[CYOA] You Are a Rock

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Camp Out: 1
Beaten Path: 2

Decision: Let's go around...

Considerations:
- (2) I need to learn how to fight!
- (1) Why do distortions happen?

"You aren't a fighter, right?" you ask Millie.

"Not really... I used to train as a hobby, but that fell off. Now I go hiking when I'm not at work. You know, simple hobbies."

"I am not good at fighting, either," you say. "We shouldn't risk going into that place just yet."

"Right. Let's try to go around. I know an alternative path if we go this way over the gate..."

She moves over the gate and walks south, past the thick trees while carefully avoiding any Bug webs and other tall grass that Pokemon may be hiding within.

"Why do these distortions happen to begin with?" you ask. "You seem used to them."

"Don't really know," Millie says. "The government says to stay away. And, well, makes sense. Hostile Pokemon are inside. Those talking Pokemon know how to get rid of them, though, so we leave it to those folks. They're a little secretive..."

Strange all around. It does not seem like Millie knows much more than you do.

"I think," you say, "I need to get strong enough to fight."

"As... as a rock?"

"Yes. It's as I said, I have been getting very strong already."

"...Right." Millie sighed. "Well, I'm not much of a trainer. Maybe I can show you to the Gym Leader..."

"Gym Leader?" You are unfamiliar with this.

"They're community leaders who specialize in Pokemon Battling. And it just so happens that where I live, the Gym Leader is an expert on stones and archaeology! Maybe she'll even have insight on, you know, who or what you are!"

That sounds promising. Assuming that's a good idea, at least... But you will have time to think about that later.

There is a river up ahead with a few odd stones that are perfect for hopping. Millie secures you in the bag and hops over them with practiced ease...

But once she gets halfway across the river, with the other side about twenty feet away, she wobbles and stops. "Uh oh."

Up ahead, a Basculin popped its head out of the water, glaring at Millie for some unknown transgression. It fires a beam of water just over her head. She ducks--and jostles you firmly out of her bag.

SPLASH!

Good news! You don't have to breathe. Bad news! You can't swim.

You sink to the bottom of the lake like the rock you are. Thankfully, you can still project yourself above the surface and determine that this part of the river is mercifully only a few feet deep.

Good news! The Basculin does not notice you. Bad news! It is definitely after Millie.

Millie is already digging into her bag to pull out Lily's Pokeball. This was just what you were worried about. You need to fight, you need to at least do something. And you are sure that you'd once reached out to do something before... You are not sure if you can do that anymore. But maybe, if you concentrate...

Yes. You can propel yourself forward at such a close range... or you can propel raw aura energy outward instead. It would be weaker, but it feels like you can shoot it as far as your limited vision goes...

You only know that you have to do something.

DECISION​

Learn (and then use) a new Special Action: Attack!
You can only use one Attack per post, but it counts as another Special Action.

What is your first Move to learn, and then immediately use?

1. Smash into the foe! (Rocky Tackle. Melee. Energy: 1. Bonus damage: 1)
2. Blast the foe! (Rocky Beam. Ranged. Energy: 1. Bonus damage: 0)

Current Status​

HP: 2/3
Energy: 2/3
Offense: 2
Defense: 1

Considerations:
- (1) I need to learn how to fight!
- (!) Why do distortions happen?

 

[The Walrein]

Usually I favor ranged attacks, but shooting a beam would make it pretty obvious where the attack is coming from. Whereas if a rock suddenly slams into someone, I'd assume most people would assume it was being propelled by somebody else's telekinesis, not that the rock itself was sapient and hostile.

Decision: Smash into the foe!

 

[Mirage]

I also favor Rocky Tackle! Doing twice as much damage is a pretty huge advantage, and I don't think an extra 25ft of range would offset that. Plus, @The Walrein raises a very good point about the stealth advantage, most enemies probably aren't expecting a rock to be capable of throwing itself

Decision: Learn Rocky Tackle!

Consider: I need to protect Millie and Lily!

Special Action: Use Rocky Tackle on Basculin!

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Rocky Tackle: 2

Decision: Rocky Tackle!

Considerations:
- (1) I need to learn how to fight!
- (1) I need to protect Millie and Lily!

You had spent only a few moments awake and Millie was the first person to find you. Now, she is in danger. It makes sense to do everything you can to protect her for one reason or another.

