[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

They're backing up and looking at Nathan for his reaction. They don't seem freaked out, but they're certainly treating it with caution. Not too different from how they'd react to any threatening wild Pokemon.

Hmmm...

"...alright, let's see what you can do then, Shedinja."

If that Shedinja launches an aggresssive action, everyone seems ready to Evade!  (Except maybe Kirlia).  Only way to really judge what a non-'talkative' Shedinja's intentions are is to let it take action.  Risky, but I want to see what's up with this bug, and Nathan doesn't want to be the aggressor in this situation.

[Iron]

Whoops. Guess taking that one step closer to the rustling of the Grass was a VERY BAD choice, and Shiva flinching away herself right away as she felt stepping onto something did prevented anything at all. Now, she was starring into the purely white eyes of Unova's answer to a Persian: Liepard! Not just any exemplar though, this one was almost as big as Shiva herself, and the even MORE magnificient fur of it caught her for a moment. What a precious one, what a masterpiece of a catlike Pokemon... Too bad that they're known for their stubborn and malicious nature, making it rather hard to keep them as a pet.

How it managed to cuff her Mightyena when she didn't even saw her butterwolfly in this cloaking silence Shiva didn't know, but she suspected the cat's senses and adaptability to the darkness. A low growl was all she heard from Yena.

Shiva just STARED at this monster of a feline, refusing to give in to it. Nope, she remained calm, the tranquility in this caverns surely played a role in this. "There, Liepard... Do forgive me for my carelessness.You know, I've came from faaaaaaar away, from a place where the sky turns as dark as this cavern every few hours, sometimes small glowing dots decorate it. It's almost....as much of a precious sight as your fur. Where I am originating from, your species is praised and and often seen in Contests where Pokemon show off their beauty and skill. Say, would you enjoy being applauded to by an audience? ......I would."

"Ah, and that dog you attacked belongs to me. He's a Dark Type, just like you - maybe you'd be up to....well, show me your skills in a competition?"

Oo, flattery. Liepard preens and twitches her tail. She comes fully out of the dark gap between two clusters of Long Grass and walks her sinuous body back and forth.
She looks at you to see what you think, and what you had in mind about a competition?

[Iron]

Spoiler

It is now Day 61.
Encounters are never resolved until everyone's had a chance to say which they want. Valder is an exception by his own request - he just hops in if he happens to come online.

Still no sign of any bugs pursuing you! Slurpuff doesn't even smell any nearby.

As discussed, you use your new Rock Smash access to take a shortcut, which leads you downhill. You come to a very strange cavern. The walls glow with a somewhat familiar meteoric sheen! Nathan can identify it as Meteoric Superconductor at once. The geology of this place suggest it has sunk from far far far far above, and become filled in. Broad muddy grooves in the wall, marking the area's path, have metamorphized into stone. The floor is extremely tough granite, flecked with MS.

The air is very heavy. Your movements, too, are feeling sluggish in the weird atmosphere. You can expect to become tired after 2 Encounters, instead of the usual 3.

That's still not the strangest thing about that cavern. There's grass growing, in complete absence of light. It's the Long Grass which presents occasional patches aboveground in Creshire, the scent of which always attracts Pokemon like a Sweet Scent. It's growing up from a crazy web of cracks in the granite, where mud has seeped through, and it swathes the entire floor except for a thin strip near the walls. The brush absorbs your light.

Kirlia narrows his eyes at it, as if thinking about something in his... past?
Gothitelle, by contrast, seems very comfortable.
Slowking is merely curious. But all the Psychic and Dark types feel a little weird here.

Lots of Pokemon rustle in the grass.

Mt. Sentry Long Grass Biome Encounters Part 1

7. Name: Valuable item
Cap: 1
Bid start: 2

*In the Morning!*

In an rare and what would be unusual case, were it not for yesterday's........frantic rush of 'excitement' for everyone, Ventus awoke far later than everyone else, groggly rubbing his eyes as he slipped out from Apsis coils with practiced ease, before waking her up to begin both their days. After a long night's sleep.......well, the researcher still felt rather awful, as his head felt like it was filled with cotton, his limbs filled with lead, and his emotions.......well, they were in a better place than they were throughout yesterday, but he still felt they were.....quite out of sorts that needed his constant care and attention to keep from going everywhere and fraying at the ends.

