Chapter 38: Midnight Seminar
On the surface,'Refrain Town' was a quaint, if inadequate, name for this particular settlement.
A curious traveler or researcher might hear it and get a certain idea just from the name alone. To the uninitiated, it may even sound like a pleasant little village off the beaten path where the residents sing and dance to their heart's content.
Vert knew otherwise. Both from his own personal travels around the world, and his tireless research over the past few days. He made sure his apprentices got the rest they more than deserved, and he'd be damned if he didn't do everything he could to secure a home and a future for them. While they enjoyed the restful days following the verdict, Vert had worked without rest to determine a proper course of action.
He had met with Damia after their meeting with the Guildmasters and she had confirmed with him that Celebi had strongly encouraged them to take this place and make it their home. That it had some connection to Dialga.
After his studies, he wondered just how deep that connection ran. And what else Celebi might have neglected to mention.
Refrain Town resided within a forest called the Loop Woods. The Loop Woods covered much of the valley the lonely town resided in, several kilometers in diameter. One would think that it would be the combination of mountains, large hills, and the ocean that hemmed in the valley on all sides that would dissuade travelers from visiting, but the truth was more peculiar.
Pokémon got lost in the Loop Woods. Now, that in and of itself wasn't too noteworthy. Pokemon got lost in woods around the world all the time, it was practically expected if one had a town close to a dense forest like this, and the Rescue Centers installed at every major settlement were more than equipped to find lost Pokemon. But the Loop Woods were different.
Pokémon got lost in the Loop Woods, except they didn't. But, when they did, they weren't gone too long, except they were, but the length of time was relative to whoever told the story.
There were accounts of Pokémon who had been wandering for hours, lost and disoriented, only to be informed later that nobody had noticed their disappearance because they'd only been gone for a few minutes. There was one excerpt Vert read of a traveling Bunnelby merchant who took a quick peek inside the woods during the morning and then stepped right out, intending to simply satisfy his curiosity, only to meet the crisp chill of the dead of night.
He'd read about the clockwood trees. Strange redwood-esque trees with almost pitch-black trunks that shot several hundred feet in the air, branches lined with blue and white leaves. They were dominant, enshrouding almost the entirety of the valley the isolated town resided in. Through some strange phenomenon whose cause hadn't been verified yet, the trunks were said to 'echo' sounds at random intervals. Passersby became disoriented by sounds of all kinds, from footsteps to voices, although curiously there were several accounts that the clockwoods favored song.
Vert had actually visited the forest once on his many excursions a few years ago, intending to perhaps discover more about the root causes of the forest and the trees. He'd allowed himself to get lost within, paying attention to everything he could, so he could verify almost every claim personally. However, to his immense surprise, none of the phenomenon could be traced back to Aether, despite being peculiar enough to seem connected to the Dungeons somehow. No matter how much he applied what he knew, there was no evidence of Aetheric activity, and the Dungeons within this area didn't display any noteworthy behavior at the time.
What he could confirm was that many, if not all, of the rumors surrounding the place were true, and then some. He swore he saw himself stalking amongst the clockwood trees, and turning to the sound of his own voice calling out. It excited him to be in such a strange and unknowable environment, chasing at echos while the trees hummed a playful song. That his whole excursion had only lasted for a few moments, even though he swore he'd spent the better part of the afternoon inside, had made the whole experience feel like some kind of waking dream.
In light of all of this, Vert determined that the name 'Refrain Town' carried with it two distinct meanings. One for the haunting echoes of the clockwork trees that whispered sweet songs, secrets, and more. Always repeating, always singing, if you just paid close enough attention.
The second was to refrain from entering entirely, lest you be lost to wander in some temporal maze. Why a group of Pokémon decided to build a town in such a convoluted environment in the first place, he didn't understand, but it seemed like they at least had the presence of mind to embed a warning in their name.
A warning he supposed he had ignored, he mused, as he currently walked through that very same maze with a group of his apprentices trailing behind him.
A light drizzle fell through the high tree canopy as their steps crunched and squelched over fallen leaves. Absolute darkness engulfed the Loop Woods as it was currently well beyond midnight. If there were any solace in the rain, darkness, and night chill, it was the warm lamplight that staunchly illuminated their way, albeit somewhat shakily.
He'd offered to carry the lamp, but Purl had been adamant that he carry it. Vert suspected the Sylveon just wanted to ensure he had full control of what he could see at any time, lest Esther use the opportunity to slink out of sight and startle him from behind one of the myriad clockwood trees that passed by them like silent obelisks.
Not like she would have to try very hard to spook him. The clockwoods had not been silent. Far from it, they played the bittersweet chords of 'Pavane for a Dead Princess' on what sounded like a gentle lute echoing from their trunks, its undulating cadence on repeat with barely more intensity than the pitter of the rain on the ground.
Personally, Vert found the melody soothing. The chords helped assuage the churning storm of questions that always threatened to overtake his mind. But he understood not everyone shared his perspective.
Trying to take a break from his thoughts, the Absol glanced over his shoulder to check on them.
In what would have looked like a strange, esoteric procession to any onlookers, his Guild Heads and their Partners trailed behind him, each of them enshrouded by thick cloth hoods to ward off the rain. They each contended with the offputting atmosphere in their own ways, with varying degrees of success.
