No.31438
>>31437The feeling in your body is still returning to you. You realise you're back in your room in the monastery. Pentium is looking over you, concern all over her.
By the amount of light coming in from the window, it's evening, earlier than your last memory of… whatever happened. Your belongings are packed neatly to the side, and that's when you notice the sponge stuffed in your mouth, and the straitjacket around you.
No.31440
>>31439
A straightwhat!?
Start making noise, bloody hell!
No.31441
>>31440Pentium takes the sponge out of your mouth and undoes your straitjacket, freeing your limbs. You hear a knock before Citra enters the room.
"Leila! I said you were welcome back, but I didn't think you'd return on the same night. Are you alright? You've spent a day unconcious."
As far as you can tell, there's nothing much wrong with you. Now, anyway.
No.31442
>>31441Pat myself down, in shock.
"What the hell happened? How did I get back here?!"
No.31443
>>31442"That's what I was hoping to ask you, actually. We found you at the gates late last night. Looked like you were suffering from some kind of psychic overexposure, the way you were shaking, so we put you back in your room to isolate and let you recover."
Your memory of last night is hazy. You recall teking a job to go out with a lady, and harvesting, and having a really good time in the sea. Then something happened, and now you're here.
No.31444
>>31443"I remember I was on… A boat? With some lady I took a job from. But she was talking weird, like she wasn't even human, and I tried to sense her emotions but then… Everything's blank after that."
No.31445
>>31444"Tried poking into people's minds, huh? Hmm… You might have met with someone who was extraordinarily powerful. Or
something."
Citra thinks.
It looked like a person, you're sure? Speaking of which, something also arrived for you.
She hands you package. Inside is the payment promised for the job, some dried herbs, and a letter.
>To Leila
>Thank you for a lovely night out! A shame it had to end so soon due to unforeseen circumstances. I enjoyed myself a lot seeing your bond with your Pokemon, proof that together we can be something more. Good luck in your journey. Perhaps we'll meet again. No.31446
>>31445Show the letter to Citra herself.
"I'd call this proof enough."
No.31447
>>31446"Mysterious. It's not even signed."
"There aren't a lot of people with enough power to make someone this sick. Lugia can, but it does not wear the skin of a human. There is a Pokemon that is said to enjoy it, though. The one we call Mew."
Cirta smiles.
"There are folktales here and there of Pokemon wearing the skin of people. Sometimes it's a Zoroark, but they never speak, and Ditto are rarely complex enough to try emulating humans. Consider yourself blessed."
No.31448
>>31447"A mew? What's that? I don't think I've ever heard of that…"
No.31449
>>31448"An ancient Pokemon said to have given rise to all Pokemon life. Supposedly, it can transform into every and any living thing.
Of course, your memory may be fuzzy, but stories about Mew tend to go like this. Usually involves it taking the form of people to live among and watch us. sometimes more, though I'm not sure if it's simply the indecent imagination of people or not."
"I think I met it once. I was a young girl on my journey, only it was in the form of a man who saved me. He had a lot of knowledge and taught me many things, but I think I glimpse some of his true nature out the corner of my eye, or mind. But that was a long time ago, and I think I should let you rest."
No.31450
>>31449I will nod, and go back to sitting on my bed, deep in thought.
Mew… Have I really met with it? What was it trying to teach me? About the bond between a pokemon and a trainer? About the bounties of nature?
I should learn more about foraging, I guess…
And more about ancient pokemon.
Maybe I can be off to the monastery's library to learn more!
No.31451
>>31450You sure can! It's late though, so you'll be alone. That's fine as long as you're not too tired.
No.31452
>>31451I just woke up, no way I can be tired! And I have my pokemon with me!
No.31453
>>31452You do feel pretty groggy, though, you definitely need more rest. But sure! You head over to the library, lighting it solely for yourself. You have al ook at some folktale collections
>Comparative study and classificaiton of folk legend >Pokemon Stories: Rare and Exceptional Encounters >Collections of Oral Tradition No.31454
>>31453Pick up the middle book and look for encounters with mew.
No.31455
No.31456
>>31454There are collections from different eras, including some impossible to date. A basic pattern involves chance meetings with a persob or Pokemon that seems to be more than meets the eye. The temperament, too, varies. Sometimes the entity is a trickster, there to exact some form of retribution, and often the entity is some kind of teacher. Its true nature is never directly revealed, but sometimes it is seen shifting its form. The most interesting story describes an account of a trainer who abused their closest Pokemon, only to be tormented by the entity taking the form of their deceased ward until they met a gruesome end. Some are on lighter notes, like those claiming to know the entity closely, even encouters of a more.. intimate nature. One version of the lineange of the Imperial clan also has them as descendeants of Mew.
Keep reading? Roll for focus.
No.31457
>>31456Try and find a link between the oldest identifiable occurrence of these encounters and the region and civilization it occurred in.
No.31458
forgot my roll
Roll #1 6 = 6
No.31459
>>31457>>31458The oldest ones identifiable as far as recorded history, and there seems to be no pattern save people being involved and it prfereing those with a close bond with Pokemon, and exacting vengeance on those who betray their comrades. There's even a story about a Pokemon being the subject of a punishment for leaving its trainer.
Roll ot keep up your focus.
No.31460
>>31459Pull Umbreon on my lap, sighing as I stare at the book.
"How far does it go?" say, more to myself than to him.
Shift to the book about Oral Traditions, look up Mew in there.
Roll #1 2 = 2 No.31461
>>31460It's a more detailed collection of the same folktales that were summarised. Nothing new here… your focus begins to wane.
