victory_road | Project Paradox event log

[Radley is freaked out by the weird and immediately runs to Cecil when he sees him. Finally, someone with a normal head. And someone he knows to boot!]

Okay, why did I know this Project Pidove was going to shoot everything to hell?

Because you possess both common sense and the ability to learn from previous incidents, that's why.

[Cecil would, under normal circumstances, turn around and give Radley a proper greeting, but this stupid lock is not cooperating. He takes out the thin piece of metal he's using (a squished Corviknight feather, it looks like) and tries to reshape it.]

You've not been harmed on the way here, I hope? If the guards gave you trouble, I might be able to order them to stop.

[Radley smirks darkly at that. Well, he can't disagree.]

Nah, we just kinda ... tried to keep away from everybody once we realized what happened. Or I did, anyway. Evie wanted to say Hi to everyone.

["Vee!" says Evie.]

So this is some other version of your world?

[He's guessing so if Cecil would have any sway over the guards.]

That is likely for the best. They believed the 'temporary curse caused by some long-forgotten artifact found in the treasure' tale once, but I doubt they'd do so twice. It'd be difficult to pass Evie off as a cat, too.

[And of course, there's a reason Cecil is trying his hand at lock-picking, instead of using that sway more actively.

Even as he starts picking at the lock once more, he uses his head to gesture vaguely towards the various buildings that surround them. Not quite a proper tour, but it will have to do for now.]

Welcome to the lovely town of Baron! Please enjoy our fine cuisine, our talented dancers and our historic architecture. Please do not inform my mother-in-law of my presence.

It looks more like everybody else got the curse.

[A smirk.

He chuckles at this.]

Do you want some help with the lock?

[Cecil's futile attempts suddenly stop, because the answer to that question is yes please.]

Do you have any experience with lock-picking? Or, dare I hope, a Klefki that could help us... temporarily borrow the true key?

Let's say one of my friends back home taught me some stuff about it.

[He takes over and after a moment or two, he's able to get the lock picked.]

There! What is this place we're breaking into anyway?

Should you friend find their way to the Pokémon world, please remind me that I owe them a favor and a fruit basket.

[He almost, almost applauds when Radley manages to get that door open, but realizes at the last second that the noise might attract someone's attention. For a few seconds his hands hang in the air, nearly pressed together.]

This is the entrance to the waterway that supplies both the town and the castle. It'll allow us to bypass the guards and search for Tors– er, wormholes and other matters of interest. The town itself holds no clues or way out.

I'll be sure to pass that word along to him.

[He sighs and nods.]

It sounds like it's our only option then. We'd better get going.

[He picks up Evie.]

... What other 'matters of interest' are you thinking of?

A decent sword, just in case the situation somehow worsens.

[With a wince (he's been crouching for ages!), he stands up, taking it one of his pokéballs as he rises. Unarmed as they are, they'll need more than a single Eevee to get through there.]

In addition, the treasury does contain plenty of magical and cursed items that may or may not help us find our way back, should there be no available wormhole. And if I can convince myself or Rosa of our situation and intentions, we'd have access to greater resources and assistance.

[The magical and cursed items sound ... unsettling at best. He hopes they won't have to resort to that.]

... Do you think Rosa or the ... other you would be convinceable?

It depends on the less visible differences between this world and mine, on when exactly we've arrived... but I may have some convincing arguments to offer.

[He does his very best to sound convincing already. The results leave a lot to be desired.]

But first, we'll need to reach the castle. Do you have access to any Pokémon with Electric- or Ice-type moves at the moment?

[Radley isn't so sure he's convinced.]

No, Evie's the only one who came with me.

["Vee!" says Evie.]

[That's somewhat sub-ideal, but it can't be helped. It's not like Cecil has many options himself.]

May I request some support for Rosie, then? She can strike at every local monster's weakness, but even she is prone to tiring out after such a trek. I do also have my Ceruledge with me, but...

[Fire-type. In a waterway. Even merely in front of the door, the air feels more humid than it would otherwise. Using Leon in there would almost be counterproductive, really.]

[Evie raises a paw in the air. "Eevee-vee!"

Radley chuckles.]

Evie is happy to help.

Wonderful!

[Not that he's surprised by their answer or enthusiasm, but it's always nice to get that confirmed. Satisfied, he pushes the heavy door fully open.]

Just be sure not to let the gators eat you.

[Not the most reassuring thing to hear when entering a dark, damp series of caves, is it?]

[Evie definitely always loves to help. She does, however, blink wide eyes at this comment. "Vee?"

Radley doesn't look so thrilled either.]

Gators?

[He peers through the door.]

Gators. Weak against ice. The green ones are stronger than the grey ones, for the record

[As he speaks, he drops his pokéball. The instant Rosie comes out, she opens her mouth questioningly.]

No, we are not going to ask the locals which Pokémon will come out when their heads hatch. We are going to the castle in order to find a way out.

[Disappointed, Rosie still takes the time to wave at Radley and Evie. Hello there! Hope you two aren't absolute killjoys like her trainer!]

We'll keep that in mind.

[He smiles at Rosie and Evie warbles a greeting. And he has to chuckle at Rosie's apparent question.]

Hey there.

Well ... we'd better get going.

[Prepare for gator battle....]

Yes, we'd better. The situation is unlikely to fix itself, after all.

[And there's no way in hell Silph Co will come anywhere close to fixing it, either.

Which means they're now stuck entering a damp, dark cave. Crossing a rickety wooden bridge that somehow manages to bear their weight.

As they advance, Cecil points at a pinkish fin, barely brushing against the water's surface.]

Do you see that monster? Unlike every other local fish, it absorbs electricity. Tricky little creatures.

... Okay. Does it send electricity back at people too?

[He inches away from it at the thought. Electricity still frightens him.]

Luckily, it does not. Otherwise, it'd make many enemies among these waters.

[Like one of those teal and yellow shadows that almost, but not quite, approaches the rocky platform they are crossing before swimming away.]

Unless you want to explore, you can ignore the path to the right after we turn the corner; it's little more than a detour.

Good to know.

[He relaxes some. Upon being told of the path, he watches Evie to make sure she doesn't decide to investigate.]

I think we'd better just hurry on. Who knows how long it'll take to find a wormhole.

Easily months even with an airship, if they can appear anywhere in the world or with a delay. I can think of a few locations that would be particularly promising, but they'll be difficult to reach without assistance.

[Forward, then left, then there's a few more rotting bridges to cross. Without prompting, Rosie aims an Ice Beam at a green gator tail that was approaching in a most suspicious manner.]

If no wormhole can be found on this planet... I can attempt to open a Torsion. But that will make things worse for everyone involved, so it'd be best to avoid that.

[Well, that definitely isn't promising. Oh boy.]

Yeaaah, I'm sure we won't have months. They're probably gonna shut down that loco machine as soon as possible.

[Evie helps with some Swift attacks!

Radley winces at this information.]

A Torsion? What's that?

[It definitely doesn't sound like a good thing.]

((OOC: I stuck a Sephiroth on the TDM. If you're interested in interacting with him, I can have him have experienced the Dissidia games so they'll know each other. :) ))

Project Paradox event log

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