[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Another glum morning for Nathan where he didn't really feel like getting up, but Kirlia rolled him over to ensure he couldn't go back to sleep.  Ugh...man, Kirlia was stronger than he looked, that's for sure...

Still rather quiet in the morning when everyone has breakfast together...he just couldn't bring himself to talk to Ventus and Shiva still...and they didn't really seem to want to talk either, so...*sigh*...yup, he was definitely feeling a little...lonely, on top of that worry for what might happen in the future that he was trying oh so hard to hide from Ventus.  That's probably the best way to put it.  He still had Kirlia of course, as well as his other pokemon, so it wasn't completely terrible...but...

He cheers up a little when Miller shows up, though.

"Hey there, Miller.  Nice to see ya again.  Yeah, I'm up for a quick battle.  Don't have the pokemon I used before in our last battle on hand, but I think some variety would do us both some good, no?  So, what're the rules this time?"

[Nylon]

"Theo. Are you up for another quick battle, I'm sure there's some Pokemon around here, we can't really get enough training so...".

(If, Theo's up for it, I'd love a common encounter)

[Lord Windos]

Noticing all the instruments, Valder approaches Elysia. "Hello. Are all those instruments? Oh, and would you like a battle?" If she doesn't want to battle then... I dunno.
 But if she does, Valder will send out Theo and take it from there.

(Or did Shiva want this one?)

(Shiva wanted this one mate. You can certainly come with Ventus to fight the Heatmor, though! You can even catch it, too!)

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

...
... ...
... ... ... Hmm...

When Shiva woke up at some point, she found Kyuu snuggled up on her chest, purring quietly in his sleep. Welll, it looked like he was still sleeping, despite he had his purple eyes open, staring at her. Anyone else would likely be creeped out by such a sight when awakening, but Shiva had no problem with it. However, she had a problem because Kyuu was heavy. (Espurr default weight: 7.7 lbs.) Gently petting the cheek of the grey cat, she received the same jolt of energy running through her arm, just like when she touched him the first time upon awakening from the lucid dream. She didn't mind it this time though, since she saw it coming and knew of her Espurr's psychic powers.

Her voice wasn't scolding, not at all, but it was tired. "Kyuu... I can't get up when you're laying on me... "

Kyuu just stared at her, and titled his head a little.

"Can you please get down from me..."

Staring continued, Shiva was returning the stare.

"... ... ... Please..."

After like five minutes - that felt like ages to her - Kyuu chirped at her as some sort of greeting and climbed down from her.

"Thank you... And good morning... Out of tent with you, breakfast is served outside." It looked like her Espurr prefered to walk by his own tempo.


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Weather was great for traveling, and the fondness of Shiva for Fireweed Forest was nothing new. Baixen already knew the bright foliage, but was enjoying being surrounded by it to upmost. He was walking next to his Master, but she could practically tangle the delight her magical fox was emitting. Nathan was walking a few steps ahead of the others, he seemed like he wanted to have some space. Or silence. Or both... Shiva could only guess what was wrong, but if she would have to guess, she'd blame the happenings in Corsage's Gym before Chuckles could appear. My, my this issue was making massive waves, more massive than she expected. However, she decided to rather not approach him on her own to ask what was wrong, at least not now.

At that point, she averted the gaze from Nathan, and was caught by Ventus. Who was...staring at her it seemed... Was he doing that the whole time? Was something wrong? ...Seemingly not, because as soon as he noticed she was staring back vacantly not knowing what the hell was so interesting about her, he gave her a cheerful smile and thanked her. ...Okay... From what Shiva could tell, that smile seemed honest, but she had no idea why he was thanking her now, and gave him a confused look, before cottoning on the fact that he was likely thanking her for the qualitative time they've spend there by the campfire yesterday evening.

Before she could react though, he was already off because he was fearing for a forest fire nearby, when she couldn't see any hint to that, but nevermind... Nathan has stopped midway and was talking with some Trainer that was passing by, so now it was only Shiva and Braixen following the path.

As soon as they were alone, Braixen was living up to the upmost. Kicking up piles of orange leaves, scaring away some Rattata that were hiding there, leading Shiva off-track through woods when there was no path to follow at all. She was contagioned by he fox's delighted mood, and enjoyed leaving the main path.

