[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Pancham loves Tai-Chi! The martial styles you choose for him will be essential in his development!

Aww, Shiva could literally feel how he's having his silent fun, that pleased expression he was giving her spoke alot on its own already! No issues with synchronicity either after the first two sequences either; Shiva herself was not 'brilliant' or 'flawless' in it, but definitely not bad either given her Fight-Stat being at 2 points and in-chara natural grace in movement when she wants it.

Looks like she'll do that as a casual morning ritual whenever she feels like it and Pancham is in her party that time.

(I forgot one thing: )

Once arriving at the Shelter and before stepping in, Shiva called out Tropius, her grassy flyer, in a swift movement. She was a little suprised to see him relatively mallow compared to shortly after she caught him, even lowering his head to allow her stroking his forehead. No berries nor fruit were growing on his neck yet though, too early this day yet.

"I promised that I'll bring you back to the place with the green roof in a city, so here we are. I'll be working here for most of the day, so you have all time to rest and enjoy company of the other Pokemon up there. If you need anything, please call attention to yourself, the other people - the staff, I mean - know that you belong to me and will likely alert me in case. I'll pick you at evening, maybe visit you during a break from work, and please take caution of the barbed wire as usual. Red may not look too nice on your green leaves."

[Spiritmon]

"Damn. Well even if I cant translate that at least I can share with Nathan later." Then Heart take his notes. "Now. Time to go deeper and find that Magnetic Caverns." Then Heart follow the path and go to his destination.

[Iron]

As you venture toward the magnetic caves, you discover your electronic devices aren't working right. A sign warns tourists to consider leaving their electronics in the provided bins to avoid damaging them.

The Magnetic Caverns are a graveyard of broken metal objects. It looks a bit like the Scrapyard. Two objects act as powerful magnets here: a squarish beam running akimbo across the sloping roof, and an exposed quadrant of a lumpy spheroid. The rock is made of layers. Every five layers or so is a red band of iron, conducting the magnetic field even farther.

There are several stalagmites, a canyonlike area, and a collapsed area. Little clouds of red dust float on a mysterious breeze.

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

After that in her view indeed failed and to her personally by the end stressful dinner, Shiva was more than delighted as she finally found some of her peace (not before her mind has called her cowardly to leave there for a few more times though) and calm back while doozing off into a sleep full of dreams she cannot clearly remember anymore when waking up. She will remember that they were unpleasant and her around-ten-year younger self worrying at a hospital-bed, before a wave not unlike the wave being visible when Psyshock is used successfully fought off a big purple threat.

She was still cuddled up to Ventus, and she looked half agonized and half okay not being sure how she's doing when eventually waking up after he did and awoke her to share breakfast and head to the Shelter for work today. It'll likely be sometime before the time she has set alarm clock on cell and she'll be kinda tired still, but this will quickly fade away once having actually crawled out of bed to realize that it's a new day by now. An new chance...



I'll simply post what Shiva will do anyway this morning before indeed heading to the Shelter @Iron, these are somewhat timeless/essential. She and Ven arrive at the Shelter together at the same time then.

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(...)
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Along the way to the Shelter, of course Shiva picked up that Little Cup will start today, wheee! At 5pm, should be doable since work at Shelter ends a little before that. She nudges Ventus beside her to catch his attention, looking up to him in a subtly eager smile. "Can you...possibly wait a few minutes for me to make my registration for it?" *taking a look at clock on cell, before facing him again* "We still have time, so... Oh, you are of course free to come with me for registering my team! I know you said you...won't take part, but this doesn't mean you are doomed to avoid it and everything having to do wih it, do you...?"

In contrast to Shiva's uncomfortable night of dreaming up partially remember terrible memories, Ventus sleep was dreamless and heavy like the dead (which would explain why either Apsis release or Shiva's emotional distress didn't wake him up) itself, all thanks to feeding Litwick last night. When he awoke at the crack of dawn (before Shiva) in the morning to find her tightly cuddling his side, initially the researcher was somewhat nervous and bemused at being pseudo spooned/the designated cuddlelie, but that feeling took an abrupt downspiril when he noticed just how terribly, HORRIBLY her emotional state was functioning in her dream state. 'What in Reshirim name happen to her while I slumbered. Its almost like the time some clueless idiot tried to force me to snuggle with a Wigglytuff, and endure its awful singing *shivers.....* Whatever is the case, I can't let her endure it for any longer!'  he thought, before he twisted out of her grasped and gently shook her out of her sleep, and she was greeted with a small, extremely worried smile.

