[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

Well, that was oddly convenient.  They were going to the aquarium too, eh?  Well, might as well tag along...he still had a few reserves concerning talking with Shiva, but...well, he'd told Kirlia he wanted to go on this journey with friends, right?  He'd have to start somewhere, and he couldn't avoid her all the time...whatever secret she was keeping from him was still bugging him in some corner of his mind, though...  

"Yeah, that sounds pretty good...I'll, uh, meet ya both at the aquarium after I've retrieved Zippy.  Shouldn't take me too long."

Ventus could still detect that Nathan was troubled by something, but he let it go for the time being. Their mood was slowly improving, and he didn't want to go and ruin all it all in one fell swoop; not when the task was almost painfully difficult! "I'm gald you agree, Nathan! I'll take all the shells we collect back to the Aquarium myself, so don't feel you have to rush now. Until we reunite, I wish you a save trip!" With that said, the researcher slowly made his way back, wanting to take in the seaside before returning to the aquarium. While the town felt Zekrom awful to be in, he had to admit that it had a lovely coastline!

Order: Wait at the aquarium for Shiva and Nathan, and then have a tour of the place with them! After that, I believe all of us are heading to the Water Dojo to train, then Ven will offer Shiva the chance for her to join Nathan and him out to camp in Fireweed. Oh, and he want to get his Black Glasses ASAP too!

[Nylon]

As Valder's watching his three Pokemon, his heart starts to ache. He loves  this, the night, the moon, the web of stars, it's all so invigorating and reassuring at the same time. Valder relaxes and looks up at the moon.

 He looks at Froakie. "Good to know that you like the night. I like it a lot as well. It releases the inner hunter of anyone who accepts it. So, Froakie. Our encounter was perhaps rough, but would you have done it differently if you were me? either way, if you like the night, there's no one I'd rather have by my side. Do you accept me as your trainer?"
 Of course, what Valder meant was that if he (I need to confirm, male, right?) likes the night, then he's perfect for Valder's team. Just like Ghastly and Theo.

 "You can think a bit more if you want, Froakie, because now, lets. Play. A game". Valder turns to his companions and makes a little grin. "Shadow tag. You now about it? It's like normal tag, but of course, it's night-time and there's plenty of dark shadows to hide in. Aditionally, and this is important, while you're running after each other you'll also have to stalk me. I'll be running or walking around the forest, and you'll  hide away from my sight, while running after each other. But you also have to stay as close as possible. because when I say so, you'll have to run towards me and the last one to touch me becomes tag".

 The latest rule was of course to make it even more like hunting, but mostly so that no one would wander off on their own and get lost.
The way the rules were set, they'd always keep an eye on where their trainer was, be relatively close, get fantastic training and of course, massive fun! For Valder as well of course, he loves this!

 "So, everyone ready? Well then,
 Let the games begin!" he whispered loudly as his Pokemon merged with the shadows and he himself walked into the forest.

[Iron]

Great idea for a training session. Froakie has mostly accepted Valder as his trainer by now.

Your Pokemon each gain 1XP, and I'm giving you 1Xp as well for good roleplaying.

Gastly, with his ability to pass right through trees, and Froakie, with his neophyte ninja status, excel at the game.

[Iron]

We can now start the next day! Everyone gain 1XP for that.

Shiva, your salt circle is undisturbed. Your dream catcher is a bit off kilter, as if something rushed by it or through it.

No one has lost a Will point, but no one who slept did so comfortably.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Hehe. The salt cicle did his job, it seemed. But still, the sleep Shiva did get this night wasn't very pleasant - while she couldn't remember being plaqued by another nightmarish dream this night, she still struggled to actually sleep in and through more than usually. Well, at least her Pokemon who have accepted the offer to sleep close to their owner seemed fine and eager to attend the next day.

Shiva took a while to sweep up the salt from the floor along usual morning routine. While doing so, she notiiced that there was something off about her Dream Catcher... There were no visible damage inflicted on it, but she felt something was definitely different about it. Yet she couldn't tell what and why. Maybe that furry black creature did pay her a nocturnal visit, but has been scared away by the salt circle...? Hmm. While the thought of such a creature was scary, Shiva could not deny that she was curious about the mysterious 'creature'... Maybe that's the reason why she nevertheless put on the black tuft of fur it left behind on the first night to wear it as a necklace hidden under her clothes once more before she went downstairs for breakfast in the Pokemon Center.

Once again she doubledosed on coffee. Hell, but she cannot do that for much longer, eventually she'll either become subliminally aggressive or plain catatonic because of a lack of a proper rest.

