Thread #6360959
File: Alex _Kitfox Crimson.png (1.4 MB)
1.4 MB PNG
Welcome back.
Rules are simple: Votes are tallied every hour, with whatever course of action being the most popular being the course of action taken. Write ins are encouraged and non-mutually exclusive votes will be combined if possible.
When a roll is called for, roll however many D100 are specified. 5- is a 'crit fail' and generally means something bad is about to happen. 95+ is a 'crit success' and generally means something good just happened. a 'crit success' trumps a crit fail. User input on both will be taken into consideration.
Once per thread, if three or more people invoke it, a single roll may be re-rolled.
Inventory, pokemon stats and other links: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15i2N08IpWqitoTJujsUMishe4PLbao1lqT -bCAmvPcE/edit
Discord: https://discord.gg/pR7q5Evf
For a short summary for the new and to recap:
You are Alex. A newly minted trainer and camping enthusiast just starting out on your journey at the age of seventeen after your father lost his job in order to help pay the bills. On the road, you met Fie, the Fire Gym Leader, Gareth a novice Aura Guardian on pilgrimage and Holly, a runaway heiress using a pseudonym. You've also made enemies of Team Green a group of violent, radical activists looking to abolish pokemon training.
For the time being, Fie returned to her gym for the time being.
Last thread, You flew for Redmont, fought a Thundurus and on arriving at Redmont, moved to assault a Team Green occupation of the local mine.
167 RepliesView Thread
Showing all 167 replies.>>
File: Scyther.png (31.8 KB)
31.8 KB PNG
I'm dumb and distracted.
>>6360056
>>6360057
>>6360379
You figure that Gareth will be fine and the others will be alright.
You've fallen behind and it'll be to everyone's benefit if you get in there and start making a mess out of Team Green.
You can't go very wrong if you just make a complete mess out of these assholes.
That in mind, you sprint around the dump truck, Rusty at your heels and come face to face with a pack of Scyther that are pressuring Martha, Holly and Gareth.
That explains the Rock Blast.
They're moving fast and some of them are clearly double Team illusions, considering some that are getting hit are just blurring out of existence, but that's not too worrying.
"Stealth Rock, Rusty." You order. "Then use Rock Tomb."
Rusty acquiesces, scattering a spread of small, sharp rocks through the crush, before hurling some more sizeable rocks at the Scyther, catching one out and banishing its Double Team as it's swatted out of the air, its aura grey as it faints and somewhat simplifying the confused mass of Scyther, meaning it ought to be easier for the others to take down the rest.
"String Shot, Caterpie!" A muffled male voice says from your left and you dodge on reflex. Another wad of silk goes past your face and you turn to see a Team Green thug with a Caterpie on his shoulder pointing at you authoritatively.
>Sucker Punch him.
>Get Rusty to knock them both down.
>Send out another pokemon.
>Other
Party:
Rusty (Aron)
Fluffy (Eevee) (Everstone)
Volta (Luxray)
Ayumi (Dratini)
Sage (Braixen) (Everstone)
Syurm (Leavvany)
Companion slot: Latias
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Team_Green_Grunts by @BanditCrusader on X.png (1.9 MB)
1.9 MB PNG
>>6361334
>>6361438
>>6361441
"Rusty, Rock Tomb!" You order, before you're forced to back pedal to evade another wad of silk in your face.
Man. No wonder these guys hate you.
In response, the guy and his Caterpie are buried in a volley of sizeable rocks, the guy stunned and dazed and the Caterpie out cold.
Gareth is fending off a masked woman who's made a grab at him while his Graveller downs another Scyther, while Martha's Dragonair pressures more of Team Green back from simply rushing you with judicious application of its tail and summoned waves of water via Surf.
Holly and Checkers meanwhile are defending for dear life, but they look to be the weakest link in the chain at present. It's not even that Checkers is weak, so much as he's much, much more suited towards a support role and there's only so much he can do on the offense.
Jacky meanwhile has pushed deeper into Team Green's 'camp' and judging by the shouting coming from deeper in, she's making them regret this blockade.
>Help Holly.
>Help Gareth.
>Help Martha.
>Keep pushing forward and try put these guards on the back foot.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Guts.jpg (296.7 KB)
296.7 KB JPG
>>6362870
>>6362915
>>6363051
>>6363176
It's an easy choice, really.
"Rusty, let's go." You say, pointing off towards Holly as you leave the grunt to try pick himself up, before you hurry towards the fray, only to see another thug come looming out of the crush as Gareth shoves his aggressor back and bodycheck Holly off her feet.
She falls hard and the breath rushes out of her as the thug lays a kick into her abdomen, before another sends Checkers skidding back as he imposes himself between the thug and his trainer.
Then, it's your turn to do the bodychecking as your blood turns to ice and rather than launching the guy, you tread on his foot as he's wound up and knock him down.
He cracks his head on the gravel, before he's treated to a taste of his own medicine as you lay a full-blooded soccer kick into his gut, followed quickly by several more rapid-fire kicks fueled by icy rage at what he just did to your friend.
How dare he. How. Dare he. How Dare He. HOW DARE HE. HOW DARE HE!
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
The thug vomits and is crying like a bitch now, before you lay one last kick into his gut, before Rusty and Checkers are getting between you and the mob as you loop your arms under Holly's arms and drag her out of harms way as Martha releases her Rapidash and Blue, her Lucario, giving you a nod as she takes over and takes off the kid gloves, the third Scyther going down as Rapidash unleashes a Fire Spin and Blue uses Bone Rush, wading into the crush of Team Green grunts and their pokemon and laying about himself with a manifested bone club as though it were a truncheon.
>Release another pokemon.
>Make sure Holly isn't too badly hurt.
>Blue and Martha have the right idea: No more mercy.