"Good morn, Shiva. I would normally have let you sleep for a more prolonged period, but it was apparent you were....in the throws of some atrocious nightmare when I gazed upon your slumbering form, so I thought it best to remove you from it ASAP. .......Would you care to share what triggered this, my dearest friend? If you don't, I completely understand, as I have.....more than my fair share of experience that trouble my sleep from time to time. ........How about I prepare myself for the day and grab breakfast for us, while you........cope with what you recalled in your dreams last night while I'm abscent? Sometimes, one needs a bit of privacy to deal with their own issues, and I'm more than happy to provide that for you, dear....."

Just like he said , Ventus almost immediately sprang out of bed after his brief evaluation/chat with Shiva to proceed with his morning routine and obtain some breakfast/give Shiva some much needed privacy in process.......and tripped over Apsis Pokeball that was lying on the floor in the process! Faceplants ensued. Fortunately he was mostly unharmed besides his pride, which was quickly smoothed over and replaced with confusion as to why it was out on the floor. .....And empty, now that he checked as well! "....Where and why has my sisters Apsis wandered off too last night while I slept off my loss of lifeforce? I can understand her releasing herself to check over my weakend condition after feeding Litwick, but its quite unlike her abandon me altogether for a night unless its for a pressing reason. Hmm.....I'll find out in due time, I suppose, as I highly doubt she slither off TOO far from the Pokémon Center. I just hope she hasn't gotten into trouble like the last time she wandered off....," the empath mumbled aloud as he picked up his poisonous serpent's ball and gazed at it, before putting it away and continuing as before! Giant independent snakes later, getting washed/dressed up and breakfast now!

*After His Morning Routine and Leaving the Room to obtain breakfast*

On route to the Center's caferteria by himself (Or with Shiva, if they choose not to edit their post), Ventus soon discovered where his sister Apsis had wandered off too: she was right by Nathan's side while he was working the PC, with Kirlia hovering around looking like he was constipated! Relieved and highly curious, he approached the odd gathering (completely ignoring Shiva/Kirlia in the process), giving his giant snake a surprise hug (Which she recorporated after the shock wore down), before giving her a firm, pointed stare. "Apsis, I know you enjoy your independence and self suffiency among our family, but please for the love of the Tao Trio don't wander off like that without informing either me or someone else in the group. The last time you did so you nearly got sliced to pieces by those Ninjack, and while I hardly think harm will come to you here of all places, I don't want you putting the staff and its people on edge. *Sighs* Just don't worry me like this again, alright my sister?" (I'll leave the reaction up to you, Iron!)

The sociologist then turned to the boy with a half friendly, half strained smile and gave them a polite bow. "Thank you for looking after my sister while I was asleep, Nathan. I'm curious as to how she found herself in your care in the first place, but I suppose it doesn't matter in the end, so long the both of you are fine. I trust she didn't cause any trouble while I was slumbering?"

After his conversation with the young trainer (feel free to have this conversation in flashback!), Ventus recalled Apsis, got breakfast and took it back to his room to share it with his most blessed friend, before heading to the Shelter to began what he felt would be a HARD day's work....

*At the Shelter!*

As Shiva grabbed his attention and requested he wait for her to sign up for the Little Cup, the sociologist could only smile and fondly mussle her hair in response, before he responded. "Go on ahead, Shiva. I'll wait here if you don't mind, as I rather not be tempted in reconsidering my decision, or be accosted by a random trainer wishing to get some practice before or after they signed up themselves."

After that was sorted out, he also patiently waited for her to bid her Tropious farewell for most of the day, before they both entered the Shelter. Whether or not Shiva choose to follow him or find a staff member to receive her appointed task, Ventus went straight to Director's North office to request he work Double Shifts in order to complete his agreement with them quicker, and what work he could do on said second shift. Of course, even someone without his keen senses could her that North was having a conversation with someone, so the researcher opted to wait until their was either a gap in the conversation so that he could enter without interrupting anyone, or the conversation was finished altogether.

(Guys, you could have waited on me to make a post, since I planned on having Ventus encounter Nathan while getting Breakfast so that Shiva DIDN'T freak out over Apsis being loose. I don't typically complain about being left behind all that much, but in this case I'm a bit annoyed...)

