The Heights of Londo [IC 2: Bolted]

[Comissar]

Leah still seems a little lost as to what Genevieve's goals are as she continues to fawn over Damien. It's only when Alyssa is brought in that she starts to understand what the Johtoan was trying to do. She gives the Hoothoot a curious look, wondering if it might be swayed by jealousy. Her musings are cut short by the sudden THUD of the rock smashing apart. Eyes widening in alarm, she felt her body tense even as Saura rose to her feet, the Bulbasaur mimicking her stance. She blinks rapidly as the Larvitar emerges, Bibi's words cutting through any hesitation that might have formed in the face of this new arrival.

Chasing after Linne with Saura bounding along by her feet, she threw occasional worried glances over her shoulder, trying to see if they were being chased.

[Hazuki]

The Hoothoot needs little more than Alyssa's encouragement to follow the group, in the wake of the powerful Pokemon destroying its nest. It flaps along just behind the group, flapping its tiny wings and hopping off of tall rocks as they flee.

Ibib leads the group through use of Linne's head, guiding her with tugs of its tendrils, and a few Pokemon scatter as they come. Far behind them, they can hear another of the Pokemon's cries, followed by the crack of a boulder. Nothing seems to be chasing them at the moment, but the group has to decide when to stop running.

Spoiler: Information

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If you're going to keep running, I'mma need Athletics checks.

[Merilan]

Linne let out a little breath as she whipped her bow out; if this Pokemon was really going to chase them, then it was perhaps going to be better to try to discourage it from doing so. She really didn't like hurting Pokemon, but she knew even from the jungle that some enjoyed fighting, and it could serve to help brush off some excess energy and make them calmer.

She hopped up towards the nearest vantage point that she could see, and turned to draw her bow. "Linne will try to distract it, everyone get somewhere safe!"

She focused... and her eyes shimmered blue for a moment, as she drew the bowstring without an arrow -- but then a thin lance of ice appeared from her fingertips. Focus...

Spoiler: Action

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Linne is hopping up to better position where she can find it -- Athletics? (3d6)[6] and if she can still see the Larvitar, she'd like to take a shot at it to distract it.

[Ceralune]

As it seems that the Larvitar isn't following them in pursuit at the moment, Genevieve stops and turns back to see Linne taking position with her bow. Deciding that stealth might indeed be the way to go here, she and Damien take cover behind a particularly tall boulder.

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth: (2d6)[10]

[Comissar]

Leah finds her pace starting to slow as the group runs from the Larvitar, her legs feeling heavier as they flee. She was almost grateful when they came to a stop and Linne turned to fight. Almost. She gave the girl from the forest a worried look. "You can't try and fight it on your own! You could get hurt!"

Saura nodded with an affirmative "Saur!", crouching forward and extending a pair of vines from her bud.

As she watched the way they'd come, Leah found her hand hovering over Sable's pokéball as well as she found herself wondering if she'd need them both.

[Hazuki]

Linne stumbles as she climbs up the nearest rock, but manages to catch herself before falling. At the top of the waist-height rock, she can just about catch sight of the Larvitar - as it sinks its teeth into Bibi's arm. It doesn't seem to sink far into the scarred flesh, but the position makes it unlikely that she'll land a shot that doesn't hit Bibi. She seems to gain some control over the fight, as she swings her arm around and slams the Larvitar into one of the nearby rock-halves. It seems like it's not chasing them, while Bibi is distracting it.

[Ceralune]

Genevieve hugs Damien to her chest. Now that she's had a chance to catch her breath, she can't help but feel a little irritation amidst the fear. We were having a fine time looking for pokemon... and now that little savage is interrupting it! How am I supposed to find a new partner if that Larvitar scares everything away? Her cheeks puff out a bit in annoyance, but she releases a breath and finally decides to take a look around. The Hoothoot doesn't seem to have calmed down any, and she's surprised it managed to go in the same direction as everybody else.

Meanwhile, Genevieve wonders what became of Bibi and the Larvitar. Can Bibi even fight that thing? I imagine trying to physically subdue it would be tough... I mean, it broke that boulder in half. And it's practically made of rock itself. What if she goes down? Would we even be able to get her the help she would need? What if... the thing remembers us then, and comes after us next?! The theorizing just makes her more worried, and she stops herself before she goes any further, resolving to think of a way she can help defuse the situation. Damien can't take that thing... a normal type against a rock type? No way. There has to be some other pokemon that's hearing all of this...

