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Pokémon Odyssey: A New Beginning [T] [Best Veteran 4Q '12]

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Greiger

A mad mind... hehe
2,016
Posts
12
Years
  • Age 32
  • Seen Oct 1, 2023
Penance 'Defender' Malum​

Like the Alakazam Penance really didn't walk with the others. He was too busy to try and talk to them. He was already cooking up his plan and didn't want any interruptions. Interruptions were always the worst things to come when concocting a plan. He was actually very glad when he was indeed left alone. No doubt it was because the others were still feeling hurt over how they had treated him. It would be different soon though, very different. He couldn't help but let his bill form into a small smile as they finally made their way back to the city. The army was actually doing a decent job of restoring order and such to the residents. Vigil left to go and speak to the Generals, giving Penance even more time to perfect any kinks he spied in his thoughts. It was all good, in fact, the others wouldn't catch on until it started. They were inexperienced that way. He just needed some last instruments before he could truly start though.

As Vigil arrived back and began to explain to them what to do Penance just simply nodded. He needed to say as little as possible at the moment and head off for now. He had work to start up on if they were to win this war. While the others headed off to pack Penance instead walked around the city a little bit. There were many abandoned houses and he entered them trying to find what he needed. A hour passed before he finally found it. He grinned and grabbed the sheets of paper and managed to also procure a writing instrument. The first note was to everyone. It was short and sweet and to the point.

Dear Gold Tribe,

I am sorry to do this, but I must head to Cape City immediately. I know of some people there that can help us in this dire hour. You all cannot come, that is the way this must be. I need to prepare for your arrival and all, so just trust me in this. I ask that you all keep an open mind about what happens there, that is all I can ask. You won't be able to find me on your own, trust me with that. There will be a pokemon there who knows all about Cape City. Find him or those associated with him and you'll find me quite easily. I am very.... connected with him. Anyway, I wish you all good luck on your journey.

Sincerely,
Penance


With the note written Penance reached out with his mind to Cape City. He knew a psychic there he hadn't seen in quite some time. It was a simple message he sent him really. He was coming back to his rightful home. With the message sent Penance reached out to Truestriker's mind letting him know his location as well as where the letter would be. I am leaving now, find my note for an explanation. Oh! Remember, train with that white room!

With the message sent Penance dropped his letter on the ground and smiled as his friend from long ago appeared. With a smile Penance grabbed hold of him and in an instant the two were gone.
 
3,411
Posts
15
Years
  • Age 28
  • Seen Mar 25, 2024
Ragnaros 'Bloodthirster' Phylax


Bloodthirster liked many things in life. Flying in the open sky, eating and generally obliterating stuff. But one thing he didn't like was, mind games and lots of thinking. The recent findings of the Gold Tribe inside the ancient library hadn't exactly blown his mind, merely because he was unable to understand them. Dark One? Magical Crystals? It sounded like utter gibberish to him. He was swimming in thoughts, sometimes suspicious that all this was a prank. He thought this was war, and that Auron simply attacked Valkaria because he wanted to conquer it. Blood, war and such, the Silver Tribe strove to be above all... but this was different, oh very different. The hard facts had changed. From the documents they had obtained, it was clear that Auron had reasons, other than domination, to invade Valkaria. And what of that guy, Noctus Gamble? His relation to the old General Galleon Gamble was baffling - how could he not realize?

Throughout hours that he spent thinking, considering his position in all this, he concluded that there was still not a striking reason to keep fighting for the Gold Tribe. Disregard his oath; Ragnaros did not believe in words, only actions. Both sides of the conflict were the same. War, battlefields. What was all this nonsense talk about honor, loyalty and idealism, when there was raw violence in the middle of the conflict? What did it matter if Auron did as he pleased, or if Vigil and the others survived? From his point of view, literally, all it mattered was that he was alive and happy. And he wasn't happy. He was disgusted to realize this, appalled that somebody like him, who was into the 'raw violence' could be so put off by the reasons behind it.

Then again, if he left, where would he go? The Silver Tribe was the same, only worse. They were boring bunch - the Ancients did most of the job, while those pesky Sentinels shouted orders and only finished the leftovers of the fight. Genevieve was the only interesting factor in the whole hypothesis. Her schemes intrigued him; it'd be fun to work alongside her. She knew better than most of the Pokemon he had ever met, in fact.

With the remembrance of Genevieve, his body stiffened, thinking what he was thinking of doing was either too easy, or too hard to pull off. Those Sentinels had their minds set on the destruction of the Gold Tribe, and if he even remotely helped Genevieve, he would have to face them, and that would result in a bloodbath. But of course, he would never let it come to that extent... he strove for their protection, anyway. What his mentor and step father, Phylax, had said about his name arose in the surface of his mind. Phylax, Ragnaros... Phylax means Protector, did you know? You and me are guardians, boy. But that was just a name. It'd be pathetic to let a name - a mere word - influence his actions, let alone taking it to his head and start thinking he could protect the people he sworn an oath to - another simple sequence of words - from the mighty armies of the Ancients the Silver Tribe was commanding, not to mention their Sentinels.

Whatever was the case, he was itching to battle again, especially with Sovereign. It was a pity they met when Genevieve was around - now he hadn't quenched his thirty for battle. Rocks around the hole he was sleeping in the last few days had been scratched, burnt and broken by the ferocious slashes he occasionally launched at them to keep himself in shape. It was stupid, wasting his powers on rocks, but he would rather do that than attack citizens. The prey on the sky wasn't sufficing, anyway.

He inhaled, glancing at the sky to see smoke above the Thieves Forest. It seemed as if something was burning; the thought excited the dragon, who thought that Roswell would get what he deserved after his betrayal. Serves him right. He walked up next to Vigil and Sword and Shield who were standing side by side; he exhaled a small amount of steam in a gesture of disturbance mixed with accomplishment.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but if I was to go over there, it'd have been for finishing the job," he said bluntly. "But if Gamble ain't around, he oughta be in the forest."
 
Last edited:

Claire*

Here's to the crazy ones.
554
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 33
  • USA
  • Seen Apr 29, 2013
Genevieve L'esprit
Finally, Genevieve reached the mountains where her and Hanso designated to meet. Smoke billowed from the adjacent forest, the other Sentinels must have begun their attack. What could the ramifications be for her not being present? Would Lord Auron be displeased? If this meeting went according to plan, maybe it would be worth sparing her disobedience. Genevieve secretly hoped that was the case, the alternative was not pleasant to focus on. A small shudder crawled its way up her spine, like someone had run their cold hands along her backside. She vigorously shook the thought away and tried to focus on the task at hand.

The mountains were beautiful, truly a marvel of creation, however they came to be. One of nature's true success stories mountains were. Created by outstanding pressure and resistance, the mountains shoot forth from the ground, their peaks towering above all else. Though they were not alive, the tectonic plates colliding should cause destruction, yet they cause some of the most majestic visuals on the planet. It was almost poetic when one thought about it.

Laboringly, she made her way up one of the mountain paths, her steps cautious and precise. A spot presented itself, a nearby mountain stream that bubbled forth from a spring somewhere higher up. It was calm, secluded and peaceful. Just the place to put a target at ease and not be anymore suspecting than normal of her ulterior motives. With a small wave of her arm, a small boulder rose from the nearby stream. It was slightly lower than her torso, but it was a perfect size for sitting upon. As it hung in the air, residual water dripped on the lush, marshy ground beneath it, further saturating the surrounding flora. The stone slowly made its way over to Genevieve as she recalled it to herself and settled it with a thud on the ground.

Walking up to it, she gracefully climbed its facade and folded her knees beneath her as she sat. Her eyes closed as she focused her psychic energy within herself. The power was warm and reassuring, like an old friend that was always there when you needed them. With the slightest effort, she began to release it into the world. It seeped out in small controlled bursts, almost like a signal. Which, that was exactly what it was, a beacon. If Hanso was half the psychic she expected him to be, he would recognize her energy and be able to find her. It was an old trick of psychic types, a form of geolocation that was unnoticeable by other non-psychics.

She waited patiently, her breathing slowed as she continued to focus. It was almost as if she was disconnected from the outside world and only existed there in body. Her mind was no longer present, but somewhere more ethereal, almost spiritual in nature. A world only the psychics knew and that was the way she liked it. Without a doubt, Genevieve knew Hanso would come. They always did.​
 

Lt. Col. Fantastic

The Arianator
698
Posts
11
Years
Ignus


Albia

"Right." Zane began to speak, "We should pack whatever we'll need. Bring enough supplies for a week. There's no telling how long this might take, detours and all. I'll meet you all at the gates in three hours, and then we'll head out."

The rest of the tribe gave nods or grunts of affirmation, then disbanded. Ignus went into town, back to his appartment. He found it partially intact, with hyper beam looking holes scortched around the exterier. Ignus jumped on through a gap, and raided his room for valuables. He found his eblem, thankfully, a few rolls of bread, and his sun beads. He tied them back around his mane, decorating it. He grabbed a roll of bread and some berries before heading out.

As he walked, he ate. The berries were still good, and the bread wasn't too stale. All in all, a good free snack, but he was still hungry. He walked towards the areas with the most destruction.

Wow... So much of the city, gone. Houses blown to bits, stores on their sides. This is terrible.

He passed the spot where he lit the ancients on fire. He stopped and looked at the blood stains and burn marks.

Sick.

Disgusted, he quickly looked away and coninued downtown. He went to the loudest place he could find and found a soup kitchen for the victims of the attack. He was starving, so he went through. He guiltily ate his bread and soup, feeling bad for eating the homeless' food.

Someday, I wont have to take hand outs. I could just buy my own food.

He finished, returned his bowl and left. After walking around a bit more, he came into the upperclass area. It was deserted, and the houses had taken a lot of damage. He went inside the first one, but only found ashes and a few metal frames. The fourth or fifth one looked more more promising, so he went there. Inside, he found a large bed, in good condition. He cleared off the splintered wood from it, and laid down. He quickly fell asleep, falling into a dream.


