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Frontier Town Main Street

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"Almost everything." Nova nodded slowly. "And I was made... to keep peace and order within it." He looked down again. Blurred figures raced through his head. "My creator feared the Renegade tearing everything apart. So, I would lead others like me to prevent that. Any humans or pokémon that created enough unrest... were dealt with.

"I questioned it at first. But she told me it was for the good of everyone. That disorder would attract the Renegade. And his ferocity would tear Eternatus apart." A heavy sigh followed. "She would try to dissuade my doubts. Smiling underneath that blonde hair obscuring part of her face. Saying I was molded in the vein of the myths and legends she loved so much. Which never entirely made sense, but I was a weapon. I liked the praise."

His talons curled in the dirt. "But I couldn't take it anymore. I was the only one who could think for himself. And what I did felt... wrong. People couldn't truly be free living like that. So, I ran away. I cobbled together a resistance to stop her. Which eventually included the Renegade and his family.

"We destroyed her... and, in doing so, sealed the fate of our universe."
 
"koabummer"

Koa fidgeted from paw to paw. He had no idea what to think of Nova. On one hand it sounded like he'd had no choice half the time, and then the rest of the time he just hurt pokemon and people, without meaning to. Another thought wormed its way into his head. Did it matter? It wasn't like he could do anything. Nova was part of their team now, like it or not. He'd tried to fight back. Did that make it ok?

His head spun. What was he supposed to say? 'its cool man'?

"Well at least you tried to do what was right," he said eventually. He wasn't sure if he meant it positively or negatively. "And if you had the strength to stop her then clearly everything might not be so set in stone."
 
Nova would've smacked himself if he could. He was acting like a complete idiot. Trauma dumping to a stranger. Why was he like this? Had all those years alone really made him this desperate?

"Yes. You're right. That's—" Nova shifted uneasily. "Sorry. I shouldn't have piled that stuff on." He had to save face somehow. "Some mystery dungeons can turn our fears and nightmares against us. I guess, I dunno, if people know, they can be prepared."

Damn it, what kind of face saving is that?

"Right." The null attempted a calming breath. "Training. How good are you with your element?" Because Nova doubted Koa was using more than some electricity at this point.
 
Could 'mystery dungeons' really do that? He decided not to ask.

Relieved for a change of topic, he took a moment to reflect. "Not bad. I've been training on my own and gotten a feel for this electricity thing. I can control the strength and placement of my electricity fairly well. And apparently I can use Mach Punch here? Must be something about this body, I don't think electrike back home can learn it." He'd tried figuring out some other fighting moves but he'd had no luck, so he suspected it was just that one.

He found himself wondering what exactly Nova could actually teach him. Knowledge he'd picked up from his world? How could were differing species at being able to share knowledge? He supposed anything could be useful at this point.
 
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"Mach Punch?" Nova blinked. "I guess you threw hands as a human a lot, huh?" He shook his head, but there was a chuckle rumbling under his mask. "Surprised you aren't a growlithe if you're hotheaded."

He walked around Koa, bobbing his head slightly. "Smells like... you can probably Thunder Wave. Which is where most electrike start. Manectric are usually better at attacking from a distance, but this world plays by weird rules." Seriously, Mach Punch? How would a quadruped even move quick enough to use that move? "I think... you might be ready to learn to take that next step. From T-Wave... to Shock Wave."

(Pretty sure Koa's close, if not already at level 16, so this totes works :P)
 
"Yeah you could say that. Seen a few fights."

Koa wrinkled his nose as he followed Nova's movements "You can smell moves?" Maybe it was just a weird species thing... Then again, maybe it was a pokemon thing. He'd smelled electricity before, or at least that odd burning smell that accompanied it.

"Anyway it's odd... I should be better at distance attacking but its like I'm used to fighting up close. Like it comes naturally. I guess its something from my human side." Which felt unnerving somehow. He tried messing arround to see if he could pull off something like Aura Sphere, but no luck. "But I'd rather learn a little of both."
 
"Well, if you have the time, we could go practice Shock Wave," Nova offered. He gestured down an empty street. "Otherwise, you gotta think like the electricity is something tangible."

