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Old 08-21-2022, 01:31 PM   #151
Zelphon
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Originally Posted by Marion Ette View Post
Zelphon - Were the battle solely between the Shadow Froakie and Shubi, Marietta wouldn't need to worry; as wily and nimble as the frog might be, Shubi's powerful moves would almost certainly win out in the end. With this unseen force sending out bomb-like bubbles, however, the Shadow Stantler's odds of victory were far less assured. With Marietta's very survival a probable cost of losing, she calls upon two more servants of darkness to help even the odds: a Shadow Woobat and a Shadow Ditto.

With the intent of bringing the dark gavel of vengeance upon their foe - despite having no idea who said foe is - Woobat unleashes a series of Shadow Storms down the chasm. With Shubi's Shadow Sky, it's the perfect weather to rain down some serious pain, and soon, the chasm resounds with the sound of explosively popping bubbles. Unable to withstand the storm, the bubbles never make it to their intended destination, and the cavern shakes with the force of their detonation. The Shadow Ditto does obey the order to Transform, as having wings when the narrow stairway beneath you is shaking is certainly preferable, but seeing no need to assist Woobat, the transformed Ditto disobeys the order to release additional Shadow Storms into the chasm, instead enjoying the chaos unfold from its lofty position.

In the midst of all this violent popping, a distant, yet audible croak of shock and pain can be heard, followed by a scream that, by the movement and echo of the sound, almost certainly signals that the Shadow Froakie lost grip of the wall and is now in freefall... Whatever Marietta decides to do, if she wants to intervene on the little frog's behalf, she will need to act fast. With the exception of Froakie's terrified cry, all that remains after Woobat's series of attacks and the destructive quakes are a more subtle, reverberating aftermath - the sound of the trembling staircase - and there do not seem to be any more bubbles rising up from the cavern at the moment... But there is also nothing to confirm that this mysterious bubble-blower is not still an active and pervasive threat.

What will Marietta and her crew do?
Seeing an opportunity to strike a friendlier accord with her would-be opponents Marietta calls off the continued assault and instead orders her Woobat-shaped duo to attempt a rescue on the falling Froakie.

"Cease thine assault oh vessels of shadow and make haste to rescue that trifling frog, show our foes that our mercy can equal our fury!"

Silently Marietta curses having left her faster Dragapult behind, as one of her largest and fastest pokemon they surely would make this endeavor far more likely to succeed, but as shown by their meager psychic abilities it's clear her other pokemon needed the battlefield experience.

Meanwhile, Ditto and Woobat dive deep down into the well, in what could very well be described as a frivolous attempt at rescuing their target, the duo fading into the deep dark and out of their trainer's view.

Pleased with their pace but never the less worried about both them and their chances of success Marietta ties an Air Balloon to Shubi's horns and mounts her, ordering the Stantler to charge down the stairs as fast as they can.

"Go forth oh great one and be assured your safety by mine boon!"
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Old 08-21-2022, 01:54 PM   #152
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Litwick But if I was gone tomorrow, won't the waves crash on?

ChrisClark13-

Seeing the sunlight once more, and hearing your kind words, the Minior accepts your offer. With a spare Pokeball, the Pokemon lets itself get caught, and you hear the click. Seems that this little star will guide you on a new path to the future. Even if things here ended the way they did, everything goes on.

Congratulations, you have caught a Lv. 20 Indigo Core Minior with MT Stealth Rock!

As you board the ferry back to the mainland, your team starts to pile the items they have been carrying into Curtis's backpack. You watch as they gingerly put things in, each a form of greaving. May he rest in peace deep within the spire, his soul spared from the elder deity above. Cthugha... huh. Seems that was something entangled within you now, isn't it?

You have obtained
x1 Charcoal
x1 Dragon Fang
x1 Bag of Star Sapphires (with $500)
x1 TM Mystical Fire


You then notice your spiritual half walk up to you, a single flower in her mouth. Red in color... it was a flower of parting. You see the petals form into legs, and the smell is unmistakable. A Spider Lily. He was truly gone, wasn't he?

You have obtained x1 Spider Lily

Processing everything afterward, you soon heard a knock on the cabin you had found yourself in. You soon would be on the shore... to start your life as a human being. People come and go, and all things fade in the end. Even if we pretend, we can't escape the harsh truth of reality... May the stars guide you brightly.


OOC: After a long time coming, your UA adventure is finally at an end! I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it through the ups and downs.
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You want someone that I can't be
You say it's insanity, but
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Fizzy Bubbles
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Old 08-21-2022, 05:25 PM   #153
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Zelphon - Now was not the time to hold grudges for Marietta. Deciding to follow the path of forgiveness instead of revenge, she orders Ditto and Woobat to dive down into the well to rescue the Froakie which, up until mere moments ago, had been hostile toward them. Perhaps this action would allow her to ameliorate whatever had spurned the frog's aggression, and inspire better relations...

Ditto hesitates at first, but ultimately follows Woobat, who is down like a shot to save a fellow shadow from gravity's oblivion. Still, there is significant concern that Woobat will not make it to Froakie in time, as the little bat is still in need of significant training to really fly fast and far. Fortunately, Marietta has a creative solution for herself and Shubi, as she ties an Air Balloon to the Shadow Stantler's horns and orders full speed ahead down the stairs.

The run is disorienting, as down starts to feel like up - left like right - equilibrium imbalances within their heads, as the air around them thickens, distorts, messes with their minds. Despite this, Shubi's hooves remain steadfast, her run undisturbed by this increasingly off-putting phenomenon. Sure, Marietta is probably starting to feel so thoroughly discombobulated that she may throw up at any moment, but Shubi seems far less affected, and given that she's the one whose footfalls must remain sure, it'll probably be fine... And relief does come in the sound of Froakie's screaming ending without a sickening crash, instead ending to the sound of Woobat's victorious cry. Sounds like she was successful in saving -

POP.

Shubi runs at top speed to arrive at the bottom, only to find herself climbing up the stairs - wait, what? They were running down, down, down, and now, they seem to be emerging in the Rainbow Caverns from whence they came... But no. No, something isn't right. In this world, shadow refracts and reflects like light, forming staircases and platforms at odd angles in the ice, illusions of a shadowy, Escher-esque world carved within a glacier. Laid out on one of the flickering, illusory staircases is Woobat, the residue of shadowy water and dazed, pained expression confirming that the Woobat had, indeed, been hit by one of the nefarious bubbles. By her side is the Froakie, staring at her intently, as if trying to understand something... At this distance, Marietta can see that there is a small pendant around the Froakie's neck.

Ditto, in Woobat's form, follows in soon after Shubi and Marietta discover the dazed bat and contemplative frog. Fortunately, that moment's hesitation was the difference between getting a bubble to the face for this transformed creature.

Froakie and Woobat are approximately 30 ft. away, though distance in this world can be difficult to gauge...

What will Marietta, Shubi and Ditto do?
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Old 09-18-2022, 02:10 PM   #154
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Originally Posted by Marion Ette View Post
Zelphon - Now was not the time to hold grudges for Marietta. Deciding to follow the path of forgiveness instead of revenge, she orders Ditto and Woobat to dive down into the well to rescue the Froakie which, up until mere moments ago, had been hostile toward them. Perhaps this action would allow her to ameliorate whatever had spurned the frog's aggression, and inspire better relations...

Ditto hesitates at first, but ultimately follows Woobat, who is down like a shot to save a fellow shadow from gravity's oblivion. Still, there is significant concern that Woobat will not make it to Froakie in time, as the little bat is still in need of significant training to really fly fast and far. Fortunately, Marietta has a creative solution for herself and Shubi, as she ties an Air Balloon to the Shadow Stantler's horns and orders full speed ahead down the stairs.

The run is disorienting, as down starts to feel like up - left like right - equilibrium imbalances within their heads, as the air around them thickens, distorts, messes with their minds. Despite this, Shubi's hooves remain steadfast, her run undisturbed by this increasingly off-putting phenomenon. Sure, Marietta is probably starting to feel so thoroughly discombobulated that she may throw up at any moment, but Shubi seems far less affected, and given that she's the one whose footfalls must remain sure, it'll probably be fine... And relief does come in the sound of Froakie's screaming ending without a sickening crash, instead ending to the sound of Woobat's victorious cry. Sounds like she was successful in saving -

POP.