He was in a field. The one he used to play in as a child. His parents, his real parents, were there, but he could only see their mouths. The rest was shaded. They were smiling. Ignus tried to smile back, but he couldn't. His parents looked confused.

"What's wrong?" they asked.

Ignus couldn't speak.

"Why aren't you happy?"

I am! I am! Why can't you see that? he thought. He tried to smile again, but his lips refused to move.

Why can't I smile?

He looked down. His skin started to become lighter and lighter. With tears in their eyes, his parents faded away, leaving him. The sun. The sun was there. The sun was there, illuminating Ignus's skin. From the inside. Now Ignus started to float into the air, his body a bright yellow.

"Stop!" He shouted.

But he kept rising, higher and higher. Eventually he was looking down at the earth, miles away from the ground. His parents were there, in the sky.

"Ignus, why don't you smile?"

I can't!

"Why aren't you happy, Ignus? You're the sun. We're so proud of you, Ignus. Aren't you happy? Please smile...you should be happy!"

I'm..not the sun...yet.
 

Garet

GhostFire
729
Posts
13
Years
Hanso SharpEye

As he waited for Genevieve to let him know where the exact location was - he usually needed a clear location or image to teleport to - Hanso strode through the city, locating a bag for supplies. The destruction of Albia added to his thoughts as he dropped Penance's emblem in the bag; after some consideration, Hanso pulled his own emblem off his arm and stared at it before, reluctantly, dropping it in the bag as well. His thoughts were whirling; one was him wondering what idea Genevieve might get if she saw him without his emblem.

As Hanso left the half-gone house to look for supplies, he got a message from Penance. As the Golduck let him know his location as well as where the letter would be, Hanso's eyes widened a little. I am leaving now, find my note for an explanation. Oh! Remember, train with that white room!

"Are you seriously--" Hanso stopped the thought, though it had already gone through. Penance didn't seem to be one of those Pokemon who were unsure of their decisions. If he was leaving, he was leaving. Instead, Hanso relayed to the Golduck, "As long as it isn't outright foolish, Penance." He waited a few moments, then teleported to the location Penance had shown him. The Golduck was nowhere to be seen, but the letter he'd promised was on the ground. Hanso kneeled down and picked it up, reading the words.

Dear Gold Tribe,

I am sorry to do this, but I must head to Cape City immediately. I know of some people there that can help us in this dire hour. You all cannot come, that is the way this must be. I need to prepare for your arrival and all, so just trust me in this. I ask that you all keep an open mind about what happens there, that is all I can ask. You won't be able to find me on your own, trust me with that. There will be a pokemon there who knows all about Cape City. Find him or those associated with him and you'll find me quite easily. I am very.... connected with him. Anyway, I wish you all good luck on your journey.

Sincerely,
Penance



Not too much of a surprise, really, Hanso thought to himself, standing back up. Penance hadn't told them everything before, after all. Not about his bracelet, probably not about his 'fits', apparently not about his past. It made Hanso wonder about his own...plans. After a moment of consideration, he folded up the letter - he'd show it to the others when they met up - and slipped it under his bracer, taking out his copy of the Albia sewers map and dropping it in his bag. There was nothing to indicate that Noctus wasn't the spy; the fact that he'd helped them now seemed like an attempt to gain their trust for his purposes. Where, when, are we gonna find him?

Hanso spent a little more time, the remainder of the first hour, gathering food and other supplies for the next week, and eating some food himself. In time, he'd sensed a beacon of psychic energy coming from afar - near the eastern side of the Korhal Mountains. Hanso hid his pack, with everything except his bracer in it, in an abandoned house before checking the street outside with his mind. Few Pokemon were out there. He expected none of them to see him leave.

