darkSpyro

Inspired by the game of the same name.

Long ago, the Realm of the Gods was a place ripe with hope and potential. Its size was so vast that countless creatures and races and of all shapes, sizes, and cultures could coexist, and were free to roam the world and interact as they saw fit. The people of the realm were overseen by the gods, who would protect and provide for the mortal folk, and in return, the people would pay tribute to their divine patrons. This was an age of progress and innovation. Kingdoms rose and thrived, and the world went through a revolution of magic and technology alike. All the while, the gods ensured that order and balance were maintained between the many cultures. The world was at peace.

But alas, this era of prosperity was not built to last. The people of the realm began to compete rather than cooperate, whether it be over space, resources, superiority, or whatever other reason was. It wasn’t long before fights broke out, and eventually even the gods themselves began to fight amongst themselves. While their reasons for combat and intensity of their battles varied, few came even close to matching the ferocity of one god and his campaign; that god was Oryx. Fueled by lust for power, resentment for his fellow gods, and intoxication from copious amounts of wine, Oryx waged all-out war on the realm, aided by legions of monsters and “pseudo-gods”, with the decree that all who opposed him would be destroyed. And true to his word, civilizations crumbled, once respected kingdoms were corrupted or lost to time, and even the true gods could do little to halt Oryx’s assault on the realm. Some succumbed to his influence, others were forced to flee the world, and others met their ends at the hands of the Mad God. Unable to escape the realm, the remaining people were forced to accept that their true gods had forsaken them.

Centuries later, Oryx still rules over the realm with an iron fist. While some of society had managed to restore itself, it was still nothing in comparison to the golden age prior. Some had submitted to the darkness and embraced a life of savagery. Some actively serve under the mad god and his allies willingly. But for others still, a glimmer of hope remains, and they continue to fight back against the hordes of Oryx, in hopes of one day dethroning the tyrant and take the realm back. Will you submit to your fate, or will you fight to restore your world to its former glory? Only time will tell what will become of the Realm of the Mad God.

This world is a cornucopia of fantasy elements, with a little bit of sci-fi mixed in. Basically, if it exists in some kind of mythology, folklore, etc., it’s fair game. That being said, don’t be afraid to throw in your own ideas into the mix; there’s a little something for everything in the realm.

Rules:
Standard RP rules, naturally
I’ll be a little lenient on the “No OP characters” rule this time, but try not to go overboard either way.
Warn for graphic or disturbing content
Romance can be PG-13 at the most
Swearing is allowed as long as it's not excessive
You can use as many characters as you think you can manage, and may add more as the story progresses
And as always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

Character Sheet:
Name:
Race: (practically anything)
Appearance: (If you have a picture just post a link to it)
Weapons/Abilities:
Gender:
Alignment:
Brief Bio: (just to give an idea for who the character is)
Other:

Heh, I've been meaning to try the game, but this'll do for now!
Do excuse the long post, Star is an EXTREMELY complicated character, and even the barebones description is really long.
Name: Star
Race: Zoroark
Appearance: https://pokefarm.com/upload/da....._Zoroark_.png
https://pokefarm.com/upload/da..._His_Secret.png Warning: May have nightmare fuel on the second due to right eye.
Weapons/Abilities: Illusions, some darkness-based abilities, ninja tools, his razor-sharp claws... Advanced technology... Can wield other weapons he finds.
Gender: Male
Alignment: True Neutral/Neutral Good. The first is what he tries to be, the second is what he naturally is.
Brief Bio: (Traumatized by an incident with time travel, he wanders across both known worlds and parallel universes, occasionally settling in one for a long time. He is barely aged past ten years physically, but is actually over forty. The time travel rendered him ageless. As far as personality goes, he is extremely prone towards both sarcasm and horrible puns, and favors technology over magic because he understands it better. He's normally laid-back, but if you manage to make him legitimately angry (such as by betraying him) he can and will hunt you to the ends of the earth and beyond. He isn't an atheist, per say - he believes in the deities and all that - he just lacks any respect for them, mostly because they failed to protect his Clan despite constant loyalty. He WAS the NeoNoctus Clan's heir, unhtil they got wiped out entirely.
Other: He normally keeps his right eye closed to keep from freaking people out, and many a person has assumed he lost the eye or is blind in it. Muggers have gotten a nasty surprise when going after him, since he can still fight as if he had both eyes open. If he truly needs depth perception or wants to scare somebody, he'll open it, but he otherwise keeps it closed, partly because it's unnerving and partly because it's overly sensitive to light. As for what he's doing in the Realm of the Mad God? He doesn't know.

