Sojaveña Wilds Totally Normal Bulletin Board

[Ambyssin]

"Okay. And Wes, let's see if we can maybe catch a scent." Nova started forward, scanning the ground and sniffing at it as he went. Did reptiles even have particular scents?

Well, this guy was an inventor, so he had to smell at least a bit like some of the materials he used. The old professor back home smelled of silicone and scorched metal a lot of the time.

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver glanced at Mhynt and nodded affirmatively. “Gotcha! Let’s see what we can find!”

While Silver had a strong sense of smell like any Sneasel worth their salt, he decided to let the better suited scent-trackers handle that task. Instead, he contributed to the search by relying on his keen eye and sensitive hearing, his narrowed gaze darting in every direction and his ears flicking every other second.

If there was some odd movement or unknown noise around, he was going to (hopefully) catch it!

 

[Namohysip]

So far, hearing didn't seem to do much for them, so Lucis was probably not around at the moment. But there was a peculiar scent in the air. It smelled of... odd ore that wasn't usually around these parts, and only in traces. And... Apricorns. Yes, definitely apricorns...

"This is around the time Mew checks," Mhynt noted. "If we're lucky, he may spot us..."

In fact, Silver's keen sense would have caught a slight distortion of light. Something was watching them near the triangle-rock formation...

 

[Ambyssin]

"Air smells kinda like my luxury ball," Nova mumbled. "And some kind of mineral?" He lifted his head back up. It wasn't much, but it certainly suggested someone who'd been crafting poké balls had probably come through here. And Nova doubted that referred to Mewtwo.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes shrugged at Nova’s suggestion. He’d already tried sniffing around, but a second go couldn’t hurt. He lowered his head to the ground—but not too low, or else he’d end up snorting sand. He’d learned that the hard way one one of his first days here, and good gods it was not an experience he wanted to repeat, least of all in front of people.

He cast a sideways glance to the Sneasel that had showed up, clearly itching to meet Mewtwo and having a bone to pick with him. Wes remembered the messages over the comms. This Mewtwo was associated with Rocket, or something? That organization had been long gone in Wes’s world, as far as he knew, but apparently not in others. And this Sneasel kid seemed to know the guy, somehow, or suspect who he was. What was up with that?

His pondering was interrupted when he registered what Mhynt had said. Apricorns. He straightened up. “No way. You don’t think…Lucis is the one who’s been making Pokéballs?” Despite his disbelief, it seemed the most reasonable explanation.

 

[Ambyssin]

"It's possible. Pretty sure the ones I was given were already built." Though it was possible Nova was misremembering and Mewtwo fashioned them in front of him. Quieter to make absolutely sure no eavesdroppers overhead, Nova continued, "Mewtwo supplies the knowledge. Lucis supplies the technical ability. Did anyone actually meet this kid? Does he seem like the type who'd, y'know, do things for just about anyone 'for science' or some shit?"

 

[Cresselia92]

“Apricorns, you said?” asked Silver, blinking in confusion. “Huh. This is a weird place to find that kinda scent. It seems the kinda stuff you’d find in it some lab, not in the open and far away from…”

His words failed him when something clicked into place, and one of the latest conversations he had with Rodion rushed to him like a flash flood…

"About two weeks before I got to Forlas, a Company ship ambushed us at sea. Its captain, one asshole of a Samurott called Commissioner Lyn, forced us to make a choice: either help him catch… a certain Pokémon he had trouble catching himself, or life was going to get uncomfortably short for us. As in 'get sent to the hell prison on Nagrobek Island or starve inside an Apricorn' short."

Apricorns weren’t necessarily carved to offer simple refuge to Pokémon. With the right technique, they could be fashioned into pocket prisons! That thought alone made Silver’s skin crawl, and his mind raced as it connected more and more ghastly possibilities and combined them into an ominous train of thought.

If they were really dealing with Giovanni, and he had access to Apricorn Balls in a not-so-advanced world of Pokémon, and he somehow found a place to mass produce them far away from prying eyes… oh. Oh!

