PTA: Heralds of a New Dawn (IC)

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"Kind of reminds me of the notes we got before. You know to bring us together. Maybe it is a friend. But if so I wonder why Sabrina didn't tell us about them." Tarna deliberately steered clear of mentioning the rebels outright, conscious of who might hear them.

Edit: Tarna approaches the sack and carefully takes out one of the berries, inspecting them to see if they might be other than the amicable gift they purport to be.

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Poison check? [roll]1d20[/roll]

[MesiDoomstalker]

As you examine them, you don't notice any of the trademark signs of poisoning fruit. Not pinpricks where the syringe was inserted, no skin stretching or bursting . There is a waxy coating on the fruit's surface. You remember from your training there are some poisonous waxes that are rarely used due being to easily noticeable, but on a fruit a waxy surface is normal. You however have no idea if this waxy coating is natural or not, not without testing.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

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Woops I knew that about editing rolls, how stupid.

Tarna relates this information to Aidan, emphasising her concern over this waxy layer. She half makes the joke, "Any pokemon you don't like yet?" but once she has said it, realises how cruel it sounded.

[BluesEclipse]

Shaking his head at the morbid joke, Aidan says, "Well... while I don't like the idea, we probably could test it - I don't have any Antidotes on hand, unfortunately..."

[MesiDoomstalker]

Not knowing what to do with the possibly poisoned berries, Aiden finishes his watch, as does Tarna, without any events of note. Ennis is awaken by Tarna, who quickly explains the situation with the berries. Ennis, being a Hoenn native, quickly points out that Oran berries always had that waxy coating, they weren't poisoned, accenting it by woofing down one in a bite.

Ennis watch is equally uneventful. When everyone is awake and ready to go, Ennis points out there are three paths to Mauville from where you are. The fastest and most direct route, which would cut your travel time by a day, is straight through the desert of central Hoenn. The second, goes straight through the forest, to the south and cut to Route 117, which is much easier traveling. Again cutting your travel time to a day. The third is stick to Route 111, but is much rougher traveling, but less dangerous.

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10 Oran berries. So discuss and determine which path you take. Taking either 'alternate' path will be risky. I warn you, the training wheels come off if you take them.

[MintyNinja]

Donny wakes quietly and quickly checks all his belongings in a short inventory check. I guess all it takes is one night outdoors to bring back the habits. That's good. He returns Masque to his ball and calls out Echo. His mind blends into hers like water mixing and soon the familiar connection is up and running. Gonna be you and me today, Echo. We find prey? Probably.

After he steps out and listens to Ennis, Donny voices his own opinion, "Let's take the forest route. Give those fire-types something to practice on."

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Tarna nods quickly, not comfortable in trekking through a desert.

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The forest route being the quick one- 117.

[BluesEclipse]

Looking around the group for a moment, Aidan nods, and says, "I think we can handle it well enough, and it will be faster. We just have to keep our eyes peeled."

[Gaekub]

"Fine vith me," Vladmir says from a nearby log. "The sooner ve can get this done, the better."

[IrnBruAddict]

Ennis sighs. She'd much rather take the longer safe route, but then again she knew the group didn't have fighting or water types, which would be at risk of any flying or grass types they fought in the forest. She'dneed to make sure Mar and Loba were safe.

'Fine, the forest it is.'

[MesiDoomstalker]

Heading directly south, you leave the well worn safety of the Route for the uncertainty of the direct path through the forest. The tree's quickly thicken into massive trunks and the sun blotted out by countless leaves. Beneath the canopy, it is much cooler and pleasant weather, if a bit muggy.

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Someone give me a d100 and I need Perceptions from everyone. You all have compasses so you can't really get lost, just keep heading south. I'm going to be strict here, so if your going to have a mon out, say it now.

[MintyNinja]

Donny trudges along without complaint. He was glad to be off the path, to tell the truth. The canopy of trees and uneven ground were more comforting to him than the well traveled pathway. Echo would be flying off here and there, but she always returned to his shoulder within minutes.

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Wis: (1d20+5)[23]
Encounter: (1d100)[78]

Echo is out.

[BluesEclipse]

Aidan scans the trees around him as he walks with the group, watching for any signs of threats.

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Perception: (1d20)[14]
No mon out.

[IrnBruAddict]

Ennis trudges along the forest, with Aire flittering behind her. Ennis gave her clear instructions to stay around her head-shoulder height, if she went too far up, something in the leaves might get her and Ennis didn't want that.

