[Game Thread] Pokerole: Mount Coronet Mystery

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Spoiler

Mareanie's sitting on the shoreline of the narrow path, posing a potential hazard to those who want to traverse it.  The pokemon's spikes bristle when Kee approaches, warning the approaching individual to back off.  When the intruder doesn't and summons help, Mareanie begins wriggling its tentacles threateningly.

Drampa simply begins shuffling along the shoreline, getting into a battle position himself.

Mareanie Round 1 Initiatives
Drampa: (3) + 7 = 10
Mareanie: (2) + 8 = 10

Kee's not in the slightest impressed by this Mareanie vividly telling him to f#ck the hell off, but he does stop in his tracks and abstains from coming any closer; he isn't too eager to experience first-handedly how poisonous they REALLY are. "Stop with tryin' to intimidate me please, that's a fruitless effort. Ya're in mah wae AND ya're a potent thread to the other Pokemon livin' here, so.... Oh, but I like your attitude, I'll give ya that!~" *cue praising smile before Drampa's summoned* "C'mon Orpheus, we're gonna show 'em!~~" Drampa gives Kee a mildly confused look as he gets into said battle-ready position. "....Oh, that's YOU, 's long as we're partners ya'll bear the name of tha mythological Master of Strings, his music the stuff of mere legends 'n his lyra immortal as constellation in our very nightsky....~~" Very poetic, Kee, but bad timing. (-_-;)・・・

"....*cough* Well either way!, do take some precautions to protect yarself from your foe's pois'nous aspects, glare 'em down 'n BLAST 'em with tha oddest of your power!~"


Accuracy Roll Safeguard 1: 4 Special + 4 Fight + 3 Channel - 2 Actions = 9d6
Effect: Protects from Status Ailments for the next 4 Rounds, aka Mareanie can't poison me anymore.
Secondary Effect: Doesn't summon the same protecting presence like Yurei's Safeguard, but does the trick anyway.

Accuracy Roll Glare 2: 2*Tough + 4 Contest + 1 Intimidate - 1 Inaccuracy - 4 Actions = 2d6 +1 autosuccess via Will Point
Effect: Paralyzes Mareanie.
Secondary Effect: -6XP for +1 Intimidate Speciality.

Accuracy Roll Extrasensory 3: 3 Dext + 4 Fight + 3 Channel - 6 Actions = 4d6
Damage Roll: 4 Special + 3 power of the move, no STAB = 7d6 +1 autodamage due to SE
Additional notes: Has 1CD to flinch.


Berserk Ability will trigger if Orpheus looses half or more of his 12HP.

The very moment this Mareanie* is both paralyzed and at -1 Pain or more, Kee's launching Catch-Attempt No.1 with a Heal Ball:
3 Dext + 4 Fight + 0 Throw = 7d6, and he's gonna put his everything into that Action. Means, spending 1 Will Point on that.
I kinda wonder whether catching a wild 'Mon with a Heal Ball has an effect on Happiness/Loyalty since it immediately and fully cures the captured Pokemon?

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Tyrantrum Round 1

Tyrantrum lowers its head and charges right at Zorn before Scizor can react!

Head Smash 1
5 Dex + 4 Fight + 4 Brawl - 2 - 2 = 9
(5)(2)(2)(1)(4)(5)(5)(2)(6) SMASH!  Tyrantrum lands a critical blow on Zorn's skull!
5 Str + 6 Pow + STAB - 3 + 2 Crit = 11 D6
(2)(4)(4)(1)(6)(6)(5)(5)(5)(2)(2)  Zorn takes 7 damage!!! 1/8 HP -3 Pain
No recoil due to Rock Head.

Scizor steps into the fray, his claws glowing as he pries the dinosaur away from Randolph's dragon!  This Scizor seems to have invested heavily in speed training, as it moves faster than most of the party's pokemon are able to!

(...)

Miraculously, Zorn survived the whole Round!  Barely.  He's breathing heavily and super duper exhausted, even more so than when he fought that Excadrill.

Scizor lets out a sigh of relief and finds a spot to sit down.  He pulls out an Oran Berry and pops it in his mouth while he takes a breather to recover his HP.

Randolph, Zorn, and Scizor all gain 5 exp.

