Toothless looks a bit uncomfortable with the depiction of some nearby Salamence.

Fey: <Well they're-> -- looks back at Cleo -- <are you always right?>

…Turns back to the others.

Fey: <They are mons who established themselves here after the Banishment. They got a permit from U Frith because they are pretty nice and fought on our side, but unfortunately they tend to let it get over their heads.>

Nidorina: <When that happens they send some minions to try and expand their territory by invading the forest, and then we have to smack them silly so they return to their senses.>

Fey: <Beyond that little detail, they are very nice Pokémon to do business with, actually. They live in this floating settlement to the south…> -- shrugs.

(After this post)

Golden Forests

Guide Donphan: <Heh... A 'gator boy and a 'mence girl… doesn't it sound sappy?> -- giggles.

Fey -listening to Toothless: <Oh… well, if you mean the Dragonspiral girl and the porcupine with a fashion statement, I'm afraid you won't be able to meet with them yet.> -- gives off a boasting smile -- <A friend of mine is holding them off at the moment.>

Toothless: <Wait what do you mean?>

Fey: <That they can not leave until we let them.>

Toothless -growls: <If that is supposed to mean anything threatening…>

Nidorina: <Would you two knock it off? This group is here as guests, Fey.> -- growls at the Gengar -- <It is the others who have to do important stuff here. Now, if you don't mind, let's continue to enjoy these noms.>

Fey pats Cleo, muttering something in the line of being careful about where does one look for assassins, and goes walk around looking for a sleepy mon to Dream Eater. Meanwhile, Toothless and Riana keep noming while the Nidorina brushes Silentran♂ and rocks him a little, hoping to return him to senses.

Golden Forest Loregrounds, PMD-B

Back at the cabin, a Noctowl and an Alakazam can be seen having a conversation.

Autura: <...Really? Why would you want to integrate anyways? From the records we've salvaged, it was just scrambled text and numbers that humans would have understood.>

Xavier: <Well,> -- shrugs -- <it is like adding many small numbers automatically, but yeah it is painful. Methinks derivation is just better.>

A short distance from there, a Spiritomb and two Sableye are watching the conversation with bored faces. Shortly after a Pidgeotto lands by their side.

Pidgeott: <Uhm... I should like, really move you to the communal grounds for the lunch that is coming, or I'll lose my [permit].>

Styx -waves a hand: <Heh, sorry, it's just it seems they are still engaged in conversation.>

Elysia: <Uhm... I-is he always like that?> -- hugs her mother. -- <I want to go see more things.>

Styx: <I'm afraid so, Elysia..., hey you,> -- to the Pidgeotto -- <he can find his way to us later, right?>

Pidgeotto: <Yeah, sure, let's go with that.> -- nervously unfolds wings -- <Let's go, please?>

Styx and Elysia look at each other and give a wry smile.

Styx: <…I think we can wait a little longer~>

Meanwhil, Xavier and Autura are still talking and gesticulating while the Alakazam still tries to convice the Noctowl to let out some specific information.

Autura -ruffles feathers: <I have to say, I lost track what we were talking about like four hours ago.>

Xavier: <Speaking of track, how did you lose track of your brother?>

Autura: <Oh, that.> -- turns head 180º -- <A delegate Pokémon cane from far away when we were little, said there was a [tower] holding some important knowledge that had to be saved.> -- shurgs -- <Next morning my brother is gone. I am sorry but I really don't know any more specifics.>

Xavier -rubs chin: <A tower... here in Johto?>

Autura -shakes head: <Not even that I know...>

(previous to this post)

Helios's Castle

Algira has fun talking to a Masquerain about the weather and how comfortable it is for them to live in the nearby oasis.

Algira: <…And you don't think it is too arid?>

Masquerain♀: <Not really...> -- buzzes -- <We've got used to it in the last fifty or so generations. Look at these, for example.> -- flashes some vivid orange patterns closer to the RSE sprite coloring.

Algira -buzzes in confusion: <…Fifty?>

(After this post)

Local Ursaring -to Teala: <There's a little place from the time of humans where we have kept some important things safe.> -- shrugs -- <Only shame is that the road is kinda long.>

In effect Maekrite and the others have been walking for some 15 minutes already and the underground tunnel shows no signs of ending, though Maekrite and Teala might notice that the walls of the tunnel are drier and show less signs of roots and rocks now.

????, PMD-B

After a couple of turns, Ursaring, Teala and Maekrite walk up some stairs to find themselves inside some sort of building with concrete walls. Despite the many years past, the roof is intact at least in what matters to the room the three Pokémon find themselves in. Through the shaded windows some Murkrow can be seen flying around.

Maekrite and Teala look around, they find a couple of shelves containing various dusted boxes and some broken devices from the human era. Maekrite senses something and walks around, sniffing some of the devices. After a moment, he reaches a shelf at the corner of the room where some books can be found, in a state beyond repair, as well as some glass containers that seem to hold such things as gloves and medicine containers.

Maekrite: <I've seen some of this stuff…>

Ursaring observes as Maekrite picks one of the boxes with vials and gloves and moves it around, revealing some letters in one of the sides...

