Forlas Spirit Nexus

[Virgil134]

Rodion blinked as he tried to regain his bearings. He looked around, noticing the different Pokémon and the strange landscape around him. How... did he get here?

... Right. He'd answered a call for help in his dreams. A call to help another world in need, which in his case meant a way to get a temporary respite from the raid that blasted Samurott was forcing him and the rest of the Iron Fleet to do. Of course he'd kept his true reasons for answering the call to himself.

Rodion shook his head, before approaching the glowing cloud. Part of him was wondering if he was still dreaming, but everything felt too real. He listened to the various questions others were asking the cloud, giving him some insight into his current situation. For starters, this 'Voice' appeared to be rather naive despite the strange powers it seemed to possess. Declaring everyone here a hero for simply answering a distress call meant it was oblivious to any selfish or even nefarious reasons someone could have for doing so. It also meant he could pretty much expect anything from his fellow 'heroes', and they could range from obnoxious do-gooders to eggnappers for all he knew.

Rodion looked around his body. At least he was still a Floatzel at the moment, though it sounded like that wouldn't be the case for long. Going back to being a Buizel wasn't ideal, but something he could live with if it was only temporarily, he supposed. That said, if he really was about to enter another world entirely, there were some things he needed to know first.

"This 'Forlas', what exactly is it like?" Rodion asked, giving Voice a skeptical look. "What can we expect the moment we arrive? We're gonna need some more details other than it having Mystery Dungeons."

 

[ShadowVulpi]

Lavender had been taking everything in as he stood silent atop the snowy path in this Astral Plane. It didn't feel quite right against his Eevee paws, those tiny paws he hadn't known for over a decade now, but it was a familiar comfort.

He had let everyone talk for him, let everyone answer questions for him, show their colors, all while he took in the gravity and the implications of the situation he and the others found themselves in. It was all so much to process, so much to accept when he couldn't even remember accepting this so called "Call". His world had chosen him as a savior? Him, of all Pokemon? A jest, clearly.

"Your soul is only visiting this place. And you will only visit the world you are called to. Then, when it is over, you will return to your body, without memory of this, without time passing, like a dream."

It was this that left him with the most pause. He didn't know if he liked the idea of returning home without memories of his time within this new world. Ideal, perhaps, if his experiences would be rife with pointless hardships and pain. But if not...

"And how properly are we equipped to handle Forlas and the danger that awaits us there?" he asked, adding to Rodion's question. "We are numerous, but what of our strength? How much might do these new bodies you've crafted for us carry?"

 

[canisaries]

The cobblestone path that had appeared and Andre had decided to follow led him to a crossroads with a group of humans and mon. A being of light and cloud was explaining the situation to everyone, and everyone understandably had questions, which the cloud-being was answering. At first, Andre worried about the fact that he couldn't sense any auras from any of the people present, but it came clear through conversation that they were only here as representations of their souls... or something. And the fact that these people were from different worlds could have meant that they emitted aura at a frequency range he couldn't sense, anyway, or they emitted nothing at all.

It was all very strange. Andre still wanted to say it was a dream despite the Voice's insistence to the opposite, but something about all this felt hauntingly real. Still, humans being called away to another world and being turned into pokémon? Wasn't that the exact premise of that Mystery Dungeon game series Katie was obsessed with? Wouldn't it be more likely that this was simply a creation of his own mind?

Still... for a dream with humans turning into mon and mon finding themselves devolved into their base forms, this was surprisingly coherent. No strange dream logic had come to pass. He should assume this sequence would stay coherent, in which case he had a new worry - that being of cloud talking about how they knew all their souls and created their bodies accordingly. How much did the Voice know about him? Did they know his secret? No, they couldn't have. If they did, they would have never allowed him to come here.

Before Andre could even start wondering what form he'd be given, the world twisted. He was thrown onto his hands - hooves? He had hooves? Something else grew out of his face, blocking a part of his field of view - a snout. And he felt a tail. And ears he could move. He looked over his shoulder - or his withers, now, to be technical - and saw the hindbody of a deerling.

He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "Okay, is this because I visited Antlerlock last night?" he then grumbled. "I would have preferred a form that wasn't based on what bars I go to."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Not to bother you or anything, but mind explaining how you 'intuited' this particular 'configuration'?"

It happened so quickly it was startling. To the point where the random shuppet jumpscare didn’t entirely register. “That’s nice, ghosty.” He lifted a foreleg like he was petting the air in front of him.