Many of the wild pokemon that were hiding from Tyrantrum have also begun to gather around, awestruck that these strangers managed to down such a powerful pokemon in a mere 6 seconds.

"Zorn! You alright there?!"

The dwarven craftsman shouted as the the scaled subterror nearly got bodied by that almost catastrophically devastating Head Smash, hustling over to spary them down with a Super Potion in the briefest span of time he could afford without opening himself up to a head on collision too. He knew the prehistoric king of dinos was one tough cookie, but he couldn't have anticipated it'd nearly OHKO one of his strongest Pokemon in one blow!

Happily, despite that, his big brute was fine and extremely willing to continuing brutally clashing with his fellow draconic powerhouse, while Scizors valiantly (though somewhat ineffectively) tried to chip away at Tyrantrum's almost impenatrable hide and divide its attention. And soon enough, Zorn's own titanic strength and aggression overwhelmed the tyrant king, leaving him the last Dragon proudly standing. Tiredly and one stone's throw away from entering dreamland himself, but standing none the less!

Ran didn't pay much mind to their glorious victory, at least not at first. He rushed over to his brutal drake's side, pausing only long enough to turn and give a thankful nod to the red warrior, pulling out a Full Heal and using it on them to dispel the Confusion their OUTRAGE no doubt left them in, placings a gloved hand on their leg and craning his head up to give them a look, equal parts severe, worried, and proud.

"....Nearly got turned into Dragon hamburger by powerful opponent, but at least this time you're the one reigning emperor of the battlefield. If ya didn't believe you're one of the toughest Dragon before, you certainly got no excuse believing that tripe after demolishing this here Tyrantrum. *Grins* Outstanding job, Zorn."

Wow, rare high praise, coming from the curmudgeoney trainer! It's well deserved, though, after what they managed to achieve!

The bristly blacksmith's expression evened out as he brought out their Ball, giving his own Dragon King a questioning look.

"Now, ya ready for a nice long rest, or you still want to keep trucking along with me for a little while longer? Got a few Max Potions that I can use to fully patch ya up, and while I don't normally want to use outside of emergencies, after that epic struggle ya had with that pebbly lizard punk, I think you earned yourself the rights to one if you still want to continue without a break. So, what do you say?"

After care for Zorn is sorted out, Ran would do the following with the fallen Tyrantrum:

- Summon Brigid, and have her repeatedly use Ember to try and Inflict Burn 1 on them, holding back on the Move if necessary in order to apply the Status without actually harming the gigantic beast (which is hardly likely with its 4X Resistance towards Fire, but hey, weirder stuff has happened....)
- Summon Belladona, and request she Poison it with her Poison Gas; if she refuses for some reason, switch back to Brigid and have her repeatidly try to with her Smog.
- If it's possible, summon Catherine and try to Confuse it too (I don't Sleep would work on a Fainted Pokemon, but unexpected affection might if Ran pulls it's eyelids open for them to 'see' it happening)
- One at least Tyrantrum has Paralysis, Burn, and Poison Inflicted onto it, Ran will start using up his Dusk Balls (5) to catch the great hulking beast. If he runs out, switch to Great Balls. After his own Dragon nearly got mauled by it and knowing how dang rare and powerful it is, he wants to Capture it both to remove it as a threat to the group and Mt. Coronet at large, and as something to Trade away later. Roark would probably be the most interested, if he'd be willing to handle the massive Disobedience problems this thing has.
- If he can't manage to Catch it, he'll leave it to die/get finished off by the local wild Pokemon. A waste, but as mentioned before, he won't waste resources on a Pokemon that ain't his, especially not one as dangerous as it.

As for the gathering of spectator Pokemon, the midget miner would give them all a raised eyebrow and simply say: "I don't mind the audience, but unless y'all got some rewards or something for us after trashing this predator or know where we can find the Stairs on this Floor, the show's over. Get going, 'fore another big bruiser come 'round to terrorize these stomping grounds."

[Dragonstrike]

Mareanie Round 1

Drampa is taking the threat of this Poison type seriously, and wholeheartedly agrees with Kee's orders.  What better way to stop a Poison user than to prevent the use of their main weapon?

