Adventure Thread - Group A

Clay does feel the presence of the Wall-Torkoals, but also something else. Just one something though, but that one something has a bigger presence than all the Torkoal put together and then some. Despite this, Clay and Tiki see nothing out of the ordinary. Apparently Clay's preemptive message was enough to get them a free pass. The door, on the other hand, seems to have gotten an upgrade in security. Not only is it no longer a set of simple, metal double doors, it seems to have been replaced by a singular door made of a much tougher metal; or at least that's what Clay assumes. Not only that, it has some weird circular lock on it with the kanji for 'Fire' in the recessed center. It's also quite a bit brighter near the door as well, no shadows at all that something (or someone) could hide in.

After a few moments of silence, the kanji in the center flashes brightly and the door splits into four sections, each sliding seamlessly into a corner of the frame. Surprisingly, it's Ashley who answers. She quirks an eyebrow at him.

"Monkey boy Clay? Here I thought you'd gone and run off with the rest of those cowards in Fighting Branch." Her gaze is fierce as always, her eyes searching his for a reaction. "So what do you want?"

Ashley takes the book for a moment to look more closely at the artist's rendition of 'Victini'. She hmms. "It looks familiar, I swear I've seen glimpses of it before around here, but I'm afraid I know nothing more than that. However, your mention of this gives me reason enough to believe I'm not hallucinating, so let's go talk to Mother about this." She hands the book back and waves you both inside.

Ashley leads Clay and Tiki further into the Fire Branch, the door sealing behind them automatically. There are several more of those fancy doors like the one outside, though these interior ones are obviously smaller and unlocked. Ashley explains (if asked to) about how the doors work, so that only Fire Branch members can open them. Yes, that's right, not even a Legendary Pokemon could open them just by using a Fire-Type move. It took quite some time and a whole lot of magic to be able to effect this security system. Ashley hasn't checked personally, but she suspects that the Ground and Rock Branches have done similar upgrading to their own Halls. Eventually, the group reaches Ashandra's personal room. Ashley pounds on the reinforced door to ensure she has the woman's attention. Naturally, she opens the door to see what all the ruckus is about.

"Oh. Ashley and...her pets?" She smirks when both Clay and Tiki instinctively bristle at the implication that they'd ever be anybody's 'pet' (not that Clay is likely to understand the true meaning behind the word). Ashley rolls her eyes and brushes the comment aside. "We need to talk, Mother."

"Yes, I suppose you feel we do else you'd not be hammering on my door like this. So? What do you want?"

Clay grimaces slightly - he's not a fan of Lady Ashandra's attitude any more than Tiki is, but he was hoping to be a little less blunt, at least to start with. Ashandra could still set them on fire, after all. "Well, I was gonna ask what that Pokémon that was with you when I asked you about teaching Fan was, but it kinda looked like that picture. So... yeah, that's basically the question."

"Oh, I know we are. I'm just kind of afraid we're - I've seen Chimchar do this, I bet trainee fire... monk... guys do it too. Two of 'em gang up on a third one, shoot off an Ember at the same time - the one in the middle ducks and they don't get anything but a face full of cinders." Clay rubs the back of his neck. "Hands not talking to the feet. You know what I mean."

He sighs and shakes his head. "I didn't think it was automatic victory or anything. I've had my tail kicked too often to think there's anything like that - especially with what we're fighting. I just figured we could use all the help we could get."

And... yup, he's started pacing. "You probably know a whole lot more about D'mara than we do. I mean, apart from the awful feeling she gives me even when she's being nice. She's like a bonfire but instead of heat she gives off a feeling like she's gonna murder you. That's probably just an Aura thing. But from what we've found out about Yveltal, you're actually probably safer standing close to us than you are far away. We've got... protection, but it can't cover the whole continent."

Clay stops and looks Ashandra dead in the face. "Yeah, she tried. Three times. Two of 'em succeeded."

Ashandra quirks an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? I'm just waiting for that bitch to show her face again. She's bound to turn up eventually, after all, and when she does, Victini and I will end her." She smirks again. "Besides. From what I've heard, the one you've got helping you isn't doing much either. All it's doing is sitting on its ass, claiming to be 'protecting' you from some mystical Aura that D'Mara stole. Victini can't do anything directly until D'Mara reappears. It's a warrior, after all."

"I can honestly say I have no idea where the Psychic Branch disappeared to. It seems like they all decided to pack up and leave, but I don't recall her ever stating intent to do so during the Guild Branch Meetings." She scoffs. "Aside from that, if D'Mara really wanted to 'suck the souls' out of every living being in the city, do you really think you could stop her? Maybe your 'pal' Xerneas could, but only by putting itself out there. Like you said, it can't cover everything. Based on that information, it follows that the only way it could protect the entirety of a large population center like Saffron is if it came out of hiding to do so."