Sojaveña Wilds Totally Normal Bulletin Board

[Shadow Serenity]

"Who might you be? Everyone here seems to have a name, which I'm not quite used to."

"but seeing that we haven't acquainted, my name is Bellatrix, and since we're adding our credentials, bounty hunter in-training at the Gallium Wind Guild. Bronze Rank."

"Wow, sounds like you both really know what you're doing, that's impressive," she said, gaze lingering on the unfamiliar pokemon for a moment. She was a bounty hunter, was she? Best not to make enemies of that one. "Let's hope whatever it is we're needed for here is at least somewhat familiar to you... when we finally figure out what it is we're meant to be doing."

She thought for a moment best how to phrase her next statement. "I'm Kimiko, and I'm... currently in between jobs."

"If you have a better idea as to what we just witnessed, I would like to hear it," Bellatrix replied, knowing that her explanation was likely nonsense.

"Afraid not," Kimiko admitted sheepishly. "From the sounds of things, you'd sooner have a believable guess than me."

 

[AdamArtDraws]

"You named yourself after what you wear?" Bellatrix deadpanned with a flick of the ear. Did she leap out of the pages of a fairytale? she added in thought. At least she understood what 'silver ranked' meant. Probably.

Felin held her stomach and cackled jovially. This Bellatrix thought Felin named herself? Few jokes she'd heard all her life had ever been funnier to her ears. She held none of it against her. Every world worked differently. In fact, everymon around her having a name still struck her as nothing short of outrageous.

"I like your sense of humor, Bellatrix." Felin flicked her ear and drew her eyes to slits. "And a bounty hunter, eh? Can't say I don't enjoy a good hunt, though I take all sorts of jobs myself." She waved her paw and chuckled. "Having the variety helps, you know?"

She made a sharp turn towards the Snivy and extended a paw.

"Wow, sounds like you both really know what you're doing, that's impressive," she said, gaze lingering on the unfamiliar pokemon for a moment. She was a bounty hunter, was she? Best not to make enemies of that one. "Let's hope whatever it is we're needed for here is at least somewhat familiar to you... when we finally figure out what it is we're meant to be doing."

She thought for a moment best how to phrase her next statement. "I'm Kimiko, and I'm... currently in between jobs."

"And it's a pleasure to know you too, Kimiko," Felin said with a smile and a nod. "I don't know what camp you fall into out of all of us, but worry not. It's not hard to get the swing of things."

She padded around Kimiko to catch a glimpse at the posters she'd picked up. Upon seeing them, her eyes glowed with approval. "Scouting jobs? Not bad. Those always helped us to take it easy back in the day."

 

[Inkedust]

"Afraid not," Kimiko admitted sheepishly. "From the sounds of things, you'd sooner have a believable guess than me."

"I'm just as much as a stranger to this world as you," Bellatrix countered. Though the grass-type's confusion at the concept of a Mystery Dungeon did not go unnoticed. "You come from a world that lacks the presence of Mystery Dungeons? How fortunate."

"I like your sense of humor, Bellatrix." Felin flicked her ear and drew her eyes to slits. "And a bounty hunter, eh? Can't say I don't enjoy a good hunt, though I take all sorts of jobs myself." She waved her paw and chuckled. "Having the variety helps, you know?"

Bellatrix's expression remained as it always was in the face of Felin's laughter: aloof and neutral. "Indeed. However Bounty hunting gives me an excuse to avoid Dungeons while rescue and exploration work necessitates going within. I suppose old habits are difficult to shake." Her tail twitched at the sensation that she was more an afterthought in the grass-cat's mind.

While they were distracted, Bellatrix padded around the board to try and find any strange properties that might've caught her eye. Any sign of distortion or odd devices. When she was done, she sat in front of the board and took a deep breath, maybe it was something about the material itself, so she tried - for the very first time since arriving in this world - to phase through it. She only managed to get her head through before forcing herself to pull out from the strain of it.

"Well, it does seem somewhat insulated from the elements," Bellatrix said, visibly restraining herself from panting.

 

[Namohysip]

"...Mm." Mhynt eyed the various requests. Some were simple enough but were spread out from what she'd researched about the area. Thankfully, the supplies to gather were all near one another for each request--likely by the strategy of whoever was giving them.