Still slightly frazzled, she looks around to see if there's anything (or anyone) nearby that can help. Noticing his trainer's movements, Damien does the same.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception: (2d6)[8]
Perception (Damien): (2d6)[4]

[tgva8889]

Alyssa, noticing most of her friends have doubled back, pauses with the rest. Though still near some danger, she looks to the Hoothoot fluttering behind them. "Are you all right?" Once the Hoothoot gives a response, she looks at Leah. "Maybe we can all do something about it together?" Luna puts on a tough face from her arm, and gives a nod of affirmation at Alyssa's words. Noting both Genevieve and Linne have doubled back somewhat, Alyssa follows after them, trying to keep out of notice as she gets into some position where she might be able to help.

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth: (3d6)[6]

[Merilan]

Linne's eyes open with alarm as she watched Bibi struggle with the Larvitar, and then she looked up at Ibib to go, "Linne won't let Bibi get hurt any more..."

She waited with her aim focused, until she watched Bibi throw the Larvitar onto the rock-half. She concentrated, and then loosed her ice-arrow at that moment.

Spoiler: Action!

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Linne will wait until the position changes so she can take a shot. When that's done, she uses Aiming Down the Sights as a shift, then making a Struggle with Freezer to make it Ice-typed.

(1d20+2)[13] vs AC 5, (2d6+20)[24] Ice damage!

[Comissar]

Leah nods at Alyssa's suggestion, glancing up at Linne as she holds a steady aim with her bow. Lacking the vantage point Linne has, she's forced to guess at why the Larvitar wasn't pursuing, but 'being delayed by Bibi' did feel most likely. The archer's comment to Ibib all but confirms this. Glancing between Alyssa and Genevieve, she said "I think we should get back to her."

At her feet, Saura tensed herself, ready to sprint back the way they'd come should the others agree.

[Hazuki]

Linne pierces the air with her needle, and it gouges the tossed Larvitar's hide for a moment before shattering entirely. As the creature gets back to its feet, Bibi rapidly retrieves a pickaxe from her pack and slams it into the Pokemon's horn as it charges at her legs. She wrenches it to the side with her pickaxe just before it can send her toppling over, but the tool is now disloged from the Pokemon's mostly-intact horn.

Neither of Genevieve and Damien notice anything moving in their surroundings, despite their best efforts, Alyssa isn't attacked as she tries to sneak towards the scene of the fight.

As it seems like the group is going to try to fight the Pokemon, a faint image suddenly comes to their heads, accompanied by feelings of dread. A looming presence, shrouded in storms and shadows. Linne will recognize the intruding thought from her last conversation with Bibi and Ibib.

[tgva8889]

As they get close, Alyssa sees Bibi fighting the Pokemon up close, trying her best to keep herself calm in the face of the violence. She's seen battling before, and she's even seen people fighting Pokemon, but she can't get the horror out of her mind, a deep darkness that intrudes on her as she watches. She feels an utter fear creep over her. But she swallows deep and whispers to Luna, "Is there anything you can do to help?"

Luna looks up at Alyssa with a bit of fear in her eyes, then steels herself in determination and falls to the ground, moving so she can get within sight of the Larvitar. Then she makes a smile, waves like she normally does, but then does something different; a small heart appears from her and rushes towards the Larvitar, filled with all the cheer and happiness Luna normally seems to exude.

Spoiler: Luna used Charm!

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(1d20)[2] vs. AC 2+evasion, if hit -2 ATK combat stages. My presumption was that Luna had to be visible to the Larvitar to use this attack, and that range 6 was closer than wherever Linne is.

[Comissar]

Leah and Saura follow after Alyssa as quickly as they can. Saura almost stumbles, and Leah visibly hesitates as Ibib projects its fearful warning. It takes a few moments for Leah to start moving, her concern for Bibi just about edging out the fears of Ibib. Pushing forward again in spite of the dread pressing in on her, Leah reached the clearing in time to see the aftermath of Linne's shot, wincing at what looked like a painful blow.

Saura joined her at her feet, unfurling her vines again, before glancing up to Leah for instruction. Leah clenched her teeth and nodded, "Try and stop it from hurting her."

