Offscreen Activities

[Jackie Cat]

Leaf takes the nearest waypoint to Fort Sunward and checks in with the watch-captains. She apologizes for the Wayfarers just vanishing on them in the middle of all... that, and hopes the army (and the Coven) hasn't been bothering them too much. She also asks after Amida: has she been adjusting okay? Did she go visit her family?

If she's able to find Amida personally, she asks how she's doing and if she's been able to enjoy herself. Eventually, she explains that they visited the world-spirit, and that the weird red star up there is actually her friend, Lorrel. He's been stuck there for a long time, and he's probably not going to be comfortable or happy on his way out. No telling when he'll emerge or if anything will force it, but... if she's feeling up to it, it might do him some good if she's there to see him when he gets free.

The Wardens are fine, but changing. Although they are a culture of habit and tradition, there's something exciting about a rebuilding effort, and purposeful military exercises. Not to mention that their primary charge is now not to protect the Mesa itself, but the 'new sun' and the local community she's returned to. The youngest generation of Charcadet students are developing a more outward-looking mindset as a result of their recent shakeups, and the 'fire-thought' – that is, the memetic notion that spreads most rapidly and passionately among them – is that Wayfarers like Leaf are why the Wardens stand any chance at all of adapting to these strange times. They're actually quite eager for her to stick around a while and train with them. They would like a Pokémon Trainer's teachings, especially if it means they can get a leg up on Army forces.

"You came to visit me! How sweet of you. Hark, have you partaken of these steamed treats? They are the local delicacy, buttered and salted and sweetened. You must try them for me, I wish you to tell me if they are good. O, I cannot delay in the telling! I made them, me myself! They explode most delightfully in the making. It is my present hobby, dear Leaf~"

Amida has spent most of her time in Sundial Village, the Mesa's associated 'civilian' settlement down the road. Although she is a singularly strange pokémon now, she is still the local culture's goddess reborn, and her visage is that of an ageless being of limitless solar energy. She is revered, at least for the time being, but seems to enjoy the attention. (From her perspective, it has been a very long time since anyone admired her.) Nevertheless, she is not too alienated from others – Sundiallers being unreservedly joyful and passionate folks – and has taken on a pasttime of making modern foods she was not familiar with in her era – such as 'banging maize'.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Her first trek of the day takes her out to the Ranger HQ. She apologizes for vanishing for several weeks and asks how things have been carrying on in the Wayfarers' absence, especially with the army muscling in(?).

The Rangers are busy, but glad to have Jade back and that she's okay – would she mind taking on a few jobs? Thanks.

Between a formal debriefing with a patient Razael – and an informal gossipmongering session with Sinopa, Ollin, and Nico – Jade more or less gets the big picture. With Cipher gone and Wayfarer influence dramatically strengthening the Union over time, their day jobs have gotten a lot easier. The problem is that they've had to take on a frustratingly political new role as the Commonwealth seeks to assert its practical control over the Soja'. The Rangers aren't a military outfit, or even police, but they're forced to act in an almost paramilitary capacity to project strength and deter Army recon patrols. It's chest-puffing, basically. This is our turf. So far it seems to be working okay, mostly because any Army squad that won't be intimidated will run into Brisa Escarpa sooner or later.

But Brisa can't be everywhere at once.

Her next stop is out at the Escarpa camp. Her main objective is to look for Brisa and let her know that some of the Wayfarers are back, and that once they've all reconvened, they'll be making plans to locate Starr at last. She'll also indulge some of the cubs in sparring requests if she has the time.

Brisa's out on patrol – days at a time, typical for her – and stops by the Ranger Union more than the Clan, anyway. Still, the kids are delighted to throw themselves uselessly against Jade's now-mature 'offworlder strength', and the message will apparently be passed on. She also learns that Sierra's training with Luz continues apace, and that the Luxray chieftain's fur has started to take on a golden hue.

Later, on one of her jobs, Jade runs into Brisa – now a Luxray! – after the warrior-ranger takes a detour to rendezvous with her.

"Glad to see y'all made it back safe. You 'specially, partner. Can hardly believe you're that same kid I met in Magna – but I reckon I'll be walkin' with ya into danger 'stead of away from it, sooner'n not."

Brisa expects that once there's an opportunity to locate and rescue Starr, Jade will accompany her.

 

[Jackie Cat]

She takes whatever chance she can get to engage in small and big talk with both fellow Wayfarers and local people to learn basic information about them and Frontier Town.