Worried about forest fires, or the smell attracting creatures, Ennis had decided to forgo smoking and just bear with it for today.

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Wis:(1d20+1)[6]
Aire is out

[Gaekub]

Vladmir trudges through the forest, his footsteps heavy, Fido at his side.

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Fido is out.
Perception: (1d20+6)[19]

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Tarna pads along, with Setha beside her, trying to make as little noise as possible whilst keeping a lookout.

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Wis: (1d20-2)[5]

[MesiDoomstalker]

As you navigate the gnarled, overgrown roots of the trees, the forest seems to come alive. A buzz of activity, none of it quite visible. A myriad of sounds emanate from all directions. Bugs buzzing, birds flapping. Aidan, Donny and Vlad, however, pick out a particular sound that seemed closer than others. And getting louder. It sounded like..... chittering? Donny notices it is coming from the south. Wait! East! And west.....

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Check out da map. For simplicity's sake, all squares are rough terrain, cost double for Overland. x3 to burrow through top layer. Trees of Doom are blocking terrain. You can not pass through them. There is a lot of brush and tree trunks, so no line of sight at this mysterious enemy.

[BluesEclipse]

Aidan scowls as he hears the chittering noise, saying, "I think we may have company..." One of his hands slips into the grip of his weapon, while another reaches towards his Pokeballs, quickly releasing Kiran.

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Aidan:
HP: 69/80
DEX: +1
DR: 5

Kiran:
HP: 28/28
DEF: 6
SDEF: 6
SPD: 10

[MintyNinja]

"Yeah, it seems we may be surrounded," Donny replies as he keeps his senses strained. Alright Echo, looks like it's battle time. Lemme just borrow that move of yours. The Zubat doesn't reply, the sense of being watched trumping her predator instincts.

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Donny: 72/72 HP.
Wis: (1d20+5)[20]
Borrows: Aerial Ace.

Echo: 44/44 HP, Def 5, SDef 5, Spd 7.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Tarna spins, facing toward the south, Setha already beside her.

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Spd 5, Def 8, Sdef 5 44/44
Tarna: 87/87

[IrnBruAddict]

'See, this is why we should have stuck to the road ...' sighs Ennis. She looked to the north. If things looked too bad, she'd just book it, and hope her team mates were smart enough to do the same. No sense dying here when she still had a job to do.

'Donny, don't go possessing anything, okay? I ain't dragging your ass to safety if it's cos you do something stupid. Maybe see if you can channel one though.'

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Ennis, HP:75/75, no evasion or DR
Aire, HP: 44/44, Def 8, SDef 8, Sdp 3

[Gaekub]

Vladmir reaches into his coat and fingers the handle of his knife while he eyes the woods around him.

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Vladmir: At J7
HP: 72/72
DEX: -2

Fido: At K7
HP: 25/25
DEF: 6
SDEF: 7
SPD: 4

[MesiDoomstalker]

As you shift uneasy, the chittering gets louder. The sound of dozens of tiny feet drown out everything but the chittering. Beyond the trees, a veritable sea of brown fur and teeth surges towards you. Vlad quickly ID's them as Bidoof, even seeing a bigger one, a Bibarel, somewhere in the Furry Death swarm. There could easily be over a hundred of them!

The Furry Death shall feast on your entrails!

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So there are 120 of them, but I'm running them as a swarm. Each square is an 'individual'. Don't bother mentioning where you target unless it hits multiple squares. Remember, all sqaures cost double, tree's and swarm squares can't be passed through.

[MintyNinja]

Donny quickly scans the arrayed furballs with a wave of his Dex. He then leaps around a tree and stands before the two dozen or so Bidoof to the west. So many damn furballs! How in the Void can I face them all?

-Flashback-

"What? They're only bugs. Don't be such a wimp," she says as the giant red and black spider descends from the treetops. The sky above the canopy seemed to be growing darker with the coming dusk and Donny would need to get back to his hideout.

"They're very big bugs, then. Can we please not just let it eat us?" His voice sounded thin even to himself. She ignored his pleas and held her arms open for large spider. It continued it's descent steadily until it soon embraced the woman. "Sandi, what are you doing?!"

"Relax! This one was one of mine! Totally harmless," the blond woman said as she hugged the spider tight. It seemed to not be eating her, so Donny stepped back and leaned against a tree. "See? Fuzzy loves me like a mother!"

