[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

Silence prevaded the campsite, as Ventus just stared at Shiva. Then, he just sadly smiled at her, and let out low, deep chuckle, bitterly amused at what she stated. "Shiva...I'm not as wretched as those Ranger back in Unovian," he said, leaning into close to her, before saying : "I'm far, far worse than them. I was not always this generous as I am now. I had to work hard to become a better person, but you could say that old habits die hard," he said, before turning his back on both Shiva and Nathan, and looked up into the starey night sky, a thoughtful look on his face.

"That is a story I do not wish to tell, though. Not now. What you wish to argue is far more pertinent to this situation, anyway. You try to guilt me about my choice, and argue for me to let nature do what it does best. The problem with the first of your argument is flawed: you think I capable for feeling even a scrap of remorse for that beast[/]. Shiva...I don't think that monster deserves to live [i]at all. The thing nearly killed Kirlia, caused Nathan to have a massive panic attack, and who know what else it did before it meet us. Hearing you call such a nasty beast noble...that was a genuinely funny statement you made there. Do you honestly, honestly believe that fighting for your life, struggling with all your might, and do whatever it takes to remain powerful is courageous or valiant? It isn't. That beast is just another vicious creature that fought so desperately hard to live, only to now find that it bite off more than it could chew this time."

Turning his head away from the stars, he stared Shiva directly in the eyes, and the look in them was haunting. "It would bring me no greater pleasure than to find wherever that Rattatta is, and snuff the very essence of life from it, before leaving it to rot. I could leave it to chance that nature will do its job, but do that when I can ensure the outcome myself? I'm going to find out where its resting, licking its wounds, and then I will do unto it what it did to Nathan and Kirlia a thousand fold. Nothing harms my friend, and gets away with it. No one. If you wish to follow me and watch as I take that miserable creature's life, I will not stop you. I ask that you reconsider, as I dearly wish you do not witness what I will do. The choice is your, in the end. Decide."

With that, he calmly walked away from her, and began to track down that Rattatta, with Apsis warily staring down both Shiva and Nathan, before following after him. She doesn't get why those friends of his are fighting so hard on this! That Rattatta nearly killed them, so its only right they get payback!

(Oh, Phantom, that was the exactly wrong thing to say to him. Now he back to wanting to kill Rattatta without remorse, and nothing will stop him this time. Oh no....)

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

She just stared back. At least, she tired as best as she could on that nasty smile he gave her. It was a smile she...hasn't seen on him before... Could not deny that is filled her with fright. It was such a contrast to the sad bitter, yet smiling and generous Sociologist... Within the same breath, she could not deny that such a contrast fascinated her.


She also kept on staring at him as he looked up to the nightsky. Ah, the stars... They were guardians. As above, so below... However, where were their guard now? Very very slilently, she replied to him. "Ven... I see your point... I did not imagine that you would show compassion for that rat like me did. However.... I may not agree with you, we have a totally different background... The world took your family. Now, you take one life as well. I see. But, I still don't like your actions."

What was that weird feeling Shiva was getting at this point? Feels like a mixture of sadness, disappointment, compassion and deep friendship... It was somewhat new to her.

"If you... really wish to pull things through... " At this point, she placed her hand in his, the one he was not holding the Stick, before he began to walk away. "Let me... come with you... Please."

[Dragonstrike]

Uh oh. This was going south fast.

"Kirlia, Teleport us in front of Ven, please. I...I can't just watch this happen. There has to be...something we can do."

Kirlia nods, and does exactly that. Nathan might be in front of Ventus now, but he has no intention of fighting him...

"Ven, please...no fighting on this. It's...not why we came out here. Just...let it go, okay? I...appreciate the thought, but...I don't think there's any reason to worry. Not now, anyways. That was some time ago. And none of us are going to be able to relax and recuperate if we're all riled up like this over just a single Rattata. A really big, feral, dangerous Rattata, but one that's been KOed and left in the middle of the forest. Something will see it. It's too big to hide, and...dare I say it, it will make a long lived meal for whatever does...find it."

There's absolutely no fight left in Nathan right now. All the energy he'd had before? It seems to have been sapped right out of him. "Please, can we all just spend a little time together, as friends instead of potential enemies? I...can't guarantee I'll stick around if we're going to be on edge about this for the next few days...and...I was hoping to...I don't know...maybe get to know the both of you just a little better while we were out here? Not just the same old, same old routine...but something more...relaxing than...this..."

