Dauntless Shield Security Office

[Hanafuda]

Jack sat alone at the security office, slightly hunched down as he examined the Xatu feather. Part of him wanted to relate the disappearance of the Drampa and his Trainer with that Xatu Windi mentioned earlier, but the more he knew, the less likely that would’ve been the case. Xatu weren’t yellow, for starters, and everyone mentioned a yellow Psychic-type. What were a shiny Xatu’s colors again? They weren’t yellow, right? Things were already complicated enough.

The Farfetch’d wanted to ask about the Xatu’s Trainer to Officer Jenny, but he doubted she understood Poké-speak. Nonetheless, he tried with a question towards everyone in the room in hopes at least one person could hear him.

“Excuse me. I’d like to discuss something.”

 

[Seren]

"That I don't know," she admitted. She'd been a little taken aback by Blair mentioning it, and Jenny's response didn't quite help. "Teleportation could play in there? Really, I don't..."

"They could have stayed low to the ground. Flown into the forest, or that marsh that Steven and a few others were exploring before going somewhere else, couldn't they?"

Something else occurred to her. She turned back to the officer. "Do you happen to have a list of guests and their partners somewhere we can look at?" [[ @Flyg0n ]]

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes stayed near the back of the crowd, listening to the officer’s questions with a scowl. Mew have mercy, even Orre’s police department could have done a better job, and that was sure as hell saying something. Sherles at least wouldn’t have dismissed things so quickly.

Though, he supposed things could be worse. At least this officer appeared to be more competent than Johnson. Not that that was saying much.

Novo shifted at Wes’ feet. He looked as unnerved as Wes felt. People disappearing with barely a trace? A whole number of trainers and Pokémon that couldn’t be trusted? None of that spelled good news. He knew something about this trip was fishy from the get-go, but Wes couldn’t exactly say he was pleased about his hunch being correct.

He thought about challenging the officer some more, but several others had already beat him to it. However, the mention of the Scizor trainer’s room did catch his attention…

He smirked. What, nobody was allowed in because of a measly locked door? Please.

Wes knew exactly where to head next.

 

[Flyg0n]

Something else occurred to her. She turned back to the officer. "Do you happen to have a list of guests and their partners somewhere we can look at?"

Jenny nodded and quicky reached into the front pocket of her uniform. She withdrew an official looking paper and unfolded it before handing it to Kimiko. This is my spare copy, you can have it."

The list was simple and concise. It listed all the trainers by boat group. The second group, of course, had all their names on it, and their partners. The first group had its own list as well, most of which had been seen around the island. All except one.

Spoiler: Guest List

• Caden & Salamence
• Silas & Swampert Thelonious
• Noro & Alakazam
• Lourine & Houndoom
• Toby & Hydreigon Regalia
• Windi & Fearow
• Sigmin & Salandit
• Hayes & Nosepass
• Irene & Roserade//Ampharos
• Blair & Grumpig//Hatterene
• Reena & Drampa Falkor
• Franklin & Scizor
• Taro & Blaziken Razer
• Kalo & Xatu

 

[Seren]

Jenny nodded and quicky reached into the front pocket of her uniform. She withdrew an official looking paper and unfolded it before handing it to Kimiko. This is my spare copy, you can have it."

The list was simple and concise. It listed all the trainers by boat group. The second group, of course, had all their names on it, and their partners. The first group had its own list as well, most of which had been seen around the island. All except one.

Spoiler: Guest List

• Caden & Salamence
• Silas & Swampert Thelonious
• Noro & Alakazam
• Lourine & Houndoom
• Toby & Hydreigon Regalia
• Windi & Fearow
• Sigmin & Salandit
• Hayes & Nosepass
• Irene & Roserade//Ampharos
• Blair & Grumpig//Hatterene
• Reena & Drampa Falkor
• Franklin & Scizor
• Taro & Blaziken Razer
• Kalo & Xatu

Kimiko looked over the list as the crowd separated again. Looked like xatu was the only pokemon that first missing kid brought with him, so her theory that maybe he was the one behind the subsequent disappearances was no longer a likely scenario. Well, that had been a long shot anyway, but at least it was one avenue they didn't likely need to follow.

She folded it together with the note from the morning, then looked back towards Jenny. "Where is Amara this afternoon? Does she have a routine? what exactly does she do here?"

[[ @Flyg0n ]]

 

[Flyg0n]

She folded it together with the note from the morning, then looked back towards Jenny. "Where is Amara this afternoon? Does she have a routine? what exactly does she do here?"

