[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Quick flashback to end a former scene.

Big original post

NYYYYYYEEEEEEEE! D: If Shiva's wasn't nervous before (she was), NOW she was, pulling her hand away RIGHT AWAY didn't even do a thing to prevent things. Thankfully it was dark as dark can be currently aside from the flashlight she kept, so nothing was able to notice that massive blush that now formed on the usually soft but meek fae enthusiast, nor her almost doubled heartrate that the tranquility of the cavern failed to calm down at once. She...she desired to be close to Ventus, but...... but..... maybe not THAT close!

Still, there was something incredibly cute about him being so.....well... 'close'. It was almost touching, it was warm and gave her a trustworthy feeling that even was mutual and pure and allured a very very shy and sweet smile from her that he luckily couldn't see. Hell luckily he couldn't see her now at all, as she couldn't help herself but to stroke over his hair once more! It was...pleasant. Almost. Only with Azumarill's Helping Hand Shiva was able to shove Ventus back to his place leaned against the wall. Phew... She needed a few deep breaths.


Raphael being so kind and confidental towards her to sit in her lap voluntarily was a rather pleasant sensation, absent-mindedly she began to carefully stroke over his headfeathers and scratch his neck, much enjoying his presence and kindness. For a while, she didn't even speak, only listened to Ventus' slow breathing and his archangel's cooing in response for the strokes. Although Ventus himself, as pitchblack as Zekrom's scales on the inside he was, looked like an archangel himself in his sleep.

"You know, Raphael....", she eventually spoke up calmly but with some audible sadness, "...thank you for your aid. Really... You may not know, maybe you do, but I really appreciate it. Especially....now in these times....." She turns silent, hangs her head again - but as soon as Raphael shows being worried, she does her best to smile at and for him again. "Nah, I'm okay. Please do not worry too much for me... It's just..... just that..... haaaah, this while search for the Secret Library is becoming more and more of a crucial test for me. Yesterday when my Mightyena was missing, I felt close to breakdown. No lying... I successfully overplayed it, they didn't notice. I miss the daylight... Fresh food, my other Pokemon, that Eevee Egg even and everything.... I miss THE SURFACE. You know, up there." She points to the ceiling. "But....I need to keep going, I know. Strength and resilience are what I desire, none ever said the path to it would be easy. I'm on this path, trying to follow it despite all the sharp and pointy stones scattered across it. To keep a cool head in dire situations, to endure things, that's my heart's desire. Endure it and move on, always forward, although I'm sometimes finding myself asking whether Atheneum is worth all the struggle. I don't doubt that it is - but I'm having my weak moments too, Raphael. I'm not that natural survivor that your father is. But.....is it wrong to rely on outer help to keep going? On natural meds in my case?"


She mildly shakes her head, but only a muttered "I don't think it is" escapes her. A small break follows, where Raphael can 'reply' or such before Shiva continues. "I don't know how long we'll be within this mountain furthermore. Now, but don't get me wrong - I'm liking the trip. I caught my first shiny Pokemon, the Sentry fern gifted me something, I'm having a new Ice Type that I need to work with, haha... But neither do I know HOW LONG I can keep myself relatively stable."

"....Cast....a Morning Sun for me please, may you? Only a little, to not wake Ven... But these rays from you add their part to my fight against myself."

More muttering was issued from the researcher as Shiva's hand made a hasty escape from his hair, his face scrunching up at the departure of that feeling before it smoothed out as he started to snuggle with her, 'thinking' of her nothing more than an body pillow in his sleep. How sweet....sorta! He did smile when she started to stroke his hair more, but given the darkness it was completely hidden from all. He did let out a sleepy protest at being removed from his 'pillow' , but soon enough he settled back into peaceful slumber, this time at less intimate distance from his girlfriend.

The archangel gets comfortable as Shiva began to speak, resting a wing on her shoulder when she expressed how.....out of sorts she was and offering a consuling chirp to her as they began to radiate their soothing aura. Though it was hidden by the darkness, they had a concerned expression as she quietly recounted her near breakdown, it only growing more and more worried/sympathetic when she starting listing off all the little things that everyone takes for granted when its there, but so sorely miss it when its gone. It too missed the surface and all its amenities, and the fact they was trapped DEEP underground in these perilous, claustrophobia inducing tunnel weighed heavily on the normally light spirited Togekiss, though they hide it very well. As a Fairy/Flying type, the sunny open skies and being able to dance to and fro in it as the wind buoyed and tickled them were their prime Element, and to be deprived them of so long was truly an arduous experience for them....

