[PTU] The Charizard Knights

[CosmicOccurence]

Neils

Nightmare has the most important treasures, oh yes, oh yes, Styx says, floating to hang upside down as he speaks. There are books, many books, and the whole orchard, but Nightmare can't carry a whole tree, Styx says as he gives a sharp, barking laugh. There are always things to see here, but nothing for you now, Styx confirms, flipping over to once again be floating in the proper orientation.

Very well, Neils said with a nod. He pulled out the clay ball that he knew would summon Ibis. Before he crushed it against the ground though, he addressed his entire team aside from Zepar, phrasing his words very carefully. Just to be sure, he channeled each of them. While some wouldn't be able to fully grasp the complexity of his statement, it was best to cover his bases.

I want to be clear on what happened here, or at least what the story we tell outsiders. Under no circumstances should Darkrai, or the Nightmare - he glanced meaningfully at Styx at this be mentioned. While it can be shared we fought a creature in that temple, and that Rem absorbed its energy, leave the rest out any conversation any of you have with other humans or pokemon.

Really this was mostly for the sake of Morpheus and Styx, and beyond that really only Styx, but he didn't want to seem like he was singling the ghost out so early in their relationship. The ghost seemed just unstable enough to not think twice about bragging that his new master was the new Nightmare. And while I'll try to keep you away from her as much as possible, be careful around Ibis or any Abra, Kadabra, or Alakazam. This includes Zepar. I don't want her knowing about this and using it to take advantage of me.

Any questions?

Neils answered any queries or emotional responses the team had before returning all but Morpheus to their balls and crushing the clay orb against the ground, summoning Ibis.

[Arcran]

Neils

Your Pokemon nod, even Styx, who does it about twice as enthusiastically as any of your other Pokemon. Before you crushed the clay orb, Styx did reach a hand into your pack, pulling out a Pokeball and a Cleanse Tag. The Ghost affixed the tag onto the center of the Pokeball, then handed the ball to you.

Have to contain us, oh yes, oh yes, Styx says, doing a quick flip. Need magic to work on the dead, oh yes they do.

Finally, after you have a chance to contain the Litwick if you wish, Ibis's telltale pops can be heard in the distance, until you finally see Ibis and her Charizard rapidly approaching. In a matter of seconds they appear in front of you, and you instantly feel Egret push his presence towards your mind. However, unlike last time, you feel his presence simply pushed away. The Charizard turns its head to the side in confusion, before trying once again to little success. You could feel the Mantle growing warm on your chest, but beyond that it seems nothing is happening. A moment later you feel Egret attempt to access Morpheus' mind, but it's no more yielding than it was when your companion was just a Charmander.

Well, you certainly accomplished something, your mentor states, giving you a sidelong glance. While she was trying to hide her annoyance, you could tell she didn't like the new development in your powers. Morpheus seems to be maturing nicely. Any new tricks come along with his evolution? she asks, looking at the Dream Mist that was drifting up towards you.

[Arcran]

Satomi

Yours and Guinevere's attacks hardly seem to phase the Time Beast, with the massive creature simply shaking its head from side to side. Still, the creature is obviously hurt, and begins to create a portal behind it as it starts to back up.

Fortunately, Gilgamesh is far quicker, and clamps down on the Time Beast with a maw dripping magma, clamping down on the creature's throat and melting straight through its thick armor. It flails from side to side, threatening to fling the Charmeleon across the room, but Gilgamesh holds firm. For a few more desperate moments the creature thrashes about until it begins to slow, allowing Gilgamesh to bite down harder still, crushing the creatures' throat. With a final gurgling cry the creature falls, and you feel a wave of immense satisfaction rolling off Gilgamesh.

A moment later, the sound of roars begins to fill the air, and the area becomes positively choked with time magic.

Bloody hell, Celebi says, her voice choking as she speaks. I can't hold this much longer. You need to get back, Celebi says, before a series of runes appear in your head. Blood for ink, and its tusk for an energy source. Leave anything from this time behind! Celebi says. I'll make sure it gets back to you, but there's no easier way for them to track you.

[CosmicOccurence]

Neils

Your Pokemon nod, even Styx, who does it about twice as enthusiastically as any of your other Pokemon. Before you crushed the clay orb, Styx did reach a hand into your pack, pulling out a Pokeball and a Cleanse Tag. The Ghost affixed the tag onto the center of the Pokeball, then handed the ball to you.

Have to contain us, oh yes, oh yes, Styx says, doing a quick flip. Need magic to work on the dead, oh yes they do.

Finally, after you have a chance to contain the Litwick if you wish, Ibis's telltale pops can be heard in the distance, until you finally see Ibis and her Charizard rapidly approaching. In a matter of seconds they appear in front of you, and you instantly feel Egret push his presence towards your mind. However, unlike last time, you feel his presence simply pushed away. The Charizard turns its head to the side in confusion, before trying once again to little success. You could feel the Mantle growing warm on your chest, but beyond that it seems nothing is happening. A moment later you feel Egret attempt to access Morpheus' mind, but it's no more yielding than it was when your companion was just a Charmander.

Well, you certainly accomplished something, your mentor states, giving you a sidelong glance. While she was trying to hide her annoyance, you could tell she didn't like the new development in your powers. Morpheus seems to be maturing nicely. Any new tricks come along with his evolution? she asks, looking at the Dream Mist that was drifting up towards you.

Neils knew that it wouldn't do him any favors in his mentor's eyes, but a smile blossomed across his face as he felt Egret's futile attempts at probing his mind. He tried to cover it up by bowing, but knew that Ibis would have seen it.

I believe that my time here wasn't wasted, he said. This was certainly an appropriate place for me to develop my abilities, but I'm afraid it may take some time for the fruits of my labor here to ripen.
He held the berries out in front of him, hoping they might divert Ibis's thinking for the time being.

As for Morpheus, his evolution certainly lent him a substantial increase in his ability to his ability to produce dream mist. Now he'd rival even Rem in terms of production. However, the trajectory of his growth seems much in line with what both he and I had anticipated. He rested a hand on Morpheus's head, giving it a small scratch.

Did anything of note happen while I was gone? he asked. And before he could stop himself, more questions spilled out of his mouth. Am I the first to have completed my mission? At the others back yet? Neils wasn't sure why exactly he was asking these questions. After all, Satomi, Alorionna, and Harisson were associates, weren't they? Why did he suddenly care more about how their missions had gone than whether anything strange had been happening on the island that might clue him into the political shifts and struggles of the Knights and monarchy?

[Zelphas]

Satomi watches the Time Beast die, unflinching. She shares in Gilgamesh's satisfaction, though it is tinged with chagrin and not a small amount of worry. We may have just made a permanent enemy of the god of Time, she thinks somberly, sending the thoughts to Gilgamesh after a wave of warmth, congratulation, and belated praise for his new form. We were defending ourselves, but Dialga-sama is one of the elder gods. I do not know what his reaction will be in the future--if that word even has its proper meaning for us anymore.

