[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

Flame Charge wears off after a time. Absol stays teasingly in sight - visible behind that boulder, over that hill, through that tree.

When you reach sight of Vapor Falls, Absol pauses. You see Heart engaged in battle atop the highest point of the falls; he's fighting a man dressed in monk robes who moves around just as much as his Pokemon do.

Absol adopts a perch atop a different boulder, since the highest is occupied. He does not spare a glance for the combatants. He does send an anxious glance southwest, where his gaze lingers a moment longer than necessary. He waits in that pose for you to catch up.

Kirlia pats Swiftfire. She deserves a break. Whether you withdraw her or not, Absol leaps from boulder to boulder until he is down at the base of the falls. Then it's time for a swim - he leaps as close as he can, and then begins swimming on behind the crashing water!

[Dragonstrike]

Absol adopts a perch atop a different boulder, since the highest is occupied. He does not spare a glance for the combatants. He does send an anxious glance southwest, where his gaze lingers a moment longer than necessary. He waits in that pose for you to catch up.

Kirlia pats Swiftfire. She deserves a break. Whether you withdraw her or not, Absol leaps from boulder to boulder until he is down at the base of the falls. Then it's time for a swim - he leaps as close as he can, and then begins swimming on behind the crashing water!

Well shoot.  Now Nathan sorta wishes he hadn't boxed Starmie.  And brought three fire types.

But whatever's going on, it's happening behind that waterfall...

Nathan recalls Swiftfire (with a very, very grateful 'thank you' involved), exchanges a look with Kirlia...and then the two of them follow...

[Iron]

The crowd of Runners has thinned substantially. Only the top tier of athletes have more stamina than Ventus - what DID he do in his previous life? - plus many of them tapped out in fear of the Absol, and are currently hiding in their homes with their loved ones. Ventus is one of a dozen runners - but there's still dozens of Pokemon!

Stantler Intimidates your Pokemon!

Michael: (5)*
Raphael: (5)
Stantler: (5)

Stantler Round 1

After You
(6)(6)(6)
Michael is moved to the top of the order, from the bottom of that Dex tie.

Spore
(4)(3)(3)
Stantler falls asleep!

Charm
(4)(2)
-2 Str for Stantler

Stun Spore
(4)(3) Stantler is also paralyzed!

Aura Sphere
(3)(6)(4) with Intimidate Stantler takes 3 dmg 4/7hp -1 pain

Absorb
8 dice, -6 actions = 2 dice
(6)(4)
(4)(2) Stantler takes 1 dmg 3/7hp -2 pain

Absorb
(2)

Insight: (1)(4)

Stantler Round 2

Absorb
(5)(4)(2)(5)
(2)(2)

Aura Sphere
(4)(4)(1) That'll do it! Stantler faints. He's at -7 Will.

Flash Ball: Ventus captures an awesome photo of a dozen stampeding Pokemon and a few sweating, scared Runners having the time of their life. Bouffalant Bill manages to look directly into the Flash Ball as it goes off, smiling. Even his sweat looks good.
(6)(4)
Luck: (2)

Stantler was caught

2XP to Ventus, Raphael, Breloom.

Stantler has Intimidate, Me First, Tackle, Hypnosis, and Sand Attack. He will be grumpy when he wakes up, hoo boy.

Ah crap, is that a Tauros coming up behind Ventus, head lowered? Too tired to outrun it...Ventus puts a hand on the barrier and vaults out into the crowd. Many of them applaud him! Nurse Joy comes up to offer him a steadying shoulder and to help him with his (unharmed) Pokemon. She mumbles that the Center has a charity program for beasties captured during the Running, if he doesn't need that Stantler. The Pokemon are sold at auction or released back into the wild after some rehabilitation.

But that'll be a great hologram to upload to your Pokedex, Ventus!

[Lord Windos]

Stantler was caught

2XP to Ventus, Raphael, Breloom.

Stantler has Intimidate, Me First, Tackle, Hypnosis, and Sand Attack. He will be grumpy when he wakes up, hoo boy.

