[Game Thread] Pokerole: Mount Coronet Mystery

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

As soon as Kee touches the statue, the Explorer Badge glows really bright!  It's almost blinding!  Moments later, three pillars of light Teleport the rest of the party to the statue.

First comes Randolph, Rui, Karen and Scizor.  Rui and Randolph stumble a little since this is their first time experiencing this, but they aren't surprised since they saw it happen at the start of Floor 2 and Scizor warned them right before it happened.  Karen's excited to see Kee!  "Kee!  Did you find the stairs?"  Rui's looking around the room, puzzled.  "...this is weird...where are we...?"

Scizor, by contrast, calmly walks over to the statue and touches his badge to it, then starts fiddling with something.  He gives Kee an approving nod as he walks past.  If he had thumbs, he'd totally be giving the man a thumbs up, too.  Good job!

Next is Kogeki, who doesn't stumble because this isn't his first time Teleporting.  He's just not used to Teleporting in this manner, and he had no warning, so he was likely caught off guard.

Last but not least is Lucas!  He momentarily looks surprised for similar reasons go Kogeki.  "Whoa!  Okay, what the heck is...oh?  Oh hey, there ya guys are!  I was trying to find ya after that avalanche separated us!  Turns out I was chasing a Zoroark, not an Absol.  So...where the heck are we right now?"

Looking around the room, there's one path behind the group and in front of the statue (which has now been obscured by a mysterious fog.  This is the entrance Kee used), and one path behind the statue (also obscured by fog).  Aside from the Kangaskhan statue and the exits, there's nothing else of note in the room.

Scizor finishes fiddling with the statue and sits down in a corner of the room, taking a moment to relax.

"...so...do you mind explaining where we are, Scizor?"

Lucas summons Sally to translate again.  She looks confused as Scizor explains at first, but she closes her eyes and accepts the strangeness of it all after he finishes.

Scizor says we're at a rest area of sorts.  We're safe here according to him.  If we take the path in front of the statue, it'll get us out of the Mystery Dungeon and put us back at the entrance.  The path behind the statue, meanwhile, will take us to the next floor.  He recommends we rest while we have the chance.  The dungeon's only going to get more difficult to traverse from here, and statues like these are usually only found when there's great danger ahead.

Lucas thinks about that for a moment and what that means.  "...well, you heard him.  If anyone wants to turn back now, this is your last chance, it seems.  We're getting close to Spear Pillar.  I imagine the section ahead is going to be the upper levels of Mt. Coronet's cave system, and those link directly to the Spear Pillar itself.  Once we're there...well, I don't know what exactly we'll find, but chances are that Dialga's waiting for us...for one reason or another.  If anyone doesn't want to continue, then I don't blame you.  Facing a Legendary is not for the faint of heart."

Scizor startles when Lucas mentions that.  Wait, what?!  Nobody told him that Dialga was here!

Rui startles too.  "...a...L-Legendary pokemon?  Are you sure about that?"

Karen nods (and notably is also trying to keep her distance from Sally again).  "Unfortunately, yeah...something's wrong with Dialga, apparently.  We talked to the Lake Trio earlier, and...well, they gave us a Red Chain to help seal Dialga's power!  So...I'm staying.  Honestly, I'm scared, and I don't know what to think of all of this, but...if there's something I can do, I want to help.  Whatever's causing all this trouble that's pulling pokemon and people from other worlds to the mountain, the source of it all must be at the top!  If we go there, maybe we can find out how to return you to your worlds, Kee and Scizor!"

Scizor has to think about that for a moment.  He nods after a little thought.  He's gonna stay too.

Rui looks uncertain.  "...do you think the reason I lost my memory is related to what's going on at...Spear Pillar, you said?"

"Maybe.  Can't really say for certain.  But if you ask me, I think it's the best lead you're probably going to get.  If we can calm down Dialga, I'm sure they can help you with that little problem, too."

Rui thinks about it...then also nods.  "...a-alright...guess I don't have much of a choice but to tr-trust you on this..."  Espeon cuddles with Rui, trying to comfort her (and also completely unphased by the idea of facing a Legendary pokemon, weirdly).  It'll be all right.  Rui absentmindedly pets the cat pokemon.

The group can rest here for the night, as it's isolated from the rest of the dungeon.  If there's anything you wish to do before the end of the day/before heading to the third floor of the dungeon, do it now.  This is the midway point of the dungeon, so you guys can have a short break from the action if you wish.

