[Game Thread] Pokerole: Mount Coronet Mystery

[Dragonstrike]

Kogeki, who had been attempting to sneak out of the cabin in the morning without the party noticing, is approached by both Randolph and Kee.  (@PhantomUnderYourDesk, if you'd like to post Kee's reaction here, that would be great)  It doesn't seem like Karen and Lucas had noticed.

Randolph has a no nonsense look on his face.

Randolph: "By fire and forge, where in this frigid hellscape do you think you're going, Kogeki?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

(...) And so he and Octavia, he with open messy hair and black sleeping clothes and Octavia with intimidatingly waving ribbons, get as close to Kogeki as they can. If he attempts to escape, Octavia will prevent that by enwrapping him with one of her ribbons. Kee hits him with a makeshift paper fan and gives him a glance that's definitely not that pleased. "Whatcha think you're doin' there, huh? The weather's not suited for some casual morning walk - so? "

(Another post's in the making, should be up in a bit.)

[Spiritmon]

Kogeki has no surprise in his look. "I was planing in go forward and scout the field ahead. Avoid the same problems we had with Ursaring. I also find odd why Pokemon seems more wild and violent than normal. I was about to leave a note behind explaining my absence. Besides, a ninja is better for this situation as scout, but you two find me before I could go so..."

"Besides, I have Gama who can go Camouflage in case of danger, and Nagi to use priority Hypnosis. I can go first and check what is happening."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

That earns him another hit from Kee with a paper fan. "Listen, are you dumb or are you suicidal? LOOK AT THAT RAGIN' SNOWSTORM OUTSIDE!! REMEMBER WHAT LUCAS HAS SAID 'BOUT THE RAMPAGIN' POKEMON OUTSIDE!! IT'S STILL FREAKIN' DARK AS HECK!! If ya're going out THERE 'lone and bravely, ya're NOT going to come back in one piece. Nonononono, you must be underestimatin' things or are waaaaay to confidant 'bout your skills. That's just CALLIN' for problems we as sure as hell do NOT need."

Octavia tightens the grip around one of Kogeki's arms. "No goin' outside and playin' the lone hero, NOPE, we're in this together. Or have you FORGOTTEN that?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

AAAAAAHHHHHH warm and cozy cabin, a safety haven, a light at the end of the tunnel, a rest stop!~~ To hell with Kee if she's not going to try getting there as fast as he can, Lucas will later get a thankful pat on the shoulder and back from him for enabling just that.

Kee's going to enjoy and make good use of EVERY service/possibility/chance the small cabin run by the kind old man is offering; from qualitative food over a hot cup of tea and a warm bath to a cozy and comfy bed and the fact of being sheltered from that raging blizzard.


+++++++


In the morning he's awakening way too early (too early for him, that is) and with Stella enwrapped in her nice blanket cuddled up close to him and Octavia curled up into a sparkling ball of fairy dust and one ribbon gently wrapped around her dearest Master's wrist. Kee's got the most loving expression on his face as he gives his Sylveon a light peck on the forehead and his Vulpix a fond stroke. "Good mornin', my dear ones...~ *glances outta the window and grimances* Isn't it splendid~ to have the luxury of a pleasant rest while all hell's breaking loose weatherwise on tha outside? Ugggghhh, but we have to get up and get stuff done now..."

Onwards to morning routine and breakfast, as well as meeting up down the lobby with the others!~ (Small flashforward possibly)

Lucas gathers the group together for a brief meeting before they continue on their way.  "We don't know what's out there exactly.  Make sure you're prepared.  If you have any changes to make to your team, I'd do so now before we head out. This Route's normally pretty busy, but...well, I can't say I've ever seen this cabin so empty before. I'm surprised the groundskeeper is even still here."

