Clues and Things - OOC

[Seren]

After Kimiko left, Amara wearily returned to her search. A short time later she met up again with Honzo.

"Find anything?"

"No," she said.

"Amara, what's wrong?"

"I... we really messed up. I only hope we can find those trainers before..."

"Before something terrible happens."

Amara made no reply.

Amara clearly up to more shit than I was able to uncover.

Edit, from discord channel:

Tetra || Flygeon — Today at 9:58 PM
she's just referring to how they handled the situation badly
[10:01 PM]
I don't want to mislead you about that, thats just her saying that Xavian and her handled it poorly

Tetra || Flygeon — Today at 10:11 PM
Amara's implication is that their world is one presumably further along the poke timeline and has reached a place where there's been a lack of any crises events (ie the game stories etc) for a long time so they're hilariously unprepared for bad stuff

However...

"You see, our world, or rather this reality, is probably quite different than many of yours. You could probably find a few history books in the lounge about it, but its been decades since we've had to deal with any true threats. This kind of thing... evil... its just been so long since we've seen anything bad like this."

Totally intending to look into this next day phase, too. Probably unrelated at this point, but I'm still curious.

 

[HelloYellow17]

"Very well. I'll share a theory of mine if you will share one of your own." After a pause, she continued. "I've been considering something. A human alone could never commit these acts. But I've been talking to trainers this whole time. What if it's someone's pokemon acting on its own? Gone rogue. I spoke to that woman, Amara. But I never questioned her Hypno fully. So I started to wonder if I've been looking in the wrong place."

Wanted to point this out because it sure is interesting! I’ve more or less cleared Noro from my list, but I didn’t have Wes question Alakazam. Might be nothing, but worth considering. Amara’s Hypno has also not been questioned directly.

 

[Seren]

Wanted to point this out because it sure is interesting! I’ve more or less cleared Noro from my list, but I didn’t have Wes question Alakazam. Might be nothing, but worth considering. Amara’s Hypno has also not been questioned directly.

Seconding this. Both times Amara has been met so far, it was without her hypno. (When Kimiko confronted her in the forest, and when Steven asked her to deliver his letter.) Combined with what Lourine told Laura here, as well as factoring just how little solid information we have to go on in how long we've been trying, this feels like our strongest lead, unless anyone else has any ideas about how to identify the scent Wes found in Franklin's room.

 

[ShiniGojira]

'Volcanoes or dry, craggy places are its home. It emanates a sweet-smelling poisonous gas that attracts bug Pokémon, then attacks them.'

'This sneaky Pokémon will slink behind its prey and immobilize it with poisonous gas before the prey even realizes Salandit is there.'

Been scrolling through some dex entries and found this on Salandit's Moon and Shield entry. Salandit also has Corrosion which means Scizor's Steel-type won't help it against the poison.

 

[HelloYellow17]

The infirmary had of course been a whirlwind of activity ever since Manaphy's ill fated encounter with the islands humans. But if there was one thing Sleet knew how to do it was being discreet.

A great deal of poking and prodding in the inside and outside, there's much to see. Neat cabinets stocked with every remedy and herb imaginable, cures for poisons, and so on. Out back, a perfectly cared for herb garden. And beyond the herb garden... A sweet scented, tenderly kept berry grove.

Berries of every color can be found. It seems someone had helped themselves to some tasty pinkish red berries among some others. Perhaps wild pokemon or nurse Joy. It's hard to tell, no footprints can be left in the plush grass.

What Sleet found from poking around the infirmary with Foresight

 

[Dragonfree]

A thorough search of the inside reveals nothing out of the ordinary. But outside... Outside a scent lingers. One almost familiar. In fact it almost seems berry-like? It's not unlike the sweet smell from that room before, the place he'd checked out with the nice Mightyena. But it's a little different too. Like it's only one part of it perhaps?

The scent is faint, and it seems to lack a distinct trail. But it's there. It seems to be hanging around the outside of the infirmary, lingering in the air.