“That’s… probably my fault?” Nova said to this… human turned birddogfish. He could make assumptions about some possible inner turmoil and how such a piecemeal body represented that. But what good would that accomplish?

“Maybe it means you’re the adaptable type?” he offered instead. That was Matriarch’s intent behind building him in the first place.

 

[Namohysip]

"So, most of our abilities will be lost on this heroic journey of world-saving," Mhynt hummed to herself. She reached her hand up and into a black portal, drawing a blade of grass that expanded into an actual Leaf Blade, so sharp it may have threatened the molecules in the air. Mhynt doubted molecules existed here.

"I will miss you," she said in a monotone. She let the blade evaporate into nothing and saluted the aether.

 

[Weazel]

The Oshawott shoved his paws back in his coat pockets. Alternate versions of people he knew? Was such a thing even possible? He supposed he didn’t have any kind of evidence to dispute it. If he’d already accepted that universe hopping was a thing, he’d already accepted the fact of the multiverse. So, in the infinite possibility of such a place, it would be stranger if there weren’t another version of him running around.

But, wait, he wasn’t original to ‘his’ universe either. Did that mean somewhere in the world he’d come to call home, there could possibly be another version of him running around? The ‘original’ Archie of that universe? Okay he needed to stop thinking about this before he started to get existential. Once again, he found himself missing his partner’s company. But then again, if he met Spencer in this place, could he even really be sure it was the same Spencer? Even if that Spencer was also partnered with an Archie, that wasn’t definitive proof that-

Okay, nope, stop that. He turned to look at Tarahn again.

“Hey, uh… Sorry,” he said. The Zorua was right, they were only going to make things harder for themselves if they went into this with any sort of expectations. Still, his gut was telling him he should probably keep an eye on the Toxel. Just so long as he wasn’t immediately assuming the worst, that’d be okay, right?

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Trainers are usually okay, but I've seen some that are super bossy and mean. You're not going to boss us around now since you used to be a trainer, are you?"

Laura scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. "Uh, no? Sorry, I just... No, you haven't partnered up with me, so I'm not your trainer, but also, I don't even get to boss around my pokémon."

She smiled, thinking of her team of stubborn, pushy, independent battlers. She thought of Malachai calling her 'stupid girl' whenever he disagreed with her. Of Sleet pranking her. Of Caesar stamping his little doggy foot.

"It's not really how we do things."

She was about to elaborate, when the cloud pulsed again, and chimed out over the hubbub.

"Oh, excuse me. That's a lot of questions. Please give me a moment!"

The cloud had slowed down and dimmed for a while, as if it were paying close attention to some distraction. Now, though, it burst into activity, sparkling brightly as it whirled a little faster than before.

“And say, Voice, how’re we supposed to help?”

"How can I help?"

"Unclear! Maybe the pokémon you meet in Forlas will have a better idea about how you can help their world? There are still so many things I do not understand, and this is one of them. All I know is that the hero who sent for you was meant to save this world, but could not do so alone!"

"But why us? What makes us heroes?"

"Unclear! You would have a better idea than me about that, as you know a lot more about yourself than I do!"

"You don't seem to know about any of us, or who we are, right? Are we really only chosen by proximity, or is it something else entirely?"

"Ahem... excuse me, I'm here for a job interview about a... hero thing?"

"I did not choose any of you! You are simply the souls that other worlds sent in reply to the Call for help."

The cloud shimered rose-pink again.

"But I am sure that I would choose you if I had been given the opportunity! I believe in you!"

I'm gonna go on a limb here and say we just might have ourselves an issue of alternate universes going on, fellas...

"That is right! Many worlds have one or more near-copies, sometimes very many! There are even other worlds very like Forlas in the multiverse."

"We are expected to fulfil this task as a group, correct?"

"That would be ideal! Working as a group, I am sure you will have much better odds of success. You share a goal, and have every reason to cooperate with each other!"

"What the actual fuck."

"I am sorry, but I am not sure what the fuck. Is there anything specific I could answer?"

"When do we start? And where's this hero who summoned us here, if that's not you?"

"Wait a minute. If all you did was send the message, then who Called all of us? Shouldn't they be here also? You must know them, right?"

"Yeah, she sure is right. If you're here on that person's behalf does that make you a kind of secretary?"

"I do not know the hero very well, actually! We only just met. But it is very hard to summon all of you here and configure your bodies and talk to you all at once! The additional task of bringing a soul from Forlas here and returning them would be too much to do all at once! Maybe you can talk in person once you arrive?"

