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 Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 6:12 pm
"I do, I have a house there." Wilokia answered Monique as they walked, the woman occasionally stopping to 'bathe' in the sun and breath in the sea air, looked like she really did miss home. It was notable that she ignored Monique's comments about 'wastelands' and a 'dome', maybe she was waiting for another time to discussion where Monique came from. "Splitting up sounds fine." She said, pulling herself away from the sky, only to realize they were now standing in front of the docks, one step away from the wooden planks.
"I'm going to go get my pass renewed, be right back." Wilokia said as she walked off, heading towards the small building on the shore right before the docks. With no one else around Monique was left along, the cool sea breeze greeting her, the cloudless sky basking her with rays of light far more intense than what she grew up with, the sound of the ocean caressed her ears and if she looked she would spot a young Mantyke jump out of the water and splash back down. This was the Alola her people were deprived thanks to the greed and selfishness of others, this paradise.
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:02 am
Auntie Wilokia walked over to the counter to renew her pass, leaving Monique alone on the dock. She propped herself on the railing and looked out at the view.
There was the bright sun, warm and pleasant. The ocean, moving as it should, teeming with life. Beyond it, the container port, bringing the world of goods to Alola with massive ships and trademark cranes. And far beyond that, a glimpse of downtown Hau'oli, a skyline of towers all facing the beach.
This was the world as it should have been. The Alola she and so many others were robbed of by the Smog. By careless, greedy people. And, most of all, by Guzzlord. Even the highest tiers of Flower City were nothing more than a hollow simulacrum of this.
Meeting a young Ilima had been an unexpected jolt for the sheriff of New Po. She wondered who else in this world was a martyr in her time. And she mused about her role. She had been devoted to protecting New Po. Now, she had a devotion: protecting this world, which had given her a second chance, and all that was in it.
It had to be protected—especially from itself. That alone was clear. If it followed the path of her universe, it would be responsible for its own death. And at times the signs of erosion were there. She thought of the Shadow Pokémon she'd seen and raised, like Castform and Camerupt. The thought filled her with dread, but Snagem gave her hope. There were people trying to do right by the world. Unlike back home, though, they had a chance of succeeding, and they had something worth protecting.
The blast of a ship's horn drew her attention to the ferry terminal, where a ship was pulling in. Monique walked back to the counter, paid for a ticket, and made her way down to the boarding area, where passengers were beginning to board.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 3:34 pm
Wilokia would find Monique on the ferry after it had already departed, the woman wanting to see and speak with the son of her old friend for a bit. There wasn't too many people on board, somewhere between ten and twenty, and Monique was a hybrid, of which there were only four of those onboard, so it wasn't hard to find her. "So why don't we address the Donphan in the room before we make it to Akala Island, hm? I know you came through one of those tears in the sky, Ultra Wormholes I believe Professor Burnet calls them." Wilokia bluntly stated as she looked out at the ocean, watching the local Popplio swim alongside the ferry.
"You're not the first Faller I've met, and likely won't be the last." She said, revealing there have been others to drop out of the sky in Wilokia's life. "That's another term the professor taught me." The woman laughed to herself, now turning back to face Monique. "I could ask you many questions about your home, how you got here, stuff like that, but I have a feeling you have a few questions for me burning your tongue so I'll give you first dibs."
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 4:28 pm
After Wilokia caught up with Stanley's son, she easily found Monique on the fairly empty ferry, perusing a map of the islands. She sat opposite her, prompting the woman to look up from the foldable map.
"So why don't we address the Donphan in the room before we make it to Akala Island, hm? I know you came through one of those tears in the sky, Ultra Wormholes I believe Professor Burnet calls them." She stared out the window, Popplio swimming at the base of the ferry in the open water. "You're not the first Faller I've met and likely won't be the last... Another term the professor taught me." Monique was about to reply when Auntie Wilokia turned at her, heaping more words on. "I could ask you many questions about your home, how you got here, stuff like that, but I have a feeling you have a few questions for me burning your tongue so I'll give you first dibs."
She collected her breath and set the map down. "Well, I might as well explain all of where I come from first, since I've mentioned bits and pieces of it. My homeworld is 49 years ahead of here... But that's not a good thing. In that time came intense industrial development and pollution that threatened to make the world uninhabitable. Maybe about...two decades from now, the Aether Foundation"—Monique's voice betraying her disgust—bought Poni Island. They spent years building a massive protective dome around the island. My mother moved from Akala, and they conscripted laborers from around the world, essentially enslaved them, to build the Dome. But once the Dome was finished, they mostly focused on building up Flower City... It's this massive tiered artificial city, but it ain't pretty. King Faba ruled with an iron fist.
