[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

There seems to be some kind of intriguing chasm under the shallow area - the sea is constantly rushing in and being refilled from over the surrounding rocks. It's about the right diameter for Cocancer to dock in, and there's a constant shifting bed of silt. There's juuuuust enough of the Oversizing Kelp here to live on, but Cocancer's growth will almost certainly cease if he lives here.

Cocancer himself is interested in investigating the chasm. It seems to smell unusual. Even your human senses catch a whiff of some kind of undersea gas.

While Cocancer's face is buried in the chasm, you sense that you are not alone. To your dismay, there is a huge fleet of Scimitars floating just above the waves, surfacing in a sudden spray of very hot steam. Each one is concealing something in their huge Gauntlets. They see you just when you see them.

Eeeeeeeee, how neat! ☆(◕‿◕ ) Such a curious and interesting spot they came across here, Shiva's very quickly fascinated and intrigued by this place. AND it seems like a fine new home for Huge Cocancer, jackpot!~

Huh, undersea gas? Shiva fails a bit to fully understand why Cocancer himself is so interested in this, but that doesn't matter much to her at all and she instead chooses to go with it. Is it an anomaly they came across here, a natural phenomena, somethingelse...? With a dear smile she pats Cocancer by a leaf of 'his' palm tree: "Oh, curious about this place?~ I am likewise, so how about we carefully dare to take that leap of faith and head down this cha-"

And then the scenery suddenly shifts!!!!!, there's that sudden spray of very hot steam, the natural fae-enthusiast holds a startled screech, Tropius falters, fear and shock overcomes both as they feel like they ran directly into a trap. Instinctively Shiva moves closer to Huge Cocancer as if to seek cover in his massive presence, she also tightens her grip on the Ancient Shield and has her other hand halfway on the occupied Pokeballs in her pocket. BUT she also has her gaze fixated on these Scimitars, and she doesn't look like she's going to just flee. Keeping her voice direct and clear with some effort, she adresses them: "Uhm well, what an extraordinaire place to run into some Scimitars! Excuse me if I disturbed you in some way or entered your territory, but... I came here with his massive Pokemon *nudges Huge Cocancer* in search for a place to stay and live in peace. I have NO intention to start a fight, b-but I - we! - we will defend ourselves if necessary! But lets us please not cause an uproar, instead do tell me: What are you people doing here?"

[Iron]

Their leader floats forward. It's not someone you recognize, but of course they are dressed as a Water Scimitar.

"I apologize, Shiva, but our business is our own. If you don't want to fight, that's just fine!" He gives you a warm smile. "I'm sure you could take a few of us down, given your reputation."
"In fact, peace would be MUCH better, wouldn't it? Yes! Just take a few wingbeats to your left, if you please. I have no intention of hurting you, or anyone."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

...? When the leader of these Water Scims gives her that warm smile, Shiva returns it with a bit of a clueless expression: She found it highly odd that despite CLEARLY outnumbering her AND this seemingly being their territory, they DID NOT go into offensive mode; and even seemed aware and wary(?) of Shiva herself doing so. It flattered her deep dwon though that she had a reputation.

Cearing her throat, she pats both Tropius and the Huge Concaner. "Very well. A peaceful resolution IS much better indeed, and I neither have any intention to hurt you just because... Come on Concancer, this nice spot unfortunately is occupied by some individuals already. I wish for a place for you where you can live in peace, undisturbed by any people... Don't you too?~" Giving the Scims a mild huff, Shiva leaves to the left on leafy wings.


However, she gives Cocancer a sly wink (･ω<)☆ indicating that she's not going to leave without trying something: Once these Scimitars are gone again, she summons Vaporeon directly into the water where the waterly Eeveelution immediately becomes translucent thanks to her unique cells. "Alright, Vappy my dear, please listen... There's a unique chasm right there *points to it* that almost screams to be explored and investigated, BUT there are mean Scimitars that do not appreciate us doing so. Do you think that with your new DIVE skill and your ability to melt away into water, you can sneak up to this chasm, do a careful search for anything of interest and then report back to me? I'll keep you safe with the Acient Shield if you like, just for safety reasons... Take care for any outbursts of undersea gas though, as well not to be detected by these Scimitars."

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

While Cocancer's face is buried in the chasm, you sense that you are not alone. To your dismay, there is a huge fleet of Scimitars floating just above the waves, surfacing in a sudden spray of very hot steam. Each one is concealing something in their huge Gauntlets. They see you just when you see them.

When Heart meet the Scimitars, by instinct he go into full battle mode. Clawitizer was summoned, pointing his powerful cannon at each one of the Scimitars, while Quetzal flap his wings, ready to deliver jugdment upon those enemies. And finally, Heart arms ignite into pure flames, ready to smite those enemies in chared forms.