The cloud dipped in the air slightly. Maybe it was embarrassed.

"Also I do not think I am a secretary. I have never been professionally employed or compensated for any work."

"Not to bother you or anything, but mind explaining how you 'intuited' this particular 'configuration'?"

“That’s… probably my fault? Maybe it means you’re the adaptable type?”

"I am not sure! This body is clearly meaningful to you, and it is a body that is compatible with Forlas! Maybe you have a close relationship with an RKS Chimera in your own world? Or perhaps you identify with their qualities? It is definitely an outcome that relates specifically to your soul, and not to any other soul here, however! I am certain of that."

"I know little of this realm's accommodations—"

"What... What should we expect? What's waiting for us in this world, Forlas or whatever?"

"This is a super tiny world! Or is mine just big? I don't now how many people live in Sinnoh, but it's a lot more than fifty."

"This 'Forlas', what exactly is it like? What can we expect the moment we arrive? We're gonna need some more details other than it having Mystery Dungeons."

"And how properly are we equipped to handle Forlas and the danger that awaits us there? We are numerous, but what of our strength? How much might do these new bodies you've crafted for us carry?"

"So, most of our abilities will be lost on this heroic journey of world-saving..."

"I know some things about Forlas! It orbits a star, it has several climates, an axial tilt affecting seasonal weather conditions, multiple continents separated by open ocean, and a biosphere supporting pokémon and animal life! Including all species, there are many billion-billions of life forms there! Many of them are insects, fish, and plants, though. There are only many millions of sapient pokémon. I am sorry if any of this is surprising or unusual in your worlds. As for the Forlasan people, they are almost all pokémon, with only rare exceptions, and they often live in organised societies, of which there are many different cultures! The ones you meet might be understandable to you, as universes in close proximity of each other might have much in common!"

The voice paused, as if for breath.

"You will only be very weak at first, and you will no longer possess some specific powers. But you will be able to grow strong fast, as long as you keep facing hardships! That is how pokémon get stronger. And it is possible you may find ways to acquire similar powers as you are used to, or new ones, during your adventures! Good luck! I am rooting for you!"

"Okay, is this because I visited Antlerlock last night? I would have preferred a form that wasn't based on what bars I go to."

"Unclear! Do you particularly like antlers? Maybe you have characteristics similar to a typical deerling, such as changing your appearance with the seasons? Or competing in contests of physical strength with other males to win mating rights?"

It seemed the voice really didn't have accurate information about the people it had summoned...

"Sounds good to me! What're we waiting around here for?"

"That is good to hear, and a good question! I believe I am ready to send you all into Forlas, in your new bodies. I have never done this before; this will be my first time summoning spirits! I hope I am able to place you all fairly close together..."

 

[AdamArtDraws]

"You will only be very weak at first, and you will no longer possess some specific powers. But you will be able to grow strong fast, as long as you keep facing hardships! That is how pokémon get stronger. And it is possible you may find way to acquire similar powers as you are used to, or new ones, during your adventures! Good luck! I am rooting for you!"

"We may find a way?" Felin shot to her feet so quickly that she almost keeled right over. She straightened herself up, balled her fist and beat her chest. A blue light pulsed from her heart and sprouted a cracked and worn turquoise blue blade. She snatched the sword by its hilt, and for a moment irritation tugged at her lips.

"A possibility, probability, eventuality, none of those will cut it." She swung her blade down and jabbed it it like a stake into the ground. "My Sacred Sword is my pride. If I lose it here, I want your guarantee it will return."

 

[VeniaSilente]

"Yeah, she sure is right. If you're here on that person's behalf does that make you a kind of secretary?" Felin scraped a tooth and fell into idle thought.

"This 'Forlas', what exactly is it like?" Rodion asked, giving Voice a skeptical look. "What can we expect the moment we arrive? We're gonna need some more details other than it having Mystery Dungeons."

Kalas ruffled his left wing for a moment. He had been listening for a while on the conversation and the explanations the cloud gave about the mission, and looked at the two Pokémon who had interjected. Like many others, they had good points to make.

Recalling back to his older days, he raised a wing to call upon the attention of the cloud a bit. "These Pokémon are right, you know. Usually when one is sent in an important mission, we get at least a good mission briefing before."

"Oh, excuse me. That's a lot of questions. Please give me a moment!"

Kalas lowered his wing and cocked his head. There were a lot of questions and he was okay waiting so long as he got an impression most of them would be answered before the group was kicked out to wherever the Forlas was.

