[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

Geodude happily comes along, if it means digging.

You walk an hour or so. There can be no mistaking the mud puddle - it's the only one nearby deep and slick enough to give the mighty Trax a pause. Geodude gets right to work with his spadelike hands, engineering a convenient slope without any instruction from you.

Lucifer flies above, Frisking or searching for a glimmer in the muck. This is invaluable because it's getting late in the evening and the light is bad.

Well, the mudhole is filled with tire tracks, caved in sides, and general muckery making it hard to search, so it takes a lot of work. Haneal must be very careful not to burn the possibly-fragile bead necklace, so the dirt must be baked slowly and from a distance. Then Geodude breaks it up and throws the dirt far away. This strategy lets you go through a lot of dirt quite quickly. You've assembled a pretty good team for this task.

Geodude backs up and points to Haneal. It's time for a Magnitude.
Power: (1)
That's actually perfect for this situation. The tiny earthquake disrupts the mudhole just enough, like tilling a garden. It's only a few clumps later that the amulet appears, just one tiny corner of it glinting in the fading sunlight! You snatch it up and confirm that it is indeed the Miltank trinket, composed of pearly beads strung together in a clever pattern. It looks like a little water will put it in great condition again; nothing broken.

This took you a few hours, so it's no wonder Tramp and Belle couldn't find it!

It's entirely dark now, and you're five miles from town. Are you going to camp out, or work your way back in the dark? Or a third option?

[Lord Windos]

After a couple hours of hard labor, careful applications of Haneal's elemental powers, and combing through the mud with Geodude, Ventus finally unearth the Miltank trinket with no small amount and a huge grin on his face. "Bless it be Reshirim, we finally successfully retrieved the charm from this infernal earthen slurry! Given the sheer effort, coordination, and care it took for us to find this babble, I can see why Tramp and Belle couldn't ascertain the location of in this mess. *Small Amount of Chuckling* I can't wait to share the marvelous news with them, but..." he exclaimed, savoring a job well done for a couple of his friends, before he realized one important fact he had missed in his excitement and intense focus on the prior escavation: it was now pitch black outside.

Night had fallen, and he was quite the distance away from Ginger Town in the middle of the wilderness, without shelter and bereft of human contact, with his family's company and Geodude being his only company at the moment. "...it seem in the fevor of our task, nighttime has consumed us all without notice. Oh dear, what shall I do about this, I wonder? I could attempt to stake out the area for camp and rest until, but I don't have any Repels to keep nocternal predators away, and I rather not risk getting any of us pounced upon. That leaves making the treck back into town, but the road bound to be dangerous as well this time of day, especially with no light source on hand. Hmm....oh! That could work!" the researcher pondered aloud, before the idea hit square on the noggin.

Recalling Haneal in a flash, Ventus flicked his wrist towards the ground and simultaneously loudly clicked his tounge, summoning Apsis while calling Lucifer to him. The former looked around her surrounding briefly, before giving a small confused tilt of her head and letting out a questioning *Hisss?* If she remember correctly, master told her that they would be remaining in Ginger Town for a few days, and since they already hunted plenty of delicious prey this morning, they didn't have any real reason being out right now. Not that she didn't enjoy being out at the wilds, but the sudden change was a bit pecular to her at the very least! The little devil bat, meanwhile, landed on their master's should and crooked their head at them, looking attentively at his master's call to action. Unlike his sister, he knew exactly why he was out here, and he had a blast scavenging the area for the elusive treasure! Given that the search ended successfully, they were a bit curious as to what his master requested of him now? Hopefully something that puts his talents to good use!

"Apsis, I know your curious why I'm currently here, but I'll explain once we get back into Ginger Town. The middle of nowhere in the dead of night is hardly a place to hold a casual converstation, after all! [b]Listen, I need you to use your keen sense of smell to assist me in retracing my trail in the dark back to town, and your heat vision to pick up any possible threat that my weak sense could not detect. Lucifer, I need you to fly up and scout a path back to Ginger Town as well, and return to me if you spot anything up ahead that could also pose a threat to all of our wellbeings. Together, we'll make it back to civilization, and strongly dissuade those that would try and impede our progess. Geodude, you can stay with us or forge your own path/plan of action. Now, let's proceed!"

