(04-17-2018, 05:45 PM)Iron Wrote: Machoke shrugs as you fill the frying pan in addition to what fit in his belt earlier. One handed, he descends the stairs again. After he's gone, you hear an enormous stone grinding noise in the direction you'll have to travel tomorrow.

(04-17-2018, 06:03 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote:

Spoiler

Well, problem solved, apparently.  That grinding noise might be an obstacle of some kind they'll have to tackle tomorrow.

"Thanks Heart.  You can go get some more sleep now.  I'll continue keeping watch until it's Ventus's turn."

(@Lord Windos)

When Ventus arrives to take his turn, he'll find Nathan poring over some notes in his journal by Swiftfire's light, looking up every so often to make sure Ralts and Calam haven't sensed anything else approaching.  It's kinda hard to tell what exactly Nathan's reviewing and taking further notes on in the dim light, but there's a few illustrations that are primarily red in color (though they blend in a little with the red glow of Swiftfire's flames).  There's other illustrations as well, but they're only rough sketches right now, and it's almost impossible to tell what they are without taking a closer look.  Nathan also has a smaller book out that a references every so often, sitting on the ground next to his journal.

Once he notices Ventus, he starts packing up his stuff.  It's been a long couple of hours, so he's ready to get some rest.

"There was a Machoke here earlier, just so you know.  Looked like it was a little overweight.  It came up the cliff over there, demanded some food, and then climbed back down after we filled a frying pan and a satchel it was carrying with food.  After it left, we heard stone grinding on stone from where it went, so there might be a stone door of some kind down there that we'll have to pass.  Maybe another one of those puzzles.  Kinda glad I was here to catch that Machoke before it went through our stuff.  It didn't hesitate to try and pry open my bag without my permission as soon as it got up here, despite the bag still being on my back.  It would have probably ransacked the place if given the chance."

Nathan stretches.  Yawns.  Ralts mirrors both perfectly.  "Anyways...*yaaawwwnnn*...we're going to go...get some sleep now.  Night."

(04-17-2018, 06:44 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

As the alarm he set on his phone helpfully began to chime at the ordained time his shift starts, the empath almost instantly snapped to awareness crawled out of his sleeping bag, pulling out a bottle of Scottish Morn Tea he'd brewed prior to the trip (never know when you need a quick source of caffine) to take a dram of it to fully perk him up, before he existed the tent. At this point he quietly flicked both his wrist down towards the ground, causing both Apsis' and Malphena's Pokeball to call shooting out and summoning them a dual flash, both of them swift to fall in line behind their master as they made their way towards Nathan to relieve him of his watch, him taking out a flashlight but not flicking it on, as Swiftfire's flames were enough light to go on for now.

While his venomous viper was a tad bit grumpy of being woken up in the middle of 'night' (a beautiful snake such as herself needed her beauty rest, *Hiisss.....*), the mischevious banshee seemed especially chipper in the clasterphobic, near pitch black cavern, drinking in the spooky vibe of the place as she was right in her element, te he~!

Being the naturally curious and nosey sort of person he was, Ventus almost immediately started to pry into what Nathan was currently trying to write/sketch down as he approached and saw what they were up to,  a innocently puzzled look adorning the researcher face as he both leaned forward to get a better glimpse into the boy's journal. "Hmm? What's that you are drawing and recording in your journal, if you forgive me of my curiosity?"

If that failed, then his 'horrifying little sister would certainly make up for it by doing her own little investigations! She was also sure to give Ralts a playful giggle and wink as she floated on by, dragging out the action as she knew her presense riled him up to NO END, much to her amusement. Calam, on the other hand, she made she that their was a yawning gulf of distance between them as she eyed the Disaster Pokémon. Not only a cruddy Dark type, but the one that brings ill omens to its trainer at that? Bah! It had better respect her personal space, or she'll show it how much misfortunate she can REALLY bring down on its head, *Screee......*

Meanwhile, Apsis paid absolutely no mind to either the Dark or the annoying pint sized Fairy squirt (other than shoot both a superior and haughty look), and focused her attention squarely on the boy, slithering up right in front of them and craning down to give them an inquisitive stare and *Hisss?* as she scented/examined them. It had be quite awhile since she last say the boy, and she felt that a little check up was in order to make sure he's fine as he llooks/smells, as weakness in young was a sure sign was something amiss that needed to be corrected ASSSSAP! How else would the grow up to be a strong adult and survive in the wilds, *Hiiiiss?*

