messenger, right? And even if it didn't know Ilima had set the autopilot to find us, why leave a Shadow adrift at sea? [Concerned as he looks at his old boss] I just feel like I've been on thin ice with Lillie for a while now, but after seeing the damage on the boat, the ending of Ilima's message keeps haunting me. [Moves to face Guzma] Just before Ilima was cut off, he taunted Necrozma about failing, but it just started laughing. With this being before we arrived, I just… it's plotting something. I'm sure of it. Am I just getting paranoid or does this make any sense?

Guzma:

I think you've got every reason to be. [Even with Gladion venting to him, he can't help but gaze down the main road where a young Shadow slips out from around one the hedges. Seems the girl is intrigued by the Yungoose one of the Employees had let out.] That just opens a bunch of other questions. Y'know, like… why create Shadows at all? What's the point of them? It's one thing If we could just say that's just Necrozma's nature, that all it wants is to survive, and these shells are just some by-product. But that would still mean they're supposed to play a role in the natural hierarchy, right? Like Shedinja. In the wild, they can't do much, but they make great decoys so the new Ninjask don't get eaten.

Gladion:

[Curious] So what do you think it is? A decoy?

Guzma:

I couldn't sleep last night, so I looked into that "Shadow Incident" Dexio mentioned. [Shifts awkwardly] It's some crazy stuff, the way those Cipher guys got Shadowfication down to an art and were just handing them out on the streets. It was like shoving an Outsider into a vessel and then that just seemed to attract bigger Outsiders, which they used to make more dangerous Shadows. The scary thing is, the only way they were able to pull this mass capture off was because Outsiders are dangerous but they're still pretty social. A lot like the Shadows. [Gestures to the show they're watching in action] You've seen it yourself: the ones that have gotten to know me, will pretty much do what I say. And in the reports, Shadow Pokemon might turn on their Trainers, but Cipher never had that problem. Maybe because they're the ones who made them. But even if ours are supposed to be different, ya gotta ask: can Necrozma do the same? If the Shadows belong to it, maybe it wouldn't have to waste any energy possessing people if it can just command them.

Gladion:

[Thoughtful] And I bet something obsessed with consuming energy wouldn't like anything that requires it to spend more. But if it was building up a sort of army, why hasn't it utilized it? I would think the Shadows would have attacked us long before we could put them in lockdown.

Guzma:

[Shrugs] And maybe that just means I'll be paranoid with ya. [He points out the girl and the Yungoos playing around as the Preschooler mimics the Pokemon. The Employee moves closer, likely preparing to nab the child if he can.] Heh…. That ain't gonna end well.

[Gladion watches intensely as the girl manages to avoid being grabbed, and shakes his head at the man as he told them not to use force. Suddenly, the girl becomes like a true shadow herself as her body seems to radiate with black energy and she lunges at the man with a speed that causes the energy to trail behind her in a blur! The Yungoos jumps in front to defend its' Trainer and recoils from the hit. It appears dazed from the blow, but before the girl can do much, a second Employee comes up from behind to scoop her off the pavement.]

Guzma:

Looks like we better go help 'em.

Gladion:

[Still staring down at the scene, he catches Guzma before he can walk away. Disturbed.] Isn't that black aura like what Burnet described happened with Kukui?

Guzma:

Yeah. Why?

Gladion:

[Flustered how he can say that so calmly] Because none of those we've been working with have ever done that?

Guzma:

Of course not. It just started a few weeks ago. New Shadows have been showing up with weird abilities now. It's like they're evolving. Which is why I'm on your side in thinking moving Ilima would be smart. If he became a Shadow the same night Kukui did, odds are he can do something like that too.

Gladion:

[As the former Boss takes off, he lingers behind for a moment and watches the commotion on the street as the second Employee struggles. The little girl appears to be trying to climb out of his arms and onto his shoulder. Softly to himself.] Evolving…?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Just some downtime as the day moves on. Surely nothing important here. :)

Archive

#skull boss guzma #molayne #Colress #lillie aether #wicke pokemon #faba pokemon #gladion aether #mystery #horror #story #alolan dusk #twitch plays pokemon

0 notes

storylocke · 5 months

Text

Alolan Dusk 15

[The group finishes up and each heads for the door where they start splitting off to their evening adventures. Gladion catches Colress before he leaves.]

Gladion:

Hey. You still didn't answer my question.

Colress:

[Feigns innocence] And which one was that? My report? Faba was taking so long, I didn't have a chance once Miss Lillie arrived.

Gladion:

[Okay, fair. Still crosses his arms to show his disapproval] We have time now, unless there's something you don't want to tell me. Considering you presented him as your guest, I’m assuming you and Molayne have a plan you're working on. You still haven't mentioned anything to me. And dangerous as the possible confrontation with Necrozma could be, I don't like the idea of you pulling some stunt at the last minute.

Colress:

"Stunt"? I have my projects, and I do love pushing myself and others to their full potential, but everything I do is a calculated risk. [There's a short pause as he seems to be studying the young leader even now.] I'm sure you've heard plenty of stories when you were growing up, but did it ever occur to you that Lusamine might have been the one in the wrong when I originally left?

Gladion:

You mean kicked out? At this point, I'm talking from personal experience.

Colress:

[Appears genuinley hurt by the implication] And in these past few years, have I been anything short of a friend and confidant since your mother has been out of commission?

Gladion:

[Slightly turns away and habitually hides his face] You're trying to change the subject again. No weird gizmos, no complex domino chain, just tell me what's going on before you decide to jump in to show off.

Colress:

[Wry amusement. Now who was the one dodging questions?] I should hope by now you'd realize that if I was going to do something with your involvement, you'd be the first to know. I simply hadn't brought it up to you yet because it's an incomplete study that may not even work. And before I could even start testing, I needed to meet with Mr. Lillie for confirmation on our cooperation since we'll need a special skill set he has. Knowledge and abilities you unfortunately can't assist with this time. Now with the added resources of our other allies at our disposal, we might make some rapid progress! But with only a prototype that hasn't been activated, I wouldn't want to create a sense of false hope here. If all goes well, I will tell you first thing in the morning that we have a viable option.

Gladion:

[Sighs as he eases up] So long story short, you want me to just… trust you on this?

Colress:

[Warmly] A mysterious and difficult concept for the Aethers, I know. [Holds the door for him to encourage him to go] Get some rest, Mr. President. As someone who studies these things, I think it's safe to say you've reached your limit for today.

Gladion:

[Feels more like he's the one getting dismissed now. Yet, as tired as he is, he feels the man might be right.] I'll try. If only so I don't bite someone's head off tomorrow. [Pauses as he passes to affirm they're on the same page] My office, first thing tomorrow. And I want physical notes on this, got it?

Colress:

First thing.

=+=

Guzma:

[As he leaves the mansion alone, he’s surprised to see Quips come outside afterward. Slides his hands in his pockets with wry amusement] Isn’t your place upstairs?

Quips:

Yes, but I thought I might go for a walk to clear my head. Would you mind coming with me?

Guzma:

I don’t mind, but I’m not really in a conversing mood, y’know?

Quips:

Fair enough.

[They make their way back toward the main building, but despite walking together, the pair cross the bridge in silence as each is lost in his own thoughts.]

Quips:

[Glances over at his companion and decides he should say something, but he feels a bit guilty about it.] I found out from Wicke that they genuinely weren't expecting to find you when they arrived.

Guzma:

[Not where he thought the Kahuna’s focus would be after everything they’d talked about at the mansion, but he’s not surprised to hear that. Softly] Lemme guess, that means I don't get a room?

Quips:

[He could say that…] There's plenty of room for everyone if you don't mind sharing one of the staff quarters with the other refugees, we just didn't have one assigned to you. I only mention it because I had them put your stuff from Iki Town in my quarters if you might be looking for anything.

Guzma:

[Stops short] What the hell? You took all my stuff?

Quips:

[Somehow he should have expected he’d be mad, but the reaction is enough to laugh] It was in my house. It's not like you have much anyway.

Guzma:

[Hands on his hips with a frown] Yeah, you're real funny, old man. Who even said I was going?

Quips:

You are, aren't you?

Guzma:

I am now, but until dinner, you didn't know that.

Quips:

[Grows sad as he realizes the old Skull Boss is being serious. Straightens up] You think I would have given you a choice?

Guzma:

[Simply lets out all his pent up steam as his eyes narrow.]

Quips:

[Stares back with the deepest concern] You're a grown man, you don't have to tell me. But with your history and your reasons, I cannot in good faith let you make that decision. We're all leaving, whether we like it or not, and I’m making sure we’re not leaving without you.

Guzma:

…Look, I just had this talk with Gladion today, I don't need another lecture from you. What's it matter now when I already said I'd go? [Crosses his arms] Just mad you didn't ask, is all.

Quips:

[That he can understand.] Forgive me then. Next time I will, that way I can give you the "what and for" beforehand. [See, that got Guzma to lighten up a bit. They go back to walking at a more casual stroll now, and Quips finds himself gazing at the stars overhead.] Guzma. I know we've all been worried about Burnet, but you've been in quite a mood this evening. Are you sure you're alright?

Guzma:

[Confused] Me? I'm fine. I'm perfect. Just look at me.

Quips:

I am. Where is your jacket?

Guzma:

[Flustered] First Mo, now you- [Ruffles his hair] Ya’ll act like you've never seen me without it!

Quips:

[A bit smug as clearly the man is not "fine" but he patiently waits for an answer]

Guzma:

I left it at Burnet's place. We were in a hurry and I'll go back in the morning.

Quips:

You mean you lost it while dealing with Kukui.

[They reach the large entryway but don't go inside just yet. Instead, Quips steps into the side area so they won't be in the pathway.]

Guzma:

So what if I did? [Confused where the old man is going and follows him to the wall.] It's not that big a deal.

Quips:

It's not about the jacket, Guzma, it's about you. [Thinks for a moment how to express his concern] I’ve known you and Kukui your whole lives, and it warmed my heart to see you two attempting to rekindle that friendship once you got away from Team Skull. And even with both of you having such wild adventures on your separate paths, there are just some people you can never imagine would have their luck run out. People who brought so much light to the world, it feels like there’s a hole there without them. I’ve lost a few like that… You've been acting strange since we first got the news, and I understand it hits harder when it's someone you're close to-

Guzma:

It ain't just that... [Realizing they could be here a while, he leans up against the wall to address him.] It's not like it's never crossed my mind before. Given how many we’ve lost in the past five years, we knew we were playing with fire. And I've made peace with the fact that my time might come at any point. What then? What do I care if I get taken? Like facing death. I thought about it so many times, ever since I was a kid… If nothing else, what can hurt me then? And if instead I become a Shadow, so what? I won't know much at that point. Just darkness and aimlessness. But… Gladion tried to paint a picture for me of how bad it would be for the rest of ya if I did. I can be a royal pain on my own time. I wouldn't want to cause you guys any trouble.

Quips:

And then Kukui?

Guzma:

[Softly] Yeah. Not just him, but seeing how distraught Burnie was today, it just really sunk in, y'know?

Quips:

[Nods] I'm happy Gladion was able to talk some sense into you then.

Guzma:

Only after he tried to knock it into me first. [Readjusts himself against the wall as he gazes back across the bridge at the mansion all lit up. Shakes his head.] Sitting through dinner tonight with all of these high class, educated folks… I don't think I belong here. Next to me was an empty seat. You know who SHOULD have been there tonight?

Quips:

I know. Since Kukui had been after this monster for years, it felt weird for us to finally meet in person to discuss everything we know, and have the one leading the charge to not be in the room. Of course, I’m not sure if he’d be proud of us, or angry to hear us planning to go after it directly. Especially with Burnet getting involved-

Guzma:

IT’S NOT FAIR! [He doesn't mean to yell at the Kahuna but he just can't hold it back. The anger reaches a boiling point as he grabs his hair in both hands, trying to shake the memory of it] I haven't felt like this since I was a kid! Just, just… Angry! And scared! And useless! And after all this time, we STILL can't do anything about it! [Snaps his focus on Quips as he clenches his fist.] And I don't care what Burnet said, I swear to Skull, the only reason Kukui didn't get attacked sooner for all his meddling is because Roark cared about him and Necrozma knows it! It knows, and will choose who and where and when because all those touched by the light of Alola are part of its turf now! I mean, am I crazy?! [He takes a moment to breathe but he can see Quips is about to say something. Points at him accusingly] Don't answer that! [starts to cool down] Just… [slams his fist on the wall in a light rapid punch.] I got destroyed the last time I faced Necrozma. Okay? I've seen first hand what this thing does to people when they become Shadows. I know what'll happen if I lose this time, but even after today-- after the stuff with Gladion and Burnet, and that freak proving it could get me if it wanted to by breaking into my home--[adds quickly] after seeing what it did to Kukui at the Pokemon Lab!-- and I still… All I can think about is how I wanna crush that Outsider's shiny prism face into the dust when I know I CAN'T! How stupid is that?!

