[SEASON 2] The Stalkers RPG - Main Action and Team Status [ENDED... FOR NOW]

[Neo Emolga]

Interview (Regular) 25. Cinci the Deerling
Focus on leads about her aunt.

Interview Rapport: EXTREMELY POSITIVE
+2 Shared Pokémon Types (Grass & Normal)
+1 Shared Pokémon Evolution Stage
+1 Shared Pokémon Species

You return to Cinci at the North Metro Station. She still looks flustered with her job again, but she's still be able to keep on top of dealing with all of the daily metro users. After telling a disgruntled Mightyena she can't give refunds on tickets that were supposed to be used weeks ago, she sees you have arrived and she seems hopeful that you brought good news. She takes a moment to step away from the service desk when she approaches you. However, she gets flustered again when you ask for leads rather than news that you found Clementine.

"I... have no clue where she is!" Cinci exclaims. "That's why I asked you to find her! Oh god, what the hell am I going to do without her?"

She tries to recompose herself again and she takes a deep breath.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'm just really wrecked right now," Cinci tells you. "I hope you understand, Sam. I think... the day she disappeared, she said she had some errands to do and that she was also going to meet our friend Giji at Joka Memorial Park. They meet twice a week when Giji doesn't have concerts to do. Giji told me they had lunch there and nothing seemed wrong. Everything was fine and when they were done, they headed their separate ways to head home. Giji was the last to see her and no one has seen her since. I haven't been able to check around there because I have no damn time during the day and there's no way I want to check that place at night. Pokémon get mugged there all the time at night!"

Cinci sighs, still looked flustered.

"I don't know what to do," Cinci explains. "Maybe she's around there somewhere. Maybe ask Giji about it too. She might know something I don't. I hope to Arceus she's not dead. If anyone did anything to her, I'll do the same to them! But that's all I have. I wish I could tell you more and I'd say good luck, but damn it, I don't even believe in luck anymore. Just... find her if you can."

"Well, I've got to get back to work," Cinci sighs. "Customers make this job so much more difficult than it needs to be."

She then returns to her desk, rolling her eyes as the line of customers wanting attention has gotten longer.

Sam the Deerling (S: Normal/Grass)

Health: 2/4
Sanity: 4/4
Perk: Repair | Learned Abilities: Rescue/Escape
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Neo Emolga]

Attachment 1587
I'm planning on exploring, we have Nixie now she can interview some water mons.

47 Azure Water Tower exterior

You dive into the Silverbay Coast and head toward the luxurious Azure Waters Tower.

Down here, even the area around the aquatic apartment building is kept pristine, clean, and devoid of any unsightly refuse or debris. At first, you never would have thought there would be underwater landscaping, but it was totally done here and instead of looking like a shabby underwater reef, it looks more like a luxurious aquarium for very lucky and spoiled fish.

As you can tell from a first glance, the gleaming white apartment building may be smaller than most others in Silvercoal City, but it's luxurious and as you imagine, immensely expensive. Regardless, as you can see, this is a beautiful paradise for water Pokémon and if they have the money for it, they would definitely love it.

As you paddle and swim around the exterior of the building, you don't really see too much that would cause any alarm. However, when you get to the back of the building, it seems there are very beautiful aquatic ornaments that gleam and shine from the slight rays of sunshine that reach the ocean floor.

One object you see that could be mistaken for one of these ornaments seems to be broken at a first glance. It seems unusual, but you paddle down to take a closer look only to discover it isn't an ornament at all. Instead, when you pick it up, you realize it's not attached to anything and seems like it's something the landscapers or groundskeeper must have missed or haven't discovered yet. As you can see, it seems to be a broken charm of sorts, which seems unusual down here.

As you take a closer look, the charm seems to be a clear gem that's about half opaque. You can feel a sense of empowerment in it, but you have a sense this power has been greatly diminished with the charm broken like this. You decide to take it with you to see if you can find the rest of it and see if there's some way to put it back together.