She observed Bellatrix with a curious quirk of her head, then nodded. "It doesn't seem harmful. But I don't trust it entirely. There must be some profit the board maker is performing, and the fact that they are not revealing themselves transparently is... suspect. Perhaps once we no longer need its income as much, we can investigate just what its true purpose is..."

With a sigh, Treecko said, "And, for the record... my name is Mhynt. Yes, it's because of what you think."

 

[Shadow Serenity]

"And it's a pleasure to know you too, Kimiko," Felin said with a smile and a nod. "I don't know what camp you fall into out of all of us, but worry not. It's not hard to get the swing of things."

She padded around Kimiko to catch a glimpse at the posters she'd picked up. Upon seeing them, her eyes glowed with approval. "Scouting jobs? Not bad. Those always helped us to take it easy back in the day."

"I sure hope not," Kimiko replied with a slight nod. "I did feel a sense of... familiarity when I landed with this body, and indeed I've been far less clumsy with it than I'd been expecting, so... I'm letting myself get my hopes up a bit."

She peered down at her papers. "Yeah, I... I figure I'm not quite ready settle down just yet. But I still gotta eat, y'know? Hoping these are enough to cover food and a roof while I spend my time training." She said it without even thinking, some part of her human brain taking over... thankfully, being a pokemon now, the meaning of the word remained, even if the context had changed - she'd just be training herself, now, rather than her teammates.

The thought hadn't occurred to her until now, but now that it had... yes, she probably should be looking for ways to train and grow her new form. She'd probably need to know how to fight for whatever mission brought them all here...

"You come from a world that lacks the presence of Mystery Dungeons? How fortunate."

Her attention was pulled by Bellatrix, talking about other worlds again. Kimiko thanked whatever gods existed here (if there even were any) that the four of them were the only ones still standing at the board. "Mystery dungeons aren't the only form of torment the multiverse has to offer," she said with a frown. "They exist here, though, and that's what matters... if they function even remotely like the ones where any of you come from, you've all got a leg up on me."

But I don't trust it entirely. There must be some profit the board maker is performing, and the fact that they are not revealing themselves transparently is... suspect. Perhaps once we no longer need its income as much, we can investigate just what its true purpose is..."

"Given what I do know of mystery dungeons, I'm surprised this" - she tapped the board with a leafy hand - "of all things is what finally got a reaction out of you." She'd been about to consider just what that could be, however...

so she tried - for the very first time since arriving in this world - to phase through it. She only managed to get her head through before forcing herself to pull out from the strain of it.

Her heartbeat began to race. She looked over, and sure enough, her hand was flat against the board. her head snapped back towards Bellatrix, who was just removing her head from the board. Eyes wide, Kimiko hastily stepped around and behind Felin, peeking around him to watch, lest the unfamiliar pokemon vanish entirely. "Wh... what was that?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Hm?" Mhynt glanced at Kimiko. "She appears to be a ghostly Zorua. They can do ghost things."

She brought a hand to her chin.

"Hm, or you're not used to it. Don't worry. Possessing people is usually much more difficult. There are worse ways to die." She nodded, looking lost in thought as she presumably thought about worse ways to die.

 

[AdamArtDraws]

"Indeed. However Bounty hunting gives me an excuse to avoid Dungeons while rescue and exploration work necessitates going within. I suppose old habits are difficult to shake." Her tail twitched at the sensation that she was more an afterthought in the grass-cat's mind.

But Bellatrix hadn't been an afterthought at all, as Felin had already pounced and dropped beside the Zorua again with a grin.

"Come now, Dungeons aren't something you avoid. They exist to be conquered!" Felin declared. She stepped back to give the fox some space and chuckled. "You can chase all the outlaws in the world and more will crawl out like wildener rattata, but few in the world can boast to have bested every dungeon there is."

Her attention veered to what came next, her eyes filled with amusement as the fox phased her head through the board. Kimiko hiding behind her evoked another chuckle out of Felin. She turned around and patted the snake on what she assumed must've been her shoulder.

