[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Great. Having made sure that she caught the whole carving of these Legendary Birds in one or, if needed, more than one photo, Shiva packs away her cell again, the looks up at the carving in a wondering and I-don't-quite-understand-this look. It was a nice drawing of the Delibird, that's for sure – but she couldn't decipher anything behind it or make out a meaning, not even by carefully stroking over the carving or frowning at it. „'Having something to do with the old king's' you say, Nathan...“ she spoke up lowly and absent-mindedly, „...I don't know.“ She shrugs a little, blinks a little. „A pity that these Unown Carvings are so eroded, it'd certainly help if you could read and translate them for us. Well... maybe if we bring it to the surface, we can research more about it if we won't find hints or even answers about it further down our mission.“


Later, while the other's are setting up the tent, Shiva is busy with Azumarill while her other Pokemon bar Bergmite enjoy their ration of Dry Food and Dried Berries, from the looks of all the blusih-white beams she has the fae rabbit cast they're hard working on something not yet regognizeable. She sparely looks up and waves to the others as they're heading to the tent for the night, assuring once again that she'll get along with the nightwatch. „Please...don't worry for me too much! I...I'll get along, if anything important or dire occurs that can't wait to be shared, discussed or taken care of tomorrow, I'll make sure to strike alarm. At some point, she also harvests Tropius' Nanab Berry, Azumarill copies what Shiva does and suprises her with a new 50$-coin pulled from her ear with magic, earning a delighted chuckle.

A little more later, it has become cold, dark and lonely again, Shiva takes her place a little in front of the tent, near the very small and improvised fireplace. She's only having Azumarill by one of her side and Dizzy flanking the other, the former looks up in light pride of her creation under Master's instruction: A small basket made entirerly out of ice/Ice Beams, roughly 30 inches in diameter. It sparkles lightly, and shines nicely. The edge is very low, making the basket rather flat in total, on two sides high spikes protrude to the ceiling forming iceberg-like figures. Cottonee's shed fluff and a bit of Gourmet Food are placed inside it, giving out a comfy and homey feeling.

Then, and only after having checked on this creation for her new Ice Type once more, Shiva summons her new Bergmite. Now then, how will it react to her and the small icy safe haven she reacted for it? She doesn't adress him right away, but smiles in the same manner as when they met the the first time on the frozen lake. If he likes it, he can stay there for the rest of his new Master's nightwatch in order to get more used to Shiva's presence.

[Iron]

Bermite comes out with 1 Happiness, 0 Loyalty, and 2 Disobedience.

His headbutts now are grumpy. He smashes the basket! He tramples the food and the fluff and is headed for the tent when Shiva is forced to recall him.

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

The rays of Morning Suns she makes visibly sure to catch up as efficiently as possible, she literally felt like their warmths was crawling through her clothes and skins to reach her inner. After a little, she carefully beckons the archangel down from his flight towards her, where she's envelop him into a kind and fond hug! A shy and thankful nuzzle is also shared, Shiva does enjoy his soft feathers tickling her cheek. "Thanks, Raphael... Your aid is much appreciated. If you...could repeat that procedere one a day for me while we're travelling down here, you'd greatly help me. Please. I...do own a Pokemon with the same skill like you (Nightshade/Cherubi), but I've left her at the surface as she wouldn't enjoy this environment at all."

Since Iron didn't make any comments to the contrary, Raphael readily agrees to Shiva's entreaty, hovering over to give her a comforting nuzzle as if to promise everything will be alright for her in the end. Things might be rough and tough now, but hope and happiness always manages to shine on through to the end, like the sunbeams they create with Morning Sun!

Spoiler

The Morning Sun does feel pretty good, even this deep under a load of rock.

Mr. Finder guides you to a campsite, using his Growlithe's Rock Smash to take a quick shortcut around some belligerent-smelling Graveler. Geodude ducks out to go talk to them, and comes back while you're setting up.

The campsite is wide enough for five or six of your ridiculous camps, and is made of stone rather than earth. It doesn't look like it's changed much in centuries of time, aside from one or two new tunnels. "We'll be taking the north tunnel in the morning," said Mr. Finder. "Still no chances for Rock Smash to save us any time, but there are some a few miles ahead that I'll have to sniff out when we get there."

There are interesting carvings on the cave wall. Lots of Elder Unown carvings, all too eroded to read at all. There are some Delibird etchings, all calmly facing the viewer. On one wall near the north tunnel is this symbol:

, clearly done in the same crude style as the tablets. Each of the birds is holding a Caterpie in hand.

