Reverie - Ingo Palace

[derailer]

Pokemon Spreadsheet

Pokemon Battle Rules

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[cultfavorite]

[Fuck off! YOUR ALPHA IS DEAD! BE FREE LITTLE ELECTABUZZ

Saturn grabs Toxicroak and runs. Up the path with them! This is exhausting! Even Toxicroak is exhausted after that!]

[derailer]

Thank goodness the path to the cave path seems mostly clear. There shouldn't be too much more trouble—

Oops, that was a lie. The clouds start swirling overhead, and the sky seems to burst open into an electrified bubble. The air smells crisp in a way that is different from the normal mountain air. A space-time distortion is forming!

[cultfavorite]

[Goddammit MAYBE IF HE JUST RUNS FOR THE EDGE OF THAT BUBBLE HE CAN GET OUT OF HERE WITHOUT ANYTHING FUCKED UP HAPPENING. THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS DO IN PLA (also you have to grab all the shards real fast)]

[derailer]

The bubble extends into the cave, so it's hard to see the edge of it until you enter it—once you do, you can see the bubble ends around where the other exit of the cave ends. Inside of the cave is mostly empty, except for some carvings on the wall that represent legendary Pokemon. Until—three Pokemon appear suddenly with a crackle of lightning, bursting into existence. It's a Sylveon, Dusknoir, and a Rampardos, all startled and immediately aggressive.

But if you're quick at dodging, you can still swerve and go past them, taking the risk of being directly hurt. That's also what I always do in PLA.

[cultfavorite]

[Saturn is not . . . the quickest at dodging. But he's motivated. And he's probably no worse than the PLA protag, who was also some modern rando thrown into the wilderness. He's going to try it, because he doesn't want to fuck with three Pokemon right now, especially when Toxicroak is injured! He's gonna do it. He recalls Toxicroak quickly and tries to just make a break for it.]

[derailer]

Dusknoir sends out some kind of Shadow Ball that grazes you as you dodge, but you break out of the distortion bubble to sweet freedom.

As you emerge from the cave, you can see some broken pillars up at the very top of the mountain, just a little bit further up from where you are. A merchant has set up shop right outside of the cave; it is Volo.

"Ouch! That looked like a close call! Perhaps I could interest you in some potions to heal your wounds and take a breather?"

[cultfavorite]

[Shadow Ball hurts EXTRA because of Azelf's influence. Aaagghh! He hasn't been hit by a Pokemon move in a while! Saturn grimaces and drags himself up to the pillars, and casts a glare at the merchant.]

Shameless of you. I don't have any money, anyhow.

[derailer]

"Let's not be so hasty! I'm also an avid fan of myths and legends. It seems like you must also be one, to come all the way here. And perhaps you've come into possession of some interesting objects. I'd be happy to trade."

He can still negotiate down from here, but you gotta shoot your shot for the biggest prize first.

[cultfavorite]

[He is just so not in the mood for Hot Boy Cynthia to wheedle at him after he got hit by a Shadow Ball and his Pokemon is injured, and neither does he want to hand over any of the items he's collected, not even his damn dance card! Maybe especially not his dance card! It's been a long day, Volo! And your descendant is a meddler!

So instead Saturn draws himself up, pulling on his willpower to straighten and act a little less pained than he feels, and walks over to the tent. He drops his voice and activates the Red Chain—which will not do anything to a human, but it will make his eyes glow bright yellow and his voice shift. And he makes a point of sweeping his tails back and forth widely behind him. Yeah, you recognize these, Hisui-man?!]

Would you?

[derailer]

"...Hmmmm...!"

Oh, he does recognize those, and his interest has ratcheted up tenfold. It's probably for the best that this is just the representation of Volo in Ingo's mind, and not the real Volo.

"I'd heal your whole team completely, if you just gave me a little hint as to why a lake guardian is taking up residence in a mere mortal. I'm just that curious!"

[cultfavorite]

[Hmmm. Well, there's no real reason not to go with this.]

. . . It was someone else's doing. Part of a grand experiment. We're working to undo it. In the meantime, we get along well enough.

[derailer]

"That sounds like nasty business. But... it's good to be able to work together with a god! I'm a little jealous regardless of the circumstances."

He reluctantly honors his promise, opening some potion jars.

[cultfavorite]

Ha. I won't act like it doesn't have its benefits. . . . Thank you. I apologize for being short, but that move was quite painful.

[So yeah, he's thrilled to be able to heal himself and his Pokemon before moving on. He was going to use Rest if he had to, but that only works on himself, and it'll eat up time, too.]

[derailer]

He is mostly respectful as he applies the topical medicine. But juuuust enough not respectful to perhaps make you slightly uncomfortable.

"Things get more dangerous the higher up you get. Who knows what challenges are awaiting you in the ruins of the great Temple of Sinnoh... That's why I want to make sure you're being careful!"

[cultfavorite]

[This guy. Is Saturn being hit on here or is this a power play or. He's not sure, but he decides to assume it's a power play, and he swipes off a stray little bit of the medicine off his shoulder and wipes it on Volo's cheek, extremely casually. He doesn't miss a beat in the conversation.]

Have you been yourself? When you say, who knows—do you, perhaps, know?

[derailer]

"Of course I've been up here before. An aficionado of ancient culture and legends wouldn't miss it! But something in the air up here feels a little different lately, these past few weeks. That's all I know for sure. If it's related to those objects you've been collecting—it's a thrilling prospect indeed!"

He wipes the medicine off of his own cheek without any comment, also not missing a beat.

[cultfavorite]

[WELL PLAYED, HOT BOY CYNTHIA. Well played.]

Which objects are those?

[derailer]

"Those plates, of course!"

[cultfavorite]

So you know about them? What do you know?

[derailer]

"The inscriptions on them imply that they've been around since the very creation of this region—perhaps the creation of this entire world. I'm not sure any of us mere mortals can verify that claim without a doubt. But they have a mysterious power to them... Noble or legendary Pokemon will carry them and pass them on to worthy recipients. Including that lake trio you're so familiar with!"

[cultfavorite]

Ha. Interesting. Worthy recipients . . .

[He smiles broadly, thinking a little about the fact that he won one of these by guessing whose nipple Ingo pierced.]

I'll have to make sure I live up to that expectation.

[derailer]

"I'm very, very interested in how that goes for you. But I guess I'll let you get to it."

[cultfavorite]

. . . Thank you for this. I do appreciate your generosity.

[But he doesn't apologize, because he's not really sorry. Instead he nods and offers a hand.]

[derailer]

He looks down at it for a moment before shaking it.

[cultfavorite]

[HANDSHAKE ACHIEVED. And now it's time to go face God or something. Onwards up the path!]