Session 59

The elevator is in working order once more, thanks to Max. However, descending through a mountain takes some time.
The elevator shaft is paneled off from the well by thick glass, which has cracks here and there but is holding up well enough.
Sam Spade: "So, do we split up, or do we do each thing in sequence?"
Max Thorn: "In sequence."
Officer Diancie: "I fear Midas may sense the Heart Diamond and come for us. It is what he sought in the first place."
Max Thorn: "We went over this like five minutes ago, I think."
Sam Spade: "I might be a little nervous."
Linnea: "He can try."
Officer Diancie: "And whatever happens, I thank you for that. For being willing to try."
Minutes pass with a honest-it's-not-about-saving-on-animation-budget repeating cavern background, the shaft lit by electric lights between each other panel.
Officer Diancie: "I notice these panels are much the same. Do you humans prefer this conformity aesthetic?"
Max Thorn: "Mass fabrication makes each panel cost pennies on the dollar compared to how much it'd cost to make each one uniquely."
[OOC] Sam Spade: "Odd that even the cracks are repeating, though."
Officer Diancie: "What are 'pennies'?"
Linnea: "A smaller cost for the material and work involved."
Max Thorn: "And it ensures they all fit neatly into place, versus potentially having to individually resize each panel to fit the dimensions of the slot given to it."
Esme: "And yeah, it looks better."
Finally the elevator comes to a halt at what was obviously once the base of the well. A metal airlock-style door leads to a dry shaft heading to the edge of the mountain.
Diancie looks over the elevator's control panel. The button on the bottom - obviously recently installed, with fresh tool marks - blinks, so she presses it. The elevator resumes its descent.
Linnea: "Huh. Usually you'd just go straight to the bottom… safety check?"
Sam Spade: "No."
Sam Spade: "That's where the well reaches the river."
Sam Spade: "But we're heading even lower, to the new cistern."
Sam Spade: "And Officer Diancie's shrine."
Linnea: "Ah, of course."
Linnea: "What with the whole sword of utterly terrifying importance."
Finally the elevator stops in a large cavern. This was either an underground lake, an underground shrine, or both. Now it is ruins, with a large puddle of water just below the machinery to pump water into the well shaft, which is now just hanging in dry air.
Linnea: "What a mess…"
Diancie points to the middle of the cavern, two meters up from the floor, as she opens the door from elevator to cave. "That is where my vessel should be."
Linnea: "… stay alert. I got a funny feelin' -and- these things are never that easy."
Max Thorn: "Eh, quite." Max steps out of the lift, hands ready to grab a pokéball or his pistols, eyes wary…
Sam Spade: "That's only true in books. And in my personal experience."
Officer Diancie: "The rebuilt shrine does not have to be fancy. So long as the vessel is in place - in the center of a place loved by its inhabitants - I should be able to…"
Linnea pointedly sends out Miator, -before- stepping toward…
There is a distant click from far above. Then another.
Esme: "You'll have to hold that thought, it seems."
Officer Diancie: "…what was that?"
Linnea: "Ah, it's beginning."
Sam Spade: "Malta! Light up the room!"
And another click, and another…
Malta throws out an Ember, not too close to the clicks, but not too far, either.
The clicks are coming from far above. There is no one but the party in the cave - though shattered corpses of carbinks can be seen.
Officer Diancie: "Whaaa…no, no, no! My people!"
Max Thorn carefully makes his way toward the center of the cavern…
Sam Spade pets the closest carbink. Does it look crystalized?
Diancie falls to her knees, eyes wide.
Very much crystallized.
Linnea scowls, stepping in front of Diancie, settling her stance firmly into the cave floor. "Alright… anyone there?!"
Motion at the edge of the ember's light - here and there, a few uncrystallized carbinks cautiously poke out of the rubble.
Sam Spade: "Be careful, little friends. Midas is on his way back!"
Sam Spade starts looking for roughly regular stones or bricks.
[OOC] Max Thorn: Is the pillar too high to climb without tools or assistance, or is there any way to proceed up it?
Seeing Diancie, they rush up and - it is difficult to tell, as they have no arms, but it looks like a group hug.
[OOC] WC GM: The ex-pillar is rubble.
[OOC] WC GM: You can climb it, but it's not presently suitable for putting anything on.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Perception for stones to rebuild with?
[OOC] WC GM: And it would need to regain its former height.
Esme cracks her knuckles and winds her shoulders. "Alright, let's see what we can piece back together before our guest returns."
[OOC] WC GM: No need: there are stones all around.
Sam Spade starts stacking, then.
More clicks from above at an accelerating pace, and the light from above begins fading.
Esme releases Gervais as she goes to work. "You too!"
Miator peers curiously about and uses her telekinesis to assist.
Officer Diancie: "My people…this is all that remains…"
Linnea: "Means we gotta protect what's here all the fiercer."
Max Thorn: "Suijin, come on out and help. But be on your guard. I have a bad feeling about this…"
Sam Spade: "Malta, come back. Chicklet, I need your help."
The water mouse squeaks, swiveling his sensitive ears like they're radar dishes….and perhaps they are, for a mouse.
Sam Spade: Sam grabs a rock, hauling it towards the pillar, then her teenage kung fu chicken grabs the other side and helps.
