Gen6 Run - TheProtoBabe

NBP #1
Ranger Arunei

===​

Ah, it felt good to be back.

Arunei (and Trainer, it seemed) had ended up needing an extended amount of time away from the Park due to personal issues. Everything had happened so suddenly that the Ranger hadn't really had time to let anyone know what was going on. She'd only really been able to leave a note with one of the other senior Rangers that she needed to have her position filled for an unknown amount of time by one of the temporary Rangers who did part-time work at the Park.

Thankfully, things were settling back down (after nearly a year, granted, but still settling down nonetheless), and Arunei had finally found the time to return to the Park. She'd been surprised by the changes; for one, it seemed Trainer's issues had grown severe enough that she had to step down as a Head Ranger. From what Arunei heard, she was planning on returning as a regular Ranger relatively soon, but was still sorting out a few final things before returning. There were also new places, and one of them seemed to be the old mansion that the original owner of the island had built many years ago. Apparently, a good number of the Pokemon from Meteor Valley ended up being relocated there; the other area, known as Sandy Shores, had received a fair number of the Pokemon that originally lived in the Great Lakes.

There was also a large influx of new Pokemon from the Kalos region, and that was why Arunei was here tonight. The Park, it seemed, had grown in popularity since Arunei had left, and there were plenty of people itching to visit the island. It didn't help that there was a promotion going on to try and cull the numbers of the Kalos Pokemon. They were adjusting a bit TOO well to the protected environment the Park offered and their numbers weren't being leveled out by nature or other Pokemon. So it was that Arunei had volunteered to work a late shift after returning to her post in order to see one of the waiting Trainers through her desired area.

It turned out to be another Ranger, one Arunei had only had limited interaction with in the past. Zorayda was her name, and if Arunei remembered correctly, she was a rather nice person. A bit too energetic in Arunei's opinoin, maybe, but still pleasant enough to escort around the Park.

After finishing up the paperwork that came with her return, Arunei finally stood from her desk and stretched. She then glanced at a Hoothoot clock near the computer; the time was 7:39. She had already had someone tell Zorayda that she'd meet her around eight at the Manor's Ranger Station, but there was no reason to just hang around for twenty minutes when Zor (as she liked to be called, if Arunei's memory served her) might already be there waiting to get started. Lips twitching into a faint smile, Arunei pulled a PokeBall from her belt and released from inside it Compost, her Garbodor. Most people didn't appreciate the Pokemon's presence, but Arunei loved her heap of trash.

“Garb?” the Pokemon inquired upon seeing that they were in Arunei's office.

“I'm going to head out a little early. Did you want to come along or stay here?” Compost, while a strong battler, wasn't too fond of watching other Pokemon have all the fun during visits to the Park. She had, in the past, sometimes forced her way into battle when she felt a Trainer's Pokemon wasn't handling things well. As a result, she didn't get to accompany her Trainer on visits very often. Arunei was hoping that, after being away for so long, Compost would be willing to behave for a chance to be out in the field again.

“Gar,” she replied in a very matter-of-fact tone, shuffling her way out of the room. It appeared that she wanted to stay at the Docks. Arunei sighed and shrugged, knowing that at least Compost would stay out of trouble here. She pulled another PokeBall from her belt and followed Compost outside, where she released a Salamence from the Ball in her hand. The bulky blue Dragon let out a roar once out of the sphere; this was one of Trainer's Pokemon, who Arunei had been given permission to borrow but had yet to find a chance to return. Upon seeing her, Urokai huffed out a welcome and shifted his large frame for Arunei to crawl onto his back.

“I'll bet you'll be glad for a chance to stretch those wings again,” she said with a smile, thumping the Dragon's neck lightly. He let out a sort of trumpeting noise, signaling that he agreed. “Well then, we have plenty of time. We're heading over to the old manor, so there's no rush to get there.” Urokai nodded, exchanged a quick word with Compost (who'd wandered over long enough to see the two off), and then leaped into the air with a mighty push of his muscular legs. His thick, powerful crimson wings heaved a few times to gain altitude, and within another minute or two they were winging their way towards the Manor. The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon at this point, and Arunei figured it'd be nearly night once they got started.

“It's a good thing it was so nice today,” she mumbled to herself. Since winter had fallen, it was usually pretty chilly. It had been nearly 60 that day, though, which was downright balmy in relation to the normal temperature this time of year. It was still relatively decent even now, and the Manor, despite its misleading name, had apparently been spruced up enough to include a working heat system. It was why Arunei wasn't wearing a coat, otherwise she'd be bringing at least a jacket.

“Here's hoping the good luck holds out...”

===

TRAINER INFORMATION:​

*Name: Zorayda
*Location: Ruined Manor
*Trainer Items: 7 Park Balls, 3 Super Balls, 4 Hyper Balls, 5 Energy Powders, 5 Lava Cookies, 15 Poke Dolls, Type Repellent (Psychic), Camera, Apricorn Box

*Area Effects: 15 Remaining Encounters | Time of Day: Dusk
*Pokemon Encountered: n/a
*Pokemon Captured: n/a

*MCR Count: n/a
*Pokemon Stats:

-Adamant Female Flareon @ Flash Fire w/ EMs Hidden Power [Psychic] | In Ball | 100%



-Serious Male Umbreon @ Synchronize w/ EMs Toxic, Curse, Substitute, Snatch, Psychic, Rest, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, Protect, Hidden Power [Ice], Heal Bell, Sucker Punch, Foul Play | In Ball | 100%



-Bold Male Jolteon @ Volt Absorb w/ EMs Hidden Power [Ice], Volt Switch, Substitute, Light Screen, Reflect, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Yawn, Magnet Rise, Growth | In Ball | 100%


@TheProtobabe

 

"Brrrr...." The young woman shivered, her arms drawn in close around her body. At her hip, three Pokeballs stood out against her silhouette in the sun's dying rays. She was running late... this new area of the Park was foreign to her. Zorayda hadn't really had the nerve to explore it in full, but the pull of mysterious Pokemon and new adventures tugged at her mind, and so she found herself here--right when it was getting dark out, and slightly chilly. Well, relatively speaking--it was usually much colder around the Manor, but it didn't change the fact that the moist, cool air gave the ranger chills. She fumbled blindly for one of the Pokeballs at her hip, a sudden noise nearby making her nervous. She wasn't even sure which one she plucked from her utility belt, but she clicked the button hastily, heart thudding. A dark shape formed on the ground, black as night--but several bright yellow rings came to life, brightening the night. A sleek, muscular Umbreon blinked up at her with red eyes, the yellow light refracting in endless circles in their depths.

