[@Pirouette] [color=f0b4a3]‘… Tsk,’[/color] Elana made a noise as she quickly returned Slurpuff to a Pokéball and started dashing after Erika, shuffling her great bag into her hands and sticking into her bag looking to get her hands on an appropriate item for this situation, which would be an Escape Rope. Still, she couldn’t use it with just herself…! [color=decdad]‘…!’[/color] Ewan quickly grabbed Duessel and leapt aside, his instincts perhaps faster than those of his companions, and he leapt sideways into the way where they’d come from, to the left. He got into it, but that led to him being split off from the rest of them as the giant drill went past him. He quickly stood up and retrieved a couple Pokéballs… [color=668570]‘WOA- THAT’S NOT ON THE ENCOUNTER-LIST!’[/color] Joshua laughed, as if unbothered by the suddenly very perilous situation they’d found themselves in, gripping Mudkip and holding her onto his head as he ran with a wide smile along the underground corridor. The three of them ran on, clearly faster than the giant drill, but hardly safe should any of them coincidentally stumble. However, after a good run the path turned right, and as they turned the giant drill did not. It carried on and slammed into the wall straight ahead. There, it stopped, emitting a loud sigh of smoke shooting out of its varying exhaust-pipes. Ewan showed up, with a Psyduck, a Swinub, a Treecko and a Spearow all in position to attack the mechanical aggressor. Elana, also not appreciating the visitor, turned and held a Pokéball ready, albeit hadn’t thrown it yet. Joshua also spun around, though looked less startled about all of this. A hatch suddenly shot open on the top of the machine. [color=787D74]‘Woh. We made it,’[/color] said a surprisingly young boy, crawling out of the top of the giant mechanical machine. He had short brown hair, a giant green coat hanging like a cape around him, numerous mechanical gadgets wrapped onto his left arm, and tired brown eyes. Behind him skipped forth a couple purple-clad seemingly psychics that were helping pick up some very strange looking equipment from out of the machine to on top of it… [hider=Boy][center][url=https://i.imgur.com/H4FkrGDl.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/H4FkrGD.png[/img][/url] [img]https://i.imgur.com/dDhvXc4.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/dDhvXc4.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/2mTkQgc.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/2mTkQgc.png[/img][/center][/hider] [color=787D74]‘Right, let’s begin at once…’[/color] the boy said, directing the device on his left arm in front of him and starting to turn a few screws… [color=f0b4a3]‘Who are you supposed to be?’[/color] Elana asked, a little miffed at being chased like that. [color=787D74]‘Oh, there’s people here…’[/color] the boy said, looking down with tired eyes at them. [color=787D74]‘If you’d just be on your way, I’d very much appreciate it.’[/color] [color=decdad]‘You almost ran us over!’[/color] Ewan told him, clearly also pretty upset about that. [color=787D74]‘Hm, the records said people rarely travel through these tunnels. How very unfortunate you must be. Well. Carry on,’[/color] the boy said, turning around towards the machines that the psychics had picked out. Something with a screen. The boy opened a Pokéball, and a small, green-and-white humanoid Pokémon formed on top of the machine… [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/0/00/281Kirlia.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/iRiMDX6.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #281 – Kirlia, the Emotion Pokémon. It’s horns amplify its psychokinetic powers, allowing it to see glimpses of the future or distort space to display mirages. It’s highly sensitive to its trainer’s feelings, instinctively dancing in response to happiness. It’s said to grow more beautiful when exposed to positive emotions.[/i][/color][/center] [color=787D74]‘Don’t worry, my Pitri. We’ll find your item. Start the scan,’[/color] the boy told his Kirlia. [color=99CC96]‘Kirl!’[/color] Pitri replied, holding its arms over its head, closing its eyes to focus Psychic power… and a dot appeared on the screen of the machine underneath. [color=AC5A9C]‘Sir Julian! There’s… a [i]single[/i] positive response in the entire mountain!’[/color] one of the Psychics said. [color=787D74]‘Excellent. Then let’s go take it. I didn’t dig all the way from Mt. Edge to return empty-handed. Let’s crush this filthy mountain so I can be back home soon,’[/color] the boy, Julian, told as he started to get down into the machine again. [color=668570]‘Wait, you just DUG a tunnel from Mt. Edge to Mt. Strength?’[/color] Joshua asked, leaning to peer in the direction the drill had come from. [color=668570]‘Cool.’