Frontier Town Grand Station Construction Site

[HelloYellow17]

"You lot showed up! Long time, no see, how've you been?"

Wes couldn’t help but grin a little at the friendly greeting. Even when dealing with pressing matters, Jaak was still as energetic as ever. “Well, it’s been lively around here, but it looks like you can say the same for yourself.”

He glanced between Jaak and the big rock guy. “Sounds like you’re having problems? Looks like our sudden arrival has made your job harder.” And a small part of Wes did feel bad for that…but it wasn’t like it was his fault that he’d gotten dropped right on top of a construction site. “What’s this about a derailed train?”

"Hang on, 'strangers'? We talkin' like more off-worlders, or more like robbers?"

“That would be us, I think,” Wes said, nodding to Dave, another familiar face he was pleasantly surprised to see. “Or…a group of us. We kind of sort of caused havoc at a construction site near Blaguarro on accident.” He tilted his head at the Misdreavus. “Don’t think I’ve seen you before. You also new in town?”

 

[Sinderella]

Odette had been sitting nearby in the shade of a tree, enjoying the read she'd jacked from the library on pure morbid curiosity--Temper Management for Dimwits--when a familiar vigoroth ran by. She'd only caught it in her peripheral vision, having barely looked up from her page, but the commotion he'd caused in his wake certainly caught her attention.

The frown still plastered on her face, she shoved her bookmark into the book's spine. "So much for that," she murmured, jingling the book into her little waist pouch and following the vigoroth's path with an easy jog. It wasn't long before more of the world-hoppers showed up, and Odette found herself standing near the back of the group, listening to Jaak go on about a crashed train and strangers and something or other.

"Hang on, 'strangers'? We talkin' like more off-worlders, or more like robbers?"

She raised a hand. "Our sick landing got us a bunch of 0's from the construction workers in Blaguarro." She paused. "Unless they're talking about that Witching Beast shit..." she muttered under her breath.

Still, Jack was a sight for sore eyes, despite his reasons for showing up not being exactly easy sounding.

 

[Hap]

“Hi,” he said hesitantly the little pink mon. “Any idea what’s happening here?”

"Not at all," Ridley admitted. "I just saw the commotion and showed up to be nosy." In his defence, a group of his fellow travellers-from-another-world had also ended up here, for what seemed like much the same reason.

He asked Wes, "What about you? How do you know this guy?" The vigoroth certainly made it sound like they were acquainted.

The talk of Blaguarro had him interested, though. Ridley had meant it when he told Koa he thought the best way to figure out why they'd been summoned would be to start looking beyond Frontier Town, so Ridley had been trying to pay more attention to gossip from out of town. He hadn't learnt much so far, though, considering that the events of the Gala were all anyone wanted to talk about right now.

“That would be us, I think,” Wes said, nodding to Dave, another familiar face he was pleasantly surprised to see. “Or…a group of us. We kind of sort of caused havoc at a construction site near Blaguarro on accident.

"What about strangers showing up made them so antsy?" Ridley asked the vigoroth. His own landing in Little Scriven had been fairly smooth; he'd heard from Odette that hers had been a lot rougher, but he wasn't sure why that would result in the entire town refusing to let trains into their station.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes jumped at the sound of Odette’s voice and warily eyed her second maw, hackles raised. For someone who had a demonic second mouth, she sure had a way of sneaking up on people. He let out a little cough and straightened up, hoping she hadn’t noticed his startle.

“Jaak helped us out of a tight spot when we…sort of crashed the party at the construction site,” he said to Ridley. He then frowned at Ridley’s next question. He hadn’t thought much of it in the beginning, but after experiencing how welcoming Frontier Town was to a bunch of strangers, the Blaguarro folks’ unease did seem a little odd. “That’s a good question.”

He glanced at Jaak. “What’s got them so spooked, anyway? Surely some random people passing by shouldn’t be scary enough to delay all transportation.”

 

[MintyMimix]

“And… by ‘some strangers’, you mean us?”

“That would be us, I think,” Wes said, nodding to Dave, another familiar face he was pleasantly surprised to see. “Or…a group of us. We kind of sort of caused havoc at a construction site near Blaguarro on accident.” He tilted his head at the Misdreavus. “Don’t think I’ve seen you before. You also new in town?”

She raised a hand. "Our sick landing got us a bunch of 0's from the construction workers in Blaguarro." She paused. "Unless they're talking about that Witching Beast shit..." she muttered under her breath.

His bouncy floating paused in place for a moment. He hummed to himself, turned completely upside down, and then let out a boisterous ghostly laugh. "Well, seems like that Voice has got a fun sense of humor then," he said as he intentionally frowned to make it look like a smile from everyone else's perspective, "We had a bit of a crash ourselves in Scriven, but thankfully it was just papers flyin' about. Course, I'd be steamed if those were my notes, but what can ya do."

