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 Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2024 7:28 pm
You'll find all my missions here, for all characters.
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2024 7:31 pm
Amber's First Master Mission:
For the last few weeks, Amber had been having recurring dreams, though she would describe them more as nightmares. Her nightmares centered around the day she'd lost her sister, Lily. In these dreams, the townspeople, those that had come to see what was going on, were blaming her for not preventing Lily's death. They blamed her for not being there to stop the burglar. Their accusing faces haunted her, preventing her from getting any kind of restful sleep.
Upon waking from said dreams, she had noticed that things that weren't bolted down around her would be floating, surrounded by a ghostly energy, until she was able to calm down. Only then would things return to normal. While she'd brushed this off as random at first, after five or six times of seeing it, she'd realized that she needed help. The only thing she could think of that could be causing this would be her ghost half, now that she was a hybrid. She knew that ghosts, especially Ghost-type Pokemon, had a way of interacting with the mortal realm that few Pokemon or humans besides Psychics could do. Because she was a Froslass hybrid, and there were very few other hybrids of the Ghost-typing in Snagem, she knew she would have to look elsewhere to find someone to help teach her control.
Thus, she turned to the internet to try and find information about any other Ghost-type hybrid, or at least one that was partial Ghost-type, that might be able to help her. At first, her searches were fruitless, amounting mostly to rumors and conjecture about how Ghost-type hybrids were created. One article, however, caught her eye. Apparently, there was someone living in the Crown Tundra that was quite reclusive, and had only been seen by a few that had returned from the area. Those that had returned refused to speak of whatever they'd seen, except to say that they'd met someone who had a rather unusual fondness for Ghost-types. Hmm, this might be worth looking into. Printing off the article she'd found, she packed a single, small bag and booked a flight to Galar, where she would then take a train to the Crown Tundra in hopes of finding the reclusive Ghost-type trainer.
Upon arriving in the Crown Tundra, she noticed that while it was cold, it didn't bother her all that much. Likely because she was a mix of ice and ghost, but she wasn't going to question it. That being said, she knew nothing about this area, preferring to explore and learn about the area as she went. She had no idea what kind of Pokemon she might encounter, nor what kinds of trials she would have to endure. All she knew is that the one she was looking for resided somewhere around here, and if she wanted to find them, there was a very likely chance she would encounter Pokemon that would be hostile. She could see a few trainers milling about the train station, and one male trainer told her it would be a good idea to have a Pokemon out with her at all times, as the Pokemon here were far more hostile than elsewhere in Galar, and she gave a nod. "I always have a Pokemon out with me," she said, indicating Spooky and Arauth, both of whom floated around her head. Strangely, the person shuddered at the sight of the two Ghost-types, making her wonder what had caused that reaction.
"Beware the Ghost Master," the trainer said, his voice sounding eerily hollow. "If you meet him, don't accept anything from him. He has this uncanny way of seeing into your very soul, and if he finds you wanting, you'll never be able to leave the Crown Tundra." "Wait, what do you mean?" Amber asked, confused by this information. "How does he see into your soul? And who is he?" "From what I've heard, and keep in mind this is just a rumor, he's a Polteageist hybrid that goes by the name Glascau," the trainer answered. "I've never actually met him, myself, but I've heard rumors that he lives up in the Crown Shrine, which used to be home to a powerful Pokemon that just vanished one day. Nobody knows what caused it to vanish, but he stays to tend to the shrine out of respect for it. Rumor has it that Glascau has been alive for centuries, and since he's supposedly a Ghost-type hybrid, I could easily see that being true. As for how he sees into your soul, I don't know. Like I said, most of this is rumor, and only a few people have gone out there and returned. I've only spoken to one that returned, and they said that nothing good comes from meeting Glascau."
The trainer fell silent, and Amber was left to ponder what she'd heard. If this Glascau truly was a Ghost hybrid, then he was the one she needed to see to learn to control her abilities. How she was going to get to him was another matter, but she would worry about that once she actually set out into the Tundra. Seeing that she was ready to head out, the trainer spoke one more time. "Head past the ruins, then walk through the cave and up the mountain," he said. "The Crown Shrine sits at the top of the mountain; that's where you'll find Glascau, if he really does live there." Giving a nod of thanks, Amber set out, Spooky and Arauth both going incorporeal. She always knew they were there, even without being able to see them, so she wasn't worried about being alone out there. It was what she would encounter on the way, along with the information the trainer had given her, that had her a little on edge. How did Glascau see into one's soul? Was it some kind of trick he'd picked up over his time being a hybrid? Or was it something else? What did that trainer mean when he'd said she wouldn't be able to leave if Glascau found her wanting?
The fact she was lost in thought nearly made her miss the Night Slash attack sent her way, and she jumped back at the last second, feeling the crackle of energy as the attack barely missed her. Looking around warily, she saw what had sent the attack, an Absol, its hackles raised as it growled at her. Wait, why was there an Absol here? They were incredibly reclusive and shy, and many distrusted humans because they were blamed when disasters happened, even though she knew it wasn't their doing. She could understand why people thought Absol caused disasters, despite what she knew about the species. So why was this one here? Was there some kind of disaster waiting to happen? Was it trying to warn-- She dodged out of the way of another Night Slash, this time giving a slight signal to her two Ghost-types. Spooky released a Shadow Ball, which the Absol countered with an Ice Beam, but it couldn't dodge out of the way as Arauth used Dazzling Gleam, catching it in the face and causing it to howl in pain as it rubbed its eyes with one paw to try and dispel the spots from the attack.
