Chaos Sonic

"How on Earth - um, well done Marv!" The Treecko rubbed the back of his head after getting back up from falling from the wall...he was struck at by the Staryu, but he took it as best he could. Marv looked at Chester and gave a shrug. "I dunno what I really did...but...it seemed to just come natural." he said, looking at his own hands. Of course, the others were either continuing to move or still fighting, but for Marv...he couldn't help but feel that this was indeed natural to him. "Don't you hurt him! I... I did it. Uh... Uhuuuh... Waaagh!" Marv looked in the direction of Cross, seeing the Cubone take care of the Cleffa. He gave a small smile before making his way towards the now crying Cubone, putting a hand on his head. "Ya did good!" he gave the Cubone praise in this situation. It seemed like he was the type that would cry at the tip of a hat, but it was something he figured would happen...after all, this was a new scenario for all, who wouldn't be scared at this? Still, it was obvious the Cubone was trying his best to be brave... Brave... The Treecko paused in his thoughts, now beginning to dwell on that word a bit. It made him remember posts he had back on NCM...fragments and pieces of characters he portrayed in these posts...they had the whole common thread: being brave...honorable...but...was that truly him? He held his head slightly, seeming that this was the mental wall he was halted by. Things beyond the site seemed...blurry, fuzzy even. Perhaps some things were better not being forced to remember... Shaking his head, Marv looked in the direction of the others and cleared his throat. "Anyway, we probably should head on off to see where they went. Better to be the back of the pack rather than losing the pack." he stifled out a laugh before attempting to catch up with Chester.

Here in the Garden Kitt made his way through the twists and turns, hacking away tree after tree that blocked his path. It was clear his mind was made up, his choice clear...at least he assumed it was. If this was the choice that had to be done to ensure the continuing of life and the removal of this facade's veil, then by the will of Taros as well as the will of Hinder, this would be done. Speaking of Hinder, Kitt didn't see Olivander anywhere at the present moment, but he could've swore he saw a shadowy figure leap into the brush and trees over head. Taking the high road while I clear the low road...perhaps we're finally thinking as a singular unit now. Kitt smirked, swinging the blade a few more times as the trees continued to fall more and more before him. Soon the blade would return to the fiery light as it began to morph and change shape once again. "Now...Phantomsteel Reaper!" A war scythe appeared in his hand...and he was more than happy to use it to "weed" the garden before him...inching every so closely to the target. “Come and get me,” "You won't leave this clearing alive," Another tree fell, this time revealing the clearing to the forge Dog as Kitt walked forth with the war scythe in his hands. Sharp were his eyes, like a finely made dagger and within those sharp eyes were the fires that the forge's hearths would hold. "It's over, Joy...you can't run anymore...and you can't continue the facade you've draped upon this island and it's people." he said, slamming the blunt end of the scythe into the ground. "One last chance to stop it..." Kitt said, compassion showing itself once more. "But heed this...if you throw this offer away...then the gods have mercy on your soul..." He looked at Olivander, a determination in his eyes. In this look, he showed Hinder's Dog that he was willing to do what he could not back on Galatea...to do what was necessary. One chance, one moment of reason being given...but if not, then a Watchdog would die in this clearing.

Number 92 - The Fount of Wonders Number ??? - The Fount of ??? [Perhaps]

His musical and illusory show for the skeletons did what it could...but it wasn't enough, but it did what it was supposed to. Though Ziun still got a bit close for comfort with a skeleton getting closer and closer to him, almost to the point of it clawing his face off. But, thankfully Lana closed the distance and removed the skeleton from his view. "My thanks, my dear!" Ziun tipped his hat slightly, backing up a bit more. Unfortunately, seems like these things are getting further and further antsy. Ziun frowned slightly, shifting away from his lute before removing his rapier from it's sheath. I suppose that means I must forgo my want and desire to make nothing but melodies and actually insist on fighting back, seeing as my little show did stop them, but not for a long enough time period. Shame really...even dead, these poor souls never could understand the concept of good music. With rapier now in hand, Ziun moved from his spot and went for the unarmed skeleton (#4) that was a bit aways from the one Estelle was dealing with, but nevertheless, the bard seemed to fair as well as one would've expected. First, he closed the distance between him and the skeleton. Once he was near, he elegantly began to swipe and strike at the creature's bony legs, attempting to dispatch of them in a quick manner and cause it to crumble and fall apart. Least, that was his general plan anyway. "This would be easier...if they were still distracted." he grumbled.

"Oh, her name is Julian. She's a reporter of some sorts and was looking to interview us. She's fairly enthusiastic and interested in us, so if you have the time, feel free to speak to her." "Hmm, interesting enough..." Trevor mused, hearing about the fact that a reporter seemed to want to be interested in the lot of them. It only made sense, they were the new "champions" that Mauvache had brought into this great world, so it only made sense that these newbies would be the hot topic amongst the others. The young sorcerer made a note to approach this reporter when he could. After all, it could be fun. A few moments later... "oh, uh, everyone breakfast is ready." Trevor happened to be thoroughly impressed with the combination of Fen and Aduian's cooking prowess with what was given out to them. Simple, yet elegant. And as he ate it, well, it was what was expected. Or...was it? Honestly, Trevor wasn't held up on details at a time like this, breakfast was breakfast and food was food...want not, waste not, another lesson that Master Balthazar presented the young man during his tenure. “Um, that reporter… When I talked with Mauvache, she said we were famous, so I guess that’s what that was about. I don’t do well with badgering like hers, is there, like, do you think we could put together a standard set of information or something? Like, what do we say about each other? And what do we say about this one?” "A simple response to that, miss Melissa." Trevor spoke up, flashing a small smile. "In regards to the creature...perhaps it's best we say it is our mascot. During my time on my world, I have read some articles here and there, and many of them praise groups for having a lovable and adorable mascot. If we simply say this here is our mascot, then we should be perfectly fine with how things are, no?" Then the earlier comment on this was something Trevor had to think more on. "...in truth, what we want to say about each other, I'd say..." He paused, perhaps recalling a small memory before smiling once more. "...go with what your heart says about your comrades. It may sound cliché, but let me assure you...a piece of information like that from my world is a great one at that. Perhaps I'll let you all know more about that at another time..."