Bounding forward, Saura's vine's rushed out from under her bud, lashing at the Larvitar as it struggled with Bibi.

Spoiler: Actions!

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So, I think I'm doing this right, correct me if not.

Before anything else, Initiative's;

Leah - 7
Saura - 8

Then, Saura will be using Vine Whip on the Larvitar from maximum distance (4 meters away);

Accuracy Check (No modifier I believe? Vine Whip has an AC of 2) - (1D20)[1]

Damage Base is increased from 4 to 6 for STAB, and she adds her Attack stat, meaning it's [Roll]2D6+8+3[/Roll] (assuming it hits), dealing 2x the damage after defenses for being 2x Super Effective? Assuming this Larvitar is the normal Rock/Ground combo, of course.

[Ceralune]

Genevieve looks at the others doubtfully as they express their wish to help out Bibi. The woman had said to get away, after all, and wouldn't a trained (well, okay, probably self-trained) guide know better than a few girls who were putzing about the wilderness? But then they all leave and, well... Eek, I don't want to be here all alone!

So, Genevieve follows slightly behind them, watching as they call out their pokemon and command them to attack. Slowly, she lowers Damien to the ground to do the same. Okay, this should be easy, Genevieve. You've battled dozens of times before! ... In class, in... controlled conditions... of which this is CERTAINLY not... She cuts herself off before she loses her nerve, telling Damien, "Use Yawn on that Larvitar! ... With any luck, we can put it to sleep and end this whole mess."

Damien obliges, heading closer to the Larvitar if needed.

Spoiler: OOC

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So, looking at my character sheet it says that Yawn cannot miss. I think that means I don't need to roll? But correct me if I'm wrong. ;~; #firstPTUbattle

[Hazuki]

The Larvitar is suddenly subject to a rain of hearts, whips, and a charging furry creature, all of which it manages to avoid as it shakes its head free of disorientation and turns its gaze upon the group. It stares them and their Pokemon down for a moment, then lets out a high-pitched roar. Bibi plunges her boot into its side and sends it stumbling for a few feet before it can charge at Alyssa.

"Stop helping!" Bibi barks at the girls.

Another roar echoes in the distance, much louder than the one that came from the Larvitar, and is accompanied by winds that suddenly spring to life. They whip and tear at the group's clothes, until joined by particles of sand that feel sharp against their skin, obscure their vision, and cast the previously-sunny fields in a haze of gold. The Hoothoot at Alyssa's side starts flapping its wings in a wild panic, as the cries of many other Pokemon can be heard all around them.

Spoiler: Stuff

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A map can be found here. I've had to estimate the group's positions, and let me know if I forgot any one. Ibib is sharing Linne's space.

Green is grass, grey is 1-meter rocks, darker grey is 2-meter high rocks.

The Weather is currently Sandstorm, and everybody loses a tick of HP at the start of their turn, unless they're Ground, Rock, or Steel type.

[Merilan]

Linne shivered and grimaced as she sandstorm kicked up, and then she exclaimed, "Only if you're coming with us, Bibi! You're hurt!"

She focused her efforts on looking around the battlefield - the roars were evident, but she needed to identify dangers that were coming towards the group.

Spoiler: Action

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Perception - (3d6)[10]

[Hazuki]

Through the sand, it's difficult for even Linne's eyes to get a good view of whatever's approaching.

"I know what I'm doing!" Bibi snaps at Linne, her vicious yell just about piercing the sound of the sands.

[tgva8889]

Alyssa coughs as the sand fills the air, covering her face with her arm. She mostly ignores Bibi's comments, as the blowing sand and the clear danger focuses her thoughts on the task at hand. "Well this is fantastic." Pulling a Pokeball from her side, she twists it and readies it in her hand. "Luna, maybe try to weaken it directly. If it's weaker I might be able to catch it and we can get out of here." To the Hoothoot, she shouts, "Try to stay down. I'll take care of you, I promise."

Luna nods and, though she's quite slow, when she spots a chance she moves closer to the Pokemon and gives a few claps which seem supernaturally loud given the raging sandstorm. The clapping noise seems to echo into applause for a few moments, then ceases.

Spoiler: Luna used Encore!

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Alyssa picks a Pokeball up, and now has one ready.

Luna, on her turn, moves to the nearest space in range, then using Encore.