Hanso checked his mental shields, trying again to incorporate the white room into them. This is gonna be dangerous... After checking one more time, the Gallade concentrated his power and disappeared.

~~~

His first impression of the area: peaceful. Hanso had appeared a few paces away from a mountain stream; the place didn't feel too cold, so they weren't too far up in the mountains. He turned slowly to take in his surroundings, noting the Gardevoir and her position on a rock, across the stream from him. A quick mental scan of the area showed no other minds; the two of them were alone. Unless a resident happens along, or something. Hanso studied Genevieve from where he stood, not moving after folding his arms.

To all appearances, the Gardevoir's mind had left her body sitting on the rock...which it probably had, in the sense that Genevieve's mind had gone to a world that only psychics knew. The sight brought back memories of Hanso watching his own twin sitting in a similar fashion. She, and other psychics he had met, had told him of such a world. One purpose of it, according to some psychics, was as a state of meditation. Hanso's eyes began to unfocus as he continued to peruse his memories. At other times, before the Silver Tribe's invasion, the twins had been called in a few times to help bring back some rookie psychic, or someone else, from being lost in that world.

Hanso's eyes snapped back into focus. He was here, in the mountains with a Sentinel, for a reason, not to relive old memories. He tried to clear out some of the images in his white room, checked his other mental shields, then turned his attention back to Genevieve. It was tempting, really, to ignore everything but the overall conflict and strike down the Sentinel. Yet, that was almost the equivalent of striking down a defenseless target. Almost, since the Gardevoir would probably be able to defend herself in time, and that would render the whole meeting meaningless.

Hanso sat down on the ground, eyes closed, white room filled with thoughts of how this whole crazy idea wouldn't work, he might go too far, he might fail and die, he might... This time, when he shoved the images out, some of them weren't replaced. A few less images. That's good. It had been a while since he'd done this... Hanso focused his own psychic energy into placing sensors through the area, as an extra measure to know if another creature came along. He then followed the 'trail' left by Genevieve's mind; his ability to do this was rusty, but it still worked. Within moments, he'd found her location in the other world. "One of the few places that hasn't been ravaged by war," Hanso commented. "Let's keep it that way."
 

SV

See You Space Cowboy
3,393
Posts
13
Years
  • Seen Feb 7, 2022
Albia

Ragnaros may be right. Noctus might be in the Thieves Forest. It was tempting, to try and go there, but given the scale of possibilities of what could be going on there, Zane decided against it. They all had a set plan. It wouldn't benefit anyone to change it now.

"He may be there. He may not. I don't think it's wise to go there for now." He turned away from the direction of the forest and looked over Bloodthirster and Sword and Shield. "I'll see you both in a few hours." He told them, and walked off. There were a few places he wanted to go in Albia. His first destination was the Hall of Albia, where Generals Hazone and Belas were. He wanted to relay to them what the Gold Tribe had decided to do. He also had to tell them what they had found out in the Golden Catacombs. After locating the Generals, he greeted them, and told them the entire story, as well as his intentions. Needless to say, they were a bit speechless.

"By Arceus..." General Hazone managed to say, shaking his head in disbelief. "...so all this time. That is why they attacked..."

"Quite a tale." Belas added. Now pacing back and forth, thinking about what he had just heard. "And by securing this...Gold Crystal, we'll be able to stop this madness?"

"That is what was written, yes." Zane answered.

"Then your course is clear. To Cape you must go. But be careful. The situation there is a lot more complicated than in Eternity or here in Albia."

"What do you mean?" Zane asked.

"When the Silver Tribe first invaded almost 2 years ago, they came from the north, and their first target was Cape City and the surrounding villages there, before proceeding south and destroying Shine City, thereby cutting off Gold City and its surrounding villages from the rest of Valkaria. When they did their initial attacks, they weren't out to conquer or claim, but to destroy. Hundreds of smaller villages around Cape and Shine City were destroyed, leaving thousands displaced and without homes. When all of Valkaria was soon taken, the refugees who had nowhere to go filled Cape City, even if it was under the control of the Silver Tribe. Now, Cape City is the refugee center of the world. Our scouts report that the city is filled with them, to the point where all homes are filled, and even then there isn't enough room, so many find their homes on the streets. To top it off, the Silver Tribe seem to have no interest in governing, the city almost without food and food riots occasionally breaking out, though they are often quelled by the Ancients in a small amount of time. Cape is a boiling pot. It need to be liberated, probably more so than any city before us, or after. But the problem is, conventional attacks as we've done before will result in an unacceptable number of civilian casualties. And there lies the problem."

"So, what will you do?"

"At the moment, we're not sure. As you may have heard, the bulk of the Ancient armies actually inhabit the underground city, Anciena City, that we uncovered about 100 years ago. If we were somehow able to navigate through the underground caverns, and hit them directly there, we could save hundreds of lives. But no one knows those underground caverns. They're a labyrinth. So...it appears we will have to use a direct approach. How much it pains me to say."

"What if we found out another way?" Zane asked.

"If you did, you have to inform us." Hazone replied, pulling out his map of Valkaria. "While you're in Cape City, we'll send our armies through the areas, taking back any villages we find. We'll have scouts on alert posted nearby the city limits. I'll mark the locations on your map. If you figure out something, let us know, and we'll gather our armies together as fast as we can. However, if by a weeks time we hear no reply from you, we will attack Cape City conventionally."

Zane nodded. "Understood." It would be another task the Gold Tribe would have to do while in Cape City. He couldn't allow that many Pokemon to die in their liberation, no matter how much they were suffering. He began to head for the door, needing to pack.

"Oh...one more thing, Vigil." Belas began saying. Zane stopped and looked back at Belas. "We've gotten reports from the outer edges of the Thieves Forest. About three days ago, Commander Kivir Sveenis engaged with Silver Tribe forces led by Sentinels as part of our distraction plan. There...were unfortunately no survivors."

Zane's eyes opened wide at the news. He nodded in understanding, and walking out of the Hall silently. As soon as he reached outside, he pulled out Kivir's medallion he had in his bag, recalling the last conversation he had with him. On brotherhood. On the brotherhood of the Tribe. It was a rather heated discussion on that. Kivir didn't share the same ideals of the Gold Tribe, even though Zane knew they fought for the same thing, and with the same passion. Yet Kivir made sure to make the distinction between himself and the Gold Tribe. Their goal was the same, but the ideals, trials, traditions, and experiences that all Gold Tribe members hold onto that defines their brotherhood. Whatever Kivir chose to be, it was a constant reminder to Zane that though the Gold Tribe may be the driving force of peace and freedom in Valkaria, there will always be remarkable individuals outside of the Gold Tribe, and Kivir was one of those.
 

Necrum

I AM THE REAL SONIC
5,090
Posts
11
Years
The Thief's Last Stand
The Crusher vs. The King of Thieves


Roswell ran through the roof of the Decreement, hundreds of other thieves doing the same, attempting to make a run for it through the trees. He was confident that the Sentinels wouldn't be able to keep up with them through there. The Thieves Forest was a big place. It would be impossible to find them in it...

Or so he assumed. But as he reached the roof and saw to the edges of the village, the Sentinels did not come alone. They brought their Ancients, scores of them. Roswell watched on from the top of the building as his brethren attempted to escape the madness, only to be slaughtered in the process of the emerging soldiers. As Roswell reflected, he realized something he should have figured out before. Though the Sentinels have been in the Village before in the past, they never knew the way to it on their own. They had to have a thief guide them. Yet now, they appeared to come here out of nowhere. He should have seen this coming! Now, it seems they will pay for it. Roswell jumped off the roof and proceeded to try to find a way out of the village, but the Ancients were coming in too fast, and the Sentinels would be on pursuit soon as well. He could hear the stomping of large feet behind him. Realizing that there would be no place to run, Roswell took a deep breath, and turned to face his enemies. If there would be no place to run for now, they would have to fight their way out.

---

This was not a place Sovereign wanted to be. Surrounded by small fry and cowards. But he had his orders. There was no need to bother with the majority of the thieves. They would meet their fate while trying to escape. Vera would make sure of that. She had stayed behind to give orders to the Ancients.

Sovereign's only concern was Roswell. The King of Thieves is not so easy to track though. Especially in all this chaos. Raising a sandstorm was not a viable option however, in the situation at hand. It would only serve to hide his target, who himself has a natural resistance to such threats.

A flash of blue fell from the roof of the Decreement, and Sovereign knew that his target was now in sight. He charged in its direction, ready to fight the only individual here worth fighting. He bared his teeth as he charged. He would taste blood this day.

---

Even among the chaos ensuing in the village, Roswell, managed to pick up the sounds of the giant Tyranitar on approach to him. He remembered the same Tyranitar involved with the ambush he had planned with the Silver Tribe days before. Roswell reacted quickly, ducking out of the way of the charging beast, using his heightened speed to keep his distance from the Pokemon. That would be the only way he could win.

Roswell remained at a distance from the Tyranitar, and then prepared a ball of energy in his arms, focusing his attention to making it as potent as he could in the short time, and then released the Focus Blast right toward his opponent.

---

Sovereign skidded to a halt as the ball of energy approached. There was no time to dodge. He would have to try and stop it. He opened his jaws and caught the ball with his teeth, clamping down in an attempt to force the energy to disperse. It hurt like hell, but his teeth were probably the hardest part of his body. As he gave one final squeeze, the ball exploaded in his mouth. Roswell's fast, Sovereign thought. But his speed won't amount to anything if I can put him off his footing.

Sovereign gripped his knuckles tight, as he lifted his tail into the air, and swung it into the ground with great force, sending shockwaves deep underground. The earth began to shake violently as Sovereign's Earthquake came full force, collapsing homes and displacing the ground they stood on. "You put so much faith in your speed, thief! But what happens if I take that away!?"

---

Roswell's eyes momentarily opened wide when Sovereign crushed his attack with his teeth. He prepared for what he expected to be another charge, but when the Tyranitar began sending tremors through Earthquake, Roswell, tried to focus to maintain balance. The homes of the thieves were shaking and falling from their perch in the Thieves Village, dropping onto the ground below. Roswell almost fell off as well from the treehouses, but held on to the side of the root of a large tree, trying to ride out the tremors.

Eventually, though, Roswell couldn't hold on, and the destruction from the attack reached him, causing him to slip and fall, only barely managing to grab onto the side of the platform they stood at. He held on with one hand as below him he could see the ground a while down. He quickly tried to get back up and regain his footing before Sovereign came in for another attack.

---

Sovereign met Roswell at the ledge. "You call yourself a king. But what do you really rule? A bunch of spineless thieves with no honor whatsoever. The way I see it, you're only value is as far as I can throw you."

"We made a deal with you, damn it! You were supposed to leave us alone, and we would leave you alone!" He yelled, but to no avail.

"BUUUUUAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW!!!" Sovereign cried as his inner strength came pouring out in massive Outrage! He reached out to hurl his opponent as hard as he could to the ground below.

---

There was nowhere for Roswell to run, and no chance of him to escape. He looked across the town as hundreds of his brethren fell at the claws and teeth and attacks of the Ancients. All across him, his people were dying, and everything they strived to become was ended. With that, he closed his eyes as Sovereign unleashed his attack, and accepted his fate. Sovereign hurled him off of the ledge, and down he went.