Time magic thickens the air, and Celebi gives out instructions. Satomi raises a hand to her head as the ritual comes to her, and is surprised to find it slick with blood. Well, at least the 'ink' will not be difficult to come by, she thinks with a grim smile, looking down at her ruined blouse. Satomi returns Guinevere after a word of thanks and kneels, beginning to inscribe the ritual circle on the ground before her. Gilgamesh-chan, would you please retrieve one of the tusks of the Time Beast? I am afraid I lack the implements necessary to remove it myself.

As she finishes the ritual, Satomi draws out one PokeBall and releases Svalinn beside her. "I must leave you in the care of Celebi-sama, Svalinn," she explains patiently to the Shieldon. "We will see each other again soon, I am certain. You will awaken in a strange world, but I will be there, and Gilgamesh-sama, and all the others that you have met with me." She returns Svalinn and places the Ball on the ground, outside of the ritual circle. "I am not sure if the Ball will cause you any problems, Celebi-sama; as far as I am aware, Svalinn is the only thing I took--oh." Satomi pulls out the signpost that she had ripped from the wall and tosses it to one side. "I do not think I will need that in my present. It raises more questions than is necessary, at the moment."

I doubt that Lori-san, Harrison-san, or Neils-san have stories that will be able to match to mine on their journeys, Satomi muses whimsically to herself. Why am I considering this now? The blood loss must be beginning to affect me. I should bind my wounds soon.

Occult Education for the ritual (if needed): [roll0]

[Arcran]

Satomi

Gilgamesh nods before he begins to spew magma over the Time Beast's face, before slowly trying to pry off one of the tusks.

As you release Svalinn, the small Pokemon gives a soft coo, before nodding in some sort of understanding. He returns to the Pokeball without a struggle, and it rests gently on the ground. A small surge of green magic collides with it, knocking it towards the dead Time Beast.

I can deal with the Pokeball. Now hurry! Celebi shouts, and the reason rapidly becomes very obvious. As the other time portals started to come nearer to completion, the ground was rapidly becoming distorted. Magma and dust was everywhere, and whole sections of the cavern floor were beginning to collapse. Gilgamesh just barely managed to pry off one of the Time Beast's tusks before the creature vanished into a pool of magma. Despite the distractions, you managed to quickly paint the ritual circle into the ground, and finished just as Gilgamesh handed you the Time Beast's horn. You could see a faint green aura protecting the edges of your circle, but it was fading fast.

Shove the horn into the center, and you'll be out of here in an instant! Celebi adds, just as you see a Time Beast's head begin to appear in one of the numerous portals.

[Arcran]

Neils

Ibis' eyes narrow ever-so-slightly as you speak, looking closely at the berries as you held them out. Only Satomi. Took a walk up The Mountain, then walked back down a bit later looking like she went through a warzone. I've been trying to to figure out what happened, but it's been slow, Ibis says in an annoyed tone. Aloriana and Harrison are still working on their respective tasks, if I'm not mistaken, Ibis adds. Other than that, there hasn't been anything particularly interesting. Thadeus apparently made contact with some rebels on the Lavender Coast, but nothing of note has come from that as of yet, Ibis says, placing a hand on Egret.

Well, are you done here? Anything you need to grab?

[Zelphas]

Satomi wastes no time, with a Time Beast already appearing before her. In one swift movement, she takes the Ancient Horn--I suppose I have the explanation as to why no one was able to raise a fossil from these horns, now-- and stabs it into the center of the ritual. It is time to return to the present.

[CosmicOccurence]

At the news, Neils nodded. It seemed as if everything were going to plan then. When he thought about it, it wouldn't have made any sense for the other two to finish before him: they'd had much further to travel. And while he was certainly worse for wear, he wouldn't consider himself having gone through a warzone ... though his stomach made it look like he'd been savaged by some wild beast.

I suppose I picked up a few scars on this trip, Neils thought.

As he mentally went through his possessions and pokemon, rifling through his pack quickly to ensure the litwick were secure and that the berries wouldn't be crushed, he nodded. I'm ready, he said.

[Arcran]

Satomi

The Horn bites into the ground easily, chewing through the stone without a problem. As it connects the ritual circle flares to life with a bright blue light, and the floor beneath you falls away. You tumble downwards, narrowly escaping the scything claws of a Time Beast, and the light around you vanishes.

After what feels like but a moment, you feel yourself land on a stone floor with far more force than could be considered safe. You hear Gilgamesh land an instant later and, just as you hear a great roar above you, there's a pop and the room goes silent. The silence carries for a long moment, and then you hear a soft laugh.

Look up, you hear from an obviously injured Gilgamesh, although the Charmeleon does his best to hide it.

When you do, you see yourself sitting below the same Time Beast as before, although the Time Magic in the room seems to have been greatly diminished. In addition, the Time Beast's missing tusk, which was once a clean break, now looks to be melted off.

Most notably, however, was the apparently fossilized Pokeball in the creature's open mouth, stuck there like an apple would be in a roasted Tepig.

[Arcran]

Neils

Good. Let's get home then, your mentor says curtly, before grasping your arm, not bothering to give you a wafer this time around. In a jolt you and Morpheus were teleported, and you began the long journey home. Bit by bit you saw the island fading into the distance, although you swear you saw a humanoid figure wave to your from the berry grove as you grew further and further away...

Going to put you on hold as well until Zelphas is wrapped up as well! Fortunately, that should only be a few more posts.

[Zelphas]

It takes a long moment for Satomi to collect herself enough to lift her head. That fall, coupled with the rest of her injuries, nearly demolished what is left of her consciousness. She looks up at the fossilized Time Beast, then snorts out a laugh that quickly morphs into a pained cough. "So," she wheezes. "It is good to know that Celebi-sama has a sense of humor. We should hopefully be meeting her for her first time at some point soon."

Satomi reaches up and pulls the fossilized PokeBall from the Time Beast's mouth, making sure not to touch the Beast itself. She stares down at the impossible fossil in her hands. The past can be changed, but nay large change summons powerful protectors. However, these protectors... can be beaten. I hope that I will never need to alter the past purposefully, but if I do... I will know what I fight, and who I will need to prevail. Hesitantly, Satomi presses the release button on the fossilized Ball, wondering if she will need to perform a ritual upon it to get it to work properly.

Satomi smiles down at the Shieldon. "Welcome to my time, Svalinn," she says gently. "It will be a strange one, but I will endeavor to keep you safe. After all, it is the least I can do for the many times you have saved me and mine already."

Afterwards, Satomi gets painfully to her feet, using the wall for support. I must ask you to forgo resting for a little while longer, Gilgamesh-chan, she sends to the Charmeleon, once again smiling at her partner's new strength. We have an appointment to keep.

---

Satomi stands at the edge of the Heart of the Mountain, looking over the great pool of molten rock. "Gilgamesh and I have come to see you again, Mountain-sama," she says softly, smiling. "I apologize for taking so long to keep my promise to you."