'No doubt this all because of that *&$! of a Queen Siekamater......I hope she's feeling as terribly as she made us all feel, the bleeding harlot,' the sociologist thought to himself after access his own condition during his morning routine, feeling drained and surely because of that whole ordeal, but in the end he let out a low, heavy *Sigh* and shook his head, patting the side of his slithering sister (Who was currently sticking to his side like glue after sensing how....bad he felt) and leaning into her for some comfort, before he firmed himself up exited the tent with her, ready to pack up camp and continue their journey. Pray to Reshirim that nothing 'interesting' happens this day, or they forbid they have another run in with the Queen and her servents.....

(Ven completely missed the Tandor Bug Explaination, since I didn't want to react to it! Sorry!)

*In the MSC Cavern!*

Typically, the exhaustion inducing and heavy air of their current local would put the researcher on edge, but given he already felt wearied before entering the place it didn't faze him whatsoever, allowing him to fully appreciate the almost ......surreal sight of cavern being flush with Long Grass and heavy imprenated with MSC, giving the place an otherworldly vibe similar but quite unlike that to the Sentry Fern's Domain. There, he felt constantly on guard and watched by some omnipresent, unknowable entity, but here he feels.........a certain measure of peace and tranquilty as he breathed in the air and tentatively stretch a little of his empathy out to get a 'feel' for the place.

'Ah.......this is exactly what we all need: a place where we can unwind and let our guard down, after our harrowing treck and confrontation through......her Kingdom. Never have I been closer to death than I had in her presence, save for my early weeks spent with Silverfish and Ghetsis going into one of his infamous rages.......' Ventus though to himself as he surveyed the area with a tired but placid expression, watching the Long Grass rustle and twitch with an detatched air of curiosity. Seeing so much in such an unusual place reminded him of what his........mother taught him about it, namely that so long as the soil and conditions were right this plant could grow anywhere in almost any condition. Weird, but fascinating none the less.

After scoping after his surrounding for a bit, he decided that a peaceful stroll through the Long Grass was in order, both to investigate it for Pokémon and to simply see what he finds. He figures after his eventful day yesterday he'd take it slow and easy today, and recover his physical and mental strength instead of overly taxing himself......

......before he did that, though, he went over to Shiva and kindly requested that he would like to have Lilith's private company for awhile to discuss some things with her. Presumably she agree, and so he thanks her with an closed eased and sweet smile, before he went off to join the fortune teller in her travels, knowing that it be better for him to follow after her than the other way around given his experience with the breed....

*Some time after he find the MSC Meteorite.....*

The discovery of such a large chuck of a valuable resource certainly did wonders to lighten up Ven's mood, but he still felt quite........moody despite that, causing him to *Sigh* and turn to Lilith to beckon her over.

"Lilith? Might I have a moment of your time? I believe I am.....ready to speak with you now, with your permission of course...."

Lilith gives Ventus a little curtsey. She has been enjoying everything about this cavern, from the Long Grass to the veins of MS to the big hunk of meteoric ore.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

......before he did that, though, he went over to Shiva and kindly requested that he would like to have Lilith's private company for awhile to discuss some things with her. Presumably she agree, and so he thanks her with an closed eased and sweet smile, before he went off to join the fortune teller in her travels, knowing that it be better for him to follow after her than the other way around given his experience with the breed....

Shiva was just investigating the weird Long Grass as Ventus came over, she did so with great interest - she needed a moment to fully process what Ven requested from her there, and only blinked at him once while doing so.

Lilith was not far from her at that moment, as Shiva allowed her to wander around herself - by now, her mighty Psychic Type is loyal enough to return to her in the end if nothing holds her back. "Oh! Sure you can keep Lilith's company for little if ya like, Ven.... You heard that, dear one? Be friendly to this young man please, he means a lot to me and doesn't pose any harm." The painted Premierball she's registered to remains in Shiva's possession however.

