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 Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:53 am
Client Cofagrigus "Did you know that my kind used to populate these pyramids? Our greatest kings would store immense troves of treasure in their depths, though they were often laden with traps to keep out thieves and bandits. I wonder, would you be able to do what so many others could not?" Location: Desert Plains Floors: 30 Rewards: ??? +??? + ???Violet Dawn in Clouded Skies and Guildmaster Frost Skye frowned at the paper, her paws drifting over the date scrawled beneath the Cofagrigus’ signature. ”This was signed quite some time ago,” she commented quietly. Frost and Claudius sat across from her at the other side of the rounded table. Both males dwarfed her, their exceptional size making the little Espeon seem like a child in comparison. She supposed this was how Serrin felt, though even he was taller than she was.
”Claudius has had the letter in his possession for some time now,” Frost agreed, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. ”The problem isn’t with the request itself, but what it has led to. We’ve caught word from one of our messengers that two young boys have disappeared in relation to this a couple of days ago. We’d like you to find them and bring them both home safely.” The youngest of the three Guildmasters had grown into his evolution quite nicely as he’d aged, now striking a very proud and handsome figure. He was still as soft-hearted as he’d been when he and Skye had shared a team, but there was a maturity to his voice that could only come from sharing the responsibilities of leadership. Serrin and Claudius had been a good influence on him.
There was a sharp glint of concern in the Espeon’s eyes, regarding Frost closely as he spoke. ”You think they’ve gone in after the treasure? Do we have any leads?” She glanced back to Claudius, though she felt considerably less sure about speaking with him directly. He was very friendly, bless him, but she didn’t share the same history with the massive Aurorus that she did with the Arcanine.
Frost spoke first. "It's complicated. The boys' father is one of our messengers, an Archeops from the desert plains. According to him, he's been introducing them to some of his work and thinks that they may have taken some local myths a little more seriously than they should have," he explained, his expression severe. He sounded gravely concerned. He glanced at Claudius for support, knowing that the Aurorus would know considerably more about the myths than he did.
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 12:21 pm
Guildmaster Claudius
Claudius was the stranger amongst this trio, but it didn't deter him in the slightest; in the end this was a business conference of utmost importance, as was evidenced by the slight discomfort between the Espeon and Arcanine in the room who found themselves trapped by the rules of status. For their sake and the sake of expediency this would be kept brief and to the point.
When Frost looked to him to continue, Claudius dipped his head to produce sheet of parchment from his scarf, laying it out on the table before the leader of Team Sunstrike. A graphite scratching of weathered stone, depicting a Cofagrigus superimposed on a pyramid, and ancient pictographs circled the image. "An artist's depiction of Sekhemkhet, one of the ancient Cofagrigus pharaohs. These pharaohs were the great kings of which this client speaks."
Claudius pursed his lips. "There was a period of our history, a long time ago, when the existence of Ghost Types and their origin was not commonly known or understood by other Pokemon. During this time, the Ghosts who chose to reveal themselves to the living once again were thought to be the favored of Arceus, and some Pokemon even worshiped them as prophets or figureheads of the god himself." The Aurorus's disapproval was unveiled as he continued. "Eventually these beliefs were disproven, and we came to understand more about the existence of Ghosts, but in some places these beliefs were harder to shake than others, due to the interference of some Ghost Types who enjoyed the power that had been granted to them by this misunderstanding. The Desert Plains exists over the ruins of an empire built on this foundation, governed by Cofagrigus and their kin for many generations." But all this was merely background knowledge, to better explain the way that fact and myth were impossibly tied together in this case.
"These Cofagrigus rulers maintained that they and their kin had been chosen by Arceus upon their deaths to serve as the ministers of his word, which made them deities unto themselves. The Pokemon living in the area were in awe of them, and willingly submitted to their dominion. This led to the construction of grand monuments to the pharaohs and to the gods--the pyramids were the homes of these Cofagrigus, and their final resting place. One was made for each new ruler and he, his family, and his servants would live there until his death, whereupon his sarcophagus would be moved to his treasure room and the pyramid would be sealed. The family would be spared, but those who worked for him would be left to perish alongside him." The Aurorus offered a grim smile; such was the way of that society.
