[Game Thread] Pokerole Mystery Dungeon: Primal Shadows

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Now with the battle finally done (aND W0n1!!), Kee would rejoice and be overjoyed and proud af - but not right now, nope. Once things are cleared and safed, the monochrome crittercoon does roll over on his back right there on the spot, closing his deep-red eyes and taking deep breaths one after the other.

Yet he smiles, partly genuinely and partly to handle the actual pain he's in. Maybe this battle was juuuust a tad bit too much for him (yet), though Kee does what he learned to always do when he's unwell: Mask it with a smile. Maybe another relict of his human self, maybe not, he doesn't know and has more dire things to ponder now. "I'll be fine, I'm fine... *deep breathes* ...I am...fine..."


...Only when the SKY PLATE!! appears and is given to Platina, Kee manages to get back on his feet (yet he's very obviously unsteady), throt over a few steps to the steely bird and give her a gentle affirming nudge with his nose and honestly proud smile. "*cough* Take good care 'f such an important and valuable item, dearest Platina. We'll need it...in the end... We do...for our mission... Our purpose..." ...And he returns to the spot he came from, onwards to rest some more. His thoughts venture to the others who were left behind to deal with HugeSnek Sandaconda ™, and worry for their well-being comes up. "Only one moment more... Then I'll...see after 'em.... *cough*" He can barely move though, as he tried to stand up and succumbs to fatigue and pain. "No... I can't... I'm a failure, leavin' 'em alone..." He rolls onto his side. Looks like for now, he's just waiting to return home or somewhere safe to recover.

[Dragonstrike]

As Platina reaches out for the Plate, she can swear that she feels a strong wind under her wings, as if she was soaring high in the sky like a mighty dragon.  It's a calm wind, much unlike the storms she's so accustomed to.  No rain, no lightning...just pure, unbridled freedom given form as she flies towards the Plate.

The Sky Plate glows, and so does the metallic birdie.  There are no humans, no Legendaries, so shadows...it's just her and the strange divine artifact in the clear, blue sky.

And yet, she hears a voice, despite being alone and so high up in the sky.  A melodious, wise, divine voice.

The Sky Plate, emblem of freedom and change, embodiment of both the gentleness and the fury of the Flying type.  May your wings see you safely to far off lands, Keeper of the Sky.

Etchings appear on the Plate's surface, and though Platina cannot read them, she somehow still knows exactly what they say.

The being poured the remains of its powers into stone and buried it deep.

And then with a flash of light, the vision ends.

Plate Obtained!: Master Sword Jingle - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Platina touches the Plate, and it flashes with a bright, golden light.  Briefly, Platina glows with the same light as the Sky Plate recognizes its new Keeper.

And then the Plate shrinks in size and zooms towards Platina's talons, attaching itself to her leg with a chain of magical, golden light!

Sky Plate Obtained!

Landorus nods.  "It recognizes you as its new Keeper, little bird.  Protect it.  The dark forces at work here were likely trying to wrest it from our grasp.  As its Keeper, you'll find that the Plate will grant you unparalleled strength when using moves of its element.  It is capable of other things as well, but you will have to discover what those effects are on your own.  Not even we fully understand what a shard of the Original One's strength is truly capable of."

Shortly after, everyone hears a large group of pokemon approaching.  Enamorus initially stands protectively over Landorus, though she relaxes once she sees that the group recognizes the approaching individuals.  Roserade, Rhyperior, and all the other pokemon that had been fighting the Shadow Sandaconda have finally arrived!

"Hey, you guys!  Sorry we're late to the party!  So, did you kick Lando's sorry behind for us?"

"Well, given that he appears to be resting over there, I daresay that they did rather well.  Ah, and Gallade, it's good to see they found you.  I was worried they weren't going to make it in time."

"They almost didn't.  Landorus attacked as soon as they arrived.  I would have been trounced completely if they hadn't shown up when they did."

"You have my thanks, Omega Seekers and Night Wardens.  We owe you a great debt."

The reunion is suddenly interrupted when the black storm overhead suddenly intensifies in strength.  Black lightning streaks through the sky as everyone hears a very loud, very audible sound coming from the clouds.

SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
GROOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!

The dark clouds part as powerful energy beams cut through them, revealing a battle taking place overhead.  A green, serpentine dragon fires beam after beam at a dark, shadowy bird pokemon!

The Shadow Phoenix: Dark Gaia's Spawn - Sonic Unleashed

Not a single one of the attacks from the dragon pokemon lands however, impacting into a dark, impenetrable barrier of shadow energy that completely surrounds the blackened bird.  The bird pokemon simply hovers in place as their wings become wreathed in black fire.  In response, the dragon breathes in, then fires a much more powerful beam of energy at the shield, trying to break it with a constant stream of damage.

The barrier not only absorbs the blow, but also causes it to ricochet.  The pokemon below have to dive for cover as the Hyper Beam carves a scorching hot trail in the earth across the entire diameter of the Seasonal Shrine.  Rayquaza roars at its opponent.

Enamorus gasps.  "Rayquaza!  And is that...Ho-oh?!"

Landorus grunts.  "That's no mere Ho-oh, Enamorus!  Everyone get back!!!"

And Ho-oh screeches back, unleashing its Shadow Hellfire on both the dragon and the ground below!

Rayquaza is completely engulfed by the flames, thrashing about as it tries to put out the incredibly lethal burn that it sustained!

Landorus flies upwards, positioning himself between the battle in the sky and the innocent pokemon below.  He slams two fists together, then slams them both into the ground to loosen a massive piece of the earth.  He lifts it up, using it like a shield to protect everyone from the worst of the Shadow Hellfire raining down from the sky!

"I hope you all have an exit plan!  Those Hyper Beams can shatter meteors, so if Rayquaza can't harm that thing, nobody will be able to!"