Eventually, she left the Pokemon Center in direction of the Aquarium filled with anticipation. Still dressed in a pitchblack goth-like dress, still wearing that shard of duskglass as a talisman, with Cottonee floating by her side and Azu close to her in her arms. The blue mouse was nesteled in her beloved top hat + equipped with her Soothe Bell and a flowercrown of wild roses, Shiva was hoping that the mouse would enjoy seeing some Water Types.

Indeed, Ven was waiting for her at the entrance of the Aquarium as promised and waved to her as he noticed her approaching! She quickly stepped by his side and gave him a slight smile. "Well, thanks for waiting for me! You waited for long? ... Ah, and before I forget..." She drew that Black Glasses he gave her yesterday from...somewhere, and handed them back to Ventus. In a fully repaired state. "It was good that you gave me the materials as well, otherwise I might not get it back together at all. Enjoy!~ Who will you give it to, which of you companions knows a Dark Type-move?"

Only now Shiva noticed that they weren't alone as she actually expected... Nathan was with them as well, with Staryu. Oh... Ven did not mention he'll tag along... Hmm. Well, so be it then, she won't let this ruin her trip to the Aquarium at all. In fact, she was delighted to see that the young battler seemed fine after she hadn't seen him for a whole day, and hoped to nevertheless get the chance to talk to Ven alone at some point without disturbance. "Greetings and good morning, Nathan. It's good to see you doing well! Because I was wondering a little where you ran off in this city..."

[Dragonstrike]

The Aquarium: Dire Dire Docks - Super Mario 64

"Oh, uh, Shiva...yeah, hi..."

He'd only just returned to the Aquarium. It was a wonder he hadn't run into Shiva on the way there. Zippy, as expected, was very happy to be out of the PC and back with Princess, and Porygon didn't mind at all being stuck in a computer, for obvious reasons. It could even be the digiduck's definition of fun, for all Nathan knows. He'd been expecting to see Shiva at the Aquarium when he got back there, true...but that last comment she'd made...

Oh.

Whoops.

"Yeah, uh...sorry about that...must have forgotten to tell ya I was going to be looking for Ven..."

It takes him another moment to notice, but looking at Shiva, something was...different...hmmm...what was it?

...

Wait, why was she wearing an entirely black outfit?

"That's an, uh...interesting new look you've got there..." It's a little hard to tell if it's supposed to be a compliment, or if he's weirded out in some way. Or both.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Oh, she clearly noticed that Nathan behaved somewhat...different towards her. Yet, she wasn't entirely sure why - it could be the lack of sleep, the fact that he abandoned her as well without telling a word, the in his eyes unusual attire of hers or the feeling that the conversation they had about Ralts' evolution was not wrapped up to satisfaction yet on his side. (Insight of 4, I neeeed you!)

Well, too bad for him, because if it's indeed the latter case, she will most likely not bring up up again, ever, simply because she promised the Daycare Owners not to tell anyone and because she expected Nathan to be over the issue in the meantime. Better enjoy the trip to the Aquarium at full costs!

[Lord Windos]

Indeed, Ven was waiting for her at the entrance of the Aquarium as promised and waved to her as he noticed her approaching! She quickly stepped by his side and gave him a slight smile. "Well, thanks for waiting for me! You waited for long? ... Ah, and before I forget..." She drew that Black Glasses he gave her yesterday from...somewhere, and handed them back to Ventus. In a fully repaired state. "It was good that you gave me the materials as well, otherwise I might not get it back together at all. Enjoy!~ Who will you give it to, which of you companions knows a Dark Type-move?"

Only now Shiva noticed that they weren't alone as she actually expected... Nathan was with them as well, with Staryu. Oh... Ven did not mention he'll tag along... Hmm. Well, so be it then, she won't let this ruin her trip to the Aquarium at all. In fact, she was delighted to see that the young battler seemed fine after she hadn't seen him for a whole day, and hoped to nevertheless get the chance to talk to Ven alone at some point without disturbance. "Greetings and good morning, Nathan. It's good to see you doing well! Because I was wondering a little where you ran off in this city..."

The trip back to the aquarium was not a short one, but by the time he came back and turned in the shells Nathan and him collect on the beach, he still had a couple of to whittle away. So he went to the break room, made a whole pot of coffee for himself (With as much sugar and cream that could be integrated into the mix),took out his research book and pen, and began to record what he observed about the Omanyte during last's night battle with them. 'Ability to transform back and forth...carnivourous....agile in its natural habitat, but does not posses much sturdiness...what else is there to write about it? Hmmm...' the researcher though, periodically draining his cup of joe and refilling it back to maximum capacity. Ah...got to love caffeine!