Shubi runs at top speed to arrive at the bottom, only to find herself climbing up the stairs - wait, what? They were running down, down, down, and now, they seem to be emerging in the Rainbow Caverns from whence they came... But no. No, something isn't right. In this world, shadow refracts and reflects like light, forming staircases and platforms at odd angles in the ice, illusions of a shadowy, Escher-esque world carved within a glacier. Laid out on one of the flickering, illusory staircases is Woobat, the residue of shadowy water and dazed, pained expression confirming that the Woobat had, indeed, been hit by one of the nefarious bubbles. By her side is the Froakie, staring at her intently, as if trying to understand something... At this distance, Marietta can see that there is a small pendant around the Froakie's neck.

Ditto, in Woobat's form, follows in soon after Shubi and Marietta discover the dazed bat and contemplative frog. Fortunately, that moment's hesitation was the difference between getting a bubble to the face for this transformed creature.

Froakie and Woobat are approximately 30 ft. away, though distance in this world can be difficult to gauge...

What will Marietta, Shubi and Ditto do?



Her mind still feeling mixed up from the combination of whirling passage and seeming teleportation Marietta does her best to appear in her wits as she stumbles through the process of dismounting her faithful Stantler, the trainer fighting back the urge to purge the contents of her stomach before facing Woobat and the Froakie.

Taking a deep breath Marietta once again resumes her usual demeanor and speaks out to the pair "Hail Froakie and praise to my loyal vassal, we are full glad to see the both of you in a well enough state!"

Turning her focus to the Froakie she shifts tone and says "However do not think our efforts an opportunity to take advantage of this one's generosity, another attack like that and this one will be forced to treat peace between our kin as a buried dream.

Now prey, consider your next actions carefully, and if you would be so kind enlighten us to what in the name of Shadow has brought us up here when we were approaching the darkest depths not yet long ago?
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Old 11-14-2022, 11:07 PM   #155
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Conflagrant Spire
Please reply in IndianRed


At the northeast of the Archipelago can be found the Conflagrant Spire, an active volcano that has formed into an incredibly tall and thin tower of a mountain. The spire itself finds itself to the far west side of the island, with the land below stretching and reaching out, as if attempting to grab out at the island far to the south. The nutrient rich soil hosts lush plantlife and a wide variety of fauna, leaving this what would be the most naturally beautiful of all the islands. That beauty hides a horrible secret, however, relics of times past that hint at terrible rituals that were once conducted here in the name of ancient deities. Those who have braved the island have yet to find anything resembling human life, yet these horrid sites remain clean, as though used only yesterday. It is unknown when the Spire last erupted, let alone when it will again, but a temple at its top gives hint that it must have been some time ago.

Sub Areas:

The Ashen Coast:
West of the spire is where all ash falls, thanks to the breeze created by the change in weather condition of the Archipelago due to the constant cold air from the Quiescent Glacier attempting to suck in the heat from so far away. While the ash falls into the ocean long before reaching any of the other islands, the coast here is kept rich by what percentage of it lands here, leading to healthy Pokemon happy to roam the area for the small foliage that pokes through the sand.
1:32 PM; just about half an hour after Elijah disembarked from the boat. The cost of the trip to the Unreal Archipelago had been somewhat steep, but whatever subsidies that he received as a trainer had softened the blow enough that it didn't truly matter. The Conflagrant Spire was definitely not at the top of everyone's lists—there were certainly better islands to explore, especially ones without active volcanoes threatening them—but to Elijah, it struck him as a halfway decent getaway away from everyone else, at least for a few hours. The travel agency's pickup time was 5:00 sharp anyway, just long enough for him to poke around a bit before returning to the coast from whence he came.

He brought his shoe low towards the mottled sand and kicked it; spreading the natural concoction of powdered rock in the immediate area in front of him. The breeze pushed against him, slightly tousling his hair and sending the cloud of sand and ash off course by a foot or so. Light exploration seemed perfectly suited for the area between its somehow pristine temples dotted amidst lush foliage—just as long as he didn't end up trying to scale the cliffs in the distance. He'd surely lose his balance there, and without any way to save himself, that would probably be the last thing he'd ever did.

Of course, there was one other thing that he didn't exactly feel comfortable doing.

"Bro, you're way out here on an uninhabited island and you still don't want to get some sparring done? How's your team gonna get stronger if they aren't doing anything? I don't get why you're so against battling, it's totally unheard of where I'm from." Ion's digital voice blared from the speakers of Elijah's Rotom Phone like daggers to his ears.

"You're intelligent and stuff, I'm not gonna just have you fight to the death and all. I mean, I guess I can maybe fight if you want it that badly, but only if we're playing defense here..." Elijah responded with a mix of apprehension and frustration—why was that Rotom so bloodthirsty, anyway?

"Man, you're killin' me here! I've never heard anyone say that in my life. Whatever, I'll take it if it brings ya one step closer to being a trainer." Ion disappeared from the phone's display, leaving the current time and a list of unread notifications in their wake. Elijah quickly shoved the bright orange device into his right pocket before they found something else to harass him about.

He stared at the Poké Balls that he had clipped to his belt. So useful, yet so... inhumane to him. Was he right to push against what he'd regarded as common sense growing up, viewing battling as a sport of needless bloodshed and physical trauma that desecrated nature itself? There had to be a reason why everyone outside of his old comfort zone viewed training as just an ordinary activity.

But that was a mystery to be solved later. For now, there was a whole island ahead of him to check out.
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Old 11-15-2022, 04:28 PM   #156
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((Hey! I'm just starting out with this updating thing, so let me know if something feels off to you, or doesn't gel with what you had in mind for an adventure or your character! Thanks for understanding))

The merits of isolation are often lost on young Trainers seeking adventure, battle and glory. But you are not like most Trainers - are you even a Trainer per se, considering what the rest of the world seems to perceive as one? You've been struggling with these thoughts for quite a while, answers so far eluding you, and in your quest for them you realized some peace of mind was necessary. That was, in summation, how you wound up in this vast, deserted island. The freedom of exploration and the absence of surrounding expectations called to you.

And so off you go, a large ashen beach spreading before your eyes, patches of vegetation bursting through the rich soil, afternoon sun shining overhead. Idyllic as scenarios go, but at the same time, you can't help but feel a twinge of discomfort - a lack of purpose, you suddenly realize. In your quest for time and space to organize your thoughts, you have actually come across an overabundance of both.

Your trail of thought is then suddenly interrupted by a light tremor beneath your feet. A faint rumbling at first, but escalating progressively until the whole ground shakes so vigorously, it becomes hard to even keep your footing! Looking around, the source of the quake isn't immediately visible, until you notice a bulging shape beneath the ground making a beeline toward you, leaving a trail of dislodged sand in its path. You can't tell what kind of underground creature is coming in your direction, but it's homing in fast!

What do you do?!
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Old 11-16-2022, 07:51 PM   #157
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blueshift:

((Hey! I'm just starting out with this updating thing, so let me know if something feels off to you, or doesn't gel with what you had in mind for an adventure or your character! Thanks for understanding))

The merits of isolation are often lost on young Trainers seeking adventure, battle and glory. But you are not like most Trainers - are you even a Trainer per se, considering what the rest of the world seems to perceive as one? You've been struggling with these thoughts for quite a while, answers so far eluding you, and in your quest for them you realized some peace of mind was necessary. That was, in summation, how you wound up in this vast, deserted island. The freedom of exploration and the absence of surrounding expectations called to you.

And so off you go, a large ashen beach spreading before your eyes, patches of vegetation bursting through the rich soil, afternoon sun shining overhead. Idyllic as scenarios go, but at the same time, you can't help but feel a twinge of discomfort - a lack of purpose, you suddenly realize. In your quest for time and space to organize your thoughts, you have actually come across an overabundance of both.

Your trail of thought is then suddenly interrupted by a light tremor beneath your feet. A faint rumbling at first, but escalating progressively until the whole ground shakes so vigorously, it becomes hard to even keep your footing! Looking around, the source of the quake isn't immediately visible, until you notice a bulging shape beneath the ground making a beeline toward you, leaving a trail of dislodged sand in its path. You can't tell what kind of underground creature is coming in your direction, but it's homing in fast!