>Other
Party:
Rusty (Aron) (Already out)
Fluffy (Eevee) (Everstone)
Volta (Luxray)
Ayumi (Dratini)
Sage (Braixen) (Everstone)
Syurm (Leavvany)
Companion slot: Latias
>>
>>
File: 00045-3969276710.png (335.8 KB)
335.8 KB PNG
>>6363188
>>Blue and Martha have the right idea: No more mercy.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Angry.jpg (15.3 KB)
15.3 KB JPG
>>6363695
"You going to be okay?" You ask Holly.
She nods weakly, looking up at you dazedly.
You nod in return, before straightening, leaving her safety to Checkers as you start running, Rusty hot on your heels, before with a yell, you rush Team Green's line, body checking another grunt and sending him sprawling, before you slug another in the jaw, before you're tagged by wads of string from another two Caterpie perched on another two grunts, one immobilising your leg and the other restraining one of your arms, leaving you severely restricted in movement and cut off from the others and worse, from Rusty, who's being blocked by a Sunflora, which isn't an ideal match for him by any stretch of the imagination.
This... was not the smartest move you've ever made.
The heat behind you as Martha's Rapidash unleashes another Fire Spin adds another layer to that idea as Blue is tied down beating up a Grimer and a Gloom that are keeping him from helping you.
You're on your own.
>This isn't going to slow you down. You have a knife!
>Get Syurm to free you.
>Get Sage to free you.
>Have some faith in Rusty.
>Go... (Fluffy, Volta, Ayumi, Latias)
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Aron.png (172.6 KB)
172.6 KB PNG
>>6365198
>>6365296
>>6366334
>>6366762
"Rusty, to me!" You shout. "Dragon Tail!"
You don't have time for anything else, you're just going to have to trust he's got this.
Your vision is briefly blocked by another wad of string, before there's a shout of surprise, the sound of thrashing limbs from what you assume is a pile up along with a howl of pain, before your arm is freed and you're able to pull the silk from your eyes and tear off the string on your leg with Rusty's help.
Looking around to see what happened, you see the Sunflora Rusty had been fighting is presently struggling with the Gloom Blue had been fighting and a Golbat, presently being battered by another Fire Spin while Blue makes some Team Green goons regret life decisions.
What you can't figure out, is why one of the grunts is crumpled next to a fainted Caterpie and howling in pain and clutching what you surmise is a broken collarbone as Rusty squares up on his suddenly very nervous friend with the other Caterpie that had restrained you.
He's currently backing away deeper into the camp as Rusty paws the ground in front of you and snorts like a pissed off Rhyhorn.
You can hear more shouting behind the line and a quick look back shows the police have caught up and are starting to arrest the grunts.
>Push deeper into the camp and see where Jacky got to.
>Help the others and the police cuff these assholes.
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>6366772
>>6366837
>>6367316
>>6367383
No sense standing around.
Seeing that this screening group are well on the way to being apprehended, you beckon Rusty to follow as you head deeper into the camp.
You don't encounter any resistance as you pass by tents, trash heaps, barrels that have been used for fires, vandalised equipment and a burnt out office building, before you round a line of smashed up and graffiti'd dump trucks to find Jacky standing in the midst of a crush of fainted pokemon with her Espeon and a Ninetales.
The Espeon was glowing steadily and suspending a whole mess of Team Green grunts in the air as it sits patiently as you approach.
Jacky turns as she hears your boots crunch on the gravel and relaxes slightly.
"Sorry for running off like that, but I figured I'd blunt these guys before they could get properly organised." She explains.
"Just so long as you're alright." You reply. "The police are arresting the mob at the gate." You add.
Jacky nods, looking relieved. "Good, then we're half way there, then." She said.
"Mm... You sure you're going to need our help with catching whatever Team Green are down in the mine?" You ask.
"I'd appreciate the help." Jacky replies, which to your ear means 'no', but that she's enjoying having you and the others along.
>Well, can't leave a job half done.
>Holly got hurt back there. Someone will have to stay back to make sure she's okay.
>This has been fun, but I think this is where we leave things to you and the professionals.
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Huh.jpg (33.5 KB)
33.5 KB JPG
>>6368464
>>6368611
Admittedly, this could've been worse and it's not as though you're getting nothing out of this. You've already managed to get about five grand in credits off the mob that was at the gate.
And besides, you don't like leaving jobs half done.
"Well if you're sure, I'm still game." You reply.
Jacky nods brightly in response with a happy smile.
You get the feeling this is a bit of a dream come true for her. Not in a romantic sense, but a platonic one.
A bit odd, considering you're busting up a criminal occupation, but then again this sort of thing isn't exactly unheard of for trainers.
Shortly, the others catch up along with a group of riot police who begin cuffing the cursing Team Green members as Jacky's Espeon lowers them one by one for the waiting officers.
"Little bit more than I bargained for, considering our last run in with these idiots." Martha admits, before holding up her arm. "This is about where I bow out of this operation though. I'm not going down into a mine with a broken arm."
"And I wouldn't ask you to." Jacky assures, before looking at Holly with concern.
She's looking pale as she leans on Gareth for support.
"I'm alright." She assures with a weak smile. "Just... need a minute."
"Like hell, you got laid out and kicked in the guts." Martha says bluntly. "Take it easy, rest up and let the others deal with it." She advises.
Holly nods dimly as Gareth hands her off to Martha.
"...By the way, what did Rusty do, precisely? I had silk in my eyes at the time, so I didn't see." You ask, addressing Gareth.
Martha chuckles though.
"Well, he nailed that Sunflora alright." She says.
"But he flung himself backwards in the process." Gareth explains. "He flung the Sunflora into the Golbat and Gloom, but he launched himself into one of those two grunts with the Caterpie. Knocked the Caterpie out cold and knocked the grunt down as well."
You wince in sympathy. That's probably a broken collar, unless you miss your guess. No wonder that guy was howling in pain.
"...Task failed successfully, I guess." You say weakly, trading a look with Rusty who looks up at you solemnly.