Safeguard 1
(6)(4)(2)(4)(3)(6)(4)(5)(6)

Mareanie suddenly lashes out with a tentacle and tries to sting the old dragon.

Toxic 1
But the Safeguard prevents the barbed tentacle from sticking to its target!

Drampa gives the sea creature a very, very stern look in response.

Glare 2
(4)(2)(6*)
Mareanie was Paralyzed!

Mareanie tries its best to fend off the intruders with its favorite move, but the urchin can barely move as is, and thus isn't able to do much of anything of note to the large dragon.

Venoshock 2
1* + 4 + 4* - 4 = 5
(3)(3)(5)(3)(6)
3* + 2 + STAB - 4 = 3
(5)(3)(3) Drampa takes 1 damage

Another stern look from Drampa, who hasn't really moved at all since this fight began.

Extrasensory 3
(2)(2)(4)(4)
(6)(4)(1)(4) Mareanie takes 4 damage! 2/6 HP -2 Pain
(5)

In a last ditch effort, Mareanie tries to dissuade the aggresors from coming any closer to it.

Toxic Spikes 3
1* + 4 + 4* - 2 - 6 = 1
(5)
Toxic Spikes are scattered across the path!

Kee doesn't have to get closer, though!  He takes aim, and...throws!

Heal Ball (Spend that Will Point!)
(2)(3)(6)(3)(5)(4)(3)(3)(5)(6*) The ball only shakes once!  Critical capture!
S: (4)(1)(4)(4)
W: (1)(5)(6)

Gotcha!  Mareanie was caught!
Moves: Poison Sting, Peck, Bite, Toxic Spikes, Toxic, Venoshock, Poison Jab, Venom Drench, Liquidation
H/L/D: 1/1/1
Current Ability: Merciless
Other Abilities: Limber
Will: 6
Gender: Your pick!
SURPRISES: +1 Special and Channel!

Drampa gets 4 exp and Kee gets 2.

Drampa relaxes, then looks back at Kee and nods.  Now then, about that nickname...

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

"Zorn! You alright there?!"

The dwarven craftsman shouted as the the scaled subterror nearly got bodied by that almost catastrophically devastating Head Smash, hustling over to spary them down with a Super Potion in the briefest span of time he could afford without opening himself up to a head on collision too. He knew the prehistoric king of dinos was one tough cookie, but he couldn't have anticipated it'd nearly OHKO one of his strongest Pokemon in one blow!

Happily, despite that, his big brute was fine and extremely willing to continuing brutally clashing with his fellow draconic powerhouse, while Scizors valiantly (though somewhat ineffectively) tried to chip away at Tyrantrum's almost impenatrable hide and divide its attention. And soon enough, Zorn's own titanic strength and aggression overwhelmed the tyrant king, leaving him the last Dragon proudly standing. Tiredly and one stone's throw away from entering dreamland himself, but standing none the less!

Ran didn't pay much mind to their glorious victory, at least not at first. He rushed over to his brutal drake's side, pausing only long enough to turn and give a thankful nod to the red warrior, pulling out a Full Heal and using it on them to dispel the Confusion their OUTRAGE no doubt left them in, placings a gloved hand on their leg and craning his head up to give them a look, equal parts severe, worried, and proud.

"....Nearly got turned into Dragon hamburger by powerful opponent, but at least this time you're the one reigning emperor of the battlefield. If ya didn't believe you're one of the toughest Dragon before, you certainly got no excuse believing that tripe after demolishing this here Tyrantrum. *Grins* Outstanding job, Zorn."

Wow, rare high praise, coming from the curmudgeoney trainer! It's well deserved, though, after what they managed to achieve!

The bristly blacksmith's expression evened out as he brought out their Ball, giving his own Dragon King a questioning look.

"Now, ya ready for a nice long rest, or you still want to keep trucking along with me for a little while longer? Got a few Max Potions that I can use to fully patch ya up, and while I don't normally want to use outside of emergencies, after that epic struggle ya had with that pebbly lizard punk, I think you earned yourself the rights to one if you still want to continue without a break. So, what do you say?"