After a while, both Shiva nad Braixen arrived at some lighted clearing, with a sidestream of the river streaming along. Braixen seemed to know the place, and headed directly to a particular strub growing there. Chasing away some Pidgey iwith a Howl, he reached out into the strub ... and presented two Oran Berries to his suprised Master.

She didn't made it to thank Braixen for those, though. Because her gaze was following some person that passed by on the other side of the clearing. They looked elusive... AND they had things hanging on their bagpack that reminded Shiva on...musical instruments. However, she didn't recognized any of these. Nevertheless, her spirits were on alert, and, seeing that the person was about to leave her eyeshight, she made haste to catch up on that person, Braixen following her curiously? New person here in the forest? Must see!

"Hey... *cough* Wait there, please? What are you doing here in the Forest? Where do you come from? And, uhm, more importantly, are these ACTUAL musical instruments you're carrying there? They don't look like any I know of..." Shiva was a little coy about jumping on a person like that, but since challenging someone to a Pokemon Battle worked just like that and seemed to be a commonly accepted behaviour, it should be alright, shouldn't it...?


---------------
Mechanics:
Wrapping up that Skald into a conversation! She obviously won't let go of them since she spotted musical instruments on their person. ^^

[Iron]

"Hey there, Miller.  Nice to see ya again.  Yeah, I'm up for a quick battle.  Don't have the pokemon I used before in our last battle on hand, but I think some variety would do us both some good, no?  So, what're the rules this time?"

"I'm in a hurry. So just one Pokemon apiece, no Potions, no fainting?"

[Iron]

As Shiva approaches the Skald, debating whether it is rude to just approach someone like that, she experiences a sudden and nearly-overwhelming urge to battle - right as their eyes lock. Now she knows what being a trainer feels like for a blunt Creshire native!

Of course, life is not a video game, so she is able to resist the battle urge and engage in conversation.

As the woman turns around, bells in her hair tinkle softly. You can almost sense various instruments straining against their leather wrappings, longing to be played.

"Oh, my name is Elysia, and I am a Skald! I am a musician first, and a warrior second! I come from the Earthstar Forest, but I come to Fireweed seeking a Kricketune! Kricketune's blades and melodies would be the perfect sixth Pokemon for my team."

"Yes, these are all musical instruments, or devices for the care of musical instruments. My staff is a rainstick. This bundle becomes a gong when stretched between two trees. This little device is for making flutes out of reeds. This twisty thing is a personal invention of mine, a bit like a didgeridoo, for playing haunting notes. This disc also makes haunting notes when whirled above your head on a string. I have a lute, which you surely recognize, and this is a thumb harp made from a Cocoran shell."

"Would you or your Pokemon like to jam with me? The ancients held that music could inspire Pokemon to greater heights in battle, or lift the hearts of men, or bring them to their knees! It was a tune derived from a distant Meloetta's song which first made King Sarimanok cry after all those dry, dusty years."

[Dragonstrike]

"I'm in a hurry. So just one Pokemon apiece, no Potions, no fainting?"

"Sounds good to me.  Alright, whenever you're ready, let's get started."

Nathan's pokemon of choice will be Grid

[Iron]

Miller sends out Durant again!

"Hm... a Joltik? I think I can match this."

Grid: (1) +5
Durant: (1) +2 = 3

Miller Rematch Round 1

[Iron]

Theo thinks a fair fight might involve provoking a Pidgeotto and a Caterpie at the same time and fighting them 1v2!



Theo: (2) + 5 = 7
Pidgeotto: (2) +4 = 6
Caterpie: (1)

[Iron]

Ventus finds Heatmor in hot (hehe) pursuit of a line of common Bug types, mostly Caterpie and a few faster bugs like Spinarak or Ledyba. The long-snouted Pokemon even pops its nose or tongue down into their burrows or smokes them out. He has a bit of honey on his claws from smoking out a small Combee nest (presumably one without a Vespiquen present!)

There is a clear trail in his wake, smoldering with embers.

Ventus' init: (6) + 5 = 11
Heatmor's init: (3) + 3 Dex + 3 survival = 9

As a fire type and an insectivore, Heatmor is very happy to have discovered the Fireweed Forest!