You quickly spring into action, drawing from an unknown, deep well of energy within you, so far out of reach. You are more than a rock. You are... a flying rock! For at least a half-second!

Rocky Tackle! You strike Basculin, dealing 3 damage! Basculin goes down!

Victory!

A clean shot is all it takes. You hear a crunch and a hiss just as you collide with Basculin when it leaps out of the water. When it lands back in the river, it is floating on its side. You are not sure if you killed it or not...

But you know that Pokemon are typically more durable than that, especially against a rock of all things. It is probably fine.

Millie pulls out her Pokeball after, but then sees you. "Oh, you... already took care of it," she said. "Wow. That was some quick thinking."

"Yes! I do my best!" you say as you sink to the shallow riverbed again. Your telepathy is unimpeded by water. "It seemed necessary to protect you."

Millie giggled. "Well, you've been... strange and sounding a lot more like a valiant hero than before," she said. "Maybe you were an adventurer who got cursed to become a stone!"

Is that the case? It does not ring at all familiar to you.

"Anyway, let's keep going before more of its friends show up," Millie says, taking you from the river and pocketing you in her bag again.

"Are you hurt?" you ask, making sure Millie and Lily were safe, just in case.

"No, just fine," Millie replies.

"I... didn't know I could do that. But I was desperate to learn how to fight. I took a... direct approach."

"It worked, so I won't complain!" Millie says. "That was a strong blow. I don't know if Lily can do that..."

But Millie is not a trainer. Compared to a trained Pokemon, are you as strong? You still don't know.

Millie crosses the river and sighs. "It's safe from here," she says, taking you on the way...

<><><>
​

Nacrene City's details are hazy to you. In your immediate vision, you see humble buildings with dark green rooftops built right against the forest. Gray roads line each street before giving way to brown paths and cobblestone. You pass by an orange building that has a lot of foot traffic this evening, and then Millie enters one of the green roof buildings.

She tosses her bag (and you) onto her bed on reflex. Suddenly, she shouts, "Oh, no! I'm sorry!"

You cannot feel dizzy, but you feel as though, if you could, you would have been. "I'm okay!" you call.

"Force of habit," Millie says. "Lily likes the toss."

Just then, Lily appears from her Pokeball in a pouring of light, yipping happily and sprinting around small apartment that is entirely within your vision. You can project yourself and explore the halls in silence.

Millie settles against the couch after setting you on a nearby nightstand. She takes some time to explain to you the various strange appliances--nearly every one foreign to you--in her room.

Her living room doubles as a kitchen and then triples as her bedroom, with her bed on the far side of the room where you had been thrown, a kitchen near the front door, and a television on the wall within viewing of both her bed and a small table near the stove. You do not know what most of these things are beyond their basic function in this strange land, but you get the gist. You are a fast learner.

What strikes you most of all, though, is how so many of these functional pieces of equipment can be reached from only ten of Millie's paces in any direction.

Even as a little rock, it feels cramped.

"Let's see if that distortion is on TV," Millie says, prodding the television remote and flipping through the channels. A square of light flickers into different colors before settling on a lady in a box speaking to you and Millie.

"--Pinwheel Forest just thirty minutes ago. The Amber Knights have already stepped into the dungeon to find and dispel its core. Until then, civilians are advised to steer clear of the area."

The screen switches to a familiar Arcanine.

"This is a Class D Dungeon. It poses little threat to most, but that's no reason to wander inside. Hostile Pokemon can still catch you off guard. Please, let us do our work."

"Amber Knights," you echo. It is not familiar. But something about it...

"I don't get them," Millie said. "Trainers can handle these Dungeons on their own, you know. And a Class D Dungeon? I bet even Lily and I could handle going through something like that. Those Knights always look down on us ever since they arrived, like we're some... second-rate civilization."

"How long have they been here?" you ask.

"Uhh... I think a year or so, now?" Millie repeats, leaning back. "Let's see, Team Plasma iced over Opelucid City about ten years ago, I think. So we had... ugh. Not even a decade of nothing stupid happening in Unova. And it's not slowing down, either! Nobody knows what's causing these distortions, and the Amber Knights are apparently a super secret organization that even the Unova government won't disclose. Just showed up one day and asserted themselves as the designated saviors for all things Dungeon."

She puffs out her cheeks.

"It's not even a dungeon anyway. No chains or cells or anything."

This seems like a good time to ask a few questions as the world darkens. You think that a good night's rest... if you can rest... will restore your health, too, and perhaps even give you time to synthesize what you learned and hone your strength for the next day.