The good folks of Frontier Town find Lyra quite charming, for the most part, even if the more roughshod types judge her to be an innocent li'l thing what oughta be in school or somesuch. By happenstance, she has a chance meeting with one Torterra Esther, an elder resident who predates the town's renaming. Esther takes a shine to Lyra and is content to tell her anything she likes about the town, its history, and its inhabitants in exchange for company and trivial fetchquests errands.

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova also takes the time to go and visit Amida, both to make good on the promise of helping her adjust to a synthetic body and to relay his encounter with Auriga, including the revelation about the red star.

(Dunno if this should be expanded on, but figured I'd drop it here for now...)

 

[Tetra]

Koa pays a visit to Amida, mostly to see how she's getting on and make sure nobody Covenant aligned has been bothering her. He'd definitely a little in awe of and fascinated by her. Volcarona may not be the same as a legendary from his world but here she's still a grand hero of her own. If she seems friendly he's definitely not against hearing some stories from her time on Forlas, though he wouldn't pry if she seems reluctant.

He'd also take time to relay some stories of their own in their times here. He's curious if she has any tips to share about using Radiance

 

[canisaries]

After arriving back in Frontier Town with Brisa, Andre excuses himself and heads into the Haus. He finds Ben's quarters and tries to talk to the teddi, but Ben understandably doesn't want to let him in. Andre then knocks on the door of the neighboring room and tells the mon that if anything happens to Ben they should tell the police it was him, which the mon confusedly accepts. Andre now having thrown away any possible alibi, Ben agrees to let him into his room.

Andre starts off immediately by saying that Ben was right all along and that Andre was the one that killed Mike. He follows this up with a flood of apologies, but the bear isn't having it. Andre killed his trainer, his beloved, and he can never be forgiven. Ben calls Andre a lot of things which Andre forces himself to take despite the wounds to his pride.

Eventually, though, Ben runs out of insults and tells Andre to turn himself in to the police - no, to announce to everyone through Betel's network what he's done and what he is and then turn himself in to the police. Andre, then, sighs and confesses his sins to every Wayfarer listening…

 

[Jackie Cat]

Andre to turn himself in to the police

In this case, 'the authorities' are Sheriff Sonora and Mayor Greasewood. They have no idea what to make of Andre's confession, given the closest thing to what he's done is "committed a crime abroad" outside of local jurisdiction. They're not sure he's mentally well. (He's not.) In the end they decide to let him sit in the town jail for a bit with the guards under instruction not to talk to him until Doc Drungfield can take a look at him. (She is not a 'head quack', but still.)

Assuming Andre accedes to this, Doc comes to see him some hours later and has a brusque conversation with him. She asks if he was fucking with them. She asks why the good goddamn he'd do such a thing. She asks if he's gonna do it again. Finally, she gives him the option of talking to a priest, or letting (former) Sheriff Stranger look inside his head to falsify that he's a threat to the community.

 

[canisaries]

Assuming Andre accedes to this, Doc comes to see him some hours later and has a brusque conversation with him. She asks if he was fucking with them. She asks why the good goddamn he'd do such a thing. She asks if he's gonna do it again. Finally, she gives him the option of talking to a priest, or letting (former) Sheriff Stranger look inside his head to falsify that he's a threat to the community.

Andre accedes to it. He says that no, he wasn't fucking with anyone, he did it because he thought it was just, and that he isn't going to do it again. Well. Not on Forlas. His current self has no control over whether his homeworld self will continue with his brutality.

Andre chooses Stranger, not having much need for a priest from a foreign (or any) religion. A mind reader would be able to find out that he does not have nor has had any serious intentions for violent crimes on Forlas, but has a (mostly unfounded) fear of this fact changing.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Shortly after a bunch of the Wayfarers had reunited on Main Street, Jade approaches Silver to catch up on their respective experiences since that mission in the CDE basement. While dropping off a delivery at Nina's Place, she overheard some townies chatting about seeing the old sheriff back in town that morning. The old sheriff? Jesse Stranger? The one and only, they confirmed.

"You were with Laura's group, right, somewhere up north? Was Jesse with you? I just figured, since you were the last one who saw him back then... I ended up in some old temple garden down south—pretty nice if we ignore the killer plants, aha. Anyway, if he's back in town, we should check what he knows about where Starr got shipped off to. I already let Brisa know that we're back, she'll obviously be coming with us."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Nova also takes the time to go and visit Amida, both to make good on the promise of helping her adjust to a synthetic body and to relay his encounter with Auriga, including the revelation about the red star.

Koa pays a visit to Amida, mostly to see how she's getting on and make sure nobody Covenant aligned has been bothering her.

Amida is happy to receive more visitors. She's growing curious about the modern world – what's a telegraph? What's a newspaper? What's a government? She is endlessly energetic in her questioning.