"Excellent work on figuring that out Marv," "Yeah...w-well...it's still...kinda slow going." Marv groaned a bit, definitely not being used to crawling along the wall like this, even wobbling a bit as he kept moving forward. "...how do the Bug types even do this...?" he muttered. Nevertheless, he followed the wall he was clung to, trying to get a bit of an advantage in whatever situation would come forth. That's about when he started hearing the rumblings of...a fight? No doubt Z. and Hector rushed off and got into something... "Bzzt, hello? This is Star Command to Squad Beta. Do you read me? Haha, I've always wanted to do that! But... I suppose now isn't the time, is it? 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. And remember… Attacks can come at any moment, from any side. So please, be careful." That didn't bode well, as he noticed Chester already rushing into ahead. "H-Hey! Don't rush in there like that!" Marv shouted, before sighing and calling back to the others. "Let's get moving! Sounds like they're in a bind!" he said, crawling the length of the wall and around to finally get in view of the room. There stood two Staryu and a Cleffa. ...my hunch was right...this is just like those Mystery Dungeon games. Luckily, I don't think we made it into an ambush...thankfully, otherwise we'd be surrounded by all sides. he thought, positioning himself slightly behind the Chespin. "Stop! We mean no harm to you and would very much appreciate not being harmed too!" "Something tells me they don't think the same, as of right now, Chester." Marv admitted, looking at the Staryu that Chester was dealing with. Water Type...and they were both Grass Types. Razor Leaf would help in this situation, but then it occurred to Marv: Treecko didn't learn Razor Leaf. Okay Marv...run through the moves...what else did they have? Energy Ball? No, that's way later...Leaf Blade is Sceptile only... The Treecko began to rack his brain for an answer...until something popped in his mind, he didn't know where it came from, but it just popped in: Leafage. "It's better than nothing..." Marv shrugged, still trying to maintain his wall-clung advantage as he took a deep breath and within a moment, launched a few leaves in the direction of the Staryu that Chester growled at. "Hey! It worked! I may not have Razor Leaf, but Leafage should work just fine!" he said proudly...only to feel his grip slipping and fell on the ground next to Chester. "...still gotta work on that...ow..."

Clash of the Titans After his memory subsided and he resumed his chase, Kitt stopped suddenly at seeing this next situation of what Joy had concocted. An area of trees and morning shade...he wasn't thrilled about this. "Tch..." Laughing trees, grass patches of light...these were not something he was expecting. What was more, the sudden change in Joy's weapon from what he saw: a spear. "From one long ranged weapon to another..." he said, his resolve steeled up to the very end. I simply need to wait for Olive to catch up and cut off her escape route. If that means I have to endure this path before me...then so be it. Kitt exhaled slowly, before having something in his mind flash. The image...of his fathers...plural...his creator, his father and his mentor...their smiles in succession. "If you think that this will stop us, then you are sadly mistaken, Watchdog of Laeta." He began to press forward, his footwork being as fancy as it could. It seemed to flow well in a manner that he never really displayed much before, there was never truly any reason for it. Kitt did his best to avoid every patch of light and even when the laughing trees seemed to hinder him, he did not waver. One did however, attempt to strike at him...and it was in a moment and spot where he had no defense...or...did he? BGM "You aren't the only one who has the favor of their patron on their shoulders..." Kitt turned his head slightly, Joy most likely seeing a smirk on the Forge Dog's face. "I am the bone of my master's sword...his embodiment! And as such...I have access to his armory!!" In his free hand, a fiery light erupted from out of nowhere and as the tree's strike seemed to hit, it wasn't an unarmed Kitt it hit, but rather...a shield covered in fiery light. "Shield of Taros! More accurately, the first shield he ever made...a true master crafted weapon! But it's not all!" Kitt began to turn his body, his momentum fueling the swing of his sword. As with the shield, which not began to dissipate in his hand, now too did the fiery light appear...this time around his sword. "To my hand now...Convergence, the Dawn of the Burning Sun!" The fiery light took form, engulfing his blade and allowing it to change shape into a much larger and more imposing blade. Without much hesitation in the swing, the laughing tree was dispatched, or at least one of em...maybe it was just the limb from it, he couldn't tell. The fiery blade was swung in his hand a few times before the fiery light dissipated from the sword just like it did from his hand earlier. "His realm is that of an unprecedented amount of untouched weapons. Weapons he made himself, but have not wielded, as he could not. But..." Kitt paused, pointing the sword in the direction of Joy. "...perhaps he simply awaited the day for his Watchdog to call upon them. If I have to, I will use each and every one of them until I get through to you, Watchdog of Laeta."

True to his disbelief, the others (or at least some of them) actually followed after him...even rushing past him, in the case of Drake and after him, Abby. It also became apparent that there were two children before them...both had similar animalistic features like River did, but one was wolf like while the other was deer like. Perhaps most of this worlds inhabitants were of a mixed race of humans and animals? That did seem to be a fantasy trope he remembered seeing in quite a number of his shows and games...so it wasn't out of the ordinary for him...but witnessing it first hand, that was a different story. Regardless, Luca and Rumian, as they were introduced, stood there as Drake, Abby and even the angry o-...er...JJ. Though, as she already displayed in her general angry tone, she already told them that they weren't heroes. What a bad thing to say, especially with the fact that they were the only thing this group of people had to believe in. Why just outright tell them that? Same time, Gene wasn't 100% for lying to their faces either and telling them that they were in fact legendary heroes for them, but giving them something to believe would've been alright...right? "Uh hey there..." Gene rubbed the back of his head, giving a slight wave to the two. "Gene Eric..." He paused, realizing that both Drake and Abby immediately gave off stuff they could do. A hospital corpsman and a med student...then there was that other one who was a literal doctor. Gene felt a bit...out of place here at this point. At least three people had these amazing things to go for, though at the same time...the corpsman made him think back to his late father who died in the line of duty. Shaking his head, Gene tried his best to stay focused and not dissociate in the moment. That was the last thing he needed. "...uh, I don't have anything as cool as those two for a title...yet anyway...but it's really nice to meet you both!" Gene gave a smile, trying to move past it. Same time, he did happen to hear it: the loud rumblings of thunder. Looking around, Gene tried to see if there was any cloud in sight, but he couldn't tell. "...so anyone else hear that rumble of thunder?"