>Change up your team a bit before you go with Jacky.
>Stay back to make sure Holly is okay and let Gareth and Jacky deal with the group in the mine.
>Ask Gareth to stay back with Holly while you go on ahead with Jacky.
>Other
>>
>>6369572
>Other
Congrat Rusty for the succesful Dragon tail
"Once you'll get a bit heavier you shouldn't launch yourself around that much.
In the meantime... Maybe we can turn this in a custom attack? Dragon-Tail the ground for a extreme-speed-steel type? Wanna try?"
>>
>>6369576
For context of what happened mechanically:
He just failed the DC to pull off a successful Dragon Tail, but TG's Nat 1 meant that he got *just enough* of a bonus to succeed on the check, so it was very much 'task failed successfully.'
If he didn't have Rock Head, he'd have taken equal damage to the Sunflora as recoil.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>6369576
>>6372017
You look down to Rusty, who's looking rather sheepish right now at the mishap.
"Hey, you did good." You assure. "You might not have succeeded, but it was close enough to get the job done. When you get a bit bigger and heavier, that shouldn't happen." You add. "And hey, maybe we can turn this into something new. That'd be cool, huh?"
Rusty brightens at this and nudges your shin.
You bend down and give him scritches in the gaps in his carapace, earning a pleased rumble-purring sound in response, before you straighten.
Holly and Martha look at you questioningly, Martha holding up her bandaged arm and looking at yours significantly as she makes sure Holly is actually alright, but you wave her off.
The burn on your arm's nearly better at this point and you doubt that Team Green is going to give you enough trouble to injure you again. Particularly not in caving gear.
Gareth and Jacky are already kitted up and it's not long before you join them.
"All set?" Jacky asks.
You nod.
"Yeah, all set. Flashlight's charged, this helmet's brand new and so are these overalls." You confirm. "And Rusty's still fresh, so let's go."
Even saying that though, you wish Kay O-o were here right now.
(Part 1)
>>
File: Mine.jpg (364.4 KB)
364.4 KB JPG
>>6372019
You descend the lift shaft, going past the first three levels, before the elevator stops half way and a hazard light blinks on as a scanner opens up.
Without missing a beat, Jacky flashes her trainer card and the lift begins to descend again.
"It's dangerous down here, so stick close." Jacky advises. "The police will establish a camp by the elevator behind us, so we can take perps back and heal up our teams if needed." She adds. "I doubt it'll come to that, but you never know.
"Just how strong are the pokemon down here?" You ask cautiously.
"They're nothing you wouldn't have faced out in the Barrier Islands." Jacky assures. "The restricted access is because to our certain knowledge, there's a Groudon down here. Possibly, there might be a Heatran somewhere. We don't know. The original miners ran into pokemon they couldn't handle, the Elite Four of the time investigated and found the Groudon and that's about all they needed to see to declare this section off limits." She explains. "But Redmont is the right sort of extinct volcano for a Heatran to be in residence, so even more reason to keep this place off limits."
"And the caves themselves?" Gareth asks grimly.
"I've been down here before. They're pretty spectacular, but we're not going to have any trouble traversing them." Jacky assures.
"What sort of pokemon can we expect?" Gareth asks as you digest this statement.
"A lot of Ground and Rock types, as well as a bunch of Steel and Fire types. Some Dragon types and of course, the usual suspects - Geodude, Zubat and co. ranging from the manageable pokemon you'll find in the upper levels, to the sort of pokemon you'd need a few badges before they'd respect you." Jacky says. "If you want an actual 'dex list, let me know." She adds.
You nod in understanding, then a question occurs to you.
"Does the path branch at all?" You ask.
"In a few places." Jacky confirms. "I have a map of all the surveyed tunnels, at least and the explored chambers are clearly marked, so unless these guys have a death wish, this shouldn't be too hard."
"Let's hope they don't." You say with feeling.
(Part 2)
>>
File: Baratang.jpg (12.6 KB)
12.6 KB JPG
>>6372024
You head down the path through the worked and sured up section of tunnel, before it gives way to a natural cave, flanked by limestone pillars.
This is already pretty cool and you kind of regret this isn't a sight seeing tour.
Up ahead, you can see a Team Green grunt tensely standing guard with a Nuzleaf which looks far more relaxed than he does.
Behind him, the path splits, the left hand path is marked with a flag on a piton, but the right isn't and worse, you can see footprints in the sand headed down that way, though more going off to the left.
>Let Jacky handle him.
>Give Gareth the initiative.
>Rush him yourself.
>Go...
>Other
Party:
Rusty (Aron)
Fluffy (Eevee) (Everstone)
Volta (Luxray)
Ayumi (Dratini)
Sage (Braixen) (Everstone)
Syurm (Leavvany)
Companion slot: Latias
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Trainer_Riley.jpg (64 KB)
64 KB JPG
>>6372027
>>6372038
>>6372114
You tilt your head to Gareth questioningly and Jacky, seeing the gesture nods encouragingly.
Gareth hesitates, then releases his Cutiefly and points to Nuzleaf, whispering a command.
It flies off without missing a beat and shortly, Nuzleaf has been sucker-punched by an ear-splitting Bug Buzz, knocking it out in one shot, startling the grunt as Gareth rushes in and slams him against the wall with his staff, pinning him and knocking the breath out of him.
"Alex-!" He calls and belatedly, you release Syurm so she can web the guy to the wall.
That done with, he steps back and nods in satisfaction as Cutiefly settles on his shoulder.
"Well, now what?" Gareth asks, nodding to the right hand path.
>Jacky? You want to check out the right hand path?
>Gareth and I will check the right hand path.
>I'll check the right hand path.
>This is either a trap, a diversion, or some dumbass we can come back and grab on the way home.
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Ribombee_Card.png (155.1 KB)
155.1 KB PNG
>>6375306
>>6375446
>>6375499
"You and I will check the right hand path." You say after a moment's silence.