[Arcran]

Satomi

This time, unlike your previous trip to The Heart, your trip is rather uneventful. The lava lake has a bridge over it, and Chantu's statue acts as a statue should as you make your way forward. Gilgamesh takes the opportunity to swim in the magma alongside you as you walk, the experience clearly relaxing the Pokemon a great deal.

When you finally arrive, you notice that the pond is as still as ever, at least until you speak. As you do, a tiny globule of magma slides up onto the edge of the cavern floor, forming the body of the infantile Moltres.

A promise is a promise, after all, Moltres says, with a nod. I would be lying if I said I haven't been awaiting this meeting for many years. One where we can speak honestly about the past.

What did you see beneath The Mountain? Moltres asks, almost cautiously.

[Zelphas]

Satomi sits down as the tiny Moltres appears, ostensibly to be closer to the tiny form. One hand remains pressed to her side. "I saw..." Satomi considers for a long moment, her eyes far away. "I think... I saw the future. In the past. I saw something that does not make sense, unless it was caused by traveling in time. I saw... a Cinnabar that had already come and gone, but is still yet to be."

Satomi shakes her head. "Time travel. The first casualty is verb tense."

[Arcran]

Satomi

Moltres gives a soft, bubbling laugh at your comment, then goes quiet. It remains confusing, I can assure you that much.

I cannot tell you much; their is a hierarchy, even among the gods, and the Lord of Time ranks even above myself. Suffice to say, you will need to return to New Cinnabar soon. The Guardian has been damaged and is beyond my control, and is currently doing his best to barricade it against the outside world. There are answers there, ones that you must find for yourself. I will attempt to open the door, but I'm afraid the rest of the task will be on you, and your companions, Moltres says solemnly.

I cannot answer much, but if you have any questions, now is the time to ask.

[Zelphas]

Satomi looks around the Heart, remembering the last time that she had been there. "When last I was here... you told me that I 'must return this land to its roots'... that was not metaphorical, was it?" She shakes her head, her tiredness and wounds momentarily overwhelming her. "To bring the people of Cinnabar back in time to their new home in the past... how do I even begin? Where do I look for this power, that I haven't already searched in my quest to find it in the first place?"

[Arcran]

Satomi

The power will come in time. Your trip to the past set things in motion, both good and bad. It is a small blessing that you interacted with little back then, as it makes certain things far simpler, Moltres states, almost more to herself than to you. There are secrets and power within New Cinnabar, both of which can change the course of this war. I can try to find you a way in and, if you have the chance, you should do the same, although The Guardian's defenses are quite canny, and are unlikely to be easy to breach. If I had to suggest anything though... Moltres says, pausing for a moment. Take what you can from the Time Beast. Bring Svalinn back from that fossilized Pokeball, and prepare yourself for future Gatekeepers. They are hunting you even now, and if it weren't for your green friend's aid, likely would have already found you. I suspect even Dialga has taken note, as a Gatekeeper does not fall easily. If you're moving you should be safe, but if you return to New Cinnabar they will certainly find you.

[Zelphas]

Satomi listens soberly, then nods. "I had not begun this day intending to anger a god, but I suppose that now, several days, several millennia, and less than an hour later, I have no more choice in the matter," she says almost to herself. "In once sense, the Time Beasts have been searching for me since long before I came to be, so all that has now changed is my awareness; though, given that the past is definitely able to be altered, that is in another sense untrue."

Satomi looks up and shakes her head, getting wearily to her feet. "I am rambling; thank you, Mountain-sama, for your time and your adivice. I will collect the other Ancient Horn and return to the Charizard Knights." She bows formally to the molten form of the tiny chick, only wobbling slightly on her feet.

When I speak with the others, I am certain that we will find my trial was simultaneously the longest and the shortest trial of the group, Satomi thinks to Gilgamesh, her tone slightly fuzzy with weariness. Is that phrasing vague enough, do you think? I understand now why time travel is so vaguely explained in scrolls and tomes; it is simply impossible to create clear sentences that do not become gibberish.

[Arcran]

Satomi

Or perhaps others do not survive to tell the tale, Gilgamesh says almost somberly. After all, if Celebi hadn't intervened, we would have been overwhelmed after we killed the first. Either way, I'm glad to be back in my own time, Gilgamesh says, stomping on the ground. Although, were the first Charizard made of magma because Moltres saw me? Or would that have been inevitable? your Charmeleon muses as you make your way out of the Heart, shaking his head.

Either way, we'll have to figure out how much it's safe to tell our companions. At the very least, it can't cause a paradox anymore, right? Gilgamesh says, chuckling softly to himself. Now let's go. I want to tear the other horn off that ugly mug.

And with that, your solo arc is done! Time for recruitment and for us to get ready for Thread 2!

[Arcran]

Together Once More

Satomi was, obviously, the first to return to Knights. With no travel and a mission that was over in an instant it should come as no surprise that she would be the first to return home. Bernard eagerly took the horn from the Time Beast, and by the time the next Initiate the ritual to restore Svalinn's fossilized Pokeball to working order was nearly complete.

Neils arrived a few days later. While Ibis had done what she could to patch up his wounds, Neils did require a few days to recover before the medics would let him roam about. Fortunately, that provided Neils plenty of time to go over the tome that he had been given, and a few of the more basic rituals began to make sense. While waiting, Bernard caught wind of you searching for a botanist, and promise to make you something useful in the near future.

Aloriana was the final to return, and Berand was eagerly waiting to see both his sister and receive the adamantine when you arrived. Your brother locked himself away for a few days, and you were ushered away to give Thadeus the bad news. While Thadeus' face didn't betray much, the group of you didn't see the mentor for the next few days.

While Thadeus was here, Harisson was notably absent. At first it was a mystery, but as you heard the rumors of the band of rebels on Cinnabar, led by a mountain of a woman, the pieces began to come together. Harisson had, apparently, made contact with some rebels on Redberry Island. The mission went south and, in the end, Harisson stayed behind to fight off a giant creature of plants. While he was able to buy the rebels the time to escape, he was not. The Knights were currently putting together a strike team to try to find him, with a somber Thadeus leading the effort.

Following that came days and days of debriefing for each of you, with the Knights inspecting the changes that had happened to your starters extensively and documenting exactly what had happened to your Charmanders when they evolved. Following that, your Mentors drilled you for some time on what had occurred, trying to not let any details escape their notice. Strange things happened around the group of you, and the Knights had clearly caught notice.

When the constant physicals, examinations and debriefing finally finished, the three of you finally had some time to relax. Or, at least you thought you did, until you got an invitation to the Magi Spire to see Bernard.

The Magi Spire was only truly familiar to Satomi and, even so, it was always awe-inspiring. A massive obelisk of black obsidian, the tower was a giant scar on the horizon, and completely flawless from the outside. You were all brought to a small room full of vials, various scraps of different Pokemon and, of course, Bernard, holding a few objects in his hands that he was frantically shoving onto shelves.

Uh, hi everybody, Bernard says awkwardly as he frantically tries to clear some space on his desk. Give me a minute, and I can get you guys your gear really quickly, Bernard says, pulling out three (very poorly) wrapped objects.