Item [Shattered Charm Half 1/2] has been added to the Team Inventory.

After doing one last check around, it doesn't seem like anything else around here catches your eye, so you decide to head back up to the surface.

Marta the Buizel (M: Water)

Health: 5/5
Sanity: 4/4
Perk: Lockpick | Learned Abilities: Investigation
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Neo Emolga]

Wonderful, we found the Exorcism teacher. Let's make sure he's protected and such during the night rounds.

in any case, continue the searching!

Search 46(b), Seawish Tower, floors 11-20.

You head down and continue the exploration of The Seawish Tower. As you can tell, searching during the day is a lot easier than during the night, but even so, the water Pokémon here haven't neglected to use underwater lighting. As you search undetected, the other Pokémon here go about their business and don't seem to pay attention to you. Meanwhile, most of the Pokémon who live here have left for the day and will probably not be back until later after work and school close for the day.

About half of the apartments on these levels are occupied, but in your initial searches, you don't find anything that raises any significant alarms at first. Things seem normal and you don't find any problems or things out of the ordinary even as you go through everything.

Meanwhile, the vacant apartments seem okay as well. It isn't until you get to the 17th floor that you find something different about Apartment 176. It seems this apartment was supposed to be vacant and it almost was completely empty, but before you step out, you noticed there's a black tarp covering where the closet is. When you tug it away, something immediately lights up the room and you squint a bit to take a closer look.

You find another gold-embellished metal piece of what's clearly an object that contains some kind of mystic, celestial power, but you're not sure the exact nature. It is ring-shaped and has a band around the end and it seems like it would go together with the other Irongold Drinking Horn piece that was found earlier, but it still seems like there's a piece missing. Still, you take it with you.

Item [Irongold Drinking horn Fragment 3/3] was added to the Team Inventory.

You search through the remainder of these floors, but nothing unusual seems to come up. From what you can tell, it seems like no one on these levels noticed Apartment 176 being used for the wrong intention. You can only wonder who or what decided to stash away this piece away like this. Had it not been for your search, you're pretty convinced no one else would have found it at all.

You then head out of the building and then swim back to the surface with your new findings.

Tazz the Suicune (L: Water)

Health: 6/6
Sanity: 3/4
Perk: First Aid | Learned Abilities: Restrain
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Neo Emolga]

(Happy surprise, today's the one day this week I'm not stuck at a school for 15 hours. Let's make the most of it...)

I'd like to Interview(Learn) Kure the Doublade. I want to learn the Exorcism skill.

You seek out Kure the Doublade in his apartment at the Dakin Apartment Tower. Unlike the apartments of most Pokémon, Kure has very little furniture and mostly books, strange relics, and other mysterious possessions and artifacts.

When he sees you arrive, you feel a mysterious presence and aura surrounding him as he looks at you with his unblinking, pink eyes. All the while, he simply floats in the area, observing you curiously as you introduce yourself and request training in Exorcism.

"Ah, hello there, Laura," Kure addresses you. "I would be more than pleased to teach you these ways, but you must be ready, as the path of the exorcist is not an easy or predictable one. Despite what some might think, to be an exorcist is a selfless and very difficult task. Moreover, demons do very much exist and fighting them is terribly difficult, challenging, and taxing. But nonetheless, it is an essential path, as without these struggles, both demon and host are terminated together, and we must be mindful of the ones who were possessed by these demons when they never intended it."

You accept the conditions even though Kure has informed you of what you might encounter.

"I admire your commitment, noble Umbreon," Kure replies to you as he continues floating in midair. "I sense you are ready, and I sense you will put this knowledge to good use. Step forward and close your eyes."

You do as you're instructed, and you step forward and close your eyes. You hear a low humming sound, a slight tingling feeling on your fur, and then, all of a sudden, you see even with your eyes closed. In fact, you suddenly feel outside of your own body, floating in a murky sea of darkness. A twisted abomination in the shape of a murderous skull with jagged teeth attempts to attack you, but you instinctively target its dark essence and thrust your paws forward, driving a white spear of light into the dark soul of this nightmarish entity.

