The Waking Mountains of Meldia - IC

[aturtledoesbite]

"The battle's a-already over?" Arianna lets out a breath as she goes to check on Muffet, who'd been knocked out as the battle ended. Looking at Naomi, though, she wished Muffet was awake to String Shot her and hold her back. As it was, though...wait, that's a thought. Mairead's Gastly was still hanging around.

Arianna tried to get the Gastly's attention. "H-hey, go stop her from hurting that guy too much, please?"

Spoiler

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Command check to get the Gastly to listen: (4d6)[17]

[Zephykinns]

"The kid in the jacket flips his hat back so that the bill is facing frontwards. "Well crap. I was really hoping that bide would've taken at least two of you out." A short ways away a yelp of pain can be heard coming from the boxer. He collapses on the ground, clutching his groin. He sighs heavily and gathers the rest of his team, picking up the martial artist and bringing him along on his shoulder. After a bit of deliberation and passing money back and forth the leader comes back with a wad of bills and holds them out to Matt. "Well. We thought about what would be a good amount to give. So we thought that ten percent of our total seems like a fair amount for a loss. Luckily the exchange rate from Kanto to here is ridiculous!" He gives a good chuckle. "We have about 6400 Pokébaht here. So, what, like 1600 a person for you guys?"

[SiegeTower]

"And stay down ya candy-[CENSORED]" Naomi spits and wipes her hands of dust as smugly as she can. It was about time for her to actually pay attention to her severely injured Mankey so she steps towards her hurt Pokemon. Naomi doesn't take the long way around though. She gladly steps on the chest of the boxer she had just incapacitated and lets her full weight dig into him as she walks over. It was a straight shot to Sue from there.

The Mankey was really hurting, when Naomi had difficulty sitting down next to the poor thing, it was finally showing that she was too.

"Ya done good Sue. You took out more guys than me. I'm glad ya managed that. If ya actually punched yourself out all confused-like like I was 'specting, I woulda beat ya worse than the stupid psychic Pokemon." Naomi chuckles to herself but soon winces and grasps at her bleeding side where the Spearow had pecked her. "[CENSORED]! We both gotta get some healin' soon." Naomi forces a smile at her Mankey and rubs the little fighting type on her head. Whether this was an affectionate gesture or an attempt to wipe the blood off of her handwrap isn't clear. "Alright Sue. Fight's over. Back in your ball. Good thing I can lug ya in there rather than havin' to carry your limp body over my shoulders." With that, Naomi recalls Sue back to her pokeball.

"HEY! Y'all done getting the money these fools owe us? If it ain't enough I'm stepping over there any making at least one more of them infertile!" Naomi jumps up and pounds her fist into her palm with a smirk. She certainly wasn't showing any signs of pain anymore.

Spoiler: Rolling for intimidate to get even more money

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(4d6+1)[12]

[Kittenwolf]

Mairead O'Connor

Looking slightly fed up, Mairead turns to Naomi
"Oh my God will you stop bitching about money and swearing at people? This was a friendly match, not an extortion attempt by Team Rocket."

[SiegeTower]

Naomi, who never seems to run out of phlegm, spits again and this time in Mairead's direction. "Hey! I didn't hear ya complainin' when Matt asked for some dough!"

Naomi stops caring about whatever Matt and the other team were haggling for and now has all her attention focused on towering over Mairead and shouting right in her face. "And who are you ta say anythin'?! Your Pokemon did [CENSORED] all durin' the fight!"

[Kittenwolf]

Mairead O'Connor

Mairead rolled her eyes
"There's a big difference between asking someone to pay up for a loss and threatening to beat them up if they don't pay."

She takes an instinctive half step back as Naomi moves up to tower over her (she's rather intimidating after all) but stands her ground, glancing up at Gastly hovering nearby, watching closely. "Gastly was barely warming up by the time the fight was over. Trying to use Hypnosis to save YOUR pokemon meant he didn't get to start Haunting properly until the match was already over."

Suddenly her eyes flash angrily and she stabbed a finger in Naomi's direction "And don't lecture me about whose pokemon did what, you just decided it was more important to knock someone down after they gave up rather than seeing to your badly injured pokemon!"

[SiegeTower]

Ha! Naomi throws her hands up in the air "Only took the entirety of the fight to warm up! And this is coming from the same princess who said "oh no don't keep your Pokemon in their pokeball between battles! They're so much stronger if they **** around between fights!" Even your excuses are bull! I didn't see one punk goin' ta sleep. Mankey took out two pokes on his own and beat up the third with the other two. You and your Gastly are the weakest part of this team and you just wanna make yourself feel better by blaming it on someone else!" If Naomi had a table to slam her fist down onto she would have. She instead settles for kicking up dirt at Mairead.