As Malta returns, the cavern goes black, the electric lights fizzling out.
Linnea: "Shhh….."
There is a massive CLANG from nearby.
Max Thorn: "…"
Sam Spade: "Come on, Chicklet, let's get this rock, then get ready to hold off the zombies!"
And then a sound like crystal beating on metal.
Max Thorn: "Light. Light would be good."
Officer Diancie: "Yes. Can't you…oh, right. Sorry, I forgot I could…"
A soft glow comes from Diancie, restoring light to the cave, and revealing Midas trapped in the well shaft trying to bash his way free.
Linnea: "Oh. Hello."
Max Thorn: "Figures."
Sam Spade: "Alright, Chicklet, you got this. Focus on Midas, keep him distracted, and DO NOT BITE."
[OOC] Max Thorn: Do we have a pillar again, at this point?
Chicklet throws a chilling glance at Sam. None of her martial arts include biting.
Max Thorn: "Particularly, that means avoiding inhalation of particulates and other matter flaked off of his body."
Gervais attempts to speed up the process by raising a mound of earth beneath the pillar-building. [Go-go-groundshaper]
The pillar has been reformed into a rough rock pile, supplemented by more rock. The point Diancie pointed to can now be reached.
Max Thorn: "All right, up we go."
Sam Spade: "Awesome! Linnea, plant the sword!"
Linnea breaks out in a mad dash-scramble-climb to go up and plant the sword! "Go! Go-go-go-go-go-GO! Ahhhhhh!"
Max Thorn clambers up the pillar, joining Lin on it.
[OOC] WC GM: Athletics to scramble up the rock pile. It's a bit loose.
[OOC] Max Thorn: Can I use Survival here?
[OOC] Linnea: Or Acro?
[OOC] WC GM: Sure, to both.
Max Thorn rolled up 5d6: 15 (3 2 3 6 1) (Survival)
Linnea 's yelling seemed to put a bit more spring into her dash - [-1 AP for +1]
Linnea rolled up 4d6+1: 14 (6 3 3 1)
The footing is unsteady, but Max and Linnea both make it to the peak quickly.
[OOC] WC GM: Refunding that AP. You'll see why in a moment.
Sam Spade: "Looks like you're with me for now, Mia. You ready?"
Mia smirks and does a fancy little floating twirl.
Midas continues to bash and thrash, putting more cracks in the glass paneling.
Sam Spade: "Good. Thanks, Mia."
Max Thorn seems to be bracing himself, even as he reaches for the Heart Diamond with one hand, helping to guide it into position…
Linnea grits her teeth slightly, doing her level best not to look nervous as she prepares to place the artifact.
It takes a moment of searching to find a crack in the top of the rock pile that should be able to hold the Heart Diamond.
Linnea: "Like the sword in the stone in reverse, eh? Well, here goes!"
Linnea starts carefully lowering the sword into the ground - durable as it is, it's still an artifact to be treated with respect, even if it's hastened respect.
In it goes!
And…
Esme waits…
Linnea braces for impact.
…moments pass…
Sam Spade has eyes on Midas still.
…nothing…is happening. Other than Midas making further progress.
Linnea: "Tch, it's no good!"
Max Thorn: "Huh."
Esme: "Is there a step we missed?"
Linnea: "Midas is probably interfering…"
Sam Spade: "Diancie?"
Officer Diancie: "It…needs to be in the center of a town…beloved by its inhabitants…"
Linnea: "Which means…!"
Sam Spade blinks
Max Thorn: "Oh. So back up the way we came."
Sam Spade: "Not in the cistern!"
Diancie and her remaining carbinks cower together.
Max Thorn: "Into the center of the refugee camp, probably."
Linnea: "Or, not this place while Midas is around - this is a place of fear!"
Linnea: "So, even if we made it back, who knows it it'd work or not?"
Max Thorn looks around. "Does this look like a place of habitation? Even without Midas here?"
Sam Spade: "For carbinks, yes."
Esme points.
Esme: "Never said a town of /people/."
Linnea: "That's what I was gettin' at!"
Linnea: "It's not always about people!"
Diancie shakes her head. "Not even for us…you're right. Do…do you think the humans would let us live among them?"
Sam Spade: "But so many of them are dead - maybe the refugee camp is best?"
Sam Spade: "I'm sure they would!"
Linnea: "Yeah."
Esme waggles her hand. "Prooobably?"
[OOC] Sam Spade: "Because if they say no I'll punch them right in the face!"
Diancie: "The camp is too new…but the town is still in their hearts."
Linnea: "We'd need to set up strong terms of understanding."
Max Thorn: "Absolutely. Humans and pokémon can live in harmony. We trainers embody that, if nobody else does."
Sam Spade: "Okay, that then! But will the elevator work without electricity?"
Diancie stands. "It's worth a try." She herds her carbinks back onto the elevator.
Sam Spade: "Come on!"
Max Thorn: "I'll make it work, one way or the other."
Linnea pulls the sword back out, and starts heading back.
Sam Spade waves - heck, practically orders - everyone onto the elevator.
Max Thorn hops back down to the ground and briskly walks back to the lift.
Esme hoofs it.
Max Thorn inspects the lift, once he's there. Backup power source should be available…
Officer Diancie: "Where does this 'electricity' come from? Do you grow it on a farm?"