With hesitant steps, Purl plodded forward, whipping his head around while simultaneously trying to avoid any particularly muddy spots on the ground. The Sylveon kept a tight grip on the lantern with his feelers, which had the aforementioned side effect of their source of light being as shaky as he looked. If there was any consolation, it was that Esther's weight on his back seemed to keep him focused. The Banette herself had a wide, satisfied smile on her face, likely feeling right at home amidst such a dark, surreal environment. Vert counted himself lucky that she didn't feel the need to harass her boyfriend at this time. If Purl lost his nerve and scurried off their path, Vert didn't know when they would find him again.
Behind them, Willow slithered along at a measured pace, her long neck twisting this way and that as she observed the forest with a steady gaze. She slowed and stopped here and there to try and inspect the clockwoods further, but was pulled along by Brook, who held her by a vine. The Wartortle carried his usual nervous demeanor, though from the clockwoods themselves or what they sought to accomplish here, Vert couldn't say. Regardless, the way he trundled along next to Willow, holding her by the vine, seemed to bring him some measure of comfort.
Bringing up the rear, Damia stomped along the wet earth, only her large snout sticking out from the shadow of her hood, though he could feel her determination from here. In contrast, Clara clung her shoulders almost limp. The Spinda stifled a yawn as she fought against the temptation of sleep, not quite as enthused about the late hour. Not like Vert could blame her, although he hoped she'd be able to become more alert for the demonstration he planned to give.
Vert was grateful to each of them for agreeing to accompany him tonight. He knew what he looked like. A last-minute request to accompany their Guildmaster in the liberation of a town overrun by outlaws inside some creepy, mystical forest, all under the guise of some sort of practical demonstration of theory?
Needless to say, their loyalty and faith (or in some cases, morbid fascination) in him was appreciated and he had no plans to see it wasted. The actual removal of the outlaws was not a concern for him, not with what he had planned, however in thinking about how such an act would serve to edify and grow his apprentices, he couldn't stop the flood of questions that continued to nag at him.
Namely, why would a group of outlaws choose to occupy this specific location over a multitude of surely easier places? Did they think the natural protection of the Loop Woods and the lack of a meaningful Guild presence would provide good cover? What did they hope to accomplish, exactly? What was going on that made outlaws think they could start taking territory, of all things?
Was this really the right place to try and restart the Guild? Try as he might, he couldn't stop that thought from reverberating around his head, even as he tried to stay focused and follow through on this plan he'd made (plan, honestly more of a gut feeling he'd been following. The past Guildmasters who'd come before him must be shaking their heads at his impulsiveness. Except Vim. She'd be cool with it.)
But it was something that demanded attention. As he glanced around at this dark, creepy, singing forest on his way to an isolated town cut off from most of the support of the Guild System, he couldn't help but wonder if this would be the right decision. Could this really be a home for his apprentices? Would they feel safe and secure here, able to focus on developing and doing what they loved?
He knew he was basing a lot of his consideration of this location in large part because of Lumi, and the very strange twists of fate that led someone Bonded to Dialga into joining his guild. He knew that it was fundamentally irresponsible to base a decision solely on the circumstances surrounding only one of his apprentices, not to mention the myriad tests and discussions that needed to be had on what the Meowstic had actually done to Hollow Garden, and had done to the Dungeons in the Bright Continent since then. Lumi had promised much on the trial stand, and Vert himself still didn't entirely understand what it was Dialga wanted, or if it would be beneficial. More tests would surely need to be done.
On the flip side, what Research and Development Guild could say they had the favor of a Legendary? Never in the history of their line had there been a set of circumstances quite like this, and he knew that every step they took made history. Plus, he couldn't deny that there could be advantages to this. Having the favor of a Legendary could be a valuable asset, particularly given the nature of the threat they faced. Any advantage they could get was worth consideration.
Vert shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself, a decision didn't need to be made now. Tonight, he only had two goals; liberate Refrain Town and educate his Guild Heads on Resonance. They were the ones who had been with him the longest, and he hoped what he showed them tonight would spur them to learn and share with the rest of their fellow apprentices.
Their development was the highest priority. That would never change.
"Has anyone read Mistress Vim's "Ruminations and Reconciliations of Power and Patterns?" Vert asked as he forged ahead. His question carried well enough over the rustling wind and intermittent lute strums.
He snuck a glance over his shoulder again. An air of surprise settled over them at the abrupt question. Fair enough, he supposed. It was the first thing he'd said since they had entered the Loop Woods. He noted how Damia's snout twitched. Ever eager to rise to a challenge, she opened her mouth to answer.
Esther beat her to it.
"I have. A while ago," she said. The Banette slipped off her mount and floated lazily into the air. She pulled her hood back just a tad, allowing her wispy voice to travel better. "That's one of her more foundational texts, it helped me understand the application of move patterns. It also helped that she's one of our only past Guildmasters who deigned to include a sense of humor in her writings, it was the only reason I didn't fall asleep half the time. Fitting perhaps, for the Guildmaster whose legacy was going out with a bang."
Purl gasped and reached out with one of his feelers to lightly bap her on the noggin. "Esther, show some respect!" he chided. She huffed, but raised her arms in a placating way.
"What were some of the main points of her thesis?" asked Vert. Esther's arms and legs went limp as she floated backwards for a few moments, pondering.
"...Something to do with how a Pokemon's body is a vessel for...something something...energy and emissions?" She groaned, body flipping over itself and folding her arms upside down at Vert. "I didn't think you'd drop a pop quiz on us at this time of night, you know. I came because I wanted to watch you blow something up, not attend a seminar," she groused, grabbing her shoulders defensively.
