[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

"We're not a library...but I suppose if you leave your Trainer's Card here, that will be OK. You break it, you buy it!"



The Medium has a rickety wooden chair for customers, set in front of a cubical table with a crystal ball on it. She comes and sits opposite you in a decidedly nicer chair.

"Ah, child, I knew I would be seeing you. What you seek is little trouble. For a few coins, I can conduct a seance and discover the name of a nearby spirit willing to enter your tokens. For a little more, I will send my second sight farther afield, and look for a particular kind of spirit."

She nudges a wooden box, carved with stars. It has a small slot labeled "$176" and a bigger slot labeled "$355". The implication is clear: $176 for a simple task, and $355 for a bigger one.


Training sessions don't work on Shiva, but you will get 2 RP XP when this encounter is over! Training session for the psychics is fine. Remind me at the end.

[Dragonstrike]

Just as that happens, the gravestone suddenly makes its noise!

"Peh keh cheh...peh keh cheh..."

Well, if Forthright and Furret weren't up before, they probably are now...probably earned Nathan some grumpy looks, too...

"...uh...sorry about that...there's a...piece of a gravestone in my bag.  It's...making strange noises every morning...I think it's from the deeper parts of Mt. Sentry, and it has something to do with an old, dead religion...seems to be doing it later than usual today, though...hmmm..."

...maybe that sounds at least mildly interesting to Furret, though?

[Iron]

Yeah. Furret doesn't have any fear of it at all, only interest. Ralts is the only one who is at all nervous about the stone. Emolga chats to it like it's a person, Furret likes to investigate it, Forthright ignores it - you never get the reactions you might expect.

It does make the hairs on Nathan's neck stand up, though.

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

It is now Day 55.

After the recent occasional rain, and today's warmth, a whole bunch of little blue mushrooms have popped up all over Cress City. According to Shiva's recent research, these little guys are called Cloyster Mushrooms and they're quite edible, if one discards the little black central sphere. They taste best in the early afternoon on the day they sprout, when they spread wide to soak up the sun. Great for stews, sammiches, or just pan fried in butter.

They have no poisonous lookalikes, so all you have to do is remember to cut off that little black sphere and anyone can eat them safely!

After the past day, Heart was quite excited to begin the day! When he stand up he takes a good shower and change his clothes. After that he release Koa, Typhon and Percival. "Welp guys, today gonna be a great day and I need you guys to be ready. We gonna challenge the Gym Leader of this and I need your best to be ready. Typhon, you know what to do. Train the magnetic field like always. We still need to work in your energy production. Koa and Lairon, time to train your strengh and defence. Work in your claws using the training claws you have. Since Percival its a steel, its a good challenge to work in your strengh. Percival, we shall need to work in your defencive ability. Our new meta its teach the move metal burst. That move will help us in our times of need. You are big and strong now, but you lost a bit of your speed. So we will need in what you are strong now: Your size, endurance and strengh. So lets begin!"

Mechanic: Training session with Typhon, Koa and Percival.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Original Post

(...) Seeing how he was doing now, Shiva felt like it was safe to lightly touch him by the shoulder, gently running her hand down several inches before she withdrew it. "Ventus - look at me when I speak to you. Please. Go ahead." The tone she said these few words in was calm, a hint of determination laid within it, but suprisingly no detectable anger. The expression he'll find when he follows her plea was roughly the same.

'Deep breaths, deep breaths, Ventus. You've said what was needed to be declared, informed her of what she needs to know, so calm down before you crack anymore in front of her,' Ventus thought, as he had his hands buried in his hand and was doing his level best to wangle his emotions under his control and put them into rank and file once more. He'd already made a right bastard out of himselfby metaphorically rubbing her face into the muck of her aggregious failures, so their was no need to become a simpering fool as well. Her most delicate touch snapped him out of his palicating ruminations, and her deceptively gentle words (for he could feel the determination of other emotions tinge her feeling) caused a nervous tremor to run up his spine.

He didn't WANT to face her, not after the terrible way he spoke down at her or see his own uncomposed distraught, but he couldn't refuse her request. 'She deserves my undivided focus after reaming her so cruelly, and so I'll give it to her, even if all I want to do is crawl off and sulk in self-disgust,' the researcher lowly thought to himself, before he took one last deep breath, doing his best to will away most of his unease/disquiet/sorrow from being visible, before releasing it and slowly lift his head and turned to face Shiva, his expression now neutral with shame, small amounts of despair, and remorse. He waited patiently for her to speak her mind, to dash him against the rocks as he did to her, as he deserved no better. The researcher may have done what he thought was needed, but by no means did he thought what he did was good. Beneficial, yes, but hardly good......

Maybe another minute, she did not say a word and simply looked at the heap of misery also known as Ventus Zachariah or the dark oddball of Pokemon Sociologist that Shiva somewhat against the odds grew a particular fondness for over the almost two months of traveling through Chreshire by now. Yes, she was hurted by what he told her, not too little, but to her own suprise she somewhat neither showed that obviously nor did she feel like breaking down. Maybe it was seeing how BAD he was doing that caused this, maybe the fondness for him, maybe some confidence she developed by now; probably all of that.