Current Status​

HP: 2/3
Energy: 2/3
Offense: 2
Defense: 1

Considerations:
- (!) I need to learn how to fight!
- (!) I need to protect Millie and Lily!

 

[Mirage]

Interesting to learn about the Amber Knights - sounds like Millie at least is somewhat resentful of them. I wonder if other people in Unova are too? It's a region with a history of conflict between humans and Pokemon... also interesting to note that our story takes place after the events of both games!

I think right now, the thing I'm most curious to learn about is what our character's name is, if they have a name.

Consider: What was... is... my name? Who am I?

 

[Negrek]

Damn. Rock got hands, apparently! Not too shabby if we can already OHKO a fish.

"It's not even a dungeon anyway. No chains or cells or anything."

lmao

Some tasty worldbuilding here. So we're post-Neo Plasma, and also slightly post-dungeonification. I kinda want to ask a lot of things, but that probably wouldn't be in the spirit of the game. So I'll just start with...

Special Action: Telepathy (Millie) Are distortions appearing all over the world, or only in Unova?

Consider: What's that feeling you get about the Amber Knights?

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Considerations:
- (1) What is my name?
- (1) What feeling do I get about the Amber Knights?

"Are distortions appearing all over the world," you say, "or only in Unova?"

"Oh. They're just here and in Kalos. Kind of."

"Kind of."

Millie takes out her phone--another, smaller box of light--and flicks her fingers through it. How fascinating... One box uses a device to control it, and another, humans can control with their fingers. Maybe it is some kind of aura technology.

"Yeah, here it is," Millie says. "The distortions actually started in Kalos, you see. And then spread from there. I mean, Unova and Kalos are far off, but, I guess we're just the next victims. For all we know, there might be distortions in the ocean, too. Kalos has it bad, though. As of a few months ago, it's basically one giant Dungeon."

"Sorry? A whole region, a Dungeon?"

Millie nods. "No idea how they did it, but they're still a functioning region despite that. I guess when life gives you lemons..."

"An entire region inside a Dungeon..." Well, you have not seen what a Dungeon is like on the inside yet. Perhaps it is not as bad.

"Kalos has the Crystal Knights," Millie goes on. "Same group, different division. There's also another division that specializes in traversing different parts of the world... maybe scouting for more distortions. Don't know much about them, though."

These 'Knights'... You know the term, but you are unsure how to feel about them. If you really think about it, though... You have a bad feeling about their true intent. In your nonexistent gut, you sense that there is more to it than protecting Unova and Kalos and the rest of this world. What is their true goal, you wonder.

"You know," you go on after a silence of watching a news story about a lost-and-rescued Munna, "I don't believe I have a name."

"Oh, huh. I mean, I could... call you Rocky? Stoney?"

"...I don't think that's my name."

"Oh, you think you had one before?"

"I don't know."

"Wow. That's serious amnesia... if it's amnesia." Millie frowns. "Well... Were you thinking of a name?"

"Not really. Just wondering what it used to be," you reply.

"Well... Until you figure out your real name, how about I call you... Stone! After the old Hoenn Champion."

You have no idea who that is. Also, that name sounds... uncreative.

But you don't have many other options... do you?

DECISION​

For now, what is your name?

1. Stone sounds great!
2. I'll go without a name for now.
3. How about. . .

Current Status​

HP: 2/3
Energy: 2/3
Offense: 2
Defense: 1

Considerations:
- (!) What is my name?
- (!) What feeling do I get about the Amber Knights?

 

[Negrek]

All of Kalos getting swallowed up by a distortion, huh? Slight PoV vibes, there...

Definitely curious what these PMD knights might be up to, then! I think for me, first order of business would still be trying to visit Lenora if possible. After that, though, perhaps we could try to hitch a ride in a Knight's item bag or similar, see where they take us? It helps that we look like an innocuous rock.

Gonna put my vote in for a particular name for now, but posting a little more about it in the discussion thread, too.

> How about... Cobble

> Special Action: Telepathy (Millie) Is anyone trying to fight the distortions besides the Knights?

 

[Mirage]

All of Kalos being inside a mystery dungeon... that's going to be pretty interesting. I wonder what that looks like for the people living there - I'm almost imagining maybe a kind of horror vibe, where only a handful of fortified towns are safe from the distortion's affects and it's hard to enter or exit the region? But then, it's mentioned as still being functional, so... the distortions might not be quite widespread enough or severe enough. Either way, definitely looking forward to seeing what that's like!

