[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

(Looks like I will have to remake this whole post. Dang it. Oh well, looks like its a hunting trip yet again! I still want my old post PM to me, so I don't have to start completely from scratch...)

Oh! I just restored that, it seemed like a lot of it was still usable.

And you can assume, when the time comes, that you succeed on your Survival check, since you have a lot of points in that and there wasn't any concealment involved.

[Dragonstrike]

(Looks like I will have to remake this whole post. Dang it. Oh well, looks like its a hunting trip yet again! I still want my old post PM to me, so I don't have to start completely from scratch...)

Oh! I just restored that, it seemed like a lot of it was still usable.

And you can assume, when the time comes, that you succeed on your Survival check, since you have a lot of points in that and there wasn't any concealment involved.

(If we're sticking with that, can we move it to this page?  And edit it a little to match the current situation since Rattata isn't by the group any more?)

(And that conversation with Shiva is going to have to be after Ventus shows up.  It gives Nathan a chance to try and reason with Ventus or keep him from doing the dirty deed.  It also gives him a little time to recover from the shock, which Shiva would probably respect before asking any questions, I think.)

[Lord Windos]

(Well, I can just C&P the post I just edited, and then just repost it again now, if that is ok @Iron?)

[Iron]

Sounds good. I can't reorder posts, so I think that's the best solution.

[Lord Windos]

After an enjoyable hunting expedition with his dear Apsis, Ventus expected to come back to camp to find everyone else either asleep or relaxing around the campfire. That what he though would happen, but reality seem to love to smash his expectation, as instead of peace, he saw the camp in chaos. Nathan hunched over a heavily bloodied Kirlia, desperately trying to stanch the worst of it. Shiva hovering nearby, looking extremely worried about and feeling somewhat...useless for being unable to help. Whatever caused this horrific scene must have been big, vicious, and completely without mercy.

Even if he didn't see the creature that caused this, he did spot the trail of blood that it left behind, all the way into the woods.

A cold, unquenchable fury ignited within him, its intensity rivaling that of his scorn for the Vespiqueen he faced so long ago. The flames of his wrath filled him with an undeniable, unstoppable purpose: he was going to kill whatever did this. Nothing harms his friends or their loves under his protection. Nothing. With malicious intent in mind, he strolled over to where everyone was huddled at up, with an icy blank expression on his face. Apsis was hovering near his shoulder, watching the seen with mild interest, until she felt just how furious her master became, and quickly slithered after him. Uh oh, something pissed off her master, and see has a strong feeling as to what....

Stopping by Nathan, he put a hand into his satchel, and withdrew the Sitrus Juice he owned, and placed it in the boy's trembling hands. "Here. Use this to repair the worst of the damage. If it is not enough, we will transport them to the Pokémon Center, either under its own power with teleport, or using Helios' instead. Now, if you excuse me..." Ven calmly said to Nathan, before looking at the blood trail with deadly intent in his eyes. "I have a beast to hunt down." With that said, the researcher put a hand into his bag, and drew one of the Sticks he 'obtained' from the Ronin Spearow, before he begun to follow the beast's trail, intent on finding and killing it! Apsis trails behind him, flicking out her tounge several times to get a lock on the....rodent?-Yeap, that's definitely rodent she smells!-scent, before helping her master search for it as well!

Order: Give Nathan the Sitrus Juice to heal off some of the damage, and proceed to find kill the Rattatta by forcing jabbing the pointy end of the Stick through the creature's Coretta artery (or the equivalent), with help from Apsis as a scent tracker. If either tries to talk him down or stop him, Apsis will intervene and stand between them and her master, hissing threatenly at them.

[Dragonstrike]

Nathan still hadn't fully recovered from the shock yet, but he was aware enough to know he didn't want Ventus to undo everything he'd just gone through. Shiva looked like she didn't want any of this to happen either, but he wasn't sure if she'd say anything...and so, he speaks up.

"Ventus, STOP. NOW. I won't ask again." Despite the shaking from sadness and anger, his words are sure. He's holding a pokeball in his hand. He knew exactly what he was going to do if Ventus insisted on continuing this. He was prepared for a battle if it came to that. Kirlia could still stand and fight from a distance if need be. Or he could use a potion on him. Or...hmm....

And he was also kinda hoping Shiva would back him up if it did come to that....

[Lord Windos]

Nathan still hadn't fully recovered from the shock yet, but he was aware enough to know he didn't want Ventus to undo everything he'd just gone through.  Shiva looked like she didn't want any of this to happen either, but he wasn't sure if she'd say anything...and so, he speaks up.

