Poppin' Arms Guild ~ Main Lobby

[Namohysip]

"All right," Maple said, nodding toward the others. "Thank you everyone... or those who showed up... to our daily briefing. Once again, the scouts are working on finding Giovanni, but no actual readings have come in just yet from Chip's Mewtwo detection system, and the Mist Continent's general events have not changed significantly. Sword is still being spotted worldwide but interactions are anywhere between benign to bothersome, but not necessarily dangerous. Ecosystems are being disrupted due to wild Pokemon relocating away from their Dungeon habitats, but we are working on relocation processes... None of that really matters for Team Spectrum just yet. And so. . . "

Maple went on, as was the routine in the mornings, of prompting everyone on things that S'more was doing with Poppin' Arms, what Team Spectrum could do for small side missions for those who had the time to rescue, and other extra investigations. So far, no big fights had broken out--for better or worse--and it was a smooth recovery period for those who had been revived or newly summoned. Joule was still crystalline, but was in a better and better mood by the day. That cheer usually seen in Millijoule was starting to appear in Joule's tone.

But near the end of Maple's briefing, her badge made a buzzing noise, and she pulled it out, looking surprised. She usually turned her badge to a conditional do not disturb. Only very important calls were allowed through, from a special number.

Ever since the impersonation incident, Maple only took messages from this line as voice and calls. "Hello?" Maple said, nodding apologetically to the team.

"We found Giovanni," came S'more's voice.

Immediately, Team Spectrum rose up, ready to go. Maple nodded and said back, "Okay, we'll send Team Spectrum there imme--"

"He's already been defeated."

 

[Cresselia92]

“…Well, isn’t this anticlimactic?” commented Petram, sitting back down.

It seemed almost that he was bummed that he didn’t get the chance to kick Giovanni’s butt. Not even a little kick. What a shame!

“And say, who took down Mr. Human-With-Psychic-Cat-Cosplay? They deserve a raise, if not a promotion!”

 

[Negrek]

Nate tensed. He was gone? That bastard, somebody had really taken him out after--it didn't make no fucking sense. Even with Joule fucking him up, ain't nobody in this world could even touch him outside of people on the team. How the fuck did...?

Nate took a deep breath, shook his head. Yeah, no, that really didn't make any fucking sense.

"Without tripping Chip's mewtwo-finder, huh? Went down without a fight?" Nate frowned. "They got a visual on that?"

 

[windskull]

Nip looked up, a sharp expression on his face. Just like that. The mutant human pokemon was... Defeated? It almost sounded too good to be true. He flexed his claws, looking them over as if checking their sharpness. "Defeated, huh? I won't believe it until I see it."

Shadows manifested around his neck feathers, creeping down to the floor. A moment later, a small, scrawny sneasel formed beside him. "You don't want proof. You're just itching for a fight to prove yourself."

Nip didn't answer, and instead tensely looked away. He nearly jumped out of his fur a moment later when an ectoplasmic tail rested on his shoulder.

"I understand your desires, Nip," Tempest began. "But when you thought this was too good to be true... Well..." He nodded in Nate's direction. "I think caution is warranted. We can't risk rushing off unprepared. In case he's not as defeated as he appears."

Or in case this is a trap, he added silently to Nip. He didn't dare speak it out loud though, for fear of prying ears.

 

[Disco]

Mellow was there to see them off this time, but paused in confusion. "...Where was he?", she asked out loud. "Was he in a dungeon but thrown out...?"

Those had gotten a lot stranger almost overnight. But as Maple had said, they weren't dangerous, just... strange. The Charmeleon took a quick glance around the room for their reactions. None of them seemed especially excited about the news, which should by all accounts be rather exciting.

She frowned.

"Um...could he be brought back here for questioning?"

 

[Namohysip]

"We plan to, I imagine," Maple said.

"Yes. In fact, we were able to find him because Chip's detector had found a signal in the Mist Continent. There was no mistaking it then! and, well..."