"Oh, keep going dearie. I know you know the answer!" Purl cheered up at his ghost. The Banette rolled her eyes, but acquiesced and put on a semi-serious expression, as much as she could, anyway.
"...First, she establishes some fundamentals. All Pokemon have access to what we loosely call Energy, that funny aspect of our being that lets us use our abilities. There are two primary ways of measuring Energy. First is Power, which consists of a holistic culmination of a Pokemon's mind, body, and spirit. A Pokemon's Power grows over time, but sees the most growth when one pushes and continuously puts strain on their bodies, cultivating Power within them. She notes a phenomenon whereby a Pokemon's Power can grow to such an extent that it can be sensed by others, causing physical discomfort and distress, acting as a sort of natural indicator of disparity in strength."
At this, her form wavers, and she almost disappears from sight entirely before blowing like the wind near Vert. When she reappears, it is with an accusatory side-eye towards the side of Vert's head.
"Something you have never let us experience for ourselves, by the way. Surely, it would be helpful for getting us all in line if you just let loose, don't you think?"
Willow spoke up at that. "In the same text, Mistress Vim describes how emanating Power can have a negative effect on those who are exposed to it for prolonged periods of time, including feelings of severe anxiety and in some cases loss of consciousness, so those who attain this level of strength often suppress it habitually,"
She slithered forward, addressing Esther in a matter-of-fact tone. "Guildmasters are required to attain and maintain a level of strength beyond what the average Pokemon will achieve in their lifetime. Vert would be no different, so I could only imagine he suppresses himself for our benefit."
She pauses, then tilts her head. "Though I admit to some curiosity as well."
"Stay on topic," urged Vert. "Esther, you're doing well, continue."
"Hmph. The second measure of Energy is, well, energy. Specifically, Type Energy. It is the element that Energy takes when it is either manifested in the form of a Move, or conversely, the innate elements that we embody when something is inflicted on us, broadly speaking. The 'spices, flavors, and scents of this great smorgasbord we call an existence.' Her words, not mine."
Vert grunted in acknowledgment. The party took a moment to crest a low hill, stepping over fallen logs, before he adjusted their course in a more westward position.
"Good. And tell me, how does she define a Move?" He asked. The Banette slumped in midair, now actually unable to recall the answer.
"I…would like to pass that question."
"Pass it to who?"
"Clara," she said with a snicker, pointing to the tired Spinda who was currently slumped against Damia's neck, a happy smile on her face as she snoozed away.
"Zzzzz…snrk…zzz." Her ears wiggled and a light mumble left her mouth before she snuggled further into Damia's neck. The Dragonite huffed and raised a claw to flick her firmly in the forehead.
Clara jerked and flailed her arms for a bit, eye swirls rotating in different directions. "Ha-hold the sp-sprinkles!" She sucked in a few breaths and glanced around, then rubbed her eyes. Her words came out a bit slurred. "I-I'm here...what's happening?"
As Esther laughed at Clara's expense, Damia decided to take the question on her behalf. "Vim described a Move as a distinct reaction of the interaction between Power, Type Energy, and how all of it is channeled through a particular Pokemon. She uses a musical metaphor as an example. All Pokemon are like instruments, they produce notes at different tunes and volume levels, but it takes a proper arrangement of notes to make a song. Without that you just have noise."
She folded her arms, punctuated by another snore from Clara who had once again succumbed to sleep. "It's done in different ways for different Pokemon for different Moves, but the principle is always the same; the end result of channeling Energy through a Pokemon's body is what we call a Move Pattern, a distinct wavelength of energy that is emitted to achieve a certain reaction."
"Keep that word in mind, wavelengths. Let's get a bit further ahead, and I'll continue with the lesson," said Vert. He didn't elaborate further, instead focused on leading the group up a forest incline. His stride never faltered, although his ears flicked as he heard Purl stumble over a rock for the third time.
As they traversed the uneven terrain, the rain started to pick up into a steady downpour. Vert pulled his black hood tighter around his head. His steps sunk into the freshly softened earth, the white fur on his legs and underbelly becoming progressively dirtied with each step, though he paid it no mind. After a somewhat intensive climb up, he finally crested a ridge that allowed a better view of the valley beyond.
The moon hung high over the forest, providing only faint slivers of illumination while the rest was blanketed by the night's shadow. Thunder rumbled in the clouds overhead and combined with the rain and faint music emanating from the trees to create an almost dreamlike atmosphere.
Vert narrowed his eyes and shuffled the black satchel strapped along his side so he could access it. He nosed open one of the side pockets and bit down on a folded piece of paper, then glanced around a bit before finding a nice, flat stone. He walked over, wiped the moisture off the rock as best he could, and laid the paper out fully, revealing a map of the nearby area.
Wordlessly, Purl walked over to shine the lantern on the map, and Willow slithered over and held her own cloak over it with a few vines. She hadn't actually worn it this whole time, enjoying the feeling of rain on her exposed scales. Vert gave a grateful nod to both of them before quickly cross-referencing the map with the surroundings beyond, eyes squinted as he tried to identify any meaningful markers from the higher vantage point.
"Vert," came Damia's voice to the side. She pointed a claw towards some point in the distance. "There, I see light. Maybe that's the town?"
He followed her claw with his gaze, and sure enough saw a speck of light after a few seconds of searching. Lamplight. It shone bright in the darkness. He made a grunt of acknowledgement and folded the map back up. The position corroborated with the map, Refrain Town was within view. He began the descent down the hill, careful to avoid slipping down on the soft, slippery earth. His apprentices followed suit, with thankfully no incidents on the way down.
