Beginner Run: Dragon Master Robert

@DragonMasterRobert; If you have any questions, let me know! It's time for some stage-setting.

NBP#1

Ranger Ivy Frost

---

The spiderweb cracks were only rivaled by the sheer cleaves in the glass. Someone was going to have to pay for this, and it would probably be her.

Ivy was staring at the severely cracked outpost window while tapping her fingers on her elbow. The Ranger sighed and closed her eyes, mentally counting to ten before she opened them again.

She could barely see the wild red of her long hair or the canvas of her vest through the glass; too many shards of the window were missing, leading her eyes into the outpost itself.

The impact had startled the staff at first, but they'd adapted pretty well. Once the danger hadn't continued, they shrugged it off and continued working. Now that more and more Trainers were coming to the Park, the whole Ranger outpost was busier than usual. It was nice to see.

Except that she still had to deal with the window.

An impatient huff sounded behind her, and something shifted. Ivy glanced over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes. Her fingers stopped tapping so she could cross her arms fully.

“You did this, so don't get all huffy at me,” she told Vergil, her Gallade.

He merely narrowed his eyes back, like a mirror. An unbroken one, she added mentally. He stood proudly, his chest horn sticking forward not sorry at all, not giving any inches, per usual. The Pokemon almost crossed his own green blade-like arms, but upon realizing she was doing it, he ceased immediately.

In the back of her mind, she heard Haji sigh. The Espeon didn't quite know what to do with Vergil either.

“So,” she started, motioning to the window. “Do you have any explanation for this at all?”

As she expected, he was silent. But, thanks to Haji, she didn't exactly require a straightforward answer. The psychic cat stepped forward, and although Vergil glared at him, he couldn't fight off Haji's sheer mental prowess as the cat dug the memories out himself when the Gallade wouldn't offer them up. Haji relayed them to her.

Apparently Vergil had gotten into it—again—with Chainy's Gallade, Dual. Now that there were also a few more Rangers around, there were a fair more Psychic-types; it was hard to beat the travel. That included another Gallade. Vergil was not pleased.

And so, his competition with Dual had been renewed tenfold. When he would have scoffed, now he lashed out. When walking, now ran. And it had been a headache the entire time. Things were starting to escalate. This time, it had been a Psycho Cut gone wild.

Ivy sighed, pushing up her black turtleneck sleeves that were starting to fall down. “Look, I get it. You want to be better than him, sure,” she acknowledged. She knew one of his goals was to be stronger. “But this is not the way to do it.”

“Vergil,” she repeated sharply, when he hadn't been looking at her. His eyes snapped up at the command almost automatically, but he wasn't happy.

Ivy motioned to the window. “You could have really hurt someone.” At that, he had a grace to sort of look ashamed—minutely. He rubbed one of his arms. It was how she knew there was still hope. “Your actions are beginning to be like a bully's, and nobody tolerates that here.”

The Gallade gave her a long look like the words were actually sinking in, but he didn't respond. Ivy tried to keep hope that one day he might, that this phase they were going through would be over, but it was sort of unlikely at this point—at least from any sort of influence from her. They just did not click very well.

“I'm not gonna tell you to not do it again, because you won't listen to that. But,” she added, “can you at least try to not hurt anyone?”

Things were quiet for a second. Then, Vergil used his psychic powers and teleported away without a second glance.

Ivy sighed for a third time and rubbed her face. “Welp, that went well. Maybe the bully comment was going at it the wrong way.”

“You did fine,” Haji assured her, as he was wont to do. After all the silence, the telepathic communication was welcome in her mind. “Vergil is... a difficult case. And you are right; he appears to be bully-like in his competitions.”

“We can't let him turn out that way,” she said, watching the spot where he had been. She'd tried so many things, but nothing is working. What was she going to do if it got worse? “We can't.”

Haji didn't have much to say for that.

