Treasure Town ~ Marowak Dojo

[Namohysip]

"We don't know," Maple said. "We're still surprised that you were able to damage the Magikarp where we could not. But... right now, where you fit is trying ti fight anything that we cannot. And until then, you should rest."

Potluck trotted toward Maple and sat beside her, towering over the Smeargle's height.

"I suppose if that is everything," she said, "then you are all dismissed. Take care, and we will try to make arrangements for proper living quarters as soon as we can get the bookwork taken care of. I am still... skeptical of a lot of this, but if you're going to be our allies, then perhaps we should bring you to a more established home-base."

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Today was probably the most tiring day of my life." Cynthian stood up and stretched for a few seconds. "I sure hope this doesn't become a trend."

After making sure there was nothing else left to do around there, Cynthian made his way to the hidden quarters. His cozy flower vase awaited him.

 

[The Walrein]

Jaro hummed. "Actually, wait, one quick question," he said to Maple. "You said there were territorial Pokemon living inside these dungeons, right? And these dungeons were shrinking up until a while ago, right? Is it possible that instead of Dark Matter doing anything, it might've been that these dungeon-living Pokemon looked around and said, 'Hey, our territory's shrinking, we should do something about it!', and then they... did something about it? Of course, that doesn't explain what's going on with the giant Pokemon or the sickness or anything else, but that might be the cause of that one specific thing, at least."

He turned and called after Cynthian. "Before you go, do you know which, specifically, of the two methods used in this world was used to defeat the Dark Matter in your world? The directly fighting it, or the accepting it? I feel like that detail would be good to know."

 

[Ambyssin]

Sighing, Necrozma floated toward the door. "There is no rest for someone like me."

 

[Virgil134]

"Thanks again for letting us stay here and arranging all of this," Cabot said to Maple as he looked around the blanket pile for the one he had used last night.

 

[Adamhuarts]

He turned and called after Cynthian. "Before you go, do you know which, specifically, of the two methods used in this world was used to defeat the Dark Matter in your world? The directly fighting it, or the accepting it? I feel like that detail would be good to know."

Cynthian paused in his tracks at the question. He looked back with uncertainty in his face and shrugged.

"I don't really know the full specifics. I was only five years old when Dark Matter plagued my world. However, the story goes that Dark Matter was accepted by the pokemon who faced it just like in Miss Maple's story. Only difference is that no humans were involved in my world. I hope that will suffice."

 

[Namohysip]

"I have my doubts that the territorial Pokemon were behind this," Maple said. "They still have their territories. In fact, without the chaotic atmosphere of the Dungeons, they're actually much friendlier." She turned to Potluck, nodding. "It's time for us to go. We have some scouting reports to parse through. I will check in on you periodically, and Truffle will lead the efforts to help you all recover. Until then."

She nodded at them, though her gaze lingered. She ultimately said nothing more, however, and left the dojo.

<><><>​

 

[Disco]

Mellow ran into the dojo, out of breath and waving her arms to get as much attention to herself as she could.

"Someone-", she gasped. "Sharpedo Bluff- Need help-"

With that, she flopped, and hoped that someone had heard her yelling.

 

[Namohysip]

Truffle emerged from the nearest room. "What?" he called back. "The Bluff?" But when Mellow collapsed, he spread his wings and swooped over her. "I'll be on my way! Warn as many as you can!"

 

[Dragonfree]

<><><><><><><><>

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave had spent the time since the battle against Sushi and Sashimi mostly sullenly following along, asking questions, trying to figure out the mechanics of this world, which with the whole speech about dungeons were beginning to sound increasingly like... maybe not a board game, but a video game.

Something kept weirdly itching in his brain, probably another creepy Pokémon instinct. He kept thinking of staying on the sidelines during the fight, doing the most strategic, useful thing, and it bothered him, nonsensically. He'd been probably the most useful fucking person there and still some stupid dog braincell was there pulsing away going but you didn't even attack it! Not even once!

Fuck. He couldn't wait to be human again and not have to deal with this shit.

Maybe he could shut it off by beating up some training dummies? Maybe? He entered one of the training rooms and stared at the dummy, feeling fucking stupid to even be here. What, was he supposed to just tackle it? He didn't want to bodily throw himself into a solid object. He supposed the brainless Pokémon hormone drunkenness didn't kick in if there wasn't an actual opponent. It fleetingly occurred to him maybe it'd help if he was just, you know, actually drunk.

 

[TheGOAT]

Astrid felt…

She felt different. Was empowered the right word here? Was it? Maybe it was. Maybe it had to do with the forecast that was following her around, invisible, waiting to manifest and rain down a blizzard if her blood got pumping enough. Or the four shiny new attacks she’d never used before and barely understood. Maybe it was the blast seeds in her bag. The reviver seed. It probably wasn’t the rock she’d picked out from the pile brought back from Lush Prarie—like, what the hell? Whatever, though. She had a rock now.

With an extra spring in her step, she only barely avoided Dave as she entered one of the training rooms.