Enamorus looks at Hoopa, only to catch him absorbing some of the water from her shrine into one of his rings even as the edges of the clearing become engulfed in black fire.  She narrows her eyes, but makes no mention of the theft...for now.  "Imprisoned One, you all must leave.  Now."

"Uuuuhhhhhh...well, I'd like to, but I still don't have enough power to summon a portal for such a large group of pokemon!"

Enamorus's words have a tinge of venom laced between them as she berates Hoopa.  "Nonsense.  We're directly atop a leyline.  You should easily be able to open a Magnagate at the very least!"

"Did someone say Magnagate?  I'm your pokemon then!  Everyone gather in the middle of the shrine!"

Keldeo moves quickly, ushering everyone into the center of the clearing.  Landorus continues to struggle with holding back the various attacks being fired off by the two flying Legendaries, but cracks begin appearing in the chunk of soil and rock he ripped directly out of the ground.  The black fire spreads, getting closer and closer to the middle of the clearing even as Landorus tries to protect everyone from the worst of the collateral damage.

"Any...time...now!  Get out of here!!!"

Keldeo is spreading cards on the ground, frantically searching for the right ones.  "This one...this one...this, wait, no, that one!"

Gallade turns to Enamorus, who is waiting outside the circle being formed by the outsiders.  "And what of you and Landorus?  We can't leave you here to face this on your own."

"We will be fine.  Do not worry about us.  I'll make sure those vile shadows won't take any of my family again."

"Got it!  Alright everyone, hold onto your glasses and scarves!  This is gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Keldeo slides the last card into position just as Landorus's makeshift shield takes another Hyper Beam head on and shatters.  There's a flash of light as circular runes appear on the ground, and then the visitors to the Seasonal Shrine are gone, leaving behind an island about to be engulfed in a black, evil looking wildfire.

--------------------------------------------------

The Lord of Darkness: In the Future - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of T/D/S

Standing atop a tree overlooking the burning clearing, a dark, vampiric pokemon swears under his breath.  "Curses!  That mangy mutt delayed me for too long!  Thanks to him, I've lost the Sky Plate to those goody two shoes!"

He drops back into the foliage, paying no heed to the spreading wildfire and scaring away what few wild pokemon remained in the area.  He turns to speak to the darkness as his loyal partner Nohface walks up to his side.

"Accelerate the search.  We must locate all of the remaining Plates before all is lost."

???: "Very well, mon employeur.  I shall begin at once.  Though if I may ask...why do you care so much about these Plaques?  I thought you only cared for finding the humaines?"

"I only care about the humans because they'll lead us to the Plates.  You cannot possibly fathom how important and powerful they are!  We must locate them before the humans do!  And you can trust that you will be adequately compensated for each one you find."

???: "Je vois.  In that case, I shall ensure that the humaines stay well within my sights while I search for clues to the Plaques' whereabouts."

The mysterious presence vanishes into the shadows of the trees as Darkula kneels down and strokes Nohface, though they seem to be rather apathetic to it.

"You won't beat me to the next one, Omega Seekers.  Mwahahahaha..."

---------------------------------------------------

Post Town: Come on in to Post Town! - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity

A flash of light light appears on the hilltop overlooking Post Town, a Magnagate appearing and startling Herdier and Lillipup while they're on their evening walk!  The Omega Seekers, Night Wardens, and all of their new companions spill out of it, landing on the grassy hilltop in a large pile and a very loud *THUMP*!

"Good gravy!  Keldeo, is that you?!  Give us some warning next time, why dontcha?!"

"Sorry, sorry!  Had to get back here in a hurry!  Is everyone okay?  We didn't lose anybody along the way, right?"

Everyone is present and accounted for during the rollcall (though Hoopa was forcefully returned to their bottle upon leaving the Mystery Dungeon), and Herdier and Lillipup help with getting everyone untangled from each other.  By the time everyone is back on their feet, a large crowd seems to have gathered.  The group's sudden entrance appears to have caused quite a scene...

"Hey, Keldeo's back!"

"Oh dear, they all look rather beat up, don't they?"

"I wonder what happened?"

Emolga caught that first part and clears his throat, trying to draw attention to himself.  "Uh, hello?  Anyone concerned about my wellbeing?  No?  *sigh*"

As the crowd continues to wonder what's going on, Swanna and Haxorus push their way through the crowd.

"'Scuse me, pardon me, coming through!  Keldeo, Emogla, what the heck happened?!"

"You had the entire town worried!  We thought you would have been back before now!"

"Yeah, well, you know, parallel universes ended up being involved, we had to fight not one, but two Legendary pokemon...you know, the works.  No big deal for pokemon like us though!  They didn't stand a chance against Emolga's Enforcers!"  Emolga puffs out his chest, looking incredibly proud!  ...even though he's definitely exaggerating his involvement in this story.  But he's also definitely dodging the topic of the last thing that happened...

Keldeo shakes his head in exasperation, then adds on to the tale.  "Got involved in a few more scraps than that.  Namely a Monster House and battling a giant sand snake.  Roughed us up real good.  I've still got sand in places that I didn't even know I had until recently."  Keldeo doesn't mention that event either.  Maybe they don't think it's a good idea to mention it in a public space...

Haxorus listens carefully to their report.  "The blizzards seem to have calmed down, so whatever you did, I think you've solved the problem for now.  What about Sue though?  Any sign of her?"

"Weeeeeeellll...we think she's gone looking for Kyurem?  We found a frism that she'd left behind.  Said something about black and white stones if I remember correctly."

"We found a frism bearing a message from Kyurem as well.  He mentioned we needed to look for the Obsidian and Ivory Peaks, then find somewhere called the Sky Ruins. No sign of the dragon himself, but it seems likely that he might be at a location called the Altar of Ice."