"S'more!" called another voice--they would recognize it as Poffin, the Slaking and one of the strongest in Poppin' Arms. "Someone's flying this way!"

"Hm? Ah--well, tell them to move along. They're still potentially dangerous."

Maple had a bad feeling about this. "S'more, who exactly is it that's approaching you?"

But before S'more could answer, someone cried out and was abruptly cut short.

"Poffin!" S'more shouted.

Giovanni could be heard groaning. "Oh, goodie," he wheezed. "At least now... you die with me."

There were more screams--and then the connection ended.

 

[Disco]

Mellow felt her blood run cold, and she looked up at Maple, then the rest of the group. Whether this was a trap or not, they couldn't ignore that. "...I... I'll go grab what I can from the infirmary and go too." She'd picked up a thing or two about treating injuries, at least, and they almost certainly would need to have someone with that kind of knowledge there.

If they weren't already too late. The Charmeleon shivered as she left the room to grab her backpack and supplies.

 

[Namohysip]

Maple nodded gravely. "Let's go," she said. "Mellow, gather as much supplies as you can. Someone else help her. We'll need it. The rest of you--prepare for anything, but we need to go now."

Already, she carved a hole in the air, where cold, cold air radiated out--even colder than Destiny Village. "S'more's badge was somewhere around here. I'll see you there--I'm going to buy you time."

And without another word, she passed through the portal.

 

[Cresselia92]

<><><><>​

Icetales and Keo’Keo were strolling through the main lobby, with their tails filled with books. The real fox had gotten plenty of material to study in order to learn how to be stealthier during the investigations, and for once his Shadow didn’t seem to mind this sudden desire to broaden their knowledge. More stealth also meant being able to hunt more effectively, which was always a plus.

“So, we will need to check on this Sir Chip someday…” pondered Icetales, as he brought a book in front of his muzzle — How to Investigate, Volume 1. “We do not know yet who the spies might be, so we ought to hunt them down as fast as we can.”

Keo’Keo growled. “Indeed! Knowing that there are filthy spies around makes me so restless! Who knows what they could pull off!”

“Who knows, indeed,” replied Icetales, before letting out a sigh and closing his book. Then, he perked up when he saw a familiar shape. “Hm? Who was that?”

Keo’Keo tilted his head and followed the real fox’s gaze. Waddling casually around the place was… an ice Vulpix? Or what that a Ninetales, even? He couldn’t tell from that distance.

“Greetings!” chirped Icetales, wagging his tails. “Art thou looking for something or someone? I could assist thee.”

 

[DragonD]

Kindle had been wandering around the area without a clear goal in mind, still trying to settle himself to this new world, and new body. Despite the attemps of some of the persons he had met to give him an explanation, he still didn't understand a thing. Mostly because they all had been explaining things quickly and in tandem, like a teacher would, seeking to be as quick as possible. Unluckily, that meant that Kindle's mind disconnected from the explanation due to the lack of interaction, he had never been good in classroom.

The now ninetales jumped when he heard someone else's voice, having been comletelly absorbed by his own thoughts. He turned around, to see a second ninetales behind him. Though he was, at the very least, unique. Kindle followed the sharp silver and black patter of his fur, that despite changing abruptly between tones somehow managed to look perfectly natural, ellegant even. The tails behind him were largely black, slowly shifting towards that shiny silver near the tip, where thay also ended in spiky tips that reminded him of the ice shards that grew in something when it froze too quickly. All nine were busy balancing a group of books between them to leave the rest of the ninetales' body unhindered. However, the thing that caught the most Kindle's attention was the small, deep blue bow around the other's neck. Its color was so vibrant it cut out against his silvery mane like the sun did on the sky, syphoning most of Kindle's attention towards it to the point he didn't truly pay attention to the question the other had made, only letting out a awkward "uh" as answer.

