Errant Sword [KtK RP Thread; Mission 1]

[Hanafuda]

"Nice to meet you, Nori!" Josie exclaimed as she kept charging up. She stops suddenly, eyes wide in shock. "Wait, you understood me? Oh, wait, I thought I saw some humans talking with the other Pokémon. Is someone translating our words?"

 

[Flyg0n]

"How did you end up in there, anyway? Did something attack you?"

Mantine smacked the water with a flipper and made a furious rumbling noise. "Keldeo. Tries to challenge me to a battle out of the blue a while ago. I don't mind a good spar here and there, so I agreed. We set a time and a place. I got here early and..." She gestured at the crystals around her. "Insolent little dirt eating coward. An ambush!"

She grew quiet, still stewing, her flippers churning the water angrily. "Something was wrong with him. Not sure what but he gave off bad vibes. He doesn't fight like that."

 

[Negrek]

Nate frowned while the mantine related her story. "Yeah, shit, that don't sound like Keldeo at all. He always loved a straight-up fight. An ambush really ain't his style." Nate leaned idly against the crystal wall while he thought. "And you've been stuck out here for days? Doesn't anybody else live in this, uh, realm? Who might want to help you out?"

---​

Mightyena sniffed her way up to the edge of the crystal barrier. People kept talking about types, and how things changed color. It sounded like the electric-types were going to work with the mantine to attack the crystals when they were vulnerable to shocks. Mightyena wasn't especially good against energies of water, or ice, or electric, or even ground. This was the sort of puzzle Nate would love to work out, but he apparently wanted to talk to the mantine herself. Besides, it wasn't like Mightyena didn't know the basics of types herself.

She looked around for the lucario she'd seen earlier--and his friend, the meditite. It was perfect! She wanted to meet the meditite anyway. She'd liked the part where he wanted to freeze the entire ocean!

"Hello," Mightyena said, approaching the two of them with her tail held high. "Do you want to work on those crystals with me? I think we should be able to do a good job together. If one of you punches them with a fighting attack, I bet they'll turn ghost. Then I can crunch them! And if that makes them turn fighting, then you can use a psychic move on them." She nodded to the meditite. "Then they turn dark, you can punch them again... and it starts all over!"

 

[Nekodatta]

Sada held tightly on Winged King's back as the dragon flew over the rocky hill, passing over many other people and creatures doing the same, either by climbing or even just disappearing and reappearing directly on top. It took a moment for Winged King to brace himself against some stronger air currents, but nothing he couldn't handle. When they landed, she observed the massive trapped Pokémon with a mixture of curiosity of wariness. It was her first time seeing one, so the size didn't really struck her as strange.
The fact that it could talk was still kind of weird though.

« Can't you really talk?» she asked Winged King, who just huffed and tilted its head. She pouted, a bit disappointed. She could have asked him so many questions! Like how did he fill his throat with air, how long he could shoot fire (she saw him do it once), if he had an actual name apart from the one she had given him... Oh well.

It was a shame, but at least seeing all this other creatures talk, she had the confirmation that these creatures really were a lot smarter than what they looked like. Maybe she could really tame other creatures and convince them to live with her tribe, back in her world...

She moved to observe some of the crystals. They seemed to change color every time they were hit: picking a smaller once, she struck with her spear, stabbing the crystal with the sharp stone point, before huffing. All the various color changes meant something, but she was not sure what. And the others were using a lot of words that had no meaning to her.

"Dark type"? "Psychic"?

She turned towards the dragon.

« Can you try striking it with your tail? That... thing you do where it glows-» she said. Winged King let out a growl, he seemed distracted, listening to another group of creatures nearby.

He then ran close to them, apparently ignoring her, and she grumbled.

« Hey!»

The dragon type walked closer to the Mightyena.

« I can help too.» he whispered, before bending his lower legs before jumping up high.

He spread his wings for a moment and took a big breath, completely filling his throat sac with air, making the spikes stand out and harden. Then he curled himself up, before crashing back down on one of the crystals.

 

[System Error]

"Nice to meet you, Nori!" Josie exclaimed as she kept charging up. She stops suddenly, eyes wide in shock. "Wait, you understood me? Oh, wait, I thought I saw some humans talking with the other Pokémon. Is someone translating our words?"

“I think it’s a convenient part of this world,” he guesses, looking up at the colorful sky above. It would be tricky if people and lone Pokemon were unable to communicate. He looks back over at his Pokemon, sighing and slouching. “It would’ve been nice to actually understand Pachi, but I guess it doesn't work that way.”