Neils, I'll, uh, give you yours first. It's not much, but hopefully it can help with whatever you got on the island, Bernard says. When you unwrap it, you find a small glass dome, with a patch of dirt. It should be big enough to grow a Berry plant, and it has some basic magic to control the climate. It's a safe place to start growing things and, if you're careful, is portable enough to take on missions, he says, before turning to Satomi and handing her an object that looked very familiar.

I was able to draw out some of the tusk's magic, and it should be useful now. It takes some time to recharge, but Fossil Pokemon love the sound and, in a pinch, you can use it to change when a blow lands. It won't make a blow vanish, but it'll delay it a bit, if it makes sense. Gives you a little time to make sure people are alright, Bernard says with a grin. Finally, he hands the smallest of the packages to Aloriana which, when opened, reveals a ring. When he sees Aloriana's look of confusion, he motions for her to put it on. As she does so, Bernard throws a cloud of dust into the air, that seems to vanish.

It'll let you do some minor magnetic manipulation when you have it on, Bernard says with a grin. Nothing too major, but it could be helpful. But if you turn it over... Bernard says with a grin. When Aloriana turns the ring on her finger, she feels a wave of something roll over her, and then a suit of armor appears on her body, fitting her form perfectly. Her entire appearance is covered by the grey steel, except for the helm which appears to be b lack, with an array of seven red dots on it.

But, uh, when you turn it on it's pretty effective armor. Tough, doesn't slow you down, and can make you almost as resilient as a Steelix. I hope you all like your gear, Bernard says sheepishly, idly dragging his foot across the floor. They should all help a lot, and hopefully keep you safe, Bernard says, before glancing sadly at a desk covered in materials. Now, do any of you have any questions?

After answering your questions and briefly catching up with you, the three of you are ushered out of the Magi Spire and, for the first time in weeks, are alone with one another with no other responsibilities. Your Charmanders were already apparently attempting to catch up, with Gilgamesh flicking a finger against Chriantha's hide, and Morpheus staring at Satomi's horn with some small amount of interest.

Let me know how much of the mission you tell your mentor, and I'll let you know if you need to make any rolls to pull off lies/omissions. I'll put up their general response after that.

You gain the following Feature from studying the Tome!

Nightmare's Chosen
[+Any]
Static
Effect: Gain the Insomnia Ability.
Bonus: When using Dream Smoke, you may now make the attacks at Range 5 with an AC of 3. In addition, when using Dream Smoke, you may use the Move Smokescreen instead of its normal effect. All Targets that begin or end their turn in the Smokescreen become Dazed. Targets Immune to Sleep are not affected by the Accuracy Penalty.

Dazed: Targets afflicted with the Dazed Condition are Slowed and take a -5 penalty to Damage Rolls. The Dazed condition lasts one full round. Targets Immune to Sleep are also Immune to Dazed.

In addition, you gain the knowledge to grow Nightmare Berries at a -1 penalty (canceled if you get Green Thumb), which is canceled out by the Berry Grower's +1 penalty. You grow 1d4-2 a day.

Finally, if you have the Tome on you you may use it as a Dream Machine.


You gain the Golem Armor!

Golem Armor, Body Slot
In its inactive state, this Equipment appears as a ring that grants the Magnetic Capability that can affect up to 10 pounds of material. As a Shift Action, the Trainer may activate the ring to cover their body in armor. This Armor provides 5 DR and an Immunity to Push and Pull effects. In addition, as a Shift Action the user gains 5 DR against all Types Steel Resists, and 10 DR against all Types Steel is Immune to.


You gain the Horn of Ages!

Horn of Ages, Main Hand Slot
Each Scene, the Horn of Ages has three charges, that may be spent between the following effects by blowing the Horn as the appropriate action:

1 Charge - Give a Fossil Pokemon +1 CS to it's two highest non-HP stats as a Standard Action.
2 Charges - Used as a Standard Action Interrupt when a Pokemon uses Ancient Power, but before you roll Accuracy. If your Pokemon hits with Ancient Power, trigger its effect. If you already would have triggered its effect, gain a Tick of Temporary Hit Points.
3 Charges - When an ally is hit by a damaging attack, you may use the Horn as a Swift Action Interrupt to cause them to act as if they've triggered the Delayed Reaction Ability.

[CosmicOccurence]

Conversing with Ibis
As he finished recounting his tale for the third time in as many hours, Niels just wished Ibis would leave him alone. He was still in the infirmary, torso a cocoon of magically enhanced bandages to help him heal more quickly. Breathing hurt. Talking hurt. Thinking through the haze to not give any information to Ibis that he didn't absolutely want to divulge hurt. Even Morpheus curled up next to him hurt sometimes, though it was the one pain that Neils didn't particularly mind.

Since evolving, the light haze around Morpheus had thickened somewhat. It was still transparent, but the haze had made the nurses put him in his own room. Which Neils was sure fit Ibis' purposes just fine. Of course, that also meant that Egret had free reign in this room, but Neils' fear of the creature had lessened dramatically in the past few days. Since realizing he was no longer subject to the torture of its mind reading, the sadistic lizard had seemed nothing short of peeved.

Peeved is a good word for it, I think Morpheus thought to him. Such interesting words humans come up with to describe things. Seems like an awful lot of work though, creating all those words.

Neils rolled his eyes at Morpheus. His Charmeleon still baffled him sometimes. The way he thought about the world was so different, so alien to Neils.

This clutch mother of yours, Morpheus thought, having turned his attention to Ibis, You are right to fear her. She smells like the kind to keep her brood close, only to remove those who don't help guard her hunting grounds.

That would be an ... accurate way to describe her, Neils responded. But hopefully she doesn't ask too many questions. We can't afford to make an enemy of her just yet I think. But I have no intention of becoming part of her ... clutch? brood? Morpheus didn't respond to the questioning tone as Neils tried to get the terminology right. He was too busy chortling, which sent rings of dream mist spiraling to the ceiling.

Pokémon, he thought, have just as many strange words as humans do.

Neils didn't tell many lies to Ibis. There was simply a great deal of selective truth-telling with a few essential falsehoods dashed in. He talked about the mysterious stranger in the mask and his banishment to the island. He spoke of the research chamber with the Litwick and showed Ibis the pokeballs they now lived in. Ghosts were rare, near mythical things, and he hoped they'd distract her from the problem at hand. He told her of the berries he found and how he hoped they could modify the properties of dream mist in Morpheus. He told her of the half-crazed Hypno that seemed starved for the mist.

However, there were three times when he intentionally bent the truth.

I plan to see if I can breed them somehow, or create them, he said. Having a force of ghosts at our fingertips would be quite a useful tool for the Knights, no?

As he talked about that battle, he described the many ancient types of dream mist and the sheer chaos of the battle as the vials had smashed against the floor. Since the island, my mind has become immune to Telepathy, and I can manipulate the mist almost like I have some sort of strange limited-kinesis with it. He demonstrated the ability by 'grabbing' a plume of smoke from Morpheus and sending it billowing across the room in a mobile cloud. Not a technically a lie, but he placed the statement in a way that implied it was the mist he'd inhaled that had done the trick.