His last few moments he remained alive were filled with flashes of thoughts of his life and his memories, from all the way back in the Gold Tribe, to more recently. He felt a pain in his stomach as he recalled his part in the betrayal of the Gold Tribe, though he did hear most made it out, he still regretted. He did it to secure his own people, so that they could live here in prosperity, away from the outside world, so they wouldn't have to worry about what goes on beyond the trees. Now, he only wishes that he could have taken back what he did to the Gold Tribe. If this was what the Silver Tribe would eventually do to everyone, he hoped that the Gold Tribe would find a way to stop it. These were his final thoughts as Roswell, the King of Thieves, fell to his end.

---

"It begins..."

As Sovereign stood looked down on the falling "Kingdom," he found himself basking in a new found connection to his ancestor's strength. It was intoxicating. He wasn't sure what had happened to him between his previous "excursion," and now, but somehow the power he had struggled with for so long felt so familiar, so comfortable. But this was merely an illusion. A precursor to much more terrible events which would tear Sovereign asunder if he was not careful. As the pieces fall into place, the instruments of his eventual demise began to develop. And inner darkness is your worst enemy...
 

Claire*

Here's to the crazy ones.
554
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 33
  • USA
  • Seen Apr 29, 2013
Genevieve L'esprit & Hanso Sharpeye
"I have no intentions of bringing destruction to such a beautiful place," Genevieve responded mildly, her mood lifted as Hanso finally arrived. On the outside world, everything remained unchanged. A scene that rivaled even the best paintings, two pokemon seated calmly in a meditative fashion. It was only in their minds that things appeared differently. This world of the psychics existed, yet it didn't at the same time. It had rules and boundaries, but they could be broken in an instant. Her and Hanso currently resided in a stark white room, nothing in their but a mental interpretation of the two of them. Exactly identical to their physical bodies. When Hanso had joined her here, there were a few sparse objects that littered the landscape, but Genevieve quickly eliminated them from the space.

It was a lot like a joint canvas. What either of them imagined, appeared with them in the room. Real and yet false at the same time. She approached the Gallade with calm and measured steps. Of course, her real body never moved, it was only in their minds that she approached him. "Let's liven up the place a little, shall we?" Genevieve stopped in the middle of the room, she began to sit in empty space before a chair was conjured within seconds. She easily imagined a second one for him to join her if he so wished.

"I must say, I wasn't really expecting you to be so eager to meet. You just couldn't resist me, huh?" She flashed him a devilish grin and crossed her legs as she studied him head to toe. "However, I'm glad we have a chance to talk now. I must say, our first encounter was cut dreadfully short and I felt a bit cheated. Please Hanso, have a seat, let's chat. I'll even let you pick our topic of discussion."

...

It was interesting to note that this white room was similar to the one in Hanso's own inner mind. If they were similar in appearance, though, then it would be easier for anything he let slip to be seen by Genevieve. Hanso remained silent as he watched the Gardevoir approach before stopping and sitting. He wasn't always one for senseless chit-chat, but as he slowly walked over to sit in the chair provided for him, he thought that perhaps he'd have to put up with some.

"I have my reasons for meeting," Hanso replied as he sat. "And it wouldn't be expected for such a meeting." He kept in mind that this would have to be short enough that he wouldn't miss the Gold Tribe rendezvous. Time often didn't make much sense to him in the world of psychics. Hanso considered his options as he studied Genevieve in turn. Eventually he said, "Would Sovereign be out of the question?" The Gardevoir's reaction might tell him something.

...

Genevieve's face remained stoic and unreadable, a skill she had crafted over the years to mask her feelings from others. Hanso had suggested they talk about a topic that was very pressing indeed, especially considering her recent encounter with the mountain of a pokemon. Without even realizing it, her hand touched her throat as if recalling when Sovereign suspended her with his bare hands. She didn't like be handled in such a way, it was a slight to her character and something she would have to repay in due time.

It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about the beast, but it was hard to see how talking about him would align with her goals. If it was a pressing matter for him too however, maybe it might yield some light into his mental processes. Hopefully, by finding out as much as she could about Hanso, she could best learn how to target him. He seemed resistant to her charms all this time, never paying her much attention when other male pokemon would be begging her for more. Maybe he was one of the rare few with alternative mates?

"I would consider nothing out of the question. As much as I hoped to get to know you a little better, we can talk about the brute if you are so inclined," she spoke in an almost melodic tone, her gaze firmly locked onto Hanso's eyes. "So, what's up with Sovereign, besides the obvious?" Genevieve changed her manner of speaking on the fly, going almost hyper casual in an attempt to unsettle him.

...

Interesting reaction. Her face didn't change, but she did react nonetheless. Hanso wondered, though, if something had happened between Genevieve and Sovereign for her hand to do that. He held the Gardevoir's gaze with his own for a few moments, his hand absently rubbing his left arm where he'd been bitten; the itch was back. She'd actually called Sovereign a brute...that implied some ill feeling, but not enough to know if it was more than what might be the norm for Sentinels.

Hanso sighed quietly, his eyes breaking away from Genevieve's as he stared in another direction. He wasn't quite patient or calm enough to hold it longer, and just being in this Gardevoir's presence was unsettling in a way that he wasn't sure if he liked. Compared to others of their kind, he might be called a middle-age adult. It may have surprised some that Hanso had never looked to settle down with anyone...but then again, he'd never found anyone interesting enough that he would have felt like doing so. Perhaps, in another time and place, without the whole crystal business...

Hanso shook his head a bit. Focus! He turned his attention back to Genevieve. "You ever see or hear of anyone with a split personality?" he asked, mostly as a way to start the subject. "What Sovereign has seems like a...magnified, version of it. 'Split' almost sounds wrong, actually," Hanso added thoughtfully, almost to himself. "More like, he has multiple personalities. There's the Sovereign we both know. A bit after you left the two of us to fight, though, he changed."

He wasn't explaining it enough, Hanso knew that already. "Sovereign had another mind or something trapped inside his head that came out and took control of the Tyranitar." Varren, he had said. As he talked, his memory of the event slipped out to form a moving picture to one side. It showed a silent recall of Sovereign being covered with hundreds of black tendrils to turn his skin black, blood-red eyes opening as they'd turned to look at Hanso at the time. "I thought it was possession at first," Hanso continued, only half-aware of his memory's replay, "but it...went a little deeper." He paused to focus on Genevieve again, his memory disappearing from view. "Am I making any sense at all?"

...

Hanso was the first to break eye contact, he had quickly averted his sight from her. Maybe she had made him uncomfortable in some way, or merely succeeded in unsettling him. If that was the case, then everything was going well so far. Genevieve shifted in her seat as she listened to Hanso talk about Sovereign. She remained silent for a long while, far longer than most were accustomed to her being. Instead of talking, she decided to nod a lot, taking in his information and trying to see all angles.

Sovereign had looked different, but not in the way Hanso was describing him, nothing quite so...drastic. It wasn't until he recalled his memory into the room, that she fully understood what he meant. The memory played in front of her like a scene from a play. Without even thinking, she stood from her seat and approached where the memory had been projected. When she had her encounter with Sovereign, he looked nothing like this creature that Hanso had showed her. The projection was now long gone, recalled back into Hanso's mind from where it came.

"Yes, you are making sense," she spoke to him almost absentmindedly. Genevieve brought a hand to her chin as she lost herself deep in thought. This Sovereign situation was more worrisome than she had previously anticipated. "I've encountered this Varren also. Although, he did not manifest himself in quite such a way." She gestured her arm where the image had once stood.

"Why did you need to speak to me about this though? Surely this is a Silver Tribe problem. Why not just kill him?" Genevieve stared him down, her tone serious and forward. It mattered little to her if Sovereign's head ended up being a trophy for the Gold Tribe. In fact, an unpredictable element such as himself presented only trouble moving forward. The Gold Tribe might actually be doing her a favor. "I feel like you're beating around the bush with me Hanso."

...

Hanso's eyebrows rose in surprise. Her, too? Varren had said during their fight that he was more interested in Genevieve than Sovereign's thoughts. If Varren had shown himself to the Gardevoir, though, then what about the other entity inside Sovereign's head? The one who called the Tyranitar son? Another image began forming again in the same place, but Hanso's eyes flicked to it as he stubbornly shoved the memory back into his own head.

"Yeah, I pretty much am," Hanso replied in his own serious tone, standing up to face Genevieve, "or was." After a moment of consideration, he let his memory back out, and the image reformed. This time, it began with Varren's red eyes and black skin disappearing, only to be shortly replaced by yellow eyes and dark blue skin. It was the memory where Hanso had learned of the third entity in Sovereign's head, moments before... He winced as the memory replayed the grapple where his arm had been broken. The image then disappeared.

"It took several of us to defeat Frost," Hanso said, his red and gray eyes staring back at Genevieve, "and I'm sure she wasn't as destructive as Sovereign and the other two entities in his head are." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "If I could learn how to turn off his battle face...but..." This was it. "You're the only one I could go to who would know this sort of thing."

...

Genevieve slowly walked over to Hanso, her eyes now locked onto the memory that played out in front of them. The gut wrenching crunch of bone as Sovereign and Hanso locked in battle and Hanso's arm being a casualty of said skirmish. Everything played out perfectly from his memory, no detail left fuzzy or illegible. The injury had been far worse than even her prior estimation, surely it had to be a blow to his pride as well. Men were such prideful creatures after all.

Reaching out her hands, she carefully grabbed his arm and studied it where it had been broken. Although this wasn't his real body, it represented it down to the finest detail. She let it go, her cursory examination over with as she pondered what he had presented her. Could it even be done on Sovereign? He was resistant to her psychic attacks, but what about something that was of the mind. Did his resistance cover that also? Genevieve had never even attempted such a thing on him. She had always deemed it impossible and decided not to waste her time. Such a thing as Hanso was talking about, that involved cognitive rewriting. A skill that was worked up to over many years of practice, usually only after simple memory reading. That alone was difficult for even the most experienced readers.

It was just her suspicion, but she didn't think it possible on the brute. His resistance probably saved him from such assaults. She wouldn't dare tell Hanso that however. Not when he wanted, no, needed her for something. It was the ultimate playing card, the ace up a sleeve. Did he really have nobody in the Gold Tribe that could teach him such a thing? Or did he simply not want to approach them with this?

She raised her right hand to his face and gently dragged it across his cheek, her hand lingering as she finished. In an instant, she changed the scenery of the room. The former white space now densely packed with translucent nerves of the mind. It was like the super highway of the brain. Each nerve ending talking with the next with just a little spark. Each spark jumping between endings, processing with it countless amounts of data and motor functions. Just as quickly as she called up the image, it disappeared.

"I might be able to assist you," she lied. Genevieve had no idea the effect of such an attempt on Sovereign. "What's in it for me?" A cheshire cat grin spread across her face as she stared him down waiting for a response.

...

She seemed to be thinking about it. Hanso remained silent as he watched Genevieve, wondering what was going through her mind. He tensed slightly as she grabbed his arm, but something kept him from stepping away. He was aware that Sovereign, a Tyranitar, was one of those Pokemon normally resistant to psychic attacks. One reason he had approached Genevieve about the subject was that he had never focused enough on abilities of the mind to learn whether such resistance also covered attacks on the mind.

