Discord
A strong breeze blew across the clifftops, threatening to knock the three pokemon off the side- although one seemed a lot more worried than the other two. The Chimchar wasn't bothered by the cold so much as he was bothered by the prospect of those sharp-looking rocks below him, and the long fall he'd have to take to reach them. Cal fidgeted with the bottom edges of his sleeveless vest, idly tweaking the fabric in one hand while he tried his best to avoid looking at the edge.
It was unusual for any pokemon to wear something that close to human clothing, the Scizor noted, much less a Fire-type with an active tailflame just inches away from it. He shrugged it off after a moment. Pokemon were all weird here, Krakua thought to himself, thinking of his oversized claws and dull greyish-red coloration, both extremely unlike any Scizor he'd known back home. Seeing a Chimchar with a shirt on was far from the strangest thing he'd seen in the month he had lived in this world. He tapped his tiny, insectoid foot impatiently- a habit carried over from his days as a human that was thankfully a lot less audible now.
Krakua wasn't worried at all about falling- he was confident that even if his wings couldn't outright carry him, they could at least slow him down enough for his metallic carapace to absorb most of the impact. He'd never tried flying before, and wasn't in a hurry to do so- no matter how much Entu insisted he try it. The Swablu was at the head of the group, a sheaf of papers clutched in their cottony wings as they squinted at the old, faded handwriting on the sign. They muttered the occasional "hmm" and "uhh" to themselves as they glanced back and forth from the papers to the sign, attempting to decipher the script. They used to study old languages in their free time, and now that hobby was finally paying off- at least, it would be if they weren't so distracted by the excitement of it all.
This was Entu's first expedition, and it had been a rocky road to get here, to say the least- but Typhlosion, ever the generous one, had decided that no one was to stay behind for the trip. The entire Guild was going, and it was a decision everyone emphatically agreed with. They had split into teams for the journey, and were told to meet up at Fogbound Lake. Entu's navigational skills had led them, Krakua, and Cal to cross this canyon- apparently the fastest route, though Krakua couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't seen anyone else from the Guild going this way. Now the path before them was split, and the only indication as to what lay beyond was an old wooden sign with some kind of scrawl that only Entu recognized.
"No, that definitely- hm. Okay." The Swablu chirped after a few minutes, seeming confused.
"You got something?" Krakua asked.
"Yyyyeah. I just had to be sure, because- honestly, these names are, well... odd. The left path is called Filthy Cathedral and the right path is called Hilarious Crypt."
"Hilarious Crypt?" Cal tilted his head, confused.
"Yeah. Well, 'hilarious' isn't a completely accurate translation, the literal meaning of the word is 'that which contains a joke'."
"Well... That definitely sounds better than Filthy Cathedral, that's for sure."
"So... There's a joke hidden somewhere in Hilarious Crypt?"
"I mean, according to the sign."
"Then it's settled! Let's go to Hilarious Crypt and find the joke!"
"Sounds good to me. Krakua?"
Krakua simply shrugged in response, and the three of them stepped through the opening into Hilarious Crypt.
"I'm seeing a whole lot of Crypt, not so much Hilarious."
"We'll find it eventually! We just have to get to the end!"
It had been about a half hour since the trio had entered the Crypt, and so far it seemed fairly similar to any other Mystery Dungeon. Long, winding hallways broken up by rooms littered with traps and treasure alike- nothing that any of them weren't already familiar with. Aside from a few encounters with the locals, everything was calm and nondescript.
The dungeon itself actually kind of resembled a dungeon, Krakua thought, unlike the thick wooded areas and natural-looking caves he'd been in previously. The walls looked to be made of old stone brick, and the floor was smooth. Every so often, there would be a set of bars in the walls or ceiling, allowing daylight to shine through. Of course, this would be physically impossible under normal circumstances, but Krakua had long since given up trying to make sense of these places. Mystery Dungeons just seemed to behave the way they wanted to. If a skylight was meant to be there, it would be there, no matter how many floors were directly above it.