He had no problems with the path that Mr. Finder had planned for them to take, so he only gave them a singular nod of his head when they brought it up

After a loooong and tiring (in multiple ways) day through the tunnels, Ventus couldn't muster up the energy or interest to particularly care about the cave wall carvings, and simply let the rest of his group investigate and chatter about it while he set up camp and got dinner started (a hearty stew, in case anyone was wondering). He would remember to grab several pictures of the entire cave wall, however, including the mural. The reasoning for his is while the Elder Unknown were too eroded for them to read, technology from either Dagny, Tele. University, OR Dr. Mallorn's lab could potentially enhance and uncover their meanings, and even if they didn't documentation of significant findings such as this was only proper!

Spoiler

Bermite comes out with 1 Happiness, 0 Loyalty, and 2 Disobedience.

His headbutts now are grumpy. He smashes the basket! He tramples the food and the fluff and is headed for the tent when Shiva is forced to recall him.

Ventus resisted the urge to face palm and let out a telling *Sigh* as the Bermite his girlfriend caught acted in predicatably in the worst possible way, before he looked towards Shiva and said: "First thing you should do is discipline them, and teach them that acting like they did is unacceptable. Otherwise, they'll continue to rebel like such and cause you problems both on and off the battlefield.

Beyond that advice, the researcher left his fae fancy to handle their new Pokémon as they saw fit and prepared himself for the second night shift. In a huge place such as this, it would all be too easy for a pack of viscous cave Pokémon to surround them if given the chance, so he must get some rest so that he can be viglient enough to prevent such a outcome!

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Oh booh, Shiva and especially Azumarill put effort and care into creating that icy basket! Now, the two were starring silently on the sparkling pieces of it scattered across the cavern's ground. The trambled fluff of her Cottonee Shiva picks up however - it can (hopefully) still be used to create a plushie if she spends some time in combing and washing it.

Guilt befell her as she resumed her position, painful shame - in short, her conscience began to bit her AGAIN. But.... ah... she has told herself that she's taking the responsibility and consequences of her decision, so she straightened up in her position to look less miserable, before patting the Great Ball Bergmite was contained in. Still, a sigh escaped her - Poor thing. Well, hopefully if Shiva will show him more of the world, grant him possibilities to live his quirk of headbutting everything out to heart's content and think out of a few more things, he'll figuratively warm up to her, sooner or later. It's a useful Pokemon for her, so she desires to at least TRY to gain his trust! She...she managed to gain Lilith's favour; when that thought sprung to her mind she instantly felt a little less bad.

After having misted the fern-in-a-jar for today to keep it alive, checked on both Ven's entrusted Delibird-Egg and his gifted Frozen Hurtloam, the moody fae enthusiast resumes on the duty of keeping threats away from the tent. Azumarill leans into her for rest and comfort, Yena is summoned to the scene soon as well and places his bulky head into his Master's lap to collect a few strokes through his black neck fur, Dizzy is asked to remain close to her and let her know is he 'feels' something.


If nothing happens, she'll eventually greet Ventus with a physically exhausted but still for him warm smile when he comes to her to relieve her from the sentries, letting him know in a rather shy but not regretting tone of voice that Bergmite does indeed not think of her too favourably, asking again whether he'll help her with him (not necessarily along the quest however, it's very optimal however. Please?)

EDIT: She meekly nods to her chosen one's advice on her new Ice Type, a gleam in her eyes beside the glasses sparking up that clearly spoke that she'll do her best to get Bergmite like her more. G...Giving up and being dishearted was no option, as much as Shiva's mind was was speaking over this option in alluring voices to her!

[Iron]

The night passes by uneventfully.

It is now Day 60.

When you release your Pokemon for breakfast, you find that several are missing!

-Mightyena!
-Durant!
-Ralts!
-Slowking!
-Zippy!
-Raticate!
-Growlithe!
-Slurpuff!

AHHH!

Their footprints can be found in the frost of the tunnel to the North.

Mr. Finder: "Oh no, no, no, this is not good. This is not good. This is not good. Without Slurpuff, I only know the next two or three twists and turns. We're lost down here, lost forever, no no no! I knew I should have charged more, or just never accepted at all!"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Ins hort, the night's rest was pleasant for Shiva, and so was the morning - until she noticed she wasn't the only one who was missing a Pokemon of hers.


The worst part is, that Shiva feels rather similar like Mr. Finder very neatly expressed, and seems to have strong issues keeping herself cool. One small thing might make her loose it, negatively - she ends up enrwapping Mr. Finder in a hug, fleeting panic visible in her eyes. "No! Nonononononono, do not say that! PLEASE! We'll just...follow these footsteps, alright people, and hope for the BEST instead of the worst, alright? I....I....don't want find an end down here. I WON'T allow an end to find either of us.... Just..... Nyyyeeeee!" D:

Heart simple go in the direction of Mr. Finder and give the grow up man a big and strong slap in his face.

(If you're doing that, you're sadly at risk to hit Shiva as well. I guess.)

