Mandercloud

Chasing Chimeras   0-7: Memento Moor-i I: Shadows in the Swamp       It was wise of Ruse to follow Kass out of the Singing Caverns. Not only did her theory of following the tunnels and chambers with less crystals work to avoid much of the terrible noise, but they managed to find a mysterious crystal shard that seemed to resemble a piece of the jewel Ruse had on her choker. The shard seemed to resonate with Ruse, like something tried to tap into a deeper power within her, a part of a key to unlock something greater…   Thankfully, the pair managed to escape the Singing Caverns without incident, a welcome turnabout after her previous excursion there. After her runs through the Giants Falls with Téarlach and this trip through the Singing Caverns with Kass, it was clear to Ruse that going with someone else would be the best way to avoid disaster in the dungeons. Someday, however, she would have to try on her own, and maybe unlocking the secret of the shard she obtained would help towards

As Told by Minnie, Jasmine, and Enelys 4: Scorpion’s Sting Part 2 Our slow march back towards the rally point had reached the end of the Grassy Terrain path Arthur had laid out for us. So far, the trek had gone without incident, with Ms. Strawberry scouting ahead while Willow watched for anything coming from behind. Primrose and I remained close to Leonid as he carried Cycla, monitoring the Snowy Vulpix’s condition closely as he rested. Cycla’s breathing was thankfully still steady, but who knows how his condition would change once we got out of the Grassy Terrain path…   “Leo, thanks for carrying my brother back for us,” Primrose said, “I would’ve had Jasmine carry him in other circumstances, but—"   “You can thank me once we get Cycla back to the rally point,” he huffed, “Your sister may be a pain in my tail, but I’m not cruel to let someone she cares about die. She promised to support me in any way she could, it’s only fair that I did the same.” He sharply turned his head and

As Told by Minnie, Jasmine, and Enelys   4: Scorpion’s Sting     Such a wonderous dream…Snow on the ground, bright holiday decorations, skating on ice, delicious cookies, and doing all of it together with friends and loved ones, and even getting to plant a kiss on Leonid’s cheek…How I wish I could stay in that wintery paradise…   “Attack! We’re under attack!!!”   Reality had come for all of us. That dream clearly had made me forget that we had all gone to sleep dreading the impending attack on Vandril’s Harbor by an army of Shadow Pokémon. Strangely, I didn’t seem as frightened by it all. Maybe it was because of all those positive emotions the dream made me feel carried over into the real world?   I quickly got on my feet, joined by my siblings Primrose, Willow, and Cyclamen as we all went outside our tent to join my classmates up on the outer wall, overlooking the desert outside of the city limits to find it covered in a sea of black and purple with glowing red dotted here and there.

Chasing Chimeras   0-4: Tedium       “Ruse? Ruse, darling, could you come out and speak with me for a moment?”   Waterbaby’s voice called out from outside of the Shadow Mawile’s room, rousing her from her slumber. She rose from her stiff bed and walked over to open the door for the leader of the Renegades faction. Though the Walking Wake towered over her, Ruse showed no signs of being intimidated by her imposing presence.   “Ah, so glad that you came so quickly! I know it’s been a while since I’ve spoken to you, so I must ask how you are adjusting to being a member of our guild.”   “…I do not see much reason to participate within the guild…to interact with others…it all seems…tedious…”   “Yes, that is a bit concerning…and that has something to do with why I’m here,” the Walking Wake stared down upon the Shadow Mawile, “I can overlook you not participating in the Winter Ball, being a Shadow Pokémon does cause a lot of antisocial behaviors to form, but having Rhys complain to me about

As Told by Valerie and Anjou   5: Scorpion’s Sting Part 2       So, it falls unto moi to tell how things fared while Valerie was away from the frontlines…   Well, I wish I could say it was exciting, but the only thing she was missing was the repetitiveness of having those Eeveelution boys blasting the Shadow Rapion while I sliced up most of those that got too close. I say most because a couple did burrow past and used their tail claws to pinch their paws, though that Umbreon, Dimas I believe was his name, instead he had his nose pinched, and he struggled to shake off the Rapion before his twin brother used his Psychic to help him.   Soon enough, a swirl of fire and a blast of ice shot past our group, pushing back the shadowy scorpions. The two brothers in reserve arrived, slowly taking position with us to the joy of the other siblings. Another wave came, and the attacks of the new pair all synchronized together like cogs in a well-oiled machine with the rest of their brothers’

