[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

Nathan sighs.  Right...Shiva wasn't exactly an outdoors person.  What part of Unova was she from, again? Probably not Icirrus City...or any of the coastal cities...he didn't really enjoy seeing her doubt herself, though...she'd traveled this far with them, after all...plus, Nathan isn't an outdoorsy type either, even if he does enjoy the occassional stroll through the woods.

"Look, you're just as capable of doing this as the rest of us, Shiva.  If you'd feel a bit better with some help, though, I can have Swiftfire help you keep your footing as long as the terrain isn't too steep.  Okay?"

"Nate is most assuredly correct on this, Shiva! You are far more capable of accomplishing this task than you would think, as completely traversing through any region can be arduous enough as is, but you manage to pull it of with ease regardless! If you have need any of assistance during our hike through the Divide, though, Nate, myself, and all our Pokémon will be more than willing to be there for you, dear!"

Heart still a bit suspicious about that guy but thank that blackbelt and decide to return to the camp with his friends.

"Perhaps there another way to go to Star City. Some blackbelt trainer say something like this: "There is a small tunnel off to the west that will get you halfway to Stair City. Then from there you'll have to climb by handhold and toehold." About something his Machop to give some advice. I am quite suspicious about that path but I decided to share this information. I don't believe in strangers, so I would to ask what you all think?"

Ventus was quite euthused about Heart's returning to the group despite their animosity towards Nate, and even more pleased about the intelligence he received from a helpful Martial Artist! This is just the type of advice the group needed at the moment....and couldn't help as his paranoid side became suspicious as well, both in part due to the collector's own wariness regarding the source's integrity, and the rather fortuative timing of the advice itself.

'This is most undoubtably excellent news for the group indeed, but its somewhat disconcerting how conveinant this whole circumstance itself is. Still, is traversing the rugged Divide directly and carving/exploring our own path through is possibly more hazardous than a potential ambush or deviousness on that person's part, and all of us are certainly well armed with powerful Pokémon should such difficulties arise. That, and Callam thinks its a not an inherently horrible idea, but even experience can fail us when we least expect it too, so he could be wrong too. Hmm....' he thought to himself, waiting for his friends/Callam to say/'say' their own piece on the matter and adding it to his current deliberations, before he ultimately decided that the risk didn't outweigh the usefulness of in this case, and so he said:

"Hmm....I say that taking the tunnel is the most prudent course of action in this case. If something happens to go awry or the Marital Artist's aid proves less that helpful in practice, we can always turn back and scale the mountains themselves, though Callam endorsement does put me a little at ease about the whole prospect. As for climbing sheer cliffsides, either Raphael, Callam, or Ponyta can help ferry you up if you are not up for the task, or Grid could fashion all of us rapel lines and hand grips to make such an endevour more easy and safe for us all. Teleportation works too, but it might be best to reserve its usage for emergencies, just in case one of us needs to be rushed to civilization ASAP. I'm ready to depart for Stair in whatever case, so let us move out and onwards, shall we?"

[Iron]

It takes the combined resources of all the aforementioned Pokemon even to reach the tunnel. It's very lucky that you only have to go around the portion of Route 04 guarded by Almanacs.

You squirm ahead, following Apsis through a narrow defile surrounded by miniature peaks like mushrooms.

Shiva leans heavily on Swiftfire, and everyone except the fliers and Monferno has need of Grid's webs.

Calam leads the way, perching majestically upon each crest. Azurill heaps boulders on the surefooted Haneal to carry out of the way.

The tunnel is very easy going, except for a few small cave ins that your party is easily powerful enough to clear away.

Then you've left the tunnel. You find yourself high up on the Divide - going down is easier than going up. Grid and Apsis lower the party, one by one, to a stable ledge (Monferno flings herself down with ease, naturally).

Calam heads up to a nearby tarn - one of the mountain springs or lakes. This one is small, just long enough to swim laps in. But it's up, not out - it will require climbing some steep slopes. The water's stony bank is almost directly overhead of the ledge where the party is resting.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

"You people really want to take on the tunnel... You people really want to climb a sheer cliffside... You people are mad, but I guess I have to follow, even if I dislike it...? We have our Pokemon for aid, sure but I STILL don't enjoy the thought of taking one false movement and then... Ugh..." It wasn't visible on the outside, but Shiva was already pretty scared of that.

Wait, since when does Ven call her 'dear'?

[Dragonstrike]

"You people really want to take on the tunnel... You people really want to climb a sheer cliffside... You people are mad, but I guess I have to follow, even if I dislike it...? We have our Pokemon for aid, sure but I STILL don't enjoy the thought of taking one false movement and then... Ugh..." It wasn't visible on the outside, but Shiva was already pretty scared of that.

Wait, since when does Ven call her 'dear'?

Thankfully, Nathan missed that 'dear.'

"Shiva, I never said I want to climb a mountain.  Not much choice right now, though, if we want to get to Stair City within the next day or two and avoid Almanac. It would take us a week to take the long way around."

____________________________

Well, so far so good...Nathan actually kinda wants to see this mountain lake himself.  He's read they're rather beautiful sights, and are well worth the trip combined with the view of everything around the mountains...