Still unnerved by his own theory, Silver glanced at Nova. “Hm, well, I dunno that other kid personally, but I find it weird he’d build some capture devices just for the heck of it. Unless…” Hesitation flashed into his gaze, which grew wider and more distant. “Unless he has been forced to work on these devices by another party and for unknown reasons?”

But before Silver could contemplate further, he spotted a mysterious distortion not too far from them, and his ears straightened in alarm. “What the—?!”

With a snap motion, the now-Sneasel turned toward the triangle formation, his claws unsheathing instantly and his ears flattening. Something or someone was spying on them!

“Hmph! Watch out, everyone! I think we’ve got ourselves some company, and there’s no guarantee it’s friendly!”

 

[Ambyssin]

"Or it's like Mhynt suggested," Nova said. He fanned his head crest out and looked in the same direction as Silver. Nova waved a foreleg, like he was flagging someone down.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Did anyone actually meet this kid? Does he seem like the type who'd, y'know, do things for just about anyone 'for science' or some shit?"

It was pretty damn hard to forget someone who pointed a gun at your face and pulled the trigger, real weapon or not. Wes snorted. “Yeah, I’ve met him. He’s absolutely that type of person.”

Then the Sneasel kid snapped into a battle position, and Wes instinctively found himself doing the same, hackles bristling. But when he glanced around, he noticed the kid was just glaring at a weird formation of rocks. “What do you mean, company?”

 

[Namohysip]

Mhynt drew her Leaf Blade from thin air and took a cautious stance. Then, when she saw what Silver was referring to, her stance relaxed.

"Stand down," she said gently. "That's only Mew. I'm confident that he, at the very least, is friendly."

The flickering distortion of light got a little closer. They were out of view of just about everyone else, so the veil went away, revealing...

Mew! Wearing a curious red cap far too large for his head.

"Hello, Mew," Mhynt greeted. "I'm glad we found you at the right time."

Mew smiled, happy to meet them. When he looked at Silver and Wes, however, they wouldn't feel anything from him.

"Oh, right," Mhynt said, thoughtful. "Mew has a special talent. It seems we can understand what he's saying without him saying a word... but it doesn't work on former humans. Nova and I can translate for you. I think he still understands you, though."

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova nodded slowly. "Yeah, we were hoping to run into you. There's been a new face popping up around the board. A curious fella who seems to disappear at random. Self-professed inventor." He didn't want to come off as accusatory and decided to keep it casual. "Don't suppose he's been doing any training with you, has he?"

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver froze as soon as Mew appeared out of that distortion, his eyes widening in surprise and awe. Far too many times he had seen photos of rumored Mew fossils in many books, but meeting one in flesh and fur was another matter entirely! It was… almost like a blessing.

“Whoa…” he muttered quietly, still barely able to register that the ancestor of Pokémon floated in front of him.

That had to be expected — for every Mewtwo there’s always an original Mew. But still! A real Mew! Oh, if only she—

Only once Mhynt spoke on Mew’s behalf and let the others know he was a friend, Silver allowed himself to take a deep breath and relax, his claws retracting and his stance straightening.

“O-okay. Hm… False alarm?” he muttered awkwardly, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. He shook his head to let go of the remaining inner tension, then gave Mew an intrigued grin. “Well, nice to meet you, Mew! Just as Nova said, we gotta find some kid named Lucis. Ring any bells?”

 

[HelloYellow17]

Holy hells, it’s real.

Wes simply stared in disbelief for several seconds before remembering he was in an aggressive stance. He cleared his throat and straightened, though he frowned at Mhynt’s explanation. “What, his telepathy doesn’t work on us because of that? We aren’t human now, so what’s that got to do with it?”

As soon as he said it, he wondered why he bothered. Really, he should know by now to stop expecting this world, with its mystery dungeons and teleporting and fully sapient mon, to make any damn sense.

