[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Nylon]

Looking longingly at the wild forest, Valder gets up from the disatisfying city bench and walks quietly in the dark night, subconsciously avoiding most of the city lights.

 He reaches the now dark forest and sits down under the first tree in the outscirts of the forest.

 Valder takes out all three pokeballs and summons them greeting each and every one with a nod of gratitude. "Hi, Ghastly, this time is to your liking, right? Hello, Froakie do you like the night? How are you, Theo. you also enjoy the darkness quite a bit, don't you?"

 Valder hopes Froakie will find the night to their liking. Froakie is quite the ninja isn't it.

After whatever response they give, Valder lays down and starts gazing over the illuminated dark, dark sky.

(I'll continue tomorrow, I should head to bed now. Valder told nurse joy where he was headed if Shiva or anyone wants to interact with him quickly)

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

(Valder told nurse joy where he was headed if Shiva or anyone wants to interact with him quickly)

(That's splendid to hear, and good that you are still active~ No urgent matter, I have to finish gaining Stick back from Ven anyway before I can turn to you.)

[Iron]

Froakie stalks the night like a kitten, new to the darkness, new to the idea of stealth, but loving every moment.

Gastly, of course, is the original Pokemon of darkness and fear! He cannot wait to grow stronger and increase his haunting skills.

Theo spars a bit with Froakie, the water type throwing twigs for him to slice out of the air. An impressive feat, in the dark!

This far from Corsage Port, Valder is untroubled by unpleasant dreams. He loses a few hours for journeying each way, each day, but the cost is worth it to him.

[Dragonstrike]

The Aquarium: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cTl0ky4DcHA

Nathan just looks at the Omanyte for a bit. It was obviously wild if it had been attacking and eating the aquarium residents...but while the historian in him was eager to catch it, the trainer was saying he had no need to...it'd be sorta useful against Pinsir...but he already had 3 or 4 pokemon that could attempt to take the bug on...plus, he wasn't keen on putting the Omanyte in captivity while it was unconscious...

He sighs. "Get it out of the tank, and ask the aquarium staff what they wish to do with the fossil first, I'd say. We can go from there once that's done.

"And once that's settled, we can get to doing that meditation and Calm Mind training. And after that, I'm going to try and get at least a little sleep if there's no more issues. Sound like a plan, Ven?"

[Lord Windos]

Nathan just looks at the Omanyte for a bit.  It was obviously wild if it had been attacking and eating the aquarium residents...but while the historian in him was eager to catch it, the trainer was saying he had no need to...it'd be sorta useful against Pinsir...but he already had 3 or 4 pokemon that could attempt to take the bug on...plus, he wasn't keen on putting the Omanyte in captivity while it was unconscious...

He sighs.  "Get it out of the tank, and ask the aquarium staff what they wish to do with the fossil first, I'd say.  We can go from there once that's done.

"And once that's settlled, we can get to doing that meditation and Calm Mind training.  And after that, I'm going to try and get at least a little sleep if there's no more issues.  Sound like a plan, Ven?"

Giving a firm nod in response, Ventus released Apsis for her Pokémon, points to the Omanyte, and said: "My sister, would you please retrieve that fossil Pokémon from the depths? I need to get it out of their before it recovers and starts to hunt the rest of the inhabitants of tank. Oh, and no eating the fish in the display, Apsis; we don't need to compound the issue, especially since I was hired to resolve it!"

Apsis, who had been eagerly  and hungrily looking at all the fish in the tank upon being summoned, let out a sad sigh hearing her master's command. Ah, seafood was their favorite meal to dine on! Why does their master has to tease them like this? Never the less, they complied to his command to the letter, giving him an expected look before diving into the tank. If she can't have fish now, then their master better provide for it later!

Ariel, after giving giving a once over on her wounds, floated back up and resurfaced at the top of the tank, hopping down from it with an audible *Thud*! Giving a wary look at the Arbok as it trade places with her (She hasn't forgot who was responsible for her capture in the first place!), the Corsola wandered over to her master's side, and gave a pained look at him. She wanted to go back into her Pokeball now for some rest, please!

Picking up on the stress and distress that Ariel was in, he quickly complied with her silent request, before stowing away the Pokeball somewhere (It just disappeared from his hands?! What the...?!). "Yes, that sounds like a reasonable course of action, but I think I will decline the opportunity for sleep. The last time I nodded off in town...I dreamt of Morgana, so I am not eager to slumber while I'm in town. If I need sleep, I will depart for Fireweed, and recoporate there. Enough about my restlessness, though. Let's start with your meditation training, Nathan," Ventus said, before leading the boy over to a relatively secluded portion of the Aquarium, and sat down cross legged on the floor.

Clasping his hands together, he took a deep breath, before slowly launching into the basics of meditating. "Now, before I begin, I will say that proper meditation technique takes years to fully master, and that true dedication to the practice is required to get the most value out of it. However, teaching you the basics, proper form, as well as what mindset you should maintain will still provide benefits to you and Kirlia, so don't become frustrated with a lack of progress on both your parts. Now, let's began with the most important aspect of meditation: what you want out of it, and the proper mindset for it."