Mantine smacked the water with a flipper and made a furious rumbling noise. "Keldeo. Tries to challenge me to a battle out of the blue a while ago. I don't mind a good spar here and there, so I agreed. We set a time and a place. I got here early and..." She gestured at the crystals around her. "Insolent little dirt eating coward. An ambush!"

“Wait, he eats dirt?!” Nori calls from above, brushing a foot along the ground. “Ugh. And here I thought Pachi would have an advantage, but it sounds like he’s also part Ground-type,” he mistakenly thinks. “I guess that would make Grass Knot strong, but–”

He spread his wings for a moment and took a big breath, completely filling his throat sac with air, making the spikes stand out and harden. Then he curled himself up, before crashing back down on one of the crystals.

Then his words falter as he catches sight of what’s happening between the Pokemon. He runs over waves his arms frantically. “H-hey! Slow down! We need to do this carefu–” But then the dragon dashes out and hits. That certainly wasn’t a Grass or Electric move. The only question is, how much did that set them back?

“N-never mind,” he heavily sighs as he limps away back to his own group. He stamps a foot on the ground and turns away. “Hey, um...Shou...an?” That was his name, right. He presses his lips together. “May not matter anymore.”

“Aww, but I wanted to go for a fly!” Pachi pouts, twitching his tail and clinging on a little tighter.

 

[Flyg0n]

And you've been stuck out here for days? Doesn't anybody else live in this, uh, realm? Who might want to help you out?

Mantine snorted. "If there was, don't you think I'd be out?" her voice came out terse, but it didn't sound like she was trying to be mean either.

"I think they're avoiding me, in case Keldeo does the same thing to them."

"Then they turn dark, you can punch them again... and it starts all over!"

"Now there's a winning recipie!" Chef Flygon declared, clapping his claws together decisively. "I think if we-"

He spread his wings for a moment and took a big breath, completely filling his throat sac with air, making the spikes stand out and harden. Then he curled himself up, before crashing back down on one of the crystals.

Crash!

A rather large crack appeared on the crystals this time, before they flickered and shifted to an ominous grayish color, giving off a spine chilling aura. Ghost, perhaps?

Chef Flygon studied it for a moment, then flew up to analyze where the Winged King struck. "A most impressive tactic," he said, dipping his head.

He eyed the crystals. "Normally I'd say a swift boil spoils the meal but perhaps this will make for a good spot to strike."

Sweeping through the air, he landed before the group flapping his wings to generate a buzzing sound and draw everyone's attention. "I believe you are correct, Mightyena. Chaining our moves should prove most effective. If you each gather together based on the types of moves you are best at using, then we can all hit together, one after another, on this spot. I am certain that should be enough to break through."

 

[kyeugh]

"Hello," Mightyena said, approaching the two of them with her tail held high. "Do you want to work on those crystals with me? I think we should be able to do a good job together. If one of you punches them with a fighting attack, I bet they'll turn ghost. Then I can crunch them! And if that makes them turn fighting, then you can use a psychic move on them." She nodded to the meditite. "Then they turn dark, you can punch them again... and it starts all over!"

Ferry nodded his head slowly as the mightyena spoke. “You are clever,” he said when she was finished. “I think this should work. Except—”

“Ehhh… psychic?” Sun echoed, cocking his head. “Is that a type of punch? I don’t think I know that one.”

“—Except that Sun-lu drags his tail training. I’m not sure he can help us. But I feel sure there is someone here who can,” he said, eyes turning to the latios hovering nearby. “Let’s try your plan.”

The lucario drew a sharp breath inward, gathering what aura he could to his good palm, then—

A horrible crashing sound filled Ferry’s ears. He winced reflexively, then opened one eye to see the feathered dragon standing triumphantly over the crystal, now tombstone grey in hue.

“A most impressive tactic,” the flygon said.

“Pesky lizard…” Ferry grumbled quietly. “You and I should time our strikes next time, great dragon. Perhaps together we can accelerate this.”

He wasn’t sure the brute could understand him; he’d never met a speaking dragon. But he’d never met a speaking mightyena either until a few minutes ago, so it was worth a try.

 

[Negrek]

"That sucks," Nate said. Imagine being in a tight spot with no one to help you out because they were too scared of suffering the same themselves. "I was just wondering, since we haven't seen anyone else around. Didn't know if that was normal or not."

