Dorm Hall - 1st Floor

[HelloYellow17]

Wes bit out a curse. So much for that, then.

“Sprrr?” Neo’s ears drooped a little.

“Nah, bud, it’s not your fault.” Wes crouched to Neo’s level and scratched him under his chin. “I just brought us here too late, is all.”Neo leaned into his hand with a purr.

Wes glanced back up at Mitch. “Right, well…guess we didn’t get much from that. I don’t recognize the smell here—I would have guessed it was something like chloroform, but it’s not the same. Still, I’m not ruling out some sort of drug. They could have been drugged in their sleep and teleported out of here like that other girl was.”

He dropped his gaze to the floor. The why and where were the big questions. He couldn’t help but feel like the odds of finding these missing trainers and their Pokémon unharmed were…slim, at best. He decided not to say that out loud, though, mostly for Neo and Novo’s sakes.

 

[Negrek]

"Nice work," Nate said to Mightyena as she came back over to him, making little growls of irritation. Like the espeon, she was feeling frustrated by the lack of progress. They'd gotten something, though.

"Yeah. I don't recognize the smell neither," Nate said. "No sign of a pokémon, but someone had to get in here to pull the guy out. Teleport... or one of those weird ring things like the hoopa supposedly makes? Dunno if there's other pokémon that can do portals like that. The smell could definitely be some kind of drug, yeah. Or maybe something from a poison-type? Sometimes people get all creative with that shit, if they've got a pokémon that makes it."

Not so many poison-types that he could remember seeing around here, though. Nate rubbed at his chin, thinking. It didn't seem like there was much else they could get out of this place. Whoever it was behind all this shit seemed like they knew what they were doing.

"I was thinking I might check out the drampa trainer's room, too. Reena. Obviously she didn't get taken from there, but if we can get any idea of who she's been talking with around here, or why she headed out to the beach..."

Mightyena's ears pricked up at the sound of Reena's name. Yeah, Nate knew she wasn't letting him out of here before they tried figuring out what happened to her.

 

[HelloYellow17]

"I was thinking I might check out the drampa trainer's room, too. Reena. Obviously she didn't get taken from there, but if we can get any idea of who she's been talking with around here, or why she headed out to the beach..."

Wes blinked. Of course, why hadn’t he thought of looking at the other victims’ rooms? Though judging from what the officer had said, the trainer with his Xatu likely never even made it to his room…

“That’s a good idea,” he said, standing. “You don’t happen to know where that is, do you?”

---

Novo flicked his ears at Mightyena and gave a soft chirp. Nice job. He still wasn’t sure whether he wanted to trust them—but, well, he wasn’t sure they could trust anyone in this place. But Mightyena did seem earnest and wanting to help.

 

[Negrek]

"Nah, but Mightyena can find it," was all Nate had to say; she'd been wagging at the umbreon for a moment there, but one mention of her name and she was up and on her way to the door before he even finished. "Could use your help getting inside, though."

Out in the hall, Mightyena sniffed around industriously, working her way steadily back towards the stairs. Not much to do until she found the right door.

Nate crossed his arms, scowling. So, what? Time for awkward small talk, then?

It was probably true that there wouldn't be a better time to ask. Not that he ought to. But what the hell. It was just gonna keep eating at him otherwise.

"So," Nate said, "Just what the hell is your evil twin's damage, anyway?"

 

[HelloYellow17]

"So," Nate said, "Just what the hell is your evil twin's damage, anyway?"

“He’s not my twin, dammit,” Wes snapped.
Then he silently cursed himself for lashing out. “…Sorry. I just…I have no idea who he is and it’s been freaking me out, to be honest. All I know is he came right up to me, accused me of mocking him, then threatened to kill me if I so much as moved.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Really, I don’t know what his deal is. Or why he looks like me. I mean, gods, the guy even has the same kind of Pokémon as me. And you really don’t often see someone with two eeveelutions.”

He watched the Pokémon plodding in front of them as he spoke. Neo was incessantly chattering at Mightyena, telling her gods-knew-what, with Novo occasionally chiming in. At least the Umbreon seemed more relaxed around their new partners-in-crime.

“I don’t know,” he said again, and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I heard that Xavier guy or whoever talking at the cafe the other day, about how that—Hoopa, I think?—that Pokémon had pulled everyone from different universes.” He laughed again and ran a hand through his hair. “Gods, that’s the dumbest thing that’s ever come out of my mouth. But I don’t know how else to explain that guy. Or why he looks so much like me. I’m not…I don’t have any family. So there’s no way we’re related.”