"Thank you." That was all she said at first, before she reached out to very lightly stroke over his cheek with the back of her hand as if the precious-toxic plant would inevitably die in front of her if she wouldn't opt to do anything to ease it now. "Ven, dear, excuse me if I'll be blunt with things that I'll tell you now. Forgive me that I had NO IDEA that these actions at the Tusk and at the exit of Mount Sentry have hurt you, made you worry for me, or put me in danger that you didn't want me to be in... It IS HURTFUL from the way you speak things out. Much. Especially when I myself do not share your viewpoint on these actions. Not...completely, that is... I'm not sharing your fear and paranoia for the arcane and the magical, and I likely won't ever will. You cannot ask me to let go of my interest for the occult, natural magic, herbology, or seperate me from my Fairy Types... That'd be not very fair."

"At the Tusk, you people were doing I don't know what, and I was simply curious. I didn't feel fear or such of the Eremit. I felt that he didn't mean harm..... Though I agree that after seeing what curiosity has done to me - it trapped me in the Nightmare World of these.....dogs - I should be more careful with such things."
"Facing what was a predator to the Furret of Mount Sentry is something I HAD to do alone, Ventus, the Furret that is now registered to me asked me to deal with it in order to gain its favour. I'm not quite sure if it'd joined me or would like me as much a it does if I'd come to you people with the plea to help me facing what turned out a Druddigon + minions."

A small break followed, where she gathered more words.

"Ven, I cannot promise you that I won't do similar actions again. I simply cannot as I do not know what may await us on our further traveling... I don't want to give you my word now and then nevertheless more or less accidently do something that'd be dangerous for me or hurtful to you, you see? ...Do you know how people grow as a person? ...By facing hardships. By SOLVING hardships. If there's a magical easier way to do so, I'd love to hear about it. ... I CAN promise you that I'll take good care of myself from now on in particular to that issue, and try to keep the risks minimum for me and my Pokemon, BUT ONLY if you do the same. ...Alright?"

Shiva didn't even await an answer though, as she had one more thing to add in an almost sad and not-almost low voice: "Have you thought that I'd begrudge you because of you caring for me enough to so openly speak with me about what was troubling you? Fool... I don't know what YOU'd have to do to get rid of me, but WAY more than this." Next, she leaned over further to place a kiss directly onto his lips to by all means SHOW that she means it - she still does not move, but she'll keep the contact longer than a few moments, or in particular until she'll be out of breath or he withdraws.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

That...vendor Shiva turned to voiced exactly what she thought - feared - them to voice, as she freakin' KNEW they were a bookstore and not a library, and the vendor did not knew how much Shiva had to step out of her comfort zone to even come up with that request. All would have been easy if Mr. Finder would have come with her to the bookstore, but that'd probably earn them weird looks that were uncomfortable on their own. Only when Shiva exited the bookstore and then the Department Store as swift as she could with the old book in her stuff, she mulled and grumbled silently over how she could also have Spritzee learn the scent of old pages in the bookstore and then serve as the source for Mr. Finder, but that 1. would take too long and 2. she wasn't too sure whether transfering the scent like this will bring the desired effect.

Anyway... Back to Cress City with the help of her first Psychic Type, Shiva really did not know what to do if she'd have to get along without the precious teleporting skill of Helios. She hoped that he enjoyed serving such an important role. One day, one glorious day he'll be an Alakazam.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Luckily Shiva was built delicately despite being well-resourced in regards to curves, otherwise she'd fear that that rickity chair woukd break beneath her.

Without thinking twice, she drew 176$ from her funds and allowed the cash to disappear into the wooden and starry box, she couldn't prevent the somewhat interfering noise that the coins made when the fell onto other coins. Still, it was what will bring her the Medium's help. "I thank thee for helping me out... Though please do not begrudge me for being so innocent to not know what kind of spirit I am seeking in particular for my work. Any spirit that is not forced to give its name is fine to me."

Now that a seance will inevitable come and be conducted right here and before her very eyes by real Medium, Shiva could not help but to instictively take her Gothitelle's hand into one of her own and her Braixen's paw into the other, Meowstic silently wrapped his tails closer around his Master's neck to serve as a fluffy scarf while he closed his eyes to see with his mind, if it was safe and allowed to do he even opened his ears to reveal the eye patterns of them.


(Then that'll be a Training Session for Lilith/Braixen/Kyuu instead while I savour unexpected 2 RP XP, thank you!)

[Dragonstrike]

Yeah. Furret doesn't have any fear of it at all, only interest. Ralts is the only one who is at all nervous about the stone. Emolga chats to it like it's a person, Furret likes to investigate it, Forthright ignores it - you never get the reactions you might expect.

It does make the hairs on Nathan's neck stand up, though.

Well, he can't blame Ralts for being uncomfortable.  Gravestones are often associated with ghosts.  Particularly these ones from Mt. Sentry's depths...would also be why the pokemon that don't mind being around ghosts for the most part don't mind the gravestone...