One more thought came to her mind, and she reached out to halt him. "Ven, wait a moment! You....once asked why she's actually bearing the same nickname like your...what was the species' name again.... Quetzoral, yes. We can talk about...at some point. Maybe not right now though, there's something weird 'bout....this Tall Grass."

[Iron]

Shedinja fades from sight and appears right up in Nathan's face. When he evades, his only choice is to jump straight back. This seems to encourage Shedinja, who is already fading back into its initial position above the hummock.

Feint Attack
4 Dex + 3 Fight + 2
(4)(3)(1)(4)(1)(6) (5)(1)(3) = 3 successes
Evade: (5)(4)(1)(5)(4)(3) (6)(1)(1)(4)

Nathan evades.

[Lord Windos]

Lilith gives Ventus a little curtsey. She has been enjoying everything about this cavern, from the Long Grass to the veins of MS to the big hunk of meteoric ore.

Ventus chuckles and returns the Psychic's gesture with a small bow of his own, saying to her: "Thank you, my friend. Please, take a seat beside me in the grass. I have....a lot to say, and I rather us not get stiff legs while I chatter with you. Oh, and since I noticed you taking a liking to it...."

The researcher takes out the MSC Meteorite he found and gently offered it to Lilith!

"....Then I can let you hold onto it for a bit, and study it to your heart's content. Its certainly beautiful and mesmerizing, isn't it?"

He then takes a seat in the grass, and pats the grass beside him as he stares off in the distance, quiet for a short period of time. In that moment it seemed like he grew several years older, looking wizened and......tired, as out here and by the side of a Pokémon he could trust wouldn't share their conversation with others without a damn good reason, he could......let himself relax and not keep up an image of omnipresent strength and resolve.

"........Do you ever wonder what your purpose is in the grand scheme of things, Lilith? What sort of destiny you might have, what it intends for you, and where it might lead you and everyone connect to you? Whether or not what you are doing right now...."

Speaking this in a calm voice, Ven looks down at his hands as he clenches them tightly, before sighing and loosening his grip.

".....Is really what you should be doing."

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Spoiler

"Well I always want to ask you something: How you three have meet? You know: You, Shiva, Ventus. Did you always been link to each other like that? How you all meet?"

Nathan shrugs.  "Just all met back at Mallorn's lab in Trillium.  He had various things for each of the five of us that met there that day...permits, job offers, information, a job for those working for him...things kinda just started from there."

It is now Day 61.
Encounters are never resolved until everyone's had a chance to say which they want. Valder is an exception by his own request - he just hops in if he happens to come online.

Still no sign of any bugs pursuing you! Slurpuff doesn't even smell any nearby.

As discussed, you use your new Rock Smash access to take a shortcut, which leads you downhill. You come to a very strange cavern. The walls glow with a somewhat familiar meteoric sheen! Nathan can identify it as Meteoric Superconductor at once. The geology of this place suggest it has sunk from far far far far above, and become filled in. Broad muddy grooves in the wall, marking the area's path, have metamorphized into stone. The floor is extremely tough granite, flecked with MS.

The air is very heavy. Your movements, too, are feeling sluggish in the weird atmosphere. You can expect to become tired after 2 Encounters, instead of the usual 3.

That's still not the strangest thing about that cavern. There's grass growing, in complete absence of light. It's the Long Grass which presents occasional patches aboveground in Creshire, the scent of which always attracts Pokemon like a Sweet Scent. It's growing up from a crazy web of cracks in the granite, where mud has seeped through, and it swathes the entire floor except for a thin strip near the walls. The brush absorbs your light.

Kirlia narrows his eyes at it, as if thinking about something in his... past?
Gothitelle, by contrast, seems very comfortable.
Slowking is merely curious. But all the Psychic and Dark types feel a little weird here.

Lots of Pokemon rustle in the grass.