He tilted from side to side to bit in a mock shrug. "Saw you guys as I was helpin' with that mansion stuff, but you probably didn't see much of me. Mostly just been workin' with Drungfield. Mismagi—ahem, Misdreavus Ghaspius. Pleasure to make y'all's acquaintances. And good to see ya again Ridley."

Still upside down, the Misdreavus tried to turn towards the workers, but only found himself staring in the complete opposite direction. He spoke as he tried to spin correctly. "Guess we ought to assuage some fears then, huh?"

 

[Inkedust]

"Happy to hear it and it looks like -" he glanced at Ghaspius and Ridley "- there was a lot more where that came from. Pleased to meet you!"

Jaak placed his claws on his hips. "Anyway, lot of weird things been happening lately and you showing up was part of that. Not that it's any of your fault!" he added hastily. "See, there's been talk of things getting stolen and more and more people are starting claim that they've been seeing those 'Witching Beasts' out at night. There's even been reports of an attack or two. So if they don't know you, good chance of being one of those 'beasts'. Better safe than sorry and all."

He then shuffled a bit awkwardly. "As for the train, that happened about a week ago, 'round the same time you lot showed up," he explained. "Higher ups are saying that there was an attack and you can imagine that a lot of time and resources are going into cleaning that up."

 

[RJr3:2]

Having shown up at some point in the background, Aige was content to listen to the others, making a nodding motion approvingly as the others seemed to be more up to date on everything.

"I hope we've earned the respect to do so," she added idly to the Misdreavus' statement.

"Lot going on I guess," she added. "Trains derailing... that's a hassle."

 

[Sinderella]

Wes jumped at the sound of Odette’s voice and warily eyed her second maw, hackles raised. For someone who had a demonic second mouth, she sure had a way of sneaking up on people. He let out a little cough and straightened up, hoping she hadn’t noticed his startle.

Odette quirked a brow at Blueball, following his eyes over to her second head. What was that, the second time she'd caught him off guard? Somewhere in the pit of her stomach, she felt bad. But, the larger part of her was just confused--she wasn't trying to stealth. Hell, she thought she was being pretty damn obvious with her footfalls, so how the fuck was he getting so spooked? Was he just a jumpy person?

Or he's not scared of you, he's scared of the Odile incarnate.

A frown flickered across her lips, and she rolled her shoulders uncomfortably. That would make the most sense. And it would further drive home the fact her first impressions were simply abysmal.

Figures.

Did she apologize? Pretend she didn't notice? A little late for the latter, but...

"What about strangers showing up made them so antsy?" Ridley asked the vigoroth. His own landing in Little Scriven had been fairly smooth; he'd heard from Odette that hers had been a lot rougher, but he wasn't sure why that would result in the entire town refusing to let trains into their station.

He glanced at Jaak. “What’s got them so spooked, anyway? Surely some random people passing by shouldn’t be scary enough to delay all transportation.”

No time to think on that, though. Once again, her mind returned to the Witching Beasts, and all the theorizing she'd been doing since talking with Sonora after Ignaughtyboy was arrested. Witching Beasts, Terminal Two, shipments of 'mon going out there...

She wondered if she should say any of that out loud. Perhaps Ridley, maybe Blueball could be trusted with it. Bellatrix already knew. Did Dave? The snivy, misdreavus, and roggen...rollen--fuck she'd forgotten what it was called; the small boulder thing with the really suspicious looking orfice--she was mostly unfamiliar with...

"Saw you guys as I was helpin' with that mansion stuff, but you probably didn't see much of me. Mostly just been workin' with Drungfield. Mismagi—ahem, Misdreavus Ghaspius. Pleasure to make y'all's acquaintances.

...well, there was one with an introduction. He seemed okay. She liked misdreavus, to be fair.

"Odette," she greeted. "Nice to formally meet you."

"See, there's been talk of things getting stolen and more and more people are starting claim that they've been seeing those 'Witching Beasts' out at night. There's even been reports of an attack or two. So if they don't know you, good chance of being one of those 'beasts'. Better safe than sorry and all."

Her ears perked at "things getting stolen," but she couldn't help the expectant look on her face as Witching Beasts did in fact come up. A chill ran up her back, settling in the nape of her neck and leading her to roll her shoulders again.

Witching Beasts, Terminal Two, 'mon trafficking...

Experiments?

Something bad is happening there...

"That's understandable," she said sympathetically. "Had I known what was going on, I'd have uh...kept my mouth shut."

Apologies aside, now she had questions. "Do you know anyone who reported being attacked? Have you seen them?"

 

[UnknownUser55]

"Is there any way we can help?" Eco asked, shifting a little further in with the rest of the group. The things that were going on as Jaak described, she may not have been completely aware of whatever these 'Witchin' Beasts' might've been, but they gave her an ominous feeling that got the Grubbin to shudder.