Star may seem overpowered at first, but he's rather fragile physically, despite a near-unlimited willpower.

(Accepted. We can start soon)

Name: Oryx the Mad God
Race: Deity
Appearance: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_...5th_400x400.png
Weapons/Abilities: Immense combat expertise and divine magical prowess that could make the most battle-hardened warriors and arcane-knowledgeable magicians stare agape. It is said that simply gazing upon his unobstructed form is enough to obliterate a mortal.
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Brief Bio: The Alpha and Omega of the realm, Oryx is a cruel, merciless tyrant that takes no prisoners. You're either on his side, or on his "to kill" list. His opinion of his subordinates varies depending on his mood, ranging from respect and admiration to apathy and contempt. He's known for his heavy consumption of wine, to the point that a sober Oryx is infinitely more concerning than a drunk one. He spends most of his time in his castle, and lets his minions do his dirty work for him.
Other: I won't be using him in standard play much, mainly due to his power.

Name: Mbweha
Race: Kitsune
Appearance: A fair-skinned humanoid figure with a pair of fox ears and two fox tails, both with gold and white fur. He's got dark blue eyes, a scar marking his right cheek, and his canine teeth are somewhat longer and sharper than a human's. He wears a camouflage green shirt and pants, plus a light brown cloak and bandana that covers part of his face. Usually goes barefoot.
Weapons/Abilities: His most notable traits are his agility and stealth. His cloak allows him to turn invisible and teleport short distances. Armed with a dagger that's usually tipped with a poison of his choice. He's an opportunist, so he's use whatever weapons he can find as well.
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Brief Bio: Mbweha had a rough upbringing. His whole life took place in the age of Oryx's reign, and he's grown some resentment to the false gods because of their cruelty. From a young age he learned to pickpocket, and even into adulthood he still makes a living through thievery. He does have a kind heart though, and gives to the less fortunate the best he can in a Robin Hood-esque manner; after he's provided for himself, of course.
Other: I'll update this if I think of anything.

(I think Star would actually get along with Mbweha… But what language is the name from? Kitsune is the Japanese one, so I'm curious as to whether you integrated that. Also... YAY ACCEPTED!!!)

(The name Mbweha is Swahili for... fox )
(We might as well start, it doesn’t seem like anyone else is joining.)

Mbweha’s day began like any other, swiping from the rich merchants to afford his next meal. Today’s target was the Nexus. With a barrier that denied access from much of the scum and villainy that plagued the Realm, the Nexus gathered a reputation as one of the few truly safe havens remaining. Noble, virtuous heroes came to retell their tales, traders came to hawk their wares and try to make a profit, and the helpless came to recover from their misfortune.

Right when the kitsune has his eyes set on a rather wealthy-looking trader, his ears perked as the town crier arrived with news from the Realm. The pirate king Dreadstump had returned to dry land from the savage seas, and had plans on plundering his scurvy-ridden guts out. A pirate king sounded enticing. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that a captain worthy of such a title had his share of treasure. And who knows? Maybe it could help Mbweha out of the thieving business altogether! Mind set on the new target, he began to formulate his plan.

...But not before snatching some grub. Can’t go adventuring on an empty stomach!

Star was fiddling with his gadgets when he overheard the town crier. He couldn't help but grin wickedly as a thousand different thoughts filtered through his mind. The majority of which concerned something along the lines of 'Beat the pirate into a pulp and scavenge for supplies'. He lifted his ChronoModifier V5 and polished it on his fur. If all else failed, time manipulation would save his dark-furred hide... Though he learned long ago to use it sparingly.