He nods once, before you're startled as his Cutiefly flares brightly, before its form wavers, then settles as there's a flash as his Cutiefly finishes evolving into a Ribombee.
"Hey, congrats." Jacky says as Gareth fishes out an Oran berry for the newly evolved Ribombee, which accepts it with evident relish.
"Let's go. We'll catch you up soon." Gareth assures, before you start down the unmarked passage.
It gets dark not far past the entrance off the main path but your torches cut through and allow you to negotiate the uneven ground without much issue.
You're not more than two minutes down before you nearly trip over a young woman in full-black with the tie of a green bandanna showing against the back of her neck curled up in the foetal position, huddled against the wall.
You go to approach her, before Gareth holds out his staff, then slams it against the rock and lays a glowing hand on the woman.
She gives an inhuman shriek and throws back her head, before smoke pours from her mouth and she collapses in convulsions as the smoke coalesces into a Haunter.
>Go...
>Throw a poke ball.
>Grab the grunt and run.
>See if Gareth wants to handle it.
>Other
Current Team:
Rusty (Aron)
Fluffy (Eevee) (Everstone)
Volta (Luxray)
Ayumi (Dratini)
Sage (Braixen) (Everstone)
Syurm (Leavvany)
Companion slot: Latias
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Braixen_Card2.png (137.5 KB)
137.5 KB PNG
>>6379920
>>6379931
>>6379950
>>6380044
"Sage, Psybeam!" You order, releasing her quickly as the Haunter attempts to strike you with a Shadow Claw, which goes wide, fortunately missing both you and Gareth before Sage draws her stave and with a twirl, sends a sputtering beam of psychic energy at Haunter, leaving its aura a pale green.
Clearly, the sudden call to fight threw Sage off and the sudden urgency has caught her off guard not to have hurt this Haunter worse, even if it does look fairly strong.
"Alex, get back!" Gareth calls, backing away himself as his Ribombee flies past you, having launched itself from Gareth's shoulder to join Sage.
You hastily back up - just in time as Ribombee uses Stun Spore, tinging Haunter's aura with spots of orange-yellow and earning a sneeze from it as the Spores do their work.
You feel like you just got lucky there, particularly as this tunnel isn't especially wide.
>Use a move.
>Throw a poke ball.
>The grunt will live, let's go.
>Grab the grunt and go.
>Swap in someone else.
>Other
Moves:
Scratch
Tail Whip
Ember
Psybeam
Protect
Incinerate
Light Screen
Mystical Fire
Cut
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Gotcha.jpg (62.5 KB)
62.5 KB JPG
>>6380213
>>6380216
>>6380219
>>6380724
Nope, this is messy and dangerous.
Before your eyes, Haunter's aura fades to an angry orange and Sage shivers as she's afflicted by... something.
In that time though, you've fished a poke ball out of your bag and with a motion that's becoming a lot more fluid, you throw the ball, hitting Haunter square between the eyes.
It disappears, before the ball falls and rocks.
Once... twice... thrice...
*click*
Huh. You were half expecting that to just be a delaying tactic, but looks like you have a Haunter now.
"...I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting that." You admit.
"Me either, that thing looked strong." Gareth replies.
You recall Sage to her ball and in her place, you let Syurm out to web the grunt up as she comes around and bursts into tears of relief as she sees you and thanks you profusely for getting rid of the Haunter.
You guess that, given the choice between possession and arrest for criminal trespass, arrest is preferable.
>Send someone to the PC so you can keep Haunter on your team.
>Send Haunter to the PC.
And:
>Question the grunt. (Write in)
>Keep exploring the right hand tunnel.
>Take the grunt back to the elevator.
>Leave this grunt with the first one and catch up with Jacky.
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Team_Green.jpg (12.1 KB)
12.1 KB JPG
>>6382532
You trade looks with Gareth and he shrugs before crouching down to the weeping girl's level.
"How are you feeling?" Gareth asks gently.
"I want to go home..." She mumbles.
"We're here to get you out of here, but you've got to help us." Gareth says. "Did anyone else come down this way?" He asks.
She shakes her head.
"No... Laurel made me come down here to scout. She figured that the flag meant that there were weaker pokemon down the other path and sent me down here to check how strong the pokemon here were..." The girl babbles, hugging herself tighter. "That Haunter... It... it forced its way down my throat... I think I screamed... I saw the others just leave..." She says, sounding disbelieving and betrayed.
Her aura is a welter of different colours and fluctuating wildly, but you can feel her fear and disbelief.
You can hardly believe it either, then you notice something on her arm.
"What's up with the bruise?" You ask. "You get hit during the police raid?"
She shakes her head.
"No, Laurel hit me because I wasn't fast enough to do what she wanted." The girl replies.
This Laurel sounds like a bitch. And if she was behind the occupation of the mine, then she's a damn combative one at that. And if she hits her subordinates for hesitating when she demands something as sketchy as checking out an unexplored part of a cave network, you suddenly wish you'd kept that Haunter - whom you've just finished entering a nickname for - so he can do to her what he did to this dumb grunt.
You don't generally feel too bad for Team Green, but as she takes off the bandana to take a drink from Gareth's canteen, you can see she's about your age. A dumb kid who's in way over her head.
"What's your name?" Gareth asks gently, giving the girl a granola bar now.
She's starting to relax a little and you wonder if Gareth is doing anything aura-related, or if his manner and generosity is just putting her at ease.
Given what he's said previously about the dangers of using aura to manipulate people's emotions, you doubt it's aura related, but given how militantly hostile Team Green usually are, you have to wonder.
Then again, she was just recently forced into being the subject of a Haunter's possession by one of her 'friends', so you guess she's not feeling especially loyal right now. And probably scared enough any kindness is probably enough to have her opening up some.
(Part 1)
>>
>>6382553
"Daisy." She replies with a sniff between bites.