Her heartbeat began to race. She looked over, and sure enough, her hand was flat against the board. her head snapped back towards Bellatrix, who was just removing her head from the board. Eyes wide, Kimiko hastily stepped around and behind Felin, peeking around him to watch, lest the unfamiliar pokemon vanish entirely. "Wh... what was that?"

"Kimiko please relax. All of these might seem strange, but try to take things slow. One step at a time and suspend disbelief a tad," said Felin, flicking her tail from side to side and wearing a smile. "And fear not. You're not going to die."

 

[Namohysip]

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Mhynt said. "We're still borderline helpless. It's very easy to die." She pointed at one of the requests remaining on the board after the much stronger Pokemon picked off others. "This one looks safe and doable. It's tedious and boring, but that's the sort of thing we should be picking while building our strength."

It seemed to be a mission for re-charting a road that had been abandoned in favor of more direct routes.

 

[Shadow Serenity]

"Hm?" Mhynt glanced at Kimiko. "She appears to be a ghostly Zorua. They can do ghost things."

"Hm, or you're not used to it. Don't worry. Possessing people is usually much more difficult. There are worse ways to die."

"Kimiko please relax. All of these might seem strange, but try to take things slow. One step at a time and suspend disbelief a tad," said Felin, flicking her tail from side to side and wearing a smile. "And fear not. You're not going to die."

The ethereal kitty did, in fact, resemble a zorua, now that Kimiko had that thought in her mind... not one she'd ever seen before, though. Bellatrix was... part ghost?

"It's not dying that worries me," Kimiko replied sharply. She attempted to give Felin a grin at the shoulder pats, but she probably came off looking more psychotic than grateful. She could feel her body trembling in tandem with her heartbeat, and reining it back under control was a struggle. She locked her eyes on Bellatrix. "Ghosts can't be trusted," she blurted out.

Then she thought of Fantome and Lucy, and added, "Well... most can't."

A sudden thought occurred to her, one that she clung to more desperately than she'd ever openly admit to. "You... weren't a ghost before you got here, were you?"

 

[Namohysip]

Mhynt gasped and brought a hand to her chest. "Oh, like you stabbed me right in my heart," she declared in a monotone. "I may be a Treecko now, but I was once a very powerful Ghost indeed long ago. I must be untrustworthy, too, for my... Ghostly wiles. Maybe if I ever get those powers back, I'll haunt you. Ooooo."

Mhynt disappeared.

She was behind Kimiko. "Do you think our legs are too small for charting a path?" Mhynt wondered aloud.

 

[Shadow Serenity]

Mhynt gasped and brought a hand to her chest. "Oh, like you stabbed me right in my heart," she declared in a monotone. "I may be a Treecko now, but I was once a very powerful Ghost indeed long ago. I must be untrustworthy, too, for my... Ghostly wiles. Maybe if I ever get those powers back, I'll haunt you. Ooooo."

Kimiko shot a disapproving glare at Mhynt. The tease in her tone was obvious, and Kimiko might have just rolled her eyes and ran with it under different circumstances, however Mhynt wasn't satisfied with that...

She was behind Kimiko. "Do you think our legs are too small for charting a path?" Mhynt wondered aloud.

"Holy shit", Kimiko choked out, darting behind the bulletin board with a shriek, her vines reflexively out and prepping to defend herself. "What the... how did... you don't just... what?"

Calm yourself, her inner voice said. She's just trying to rile you up.

There were several species of pokemon who could learn to teleport, given enough training, that would come as a surprise to most. Shellder came to mind. Treecko, however, was not one that Kimiko knew of.

"How did you do that??" she asked, taking slow, calming breaths.

She kept an eye on Bellatrix, in case she tried to pull something similar.

 

[AdamArtDraws]

Felin kicked her shin, and laughed while pointing her paw at Mhynt. Her laugh went on for about how long it took a slowpoke to take two steps forward.

"Come now, don't give the rookie a heart attack. She's already having a Heartache!" Felin guffawed. She eased up on the laughter and threw Kimiko a glance.

A sudden thought occurred to her, one that she clung to more desperately than she'd ever openly admit to. "You... weren't a ghost before you got here, were you?"

"As for you, I can't pretend to know whatever went between you and ghosts, but best work on that prejudice. All of them can go through walls and glide through the air if they so much as try," Felin said, her voice taking on a gentler tone.