He stayed out of sight of most, as people assumed the black-furred illusionist was a villain or (shudder) treacherous. The truth was, loyalty was the one thing he still respected anymore. A growl from his stomach reminded him he hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. Blast. I need to remember to take breaks from my work to eat. He rushed over rooftops and used his claws to climb down, right into the Nexus. His razor-sharp teeth showed in a smile that vanished when he noticed Mbwehe. A Kitsune? I hope he doesn't notice me, dark fur in a Kitsune is assumed to be a sign of cursed or tainted blood.

Name: Rem
Race: Octoling
Appearance: this but with green eyes
Weapons/Abilities: Wields am Octoshot and a set of Splat Bombs, Burst Bombs, and Curling Bombs. Has an Inkjet as well, though she is unlikely to use it unless desperate.
Gender: Female
Alignment: True Neutral
Brief Bio: Captured by the underground Kamabo Co. test facility, having been betrayed by her only guide before managing to finally escape. The weapons she wields were stolen on the way out. Despite having no memory of her past, she has no desire to recover her memories. Wandered the world just trying to survive, only now finding herself in society and having little knowledge of it.
Other: Splat Bombs have a timer that counts down before exploding. Burst Bombs explode when they make contact with something. Curling Bombs are like curling stones in appearance but they explode on a timer and leave a trail of ink. All of these weapons only use ink and are not actually very harmful to most species.

(Accepted. Sorry for my absence, I've been busy the last couple days.)

Unfortunately for Star, Mbweha caught sight of him almost immediately after his feet touched the ground. The kitsune regarded the Zoroark warily; he certainly appeared unsavory. A few thoughts ran through his head, pondering if Star was a thug from the outside, or worse, a spy sent by Oryx. Then again, if he was sinister by nature, how could he have gotten past the Nexus's barrier? He decided to give the creature the benefit of the doubt, though he did keep one hand on his dagger's hilt under his cloak in case.

"Haven't seen you around these parts," Mbweha said, nodding. Truthfully, he didn't know anyone in the Nexus. "What's your name?'

Star bowed low, samurai-fashion. "I am Star, the final heir to the NeoNoctus Clan. Alas, my pack died out because of my failure." His formal tone vanishes for his usual bored tone. "And that's all you need to know about my heritage, and likely all you will learn. I'm actually from another land." He wondered if the Kitsune noticed any features unusual for Kitsune. "Do tell me your name." His expression remained mostly blank throughout.

Rem had somehow wound up... wherever she was. Brushing a tentacle out of her eye, she looked around, cautious and uneasy. There were so many people here, and she found her hand resting on her Octoshot. While it couldn’t do much damage, she was ready in case she had to run. Her attention was caught by the announcement about a pirate, though she was unsure what any of it meant. She just kept looking for something that caught her interest.

"Call me Mbweha," the kitsune answered, sheathing his dagger. His skepticisms lessened a bit, Star seemed respectable, even noble despite his appearance. He wondered what had happened to the Zoroark's eye, but thought it best not to ask. "I've been living in this realm my whole life, and let's just say, it hasn't been easy. I've had to live the life of a petty thief just to stay afloat, though it is gratifying to help out the less than fortunate folks around here." Mbewha's ears twitched as he glanced over his shoulder. "Word is that the pirate king's returned, and I'm thinking of taking a stab at bringing him down. Might get me some of his loot."

Her stomach growled and Rem looked around for something to eat. She approached the nearest people, a pair of mammalian creatures, and hesitantly began to speak. “I, um, I was wondering if maybe you, um, knew where I could find a map?” She twirled a tentacle between her fingers nervously, one hand still on her weapon in case these people didn’t turn out to be friendly.

