Blaguarro Town Terminal Two Main Floor

[Jackie Cat]

'Betel... any sign around of a Zweilous or Drapion? And has anyone said they found Cipher's portal technology?'

Hello, Koa! I am afraid I cannot detect Alex & Xander, or the Shadow drapion.

As for the portal technology, nobody has found it just yet... but a significant spacetime rift I had identified as most likely being the heart of Blackwater Depths has contracted considerably since the facility's generators went offline. I suspect that the anomaly – whether it is the heart or not – was the point of entry for Cipher into Forlas. It may no longer be traversible.

"The simple questions first. Both of us know that you are not of this world, what business do you have on Forlas and where is your means of getting here?"

"And why Forlas specifically? Like, was it happenstance, or did someone tell ya?"

Ein regarded the Zoroark and the Mismagius dispassionately, his Shadow-tainted eyes cold and analytical.

"The goal of the Cipher Syndicate is to obtain power. All our business here is to further that objective – for my part, I seek new knowledge and technologies that might prove useful to us, and the plentiful resources available for exploitation."

He snorted lightly at Ghaspius' question.

"This world was simply what lay at the endpoint of our trans-dimensional wormhole. We did not select this reality over any other."

The Manectric's eyes narrowed.

"How came you by this dimension? Our intelligence reports insist you are offworlders, but we found no record of most of you even existing. Those that do exist on Earth... have not left, if they're even a close match to begin with."

“Hey? You awake big guy? Sounds like we got both your friends up here, and the one down in the labs, too. Any other friends we should know about? Got anyone who’s gonna swear vengeance, or come bust you out of prison?”

The Darmanitan groaned as he recovered a scrap of consciousness. Fainting twice in short order really took it out of a 'mon, even a 'perfect Shadow', a human with a supercharged aura, or both.

"This is not the whole of the organisation called Cipher," muttered Dakim. "You have not defeated us beyond the point of retribution. Watch your back, boy."

"Don't let him spook ya," called Seth, swaggering back into earshot. It was the happiest he'd sounded, or looked, since the Wayfarers had met him. "Cipher doesn't have an unlimited number of souped-up admin types – we've gutted their leadership and completely fucked up their activities in Sojavena. This is a real kick in the balls for them."

"Tell yourself what you will, if it brings you comfort," rumbled Dakim, staring a hole in the opposite wall. "I will see your skulls in my hands before I enter my grave."

"Don't tempt me to give you an express ticket, asshole," quipped Seth, his voice dripping contempt.

Dakim laughed quietly to himself. It was not a pleasant sound.

 

[Namohysip]

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you'll be spending a lot of time coming up with threatening one-liners while in custody," Mhynt said, waving a hand dismissively. "If you have no more information for us, shut up. The more you cooperate, perhaps the better your standing will be in the future on if or when you'll be released.

"You know, I was informed of something very interesting a while ago," Mhynt said. "Apparently, if you spend more time in Forlas than you do in your home world... you can no longer go home. Your spirit and body will be tied here." She tapped her chin idly. "I wonder what that means, depending on how long your sentencing is... Perhaps I should inform the law that death is not the greatest punishment for you."

 

[Inkedust]

"We had an alternative way of arrival," was Bellatrix's reply, deciding not to give any more detail than that. She met Ein's gaze with one equally as cold. "But that's as much as you will hear. Do not forget your current position," she then said. "I'm asking the questions.

"How many more of you are on Forlas?" she asked, her eyes narrowing at his shadowy taint, leading her into her next question. "Furthermore, I presume that your current state is a part of the reason you are here. Why? What does it accomplish?"

 

[MintyMimix]

"Okay, but power to do... what?" Ghaspius's expression fell to a deep frown. "Or is it power for power's sake?" He tugged just a bit too hard on the next tie, as his tassel clenched. After murmuring a token apology, he shook his head and looked away before Ein could answer. It was all too clear on his face that he had personal experience with his latter question.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes gave himself a moment to catch his breath. He nodded in response to Betel’s messages, then quickly felt a little stupid for doing so. Somehow, it felt like nodding to someone on the other end of a phone call.