Seemingly paying no mind to his family members, Ven's gave his a somewhat disbelieving look at the young scholar as he described a fat food loving Machoke of all creatures intruding on their campsite, clearing not expecting that to be reported to him. "......What? That's.....highly abnormal behavior for a Machoke and Fighting types in general, as they typically like to keep themselves and their bodies in shape, so why.....? *Sighs* Its not important, I suppose, other than the fact that it ended up making off with some of our supplies in an attempt to pacify it. I would have summoned Raphael or Malphena to drive them of myself if they did to me what they did to you, but your method did avoid inciting a panic, so I guess that was the preferable outcome. Get some rest, and we'll deal with whatever it fiddled with up ahead tomorrow."

After they had finished up speaking with him, he waved Nathan off as they went to bed and he took up their spot on the stairs, Apsis coiling around them protectively and peering into the darkness with her heat vision to scope out any threats, while Malphena lurked in the blackness, alert and ready to scare the bejebers out of any foolish Pokémon that tried to barge in unannounced! Currently the empaths flashlight was on but set to low, just enough to illuminate their immediate surrounding without drawing undo attention towards themselves/the campsite. 

Order: Have Ventus be overly investigative, chat with them a bit, have Malphena and Apsis 'socialize with Nathan and co, before Ven takes up his watch. Apsis is coiled around him and using her sense of smell/heat vision to keep an eye out for threats, while Malphena is hiding in the darkness and keeping her own watch, and will promptly Ambush anything with a menacing Growl to scare them off/alert her master. Blackwatch, engage!

(04-17-2018, 07:30 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote:

Spoiler

It's too dim to make out any of the words or figure out what the rough sketches are before Nathan's noticed Ventus and started packing everything up, but the colored pictures are teardrop and hexagon shaped.  They're lined up in a straight, horizontal line, and there's question marks in the spaces between each one.

"...just...working on trying to...*yawn*...figure something out...that's all...need some...further input from experts and...more reliable...sources...*yawn*...though...maybe...after we get out of these cave, I'll be able...to...figure it out...I know...exactly who to ask..."

Calam's eyes gleam bright red in this darkness as he stares back.  He pays Malphena zero mind at first besides that.  To Aspis, he shoots her a look of his own, the look of one who's seen many hard battles.  It lacks the superior haughtiness of Aspis's, but it doesn't need it to be all the more intimidating, particularly with that scar of his supporting it.

When Aspis looks at Ralts, Ralts stares back, as if trying to tell her Nathan's fine.  When Malphena purposely tries to aggravate him, he turns and looks at Calam.  Unfortunately for Malphena, Calam gets along rather well with Ralts despite the type disadvantage.  There's a clear sense of camaraderie between him and the Feeling Pokemon, and that's why he's keeping a careful eye on the ghostie....

"...I'm fine, Aspis.  Just tired.  We're all gonna go...get some sleep now...."

...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Day 57

Nathan spends a good chunk of the morning during breakfast working on a drawing of that Toenail Fossil in his journal.  Ralts can't help but eye it curiously.  Could that rock really be turned into a new friend?  It looks so...simple.  That Omanyte from awhile ago at least looked like it was just hiding in its shell while it was a fossil...Ralts finds it a little hard to believe a toenail of all things could potentially become a pokemon...

He also summons Ditto before everyone sets out for the day, intending to get the Transform Pokemon ready for the trip ahead.  Maybe it'll be...useful...for...

Nathan wasn't expecting to be face to face with a Lunatone when he summoned Ditto, though.

