Sethera

Alois, Penelope, Gunther, Ciela, Citron, Raki, and Edrick and Link. A moment passed. Then another moment, and then another. And then a familiar rotund man arrived at the head of the staircase. He held a linen handkerchief to his sweat-streaked forehead. Looking down at the group, the man spread his arms wide as he descended the stairs. "H-Hello, and welcome to the humble-grand manor of Lord Pyla-aahh!" A loud screech cut off the last word. The man had tripped over his saggy pants, tumbling head over heels down the stairway to land in front of the group, chin knocking against the wooden floor. Fortunately for him, although banged and bruised up, there were no open wounds. "Not again…" Even Edrick and Link would hear the noise from upstairs. Tsetseg The man blinked owlishly, frowning in confusion at Tsetseg's spiel. "Bad people? Well, it sounds like somethin's goin' on, hm? Cora, didja hear that?" He craned his neck over his shoulder to Cora, then back at the duo. "Well, my Cora 'ere's been through a lot today, so's I don't know if'n this is a good idea—" "That's up to Cora." The woman spoke finally, her voice slightly raspy. "Cora." The word was brief, but obviously a command. "What's your decision?" She never turned her face away from Phai and Tsetseg. Phai fidgeted, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Uh… W-Well, it's okay if you don't want to. I w-was just asking in case you wanted to join in, that's all." OOC

Oh great, vision quests and pig monster vomit. My favorite.

Wow, I see bad stuff keeps happening to me. Not surprised, honestly. Glad that most of it seemed temporary, at least. Also, this game sounds frustrating to play. lol

Perhaps Hector’s words were enough to goad the Staryu into motion. The water type ignored Z. and threw itself at the Falinks. However, it didn’t fall back like before. This time, it wrapped its appendages around Hector H’s shadowed face. The Brass could see nothing except for a core glowing with an eerie red light. The other Staryu did nothing, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding activity. However, the Cleffa inched forward with small steps, stopping to stare at either Z. or Hector with wide eyes, mouth quivering in a tiny frown. The fluff on its head bobbed gently as its body rotated from one to the other. While this was happening, a familiar voice crackled in the group's heads. "Bzzt, hello? This is Star Command to Squad Beta. Do you read me?" They laughed, and it was a bright, infectious kind of laughter. "Haha, I've always wanted to do that! But... I suppose now isn't the time, is it?" The speaker trailed off, laughter dying, though they kept a certain amount of levity. "You're currently being attacked. If you're not used to fighting, or you're not sure what to do, try to think about what kind of Pokémon you are and what moves you might possess. Also, pick up any items you find. You never know what could be useful! Oran berries, for example, heal you when your health is low." The voice lowered. "And remember… Attacks can come at any moment, from any side.” The following words were soft, though they lacked the breathiness of a genuine whisper. “So please, be careful." There was one last static buzz, and then silence. OOC

Shakespeare has influenced my decision to choose Jester. It also looks super cool.