At the sound of Ein’s voice, his lip curled. He stalked over to the fallen Manectric (a Manectric, just like Koa would be—but no, he couldn’t let himself wander down that train of thought) and loomed over him with a low growl.

“You’re in no position to be making threats or asking questions, assholes.” He shot Dakim a burning glare before looking back at Ein. As satisfying as it was to see the bastard crumpled and defeated on the floor, he still felt that somehow familiar surge of loathing whenever he looked at him. “You. If you know how to create Shadows, then I assume you know how to undo them, too.”

He leaned down and snarled in the scientist’s face. “If you know what’s good for you, then tell us how to cure them.”

 

[Tetra]

Koa listened with a scowl as they spoke. Disgusting, despicable good for nothing scum. Exactly like every other team. Power, wielded by evil, for no reason. His paws curled. Burning hatred reared in him again. He stalked over to Ein, not caring that Wes was near him.

"And where exactly is your portal located?" he growled. Betel had mentioned Blackwater, but he wanted to see what Ein would say. Maybe it would be a good way to tell if he was a liar or not. Or could they have some kind of second portal?

 

[Weazel]

The Dewott shot Seth a grin, happy to see the red Lycanroc in a much better mood now that the fighting was done. Still, better to keep Dakim’s warning in mind, just in case. They didn’t want to get caught by surprise.

“Do you know who might still be out there?” Archie asked Seth, figuring the Lycanroc might be more willing to share any of that information than Dakim would.

 

[Jackie Cat]

“Do you know who might still be out there?”

Seth shrugged. "There's that creep Nascour. He's their fixer, pretty much – bastard is their best battler, and completely fucked in the head. Pretty sure you guys already nabbed that clown Mirrorball, and I'll bet you that the basement squad went up against Lovrina. I'm right, aren't I? Nice."

He pawed at his head for a moment.

"I'd be surprised if the top brass were on Forlas, to be honest with you. Their value to the Syndicate is in Earth wealth and Earth connections, none of which buy shit here. So: fucking Nascour, and maybe some other motherfuckers like Ardos, Eldes, Gorigan..."

Seth's face fell as he mentally went through the lesser Cipher operatives, and inevitably reminded himself of Zoroark Fein, lifeless in the ground.

"Whatever. We can take 'em."

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you'll be spending a lot of time coming up with threatening one-liners while in custody. If you have no more information for us, shut up. The more you cooperate, perhaps the better your standing will be in the future on if or when you'll be released.

"You know, I was informed of something very interesting a while ago. Apparently, if you spend more time in Forlas than you do in your home world... you can no longer go home. Your spirit and body will be tied here. I wonder what that means, depending on how long your sentencing is... Perhaps I should inform the law that death is not the greatest punishment for you."

Ein didn't react to Mhynt's threat, but it clearly had some kind of effect on Dakim – the hulking Darmanitan did shut up, closing himself off from the ongoing discussion. He wouldn't be responsive after this. Perhaps Mighty Dakim didn't relish the idea of being marooned on an alien world for good – or was just coming to terms with decades in prison.

"We had an alternative way of arrival. But that's as much as you will hear. Do not forget your current position. I'm asking the questions. How many more of you are on Forlas? Furthermore, I presume that your current state is a part of the reason you are here. Why? What does it accomplish?"

"Okay, but power to do... what? Or is it power for power's sake?"

“You’re in no position to be making threats or asking questions, assholes. You. If you know how to create Shadows, then I assume you know how to undo them, too. If you know what’s good for you, then tell us how to cure them.”

"And where exactly is your portal located?

Ein laughed. He sounded as if he honestly found his interrogators ridiculous.

"My word, but you really are such a crowd of sullen, self-important imbeciles. Spare me your childish demands and pretentious anger. What will you do to me if I refuse to cooperate? Hurt me? As if you have the stomach for it! Where's your leverage – any that I'll actually care about, hm?"

Seth chuckled darkly. "Ein... If you let me get bored, I'll go find more of your tech to smash."

The Manectric shot a withering leer at the midnight Lycanroc.