After care for Zorn is sorted out, Ran would do the following with the fallen Tyrantrum:

- Summon Brigid, and have her repeatedly use Ember to try and Inflict Burn 1 on them, holding back on the Move if necessary in order to apply the Status without actually harming the gigantic beast (which is hardly likely with its 4X Resistance towards Fire, but hey, weirder stuff has happened....)
- Summon Belladona, and request she Poison it with her Poison Gas; if she refuses for some reason, switch back to Brigid and have her repeatidly try to with her Smog.
- If it's possible, summon Catherine and try to Confuse it too (I don't Sleep would work on a Fainted Pokemon, but unexpected affection might if Ran pulls it's eyelids open for them to 'see' it happening)
- One at least Tyrantrum has Paralysis, Burn, and Poison Inflicted onto it, Ran will start using up his Dusk Balls (5) to catch the great hulking beast. If he runs out, switch to Great Balls. After his own Dragon nearly got mauled by it and knowing how dang rare and powerful it is, he wants to Capture it both to remove it as a threat to the group and Mt. Coronet at large, and as something to Trade away later. Roark would probably be the most interested, if he'd be willing to handle the massive Disobedience problems this thing has.
- If he can't manage to Catch it, he'll leave it to die/get finished off by the local wild Pokemon. A waste, but as mentioned before, he won't waste resources on a Pokemon that ain't his, especially not one as dangerous as it.

As for the gathering of spectator Pokemon, the midget miner would give them all a raised eyebrow and simply say: "I don't mind the audience, but unless y'all got some rewards or something for us after trashing this predator or know where we can find the Stairs on this Floor, the show's over. Get going, 'fore another big bruiser come 'round to terrorize these stomping grounds."

Zorn is gonna need a nice, loooooonnnnnggggg rest after that battle.  And the previous one.  He does, however, appreciate both the praise and the care after he nearly got bodied.  +1 Loyalty for Zorn.  Randolph seems to have this mostly figured out now.

Burn and Poison are easy to inflict, but the main question is how much damage Tyrantrum takes in the process.  If it's caught quickly, though, it probably won't matter...(can't Confuse a fainted 'mon, since they're not able to really perceive why they should be confused due to being unconscious.  Any attempts to do so would confuse the local wild pokemon, though)

Dusk Ball 1
(6)(2)(2)(6)(6)(4)(1)(5)(6)(1)
(4)(5)

Gotcha!  Tyrantrum was caught!
Attributes: 7 Health, 5 Strength, 2 Special, 5 Dex, 5 Defense, 3 Insight
Boosted Social Attribute: Tough
Skills: 4 Fight, 3 Survival, 5 Contest
Specialties: 4 Brawl, 2 Channel, 3 Alert, 5 Intimidate
Level: 100
Moves: All of its level up moves
Gender: Either
Happiness: 0
Loyalty: 0
Disobedience: 5
Current Ability: Rock Head (HA)
Other Abilities: Strong Jaw
HP: 0/15 (may have taken some Poison and Burn damage, but Nurse Joy will fix that up ASAP)
Will: 10

Most of the wild pokemon scatter when Randolph mentions the possibility of another scary pokemon showing up.  A handful of them stick around, though.  Of particular note is a small, blue, partially humanoid pokemon with a finned tail.  It doesn't seem to be particularly strong at first glance, and appears to be rather shy and nervous.  But after seeing what Randolph accomplished, she can't help but leave the stream she's found herself in to look up at the small man curiously and...somewhat hopefully?  She appears to be holding an item with both hands, too.

An item that she's now holding up with outstretched arms and apparently offering to Randolph, a hopeful and admiring look in her eyes.



Btw, Randolph also gets another 2 exp for heroism! That Tyrantrum could have been a real problem! If not for the group, for the local wild pokemon!

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Ahahahahaha, now that was fun and easy, Kee looks very pleased that this encounter with a highly venomous Pokemon went SO well. This Mareanie goes straight into care, even more so since it has everything it needs to give hell to any foe that can be poisoned... Hehehehe, the simple THOUGHT of that already thrills him to bits.

But BEFORE he - or his gentle dragon since Kee's mindfully holds him back - he summons Draven and asks him to take care of the toxic spikes scattered around: "Hope ya'll enjoy pickin' 'em up and absorbin' their poison, see it as some treat to keep yar own inner toxins potent and vivid. Ah, and we CAN'T just leave such treats layin''round in a habitat of wild Pokemon, now can we?~" Of course not, Kee's not so dumb nor careless.