"Arauth, Dazzling Gleam again," Amber ordered. "Spooky, keep it occupied with Confuse Ray." Both Ghost-types obeyed, the Absol crying out in pain again as the Dazzling Gleam hit home, followed by the multi-colored orbs of the Confuse Ray. It couldn't counter as the two attacks hit, and Amber watched as it began to stumble around, clearly confused. Before she could issue another command, Spooky executed a Thunder Wave/Hex combo, dealing a lot of damage to the Absol. After a few minutes, it decided they weren't worth the effort, and despite the electricity arcing across its fur, the Absol sprinted away, leaving the three alone once again. Once it was gone, Spooky and Arauth both looked at Amber, and even if she couldn't understand them yet, she knew from the looks they were giving her that they were telling her to pay attention to her surroundings. "I know, I won't let that happen again," she said, as they set off again.
Meanwhile, atop the mountain in the Crown Shrine, a Polteageist hybrid sat meditating, feeling the energies around him. He had a connection with Ghost-types that few could claim, even among hybrids and Channelers. Whether that was part of his hybridism or caused by some other reason was unknown, but it had saved him many times, and oftentimes, he could tell when another hybrid or a Channeler was nearby just by their energy alone. His meditation was interrupted by one of his Sinistea approaching, and he opened his eyes to listened to what the ghostly teacup had to say. "Ah, a new Froslass hybrid, you say?" he asked, getting an affirmative bob from his little friend. "She has two Ghost-types of her own, too. Hmm, a new student, perhaps? Or is she just seeking to understand why she has become who she is now? Keep an eye on her, my friend. Let me know when she reaches the shrine; we must prepare a proper welcome, no?" The Sinistea bobbed up and down as it vanished, and for the first time in a long time, Glascau gave a slight smile. Perhaps this one would be different; only time would tell.
Amber could see numerous Pokemon wandering around the ruins that the trainer had mentioned, including a Stonjourner, a few Snorunt and a Froslass and Glalie, a Sneasel, and a few Snover. All of them, with the exception of the Stonjourner, were full or part Ice-type, so seeing them here wasn't anything she would consider unusual. Since she didn't particularly feel like picking a fight with all of them, she allowed herself to tap into her ghostly energy and phase out of existence, as she'd done once before during the trip to Paldea. The downside to her using this was that she couldn't hold it very long, especially if she was trying to avoid being seen, so she would have to be quick. Thankfully, even though she could tell the Froslass could sense her, none of the others seemed to notice her or her two Ghost-types, and they managed to sneak past unharmed. Once they were past the ruins, she frowned. Despite knowing this was the tundra, it was a little too warm, and as she kept going, she found out why. A sudden Ember attack made her roll to one side as a pair of Flareon appeared, growling a warning. Seeing as they didn't look like they were going to attack yet, Arauth floated forward to speak to the Fire-types, then back to Amber to relay her message.
Ah, seems like they got too close to the nest, if the yipping of young Eevee was anything to go by. Amber had no intention of antagonizing the two parents, so she backed off a short distance and went around, giving the nest area a wide berth to show she meant no harm. The two Fire-types didn't try to pursue, knowing she wasn't going to try and capture one of their pups as so many others had done. Once they were clear of the Flareon and Eevee nest, Amber breathed a sigh of relief; she really hadn't wanted to battle the two when they were just protecting their young, and she was happy it didn't come to that. Going the way they had, she noticed the cave she'd been told about. Apparently, the small detour around the Flareon nest had actually put them on the right path; she could see that if they'd gone the other way, they would have missed the cave altogether. Walking toward the cave, she could see that it was rather dark inside, though she could see torches placed every so often. Walking through the entrance, she noticed the air seemed a little oppressive, and she had to wonder just what had caused that.
The walk through the cave was uneventful at first, though Amber noticed that the walls would shimmer every now and then, almost as if they were alive, though she knew that wasn't the case. There was fog seeping into the cave, something she had never experienced before. She could feel numerous other Ghost-types, though she couldn't see any of them. Even the torches seemed to be getting dimmer the further into the cave they went. Was it actually getting darker, or was her mind playing tricks on her? The answer made itself apparent when she thought she saw something darting into a side passage, and for some reason she felt compelled to follow, not realizing that whatever she was following was leading her to a sheer drop. It wasn't until she felt something surround her body that she realized she'd just stepped over the edge, and had Arauth not utilized Psychic to catch her, she would have plummeted to the bottom, however far down that was. Once she was placed back on solid ground, she sighed softly. "Let's head back to where we were," she said, walking back the direction they'd come.
Something wasn't willing to let her pass, however, as she soon found herself walking straight into an ice barrier. She felt around the barrier, hoping to find a weakness, only to find that it was completely solid. Turning, she cursed softly as she saw what looked like a Mr. Mime, but different. Pulling out her SNAG, she pointed it at the Mr. Mime lookalike, wanting to see what the Pokedex function had to say. "Mr. Mime, the Dancing Pokemon. An Ice and Psychic type. Galarian Form. Its talent is tap-dancing. It can also manipulate temperatures to create a floor of ice, which this Pokémon can kick up to use as a barrier." Oh, wonderful, Amber thought. It's a bloody Psychic-type. Why did it have to be a Psychic-type? Normally, Psychic-type Pokemon didn't bother her, but for some reason, this one was rubbing her the wrong way. Could it be the way it was tapping its feet on the suddenly-icy floor? Or was it perhaps the smirk on the Ice/Psychic-type's face when it saw her look of annoyance at its little trick? Either way, she knew she would have to get it to lower the barrier to allow her to pass. So she tried the least painful way to go first.
"Will you let us pass?" she asked, making her voice as pleasant as possible. "My Pokemon and I have an appointment at the Crown Shrine, and we'd like to get there before dark, if possible." She flinched slightly as she felt a psychic presence in her mind, and a moment later, a voice sounded in her head, startling her. "I know of your mission," the voice said, sounding amused. "There is only one reason anyone comes to visit the Crown Shrine. The Master won't see just anyone, however; first, you must prove that you are worthy to stand before him. I am the first of the trials you will face in this mountain, though you will find that battling is not my forte. Instead, I will test you in another way. Should you pass my test, I will allow you passage. Should you fail, you will remain here until you pass. I will allow you as many attempts as you like."
