??? Mission 7

Merchants

Foo!? Where are you?! Oh, dang you're fast! Thanks for that save back there, but what the heck was up with that rex of a Pokemon?!

I... I’m not really sure what his problem is, but this jungle’s always been pretty harsh. But enough about that. We need to find where all of the villagers scattered off to. I’m pretty certain we’re actually in the middle of an island, with all this water around us no matter where we go...

Island?! But we're not in the middle of an ocean... are we?

No, it’s not like that. I think we’re next to a giant pond. Rather, in the middle of it. I know Prismatic Jungle has one of those, so I think that’s where we might be. It’s colorful enough for that, anyway. My grandfather did more traveling than I ever have... he would know for sure. Hmm, well, we also need to keep an eye out for Sherri.

W-what... we're really in Prismatic Jungle...?

That’s my guess. Didn’t you notice all the dragons prowling in the distance? There are at least...four, I count, with their eyes on us this very moment. And that guy back there? He’s going to be on us in an instant, so we need to keep our pace up. He seems vaguely familiar, too... I think some of my Rogue students mentioned encounters with someone like this! Tivoli, I think his name was?

Ravioli?!

...Tivoli.

Ugh. I wish this was some other illusion. I mean, ma told me stories about this place... they pretty much end up with "If you ain't like me, you'll likely end up eaten by dragons...."

Sound advice...

My heart's racing...

Shh! He’s coming, we need to hide!

Hide?! No way... if we hide, we'll end up hiding in their stomachs. I... we gotta run.

You can’t... you can’t take him on. I’m going to hide and then seek villagers out. If you want to run--if you think that’s what you should do-- then be my guest. But, I don’t think that’s the best way to draw out support.

I just can't hide. Look at my tail!! I'm scared to death, but... this thing is just a giant sign for "Hey look! I'm a tasty morsel!" I can't really shut it off, but... it's never been this vibrant before.

...all right. We’ll meet up in the middle. We have to, anyway. There’s no way you can get over this pond without some help. After that, we need to get everyone toward the edge of the jungle. We can probably find the correct direction using, ah, hmm... Monochrome Tower as a reference point. Now, go!

Okay. We'll... if anything happens... Hah.

Have confidence in yourself, boy. Get!

Fine!! Okay.

• * * * *

… (Ugh. This feels really weird. It's like my nightmares are happening now in flesh and blood, but... It's not like this. I could've been killed by Sorbet, I practically was there! But I felt... not even half of this feeling. It’s like all my blood is boiling. What for? Fear?!) ...oh!

WUAWUAWUA I DON'T TASTE GOOD!!

...Vertigo? Is that you...?

Noooooooooooooo it's... yes! Me! Vertigo! Mike!! What the fudsy suds of a dud is even going on?!

Vertigo, buddy... okay listen, I think we're in the Prismatic Jungle and--

Buddies don't bake buddies with their claws!! Lemme go!

Oh, sorry. No wait! Sorry nothing! Have you seen anyone else around here?

Sorry or not, I did perceive them! And if I'm not mistaken, which I can't be, Tao forbid, they were all Merchants! I never forget my customers’ faces!

Merchants?! Well, that's as good as... anybody. Alright come with me Vertigo... we'll try not to get eaten together. Jolly cooperation, right?

There's no joyful jovial jolliness in being hors d’oeuvres!

…

MISSIONS

MAIN MISSION

Sherri has been kidnapped by someone in Tivoli’s gang of dinosaur buddies, likely to be used as a snack. Tivoli is currently enraged at Mike’s insolence while Vertigo and Master Foo are looking for Tao villagers to band together and make their way out of the jungle. Mike is unable to properly hide and bide his time due to a heightened tail flame, so he mostly sees himself serving as the distraction to any escape plot. Vertigo says that he only sees Merchants around the area...

MISSION OBJECTIVES

MAIN MISSION

-Find Sherri from the clutches of Tivoli's gang of dragons and rescue her!
-Work together to devise an escape route to leave the jungle without harm!
-As an aside, Mike won’t be able to properly leave the jungle with any group, as his tail flame is a gigantic distraction. He will have to find his own escape after everyone else.
-Head toward Monochrome Tower when your escape from the jungle has been made

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The ones who are "missing" (IE The 2nd and 4th members in your team) have been sent into the past. And specifically, all the Merchants are with Mike!

As for submitting mission work, it's the same as before. Just submit them to the Mission 7 folder and send a note when you are completed with details. For simplicity, it would be advisable to label your work with this mission as "Past."