That said, the cloud did answer to his previous question.

"I did not choose any of you! You are simply the souls that other worlds sent in reply to the Call for help."

"But I am sure that I would choose you if I had been given the opportunity! I believe in you!"

Kalas nodded. He seemed to remember Giratina (if it was truly the ghostly dragon) had mentioned two others. He idly wondered what had happened... were they here too? Were people from the same worlds here, too?

Well, Giratina did say Kalas was the one who "made it". Whatever that meant.


One thing did particularly call Kalas's attention.

"I do not know the hero very well, actually! We only just met. But it is very hard to summon all of you here and configure your bodies and talk to you all at once! The additional task of bringing a soul from Forlas here and returning them would be too much to do all at once! Maybe you can talk in person once you arrive?"

"So there is information we have to go out to grab from the field... whatever you can report to us, it is probably incomplete?" he asked out loud, not thinking it over much.


After that, Kalas sat on the ground listening to the cloud's description of Forlas. For much of it, he thought, it sounded like the world back home. But considering he had lived most of his live in the City and offscreen, too he was not too sure if the cloud was saying that the world would feel for them like something natural... or something else.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"You will only be very weak at first, and you will no longer possess some specific powers. But you will be able to grow strong fast, as long as you keep facing hardships! That is how pokémon get stronger. And it is possible you may find way to acquire similar powers as you are used to, or new ones, during your adventures! Good luck! I am rooting for you!"

Lyle stiffened up and had his eyes shrink with a start. He knew that he'd responded to a distress call, but he was getting the distinct feeling he'd jumped from the pan and into the fire.

"I... don't suppose that we'll get support from you? Since at least in my own world, hardship is about as likely to chew you up as it is to actually make you stronger."

 

[Ambyssin]

this will be my first time summoning spirits! I hope I am able to place you all fairly close together..."

"Of course you have to tempt fate..."

Sighing, Nova slid into a loafing position and waited to inevitably wake up alone in Forlas.

 

[canisaries]

"Unclear! Do you particularly like antlers? Maybe you have characteristics similar to a typical deerling, such as changing your appearance with the seasons? Or competing in contests of physical strength with other males to win mating rights?"

Andre huffed in amusement. "I do change appearance every week... but I certainly don't fight other males. In the physical way, at least."

At least he'd gotten a form that had nothing to do with his real self. He could imagine it - a zorua that put on an illusion, a scyther that used its blade to cut --

He decided not to dwell on it. Instead, his next worry was about hands.

"Um, so... I can't help but notice that a lot of us look like quadrupeds," he said. "Are we really not going to have hands to manipulate objects with in this other world? Seems like a big setback..."

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes already hated this sensation—this sense of floating yet not, of existing physically and yet not quite, as if he were trapped in some bizarre, lucid dream…but he supposed it was better than a nightmare, and he would wake up from it soon enough.

You are not dreaming!

He jumped at the sudden voice in his head. Out of instinct, he tried to reach for the Pokéballs at his belt, only to find nothing there at all. Panic flared in his chest. Where the hell am I. What is happening. Am I dead?!

Oh, but do not worry! You are not dead!"

Okay. All right. Not dead, and not dreaming. Supposedly. So he’s just snapped and gone insane, then?

Not at all! You are quite sane.

Gods-dammit.

Wes glanced around, trying to find the source of the voice, and found the strange golden light hovering some distance away. It answered other questions pouring in, and he could steadily make out the shapes of other people…no, lots and lots of Pokémon, all approaching and asking the light the same questions he had. So he wasn’t alone, then…

"You asked what I meant by 'call for help'," said the cloud of light. "I meant it literally, of course! Although I suppose, I could have meant it figuratively? Either way, a call for help was sent out to every world in range at the time, and many of those worlds responded! Your world was one of these, and you are the soul it has sent in reply. The first, in fact. Perhaps it was the closest! I do not know very much about other worlds, so I can only speculate! Isn't this exciting?"

"You already answered the call. All of you did. You chose before you came here."

Wes couldn’t help it—he barked out a laugh at that. “Yeah, right. You’re full of it.”

And—hang on. Did he literally just bark?

Panic and discomfort prickled all over his skin, under his fur. Fur. He had that now. And paws, and ears, and a gods-damned tail, and oh gods what was happening, make it stop—

“What—what—what have you done to me?” He tried and failed to keep the panic out of his voice. “Send me back. Send me back now. I didn’t sign up for this shit, no matter what you think you know. Send me back!”