Amber was confused; this Pokemon didn't want to battle? How was she to pass its trial, then? As if reading her mind, the Mr. Mime spoke again. "You will answer three riddles," he said. "If you get even one wrong, you will fail, and you must try again. Do you accept?" Amber was silent for a few moments, mulling over her choices. She could force this Pokemon to battle, and potentially beat it into submission, or she could go the less painful way and just answer the riddles, and pass without harm. Since she wanted to get going as quickly as possible, the choice was clear. "Very well, tell me your riddles, and I will answer," she said. The Mr. Mime gave a slight smile, and nodded.
"Very well," he said, and she could see eagerness in the Ice/Psychic-type's gaze. "Riddle number one: Created from one left behind, I live in darkness, sadness overwhelms me as I remember who I once was. What am I?" Amber listened, and as the riddle was given, she knew it was talking about a Pokemon. Which one was the real riddle, but there was only one Pokemon she knew of that was created from something left behind. "It's a Banette," she said, and the Mr. Mime nodded. "Indeed," he said. "Riddle number two: Dreaming of flight, I dive every day, but come up short as I hit the ground time after time." "Bagon," Amber replied. That one was rather simple, as Bagon were well-known for trying to fly by diving off cliffs and high places whenever possible. It was why their heads were so hard. "Correct," Mr. Mime said, and Amber could hear a flicker of annoyance in his mental voice, though he didn't show it outwardly. "Riddle number three: Cold as ice, unalive, created from one who nearly died. What am I?"
Amber had to think about this one. She had a feeling she knew what it was, but something was tickling her mind, making it difficult to think. The more she thought about it, the more the answer eluded her. At least, until she looked down at her hands. That tickling feeling intensified as she did this, and when she looked up at the Mr. Mime, she saw his eyes glowing very faintly for a split second before they returned to their normal color. As soon as this happened, her mind cleared, and she was able to think clearly. "I should beat you in a battle for that," she growled, not liking anyone messing with her mind. "I don't like anyone, person or Pokemon, messing with my mind. The answer is Froslass." The Mr. Mime frowned when she spoke. Had she known he was manipulating her mind into not being able to think correctly? "You are very perceptive for one who is no longer mortal," he said, and she caught a hint of admiration in his voice. "You have answered all my riddles correctly. You may pass."
When he said this, the ice barrier vanished, leaving the way forward open. "Be careful as you travel further," he said. "Not all the Pokemon that live here are as... docile as I am. I cannot tell you more than that. All I can say is good luck." With that, he disappeared into the gloom, leaving Amber and her two Pokemon alone. She watched him go, then turned and headed back to the main path. She felt like she was being watched, but dismissed it as curious Pokemon not wanting to make themselves known. That being said, she could tell something was following her, as she could hear scraping sounds in the rock as she walked. Before long, whatever was making the sounds began getting louder, and she could feel slight trembles in the ground as she walked. As she grew closer to a good-sized cavern, the ground not too far in front of her trembled, and she had to jump back as bits of rock suddenly exploded as a Pokemon came from underground to land with a cry in front of her. Looking at what had just revealed itself, she blinked in surprise. What was a Gible doing here, of all places? That wasn't all that appeared, however, as a stomping noise sounded from her left, and she had to dive to one side as the jaws of something large snapped shut where she'd just been standing.
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2024 7:32 pm
Amber's First Master Mission (con't):
Picking herself up off the ground, she spun around to see what had just tried to take a bite out of her and stared at the newcomer in shock. This Pokemon was one she'd only heard stories of, though she knew of a few trainers that had managed to get one resurrected. This was no Gible, and it was, if the stories were to be believed, one of the most dangerous Pokemon that had walked the land in ancient times, second only to Aerodactyl. The Tyrantrum snorted as its intended meal escaped certain death in its jaws, completely ignoring the smaller Dragon/Ground-type at its feet. Apparently, Amber was the more appetizing target, while the Gible would barely be a mouthful to the larger carnivore. Oh, this wasn't good. There was no way she could battle two Dragon-types with just Spooky and Arauth, despite both being more than willing to sacrifice themselves to protect their trainer. There was only one way out of this one. Picking up a Pokeball, she tossed it into the air, revealing a Pokemon she'd yet to use since she'd captured it. "Alright, Frost, let's do this," she said, addressing her shiny Abomasnow. The male Grass/Ice-type gave a snort, hail kicking up around them as his Snow Warning ability kicked in. This caused both the Gible and the Tyrantrum to wince as the hail and snow stung their skin.
The Gible moved first, diving into the ground with Dig. Tyrantrum stared at this new, bigger thing that had appeared; apparently deciding it looked tastier, it rushed forward, Dark-type energy swirling around her jaws as she tried to use Crunch. Thankfully, Frost was just a bit faster, dodging to one side just as Tyrantrum's jaws closed where he'd been a heartbeat before. Unfortunately for Tyrantrum, this placed her right in the path of the Gible, who came up right after Frost had moved, causing damage to the Tyrantrum, who grunted in pain. This wasn't enough to cause the Rock/Dragon-type to divert her attention, and the T-Rex again tried to clamp her jaws around Frost, who once again moved out of the way, directing her into Gible's Dragon Claw attack. This did a little more damage than Dig, and Tyrantrum snapped at the smaller Dragon-type, causing Gible to dance out of the way. Tyrantrum was starting to get irritated with this little game of Meowth-and-Rattata, and she wanted the meal she was looking for. Whether that was the Gible that kept attacking her inadvertently, the Abomasnow that refused to stay still, or the Froslass hybrid that was watching them remained to be seen, but one way or another, she would have one of them as her dinner.
