Fandom Pokémon: Sands of Darkness (Closed)

[Gold.]

Ryker and Keegan
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”Welcome back from the break to ONN where we’re providing nonstop coverage of the recent disappearance of a cargo liner from the waters off of Orre’s western coast. The ship, known as the S.S. Libra, was transporting both people and Pokemon for a joint research expedition between both the Orre region and the Kanto region’s research networks. The project was meant to be hosted here in Orre by the esteemed Crane Laboratories prior to the mysterious disappearance of the ship. Local authorities are cooperating with international police in order to locate the ship, and by extension, the missing people and Pokemon. We go now to Detective….”

The news reporter’s clear voice blaring from the TV drifted down the hallway long before his eyes met the static stricken screen in the kitchen. Ryker turned the corner to find the kitchen alive and warm as always. The TV was going, obviously, and Nana was seated haphazardly on the old rickety stool where she always sat when she was peeling or mixing things. Sure enough, her weathered hands were deftly removing the brown skins from a basket of potatoes.
Ryker sighed, vacating the mouth of the hallway where he’d been lingering. “Why don’t you watch something else, Nana?” he suggested with a light tone. She’d been flipping through various news channels since that stupid ship had vanished yesterday.

“Are you kidding?” she demanded, cackling. “This is the story of the year! Finally, something damn interesting happening around here! Why don’t you show some more interest?”

He’d already taken more interest in it than she could possibly know. With the ship up in thin air, the fallout was a publicity disaster for Orre, and people in Pyrite Town were freaking out. His home region hadn’t ever been that noticeable before—just a lonely, crime-filled wasteland on the edge of a map no one looked at. But now, with such a high profile incident, all eyes were on the region used to slinking in the shadows, and the denizens didn’t know how to react. Except for Nana, that was. Clearly, she was pleased.

Ryker palmed his keys into his pocket from the hook above the old weathered counters. Behind him, Nana raised an eyebrow. “You going out?”

Out meant out of town.

“Yeah,” Ryker said. “To Gateon. I’m getting the bike part for Yuri.” Nana nodded sagely. She knew Yuri. He came to her shop all the time, and Ryker was pretty sure either way he’d mentioned how Yuri had crashed his bike last week. To fix it, he’d had to order the part from elsewhere, but without a bike, he couldn’t go and get it. So yesterday, Ryker had offered to go and get it for him.

“Good,” Nana said. “Get some papaya while you’re out. And you better not forget it this time or I’ll turn you out on the streets!” You forget your grandmother’s fruit once and then she threatens you every time…

She didn’t mean it though. Even if he forgot the papaya. He knew that.

He sighed. “I’ll get the papaya, Nana.”

As he was pulling on his duster than hung by the door, she hit him with the, “Get on with it then!” Ryker heard the tail-end of an interview on the news as he shut his front door behind him with a soft click.

Outside, the Orre sun was hot and bright as always, and sand crunched under his boots as he made his way across what passed for the front yard. Interest sparked through Ryker when he spied Keegan leaning against one of the twisted metal poles that Nana passed off as a fence. When he saw Ryker approaching, he smiled his lazy smile. “Hey!”

Ryker reached out to take Keegan’s hand over the fence and they did the usual small greeting. “Hey,” Ryker replied to his friend, wondering what Keegan was getting up to. Finding him lurking outside the house was a regular occurrence, but he had the glinting smile and flash to his eyes that meant he was scheming.

“You going out?” Keegan asked, nodding to Ryker’s duster. Out still meant out of town. Ryker pushed open his rickety front gate, starting to make his way along the sand choked streets to the edge of town where everyone parked their bikes. Keegan feel into step beside him, and Ryker took note of the faded leather jacket shouldered over his lean frame.

“Are you?” Ryker asked with a raised of his eyebrow.

“Guess it depends if you are.”

Ryker regarded Keegan’s cheeky smile. They’d been friends for years now, but even after all this time, Ryker still had trouble getting a read on Keegan sometimes. “What are you plotting?”

“Me?” Keegan asked, pretending to be affronted. “Nice try, but what are you up to?”

Despite himself, the corner of Ryker’s lips quirked upwards and he huffed. “I’m not gonna play the you-me game all day.”

Keegan rolled his eyes but seemed pleased with the sort-of-smile he’d earned from his friend. “I heard you’re going to Gateon to get a bike part for Yuri.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you really going to Gateon to get a bike part for Yuri?” Keegan asked, scrunching up his nose with a scrutinizing glance. It was all played up for dramatics, which was Keegan’s thing of course. Despite the joking, Ryker got the implication right away.

Keegan really did know him too well.