A loud crash sounded from somewhere to his left. The pokémon must be making some headway. "We'll get you out of here," he said. "Shouldn't be long now."

---​

The meditite didn't know any psychic attacks? That was a little embarrassing. Mightyena shouldn't have assumed, though; this one still looked pretty young. Maybe he'd develop those powers later.

She started to turn in the direction the lucario was looking, only for a great red pokémon to offer his assistance. Mightyena watched in awe as he hurled himself at the crystal cage. She jumped at the noise, then let out an exuberant bark of delight when she saw the cracks the attack had left behind. Even better, the crystals flashed a ghostly gray. She knew exactly how to deal with ghosts.

"That was amazing!" she said, wagging furiously as the red pokémon backed up again. "You're really strong! But now... it's my turn!"

Mightyena rushed forward and leapt up at the cracked area, biting down as hard as she could with teeth coated in chilling dark.

 

[FauxFox]

A rather large crack appeared on the crystals this time, before they flickered and shifted to an ominous grayish color, giving off a spine chilling aura. Ghost, perhaps?

“So attack it with dark, right?” Nova looked around for confirmation before charging at the crystals with a Bite.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Codex’s mental grip flitted between rough points in the cliff face, levitating themself up to the surface. People were discussing psionics, and they wished to be present for it.

“I can cover psychic attacks,” they called out to the gathering crowd. Fairy moves, they were less certain about. For this situation to be even remotely tolerable, they must be cut off from most of the fae moon’s power. Nor were they sure the crystals had the right kind of energy for them to drain, nor were they keen on putting their mouth on the things.

“Ehhh… psychic?” Sun echoed, cocking his head. “Is that a type of punch? I don’t think I know that one.”

Was this kid really asking what it meant to be psychic? Even for someone not raised by their own species, that was odd. Maybe it was a translation issue… One way or another, Codex felt sorry for the kid.

Though they didn’t know any personally, from what they’d seen of the species, Meditite and Medicham were telekinetic psychics. That meant Codex might be able to help, or so they hoped. Someone had to teach him.

“That’s probably a good starting point, if you want to learn a telekinetic attack. It should come naturally to your species.”

Letting more of their energy sublimate into light than usual to make sure the effect was visible, Codex extended razor-thin wires of light from the ends of their tendril’s fingers and presented it to the kid for examination.

“But if you want it to hurt, you’ll want to concentrate your sphere of influence into as little volume as possible. If you surround your entire fist, like you might for flames or ice, it won’t do as much on the actual point of contact. You could try something knuckle-spikes, perhaps? Other species also use their heads and create a projection like a horn, but something from your fist will likely come more naturally to you.”

They dropped their psycho cut and shrugged. “Worth a shot, maybe?”

 

[kyeugh]

Though they didn’t know any personally, from what they’d seen of the species, Meditite and Medicham were telekinetic psychics. That meant Codex might be able to help, or so they hoped. Someone had to teach him.

"Whoa..." Sun's eyes became dinner plates as the ethereal mon approached him and demonstrated their powers. He leaned in close enough that their glowing tendrils illuminated his face and put sparks in his eyes. "So you think I can make those glowy things come out of my hand too? Um..."

He craned his neck back up at Ferry.

"The expression of the mind. Putting-within-without. I have heard of such things," he said, nodding. "The Medicham masters meditate for many years on snowy mountain peaks to learn these powers. I have not known a child to perform such feats, let alone one raised in separat—"

"Nnngh!" Eyes screwed shut with concentration, Sun whiffed the air with a clenched fist and the air seemed to ripple where he struck it. When he cracked his eyes back open, they seemed to have a purple sheen to them, but it faded quickly. "How was that?"

"Hm," Ferry grumbled. "Would you look at that."

"I did it? Really!?" Sun turned back to Codex, a massive grin splitting his face. "What other tricks do you know, big pink guy?"

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"I did it? Really!?" Sun turned back to Codex, a massive grin splitting his face. "What other tricks do you know, big purple guy?"

“There you go! You did it!” Codex could feel Sun’s enjoyment, a nice interruption from the general atmosphere of this place. “And you can call me Codex, if you want a name.” (Codex didn’t bother with their full name, since they were beginning to get the impression that it sounded as odd in translation as other names here did to them.)