Once that's done he can eventually both pick up the nice pink Heal Ball containing his newest to-be-companion as well as give his Drampa some nice hugs around his head for a wonderful display of skill. "Ya're not really hurt anywhere, are ya? Here, have an Oran Berry, enjoy...~ (Back to full HP he goes) Oh, and...

Drampa relaxes, then looks back at Kee and nods.  Now then, about that nickname...

....what's wrong, don't ya like it? I do however. (◕‿◕)☆ Ya DO seem to know how to use yar voice as a weapon, and my dear granddad was a big fan of the myth of Orpheus.... And YOU remind me so much of him." He hugs Drampa closer, it almost seems like he's seeking comfort in the closure of this big and not-scary dragon.

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Corphish doesn't seem to respond to Kogeki's question, just continuing to circle him and Hime with claws clacking rhythmically.  It waits patiently enough that Kogeki is able to use that Super Potion before the next round of combat (remember, I have a very specific window of opportunity for trainer actions during the Round. This is an exception due to the nature of the situation).  Hime recovers 6 HP.  7/8

Eventually, Corphish does step out of the water as it continues to circle its opponents, however.  And...

...it looks like a normal Corphish for the most part.  The legs look a little thicker and more powerful than usual, but there aren't many easy to spot differences.  It certainly doesn't appear to be a Ghost type.

Corphish seems to pay more attention when Kogeki talks about continuing the battle.  Then it clacks its claws in eager anticipation of the fight.

[Dragonstrike]

Empathy: (6)(1)(2)(4)(6)(1)(6) 3 successes
Will (8 - 2): (5)(6)(1)(6)(6)(1) 3 successes

Corphish's claws continue to rhythmically clack as it stares Hime down.  It doesn't auto agree to Kogeki's deal, but doesn't seem to disagree either.  We'll see how the fight goes.  It seems to definitely be enjoying the challenge of the battle, at least.

Corphish Round 2

Hime zips into battle, her claws glowing with a dark, eerie light.  Corphish seems almost unfazed by the attack, as predicted by Kogeki.

Night Slash 1
(1)(5)(1)(2)(2)(6)(4)(2)(3)
(6)(4)(2)(2)(1) Corphish takes 1 damage 5/7 HP -1 Pain

Corphish simply parries the weak Dark move with a much harder hitting, blunt blow from one of its own claws, sending Hime spinning through the air.

Crabhammer 1
11 - 1 - 1 - 2 = 7
(3)(3)(4)(6)(5)(3)(1)
(6)(5)(6)(4)(4)(1) Hime takes 5 damage! 2/8 HP -2 Pain

Hime has faith that she can still win this, though!  She only needs to land one solid hit!  Her wings flutter faster and faster as she creates a sharp wind to blow that crawfish away, the Shell Bell ringing as she attacks!

Air Cutter 2
(5)(6)(2)(3)(1)
6 - 3 Sp. Def + SE = 3 D6 + 1
(6)(4)(2) Corphish takes 3 damage! 2/7 HP -2 Pain
Hime recovers 1 HP! 3/8 HP -2 Pain

Corphish stumbles, finally significantly harmed by one of Hime's attacks.  It's at that moment that it realizes it could lose this battle after all.  It knows it's only one solid hit away from being taken down...but it could also still win this as well!  One good blow from it, and...Corphish pauses as it considers what to do, thinking about Kogeki's words...Hime hovers in place, waiting for Corphish's next move...

Empathy: (6)(5)(4)(2)(5)(2)(3) 4 successes
Will: (6)(5)(2)(5)(3)(4) 4 successes

Corphish yields, recognizing that the ninja and his Ninjask are formidable warriors.  However, it still has not agreed to join Kogeki.  It starts to back up slowly towards the water's edge, taking a defensive position as it does so.  It's likely retreating so it can recover from its wounds at a safer location (which is what most wounded wild pokemon do). Maybe it could still be persuaded somehow before it leaves?

