Test 2.

[azumods]

WILLPOWER The chamber at the back of the cave is not unlike the one before it - it's large and oppressively dark, with shallow pools of water puddled on the floor. However, it isn't entirely impossible to see; off in a far corner of the cavern, there's a dim light shining pale blue, the soft glow pulsing steadily like it's keeping time, like a heartbeat. It's likely, however, that you're not going to get a good look at whatever is causing it before a voice rings out from the entrance behind you, immediately setting the Spiritombs off with loud, ringing shrieks that indicate over half a thousand souls aren't pleased with what seems to be happening here, and as the words register, you'll realize it's probably for good reason. "In the name of Team Galactic, I'm going to have to ask you all to leave. The Guardian is rightfully ours." It's immediately obvious that at the very least, the voice doesn't belong to Saturn - it's higher-pitched, belonging to a woman from the sound of it. Turning to face the source will reveal a woman in full Galactic grunt uniform; she seems young in the face and she's rather short, though she's built as though she's likely strong for her size. While she's clearly here to do a task, her eyes are noticeably just as devoid of spirit as the others that you've seen - she's just as heavily brainwashed as the rest. The Spiritombs you've encountered will do their jobs; they'll protect the Lake Guardian physically, promptly proceeding to get between it and...well, everyone else here. They aren't going to back down until the perceived threat is dealt with; they really, really don't like Team Galactic. What happens now is up to you.

Comments

[azumods]

That's right.

[Oh my god, that's so cute? That's so cute.]

The main piece of advice I have right now is just keep training - you'll get there with practice, but it's going to take a long time. And the Commanders have had a while to bolster their teams.

[Welcome to the post-apocalypse.]

I think Commander Jupiter was going north as well, toward Lake Acuity; you...might run into her there.

[azumods]

What, just- ...anything?

[eudaimonikos]

Whatever you like. Maybe what you're going to say happened here, if you've settled on your story?

[enjoymyatelier]

Well, I’d be happy to help you train and work on strategy now that you’ve gotten your first taste of battle.

[greydients]

[Rey falls silent for a moment, looking off to the side, as if considering something. Whatever she's thinking about, it doesn't seem to take her long to get to a decision - rolling up the sleeve of her jacket, she removes the odd bracelet that made up part of her belongings in Veilstone City.]

This is a tracker beacon. Back in my world, we use them to find our way to the matching one. It doesn't work here, obviously, but....

[Running her fingers over it one more time, Rey offers it to Maylene.]

Maybe it'll help you find us, when the time comes.

[azumods]

There wasn't anything worth reporting at Lake Valor. The Lake Guardian wasn't present in the cavern system; if it isn't in Commander Saturn's possession, it can only be assumed that it's moved on and its location is currently unknown.

[...?]

[heritrix]

[There's another question Rin wants to ask her, but this seems like the thing to focus on for now.]

How long ago would she have left, if she did?

[She's trying to gauge how much of a headstart Jupiter has.]

[greydients]

You did amazingly.

[And that's a damn fact. Rey will even look serious as she says it!]

You still fought her knowing you had no chance of winning. That's courage, Zelda.

[hyruglyphics]

[ Learning from Ignis, and Camilla, and now Kayneth...? She smiles a little more and nods ]

I would very much like that, Kayneth.

[azumods]

[She's quiet for a moment at that, just kind of...blinking a bit while she tries to sort out what to do with this; after a moment, though, she'll accept it, rolling up one of her own sleeves to put it on.]

I'll bring it back to you.

[Once it's fastened, she pauses for a moment before just- ]

I think I might have something for you, too. Something that might help you get to Lake Acuity a bit faster.

[azumods]

It's been a couple of weeks by now.

[Oh, but...]

I do have something that might help make up a bit of the difference, though.

[hyruglyphics]

From how she talked to Kayneth... it seemed to me that was the correct course. And I - well, I wanted to try my best.

[ Which is repetitive but - her cheeks color a little at Rey's words and she nods. ]

[heritrix]

Oh? What is it?