The third lie was the biggest, if the most simple.

And this, he waved at his wrapped torso, Happened when I ventured into that cursed cathedral. There was some shade living there that tried to convince me it was a god, but I could see through that easily. I got mauled for my pains, and the whole trip down there was a massive waste of my time. Of course, it had been anything but.

And so now he sat, knowing that the questions he didn't want to answer would invariably come. Still ... even if Ibis didn't believe him, she had no way of forcing the truth out of him. Not anymore. Still, he kept a close eye on her features, looking for any tell about whether or not she'd seen through him.

Intuition to read Ibis [roll0]

Hearing the News
Neils was nothing more than a curled up figure on his bed. A scroll was clutched in his hand, bearing the news that Harisson was missing. A vial of dream mist lay next to his hand. It had been emptied into his nose. Neils was immune to such things now, but he found that the mist numbed all emotion from him if inhaled properly.

Normal Neils didn't like altering his mental state. Normal Neils had severed himself from all attachments to other humans. Normal Neils didn't have friends.

But Neils wasn't normal anymore. Unable to cope with the new emotions, he decided remove them instead. And so his mind was filled with nothing at all while Morpheus lay next to him, radiating concern. After all ... Normal Neils was never not channeling his companion.

In the Hall
It had been a rough few days. For the first time in years, Neils had been unable to sleep. He'd continued running away from his emotions, which meant that sleeping was out of the question. Instead, he simply had drugged himself each night into nothingness. He knew it wasn't a sustainable habit, but he couldn't help it.

Having friends hurt too much.

Still, he couldn't help but feel happy to see the other two. A genuine smile broke across his face. Certainly he was warmer to them than he'd been in the past. It's good to see the two you you - he said. He'd meant to finish the sentence with 'alive', but held back.

Morpheus was next to him, the normal haze of mist surrounding him as he twined around Neils' legs. He too had been affected by the news of his brood brother going missing, though he seemed to have handled the situation better than Neils had. He quickly dashed up to greet the other Charmeleons, moving with a speed quite unlike his normal lethargy.

Neils wanted to jump into conversation with the other two, but the presentation of items stopped him. Bernard's gifts to the other two were magnificent. The armor especially caused Neils' eyebrows to find their way to his bangs. That was an impressive piece of equipment. And if the horn functioned as it sounded ... well the Knights treated those two with some nice toys.

And all this while Neils held his lovely little berry grower. Of course, he was happy as could be that he could grow more berries on the road. He'd already started a berry patch in his yard, but this would be a useful way to restock on the road. Still, it lacked the ... grandeur of what the others had gotten.

Of course, I wouldn't trade the Mantle or Grimoire for either of those toys, he thought. But the Knights don't know about those. Still, he tried to act gracious despite the small thorn of irritation and jealousy that the magician hadn't been able to make an item more appropriate for his talents.

When the ceremony was over, Neils leaned into his two teammates. No, my two friends Neils thought firmly. Even if it meant he could get hurt, there was no use in lying to himself. It was time he came to terms with reality. Even if reality wasn't at all what he wanted. We should find somewhere private to talk. I know it's only been a few days, but ... He wasn't sure if it had seemed like an eternity to the others, but that mission hadn't seemed like just a few days to Neils.

[Zelphas]

Debriefing

Satomi had been... reticent about her journey, though it wasn't entirely by choice. Using the fossilized Great Ball holding Svalinn and Renault's young Evolution as proof that she had traveled to the past, she quickly explained to Ji Choi that there would be some things she simply could not speak about. Throughout her tale, her eyes periodically flick around the room, checking for any signs of blue Time Magic bleeding out in response to her words. She only divulged her story to Ji, Kasai, or Goto. Except when the encroachment of Dialga stilled her tongue, Satomi laid out the basics of her travels in time, leaving out only three things: the name of the Guardian of New Cinnabar, the 'helper' who guided her back to her proper present, and New Cinnabar's name and peculiarities. If pressed, she would explain that the things she omitted dealt with paradox. "The last paradox I dealt with put me into my current state, and only a miracle kept my companions and myself alive," she said, and refused to elaborate further.

The infirmary's air was scented with a mixture of medicinal herbs and synthetic medicine that oddly soothed Satomi; she sent some of that calm over to Gilgamesh, who had quickly grown tired of the walls and ceilings of the present. A day or two longer, Gilgamesh-chan, and then I will be out of this place, she promised. The ritual to raise Svalinn can be done in the open air, and there are still more fossils to find around Cinnabar.

Good; fresh air--well, fresher air, Gilgamesh grumbles, wry amusement and an ocean of calm hiding under his disgruntled tone. You humans put so much gunk in the air it's a miracle we're not all half-Grimer.

One whiff of prehistoric air, and you are an old man, Satomi teases lightly, smiling. You did not mind the 'gunk in the air' before our little sojourn.

Harisson

Satomi was unearthing an odd strain of prehistoric mushroom in a cave several hours away from the Knights encampment when the news came in of Harisson's disappearance. When she came back and heard, she took the news calmly, simply nodding and wishing the strike team the blessing of the Mountain on their attempt.

Much later, Satomi sat down in her quarters, a piece of parchment in front of her. She leans back slightly, looking over the new list.

Past Events (to be altered):

--The attack after the Initiation Ceremony
--The destruction of Hulrock's Farm
--Lori-san's past attack (need more information before pursuing)
--Harisson's disappearance

This is dangerous, Gilgamesh sent, lighting up the small room by his light alone. At this moment, his light is oddly subdued, although his eyes burn with their brilliant white fire the same as ever. You're expecting too much, Satomi-chan. If you try this--

Be calm, Gilgamesh-chan; I know that as we are now, attempting any one of these would be tantamount to suicide. Satomi wipes off the end of her quill and sets it aside, blowing lightly on the newest line of the list. However, we know that the past can be changed, and we know the severity of the consequences. As long as we continue to grow and refrain from taking any foolish chances, we have all the time in the world to tip the scales in our favor.

Quick side-note: I know that changing these are probably impossible. Satomi's just a little overeager about her newfound power.

Getting the Items

Gilgamesh grumbles once more about fancy human boxes as he and Satomi enter the main hall, though he doesn't have much heart behind it. Seeing the other Charmeleon cuts off his train of thought abruptly as he rushes over to meet them, his molten body rippling with excitement. For her part, Satomi greets Alorianna and Neils with her customary formality, though she smiles ever so slightly as well throughout their quick greeting. She has been looking over the Magi Spire again, marveling at the familiar awe while privately exulting the fact that the familiar bitterness she had always felt upon visiting had disappeared. I have found my magic. Ironic, I suppose; being banned from entry here was the catalyst needed to prove that I was fully eligible to belong within this spire, and perhaps even unique among those within it.