Do you feel it within you, Laura? Does it come from within you as if it always has? This is what the power feels like. This is what it means to fight not using your body or mind, but by using your soul.

Suddenly, in the strike of a moment, you are dropped before a valley landscape and you see the passage of time around you. Days, months, seasons, and years upon years pass. And you walk it through it all yourself in the role of the exorcist. It is as if the multiverse allowed you to live a whole separate lifetime as one who gained an extensive knowledge of how to drive back constant numbers of demons in their career. You save countless children, adults, and elderly Pokémon from demons in many villages, towns, and cities in a world beyond worlds. You started off small, worked your way up to an apprentice, became an intermediate, and eventually became an expert and a grandmaster in your many journeys. In this dream-like life, you walked through a whole lifetime's worth of mastering this skill, and at the end of it all, you stand before your alternate self.

"I learned this for you," this alternate Umbreon Laura tells you. "In another time, another life, I learned the many ways of driving back demons and devilish abominations. I learned young, spent a lifetime harnessing this skill for the cause of good, and grew old with this power. My time with it is done. I now pass it down to you so that you can use it to make the difference upon Valdyne. I wish you... I wish us... the best of luck."

As you feel it, the power and the knowledge, in the form of a white, glowing star, passes from the Umbreon you were in another universe to you in this universe. It is breathtaking as the knowledge becomes innate to you, and when you have gained what you need, you suddenly open your eyes and you're right back in Kure's apartment, eyes wide and amazed at the vision and experience you just encountered. You almost find yourself short on breath, but all the knowledge, skills, and memories are now within you, linked with your body, mind, and spirit.

"What you saw was for your eyes and your eyes only," Kure tells you. "I know the gates, the ways and the paths to lead Pokémon to discover who are what they could have been as master exorcists. The journey itself varies from one Pokémon to another. It matters not how you learned, but how you take what you have learned now and use it to the best of your ability. The souls of many depend on it."

"I wish you good luck and safety in your path ahead, Laura," Kure speaks to you. "We must remember not to wish for our challenges to become easier, but to tell ourselves to grow stronger so that we may overcome them."

Congratulations! You have learned Exorcism!

Laura the Umbreon (M: Dark)

Health: 5/5
Sanity: 4/4
Perk: Diplomacy | Learned Abilities: Escort/Protect, Exorcism
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Suicune's Fire]

After a week of being sick (and boy did it suck), I'm ready to enter the fray.

I'll search... (76) Rusto Memorial Plaza.

Rusto Memorial Plaza is massive. It spans a large area, and as you set foot upon the first cement tile, you're almost unsure where to begin your search. If you had searched the area at night, it would have been even more daunting, for it looks disturbing even in broad daylight. Graffiti has been scribbled across the ground, on the side of the public toilets cubicle, park benches, and even trees. You can't see anyone in the plaza, and as you begin to walk through the plaza and step out from some rather enormous trees, you realise why.

In one section of the plaza, you see a strange statue emanating a sinister vibe. You near it suspiciously, feeling unsettled as you approach it step by step. From what you can see, it is a triangular stone statue with two Luvdisc sitting on top. Their lips are touching, and it becomes clear to you that this is obviously a monument relating to love. The two Luvdisc, in stark contrast to the crying children seen at Seventy-One Manufacturing, look peaceful, entranced, and utterly in love. The sickliness of it almost makes you cringe, paired with the underlying knowledge that this isn't just any old statue... It's too similar to the other statue.

As you come closer, you notice that, like what Lita reported of the other statue, this one has three indents on the front face of the triangular structure, and each are shaped like instruments: a cello, a lute and a piccolo. At least, that's what you assume. Nearing the statue imbues you with a sense of weightless happiness that you can't help but enjoy. Happiness seeps into your mind, and your normally heavy arms feel as light as feathers.