What do you do?!
Elijah wasn't sure if he was willing to call the Conflagrant Spire paradise, but the earthquakes definitely weren't helping. What was a natural inconvenience turned into a pretty big issue as the magnitude of the shaking beneath his feet built to a gnarly, forceful vibration that threatened to make him lose his balance—and in the midst of that, a strange lump was headed right in his direction. He was quick to notice it, but unfortunately was ever so slightly slow to react, toppling him over to the ground in a position that thankfully wasn't entirely face-down.

Whatever was under there was almost definitely an unknown. He hedged a guess—possibly a Drilbur, but those tended to stick to caves and more solid ground if he recalled correctly. There was no way of telling either, whatever was under there was moving way too fast and was completely hidden, which meant that his go-to strategy of pointing a Pokédex at it and hoping that he could glean something from it wasn't going to work, even if he was willing to stomach Ion's persistence on picking a fight.

Exit strategies weren't going to work with half his body covered in sand and ash and tremors probably knocking him back down if he tried to make a break for it, and he wasn't going to start matching up against something unless he was absolutely being cornered, so he resigned to sitting still and hoping that the worst wouldn't come to pass.
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Old 11-19-2022, 11:42 AM   #158
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Taken by surprise, you find yourself struggling to come up with a quick plan. With a swift escape compromised by the terrain that threatens to engulf you, and with not much in the way of a burning fighting spirit, you decide not to engage blindly unless you were absolutely cornered. One could argue that, with something charging straight at you underground while generating quakes and trapping you in sand, “absolutely cornered” might already apply, but you take your chances nonetheless and hope to avoid potentially unnecessary confrontation.

The shape lurking beneath the sand keeps charging ahead, homing in on your position at high speed. If it had any intention of slowing down, it probably would have done so by now. The tremors are getting worse, too, not unlike in the movie starring that one actor from Unova – but that was fiction, and this is reality. Broken sea shells and larger chunks of rock not yet eroded by time are tossed around like popcorn as the creature speeds along the beach. And just as it’s about to collide into you, or jump out and swallow you whole… it vanishes. For a moment of deafening silence, everything stops shaking. Abrupt, unsettling peace.

And then you feel it. Something pushing you down with increasing force, as the sand around you begins to swirl, slowly but sure taking the shape of a vortex… or, for you specifically, perhaps a tomb. A Sand Tomb!

Through the corner of your eye, you can spot the underground shape reappear and begin circling you. You are now buried up to your thighs, and the whirling sands threaten to only keep rising. You briefly consider if this island is only deserted because nobody makes it past the beach, or if you just had a very unlucky run-in with a Pokemon unaccustomed to humans. Or potentially just a very hungry one... Whatever the case, you have to do something quick!
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Old 11-19-2022, 03:56 PM   #159
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blueshift:

Taken by surprise, you find yourself struggling to come up with a quick plan. With a swift escape compromised by the terrain that threatens to engulf you, and with not much in the way of a burning fighting spirit, you decide not to engage blindly unless you were absolutely cornered. One could argue that, with something charging straight at you underground while generating quakes and trapping you in sand, “absolutely cornered” might already apply, but you take your chances nonetheless and hope to avoid potentially unnecessary confrontation.

The shape lurking beneath the sand keeps charging ahead, homing in on your position at high speed. If it had any intention of slowing down, it probably would have done so by now. The tremors are getting worse, too, not unlike in the movie starring that one actor from Unova – but that was fiction, and this is reality. Broken sea shells and larger chunks of rock not yet eroded by time are tossed around like popcorn as the creature speeds along the beach. And just as it’s about to collide into you, or jump out and swallow you whole… it vanishes. For a moment of deafening silence, everything stops shaking. Abrupt, unsettling peace.

And then you feel it. Something pushing you down with increasing force, as the sand around you begins to swirl, slowly but sure taking the shape of a vortex… or, for you specifically, perhaps a tomb. A Sand Tomb!

Through the corner of your eye, you can spot the underground shape reappear and begin circling you. You are now buried up to your thighs, and the whirling sands threaten to only keep rising. You briefly consider if this island is only deserted because nobody makes it past the beach, or if you just had a very unlucky run-in with a Pokemon unaccustomed to humans. Or potentially just a very hungry one... Whatever the case, you have to do something quick!
Oh crap, it is following me.

Elijah's last thought before he got pulled into the vortex was the calm before the storm; a silent "oh no" as everything clicked in his head just a bit too late. He couldn't just sidestep the mound, it was directly beneath him causing all of those earthquakes—and before he could think about getting back up, it disappeared and instantly opened a whirlpool of sand right under him. He scrambled to pull out the Rotom Phone in his pocket before the sand could get to it.

"I see someone's had a change of heart," Ion teased, underestimating the grave seriousness of the situation.

"Quit sassing me and help!"

Ion backed out of reach of Elijah and inspected his predicament. "I can't, that's a Sand Tomb. Ground type behavior down there. I can't touch it."

Elijah frustratedly muttered something to himself and quickly threw all the Poké Balls on his belt onto solid ground. A couple of them popped open, releasing the Pokémon inside. He was slightly relieved to see a Porygon2 and Fomantis materialize.

"Epoch, come here and go up when I grab onto you," he said, struggling to maintain his composure amidst the adrenaline seeping into every crevice of his body. Epoch hovered over the trap that had ensnared Elijah wordlessly, just enough within reach that he was able to wrap his arms around them. They then proceeded to move upwards, hopefully counteracting the downward force of the move.

Meanwhile, Thorn, the Fomantis, sighed—or, at least did whatever plants did instead of sighing. Did she have to get caught by a trainer this useless? Time and time again she'd get released in the middle of some sort of incident that could have been easily avoided by the guy. Rolling her eyes yet again, she begrudgingly pelted the trap with a quick Leafage—aiming just to the left of Elijah's hasty rescue operation in progress. With any luck, she'd get the guy out of it long enough to slap some sense into him. And if he didn't survive, well... at least she could train herself if it came down to that. Probably.
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Old 11-19-2022, 05:20 PM   #160
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blueshift:

Clearly understanding the severity of the situation, and for all your lack of experience, you are able to formulate a quick plan to hopefully counteract the effects of the Sand Tomb that threatens to engulf you. Perhaps, deep down, instincts of a true Trainer lay dormant after all, surfacing in times of crisis!

While Ion can't be of much use - allegedly, anyway - you call upon your other partners - a Porygon2 by the name of Epoch and Thorn the Fomantis. It's the former whose help you require the most, and mercifully, your plan born mostly of instinct seems to bear fruit with its help - holding on for dear life, you find that Epoch is, slowly but surely, strong enough to pull you out of the sandy jaws of death. Perhaps the result would've been much different, and less satisfactory, had you not taken the time to evolve it already! As it stands, you watch as your legs are slowly pulled free, while at the same time the vortex's strength itself begins to wane - as if something is distracting the Tomb's maker.

Looking a ways away, you spot Thorn begrudgingly lending a hand, firing off a Leafage attack at the moving creature beneath the sand, forcing it to slow down. The combination of Epoch's gravity-defying movements and Thorn's accurate attacks ultimately works, and you're released from the trap!

*Epoch gained 3 Levels!*
*Thorn gained 3 Levels!*


As Epoch takes you back down and your feet touch ground, the tremors stop, and the sand ceases to swirl. In fact, everything seems to, once again, come to a grinding halt... until something begins rising from below a few feet away from your position, burrowing its way from the depths - the sand parts, and something pops out! And something else... and a third something! Three very similar-looking somethings, in fact, all of them brown and limbless and with funny-looking noses.

As your PokéDex can no doubt confirm, you stand face to face with a Dugtrio of the Kantonian variety. The triplets look at you, at first annoyed that you broke free, then confused by the fact that you're not a Pokemon, and finally quite angry that you aren't food. Each head begins to gather energy into a colored orb in front of it - one orange surrounded by flames, another yellow crackling with electricity, and the third one white with swirling snowflakes... You might not be versed in battling, but you can quite easily tell that all of that is going to be coming your way in a matter of seconds!

Suddenly, a cry is heard and a blue flash of light explodes from behind Dugtrio, something blasting it violently from the back. The gathered energy dissipates and the impending Tri Attack is disrupted, and looking beyond the dazed Dugtrio, you spot a sort of small, bipedal orange lizard with a flame on the tip of its tail, looking every bit as terrified as you and gasping for air. Whatever that Pokemon is, it just bought you some precious time to make a decision, so...