Hanso resisted the urge to rub his arm where it tingled after Genevieve dropped it, absently noting that she, as others of their kind, was a few inches taller than him. He wasn't sure if it was himself or some manipulation on her part, but his feelings were more confused than they'd ever been for a long, long time. His thoughts were diverted between the subject of Sovereign, and what might have been under different circumstances; he didn't think anything about the flash of the image of nerves. The Blaziken who had ended Sovereign's rage had said that he didn't like losing control, and Hanso was asking Genevieve for help with something out of the Tyranitar's control. What could have happened if the Sentinels had never been tainted?

Hanso stepped back from Genevieve and her hand, a little suddenly, as he took a deep breath. One thought had pushed itself into his head: What would my sister think? Unbidden, another Gardevoir appeared to the Gallade's right, standing at the exact same height, her left eye the same shade of gray as Hanso's right. The image disappeared just as quickly. "No wonder they call you the Siren," Hanso muttered to himself, reorganizing his thoughts.

What was in it for Genevieve?... If she'd met Varren before, then she might know something of what the entity thought about her. Hanso thought that perhaps there might be some gain for her as well if they stopped Sovereign, but it was only a faint suspicion, easily dismissed for now. No, he had to offer something for this 'trade', then get out of there. "Information," Hanso stated bluntly. "Information you and the other Sentinels could use."

This was part of what made this whole reckless idea dangerous.
...

Genevieve relished the response from Hanso, his stepping away from her touch, his deep breath. It was all very...cute. Flashing him a small smile, it dissipated along with the sudden appearance of another Gardevoir. From the brief glimpse she spied of it, there was a striking similarity between her and Hanso who stood right before her very eyes. They must have been related, the eyes were a tell all of indication. Why had Hanso thought of her now? Was his memory so strong of this individual that it slipped out without his meaning, or did he purposefully recall the memory of this other Gardevoir? Maybe in the future, she could use it as another chip on the table. All the better for eventually bringing Hanso into the fold.

Waving off his "Siren" comment, she studied him as he presented his pittance of payment. Information was always valuable, of course, it depended highly on the quality. But, Genevieve wanted more than just information. To bring him into the Silver Tribe entirely, that would bring information, tactics, sabotage and a heart crushing blow against the Gold Tribe's moral.

"Information will do...for now," she answered him, her voice smooth and flirtatious. "Just know, that I'll want something a little more in the future." Genevieve purposefully left that statement open. His mind could make that be whatever he believed it was. Just his pondering over what she meant was a victory. She clapped her hands in front of her in an almost joyous outburst. Her manner not unlike that of a young girl. "You'll have to pardon me, I tend to get a bit giddy when things go well. I must say, I believe this could be the start of a beautiful partnership."

...

Hanso remained silent, trying to pin down his thoughts and feelings. The information he did have...probably wouldn't be a whole lot in comparison to what he wanted to learn, but what did Genevieve mean by wanting something more? That thought drove home the point: I need time to myself. Away from her. "It could be," Hanso replied neutrally. "However, I'm afraid we'll have to continue this at another time." He turned away and began walking, then stopped. It took a few moments to muster the nerve to say, "The Gold Tribe is leaving for Cape City today ahead of the Alpha Alliance army, in less than three hours." Hanso then walked again, disappearing from the psychic world within a few steps.
~~~
His breathing suddenly deepened as his eyes opened, mind back in the mountain clearing. Hanso's legs were stiff from sitting as if meditating for...how long had it been? Glancing up at the sun, he decided it hadn't reached the rendezvous time yet. He took one last look at Genevieve - for what reason? - then closed his eyes again as he concentrated and teleported, leaving nothing but traces of his psychic energy behind.
~~~
Back in the house in Albia, Hanso found the pack he'd hidden, then took a bit of food out for a snack to replenish his energy. He had packed everything he'd thought of, and it wasn't three hours yet. It took a bit of time to find a bed that wasn't being used anymore. After setting a mental check to wake him up when it was time, Hanso lied down to rest, heart aching with some guilt and another feeling that was almost unfamiliar to the Gallade.

...

Genevieve watched him leave, she knew their time together had to be racing to its end. Cape City? Why would they be heading there and with such a quick departure window? Hopefully this information checked out, it was always risky when one was turning enemies into confidential informants. The first bit of information was always critical, they could try and deceive you with it , or actually follow through and give you information of worth. It mattered little at this point however, the information would have to be followed up on.

The white room slowly began to dissipate and crumble from her senses. Like somebody tearing down a wall and in its place a vista on the other side. Real world began to seep through the cracks, until slowly, it was all that was left. The psychic world left untouched, forever separate and in mind only. It almost saddened her to leave that world of possibilities and its state of being ungoverned by laws of physics. Hanso's psychic trace was still faint in the area. He hadn't lingered long, teleported if she had to guess. Now that was a skill she hadn't used in a long time and probably couldn't even recall how to do anymore.

Any further thoughts of Hanso had to be purged from her processes. That part of the mission was done and a success. It was finally time to get the other Sentinels the information she recovered. Quickly she opened a channel to the other Sentinels, they should have still been busy for the most part in the thieves forest. With a few exceptions of course.

"This is Genevieve," she said bluntly and with little flourish. "I have it under good authority that the Gold Tribe is mobilizing for Cape City today. It looks like their window might be three hours. I'll be at the thieves forest momentarily." The channel closed and she jumped down from her rock with effortless grace. As she made her way down the mountain, one nagging thought kept assaulting her in the back of her mind. I hope this information is right.
 

Nakuzami

[img]https://i.imgur.com/iwlpePA.png[/img]
6,896
Posts
13
Years
Kyusu "Kasey" Fuella Arashi
Gold Tribe
Albia
Scattered Pieces


She was almost there.

How long had it been since her world was turned upside down? Too long. How many days had it been since the remains of her life had been shattered; the final shreds of her love burning even more into ashes? Too many.

Slowly but surely her life was unwinding, and every day another part of it crumbled. At one point the puzzle had been completed, but it was as if someone had come in and smashed it, tossing away the pieces one at a time. Some pieces could be recovered, but others would crumble into nothingness with no hope of being repaired.

And that was what had drawn her here. A few days ago she had felt another one of those pieces crumble, and now she was out on a hunt to find the ashes. She knew there was no way that this piece could be rebuilt, and the inferno that had destroyed it had already been put out, but she needed answers. What happened to this piece, and why? It was a piece so central to the puzzle of her life, and without it the puzzle could never be whole again. Without it, the puzzle would shatter completely. For the time being, however, answers to the demise of this piece could at least delay the final collapse of the ruined picture.

That was all her life was at this point: a disintegrating puzzle drifting in a river of despair. Now was not the time for despair, however. Now was the time to act, to strike down those that worked to tear the puzzle apart. From this point onward, she would not allow a single piece to be taken without fighting for it until the bloody last.

That was what had led her to Albia.

For the last few days, a battle had been raging in Albia between the Gold Tribe and the Silver Tribe. Fighting with the Gold Tribe had been the last puzzle piece to burn; fighting with the Gold Tribe had been her younger brother, Sainan Chuiseishu Arashi. Something had happened, however, and Sainan had been killed. She knew this because at one point she had been able to sense his life force, thanks to a nifty little ability she had been born with.

She was a Ninetales, born and raised to be a Gold Tribe Elite. As was the custom of the Gold Tribe, most knew her by her custom title, Bane. She had been born with the name Kyusu Fuella Arashi, but those close to her grew into the habit of calling her Kasey. Along with the unique black rings and blue tips on her tail, as well as her blue eyes, she had also been brought into this world with a unique set of gifts. Ninetales, being a relatively rare breed, all had special abilities complementing their personalities. It took centuries to master these abilities, and even when an ability was mastered it was not guaranteed to be altogether powerful. The abilities known to Kasey that she currently had control over included the ability to sense the life force of others, read emotions and speak via telepathy. Sometimes she could even influence the environment in certain ways, such as cause a slight disturbance to alter the flow of water for a few seconds or cause the temperature to rise and fall a few degrees. Finally, as with all Ninetales, she could summon curses to wreak havoc upon her foes, although the activation and target of a curse normally came with someone tugging on her tail, so it wasn't very effective. In general, all of her abilities were rather weak. She could only sense the emotions and life forces of certain people, mainly those that were close to her, and she could establish a telepathic connection with very few more. It was a bit depressing how limited her abilities were, but she knew not to complain and that mastery would only come with time and practice.

Right now, she was trying to track the life forces of Gold Tribe members that remained in Albia after the battle. It wasn't quite working all that well, so she had started to head towards the last location that she had sensed Sainan's life force.

After a short walk, she had reached the area where this energy seemed to be at its strongest. Even at its strongest, it was still rather faint. Kasey lowered her snout to the ground, taking a few strong sniffs as she attempted to pick up the scent of her brother.

That's odd, Kasey thought as she managed to pick up a faint scent. She raised her head and walked forward for a minute more, eventually coming to realize what she was sensing.

The area in front of her had been scorched, the land robbed of all life. There was an impressive crater that seemed to spread out in a circle with a diameter measuring a few hundred feet. That, however, was not the thing that stunned Kasey into a shocked silence.

In the air all around her, the young Ninetales could sense an incredibly immense energy. It wasn't just any energy, it was Sainain's energy. As she neared the center of the crater, the power of the energy continued to increase until it was almost too overwhelming to allow further passage into the crater. Kasey swore that she could almost see the energy gathering around her. Such energy could only be generated by a greatly powerful being generating an incredibly massive amount of energy. Could Sainan have generated such an attack? Kasey was unsure of this, but she also wouldn't be very surprised. Her youngest brother had been a strong one, even if he didn't care to show it at times.

"Sainan," Kasey sighed, "I feel you. You're here." She looked upwards into the sun, a slight smile crossing her face. "I won't let you down, I promise you that." She closed her eyes and reveled in the serenity that this energy gave her. It was the last remaining fragment of her brother remaining on this world, and she was reluctant to part with it.

Kasey's ear twitched. She was picking up on something else. There were certainly fainter energies mixed in with her brother's, as there normally was in every location, but she could feel that some of these energies were intertwined with her brother. If she concentrated hard enough, Kasey figured that she could track one of these energies. So she closed her eyes once more and focused.

And in less than a minute, she had been gifted with a splitting headache. Even so, she had latched onto a faint trail of energy, and she began to follow it, ignoring the headache that assaulted her mind. She walked slowly, but not without determination.

After a few more minutes of walking, Kasey saw a glint of Gold on the horizon. She could faintly make out the trademark helmet of the Bisharp species. She had no doubt that it was a Gold Tribe member, for whatever reasons her instincts led her to believe this, but she was still unsure on how she should approach the situation. She skirted around the area and examined the Bisharp from afar, not trying hard to conceal herself but also not attempting to be seen immediately.

Just give me some answers, please. That's all I need. Kasey stared at the Bisharp, eyes widening as she realized that she had sent these thoughts through a telepathic link. She hadn't even realized that one had been established. She quickly calmed herself and took a seat where she stood, surprised at the ease of the link and wondering if the thoughts had even made it to the Bisharp.​
 

SV

See You Space Cowboy
3,393
Posts
13
Years
  • Seen Feb 7, 2022
Albia