[/color] [color=f0b4a3]‘Not cool,’[/color] Elana grunted. [color=f0b4a3]‘I got to collapse that tunnel before Psychic-types from Mt. Edge start invading, it’d cause havoc to the ecosystem of Mt. Strength…!’[/color] she mentioned, before taking off towards where the drill had come from. What does Erika take away from all this? __________________________ [@Joshua Tamashii] [sub][sub][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66LCfFqIbAA]appropriate music[/url][/sub][/sub] [color=goldenrod]‘Oh, that’d make sense,’[/color] Leila said, hitting one hand into the other, thinking that was pretty clever. [color=goldenrod]‘So maybe it wasn’t any of us, after all. That’s a relief…’[/color] Palpitoad looked curiously at the pictures that Amelia was showing her… but none really stuck. Palpitoad tilted its body to peer at the images, then shook its head at the question. That wasn’t the intended solution of this puzzle. Nice idea, though. Some of the testimonies have been rewritten to include some of the new information. What will Amelia do now? [hider=TESTIMONY: Backpacker Leila][center][url=https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/e/e4/VSBackpacker_F_SM.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/KdQaabU.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=goldenrod]‘So, the three of us are friends. We came to Route 2 together.’[/color] [color=goldenrod]‘We came across the Water Stone, but Palpitoad protected it.’[/color] [color=goldenrod]‘I sent Barboach to cause an earthquake, but got too scared to take the stone!’[/color] [color=goldenrod]‘I didn’t dare look back on Annica, in case I looked suspicious!’[/color] [color=goldenrod]‘Any one of her many Pokémon could have been looking at me!’[/color] [color=goldenrod]‘I later checked on the Palpitoad and the Water Stone, but both were gone.’[/color][/hider] [hider=TESTIMONY: Lass Annica][center][url=https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/0/0a/Spr_Masters_Lass.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/kkQlKFu.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=paleturquoise]‘I went to set up camp for us for later, because we were going to spend time here.’[/color] [color=paleturquoise]‘I didn't do much else, just watched Leila nearby by the waterside.’[/color] [color=paleturquoise]‘So Leila’s Barboach caused the Earthquake. How naughty of her.’[/color] [color=paleturquoise]‘Leila eventually left towards the site where we found the Water Stone and Palpitoad.’[/color] [color=paleturquoise]‘It was shortly after that Palpitoad started washing over the route with water.’[/color] [color=paleturquoise]‘I think Amy’s Staryu can remain a Staryu for now. If it’d evolve, it’d be in the future.’[/color][/hider] [hider=TESTIMONY: Bug Catcher Eric][center][url=https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/6/6b/VSBug_Catcher_PE.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/a4txroy.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=greenyellow]‘We healed our Pokémon at the Center in Pureplain City, then came over here.’[/color] [color=greenyellow]‘During the event, I was battling the wild Pokémon of Route 2 the entire time!’[/color] [color=greenyellow]‘There was that earthquake Leila caused, and I saw Palpitoad depart to investigate.’[/color] [color=greenyellow]‘So there was a time there when the Water Stone was unguarded.’[/color] [color=greenyellow]‘… I was tempted. I would have wanted to gift Amy a Water Stone for her Staryu...’[/color] [color=greenyellow]‘But I'm in no rush! I'll find her another one!’[/color][/hider] [hider=Court Record][list] [*] Attorney's Badge. [i]… This is a Sun Stone.[/i] [*] Earthquake Testimony. [i]An earthquake happened that distracted Palpitoad. Would have been hard to miss.[/i] [*] Leila's Barboach. [i]A healthy Barboach. Has inherited a bunch of moves from parents.[/i] [*] Leila's Belongings. [i]Hiking equipment. A fishing rod. A ridiculous amount of peculiar rocks and stones. A diary with a ton of writing about wanting to compete in contests. There’s a Fire and Leaf Stone among them.[/i] [*] Annica's Murkrow. [i]A healthy Murkrow. Looks pleased with itself.[/i] [*] Annica's Fletchling. [i]A slightly damaged Fletchling. Looks a bit nervous.[/i] [*] Annica's Belongings. [i]A couple Pokéballs and Potions. A phone. The wrapped-up-in-a-hurry remains of the tent they were going to camp in. A pair of tickets for a ferry from Pureplain City to Sunyshore City.[/i] [*] Eric's Surskit. [i]A damaged Surskit. Still pretty peppy.[/i] [*] Eric's Ledyba. [i]A damaged Ledyba. It's suffered a Burn.[/i] [*] Eric's Belongings. [i]Bug catcher net and cage. Bunches of Pokéballs and Potions and Repels and anything else a good Pokémon Trainer needs. A photo of a young girl together with Annica.[/i] [/list][/hider] Or she could leave. [hider=Suggestions to actions]1. Find Pokémon. [i]Can be specified what kind of Pokémon is being searched for, and how you search.