He looks really, really sad. But he thinks he's come up with a compromise as well. Before he says it, he looks apologetically at Shiva. "If you really must do something about it...send Aspis to go find where it is herself. She's tough, and she should be able to find it easily and...dispatch of it if it's not already dead...don't go, Ven. Please. We don't need a schism between us three. Not now. We've almost fractured it all enough times as it is...I don't...want to lose you guys over something as silly as this...let's just all agree it will get what's coming to it. Some way, somehow. Do we really need to know how, in the end?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

At this point, Shiva just focused her staring at Nathan. The expression she gave her...He's a genius! That could do it! She could not stop herself from pulling the young Trainer into a close hug. Picking up that he was drained of energy, maybe just as much as she was as she heard of Ven's past, played a big role as well.

"Nathan... That's indeed a brilliant idea... Not killing it by one's own hands... But rather, end its life by being a meal to predator... That's nature. I'd be...down with that."

It depends on Ventus himself though.

[Lord Windos]

When Shiva asked to come along, he was about to sloumly agree to her request and start searching, before Kirlia himself teleported in front of him, arms crossed as if to bar his path. "Kirlia? What are you doing up right now? You need to rest, or else you'll never fully recover from your injuries. Go on, lie down now," he said, making motions towards Nathan, before said trainer interrupted him, and said his final word on the matter. The researcher looked thoughtful at the offer, reviewing it over in his head, before he just let out a long, tired sigh.

'Nathan...Shiva...both of you are right in your own regard, but that Rattatta could still pose a threat. But is it worth it at this point, to chase it down and slay it, if what I gain from doing such an act costs the very thing I'm trying to protect? .....No, it isn't. Not for now, anyway. Let hope that time doesn't come soon,' Ventus though, giving one last look at the bloody trail in the moonlight, before turning away from it. Moving slowly, he set down by the camp fire pit, and just stared at the dead ashes in it.

"...Very well, Nathan. I must agree with your logic, however much my own moral fiber and instincts rebel at me for doing so. All of us came together on this camping trip to relax and unwind from the dreadful atmosphere of Corsage, not recreated it all the way out here in Fireweed Forest. Safeguarding you, Shiva, and all our Pokémon is always a priority of mine, but hunting down that heavily wounded, almost certainly scavenged Rattatta just to quell my feelings on the matter? Its not worth the price of hurting all of you so deeply, or wounding you anymore than I already have with my action. I'm leaving this matter of this rat to rest. Apsis won't be in pursuit of it tonight; she already has eaten her fill of the forest wild life earlier. Come over here, my snake. My conflict with my friends is now over," he said, gesturing to his Arbok to take up the spot directly beside him.

Apsis gave a confused look at her master, then at all of his friend, before just letting out a huff of frustration, and slithered over to him. First, they were fighting, then they had calmed do some, then just when she though her master had enough of this foolishness, he goes and end up joining it! Honestly, if she didn't love and care for her master as much as she did for all that he had done for her, she would be far less tolerant of this sporadic behavior. Still, master is master, and she'll faithfully serve him, as long as he does the same for her.

Then, as an afterthought, he said aloud : "Oh, while I was gone, I caught a Shiny Stunky. It attempt to Lethally damage Ariel, but I was able to restrain and capture it without harm to her. Perhaps my close shave with made me far more...volatile about that Rattatta than I otherwise would have been."

(Congratulations, everyone gets to live happily now! Except that Rattatta, who is mostly likely being picked over by other Rattatta by now! Gosh dang it, you managed to turn around a deteriorating situation excellently, Dragonstrike!)

[Dragonstrike]

"Oof...okay, okay...yeah, I know...bonding and all that...Shiva, can you let go, please? That's a reeeeaaaallllly tight hug...."

Nathan lets out the breath he'd been holding once Shiva lets go and Ventus finally backs down. "Thank you, Ven. And Shiva...thank you for stopping me earlier...I need to tend to Kirlia real quick, get him healed up. His arm will probably still be in that sling for awhile, but at least it won't be getting any worse...if either of you want to talk...about anything...just let me know." There's clear hints of both joy and sadness behind that last remark.

Kirlia is relieved too, and dutifully sits down and follows Nathan's instructions as the trainer begins applying potions to the wounded areas on his arm. It stings, but it could have been worse. WAY worse.

(@Iron, how much lethal damage does the Sitrus Juice heal? Is it one, the same as a Potion? If it's just one, he'll just use all 3 Potions that he has after Ven gave him the healing items to heal all 3 points of lethal damage, and save the Sitrus Juice for later. Or give it back to Ventus, maybe.)

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

HOW BRILLIANT, INDEED! Oh, Shiva thought the stars have turned away on this and denied protection of the Rattata... But how could they? How could they ever? They were always there for those who needs their guard and advice. They have not left. They never leave. Least of all those who fight to save a life.

She tightened the hug on Nathan once more before she let go of him and wrapped her arms around Ven instead. He will let the Rattata be for now... He won't stain his hands with blood... He won't leave her in vain... How could he ever?