Alois, Penelope, Gunther, Tsetseg, Citron, and Raki Timmy waved back at Alois, brightening as he saw him. "Weel, if it ain't Alois! And, err, actually… They did." He chuckled, scratching his cheek. Phai also waved, a small smile lighting up her features. "I'm not that bad! Just, still learning the ropes, is all." She reverted to her earlier seriousness. "Alois, did you hear? Hanikap p-pushed Timmy down a pit! And him and Pylauses were planning something bad. So we need to stop them!" The girl, who had been wound up like a spring, sagged when Tsetseg reassured her of her companion's reliability. "That's a relief. But we still should get help. As you said, the more the merrier!" At Gunther's awkward comment, she shook her head. "N-Not at all. It's fine. It's the job of the militia to deal with stuff like this, after all. I-I'm sorry you have to in our place. We'll try to catch up as quickly as we can!" Mene nodded to Citron's question. "Sounds like it." She glanced about at the group. "I'm gonna let the mayor know about this." The woman crossed her arms. "He'll wanna know. He's been suspicious o' Pylauses since the man arrived." "Ah'll return Icleias tae Amas," Timmy suggested. "An' see if'n I can gather a'body else." He nodded at Raki. "Ye take care o' yersel, ye hear? Ye and Gonnafazeya both!" The boy turned around, whistling another jaunty tune as he strolled down the path. Icleias and Lassie both followed him, the beagle romping around while the collie followed with staid dignity. "Um, excuse me," the small voice belonged to one of the quieter members of the group, Sienna. The Protean's attention was mostly on Penelope. "I think I'm going to go after Licorice," she said, ears flattened in nervousness. "I…I don't like that she's out there by herself, and I know this is important, but…" she trailed off, "…but I think this is also important. Licorice is our friend!" she shouted. After a second, she let out a quiet squeak of embarrassment. "Sorry, but that's what I think. And I'm going to do it, no matter what anybody says!" The fox bowed to the group before turning around, cloak whipping behind her with the motion. She glanced back once before shaking her head determinedly. With a flick of her white tail, the girl set off into a fast lope, leaving the group behind. Alois, Penelope, Gunther, Ciela, Citron, and Raki It wasn't long before the gathering set out. None of the villagers stopped them, though a few shot Raki odd looks, brows furrowed. Thanks to Alois, the group arrived at Pylauses's house without issue. There, they would see Ciela and Remy standing before a gaudy-looking building. The front door had been swung open. No one else was around save for a couple of horses. Overhead, birds winged their way through the sky. Tsetseg Phai and Tsetseg split off without preamble. Walking down the path, it was clear Phai's mood had sharpened, an arrow shooting toward her destination. The girl was frowning as she stared straight ahead, determination surging with every stomp on the dusty road. Were Tsetseg to speak, she would respond with short phrases, concentrated on the goal. Eventually, the two followed the path to a familiar house with a familiar horse. There, a familiar girl was brushing the horse down while conversing with an older couple standing nearby. "Cora!" Phai called. "Oh, and uh, hello, Goodman and Goodwife Gatti." She wrung her hands together. The couple turned around. The man looked fairly ordinary, with dull brown hair falling limply over hazel eyes. He wore frayed clothing, and he put most of his weight on a wooden staff and his right leg. His left leg appeared twisted and useless. However, the woman was rapier-thin and tall, her hair a tangled mess of black curls of a similar hue to Cora's. "'Lo there, young Phai," the man spoke gently. "What's the matter?" The woman said nothing, staring at Phai and Tsetseg with unblinking copper eyes. "E-Er, uh," Phai coughed, her own eyes never leaving the woman's. "Y-Yeah. I, uhh, um, well, we're here to uh, um… Well, something bad is going on and we need help!" Edrick Edrick found a small corner office upon opening the door. A few velvet-cushioned chairs surrounded a single wooden desk. Various fripperies adorned it, including a golden candlestick, a bouquet, a music box, a picture frame, an empty scroll of parchment, and an inkwell. A bookcase containing several books and cabinets filled with what looked like medicinal bottles lined the walls. Multiple windows and a crackling fireplace lit up the area. To the side was a closed door. OOC

The first to reach the stairs was the Zorua, bounding up with surprising agility. Coming after, a Clobbopus, as clumsy as the Zorua was graceful, limbs sticking to the floor with every awkward step. Third, a Rotom, floated over, every so often pausing with a static shiver before whizzing in a zigzag pattern. The fourth, a Chespin, walked on two legs, tail dragging behind him. Finally, the others approached the steps in single file, save for a Cubone clutching a spike from a Falinks trooper. Yet, strangely, it seemed they all arrived at the next floor at the same time. Each Pokémon, upon reaching the top, would notice the rest of the group with them as soon as they surveyed their surroundings. BGM: Tiny Woods | Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Team The party found themselves in a smaller room than the previous one. Walls hemmed them in from three sides, the remaining side being mostly open, with multiple corridors branching off like spindly legs into the shadows. A small pool of water lay calm and still nearby. A cheerful voice rang in each of their heads, breaking the silence while they regained their bearings. Hello? Are you there? Can you hear me? There was a pause. If you can hear me, I should tell you, you're in a mystery dungeon right now! A mystery dungeon is a strange and dangerous place filled with Pokémon who won't hesitate to attack you. You could say it's a side effect of the dungeon's powers. You might have trouble adapting, but with your numbers, I think you'll be fine. I'll try to give you tips from my end as well, so good luck! If you can reach the end, there'll be a prize…maybe. ♪ OOC

Animal Crossing: City Folk Kirby's Epic Yarn PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond Tales of Graces