Linnea: "I mean…some forms could be-"
Max Thorn: "It's a form of energy, and…" Max rattles off a short lecture while he pokes at the lift.
As the party gets on the elevator, Midas finally smashes free of the well! Fortunately, the elevator shaft is still protected from the cave…for the moment.
One of the carbinks offers up a broken-off solar panel with wires coming off.
Linnea: "…What's a solar panel doing all the way down here?"
Esme: "A very good question!"
Officer Diancie: "You recognize it? My subject says it was a shiny black stone, carried for luck."
Sam Spade: "Midas must have knocked it down here!"
Officer Diancie: "Is it lucky?"
Linnea: "Well, it's useful!"
Linnea: "Which could mean the same thing as lucky in some cases."
Sam Spade: "It turns the light of the sun into electric-type power, like a…"
Max Thorn: "It harnesses the power of the sun to generate electricity."
Sam Spade: "….are there any plant and electric type pokemon?"
Officer Diancie: "Can it use other light?" She concentrates her glowing into her hands.
Max Thorn quickly adapts it to provide power to the lift. "Worth a shot."
Esme: "Fairies are more associated with moonlight…but that's technically reflected sun? Maybe?"
Esme shrugs.
[OOC] WC GM: Tech Ed check.
Esme: "Fairy essence is weird."
Linnea: "It's still light waves…"
Max Thorn rolled up 5d6: 12 (2 1 3 3 3) (Tech Ed.)
[OOC] Max Thorn: …oh come /on/.
Esme: "If it doesn't work I'm gonna jam some yellow shards in here."
The elevator begins moving - very slowly. Further fixing will be needed to get it back up to speed.
Sam Spade: "Taking Shard Tech to a whole new level, huh."
Midas gives up on bashing, leans back, and ROOOARS! All up the well, the glass paneling shatters!
Linnea: "Uh, must go faster, must go faster."
Sam Spade: "YOU STOP THAT!"
[OOC] WC GM: Round 1, party first!
Esme: "…Yeah." She gets digging, and pulls out two. "Actually going to try that trick we pulled back in Dojjji." She starts crushing them-now more quickly.
Max Thorn pokes at the elevator some more…
Linnea: "Hey, uh…maybe turn one into a gem and-"
[OOC] WC GM: Actions to fix the elevator are combat actions.
[OOC] Esme: Das fair
Max Thorn rolled up 5d6: 17 (3 3 4 1 6) (Tech Ed again.)
[OOC] Max Thorn: okay, that's much better.
Sam Spade: "Alright, everyone! Stay Focused! Chicklet, keep your eyes on Midas!"
[OOC] Sam Spade: Tagging Midas, and Focused Orders on all the pokemon that aren't about to have that overridden.
Linnea gestures at Midas, letting out a savage spark of magicked energy - [Leyline: Fey Lash]
[OOC] WC GM: Does that include the carbinks?
Linnea rolled up 1d20: 16 (16) (AC 3 for -2 Attack CS)
[OOC] Sam Spade: Honestly I'm not sure; core Battle Conductor is 'two additional' and I don't have the game mod up anymore.
At this range it is hard for Linnea to miss.
[OOC] Max Thorn: I'm getting FF7 lift battle flashback, thanks. :p
[OOC] WC GM: Just as planned! XD
[OOC] Linnea: Or the Four Horsemen from… one of the 2D Metal Gear games.
Esme leans down, and fiddles with the wiring as the shard is ground to a powder in her other hand. She sprinkles it over the mess of cables in her hand and clasps it tightly, concentrating…
[OOC] WC GM: Occult or Tech Ed.
[OOC] Esme: Occult check to do that thing I did with the water/green shards that one time?
[OOC] Esme: AAAYYY
Esme rolled up 6d6+1: 23 (5 1 3 5 4 4)
[OOC] WC GM: Given what you're messing with.
[OOC] WC GM: Alright, party pokemon actions?
Suijin inhales, then lets out a flow of bubbles! [Bubblebeam]
Chicklet hesitates for a second, then kicks some of the spare sand out of the shaft and at Midas! Sand Attack!
The elevator speeds up - but it will need more work to get all the way.
Max Thorn rolled up 1d20 3d8+24: 18 (18) 38 (3 6 5) (AC 2, -1 Speed CS on 18+)
Miator lets out a blast of [Psychic] energy, pushing Midas away and back!
Linnea rolled up 1d20: 19 (19) (AC2)
[OOC] WC GM: Let's say, Tech Ed or similar checks totaling 200 to get you back to the top. Max & Esme have totaled 40 so far.
Linnea rolled up 3d10+35: 43 (3 4 1) (Special/Psychic)
[OOC] Linnea: And pushed 1m away fwiw…lol
Midas is pushed away - into the center of the well, with no purchase. By now the elevator has made some headway; with a surprised 'yip', Midas falls to the bottom.
[OOC] Esme: My action or my pokemon's action to switch em out?
Linnea: "Bye."
[OOC] WC GM: Can be pokemon's action.
[OOC] WC GM: This is most definitely not a League battle.
Linnea: "…It can't be that easy, though."
Max Thorn: "…What, in this whole journey we've had so far, makes you think this is gonna be 'easy'? Be serious."