"Well...any ideas on how we're getting up there? Without exhausting the Teleporters, of course."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

In such moments, Nathan's treasured Ponyta was worth everything to Shiva. Thank you... She'll deserve some gifted Gourmet Food when the party settles down for the night. That fresh air up here in the mountains was certainly something very new to her as well, as she never been that high in the wild before... My, that already was an experience, if she wouldn't be kinda exhausted from that tunnel already.

...well, that was before she picked up there must be one of these elusive lakes up there, whic gave her spirits an immediate boost. Nathan's Absol already seemed to know this. The issue were these slopes that seperate her from the lake... "I'd have nothin' against Teleporation, Nathan, especially since Helios became a Kadabra yesterday night. Apart from that... Ven, do you think Raphael could pull me these slopes there with Extreme Speed? Just for a short time, to get a hold on the edge..."

[Lord Windos]

Calam heads up to a nearby tarn - one of the mountain springs or lakes. This one is small, just long enough to swim laps in. But it's up, not out - it will require climbing some steep slopes. The water's stony bank is almost directly overhead of the ledge where the party is resting.

Peering up at the rather impressively vertical cliff side, Ventus was not that startled or intimidated of navigating such adverse terrain. He expected that hiking through the Divide would at some point require scaling such imposing inclines, and had some past experience in climbing up cliff side from his exploration of Twist Mountain, so he had already steeled himself for such a task. Still, if there was another way...ah!

Carefully withdrawing Raphael Pokémon from his satchel (No wrist flicking here!), he thumbed the release button and summoned them, watching as his archangel quickly took to the air to get a better look at the area. They were quite surprised that he had ventured into such staggering, forboding hieghts, as they knew very well that any mishaps could spell their doom in a very bad way! Father was not a Flying type like them, so it was not like he could bail themselves out of such if they had a tumble....

Noticing his child's worries, the researcher motioned for them to come down to his side, before giving them a comforting hug ('Hugs always help!') before saying to them. "I know that my presence here is daunting and intimidating for you, but my friends and I have are perfectly alright for the time being, so please don't fret. Now, I was wondering if it was possible for you to ferry us (Shiva, Nathan, Ventus, etc) all up to the top of the cliff using Extreme Speed? Grid can produce silk ties to...well, tie us to you so that we don't loose our grip on you mid-flight, as that would be....not good. Well?"

Shiva's coicindentally suggesting a similar idea only re-inforced how probably such a task was, so the researcher hoped it would work!

Order: See if its possible to use Grid and Raphael in tandum to get everyone up the cliff safely! If not, more brainstorming is in order!

[Nylon]

A nod of satisfaction is given as Ghastly evolves into Haunter. "Thanks, gee. That could've gotten awkward. How do you feel? Apart from bigger of course" Valder makes a humble smile.

  scaling up the mountain is rather fun. Valder feels refreshed and free!

Ancient Power is available for whatever.

[Iron]

Haunter flexes to show that he feels great in his new form!

Raphael, panting and exerting himself to the max, is able to get every human party member up.

You stand on the edge of the shimmering mountain tarn. The water is impossibly clean up here above the runoff. Horsea are playing, splashing each other with the crystalline water. Even the overcast sky seems a bit lighter up here. Looking at your reflections, you see that you have become very dirty and somewhat scratched in your exertion up the mountain.

But the effect is very relaxing!

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Even from the looks of it, Shiva like the rumors people told didn't came from nowhere. Whatelse could be the reason for this clear, crystalline water...? Wonder what other Pokemon dwell down there in the depth?

It felt somewhat wrong to use such precious water to get clean, even if she hated to look at herself after the mountains surely had their visible effect on her - none of the wounds seemed to be more than scratches though, luckily.

Before anyone in the party was able to touch the pure water here, Shiva held them back for a minute, before pulling out a small empty bottle of water she took with her from Ginger Town's Pokemon Center, and filled it up with that crystalline water. She didn't knew what to do with it yet, though. Certainly not drink it, too precious.

[Lord Windos]

Raphael, panting and exerting himself to the max, is able to get every human party member up.

You stand on the edge of the shimmering mountain tarn. The water is impossibly clean up here above the runoff. Horsea are playing, splashing each other with the crystalline water. Even the overcast sky seems a bit lighter up here. Looking at your reflections, you see that you have become very dirty and somewhat scratched in your exertion up the mountain.

Once everyone was safely escorted up the sheer cliff by his ever faithful Togekiss, he gave them yet another hug for all their hard and stressful work, and an apple as a small treat for them to nibble on as he let them recuperated from his ealier efforts. The cosy little tarn was a positively soothing sight for the slightly weary researcher, as it served a nice rest stop for the group as a whole. Looking around the lake area, he decided to release Lucifer order him to scout the area, saying to him specifically : "My little devil, would you mind exploring the area for any paths ahead of this tarn, in addition to any interesting/dangerous Pokémon or odd Items that might be lying afoot up here? Their is no need to be hasty or rush, but if do return to me and alert me if you think you found something especially important, alright?"

Ventus gave a curious look at Shiva's seemingly reverence towards the mountain water, but he just shrugged it off and took out a couple of Empty Potion bottle he kept on hand (Reduse, Reuse, Recycle~!) and filled them up as well. More poatable water was always a boon to find anyway, so why not take some for his own use later?

Order: Time for good of Luci to scout the area for oddities/ the way ahead! Maybe we can turn up something neat/not deadily?