P E F E

Somewhere in the docks of Almer-B

Various Pokémon are walking or slithering around, trying to carry out their daily routine. Rattata and Sentret carrying little bags with food, a Houndour taking her pups for a walk, some Pidgeys are fighting over a Wurmple, a random Nidorino is sitting around supposedly doing nothing, a Tauros rams and tackles a Nuzleaf who refused to pay the toll, two Electrike trying to bargain with a Shuckle for a drink, and the everpresent Pellipper trolling mons at the beach. It's a normal day in a normal town.

Of course, the definition of "normal" in this version of Almer, as its inhabitants call the island, includes random explosions and cries in the background every once in a while as well as smoke and noise from various battles and skirmishes taking place in and around the various canals that compose the town.

It is while observing the columns of smoke and listening to a couple of patroller Mareep around reporting to their Miltank officer that a Bulbasaur sighs and sprawls atop the wooden box that comprises his "stand".

Ponzi the Bulbasaur♂ -growls: <Mon, if those Hoennese Pokémon keep destroying the buildings all around while looking for Empire spies, I'm going to have too much trouble making business.> -- checks up a notebook with a listing -- <I have had to relocate 6 families this week.>

The Bulbasaur looks around for possible wandering victims peoplemons to whom he can offer a temporary home or shelter from the conflict. Because he is such a swindle nice mon.

(In response to this)

Ponzi looks at Sari and Bucky and smiles.

Ponzi: <Well, you are quite a lot so I'll need to look for fancy and roomy accommodations. Hey, what if you follow me to the area controlled by the Miltank Legion?> -- points with a vine to the highest buildings in town, pretty similar to the others in design -- <They don't destroy too many buildings keep the edifications tidy and clean, and I think I still have one or two roomy enough for you.>

Umbra says the group might just take the place, and Ponzi looks mildly excited.

Ponzi: <This is good news, good news then! Demeros, come see our new guests!> -- swings a vine at the Aron.

Meanwhile the group of three nondescript mons coming out of the alley notice Ponzi is at his stuff again. One of the three mons, a Magnezone who becomes now-descript, leers at Chrome and then buzzes away; the other two Pokémon mutter something and go hurriedly follow their boss. None of them notice a Nidorino is observing them from atop a building and taking note of their every (not Every) motion, though Chrome might notice.

The Aron stops doing whatever he is doing then steps outside and looks at the group of Umbra + mons (well, all mons, but you get the point). He rawrs a welcome then addresses Ponzi.

Demeros the Aron♂: <New guests? Where with "guests" I mean "victims of scam"?>

Ponzi: <Yup. Don't they look great? We can pilfer their stuff right after we drug them.>

Demeros -nods, points Umbra and the others inside: <Then welcome, please step in... The Cacnea who are living here went to the park to bask in the sunlight, so we have some time to accommodate you without importuning anymon. And preparing the drugs will take a while for this number and variety of "guests">

The Aron steps inside, a moment after Ponzi grabs Schröedinger's Member of Umbra's party with a vine to happily and friendly drag them inside, while commenting something about this part of town being toll-free.

(After this post)

Almer, PMD-B

Demeros -smiles at Bucky: <And you look like a tidy cat! :4>

Ponzi: <Well then, let's go inside...>

The others are led inside where they find an ample space partitioned into three or four makeshift rooms separated by walls of brick and wood that look pretty clean and hardy which shows these two mons actually care for the scam to look as nice and legit as possible and they even have some carpeting. There's a conspicuous lack of flowers though.

Ponzi: <There are three rooms here,> -- points at them with a vine -- <and two upstairs->

Demeros -comes in and speaks to Ponzi's ears: <Actually… we need to make some repairs about those, because those silly Hoenn mons are bombarding with sonic booms...>

Ponzi -doesn't break a sweat: <-but we are insulating them against the evil factions of this town!> -- smiles.

After that the Pokémon guides Umbra's group around the rooms, showing them and asking if they'll try to fit all in one room or use two rooms instead. Of the three available rooms, only two have windows and one bed each with a nightstand, the third one has only a bed and what looks like a desktop adapted for quadruped mons. In one of the windowed rooms there is a pot with a Glacidea Flower.

Ponzi: <Now... which one(s) would you like to stay in? I'll tell you before you make your decision, all the rooms here cost the same after all it's not like we'll not get all of your money and possessions in a day or two~>

Near Treasure Town

It's been raining for like two days already, causing floods all around. Roc has woken up shortly ago and is now standing in a small island if slowly and apocaliptically shrinking surface. Suddenly from under his wing plumage a Starly emerges and hops to the ground below, starts looking around nervously. Roc sighs at the weather while Shahinne carefully drinks some water and gives herself a bath in the rain, then chirps and recedes to stand by her father when she realizes the water is raising.

Shahinne looks at the world around, everything wet and soaking, then takes a look up at her father who has decided to quickly preen his plumage. Shahinne trills a nervous note, wants to leave. For an answer, Roc simply stays put and stares her down, trying to calm her down with his focus and stature.