His feet touched level ground. The lute playing from the trees continued to softly strum a melody, but this time, voices arose from the chords like a whisper.
"...nyone coming? Coming...Coming...?"
"-ay Close...Everyth...be fine...fine...fine..."
"...gain? Play that song again... song again...song again..."
Their source of light briefly winked out as Purl dropped the lantern as shivers racked his body. The Sylveon released a low wine as he whipped his head around some more.
"Oh Arceus...why...someone please tell me I am not the only one who thinks this place is the worst possible thing? This music and voices...you're telling me people live here?" he wondered, voice trembling with fear and bewilderment simultaneously. Esther chuckled from on top of him, but mercifully stroked the top of his head to try and calm him down.
"They used to, um, live here. Until o-outlaws kicked them out into the forest ap-pparently..." replied Brook, who in a rare moment was not the most nervous person in attendance. Instead, his brows were furrowed in clear concern as he looked out past the clockwood trees. "What I'm wondering is when these echoes are from? Are these voices from the villagers currently h-hiding in the forest?"
"There isn't any way to know for sure. For all we know, everything the trees are echoing could have been from hundreds of years ago," replied Damia. Vert caught the hint of intrigue in her voice, however it was soon snuffed out as she balled her claw into a fist and punched her open palm. "I swear, when I get my claws on those outlaws for thinking they can just waltz in and kick these Pokemon out of their home, I'll-"
"I will engage the outlaws. You all will observe from a safe distance," Vert corrected her. Damia choked on her own words briefly, but didn't comment further.
"Perhaps we can utilize the tree's ability to transmit sound as a way to relay our intentions?" said Willow. Without waiting for anyone's input, the Serperior slithered over to the nearest tree and brought her mouth close to it. Vert paused his march to observe, a bit interested himself.
"Greetings. I am Serperior, an apprentice with the Absol Guild of Dungeon Research and Development. If you are a resident of Refrain Town, please be assured that we are currently undertaking a mission to remove the outlaws from your town and see you all safely home. To confirm receipt of this message, please reply with the following phrase…"
She paused for a beat.
"I love chestnuts."
"Oh fuck off, Willow…" groused Damia. Meanwhile, the phrase caused Esther to cackle madly, belly up on Purl's back.
"Okay, but...surely it's not that simple?" asked Purl, head tilted at the tree. "Don't these trees transmit any sound from any time? It's not like they'll echo that just because you spoke to them nicely, that can't be how that works!"
He turned his head to Vert.
"That's not how it works, right?"
Vert shrugged.
"I don't know."
"Oh..."
"Come on, let's continue. The sooner we can get on with the lesson, the sooner we can coordinate a rescue of the villagers," he stated, and turned to continue the trek. He heard their steps follow after him, although Purl's pace sped up as he came up alongside Vert.
"A-actually Vert, about this 'lesson'... I really have been meaning to ask..." The Sylveon wore a wobbly smile, but Vert caught the hesitation in his voice and eyes. "I understand you're set on this whole 'liberating the town' thing, and you know I-we all have full confidence in you! But, erm, are you...sure all you want us to do is watch?"
He hopped ahead and began walking backwards in front of Vert. His smile widened, subtly begging for the Absol to slow down.
"I mean, now that I think about it, haven't we spent the better part of the past three months just sitting in a cell? You've managed to stay in fantastic shape during that time, really just bulging with muscles underneath all that fur, I'm sure, but even still, maybe we could do with a bit of a warm-up? Test run, maybe? I know I've been raring to go since we got our freedom back, but are we sure this isn't too much, too fast?"
Vert doubted Purl was the only one to share these sentiments. In truth, he'd gotten a similar vibe from Brook and even Damia, despite her attempts at keeping a stoic expression, (Esther and Willow likely just wanted to see the fallout, and Clara was still snoozing away.) He understood his words came from a place of concern, so he wouldn't begrudge his apprentice for this lapse of faith in him.
They just didn't know what he was capable of. What they all were capable of, given the proper training, study, and application.
He supposed he should begin, then.
"We've established that a Pokemon's body can manipulate Energy to create different reactions through Move Patterns. We call these reactions Moves, and each of them have different wavelengths," he said, not acknowledging Purl's words and continuing to forge ahead.
"Like Pokémon, Aether is also capable of transmitting wavelengths. A primary way it does this is by acting as a conduit that allows Type Energy to be grafted onto an aether-infused object. This is the process you all are familiar with in your item crafting. Just like how a Pokémon can manipulate Energy to create different reactions through Move Patterns, so too can we apply those same Move Patterns onto Aether-infused items, successfully allowing items to emit wavelengths.
"During the creation of items, it is possible to create them in such a way that their wavelengths synchronize with each other to produce a combined reaction. This is called Resonance. A basic example you may have heard of would be to link two orbs together, a hail orb resonating with a rainy orb, to make it hail and rain simultaneously, for instance. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The field of study is so small and unexplored, the full extent of its capabilities are still rich for discovery," he said. The rain started to pick up a tad, but he heard Damia clear her throat to speak over it.
"The Echo Orbs, that was something you created with Resonance, right? How did you make those?" she asked.
Vert nodded, appreciating the question. "The Echo Orbs are a good example. The primary Move Pattern in their design is the one for Echoed Voice, which you could have probably guessed. However, it also incorporates another property of things made through Resonance. It can disburse the emission of energy as a continuous reaction rather than the strung burst of energy that many items are known for. After alot of trial and error, I was able to make the orbs resonate in such a way as to create a sustainable emission of energy across every orb in the network, allowing for communication."