Amber's mind was racing as she tried to figure out a way out of this situation. She knew the Tyrantrum had to be hungry, if she kept trying to take a bite out of everything she saw. That gave her an idea, and she looked at Frost again. "Frost, let Tyrantrum get close, and when she tries to take a bite again, use Blizzard," she said. Front gave a slight nod to indicate he had heard, and he didn't have to wait long before Tyrantrum tried once again to clamp down on him. As soon as she was close enough, he released his Blizzard attack, ironically enough, right into her mouth. This caused the Rock/Dragon-type to roar in pain as she reeled away from the attack, shaking her head as she tried to stop the stinging pain. Once she'd recovered, she glared at the Abomasnow, letting out a roar of anger as she lowered her head and charged, her head glowing slightly brown. Frost barely managed to dodge, causing Tyrantrum to rush past him and crash into the wall behind him. The roar of pain Tyrantrum let out told Amber she didn't have Rock Head as her ability, which meant she'd just taken a lot of damage from her Head Smash attack.
Frost, seeing the opening he was looking for, released a Magical Leaf, blinding the Tyrantrum, then rushed forward with Trailblaze, dealing quite a lot of damage to the Tyrantrum. The Rock/Dragon-type, panting from all the damage she'd taken, tried to bite him with a Crunch attack once again, but Frost dodged to one side on Amber's order, and the Gible, who until now had been forgotten, popped up out of the ground and clocked the larger Dragon-type under the chin with a second Dig attack. This was enough to knock the Tyrantrum out, and she crashed to the ground with a loud thud, causing Gible to stop in surprise. Had he just done that? He looked at the unconscious Tyrantrum, then at Frost, who was holding an Energy Ball in his mouth, and decided he'd had more than enough excitement for one day. Diving into the ground once again, he used Dig to tunnel away, not wanting to end up the same way Tyrantrum had done. Amber shook her head as Frost waited until he could no longer feel Gible's movements, then let the Energy Ball fade and returned to Amber, who recalled him to his ball with a word of thanks.
"Let's hope that's the last time something tries to take a bite out of us," she said, and both Spooky and Arauth nodded in agreement. She knew she was likely jinxing herself, but at the moment, she didn't really care. She was ready to take care of any other Pokemon that decided they were targets. After the encounter with the Tyrantrum, it seemed word had spread, as they didn't see very many other Pokemon as they reached an opening high up on the mountain. As soon as they stepped outside, Amber had to grab Spooky and Arauth to keep them from being blown away by the sudden gust of frigid wind that surrounded them. The two Ghost-types shivered from the cold, neither accustomed to freezing climates despite being around Amber constantly. Wanting to keep them safe, she recalled both to their Pokeballs, releasing Turace instead. The Froslass cooed happily at the temperature, which reminded her of her home near Snowpoint City in Sinnoh.
"We're on our way to the Crown Shrine, Turace," Amber said, raising her voice a bit as the wind picked up, howling as it brought snow and freezing rain with it. While this normally wouldn't bother Amber, due to being part Ice-type, she didn't like being caught out in the rain and weather, so she was hoping to find the Shrine quickly. It took several minutes before she found another opening further up the mountain. Walking inside, Amber was glad to be out of the wind and rain. Turace seemed a little down, but she quickly perked up when she heard some sound that Amber didn't hear. The Froslass seemed to be in a hurry all of a sudden, and Amber wondered what was wrong as she followed her Pokemon through the new tunnel. Turace disappeared around a bend, and a moment later, Amber heard an angry cry from Turace, followed by several cries of pain. Hurrying forward, she saw a Spiritomb placed in front of a Weavile and a Litwick, both of whom were sporting injuries from what looked like an Ice Shard. It looked like she'd caught the three off guard, but why had she attacked them? The Froslass didn't normally attack any other Pokemon without provocation, so something must have happened to anger her. Looking behind her namesake, Amber saw what had triggered Turace's protective nature. There, huddled against the wall behind her, was a small, green and brown figure with yellow eyes.
What was a Phantump doing here? Sure, she knew now that various Ghost-types inhabited this area, but for one such as Phantump to be found here, up near the top of the mountain in freezing temperatures, was unheard of. She knew that most Phantump didn't venture far from their parent Trevenant, so where was this one's parent? Better yet, why had Turace felt the need to protect this little one? She didn't know the little Ghost/Grass-type, so what had made her feel the need to attack the other three Pokemon? She got her answer when the Spiritomb, which was clearly the leader of the trio, shot a Night Shade attack at the Phantump. Ah, so that's what had happened. Those three were picking on the little one, either because this was their territory, or simply because the three were just mischievous and territorial. Either way, Turace had no intention of letting them pick on the Phantump, so she decided to show these three the error of their ways by putting them in their place.
The Spiritomb wasn't at all happy with it or its companions being attacked, especially by one who was so clearly aligned with humans, despite the one commanding her being part Pokemon. Ever since he'd been abandoned by his own former trainer, he'd hated humans, even going so far as to attack any that ventured too close to his home. He had no intention of letting this upstart wander in and interrupt his fun, and he shot a Shadow Ball at the Froslass in front of him, but she dodged skilfully, and the attack hit the wall behind her. Amber had already picked the Phantump up in her arms and moved it a short distance away, not wanting it to get caught up in the battle that was about to happen. Turace saw the hatred in her fellow Ghost-type's eyes as he glared at Amber, and she wondered just what had happened to him to cause such emotion. Right now, she couldn't worry about that; the Spiritomb was attacking again, this time with a Nasty Plot-empowered Dark Pulse. That would hurt if it hit, and Turace was quick to use Protect. The Dark-type attack hit the glowing barrier and dissipated, causing Spiritomb to growl in frustration. Who was this Pokemon, to think she could come into his home and act like she owned the place?