Zane headed to the direction of his encampment. Because of so many buildings and homes still destroyed, and because of the new influx of Alpha Alliance citizens pouring back into the city at the news of victory in Albia, many soldiers, including the Gold Tribe, still made their beds in the tents and cots lined up for them across the streets, and in some cases outside the city walls. Zane's thoughts still dwelled on the recent news of the death of Kivir as he passed through town. As in most cases, many Pokemon turned to him as he passed down. Some were in amazement, others merely held grins on their faces. Others just looked dumbstruck. It was interesting to see that despite all of the devastation and war that had occurred, the citizens of Valkaria still view the Gold Tribe in such a mystical way. Zane understood it, though. Years ago, when he was a child, he was just like them to the Gold Tribe.

Zane made his way to his tent. He had familiarly set it up like it was in Liberty Town. Perhaps for the nostalgia, or maybe because he was used to it, Zane wasn't sure. Grabbing a few supplies he would need on the road, he placed them in his bag, and slung it over his shoulder. He made sure to have enough for the week. Doubtless they would be on the road that long anyways, but it never hurt to be sure. As he stepped out of his tent, he saw Guardia doing the same from hers.

"Guardia." Zane acknowledged her with a nod. She didn't respond right away, her eyes glued to the Gold Tribe emblem in her hands. Zane walked up to her and patted her shoulder. "Hey. Are you alright?" He asked. Her eyes still glued to the Gold Tribe emblem, she responded.

"It's just...all this...it's a lot to take in. I mean, we're way in over our heads here. I mean...Dark God? The Ancients? Don't get me wrong, I'll keep on fighting, you know me, you know I will. But it's...it's a tough tale to swallow."

"I understand. I can't really believe all this is happening either." Zane responded. His eyes darting above to the sky.

"It actually makes some sense, I guess. Before the invasion, he was acting so distant to me…ha…I actually thought he was mad at me for the way I was acting. For yelling at him and telling him that I should be the next leader when he told me he was planning on making Auron the next. I had no idea he was like that because he had all this on his mind. I..I look back at the things I said and I regret…if he was here now there would be so much I can tell him…about how I improved, how I'm a better person…."

Guardia turned around. Before she did, Zane could see a trickle of a tear across her face, which was surprising to Zane. He had hardly ever seen her cry in his life. Not when she was in pain, not when they had lost cities to the Ancients. Zane wanted to say something that could make her feel better, but what could he say? He never was the best with words. He tried sure, but this was different. He felt saying the wrong thing would be detrimental. So instead, he placed an arm around her shoulder, and let her cry.

***​

It was time, and Zane was all set. He arrived with Guardia at the rendezvous point with the Gold Tribe just around the time they had agreed. Zane felt similar feelings he had whenever moments like these came, but this was a bit different. He almost felt…enlightened. For the first time in a while, their ultimate intentions were not so clouded in mystery. They had the exact path to victory. And with the accomplishment of this big step, they would be that much closer.

The others began arriving after Zane. Gallant was first to arrive. Wildfire and Dryad came, followed by Sword and Shield soon after, and then Speculum. Hoodhide arrived a bit afterward. The Swift, Bloodthirster, Defender and TrueStriker were not in sight yet, but he assumed they would be arriving soon. Zane was however interested to see the old Alakazam approach them. He knew that the old Pokemon planned to go with them back to Albia. He didn't know what he planned to do after that. Looks like his question was answered.

"You…you're coming with us?"

"But of course." The old Alakazam replied, as he approached the group.
"Are you fit to travel? The road may be dangerous. We'll be going into a war zone." Zane said, concern in his eyes. The Alakazam was quick to reply.

"Young one, I've been whipping the ends of ruffian Pokemon since long before you were born. I think I can handle myself. Besides, it is as I said. You may very well need my counsel." Though his words were strong, Zane wasn't entirely convinced, as the old Alakazam took out an old wooden cane upon it was obvious he placed a lot of his weight on. Zane shrugged, and backed off, accepting the invitation.

Zane crossed his arms as he waited for the remainder of the Gold Tribe to go. Suddenly, a strange occurrence passed through his head. He chilling feeling as something that occurs when a new link establishes between himself and a psychic Pokemon. Both Defender and TrueStriker had a similar feeling when they established the link with him before.

Just give me some answers, please. That's all I need. The voice said to him. It was a female voice, but not one familiar to the Bisharp. He looked around, trying to find the source, and locating a Ninetails standing close by looking at him, with eyes wide. He wondered if it could have been her.

"Hello…?" Zane said to the Ninetails, wondering if he wasn't just talking to a random Pokemon now, but a glint of gold caught his eye, as it often did when he would speak to one of his: Gold Tribe.

***​

Thieves Forest

Victory. It was good to experience it again. Scar was so used to victory in his campaign with the Silver Tribe, he had almost forgotten how lovely it felt. This was mostly due to the fact that their last few major battles ended in defeat. In fact, it was a string of defeats now. A large portion of their conquered territories were being fought back. They had lost half of the land they had conquered, and yet Scar knows for a fact they haven't lost much of their strength. Which is exactly why the victories are puzzling to him.

He does not doubt Auron's ambition or tactics. He never has nor ever will he. But his questionable allocation of forces is puzzling. Every city is protected by a large abundance of Ancients, but the number that the Alpha Alliance fought so far is eclipsed, absurdly he might add, by the amount that is actually present in Silver City and the surrounding towns. If Auron wanted, he could swipe through the land with that army, and take back all these conquered cities in a single second invasion. And yet, he doesn't. Instead, he doesn't. He merely distributes enough Ancients to the cities so that a major fight would still ensue, but with which the outcome is in doubt. Why if Scar didn't know any better, it almost would appear as if Auron was leading them right to…

"My lord Scar?" An Ancient asked again to his commanding Sentinel. Scar snapped out of his thought process and returned his attention back to the Kabutops. "I was just giving you the reports on the battle. The entire village is under our command. Any thief that hasn't been killed has been captured, and those not yet captured are soon to be apprehended. Scar nodded.

"Good." He said, dismounting off of his seated position on a rock in the Thieves Forest. As he did this, he heard the voice of the Sentinel the Siren in his head.

"This is Genevieve. I have it under good authority that the Gold Tribe is mobilizing for Cape City today. It looks like their window might be three hours. I'll be at the thieves forest momentarily."

Scar's eyes lit up. He looked around for the other Sentinels, seeing the Inferno in the distance, also apparently hearing this message to confirm it. He approached Scar.

"Interesing." He began to the Inferno. "But…what I'm more interested in is that Genevieve said the Gold Tribe, not the Alpha Alliance. Now isn't that interesting?"

The Inferno shrugged, not adding much else onto that, which slightly upset Scar. He never was able to get any mentally stimulated conversations out of a lot of the other Sentinels. Sure, there was the occasional one out of Genevieve, or Sentry, when he was around, but not much else beyond then. But the message raised another question Scar had in the back of his mind regarding Auron. If the information was true, what orders would Auron have them perform? Would he call for the eradication of the Gold Tribe? Or does he have other, more horrible plans for them?

"Well, I guess we'll see when she gets here." Scar said aloud.
 

Nakuzami

[img]https://i.imgur.com/iwlpePA.png[/img]
6,896
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13
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Kyusu "Kasey" Fuella Arashi
Gold Tribe
Albia
Scattered Pieces


The golden Bisharp looked around, probably searching for the source of the telepathic message. After a moment, his eyes rested on Kasey. "Hello . . . ?" He seemed a bit tentative, which Kasey thought was appropriate, given the circumstances. Telepathy could be a bit confusing at times, especially between two individuals that had never spoken.

"If you're wondering whether or not I'm the one that just invaded the privacy of your thoughts," Kasey said aloud, standing and taking a few steps closer to the Bisharp, "I am." Once she was about ten feet away from the Bisharp, she once again took a seat, looking at the Bisharp with a calm, yet piercing, expression.

"As I said," Kasey began, her tone even, "all I need are answers." Kasey paused, debating just how blunt she should be with her next set of words. "I require answers about the fate of my brother, who I believe was traveling with you. My name is Kyusu Fuella Arashi, but most members of the Gold Tribe know me as Bane. My younger brother was Sainan, the one you would know best as Calamity." Kasey's tone had not faltered, but her eyes were now focused intensely on the visage of the golden Bisharp.

"Along with my telepathic powers, I also have the ability to sense the life forces of other living beings. I know that my younger brother is dead, but I know not of the circumstances of his demise. That's why I've come to you. I was hoping you might have a few answers."
 

SV

See You Space Cowboy
3,393
Posts
13
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  • Seen Feb 7, 2022
Albia

The Ninetales had confirmed that it was indeed her who had sent the message to Zane. Now Zane waited for her to explain herself. She carried the emblem of the Gold Tribe, so she was either part of them, or had taken the emblem from someone. The Ninetales stopped about a meter or two from Zane. He exchanged glances with the others present, wondering who she was, and just then she revealed herself.

"As I said," Kasey began, her tone even, "all I need are answers." Kasey paused, debating just how blunt she should be with her next set of words. "I require answers about the fate of my brother, who I believe was traveling with you. My name is Kyusu Fuella Arashi, but most members of the Gold Tribe know me as Bane. My younger brother was Sainan, the one you would know best as Calamity."

Zane looked at her, surprised. He remembered that Calamity had told him once that he had other family, some that was also in the Gold Tribe. He had been looking for them as a secondary mission while they traveled through the land. This older sister must have been apart of the family. Her ability was interesting to Zane. He did not think he had ever met someone with those capabilities before, or at least definitely not a Ninetales. Nevertheless, the main reason she had come was for answers, and in the memory of his departed friend and brother, and the respect he would issue anyone family to those lost in war, whether Gold Tribe or not, he answered her.

"Your brother...Calamity...he lost his life in our last battle here in Albia. He sacrificed his own life to bring down the Sentinel Ignitus, who power we could not have stopped at that moment." He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. He was never great at delivering bad news to those had to take it. He only wished he could add more comfort than what he said following this. "It was a death befitting one of the Gold Tribe. A truly noble sacrifice. He made his family and himself proud with his sacrifice."

Again, Zane paused to let it sink in, before speaking again. "I'm Zane Tyrael, known as Vigil, of the Gold Tribe. With me are Guardia, daughter of Rey, as well as Wildfire, Sword and Shield, Speculum, Gallant, Dryad, and..." He paused at the old Alakazam to try to figure out what to call him, before settling on one of the names he mentioned to him in the Catacombs, "...the Keeper. Us gathered here, along with about half a dozen more who will be with us shortly, are all that remains of the Gold Tribe. That is, to the best of our knowledge. I ask you, Bane, now that you know what became of your brother, what will you do now, sister of the Gold Tribe?"
 

Garet

GhostFire
729
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13
Years
Hanso SharpEye

"Do you realize what you have done?"

"What?" Hanso folded his arms, staring back at the mirror image of himself. "You should know what I'm trying to do here."

"And what is that, exactly? How does telling the enemy what the Gold Tribe's doing help?" Hanso opened his mouth to say something, but the other continued. "They have at least four Sentinels left and an army, if not armies, of Ancients. What would you do if they somehow showed up outside Albia right this moment?"

He tried answering again, but his alarm was going off.


Hanso opened his eyes, not feeling much better than when he'd lied down. It was time to meet up with the others. He swung out of bed and opened his pack, pulling out his emblem and Penance's letter. His hand moved to put on the emblem, but it hesitated. Hanso wouldn't call himself crazy, even if he had been talking to himself in his sleep, hopefully without saying anything aloud. Still, that one conversation served to show that he had doubts about what he had in mind.

Hanso shook his head. Snap out of it! He put the emblem on and, pack on and letter in hand, left for the gates of Albia.

