Forum Thread

"I can't tell what's real anymore. Are you real? Or am I just hallucinating this encounter, and I'm actually bleeding out at my desk...?"

Magnus pushed his hair back, laughing slightly.

"I don't fxcking know what's happening. I don't know, and I'm fxcking terrified."

He kept his composure, but there was just the tiniest hint of terror in his voice.

---

Zaria observed Magnus carefully, noting the genuine fear in his eyes. She could see that he was grappling with his own sanity, and it tugged at a sliver of compassion within her. Despite their past differences, she couldn't ignore the distress he was experiencing. Damn her conscience... and to think that Zaria had thought it had disappeared.

"I'm real, Magnus," she replied firmly, trying to convey a sense of stability. "This is a real encounter, and you're not bleeding out at your desk. You're here, and I'm here, in the flesh." She took a step closer to him, keeping a respectful distance. "You're not alone in this. If something strange is happening, we'll figure it out together. It could be stress, or maybe there's something else going on. But we won't know unless we investigate."

Zaria's scientific curiosity kicked in, and she felt a sense of determination to get to the bottom of this mystery. Perhaps there was a logical explanation for Magnus's experiences, but she couldn't rule out anything at this point. The Eyes messing with him? Someone or some-pokemon invisibly pranking him? Some ancient psychic-type curse he had activated? The possibilities (no username-pun intended) with Magnus were limitless.

"Let's go back to your office and take a look around," she suggested. "If someone's messing with you, we'll find out. And if it's something else, well, at least we'll know." Zaria didn't know if she could fully trust Magnus, but she believed in the pursuit of truth. And if there was a chance to help him, she was willing to set aside her reservations and maybe be there for him.

And if he was playing her... he was doing a good job.

---

"That's exactly what a hallucination would say! Because everything lines up too perfectly for this to be real! Not only do you just randomly appear outside my door the one time in the past 2 weeks that I'm outside of the office, you randomly appear here, right after I talked about my past! I don't-"

He seemed to be slowly breaking down, his hands running through his hair.

---

"Don't go down the self-loathing train, Raiden. A healthy mind is the first step to a healthy life." Araceli mentioned, chuckling a little. That was also a quote of her mother. "You are not stupid. Sure, Quentin has the whole "biochemist of his time" thing going on but if I asked him to... off someone, I bet he'd come up with seventy-two elaborate plans. You'd do it in a snap." She snaps her fingers to accentuate her words. "Everyone's got their strengths. If you didn't, you'd be a mascot... or a lawyer."

As they talked, she looks over her papers and suddenly felt the need to giggle. Raiden had to inquire first to find out why. Araceli, usually hiding her smiles under her hand, now showed it... the Electrocutioner was one of the few that had the luxury of seeing it. "Y'know, I know people upstairs with very big egos, right? But... if they are so grand as they please... why would they hire additional people?" She sticks her tongue out. Cheeky Araceli... now that's an even rarer sight.

----

The Roserade stood there awkwardly between Magnus and Zaria. All he wanted, or rather tasked to do, was give him something to eat. Now he had a bit of a weird episode... and another person showed up! Well, it was good that he took two nutrition bars from the lab! A bit confused and, honestly scared that one of them might shout, the Roserade just extends both roses with a bar in each. He even closed her eyes, out of embarrassment and to not see the potentially annoyed faces of the two.

---

Zaria's heart sank as she watched Magnus begin to unravel before her. His paranoia and fear were palpable, and she struggled to find the right words to reassure him. She knew that trying to reason with someone in the midst of a mental breakdown could be difficult, but she couldn't stand idly by while he spiraled further. This was going to be waaaay harder than she had initially thought.

"I understand that it might seem too coincidental," Zaria said calmly, trying to maintain her composure. "But I assure you, I'm real. I'm here because I care about what you're going through, and I want to help."

She raised her hands, showing him that she wasn't holding anything threatening, but she didn't back down. "I don't know what you've done in the past hour. Talking about your past with me might have triggered... something, but it doesn't mean that everything is a hallucination. Sometimes, our minds can play tricks on us, especially when we're under a lot of stress. It's neurologically proven." When in doubt, she turned to cold, hard facts. The scientist in her craved logic in amidst the chaos. She could only hope that it would get through to Magnus.