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Ahahahahaha, now that was fun and easy, Kee looks very pleased that this encounter with a highly venomous Pokemon went SO well. This Mareanie goes straight into care, even more so since it has everything it needs to give hell to any foe that can be poisoned... Hehehehe, the simple THOUGHT of that already thrills him to bits.

But BEFORE he - or his gentle dragon since Kee's mindfully holds him back - he summons Draven and asks him to take care of the toxic spikes scattered around: "Hope ya'll enjoy pickin' 'em up and absorbin' their poison, see it as some treat to keep yar own inner toxins potent and vivid. Ah, and we CAN'T just leave such treats layin''round in a habitat of wild Pokemon, now can we?~" Of course not, Kee's not so dumb nor careless.

Once that's done he can eventually both pick up the nice pink Heal Ball containing his newest to-be-companion as well as give his Drampa some nice hugs around his head for a wonderful display of skill. "Ya're not really hurt anywhere, are ya? Here, have an Oran Berry, enjoy...~ (Back to full HP he goes) Oh, and...

Drampa relaxes, then looks back at Kee and nods.  Now then, about that nickname...

....what's wrong, don't ya like it? I do however. (◕‿◕)☆ Ya DO seem to know how to use yar voice as a weapon, and my dear granddad was a big fan of the myth of Orpheus.... And YOU remind me so much of him." He hugs Drampa closer, it almost seems like he's seeking comfort in the closure of this big and not-scary dragon.

Draven happily goes about his own business, happily picking up all the Toxic Spikes and absorbing their toxins.  Who knows what he'll use said toxins for later, but you can bet that he's going to!

Drampa looks a little less confused about the nickname after Kee explains some of the context.  Being the kind, old dragon that he is, he is rather sympathetic with Kee.  After all, he has heard about Kee's...misplacement, so he can understand that Kee might be missing home.  He doesn't seem to mind comforting Kee.

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Zorn is gonna need a nice, loooooonnnnnggggg rest after that battle.  And the previous one.  He does, however, appreciate both the praise and the care after he nearly got bodied.  +1 Loyalty for Zorn.  Randolph seems to have this mostly figured out now.

Burn and Poison are easy to inflict, but the main question is how much damage Tyrantrum takes in the process.  If it's caught quickly, though, it probably won't matter...(can't Confuse a fainted 'mon, since they're not able to really perceive why they should be confused due to being unconscious.  Any attempts to do so would confuse the local wild pokemon, though)

Dusk Ball 1
(6)(2)(2)(6)(6)(4)(1)(5)(6)(1)
(4)(5)

Gotcha!  Tyrantrum was caught!
Attributes: 7 Health, 5 Strength, 2 Special, 5 Dex, 5 Defense, 3 Insight
Boosted Social Attribute: Tough
Skills: 4 Fight, 3 Survival, 5 Contest
Specialties: 4 Brawl, 2 Channel, 3 Alert, 5 Intimidate
Level: 100
Moves: All of its level up moves
Gender: Either
Happiness: 0
Loyalty: 0
Disobedience: 5
Current Ability: Rock Head (HA)
Other Abilities: Strong Jaw
HP: 0/15 (may have taken some Poison and Burn damage, but Nurse Joy will fix that up ASAP)
Will: 10

Most of the wild pokemon scatter when Randolph mentions the possibility of another scary pokemon showing up.  A handful of them stick around, though.  Of particular note is a small, blue, partially humanoid pokemon with a finned tail.  It doesn't seem to be particularly strong at first glance, and appears to be rather shy and nervous.  But after seeing what Randolph accomplished, she can't help but leave the stream she's found herself in to look up at the small man curiously and...somewhat hopefully?  She appears to be holding an item with both hands, too.

An item that she's now holding up with outstretched arms and apparently offering to Randolph, a hopeful and admiring look in her eyes.



Btw, Randolph also gets another 2 exp for heroism!  That Tyrantrum could have been a real problem!  If not for the group, for the local wild pokemon!

Seeing his draconic partner so happy with him prompts a content *Sigh* from Ran as he gave them a light grin back and another pat on his leg.

"Alright, take a breather big guy. Next time I send ya out, it'll be for some quality time or hunting. I know you love fighting the toughest bastards 'round, but a break from that should be nice, yeah? *Chuckles* That, and we have to leave some for the rest of our partners to Beat Up, so they can try to grow strong as you."