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

On route to the Center's caferteria by himself (Or with Shiva, if they choose not to edit their post), Ventus soon discovered where his sister Apsis had wandered off too: she was right by Nathan's side while he was working the PC, with Kirlia hovering around looking like he was constipated! Relieved and highly curious, he approached the odd gathering (completely ignoring Shiva/Kirlia in the process), giving his giant snake a surprise hug (Which she recorporated after the shock wore down), before giving her a firm, pointed stare. "Apsis, I know you enjoy your independence and self suffiency among our family, but please for the love of the Tao Trio don't wander off like that without informing either me or someone else in the group. The last time you did so you nearly got sliced to pieces by those Ninjack, and while I hardly think harm will come to you here of all places, I don't want you putting the staff and its people on edge. *Sighs* Just don't worry me like this again, alright my sister?" (I'll leave the reaction up to you, Iron!)

The sociologist then turned to the boy with a half friendly, half strained smile and gave them a polite bow. "Thank you for looking after my sister while I was asleep, Nathan. I'm curious as to how she found herself in your care in the first place, but I suppose it doesn't matter in the end, so long the both of you are fine. I trust she didn't cause any trouble while I was slumbering?"

(Guys, you could have waited on me to make a post, since I planned on having Ventus encounter Nathan while getting Breakfast so that Shiva DIDN'T freak out over Apsis being loose. I don't typically complain about being left behind all that much, but in this case I'm a bit annoyed...)

(Sorry 'bout that!)

Kirlia notifies Nathan that Ventus is incoming.  And Aspis as well, for that matter.  Nathan's response is queit.

"...no...no trouble...she, uh...came to find me...well, I think she smelled food first, but...she, uh..."

Nathan's...not quite sure how to put it in words.  It's just so...strange...

Kirlia looks slightly grumpy at being ignored completely by Ventus...before giving Nathan a curious, confused look again.  His emotional state is all over the place still...and yet none of it is fearful or worried as far as Aspis is concerned?

...huh?

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

As you venture toward the magnetic caves, you discover your electronic devices aren't working right. A sign warns tourists to consider leaving their electronics in the provided bins to avoid damaging them.

The Magnetic Caverns are a graveyard of broken metal objects. It looks a bit like the Scrapyard. Two objects act as powerful magnets here: a squarish beam running akimbo across the sloping roof, and an exposed quadrant of a lumpy spheroid. The rock is made of layers. Every five layers or so is a red band of iron, conducting the magnetic field even farther.

There are several stalagmites, a canyonlike area, and a collapsed area. Little clouds of red dust float on a mysterious breeze.

(No reaction of anyone about the message I leave with the Nurse about Heart absent?)

Heart look to the sign and then he leaves his eletronic devices in the abins to avoid lost them. After doing that he looks around that scrapyard. "Well this is the perfect place to work in your training Tynamo." He looks to the little Pokemon. "This is a good chance too to prepare everyone for the Little Cup." Then together with Tynamo, Heart brings his Pokemons: Koa, Viktor, Gustav, Aron and Mudkip . "Okay guys, today is training. We are going to participate in the little Cup and problably fight Shiva in some moment. She is quite strong, so we will do our best to get stronger and ready for her even it is just a friendly battle. Tynamo, we will train like the way we did in the Gym. Use your energy to magnetic the metal in this place. This natural magnetic field might help you to get a little more close to evolve. Koa, thats a good chance to test our new move Dragon Dance in training. Use Dragon Dance then test your powers with Dual Chops with this Metal okay? Mudkip, I need you to train a little too. You are cute but I know behind that smile is there a strong pokemon, so lets train a bit okay? We will train you Mud Slap and Water Gun. The rest of you train hard today because I gonna train with you all together!"

Action: Training Session with Koa and Mudkip. Also begin the eletric training with Tynamo to get a little more close to him produce his own energy. Leave the decision of Heart pokemon reactions to you Iron. Also increase Fight stats from 2 to 3 to simbolizes this special training along with his pokemon.

[Lord Windos]

(Sorry 'bout that!)

Kirlia notifies Nathan that Ventus is incoming.  And Aspis as well, for that matter.  Nathan's response is queit.

"...no...no trouble...she, uh...came to find me...well, I think she smelled food first, but...she, uh..."

Nathan's...not quite sure how to put it in words.  It's just so...strange...