"Sue's an asset to the team and is tough enough to nurse her own wounds for a couple minutes while the fights get finished. I treat Sue the same way I expect her to treat me. Don't worry about the other folks until you're done takin' care of your own fight. Sue's gonna get patched up and she's gonna deserve it! Your Gastly is just a worthless waste of space and you treat it that way! Coddling it and not holding it responsible f'r anythin'! You just let it lag around outside of fights and then do the same in the fights! It's weak and you're the one lettin' it be!"

[Kittenwolf]

Mairead O'Connor

It's evident that Mairead's temper is starting to flare just as much as Naomi's "Oh quit your bitching, I never said anything of the kind. And if you want to treat your pokemon like a tool, that's your idiocy." she flings one hand out to the side, pointing at Gastly "My Gastly could have taken out nearly their whole team on his own, and if that Pachirisu had had a protection move or was a little bit tougher, it would have flattened you, your pokemon and quite likely more of the team, at which point Gastly would have shut it down like your bowels shut down at the sight of a ghost!"

She again jabs her finger at Naomi
"If you think your Mankey is so top **** why don't you battle me yourself? Or are you too chicken **** scared of a g-g-g-g-ghost that you'll piss your pants again the moment Gastly looks in your direction? You're just a stupid girl with an anger management problem and a chip the size of an Onix on your shoulder who thinks the only way to solve anything is with your fists!"

[Zephykinns]

In the distance two trainers, one male and one female, are sitting on a rock fence, kicking their legs back and forth, watching the party. "Two hundred baht says the machoke looking one punches the prissy one," the boy says.

"You're funny, even I wouldn't take that gamble"

[Zelphas]

"Ladies!" Ignoring all sense of caution, Matt steps between his two quarreling team-mates. "We won this match solidly, and did extremely well for such a new team! Ajahn, you took the brunt of the attacks, and for that I'm grateful. But judging the merits of a fighter after one match is a good way to end up beaten up and broke... if you're lucky." Duster has quietly returned to his master's side, and he stares up at the two quarreling trainers, his mandibles quietly twitching.

"Miss Mairead had an off-day, but she kept fighting, and that's worth something. Now, you're both beaten up and tired from the match." he hands each trainer their cut of the money, his voicee gaining a mildly commanding tone. "Go to the Pokemon Center and get healed up, and then take an hour for training, or... what was it you mentioned earlier, Miss Mairead? Shard-finding?" He spreads his hands out, smiling widely. "If, at the end of the hour, your two still want to kill each other, we'll set up a proper arena and I'll get the bets going. We may as well make some money from it."

[SiegeTower]

Naomi fumes as she knows there's nothing she can say to defend herself when the topic of her phobia comes up. Since there was no way to win this argument, Naomi figured she might as well make Mairead correct on two accounts and solve this dilemma with her fists. Naomi strikes fast and was ready to break as many of Mairead's teeth as was possible but her fist falls just short of clobbering a boy shouting "Ladies!" instead.

Matt just saved Mairead a good bit of dental work and thankfully all it costed him was having a fist fan some wind into his face. Naomi lowers her hand but stays in a stance that was clearly keeping her ready to kick out at Mairead as soon as Matt moved. She paid very little attention to what Matt was saying but what little she caught she appreciated. Naomi was addressed by her proper title and she was given permission to kill Mairead later after she got healed up.

"Yeah yeah whatever." Naomi forcfully snatches the cash from Matt's hand and walks away without so much as a thank you. She grabs her bag which had been tossed aside at the start of the fight and heads off in whatever direction would get her away from her two teammates. Naomi doesn't have a problem dealing with her third one though.

"Hey Arianna. I'm headin' ta the Pokemon Center. Wanna come with? I think Muffet needs it."

[Kittenwolf]

Mairead O'Connor

Mairead managed to remain still as Naomi started to swing, willing to take a hit to prove her point. However anyone standing behind her would easily note the forced-rigidity of her posture and the white knuckle fist held behind her back, testimony to the effort required.
Thankfully Matt's intervention cut the brawl short and she didn't need to have Gastly reduce Naomi to a blubbering mess on the ground.

She slowly let out a long breath as Naomi stalked off and glanced across at where she knew Gastly was, hovering invisibly just next to where the angry young woman had been standing. "Matt, you know her temper is going to get us in a lot of trouble, right?"

