[Game Thread] Pokerole Mystery Dungeon: Primal Shadows

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

"Well, it'ssssss a placccce to ssssstart.  That will do.  Your cooperation issssss much apprecccciated.  Now then, where will we ssssstart looking...?  If only we could find a pokemon capable of making a ssssstorm...

"I know of one."  A chilling voice comes from behind Team Artificers, causing Chimical and Solosis to jump, startled by the sudden intrusion.

(...)

"Who are you?  I don't recall asssssking you if you knew anything."

An Absol steps through the doors, followed by a Magneton.  The large, white feline's red eyes are piercing, his words blunt and to the point.  His very presence causes the very air to tense up, though Team Artificer's hardly seems to be fazed by the disaster pokemon.

"ABSOL, ARE YOU SURE IT IS WISE TO APPROACH THEM FIRST?"

"The other teams all have their pairings already.  We get this lot.  And lucky for them, I have a good starting point for our search of the Air Continent.  Though they could stand to be a bit less rude."

Chimical gets a bit uppity at that remark.  "Hmph.  You're the one who butt in on our conversssssation.  If you know sssssomething, though, ssssspill the detailssssss.  It'sssss crucial to the misssssion."

"I am aware.  We travel to Mt. Thunder once we have what we need.  There will be a pokemon there that will know more about creating storms of this nature, and what might be capable of similar feats."

"Mt. Thunder?  How apt.  This should be a rather enlightening excursion with a name like that."

"Yes, quite."

Absol doesn't seem to be particularly amused by having to deal with Team Artificers.

(...)

Platina's question to Chimical draws the red feline's attention away from Absol.  And as much attention as Platina is drawing to herself from Chimical, he very easily notices that she might have had more to ask than just that one question.  "Oh, you want to know what it'sssss like to work for the Guild?  Well, that's rather sssssimple.  Thisssss issss the kind of environment where thosssssse who get thingsssss done go far.  And Team Artificccccersssss getssssss thingsssss done.  You wouldn't happen to be thinking about joining, would you?"

It's at this point that Daxter, Ampharos, and Mawile arrive.  Chimical tauntingly hisses at the trio.

"Well, well, well, if it isssssn't the traitor to Team Omega Sssssseekersssss.  Come to sssssspy on our activity?"

"Traitor?  What on earth do you mean by that?"

"Oh, didn't you noticccccce how tenssssse they were while in the sssssame room together?  Ah, no matter, I ssssssuppossssse.  It'ssss not really any of your busssssinesss anywayssss.  Enjoy your quessssstioning of the bird.  And do try to be polite now."

Mawile rolls her eyes and walks over.  "Uh huh.  As polite as you're being right now, I take it?"  She all but thrusts a Connection Orb into Chimical's paws, staring daggers at him.  "Make sure that you update that with everything you find out that relates to the mission we've all been assigned.  And I do mean, everything."

Chimical grins mischievously.  "Of coursssssse.  Wouldn't want to displeasssssse the Guildmasssssster, after all.  Come, Sssssolossssisss, we have work to do."

Team Artificers wanders off with Absol and Magenton (who haven't said a word during that whole exchange) to prepare for their journey, and Ampharos frowns.  "Well, they're quite the characters."

(...)

Both the newest Teams Arrival get nary a look as the glimmering birdy continued to stare at Dax, looking very expectant for what they had to say for themselves and how.
Daxter lets out a breath, trying to relax.  He'd been gritting his teeth that whole conversation, trying to avoid escalating the situation while in the guild proper.  He looks to the small metal bird that Team Artificers had just been talking to.  "Hey.  Those guys didn't try anything funny, did they?  They're absolute snakes.  Wouldn't trust them any more than a normal looking patch of sand around here, honestly."

After Platina responds to Daxter's question, that's when Team Omega Seekers and Team Stripes arrive on the scene as well.  Arcanine, Lurantis, and Barbaracle hang back at their leader's suggestion, but they're clearly listening very carefully to anything that might be said by the younger group of pokemon.

"Very well. I am please to have helped you, sir Chimical, and I thank you for your politeness."