"That makes sense," she replied, but he heard the subtle grumble in her voice. "Although, I can't imagine how much 'trial and error' you actually did. Our whole Team came together to try and design the Amp Orbs that Lumi uses. The final design is...well it's functional, but honestly, he'd been running around with barely a finished prototype before we were all arrested. The original design was much more ambitious, with the thought being that maybe we could use resonance concepts we'd scrounged in the Library to repurpose the All-Power Up orb pattern into something that could apply a power-boosting effect to a weapon, but it...wasn't happening."
"The All-Power Up orb design is volatile and delicate enough on its own, I haven't even attempted to try and make it Resonate with anything myself." He glanced over his shoulder and raised a brow at her. "And yet, all of you managed to create a functional design after barely two days with hardly any real training in Resonance concepts. That is more than impressive. How exactly did you manage it, if the original idea was giving you so much trouble?"
"We barely slept, for one." She gestured with her snout at the snoozing Spinda on her back. "It was actually Clara who had the idea of using the Mimic move pattern instead, taking advantage of the ability for moves to be copied and multiplied in a sense. I looked into it and, while the Mimic pattern is a special kind of hell for how weird and deceptively undefined it is, it was at least more approachable than All-Power Up's. As they are now, the actual orbs themselves are more like dummy orbs, unable to do anything by themselves other than copy whatever Moves the user channels through them," she said, and then with a snort, started to chuckle.
"But honestly, as much as I hate to admit it, neither of us would have gotten very far if it weren't for Lumi's borderline obsession with getting as many trial tests in as physically possible. He gets so single-minded about things, it's impressive. We could knock out dozens of trials in an hour because he just gets into a rhythm of trying as many things as possible. Combine that with Van's ability to somehow translate the danger cat's insane notes and test results into actually usable feedback, and we were able to come up with the Amp Orb's current iteration."
As Damia continued her explanation, Vert couldn't stop the pride welling up in his chest, nor how his tail started to wag quickly. This team of his apprentices had somehow managed to leverage their skills and incredibly limited understanding of a complex concept to successfully create a workable design in days while in hiding. He could only imagine what Team Nova could achieve with more time and training.
"Impressive," he said after a beat. "Both at what you were able to accomplish, and that you went to such lengths to develop a tool for one of your fellow apprentices. I believe when he first joined, Lumi was upset that he didn't have his own weapon he could call his own. It's nice you were able to help him with it."
"Lumi wanted a weapon and was willing to do more than just whine about it, so I didn't mind helping. Plus it was a chance to learn more about something I hadn't thought to study," she said offhandedly. "Besides, it makes sense for him to be the one to use it. Ignoring the fact that it's best used by those with some form of telekinesis, he provides a lot of data in the way he wields it. He makes a great test subject."
"Ever the pragmatist, aren't you Damia?" Esther materialized next to the Dragonite's head with a wispy chuckle. "You're not concerned about him potentially breaking it? Or you know, himself?"
"Lumi was willing to put the Amp Orbs through its paces against Xerneas itself. As far as I'm concerned, it'll see the most use with someone like him," countered Damia. Esther conceded with a shrug and floated down.
Meanwhile, Purl's hesitation of the situation had given way to excitement. The Sylveon bounced on the top of his paws as his ears perked up.
"Oooooh, Team Nova is already ahead of the curve! Dangit Esther, we need to get our head in the game! I refuse to let Tailor be outdone by Dynamo in this matter!" He declared, sticking his chest out, although it deflated just as quickly as he put a paw to his chin.
"Although, does Resonance apply to clothing? Accessories? Its application seems clear in the realm of orbs, wands, and all that good stuff, after all that's where a lot of the flashy effects all come to pass, but what about the more subtle, intricate art of weaving?" He asked.
"Crafting orbs and wands is intricate…" grumbled Damia, though it went unacknowledged as Willow slithered forward, holding her long, intricate pipe to her mouth. The air took on a subtly sweet scent that just barely crested over the ambient petrichor. Damia and Purl recoiled a bit as the Serperior took idle puffs, though calmed down quick enough once it was shown to just be a harmless vapor.
Willow released an inquisitive sound as she took one more drag of her pipe. "I wonder the same as Purl. Does Resonance hold promise for organic growth as well? While a varied and eternally fascinating subject, I do not believe we incorporate Move Patterns or wavelengths in the growth of our specimens."
"Maybe there's room to incorporate it in an ind-d-direct way?" wondered Brook. His face scrunched up in thought. "If we think about it, we use Reson-nance a lot on the Growth Floor, with the rainy orbs on the ceiling synched up to water a lot at once. Even the luminous o-o-orbs around the guild that light u-up during waking hours incorporate it. There's probably a lot of potential in creating things to facilitate our operations."
"You know, Bell has experience working with different lenses and apertures. Perhaps we could have an array of lenses Resonate the Synthesis move onto a bed of plants to help them grow? Just a thought," offered Esther to Brook, who nodded appreciatively. Willow glanced down at Purl, who was still chewing the inside of his lip thinking of potential applications.
"If I recall, a caveat to many wearable items is that while their effects are sustained as you wear them, their potency is diminished as a result, which only dwindles further as you wear more unique pieces of clothing until there is hardly a difference at all. Perhaps Resonance can help alleviate this issue, if one were to wear all of a 'set' of clothing, whose wavelengths were made together from the beginning?"
