[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

"My defenses worked fine, luckily. I SUGGEST, you work more with those volatile Pokemon until they are as obedient as machines."

Nathan quietly nods, looking rather embarrassed.  That was clearly a bit more than a suggestion...

"...thank you for your time and assistance, Dagny.  Well, if that's all for now, it's probably about time we collected what you've offered and be on our way....do keep me updated if something happens at the Ruins.  Until we meet on the battlefield, Steel Wonder.  I'm looking forward to it...even though Kirlia definitely isn't..."

Kirlia makes a 'blegh' face.  As polite as he's trying to be, he doesn't like this building much at all.

"...yes, Kirlia, I know.  Yes, you can stay in your pokeball for a bit.  Don't worry, I've got Forthright here to keep me company."

Kirlia stares at Nathan for a bit, but then sighs and just quietly goes into the dull premier ball.  Nathan would be fine...though he still wonders what the heck his friend is thinking...

Frothright's actually giving Nathan a worried, sorta scared look too.  Now that Nathan's actually paying attention to it...

"...oh, did I scare you earlier?  It's fine, I wasn't angry with you."  He gives her what's hopefully a comforting hug.  Ah, the comfort of holding what might as well be a cloud...she seems to be enjoying the Primal Altaria Down, too.  All the better for keeping her snug and warm...and hopefully feeling safe and protected and such...

Before they'll head there though (if Ven is fine with that, that is), she'll swap her party at the PC in the Lobby Dagny mentioned. This is where Nathan can catch her up.

Nathan had just received the nugget and Beldum (2 Happiness and Loyalty with Clear Body, right, @Iron?), and he wanted to check up on his newest pokemon, make sure it was fine staying in the PC for a little bit.  Being a Steel type, and part of an evolution line known for its logical thought processes, he figured it was probably fine.  It probably didn't need the same attention that Forthright does.  He just wanted to double check, though.

...and Shiva just so happens to be using the PC already...well, best get this over with...he gives Forthright a squeeze to calm his nerves.  She squirms a little to get in a comfortable position, but she figures Nathan means well.  She doesn't really understand what's going on, but she's happy to have all this attention.

"...*ahem*...uh, Shiva...?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Shiva does not look up from the keyboard as Nathan caught her attention, but she shows that she noticed him by giving him a short glance in a faint smile before she began to hit keys again. "I'm done here right away, Nathan, just give me a minute or so..."

Apart from swapping in her party, she typed up a quick Thank-You-message to send it home to her father.

[Dragonstrike]

Shiva does not look up from the keyboard as Nathan caught her attention, but she shows that she noticed him by giving him a short glance in a faint smile before she began to hit keys again. "I'm done here right away, Nathan, just give me a minute or so..."

Apart from swapping in her party, she typed up a quick Thank-You-message to send it home to her father.

Nathan patiently and quietly waits, Forthright in his arms still.  He'll definitely look like he has something on his mind when Shiva turns around...

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Having finished her business, she loggs out of PC, dusts of her skirt and adjusts her glasses, before making room for Nathan to use the PC. It doesn't take long for her to realize something. "...Oh, come on, Nathan, I can literally feel that somethings up with you. Speak it out, if you like."

As for that Castform in his arms, it's only 'partially transparent', so possible to see it. "How cute you are, young one! Want a cookie? ...Oh, nope, wait, I need to buy new ones first... Sorry! But you're still as sweet as the pirsif berries baked into them."

[Dragonstrike]

Having finished her business, she loggs out of PC, dusts of her skirt and adjusts her glasses, before making room for Nathan to use the PC. It doesn't take long for her to realize something. "...Oh, come on, Nathan, I can literally feel that somethings up with you. Speak it out, if you like."

As for that Castform in his arms, it's only 'partially transparent', so possible to see it. "How cute you are, young one! Want a cookie? ...Oh, nope, wait, I need to buy new ones first... Sorry! But you're still as sweet as the pirsif berries baked into them."

Doesn't stop Forthright from burying herself as faaaaarrrr down as she can in the Primal Altaria Down.  She likes attention from Nathan, but she's still not comfortable with anyone else's...

Nathan gives her another comforting hug.  "It's fine, Forthright.  She's a friend, alright?  She's not going to harm you or anything..."

Nope, she was staying RIGHT THERE.  Where it's SAFE and WARM and COMFORTABLE.

"...*sigh*...I'm sorry, Shiva...it's...a lot of pressure.  I just...don't want to screw this up..."

...

"...could I trouble you for a battle later?  Not a typical one, though.  I need to use some of my less practiced pokemon a bit more, and...well, I'd like Forthright to see what a proper pokemon battle is like as well before she gets involved in one herself.  I was thinking about maybe using Little Cup rules for it..."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

'A lot of pressure', he says? Huh, what was the issue now of all costs? The Vines are defeated, they won the battle, his family only lost one member of Stable Z and ... Oh. Wait a moment, was it the raising of small newly hatched Pokemon that pressured him? Possible, but Shiva does not fully understand why it could be so, seeing that this Castform was comfortable with him... Was he not used to the responsibility that comes with such a task? Well, there's nothing really wrong about placing a newly hatched Pokemon onto the PC, that's common not only in her family as not every professional breeder has the luxury of a room especially for a nursery to keep the young ones entertained outside of PC while they wait for their new owner to pick them up. Shiva was lucky that her familiy was affluent enough to have such a room in their home-daycare, and even luckier that that one Eevee especially enjoyed playing with her while she was there, eventually being allowed to stay instead of being given to her new owner.