Alois, Penelope, and Citron "I'll just sleep outside tonight." "Oh, no ye ain't," Mene said. "You'll catch yer death o'cold out there. I ain't lettin' no one be asleepin' outside." She would've said more, but stopped upon hearing Penelope's quiet comment. The words took the wind from her sails as easily as puncturing a hole through them. But whether Alois's mother was dispirited or else remained to be seen. Her shoulders sagged, mouth softening, but her eyes had narrowed into sharpened brittle. The woman said nothing as she busied herself with cleaning, eventually leaving the house and shutting the door behind her to let the trio talk amongst themselves. Until the others arrived. Gunther, Tsetseg, and Raki "Oh, yes, that. You know them well?" "By hecky I do—weel, nae really." Timmy scratched his head. "They're, uhh, whaddaya call it, infamous." He glanced around, as if fearing the trees and bushes would carry away his words. "A'body in town knows o' em. Pylauses is as highfalutin' as ye can get, thinks the sun comes up jest to 'ear him crow. An' Hanikap jest does whate'er Pylauses asks o' him." He then moved on to his explanation of how he ended up in the quarry pit. — Phai's expression, which had sunk further into a hangdog frown, lifted slightly as she listened to Tsetseg. "Oh, so that's where you must have met the fluffy foxes then. Where was that again?" However, Gunther's words brought her back to painful reality. "I still can't believe they would do that. How could anybody do such a thing? When we're all suffering, trying to work together… Why would they do something like this?!" "'Cause they're grown-ups, and sometimes grown-ups are bad'uns," Timmy explained with the simple wisdom of a child. After Raki asked his question, were the others to expand upon what happened, both Phai and Timmy would listen, though Phai would seem much more interested. Timmy, in contrast to Phai's rising panic, beamed like nothing was wrong when they passed his father Paulos, giving a giant wave. The man waved back, unsurprised to see the group he has sent after Timmy had grown from Gunther, Tsetseg, and Lassie to include Sienna, Raki, Phai, and Icleias. Or he just didn't care. It was hard to tell. Alois, Penelope, Gunther, Tsetseg, Citron, and Raki Eventually, the crowd reached Mene's house, with the woman outside sweeping away stray debris with a broom. Every so often she would lean over to pat a nearby peach-colored wyvern who was sleeping nearby. "Heyo Mene, it's Timmy! Ah've got some news fer ya." The boy's shout was loud enough to be heard even from inside the house. "Timmy." Mene set the broom aside, wiping her hands off on her apron as she approached. "What can I do ye for?" Her smile widened when she noticed the wyvern rider with him. "And Raki too! What a surprise. Not that I'm complainin', mind." She winked. "Hopefully, with everythin' going on, the mayor won't mind an extra face or two." Timmy pointed at Raki. "Me an' Raki, we were oot in the woods, an' 'eard some real nasty business." He explained what the Isaurian had gone over earlier to the group. "Ah reckon they're fixin' to pull off some grand ol' scheme o' sorts. Ah knows fer sure it's bad, cuz when Hanikap saw me, he pushed me inter the quarry pit all apanicked, so's at least it's summat ah wasnae supposed t'hear." Mene clucked her tongue in worry. "That Edrick boy an' the girl with the horse jest left recently fer Pylauses's house. Tweren't long afore that an' they were mightily injured." She frowned. "Come t'think of it, that young man in green headed out afore them. An' that young lady too… methinks 'er name was Cat somethin'." She paled. "Dear Dragon… Mayhap the mayor was right 'bout Pylauses. He never did trust 'im. But I never paid him much mind. Fact is, he could do with a little more trustin'." Timmy nodded. "Ah always thought they were strangelike, though I ain't never was 'spectin' them to go pushin' me inter holes an' such." Phai paled, before firming her expression. "I'm…I'm gonna go grab Acantha. And maybe Cora, if I can find her. We need to get this straightened out, especially if they're up to no good! I-If it's nothing though…" she trailed off. "We can just…apologize. Yeah! …Hopefully that'll work." She glanced at Tsetseg. "D-Do you wanna come with? Or not… Whichever you decide, I'm fine with." Edrick and Ciela Hanikap sputtered out some protests when Edrick slipped past him. "Oi, I mean, hey, wait! Please, uhh, stay in the parlor, good sir!" When nothing happened, the man sighed, but continued to climb the stairs, chasing after the others with exhausted desperation. "Oh, rats, Lord Gaston is going to kill me," he muttered. Link The door opened, only for Pylauses to slam it shut immediately. "What in the azure blazes?!" he shouted. "Demned animals!" The door swung open again. This time, the man marched inside in high dudgeon, shooing the pigeons back to their holes. During all of this, he neither noticed Link nor was he paying attention to the doorway. OOC

I'd call this a pale fluorite. I also really like this color.