Decision: How about... Cobble?

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Your name is... Cobble!

Considerations:
-
-

It is nice to relax without having to worry about your memories or the other things you do not know. But there is one thing you could solve... Your name! For now, at least.

"How about... Cobble?"

"...As in, Cobble Stone?"

"Yes! That seems appropriate. It's an idea I got."

Millie sighs. "Great. This rock I saved is a pun master, too, apparently."

"Perhaps that was what I used to be," you suggest. "Still, it will be good to have a name to introduce myself to others, if it's relevant. Speaking of useful, though... Aside from the Knights, is anyone else fighting the distortions?"

Millie shrugs. "I guess some people try to. Maybe they succeed? I don't really know... Not what I pay attention to."

"I see..." So Millie was ultimately uninvolved in all of this.

"But it sounds like you're trying to get more involved," says Millie. "Is that your plan? To get involved in these distortions?"

"I feel as though they might be relevant," you admit. "Even if I don't know how... It is the closest thing to abnormal I can think of. But only after we see that Gym Leader tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah. That's right..." Millie signs. "I'm going to get ready for bed. If you sleep, um... Go do that, I guess?"

You do not know if you sleep.

But as Millie leaves you alone to your rocky thoughts, you settle in the nightstand and find that it is... comfortable. You relax...

Tomorrow will be another day. You will speak to the Gym Leader, get information if they have any, and...

And then what?

DECISION​

You are relaxing and have gotten stronger! +1 HP! +1 Energy! Also, your energy and your HP is restored!

You also meditate and think about your new approach. After you speak to the Gym Leader, what would be left?

1. I should be patient and see if new information comes. (+2 HP)
2. I may not know what to do, but I should just TRY things. (+2 Energy)
3. I should just take on those distortions myself! (+1 Offense)
4. Should I be doing anything? Am I ready for this? (+1 Defense)

Current Status​

HP: 4/4
Energy: 4/4
Offense: 2
Defense: 1

Considerations:
-
-

 

[Mirage]

Oh sweet! We got our HP back and then some. It's a little tricky choosing our next stat - I'm torn between more HP for a little more tankiness, and more Energy to make sure we don't lose the ability to protect ourselves. I think I'm leaning slightly towards Energy, since Rocky Tackle might have uses even outside of combat... but it's a very close decision...

Decision: I may not know what to do, but I should just TRY things. (+2 Energy)

Consider: I need to learn more about myself. Who was I? Who... am I?

 

[Negrek]

Hmm, surely there are at least a few people who don't feel great about sitting back and letting these weird pokémon handle the distortions! Probably worth finding them... but I think we've got plenty on our plate for the next little while. I like the options Mirage picked quite a bit!

Decision: I may not know what to do, but I should just TRY things. (+2 Energy)

Consider: I need to learn more about myself. Who was I? Who... am I?

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

I may not know what to do, but I should just TRY things. (+2 Energy)

Considerations:
- (2) I need to learn more about myself. Who was I? Who... am I?
-

You drift off into something like a trance. Maybe it's sleep, maybe it isn't. You are vaguely aware of your surroundings all night, but it does not feel as relevant to you. Everything relaxes. Your energies have time to reorient. And by the time the human stirs for her morning routine, you feel perfectly refreshed and ready to go.

<><><>
​

"Hmmm... I've never seen a stone like this before!"

As it turned out, Lenora was no longer a Gym Leader, despite Millie's words. She had retired from being one for a long time and took on running the museum instead. The museum head, Lenora, is another human with darker skin and astonishingly greenish-blue hair about twice the size of her head. She must be another variant of humans.

You stayed quiet up to this point, recognizing that speaking in public would have drawn more attention than you would have wanted. You had to get information from Lenora, and from there, you had to find something actionable to do. If Lenora had nothing for you, then you plan to find somewhere else to get that information. Anything to learn who you are, or who you had been.

Now, you are in the back study room with Millie, Lily, and Lenora.

"Nothing at all?" Millie asks.

"Well, I can say one thing. It's a very, very interesting stone. Now, I specialize in bones and fossils... and I can tell at a glance that it's made of similar minerals. Yet... Hmm... Oh, if I just had an extra day or two to study it more..."