“Oh! Sorry. Dave, right? She steadied the bag at her side, turning halfway towards the entrance. “If you’re training alone, I can go somewhere else…”

She trailed off. He was just standing there, contemplating the universe. She’d noticed him doing so from time to time in the week following the battle, but by some happenstance they’d only now run into each other for the first time.

 

[Dragonfree]

"Oh, hi. You were...?" He had probably heard the Vulpix's name at some point, but hell if he remembered. "...Actually, if you're here to train, we might as well, you know, fight each other. Probably better than the dummies."

It was kind of weird as hell looking at a Vulpix that was about the same size as him. As much as he'd looked into Vulpix when the morphs were small, he'd mostly focused on the Fire-type variety for obvious reasons. From what he remembered, the Ice-type ones had a pinch of Fairy affinity that bloomed on evolution, which might be bad news for him, but whatever. So long as it shut up that one nagging brain cell.

 

[TheGOAT]

“Astrid! I’m Astrid. Nice to meet you.”

She forced a gentle smile through the thin, awkward veil that seemed to permeate the room (for her, at least). Fight each other, he said? That was one way to make acquaintances. Though, she supposed it was better than standing still so that he could keep sizing her up like that.

“Suuure. I’ll fight you.” Her bag slunk off her shoulder, resting by the wall. Two pops and a crackle echoed off the walls—her forepaws and neck, respectively. “But I won’t go easy.”

 

[Dragonfree]

"Yeah, well, I don't remember asking you to." Was this a bad idea? It might have been a bad idea. But fuck it. Already his pulse was quickening, instincts sizing up the Vulpix, fur fluffing up.

But he wasn't so far gone he'd just rush in without a thought. Gaze fixed on Astrid, muscles tense, he took a step back and Howled into the air, sending a jolt of energy through his veins.

 

[TheGOAT]

As adrenaline shot through her legs, an unsettling shiver coursed down Astrid’s spine. She glanced up; ah, yes, there it was. The air around her body had begun to condense into mist, then into tiny shards of ice. Perfect. If Dave got too close, he’d have to deal with the hail.

She grinned—if he was going to start by setting up, so be it. It had worked against Sushi and Sashimi, but they had dozens of targets to worry about. Now, Dave was all alone.

A spike of energy sparked in her maw, growing into a sphere that gathered up the ice around her body, tinting it a deep sapphire blue.

“Hyyyah!”

The Weather Ball lasered forward, aimed straight at the Howling Poocheyena.

 

[Dragonfree]

The Weather Ball barreled into him just as he was finishing the attack; he had no time to try to get out of the way. A deep, freezing cold threw him back into the wall and clung to him even as he tried to shake it out of his fur. "Ow, fuck."

He crawled back to his feet, gritting his teeth. "Take this."

And he shot towards Astrid, preparing to Tackle her.

 

[TheGOAT]

Digging her hind paws into the soft floor, she bounded forward, icy shards smaller than Dave’s fangs forming at her mouth. She had no intention of using them; they were simply a product of the miniature cloud of hail following her around, and perhaps of the thrill of battle.

Instead, she lowered her body and met him with similar speed, throwing her shoulder into where his head was aimed so that they wouldn’t concuss each other. She knew his head-on attack would hurt more than hers would—that’s what the Howling had been for—but that wasn’t her plan anyway.

A light flashed in her eyes, spreading across the area for a split second. In the brief moment before they bounced off of one another and the air was sucked out of her lungs, she managed one word in what was almost a whisper: “Disable.”

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave braced himself for impact, wincing at the stinging ice crystals in the air - but just as he hit Astrid, she said something, and... his mind blanked. He landed in a skid on the floor and suddenly couldn't remember what he'd just done. He'd attacked, in some breathtakingly simple way, and - she'd done something to make him unable to even think of it, his brain sliding awkwardly off the notion. He stood there staring at where she'd landed. Quick, he must think of something quick. Something that wasn't... whatever that was.

What could a Poochyena do? He had... fangs?

Under normal circumstances he wouldn't be very keen on biting people, but right now, in the heat of a battle, that only registered vaguely behind the triumphant rush of conviction: yes, that was something he could do. He snarled and charged at her again, baring his fangs.

 

[TheGOAT]

Her success hardly helped her in the moments that followed, spent tumbling to the dirt, her sure-footing now a thing of the past. In a frantic effort to collect herself, Astrid wheezed, looked up, and—

He was starting to charge again, this time with a more dangerous attack prepared. For a moment, a mixture of shock and pride formed in her chest for this teammate she still barely knew: nice, he could go on the offensive after all!

From that, a last-second idea formed. Another light flashed in her eyes; this time it was pinkish in color, borne from a technique she’d learned less than an hour ago.

Her feet became weightless; her fur lithe. Just as the fangs came within biting distance, she dodged with foreign speed and dashed towards the corner of the room, where dozens upon dozens of training dummies had been placed out of the way. They formed a pseudo-jungle of fabric and stuffing that she aimed to weave her way through. This was about to get interesting,

Behind her, she stuck her tongue out and playfully chanted, “Looks like you aren’t the only one who can Run Away now!”