Zaria's voice softened, her expression gentle. "You're not the only one who has experienced strange things in this place. There are secrets here, things that we can't fully comprehend. But together, we can try to face them and find the truth. I... I really won't leave you to deal with this on your own."

She offered him a small, encouraging smile, hoping that he would find some comfort in her presence. "Let's go back to your office, take a look around, and figure out what's happening.

For the first time, she noticed the Roserade. It was Ara's. "What are you doing here? Did your mistress send you?"

~~~

Raiden couldn't help but crack a half-smile at Araceli's words. The witch's blunt humor and unique perspective on things often managed to break through her tough exterior, and this moment was no exception. While she didn't fully embrace the praise, there was a hint of appreciation in her eyes.

"Biochemist of his time, huh? Yeah, Quentin has his thing, and I have mine," Rai replied, her tone still matter-of-fact but with a touch of amusement. "Guess I'll leave the elaborate plans to him, and I'll stick to my own methods."

The science-witch was laughing. Immediately, Rai wondered if she had said something wrong. "What's so funny?"

---

Emika held back a smirk as "The Heart" spoke coldly to match her tone. She knew better..... Her expression did change a little as "The Heart" continued to speak and explain. One of their new drugs was causing vivid hallucinations? To the point of being unable to differentiate reality from fiction?~ Before she could speak, her Shiny Mimikyu, who had been dancing about around the duo out of boredom, had stopped and was staring directly at the office door "The Heart" had just come from.

The Shiny Mimikyu brought out a small device; a phone. It began to type on the device before showing the screen to her mistress. "Scent of wish granter is coming from the man and the room." This caught her attention. Wish granter?... A few creatures came to mind, but she had to be sure..."Interesting..." She turned back to "The Heart". "If what you and my darling say is true, this day just became even more interesting. Care to lead the way?"


*After Introductions and Explanations are given*
Arceus nodded its head. Turning to the center of the crater, it slammed its front hooves down. This caused a rumbling, and something to begin to grow from the ground. It climbed higher, and became a tall and large building. Arceus turned back to the heroes. "This will be your home and headquarters in this world. Here, you will live and train your teams and yourselves. We will keep in contact with you to help. Speaking of help," Arceus lifted its head and gave an echoing call. This caused a multitude of small Pokemon to appear. "These will be your starter Pokemon. Train them well, Grand Heroes." Arceus nodded to Mewtwo, whose eyes glowed purple-pink. With a swish of its hand, a belt with six Pokeball holders appeared on each Hero. Six normal Pokeballs and a Cherish Ball appeared at each Hero's feet. "Use the Cherish Ball to catch your Chosen Legendary. The rest will be for the teams of Pokemon you will gain on this quest. We will keep in contact with you all, should you need help or information. Goodbye for now, Grand Heroes." The pink and gold genie Pokemon created a new portal with one of its rings, allowing the remaining Legendaries to leave... Now it was the Saviors, a starting Pokemon, and their Legendaries... (use this time to meet the starter and gain the jewelry from your Legendary)

"I'm tired...fxck, I'm so tired."

Magnus seemed to calm down.

"...okay... okay... so you're not a hallucination, and I haven't slit my wrists yet..."

Magnus took a deep breath in, then out.

"...okay. Okay! My office. I can... do that."

---

The Roserade was still looking away, holding the nutritious bars in his petals for either of them to take. Arms stretched out, one was with nuts and the other without. He didn't really answer Zaria... but mostly because he was just too flustered to even notice. Ah, if only he knew Dig... so he could sink into the ground.

---

Araceli waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, it's nothing but..." She points at the writings on the wall. "... I remember working with Quentin a few times. Our interests do align after all and... I remember neither of us being able to understand each other's papers. I just remembered that." She takes a sip of her cocoa again, it's gotten cold but heck, it's cocoa! The one drink that works both hot and cold.

---

Zaria nodded, relieved to see Magnus starting to regain his composure. "Good. Let's head to your office, and we can figure this out together."

She took a step forward, walking alongside him, trying to offer some reassurance through her presence. As they made their way towards his office, she couldn't help but notice the tension in his shoulders, the lingering fear in his eyes. It was evident that he was struggling, and she wanted to be there for him in whatever way she could.

Ara's Roserade was still standing there. She beckoned him along with them. Another set of eyes couldn't hurt.

"Remember, you don't have to face this alone," Zaria said gently. "If you ever need to talk or if something feels off, come find me. I'll be here to listen and help in any way I can."

They reached his office, and Zaria glanced around, trying to gauge his state of mind. He still seemed hesitant. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she couldn't resist the opportunity to explore Magnus's office. She stepped forward and gestured towards the door, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"I'll come in with you if that's alright," she said, her scientific curiosity piqued. "I might be able to help figure out what's going on."

Without waiting for his response, she gently pushed the door open and stepped into the office. It was a cluttered space, with piles of papers and notes scattered haphazardly on the desk. Zaria's eyes scanned the room, looking for any signs of disturbance or anything out of the ordinary.

"Let's start by checking around the room," she suggested, her analytical mind kicking into gear. "Look for any signs of forced entry or anything that seems out of place."

As they began their investigation, Zaria kept a close eye on Magnus, making sure he was okay as they delved into this strange and unsettling situation. She knew that whatever was happening, it was taking a toll on him, and she was determined to offer her support and expertise to help find answers.