However, when the Leader speak saying they have to fight or cause harm, Heart give a pierce gaze toward each of the Water Scimitars, he order Quetzal and Gustav to calmdown and he disperse his own flames. "Very well. IF you didnt have any ill intentions towards us, we will not attack. But know this: You Scimitars I will be watching." He cross his arms and look toward them.

[Dragonstrike]

Nathan spends a little more time with Achilles, partially to make sure everything is fine, partially watching how the Gym Leader handles the situation.  If he's gonna consider taking over the Tumbleweed Gym in the near(ish) future, having an idea of how the current gym leader handles these situations would be a very good thing indeed.  This kind of opportunity is difficult to pass up.

It isn't long before Nathan has to take his leave, though.  Achilles has a firm grasp on keeping everything organized and under control, so Nathan can leave to go conduct his other business with a clear mind.  Crisis one averted, so now it's time to go deal with that other issue...

-------------------------------------------------

Fortunately, Nathan knows exactly where to go to find Terra and Ventus, so catching up isn't difficult.  Just like when they were looking for the DIVE HM, he's outfitted his team primarily with pokemon suited to battling underwater, and he's packed equipment for excavating fossils as well.  He's reviewed the material Laurelin loaned to him, brought the proper tools for the job...there isn't too much more he can think of to prepare, so it's time for adventure!

Said adventure goes smoothly at first, what with Ventus and Terra clearing the way and all.  Nathan does warn the Poliwrath to watch for strangers with metal hands, but he doesn't spend much time there beyond anything required to get past them.

So many fossils afterwards, but none the one that Nathan and the Scimitars are both looking for.  Still, Nathan keeps going.  He's confident that he'll find Ventus and Terra ahead.

And so he does, along with that weird, pulsing mass of...seaweed?  No, it doesn't quite look like it...the glint of that red, ruby-like eye behind it stands out, though.  Is that...?

Only one way to find out.

Since Ventus is melting away that pulsing mass, once Nathan is caught up on the situation, he has a suggestion of his own to make.  "Gallade could try using CUT to remove it, or I could try using the Sword to similar effect.  Might speed up removing it from the wall a little.  Or I can just stand here at the ready with my pokemon, just in case.  Your call, Ventus."

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Yeah 2500 is fine.

How's this for a diceless mechanic? Auto-catch a mon based on its rarity/difficulty, mapped to a ball. Armaldo is somewhat rare, so a Great Ball. Cradily quite rare, so an Ultra Ball. And the little shrimps would autocatch in a Pokeball.

Gunk Shot or even better an Acid move would start eating away at the goop. The only difficulty is that the water makes the acid spray diffuse, so it's hard to focus it properly. Maybe Ao Guang can use a whirlpool to direct it properly or something.

Anyway, this will start Poisoning and etching away at the goop, so I'll wait to see if Nathan has any prep now.

Quote Dragonstrike

(...)

And so he does, along with that weird, pulsing mass of...seaweed?  No, it doesn't quite look like it...the glint of that red, ruby-like eye behind it stands out, though.  Is that...?

Only one way to find out.

Since Ventus is melting away that pulsing mass, once Nathan is caught up on the situation, he has a suggestion of his own to make.  "Gallade could try using CUT to remove it, or I could try using the Sword to similar effect.  Might speed up removing it from the wall a little.  Or I can just stand here at the ready with my pokemon, just in case.  Your call, Ventus."

Those Diceless mechanics sound a-OK with me, so let them be enacted henceforth (at least in regards to me) !

Aspis actually has a Acid Move in Acid Spray, but given the aersol-like/diffuse nature of the attack I elected to go with the more concentrated Poison Move Gunk Shot instead. Also thought that such concentrated toxins in G.S. would work well as a corrosive agent, but I guess I was only partially right.

Nathan's approach doesn't catch either of the researchers off guard, for their respective aquatic partners were watching the way they came in case the locals suddenly decided to Ambush them all. That, and keep an eye out for their brother's/partner's friends too!

To play that discovery out, the lovely Lapis Lazuli's eyes narrowed somewhat as the young adolescent swam into his vision with their DIVE mount, still understandably upset with them over what happened with their most trusted friend in the world, before he let out a small huff and used his tail fin to poke and get Terra's attention. On the other hand, Ao Guang and surprisingly enough Sari  welcome the semi-experienced excavator with their own version of a bow (which tipped off Ven of his arrival too, due to his bond with the former), though the sparkly sloth only did so slowly after staring at them for a few seconds after seeing the Lord of the Sea do so readily. Despite not interacting with them much, the deep sea dracofish did not miss nor forget their own compassionate efforts to help the other lost and forsaken  Pokemon at the Stair City Shelter, which even a arrogant Dragon like himself can't aloofly overlook and knows deserves some of his respect and gratitude. After all, he was in the same boat they once were, and he might have never left at all if they didn't come along with their esteemed brother advisor. The magnificent monarch reasons, though.......well, you'd have to ask her, since she was not easily giving away her feelings this time.