Ivy shook her head—nothing she could do on this front, so it was time to get to work. Turning so she could call through the window, she grabbed one of the secretary's attention. “Hey, Monica,” she started. She motioned to the glass. “I'll deal with this later, I gotta go meet that Trainer in the Ruins. If he shows up here, direct him that direction, will you? His name's Kaiden.”

The secretary agreed, and Ivy and Haji set out toward the Enigma Ruins where the Trainer had applied for. Instead of their normal teleporting, they walked. Ivy had had enough of vanishing today.

They reached the place where the Outer Heavens used to be—until it had literally fallen from the sky and crashed into the ground. In the rubble, they had found an underground complex and were still in the process of exploring it; it was that large.

The place itself was very hi-tech, which was strange because it had to have been here for years before they discovered it. Yet everything was so far advanced for the time, even compared to what they had now.

So far as they knew, it had been a research facility for studying Pokemon on the island. Small teleporters were scattered about the island that could be turned on, sucking a Pokemon into the rooms in the Ruins. It seemed that some of them were malfunctioning now, so wild Pokemon appeared in and out of the place. It made a unique area for Trainers to explore, especially because constructs in the rooms could make any area camouflage to a different habitat. It was pretty fascinating.

Now, she settled in to wait for the Trainer to arrive. They all came by different ways, but he'd be directed here, near the sloped entrance to the complex, nearly invisible from above ground. Instead of sitting, she opted to lean against the storage shed, trying not to think how her Pokemon was becoming a legit bully.

---

Current Encounter Stats: N/A

---

Trainer Stats

Name: Kaiden
Place: Enigma Ruins
Encounters Remaining: 5
Area Effects: It's moderate.
Pokemon Encountered: None
Pokemon Captured: None
MCR: 0

Items: Park Ball x3, Energy Powder x1, Lava Cookie x1, Pokedoll x1

Pokemon Stats

Pokemon: Fraxure
Nickname: Fang
Gender: Male
Ability: Mold breaker
Nature: Docile
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: None

Pokemon: Dragonair
Nickname: Daisy
Gender: Female
Ability: Shed skin
Nature: Quirky
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: None

 

I had slipped my bag over my shoulder in hopes that the long trek down to the enigma ruins wouldn't make my heavy backpack hurt my spine the crunch of morning frost still clung to shadows and the leaves were still crisp Fang had followed close by keeping an eye out for any bug type Pokemon because he knew that i was afraid of them he only smiled every time I looked at him I rubbed him underneath the chin.

I was snapped out of it all when I saw Daisy push herself between me and Fang she pressed her nose against my chest making an almost purring noise Fang fell back alittle and threw up one of his hands in anger his brow furrowed he was complaining about how she always had to get in between us when I was spending time with him she only stuck her nose in the air ignoring that fact it wasn't unusual that they didn't get along but it didn't happen all the time they were good friends but had issues

I moved in between them resting one hand on each of them and I smiled "Guys listen to me I know sometimes you fight, but right now I need both of your help we can sort this out later ok?" I smiled brightly Fang crossed his arms and Daisy kept her nose in the air until I cleared my throat raising one eyebrow they nodded and we continued on our way I looked at the piece of paper with a map on it that I had acquired from the Secretary I was getting closer to the entrance of the ruins i needed to get there soon I had an appointment with a Pokemon Ranger to guide me through the ruins I was all to excited to see what I'd find I even brought my camera and my sketch pad

I reached where the entrance to the ruins where and at the last possible second a portion of the ground underneath me gave out I slid down the hill rolling slightly I slightly hit my head against a rock I yelled out in pain as I shot up onto my feet after I was on flat ground I checked for blood but i was ok just a slight bump on the head I smiled and vowed to you "I'm so sorry for being late and I'm so sorry for my clumsy entrance" my Pokemon rushed down to make sure I was ok and I laughed I kneeled down and hugged them tightly

 

@DragonMasterRobert; If you want, mentioning me lets me see the post sooner!

