[PTU, IC] The Invisible League 3: You actually exploded!

[passinglurker]

Kara
Now that you've taken the time to look and not just nudge open and take a glance you also find in the bag a wallet and a pokegear that you hadn't noticed before. The wallet has ^3k in hard cash, some probably worthless to you ID cards, and a picture of a shiny drill shaped necklace (sure looks pricy). The pokegear is still displaying the most recent message it received...

Invisible League challenge
[technical mumbo jumbo I don't want to bother recreating with every challenge]
Title: What is Luck?
Primary objective: pick up a hitchhiker and deliver them safely to their destination
Secondary objective: Hitch hiker looks like a larper or cosplayer
Deadline: noon today

The manholes seem to be roughly evenly spaced out and you hear no violent commotion from above you could assume you can leave at any time. Under one manhole cover you do hear some voices shouting over a distance at each other "What are you doing Flu?""I thought I heard a puppy yelping in pain down here" "*sigh* fine but don't blame me when a garbage collector gets a view of you in your wet undies" "Can you please not say that out loud someone might hear you" "Hey I was fine walking back as is it was your idea we hide back here till your suit dries, and also your fault for wearing light colors that turn transparent when wet...."

Opal and Drew
Chiney and Steven look at each other with uncertainty "err... maybe we shouldn't go then... I don't really want a repeat of last night" she says rubbing the back of her head as she refers to her short violent temper when it come to coordinators.

Just then Opal and Drew's pokegears ring announcing they have received a message

Invisible League challenge
[technical mumbo jumbo I don't want to bother recreating with every challenge]
Title: Song of drama and ice
Primary objective: Get Francine Smiths autograph
Deadline: 1pm today

There is also and additional line for Opal
Secondary objective: Learn what francine smith knows about desert ruins

[Haluesen]

Kara's eyes went as wide as possible as she looked into the bag. "Well muk...certainly wasn't expecting anything like this. Guess that was way more worth the trouble than I expected." Just before she zipped up the bag she read through the last message and blinked curiously. "Aroo...this was his challenge? Hmm those league people sure are strange...I wonder if this was some coincidence, or maybe...? No, can't get caught up in wild theories. Again, get outta here, then figure out the rest." The bag itself seemed pretty safe, so she kept those important items in there as she sealed it up and traveled.

She continued to look up at all the manholes, now it just being a matter of what seemed safer to go into? Didn't want to exit too close to where that guy had been with the sentai hero. It was just ask she was thinking this that she heard the voices above her. Now Kara knew she wasn't the best at general smarts, but she could at least remember things from within less than an hour ago. If the voices didn't clue her off, hearing the name certainly did. That's those girls that were in the building I ran through. I remember them arguing about something before I ran past them..should I get their attention? I have no clue who they are...but... Kara looked down at her shoddy condition and whined a bit, then made a quick decision. "It isn't my usual style, but I need at least a bit of help, and I have no reason to think these two are trouble...yet." So with that Kara climbed the nearest ladder to the manhole cover and knocked on it as well as she could, wincing a bit since she had used her injured hand to knock, and made low whining noises. She would have spoken, but since she had to hold the ladder with one hand and knock with the other she just held the bag by her teeth. Not the best but she really didn't want to let that bag go.

[EdroGrimshell]

"Oh, first Invisible League challenge," Opal says with a curious tilt to her head, "they want me to get an autograph from Francine Smith?" she continues, then looks over at Chimney, "how about we all meet at the grocery store in an hour or two, this may take a while," she says with a smile, she had to call her mom to see if she might know where Francine was.

Once Chimney and Drew agree, Opal takes the time Olivine is being checked up to make a call to her mother for details on where Francine might be in Castelia. If only they'd gotten that the previous night, she may well have been at the Charity Dinner.

[Regalus]

Uriel offers up a genuine smile at Clair and nods in agreement, "Heh, I guess so," he says airily, though with a subtle unease to his tone.