These words of warning and advice get an....unimpressed look from Kee, he listens anyway but doesn't look alarmed or concerned in the slightest. "Boooooiiii, Lucas.....", he eventually speaks up to him, "Look outta the window, look at this raging blizzard and the rampagin' wild Pokemon. *sarcastic undertone comes up* C'mon, it's nice and cool of you to warn us like that, but anyone who does set a foot outside WITHOUT being properly prepared - whatever that means for each person individually - can't be helped as that one's stupidity is unmatched in the whole universe and beyond to the one next to ours. 'N without the groundkeeper.... well, we'd be totally fucked cuz WHERE TO REST THEN. I'm mightily thankful that he's staying here...."

"Ah, and anyone not realizing that something fishy's going around outside must be blind. Or plain dumb. Or both.... If we wouldnt have to investigate and get outside, I'd rather raaaaaaaather not do so, but the LUCKY ones who are going to do so anyway are WE. Hooray. *cough* Least we can do is to make sure we're not goin' to get wrecked by whatever's lurkin' 'round."

Onwards to him preparing his party of Pokemon!~ It'll consist of

this arrangement

- Octavia aka shiny Sylveon @Quick Claw
- Stella aka smol Vulpix @Cheri Berry
- Core aka Paraudio @Safety Googles
- Mercury aka Chatot @Metronome
- Aya aka Primarina @Mystic Water
- Draven aka Minyan @Wide Lens

Abilities of his Pokemon stay the same, apart from dear Octavia who's scattering pink fairy dust and shiny sparkles all around.

Ohhh, and what about the Sitrus Berry Kee has planted in that Berry Pot at the End of Day2, any results? Anything's there to harvest? (◕‿◕｡)

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

That earns him another hit from Kee with a paper fan. "Listen, are you dumb or are you suicidal? LOOK AT THAT RAGIN' SNOWSTORM OUTSIDE!! REMEMBER WHAT LUCAS HAS SAID 'BOUT THE RAMPAGIN' POKEMON OUTSIDE!! IT'S STILL FREAKIN' DARK AS HECK!! If ya're going out THERE 'lone and bravely, ya're NOT going to come back in one piece. Nonononono, you must be underestimatin' things or are waaaaay to confidant 'bout your skills. That's just CALLIN' for problems we as sure as hell do NOT need."

Octavia tightens the grip around one of Kogeki's arms. "No goin' outside and playin' the lone hero, NOPE, we're in this together. Or have you FORGOTTEN that?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

(Which arm is Octavia holding? The normal one or the mechanical arm?)

(The normal, non-mechanical one.)

The words from Kogeki do not earn him much sympathy; Kee returns him cold look with a stern one on his own. "Darkness's also the perfect ally TO GET YA INTO TROUBLE. C'mooooooooon, Kogeki, have you spent a few moments to think about the CONSEQUENCES of yar lone-hero-action here or haven't ya? Your brilliant~ 'n overflowin'~ confidence~ *totally no sarcastic undertone* put aside, what if trouble finds ya ANYWAY? Nonono, ya CAN'T tell me that this will not happen, ya just CAN'T. There's no certainity 'bout THAT."

"Ohhhh, and are ya're implying that our Pokemon are weak? You better don't." *sharp glance* (↼_↼ ╬) "'Strong' and 'strength' are pretty subjektive terms, ya know."

(...)When Kee was about to hit the paper fan on Kogeki again, he quick hold the item. "Also, could you please stop hitting me with a fan? It doesnt hurt, but its still a little annoying."(...)

"That's the point of it, Sherlock." Kee pulls another paper fan from somewhere in his pocket and hits him with that one too. Just once though.

At least Kogeki eventually shows some agreement and abstains from his plan, which visibly relaxes the colorful musician and also causes Octavia to let go of his arm. She huffs and gently wraps it around Kee's wrist instead. "Fine, good d'cision, thank ya and that's relievin' to hear. Lemme tell ya AGAIN, we're ALL in this, solo-runs are not goin' to lead anywhere. Underestimating the opponent's a certain way to let 'em smash ya at the very first opportunity, and that scenario out there's definitely NOT to underestimate. O-KAY ?" *another sharp glance to emphasize that*"

Before Kee and his dear Faeeveelution return though, he's giving the ninja some last words. "Listen... If ya want us to trust ya, ya better not pull off such an action again as it is NOT encouraging this. If ya don't want us to start trustin' ya, that's good too, but then ya can't expect us to do so towards you. 'N without a chance to trust each other, we can just as well seperate."