(04-17-2018, 08:21 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

While he saw scant of the boy's journal, those hexagonal shapes instantly brought to mind the Lake Trio Gem Halves (Whole, in Nathan's case) that each member of the group possessed, and their drowsy response all but confirmed it to Ventus. 'But where and who is going to find that holds any credible knowledge about the Lake Trio? So far as I know, information concerning Sinnohoan Legendaries is notoriously scare and spotty if it doesn't come from myths or epics, so who could he be thinking of....' the empath pondered to himself as he silently nodded back to Nathan, once again is complete obliviousness of his blond haired and stylish friend's true identity making an unintentional fool out of himself. Oh well, ignorance is bless~

Malphena flitched away as those blood red eyes of Calam boor right into her CORE, causing her to rocket away from the boy and take refuge in the deep darkness outside of Swiftfires light, putting more distance between her and the brute. Once their, she began to muttering foul curses in her species language as she glared sullenly at the Dark feline, furious at him so casually putting her DOWN and ruining her fun with that abnormal Ralts. What a rotten spoil sport he is! One day, one day she'll show him the consequences of messing with a witch, and his Dark type won't protect him when that time comes, *Screee.......!*

This exchange did not go unnoticed by Ventus, as he turned and calmly quirked an eyebrow at the doomsayer, as if to say 'Don't finish what you can't start, but good luck all the same,' before letting out a small *Sigh* and divorcing himself from that matter. If Malphena and Calam wanted to start a rivalry/feud, then he wasn't going to step in and stop it unless it got out of hand. He just hopes neither goes to far in their respective actions....

Apsis returned Calam's stare with a most deadpan of her own, unimpressed and unintimidated by them despite how scared he was and the aura of experience he possessed. She's faced off against an Gyrarados before and nearly was the victor of that battle, and has struggled against many powerful foes since then, so compared to them Calam was just an oversized putty cat! If he ever tried to seriously challenge her, he'd be Sprayed down in Acid, Wrapped Up, and afflicted with almost every malady under the sun before they could start to put up a decent fight, so he'd better keep himself curled up liked a good kitty and continue to be beneath her notice, *Hiiiiissss.....*

To Nathan, however, her attitude took a complete 360 degrees, giving Ralts a pointed look before grumbling and bobbing her head in response, before she leaned down and started to but her head at the child's chest, urging him onwards to the tent to get a good night's rest. He won't grow strong or be alert from danger without it, so off to bed with you now, *Hiiiisss!*

'Morning' of Day 57

Tired but far from exhausted due to mostly lightly dozing in the protective grasp of his venomous sister throughout the later half of his watch after it became apparent no other gutsy beast was going to make itself an unwelcome guest, Ventus arose in the morning, stretching and freeing himself from his sister coils before having a 'hearty' breakfast of strong tea and half an energy bar. Not fine cuisine by any stretch of the imagination, but it would suffice getting him through the day.

He spent most of his morning afterwards continuing to keep watch while the rest of the grouped readied themselves to resume their expedition, recalling Apsis and Malphena and summoning Raphael in their place to both let his child serve as the scout for today and let the rest of his Pokémon get more rest. A sharp spike of bewilderment and vexation coming from what felt to be Nathan, however, distracted him from his self imposed duties long enough to see him standing opposite of a Lunatone of all things. Initially the researcher was just as confused as the boy was, until he realized that it actually Ditto all along, at which point he just mentally shrugged his shoulders and smiled as he went over with his archangel to greet the pair, both of the giving a wave as they did so.

"Good morning, Nathan, Ditto. I trust you slept well, and are ready to resume our treck through these laberathine depths of Mt. Sentry?"

(04-17-2018, 09:20 PM)Iron Wrote:

Spoiler

My computer is struggling to open PDFs right now for some reason.

But Durant decides to join you, not just for the food (though you'll have to keep that coming), but more for protection! Whenever it's out of its Pokeball, it follows you or another Pokemon around until a task needs done.

Durant was caught.
2 Happiness 2 Loyalty 2 Disobedience
Hustle
Metal Sound, Vice Grip, Sand Attack, Fury Cutter, Metal Claw, Dig

Will you be registering that with Ventus' OT, or Valder's?

(04-17-2018, 10:13 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

With Nathan!

The sociologist clasped his hands together and softly exclaimed "Excellent! Lunatone is an odd choice of Pokémon for Ditto to assume the form of, but its Levitatation and telekinetic powers could prove useful in navigating the deeper sections of this place!" , unphased by the lack of reaction from Lunatone Ditto. After all, its hard for a living crescent shaped rock to emote all that much, right?

All said and done, Ven was too ready to re-embark on the group's quest to traverse the depths of Mt. Sentry to find Anthenum!