"my Lady does have something of a sense of humor, though the term was not of her own creation. It was merely by the local's own beliefs that the term came into being. Though your fates were unfortunate you are now here blessed by her grace." Sense of humor? Gene really didn't enjoy the sound of that, if "Exalted" was a sense of humor thing from her lady...which seemed to be her...boss? He was still trying to get used to this, but he figured that was the best word to use in this moment. Either way, he figured-... "Yeah, no thanks I'm getting the fuck out of here. Next stop, anywhere but here." Right, the angry one. And she was the first one out of this little church. With a bit of a sigh, he watched the doors open after she walked out, before returning his attention to the horned girl, who now began to address Sabrina. "but yes. Ultimately, you are meant to bring salvation to the world beyond." "Guess you were right then..." Gene looked over at Sabrina, giving a small smirk toward her. "Still, if that's the case..." he paused, before closing his eyes. In his mind's eye, he could see exactly what he was: a heroic soul, wielding a sword and protecting those who needed it. This was the very dream he constantly had while he was alive...a peerless swordsman that laughs in the face of danger, dives headfirst into battle no matter the cost and a warrior of the people. He could feel himself tremble at first from this thought, that this was the moment his dreams would become a reality. In his mind, he reached out towards the version of him he always dreamed of, to which that version simply turned around and reached out towards him as well. His eyes opened as a smile returned to his face. "If that's the case...then this world just made my dreams a reality in more ways than one." Gene said, looking at the horned girl. "We won't get very many answers just standing here like it's Sunday Mass...we should probably follow after the angry one." He gave a slight chuckle, not caring if others agreed or would follow, but he turned on his heel and made his way towards the exit. Maybe being dead was a good thing right now...his dreams...they'd finally come true.

Kitt watched it, after being hit with the memories of Joy...Olivander going into a full sprint. The attack hit, a glancing blow to Joy's shoulder. "He hit her..." he said, with a bit of optimism in his voice. Then, the opposing Watchdog spoke again. "You keep saying I've lied, to you or to my people. I've never lied to them. As for my convictions, we'll see whose are stronger there." The Forge Dog simply watched as the Watchdog of Laeta just turned and began to run. This was bad...she didn't need to start running, especially when she chose this spot here as her battleground against them. Not a second left to waste, Kitt began to run past Olivander, in an attempt to give chase. "See if you can cut her off! I'll keep after her the best I can!" he called back to his friend...wow...that was the first time he considered this word being used now...he had to be impressed with his growth somewhat. Regardless, the Forge Dog made haste to chase after...but in the process, light hit him...and he cursed it the moment he was struck by it. But as he kept rushing forward, things began to distort for him. The area shifted around him, causing him to finally stop. He heard familiar sounds, but for the life of him, he knew not what this was at first. But after a few moments...his soul realized what this memory he was witnessing was... Let Us Make Man in Our Image Caminus...more accurately...the shrine of Taros... Kitt stood there, seemingly as that of an astral projected form as he watched the scene before him unfold. Before the shrine's altar and statue of his patron, there knelt his father, Gaillard Axton. There was silence for a good long period of time...until a single clang of a hammer hitting the anvil on the altar was heard...then a second...and finally a third. The clangs rang out through the surrounding area for a long time...until finally...within the shadow of the shrine's statue...there stood his patron: Taros. BGM "Not many mortals come this direction, especially none within the Forgekeepers..." his gravely voice spoke, his red eyes pierced through the shadow. "...Gaillard Axton, a blacksmith cut of the same cloth as many others in my employ, and yet a lover of mystic arts. You've come here...to my domain and my shrine...what ails you, my child?" Gaillard was silent, seeming to tremble before this deity and his imposing visage. "...I humbly come to you, to ask of one thing...a single thing." "Out with it...what could be so important to you that you would seek a direct audience with me?" "...please...I beg of you..." Gaillard began to slowly lift his head to stare into the deity's red eyes. "...with the might of your Great Forge, Lord Taros, please...create for me a son." Silence filled the room, only the sounds of the fires from the kilns and forge were heard. "...the vessels and homunculi I've tried to make...just to hold a spirit...nothing is working. They're imperfect...none of them are suited for the task of this. Please...I've already lost both the love of my life and my newborn son...forging and creating things are all I have left...I just...want a son to continue my legacy... my lord, please, if you can find it in your heart t-..." "Be still!" the deity bellowed out, which caused even Kitt watching this memory to flinch. The horned deity's red eyes narrowed at the trembling blacksmith, before seeming to contemplate the thought for a while. Then...his raspy and gravely voice began to let loose a laugh that echoed throughout the room. "This is quite the prayer and request you've given my ears, Axton." he spoke, his visage now slowly moving away from the shadow...now showing himself in the dim lights of the forge. "Not only that, but it seems you've piqued my interest and given me an out to my own little dilemma. So in this, I shall humor your request, Axton...but not without conditions." A sly smirk appeared on the deity's face, as Gaillard nodded slowly. "An equivalent exchange for this...I create this child for you, a son no less, but in return...he becomes my Watchdog. My current Watchdog here on Caminus, Flynt will be assisting with raising the child...but this is my offer. Do we have an accord on this?" Silence once again appeared in the room... "Do...we...have...an...accord?" Gaillard's eyes looked to the ground for a moment, before raising to meet the Forge Maker's gaze. "...it is...as you wish, Lord Taros..." The billowing laugh returned, before Taros nodded. "Then let us make man in our image..." Kitt could notice something, the look of...joy...in Taros' face. Of course, his father's face had it as well, but it was Taros' that surprised him the most. The Forge Master was never one to be known to smile all that much, but it was this moment here that seemed to give him the most joy...possibly even more than he had ever experienced before. The memories began to shift ever so slightly, oddly enough with each sound of the hammer as Taros swung it. He watched the process of his creation...his forging. Now he understood why before...in Galatea...those statues, the doll-like visages...he understood why they terrified him so...because before, he was formed in such a manner as well. The last moment in this creation was Taros breathing life into the creation he made, finally presenting it to Gaillard. "Axton, I present to you my end of our bargain. A son...blessed by my holy fire and forged with my Great Forge. This is the perfect vessel to be my new Watchdog...name him well..." Gaillard looked at the tiny child in his arms now, tears streaming down his face... "...Kitt...my son shall be known as Kitt Axton..." "A fine name..." His vision returned, as he just seemed to be propped up against a small wall for a moment or two. He felt...tears streaming down his cheek at seeing this. It was a memory of his own...but at the same time, not his own. No, this seemed to be a memory etched into his very core...his very creation...by Taros himself. If anything, this was the happiest memory of Taros himself. ...I never thought...he would've have those types of feelings...in anything... he thought, wiping the tears away for a moment. This would be something he needed to deal with later, but right now...he lost time on getting to chase Joy, as such he immediately pushed himself from the wall and made his way to follow after her again.