"How many of you are down here?" You ask.
"About... half a dozen, including me." Daisy replies.
"Does this Laurel have any sort of path in mind?" Gareth asks.
Daisy shakes her head as she takes another bite of the bar with the sort of vehemence that suggests to you, she's starving.
"Mm-mm." She adds. "We didn't know anything about this place really, beyond the League sealed it up and declared it off limits due to the danger." She shivers. "I hope one of the others got hurt... they don't deserve to die because that dumb slut wants to go on a power trip." She adds, taking another bite.
That's about all you need to know for the time being and the longer you wait, the further ahead Jacky is getting and by extension, Laurel.
At the same time, Daisy here seems pretty talkative... Maybe you could pull some more info out of her?
>Take her back to the elevator and ask her more about Team Green along the way.
>Get Gareth to take her back while you catch up with Jacky.
>Ask about the pokemon her 'friends' had.
>That's all you need. Dump her with the posted guard and catch up with Jacky.
>Other
>>
>>6382554
>>Take her back to the elevator and ask her more about Team Green along the way.
Except not asking her about team green, but more expressing genuine care and concern, put a word of "she cooperated" to the guard, and let's try turn her into an asset for inside Green team info on next moves.
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Officer Jenny.png (26.7 KB)
26.7 KB PNG
>>6382559
>>6382619
"Here." You say, offering your hand.
She takes it hesitantly and you haul her up.
"Let's get you back to the elevator." You say.
She nods and Gareth parts ways with you at the junction as the grunt webbed to the wall shouts obscenities at you.
As you go past the webbed grunt, he glares pure hate at her, looking scandalised.
"You are so dead!" He shouts. "When Laurel hears about this, you'll never know another moment's peace!"
"Whatever." You deadpan, flipping him off as you shepherd a cringing Daisy past him. "You going to be okay?" You ask as you guide her back down the passage.
"No." She says, shaking her head. "I'm so screwed... if the others find out you helped me, I'll be out of the gang and on my own. And if I get charged... Arceus, I did not think this through..."
"Why'd they even bring you down here?" You ask, legitimately baffled, since this girl is showing a lot more self-awareness than the grand majority of Team Green members you've interacted with. "You seem a lot less... dedicated... than most of these guys." You note.
Daisy fidgets.
"It's because I'm an actual trainer." She says. "Not like, an angry activist who got given pokemon by someone, I've got my own team and everything." She explains. "So, my pokemon are a few cuts above most of them. And I think Laurel was looking for an opportunity to do something like that. She's never really liked me."
"Huh." You say intelligently as you frantically try and keep the conversation going.
What Daisy's telling you is actually rather informative, insofar as filling in some blanks is concerned.
You're not sure if the cops know that Team Green's pokemon are generally 'issued' to them, but you sure didn't.
"How'd you get mixed up with 'em anyway?" You ask.
"Some friends of mine brought me along to one of their meetings and... Arceus, I'm an idiot. I just... wanted to fit in. I thought they were so cool and brave standing up for pokemon and the corruption in the League, but... I..."
"You got in over your head." You finish.
She nods glumly.
"Yeah... protests are one thing, but... I wasn't prepared to bus across Arnet from Ferrisville to take over a mining operation and go caving like this." She adds.
(Part 1)
>>
>>6385271
You round the last bend in the passage and come out to find the police setting up a depot.
They nod as you hand Daisy off to them and lead her back towards the elevator, one officer reading her her rights.
"There's another grunt webbed to a wall a bit further up." You say. "According to her, there's another four of these guys down here, including their leader."
"What's got her so chatty?" One of the officers asks.
"They sent her to scout an unexplored passage and she got possessed by a Haunter and left for dead." You explain.
"Ah." The officer nods. "Yeah, that'd do it. Be careful catching up with the champion and your buddy then. Don't want to end up like that yourself." She adds.
"I'll be careful." You assure, before you head off back the way you came.
>Release a pokemon, just in case.
>Just hurry to catch up with Gareth and Jacky (Roll)
>Try and use your aura sense to avoid any potential encounters. (Roll)
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>6385281
>>6385283
>>6385399
With that, you stride off smartly and hurry as fast as you can manage without tripping on the uneven floor back to the junction where you left the grunt, before heading left.
The passage is thankfully deserted and you come out at a deserted three-way junction, two of which are now bearing chalk 'x' marks.
Looking behind you, you're heartened to see that there's no passage adjoining the one you came from, meaning hopefully getting out again shouldn't be a major pain in the ass.
Taking the third marked path, you come down into another chamber to find a snoring grunt and Jacky and Gareth coming from checking out two more side paths.
"Any trouble?" Jacky asks anxiously.
"None. The grunt that got possessed sang like a canary. Pretty sure she's actually contrite." You reply.
"Well that's good." Jacky says.
"Only path left, let's hope we're not too far behind." Gareth says in the silence that follows.
"Yeah, that girl said there were six of these guys including the leader, right?" Jacky asks.
"Half a dozen, yeah." You confirm. "So this makes half of them." You add as you release Syurm to web the sleeping grunt up.
"Good. Let's wrap this up, then. Gareth's already filled me in on what this Daisy spilled, but you get anything else out of her?" Jacky asks.
"Apparently, most of the grunts get 'issued' pokemon. They're not actual trainers, by and large." You reply.
"That explains a lot, actually." Jacky says, then pauses. "Well no, I guess it doesn't, but it explains why they're so bad at this." She amends, releasing her Espeon.
"The better question is - issued by whom?" Gareth observes as he takes the lead into the unchecked tunnel, from which you can see footprints in the dirt.
(Part 1)
>>
File: Cave.jpg (24.9 KB)
24.9 KB JPG
>>6387016
"No trouble catching up?" Gareth asks as you pick your way down the tunnel.
"None, fortunately." You reply.
"That's good, because there're definitely strong pokemon about. There were Onix tracks crossing the tunnel in a couple of places." Gareth says.