Ryker swung one leg over his bike, parked next to Keegan’s, and leaned over the handle bars as Keegan waited for his answer. “My grandmother needs a papaya, too,” Ryker said, smirking.

Keegan snorted, rolled his eyes, and hopped on his own bike. “Right, papaya. A top priority.”

They started up their bikes, sending sand flying with a roar. Ryker tugged his sunglasses on from the inside of his coat, and together, the pair went roaring off into the desert.

 

[Ceyrise]

Whitley Aguria ~ Wayward Princess​

Deserts were hot but ocean towns were thankfully cool. With the wind coming off the sea, the air had lots of chances to circulate and ease it's temperature out over the open waters, making Gateon comfortable, at least when it came to the weather's temperament. Whitley was thankful for that--her anticipation of the sticky heat making the tiny hairs at the back of her neck cling to her sweat-slicked skin wasn't something she’d been looking forward to. Because of that there had been some slight reluctance to leave the ferry, but now that she knew the air would hold soothing, her previous feelings dissipated with a gust of the salty air. Of course, she had no way of knowing that she and Aster were both musing over their like of the ocean. Whitley didn't know if it was the case, if the salt in the water could cling to the air above it as well, but she liked the slight salty taste the wind left when it kissed her lips, and she liked the way it danced around her and wove her hair into waves and ringlets. She'd been to the beach in Izella, but she didn't remember getting as much enjoyment out of it as she did now--not that Gateon was exactly a beach. Perhaps, it had something to do with the company, rather than the beach itself?
Watching Aster with his bag made her suddenly conscious of her own luggage. Whitley scooped her backpack up from where it had been resting on the deck at her feet, dropped absently as the trio had scurried to the railings of the ferry to watch the edge of land approach them. Unable to resist the urge, she unzipped it just enough for her hands to slip past the metal teeth until fingers met the crinkled parchment of the parcel inside. She puffed the tiniest exhale. Professor Maple's package was still there, safe and secure. Where else would it have gone though? It isn't as if it could run away. Unless, of course, Aster's theories about the contents were correct; if there was a rare Pokemon contained inside. Whitley was still skeptical of that though, and even so, it would be in a Pokeball; no way for it to escape and scurry off before they could make the delivery to Professor Crane. Whitley zipped the bag with a loud zwwip! and shouldered it casually, content when she felt the familiar weight settle between her shoulder blades. Then, as the deckhands readied the boat for disembarkment, she joined Aster in examining the town of Gateon Port.
Admittedly, it wasn't somewhere she would've chosen for a vacation. Aster's interest in the clam shack was understandable; it seemed to be the only structure before them that had anything interesting about it. All the rest made it seem like a rough area--cracked windows, a lack of people, vendors huddled in the shade of their stands with overripe produce... was Orre a wealthy region? Whitley didn't know. Even in her studies, she'd never been made familiar with the place. All she really knew about it so far was from the guidebook she'd purchased from a dusty stand at the back of the Kanto Port Tourist. No region would flat out list themselves as poverty-stricken in literature that was supposed to attract visitors, so it hadn't said anything about the economical status. Judging by Gateon Port, Whitley didn't think it was overflowing with cash.
She turned a dubious look back on the clam shack, her eyebrows tipping downwards and her lips pursing together. "I don't know," she said, grey eyes sliding from Aster to the clam shack, there and back again. Her tone was unmistakably dubious. "Eating bad seafood... do you really want to take a risk like that?" She raised one inquisitive eyebrow, though Aster likely wouldn't be deterred by the icy reply. He was used to her by now, and she'd realized his optimism was infallible. "Perhaps there's somewhere else we can eat," Whitley suggested, though even as she said it, doubt cloud her gaze. She didn't see any other restaurants; at least, not any with advertising like the clam shack. None of the other buildings looked any better than the rundown opera house either, so really, how much of an improvement would a different eatery be? "I don't see a bus stop, either," she murmured, half to herself. Public transit was something they needed. How else would they get to Professor Crane's lab from here? This was a stumbling block for Whitley, normally fazed by nothing. Even the most ancient towns of Izella had a bus or a train stop. To be honest, she'd believed everywhere had a means of getting around, but maybe Orre lacked other things besides just money.