Haxorus nods.  "I've heard of those mountains.  Uncharted territory.  Incredibly dangerous.  We'll need a plan. And then once we have what we need from there, we need to find this Altar of Ice."

While Haxorus is conversing with the members of his team, Swanna is attending to all the other individuals present, making sure they're not injured too badly.  "Well, it sounds like all of you have been through quite a lot lately.  Come, come.  I have plenty of empty rooms right now.  You should all stay the night at my inn, free of charge.  I insist."

[Mikaruge108]

Karen is about to say something to the group when they're reunited, when the Shadow Ho-Oh interrupts her! She for one isn't going to argue that now isn't the best time to have long winded talks.
...
"Owie... Did we have to get spit out in the air? Karen whines, but is otherwise unharmed. She mostly watches and listens when the onlookers discuss the goings on. "I *really* need some retail therapy after that..." she says to herself. She thanks Swanna for the generous offer. "Thanks ma'am."

[Spiritmon]

Kogeki look at Platina new power item, and once again he pat in her shoulder and give her a thumps up. "Looks great Platina. Now no one can understimate you."

Kogeki barely had time to relax. He was gladly everyone survive the battle against Sandaconda. "Bless be Aotios and Mutios! You guys are-"

Then hell happened. Shadow Ho-Oh attacking Rayquaza. The destruction happening one side and another. He unsheathed the Kunai, ready to defend everyone. He is no fool: He knows he cannot win, even if he was a Lucario. He felt powerless in this situation. 

After some time thinking in a way to survive, he see Enamorous sacrifice herself alongside Landorus. "Lady Enamorous wai-!" Then Keldeo teleport everyone out of that place.

Kogeki fall in the ground, so much startled in such chaos. He look around and with a growl, he punch the ground. "Damn it!" He said frustrated. Once again, he was powerless in do anything. 

Kogeki was quiet during the inquiry of the crowd, but anyone who get closer to Kogeki, he simply show a very intimidating gaze, who hopefully show one simple message: Kogeki is not in a good mood. Well, he almost never in "good mood", but after that "failure" from his part, he is right now in a far more foul mood.

Swanna offer to rest though...

"...Yes. A rest would be welcome."

Before he go a room though. He get closer to Keldeo and talk with him for a second. "I know you are...busy right now. But...I want to talk with you later...Something important. Got time later?"

@Dragonstrike

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

As Platina reaches out for the Plate, she can swear that she feels a strong wind under her wings, as if she was soaring high in the sky like a mighty dragon.  It's a calm wind, much unlike the storms she's so accustomed to.  No rain, no lightning...just pure, unbridled freedom given form as she flies towards the Plate.

The Sky Plate glows, and so does the metallic birdie.  There are no humans, no Legendaries, so shadows...it's just her and the strange divine artifact in the clear, blue sky.

And yet, she hears a voice, despite being alone and so high up in the sky.  A melodious, wise, divine voice.

The Sky Plate, emblem of freedom and change, embodiment of both the gentleness and the fury of the Flying type.  May your wings see you safely to far off lands, Keeper of the Sky.
Platina's mind went blank as she had perhaps her first true Divine Revelation in communion with the Sky Plate. Mere words failed to describe the utter power, the sheer scope of Divinity, and the absolute feeling of boundless potential she was experiencing. She could hardly keep herself from breaking out into tears at it her, the serenity the Sky Plate and the ponderous Divine Voice barely keeping her composure in balance as the rest of her was just near overwhelmed. 

Was this....was this what true Godliness like, even a bare fraction of it? Is this what freedom truly is? Oh, how blind and naive she was, in all her declarations and willful defiance of the Legends, their reign, their majesty....

....Still, she would not regret nor repent for it all. She, Platina, had made a vow to herself and her Team to be better and rise against the challenges that would face them all. Even should it lead to her eventual doom, she would not falter again. 

And with the Sky Plate in talon and the Freedom and responsibility it offered.....well, it would be rude to squander it, no? Divine Grace and Duty was given, and she would wield it for the sake of her comrade, of the people, and of the entire world. For if all of the earth was under the providence of the heavens and it's winds, so too must she stretch her wings and soar.


Etchings appear on the Plate's surface, and though Platina cannot read them, she somehow still knows exactly what they say.

The being poured the remains of its powers into stone and buried it deep.

And then with a flash of light, the vision ends.

Plate Obtained!: Master Sword Jingle - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Platina touches the Plate, and it flashes with a bright, golden light.  Briefly, Platina glows with the same light as the Sky Plate recognizes its new Keeper.

And then the Plate shrinks in size and zooms towards Platina's talons, attaching itself to her leg with a chain of magical, golden light!

Sky Plate Obtained!

Landorus nods.  "It recognizes you as its new Keeper, little bird.  Protect it.  The dark forces at work here were likely trying to wrest it from our grasp.  As its Keeper, you'll find that the Plate will grant you unparalleled strength when using moves of its element.  It is capable of other things as well, but you will have to discover what those effects are on your own.  Not even we fully understand what a shard of the Original One's strength is truly capable of."

Then, the moment was over, and there she was standing/hovering with the Sky Plate firmly attached to her person, Landerous imparting His own Wisdom and impressing the onus of her new responsibilities. Turning towards him, she simply gives him a firm nod, her resolve plain for all to see.

"I will. Thank you. By the Sky Plate's Power and my own, I shall Fly everyone towards a bright future, and blow away the Darkness that threatens to chock out the light."

The grace-given lady did not bother to pester the Therian with questions about the Plate. As He said, it was for her to discover what it's Power and Potential holds, and for her to learn how to shape it for the benefit of all.

Not that she would have the chance to, for the rest of the party soon arrived, and she heaved a great big *sigh* of relief at seeing them all mostly hale and hearty. Thank the Dragon Gods that titanic serpent didn't scour the flesh from their bones, or worse yet devour the whole!