Ventus.....well, he was not exactly happy to see the boy, but at the same time he couldn't say to himself  he was not relieved to. He's still  pretty upset with their (in his mind) pointlessly unwarranted and foolish selflessness, as he finds it to be .....well. stupid, to be blunt, yet the fact they were their with him and their mutual 'friend'  show they managed to resolve that situation with the TITANIC COCANCER completely and satisfactory (otherwise they wouldn't even be there, the researchers would assume) despite said foolishness. 

By contrast Terra was completely happy to see them, giving them a small wave and a smile before resuming his own watch with Lovely. Blessidly simple!

Given the nature of what may be laying beyond that sticky icky mass, though, the rationalistic paranoid man didn't linger too much on those feelings, only giving them a look of mixed frustration and delight before getting straight to business. 

"Glad to see you made it out well enough for yourself, Nate. *Thinks over their idea* Hmm....I rather not risk Gallade accidentally CUTTING too deeply into that.....blob and hitting......whatever is past it, or if CUTTING the blob up would cause unexpected complications, like it releasing some diabolical biological defense agents upon laceration or piece of it getting to close to use and doing......something unpleasant. I have no qualms with using the Sword to empowering Aspis and standing guard with Terra, however, are sound ideas to me, as the former would hopefully speed up the corrosion of the blob by strengthening her Gunk Shot and the later....well, its rare that you can have too much help in matters like these. Hmm....or you could use The Sword to boost her Acid Spray's potency to the point of it being feasible choice over Gunk Shot in conjunction with Ao Guang's directing and concentrating it onto the mass with his innate mastery over his Element. Yes.....yes that would work out very well I believe, so if you have no objections to that alternative course of action.....?"

[Dragonstrike]

"Works for me if what you're doing already is working.  If we need to excavate this fossil, I should be ready to make an attempt at doing so.  Gallade, let's stand back and get ready.  Aspis, do your thing, and don't worry about the glowing aura!"

Nathan pulls out the Sword and bestows its decidedly magical effects upon Aspis!  That should give her Poison attacks a lot more oomph!

"Any Poison attack should hit with equal potency now, but the effects will be unchanged, so go ahead and take your pick for dissolving away that stuff. Just don't hit any of us with them accidentally."

[Lord Windos]

"Works for me if what you're doing already is working.  If we need to excavate this fossil, I should be ready to make an attempt at doing so.  Gallade, let's stand back and get ready.  Aspis, do your thing, and don't worry about the glowing aura!"

Nathan pulls out the Sword and bestows its decidedly magical effects upon Aspis!  That should give her Poison attacks a lot more oomph!

"Any Poison attack should hit with equal potency now, but the effects will be unchanged, so go ahead and take your pick for dissolving away that stuff.  Just don't hit any of us with them accidentally."

Up until he called her name, the resplendent and regal reptile that was Aspis was not paying too much mind to anything besides constantly upchucking a barrage of Gunk Shots with close to Mind Reader levels of Accuracy as possible. Being a brand new Move she had learnt less than a hour before now, she was not well versed in its usage, and ALSO being 'out of constant, harrowing, and big action' (as her fellow brother predator would put it) left her once exceptional capabilities rusty and stagnant, further hinder her usage of the Move. Not that she hadn't been getting plenty of Training and exercise between the variety of hunts her BP shared with her and the occasional pest of his that had to be dealt with, but compared to what she been through when she and him were with their old pack.....it didn't begin to compare.

All that, and she had to ALSO prevent herself from accidentally vomiting out those TMs he stuffed into her. Talk about having a lot to digest all at once! 

It was enough to make a venomous viper like her want to *Hissigh* , but she refused to succumb to the urge. She was a big - no, huge proud apex predator of a Arbok, and her sibling all but in blood's most trusted and beloved! Mastering one of the most powerful Poison Move enough to destroy and dissolvethat Ditto looking sea plant quickly would a matter of ease[i] for her, and [i]nothing should -

At that thought, right as she was priming to fire off another another Gunk Shot, she heard Nate call out her name. Her eyes widened in pure surprise and she snapped her head towards his voice and looked at the boy, until the growing pressure in her throat reminded her of the explosive 'ammo' rapidly building up to the point of firing off. The colossal cobra jolted at that realization and panicked, prompting causing her Gunk Shot to catch in her throat , making her let out a painful and queasy sounding *Chrrblurghrk!* as it stuck and detonated in it, and finally cause her to start coughing/vomiting/retching a utterly vile gloopy cloud of toxins into the water beneath her body that slowly settled to the bottom of the DIVE tunnel.