A second later, Kindle snapped back to reality, taking his eyes away from the bow. Only then he noticed the other creature behind Icetales. It looked like a ninetales too, but Kindle had a feel he was closer to his fiery cousins than to them. Probably because he was literally on fire... thought it seemed... ghostly? Kindle gave up trying to understand his nature. Nothing had made much sense since he woke up covered in goo in that hospital bed a while back. The ninetales gulped, before looking back at Iceetales. "Ermm, sorry can you repeat the question?"

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales and Keo’Keo walked a bit closer, the former glancing curiously at whoever was in front of him and the latter staring inquisitively.

That was a Ninetales with the classic whiteness of a goodmon fox, and by judging the timber of the voice it was clear that it was another male. How very curious: the only other Ninetales he knew from that world was Astrid, which… he had yet to catch up with, now that he thought about that.

Never mind that, however. It was still another ice Ninetales! What were the odds of meeting a fellow fox?

Though, it looks like he was lost in his world, by looking at those eyes tracing his entire body. Well, it was time for introduction.

“Ah, I was merely wondering if thou were looking for someone,” responded Icetales, flicking his ears. He beamed a friendly smile. “Art thou one of the new recruits, art thou not? I am Icetales. What is thy name?”

 

[DragonD]

Kindle took a second to answer, making sure he got the questions right since he wasn't used to the way Icetales pronounced certain words. He couldn't tell if that was an accent, or simply something he did in particular. "My name is Kindle, and... I suppose I'm one of the recruits." Kindle sit on his hind legs as he gave the other a uncertain smile, not sure if that was the appropiate word. He looked at Icetales blue eyes, noticing they were a few tones more brilliant than his bow. The ninetales tried his best to not look too awkward, but his tails uncnociously curled behind him, wrapping around his body as if he was trying to encase himself in a shell and escape from the world. He blinked, and looked at them. "Uh... these are much more sensible than when I was a vulpix." He said, trying to move them one by one. A soft creaking noise as heard as a bit of icy mist spread in the air when they detached. As they had started to freeze due to how tense Kindle was. The ice type got absorbed looking at said mist for a second, watching the small drops fall to the ground. Almost forming snowflakes, but not quite.

 

[Cresselia92]

"Ah, pleased to meet thee, Sir Kindle," said Icetales, his tails wagging subtly but still gripping the books. Then, he blinked in puzzlement as he noticed the weird behavior of that other Ninetales, especially the way in which he wrapped the tails around his body and began hiding him in a thin mist...

Was that... nervousness? Why was he nervous? Did Icetales do or say something wrong?

"Uh... these are much more sensible than when I was a vulpix."

"Hm?"

Icetales tilted his head, while mental gears started spinning. The way in which he looked at his own tails, the marvel at his own mist, and that commentary...

"Pray tell, when did thou evolve, Sir Kindle?" asked Icetales, sitting in front of Kindle. "Thou seem... confused about thy own body. Am I wrong to think that?"

Keo'Keo didn't say anything, preferring to study Kindle for any suspicious behavior.

 

[DragonD]

Kindle snapped back to reality for the second time in less than a minute, turning to Icetales. "To be honest, I can't tell. I was a vulpix back home, and then I woke up here as ninetales. It feels odd, missing my own evolution." Kindle said as he made a conscious effort to relax, letting his tails go back tot heir natural position. "This body doesn't feel exactly wrong, but... it's different." He let out a long sight, causing a much more dense white mist to come out of his mouth. "Still figuring out exactly what am I supposed to do here." He didn't notice Keo'Keo's behavior, as he hadn't said a single word to him, which caused the fox to naturaly focus on Icetales. Kindle cocked his head, wondering why had he asked that question. Which caused his now long mane to flop and get inside his eye due to the movement. He cringed, shaking his head to get it out, before sneezing for no apparent reason.