I was born in '46. But by that time, my dad had died in the labor camps. My mom raised me with two other kids belonging to two other moms. We lived outside the city in New Po Town, which was this...walled stitched-together city that was on the island and basically was the capital of the outcasts. When I got out of high school, I became part of the police force there, patrolling New Po and sending troublemakers to the wastelands. I became the sheriff when my predecessor, Sheriff Gardenia, was killed on a mission. To make money for the force, I occasionally worked at a nightclub in Flower City..." She shifted into an Illusion of her human form. "You can see why," she explained with a wink.
"...Anyway... Last year, a Guzzlord breached the Dome. And...uhh... You can see what thaaaat did. I woke up on Mt. Silver in Johto. That's why I'm with Team Snagem..." She sighed. "And that's how I wound up a Zoroark, apparently. If they can prevent this place from turning out like mine, it'll be so worth it. But..." Another sigh. "Dayum. This world is crazy big. I'm enjoying it, but... I lost my sisters. Apparently they're somewhere else in Ultra Space. Which means they could be anywhere."
After dumping her life story on Auntie Wilokia, she at last accepted the Alolan's offer. "Tell me a bit about yourself. I hear you're a battler? And you seem very respected here, kahiko," using the Alolan word for elder.
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 3:43 pm
Wilokia was intrigued by every word Monique said and yet at the same time didn't seem too shocked, had she met someone else that came from beyond? With Monique asking her own questions the elder smiled. "Respected, yes, can't be modest when it's so apparent." She laughed softly. "I grew up like anyone else on Akala Island and like most kids in Alola I took on the various trials, a right of passage for any Alolan trainer, earned my Z-Ring, the works. What made me stood out and earned me the name 'Auntie', an honorific in Alola in case that was lost in your time, was the faithful day a wormhole opened up above Melemele Island." The woman said, revealing she did indeed have personal experience with Ultra Wormholes.
"A strange red bug-like creature came through and I joined my friend Hala, the Kahuna at that time, and many others in battling the creature. We were fortunate it appeared during a ceremony so there was plenty of able trainers on the island to fight it off, however Hala dealt the finishing blow. It was marvelous." She smiled as she reminisced.
"However at that time word got that another appeared on Akala Island, my island. Knowing it was defenseless as the kahuna had recently passed and the Trial Captains were on Melemele for the ceremony I rushed back home, against the wishes of my elders. There I engaged in battle a second bug-like creature, this one white and far more slender. It was a difficult battle, it actually sent one of my dear Pokemon to the next life, but we pushed on and managed to send the creature back through the wormhole, closing it up. My heroics earned me the admiration of my island and the greater region. For my efforts I was also blessed by an appeared from Tapu Lele and received a special pink Sparkling Stone from her, the Z-Power Ring I wear now." She said, pulling up her sleeve and revealing the pink ring.
"In time I would become Kahuna and work for Akala and the rest of the islands and eventually be known as Auntie. The rest is history." She said, watching as Akala Island came into view. "Home sweet home."
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 4:26 pm
It was Monique's turn to intently listen to what Auntie Wilokia had to say—and did she ever. She felt like she was delving into even more ancient history. She recognized the telltale signs of two Ultra Beasts, though she did not recognize which ones in particular she had fought. They must have been quite ferocious to kill a Pokémon outright, but given her experiences with Blacephalon, Stakataka, and Kartana, that was not surprising to her.
Monique stared at the Z-Power Ring in awe. It confirmed something else that already had been fairly obvious to her, given her interactions with Crystal: this world still had Light in it, and therefore Z-Moves that worked. The tapu had abandoned her world, and the Light faded. Another thing where the people here did not know how lucky they truly were.
On the boat, Akala indeed came into view, Heahea sitting between a large landmass dominated by a volcano and a smaller hilly landmass. The side of the cascading pools of water known as Brooklet Hill was also visible off to the left. Pinch me, Monique said to herself, not believing this was real; she'd gone from a world without neighbor islands to having almost visited all of them in some guise.
The vessel slowed as it pulled into the terminal, passengers readying to deboard by gathering their bags.