Nova flicked his talons, kicking up a bit of dust. "A Thunder Wave is just tossing small sparks onto someone." He then gathered up some of the dirt on the road into a little pile. "A Shock Wave is pooling those sparks into lightning and pushing it forward." Nova curled his talons up and moved the tiny dirt mound until it fell over. "The air caries the lightning and does the rest."
 
Koa listened carefully to Nova's explanation, briefly reminded of teaching his team new moves. Was this what it was like to be a pokemon? He almost envied it.

It sounded simple enough in principle. He let a few experimental sparks flicker as he imagined how it would feel. "Thanks for the advice," he said earnestly. "I think I get it, I'll definitely try it out next time I'm training."

He dipped his head to Nova. "Thanks for the tip." He wanted to say something else, some kind of advice or something helpful, but nothing came to mind. "Good luck."

He gave a slightly awkward nod in goodbye, before leaving Nova. A sense of unease lingered beneath the surface of his thoughts, but he ignored it. Nova was here, and that was that. He was at least, grateful for the help.

<><><><><>​
 
[Ch02] ~ Pie in the Sky, Swellow Relies
  • Threadmarks
    • A trail of ruffled feathers and light claw impressions made their way across Frontier Town as a frantic Swellow Torria scampered from building to building — eyes darting as a distraught expression bore into her face. It was only when someone shouted at her that she slowed her whipping wings and quietly descended down with a meek smile.

    Deciding that perhaps flailing about while hunting down a specific set of Pokémon she only met once was not the most civilized idea, the Scrivener instead elected to take the newspaper article with Laura's face, circle it in red pen, and write, "LOOKING FOR THESE FOLK" in big red text. Torria held it in her beak in front of her as she more awkwardly shuffled around Main Street.

    She just hoped it wouldn't be taken the wrong way.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Felin didn't quite take it the wrong way, but at the same time discerned that the swellow looked too proper to be someone with a vendetta against her group. Still she moved with caution, following the swellow from out of sight for a while. After a while, Felin deemed it safe to approach in the open.

    "Hello there!" Felin said, appearing when the bird took a corner. She waved her paw in a friendly gesture. "Oh? What's with the newspaper? Looking for these folk eh?"

    The corner of her lip twitched in a small smile as she tilted her head. "What could you be looking for them for?"
     
    A light squawk from the suddenly approaching 'mon made the Swellow drop her newspaper. Her feathers puffed as she scrambled to keep it down on the ground with a claw as her darting eyes tried to figure out who surprised her. When she looked down and saw the little kitty and rocky fellow, her posture relaxed.

    "Oh, hello there," she said as her feathers gently settled back in. "Pardon me, I am acting on behalf of Mayor Enubel from Little Scriven on business involving the, er, 'Offworlders', as it were. Do either of you happen to know where they might be?"

    Her head tilted from side to side as she tried to get a better look at the pair. "Well, it isn't a contest persay, though I suppose it isn't too far off."
     
    Felin had half a mind to mess with her juuuust a little bit, but that would be unprofessional. Furthermore, the mention of a mayor needing them for some business made the corner of Felin's lip to twitch downwards. Their sole experience with a mayor in this world so far has been less than pleasant, hasn't it?

    "Well I know where they are. I'm one of them," Felin replied simply as she reached down to pick up the dropped newspaper and handed it towards the bird. "What sort of business does your mayor want with us? Last time a mayor made a request to our group it was to have somemon hanged. So, you know, civilized stuff."

    She quickly made an addendum. "We didn't go through with that, in case you're wondering. And if the newspaper headline over here didn't give it away."
     
    "Ah, thank you," the Swellow mumbled as she took the newspaper back. After a brief pause, she blinked and asked, "Er, pardon? You said 'one of them'?" Her head practically turned upside down as she tried to get a better read on the Sprigatito. "Not that I wish to be rude, but..."

