[Inaccessible] Veritas City

[MidnightMutetation]

'... Ah, what the hell?'

There weren't any downsides to this as far as she could see. Nobody would ever know she was gone. She could get away from the Mad Scientist. And above all, she apparently had a hero's aura.

What did that mean? Lord if she knew, but it basically meant she was a hero, right? The sentiment gave her the warm fuzzies, which made it easy to shoot the charizard a crooked grin as she gave a thumbs-up (as much as she could pull one off with these sorry excuses of paws). "Sure! I could use the practise anyhow; gotta get used to this lopunny body, you know?" Angela said half-jokingly as she glanced around. Where was she supposed to go?

 

[Namohysip]

"Mm." This was much easier than some of the others. Hopefully she wouldn't fall for any tricks once she was actually summoned, because he feared that she may be as trusting as Owen. "Very well. Good luck."

And without any further warning, a bolt of dark lightning struck Angela, and nothing was left behind. Diyem turned to the portal of light next to him and leaned forward. "...Mm. She just missed the explanations. Oh well." He shook his head. "They will fill her in."

He then looked at the closed and completed Perish Book. Owen had left a whole list of recommendations. He supposed that one wasn't so bad... Perhaps he could try another.

<><><>​

 

[Phoenixsong]

The still-not-quite-familiar sensation of transition: the feeling of a hook pulling hard from behind her gut. A swooping, falling feeling, not unlike her last jaunt into the mists, Paldros plunging ahead while she and Araun and Chelou tumbled clumsily behind. A plummeting, death-drop sort of feeling not unlike something else in the recesses of her brain. Spinning, drowning in air, the mindless panic of a child; colors too bright and wild to have names; laughing, dancing shapes with too-long claws and shining eyes looming out of the mist like shadows. Someone smiling gently through the maelstrom of mist and color and cacophony, reaching for her, welcoming her to shelter and safety. Something scooping her up just before the embrace, racing away from the color and the laughter and the sad-eyed smile, the pounding of hoofbeats drowning out the—

—the sound of footsteps on a paved road. Not running, not rescuing, just a pokémon strolling past on their way into this big, circular building. They muttered something about nearly missing the latest round of "truth or dare", and Skara came back to herself.

Right. Yes. This was "Veritas City", not the mists. Not a normal part of the mists, at least. One doesn't "normally" get transported so dramatically when one is just heading from Crossmark to the outlying farms, so home this most certainly was not. But different as this place was from what she'd heard of the cities back home, it was still far too orderly to be the mists.

Skara did her best to shut out the bustling of the other pokémon as she wormed her way down the stairs, following the voice's instructions. How Lady Sabretane could be so certain that this "Diyem" wasn't one of the Lords, she didn't know—and apparently, neither did Paldros or Knight-Commander Bellan—but if anyone would've understood the cryptic message, it was certainly Sabretane.

Commander Bellan hadn't wanted Skara to go; Paldros mostly looked offended that he hadn't been asked to go himself; Sabretane had just beamed down at her and repeated that it seemed a fine test for a promising young squire.

That had lessened the grubbin's nerves, at least. She'd wondered whether she should've told anyone at all, instead of ignoring the dream like a sensible person or, perhaps (she admitted somewhat sheepishly), simply following the voice right then and there. But surviving the mists was all about preparation. Skara knew better than anyone that you didn't deal with anything remotely mistlike without consulting an expert first. And if the expert had faith in her, well...?

"I'll do my best to represent the Burning Brand," Skara had said.

"No, you won't. You've not been inducted into the order," chided Paldros.

"I'm sure you will," said Lady Sabretane, eyes twinkling.

"Just don't die, please," said the Knight-Commander.

So she'd settled down to sleep again that night and now she was here, in a strange city, at the bottom of a staircase, crawling toward a charizard who was definitely not a Lord of Mist. (Probably. Hopefully. If Sabretane wasn't wrong.)

(But when was the Lady Sabretane Keldeo ever wrong?)

"Skara of the... whoops, wait. Skara, Squire of Knight Paldros of the Burning Brand, at your service."

 

[Namohysip]

"Complete idiots, absolute buffoons, what in the fifteen thousand gods--" Diyem stopped cursing at a circle in the ground to look toward Skara. "What? Who are you? What are you talking ab--" He glanced at his tail. The flame was black. It quickly turned to orange as he stood up, clearing his throat.