Satomi accepts the Horn of the Ancients with only a small amount of hesitation; her eyes scan the room quietly as she takes the carved bone, looking for any sign of Time Magic. She quickly closes her psionic sight again with a slight wince. That was foolish, there is enough trace magic in this hall that it is nearly blinding. She looks down at the horn in her hands. Moltres-sama said to 'take what I can' from the Time Beast, and if a horn holds this much power... I may need to return eventually and see what may be made from its skull.

When Neils makes his suggestion, Satomi... snorts. With laughter. She quickly covers her mouth with a hand, eyes widening slightly in chagrin. "Please excuse me, Neils-san, that was rude. It seems that we all have stories to tell of our last few... days."

[CateranEnforcer]

Debrief

On the way back home, Aloriana thought long and hard about how much she should speak about what she found in Seafoam. She was saddened that she felt this way about even her close allies, but time and again she felt like her trust in people was getting her into more trouble than it was helping. Maybe some things were better left unsaid. Still, when it came down to it, she ended up going over the details of journey and the impostor Riley. Her dreams were already beginning to fade a bit from her memory, but she did try her best to recreate the details, especially with the idea of an alternate version of herself and the world. She described her encounter with Articuno and the Guardian and even the task she had been given. Aloriana could not hide her new powers as they were awakening, but she did omit one detail, one she felt was not necessary for anyone to know, perhaps not even her own family.

My mother's ghost or whatever that was will be our secret. I think it's better if we let her rest as best she can and not trouble her anymore.That last thing she wanted was for some of the more magic inclined knights to swarm over her trying to do some kind of experiments on her or something.

Not even your brothers and sisters? Wouldn't they like to know, you think? Chriantha replies quizzically. "It's kinda a big deal for them, don't you think?"

Oh muk, you're beginning to sound like me. Lori was certainly not used to being the older and wiser one in the room. It definitely gave her a different perspective on how she should strive to act. I'm not so sure they'd be better off knowing. I know that I wanted to find out so badly, but no one else really seemed to think anything besides simply that she was gone. I don't think it would make anyone feel better knowing that Mom's not resting like she should, not until we can do something about it. If we can that is.

The News

Aloriana sitting in the library and feeling very out of place trying her best to read all she could about Articuno's order and customs when she heard about Harrison from some other knights passing through. She had left Chriantha at her new quarters this time; the poor girl had gotten more graceful after her evolution granted her some properly strong arms and legs, but she still walked a bit too carelessly with her tail and she didn't want any books to get burned in the process. Rose was here though, casting a faint glow over the open books.

Her breathing stopped for a few moments as she took in the loss of another of her initiate friends. Lori was upset at herself that she wasn't able to cry over the fact he might be gone. Anger welled up in her as she balled her hands into fists and its was downright scary to her. Rose could she the expression on her face and moved closer to cuddle her shoulder with her rocky body which seemed to snap her out of it. I can see what Chri was talking about just now too. That's not a fun way to feel. Remember, you can't lose yourself to that, right? That seemed like forever ago that the Mountain had told her not to harden her soul. Easier said than done, after all that had happen.

Either way, Aloriana slammed her books shut and marched out of the library. It wasn't going well before, and it certianly wouldn't be any easier now. Time to build up a sweat.

Crafting the Artifacts

In all honesty, it felt like I go came back in better shape than the rest. Aloriana thought as she finally reunites with her friends and fellow Knights. Deciding that it would not be formal to offer hugs in the middle of the hall, she still beams at them with one the first real smiles she'd had since coming back. The weight of her tasks had really been weighing on her and she was now also focused on setting a good example for Chri who still hadn't grown up as much as she'd like during their adventures so far.

Maybe you were okay, but some of us got really hurt you know! Chriantha huffs. Her armored scales covering her arms and body rippled with a metallic sheen as she seemed to sign like an exasperated child. That didn't stop her from running up the greet the the other Charmeleon to show off her recent changes.

Bernard made a big show with the ring he made, of course. He was always proud of his creations, but Aloriana had read the designs same as him so if he thought he was going to surprise her, he was mistaken. Well, almost mistaken. It was one thing to see a picture of something, but it was another entirely for it to come to life. The girl couldn't thank her brother enough for such a crazy magical...thing. She had to admit he had gotten good at this.

When all is said and done, Aloriana raises an eyebrow at Neils when he makes his suggestion, but her jaw all but drops when Satomi laughs out loud. As far as she was concerned the two things coming out of her friends' mouths were equally strange. In fact, her own sourpuss mood might strike them as the most unusual thing about her today. She decided that she didn't care what was formal or not put an arm around each of them. "However long its been, its good to be back. I think the only one who I haven't talked about my trip yet is you all. They can't keep us apart any longer, I say!"

[Arcran]

Debriefing: Neils

Throughout the entire interrogation it is extremely obvious that Ibis hardly believes a word you're saying. Or, rather, she can tell that you're holding back key information. However, on the same token, there is absolutely nothing she can do to force it out of you with Egret, a fact that seems to annoy the two immensely. She futilely tries to pry a bit more about what had happened on Halfmoon Island, but you have the good sense to not tell her anything that would give away your lies.

I'll expect periodic reports on breeding those ghosts, Ibis says sourly, eyes skimming over her journal where she'd transcribed much of the conversation. And I'll have Aeris test your capabilities with the mist in a few days. After you've healed a bit more, Ibis says, a hint of amusement creeping into her tone. Being tested by Aeris wouldn't be fun, and you doubted you'd be fully healed at that point anyways.

After a long moment, Ibis sighs, putting a hand on her forehead.

I'll look into the man in the mask for you. Strange men on strange islands can't be a good thing. We have enough nutjobs trying to kill the lot of you as is, Ibis says and, for perhaps the first time ever, you realize how tired she seems. Makeup somewhat hides the bags under her eyes, but her general posture and tone convey more than enough.

One last question, Ibis says, running a hand through her hair. This... Man. What did his eyes look like, and what color was his mask?

For perhaps the first time ever, you felt the slightest hints of fear in Ibis' voice.


Debriefing: Satomi

Ji, for his credit, takes the fact that you apparently traveled back in time and met the three gods in stride. He sits quietly, unmoving throughout the entire speech. Fortunately, you don't even see a hint of Time Magic throughout the entire conversation; it would appear talking about the past would have a minimal effect on the future. Out of everything you mentioned, Ji seemed most interested in The Guardian, and pressed you quite a bit for information about it. However, at your explanation, he stopped, although you noticed his shadow flicker slightly as he stopped that line of inquiry.

I'll have to admit, your time magic makes sense. Nobody else ever seemed to bring the Fossil Pokemon back quite so... completely, Ji says flatly. It wasn't a compliment, but a statement. Although, if you have been using Time Magic for such an act all this time, how have those 'Time Beasts,' Ji says, clearly annoyed that he doesn't have a more professional name for them, not found you? I hardly believe a creature that can travel through time would give up... Ji states, before shaking his head. In any case, Gilgamesh is apparently quite adept at battling them. Your journey raises a lot of questions, ones that I must find answers to, Ji says, before standing curtly, and inclining his head.

Well done, Satomi-san. It is good to see you safe.