Order: Have both Apsis and Lucifer guide Ventus back to Ginger Town. The giant snake will attempt to follow his old scent trail, and use both her sense of smell and thermal vision to ascertain if their any night time predators/People of Bad Intentions. Lucifer will take to the starry skies and scout ahead to both find the way to town much easier AND spot threats/oddities in between them and his master. Into the night we go, and boldy we march against the feaful darkness!

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

"Oh, Shiva, of course we'll see each other again! At the very least, that's a benefit of technology - here, I'll write my phone number on your hand, or on some paper if you have any. Plus, we're both travelers, right? We're certain to cross paths."

"Zamboni doesn't participate in the Running. I'd say you'll want to challenge him not during it, but either right before or right after. Or anytime after, I suppose."

... technology is awesome.

Words could barely describe how delighted Shiva was over this decleration, she couldn't help but to sport a wide cheerful smile. "Thank you! Wait, eh, nope, I have paper...somewhere..." *rummaging in bagpack noises* "Ah, here! Just write it in there." Opening her star-patterned hardcover journal to a free page, she handed it as well as an ordinary silver pen over to Xiani. Also, actually Shiva dislikes to rip out sides of any of her belongings, but after having her journal back (with the number written inside!), she scribbled her own cell number onto the last page, ripped that one out of the journal, folded it once and handed it over to her newly made friend. ...what a nice ring this had in her mind, she practically made friends with someone she met along the journey through the region...

"Here, for complementary have my number as well. I'd love to hear from you! Like, what you experienced, or about any herbs and plants you found... since you are clearly the more experienced of us in herbology, I'd enjoy listening! I'll likely challenge Zamboni directly afer The Running then, I guess. Oh, and... practically speaking a traveler travels the region, right...? Guess then I indeed can be called one. Guess that makes us indeed both travelers, haha... Eh, where do go then after Ginger Town returned to normal? Home to Corsage or elsewhere, looking for more ingredients for meds? And having Woobat blow more petals into the hair of innocent people?"

... .... ...

"Now I really need to get going then... Guess the others might wait for me already in the Center. Well, see you then, and thanks again!~" Almost Shiva said goodbye for now with another hug, but that would likely earn her weird looks from the other Healers around. Waving will do it, too. However... "Oh, and the next time we shall meet, I'd be up to battle your Ponyta! But only if there are enough supplies to quickly get it on its hooves again, not that I accidently immobilize you!"


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With that said and done, Shiva began her way among the mass of atheltics and League Officials, away from the joyful excitement and towards the Pokemon Center. She was in a delighted mood, even was up for greeting Valarie as she saw here, nothing really reminded on the fact anymore that Shiva was practically overwhelmed to a level that made it hard to breath by the mass of people and atmospere as they arrived in Ginger Town. Now, she not only saw The Running as an event worth watching from a safetly place (contrary to the not-interested-and-too-dangerous-attitude from before), but also made friends outside the party. The Daycare as well as a dorm on the upper floor facing away from the Main Street will serve as the appreciated place of tranquility. Only now she realized that it got darker meanwhile, the street lamps illuminated the people that were in their final sprint of training, Nathan has likely already settled in the Center waiting for them...

However, while Shiva actually wanted to head to the Center right away, she has been magically attracted by a small market stall that was selling what looked like lucky charms. Coudn't stop and take a look at them from a few steps. Certainly they're to help on The Running? How many charms did she collected so far already...? That Talonflame-keychain from Belle, a shard of duskglass from the Fortune Hunter Lady, a Dragon Scale...

...definitely not enough. Good fortune is always appreciated. Plus, Shiva enjoyed the crafting.