 

[Hap]

"See, there's been talk of things getting stolen and more and more people are starting claim that they've been seeing those 'Witching Beasts' out at night. There's even been reports of an attack or two."

"What are Witching Beasts?" Ridley asked. Maybe Odette and those who'd arrived alongside her already had an explanation, but Ridley certainly didn't know what they were. He said, "I've never heard of them before. Is there something distinctive about the attacks and the stealing which makes people sure it isn't just bandits?"

 

[Inkedust]

Jaak shook his head. "Can't name anyone specifically but it seems to mostly happen at night. Mostly drunkards with the occasional watchmon running their mouths about it."

At Ridley he said, "Violent creatures that come out only at the darkest hours, according to the locals and you'll get a different answer depending who you ask. Can't say for myself, never seen it. The attacks themselves seem to be random not to mention how savage they are compared to a normal 'mon."

He then shook his head in response to the grubbin's question. "Dunno. Can't stop you from going there to investigate yourselves if you don't mind a negative reception."

 

[MintyMimix]

"Odette," she greeted. "Nice to formally meet you."

"Odette, delightful name! Nice to meet ya too!" Ghaspius said in a singsong voice as he bounced in place. "Hope those quick-fixes back at the gala didn't have any spooky side-effects."

He quickly rolled to right himself so he could properly face everyone like a normal 'mon. His frown turned upside down alongside the motion. "A feral beast, maybe? Or could be a bunch of addicts without a fix."

He hummed in contemplation. "Mind pointin' us in the right direction then? And how long's it usually take to get there on ground?"

 

[Butterfree]

He then shuffled a bit awkwardly. "As for the train, that happened about a week ago, 'round the same time you lot showed up," he explained. "Higher ups are saying that there was an attack and you can imagine that a lot of time and resources are going into cleaning that up."

"So this attack on the train," Dave asked, wary. "That was 'Witching Beasts'?"

Ignatius had had wagons with trafficked Pokémon going out to Blaguarro. Did that have something to do with this? Unbidden, the TV show Wes had seemingly stepped out of popped into his head: a desert region, criminal gangs experimenting on stolen Pokémon to make them more violent and aggressive. That couldn't seriously be it, could it? What the fuck would anyone even want violent experimental Pokémon for in this universe? Maybe the fucking human supremacists just wanted to be the only sapients around?

 

[UnknownUser55]

"Violent, savage, and they come out only at dark." Eco mused. "Sounds like some secret group of rogue Pokémon working together with some sort of mutual goal."

A pause, and then Eco shook her head. "That or some crazy feral, like what Spooky said. Either way, it's a problem. Have they been only occurring at Black-where-go?"

 

[HelloYellow17]

He tilted from side to side to bit in a mock shrug. "Saw you guys as I was helpin' with that mansion stuff, but you probably didn't see much of me. Mostly just been workin' with Drungfield. Mismagi—ahem, Misdreavus Ghaspius. Pleasure to make y'all's acquaintances. And good to see ya again Ridley."

Huh. He was a quirky fellow, but so far he was far more pleasant than the headache of a Misdreavus Wes had the misfortune to deal with in Orre. He gave the energetic ghost a nod. “Name’s Wes.” Working with Drungfield…he must be a medic of some kind.

He turned his attention back to Jaak and felt a cold trickle down his spine. Ferocious and savage Pokémon…well, damn if that didn’t sound way too familiar for comfort, though in a world like this one, the idea of Shadow Pokémon was somehow doubly horrifying. It would be like if Shadow humans existed in his own world… But the fact that they only came out at night was the truly odd part. Wes wasn’t aware of any Shadow mon in Orre that specifically became erratic at night…unless…

“If someone shady is behind this,” he mused aloud, “then there are several reasons why they’d choose to wreak havoc at night. Cover of darkness, of course, but also less people around for witnesses.”

In other words, a perfect opportunity if one wanted to test their corrupted subjects.

 

[RJr3:2]

"Sounds a little scary," Aige added unhelpfully, "Maybe it would be best to start with a night observation, like the others are saying."

Pondering the various theories that the others had proposed, the Roggenrola hummed thoughtfully. "I'll see what I believe and believe what I see, at least halfway!"

 

[Inkedust]

Jaak gave the misdreavus a concerned look. "Solid few days through the desert on foot if you follow the tracks," he replied. "Train's your best bet if you want to arrive there quickly for any reason."

He looked at Dave and shook his head. "Don't think so. That was all the way out east, way further out than Blaguarro, and don't recall hearing such rumours 'round there unless my buddy Clive manages to sniff something out." He swiped a paw across his features. "Only thing we see around there are a bunch of murkrow - population's been booming recently." His attention shifted to one of the buildings behind the group. "Didn't realise they were all the way out here too."

