[ti]story[/ti]Story Quest: Silent Night

Rose was absolutely not supposed to be awake. She was supposed to be in bed a long, long time ago. It was a school night! The little girl was so tired, her wings flapping ever so slowly behind her, as she struggled to listen to Bunya. She was literally dragging a blanket she had accidentally dragged from Not Mom's house, rubbing her eyes with it.

"M' tired..." She mumbled, almost falling asleep right then and there.

That was, until the idea of fossils sounded too cool to risk sleeping over! She loved learning about fossils in school! She hoped she got to see a massive t-rex! She immediately stiffened up, trying her best to wake. "I'm up, I'm up. I wanna take a dino tooth! Like, twelve of them! I'm gonna like, make them my own teeth!" She chomps down on air, giggling to herself.

As soon as the magic circle transports them, the bright light has her feeling a bit woozy. This place looked so... sad. There were no trees, no shrubs, no grass. The ground black, dark, and uneven. It didn't look like a good place to be.

One eye closed as she rubs it, she glances out across the horizon, slowly spinning as the world just, went up. Not even a single star. It was kind of unsettling.

"Umm, Miss Bunya cat-lady Ma'am? Are we in a crater? Like, from a meteor that killed them dino friends?" She seemed uneasy, constantly glancing up like another rock was going to fall from space at any moment. Rose didn't really like doing this alone, without any of her Pokemon friends for guidance. She was quick to toss out her Orthworm, wings fluttering to keep her off the gross ground for now.

"Wot'n tar are we up to, oh?" The worm spoke up, looking around. He seemed to sniff the dirt, only to make an unpleasant face. "Bleugh, this place smalls like death, and I bet the dirt tastes grosser than a can of coffee grounds found behind an outhouse."

As always, Rose had no idea what they were talking about. "Uh, we're looking for bones! Dinosaur bones! It's kind of, scary though. And I know you like digging. Can you-"

"Can I help? 'Course I can! What d'ya take me for, eh? I'm far more useful than a steering wheel on a mule. Jus' hold your nose girlie, this ground's gonna taste disgustin'. Might gag a bit." His arms popped out, slowly scanning the ground trying to find a good place to dig as Rose nodded and held her nose as ordered.

She floated about a bit, also looking around before stumbling upon Tuesday rather quickly. To be fair, she was fully armored and covered in weapons! Hard to miss. "Auntie Tuesday!" She shouted with glee, clearly muffled from holding her nose, only to immediately let out a loud sleepy yawn. "I missed you!"

Rose has a pickaxe dangling from one hand, a blanket wrapped around her neck like an awkward scarf, and her other hand plugging her nose. Her litle ladybug wings still fluttered like crazy, her feet just dragging across the ground like a lazy girl. "I'm kinda scared though." She let that hang awkwardly for a moment, before just pointing upwards to the sky. "A meteor could fall at like- yaaaawn- any moment!"

Orthworm: 500/500 HP

Fossils in Mistra? There were some amazing fossil Pokémon out there, such as the Aerodactyl next to Dr. Bunya. What Josh wouldn't give to have a flying mount like that. Strap a saddle to that and he'd be zipping across the world in little time at all? Of course, what level would he have to be to get the saddle crafted and have the privilege to ride such a behemoth? With how far away he was from riding his Manectric, Saber, he couldn't imagine the grind to an even higher level. Every bit would help, especially Story Quests!

Tilting his head around others, Josh caught a glimpse of the AREA 2 MAP. "Long as I don't have to deal with that thunderbird," he thought. Zapdos was a legendary Pokémon, and could likely drop Granmarg with one lightning bolt, typing be damned.

Perhaps an even bigger concern was the Corruption. There looked to be plenty of competent players around him. Perhaps he could party up with some of them, especially if they were feeling generous and were okay with a less experienced player leeching.

After a flash of light, Josh witnessed a completely barren landscape, as if it was a beta area still being built. The only landmark appeared to be THE CURVE, and that was in his direct sight. The mini-map on his UI was fuzzy, constantly wavering to make the shapes on the map difficult to interpret. There were no icons on the mini-map, and more importantly, no compass.