Ah crap, is that a Tauros coming up behind Ventus, head lowered? Too tired to outrun it...Ventus puts a hand on the barrier and vaults out into the crowd. Many of them applaud him! Nurse Joy comes up to offer him a steadying shoulder and to help him with his (unharmed) Pokemon. She mumbles that the Center has a charity program for beasties captured during the Running, if he doesn't need that Stantler. The Pokemon are sold at auction or released back into the wild after some rehabilitation.

But that'll be a great hologram to upload to your Pokedex, Ventus!

"Haaa...haaa....haaa.....by Reshirim's flames, we cut it rather close in taking our leave from the Running, were we not my family? Won't...Shiva be pleasantly surprised by the...gift I'm planning to give her, among...other things I have in store for...my friends. ...If they are willing to forgive me for my follies, that is...," Ventus said to himself and his Raphael/Michael, hand on knees and half bent to the group trying to catch his breath and regain his balance narrowly ecasping being gored by ANOTHER Tauros. Did he snatch their close brother/friend, and wanted to enact some poignant revenge upon his posterior? That would be just his luck, wouldn't it? Well, at least that frantic event was no literally behind, and he can take some respite as he plans ahead as to how to repair his now very tenuous friendship with Nate...

When the local Nurse Joy came to offer to assist him in his greatly exhausted state and asses the condition, he gladly accepted it, and carefully listened to the charity program she brought to his attention. The researcher thought it over briefly for a moment...before silently deciding against it. 'While I would love to support the local caretaking and non-profit social/medical care organizations, I need all the resources that can be gained from my captures for myself and my friends. Hopefully the town doesn't suffer overly from my pragmatic and fiscal mindset concerning my captures. Hmm...perhaps I can send some Poke later, when I'm not scrapping the Bibarwel as I am right now,' the sociologist though, before he returned both his Pokémon after they where given a clean bill of health by the Nurse and asked her to escort him to the Pokémon Center.

While Ven highly appreciated the praise he receiving for his admittedly outlandish performance and safeguarding he conducted during the Running, especially in light of his recent failings in regards with his personal life, right now he desired the peaceful respite that the Center offered to recover from his ordeal(s). That, and he needed to do some party management for the upcoming business deals he's about to conduct in the near future. If some curious spectators or the media wanted to interview him for the stunts he pulled, they could very well wait until he's in better shape and mind first!

Order: Have Ventus make his way towards the Pokémon Center, swap out Haneal, Lucifer, and Abbadon for Stantler, Kangushkan, and Absol, have him take a long enough rest to regain his stamina and not collapse if he decides to wander around town for a bit, before leaving and seeking out to get a series of trades started! Once that is done, he'll seek out Dr. Mallorn/contact him via phone call and arrange an exchange for that Tauros, before seeing what else he could do for the day, now that the Running is officially over for him.... I'll PM you with the details of what I have in mind for Stantler and Kangushkan. Between those two Normal types, maybe its possible for Ven to normalize his current status with both Shiva and Nathan...

[Iron]

Nathan and Kirlia work their way behind the waterfall. They stand in the rapids at its base, soaking wet. Then they dive through after the Absol and its mysterious scar.

Behind is a cliff of multicolored rock, in pinks and orange and white. One stone glows with a faint purple light, and Absol stands before it. When Nathan or Kirlia touch this stone, it vibrates faintly, feeling slightly ephemeral, but it does not yield.

The horn on Absol's head energizes. Nathan recognizes a Night Slash, and wonders for a moment if Ventus was right. But the feline aims the blade at the purple rock. In a clash of power, the purple region fizzles away and vanishes, leaving a little opening just large enough to squeeze through. With catlike grace, Absol does exactly that! I assume Nathan follows.

Inside is a wonderful cave, big enough for an Onix to unfold with room to spare. Absol has landed in the center of the room; the floor is dusty, but looks as though it has been disturbed quite recently, as if by wind. The walls are perfectly smooth, except near the top where they have been carved into whirling designs reminiscent of waves on a lake. The ceiling bears the same pattern between parallel arches. The perimeter of the cave follows no geometric pattern, suggesting an existing cave was worked into what you see before you.