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

The words from Kogeki do not earn him much sympathy; Kee returns him cold look with a stern one on his own. "Darkness's also the perfect ally TO GET YA INTO TROUBLE. C'mooooooooon, Kogeki, have you spent a few moments to think about the CONSEQUENCES of yar lone-hero-action here or haven't ya? Your brilliant~ 'n overflowin'~ confidence~ *totally no sarcastic undertone* put aside, what if trouble finds ya ANYWAY? Nonono, ya CAN'T tell me that this will not happen, ya just CAN'T. There's no certainity 'bout THAT."

"Ohhhh, and are ya're implying that our Pokemon are weak? You better don't." *sharp glance* (↼_↼ ╬) "'Strong' and 'strength' are pretty subjektive terms, ya know."

(...)When Kee was about to hit the paper fan on Kogeki again, he quick hold the item. "Also, could you please stop hitting me with a fan? It doesnt hurt, but its still a little annoying."(...)

"That's the point of it, Sherlock." Kee pulls another paper fan from somewhere in his pocket and hits him with that one too. Just once though.

At least Kogeki eventually shows some agreement and abstains from his plan, which visibly relaxes the colorful musician and also causes Octavia to let go of his arm. She huffs and gently wraps it around Kee's wrist instead. "Fine, good d'cision, thank ya and that's relievin' to hear. Lemme tell ya AGAIN, we're ALL in this, solo-runs are not goin' to lead anywhere. Underestimating the opponent's a certain way to let 'em smash ya at the very first opportunity, and that scenario out there's definitely NOT to underestimate. O-KAY ?" *another sharp glance to emphasize that*"

Before Kee and his dear Faeeveelution return though, he's giving the ninja some last words. "Listen... If ya want us to trust ya, ya better not pull off such an action again as it is NOT encouraging this. If ya don't want us to start trustin' ya, that's good too, but then ya can't expect us to do so towards you. 'N without a chance to trust each other, we can just as well seperate."

[Lord Windos]

With Karen and Delibird!

Randolph’s can’t help but raise a skeptical and somewhat befuddle eyebrow as the mis-matched maiden and her new festive friend snuggle each other, not quite believing her claim despite the evidence before him, but he soon shrugs it off and firmly nods back to her. After spending some time with an elderly woman of dubious liveliness and hearing ‘her’ spin a yarn about her out of control and Ghostly ‘friend’ (and getting tied up into it, much to his beleaguered consternation), he’s not in the mood to be figuring out how an Ice type is keeping Karen warm instead of frosty.

“Good for ya, lass. Now, did you find anything about that ‘friend’ of the old lady’s while socializing with the penguin, or was all your time spent with it holly and jolly?”

On the Way and Into The Cabin!

To say the bristly blacksmith was relieved to here the champ’s announcement would be entirely accurate. To say he would have been ecstatic, hollering up a storm for everyone to make Extreme Speed towards the cabin and jabbing at it with great fervor, were he not damn near chilled to the bone and huddling close to Amethyst and Brigid for warmth and protection from the cold and the furious flurry of tundra Pokemon mobbing the group/Lucas, would also be accurate too. As it stood, all he had to say to the lad’s course of action was a surely and resounding “Bah and freezing fuck no, of course that doesn’t sound good, ya overqualified and overprotective lad! But what other choice we non-champions have, ‘sides freezing to death out here from the Weather or getting overwhelmed by foul tempered beasties Houndouring us in it?! Graaah, thrice curse and damn this supernatural Tarous shit mystery, to the Distorted World and beyond!! “

Randolph was not happy about the state of affairs, as per usual these days. Never the less, that didn’t stop him from letting Lucas take lead and the role of defender, as even a stubborn old cuss like himself knew when he was outmatched or unprepared for a task at hand. He didn’t get to where he was as a blacksmith or trainer without a good head on his shoulders, after all.

