[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

"...If those question can't be answered sufficiently with just body language or via emotions, then [b]I'm not going to endanger either you, Apsis, or myself by going over their to get a closer inspection. I rather not provoke or approach an potential threat without some intel or plan of action, and since I have neither presently, we are not going to. We'll ignore the firelight, and continue on our journey towards Ginger Town. Lucifer, into the starry sky once more. Apsis, eyes and nose on the road ahead. Let's make it back to all our friends, safe and sound."

Order: If Lucifer can't find a way to communicate what's up with the place (and can't answer those question with a yes or no), Ventus is not going to bother with it! Resuming return trip to Ginger Town!

[Lord Windos]

*Flashback to before Ventus and co embarked on their return trip to Ginger Town!*

Just before the researcher and his ever faithful family member began their journey back to town, he suddenly realized that he never informed either Shiva, Nathan, or Valder of his errand for the Trax group and what it entailed for him to do. Ventus facepalmed at forgetting to do such an important task, before sighing and retrieving his phone from their pocket, flipping it open, and began to record a VM for each of his friends (That had a phone, that is!).

Shiva: "Greetings, Shiva! If you are wondering as to my current were abouts this evening/night, I'm doing a favor for our old friends Belle and Tramp that required me to venture out of town for a few hours. I'll be returning to the Pokémon Center approximately late at night or early morning, depending on various factors, so do not fret over my abscene for now. If I have not returned by then, however...then search the route heading towards Ginger Town, and see if you can't find me. Until we meet again, my mystical, darling witch!"

Nathan: "Warm welcomes, Nate! I just want to inform you before it gets to late that I'm currently doing a task for our old friends Belle and Tramp that require me to briefly leave Ginger Town. If successfully completed it, and am now proceeding back to town with Lucifer and Apsis leading me through the pitch black darkness, so worry not if you don't see me until later this night or on the dawn of the new day. If I have not arrived and contatcted either you or Shiva by then, though, send a search party to scour the route going towards Ginger Town for my presence. So until we reunite in the future, may Reshirim be with you and your cousin."

[Dragonstrike]

"Warm welcomes, Nate! I just want to inform you before it gets to late that I'm currently doing a task for our old friends Belle and Tramp that require me to briefly leave Ginger Town. If successfully completed it, and am now proceeding back to town with Lucifer and Apsis leading me through the pitch black darkness, so worry not if you don't see me until later this night or on the dawn of the new day. If I have not arrived and contatcted either you or Shiva by then, though, send a search party to scour the route going towards Ginger Town for my presence. So until we reunite in the future, may Reshirim be with you and your cousin."

Nathan gets that message pretty quickly.

It doesn't really help improve his mood much, unfortunately.

At least he knows he's unlikely to see Ventus return to the Center, though...

He sends a quick text response as well:

So are you participating in the Running or not?  Slots are very, very limited at this point, and you'll miss the chance if you don't register soon.  Well, unless you'd rather hop the barriers mid-run when there aren't any police or Shields watching...

[Lord Windos]

He sends a quick text response as well:

So are you participating in the Running or not?  Slots are very, very limited at this point, and you'll miss the chance if you don't register soon.  Well, unless you'd rather hop the barriers mid-run when there aren't any police or Shields watching...

Ventus was a bit surprised that Nathan responded so quickly to his voice message, but he never the less quickly selected the young trainer's number and promptly called him, his tone of voice quiet yet still full of cheer. "Hello, Nate! I didn't expect you to message me back so swiftly, given the trend of delays in our telecommincations, but I find it quite refreshing! As for you inquiry...I still have the desire to participate in the Running, but the number of League Officials scuttling around Ginger Town is somewhat of a discomforting discovery. I'm still somewhat on the fence as to join the event or not, but I have plans regardless of what I choose. Now that you bring this up, what are your designs for this Running, my friend? I'm well aware that the whole annual affair has put you in a foul state of mind since it was brought up, but I haven't heard what you intend to do about it. That, and Shiva informed me you having family participating in the event this year, so there is that factor to consider as well..."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

"We have all kinds of charms! This here is a tiny sliver of eggshell from a Chansey's egg, embedded in swirled glass. That's for luck. For protection, you want this Aron facemask or an Aron cufflink. Aron are a desirable species to encounter in the Running. People often fight over the chance to catch one. For speed, you can't beat these Doduo deelie-bobbers - a headband with two springs with Doduo heads attached. They swing back and forth as you run. They're made from actual Doduo feathers, so they're sure to charm your feet with speed. All our charms are $200."