Still, they prevailed against such crushing feelings, a determined frown appearing as they let out a defiant chirp at his father's girlfriend, trying to motivate her to stay strong! Mt. Sentry's Depths may be a oppressing place, but they know she has it within her to tough it out with a smile on her face and reach Antheneum, just like themselves and the rest of the group! She didn't need to emulate her father (By Arceas no!) in order to survive down here, for she already had her own loving and compassionate power and the ever constant support of everyone to do so! In fact, they have faith she'll be more than fine and in fact will be even better by the time the group reaches/returns from Antheneum and wards it off from those no good Scimitar scoundrels! All it will take is keeping a positive, chipper spirit, and they know Shiva is one at heart, so it will be easy peasy for her!!!

Of course, having the care and support from others should almost always be appreciated regardless of if its needed, and so Raphael readily summoned some weak beams of sunlight to help break the gloom and doom that threatening to smoother her. The spontaneous generation of light didn't awaken Ventus, but he did unconsciously turn away from it.

(Whew......I'm done with this scene finally! Not going to respond to it anymore, as I think this more than suffices for character bonding/flavor scene between Shiva and Ventus for now, and quite some time too. Not that such things are unenjoyable, but its tiring, draining, and time consuming as heck to make them, so I rather focus on smaller moments between character and focus on Encounter/The Plot for the most part, okay? Okay!)

(Okay!~ Time-consuiming - a little, yes. Tirering/draining - depends. Fun - definitely nevertheless!)


................................Ah. Weirdly enough, Shiva only managed to let out a suprised and squeek followed by a bit of chuckling a bit flustered as Ven subconsciously went further and cuddles with her in his sleep. U...usually that was what she a-actually did, role reversal!?

Still, she didn't fight and instead had a fierce and literally heated battle against her blush and her heart racing, if she won both doesn't become intense and highly awkward. It was match made in heaven, but the odds pointed towards the fae enthusiast, looks like she was on the winner's side... Nervosity and familarity very weirdly mixed themselves up into a swirl as she was only looking at the oddball snoozing on top of her, she may not be able to see his smile but she could feel the gist of it. She also COULDN'T help but to very carefully stroke his curious orange hair a little more. Eventually though, he became too heavy for her to hold ('What does he carry in his pockets, minimized Iron Balls?') and with Azumarill's helping hands she was set 'free' again. Phew... Now she at first needed a deep breath and a little to gather herself again, eventually she decided to simply sleep alongside him herself until the others would arrive. Being so guarded by Michael certainly allowed to do so; thank you, champeon of all grassy boxers!



Raphael's compassion and simple listening to what Shiva revealed towards him was really doing her well. It was tirering and anythingelse but easy for her, but probably that calming aura the archangel radiated was adding its part and together with the tranquility of the cavern and the darkness hiding any weird glances must have gotten the words of the fae enthusiast come.

Suprised however she was over Raphael seemingly BELIEVING  in her. Believing that she will not only make it and suceed on keeping herself stable during their all's quest, but also in her inner spirit, naming it happy and chiper. Well, sometimes she may just forget that she has all reasons to be happy... But all will (hopefully) end well in the end. She didn't really knew what she could answer Raphael, but actions sometimes speak more than words, so she ended up continuing to tenderly stroke through his headfeathers and neck, soon enough she has somewhat leaned into Raphael to soak up his calm and chipper.

The weak beams of his Morning Sun were soaked up by Shiva as well, she whispered a simple but very honest "Thank you..." to him. My, if she knew she'd be going to struggle that much, she'd bring Nightshade to have her own source of Morning Suns, but she still believed that this kind of trip was not too suited for a small Grass Type like her. Only advantage: Pretty certainly no Bird-Pokemon around!~

[Iron]

Shiva knows this plant is pretty hard to kill, but it's also really hard to get it to propagate. No one knows exactly how the orchid decides where to spread. The root can cure Confusion and headaches like a Berry, but this unfortunately kills the plant.

For Tropius, it would function like a Persim Berry of power 3.

They are worth a little money, but not a huge amount. Tam would give you about $400 for a living specimen, or $50 for a dried root.

With three successes on a Nature roll, you could bring a dormant root back to life. Failure means it dies.


Shiva parts the Tall Grass, going from flower to flower, until she finds one at the base of a ceramic-and-jade statue. It's half a meter in size and seems to portray a tiny dragon of white, gold, and green. It has twin ears or crests and two tiny yellow horns. Its tail is large in comparison to its body, and held like a Pachirisu's. One green paw has been sculpted upraised in greeting.

At the first touch of Shiva's hand, the statue suddenly moves! Little flakes of ceramic and jade fall to the ground, and the creature stretches with relish! It makes a sound best described as a dog purring, if one can imagine such a thing!

[Iron]

Training in this high-gravity environment is very beneficial.

