Ranger HQ Hideout Heart

[Jackie Cat]

Some places are sacred. Others are purposeful, communal, open to all. Some are both. After all, what is more sacred than the connection between people?

The 'heart' of Sinopa's rift was accessible through any of the rooms in Ranger HQ, so long as Sinopa wished it. However, the core of Pueblo Hideout Mystery Dungeon was a little different from the inhabited spaces that comprised the Ranger Headquarters. It had the visage of a slot canyon, all rippled layers of burnished warmly-coloured stone that put one in mind more of Silver Ravine than the pueblos surrounding it.

The 'room', if it could be called that, was filled with a sort of light. The same strange sunset-coloured light that one could see in place of the Espeon spirit's eyes, shining off of motes of dust suspended in the air, and a kind of gentle mist that coalesced in the centre and filled the 'sky' above the erosion-carved sandstone walls.

It was also where Sinopa had the most control over the material reality of the rift.

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[Shadow Serenity]

Unlike the shifting, disorienting walls of the rest of the ranger HQ, Kimiko looked around the space that was Sinopa's 'heart' with awe. She wouldn't be questioning where she was any time soon, but something about seeing the light in the espeon's eyes filling the room so freely was captivating. It put her at ease in a way she hadn't quite felt since entering the dungeon.

"This is... quite a sight," she said quietly, as though her voice might disturb the place. "Hey, Bee... you ready? What do we have to do?"

 

[Phoenixsong]

The shifting and be-our-guesting of the dungeon they'd seen so far had been plenty impressive, but the shimmering always-sunset light swirling around this room was something else. This was more like what she'd imagined would be at the heart of Silver River. That had been special in its own way, yeah, but there just wasn't any beating a good sunset. Even, or maybe especially, if it was all over everything and everywhere.

Leaf hadn't seen the stuff that the Wayfarers who'd visited the Escarpa Camp had, so maybe this wasn't anything, but screw it—she'd been curious ever since she'd seen the espeon's eyes. And even if they weren't the same, someone who'd seen as much as Sinopa might still know something useful. So since Kimiko had checking in with Beetle covered, might as well ask:

"Sinopa, do you know what 'Radiance' is?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

The Espeon spirit blinked into existence by Leaf's side and turned to her with that increasingly-familiar bright and eyeless gaze.

"I've heard of it. Usually in stories about certain Saints and heroes. It's apparently a skill the Wandering Light cultivates, a power to use the light in one's soul to perform extraordinary feats."

The light in the 'canyon' room shifted as if clouds were passing overhead, sunlight filtering through, now more, now less, and more again.

I think... you may not have to do anything.

The heart of this rift is especially accommodating to the anchorpoint.

It reaches out...
​

Betel is establishing a connection...​

 

[Tetra]

What a curious place... Leaf's mention of radiance brought another question to the forefront of Koa's mind, as he took in the strange landscape.

"Have you ever heard of someone named Auriga?"

 

[Shadow Serenity]

The heart of this rift is especially accommodating to the anchorpoint.

Kimiko just nodded silently. (...Could Betel see that? Now that she thought about it, she wasn't sure. Bee always seemed to know what was going on around them, but it always felt more like sensing it rather than seeing it. Maybe she should ask. But maybe she should wait until Bee was finished; she didn't want to interrupt... whatever the process was.)

All in all, this had been easier than she'd expected... A long walk, a nice meal, and some swapping of stories. The walk had been the hardest part. But then again, Sinopa was willing to aid them, so if this was a part of her, then it made sense, too.

Leaf and Koa started asking about Radiance and Auriga. Admittedly, Kimiko would not have thought to ask her; she was a dungeon spirit of some kind, why would she know anything?

But then... if she hadn't always been trapped here, then who knew? Kimiko remained silent; she listened in to her companion's questions and Sinopa's replies, but she was more focused on observing the room for any changes. Not that she expected anything to change visually once Betel had set up their anchor, but then, she'd never done this before, either.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Around the gathered pokémon, the light continued to shift and flow. There was a sense of gravity coming undone. Gravity, distance, and time.

"...Auriga...?" murmured Sinopa, frowning. "I... think it might be familiar to me, from long ago. The name of a star, perhaps. Or a myth."

The appearance of the room went from that of an enclosed slot canyon, to one that stretched out ahead and behind. Like reflections swimming in moving mirrors, the way ahead shifted, shifted, slowly shifted into a new view. One that displayed Silver Ravine... and then, shifting again, the high plateau of Little Scriven. Like an optical illusion, one could stare at it from different angles and watch each location come into focus.

Space and time relaxed, closing together once again. The world breathed.

...the task is complete. The anchorpoint has been made!
Heroic spirits, you may now travel freely between this place, and other anchorpoints!
Espeon Sinopa, are you... able to sense anything new...?​

"Oh... Mm? Yes, I think so," said Sinopa, nodding vaguely. "And I think... I remember now..."

Her face turned to the Wayfarers, 'eyes' wide, the light inside her sockets shifting in colour, subtly.

"Auriga... is the name of the world's spirit. Imagine if I were not this one rift's soul and mind, but... all of Forlas. The planet entire."

Sinopa's reverence was new, but there was still a touch of her usual playful cheek along with it.

"I met a spirit for one brief moment, when I merged with this place. That spirit was Auriga, the Voice of Life."

 

[Tetra]

He'd never seen one of the 'anchorpoints' before with his own eyes. It was a bit mind bending to look at, yet captivating. For a moment, he fell silent as he studied it.