You have no power here, Ice One," he growled to her, speaking in their native language. "Give us the interloper, and we will let you go on your way without harm. Your human, however, will remain behind." Turace was outraged that this bully thought she was going to comply with his orders. "You are out of your mind if you think I'm leaving either of them behind," she snapped. "I don't know what happened to make you hate humans so much, but you will not take out your hatred on my trainer or the little one. This battle will be between the two of us. Should I lose, we will leave and not return until two weeks have passed. Should you lose, however, you and your friends will allow all of us, including the little one, to pass unharmed. Do we have a deal?"
Spiritomb thought over the offer, weighing the pros and cons. If he won, they would leave and he would have two weeks to keep his dignity until they returned. If he lost, he had to let all of them pass, including the hated human. He could see no way out without causing damage to his reputation as the undisputed leader of this particular tunnel, so he gave a nod to show he agreed with the deal. "Very well, if you win, all three of you will be allowed to pass unharmed, and I will spread the word not to mess with you," he said. "However, should I win, not only will you not come back for two weeks, but you will also turn over the interloper, and you will stand aside as I teach that wretched human a lesson in what happens when one invades the territory of a Spiritomb." Turace didn't like how Spiritomb had changed the terms of the deal, but she wasn't going to back down. Instead, she fired a Shadow Ball at him without warning, causing him to yelp and quickly disappear into his keystone. When he reappeared, Turace was nowhere to be found. That was, until he felt a wave of something hit him from behind. As he attempted to turn to see what it was, he felt sluggish, like his muscles wouldn't obey. He growled as he realized that he'd been paralyzed by a Thunder Wave attack.
Amber had no idea what was going on, but when she opened her mouth to give Turace a command, the Froslass looked at her and shook her head, indicating that she wanted to battle on her own. Amber gave a nod and shut her mouth again, wanting to see how the battle would go. When Turace appeared in front of him again, Spiritomb managed to fight through the paralysis to fire off a Shadow Ball, but as he tried to use Shadow Sneak to get behind her, the paralysis kicked in again, preventing him from using the move. Turace took advantage of his momentary lapse in attention to use Snowscape, boosting her defense, then utilizing the ensuing snowstorm to use Aurora Veil before vanishing thanks to her ability. Spiritomb could sense her somewhere in the storm, but he couldn't lock onto her energy. So he had no way to protect against the massive pain he suddenly felt as Turace used Hex against him. Fighting off the paralysis once again, he managed to use Payback, and as he moved after Turace did, the attack did much more damage than it usually would. Smarting from the hit she'd just taken, Turace let out a cry of anger as she released an Avalanche, eliciting a screech of pain from the Spiritomb. She wasn't done, however, as she released a Thunderbolt directly into his face, and with that, Spiritomb faded back into his keystone. Turace watched to see whether or not he would emerge again, and when he didn't, she glanced at his two friends to see them backing away.
"Will you keep your leader's end of the deal, or do I have to knock some sense into the two of you, as well?" she asked, electricity crackling around her as she spoke. The two hurriedly shook their heads, not wanting to get on her bad side after the show she'd just given. "We don't want any trouble," the Weavile said. "You and your friends are free to pass. We'll pass the word not to mess with you while you're in here." Turace gave a nod as the two scurried off, then turned and went back to Amber to see her cradling the Phantump in her arms. There was no way Turace was going to leave the little one behind, and she knocked an empty Pokeball from Amber's belt to indicate what she wanted. Amber, seeing this, glanced from Turace to the Phantump and back, as if questioning if this was really what her Froslass wanted. Turace gave a single nod, and Amber picked up the Pokeball. "What do you think, little one?" she asked, holding the Pokeball out to the small Grass/Ghost-type. "Do you want to come with us?" The little sentient tree didn't even have to contemplate her answer; she poked the button on the ball with one of her branches and allowed the device to suck her inside. The ball didn't even rock once before it dinged to signify a successful capture, and Amber placed the ball back on her belt.
She looked at the Spiritomb, shaking her head at the Ghost/Dark-type's folly. It was never a good idea to challenge Turace when she was angry, and he'd found out just how vicious the Froslass could be when it came to protecting another. She'd never known her namesake could be that thorough in trouncing an opponent, so it came as a bit of a surprise to her, too. That being said, perhaps she could use that to her advantage at some point. Now that the battle was over, she knew they had to keep going, and she beckoned to Turace, handing her a Sitrus berry she'd picked lower down in the Tundra. For some reason, she noticed that none of the other Pokemon challenged them, even though she knew some of them wanted to by how they reacted when the two passed by. By the time they finally reached the peak of the mountain, Amber was more than ready to just sit down and not get back up. She was tired, moreso than she'd been since becoming a hybrid, and she had to assume it was the stress of the climb that was causing it. Knowing what, or rather, who, was waiting for her at the Shrine, however, kept her going, and she trudged forward. It wasn't long before she could see the Shrine ahead of her, and as she got closer, she felt the same presence that had been following her since she'd entered the caves.
She knew it had to be a Ghost-type; otherwise, why would it have followed her all the way here? The presence abruptly vanished, leaving Amber to wonder what had happened. As she got closer to the Shrine, she felt a sudden wave of apprehension wash over her. Something was off, she could feel it, but she had no idea what it was. Walking up the steps, she stopped short. There was a rather large amount of Ghost-types milling about, and several of them looked rather jumpy. A few of them were surrounded by Ghost-type energy, indicating their willingness to attack if they felt threatened. One of them even fired a Shadow Ball at her, which she sidestepped to avoid. Turace wanted to retaliate to protect her, but Amber held up a hand to stop the Froslass. "They're just protecting their home, Turace," she said, as one of her Pokeballs opened and Spooky made his way forward. "Spooky knows about that better than anyone, don't you, my friend?" The Shuppet gave a single nod, not saying anything as he stared down the Ghost-types guarding the Shrine. It was several minutes before the stand-off finally came to an end, and the Ghost-types that were standing there separated into two lines as a figure walked forward.