Reading as much of the instructional prompt before it disappeared, the young man slid off Granmarg's back. With pickaxe in hand, he did as instructed. In the real world, he was good at rhythm games, capable of maintaining a beat to within twenty-five milliseconds. Perhaps those skills would carry over into this operation? Of course, this also came with more stress. There were far more threats in Mistra, including the environment itself.

Mistra was forbidden to enter for a reason.

"You sure bud?"  Orion asked turning to the Incineroar at his side.

"Look," Achilles mewled, turning to Orion.  "I know whether or not I come along you're stupid ass is gonna try to run this thing solo.  Bee's probably gonna be here and if I can keep you and him safe AND figure out what that psychotic catgirl poser is up to with all of this corruption anyways."  His tail flicked agitatedly, his ears pressed flat to his head.  "Then I'll bite the bullet just like all the bullets you've ever bitten for me."

"Yeah but like..." Orion tried to counter.

"Don't give me any of that weepy bullshit."  Achilles cut him off with a light chop to the chest.  "I had and have any option to leave when I feel like it, not that I will, but still."  The cat turned and glared at his master, eyes narrowing into slits as he got on his tippy toes to get into the fighters face.  "We're in this together, the prof paired us together and now we're both like, secret agents or some shit.  We have a noble duty beyond us to help protect this land from their bullshit."  

Orion would peer down at the agitated cat before scratching him behind the ears.  "God damnit dude," he would sigh, breaking eye contact.  "Where the fuck did you learn this shit."

"From the same motherfucker who taught me how to dunk clowns into a dumpster.  I only learn from the best."

...

Orion's reaction to the teleportation was perhaps the opposite of what most people would.  He knew this was about to go sideways, it was legally obligated to get hairier than his uncle Joey's back.  Corruption and Bunya AND a world event? 

Ho lee shit.   

He and Achilles posted up alongside each other, one pair of eyes scanning the sky above them for attacks from above, another pair watching the dirt below not for fossils, but freakish punks popping out of the peat trying to peck at unprotected piggies.  A quick scan of the crowd revealed a menagerie of faces both foreign and familiar.  He'd yet to see Blue (Laguna ), though he wasn't sure if he wanted to run into her in a place like this frankly.  Tuesday was up to her usual stoic antics, though this time flanked by Rose Garden  who's presence made his stomach drop.  Surely Tuesday would protect her, but he would keep an eye that way regardless. Spotting Nero in the crowd, Orion would give the Newbie a thumbs up and a beaming grin to encourage him along. A call of his name alerted him to Bandannadito numero UNO, and soon Big Bee  would find himself flanked by two homies on either side like secret service agents, a slap on the scapula signaling significant shenanigans sure to start.

"Sup bud, you ready for shit to hit the fan?"  He would ask with a smirk.  "Or is this going to be a normal field trip?"

"With Nya?"  Achilles would ask raising a furry eyebrow. "No way."

Laguna had promised to keep an eye out on Bunya for Professor Ash, who clearly cared for the crazy professor. But even this had her eyebrows raising. Just casually encouraging a whole swarm of players deep into the depths of Mistra for fossils? With absolutely no knowledge or ability to prevent the corruption?

She had a feeling even Cygnus would appreciate the information too. He'd actually proven himself once with an ability to help fend off the Corruption... Bunya was there for the Noonlight Raid, did she not even think to ask? Or better off, did she think at all? Asides from just, getting fancy fossils?

The sudden magic circle however, caught Laguna entirely by surprise. "What the cat-hell?" She mumbled to herself, in silent shock. That definitely wasn't normal. Sure, she could fling ice like it was magic, but an NPC utilizing anything like it? Nekonyamicon? It looked like she needed to keep a closer eye on Dr. Bunya.

As soon as they all arrived within Mistra, within a massive crater, Laguna immediately felt uneasy. Like her skin wanted to crawl off her body, shivering from the sensation. The pop-up on her screen didn't make things any easier either, the distorted text felt oddly familiar.

Feeling far more comfortable with a Pokemon at her side, Laguna held out her Golden Pokeball, the broken seal visible as she spoke. "Roxanne, your Auntie needs you, dearie. Would you?"