"Oh by the Great Fire and Waters you all are alright. Looks like we're all more capable than not of contending with Legends of one kind or another, ha!"

Shortly after, everyone hears a large group of pokemon approaching.  Enamorus initially stands protectively over Landorus, though she relaxes once she sees that the group recognizes the approaching individuals.  Roserade, Rhyperior, and all the other pokemon that had been fighting the Shadow Sandaconda have finally arrived!

"Hey, you guys!  Sorry we're late to the party!  So, did you kick Lando's sorry behind for us?"

"Well, given that he appears to be resting over there, I daresay that they did rather well.  Ah, and Gallade, it's good to see they found you.  I was worried they weren't going to make it in time."

"They almost didn't.  Landorus attacked as soon as they arrived.  I would have been trounced completely if they hadn't shown up when they did."

"You have my thanks, Omega Seekers and Night Wardens.  We owe you a great debt."

The reunion is suddenly interrupted when the black storm overhead suddenly intensifies in strength.  Black lightning streaks through the sky as everyone hears a very loud, very audible sound coming from the clouds.

SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
GROOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!

The dark clouds part as powerful energy beams cut through them, revealing a battle taking place overhead.  A green, serpentine dragon fires beam after beam at a dark, shadowy bird pokemon!

The Shadow Phoenix: Dark Gaia's Spawn - Sonic Unleashed

Not a single one of the attacks from the dragon pokemon lands however, impacting into a dark, impenetrable barrier of shadow energy that completely surrounds the blackened bird.  The bird pokemon simply hovers in place as their wings become wreathed in black fire.  In response, the dragon breathes in, then fires a much more powerful beam of energy at the shield, trying to break it with a constant stream of damage.

Sadly, Platina didn't have a chance to say anything else, for disaster quite literally struke them all dumb and dead.

For the very heavens opened up to reveal the Great Dragon Lord of the Skies Rayquaza and The Solar Divinity Ho-Oh, locked in fierce and deadly combat as the later was thoroughly corrupted by the very Darkness that has been plaguing them all.

"Lord Rayquaza?! And Ho-Oh?! Wait.......no, not you too...!" Platina whispered in shock and grave concern as she stared up at the two dueling to the seeming death, before she rears back as their attacks invariably begin to rain down on all of her group.

"By all that is sacred and pure in the skies...!" she shouts, as she scrambles to get under the cover provided by Landerous and tightly link up with everyone underneath it. Feathers, foulness, and festering fangs, why do things have to continue to ever escalate and grow worse?! Her group saved the Four Djins, for Heavens sake!

Despite the crisis and how it all dismayed her so (to put it lightly), the shiny bird still somehow kept her calm. Perhaps it was The Sky Plate lending some of its Power to keep her in relatively good spirits, or maybe it was that her tolerance to absurdly deadly and divine disasters had reached a point she could just about weather it....

Because of this, she didn't miss the interactions between Enamorous and Hoopa, nor the blatent theft and trickery They were engaging in again, and saw fit to comment on it with no small amount of irritation and exasperation as she went up and cuffed them (Hoopa) up the back of their head.

"You blasted Spirit of the Bottle, will you cease your perilous shenanigans?! We're doing everything in our power to return you to your full power, we're all have a stake against that abhorrent Darkness, and we're all barely managing to get by too! So for the love that all is sacred BE PATIENT, please STOP antagonizing our allies and your fellow Legendries with your short-sighted grabs for power and thrill for mischief, and JUST HELP !!!"

Yeap, Hoopa has managed to officially wear out their Legendary Status that had previously shield them from any true rebuke. Hopefully they'll sort themselves out, or they'll be earning plenty more withering responses where that came from!

Fortunately for them, Keldeo came to their unintentional rescue and very much intentional one for everyone else as they prepared to open a path to get the group to safety. Normally she would have paid close attention to try and learn all she could about the art of opening and manipulating Magnagates, but other matters had her attention - that of Landerous' and Enamorous' safety. The ironclad avian looked ready to protest their decision, before she remembered herself and the own pride and responsibilities that They must hold. Slowly, she gave the two a solemn nod.

"So be it. May the winds protect thee and ever let you Fly in Freedom, my fellow royal skyborne."

She bowed her head as she uttered that prayer, one wing across her chest and the other touching The Sky Plate, fervently asking for a Boon to give to Them. Thought the Original One's power was weakened and scattered, this piece was here and quite potent, and so too was her Will for Them to be safe. Whether or not it would work or not....

(To be more specific, Platina is going to blindly Attempt to trying and use The Sky Plate to grant Landerous and Enamorous some form of blessing for the utter hell they'll be riding high on, using as much of her Will as possible as a spiritual medium/fuel to achieve that. Lando said that the Powers of the Plate had capabilities even He didn't know about, so she's going to wing it and see if her impassioned prayer can get anything out of it!)

Thus spoken and regardless of what happens, Platina is soon swept away with the rest of the group, hopefully towards clearer skies and greener pastures....



The barrier not only absorbs the blow, but also causes it to ricochet.  The pokemon below have to dive for cover as the Hyper Beam carves a scorching hot trail in the earth across the entire diameter of the Seasonal Shrine.  Rayquaza roars at its opponent.

Enamorus gasps.  "Rayquaza!  And is that...Ho-oh?!"

Landorus grunts.  "That's no mere Ho-oh, Enamorus!  Everyone get back!!!"

And Ho-oh screeches back, unleashing its Shadow Hellfire on both the dragon and the ground below!

Rayquaza is completely engulfed by the flames, thrashing about as it tries to put out the incredibly lethal burn that it sustained!