NBP#2

Ranger Ivy Frost

---

It wasn't long before Haji alerted her to someone approaching. Ivy didn't jump on it right away—being too alert and business-like sometimes intimidated other Trainers. Like Chainy's little brother, Jathan.

Instead, she waited, staring at the mostly-hidden complex and wondering what sorts of crazy things they were going to encounter this time. Every trip here was a riot, in a sense.

Suddenly, there was an oomph, a stolen wind, and a thump as something hit the dirt. Ivy turned to see a slender young man with dark hair face-first in the dirt. There was a little bit of rougher terrain around here since the Heavens fell, though the team had removed most of the larger debris since the incident. Still, the path wasn't as smooth as some of the other dirt roads around here with smaller rocks strewn around. Besides, she'd seen people trip on air too.

As the Trainer rose from the ground, two Dragon-type Pokemon rushed to his aid. One, a sleek Dragonair with lots of length to spare, darted forward to be first, while a Fraxure, a squatter, bulkier dragon, went to the Trainer's other side. They eyed each other over their human warily, even as he assured them he was all right.

Silently through their mental connection, Haji said, “There is... discontent between them.” Meaning the two dragons, from the vibes she was getting.

Ivy heaved a mental sigh as she prepared for a possible conflict. After Vergil this morning, she really hoped it didn't come to that. There was enough of that for one day already.

She waited to speak until he'd risen and brushed the dust off of rather fashionable clothes, though she didn't know nor care much about that. “Hey there,” she greeted when he was stable again. “I'm Ivy, the Ranger. This is Haji,” she added, motioning toward the Psychic cat.

“If you have any questions,” she said, stretching her arms to the side to loosen them up, “be sure to ask them. This should be a pretty casual run since it's your first one.” She nodded her head for them to follow her. “Let's head in; careful, there's a slope here.”

It wasn't a huge decline, but if he had tripped before, it was best to be careful. They went down the path to the doors to the complex which seemed to loom above them. Ivy was a little more than average height and it still crested her top reach quite a bit.

As they approached, the doors whooshed open automatically—a lot of things in the Ruins were hi-tech, and they couldn't exactly explain why since the place was so old. It was convenient. Sometimes. Other times, when it malfunctioned, it was a nightmare.

Stretching out before them was a long hallway with several doors on either side. They were the same automatic kind as the front door. On the far side of the hall it came to a T junction that went to the right or left.

There was silence for a few minutes as Ivy let the Trainer get acclimated to the new place. To her, it was like an old, well-worn hat; she'd been here too many times. It was by far one of their most popular places ever since the Heavens came down.

It didn't take long for she and Haji to pick up on some sort of activity. In the closest room to them, to the left, there was some sort of scurrying. Something had come into the ruins.

Before Ivy could say something about it, there was a thump as the wall shook for a second, where the door was. The light above was red—that meant the automatic opener wasn't working. The door was wedged open a couple inches, however. She couldn't see what was behind it.

“Something's in there, seems like,” she commented, as the creature hit the door again. “Wanna see what it is? Or do you wanna try to skirt past it?”

---

Current Encounter Stats: ???

Area Effects: Something is hitting one of the doors that isn't opening.

---

Trainer Stats

Name: Kaiden
Place: Enigma Ruins
Encounters Remaining: 5
Area Effects: It's moderate.
Pokemon Encountered: None
Pokemon Captured: None
MCR: 2,115

Items: Park Ball x3, Energy Powder x1, Lava Cookie x1, Pokedoll x1

Pokemon Stats

Pokemon: Fraxure
Nickname: Fang
Gender: Male
Ability: Mold breaker
Nature: Docile
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: None

Pokemon: Dragonair
Nickname: Daisy
Gender: Female
Ability: Shed skin
Nature: Quirky
TM/HM/BM/SM/MT: None

 

(( taking this over for Winter by request! Happy to have you!! Let's go! ))

NBP #1

Crimson light glows like a solitary eye up above the broken door, which shudders as a creature inside of it makes impact from within. The metallic thud echoes down the empty corridor before it fades into silence. Another thud follows Ivy's question but before the ringing of her voice can fade, even before the Trainer can give an answer, there's another sound from the direction of where they'd come.