"Hey, Dusk," she smiled at him--but her nerves were making her teeth chatter. The black fox made no sound, but comforted her by rubbing his body along her leg, knowing that the contact would ease her fears. He was right--a moment later a real smile came to her lips and her shivering eased somewhat. "Thanks," she said to him. Dusk blinked slowly in response.

Soon they walked to the house's entrance, just as the last rays of the sun sank below the horizon from afar. Zor's breaths came in quiet puffs, almost deafening in the silence of the thick night. A woman around her age was waiting for them by the Ruined Manor's entrance, a large dragon Pokemon at her side. Zorayda, normally bubbly and friendly, found herself only smiling and nodding at the ranger.

"Hello there," Zor said a bit breathlessly, still nervous. "So, um..." Zor suddenly realized that she'd forgotten this woman's name, and that they were merely acquaintances with not much to say to one another. Awkward... Dusk nudged his trainer's calf and nodded when she looked down at him. "So, what is the Salamence's name?" Zorayda asked curiously, giving the dragon a glance. It was a feeble stab at polite conversation, but it was better than standing there in awkward silence.

 

NBP #2
Ranger Arunei

===​

Zor was running a bit late, but Arunei didn’t mind. She wasn’t actually expecting the other Ranger to be around, and took the opportunity to examine the Manor from outside. It was certainly a decrepit old thing, having been pretty much reclaimed by the local flora after being abandoned for so long. Arunei could see that it would have been a grand estate had it been finished, but some things simply weren’t meant to be.

“Urokai, can we have a bit of light for a moment?” she asked the Salamence as she pulled a map from her right pocket. Urokai nodded and opened his jaws, bright red-orange fire bursting to life around his fangs. Arunei unfolded the map and used the illumination from Urokai’s Fire Fang to have yet another look at the map of the old mansion. She’d never been inside before and didn’t exactly feel like getting herself and her Trainer lost, so she’d been studying it for the past several hours. She felt she had a good grasp of the building’s layout by now, but it never hurt to double-check.

A few minutes later she folded the map and put it away, signaling that Urokai could stop his move. The Salamence closed his jaws as the blazes around his fangs died away. Not a few minutes later, Arunei spotted two figures coming towards them; it turned out to be Zor and an Umbreon, who Arunei assumed was one of the other Ranger’s Pokemon. As she drew closer, Zor offered a smile and a nod before coming to a halt.

"Hello there," the Ranger said as a manner of greeting, sounding slightly anxious. "So, um..." Zor then trailed off awkwardly before turning her attention to Uorkai. “So, what is the Salamence's name?" Arunei’s lips twitched a little in a faint smile; it seemed the other Ranger had forgotten her name. Ah well, it wasn’t anything to get upset over. Arunei really only remembered Zor’s name because it had been on the Ranger’s application to visit the Manor.

“His name is Urokai,” Arunei answered. “He’s really Trainer’s Pokemon, but we’ve both been so busy with other matters that I haven’t had the chance to return him yet. I still remember when she told me, “Arunei, you seem to use my Pokemon more than I do!”, and it still seems to be the case now.” The white-haired Ranger didn’t bother looking to see if Zor realized she’d dropped her name purposefully, but instead turned and motioned to the mansion looming over them. Night had fallen by now and it was beginning to get colder, as well as rather breezy.

“At any rate, I’m ready to go whenever you are. I’m curious to see what we’ll run into here.” As she spoke, Arunei recalled Urokai into his PokeBall. The bulky Dragon would most likely find it bothersome to walk with the rest of them in the restricted spaces of the Manor.

===

TRAINER INFORMATION:​

*Name: Zorayda
*Location: Ruined Manor
*Trainer Items: 7 Park Balls, 3 Super Balls, 4 Hyper Balls, 5 Energy Powders, 5 Lava Cookies, 15 Poke Dolls, Type Repellent (Psychic), Camera, Apricorn Box

*Area Effects: 15 Remaining Encounters | Time of Day: Night, somewhat cool and breezy
*Pokemon Encountered: n/a
*Pokemon Captured: n/a

*MCR Count: 2,318
*Pokemon Stats:

-Adamant Female Flareon @ Flash Fire w/ EMs Hidden Power [Psychic] | In Ball | 100%



-Serious Male Umbreon @ Synchronize w/ EMs Toxic, Curse, Substitute, Snatch, Psychic, Rest, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, Protect, Hidden Power [Ice], Heal Bell, Sucker Punch, Foul Play | Out of Ball | 100%



-Bold Male Jolteon @ Volt Absorb w/ EMs Hidden Power [Ice], Volt Switch, Substitute, Light Screen, Reflect, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Yawn, Magnet Rise, Growth | In Ball | 100%


@TheProtobabe

 

The blonde nearly released an audible sigh of relief when Arunei revealed her name aloud, though it did make Zorayda wonder whether she'd done it on purpose. Was the awkward pause that transparently obvious? The girl blushed a bit at the thought, but was grateful her Ranger hadn't mentioned the faux pas aloud. A quiet chuffing noise down at her feet made her look at Dusk in surprise. Normally, the Umbreon was very calm and serious, but apparently laughing at his trainer's expense was the exception. She gave him a pouty frown, but Dusk ignored her, quieting after a moment and going back to his flat demeanor. Turning her attention back to the intimidating dragon Pokemon, Zorayda nodded her head politely.

"Hi, Urokai, nice to meet you," she smiled. She cast her bright eyes upwards, taking in the sight of the huge manor. Arunei recalled her Salamence, probably because of his large size. Such a big Pokemon wouldn't fare well in small hallways and spaces. Taking a deep breath, she gave her Ranger a quick nod. "Shall we?"