Rogues

All of you are gonna help me whether you like it or not! Our target’s Jasmine! We gotta get her before she hurts herself really badly-- and you! Don’t give me that look! I don’t even know who you are, but you’re gonna help me, whatever your name is. All of you Rogues from earlier are gonna help me. Wait... Were you even around earlier...? Or you? Whatever. Rhodes! Where on earth are we even headed? I can’t tell what direction that is.

I dunno... this place feels kinda familiar. I’d need to look around a little more. Oh... um, but I think we’re going north... maybe? I still feel kinda weird after whatever happened...

Huh... I’m... not even sure what forest this is, either, now that you mention it... I don’t really think we’re in the same spot anymore. I don’t even know how dangerous it is... Well, do you think you’ll have trouble tracking her?

I’ll try to find her as fast as I can, but... I might need a little help. Somethin’ doesn’t feel right. Like, it’s familiar here, but not really. I dunno.

Well, I’ve never really been outside of the ranch much, but I think we can afford to help in however you need it. We just need to know how that is, first...

I... I... where AM I?! What... what’s going on?! Help! HELP!

What... what? When did this guy get here?

He’s been lyin’ there for a while... did you not see him..?

...uh... really? Oh man, wait, it’s that guy, the crybaby from the treehouse. Or was he a tailor? What a drag. No wonder I didn’t notice him! Man, this guy’s just gonna slow us down!

Well... I mean, it’s another set of eyes and ears. At the very least, he can help us look for Jasmine.

In the gang, we never went into places we haven’t been without a buddy... I’d really like if one of my friends was here, but I guess he could come.

Eugh... fine. I don’t have time to argue about trivial crap anyway. We need to get our butts in gear, Jasmine’s really, really hurt. So, how should we go about it? And make it quick! I don’t really... know much about tracking, or, uh, pathfinding. Or whatever you do.

If Winston wants to, we can head further north and look for her. Um... it’s important for two of us to go so one can come back if somethin’ bad happens to the other. If she ended up in a bad place, then... well, I guess we’d find out.

I... I could... I could help... Someone’s in trouble? I can help!

Okay! I think you’ll be a big help!

Ah... okay. So, you two can go out as a team, then. I suppose it makes sense to send out several groups who can report back here if they find anything. Actually, it might be best if we had a landmark to return to...

Landmark, landmark... hm. Oh! Guys, look! Look out over the-- well, through that branch. No, over there. See it? Monochrome Tower’s out within some sort of distance. This forest is confusing as hell, but that tower’s a good spot to meet at if anything happens or if you find Jasmine. It’s not too hard to see it from any point around here.

Hey, good idea! Are you sure you don’t wanna come with me instead?

Well, I do! Don’t get me wrong, but I think something got hurt earlier... I’m having some trouble walking right, and my head’s just killing me. I’m going to look around elsewhere for Jasmine, to cover more ground. It doesn’t hurt to have everyone spread out as long as they got a buddy. And I got Iceburg.

Oh... gosh! You should relax then, we’ll totally find her for you!

Y-yeah... We’ll do it! We’ll find her!

(Well, that kind of makes me feel worse. I can’t really relax at a time like this. And I’d rather go with Rhodes than let that guy.) ...Yeah. I’m sure you’ll all find her in no time. Actually, I think I’ll search around here with Iceburg-- so long as he carries me around for a bit, I think I’ll be fine.

…

Make sure you guys head back to the tower if you absolutely cannot find her by dusk, because maybe someone else did. All right? We’ll talk more about what to do from there. Now get going! Time’s a wastin!

MISSIONS

MAIN MISSION

Jasmine, having exploded as a literal time-bomb under terrible constraint, has become severely injured and is delusional. She appears to be neither able to see or hear correctly, and also seems to be bleeding from a few spots. Rhodes and Winston have run north in an attempt to find her should she stray far from the Creeping Forest, but Iceburg and PK are staying central to the area of forest that Jasmine first appeared at. As it happens, the Rogues who accompanied PK are still in the vicinity, and she commands their aid in tracking down an injured Jasmine.

MISSION OBJECTIVES

MAIN MISSION

-Catch wind of Jasmine and make sure she is safe!
-Journey toward Monochrome Tower with PK and Iceburg when Jasmine is obtained

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The ones who are "missing" (IE The 2nd and 4th members in your team) have been sent into the past. And specifically, all the Rogues are with PK!

As for submitting mission work, it's the same as before. Just submit them to the Mission 7 folder and send a note when you are completed with details. For simplicity, it would be advisable to label your work with this mission as "Past."