Collecting her winnings she nodded her head at the 'rich kids' watching nearby and headed in the opposite direction to Naomi "Come on Gastly, lets see if we can find any more shards." she patted the egg held in her sling bag, a smile returning to her face "And then we'll drop by the pokemon center and ask for some egg hatching advice. After that.." she glances meaningfully at Gastly "We'll spend any remaining time training. I know you were just getting started but you missed a whole lot of shots there Gastly, you need to focus better."

Spoiler: Actions

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Ten minutes to use the Dowsing Rod and then it'll be off to the Pokemon Center, checking through the window to make sure to enter from as far away from Naomi as possible, and asking the nurse for advice on egg care and hatching.
Check the OOC for a PokeEd roll of 15 for discussing egg care techniques and such (which I think basically amount to 'don't break it, keep it warm, it'll hatch eventually')

I'll also spend an Extended Action (apparently 'a few minutes' since no time listing is given?) to create a Psychic Brace from the Red shards. In this case it'll basically be embedding the red shards into one of those studded leather wrist cuffs in a glyph pattern.

She'll then join the Exp Training train for 5XP on Gastly, assuming we have enough time afterwards. If people want to get moving while she's partway through training then oh well, it'll happen this evening before sleep :)

Spoiler: Dowsing Rod

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Woo! Dowsing Rod.
Takes ten minutes to use, can be used a number of times per day equal to half my Occult Ed rank (currently 4).
Can be used while in any route, cave, or outside area. Get a bonus roll if used in/on a beach, cave, desert, or any other sandy or rocky area,

Spoiler: Nine main rolls

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Four for Adept Occult Ed
One for Skill Stunt: Dowsing
Three for Crystal Resonance
One for 'Dowsing for Dummies'
On a 4+ I get a shard.
On a 6, get a shard and roll again

(1d6)[3]
(1d6)[1]
(1d6)[4]
(1d6)[2]
(1d6)[4]
(1d6)[4]
(1d6)[5]
(1d6)[5]
(1d6)[6]

Spoiler: Spare rolls in case of sixes or sand

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(1d6)[4]
(1d6)[6]
(1d6)[4]
(1d6)[3]
(1d6)[4]

Spoiler: Get any shards?

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Roll 1d6 per shard to determine the colour
1=Red
2=Orange
3=Yellow
4=Green
5=Blue
6=Violet

Spoiler: Rolls

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(1d6)[3]
(1d6)[3]
(1d6)[2]
(1d6)[4]
(1d6)[5]
(1d6)[1]
(1d6)[1]
(1d6)[2]
(1d6)[5]
(1d6)[4]
(1d6)[5]
(1d6)[1]
(1d6)[2]
(1d6)[2]

*Edit*
Okay, that's two Yellow, two Red, one Orange, one Green, one Blue. STILL not a single Violet shard.

[aturtledoesbite]

Arianna breathed a sigh of relief as the situation calmed down some. She looked down to Muffet's ball when Naomi mentioned her, then looked back up to her. "O-oh, o-o-okay." She headed toward the Center with Naomi and got the nurse on duty to patch up Muffet.

Since it looked like they'd be around for a bit longer, Arianna decided to do some training with Muffet to keep busy.

Spoiler

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Alright, where to begin...

First off, Experience Training! Muffet gets half her level in XP, +5 since I have Adept Command, which comes out to 10 XP and brings her to level 12, learning Leech Life!
Second, I'm going to use Inspired Training to give Muffet its benefits (+1 Evasion, +2 Saves) until the next Extended rest.
Third, I'll spend two of Muffet's Tutor Points and use Type Ace (Bug) to give Muffet the Type Strategist (Bug) ability.

I think that's everything!

[Zelphas]

Matt watches as Naomi stomps away, his smile fading to a grimace. "Yeah, I know," he replies to Mairead. "I also know that none of the rest of us could take the kind of pounding she did in that fight and still stay standing. She's still useful... right now, at least."

After the rest of the team goes to the Pokemon Center, Matt looks down at himself, and then bends down to scratch Duster on the top of the head. "We both left that fight without a scratch on us! Let's see if we can keep that up." He glances all around him, at the gathered groups of trainers, and his hands reflexively twitch. He has sworn off pick-pocketing, but... "Come on, Duster," Matt says decisively, "Let's put on a quick show."

Spoiler: OOC

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During the hour, I'd like to basically perform on the street, drumming up money from gullible trainers. If possible, I'd use Guile to see how much I get: (4d6+1)[12]

If not, then I'm guessing it's Charm: (3d6)[10]

If neither of those work, I'll spend the hour training Duster, giving him 5 EXP and bumping him up to level 12 (I think)!