They stepped over the threshold of the house, and Zor tugged her warm hoodie closer to her body. Her fingers had begun to feel like icicles, so she tucked her hands into the front pouch pockets of the worn black jacket. It was very creepy here--and dusty. Zor wondered why she'd decided to come here. 'Damn my curiosity,' she thought to herself, shivering with a mixture of cold and nervous energy. The soft glow of Dusk's body rings was reassuring enough to keep her going, though. She stuck close to her sleek companion. He kept within touching distance, a silent guardian in this house of ghosts.

 

OOC: I don't know why I did those first posts in third-person, I usually RP exclusively in first-person. Gonna be switching to that this post, so heads-up lol.

===

NBP #3
Ranger Arunei

===​

IC: It was probably a good thing we weren't hanging around outside any longer, as I could tell Zor was feeling the cold in the air. I wasn't exactly considering this outdoorsy weather myself, though, and I was glad to be heading inside. It didn't take more than a few minutes to reach the sprawling porch, which was currently in the middle of restoration. The steps and the portion needed to reach the door had been replaced and sealed, so it was safe to try entering the place. There'd been an incident a few days ago where an unlucky visitor had found a particularly rotten bit of wood; his whole leg up to the knee had fallen through, resulting in a hospital visit and an oddly generous donation of considerable funds for fixing the mansion up. It was lucky for the Park that the visitor was a jolly, friendly, and rather rich person, or else we could have ended up getting shut down or something.

The door, too, had seen some love. It now opened easily instead of needing to be rammed open, and the hinges didn't squeal like an angry Grumpig being stepped on. It opened soundlessly, showing a sort of formal receiving area. This area had been fixed up a bit, but only to the point of boarding up obvious (and dangerous) holes in the floor. Once Zor was inside I closed the door, then led her through a second into the manor proper. It was much warmer in here, thanks mostly to the basic heating system that had been installed soon after the discovery of the Manor. It wasn't electric-based, since that was too dangerous thanks to the building's disrepair and the nature of some of its inhabitants. It was a solar heating system, making use of panels that had been installed where the roof had been stable enough.

We didn't really have a lighting system in place, though, so it was pretty much pitch-black once we were inside. The only light came from the glowing rings on Dusk's legs, ears, and tail, but it was a gentle light that didn't radiate far from the Umbreon himself. It reached perhaps a few inches at best, and wouldn't do very much in the way of lighting the area for us. I took my wide-beam flashlight from a pack on my waist and flicked it on, casting a powerful beam of light that pierced nearly ten feet into the darkness around us. I swept it back and forth a few times, but there seemed to be nothing of interest here in terms of Pokemon. There were old pieces of furniture, most broken down and faded. In front of us was a giant staircase, ascending into the darkness that cloaked the Manor's interior. To our right was a hallway that led into the main kitchens, which then went to the first-floor servants' quarters. To our left was a massive fireplace that five people could have stood in, and to the right of that was a small door that I remembered led into a large storeroom of sorts.

I faced Zor and got ready to ask where she wanted to head first, but as I swung my beam around I noticed a shadow that seemed out of place. I didn't get more than a glance before the flashlight had passed it; frowning, I moved the light a bit slower as I moved it back to the side. I paused when the shadow came into sight and felt my blood freeze.

“Is that...?” The shadow looked like a pair of legs hanging down, motionless. I felt my stomach clench tightly as icy fingers radiated through my body. Sometimes people snuck onto the island, or individuals got separated from touring groups and ended up lost. There were poachers, bandits, and all-around bad people that found their way onto the island. The only problem with wandering around here by yourself was not knowing about the various dangers. It would have been easy for some idiot to have gotten themselves killed, especially exploring this place on their own. But it could just as easily be a novice Ranger, or a legitimate visitor who'd just experienced some bad luck.

I started to move my beam around again in an attempt to locate the source of the shadow, but before I could, it vanished. I blinked, inching the beam back and forth a few times in case it had just been lost to the darkness. But no, it was gone. Not like whatever had been casting it had fallen or anything, it had just disappeared. I didn't know if I should feel relieved or nervous, but I didn't have a chance to decide. A muffled noise to the right drew my attention, and I lowered the light to reveal a dark purple pumpkin with glowing orange-yellow eyeholes sitting near one of the ancient couches. It definitely hadn't been there before...

The pumpkin had what looked like a black mass of darkness on the top, but the darkness had curved ears, tiny orange eyes, and sharp fangs. This was no ordinary pumpkin, but a Pumpkaboo. This wasn't the normal coloring of one, though. Generally, the upper body was a more gray-black, while the pumpkin was an orange-pink shade. I scowled a bit at the odd hue, trying to figure it out.

“This is one of those Kalos Pokemon,” I told Zor. “It's a Pumpkaboo, part Grass and part Ghost. This isn't the normal color of one, though. I didn't see it when we came in, so it must have been hiding and decided to reveal itself for some reason.” I wondered if it had anything to do with the odd shadow, then shook my head. Whatever had caused it, I doubted it was actually a body. The way it had just vanished made me think it was a Pokemon of some kind.

“Interested in trying to catch it?” I added when I realized I hadn't yet asked.