Purl perked up at her rather reasonable suggestion, smiling up at Willow and falling back to discuss with her further. Vert allowed them time to discuss amongst each other their various ideas, pleased at the enthusiasm for the concept. It was a unique sight; all of them chatting together within a dreary forest singing lute chords while rain poured down around them, yet he found himself warmed by the spark of innovation he could see developing before him.
After a few more moments of spirited theorizing, Vert cleared his throat to get their attention. "I'm glad you all are eager to dive into this. Once we get the guild settled again, I hope you let that motivate you to explore all of these ideas you're conceptualizing. By all means, experiment with patterns. See what happens when you disburse, lessen, enhance, or otherwise manipulate the expression and strength of item reactions, it'll only deepen your understanding. Help the rest of the apprentices as well, as all of your skills develop, I'm sure you'll be able to develop things with more powerful effects and applicable functionalities. Perhaps you'll even create a Masterwork or two along the way."
"Masterwork? Now why does that sound familiar..." Esther mused aloud, idly stroking the back of Purl's head and making the Sylveon purr. "I swear I've seen that word pop up more than once in my studies, but I can hardly remember the context..."
"You've been in the Guild long enough to have come across it, I would hope you'd remember. They're only some of the greatest achievements ever wrought by those in our line," groused Damia, who rolled her eyes at Esther. "Honestly, Esther, it's like if it's not inherently funny, it doesn't get your attention. You're telling me the Millenium Engine, said to be a source of infinite self-sustaining energy, never left an impression? Or what about the Verdant March, the whip which excerpts say can grow so large, entire forests can sprout from its base? None of those sound familiar?"
With a pout, Esther burst in a cloud to appear right in Damia's face. She clicked her tongue with her hands on her hips and fixed the Dragonite with an unamused frown.
"Well excuse me, you sassy dragon! It's not my fault all of those stories sound like...well, stories! What exactly do you expect me to think when I read about spectacular things like a crown that can instantly make anyone obey you, or a compass that can always lead to the user's true desire? They sound like something out of a children's book, and it doesn't help that the usual body of research and other such drivel that normally accompanies item subjects is conspicuously absent whenever a Masterwork is mentioned!"
Esther's normally impish eyes grew progressively wider as she got more animated. She blew out a huff of chilly air and folded her arms, feeling put out. "Honestly, there isn't anything to even confirm where the Masterworks are. None of us have seen one. The Research and Development Guild dates back at least a couple millenia, right? Surely we have one of them collecting dust somewhere in storage or something?"
"I can confirm, after my extensive and thorough cataloging of everything in the Guild's storage, I have not come across anything resembling a crown, or other especially mythical artifact beyond what we have come to consider ordinary," said Willow. The conversation dropped dead silent as all heads slowly turned towards her.
"...W...W-was that before, or a-after you were banned from going through storage?" Brook tried and failed to keep the resigned tone out of his voice.
"I fail to see how that is relevant," she responded. Before things could get too off track, Vert cleared his throat.
"If I can step in, Esther, you'll recall that 'Masterworks' are a classification of items coined by Guildmaster Iris," explained Vert, to which Esther merely shrugged, but motioned for him to continue. A part of him did understand her frustration, and he allowed himself a snort as he considered that particular brand of item. He tried to keep his tone objective, however, as he continued the explanation.
"To be honest, the exact criteria that classify Masterworks are somewhat loosely defined, with the primary qualifier being that the item's function could 'rival the Legendaries themselves.' Take that with a grain of salt, though. Iris has a tendency to be flowery in his language, and I don't believe he was doing any contests with any Legendaries while he was Guildmaster. Just think of them as exceptionally powerful items formally recognized by the Guild. In the history of our line, there have only been a few."
"But where...yawn...where are they?" came a tired voice. Everyone turned towards Damia, who glanced over her shoulder at Clara. Despite wiping her eye swirls, she propped herself up with a paw, determined to try and stay awake this time. Her Partner gave her a flat look, head tilted in exasperation.
"Do you know how much you've missed? I don't want to make Vert explain everything again," groused Damia. Clara giggled in response, and bapped her snout with an irreverent paw.
"I heard everything, silly, I was just resting my eyes," she replied, and then returned her attention to Vert. "But yeah, if Masterworks are so powerful and apparently official, where are they? Do you know where they are? I wanna see one, they sound fun!"
"Couldn't tell you," Vert shook his head. "They're around. Hidden around the world, that is. Past Guildmasters and apprentices who managed to make something worth calling a Masterwork had the habit of keeping them hidden as part of their legacy. I believe the tradition is to leave it to future generations to puzzle out."
"Isn't that a bit wasteful, though?" asked Purl, who then put a paw to his chest and stuck his nose in the air. "I mean, if it were my amazing creation, sure to dazzle even the Legendaries themselves, why wouldn't I want the rest of the world to marvel at it, leave it as part of my legacy? Especially if it's something that could benefit others?"
"If they wanted to keep them hidden, I'm sure they had their reasons," replied Brook with unusual smoothness. His gaze was focused on the ground, rather than the Sylveon. "Some things are better left buried,"
There was a beat of silence as Purl awkwardly tried to formulate a response, before eventually deciding to pat Brook on the shell with an apologetic look. The Wartortle simply smiled at him.
"Look, don't get too hung up on the idea of Masterworks." Vert tried to assuage. "Maybe you'll make one. Maybe you'll find one. Who knows? Just focus on creating what you want to create, and go from there."