Sam Spade: "I'm sure he'll be back."
Indeed it is not. Midas roars, and races to catch up.
Esme quickly turns and pulls Gerv back into his ball. "Weight isn't helping… Though!" She releases Luc. "You can help with the elevator!"
[OOC] WC GM: Midas's full action is to return, so no attack.
Linnea: "I just SAID it wasn't going to be easy, you weirdo!"
[OOC] WC GM: Round 2! Party's actions!
Max Thorn taps a command into his 'dex, and moments later what sounds like video game music starts pouring out, then he sets back to poking the lift.
Max Thorn rolled up 5d6: 14 (2 2 6 3 1) (Tech Ed)
Linnea grumbles, and takes a fistful of yellow shard to try and work at the elevator machinery, trying to mimic what Esme just did. She lets out an irritated note, and there's a small shower of sparks - [Rolling Occult]
Linnea rolled up 6d6: 13 (1 5 2 1 1 3)
Linnea: "Come on, are you kiddin' me?"
Esme: "It takes a few tries to get the feel of it." Having applied some generous charge to the lift, Esme goes back to trying to optimize that charge. [Tech Ed]
Esme rolled up 6d6+1: 17 (5 2 4 2 2 1)
[OOC] WC GM: Elevator progress: 84/200
Sam Spade: "Lucrece! Mia! Chicklet! Eyes on Midas, stay focused!"
Miator lets out a strange little hum, putting up those palings again. [Lucky Chant]
Esme: "Luc, help me with this, we're getting a bunch of excess drain."
[OOC] WC GM: Suijin's, Lucrece's, and Chicklet's actions?
Lucrece chirps, then crackles before embedding itself in the paneling to assist! [Wired + Tech Ed]
Lucrece rolled up 6d6+7: 24 (1 6 2 4 3 1)
Chicklet lets out some flame, then starts spinning, and keeps the spin until it goes around Midas! Fire Spin!
Chicklet rolled up 1d20+3 2d6+8+15: 10 (7) 29 (5 1) (Vortex)
[OOC] Sam Spade: AC 4
Suijin sends forth another stream of bubbly! [Bubblebeam]
Suijin rolled up 1d20 3d8+24: 1 (1) 29 (2 1 2) (AC 2, -1 Speed CS on 18+)
[OOC] Max Thorn: well that sure went wide. thanks, Chessa.
The vortex is a clean hit, though the fire does not seem to be doing much - other than deflecting the bubblebeam.
Midas orients on the human who seems to be coordinating the defense, and lunges straight at Sam!
WC GM rolled up 1d20: 2 (2)
…and times it wrong, striking the rock just beneath the ascending elevator.
[OOC] WC GM: Round 3, party actions!
Max Thorn adjusts this, that, and the other thing…
Max Thorn rolled up 5d6: 16 (2 6 2 1 5) (Tech Ed)
Linnea grabs another shard and makes with the magic, hoping this one goes better. [Occult]
Linnea rolled up 6d6: 23 (2 2 4 3 6 6)
Linnea: "Hah! That's what I'm talkin' about!"
Esme would resort to hitting it with a hammer at this point.. but her pokemon is still in there. More fiddling it is.
Esme rolled up 6d6+1: 18 (3 1 2 3 2 6)
Sam Spade: "Suijin, then! Mia, Chicklet! Don't let him get to you! Stay focused!" [Focused Orders]
Light from above now complements Diancie's glow. (Elevator progress: 165/200)
Miator sends another wave of power hurtling down toward Midas! [Psychic]
[OOC] Sam Spade: Is Midas close enough for Melee attacks?
Linnea rolled up 1d20: 12 (12) (AC2)
[OOC] WC GM: Yes. In fact, Midas made a melee attack against Sam last turn.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Ah, right.
Linnea rolled up 3d10+35: 46 (7 2 2) (Special/Psychic and pushed 1m)
Beeps and boops come from the paneling as you see Luc zipping about from button to button. [More Tech]
Chicklet responds with umbrage to Midas's attack. Umbrage and a kung-fu chop! [Brick Break!]
[OOC] WC GM: Party's actions resolve simultaneously, so that push doesn't invalidate any melee Sam may attempt.
Lucrece rolled up 6d6+5: 29 (3 6 2 6 6 1)
Chicklet rolled up 1d20+5 3d8+10+15: 22 (17) 37 (4 5 3) (AC 2 Fighting/Physical)
The top is in sight! (Elevator progress: 194/200)
Suijin lets loose another beam of bubbles!
Max Thorn rolled up 1d20+1 3d8+24: 6 (5) 33 (1 5 3) (AC 2, -1 Speed CS on 18+)
Midas is once more pushed away into the middle of the well - and is visibly hurt by the barrage of attacks. Rather than falling, Midas suddenly straightens out and Digs into the well face!
[OOC] WC GM: Round 4, party actions! Max or Esme might want to go before anyone else.
[OOC] Esme: Take it awaaaaay
Max Thorn pokes the lift once again, with feeling!
Max Thorn rolled up 5d6: 8 (2 3 1 1 1) (Tech Ed)
[OOC] Max Thorn: Good Enough™
[OOC] Linnea: lol…
Up, up, aaand…with a clang, the elevator reaches the top and locks into position!
