[PKMN FULL] Shifting Sands [T]

[EternalSushi]

Shifting Sands
Kairo
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Dr. Delta Salen & Scara

[Art by Haychel]

"Thief! Thief!"

Dr Salen glanced behind his shoulder, brow raised upon hearing faint cries of despair. Slowing down a little, the archaeologist's Rapidash allied itself with the wagon and trotted on at a steady pace, giving his colleagues a curt nod. It was then when Delta spotted the newcomer—a Kecleon, gasping for breath, in the midst of familiar faces.

"Oh, no worries," Delta muttered, reassuring Lina with a sympathetic glance. "She's here for the expedition as well, I assume! There's a few explorers on my list that haven't appeared yet, after all, so expect some late ones."

The westward winds howled and swept across the small dunes, the currents unusually strong for a bright, sunny afternoon. Fortunately, the sudden breezes of sand would be nothing more than a mere nuisance to most of them. In fact, Delta could see Ali catching up from behind, presumably too busy to join the others when they had set off earlier on.

"Well, sit tight, everyone—we'd arrive in about twenty minutes," said the Lucario, grasping the reins and giving them a light tug. His Rapidash began picking up speed once again, his voice slowly fading as he gained distance from the rest. "Stay under the canopy! It's a sunny day."

---

Ruins Theme:

Spoiler:

Shadows loomed over the young archaeologist and his partner. Under a stream of sunlight five hundred feet away, the tomb humbly presented itself to its visitors, a faint golden glow gleaming where the sun refused to touch. Scara slithered towards Delta's left wrist, wriggling lightly in glee. At this rate, they'd arrive in less than ten minutes.

"Delta, we're here."

"Noted, Scara," came the reply. "I'll everyone to slow down and approach on foot."

The expedition group traversed into into the small canyon, the mass of sand slowly giving way to towering boulders and stone pillars. Once they were close enough, Delta leaped off his ride and turned around, raising a paw and halting the following wagon. After giving the horses a curt yet grateful thanks, the archaeologist stepped in to greet the fellow explorers, his own eyes shining. "Well, here we are. Let's walk there by foot. Bring whatever you can! Torches and everything else."

Without waiting for anyone else's reply, the Lucario narrowly slid past the passengers, reaching to the back of the wagon to retrieve his tools. This time, being a scouting expedition and all, tape measures, handbrooms and dustpans, a camera, paper and a small pick should suffice. After all, he was assuming that it'd be a quick in-and-out trip, seeing how he was leading them almost like a tour-guide. No matter—he'd get the scouting job done with Scara.

Getting off the wagon with his tools, a stranger caught his eye—an Alakazam, twiddling his thumbs, seemingly waiting for their arrival. Delta stepped forward and greeted him with a simply, thoughtful nod...since he was carrying most of his tools with one arm while keeping the rest strapped around him with belts and pockets. It was rather inconvenient to shake. "You must be...Felix Fellows, yes? Then that's all of us. Hm...how did you find your way here?"

Scara sighed. "Can't even follow invitation orders."

"It's fine, it's fine. We're all here now, that's what matters," Delta reassured her, standing upright with a light puff of confidence. Gesturing everyone else to follow, light footsteps carried him up the sandy staircase, the Lucario's eyes locked on the ancient structure before him. Such simplicity and elegance, the designs and beauty still holding up until this very day. Standing before the towering stone doors, any Pokemon would feel insignificant and little.

Yet, surprisingly, as Delta pressed his paw ever so lightly against the entrance, the ground shook and rumbled. He could sense ancient contraptions churning and spinning beneath the ground they all stood on, and soon, the doors parted slowly to the sides, just like the red sea. A long, dim hallway was revealed to them from the darkness, pairs of old torches on the walls busting to life in a sequential order.

"Nazratu's tomb..." Delta breathed out, eyes wide in awe. Yet, at the same time, a sense of dread dawned upon him—a premonition of things to come. He took a step into the narrow hallway, breathing in air that hadn't flowed in centuries, perhaps even more. "...but a place still live with ghostly spirits spells bad news."

"Well, we've gone this far, haven't we?" Scara pointed out, clinging onto the Lucario's wrist spike. Her eyes scanned the walls, analyzing the faint text engraved within. Sadly, they had mostly corroded over time. "No point turning back now, and we've fought countless Gengars before without any issues. What's so different this time?"