    She hummed to herself. Those ones that visited before also seemed so small and unassuming. The Swellow righted herself and shook her head. "Goodness no; I doubt a malicious thought exists in that head of hers. And, yes, I did see that. Quite impressive, I must say!" Her talons shifted a bit as she tried to equate the tiny kitty with taking down am imposing figure as Ignatius... she just couldn't see it. But it would've been disrespectful not to at least introduce herself.

    "R-right, Swellow Torria. I first want to apologize for mistaking the Offworlders that came our town back then as kids and doubting their story. We received read the papers and now everyone is in a frenzy trying to write about them, if I am being honest. As for the mayor, well..." She looked around to see if anyone had been listening. Her gazed paused on the Roggenrola, but she assumed they were equally innocent. Probably.

    "Mayor Enubel has been 'inspired' by your recent escapade. Very much so. To the point of not listening to reason!" She hissed. "She wants to have an 'out of this world'-themed festival for the Autumnal Equinox. She even made a list of demands that — I must emphasize — are not something I can just concoct on the fly! Don't even get me started on the budget..."

    Torria's talon lifted, and the newspaper fluttered away. "I suppose what I mean to say is... I need help from you all. Advice, imports, anything, really. I don't know what I'll be able to give you in return, but, I promise, I will compensate you for your time. I swear it on my great aunt's grave."
     
    "I suppose that makes me an 'offworlder' too," Aige said thoughtfully. "Personally I'd think that whole affair is more suitable for a novel, or maybe a stageplay if you're feeling dramatic. Maybe the newspaper was a bit sensationalist-" she paused, "-though it sounds like Mayor Enubel is a little sensationalist too."

    The Roggenrola glanced over at Felin, nodding in greeting, before turning back to Torria. "I don't know if we can accept your apology on behalf of whoever you mean, but we'll pass it on either way!" Aige watched the newspaper in the wind. "But let's hear what's on your shortlist for this party. I'm no event planner, but I've bought coffee for my officers occasionally. Same kind of thinking, no?"
     
    "Er, perhaps it isn't quite what you're thinking. The mayor's head is as much in the clouds as her form, if I may be blunt." She shook her head.
    "'Merchants with extraordinary goods', 'foods that are out-of-this-world', 'sweets with celestial flavors', 'unique foreign decor', 'games and shows from faraway lands', 'a huge bonfire with stories about other worlds'..."

    The Swellow let out a squawk. "Doesn't she realize that even if we could import foreign goods here, not only would we need to pay a fortune, but that the they might not even arrive time for the equinox?" She sighed. "She already declared it and won't budge, and I have no authority to stop her."

    Torria couldn't help but preen her feathers a bit as she gathered her thoughts. "Bless the stars above to have stumbled into you both. I would like to ask if you could pass along the request to your colleagues as well, if you can." She wasn't certain that it was the right term, but it was one she had been used to defaulting to. "Thankfully, not all of these are things you would need to prepare yourself. Many of the residents from Little Scriven do have their talents; I recall a Delibird that moved in recently in fact that specialized in frozen treats, in fact. But they would need direction.

    "Of course, you'd be more than free to implement your own ideas for the festival instead, so long as they aren't destructive. I am certain Mayor Enubel would just be happy to know the Offworlders themselves helped to set it up." She adjusted her wings. "I can't ask you to spare all of your time and Pokémon, but would you be willing to help us in this matter?"
     
    "A festival? Well doesn't that sound intriguing," Felin said, feeling a spark of interest bubbling in her chest. "Sure, I could help. Can't say how many will be onboard, but setting up a festival doesn't seem like a contentious matter."
     
    Torria gave a respectful nod. "I cannot thank you enough, Miss, er..." She tilted her head. "Forgive me, I didn't quite catch your name. And for future contact, where should I send my letters to?"
     
    "The name's Felin Boots!" Felin announced as she swung her arm and performed an almost theatrical bow. She jolted back upright and chuckled. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Swellow Torria."

    Felin cleared her throat and her performative demeanor took a shift to something more subdued. "Now then, I hope you don't mind me treating this like a job. I'm a dungeon delver and adventurer by profession. Any idea I give would be from those specs, if you get what I mean."
     
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