Quips:

[It's been a while since he's had to deal with one of these little meltdowns, but the outpouring is still so much more than he was expecting. Keeps his voice level as he tries to calm him down] I don't think that's stupid at all. In a way, we all wish we could do the same after everyone Necrozma has taken from us. You'll get your chance.

Guzma:

What? To fail again?!

Quips:

Only if we all do. [Gentle smile] If we do this right, then next time you'll have all of us there at your side. But for now, the best thing you can do to help our friends is to do all that we can. [He can see the man is thinking, but he looks doubtful. There’s a long silence between them again, as he places a hand on his back and just lets him breathe until he seems calm again.] Are we good?

Guzma:

I guess… Why, you wanna leave?

Quips:

I’m in no hurry on a night like this. [Again, he turns his gaze to the stars. It really was a beautiful night, despite the dampened mood of the evening. He half thought he would have recieved some sarcastic retort, but he glances back to see Guzma is also stargazing with a look of uneasiness. The old man turns to him with a warm, paternal tone] You know… I understand they wanted to be nice because I'm a Kahuna, but they really gave me too much space for one person. It’s practically a small apartment. Why don't you stay at my place tonight? I'm sure they'll have a room for you by the time we get sailing.

Guzma:

[Sourly] Might as well when you've got all my stuff. Ya sure you're not just saying that to keep an eye on me?

Quips:

[Soft chuckle] Maybe that too. Come on. If it's alright with you, I'd like to hear what else happened today.

=+=

[Molayne enters his designated quarters, but it will definitely take some time to make it feel like home. Gazing over the bare white walls lined with boxes from the move, he notices that several of them had already been opened. A strange little chime draws his focus away from the mess as a little Beldum flies over to start circling him. At least some things never change. A little squeak nearby reveals a Stuffle running over to investigate.]

Molayne:

[Kneels down to pet her.] Hello there~ Are the other two asleep?

Olivia:

At least one of us is. How'd everything go?

Molayne:

Ah. [Rises up to meet her as she comes over.] I'd like to say you didn't miss much, but I've definitely got some news to share with you.

Olivia:

Not good news, I'd think, or you would have said so. [Bends down to pick up the tiny bear and cradles her like a cat in her arms. Gently strokes her]

Molayne:

I hope Ana didn't give you too much grief. I thought if she and I could have worked on settling in together, it would make the transition easier.

Olivia:

[Waves him off] Oh, don’t be silly. She's an absolute gem. Honestly, I think the kids are handling this better than the adults are. Maybe because for her it's all new and exciting. In fact, the first thing we did when we got here was check out every corner of the place to see what all features it had. Then when I told her which room was going to be hers, she immediately wanted to find a place for her toys. [Gestures at the open boxes] You can see we've been busy looking for all of the ones labeled as her stuff, but we had fun. Got to decorate a little, but most of the evening was spent getting distracted by her dolls.

Molayne:

[Soft laugh] That doesn't surprise me. Mind if I check on her?

[He slips by and gently opens the door to peer into his daughter's bedroom and make sure she's actually asleep. No bed found yet from the looks of it, but for Anabel, that didn't seem to matter. All of her bedding is laid out on the floor like a cushioned mat and a Jirachi doll has become a pillow. Other toys littered the floor around her as the nearby lamp cast the room in a shade of pink. Poor thing must have wore herself out. It makes him smile to see her sleeping so soundly as one of his biggest concerns had been that she might be overwhelmed after being brought to such a big and strange place like the Aether Paradise. He had hoped to tell her where he was going, but for Olivia's sake, it seemed better to not disturb the girl as long as possible.]

Olivia:

[A sofa had been discovered and set up in the main area at least. She waits for him to close the door so she can keep her voice low.] You look pretty serious tonight. Plan to tell me what's up?

=+=

[Now that they're in the privacy of his cramped quarters, Faba quickly shuts the door and locks it.]

Faba:

[Glaring daggers at Dexio's back] I hope you have a good reason for exposing me like that.

Dexio:

[Almost amused] Only if you can explain how you can work at a company for over fifteen years and never tell your co-workers you have a family. And I wouldn’t say I exposed you to anything since most of them were asking questions about me.

Faba:

You know what I mean. You see what I have to put up with, and instead of painting me in a better light, you joined them in mocking me!

Dexio:

[Hops up on a barstool and leans back against the counter] How can you call it mocking when I told them the honest truth. At least from where I stand with you. Don't get me wrong, when I saw you on Poni Island, I was happy to see you. And I do want to rebuild my relationships with the family, but that doesn't mean I have to trust any of you while trying to uncover what's real about you all and what's just been rumors and reports I've found over the years. Heck, after what you did here, you're lucky Colress didn't ship you off with your friends to some terrible other reality instead of Aether just downgrading your position.

Faba:

[Still fuming, but takes this into consideration] Is this stark distrust because of my reputation or should I blame Augustine for that too?

Dexio:

[Pauses to think about it. A bit saddened] A little of both, I think. I know everyone in my group that I've talked to has had some serious second-guessings when it comes to trusting people outside of the DoK. Between our parents, for those who had them, the Gym Leaders being part of this greater conspiracy with Team Flare, and my personal idol being the professor, could you blame me for being a little hesitant with my alliances now?

Faba:

[Frowns] You never mentioned in your letters you were so unhappy.

Dexio:

Because I wasn't. Confused and mystified, maybe, but I had no idea I was just another pawn in the game. My friend, Sina, was another recruit, but she grew suspicious of things first. I didn’t really believe her at first, and only started to realize how wrong everything felt when the plan was being put into action. We didn't even know who among the other students we could trust, so Sina and I started going in disguise to investigate things on our own. If it turned out we were wrong, and Team Flare traced us back to the professor… Well, I guess none of that matters now since it turned out she was right. [Ahem] But even if I had been unhappy at my apprenticeship, I wouldn't expect you to do anything about it. I was alone out there. At most, would you have just pulled me out of there? Sent me to stay with another of your devious colleagues?

Faba:

[Listening to all this, but appears pleased as he placed a hand under his chin. Intrigued.] You said you used a disguise?

Dexio:

[Irritated] Dad, please. If you would just listen-

Faba:

[Grins] I am. I'm just appreciating how clever you are. [More serious as he debates how to answer him] You may call them my "friends", but the truth is I have many connections with many, sometimes dangerous people. It's not that I don't tell anyone about you, but personal relationships can be used as collateral when dealing with such people. Especially when things don't go as promised. Putting some distance between us was always a matter of safety, if we should want our line to continue.

Dexio:

And Mom?

Faba:

[Impish smirk] How do you think we met? I wasn't lying when I said we tend to be on the move, it just happens that in our business, it's very rarely with each other.

Dexio:

[Somehow all this isn't what he had hoped to find in coming here, but at the same time, it made a lot of things in his life start to make sense. Still, he had come this far, and wasn't going to walk away now] Then I hope you don't mind if I "distance" myself from you for a while.

Faba:

Wha-? You mean after going out of my way to secure you a place, you plan on leaving? I'm offering you a chance to put all of that past behind you so we can work together-

Dexio:

And we will work together. But, like I said, the others have every reason to distrust you, and now that they're aware of our relationship, it might give them reason not to trust me. If I come off as cold with you, it's only because you and I have nothing in common.

Faba:

[Following the train of thought, he guesses] And disassociating from me might make you more favorable in the eyes of someone like the young master?

Dexio:

They come to trust me on my own actions, I could work my way up, maybe put in a good word for how the times have changed everyone… including you.

Faba:

[Beaming with pride] See, now you're thinking like me~!

Dexio:

[Coldly] Oh, but I didn't learn that from you. [Leans forward on the seat to rest his elbows on his knees and folds his hands as he hesitates on telling him the truth.] Dad, I do appreciate you trying to help me, even if I still feel that underneath it all, you only contacted me for your own benefit. But, even as a bargaining chip, I don't have very many opportunities right now. And with the state of the world that I've been seeing, the options aren't looking too good elsewhere. And… I have my own family to look after now. I need to secure a place for myself so I can hopefully bring them in once we've let some of the others off.

Faba:

[Clearly caught off guard by this, his voice comes soft] Family? You mean…?

Dexio:

[Wry grin] I have a daughter back in Orre. And unlike you and Mom, I want to be there for her. Maybe… Maybe give her a chance to know the rest of her family, for better or worse, but just be there.

Faba:

[Shakes his head] You're setting yourself up for trouble, you know.

Dexio:

As the Kahuna said, it tends to follow me around. I'll take my chances.

Faba:

[Can't argue with that.] You also said you've been studying the Shadows? [Curious] I suppose Ein showed you around while you were visiting him. How is he doing, anyway?

=+=

[Olivia held the large, ornate book in her lap and turned the blank pages to see the beautiful runes as Molayne explained.]

Olivia:

[Just shakes her head at the story.] Poor Roark… The kid has already had everything taken from him, and now you plan to lock him up with that monster?

Molayne:

It might be the only way to save him. If Necrozma is using him for a shield, we can't separate them until we have them both physically held somewhere we can pull the boy out of its clutches. [Shifts awkwardly] Legends still being legends, it's possible that the last person Necrozma made a puppet of was sealed along with it, and obviously hasn't been seen since. We don't want it to get to that point.

Olivia:

And now you and the others are planning to hunt down this thing to seal it. [Holds out the book for him to take it back] Relying on… magic?

Molayne:

I wish there was a way to make it sound less crazy, but I thought the same thing. Right now we just want to spend the night learning as much as we can about this book and the capture method since the odds of an attack may have increased. Otherwise, the plan is just for me to keep the book on hand and Burnet keeps the mirror while we continue with the evacuation as normal. Maybe, if nothing happens, we can come back for Roark once we get everyone else safe.

Olivia:

[Sighs] I don’t know, Mo, I’ve just got a bad feeling about all this. Besides, we've barely gotten moved in and you're already burning yourself out.

Molayne:

[Wry grin] And? I'm always burnt out. [He pulls the Item Capsule back out and recalls the book in a white light.] I'll be back before morning, I just wondered if you mind staying a bit longer. I don't want to risk Ana waking up alone if she gets up in the middle of the night.

Olivia:

[Looks over at the clock by the kitchenette] I don't mind, but are you sure about that? It's already getting close to midnight and you still need to get over there. I don't see how you can get anything done tonight.

Molayne:

[Nervously rubs at the back of his neck] The same way I get everything else done. You know this is nothing new for me.

Olivia:

[Softly] Yeah. Which reminds me, have you gotten a chance to see Anabel since you arrived?

Molayne:

We spent most of the day together. She met Mr. Colress while we were bringing in our stuff.

Olivia:

Not the little one.

Molayne:

… … … [Glances away]

Olivia:

It's fine, I'm sorry. I just wondered since we always told little Ana that her mother had left with Aether, and she did, but the girl needs to find out sooner or later if they're both on board. She needs to meet her mother.

Molayne:

Of course she should. And she will, in time, it's just… Maybe I'm the one not ready yet. But knowing the risks, there's something I need to ask you. [Reaches across to take Olivia's hand gently in both of his] If… [He hesitates as he can already see the deep concern in her eyes] IF anything should happen to me… Can I entrust my daughter to you? You know she means everything to me.

Olivia:

[Harsh whisper] Then don't do this! You're an amazing Trainer, but if that thing gets in one good swipe, you'll be-

Molayne:

Which is why I want to do this. For Anabel. [He waits to hear her response, but she just goes quiet. Rising to his feet, he gazes over the still room until his eyes land on the bedroom door] Olivia… I've spent most of my life studying the stars, and my daughter is afraid of the night. She's young enough that all she's ever known is not to make friends, because they might disappear. That sometimes we can't even trust the Pokemon to not to suddenly turn on us. To never be caught in the dark. I don't want that for her. I considered leaving Alola for that exact reason, but how could I?

Olivia:

[Soft smile] You and Kukui both, I swear. I know you do a lot for us, but believe it or not, Alola can survive without you.

Molayne:

It's not surviving very well right now either way. And what happens if we leave this beast on the loose? Will it just move on to another region when the food runs out? I understand we all want to put the thought of possibly being the next target far from our minds, but it's something I should have asked you ages ago. [Awkwardly glances back at her] Please. Will you take care of her?

Olivia:

[Still clearly doesn't like the sounds of this, but eases in her stance.] I'll be more than happy to look after her for you. Even now, whenever you need me to, as long as I’m able. But she needs you, and I can't replace that.