Max Thorn: "Town or refugee camp, d'you think? I'd say camp, since people actually /live/ there…"
Sam Spade: "Town."
Sam Spade: "Diancie said town."
Linnea: "Town probably, the camp is a beast of necessity, not love."
Sam Spade: "Refugee camp is too new."
Sam Spade: "Now eyes wide, he could come at us from anywhere!"
Officer Diancie: "Somewhere that was loved. Somewhere cherished."
Esme: "What they said!" She points her pokeball and zaps Luc out of the Lift. "Let's move it!"
Sam Spade: "And Onix Peak is loved and cherished."
Linnea hustles out of the elevator.
Sam Spade: "So many died because they weren't willing to leave, how can it be anything but?"
Max Thorn: "Town it is, then."
Max Thorn: "Suijin, rear guard duty! Make sure Midas doesn't follow too closely!"
Sam Spade: "Now! Luc, Mia, Chicklet, this is the big push! Eyes up, he could come at us from any side!"
[OOC] Sam Spade: Focused Orders + Tip The Scales, all three get to chose +1CS to ATK, SATK, or SPD, and +1 CS to DEF or SDEF
Suijin acknowledges this with a squeak, letting everyone advance ahead of him before waddling along behind.
Fortunately the elevator is not far from town. So many of the buildings are skeletons and rubble, though the fort is still intact - despite the many zombie attacks, even.
As the party comes in sight, Midas pops out of the wall!
WC GM rolled up 1d20: 6 (6)
Miator lets out a somewhat unnerving little "ohoho~" laugh. [+1 Sp.Atk, +1 Def]
Linnea: "Right on cue."
Luc chirps questioningly. [+1 Sp.Atk, +1 Def]
And just over Esme's head, saaailing into the clear cave beyond, though circling back soon enough.
[OOC] WC GM: Round 5, party actions!
Max Thorn: "All right, let's groove, Suijin!" [Agility Orders]
Linnea cackles somewhat madly, sending out another lash of energy toward the beast! [Leyline: Fey Lash]
Linnea rolled up 1d20: 5 (5) (AC3 for -2 Attack CS)
Midas barrel-rolls away from the lash!
Linnea: "Tch! Cocky little…"
Suijin sends forth a stream of bubbles at the crystalline rocksnake…
Chicklet charges straight at Midas, flames coming from her claws! Flame Charge!
Max Thorn rolled up 1d20 3d8+26: 7 (7) 33 (3 3 1) (AC 2, -1 Speed CS on 18+)
Chicklet rolled up 1d20+5 2d6+19+18: 14 (9) 40 (1 2) (AC 2)
Miator sends another ball of flame toward the enraged beast! [Will-O-Wisp]
Miator rolled up 1d20: 19 (19) (AC5 for Burn)
Sam Spade: "If you guys are keeping it busy, then I'll grab this and run!"
The fires - strike and ball - score true, glinting bright red troughout Midas's crystal!
Sam Spade takes Diancie's sword and heads towards the center of the town.
[OOC] WC GM: Sam will reach said location next turn.
Linnea: "Oi-"
Linnea: "Nevermind! Go, Sam, go!"
Esme helps in the delay effort, striking at Midas with a essence-arbok! [Bane]
Esme rolled up 1d20: 5 (5) (AC 3)
[OOC] Esme: Woosh
Midas barrel-rolls the other way!
[OOC] WC GM: Lucrece's action?
Luc does not care for barrel rolls. It stares at midas, and the earlier-seeded infection re-emerges! [Toxic]
[OOC] Esme: -2 Atk CS, -6 additional HP, etc
Midas surges forward and tries to wrap around Linnea!
[OOC] WC GM: Opposed Combat or Athletics check.
WC GM rolled up 3d6+4: 19 (4 6 5)
WC GM rolled up 1d20: 11 (11)
Linnea 's eyes light up in horrified anticipation as the beast barrels toward her - [-1 AP for +1]
Linnea rolled up 3d6+1: 9 (3 3 2) (Athletics)
Midas does indeed twist and squeeze, probing and ready to strike…
Linnea lets out a yowl of absolute rage.
[OOC] WC GM: Round 6! Sam should probably go first.
Sam keeps running, sword in her hands!
[OOC] Sam Spade: Close enough?
Max Thorn runs after Sam when he notices she's not facing Midas any more.
[OOC] WC GM: Close enough. Your action?
Sam Spade: "Close enough? Close enough!"
Sam raises the sword high above her head and plants it in the ground!
The sword glows even as Sam raises it. The moment its tip is fully implanted, there is an EXPLOSION of sheer white magic, washing over the entire cavern!
Sam Spade: "I. I have my fingers, right? I'm…not made of crystal, either?"
Sam Spade checks fingers.
Max Thorn: "Should be fine, yes."
In its wake…the buildings are somewhat rebuilt. The party's pokedexes beep as they begin receiving signals from the rebooted local network. And Linnea finds herself a meter in the sky, for a moment, with Midas having vanished and been replaced with a familiar-looking - but poisoned and sickly on the brink of death - man.
Sam is no more crystalline than she was a minute ago.
Max's pokedex switches on to the next music track.
Linnea: "S…someone should probably catch us."