Just as you see Umbreon's ears on your lap perk up, you feel a prescence behind you too late. You feel something sharp pressed against your neck as a hand grabs near your shoulder.
"Recall your Umbreon."
No.31462
>>31461I gasp and freeze up, unable to even speak in this instant. My eyes try to turn around, looking for the aggressor, and the hand petting umbreon closes harder on his fur.
"W-what!?"
No.31463
>>31462As you try to speak, the hand clamps down, pressing down somewhere in your neck that freezes up your jaw. Moving it would take excrutiating effort.
"Recall your Umbreon. Then you need to come with me."
It's a girl's voice, as far as you can tell.
No.31464
>>31463Gulp down in fear and eventually recall Umbreon, in complete silence.
Wait.
No.31465
>>31464"That's good, good. Now stand up."
Your assailant moves their arm under yours, keepign the sharp object to your throat and lifting you up. You're shoved, and being made to walk outside the library, towards Citra's chamber.
No.31466
>>31465Unable to even talk, I will keep moving. Try and keep an eye out for reflective surfaces, to catch a glimpse of my aggressor.
Roll #1 4 = 4 No.31467
>>31466You catch a faint reflection of a bell. It's a girl who seems your age, her hair tucked into a hood. Most of her is covered in a bodysuit of some kind though, like a ninja.
You're right outside Citra's chamber now. Kicks open the door, and Citra stands there, watching you and your aggresoor, clearly waiting.
No.31468
>>31467I'm just kinda unsure what's happening now, but I'm not really that worried any more.
No.31469
>>31468"Ma'am. Have I passed my test?"
"You did fulfill the conditions of your exam… I'm not sure if it should count, your hostage isn't feeling well. …Then again, you were instructed to do what you need. I'll inform Sinistra you've passed."
"Thank you, ma'am!"
Your aggresor lets go of you and steps forward, bowing to the gym leader as she takes off her hood, revealing flamingly red hair. The weapon she was thretening you with was.. a leaf.
No.31470
>>31469Make some muffled sounds, unable to move my jaw still, and looking more annoyed than anything.
No.31471
>>31470She's let go of you, you can move now. The girl turns to you, looking apolegetic.
"Sorry about that! Not only were you tired, you were engrossed in reading that book. I was supposed to bring someone to the gym leader without being detected for a test of mine, and you were the easiest. I'm not sure if I even had to dampen my aura so much! I'm Riss."
No.31472
>>31471"That's a pretty annoying test, you know! I had stuff to do, and you scared the heck out of me!"
No.31473
>>31472"Leila, I did tell you to stay in your room and rest, you know. Citra chimes in, stifling a laugh.
"I know.. I owe you a lunch or something, okay?Or I can help you study, uh, whatever you were studying, I dunno. I'm wide awake and I got some time now."
No.31474
>>31473"Yeah but…"
Eh, suppress that feeling of tiredness.
"Okay, let's go. We have a lot of reading ahead of us!"
Back to the library!
"You'll need to help me research Mew, I'm trying to pinpoint a possible origin point or nest for that creature! Or anything more solid than this handful of old wife tales!"
No.31475
>>31474"Oh, that?" I can direct you, but there's really not a lot to go on." She follows you to the library as a Gabite pops out of one of her Pokeballs stretchings its legs and yawning.
"We can think of Mew more like a wanderer than anything, it has no nest. As for origin, who can say? Nobody's had the chance to ask it. Maybe it simply always was. We call these Pokemon legendary for a reason, you know."
No.31476
>>31475"There has to be someone who got close enough to ask the important questions! That pokemon did nothing but contact humans after all!"
No.31477
>>31476"It's not in its nature to answer questions like this, you see. We can only make extrapolations. And no one's ever really known what they were talking to until much later. Which part are you interested in, though? I might remember something."
No.31478
>>31477"I pretty much only want to meet it again."
No.31479
>>31478"Again?"
Riss looks dumbfounded, her eyes wide and blank. An understanding comes over her, though, as her Gabite pokes her.
"Wish I knew how. But if it really did visit you, then I'm sure it was interested for a reason. Maybe it'll cometo see you again after a while. Like, if you continue being a trainer. I really wish I knew."
No.31480
>>31479I will frown, flipping through books.
"On a different topic, I never realized how many different civilizations were around before ours…"
No.31481
>>31480"We've been through many eras. Major history begins with three major nations that were constanly feuding with each other. Their borders shifted a lot and different subcultures became dominant, so that's one way to divide it further. Eventually a new power formed in the middle kingdom, which with their use of dragon Pokemon conquered all thee realms, resulting in what we have today! The Imperial line is, as far as can be told, unbroken since."
Riss looks quite proud at knowing all that. "There's even some lost tombs and locations that have yet to be found. Cool huh?
No.31482
>>31481I close down the books and nod.
"Thanks for the help Riss. I think I will go rest now."
No.31483
>>31482"You're very welcome! I don't get to rattle off like this much. You're a… trainer, yeah? Journeying? Maybe I'll see you again!"
She looks genuinely pleased. Her Gabite bows to you, too.
No.31484
>>31483"Yeah. I'm trying to, at least."
Smile at the redhead, and go back to my room.
I think I will get a move on for the next gym, tomorrow…
No.31485
>>31484"Till next time!"
So you return to your room. Roll for sleep quality.
No.31486
>>31485Deep and restful, pls. With Umbreon on my lap and Pentium by my side.
Roll #1 5 = 5 No.31487
>>31486It wouldn't have been remarkable without yoru comrade by your side, snuggling up to you. Your dreams are safe.
[paus]
No.31489
>>31487Up, up and away? What were we doing…