A whoosh of hydraulics hisses quickly as the door slides smoothly open. There's a steady tapping among the footsteps as a small, hunched figure shuffles slowly into view. The light illuminates what is probably the oldest-looking woman known to mankind and reveals the source of the tapping: a gnarled wooden cane. Small stature is dwarfed by the almost-humorously massive hiker's pack upon her back, one that rises above even her nest of gray hair. Round, saccharine bauble pins up the bun that rests back against the beige fabric of the bag. A red kimono drapes over her form, its lower rim hiding the suspiciously-sturdy combat boots she wears beneath her garb.

Features crinkle infinite wrinkles about her faded blue eyes. Babbs' gaze stares alertly at the crew. She recognizes who she's looking for instantly; drooping jowls tug upward as she offers the familiar seasoned Ranger a friendly smile. Her thin lips part to offer a greeting, but before she can do so, a third impact sound rings out. Babbs squints with a frown at the sound, then shrugs it off and turns back to the crew. She takes in the Trainer and his two young Dragons before she turns her eyes back to Ivy.

"Sorry to interrupt your run, hun," she croaks in genuine apology, "but the Warden's calling some of the younger whippersnappers to help with a Deckbi outbreak, and he's asked for you by name, chicka." Eyes gleam, her good-nature smile reflecting in them. Ivy glanced toward Haji. The old Ranger knew what that look was. She gave them a few moments to exchange thoughts, then met their gazes once more when Ivy nodded toward her. Ivy quietly bid the Trainer farewell, then headed out. Babbs stared after her for a few moments until the door slide shut behind her, then turned her smile upon the Trainer.

"Hey there, sonny!" comes the enthusiastic drawl. "Desk told me you're Kaiden. Well, the name's Babbs! Sorry I had ta' interrupt ya' like that! Now I imagine you were about to figure out what you wanted to do about this here critter behind this door." She nods toward the broken portal, and as if on cue, another hit shakes it. Path of sight turns attentively to him, expectant as she awaits his decision. ​

Encounter Stats:
none yet!​

Trainer Stats:

Spoiler

Kaiden at the Enigma Ruins!
Remaining Encounters: 5
Environment: Enigma Ruins, inside the laboratory.
Pokemon Encountered: none yet!
Pokemon Captured: none yet!

Items: Park Ball x3, Energy Powder x1, Lava Cookie x1, Pokedoll x1

MCR: 2,115 characters
Total: 2,115 characters

Pokemon Stats:

Spoiler

Fang / Fraxure / M / Docile / Mold Breaker
EMs: n/a


Daisy / Dragonair / F / Quirky / Shed Skin
EMs: n/a

 

I turn to daisy and fang as if to get their input into what decision we would make as we knew every second counts in such a situation daisy nods and fang put up one fist as if to agree even if they didn't get along
I smiled brightly "Well babbs I think we wanna see what's behind that door"
Daisy elegantly moved forward between me and the door Fraxure clung to my side closely as I kept my hand on one of the park balls to keep it at the ready
I nodded "I'm just excited to get through this park run as it's my first"

 

NBP #2

Kaiden seems to be focused intently on his excitement for the Run, so he deals pretty well with the sudden Ranger change. This makes things easier on Babbs, so a part of her is relieved. His enthusiasm brings a soft smile to her face. That sort of enthusiasm always reminded her of herself, before she wasn't a bag of walking fossils. Ah, those were the days!

He expresses his enthusiasm for the run and to see what's behind the door. Babbs nods, turning her eyes back to the door, noticing that there hasn't been another thud in just a little while. Soon enough, though, there's the sound of furious scratching, and then the sound of debris being pulled away from in front of the space where the door is cracked over.