Her partner shook his head and moved on, carefully treading on the dusty floor. The walkway was only wide enough for two Pokemon to walk together, side by side. After talking about twenty steps in, Delta turned around and gestured everyone else to follow. Should they do so...everyone would be officially within the ruins.

And the domino effect, as foreseen by Ali, would begin.

---

(Alright, major post and expecting a post from everyone! Everyone should catch up to speed now and arrive at the ruins by all means as I'm trying to unify everyone again. Bunch up! It might be better if you do~ Also, the ruins theme is posted above. Great mood music. I'll wait for all participants now that we've reached a checkpoint. End your post with your character entering with Delta and the others. The sands are shifting...)

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[Groc]

Jane Bowen
An Open Door is an Invitation​

Lina's shouting brings the Doctor back to check on them, and he reassures them all that they'll be arriving shortly. Jane helps the poor reptile into a seat, already finding the carriage cramped. She can't wait to have her feet on the ground again.

Luckily, she doesn't have to. Twenty minutes go by faster than Jane expected, and the ruins soon lie before them. The wagon groans slightly as Jane steps out of it, and the Rapidash seem grateful, but are too professional to say anything. Jane grabs the heavy bags, barely noticing their weight. It was high time she contributed to this endeavor.

Jane looks around the area, impressed by the natural beauty of it. She doesn't say anything to the Alakazam waiting for them, but does give a curt nod. The Doctor opens the door, which seems to unnerve him a little. He crosses the walkway, turning around to invite the others to follow.

Jane looks at the narrow walkway, uncertain of its stability. She puts a hand out, in front of everyone else (although most of the group could just walk under her arm), implying they should wait. "Wait. Don't like the look of this." She heads across, slowly at first out of nervousness.

The walkway holds her weight, and she offers the Doctor a small smile and a grunt when she arrives. "Was worried there. Thought i might break something, old place like this." She gives everyone else a thumbs up.

 

[Jegretis]

The Stables
Kairo
Atlowe Cielsworth​

Atlowe sat comfortably on his ride, admiring the vast desert scenery. It was hot, and he had hoped that it would be cooler near the tomb. However, he wasn't exactly too worried, as he knew that working in the heat came with the occupation. "Well, sit tight, everyone—we'd arrive in about twenty minutes," Delta shouted. Atlowe smiled to himself. Hmmm...quicker than I thought. "Stay under the canopy! It's a sunny day." The Doctor shouted, as he sped up ahead of the rest of the group.

As they travelled further into the desert, Atlowe was just about to doze off. He had become so comfortable, that he just couldn't help but take a quick nap. However, some sort of sensation came over him, as he peeked out one of his eyes, noticing they were about to enter a canyon. The dunes were gone, the scenery replaced with boulder, and towering stone structures. Suddenly, Delta stopped and jumped off his ride, gesturing the group to also do the same. "Well, here we are. Let's walk there by foot. Bring whatever you can! Torches and everything else." He spoke.

"Alrighty..." Atlowe replied to himself, jumping down to the feeling of grainy sand between his toes. He stretched out his limbs a bit, before heading in the direction of Delta. They walked, eventually coming to a staircase, where they were met with large, stone doors. Delta then proceeded to push the doors ever so slightly, causing the very ground to shake, and the canyon to rumble. The doors spread apart, revealing hallway that lie beyond. Although a bit anxious, Atlowe was rearing to go. He was ready for his treasure, and nobody else was going to stop him from getting it. If anyone tried to get in his way, then they would surely meet with his fist.

"Okay, chumps. Let's do this." Atlowe announced to the group. He took a few steps, walking into the chamber right behind the Doctor. The air felt completely foreign, however, the Wartortle was used to the feeling of being in deserted tombs. "Doctor, I can go ahead of you, if you are scared, hehe." He spoke, hints of cockiness in his voice.

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[Daydream]

Giles Shaw

Into the Ruins

28 // Assistant Librarian // Male​

Goodness, this trip is becoming far more stressful than I had imagined it would. The Espeon girl had been adamant that Kecleon who had jumped into the carriage was a thief. Giles had raised a claw, considering placating the girl, but Doctor Salen had slowed his mount to reassure her.

A sense of awe replaced his growing annoyance at the journey as the masses of sand were replaced with rock. The canyon was small, but there were boulders and towering stone pillars. Giles had read about such formations, of course, but to see them with his own eyes was quite another matter.