What will you do now?
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Old 11-28-2022, 12:06 AM   #161
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blueshift:

Clearly understanding the severity of the situation, and for all your lack of experience, you are able to formulate a quick plan to hopefully counteract the effects of the Sand Tomb that threatens to engulf you. Perhaps, deep down, instincts of a true Trainer lay dormant after all, surfacing in times of crisis!

While Ion can't be of much use - allegedly, anyway - you call upon your other partners - a Porygon2 by the name of Epoch and Thorn the Fomantis. It's the former whose help you require the most, and mercifully, your plan born mostly of instinct seems to bear fruit with its help - holding on for dear life, you find that Epoch is, slowly but surely, strong enough to pull you out of the sandy jaws of death. Perhaps the result would've been much different, and less satisfactory, had you not taken the time to evolve it already! As it stands, you watch as your legs are slowly pulled free, while at the same time the vortex's strength itself begins to wane - as if something is distracting the Tomb's maker.

Looking a ways away, you spot Thorn begrudgingly lending a hand, firing off a Leafage attack at the moving creature beneath the sand, forcing it to slow down. The combination of Epoch's gravity-defying movements and Thorn's accurate attacks ultimately works, and you're released from the trap!

*Epoch gained 3 Levels!*
*Thorn gained 3 Levels!*


As Epoch takes you back down and your feet touch ground, the tremors stop, and the sand ceases to swirl. In fact, everything seems to, once again, come to a grinding halt... until something begins rising from below a few feet away from your position, burrowing its way from the depths - the sand parts, and something pops out! And something else... and a third something! Three very similar-looking somethings, in fact, all of them brown and limbless and with funny-looking noses.

As your PokéDex can no doubt confirm, you stand face to face with a Dugtrio of the Kantonian variety. The triplets look at you, at first annoyed that you broke free, then confused by the fact that you're not a Pokemon, and finally quite angry that you aren't food. Each head begins to gather energy into a colored orb in front of it - one orange surrounded by flames, another yellow crackling with electricity, and the third one white with swirling snowflakes... You might not be versed in battling, but you can quite easily tell that all of that is going to be coming your way in a matter of seconds!

Suddenly, a cry is heard and a blue flash of light explodes from behind Dugtrio, something blasting it violently from the back. The gathered energy dissipates and the impending Tri Attack is disrupted, and looking beyond the dazed Dugtrio, you spot a sort of small, bipedal orange lizard with a flame on the tip of its tail, looking every bit as terrified as you and gasping for air. Whatever that Pokemon is, it just bought you some precious time to make a decision, so...

What will you do now?
Elijah had never felt more relieved to be on solid ground again, even if he did end up having to... use his Pokémon for his own benefit. It felt wrong, and worst of all, he was being forced into it! Sacrificing his own principles probably hurt him just as much as what Thorn did to whatever was pulling him under. But then again, he'd already been through the wringer a few times already—he wasn't sure what to make of that, but thinking about that hurt him all the same so he decided against dwelling on it. He still had a stern talking-to to give to the one thing here that kept goading him on the path of this ridiculous endeavor.

"Ion, don't think you're winning this one, this was under really bad circumstances and I don't want to go through that again..."

Ion interjected, disappointingly dismissive. "Okay, cool, but you should really—"

"...and I really don't like battling and I don't like the way that you're pushing me to do it..."

"Dude, we can talk later, you're—"

"...so can we just agree to leave this beach and find somewhere safer—"

"THERE IS A DUGTRIO BEHIND YOU ABOUT TO TRI ATTACK YOU IF YOU DON'T MOVE RIGHT NOW."

"A what—"

Elijah violently whipped his body around to notice three heads sticking up from the ground charging up something fierce—something hot, something cold, something shocking, all at the same time. His breath caught for a split second before something else hit the Dugtrio from behind, thankfully saving him the trouble of bearing the brunt of whatever a "tri attack" was. He and his party, thankfully coming to the same conclusion quickly bolted behind their assailant. Elijah and Ion managed to notice a spot of orange amidst the hubbub.

Ion pulled up their Pokédex. "That's a—"

"Charmander. Fire type. I'm not sure if Dugtrio's a ground type but if it is then it definitely should not be dealing with that on its own."

The Rotom paused for a moment, shocked by Elijah somehow knowing way more than he'd been letting on. "...How'd ya know that?"

"Everyone knows what those are. Can't walk a foot in Castelia without seeing one on a billboard."

"...Yeah, that tracks. Dunno how you've got type advantages down though."

Elijah was quick to deflect the subject. "No time for that, we need to... ugh, fight back. Thorn, do your thing."

Thorn walked to Elijah's side, confused.

"Um, dude, you gotta tell her what to use. You're a trainer, remember? You're supposed to help them understand how to handle this."

"...I don't know?!"

Ion sighed. "Okay, we've got Furry Cutter, Leafage, Growth, Ingrain, Razor Leaf—"

"Razor Leaf sounds good. Do that."

Thorn didn't need to hear anything else as she leapt into action, attempting to cut into the Dugtrio with her leaf-arms. Elijah cringed; seeing his own commands do something that brutal didn't exactly help him feel the thrill of the fight that much. He could only hope that all this would end soon.

Last edited by blu3shift; 11-28-2022 at 12:10 AM. Reason: oops I forgot to bold that
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Old 11-28-2022, 05:16 AM   #162
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Life in the wilderness can be just as unforgiving as being surrounded by eager Trainers - after all, Pokemon on deserted islands are probably not accustomed to humans by definition, so a struggle or two was to be expected. Unfortunately, you seem to have run into a particularly well developed wild Pokemon, rather than say, a helpless flopping Magikarp...

You might be in a rough spot, but at least you have Thorn to keep you safe - the Charmander, on the other hand, probably won't make it out of this tussle looking very healthy at all, a fact you somehow piece together almost by instinct. Ion too is taken aback by this display of knowledge; after all, while it seems common knowledge that a Pokemon made of water would give a fire lizard a bad time, the advantage of Ground-Types might not be as readily apparent, and yet it just came to you rather naturally. Might you be hiding some latent innate talents, despite your aversion to conflict?...

Reluctantly instructed to do so but certainly not to enact the order, Thorn leaps forward and, with an elegant spin, slashes away with leaves sharp as knives. Dugtrio, likely unfamiliar with the technique, makes no conscious effort to dodge the seemingly harmless foliage, and is pelted repeatedly by their razor-sharp edges, reeling back in pain.

The Charmander, meanwhile, seems to be at a complete loss. Looking at the battlefield with a look of absolute anguish, it seems unable to make another move, the earlier Dragon Breath that saved you clearly having been an act of desperation. It shifts in place nervously, gaze alternating between the angry Dugtrio and the fields higher up away from the beach, as if contemplating a quick escape rather than continuing to fight. Then... why doesn't it? Surely it could simply leave and be on its merry way - Arceus knows you'd love to do the same at this point.

Wait. Why don't you?

Dugtrio seems dazed by the Razor Leaf briefly, but once it recovers, an unmistakable scowl darkens its simplistic features. You feel the ground beneath your feet begin to rumble again, softly at first... Something's about to happen!

Last edited by KingSalmon; 11-28-2022 at 05:52 AM.
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Old 12-02-2022, 10:24 PM   #163
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blueshift:

Life in the wilderness can be just as unforgiving as being surrounded by eager Trainers - after all, Pokemon on deserted islands are probably not accustomed to humans by definition, so a struggle or two was to be expected. Unfortunately, you seem to have run into a particularly well developed wild Pokemon, rather than say, a helpless flopping Magikarp...

You might be in a rough spot, but at least you have Thorn to keep you safe - the Charmander, on the other hand, probably won't make it out of this tussle looking very healthy at all, a fact you somehow piece together almost by instinct. Ion too is taken aback by this display of knowledge; after all, while it seems common knowledge that a Pokemon made of water would give a fire lizard a bad time, the advantage of Ground-Types might not be as readily apparent, and yet it just came to you rather naturally. Might you be hiding some latent innate talents, despite your aversion to conflict?...

Reluctantly instructed to do so but certainly not to enact the order, Thorn leaps forward and, with an elegant spin, slashes away with leaves sharp as knives. Dugtrio, likely unfamiliar with the technique, makes no conscious effort to dodge the seemingly harmless foliage, and is pelted repeatedly by their razor-sharp edges, reeling back in pain.