By the time he finished recording his thoughts on the sea squid and noted all the especially important information, Ventus had completed emptied the pot of coffee, and was starting to feel more alert and attentive than he had since he first arrived here. 'I'm not necessarily feeling any better than I was yesterday, but my present state is still and improvement over 'borderline frantic.'  If I have been keep track of time correctly, Shiva should be arriving soon, so I better move myself over to the entrance, and wait on her there,' he though, before doing just that. On the way over, he noticed that Nathan had already made his way back, and was loitering by the fronts doors, so he decided to go over their and join him in welcoming their mutual friend!

Not a moment later, Shiva entered the aquarium and quickened her pace to meet him, greeting them while sticking a hand into her bag and pulling out his now fully repaired Black Glasses! She promptly hand them over to him, which caused a radiant smile to form on his face. "No problem, my friend! If you want an honest answer, I've been he since yesterday night. Time is quick to escape you when you have work to do, however, so it wasn't a bore for me here I assure you! As for who will get these Black Glasses...." Ventus said, unfolding the pair a giving it and looking at it with an appreciative eye. "...They will go to Lucifer, I believe," he finished, before putting them on his little devil, who was currently hanging out in his sweater and observing his master's actions.

Immedianlty, the drake bat was surprised by this act of generosity on the part of his master, but surprise soon turned to joy as it firmly affixed the sunglasses in place, before shoting out of Ven's shirt to perform loop de loops in mid air. He got a genuine gift from their master, not just fruit or heaps of praise and attension (The fruit was admitidly quite delicious, but he wasn't focusing on that)! It wasn't gold, but these will greatly strengthen its Bite attack! Letting out a screech of pure happiness, the devil swooped back down to land on his master shoulders, flashing a Sauvé, toothy smile at Shiva. Fairy lady might act wildly occasionally, but she was a-ok in his mind!

Smiling at his drake's playfulness, Ventus scratched them behind the ears, before focusing his attension on the young lass once more. Seeing her stare at Nathan like he was an intruder of sorts, the researcher jumped in on his behalf, saying : "Sorry for not informing you earlier, but I decided to invite Nathan to join on our day's outing together. He has not being fairing too well under the toxic atmosphere of this town, and I'm not doing so well either, so I decided that more is the merrier! I hope this doesn't bother you to much, Shiva." When he noticed that both of them were getting along like lead in a pot of water, he decided to usher the both of them towards the petting zoo, saying : "Well, now that we have all reaquited ourselves with each other, let us start exploring the aquarium together! There's an exhibit where you can interact with the Water Pokémon directly, so if you can follow me..."

Ventus was smiling on the outside, but seeing the two of them still at odds with one another seriously made him worried about just WHAT caused such discord to form between them. Was it perhaps their conversation they had the other night? 'Nathan is being tight lipped on that matter, and Shiva would most likely deflect my question, so I'm ignorant here. One day, I will get to the core of this problem, but for now I want everyone to focus on having a good time for the next few days! If the group's mood doesn't start to improve fast, we'll be all in dire straights sooner rather than later...'.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

How adorable it was to see Ven rejoicing over the Black Glasses, but the Noibat's reaction was absolutely priceless in comparison! Shiva returned the smile the Dragonbat was giving her a little. While Fairy-Trainer and Dragonbat had a little rough start, maybe they'll get along all well during further traveling. Maybe even that far that Shiva was allowed to stroke the Noibat a little under Ven's observing.

While the thought of Nathan joining them came unexpected, it was comprehensible at last... Why should he left to suffer in this town while those two were enjoying their time? Well... "Nope, it's no bother in the end, don't worry about that. I just thought it'll be just we two in the Aquarium according to your invitation, which is why I looked forward to it additionally to it a little more." Those words spoke the truth, and Ven would notice this if he'd take a look at her emotional state. There is no sadness or anger in her, but joy and anticipation instead.

She nevertheless hestantly took Ven's hand as he guided them further.



---------------
Mechanics:
If there's indeed a Vaporeon to interact with in Corsage's Aquarium, me and especially Azurill shall meet it, please! Leeding Ventus away to bring up Ronin Spearow and the exchange of knife to him alone will come after that.

[Lord Windos]

(Essentially, my Orders has not change from my latest set, so you can continue along until Shiva brings up the Leek to Knife trade!