An extra day or two? You don't have that kind of time! You are restless. You are bursting with energy. And with that combined with your need to find out just what you are... you break your silence.

"Nothing at all?"

Startled, Lenora drops her tools and scrambles to catch the most expensive one, narrowly achieving this. Millie facepalms, sighing. Lily growls disapprovingly at you.

"Yes! It is I, Cobble, the talking stone," you exclaim. "...Please help me figure out why I am a talking stone."

"Oh..." And just as quickly, Lenora regains her composure and studies you more intensely. "Not a fossil, but a petrified... someone. Now that is very new. In fact... Oh, hold on. I can check something."

She scours her shelves. You have no idea how it's organized, but it's in such a way that after only a few seconds, she is pulling out a specific book and flipping through the pages. "Let's see, let's see... Spiritomb. It's said that Spiritomb is a Pokemon made from numerous spirits that had been punished and sealed inside a rock. Or, that is the story for one such Spiritomb... Of course, not every Spiritomb is like this, but perhaps the species' origin. That's the theory, at least.

"Ahh... but you have no identifying markings. And you aren't the right shape, either." Lenora sighs. "I'm sorry. I don't think you're a Spiritomb. But you might be related..."

"Do you have any idea at all?" Millie asks.

Lenora hums again, crossing her arms. "...There are other tales of Pokemon that become stones, like Reshiram and Zekrom. But both of them are already accounted for and in the care of other Trainers, and he looks nothing like those stones at all. Ruling those out... This is as far as I can go," she admits. "Sorry. But with how strange this is, I wonder if you might get the interest of Elite Four Shauntal and Caitlin. They're Ghost and Psychic specialists. And this seems... spectral in some way. Could it be related?"

The Elite Four... They sound important.

"That's really far away," Millie says nervously. "I don't know if I can afford to go that far..."

An uncertain silence descends upon the room.

However, before you have time to respond to any of it with your own thoughts, something pings your senses from the upper floor. Someone is coming down into the room.

"E-excuse me! You can't go down there!" someone shouts. You recognize it as the human at the front of the museum who allows people inside.

Whoever was descending did not reply.

"Do you have an appointment? Lenora is in a meeting with someone right now, and--"

The other person you sense opens the door. It's... a Druddigon with a bag around his shoulder--you recognize this as a hallmark of a 'talking Pokemon.' He appears to be in good health, but his eyes have a haunted echo in them. Something about him... unsettles you. If you had a back with hair, perhaps those hairs would have been rising. Instead, your rocky spirit's spirit hairs rise spiritually.

"Hello," Lenora says with a cautious tone. "Is something wrong?"

The Druddigon studies Lenora. Then Millie and Lily.

You notice that in his bag is an emblem of some kind. It's different from the one the Amber Knights wore. It's covered, but the shape is different, more triangular than the circular badges.

"Sorry," Druddigon says in a monotone. It is hard to tell if that was a routine apology or if he simply does not care. "We are investigating some strange energy signatures in the area. Dungeons have been appearing more often near Pinwheel Forest. Did you see anything out of the ordinary recently?"

No cadence. No emotion. His words sound like he's talking about the weather. And those eyes...

What do you do? Do you do anything?

Current Status​

HP: 4/4
Energy: 6/6
Offense: 2
Defense: 1

Considerations:
- (1) I need to learn more about myself. Who was I? Who... am I?
-

Spoiler: Errors

Edited: typo that called Lenora Gym Leader instead of museum head.

 

[Mirage]

Spoiler: line-by-line

As it turned out, Lenora was no longer a Gym Leader, despite Millie's words. She had retired from being one for a long time and took on running the museum instead. The Gym Leader, Lenora, is another human with darker skin and astonishingly greenish-blue hair about twice the size of her head. She must be another variant of humans.

This part confuses me a little - it says Lenora's no longer a gym leader, but then calls her "The Gym Leader, Lenora"? Is it maybe some editing that got accidentally spliced together?

Startled, Lenora drops her tools and scrambles to catch the most expensive one, narrowly achieving this.

The most expensive one not the biggest, or the closest, or the easiest to catch, but the most expensive tools first. Absolutely hilarious, though honestly also very relatable. I wish I'd think that fast when I drop stuff.

Instead, your rocky spirit's spirit hairs rise spiritually.

I felt this alliteration in my soul

No cadence. No emotion. His words sound like he's talking about the weather. And those eyes...