You don't talk much after that, just pick your way further down the tunnel before you see lights ahead and indistinctly, voices.
You kill yours and stop to see what the others have planned.
"I'll take point." Jacky says.
>Let me. (Roll)
>Alright, I'll go left. (Roll)
>Alright, I'll go right. (Roll)
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Thug.jpg (408.2 KB)
408.2 KB JPG
>>6387031
>>6387063
>>6387184
You trade looks nodding a count down before you all start moving as fast as you can manage down the passage, before you burst into the next chamber, breaking left an putting your shoulder down as the startled grunt you've zeroed in on fumbles for his belt.
You slam into him and carry him through into the wall, releasing Syurm as you shove yourself off him and turn to see what's going on as she webs the stunned grunt to the wall.
You turn and see Gareth managed a similar rush, while Jacky defaulted to having her Espeon levitate a screaming blonde into the air.
And the language coming out of this woman's mouth... If you said half the things she is at home, you'd never get the taste of soap out of your mouth.
"Alex?" Gareth asks tentatively as he restrains his grunt.
"Syurm, tie 'em up." You say, indicating.
She chitters, before doing just that, crossing the chamber to Gareth, who releases his prisoner, who swings at him, only to eat dirt as Syurm webs his legs and quickly cocoons him, before she wraps the blonde up as well, going so far as to gag her into the bargain to stop her screaming invective at you all.
"Phew..." Jacky says as her Espeon levitates the three struggling grunts into the air for ease of transport. "That was so much easier with your help." She says, giving the two of you a nod. "Thanks. I'll see about something for your help back on the surface." She assures.
"Sounds good to me." You say, nodding.
"For now, let's go." She adds.
>Yeah, no sense sticking around.
>Mind if we have a look around first? (What for\Roll)
>Do we get to pick?
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Admin_Karen.jpg (459.6 KB)
459.6 KB JPG
>>6387203
>>6387339
>>6388832
"Mind if we have a look around first?" You ask Jacky.
She shrugs.
"Sure. Just don't go too far. These caves haven't really been explored, so we have no way of knowing where's dangerous and the like." She adds.
"I'll be careful." You assure, before heading towards one of the unexplored passages.
You are careful as you cautiously pick your way down the path, before there's an indistinct shout, pop, a ruckus behind you, then you're tackled from behind and when you hit the ground, the floor collapses, dumping you and your attacker down into the dark.
You don't fall for long though and soon, the floor of the passage you were in comes to a stop in another cave.
Looking up, you can see Jacky and Gareth looking down as something tangles in your hair, before you see stars as your head is bashed against the rock.
If you had to guess, Laurel got loose somehow and this is an attempt to take you hostage.
>Try and get free from her.
>Release one of your team.
>Play dead.
>Jacky!
>Gareth!
>Other
>>
>>
>>6389118
Might help if I put your team up again, wouldn't it?
Present Team:
Rusty (Aron)
Fluffy (Eevee) (Everstone)
Volta (Luxray)
Ayumi (Dratini)
Sage (Braixen) (Everstone)
Syurm (Leavvany)
Companion slot: Latias
Also, what did you have in mind for Other?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
You could try and grapple her, but that blow's left you disoriented, but in her rush to brutalise you, Laurel's left your hands free, so as she lifts you up by the hair again, you grope for a poke ball and release the catch.
There's a pop and then Rusty appears beside you.
"Tackle!" You order urgently as Laurel freezes in surprise, before the breath leads her as Rusty bounds at her from a standing start, jumping over you and catching her in the midriff with enough force to lift her bodily off you, her breath leaving her body and her grip going slack as Rusty's Tackle knocks her onto her back before he lands on her and leaves her winded and breathless, gasping for air as you haul yourself up and Rusty puts himself firmly between you...
And the Houndoom that is presently doing likewise for Laurel.
That must've been how she managed to get free from Jacky's Espeon.
Laurel's in absolutely no condition to give any orders right now though, so you have the opportunity to try and rescue this situation.
"Mud Slap!" You order, taking advantage of the pause as you try to come up with a plan.
Dutifully, Rusty throws a wad of mud into Houndoom's face, blinding it momentarily and leaving it trying to blink some residual grit from its eyes. Its aura is still a vibrant green, though. It's much stronger than Rusty is.
>Get Rusty all set up while Laurel tries to catch her breath.
>Get your team to dogpile Houndoom while you and Syurm restrain Laurel and relieve her of her poke balls.
>Swap Rusty.
>Other
Party
Syurm (Leavvany)
Ayumi (Dratini)
Fluffy (Eevee) (Everstone)
Volta (Luxray)
Sage (Braixen) (Everstone)
Rusty (Aron)
Companion slot: Latias
Rusty's Moves:
Tackle
Harden
Metal Claw
Rock Tomb
Mud Slap
Protect
Rock Polish
Stealth Rock
Rock Smash
Iron Head
Iron Tail
Dragon Tail (5/10)
When I get a free moment, I'm going to reformat the info document into tabs.
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: asterix-huge-fight-37036293789.jpg (107.1 KB)
107.1 KB JPG
>>6393030
>>6393385
>>6393394
Fuck this. You're not giving this bitch a fair fight after she slammed your head against a rock.
"Bring it down!" You order as you release everyone else barring Latias, resulting in Houndoom back pedaling to try and maintain some distance while you rush across the loose and uneven rubble to Laurel as she's catching her breath, catching yourself as you trip before slugging her in the gut again and driving it back out of her before you relieve her of her poke balls.
"Syurm!" You call, prompting her to break off from the rest of your team as they bring Houndoom down, the more experienced pokemon simply too overwhelmed by your team's numbers advantage to effectively fight back, to the point where Syurm extricating herself to come web Laurel up again doesn't really tip the balance back in its favor.