Hello? Are you there? Can you hear me? 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. ♪ Marv and the others seemed to arrive up on the top of the stairs to this next floor around the same time, which he found odd...but what was even odder was the voice they now heard. And more so than that...well, the one phrase it said: mystery dungeon. While the others seemed to be already in the process of moving (namely Hector, Z., the Clobbopus, the Noibat and Chester), Marv found him rubbing his chin slightly. Mystery...Dungeon...? Now why do I feel like I've heard that phrase before? he thought, racking his Treecko brain for an answer and reason to why he was feeling a sense of dejá vú with that phrase. Then it hit him for a split second... The forum that he was once apart of, YCM and NCM, of course there was something that popped into his mind from it. "Mystery Dungeon...like those games?" he muttered silently to himself, his face now having the dawning of realization on it now. It all added up now, at least some things did. They were all humans turned into Pokémon, they couldn't remember anything else except the forums which was the connecting tissue to all of this, the strange locations they now found themselves in...it all was adding up. But aside from this, he knew that things most likely were going to get worse than it could...especially if he remembered his Mystery Dungeon knowledge... Same time, he felt...a bit of pride for another reason. ...somehow, I became a Treecko...stuck in a Mystery Dungeon world...heh...isn't that a bit ironic... Marv thought, smiling lightly. "Hey, wait up guys!" he said, trying to motion for the Rotom and Cross to hurry up and follow them. Though Marv wanted to try something. He was a Treecko after all...he ran forward to the wall ahead of him, stopping just right at it before attempting to crawl up and along the wall. Hopefully it would all work... "Well, all the same, none of us seemed to be an evolved Pokémon in any way. So, perhaps it would be safe to say that we should stick to the basics of attacks for now. Like, Scratch, Pound, Tackle. Those sort of things." "You may need to also take into consideration..." Marv called to Chester. "...the possibility of maybe Egg Moves. It's a long shot, but maybe we also have a special Egg Move in our arsenal too...never know. Won't lie though, the idea of being in the body of a Squirtle with the Egg Move of Aura Sphere wouldn't be a bad thing at all."

Good morning, or afternoon if you're that type, to you all. Do not worry there is no problems to deal with, at the moment, this message has a different purpose. As a new group to this place, and this job, I thought it might be good for you to have a bit of a training session with some of your seniors. You're free until the afternoon to do as you wish but I want you all to come to the Arena at 4 PM for this training session. Benjamin will show you the way, be sure to thank the poor boy he's had a time of it, and the other squad will meet you there. "Training?" Trevor muttered, rubbing his chin as he read this message. His cup and spoon floating nearby as the spoon stirred his drink ever so slightly and elegantly before the cup proceeded to fly into the mage's hand, taking a slight sip from it. "And with our 'seniors'...so most likely that'll be those who have been doing this specific job a lot longer than us..." Another sip taken as he sighed. What could any of this truly mean? At the same time, do I need to worry about something as trivial as this? he thought, watching his dishware floating back to where it needed to be as his hat began to float back in his direction. Worrying about the training was not necessary, after all, it would be training with their 'seniors', which only means one thing: they could be better acclimated to this world if they fought against these other fighters. It would truly benefit them in the long run...so why worry? With his hat resting upon his head, Trevor adjusted his clothing and began to walk out of his room... "Helloooo, what have we got in here, hm?" Trevor walked into the area near the rec room, seeing this newcomer arrive, as he glanced in the direction of a few of the others that happened to be up and about. "Pray tell, who's the new girl here?" he referred to Julian. "Not sure I'm familiar with this one specifically..."