Alois, Penelope, and Citron To look at Mene, one would think her earlier exhaustion a lie. She moved with the determined stomp of a mother on a mission, the back-and-forth flitter of a robin feathering her nest, removing what bits she found wanting, her veil fluttering behind her like a wing. "Alois! I cannot believe you would be so quick to send her away. We do not even know yet if Edrick will return to rest here. Do not tell me you are hoping to spend the night here with just me, are you?" The woman's frenzied dance came to a halt, a beat out of sync. She turned her head to stare at first Penelope, and then Alois. Her eyes revealed a flicker of wariness that was quickly extinguished by a tide of disapproval. "Now, Alois, if'n Miss Penelope's words be true, then I 'ave to say as I'm mightily disappointed in ye. I thought I'd raised ye better." She pursed her lips. "Still, mightn't be the worst idea to look around, maybe take a peek at the house down the road. Alois can show ye. Just be sure to either come back or bed down afore dark." Gunther, Tsetseg, and Raki Phai nodded along in a rare understanding of Tsetseg's impassioned litany. "Fluffy foxes that were growling? Where did you meet those? They sound a little scary…unless, of course, they were friendly, then that would be a different story." She straightened up at the archer's last sentence. "Baddies? In our village? How could that be?" The militia girl listened to Raki's explanation, expression stiffening further with every word. "Pylauses and Hanikap," she muttered in a quiet voice tinged with disbelief. The group followed a worn-down hunting trail that wound through the forest like a snake as they started the return journey back to the village. "Aye, t'was them," Timmy agreed, stretching his arms as he moved to the front of the pack, surefooted and confident. "I stayed t'listen longer, but ah didna hear much else. Hanikap caught me whiles I was still fixin' to do summat, shoved me down inter this 'ere hole, an' there ye 'ave it." His cheerful tone clashed with the heaviness of his words. The boy walked as if he were on a daytime stroll, hopping over rivulets of water and fallen logs. "That's unbelievable," Phai muttered, pushing a stray tree branch aside for the rest of the group to pass before taking up the rear. Unlike Timmy's jaunty skips, her steps sank into the ground, heavy with dread. "How could Hanikap push you down a well—quarry like that?" she corrected herself. "And what's this about a secret passage?" "Reminds me o' summat my papa said," Timmy replied. "Said the mayor must've been in high cotton wool cuz he 'ad some fancy schmancy secret passage. Course, he shut up when ah asked him 'bout that." He shook his head. "Haven't ye noticed it, Phai? There's somefing we ain't knowin', but the grown-ups do, an' they ain't tellin'." "I…" the girl's silver eyes glazed over in thought. "Yeah. You're right. But I don't know what it could be. I think Acantha does, but she won't tell me either." She glanced at the rest of the group. "S-Sorry, this must all sound so strange…" She laughed nervously. "U-Unless it's not. Maybe you've seen weirder on your travels?" Edrick and Ciela "Huh?" Hanikap scratched his head. "I thought I saw a wolfydog." He turned to look behind him, at Rohns climbing up the stairs. "I did, I did saw a wolfydog!" A pause, and then, "Oh, no! I can't let that thing get near Lord Pylauses." The man waddled after Rohns like an ungainly duck. He stumbled, almost tripping once more, but caught himself and resumed the chase with renewed vigor. Meanwhile, Edrick and Ciela stood alone at the front of the house. Through the open door, they would see what looked like a large parlor, all polished wood flooring and upholstered red velvet furniture. Patterned rugs created a bizarre mosaic, and paintings of various hunting scenes took up every spare inch of wall space. A door stood on each end of the opposite wall, an enormous staircase sandwiched between them. The same staircase Hanikap was currently scaling, huffing and puffing with every step. Link The birds approached Link like a troop of soldiers surrounding a single enemy. A few cocked their heads to the side and cooed curiously. Others just stared straight at him with empty eyes. Meanwhile, above the noise of the birds, the mercenary would hear footsteps approaching his room, along with a muttered voice. "Blasted avianators! They must be insatiated. I shall have to nourish them before dispatching my memorandum." Shortly after, he could hear the creak of the door opening. OOC