Koa, Gustav, and Victor gain 2XP.

Interesting things are happening during your meditation, too. Malphena becomes a little more solid as she meditates, which discomforts her. Ventus has to help her close her mind against the darkness.
Lucifer's wings are too heavy to hold out, so he wraps them around himself. He likes the dark feeling here though. Feels very comfortable.

Lucifer and Malphean gain 1XP. Malphean gains 1 Loyalty due to Ven's help with her problem.
Apsis gets an Insight - Knowledge - Canalize training roll, and 1XP.
(2)(2)(1)(5)(6)(2)(4)(2)(4)(2) = 4 bonus XP

[Iron]

As for the Unown Þ (pronounced 'thorn'), not much to say about it! It's hanging out on a wall, its eye following Nathan as he moves. That's how he first realizes it's a Pokemon and not a carving. If Nathan gets too close, it slides away somewhere else it can observe him.

[Dragonstrike]

As for the Unown Þ (pronounced 'thorn'), not much to say about it! It's hanging out on a wall, its eye following Nathan as he moves. That's how he first realizes it's a Pokemon and not a carving. If Nathan gets too close, it slides away somewhere else it can observe him.

Hmmm...curious.  I imagine Solomon is watching it with the same curiosity that Unown 'thorn' is displaying.

How does Unown react when Nathan pulls out his journal and starts drawing it?

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Hummm. In the end Shiva digged up 3 exemplars of Kirlia Slipper:
- 1 for Natural Gift ('Hah! Take the power of nature washing over you, Fire Types believing you can mess with the grassy sauropode!').
- 1 to later try bringing it back to life and then hand it to Tam.
- 1 as a backup.


...What a beautiful statue, Shiva was just admirering this fine craftmanship and wondering what kind of Pokemon it was depicting. Well, it strongly looked like a Pokemon, but none she knows! Looks like a cutesy version of a dragon, she instantly likes it.

Very suprised she was as this statue - or 'statue' - moved, eeeek! However, somehow she doesn't withdraw her hand, she doesn't feel the smallest threat from this creature. In fact, it intrigues her, there's something special about it, it was as if that purring sound was catching her. Still having a Kirlia Slipper in her hand, she takes a seat right here at the spot and smiles at the freshly-awoken creature. "Well, now you're quite a cute lil' fellow!~ Have I awoken you accidently? I'm sorry, I didn't knew you were snoozing. But...you seem fine, that delights me to me no end! What were you doing here between the Tall Grass and the orchids, if I may ask?"

(Do any of Shiva's Pokemon react in a particular way? Cottonee is probably the one who'd notice this other Pokemon first, as she has been sticking to Shiva the closest.)

[Iron]

As for the Unown Þ (pronounced 'thorn'), not much to say about it! It's hanging out on a wall, its eye following Nathan as he moves. That's how he first realizes it's a Pokemon and not a carving. If Nathan gets too close, it slides away somewhere else it can observe him.

Hmmm...curious.  I imagine Solomon is watching it with the same curiosity that Unown 'thorn' is displaying.

How does Unown react when Nathan pulls out his journal and starts drawing it?

Yes, Solomon is interested in it, though he kind of acts like he's seen it before. The Unown is mostly keeping its eye on Nathan more than Solomon.

Unown doesn't mind being drawn. It begins to emit a faint glow when your drawing starts to take shape. When your drawing is done, it stays at that brightness until you put your journal away. 

[Iron]

Cottonee is perfectly comfortable around Luxi, as the dragon conveys no threat to her, and the fairy typing makes her feel even more at ease.

Gothitelle just smiles her enigmatic smile at it. She was as surprised as Shiva when the statue came to life.

When you ask Luxi what it was doing, she mimes sleeping.

[Dragonstrike]

Yes, Solomon is interested in it, though he kind of acts like he's seen it before. The Unown is mostly keeping its eye on Nathan more than Solomon.

Unown doesn't mind being drawn. It begins to emit a faint glow when your drawing starts to take shape. When your drawing is done, it stays at that brightness until you put your journal away. 

Interesting, interesting...

Well, since it's glowing right now, how does Unown react to Nathan taking a picture of it with his pokedex?

[Iron]

Yes, Solomon is interested in it, though he kind of acts like he's seen it before. The Unown is mostly keeping its eye on Nathan more than Solomon.

Unown doesn't mind being drawn. It begins to emit a faint glow when your drawing starts to take shape. When your drawing is done, it stays at that brightness until you put your journal away. 

Interesting, interesting...

Well, since it's glowing right now, how does Unown react to Nathan taking a picture of it with his pokedex?

That doesn't seem to have the same effect. No change in brightness. The photograph takes, and Unown doesn't really react much.