(Sorry for not getting back sooner to post but....well, I feel asleep at my keyboard while watching some youtube videos. Let me try to make up for lost time....)

Before we get into the current stuff....

*Minor Flashback!*

- "Ha! You say that's ambitious, but I say its just accepting nothing less but the best for myself! Otherwise, what's the point of being a Trainer , if you're not going to try your damndest to achieve whatever you set out to do? Getting a Heatran to partner up with me may turn out to be an impossible goal, but I'm not going to give up on that just yet! Not when I haven't even BEGUN it! *Coughs* ....Anyway, if I do track down a Heatran, I'll be sure to let you know about it, and get your help with persuading it to join me if its amenable to such a proposition."

- Ran would give Johnathan firm grip on his right shoulder after passing off the notes to him, giving him a very grateful nod. "Thank ya, Johnathan. Hopefully you won't have to do what I've asked ya, but...if worst comes to worse, Sinnoh's now prepared to deal with it."

That's it, and perfect timing, for as Scizor's Explorer badge starts to shine, signaling a Teleport to the Stairs of this Floor....

*Minor Flashback End!*

....Ran suddenly find himself in a smallish room with what looked to be a Kanguskhan Statue, wobbling on his feet a bit from the unusual feeling of that transportation before resting a hand against his head and shaking it to clear it away. He gives Rui a half-shrug at her question, and simply answer back with "Not sure. Scizors 'said' we'd be Teleported to the next Floor once somebody found the Stairs and progressed up them, but this is different then what he described...."

Once everyone else is Teleported in and the ironclad insect 'explains' (Via Sally) what the heck is up with this room/Statue , the bristly blacksmith closes his eyes and lets out a gruff *Sigh*

"....So we're half way through this Mystery Dungeon and to Spear Pillar, and it's only going to get tougher and meaner going forward? Mit Feuerstein und Stahl, fick mein Leben mit einem glühenden Hammer....."
Translation: By flint and steel, fuck up my life with a red-hot hammer....

When asked by Lucas if anyone wanted to quit, Ran's eyes immediately snapped open and focused on them, and he let loose a *growl*  and snapped his arm out in a very definitive 'NO' gesture.

"After all I've suffered through for this fucking absurd and dangerous job, with the stakes surrounding it higher than this mountain we're on and the promises I made to the Pixies and the duty I have towards my people? Fuck no am I giving up now. No matter how much I hate this blasted mission of ours, it isn't just about me or getting paid for it in the end. If this Tauros shit supernatural mystery force ain''t addressed and fixed by us ASAP, then Sinnoh and who know how many other places are screwed, and if I can do anything to prevent that, I MUST. Even if mean having to stand against Time Lord Dialga themselves and subduing them, so be it. I'm in it until the end, whatever it may be!!"

A rather impressive and impassioned response from the wee little man, eh? Hopefully his words galvanized the other more uncertain and timid members of the coalition!

Ran would also be there for Rui after she expresses her doubtful affirmation to continue on, going over behind her to lay a hand on her shoulder. 

"Have faith, lass. If not in Lucas or anyone else, then in yourself and Espeon. You'll get your memories back after all this is done and sent on ya way home, and if not I'll find a way to restore both to ya, I promise. Alright, Rui?"

Kogeki's own speech and resolve to continue has the scruffy smith frowning, as having revenge against the gods being your primary motivation for a quest not a great thing, but he doesn't say anything against it. If that's what it takes to get him on-board with the rest of this godawful mission, then let his embittered hatred flow. Besides, he's the last one to criticize someone about seeking to correct an injustice........

Their news of capturing a Ditto and offering to trade it to him got two eyebrows raised from the dwarven craftsman, followed by an appreciative whistle.

"Well, pluck the feathers off a Fearow if that isn't a fine catch you got! Hmm....not sure if I have enough to adequately Trade for it to your liking, but we don't know that until we haggle it out, eh? Right, I was thinking of Trading you a Sword Dance TM and Big Nugget I found, and....what about a couple Great Balls and Potions, a Revive and Super Potion, and a Gyarados too? Dittos are a real versatile treasure, so the Big Nugget and Gyarados should be worth plenty to ya in exchange, and the TM and supplies should be useful to ya while we're stuck up here. How's that sound to ya?"

(I'll say the rest of what I want Ran to do after this Trade is finished!)