 

[Cresselia92]

Ah. That explained everything: a case of premature evolution, or something along those lines. It was weird that the new teammate arrived to that world as a Ninetales, while he had to become a Vulpix once more.

Why were their circumstances so different and they started with different bodies?

Regardless, Icetales knew already what to do to lend a help to his new acquaintance, and placed a paw on the other Ninetales’s shoulder.

“Understandable. As a Ninetales thou might feel more cold energy rushing through thy body, and thou might feel a faint and bizarre tingling in thy brain as it gains control of thy longer and more numerous tails.”

He motioned toward the white tails, before showing a reassuring smile and his own tails releasing snowflakes. “But fear not! I can help thee with that. I’ve been a Ninetales for years, back in my world, so I teach thee a few things.

Now, how about we sit somewhere and savor some good tea? I could also give thee some insight about why thou art here.” With a swift motion of his leftmost tail, he moved the mane flopped on Kindle’s head, an amused but still respectful expression on his muzzle. “There is plenty to talk about.”

Having said so, Icetales led the other Ninetales toward a few chairs, while Keo’Keo followed them like the shadow he was meant to be. Once reached the spot, Icetales leapt with grace on one chair and deposited the books on a table, before producing a bottle and a couple of cups with three of his freed tails. He motioned toward another chair with his head.

“So, what dost thou want to tackle first: Ninetales’s matters, or why thou art here?” he asked, pouring some tea into a cup.

 

[DragonD]

“Understandable. As a Ninetales thou might feel more cold energy rushing through thy body, and thou might feel a faint and bizarre tingling in thy brain as it gains control of thy longer and more numerous tails.”

Kindle looked at Icetales as he spoke, Staying still until the other put a paw on his shoulder, then he looked towards it while hearing what he said. He did feel the cold, but no more than the usual. In fact, it may be a little less... No that wasn't true. even if as a vulpix he would subconsciously create a hailstorm if he became too tense, and he couldn't do so in this body, he felt something different in there that occupied the place of that energy he usually had. Ever since he arrived he hadn't stopped trying to pull it out, but it didn't work. It wasn't like it was resisting, more like it evaded his contact. As if it didn't want to activate, or maybe it couldn't. Perhaps it required something else to be brought out, he felt it carving for the cold to touch him as if it wanted it to be there before showing itself. But despite his attempts to do so, even the one where he had frozen himself solid as to provide said cold, it didn't react. He had the feeling that whatever this strange energy inside of his body wanted was just as fluid and evasive as the energy in question, maybe he could ask Icetales about it later.

About the tails thought, he wholeheartedly agreed. While he didn't exactly feel a tickle (that probably would have happened when he was unconscious... Was that state even unconsciousness?), he did feel... the space on his head, as to define it in some way. It was almost like when he was learning to control his icy abilities, something that was there, ready, but required finesse to make use of. Looking at Icetales and Keo'Keo, he was completely sure none was as clueless about said control as he was. Lucky him. Still, he had to acknowledge that the more experienced ninetales was largely right, better to hear him out. Especially since he was the first person that had bothered to try helping him.

He motioned toward the white tails, before showing a reassuring smile and his own tails releasing snowflakes. “But fear not! I can help thee with that. I’ve been a Ninetales for years, back in my world, so I teach thee a few things.

Kindle watched Icetales produce a tiny cloud of delicate snowflakes out of his own tail. He wanted to do that. The strange ability inside of him would have to wait, right now he focused on something as simple as knowing he could create snowflakes. Something that could cheer him up. He needed it.

Behind him, he had already started to move his tails a bit, trying to create something as delicate as Icetales had, but only managed to do something similar to an ice shard. He groaned, and let it fall on the floor before quickly covering it with his tails, both to hide it from view and to muffle the noise of it shattering.

"Now, how about we sit somewhere and savor some good tea? I could also give thee some insight about why thou art here.” With a swift motion of his leftmost tail, he moved the mane flopped on Kindle’s head, an amused but still respectful expression on his muzzle. “There is plenty to talk about.”