He shook his head and instead addressed Mew. (Mew, gods, it was real and it—he?—was right in front of them, like it was no big deal. Like it was a damn Tuesday.)

“Nice to meet you. Name’s Wes. We’re looking for a—uh, reptilian mon named Lucis, like my companion said. Do you know him?”

 

[Namohysip]

To this, Mew seemed to grow nervous, and instead gave a strained smile and shook his head.

"...Mew is saying that, no, he has no idea what we're talking about," Mhynt translated. "...He's also plainly telling me that he's lying to us. It seems his telepathy can't hide his true feelings, either... not that I'd need his weakness to tell." Mhynt crossed his arms. "You're an open book. I bet even the humans would know."

Mew's ears flicked with his nervousness. Nova would get the sense that he had been instructed not to talk about Lucis.

 

[Ambyssin]

Okay, well, guess Nova didn't need a gentle approach. Or, at least, he didn't have to talk vaguely. "I'm going to guess that this is some sort of 'business venture' between Mewtwo and Lucis?"

Nova produced his luxury ball from his bag. "Is Lucis the one making these? It smells like apricorns and ore around here. And my creator had files that talked about making balls from apricorns and things called tumblestones..."

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver let out an unimpressed grunt and folded his arms, clearly unsatisfied with the silent answer.

“Well, doesn’t that sound suspicious as heck,” he harrumphed, his head shaking. Why couldn’t things be simple for once?

“Hmph, whatever. If you’re not gonna talk ‘bout Lucis’ whereabouts,” his eyes narrowed and his ears twitched, “then can you tell us what’s the deal with all those Apricorns? If they’re used to craft Pokéballs, then what are the Pokéballs for?”

 

[Namohysip]

Mew hesitated again, looking between them. It seemed that it was a danger for him to be out and about like this...

Nova could confirm what Mhynt translated, "Yes. Lucis is the one who invented them, and Mewtwo is the one who has been commissioning them. It was a good partnership. But it doesn't seem like Mew knows what they're going to be used for except... convenience." She tapped a claw on her arm. "Hmm."

Mew drifted back.

"You want to leave already?" Mhynt questioned. "...We do have someplace to go ourselves. But we may want to arrange a formal meeting with Mewtwo later, when we return."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Definitely," Nova said. "It's pretty important."

 

[Cresselia92]

Yeah, something fishy was definitely going on, and Silver didn’t like that at all! He wanted to press further, to dig out as much dirt as he could, but Mew was showing more and more signs of nervousness and seemed ready to sprint away.

“H-hey!” Silver took a step forward, his eyes widening and his voice rising in alarm. “If you see Mewtwo, can you give him a message from me?”

The now-Sneasel bit his lips and his gaze wandered to the floor, internally debating whether he should pursue that path. Remembering those words always brought a wave of discomfort, but with so little time left, he couldn’t think of anything else. Closing his eyes, he steadied himself and bravely took the leap of faith.

“One must acknowledge one’s defeat before he can move on… Putting together the potential of many is how you produce a huge power.”

…Huh. What a funny feeling. Now that he mulled over those words, he began wondering: was the old man talking about himself and his failure as a leader, or about Silver and his obsession with individual power?

“…I’m sure he’ll understand.” He took a step back, his expression once more turning aloof and serious. “And I hope he’ll consider Mhynt’s proposal. It’d be akin to a business meeting like any other.”

And Silver was going to count every second until that day arrived.

 

[Namohysip]

Mew stared earnestly at Silver, perhaps wanting to relay the message, though... considering his nature, it may not be easy to send it over the same way.

"...I'm sure Mewtwo will get the picture," Mhynt said with a wary nod. "...Do you... know him, then?" she asked Silver.

Meanwhile, Mew, realizing that he was going to be late for replacing the bulletin board, nodded and disappeared. At least they could be confident in securing a meeting later...

"Hmm." Mhynt crossed her arms. "I still don't know what to think about that pair... What is their endgame...?"