Mt. Sentry Long Grass Biome Encounters Part 1

1. Name: Liepard*
Challenge: Easy
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1

2. Name: Shedinja*
Challenge: ?
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1

3. Name: Beldum
Challenge: Extremely easy
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Notes: no XP

4. Name: Nuzleaf
Challenge: extremely easy
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Notes: no XP

5. Name: Unown E
Challenge: ?
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Note: Modern style

6. Name: Wynaut
Challenge: Extremely easy
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Notes: No XP

7. Name: Valuable item
Cap: 1
Bid start: 2

Flashback!

"I understand. Well, I gonna sleep now. After today we need to rest. Gonna go now. Good night Nathan and rest well."

Flashback end!

A new day have begin. After the events of past night, Heart recover very well. No bugs and no angry Legendary pokemon. Heart them look in the direction and see a Beldum! "Neat! With another Beldum along with the one I will hatch...hohoho future Metang here we go!"

After seeing that, he see the little one lurking around. Heart careful aproach and see the little Beldum. "Hello there little one. Sorry to bother you. Can I talk with you for a bit?"

Beldum just rotates in the air, somewhat helplessly. Its single eye remains fixed on Heart. Every now and then it floats lower to the ground and bounces slowly off of it. It gives the impression of floating in space like you've seen astronauts do in videos.

''Awww ^^ What a cute one. Well, thats a nice place you call home. But do you ever want to evolve into a more powerfull form? As a might powefull Metang? Back in my home, I have a egg of Beldum too. Still need to hatch it, but when it hatch, you two can meet each other and transform into a almight and powerfull Metang. What you say Beldum? What to hang out with me and get a neat form?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Haha, flattery certainly caught this Liepard's interest, and from the looks of it she was just as proud as exemplars bearing the regular size.

Shiva could only clap to the huge dark cat as preened and showed how well-shaped her body was. A hint to Limber Ability? Likely, or so she thought. "Congrats, wild Liepard of the tranquil cavers with the long grass! You've exelled your rivals." An artifical flowercrown with wild flowers is placed on her head, and she's sprinkled with a handful of Yena's Shield Dust that Shiva once collected. = more flattery!

"Next, Pokemon usually show their agility and grace in movement! If you can catch what I'll throw to you despite the darkness, you'll enter the next Round." The dark-blue frisbee that Shiva once bought for 0$ gets thrown half-across the field, in direction to huge Liepard! With 4 Dexterity, she'll hopefully catch it.


-----------------
Mechanics:
If this action succeeds and Liepard plays along, this 'Next Round' will be a friendly battle. Has Yena recoverd from the flinching by then?

[Iron]

Lilith gives Ventus a little curtsey. She has been enjoying everything about this cavern, from the Long Grass to the veins of MS to the big hunk of meteoric ore.

Ventus chuckles and returns the Psychic's gesture with a small bow of his own, saying to her: "Thank you, my friend. Please, take a seat beside me in the grass. I have....a lot to say, and I rather us not get stiff legs while I chatter with you. Oh, and since I noticed you taking a liking to it...."

The researcher takes out the MSC Meteorite he found and gently offered it to Lilith!

"....Then I can let you hold onto it for a bit, and study it to your heart's content. Its certainly beautiful and mesmerizing, isn't it?"

He then takes a seat in the grass, and pats the grass beside him as he stares off in the distance, quiet for a short period of time. In that moment it seemed like he grew several years older, looking wizened and......tired, as out here and by the side of a Pokémon he could trust wouldn't share their conversation with others without a damn good reason, he could......let himself relax and not keep up an image of omnipresent strength and resolve.

"........Do you ever wonder what your purpose is in the grand scheme of things, Lilith? What sort of destiny you might have, what it intends for you, and where it might lead you and everyone connect to you? Whether or not what you are doing right now...."

Speaking this in a calm voice, Ven looks down at his hands as he clenches them tightly, before sighing and loosening his grip.

".....Is really what you should be doing."