More, it just delays the inevitable a little before Ayumi gets a good hit in with Dragon Rage, hurling it against the wall and knocking it out cold as you figure out which ball is its before recalling it.
"Great job, guys." You congratulate as you breathe a sigh of relief, before looking around.
This cave looks more like an Onix or Steelix trackway than anything, stretching off into the dark in either direction and looking up, you can see Jacky and Gareth's lamps.
You're about to ask Syurm to work on a rope for you, before Jacky's Starraptor lands next to you.
Well. That works too.
You recall your team, climb onto Starraptor's back, then Starraptor picks up the struggling Laurel and then is airborne, flying you back up the twenty-odd foot hole you just fell down to where Jacky and Gareth are waiting.
"Are you alright?" Jacky asks in alarm.
"Just fine." You assure as Gareth briskly takes charge of Laurel, turning her over before finding her hands, one of which is free after she'd apparently sawed it loose with a knife she must've grabbed sometime in the initial rush.
"You're done. Try that again and see what happens." Gareth warns sternly, before Jacky's Espeon takes charge of Laurel again.
(Part 1)
>>
>>6393399
This time, fortunately, you make it back to the police checkpoint without issue and soon enough, you're back on the surface.
Looking over the mass of arrestees, it looks like the other half dozen Team Green members that were observed going into the mine were just there as reserves and to guard the elevator, which is a relief, seeing as they're amongst those already cuffed.
Laurel and the rest of the cavers though are glaring pure murder at Daisy and this is something that the rest of the grunts have clearly picked up on, considering the looks she's getting from the other arrestees as she's shepherded away towards a waiting ambulance.
Looking around at the aftermath, you can only think that it's probably for the best that Norris isn't here to see all the vandalism, rubbish and the general mess Team Green has made of the quarry level up here.
It's a mess, between the spray painted office, the burnt out digging equipment, the trash everywhere, the flimsy picket signs and the absolutely pathetic excuse for a camp they've erected and the woefully inadequate campfire that they have set up presumably for cooking.
You honestly feel embarrassed just looking at it.
You get the impression the police aren't happy at having been repulsed by these idiots in the first place either.
You spare a look at the miserable looking Daisy as a paramedic looks her over and feel a twinge of pity. She's looking at Holly guiltily where another paramedic is making sure she's alright whenever the paramedic isn't calling her back to look at him while he checks to make sure there's no lingering effects from her possession.
You don't think she was just selling you a sob story. She'd been genuinely worried about the consequences of this little escapade and what it'd mean for her.
>Whatever. It's out of your hands now. Conclude things with Jacky, then go.
>See if the others don't mind giving her a second chance.
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>6393407
>>6393478
With a sigh, you go towards where Martha and Gareth are talking.
"So..." You begin.
"This about that greenette?" Martha asks, cutting right to the chase.
"Yeah." You confirm. "Might just be me being soft, but figured I'd put it to the group - do we give her a second chance?" You ask.
"For the record, I think we should bring her along." Gareth says. "She doesn't strike me as a bad person, just misguided."
"I'm not for it. So far as I'm concerned, she made her bed and can lie in it." Martha says, shaking her head. "But I'm not going to be all dramatic if everyone else is cool with it." She adds.
"What's this?" Holly asks as she comes over. She looks pale, but she looks like she's alright.
"The greenette the ambos are looking at." Martha supplies.
Gareth briefly fills Holly in on what happened in the mine and Holly nods.
"I see." She says. "And you want my opinion on whether we should see about giving her a second chance?" She asks.
"Yeah, but I want everyone's opinion before I talk to Jacky about how this might work." You reply, then shrug. "Call me sentimental."
"No, I think it's good you're willing to give her a chance." Holly says. "I don't have a problem with it and from what I could tell, she's sorry about all this. Not just getting caught." She added.
>Well. If we're mostly in favour, I guess I'll go talk to Jacky and see if we can figure something out.
>What else did you get from her, Holly? (Optional addition)
>...Martha's right, she's on her own.
>Other
>>
>>
>>
>>6394060
>>6394165
"What else did you get from her?" You ask Holly.
"I'm still learning, but I got the sense the very last thing she wants to do is go home." She replies slowly. "She was thinking about her mother a lot... her mother I think." She grimaces. "She... didn't seem like a nice person from what I got from her memories. Worse than my dad, even."
"Arceus..." You say, thinking about the nightmare-version of Holly's dad and how overbearing and controlling Holly had said he was.
If she's saying Daisy's mother is worse... well. She must be a real piece of work.
"I guess I'll go talk to Jacky and try figure something out, then." You say, before heading over to where Jacky's talking with the police.
"Just got done sorting out your compensation." Jacky says. "You're going to get ten thousand credits apiece and I'll see if I can't find anything extra when we're done." She adds.
"That's great, but not what I'm here about." You reply.
"What's the problem?" Jacky asks.
"Well..." you suck in a breath through your teeth and then outline the discussion you just had with the others.
"You don't need to overthink it too much." The officer Jacky was talking to says. "She's a comparative minnow in Team Green. She'll be remanded for now, but the local magistrate shouldn't be too long in seeing her tomorrow. Just pay her bail then and if she's up for going with you, that should be that. Provided she doesn't get juvenile detention or anything." He adds.
"Oh." You say, before pausing as you digest this.
You were honestly expecting this to be a lot more complicated.
"I'll catch you guys up later." Jacky says. "There's still plenty of daylight left, so go enjoy yourselves, or stock up for the next leg of your journey." She suggests.
You nod before heading back to the others and filling them in.
"Nice and simple, at least." Martha concedes. "For now, let's go get our teams looked at and get some food." She suggests.
"Sounds like a plan." You agree.
>Train after lunch. (Who?)
>Study. (Map, Abilities, etc.)
>Stock up on supplies for the journey to Genesis Cave.
>Evolve Blitz.
>See about renting a Ride pokemon.