[SiegeTower]

It seemed like the Pokemon center trip was to be pretty uneventful. No sign of ghost princess and Arianna was a nice enough girl to not speak unless spoken to first. When she ran off to train her Muffet though, Naomi didn't have much to do. She was gonna train her freshly healed Mankey for sure but she wanted to see if she could do anything else before going back to her usual routine. Matt seemed to never shut up so Naomi figured she'd try things his way and get some info out of people. They were gonna go try and catch some rock types before trying the flying gym right? Guess Naomi could ask around to see if anyone knew where she could find an Onix or Geodude around here.

If nothing comes from trying to get the information from talking, Naomi could try to fiddle with that new Pokedex she got to see if it has any info in it.

Spoiler: Stuff

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Keeping up the Brutal Training on Sue.
Experience Training for 5xp.

Charm roll to get info on rock types:(1d6)[3]
Intimidation roll for the same info if that works:(4d6+1)[10]
Technology Education roll to fiddle with the Pokedex:(2d6)[9]

[Zephykinns]

You all arrive at the Pokemon center in short time alongside the trainers you just beat, greeted by several frantic nurses rushing about, tending to wounded trainers and pokemon alike. One native nurse stands at the counter, a smile stuck on her face as if she had to keep it up or face some sort of meltdown. "Welcome trainers! We provide medical care for all trainers with no need for payment. We'll heal all superficial damage, but rest is the best cure for your friends."

Guess Naomi could ask around to see if anyone knew where she could find an Onix or Geodude around here.

If nothing comes from trying to get the information from talking, Naomi could try to fiddle with that new Pokedex she got to see if it has any info in it.
[/SPOILER]

While you guys go about healing and letting the nurses fuss over you, which takes an hour plus a half hour per injury you've accrued, Naomi, failing to speak in a polite manner and noticing her pokedex is fairly blank, grabs a trainer by the collar and shakes him down for information about rock types. The trainer, obviously not wanting to have to get healed yet again, fumbles his words in saying that he just knows that going into the mountains up north could net a rock type or two.

[SiegeTower]

Naomi sighs and drops the trainer she had lifted off the ground by his collar. He really didn't tell her anything she didn't already know. She might as well hope that one of those rock types is an Onix and prep for that. With the time she had to kill before regrouping, Naomi goes to the local Pokemart and picks up one great ball and a heavy ball. There was quite a lineup considering all the new trainers starting their journeys simultaneously. Naomi didn't have the patience for that however. She went behind the counter of the Pokemart, grabbed the two things she wanted, and then tossed the money at the cashier before walking out. No waiting necessary and the Pokemart got their money.

When all the healing, shopping, and training was done, Naomi heads back to where the team fight had occurred. The team didn't make a rigidly specific time or place to meet up so Naomi just figured they were gonna meander back here at some point. Naomi thought she herself would be easy to spot at least. She stood head and shoulders above most of the trainers and anyone looking for her was bound to find her. If the team didn't arrive sometime soon though, Naomi was gonna start another Pokemon battle with whoever was handy just to kill time.

[Zelphas]

Matt, realizing that the only way he's going to make money from Trainers is by battling them, spends his time training Duster instead, dropping off at the PokeMart to grab a Heavy Ball. We need a strongman for our act soon, Duster," he comments, bouncing the Heavy Ball in one hand.

Matt greets Naomi with a wave and a grin, walking over to meet her. "We should be ready to go as soon as the rest of our team arrives!" he asserts confidently.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sure, I'll grab a Heavy Ball. A Rock type would definitely be useful.

[SiegeTower]

Welp, there was one of them at least.

"Yo. So Arianna was at the Pokecenter last time I saw 'er. We split up after dat. She should be back soon I guess. Naomi casually spits to the side. "So after she gets back let's leave. 'eard there were some rock type Pokes to catch on the mountains north of 'ere.""

[Kittenwolf]

Mairead O'Connor

After training Mairead returns to the spot where the group split up, spying Naomi and Matt already there. Her mouth tightens slightly at the sight of Naomi but otherwise she shows little sign of their earlier fight, though Gastly, still floating about, is always keeping an eye on her.

"Hey" she waves as she steps up with the others "Is everyone and their pokemon feeling better? Is there anything we need to do here before heading off once Arianna gets back? Are we going to go north of the Gym and into the mountains first before hitting the Flying gym?"

She seemingly unconsciously pats the egg in its sling bag, and Matt is likely the one to notice she's wearing a studded leather bracelet with a red stone glyph embedded into it on that hand.
She's also carrying a rather solid looking staff over one shoulder.