Interacting With:
Gold.​

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[Lilure]

{Iris ~ Eevee Expert}
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"Eevee" The joyful call came from the fox-like Pokemon perched along the railing of the ship. Marnie had her head up, tilting her face directly into the wind as she appreciated the feel of it though her fur.
"It is refreshing, isn't it?" Iris responded, the cheerful lilt to her voice present as it always seemed to be. The girl approached where Marnie balanced, careful not to startled her Pokemon (a swim in the ocean wasn't the best idea right now!), and wrapped her fingers around the rail. Iris inhaled deeply, then exhaled. The air smelled of sea brine and salt, and it caused a smile to bloom on her face. Okay, so, with a cursory glance, Gateon Port wasn't the nicest place they'd ever been. But! It didn't change the fact that the trio was still somewhere new and exciting, and surely there would be plenty of sights to see and Pokemon to meet, right? As far as Professor Maple's package was concerned, she was curious what the contents might be. However, after hearing a brief description about the Orre region and learning it was the largest desert in the world, what she'd really be daydreaming about were time-weathered rock formations and adorable little clusters of cacti. Things like that would make for fabulous photos after all!
It was almost time for them to disembark and she followed the lead of her two friends; that was, made a point to give a hasty check-over of her belongings, though her bags never strayed far from where she was. Iris tugged on the straps of the boxy-shaped bag, adjusting it until the comfort level was just right. This bag was new, a gift to Iris from one of her other friends who had just started a travel brand. The best part about it was, there was a compartment for her camera gear and everything! Not having to carry multiple bags everywhere now felt new and freeing, and though her backpack wasn't heavy, she was still adjusting to the size and shape of it. "Dove!" she called, waving towards herself at the feathery, white Pokemon soaring above them. The Nimbeon called out to indicate that she'd heard her trainer, but continued to do a few more acrobatic loops through the air as she began descending. Marnie launched herself off the ship rail and landed squarely on Iris' shoulder with the practiced ease of a partner who'd done it a thousand times before.
"I'm hungry too!" Iris chimed in. It wasn't surprising; of the trio, and and Aster were the two most likely to be on the same wavelength. They had a lot of interests in common, and never stopped being excited about somewhere new. "I think a performance during the meal sounds like a lot of fun! Like dinner theater! Although, bad clams... probably won't make for a fun first day here," Iris added, smiling in exasperated admittance. Whitley's logic was sound as always, and even if she hadn't mentioned it, Iris herself would've probably questioned the merits of the local seafood once she'd gotten past her intrigue over the singing. "There's some fruit stands over there!" she pointed out. "Maybe, if we can't find anything else, we can cook something at the hotel." Another thought struck her. "Is there a hotel around here?" Iris scanned the harbor line; she didn't see any sign of one. "Did Professor Maple mention anywhere we could stay?"

Interacting With: Ceyrise Gold.​

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[Gold.]

Ryker
~​

It was approximately a four hour drive (with good weather) to Gateon from Pyrite. The two had parked up outside the port and had been in the city for around an hour now. They’d meandered around a little bit, talking with some sailors and some of the local residents they knew, hit a few sketchy dive bars… nothing had come up. Presently, they had gone down to the docks themselves and were right out in the open of most ships and incoming seafarers. Ryker stood at a stall selling fresh catches, chatting with the fish monger. He wasn’t planning on buying anything though. “So, have you ever seen anything like that out there?” His tone was conversational, curious. According to a single eyewitness report, the ship was supposedly attacked by some sort of leviathan-like creature. There had been some helicopters involved too, but that was sketchier and not something to ask an open vendor about. But a lot of people were curious about the creature. Ryker was playing that up as natural curiosity. Unfortunately, the old fish monger said he’d never seen anything like what the eyewitness had described. Ryker wasn’t surprised. Not a lot had turned up so far. He wasn’t too disappointed though. Information had a way of eventually getting around in Orre. And, if nothing else, he could head into The Under. There would definitely be something down there to find out.

His quest for a leviathan unsuccessful, Ryker left the fishmonger's stand and ended up near one of the harbor benches. He sighed and leaned his hip against the side of it rather than taking a seat, his arms crossing over his chest. "This really freaking sucks," he thought. He'd already hit up most of his usual informants. Nothing, other than what he already knew. One sailor down at the opera house had mentioned hearing something about some people called Ciper, but nothing concrete. It was something to go on, but still not that great. A light sea breeze stirred his brown hair softly, and he absently brushed it out of his eyes, which were hazy with thought. "The boat might be a good place to start. I mean, there's only so many places you could take a boat that size here." It was possible the people involved had taken the boat to another region, but why not just scoop it up right outside Kanto then? Ryker had a sneaking suspicion that they'd used Orre's desert as a means of hiding their stolen prize. How they had moved it, he had no idea, but still.