Monotone, no emotion, dead eyes... this sounds really creepy. Almost like this Pokemon is possessed... It's interesting that it has a different emblem than the Amber Knights - I wonder if these are the Crystal Knights, although they're supposedly in Kalos. Maybe a different group altogether? Maybe I wonder, if it's even a Pokemon at all, or something else pretending to be one?

I'm quite intrigued to see where this is going

------------------------------

As for our actions, I definitely feel like it's better to lay low at the moment. They don't seem to be able to tell precisely where the strange energy is coming from, and since we just look like a plain old rock and can communicate privately with telepathy if need be, we will very likely have the surprise factor if we need it.

Consider: Lay low and pretend to be just a regular old rock.

Telepathy (Millie and Lenora): "If they ask, I'm just a regular, boring, plain old rock. A... doorstopper. Yeah, that's it."

 

[Negrek]

She must be another variant of humans.

New regional form discovered!

Monotone, no emotion, dead eyes... this sounds really creepy. Almost like this Pokemon is possessed... It's interesting that it has a different emblem than the Amber Knights - I wonder if these are the Crystal Knights, although they're supposedly in Kalos. Maybe a different group altogether? Maybe I wonder, if it's even a Pokemon at all, or something else pretending to be one?

Very creepy indeed! Shadow pokémon is another possibility. I'm also quite intrigued by the fact that there are apparently multiple factions among the PMD mon... I doubt they all like each other. Curiouser and curiouser!

So we probably aren't a spiritomb or any other common pokémon that Lenora would be expected to recognize. Interesting that Reshiram/Zekrom are both accounted for; I'd been kind of wondering where the legends are in all this distortion business.

In some ways our characteristics are similar to eterna cores, which Namo's used in a couple of his games before. It doesn't quite fit, though... and not sure whether he'd go there again! Lenora probably wouldn't recognize one; not sure who might, really.

Ugh, I really want to try a little telekinesis, see if we can unlock a new ability and shift that weird badge juuuuust enough to see what it is. But any use of our powers could potentially attract that Druddigon's attention. I guess lying low and seeing what happens is the best approach for now... never my favorite option, lol.

Consider: Lie low and pretend to be just a regular old rock.

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Considerations:
- (1) Lie low and pretend to be just a regular old rock.
- (!) I need to learn more about myself. Who was I? Who... am I?

"If they ask, I'm just a regular, boring, plain old rock. A... doorstopper. Yeah, that's it," you say, quietly, to Millie and Lenora. 'Quietly,' you hope, since it's just selective telepathy, and you hope that got the point across enough.

"Ahh... not really, no," Millie says. "Um, are you feeling alright? You look... pale."

"I'm alright."

"I'll let you know if I see anything out of the ordinary," Lenora says. You project yourself over both of them to see if you can get a better look at that badge, but unfortunately, there is no luck. And you recognize that you need to be quiet. Using your powers here... No. Too risky.

"I see," Druddigon says. "Humans are not very perceptive. That is okay."

His gaze turns upward. He stares for a while... directly... at...

You.

Not at the rock. Not at Lenora or Millie or anything on the shelves. You, where you had projected yourself. Eye contact, if you had eyes. But... he does not look at your 'body,' the stone. He stares for a while longer.

"Um, is everything okay?" Millie asks.

"Yes. Sorry for bothering you." Druddigon finally turns around--breaking eye contact with you--and heads up the stairs at a leisurely pace.

"That was weird," Millie says. "What was he staring at?"

"There better not be mold again," Lenora grumbled, eyeing the corner of the ceiling behind you.

Once they are sure Druddigon left completely, Millie faces you again. "Do you sense anything?"

"I... don't think so, aside from myself," you admit.

"Do you know him?" Lenora asked.

"No, not at all," you reply easily. "But something was off about him. Very, very off. I don't like it."

"Oh, good, so it wasn't just me." Millie rubbed her arms. "Brrr, it's like two Gengar suddenly entered the room. Those eyes... It's like there was nothing behind them at all!"

The more you mull it over, the more upset you feel. You decide, for now, to shelve that thought away for later. But you are confident that somehow, that Druddigon and the organization he works for... has something to do with your true nature.

"I can contact the Elite Four for you," Lenora said. "Maybe they'll have more answers. What would you like to do for now, Cobble?"

"Oh, shoot, that's right!" Millie says. "I have to go to work! I'm a waitress, uh, actually, so I don't know if that'd be useful for any of this, aha... So, Cobble, what's your plan?"