Max Thorn reverses course immediately, *running* to the wounded, sickly man…
[OOC] Sam Spade: You were a meter off the ground. There's no time for anyone to catch you, and no need on your part.
[OOC] Linnea: It was more Lin doesn't know if she got affected or not.
[OOC] Linnea: So even small impacts would be bad.
[OOC] WC GM: She wasn't, but she'll find that out the hard way when she lands.
Sam Spade: "Gem John, though-he dosen't look good."
As Max runs to the man, he's limned in green fire, which spreads and in an eyeblink covers the entire cavern and beyond…
Linnea: "Ough…"
Sam Spade: "…Diancie?"
[OOC] WC GM: Which is nowish.
Linnea: "…I'm not…"
Linnea: "…!"
Diancie is guiding her carbinks, looking on in awe.
Sam Spade: "Or was that Shaymin?"
Sam Spade: "…If it was, thank you both."
Linnea: "Hey! This guy needs help fast!"
Behind Diancie, the remaining townspeople emerge.
Sam Spade slows to a halt. "Jane! Your brother-"
Diancie and the townspeople are some distance away. Max, however…
[OOC] WC GM: Take it away!
The man's wounds and poisoning both vanish along with the green fire, and every single body recovers from the curse simultaneously. The dead are not, alas, restored to life. Not even Shaymin has that power…
Linnea: "Whoa, what the -fuck-?"
Linnea: "How-who-"
Linnea looks around frantically, medicine kit still in hand. "…"
The air sweetens noticeably, and where sun shines flowers now grow from the rock, having developed ground-level pots of rich soil.
Sam Spade gives Max a quick hug, then kneels by John.
Linnea: "What kind of-"
Linnea: "How-"
And, along with the vanishing of the green fire, Max is now kneeling, panting heavily.
Linnea: "HEY!"
Max Thorn: "That…was cool…"
Linnea dashes over to Max, giving him a quick lookover.
Sam Spade is giving John a quick lookover.
Max Thorn: "Exhausting, but cool."
Linnea: "What did you DO?"
Esme: "Oh neat, you did a thing!"
Gem John is alive. Unconscious, but alive. And soon glomped by his sister, sobbing incoherently into his chest.
Max Thorn sits on his arse. "I bridged the gap between worlds, allowing…and a bit shaping of…Shaymin's energy to pour through."
Sam Spade sighs, and stands.
Linnea: "Oh. Just like that."
Linnea: "… Okay."
Max Thorn gestures to the flowers in the sunbeams. "*That* was his doing. Shouldn't be any pokémon cursed by Midas any more."
[OOC] WC GM: …I wonder if the status condition Glomped is volatile or persistent?
Linnea sits down, heavily.
Sam Spade: "Okay. I'm going to grab Diancie and check on Nurse Joy, see how they're doing."
[OOC] Max Thorn: *bop*
[OOC] Sam Spade: Volatile, since it has to be reapplied each round.
Sam Spade: "Diancie broke Midas's curse."
Linnea: "…I'm gonna make sure they haven't killed Jane."
Sam Spade: "Honestly, Shaymin broke, uh. Ours."
Sam Spade: "On Midas."
Linnea rolls back up to her feet and follows Sam.
Gem Jean seems to be quite alive. It would be difficult for a dead person to hug Gem John so tightly.
Sam Spade then does grab Diancie, and chases down Nurse Joy, ostensibly to see if there's anything that needs doing.
[OOC] Sam Spade: Honestly, to promote shipping.
Nurse Joy: "…umm. Well, if Midas is gone we're going to have to move everything back here. Shouldn't take long, though."
Officer Diancie: "Me and mine will have to live here, among you, if that is alright?"
Sam Spade: "Their town below…well, it's not doing too well, what with the damage the curse did."
Joy gives Diancie a surprised look. "Of COURSE it'd be alright!"
Sam Spade: "See? That's what I said."
Linnea: "That's one big worry outta the way then."
Max Thorn: "Oh. The town's structures should be fine now, too. Might be some greenery, though. Or…" He glances at one building, which has bioluminescent lichen glowing on it. "…Blue-ery, I guess."
Sam Spade glances at Linnea.
Diancie nods. "We have lost our home. We…could rebuild yours, as payment?"
Linnea: "… Eh? What's up, Sam?"
Sam Spade: "We'll leave the two of you to deal with that while we start working on other matters."
Sam Spade: "Come on, Linnea."
Linnea: "I- okay…"
Nurse Joy: "If you want. I mean…we'd love just having you around."
Sam Spade glances back at Diancie and Joy, a sly grin on her face.
Max Thorn stands, and brushes off his pants. "Now, down to the dam to restore the water there. The cistern, um. Should be fine now."
Diancie smiles wide and HUGS Joy! "Thank you!" Then pecks Joy on the lips.
Sam Spade: "We should probably talk to Jane, and we never actually started the water back up, they'll need that."
Sam Spade clenches a fist. "Yes!" she mutters.
Linnea just shakes her head.
Max Thorn taps in a query to the university on his 'dex: Curse lifted locally, confirm lifted on captured golem?
Max quickly gets a reply. "That was you? Golem all normal now. Request permission to keep for further research."
Max Thorn responds, "Granted, but release to Onix Peak when research complete."