And thank gods for that, he added silently.

 

[Negrek]

Well, that was even weirder than Nate had been expecting. All that "multiverse" bullshit... he hadn't thought about the potential for running into other versions of yourself. And if that other-you was unhinged? "Jesus. That's creepy. He really just jumped you out of nowhere? Because you look the same?" Nate shook his head. "I mean, I don't like to believe all that other universes bullshit people have been spewing, but... I've seen some weird fucking things around here myself. I almost don't know any other way to explain that shit. But I don't like it. Maybe you're right, I guess. Maybe he's some other version of you."

This was getting damn depressing, wasn't it? Or disturbing. Nate cast around for some way to move off the fucking multiverse shit. "I guess I should have guessed," he said. "Hard to imagine more than one guy out there with your kind of look. Seriously, where are you from? I ain't never seen that kind of fashion before."

Mightyena looked up briefly from her investigation, shooting a look back over her shoulder at the eeveelutions. "So you think that other espeon and umbreon are you from another universe? I don't know if I believe that. You're way nicer than those two!"

They had to be getting close to Reena's door. Her scent was very strong around here--Mightyena got back to tracking. She could only hope they'd find some clue of what had happened to the trainer.

She almost couldn't bear to think of what had happened to her. Her mind shied away from it. After all, Falkor had definitely been a strong pokémon. If he hadn't been strong enough to protect his trainer... what if whoever went after Reena came for Nate next?

 

[HelloYellow17]

"Hard to imagine more than one guy out there with your kind of look. Seriously, where are you from? I ain't never seen that kind of fashion before."

Wes had to give a snort of amusement at that. Yeah, he’d heard similar statements a time or two before.

“It’s a region called Orre. Not everybody has heard of it, and those who have don’t think much of it.” He smiled wryly. “Can’t exactly blame them, though.”

He glanced at Mitch. “How about you?”

"So you think that other espeon and umbreon are you from another universe? I don't know if I believe that. You're way nicer than those two!"

Neo tilted his head to the side. “Don’t think they’re bad. Think they love their trainer lots. Like us! But their trainer isn’t like Wes. He’s mean. And maybe bad. So it makes them look mean and bad.”

 

[Negrek]

"Orre, really?" A faint chill crept down Nate's back. "Sure, I've heard of it." He'd been hearing about it way too much for his tastes, lately. Way, way, too much. "I mean, I'm from Kanto and all, but Orre comes up from time to time. That's where, uh, well... you ain't never had to deal with any of that shadow shit, did you?"

He couldn't stop his gaze from traveling over to the eeveelutions, but no. They seemed like perfectly normal pokémon, and it was obvious We cared for them a whole lot. With what you heard about shadow pokémon... no way that was them.

Mightyena considered Neo's reply a moment, then gave a brief nod. "I think I can understand that." She shot a glance at Nate, just for a moment.

But... Reena's scent! It was stronger than ever now. Mightyena prowled ahead, one door, and then two--yes! This had to be the one. She sat down in front of the door and gave the humans a short bark.

 

[HelloYellow17]

That's where, uh, well... you ain't never had to deal with any of that shadow shit, did you?"

Wes stopped dead in his tracks, icy fear creeping into his veins. “How did you know about that?” he said harshly.

Nobody—nobody outside of Orre knew about the Shadow Pokémon. At least, nobody was supposed to. If this guy who looked like an average—well, perhaps less than average—Kantonian knew about Cipher, then who else did?

Shit. Shit. If the League knew—if they even had an ounce of suspicion about what was happening in Orre, it would only be a matter of time before they swooped in and eliminated everything they deemed a threat—

Wes fixed Mitch with a burning stare, his heart rate rising by the second. “Who are you? How did you know!” Something in the back of his mind told him he was now yelling, but he didn’t care.

He was so absorbed in his panic he didn’t notice that all three Pokémon had stopped in front of a door just ahead. Mightyena’s bark sounded far away, as if from across a stadium…right, they were going to investigate that girl’s room…but suddenly it wasn’t all that important to Wes. Not until he knew exactly who the hell this guy was.

 

[Negrek]

Nate took an involuntary step back, instinctively glancing past Wes to Mightyena. Holy shit, zero to pissed in like two seconds. If anything, Nate would have expected the coat thing to set the guy off, not what would probably be the first thing that came to anybody's mind when somebody mentioned Orre.

Or, well, second thing. After sand.