[/i] 2. Train Pokémon. [i]With this command, we can jump ahead in time and skip posting about grinding.[/i] 3. Seek trainers. [i]There should be some here and there. Note, some may challenge you, regardless.[/i] 4. Talk. [i]There’s some other travelers around. Maybe seek answers to any burning questions you have.[/i] 5. Move along. [i]Move along normally, letting any events that may come happen naturally.[/i] 6. Hurry along. [i]Intentionally avoid confrontations and try to get safely to the next destination.[/i] 7. Specify. [i]If you specify what you want to do, the GM will take it into account and tell the result.[/i] 8. Trigger random event. [i]Force the GM to use his imagination to make a scenario for you.[/i] 9. Area Specific: Fishermen Huts. [i]See what the fishermen over there's got going.[/i] 10. Current Event: Palpitoad Flooding. [i]Random event.[/i][/hider] [i]Connected areas: [/i] Pureplain City. [i]You can get back without complication.[/i] Infested Woods. [i]You’re right next to it.[/i] Wet Caverns. [i]May need to cross a bridge or two to get there.[/i] [hider=Route 2, known Pokémon]Common: #13 Weedle #16 Pidgey #161 Sentret #270 Lotad #283 Surskit Uncommon: #60 Poliwag Rare: #158 Totodile #420 Cherubi #536 Palpitoad[/hider] __________________________ [right][sub][sub][url=https://youtu.be/Ui6wp7VV9VU?t=165]Gym battle in progress[/url][/sub][/sub][/right] [@hatakekuro] Basil returned Crocus, and sent out Cecil. Cecil immediately received the brunt of two giant lances as Escavalier hit against her with Fell Stinger. However, despite the stat-difference, Fell Stinger is a decently weak move and it’s Not Very Effective, meaning Cecil got out of the tussle with relatively little damage. Escavalier bounced a healthy distance back after the impact. [color=7192de]‘Heh, even a weak Bulbasaur is worth keeping around, huh?’[/color] Lorette mused, her own tactic failing. [color=7192de]‘Very well. A fire-type, huh. Too bad Accelgor fainted. It knew Water Shuriken, after all,’[/color] she continued, giggling a bit. [color=7192de]‘Okay, Escavalier! You’re probably going to faint now, but if you don’t, DOUBLE-EDGE!’[/color] she commanded, and the Escavalier took off again! Using its own lances as stilts to lounge itself forward for a tackle…! Then Basil made his command. [color=7192de]‘… Huh?’[/color] Lorette made a confused sound. Cecil obeyed the command, and blasted a burst of fire down into the wooden platform! Now, the platform had been constructed with the intention of violent battles taking place on these boards. They’d usually be able to take some heat just fine… but not when the attack was aimed directly at them! Incinerate burst into the wood, and because of what Incinerate does, the wooden plank was thoroughly burned through, creating a hole! Incinerate doesn’t light things on fire, it [i]incinerates[/i] them, reducing it to ashes! Then came Escavalier at full speed, intending to stick its lances into the floor and carry it straight through the smoke of the Fire-type move it had expected to hit it, pushing its lances down to fling itself in a destructive Double-Edge towards-! [i]SPLASH[/i] -aaaaaaand Escavalier fell through the hole in the platform and into the waters beneath, as the entire wooden platform was situated on the pond inside the Gym. While the water wasn’t deep, Escavalier was a bug and rather heavy, and was flailing desperately beneath the surface. The forward speed had carried it underneath Cecil’s current position, under the wood, and it was having trouble finding its way back to the surface! It wiggled some time more… … And Lorette stood up, raising a Pokéball and returning her Pokémon to its Pokéball. [color=7192de]‘… Whatever are you doing to my platform? It’ll take some doing replacing those, you know,’[/color] she asked, though looking somewhat amused. [color=7192de]‘Oh, well. Guess that counts as Escavalier being defeated.’[/color] [center][color=6ecff6][i]Cecil grew to level 12! Cecil learned Fire Fang![/i][/color][/center] [color=7192de]‘Alright, then. Shuckle! You’re up!’[/color] Lorette called, throwing her next Pokéball onto the field! Out from it came a small, red rock, with a strange yellow tentacle-like bug growing out of its various holes. [center][url=https://cdn2.bulbagarden.net/upload/c/c7/213Shuckle.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/grgMgsm.png[/img][/url] [color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #213 – Shuckle, the Mold Pokémon. It stores berries inside its shell. It is naturally shy and typically hide under rocks, keeping its body concealed inside its exceedingly hard shell while eating stored berries. The berries mix with its body fluids to become a delicious juice that it secretes through various holes.[/i][/color][/center] Lorette looked happily and expectantly at Basil, and so did Shuckle. Seems like she wasn’t going to give a command until he did.