RGS, FHS, LVS, PSS
Fractured Heavens Safehaven
ARPers: @Neo Emolga, @Gef, @Alphys, @Morzone

“...I did not refer to all of you as hypocrites. I was mainly addressing that Nidoking,” Darkrai clarified.

The Legendary, when approached by Arthur, met the gallade’s eyes but also seemed to try to cover his prominent ribs with his arms. If that was what he was trying to do, it didn’t seem to be working.

Upon hearing Magnum’s statements, the Legendary’s expression soured as he glared at the typhlosion. “Do you think we wanted this?” he asked. “Do you think we find it fun, being hunted by both our former friends and family members, and by mortal Pokemon who once worshipped us? While we are trapped in a single, dying region, with every possible way of escape besides death blocked off to us? Do you think we enjoy being uncertain if our loved ones are hunting us, or dead, or hiding in fear like we are ever day of our lives now!?”

Darkrai paused, and let a breath of air hiss slowly out. He looked back at Arthur.

“...Some of us Legendaries have become Corrupted. I do not know how the Corruption originated. I do know that it warps a Legendary, in their mind, body, and soul. They are no longer the entity they once were. They seek two things, as far as I can tell: to Corrupt other Legendaries, and a second goal which varies between them. I would like to be escorted to a certain location, in the Silent Tundra. However I fear that if I travel for extended periods of time, a Corrupted is certain to find and engage in battle with me. Legendaries are powerful, but Corrupteds are even more so. If you attack me, I will flee. If you accept my mission, I will tell you everything I know about the various abilities and goals about the Corrupteds, and some possible locations of Legendaries who, as far as I know, are alive, not Corrupted, and may be willing to help. I cannot guarantee that my knowledge is absolutely correct, but I am certain at least some of it could prove helpful,” Darkrai said, slowly, in a measured tone.

Perish, Clara, Starr
Fullmoon Highway
ARPers: @The Nonexistent Tazz

Perish adjusted her cloak, and crossed her arms. ’You… don’t say…’ The gourgeist absentmindedly hummed a sad sounding melody, pondering what to say next.

Clara shuffled closer to Perish. “What’d they say?” asked.

Perish turned towards her. “I think they’re Foreigners,” Perish said, nonchalantly as one might say ‘it’s a fine day’.

“Say WHAT!!” Clara and Starr were equally shocked by this revelation.

“Foreigners? Wha-- how-- how’d they even get past the Bloodcloud Wall and Kyogre!?” Clara stuttered. “How are they alive? I thought it was impossible, I thought-- I thought--”

“Cooooooool!” Starr chirped, his eyes gleaming. The linoone was looking at Phoebe, Hyperion, and Oceanus in absolute awe. He bounded up towards them. “They’ve got to be really strong to get in here! And they know about Outside! That’s amazing! Do you think they’ve got even better technology than here to get in? Like maybe an anti-Legend Wand or a super-powered Teleport machine or something?”

“There’s kind of a language barrier, so I guess I’ll have to translate most of it,” Perish said. “Give them room, Starr. This must be rather… jarring for them.”

The linoone sighed, and backed up several paces.

“Do they need medical attention? No matter how strong they are, they can’t have gotten past either the Bloodcloud Wall or Kyogre unscathed,” Clara offered. The azumarill seemed to have collected her thoughts a bit more now.

Perish tilted her head. “Good point. I’ll ask them a few questions now.”

’Let’s start with the basics,’ Perish began. ’Welcome to Kaelus. I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay because, well… Not a single Pokemon for a very long time has been able to leave, and I don’t recall any Foreigners entering our region before you three, for an equally long period of time. The red clouds above us cover the entire region, and if you go into them they whip up ferocious winds, kicking you back inside at best and killing you at worst. We call them the Bloodcloud Wall, and were constructed by Rayquaza. The creature that attacked you was the Legendary Pokemon which supposedly created the oceans, named Kyogre. Whenever any of us try to leave the region by boat or swimming, we are always attacked by Kyogre, and either forced back to the shore or eaten. Bandits, ferals, Mystery Dungeons, and Legendaries have been running amok for the past several decades, generally making life a living hell.’

Here Perish paused. ’Roughly 40 years or so ago, though, Pokemon began banding together for protection and shelter. We call these groups ‘Safehavens’. There are five right now. Persevering Spirit, Relic Graveyard, Fractured Heavens, Last Vestige, and the one I lead, Cloudview Cliffs. Most of us have developed a particular specialty. My Safehaven focuses on growing food and medicinal berries for others, and so we have a good relationship with most other Safehavens. At any rate, my betas and I were on our way to a meeting called Fractured Heavens’ leader, when we were attacked by bandits.’

Perish smiled at the Foreigners. ’You’re welcome to come stay at our Safehaven. We can find jobs for all three of you. You could become a farmer, train as a medic or a messenger, create a shop of some sort or work as a shopkeeper’s assistant, cook in the kitchens, or even join a scavenger team. Scavenger teams do spend a great deal of time outside the Safehaven, and occasionally have to go into a mystery dungeon, however, but we won’t be sending you on extremely difficult missions right away. I actually used to be on a scavenger team, Team Reminisce.’

Around then a golurk surrounded by an electric blue aura landed near the Pokemon. “Hey, guys, you’re late! What happened?”

Starr glared at the golurk. “That’s what I kept telling them! It was Clara’s fault. And then we ran into bandits. And then we met these guys, guess what they’re--”

Clara stomped on Starr’s foot and he winced.

“...Really strong. They helped us drive away the bandits,” Starr grumbled.

If the golurk had a tongue to stick out, it probably would’ve done that. “You guys are Safehaven leaders! Why do you need strange Pokemon to help you drive away some weak bandits? I could’ve probably taken care of them on my own!”

“They had a type advantage, and they had Starr in a position where they could have killed him,” Clara said.

’If you don’t want LOTS of attention, I recommend using only telepathy when other Pokemon are around. Foreigners are really unheard of. You could… pretend that you’re mute, or something? Just an idea,’ Perish suggested.