Clearing his throat, Claudius continued. "You'll notice that Sekhemkhet's portrait shows him holding four objects." He nodded to the Ghost's hands. "In his upper hands are the crook and the flail--rulers carried them to represent the provision of protection and sustenance to their subjects. In his lower hands are the Ankh and the Eye of Ra. The Ankh is a symbol of immortality and enduring life--the Eye is a symbol of protection and healing." The Aurorus grew thoughtful. "Each pharaoh possessed all of these objects, and would be buried with them upon his death. It is speculated that these were more than mere symbolic objects however, because they were so closely guarded by the pharaohs. Some even speculate that these were extraordinary technical machines, granting the Cofagrigus rulers moves more powerful than they could possibly know naturally, and there is historical evidence of this as well." Claudius stared down at the parchment thoughtfully. "Even if these rumors are untrue however, there is plenty of reason to search for a pharaoh's treasure. All of the wealth they amassed over their lifetime would be buried with them, along with ample food and drink, and the many TMs offered to them as tribute over the course of their extensive lives."
Claudius looked up to meet Skye's gaze. "This is where I believe our young Archen come in," he told her gravely. "You see, receiving this request prompted me to do further research on the history of this Cofagrigus empire, and the children's father was enlisted to help with communication between myself and a certain expert on the subject. I suspect the father may have brought his boys to meet with this historian, and her explanation of the myths surrounding these pyramids was so thorough the children thought her explanations to be much more than speculation." The Aurorus frowned--from what he knew of the Solrock he'd been in correspondence with, he wouldn't be surprised, she would have certainly livened up the tale with children present.
"This is what we know for certain," he said after a moment. "There are two Archen boys and their father has reported they've been missing for a couple days now. One of these children is very sick, and one of the tales their father confirms was told to them was that of the healing powers of the Eye of Ra. He claims his healthy son showed great interest in the tale and asked a number of questions about it; in addition, the father reports that some food was taken from their home at the same time the boys disappeared, suggesting the pair went off of their own volition." The Aurorus's expression was very grave. "The local police tracked the boys to one of the grand pyramids, but their trail ends suddenly although the officers were unable to find any way the children could have found entry to the structure."
Claudius fixed Skye in his gaze quietly, an expression of appraisal on his face. "This is where you and your Team come in," he informed her, "I've been informed you have some experience with search and rescue, and was quite impressed by the mission reports I read." He glanced at Frost with a wry smile. "And, you come highly recommended by my fellow Guildmaster." His expression grew serious again as he returned to Skye. "If you feel you can accept this mission, your task would be to go to the pyramid, find a way inside, and search for the children there. There's no guarantee they will be found there but it's the best lead we have. Search parties will continue on the outside for any sign of them, but time is of the essence. If the children are inside the pyramid, there are any number of traps and pitfalls they could fall victim to, even before sickness, hunger, or thirst get the better of them." He watched Skye closely to gauge her reaction. "Do you believe you and your Team to be capable of handling this task?"
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 2:24 pm
Violet Dawn in Clouded Skies and Guildmaster Frost Skye’s expression was unreadable for some time, though there was a calculated glimmer in her eyes as she absorbed the information Claudius presented to her. The ancient civilization was immeasurably complex, though she imagined that the Aurorus was already simplifying it considerably for her sake. They only needed the background information necessary for the mission, with some additional facts here and there that would assist with navigation within the pyramid itself. If they were able to get inside, it would be a very intricate structure and likely similar to a maze for the unacquainted. Knowledge of significant symbols would help in navigation, provided any markings still existed and were safe from the weathering that would be seen on the outside of the pyramid. For that reason, the four symbols were intriguing to her.
Taking his guidance into account, she leaned over the document slightly to memorize the appearance of the objects. They were very heavily stylized, but she quickly managed to scribble them down onto her own sheet of notes, including the crudely-drawn maps that Frost had given her at the start of their meeting. Her team would need to be filled in on the details later, but a quick description of each item couldn’t hurt.
Claudius’ following warnings were littered with praise for her accomplishments, and she twitched her ears bashfully in spite of her serious expression. It was likely that the Aurorus hadn’t looked as closely into her mission reports as Serrin did, but he seemed pleased by the general positive outcomes of each one. Her work rarely ended with lasting problems for her team and the surrounding communities, which in itself might be impressive due to mission scale. She was nearly always working in rescue and retrieval missions, with the sole exception resulting in a very serious underground battle. Serrin hadn’t been terribly pleased on that account, she recalled.
”Thank you, Guildmaster,” she replied softly, her bright eyes locking with his for a moment. ”As a team I think we’re very well-equipped for this type of work. We specialize in complex rescue situations, and this certainly qualifies. If those children have entered the pyramid based on a myth, it’s likely that they’ve discovered some sort of pre-existing entrance.” Her eyes narrowed pensively and she gestured to the perimeter of the pyramid on the second of her two maps. ”If this is accurate, there are secondary pyramids not far from the main structure. They might be connected physically in some way. If you could ask the search crew to take note of anything they find around the other pyramids as well, it’ll help speed the process. We’ll be in touch with them as soon as I’ve rallied my team.”