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 9:14 am
The ferry would dock and the few passengers on board would orderly disembark, the port of Heahea City fairly quiet this morning. While Heahea City wasn't as big as Hau'oli City, which Monique didn't get too much time to explore, it was still sizable compared to the rest of Alola, which wasn't saying much as the region in general was underdeveloped, by design. Monique would step off the ferry first and Auntie Wilokia was close behind.
"Welcome to the 'front door' of Akala Island!" Wilokia declared as she stepped up to Monique's side, welcoming her to her home island. "It felt good to be back in Alola but now that I'm standing on Akala it feels more real that I'm finally home." She mused aloud to herself. "I guess this is where we're split up, dear. I'm going to head straight home, I can't wait a second longer." She said, pulling Monique in for a tight hug.
"Now you be careful, and enjoy your time on the island. When you're ready come see me at my house in Paniola Town. Don't worry about where exactly in town, there are plenty of people to guide you there. As you see I'm very well known." She smiled after pulling herself away from Monique, ending their hug. "If you get in any trouble between now and then I want you to use this..." The woman said, fishing around in her purse for something. She would eventually pulling out a small blue ball with a face drawn on it, the eyes X's with a zigzag mouth. "It's an Adrenaline Orb, a special one, its contents my own recipe. You throw that down on the ground between you and any threat and everything will be okay, I promise you that. Just whatever you do don't let it break open until you really need some saving, okay?" She would instruct and warn Monique.
With the orb given to Monique the elder would give her one more look before sighing. "Well, I'm off! See you soon, dear! Alola!" With the signature wave of a native Auntie Wilokia would turn around and walk away, leaving Monique alone to explore the island and take care of what she needed to.
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Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 10:48 am
After parting from Auntie Wilokia, Monique put the Adrenaline Orb in her bag, careful to keep it for a moment when she'd be in real trouble. She was definitely a character—of the best kind. She probably would have been hardy enough to survive the Dome if she had to.
Alone again, Monique found herself on Heahea's main street, with shops and offices on both sides. It was quaint but charming, and the sheriff found herself looking at all the signs. The fact that Alola had a Surf Association seemed really cool, but it also made her think of Kaimana, wherever she had gone. She'd be happy here. There was also a Pokémon Center, a series of restaurants, several offices, and a majestic hotel visible from one of the cross streets. She stopped and pulled one of the malasadas Ilima had given her to try, nibbling as she walked down the road.
Turning forward, perched on a hill just above the gently curving street was a massive satellite dish, and beneath it on the road a fairly industrial-looking building next to another, smaller dish. That had to be the Dimensional Research Lab that Sub had referred her to see. She gathered herself emotionally and walked inside, thinking again about Kasumi and Kaimana—and wondering what was next.
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Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:05 am
As soon as Monique set foot inside the Dimensional Research Lab a whole bunch of alarms would go off and red lights would begin to flash. While her eyes and ears were assaulted the door behind her would be sealed by a large metal panel. Not only was the door sealed but the windows of the room as well, also by metal panels. While it was hard to hear anything with the alarms going off she could see that there was no one else in the room with her, just a bunch of machines and tables littered with papers. Now trapped in here apparently alone for no discernible reason Monique might be justified in panicking.
"Who are you? Where did you come from? State your intentions, Faller." A woman's voice rung out from a nearby speaker in the wall. Was that Burnet? And was all this some kind of security system? Did it detect she was from Ultra Space and reacted accordingly? Not that such precaution was unwarranted, even though it was shocking to stumble into.
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Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:24 am
Monique had scarcely set her second foot down in the building when a loud alarm blared. Metal shutters closed down the door through which she had just stepped as well as the nearby windows, producing loud thuds to accompany the blaring alarm. "Gyahhh!"
The lobby was empty, though she did spot papers on the reception desk: had the people also abandoned the room because of her presence? Was this building some sort of trap?
"Who are you? Where did you come from? State your intentions, Faller." A speaker in the room suddenly activated.
"My name is... Monique Ka'ana'ana," she declared, still very jarred by the sudden cacophony. "I work with Team Snagem. Professor Burnet sent for me."
Hopefully, that would be enough to quiet some of these alarms. Zoroark hearing was sometimes just a little too good, she thought. She recalled something Crystal had mentioned about Fallers leaking energy similar to that in an Ultra Wormhole. Was that the reason for all this commotion?
