seacub: (: O)
Emporio Alnino ([personal profile] seacub) wrote in [community profile] bottlecaplogs2025-03-07 08:26 pm

Emporio's March Catch All - Quests + OTA

Who: Emporio, his quest buddies, and More!
What: Questboard Catch-All! + Bonus Prompt for Visits
When: Early March + Month-long Wildcard
Where: The Forest, and the Town
Warnings: Will be added as needed

[[OOC - The quests are in a psuedo-chronological order, but I've left the official timing vague to keep things open. As it stands, while Quest prompts presumably happen earlier in the month, the open prompt could be at any point in time.]]

[RESCUE SMOOCHUM]

[It starts, in part, with an agreement. Being in Lum, Emporio and the Ring Spirit naturally have an advantage in accessing the quest board, though not near as much as others higher up the chain. It's access enough though, and so the agreement comes into play; the Ring Spirit has finished reading up enough that he feels ready to tackle some kind of mission. Not just berry gathering either, a proper quest, with possible reward.

And so, they get to the quest board, look at what's left and... ...well it ended up being that there were actually rescues remaining. Only one would really work for his typing, but it's sure a rescue.

So the assignment was taken, a few others contacted via pearl and-
]

Okay. From what we know, Smoochum went somewhere in...this direction of the woods.

...Apparently though, that's about all we have. [Thanks Onix.] So our best bet is unfortunately going the same way and hoping we find something.

[But that said, given who is in this group... ...He looks to Akechi.] I don't know if we should go too far away from each other, but if you're alright with flying now, it might be a good idea to fly a little ahead and above us to get a better view.

[And then, Ingo-] Do you think that fire you used last time might help us signal someone lost, as we go?

[A bright beacon seems easier for a scared pokemon to spot, than nothing at all!]

[MISSING?]

Huh?

[That's a little weird, Emporio thinks when he goes to the quest board a little after a successful rescue.] ...Wasn't this one already taken?

[He could have sworn that he saw someone take hold of this particular quest poster. Actually, he feels like he's seen it twice now but that can't be right.

Still- this time, he opts to take it, what with the sheer oddity of it all catching the Ring Spirit's attention as well. Of course, while the two of them are plenty clever, they should probably get help from one other...

...Which naturally, is how Emmet is recruited early into the investigation. It'll be a good test of that nose, right?
]

Okay. Phantump is fairly small, and ghost-grass type- they look a little like a tree apparently, or...I guess more like if a piece of a tree had a little ghost in it, with glowing eyes?

[Emporio, helpfully, has a little note taking slate now, and has been using it to keep track of things. He's been doing his best, and coordinating with these pearls seems to be helping with that a lot.] I managed to find someone who thinks they saw them, what about you guys?

[BUSY BEERIES]

[After all of that, Emporio could use a wind-down. There's always a need for berries and sticks. The woods are nice and (relatively) dry, and supposedly walking in woods is relaxing.

So, berry gathering.

The cubone breathes out, helmet on his back.

All he needs to do, is Not think about that phantump!

...yep. Just gotta focus on berries.
]

How are you guys doing?

[JUST ON THE BERRIES.]

[WILDCARD - LUM ROOMS]

[Being in Lum has its perks, and one of them is that technically speaking, one could argue that Emporio has his own address. At the very least, he definitely has his own door, which people can knock on and visit him at near the edge of the town.

Of course, that can go one of two ways- if they're smaller than four foot, he can let them into his relatively small (but certainly cozy) abode. Otherwise, he's going to just have to come outside and go somewhere else to do...whatever it is his visitors are here for.

But on that note- what IS he getting visitors for?
]
improvking: (huh. it's already all on fire)

[personal profile] improvking 2025-03-12 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
...Would rolling in the dirt first make your scent stand out less or more?

[ Hm, an interesting thought... but possibly not the most helpful avenue to explore actionally,, ]

I could probably use Shadow Sneak in this situation too. I haven't practiced the move much, but so far most of what I'm supposedly able to do has come pretty naturally...

[ He'll leave it up to Emporio to decide if he's offering to accompany him or to go instead. ]
favorforafavor: (c)

[personal profile] favorforafavor 2025-03-12 05:46 am (UTC)(link)
[Looking down at the skull being extended to them, a grin curls across Dark Heart's face, somewhere between awe and "holy shit what the fuck". That's nuts!