Skye’s voice was strong and confident, speaking as plainly as the Guildmasters beside her did. She’d known them for much longer than some of the other captains, even if their rank did separate them by formalities. She was no longer royalty, even if the status seemed to linger over her head. She’d been groomed for the public eye, and certainly for the eventual succession of her mother’s title as captain. Her sister had experienced much the same, though she hadn’t taken to the position as readily as Skye.
The Espeon dipped her head in farewell, dismissing herself as she gathered her paperwork into a single, tightly-rolled package with a burst of psychic energy. Her gem and eyes glowed as she then grasped it delicately between her teeth. She was careful not to rip the papers, though her copies were a far cry from the valuable originals, if only because she might need the information later when relaying it all to her team. Vyra would be especially particular about the details.
Frost simply eyed the Espeon and Aurorus as they spoke, feeling for once very much out of his league as they exchanged theories and background information. He wasn’t working in historical records and information for a reason, despite his own intelligence. Frost wasn’t stupid, but it wasn’t particularly his cup of tea. As Skye turned to leave, however, he frowned and lifted chin to speak again.
”One other thing, Skye,” His voice was a little awkward, caught between addressing her formally and the familiarity of his relationship to the Espeon’s mother. ”If you should run into the… Eye, I suppose, I’d like to ask that you avoid letting the boys come into contact with it. The artifact itself would be priceless, but if it’s as described by local myth then it’s not particularly safe for kids to mess with. …You have experience with abilities of that caliber, so I thought it best to involve you before other teams.” His voice dropped very low at the end of this, swallowing hard as he regarded the little female. She wasn’t much younger than he was, but he knew more than he should about the blanks in her record. He remembered the titles she’d earned, before Serrin and Tolin had begun to control the spread of information from their members.
Skye’s expression darkened as she looked at her mother’s old teammate. Frost baulked slightly, looking apologetic to have brought such heavy feelings to the surface. Skye could sense his anxiety, and her face softened as she recognized that his words were genuine. He was truly worried about it. ”I understand,” she responded kindly, though there was still a glimmer of something sad in her eyes. ”We’ll do our best, but I can’t make guarantees. For all we know, they already have it and are just trapped inside,” the Espeon cautioned.
Frost simply nodded back to her, and dismissed her with a flick of his thick tail. ”Be careful.” He half-hoped that Claudius hadn’t heard that, although the faint trace of a smile on the Aurorus’ face told him that he had. He was too soft on their guild teams, and Claudius was well aware of it. ”…Don’t give me that look.”
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:37 pm
Skye & Quil & Zahra & Vyra Skye padded down the path ahead of her team, her leather harness fastened tightly across her chest and shoulders and several pockets fastened tightly shut around the herbs and supplies she carried. A single knife gleamed from its sheath at her shoulder. Her vice captain was perched just above this, nestled between her shoulder blades to hide from the blowing sand that whipped and swirled around the traveling team.
Vyra trotted just behind her captain, though looking fairly bored with the whole experience, and Zahra took up the tail of their group with her wings folded tightly against her back. She seemed less keen on the sand between her toes, and Skye understood as she shook excess sand out of her feathers for the umpteenth time.
Zahra's white feathers were nearly blinding in such bright sunlight, but they reflected much of the heat from her shoulders. The only one feeling the ill effects of the weather was Quil, though it wasn’t yet hot enough to cause him severe discomfort. The Joltik glanced numbly at his captain, still stubbornly trying to nap on the top of Skye’s harness as the Espeon stopped to look back at Zahra. He’d spent most of the night preparing their gear and supplies for this trip, so his sleep now was well-deserved, if he managed to get any at all.
”They sound like pretty brave kids, you know,” Zahra offered idly as she broke the silence, trying to take her mind off the itch of sand in her plumage. She bounced for a couple steps, puffs of sand falling from around her feet and wings as she did so. It likely didn’t help much, but the Togetic seemed at least a little satisfied by the amount she’d shaken off. ”Maybe not the brightest, jumping into ancient crypts on a whim, but definitely brave.”
”Judging from what Claudius said, I think they were as much desperate as brave. I’m not sure what condition we’ll find them in once we get there, but I doubt it’s going to be particularly good.” The Espeon’s voice was dulled by the graveness of the situation. ”The older brother was pretty frail to start with, and the archaeologists studying the pyramids have some fairly dark theories about what’s inside.”
”…Anything in particular that we should know about?” Zahra questioned with equal seriousness, falling properly into stride beside Skye.