Most Hattena had to get a handle on telekinesis at similar ages to most species learning to walk for similar reasons, so they weren’t entirely sure how to teach it to a newcomer. But clearly this was better than what the kid had received before. Were Meditite really not usually trained in telekinesis before they evolved? Sun seemed to have the typing already, unless they were a much better learner than expected.

“If you learn to improve how closely you can control your influence, and reduce the amount of energy you waste as light by tightening you focus, eventually you’ll be able to use it like this—”

Codex flicked their tendril in the direction of a nearby tree as three long gashes appeared in the bark. Aside from timing, only a faint hint of purple light indicates a connection between the action and effect.

“—or control it finely enough to pick up objects.”

They allowed themself to leak light again as the wrapped their reach around a branch and lifted it, before setting it back down.

“I think the reason my kind learn this a lot younger than you is that it’s our best way of moving around, but I’ve also met a Medicham who moves using telekinesis, too. Frees up their legs for fighting. It’s the same as picking up objects, but instead you grab the earth itself and push.”

Codex lifted themself slightly into the air and smiled. This was… nice. Most species either had no reason to care about what a Hatterene’s power looked like, or knew well enough to watch out for them. Meeting an exception to the rule was pleasant.

 

[kyeugh]

There you go! You did it!” Codex could feel Sun’s enjoyment, a nice interruption from the general atmosphere of this place.

Ferry tried his best to hide his displeasure as Sun watched the hatterene with enraptured awe, though he was sure they could feel it emanating off him. Just as he should have been able to do. As he once could. The two had been speaking for perhaps a few minutes and Sun had already learned something new. What kind of teacher was he, to be upstaged like that? But... this was good, he reminded himself. He was no psychic. This was not something he could do for Sun, but it was important for him to learn. So he abode it.

"Lift stuff with your mind? Attack stuff with your mind!?" Sun was bouncing in place. "See this, Ferry? This person... Codex... They're magic!"

"Not as such," Ferry said. "These are powers known to hatterene. Known to your kind. Known occasionally even to my kind, though it is rare. You should listen well. You may not find a teacher like this again." He gave Codex an urgent look that he hoped indicated his gratitude.

"Well... I'm not sure I have those powers. I've never been able to do something like that before," Sun said, making a frantic gesture with his fingers that was apparently meant to convey telekinesis somehow. "There are some things I remember... from before. The fighters, they lived somewhere else. I never saw them. Maybe they knew how to do this stuff. I learned some forms..." He ran through them, quick but elegant—wrists arced and then flat, palms flat and then clenched, legs bent and then sweeping. "... I don't think they're magic though. Um, Codex, do you know what a 'qi' is? I can't remember."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Sorrows, they were really stress-testing Clink's translation field with that one. How many different names did people really need for ways of controlling energy? They looked towards the Lucario for relief, but if it was close enough to aura he would've already taught it. But it wasn't entirely meaningless to Codex, either. "I think it has something to do with the flow of energy?"

That felt right. It felt like a word that described motion... and it would unfortunately explain why they knew what it was. It was the reason channeling two moves at the same time was nearly impossible, as was using the same power in multiple ways at once without the flows of spirit interfering with each other. The reason Hatterene couldn't move and fight at the same time, and by extension the reason for their instinct to attack anything that caught them off-guard.

"But if I'm not mistaken and that is the case, which I'm already not sure of, then I'd be useless in teaching it. That's really one of the main flaws of my species."

Codex had never fought alongside the guild's Medicham before, reconnaissance and bounty teams didn't work together unless the former needed to go somewhere very dangerous. But if they really could fight and levitate at the same time, then they had a skill Codex was incapable of.

 

[Hanafuda]

"Okay, looks like things are looking up. And now..." Josie already had a lot of electricity charged up in her fur, but she waited after everyone released their attacks. Once the time was right, she would throw a Volt Ball directly at any water crystals she saw.

 

[EonDuoLatios]

Shou'an hovered a little above the cliff, watching the Pokemon's attempts to break the crystal. It seemed to be going well, with the coordination being relatively straightforward for them. He himself didn't know many moves of different types, so he was content staying on the sidelines and engaging in the casual conversation.

"Oh, qi? It essentially means "life" or "breath", in the ancient language of the Kingdom. It essentially symbolises vitality and "flow", and if you were to succeed, it has to be managed carefully. It is a fickle thing, and it might leave if you're not careful.

Codex might notice that her empathic skills didn't work too well on the Latios, almost as if he was somehow intentionally masking his emotions using some method.