Kirlia looks slightly grumpy at being ignored completely by Ventus...before giving Nathan a curious, confused look again.  His emotional state is all over the place still...and yet none of it is fearful or worried as far as Aspis is concerned?

...huh?

"Oh, that would explain why she left my room last night! Its been sometime since her last meal, so I believe I'll obtain some snack in the caferteria to sate her appetite! ......Though I have the distinct impression that is not the sole reason she choose to stick close to you last night, I take it? Mind elaborating, Nathan?" Ventus responded, a relieved and somewhat curious look taking place of his former half smile as his empathy/training analyzed the flux the boy's emotional state was in. Not only Shiva, but Nathan too was having complications in the matters of the heart and mind? What in Kyurem's frosty domain happened last night to cause the both of his surprisingly fragile companions to become so....distorted?

Also, he soon picked up on Kirlia own annoyance over being ignored/confusion over his master's feelins, and gave them a apologetic look and patted their head in a hopefully friendly gesture. He wasn't trying to be rude on purpose, don't you know. Ven just gets focused on things, tis all!

[Iron]

(Did I remember to give Haneal +1 Loyalty after that last fight? I was supposed to. If not, you can add that now, or maybe the next time you bring it out. Haneal is just more obedient now.)


Apsis flexes her tail at Ventus, showing him that she survived that in one piece. But with this little bit of independence, without even getting really yelled at, Apsis makes a decision: she would follow Ventus anywhere. Again, she realizes how much she has changed since leaving Trillium.

Apsis is now perfectly loyal. Unlike Togekiss, she has no innate morals to get in the way. She'll obey any command that doesn't seem suicidal, and needs no prompting to defend Ventus' life.






Kirlia sits down across from Nathan while all this is going on. He is ready to really get inside Nathan's head and figure out what's going on in there, once and for all.
Why is Nathan so frequently the only one who doesn't ignore him?
Why does Nathan take so many burdens on himself? Sometimes without any emotional assistance other than Kirlia's own?
Why had Nathan gone to the literal ends of the Earth instead of simply using the Neverstone on him?
Why is Nathan unafraid of this giant Arbok who has seriously threatened him before?

And Kirlia gets it! He understands! Everything Nathan does, despite all his shortcomings and instabilities and stressors, Nathan does because he loves Pokemon. All Pokemon. Big ones, weak ones, useful ones, ugly ones. Even a Pokemon he may have to destroy.

Kirlia's eyes are filled with such admiration, suddenly, that Ventus feels it almost tangibly. Nathan may hardly even notice, since he is distracted, but later he will come to realize that Kirlia would die for Nathan and admires Nathan like he could not possibly admire any other human. Kirlia also has perfect Loyalty now. He'll obey any command as long as it doesn't remove Nathan from his life.

[Iron]

+1 XP to Heart's Pokemon.

Koa is doing great with Dragon Dance. This lonely cavern is the perfect place for that kind of thing, to a Dragon. Ever since visiting the Eremite he has wanted this.

Tynamo keeps messing up and getting himself stuck to the magnetic walls somehow. In a way, Heart realizes this is a good sign, since it means Tynamo understands at least the beginnings of electromagnetism, if he can turn himself into an electromagnet.

Mudkip is still getting used to being on Heart's team and doesn't have much to do besides obey orders directly.

[Dragonstrike]

"Oh, that would explain why she left my room last night! Its been sometime since her last meal, so I believe I'll obtain some snack in the caferteria to sate her appetite! ......Though I have the distinct impression that is not the sole reason she choose to stick close to you last night, I take it? Mind elaborating, Nathan?" Ventus responded, a relieved and somewhat curious look taking place of his former half smile as his empathy/training analyzed the flux the boy's emotional state was in. Not only Shiva, but Nathan too was having complications in the matters of the heart and mind? What in Kyurem's frosty domain happened last night to cause the both of his surprisingly fragile companions to become so....distorted?

Also, he soon picked up on Kirlia own annoyance over being ignored/confusion over his master's feelins, and gave them a apologetic look and patted their head in a hopefully friendly gesture. He wasn't trying to be rude on purpose, don't you know. Ven just gets focused on things, tis all!

"...she didn't really eat...just kinda...stuck around...she...politely refused the food I offered her...gave it back to me...kept me company...Orthros gave her some of his food, weirdly...she ate that...it's been...weird..."

...

...yeah, Nathan doesn't really know what's going on exactly, let alone why.  Nathan's veeerrrrryyyy quiet and timid, though.