Landorus flies upwards, positioning himself between the battle in the sky and the innocent pokemon below.  He slams two fists together, then slams them both into the ground to loosen a massive piece of the earth.  He lifts it up, using it like a shield to protect everyone from the worst of the Shadow Hellfire raining down from the sky!

"I hope you all have an exit plan!  Those Hyper Beams can shatter meteors, so if Rayquaza can't harm that thing, nobody will be able to!"

Enamorus looks at Hoopa, only to catch him absorbing some of the water from her shrine into one of his rings even as the edges of the clearing become engulfed in black fire.  She narrows her eyes, but makes no mention of the theft...for now.  "Imprisoned One, you all must leave.  Now."

"Uuuuhhhhhh...well, I'd like to, but I still don't have enough power to summon a portal for such a large group of pokemon!"

Enamorus's words have a tinge of venom laced between them as she berates Hoopa.  "Nonsense.  We're directly atop a leyline.  You should easily be able to open a Magnagate at the very least!"

"Did someone say Magnagate?  I'm your pokemon then!  Everyone gather in the middle of the shrine!"

Keldeo moves quickly, ushering everyone into the center of the clearing.  Landorus continues to struggle with holding back the various attacks being fired off by the two flying Legendaries, but cracks begin appearing in the chunk of soil and rock he ripped directly out of the ground.  The black fire spreads, getting closer and closer to the middle of the clearing even as Landorus tries to protect everyone from the worst of the collateral damage.

"Any...time...now!  Get out of here!!!"

Keldeo is spreading cards on the ground, frantically searching for the right ones.  "This one...this one...this, wait, no, that one!"

Gallade turns to Enamorus, who is waiting outside the circle being formed by the outsiders.  "And what of you and Landorus?  We can't leave you here to face this on your own."

"We will be fine.  Do not worry about us.  I'll make sure those vile shadows won't take any of my family again."

"Got it!  Alright everyone, hold onto your glasses and scarves!  This is gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Keldeo slides the last card into position just as Landorus's makeshift shield takes another Hyper Beam head on and shatters.  There's a flash of light as circular runes appear on the ground, and then the visitors to the Seasonal Shrine are gone, leaving behind an island about to be engulfed in a black, evil looking wildfire.

--------------------------------------------------

The Lord of Darkness: In the Future - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of T/D/S

Standing atop a tree overlooking the burning clearing, a dark, vampiric pokemon swears under his breath.  "Curses!  That mangy mutt delayed me for too long!  Thanks to him, I've lost the Sky Plate to those goody two shoes!"

He drops back into the foliage, paying no heed to the spreading wildfire and scaring away what few wild pokemon remained in the area.  He turns to speak to the darkness as his loyal partner Nohface walks up to his side.

"Accelerate the search.  We must locate all of the remaining Plates before all is lost."

???: "Very well, mon employeur.  I shall begin at once.  Though if I may ask...why do you care so much about these Plaques?  I thought you only cared for finding the humaines?"

"I only care about the humans because they'll lead us to the Plates.  You cannot possibly fathom how important and powerful they are!  We must locate them before the humans do!  And you can trust that you will be adequately compensated for each one you find."

???: "Je vois.  In that case, I shall ensure that the humaines stay well within my sights while I search for clues to the Plaques' whereabouts."

The mysterious presence vanishes into the shadows of the trees as Darkula kneels down and strokes Nohface, though they seem to be rather apathetic to it.

"You won't beat me to the next one, Omega Seekers.  Mwahahahaha..."

---------------------------------------------------

Post Town: Come on in to Post Town! - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity

A flash of light light appears on the hilltop overlooking Post Town, a Magnagate appearing and startling Herdier and Lillipup while they're on their evening walk!  The Omega Seekers, Night Wardens, and all of their new companions spill out of it, landing on the grassy hilltop in a large pile and a very loud *THUMP*!

"Good gravy!  Keldeo, is that you?!  Give us some warning next time, why dontcha?!"

"Sorry, sorry!  Had to get back here in a hurry!  Is everyone okay?  We didn't lose anybody along the way, right?"

Everyone is present and accounted for during the rollcall (though Hoopa was forcefully returned to their bottle upon leaving the Mystery Dungeon), and Herdier and Lillipup help with getting everyone untangled from each other.  By the time everyone is back on their feet, a large crowd seems to have gathered.  The group's sudden entrance appears to have caused quite a scene...

"Hey, Keldeo's back!"

"Oh dear, they all look rather beat up, don't they?"

"I wonder what happened?"

Emolga caught that first part and clears his throat, trying to draw attention to himself.  "Uh, hello?  Anyone concerned about my wellbeing?  No?  *sigh*"

As the crowd continues to wonder what's going on, Swanna and Haxorus push their way through the crowd.

"'Scuse me, pardon me, coming through!  Keldeo, Emogla, what the heck happened?!"

"You had the entire town worried!  We thought you would have been back before now!"

"Yeah, well, you know, parallel universes ended up being involved, we had to fight not one, but two Legendary pokemon...you know, the works.  No big deal for pokemon like us though!  They didn't stand a chance against Emolga's Enforcers!"  Emolga puffs out his chest, looking incredibly proud!  ...even though he's definitely exaggerating his involvement in this story.  But he's also definitely dodging the topic of the last thing that happened...

Keldeo shakes his head in exasperation, then adds on to the tale.  "Got involved in a few more scraps than that.  Namely a Monster House and battling a giant sand snake.  Roughed us up real good.  I've still got sand in places that I didn't even know I had until recently."  Keldeo doesn't mention that event either.  Maybe they don't think it's a good idea to mention it in a public space...

Haxorus listens carefully to their report.  "The blizzards seem to have calmed down, so whatever you did, I think you've solved the problem for now.  What about Sue though?  Any sign of her?"

"Weeeeeeellll...we think she's gone looking for Kyurem?  We found a frism that she'd left behind.  Said something about black and white stones if I remember correctly."