Suddenly, Entu's voice snapped Krakua away from his thoughts.
"Krakua-!"
But before Krakua could even turn his head to see what Entu was trying to indicate to him, he was blinded by a flash of light and an unbearable heat. Sent flying back through the tunnel he came from, he had fainted before he'd even hit the ground. Simultaneously, Entu and Cal slapped their Rescue Team badges, activating the emergency retreat function. In an instant, all three of them were back at the clifftops, the faded sign and the two paths lying before them.
Krakua lay still- breathing, but unconscious- as his companions tended to his wounds. His entire body looked scorched, and the scarf around his neck as well as the bandages around his claws were nothing but ash. His Goggle Specs- a special item that allowed him to see hidden traps and invisible pokemon- had also been destroyed in the fire. His delicate wings, thankfully, had been mostly behind him when the attack hit, and were only scorched around the edges. Slowly, he opened his eyes and coughed, a small cloud of soot puffing from his mouth.
"Krakua! You okay?"
"m'fine. What the heck even was that?"
"I was trying to warn you- there was a Charizard, and it hit you with some kind of fire move-"
"A Flare Blitz." Cal clarified. "It's a super strong technique that only the most powerful Fire types can learn."
"-yeah, that- and you were out cold pretty much instantly."
"...Makes sense." Krakua grunted and stretched, slowly sitting up.
"Fire-type stuff is my biggest weakness, of course it would take me out in one hit. I'm just glad it didn't do any permanent damage. How long have I been out?"
"A couple hours, maybe?"
"Mm. There's still daylight left if we want to try again."
"Are you sure? If there's Charizards in there, then it might be a better idea to go the other way."
"We just got unlucky. I'll be more careful this time. You guys are both okay, right?"
"Yeah, we... just bailed as soon as you went down." Cal looked down, ashamed.
"No, that's smart. No sense trying to stay and fight at that point. You've got the Get Out Of Jail Free card, may as well use it."
"The huh?"
"You did good is what I'm trying to say." Krakua stood up, dusting himself off. "If you guys are good to go, I'm fine with trying again."
"...Alright. If you're sure."
There was much less conversation the second time- the trio were constantly watching their backs in case the Charizard from before made another appearance. Though the mood wasn't exactly grim, it was a lot more serious than it had been before. Rounding another corner, a tunnel stretched its way into an open room. Krakua leaned in, scanning the area.
"Looks good. I don't see any-"
But as he was speaking, he took a step inside, and the floor beneath him sunk in with a soft click. All at once, pokemon began appearing out if thin air, flooding the room. Where there had been a small, empty room before, a large crowd now stood, all eyes fixed on the intruders. Krakua did the math in his head. There was no way any of them were going to win that fight. There wasn't anything helpful in the bag. That left only one option.
"-RUN!"
Entu was already in the air, flying back down the way they'd come. Krakua was hot on their heels, ducking out of the way as attacks of every type flooded the corridor behind him. Cal, however, didn't react nearly as quickly. As he turned to run, a flurry of needles shot from the crowd behind him, catching him in the leg and causing him to trip as he rounded the corner. Neither Krakua nor Entu could do anything as the wave of pokemon overtook their partner. Within seconds, Krakua and Entu's badges both made a harsh chime, indicating that their teammate had lost consciousness. Krakua wasted no time slapping the badge, and the three of them were back at the cliffs before they knew it.
"...Entu? Do you know what that was?" Krakua turned to the Swablu, panting as he sat on the ground.
"...A Monster House. As soon as you take your first step into the room, a bunch of Pokemon show up... Most rescue teams try to use an Orb or something to get away. It's not a good idea to fight that many enemies at once."
"Never seen one of those before. That can just... happen?"
"...Yup. It sucks."
"I really want to know what the joke is, though!"
"Cal, you and Krakua have both gotten knocked out in there. There's no telling what would happen next time we go in."
"But it could be a great discovery! No one's seen what's in there in centuries!"