Delta leapt up and raised a paw to halt the wagon's process, and Giles leaned out for a better view.

"Well, here we are. Let's walk there by foot. Bring whatever you can! Torches and everything else." The Lucario called to them.

Opening his bag, Giles decided for first check his own supplies. Water, journal and lunch. Should be it. He hopped down from the wagon, as Delta made his way up a sandy staircase to a structure Giles assumed to be the ruins. Picking up some rope and torches (for his companions, obviously a Charmeleon has no need for one), he followed.

The stone rumbled beneath his feet as if it was alive. Giles hesitated in the entrance. He didn't speak as Jane crossed the walkway and confirmed its safety, nor as Atlowe teased the doctor. Giles took a deep breath, and smiled. I'm here! Striding across the walkway, he joined those on the other side.

"Perhaps best not to tease the man leading you through what is, potentially, a trap-infested Yegpytian ruin, eh?" he directed the remark to Atlowe and nodded some reassurance to Delta.


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[Greiger]

Felix Fellows

Delving back in time​

As the group made their way to the tomb's entrance Felix was quick to wave his fingers in the air. Out from his bag came a wooden slab, a piece of paper, and a single pencil. Just as he expected there were all sorts of carvings that lined the walls of the tomb. Felix lowered his slab and kept quiet. He was more grateful that none had scoffed at his appearance, or had decided to engage in conversations that would require him to remember complex facts that held no importance in the modern day.

It was easy enough for Felix to levitate himself up just an inch from the ground to see over the heads of the other mon before him. A narrow walkway wasn't that bad. The doctor had gotten over it relatively easily, so Felix assumed that anyone else that matched his weight could easily walk across it as well. So sure, send the rather large Kangeskhan over the walkway first. It wasn't as if the building was thousands of years old and that it would only take a bit of pressure for something to give!

Thankfully the larger mon made it across just as easily as the doc did. Felix couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh as the other mon likewise began to make their way across. Once the Charmeleon had made his way by Felix was the next to cross. Even though the walkway had proven to be sturdy enough, the psychic couldn't help but feel a tiny pinch of fear that it would suddenly collapse and send him tumbling to his demise. He increased his pace to a brisk walk and he was soon on the other side as well.

"Hm…" Felix turned away from the group to eye the walls that of the tomb. Sadly it looked as if most of the text that had been engraved on them had faded over time, no doubt due to the sandy nature of the desert. Even the interiors of tombs weren't immune to sand every so often blowing inside from sandstorms. Still, he readied his slab and began to copy a few of the ancient letters down, knowing that his father would still be interested in anything he could bring back, no matter how little it was.

"I would suggest that no one touch the walls." Felix spoke out. "The letters on them are already damaged enough by the sand and the climate. They don't need the oils on our bodies helping as well." He looked over at Giles, "And I highly doubt there are many traps in here. Given the age of the tomb, it is highly likely that any traps that were constructed have long since been worn down over time. Most won't be functional." At least, that was his theory.

 

[Junier]

ALI

Entry Three ::​

Inventory ^
Equipped ~ None.
Location ~ Nazratu's Tomb, B1F
Involved Party Members ~ Felix

Fellows' statement roused a vigorous nod of approval from one faded lilac peer who had appeared, seemingly, out of nowhere.

"Excellent advisement! It's of everyone's best interest to consider it." The light in the Espeon's eyes opposed the brightness in his voice. He sent a look of expectancy in the Psi Pokemon's direction, a 'what-I'd-anticipate-from-one-of-your-kind' sort of glance.

"We can't expect them all to understand," Ali added under his breath with a humorous twitch of his forked tail, an almost knowing glow to his pointed purple eyes; Ali expected Felix was on the same page as he. His words and his motions were subtle but not incomprehensible in any sort. Perhaps his subtly even dwindled while pointing out the bubbly Wartortle and the clomping Kangaskhan in-particular. Either way, Ali was relatively elusive but not at all as enigmatic as he perceived himself.

It was his encounter of approximately twenty-six minutes prior where he'd taken heat for attempting an enigmatic role.