"Hello, I'm sorry. I was dealing with by subordinates running into some unexpected trouble. Again. Do you intend to help with the efforts of saving this world, by any chance?"

This Charizard looked like, if he had hair, he would have lost it or at least grayed it a long time ago.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Skara blinked—for a second, she could've sworn the charizard's tail had flared a different color. Was that a thing all charizard could do, or just this one? (Surely it must be a thing the mistfolk could do, but Sabretane had insisted...) Part of her wanted to ask, but there were, presumably, more pressing matters.

"Oh! I hope this isn't a bad time," she said, noting the weariness in the cast of his face. "But I think you called me here? Sorry I'm so late, but where I come from, I'm used to treating travel to, uh, other places with a bit of... healthy suspicion. Also I'm not allowed to head off to said other places without permission from my superiors, and Paldros and the Commander would've let me have it if I'd just, uh, gone, aha. I'm still not entirely sure why you would've asked for me instead of a proper knight... But!" She clicked her mandibles, producing a sharp snap. "Venturing into other places to help people is what I do!" Paldros's face flashed before her eyes, glaring down his black beak at her. "Well, okay, it's what I'm training to do. But it's what I want to do, is the pertinent bit, and if it's really true that someone in this other world needs help, then I'll do it! What do I need to know about the situation?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Hmmm..." Diyem crossed his arms and folded his wings forward. "I suppose they would be able to fill you in for most of the information. However, the simple version is... giant Pokemon are occasionally attacking a world called Cibus. And corrupted Pokemon. And probably some other things that I'm not yet aware of." Diyem motioned to the circle. "Those I send are the only ones who can so much as damage some of them. Are you prepared to go? It will be a new body, as I cannot transfer your current one with your spirit. As far as I'm aware the process is painless. I make no promises beyond that."

 

[Phoenixsong]

Skara thought for a moment. Giant pokémon? Corruption? That sounded different, at least. And perhaps like it required a touch more... aggression than she'd been hoping. But hey, it wasn't like she couldn't fight, even if it wasn't her favorite method of problem-solving. And with so many others there, it couldn't be too bad... right?

"I think I understand enough," she said. Okay, she was lying, but Diyem looked about as busy as she'd ever seen anyone, and whether or not he was a mistlord he didn't seem like the type one ought to cross. A powerful pokémon like Diyem must have a well-prepared crack team of heroes and fighters at his disposal, so these others would be more than enough to get her up to speed. She'd be fine. It was fine.

Transferring only the spirit was also definitely not a mist thing, and frankly sounded about two hundred times safer (and more fascinating). It did imply a problem she hadn't thought about, however. Skara moved a foreleg to the everstone hung around her neck. "So, uh, I assume no body means no possessions, right? Does this world have everstones I could borrow? If evolution is even, y'know, a thing when you're a... a spirit, I guess. I wouldn't want to risk getting stuck as a charjabug if there's a problem. Or..." She looked up excitedly as she remembered the alternative. "Are there thunder stones? Or potent electrical auras?"

However he might respond, Skara assumed it was probably best to get going. If there weren't any everstones or thunder stones, well... she'd cross that bridge when she came to it. (Probably. Hopefully.) She'd make it work, because she had to make it work, because there were people depending on her, and that was what mattered.

 

[Namohysip]

"There are... but they may not work when you go there. I suspect that the power I will be funneling into you over time will trigger an evolution whether you want to or not." Diyem hummed. "In any case... you look ready. I can sense as much. So if that's the case..." Diyem raised a hand. Black lightning crackled at the tips of his claws. "Good luck."

And in a thunderous boom, she was gone.

<><><>​

 

[Cresselia92]

“…Goodness gracious, where am I?”

An Alolan Vulpix peered at the surrounding thick mist, trying to spot any landmark that could help orient himself. Around his neck was wrapped a blue ribbon with a flower made of pearls, giving him a refined aspect. Perfectly trimmed tails coiled around his hind legs, in an unconscious attempt to keep his body from shaking in nervousness.

He didn’t understand how he got there — a moment ago he was spending a nice and lively evening with Firetales at Pangoro’s Cafe, and the next moment he blacked out and woke up in that unknown area. Also, he had changed back to a Vulpix.

But that couldn’t be. He was a Ninetales. He evolved after graduating from the prestigious Serenity University of Perfect Butlers, by using the ritual Ice Stone received from his father. And Pokémon couldn’t just de-evolve or anything like that. That was a fact.