The Charmander, meanwhile, seems to be at a complete loss. Looking at the battlefield with a look of absolute anguish, it seems unable to make another move, the earlier Dragon Breath that saved you clearly having been an act of desperation. It shifts in place nervously, gaze alternating between the angry Dugtrio and the fields higher up away from the beach, as if contemplating a quick escape rather than continuing to fight. Then... why doesn't it? Surely it could simply leave and be on its merry way - Arceus knows you'd love to do the same at this point.

Wait. Why don't you?

Dugtrio seems dazed by the Razor Leaf briefly, but once it recovers, an unmistakable scowl darkens its simplistic features. You feel the ground beneath your feet begin to rumble again, softly at first... Something's about to happen!
The dust settled. Both of them were still standing, and Elijah was thankful for that, even if he was currently running around with a Dugtrio bullseye on his back. Or would it have been three bullseyes? He didn't quite know if it was running on Vanilluxe rules or Hydreigon rules—but with the way things were going, he wasn't willing to stick around to find out. The Charmander looked very much in need of some sort of medical attention, and if he wasn't mistaken the poor thing was attempting to get out of this mess as fast as it could, just like he was attempting to do.

"Okay, this isn't working, I don't want to hurt anyone any more than we need to, we need to go now." Elijah spoke to Ion with a stabbing mix of urgency, anxiety, and regret. Ion had very different ideas, however.

"Hey, are you sure you don't wanna fight? 'Cause it looks like you were doing fine there."

"I... fine," Elijah sighed. "Razor Leaf again, I guess—"

The Dugtrio turned towards Thorn and glared across all three of its heads (or were they all separate?). The ground gave way to an increasing tremor once again. Elijah felt like he was about to sweat bullets as his eyes widened, his eyebrows raised, and he gasped in sheer panic.

"And if that doesn't make it go away then we run!"
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Old 12-05-2022, 03:55 PM   #164
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blueshift:

Presented with the option and opportunity to run away and leave the angry Dugtrio behind, something actually compels you to stay. Ion's words, perhaps? Or maybe you had already made up your mind before the Rotom even spoke... Who knows? Do you truly, deep down, hate battling as much as you think?

Curiously enough, Charmander seems to have chosen the same, despite looking every bit as conflicted as you do. Wondering if it might be hurt - why else would a species notorious for its fighting spirit be so reluctant to fight? - you have even more of a reason to send the Dugtrio packing, but whether Thorn is up to the task remains to be seen. For now, you have more pressing concerns: namely, the ground shaking beneath your feet.

Thorn too seems alarmed at what's to come, bracing itself for a violent Earthquake or Earth Power, while Dugtrio's rage builds. Finally, it unleashes all its pent up ground energy, and... well, the tremor goes on for a little while longer, barely unchanged. Ion would be able to tell you this was actually a Magnitude 5 attack, anti-climatic as it may be.

Visibly relieved, and seeing an opening to show the wild triplets how it's done, Thorn retaliates with another flurry of Razor Leaf projectiles - although knowing what to expect this time around, Dugtrio isn't nimble enough to dodge, and is once again pelted repeatedly. Frustrated at its own inefficiency, and deciding you are putting up way too much of a fight for what you're worth, the Ground-Type finally relents, burrowing its way underground and out of sight for good...

*Thorn gained 3 Levels!*

After breathing a sigh of relief, your gaze instinctively shifts over to Charmander; you see the little lizard almost in tears, barely managing to hold them back, before turning its back to you and making its way away from the beach and towards the hill further up north. Its pace is slow but steady, with no obvious limping. Is it actually hurt? Do you care enough to find out, or has the deserted island proven too inhospitable to you with its warm welcome? Leaving to find adventure elsewhere is always an option...
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Old 12-12-2022, 11:34 PM   #165
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Originally Posted by KingSalmon View Post
blueshift:

Presented with the option and opportunity to run away and leave the angry Dugtrio behind, something actually compels you to stay. Ion's words, perhaps? Or maybe you had already made up your mind before the Rotom even spoke... Who knows? Do you truly, deep down, hate battling as much as you think?

Curiously enough, Charmander seems to have chosen the same, despite looking every bit as conflicted as you do. Wondering if it might be hurt - why else would a species notorious for its fighting spirit be so reluctant to fight? - you have even more of a reason to send the Dugtrio packing, but whether Thorn is up to the task remains to be seen. For now, you have more pressing concerns: namely, the ground shaking beneath your feet.

Thorn too seems alarmed at what's to come, bracing itself for a violent Earthquake or Earth Power, while Dugtrio's rage builds. Finally, it unleashes all its pent up ground energy, and... well, the tremor goes on for a little while longer, barely unchanged. Ion would be able to tell you this was actually a Magnitude 5 attack, anti-climatic as it may be.

Visibly relieved, and seeing an opening to show the wild triplets how it's done, Thorn retaliates with another flurry of Razor Leaf projectiles - although knowing what to expect this time around, Dugtrio isn't nimble enough to dodge, and is once again pelted repeatedly. Frustrated at its own inefficiency, and deciding you are putting up way too much of a fight for what you're worth, the Ground-Type finally relents, burrowing its way underground and out of sight for good...

*Thorn gained 3 Levels!*

After breathing a sigh of relief, your gaze instinctively shifts over to Charmander; you see the little lizard almost in tears, barely managing to hold them back, before turning its back to you and making its way away from the beach and towards the hill further up north. Its pace is slow but steady, with no obvious limping. Is it actually hurt? Do you care enough to find out, or has the deserted island proven too inhospitable to you with its warm welcome? Leaving to find adventure elsewhere is always an option...
Elijah sighed in relief as the battle drew to a close. Nobody really seemed pleased by its outcome: the Dugtrio looked like it had better things to do as it retreated, the Charmander quite literally turned tail and scrambled away, and Elijah was still reeling from having to fight something in the first place. Then again, were there really any winners after a battle?

Ion begged to disagree. "Hey, you're pretty alright at this training thing. Not only did you use a physical attack against a Pokémon that doesn't do so well against them but you took the type advantage with a Grass move! Not only that, Thorn's looking stronger already. That makes me wonder—why do you keep avoiding fights, anyway?"

Elijah paused. The expression that roiled his features looked forlorn, yet furious at the same time. "...That's none of your business." He hastily returned to a neutral expression, obviously not intending to give anything away.

"Whatever, I'll probably get an answer out of ya eventually. Why don't we get started on the right foot this time? I bet that Charmander's up to something cool." An arrow on Ion's screen pointed north towards the fading, flickering light of the fire lizard's tail.

"I don't know if I can handle any more adventure. I'd rather just wait for the return boat here."

"The one that's coming in a few hours?"

"...You know what, fine, I might as well kill some time. Can't be worse than what happened just now."

Elijah picked up Thorn, placed her on his shoulder, and proceeded into the more densely forested part of the island with Epoch following behind him. Wherever that Charmander was headed was probably important enough to make this trip worth it. Plus, the poor thing looked like it took a beating earlier. Or, at least, it seemed like it? Now that Elijah thought about it, he didn't recall seeing it move erratically after the battle. Something seemed off about this situation, but he pressed onward anyway.
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Old 12-18-2022, 05:12 PM   #166
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blueshift:

You decide to follow the fire lizard wherever it has decided to go, if nothing else to help pass the time until the next ship arrives to get you off this dangerous abandoned isle. The Charmander makes its way away from the beach, slowly walking eastward as the terrain begins to gain a slight inclination. Sand is slowly replaced by low vegetation, then progressively taller bushes, and after a while of tailing the Fire-Type from a safe distance, you can now confidently say you've left the Ashen Coast behind, and now find yourself at the entrance to the Volcanic Rainforest.

The air feels decidedly more humid than back at the beach, and the trees up ahead form a wall of brown and green that looks a lot less inviting than the coast - even of you were being attacked by a wild Dugtrio back there and all. A natural feeling of apprehension washes over you while you stop briefly to take in the sights - the deeper you go, no doubt the denser and larger the vegetation will become. And if Pokemon on the coast were already aggressive, you can't help but wonder how even more hostile those living in seclusion in the Forest, untouched by humans, must be.

As you stop to ponder on these matters, and whether or not you truly want to go ahead with this, you lose Charmander from sight. Despite the environment ahead being, you assume, way out of a Fire-Type's comfort zone, the lizard seems to have marched ahead undeterred. Is that even wise?...