"It ain't no secret," Nate said, trying to keep his tone level despite the guy's yelling bristling every nerve. "It was all over the news a few years ago. Shocking abuses exposed and all that. Whatever that group was getting broken up and stuff, people going to jail, international incident, whatever. Almost as big as the whole Mewtwo thing, scientists all getting up to shit."

Mightyena tensed but didn't move from her spot by the door. She didn't know why the eevees' human was so angry all of a sudden. She didn't want to have to fight them, or their trainer, but if things got worse than yelling she wasn't going to just sit here and let it happen.

 

[HelloYellow17]

"It ain't no secret," Nate said, trying to keep his tone level despite the guy's yelling bristling every nerve. "It was all over the news a few years ago. Shocking abuses exposed and all that. Whatever that group was getting broken up and stuff, people going to jail, international incident, whatever. Almost as big as the whole Mewtwo thing, scientists all getting up to shit."

“Don’t bullshit me.” Wes almost instinctively reached for his knife under his coat—but no, no, he needed to calm down, needed to be rational, if this guy was some undercover League official, then Wes wasn’t going to do himself—or Orre—any favors by threatening him.

He took a deep, steadying breath. “What do you mean,” he said tersely, “that it all came out ‘a few years ago’? We—the police haven’t even known about it for longer than six months. Are you telling me the League somehow knows more about it than anyone else?”

…oh, gods, now his mind was racing at that last thought. Could the League be involved with—no, no. No. That couldn’t be true. If it were true, then everything they’d been working for—they’d be powerless against something backed by the League. It would all be for nothing—

Breathe. Focus. He couldn’t give in to his panic just yet. He looked back up at “Mitch”, and spoke again in a forcibly measured tone. “And you didn’t answer my question. Who. Are. You. Are you with the League?”

Mightyena tensed but didn't move from her spot by the door. She didn't know why the eevees' human was so angry all of a sudden. She didn't want to have to fight them, or their trainer, but if things got worse than yelling she wasn't going to just sit here and let it happen.

Neo flattened his ears and slipped back to Wes’ side, chirping nervously. The fear was rolling off him in waves, all because of whatever the other man had said. He glanced between Wes and the Mitch guy, not sure yet whether he needed to go on the offensive or not.

Novo leaned up against Wes’ other side and faced down the man with a low, quiet growl. He glanced at Mightyena and saw her adopting a guarded stance as well. He didn’t want to fight, especially not here…but Wes’ safety came first, above all else.

 

[Negrek]

Nate saw Wes reach for the knife--great, he really had to go and piss off Knife Guy's alter ego, who might not be quite so psychotic but still had a fucking knife. He tried to draw himself up, but of course Wes was fucking tall and he came up to like the guy's kneecaps, plus he was still a toothpick. Real goddamn intimidating.

This was all so fucking stupid. Clearly there was some kind of misunderstanding here. "Dunno what else to tell you," Nate said. "It's like I said, it was a big story a few years back. Some team or other out in Orre got busted for making these shadow pokémon that were supposed to be all vicious and shit. Some guy took them down, and then of course once the police showed up to clean up the scraps. Fucking useless as always. Anyway it was a big deal, a real Red and Team Rocket kinda situation, you know? And people kind of ran with the shadow pokémon thing, there were like TV shows and shit. Big, scary monsters and all. Sorry if that means your cover's like super fucking blown or whatever, but it ain't got nothing to do with me."

The who question... Little harder to answer. Nate kept a wary eye on Wes. If the guy really did go for the knife, Mightyena would jump him, but with the umbreon and espeon there, things could get ugly. Nate had to school himself not to let his hands curl into fists. Outnumbered and outgunned, and all because he'd mentioned some fucking news story? Jesus Christ.

He could probably even say his fucking name. Orre was halfway around the fucking world, nobody'd probably heard of him over there. He doubted that would actually satisfy Wes, though. Nate really didn't feel like getting into his backstory if there was any way to avoid it.

"As for who I am... I'm somebody who doesn't want to fuck with the League any more than you do."

Apparently. Just what the hell was this guy involved in?

 

[HelloYellow17]

"It's like I said, it was a big story a few years back. Some team or other out in Orre got busted for making these shadow pokémon that were supposed to be all vicious and shit. Some guy took them down, and then of course once the police showed up to clean up the scraps. Fucking useless as always. Anyway it was a big deal, a real Red and Team Rocket kinda situation, you know? And people kind of ran with the shadow pokémon thing, there were like TV shows and shit. Big, scary monsters and all. Sorry if that means your cover's like super fucking blown or whatever, but it ain't got nothing to do with me."