She's also willing to tell a little of the world she remembers, although she does rather dismiss it as a lost era. Perhaps because the subject is poignant for her to discuss? In any case, she tells of an ancient culture for whom the invention of agriculture was practically in living memory. As it turns out, pre-technological pokémon weren't so different from those alive today – they worked, they ate and drank together, they danced and sang and played music, they squabbled and fought and hurt each other, and they watched their children do it all again (but worse this time, of course).

Nobody from the Covenant has bothered her – there were a pair of terrified lab interns half out of their minds with thirst and seeking shelter, but the village gave them a little aid and sent them on their way. Apparently, to find a community with space for them to settle somewhere in the southern Soja'.

She doesn't much feel like giving lessons in Radiance. She does, however, claim that

"Light carries only an impression of things. If you see through green glass, the world will appear green to you. Think, then, of how faithless the light is that takes on the colour of your own soul."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Andre chooses Stranger, not having much need for a priest from a foreign (or any) religion. A mind reader would be able to find out that he does not have nor has had any serious intentions for violent crimes on Forlas, but has a (mostly unfounded) fear of this fact changing.

Jesse Stranger is no longer sheriff, but he still carries himself with the tight-wound authority of one, even after everything he's been through in his last few years of absence. He isn't especially horrified by Andre's murder record.

"The sadism's the more off-colour part of the whole, so far as I reckon. A violent kid's just got troubles; they're only in need of learnin'. The kid that skewers a livin' thing just to watch it die, they're the type as may be you can't teach. Unless fate sees fit as to send 'em a revelation. Let's find out if you've had your wretched brain changed fer the better, son... Hold still. I want you picturin' yer implements."

The Delphox spends the better part of half an hour in Andre's cell, rummaging through memories and hypotheticals, until he's satisfied that while Andre might be a sick son of a bitch, and his mind ain't what he'd call right, exactly, there won't be any murders of his doing on Forlas.

"Best let you sit a while in here ruminatin' on yer misdeeds afore you get mixed up in any comin' trouble, though."

Because he thinks Andre might hurt someone?

"Yeah. Yerself. Nobody wants you tryin' fer an easy redemption amid the fire. Do everyone a favour and get yer deathwish gone, kid. Be seein' you."

 

[Cresselia92]

Shortly after a bunch of the Wayfarers had reunited on Main Street, Jade approaches Silver to catch up on their respective experiences since that mission in the CDE basement. While dropping off a delivery at Nina's Place, she overheard some townies chatting about seeing the old sheriff back in town that morning. The old sheriff? Jesse Stranger? The one and only, they confirmed.

"You were with Laura's group, right, somewhere up north? Was Jesse with you? I just figured, since you were the last one who saw him back then... I ended up in some old temple garden down south—pretty nice if we ignore the killer plants, aha. Anyway, if he's back in town, we should check what he knows about where Starr got shipped off to. I already let Brisa know that we're back, she'll obviously be coming with us."

Truthfully, before reaching town, Silver had been somewhat apprehensive about having a one-of-one conversation with Jade after failing to find her friend. It didn’t help that Jesse’s words still floated rent-free in his mind, marked with fire into the farthest aisle of his noggin: "She ain't here. Shipped out weeks or months ago, after our li'l shindig we put on. Some other facility, built to test Radiance in a combat environment."

Whether it was his fault or not for failing the mission (he knew it wasn’t, but the failure was a tough pill to swallow), the result didn’t change: Starr was still MIA and the Covenant was most likely doing who-knew-what with her and her Radiance (and knowing his own track record with powerful organizations, it definitely wasn’t anything good).

However, by the time he had relayed everything to Lyra and she gave him some much-needed encouragement (gods, her boundless optimism was truly infectious), a huge burden had been lifted off his spirit. He still wasn’t happy about the whole “Find Starr” fiasco, but at least he was more determined to become stronger and find out what happened to her, and the unease about the conversation was gone.

“Yeah, I was with Laura and the others, but Jesse wasn’t with us. Dunno where he ended up. As for us, we got kinda involved with a dungeon that wanted us to tell it and the others some ‘truths’ and with an old Typhlosion who to told us a bittersweet story about war and friendship.”

Still, that whole adventure wasn’t very important. It didn’t matter where the supernatural forces had dropped them off; what mattered was that Jesse had returned to town, and with him came many answers they were still unaware about.

“But whatever. If that old fella’s really back, then we oughta pay him a visit, yeah. Even if he doesn’t know where exactly that battle facility is, he still knows more than us. And if Starr is still there,” his stare grew sharp, almost as if messing with Starr equated to having messed with him, “ then we’re gonna bust in and get her out — no matter how.”