The massive Onix shimmered as it appeared, light refracting through its body as if it was made from ice itself. A tiny creature partially made of rock clambered around the Pokémon's head, the Pebblosa PokePet protectively sitting atop her head."I sense danger in this place," Roxanne spoke, her sultry voice quiet as she kept herself close to the ground. "Do not fret, my dearest Auntie. I have helped push back against the corrupted swarms before, I shall assist you once more."

"I knew I can count on you Roxanne." Laguna would pat their side, picking up a pickaxe onto her shoulder. "Keep an eye out for Bunya too... I'm worried about her Aerodactyl too."

"That, I can do. I shall do as I can." The Onix began to move, following Laguna as she walked around, trying to find some friendly faces to keep herself company in case danger truly did come their way. At this point, at any big Event, it was bound to happen.

Swiftly finding Big Bee and orioncayge with their Granbull and Incineroar friends, Laguna immediately smiled widely only to attempt to hide her sudden joy. "Well hey! You two weren't thinking about going through a major event without me, did you?" She put on a false pout, clearly teasing as she twirled on her toes to face away from them. "I suppose, I'll just have to dig all by my lonesome. Oh dear. Whatever shall I do?"

"Hello, friends." The Onix would lower its head very low, looking at the other Pokémon. It seemed she didn't recognize Laguna's sarcastic teasing, or even acknowledge it. "I do not understand what a 'bone' is, as I do not have any. We are supposed to dig them up, yes? Do you have any bones I can see?"

"I- uh," Laguna's teasing gesture suddenly faltered, unable to help but just giggle. "Roxanne, that's not how it works."

"I am trying to learn how this world works. Where do you keep your bones?"

Roxanne the Onix 600/600 HP

CYCLE 2: MESOZOIC MANIA
#corruptionzone #megathread #palenyantology

"So here's the deal!" Bunya starts, swinging her shovel and chopping a skull in half with a cheerful crunch. "...This stuff nyan top's no good! It's full of human remains. We gotta dig down to find the good stuff." She begins to dig in earnest, scooping ash over the exposed skeletons like bones in a litterbox.

"See, this spot's great, because half our work's nyalready done for us!" The scientist pauses to wipe her brow, gesturing up at the rim of the crater high in the distance. It is clear you are at the bottom of a deep valley, unnaturally formed. "If we're lucky, nyander all this ash and debris we can probably even get down to mesozoic!"

She continues working, her Aerodactyl using its wings to sift through loose ash beside her. A creeping malaise seems to be affecting it, as it does all your Pokémon. A sense of invisible anticipation, like a kiss in the dark.

"Nyeh! Just look at this stuff! It's got Corruptnyan all over it!" Bunya seems both excited and disgusted as she unearths a mass of wriggling silver tinsel. She tries to catch a strand between her hands like a cat and squashes it messily, leaving her fingers dripping with tar and congealed blood. "Yeaugh!! Shoulda brought my nyabber gloves!"

Humor can only distance the imminent threat by so much. Your time here is limited: use it wisely.

Hekate can feel the colour drain from her face when Dr Bunya points out they're standing on human remains. She looks down, suddenly able to make out a few bones jutting out here and there. Her rational mind knows they aren't real, just like everything else she sees, but her emotional mind is at the wheel and has decided to just keep spinning it.

Then, the bells. Where were they coming from? It felt like they were inside her ears, pounding against her eardrums. Spinning and ringing and spinning and ringing and-

She closes her eyes, hefting her pickaxe above her head. She moved without thinking, as if to dispel the sickening feeling with a single wicked strike. Lil Guy looks up, sees her readying her pick, and quickly ducks behind her legs to avoid getting hit. The pick falls, hitting the ground in front of her with a loud crunch and sending ash flying.

Lil Guy: 250/300 HP

[Fossil]TaC1Gxu|1d15

When she opens her eyes, she sees a glint of orange among the black and white. As she leans down to pick it up, a popup in her UI informs her - Old Amber (Aerodactyl).

"Huh...?" She examines it closely, squinting to try and make out the amber's contents. "Is this like- like that, uh, dinosaur film? Jurassic World???" The name Aerodactyl is familiar, at least.