"Normally she'd be checking in with staff about lunch preparations or maybe helping organize an event but once I contacted her about what happened this morning her and Mr. Montorzi immediately said they would be searching the island for Reena. I checked in right before I came here but they haven't found anything yet." She frowned. "Not that I trust that, which is why Victor is searching as well."

 

[Seren]

"Normally she'd be checking in with staff about lunch preparations or maybe helping organize an event but once I contacted her about what happened this morning her and Mr. Montorzi immediately said they would be searching the island for Reena. I checked in right before I came here but they haven't found anything yet." She frowned. "Not that I trust that, which is why Victor is searching as well."

So... their host was searching, too? Why had this not been mentioned prior when they had been discussing his own whereabouts?

Regardless, not quite as helpful as she'd been hoping for.

"Let me rephrase, then. Where can I find Amara right now? Where was she supposedly searching?"

 

[Phoenixsong]

Everyone else was starting to filter out, and even Charizard was looking back toward the dorm area, but something was still nagging at Blue. In order to get away with the murder or kidnapping or whatever the hell it was, they would've had to have teleported or flown, right? But drampa were pretty dang big pokémon; judging by the guest list and what he'd seen so far, maybe even the biggest that had come here with a trainer save for Gyarados, Victoria, and that massive noivern he had seen flying around every so often. So if the drampa really had been there with Reena, how exactly had the culprit removed that thing from the beach?

He tried to remember all the times he'd teleported with Alakazam. Usually it was just him and her, and the others were in their poké balls. Charizard had been with them once, though that particular jaunt hadn't been too far. He wasn't sure whether she could've taken, say, Gyarados along with someone else at the same time, or all the way from one end of a city to the other. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen Gramps's arcanine carry multiple larger travelers with him, either. And they'd have to have teleported pretty far to not just leave more evidence somewhere else near the initial scene; how far could you even go with something that big, or that many passengers, in tow?

(Now he thought about it, maybe they'd just stuffed the dragon into its ball before cutting and running, teleporting away fast enough that they were already at their new destination before it could get itself out again. But if the ball hadn't been there, or they hadn't managed to get the drampa to stay inside? Especially given how hard it supposedly was to get a raging drampa to cooperate? Probably still worth questioning, just in case.)

Also, they were in some other stupid universe now, and maybe it didn't function the same way here. Maybe it would be easier, or harder, or not possible at all. Would Officer Jenny even know how that worked? He kinda didn't want to get his hopes up, given the absolute clown show this had been so far, but surely even Minus World cop school had to teach you about how suspects might try teleporting away from a scene, right?

"Hey, uh. If it's likely the perpetrator teleported away, would the pokémon really have been able to do that with Reena and that drampa and maybe even the trainer themselves, all at once? How far away d'you think they could've gone? Nearby, other end of the island, off the island? I dunno how teleporting works in... this world."

@Flyg0n

 

[Flyg0n]

So... their host was searching, too? Why had this not been mentioned prior when they had been discussing his own whereabouts?

Regardless, not quite as helpful as she'd been hoping for.

"Let me rephrase, then. Where can I find Amara right now? Where was she supposedly searching?"

Jenny studied Kimiko for a long moment, then pulled out her phone and checked it. "She and Xavian should be checking the woods around this time." She paused and took a long breath. "Listen.... Kimiko. I know you're probably not happy with me. But I promise you I'm not your enemy. Nothing like this was supposed to happen. This was all supposed to be festival, not... this."

 

[Flyg0n]

"Hey, uh. If it's likely the perpetrator teleported away, would the pokémon really have been able to do that with Reena and that drampa and maybe even the trainer themselves, all at once? How far away d'you think they could've gone? Nearby, other end of the island, off the island? I dunno how teleporting works in... this world."

Jenny's face shifted, regaining composure as she turned to Blue. "Well theoretically, in order to teleport like that, the teleporter would need to know where they're going, and be practiced in teleporting multiple targets. And they would have to be at least somewhat strong. But even then... to make it off the island would require tremendous energy...And skill. The farther away the more care has to be taken to do it." she frowned and shook her head.

"I don't think it would be possible." She admitted finally. "Or if it was whoever did that would be immensely skilled."

 

[Seren]

Jenny studied Kimiko for a long moment, then pulled out her phone and checked it. "She and Xavian should be checking the woods around this time." She paused and took a long breath. "Listen.... Kimiko. I know you're probably not happy with me. But I promise you I'm not your enemy. Nothing like this was supposed to happen. This was all supposed to be festival, not... this."

"I assume by 'woods', you mean that large forest [[Overgrow Forest]] on the map by the banquet hall?"