Kindle forgot about the snowflakes, and the shard, and pretty much everything else, staring dumbfounded at Icetales. Had he just been invited to drink tea with him? He almost didn't notice Icetales tucking away his mane, nor the amused expression on his face. Kindle's mind was recalling the first time he enjoyed a cup of tea, when he was finally accepted into his new family. A scene that probably couldn't ever be repeated for him, at least not with all the feelings he had back then. He didn't think Icetales understood exactly what that meant for Kindle, or maybe he did, perhaps he had a story behind his liking to it too, but Kindle wasn't thinking about that just now. The ninetales kept staring at him, his face didn't change, yet he felt his tails wagging behind him, all nine. The icy shard of earlier was tugged away on accident, but he paid it no mind.

Having said so, Icetales led the other Ninetales toward a few chairs, while Keo’Keo followed them like the shadow he was meant to be. Once reached the spot, Icetales leapt with grace on one chair and deposited the books on a table, before producing a bottle and a couple of cups with three of his freed tails. He motioned toward another chair with his head.

“So, what dost thou want to tackle first: Ninetales’s matters, or why thou art here?” he asked, pouring some tea into a cup.

When the older fox walked towards the tables, he quickly followed, as his mind started to go towards the scene back at the village. He didn't notice when Icetales gestured towards the chair, and only reacted when he talked to him again.

Kindle looked at the other ninetales as he poured the tea, feeling the smell of it, it was familiar, but... it wasn' the same, Icetales probably made it differently, that was normal, but... he felt a weird sensation on his stomach, crawling up to his chest.

Instead of answering his questions, he made one of his own, one that he needed to do because it could heal his heart, at least for now; "Icetales, do you have a gracidea, by any chance?"

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales blinked and stared at the other Ninetales, straightening the bottle to not pour any more tea. It didn’t go unnoticed to him that the other Ninetales had changed topic so quickly, but he wasn’t someone to complain.

“Gracidea, thou say?” he parroted, before placing the cup of tea on the table. “Huh, well, I dost not have any on my persona, but I might have seen a Shaymin, walking by the marketplace.” His attention returned to the other cup in his other tail and poured some more tea. “I do not know whether they were a shopkeeper or a tourist, but I reckon they might know where to find those flowers in Shaymin Village, or even sell them at the marker. Gracidea are very pretty flowers, are they not?”

“Gracidea, the symbol of gratitude itself,” muttered Keo’Keo, his flaring tails swishing lazily. Bored out of his mind, he decided to lay down on the floor and look at the window. He let his host take care of the whole friendship business.

“Ah, that reminds me… Our group managed to free those Shaymin from a corrupted state, thou see? It was months ago, but golly! I still remember that clearly!” Icetales looked at Kindle. “And helping this world… is why you’ve been brought here, Sir Kindle.”

 

[DragonD]

“Huh, well, I dost not have any on my persona, but I might have seen a Shaymin, walking by the marketplace.” His attention returned to the other cup in his other tail and poured some more tea. “

Oh... Kindle had expected that to be honest, but there was no harm in asking. He made a mental note to go check on that shaymin as he watched the cup being served in the table, not sure if Icetales was used to serving the tea of the others first or his own, Kindle had seen both cases. Better to wait.

“I do not know whether they were a shopkeeper or a tourist, but I reckon they might know where to find those flowers in Shaymin Village, or even sell them at the marker. Gracidea are very pretty flowers, are they not?”

Kindle's heart skipped a beat when he heard the words "shaymin village". That was the first thing that sounded familiar to him in this place. He couldn't help but wonder why it was here too. It seemed like no matter in what universe they were, shaymins liked to stick together. He was rather focused on the conversation with the other ninetales, and didn't notice Keo'Keo getting bored. "Shaymin village? Where?" He asked a bit too exited, just to get shut down by the next thing Icetales said:

“Ah, that reminds me… Our group managed to free those Shaymin from a corrupted state, thou see? It was months ago, but golly! I still remember that clearly!” Icetales looked at Kindle. “And helping this world… is why you’ve been brought here, Sir Kindle.”