If nothing else, the fiery feline was making a solid impression on Platina, despite his somewhat snakish demeanor and the company he kept. Absol's abrupt intrusion also caused the metallic avian to startle, briefly flapping their wings and scattering more of their SHINY sparkles around before they got themselves under control. The Doom prophet's species was one they immediately recognized, but the glittering fowl actually gave him a smile and bowed their head to them in respect, ignoring or not noticing the tension they created. Unlike most, she knew that his species weren't really all that bad from what their parents taught them, and several times their warnings and prophecies have been a boon for their people, so all things told they felt rather happy and safe one was around so informally. After all, if their was truly bad trouble abound nearby, they'd have Alerted everyone to it by now!

(...)

They remained silent as Absol and Team Artificer began to snip at each other, observing things with a careful, thought eye. Hm, it seemed like her first impressions were a little off about the chimera kitten, since they seemed to be more impoliyr and immature or fragile of ego than they first presented himself to her as. Easily baited into acting out too, or so it appeared to be. Were they two-faced in nature, perhaps? Fitting, for a cat and snake hybrid with two heads.

It was at this point they decided to raise their question to Chimical, in an attempt not only to have it answered, but also to break things up and get more Insight into their and Team Artificers' mindset. They weren't lying when they were curious to know more about the Guild - they just didn't specify that was all they looking for in their statement, exactly.

And oh my, did they have a loaded one to give! 'Who gets things done go far' and Artifcer's own dedication towards that ideal? That spoke of one of two things: hard working and pure pragmatism. Those not afraid to put in the effort to get the result they wanted, and those unequally uncowed doing whatever it took to accomplish their goals. Separate, those qualities were already strong indicators a Pokemon was a driven individual, but together, combined with the troublesome attitudes and feel they were getting from Chimical and their group? Unless you were on their side or in their good graces, the team was not ones to be trifled with or so easily trusted. And if even part of the Guild slightly mirrored their way? Well, it would explain the Leader's earlier behavior at least.

One thing was for certain: they would have to be careful around Chimical and those of Team Artificers, least they get ensnared by their disarming ways or be unprepared to deal with their spite. For now they've been somewhat behaved and (in the case of Chimical) well mannered towards themselves (Platina), but who knows if that would last, much less that level of niceties being the norm rather than the exception.

"......I see. Thank you for your answer, and no, I haven't. I'll be putting some thought into the prospect now that you mentioned it, though. I have my own goals I wish to see accomplished, and having an organization like the Guild supporting me in my endeavors is an appealing idea. Whether they can do so satisfactorily enough or if they are a good fit for myself for me to extend a request for membership remains to be seen."

(...)

A second group's arrival forestalls anymore questions from the metallic avian, and this one had yet another individual that stood out to them: a blue, amphibious-like Dragon looking Pokemon. How fascinating. Less interesting was the Mawhile and Ampharos, though they did at least get a perfunctory nod before the Shiny Bird went back to scrutinizing Dax. The subsequent show Chimical put on was also equally interesting. Traitor? Very bold word to accuse someone of. What was the story behind that? Being referred to as a mere 'bird' again earned the noxious critter a pointed glare and no small amount of ire. Yeap, they were indeed a bratty two-faced, and short of memory to boot, since they just mentioned their preferred being called by their name to Porygon-2. 

Once Team Artificers left with Absol and the Magneton (the Absol get a bow of farewell), Platina let out a moderate *Sigh* in relief, ruffling their feathers and shaking their head to themselves. Good heavens, that bunch was a chore to experience, aside from whatever politeness (real or faked) from Chimical! They hope that most of the rest of this Guild's followers weren't that troublesome or complicated, or they would seriously begin to doubt if they'd be able to help rescue their friend without ransoming them first!

The Dragon-kin's concerns brought them out of their revere, gracing them with a intense stare for several seconds before nodding slightly.

"Yes, quite. That lot can be professional, but only if it suits their fancy, I feel. Not ones to be trifled or bothered with either, unless you can play their games better than they can. *Shakes head* In any case, I'm fine. They treated me well, though how much of that was sincere or mere flattery remains to be seen."

Before the strange drake could respond, Platina launched into a question of their own, this one both curious and pointed.

"They did call you a traitor, though. Not something to said about anyone lightly, no matter if it were said in rudeness of being demeaning. Sounds like their is a rather....interesting story behind it all, hm?"

Both the newest Teams arrival get nary a look as the glimmering birdy continued to stare at Dax, looking very expectant for what they had to say for themselves and how.