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:29 am
The room would go silent as the alarms stopped suddenly, her ears and eyes no longer assaulted. The doors and windows would open and Monique would be left to stand around in a silent room, the voice over the speaker no longer talking. This sudden silence would go on for what felt like minutes before a door to her right would open up as a woman entered the lobby. Dressed in leggings, a tank top, and a jacket tied around her waist she looked rather relaxed for the type of person you might expect to find in such a sophisticated facility.
"I was told to expect someone, however your leader neglected to inform me he was sending a Faller. Not surprised however, he's infamous for his humor, if you can call it that." The woman said as she approached Monique, eying her up and down, appearing to be keeping a good distance from her and not because she was a hybrid. "I'm Professor Burnet, expert of inter-dimensional phenomenon and Pokemon related to such events." She said, giving the signature Alola wave. "Were you always a hybrid? Any health problems? Ever experience any amnesia?" She bombarded Monique with questions as she started to walk circles around her, studying her with her eyes. She was in professor mode right now.
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 7:28 pm
Monique was relieved to hear the alarms fade away in response to her statement. The windows opened again, natural silence returned... It was a relief to her heart. She waited for something to happen until a door finally opened to her right. A woman in her thirties with styled white hair and a casual outfit—even a jacket tied around her waist—emerged. Not exactly the outfit this place seemed to call for.
"I was told to expect someone... However, your leader neglected to inform me he was sending a Faller. Not surprised, however. He's infamous for his humor, if you can call it that." Her words were surprisingly reassuring, even if she was standing some odd distance from her. "I'm Professor Burnet, expert of inter-dimensional phenomenon and Pokémon related to such events," she added with a wave.
Monique hesitatingly waved back. "It's good to meet you, Professor." She began pacing around her at the same distance, eyeing her up and down and throwing questions at her.
"Were you always a hybrid?"
"No. I became one after colliding with a Zoroark in Ultra Space. I don't know much about the Zoroark, either."
"Any health problems?"
"Not that I'm aware of. I've been making sure to stay fit."
"Ever experience any amnesia?"
"I actually did until I had another Ultra Beast encounter with a...Stakataka, I think they're called. That revealed a lot of information about what happened between Guzzlord crashing my homeworld and me being ejected here thanks to an Ultra Wormhole." She looked back at the professor as she examined the new specimen. "I'm used to being a looker, but not a Faller... When you're done, I'll have to show you my human form."
She paused. "I suppose I should explain a good bit about myself. My name is Monique Ka'ana'ana. I was born on November 28, 2046, in New Po Town, which does not seem to exist here. That's...probably a good thing. Because my world sucked. I was a sheriff in a lawless town in the last bastion of civilization. Aether Island—it's still called Poni Island here—was covered in a massive dome to prevent the Smog from infiltrating. There's a tightly controlled city compound, known as Flower City, and then New Po, capital of the outcasts of the rest of the island. I worked as the sheriff of New Po Town, so...I'm a little familiar with interrogation," she added.
"This world seems to have dates 49 years behind my own, so I'm 25. Since I woke up here, I've been working with Team Snagem. Not like I have any family I actually know here or anything, and I'm a good fit for them." She wondered what Burnet would do with all this information and the data that Sub had sent her in advance.
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Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:36 am
Professor Burnet perked up tremendously as Monique went into more detail, listening with great intent and at one point hurried grabbed some paper and a pen and began to jot down notes. Once Monique was done she continued to write, clearly wanting to put to paper this information before she forgot it. Finishing up her notes she sat the paper down and stared at Monique for awhile longer, tapping her pen against her temple, deep in thought. "You remember so much of your time despite traveling through Ultra Space, how fascinating." Burnet commented.
Turning around she would pull up a rolling chair and sit down, then motioning to another nearby chair. "Please, sit." She instructed the woman. Once Monique was sat the professor would speak again. "Your leader had told me some about you but not all this, you're certainly an intriguing Faller, far different than the two I'm more familiar with. And you come from a much different reality than the other one I'm aware of, it seems there is no end to the possibilities of Ultra Space and here I am clawing for crumbs of information." She chuckled to herself.
"Tell me, before I assault you further with my questions and prob you, not that way, with my machines, do you have any questions for me? I may not know as much about Ultra Space as I'd like but maybe I can help you find answers for questions you have concerning inter-dimensional travel and the nature of other dimensions. Besides Ultra Space I have extensively studied the Dream World and the Interdream Zone, so I have a fair bit of knowledge up here" She smiled, tapping on her forehead.