"But seriously, thanks. I'm... not sure I can express how much it means to me; heck, to my family. If all goes well Wisp'll be studying me for a while this evening, hopefully she'll be able to find a clue or two about how this thing works. I gotta admit, I'm a bit excited; didn't think I'd have the chance to get something concrete like this for a long, long time,"

[passinglurker]

Opal and Drew
"Oh her ugh... She's annoying how she just turns up at the dojo as if "gracing the world with her presence" I had to hide from her a lot because she's on my moms payroll and she would probably recognize me." Comments Chimney after opal announces who you both must see

"*chuckle* you know she might be easier for them to get a hold of if you went with them" chuckles Terra before another nurse calls for her attention "I have to go stay safe you lot" She says as she walks off

"*sigh* maybe if they want me to punch her..." mutters chimney not liking the idea of going idol hunting.

Opal
Its just a checkup olivine is given a clean bill of health in less than 20 minutes. Your mother is busy but her secretary informs you francine is scheduled to participate in contests at the Castelia contest hall today.

Kara
A familiar girl with wet ginger colored hair and seemingly wearing nothing but a nurses hat, medical face mask, equipment belt, and wet white bra and panties, carrying what looks like some sort of very very complicated crossbow slung over her shoulder peers down into the grate. She tries to focus her eyes because obviously she can't see in the dark like you, but she must have realized what she is looking at eventually cause her eyes go wide and she quickly flails helplessly in an effort to cover her indecency with her limbs as she stumbles back and trips "waah ah aaah! oof!" "find something I take it?" "Th-th-theres some o-o-one trapped under the manhole cover! c-can you come lift it?" "*sigh* fine fine I'm coming keep your panties on... that knot came undone again by the way" "Ack!"

Soon the other familiar face from your dash through the building comes into view though if it wasn't for those big goggles, tattered clothes, and one metal arm thats skinnier than the other you'd almost wouldn't recognize her because the water they both seem to be soaked with has temporarily tamed her frizzy sandblasted hair into a smooth and flowing dirty blonde(the color not the state of hygiene) mane. "need a hand miss?" she says as she hefts the grate with her metal hand and offers you the flesh one to help you out.

Claire and Uriel
You arrive at the dojo... not much else to say...

[Haluesen]

Kara smiled, chuckling a bit as the first girl recoiled. A little comedy in all this, it seemed. She looked up out of the sewers and nodded, taking the other girls hand (for simplicity sake calling her metal-arm for now) and got out from under there. As soon as she was out she moved the bag in her mouth to one arm, her toothy grin clearly seen even with the rest of her face not. Although she did quickly lower the bag she was holding to at least slightly obscure her lower half.

"Woo! Thanks for that, even a little time under there was quickly becoming unbearable. Thanks for the assist." She looked over them and laughed softly, smirking. "You two almost look in as bad a shape as I feel. What ha-oh right! I heard the sprinkler-thing come on in there as I left. That does explain a bit." She reoffered her uninjured arm to the metal-armed girl. "I'm Nelsa. I'm pretty sure I heard your names in there but I was in a sort of rush, so sorry for not memorizing them."

[EdroGrimshell]

"She's entering a contest today, might be a good idea to enter a contest myself then, she knows my mom and we do look a bit alike," Opal says shortly after Olivine comes back, "and if we can impress her or draw her interest we might be able to get her to come to us."

[Major]

"Well I hope your night goes well and she can figure it out." Claire says with a nod, totally oblivious to the subtle unease. "If you need anything to help let me know." Claire says, "Or maybe Wisp will use me to help since she's having me sometimes help her with jobs and studying my elementalism." Claire comments, "Well, either way, here is hoping your family and this bad luck thing go away."

As she pulls up to the big dojo and parks she stops for a moment as if thinking, "You know...perhaps this Invisible League thing is kinda legit." She noted, "Within just a few days you've got your first concrete chance at lifting this curse and I've already clashed with Kuro and got a few leads. And if everything goes well with what I have planned, hopefully I'll have my job here done tomorrow." She says.