Object {Statue of Ballads: Cello Indent, Lute Indent, Piccolo Indent} was added to the Team Records.

You snap yourself out of your trance, clanging a solid forearm against your helmet-like head. You don't know what you just found, but you do suspect that it is linked to the same Stalker who constructed the monument at Seventy-One Manufacturing.


Theo the Bisharp (L: Dark/Steel)

Health: 6/6
Sanity: 4/4
Perk: Diplomacy | Learned Abilities: Restrain
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Suicune's Fire]

I stumble back rubbing my face trying to make the pain go away. I felt the touch of another and after a few more minutes I blinked a couple of times.

"I thank you for the aid. It happened so fast it's a bit of a blur right now. If I can return the favor in some way....let me know."

I go to leave only to stop and look back.

"Sitting still isn't best so I'm off to search more if you'd like to come along..."

Search: (72) Electrical Substation (Abandoned)

You step onto the massive property which used to be responsible for Silvercoal City's electricity distribution. There are transformers, wires and structures all around, and at the far end, there is a large building. You elect to search the building first, so you hover across the dying grass and between much electrical equipment. You can tell by the state of everything around you that the station was abandoned long ago, before technology advanced enough for the current electrical distribution system.

As you approach the old-fashioned building, a few out-of-place boulders catch your eye. You wonder if it's of any significance, but ignore it for now, as scouring the building is your priority. As you scale the building, however, you find nothing. Most of the building's floors and ceilings have collapsed, and there are no functional computer networks for you to slide yourself digitally into. After finding nothing, you elect to slip out of the structure and focus on those boulders you caught sight of.

The closer you get to the boulders, the more out of place they seem. You note that the back half of the property, behind where the building rests, is surrounded by a rise in the land. It isn't too steep, but it does sit at a level above the top of the building. However, the boulders are placed nowhere near the cliff side, and you're sure that someone put them there intentionally.

You hover closer, but come to the conclusion that there's no way you'll be able to break them. It looks like a Steel type or a Fighting type could break it, which you keep in mind to tell your teammates. You can feel something odd when you're around those boulders, and you can't help but speculate that there's a trapdoor underneath them, or something else leading somewhere important. Whoever tried to conceal whatever lies deep into the ground, they didn't do a very good job by arming it only with two breakable boulders. Nevertheless, this only makes it easier for you.

Object {Obscuring Boulders: +Fighting-type+ / +Steel-type+} has been noted in the Team Records.

You take one last look to make sure there aren't any other ways in, and when you're satisfied that there aren't, you leave the area.


Pixel the Porygon-Z (M: Normal)

Health: 5/5
Sanity: 4/4
Perk: Science | Learned Abilities: Investigate
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Neo Emolga]

Guess I'll do an interview this time around. I'll ask Jerome the Scizor if he knows about anything strange going on.

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE
+1 Shared Pokémon Type (Bug)

You find Jerome the Scizor at Joka Memorial Park, keeping a lookout for any suspicious activity. You approach him and introduce yourself. He bows before you as he greets you respectfully. From what you can tell about Jerome, he seems respectful and calm, but if a confrontation were to break out, he would definitely be a force to be reckoned with.

"Hello," Jerome tells you in a calm voice. "Pleased to meet you, Carly. What can I help you with?"

You inquire about the Stalkers, inquiring Jerome if he had seen anything suspicious. He nods for a moment, but then looks away.

"I've seen many unusual things as of late," Jerome confesses. "It's true the Stalkers have changed the disposition of many Pokémon in this city, but some in more ways than others. Some of the children in particular have become increasing violent and malicious. Min, Natisha, and Hunu have been more of a nuisance with their constant vandalism and bullying behavior even towards adults that meant them no harm. These school children are either being careless and unconcerned about the Stalkers or they can't comprehend the danger that exists now. Regardless, I have had to deal with them personally after finding them vandalizing park property and harassing innocent Pokémon."