Once he and everyone was safely in the nice and cozy cabin, he all but slumped against one of its walls and his fire goddess (Brigid) in relief after giving a weary nod back to the innkeeper, looking extremely worn out like the Shinjo Ruins and just as inhospitable too. For his dark gemstone Amethyst he left to her own devices in the cabin, besides telling her to behave and not cause any unnecessary ruckus. He took off his gloves and flexed his hands to get the blood in them circulating, and winced as his joints popped and cracked quite audibly and painfully, before he let out a long, drawn out *Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh* and looking down at the floor with a thinly veiled grimace.

“…..Heatran damn it all, I’m too bloody old and under-qualified for all this godawful job. But I got to do it. ‘Cause I promised the Pixies I do it. ‘Cause I have a duty and responsibility to look out for my partners. ‘Cause I promised Rowan I do the job he suckered me into, that old, grey, and conniving Rattatta bastard. ‘Cause it’s my responsibility. If I don’t keep soldiering on and keep doing what I’ve been doing, I’d betray their faith and trust in me, disgrace myself, and leave Sinnoh and the world to be done in like Christmas turkey. I got to do it. *Sighs* ...No, I must do it.”

Ran looked at his open, numb, and calloused hands, then clenched them tightly, gritting his teeth as he quietly bore the agony of doing so and slowly kneaded warmth and feeling back into them.

“ Verdammt noch mal. Verdammt noch mal.”

The midget man hardly had anything to say to his occasion erstwhile companions, other than a gruff and sardonic “Keine heiße Scheiße und kalte Pisse, Junge” to Lucas stating the (to him) bone idle obvious, and retired for the night after his meal to get his long awaited rest from the past frigid and intolerable day. He’d needed it, for the next one tomorrow.

Joy.

If its possible, however, he would attempt a couple of Craft projects, the first being fixing up/improving upon the crude mask he made for Kogeki (or make a new one, if the cyborg ninja wishes/doesn’t give him the mask), and making some fit all snowshoes for his non-Ice and Flying/Floating Pokemon. Seeing them struggle to gain traction and speed in the slush would have inspired him to do something to fix that, as he didn’t want any of his partners floundering on the job and get mollywomped badly for it.

The Next Day!

Concerning Ran’s Pokemon’s Abilities and Held Items for the day (If any), here it is:

Diam: Keen Eye, Sablenite (Might as well be considered her default set-up)
Beethoven: Keen Eye
Puck: Intimidate
Brigid: Drought, Charcoal (Speaking of which, how’s the progress on the one he planted?)
Stymph: Sturdy, Metal Coat
Zorn: Rough Skin, Rocky Helmet
Sekhmet: Sandstream
Belladonna: Stench, Leftovers
Catherine: Forewarn, Spell Tag (Works with Lick!)
Borreal: Soundproof, Life Orb
Amethyst: Pressure, Silk Scarf
Salandit (Kee gave him a free one, if I remember correctly): Corrosion
Delta-Wingull: Keen Eye

For his default line-up for the day, it’ll be Amethyst, Catherine, Borreal, Belladona, Brigid, and Stymph. Amethyst for her prophetic talents and Pressure to scare away small fry/bring in the powerful prawns, Catherine and Borreal because their Ice Types (And for Catherine’s Forewarn Ability), Belladona and Brigid for their respective Fire power, the former’s Stench to help drive off some other Pokemon and the later’s Drought/natural warmth to help alleviate the bitter coldness of the ‘great’ outdoors, and Stymph for her flight, toughness, and Steel typing. Ran’s still plenty irritated/mad at Diam, so she stays in the PC for another day, and he doesn’t want to fool around with his other partners at the moment.