>See about more battles.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: 180px-Lord.jpg (32.8 KB)
32.8 KB JPG
>>6396298
>>6396312
>>6396314
You head off back to the pokemon center and get a room before you head to the general store to stock up on supplies. It's nearly a week to Origin cave and two to Halfway City and even with Roadhouses on the way where you can buy supplies, it's a long way and you don't need Martha stressing the distance to know it's better to be overstocked just in case than to wind up stranded at a campsite because of a flood and running out of food or to have a pokemon getting into your supplies.
That in mind, you split the bill between the four of you - you're on the hook for the canned and preserved goods, Martha springs for fresh fruit and veg, Gareth volunteers to source some long-life dairy and Holly winds up with the meat bill, which while the most expensive item on the list, she's best able to pay the cost and you're not really after much.
Even with refrigerated bags, it's better to adopt a less is more mentality, just so you don't waste money on food that'll go bad if your bags don't work properly.
You still have a lot of packing to do on your return to the pokemon center.
While you're packing, you see on the news bulletin on the TV in the corner that Kyle, the Team Green Admin you encountered at Lake Clarity has faced court for his antics and been denied bail this time, which warms your heart.
Don't drop the soap, fucko. You think vindictively as the news reader goes over the charges: Actionable threats, breaking and entering, criminal harrassment, intimidation, eco-terrorism, vandalism, pokemon theft, aggravated assault and possession of illicit pornography.
The last you had no idea of, but you're not terribly surprised to hear. You're just glad you didn't see whatever filth he got off to.
Hopefully, Laurel isn't as much of a recurring annoyance.
The news continues, mentioning a protest turned riot in Newport caused by Team Green the police broke up and another in Halfway City that the city's Gym Leader, Schafer, put down when they tried breaking into his gym.
Accompanying this news is a picture of the man himself and holy shit is that a lot of scars. His face is a tapestry of them and despite the fact he looks ancient there's a look to him that the very last thing you'd want to do is try to fight him man to man.
More than Norris, there's something downright threatening about him.
You swallow at just the thought of facing him in a pokemon battle. If he looks like that much of a hardass, how hard of a battle is he going to be?
The news continues, mentioning that he quelled the riot with judicious use of his Electric-type pokemon in conjunction with his gym trainers before it could escalate to the point of things being set on fire.
(Part 1)
>>
File: Aron_2.jpg (12.9 KB)
12.9 KB JPG
>>6396343
When you're finished packing away the groceries, you head out the back of the center and find it empty, most other trainers either passing through right now, since Norris is off fishing, or else training or searching for pokemon outside town.
The others soon join you, Holly evidently looking to train her Barboach, while Gareth works to help his Ribombee acclimate to its new body while Martha goes back and forth between them to help.
You meanwhile, release Rusty and start running him through conditioning drills - speed and agility drills first, just to get him warmed up before you keep him practicing Dragon Tail.
It's slow going still, but he's starting to really get the hang of it, being able to perform it more and more consistently as you keep at it.
He's certainly getting on top of the failure rate and at this rate, you're sure it won't be long until he's got Dragon Tail down. Quite the feat, especially since on paper, this is a move that on paper he shouldn't be ready for until he evolves.
All too soon though, it's starting to get dark, but you've kept at Dragon Tail all afternoon and now, Martha's helping you out, her Dragonair serving as a practice partner for Rusty, Gareth and Holly having finished up a while ago and having headed in.
"Alright, one more time - Dragon Tail." You order encouragingly and Rusty glows before stepping in, pivoting and slamming Dragonair with a phantom tail, sending him flying through the air for Martha to recall, being replaced by her Medicham.
"I think he's got it." Martha says with a grin.
"You hear that, Rusty?" You ask and receive a grinding chuff in affirmation. He's looking tired now though. As well he might, considering how busy a day he's had.
Come to it - you feel tired and your stomach growling tells you it's time for dinner.
First thing's first though - you go call home and retrieve some iron and silver for Rusty to chow down on.
(Part 2)
>>
File: TM Case.jpg (9.1 KB)
9.1 KB JPG
>>6396360
After feeding Rusty, you rejoin the others and dig in to dinner.
It's halfway through dinner that Jacky reappears looking tired.
"Hey, sorry this took so long." She says sheepishly, holding up a TM case. "This is for your help with the mine - a TM of your choice."
You start at that. Damn.
"Thanks." You manage at length, taken aback.
You let the others pick first.
Martha takes Drain Punch with a manic grin, while Gareth after some deliberation takes Stone Edge.
Holly is struck with choice anxiety, eventually taking Psychic, before Jacky offers you the case to choose from.
>Choose any one TM as a reward for clearing the Redmont mine.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>6396381
>>6396386
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77ubC4bcgRM
You're tempted to grab Waterfall, since Euphrates would be a terror with that move when she evolves, but there's another move you settle on instead, since it'll benefit more of your team.
Jacky snorts when she sees your choice.
"Ironic." She notes with a smirk.
"Glad you didn't have that while we were down there." Gareth says. "...Please don't use that while we're caving." He adds with a pained wince.
"Don't worry - I won't." You assure as you tuck the copy of TM 26 into into your own TM case.
After dinner, it's not long before you all call it. It's been a long day and you're all tired and sore. Holly's the last of you up and she looks like she's struggling to stay asleep through her exercises with Clytie before you nod off.
You have a thankfully dreamless night's sleep.
Your alarm wakes you bright and early and you head down to shower, Holly and Gareth choosing to sleep in while Martha follows your example.
"So, what's the plan this morning?" She asks from the cubicle beside yours after a moment, making you drop the soap, startled. You guess that the place must be deserted to have herover here in the men's showers.
Still, that's a good question. You've got a few hours before the court house opens and starts processing cases.
>Evolve Blitz and focus on acclimating him to being an Arcanine.
>Focus on one of your other pokemon (Which one?)
>Study up on Route 5
>Go for a walk and look for pokemon.
>Other
>>
>>