Molayne:

Of course not. Thank you. [Warmly] It may be a big place, but once we leave, my role here is looking to be much smaller than at home. I already told Anabel that when we set sail, we'll be spending a lot more time together. But just in case…

Olivia:

Don’t worry, I will.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I couldn't decide if this would be considered important to the plot or not since some of these are just characters taking the already established information to other characters, and others are touching on future plot points. But this did seem to be the best place to put these even if some drabbles are better organized than others. I just like to show things from a different perspective for some of these guys and it's something of a transition to the next night.

Archive

#alolan dusk #twitch plays pokemon #horror #mystery #story #gladion aether #colress #skull boss guzma #Hau “quips” Hala #molayne lillie #Kahuna Olivia #dexio pokemon #faba pokemon

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storylocke · 5 months

Text

Alolan Dusk 14

Burnet:

[There wasn't really much else to say after that, but it still makes her feel so helpless] …After a while, I was able to get Kukui well enough for me to help him walk inside. We got him cleaned up, bandaged… I got him to drink, but he didn't eat anything until this morning. He's been sleeping off and on since then, but every time he wakes up, it's always sudden and alert like he heard something; which has got me paranoid now since every time I wondered if he was right. It wouldn't be so bad, but it took everything I could think of to keep him inside the apartment. I was scared if he got out, I'd never see him again.

Guzma:

I can believe it. After seeing him today, as wrapped up as he is, he acted like he's still looking for Round 3. [Awkward glance at Gladion as he remembers their earlier conversation.] And as battle obsessed as the guy is, it's like even as a Shadow he's been able to channel all the usual aggression into focus on a singular opponent. It's just… There's a fire in him we can't put out.

Lillie:

[Nods along as he describes it] The three of us were able to get him here, but given the circumstances, we had to put him in an isolated cell. I just hope Necrozma isn't mad enough to come looking for him…

Wicke:

I'm afraid we'll have to deal with the beast regardless of what he's after. We learned that it's already aware and angered by the evacuation, and we heard the creature may have been targeting individuals specifically because they knew too much about it. I doubt that, even if it is injured, Necrozma will sit idly by with Burnet as a liability.

Burnet:

[Sinks down a bit as she knows she's probably right.] Should I go, then? I wouldn't want to put anyone else in danger over all this.

Molayne:

Of course not. That just gives us more reason to get a hold of the monster before it can come to that. [*Despite not seeing it for himself, he's unsure how to react to the news that his old friend has ended up in such a state. Thinking over the story gives him some hope as he tries to lighten things up.] We might be in luck. Since it sounds like Necrozma got a taste of its own medicine, it must be pretty hurt to run off like that. I'm still concerned for Roark's sake, but the brute might be laying low for a while to recover.

Gladion:

Depends on how it usually recovers. If it needs sleep and herbs like most Pokemon do, you'd be right. But if it's just a matter of energy, most of our investigation showed the break in at Po Town was probably after the fight. What would you say, he attacked you somewhere between eleven and two last night?

Burnet:

[Straightens up with new concern. A break in?] Not too far after midnight, I think.

Guzma:

If it was after, then this thing has possibly consumed an entire trunk worth of Z-Crystals to replenish its energy.

Lillie:

I doubt crystals give as much energy as living things do, but if Roark was the one in control, he might have gone there to keep from hurting anyone else. He would have known about the chest, wouldn't he?

Guzma:

[Gets his blood boiling just thinking about it] Tch, yeah. There's not much to be done in fixing Po Town, but that didn't stop Roark and Kukui from stopping by to help with repairs. Little maniac probably had his eye on it, just waiting for-

Quips:

[Softly] Roark never could say what happened to Hau that day. [He'd been quiet during most of the story, and the remark catches everyone's attention.] To think he may have been under that monster's spell that long ago…

Burnet:

[Her heart sinks as she can only imagine how that hurt him. He would have been closer to Roark than any of them. Except maybe Lillie. Clears her throat.] I can't think of a better way to describe it, but the way he acted, I genuinely don't think he knows. He and Hau were so close, he'd never hurt him on purpose. I don't think Roark would hurt anyone if he could help it.

Quips:

That's not what worries me. [Leans back in his seat to face the group. Don't give him that look, he'll be alright. Deep breath he debates how to explain this] Back when I was about their age, I knew two other Chosen. Being a former Chosen, Roark would have been used to blacking out, which he always told me is what happened when he and Hau were attacked. I wouldn't think passing out like that would continue after the Voices left, but I couldn't argue it when both my brother, Devin, and our friend, Nigel, had lingering health problems after their journeys. It scared Roark, but we both thought it was a residual effect he would have to learn to deal with. But now?

Faba:

[More annoyed than concerned] Yes, the problem now is it sounds like Roark is as aware of this as we are. What he plans to do with that knowledge could spell trouble for all of us.

Dexio:

How's that? Before, it was suggested we just try to keep him away without causing a scene when he finds out he's not allowed on board. If he knows it's because he's a threat to us and the whole operation, wouldn't that make our job easier?

Faba:

For one, we can't predict his mental state after discovering such news. If he's alone and away from us while he sorts this out, then that's wonderful. But if he's panicking, he could come here seeking help and accidentally put us all in danger. Or if he and Necrozma are in a confused and disoriented state together, the monster may be ripe for a rampage like when it first escaped Ultra Megalopolis. It could also be that if Roark is trying to fight back, and Necrozma realizes it no longer has a puppet, it might be pushed into drastic action.

Gladion:

[Solemnly] Drastic like taking complete control because it can't trust Roark to enter places for it willingly anymore. If it dropped him to take revenge, it has no shield against Pokeballs, and if it tried to take someone else, it would risk exposure for an attack. Desperation or retaliation seem most likely. And if it's smart enough to not only possess but try to impersonate its host, our only solution may be to attack or capture Roark on sight.

Lillie:

[Frowns] But how are we supposed to capture him? Unless you mean physically with nets and a chamber or something.

Faba:

Hmph. I don't suppose you two know how your mother went about freezing things, do you?

Gladion:

[Tenses up, trying to keep his temper in check as that's the second time he'd been accused of doing such a thing] No. But I have a feeling it would take too long anyway.

Colress:

[While they're all debating, leans over to whisper to Molayne] I guess that means we won't have much time for research. Are you ready for a long night?

Molayne:

[Soft sigh and nods. Olivia was going to kill him. He perks up when remembering they may have extra help now.] Actually a net and chains may not be such a bad idea if we can stun it long enough to get close to it. Burnet? [She seems nervous as she sits at alert] That mirror you were using was able to somehow seal Necrozma within Roark, didn't it? Not fixing him, but it seemed to calm him down? Or at the very least, if we see him, we can see what state he's in.

Colress:

[Intrigued what the Elite could be thinking now] Yes, what is that exactly? Keeping it hidden in a lockbox and having such an effect on the creature makes it sound extraordinary.

Wicke:

The Reveal Glass? [Excited] Oh, it is fascinating. My team discovered it ages ago when studying the Dreamworld. It was hidden in this old shrine, but since it was said to have some ties to the Interdream Zone, we just had to have it~! I eventually had to give it to the Dimensional Research Lab for protection, but who would have thought after all these years, the mirror would be protecting us!

Burnet:

Heh, hadn't thought of it like that. I didn't bring it to dinner, but I have it secured in my new office. It's not exactly something to be passed around. [Concerned] No one knows how Reveal Glass was made or how it works, but there are so many stories of people who believe what they see in these mirrors as their real self. Tales of those staring into the pool or reflection so long that it led to obsession, paranoia, using the mirrors to determine major alliances, and often falling into self-fulfilled prophecies.

Wicke:

That much seems true. I'd say this thing played a role in the Dreamyard's destruction, which is why I gave it away.

Burnet:

And I still study it because of the interdimensional connections, but we don't leave it out where the staff can readily access it.

Colress:

Astonishing! [They may be telling him this as a warning, but it only makes him even more eager to get his hands on one and learn for himself. Just gives the women a smile] We don't want to take it from you, I'm simply thinking it might play a key role in our plans to face the creature. Is that right?

Molayne:

Yes. If it can be used to paralyze or confuse Necrozma, it might buy us some time to enact some countermeasures.

Gladion:

And if we tie it down and shove it in a room, then what? Do you honestly think some chains are going to hold it when the dedicated and more advanced prison in Megalopolis couldn't?

Lillie:

And what about Roark? Do these measures have a plan for saving him?

Quips:

We all want to save him, my dear, but I think sealing the beast away is everyone's top priority. If that means he has to be sealed away with it until new tools can be made, it's an unfortunate risk we have to take.

Burnet:

I'm not sure it would work anyway. I understand these rare mirrors were apparently made to replicate the sacred lakes that are said to connect to other worlds, and only certain Pokemon can pass through the gateways which would cause some sort of transformation. Humans can't pass through the looking glass, but I don't think what they see is what they really are at their core, it's just another version of themselves. The figure in the reflection does exist, but it's still a play on our own internal perception and hidden ambitions. [Deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts on the subject since she's been all out of sorts today.] I just say this because Roark is a strange case. We're not even in full agreement to what Necrozma even is. The Reveal Glass can cause a form change with some Pokemon, so that might be how our friend regained control. But for how quickly they switched back, I'm not sure if the reflection would be considered his "other form" since there was no physical change in the real world. Could be that the way he was talking to me before the fight about everything being his fault, it just happened that his guilt lined up with the truth. It might even be that the light attack is what stunned Necrozma enough for Roark to finally see it.

Faba:

Hmph. Somehow, if that were the case, I highly doubt Necrozma would fall for the same trick twice.

Molayne:

[Understandable, but that puts a damper on things] I didn't say it was the best plan, I'm just trying to assess what all we have at our disposal in order to keep us and our Pokemon from having to challenge this monster directly.

Guzma:

[Crosses arms over his chest, closes his eyes] Y'all can plan all you like, but you know that if and when that moment comes, it's going to be chaos. Practice your reactions, maybe and keep the tools nearby. Take it from me, there's no "planning" for what that thing will do.

Everyone:

[That certainly brought the mood down.]

Gladion:

As I said before, we don't have many leads to go on right now. Might be wise though to keep our strongest partners and these "tools" on hand if anything comes up, and find out as much as we can about our options between now and when we leave. [Looks the group over to see any objections.] Now, unless anyone else has anything to say, we should split up for the night and try to get some rest. Even if we're preparing for an encounter, we can't forget that our main priority is the evacuation. [They all agreed, and prepared to leave. With that in mind, though, it would be a hard time for anyone to think about sleep.]

~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: With the gang all here, it's time for a break. There's a lot to think about and arrangements to be made, so the next chapter or so will just be some character interactions before we get back into the action. I debated about including it or not, but it's got some fun world building.

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#twitch plays pokemon #alolan dusk #horror #mystery #story #gladion aether #lillie aether #professor burnet #wicke pokemon #faba pokemon #dexio pokemon #molayne #skull boss guzma #hau “quips” hala

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storylocke · 5 months

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Alolan Dusk 13

[Burnet went to her room, as Roark had instructed, but instead she quickly grabbed the keys to the Lab from the nightstand and slipped out of the apartment. The emergency lights bathed the dim corridor and concrete stairwell in an eerie red light as she made her way to the back entrance. Her hands kept shaking as she fumbled with the ring of keys to open the doorway as she could feel the panic in her rising that the very sound might alert the creature to her disobedience. All the while, her mind raced with a thousand questions she couldn't even begin to focus on.

Roark… That wasn't Roark. Some fiend, some Outsider had gotten its claws in him. She saw it! Try as he might, she swore she saw something come over him before he took off. And the creature outside… That really was her Kukui, wasn't it? She didn't just imagine it in some vague hope that he'd still come home instead of truly being gone, right? But if what the “other” Roark said was true too, she could still lose him all over again.

The lab stood even darker with only the exit sign above to give her some semblance of vision as she cautiously made her way past chairs and wires from memory. But what then? She made it into her office, but as she started to tear through the drawers and cabinets, she had no idea what could possibly be useful against this unknown monster. Wait! An idea struck her, a crazy, terrible idea, but it was all she could think of once it hit her. Under her desk, she began flipping through keys again to open the hidden lock box before pulling out a relatively large, ornate mirror. Just as she was feeling proud of herself, there suddenly came a rumble through the building as she could only assume they'd been struck by the fighting outside.

Back to the stairwell, down to the fire escape, out the door! But no alarm sounded. On the one hand, it gave a sense of relief to not have to worry about the monster hearing her escape, but to think at some point the system had been disarmed… Had the creature done that too, to not draw attention to itself when it planned to attack?! She steeled her resolve and ran around to the front of the building where she could see the strange battle scene.