Without meaning too, Donny slipped into a trance. His next words were spoken in jest, "Did he eat his mother?"

"Only after she died," the spider replied. Sandi stood still, staring at Donny. She didn't seem to understand what anyone just said, but the fact that he was making spider noises scared the hell out of her.

"Donny, what are you doing?" she asked. He realized what was going on then and was about to respond when another voice piped up from above.

"Daddy! Need food!" the small voice cried. The large spider looked up and Donny could detect a hint of sadness in his gaze.

"Trainer, could you take my little one? There's not enough food for her as things are. And you may learn to see the value of tiny things that scare you," the large red spider said to Donny. It had disentangled itself from Sandi and was staring straight at him.

"Yeah? Well I guess we can take on another mouth. Echo has been bringing in more meat lately... Alright. Send her down, I'll take her with me."

Within a few minutes he had explained the situation to Sandi and she seemed to understand. But Donny had the sneaking suspicion that she didn't see him the same way. Not just another trainer in Viridian Forest. He ended up with Arachnia on his team and the little Spinarak didn't seem to mind the change now that she got more to eat.

-End Flashback-

Maybe I can talk them out of this. Maybe they aren't just a mindless horde of furballs. Echo, if this doesn't work, cut through that southern line. With a quick, sharp pain he unlocks a section of his mental connection and chitters to the first fuzzy pokemon that approaches him, in their own language, "Go away! We're bigger and stronger than all of you!"

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Donny: 67/72 HP
Moved to H11. Used Zoopathy on Bidoofs (-5 HP).
Charisma: (1d20-2)[9]

Echo: HP: 44/44, Def 5, SDef 5, Spd 7
Flies to I12.
Uses Aerial Ace on Bidoof Squad (I13): AC for Crit (1d20)[3]
Physical, Flying Damage: (2d10+18)[26] If crit (2d10+8)[25]
Then:
Uses Aerial Ace on Bidoof Squad (I14): AC for Crit (1d20)[20]
Physical, Flying Damage: (2d10+18)[32] If crit (2d10+8)[28]
Then:
Uses Aerial Ace on Bidoof Squad (I15): AC for Crit (1d20)[14]
Physical, Flying Damage: (2d10+18)[37] If crit (2d10+8)[15]
Then:
Uses Aerial Ace on Bidoof Squad (I16): AC for Crit (1d20)[12]
Physical, Flying Damage: (2d10+18)[25] If crit (2d10+8)[19]
Then fly 1m above I16.

[IrnBruAddict]

Ennis releases Loba on her shoulder, then tenses her body for the upcoming battle.

-----flashback-----

Young Lotta charged at Shelly, but the older girl stepped to the right and delivered a swift punch to Lotta's head, knocking her off balance and sending her down.

'C'mon, you can do better than that.'

Lotta picked herself up, staggering drunkenly from the hit. Even if she was only 12, and her opponent was older than her, Lotta had a bad attitude since she was born. She wasn't going to admit defeat while she was able to still stand.

She charged forward, but Shelly stepped to the side, swept her leg, and Lotta went tumbling down. Not only did her head hit the ground, but Lotta threw a punch in her stomach as she lay there. Lotta roled onto her side and vomited from the impact.

'Bah, pathetic. You don't even know how to take a hit.' Lotta looked up at her with hate filled eyes, but Shelly stared her back down, showing nothing but contempt. 'Aww, does someone fight like a girl?' Shelly asked in baby talk.

Lotta staggered up and managed to stand. 'That's better. C'mon now, HIT ME! You're supposed to be impressive. All I see is a pathetic Grunt. Lay one on me, right here.' Shelly slapped her bare belly, exposed by her tube top. Not only did she act like she was better than Lotta, she dressed like a hussie. Most of the girls in Aqua did, making the rebellious Lotta stand out more.

But Lotta grinned. This was her chance. Shelly was underestimating her. Lotta rushed forward at Shelly, but as the Admin tensed her stomach for the hit, Lotta instead dropped down, then used her momentum to spring up with an uppercut on the older girls chin, causing Shelly to throw her head back. She had done it. She got a solid blow on an Admin.

But Shelly just grabbed her hair with both hands, and as Ennis looked at her, she saw the girl was almost unhurt by the blow. But Lotta knew it was a good punch, it should have left any adult hurting... That was it! Shelly threw her head back to reduce the damage. Lotta hadn't connected with her properly at all. The impact of the blow was reduced by moving with the hit.