"I did find something unusual the other day," Jerome explains to you. "I haven't quite figured it out and it seems to have been destroyed, but there's something about it that feels different. Maybe you should take a look."

He pulls out a small cardboard box and hands it to you. You open it and you see many torn bits of paper.

=Divine Codex Pages First Half: <Repair>= has been noted in the Team Records.

You find these pages have been badly destroyed and require someone who has the skills to mend them back together without damaging the ruined pages further. You assure Jerome that while you may not be able to piece it together personally by yourself, you're aware of someone who can.

"Good," Jerome tells you. "I, unfortunately, cannot fix these pages myself. There's something strange and spiritual about them, and even these fragments seem unlike any other. But, they serve no purpose being in my possession if I cannot make use of them. Perhaps it would be best if you take them and see what can be done."

"That's all I have for now," Jerome nods. "I have suspicions, but I cannot rely on these until I have hard evidence, and I do not have it at this time. Hopefully you will have better luck where I have not."

He then bids you farewell and heads back to his post.

Carly the Heracross (M: Bug/Fighting)

Health: 5/5
Sanity: 3/4
Perk: Science | Learned Abilities: Rescue/Escape
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Suicune's Fire]

Alright, let's do some talking.

I'll interview 121 Nairek the Maractus, I don't think I'll mention philter directly though, just to be safe.

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE, INTIMIDATING
+1 Shared type (Grass)
Intimidation +1 Interviewee weak to Poison

You approach Nairek while she's out at the Superplex Shopping Center West. She's alone, and her green arms are lined from shoulder to wrist with shopping bag handles. It becomes clear to you that they are not groceries she's got in those bags; she has just gone on a shopping spree. From this, you gather that she has money to blow. Her handbag, which looks extremely expensive, has a tacky key ring attached with words reading "Mustle's girl."

You introduce yourself, and she seems taken aback by your appearance. She looks puzzled and little disgusted.

"Can you not stand so close?" she questions, completely perplexed as to why you have approached her. You enquire about the Stalkers, and she just increases her bewildered and agitated expression. "What the frick would I know about those psychopaths? I don't know about you, but I don't look into the paranormal. I'm just not into that sort of nonsense." She looks rather unfazed by the subject, but you attribute that to a lack of interest.

She narrows her eyes at you, clearly viewing you as some kind of threat and is highly offended by your presence. "What are you, some kind of cop? Here to search me?" She drops the bags all at once, and as they slump to the ground, you hear a few things rustle around and clink together. She looks hugely inconvenienced and coats her face with a thick layer of annoyance. "Go on. Search me. I have nothing to hide, you nosy little Roserade."

When you make no move to touch her, she emits a noise signalling her expectation and runs her eyes over you again. "That's what I thought. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to return home to my handsome, rich and successful mate at our luxury apartment." She looks you up and down, almost hoping for a negative reaction to her overt boasting. She then scoops up all of the shopping bags and inclines her head while walking off as if she's looking down on everyone she passes.


Amia the Roserade (M: Grass/Poison)

Health: 4/5
Sanity: 3/4
Perk: Lockpick | Learned Abilities: Rescue/Escape
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Suicune's Fire]

Hmm, I'll go ahead and interview 63. Rabukan the Druddigon. Maybe I can pick up some new information.

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE, INTIMIDATING
+1 Shared type (Dragon)
Intimidation +1 Interviewee weak to Fairy

Rabukan is at the fire station when you manage to locate her, which you soon find out is her workplace. Her superior, a Muk who enthusiastically welcomed you to the station, retrieved her for you when you asked to see her. When she emerges from the firehouse, she grows a diplomatic smile and immediately shakes your wing in a friendly gesture.