There was a red light as Kukui recalled the Lycanroc laying on the ground, and immediately reached for the next one. Except he paused and glanced down a moment to realize one was missing. Roark seemed to realize it too when something almost like a laugh echoed along the empty street as his oversized gauntlet began to glow with a faint psychic energy. The creature lunged forward, but the Shadow thought quick to grab onto the light pole, and instead of trying to avoid the charge, pulled himself around to aim a powerful kick right into the oncoming attack! The psychic blade died away as the armored fiend reeled back in shock, but he brushed himself off like it hadn't hurt, just startled him. Burnet looked between the two as they just stood there, possibly each contemplating the next best move against this tricky foe. Roark moved first, his whole body glowing now as the energy lifted him off the ground and four small lights appeared around. Kukui changed his stance to counter this new attack, but as the first one shot towards him like a small laser, he abruptly tried to get out of the way. The first beam struck him in the shoulder though, and the man let out a howl as he grabbed at the wound where it stung. With the three to follow, each light ball hit with clear force as he tried in vain to brace himself, but instead they beat down on him as he sank to the ground.

Burnet winced at his cries of pain and fury. Even if the Shadows were stronger and fiercer than normal humans, they were still human. Another strike like that and… She quickly dug the mirror out of her bag and tried to get close enough to the ring of light to see if she could get Roark's whole image within the glass. No, not Roark… She could see how the reflection didn't seem to show him at all but instead the misshapen, solid black monster with eyes like gems. She'd seen that image before, in drawings at least, but she had no doubt it was Necrozma!

As the mirror caught the light though, the light's reflection shined on the beast like a signal, and drew his attention towards her. The armored teen landed with a heavy thud and slowly rose to face her. Perhaps it was because of his tone, as the mask made his face impossible to read, but she thought she could feel his rage radiating off of him as a strange voice filled her mind.]

“I told you to stay out of this.”

[Burnet found herself stuttering nonsense as she tried to think of anything to say or do other than hold the mirror in front of her like a shield as she started to back away. A subtle change came over the beast as he didn't come any closer, but stared at the glass. What was he thinking? What did he see? The movement behind the teen caught her eye and she tried to not to let the monster notice her wandering gaze. Kukui had staggered back to his feet, but there was a fearsome, twisted air about him as he hunched over from exhaustion and injury. Suddenly, he straightened up with a roar of defiance as a fiery red aura emanated from him and he charged forward with an inhuman speed to tackle the imposter!

Roark hit the pavement hard enough to go rolling and Kukui stood between him and Burnet, as though daring him to try that again. But when the armored fiend seemed to recover, he sat up and folded the great paws over his head in agony and confusion. It only lasted a few brief moments before the beast snapped its gaze on the offenders and the psychic glow returned. Rising up, the light from the nearby lamp began to flicker and brighten as its energy was drained into a bright ball that formed in Necrozma’s claws. The Shadow tensed up as he stared at the light and slowly backed away from the creature in fear. Burnet realized he knew something was about to happen, some great and powerful attack. It was terrifying and hypnotic to see the red aura, similar to the one Kukui had when he rushed forward, seemed to radiate from the growing, blinding light at its core. Somehow she knew running would only delay the inevitable.

She was suddenly pulled out of this fear-locked trance when her husband abruptly grabbed her and tried to flee anyway, but she tore herself away from him to stare the creature down. Dear, Cover, let this work… Necrozma hurled the ball at them with definitive force as Kukui wrapped his arms around Burnet and the pair ducked low to the ground as she angled the mirror in front of her again. The beam slammed hard against the small cover, and were it not for the protective embrace that tried to support her, it would have been enough to knock her off her feet. The radiating energy burned at her hands as she gripped the edges of the ornate casing around the glass until suddenly she felt the weight shift off of her. There’s a brief shriek from overhead and she lowered the mirror just in time to see the Outsider suddenly struck by its own attack!

A demonic howl rang out over the now darkened street, and Burnet and Kukui slowly rose up to see the armored fiend crumpled up in the moonlight. The Shadow gave a mocking huff of victory at the creature, but when he tried to go towards it, his own exhaustion seemed to catch up to him as he fell to one knee. Burnet placed a hand on Kukui’s shoulder to draw his focus to her and she quietly motioned to him to stay there. Just… stay. He blinked up at her with a puzzled, blank stare, but didn't move. Good. She then turned to go toward the black figure and, despite how her hands still stung, gripped the mirror for dear life in case anything happened. Even if it was hard to see clearly in the moonlight, she tried to angle it to where she could see the reflection. Instead of the monster before, she saw Roark there looking just as he appeared in front of her now. The teen suddenly began to stir, and soft whimpers of pain reached her ears as she saw him softly twitch. He pushed himself up though to stare at her, and though the mask again made it impossible to read his reaction, his in-depth scanning of her showed his own confusion about her being there and what she could possibly be doing.]

Roark:

[Sputtering as he panted] B… B…Burnet…? [She kept her distance from him, but he watched her as she lowered herself and the strange device down to where he could catch his reflection in its surface. The image in the glass revealed to him a bizarre version of himself, as he could see it was him, but with the oversized black paws, the pitch black mask with the prismatic lenses taking up most of his face, and leg coverings… Except in the reflection, the alien features looked less like armor as they melded into his own features a little TOO naturally. As if in a daze, he didn’t take his eyes off the glass as he cautiously reached up to feel his face. The awkwardly large claws first tried to find the edges of the mask before they wrapped around the short spikes that jutted out from under his bangs. He tried to pull on it, but nothing happened. Up. Left. He gripped it with both hands now, but the sturdy metal frame won’t budge! The painful truth finally seemed to sink in as he lowered his hands to look at the long sharp fingers and his chest started to heave with clear rising terror. He shook his hand, and tried to get some form of grip on it with the other paw, but when that proved useless, he slammed his fist against the pavement.] G-get it off! GET IT OFF ME! [Again he tried to bang the gauntlet on the unfeeling ground a few times before he reached up to claw at the gem-like coverings over his eyes.]

Burnet:

[Hearing his real voice start to scream instead of the darkened, wicked tone almost crushed her as she didn’t know how to help him. How long could she keep him like this before the Outsider came back?] Roark… [Held up a hand to show she meant no harm and tried to reach for him.] Just hang on, I… I… Just hang on!

[Roark stopped struggling and his jaw hung open as he looked past her. She followed his gaze to see Kukui, who had tried so hard to keep standing, finally collapsed. Seeing him appeared to wake up a new realization as Roark’s shallow, shuddered breaths intensified with trepidation. Even though the Shadow didn’t move, the frightened teen scrambled to his feet and started to back away as he feverishly shifted his vision between the couple.]

Burnet:

[Again, holds out a steady hand to show she means well, even as she approaches him with the mirror still held up by the other hand.] Roark, listen to me. I can see what you’re thinking. This is not your fault. Do you hear me?

[It’s obvious he did as he hesitated a moment, but his gaze trailed back to the oversized gauntlets as he stared at his encased hands and bent the claws with his own power as though to prove it to himself. He took another step away from her. Two. Three. The pain after the adrenaline appeared to set in again as he wrapped an arm around his stomach. The other paw grabbed at his face again and a soft cry escaped his lips before he shook his head fiercely. He shifted the hand by the mask to instead hold out to her as a sign not to come any closer. No… No… that’s all he’d say to her as he continued to back away. Burnet froze and looked down at the glass again and quickly tried to adjust it to see what was happening. The figure in the mirror seemed to be blurred. Immediately, she turned back to check if Kukui had gotten up again, but he still hadn’t moved. When she looked back at Roark though, he had turned to run!]

Burnet:

Roark! Come back! [She wasn’t sure what she could do, if anything, to catch or save him, but as he disappeared into the darkness of the night, she caught the glimmer of the bright blue aura of what appeared to be an Ultra Wormhole. The armored figure had vanished. She placed a hand to her heart, frightened and devastated as she tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened.] Roark… [She stood in the stillness for what felt like a long time just waiting for the creature to return, but instead there was only silence. Finally, she walked back to where Kukui lay and let out a small gasp to hear him still breathing. Greatly strained, as she could only imagine how grave his injuries were once she got him inside, but still breathing. She sat down on the street next to him, and started to sift through her bag for any kind of healing items.] Shhh…. I'm here, honey. I'm here. Let’s see if we can get you cleaned up, okay?

~~~~~~~~~~

We finally have the full story. Not much to say on this one except I felt that with a heavy emphasis on subject and prose it did better to stand alone. Moves used in this match for the curious, Necrozma used Psycho Cut, Power Gem, Photon Geyser, and Kukui pulled off a Shadow Rush. What a mess....

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#twitch plays pokemon #alolan dusk #professor kukui #professor burnet #Roark #Necrozma #horror #mystery #story

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storylocke · 5 months

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Alolan Dusk 12

[Given the occasion, Lillie wasn’t surprised to hear that the other prominent members of Aether Paradise had gathered for dinner at the mansion instead of their usual meeting place, but it was still a shock to the young heiress that their usual party had doubled since the last time they met and had made full use of the long table. The chatter doesn’t quite die away as she enters with her friends, but the three of them definitely catch the attention of the room.]

Wicke:

There you are! We were starting to wonder about you. Gladion said you had an emergency?

Lillie:

[Glances at Burnet as she wondered if she should be the one to explain] Yes, but it turned out alright. We just got tied up for a bit.

Guzma:

[Waves it off] All in the finer details. But right now, I am starving.

Wicke:

Of course, come sit down. [Walks by to fetch the plates from the end of the table] The curry might be a little cold, but we can get that heated up for you.

Lillie:

Thank you.

[As she heads for her usual spot beside her brother, she nervously begins looking at the seating.] Can we squeeze in here?

Burnet:

Oh, you don't have to-

Quips:

[Amused as he gets up to move his chair over to make room as Lillie wheels over an empty seat.] Professor, it's not that hard. Good to see you. How are you holding up?

Burnet:

[Clears her throat as she sits beside him. That did seem to be the question of the day, wasn’t it? Softly] Not well at all, actually. But we've made it here, so I think it'll get better.

Gladion:

[Can see they both have something on their minds as Lillie slides into her seat. Voice low.] You know you don't have to stay with me, right? Tonight isn't exactly business as usual.

Lillie:

[Rye amusement] And sit with all the grown-ups? No thanks.

Guzma:

[Don’t mind him, he’s heading for the other end of the table as he pulls up a chair next to Molayne] Hey, Big Mo! I'm surprised to see you here.

Wicke:

[Comes back with an Employee who starts passing out the hot plates to their new arrivals and returns to the head of the table. She's quiet as she notes the new seating arrangements.]

Molayne:

I don't see why. The Hokulani Observatory, the Dimensional Research Lab, and the Aether Foundation have some overlap in our studies of the Ultra Wormholes and unusual Pokemon. Burnet and I both agreed to stick around since it seemed like a good fit for where to go next. [Bit of intrigue as he looks his old friend over] Where is your coat?

Guzma:

[Annoyed as he takes a mouthful of rice. It’s actually not as spicy as he was afraid it would be, but he still mutters through to answer] Finer details. [Swallows] Look, it’s been a long day for all of us.

Molayne:

[He won’t ask anymore then.] On that we can agree.

Burnet:

[As curious as she is about what Guzma is whispering to their friend about, she gets distracted by the plate lowered in front of her. Gives a little nod of thanks and flashes a shy smile at Wicke as the woman sits down across from her.] I suppose we could all relocate to Unova if we had to. I've still got several contacts there.

Colress:

[Brightens up] Me too~! We have several regions where we planned to drop passengers off, but I wouldn't mind going back for a visit. [Points his fork at the youngest members of the table] Would you believe these two have never been?

Gladion:

[Subtle cough] If I ever get a vacation, it's on my to-do list.

Wicke:

[Happily to Lillie] It really is a lovely place. I could show you where I used to work!

Burnet:

[Nervously as she’s trying to be polite] How about not? [Turns her attention down the table] How is little Anabel handling all these changes?

Molayne:

We've talked about the move and everything, but I don't think she fully understands what it all means. She's very excited to explore the place, but the idea of actually living here might take some time before it sets in.

Guzma:

With all the shuffle going on, I'm surprised you let her out of her sight.

Molayne:

[Ehehe…] Don't remind me. Olivia said she didn't mind looking after her tonight since this isn't just dinner.

Quips:

I wondered why she isn't here. I don't blame her though, I'm sure playing games with a five year old is a nice change of pace from our own meetings on procedures the last few days.

Molayne:

[Awkwardly glances around the table] I just realized, I'm the only one here with children, aren't I?

Colress:

[Playful sarcasm] According to most, I’m not allowed.

Quips:

[Amused] Well, as far as little ones go. Mine are all grown.

Faba:

So are my two. Although I don't think Dexio would mind playing with the little girl.

Lillie:

[Surprised to hear him and leans forward to peer down her side of the table to see that, sure enough, all the way at the end, Faba had joined them this time along with a young man who seemed not much older than Gladion was] Oh! I didn't know you had any kids, Mr. Faba.

Gladion:

Right, you three missed out on introductions. [Gestures down to their visitors.] Turns out, the meeting Faba went to was with his son, Dexio.

Dexio:

[Leaned forward so he can see her and waves] Hello!

Guzma:

[With the nearly full table, he hadn't really questioned why the young man was there. He finds himself staring though as he tries to see the resemblance. Snarks at Faba] You said there's two of 'em? And what Trickster God allowed that?

Faba:

[Nearly chokes on his drink. Harsh whisper] You little heathen-

Dexio:

[Honestly laughs at that, which seems to cut the old man off, even if he's the one getting glared at now] Don't be sorry, I am well aware there's probably still some bad blood after he betrayed Aether to Team Rocket.

Guzma:

More than that. If anything, I feel sorry for ya having to grow up with him.

Gladion:

[As someone who did grow up with the former chief hanging around… Ahem] It is a little hard to imagine considering Faba has made it clear how much he hates children. And having that attitude with his own…

Dexio:

[Waves it off] Ah, no worries there. [Bit of a bite as he looks at Faba] He’s not the one who raised me.

Faba:

[Flustered as he tries to defend himself] What he means is, he spent most of his life studying abroad. As much as his mother and I have been on the move, and keeping up our work, a stable home and education would be far better than traveling around with me.

Dexio:

[Bluntly] That and it kept my parents from fighting over who had to deal with me when they split. [Shifts a bit awkwardly] I don’t mean to hog the conversation.

Burnet:

[Warm little giggle] Nonsense. Most of us already know each other, so we’re just doing idle chit-chat. I think I’ve seen you around, but I always thought you were just a regular tourist. As a traveler myself, I bet you two kids had a lot of adventures growing up then.

Dexio:

[Well, if she insists. He had hoped not to draw too much attention at his first meeting, but he might as well take the chance while he’s welcome.] There’s quite an age gap between me and my brother, so he was on his own by then. He’s right though, I did learn a lot at several institutions. [Hesitant] But mostly I lived in Kalos where I spent several years studying under Professor Sycamore.

Wicke:

[Raises hand, give her a moment to swallow before she adds a bit deviously] Didn't he go to prison for being part of a coup to take over the region? Or was it for child recruitment into Team Flare? It was one of the Sycamore twins, wasn’t it?

Dexio:

… … … [Well that was short lived. Great, now everyone is staring, and he can already see in the different faces how that statement probably looks for him. Especially the look of hypocrisy he's receiving from his father after his earlier comment. Clears his throat] Yes. Among other things I don't think are polite dinner conversation. As one of the recruitments, that’s why I don't live there anymore. In fact, after the mess with Augustine and Xerosic both being hauled off, I came here for a little while with a dear friend of mine to do some exploring, but… [Somber as he just stares down at his plate to not make eye contact with anyone else] Well, when things started to get ugly here, Dad said I should stay with our family in Orre until things calmed down. And when he reached out to me last week… [He feels like he’s not doing a very good job convincing them he means well]

Quips:

[Soft little hmph as he goes for his drink] Sounds like trouble tends to follow you around.

Colress:

I'd think so too, if it were just him. I've been looking into the other regions lately, and it seems there's been trouble brewing everywhere. Kanto and Johto, Galar, and Kalos, probably more. [Amused] All the more reason for me to come home.

Faba:

[Cuts in before Dexio can speak again] Precisely why I was hoping to bring him here. As you now know, I don't have much of a relationship with my family, but you of all people would understand that when it feels like the world is in crisis, one starts to regret these things. I'm hoping to make some amendments. We're not asking for charity though. I thought, with our president's permission, and the fact we are going through several staff changes right now, that Dexio might be allowed to join the Aether Paradise family. He has plenty of skills to offer from his travels-

Lillie:

You don't need to ask, Mr. Faba, we're letting dozens of people into the Foundation as it is. And even if you aren’t close, we understand how important family is.

Dexio:

It's still good to ask. I'm not even from Alola, for one thing, and many of the people allowed on aren't here to work or plan to stay. But if I could join all of you, that'd be a much bigger ordeal, I'd think?

Gladion:

[Closes his eyes as it is a hard topic, but the young man has point] To join the top members here, yes. Even if you are skilled, most of the people here still had to work through the ranks of their respective fields. I know I'm not one to talk, but if you do join us, you'll probably just be a lab assistant to one of the others.

Guzma:

[Devious grin] Or, if you're wanting to get away from all that sciencey stuff, you can come work for me and help take care of the Shadows.

Dexio:

[Perks up] I wouldn’t mind since “assistant” is basically all I’ve ever been anyway. [More relieved than anything at the change of subject away from his personal life] In fact, I’ve been studying the Shadowfication while I was in Orre. They have a history of Shadow outbreaks and, considering why I left Alola in the first place, I thought I could learn something about how Orre handles it.

Moylane:

[Uneasy] Weren't the Shadows in Orre all man-made though?

Dexio:

Mmmm… yes and no. Anyone who knows the stories about "The Shadow Incident" knows about how the Cipher organization created them by artificially closing the hearts of Pokemon to turn them into weapons. "Artificially" is the key word there since it implies that Shadowfication has happened naturally in the region's history, and there's a lot of evidence to back that up. There's rumors and stories about a place that people and Pokemon would travel to be purified of the darkness in their hearts, or to remove curses placed by the Fae. And I know that sounds like your typical pilgrimage or form of cleansing found in other religions, but they also have things like the Time Flutes and a special incense that have a historical record of at least helping during the last Shadow crisis. Which I think is more reliable than tales of a shrine in the middle of a forest that somehow exists in a desert region. [Shrugs] But who knows. It sounds crazy to me from what little I saw, but maybe someone more familiar with the Orre region could show us the way. Of course, it's also possible that our Shadows really are different from theirs, but the effects do seem to be the same. Strange abilities, hyper aggression when provoked, and so forth. It could be a long shot, but all of the information says we can at least find things that will help even if the tales of a cure are just rumors.

Gladion:

[Taking this all into consideration] After we get the refugees settled, we may need to make that our first stop then. It may just be rumors, but we don't have any real leads right now.

Lillie:

That reminds me, did you have any luck with the Shadows today? I'm sorry we had to run off on you like that.

Gladion:

We got quite a few to come with us, but we'll still need to go back tomorrow. [To Quips, even though he's pointing at Guzma] If it's alright with you, I need to borrow that one again tomorrow.

Quips:

[Soft chuckle] By all means, take him. Poni Island had far less to do than Melemele since most of the citizens already live on their vessels, so we should have plenty more volunteers by then.

Molayne:

[Grins] More help and less to do since you've already started. Not a bad combination. [Looks to Burnet] We were able to close up the Observatory today, do you need any help packing up the Lab?

Burnet:

I could use a hand finishing up. I didn't get anything done today, and I told the staff to focus on their families first. I mean, we're much smaller than you all, and the equipment shouldn't take too long to load up.

Wicke:

[Soft giggle] What did you do? Just shove it all into a pocket dimension for the time being?

Molayne:

[Cough]

Burnet:

[Feigns innocence] Yes, why?

Lillie:

[Just shakes her head at them] I'm sure you two will fit in here just fine.

Colress:

[Curious] Professor, you saying you got nothing done brings up a bigger question. Gladion said Miss Lillie was running late because you had some sort of emergency? I understand everything is fine now, but it wasn't trouble with a portal, was it?

Guzma:

Nah, if it was anything like that, we'd be in real trouble. I don't know the first thing about dealing with Wormholes.

Lillie:

She was having to deal with a new Shadow, which you know means someone who is very confused, aggressive, and skittish. We got tied up for a while trying to keep the situation calm and eventually were able to take the detour downstairs to drop them off before coming in here. [Frowns as she looks at Burnet and places a hand on her arm for encouragement] Would you like to tell them what you told us?

Burnet:

[Gazes around the group as the others all seem eager to hear.] I guess with most of us finished eating, we have been moving towards the business side of things with Shadows and packing and all… [Saddened again just thinking about it.] And it is very important for you all to know before tomorrow… [She looks to Guzma as he subtly motions for her to get it out.]

Lillie:

[Helps her out] It's about Roark.

Quips:

[His face falls as concern only deepens] He's not the Shadow you were having trouble with, is he?

Burnet:

[Shakes her head and takes a breath.] Worse.

[It’s still a bit of a struggle to know where to begin, but having already gone through the story once with Lillie and Guzma, she’s able to gather her thoughts well enough to know where to start. How Roark came to stay with her after they’d spent the whole day helping search the beach where the Pokemon Lab had stood. Just to make her feel safe for a while and he said he wanted to talk to her about some things in regards to what he thought happened. And they did. They had dinner, he was going to sleep on the couch that night to keep watch, their whole conversation about what led up to this mess. How he thought Necrozma had merely escaped. And Kukui… With him now safely on board with the others, it wouldn’t be a secret for very long. There wasn’t as much shock as she might have thought in hearing about his fate as a Shadow, considering the monster they were dealing with, but after the agony of searching for him in that slim glimmer of hope he wouldn’t, it still felt surreal in a way to see him like that. The stranger thing, which captivated the whole dinner party, was when she got to how Roark suddenly turned on her at the sight of the Shadow below.]

Burnet:

[Addresses the rest of the table with utmost seriousness] If anyone sees him, we need you to stall as best as you can. Whatever we do, we have got to make sure he doesn't come on board. I promise you, the only reason Kukui is still alive right now is because I decided to follow.

Quips:

[In a mix of disbelief and dismay] Burnet-

Burnet:

It’s incredibly foolish, I know! But after Roark was out of the apartment, I………..

~~~~~~~~~~~

As if it didn't already, here's where things really take a turn for the weeeeiird. Finally the gang is all here! It's not time for celebration just yet, but at least they can all have a little (somewhat) lighthearted conversation and catching up on things. Besides, as we continue to get into Randomizer shenanigans, it seems I need more explanations. I originally thought of having Burnet's story combined with this but it was a little long, and while the table chatter had grown more serious, the shift to the confrontation seemed to bring the whole mood down.

Also yes, RUM Dexio just happens to also be RandY Dexio (which had Sycamore part of Team Flare) all grown up and hoo boy this guy has been through a lot. ....And still has a long way to go. Oops.

Also for those curious in trying to follow along, the table set up is:

Gladion at the head, Lillie on his, Wicke on his left. Lillie's side of the table has Burnet (next to) Quips (next to) Faba (next to) Dexio. On Wicke's side it's Colress (next to) Molayne, (next to) Guzma. Which puts Lillie and Wicke (across from each other), Colress and Burnet (across), Quips and Molayne (across), Guzma and Faba (across) and Dexio is the odd one out (diagonal from Guzma with no one across).

It's not that important to know, just fun. I had to draw myself a diagram for mapping this.

Archive

#twitch plays pokemon #alolan dusk #horror #mystery #story #lillie aether #gladion aether #skull boss guzma #professor burnet #molayne #dexio pokemon #wicke pokemon #faba pokemon #colress #Hau “Quips” Hala

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storylocke · 6 months

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Alolan Dusk 11

[The building seemed eerily quiet given the circumstances. Most who worked at the Dimensional Research Lab had already left, and even the doorman seemed surprised to hear that the lead researcher hadn't been in contact with any of the Aether staff since they arrived. The affirmation that she hadn't been down all day only fueled the concern as Lillie and Guzma rushed inside.]

Guzma:

[While they take the elevator up, there's a long, quiet moment as he seems lost in his thoughts] Sheesh. Every time I try to do good, more often than not, I just make a mess of things. And boy did I screw up this time.

Lillie:

What did you do? It's not your fault you weren't by the phone when she called.

Guzma:

Not that. [The doors open and the two step into the short hallway, hurrying to the apartment. He gives a knock. Anxiously waiting] I should have come sooner. I haven't talked to her since we got the news about Kukui. I didn't think she'd wanna see me.

Lillie:

And why not? [Folds her hands together as there's no answer. He knocks again as she tries not to wring her fingers] It sounded like she's just as worried about you like she is for the rest of us.

Guzma:

And tell her what? "I'm sorry the thing I unleashed decided to eat your husband"? Maybe "Hey! I heard my old rival got blasted into next week, so I just thought I'd check up on you." It's just weird, y'know? [Still no answer? He presses an ear to the door and thinks he can hear movement inside. Braces himself a moment as he knocks harder] Burnet? It's ya boy Guzma, open up!