[passinglurker]

Kara
"Well I call the klutz over here Flu. So what was that sprinkler business all about?" Says the metal armed one shaking the offered limb and gesturing to the half naked self conscious medic as she struggles and fails to stand back up without removing her hands from their modesty preserving places "And I call the girl who helped you up Goggles, though everyone else seems to have already taken to calling her Armless. Its nice to meet you Nelsa is that you're real name or what people call your mask?" Says the half dressed one referring to your mask "Oh wait your injured! here let me look at it!" she says springing up momentarily forgetting her self consciousness as she pulls out medical supplies from her belt only to pause when she gets closer to your injured arm "Huh? is that sleeve fur? like growing out of your arm sort of fur?"

Opal
"I guess just call me when you guys are going some where else then" says Chimney as she starts to leave too

[Haluesen]

Kara nodded to the two of them in turn as they introduced themselves...well each other anyway. She was about to casually answer Flu's question until she was approached by the medic, and had a nervous expression under her mask. She stayed silent for a second when asked about her fur and then laughed a bit, waving her hand dismissively. "Well of course not! It's just...it's just..." But this person was a medic, and could check her injuries...and there was no way she could keep it hidden with someone with medical experience literally examining it.

So Kara sighed and nodded slowly. Her voice again went from bubbly and happy-to-meet-you way to lower, more direct, and naturally seductive. "Well cat's outta the bag for now I guess. Hehehe. Well yes that is real fur. And the arm does hurt a fair amount, so if you'd like to look over it more go ahead." Kara held her injured arm up to Flu, keeping the bag held down in front of her. "That may be unusual, but maybe not. Today I have already seen a girl with flowers blossoming in her hair, a blaziken that can jump onto rooftops, some guy looking llike a tv show superhero, and a koffing playing hide-and-seek in some trash. Oh, and now a girl with a metal arm. This may not even crack your top ten hun."

[passinglurker]

Kara
The medic girl seems completely unphased by your seductive tone and so completely focused on your injuries that you could probably get away with pickpocketing her. When you hold out your arm to her she immediately, and without warning slices your coat sleeve open with a pair of trauma shears(special scissors used to cut off clothes without cutting the people wearing them to get them out of the way of treatment without making the patient move an more than necessary... its a real thing) and begins applying aloes, disinfectants, and potions to your chemical burns(HP to full).

"Heh you'll have to excuse Flu she has a bit of a sadistic injury fetish that gets her excited easily" teases Goggles before you can complain about her friends damage to your coat "Do not!" whines Flu in response "Heh anyway yeah this town's pretty crazy thats why I like it here. We got one of the worlds largest supernatural populations and the largest elementalist population though its still pretty dinky in proportion to the rest of the city. The basically becomes one big melting pot of oddities and thats not even mentioning the pokemon. So what were you saying about summoning supernatural shadows, setting off sprinklers, and parkoring for dear life?" she continues as Flu begins wrapping a bandage around your arm.

[Regalus]

Uriel nods in quiet agreement as the two pull up, "Let's hope Victini smiles on us both then," he said with an airy sigh before getting out of the car and heading into the dojo, hoping he might find a help desk or guide of some sort that might make what followed a bit simpler.

[Major]

Claire puts the sunhat on and has Veil revert back to the coat without the hood. Then she heads inside behind Uriel. "I'll have to make sure to examine the surroundings before I attack this time." Claire notes, "In case he has his stupid Ghestis Enclave with him." She mutters. "I let my guard down last time."

[Regalus]

"Ghestis Enclave? Is that what his crew is called? How'd you find that out?" he questioned as they headed to the entrance.

[Major]

"It was a part of the information trade I made with Poffins. If you recall she had that file on Kuro. It gave me a lot. Between that and Wisp, I've been able to figure out his plans, who he works with, and such." Claire says. "I'll talk more when we're out of public." Claire notes as they approach the entrance. "I got the file and a card from her. Card was what I wanted to show you when we went shopping."