Novo files it away. This is important, somehow. He's sure of it... Right?

At the infirmary! This suggests the berries mentioned by Sleet (collected by a Pokémon that doesn't leave footprints) were part of what was detected in Franklin's room (the sweet part, presumably).

Wasn't there some mention somewhere that Scizor had a particular kind of favorite berry? So if this is also that berry, it could be this entire thing with the berries is a red herring... or that the berries were poisoned somehow, etc.

EDIT: Okay, no, the favorite berry was a Watmel Berry, which is presumably not the pinkish red berries and also had not been picked up from the nurse's office.

 

[ShiniGojira]

Then-then today I saw him... the mightyena. His trainer. I was following them an-an-and there was a big flash..."

"I used Block, like you said! I tried to save them but I could't see anything but I called the move anyway.

The Normal-type energy probably comes from two sources, Hayes' Block and presumably a Pokémon using Flash.

 

[ShiniGojira]

Latias shivered, her feathers rippling from head to toe. She took a moment to gather herself. "I reached out across the island with my emotion sensing and..." she shivered again. When she spoke, her voice trembled with fear. "I felt something... something malevolent. Wicked. There was so much hate overflowing... It almost overwhelmed me." She wrung her claws together. "I only felt it for a moment and then it just-just shut me out. It's gone now. I've never felt anything so horrible." She shut her eyes again, fins flicking side to side. "Its disguised it self now." Distress bled into her tone.

"Who or what was it?!"

She seemed bobbed up and down anxiously. "I don't know... I don't know but its not human. And whatever it was, there was just one. I could feel it. This the work of something... evil. Something hiding itself away. I need to go find my brother." Her eyes darted towards the exit.

So there's only one entity behind this whole thing.

Is it okay to say that there might be some kind of mind-controlling thing happening? Maybe this entity can jump between host to host.

 

[Seren]

So there's only one entity behind this whole thing.

Is it okay to say that there might be some kind of mind-controlling thing happening? Maybe this entity can jump between host to host.

More from Evie and June's discussion with Victini and Latias:

"No," Latias admitted mournfully. "My brother and I searched the island but found nothing yet either. I... I don't think they're here."

"And as for the others, well..." Victini seemed to be thinking hard. "I'm pretty sure most of us stay in our realms a lot! You know, those little pockets of reality unique to each mythical pokemon, accessible only by keys, or by us! So I don't think any of them were near the beach."

Latias wilted a little. "Victini, maybe we shouldn't tell everyone so much about mythical pokemon. We should be careful for mean humans... But yes," she admitted. "I don't believe any of them have been around the island physically much."

Latias shivered, her feathers rippling from head to toe. She took a moment to gather herself. "I reached out across the island with my emotion sensing and..." she shivered again. When she spoke, her voice trembled with fear. "I felt something... something malevolent. Wicked. There was so much hate overflowing... It almost overwhelmed me." She wrung her claws together. "I only felt it for a moment and then it just-just shut me out. It's gone now. I've never felt anything so horrible." She shut her eyes again, fins flicking side to side. "Its disguised it self now." Distress bled into her tone.

"Who or what was it?!"

She seemed bobbed up and down anxiously. "I don't know... I don't know but its not human. And whatever it was, there was just one. I could feel it. This the work of something... evil. Something hiding itself away. I need to go find my brother."

So Latias doesn't think think the missing trainers are on the island anymore. Perhaps because they've been taken to this pocket dimension that the mythics apparently inhabit? Because apparently there's also only one evil entity, and it wasn't a human.

 

[Sinderella]

"Very well. You have proven you at least have a head on your shoulders," Alakazam said. "I will answer your questions. But we have little to offer. I spoke briefly to the Xatu on the boat, but anyone here can tell you we were at the banquet all evening. However, Xatu seemed interested enough in this event that I found it odd that they disappeared. And Noro and I were heading to the lounge researching when the young girl vanished from the beach."