"Profoundly irritating as always, Lycas. Well done, indeed. Very well, I have no particular objection to answering your questions."

It seemed Ein didn't care about keeping secrets, at least. On the other hand, the wrong kind of threat meant nothing to him...

"Listen carefully. I don't intend to repeat myself.

"There are dozens more Cipher assets active on Forlas. My 'current state' is that of a perfect Shadow – lucid and fully able to control the energy. This grants incredible power, which is all the justification we require.

"Power is the key to anything. Resources, influence, control, technology, force... All forms of power are essential to achieving any other objective. Sufficient power is self-justifying.

"I have dedicated precisely zero hours of my precious time researching a means of 'curing' Shadow pokémon. We sent Miror B to destroy a rumoured means of doing so in this world, just as we destroyed all alleged cures in our world.

"Do you want directions to our planar gateway? Would a map help you get there? Pah. In any case, it's moot. Without power, the rift will have contracted and returned to an impassable state."

Here, Ein smiled cruelly.

"Of course, we have another. Elsewhere on Forlas – one that may never close."

 

[Inkedust]

"One that you likely will not see for a very long time. I'm sure you will able to enjoy that power within custody," Bellatrix said, not even bothering to bring up their new vulnerability to Radiance. The Admins would have to learn the hard way if they decided to try anything else. "Our allies will find a suitable place for you. A means of curing too, seeing that the Relic of the Timeless Oasis is in our possession." Best not to mention that the Relic was still being studied, thus making said cure more of a work-in-progress than anything.

Bellatrix continued with the interrogation, ignoring Ein's attempts to get under their skin. It seemed that she had done this sort of thing before and if Seth was more than happy to provide the leverage for them, that just made her job easier. "Elsewhere in a location that wouldn't happen be called 'Terminal One' by any chance?" she pressed.

 

[Namohysip]

"One that may never close," Mhynt hummed. "Well," she said, her tone the same as always, perfectly even and indistinguishable--despite the fact that she was about to tell her first lie. She didn't intend to speak to Ein again after this... so this would be a good opportunity to lie without getting caught.

"There is one way to save you, even if you're imprisoned. If we wipe out all forms of portals... and it is by our hands, including that supposed other portal... you will be able to go home 'by default.' That is, by our power, the offworlders through that portal will also go away. It's why we were summoned here." Mhynt crossed her arms. "But if someone else destroys it... the reaction does not apply. They lack the same recall energy.

"Make of that what you will. But I felt it would be relevant to any future decisions you make."

 

[Tetra]

Koa gazed at Ein impassively, keeping his seething disgust masked. Always power and deranged rambles about justifications that were nothing more than excuses to hurt innocents and cause harm. As if you don't want power too. Seth's threat did catch his ears, and he made a note of it. Maybe he'd blow up whatever was left just to spite Ein. "I'm sure we'll never find it," he said snidely.

As Bellatrix and Mhynt spoke, he quelled his remaining anger, determined not to snap or punch Ein right in his jaw. He had to try and follow their lead. Instead, he settled on the mental image of throwing him through one of his own computers.

"You asked if 'they' sent us against you. Who is it you believed we are?"

 

[MintyMimix]

Ghaspius's eyes widened for the slightest of moments, but they soon softened into a glazed, almost mischievous look as his smile widened. Wordlessly, he floated over to one of the computers and wistfully asked, "Y'all store your research notes in these boopy bops, yeah?" It was a guess, but considering how much the magic boxes apparently did, it was worth a shot.

"Ya know, I've been mixin' up some corrosive acids lately as part of a greater experiment, but I never really did get to test their efficacy..." He pulled out a vial of vile lime liquid. He gave it a light shake as it began to bubble, desperate to escape its prison. Considering he had been handling it with a bare tassel, it might've been a bluff. But then again, it was Ghaspius.

 

[Weazel]

The Dewott folded his arms, running those names through his head. Nascour, Ardos, Eldes, Gorigan. They’d abandoned Miror B. in the Divine Dungeon, so it was anyone’s guess what had happened to him afterwards. The strange duck was a wildcard – could be dead, or lost in time, or simply at large somewhere – and if the upper echelons weren’t here like Seth thought, that meant they’d dealt with roughly half of Cipher’s brass on Forlas. Definitely not enough to pat themselves on the back just yet, especially if one of the ones still at large was their absolute best.