Lillie:

[Softly with a bit of regret] Did you and the professor ever fight over this? I know we told them about what happened with the Altar and everything, but I wouldn't want anyone mad at you for….

Guzma:

Nah. Kukui and I butt heads over a lot of things, but that wasn't one of 'em. Pestering me a lot for his little investigation, but, uh…. … [Looks down at Lillie as though asking for permission] Know what? We're going in.

Lillie:

[Her face fills with anguish at the thought of what they'd find on the other side. She gives him a nod and moves out of the way.] I'm calling Quips to tell him what's going on.

[She walks away and starts tapping on her phone while he takes a step back and readies his shoulder to ram the door. But it suddenly opens! He's stunned to see Burnet almost as much as she appears to see him. The researcher lets out a slight gasp as sleepless, watery eyes gaze up at him before she abruptly throws her arms around his neck to pull him down into a hug.]

Burnet:

Dear gods, I was starting to fear the worst! What a relief to know you're safe~!

Guzma:

Me?! After the messages I got?!

Burnet:

[Eases up to let him stand as she wipes at her face. She tries to smile but her voice still sounds on the brink of tears] I know, I'm such a mess right now. You have NO idea what happened to me last night.

[From this perspective, Guzma can't help but look past her to peer into the apartment. It's a fairly simple layout with most of the place being one big room, which made him zero in on the bedroom door that had been torn off its hinges. The door was still there, leaning against the wall beside the frame, but it was beyond repair as the lighter colored wood where it had been splintered stuck out like a beacon. There were still sounds coming from further in, too. A hush of movement from that same room.]

Guzma:

[Disturbed, keeping his voice low] …I'll take three guesses.

Lillie:

Burnet! [Runs over to give the woman a hug as well.] Oh, I've just been worried sick about you!

Burnet:

[That caught her attention as she lets go of Guzma and stares at the girl somewhat mortified.] Lillie!? What are you doing here?! D-d-don't you have a gazillion things you're supposed to be doing right now? Or something?

Lillie:

It's been a lot of plan changes over the course of the day. [Her excitement fades as the look she's getting isn't what she had expected this long awaited meeting would be like] And when we heard your message, I just had to come over.

[Guzma slips past to let them speak but he doesn't take his eyes off the open doorway as he cautiously moves closer. He clenches his fist, and punches it into the open palm of his other hand as a strange noise, a deep, guttural growl can be heard.]

Guzma:

Alright, ya freak, show yourself!

[Burnet hears him, and motions for Lillie to stay outside before she rushes over. A man steps through the doorway, and pauses as he locks eyes with the former Boss and shifts into position like a large cat about to pounce.]

Guzma:

[Drops his own battle stance as he's hit with with a wave of mixed emotions] …Kukui?

Burnet:

[Defensively gets between them as she stares down the Shadow.] Honey, please! These are friends! [Slowly approaches him as she sees she has his attention] Friends? Remember Guzma?

[Kukui eyes the stranger before he suddenly pulls Burnet into a protective embrace. After a moment he notices the girl in the doorway, glares at them with that same guttural noise from before, and tries to retreat with his treasure. Lillie can only gaze in horror as she hesitates to run to help but Guzma moves first.]

Guzma:

[Taking off his jacket in preparation for a fight] Hey, get your paws off of her!

Burnet:

[Awkwardly tries to turn to them with pleading in her eyes] It's okay, he's just scared right now. [Nervously] Now you see why I didn't want anyone else to know. But, since you spend so much time with the others, I thought you might know how to help. I… I don't know what to do…

Guzma:

Tch, alright. I don't know if I can do much. Just need him to pick up that we're not a threat. [Eases up as he sees she's probably right. Even if he didn't understand, it didn't look like Kukui was going to hurt her.] How long has he been hiding here?

Burnet:

He showed up just last night. I've no idea how he even got here.

Guzma:

[Shrugs] Fueled by anger, love, and badassery, for all we know.

Lillie:

[Just shakes her head as she feels her heart breaking all over again] Professor… [Tries to step closer] It's me. Lillie? You took me in like a daughter back when…

Guzma:

[Holds out an arm to stop her from going past him] Sorry, kid. New Shadows don't really remember anything, so… I mean, given what we know happened to him, he probably thinks he's still under attack from Necrozma. [That brings up an idea though as he addressed the Shadow] Got a problem with the black? We'll just get rid of the black. [Tosses his jacket into the hall] Better?

[Kukui seems all the more confused by the action, but he does slowly let go of his wife. He doesn't take his eyes off Guzma though, as if still watching for any sudden movements]

Guzma:

[Frowns] Well, it was worth a shot.

Lillie:

[Softly nods in understanding.] We found some footage recently that showed he was trying to protect Ilima that night. So maybe that's why he's protecting Burnet now?

Burnet:

[Brushes herself off, but doesn't step away just yet as she's unsure if he'll get set off again] Actually… I um… [Glances up at Kukui] He wasn't the only one to show up here. [The other two visibly tense up and she can see they've already guessed. Saddened and scared at the still fresh horror of it all] I think Kukui came here because we found out where Necrozma is.