"Even still, I can't help but be curious. Has anyone in the Absol Guild ever made one?" Damia asked. "…Have you?"
"I don't concern myself with which of my creations are or aren't," Vert said. "…Pandora does, though. She likes to think of her Manifest Wands as approaching that level. They can destroy and transmute Aether into anything she wants. It's about as strong as you would expect."
He turned back to face forward, flicking his tail idly. "I believe she brought them with her when you all went to Moonlit Manor, Purl and Esther."
The two in question blinked and shared a look. Esther gave a breathy chuckle. "No wonder she seemed so unbothered…but still, it sounds to me like you're just being too modest, Vert. Surely, you've developed something worthy of being called the same?"
"…You can judge for yourself," he responded, putting the conversation to rest for the moment as they all approached their destination.
Past the untamed brush, Vert spied a break in the dense forest floor. Coming closer, he saw what looked like a smoothed, dirt path that split right through the forest. Taking a step back into cover, he glanced to the right, and saw that the dirt path transitioned into cobblestone, then widening out into a proper road that led into the town beyond.
Tall lamp posts that lined the road bathed the stone in firelight, allowing him to get a glimpse of Refrain Town proper, probably a hundred meters out. From here, he could make out a bridge that crossed over a river before leading into a sturdy gate, flanked by two squat, stone towers that guarded the town.
Vert cocked his head as he took a moment to observe the entrance and any details of the town he could make out in the distance. This place was bigger than he anticipated. From the excerpts he'd read, he didn't think it would be all that large.
Perhaps it had grown or developed in time. Or, in their time. However it worked here. He turned back to face his apprentices once more, spread out in a small semi-circle in the concealed copse they found themselves in.
"I'll go on ahead. You all can get a bit closer, but stay out of sight and don't enter the town. I recommend climbing up one of the clockwoods to get a vantage point so you can observe."
"Sure, but…what exactly are you gonna do?" asked Purl. In response, Vert set his bag down and rummaged in it to retrieve his tool for the night.
He pulled out what looked like an obsidian cylinder, no more than a foot and a half in length, with an indented section right in its center that had a grip for his mouth to bite onto. Strange, white etch marks covered its glossy surface like runes, and a white cloth was wrapped around it that seemed to flutter by some unseen force off the ends of it. He laid the object on the ground and studied it, allowing himself to become reacquainted with this particular creation of his.
Even in the night's gloom, a faint, purple miasma began to exude off of its surface, now exposed to the world once more. It gave off a forbidden aura, and he grunted as a rush of conflicting feelings assaulted his senses from being in such close proximity to it: anxiety and a dismal anticipation crashed against a growing elation to indulge in something the world had decided would be an intricate part of him.
He bit down and held it in his mouth. It fit perfectly. His disaster-sense blared wicked, wild alarms in his head, but above it all he felt something normally absent from this cocktail of negativity.
Absolute certainty.
Vert turned back to his apprentices to display the cylinder. Their reactions were about what he expected.
Brook retreated back into his shell so fast, Vert wondered if it was even a conscious decision. Esther took one look at the object in his mouth and promptly disappeared to go somewhere else. Both Purl and Damia recoiled as if physically struck and had looks of shock and despair written on their faces, while Clara whimpered and clung tighter to the back of Damia's neck.
Willow...had her notepad out and seemed to be recording every second, expression completely neutral. Perhaps he should have seen that one coming.
"Oh Arceus that...Vert that feels...hopeless," Purl held a paw up and slowly backed away, ears pulled low across his head. Meanwhile, a deep growl, simultaneously threatening and cautious, rumbled from Damia's throat, a claw placed protectively over her shoulder to shield Clara.
"What is that?" she questioned, an edge to her voice. "Why...it's like my body is screaming every possible danger signal at me, like it already knows I'm doomed..."
Doom. He snorted with the cylinder in his mouth. Hopefully he could nip that in the bud before Pandora filled their heads with the incorrect name. He briefly removed it to speak.
"This is my Disprobability-Amplifier. An object created through rigorous application and manipulation of the Perish Song, Future Sight, and Wonder Room move patterns, all in Resonance with each other."
"So it just...makes everything worse?" ventured Purl. Vert glanced back at him and started to walk out onto the path.
"Just watch for now," he called back, putting the amplifier back into his mouth.
He focused his attention on the town ahead. The rain chose that moment to pick up, pattering fiercely on the ground. A flash of lightning illuminated the town.
The dismal aura the amplifier radiated grew stronger with every step. Vert let himself breathe in deep, allowing himself to savor this rare sensation of calm.
A deep, long-suffering sigh left Mauve's lips. The rain on her fur and flashes of lightning above went practically unnoticed as she sucked in her frustration, folded her arms, and tried one more time.
"...Vox? Come in, Vox. Are you reading me?" She tapped her foot impatiently as she leaned up against the tree, facing the dense forest that Absol and his group of apprentices had entered almost an hour ago.
After a few anxious moments of waiting, Vox's voice did start to grace her ears.
"me...ve? Ca...m you-sitzzzzzzz,,,,-alrirrrrrrkz?"
A harsh undercurrent of static buzzed throughout Vox's clipped reply, her normally smooth and gentle words impeded by the damnable interference. Mauve stifled another sigh, doing her best to keep her anxieties at the potential roadblock to the success of her mission at bay.
"...If you can hear me, interference with your abilities seems to increase the closer to the forest line I go, with communication seeming all but impossible when I tried to enter earlier." Her words were measured and clear. Perhaps the interference wasn't as choppy coming from the other end? Regardless, stating her progress for the record helped organize her thoughts.