"...*ahem*...well then...I suppose we should get going then.  Maybe you can help me with something concerning this gravestone at a later point, Furret.  For now, let's go work a little more on that Weather Ball.  Charmeleon and Ralts can get in a little more practice too while we're at it.  (Forthright works towards Weather Ball again, Ralts is going to practice his Lucky Chanting since he's in the mood for that, and Charmeleon...MOAR FIYA!!  The bees are also going to do some Honey Gathering while this is going on.)

[Iron]

Spoiler

It is now Day 55.

After the recent occasional rain, and today's warmth, a whole bunch of little blue mushrooms have popped up all over Cress City. According to Shiva's recent research, these little guys are called Cloyster Mushrooms and they're quite edible, if one discards the little black central sphere. They taste best in the early afternoon on the day they sprout, when they spread wide to soak up the sun. Great for stews, sammiches, or just pan fried in butter.

They have no poisonous lookalikes, so all you have to do is remember to cut off that little black sphere and anyone can eat them safely!

After the past day, Heart was quite excited to begin the day! When he stand up he takes a good shower and change his clothes. After that he release Koa, Typhon and Percival. "Welp guys, today gonna be a great day and I need you guys to be ready. We gonna challenge the Gym Leader of this and I need your best to be ready. Typhon, you know what to do. Train the magnetic field like always. We still need to work in your energy production. Koa and Lairon, time to train your strengh and defence. Work in your claws using the training claws you have. Since Percival its a steel, its a good challenge to work in your strengh. Percival, we shall need to work in your defencive ability. Our new meta its teach the move metal burst. That move will help us in our times of need. You are big and strong now, but you lost a bit of your speed. So we will need in what you are strong now: Your size, endurance and strengh. So lets begin!"

Mechanic: Training session with Typhon, Koa and Percival.

Koa gets a training roll. 
9 brawl + 1 Training Claw (6)(3)(6)(5)(2)(4)(3)(4)(6)(3) - 6 bonus XP
Typhon gains 2XP
Perceval gains 1XP

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Spoiler

It is now Day 55.

After the recent occasional rain, and today's warmth, a whole bunch of little blue mushrooms have popped up all over Cress City. According to Shiva's recent research, these little guys are called Cloyster Mushrooms and they're quite edible, if one discards the little black central sphere. They taste best in the early afternoon on the day they sprout, when they spread wide to soak up the sun. Great for stews, sammiches, or just pan fried in butter.

They have no poisonous lookalikes, so all you have to do is remember to cut off that little black sphere and anyone can eat them safely!

After the past day, Heart was quite excited to begin the day! When he stand up he takes a good shower and change his clothes. After that he release Koa, Typhon and Percival. "Welp guys, today gonna be a great day and I need you guys to be ready. We gonna challenge the Gym Leader of this and I need your best to be ready. Typhon, you know what to do. Train the magnetic field like always. We still need to work in your energy production. Koa and Lairon, time to train your strengh and defence. Work in your claws using the training claws you have. Since Percival its a steel, its a good challenge to work in your strengh. Percival, we shall need to work in your defencive ability. Our new meta its teach the move metal burst. That move will help us in our times of need. You are big and strong now, but you lost a bit of your speed. So we will need in what you are strong now: Your size, endurance and strengh. So lets begin!"

Mechanic: Training session with Typhon, Koa and Percival.

Koa gets a training roll. 
9 brawl + 1 Training Claw (6)(3)(6)(5)(2)(4)(3)(4)(6)(3) - 6 bonus XP
Typhon gains 2XP
Perceval gains 1XP

Heart make a quick swap in his party before heading to the Gym. He give to Nurse Joy a message to his friends telling he going to challenge the Gym Leader and they will meet later. After that he walk out of the pokemon center. He take a deep breath feeling the air of the morning and saying. "What a great day to challenge a Gym Leader." Then he follow his path towards the gym.

[Iron]

The clink of coins brings a smile to the Medium. "Do not be embarrassed...the sound of metal on metal is what always begins the seance..."

Your three psychic Pokemon all have secretive smiles on their faces. The Medium lifts her arms, and her tent goes almost dark except for Braixen's dim Blaze and Kyuu's eyes.

A cold chill washes over the booth, and the Medium's eyes glow purple. So do Kyuu's and Lilith's, you notice, just before your eyelids grow heavy and close on their own. You hear the Medium speaking, an odd edge to her voice. "Ah, a Pokemon Spirit is very nearby...VERY near! It is inside a stone... We greet you, spirit! Tell us, will you help this child? Ah, then please, share your true name with us..."

Then her voice changes, becomes a bit more like a whispering Pokemon cry: "Sta-neh-soll, Sta-neh-soll!" The lights come on all at once, and everything is back to normal. The Medium quickly turns to you. "Well? Did a spirit speak through me? I had a vision of a round Pokemon, like a...Solrock, yes!"

The three Pokemon and Shiva each gain 2XP.