Session 38, VP2

After reaching the base of the southernmost mountain, our heroes set up camp for the evening. During the second watch shift, Sylvie and Ariela began to hear the faintest echoes of a tune being hummed. Though the melody was unfamiliar, it brought a sense of comfort within. Strangely, its source- even the direction it was coming from- was impossible to determine. As she worked, Ariela felt emboldened to add her voice to the ethereal music. The humming instantly began to effortlessly harmonize with her singing. By the time the watch shift was over, the sound had faded, but Ariela felt the smallest bit of the music still lingering inside of her. 

In the morning, the group began to make their way through the valley before them. It didn’t take long for them to spot a person a short way away, moving around erratically by a tent and table. Lauren was the first to recognize that this was Fragna Droyma. The last time they had encountered the researcher, she was being harangued by ineffectual bandits just north of Ever Dam. (And what a situation intervening into that led them to.) 

When the party got close enough, they moved towards Fragna’s campsite. She appeared not to hear their calls of greeting- unsurprising, given the massive headphones she was wearing. A wire connected them down to a megaphone clutched in her right hand. As the group watched, she climbed a short tree, pointing the megaphone in various directions. Bronze got right behind the oblivious scientist, shouting a “hello”. Fragna dropped from the tree in her surprise, falling the scant few feet to the ground. 

It took a few minutes to remind Fragna who the group was. In truth, they weren’t even certain she did remember. Saving herself from further embarrassment, the researcher eagerly pointed at Lauren’s camera. After rummaging in her tent, Fragna returned with a massive scroll covered in sloppy handwriting. She looked over Lauren’s albums and recognized a few photos she was interested in purchasing. 

With that complete, our heroes asked what she was up to here in Skald’s Echo. It seemed that the myths and stories about the mountain range had enticed her to investigate. While she explained her own experience hearing a snippet of haunting music in the night, Fragna continued pointing her megaphone every which way. It let out a crackle of statis as she waved it past where Ariela was standing. The scientist immediately began circling her, before stating that Ariela was carrying part of the song herself. 

The group explained the experience from the previous night, and Fragna seemed energized and enthralled. In a chipper voice, she asked if the trainers would mind helping her search for the source of the music this evening, even offering to pay them. Since it wouldn’t take them too far off their planned path, our heroes agreed to the request. 

They continued on their way through the valley at a comfortable pace. Near its end, Bronze noticed the sounds of Pokémon fighting somewhere nearby. Following the sounds led to a small cave. Inside, a few Pokémon were engaged in playful sparring. The only other thing of note was a strange rock structure near the back cave wall. Rix scoped out the situation for a few minutes, before the group decided to enter the cave. The wild Pokémon didn’t seem to mind their presence, and actually appeared eager to train against these new faces. 

Soon, everyone was paired off with a sparring partner, with Bronze and Rix serving as referees. Lost in the fun of the moment, no one noticed the strange rock formation shift slightly. As the noise of the fighting grew too large to bear, the rock began to shift from its position, causing the entire cave to shake. The sleeping Pokémon rose to its full height with a roar. Dust and pebbles fell from its mighty form, as the trainer’s Pokédexes identified the beast: Tyranitar! 

Thankfully, the other wild Pokémon joined the fight against the surly newcomer. Sylvie released Jasmine for her first post-evolution battle. The Golisopod bull-rushed the Tyranitar, slamming it into the cave walls. With only a few more attacks, the massive Pokémon soon found itself captured. 

After thanking the other wild Pokémon for their help, and convincing a few to come along, the party set forth once more. By the time they breached the other side of Skald’s Echo, the sun was close to setting. Fragna asked which of the three peaks the group would like to help her search; after some discussion, it was decided to push on to the northernmost mountain. Our heroes set up camp and ate a quick dinner. Once recharged, they set out to climb the mountain beside them. 

Fragna led the way with her megaphone. Though they were climbing up a mountain, it was a relatively low altitude…which made it all the more surprising when it began to lightly snow, over just their location. Recognizing this to be the work of a Pokémon, the party began to look around. 

It was lucky they had stopped to examine their surroundings when they did. With little warning, a large snow boulder began to roll down the peak towards them. Most of the trainers managed to dodge the attack, before ducking behind a small ledge. More boulders came careening down as they attempted to pinpoint the position of the aggressor. Bronze managed to spot a small silhouette a short way up the mountain. She and Sylvie sent Ash and Thistle to burrow their way up to the Pokémon’s position for a surprise attack. 

Between the two of them, the Pokémon was quickly dealt with. Knocked unconscious, it bounced down the mountain as their Pokédexes recognized it as a Delibird. With its defeat, the snowfall came to a stop. Before the Delibird was out of sight, Fragna was already marching ahead of the group. Our heroes scrambled over the rocky ledge to catch up to her. 

The moon was high when all of them suddenly caught goosebumps. Stronger, louder than before, an unknown voice was singing from somewhere nearby. Ariela began to hum the tune, which she recognized as the same they had heard before. As if they were being told how to get there, the party picked their way a short distance around the mountain face. 

There! A small, concave depression was hewn into the rock, almost resembling a small amphitheater. Within it floated a strange creature. She was humanoid in shape, with long, flowing green hair. Amongst its strands, shapes resembling music notes seemed to shift and swim as they watched. The Pokémon’s song was delicate as it filled the space around them. One by one, the trainers lent themselves to the music. Some sang, while others kept a percussive beat. With each new voice or sound, the Meloetta’s voice seemed to duplicate, allowing it to harmonize with everyone at once. Though they could not say how long it lasted, the group were swept up into the joyous melody for what felt like hours. 

When the song finally faded out, they found themselves alone in the amphitheater. Fragna had tears of awe flowing down her face- and she may not have been the only one. As if in a dream, they all wound their way back down to their campsite with ease. Upon returning, Fragna broke the dazed silence to wish everyone a good night, saying she would thank them for their help in the morning. Though their recent travels had been weighing on them, each of our heroes felt that the burden had been lessened slightly by their encounter this night. And as they drifted off to sleep, even their snores did their best to mimic the majesty of the song they had heard……