Which meant…

“I’m hallucinating. Of course,” grumbled Icetales to himself, tapping the floor with his shrunken paw. “Just what happened at the cafe?” He furrowed his brow and flicked his now-six silver tails. “Did someone spike my mint tea with some questionable substance while I was lost in conversation, or…?”

Then his ears raised. A noise, sharp and nearby. Now alert, he lowered himself to conceal better in the thick mist and glanced around, trying to detect the unknown presence. His tails vibrated, gathering some freezing energy from the air and into the tips, as he got ready to channel an ice attack. He didn’t know what was hiding in the mist and didn’t want to be taken by surprise and assaulted by some dangerous fiend.

He took a quick whiff in the air and smelled… fire. Or at least, he smelled something that was burning. Hope glinted in his eyes and he quickly stood up, dispersing the gathered energy.

“Could this be…?”

Without a second thought and craving for some much-needed reassurance, he bolted toward the origin of the scent, his steps light and soundless.

“Firetales! Could it be thou?” he asked to the air, his previous nervousness dissipating slowly. Perhaps the same mysterious force had transported the Fire Ninetales as well! If that was the case, he was sure that they could have figured out something together.

He noticed the white walls ending and turned around the corner, when…

“Ah!”

He collided against something huge and ended up dangling from some unknown appendage.

“Ow… W-what?” He moved the paws across the struck target. Scales brushed under his paw pads, belonging to what seemed to be a long tail ending with a burning tip. No fur, so no Firetales.

Wincing in embarrassment, Icetales hopped off of the tail and took a step back, before bowing his head while his ears stuck to the back. “P-pardon me, sir… m’lady… well, dear fellow! I did not intend to strike your persona! My most humble apologies…”

 

[Namohysip]

He stared down at Icetales with a menacing aura; the way his head was angled, the shadows caught his eyes and nearly blacked them out.

"...Oh. Another one." He turned around and walked toward the portal. "You behave as if you'd come here by chance, so I will explain things quickly. This is a place separate from the one you came from. Your spirit was sent here to save a world. When you return, you will likely forget what happened until your hero's aura fades. If you don't know what that is, don't worry. It isn't important. There are thirty or so others already in this world; you may also join their ranks. I will power you from here."

He wasn't sure if he was forgetting anything, so instead he said, "Do you have any questions?" He figured it was a lot to take in, but hopefully this Icetales would be up for that whimsical sense of adventure.

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales stood there, frozen in place, as if his temperature dropped way below what his Ice-type’s body could normally take.

He blinked once, unnerved by the ominous dark aura he had just seen. Was that Charizard a friend… or a fiend?

He blinked twice, perplexed by what the Charizard had just said. Place separated from where he came from? Save a world? Others?

He blinked thrice… because his eyes needed moisture. Staring at a bright flame for too long? Bad idea.

“Um, I… beg thy pardon, sir, but I cannot hide my befuddlement: thou said that yours truly is here to save a world?” Icetales took a deep breath and walked after the dragon, eyeing him suspiciously. “With all due respect, I find the notion almost preposterous. My persona has never been much of a fighter nor a hero, so I wonder why I have been chosen.”

He looked into the portal, seeing faint specters of heroes who have already crossed the rift between dimensions. Some of them… didn’t look much different from him. He even spotted a white fox in the mix, whose sight made him wag his tails.

Despite his reservations, he had to admit that there was something… captivating about the idea of meeting other Pokémon and getting the chance to save a world. And it’s not like any of his more successful or stronger siblings was there in his place— he was the one who has been picked.

Besides… Saving the world sounded like something that would fit excellently in a curriculum: Who wouldn’t want a ‘former world savior’ as their employee? And even if he were to forget everything or almost about his time in a new world, perhaps some of this experience would follow him back to his world? He surely would appreciate the training and boost in confidence.

There was no way to tell. Not at the time, at least. However, there was one thing he could say for certain.

“… I shall be frank. The reasoning why I have been picked out of everyone else from my world still escapes me, but… I have never been one to turn tails and leave struggling fellows in distress. If the powers that be believe that I can make a difference and lend a paw, then who am I to refuse?”

He puffed up his chest, letting the valor that flowed through his blue blood carry the weight and implications of whatever destiny lied ahead of him. No more was that reason to be afraid, but to be proud.