===

TRAINER INFORMATION:​

*Name: Zorayda
*Location: Ruined Manor
*Trainer Items: 7 Park Balls, 3 Super Balls, 4 Hyper Balls, 5 Energy Powders, 5 Lava Cookies, 15 Poke Dolls, Type Repellent (Psychic), Camera, Apricorn Box

*Area Effects: 14 Remaining Encounters | Time of Day: Night
*Pokemon Encountered: Pumpkaboo
*Pokemon Captured: n/a

*MCR Count: 3,952
*Pokemon Stats:

-Adamant Female Flareon @ Flash Fire w/ EMs Hidden Power [Psychic] | In Ball | 100%



-Serious Male Umbreon @ Synchronize w/ EMs Toxic, Curse, Substitute, Snatch, Psychic, Rest, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, Protect, Hidden Power [Ice], Heal Bell, Sucker Punch, Foul Play | Out of Ball | 100%



-Bold Male Jolteon @ Volt Absorb w/ EMs Hidden Power [Ice], Volt Switch, Substitute, Light Screen, Reflect, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Yawn, Magnet Rise, Growth | In Ball | 100%


@TheProtobabe

 

[Haha, I'll go ahead and switch to first-person as well, then, too. Maybe it'll get a bit more interesting this way! Also, I'd like this Pumpkaboo to be Super-sized , shiny, and female :3]

I could hear my heart thudding in my ears as my Ranger opened the huge door. Miraculously, it wasn’t creaky—it seemed like the manor had been worked on a bit. I noted with some surprise that boarding had covered some holes where the wooden flooring had rotted. A rush of warm air caught me pleasantly by surprise, and made some of my chills ease up on my arms. The heaters gave off the familiar and comforting smell of hot dust, though beneath that was a mild scent of moldering wood and cloth. Arunei clicked the door closed behind us, throwing us into pitch blackness save for my Umbreon’s glowing body. It seemed that the blackness swallowed most of his light, though, since he really only illuminated the general shape of his own body and the things that were very nearby.

My Ranger took out her flashlight and cast light upon parts of the manor. It was more focused than Dusk’s natural light and punctured its way past the smothering darkness, revealing an old couch and a wooden chair that reminded me of something from Alice in Wonderland. The dusty old back was hand-carved, it looked like. I wondered who had carved it and when, and why they’d abandoned such a lovely and ritzy home. Arunei’s flashlight lit up a set of stairs that seemed to go on for ages into the dark, a hall that led I-don’t-know-where, and an enormous fireplace by a door. My Ranger turned to me (accidentally blinding me a bit with the beam of her super bright flashlight) and opened her mouth like she was going to ask me something, but she stopped suddenly. I blinked spots out of my eyes and followed her gaze—she looked like she was searching for something that had caught her attention. Suddenly, Dusk stiffened at my side, and I felt him lower his body to the ground.

“Dusk, what—“ I began to ask, but then I saw it—what Arunei had spotted before.

A shadow, cast in sharp relief upon the far wall. Slowly moving back and forth, dangling… I felt bile rise up in my throat, heart stopping momentarily with both fear and pity.

“Is that…?” I gave my Ranger a scared look, knowing that she saw it, too, but when I looked back, the awful shadow had gone missing. I scrunched my eyes, trying to understand… it was just there, wasn’t it? I was sure of it, the pattern of the wallpaper and the crack on the wall… the shadow had been there. But now it had disappeared. And I hadn’t heard a thump or noise, indicating that a body had… Ugh, no. I did not need to go there. Thinking of dead or dying people, maybe someone who had gotten lost in this Arceus-forsaken place… it just made me tremble with horror and sorrow. I hated thinking about people getting hurt…

“I… I think it’s gone now,” I said aloud, cursing the weak tremor in my voice. I didn’t want to seem easily frightened to my Ranger. “Maybe just an illusion?”

A shuffling noise startled me really badly. I jumped nearly a foot in the air, blood racing through my arteries so hard that I could feel the pulse at my neck without touching it. Dusk had jumped, too, but his growls weren’t very loud or urgent, which calmed me down slightly. Arunei’s light revealed a little pumpkin-like creature—a Pumpkaboo. One of those new Kalos Pokemon, then. I breathed an audible sigh of relief as I looked at the little thing. Despite being a ghost-type, it was kind of cute. Something about it was sort of... different, though. I couldn't really put my finger on it, but it didn't look like how I remembered it in the Pokedex. Weren't they usually orange in color?

Arunei went into her automatic explanation of the type of Pokemon. I empathized with that part of being a Ranger, so I didn’t try to tell her I already knew that information and instead gave her a small smile and a nod. I leaned down and touched Dusk’s shoulders assuringly. He could handle this little guy. Or girl? I couldn’t really be sure, since there weren’t any marked differences between genders for this species.

“Sure, Dusk and I will try to catch this little one,” I affirmed to Arunei, and I carefully backed away, picking my way between old furniture and warped floor panels. “Dusk, you ready?” I asked him. He gave me a short nod, crimson eyes never leaving the wild Pokemon’s. "All right, start out with a Mean Look so it can't escape battle," I told him, and he immediately obliged. Dusk flanked the Pumpkaboo and got close, baring sharp white fangs and glaring with his burning red eyes. His hackles were raised, tail lashing with ferocity. The Umbreon, normally so cool and collected, could be truly terrifying when he wished. Though I trusted my beloved Dusk, he certainly carried out that move very well...

"Now, Dusk! Follow up with a Feint Attack!" The Umbreon's eyes narrowed to slits, and without warning, he charged at the little pumpkin Pokemon. It looked like it was going to brace itself, but at the last second, Dusk seemed to vanish in the darkness. I knew he'd just kept his body from producing its natural glow, but in such pitch blackness, it looked like he'd just melted into the shadows. Then, silent as a ghost, he appeared again, rushing at Pumpkaboo from a different angle to catch the little Pokemon off guard. I smiled, proud of my Umbreon. He was a bit too serious and boring sometimes, but he followed orders to the T in battle, and his performance never disappointed.

 

OOC: Edited my last post to reflect that you want Pimpkaboo (lol) Shiny :3. Couldn't find an animated version of the model so using a static image though. I was also gonna say something else here and completely forgot what it was .

===

BP #1
Ranger Arunei

===​

IC: I wasn't surprised when Zor opted to try and catch the Pumpkaboo. Her (for the pumpkin had tiny fangs, which marked it as female) unusual coloring, which seemed so odd before, was most likely just her Shiny form. She hadn't been recorded in the official Park catalog yet, which is why it had seemed so bizarre at first. Either way, the pumpkins were a popular breed since being imported to the Park, so even if she hadn't been Shiny, it would have been more surprising if Zor had decided she didn't want to catch her.