"We found a frism bearing a message from Kyurem as well.  He mentioned we needed to look for the Obsidian and Ivory Peaks, then find somewhere called the Sky Ruins.  No sign of the dragon himself, but it seems likely that he might be at a location called the Altar of Ice."

Haxorus nods.  "I've heard of those mountains.  Uncharted territory.  Incredibly dangerous.  We'll need a plan.  And then once we have what we need from there, we need to find this Altar of Ice."

While Haxorus is conversing with the members of his team, Swanna is attending to all the other individuals present, making sure they're not injured too badly.  "Well, it sounds like all of you have been through quite a lot lately.  Come, come.  I have plenty of empty rooms right now.  You should all stay the night at my inn, free of charge.  I insist."

Platina's mind went blank as she had perhaps her first true Divine Revelation in communion with the Sky Plate. Mere words failed to describe the utter power, the sheer scope of Divinity, and the absolute feeling of boundless potential she was experiencing. She could hardly keep herself from breaking out into tears at it her, the serenity the Sky Plate and the ponderous Divine Voice barely keeping her composure in balance as the rest of her was just near overwhelmed. 

Was this....was this what true Godliness like, even a bare fraction of it? Is this what freedom truly is? Oh, how blind and naive she was, in all her declarations and willful defiance of the Legends, their reign, their majesty....

....Still, she would not regret nor repent for it all. She, Platina, had made a vow to herself and her Team to be better and rise against the challenges that would face them all. Even should it lead to her eventual doom, she would not falter again. 

And with the Sky Plate in talon and the Freedom and responsibility it offered.....well, it would be rude to squander it, no? Divine Grace and Duty was given, and she would wield it for the sake of her comrade, of the people, and of the entire world. For if all of the earth was under the providence of the heavens and it's winds, so too must she stretch her wings and soar.

Then, the moment was over, and there she was standing/hovering with the Sky Plate firmly attached to her person, Landerous imparting His own Wisdom and impressing the onus of her new responsibilities. Turning towards him, she simply gives him a firm nod, her resolve plain for all to see.

"I will. Thank you. By the Sky Plate's Power and my own, I shall Fly everyone towards a bright future, and blow away the Darkness that threatens to chock out the light."

The grace-given lady did not bother to pester the Therian with questions about the Plate. As He said, it was for her to discover what it's Power and Potential holds, and for her to learn how to shape it for the benefit of all.

Not that she would have the chance to, for the rest of the party soon arrived, and she heaved a great big *sigh* of relief at seeing them all mostly hale and hearty. Thank the Dragon Gods that titanic serpent didn't scour the flesh from their bones, or worse yet devour the whole!

"Oh by the Great Fire and Waters you all are alright. Looks like we're all more capable than not of contending with Legends of one kind or another, ha!"

Sadly, Platina didn't have a chance to say anything else, for disaster quite literally struck them all dumb and dead.

For the very heavens opened up to reveal the Great Dragon Lord of the Skies Rayquaza and The Solar Divinity Ho-Oh, locked in fierce and deadly combat as the later was thoroughly corrupted by the very Darkness that has been plaguing them all.

"Lord Rayquaza?! And Ho-Oh?! Wait.......no, not you too...!" Platina whispered in shock and grave concern as she stared up at the two dueling to the seeming death, before she rears back as their attacks invariably begin to rain down on all of her group.

"By all that is sacred and pure in the skies...!" she shouts, as she scrambles to get under the cover provided by Landerous and tightly link up with everyone underneath it. Feathers, foulness, and festering fangs, why do things have to continue to ever escalate and grow worse?! Her group saved the Four Djins, for Heavens sake!

Despite the crisis and how it all dismayed her so (to put it lightly), the shiny bird still somehow kept her calm. Perhaps it was The Sky Plate lending some of its Power to keep her in relatively good spirits, or maybe it was that her tolerance to absurdly deadly and divine disasters had reached a point she could just about weather it....

Because of this, she didn't miss the interactions between Enamorous and Hoopa, nor the blatent theft and trickery They were engaging in again, and saw fit to comment on it with no small amount of irritation and exasperation as she went up and cuffed them (Hoopa) up the back of their head.

"You blasted Spirit of the Bottle, will you cease your perilous shenanigans?! We're doing everything in our power to return you to your full power, we're all have a stake against that abhorrent Darkness, and we're all barely managing to get by too! So for the love that all is sacred BE PATIENT, please STOP antagonizing our allies and your fellow Legendries with your short-sighted grabs for power and thrill for mischief, and JUST HELP !!!"

Yeap, Hoopa has managed to officially wear out their Legendary Status that had previously shield them from any true rebuke. Hopefully they'll sort themselves out, or they'll be earning plenty more withering responses where that came from!

Fortunately for them, Keldeo came to their unintentional rescue and very much intentional one for everyone else as they prepared to open a path to get the group to safety. Normally she would have paid close attention to try and learn all she could about the art of opening and manipulating Magnagates, but other matters had her attention - that of Landerous' and Enamorous' safety. The ironclad avian looked ready to protest their decision, before she remembered herself and the own pride and responsibilities that They must hold. Slowly, she gave the two a solemn nod.

"So be it. May the winds protect thee and ever let you Fly in Freedom, my fellow royal skyborne."

She bowed her head as she uttered that prayer, one wing across her chest and the other touching The Sky Plate, fervently asking for a Boon to give to Them. Thought the Original One's power was weakened and scattered, this piece was here and quite potent, and so too was her Will for Them to be safe. Whether or not it would work or not....

(To be more specific, Platina is going to blindly Attempt to trying and use The Sky Plate to grant Landerous and Enamorous some form of blessing for the utter hell they'll be riding high on, using as much of her Will as possible as a spiritual medium/fuel to achieve that. Lando said that the Powers of the Plate had capabilities even He didn't know about, so she's going to wing it and see if her impassioned prayer can get anything out of it!)