With Thorn and Ion at your side, you take your first steps into the Volcanic Rainforest, making your way between the first trees on the edge of the woods. But before you take even twenty steps... a fireball lands at your feet, narrowly missing you!

"Char!!~"

Looking ahead, you spot the Charmander again. It stands in your way only a few feet ahead, tiny arms outstretched, fangs bare and growling. Is it warning you? Or maybe challenging you? It helped you out earlier against the Dugtrio, so why is it looking for a fight now?!

What will you do?
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Old 12-19-2022, 04:23 PM   #167
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blueshift:

You decide to follow the fire lizard wherever it has decided to go, if nothing else to help pass the time until the next ship arrives to get you off this dangerous abandoned isle. The Charmander makes its way away from the beach, slowly walking eastward as the terrain begins to gain a slight inclination. Sand is slowly replaced by low vegetation, then progressively taller bushes, and after a while of tailing the Fire-Type from a safe distance, you can now confidently say you've left the Ashen Coast behind, and now find yourself at the entrance to the Volcanic Rainforest.

The air feels decidedly more humid than back at the beach, and the trees up ahead form a wall of brown and green that looks a lot less inviting than the coast - even of you were being attacked by a wild Dugtrio back there and all. A natural feeling of apprehension washes over you while you stop briefly to take in the sights - the deeper you go, no doubt the denser and larger the vegetation will become. And if Pokemon on the coast were already aggressive, you can't help but wonder how even more hostile those living in seclusion in the Forest, untouched by humans, must be.

As you stop to ponder on these matters, and whether or not you truly want to go ahead with this, you lose Charmander from sight. Despite the environment ahead being, you assume, way out of a Fire-Type's comfort zone, the lizard seems to have marched ahead undeterred. Is that even wise?...

With Thorn and Ion at your side, you take your first steps into the Volcanic Rainforest, making your way between the first trees on the edge of the woods. But before you take even twenty steps... a fireball lands at your feet, narrowly missing you!

"Char!!~"

Looking ahead, you spot the Charmander again. It stands in your way only a few feet ahead, tiny arms outstretched, fangs bare and growling. Is it warning you? Or maybe challenging you? It helped you out earlier against the Dugtrio, so why is it looking for a fight now?!

What will you do?
In retrospect, maybe the decision to follow the Charmander wasn't the best idea. Here Elijah was in at the edge of the woods, a very enraged lizard scorching the ground in front of him. It seemed like a complete 180 from how helpless it looked against the Dugtrio, something which perplexed him in particular.

Ion was the first to respond to the flaming exclamation thrown their way. "I think it wants to figh—"

"I think it wants us to back off." Elijah quickly interrupted.

"Back... off?" Ion looked like they'd just been told that the sky was green. "Listen, I didn't really hear that Charmander but I don't think I've ever run into someone that wasn't asking for a fight."

"Well, it didn't start yelling at us and trying to set us on fire until we started following it. I know that behavior when I see it. In fact, if it was trying to hurt us then it would have aimed for me instead of the ground."

"You, uh... huh. Y'know what, I'll go with you on this one because I can kinda see what you're getting at. As long as we find something to do instead because all this chickening out is boring."

Elijah, smartphone in hand, slowly backed away from the Charmander that clearly wanted its space. He took the opportunity to take in the forest around him. Usually he'd find a sense of calm out of it, but something about it felt just so slightly off—maybe the trees were growing awkwardly and a little too close together or something. It was just enough to put his guard up, vaguely curling up in a defensive position without realizing it.

"Um, hey, what if... uh... we shouldn't be here at all?" Elijah asked. Ion didn't respond.
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Old 12-21-2022, 06:48 AM   #168
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The Charmander’s odd, almost nonsensical reactions are puzzling. One minute it is selflessly helping you against a wild Dugtrio, the next it threatens to burn you for even getting close. What reason could there be for such conflicting behavior?

You decide to keep your distance for now, pondering on your next move. Chasing after the fire lizard was your first idea, reasoning that wherever it was going might be worth following, but now you’re not so sure anymore – if anything, you’re very much trying not to actively antagonize the critter that helped you before, but at the same time, you now find yourself in an even more inhospitable-looking location than before, with no clear way ahead. Perhaps you should just turn back and wait for the next ferry to arrive…

While you weigh your options, feeling uneasy by the surrounding woods, a low-pitched rustling sound begins can be heard, almost imperceptible at first. While it could easily be attributed to leaves dancing in the wind, the fact that it lingers and becomes louder is worrying. It is only once Thorn is forcibly yanked from your shoulder by a wrapping vine that you’re sent into full alert, but by then, it might be too late: Charmander’s arms and legs are also entwined and the small drake struggles to break free, while Thorn fights to no avail to break free from the living rope that tightens its grip around it. Looking down, two more thick vines slowly begin to wrap themselves around each of your legs as well…

Quick, what will you do?!
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Old 12-21-2022, 04:50 PM   #169
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blueshift:
The Charmander’s odd, almost nonsensical reactions are puzzling. One minute it is selflessly helping you against a wild Dugtrio, the next it threatens to burn you for even getting close. What reason could there be for such conflicting behavior?

You decide to keep your distance for now, pondering on your next move. Chasing after the fire lizard was your first idea, reasoning that wherever it was going might be worth following, but now you’re not so sure anymore – if anything, you’re very much trying not to actively antagonize the critter that helped you before, but at the same time, you now find yourself in an even more inhospitable-looking location than before, with no clear way ahead. Perhaps you should just turn back and wait for the next ferry to arrive…

While you weigh your options, feeling uneasy by the surrounding woods, a low-pitched rustling sound begins can be heard, almost imperceptible at first. While it could easily be attributed to leaves dancing in the wind, the fact that it lingers and becomes louder is worrying. It is only once Thorn is forcibly yanked from your shoulder by a wrapping vine that you’re sent into full alert, but by then, it might be too late: Charmander’s arms and legs are also entwined and the small drake struggles to break free, while Thorn fights to no avail to break free from the living rope that tightens its grip around it. Looking down, two more thick vines slowly begin to wrap themselves around each of your legs as well…

Quick, what will you do?!
It didn't take long for things to go south. First Thorn got yanked by some grass type (it wasn't really hard to figure out considering that there aren't very many Pokémon that Elijah was aware of that could control vines like that), the Charmander got ensnared too, and before Elijah could stop and think about what was going on, he got tripped by a couple of vines wrapped tightly around his legs, causing him to unceremoniously plop onto the ground for the second time today—thankfully unharmed. Ion and Epoch were probably in the same situation, though it was hard to confirm with a face full of foliage.

"Why is everything trying to kill me today," he whined, the proximity of his face to the ground muffling his already dampened voice. "Ion, you're the only one that can talk to me here. How do I get out of this one?"

"Do you have something that knows how to cut stuff?" Ion oh-so-helpfully pointed out. "If you had something that knew how to cut stuff—"

"I HAVE ONE AND I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING HAPPENING."

Ion looked towards Thorn, who had resorted to fighting against the leafy tendrils coiled around her with several Fury Cutters. A valiant attempt for sure, but it definitely wasn't doing much, if at all. Elijah was still struggling and Ion was pretty sure that they couldn't really touch any Poké Balls that didn't belong to them, even if they were right there. If none of those were going to work, then there totally had to be a plan B...

"Psst." Ion turned to address the Charmander, who had been in a similar predicament. "I might not be a trainer and you don't really belong to anyone but I bet you could probably Ember yourself out of this mess. Just some advice from a friend who doesn't want to see you get owned like that." Ion winked through their screen. "Oh, and I bet it wouldn't hurt to repay someone who saved you from getting wasted by a Dugtrio a while back. Just sayin'."

Elijah knew exactly what Ion was about to pull. He attempted to groan in response but was met with a mouthful of dirt and a brief coughing fit instead.
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Old 12-21-2022, 06:00 PM   #170
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The vines wrapping your ankles cause you to once again for backwards, for the second time since arriving on this Arceus-forsaken island, only this time you«re not landing on soft sand. Critically though, your main means of severing the living web is also incapacitated, Thorn struggling valiantly but fruitlessly to break free, her movements restrained and preventing her from using her Fury Cutter or her Razor Leaf.

Short on options and ideas, you turn to Ion, who does seem to have something up its metaphorical sleeve. The ghost realizes it might have to fall on someone else to save you all, and turns its attention to Charmander, itself also trapped but crucially, its mouth still unobstructed.