"Welcome to Silvercoal's fire station! I'm Rabukan, as it seems you know, and that was Krum." She gestured behind her to the Poison type slinking away. "He's a good guy, but sometimes he's a bit too vigorous. It can be draining at Four A.M., but that's a firefighter's life! Anyway, what can I do for you?"

You explain who you are and what your mission in Silvercoal City is. She seems intrigued by you and your goal, and she nods her head with interest. "Well, people sure have been acting more paranoid since those Stalkers cropped up. I've been spending a bit more time indoors... I hear they have a higher chance to get you if you're wandering about a night. But a few Pokémon have been killed in their homes, so...I guess I have to be careful regardless of where I am at night. I haven't heard of a Stalker killing during the day...which is interesting, because, well...don't you think nocturnal Pokémon have a good chance of being Stalkers?" She brings her voice down to a whisper. "Think about it! They can see in the dark, they're fully awake... It would make sense, if you ask me. But that's just my opinion."

"Oh, and there's something else. I was visiting my friend Enassik, who works at the Anchor Broadcasting Tower a bit up north, and she mentioned that she found a key up in Topwire Broadcasting. She's a radio host for Baycircle, that radio station, so she doesn't normally go up that high. She said she was going to pick it up and return it to its owner, but...she said it had bad aura. It was all covered in mangled plants or something, which reminds me of that Stalker who leaves their victims with vines coming out of them. Pretty creepy stuff."

She gave a bit of a shrug. "There's nothing here at the firehouse, as you can see. I'd recommend looking for that key, personally. If you decide to go, good luck! I've got to get back to work so I'll see you around, Ciel."

Rabukan heads back into the firehouse, throwing you a single wave goodbye.


Ciel the Mega Altaria (M: Dragon/Fairy)

Health: 5/5
Sanity: 4/4
Perk: Security | Learned Abilities: Escort/Protect
Failed Assassinations: 0/2

[Suicune's Fire]

I'll go interview Mirad the Drapion and ask them about the weird artifact things they supposedly found, according to another Pokemon whose name currently escapes me

Interview Rapport: VERY POSITIVE
+1 Shared Pokémon Type
+1 Shared Pokémon Evolution Stage

As you find out through tracking her down, Mirad works at the Metter Machine Shop. You find her working on a hovercraft repair job and as she's reattaching one of the booster pads, you introduce yourself to her. She peeks out from behind the vehicle and squints curiously at you.

"Well, what's up?" Mirad asks.

You introduce yourself, inquiring about the Stalkers and if she's seen anything out of the ordinary lately.

"Wish I did," Mirad tells you, shaking her head. "Around here, anyone can be a Stalker. That bastard Eelektrik who cut me off this morning probably was one. The Krabby who cut in line in front of me was probably one too. The maggots. Well, I don't have any hard proof though. For all we know, the Stalkers could be acting like the nicest Pokémon in town."

You nod, but then you ask about the weird artifact. Mirad blinks twice upon hearing about it, but she soon realizes what you're talking about.

"Oh, that," Mirad replies, looking off for a moment. "Found it the other day in the parking lot of the power plant. I found it while showing up to take care of some dude's craft broke down and needed to be transported to the shop for repairs. I'm not sure what it is but it looks like some kind of metallic thing. It's pretty strong and I'm not even sure what kind of metal it is. It definitely doesn't feel like any metal I've ever worked with before, but I'm a mechanic, not a scientist."

"I guess Metter's been poking around my locker again," Mirad sighs. "Well, I found it, so it's mine and I get to decide what to do with it. He's my boss but that's not his business."

"Well, I need to get back to work on this piece of junk," Mirad replies, getting back to working on the hovercraft. "I swear, you think people would remember to change out the initializer fluid every once in a while. Maybe they'd actually save a ulex capacitor from frying itself. Well, that's just me."

Olea the Salazzle (M: Poison/Fire)

Health: 5/5
Sanity: 4/4
Perk: Diplomacy | Learned Abilities: Restrain
Failed Assassinations: 0/2