"These are mon you'll be working with on the field while we're here. If you're too afraid to work with a mon it..." She made a waving motion of her paw. "... can lead to problems. Though we have many a non ghost in our band. Can always work with them till you work on this."

She gave Kimiko one last pat while the Snivy worked to calm down. "Storms, I've never been a ghost. Though I have wound half dead a few times here and there."

 

[Namohysip]

Mhynt shrugged. "I tested if I still could. Like I said, I wasn't a normal Treecko back home. I feel mostly normal now." Mhynt made an odd gesture with her hand, but nothing happened. "Tsk. Well. Perhaps I can awaken more of myself here later, if what our... benefactor told us has any merit. After all, I kept my Teleport."

 

[Inkedust]

"Come now, Dungeons aren't something you avoid. They exist to be conquered!" Felin declared. She stepped back to give the fox some space and chuckled. "You can chase all the outlaws in the world and more will crawl out like wildener rattata, but few in the world can boast to have bested every dungeon there is."

"Mystery dungeons aren't the only form of torment the multiverse has to offer," she said with a frown. "They exist here, though, and that's what matters... if they function even remotely like the ones where any of you come from, you've all got a leg up on me."

[...]

Her heartbeat began to race. She looked over, and sure enough, her hand was flat against the board. her head snapped back towards Bellatrix, who was just removing her head from the board. Eyes wide, Kimiko hastily stepped around and behind Felin, peeking around him to watch, lest the unfamiliar pokemon vanish entirely. "Wh... what was that?"

"If you can get past all the psychological torment, of course," Bellatrix replied. Lowering her voice, she said, "Then again, different worlds have different rules. Maybe you got lucky, maybe I just am paranoid."

At Kimiko she added, "Perhaps not. But the two have the very unfortunate habit of going hand in hand." For the first time, it seemed that Bellatrix gave the fleeting impression of a smile, though bitter. At Kimiko's panic, Bellatrix only tilted her head. "Have you never met a ghost before? Phasing through walls is a natural ability, not unlike the psychokinesis of psychic-types or the grass-type's ability of chlorokinesis."

"Hm, or you're not used to it. Don't worry. Possessing people is usually much more difficult. There are worse ways to die." She nodded, looking lost in thought as she presumably thought about worse ways to die.

"I've never possessed someone before, nor do I think I can. It's not an ability inherent to the typing, not that I know of anyway." Her mane rippled at the mention of death. "Drowning in freezing water is quite up there if you ask me," she then said, refusing to elaborate further.

She locked her eyes on Bellatrix. "Ghosts can't be trusted," she blurted out.

Then she thought of Fantome and Lucy, and added, "Well... most can't."

A sudden thought occurred to her, one that she clung to more desperately than she'd ever openly admit to. "You... weren't a ghost before you got here, were you?"

Bellatrix's attention returned to Kimiko, expression cool. "I see. That is unfortunate." She went to pick up her stack of requests, as she did, she continued. "I arrived to this world as I was," she added. "If that, or working with any ghost for that matter, is going to be an issue, then perhaps you aren't entirely suitable for this mission." To any passerby, it would sound as if Bellatrix was talking about the requests on the board, though Kimiko would know exactly what she was talking about. "I may not know this world well but if so many were required to save it, there is going to be far worse out there than mere ghosts."

 

[Namohysip]

"Saving the world is nice and all," Mhynt said. "Too bad I could wear some eggshell and pass as a child."

She paused.

"Actually, that would be a good ruse if we need it..."

 

[AdamArtDraws]

"That'd be amusing," Felin said with a snicker and meowed. "Just make sure I'm there to witness, and to take part."

 

[Shadow Serenity]

"As for you, I can't pretend to know whatever went between you and ghosts, but best work on that prejudice. All of them can go through walls and glide through the air if they so much as try," Felin said, her voice taking on a gentler tone.

"These are mon you'll be working with on the field while we're here. If you're too afraid to work with a mon it..." She made a waving motion of her paw. "... can lead to problems. Though we have many a non ghost in our band. Can always work with them till you work on this."

"Have you never met a ghost before? Phasing through walls is a natural ability, not unlike the psychokinesis of psychic-types or the grass-type's ability of chlorokinesis."

