[Game Thread] Pokerole Mystery Dungeon: Primal Shadows

[Dragonstrike]

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Karen asks Team Raiders.

Mechanical: insight roll for Karen to determine if Team Raiders' response is just to keep the PCs from worrying.

(Oh my goodness, an Insight roll to see if characters are trying to be deceiving!  A rare sight!  I'm going to do two rolls here to highlight a rather notable difference in methods here since a particular method was not specified.  In the future though, I'd like you to specify which kind of method you're using so I know which specialty I need to roll)

Karen's Alert:
Insight + Survival + Alert
(6)(5)(6)(2) 3 Successes

Watching Roserade's current posture and paying attention to her mannerisms, Karen doesn't see any visual cues that might indicate Roserade is at all worried.

Karen's Empathy:
Insight + Contest + Empathy + 1 Ralts line
(6)(4)(1)(3)(5)(5)(6)(6*) 6 Successes(!!!)

As a Ralts, Karen is constantly exposed to the emotions of other pokemon.  And unlike her visual skills, this particular ability is highly honed.  Karen doesn't just pick up Roserade's emotions, but also the emotions of other pokemon in the group.

Roserade and Rhyperior are absolutely radiating confidence.  They seem to have complete faith in their own abilities when Karen asked Roserade that question.

The other pokemon tagging along vary a lot. 

Keldeo has an aura of defiance around him as he stares at the dark clouds overhead.  It's very clear that he will do everything in his power to fight this disaster.

Dedenne and Zeraora are feeling uncertain as they ponder how to approach facing a gargantuan Ground type pokemon.  Emolga as well to a degree, but less so.

Bunnelby's actually a little hard to get a read on, but Karen picks up some surprisingly calm and contemplative emotions from him.  Madame Twintales is feeling very similarly as well, but with a stronger air of confidence.

Hoopa is impossible to get a read on.  There seems to be a mental block in place that's preventing Karen from using her psychic abilities on them specifically.

"Yes, I'm positive we'll be fine.  We'll have some very strong pokemon accompanying us to supplement our strategies, so there's no need to worry about us."

The mood briefly turns uncertain and somewhat nervous among those who heard Kogeki's suggestion following Roserade's vote of confidence, only to become feelings of relief and approval when that situation is promptly resolved.

Karen's questioning is interrupted by the sensation of another very strong feeling though.  Just under the surface of Platina's polite demeanor, Karen can tell that the bird is actually very miffed at Rhyperior.

And the large rock pokemon seems to be both curious and partially annoyed at the suggestion.  "You do realize what you're asking me to do, right?  This isn't going to be pretty for you."

"Rhyperior, this isn't the time for..."

"No no, let the kid try and fight me.  I guarantee she's going to learn something from this."

Platina gets ready to try and strike Rhyperior, but the large rock type is much faster than she'd been expecting, and he easily gets the jump on her.  The sound of a snake hissing menacingly echoes through the dungeon, and unbeknownst to those present, dark shadows creep into the area to inflict some kind of effect...

Rhyperior's Strike
3 Dex + 5 Fight + 5 Brawl + 2 Single Action = 15d6
(4)(4)(3)(3)(2)(6)(5)(5)(2)(3)(4)(1)(6)(4)(3) Critical hit!
1 Pow + 7 Str - 2 Def + 2 Crit = 6d6 + 2d6
(4)(3)(3)(5)(6)(5) | (6)(2) Platina takes 5 damage and is instantly KOed!

It doesn't take long for Platina to realize that challenging a Master Rank Explorer to 1 on 1 combat was probably a mistake.  He didn't even need to use his full power to completely flatten her.

Roserade frowns.  "...that was rather unnecessary, Rhyperior."

The hulking rock pokemon shrugs.  "You and I both know that I was going to win regardless in a straight fight."

Barely conscious, Platina can hear parts of what they're saying.  And she knows there's a Tiny Reviver Seed in her bag.  But why...isn't...it...?

Her vision starts to go black as she begins to lose consciousness fully.  Roserade notices something is off as soon as the bird pokemon collapses.

"And instead you could have...hold on.  Everyone should have healing items after we go through that Monster House.  Why isn't she being revived?"

"...huh?  Oh yeah, what's up with that?  Hmmmm..."

Just as suddenly, the shadowy storm above intensifies further, the black lightning crackling as it streaks overhead!  Platina herself starts crackling with black, shadowy energy as well...

...and her eyes suddenly snap open as her Primal instincts briefly flare!  And if there's one thing that her instincts are telling her right now, it's that she's in over her head.  But there's also something missing...all that anger she'd felt before...it somehow feels...less intense now.  It's not gone, but she's finding it slightly more difficult to be that angry.

Platina is revived with full HP, but her Primal score goes up by 1.  Because her Primal score is now 1, Platina learns Shadow Blitz!  And on the condition that Platina learns a valuable lesson from this (and also learns something about this Shadow energy since this is her first real exposure to it), she also gains 3 exp.

Roserade opens her own bag and pulls out a Reviver Seed, only to find that same black, shadowy energy is now crackling across the shell of the seed.  "...well, this is going to make things harder if it's doing what I think it is."

Rhyperior is more focused on Platina, kneeling down so he's closer to eye level with her, a very serious and concerned look on his face.  "Hey, you okay kid?  You feel funny or anything?  Something weird just happened to ya when you lost consciousness."

Hoopa's thoughtfully looking up at the storm, then deeper into the dungeon.  "That Sandaconda roared just before that fight.  If I had to guess, it temporarily stopped the usage of your items when it did."

Almost as if to prove Hoopa's point, the shadowy energy dancing across everyone's bags and the items inside them disperses just as quickly as it arrived.

"So we're going to be fighting a foe that can briefly negate our ability to use items.  That's going to be cumbersome."

"Nothing we can't handle, Roserade.  If Landorus has a trick like that, though, I'm not sure they'd be able to handle it."

"And you're basing that on...what?  I have full confidence that they can handle Landorus on their own if need be."

"You and I both know something's wrong on this island.  I don't think sending a bunch of kids to possibly face a Legendary pokemon on their own is a good idea, especially in an environment as hostile as this one."

"And you think they stand a better chance of surviving a battle with a pokemon ten times your size?  Honestly, Rhyperior, you need to think a little more..."

Zeraora suddenly inserts himself between them.  "Hey, cut it out!  Do you two always bicker this much?!"

Roserade appears to be a bit embarrassed about being called out.  "...well, no.  Okay yes.  Gallade's usually the mediator in the group.  Him not being here is...disruptive to how we typically operate."

Rhyperior is a bit downcast.  "...yeah, already missing him.  Just not the same without him, ya know?  He's a downright mean fighter, too.  Always seems to have an answer for anything.  Don't think he can fight a Legendary solo though."

"Definitely not.  Which is why we need to find him.  He's not dumb.  He'll try to stay out of sight, but if Landorus finds him and thinks he's trespassing...I shudder to think what might happen to him.  I can't fail him as a Leader.  Not now.  We are nothing if we're not a team."

"Definitely want to get back to the good ol' routine of treasure hunting with him.  Team Raiders leaves nobody behind."

In light of this new information that has been revealed about the upcoming fight, I am going to ask one more time: are you facing the Gigantamax Shadow Sandaconda, or letting Team Raiders and company handle it while you forge on ahead?