[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

Spoiler

Mallorn will meet you in Cress whenever you choose. He's sitting on a crate, but rises to meet you. His Rapidash is grazing nearby - it gives you the staredown when it sees you, then goes back to eating.

"Shiva! Nathan! It's been a long time since you left my lab, boss! Your Pokedex entries show you've traveled much of Creshire - more than half of it already - and seen a ton of Pokemon. You've trained hard and won some difficult battles. Only about 5% of trainers who leave our labs with a starter Pokemon collect all six gym badges, and you've got four and five badges respectively. Nathan said your party is in Elanor, so I imagine you'll soon have a fifth, Shiva. Howl has nothing on Fairy types. How is Cottonee? Er, I don't mean to get distracted, boss! You've seen all kinds of Pokemon and learned to use all kinds of moves. But something especially rare to experience in Creshire is a Hidden Machine."

He goes off on a little lecture about what that is.

"Well, I happen to have one! It came to me for research purposes, and I was granted permission to use it as my research saw fit. I must return it in at the end of June. Guess what? I'm going to loan it to you two for your journey into the Skull Ruins. There's no reception down there, and it's very dark, and electronics often fail. Even flashlights. But this HM never fails... it's Flash! Most Pokemon can learn it, though not all. I'm sure you two will know just what to do with it. Bring it back to me when you're done, and whatever you do, don't lose it. It's a mark of my faith in you that I'm trusting you with taking this into the second layer of the Skull Ruins. Questions?"

Nathan mostly only has a few small comments.

"...and I'll hopefully have 6 badges soon.  Plan to challenge Howl later today myself."

"...yes, we know what an HM is, Professor."

"...huh.  Gonna be...weird having more than one pokemon that knows that move, to be honest.  I'm certain it will come in handy, though, and I'm sure Solomon's going to be really excited to learn it.  Thanks, Professor.  I actually do have a question or two, but they're about a...different topic.  Mind if I talk with you privately in a sec?"

Nathan has no major complaints if Shiva wants to hold on to the FLASH HM for now.

"Right you are, boss! Shiva, you're welcome to play with Rapidash while you wait. Rapidash, cooperate, ok, boss?" You go off somewhere else in the park.