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2024 7:33 pm
Amber's First Master Mission (con't):
"Welcome, friends," the figure said. "You've traveled a long way to reach this place. We have been waiting for you. Come, you must be tired. Let us sit and have tea while we converse." Curious but wary, Amber and her Pokemon followed him to where she could see a table set for what looked like a tea party. Hmm, that was curious, but she wasn't going to question it. And he was right, she was tired. There was something about that tea party calling to her, and she found herself sitting at a small, round table across from what she now knew to be a Polteageist hybrid. This must be Glascau, then. As she took her seat, she noticed various Ghost-types, some that she recognized and a few that she didn't, hovering nearby and at some of the empty seats at the table. "It isn't often that we get visitors, so my friends are a little leery of newcomers," Glascau said. "Don't worry, they'll warm up to you soon enough. You are one of us, after all, are you not? Oh, but where are my manners? I am Glascau, the Ghost Master, and this is our home. Now, might we know your name, young hybrid?"
For some reason, Amber found herself drawn to this hybrid. There was something about him calling to her. "My name is Amber," she said. "This is Spooky and Turace." Glascau smiled as she introduced the two Ghost-types she had out, though he noticed the Misdreavus that had been reported was nowhere to be seen. "I was told you have a Misdreavus, yet I do not see one here with you," he commented. Amber wondered how he could have known that, then realized that the presence she'd felt following them had to have been one of the many Ghost-types she'd seen here. Taking Adrauth's ball from her belt, she enlarged it and tossed it into the air, revealing the Misdreavus. "Ah, such a lovely young one," he said, holding his hand out to all three Ghost-types. "Ghost-types are such fascinating creatures, no? There isn't a Pokemon quite like them; they have a way of turning up where you least expect them. And sometimes, they can surprise you in ways that you least expect. Wouldn't you agree?"
Amber couldn't help smiling a bit at his comments, remembering how she and her Ghost-types had met. "Spooky is very protective of you," Glascau commented. Amber nodded. "I saved his life after his previous trainer abandoned him," she said, her eyes misting over a bit as she recalled the meeting. "He was very hostile when we first met, and I knew I just couldn't leave him where we met. I didn't care that he'd hit me with a Shadow Ball, I just wanted to take him in and show him that not all humans were like the one that had abandoned him. It took well over a year before he finally began to trust me, and now, he's one of my best friends." Glascau listened with rapt attention, appreciation for her devotion to her first Ghost-type showing clearly on his face. "How did you meet your Misdreavus?" he asked.
"I met Arauth when myself and another member of the team I'm part of were sent on a mission to figure out why our generator wasn't working as it should have been," she answered. "She'd disguised herself as a little girl, but I knew something was up, because children should never be where we were at because of how dangerous it is. She put up quite a fight before I managed to capture her, but she's taken on Spooky's task of making sure I'm safe, so I'm never without protection from one or both of them. They're my two constant companions, and their presence is quite comforting." Glascau gave a discrete signal, and a pair of Yamask floated forward, carrying a tray between them. The tray contained a number of snacks, most of them the kind of biscuits that would normally be served with tea, as well as a teapot and several teacups. The two Ghost-types, one normal and one Galarian form, set the tray on the table between them, then floated to a pair of empty chairs on either side of the table.
"So we've spoken about your meeting with Spooky and Arauth, but we've not spoken about Turace," Glascau said, taking the teapot and pouring tea into the cups on the tray. He handed the cups out to the table's inhabitants, Amber included, then looked at Amber as he took a sip of his tea. "Tell me, how did you meet the one who turned you into what you are now?" Amber paused at this question; despite having been a hybrid for a while now, this particular subject was still a sore spot for her. Glascau noticed her hesitation, but he didn't say anything. After a few moments, Amber spoke, and it was clear that this memory wasn't a happy one.
"Turace saved my life," she said. "I'd gone to Snowpoint City in Sinnoh for a mission, and even though I thought I'd prepared well, it wasn't enough. A blizzard sprang up while I was en route, and I got lost in the storm. I would have frozen to death had Turace not found me. I hate admitting this, because I don't like being seen as weak, but I was ready to give in and let death take me. I had given up on ever finding shelter or help, and I just... laid down and waited for death to take me. I don't know when Turace found me, but the next thing I remember was hearing a voice calling me back. When I opened my eyes, Turace was hovering over me, looking down at me with sadness in her eyes. I wondered what she was sad about, but I found out when I reached a hand out to her that in saving my life, she'd wound up turning me into a Froslass hybrid. It took time for me to recover, and when I was finally able to leave, Turace didn't want me to go. I knew she didn't want to be alone anymore, so I offered to take her with me, and we've been together ever since."
Glascau listened silently, sipping his tea as Amber spoke. He could tell that recalling this story was not a happy memory for Amber, and he had a feeling he knew why, but he wasn't going to say anything. Amber would have to figure out why that particular memory hurt so much. Taking the smaller tray of biscuits and snacks, he offered it to her, then to the rest of the Ghost-types before taking one for himself. They sat in companionable silence for several minutes before he spoke again. "Things never happen without a reason," he said, gaining her attention. "Perhaps it was never your time to die, and Turace knew this. Perhaps she had an ulterior motive in turning you into a hybrid. We may never know. What we do know is that you are here now." Amber took a bite of her biscuit, finding it pleasing to her palate. When she'd finished it, she took a sip of her tea, and as soon as she swallowed the liquid, she knew something was wrong.