Lilith nods and points to her tinfoil hat. Its purpose seems to be, partly, to create this possibility of wonder.
But by the grip of her hands and the set of her spine, you can tell she has less questions about her destiny than most people do.

She gestures at Kirlia, too, the entire length of the grass field parting before her gesture to reveal him investigating the MS veins with his eyes closed.

[Iron]

Spoiler

Spoiler

"Well I always want to ask you something: How you three have meet? You know: You, Shiva, Ventus. Did you always been link to each other like that? How you all meet?"

Nathan shrugs.  "Just all met back at Mallorn's lab in Trillium.  He had various things for each of the five of us that met there that day...permits, job offers, information, a job for those working for him...things kinda just started from there."

It is now Day 61.
Encounters are never resolved until everyone's had a chance to say which they want. Valder is an exception by his own request - he just hops in if he happens to come online.

Still no sign of any bugs pursuing you! Slurpuff doesn't even smell any nearby.

As discussed, you use your new Rock Smash access to take a shortcut, which leads you downhill. You come to a very strange cavern. The walls glow with a somewhat familiar meteoric sheen! Nathan can identify it as Meteoric Superconductor at once. The geology of this place suggest it has sunk from far far far far above, and become filled in. Broad muddy grooves in the wall, marking the area's path, have metamorphized into stone. The floor is extremely tough granite, flecked with MS.

The air is very heavy. Your movements, too, are feeling sluggish in the weird atmosphere. You can expect to become tired after 2 Encounters, instead of the usual 3.

That's still not the strangest thing about that cavern. There's grass growing, in complete absence of light. It's the Long Grass which presents occasional patches aboveground in Creshire, the scent of which always attracts Pokemon like a Sweet Scent. It's growing up from a crazy web of cracks in the granite, where mud has seeped through, and it swathes the entire floor except for a thin strip near the walls. The brush absorbs your light.

Kirlia narrows his eyes at it, as if thinking about something in his... past?
Gothitelle, by contrast, seems very comfortable.
Slowking is merely curious. But all the Psychic and Dark types feel a little weird here.

Lots of Pokemon rustle in the grass.

Mt. Sentry Long Grass Biome Encounters Part 1

1. Name: Liepard*
Challenge: Easy
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1

2. Name: Shedinja*
Challenge: ?
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1

3. Name: Beldum
Challenge: Extremely easy
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Notes: no XP

4. Name: Nuzleaf
Challenge: extremely easy
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Notes: no XP

5. Name: Unown E
Challenge: ?
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Note: Modern style

6. Name: Wynaut
Challenge: Extremely easy
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Notes: No XP

7. Name: Valuable item
Cap: 1
Bid start: 2

Flashback!

"I understand. Well, I gonna sleep now. After today we need to rest. Gonna go now. Good night Nathan and rest well."

Flashback end!

A new day have begin. After the events of past night, Heart recover very well. No bugs and no angry Legendary pokemon. Heart them look in the direction and see a Beldum! "Neat! With another Beldum along with the one I will hatch...hohoho future Metang here we go!"

After seeing that, he see the little one lurking around. Heart careful aproach and see the little Beldum. "Hello there little one. Sorry to bother you. Can I talk with you for a bit?"

Beldum just rotates in the air, somewhat helplessly. Its single eye remains fixed on Heart. Every now and then it floats lower to the ground and bounces slowly off of it. It gives the impression of floating in space like you've seen astronauts do in videos.

''Awww ^^ What a cute one. Well, thats a nice place you call home. But do you ever want to evolve into a more powerfull form? As a might powefull Metang? Back in my home, I have a egg of Beldum too. Still need to hatch it, but when it hatch, you two can meet each other and transform into a almight and powerfull Metang. What you say Beldum? What to hang out with me and get a neat form?"

A simple enough strategy, but a legitimate one!
Empathy: (4)(2)(6)(6)
Will: (4)(4)(5)(2)

Beldum shakes its head/eye and scrabbles at the meteoric vein. It would like to evolve, but it prefers staying right here where the meteor stuff is.