Quote Originally Posted by SlickSlack View Post
Despite the nights murder, Misty was oddly calm about it, maybe even a bit ignorant. She was only focused on the Stalker at hand.

"Astralnox shed their first blood, huh. I mean, there was no blood, but you get the idea."

Her expression falls a bit after saying that, but it isn't much.

"Even though I have all the money I need to help out Safen, I have other plans for now. First, I'll buy a “Handymon” Magazine from Exacta City Newsstand, and store that for later. Then I'll go and check out 19. Duante the Yamper. Poor guy..."

It was clear Misty had plans to finalize fixing that console she dug out from the sublevel a few days ago tonight..
As a new day begins, you head out and make your way toward the mall. As you step a few feet away from the steel mill, you feel the air and it seems stale and hot and you inhale and exhale. A few dusty winds blow past you and it’s rather unpleasant. You imagine not too many Pokémon besides ground and rock types would be all too thrilled out the weather today.

Once you enter the mall and head toward the newsstand, you place $100 Sochas$ and an issue of the Handymon magazine before Dole the Vaporeon, who is always happy to see a returning customer. He prints a receipt for you and puts the money in his register.

Misty has spent $100 Sochas$ to purchase the [“Handymon” Magazine]

You then decide to head toward Dret’s home just a bit further south. Normally, Duante would be going to school today, but given last night’s incident, you imagine he wouldn’t be going anywhere. As you approach the house, you realize Dret the Mightyena is hovering over his son, and it takes a bit to convince him you mean no harm…

Interview Rapport: NEUTRAL, MODEST
+MODEST (Water vs Electric)

“I would like to talk to your son for a bit,” you assure Dret. “I just have a few questions.”

“NOT ON YOUR LIFE!” Dret roars. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO US!? IF YOU TAKE ANOTHER STEP CLOSER, I’LL-!”

“Stop, dad,” the young Yamper sniffles. “I… it’s okay. She just wants to talk, that’s all.”

Dret goes silent, and looks you over before looking back to his son. The Mightyena gives you a bit of a distrustful, dirty look, and you can tell in the process he’s sizing you up, assessing what you would be capable of in a fight. Carefully, you lay your sledgehammer down and show him you’re now unarmed. It only assures him a bit, but it seems to be enough.

“I’ll be watching,” Dret warns you. “Don’t you even dare try anything or I will rip you to shreds!”

“Dad, please,” Duante pleads. “You can’t talk like that to everyone now because mom died. She just wants to help. But how can they help if you keep threating to kill them? Mom… mom wouldn’t want that… you she wouldn’t…”

The Mightyena goes silent, and you can see in his eyes that thoughts… endless thoughts are swimming in his head, some at dangerous paces and you feel those are the things triggering his nasty behavioral impulses. But the words of his son calm him down, at least enough for now. Carefully, you approach the young Yamper and sit down besides him. Normally, you can tell he’s usually a cheerful, happy young Pokémon, but today, it’s as if someone drove a knife through his soul and where there was once youthful cheer, there is only somber sadness.

“I’m sorry about my dad,” Duante whispers to you. “He’s not taking this well.”

“It’s okay,” you comfort him. “He’s in pain. We all are.”

Duante nods, and tries to smile for a moment of understanding and friendship, but he just can’t…

“What can I help you with?” Duante asks, trying for a brief moment to chat with you.

“My name’s Misty,” you introduce yourself to him. “I’m trying to find out who and what these Stalkers are so we can stop them. Stop them from hurting others.”

Duante looks a bit downcast, not sure how he can help with this, but he tries to think of something.

“I had a bad dream…” Duante tells you. “I dreamed… one of the Stalkers was at my school. They were chasing me, trying to kill me, but I couldn’t get a good look at their face. When I did, it was all… distorted. Looking at their face made me feel like I was forever lost, and it was so weird and creepy.”

“Dad said I have to go back to school soon, but I’m so afraid,” Duante shivers. “I feel like they’re watching me. I don’t even know if I can trust anyone there.”

A bit reluctant, he shows you something he found, and it looks like a slivery-white talisman with what looks to be billions of small glowing stars. However, it’s only the right half of it.

“I want you to have this,” Duante tells you. “It seems important, but I don’t want the Stalkers to catch me with it, because I think they’ll try to destroy it and kill me for having it. I’ve been trying to find the other half and I think it’s close by, but I just haven’t found it yet. With the way dad is now, I can’t look for it anymore and I need to lie low. I’m hoping you can look for me…”

[2nd Half of the Talisman of the Stars] has been added to the Team Inventory.

“Please take good care of it,” Duante pleads.

When you hold it, it fills you with a few rays of hope and comfort, but as Duante pointed out, the left half of it is missing. Though you can’t help but get the feeling like it’s near you, yearning to be joined again with the other half. You hope that sooner or later, you can figure it out.

“I just want to get some rest, now,” Duante tells you, looking a bit sad and tired. “Please, stop those Stalkers so no one else suffers like this. I still look around the house hoping mom will still be there. I miss her so much already…”

“Thanks for your help,” you tell him as you stand up. “We’ll do our best.”

As Duante heads back into the house, you decide to turn around and go back to base after picking your sledgehammer back up. It seems as though Dret has realized you were telling the truth and has gained a bit more trust for the Emissaries, but still, it seems like the death of his wife is always going to keep him on edge, possibly for the rest of his days…

Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)
Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Gold Triad Amulet] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken and reduces incoming Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
  • $550 Sochas
  • [“Handymon” Magazine] (Gives the user the Repair Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)