'Just cos your parents are big shots and Archie think's you're an up-and-comer don't mean nothing. I'm still the leader and your nothing but a GRUNT!' She smashed her head into the little girl, sending Lotta flying backwards and hitting the floor. Blood was streaming down her forehead where it had split open. 'Mommy and daddy never told you how to take a hit did they? You're nothing but a pathetic child. You lost to me. If you won, you'd take my command. If I won, you'd follow my orders, remember? Now get in shape. Our squad is heading to the Weather Institute in a week. If you'e this pathetic, I'll report to Archie and have you taken off. Do I make myself clear?'

'Yes ma'am' replied Lotta through gritted teeth, unable to lift her body and fight back any more.

-----end flashback-----

Even if Shelly was the one person Ennis hated most from her previous life in Team Aqua, she had to admit, she knew how to fight. She had seen the girl take on 5 Magma grunts and walk away without a scratch. Even if Ennis no longer bore the same name from back then, she still had her memories.

Ennis shifts her weight, and takes up the same stance Shelly had used against her. 'I think it was something like this.' She was now a full grown woman,no spoiled child. She'd copy Shelly for now, then make sure to surpass her. If they ever meet again, Ennis wouldn't lose like she had back when she was Lotta.

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Shift: Ennis releases Loba in the same square as her.
TA: Ennis activates Hey Guys Watch This. She learns I Can Take a Hit

[Gaekub]

Vladmir pales at the sight of so many hostile pokemon. "Oh my..." he whispers, and examines the Bibarel (and presumed leader) closely.

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No Shift.
Frantic Research on Bibarel: (1d20+8)[28] (need 15 to succeed)

Vladmir: At J7
HP: 72/72
DEX: -2

Fido: At K7
HP: 25/25
DEF: 6
SDEF: 7
SPD: 4

[BluesEclipse]

Aidan thinks, By Arceus... I've never seen this many Pokemon at once. Looking around, he notices one of the larger Pokemon to the south, and nods to himself. "Kiran, get into the big tree over there and zap the big guy," he says as he scans the larger Pokemon before stepping towards the group to the east. With a quick swing, he sends his disc-blade flying into the swarm, slicing at the Pokemon before he pulls it back. Kiran launches a strand of webbing at the largest tree to the south, pulling himself to it and crawling around to face the large Pokemon before blasting it with a jolt of electricity.

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Aidan will move to L9 and attack swarm to the east. Kiran uses a Threaded Shift to J13, 4M up, and uses Thunder Wave on BS.

Aidan: Arms Attack - AC: (1d20)[5] v 6 + Phys Evasion, (1d10+9)[19] Normal Physical Damage.

Kiran: Thunder Wave v BS - BS is Paralyzed.

Aidan: Now at L9.
HP: 69/80
DEX: +1
DR: 5

Kiran: Now at J13, 4M up the tree.
HP: 28/28
DEF: 6
SDEF: 6
SPD: 10

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Tarna moves first, heading towards the swarm. She jumps in swinging, punching and striking out at anything that moves.

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Move to F6, use mega punch

AC 4 physical (1d20)[4]
(3d10+19)[33]

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Can Pokemon attack on diagonals? And if not, can they be carried (since Tarna has loads of movement to spare)?

[MesiDoomstalker]

As Donny chitters, Vlad studies one of Bibarel. It seems fairly strong, but not overwhelmingly so. Power level 15 it seems, at least 100 HP. Tarna's punch misses, slamming into the ground. Aidan's disc goes wide, missing the sea of targets to strike leaves. Kiran's electricity courses through the southern Bibarel.

Kiran's attack is extremly useful, stopping the beaver from acting. However, the eastern and western ones fire off jets of water, slamming into Donny for 22 damage and Aidan for 14 damage.

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Answering questions: You can attack at diagonals unless its around blocking terrain. You can't carry a mon and attack in the same round. Try punching a beaver while holding an over-sized rabbit.

So all mon but Kiran and Aire are up. Echo already went, so Minty no posting for you. /shame

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Setha moves to H6 and doublekicks the beaver spawn!

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Physical AC 3, scatter
(1d20)[2]
(1d20)[9]

Fighting
(1d10+15)[23]
(1d10+15)[21]