"And we were in our rooms when that kid with the Scizor was taken. I suspect everyone was," Noro stated simply. "And in all honestly the strangest thing I've seen is you." He stared at Odile, arms folded. "Ever since that girl was taken we've avoided everyone." Or they'd avoided him. He didn't care, it had gotten old fast. "We were never near those places when anyone was taken. Is that all?"

There seemed to be little malice in his tone. Perhaps abrasive was his default setting.

Alakazam's response to being questioned--his and Noro's collective alibi, and why they've been "distant" to to speak. Odile picked up that they were both telling the truth.

 

[Dragonfree]

The shadows danced and flickered, almost alive. Movement! No... Perhaps just the shifting shadows or a cloud in the sky then. An odd chill permeates the air, very faintly along with a strange scent-

And then, for a brief, terrible moment a malevolence fills the air, a sense of dread and unbridled, overwhelming hate

CRACK!

Everything went searing white, bright light blinding, wiping out all sight. A cloud of smoke fills the arena. And almost immediately after something strikes the ground before Steven and Aggron. Energy radiates from whatever the strike is, seeping into both of them. Unavoidably, their eyes would begin to grow heavy, their bodies fail them and sleep draw at their minds until its irresistible, a yawning darkness that feels almost physical as well as mental and threatens to swallow everything-

The description of Steven getting attacked. Note the scent, the Flash, a cloud of smoke, and something strikes the ground, radiates energy, and begins to put them to sleep.

The cloud of smoke could be a Smoke Ball, which would explain how the entity bypassed the Block.

My first thought here was Darkrai and Dark Void, especially with the flavor about yawning darkness swallowing everything, although the something striking the ground makes me less sure.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

My first thought here was Darkrai and Dark Void, especially with the flavor about yawning darkness swallowing everything, although the something striking the ground makes me less sure.

Interestingly, I have now seen two instances of Dark Void making contact with the ground. The first in Pokemon Masters, and the second is this animation from PLA which I found from a quick youtube search.

Also interesting to note that Darkrai is a Mythical pokemon (which all of the invited pokemon are considered for this festival) but Cresselia is listed by herself (and also is technically a Legendary, not a Mythical) as a pokemon we can interact with.

However, dark energy was not found at the site of Reena's disappearance (so Dark Void could not have been used there, unless there's a way to change a move's type??) There still isn't an explanation for the teleport, "yellow or gold" pokemon reported, or the non-human footprints found by Hayes on his initial report about the grassy arena.

 

[Seren]

I'm gonna go full on Mafia Brain Conspiracy Theory, here, fair warning.

Ta Writeer: the victims are alive but not accesible by even a mythical

Ta Writeer: and theres grey flakes

Ta Writeer: might be the klefki

Delino: Oh, yeah!

Delino: Klefkis are said to be able to access a realm where mythicals reside.

Delino: Perhaps they're being held there?

Tapestry: But Klefkis can't learn Focus Blast or Flash, and they're not gold-colored

MonDegreen: Maybe it's two Pokemon working together??

Tapestry: Hypnos can use Focus Blast and Flash, might be the Hypno and the Klefki together?

So, I was reading this again and Delino gave me a thought. The mythicals supposedly all have their own "realm" where they tend to spend a lot of time, not just like a local forest or whatever. Latias said elsewhere to June and Evie that she doesn't think the missing trainers are on the island anywhere. Manaphy says no one's left via the sea. So where could they go?

Well, it's not Teleport, but Hoopa gets Phantom Force. Depending on the interpretation of the move, could this possibly be used for more than just becoming invisible? For example, to move people? Although the invisible + floating/no footprints thing fits here, too. It also gets Hyperspace Hole, which admittedly is an offensive move, but well... we already know Hoopa can transport things via it's rings. Which, by the way, are gold. It was never specified just how much of the pokemon was seen, just that it was partly gold/yellow. Finally, I want to also point out another move in Hoopa's possible learnset:

Spoiler: Spoiler for large image

.

.