Thus spoken and regardless of what happens, Platina is soon swept away with the rest of the group, hopefully towards clearer skies and greener pastures....

======

Regarding her arrival back in Post Town and the whole group getting mobbed by the ensuing welcome party, Platina was just having none of it, acting aloof yet dignified as she silently weathered the clamor of the townsfolk. She was tired, stressed, worn out, and thoroughly through with today, for rather obvious reasons, and she was not in the mood for niceties or socialization after leaving the Djin to fend for themselves back on the island. For similar reasons she also followed Keldeo's and Emolga's lead and kept mum about what precisely happened. Even if she was in better spirit she would have kept mum on things - one does not speak of such Legendary and Grave Disasters to the easily panicked commoners without being able to offer them assurances against their first Instincts or doctoring the truth to be more palatable. 

Her exhaustion didn't stop her from discretely checking up on everyone in the group to make sure they were truly okay, however, nor from trying to catch Haxorous' eye and subtly motioning towards the Inn. Looks like she wants to try speak with him about something there in private before she follows the group to their well earnt rest....

[no one]

Daxter accepts the Looplet with a grin. "Thanks! Appreciate it. And yeah, we can talk about Mega Evolution a bit more later. Where can I find those Emera? Look like they'd be pretty useful."

In Post Town, however, Daxter's demeanour changes. He didn't like the idea of leaving Landorus and Enamorus to the Ho-Oh but he had little choice, so he followed everyone else into the Magna Gate. Once he brushes himself off, however, he ignores Swanna (for the timebeing) and pokes Keldeo's shoulder. "Hey. How do those work? Can we get back to Sahra Town with them?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

...Oh the j0Y!!1 over seeing them all being safe and well and back again! *:･ﾟ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ A huge huuuge chunk of the worries Kee has felt just before are swept away like dust in the wind, only leaving a mere subliminal feeling of having failed them for short. He'd express that joy in a more visible and eager manner, but all he can do now is crawl over to them all to smile a 'welcome-back, I -am-fine-and-we-made-it'-grin to them.

...before aLl hELl BrOke LooSE! in a very literal sense, and his gaze is fixated on what appears to be blessed Ho-Oh in a full-fledged(!) Shadowmon-state. If not even Rayquaza, Lord of the Skies, themselves are able to do anything against the Shadho-oH for now, then what are...him and his allies and friends able to do? Will they be able to do anything given their once-human-now-Pokemon-status?? Has the shadow-energy grown that strong by now to render legends near-invincible by attacks from other legends??? Will the blessed Sky Plate in dear-Platinas wings aid on purifying the Legend????? Questions and worries and concerns are looping in Kee's mind as he acts fast and escapes the dire situation with the others, his exhaustion and pain set aside for just a bit.

-----------


Though exactly this exhaustion and pain comes back with a bang once they all arrived safely in Post Town again, causing the crittercoon to basically melt and crash on the spot. He just makes it to mutter a very genuine 'Thank ya, my dear Swanna... I...really appreciate yar offer, thank ya...' before he returns to being a very tired bal of black and white fur. Looks like all he wishes to do for now is rest and recharge for the night, processing in his much-needed sleep what just happened, and get back into action on the next day.
(aka I do not have anything more planned for Kee, feel free to have your in-chara conversations while he will go to sleep right away [unless anyone desires to talk/interact with him, but mind he's still exhausted and in pain])

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Because of this, she didn't miss the interactions between Enamorous and Hoopa, nor the blatent theft and trickery They were engaging in again, and saw fit to comment on it with no small amount of irritation and exasperation as she went up and cuffed them (Hoopa) up the back of their head.

"You blasted Spirit of the Bottle, will you cease your perilous shenanigans?! We're doing everything in our power to return you to your full power, we're all have a stake against that abhorrent Darkness, and we're all barely managing to get by too! So for the love that all is sacred BE PATIENT, please STOP antagonizing our allies and your fellow Legendries with your short-sighted grabs for power and thrill for mischief, and JUST HELP !!!"

Yeap, Hoopa has managed to officially wear out their Legendary Status that had previously shield them from any true rebuke. Hopefully they'll sort themselves out, or they'll be earning plenty more withering responses where that came from!

Fortunately for them, Keldeo came to their unintentional rescue and very much intentional one for everyone else as they prepared to open a path to get the group to safety. Normally she would have paid close attention to try and learn all she could about the art of opening and manipulating Magnagates, but other matters had her attention - that of Landerous' and Enamorous' safety. The ironclad avian looked ready to protest their decision, before she remembered herself and the own pride and responsibilities that They must hold. Slowly, she gave the two a solemn nod.

"So be it. May the winds protect thee and ever let you Fly in Freedom, my fellow royal skyborne."

She bowed her head as she uttered that prayer, one wing across her chest and the other touching The Sky Plate, fervently asking for a Boon to give to Them. Thought the Original One's power was weakened and scattered, this piece was here and quite potent, and so too was her Will for Them to be safe. Whether or not it would work or not....

(To be more specific, Platina is going to blindly Attempt to trying and use The Sky Plate to grant Landerous and Enamorous some form of blessing for the utter hell they'll be riding high on, using as much of her Will as possible as a spiritual medium/fuel to achieve that. Lando said that the Powers of the Plate had capabilities even He didn't know about, so she's going to wing it and see if her impassioned prayer can get anything out of it!)

Thus spoken and regardless of what happens, Platina is soon swept away with the rest of the group, hopefully towards clearer skies and greener pastures....

======

Her exhaustion didn't stop her from discretely checking up on everyone in the group to make sure they were truly okay, however, nor from trying to catch Haxorous' eye and subtly motioning towards the Inn. Looks like she wants to try speak with him about something there in private before she follows the group to their well earnt rest....