Visions “There it is. That’s where you’re headed after this, should you best me. Destino. Maybe there you’ll understand. The world has ended, my fellow watchdogs, and it is ending again. All I can do is give people some comfort on the way out.” Kitt watched Joy the entire time, even noticing the next location they would come to port: Destino. But at the same time, Joy gathered light within her hand and it became the weapon of her and her patron: a bow with a quiver of arrows. "...I suppose this was inevitable then..." he sighed, almost disappointed to an extent. He made peace with it, but at the same time, in his heart of hearts...he hoped it wouldn't. “My name is Joy Garnett, Watchdog of the Goddess Laeta. Do not think for a moment that I will go down quietly.” "Kitt Axton...Watchdog of the God Taros, the Great Forge Master himself." he replied, slowly unsheathing his blade. It's elegance shone within whatever light was present, truly it was the work of a smith that took time and wanted to reflect their worth into such a beautiful weapon. "We will not falter...we've come this far, we won't allow you to end it." Naturally, Olivander struck first with his daggers, though...what surprised him was after he threw the daggers, they immediately clattered to the ground and faded into gold dust. "Olive? What's wro-..." "So that's your game, is it? Is that why you wanted to know what my happiest memory was? Did you know it would come to this? Tell me! Have you already given up, so you're willing to force others to give up as well!?" Kitt bit his lip for a moment, before exhaling slowly and adopting a stance with his blade near his head. "Don't waver, my friend...we can still win." he said, immediately making a rush towards their archer opponent...and yet...when he did he had to stop suddenly. His stance didn't change, not at first anyway...then, he lowered his weapon ever so slightly. "...father...?" he muttered, seeing the visage of his father, Gaillard Axton, before him. The way he saw this, he knew it...the look...the smile...this was the moment he told his father that he finally became a Watchdog, this was the moment before he officially left home. The blade trembled in his hand ever so slightly as he looked at the elderly man. How long had it been since he seen his father? It had been...too long if anything. His moment of hesitation and weakness gave him the moment to lower his weapon and guard...just in time of hearing something whizzing his direction...and finally... It wasn't just the name that caught Laeta's eye, of course. No, Joy understood. She understood exactly the nature of the position better than any of the other celebrants, exactly how the privileges afforded to being Laeta's watchdog were not actually meant to cause happiness. "Forced happiness is no happiness at all," she had said. "A watchdog of Laeta must still create it nevertheless." She was ordained at her predecessor's retirement party, as per the traditions of her temple, and while she remained as an acolyte for a little while longer, her calling eventually took her out into the world. She remembers that day, of standing on the stern of the ship, looking back at her old home, waving goodbye until the sun sets and the island fades from her sight. The warm feeling of blood trickling down his arm woke him from the apparent stupor he found himself in. Kitt looked at his left shoulder...he was hit with an arrow. And yet, he didn't know it at first...no...he was entranced by... "W-What...what was that, Watchdog of Laeta?" Kitt asked slowly, now no longer seeing the visage of his father, but now seeing Joy once more, but seemingly like she had just let an arrow go. "...it's your...joyous moment of happiness...isn't it...?" Joy was solemn. "It's a moment of happiness, if you must know. And to answer your question, Hinder, these are the things I hold onto because I haven't given up. I will never." The grip on the hilt of his sword grew tighter as he stared at the Watchdog opponent that stood before them. THIS was how she fought...those who would do her harm or attack, they would be presented with their happiest moments. This would force them to drop their guard in order to accept the happiest moment, but in the process, it would leave them open for an attack. An attack which, if hit, would force the opponent to relive Joy's own happiest moments. "This...this won't sway us, Watchdog of Laeta..." he exhaled slowly. "No matter what you throw at us, we will be victorious."

This was the moment...Floor 11 of this dungeon. Ziun was excited and nervous about being in the presence of such a massive contraption and even being able to bypass the prior ten floors in the process, his fear was that they'd have to redo them again after he cleared them before. Thankfully, this wasn't the case at all. Truly this was a blessing of the gods in his favor. However, now a new frontier awaited him and his newfound allies in the 11th floor...what horrors would await them? Soon the mist laden floor ended up being set before them, to which there was more than just the mist that covered every inch of this room...there were also strange, lanky creatures. Upon further inspection... "Animated skeletons...fascinating..." he muttered, taking this moment to pull out a quill and a small notepad, writing a few things down. "Inspiration right away, truly a blessing to my patron of poetry and music..." While this was going on, the others seemed to be talking amongst themselves in figuring out what to do in this situation. "Oh, this sounds like a good time to blow them all up... or like, do some illusion stuff to uh...illusion them. And then we just run straight ahead, since that's gotta be where the stairs are right?" Ziun's ears perked up at hearing this from Lana before immediately putting the quill back in his hat and hiding his notepad away. In an instant, he grabbed his lute and gave the young girl a small smirk. "Ah, I suppose it's time for me to take action then, no?" he said, stepping forward. "With our comrade Chris already charging ahead...I suppose I can make it to where our obstacles are distracted...now if you'll excuse me..." With a slow exhale, he closed his eyes for a moment. He knew what to do, conjure an illusion to distract the bone headed adversaries before them. Ah, but what was the fun of just doing that when he could also have himself a bit of a show in the process? "The moment you see an opportunity, feel free to strike, aye?" BGM Ziun's eyes flew open, his lute being strummed within quite the manner as a song was being played and performed...and in the process, above the skeleton's skulls, a various array of beautiful lights began to light up in time with his melody and even...in a hypnotic dance...as the lights began to take the shape of what some could call in legends and myths: fae. These dancing lights now turned fae began to hopefully garner the attention of these animated skeletons, if only long enough for an assault to be had on them by his newfound allies. "Whenever you feel the need to assist, my dears, please join in the dance." Ziun smirked.

"Fufu, of course this is another world, do you not feel the weight of fate upon thine shoulders? We didn't simply d...lose our lives, we were given a chance to fulfill a grand destiny!" Initially, Eric didn’t. Same time, any normal person probably wouldn’t at first. After all, they did just die, so why would any of them feel like the “chosen one” trope? All the same, however, Eric did tend to shrink back a little the moment the one in the mascot costume started shouting and raving. Still, this "Sabrina" or "Draconia" individual seemed...extravagant...more so than he would've thought someone was. Hell, he had his dreams to which he hid within and it's fantasy world where he was a hero, but she seemed to have brought that style and side of reality into the real world...or...at least the "afterlife" that this was. "Stop with the fucking destiny bullshit! I don't care how much weebshit you watched, we're not special, no one chose us, none of that shit! That asshole shot himself," ...aren't you just a ray of sunshine... Eric thought, sliding his hands into his pockets for a moment. At the same time though, did she have a point? Were they there just by happenstance or by "destiny"? He let out a slight sigh, deciding to slink back for a moment...until... The church bells...they rang once more...chiming loudly just as they did when they first awoke to this location. One chime...nothing new... A second chime...the world went lightless... A third... Finally a fourth returned things to normal...or did it? A door now appeared at the very back of the church where once there was a wall. A way out, so now they could leave, but that wasn't all. A chair in front of the serpentine image...with a bizarre young girl sitting in it. This screamed heavy importance to Eric, if all the shows and games he ingested and enjoyed would be led to believe. “...Greetings!” "Haven't you heard of a little thing called, 'Sleeping Dragon'?! I'm pretty sure we'd be toast if this thing woke up." "Fufufu, it is as I thought. M-my dragon b-blood tells me I have n-nothing to fear, f-for this being b-before you surely is, uh, kindred...a kindred spirit! No, I mean a....s-she's probably important somehow!" "...just throwing caution to the wind? Yeah...somehow that's not surprising..." Eric muttered with another sigh. He looked down to the floor for a bit, before noticing something new: his hand and wrist. It now was adorned with some strange marking...and the more he tried to inspect it and figure out what it was, the more he was simply puzzled and dumbfounded by it. The young man thought it best, at least for the time being, to not worry about that but instead worry about the now waking dragon girl they had. "a-and what's that? Heroes, right? W-we're heroes?" “I believe the term she used was ‘Exalted.’” Eric rubbed the back of his neck at hearing this. "Exalted? So just being a person held in high regard, so to speak? Huh...won't lie...if whoever called us here, led us to this 'afterlife' or whatever...if they're calling us 'Exalted'...I thiiiiiiiink they may have a sick sense of humor." he stifled out a slight chuckle before immediately clamming up. That would put him in the spotlight...which was the last thing he needed. It would be best to just go recluse mode and just sit back, listen and observe.