As Told by Valerie and Anjou   5: Scorpion’s Sting Part 1       What a strange, happy feeling…I went to bed dreading the coming Shadow Pokémon attack on Vandril’s Harbor, and now I’m waking up feeling quite refreshed. I remember that we were in a snowy village and that Anjou and the Gamut Brothers were there, and we were all having fun. I wish I could’ve recalled everything that happened…   The instant I opened my eyes, I was greeted with the unwelcome sight of a Shadow Skorupi staring right at me, the good feelings quickly replaced with fear as the Skorupi hissed, tail claw reared back as it prepared to sting me in the face. I shrieked upon realizing the situation I was in, quickly wrapping my ribbons to move it away from me, the Scorpion Pokémon wriggled in my grasp, snapping its tail claw and jaws in its vicious struggle. A few near misses, and before I knew it, the Shadow Skorupi was knocked out of my grasp, its stingers cut off as it rolled away from me.   The Shadow Skorupi

As Told by Valerie Vespra   3-3: Jardin de Faucheur       A duel…I never thought I would be challenged to one out here, but why? The letter mentioned something about “fighting another warrior who shines with the light of the moon” …was it someone who also had the same kind of power my Moonblast has against Shadow Pokémon? Whoever this “Ankou” is, they clearly saw me use that power either back when I fended off that Shadow Cacturne or when I faced that Shadow Orthworm earlier today…   After I abruptly left Magma Brandt’s birthday party, I headed back to my dorm room to rest up, eating a light meal of a couple of Sitrus Berries to recover my energy from all that running around I did today. As night fell, I exited the guild headquarters and went out onto the streets of Vandril’s Harbor. I asked a cloaked passerby where the pirate warehouses were, they simply pointed out the side of town closer to the ocean and said “You must have a death wish if you’re going there…”   Well, I was going to

As Told by Valerie Vespra   3-2: Silvy Side Story 2: Curious About the Trailblazer’s Fiery Youth, Part 5!       “Come on, come on, we’re almost there!”   Even with the sun setting over Vandril’s Harbor, Shula still had plenty of energy. Of course, if I were going to show off the stuff I had been working on all day for someone I cared for, I would be excited as well. To meet the founder of the Trailblazers as well, a fearsome dragon in his prime no less, even I got caught up in the anticipation as we approached a hut with a view over the Trailblazers guild headquarters on the lake.   “Dad! Dad! I’m home!” Shula shouted, “And I’ve even brought a cool guildmate I want you to meet!”   “Is that so?” a gruff voice spoke from within, “Then they can come in as well.”   Shula peeked their head out from inside and motioned to me that I could come in. I followed my guild leader inside the hut to finally come face-to-face with Shula’s adoptive father. True to their description of him, Magma Brandt

Whispers of Ascendance Chapter 13   Faulty Xurkit       Forsythia had a happy twirl in her steps as she approached the hut that was set up for the night. Following Tresham’s advice to go to Akudo in her time of need proved fruitful, for though it led to a brutal encounter with a figure that haunted Njord and Prima, the battle triggered the Hatenna’s evolution into a Hattrem and allowed her to help finally close the book on their past. What happened afterwards, when Akudo recovered from the burnout of evolution, was the cause of the Kirlia’s current state of euphoria: Akudo finally got the courage to kiss her, on the lips no less, and it was every bit as passionate and tender as she had hoped her first kiss would be! There was no doubt about it, Akudo was her soulmate, the kind that didn’t need a Soul Dew to bind each other in heart and soul, and she couldn’t have asked for anyone better to be her girlfriend.   From the tent, a certain red-tagged Jirachi emerged and quickly floated over

As Told by Minnie, Jasmine, and Enelys   ???: Sweet Snowy Dreams       A chill in the air, but it felt different somehow…Not the arid kind one would feel being out in a desert at night, but the kind of coldness one would feel on a snowy mountain…   I awoke not inside a tent in the desert outside the gates of Vandril’s Harbor, but out in the open air of a snowy paradise, full of trees decorated with ornaments and streamers. I had no idea how I found myself in this place, but somehow, it felt like a dream come to life…   I sat up and reached for my walking cane, but the handle felt different. Instead of a smooth wooden curve, it felt like fir tree needles poking my paws. I turned my head and realized that my cane had a snowflake tip and an icy blue ribbon tied underneath. It wasn’t a walking cane, but a wand, and one I knew all too well. As I properly grasped the wand and looked at the snowflake tip, I looked at my bow and found that I was wearing a frilly white dress with a wintery blue