She took a deep breath, arms crossed. Jenny was right, after all. She probably didn't intend of any of this happening. That didn't ease her irritation at the whole scenario, though., but she supposed she should try to lay off the officer.

"Alright. Thanks for your time."

At least it gave her a place to start looking.

 

[Inkedust]

There was the sound of clattering objects just outside.

Looking as if she'd just fell out of bed - hair a mess, glasses barely on straight, in her pajamas, and still being partially wrapped in a blanket - Ayumi was holding a cup of coffee in one hand as she was being dragged along by her own shadow with the other.

"Was that-- did I miss anything? Why are you dragging me out here?" She asked with a yawn.

<Big noise! Everyone went here. Slept through. Don't know how.>

"I suppose I was just very tired. Vera did get a bit carried away last night," Ayumi hummed.

<She kept you up five hours past midnight because she wanted to argue with stars! Said that room on highest floor was bad idea!>

"Aw, but Vera seemed so eager to go up there. Besides, I'm sure you appreciate all the space up there too!"

<...Maybe.>

Ayumi rolled her eyes and entered the office in her scruffy glory and waved with a smile.

"Excuse me, hello. It appears that I seemed to miss quite the commotion. Is there anything I should be worried about?" she asked innocuously.

 

[Dragonfree]

The Farfetch’d wanted to ask about the Xatu’s Trainer to Officer Jenny, but he doubted she understood Poké-speak. Nonetheless, he tried with a question towards everyone in the room in hopes at least one person could hear him.

“Excuse me. I’d like to discuss something.”

May looked at the... what was that? It looked like a Farfetch'd but... oddly humanshaped?

"Yeah? What?" Was there nobody else here who understood him? Jeez. Maybe her and Jade's universes really were unusual.

May was near the back, wary. She already wasn't a huge fan of cops, and this one wasn't doing much to dispel that, floundering weirdly in the face of simple questioning.

 

[Hanafuda]

Jack looked up at the human who answered him. He was about to give up and exit, but he was relieved that someone understood him. He walked towards her and lifted up the Xatu feather. “Thanks for listening. Uh, I found this in the forest yesterday, and they told me that this feather belongs to a Xatu whose human was reported missing way before we got off the boat. Think you can help me look for him?”

 

[Phoenixsong]

Jenny's face shifted, regaining composure as she turned to Blue. "Well theoretically, in order to teleport like that, the teleporter would need to know where they're going, and be practiced in teleporting multiple targets. And they would have to be at least somewhat strong. But even then... to make it off the island would require tremendous energy...And skill. The farther away the more care has to be taken to do it." she frowned and shook her head.

"I don't think it would be possible." She admitted finally. "Or if it was whoever did that would be immensely skilled."

Hm. Didn't sound too terribly dissimilar from what he knew, then. Which was... mostly reassuring? People probably weren't getting whisked right off the island, at least not if a normal pokémon was doing it. (Then again, with that "hoopa" and all the other mythical pokémon allegedly loitering around here...)

"Right... yeah. Fair enough, I guess. Listen, I guess you might wanna speedrun through your explanation again for that lady—" he jabbed a thumb at the older guest who'd showed up late "—and get back to investigating and all, but I kinda gotta know: what exactly happens from here on out? Like, you're gonna keep investigating, we're theoretically gonna keep our heads down, all that stuff, but. Is there anything you guys can actually do to, I dunno, step up security or something, actually decrease the chances of someone else getting got? Do you have any way to prevent these guys from just teleporting away again if you find 'em?" Maybe they couldn't teleport off the island, but whoever this was they probably weren't dumb enough to pull something like this without having some kinda final escape plan, so they'd have to be stopped before they could actually pull that off. "And, not that it helps much on the beach, but are there cameras and stuff around that might catch something if it happens, or at least so you'd know if they'd been tampered with?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "It'd just be a big help to know about whatever else we might have goin' for us in a situation like this, yeah?"

He wasn't stellar at reading people; that'd always been Daisy's thing. Still, keeping a close eye on her reactions seemed like it'd be worth a shot. Anything at all to give him some real reassurance that this whole operation wasn't held together by duct tape and naïvete.

@Flyg0n [[Mind Reader]]

 

[Flyg0n]

Hm. Didn't sound too terribly dissimilar from what he knew, then. Which was... mostly reassuring? People probably weren't getting whisked right off the island, at least not if a normal pokémon was doing it. (Then again, with that "hoopa" and all the other mythical pokémon allegedly loitering around here...)