Name: Diana
Race: Kricketune
Appearance: A shiny Kricketune who wears a pink ribbon around her neck.
Weapons/Abilities: Perish Song, Night Slash, Brick Break, X-Scissor
Gender: Female
Alignment: Neutral Good/Chaotic Evil (First is what she pretends to be, second is what she actually is)
Brief Bio: Ever since her trainer abandoned her for being weak, Diana thought she was stronger than what her trainer thought she was, and slowly started to go insane while proving herself. She leveled herself up to Level 56 by slaughtering many Pokemon in Eterna Forest, but didn't want to stop there. She wanted to be Level 100, by any means necessary, even if it means killing just about anyone she could find, now that she had cleared out Eterna Forest. She deceives people with a false personality of kind and cheery, when in reality she is a deranged serial killer. Her strategy is to gain their trust, then kill them when they least expect it. She also likes to write in her diaries.
Other: She could become good later in the RP, but that is highly unlikely.

(Accepted)

The kitsune turned his head at the sound of a new voice, finding that it belonged to some sort of humanoid octopus with tentacles for hair. He'd never seen anything quite like her before, but gave her the benefit of the doubt. The poor girl seemed lost. "Oh, sure, there's an information booth over there that could give you a map," Mbweha said, pointing to a certain kiosk. "By the way, welcome to the Nexus."

Diana was casually strolling through town, looking for people who would be worth a decent amount of experience. She noticed the group, and the Zoroark among them. That Zoroark must be worth quite a large amount of experience, thought Diana, affirming her next target. However, if she struck now, it would be too obvious, and others would run away from her. She had to gain their trust with a facade of a kind person, then kill them when they were completely off their guard. If she could exterminate this Zoroark, it could get her close to her goal of level 100. She started rubbing her arms together, creating a captivating melody to attempt to attract the group.

Rem hesitantly moved her hand away from her weapon. “Thank you,” she mumbled. “I appreciate your kindness.” Hearing music from elsewhere, she found her hand on her weapon once more and looked around. The strange creature which appeared to be the source of the music barely fazed her, but she remained uneasy, trying to determine whether or not this creature was friendly.

(I’m going to add a few more details to her character sheet because I was half asleep filling it out or something oof if you have a problem with any of it let me know and I’ll change it)

Star nodded and then noticed Diana. "A Kricketune?" He whipped out his datapad, which intoned 'Kricketune, the Cricket Pokémon. By allowing its cries to echo in the hollow of its belly, it produces a captivating sound. There is a village that hosts a contest based on the amazingly variable cries of this Pokémon." He grinned in a way that looked more predatory than friendly. "Ah, you go ahead. I'm vulnerable to Bug types."

Diana noticed no one had approached her yet, and so played her music louder. She rubbed her arms vigorously increasing the song's volume. If they were going to be easy targets, she had to get their attention somehow. "Do not worry," she stated out loud, "You can trust in me."

Hearing what seemed to be- music? -Mbweha scanned the area and spotted a certain Kricketune. It appeared to be searching for attention. Whether it was for allies or prey, he knew not, but the song was soothing enough that he went with the former. He approached the creature. "Hello there," he greeted. "I presume you're after the pirate's treasure, too?"

"Pirate's treasure?" asked Diana, "I didn't know about any pirate's treasure. Sounds... interesting." Diana decided that going on this venture was a perfect way to build trust before she made her move. "I just adore treasure!" she said, "Could you please tell me more?"

Star watched Mbweha approach and thought to himself You attract more flies with honey than vinegar. He decided to follow and watch from a closer, but safe, distance.

Rem blinked. Treasure. Promises were very easily broken. Perhaps there was no treasure to begin with. And yet she felt no desire to sit around and do nothing. No, she wanted to move, she wanted to fight. She approached the insect with caution. The creatures of the surface world were unusual to her, and she felt more out of place than she had underground. Barely thinking, she took a burst bomb out of the compartment on her ink tank and held it tightly in case she had to use it. “I’ve never heard of pirates, but I’m no stranger to treasure,” she mumbled. “Let me come with you. I-I don’t need much treasure, I just don’t want to sit around.” She fiddled with the Burst Bomb, her eyes down.

