[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

(cue Ventus interrupting now as well, I guess?)

As the heartfelt moment between Nathan and Shiva winded down to calm and comfortable ease with each other, and with Heart himself going off to chart the way forward and forwarn the group of treachery/visceral threats, Ventus knew that now was the time to re-intergrate with his friend. He returned Michael to thier Pokeball (But not before giving them and knuckle bump for their excellent work!), he slowly crept out of his hole on the wall hideout and made his way towards the boy, taking care not to make any  jarring noise that would give him and spoil his surprise. When Shiva saw him, the empath held a finger in a 'shushing' gesture to hold the lass of from giving away his movements, until he was right behind the unsuspecting trainer.

Then, in one smooth, swift motion, he wrapped his arms around Nate's midsection and hoisted him up into a great big Bewear style hug! "Oh Nate, its a relief that you braved the Running yet again with nary a scrape, and have managed to find a potential partner for Swiftfire in Skiddo! I'm afraid my prospect when far more meager, but I'm still greatfull for what you accomplished! Reshirim be praised indeed!" he said, twirling around the boy in exuberant joy before placing them back down on their feet to recover from his affectionate embrace! He then moved over to Shiva and gave her much less intense, but never the less still delighted hug. "I'm glad to hear that you had a safe and bountiful time as well, dear! Perhaps you can show me Tropius later, as I never had the chance to meet one in person myself!"

[Dragonstrike]

"ACK!!!"

Kirlia's chuckling.  He'd sensed Ventus creeping up again, but just let it happen once more.  Nathan could use some good cheer still.

Swiftfire, however, perks up REALLY quickly when Ventus says 'potential partner.'  She looks at the Skiddo in a way that sorta says 'back off.'  

Nathan has to run in and seperate her a little from Skiddo before things get ugly (and he misses Ventus saying 'dear' again as a result).  "I'm sure he's a nice Skiddo, girl.  No need to get aggressive.  We don't want a repeat of last time, right?"

Swiftfire snorts.  Hmph.  Fine.  That goat had another thing coming if he thought this was going to be easy for him, though.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Lol, what's with all these hugs lately? Maybe that tarn or the visible section of the Skull Ruins bewitched them all somehow? How weird... On the other hand, it was pleasant to see that things between them seemed to be that fine to share these kind gestures.

Just as Shiva thought that she would be safe from Ven's arms since they were entangled around Nathan currently, he let go and huged her again. This time though, it didn't came as unexpected as Nathan's sudden antics and she even made it to carefully return it. While Skiddo's fur was pleasant to touch, green tweed was still just as well. She was wondering though where Ven came from so coincidently suddenly - she strongly assumed he must have kept himself hidden somewhere and appear at the right moment. O-kay... "Ven... Where did you com- anyway. But, nice to see that you seem fine as well, sure you can see that Tropius later in Stair... Since when do you call me 'dear?'"

[Iron]

Heart scrambles up a wall to get a good view. He can see Stair City from here! In another half mile, you'll be past the blockade.

He sees something else too, though: to the west, the Skull Ruins have changed! The white figures have disappeared. A really big stone from the center of the barrow downs has shifted about 20 meters. Also, raging thick vines have covered EVERYTHING in the area. You can barely make out the shape of the old walls and the barrow down hills. Some of the vines are clumped together and moving.

Looks like Route 04 is mostly clear, though a few questing vines have come near to its southern end!

[Lord Windos]

Swiftfire, however, perks up REALLY quickly when Ventus says 'potential partner.'  She looks at the Skiddo in a way that sorta says 'back off.'  

Nathan has to run in and seperate her a little from Skiddo before things get ugly (and he misses Ventus saying 'dear' again as a result).  "I'm sure he's a nice Skiddo, girl.  No need to get aggressive.  We don't want a repeat of last time, right?"

Swiftfire snorts.  Hmph.  Fine.  That goat had another thing coming if he thought this was going to be easy for him, though.

The researcher was both bemused and curious about Swiftfire's sudden coldness towards the grassy goat, and couldn't help but ask Nate : "I didn't realize your horse was a Tsundere, Nate, but it makes sense in hindsight given the behavior I've observed! Pray tell, what is this 'last time' you allude to? Hopefully nothing too dreadful, I imagine!"

(Ven just likes hugs, my dear! Nothing wrong with that, now is there?)

Just as Shiva thought that she would be safe from Ven's arms since they were entangled around Nathan currently, he let go and huged her again. This time though, it didn't came as unexpected as Nathan's sudden antics and she even made it to carefully return it. (...) O-kay... "Ven... Where did you com- anyway. But, nice to see that you seem fine as well, sure you can see that Tropius later in Stair... Since when do you call me 'dear?'"