Sinopa's words sparked his curiosity anew and Koa's gaze widened. "You met Auriga?" Powehi had been sparing of details, but perhaps she might know something else. "I don't suppose you know of how to contact her?"

A moment later, Koa shook his head. "But aside from that, how does it feel?" he asked eagerly. "Do you think you can reach anywhere with the connection? What else can you sense?" It was a distant hope, but if it was two ways... or would that mean that at least Sinopa and Betel could talk freely?

 

[Shadow Serenity]

Kimiko truly hadn't been expecting anything to change. So, of course, when the light of the room shifted through scenes of other locations like a movie, the snivy was rather surprised. She'd consider it silly afterwards, having seen the rest of the dungeon shift too already, but still, that was just the rooms re-arranging. These scenes looked to be of other locations entirely!

And then Bee mentioned something about traveling between locations. Something like teleportation, but over larger distances. It was a fascinating concept; Kimiko just hoped it didn't feel like teleportation.

Then the rest of the conversation caught up with her. Of course Auriga would be some kind of world-encompassing being. Powehi was too, so if Auriga was his counterpart, then... well, it made sense. Still, it came as a bit of a surprise. Koa had already asked the important question, so Kimiko opted for something related. "What was Auriga like? It's hard to imagine meeting someone like... the soul of a world."

 

[JFought]

There was a lot for Isidora to take in, both from the environment and the new information they had learned. Every shift and every revelation made its own slight tilt to her sense of reality, as if she had stepped into the pages of a fantasy novel. She had never felt farther from home.

"The world has a soul..." the sneasel repeated to herself. The concept itself wasn't foreign, but for it to be verifiably true here... "Did Auriga explain this to you?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Sinopa gave a kind of melancholy chuckle.

"It was only for a brief moment. She seemed... complicated. I guess it comes with being made up of all the world's aura energy, or however it works for her. If you think I'm strange for being a dungeon's spirit and more than a century old, imagine being Saints know how old and that much larger, too. More... dispersed. I guess I'd describe her as... tough. Sad, perhaps. And... lonely."

The Espeon blinked, and the light in her eye sockets shifted again. Then after a moment, again.

"I can sense... elevation. Tree pollen on the wind. The splash of river fish. Insects in flight, insects burrowing. Wild pokémon. The laughter of children. This is... Silver Ravine. And Little Scriven. Oh..."

The light shimmered where it met Sinopa's lower lids. There was moisture there. Illusory body or not, her tear ducts still worked.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Funny, wasn't it, to hear Auriga described as "sad" and "lonely" after hearing Powehi, the embodiment of All Sadness Ever Apparently, complain about how different they were. Leaf supposed it probably wasn't easy to be the embodiment of All Life Ever Apparently, either, but Sinopa had been sad because she'd been stuck here at the HQ ever since whatever'd happened. Auriga got to be everywhere at once, see everyone at once... but if she only got to talk to spirits like Sinopa, and just for a couple seconds at that, that probably didn't mean too much, did it.

Sounded like Sinopa wouldn't be cooped up for too much longer, at least. She'd seemed fine and happy all the time they'd been speaking with her so far, but watching the espeon tear up made her heart hurt a little. "Those are the other places we've helped Beetle anchor to," she said, a little pride in her voice. (Definitely the first one, at least. If Little Scriven was, too, then that must mean the other expedition had worked out, too, right?) "I went to the heart of Silver Ravine myself, with Nico and some others! I could tell you what it was like when we saw it, how pretty and peaceful it was... but I bet it's even prettier when you can see it for yourself."

 

[Tetra]

Auriga sounded every bit as strange as Powehi. Somehow a living soul of a whole world? What was that like? Could she communicate with anyone, or was she just... cut off, forever?

Shaking off the thought he focused on Sinopa again. Yes! "Sick," he whispered. It had worked. Sinopa could connect to other areas, see other places. His mind whirled with excitement and his eyes lit up. "Does this mean it can work with other dungeons? If we establish connections everywhere, can you see the world again?"

It only increased his motivation to want to to visit a dungeon, if it meant helping someone.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Sinopa smiled strangely. Her 'eyes' seemed a little brighter.

"It is not the same as visiting in person, but it's remarkable to be able to see other places like this again. And... who knows? Maybe more will come of it. It seems your friend Betel only barely understands what they're doing to begin with!"

Though Betel said nothing, there was a psychic sense of being flustered.

"If you all don't mind, I think I'll stay here for a while and enjoy seeing somewhere different for once," said Sinopa, softly.

In others words, the Espeon spirit wanted to be left alone to appreciate a long-wished-for change of scenery.

 

[Tetra]

Koa dipped his head in acknowledgement, then met the eyes of the others meaningfully, already sure they probably understood. He didn't want to bother her any farther, considering how much he could relate to enjoying solitude.

Despite the solemnity of the moment, his paws tingled with excitement. Yes... he could ask Archie, Odette, even Leaf or the others to go to more dungeons with him.

If he could do one decent thing before he left, he would try to help Sinopa see the world again.

 

[Shadow Serenity]

"If you all don't mind, I think I'll stay here for a while and enjoy seeing somewhere different for once," said Sinopa, softly.

"Of course," Kimiko replied immediately, already slowly backing away. She was relatively sure Bee was finished making the connection, so they didn't need to linger. It was the least they could do to leave the dungeon spirit some peace and quiet.

"Thank you for everything, Sinopa. Truly. We're looking to set up several more of these anchors," Kimiko added thoughtfully. "So maybe as we do, you'll get to see even more of the world just like this. But we'll be back with some proper stories for you, either way. Promise."

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