Guzma: [Unsure how he feels about that, but his mind starts trying to piece things together] Burnet, what the hell happened last night?

~~~~~~~~~

A/N: The last of the mainland meetings, let's go~! This was originally combined with the last chapter, and looking back I'm not really sure why since it just feels like this should be a contained moment, y'know?

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#twitch plays pokemon #alolan dusk #horror #mystery #lillie aether #skull boss guzma #professor burnet #story

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storylocke · 6 months

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Alolan Dusk 10

[Even with several Employees in tow, the Aether siblings can't shake the unsettling feeling of returning to Po Town. For Lillie, it wasn't a place she was familiar with, and while some things had been cleaned up since Team Skull left, it doesn't change the dreary air that hung over the place. Possibly even more now with the wide empty streets and patched up houses. For Gladion though, it brings up a wave of memories he hadn't expected; making it all the more strange to see the rain soaked streets without the familiar black dressed punks peering at them from their usual hang out spots. He, like many others, had grown numb to the threatening storm overhead as the high walls blocking the wind almost made the air feel stale. But why was it empty? He led the way into the center of town, cautiously looking towards every corner in sight for signs of life.]

Lillie:

[Shuts the gates behind the group and trots over to where Gladion stood at the front.] Everything okay?

Gladion:

Some things really don't ever change. [He stares ahead at the broken down mansion as a streak of lightning passes behind it.] I guess despite everything going on outside, Tapu Bulu's curse holds up whether we know where it is or not.

Lillie:

[Tries to sound hopeful] Maybe that means it's still out there somewhere.

Employee 1:

It's too quiet... [Looks at them] I hate to interrupt, but are you sure this is the right place?

Employee 2:

Over here! [They all turn towards the voice and see her by one of the paint stained houses. She holds up a flashlight into the window as the group approaches.] Do you think they somehow knew we were coming?

[Gladion shields his eyes from the rain and tries to peer inside the dark building. Three figures stare back at him in horror but, after a moment with neither group moving, the Shadows suddenly slip further in to crawl onto the broken down sofa. He tries to give a wave to them, but the woman in the center only defensively pulls the two smaller figures closer to her. The young president frowns to himself as he turns back to those waiting.]

Gladion:

Looks like they're more scared of us right now than wanting to fight. We still need to use every precaution when trying to reason with them.

Employee 1:

Can they be reasoned with, sir?

Gladion:

[Shrugs] We're certainly not going to grab them. Like with any Pokemon, we want to encourage them to come with us, not by force.

Employee 2:

[Puts away her flashlight] We'll try to lure them outside first. Maybe if they trust us enough to see we're unarmed, we can guide them back down hill.

Lillie:

Well, we know if they've been a Shadow for a while, they start to respond to things that are familiar. We should let out some of our Pokemon to just… Maybe roam for a bit? Make it seem like we're just looking around.

Gladion:

Tch If we seem familiar to them, I wonder how many recognize Aether as a bad thing?

Employee 2:

[Smiles] Far less, I'm sure, than those who remember the Aether houses and clinics we had here.

???:

Well, well, well! Look what the Liepard dragged in!

[Everyone turns their eyes up the road where a man in black can be seen exiting the Shady House.]

Lillie:

[Smile brightens as she starts to run over] Mr. Guzma~!

Gladion:

[Looks at the Employees and hollers to the group] Why don't you all take shelter in the Pokemon Center for now and devise a plan? We'll get started after I have a word with Mr. Guzma.

Guzma:

Ha! Come to my doorstep with a small army and a warm greeting. Y'all are weird. [hands on his hips as he grins at the siblings as Gladion approaches them under the awning] And what's with this "Mr." stuff? You're too old to be calling me that.

Gladion:

[Again, it’s nice to see some things never change. Wry amusement] Doesn't make you any younger. Have you been here this whole time?

Guzma:

Nah, I just Fly in from time to time now. So what do you want with me?

Lillie:

Quips said he wanted me to check on you. They need help with the evacuation.

Guzma:

[Haughtily as he flexes a moment] Can't go without this, huh? [Normal] Yeah, well you tell him that I'm not going. [Opens the door for them to come inside] We've still got plenty to do here.

[As the pair follows him inside, they can clearly see how he must have his hands full. Just stepping into the main entrance draws the attention of a dozen curious sets of eyes peering at them from behind mostly closed doors. Gazing up reveals even more eerie blank stares peering over the railing of the second floor. Lillie cups a hand over her mouth to hide the slight gasp as she takes them all in, and starts to pick out some of the more familiar faces.]

Lillie:

[Softly] I didn't think there'd be so many…

Gladion:

[Calls after Guzma before he reaches the stairs] You'll be here by yourself if you do. [The man turns back to him with a look of confusion, but he says firmly*] Lillie's message was for you, but the rest of my "small army"? We came here for them.

Guzma:

[And to think, things were going so well too. His tone turns sour as he crosses his arms] You mean the Shadows? They don't wanna go either.

Gladion:

Now you're just being ridiculous. We can't leave them here. And there's no way you can keep this up indefinitely.

Guzma:

Maybe not, but I don’t see a reason why. Over half of my life has been spent lookin’ out for the local rejects, so I don’t see why I couldn’t keep doing it.

Lillie:

It’s not really the same thing though. And the situation is different this time because-

Guzma:

Is it though? [Bitter as he stands at the foot of the stairs and holds out his arms to showcase to them] Just look at them all. For years these same people were the ones who said Team Skull was nothing. Trash. A bunch of jokes. Look at them now. Now THEY'RE the ones at the bottom rung. Coming here, and looking for pity. And unlike anyone else in this gods' forsaken region, I actually gives it to them. Reminds me a bit of you numbskulls back in the day. I get them food, shelter, and sometimes they get in a scrap over something stupid and I have to intervene. And if they even THINK of taking on me, [clenches his fist] nothing a little of this can't handle. [Frowns at the pair] Might sound crude, but they’re still better off here than with you guys.

Gladion:

[Crosses his arms and glares at him. He’s struggling to keep cordial] This was a terrible place for anyone, even back then, and you know it. Even if I didn’t object to your so-called sense of “care” for those you’ve taken in, this isn’t something we can argue. The reason we’re evacuating is because of that menace who put them in this state in the first place, there’s no where in Alola that’d be safe for them to stay. We may not have as many, but we’re doing our best to understand the Shadows to do what’s best for them.

Guzma:

Oh yeah? Maybe I should just let THEM decide which is worse? At least with Necrozma we know what the risks are. And what's your plan? Lock 'em up in cages for testing? Keep 'em in a zoo for the other people you guys are taking in to stare at? Or maybe you’ll just cryo freeze them all so no one has to deal with them until we find a cure. [He stares them down, watching Lillie shy away as Gladion grows indignant. Starts laughing] Yeah! That's what I thought! Now if you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do than waste time on you punks.

Lillie:

Guzma-!

Gladion:

[Just puts a hand out to hold her back and shakes his head at her.] Let me talk to him. You and the others need to get started, whether he wants us to or not.

Lillie:

[Curls into herself as she feels bad about the whole thing] I don’t understand. He seemed so happy to see us, but I didn’t think he’d be so upset about this. [*Glances back at the faces peering down at them*] I don't think following him up there is a good idea. And what if he's right? Even if we mean well, what if we're doing more harm than good?

Gladion:

[Cold and blunt as he watches the man disappear into the second floor.] He’s always been like this. I swear he’s bipolar or something. [Glances back at her with a more assuring tone] It's far less than ideal, but I'm certain we're still doing the right thing. Alright?

Guzma:

[Somewhere upstairs can be heard banging on a door] Yo! We’ve got company! Let's get a move on!

Gladion:

[That at least seems to draw the attention of the gawkers as they finally disappear from view] Be more worried about him.

Lillie:

[Saddened, but he has a point.] Alright…

[Gladion rushes up the carpeted steps, past the great chandelier still embedded in the side. Guess even in their possible fits, no one thought to mess with it. Just as he reaches the top though, he's surprised to see the rooms opening up and a crowd coming toward him. He moves away from the steps and takes his battle stance to defend himself but no one bothers. One by one, all of the Shadows pass by without a glance as they head down the clear path and split up. A young woman starts to knock on the doors of the first hall while others disappear towards the kitchen. A few though appear to make their way outside. With the train gone, Gladion starts to look over the quiet top floor, but eventually steps out onto the roof where he finds Guzma just watching the scene below where the startled Employees meet the handful of Shadows on the street.]

Gladion:

Guzma? [The former Boss looks over, but even after acknowledging him, goes back to watching] Can I have a word?

Guzma:

About what? I don't have anything to say to Mister Prez any more than I do anyone else.

Gladion:

[Scoffs] You certainly had a lot to say downstairs. And that's a fine greeting after no word for half a decade. You were happy talking to Lillie, but now you act like I personally betrayed you.

Guzma:

Maybe because I know to give credit where credit is due. She's not the one calling the shots around here. [He moves to head back inside through the balcony door leading to his old room.] So tell me, President Edgelord, with all of Aether's knowledge, technology, and personal involvement, who's idea was it to bail on Alola once the winds were no longer in your favor? I'm placing my bet that it wasn't Faba.

Gladion:

[Straightens up. It was going to be like that, huh?] Hmph. I'd say titles don't matter at a time like this, but you're right. I am the big boss of this operation. And I made the decision to leave. As if staying here would have made any difference-

Guzma:

[Turns around, but slowly treads backwards as he talks] You didn't stay to help. Didn't make Lusamine face any responsibility. You took, what, six Shadows with you and left us the rest? Ya didn't even tell anyone y'all were going, or where!

Gladion:

Would you have come with us then if we had? [Locks his jaw as he's trying not to lose his temper with him, but the truth stings] I thought at the time that leaving was the best for ALL of us. That, maybe, if it was after Mother, Necrozma would have followed us where we could deal with it away from any region. That, maybe, if it was drawn to Alola by our growing number of the Cosmog family, it would wormhole its way out of our world when the main source was gone. That, maybe, if we didn't put our necks on the line the first chance we got, we'd have time to come up with a real plan to capture this beast before we all became Shadows. And… and admittedly, I was wrong.

Guzma:

Tch, yeah. Because you're making decisions about something you know nothing about! [Turns to open the door]

Gladion:

[Pulls him away from the frame with surprising strength and pins him to the wall, glaring daggers at him] Is this the only way to get through to you?!

Guzma:

[Stunned by his abrasiveness but straightens up to his full height and gives a little smirk to dare the smaller punk to try anything] Ohhh! Look who thinks he's a big man now. Why don't you just get out of here before I crush ya?

Gladion:

Exactly, you idiot! Think! You're mad at me for running away, fine! But if Necrozma comes and rips you apart, then that doesn't help anyone! You say you can handle the Shadows fair enough even when they get aggressive. If you become one of them, who's going to handle you? And if you become another monster on a rampage, it going to create more trouble for all of us. I don't say this out of exaggeration, but I don't know a man alive who could take you down if that happens since Shadowfication tends to make things stronger. Do you really want that?!

Guzma:

[Slightly sarcastic even as it comes out soft and sad] Gee, when you put it like that, it makes me sound like I'm something important.

Gladion:

[Lets go of him and instinctively goes to shield his face] Don't flatter yourself. But… you are. [Moves aside, tries to straighten his tie to make himself presentable again before anyone sees him.] It's wrong of me to lose my temper like that, but what you said is true. You think I'm not painfully aware of how little I know? I wasn't the one to go with Mother into Ultra Megalopolis. I wasn't there at the altar when Necrozma first came here. I wasn't the one entrusted by the URS members to finish it off. …I wasn't even there when my own home was attacked, no thanks to Necrozma's Ultra Wormholes that opened when Solgaleo was kidnapped. That was you, and Lillie, and Roark. I admit I have NO idea what we're dealing with, but I think even you could see that, given where we are now, staying here would only give Necrozma more opportunities to pick us off.

Guzma:

[Crosses arms with a bit of a frown] What? You think I'm trying to make you feel guilty about not facing this thing directly? I wouldn't wish that on anyone. All I'm saying is, don't go acting like you know what's best, when your choices are affecting hundreds of people here. You start talking like that, you start sounding like your mom. She thought she knew what was best, and all that did was enrage the people she was supposed to be helping, run you two off, and nearly got us all killed!

Gladion:

[Eyes narrow on him]

Guzma:

And that face makes ya look just like her. Trust me, you didn't want to be there. When Lusamine and I tried to go after Necrozma, that thing tore through my team like we were paper. And when it came after her, I never felt so helpless in my life. Let's be honest. If Necrozma wanted me dead, it'd have done it by now.

Gladion:

[Sighs] Is there nothing I can say to make you change your mind?

Guzma:

Nah, I'll come with. Like ya said, if I can't stop ya from going, it's gonna be pretty lonely around here. Besides, everyone keeps freaking out about how they just KNOW I'm going to be the next target, but at this rate, I think you numbskulls would be safer staying with me. That creature wants to eat those with bright souls and shimmering auras, it doesn't want someone with a black heart.

Lillie:

Gladion, what is going on up here?!

Both:

[Just stares at her incredulously. Shakes off the confusion long enough to feign innocence]

Lillie:

[Her cheeks flush a bit as she huffs at them] You know you're loud enough that we can hear you outside? Not sure exactly what the yelling is about, but don't act like nothing happened.

Gladion:

[Hand to his face, but this time almost seems to be shielding himself from embarrassment*] With all of these open windows, it's not like we were trying to hide it.

Guzma:

He used to work for me, remember? It's just how Team Skull does business.

Gladion:

Only with much fewer holes in the wall.

Lillie:

[Eyes them both, half wondering if they're joking] Right… Well, um… We've gotten some cooperation going with the ones we drew to the street, but unless you know some trick, this is going to be a lot harder than we thought.

Guzma:

[He glances at Gladion again, still clearly not happy to comply, but there was no point fighting it anymore.] Yeah, sure. I know something that'll really catch their attention.

Lillie:

[Whisper to Gladion] He sure changed his tune. What did you say to him?

Gladion:

It doesn't really matter. We just needed to come to an understanding.

Guzma:

[Rattles the doorknob, but something seems wrong. It’s cold. He presses his ear to the door a moment before slowly opening it.] Guys?

[The siblings stay close behind as he pushes it open to reveal an eerie scene. What used to be his room and office was now littered with chunks of stonework and metal as everything inside was soaked. They all have the same thought as their eyes follow the rain up to see where a hole in the roof had formed recently.]

Gladion:

I don't think it collapsed… [They all step into the room to get a look around*] I'd say someone trashed the place, but I don't remember what it looked like before.

Guzma:

Hey, I've cleaned up since then! Not that you could tell. [Kneels down beside some of the rubble] But I think you'd remember my stash. It's looking like the only thing missing.

Gladion:

[Mildly alarmed] All of it? The entire trunk?

Lillie:

[Confused and almost afraid to ask] Stash?

Guzma:

Not what you're thinking. [Stands up and points at the splintered wooden box that had it’s lid scattered around in pieces.] I had a treasure chest here that had every known Buginium-Z Crystal in Alola.

Lillie:

[Confused] I didn't think you ever used Z-moves.

Guzma:

[Hotly] You don't understand! I spent years having the Grunts help me collect them all! I keep the door locked to keep the Shadows out. Little freaks sometimes huddle in my doorway, but I know what they're after.

Lillie:

Light… [Glances up at the hole in the roof again] The door wasn't broken so…

Gladion:

We're looking at no ordinary thief. [Shakes head] And if Necrozma was able to absorb all of those, it's only getting stronger.

Guzma:

[Stepping over things to keep looking around, he pauses when he notices the nightstand had been knocked over but the phone somehow avoided getting crushed as the table laid on it’s side as though to protect it. The light on the answering machine flashes gently to show it's still functioning. Aggravated even as he tries to be sarcastic] Maybe it left us a calling card.

[He straightens the set up to put them both back how they were and presses the play button to hear what he missed. A familiar voice comes through.]

Burnet:

Hey, Guzma, it's Burnet. I made it through the night~! I wasn't sure where you'd be at this hour so I hoped you could come to my place when you get this message. [Beeps]

Lillie:

Does she say why-?

Guzma:

Shush. [Listens intently to hear over the rain as the other two move closer]

Burnet:

Hi, Guzma, it's around ten o’ clock in the morning, so I thought maybe you would have gotten there by now to start making lunch. I, uh… I really need your help with something so just call me back, okay? It's a bit awkward to leave here right now. [Beep]

[They all glance at each other in silence with growing dread.]

Burnet:

Gosh, I can't believe I forgot about the evacuation. It's about three in the afternoon, so you're probably busy. I just don't know who else I can trust with this, so I've been trying to avoid calling Quips's place to look for you. This is REALLY important though, okay? I can't come to you or else I would. Thanks. [Beep]

Guzma:

[Checks his watch to see how long ago that was]

Burnet:

Guzma…? I finally called Quips and he said you left a while ago. Are you okay? I'm starting to wonder… [There's a subtle banging noise in the background like someone is at the door. Her voice grows muffled as though the mouthpiece was covered. When she comes back clearly, there's an air of hopelessness as she tries to continue on as normal.] It should be almost dinner time, right? I just… Please… I don't know how long I can hold him... [There's a loud clatter as though the earpiece hit the floor. Beep]

Machine:

[Robotic voice] End of messages.

Everyone:

… … … …

Guzma:

[Looks at the other two, bit shaken] I'm guessing neither of you have talked to her today?

Lillie:

[Softly] No… We started in Melemele and came over here. I wanted to see her as soon as we arrived, but once we got started, there's been a lot going on. I thought maybe she was just busy helping out in Akala and I'd see her this evening.

Guzma:

Sounds like I'm going with you then. Gladion, [Makes his way over the puddles to guide him to the door] have some of your guys head to the kitchen to finish things up. I need ya to go down to Nanu's place and see if you can find any Z-Crystals laying around. They're Dark-type, so I don't know if it'd have the same effect, but it's our best bet right now.

Gladion:

Do you know where he kept them?

Guzma:

[Soft chuckle] Do ya really think he told me anything? I'm not even sure the place is unlocked. But that oughta be no problem for you, eh, Merc? If nothing else, I'll be back to help load these guys up once we see what the deal is.

Gladion:

[Sigh, it frustrates him that he's probably right] Alright. [Sternly] But I'm entrusting you with protecting Lillie. You better protect her.

Guzma:

Nothing I can't handle. [Calls back to Lillie] Yo, you got a Ride Pager?

Lillie:

[Snaps to attention, but still nervous as she feels her pockets over.] Y-yes!

Guzma:

Then let's Fly!

~~~~~~~

A/N: This ended up being longer than expected. Still not sure about the pacing, but I'm satisfied with it. Since we're getting into the actual Shadows though, now might be a good time to explain some stuff. The Shadows function mostly like my understanding of the Shadow Pokemon from Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness. Some of that means

1) Shadows start with "shadow moves" because they don't remember much before Shadowification. As they spend time either fighting or being cared for, they can start remembering other, normal Pokemon moves but it comes at the cost of snapping into aggressive modes more frequently. Unfortunately, no amount of care can "cure" them, so even after remembering several things, they remain Shadows until they can be purified.

2) When a Shadow goes into Hyper Mode / Reverse Mode, they not only get super aggressive, but start attacking people, disobey orders, and may hurt itself. I interpret that as the internal struggle of trying to fight off the Shadowification and trying to remember things, but the best way to snap them out of this is call them by name. In the games, there's a Call command in the battle menu specifically for that reason.

3) Shadows can register stuff going on around them, but it's quickly forgotten. This is because in the games, the Shadows can't gain any levels or new moves, so it's likely they can't really forge new memories until they get purified and all the experience they gained as a Shadow suddenly hits them at once. So you can bet when that comes up, that'll be "fun".

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storylocke · 6 months

Text

Alolan Dusk 9

[Molayne gazes around the relatively empty Trial room one last time before turning out the lights. A manual security system would have to do since there would be no power running in the abandoned Observatory. It was almost eerie, really. With the absence of the constant low electrical hum throughout the building, the soft clanking and beeping down the halls of work still being done in some corner of the facility, and all of the staff having already left with their most vital equipment, it had already lost that feeling of home. Maybe it was for the best; being the last one here to lock up and secure everything when it had meant so much to him.