Corrupted Shaymins...? But they are literally walking purity. How... Kindle fell silent as a shiver ran down his spine, something he wasn't used to given that his icy nature usually prevented him from shivering in general. Something had gone really wrong in this world, he had heard disconnected things from the rushed explanation other people gave, but he had never imagined it would reach creatures such as the shaymin... To help that world, Icetales said. Kindle wondered how much could he actually help.

 

[Cresselia92]

"Shaymin village? Where?" He asked a bit too exited,

“Well, there are portals that lead to the Grass Continent, and one of those takes to Shaymin Village.”

Once Icetales finished pouring the tea in the other cup, he extended it toward Kindle. “Here is some te—” He froze when he noticed the worried expression of the other Ninetales, who had gone quiet once more. That reaction after mentioning the corrupted Shaymin… oh. “If thou art worried about the Shaymin, thou can relax. They are safe and swell. We managed to cleanse them of their corruption.”

Icetales stretched out the tail even further, holding the cup just in front of Kindle. “Thou see, our bodies have some kind of aura that allows us to cleanse the corruption of victims affected by Blacklight. Not sure if somebody has filled you in about that, but Blacklight… well, it can literally distort someone’s spirit and aura. Heinous energy incarnate.” He shrugged. “Nobody knows where it comes from, but for now just know that we can help those poor folks, at least.”

Keo’Keo kept staring at the window, watching lazily the few rarer snowflakes, but was still listening to the conversation. That other Ninetales wasn’t really the talkative fellow, was he?

 

[DragonD]

“Well, there are portals that lead to the Grass Continent, and one of those takes to Shaymin Village.”

Kindle took note of that information, he would have to pay a visit there, both to check on the shaymins by himself, and to see how different was this village from the one back home. Goin through the... Wait, did he just say portals? Like... teleporter type of portals? Well, that is... unexpected, but very convenient.

“Thou see, our bodies have some kind of aura that allows us to cleanse the corruption of victims affected by Blacklight. Not sure if somebody has filled you in about that, but Blacklight… well, it can literally distort someone’s spirit and aura. Heinous energy incarnate.” He shrugged. “Nobody knows where it comes from, but for now just know that we can help those poor folks, at least.”

Kindle glared at the tea Icetales was holding in front of him while listening. He half wanted to try and receive it one of his own tails, but chances were he would just pour it everywhere due to the little experience he had using them, so he decided to simply accept it with his paws instead, though he had a little difficulty holding it through the cup's ear like he wanted to. In the end, he managed to get a grip on it while miraculously not spilling a single drop, despite the liquid rippling like it would.

Kindle took a sip, savoring it a bit before swallowing. It was very calming, slightly minted, he let it rest in his tongue for a bit before letting it go down. Where it touched it cold, tingling sensation behind that wasn't uncomfortable at all, like that fresh of a morning breeze. Kindle decided to take a second sip, doing the very same, before saying something. "This is good." Very eloquent, Kindle. Though his words meant to be both towards the tea, and to Icetales' explanation about their ability to purify those affected by this... blacklight.

"How does exactly that work? The cleansing thing." He felt as if he would need that information, he had been brought to this world for a reason after all. Right after asking Icetales his question, he turned to Keo'Keo. Even though the other ninetales wasn't talking at all, it was hard to ignore the crackling flames, to not mention the fact that he looked like he could decompose at any second. "I haven't asked you yet, sorry if this sounds rude but, what are you? I have never seen a ninetales like you." Keo'Keo reminded him more of a ghost than anything else, a fiery ghost, though the closest thing he had seen to that was a chandelure, and it certainly didn't have the same consistency as Keo'Keo.