File 6 - A Dewford Trip Pt. 2 ~ The Long Awaited

Zane had to stop in his tracks as his ears twitched slightly. What was that he just heard behind him? It almost sounded like… *Glub Glub* “...that’s what I was hoping I didn’t just hear.” Zane muttered, slowly turning on his heel to look in the direction of the water that had accumulated on the ground of the lower decks. In a moment of impossibility, the arctic wolf noticed the water rising…and took on an appearance and formed. It wasn’t Mobian by any stretch of the imagination…or…at least any Mobian he ever saw. The form honestly looked foreign…alien like if anything. Was it actually an alien? He really hoped it wasn’t. Regardless, it seemed to look at Zane with a slight head tilt, with not a word. “Uh…hi…?” Zane slowly lifted a hand to wave. BGM He wasn’t sure if that was the moment it took notice and decided he was a threat or what, but after Zane did that, the creature’s liquid-like arm shot out towards his direction like that of a tentacle. “WHOA!!” the arctic wolf recoiled at seeing this, immediately backing up a bit. “Hey, listen, I dunno who or what you are, but at least let’s get to know each other before you try and attack me like this!” Zane readied about two icicles in his hand, preparing to defend himself. Same time, he figured he needed to let the others know about this situation. In a quick moment, he threw the two icicles at the watery creature before making a mad dash in the direction he arrived from, hoping he could find a control panel with a function for him to talk to the others. These ships had those intercom things around all over, right…? The creature looked at Zane, almost confused, as the icicles flew straight through his liquid body. It paused for a moment, before its entire body morphed in one fluid movement to face Zane once again. This time, both of its arms shot out, trying to grab hold of the Arctic Wolf. "Guntiver's furry hide!!!" Zane shouted, almost sorry he used his ancestors name in vain there, as the creature materialized in front of him, attempting to grab him. "Look, again...you seem like a real great dude...but what your giving me is a chilly reception! I think you need to cool down a bit!" The air around Zane began to lower in temperature as he attempted to freeze the creature in its place. In the meantime...with him not being able to get to any area with a intercom... "HEY!!! GOT A SITUATION HERE!!! S.O.S! SOMETHING!!!" he shouted as loud as he could.

I'll be leaving arachnids out of this, as they aren't exactly the same as insects themselves. I have a few bug facts: Insects are on every continent EXCEPT Antarctica (which is surprising, you'd think there'd be a type of icy insect or something that's immune to the cold) Adult Ladybugs eat more than 50 Aphids per day...per DAY The female leaf insect can reproduce without the need of mating with a male According to science, the Morpho Dragonfly, the blue wings it has a respiratory system in them...so by all accounts, the wings are also alive

It seemed to work perfectly, just as he hoped it would! With the combined efforts of all those there, aside from Z. and Es, they moved the pillar to use as a makeshift bridge...though...at the same time...it was sort of...not all good with the latter part of it...considering it never reached the other side. "Ah, hell, you gotta be kidding me is it not long enough? .... God...damn...stupid suction cups!" “How’s it hanging? Bet you feel like a sucker, don’t you? You pull a mussel or something?” "Hang on, we'll get ya down! Or the pillar at least, sorta on you to let go of it." “Urgh… Everyone… okay?” Marv watched this all play out the way it did, and he couldn't help but sigh heavily from it. ...at least, the plan sorta worked... On one hand, they actually had a thing of team work going on and they did something good. Downside, the pillar didn't reach the other side and then...of course, he heard Es speak up. “...Though, it’s not like that would matter, given that there’s nnnnowhere to go in that direction.” "...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Marv exclaimed, his hand now smacking his forehead. "...Arceus...damnit..." he muttered. All that hard work and rallying a group just to try and do this, all in vain to find out that there wasn't anything even over there. All because someone decided to forge ahead in the wrong direction and then everyone else followed suit. Naturally, he had the thought before of just going in the opposite direction, but in a place like this...who would even think of splitting apart from the group? "Anyone else think we should just go the way that doesn't make us do a buncha pointless crap?" Marv let out a huge sigh of defeat, lowering his head and his upper body to the point of it just hanging down in front of him. "...I mean...do we even have a choice at this point? Cause if Z.'s way was a bust...then it means all this could've just been avoided if we..." he let out a groan, stopping himself before he said anything else. He didn't want to dig himself a grave, especially right now in the body of a Treecko. He then began to wave his hand in defeat. "I guess we may as well." Finally standing back upright, Marv looked at the others and sighed. "I'm sorry about that everyone, it was an idea at least..." And yet the story of my life...or...is it? the Treecko held his head for a moment, that part did sort of hurt if he tried thinking on it too hard. Honestly, even without him thinking hard on things past that forum, Marv's head was hurting...must've just been the fact of the constant attempts of trying to figure out puzzles. Now that he remembered: he wasn't too fond of em.

