Frontier Town Industrial Park

[Inkedust]

At the northern end of Frontier Town, in stark contrast to its commercial, southern district, was its industrial heart.

More spacious than most other parts of town, the northern district acted as the town's hub for construction as all sorts of material work; wood, stone, and metal was done by more sturdy pokémon of all sizes; each competing for the attention of any prospective buyer. Yet of them all, 'Keldurr & Sons was considered the king of the area, second only to Frontier Foundations & Framework Co. Peppered among them were buildings composed of wood and stone that contained loggers, refineries and mills within that sourced their materials from the wagons that came through from the north. Those same wagons left with the same matrials, altered and refined.

Things rarely slowed to rest in the name of progress, especially now since construction on the station had begun. Workers from both 'Keldurr & Sons and Frontier Foundation were always trying to one-up each other to prove themselves the superior business. Perhaps an extra set of hands, paws, or talons will end up being the determining factor.

However in the wake of this heightened activity left many emptied out lots and warehouses, their contents funnelled away into the station's construction quicker than any resupply. Perhaps these places would be ideal if anyone needed to conduct a secret meeting or indulge in any shady business...

<><><>​

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Lyle shuffled off along the streets of the Industrial Park after a long day. He'd finally lined up an apprenticeship at the local glassworks, and even if most of the time since then had been spent just getting oriented, he'd already drawn a few remarks over how naturally he seemed to be taking to the basics.

Guess that was a sign that he hadn't completely forgotten everything he'd learned from his parents. Even if he wasn't going to hold his breath on them praising him for how far he'd come anytime soon.

He continued on, the Sun Stone Saloon was a bit of a walk from here, but it was a popular hangout for all sorts of Pokémon who seemed to have an interest in this town. Including a few who seemed like they'd be trouble, of the sort that paid well. But the drinks and crowd-watching slipped from his mind as there off to the side of the path was a bucket of water.

With a Treecko just sitting in it, deep in thought and seemingly not minding any of the surrounding world.

"Er... Treecko? What are you doing?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Meditating."

She was sitting in a bucket only a little shorter than she was with water going up to her neck. She seemed tranquil, like a houseplant.

"I had a dream. Someone was calling. I think I'm going to reply tonight."

Her eyes were closed. She probably didn't even know who she was talking to. Maybe she'd answered this question many times before.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Lyle cocked a brow, which he supposed wouldn't be as obvious anymore now that he was a Cyndaquil again. But even so, meditating? Replying in a dream? Since when could Treecko do that? Did this have something to do with the Voice that brought them here?

Lyle looked down at the bucket, and felt a quiet shudder run down his back. Wasn't meditation meant to clear one's mind? How was anyone supposed to clear their mind with half their body being cold and wet?

"... And how does sitting and getting soaked help with meditating again? Though I didn't know that Treecko could meditate. Isn't that more of a Psychic-types thing?"

 

[Namohysip]

"I used to be psychic," Mhynt replied idly. "And the water is because the desert heat is drying my leaves. I should take the time to keep myself nice and pretty, shouldn't I?" She shrugged. Her tone was nearly playful, but her expression was unreadable as always. Still, it didn't sound like she took beauty seriously. Was she joking? Was she filling the silence?

"You sound familiar. Are you part of the... 'new arrivals,' too?" she asked, speaking in code.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"I used to be psychic," Mhynt replied idly. "And the water is because the desert heat is drying my leaves. I should take the time to keep myself nice and pretty, shouldn't I?" She shrugged. Her tone was nearly playful, but her expression was unreadable as always. Still, it didn't sound like she took beauty seriously. Was she joking? Was she filling the silence?

Lyle wasn't sure what to make of the Treecko's reply. She used to be psychic? As a Treecko? There were worlds out there where such a thing existed?

Though he supposed that there might be other explanations. He'd heard of others who were summoned by the voice had come to Forlas with bodies quite different from the ones they had or used to have, especially the humans. Was this Treecko one of them? Since something about her seemed vaguely familiar.