The ride to Nazratu's Tomb had been uncomfortable on Ali's end, as he spent some time positioned on a Rapidash's end. It was decidedly atypical for a quadruped to mount another (...for transportation reasons...) and the Espeon was adamant in not taking on a bipedal stance. As far as he and his esteemed species was concerned, all paws belonged at equal level. This stubbornness did cost him comfort for the first half or so of the ride, the Rapidash grumbling all the while as Ali attempted to balance atop of him before at last giving in, mimicking Dr. Salen by placing his hind legs on either side of the fiery equestrian.

Ali's satchel had hung off his left shoulder all this time and he turned his attention towards its contents now, disinterested with the desert "scenery". The sand rushed past him and his transporter and his transporter's companion of similar species with every grand gust of wind. Ali had reduced his eyes to violet slits now and the Rapidash made their flaming manes indiscernible to reduce irritation from the sandy conditions. It was difficult to see any of their surroundings, not that the endlessly rolling dunes of a desert landscape were so enrapturing anyways.

Beneath him, the carrier Rapidash busied themselves in a one-on-one conversation with their female fellow who had decided for whatever purpose to accompany him. Ali caught snippets of their talk as he flipped through the pages of his journal, lifting a pencil through telekinesis—it was a fine opportunity to add some meager details to the skeleton of his thrilling conclusion. The Fire Horses spoke in Arabic but Ali had studied just enough of his dictionary to somewhat understand the topics in which they discussed. At this point, his transporter let out a snort of vexation about the weather. Not understandably—were sandstorms of this exertion so rare in a desert environment? Then again, Rapidash were never intended for such an environment in the first place.

"Ahbal..." Ali caught the lady Rapidash mutter and again, his curiosity was peeked. In what sense would they consider a sandstorm 'foolish', unless he were misunderstood. But then her companion spat something else much cruder, he suspected, based on her expression. Ali then noticed the Rapidash look in his direction but what truly revealed the subject of their exchange was how she refused to face him directly, turning her head just in time to avoid eye contact.

It's obvious. They're talking about me. It certainly took a lot of nerve to mouth a client, no matter who the worker was, and the Espeon felt especially disrespected when these insults arose from the mouth of a Rapidash, a fieldworker. He could care less the exact definition of the words, only that they were words of harm passive-aggressively pointed in his direction. Considering the Pokemon involved, this should not be acceptable. According to Aqil, Yegyptian hierarchy was more or less the same as overseas, after all. The particular Fire Horse should have little excuse for ignorance.

So Ali blurted, suddenly: "According to my studies, 'Ya homaar' roughly translates to 'son of a donkey', doesn't it?" These words caught the Rapidash off-guard, the male stopping abruptly and the fire around their hooves alighting briefly from shock.

"Aw, shoot! 'm sorry, sir. Weren't talkin' of you." He hadn't expected the foreigner to understand their words. A foolish mistake. Suppose he makes a lot of those.

"Oh, I understand," Ali countered curtly. "I suppose you were insulting some other mule, then?"

"Some other mule... No, sir, we were talkin' 'bout another Psychic, actually, but he wasn't like yourself. Treatin' a humble worker as they should be."

"Oh?" Observing the Rapidash's hardly-apologetic tone and grave expression, the Espeon immediately thought: He must consider me a common idiot. The excuse was so thinly veiled, so unnecessarily fluffed with self-pity, Ali felt himself swell with rage at first sound of it. It was difficult to describe what provoked him most. The self-righteousness of the implication that worker species deserved any sense of praise for some supposed humility was a good place to begin. He had heard the argument once before but had already heard enough, it was sickening. The Rapidash must have been participating in a pity fest that entire time, probably thinking lesser and lesser of him as the minutes passed. He was not, in fact, unintelligent. He heard the bitterness in his transporter's voice. He noticed the way he dragged his hooves before finally resuming movement. He saw the way the female Rapidash bite her leg and jog along nervously from the very corner of his eye.

If he hadn't made his apparent from the very appalled look on his face, this Espeon was furious. When Ali was furious, he cared for little more than to implant the same sense of fury into those that had invoked his own. And thus, Ali barked: "Well, if there's anything I can't stand more than a 'son of a donkey', it's something that doesn't know their place."

The words hit his carrier severely, at full force. "What!?" Just a single word packed such indescribable indignation as the Rapidash nearly injured themselves, snapping their head back to glare threateningly at their passenger.