A bit of movement immediately caught Ryker's attention. A group of rough-looking sailors had just come out of the dive bar up the wharf, and had started to come this way. Ryker glanced away, uninterested. He knew they wouldn't bother him. He tended to have that affect on people, and both he and Keegan were dressed like they'd come from the desert. Most sailors here knew better than to pick a fight with anyone who came out of the east. Ryker glanced up as another sea breeze tossed his hair, and his green eyes narrowed a little in surprise when he spotted a different Pokemon whirling through the sky among the familiar Wingull. It was winged, with four legs, and fox-like; Ryker had no idea what it was called. As he watched, the strange Pokemon returned to who must be its trainer, a brunettee girl who'd just disembarked a small ferry ship. Tourists? Now? That struck Ryker as odd, but it was also possible they'd headed to the region without hearing about what had gone on. Nothing to worry about really.

However, Ryker realized he wasn't the only one who had noticed the group. The previously mentioned sailors had as well. They had stopped along the dock, in a group together, and were regarding all the tourists who had just gotten off the boat with varying degrees of frowns. Ryker's expression didn't noticeably change, but his held tilted towards the two groups ever so slightly.

Keegan
~​

Meanwhile, a short distance away, Keegan was taking a break. He sat on the edge of the dock, feet dangling off as his chin rested in the cup of his palm. The blonde sighed a disappointed sigh. Unlike Ryker, Keegan was feeling rather dejected. "I mean, I didn’t expect the first person we asked to know something, but literally nobody knows anything!" he thought to himself in frustration. He watched with a slight frown as a school of Luvdisc darted this way and that under the crystal surface of the water. A cool breeze stirred his hair, which he found nice. Because of the ocean wind, Gateon wasn’t nearly as hot as the rest of Orre. He really did like coming out here, over to the ocean where it smiled salty but fresh and there was movement in the air. Then, physical movement caught his attention, and Keegan’s eyes flicked to a small ship from which people were disembarking. What interested him was that these people weren’t dressed as sailors. They looked… normal? Keegan was surprised, and instantly a little suspicious. Orre wasn’t exactly a popular vacation spot. They did get tourists from time to time, but now? Why now? Especially after a ship had literally just disappeared.

He continued his observation of the tourists as each new person disembarked. "Wow, I wonder why a couple cuties like that would come all the way out here?" The blonde had noticed a pair of girls, standing close to one another and chatting between themselves. The brunette of the duo had an Eevee perched one er shoulder, and has he watched, another four-legged Pokemon descended from the sky to join her. "Oh, I bet they have grandparents here." Keegan concluded. It wasn't very often, but sometimes people his age came to Orre to head up to Agate Village. It was mostly a retirement village, so people from elsewhere came to visit them. Those people made up the bulk of Orre's tourism.

 

[Lilure]

{Iris ~ Eevee Expert}

Bikes, hmm? Iris wasn't surprised that he'd suggested it. "Bikes... might be difficult," she said half-heartedly. There was no desire to crush Aster's hope of a cycle, but she knew better than to immediately hop onto two wheels, despite her own like of them. Iris elaborated further, recalling past experiences she'd had in various terrains. "Bikes can take a lot of prep work. I've never ridden one across the desert, but it's probably really hard--especially if there aren't any trails we can use. When I bike in the mountains, you have to outfit them with special wheels and gears so you can get the best experience out of it." Iris frowned, turning her g out to sea as she mulled it over. In the distance, Wingull were flocking over what looked to be bubbling ocean. Perhaps they'd found a hot spot for a nice bite to eat? "If we can find a bike shop, they'd probably be able to outfit the bikes for the sand here. But if not, I don't know if I want to take my chances sinking into the dunes." An apologetic smile graced her features as she let out and airy laugh. Aster was easy going, and he'd probably understand; still, whenever he was so excited, she never wanted to shoot his ideas down! Even after traveling together for a while, it was still novel to her that he could be so impressed by everything. The lives they'd led were quite different, and she felt joy whenever his own bubbled to the surface. Aster always got excited about such small things. In a way, it reminded Iris to take a breath, stop, and enjoy those things, too!
Moving past her musings, she set about scanning the buildings in front of them for a hotel. A motel? An inn? Anything really would work as long as it had warm beds where they could rest up before turning up a way to Professor Maple's lab. It took several passing glances before she spotted the building. At first, all she could make out was a dilapidated Poke-Mart, a publication store with yellowing windows and a faded display outside, and an unmarked building that may've been a residence based on the tiers of balconies it boasted. Each was unique; from some, laundry dangled off lines, at others, plastic patio furniture had been set up to look out over the ocean. It was around the third or fourth pass when she spied the sign, half-hidden behind the Poke-Mart's advertisements. An arrow angling downwards on the vertical, green and with cracked broadway-style lightbulbs. "There!" Iris exclaimed, thrusting a hand forward to point at the sign. "Eevee!" Marnie cried in triumph, almost as if she were emphasizing her master's enthusiasm and location skills. "That says motel, doesn't it?" she asked cheerfully.

Interacting With: Gold.

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