“I shall do whatever it takes to help that world, in any way I can! ” He exhaled a chilly gust from his nostrils, feeling his confidence surging, but deflated as soon as his bravado lost his spark. “…Well, wasn’t that corny?”

He held a paw in front of his mouth and coughed, before turning to the Charizard standing by his side. His mind was finally made up.

“Good sir, all I wish to know is how I can help. Where do I start with this world salvation mission? Is there some good place for me to get initiated?” He looked at the flashbacks of past bosses, his fur standing instantly at the sight of heroes defeating their targets. “Some of those fellows look way tougher and experienced than yours truly, and I am afraid of not being of much help if I cannot find my footing soon enough…”

 

[Namohysip]

"They're an accommodating bunch," Diyem replied with a casual, yet dismissive wave. "As for where and how... Stand still, and... stand still."

Diyem raised his hands, and for a brief moment, his flame turned black. Still, before he had a chance to react to this sudden shift in his flame's color, it disappeared--and his vision snapped to white as a black bolt painlessly overtook him.

Then, the Charizard stood alone in the room, sighing. "I'm getting faster at those. Not sure if I should be worried about becoming some... spiritual ferry system."

<><><>​

 

[Namohysip]

Diyem paced around his usual room, no longer bothering to hide his black flame now that it was a known fact that he was Dark Matter. Sure, nobody ever actually saw him while they were in Cibus, but it was a psychological thing.

He had to find more spirits to send over. This group was... simply too unfocused. He had no idea if they were actually trying to solve things while he was searching for distortions around the world. He felt like he was getting close to the truth, the truth to where the distortion's source was coming from, and yet he still needed more time.

He sighed. He had searched for stragglers some time ago, and sensed that a few had been on their way. Where were they...? At least one would have shown up by now, surely.

 

[Navar]

"This feels... really weird." Shiron blinked a few times.

The boy had an average height for a human, and was not really that muscular, altough he was fit. Wearing black pants, a white shirt and a red jacket, Shiron walked through what seemed to be a coliseum.

"I have no idea what this place is." he scratched his chin. "Hello! Is anyone here? Hello?!"

As he kept walking, the human looked around at the strange and unknown place for him. Despite the mystery of his surroundings, Shiron was a little excited. The architecture of the coliseum was beautiful to him. Hopefully, he would find answers to all of his questions soon.

 

[Namohysip]

Oh, goodie. Another human. As if they didn't have enough of them crawling around the place.

The Charizard with the black flame turned to greet Shiron with little more than a blank stare. "Hello. I assume you came here from a similar call as the others who came before you. Would you like the explanation now or when you arrive to save the world?" This creature seemed like the sort who would happily jump at the opportunity to save a world, and he'd learned a thing or two after convincing a good thirty or so others of going into this task.

 

[Navar]

A Charizard. A talking Charizard. Shiron could only stare at the creature with his eyes widening, unsure what to do now. Suddenly the amount of questions the boy had grew. Regardless, Shiron needed to talk to the creature.

"S-Save the world? What are you talking about?" He took a deep breath to calm down, deciding to ask the bigger question. "And... how can you speak?"

 

[Namohysip]

"...Hard work and determination," Diyem lied. "There is a world that is in trouble that I cannot save myself due to time constraints. I am instead sending people there immediately and channeling my power into them from afar. It's much faster. Now, are you interested? You will be given a more capable body for combat, but I doubt that will be of much issue."

 

[Navar]

Save the world. A sentence commonly used to heroes and important people. Shiron never considered himself to be important, not to him and certainly not enough for a mission like that. And yet, hearing that made him... happy.

"If there's someone in danger and I can help, I can't just... stand around and do nothing." Shiron clenched his fists. "I accept."

 

[Namohysip]

Diyem always wondered why they accepted so readily, but then again, perhaps it was because they had already come here to answer a call.

Diyem kept his expression even and nodded. "Very well. Please wait while I prepare for everything. Your team's living arrangements have changed recently, so I need to send you down someplace else..."

Black lightning crackled around Diyem's claws as he routinely prepared his summoning ritual. "Hmm, a human. I wonder what species you will manifest as..."

 

[Navar]

"Uh, what now? Species? This is so confusing..."

The boy couldn't help but shake a little. That situation was odd, to say the least. But regardless of that, Shiron forced a smile to hide his fear of what was going to happen.