“That’s not—that doesn’t make any—gods, none of that makes any sense—” Wes growled and pinched his nose. All of this was giving him a headache. “You said a guy took them—all of them—down? Just one guy? All by himself?” He barked out a laugh. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

"As for who I am... I'm somebody who doesn't want to fuck with the League any more than you do."

“That’s a real convincing answer, isn’t it?” he shot back. “No offense, Mitch, but I’m not exactly fond of your government, and the less they know about Orre’s issues, the better. So unless you can convince me that your region isn’t going to come into mine with guns blazing—”

He stopped short. Wait…wait a second. Maybe…maybe this guy wasn’t talking about the same Orre. If, maybe, he was from…a different dimension…

Holy hell, Wes couldn’t believe he was actually considering the theory even more now. It was absurd, it was stupid, it shouldn’t be possible—but it was maybe the only explanation that made any sort of sense. Somehow.

He laughed weakly and raised a trembling hand to his face. “Oh, my gods, I’m losing my mind.”

 

[Negrek]

Well, unhinged laughter and questioning his own sanity were better than trying to start shit. Kinda. Nate stayed on his guard. Who knew what could set the guy off again. "Really dunno what to tell you," he said. "I ain't no big fan of the government neither, and I don't want them starting shit in Orre, neither. But other than that..." He spread his hands helplessly. "Like, yeah, I only ever heard about one guy. With a snag machine? Like he stole shadow pokémon from people and made them not shadowy, I guess. It does sound pretty hard to believe, but then you have fucking Red, you know? But... look, I don't exactly pay that much attention to what's going on in some postage-stamp region thousands of miles away, no offense. You'd know better than me what's actually going on out there."

 

[HelloYellow17]

Well, unhinged laughter and questioning his own sanity were better than trying to start shit. Kinda. Nate stayed on his guard. Who knew what could set the guy off again. "Really dunno what to tell you," he said. "I ain't no big fan of the government neither, and I don't want them starting shit in Orre, neither. But other than that..." He spread his hands helplessly. "Like, yeah, I only ever heard about one guy. With a snag machine? Like he stole shadow pokémon from people and made them not shadowy, I guess. It does sound pretty hard to believe, but then you have fucking Red, you know? But... look, I don't exactly pay that much attention to what's going on in some postage-stamp region thousands of miles away, no offense. You'd know better than me what's actually going on out there."

Well, if nothing else confirmed it, that last statement certainly did. Wes exhaled slowly and slumped back against the wall, the tension draining from his shoulders. “Right. Okay. So, your Orre has gotta be different from mine. Because where I’m from, we share a northern border with Johto.”

It was uncanny, though, the other things he’d been saying. “Yeah, snag machine and rehabilitating shadow Pokémon…that’s. That’s what I’m in the middle of right now. It’s why I came out here, actually. I had no idea how I was found and invited to this place, so I was sure it was more shady Cipher crap. Though…I’m starting to think that’s not the case, after all.” Wes signed. Somehow, this exchange had left him feeling totally drained. Then he gave a feeble chuckle.

“Don’t know how the hell someone managed to single-handedly bring down Cipher in your world, though. I sure could use some tips.” He sheepishly ran a hand through his hair again. “I’m…sorry for flying off the handle there. Just…we don’t have a good history with Johto, and by default we don’t have a great history with Kanto, either. It’s kind of a mess. If the League figures out what’s going on in Orre, they’ll come right in and just take over. Probably. I don’t actually know for sure. But it wouldn’t be pretty.”

He met Mitch’s gaze again. “But to be fair, you haven’t told me a damn thing about yourself, so I’ll say I’ve got a right to be a bit cautious. For one thing, I’m not so sure you’ve even told me your real name. But, I mean…I get it. I’ve used aliases before myself. So I’m not gonna force you to tell me anything you don’t want to, but I’m not going to fully trust you, either. If you’re okay with that, then…well, we can call it a truce, I guess.”

 

[Negrek]

"With Johto?" How the hell was that supposed to work? "What, there's just a big fucking desert stuck on below Olivine? Like Olivine, the port city of Olivine?" Nate snorted.

Mightyena tipped her head to the side, ever so slightly. It looked like the humans were calming down a bit. The eevees' trainer was even acting like he'd fainted, even though the two of them didn't actually battle. She got to her feet and trotted over to him, keeping her tail up and her head low. Not a challenge. He could pet her, if he wanted. Usually petting her made humans feel better.

Nate watched Mightyena approach Wes but made no move to intervene. "So you don't want to trust me, huh?" he said. "That's probably smart. I don't give a shit one way or the other, really. And I don't really know what all this Cipher shit you're talking about is, but it sounds like something better discussed over a beer or five. What do you say? Some other time, and you can rant about the League all you want."