Tea didn't normally feel like it was seeping into one's soul, and she had to wonder just what was in that drink. Before she could ask, however, she saw something from the corner of her eye, and she turned to see what it was, only to find that there was nothing there but Ghost-types. Something wasn't right, she could feel it. It felt like something was worming its way into her mind, tugging at her sanity. Turning to look back at Glascau, she found the table, the tea party, even her Pokemon were no longer there. She was alone, and darkness was enveloping her. It seemed like hours before the darkness finally lifted, and when it finally did, she saw Littleroot Town, where she'd grown up. Wondering what was going on, she walked into the town, noting how it looked like nothing had changed. She could see children playing in the streets, being mindful of the cars passing by. There were adults walking to and from home and work, visiting at the local cafe, even playing with their children and Pokemon out in their yards. One house in particular stood out to her, and her breath caught in her throat when she realized that it was the house she'd grown up in.
Why was she here? She could see Lily standing in front of their house, talking with Brian. From the look of it, Lily was about 23, the same age as Brian. There was something wrong with this scenario, she knew there was. Lily was gone, had been gone for nearly eight years now. There was no way she was here now; it was impossible. This had to be an illusion, there was no other explanation. As she watched, she noticed the look in Lily's eyes as she spoke to Brian. She'd known her sister had a crush on the ebony-haired trainer since her sister was ten and Amber was fourteen. She didn't know if Brian felt the same way, but judging from how he'd acted at times, she wondered if he did have a crush on Lily at the time.
The scene changed without warning. The next thing she saw was herself arguing with her mother over something. If she recalled correctly, it was over Lily wanting to become a trainer, something Amber thought was a good idea, but her mother had disagreed, saying that having one child traveling with Pokemon was more than enough. Amber had argued that Lily deserved a chance to see what was out there in the world, but her mother was adamant that Lily would be staying home, where it was safe. Besides, Amber had Pokemon, so she could protect her sister, right? As soon as those words left her mother's mouth again, Amber knew what was coming next. As much as she wanted to wish it away, to never have to see it again, she knew what was going to happen.
When the scene changed again, there was police tape surrounding her childhood home. She hated this memory, dreaded seeing what happened all over again. There was nothing she could do to change it, and in her heart, she knew this, but her mind was telling her that she had to do something, had to prevent what she knew she was about to see. She knew that nobody could see or hear her here, and she walked inside to see Lily lying on the floor of the living room, with Amber's younger self holding her sister's body in her arms as the life left the younger girl's eyes. It had taken paramedics over ten minutes to reach the house when Amber had called for assistance, and by the time they'd arrived, it had been too late to save her sister. Even after Lily's body had been removed and the house had been taped off, Amber had remained where she was, in a somewhat catatonic state. Brian had walked inside and gently led Amber out of the house, where a large group of people had gathered, wondering what had happened.
One of the onlookers, an older man that was as cynical as he was nosy, had actually had the gall to blame Lily for what had happened. "If she hadn't been home, she would still be alive," he'd said. "She brought this on herself for walking inside while there was a burglary happening." This had snapped Amber out of her funk, and she looked sharply at the speaker. She'd wanted to correct the man, tell him that he was wrong, but someone else had beaten her to it. Surprisingly, that was the only time she'd ever seen Brian get angry for any reason. "Don't ye ever speak of the dead like that again!" he hissed, his eyes flashing with grief and anger. "Lily was far kinder than ye'll ever be, and ye have no right to blame her for something that was out of her control. Don't ever let me catch ye saying anything bad about her again." The man had been so surprised by this that he'd shut up, but someone else spoke up in his place.
"Well, what about Amber, then?" a woman's voice rang out, making Amber's head snap in her direction. She was standing at the front of the crowd, staring at the pair condescendingly. "She's got Pokemon, she could have saved her sister if she'd been here." This made Amber's temper flare, and before Brian or anyone else could say anything to defend her, Amber was right in the woman's face, her eyes hard. "I only just got back from Sinnoh, so I had no idea what was going on until I walked into my home," she growled, making the woman flinch backward. "If you're so worried about why Lily was killed, then why didn't the rest of you try to stop the burglary? Why didn't one of you stop her from walking inside? If anyone is at fault, it's you lot for not bothering to care enough to make sure Lily was safe!"
The onlookers stared at her in shock; while they knew of her temper, she'd never directed her anger at any of the townsfolk before. Seeing this side of her made the two who'd spoken out regret their words. Seeing that nobody else was foolish enough to speak up, Amber turned her back on the crowd and walked away, ignoring Brian as he tried to follow her. She knew he was hurting, but she couldn't worry about him right now. She had to get away before she blew up on someone else and said something she couldn't take back.
Amber's heart was heavy as the scene changed again. Lily's funeral had been a small affair, only family and a few friends allowed to attend. After that, Amber had thrown herself into traveling and training her Pokemon, not allowing herself to think about Lily despite knowing she was only hurting herself by doing so. Even still, eventually she managed to forget, especially with everything that had happened since then. Seeing this now, all these events that she had hoped she'd forgotten about, made her realize that somewhere along the line, she'd lost her way.
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2024 7:34 pm
Amber's First Master Mission (con't):
The final scene was one she was quite familiar with: the blizzard that had nearly claimed her life. She watched herself as she tried to find her way through the raging snow and wind, still able to feel the sting of frozen rain on her exposed skin. She watched herself fall in the snow, watched herself finally give up. She hadn't realized just how much seeing this from an outside perspective would hurt, but seeing it now, she knew she'd made a mistake that day. She never should have given up; she should have kept fighting. Thinking about it now, however, she realized that if she'd kept fighting, she likely never would have met Turace, never would have been able to become a hybrid the way she had. Other than her first interaction with Spooky, meeting Turace was the best thing to happen to her. If she'd had her choice of becoming a hybrid the way she had or being able to go through the machine back at base, she realized that she wouldn't have changed anything. There was something special about finding out she had a second chance that she would never be able to have again.