"Adel, keel calm!" The female Rapidash was involved now, stepping closer to the duo who had locked impenetrable and fiercely angry stares. "Please! There's no need for disrespect!" This was very obviously targeted towards Ali though the female spoke broadly, as a mother would address an entire group of children while only meaning to reprimand one troublemaker. Ali hated it.

"Yes, we shouldn't be standing around moping and shouting, should we? We should be working our way towards the destination and living up to our purpose."

"My purpose...!? Why you've the nerve...!"

"Don't dare deny it! You're a fieldworker, a Rapidash! You do what you are meant, destined and built to do! Questioning that is ineffective!"

"Yeah, I'm just a fieldworker, eh?" The Rapidash was riled yet mocking as they spoke to Ali, his pelt going as hot as the Fire type's mane might have been. "I don't 'ave no other uses, right? But you've got plenty 'cause you're a fancy shmancy psychic type who's smart 'n' better at everything! Not to mention rich, right? Isn't that how it works?"

"I suppose it is if we're going by your primitive logic, then yes, I am obviously your superior! There's no point in arguing further if you've already convinced yourself! So, now, instead of wasting your only potential and my time, why don't we resume our route to the temple, hasanana?"

At this point, they were both at their wit's end, the other Rapidash lingering behind, too reluctant and stunned by either's ranting to say anything herself; a most incompetent peacekeeper. The other Rapidash was lagging too. The Espeon's words must still have been churning about in his under-developed mind... But it was then a most awful scowl crossed his yellow snout and his eyes clouded with a different sort of rage. "Take you to the temple!? I'd rather drown in the Nile!" he spat.

It was then Ali felt the Rapidash's body turn around violently before he lost his grip upon the Fire type's back and he felt himself lurching into the air. Movement was beyond his control as he sailed high and sunk low, colliding with a sandy bank just beyond his ex-carrier's hooves. A stable-minded Ali would have seen the bucking from a mile away, but a temperamental Ali now staggered to his feet now as the Rapidash galloped off in direction of the stables as to avoid repercussions. Ali called after them: "You're good-for-nothings, the both of you are!" They had already vanished from sight.

~ // ~​

"Fiends..." He said this between a series of violent hacks that shook his fragile figure. The smoothness of the Espeon's velvet fur was interrupted with brittle pieces of sand. His pelt itself was disturbed by the abrasive winds, sending endless sprays of sand airborne. The Rapidash, who he decided were the equivalent of flaming trash piles at this point, had dumped him closer to the ruins than expected. At the very top of the sand dunes he could just seem them through the worsening sandstorm, the ancient walls tucked behind rocky formations, tall enough to shield from the rough conditions. Ali sat on the staircase just outside now.

His hacking coughs echoed just outside the entrance. The others had begun their ascent up the stairs and through the darkened doorway just as he had stumbled towards them, though they'd paid him no backwards glance. They could not afford to in their excitement, that was understandable. Ali probably failed to stand out from the piles of sand, dust and debris. He felt, as he steadily groomed himself, that the majority of the desert had come off in his fur. Ali regretted deeply the lack of comb of brush among his supplies. A cloth in which to protect his eyes, nose and throat from the sandstorm were much preferred as well. The journey, albeit short-lived, was still a nightmarish one for Ali. Oh, had the sand stung his eyes and nostrils. Oh, how he felt it chipping away steadily at his strength...

"I need to keep going..." His voice rasped at first, from the grit. Ali was soon on his paws, however. His eyes still slightly stung. Some sand still clung in his fur and his back was still relatively sour from being flung from the back of a Fire Horse, but he decided this discomfort was not worth sacrificing time in the tomb for. A few sips of Berry Juice and just a second so more designated for additional grooming and that was all that was necessary. Ali needn't not reflect anymore on his health, not now. And he could never improve if he never pushed himself.

He stepped into the tombs. The walkway was intimidating at first glance but he heard the voices reverberating off the cavernous walls from the other side and it prevented him from lingering extensively. Silently, he padded across but stopped at the very end, took time to observe who exactly he was partnering with for this expedition. The Charmleon's tail flame proved useful for detailing the faces of his peers: Dr. Salen and his Joltik were expected. There appeared to be, besides the Charmeleon, a bulky Kangaskhan, a little Wartortle... figures insignificant when paired to the Alakazam. The simplest sight of a fellow Psychic was enough of a decent first impression, Ali decided, as he secretly joined them.​

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