Needless to say, but Shiva was rather interested in hearing everything about their crafted charms. Because...well, because charms. That's all she needed to hear.

She took a little time to take every of species of the offered charm into her hand to carefully examinate it from all sides. "Weird... That's the second time I hear about Aron being encounterable during The Running. I thought they're rather slow and not up for running at all, but maybe it's indeed nature that drives him to do so nevertheless... or hunger for railroad tracks." According to her image in the provided mirror, the headband with Doduo heads didn't look good on her, while she got the feeling that Meowth- or Litten-ears would. If very bold and for more style, Delphox-ears.  However, more speed is never wrong, especially if one's not very physically strong like Shiva was.

"So... These are actually intended for those that participate in the event, isn't it? I won't run by myself. But, more luck is always appreciated and I enjoy the swirl of the glass, so I'll take one consiting of the eggshell sliver of a Chansey's egg. Alright? There you go." *handing over 200$ and thankfully receiving one of the luck charms* "Many thanks! Even if it doesn't happen to bring me luck, it's a wonderful memento of the event. Well, see you then, and until then!~"

Off was she, on the way to the Pokemon Center. She didn't run  neither made haste since alongside the way she attatched the newly obtained charm to bagpack right next to the Talonflame she once received from Belle (and that brought her a Fletchling as they left town, hooray). Thinking about that, she began to wonder whether they are present here as well somewhere, camping with their RV or even participating with Miltank? Eh, likely not, she'd guess that they'd watch the event with great eager and fun.



*arriving at the Pokemon Center*

Alright, first up Shiva was slightly huffing that the main entrance at the front has been sealed off and she had to take the extra turn to get to the rear entrance. Can't blame them though, it's a safety measurement during The Running... Guessing from all the barriers and walls that has been put up on the Main Street, the Center was likely not the only place that closed the front entrance... Meh.

Anyway, priority for her was getting Braixen healed up. Fox did very well against Xiani and defeated Woobat to make room for Cottonee, but now he clearly needed some rest. "Greetings, Nurse Joy, I hope I'm not to late to get one of my Pokemon healed up? It's a Braixen, he's not fainted directly but unable to fight. No, my other Pokemon are fine, thank you." She thankfully handed the Pokeball containing her magical fox over into Nurse Joy's care. "I'll pick him up tomorrow morning then if that's alright. Besides, he's not...doing that well lately, been upset and sad due to something, in that order. Not because of me, I strongly doubt he doesn't like me as his Master, it's something else. Please take good care of him over the night, alright? I doubt he'll desire to eat something, but if he does, please let him have something." A hinto of sadness and worry could not be overheard in Shiva's voice. She still wasn't sure WHAT has agitated her fox, only assumptions... But it was more important to her to make her fox feel better than to dig for answers, so...

"Besides, you still have free dorms? I'll stay in town for a little and the beds of the Centers are rather comfortable compared to a tent. I don't mind not being able to see The Running from my dorm, in fact, I'd appreciate one facing the opposite direction and at the highest floor possible." ... ... ... "You have one? Perfect, thank you! Good night and until tomorrow if we don't see one another again." They keys of her dorm wandered into a pocket of skirt, the same one where she was keeping her occupied Pokeballs/party. Easier that way, and no need to openly show that she was a Trainer. Well, at least on her ID Card. (@Iron, if you want to add/change something about the obtaining of dorm or Nurse Joy has something to tell me, please do so and I'll edit this part to match.)

Once that has been wrapped up and she was in possession of a safe place to sleep and stay, Shiva got herself comfy at the PC next to the counter that everyone could freely use. More out of a whim and curiosity, she clicked herself through to the 'Phone/Video Call' Function and...but as expected, all the screen displayed was 'Connecting failed. Please try again later, or turn to Nurse Joy if you feel this is a consistent error.' Well, should have known, the connection to Castelia City was bad and if it does connect, it'll likely be out of pure luck.

Nevermind, placing Kyuu onto Bill's PC for now, not without feeling a little sorry for semi-parting ways with her psychic cat, she withdrew that modified Roggenrola into her party (Comite), and took notes in her star-patterned journal of its learnt and learn-able moveset from the info on the screen. She didn't find out more about that particular Pokemon beside what Nathan already told her... The thought that this Pokemon will gain Psychic as a second Type during first evolution kinda excited Shiva though. Another Psychic Type for her, nice.