There's a thin stream of water running the length of the cave. In this, a marble pedestal is mounted, water splashing against its base. A bright purple gem is set within the pedestal. Strange runes you cannot read are etched around the marble.

The cavern is lit in dramatic pink light, coming from a shimmering transparent wall which seals off the southwestern portion of the room. Within, a globe of pure water floats in the air. Inside is a sleeping Pokemon, glowing with power. Its two tails, fairylike appearance, and red gems show it to be Mesprit, the Legendary Pokemon!

Absol cuffs Kirlia again, playfully but with some force, sending the dancer to the ground. Kirlia laughs a bit at the idea, but looks rather worried too. His master seems to trust this Pokemon. Absol gives a bark when Nathan lays eyes on the contents of the cave, and leaps out through the entrance with a splash.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

The scarred Absol races toward Route 02, leaving the Town behind. It shudders for a moment as it leaps over the Route Gate, its expression pained, but it lands on the other side and you pursue.

It races past the Daycare pasture, not caring that it's exciting all the Pokemon inside.

3 Insight + 2 Survival + 0 Alert -2 distance modifier (5)(4)(5) Shiva hears the commotion outside and peers out a window (if she wants to). She sees first the Scarred Absol racing by just south of the Daycare, heading toward the Falls. Then she sees Nathan on Swiftfire in pursuit! They're obviously going to arrive well ahead of her, but she knows which direction they went.

Alright, seeing on-screen how that special - yes, obviously special - Absol was heading in the same direction that she takes when going to the Daycare, worried her. Even more when she saw Nathan following it! Looks like THIS was the reason why he joined the Running at all...yeah, likely. Strange thing though that almost immediately after him came a weird suspicous person following Nathan going after that one special Absol..., Shiva could not help but to facepalm on this. Must have knoooown he might be in disguise! Must have known he'd take extr caution! No wonder she didn't spotted or found him anywhere yesterday... Wasn't sure that this was him, but who else could it be, actually?

It could be a Stalker, some random mad person or someone secret from the League sanctioned for especially such cases given that Ninja-like appearance, my dear.
....possible.

Probably receiving weird or worried looks from the Daycare owners. "Oh... Sorry, nevermind, it's just that this person in disguise could be one of my party members. Yes, exactly that person. Nevermind... Excuse me for a moment, I'll check how my Pokemon are doing. From the window, I don't want to go out NOW if the most part of town in in chaos!"

Sidelining the curtain decorating the window and taking care not to harm the pottet plant that was standing there, she indeed pretended to do nothing else than look out for her Pokemon in the pasture, when she was actually awaiting whether they pass by here. At all. They should actually, but hopefully not.... How wrong she was though! After what felt like not much more than 30 seconds, that elusive Absol raced by south with quite a speed, it wasn't much more than a white and black flash to her. A few more seconds later, a familiar person on a familiar firely horse rushed by, chasing it. Nice... they riled up alll the Pokemon there, if she wasn't mistaken, she even saw the Eevee she battled earlier glaring ath the intruders in a way that she never expected from this Evolution-Pokemon.

How about another independant Training Session for my Pokemon, does the time allow this?

I had somethin' like this in mind:

- Nightshade (Cherubi), startled by the rushing by Absol and person on a fierly horse, jumps directly into Cottonee for safety, remebering how she hosted her in her fluff back when acquirering her from that withered cherry tree. Cottonee allows that again, and is encouraged by the fluffball to restore some of her spirits by leech seeding some energy out of nearby plants (not too much to kill them though!)

- Nightshade does as encouraged, and thanks to the 1XP gained through this, magically learns how to brighten up the sun for additional comfort! Cottonee of course greatly enjoys this, and practices her Growth-move in the sun.