 

[System Error]

They weren’t listening, were they? He and Josie were just talking about the crystals. Nori’s left hand goes to his pocket, only to notice something. Or rather, the absence of something. At any other point, he might freak out. But he reasons it’s just another part of this stupid world.

“Sorry, I can’t help you guys cook this meal,” he says with a light bow, talking in the chef’s language (so to speak). He’s actually genuine here; though the emphatic would notice a chaotic mix of emotions. It comes across in his motions, too; his fists are lightly clenched yet he’s slouched and avoiding eye contact, with a brief half-smirk over his own wordplay. “Pachi’s ingredients won’t mix well with the recipe. And the rest of my Pokemon seem to be missing from the cupboard. I’ll just get out of the kitchen so I’m not in the way. I’ll tell the ones still at the beach it’s being prepared. Call us when it’s ready.”

After saying that, he spins on his heels, whistles for Pachi, and starts to make for the slope. “What did you get yourself into, Nori?” he mumbles to himself.

The little squirrel hums with concern. But first, to say bye to everyone. “See you guys soon!” he says with wave before moving to follow.

Spoiler: OoC

Totally fits his usual plot for him to get cut off at the knees/left disappointed, heh.

 

[Flyg0n]

"That was amazing!" she said, wagging furiously as the red pokémon backed up again. "You're really strong! But now... it's my turn!"

Mightyena rushed forward and leapt up at the cracked area, biting down as hard as she could with teeth coated in chilling dark.

“So attack it with dark, right?” Nova looked around for confirmation before charging at the crystals with a Bite.

The two dark type attacks struck near simultaneously, same place where the Winged King had struck. Hard, cold and bitter to the taste, but effective. The crack widened and spread, cutting deeper. Clearly the combined attack proved effective. Their ghostly aura flickered and shifted again to a rather distinct reddish color.

"Ah, fighting type," Chef Flygon remarked, drawing his attention away from the impromtu lesson he'd been watching a Hatterene give to a Meditite. How delightful.. His gaze shifted upwards. "Ho there, Shou'an! If you could please spare your power a moment, I believe it is near breaking. And anyone else with psychic powers as well."

(@EonDuoLatios @Shiny Phantump )

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Oh, qi? It essentially means "life" or "breath", in the ancient language of the Kingdom. It essentially symbolises vitality and "flow", and if you were to succeed, it has to be managed carefully. It is a fickle thing, and it might leave if you're not careful.

Codex might notice that her empathic skills didn't work too well on the Latios, almost as if he was somehow intentionally masking his emotions using som

Codex didn't sense anyone behind them, so they were quite startled when they heard a voice. Their body reflexively wrenched around to face backwards as a burning light gathered at the end of their tendril, only to fizzle out a moment later.

"Bleeding sorrows," they hissed in a shrill tone. "Do not sneak up on me like that again, wyrm. You're lucky I'm better at dealing with surprises than most of my kind, or you'd have a faceful of moonlight right now."

Sighing, Codex unwound their body slightly, enough that they weren't looking at the dragon anymore. (The effect was creepy, watching a body move with no detectable motivating force. Even if they rationally understood it was just hidden from them, it still felt instinctually like watching a corpse puppeteered by some unknown abyssal force.)

"Sorry, sorry. Just, augh, woes of being a Hatterene. Let's just deal with that call. Be back in a moment, Sun."

They picked themself up and moved down to the cage before turning around to look at the dragon. "I'll strike when you fire," they declared. Then the crystal should shift to become dark again. They were close enough to follow up with a fairy attack, prepared to channel moonlight to a draining kiss on their fangs. Would that make it become steel next? Poison? Fire? Either way, they didn't plan to keep their face touched to it for long. Just in case.

 

[EonDuoLatios]

Shou'an has never heard himself being called a "wyrm" before; being the King of the Northern Kingdom, the derogatory term was quite shocking to him. But he didn't want to get too angry and irrational at the Hatterene, instead choosing to let out a chuckle.

"I haven't had quite that reaction to my Occlumency before. You seemed quite surprised that I wasn't letting out any thoughts or feelings, was it?"

But enough of the small talk, he decided, once again focusing on the crystal in front of him. Preparing to cast the attack, he began counting.

"Alright, let's do this. Five, four, three, two, one, now!"

A blinding light shine once again above the crystal, as he cast a Lustre Purge toward it.