She wasted no time in ordering Dusk to start the battle with a Mean Look, which was a strange move in itself. One would think that a fierce glare would frighten off a foe, but instead it incensed a Pokemon and made the option of fleeing one that simply wasn't acceptable. Pumpkaboo didn't react to the move, though, continuing to just sit there and stare at us. It was...a little unnerving, to say the least. She didn't twitch and its expression never changed. Even when Zor commanded Dusk to employ a Feint Attack and the Umbreon broke into a dash, Pumpkaboo made no attempt to dodge. When Dusk vanished from sight, only to reappear form the left and throw himself bodily at his target, Pumpkaboo didn't look over or try to evade. Thus, Dusk's chest rammed into the smaller Pokemon and knocked her into the couch behind her. She bounced off it and landed on her side, where she continued to remain motionless.

“What's going on?” I muttered, mostly talking to myself. I was ready to interrupt the battle and make sure nothing was wrong with Pumpkaboo when the little Pokemon suddenly started to slowly levitate into the air. There she righted herself and faced Dusk, her expression blank and unreadable. A change started to come over her, though. At first it wasn't something I could clearly make out, just something I knew was happening, but then it became more apparent. The blackness was draining from Pumpkaboo's upper body, and I meant that literally. Her upper body was becoming paler and paler as thick, sludge-like rivulets of black flowed over the purple lower portion of her body. The color was fading from her eyes as well, though the eyeholes on her lower body were now turning black as the fading hue from her upper body filled them.

Confused, Dusk frowned and took an uncertain step back. I, too, had no idea what the heck was going on. This was no move I was familiar with. It took only a few seconds for the Pokemon's upper body to be stark white, including her eyes. Her lower body was now streaked with ebony, which had also pooled under her, and the eyeholes were completely black. A moment later, though, dark red filled Pumpkaboo's eyes, then spilled from them and ran down her face like bloody tears. This trickled down her body as her mouth began to gape open. It didn't stop after a moment, though, but continued to open...then droop, like her face was melting.

Or rotting.

And then, without warning, Pumpkaboo darted forward as a dark purple light flickered in the eyeholes on her lower body. She flung herself into Dusk's face without a sound, but her jaws flew open like a serpent's and her fangs grew in size. It was as though she were about to suck Dusk's face into her mouth, but she stopped less than an inch from him and stared at him with wide, crimson-stained eyes.

Dusk, despite possessing what had seemed to be a composed and serious nature, understandably flinched back from the show. As he recoiled, Pumpkaboo's body abruptly returned to normal. The pool of black on the floor vanished and it seemed as though nothing out of the ordinary had just taken place. I blinked several times before offering the only explanation I could think of.

“That...must have been a Scary Face,” I said, shaking my head. “I've never seen anything like that. I think I'll be having nightmares tonight...And that light, that was most likely a Disable. Pumpkaboo might be a master of poker faces, but it seems she didn't appreciate that last move. Which makes me wonder why she allowed herself to be hit. You might want to be careful with this one; I get the feeling something else is going on here.” Pumpkaboo remained where she was, floating without movement in the air. If she'd heard what I said, she gave absolutely no indication. It was like she wasn't even engaged in battle.

===

BATTLE STATISTICS:


Dusk the Umbreon
Last Used Move: Mean Look and Feint Attack
Stats: -2 Speed
Status: Normal
HP: 100%

VS


??? Female Pumpkaboo
Last Move Used: Scary Face and Disable
Stats: Normal
Status: Trapped
HP: 79%

MRC: 9,265/9,000 (0 characters remaining)​

===

TRAINER INFORMATION:​

*Name: Zorayda
*Location: Ruined Manor
*Trainer Items: 7 Park Balls, 3 Super Balls, 4 Hyper Balls, 5 Energy Powders, 5 Lava Cookies, 15 Poke Dolls, Type Repellent (Psychic), Camera, Apricorn Box

*Area Effects: 14 Remaining Encounters | Time of Day: Night
*Pokemon Encountered: Pumpkaboo
*Pokemon Captured: n/a

*MCR Count: 0
*Pokemon Stats:

-Adamant Female Flareon @ Flash Fire w/ EMs Hidden Power [Psychic] | In Ball | 100%



-Serious Male Umbreon @ Synchronize w/ EMs Toxic, Curse, Substitute, Snatch, Psychic, Rest, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, Protect, Hidden Power [Ice], Heal Bell, Sucker Punch, Foul Play | Out of Ball | 100%



-Bold Male Jolteon @ Volt Absorb w/ EMs Hidden Power [Ice], Volt Switch, Substitute, Light Screen, Reflect, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Yawn, Magnet Rise, Growth | In Ball | 100%


@TheProtobabe

 

As I watched my Umbreon move into action, alarms immediately started going off in my head. The Pumpkaboo was oddly lethargic, and didn’t even react to his cornering Mean Look. Perhaps it wasn’t easily scared—it was a ghost, after all. I shrugged it off, though something at the back of my mind tingled with warning. His Feint Attack landed perfectly, making me frown a little. The wild Pokemon hadn’t even moved out of the way. Perhaps… it was caught off-guard just then? Dark type moves should be super effective against ghosts, shouldn’t they? But the pumpkin just sort of… rolled around on the floor after being knocked into the couch. I briefly wondered what was wrong with the little ghost. Perhaps the spirit that had inhabited it left? That could sometimes happen to possessed inanimate objects, right? And this was a pumpkin… bat… thing…

I heard my Ranger mutter to herself behind me, and knew I wasn’t being crazy, though. She thought Pumpkaboo was acting really weird, too. Dusk even looked up at me for a moment, irises flicking towards me with uncertainty before focusing on the target once more. Then the little thing hovered in midair, focusing Dusk with the most awful, horrifying visage I’d ever seen. Disgusting liquid was pouring from the Pumpkaboo’s Jack-o’-lantern face—it looked like it was dying, or bleeding out. It almost felt like its very soul was leaking from its body… I couldn’t tear my eyes away. I saw Dusk falter, his normally cool countenance uncertain. I had no idea what to tell him. I’d never seen a Pokemon use a move like this before. The Pumpkaboo’s mouth went slack and opened like a dark void, and suddenly it appeared to bleed from its eye holes. I was seriously freaked out and this point, and I instinctively lurched forward to go and grab my Umbreon before something bad happened to him. Fear flooded my veins for my beloved Pokemon, but he sensed my body coiling to spring and snarled at me, making me freeze in place.