--------------
Mechanics:
There is a reason I'm eager to have Sunny Day available before facing the Gym, it has to so with some thinking-outside-the-lame-box (I'll discuss privately with you whether what I have in mind is even possible, Iron.) Since Shiva is currently feeling like a cowardly Snubbull for prefering to stay inside the daycare's safety while the others of her group are brave, the Gym Battle just got more important for Chara Development~

Sighing impercible and preventing the worry (and slight annoyance to be disturbed) grow intense, she slid the curtain back into place and resumed her place on the couch among the Daycare owners and beside Helios, who was snoring the whole event away. Shiva was not dumb, she took caution that if she'd have to intercept in any means - though she wasn't sure whet emans could lure her to leave the safety of the Daycare - she'd have a fast way to get where she wanted to. THE fastest way was Teleport.

Nor showing any of her concerns on the outiside, resuming drinking tea is it. And turning to Golda. "So... Uhm did I miss anything? Like, any more appearances of that elusive person in disguise?"


---------------
Mechanics:
You stated that the camera went directly on disguised Ven as he 'came back for more!', but Shiva missed that. However, if Golda tells her about this... Chances are she might consider teleporting to the Center to await him there. He HAS to come to the Center at some point, and I fear his disguise is flashy enough that she'd spot him despite chaos inside the Center.

[Iron]

That sounds like it should work! Ventus, just let us know if you are still in disguise or not when you get back to the Center.
Shiva could also meet you on your way out from your rest, since you went right to the Center after the Running.

"There was a bold man in a headband who jumped BACK INTO the Running! You'd have to be nuts, if you ask me. Then I stopped watching too."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

At hearing THAT, Shiva could not help but to double-facepalm. Either that bold man was weird person looking for attention the dangerous and foolish way, or it was indeed a familiar researcher originating from the same region as she does.

...her feelings told her it was the latter. Great. (Though she isn't 'sure' though!) However, why did he came back then? Either he lost Nathan, he cottoned on that messing with him and that Absol would be madness in many ways - eh, likely not that, she felt like this whole chaos of the Absol appearing only increased his wish to protect by any means - or it was some other weird reason that she doesn't comprehend. Or catching more Pokemon?

Withdrawing her hands and cleaning glasses, she felt verly worried, annoyed, exhausted and depressed of all this, though barely anything was visible in her expression as she put glasses back on and had a clear mind and eyesight again. Things are prone fall back on her and plea for her interception when they get chaotic, do they? Eh...

"Uhm... do excuse me then, Golda, but it looks like I INDEED have to get to the Center. Immediately. Sorry for this, I'll be fine, I'll come back to retrive my Pokemon from the pasture, no time to explain! Up with you, Helios, I need you and your psychic powers!~" These words were enough to wake the Abra and have him salute at his Master, waiting for orders. "Oh... and thanks for the tea!"

First thing Shiva noticed as she stepped outside the door of the Daycare - not before carefully peeking whether it was safe to leave the house - was that it got warmer. Almost hot. The sun was brighter... Could it be that one of her Grass Types... That'd be aaaaawesome and prefectly timed, but sadly she had no time to check on that now. Turning to her Abra instead. "Alright Helios, we need to teleport to the Center of the town. Preferably to the rear entrance if possible, somewhere around there is a person I wish to encounter or wait for, so off we go!"


---------------
Mechanics:
Upon arriving at the Center with Teleport, I'll wait for Ventus to either come around or see if I cannot spot him inside, depends on what the timeline of events allows. Doesn't matter whether he's in disguise or not, Shiva will look out for both, and she will NOT let him go once she found him. However, she is not coming for him to reason or scolding him but rather with a worried and gloomy attitude, so Ven has actually no reason to avoid her since his empathy should be able to pick that attitude up. @Lord Windos, waiting for you now on this!~

[Nylon]

Oo, look, Valder is on TV too!

He encounters....(4)(3) Miltank!


Froakie: (3) +6 = 9
Theo: (3) + 6 - 9
Miltank's init: (4) + 3 Dex + 1 Survival = 8

 Valder looks at the happy cow running on like a river of milk. "Theo, You're upppp! Use your refined Night Slash, that should work! But make sure you don't do anything lethal."


Night Slash: 4 + 3 + 1 =8dmg. 3 + 2 + 0 =5acc. 4 succeses needed for crit.

[Iron]

@Nylon, if you'd like me to auto your character at all, you can let me know whether you have the intent to catch or merely to defeat a given Pokemon.