Vyra spoke up from behind them, sounding mildly annoyed. ”Traps and curses, most likely. Archaeologists are a pretty suspicious bunch, but it’s not as if their fears aren’t well-founded. Guildmaster Claudius had said that the pyramids used to be ruled by a hierarchy of Cofagrigus, didn’t he?” the Vulpix quipped knowingly. ”Ghost types are fairly well-known for trickery, and I wouldn’t expect them to just leave a crypt and treasure hoard unguarded.”
Skye nodded in agreement. ”Some of the treasure is supposed to be incredibly valuable for more than just material worth. We don't have much writing about the contents of the pyramids themselves, but the civilization built around the Cofagrigus line was supposed to host a number of very powerful weapons and advanced technology. Even older legends talk about the pyramids holding the magic of their gods and ancestors. Things worth protecting even if they aren't made of gold. Besides that, ancient magic isn’t something most people should be tampering with. I can tell you from experience that powerful abilities typically have some sort of downside. There’s always a trade-off for wielding that kind of energy,” she reasoned, looking into the vivid green eyes of the Vulpix beside her. The fire-type was listening with great interest. ”And if the Eye of Ra they’re looking for really exists, I can’t imagine it comes without a cost.”
”So… we’re pretty close to the ancient death trap, right?” Zahra questioned apprehensively. She was impatient to get there and start work, given the harsh conditions of the desert around them, but she wasn’t particularly keen on jumping into an underground crypt full of curses and deathtraps either.
Vyra, who'd been pleased and surprised by Skye's admittedly limited knowledge of ancient magic, frowned again at the interruption in their conversation.
Skye could remember most of the route they’d planned by map, but navigation in the desert was fairly difficult. There were few significant landmarks to go by, and the shifting sand dunes were liable to change at any time. They were difficult to see over, as well, and their trek was unfortunately taking them up and down each one instead of parallel along the tops of the dunes. ”We should be pretty close, now,” she responded hopefully, feeling her voice crack from the dryness. They’d need to stop for water once they met with the search crew, else they risk dehydration and heat stroke. Vyra would be fine, but the rest of them weren’t suited to such dry climates. ”Maybe a half-hour’s hike Southeast?”
Vyra groaned loudly, clearly displeased with the idea. ”Surely we could have asked for a Teleport there or something? This amount of walking isn’t terribly enjoyable.” Her voice was formal and clipped now, betraying her frustration.
The Espeon simply shook her head. ”The guilds aren’t as big as they used to be. A lot of our transportation is probably from cashing in on old favors and making social connections. If we want that luxury, we’ll probably have to earn it, first,” she reminded the Vulpix. ”It's not like I can start digging up old friends from back then, either. Anyone who wanted to stay with us already has.”
Zahra stepped up to join the two, the little group now standing halfway up the shady side of a sand dune. ”You used to be a princess or something, didn’t ya’? Could always use that to your advantage.” The Togetic seemed to agree with Vyra for once, likely because of the sand and heat that steadily wore on her endurance. They’d only been walking in the desert for an hour or two, but for her new team this was training hell.
”Used to be.” Skye’s voice was patient, though she lashed her tail slightly in irritation. ”And even then, I wasn’t exactly living the high life. I’m related to the heirs, not one of the heirs themselves. You’ll have to get used to travelling long distances if you’re going to keep doing guild work. Some of our missions take more than a week.” She could see the eyes of both recruits widen as they stared incredulously back at her. They would need a lot more endurance training than they currently had, she realized, although Zahra in particular was hindered by her species’ physical frailty.
”You’re a machine,” Zahra retorted in a mixture of awe and mocking displeasure. Her playful jab seemed echoed by Vyra, though the Vulpix took it more seriously. She simply flattened her ears in response to her captain’s explanation and nodded as though she hadn’t just been chided for her inexperience.
Skye laughed and lifted her paws an extra inch from the sand as if to emphasize her stamina, content to joke around with the friendly Togetic while they still had the chance to do so. The extreme heat of the afternoon hadn’t yet set in, and the sand was still cold from the night before if they wormed their paws past the surface. Their work would be stressful and taxing once they arrived, and it was better to joke and play on their trip to the pyramids than to spend the journey in anxious anticipation. Vyra ignored both of them, instead gazing out across the sands as they continued their ascent.
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Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 4:30 pm
Skye & Quil & Zahra & Vyra Skye frowned, walking alongside the head officer of the search team. The Empoleon was much taller than she was, and walked with a business-like, purposeful stride. Her long, graceful limbs made it an easy task for her to keep pace, but her short-legged team lagged slightly behind them.
