[Long time ago, I scrapped an ask-based interaction involving Yoshi. This was one of the things I REALLY wanted to give away during that time... finally found a way to explain Reid's random question to him, too These are the random things that cross my mind, I swear...]
???: I believe that should work out, I do feel that old Raichu is also a concerning factor...
Zenix: If it’s the additional mutant group you’re searching for, I do have an idea of where they are. Not to mention a fair number of us have been there, if I am needed here.
Osric: Hmm...
Zenix: ... It may be off topic, but I do feel we’ve... met before... yes?
Osric: ... Possibly. Why?
Zenix: Just... a strange nagging memory...
???: We’ll go with this strategy. But we need to make sure we do this correctly, stir things up enough.
Ripped Rteddy: Considering they have their immediate area.
???: Then, you, my facially damaged self, Zenix and Osric will escort our guests to that location, it fulfills my end of our deal and allows us to get closer...
Osric: Understood, Master.
Zenix: Acknowledged.
???: We’ll make our moves in time, it’s likely best to hold off acting immediately while their guards are still up.
Zenix: I highly doubt their attention will be solely focused on us. It’s unlikely Vris and Reid’s stunt against that Mew being was ignored by the neighboring population.
???: Then we’ll act in the morning, while everyone’s likely trying to understand and analyze the damage to their land, yes!
[Quick! Transition time! I'd make a joke about how we won't be seeing the "cameo crew" again until chapter 3, but that's absolutely false... Yoshi's still here.]
Chamomile: Do I lie about that? Really, Clarky-Cake? I’ve happily done it be-
Clark: Of course you’d pull out that nickname with new faces around-
Terry: When did-
Clark: NOT ANSWERING.
Chamomile: Well, they’re not new faces to me, just to counter that statement. Crysta’s told me all about them. Too bad the curious one isn’t here, Reid... I’d love to meet him, though I doubt he’d remember me-
Clark: Yeah, because the Pikachu he was given to make him isn’t the exact same-
Chamomile: Yes, but I’d still like to apologize to the little Nanab Pop... in one way or the other, plus, he’s a carnivore too, aaah, I’d love to chat with him about the types of flavors he’s-
Clark: Please stop.
Pyre: Um...
Chamomile: Oooh, you’re little Pyre right? A curious Sneasel... Hmm, not exactly, but you remind me of a Salac Berry, hmm... I haven’t had those since my battling days...
Clark: Earth. To. Chamomile.
Chamomile: Riight, right, I’ll stop, I still need to think up-
Clark: Focus on the concerned Sneasel over there, if you know everything you know-
Chamomile: Yep, yep, I do, breathe, I thought having your back ruined would’ve sobered you up a bit Clark-Cake... Anyway, Pyre...
Chamomile: Oh, no worries, my little Saffron Bun~
Bartholomew: What’s that...?
Chamomile: Oooh, maybe if you traveled the world after all is settled, you’d get to try it! Anyway, your question’s about my appearance, yes?
Bartholomew: Yeah...
Gino: Are you a mutant??
Terry: That’s rude to ask, Gino...
Clark: Agreed...
Chamomile: Not really, though, in a sense, I am a mutation, not in the same way you all are, more like Bartholomew there: genetically different because of my family bloodline. I’m a Botaren Meganium. To specify, that’s a form of Meganium from the archipelago nearby, many of the islands are full of their own “regional variants” like me, we’re all carnivores, but, I know who’s friend or food, no worries there~
Bartholomew: I... see... though, normally Meganium are a bit bigger than-
Chamomile: Oh, that’s because I was removed from my home when I was still young, and a Chikorita! Those who still live in their natural habitat... are much bigger than me, and hungrier too, I bet.
Bartholomew: Oh...
Terry: I-I see...
Gino: Why are you guys acting so awkward... you don’t eat meat??
Bartholomew: You do??
Pyre: Totally!
Terry: Well that makes sense for a Sneasel...
Clark: Eegh...
Chamomile: Well, I’m not sure what exactly you two eat, but I do have some lovely things stored up, all kinds of foods,-berries too for the light weights over there~
Bartholomew: H-hey...!
Chamomile: Follow me, I’m sure you’ve all been through a rough night and need some R&R, right? Everything’s going to be fine now, I’d leave things to Clark and Carla when it comes to that egg trouble too, they’re good souls~
Clark: Wait... but we don’t have any leads-
Terry: And how do you know about that??
Chamomile: Clark-Cake... you know as well as I do that someone around here sells various human items in the Under and other secluded places... Let’s see if they sell eggs too, yes? And I can only assume the Albino-looking Pikachu, Pinkan-looking Froakie and the the Riolu with the cane are looking for something similar? They’ve asked a lot of Pokemon in the area about eggs and those selling them... some weren’t too eager to answer and ignored them, but some know you Clark-Cake, go for it~
Clark: ... Leave that to me: Terry, Bartholomew, you’re with me!
Terry: What? Why me?? I’m hungry...
Clark: I’m not wandering around the Under alone, I can’t fight well, but you two can-
Terry: I suck at fighting!
Bartholomew: Maybe we can get something for the road...?
Terry: What-
Clark: Besides, you two need to talk, I bet.
Terry: What-
Bartholomew: That’s fine.
Terry: WHA-
Chamomile: No shouting with a patient sleeping, Choco-Nanab Pop~!
Terry: Choco-Nanab...? Yeah... I think I’ll go with you guys...
Clark: Perfect.
<Botarean Variants to be explored more in the future on @askdeceptiveliepard>
<This particular design for Chamomile is based on a design @ask-the-shadow-pokemon had created back when I was working on the variants for deceptiveliepard! \owo/>
Pyre: I mean, we did agree to talk more after taking those recording things, right?
Alan: Yeah...?