[greydients]

It's a promise, then.

[Rey smiles at the sight of Maylene wearing the beacon - she'd honestly been a bit worried that she wouldn't take it. The fact that she has...well. It must mean good things.

She'll try not to think about what awaits her back at the base.

...]

You don't have to give me anything in return, but I won't say no if you're offering. What is it?

[greydients]

I definitely think it was - look at the change that's come over her since you two battled. It's like you've helped her shake off the effects of Saturn's awful machines.

[...she's going to be kind of fixated on those machines for a while, sob]

Maybe the other gym leaders are in similar situations, and this is how we can help them!

[eudaimonikos]

[He clasps his hands behind his back as she talks, using his height to his advantage and looking down his nose at her. What he might have done had he ever, really, become senior staff.]

...good. That's not bad at all. [He drops the posture and smiles.] I mean, it helps that you don't have to emote much. Just keep a straight face, and you'll be okay. Act unnatural.

[hyruglyphics]

It may depend on their personalities... But yes! It might well be a pathway open to us.

[ The machines...

Yeah... At least those are a sobering enough thought she makes it past how weird she feels to be praised by everyone and especially people her age. ]

RESOLUTION.

[azumods]

[Once Maylene has settled a little - she still doesn't seem entirely right, but she seems decidedly less broken than she was, and she's come back into herself quite a bit - she seems decidedly more willing to listen to the lot of you regarding the fight that's being put on against Team Galactic. It's been a while since she's done this properly, but if she's honest with herself she never really stopped; the fight's just...changed a bit, she's pretty sure.

Either way, she'll reach into the folds of that uniform (apparently it has pockets? it has pockets, somehow) and pull out a small device that appears to be a transmitter of some sort; it has a few settings that appear to be pre-programmed into it, a few buttons here and there, but it seems fairly straightforward.

She'll pass it off to Rey for now, because she's the closest person to her physically that doesn't seem either medieval or, y'know, blind.]

We use these sometimes to get back and forth between cities where Team Galactic has a stronghold. As it is now, it should put you in Eterna City; there's a statue on the edge of town that it'll put you right in front of. I think it's some sort of portal device; I've never asked how it works, I just know that it does - whenever you're ready, just...use that and go through it, you'll be just fine. I've done it dozens of times, it doesn't fail.

That should shave a good amount of time off getting you to Lake Acuity. At least a week, if not more.

[She glances back at the corner, where the Guardian is still located.]

You guys should probably take care of Azelf, and your Pokémon as well. Be sure you're ready to leave before you actually do. I probably shouldn't stay much longer, but I'll find you later. Stay strong and take care of yourselves, okay?

[She'll take her leave shortly after that, though any parting words will certainly be heard; now that the Team Galactic threat is gone, the Spiritombs seem to be settling - or at least they aren't wailing and they seem to be relaxing a little. They may allow you passage now, perhaps...]

[azumods]

[It's this.]

[azumods]

[It's this.]

[discutio]

[Once he's said a polite farewell to Maylene and she's out of earshot:]

I can't believe it was actually portals.

[YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT MIGHT AS WELL HAPPEN.]

Shall we do what we came here for before anything else happens?

[heritrix]

—magic is inaccessible in this world, but people can just teleport at will?!

[...apologies for Rin's priorities, just give her a second.]

[greydients]

[Well, Rey will accept said transmitter with widened eyes, unable to hide her excitement; a new piece of technology is always worth getting excited about, particularly one that can apparently teleport them. She will be keeping this extremely safe!

...and definitely won't be taking it apart to find out how it works, regardless of the temptation.]

Thank you Maylene - this will be so useful!

[And with that, she's gone.

...guess we better go find that Lake Guardian, guys]

[anythingforyou]

...Yes, that would be most prudent.

[...Sure? Sure. It's portals, sure, let's just go with that, shit sounds weird but let's try not to focus on that.]

[eudaimonikos]

[Another portal...]

Maylene, is it going to be alright that you don’t have this anymore?