”We’ve marked out a line between each of the smaller pyramids and the big one, but we haven’t found any openings just yet. We’re waiting on the okay to try just digging down and reaching a tunnel that way, but the locals aren’t too excited about the idea. The pyramid’s like a sacred temple to them; they’ve been talking a lot about divine retribution and curses,” The Empoleon told them gruffly, clearly frustrated with the unwillingness of the village to participate in the search effort. ”Meanwhile we’re more worried about bringing the tunnel down on someone’s head. We don’t have a clue what the inner structure’s actually like, so we can’t just go blasting holes in it and expect a million-year-old building to stay upright.”
The Espeon considered this, her bright eyes clouded with thought. She could see the bright yellow strings that had been strung along temporary markers, leading out across the sands between each structure. There were smaller structures, too, and each of these were tied into a web of criss-crossing ropes. ”The tunnels might not be visible through the sand, especially if there’s been any wind recently,” she suggested passively, hoping not to offend the Empoleon. ”Digging might be necessary, even if we aren’t trying to break directly into the tunnels.”
The Empoleon shared a pained look. ”With the villagers the way they are, they haven’t even allowed us to try. We’re considering moving the sand by other means, but it would have to be fairly controlled to keep the locals happy,” he sighed heavily, ”We’ve started looking on the pyramids themselves again. It seems like the only reliable way in.”
”Wouldn’t the wind move the sand on its own?” Zahra broke in, jumping into the conversation now that the two leaders had found themselves standing at the top of a sand dune to discuss their options. She didn’t have to sprint to catch up with them if they were just going to stand there. ”It’s not even stormy and the wind was still crazy on the way here.”
”The wind likely uncovers and buries the ruins all the time, but it isn’t a predictable tool we can use. The desert climate is too wild.” The Empoleon sounded displeased at this, being as foreign to the desert region as the assigned rescue team was. There was a harsh sniff of agreement from Vyra, who was shaking sand from between her toes as she joined the group on top of the sand dune, and Skye looked reprovingly at her for her rudeness. The Vulpix’s nose wrinkled in distaste.
Still atop Skye’s shoulder blades, Quil blinked in the arid heat. He had been following the conversation with forced interest, feeling a little sluggish in the intense sunlight. It was critical that he, as the team’s Vice Captain, pay attention to this. Skye would need his cooperation to get the mission done safely, especially with Zahra’s naïve enthusiasm and Vyra’s ignorant pride.
”Perhaps the entrance the Archen used was covered by sand again. That might be why they haven’t returned,” Quil’s voice cautioned in Skye’s pointed ears. The Espeon twisted slightly to look at her partner, as did Zahra. The Empoleon jumped in surprise, not having recognized the figure of another Pokemon on Skye’s back.
He recovered quickly enough, though he stuttered slightly when speaking again. It seemed he felt poorly for his rudeness in overlooking the Joltik. ”I-It’s… possible. In fact, it's incredibly likely. But how would we know for sure?” he asked uneasily. ”And more importantly, how would we find the same entrance they used? If they've all been buried by sand, there's no guarantees about which entrance is which.”
Quil hesitated, wondering if it was appropriate for him to speak, but the Empoleon had already addressed both himself and Zahra directly. ”The outside might be covered, but the insides should still be somewhat hollowed out if the Archen used them to get inside."
"There would be signs of outside influence inside the tunnels. These ruins haven’t been disturbed in hundreds of years until now, so it seems likely that the Archen would leave a noticeable trail on the way in. Footprints in dust, excess sand or fresh plant material inside the ruins, maybe even feathers if the entrance is particularly narrow.” His voice was quiet and timid, but he was confident in his answer.
Skye smiled. ”That’s reason enough to start uncovering portions of the ruins. We need to find potential points of entry in order to look for tampering,” she reasoned, glancing back to the Empoleon. His eyes were wide, but he looked pleased and determined.
”Anything close to the smaller pyramids should be closer to the surface. Our archaeologists said that the biggest one would likely be deep in the ground, and we don’t have that kind of Poke power.” He decided, already gesturing to some of his search team to head toward the mentioned structures.
”We can help with that,” Skye replied, her gem already glowing as she gestured for her team to follow. They’d be moving sand for the next hour or so, if they were lucky. She just hoped that they would be fast enough to save the two Archen.
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Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:11 am
Skye & Zahra & Vyra Zahra’s slight frame and short limbs weren’t well-built for digging. Skye and Vyra (much to the Vulpix’ displeasure) were the only two of their team who could be reasonably assigned to manual labor. Quil was much the same as Zahra, but he’d elected to remain with the archaeology team in order to better organize their search efforts. He was clever and straight-forward, and seemed to look for the simple answers before the complex ones. It was similar to how she dealt with things, she thought idly, but she didn’t have the same background that Quil did. Quil was as highly-educated as their captain, and Skye had her nose in a book several times a week. The only one worse for that was Vyra, who was much more likely to bury herself in paperwork than to host a conversation with her teammates.