Ion's words of... "encouragement" seem to linger in the lizard's mind for a while. You can't quite see it, but Ion would be able to tell you the full range of emotions that cross the Fire-Type's mind as it weighs its options. Ultimately, in a frankly frightening display of firepower for someone so small, the previously-fading flame on its tail erupts in blaze of heat, incinerating its own binds, and Charmander is set free. For a moment, it motions to turn around and leave, but then stops and turns to face you. Visibly conflicted, it seems about to leave you behind, but a last-minute change of heart causes it to spew forth a cloud of Embers that cause the vines around you and thorn to flail about as if hurt, before releasing their grip on you!

It seems as though you are finally free, until you spot them - the culprits, two large Tangrowth emerging from behind the trees, slowly making their way toward you, their plans to bind you forever now foiled. They might just be defendiong their territory, so you can always try to run and leave this place behind. But should you find yourself wishing for some manner of retribution for the trouble they caused, engaging the duo is always an option...

What will you do?
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Old 12-22-2022, 06:09 PM   #171
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blueshift:
The vines wrapping your ankles cause you to once again for backwards, for the second time since arriving on this Arceus-forsaken island, only this time you«re not landing on soft sand. Critically though, your main means of severing the living web is also incapacitated, Thorn struggling valiantly but fruitlessly to break free, her movements restrained and preventing her from using her Fury Cutter or her Razor Leaf.

Short on options and ideas, you turn to Ion, who does seem to have something up its metaphorical sleeve. The ghost realizes it might have to fall on someone else to save you all, and turns its attention to Charmander, itself also trapped but crucially, its mouth still unobstructed.

Ion's words of... "encouragement" seem to linger in the lizard's mind for a while. You can't quite see it, but Ion would be able to tell you the full range of emotions that cross the Fire-Type's mind as it weighs its options. Ultimately, in a frankly frightening display of firepower for someone so small, the previously-fading flame on its tail erupts in blaze of heat, incinerating its own binds, and Charmander is set free. For a moment, it motions to turn around and leave, but then stops and turns to face you. Visibly conflicted, it seems about to leave you behind, but a last-minute change of heart causes it to spew forth a cloud of Embers that cause the vines around you and thorn to flail about as if hurt, before releasing their grip on you!

It seems as though you are finally free, until you spot them - the culprits, two large Tangrowth emerging from behind the trees, slowly making their way toward you, their plans to bind you forever now foiled. They might just be defendiong their territory, so you can always try to run and leave this place behind. But should you find yourself wishing for some manner of retribution for the trouble they caused, engaging the duo is always an option...

What will you do?
Ion's dangerous plan turned out better than Elijah expected as he felt the pressure release from around his ankles without any part of his body being set on fire. Propping himself up for the second time, he scanned his surroundings. All seemed well, the Charmander was just kind of standing there, and... well, that "and" turned into what was probably the loudest "and" in the world as soon as Ion interrupted his train of thought.

"Oh, no way. You seein' this, Elijah?"

He turned around. Two masses of cerulean vines slinked forward from the depths of the forest, their eyes eerily focused on the impromptu gathering. Surprise, more things to deal with! This so-called island retreat had turned into a federal issue.

He had enough. "Okay, that's enough, I quit."

"That's a Tangrowth. It's— wait, huh?" Ion was taken aback by their trainer's rash decision.

"I don't care what a 'Tangrowth' is, I don't care if I get burnt alive, I want out."

"Now hold on, you can't just—" Ion attempted to protest. They weren't able to finish.

Elijah clicked the Poké Balls on his belt, one by one—including Ion's—until every single one of them were recalled. Normally, he might have considered the fact that this left him completely vulnerable to the elements, or even that he was very conflicted about taking a bunch of Pokémon captive like that, but he was too exasperated to care. He threw his now-disabled Rotom Phone into his pocket and focused on high-tailing it out of the predicament.

He couldn't exactly see the direction that he came from, so he just picked a direction away from everything and ran. Since he was on a relatively small island (at least he hoped so), he'd probably run into the coast sooner or later, and then it was just a matter of tracing the shore until he found the beach that he alighted on earlier. Either that or he'd get torn to pieces by whatever else was trying to have him for dinner. Both seemed better than what he was dealing with already.
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Old 12-22-2022, 07:09 PM   #172
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blueshift:
First it was the unprovoked Dugtrio attack, then the unprovoked Charmander warning shot, and then the unprovoked Tangrowth assault. For someone who actively dislikes conflict, maybe this trip to a deserted island wasn't the best choice. Maybe the simple fact that you're even here to begin with, being all human and such, is the provocation.

And so, you call it quits. Enough with the near-death experiences - you swiftly recall your companions, much to Ion's shock and despite its protests, and run as fast as you can back the way you came from, hoping to reach the shore again. The Tangrowth have no hope of catching you, with their comically short legs, but they don't seem all that interested in even attempting to. And the Charmander that had helped you selflessly against Dugtrio, and to whom you may well owe your life after breaking you free from those vines, is also unceremoniously left behind to its own endeavors, which may or may not involve fending off those Tangrowth all by itself.

What matters is your survival, your return to the civilized world. And to that effect, your sense of orientation proves surprisingly effective - retracing your steps through the Forest, you soon find yourself leaving the mass of overgrown trees behind, and after a good while of running, your feet finally meet soft, warm sand once more - you have safely returned to the Ashen Coast!

You instinctively look around to see if that Dugtrio from earlier has returned with a vengeance, but mercifully, it has not. And so, you finally find what you have been craving for the longest time since making landfall: peace and quiet. Peering into the distance, all the way across the vast ocean that surrounds you, you can just barely spot what appears to be a ship slowly - painfully slowly - approaching the island. By your estimate, it might take it at least half an hour to make it to shore still.

The sea is calm. A faint breeze blows across the beach. The ashen sand beneath your feet feels soft and comfortable. Silence surrounds you, benign and uneventful.

So, uh... what do you do?

Last edited by KingSalmon; 12-22-2022 at 07:22 PM.
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Old 12-28-2022, 01:33 AM   #173
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KingSalmon View Post
blueshift:
First it was the unprovoked Dugtrio attack, then the unprovoked Charmander warning shot, and then the unprovoked Tangrowth assault. For someone who actively dislikes conflict, maybe this trip to a deserted island wasn't the best choice. Maybe the simple fact that you're even here to begin with, being all human and such, is the provocation.

And so, you call it quits. Enough with the near-death experiences - you swiftly recall your companions, much to Ion's shock and despite its protests, and run as fast as you can back the way you came from, hoping to reach the shore again. The Tangrowth have no hope of catching you, with their comically short legs, but they don't seem all that interested in even attempting to. And the Charmander that had helped you selflessly against Dugtrio, and to whom you may well owe your life after breaking you free from those vines, is also unceremoniously left behind to its own endeavors, which may or may not involve fending off those Tangrowth all by itself.

What matters is your survival, your return to the civilized world. And to that effect, your sense of orientation proves surprisingly effective - retracing your steps through the Forest, you soon find yourself leaving the mass of overgrown trees behind, and after a good while of running, your feet finally meet soft, warm sand once more - you have safely returned to the Ashen Coast!

You instinctively look around to see if that Dugtrio from earlier has returned with a vengeance, but mercifully, it has not. And so, you finally find what you have been craving for the longest time since making landfall: peace and quiet. Peering into the distance, all the way across the vast ocean that surrounds you, you can just barely spot what appears to be a ship slowly - painfully slowly - approaching the island. By your estimate, it might take it at least half an hour to make it to shore still.

The sea is calm. A faint breeze blows across the beach. The ashen sand beneath your feet feels soft and comfortable. Silence surrounds you, benign and uneventful.

So, uh... what do you do?
Elijah... actually managed to escape unharmed. He had a feeling that something else would happen along the way, like another Pokémon that he didn't recognize jumping out from the trees to try to rip him to shreds, or some gangster giving him the old one-two, but the journey back to the beach was largely uneventful, aside from his stewing the whole way. He didn't know why anyone would ever feel good about senselessly pitting Pokémon against each other just to see the others fall.

Maybe they were right. Maybe this whole training thing was all just a big sham that only served to keep the world's evils aloft. But then there was the part about burying the entirety of Unova under a layer of ice. Was anyone right here?