~~~

He was some yards away when Hanso realized that a Ninetales was present and talking to Zane. He caught the glint of gold coming from the newcomer: one of the Gold Tribe. A Ninetales...didn't they often have abilities not common to other Pokemon? Gonna have to be careful around her...heh. I'm gonna have to be careful around all of them. Hanso's face remained neutral, however, or as best as it could. He was closer to the group when he heard Zane say, "...Us gathered here, along with about half a dozen more who will be with us shortly, are all that remains of the Gold Tribe. That is, to the best of our knowledge. I ask you, Bane, now that you know what became of your brother, what will you do now, sister of the Gold Tribe?"

To the best of our knowledge. Hanso shook his head. No, Brynn had to be alive, somewhere. "You can count our number one less, Zane," Hanso said, holding the letter out. "At least for now."

Dear Gold Tribe,

I am sorry to do this, but I must head to Cape City immediately. I know of some people there that can help us in this dire hour. You all cannot come, that is the way this must be. I need to prepare for your arrival and all, so just trust me in this. I ask that you all keep an open mind about what happens there, that is all I can ask. You won't be able to find me on your own, trust me with that. There will be a pokemon there who knows all about Cape City. Find him or those associated with him and you'll find me quite easily. I am very.... connected with him. Anyway, I wish you all good luck on your journey.

Sincerely,
Penance
 

Nakuzami

[img]https://i.imgur.com/iwlpePA.png[/img]
6,896
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13
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Kyusu "Kasey" Fuella Arashi
Gold Tribe
Albia
Answers upon Life's end


Kasey relaxed as the Bisharp explained the end of her brother. She wasn't sure why, but perhaps she had just been anticipating something more . . . depressing. The entire event in itself was depressing, but something about the fact that her brother had gone willingly was settling. More so than a gruesome demise, at least. It was, however, curious that her brother would go so willingly. Knowing Sainan, Kasey could almost see his thought process that would have been streaming through his mind at that point, but even so it was tragic.

"Endairel is going to be heartbroken," Kasey muttered so quietly that she was sure no one in the area could hear. "She never even got to tell Sainan . . . ," she trailed off before she could finish the thought.

Kasey was faintly aware of the Bisharp, Zane, introducing himself and his companions. "I ask you, Bane, now that you know what became of your brother, what will you do now, sister of the Gold Tribe?" Zane questioned, snapping Kasey out of her reverie.

Kasey pondered her options, staying silent for a small moment. Obviously she would have to inform her family of Sainan's death, being that she was the only one that was even aware that he was gone. She might be able to do that through telepathy, but she doubted that she would be able to establish a link over such a vast distance. She might, however, be able to locate Rai to send him a message. Knowing him, it wouldn't be all that surprising if he happened to be right outside of Albia with his little band of fighters that he had recruited.

While she thought, a Gallade walked up to Zane and handed him a note. Kasey ignored it for the moment and decided to try something while Zane read.

She closed her eyes and focused, reaching out her aura in order to sense that of her brother's. A faint charge of static electricity flowed through her fur, causing it to stand on end for a split second. She could feel her power flow out through her and into the earth, causing the auras of all the nearby creatures to flare up in her mind's eye. There were many life forces flowing throughout Albia, although some were much weaker than others. None of them were her brother. She extended her reach to the areas surrounding Albia, continuing to allow it to spread until she reached her limit. At that point, she stopped and focused. She could sense the faintest hint of her brother on the outskirts of her influence.

She recalled her aura and opened her eyes, taking in the cool breeze. Her brother was close, relatively speaking, but he was not yet close enough for her to establish a telepathic link. If she was lucky, he would wander in her direction within the next few days, but her brother was reckless and unpredictable, so she wasn't counting on those chances very much.

Kasey took a breath and glanced up at Zane as he had finished reading the letter. "To answer your question, Vigil, I am unsure. I must deliver the news of his death to my family, but they are a long journey away from here. My other brother, however, may be heading in this direction as we speak, but that I am also unsure of. For now, I will remain here in Albia and see if I cannot establish a telepathic connection with him and his group of fighters. If I can, then . . . ," Kasey glanced around at all the Tribe members that were gathered. "Then maybe I will take up travel with you, if doing so would be convenient for both parties."
 
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<Challenger>

Goodbye PC...for now.
2,479
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11
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The Gold Tribe had left the catacombs long ago,and Defender the entire tribe, but now they were faced with a new road block: A Ninetales. She went on to tell the present Gold Tribe members that she was a sister with the title of Bane. She also said that she was the sister of Calamity. The Swift hadn't know Calmity for more than an hour or so, but he felt great respect for him. The Absol had given his life during the battle to take down Ignus. It takes a true hero to do something of the sort. The memory gae The Swift a pang of sorrow. He felt like the whole ordeal was partially his fault, since he started the town's riots, and that had called the Sentinels there in the first place.

The Ninetales said that she would think about it, and something about an older brother, but The Swift wasn't listening. He was having one of his flashbacks again. A dead Ancient here, a dead Ancient there. A young Jirmonji Slynt stands in the middle of a ram-shack town that was torn down by the Ancients, with three of his brothers-in-arms. His actual brother, a young Medicham, and an old Charmeleon. "Apollo, Zen, check the remaining buildings. Jirmonji, you're with me." The older Scizor barked to the gathered members. They scrambled to carry out his orders, and The Swift followed his brother loyally, much like a love-sick puppy. They were scanning the perimeter when they heard a nearby branch snap. As if from nowhere, a dozen ancients materialized and swarmed the village, looking for cover or a defensive position, completely unaware of the other two members. One was nearly upon Apollo, the Charmeleon, but neither of the foes saw each other....until The Swift called out, "Apollo!" The Ancient Kabutops spun around, saw the Charmeleon, and speared him with his scythe-like arm.

The Swift glanced around and noticed that it was just a vision...although it did worry him a good bit. Perhaps he felt guilt for Calamity's death, much like he did for Apollo's. The Charmeleon would probably be alive right now if Jirmonji had not called out to him. I'm a damn brother-slayer...He thought to himself. It was his fault that Calamity was dead. He drew the Sentinels to Albia.
 

Claire*

Here's to the crazy ones.
554
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  • Age 33
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  • Seen Apr 29, 2013
Genevieve L'esprit
Thieves forest, the flames were an overall improvement, Genevieve thought. Nothing like a little fire to deal with the old festered weeds to make way for new life. There was no doubt in her mind that the Silver Tribe had been victorious. The Gold Tribe whelps were one thing, but she would lose much respect for her comrades if they lost to these sniveling, pathetic excuse for criminals. Granted, she should have been here. They needed a victory, it was good for morale and an army ran on its morale. She covered her mouth from the acrid smoke that wafted from the charred remains of this patch of forest. The bodies of thieves littered the floor, if they could even be called bodies at this point. This great conflagration wasn't kind to any organic material, flesh included.

These bodies, they should be of the Gold Tribe, not these mere pestering thieves. She should be lording over the dead bodies of that insipid leader of theirs. Beside him should be Ragnaros, that fighting type pokemon who was brazen enough to challenge her earlier, and even Hanso, should her attempts at converting him end in folly. It would be even sweeter if Hanso was the one to light the fire, to ignite his precious Gold Tribe from within. Their pestilence had walked this planet long enough, it was time for them to be smelted and formed into the crowning glory and victory for Lord Auron and herself.

Slowly the smoke began to clear from her vision and she dropped her arm back to its natural resting place. The time for dreams and delusions of grandeur was for later. Spying two sentinels on the horizon, Scar and Inferno, she steeled herself for any potential inquiries that might be coming her way. Where was she? Why hadn't she been here under direct orders of Auron? Where did this information come from? Of course, she wasn't required to give them any information. They were all of equal rank and in her opinion, the others of lesser mind.

As she approached the other two, a nearby ancient quickly dropped to its knee in show of respect. "My lady, Genevieve," the Kabutops called out, his gaze averted to the ground. She only groaned in response. Such a repugnant little species, an ancient bug that should have been squashed long ago. Their appearance most unbecoming, what with those long scythes and all. The very scythe of its right arm which was was now lain across his torso over his heart, or where Genevieve assumed the Kabutops heart was.

"Leave us," she answered the ancient melodically, her tone serious and with an air of unguarded disdain. The pokemon responded instantly and without question. Just as she spoke the order, he departed from her sight to go do whatever drudgery his kind did to keep this army going. "I assume you've received my message?" Genevieve turned to her two remaining companions, crossing her arms and staring at them with a scrutinizing gaze. "It is my opinion we should mobilize immediately. They are hopefully unaware of my intel, we should be able to blindside them and end this conflict once and for all. What say you?" As much as she hated to admit it, this wasn't a one woman army. It was necessary to confer with these pokemon if she had any hope of taking on the Gold Tribe. That was of course, unless Auron himself intervened in her plans.​
 
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Ragnaros 'Bloodthirster' Phylax

Great. Now that whack-o of an old wreckage will be following us, too. He was sure of it. Bloodthirster was in fact afraid that the old man would fall apart with a simple stream of air he'd shoot if he sneezed. Seriously doubting his usefulness here... I thought psychics got really powerful as they got older, like Genevieve. But this duff... it's no use complaining to myself. I'll just ignore... the weak...

He was flying above the clouds as his daily exercise. It felt nice, as a break, but nothing was too good when you were the Gold Tribe. When you were the Gold Tribe, you had to attend to meetings and stuff, not to mention travel together with your brothers and sisters, and not alone, high above the ground. His face transformed into a scary mask when he frowned greatly at his thoughts. He dove downwards, feeling the cold air whip the tight skin of his face and body and watching the ground coming closer and closer. His eyes caught the familiar flash of a certain Pokemon as the sun fell on it: Vigil. He landed flat next to him with a sound that was muffled from the grass. The presence of a psychic other than Hanso drew his attention: a Ninetails, one that had mentioned the name Sainan, or so he had heard. Sainan. Sainan was the first name of Calamity, right? Brave fella, quite foolish for that last act of his. If he'd just let me destroy that pathetic Sentinel on a rampage, everything would be better now... Hanso arrived and handed a letter to Vigil, who started reading it. Meanwhile, the Ninetails had begun speaking again.

"To answer your question, Vigil, I am unsure. I must deliver the news of his death to my family, but they are a long journey away from here. My other brother, however, may be heading in this direction as we speak, but that I am also unsure of. For now, I will remain here in Albia and see if I cannot establish a telepathic connection with him and his group of fighters. If I can, then . . . ," her eyes met his for a moment as she glanced around at all the Tribe members that were gathered. "Then maybe I will take up travel with you, if doing so would be convenient for both parties."