That second of inattention to his target was Dusk’s mistake—and my fault. I felt my heart stop for a moment as I watched the Pumpkaboo fly at my Umbreon with ill intent, fangs enlarged, jaws parted wide, eyes alit with malice. I heard a high-pitched girl’s scream in my ears as the pumpkin Pokemon seemed to be about to swallow Dusk whole; a moment later I realized the sound had come from my own mouth. My Umbreon looked naturally unsettled—which, for Dusk, was like unbridled terror. I twitched forward again, but he growled, this time keeping his eyes on the Pumpkaboo.

He was okay.

I released a shaky breath, my hands trembling at my sides. Dusk was okay.

“Dusk…” I croaked. “Use your Hidden Power. Don’t touch that Pokemon!” Ready to end this creepy battle, he complied, his body seeming to curl in on itself before expanding again quickly, a pulse of icy energy rushing out to meet his opponent. “Now, go for Toxic!” While his opponent was still reacting to the Hidden Power, Dusk’s jaw parted slightly. Umbreon sweat was naturally toxic, and occurred when they were under distress. Dusk had trained his body to do this on command, but in this situation, I didn’t think it would be very hard for him to call on it… tilting his head down, my Umbreon allowed his own toxins to pool in his jaw, then slung the substance in a huge gob in Pumpkaboo’s direction. He smacked his maw together a few times, attempting to rid his tongue of the bitter taste.

“I've never seen anything like that. I think I'll be having nightmares tonight...”

At Arunei’s comment, I gave a high-pitched, nervous laugh. “Yeah, no shit.” I breathed in agreement.

 

OOC: SO MUCH FUN.

===

BP #2
Ranger Arunei

===​

IC: Zor, understandably, was worried for Dusk when Pumpkaboo used her nightmarish Scary Face, giving a very literal meaning to the move's name. Luckily, her Pokemon managed to keep her from putting herself in danger before I had to act myself. Clearly shaken, the Ranger managed to compose herself enough to continue with the battle. I smiled, just a little; if nothing else, we Rangers were made of tough stuff. We had to be, to protect the general public from the various possible threats that were everywhere. A lesser Trainer would have probably opted to flee after that last exchange between the battling Pokemon, but not Zor.

Dusk, too, seemed more than ready to finish the battle. Upon being told to use his Hidden Power, the Umbreon's body seemed to shrink in a bit. It was a bizarre thing to see, but then an icy blast burst from him. I realized it must have been the sheer drop in temperature around him that had caused the distortion that made it look like he shrank. An Ice-Type Hidden Power was especially useful here, since Grass Pokemon were susceptible to Ice attack. Just like before, though, Pumpkaboo made no move to try and dodge the attack, and the pulse of chilled air washed over her. The only indication that she even realized she'd been struck with an attack was a barely-perceptible shiver.

She moved before Dusk could carry out his second order this time, though. She wasn't moving with any urgency, like she didn't really care about what was happening. She just started to swing back and forth in the air, looking like a strangle-shaped pendulum. Then the orange light casting out from the eyeholes on her lower body took on a sinister, purple-red hue; moments later, several fist-sized spheres of dark fuchsia fire billowed out from them. These spun erratically through the air towards Dusk, who couldn't see them coming since his head was down as he prepared his Toxic. By the time he jerked his head up and spat out the venomous liquid he'd collected towards his foe, the spheres had reached him. Most spiraled by harmlessly, but a few brushed against the Umbreon's side and flank. His eyes widened as pain suddenly started to radiate from where the fire struck, but he kept his wits together and simply gritted his fangs a bit against the ache from the burn he'd been inflicted with.

Pumpkaboo, as seemed normal by now, didn't bother to make any efforts at avoiding Dusk's Toxic. Most of the fluid went wide, as Pumpkaboo was stilling swinging, but some of it splashed against the rind of the Wild Pokemon's lower body. Maybe not enough to inflict the full strength Toxic normally delivered, but it was clearly enough to leave the Pokemon feeling unwell if the flickering in her eyeholes was any indication.

After a few moments of continuing to swing back and forth, Pumpkaboo abruptly opened her mouth and started to...whisper. I couldn't really hear what was being said, but it seemed to me she wasn't saying her name, as Pokemon normally communicated. From the bits I could pick up on, it sounded like pure gibberish. Her swaying took on a jerky, twitchy quality, giving her the appearance of a junkie going through withdrawal. It was unnerving to watch, and Dusk seemed to be feeling just as uneasy. But Pumpkaboo fell quiet a moment later and ceased her swinging, simply hanging in the air now and watching Dusk with a dead expression that never changed.

“I...think that was Confide,” I said, noticing that Dusk seemed less willing to attack now. “And before that was a Will-o-Wisp, obviously. I have no idea what's going on with this Pumpkaboo, but something weird is going on.” One would think a battle where the foe didn't try to dodge or even really attack back would be an easy win, but Zor's target had effectively crippled Dusk's offensive abilities. The burn would weaken his physical attacks, as instinct would make him avoid jostling the injured parts of his body; the Confide would make him less willing to attack with special moves. She wasn't really fighting back, but she was making the battle anything but easy with her odd behavior and unusual choice in moves.

I was getting ready to add more when I spotted a flash of movement just barely in my peripheral. I looked over without thinking, but then a thought struck me; how did I see anything in the oppressive darkness that the flashlight couldn't reach? I didn't see anything, though, and figured it must just be my mind playing tricks on me. Still, I couldn't shake the uncomfortable sensation of being...watched, now, and so I took a moment to release a Pokemon of my own into the gloom behind us. Figment, who was my Trevenant, would be at home in the shadows. The only thing of him I could see was a faint glow coming from his single, pale red eye.

“Something's up,” I said quietly. “Keep a watch for us, would ya?” The eye twitched down, then back up, a signal the ghostly tree had nodded. The light then vanished as Figment began to prowl around, alert for anything that might be lurking nearby.