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Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:46 am
Monique's answers were clearly exciting the professor. She was furiously scribbling on any piece of paper within reach. There was a lot this woman didn't seem to know, which worried her a bit.
"Your leader had told me some about you but not all this... You're certainly an intriguing Faller, far different than the two I'm more familiar with. And you come from a much different reality than the other one I'm aware of. It seems there is no end to the possibilities of Ultra Space, and here I am clawing for crumbs of information." Monique took a big breath.
When Burnet opened the floor for questions, Monique was eager to ask a few. "Well, I have a few questions, and I know you might not be able to answer some of these. Number one, where did this Zoroark come from? I know nothing about her besides having...collided with her. If she had a name, if she had a home, I know nothing of it." Number two, why am I here—how did an Ultra Wormhole suddenly appear and suck me into it? And number three..." Monique stopped, thinking of Uxie but not wanting to throw more kindling on this complex bonfire. "I had two sisters, and my gut tells me they were thrown into Ultra Space as well. Is there a way to...figure out...where they are?" If Burnet was listening carefully, her more halting speech and wavering pauses might have indicated the emotional weight that this inquiry had. "I ain't gonna lie... They've been on my mind."
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Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 10:24 am
MoniqueBrie When Burnet opened the floor for questions, Monique was eager to ask a few. "Well, I have a few questions, and I know you might not be able to answer some of these. Number one, where did this Zoroark come from? I know nothing about her besides having...collided with her. If she had a name, if she had a home, I know nothing of it." Number two, why am I here—how did an Ultra Wormhole suddenly appear and suck me into it? And number three..." Monique stopped, thinking of Uxie but not wanting to throw more kindling on this complex bonfire. "I had two sisters, and my gut tells me they were thrown into Ultra Space as well. Is there a way to...figure out...where they are?" If Burnet was listening carefully, her more halting speech and wavering pauses might have indicated the emotional weight that this inquiry had. "I ain't gonna lie... They've been on my mind." Burnet would lean back in her chair and consider Monique's questions for awhile, there was a lot of uncertainty in any answers she could provide but she would try her best. "To your first question I suppose if you did collide with a Zoroark you simply merged together, a complete random accident. From what I've gathered wormholes can open up anywhere, any when, and drag anything into them, like a Zoroark. As for where it came from precisely there is no way of knowing with my current capabilities, Ultra Space is infinite. Not unless there is still a part of its consciousness in you, which is something I have heard of being possible. However if I may theorize, maybe you didn't collide with anything, only imagined it. From my own data inter-dimensional travel can cause beings moving from one to the other to alter their physical form to better suit the reality they are arriving in. For example the Forces of Nature, legendary Pokemon, change forms when they enter the Interdream Zone and they aren't the only ones known to alter their forms between dimensions. I can't say why the forces that be might have found it more suitable for you to be a hybrid here." She said with a small shrug. "I suppose I just answered your second question a little bit already but let's go further. I want to say, based on more concrete evidence, it's completely random the wormhole opened, however I have a hunch that certain events across Ultra Space cause wormholes to open up, maybe not intentional but something triggers them. The presence of an Ultra Beast for example seems to increase the odds of another wormhole opening up. Why exactly I can't say, perhaps due to the vast amount of Ultra Space energy they've absorbed? For example here in Alola there is a phenomenon known as Totem Pokemon, that is Pokemon that have been exposed to energy from a wormhole, absorbing the energy and increasing both their size and strength. The presence of a Totem Pokemon seems to weaken reality itself, not enough to open a wormhole and do any damage but enough to allow them to call Pokemon allies from across great distances, far more than normal. Maybe the presence of so many Guzzlord in your world thinned the barrier, so to speak, between your world and Ultra Space and it was only a matter of time before another wormhole open." Burnet explained. "More on the why from what I know of the other two Fallers I've studied there is no why you're here specifically but the fact that you survived owes to your own strong will and resolve. Those two were incredibly strong people, with a desire to live for their own reasons. I theorize you have such a desire as well, your sisters." She said, now going into the third question. "I can't say no, that there isn't a way to find where they are, but I must say the chances are incredibly slim. However if you survived traveling through Ultra Space it's not impossible that they did too." She said, looking Monique in the eyes, seeing in them the love and concern she had for her sisters. "Maybe if we work together we can figure out a way to track them down, or at least narrow down the possibilities of their exact location." Burnet smiled.
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