Gem Jean has, by now, released her brother. She sits next to him as she looks at the party. "I…I don't know what to say. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
Linnea: "Save it for rebuilding the town."
Sam Spade: "…That said."
Linnea: "Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaam."
Sam Spade: "We do need to challenge the Onix Peak Gym."
Linnea: "Oh."
Linnea: "Okay, that's reasonable."
Esme: "Also if you could spare a Metal Coat, I could use one of those!"
Esme: "Mostly the Gym thing, though."
Gem Jean: "Oh! The gym! I…I am the substitute gym leader, while my brother recovers…here! Here, this is the least I can do!" She digs in her pocket and offers up four packets. Each packet contains a badge constituted of a cluster of gems, and 11,000 pokeyen.
Gem Jean: "I officially declare saving our town to have been your gym challenge. And I won't take no for an answer!"
Sam Spade: "Well, um. If you insist."
Linnea: "Okay then."
Max Thorn digs around in his pockets and pulls out…chunks of quartz.
Gem Jean smiles. "I insist."
Esme: "Accepted!"
Max Thorn: "Works for me."
Max Thorn runs his 'dex over the badge before popping it into its case, tthen pockets the coinage.
Sam Spade does the same.
Gem Jean: "I may have a Metal Coat to spare too, but I'll need to get everyone settled. Um…it's almost sunset. We…err, my town should probably get some dinner going soon, if you'll stay the night?"
Linnea: "Definitely!"
Sam Spade: "That…yeah, I don't think we're ready to set off yet. And we can pitch in, I think."
Max Thorn: "We don't have any /pressing/ business elsewhere, I don't think. Aside from the cistern."
Gem Jean: "The cistern?" Her eyes widen. "We still don't have any water?!?"
Max Thorn: "Suijin, stick around and give 'em any water they need while we're out."
The water mouse squeaks and plops down, wiggling his tail.
Gem Jean relaxes and chuckles. "It's fine. We had some reserves in the fort. They should last until…morning, at least. But if you want to get the cistern back up while we start on dinner, that'd help."
Max Thorn heads back to the lift…
Sam Spade runs quickly to catch up with Max.
The lights and elevator flipped power breakers from Midas's thrashing around. fortunately, the breakers are all up at the top, and easily reset.
Max Thorn resets 'em, then boards the lift. "Anyone else?"
The well walls are still smashed, though, but the machinery at the bottom seemed untouched.
Sam Spade: "I think it's just us."
Linnea: "I'm gonna help out with the cooking up here, I think."
Max Thorn: "Diancie? Want to fix up the cistern? Shaymin's not so good with molding rock."
[OOC] WC GM: +150 pokemon XP each for defeating Midas. +1 trainer level for getting the gym badge.
Diancie appears to be in deep conversation with Joy, and does not hear Max at first.
Sam Spade: "Max!"
Sam Spade: "Let them f-oh hey Diancie!"
Sam Spade elbows Max in the side.
Esme sticks around in town and helps get things looking back to normal.
Diancie looks up eventually. "Hmm? Oh, right, the water! U-umm…" She looks back at Joy.
Sam Spade: "We got this! Come on, Max."
Nurse Joy: "It's alright. I have things I need to do too. But thank you." She looks deep into Diancie's eyes, pats Diancie on the back of her neck, then heads off.
Diancie wanders onto the elevator, almost as if in a trance.
Sam Spade looks sweet and innocent.
Linnea: "Melo."
Max Thorn taps the button.
Joy walks up to Esme. "S-sooo…I know you've done so much, but…well…I saw you on the slopes of Ice Cove, and I was wondering…there may be one more thing you can do for us. I can make it worth your while!"
The elevator descends, deep past identical broken walls.
Esme rubs the back of her neck. "My, a bunch more people saw that than I thought… W-well what do you need?"
Nurse Joy: "Supplies are running low. We could buy them, but we need a way to tell people we're back so they'll come here with food to sell. And we need to build morale back up, quickly. Now that the power's back on, how about a Contest? One round, just you and your friends, but something we can broadcast to impress everyone."
Nurse Joy: "Beauty is the traditional type here. Winner gets a ribbon, of course."
Nurse Joy: "And we can even make that Metal Coat the prize. I mean, even if you lose, your friends would still give it to you, right?"
Linnea: "Hmm…"
Diancie hops off the elevator slightly before it reaches the "ground" floor, so as to have the door to the shaft open by the time Sam and Max arrive. "After you."
Max Thorn: "Thank you," Max says as he walks through the door.
Esme: "I suppose we could…"
Officer Diancie: "I'll wait here. Call if you need me, but…umm…w-water." She gestures to herself. "I don't do well with wet."
Nurse Joy: "Thanks! I'll get things set up, to run starting about an hour after dinner."
Sam Spade: "Come on, Max."
Esme: "You ever done a contest, Lin?"
Max Thorn looks 'round. Cistern or dam?
[OOC] Sam Spade: Dam.
Linnea: "I don't think I have, no."
[OOC] Sam Spade: Cistern is, as far as we know, good, now that we don't have to turn it into a shrine.
Through the shaft and into dying daylight, Max and Sam find a river coming down the side of the mountain, which would normally be flowing into the artificial cave they just emerged from but for a metal shutter, deflecting the river further downhill. There is a control panel on its side.