She's concentrated and doesn't really expect to see Nathan around, so it'll be his call to approach her.

[Dragonstrike]

Ventus was a bit surprised that Nathan responded so quickly to his voice message, but he never the less quickly selected the young trainer's number and promptly called him, his tone of voice quiet yet still full of cheer. "Hello, Nate! I didn't expect you to message me back so swiftly, given the trend of delays in our telecommincations, but I find it quite refreshing! As for you inquiry...I still have the desire to participate in the Running, but the number of League Officials scuttling around Ginger Town is somewhat of a discomforting discovery. I'm still somewhat on the fence as to join the event or not, but I have plans regardless of what I choose. Now that you bring this up, what are your designs for this Running, my friend? I'm well aware that the whole annual affair has put you in a foul state of mind since it was brought up, but I haven't heard what you intend to do about it. That, and Shiva informed me you having family participating in the event this year, so there is that factor to consider as well..."

"I've got a lot of time to kill right now since I'm sitting around at the Center waiting for...oh, there she is.  Shiva just walked into the lobby...well, that's one less thing to worry about..."

Nathan's tone suddenly turns rather moody after that relieved sounding one.  "Ugh...as much as I dislike the event, I'm participating.  Not like I have much of a choice in the matter...my cousin's going to be helping me prepare for it...blegh..."

And then his tone becomes just a little...darker.  "Look, don't take joining the event lightly.  Particularly this year.  The authorities are the least of your concerns if you're running with the pokemon."

[Dragonstrike]

(Quick Flash Forward to get the ball rolling )

That phone call with Ventus didn't last too long.  He really wasn't in the mood for talking about this subject, but he HAS to...blegh...speaking of which, he still needs to tell Shiva before she...wanders...off...oh great...maybe he was in that phone call longer than he thought...

"Kirlia, can you go get Shiva please?"

Kirlia nods, and then...

*blip*

...Teleports right next to her.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

As said before, Shiva was there on the PC with the journal on her arm, writting down the learnable moveset of Comite into it with the hand of the other arm from the screen. Let's see... Ancient Power interested her... Extrasensory as well... Oh well. There still were issues to introduce herself as the Master of that astral rock, her father advised her to be wary with that Pokemon seemingly originating from space and she GLADLY listens to that... However, maybe it was especially this what made this Comite so interesting to her. Plus, she was hoping for it to succeed at the Gym...

However, she wasn't THAT concentrated to completely loose track of her surrounding, she doesn't allow this in the Center. Arceus knew what would happen if she did. Therefore, she only was mildly startled over the sudden appearance of a well known Psychic-Fairy right next to her, and threw a glance from the side to him with a greeting smile before looking down on her writing again. Moonblast at 56...

"Hey there, Kirlia. You're Master's around too?~"

[Dragonstrike]

However, she wasn't THAT concentrated to completely loose track of her surrounding, she doesn't allow this in the Center. Arceus knew what would happen if she did. Therefore, she only was mildly startled over the sudden appearance of a well known Psychic-Fairy right next to her, and threw a glance from the side to him with a greeting smile before looking down on her writing again. Moonblast at 56...

"Hey there, Kirlia. You're Master's around too?~"

Kirlia frowns a little when Shiva turns back to her notes.  He was trying to catch her attention, and she was half ignoring him.  He crosses his arms and gives her an unamused look that could say 'of course he's around' when Shiva looks back in his direction.  Then he points to where Nathan's sitting.  Nathan looks rather unamused as well, but he motions to Shiva to come over to the table.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Giving him another glance after having copied the last move from screen, Shiva gave Kirlia a...weird expression. Half suprised over the slightly harsh reaction, half playful over how adorable a angered Kirlia looked like. "Well, do excuse me that I'm busy with my stuff! Didn't know you and Nathan would show up here, and I wanted to head upstairs right away..." *closing the journal, packing it away and logging of from PC* "Alright, alright, I'm coming then..."

She followed Nathan's winking and Kirlia's lead to the table he resided, looking somewhat amused and delighted despite being intercepted. Must be the aftermaths of seeing Xiani again as well as having just bought another charm for her growing collection. "Greetings, Nathan! Didn't expected to see you here, thought you'll be more than busy with your cousin. So, did you found him and what's wrong that you need me at all?~ I wanted to head upstairs into dorm right away, but then Kirlia happened."