The Togetic kicked the sand, her pale face scrunching in discomfort as she immediately felt it trickle between her soft, blunted talons. It was hotter than she’d like, even with the roughly-woven cloak that was now draped across her head and shoulders to guard her from the harsh sunlight and the reflection off the pearly sand dunes. The search teams had lent her the cloak since the temperature had begun to peak. Water was being circulated between groups every fifteen to twenty minutes to keep them hydrated, and breaks were as frequent as they could afford. The transport of water, of course, had somehow become her job.
The weight of the pack on her back had been lifted, only to be replaced by a second and much heavier basket that she’d slung over her delicate shoulders. It was filled to the brim with opaque clay bottles, each one in turn filled with cool water from the village oasis. It was her job to carry the filled bottles to search teams 2, 7 and 8, exchange them for the empty ones each team carried, and bring them back for refills. The woven straps of the basket were worn and rough, and they dug hard into her feathered arms. The bottom edge of the basket, reinforced with strips of canvas, was beginning to cause bruises on her lower back when it bounced around on her treks. She had a feeling that it would only hurt worse later on.
Squinting against the bright sun, she could make out the shape of Vyra’s six coiled tails and the blurred silhouette of Skye’s tufted ears against the blazing white sand. The Fire-type wasn’t concerned with heat, and Espeon, though more sensitive to it than Vyra would be, were still known as Pokemon of the Sun. Skye seemed untroubled by the soaring temperatures outside of her frequent breaks for water, and with Vyra’s assistance she was rapidly covering more ground than the search teams beside her.
This sort of work was as close to busy work as a rescue operation could get, she was sure. But there was little more they could do than to assist in investigating every inch of the dig site. Without a way to track their young charges, they couldn’t find them to save them. ’Let them be safe,’ Zahra pleaded silently.
- - - - -
Skye & Quil
Skye’s paws were scraped raw from the abrasive sand. Their digging and searching had taken much longer than planned, with the hidden entrances to the pyramids still far beyond their grasp. She felt pained at the thought of two frail, frightened children caught hundreds of feet below the sand but she couldn’t help the lack of trail they’d left behind.
Her teammates were both sleeping, now, with night having fallen hours before and the biting winds having shifted bring a harsh chill on the weary search parties. She lay sprawled across the top of a wooden supply crate, the distance from the sand helping to stave off the cold and the height offering an excellent vantage point to view the pyramids from afar. A small candle rested beside her and their expedition maps and notes were fanned out between her forelegs. Quil lay over her left paw, staring pensively down at the hastily scribbled notes in the margins of each map. They’d been adding as they worked earlier in the day, keeping track of each change to the dig site and each location they’d managed to survey. Quil had kept several notes of his own, as he’d worked alongside the archaeologists and away from the deadly heat of the desert sun. Comparing the two was not yielding the sort of results that Skye had hoped to find.
”We don’t have the time for this,” Skye sighed in frustration, pressing the bridge of her nose hard against her upper arm. ”If we wait any longer those kids could be in serious trouble. We don’t even know if they have water down there.”
Quil looked up at his captain with wide eyes, tiny brows furrowed in sympathy for the pressure on her shoulders. ”They’ve been searching for entrances into the pyramids for months now,” he admitted softly. ”Just because we have more people looking doesn’t mean we’re liable to find a way in. I’m…” He hesitated but pressed onward and Skye regarded him with a wary expression. ”Skye, we have to consider that we might not be looking for these kids alive anymore. Maybe if we were searching somewhere less extreme, somewhere with water, but-“
”We assume they’re alive until we get proof otherwise,” she interrupted sharply, though her expression immediately softened at the startled look on her partner’s face. ”Sorry.”
”It’s fine,” he answered her quietly. It was a touchy subject for both of them. No one wanted to consider that they were looking for bodies instead of children, especially with the frantic grieving father still struggling to help their efforts. Skye was right that they couldn’t give up hope on the basis of what was likely. It was still possible that one or both of the boys was alive, even if the odds were slim. And if they were, their expedience as a rescue team would be invaluable to getting those children back where they belonged. But false hope was a dangerous thing. He didn’t look forward to the increasing potential of that loss.
It was a few minutes before either of them spoke again, with Quil staring down at his tiny claws and the scribbled notes below Skye’s much larger paws. It was late, and their candle was steadily burning lower into the wax. They’d need to rest soon, or else sacrifice their much-needed energy for the long and heated search ahead of them tomorrow. He began rolling and re-binding their parchment, careful not to tear them as he returned each of the documents to the harness he’d taken from Skye’s back earlier that evening. Her gleaming coat was still mussed from the sand and sweat that had caught beneath the leather.