Pyre: So, if you’re saying that’s a compliment... then you look nice too! Your fur color’s really-uhh.... pleasing on the... eyes???
Alan: Pfft...
Pyre: What? WHat’s so funny?? Did I compliment you wrong???
Alan: No, no, you’re fine-thank you!
Zenix: I won’t let him die, so long as you answer quickly, simply, there’s a settlement that should be capable of handling a wound to the side like that quite easily.
Pyre: ...
Zenix: What do you know of the Scrafty and Ralts that took Reid away?
Pyre: ...
Zenix: ... What-
Pyre: You died... right? Why hurt Alan so badly...? Why...? Why...?
Zenix: ...
Pyre: I guess... either you reincarnated as a ghost, which doesn’t make sense if you’re still hunting Reid... did Rteddy do this? Terry’s story fits... Rteddy’s followers were after you, weren’t they...?
Zenix: I see you’ve done your own-
Pyre: If you know so much, you’d know how much time Alan and I spend together when we’re able to, for the last few weeks since Kryona was saved... since we had to try and escape it-even before we started seriously talking, I... enjoyed his company... why? Why do this? Why are you here? Why didn’t you stay dead...?
Zenix: ...
Pyre: Do you know... Project Green...? Which of the four was the strongest of the Alphas? Don’t you remember...? Or did Rteddy wipe that memory away? Mind if I show you? You want answers, right? We can talk... let’s talk, please.
Zenix: ... I-
Pyre: OOooh, no I insist!
To Be Continued...
<Alan, Pyre, Gino & Terry are no longer available...>
Alan: Okay, let’s just think along the lines of maybe Reid wandered off-since that was a problem and concern before.
Pyre: But, that lab’s in ruins...
Hikari: And that still doesn’t rule out Peroxide’s hunch... maybe we should go there and investigate the spot Pyre found? Even if there’s nothing there, we could at least get an idea of what happened, right?
Peroxide: Possibly, yeah!
Alan: Great then let’s go, while everyone else is still asleep.
Vris: There’s someone else in the area... it’s... worth a shot... before they get back...
Gareth: That’s right, now... who is this Dusknoir and why is he after Reid?
Pyre: He’s... his name is... Zenix... he’s following Rteddy’s ideal of... I guess... watching Reid for them...
???: Zenix? And here I thought Zenix was a Scrafty... not that it matters right now.
Zenix: However... something seems familiar about you all...
Carla: Okay? If you’re going to stick around, why don’t I ask some questions: What exactly is Rteddy and why are you observing Reid and his actions? Why are you going out of your way to send his friends to some other world? What’s the point in that?
Zenix: ... Hmm...
Carla: Hey-
Bartholomew: Gone...? How? What happened??
Terry: Why should I... tell you...?
Bartholomew: At this point, I’ve quit the Knights... there’s a lot we’re going to need to talk about, if you didn’t hear from Alan-
Terry: I did.
Bartholomew: Then why don’t you-
Terry: Habits... anyway, someone took him and now we’re all scattered because of it and someone stealing an egg from us.
Bartholomew: Great...
Zenix: I gained some understanding here... hmm... well-
Zenix: Nor the others; I am merely to watch, and I have broken that strategy, believing I’d get answers... at least I remembered some things in the process. Allow me to disable my curses. Goodbye.
Carla: Hold on, wait-aagh...
Pyre: Carla?
Carla: ... Ah...
Gareth: Phew...
Gareth: That’s right, I’m a creation of Team Rockets-a natural born Eevee modified genetically to only be able to evolve into my base forms...
Pyre: Oh...
Carla: He sympathizes with you all, honestly... I can’t blame him either.
Pyre: Oh! Well... it’s nice to meet you, Gareth!
Gareth: Likewise, how do you feel?
Pyre: Better without that curse... but... um...
Carla: Huh? Aah...
Carla: Ah...
Gareth: Great, so, we only know of a Scrafty and Ralts that took Reid thanks to this Zenix character...
Carla: Well, I might have an idea of who they are...? I think, at least...
Gareth: Well, let’s focus on one thing at a time... Alan over there-
Pyre: R-right! Is he-
Clark: Seems that Zenix character damaged him pretty badly, but it wasn’t a deep wound, painful very likely, but that curse combination of his...
Terry: Is he going to be okay??
Clark: He’ll need a lot of rest, maybe...
Carla: Then, let’s head for the Under, I... guess...
Bartholomew: Are you sure about that? Shouldn’t we-
Gino: We have to find Reid.
Bartholomew: Right, why don’t we spli-
Clark: No more splitting up or going solo. The others from their group went there, so we’ll go there too, we’ll regroup, because it’s very obvious who likely has Reid right now...
Pyre: Who???
Clark: Lugia-
Terry: That’s a joke, right? What would a Legendary Pokemon want with Reid? Outside of King-
Clark: Shadow Pokemon, obviously.
Terry: ... ... Let’s... go to the Under and regroup.
Clark: I’m glad you’re still rational...!
Bartholomew: I’ll carry him, should we try teleporting there? Carla?
Carla: ... hmm...
Bartholomew: Carla!
Carla: Huh? Oh... yeah, maybe... I should be able to pull it off...
Bartholomew: You okay?
Clark: Carla?
Pyre: ...?
Gareth: ... Hmm...
Terry: Okay, guys, can we stop and get a move on??
Gino: Y-yeah... I’m really worried about Alan, he... lost a lot of blood, you know...!
Bartholomew: R-right...
Carla: I’ll be right there...! Just give me a moment to prepare... ... ...
Carla: Coming...!
...
Lugia’s... presence is... welcoming...? I... I don’t... like this... but... I-I need to go to the Under... yeah... that’s all... no wonder Clark was so suspicious of me... oh man... I need to focus...! Alan needs help... right!