This reminded her on Pancham, and a small but sharp pain ran through Shiva's delicate heart. It had nothing to do with how he was resting on the PC for quite a while now.

Eh, nope, but there was one more thought... What was left, was to gain the favor and aid from Mesprit, and this depends on Nathan... Well, the journey through the region sure leaves barely any opportunity out to give him something to chew on. Well well then, she has done nothing to Kirlia to mess with him, in fact it was even Shiva who evolved him. Unintentionally, but it still counts.


...My dear, Nathan has asked you a question, stop overthinking things!
Eeeeek! Sorry!

Shaking her head to clear her mind and come back to planet earth, she gave Nathan a PRETTY unimpressed and reluctant staaaaaare at his request for a battle.


Initiate reaction: Nope, please get lost and never mention it towards me ever again if you don't want to be slapped with a book.
Secondary reaction: Oh, Little Cup Rules... huuuuuummmmmmmm.

Very very carefully and subtle, mischief awoke in her and formed a tiny hint of a smile on her expression. That could be something, and the secondary effect to helping a small young Pokemon getting used to the uncomfortable harshness of battling sounds sweet and noble. It took a little until she replied to him, still starring at him, but clearly not in an intimidating way anymore. In fact, it feels like she was playing with the laid-out bait, pondering about whether she shall pounce at it or not. "You...are aware of how I have quite a pool of Pokemon allowed in Little Cup to choose from, some of them are my main battlers even, in comparison to you, are you? You're sure you want to go through that?"

[Dragonstrike]

Initiate reaction: Nope, please get lost and never mention it towards me ever again if you don't want to be slapped with a book.
Secondary reaction: Oh, Little Cup Rules... huuuuuummmmmmmm.

Very very carefully and subtle, mischief awoke in her and formed a tiny hint of a smile on her expression. That could be something, and the secondary effect to helping a small young Pokemon getting used to the uncomfortable harshness of battling sounds sweet and noble. It took a little until she replied to him, still starring at him, but clearly not in an intimidating way anymore. In fact, it feels like she was playing with the laid-out bait, pondering about whether she shall pounce at it or not. "You...are aware of how I have quite a pool of Pokemon allowed in Little Cup to choose from, some of them are my main battlers even, in comparison to you, are you? You're sure you want to go through that?"

Kirlia ALMOST forces his way out of his pokeball.  Almost.  The split second change in Shiva's thought process changes his mind, but he's monitoring things carefully, ready to intervene if things start spiraling out of Nathan's control...Nathan can easily tell Kirlia's on edge...

...he can do this, though...deep breaths...

"...my selection might be smaller and not as well honed with the sole exception of Grid, but that doesn't matter right now.  Never mind that all but one of them are weak to fire, and two thirds of them are weak to Rock."

...

"...you can decide the exact terms, if you like...I don't know...I...kinda thought this might be...fun for a change, or something...I guess...I'd actually been looking forward to trying out that Little Cup tournament, to be honest...and it'd be good practice for everyone as well, I'm sure..."

He's definitely trying his hardest to not come across as taking this too seriously, though he is shifting around nervously while he's waiting for a response.  He doesn't expect to win this if Shiva accepts...not easily, anyways...

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

More pondering.
More overthinking.
More starring at Nathan.
More playing with the bait, UNTIL...

...her inner Umbreon pounced at the bait, sinking its suprisingly sharp teeth deeply into it while purring over the succeeded catch.



"I want this to be a friendly battle, please. NO COMPARISON to that one me and Ven held against you the last time. Does a 4vs4 Double in the park belonging to the GPC sound alright to you? I actually don't want to bet money on this, but instead make it an enjoyable and fair Training for us... I won't explicitly try to overwhelm or mess with you, mind you, but neither of us shall hold back simply for the other. If this sounds fine to you, we can do that tonight. Not now, I'm sorry for this - I have some business in city that I desire to finish at first, part of this is tagging along with Ventus. We can meet up right there in the park then if you agree to this."

[Dragonstrike]

"I want this to be a friendly battle, please. NO COMPARISON to that one me and Ven held against you the last time. Does a 4vs4 Double in the park belonging to the GPC sound alright to you? I actually don't want to bet money on this, but instead make it an enjoyable and fair Training for us... I won't explicitly try to overwhelm or mess with you, mind you, but neither of us shall hold back simply for the other. If this sounds fine to you, we can do that tonight. Not now, I'm sorry for this - I have some business in city that I desire to finish at first, part of this is tagging along with Ventus. We can meet up right there in the park then if you agree to this."

Nathan actually flinches a little when the proverbial teeth sink in.

"...that's fine.  I'll...meet ya at the park later..."

[Spiritmon]

Heart then tooks a few moments. He put the little egg in his party. It will take time to hatch the little one, but better then nothing. He sends Aron the PC and put the Beldum egg. Then he heads towards the reception and asks: "Excuse me, but Dagny tell me to talk with you. My name Heart and Dagny tell I could go to the generator in this gym to take my Tynamo there and help him evolve and recomendate me to ask you a guide to there."