Still within the hug, she tonelessly spoke out a few words. "Ven... See, that's nature... Please don't take a life on your own... You'd succeed to protect us by such an acton, but the prize to pay is so high... Don't ever consider such a thing again... Don't ever scare me like this again... But, you got to your senses in the end... Thank you." She gave him another faint kiss on the cheek to express her thankfulness and appreciation over the outcome and his decision, before she just leaned into him in silence for a while. Right, she was close to shedding bitter tears of grief over the thought of following the Sociologist on a hunt for a fainted Rattata to murder it... But now, there was no need to cry anymore.

After a while in this state and likely in Ven' arms as well, she caught up on what he said in the end. And could not help but to smile adorably. "Hehe... Shiny? How cute... Even if it's Poison Type, and even with the thought of an evolved skunk inflicted so much pain on you... Do you show it to me once?" Oh, right - if Shiva remembers correctly, Ven once expressed eager to see that Comite she caught a while ago. What a coincidence! He'd get to know the psychic rock, while she gets the chance to see and - if she dares - stroke through the fur of a shiny skunk.

[Lord Windos]

"Oof...okay, okay...yeah, I know...bonding and all that...Shiva, can you let go, please?  That's a reeeeaaaallllly tight hug...."

Nathan lets out the breath he'd been holding once Shiva lets go and Ventus finally backs down.  "Thank you, Ven.  And Shiva...thank you for stopping me earlier...I need to tend to Kirlia real quick, get him healed up.  His arm will probably still be in that sling for awhile, but at least it won't be getting any worse...if either of you want to talk...about anything...just let me know."  There's clear hints of both joy and sadness behind that last remark.

Kirlia is relieved too, and dutifully sits down and follows Nathan's instructions as the trainer begins applying potions to the wounded areas on his arm.  It stings, but it could have been worse.  WAY worse.

(@Iron, how much lethal damage does the Sitrus Juice heal?  Is it one, the same as a Potion?  If it's just one, he'll just use all 3 Potions that he has after Ven gave him the healing items to heal all 3 points of lethal damage, and save the Sitrus Juice for later)

(The Sitrus Juice Heal 2 Lethal Damage, or 4 Non-Lethal Damage, so a Potion and the Juice would be all that it takes for you to fully restore their HP. Their arm will still smart, but it won't get any worse!)

[Dragonstrike]

"Oof...okay, okay...yeah, I know...bonding and all that...Shiva, can you let go, please?  That's a reeeeaaaallllly tight hug...."

Nathan lets out the breath he'd been holding once Shiva lets go and Ventus finally backs down.  "Thank you, Ven.  And Shiva...thank you for stopping me earlier...I need to tend to Kirlia real quick, get him healed up.  His arm will probably still be in that sling for awhile, but at least it won't be getting any worse...if either of you want to talk...about anything...just let me know."  There's clear hints of both joy and sadness behind that last remark.

Kirlia is relieved too, and dutifully sits down and follows Nathan's instructions as the trainer begins applying potions to the wounded areas on his arm.  It stings, but it could have been worse.  WAY worse.

(@Iron, how much lethal damage does the Sitrus Juice heal?  Is it one, the same as a Potion?  If it's just one, he'll just use all 3 Potions that he has after Ven gave him the healing items to heal all 3 points of lethal damage, and save the Sitrus Juice for later)

(The Sitrus Juice Heal 2 Lethal Damage, or 4 Non-Lethal Damage, so a Potion and the Juice would be all that it takes for you to fully restore their HP. Their arm will still smart, but it won't get any worse!)

(Ah, okay.  In which case...)

When Nathan finishes applying the potion and the Sitrus Juice, he looks at what he has left still.

Two potions.  

Everything Ven had given him had been enough to help the wound begin proper mending, it seems.  

He takes one of them and hands it back to Ventus.  "Here.  Can't leave you completely potionless, right?  Don't worry, I've still got a spare for emergencies, and I can pick up some more when we get back to town."  

He then heads back over to Kirlia, to make sure he's okay.  An arm injury wasn't so bad, since Kirlia wasn't super dependent on his arms in battle...but his dancing might not be as fluid while it was injured.  Just thinking about it saddened both him and Kirlia...   

(If there's any questions your characters have for Nathan, now's probably the time to ask him!)

(Oh, and healing Lethal Damage doesn't restore HP, even if it was inflicted by a lethal move, right? @Iron)

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

(If there's any questions your characters have for Nathan, now's probably the time to ask him!)

(Nope, nothing from my side. Shiva wishes that he can finally get some proper rest in the tent after all this trouble... The request of a friendly battle or asking Nathan whether he knows more about that Breeder's Permit than Nurse Joy told her may come the next in-game morning.)