Aaand this must be Sainan's sister. Oh, this is rich. Let's see how people act when they pursue revenge... humph. Symbolism and honor, I acknowledge their importance in the actions of Pokemon, but this... And this Ninetails... she wants to warn her people. Why? I don't understand.

"Just come with us already," Bloodthirster said bluntly, without putting much thought into his words. "I'd say what we're doing here is more important than warning your family... no offense."
 

SV

See You Space Cowboy
3,393
Posts
13
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  • Seen Feb 7, 2022
Albia

"You can count our number one less, Zane," Hanso said, holding the letter out. "At least for now."

Zane observed Hanso curiously, then read the letter. He read through a second time right after to make sure he got everything right. "Oh…damn…" Zane said. He looked back at Hanso, ensuring once more the letter was genuine. Defender had gone ahead to Cape City. Zane wasn't sure if this was something important he had to do, or just another part of his seemingly ever-deteriorating sanity he was earlier displaying. Either way, he new they had to go after him.

"To answer your question, Vigil, I am unsure. I must deliver the news of his death to my family, but they are a long journey away from here. My other brother, however, may be heading in this direction as we speak, but that I am also unsure of. For now, I will remain here in Albia and see if I cannot establish a telepathic connection with him and his group of fighters. If I can, then . . . ," Kasey glanced around at all the Tribe members that were gathered. "Then maybe I will take up travel with you, if doing so would be convenient for both parties."

"Just come with us already," Bloodthirster said bluntly, who had just touched down next to them a bit earlier. "I'd say what we're doing here is more important than warning your family... no offense."

"No, we will not force you to come." Zane interjected. He admired Bloodthirster's forwardness, but didn't quite like his lack of tact. Family issues were a sensitive subject, especially family of fellow Gold Tribe members. That bond is often even stronger. As he eyed Ragnaros in that moment, he noticed the Swift also just arrive, though he looked a bit sad. He wondered why, and kept in mind to ask him about it later, should he get the chance. "Well, Bane, our urgency has just picked up tremendously. One of ours may be in some trouble, so we must depart immediately. We have our path, and you have yours. Yet should you choose to accompany us…", Zane took off his bag over his shoulder, digging through it and taking out his map of Valkaria, "…we will be traveling along this dotted path due northeast, making for the pass between the Korhal Mountains and the Thieves Forest before turning further northeast to Cape City. Find us there."

Zane looked around to ensure all of the other Gold Tribe members besides Defender had arrived, before signaling to them to move out. He looked back at his sister Bane. "Arceus protect you." He said these final words to her, before heading off with the rest of the group. He would have loved to have her join them there, but that was ultimately up to her, not him. For now, they had a brother who may be in trouble.

***​

Thieves Forest

Scar waited for Genevieve's arrival for longer than he would have liked, though he made good use of his time. He sent a letter to Auron in Silver City by way of the fastest Aerodactyl. He also made arrangements for the captured thieves to be sent to the Silver City torturehouse. He was a bit displeased, however, when he learned that some thieves managed to escape both captivity and death. Though not a strong enough number to take up arms against them at this point, Scar in general never liked to leave any loose ends. He sighed, almost moping at this point next to Inferno, while Sovereign was nowhere at the moment to be seen.

But then he heard an Ancient guard speak. "My lady, Genevieve," He said, to which Scar snapped up and turned himself to the direction of the noise. He contained a smile on his face, as she commanded the Kabutops to leave.

"I assume you've received my message?" Genevieve turned to Scar and the Inferno. "It is my opinion we should mobilize immediately. They are hopefully unaware of my intel, we should be able to blindside them and end this conflict once and for all. What say you?"

"I would agree," Scar began, before remember the note he had sent out, "though I suggest we wait a bit. I have sent a note to Auron as to what he wishes we should do with them a few hours ago. He generally wishes us to consult him before targeting the Gold Tribe, after all." Hearing the words come out of his mouth, Scar himself could see the peculiarity behind doing thus. In the beginning, it was always allowed to terminate the Gold Tribe with extreme prejudice upon sight. Now, Auron approaches this smaller band of members and any others that pop up with a bit more subtlety. Scar looked back at Genevieve. "But in the meantime, I am curious how you came about this information. Where exactly have you been this whole time to have acquired this, hmm? Was it Albia?"
 

Garet

GhostFire
729
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13
Years
Hanso SharpEye

Hanso watched Zane as he read Penance's letter, then read through a second time. The Gallade nodded once when Zane looked back at him; the letter was real.

"To answer your question, Vigil, I am unsure. I must deliver the news of his death to my family, but they are a long journey away from here. My other brother, however, may be heading in this direction as we speak, but that I am also unsure of. For now, I will remain here in Albia and see if I cannot establish a telepathic connection with him and his group of fighters. If I can, then . . . ," Kasey glanced around at all the Tribe members that were gathered. "Then maybe I will take up travel with you, if doing so would be convenient for both parties."

Hanso's eyes snapped over to look at the Ninetales at the mention of telepathy. Especially need to watch out for her. "Just come with us already," Bloodthirster said bluntly, who had just touched down next to them a bit earlier. "I'd say what we're doing here is more important than warning your family... no offense."

"No, we will not force you to come." Zane interjected. "Well, Bane, our urgency has just picked up tremendously. One of ours may be in some trouble, so we must depart immediately. We have our path, and you have yours. Yet should you choose to accompany us…", Zane took off his bag over his shoulder, digging through it and taking out his map of Valkaria, "…we will be traveling along this dotted path due northeast, making for the pass between the Korhal Mountains and the Thieves Forest before turning further northeast to Cape City. Find us there."

A sudden chill went up Hanso's spine at Zane's words. He'd told Genevieve that the Gold Tribe was leaving very soon; she'd likely tell the other Sentinels. He didn't know where they were at the moment. His eyes blurred for a moment, ghosts of images floating in his vision. The moment passed, and Hanso shook his head slightly. Focus. Whatever that was...

Zane looked around to ensure all of the other Gold Tribe members besides Defender had arrived, before signaling to them to move out. He looked back at his sister Bane. "Arceus protect you."

Hanso hesitated for a few moments, watching the Ninetales - Bane, was it? It would be better if she came with... He glanced at the rest of the Gold Tribe, who were walking away at the moment. Ragnaros believed their fight against the Silver Tribe was more important than family. Zane thought it was urgent that they get to Cape City to help Penance. I don't need more confusion at the moment. Hanso looked back at Bane before saying, "If we had a few minutes to sit in one place, I could help you establish a connection." The Gallade began walking toward the rest of the Gold Tribe, then sighed to himself. Screw it. He reached out with his telepathy to the Ninetales and relayed, "We're gonna be stopping sooner or later anyways, I'm sure. So, unless your own plans take you elsewhere..."

Hanso left it at that before readjusting his pack and hurrying to catch up with the rest of the group. Lotta walking...why not just teleport to Cape City? No, if they did that, then they might land themselves in trouble with no way out. Except by teleporting, in which case their presence would have been announced already. Not to mention, if Genevieve or anyone she told found that the Gold Tribe was already gone, then she might not trust anything else Hanso said.

Hanso shook his head as he headed for Zane's side. Can't really pull out... Or could he? Yes, but that would mean getting nothing from Genevieve. No information, no chance at getting into Sovereign's mind... As he came up beside Zane, Hanso asked quietly, "What would you say the chances are that this trip is free of...incidents?"
 
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Claire*

Here's to the crazy ones.
554
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11
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  • Age 33
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  • Seen Apr 29, 2013
Genevieve L'esprit
Wait? He wanted them to wait? In their moment of triumph? Waiting was a futile exercise, surely Lord Auron would command them to go and wipe these pathetic Pokemon from the face of the planet. Or would he? Genevieve hadn't really considered what orders Auron might have for them. She simply assumed that he would take her intel and command in accordance to what she had thought. Auron did have his own way of doing things, however. What possible reason could he have for them not to go and eliminate the Gold Tribe? They have been nothing but a presilence to his rule for far too long. Like a petulant child who doesn't like to be told no, they throw temper-tantrums and cry out for attention in vain hopes of changing the outcome of their punishment. Their punishment has already been determined in Genevieve's mind. If you do not join them, then you are an enemy. Enemies deserve nothing but death.

She massaged her hands against her temples as she weighed what to say to the others. This entire situation was exasperating. How could they be expected to do their job if it took hours, even days, to get anything done. It was like having to go through a middleman. She imagined it as having to tell your leg to move, but your leg needed the proper paperwork from the brain to do so. It was laborious and inefficient. Decisions needed to be made in the field, swift action had to be taken. Yet, even with these thoughts, she knew she could not buck the system. She just "couldn't".

"Well, while you people were busy playing 'set fire to the ants'," she responded with a bit of humor, her arm sweeping across the devastation that lay all around them. "I have slowly been developing a lead." Genevieve really didn't have to tell them what she had been up to. Only Lord Auron himself could demand such a thing. She decided to indulge them, however. They were stuck waiting here for orders anyway and it never hurt to brag a little. At least, not in her experience. "It has been my goal to slowly cultivate a leak from within the Gold Tribe. Now, it's no secret that I seem to have a way with men and even select females under certain circumstances." She looked around and tried to spy if there was a spot to sit, but the immediate area seemed to be sufficiently razed.

"Well, as much as I do love to weave a good tale, I'll probably keep it short and spare you the minute intricacies." She crossed her arms and looked directly at Scar. Genevieve didn't hide the fact that she was quite proud of her accomplishment so far. Trying to turn one of the Gold Tribe had been her goal for a long time. It was always assumed by her that Ragnaros was her best option and that was certainly still open. But Hanso, she sincerely did hope that he could be turned. It would be a battle of philosophies in turning him, one that she would have to win and show him how naive the Gold Tribe truly was.

"I have been in communication with a member of the Gold Tribe. In fact, I have just left a meeting with this individual. For reasons I'm sure you can understand, I will leave this individual unnamed. But, I can say, he has provided me with this information and to the best I can tell, it seems valid enough." Genvieve smiled, a genuine one, a rarity for her. "He needs me for something, and that gives me the best trump card of all."​
 
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