[passinglurker]

Claire and Uriel
There seems to be less people in the dojo today. you two recognizes the unenthusiastic greeter at the front desk who takes one look at claire and says "Sergei that girl's back... no not craZy... no not the one your brothers old trubbish was hanging out with... no not the one with the mask... wow you sound so disappointed after that last one I almost feel sorry for you just get up here... fine I'll send them your way...*grumble* If you are looking for sergei he's over by ring 4C" he points you to one of the rings practically on the other side of the building without even bothering to ask what you are really here for.

[Major]

Claire points at Uriel, "I'm with him." She says, "Thanks anyways though."

[EdroGrimshell]

Opal gets the address to the Contest Hall, then leads the way with Drew to head over, she'd need to do some grooming on Olivine and get her some Poffins while they were there so she could have a decent chance at impressing the judges.

[passinglurker]

Claire
The front desk guy rolls his eyes and set a pink key on the desk "The "private" couples rings are around the snorlax shaped boulder near the cliff wall"

[Regalus]

"We'll talk more about this later," he says quickly before they're greeted. "Oh no. We're here to speak with Sergei, and to look for one Orin Moltenhammer," he clarifies quickly.

[Jacior]

Drew grabs Chimney by the arm. "I know that we don't get along very well and I have no real right to ask you do anything, but will you please come with us to the contest hall?" He says, starting slowly and getting more fluent as he figures out what he wants to say. "I know, you hate being in the spotlight and you don't want your mother to find you... But we're going to need you here. Opal, smart as she is, is going to be completely clueless out on the stage." If Opal makes any noise about that, Drew will make a shushing motion. "I don't want you to get on stage, you and Steven can hide under a sheet for all it matters. But Opal is going to need someone to coach her on what to do."

"Please? I wouldn't ask you this if it wasn't important. I'll owe you big time."

Spoiler

Show

Charm (It can't hurt): (5d6+4)[20]

[passinglurker]

Claire and Uriel
"*sigh* orin's-""Squawk!""Duck!" suddenly regardless of if any ducking occurs a doduo sails over claire and uriel in a line its toes mean inches from where claire and uriel's heads were. It sticks the landing and keeps on running "Woo! Nailed it!" shouts the wild and very short female jockey in the pokemon's saddle. "*deadpan* Just follow her she's paying him for something today" says the desk guy showing aptitude for noticing what happens around here and for avoiding having to give complex directions.

Drew
She looks at where you have her arm and frowns "Its not that I'm trying to hide from my mom" She starts rolling her arm out of your grip like its nothing "Like I said before that's over, but that doesn't mean the people there don't get on my nerves and not just with how they act around me..." Steven then interjects with some gestures and they go back and forth in sign language for a bit before chimney hangs her head in defeat "Alright fine but you're taking responsibility making sure the annoying ones keep their distance and I reserve the right to bail if steven wiggs out over anything" she says pointing at drew and laying the responsibility for the success of this venture on his shoulders.

[Jacior]

"How am I supposed to know which ones are the annoying ones?"

[Major]

Claire blushes slightly, "T-that's not w-what I m-meant! I didn't mean like with him with him!" She looks over at Uriel, "Not that I'm not saying that you're not handsome; you are handsome, but..." She trails off when Uriel clarifies, grateful for his more simple reply. The flying doudou over her head gave an even bigger distraction to worry about and for once she was grateful she didn't have her scythe since her instincts might have been an issue. "Errr...thanks, uhhh...so that way?" She said looking at Uriel and following his lead.

[Haluesen]

She grimaced a bit as Flu cut her jacket up but just sighed as she went about her work. "I like that jacket...but I suppose it is better to let the wound be treated. I can get a new jacket." After this little mention she turned to Goggles and laughed slightly. "Heh well alright then. I guess that does give me a bit less to worry about around here. Typically my supernatural side sticks out like a sore thumb wherever I go, so I have just taken to saying that it is a costume. Still a habit I will likely keep up around here. You two are the first I have encountered that I have had to tell." She gave a little wink to the both of them. "Guess that's a little bit special."