Mbweha nodded and elaborated. "Word on the street is that Dreadstump the pirate king and his crew have returned to land. I've heard a few stories about the guy. They say he stores all his treasure in a cave by the beach, and I'm thinking of taking some of it for myself." The kitsune glanced over at Rem and nodded. "Help me out with this, and I'll make sure you get your fair share." He wasn't sure whether this inscet was trustworthy or not, but hey, an uneasy ally was better than no ally.

"Why yes, I will certainly help!" Diana exclaimed exuberantly, "I have some dangerous moves, and I've rarely been beaten!" Diana proceeded to get out a testing dummy, then demonstrated X-Scissor on the dummy, slicing it in four pieces. "Would you like to see some of my other moves?"

"Hm, impressive," Mbweha mused, making note of Diana's aptitude for combat. "Sure, I'd like to see some more of your moves. I'm sure they'll come in handy later."

Diana demonstrates Brick Break and Night Slash on two more dummies. "I have one more move, but I only use it when absolutely necessary," she explained. "You will most likely never have to hear me use it, as I only use it when the going gets tough." "But," Diana warned, "I will warn you when I am about to use it. When I do, cover your ears. Alright?" The move Diana was describing was Perish Song, a fatal move that makes those who hear its lethal melody die after 5 minutes.

OOC: In the actual games, it's 3 turns, but I'm altering it slightly for the purpose of this RP.

Star murmured "Odd moveset." He spoke a little louder to acknowledge Perish Song. "Ah, yes. The infamous Perish Song. I've heard that inexperienced singers who use it die along with the targets. Me, I've got Night Daze and my Illusion for protection... And my technology, including my ChronoModifier." He sound ed rather proud of the last one, the pride in his ChronoModifier showing in his normally bored voice.

Rem pulled out a Curling Bomb while everyone was distracted, sliding it towards the group and diving into the trail of ink it left behind. If the bug was showing off, she wasn’t in the mood to be ignored. Besides, none of these creatures seemed familiar with Octolings. Perhaps if she showed what she could do it would be as appreciated as the bug’s power? She hoped so...

Mbweha's mouth spread into an impressed smile. "All very interesting," Mbweha said, nodding and taking in all that new information. A glance to the side and he noticed Rem disappear into a trail of- was that ink? This Octoling's skills were fascinating. And to think, he'd never seen one of her kind before! Mbweha clapped his hands in appreciation. "Neat! This opens up some new possibilities."

He turned his attention to a training dummy. "Well, I might as well show off some of my tricks while we're here. Watch closely, or else you might-" he began, then in swift move, pulled his cloak over himself and vanished from sight, only to reappear next to the dummy. "-lose track of me!" He said, sounding slightly proud of himself.

Star's gazed managed to follow Mbweha the entire time. He clapped slowly. "Very impressive tricks. Congratulations on being able to hide from the view of most. I supposed you guys are proud of those tricks? I've seen better, even among my kin." The Zoroark hadn't looked impressed at any point, and in fact seemed bored again.

Rem moves towards Star though her ink, popping out to glare. “And what can you do that’s so impressive?” she accused, annoyed by the mammal’s attitude. “What makes you so much better than the rest of us?”

Diana clapped in amusement at the Kitsune's trick. "Wow!" she exclaimed, "That was impressive. None of my kin can do THAT!" Diana was legitimately amused, and decided not to pull her big reveal until much later. Much, much later. "By the way, I never got your names," Diana stated, "My name is Diana. And you other 3?"

OOC: Diana will most likely reveal her true intentions around the climax.

“You may call me Eight,” Rem decided, rather attached to the name she’d used underground. Besides, tracking “Eight” would be harder than tracking her with her real name. It would be easy to change her ink colour and put in contacts if she needed to go into hiding. Less so her name.

Mbweha's smile faltered a bit. Apparently his cloak wouldn't be enough to fool some people. "Well, I have plenty of other tricks, don't you worry," he said, sounding a little overconfident. He looked over at the insect who had just introduced herself as Diana. "Call we Mbweha."