"One more time."
"Krakua?"
"If I'm understanding correctly, Monster Houses could happen in any given dungeon- or they might not happen at all. There's not necessarily reason to believe that Hilarious Crypt is any tougher than Filthy Cathedral. If you really want to know what's in there, we can try one more time, but after that, we're going the other way. Does that work?"
"...Fine."
"Sure. Let's just get this over with."
"Great." The trio stepped into Hilarious Crypt once more as Krakua continued to speak to the group. "Now remember, I can't see traps anymore, so that means we need to be extra careful for-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
Krakua looked down to see a dark pit where Entu had been standing. He sighed deeply as he tapped his badge again.
"Nope. I said one more try, and that was it. We're going to Filthy Cathedral."
"But-! That didn't even count! We took two steps in and then Entu fell in a hole! And they can fly!"
"Not if I don't have enough space to spread my wings! That hole was barely wider than I am!"
"All the more reason why we should quit while we're behind. That dungeon is just too dangerous. We're going the other way."
"I can't believe you two! We're supposed to be explorers, we can't give up this easily! I want to know what's down there!"
"We're supposed to be exploring somewhere else right now, Cal. We can't let ourselves get distracted."
"I... ugh! I'll do it myself, then. I'll meet you two at the lake."
"Cal, wait. Cal!" But Cal had already stormed off into Hilarious Crypt.
"Suits me just fine. C'mon, Krakua." Krakua just sat, placing his head in his claws.
"...No. We've got to go in after him."
"Seriously?"
"He might be acting like a jerk, but we still have a responsibility to him as a fellow Guild member. We can't let him go by himself."
"I-"
"Would you rather do this, or explain to Wormadam that we left a teammate behind?"
"...Fine. But if he tries that stunt again, you're going to have to stop him."
"Obviously."
It was unusual for any pokemon to wear something that close to human clothing, the Scizor noted, much less a Fire-type with an active tailflame just inches away from it. He shrugged it off after a moment. Pokemon were all weird here, Krakua thought to himself, thinking of his oversized claws and dull greyish-red coloration, both extremely unlike any Scizor he'd known back home. Seeing a Chimchar with a shirt on was far from the strangest thing he'd seen in the month he had lived in this world. He tapped his tiny, insectoid foot impatiently- a habit carried over from his days as a human that was thankfully a lot less audible now.
Krakua wasn't worried at all about falling- he was confident that even if his wings couldn't outright carry him, they could at least slow him down enough for his metallic carapace to absorb most of the impact. He'd never tried flying before, and wasn't in a hurry to do so- no matter how much Entu insisted he try it. The Swablu was at the head of the group, a sheaf of papers clutched in their cottony wings as they squinted at the old, faded handwriting on the sign. They muttered the occasional "hmm" and "uhh" to themselves as they glanced back and forth from the papers to the sign, attempting to decipher the script. They used to study old languages in their free time, and now that hobby was finally paying off- at least, it would be if they weren't so distracted by the excitement of it all.
This was Entu's first expedition, and it had been a rocky road to get here, to say the least- but Typhlosion, ever the generous one, had decided that no one was to stay behind for the trip. The entire Guild was going, and it was a decision everyone emphatically agreed with. They had split into teams for the journey, and were told to meet up at Fogbound Lake. Entu's navigational skills had led them, Krakua, and Cal to cross this canyon- apparently the fastest route, though Krakua couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't seen anyone else from the Guild going this way. Now the path before them was split, and the only indication as to what lay beyond was an old wooden sign with some kind of scrawl that only Entu recognized.
"No, that definitely- hm. Okay." The Swablu chirped after a few minutes, seeming confused.
"You got something?" Krakua asked.
"Yyyyeah. I just had to be sure, because- honestly, these names are, well... odd. The left path is called Filthy Cathedral and the right path is called Hilarious Crypt."
"Hilarious Crypt?" Cal tilted his head, confused.