"Well yeah all that...I would apologize for setting off those sprinklers, but it wasn't exactly my doing. Blame the blaziken that was chasing me and its trainer. I was just trying to be out of the crossfire." She spoke and scoffed a bit, just thinking how lucky she was to have lived. Of course, she had other reasons that she didn't apologize for the sprinklers, as she her eyes subtly wandered over Flu every now and again. "And the shadows, I guess that makes me a dark elementalist." Her lips pursed and nose wrinkled as she said this though. "Sounds so sinister when I put it like that..."

[Regalus]

"I guess we're speaking to Orin first then," Uriel muses as makes to follow the strange girl after recovering from his own evasive maneuver.

[passinglurker]

Drew
"Eh I'm sure you'll figure it out, just read the crowd or something. Besides You're asking me to coach opal not you" she says with a smirk as she follows opal out.

Drew and Opal, contest hall, 11:30am
Geez does Chimney know some crazy but effective shortcuts around town not that you'd ever want to use them a second time for fear of your own life that plank across those two buildings was waaaay to rickety.

The contest hall as usual looks like an old style megaplex movie theater and inside is a veritable ever fluctuating hub of entertainment with countless theatres, contest stages, film sets, recording studios, art galleries, merchandise distributors you name it. There is also like Opal saw yesterday when this place was configured to host a fancy party a large information desk which is probably where you should go to see about entering contests.

Uriel and Claire
The girl is certainly hard to keep up with and would have been impossible to keep track up if she wasn't so loud and didn't have a habit of jumping high over people who got in her way.

You see her ride up to a big buff bald black man leaning against the side wall of the dojo at his feat laid out on a flame retardant blanket are a variety of both exotic and conventional highly ornate yet still perfectly functional weapons. The girl hands him some money and he hands her what looks like a frying pan and she's off again before either of you can catch up. As you get closer you catch a distinct smell of burnt toast and it seems like either the man or his weapons(or both) are radiating a lot of heat.

Kara
"Are you hitting on me?" Jokes Goggles in response to your winking "but yeah probably a smart move this town has its share of violent witch hunter gangs like anywhere else and a lot of universities and research labs that'd love to hire elementalists for their studies to the point of probably being obnoxious not that I'd know though I'm mundane. For now, but yeah you should come up with a better name for it that Dark elementalism something catchier like "shade caller" or "shadow dancer" yeeeah that'd be way cooler..." She then seems lost in thought for a moment probably imagining life with supernatural power or something like that.

Looking at Flu you can see the water from the sprinklers still dripping from her locks of hair and beading off and rolling down the contours of her bodies moist smooth skin. Her belt listing to one side as if awkwardly acknowledging the absence of the usual layers that it holds up and constrains. Her bra and panties soaked thoroughly give you a slightly diffuse view of what lies underneath where ever the fabric has been sufficiently pressed against her body. "You know if you want to pull a little prank to get back at her over your jacket I will say one thing. She is lousy at tying knots" Whispers Goggles leaning in for a moment to point out the vulnerable tangles of fabric on Flu's hips and back before reaching over to Flu, undoing her belt, and laying it across a nearby trashcan Flu still working away on your arm unphased and even reaching over to the belts new location when she needs something as if it had been there the whole time."all I'm gonna say" she adds as she turns her back on the scene and starts whistling

[Regalus]

"Oh, good morning; Orin Moltenhammer I presume?" Uriel asked politely in greeting as they approached the merchant.

[passinglurker]

Uriel
The man gives an affirmative grunt.

[Regalus]

"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name's Uriel Feliciano; I'm a friend of Chimney Sweep," he starts as he extends a hand to shake, well aware of the faint heat that wafted from the man.

"I'm a dedicated Pokemon Trainer, but I've had a few close calls so I'm trying to protect myself better; make sure my mons and my friends don't get distracted worrying more about me than the one they're fighting. So I'm looking for some good protective combat gear; mainly shields at the moment, but I'm keeping an eye out for lighter armors as well, and Chimney recommended I look you up first," he explained airily, "So would you be amenable to doing business with me?