Fang's wide body tenses at the movement, armored head lowering warily. Suddenly, dark, mustached snout juts through the crack. Brilliant white teeth flash in the red and white light above as the charcoal-colored maw gnashes furiously at anything it can reach. Its sharp claws scrabble at the metal, as if trying to pull apart the mechanical door itself with unbridled fury. Dark ears pin back against its skull. Beady red eyes practically glow in the dark. Raging, high-pitched snarls scream from its mouth. Its abyssal pupils are fixed right on Fang, but it looks like it can't get free just yet. Doesn't keep it from trying, though.

Babbs raises her eyes at the rodent. Seems like the Ruins had ported in something from the Ruined Manor this time--a pest at that. She folds her arms and looks toward Kaiden expectantly, seeing what he wanted to do now that he knew what the thing was. He could choose leave it to struggle and move on, or he could try to engage the thing if he wanted to battle or catch it. ​

Encounter Stats:

Rattata-Alola / ?? / ? / ??? / 100%
It's pretty ticked, but can't get through the crack in the door yet.​

Trainer Stats:

Spoiler

Kaiden at the Enigma Ruins!
Remaining Encounters: 4
Environment: Enigma Ruins, inside the laboratory.
Pokemon Encountered: Rattata-Alola
Pokemon Captured: none yet!

Items: Park Ball x3, Energy Powder x1, Lava Cookie x1, Pokedoll x1

MCR: 2,634/4,000 characters
Total: 2,634 characters

Pokemon Stats:

Spoiler

Fang / Fraxure / M / Docile / Mold Breaker
EMs: n/a


Daisy / Dragonair / F / Quirky / Shed Skin
EMs: n/a

 

Kaiden couldn't help but cringe at the creature as it snarled its bright white Teeth flashing in the dim lighting of the ruins. It was a pest to be sure but something dark was within it as its eyes gleamed with an eerie inner light. Fang looked nervous as it stood between its trainer and something wishing to harm him he briefly looked back. Wondering what choice its trainer would make knowing every single second counted but felt like an eternity as it ticked by Daisy stood behind her trainer this time as she was afraid of dark types like this one. Babb's just stood with patience and strength knowing that this trainer had to make a choice whether or not he would move on or fight this tiny creature with its intense ferocity. It was wild and filled with an anger that seemed to want to swallow up anything that got to close to it. Kaiden's voice spoke only soft enough for babb's to hear as she stood back "I think i want to avoid this one it is far to feral for a trainer like me".
Babb's only seemed to nod in a kind and gentle manner understanding why the trainer chose to avoid any confrontation with the pokemon. Quickly kaiden and his pokemon followed babb's who led them down a corridor towards another door that had randomly opened in this labyrinth of complex turns with doors on ceilings and floors. But unfortunately as the trainer was extra clumsy and was in such a hurry hadn't noticed the debris from the ruins in the middle of the corridor and tripped rolling into a wall with a huge thud. His pokemon turned around rushing to his aid knowing all to well how clumsy he could be as if this was an every day occurance which it wasn't sure he was clumsy but it only got worse as his nervousness grew. He only smiled dusting himself off and smiling as they heard that door from where they had come finally break but before the creature could even round the corner. They were already safe behind the door that closed behind them.
Kaiden paused only for a second to catch his breath and take in what he had seen checking for injuries or blood. His bulkier armored dragon patting him on the back gently telling him through their bond as he could understand dragons quite well 'Its alright kaiden we will protect you' as the other seemed to look around making sure they were safe. Babb looking as calm as ever not even breaking a sweat which seemed strange for a woman her age especially with how swift she moved but the thought quickly slipped from kaiden's mind. Kaiden had hoped maybe things would be different further in his run. For this already did not sit well with him as his anxiety shot through the roof it sounded as if his heart was banging loudly in his ears. Taking a few more deep cleansing breaths he continued on holding tightly to one of his bag straps.