"Yeah. Well, 'hilarious' isn't a completely accurate translation, the literal meaning of the word is 'that which contains a joke'."
"Well... That definitely sounds better than Filthy Cathedral, that's for sure."
"So... There's a joke hidden somewhere in Hilarious Crypt?"
"I mean, according to the sign."
"Then it's settled! Let's go to Hilarious Crypt and find the joke!"
"Sounds good to me. Krakua?"
Krakua simply shrugged in response, and the three of them stepped through the opening into Hilarious Crypt.
"I'm seeing a whole lot of Crypt, not so much Hilarious."
"We'll find it eventually! We just have to get to the end!"
It had been about a half hour since the trio had entered the Crypt, and so far it seemed fairly similar to any other Mystery Dungeon. Long, winding hallways broken up by rooms littered with traps and treasure alike- nothing that any of them weren't already familiar with. Aside from a few encounters with the locals, everything was calm and nondescript.
The dungeon itself actually kind of resembled a dungeon, Krakua thought, unlike the thick wooded areas and natural-looking caves he'd been in previously. The walls looked to be made of old stone brick, and the floor was smooth. Every so often, there would be a set of bars in the walls or ceiling, allowing daylight to shine through. Of course, this would be physically impossible under normal circumstances, but Krakua had long since given up trying to make sense of these places. Mystery Dungeons just seemed to behave the way they wanted to. If a skylight was meant to be there, it would be there, no matter how many floors were directly above it.
Suddenly, Entu's voice snapped Krakua away from his thoughts.
"Krakua-!"
But before Krakua could even turn his head to see what Entu was trying to indicate to him, he was blinded by a flash of light and an unbearable heat. Sent flying back through the tunnel he came from, he had fainted before he'd even hit the ground. Simultaneously, Entu and Cal slapped their Rescue Team badges, activating the emergency retreat function. In an instant, all three of them were back at the clifftops, the faded sign and the two paths lying before them.
Krakua lay still- breathing, but unconscious- as his companions tended to his wounds. His entire body looked scorched, and the scarf around his neck as well as the bandages around his claws were nothing but ash. His Goggle Specs- a special item that allowed him to see hidden traps and invisible pokemon- had also been destroyed in the fire. His delicate wings, thankfully, had been mostly behind him when the attack hit, and were only scorched around the edges. Slowly, he opened his eyes and coughed, a small cloud of soot puffing from his mouth.
"Krakua! You okay?"
"m'fine. What the heck even was that?"
"I was trying to warn you- there was a Charizard, and it hit you with some kind of fire move-"
"A Flare Blitz." Cal clarified. "It's a super strong technique that only the most powerful Fire types can learn."
"-yeah, that- and you were out cold pretty much instantly."
"...Makes sense." Krakua grunted and stretched, slowly sitting up.
"Fire-type stuff is my biggest weakness, of course it would take me out in one hit. I'm just glad it didn't do any permanent damage. How long have I been out?"
"A couple hours, maybe?"
"Mm. There's still daylight left if we want to try again."
"Are you sure? If there's Charizards in there, then it might be a better idea to go the other way."
"We just got unlucky. I'll be more careful this time. You guys are both okay, right?"
"Yeah, we... just bailed as soon as you went down." Cal looked down, ashamed.
"No, that's smart. No sense trying to stay and fight at that point. You've got the Get Out Of Jail Free card, may as well use it."
"The huh?"
"You did good is what I'm trying to say." Krakua stood up, dusting himself off. "If you guys are good to go, I'm fine with trying again."
"...Alright. If you're sure."
There was much less conversation the second time- the trio were constantly watching their backs in case the Charizard from before made another appearance. Though the mood wasn't exactly grim, it was a lot more serious than it had been before. Rounding another corner, a tunnel stretched its way into an open room. Krakua leaned in, scanning the area.