He eventually alighted upon the sand and ash that lined the crystal shores of the island. Usually it would have been regarded as a sign of blight and unhospitality, but he in fact welcomed the familiar sight, seating himself with the horizon in view. He could spot a ferry in the distance; was that his? He hadn't expected four hours on the island to pass that quickly. He wagered that he would have just enough time to clear his mind before returning to whence he came and calling it a day right then and there.

Unfortunately, his hopes were quickly dashed as, to his surprise, Ion somehow released themself from their Poké Ball and then arced directly into Elijah's Rotom Phone which had been sitting in his right pocket. He sighed as they rose from the pocket, realizing that he'd be having to deal with the bloodthirsty ghost again.

"What was that?! I know that you're kinda new to this thing and you don't have a single badge under your belt, but running away?! Are you a trainer or are you a wuss?" Ion demanded. They were clearly very steamed over what had just happened in the forest.

"I didn't want to fight." Elijah responded matter-of-factly.

"Okay, enough's enough. I dunno what's up with your not-battling thing, but it's gotta stop. You need to go back and finish what you started right now."

"...Everything's trying to get me out of their way. And I don't want to see anyone get hurt—"

"Dude, get the hint or I'm gonna make you."

"And how are you going to make me?!"

"Like this, you dip!"

Ion gave Elijah a small shock; not enough to hurt him but enough to make a statement. With any luck they'd get the reluctant trainer back up and doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing this entire time. And that luck was not unfounded; he slowly got up and proceeded back towards the forest—even if he was wearing the most stoic expression in existence and he was dragging his feet a little. They briefly considered if maybe they were being a little too harsh, but the frustration of being under a trainer who clearly didn't get the memo quickly dispersed the thought.
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Old 12-28-2022, 02:52 PM   #174
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blueshift:
This island has given you no shortage of troubles, life-theatening ones at that. If it was exclusively up to you, you'd just take that ferry and be done with it - assuming it was even headed this way. But that's just it - you aren't alone. And much to your annoyance, Ion insists, rather violently in more ways than one, that you see this mess through to the end.

Half-coerced, you end up relenting, under threat of further electrical punishment, and reluctantly retrace your steps back whence you came - the forest that nearly killed you earlier. As you slowly, unwillingly make your way back, you recall the state of affairs you had abruptly left behind: the two territorial Tangrowth, their deadly vines, and the Charmander whose disposition you were still not entirely sure you understood. Has it managed to escape? Did the Tangrowth... you force yourself to stop thinking about it. For better or for worse, you'll know when you get there.

Your journey back is punctuated by a light drizzle, rainclouds gathering overhead the closer you get to the apty named Rainforest. And once you finally leave the coast behind and enter the woods once again, it starts pouring quite heavily. You push onward, eyes shifting from bush to bush, fully expecting to see vines emerging once again to ensnare you. But when you do find them... they're all scattered across the grassy floor, severed, withering. Something did this... could it have been the Charmander?...

The weather only gets worse the deeper in you go. For a moment, you worry you might get lost - until you spot something in the distance, faint, flickering but unmistakably bright. It being your only point of reference, you hasten your step toward it, only to find yourself in a clearing soon after. At the center of said clearing is a large rock. All around it are countless severed vines. And atop it, barely moving, is an orange-scaled creature, the flame on its tail threatening to fade at any moment under the heavy rain.

What will you do now?
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Old 01-03-2023, 11:16 PM   #175
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KingSalmon View Post
blueshift:
This island has given you no shortage of troubles, life-theatening ones at that. If it was exclusively up to you, you'd just take that ferry and be done with it - assuming it was even headed this way. But that's just it - you aren't alone. And much to your annoyance, Ion insists, rather violently in more ways than one, that you see this mess through to the end.

Half-coerced, you end up relenting, under threat of further electrical punishment, and reluctantly retrace your steps back whence you came - the forest that nearly killed you earlier. As you slowly, unwillingly make your way back, you recall the state of affairs you had abruptly left behind: the two territorial Tangrowth, their deadly vines, and the Charmander whose disposition you were still not entirely sure you understood. Has it managed to escape? Did the Tangrowth... you force yourself to stop thinking about it. For better or for worse, you'll know when you get there.

Your journey back is punctuated by a light drizzle, rainclouds gathering overhead the closer you get to the apty named Rainforest. And once you finally leave the coast behind and enter the woods once again, it starts pouring quite heavily. You push onward, eyes shifting from bush to bush, fully expecting to see vines emerging once again to ensnare you. But when you do find them... they're all scattered across the grassy floor, severed, withering. Something did this... could it have been the Charmander?...

The weather only gets worse the deeper in you go. For a moment, you worry you might get lost - until you spot something in the distance, faint, flickering but unmistakably bright. It being your only point of reference, you hasten your step toward it, only to find yourself in a clearing soon after. At the center of said clearing is a large rock. All around it are countless severed vines. And atop it, barely moving, is an orange-scaled creature, the flame on its tail threatening to fade at any moment under the heavy rain.

What will you do now?
Over the sand, into the bush, out into the clearing. The trek back was inundated with an awkward silence. Metaphorical sparks seemed to fly from Ion towards Elijah, the latter just kind of accepting it. The weather started to get heavy, rain pouring more and more from the heavens as they proceeded. Elijah seemed to be bearing the brunt of it judging by how wet his face was.

Eventually, they came upon the Charmander, completely wiped out on top of a rock in the middle of the clearing that they came across. Severed Tangrowth vines were scattered everywhere. Poor thing. It had been left to fend for itself, and now it was barely hanging on. It needed help, and Elijah had to do it.

...Right?

He wasn't moving. Ion was sure that he was cooperating now, what was up with that? He turned around to see their trainer sitting in the mud in a fetal position. Tears streamed down his face. Realization slowly started to set in. He wasn't being petulant, he was scared.

"Dude... are you okay? Oh man, I didn't mean to, uh... hold on. I'll handle everything from here." Ion stammered, quickly changing course. If their trainer couldn't handle it, then they'd do it, for better or for worse. Somehow, that is. It's hard to really act as an umbrella when you don't have hands. They clumsily opened Thorn's Poké Ball by bumping into the button on its front with the corner of the phone that they were housed in, floated back into Elijah's pocket, and exited the phone as a hopeful sign of good will toward him. They erratically zapped around towards Thorn as she materialized on the ground.

The Fomantis assessed the situation. She was out again, which was a good sign. The bad sign, however, was that her trainer was a sobbing mess. "Oh look, guess he finally—oh no, what now."

"I'll explain later, he's out of whack for a bit." Ion gestured towards the Charmander. "I don't have anything to cover its tail flame with. These electric arm things aren't solid enough for the job. Can you gimme a hand? Leaf? What do you call those things, anyway?"

"...Whatever."

Thorn walked towards the Charmander and awkwardly held their leaf-arm above the tip of its tail, trying not to get herself burned. Ion followed her.

"So what's up with him anyway? I know that he can be pathetic a lot of the time but this is a new low." She asked, hoping to catch herself up on whatever was happening this time. Ion was more than willing to respond.

"He... doesn't like battling for whatever reason? Says something about not wanting to see anyone get hurt a lot of the time. Maybe he's afraid that someone might die or get crippled from the whole thing."

"Oh, really?" Thorn responded sarcastically. "Next you'll say that water is wet. And that this kid needs some sense knocked into him before he dies."

"Trust me, I tried. And, well," they gestured towards a sulking Elijah, "that happened. Now that I'm kinda stepping back a bit, I'm starting to feel sorry for the guy. Do you think that there's a reason why he's afraid of fighting, even as a trainer?"

"Nah, people are just stupid like that sometimes. He reminds me of these guys that rolled through the park a while back. Had black and blue outfits, would not shut up about 'liberation' and 'a new beginning.' It almost made me want to get caught by someone who didn't have a clue. Which, ya know—"

"Hey. Give him a chance. He owns in battle."

"Owns?"

"...He's good. Really good. Quick thinking, knows his type advantages. It's like he wants to but can't for some reason. I think if we can get him to feel safe about battling then he'll warm up to it. Just my two cents."

"...Huh. I never thought about that."

Everyone sat still in the rain, almost like the entire world had stopped turning for a brief moment just to let things soak in; both literally and not-so-literally. Calm, yet agitated. Together, yet so far apart. What was anyone to do in this situation?
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