Rescuers

I see none of you are injured, and I recognize a good number of you as having helped me before. I am asking all of you now to help me again. If we’re quick enough, we can put a stop to that Zoroark, the Pokemon that caused Sorbet to rampage in the first place.

What? Did I hear that correctly? Why wasn’t I informed of this earlier!? ...Nevermind, I‘ll ask you later.

Hah! Is that so? Well, as long as I’m here, I’ve no objections to playing doctor.

Hm... you all hail from Tao Village, correct? An interesting coincidence that this Zoroark's clan made its home in the same vicinity, some centuries ago.

I can think of many things to consider while chasing down a target, but I really must question your decision to bring up anthropology.

I assure you, I do not waste my breath. We pursue a powerful and poorly-understood adversary in unfamiliar territory with an impromptu regiment of indeterminate reliability. Numbers and information may be our only assets. For instance: the clan, and thus perhaps our quarry, possesses an artifact of reputable power—though I know not its nature or effects.

Ah! The artifact is most likely an instrument of sorts, if Palette wasn’t misremembering past events. (And if my lost Draconicello was just one of many...) We’d better apprehend this Zoroark before she manages to make it to her clan then, shouldn’t we? Is there absolutely nothing you know of the artifact?

I recall mutterings of a connection to a formidable Pokémon of legend, but cannot be sure whether that is true or ancient rumor-mongering. If nothing else, extreme caution is warranted. Individual heroics are not advised.

It’s assumed we need to be careful by now, given the whole village getting destroyed, apparently thanks to this... Zoroark. But.. how, exactly, are we supposed to catch it then?

Yes, just how are you planning to capture something that even fooled that big, icy, disease-ridden dragon? Zoroark are fantastic at illusory environments. You could be going in a circle for hours and not know it even, ja?

With the minor caveat that this is entirely conjectural, I believe a sufficiently diligent eye could detect illusions. Consider that Zoroark are not at all psychic: the imagery they project can contain only details already known to them. One could take advantage of this property to watch for suspicious incongruencies. Proactively laying a trap may be possible; when a Zoroark is nearby, leave small environmental clues that would be difficult to replicate, and routinely check for their presence.

Aside from that, Zoroark illusions are most immersive visually, so relying on other senses may be helpful. Touch, in particular, is difficult to fool by any means. I do wish Lexy were here—he has, as he puts it, a knack for summoning trivia when most needed. (And... when not needed.)

I sincerely doubt the illusions she can currently conjure are anywhere near the quality of her previous ones, as she most likely had time to focus and prepare for those. Anything she can come up with now will be easily seen through, she’ll know this. With that in mind, she will without a doubt save her energy for fleeing. You all can do what you will with environmental markings. I intend to catch up to her directly, she’ll not evade me again.

And what if one of us catches her, and the rest aren’t around? I’m not even sure where we are, to be honest.

It’s obvious, is it not? Heading back to Tao would be the most logical thing.

We can just look out for a landmark to find our way out and make our way back after this... Well, I know Monochrome Tower can be seen from practically any point in this forest. So, uh, I guess we can focus on chasing for now.

I’m glad to have your permission! Let’s continue on!

One thing further, Devonshire. Best not to seed undue distress among the others, but... given the flora I saw earlier and your description of events, I suspect we have been displaced some distance upstream, so to speak.

There’s undoubtedly a far easier way to say that. Does Lexy get that from you, or do you get that from Lexy?

...what?

Why, whatever are you talking about?

...okay. Whatever, let’s just get this lady.

MISSIONS

MAIN MISSION

Devonshire and Vergil have made it their mission to apprehend a mysterious Zoroark said to be the perpetrator behind the Sorbet incident. Caldera has decided to tag along and help teams see through any illusions this Zoroark might put up in an attempt at escaping. Dr. Quaak is following along to treat anyone who sustains any serious injuries. It appears that only Rescuers are at Devonshire’s side...

MISSION OBJECTIVES

MAIN MISSION

-Chase down Shade and make sure she is captured to atone for her crime!
-Journey toward Monochrome Tower with Devonshire when Shade has been restricted and contained
IMPORTANT NOTICE

The ones who are "missing" (IE The 2nd and 4th members in your team) have been sent into the past. And specifically, all the Rescuers are with Devonshire!

As for submitting mission work, it's the same as before. Just submit them to the Mission 7 folder and send a note when you are completed with details. For simplicity, it would be advisable to label your work with this mission as "Past."