"Meditation is an experience similar to reading books or having a favorite pastime to do: its meant to be a form of respite for the individual. However, just like you having a particular taste in literature, how well the practice works varies for each practitioner. Some take to the art like fish to water, while others struggle to obtain even a semblance of peace. That's why its important to know what you are trying to attain with meditation, as having a focus can greatly facilitate and amplify its effectiveness. After all, its easier to find something if you know what you are looking for."

"Once you have decided what you seek out of meditation, which in your case is clarity and teaching Kirlia Calm Mind, you need to work on what mindset you will use. Some seek to empty their mind of everything before starting; others trying to drift off in their own thought process. Some close their mind to the world and retreat to their own mindscape, while others  open themselves up to world, letting their mind become one with nature or the cosmos. Everyone has a different method to achieving the peace of mind, and its necessary if you want to truelly make any gains in it."

"I can't teach you my methods, given that I tailored it for my own unique needs, but I do know a how to start you off. Imagine a your thoughts as a butterfly, fluttering around in your head. Most would try to catch it to make them still, but that just causes it to move even more sporatically. So, instead of doing that, you imagine a flower for it, and just wait for it to land. It might take a few minutes, or a few hours, but eventually the butterfly will tire, and it take its rest. Then, you can start working towards the goal you had in mind. Do you understand?"

[Dragonstrike]

Nathan motions for Kirlia to join them.  They'd learn to do this together.  It should ease learning Calm Mind, in theory.  And it should also continue the Calm Mind training to boot.

Nathan does his best to follow Ventus's directions.  Put his troubles aside, not think about anything except something that represents peace and tranquility...

For some reason, the butterfly example doesn't quite cut it for him.  Sure, it's a fine example...but something about it just...nags at him.  Maybe it has something to do with the psychic connection between him and Kirlia...

He looks frustrated for a bit, like he just can't seem to get it...he looks at Kirlia...and gets an idea...

He instead thinks of his pokemon when they've looked the most relaxed.  Swiftfire as she runs through the fields...Staryu meting all the pokemon living by the shoreline...the combee as they go off to gather honey together...and especially, Ralts as he evolved into Kirlia...

It brings him peace, thinking about all those little moments.

How does Kirlia do, though? (@Iron?)

[Iron]

2 Insight + 3 Knowledge + 1 Canalize +1 Pearl = 7 dice
(6)(4)(2)(3)(1)(4)(4)

Kirlia gains 1+4 = 5XP. If your character sheet is up to date, that is not enough to learn Calm Mind. But Kirlia does find a lot more solace here in the aquarium, surrounded by pretty colors and soothing water. So different from the turbulent, murderous oceans!

[Lord Windos]

Ventus, seeing that Nathan and Kirlia have managed to slip into a trace state despite some initial difficultly, smiled to himself, and began his own meditations. Deep in.....*Wooossssh*. His surroundings slowly ebbed away, and soon he was within himself, peering at all his thoughts, feelings, desires....and those of other that surround him. Reaching out with both spirit and mind, he began to manage them all, like he done a thousand times before.

'Contextualzie emotions....categorize emotion....catalogue emotions. Shift and sort, rearrange and reorder. All things have their place, in this world within and without, so let my feeling flow. To each their place, to each their paradigm. True self is without form, but true purpose is my core. I must protect, I must provide, I must be powerful. All for my friends, and all for my family. Now, let everything fall under my control, so that my purpose may unfold...'

(Hopefully, Apsis had enough time to retrieve the Omanyte and restrain it! Now what do you have in store for us, our DM...)

[Dragonstrike]

(That's 24 exp total then adding in the 4 from Omanyte.. Still 2 or 3 battles away from the move, probably. Or several training sesdions with a great training roll)

The duo looks calm...mostly. The gloom of Corsage and the recent events are still weighing on them, but they both look a little bit better off now.

(Time to figure out what happens with Omanyte, I guess?)

[Iron]

Yes, you retrieve Omanyte and hold it until morning, when the docent comes to check on you.

Strangely, the Omanyte has reverted back to stone as the first light of dawn touches down outside! Nathan and Ventus believe this is a property of this particular Omanyte, that he is some kind of partially revived fossil.

It takes some time to convince the docent of just what has happened, but upon consulting a book of Pokemon fossils, he is mostly convinced.

"Well, you can have this Omanyte fossil - if you run to the beach and grab me some replacement decorations. I'd also like to take a photograph of it for our museum! I think it is too predatory to keep here. I hear they are very clever, much like an Octillery. This Octillery is an escape artist himself, and I'd hate for them to learn from each other! If you don't want it, however, I'll see if any other museums want it, and I'm sure they will! Maybe the one at Telperion?"