"I am currently standing approximately twenty meters away from the Loop Woods forest line, where Absol and his followers were last seen entering, roughly an hour ago. The tailing operation has thus far been a success, none of the primary targets seem aware that I have been following them since the verdict. Gathering information on their next location and following them after they warped also went without any troubles."
It had been simple, really. She had learned long ago how to stalk targets from the shadows for months, if necessary, and her recent training with her powers had made any form of stealth and information gathering less than child's play.
The image of a particular Meowstic, giggling as he so easily identified uses for her portals, came to her mind. She grimaced at the memory but found that he had ultimately been right, to an extent. Following their defeat at Hollow Garden, she had taken time to properly explore the extent of her abilities, and after some thoughtful and creative experimentation, had found new applications for them that she had been training diligently.
For one, she had finer control over the opacity of her portals, something that had been rather inconsistent up until now. Before, whenever she would cut one open, the rift would sometimes appear as a clear window to her destination, or more often than not, as a swirling mess of pink miasma, and the only reason she knew where it led was because...she just knew? Like some vague intuition that came from somewhere, that only made sense to her.
Now, there was no guesswork. She could make them as clear or not as she intended, which transitioned rather well into the other, rather impressive, utility she had neglected until now. As she contemplated what to say next, she idly waved her claws back and forth around her, causing several tiny portals, no bigger than the small gem on her forehead, to open in an area around her.
She opened a final rip in front of her, and with a wave of her claw, switched which portal she was looking through at any time. With a swathe of her will, she could even slide the smaller portals around, if she wanted.
Controlling the size and perspective she could see through her portals had taken a long time of concentrated training to be able to execute so easily, but the results had been one of the most valuable tools for infiltration, stalking, and anything that required stealth, one of her primary contributions to her team. She could make eyes and ears anywhere she wanted, something she had made liberal use of during her time following Absol through the shadows of Atlas. Any of his conversations with his apprentices were carefully observed through a tiny portal hidden just out of sight, while she stayed safe and hidden in a dark corner somewhere. It wasn't anywhere near Vox's level of borderline omnipresence, but it was damn effective for what she wanted to achieve.
It was how she had been able to learn about his plan to rescue the village inside the forest, along with where they would be warping to on the Bright Continent to accomplish it.
It was also how she knew that there was somebody who she could have sworn was supposed to be here and yet wasn't.
"The priority target is currently nowhere to be seen, although all information gathered up until this point indicates that he was also planning to accompany Absol on this outing." She had watched Lumi and his Partner enter the hotel room with Absol, and slid a tiny portal under the door to listen in on their conversation. She knew that they planned to accompany Absol and did...something to achieve that, but the perspective she had at the time didn't allow her to see exactly what.
She frowned. A major part of their strategy moving forward was to keep tabs on Lumi at all times. Losing track of him right now was unacceptable, and the longer she stood out here deliberating, the more she risked him getting up to something that might cause a headache later.
He had a special talent for doing that.
"Change of plans," she said, kicking off the tree and making her way towards the treeline. Her steps squelched on the moist earth, the rain coming down around her with more force. "I will pursue Absol's group in the forest on foot, without your comms support, Vox. Please let Master know that I will not engage, and will simply observe from a distance, I understand the dangers in going in with no backup. If all goes well, I should be back soon to continue assisting with the mitigation of the fallout on the Mist Continent."
Their success with the Leyline on the Mist Continent didn't leave much room for celebration, as they had been occupied with trying to handle the fallout for the better part of this month. Several unexpected developments had come from that, and her teammates were busy trying to alleviate those issues while she did her work here. As much as she would like to be assisting them, keeping tabs on the Absol Guild was too much of a priority.
Not wanting to waste anymore time, the Weavile dashed into the treeline. She hopped up and dug her claws into the sturdy bark of the tall trees here, and vaulted up high to get away from the forest floor. She always felt more comfortable having an aerial view. Her feet flew as she vaulted across branches and between trees altogether, the wind against her matted fur and the slick surfaces not an issue for her trained, graceful strides.
As she kept her eyes out for any sign of Absol or the town, (and tried to ignore the strange music and voices emanating from the trees. Why were they talking about chestnuts?) she noticed something that almost made her stumble and fall at least fifty feet to the floor below.
The darkness of night and heavy rain weren't an issue for her trained eye, especially when they caught something so familiar. The bark of one of the trees was scratched, a detail that would have gone unnoticed by most pokemon, but not to her.
Mauve knew these marks. She couldn't forget them if she tried.
"...Be advised, there are Shades in the area." She kept her voice level, allowing her mind to recontextualize the current situation with professional calmness. "This could indicate a high-value asset for protection in the forest," she said, trailing off.
"...They could also be continuing their monitoring of our priority target here, from Atlas. I find this less likely, but still worth considering. I've relayed their movements and interest in him to you all previously, so we cannot rule out their determination to keep tabs on him, same as us. I know their methods, it's the only reason I even caught wind of their traces to begin with, so I know how they never let a target out of their sight. As an extra precaution, I will be ending my communication from here on. I will see you when I see you."
She went silent. Her eyes scanned the markings for a beat further before she turned and shot like a bullet out into the forest, resuming her earlier pursuit with increased haste.
All the while, she hoped she wouldn't have to run into one of her siblings.
A/N: For added immersion, you can imagine Sephiroth's theme kicking in the moment Vert starts walking off towards the town, I think that will really add to the experience.