So he doesn't seem too mean-spirited when he asks;]


Isn't it better to get more of them? Someone or another will get to them quick enough.
bladeofnymeia: (:o ?)

[personal profile] bladeofnymeia 2025-03-12 02:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[Firoza's probably got like, a basket. Which was very nice and thoughtful to whoever gave it to her! But oh gods there's no easy way to carry this but in her mouth by the handle.

All the more reason to regain her skills and make some bags.]


Then, maybe we ought to fill it last? So we can all pick berries together.
outbounds: (coaching)

[personal profile] outbounds 2025-03-12 04:07 pm (UTC)(link)
The faint smell of forest in the middle of a forest. Yup!

[ not that they needed the affirmation, but yeah, that's what they're working with. isn't that great news? ]

But I agree. The forest is filled with— something. Too much fog, verrrry thick, not right. Disorienting, affects the mind, tries to confuse you. You will travel forwards on a straight track and end up going in circles. And we probably should not be testing whether Persim Berries help with this type of confusion when we are supposed to be rescuing someone else.

[ it's probably not going to be that easy anyway... ]

Marking the path would be a good idea. You and I [ meaning the Ring Spirit here, ] both have sharp enough claws, we can use them. And what we did last time should work decently enough still too.

[ Yeah, he knows, Emporio. He knows. ]
truthdecided: (serious)

[personal profile] truthdecided 2025-03-12 11:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Having seen Shadow Sneak in motion, it's not a terrible option. However, if I use the foliage as cover, I should be able to inspect more closely.

[He'll go ahead and fly further ahead for now, careful to remain out of sight.

Luckily, he's accustomed to stealth operations, so it isn't too hard for him to avoid detection...

And that's when he spots them, a circle of unruly Pokémon surrounding the poor Smoochum.

Scowling, Akechi turns around, quiet until he's gained enough distance to call to the others.]


Regrettably, it appears that we won't be reaching Smoochum-san without a fight. Is everyone prepared?
improvking: (hm)

[personal profile] improvking 2025-03-13 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
Hm, with a fog like that... well, I suppose we'll handle that as it comes. So: sticking together, and we'll just have to be extra diligent about marking the path as we go. As well as staying aware of our surroundings.

If we [ him and Emment ] both mark trees together, with our different heights that should make it extra clear that it's an intentional marking and not coincidental damage...

Right. We should probably get a move on, before we have to worry too much about it getting dark too.

[ Time to head off...! ]
offtracks: (🚇 distributed power)

[personal profile] offtracks 2025-03-13 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[Ingo nods - that was going to be his question too. The strategy changes rather significantly based on what type the other Pokemon are!]

Or how many there are?
outbounds: (encore)

[personal profile] outbounds 2025-03-13 04:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[ All aboard the Emmet Express, as you do. His head tilts just a little, his gaze sliding in the direction the Cubone would be as he quips: ] 'Up here?' I am Emmet. I'm not that tall. Lost some height in the change, even.

[ Though, true, of the three assembled he's definitely still the only one with any actual height to him, so Emporio's perch might as well be as good a vantage point as any as Emmet hastens to follow after the Ring Spirit. Into the woods they go. ]
improvking: (hm)

[personal profile] improvking 2025-03-13 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Mn, a best-guess at the number and type of our opponents would help us a lot. I'm ready to go whenever the rest of you are, but a plan of attack wouldn't hurt.

[ If only to avoid attacking each other in the confusion of combat - he has to account for more than his own actions in the upcoming fight. (...Look at him, advocating for anything beyond Leeroy Jenkins'ing the problem!) ]
improvking: (so whatcha gonna do?)

[personal profile] improvking 2025-03-13 09:27 pm (UTC)(link)
You're taller than us, h-heheh~

[ On into the woods!

The Ring-Spirit is diligent in marking trees as they go; otherwise, he keeps an eye out for any suspiciously-Phantump-shaped bits of wood that might be lying about...
]

Phantump...? You awake? You're worrying your friend back in town...
outbounds: (nasty plot)

[personal profile] outbounds 2025-03-15 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
[ They



kind of do go flat, honestly, immediately swiveling into a shape and tension to dampen the sound. Ow. He's had worse, but still, sensitive ears. ]


Ah. Please give me a little bit of warning before you do that.