He looked down at the Darmanitan beneath him, momentarily considering prodding him for more information. It seemed like Dakim had walled himself off from the world though. He tapped the Fire Type again, this time with a paw.

“Hey, want to tell me about your friends? Put the fear of Arceus in me?” He asked, not really expecting an answer. He shrugged, glancing at the main body of the group crowded around Ein. Best leave them to that, he was feeling more than a little drained, now that that strange buzzing confidence had drained from his system.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Y'all store your research notes in these boopy bops, yeah? Ya know, I've been mixin' up some corrosive acids lately as part of a greater experiment, but I never really did get to test their efficacy..."

Ein gave the ghost a deadpan stare.

"Yes, yes, you'll destroy my devices, you and Lycas over there. I'm already cooperating, so you're making this threat just to be able to make the threat. Tormenting me for the sake of it? How 'heroic'."

"Elsewhere in a location that wouldn't happen be called 'Terminal One' by any chance?"

"I'm sure we'll never find it."

Ein nodded, dispassionately.

"Congratulations on your deduction. Yes, our other base is a great distance from here. I wish you the best of luck searching continental Luctemar for it – it's not as if we have an overland route there. But since you'll no doubt insist on pressing the point, I'll tell you that it is located in the Wight Barren, a remote polar wasteland far to the north-east. I trust that my colleagues there will be well-prepared for your timely arrival."

"There is one way to save you, even if you're imprisoned. If we wipe out all forms of portals... and it is by our hands, including that supposed other portal... you will be able to go home 'by default.' That is, by our power, the offworlders through that portal will also go away. It's why we were summoned here. But if someone else destroys it... the reaction does not apply. They lack the same recall energy."

Ein raised a brow, and considered Mhynt's words attentively.

"How interesting. So, you claim your group possesses a particular power to dispel portals, and any who entered through them in the process, do I have that right? That's quite an incredible claim. But even if I were to believe you, Grovyle – I am no existentialist. I am more concerned by the prospect of my decades-long incarceration than I am with the species of my corpse, or the cosmic location of my grave."

The Shadow Manectric smiled thinly.

"But do be sure to give my regards to Master Nascour, should you happen to cross paths while searching the Wight Barren."

"You asked if 'they' sent us against you. Who is it you believed we are?"

Ein sniffed in possible mild amusement.

"Why, the self-appointed guardians of this world, of course. The Covenant of Light, as they call themselves. That was Radiance you wielded, was it not? As implausible as it might seem, a rational mind is moved to consider that you light-empowered offworlders were summoned by their sanctimonious hands."

 

[Jackie Cat]

“Hey, want to tell me about your friends? Put the fear of Arceus in me?”

Dakim rumbled vaguely, sounding like a furnace oven for a moment.

"I have no friends," he said, tersely. "But you would do well to fear what remains of Cipher, boy. At least I have honour, and the other admins you have defeated today have vanity enough to value conversation with their enemies. Master Nascour has no such weaknesses."

Blink, and you'd miss it. Dakim's 'honour' was a weakness, or so it sounded.

"Whichsoever of you is the strongest, shall win," he stated, flatly. Perhaps coming to terms with his own defeat – and the strength of the Wayfarers.

 

[MintyMimix]

"Yes, yes, you'll destroy my devices, you and Lycas over there. I'm already cooperating, so you're making this threat just to be able to make the threat. Tormenting me for the sake of it? How 'heroic'."

Ghaspius let out a bittersweet laugh. "Hey, y'all were the one who asked what leverage we had. I just figured I'd show ya." He made an exaggerated shrug, though the slight hesitation in his fluttering showed that the apathy had a least a slight feigned component. "Maybe I just wanted to show y'all a taste of just the kind of thing you've done to them." His gems briefly churned purple before they faded back to their usual red. A past memory he was projecting onto the scientist, perhaps.