The water was freezing. It felt as if Z. had dipped themselves into an icy midwinter stream, liquid only because of its swift current. The chill seeped through their fur, past their meat, into their bones, stealing their breath away, and only after they climbed over the sharp edge of the canal and shook off the droplets did it loosen its chokehold. But now the Zorua was cold and damp in a cold and damp place, and that was never pleasant. Bearable at the moment, but uncomfortable. Across the canal, the other Pokémon pushed against the fallen pillar. Even with Noibat's added weight, the column shifted with a slow, grinding sound. Each brush against a cobblestone caused it to shiver like a landed fish, making for a bumpy ride. With every judder, it threatened to leap out of their hands, but the combined strength of the group, especially that of the fighting types, kept it moving. When the Pokémon finally reached the canal and pushed, everything went well at first. Shortly before the pillar settled into place, it swayed ominously before sliding down. Unless the group moved fast or somebody lifted it from underneath, their bridge would tip into the canal. Meanwhile, Z., and whoever followed them, could see into the passage up top after advancing. The corridor widened into a circular room, inside which another canal ringed a brick column. At the front, across a land bridge, a single marble stone block bulged out from the brick. Cut into the center was a large keyhole. OOC

This is a formal announcement that Wind Rider has been removed from the RP. I will be writing Sienna out as well and remove her from the roster. Please feel free to interact with her or not as you wish until she is written out.

Alois, Penelope, and Citron Mene smiled at the kind words of both of the girls, eyes drooping slightly with exhaustion. "Nay, I couldn't possibly fall asleep afore my guests. T'wouldn't be right." She covered a yawn. "Though I reckon I'll sit down fer a spell, just to git off these legs." The woman sank down on the bed, sagging like an empty waterskin. After a few seconds, she looked up. "Ye should rest as well. I knows Edrick's after getting the bed, an' Alois and—" she shot a quick glance at Penelope, "ye are gonna sleep here, but," she turned to Citron, "ye should's find a place as well. I won't 'ear another word about workin' wiv that arm of yours naow. Maybe we can fit ye here if'n we make some room." The woman rose, tawny eyes fierce as the wind filled her sails once more. She busied herself with fluffing the blankets and lifting various small items to place outside. Would anybody offer to help her, she would refuse. Eventually she paused, hands hovering over a wooden storage chest, before picking that up as well to bring outside. Gunther and Tsetseg Phai peered at Tsetseg in worry, waving a hand in front of the archer's face. "Um… A-Are you all right? You're not, uh, turning into an animal as well, are you?" Her own face whitened in fear. "Oh no! I really hope not. I don't know what to do at all if that curse comes back…" The militia girl held her breath when Timmy was carried back up by Garinphasia, though the boy himself seemed much more carefree. "Whoee! Bet nae e'en Alois can says as 'e's ridden a whyburn afore!" The boy cheered after reaching the top, jumping up and down with his arms raised over his head like palm fronds. "Finally, ootta there! Ah reckon ah woulda started growin' roots afore long." He turned to Garinphasia. "Yer a good'un Miss Faceya!" He then turned to Raki. "Thankee kindly, Raki." "Naow…" Timmy faced the others, "whaddaya says to us all gittin' back to the village? Ah gots sum things to tell Missus Mene. You too, Raki. Ahm thinkin' ye shoold come along this time. I donts want tae leave ye oot 'ere by yerself if'n one of those pair o'baddies comes back." Link A familiar voice rang up from the bottom floor, though Link heard it most clearly from the broken window. "Hello?" A few solid thumps. "Hello there? We're Catriona's friends!" The bickering stopped before the whispers began anew, followed by stamping feet before a door creaked open and footsteps were heard…and grew quieter. The corridor where Link stood was undisturbed. However, it wasn’t long before Link heard the scrape of the door leading into the hallway from somebody pulling it open. From the mercenary’s position around the corner, they wouldn’t see him, but he would have to act fast to remain undetected. Edrick and Ciela There was silence until there was not. A sudden thump was shortly followed by several more in succession, as if somebody was sliding down multiple stairs. "Ow…" a voice whined. Silence reigned once more until the thumping resumed, approaching the door. The voice muttered a curse. Finally, a click, and then a pause before the door swung open suddenly, narrowly avoiding bashing Edrick in the face. "Hello, hello, welcome to Lord Gaston's most uh—what was that word—humdrum house, dear guests!" The man who stood there possessed a feminine face striped by sideburns and framed by soft brown curls. His belly strained at the polished metal buttons of a maroon vest while he waddled forward on legs that were both too wide and too short for his pants, if the scrapes over his form and the redness of his nose were any indication. He gave the two a wide, buck-toothed smile. "What can I do you for—I mean, do for you?" Most of the others would recognize the doorman as Hanikap Lefou. However, to Edrick and Ciela, who had been heavily injured or passed out earlier, he was a complete stranger. OOC