*Cricket noises insert here*

Whether Tis Nobler in the Mind "The island of Galatea had a similar problem. Worshiping Nothing. It got a lot of people killed. Kitt and I spoke with our patrons. We believe the effects of worshiping Nothing is plaguing even the gods themselves. Dia's waters dried up because of it. Blasphemous prayers turned people to stone. It's something you shouldn't be meddling with. I'm hoping that you'll listen to reason and drop this charade. It may be a bandage for your people but you aren't actually solving anything. As real as these... what to even call them? Perhaps illusions fits best. As real as these illusions may seem, Joy, they are just that. In the end, this will do more harm than good. And I have no desire to harm you. I would much rather persuade you. Please, Joy. This has to end. For all our sakes." Kitt was genuinely surprised at Olivander taking the lead here in trying to advocate for the peaceful route. Perhaps a bit of his desire for peaceful diplomacy had rubbed off on the thief...then again...perhaps the same could be said for the bloodthirsty nature of a killer...that could've rubbed off on him too. Nevertheless, Kitt stared at Joy, hoping to hear something. Joy did not immediately react to Olive's plea. Her light did not fade and her face did not change. Eventually, though, she turned around. "Just because I am not aware of your escapades does not mean I don't know the consequences of my actions," she said. "There is no way to keep a populace energized for the perpetual state of celebration I'd envisioned. The ceremony has become more and more central to these things because that's all these parties have become. Not to mention I am keenly aware of the diminishing reality of the island. Some day, as we cast more and more into the fire, the... 'illusions' as you call them will be all that's left. I force myself to remember these things every night. But there are other reasons, too, why I chose the arena I did. Come with me." With that, she started to walk away. Kitt glanced at Olivander before watching Joy begin to move forward, and he began to follow her. "So you know what you happen to be doing...and you know the consequences of your actions, yet...you still continue? Why is that?" "Do you tend to only know one or the other?" Joy asked, but she did not wait for an answer. "Ah, well. Did I tell you this story before? When I arrived here on Andalou, the only building still standing was the temple, and only just. I believe you've seen this, otherwise you wouldn't have questioned the ceremony as you did last night. I'm a watchdog of Laeta, but even I could not find the joy in a place such as that, so I deigned to create some." "...you created this?" Kitt pondered, nodding some. It made sense, somewhat. If the temple was the only thing that was here on the island, considering it had seen better days from what he saw, it being the crux of where it all started would also make sense. "Do the others know of this? ...the facade of the island, I mean." "Of course they do. Do you think I would lie to everyone else and not you?" "Truthfully speaking...if it was to preserve the island's integrity you made...then yes." he sighed. "I feel that was too harsh of an assumption, I apologize." "Well," Joy said, her expression changing at last to something a bit more wry. "It's good to get that off your conscience before one of us ends up brutally murdering the other." That comment made Kitt feel a chill run up and down his spine. "Jumping to conclusions...if at all possible, if we could get through this without bloodshed, it would benefit us all...." he looked at Joy, before shaking his head. "Unless you believe peace is not an option for this." Joy's expression turned further into a grimace. "I believe I presented a perfectly adequate peaceful alternative. It's not like the Swallow Tail has disembarked since I last spoke, has it?" "You simply suggest we leave and let you continue this...that's an ultimatum, not a peaceful alternative solution." Kitt explained. "If this is what the gods have brought us here to deal with, then we cannot just allow ourselves to leave. That would put us out of line with the mission we were given." Joy seemed to not speak a word nor even hatch a response to what Kitt had said, which didn't bode well. His hand rested upon the hilt of his blade at his side. He prayed a fight would not break out...but in the event it did...

"Fufufu...That's not it at all. I know exactly what this is! For it was prophesied since my birth! We were sent to save this world from a great evil. Specially chosen to fulfill a grand destiny! I...wouldn't have thought there to be so many but that doesn't change the truth! And the truth is, all of us...a-all of us, were brought here. Brought here to be...heroes!" Gene stared at the young lady who spoke up...and her explanation...made sense. Surprising to say the least, but it MADE SENSE. He paused for a moment, thinking hard now. Oddly enough, THIS was the nagging thought in his mind and this individual expounded and said it aloud. "...an...isekai...?" he muttered, putting his hand to his chin before nodding slowly. "...so if that's...this is a heavy revelation..." He glanced over at the 'prophesied child' and then began to make his way towards her. Though he paused in his stride immediately, hearing another person...a doctor...speak up...and oddly enough, the thing he ended with was the one that stood out the most. It was all directed at the person with the fursuit...poor sap, dying in such a state. “I shot myself. How did you die?” "Eh? Why in the...who opens up a conversation with just that alone?" Gene asked, almost dumbfounded. He was a bit speechless for a moment or two, though after the doctor spoke, the girl named Abby spoke up and said she got hit by a truck. "...the typical isekai trope..." he muttered, though it was loud enough for the 'prophesied child' to hear him. "Oh...um...I'm Gene. Gene Eric..." he said before rubbing the back of his neck. "I...got stabbed in the chest by a mugger." Once he did that, he turned towards the young woman and gave a bit of a wave. "So...you think we were sent to another world, isekai style?"

"And a bard too? Hm, having music in the dungeon might be nice then the whole creepy vibe its got a lot. Though, maybe music isn't the best for some floors...oh but maybe it is! Then I might not have to worry so much about having things fall on top of me if they already know we're there with music. But you're also a mage too? That's also pretty cool. I don't know much about illusions, really, but anything that confuses the enemy is good in my book." Ziun gave a coy smile towards the one, Lana, before nodding slightly at her little overview of his...could one call this a résumé...perhaps the highlights of his personality at least? Honestly Ziun didn't know nor care. All he knew, was that this was his shot at entering that dungeon, uncovering glory and even old forgotten melodies and ancient rhymes that could possibly be brought back to the world of the living...he was close. "Ah, but you've heard the phrase...'music soothe the savage beast'..." Ziun gave a light-hearted chuckle at this. "The power of a melody can soften the hearts and souls of even the toughest enemies. That was one of the many things my teacher taught and instilled in me during my time at the bard's college." After a moment or two, he let a bit of a sigh out before making note of the 'illusion' magic portion. "And alas, I do possess the knowledge and capabilities of illusion magic, though it seems that most around here seem to be...quite harsh on it." He lamented this, but alas, there was never a true reason aside from people seeing it as the evilest magic that could be brought out. "I shall say this, illusion magic for myself is generally used when I play my songs...in regaling those tales to the patrons. I've only used it in the heat of battle to make a hasty retreat...aside from that, I'm unsure what else could be properly done with my own magic."