Star shrugged before holding up the clock-shaped pendant he wore. "Thirty or so years lost in the multiverse has given me plenty of time to learn some tricks... Including one I invented myself." He was referring to 'Black Heart, Broken Mind, Shattered Soul', a three-part combo that at the end would render someone little more than a puppet to his will. He had only used it once, however. "And my name is Star. Star NeoNoctus, final heir of the NeoNoctus Clan, if you want my full title. Some people know me as the 'Timetwister'." He displayed a vicious grin that looked downright predatory. "And why is being able to hide from foes so special? Far more powerful are Illusions so intense that they cause physical pain. Nightmares that damage the heart as you sleep. Sun so intense the seas dry up." He directed the last one at Eight. "I've endured all these, and worse, pushing on from sheer willpower. So do you have ANYTHING able to rival that power? The power to rival Pokémon spoken of as divinity by many?"

"Well, nice speech, Mr. NeoNoctus," replied Diana, "In fact, I am also from another world. I was just enjoying myself in Sinnoh's Eterna Forest, when some portal opened up and brought me here." Diana then explained also that she at first thought it was Giratina's work, but she was nowhere near Sendoff Spring, so it couldn't be. It sucked several of the forest's creatures such as Wurmples, Budews, and herself in. And that's how she ended up here. "Anyways, do any of you other 2 not belong to this world?"

“The seas... dry?” “Eight” couldn’t imagine a world without the Great Sea. Then again, she hadn’t heard it mentioned since arriving here. Rem pondered it for a moment. “It would be so much safer without the Great Sea. If it stopped rising, if it all dried up, maybe we wouldn’t fight.” She hadn’t realized she’d spoken aloud, pensively looking into empty space.

Mbweha cocked his head to the side. There was something a little... off about Eight. She muttered something about some Great Sea, to nobody in particular. It concerned him; was she reliving some traumatic experience? Granted, in a world like this one, who wouldn't have their share of unpleasant memories? Still, he sympathized for the Octoling. "Nope. I've lived here ever since I was a kit. Not the best place to raise a child, but I digress."

With that, he put his objective back into focus. "Right! Well, now that we've acquainted ourselves with each other, how about we go after that Dreadstump?"

"Ah, yes! I almost forgot!" Diana stated. Now that she knew her potential pray, she just had to wait until much, much, later. When she's gained enough trust to pull her move. She KNEW she'd get to at least Level 75 from 56, and future adventures before could get the remaining levels. "Yes, let's go defeat that dreaded pirate!" Diana exclaimed.

OOC: In the main Pokémon games, I'd put Star at level 100. Diane isn't beating him anytime soon.

Star sent Diane a strange look. Like he somehow knew what she was thinking of doing. "Well, be forewarned. I rarely have to use my full force against most foes... But when I do, it's a bit dangerous to be close by."

Rem blinked back to the present. “Ah. Yes, let’s get moving. Please...” she was beginning to feel rather uncomfortable in the crowd of the Nexus. It was far too similar to the crowd of lonely creatures riding the Deepsea Metro through the endless ocean. She had been too distracted to notice it before, but now that she was remembering, she wanted to get out of here, to at least relive happier memories. The name she’d chosen may not help much- she couldn’t hear it without remembering the friends she’d left behind- but she had to be strong. She’d get home eventually. “I have to...” she whispered to herself. “I can’t let them down...”

Star shuddered at what Rem said. "I said the same thing thirty years ago... And failed spectacularly..." He started walking before realizing he didn't know this world that well yet. He'd have to stay close to the others, except Diane. He didn't like Bug types or Fighting types.

"Yes, we have been chit-chatting for quite some time," Diana responded. "I understand if you're not fond of me, Star, my type is one of your kind's weaknesses after all."

Star rolled his open eye. "It's not that. I've just got a funny feeling about you. I've learned to read people quite well over thirty years of time travel." He honestly was wondering what ulterior motive the Kricketune would have. "Just make sure not to take any of the skymetals, like adamantine. I need them for my experiments. And stay out of my way during the fight, I may be physically weak but I still bring pain to enemies."