Kimiko took a few moments to stand and breathe, easing herself back into a sense of calm. Neither Mhynt nor Bellatrix seemed inclined to act further, much to her relief. "Of course I have. I... I have a bad history involving ghosts," she mumbled. "Obviously..."

"I arrived to this world as I was," she added. "If that, or working with any ghost for that matter, is going to be an issue, then perhaps you aren't entirely suitable for this mission." To any passerby, it would sound as if Bellatrix was talking about the requests on the board, though Kimiko would know exactly what she was talking about. "I may not know this world well but if so many were required to save it, there is going to be far worse out there than mere ghosts."

Something in Bellatrix's words stung her. She didn't want to cause a problem... she had heard the call, and answered it, hadn't she? If she weren't ready for this mission... why had she been the one to hear it? That sparkly cloud had said the worlds had sent heroes, not that it had chosen them personally. Bellatrix had made a good point, too - one that, now reminded of it, Kimiko herself had already considered. There were so many who answered the call... whatever they were here for, it wasn't to fight amongst each other.

The ghosts here are not the same as those in our world. That voice inside her head again. Remember that.

She gazed back at Bellatrix with a frown, wrapping a leafy hand around her necklace. When she spoke, the shakiness in her voice made it clear she was struggling to address the zorua directly, and it made putting her thoughts into words difficult. "I'm... sorry for that reaction. You're right, this is... It's something I'm going to have to get used to. Where I'm from... turning your back on a ghost is just asking for trouble. It's hard for me to grasp the concept of... relying on one to watch my back instead of stab it. It's going to take me some time. But you're right. I'll work on it, because... well, I have to."

 

[Namohysip]

"Well, if it'll make you feel better, once I reacquire my blade I could stab you in the back to show that ghosts are the least of your problems," Mhynt suggested with a wave of her palm. "I'm not a Ghost anymore, after all. Or we could think about what the barkeep warned us about. I doubt those people are Ghosts. What better cure for one fear than a greater fear?"

She was most likely toying at this point, finally pulling down a simple mission. "Anyway, let's do these ones. They're simple and safe. Maybe the walk will help with our strength returning."

 

[Inkedust]

"Of course I have. I... I have a bad history involving ghosts," she mumbled. "Obviously..."

[...]

"I'm... sorry for that reaction. You're right, this is... It's something I'm going to have to get used to. Where I'm from... turning your back on a ghost is just asking for trouble. It's hard for me to grasp the concept of... relying on one to watch my back instead of stab it. It's going to take me some time. But you're right. I'll work on it, because... well, I have to."

"Not uncommon. Fear of ghost-types is the most common of phobias, only fear of bug-types comes even remotely close. However, you need to learn how to play with the hand you've been dealt." Arceus knows I am. None of these people would be my first choice if I had any say in who I wanted to work with.

She was most likely toying at this point, finally pulling down a simple mission. "Anyway, let's do these ones. They're simple and safe. Maybe the walk will help with our strength returning."

The suggestion tore Bellatrix away from her thoughts. She nodded along at the suggestion. "Anything will do at this point, we just need to maintain that momentum."

 

[Shadow Serenity]

"I'm not a Ghost anymore, after all. Or we could think about what the barkeep warned us about. I doubt those people are Ghosts. What better cure for one fear than a greater fear?"

There was a beat in which Kimiko debated whether or not to respond to Mhynt's jabs. She seemed to just be trolling at this point, at her expense. But she'd just been reminded that they were going to need to work together... Kimiko crept out from behind the board and back into the open, still keeping a wary eye on Bellatrix, to stand beside Felin.

"So far, whatever we're here to combat hasn't posed much of a threat," she replied, feeling a tiny surge of defiance. "It's one thing to be on guard, but they've done nothing to warrant fearing."

"Anyway, let's do these ones. They're simple and safe. Maybe the walk will help with our strength returning."

"Anything will do at this point, we just need to maintain that momentum."

Were they suggesting they tackle their missions as a group? Probably a reasonable suggestion; if Kimiko was going to get used to being around these guys, she'd need to... well, be around them. "Sounds reasonable," she said, her eyes narrowed just a bit. "After you."

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