[ In any case, Emmet marks the same trees that the Ring Spirit does, as per their agreement earlier, following along as best he can with part of his attention also focused on keeping an eye out for any particularly animated-looking shadowy bits, considering what Phantump looks like. ]
truthdecided: (serious)

had to figure out what the mob was and then I was like "uhhh, vaguely foresty but good against psy"

[personal profile] truthdecided 2025-03-15 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
It's a group of six Phantump, Pumpkaboo, and Nuzleaves, two each. If I have my types correctly memorized, that explains why Smoochum-chan is still struggling.

[Which is an issue, given Emporio's typing and the ghosts present... Though, since they are a group of four, the numbers could be worse.]

I believe our best chance is to catch them off guard, so I'd be happy to bolster our speed with Tailwind and then divert their attention.

[At least Ingo has fire on his side, which should also help even the odds.]
improvking: (?)

[personal profile] improvking 2025-03-16 06:01 am (UTC)(link)
[ Eventually another voice speaks up. It's mumbled and sleepy; and somewhat distorted in the same way as the Ring-Spirit's sometimes gets, but it's not the Ring-Spirit who's speaking.

"..are
we w̵͖̃h̴̯͂o̸̺͋ we
t̷̝͋h̶̪͠ị̶͋n̴͓͆ḱ̷̺... we are.̸̼̍.̵̪͌.̴̙̒?̵͎̃"


...Who said that,,

They're a reasonable distance inside the forest now, surrounded by trees at varied stages of growth, both standing and fallen. There isn't much underbrush at this location, but Phantump doesn't have feet to leave prints...
]
outbounds: (psych up)

[personal profile] outbounds 2025-03-16 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Considering how his ears prick straight up in alert at the first word before trying to triangulate the source, someone definitely did, even as he continues to follow the Ring Spirit between the trees. ]

I heard it. You are not hearing things unless we both are.

[ Which, honestly, given how their time here has gone is an actual reasonable concern between the nightmares and associated hallucinations, and whatever effects the fog in the forest has on their minds.

(Fairies? Ghosts? Some derivative of a Musharna's mist...? Wait, hold on...) ]
offtracks: (🚇 on guard)

[personal profile] offtracks 2025-03-16 11:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[Ingo nods along seriously. It's not the greatest lineup for their group, but it could be worse. At least, it isn't enough that he feels any need to retreat and abandon Smoochum!]

All of us are vulnerable type-wise, save for Akechi. We will want to strike hard and fast! We are at least as effective against the ghosts as they are against us - [Nodding at his fellow ghost-types.] - so I will aim to bring down the Nuzleaf first, before they use too many dark-type attacks. If you have any fairy-type moves - [That's for the Ring Spirit.] - that will help against them as well!
improvking: (...that one wasn't me)

[personal profile] improvking 2025-03-17 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
[ The Ring-Spirit peers at their surroundings, trying to figure out where the voice could have come from... perhaps on the other side of one of the logs? He uses his tail-stick to poke at a few of the smaller ones gingerly, but nothing comes of that; so he resorts to climbing over one of the larger ones. ]

...Phantump...?

[ There is, if one listens closely, a faint response.

It's coming from the opposite side of the path to where the Ring-Spirit's gone to check.

It sounds a little like snoring.
]
improvking: (...and?)

[personal profile] improvking 2025-03-17 04:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ The Ring-Spirit listens... he's not used to coming up with plans himself, but he can probably follow one from someone else.

Probably.
]

Mm, no fairy-type moves here, unfortunately. I may need to look into that when we get back to town...

So one of you -[ anyone! anyone who's not him! ]- give the word, and we all attack together? If you're -[ Ingo ]- going to focus on the Nuzleaves first, then I'll start with the ghost-types.

...And we should probably be careful not to hit Smoochum.
truthdecided: (smirk)

[personal profile] truthdecided 2025-03-19 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
If need be, I can grab Smoochum. With luck, she won't be nearly as heavy as Purrloin was, but first...

[He hops into the air, beating his wings until a Tailwind forms around them.]

This should help ensure we move as swiftly as possible.

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