Thinking about that now, Amber realized that the only reason she resented being a Ghost-type hybrid was because she was denied the chance to meet her sister in the afterlife. She didn't know if she would ever be able to reunite with Lily, but even if she never could, she realized that she had a chance to make a change, to make a difference. She could make use of her new life, but first, she had to survive this. She knew now that whatever this was had to be designed to test her resolve, something that would make her face her deepest, darkest secrets and force them to the forefront of her mind. She couldn't hide from them any longer; now that she was faced with her worst memories, she couldn't even force them to the back of her mind anymore.
Back in the waking world, Spooky, Arauth, and Turace all stopped what they were doing as Amber froze in place. Something wasn't right; she never just froze like she was doing now. The three Ghost-types moved closer to her, and Spooky noticed that Amber's eyes had gone completely white. Something was very wrong with this picture, and the Shuppet turned an accusing gaze toward Glascau. "Be at peace, friend," the Polteageist hybrid said, his voice eerily calm. "If she is strong of will, she will return to us."
Amber had no knowledge of what was going on outside her mind. All she knew was what she was witnessing right at this moment. She felt she was ready to take that step to move on, but for some reason, it felt like there was something holding her back. Something was keeping her from moving on from the past, and as she wondered what it could be, a figure began to appear before her through the fog of her memories. It took a few moments, but eventually, the figure became clear enough that she was able to recognize Lily. What was she doing here now? Was seeing her in the past, on the day of her death, not enough? What more did she have to endure before she would be released?
"You need to come to terms with my death, Amber," the younger girl told her. "You've been holding everything in for so long that you've lost sight of who you are. Your own grief has been drowning you, and you don't even realize it." "How am I supposed to move past what happened?" Amber asked, hating that she could hear her voice breaking. "That woman was right, I should have been able to stop that burglar before he was able to do anything. I was the one with Pokemon; I should have been there to prevent you from getting hurt."
"Don't you dare think like that, Amber Lynn Jacobs!" Lily snapped, making Amber's mouth snap shut. "What happened was NOT your fault. You had no way of knowing what was going to happen. Yes, you had Pokemon, but Bubbles was just a Froakie, and Spooky didn't even trust you at that time. Don't give me that look, you know I'm right. This is something you've always been bad about: you always blame yourself for things that you think you should have been able to control. What happened was not something you could have predicted; there was nothing you could have done to change things. Even if I could go back, I wouldn't change anything that happened. You became a stronger woman because of it, but you need to let your emotions out. You've yet to allow yourself to grieve properly, and it's holding you back. You won't be able to move on until you learn to let go of the past."
Amber knew that Lily was right; she had to let herself grieve, as she should have done long ago. She would rectify that as soon as she finished her training with Glascau, provided he agreed to train her, that is. Seeing the cracks forming in her older sister's mental armor, Lily gave a smile and walked forward to envelop her sister in a hug. Startled, Amber didn't move for a few seconds before she wrapped her arms around Lily's spirit form, finally letting the tears she'd been holding back fall. While this was normally something she would never do, she knew it was the first step of the healing process. She would speak to someone about her experiences in the past, and she needed to speak to Brian to see how he'd been holding up. Pulling back, she saw that Lily had vanished, and for the first time since Lily's passing, she felt at peace. Looking down at her feet, she noticed something: on the ground where Lily had been standing a moment before was a single leaf, one that looked strangely familiar. Was this a sign that Lily was finally at peace, too? Amber would take it as that; she had no reason to believe otherwise. Picking up the leaf, she felt a wave of warmth spreading over her, and she knew it was time to return.
In the waking world, Amber's Pokemon saw their trainer's body twitched, and as they watched, her eyes returned to their normal color. She blinked as she saw that she was back in her chair, and when she realized that she was still holding the teacup that had started this self-searching journey, she quickly placed it down, not wanting to accidentally drink any more of the stuff. "We won't talk about you nearly killing me with that little trick," she said, looking at Glascau. "You know why I'm here." The Polteageist hybrid nodded.
"I apologize for the deception, but it was necessary to make sure you are truly willing to go through with the training," he said. "We are one of the most volatile, because we must learn to let go of what holds us back in order to learn and grow. For a Ghost-type hybrid to hold onto the regrets and misery they experienced in life is a dangerous thing; our very nature threatens to overwhelm us by turning us into vengeful spirits, bent on harming the mortal world we so long for. That is why I must test every hybrid that comes here, seeking the knowledge I possess. It is necessary to weed out those who cannot handle the memories that my trial forces them to experience; it is my way of protecting the mortal world from those hybrids that would cause it unintentional harm. That you survived means you have realized there is nothing for you in the past, and that you are ready to move forward."
He rose from his chair, waving his hand to dispel the gathered Ghost-types, then beckoned to her. Wary, Amber got up and followed him as he walked further into the ruins, to a larger space that held a statue of a Pokemon she'd never seen before. "For the last three centuries, I have tended this Shrine out of respect for a Pokemon that came to my aid long ago," he said, carefully brushing a light powdering of snow from the statue. "I have taught many Ghost-type hybrids to master their forms in that time period, and even though I have never seen any of them again, I know they are utilizing their abilities in ways that benefit the mortal world." He fell silent, seemingly lost in thought, then spoke one more time. "I will train you," he said. "Be warned, this training will not be easy. You will wish many times to give up, but if your will and your desire to learn is as strong as I suspect it is, you will be able to endure and pass with no trouble. Are you ready to begin?"
Amber was stunned; she hadn't expected to be accepted as a student quite so readily. She wasn't going to say no, however; to do so after going through such a trial would just be madness. "Yes, Master, I am ready," she said, bowing slightly and earning a slight smile from the Polteageist hybrid. She was ready and willing to learn whatever he had to teach. And perhaps she might find a new purpose during this time; only time would tell.
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