 

[HelloYellow17]

"With Johto?" How the hell was that supposed to work? "What, there's just a big fucking desert stuck on below Olivine? Like Olivine, the port city of Olivine?" Nate snorted.

Wes thought about clarifying what he meant and explaining that the border itself was a body of water…but then he decided there were far more important things at hand to discuss.

[[Pretend that I’m not an idiot and just made up this excuse on the fly lolololol]]

Mightyena tipped her head to the side, ever so slightly. It looked like the humans were calming down a bit. The eevees' trainer was even acting like he'd fainted, even though the two of them didn't actually battle. She got to her feet and trotted over to him, keeping her tail up and her head low. Not a challenge. He could pet her, if he wanted. Usually petting her made humans feel better.

Wes tensed for a moment as Mightyena approached him—but then he took note of her careful body language. A peace offering, it seemed. With a tiny smile, he reached down and scratched her behind her ears. “Sorry for worrying you. And you guys, too,” he added to Neo and Novo, who had been looking up at him with questioning concern.

Nate watched Mightyena approach Wes but made no move to intervene. "So you don't want to trust me, huh?" he said. "That's probably smart. I don't give a shit one way or the other, really. And I don't really know what all this Cipher shit you're talking about is, but it sounds like something better discussed over a beer or five. What do you say? Some other time, and you can rant about the League all you want."

Well. Wes hadn’t been expecting such an offer after their tense moment. He wished he could have felt grateful for it, but his paranoia was stronger. He wasn’t sure how to feel about sharing a drink with a stranger who refused to share anything about himself. “I like that offer. I’ll consider it.”

He straightened up and glanced back at the door. “Well…if you’re still up for more snooping, let’s see what’s in this room, yeah?”

 

[Negrek]

[[ Moving to third floor, oops. ]]

<><><>​

 

[Shiny Phantump]

On the way back to their room, Hazel stiffened and froze.

[Something is wrong with the air.]

Gladion put an arm over her back. “The cleaning staff probably just came through. I doubt it’s anything more than some bleach.”

[No. Not bleach.] Hazel grumbled and stepped away. Slowly, cautiously, she made her way towards one particular room- The Scisor trainer’s. [It is coming from here.]

She tried the door. It was unlocked, strangely. [Someone has been disturbing it.]

“Isn’t this the Scisor trainer’s room? I guess that’d be why someone was poking around.”

Hazel stomped one of her back feet. [The air is all wrong and it was coming from this room. Are you not smelling it? They should not have been opening the door.]

Gladion sighed. “I can’t smell like you can. You should close the door if you don’t like it.”

Hazel did no such thing. [Why is it wrong?]

“I don’t know. I can’t even smell it.”

[You can be seeing more, though. Promise me you will be helping me look in the room.]

“Alright. I promise. I won’t rest until I’ve inspected every suspicious looking nook and cranny.” Even if he didn’t find anything, if it would make Hazel feel better, it would be worth the time regardless.

Gladion is using Foresight in Franklin’s room!

 

[Flyg0n]

On the way back to their room, Hazel stiffened and froze.

[Something is wrong with the air.]

Gladion put an arm over her back. “The cleaning staff probably just came through. I doubt it’s anything more than some bleach.”

[No. Not bleach.] Hazel grumbled and stepped away. Slowly, cautiously, she made her way towards one particular room- The Scisor trainer’s. [It is coming from here.]

She tried the door. It was unlocked, strangely. [Someone has been disturbing it.]

“Isn’t this the Scisor trainer’s room? I guess that’d be why someone was poking around.”

Hazel stomped one of her back feet. [The air is all wrong and it was coming from this room. Are you not smelling it? They should not have been opening the door.]

Gladion sighed. “I can’t smell like you can. You should close the door if you don’t like it.”

Hazel did no such thing. [Why is it wrong?]

“I don’t know. I can’t even smell it.”

[You can be seeing more, though. Promise me you will be helping me look in the room.]

“Alright. I promise. I won’t rest until I’ve inspected every suspicious looking nook and cranny.” Even if he didn’t find anything, if it would make Hazel feel better, it would be worth the time regardless.

A thorough check of the room reveals nothing unusual. Nothing appears as if there was a struggle, nor are there any signs of other pokemon. No tracks or hairs. The strange scent lingers, but is so faint its almost gone.... At least one can be sure there's nothing left to see in the room.

Gladion used Foresight! Nothing was found!