You know, I realized I never did the traditional host thing of commenting on everybody's apps here in the OOC. But I don't really feel a need to do that here since I said it all in the Discord chat... I guess if people want more in-depth feedback from me, I can do that here. If not, then we'll just stick with the status quo. Though I suppose it'd be useful for future reference if people want to join and don't have a Discord. Anyway... Guess what's up, everybody? It's the IC, that's what!

<OOC> BGM: Personality Quiz - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX Listen. Can you hear the voice carried by the winds of time? "You...you can hear me, right?" You cannot ignore it. Only those with willing hearts can hear the call across the boundary of space. "Could you be a human? If you are, then that means...I finally found you!" After all, you are one of those extraordinary beings we call humans. "This world...needs your help. Please come...and lend your strength!" O you have undergone the test of the soul. You who have proven yourself worthy. I await your arrival in the world of Pokémon. "Be strong! Stay smart! And be victorious!" And remember. Wherever there is light, there must also be shadow. In the belly of an ancient ruin, several people woke up at the same time. Now, they could have woken from the steady trickle of nearby water, or the jagged blue edges of the broken cobblestone beneath, or the damp chill that clung to their forms, or even something else. Regardless, they were awake. Surrounding them were sandstone walls webbed with cracks thick with moss. Water dripped from a ceiling that had previously held a honeycomb pattern, but now showed a broken mosaic. Here and there, once mighty cylindrical pillars lay collapsed into piles of stone, while others still stood proudly over crumbling foundations. To the side, a clear spring-fed pool wore away at the sharp edges of its confines, spilling out into a canal that ran underneath one of the brick walls. Though one could not call the atmosphere cozy by any means, it carried a certain serenity to it. The air was still and heavy with moisture. Shadows smudged the sharp edges of the room in the dusky light from the cracks above. Even the cries of distant creatures were but a faint echo. Despite this peace, the people gathered there would find their minds clouded by confusion and uncertainty. Their names and experiences in a certain forum shone clearly, as if lit by a spotlight, yet beyond that there was nothing. No history, no semblance of who they were beyond their life on that forum. In addition, a strange feeling of wrongness lingered in the backs of their consciousnesses. Something about them had changed. Map OOC

Don't worry, I'll let you know! And yes, I had a lot of fun with that. XD

Hello, thanks for the interest! Yeah, I know I phrased that kind of weird before, oops. Basically, I'm at the limit of how many people I want to work with right now. I might be able to open up another slot in the roster in the future, but first I want to wait and see how things develop. I don't want to overload myself by accepting too many people due to the nature of PMD. Things might change if anybody drops and/or I feel more confident about an increased roster, but for now the RP's status is a tentative not accepting. Sorry for the confusion!

May or may not join depending on how the concept sounds and if I can think up a character concept. And depending on how much extra time I end up having so... Pending interest.