All that stated, the dwarven craftsman is up and at them early in the morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed in his own cantankerous, surely way, sitting down and drinking his morning cup of cocoa (keeping a firm and unwavering eye on it this time) and absentmindedly feeding his Salandit (whom he named Frank, after Frankincense) fruity snacks, picking through his own breakfast and reading the book Uxie recommended to him while waiting for everyone else (Except possibly Lucas and Kogeki) to get up so they could start their day. Regarding Frank, Ran had decided for the time being to treat them like a pet and the baby that they are rather than a true partner, pampering and socializing with them when he could and generally trying to take great care of them. The noxious little lizard was (pardon the pun) frankly far too young and weak to help him out on this insanely perilous job of his, so they get to sit it out for the unforeseeable future in utmost ease, the lucky tyke.

His response to Lucas (during the meeting) was straight to the point and grumpy as usual. “In this strange and horrible situation we’re all stuck, riveted, and saddled with, I’d be more surprised if that weren’t patently true rule of thumb. Me and my team has long since been prepared for another frigid as hell day out in the rough, so we’re ready to set off whenever. The sooner, the better, ‘cause I want this job of ours to be over and done with Licktung split. If not already, if that were only possible. Bah.....”

Before that, though, he’d want to do a check up on Kogeki’s Cyborg Prosthetic to see how it was holding up, and ask both Amethyst and Catherine what their senses tell them of what’s to come. For Ran and his partner’s formation outdoors, he’ll have Amethyst and Belladona out on point to do their duty of pest control with their Abilities, while he’s riding Brigid behind them to keep himself nice and warm. The coal powered tortoise has 3 DEX (+ Shell Smash, if necessary) and has Drought/Heat Wave/INFERNO to clear her path of snow, so she’s and her master were hardly going to lag behind the rest of the group!

As for the scarred sleuth’s attempt to scout ahead alone, he let’s Kee take them to task for it, as they seemed to be/have done a nice job of beating some sense into them without causing to much of a fuss. No need for him to get anymore involved and add to their chastiment if the colorful musician was doing that good enough on their own!

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

(...) Once he and everyone was safely in the nice and cozy cabin, he all but slumped against one of its walls and his fire goddess (Brigid) in relief after giving a weary nod back to the innkeeper, looking extremely worn out like the Shinjo Ruins and just as inhospitable too. For his dark gemstone Amethyst he left to her own devices in the cabin, besides telling her to behave and not cause any unnecessary ruckus. He took off his gloves and flexed his hands to get the blood in them circulating, and winced as his joints popped and cracked quite audibly and painfully, before he let out a long, drawn out *Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh* and looking down at the floor with a thinly veiled grimace.

“…..Heatran damn it all, I’m too bloody old and under-qualified for all this godawful job. But I got to do it. ‘Cause I promised the Pixies I do it. ‘Cause I have a duty and responsibility to look out for my partners. ‘Cause I promised Rowan I do the job he suckered me into, that old, grey, and conniving Rattatta bastard. ‘Cause it’s my responsibility. If I don’t keep soldiering on and keep doing what I’ve been doing, I’d betray their faith and trust in me, disgrace myself, and leave Sinnoh and the world to be done in like Christmas turkey. I got to do it. *Sighs* ...No, I must do it.”

Ran looked at his open, numb, and calloused hands, then clenched them tightly, gritting his teeth as he quietly bore the agony of doing so and slowly kneaded warmth and feeling back into them.

“ Verdammt noch mal. Verdammt noch mal.” (...)

THAT....causes Octavia to carefully approach Ran and give him a worried and compassionate look with her violet shiny-Sylveon-eyes. She even chirps a little at him when he rants to himself about being too old and rusty to get the job assigned done.

That's when Kee came across with his long hair open and a towel around his shoulders to have it soak up some of the moist and snow caught within it, Octavia gives her dearest of all people a just as melodic chirp and throws a concerned glance between him and Ran. Kee's got TWO mugs in his hand, and one of them is gently offered to the blacksmith. From the smell of it they're filled with hot and sweet hot chocolate, freshly made. "....Worn out?", he plainly and quietly says, "Here. I've added some Baileys® into it that the innkeeper all kindly let me have to enjoy." Then he silently takes a seat next to him on the wall, Octavia cuddles up to him and receives some fond strokes through her fine fur.