[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

"Okay. Next order of business is to find Shiva. Ralts, can you find out which direction she's in? Thank you for baking the mud, Swiftfire, and thank you for helping with the digging, Nincada."

[Iron]

Ralts senses that Shiva is almost in the direction the RV is pointing, but a bit South of that. He only displays a little bit of anxiety, as though Shiva is not in immediate danger.

[Dragonstrike]

"Thanks buddy. Alright, Staryu, time for you to put in some work, whether you know it or not." Natha pulls out Staryu's pokeball, the light shining in a straight line from a button. He points it in the general direction Ralts gave him, hoping Shiva can see the light. 'Better than just illuminating the area blindly...still hope there aren't too many wild pokemon in that direction, though...'

[Lord Windos]

Stretching his sore muscles, he looked upon the van with slightly tired, yet still very frustrated eyes. 'The time it took for us to free you from the mud...I dread to think what trouble Shiva might have gotten into,' Ventus thought, before huffing to himself and walking over towards Nathan. On the short way, he made sure to thank the Pokémon for their contributions. 'I certainly need to make more Poffins, so that I can share them with these productive workers. I got the flour, but I still need Berries and Milk,' he thought to himself, before he violently shaked his head. 'Now's not the time to think of baking; its time to recover Shiva!'

Finding that Nathan was already on the hunt, he told him "I remember the general location she departed my company, so with Ralts help we can track her movements quickly. I'm ready to go when you are." When Nathan decided to summon Staryu to the field, Ventus begins to frown at his action, before shaking his head. "Good idea, but I believe we could find Shiva if we worked together, rather than lighting the way for her. It also minimizes the risk of attracting wild Pokémon," Ventus said, looking towards the direction he travel with Shiva. While he could go out on his own, his chances of finding Shiva are much greater if the young trainer and his Ralts were helping him search.

[Iron]

They're out of Milk anyway until Miltank recovers.

[Dragonstrike]

Stretching his sore muscles, he looked upon the van with slightly tired, yet still very frustrated eyes. 'The time it took for us to free you from the mud...I dread to think what trouble Shiva might have gotten into,' Ventus thought, before huffing to himself and walking over towards Nathan. On the short way, he made sure to thank the Pokémon for their contributions. 'I certainly need to make more Poffins, so that I can share them with these productive workers. I got the flour, but I still need Berries and Milk,' he thought to himself, before he violently shaked his head. 'Now's not the time to think of baking; its time to recover Shiva!'

Finding that Nathan was already on the hunt, he told him "I remember the general location she departed my company, so with Ralts help we can track her movements quickly. I'm ready to go when you are." When Nathan decided to summon Staryu to the field, Ventus begins to frown at his action, before shaking his head. "Good idea, but I believe we could find Shiva if we worked together, rather than lighting the way for her. It also minimizes the risk of attracting wild Pokémon," Ventus said, looking towards the direction he travel with Shiva. While he could go out on his own, his chances of finding Shiva are much greater if the young trainer and his Ralts were helping him search.

"I'd rather she know where we are than us trying to find her blindly.  Yes, Ralts has a general direction, and yes, Ralts can probably help us find our way back, as can Swiftfire if I leave her by the RV, but I'm taking no chances here.  Besides, I'm just going to use the beam of light from Staryu being in the pokeball right now, rather than a bright burst from actually sending Staryu out.  That should optimize our chances of finding her quickly without alerting too many wild pokemon."

[Lord Windos]

Ventus sighs in frustration, before replying "I said I knew where she went at, so I could follow her tracks in order to find her. Having Ralts with us would make the task easier, since he could be used as an improtu radar. If we left Staryu behind here as well, we could use its light to find our way back to the van," he explains, going over the fine details of the plan. Ventus, while somewhat calmed down from the hard labor of digging out the van, was quite clearly irritated by...well, just about everything in the swamp by now. Looking fitfully into the swamp, the researcher appears about ready to chase after the lass, with or without Nathan.

[Dragonstrike]

Ventus sighs in frustration, before replying "I said I knew where she went at, so I could follow her tracks in order to find her. Having Ralts with us would make the task easier, since he could be used as an improtu radar. If we left Staryu behind here as well, we could use its light to find our way back to the van," he explains, going over the fine details of the plan. Ventus, while somewhat calmed down from the hard labor of digging out the van, was quite clearly irritated by...well, just about everything in the swamp by now. Looking fitfully into the swamp, the researcher appears about ready to chase after the lass, with or without Nathan.