What to do next... You still feel like you need to do something. But how would that manifest?

DECISION​

Where do you want to go?

1. I'll stay with Lenora for the day while she contacts the Elite Four. Maybe I can train with the former Gym Leader?
2. I'll return with Millie and hear news from Lenora later. Maybe I can learn something from her work.
3. I'll go my own way. I don't feel safe hanging around here for much longer.

Current Status​

HP: 4/4
Energy: 6/6
Offense: 2
Defense: 1

Considerations:
- (1) Lie low and pretend to be just a regular old rock.
- (!) I need to learn more about myself. Who was I? Who... am I?

 

[Negrek]

Hmmm, gotta make this quick, but I'm definitely in favor of hanging out with Lenora for a bit! For answers and perhaps a spot of training...

> I'll stay with Lenora for the day while she contacts the Elite Four. Maybe I can train with the former Gym Leader?

Consider: I need to get stronger!

 

[Mirage]

Spoiler: line-by-line

His gaze turns upward. He stares for a while... directly... at...

You.

Not at the rock. Not at Lenora or Millie or anything on the shelves. You,

I loved this part so much - I thought it was a 4th wall break for a moment, and especially when I imagine his gaze with the dead, blank, lifeless eyes... that got a proper chill out of me

Kinda spooky too that it seems like they can see us right through our camouflage. That's been our biggest advantage so far, and not having it might be a big problem next time we meet...

I'm also quite intrigued by the fact that there are apparently multiple factions among the PMD mon... I doubt they all like each other. Curiouser and curiouser!

Definitely!

The different divisions here remind me a lot of Silver Resistance and its own three resistance divisions. They develop very different cultures based on their environment, history, leadership's personalities, etc. And while they all share the same goal of taking down the story's main antagonist, they've got varying motivations and methods for why and how, and there's a couple of points in the story where their members butt heads because of it.

Very hyped to see if we might get something like that here - do the knights cooperate and all share the same goal, but with different cultures and motives? Or do they straight up have contradictory goals, and the only thing in common is that they need to track down unusual energy signatures? Can't wait to find out

-------------------------------

As for how to progress the story... I feel like going alone is pretty risky right now since the knights seem to know who we are. I'm very torn on who to go with, since they each have their pros and cons. Millie's job at the restaurant sounds like it might be a good chance to unwind after the tense scene we just had, and we might not see her again for a while since she hinted she couldn't travel to the league. On the other hand, I feel like Lenora can definitely teach us more at this point, both because she's more experienced as a person and because she's in a position to know more as a former Gym Leader about what's really going on here.

I was very slightly leaning towards Millie, but if Negrek prefers going with Lenora, I'm totally onboard with that! Learning how to protect ourselves is critical now, because I have a hunch that we won't be getting away unscathed in our next encounter...

Decision: I'll stay with Lenora!

Consider: I need to get stronger!

Telepathy (Lenora): "What's up with those weird talking Pokemon?" (In case Lenora might have some more insight or knowledge about them than Millie does)

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

I'll stay with Lenora!

Considerations:
- (2) I need to get stronger!
- (1) I need to learn more about myself. Who was I? Who... am I?

"I... need to get stronger. Lenora... could you train me while Millie is out at work?"

"Train you?" Lenora brings her hand to her sea green hair. "I haven't done that in a while, not seriously, but... Well, sure." She shrugged. "Maybe we can learn a thing or two. And my Pokemon would really appreciate the fight, too! We'll... go easy, though."

"I'll check back in the evening," Millie says. "Take care, alright, Cobble?"

After gathering her things, she thanks Lenora for her time and leaves.

A beat of silence follows. You drift your projection over to Lenora and say, "What's up with those weird talking Pokemon?"

"Weird," Lenora echoes with an entertained smile, looking at your body. "Well... They appeared and asserted themselves pretty early after the distortions appeared on Kalos. They're worldwide, but they only were looking for more distortions--which is why they stayed here, and not anywhere else. They've been a real help, and they're incredibly strong, too.

"I guess being a Pokemon with human levels of intelligence can do that. A Pokemon fighting with that kind of skill without a Trainer... You didn't see that very often. Still"--She shrugs, shaking her head--"I'm not in the Gym Leader position anymore. I'm not privy to the official things that happen anymore. I wanted to focus on the museum and my real passions. But I have friends who still are in there, and I've heard a thing or two." She winks at you.