'All the way out here too. All the way out here too.' the pair mimicked with clacking beaks.

Jaak shuddered. "Gives me the creeps," he mumbled. Then, at Eco, he said, "Well that just gets me wonderin' why there of all places and what their goal might be if it's just some rogues and I've never heard of ferals being this aggressive. Something's gotta get them all actin' up."

 

[Shadow Serenity]

"See, there's been talk of things getting stolen and more and more people are starting claim that they've been seeing those 'Witching Beasts' out at night.

"Well that just gets me wonderin' why there of all places and what their goal might be if it's just some rogues and I've never heard of ferals being this aggressive. Something's gotta get them all actin' up."

So not only were there kidnapped pokemon being shipped off to Blaguarro, but there were also reports in that same area of violent beasts and things going missing. Kimiko was reminded of the talks back at the gala; speculation that the caravan's destination sounded almost like a lab. Sonora hadn't known exactly why the kidnapped 'mon were being taken, either... could there be a connection here? It felt too coincidental.

With a thoughtful look, she turned to the vigoroth, who seemed to be familiar with a few other members of the group already. "You mentioned talk of things getting stolen... Can you recall anything specific?"

She hesitated to bring up the caravan discovery yet, although she wasn't quite sure why other than 'just a feeling'. If someone else felt it important, so be it, but she was going to play it cautiously.

But that didn't mean she couldn't probe for further information, either. Everyone seemed to focused on these Witching Beasts... "When did reports of these beasts start coming in? And... has there been any other curious talk around the area? Besides the sudden increase in murkrow population."

 

[Butterfree]

He looked at Dave and shook his head. "Don't think so. That was all the way out east, way further out than Blaguarro, and don't recall hearing such rumours 'round there unless my buddy Clive manages to sniff something out." He swiped a paw across his features. "Only thing we see around there are a bunch of murkrow - population's been booming recently." His attention shifted to one of the buildings behind the group. "Didn't realise they were all the way out here too."

Dave scratched his chin and then realized he was doing it with his foot. God. “Okay, so what’s the train thing about? You said the train got attacked - by who?”

 

[Sinderella]

"Odette, delightful name! Nice to meet ya too!" Ghaspius said in a singsong voice as he bounced in place. "Hope those quick-fixes back at the gala didn't have any spooky side-effects."

Odette couldn't help but grin. "No, it was fine. Really did something good for my burns," she answered.

At Ridley he said, "Violent creatures that come out only at the darkest hours, according to the locals and you'll get a different answer depending who you ask. Can't say for myself, never seen it. The attacks themselves seem to be random not to mention how savage they are compared to a normal 'mon."

He then shook his head in response to the grubbin's question. "Dunno. Can't stop you from going there to investigate yourselves if you don't mind a negative reception."

He looked at Dave and shook his head. "Don't think so. That was all the way out east, way further out than Blaguarro, and don't recall hearing such rumours 'round there unless my buddy Clive manages to sniff something out." He swiped a paw across his features. "Only thing we see around there are a bunch of murkrow - population's been booming recently." His attention shifted to one of the buildings behind the group. "Didn't realise they were all the way out here too."

Yeah, of course there were a bunch of rumors, but not enough of anything concrete. That felt typical. Though it was interesting to hear that this train crash had happened outside the jurisdiction of where this weird Witching Beast nonsense seemed to be conglomerating. And, she wasn't sure where the piece about the murkrow fit, but something about it shot another chill up her spine.

They were considered bearers of misfortune in some myths back in her world...

"Have you determined the cause of the crash yet?"

“If someone shady is behind this,” he mused aloud, “then there are several reasons why they’d choose to wreak havoc at night. Cover of darkness, of course, but also less people around for witnesses.”

She realized there that Blueball likely didn't know what was going on with the revelations she had witnessed at that gala. He'd walked off with Mayor Shitbird before any of that came out. Truthfully, there were several 'mon that didn't seem to know, but she wasn't going to be the one to broadcast it to the whole world. It would spread like a fucking brush fire, and surely that would give the perps enough time to "fix themselves" so they'd all be back at square one again. Keeping it on the down-low felt ideal right now.

Reaching into her pack, she withdrew her songbook, which thankfully still had some pieces of blank paper left, and her fountain pen, which she figured had just enough ink in it to get her thoughts down. She tried her best to make her handwriting as legible as possible, writing her words slowly but with a purpose. When she was done, she carefully tore the page out, folded it up, and walked up next to Wes.

"Hey," she whispered to him under the cover of the other conversations happening. When he looked at her, she handed him the folded note.

Found out Ignutso is trafficking 'mon here. Shipping them out to and around Blaguarro. There's a mysterious establishment called "Terminal Two" and some talk of "experiments" around it, too. Certain that and these "Witching Beasts" might be related. Give note back when done, thanks -O