~~~

Raiden listened to Araceli's explanation, her curiosity piqued. She glanced at the writings on the wall, trying to make sense of the complex scientific jargon and symbols. It was evident that Araceli and Quentin's work was on a whole different level, beyond what she could comprehend as a Pokémon trainer.

"You and Quentin, huh? I can't even begin to imagine what those conversations must have been like..."

---

Venomania Fluer
"I can't spit it back out."

After i chatted with Eternatus with abit, a pokeball holding belt appeared right on me, along with 5 normal pokeballs and a Cherish ball. I looked up to listen to "Arceus" Explain what the purpose of these items are for. "Capture you're Legendary with the Cherish ball..." I thought as i picked up the Pokeballs, putting them into the Pokeball belt for now, before finally picking up the Cherish ball. I looked at Eternatus, who seemingly smiled at the sight of It, Approached me before lightly bumping its head into the ball and getting in it. It rolled quickly 3 times before finally a small "Click!" could be heard.

I picked up the Cherish Ball and as i putted the ball on the last remaining Pokeball Slot, I noticed from a distance a Salazzle. I heard that apparently it was my "Starter Pokemon".

---

The only sign that anything was out of the ordinary was the couple dozen dents in the wall, from every single time Magnus had thrown his knife at the wall.

His knife was on the ground, bent in half.

...but Raiden had taken his knife.

Magnus picked it up.

"...since when did I have two knives?"

---

Zaria's concern deepened as she realized that someone must have planted the second knife in Magnus's office. It didn't make sense for him to have two identical knives without knowing about it. She bit her lip, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Listen, Magnus, I think you need to be careful. Someone might be trying to mess with your head or sabotage your work," Zaria said, her voice serious. "If there's a second knife that you didn't know about, it means someone had access to your office. That's not something we should take lightly. Where would this... other knife be now?"

She glanced around the office, trying to spot any other signs of tampering. "And do you notice anything else out of place? Any missing documents or equipment? Anything that seems off?" she asked, hoping to gather more clues about the situation. Zaria's mind was racing with possibilities. Who could have planted the knife? And for what purpose? Was it a simple prank or something more sinister? She knew that The Eyes were involved in secretive and questionable activities, and this incident raised even more red flags.

---

Whenever Zaria and Magnus did not talk, they heard Roserade's tiny steps as he did his best to follow. He held the bars close to his chest and was both curious... but also very nervous. When seeing the walls adorned in slashes and dents, he became flustered again and shivers a little... right now he was holding back the instinct to thorn their petals. That would pierce the little bar.

----


Araceli shrugs, leaning onto the table. "You know, about as uneventful as you expect. Both too proud to ask for help, we worked on our own stuff, then looked at each other's..." She sounded a little absent-minded. "... say, I know you're not a scientist but do you have someone special? A friend, a nemesis... a crush?"

---

"...No, I might be remembering things wrong. I haven't slept in four days, my mind's bound to be a mess."