===

BATTLE STATISTICS:


Dusk the Umbreon
Last Used Move: Hidden Power [Ice] and Toxic
Stats: -2 Speed | -1 Special Attack
Status: Feint Attack Disabled | BRN
HP: 87%

VS


??? Female Pumpkaboo
Last Move Used: Will-o-Wisp and Confide
Stats: Normal
Status: Trapped | PSN
HP: 57%

MRC: 12,878/9,000 (0 characters remaining)​

===

TRAINER INFORMATION:​

*Name: Zorayda
*Location: Ruined Manor
*Trainer Items: 7 Park Balls, 3 Super Balls, 4 Hyper Balls, 5 Energy Powders, 5 Lava Cookies, 15 Poke Dolls, Type Repellent (Psychic), Camera, Apricorn Box

*Area Effects: 14 Remaining Encounters | Time of Day: Night
*Pokemon Encountered: Pumpkaboo
*Pokemon Captured: n/a

*MCR Count: 0
*Pokemon Stats:

-Adamant Female Flareon @ Flash Fire w/ EMs Hidden Power [Psychic] | In Ball | 100%



-Serious Male Umbreon @ Synchronize w/ EMs Toxic, Curse, Substitute, Snatch, Psychic, Rest, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, Protect, Hidden Power [Ice], Heal Bell, Sucker Punch, Foul Play | Out of Ball | In Battle | 87%



-Bold Male Jolteon @ Volt Absorb w/ EMs Hidden Power [Ice], Volt Switch, Substitute, Light Screen, Reflect, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Yawn, Magnet Rise, Growth | In Ball | 100%


@TheProtobabe

 

[This thing's gotta be Lax or Quirky. Could be something else, but I think it's one of those XD]

I was ready for the Pumpkaboo’s creepy tactics the next time around as it stayed motionless in response to Dusk’s Hidden Power move. I hoped that he’d done enough damage to it for me to try and capture it with one of the Poke balls I had on hand. A simple Park ball would do for this Pokemon; it was in its lowest form and would therefore be easier to catch. No need to waste a more expensive ball on this thing. As the Pumpkaboo barely reacted to Dusk’s attack, I wondered if there really was something wrong with it. Maybe it was sick? That could be why it was so lethargic. I didn’t really want to assume that something more sinister was going on…

I jumped when Pumpkaboo moved after Dusk’s initial attack. There seemed to be a pattern here… it only retaliated after I’d ordered my Pokemon to attack it. Perhaps it had a vengeful personality? Whatever it was, it was creepy. If I was going to capture this Pokemon for my own, I had to figure out how to deal with it, and tame it quickly. If I didn’t, it would probably stalk me and haunt my dreams… I shuddered delicately at the thought.

“Dusk, look out!” I called, but Umbreon—even one as good at battling as Dusk—were slow, and that Scary Face had left him stumbling over his paws more often than normal. The pumpkin Pokemon had used Will-o’-wisp, a move commonly used by many Ghost trainers that cut a Pokemon’s attacks down to size. Burns hurt and restricted movement, making Pokemon less willing to romp around. I grimaced in sympathy for my Umbreon, but he stuck it out with a look of grim determination. "You’re all right, Dusk,” I called out to him. His eyes sought mine out, and he nodded briefly. It was time to end this.

His Toxic landed, even if the Pumpkaboo seemed oddly unfazed by it all. It came at Dusk again, who couldn’t really dodge away easily, and muttered something in my Umbreon’s ear. An unnerved look came over Dusk’s face. Confide, then. I wondered what that creepy ghost had said in Pokespeak, but I figured it was better I didn’t know… I was getting really worried about my Umbreon’s well-being, so I called out a few last orders before palming a Park ball, flexing my wrist as I got ready to toss it out. Pumpkaboo reacted to direct attacks, so I decided it best that I had Dusk use indirectly damaging moves that wouldn’t force him to move around too much.

“Conjure up a Confuse Ray, and then Protect yourself,” I ordered him. Ears flattened back in pain, Dusk’s eyes began glowing a flashing red and purple. He turned towards the Pumpkaboo gingerly, back leg touching the floor as little as possible, and flashed the confounding light at it quickly before an iridescent shield flicked up all around his body. I used that moment to toss the ball at the wild Pokemon, but as I did so I noticed the movement somewhere behind me—and it wasn’t Arunei. The ball flew from my hand, the path of it curved in a nice arc from the pressure of my fingertips. I saw one of my Ranger’s Pokemon exiting its ball, giving an affirmative response to Arunei’s request. I turned my attention back towards the Pumpkaboo and my Umbreon, ready to dash in if the ball clicked shut. Dusk would need some attention.

 

BP #3
Ranger Arunei

===​

Zor changed tactics, trying to stall out the battle and avoid any further tricks from Pumpkaboo. She ordered Dusk to use a Confuse Ray, then shield himself with a Protect against whatever retaliation the Pokemon might attempt. The Umbreon, limping a bit as the burn settled more into his flank, shifted back a pace as his eyes began to flicker, then pulse in strange and confounding hues. Pumpkaboo, if she were bemused by this, didn't show it. She hovered in the air without moving, simply watching Dusk as a glaring white shield abruptly burst to life around him. The Protect cast off a shining light that filled the area with illumination; I could hear a faint hissing from somewhere, but didn't see a source when I glanced around. Most likely it was a lounging Ghost that didn't appreciate the sudden light show.

Pumpkaboo quivered ever so slightly as Dusk's Protect sparked to life, though it was hard to tell if she didn't like the sharp light or if it was just more of her odd behavior. Then, with no warning, she flew towards Dusk and flung herself into the shield guarding him from harm. I blinked when she slammed into it, only to bounce off and get knocked to the dust-covered floor. There she lay, maybe dazed, maybe just not caring enough about things to get back to the battle right away.