Esme: "A learning experience then!"
Sam Spade: "I'm very irritated right now, Max."
Sam Spade: "You dragged her away from a brand new relationship, just so she could not help us out down here."
Max Thorn walks over to the panel and…is there a slot for a 'dex?
Linnea: "At least I'm not learning it with my face, in a violent fashion."
Linnea: "…At least, one hopes not."
There is not a slot, but Max recognizes a wireless contact point, that a pokedex would just have to be held near.
Esme: "Well for a Beauty contest, probably not. Could've faceplanted back in the Cool one, though."
Max Thorn: "…It's a temporary separation, and I wasn't sure if we'd need her assistance or not." He passes his 'dex over the NFC spot.
Linnea: "That doesn't sound very cool."
The control panel lights up, with "ACCESS GRANTED" . It looks like there are some basic geological monitoring sensors this collects data from too, but Max quickly finds the button to open the dam.
Max Thorn opens it.
Control Panel: "OPENING DIVERTER. WARNING: COOLANT FLOW DIVERTED. ELYSIUM BACKUP FAILURE EXPECTED IN 120:00:00."
Sam Spade: "Um."
As the dam opens and the water mostly floods the cave, the control panel begins counting down.
Sam Spade: "We should probably head to Elysium soon."
Sam Spade: "That's…five days, I think?"
A quick check of the map shows that Route 35 to Elysium Valley should take about 3 days to traverse by foot.
Max Thorn: "…"
Max Thorn: "Why did they decide to use a bloody *river* for coolant."
Sam Spade: "I dunno, but we should get topside. We have a bit of time, but not an amazing amount."
Max Thorn pinches the bridge of his nose. "This is going to be one of those things where I start cursing for fifteen minutes straight, isn't it."
Max Thorn 's heading back to the lift as he speaks.
Sam Spade: "Maybe."
The cave is not fully flooded, but it would be more correct to say that Sam and Max swim back to the elevator than that they walk back.
Sam Spade: "Diancie, you're good? Because I think we want to get up before the air does."
Max Thorn pushes the button once we're back on the lift.
Diancie is standing on top of the door, looking fearfully at the trickle of water that accompanies Sam and Max in. Once they are in, the door closed, and the lift in motion, she hops back onto the elevator platform. "Yesletuspleasegetawayfromthewaterthankyou."
Sam Spade gives Diancie a quick squeeze.
Sam Spade: "We should be fine. Now come on, we gotta get you back to your- to your people."
Although the well is too smashed to contain water, the machinery at the bottom intercepts enough of the flow to pump up into pipes, which lead to taps up top.
Diancie blushes. "Umm. S-so! You're travelers, right? You have seen a lot?"
Sam Spade: "A bit, yeah."
Officer Diancie: "It's not possible for a human to become a carbink, is it?"
Sam Spade blinks
Sam Spade: "I don't…*think* so?"
Max Thorn: "If anyone can make it happen, it'd be Arceus."
Sam Spade: "I mean this is true. But I don't know if I'd focus on that."
Sam Spade hesitates.
Max Thorn: "But…it might be easier for you to become human for true, and pass your powers on to another, if you'd prefer to remain with Nurse Joy."
Diancie hangs her head. "It doesn't work like that either. I mean…I didn't think I could just make her my subject…a-and that's not really what I want either…more, my equal, kind of?"
Max Thorn: "It's something the two of you need to figure out, though. I can't tell you which would be…appropriate? No, that's not the word I want…" Max looks frustrated.
Sam Spade: "…I have to admit, what I've heard of Ho-Oh and Ignacia has me a little worried there. But only a little."
Max Thorn: "Well. I'm sure if you asked, she could partake of your powers at need, as I did with Shaymin's."
Officer Diancie: "I mean. My carbinks adore me but some days I wonder if that's the natural order or if I'm just mind controlling them. But Joy! She doesn't just do what I want! She does what she wants and wants to do things for me but sometimes they're not quite what I asked and…oooh…is there a word for all of this?"
Sam Spade: "Love?"
Diancie blinks. "What is love?"
Max's pokedex, still playing, starts another track.
Sam Spade: "I don't know how well it fits. Really, it's all something you have to work out with Joy."
Max Thorn: "Relationships are hard."
Max Thorn: "I don't know many folks for whom they're not. My parents make it seem so effortless, though."
Sam looks a little lost.
Diancie nods. "I guess. Fortunately, so am I." She pats a stony bicep. "I guess…f-for her, I can try."
Sam Spade: "Worth it, I think."
Officer Diancie: "I…I just hope she'll still like me when I drop even this form, though. I mean, in truth I look nothing like her at all."
Sam Spade: "It's worth finding out. I always thought that the emotional connection was more important, although…"
Max Thorn: "Mm."
Sam Spade: "Communication is key."
Sam Spade waits for the elevator to clang to a halt.
Sam Spade: "Go talk to her."
Diancie nods as the elevator finishes its ascent. She hops over the lip just before it is fully lined up with the ground; now that you think about it, and knowing a diancie's true form, she may have been floating all this time, her legs part of her illusion.
Officer Diancie: "I think…I will." She shimmers, discarding her hybrid human-like form and emerging as a gem princess pokemon, rushing down the tunnel with a question in her heart.