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

It is now Day 60.

When you release your Pokemon for breakfast, you find that several are missing!

-Mightyena!
-Durant!
-Ralts!
-Slowking!
-Zippy!
-Raticate!
-Growlithe!
-Slurpuff!

AHHH!

Their footprints can be found in the frost of the tunnel to the North.

Mr. Finder: "Oh no, no, no, this is not good. This is not good. This is not good. Without Slurpuff, I only know the next two or three twists and turns. We're lost down here, lost forever, no no no! I knew I should have charged more, or just never accepted at all!"

Uh oh.

I'd probably say this very, very likely overrides the surprise of what Ditto is Transformed into today almost immediately...

Just for the sake of describing it, though...

It's a dog pokemon.  Primarily brown in coloration, but it looks like it's wearing a yellow mask of some kind, is wearing a yellow cape, has a picture of a crescent moon on its chest, and its hands and feet are red (making it look like it's wearing gloves and boots)...Nathan's never seen this pokemon species in person before!  The only other person in the group who might know what species it is off the top of their head is Heart!

Oh, and this dog is very, very wild looking, just like that Mightyena that Ditto took the shape of in Nathan's battle against Valder.

Unfortunately, attempts to get Ditto to Transform (since I assume that's something we'd end up trying for one reason or another before setting out) end in failure again today.  Ditto is stuck as this 'mystery' pokemon species for the entirety of the day.

Nathan is shocked for multiple reasons.  Ralts...wandered off?  In the middle of the night?  Without anyone noticing or even telling him?

...he would...never, ever do that...not...without good reason...right?

...he needs to find Ralts.  And Solomon and Zippy (who's still in Valder's care) as well, obviously, but Ralts especially!

That's the only thing he's thinking about right now.  The only thing he can think about for the most part.

[Spiritmon]

"Everyone! We must calm down." Heart did his best to keep everyone calm. "We cant let ourselves to fall in despair. We will find them. We need to follow their footprints to find where they are."

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

The night passes by uneventfully.

It is now Day 60.

When you release your Pokemon for breakfast, you find that several are missing!

-Mightyena!
-Durant!
-Ralts!
-Slowking!
-Zippy!
-Raticate!
-Growlithe!
-Slurpuff!

AHHH!

Their footprints can be found in the frost of the tunnel to the North.

Mr. Finder: "Oh no, no, no, this is not good. This is not good. This is not good. Without Slurpuff, I only know the next two or three twists and turns. We're lost down here, lost forever, no no no! I knew I should have charged more, or just never accepted at all!"

Upon awaking, going through his usual rituals, and then releasing his family for their morning meal, Ventus reacts predictively to the unpleasant news that his and the group's Pokémon has been kidnapped (he autmotically assume the worst, as per his paranioa): with instant and extreme RAGE.

"......Calm yourself, Mr. Finder. Panicikng will only serve to be unproductive and doom us all, so get a hold of yourself now," the researcher grounds outs, his tone of voice filled with barely restrained anger and righteous indignation , his patience and mood dangerously low as he regarded the sniveling man with thinly vieled tolerance. He then takes a deep breath and lets it out to becalm himself, before continuing in a much less hostile tone of voice.

"Malphena and Lucifer help ascertain the location of that despicable thief, as my sister can track the no doubt negative and fearful emotions experienced by our Pokémon being taken , and the former can scout ahead and specifically search for the sounds of footsteps or....commotion. My brother can also use Tailwind in conjuction with us mounting Swiftfire, Yule, and Mamo to swiftly catch up to that wretched scoundrel, so whatever head start they may have on us will not last them for much longer. Nathan, given your light weight and naturally high speed, you could also borrow Raphael and use Extreme Speed to locate them in swift order, but you would leave the rest of us behind as a consequence. The choice is yours in the end, and I will not fault you for taking if that is what you wish to do. They took Ralts, Solomon, and Skippy from you, after all."

He gestures to both of the afformentioned family members (he's returned the rest after......the news became known), and looks at the rest of the group in a no nonsense and authoritative way with his arms crossed.

"Well, do you all have any objections, or plans of your own to contribute rescuing our Pokémon ASAP? Speak quickly, as the more time we spend discussing this, the more time that bastard gets on further ahead...."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

"YOU'RE SAYING THAT SO EASY, HEART! Because......you aren't missing an important and valid Pokemon and friend !"

Thankfully however, Azumarill and Cottonee release themselves from thei respective Balls to envelop their Master into a dear and fond hug themselves, making the whole thing look like a group-hug. It managed to calm Shiva to a degree however, and summon Dizzy to her side. "Young one.... Dizzy.... You've been in my Mightyena's presence for long. Do you think you can...pick up the scent of him? Maybe where we find him, we'll find the others..."