[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

As the alarm he set on his phone helpfully began to chime at the ordained time his shift starts, the empath almost instantly snapped to awareness crawled out of his sleeping bag, pulling out a bottle of Scottish Morn Tea he'd brewed prior to the trip (never know when you need a quick source of caffine) to take a dram of it to fully perk him up, before he existed the tent. At this point he quietly flicked both his wrist down towards the ground, causing both Apsis' and Malphena's Pokeball to call shooting out and summoning them a dual flash, both of them swift to fall in line behind their master as they made their way towards Nathan to relieve him of his watch, him taking out a flashlight but not flicking it on, as Swiftfire's flames were enough light to go on for now.

While his venomous viper was a tad bit grumpy of being woken up in the middle of 'night' (a beautiful snake such as herself needed her beauty rest, *Hiisss.....*), the mischevious banshee seemed especially chipper in the clasterphobic, near pitch black cavern, drinking in the spooky vibe of the place as she was right in her element, te he~!

Being the naturally curious and nosey sort of person he was, Ventus almost immediately started to pry into what Nathan was currently trying to write/sketch down as he approached and saw what they were up to,  a innocently puzzled look adorning the researcher face as he both leaned forward to get a better glimpse into the boy's journal. "Hmm? What's that you are drawing and recording in your journal, if you forgive me of my curiosity?"

If that failed, then his 'horrifying little sister would certainly make up for it by doing her own little investigations! She was also sure to give Ralts a playful giggle and wink as she floated on by, dragging out the action as she knew her presense riled him up to NO END, much to her amusement. Calam, on the other hand, she made she that their was a yawning gulf of distance between them as she eyed the Disaster Pokémon. Not only a cruddy Dark type, but the one that brings ill omens to its trainer at that? Bah! It had better respect her personal space, or she'll show it how much misfortunate she can REALLY bring down on its head, *Screee......*

Meanwhile, Apsis paid absolutely no mind to either the Dark or the annoying pint sized Fairy squirt (other than shoot both a superior and haughty look), and focused her attention squarely on the boy, slithering up right in front of them and craning down to give them an inquisitive stare and *Hisss?* as she scented/examined them. It had be quite awhile since she last say the boy, and she felt that a little check up was in order to make sure he's fine as he llooks/smells, as weakness in young was a sure sign was something amiss that needed to be corrected ASSSSAP! How else would the grow up to be a strong adult and survive in the wilds, *Hiiiiss?*

Seemingly paying no mind to his family members, Ven's gave his a somewhat disbelieving look at the young scholar as he described a fat food loving Machoke of all creatures intruding on their campsite, clearing not expecting that to be reported to him. "......What? That's.....highly abnormal behavior for a Machoke and Fighting types in general, as they typically like to keep themselves and their bodies in shape, so why.....? *Sighs* Its not important, I suppose, other than the fact that it ended up making off with some of our supplies in an attempt to pacify it. I would have summoned Raphael or Malphena to drive them of myself if they did to me what they did to you, but your method did avoid inciting a panic, so I guess that was the preferable outcome. Get some rest, and we'll deal with whatever it fiddled with up ahead tomorrow."

After they had finished up speaking with him, he waved Nathan off as they went to bed and he took up their spot on the stairs, Apsis coiling around them protectively and peering into the darkness with her heat vision to scope out any threats, while Malphena lurked in the blackness, alert and ready to scare the bejebers out of any foolish Pokémon that tried to barge in unannounced! Currently the empaths flashlight was on but set to low, just enough to illuminate their immediate surrounding without drawing undo attention towards themselves/the campsite. 

Order: Have Ventus be overly investigative, chat with them a bit, have Malphena and Apsis 'socialize with Nathan and co, before Ven takes up his watch. Apsis is coiled around him and using her sense of smell/heat vision to keep an eye out for threats, while Malphena is hiding in the darkness and keeping her own watch, and will promptly Ambush anything with a menacing Growl to scare them off/alert her master. Blackwatch, engage!

It's too dim to make out any of the words or figure out what the rough sketches are before Nathan's noticed Ventus and started packing everything up, but the colored pictures are teardrop and hexagon shaped.  They're lined up in a straight, horizontal line, and there's question marks in the spaces between each one.

"...just...working on trying to...*yawn*...figure something out...that's all...need some...further input from experts and...more reliable...sources...*yawn*...though...maybe...after we get out of these cave, I'll be able...to...figure it out...I know...exactly who to ask..."

Calam's eyes gleam bright red in this darkness as he stares back.  He pays Malphena zero mind at first besides that.  To Aspis, he shoots her a look of his own, the look of one who's seen many hard battles.  It lacks the superior haughtiness of Aspis's, but it doesn't need it to be all the more intimidating, particularly with that scar of his supporting it.

When Aspis looks at Ralts, Ralts stares back, as if trying to tell her Nathan's fine.  When Malphena purposely tries to aggravate him, he turns and looks at Calam.  Unfortunately for Malphena, Calam gets along rather well with Ralts despite the type disadvantage.  There's a clear sense of camaraderie between him and the Feeling Pokemon, and that's why he's keeping a careful eye on the ghostie....

"...I'm fine, Aspis.  Just tired.  We're all gonna go...get some sleep now...."

...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Day 57

Nathan spends a good chunk of the morning during breakfast working on a drawing of that Toenail Fossil in his journal.  Ralts can't help but eye it curiously.  Could that rock really be turned into a new friend?  It looks so...simple.  That Omanyte from awhile ago at least looked like it was just hiding in its shell while it was a fossil...Ralts finds it a little hard to believe a toenail of all things could potentially become a pokemon...

He also summons Ditto before everyone sets out for the day, intending to get the Transform Pokemon ready for the trip ahead.  Maybe it'll be...useful...for...

Nathan wasn't expecting to be face to face with a Lunatone when he summoned Ditto, though.