Aloriana

So there's another one of them, Vladimir says as you finish recounting your tale. Grass, Water, Ice, and whoever pulled them out of The Heart. I don't like this, Vladimir says, his age showing quite clearly. Still, there's plenty of questions to answer, the biggest of which is why the hell The Guardian was listening to you. Was it just because it could tell you were Moltres'? Vladimir asks, partly to himself. And then there's the matter of the Blue Shards. I swear Lori, you're committed to making my life as difficult as possible, Vladimir says with a sour laugh.

Still, this water woman is concerning. Did you learn anything while you were fighting her that could force us to reveal who she is? Vladimir asks. Push her out of her water form? We can't have a perfect spy infiltrating us.

[CosmicOccurence]

With Ibis
Neils described the man in detail, trying not to leave out any important information. If Ibis was scared of this man ... well that didn't bode well for him turning the island into his refuge. He was hoping that Ibis's gut instinct was wrong.

With the Others
Neils didn't take offense at his teammates, although whether that was because he was too distracted by seeing them again or too emotionally drained, he couldn't tell. Either way, he simply accepted what happened and led the group to a small alcove nearby where they could talk with relative peace.

You two got some pretty nice toys, he said with a grin, holding up his magic pot. They really went all out with me though, his voice was dripping with sarcasm, but he hoped that his face showed that he wasn't really upset.

Thankfully, I learned a few tricks on my jaunt to the island that should come in handy. It's no set of armor, but I think I'll be able to hold my own.

[CateranEnforcer]

To Vlad
"I couldn't tell her apart from myself even, but the Guardian used a password system to identify us. She wasn't a very good actor when she got angry. Maybe that will help?" Aloriana tried to think of anything else that might be helpful, but again she felt like she may have missed something important in her panic

Reunited
"Yeah it is pretty nice isn't it!" Aloriana was looking at her hand to see how the ring looked on her. She was starting to like having jewelry and the fact that they served another really important purpose was just a plus.

"More importantly, you all seemed to have changed since last time we met. Who wants to go first?" She added that last bit with just the slightest of hesitation. Maybe the other's adventures were not full of death like hers.

Harrison... That thought weighed heavily on her mind as well, but she couldn't bring herself to start the conversation. Not yet.

[Zelphas]

Debriefing

Satomi flushes slightly at Ji's statements. It may not seem like much, but from her mentor, "Well done" is the highest praise she's likely to get. "Thank you, Ji-sama," she responds calmly, neatly sidestepping the question as to why the Time Beasts haven't found her yet. "I will endeavor to find my own answers as well."

The Group

"My story is somewhat long," Satomi answers, her calm returned to her. Neils-san, you mentioned some new 'tricks' from the island of the Nightmare Sect? What did you discover?"

[CosmicOccurence]

Neils considered the question for a long moment. Maybe to long a moment. I could tell them, he thought. I mean ... I should tell them. After all we've been through together. It's not like I couldn't trust them other than the whole mind-reading business.

He began to second guess himself. On one hand, he'd just started to realize how important their trust in him meant, but on the other hand, How are they going to react to me trying to build a cult to a god that isn't the mountain? Would they turn him in to the upper knights before he could even begin?

No, even if it means losing their trust, I can't sacrifice all that I've gained. So I'll just lie. And keep lying until there's no turning back. Morpheus curled against his leg, rubbing his tail against his master intentionally. While he didn't say anything, he sent waves of reassurance to Neils. This wasn't easy for either of them.

The cult of the Knightmare left some interesting artefacts behind, Neils started. It was mostly deserted aside from some weird groundskeeper who left me alone mostly. I got some berries that will hopefull turn into something useful.

Unfortunately, I inhaled a ton of dream mist during a battle in a study. Most of it was old enough to be hundreds of years old, and I think time altered its properties. I left that battle with an immunity to mind reading and the ability to do this - he raised his hand and held it palm down. Mist curled up from Morpheus to form a perfect sphere, which Neils promptly shot at the wall, hitting a nearby lamp with unerring accuracy.

Should come in useful, especially since I've started to experiment with modifying Dream Mist anyways. However, the most impressive thing I found was this: he held up the Pokeball with Styx.

This is the spirit of the last leader of the cult of Nightmare. He's become a Ghost Pokémon. I know most people think that they're only legends, but he's certainly real. When I defeated a creature posing as his master, he swore loyalty to me. That's how I got hospitalized ... he gave a grimace, remembering the battle. By the way Satomi, I don't think I've ever told you just how much I appreciate what you don on the battlefield for us.

Anyways, that's mostly it. There's another species of ghosts that I captured as well, but I think I'm going to use them as guards in my home. I'm going to see if I can breed them, I don't know if ghosts do that sort of thing. He took a moment to release Styx, and the Haunter promptly flipped upside down and stuck his tongue out at the group before Neils rolled his eyes and recalled the Pokémon.

So yeah, it was an exciting trip for sure. I plan to return later, but I have more than enough to analyze to keep me busy for a long time. He felt sick in his stomach for the deceptions, but tried not to let it show on his face.


So I didn't have styx say anything because I didn't want to step on arc's toes. He may have the ghost do something other than just chill there. I'm not sure

[CateranEnforcer]

After her recent adventures, the sudden appearance and discovery of Ghosts was not as surprising as one might have thought. It struck a little bit close to home. If there was anyone she could potentially trust with her knowledge, it was them. Unless the woman turned her into herself or something.

"Tell me about it," Aloriana began with a sigh. "I've got tons to read if I want to do my new task right."

"But anyway, when I got to Seafoam it was mostly ruins. It was pretty depressing to see the destruction and think it was once a place as lively as Cinnabar." Lori felt her hand ball into fists just thinking about Lance and his wars.

"I met with the Knight's contact, Riley, but I didn't realize it wasn't really her. She tricked me the whole time I was there." Her voice was becoming angry as she recalled the false Riley and her own stupidity. "She told me she had a task I had to help her with since I was there before she could help me get the metal Bernard needed."

"It turns out she needed me to open a gate that protected Articuno and she figured I was the closest thing to a worshiper as she was going to get. And it worked. She let me inside and I saw the gate and a site of a great battle. People and pokemon encased in ice. Dead. Including the real Riley. That's when I knew I had really messed up."

"She chased me down the hall and we had to fight, but before that, she turned herself into a perfect copy of me. Her body was apparently made of water and she said she was Yearn's sister. Articuno's big ice guardian, who looked a bit like my armor, especially with the eyes." She looked pointedly at Neils. "I had seen it in a dream I had the night before. One made of ice, one of stone, and one of steel. So I guess I knew the password to let it know I was the real one."

"In those dreams I saw memories from the past, but they were a bit different with me in them now. And I saw me in the future, but it wasn't the same me, I think. Chri looked different too. Lance was attacking us. My Mom was alive, and she was asking me if you," Aloriana looked with concern at Satomi,"could do something to help the people escape. Or some of them. It wasn't clear and it ended too soon after I told them I believed in you."