[SiegeTower]

Naomi swears to herself as she sees Mairead come back. It woulda been hella nice to just ditch her and have a three person team instead. Whatever, if it got too bad, Naomi would find a way to let the Pokemon League allow a one man team. Naomi doesn't bother to address Mairead's arrival and instead just keeps looking in another direction and spits on occasion.

[aturtledoesbite]

Arianna has so much fun with Muffet, she almost forgets that there are people that night be waiting for her. Eventually, though, she finishes up her training and starts looking around for any of the others.

When she sees all three together, she picks up the pace and heads toward them. "l-I'm sorry I'm l-late..."

[Kittenwolf]

Mairead O'Connor

"l-I'm sorry I'm l-late..."

Mairead waves a hand "No problem, I only got here a couple of minutes ago too. Muffet feeling better?"

[SiegeTower]

Naomi casually flicks her wrist in a two fingered outward salute.

"Yo. We were gonna head to the mountains up north for some rock types before goin' to the gym. Might be a Dwebble or somethin' for ya there too. If there ain't, probably some other creepy crawlies back on the main route for ya to catch afte'."

[Zephykinns]

Off onto the open road! Everyone leaves the small town onto route 602. The beginning of the route, for the most part, is filled with many new trainers, battling it out with other teams. One thing in particular about this route is that is all seems to go up hill. At first it doesn't seem to be too noticeable, but any length of walking will tell you that the angle of ascent gets steeper as times goes on.


A new noticeable details besides the trainers going about, trying to capture pokemon:
There's what looks like to be something akin to a scout troop, with a few adults and around twenty or so kids, but not a single native amongst the bunch. "Listen up kids, this is a land of untamed nature, so no going off of the paths, and stick to the grass patches. Now what's a pokescout?" He barks aloud,

"Nature's best friend sir!" they all snap to attention, and start to scatter.



There's of course many trainers searching through tall grass for pokemon, occasionally finding a sewaddle and the other common types mentioned earlier.

[aturtledoesbite]

Arianna quietly huffed in annoyance -- they weren't creepy! -- but didn't say anything about her objection.

"O-okay."

[SiegeTower]

Naomi has no issue with the uphill trek. Though one would think Naomi would be the kind to go barefoot, she actually did have enough of a sense of self-preservation to be wearing a very good pair of running shoes. This combined with her already above average levels of athleticism resulted in her outpacing the rest of her team constantly.

"Y'all really need to hurry up! I'd only be cool with a team if y'all didn't hold me back and that's all you're doin' right now!" Naomi stops for the fourth time since they started walking for her team to catch up to her. Looking back, Naomi really was hoping that the princess was going to be the one dragging the farthest behind but to the fighter's disappointment, Matt seemed the least athletic of the whole group.

"If y'all can't handle a little hill whatchya gonna be doing when we're rockclimbing in the mountains?" Naomi brushes her hair back in frustration. "Look if y'all can't keep up, I'mma head to the mountains myself and y'all can stick around here and catch whatever's in the grass. I know Arianna won't mind catchin' a Burmy or somethin'."

[Zelphas]

Matt had hoped that Naomi's earlier statements meant that she is warming up to Arianna. Now, after trekking steadily uphill and watching as the tall girl continues to push farther ahead, he begins to wonder what, if anything, will convince her to relax for more than three seconds. "I'm fine for moving ahead," Matt replies, his voice strong despite the obvious exertion on his face. "I'd rather attempt to catch some new team members without so much... competition all around us." Just to be safe, Matt looks all around him, checking to see if he can find any interesting Pokemon nearby.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception to look around and try to find anything interesting: (3d6+1)[17]

[Zephykinns]

Matt had hoped that Naomi's earlier statements meant that she is warming up to Arianna. Now, after trekking steadily uphill and watching as the tall girl continues to push farther ahead, he begins to wonder what, if anything, will convince her to relax for more than three seconds. "I'm fine for moving ahead," Matt replies, his voice strong despite the obvious exertion on his face. "I'd rather attempt to catch some new team members without so much... competition all around us." Just to be safe, Matt looks all around him, checking to see if he can find any interesting Pokemon nearby.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception to look around and try to find anything interesting: [roll0]

Matt notices that near a thicket of woods is a dark parting that you'd have to get on your hands and knees to crawl under it, but he can't really see what's too much further down.

[SiegeTower]

"Okay y'all can go further up the route or somethin' to catch whatever you want with less folks around. I'mma head to the mountains now. Y'all can come if you can keep up. We'll meet back at Zingiber Village after we've caught are new Pokes."

Spoiler: Naomi looks for a path towards a mountain or cave

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Perception: (1d6)[1]

Though I don't think it'll be too hard to spot the mountain. That is unless there is a very large hill nearby that could be mistaken for it.