She stood abruptly, accidentally throwing Quil from atop her leg and drawing a startled squeak out of the Joltik. He could see her stern expression, eyes glowing in the candlelight as she stared off into the desert. He twisted to see for himself, and found himself looking ahead to strange, dancing lights at the base of the Western pyramid. The largest of the three structures, it had been searched most heavily by the archaeologists and Pokepologists- their own team hadn’t had the opportunity to search it as thoroughly. Now, though, he realized it might yet hold something useful to them.
”That’s not one of ours,” she noted seriously. ”Rally the team, ride with Zahra and I’ll meet you there.” What once would have been a request was now a rushed order, the Espeon grasping the newly-packed harness between her jaws and roughly throwing it over her shoulders again. She strapped it on with a flare of glittering gold-and-mauve psychic, unconcerned with how quickly her vice captain took to her demands, and leaped down to sprint across the sands. She’d lose sight of them if she didn’t hurry.
Quil spared a brief moment to watch her go, the familiar lavender of her fur disappearing into the darkness, before he called for the rest of their team to rise off their blanketed nests.
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 4:30 pm
Skye Skye was running like she hadn’t for some time, using her speed and light body to try and keep herself from sinking deep into the sand as she sprinted. Her paws were too small to pad over the surface as the native species would, but with a little effort and planning the path ahead, she could make decent time on her sprint.
She could see the flickering, ghostly lights still ahead at the base of the pyramid. She was certain, now, that what she saw were Ghost-type Pokemon. They hadn’t at all been around the search teams or dig site in daylight hours, but now that night had fallen they were out in whatever sparse numbers they could gather. She could remember Claudius telling her that Ghosts were the original owners of the great pyramids, and that at one point in their history these Ghost-types had been treated as kings. She held her pace, praying for the off-chance that they would know and be complicit enough to help her.
The lights, excepting one gold glow, shone crimson in the dark. Circles of gold hung below each, though they swayed slightly with the movement of each ghost. The gold light held a silver mask instead, as Skye drew close enough to identify the unfamiliar Pokemon. She was fairly certain that they were Yamask, and the skittish ghosts watched her warily before they darted back to safety through the walls of the nearby pyramid. ”Wait! Please!” she called desperately, stumbling as her paws stuck in the sand. They did not wait, and Skye’s heart sank as she stood alone in the shadow of the great tomb.
A crimson light flickered between the bricks of the pyramid and Skye’s ears twitched. She was hopeful, padding a little closer to peer into the crack. Outside of the light she could see nothing, the stones still quite close together from their immaculate construction. But the Yamask obviously hadn’t fled too far.
Only one of them had stayed, she realized, as a raspy voice called out to her. ”What do you want?” it demanded rudely. It was a masculine-sounding voice to her, but she couldn’t be sure. Would he even be willing to help her?
”I’m looking for two little kids. A pair of Archen. Their family’s worried that they somehow got trapped inside one of the pyramids.” She did her best to keep her voice firm and patient. If she snapped back, this was only going to get harder.
The Yamask made an abrupt scoffing noise. ”What do you want me to do about it?” he countered bluntly, seeming not to care about the little Flying-types. ”You’re not one of us, you don’t get in. We don’t make exceptions.”
Skye tried not to grit her teeth. ’Of course not. That would have made our lives easier,’ she thought rather spitefully. There were children’s lives at stake. At least she felt reassured that it wasn’t personal, given the way that the Yamask had mentioned ‘no exceptions’. ”Okay, I get it. We’re not allowed in,” she pacified, her nose wrinkling as she frowned. ”Could you maybe check the pyramids yourselves, then? Try to find them?”
There was silence from the glow between the stones, and abruptly it dimmed as the little Ghost moved off. She stared, hoping that he’d return and she wouldn’t be stuck pleading her case with a brick wall. He did. ”I can… Look,” he informed her darkly. ”I can’t promise they’ll come back safe. We’re not really in the business of killing kids, but not everybody here’s going to agree with that. If the wrong person finds your little friends, they’ll be more fossils than their ancestors ever were.” His tone was somewhat sour, but she could tell from the way he hesitated that his rough demeanor didn’t mean he was unsympathetic.
”We live here, we can’t be sticking our necks out for them if we want to keep our own.” His voice was now much quieter. ”You’re here digging around into our business where you’re not wanted. You can’t ask us to take the moral high ground if you haven’t tried it yourself.”
”Thanks,” the Espeon replied quietly, though she felt somewhat crestfallen at the parting words from the snappish Ghost-type. His ‘help’ wasn’t particularly inspiring.