Stepping closer to the stall, she took a closer look at the sold goods, before... "Well, hi! You're still open? ...These are lucky charms and amulets for the Running especially, aren't they?"


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Mechanics:
Curious what they sell, and whether they can recommend one for either protection of the Runners and Pokemon, or simply as a memento of the event itself. After hearing that and why Nathan out of all people will participate (if he shares), chances are Shiva will come by here once again.

[Iron]

The Pokemon of dusk lead Ventus back along the muddy trail toward Ginger Town. This is fairly successful, though it takes a lot of extra time. Lucifer is always screeching for Ventus to get back on track, just before he wanders into some pitfall or ditch.

When you judge you are about halfway back, you spot a firelight burning just a bit off the trail, and you hear singing.

[Iron]

"We have all kinds of charms! This here is a tiny sliver of eggshell from a Chansey's egg, embedded in swirled glass. That's for luck. For protection, you want this Aron facemask or an Aron cufflink. Aron are a desirable species to encounter in the Running. People often fight over the chance to catch one. For speed, you can't beat these Doduo deelie-bobbers - a headband with two springs with Doduo heads attached. They swing back and forth as you run. They're made from actual Doduo feathers, so they're sure to charm your feet with speed. All our charms are $200."

[Dragonstrike]

(Well, I guess Nathan's going to be the first to return to the Center, then...)

Nathan gets back to the Center and...doesn't find Shiva like he thought he would...nor Ventus...okay...it took him a decent amount of time to find Kory and get registered for the Running...they were probably just more interested in this whole thing than he was and didn't want to get out of the crowds as quickly...or something...welp, time to wait for them to show up...blegh...this whole event was leaving him in a sour mood...

(When Shiva shows up, Nathan's going to look fairly morose, but he'll motion to Shiva to come to the table he's sitting at since he needs to inform the group about his participation in the event)

[Lord Windos]

The Pokemon of dusk lead Ventus back along the muddy trail toward Ginger Town. This is fairly successful, though it takes a lot of extra time. Lucifer is always screeching for Ventus to get back on track, just before he wanders into some pitfall or ditch.

When you judge you are about halfway back, you spot a firelight burning just a bit off the trail, and you hear singing.

Ventus saw the flicking flames of a nearby campfire, heard the vocal sound of music, and he immediately recalled the fires and voices heard on the group's intiall ride through the sodden route. Suddenly grow tense and apprehensive, he clicked his tongue to summon his devil bat to swoop down from above and hover at his side, and gave him a quiet yet firm command: "Lucifer, I need you to discretely fly over to do reconassance out that fire and its occupants, assess whether or not they are a potential liability to our safety, and return to me ASAP. If you spot them wearing this or this," he said, before he briefly brought out the Scimitar Cowl and Metal Guantlets (Which still made his skin crawl everytime he touched thme) for his Niobat to see, "....then abort your scouting, make EXTREMELY haste to me and Apsis side, and give me two taps on my arm. Regardless, once you finishing your inspection and inform me of them, we'll proceed from there. There is also an apple if you do a thorough job as well. Do you understand, my brother?"

Order: Time for Lucifer to scout out the campfire, and see what's up! Hopefully nothing bad, but Ven has plenty of ways to deal with trouble...

[Iron]

Lucifer comes back rather later than expected. He seems really confused, and doesn't know how to answer your question: "Is there a potential liability to our safety."

[Lord Windos]

Lucifer comes back rather later than expected. He seems really confused, and doesn't know how to answer your question: "Is there a potential liability to our safety."

"...First, do they have the articles of clothing/gear I specified to you earlier? Second, do you believe that, based on what you saw at the campsite, the people their are dangerous or could PROVE themselves dangerous if we approached them directly? Third, were their any dead bodies around the camp? Fourth and finally, where they engaging in some activity that appeared malicious, devious, or outright bizaare to you? Nod you head yes or no, and we'' continue our course of action there."

[Iron]

Lucifer lands on the ground and waddles around in consternation. He can't answer any of those questions with a yes or no, except he indicates there were no dead bodies.