"You know where you last left her, not which direction she went in.  And judging by how fast the muck absorbed the RV tracks, Shiva's are probably gone by now too."

Nathan sighs as well.  He's rather tired of this argument already.  And he would likely be having another one with Ventus later...

"There is one other matter we have to consider.  If we both leave to look for Shiva, then Larry, Tramp, and Belle are the only ones guarding the RV.  Miltank and Plusle are both KOed right now, Mr. Mime is focusing on keeping the RV out of the mud, and Larry is still reeling form that Weezing's poison gas.  I don't think we can just abandon the RV to go on this search right now.  I still think lighting the way for Shiva is our best bet."

Nathan pauses for a moment, thinking...


"Alright, I'll tell you what: Let's compromise on this.  Time is of the essence.  I'll stay here with Swiftfire and Staryu.  Guard the RV.  You can take Ralts and go look for Shiva in whatever direction Ralts points you in while I keep the area lit up with Staryu's Illuminate and Swiftfire.  Finding your way back should be easy if Ralts is trying to get back to me.  This isn't exactly what I'd like to do, either, but we need to make haste."

[Lord Windos]

Ventus blinked in surprise, a little shocked at his oblivousness of the entire group at hand, before he grimanced. Putting a hand to his face, he just sighed to himself in disappointment. He seemed to deflate a bit, some of the tension that was filling him dispersing in the miasma "I've forgotten the others in need while just focusing on our friend Shiva. It appears I've let my worry dominate my thought to the exclusion of everyone. Forgive me of this, Nathan," Ventus said, apologizing to the young trainer for his bullheadedness.

When he heard Nathan offer to lend his Ralts to him, Ventus almost jumped out of his skin. Instantly his mood changed from stressed out anger to nervous tension; hardly an improvement in anyone's eyes. "Are you...sure about this Nathan? Let us be frank, you don't exactly have complete trust in my...character. I think I'll just wait with you here, and watch after Plusle if that alright with you," he said, looking a bit skittish about the entire subject. Before Nathan could respond, however, Ventus hurried over to Plusle to check on its condition- and to avoid an akward subject.

'Heavens knows I shouldn't be entrusted with the care of his Pokémon; I'm liable to do something that blackens me even more in his eyes. Best stay here and watch over the rest, than cause anymore problems,' Ventus sadly thought, before moving on to looking over the Miltank. Reshirem, please guide Shiva back to us...

[Dragonstrike]

Ventus blinked in surprise, a little shocked at his oblivousness of the entire group at hand, before he grimanced. Putting a hand to his face, he just sighed to himself in disappointment. He seemed to deflate a bit, some of the tension that was filling him dispersing in the miasma "I've forgotten the others in need while just focusing on our friend Shiva. It appears I've let my worry dominate my thought to the exclusion of everyone. Forgive me of this, Nathan," Ventus said, apologizing to the young trainer for his bullheadedness.

When he heard Nathan offer to lend his Ralts to him, Ventus almost jumped out of his skin. Instantly his mood changed from stressed out anger to nervous tension; hardly an improvement in anyone's eyes. "Are you...sure about this Nathan? Let us be frank, you don't exactly have complete trust in my...character. I think I'll just wait with you here, and watch after Plusle if that alright with you," he said, looking a bit skittish about the entire subject. Before Nathan could respond, however, Ventus hurried over to Plusle to check on its condition- and to avoid an akward subject.

'Heavens knows I shouldn't be entrusted with the care of his Pokémon; I'm liable to do something that blackens me even more in his eyes. Best stay here and watch over the rest, than cause anymore problems,' Ventus sadly thought, before moving on to looking over the Miltank. Reshirem, please guide Shiva back to us...

"Ventus, we NEED to find Shiva.  NOW.  Ralts seems to trust you just a little bit more after our last exchange, and I told you I wouldn't let my opinions get in the way of whatever happened here before we went in.  I don't think he'll mind going with you for a short while.  And he can help you fend off the wild pokemon as well."

Nathan's just staring at Ventus again.  

"Pull yourself together.  There will be time for remorse and anger with each other later.  We need to focus on getting to Ginger Town, or at the very least, out of this swamp.  We can't do that if we're all babbling like fools because we can't agree on a course of action." 

Ralts can feel the determination oozing from Nathan, and is even starting to mimic it a little.  The little pokemon goes up to Ventus and hugs his leg again.  Now was not the time for fighting amongst themselves.