*Beat*

"*Quietly*....Thank ya, Zorn. For all the hard work ya done for me, and for putting up with me too."

With that said, he returns and sends Zorn off the the PC/Nurses (Along with Tyrantrum, who'll be a girl if that matters) for some TLC, looking a lot more at ease now that the supermassive threat has been subdued and his bond with what was once his most ornery Pokemon almost completely solidify. He still has a bit of work before they completely trust him, but the two of them have reached a milestone in their relationship, and he's going to glad about it, damn it!

He's not surprised that most of the 'locals' scattered at his gruff comment, but seeing what appeared to be a siren timidly approaching and them presenting a Heart Scale for him, looking enamored with him after his 'heroic' takedown of the tyrant king....that caught him off guard a bit. It took a couple of seconds for him to recover, and a few more to study both the gift and the Pokemon presenting it, before letting out a small, kind chuckle and accepting the Heart Scale, crouching/leaning down a little to be more on their level.

"Well, this is an awfully nice gift, siren. *Nods* Thank ya kindly."

He gives them a small smile, trying not to be too nerve wracking for the sea sprite.

"Ya look a touch star-struck with me and my partner's Performance, don't you? *Chuckles* Not something I'm too used to, but it always make me feel good when someone appreciates me and my own's hard work."

Ran pauses to observe their reaction to his presence thus far, before carefully offering a hand to them.

"If ya interested, I'd be happy to have you part of my company. The mission I'm on right now isn't safe one iota, the life I live is often rough, and I'm hardly the best Trainer you could ever meet, but I promise you'd be well cared for, protected, and I'll do my utmost to see you have exactly the sort of life you want. How's that sound to ya, siren?"

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Empathy: (6)(1)(2)(4)(6)(1)(6) 3 successes
Will (8 - 2): (5)(6)(1)(6)(6)(1) 3 successes

Corphish's claws continue to rhythmically clack as it stares Hime down.  It doesn't auto agree to Kogeki's deal, but doesn't seem to disagree either.  We'll see how the fight goes.  It seems to definitely be enjoying the challenge of the battle, at least.

Corphish Round 2

Hime zips into battle, her claws glowing with a dark, eerie light.  Corphish seems almost unfazed by the attack, as predicted by Kogeki.

Night Slash 1
(1)(5)(1)(2)(2)(6)(4)(2)(3)
(6)(4)(2)(2)(1) Corphish takes 1 damage 5/7 HP -1 Pain

Corphish simply parries the weak Dark move with a much harder hitting, blunt blow from one of its own claws, sending Hime spinning through the air.

Crabhammer 1
11 - 1 - 1 - 2 = 7
(3)(3)(4)(6)(5)(3)(1)
(6)(5)(6)(4)(4)(1) Hime takes 5 damage! 2/8 HP -2 Pain

Hime has faith that she can still win this, though!  She only needs to land one solid hit!  Her wings flutter faster and faster as she creates a sharp wind to blow that crawfish away, the Shell Bell ringing as she attacks!

Air Cutter 2
(5)(6)(2)(3)(1)
6 - 3 Sp. Def + SE = 3 D6 + 1
(6)(4)(2) Corphish takes 3 damage! 2/7 HP -2 Pain
Hime recovers 1 HP! 3/8 HP -2 Pain

Corphish stumbles, finally significantly harmed by one of Hime's attacks.  It's at that moment that it realizes it could lose this battle after all.  It knows it's only one solid hit away from being taken down...but it could also still win this as well!  One good blow from it, and...Corphish pauses as it considers what to do, thinking about Kogeki's words...Hime hovers in place, waiting for Corphish's next move...

Empathy: (6)(5)(4)(2)(5)(2)(3) 4 successes
Will: (6)(5)(2)(5)(3)(4) 4 successes

Corphish yields, recognizing that the ninja and his Ninjask are formidable warriors.  However, it still has not agreed to join Kogeki.  It starts to back up slowly towards the water's edge, taking a defensive position as it does so.  It's likely retreating so it can recover from its wounds at a safer location (which is what most wounded wild pokemon do).  Maybe it could still be persuaded somehow before it leaves?