"You sound familiar. Are you part of the... 'new arrivals,' too?" she asked, speaking in code.

Yeah, she had to be from the same group. Though what was this evasive tone that she was taking right now?

"Yeah, I'm with them. I suppose occasionally saying a word or two that gets the locals staring at me is a decent enough giveaway," he replied. "Though you chose your words awfully carefully there. Should we be worried about someone trying to find us right now?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Yes," Mhynt replied flatly, and her tone once again shifted to something less guarded and more frank. "Apparently, there is another group of humans around, or some kind of human obsession or sentiment, that we do not want to get involved in. For all we know, it's related to why we're here in the first place.

"After all, if this world already has a set of powerful foreigners... Why would they call in more if we're so vastly weaker?"

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Yes," Mhynt replied flatly, and her tone once again shifted to something less guarded and more frank. "Apparently, there is another group of humans around, or some kind of human obsession or sentiment, that we do not want to get involved in. For all we know, it's related to why we're here in the first place.

"After all, if this world already has a set of powerful foreigners... Why would they call in more if we're so vastly weaker?"

Lyle blinked slowly after Mhynt's reply. He... had heard of a few stories of humans turning up from his trips to the Sun Stone Saloon, but nothing about them being connected together somehow. Though if Mhynt was right, then that seemed to be pointing towards one conclusion...

"So you mean that you think we were brought here to fix someone else's mess from the past?"

 

[Namohysip]

"That's my guess," Mhynt said with a nod. "Good thought. It seems like a reasonable conclusion, don't you think? Why summon more humans when there are already some here?"

She paused, thoughtful further.

"I was never human. I was powerful, but not human. And many others weren't formerly human, either. Which suggests... humanity is not the answer this time, either."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"That's my guess," Mhynt said with a nod. "Good thought. It seems like a reasonable conclusion, don't you think? Why summon more humans when there are already some here?"

She paused, thoughtful further.

"I was never human. I was powerful, but not human. And many others weren't formerly human, either. Which suggests... humanity is not the answer this time, either."

Lyle cocked his head at the Treecko. She used to be powerful, but wasn't human? Boy did that sound familiar... though that made him wonder, why did the Voice choose him when he was just a normal Quilava? It wasn't as if he had any special powers back home...

Though, had Mhynt kept any of those powers after crossing over? If so, did that have anything to do about how she'd learned about things that he hadn't picked up on this past week?

"Is that power also how you found out about these things? Or are you just a normal Treecko right now?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Oh, I spoke with someone who clued me in," Mhynt replied. "Gerome, at one of the bars. The Wandering Zera, I think. I can also... do this."

And then she vanished in a little blip of light. Gone. Like she wasn't there. Maybe Lyle hallucinated her the entire time after having a swig of odd cactus juice.

"I suspect I can manifest more," Mhynt went on--behind Lyle, still in her bucket. She'd Teleported. "And the other one, the one called Nova, also manifested an odd power. A shield that sapped my strength. Some things were... replicated."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Oh, I spoke with someone who clued me in," Mhynt replied. "Gerome, at one of the bars. The Wandering Zera, I think. I can also... do this."

And then she vanished in a little blip of light. Gone. Like she wasn't there. Maybe Lyle hallucinated her the entire time after having a swig of odd cactus juice.

"I suspect I can manifest more," Mhynt went on--behind Lyle, still in her bucket. She'd Teleported. "And the other one, the one called Nova, also manifested an odd power. A shield that sapped my strength. Some things were... replicated."

Lyle whirled around and jumped back with a start after Mhynt teleported behind him. Guess that was one way of driving the point across.

"Point taken. You must've been quite something back in your own world," he murmured. "Though what's this Wandering Zera like? Or Gerome, for that matter? I admittedly had been spending most of my time around the Sun Stone Saloon, but I suppose it wouldn't kill me to get to know my neighborhood a bit better."