"Anyways, we beat the water lady, but she ran away. She can turn into liquid and perfectly disguise herself, so you have to be very careful who you trust. She could be anyone." Aloriana stopped and looked closely at her two friends. She couldn't go around not trusting anyone ever again.

Lori took a deep breath before going on,"Beyond that I met Articuno, or what was left of her. She was weak and small, but she told me more about my connection to steel and I found that I will also develop a connection to ice and rock as what she called a Soulblade. She also showed me that my power came from my mother, and I saw....her ghost? Her soul? I don't know know for sure." Her voice wavered as she talked about this next point. "I haven't told anyone else, and I don't plan to. I don't want anyone trying to poke around and disturb her with tests or something. But I trust you all."

The girl shrugged and kept her eyes down as she finished. "Before I left she gave me some of her own eggs. I'm supposed to find suitable caretakers for them to help rebuild her Articuno's following. That's what I've been trying to study lately. I did find some of the smuggled shards at Riley's old base. I guess she'd been helping those criminals we met recently. But that's that. It wasn't a pleasant mission, but I learned a lot...I guess."

[Zelphas]

Satomi listens to Neils' story with interst, looking over the Haunter as it appears from the PokeBall. "I have never heard of Dream Mist altering a person's physiology in such a way, but you would have more experience with the substance than I," she comments. "In any case, Ghost Types and an increased power over Dream Mist both suit you, Neils-san."

Alorianna's story causes a somewhat more dramatic reaction. Three times, Satomi seems about to speak, before stopping herself: when Alorianna mentions the 'big ice guardian', when she speaks of her vision of the future, and when she mentions meeting Articuno. "Articuno-sama wishes to make Knights of her own? That is interesting," she says at the end of Alorianna's tale, seeming slightly distracted.

"And now it is time for my tale, I suppose. I will attempt to summarize, as you have done:

"I discovered an Ancient Horn shortly after journeying to the Mountain, attached to a fossilized skull. When I touched the skull, I was transported to Cinnabar's prehistory, long before humanity had come. Unable to return home, I set my sights on the Mountain, believing that it alone would have the power to return me to my proper time.

"However, when I came to the Mountain, I discovered that Moltres-sama was a newly-hatched chick, along with her siblings, Zapdos-sama and Articuno-sama. They directed me to a cavern underneath the prehistoric Mountain, where I found a strange sight: a city. In modern Cinnabarian script, an archway over the city called it New Cinnabar, and the signposts were all in modern Cinnabarian as well.

In this city, I met a Guardian--a giant creature, made of stone, with eyes similar to Lori-san's armor." Satomi glances over at Alorianna as she says this, but continues on with her tale. "It knew my name and that I was out of my proper time, and attempted to help me; however, it seemed at war with itself, and left rather abruptly.

"During my time in prehistory, I discovered that certain... actions would cause upswells of Time Magic to occur," Satomi continues, a faint pink tinge appearing on her cheeks for a moment. "Misunderstanding the Guardian's words caused me to seek out another of these upswells, when I encountered a different form of Time Magic. This magic resolved itself into the voice of Celebi-sama, a legendary Pokemon from a land near to Kanto who is able to traverse time. It spoke as though we had met before, and grew distressed when I revealed that I had no knowledge of it.

"This meeting caused the original Time Magic to swell, and out of a portal came a Time Beast--a creature of Dialga, Lord of Time, sent to destroy things that are out of... time." Once again, Satomi laments the lack of proper grammar for her situation. "Celebi-sama left to hold other Time-Beasts at bay, but before she went, she... unlocked my power."

Satomi smiles fully for a moment, a grin of pride. "It seems that all this time, I had power over time; I was simply unable to access it besides the ritual of Fossil Restoration. Celebi-sama's actions gave me the rudiments of the power, but I am hopeful that it will grow over time. In any case, Gilgamesh-chan and I battled with the Time Beast, and after Gilgamesh-chan's evolution, we managed to defeat it. More Time Beasts were coming, however, so Celebi-sama gave me the ritual needed to return to the present, and I used one of the slain Time Beast's horns to power it. The other was used to make my Ancient horn.

"So, as you said, Neils-san, it has only been a few days...but it has also been more than a week, and also several millennia, for me." While Satomi is now able to keep a straight face, her eyes sparkle slightly with barely-repressed humor.

[CosmicOccurence]

Neils paled as he heard their tales. Even compared with his encounter with Darkrai, they certainly had greater adventures than him. Neils was a bit jealous - he figured he'd be the only one to meet a god on his journey, and it made the experience a bit less special - but then the nauseating guilt hit him.

If only I hadn't gone first ... he thought. I would have told them everything had I known that they too encountered gods.

But as the dream smoke filtered up to him from Morpheus, the realization that he couldn't tell them washed over him. What would he do, pretend like he'd simply forgotten about that massively important part of his trip and misremembered how he'd gotten his new abilities? No, it would be obvious, oh so obvious that he simply hadn't trusted them.

Well, that's certainly something, Neils said. I mean, Articuno? Time travel? That's the stuff of legends. I doubt even the highest ranked Knights have had experiences like those.

And Alorionna, he turned to the girl, for her story had concerned her the most. Now we've met one of these creatures of water, grass, ice, and I assume psychic, he remembered the man in white who could teleport people across continents.

Each of them is clearly associated with some kind of elemental magic that enhances their powers far beyond what a normal elementalist could produce. He paused. I suppose the questions that we need to consider if we're ever going to reclaim our brethren charmander, are how they received their powers, and how many of them there are. After all, we now know there are more than simply those who accosted us on the mountains. Just how many of them are there? Who are they? I feel like we're no closer to answers than we were.

Also, he paused here, fully considering the implications of a shapeshifter. We need some sort of sign. Something subtle to prove to each other our identities. Maybe a visual tick or movement? Just to be sure this lady isn't copying us as an imposter.

[CateranEnforcer]

Aloriana was even more surprised by the idea of time travel. It was one thing to do it in a dream, but to actually do it. "If it was anyone else telling me, I wouldn't believe you went back in time."

In response to Neils, Aloriana had a disturbing thought,"Do you think that's what they need the charmander's for? We still have ones we saved, right? Brawley's was water-like."

"And we'll definitely need to work something out. Something we don't normally do that we could tell right away that we really are us." Aloriana nodded. She was certain there were no clones here, not so soon after she had retreated. "I don't know how her powers work, but Vlad is pretty concerned about it too. I'm sure the rest of the knights will be briefed on it."

Something else still bothered her,"I still don't know what to make of the dream of the alternate future. It almost seems too good to be true that dreams and time travel are your specialties. You think it's worth looking into sometime? The three of us..." her eyes feel once more, shying away from the thought...

It should be four of us.

[CosmicOccurence]

I think, Neils said, rubbing his temples while he processed the information, That things are about to get very, very interesting.

And we're going to need every scrap of power we can salvage in order to make it through and save our comrades.

As Morpheus shot Neils a questioning look, the man gave the smallest of nods. When he said all, he meant all. It was time to get to work. His cult was waiting.