>>6200962<span class="mu-s">Thus began a pact of partnership that would alter the Laurentel region's very fate…</span>
~~~
[Clocktower Anteroom, ????, Morning]
The clocktower's ground floor anteroom and halls are dim, light streams through the windows from the rising sun, but the olden-looking electric lights are not active.
You follow behind Rafael and his strange Helping Hands, he graciously waits on you whenever you fall behind, which is often, considering how easy it is to stumble in this unfamiliar form you've taken. You both keep your voices down, listening to the hollow silence of the clocktower, waiting for anything abnormal beneath the ticking of the many gears above…
Rafael gazes around a corner, and his eyes widen with a shock.
"…What is it?"
"This… Isn't right. This should be the entranceway!" He exclaims.
You come forth to take a look for yourself. Thinking back, it would make sense. The storeroom is toward the back of the main building, and the end of the hall opens up into a more spacious area. Understanding that, what you see before you makes some sense, and yet…
The building's size seems to be a lot larger than you were anticipating. The supposed entranceway has a multitude of stairwells, sprouting from the ground and enticing you upward into the tower's mechanism. But there's no door, and the ornate windows seem to be covered in an unending fog. There are more hallways than seems necessary, it looks almost dreamlike.
[BGM -
https://youtu.be/_fHHuKVQ9qI?si=6PCnkZAqSw5EY1Y5]
"I passed through here on my search of the ground floor, this room was not here before." Rafael reasons.
"Who's the delusional one now?" You chuckle. "This could still be a dream."
"I assure you, it isn't… What to do…?" Rafael paces, tries to look out the window but sees nothing but smog. "Perhaps some sort of psychic trick… But I'm sure one of us would have felt something! And I'm not sure of any pokemon short of a Great Legend capable of this."
The pit in your stomach returns, an eldritch ache, you can feel it. The halls stretch for ages.
But the vertical space…
"It pains me to, but we're going to have to make our presence known. If we can break one of these windows, more of the Guard may find their way in to assist us."
"You came in here alone? Isn't that a bad idea?" You ask.
There's an expression of embarrassment as if you've just slapped the poor Quaxly in the cheek. Rafael sputters. "No, of course I was accompanied! But my allies… We split up in our search, yes."
[SELECT ONE]
>You need to make a good impression on Rafael, otherwise you'll be suspected as the clocktower's assailant. Go along with his plan.>This chasm in your gut is bad news. It won't be easy, but you need to take the lead here. Convince Rafael to make his way to the roof. [Player roll, 2d6 bo3, Success = 8] 