Accuracy roll: (1d20)[17] vs. AC 2+Status Evade, on hit target is affected by a status based on this roll: (1d6)[5] Enraged

Alyssa loses 6 HP if we round up, 5 if we round down, not sure which we are doing. Remaining HP: 54/59
Luna loses 6 HP if we round up, 5 if we round down, but on her turn. I'll just have that recorded now. Remaining HP: 48/53

[Merilan]

Linne frowned and said, "Then-- then tell us! We can help!" She looked up at Ibib, however difficult that might be, begging the psychic Pokemon to lend its own aid.

[Comissar]

Leah winced, raising her arm and squinting as she tried to protect her face from the sand grains. She felt an icy chill rush through her at the sound of the roar, and she tried to spot where it may have come from. Failing to spot anything through the whirling sand, she yelled out "We can't just leave you behind!"

Bracing herself against the tempestuous weather, Saura lashed out again with her vines in an effort to subdue the Larvitar so that Bibi could flee.

Spoiler: Actions

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Not actually rolling perception for Leah to try and spot whatever's roaring, but can I make a pokémon education check for her to recognise what is roaring?

Pokémon Education - (4D6+1)[15] (Assuming I can)

Saura's going to attempt to Vine Whip again. Assuming my previous calculations for to hit and damage were accurate.

To Hit (Base AC of 2) - (1D20)[5]

Damage - (2D6+11)[17]

(And then an added 2x Damage after defense for 2x Super Effective?)

[Hazuki]

Spoiler: Ticks

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Let's say we round down.

The Hoothoot bobs uneasily at Alyssa's words, and seems to calm down slightly. When Luna's applause hits the Larvitar, all that seems to happen is it gets even angrier.

"Capture it and its parents will attack Licia! Hurt it too much, the same! And they will break you!" Bibi narrows her eyes at Alyssa in particular as she yells, watching the space between the enraged Larvitar and the girls. "Just run, you fools! Do you think I've not survived worse?!"

Ibib seems to agree with what Bibi's saying, as it tugs on Linne's head to turn in the other direction. In the breath after Bibi's words, the minds of the group are filled with images, just like before, but all of them featuring Bibi and Ibib. The images flash in their minds rapidly. The first few feature a very young Bibi, younger than even Sass, without any of the scars that mark her today. Ibib is with her, as their scenery and her condition slowly changes. Bibi gets gashes, bites, bruises and broken bones, at the hands of Pokemon many of them don't recognize at a glance.

Then she starts to get older, the Pokemon attacking her bigger, or more of them. She's a teenager as she ducks and dives among a den of Pyroar, a white-furred Pokemon with a sickle-shaped horn corners her wounded self on a mountaintop, and a twelve-legged Pokemon drags her into crashing waves as poison wracks her system. When she's a young woman, with the scars of her journeys criss-crossing her body, they see her leading a group of children through a forest, their ears covered against the haunting incantations of the haunting Mismagius. She fends off a pair of sparking mandibles, a burn blazing across her stomach, as the cobalt bug pins her against a boulder. They see her tugging open a Mawile's jaws, teeth digging deep into her arms, as she frees the woman it had captured.

Finally, they see Bibi almost as she appears now. She struggles against the rippling power of a Gardevoir, as it tugs at all of her limbs. She shields herself from a flock of black, sharp-beaked Pokemon with the wing of a Tropius, headed straight at a waterfall. The final image they see is of her weaving her way through trees, as a massive Pokemon pursues her through the shadows and raging sands. Everyone will notice the creature's similarity to the Larvitar before them, just before the visions vanish.

[tgva8889]

Alyssa sees the images in her mind. At first she sees Bibi, but as the images near the end and the Pokemon similar to the Larvitar before them appears, in her thoughts the image changes. She sees a small girl throw up her arms as a large, red Pokemon with black stripes swings a claw at her as someone shouts in the distance.

Opening her eyes back to the sand, she switches Pokeballs and calls Luna back, a look of concern on the Cleffa's face as she fades into nothing. Turning to the Hoothoot, she says, "Let's get out of here," and she starts moving away, trying to get clear of the sandstorm. She moves a bit fast given the fact that her visibility isn't great and she's not really the best at keeping track of where she's going in the middle of the woods, but she moves until she gets out of the sandstorm and then just stops.