He examined the knife, poking the tip of the blade.

"...and nothing else is missing or off. I think I'm just being paranoid."

---

Rai shifted uncomfortably in her chair, trying to appear nonchalant. "Well, yeah, I have a friend. Zaria, she's... she's my best friend," she admitted, feeling a slight warmth in her cheeks that she hoped wasn't visible. "We've been through a lot together, and I trust her more than anyone else."

"Nemesis-wise, that spot's currently wide open. I had one, sort of, a while ago. But it wasn't anything like a nemesis I would get now, if you know what I mean. We were rivals, and it wasn't serious." She was being purposely vague, hiding this part of herself.

As for a crush, Rai quickly brushed off the question with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Nah, not really. Crushes are for teenagers, and I'm way past that stage," she said, trying to sound casual. Rai took a sip of her cocoa, trying to distract herself from the uncomfortable thoughts swirling in her mind. She knew she couldn't let her overly sentimental feelings get in the way of their work or anything else. It was safer to keep them hidden, even from herself.

"So, what about you? Anyone special in your life?" Rai asked, attempting to change the subject and shift the focus away from herself.

~~~

"Magnus, you need to trust your gut that something's wrong. I understand your hesitation, but we need to deal in concrete evidence. Think back in your mind. Where would the other knife be?" That was the missing piece. Zaria ran a hand down her side, smoothing the wrinkles in her labcoat. It was a nervous habit she had adpoted at Team Plasma when she was thinking about something serious.

"I don't think you're being paranoid... I believe you, for what it's worth." She smiled slightly, hesitation in her eyes. Why was she extending another olive branch? He was sure to reject her help. Her friendship. He kindness. Again.

---

He took a seat on his chair, doubling over, his face in his hands.

"...god... I don't know what's going on anymore..."

His voice was quiet. His rough, callous mask was slippibng off, it seemed.

---

Zaria's crouched down next to him, placing a hand gently on his back. She didn't want to startle Magnus, but human contact could work wonders in stressful situations. "Hey, it's okay. Whatever's going on, we'll figure it out together," she said softly, trying to offer some comfort.

She glanced around the office, taking in the dented walls and the bent knife. "Someone must have planted that knife, Magnus. It's not normal for things to just appear out of thin air. We'll find out who did this, and we'll make sure it doesn't happen again," she reassured him, though she herself couldn't be entirely certain. "Let's start by looking for your other knife," she suggested gently. "If you had one before, maybe it's just misplaced, and we can rule out any strange occurrences."

---

"Not really." Araceli shrugs once more, looking away in disinterest. "Crushes... no, nemesis... not really, there's nobody here I dislike and don't want to work with." That was an important distinction to make. "... friends, well, not many. You're in that small circle though." She raises the cup and chuckles.

"Zaria, huh? Well, she does seem like a good voice of reason and such. It's no wonder you two get along." The chem-witch smirks and looks around to see the almost mystical writings she left behind. "... and where do I rank on your friendlist?"

---

Rai raised an eyebrow at Araceli's question. "You? Well, you're... different," she replied, her lips curling into a half-smile. "You're not like most of the scientists here, always buried in their research and barely acknowledging anyone else. You have this... eccentricity about you, and I appreciate that. Plus, you make a damn good cup of cocoa."

She took a moment to think before continuing, her tone becoming more serious. "Look, Araceli, I may not be the most sociable person, but I know the value of having someone you can rely on. And in your own quirky way, you've been there when I needed someone to talk to, or when I needed a break from all the madness in this place. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is... you're definitely a friend, even if you are a bit weird."

Rai smirked, teasingly adding, "But I guess you already knew that, right?"

---

"Don't worry, I get what you mean." Araceli laughs, filling the remaining cocoa into a thermo cup and handing it to her friend. "Pft, if I immersed myself in work like the others, it won't be of use to any of you. You all can't read my handwriting anyway and I'm named the witch for a reason." She makes a weird "creepy" motion with her hands and smirks, lighting up a little fire on her desk and holding the pot of remaining cocoa over it. She then pours it in a thermo cup and hands it over.

"Well, would you like some brew from your weird friend then for tomorrow morning?"

---