Alois, Penelope, and Citron "Come on, Mom, me? Tease him? I never. I haven't teased Eddy once our whole journey, not a once." Mene shot Alois a look, her eyebrows raised almost comically high. "Not e'en once?" She stood there, hands on hips, lips pressed into a thin line. "Uh-huh." Fortunately for Alois, Citron diverted her attention away with her question, but it pivoted back to the boy when he gave his reasoning. Her eyes narrowed until they were little more than brown crescents. Penelope chipped in with a much more watertight justification. She ended it with a layer of charm that, unlike before, just caused the woman to smile tightly. The tactician finished with a light laugh. "In any case, Miss, there's something I really want to know." Her eyes flashed with delight as she looked over towards Alois. "Just what did Alois do to make the mayor dislike him so? I know he can be quite bold with how he speaks to people so I'm ever so curious what he might have said to start this little feud of theirs." Mene stared at Penelope for one tense second before sighing, weariness replacing wariness. "Well, if'n ye ask the mayor, it's anythin' and everythin'. He'd get mad if'n Alois read his books, didn't chop enough wood, or whenever he done made his usual comments." She paused then, giving a small smile that didn't reach her eyes as she looked past the group. "There might be more to it, but that's fer the mayor t'say." Gunther, Sienna, and Tsetseg When Raki leaned over to pet him, Icleias bumped his head against the Isaurian's hand, as if wanting more pets, while Lassie took hers with stoic dignity. Afterward, she woofed, before glancing back and forth between him and Timmy with what was best described as a doggy look of worry. "Ah, so he's not a rock." Gunther muttered. "W-well, even if he isn't a rock," Phai replied, "s-so long as he's not a bad guy…" she gulped, glanced at the dogs, took a deep breath, and let her shoulders fall. "Then that's okay." She flinched slightly at the boy's shout, form quivering like an aspen before settling still when nothing happened. "Anyway, I've been already introduced, but I'm Raki, nice to meet you. Uhh... Timmy has been helping taking care of me for the last tennight here... Oh. Er, it's alright if they know, Timmy?" Gunther reassured the boy, to which Timmy joined in with his own. "Yep, yep. We kin trust Phai, and anyone wiv 'er is pro'lly good, too." He nodded his head, eyes closed in hearty assurance. The conversation continued, with Phai staying quiet until the topic of Raki's transformation came up. "Ehhh?! You turned into an animal too?" Her fearful attitude looked to have thawed slightly as she smiled at him. "A lizard, huh? That's so cool! I turned into a beaver, but it was kinda lame cuz everybody else did too. Except beavers are hardworking, so I guess that's fine!" "An' I turned intae a goat!" Timmy called out. "A billy goat!" Phai plowed on as if the boy hadn't spoken. "So you've been here for the last tennight without us even knowing?! But wait, that would mean, whenever I came by for patrol, you were there but I didn't see you. That's not good. That's not good at all." She looked down. "It means that…" she clenched her fists and looked down. "I need to pay attention better!" The girl looked back up, eyes blazing like silvery comets. She kept up her determination even when Garinphasia arrived, her momentary fear dissolving into wonder. "Garinphasia?" Her eyes lit up. "Oh, so that's who you were calling for earlier. She's so cool!" Phai didn't approach though, respectful of the low growl emitting from the wyvern. "Och, it's Gonnafaceya!" Timmy cheered from down in the pit. "Raki, ye thinkin' ya both can git me on outta this 'ere hole?" Edrick and Ciela The two walked through the village, passing people finishing their repairs for the day. The villagers watched them go with a mixture of gratitude and vigilance. With Ciela’s strategy in place, it didn’t take long before they approached a prominent building painted in garish hues. Sharp eyes would spot a hole in the window nearest to the second-floor balcony. A couple of horses stood eating from a trough of hay, one cream and one silver bay. Neither seemed interested in the duo, though the silver bay flicked its ears toward Remy. Link After breaking the window and opening it, Link landed in a long hallway lit by the windows lining one side and the chandelier above. A red velvet carpet thrown over the wood flooring gave a quiet surface for the mercenary to walk. Paintings lined the walls, all of Gaston. The hallway had two doors at each end and another, larger one facing Link. Link would hear voices to his right, both recognizable. They passed through the polished elmwood surface of the far right door. A sonorous voice with a sneering timbre spoke first. "Bumbling buffoonian! Cannot affirm that…" "But Pylauses…just a boy…" The second voice was higher pitched with a slight rasp. The first voice cut it off with a scathing remark. "Foolish fool! Then…inform…contrivances…" OOC

Now that I'm more awake kind of I'm going to reply to all these! Ayyy always glad to have a cow in the group! It's fine I didn't really advertise it or anything so just mainly if you happened to be looking in the OOC forum. Also, super excited to see the original PMD host in here! Pending thanks for the pending interest. And with that the roster is full (pending)! This is subject to change if anybody drops. And if there's just one more person ever that is interested I'll probably just accept them cuz it sucks to be the odd man out. But yeah for now it is full.

