[Q][C/Laguna] Thrills, Chills, and Spills

Laguna was not looking forwards to going back into any corrupted areas, no matter how supposedly 'safe' this area was in comparison to Mistra. She could only trust comments on the internet so much. Even still, there was lore to be found, and who was she to abandon such temptations?

Maybe there would be something to help make everything make sense?

She stood on the edge of the desert, just simply examining the ruined park from a distance. She could probably be fine. Definitely be fine. Before she could leap up and just slide right in, a chat message popped across her UI that intrigued her.

It appeared that a New Player was about to investigate the same Corruption Zone she was for the quest. Smart. When she was a newbie, she probably would have just jumped in blindly. With a grin on her face, Laguna was quick to reply.

-> Yo. I'm on the way. I'll make myself obvious. Look for the Magical Girl and her Ice-Statue Snake.

"Roxanne?" Laguna suddenly called out, and the massive Ice-Type Onix, shimmering like a massive sculpture or crystal made from ice formed right by her side with a loud thump in the ground.

"Yes, Auntie?" She spoke back with that innocently seductive tone of hers, a smile on her face as her jaw hinged open slightly.

"About to go into the Corruption Zone here to help a newbie, can I trust you to help me again?"

"Always, my dearest Auntie. My mother would not have raised a quitter. Let us be off."

With a gentle pat to the side of her Pokemon, Laguna would quickly scale them until she rode atop their head. Gripping the horn tightly while standing. It was a skill the two of them had worked on, Roxanne keeping her head mostly stable as she slithered forwards like a massive snake of ice and rock towards what appeared to have been the old, old entrance to the park.

Truth be told, she was far too obvious. Something else might notice them too, but for now, that would be fine. She could handle an Ultra Beast or Corrupted Monster for a bit.

"I wouldn't have lied! You don't get more obvious than me, new dude." She immediately smirked, casually twirling some kind of magical wand an ice-cold wind blew through the area. With a twist on her heels, she suddenly began to slide and leap down the down the rocks along the Onix's body as if she was sliding down a particularly rocky slope while skiing.

It seemed a practiced maneuver with her Onix however, as their tail would end up pointing directly at Josh as she slide off the bottom and would be gliding straight across the ground towards him with snowflake particles being left in her wake. A Freezer player, with no doubt about it.

In fact, she prided herself in being one of the first.

Now finally just a few feet from him, she'd skid to a stop and laugh softly. "Name's Laguna, a pleasure to meet ya!" She would pause, only for her eyes to glance immediately at whom she presumed was Granmarg. An immediate softness would spread across her expression as she nodded her head. "Don't worry Granmarg dear, I'll take good care of your trainer in there. Okay darling?"

She'd speak directly to them, clearly one of the players that could understand Pokemon directly. Only after that did she finally turn her attention back to Josh. "Speaking of which, you always can just hop aboard Roxanne. She's used to being careful with all the smallfolk."

As if on cue, the massive Ice-Onix would slowly lean their head all the way to the ground, eyes attempting to get at a level to match Josh's and look eye-to-eye. "I shall escort you into the Zone of Corruption, and we shall perceive all there is to see. Climb aboard, little one."

"Roxanne is inded my name, little one." The Onix spoke, welcoming aboard the guest. Climbing aboard her was certainly a bit slick, but once let up to the very top, holding onto the horn on her head made everything easier.

Laguna effortlessly leaped up as well, very well familiar with her Pokemon. "Alright dear, let's go. Allons-y!"

The Onix began trudging forwards, making their way across the desert sands, almost as if they were gliding, skating almost frictionless across the sand. It was almost mesmerizing, watching them turn and twist like a snake. Only for the sands to eventually become dark, stained black with corruption as the amusement park that bordered the Corruption Zone swiftly came into view from behind the dunes. The largest ride, the Ferris Wheel, laid toppled to its side, laying atop some nearby walls like a wheel constantly about to fall.

"Well, well," Laguna spoke up, admittedly curious. "I don't know about you Josh, but, amusement park in what used to be Unova? This has gotta be Nimbasa! What else could it be?!" Her excitement was swiftly overwhelming her, leaping straight off her Onix as she charged ahead, eager to see what was going on.

The remains of Nimbasa City. There was, clear as day. It was an exciting development to see even more cities that were, well clearly still ruins of what they were. She couldn't really say the same for any settlements that were in the region now known as Asper. Maybe some fleeting ruins remain, but she had never found anything inherently recognizable.

Although, maybe that was the Corruptions fault? The Corruption seemed to be threatening to leak in from the realm beyond, but Ostelia itself was still mostly itself, albeit ruined to time. Was there something innate about Corruption that changed the world as a whole? Or-

Come to think of it, why was Ostelia oddly clear of corruption? There weren't many clear answers.

"Graffiti huh? Well we gotta check that out! I'll scout out ahead, make sure we're not walking into danger. " She hummed in thought, casually leaping forwards straight off the head of Roxanne, using her Rainbow Flame Cloak to casually glide straight over towards the nearest walls and booths. Her eyes scanned around, searching around for anything that might jump out at them before deciding it seemed mostly clear and finally scanning over the walls.

The Everworld is Empty and all the Phantoms are Here

"I-" Laguna was suddenly dumbfounded, staring at the writing on the wall. Did the people of time's past know about the Everworld? Was it just a classic myth, like Hell? Or, was it something else? She doubted the caretaker of The Everworld would give her any answers to the dillema.

"Josh, you should come take a look at these. Some are just, pointless doodles. But if I know how these things go, there is probably some hidden lore and secrets tucked away within stuff like this." She'd wave over, Roxanne finally lowering their head and allowing the other trainer to climb down easily enough.

"The Everworld is... The afterlife, yeah." Laguna replied somberly, her hand gently tracing along the words on the walls. "It's the place where spirits of Pokemon go when they pass on from this realm. Their caretaker, Seta, sometimes allows you to bring them back, but nothing leaves it unchanged. For the people to know of it..."

She was lost in thought, only to be distracted and laugh when Josh pointed out the carousel. "The best one? Yeah, Pachirisu isn't there." She was quiet for a moment, only to chuckle again and roll her eyes. "Okay, but for real, which one is your favorite?"

She'd slowly approach the carousel, only to see a few more words upon the wall.

Remember Lentimas 11/11

RIP Pokemon League

Her frown would return, fingers once again carefully brushing against the words as she'd pause and stop. "... Lentimas. That was a town in Unova. It must have fallen before Castelia City did. But, something must have happened to the Pokemon League. Do you have any idea, Josh?"