"Ventus, STOP.  NOW.  I won't ask again."  Despite the shaking from sadness and anger, his words are sure.  He's holding a pokeball in his hand.  He knew exactly what he was going to do if Ventus insisted on continuing this.  He was prepared for a battle if it came to that.  Kirlia could still stand and fight from a distance if need be.  Or he could use a potion on him.  Or...hmm....

And he was also kinda hoping Shiva would back him up if it did come to that....

Ventus stop at Nathan's demand, before turning around and looking straight into his friend's eyes, before closing them and letting out a half sigh, half strangled growl out. He took a deep breath, then let it out before he slowly, patiently tried to reason with the boy. "Nathan...I can understand your reluctance on killing Pokémon, and that you are not of the same mindset as myself when it comes with regarding wild Pokémon as a whole, but even you have to agree that whatever did this to Kirlia is unacceptable. A feral Pokémon came out of nowhere and made an brutal attempt on your Kirlia's life, and almost succeed by their appearance, and you want to turn the other check and let it go? My friend...even though I have a Ph.D, I don't need it to tell you just how...foolish that is."

"If that monster was willing to immedianlty use Lethal Damage just from your attempts to ward it off from the campsite, do you think its a good idea to just let it go and possibly do the same thing to other traveler? Those that are possibly less equipped or capable of handling such an aggressive, blood thirsty enemy? Even in the best case scenario that letting it go permanently scares it off from human contact, its not going to get away so easily for its action. The RU of my region cruelly buried the Stunktank for the fact that it almost ended my life! While this beast did not attack you directly in such a manner, it very well could have, and if it managed to chew its way through your Pokémon? You would most likely be its next target, or possibly Shiva and her Pokémon."

"Once Kirlia is turned into Corsage's PC for urget care, they are going to ask what inflict Lethal Damage on him, and then round up Rangers to hunt down the beast to end it themselves. At that point, you not only endangered other travelers by not killing the horrid creature right away, but your are forcing several police officer into a encounter that could quite possibly cost them their or their Pokémon's lives. All that possible drama, pain, and tragedy, just because you are afraid what you will become by taking another life?" As he says this, Ventus just tilts his head down and tightly grips his fists, before looking back up to Nathan, tears now trailing down his checks.

"Sometimes, my friend, one must be willing to do horrible, unspeakable things in order to protect the other people...and the ones they care about the most. Nathan...I had to make these hard decisions before, in order to safeguard my life and those around me. Euthanizing disobedient or violent Pokémon that could never be controlled, working with shady organizations in order to survive and find purpose in my life, and protecting the first true friends I've had in over a decade and a half years from things they can not handle themselves.... These things I had to do, all for the greater good of those around me, despite how much it hurted me to do such terrible things. But its a price I would pay over and over, if it means that nobody I care about will be harmed, so please..." Ventus said, his voice cracking a bit as he stared down the distraught youngster in front of him, before straighten up and (as calmly as possible) tells him:

"Let me do this Nathan. Let me slay the monster that stalks the night. Let me protect you."

Order: By the powers of Reshirim and politics, I declare a retcon of events! I rewrote most of this dialogue from scratch, and I put a heck of a lot of effort into it! Hopefully this eases Nathan into Ven's perspective, and just...lets things happen as they may.

[Dragonstrike]

Nathan sits back down, exhausted.  He understood the reasoning...but killing...it's just...not something he can come to terms with...he hadn't noticed Aspis tearing into Weezing until it was too late to stop her...he didn't want a repeat of that...

Yet everything Ven had just said...big picture...if that Rattata had encountered someone less capable, what would have happened?  It looked like it had seen its fair share of fights already...but would someone even want a pokemon like that?  One that was obviously feral and aggressive?

Maybe if they had similar intentions...

It wasn't the first pokemon they'd encountered with such intentions, though...that Scyther had been particularly vicious, and had put Ven at great risk directly....

He was conflicted.

The reasoning was sound.  But his respect for all life...it was crying out in response.  

What to do?  

Shiva had stopped him before...did he want that to go to waste by letting Ven do what they didn't?  Or did he try and stop Ven from doing it?

"Ven, I...I don't know what to do...I feel like there's no right answer here..."  There's tears in his eyes again, and he's wracked with feelings of sadness and indecision.