She was left standing in the dark again, the glow from within the cracks of the pyramid disappearing again as she stood with paws pressed to the limestone. She was alone, now, and in the darkness she could only repeat the Yamask’s words over and over inside her head.
She paced, waiting for her team to join her. Her paws dragged through pearlescent sand. His phrasing had seemed off to her. He was back-and-forth on the subject enough for her to know that he couldn’t help her without risking his own safety, and she could appreciate that, but even despite the hesitance he’d sounded willing to keep an eye out. He didn’t want to see children get hurt. So why had he made such a big deal out of her being intrusive? Why was he implying that she wasn’t being fair? It made enough sense in context, but maybe he hadn’t meant it about their conversation at all. She sat, ignoring the discomfort of sand in her fur, and thought back to the precise wording. He’d said she was digging around where she wasn’t wanted. That was easy enough to understand. He was talking about the dig sites. But what ‘moral high ground’ was he asking her to take?
If she took it literally, the only ‘high ground’ nearby was-
- - - - - Skye & Quil & Zahra & Vyra Vyra lagged behind, despite Zahra’s clumsy-footed pace ahead of her. Her legs were burning and her lungs ached to stop, having run such a massive distance immediately after waking. She slowed to a walk partway through, forcing the two ahead of her to pull up short and wait for her.
Zahra’s face was drawn into a scowl. Vyra ignored her, crouched low as she fought to catch her breath. ”Seriously? Vyra, you haven’t even been running for two minutes!” Zahra exclaimed incredulously.
Vyra sputtered angrily. ”I am not a sprinter,” she huffed back, unwilling to deal with her teammate’s impatience. ”If you want to waddle at top speed around the desert at night, that’s your business! I am not wasting my breath and energy to run everywhere at top speed.” It wasn’t like Skye was in any particular danger that she knew of. The Espeon was off chasing lights at the pyramid, not jumping to the front lines of a battlefield.
Quil took control of the conversation before either female could escalate it further. ”Take a moment to breathe,” he agreed, though he seemed a little dispirited at her attitude. Zahra opened her mouth to object and Quil waved a tiny claw for her to wait. Zahra wasn’t happy about it, but she seemed to defer to his authority. Even when Skye held the title of captain alone, Quil was still very thoroughly her second-in-command. He had more experience than either of the two recruits combined.
Vyra huffed again, looking somewhat smug about his agreement, but the frown on Quil’s little face still seemed disapproving. She ignored it. If he was letting her take a break, that was all that mattered to Vyra.
”Are you able to run again?” he asked her considerately, blue eyes peering at her from atop Zahra’s shoulder. She had straightened somewhat, but stared back at the Bug-type.
”I’m not running,” she insisted. ”Skye can handle herself for a minute or two.”
Quil’s fur seemed to bristle as his teammate stared him down, but wasn’t sure what else to say to her. ”I don’t want to argue with you,” he admitted, sounding rather defeated on the subject. ”Just try to keep up, please.”
Zahra’s expression mirrored the frustration that Quil refused to voice aloud. The Joltik was not an angry person, but the Togetic had no qualms about making her opinions known. Vyra’s eyes narrowed back at her, watching as the pair went back to an awkward run through the sand ahead.
Vyra purposely walked after them, though she still thought it prudent not to be late. She wouldn’t be far behind them, but a constant run was just unnecessary.
It would be several minute for the three of them to rally around the base of the pyramid, their eyes scanning the area for any sign of their captain. A glimmer of lavender fur and silver markings- Vyra would have thought her much easier to spot under the light of the moon. Apparently she’d been mistaken, given that the Espeon was nowhere in sight.
”Up here,” Skye’s voice called, her voice carrying well in the night air. Vyra startled, quickly smoothing her fur to disguise the momentary fright. There, crouched above their heads on the grand slope of the limestone pyramid, was Skye. She looked to be on her way back down, having come to greet them. ”I found a way inside!”
Vyra’s eyes widened in surprise. Had she actually found an entrance? The scholars and search teams had been searching for years and failed to find anything. That didn’t make sense.
”Wait what?” Zahra blurted eloquently. Vyra snorted at her teammate’s lack of grace.
Skye seemed undeterred. ”There’s a hidden passage near the top,” she informed them. Her eyes seemed to burn with determination, and Vyra realized why as she offered a single feather with a swirl of gold-and-silver psychic. Even through the light cast by such magic, Vyra could catch the blue sheen of the feather when she held it aloft.
”The Archen?” she questioned bluntly.
Skye nodded sharply. ”We’ve found their way in,” she confirmed. ”Now that we know they’re inside, it’s just a matter of going in after them.”
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