Ven chuckled at her remarks, ending the hug between them a taking few steps back to return the personal space he'd stolen just prior moments ago, before he answered her in his usually calming tone of voice. "I was stacked out in a crevise in this funnel's wall a little ways ahead, holding watch while everyone escaped the Running, or if something disasterous happened. Thankfully, all went splendidly with you, Nate, and Heart, though I notice Valder isn't here with us, though I'm sure he's fine. Thank you for accepting my request, Shiva! Maybe I can share some of my photographs of the Pokémon I worked with in the past as a way to pass time together during then? As for why I call you dear...." the researcher replied, before he rubbed the back of his orange hair in a cheerfully admonished way.

"Well, its because you are so dear to me. If you prefer, I can just refer to you as friend or your given name, if that would be more to your pleasure. I would hate to make you uncomfortable because I kept addressing you in ways you dislike...."

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Heart scrambles up a wall to get a good view. He can see Stair City from here! In another half mile, you'll be past the blockade.

He sees something else too, though: to the west, the Skull Ruins have changed! The white figures have disappeared. A really big stone from the center of the barrow downs has shifted about 20 meters. Also, raging thick vines have covered EVERYTHING in the area. You can barely make out the shape of the old walls and the barrow down hills. Some of the vines are clumped together and moving.

Looks like Route 04 is mostly clear, though a few questing vines have come near to its southern end!

Heart took some seconds thinking what the hell is happening and decided to return to his group. He see Ventus return and begin to talk: "Good to know you are okay Ventus. And sorry if I yell to you hear Shiva. I couldn't came a little more closely because of... reasons." He couldn't avoid to quick look Nathan. 

"Anyway, I have good and bad news. Good news: We are close to Star City, just a half mile from here we can go to the blockade. Bad news: The skull ruins is... strange. There is a stone 20 meters from the center Barrow down. But there is thick vines covering all the area. The walls, the barrows down in the hills. The mostly strange it's some of the vines is...clumped together and even moving, like a strange hentai nightmare from japan. But thanks Arceus some of route 4 is clear and the white figures is gone. What you people want to do?"

[Dragonstrike]

The researcher was both bemused and curious about Swiftfire's sudden coldness towards the grassy goat, and couldn't help but ask Nate : "I didn't realize your horse was a Tsundere, Nate, but it makes sense in hindsight given the behavior I've observed! Pray tell, what is this 'last time' you allude to? Hopefully nothing too dreadful, I imagine!"

Swiftfire GLARES at Ventus at that comment.  Nope, she was done with this nonsense.  Nathan recalls her before things get even uglier...

"That 'last time' was when she gave one of the other ponyta on the ranch a chance.  And when they turned out to be the complete opposite of what she expected, she roughed them up.  Badly.  That particular ponyta has avoided her completely ever since, and none of the others have even thought about trying (not that she particularly cared about that).  That happened only a couple months ago.  Max had to take some extreme disciplinary action with her after that..."

Nathan looks at Skiddo next.  "So if you want a good shot at her, don't let her down, and give her space if she needs some.  She's a very independent individual, so you've got a long ways to go before you get through to her."

If there's one thing Nathan knows, it's ponyta.  He had a feeling Swiftfire might warm up to this Skiddo eventually...she at least wasn't rejecting him entirely right now...

[Nylon]

(8)(6)


The stream is fading away as the Pokemon reach the peaks of the Divide. All that's left is a grumpy Snubbull trying to keep up with the pack.

 "Froakie's turn".

Froakie will use spam Bubble and attempt to use it twice on turn 1. I'll swap out to Pilo if health reaches 1 or 2.

Bubble: 7dmg. 6acc. 1 CD to lower speed.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Worrysome as ever, but it was pleasant to hear that Ven decided to just keep watch over them from a secure spot. "Oh, Valder's still in the horde of Running Pokemon? Guess we, eh, should wait for him to join us as well before we move on on our path, should we? Even if you assume he's fine... Arceus knows what he might run into."

"Oh, and if you have an photographs or drawings of Umbreon, I gladly see those, thanks! Doesn't have to be now. You also, ehm... " Slight blush incoming! "...can call me in any way you prefer."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

That apology from Heart was silently accepted. At hearing about these vines though... Wheren't there some sort of vines in that vision Kirlia gave them while they were visiting Nathan in the infirmary?

Figuratively rummaging in her mind, she found out ...THERE WERE. And if they're connected with the Skull Ruins, this surely didn't mean anything good. Not at all. The fear and respect for the Ruins increases. "We have to continue the path if we want to reach Stair, but I feel we have enough Fire Typed Pokemon to get by just in case?"