Sensing growing unrest in his party, Mbweha gave a determined nod and gestured to the town's exit. "The Pirate Cave should be around the shoreline. They say it's where the pirate king stashes his hoard when he's not out sailing. It'd be a good place to look for him."
In his years in the realm, the kitsune made the observation that foes tended to grow gradually more powerful and aggressive the further inland one traveled, with the strongest of them all being Oryx's appointed gods patrolling the peaks of the mountains. Thankfully, the beach was quite distant from there, so enemies should be a piece of cake!
Star's suspicion of Diana began to rub off on Mbweha. Was she really on their side? Or did she have some ulterior motive? And who exactly was this "Eight" girl, and why did she speak so cryptically? Eh, there'd be time to unravel those mysteries later. Time to do some treasure hunting! The kitsune walked to the edge of the Nexus's borders, beckoning the others to follow.

Moving quickly, the Octoling followed the Kitsune. Her stiff posture was a remnant of a time she still couldn’t fully recall, a highly military society with more like her and creatures born from machines to be expendable, yet who still managed to break her heart... her head began to hurt as she tried to dredge up memories lost to the merciless Kamabo Co. test facility with its endless tracks so far from sunlight, so far from everything. No, she couldn’t remember anything but test after test and the beauty of the rising sun as she’d finally, finally set foot in the world she’d seen in her dreams. A pang of homesickness hit her, and she was tempted to reach into her ink tank for something familiar. No, stay rigid, stay polite and powerful and above all else obedient, her instinct said. She stood to attention, clinging to the only things she had to cling to- her name and her code name, both given by those she cared about. Most importantly, at least to her, she clung to the memory of the sunrise heralding her arrival to the surface, her first glimpse of daylight, her first glance at home. “Home...” she whispered aloud, her body relaxing just as suddenly as it had tensed. Yes, she was fine. She wasn’t home, but she wasn’t there either. She ran outside in a moment of pure adrenaline, staring into the sunlight as she had the first time she saw it, let it seep into her body. She pulled out her Octoshot and began firing, her brain wired to be prepared, to ink escape routes and hiding spots in case they were needed. Whether she could see anything dangerous or not, it wouldn’t hurt, right?

(Well I accidentally added too much detail to things no one needs to know to this post... I guess I care about Rem more than I thought. I’m too lazy to comb through this mess, besides, I’m tired, so uh good luck making sense of it I guess?)

Star followed, cloaking himself with an Illusion that rendered him all but invisible. "Eheeheehee!" The Zorua giggle sounded outright creepy from him.

Diana headed with the others to the Pirate Cave, trying to play it cool, and not act suspicious anymore. She had the oddest feeling they were onto her, but she tried to ignore it and act natural. Right now, you're just an average Kricketune, Diana thought to herself. You are not here for EXP, you're just a Kricketune.

Thoughts began to race through Mbweha's mind as he treaded across the sands of the shoreline; was he really qualified for a quest such as this? He'd taken out petty thugs and wandering monsters, sure, but this would be his first high-profile target. Sure, it was just a pirate captain, not an elite monster, or worse, Oryx's personal infantry, but he couldn't shake that feeling of weakness. Along the way, small critters like scorpions, snakes, and the odd gelatinous cube showed curiosity, but didn't dare approach. After a relatively short walk, their destination came into sight. A cave hollowed out into the craggy seaside cliffs, and the presence of wooden ships parked near the entrance betrayed its nature as a buccaneer's hideout. "Looks like this is the place," the kitsune announced, analyzing the area, thinking of the best approach. "Alright. I'll go on ahead and make sure the coast is clear. You guys do whatever." With that, the kitsune cloaked once more, and disappeared into the Pirate Cave's maw.

Star rolled his open eye. He then pulled out his datapad and starting browsing the installed Bestiary/Pokedex. "Lessee... Update it with what's scannable... There." He was a scientific mind, what with being incapable of magic. If he couldn't explain or study it, he feared it instinctively.