Last stop would be his office where a duffle bag of clothes and a backpack of memories were waiting. Just one thing left before setting out as he tries to ignore the deafening silence and sets out a few Item Capsules before he starts taking down the photographs from behind his desk. Being so unused to the quiet, his ears perk at what he swears he imagined was a door. No, wait. He wasn’t imagining it, there's also footsteps. Molayne tenses up and slowly grabs a Poke Ball from his belt as he listens to the figure come closer. The door opens slowly, but a head peeks in around the corner before opening it fully.]

Colress:

Ah, there you are!

Molayne:

[Breathes a sigh of relief but even as he lowers the Ball, he doesn't put it away just yet.] Hello? Do I know you?

Colress:

Personally? No. But we've been in touch before. My name is Colress. I'm here with the Aether Foundation-

Molayne:

[Eases up and playful thunks the side of his head] Of course! I've probably taken too long. My co-workers must have sent you to come check on me. [Returns to taking down photos with a bit more speed] I'm almost ready. Just need a few more minutes.

Colress:

An excellent estimate, Mr. Lillie. I did run into some of your colleagues at the docks, and they said I could find you here. When I found the door was still unlocked, it seemed they told me the truth! [His tone shifts to something more slick as steps closer.] But I actually wanted to catch you before we departed for Aether Paradise.

Molayne:

Before…? [Turns back to him.] I already told your president I'd like to offer my services if my daughter and I could stay there. Surely, whatever it is can wait until then.

Colress:

Perhaps, but this did feel like a matter you wouldn't want to discuss there. Family history and all. Things you wouldn't want your daughter to know yet.

Molayne:

… … … She's six. There's a lot of things I haven't told her yet. [Tucks the picture of his family into the capsule and shuts it. Leans on the desk as he scrutinizes the man with a steely gaze] Mr. Colress. If you're here to ask for help, you certainly make it sound like a threat.

Colress:

Perhaps it is. In my family a villain arrives every generation or so. [He gives a smile, but his companion doesn’t seem to find it so funny.] We're both men of science, of course, but I came here to talk to you about [there's a slight pause as his eyes brim with curiosity to see the Elite's reaction] magic.

Molayne:

…Magic? [His entire stance tenses up as his blood runs cold.] I don't know what you mean.

Colress:

Clearly you do. I've been doing some research into the families of Alola that would make potential candidates for a specific task. I found that yours is the only one to successfully utilize that potential in the last several decades. Fresh enough, in fact, I believe you're intimately aware of it from personal experience. Am I wrong? [He waits for some retort, but the man just seems to grow pale] There's no shame in it. I've worked with Pokemon fusions, slipping into other dimensions, I even discovered how to become invisible in the last few years. But outright transformation? Allowing hundreds access a place with mass teleportation? Creating a village on one of the Dream Worlds? We both know that some of the most advanced "science" is just magic we've managed to decode for real life usage.

Molayne:

You give me credit for the rest of my family’s work. Even if I've helped manage things from time to time, I've never done any of that.

Colress:

Hm. You still have quite the reputation. An Elite Four member, a Trial Guide, co-owner for the Festival Plaza, Alola's PC Runner, and yet you somehow still have time for your duties as the head of Hokulani Observatory?

Molayne:

[Tries to shrug it off] I don't sleep much.

Colress:

[There's a bit of jealousy as he snaps back] Or maybe some of us have more hours in a day than others.

Molayne:

… … … I guess you really have done your research. [Sighs and shifts his gaze to the floor] I'm not going to prove it in trying to fight you. We mean no harm. I just… I want what anyone else wants right now, to be safe.

Colress:

[Shifts a bit, eying him with cat-like curiosity.] What? Just what do you think I'm accusing you of, Mr. Lillie?

Molayne:

The Outsiders. [Glances at him with defeat] That someone at Aether thinks little Anabel and I might be a danger to you all. And given the stigma against Glitchmancy-- "the corrupted"-- I'm assuming you want me to confess, or something so it'll save us all the confusion and embarrassment of being turned away at the docks later. Would that be another "excellent estimate", Mr. Colress?

Colress:

[Excited] Not even close! Did you miss that I wanted you for a task? I needed you to admit to your knowledge and power because you're already fighting me before even hearing the proposition. You can't help me if you insist on holding such things secret out of fear. You can't second guess in the moment just because others are around. Fear of being seen as corrupted. It's the LACK of corruption that I find fascinating right now! And you even revealed your understanding by knowing the terms used for such magic in the Other World. How would you have heard about that, I wonder? As I said, despite Alola having many candidates, the emphasis is on your family’s success. The Seelie, the Outsiders, the Glitches, whatever name we call them across the regions doesn't matter, the result is still the same. Those who get too close, try to capture them or obtain their power, eventually will have to pay for it. [Curious] But your kind never face the consequences, do you? And I wonder… [he reaches into the largest pocket on his coat to pull out a book] if it has something to do with this.

Molayne:

[More confused than anything as he eyes the man, then at the book.] There are always consequences. What is it that you want?

[He takes the massive tome to inspect it. No title, but it had fragments of colorful gems embedded into the leather cover and spine. Despite its size, it feels eerily light in his hand and the astronomer even gives it a light bounce to test the weight. Strange. He eyes Colress with some hesitation as he balances it on one hand to open it, half expecting at this point that something will jump out.]

Molayne:

I won't help you do anything dangerous, you know. [Flips it open. ….. Flip. Flip. Flip. Angles it down so Colress can see it.] There's nothing in here. Just pages and pages of border art. [A mix of relief and disappointment] Unless you thought some sort of complicated language would magically appear when you handed it to me.

Colress:

Wouldn't that be something! But no. This curious piece is blank by design. The book comes from a little known region found in the Other World called Rijon. Ever heard of it? A fascinating place! The Seelie there are numerous and roam more freely, but the people there seem as accustomed to them as with regular Pokemon. There's even a small sect of people who've mastered how to capture these reality altering monsters within special books like this one. [Runs a finger along the delicate paintings on the page] These paintings that line every page are said to be runes, a certain magic able to seal the creatures away until they can be summoned again. And it's said that once sealed, the summoner is able to hold tremendous power over everything within, including the Outsiders.

Molayne:

[As the enormity of the request hits him, he finds himself stuttering] A-and you're asking me… to use this on Necrozma?

Colress:

[Pleased to see he gets it now] Precisely. I’m not asking you to hunt it down, but if Necrozma tries to stop us from leaving, we may need you as our back up plan. High risk, high reward. Seeing just how many have tried over the years, we know this creature can't be caught by normal means. I was actually there when Roark captured it last time, and we see how long that lasted. And worse, even if he was able to capture and befriend it by our standards, the recent news we got at Aether Paradise shows the clever beast may be using him to avoid other methods.

Molayne:

Roark?! [Shuts the book and shifts all his focus on Colress] That can't be possible. I worked with him for years back when he was Champion and-

Colress:

There's increasing evidence to prove otherwise. I originally assumed there's not more people who use this method for capture simply because of the painstaking process it takes a skilled artist to make one book, but I was wrong. It's simply because there aren't more people. Glitchmancers can gain their powers in a number of ways, but the only people who can use this method are those with… [He's not even sure there's a word for it really as he tries to think of how to phrase it] a unique connection to the Outsiders. I believe those who can manipulate reality without consequence may have a certain closeness with the Void that protects them. Or perhaps the Seelie just like them more.

Molayne:

[Softly] Again, there are always consequences, Mr. Colress. Sometimes being favored by Void can be a curse in itself. [Tilts the book back to himself and brushes a hand along the bright bindings. Frowns] I've never seen one of these. And I'm not from Rijon. What makes you think I can even use it?

Colress:

[Sly grin] Only one way to find out! But don't you worry, I've been doing extensive analysis on this, and testing a bit myself. If you can't, because I know I can't, it doesn't do anything. I do hope you consider trying at least. I have plenty to go over with you once we reach Aether, if you'd be interested.

Molayne:

[Takes a long moment to think over it as he looks down at the book again, the gems somewhat sparkling.] …Let's say this does somehow actually work. I've heard the stories from the kids a few times now, and it sounds like Necrozma can open several Ultra Wormholes at once. If that's true, do you really think a book is going to contain it?

Colress:

An excellent question! One we don't have an answer for. With that kind of power, it's any wonder why it hasn't left Alola already. My latest hypothesis is that it doesn't have enough power to do like it did before. Which, if all this has been at a hindered state, capture at full power will likely be impossible. The hope then is threefold: First, in capturing Necrozma, we will have time for safe passage until we can start unloading our passengers in other locations. Secondly, in light of the events, I've been experimenting with reworking my fuser and separation devices meant for Pokemon to be used for humans. We may not require it, but if that should be the case with Roark, we'll still need to hold him and Necrozma down long enough to apply it. Should that succeed, even if the beast tries to escape, we can again try to capture it by other means without its human shield. I discovered there are much simpler books for use in Rijon, but this one, [he taps the cover somewhat playfully] is quite an expensive investment. It can hold multiple beings and objects, very uncommon even there, and I'm hoping that means should the pair be registered as separate beings, we'll still catch them both. A bit of a loophole to how Necrozma has avoided us so far.

Molayne:

I guess more pages also means a stronger spellbinding too… [Saddened to think of doing that to his young friend and colleague, but if Roark really has been overtaken like Colress says, it would be for his own good.] So if we succeed in catching Necrozma, you think we can solve everything?

Colress:

Only if we can guarantee Necrozma will remain held. High risk, high reward, remember? Besides the risk of Shadowfication, if it were able to warp out like you suggest, I assume the first place it would go would be to get its revenge on us. But that's where the fun for us researchers begins isn’t it? The third goal, as mentioned before, is that the book should give you control over anything inside it, which I'm hoping to test out with your help. Theoretically, it might be possible to alter Necrozma's "data" to ensure it can't escape again. Or who knows, losing a part of itself is what made it into a consuming force, so there might be some way to make it whole again.

Molayne:

By altering its existence through Glitchmancy. [Shakes head.] It seems cruel, but after everything this monster has taken from us, I don't suppose we have many options.

Colress:

I'll give you some time to consider this. Once you and your daughter get settled, you might come find my office. Your help may not even be necessary if we can figure anything else out, but depending on what Necrozma does in the next few days, we haven't much time for you to learn in case we do need it.

Molayne:

[Nods at the truth of that. The idea of going against this creature, knowing what would happen if he failed, is a lot to consider. But if it could work then…] Do you mind if I hang onto this for a while?

Colress:

Of course! I have no use for it unless we find a better candidate. [Reaches into his pocket and pulls out an ID pass] Our president asked that we share any new information we find at dinner tonight when we return to Paradise. I hope you'll join us.

Molayne: [Takes it from him and looks it over. An access to the administration wing.] Thank you. I will.

~~~~~~~~

A/N: I feel like this one needs a lot of explanation for anyone not familiar with TPP antics.

1) Rijon was the region for Pokemon Brown, and being a ROM hack, came with it's fair share of bugs. Unlike the horrors of S2 and Anniversary Crystal before it though, the Glitches here were treated as fun world with a sense of wonder as Paul went on like flying Seels was just another day in the life. One of the more curious glitches was just a texture bug where the gift Pokemon appeared as books, so our Starter and Eevee and so forth were said to be summoned from books. Which Paul, being a natural born wizard, loved to collect. It doesn't help that for all our jokes that the Glitches are mythologically accurate Fae in this world that our Eevee would become a Fairy Type in a Gen I hack.

2) Poor Mo. The PC Runners are generally distrusted for good reason in the TPP verse, and it doesn't help that our Sun lore had the Festival Plaza as a cursed place that functioned a lot like Pleasure Island since chat was pretty adamant at first to keep Nigel trapped there. Surprisingly the place has a lot in common with the Dream World. Like with Lusamine and many others though, this Molayne isn't the same one from Sun, but that doesn't mean the Festival Plaza hasn't kept going. Just maybe a little less children turning into Mudbray these days. However the Ultra Sun and Moon ended up giving him more responsibility by having him replace Hala at the E4, while still doing everything else from standard SuMo. Which just makes that one NPC'S comment how Soffy and Mo would often play video games into the night, somehow all the work still gets done even funnier.

3) Oh yeah, more RUM silliness to explain. Mo's last name here is Lillie because, like with Hau / Hala, Professor Kukui got name tags early on for both Molayne and Lillie. And while some at first jumped at the idea of Professor Lillie, when we actually met Lillie she had her normal line of introducing herself as Lillie before another line tagged her as Anabel. So Anabel Lillie became Professor Lillie's daughter in my interpretation. And booooy does RUM require aaaalll the interpretation with the scrambled dialogue and name tags making for one inconsistent storyline to sort out.

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#twitch plays pokemon #alolan dusk #Molayne Lillie #Colress #horror #mystery #story

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