I really appreciate all the interest guys! It was actually more than I expected. Due to that, I might limit the starting roster to eight people just to keep things at a more manageable level to start. We're not at the limit yet, but we might reach it in the future if another person posts interest. I'm not going to make people compete for slots though. This is just a cutoff in order of who posted interest first. Also if there end up being like nine people interested I'll probably just accept all nine but not any more than that I don't think.

There might have been. I would check one of the new sections I made for more information on that. Looking forward to RPing with you again! Thanks for the Big Interest! Better than a Small Interest or a Tiny one. Goodbye. Hello. Thanks for the interest! Yeah, probably not a name you were expecting, huh? It's been a while since I've started a new RP. It'll be cool to RP alongside you again! Oh, dang that's a while then. Though I suppose that's the same for me...huh. Well, here's to it going well! Also I have now updated the interest check and it's an OOC now! Forgot to change the title and add tags but I'll be doing that shortly. I'll also be making a Discord chat soon and adding any interested parties to that.

~Theme: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity - Opening~ <IC> Hosted by: Sethera "You...you can hear me, right? Could you be a human? If you are, then that means...I finally found you! This world...needs your help. Please come...and lend your strength!" As you come to awareness, you remember having heard these words before finding yourself in this situation. Previously, you were a normal human being on planet Earth. You attended class, went to work, stayed home to play video games, etc. However, you were also part of a fairly active forum called Nincada's Custom Monsters, or NCM, as it was more commonly called. Your activities on that forum are the only things you can clearly recall from your life. Everything else is hazy and indistinct, though your personality traits still shine through. Now, you've arrived in a strange world. The world...of Pokémon. "Be strong! Stay smart! And be victorious!" Introduction Rules Application Roster Nincada's Custom Monsters FAQ

Alois, Penelope, Edrick, Ciela, and Citron The wooden door of the house opened, a familiar brunette woman appearing behind it, wiping her hands on her apron as she gave a smile that frayed at the edges. “Sorry fer the wait an’ all. I jest ‘adta talk fer a spell. Now then—” She stopped upon seeing two people run past her. “Eh, now where are they offta, d’ye think?” She shrugged before realizing something. “Wait, ain’t that Edrick there? What’s ‘e doin’ up an’ about?” The woman looked at Alois. “So ‘elp me, if’n ‘e ran out cuz ye teased him too much…I swear.” She shook her head. “Boys. Now come on, we’d best be gettin’ ‘im back’ta bed. That boy’s got no business runnin’ about like that in 'is state.” Gunther, Sienna, and Tsetseg “Oh, oh, I had a pet horse and a pet dog back in my tribe! They were really fun to play with and help take care of, yeah - oh but now I also have a horse here too!” Phai grinned brightly. “Yes, so you understand then! Pets are the best!” she pumped her fist in the air. “I have a pet horse, too, actually. His name’s Frey and he’s super cool and calm and—” she cut herself off as if realizing she was falling into another tangent. In the calm following her words, Gunther and Tsetseg discussed ideas about how to get the boy out. Phai was going to pitch in too when an unfamiliar boy arrived. Tsetseg’s reaction spurred Phai into stepping forward, eyebrows slanted in concern as she moved her hand down to grip her sword. Her legs trembled. “W-Who are you?” she asked. “I-I don’t recognize you, and Tsetseg doesn’t either, which means…are you…” she gulped, “…a bad guy?” Conversely, Timmy brightened below when he caught sight of the Isaurian. “‘Ey there Raki! See, I knew he’d be back!” he grinned widely, showing off a gap between his teeth. “An’ it’s ‘kay, once ye git me outta ‘ere, we can aw goo t’gether!” He turned to the group. “Oh, aye! This ‘ere’s me friend, Raki! ‘E’s super cool an’ all, so don’t worry!” Icleias woofed and ran over to Raki, nosing over the wyvern rider before his tail wagged to signify that this was indeed a “friend.” Lassie joined him, running circles around the boy before stopping to sit on her haunches, tongue lolling as she panted. Phai took all that in before releasing her grip on her sword. “Ohhh, s-so you’re not a bad guy then. Sorry,” she laughed, voice breathy with relief. “I, uhh, well, can never be too careful, right?” “Eyo Raki, where’s uhh…Gonnafaceya?” Timmy took a second, seeming to struggle with the last word. “Cuz ah’m thinkin’ this’d be a mite easier if’n she were ‘ere.” OOC