*Flashback!*

Hoopa shrugs nonchalantly and smiles.  "How did you think I was going to be getting my power back?  My entire schtick revolves around being able to use the powers of other Legendary pokemon, if not outright summoning them.  Trust me, it's very useful~.  And with the powers of the Forces of Nature...ooh, hehehe...oh, I'll be able to do so much more!  I can hardly wait to try them out!  Just...maybe not on that black Ho-oh.  Not yet.  Going to need a lot more power to take on something of that strength..."

As Keldeo slides the last Entercard into place and Platina wishes for the winds to aid Landorus and Enamorus, she sees something out of the corner of her eye.  She could swear that she saw some leaves beginning to stir around the edges of the clearing, as if a wind was starting to pick up of its own accord...

----------------------------------

Everyone who'd been fighting Sandaconda looks a bit bruised and is completely covered in sand, but they otherwise look fine!

Haxorus nods back to Platina subtly, confirming he got her message.

Daxter accepts the Looplet with a grin. "Thanks! Appreciate it. And yeah, we can talk about Mega Evolution a bit more later. Where can I find those Emera? Look like they'd be pretty useful."

In Post Town, however, Daxter's demeanour changes. He didn't like the idea of leaving Landorus and Enamorus to the Ho-Oh but he had little choice, so he followed everyone else into the Magna Gate. Once he brushes himself off, however, he ignores Swanna (for the timebeing) and pokes Keldeo's shoulder. "Hey. How do those work? Can we get back to Sahra Town with them?"

*Another Flashback!*

"You can find Emera on the ground in Mystery Dungeons.  Just pick them up and slot them into the Looplet.  There were a bunch around here, but my team and I picked them up along the way and used them ourselves to enhance our physical attributes since we were in extreme danger.  Breaking them instead is a particularly straightforward yet potent way of using them even if you don't have a Looplet.  Slotting them in can have all kinds of effects, though.  Things like giving your attacks a chance to Flinch or Confuse your opponents, for example."

------------------------

Keldeo briefly turns to Daxter to answer his question quickly, focused as he is on keeping Haxorus updated.  "Short answer: they open passageways between locations using the world's natural leylines.  And yeah, you can totally get to Sahra Town from here.  I don't have a shortcut for that one yet though, so you should rest up before you head back."

Before he go a room though. He get closer to Keldeo and talk with him for a second. "I know you are...busy right now. But...I want to talk with you later...Something important. Got time later?"

"Yeah, sure.  Can it wait until tomorrow though?  I'm kinda beat.  That Sandaconda was tough."

------------------------------------------

Haxorus finishes getting updates from Keldeo, then turns his attention to Teams Omega Seekers and Night Wardens.  "Alright everyone, you should go with Swanna to find some rooms now.  There are a few of you I'd like to talk to so we can clarify some things, but we can do that tomorrow morning.  You all look like you need some peace and quiet after today."

Haxorus turns to address the crowd next.  Loudly.

"Alright, everyone CLEAR OUT!  Give these guys some room!"

The crowd begins dispersing, murmuring about what just happened as they leave, and everyone starts making their way to Swanna's inn.

Dedenne and Bunnelby walk up to Daxter to give him an update.  "Hey, we just finished communicating with Ampharos via the Connection Orb about what just happened.  He said he's taking the next Lapras out of Lively Town to come here.  I think he wants to hear a report firsthand.  He should be here tomorrow morning.  I can send a message to your Guildmaster as well if you like.  Or you can use a Connection Orb to send a message yourself if you'd prefer to do it personally."

Bunnelby nods.  "She's probably still worried sick about Braixen.  And she should be told about everything else too, I reckon."

---------------------------------------------------

Before we continue, I need to know if you are reporting what happened (and how much) to Guildmaster Delphox.  Between Braixen being found, Team Raiders being found, and Legendary pokemon appearing, there's a lot that could potentially be reported!  Anyone with a Connection Orb can report back to the Guildmaster directly, or you can ask Dedenne to send the message.

If Platina also wants a private word with Haxorus, she can pull him aside before heading off to rest at the inn, though it sounds like Haxorus might want a private word with everybody tomorrow...

[Mikaruge108]

Karen has Dedenne relay what she learned from Xatu to the guildmaster. (link to original post for convienence) Might be important, she'll let Delphox decide that.

[Lord Windos]

Hoopa's shamelessness only gets a angry, deadpan look at first, before she bluntly stakes "Asking and bargaining, Hoopa, or by right of usurpation if need be. Not by infuriating thievery or trickery. If your antics looks like they'll properly anger a Legend to attempt a smiting on us I am going to stuff you back into that bottle and convince the group for you to remain there for the unforeseeable future. Or, if need be, offer you up as Tribute to appease said Legends. The group does not need to deal with a troublemaker that refuses to moderate themselves appropriately. You have been warned."

===

Platina is fine with mostly going full transparency with all the info and discoveries, with a few exceptions: she doesn't want to talk about what happened to her due to that Giga Shadow Sandaconda, she doesn't want to talk about that weird fire she produced, and she doesn't want the group talking about The Sky Plate or any missions related thereof. The former two things only get a curt 'They're personal matter, and NO ONE elses,' while the later she professes that she is very hesitant to let anyone but their most trusted allies know about such a Divine Artifact for fear of others trying to steal it or use the group/her to exploit its Power. If the group has already revealed the full extent of their Mission from God (which Platina doesn't know about, btw, and I also don't think the group has revealed anything about their origins or overall purposes?) , she still wouldn't want to reveal the info but could be convinced otherwise if a good argument is made.

For the Private Conversation with Haxorous...is it fine to be hosted via PM, Dragonstrike?