"I can not predict how long it will be! I know at least one hero has remained on my world for nearly thirty years, but that may be an outlier! If you wish to cut your mission short, I believe that dying may send you home. I hope that helps!"

…Had he heard right? Dying? Dying? Thirty years? He opened and closed his mouth several times, his mind reeling. Eventually, he managed to rasp out a single, weak declaration.

“This is bullshit.”

 

[VeniaSilente]

"Um, so... I can't help but notice that a lot of us look like quadrupeds," he said. "Are we really not going to have hands to manipulate objects with in this other world? Seems like a big setback..."

Kalas unfolded his wing for display.

"Excuse me," he asked. "Bird here, is it that much of a setback? Don't you have the ability to just grasp objects with your wings or similar in your worlds?"

 

[Butterfree]

"I am sorry, but I am not sure what the fuck. Is there anything specific I could answer?"

Dave snorted. At least their host was amusing in its earnest confusion.

He shook himself, turning to crane his neck up at the cloud, because of course this bullshit realm had decided the true core of his being was best represented by a tiny fucking dog of all things. This form still felt disconcertingly familiar. Sure, walking on all fours and having swiveling ears was just normal now. Thinking coherently out of a tiny Poochyena brain should have been just about physically impossible, but probably the cloud would say it was facilitated by whatever handwaved ludicrous nonsense was involved with his soul having been plucked out of his physical body to begin with.

"I know some things about Forlas! It orbits a star, it has several climates, an axial tilt affecting seasonal weather conditions, multiple continents separated by open ocean, and a biosphere supporting pokémon and animal life! Including all species, there are many billion-billions of life forms there! Many of them are insects, fish, and plants, though. There are only many millions of sapient pokémon. I am sorry if any of this is surprising or unusual in your worlds. As for the Forlasan people, they are almost all pokémon, with only rare exceptions, and they often live in organised societies, of which there are many different cultures! The ones you meet might be understandable to you, as universes in close proximity of each other might have much in common!"

Oh, good, at least it was a fucking planet. A planet inhabited by... sapient Pokémon and insects, and also fish? They had fish that weren't Pokémon? (Well, not sapient Pokémon. Maybe they just didn't call them Pokémon here unless they were sapient?)

How the fuck would a random other planet in a different universe have the same kinds of Pokémon they had (at least the ones here were mostly familiar, and the cloud seemed to know them too), except they were all sapient? How was that even supposed to work? Maybe through fucking souls, why not.

But he suspected the cloud wouldn't be an expert on the metaphysics here.

He sighed, dragging a paw over his face, a motion that also felt strikingly familiar. (Huh. He was pretty sure regular Poochyena didn't have the joint mobility to do that, let alone to keep balanced while they did. Hypermobile fucking Poochyena.) "'Rare exceptions'? So who there isn't a Pokémon?"

 

[IFBench]

The chimera watched as many, many others gathered. Some human, some Pokemon, though those that were human soon became Pokemon themselves.

I knew it, this is another thing like what brought us to that world of only Pokemon!
You THINK? Obiously, it is.
So now we just need to get that cloud to bring us home.
No. I actually want to HELP.

Something was bothering the monster. Well, a lot of things were bothering them, but this thing was at the front of their share minds.

"Hold on. You say there's fish and insects, but what about other animals? Birds? Foxes? Cats? Possums? Tell me you at least have possums," the monster asked.

 

[Cresselia92]

[TLTR: Pop goes the Sneasel, aka Silver transforms.]

---

"Unclear! Maybe the pokémon you meet in Forlas will have a better idea about how you can help their world? There are still so many things I do not understand, and this is one of them. All I know is that the hero who sent for you was meant to save this world, but could not do so alone!"

Oh yeah. That sure was such a reassuring thing to hear. The designated hero failed, and now it was up to them all to solve the situation. No big deal and no pressure whatsoever, right?

Silver sighed and rolled his eyes, unamused. ‘In what mess did I get myself into?’ he internally grumbled, before pressing his palm against his face. By doing so, dull jolts shot across his body, making him wince in surprise.

“Oof! What the…?”

Silver yanked his hand off of his face, and his eyes widened in shock. What he saw was a furred paw with two long purple claws. Familiar Sneasel claws. A clawed paw that he willed to move, that now belonged to him.

Of course, after seeing those fellow humans turn into Pokémon, that event was to be expected. But feeling such a drastic and sudden change was something that Silver could never be prepared to handle. It felt so… so wrong, but also so right?