"Looks good. I don't see any-"
But as he was speaking, he took a step inside, and the floor beneath him sunk in with a soft click. All at once, pokemon began appearing out if thin air, flooding the room. Where there had been a small, empty room before, a large crowd now stood, all eyes fixed on the intruders. Krakua did the math in his head. There was no way any of them were going to win that fight. There wasn't anything helpful in the bag. That left only one option.
"-RUN!"
Entu was already in the air, flying back down the way they'd come. Krakua was hot on their heels, ducking out of the way as attacks of every type flooded the corridor behind him. Cal, however, didn't react nearly as quickly. As he turned to run, a flurry of needles shot from the crowd behind him, catching him in the leg and causing him to trip as he rounded the corner. Neither Krakua nor Entu could do anything as the wave of pokemon overtook their partner. Within seconds, Krakua and Entu's badges both made a harsh chime, indicating that their teammate had lost consciousness. Krakua wasted no time slapping the badge, and the three of them were back at the cliffs before they knew it.
"...Entu? Do you know what that was?" Krakua turned to the Swablu, panting as he sat on the ground.
"...A Monster House. As soon as you take your first step into the room, a bunch of Pokemon show up... Most rescue teams try to use an Orb or something to get away. It's not a good idea to fight that many enemies at once."
"Never seen one of those before. That can just... happen?"
"...Yup. It sucks."
"I really want to know what the joke is, though!"
"Cal, you and Krakua have both gotten knocked out in there. There's no telling what would happen next time we go in."
"But it could be a great discovery! No one's seen what's in there in centuries!"
"One more time."
"Krakua?"
"If I'm understanding correctly, Monster Houses could happen in any given dungeon- or they might not happen at all. There's not necessarily reason to believe that Hilarious Crypt is any tougher than Filthy Cathedral. If you really want to know what's in there, we can try one more time, but after that, we're going the other way. Does that work?"
"...Fine."
"Sure. Let's just get this over with."
"Great." The trio stepped into Hilarious Crypt once more as Krakua continued to speak to the group. "Now remember, I can't see traps anymore, so that means we need to be extra careful for-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
Krakua looked down to see a dark pit where Entu had been standing. He sighed deeply as he tapped his badge again.
"Nope. I said one more try, and that was it. We're going to Filthy Cathedral."
"But-! That didn't even count! We took two steps in and then Entu fell in a hole! And they can fly!"
"Not if I don't have enough space to spread my wings! That hole was barely wider than I am!"
"All the more reason why we should quit while we're behind. That dungeon is just too dangerous. We're going the other way."
"I can't believe you two! We're supposed to be explorers, we can't give up this easily! I want to know what's down there!"
"We're supposed to be exploring somewhere else right now, Cal. We can't let ourselves get distracted."
"I... ugh! I'll do it myself, then. I'll meet you two at the lake."
"Cal, wait. Cal!" But Cal had already stormed off into Hilarious Crypt.
"Suits me just fine. C'mon, Krakua." Krakua just sat, placing his head in his claws.
"...No. We've got to go in after him."
"Seriously?"
"He might be acting like a jerk, but we still have a responsibility to him as a fellow Guild member. We can't let him go by himself."
"I-"
"Would you rather do this, or explain to Wormadam that we left a teammate behind?"
"...Fine. But if he tries that stunt again, you're going to have to stop him."
"Obviously."
Artificial lifeform/mechanical construct on a mission to obtain every armor type TCP and also maybe make cool stuff along the way
If you call me a bionicle you are correct
[ARCADE SESSION] [CAVE-IN] [THE ARMOR GUILD] [GENERAL CHARACTER HOARD] [INTRO THREAD] [TCPDEX CHARACTERS]
[ADOPTS]
![[Image: WOxKePR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/WOxKePR.png)
![[Image: DGVV5eJ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/DGVV5eJ.png)
If you call me a bionicle you are correct
[ARCADE SESSION] [CAVE-IN] [THE ARMOR GUILD] [GENERAL CHARACTER HOARD] [INTRO THREAD] [TCPDEX CHARACTERS]
[ADOPTS]