"They work closely together. The Knights get information on where distortions are happening from Unova's government, and in return, the Knights are allowed free access to anywhere that has those abnormalities. They don't ask for much in return... that I know about. There are all kinds of conspiracies on what they get out of it. Rumors like dark money, raw materials, or something else that their world might need, wherever they're from. The funny ones are that they take human souls to turn into more Pokemon. A human becoming a Pokemon. Now that's silly! You only see those in kids' entries filling out their Pokedex."

You have no idea what a Pokedex is, but it sounds inaccurate.

"Sorry I don't have any solid information," Lenora said.

"It's alright. Maybe the Elite Four will know something."

With that, though, Lenora leaves the room and tells you to stay put for the time being. She quickly wraps up a few matters in the museum and takes you to a training area near the back. The room is cold and unused, but maintained perhaps for nostalgic purposes, or for recreation of the occasional worker or visitor. Pokemon battling, it seems, is a tradition in this region, and perhaps the world. How interesting...

"All right," Lenora says. "We can do some quick training here. Though, what were you thinking of focusing on?"

DECISION​

What techniques do you want to learn?

1. I need to get some defensive techniques to better endure hits.
- Aura Spike (Energy: 1. Reduce damage by 1; deal 1 damage when someone strikes you in melee range)
- Aura Shroud (Energy: 2. Become obscured and more difficult to strike, potentially turning attention to other allies.)

2. I need some evasive techniques to get away from foes.
- Catapult (Energy: 2. Bonus damage: 2. Tosses you a very far distance if you miss, intentionally or otherwise, making you hard to catch up to.
- Aura Shroud

3. I need some offensive techniques to take down foes faster.
- Catapult
- Rocky Pummel (Energy: 3. Bonus damage: 2. Melee. Hits twice.)

Current Status​

HP: 4/4
Energy: 6/6
Offense: 2
Defense: 1

Considerations:
- (1) I need to get stronger!
- (!) Lie low and pretend to be just a regular old rock.

 

[Mirage]

Spoiler: line-by-line

"Weird," Lenora echoes with an entertained smile, looking at your body.

Oh, hehe. Maybe we're not ones to talk huh?

The funny ones are that they take human souls to turn into more Pokemon. A human becoming a Pokemon. Now that's silly! You only see those in kids' entries filling out their Pokedex."

Yes... Haha... A human soul being turned into a Pokemon, imagine that we might've just been given a big clue about our Druddigon friend back there. If transforming humans into Pokemon is what we're up against, we might be in some deeeeep trouble, especially as we already seem to be on our villain's radar while they're still a shadowy figure to us. Excited for the hunt to find the mastermind behind all this!

And if that's our conflict, I suddenly have a huge appreciation for why this story takes place in Unova. Not Unova's first time seeing a human vs Pokemon conflict!

As a sidenote, I like the little lore tidbit of the dex entries being the result of kids' combining their personal observations with their imagination. It decently explains the more... exaggerated... entries, while still fitting in with the original purpose of the Pokedex.

--------------

Okay, for our actions! The last couple of posts have been very tough choices, but I feel more confident on this one.

For the defensive move package, Aura Spike doesn't seem super useful since we'd have to commit to getting hit to use it (and it only reduces damage by one point), and it doesn't do very much in return either. Plus, once our enemies see us covered in spikes, they probably won't keep attacking with their bare fists...

For the offensive moves, while Rocky Pummel is tempting due to its very high burst damage, the energy cost is really steep right now. We'd only get two uses out of it from full before losing the ability to perform any actions, and even after a couple of upgrades, we'd only be stretching 3. On top of that, Rocky Pummel doesn't seem to have much outside of fighting...

For the evasive move package, I really like the combo of moves we get from the other packages. Catapult gives us a move with better burst damage than Rocky Tackle, but also a ton of utility as well. We can flee now, we can attack flying targets, we can launch surprise attacks from farther off, we can even use it just to reach high up places if need be. Meanwhile, Aura Shroud gives us a limited ability to cloak ourselves since our rocky appearance is no longer enough by itself, and might let us dodge attacks that would otherwise do a ton of damage. Both of these moves cost 2 energy, so we already have 3 uses out of them, and we can expand that to 4 before long if need be.

Decision: I need some evasive techniques to get away from foes.

Consider: I need to learn more about those talking Pokemon!