Darkness…no sound…no light…no warmth…nothing but the dark void of death. This was what Gene Eric felt, his body, mind and soul adrift in the sea of the void. What happened to him? What made him be lost to the void's sea? Unfortunately Gene's thoughts remained and began to dwell on those final moments…for what else could one do? Gene found himself leaving the local video store, a few bags in his hand. The contents inside being a few movies and even some comics and Manga that the store owner put aside for him specifically. He was a regular customer and of course, he and the store owner had a bit of a friendship going on to where this would be a normal occurrence. With a smile on his face, Gene began to make his way to the bus stop in order to get back home…although he preferred not to. Yes, his mother was home making one of his favorite meals, but on the other hand…his step-father was also there. This thought alone made him shake his head greatly…what did she see in him, he would often wonder. If only things were different…if only… "Help!!" "Shut the hell up and just give me the purse, lady!!" Gene paused, noticing a mugging taking place right before him, and the mugger making a beeline straight for him with a stolen purse in hand. He didn't want to get involved with this, so he was going to move out of the way…but…why couldn't he? Was he crazy? Gene just moved and attempted to apprehend the mugger. A move he would come to regret, as he wished he noticed sooner… "Out of my way, kid!!!" The mugger shouted, in his hand, a knife being brandished. Yet Gene didn't waver or move out of the way. That's the moment it happened…the mugger tripped over himself and fell forward towards Gene. The world in this moment fell into a slow motion state for him only…as he watched and felt the knife being plunged right into his chest. The two fell onto the ground, the moment the world began to return to its fast paced time frame. Gene looked down, noticing the lodged weapon in his chest cavity and let out a blood curdling scream for help as he tried to cling onto life…he was losing blood and consciousness fast…his vision soon became dark…and then…greeted by the cold embrace of death and the void. BGM It was what he thought, anyway… The sounds of church bells of all things ringing and echoing around him…it prompted him to open his eyes finally much to his surprise. He was…still dead right? And yet, he found himself in a beautiful ornate church sanctuary…or at least it was at one point, the grass on the floor sort of tipped him off to that. It was complete with six stained glass images with the furthest one in the back…or front of the church. Gene let out a soft groan, as he held his chest for a moment. Whether or not he died or if this was simply another dream he had…needless to say, his chest was still sore from it. …where…am I? he wondered, attempting to get up from his pew as he did what he could to survey his surroundings. The stained glass windows were a beautiful one to be sure…they had a very alluring sight to them and expanded the warmth the light gave in such a dazzling array of colors. Though, aside from the ornate windows, Gene noticed no other rooms or even doors. How he and apparently others in here, got in, he knew not…but however it was…perhaps that would get them out. "...what…is this place?" Gene finally muttered, taking his time to absorb the sights of these stained glass windows…and more specifically…the one depicting the serpentine creature with antlers. If his previous dreams he had of his fantasy world taught him anything, it was anything in the middle of a church was the most important. "So. Did you guys just die too? Or have you been here for a minute?" Gene looked over at the one individual who spoke up, before realizing what he said: 'Did you guys just die too'. Was that the binding factor that they all had and the reason they were here? "I want to say we may've all just died..." he responded first, his hand still holding his chest slightly. "...so does this make this heaven then?" Same time, the moment he spoke, he was hoping to whatever deity above that they wouldn't just look over him and just forget him. Hell, it was the afterlife, right? Maybe things would be better...right? Same time, another nagging thought was in the corner of his mind...and he wasn't sure if it was because he watched too many shows or played too many games...but he tended to ignore the idea.

Marv, for more or less, was just rubbing the bridge between his rather large eyes. This was already becoming a headache on top of a headache he already had. Where to begin with addressing these issues? From the top, he supposed... First: these Pokémon were all human, apparently...and all were from the same place of origin...or at least, they all were in the same place at the same time for most of the time...the YCM and NCM forums...those Pokémon forums. NewGamePlus, Zeta, Appletun, HeraX...it was obvious that the common occurrence that bound them all was simply that they all were on these forums. Second: the Zorua, Zeta, was already having themselves go off ahead without so much of a care of the others. Marv specifically had a slight issue with this, given the current situation of the group that was around. Zorua, Rotom, Clobbopus, Falinks, Noibat, Chespin, Cubone...and himself, a Treecko. Out of the eight of them here, one would be at a huge disadvantage with anything dealing with water, that of course would be HeraX or Cross. The Falinks, Hector, was another issue...not due to Type Advantage or Disadvantage...but namely due to sheer weight of them. Everyone else would be perfectly fine...but that would mean these two would have to fend for themselves. It...struck a chord with Marv, more than he thought. “And the ‘don’t go alone’ thing, that’s for you to solve. You don’t want me by myself? Better learn how to swim.” "That's really going to be impossible for at least two of us, you realize..." Marv huffed slightly, crossing his arms with a slight shake of his head. "Same time, we may as well follow them. But I'm not giving up on you two just yet..." he glanced at Hector and then at Cross. "...it's just not my nature..." Was it though? He honestly couldn't tell off the top of his newly green head. The Treecko began to pace back and forth for a moment, surveying his surroundings a bit. It was a cavernous ruin, that was for sure, ancient as the day was long. Cobblestone flooring, brick walls...it was obvious whatever this place was...it wasn't naturally-made. Glancing upward, Marv noted that the light that came in from above was dim and murky, the air is heavy and damp...were they underground or above it...? It was hard to tell even that. Looking at the stream, he rubbed his chin slightly before returning to surveying the area...noticing something on this second sweep of looking at everything. Broken...pillars... he thought, moving towards one and immediately putting his hands up to visualize his thought process. After a few moments, Marv snapped his fingers and turned back towards the others. "I think I have an idea! Though, it's probably going to take us all to do it..." he said, before glancing at Zeta. "...well, all except for Zeta at least." Waving his hand a bit, dismissing that small thought, he pointed at the broken pillar. "If we can push this to the stream...it should be able to cover it and we use it as a bridge!" It was a pretty sound plan in his mind and Marv threw it out there without so much of a second thought. "It's the only thing I can think of to make sure we all get over there..." he walked towards Cross, knelt down and gave him a thumbs up. "Cause I won't leave anyone behind."