[Merilan]

Linne made a disappointed noise, before following Alyssa's lead to retreat away from the sandstorm, calling to the others and spreading a momentary burst of powdered ice to mark her spot as she did so. "Everyone, over here!"

[Ceralune]

Genevieve groans inwardly to herself as Bibi snaps at them. Called it. Still, she listens, calling out to Damien, "Damien, come back!" and returning him to his pokeball once he does so. She then follow the others away from the scene of the fight.

[Comissar]

Leah felt a guilty weight settle on her chest as Bibi once again yelled at them for trying to help her, now beginning to doubt that she'd done the right thing. The sinking feeling in her chest only worsened as Ibib once again projected images into her mind. The sight of so many instances of horrendous abuse being endured, combined with the steadily worsening stinging sensation against her own skin, left her eyes watering as she returned fully to her senses. She opens her mouth to try and call out to Bibi, but the words catch in her throat. Glancing and seeing the others turning to run, she swallowed and took Saura's pokéball out, recalling the surprised Bulbasaur.

Turning on her heel, she ran after the other girls, throwing a glance back in worry at Bibi.

Spoiler: Actions

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Recalling Saura, taking a second tick of damage from the sandstorm (?), then running after the others. Rolling Athletics for it if you need it?

(2D6)[10]

[AncientSpark]

Lina yelps and grips her hat against the wind, sending feathers everywhere as Zephyr underneath her hat starts squwaking at all the noise. With her other hand, she fumbles for her Pokeball and finally presses it to Zephyr, yelling, "Come back, Zephy!" before following the others. "Are all Pokemon battles like this?!"

Spoiler: OOC (Catching Up)

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Lina takes 5 damage from Sandstorm, Zephyr takes 4 before getting recalled. Time to ruuuuun

[tgva8889]

Once everyone is clear, Alyssa waves everyone down, keeping her ears peeled for any signs of Bibi, Ibib, or the roars they heard before getting closer. Whether or not she hears anything, she asks, "Anyone hurt?" ignoring the fact that any exposed skin on her body (besides right around her face) look raw and red, and she flinches a bit as the air blows past. If the Hoothoot is nearby, Alyssa will ask it, "How about you?"

Spoiler: Alyssa used Listen!

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Perception: (4d6)[13]

Alyssa has 49/59 HP
Luna has 43/53 HP, unless Alyssa calling her back before her turn prevented a tick of damage, in which case she has 48/53. I don't know how these mechanics all work.

[Hazuki]

Spoiler: Everyone

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...who is exposed to the sand takes two more ticks of damage before they get out of the sandstorm.

After a long sprint through the rocky fields, along the route Bibi had suggested before (And through which Ibib's glow provided much-needed guidance with the sandstorm around), the group reach the edge of the storm and the rocky fields themselves. Alyssa can spot Ibib perched on Linne's head, and the roars did seem to get closer for a short while, but then stopped and have increased in distance as they did.

The Hoothoot seems to be panicking a little, even at the edge of the rocky fields and beside Alyssa, as sand has thoroughly riddled its feathers and it struggles to find a stable position to hover in. The group also spots a couple of Spinda bumbling their way out of the fields not far behind them.

[tgva8889]

At the Hoothoot's distress, Alyssa says "Hold on!" Digging around in her bag, she eventually pulls out a small box which opens to reveal a bunch of medical supplies and bandages. "Would you mind letting me give you a look? I learned how to take care of injuries when I was younger."

If the Hoothoot allows, Alyssa will beckon it to the ground and then start calmly and carefully combing through its feathers with small, careful motions, cleaning out the sand and combing the feathers back into place. Though she doesn't know too much about the Pokemon exactly, she knows how to treat pains and wounds and is careful to take care of it as best she can.

Spoiler: Alyssa used the First Aid Kit!

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Alyssa down to 39/59 HP from two more ticks of damage.

Using the First Aid Kit, which allows a Drain 1 AP action to make a Medical Edu check to heal damage from a target on the Hoothoot, if it consents.
Medical Edu: (3d6)[16]

[Hazuki]

The Hoothoot uncertainly consents to Alyssa patching it up, standing on a smaller rock nearby. It stops panicking as she applies salves to its wounds, brushes its feathers clean of sand, and applies a bandage to a particularly sore spot on its wing. By the time she's finished, it has calmed down completely, and regards her with a tilted head. Or, in its case, body.