bottlebay | Video;

[It's the middle of the day, not long after quests go up that Akechi greets the Grumpearls with a serious expression.]

Greetings. This is Akechi. To anyone newly arrived, I'm a member of the Oran Berries, and I was also among the group exploring the Northern Forest.

[Images accompany of his words of meandering, overgrown plantlife, strange, glowing vines, and luminous mushrooms eerily aglow.]

As there are multiple quests related to the recent fungal infestation as well as further requests to explore to the north, I'd like to give you all my personal insights.

First...

[He raises a wing, feathers folded in such a way to approximate a hand holding up one finger.]

The spores cause heightened aggression. I highly recommend obtaining some form of facial covering to minimize their effects. While I cannot say how effective it will be, reducing how many spores you inhale will likely serve you well in the long run.

Second...

[He raises another feather.]

Be extra careful when removing the mushrooms. If you can dig around them, that will be ideal, but mushrooms have complex root systems called mycelium, so if you want to be extra cautious, it may be worth digging especially deep. The fruiting bodies are their primary means of reproduction, however, so simply removing and eliminating as many as possible while minimizing contact with the spores would be ideal.

[He tries to convey this with little images of the mushroom caps and the roots spreading far, far beneath the soil.]

Ren and I will return to the northern forest to rectify our... mistake. I also fully intend on gathering and eliminating as many of the mushrooms as possible.

Be smart, expect the worst, and we may be able to overcome this unfortunate infestation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Fascinating... But even if those who can bypass ghost type's immunity are few, I imagine it's best to keep one's wits about them. Get too comfortable, and your Achilles heel is left wide open.

[Ah, but that... probably won't make much sense to Ingo, come to think of it.]

Quite so!

[He has no idea what that is, true, but the gist is clear from context clues!]

In any case, a type advantage is of course helpful, but it is not always necessary for victory!

True. After all, my only dark type move is Power Trip, but I still managed with those pesky Swoobats.

[He puffs out his chest with pride. It was a great victory!

Just ignore the image of a very wobbly, confused Ren bleeding through his thoughts.]

Ah! We fought those as well!

[A brief image of Ingo, delighted with himself, pulling off some rather large ghost-type attack!]

It's very strange, isn't it? Such continued aggression!

Not only aggression, but hallucination, in other cases. I fully suspect that to be the work of the fog, which means that all these recent troubles stem from nature itself...

[An image flashes by of an Orthworm defending a Tailow's medicine, thinking it's her child. The medicine in question looks like a worm.

Then there's a Persian, fighting off Ren and Firepaw, as they try to rescue Purrloin.]

Ah! I did not realize that was happening! That explains quite a bit!

[Hm...have they all thought they were in the right, then? That's rather upsetting to think about...]

And the recent batch of arrivals came with the fog. Something doesn't bode well.

[Flickers of memories of the crowded clinic pass through his mind. It was rather disheartening to see.]

Do you think it is related to our arrival?

["Our" being everyone, in this case, from both waves. Though if you put it like that...things really did start happening around when Akari fell.]

I believe it's possible that there may be some tenuous connection, though I doubt it's our fault.

[Still... it's too early to tell. They need more information first.]

Oh - no! I certainly did not mean to imply that! But they may still be connected! We may even be meant to help!

[That's how it went with Akari, right? More or less?]

It's a possibility, I suppose. One of those Legendaries may have sought aid from other worlds

[He hums. It's a nice thought, but...]

My main point of skepticism stems from personal experiences. I've already been used by higher powers before.

[shrug]

I do not believe I have ever really encountered any before, but the legendary Pokemon in Hisui have required aid from humans recently. Because of a disgruntled one who made its own human ally, in fact! So it is certainly something that they might do, though I cannot say for sure that any even have such power.

I suppose it depends on the scope of their abilities. Still, if their powers govern forces of nature and reality themselves, would they not be the most likely culprits? Unless there's something even greater, that is...

[Hmmm... Come to think of it...]

Akari-san did mention an "Arceus."

Mmm, yes, she has mentioned that to me as well. She says that it is the true name of the Original One.

In other words, a god. Thus, would that not make it a probable suspect? Such power would certainly explain why so many different worlds were involved...

[But that doesn't explain why they were all dropped in such unfortunate places.

The crashing of waves stirs through his thoughts, followed by the foggy forest.]

It would certainly be possible. Though it certainly isn't as though it runs around doing such things at all times!

[There's nothing to really work from. All of the old legends...at this point, who knows which of them were really referring to the true Sinnoh at all?]

Perhaps it has some greater goal in mind, but the lack of transparency doesn't sit well with me.

[They weren't really given a clear objective before the guilds... Really, they've all had to adapt and make do.]

Yes, yes, I can certainly understand that. But we do not even know that it was involved in the first place.

[He's not really mad, if only because there's very little direction for that.]

True. It is still speculation. Nonetheless, I don't see it as coincidental, because it's far too coordinated.

[And now that there have been two cycles of this, that's even less reason to see it as a fluke...]

What I can say is that it's clear that this town and its surrounding wilderness are in grave danger, and I can't imagine that will change any time soon.

Quite so. It is a bit disconcerting...nonetheless, there is little for us to do but move forward and try to help as best as we can. With any luck, that will lead us towards the truth!

All the more reason for us to take care with these upcoming missions. We can't afford to get sloppy.

Quite, quite. At least nothing incredibly dangerous has happened thus far.

[All of these missions have been pretty normal to him! Even the ones with fights!]

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