“Freezer, thunder and fire…” he hissed in dismay, his Viridian accent ringing louder and clearer. ‘Seriously! In what mess did I get myself into?!”

 

[Hap]

The people here, Ridley decided, had some very strange priorities. He guessed he was grateful that everyone seemed to have moved past the initial panic, but really? What's with this overfocus on bizarre minutia? You'll discover the answers to half these questions the moment we get where we're going! Ask something useful, bro!

He waved an arm (a dark, indistinctly-shadowy armlike structure, terminating in claws - wow, no, okay, he could freak out about that later, when he wasn't in public) and called out "Hi, yeah, I have a question, hi! How much choice do we get in this? Once we get to this other world, are there going to be any consequences for us if all we want to do is hang out and take naps?" He considered, then added, "aside from the obvious of something bad happening which we could potentially have prevented, of course."

If his autonomy was going to be impacted, that might actually be a problem worth worrying about.

 

[SparklingEspeon]

At least the planet sounded similar enough… and everymon being pokemon explained why she was still one. Espurr got the drift the cloud thing sounded rather misguided about a lot of things, but the important stuff seemed to line up. But if the cloud wasn’t the one who summoned then, then who was? And what guarantee did the cloud have that they’d even meet?

She’d heard the comment about 30 years, and it threw her stomach for a loop. She realized she had no idea how long they were supposed to stay. What if she hated it here? What if they weren’t all summoned in the same place? How would they find each other again? Would they?

But there wasn’t much to do but await their fate, like they were all prisoners on death row. So Espurr just huddled in cross-legged on the floor and listened for anything useful and waited for the next summoning to happen. Maybe this one would be a bit less confusing.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"My Sacred Sword is my pride. If I lose it here, I want your guarantee it will return."

"I am sorry, but I can give no such guarantee! That will be up to you."

"So there is information we have to go out to grab from the field... whatever you can report to us, it is probably incomplete?"

The cloud took a moment, perhaps to figure out what the bird most likely meant.

"Yes? As I say, there is a lot I do not know. I am sorry if that is disappointing."

"I... don't suppose that we'll get support from you? Since at least in my own world, hardship is about as likely to chew you up as it is to actually make you stronger."

"I will do my best!" replied the cloud, with a dramatic shower of light. "I will try to channel power into you, and I will try to provide information and assistance as much as I can. For instance, I will be translating all your communications!"

"Of course you have to tempt fate..."

"Oh! Is fate something you can tempt? That sounds bad!"

"Um, so... I can't help but notice that a lot of us look like quadrupeds," he said. "Are we really not going to have hands to manipulate objects with in this other world? Seems like a big setback..."

"You do not need hands! All pokémon in Forlas have a weak telekinetic ability to move small objects with which they are in physical contact. As a deerling, you could do this with a hoof, but you may find it much easier to use vines!"

"'Rare exceptions'? So who there isn't a Pokémon?"

"Well, you for instance! There are other humans on Forlas, too, such as the hero who Called for you all."

"Hold on. You say there's fish and insects, but what about other animals? Birds? Foxes? Cats? Possums? Tell me you at least have possums," the monster asked.

"I think so! There are not many Forlasan megafauna that are not pokémon, but small birds and mammals do exist!"

"Hi, yeah, I have a question, hi! How much choice do we get in this? Once we get to this other world, are there going to be any consequences for us if all we want to do is hang out and take naps?" He considered, then added, "aside from the obvious of something bad happening which we could potentially have prevented, of course."

"That sounds correct to me! Although, I suppose most of you will need to eat, and find shelter, and if you only nap without procuring food and shelter, I do not expect you will survive long... So, I would definitely recommend eating food, and also staying safe!"

The cloud briefly flushed a watery blue colour.

"Also, I would be very sad if you did nothing to help. I really do believe that you will, and I still believe that you can help even if you like hanging out and naps more than helping. I trust you!"

“What—what—what have you done to me?” He tried and failed to keep the panic out of his voice. “Send me back. Send me back now. I didn’t sign up for this shit, no matter what you think you know. Send me back!”

"Oh, I am so sorry! I am certain that you must have given consent to be here, but perhaps there was a mistake? Please, let me just try to..."

The cloud swayed, unsteadily. The lights froze, jarringly, and turned a sickly jaundiced colour.

"...I do not know how. I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I have never had to send anyone back before, and the new bodies are all ready by now, and there is not any way to un-make them. I thought you would all like your new bodies! I am so sorry!"

The cloud's palette dipped into turquoise tones as the motes jittered anxiously.