“I can't tell...if she hit the shield on purpose to break it, or if she just did it because she's confused,” I admitted, shaking my head. Whether she'd planned it or not, Pumpkaboo's reckless charge had indeed spent the energy powering Dusk's Protect, causing it to fizzle before fading away. Darkness crowded around us again, and it wasn't long before Dusk's opponent stirred and floated back into the air. Even though she hadn't shown any emotion up to this point, I could see the barest hint of...something...flit across her face. I couldn't be sure what it was, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. The blank, dead expression returned and the pumpkin began to shake. Gently at first, but then it became almost seizure-like in its severity. Before I could think of stopping the battle again, a handful of large green seeds came flying out of the eyeholes of the pumpkin. These arched through the air, but most of them completely missed their mark. Pumpkaboo obviously hadn't aimed, or if she had, it had been poorly.

Either way, a couple of them landed on Dusk's left front paw and instantly cracked open, releasing several thin creepers that rapidly twined around the Pokemon's ankle and up his leg. He scowled and batted at it with his other paw, but the roots didn't come free. If anything, they curled tighter, digging into his skin. It wasn't enough to cause harm, but it was obviously uncomfortable.

Before things could get any worse for either Pokemon, Zor took the chance to lob a Park Ball at the Wild. It bounced off the pumpkin and opened, engulfing her with a red light that reverted her to a cloud of crimson energy. This was drawn into the Ball, which snapped shut before falling to the floor and wiggling back and forth. It did this a few times, then abruptly fell still. I waited a few seconds more before going to retrieve it, stashing it in my waist pack before sighing a little and turning back to Zor.

“Well, that was...well, I'm not quite sure. Odd seems like an understatement.” I went to rejoin the Ranger as I added, “Wanna take a moment to rest, or should we head off now?” I figured the other woman would want a chance to tend to Dusk, if her earlier actions were any indication, but it was always a good idea to ask before doing anything. As it was, she'd been looking ready to dart to her Pokemon even before Pumpkaboo had been captured. The Leech Seed wrapped around Dusk's leg would need to be seen to, if nothing else, or it would slowly drain his energy.

===

END OF BATTLE STATISTICS:


Dusk the Umbreon
Last Used Move: Confuse Ray and Protect
Stats: -2 Speed | -1 Special Attack | Seeded
Status: Feint Attack Disabled | BRN
HP: 87%

VS


??? Female Pumpkaboo
Last Move Used: Smack and Leech Seed
Stats: Captured!
Status: Trapped | PSN
HP: 46%

MRC: 16,057/9,000 (0 characters remaining)​

===

TRAINER INFORMATION:​

*Name: Zorayda
*Location: Ruined Manor
*Trainer Items: 6 Park Balls, 3 Super Balls, 4 Hyper Balls, 5 Energy Powders, 5 Lava Cookies, 15 Poke Dolls, Type Repellent (Psychic), Camera, Apricorn Box

*Area Effects: 14 Remaining Encounters | Time of Day: Night
*Pokemon Encountered: Pumpkaboo
*Pokemon Captured: Quiet Female Pumpkaboo

*MCR Count: 0
*Pokemon Stats:

-Adamant Female Flareon @ Flash Fire w/ EMs Hidden Power [Psychic] | In Ball | 100%



-Serious Male Umbreon @ Synchronize w/ EMs Toxic, Curse, Substitute, Snatch, Psychic, Rest, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, Protect, Hidden Power [Ice], Heal Bell, Sucker Punch, Foul Play | Out of Ball | 87%



-Bold Male Jolteon @ Volt Absorb w/ EMs Hidden Power [Ice], Volt Switch, Substitute, Light Screen, Reflect, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Yawn, Magnet Rise, Growth | In Ball | 100%


@TheProtobabe

 

As soon as that little sphere clicked shut (or even before it, I couldn’t really tell), I rushed right over to Dusk and checked him over. I heard Arunei speak but I didn’t really listen--she’d probably understand my silence, though.

He had some pretty severe burns on his flank, and they looked painful. All business, I looked his body over to check for more burns or injuries. Dusk knew the drill and would turn about to allow me better access to various body parts--something he’d learned over the years with me as his trainer. He was one of the few Pokemon I had that would do this, though--many other of my team were too stubborn or shy to allow me to inspect them without strict orders.

Everything else on him seemed unharmed, so I turned and opened the flap of my messenger bag. Items were organized into pockets by type, so I found the lava cookies easily. I plucked a biggish one out of there and turned to my Umbreon, who grabbed it gently with his teeth and munched away. I scratched behind his left ear as he crunched on the hard medicinal treat, and his red eyes softened a bit. He once used to hate this, but after I’d earned more of his trust and affection, he’d learned to love it when I caressed his glossy fur.

It took only a few minutes of waiting as the burns on his leg healed before my eyes, though the fur there would need some care to get back to being as shiny black as it had been before. The glowing circle on his knee was unaffected, but then, those weren’t like the regular fur along the rest of his body. The yellow circles were integrated into his skin, like glowsticks embedded beneath the dermis.

“Okay, Dusk, it’s time for a break for a while,” I told him. He glanced over and nodded, and I recalled him into his ball. I brought my lips closer to his ball so he’d hear me say, “Don’t worry, I’ll likely need you later. Just rest up for now.”

I smiled over at Arunei and her Trevenant before plucking a different ball from my belt--Storm, my Jolteon. He appeared, shaking out his fur and blinking up at me. Having experienced the uncomfortable itchy sensation his spiked fur caused, I had already prepared with the outfit I was wearing--long sleeves and jeans. I had to be careful touching him, too--it was better to avoid his rear, the collar around his neck, and the backs of his ears. Otherwise, petting Storm just felt somewhat static-y.

“All right, Storm. Let’s head out,” I said, and gave my ranger a nod to let her know that we were ready to head out once more. “Although… it seems we should be wary of more Ghost types like that Pumpkaboo… I’ll have to check her over once we make it out of here. There may be something wrong.” I shivered at the memory of the Pumpkaboo’s dead eyes. A thought crossed my mind when I remembered the battle, though… that shadow of someone being hung. What if that was connected to the Ghost Pokemon somehow? My brow furrowed as I tried to figure it out. Was that the spirit that had inhabited that Pokemon?

I exhaled deeply. This mansion was certainly full of mysteries--and not your heart-warming, boy-and-dog-find-the-out-the-monster-was-a-janitor-in-disguise kind.

 

This run has been closed.