Several seconds passed as she got the last of the failed G.S. out of her system and recovering from it and the vile taste and burn it left in her mouth, shaking her head with a grimace and a displeased *Hiss....* and then promptly snapping her focus back onto Nate once more. And it was Nate, and my my my how much he's grown! Not just physically, but in stature and presence. Confidence and Power. Pride and excellence. Such drastic changes and growth in only a scant few weeks since they saw him last - when she thought she'd not see him in months, years, or ever again - was......well, shocking to see for herself. Ven constantly kept her updated on the status of their mutual.....interest, so she's amply aware of the trails he has face and conquered, but it's another thing to be suddenly confronted with it when she least expected it. 

Aspis could hardly believe her own magnificent eyes at what Nate had become. It was (again) a shocking sight, but also one that filled her with.....pride?

The supreme serpent sister would've have continued staring at the boy hero boggled eyed were it not for him suddenly (to her) bestowing upon her The Sword's power, which caused her to stiffen and then rear at the rush of invigorating might it gave her until she could come to grips and basked in it. Oh, what is this power she's so comfortably filled to the brim of her barrel with? Did Nate give it to her? How very interesting. More and more, he keeps surprising her, and at this point she wonders what else are they now.....

This kicks off a new round of staring at Nate, letting out a ponderous and familiar *Hiss* as she did so. Eventually she'd get to doing as her BP and Nathan would Order, but until then she'd stall in her asssssssessssssment of the young historian......

Speaking of Ventus, his own reaction to The Sword's power was one of marked curiosity and interest, not the revilement or disguised scorn/disappoint they (Nathan) would probably expect. Hmm.....

(....And done! Couldn't resist making a scene centering around Aspis and Nathan, considering the two share a strange bond and history with one another. Hopefully you'll enjoy it, mate!)[/i][/i]

[Iron]

...? When the leader of these Water Scims gives her that warm smile, Shiva returns it with a bit of a clueless expression: She found it highly odd that despite CLEARLY outnumbering her AND this seemingly being their territory, they DID NOT go into offensive mode; and even seemed aware and wary(?) of Shiva herself doing so. It flattered her deep dwon though that she had a reputation.

Cearing her throat, she pats both Tropius and the Huge Concaner. "Very well. A peaceful resolution IS much better indeed, and I neither have any intention to hurt you just because... Come on Concancer, this nice spot unfortunately is occupied by some individuals already. I wish for a place for you where you can live in peace, undisturbed by any people... Don't you too?~" Giving the Scims a mild huff, Shiva leaves to the left on leafy wings.


However, she gives Cocancer a sly wink (･ω<)☆ indicating that she's not going to leave without trying something: Once these Scimitars are gone again, she summons Vaporeon directly into the water where the waterly Eeveelution immediately becomes translucent thanks to her unique cells. "Alright, Vappy my dear, please listen... There's a unique chasm right there *points to it* that almost screams to be explored and investigated, BUT there are mean Scimitars that do not appreciate us doing so. Do you think that with your new DIVE skill and your ability to melt away into water, you can sneak up to this chasm, do a careful search for anything of interest and then report back to me? I'll keep you safe with the Acient Shield if you like, just for safety reasons... Take care for any outbursts of undersea gas though, as well not to be detected by these Scimitars."

"Oh, I'm afraid you've misunderstood me, Shiva! We aren't leaving, until you scoot just a few feet to the left. Won't you? After that you are welcome to explore wherever you wish."

[Iron]

Apsis hoses down the gunk around the shadowy form. The gunk melts away instantly when empowered by the sword, but little hard chunks embedded within the gunk float quickly to the sea floor. Closer inspection reveals these to be small Pokemon Eggs.

The shadowy form, of course, could be no other than a Genesect! This one, though withered away, is still mostly intact, though caked or replaced with stony sediment. It walks on four legs, and two more seem to function as arms, like a centaur. It has stubs where wings used to be. All the limbs seem capable of rotating 360 degrees, or would if they weren't petrified.

Its eyes take up more of the arrow-shaped face than in Team Plasma's Genesect, and what light there is down here reflects from their ruby facets strangely.

Oh, and its proportions? It's huge, the size of a Mudsdale or more. You might count yourself lucky you aren't witnessing it with its wingspan intact - they must have spread 20 feet before they rotted away, and been able to rotate like a helicopter.