He sharply inhaled, downed the vial, and let out a sigh. Just carbonated water with some food coloring. "Actually, y'all have an alchemy or, stars—" he rolled his eyes and made air quotes, "—'chemistry' lab here?"

 

[Inkedust]

Interesting. So there seemed to have been some history between Cipher and the Covenant of Light, alongside the implication that the Covenant were wielders of Radiance themselves. That was something Bellatrix would have to keep in mind for later.

"Yes, well, let us hope that the others of Cipher are just as fine with being stranded here as you are," Bellatrix said dismissively. "Or that you and anyone else within this base -" she flicked her head in Dakim's direction "- weren't an important pillar of the operations on-world." Even if the core leadership had remained on their world, it was undeniable that many of their resources were being poured into Forlas. She wondered just how salvageable their operations would be once they finished the job here.

Would Cipher even be worth the effort sending back after all was said and done?

Back to the main point, however. "I am surprised you identified our capability to use Radiance given that you failed to consider how it would give us the upper hand when you Shadowed yourselves." Clearly, such a stunt put any claims of intelligence from them into doubt in Bellatrix's mind. "Regardless, what is Cipher's relation with the Covenant of Light?"

 

[Namohysip]

"We also have Shadow," Mhynt hummed. "I suppose that would make us sent by both, hm? Well. In any case... One clarification for you. If we destroy the portal, I am saying that you would immediately return, should you desire it. It already happened to one of our own when his will to remain wavered. But you do not seem to have that same property. Us dismantling the portal would enable it." She shook her head.

"You do not have to decide now. Your ticket to freedom is a confession away, assuming we're strong enough to succeed at carrying it out."

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Hey, y'all were the one who asked what leverage we had. I just figured I'd show ya. Maybe I just wanted to show y'all a taste of just the kind of thing you've done to them. Actually, y'all have an alchemy or, stars, 'chemistry' lab here?"

"[...] I am surprised you identified our capability to use Radiance given that you failed to consider how it would give us the upper hand when you Shadowed yourselves. Regardless, what is Cipher's relation with the Covenant of Light?"

"We also have Shadow. I suppose that would make us sent by both, hm? [...] If we destroy the portal, I am saying that you would immediately return, should you desire it. It already happened to one of our own when his will to remain wavered. But you do not seem to have that same property. Us dismantling the portal would enable it. You do not have to decide now. Your ticket to freedom is a confession away, assuming we're strong enough to succeed at carrying it out."

Ein cocked his head slightly, calculations clicking away behind his eyes.

"How interesting. You certainly are a disparate, heterodox group. My, but I do wonder how you can possibly coordinate so well as you do, with such incongruous personalities." He glanced at Koa. "And undisciplined children."

He shrugged, and adjusted his cracked glasses with a free hindpaw.

"We have a chemistry lab. Don't expect me to give you a tour, potion-seller.

"Your Radiance became evident when you channelled it en masse in response to our Shadow offensive. Don't get too cocky – Shadow counters Radiance just as strongly as the reverse is true. Heh.

"As for your offer, Grovyle... Am I to understand that you'd gladly return us to our world to keep this one for yourselves, regardless of what we may do afterwards? Forgive my skepticism, but... Seth Lycas has been content to mete out vigilante killings before now. Apologies if that comes as... shocking news, to you. Why should I believe that you'll hold up your end of this ploy, if it's even a power you actually possesss? Rather than simply leave us to rot, or execute us, that is."

From the admin's smug expression, he was saying this as much to try sowing discord between Seth and the Wayfarers as he was out of concern for his own wellbeing. But it was a fair question – why would the Wayfarers want to return Cipher to Earth to do as they pleased?

 

[Namohysip]

"Simple," Mhynt replied, and this time she was speaking the truth, in her personal view. "You won't be a problem to us if you're out of this world. So long as you remain incarcerated here, that may change. You could be rescued. You could break out. And if we kill you as-is, you might return some other way. Removing your ability to return, and then removing you from this world, is a win-win." She shrugged. "Your world will take care of you without us. Our goal is this world. You're no help here."