Is it possible hoopa and klefki are working together to transport the missing victims into some other "realm" or something like that? They're the ones who brought all the PCs here, maybe they're trying to pick out some more specific trainers for some reason? (Maybe to fight this "evil" that Latias talked about, unless we think Hoopa is that "evil"... Hoopa Unbound is a thing, too.)

The only thing that gives me pause is that Violet and Hazel confirmed that klefki appeared undamaged, so it's not likely the gray matter came from it... although this was also at the end of the evening, and considering we were told the medicine of this world is astoundingly good, is it possible the klefti had been damaged and repaired during the day?

Plz poke holes in this I don't want it to be right lmao

Edit: I don't know about the Smoke Ball theory thing, either... we were told TMs were available, are items, too? Because... well, Hoopa also learns Fling. Not sure that would put anyone to sleep, though... except it also gets Secret Power (see above image), which... when used on Grassy Terrain, causes sleep... and someone was training on the Grass Field when Steven found them.

 

[Dragonfree]

Ooh, striking the ground and then causing sleep does make sense for Secret Power...

 

[HelloYellow17]

Iiiii realized I have been sniped by Torchic but I’ll post my notes on the berries in here anyway, heh:

Eggant berry: cures infatuation. Is purple, not pink or red, +4 dry. Topo berry: pink. +3 sour and sweet. Its only listed use is as a pokeblock ingredient. Drash berry: slightly darker pink, +4 sweet, cures poison. Ginema berry: yellow, +3 sour, raises a lowered stat in battle. Interestingly, all four of these berries are ones obtained in gen III through the e-reader, and from gen IV onwards, they become *Enigma berries.* Enigma berries restore 1/4 max HP when the user is hit by a super effective move.

 

[HelloYellow17]

"Mmmm. Topo, Drash, Ginema and Eggant." Chef Flygon flicked his tail side to side as mused out loud. "I recognize those. Leavanny said a few had been taken from orchards. Not very good for medicine. Sometime we cook with them but mainly we use them to bake. Can't fathom why anyone would feel the need to steal them." His tail stopped flicking.

"Odd. But to be specific, they're primarily used to make dyes for baking with. Frosting cakes, or adding color to a dish. Perhaps someone is planning a surprise party?" he said, giving a small chuckle to himself. "And of course, they can be used for pokeblocks and other delicacies."

The berries that have turned up missing and have been smelled at each attack can sometimes be used for dyes. One of the colors that these berries frequently turn into is gold. Possible that the “gold” Pokémon Irene saw was actually dyed gold, as some sort of disguise?? Dunno, just throwing theories out there.

 

[HelloYellow17]

---



In the end, they both ended up spotting the clue. Gray flecks, near the edge of the outer windowsill of the office. Had the kidnapper been spying on the officers?

Other than that, there seemed to be no further clues of note, though the flecks themselves were chilling enough. Something was watching the trainers on the island...

Okay ALTERNATE theory: another color the berries mentioned above can become is gray. Perhaps the Pokémon actually IS yellow, but has been dying itself gray??

 

[Dragonfree]

The air was filled with overlapping scents of various pokemon and people. Gen and Coleane, Steven, Xavian's scent, Hazel and Victoria... but there was oddly enough, the faintest lingering stench underneath all of those. Sweet, plastic-y and chemical like. Pungent. It wasn't strong enough to pinpoint, but it was there. Whatever is belonged to or whatever caused it had been around the Llounge it seemed....

This is in the lounge. Note that the reason I chose to check out the lounge was that Tetra said Orzo sometimes hangs around the lounge.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Okay ALTERNATE theory: another color the berries mentioned above can become is gray. Perhaps the Pokémon actually IS yellow, but has been dying itself gray??

GUYS GUYS WAIT

SHINY HOOPA IS YELLOW

 

[Sinderella]

Y’all I stfg if it’s been Hoopa this whole damn time.

Tetra despises Hoopa so it’s been at the back of my mind but IDFK WITH HER.