He glances over at Kirlia, trying to find an answer to something he can solve..."I..do know...I don't want to go back to Corsage right now if I can help it...I don't have enough healing items on hand to deal with those wounds immediately, though...he took...two Crunches from that Rattata...it really messed his arm up...I wasn't able to fully stop the bleeding..."  His concern for Kirlia's well being is all too apparent.  Kirlia is like family to him.  Really close family.  If anything happened to him...

[Lord Windos]

Ventus more than heard how torn Nathan is over what happened: he feels the full brunt of the emotional trauma coursing through him. So, even in his cold, furious, and agitated state, he let all of the go, walked over to Nathan and gave him a hug. Rubbing his back soothingly and humming the same song that he sung to Shiva when she became distraught, Ven tried his best to calm his friend down. "Nate.... choices like this one...they never is a good solution available. Its one cruel solution or another terrible outcome, never a happy option in between them all. Its ok not to know how to handle these things...a boy of your upbringing never should at all, if at all possible. That's why I want you to trust me on this. Let me find this beast of your,s and I will take care of it. I will shoulder the burden that comes with my task, and you will not have to despair over a problem you can't solve yourself. There will be no blood on your hands, nor Shiva's. Only on mine. Given what I've already done in regards with Pokémon....its nothing new to me. Trust me, Nate," he murmered into their ears, doing his best to take all the sins unto himself. He is used to their burden; Nathan is not, and perhaps never will be...

Letting the boy go, Ventus stood up and pulled out his last remaining Potion, and hand it to Nathan with steady hands. "With the Sitrus Juice and Potions we have on hand, we will be able to fully heal Kirlia of his horrendous wounds. They'll still need plenty of rest before they are in top shape again, but they will survive. Everything is under control, my dear Nate, so calm yourself...."

Order: One last push from Ventus on this, before he gives up. He's also offering his last Potion to Nathan along with his Sitrus Juice to treat Kirlia's injuries, which should work if Nathan still has either an Oran Berry or Potion on hand. Please, let the younger trainer have some peace tonight...

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

With that said, the researcher put a hand into his bag, and drew one of the Sticks he 'obtained' from the Ronin Spearow, before he begun to follow the beast's trail, intent on finding and killing it! Apsis trails behind him, flicking out her tounge several times to get a lock on the....rodent?-Yeap, that's definitely rodent she smells!-scent, before helping her master search for it as well!

"Ven. Stop. Right.THERE. You don't go ANYWHERE."

A weak, yet energetic voice came from somwhere behind him. She hasn't done anything before, she just...hoped that Nathan would manage to stop him from doing such a horrible thing.

It did not worked. Seeing that Nathan was about to solve things with a Pokemon Battle - Nope. Clearing the matters this way would only make things worse - it's a bad idea. It won't help. Regardless of who wins, did he think this wouls stop Ven? Haha. No way. It must be the fighter in him, or the young age, but, I'm sorry, he has to learn some things first.

Therefor, she put one hand on the Stick he prepared and moved it down. She did not sweep it out of his hands. She also knew that Apsis would not like this... But same way, she also knew that Ven would NEVER allow his cobra to hurt anyone. Least of all, her. Sometimes, you have face your frears... Seeing how he gained control and trust of the Arbok eased her fear of this particular Arbok a little - but Ven would look close, he's still notice a hint of terror of the snake.

"You don't go anywhere. Not alone. NOT. WITHOUT. ME. You said you have not slept for days... Do you really have to sacrifice more rest because of hunting a Pokemon down? It harmed one of our Pokemon, right. Can't deny it. However..."

"... that Rattata is a blasted fighter. We saw it. It's full of scars, it's fur is matted, it's in no good state. It must have fought HARD to prevent itself from hungry bird Pokemon, it's a brave and noble creature. Survival of the fittest, yes. Nature is cruel, yes. But PEOPLE can be even more cruel. How do you think you will feel after you've done the deed? Relieved? Better? Fine that it won't go after anyone again? Like you've gotten your revenge? The last part may be true. However... DON'T YOU THINK THE RAT DESERVES TO LIVE? Why do you have to take its spirit with force? Why can't you leave that to nature? The rat is fainted, it's unconsciousness, it's far away from the camp thanks to me. Hell, VEN, IT'S NIGHTIME, TURN ON THE LOGICALLY THINKING PART OF YOUR EMPATHIC MIND! Some predatory Pokemon might - and most likely has - already taken care of the Rattata. It's unknown whether you'll succeed on finding the body at all."

"... Also, we are not in Unova. You think that doing a similar horrible thing like those Rangers did to Skunktank WOULD MAKE YOU ANY BETTER THAN THOSE RANGERS?"