"Right... yeah. Fair enough, I guess. Listen, I guess you might wanna speedrun through your explanation again for that lady—" he jabbed a thumb at the older guest who'd showed up late "—and get back to investigating and all, but I kinda gotta know: what exactly happens from here on out? Like, you're gonna keep investigating, we're theoretically gonna keep our heads down, all that stuff, but. Is there anything you guys can actually do to, I dunno, step up security or something, actually decrease the chances of someone else getting got? Do you have any way to prevent these guys from just teleporting away again if you find 'em?" Maybe they couldn't teleport off the island, but whoever this was they probably weren't dumb enough to pull something like this without having some kinda final escape plan, so they'd have to be stopped before they could actually pull that off. "And, not that it helps much on the beach, but are there cameras and stuff around that might catch something if it happens, or at least so you'd know if they'd been tampered with?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "It'd just be a big help to know about whatever else we might have goin' for us in a situation like this, yeah?"

He wasn't stellar at reading people; that'd always been Daisy's thing. Still, keeping a close eye on her reactions seemed like it'd be worth a shot. Anything at all to give him some real reassurance that this whole operation wasn't held together by duct tape and naïvete.

@Flyg0n [[Mind Reader]]

Officer Jenny seemed to wilt ever so slightly under the questions. Not enough for the average person to see, but something a keen eye would note. Almost as soon as it happened, her confident demeanor returned. "It seems unlikely that they could teleport off the island but... Teleport is a tricky move. Not easy to disrupt. As for cameras, most of the island is wilderness. There's some in the arena and around the Main Hall but that's it. We haven't seen anything odd on them."

A flicker of feigned confidence showed through. "But now that we know what to expect, I'm sure that we can find the culprit. For now I recommend that everyone stay in groups and don't venture far from the Main Hall. And perhaps some of you can teach your Pokemon moves such as Pursuit? It's no guarantee but it'll help. And be careful!"

Mind Reader is Active! Jenny is being truthful... But her confidence seems forced!

 

[Flyg0n]

Jack looked up at the human who answered him. He was about to give up and exit, but he was relieved that someone understood him. He walked towards her and lifted up the Xatu feather. “Thanks for listening. Uh, I found this in the forest yesterday, and they told me that this feather belongs to a Xatu whose human was reported missing way before we got off the boat. Think you can help me look for him?”

Jenny nodded as May relayed the strange Farfetch'd's request. She smiled as best she could. "Victor is already searching for traces of them as we speak. I promise, we're doing everything we can. We know they vanished from the edge of the woods, so that makes sense that you found a feather in the forest." Oh, if only she'd looked into it harder sooner...

"Don't worry, just let us handle it," Bao said to Jack.

 

[Hanafuda]

“Thank you for your help,” Jack said to May, Jenny and Bao with a small bow. He heard his stomach grumble and looked sheepish. “Oh, I never realized how hungry I was. Can’t continue the investigation on an empty stomach—excuse me.” He ran out of the office, flying off towards the Dragons' Maw for a quick lunch. Maybe the fancy restaurant would have something much more filling than what the cafe offered.

 

[Dragonfree]

Officer Jenny seemed to wilt ever so slightly under the questions. Not enough for the average person to see, but something a keen eye would note. Almost as soon as it happened, her confident demeanor returned. "It seems unlikely that they could teleport off the island but... Teleport is a tricky move. Not easy to disrupt. As for cameras, most of the island is wilderness. There's some in the arena and around the Main Hall but that's it. We haven't seen anything odd on them."

A flicker of feigned confidence showed through. "But now that we know what to expect, I'm sure that we can find the culprit. For now I recommend that everyone stay in groups and don't venture far from the Main Hall. And perhaps some of you can teach your Pokemon moves such as Pursuit? It's no guarantee but it'll help. And be careful!"

May watched the officer, eyes narrowed. She was still acting off, more bothered by the questions than she was letting on, acting surer than she was about things.

"What makes you so sure we can trust your partner, anyway? Some Arcanine can teleport, right? Yellow mane? And -- Pursuit doesn't even work to chase a teleporter. Why are you suggesting that?"

 

[Flyg0n]

"What makes you so sure you can trust your Ninetales?" Jenny replied. There was no malice or scorn in her tone, just a simple statement. "I've worked with Victor for years and trust him the same way I'm sure you would trust any of your partners. And his Arcanine doesn't know Teleport," she added.

She shook her head. "Right, perhaps not Pursuit, but there are moves like Block or Mean Look perhaps that are effective."

Jenny is still telling the truth! No ill intent can be detected in her.

There seemed to be something else odd about Officer Jenny, but whatever it was didn't seem to be tied to the missing trainers... Her desire to find them is genuine...