 

[Namohysip]

"Gerome, the Tyranitar, is... soft-spoken but seems to be a bouncer and the bartender. He's kind. I suspect he's hiding something, but I don't think he's trying to be our enemy. He warned us to be careful who we tell about... our status." Mhynt nodded. "Of course, only some people followed that... but that's how it goes. I think we should instead start developing precautions for what happens when it does get out."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Lyle supposed that it would only make sense that if they were brought here to solve a problem where the fate of this world hung in the balance, that there'd be someone out there who would stand in their way. Even so, was that all that Gerome had had to say about the matter? How were they even supposed to know who they should be looking out for?

"Did he say anything about what could happen if we weren't careful? Or who's looking for us?" Lyle asked. "After all, we've only been here for about a week, so it's admittedly a bit surprising to hear that we apparently have already have enemies we need to be careful about."

 

[Namohysip]

"Humans, apparently," Mhynt said. "Or... humans who believed they are, even as Pokemon, above 'pure Pokemon' and the sort. Supremacists, one could say." Mhynt sighed, shaking her head. "And unfortunately, they also have great power due to self-amplifying. The relation between humans and Pokemon--how one is strengthened by the other--bundled up into a single entity, a human-turned-Pokemon."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Lyle couldn't help but feel a chill run down his back. While the folklore of his world spoke of humans having being given gifts of wisdom by the gods, they didn't say anything about them being uniquely powerful. Even in the tales he'd heard of where the humans allegedly came in Pokémon bodies.

And he certainly didn't hear any stories of humans with that sort of outlook towards Pokémon...

"That's... really different from how I'm used to hearing humans spoken about in my world," he said. "Though you don't seem all that surprised saying this. Are they also like this in whatever world you come from?"

He trailed off briefly, as a wrinkle in Mhynt's answer suddenly dawned on him.

"Wait, is this power something that all humans have in this world?" he asked. "Then what does that mean for the humans that were in our group?"

 

[Namohysip]

"I'm not sure," Mhynt said. "Curious, isn't it? They don't seem all that stronger than us. But it's only been a few days. There's no telling, really. As for my world..."

She leaned back in her bucket, sinking until she was up to her neck in it.

"It's true, to an extent. But humans were long forgotten in my world, more like folklore. There was... a great secret about them, but it's not really important here." She nodded to herself. "But that amplifying power was true. I know that much. In my opinion, it's just luck."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Forgotten? Do Pokémon in your world not have anything to remember its humans by?" Lyle asked. "Since in mine, it sometimes feels like you can't so much as go through a Grafschaft without running into something left behind from when they used to be around."

 

[Namohysip]

"Hmm." The Treecko leaned back and stared at the sky. "You could say that powers on high weren't very keen on humans for our neck of the woods and decided to get rid of them." She closed her eyes. "Now, I wasn't actually around at the time. I was born many centuries after this presumed event, and the gods I spoke with were cagey on the subject.

"But I don't think he killed all the humans. I think the gods changed them. The relics of humanity... were never seen much as relics because we always had them.

"Isn't it funny? My ancestors might have been human. The very same sort of human that this world fears. Maybe that's why the Pokemon here seem so... weak compared to the mundane of my world. We all have that amplifying aura."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Lyle shuffled a bit at Mhynt's reply. The idea of the gods colluding together to transform humans into Pokémon sounded downright fanciful, but... was it really? After all, the abilities she had kept after coming to Forlas were already startling and unlike anything he'd heard of back home. Even if the implication that the gods of Mhynt's world had decided they didn't want humans to exist anymore was a bit unsettling, it was hard to dismiss them outright. Why, when he thought of the stories of how his own world was said to have been created and the fabric of reality of itself had changed in the blink of an eye...

It should've sounded less implausible to him than it did. Really, the thing that tripped him up the most from Mhynt's tale were details that were downright minor in comparison.

"Wait, you've spoken to gods before? As in they're just there in your world for others to go to and speak to?" he asked. "Though how on earth would they all agree with each other enough to do something like that?"