4th Planet from the Sun | Action

[netting_nettles]

[Despite the blackout, Kariya's persisted in going out everyday to train, usually till near sundown. At the moment, as he dashes through the grass on Route 3, he is beginning to regret that.]

Suisei! Suisei, come on! Run!

[The Duskull behind them is looming, its red eye casting a glow across the grass in the night air. It's near pitch black now, and he's not too sure where he is, and, oh crap, he could swear the thing is floating after them just fast enough to stay in range, like some kind of horrible movie monster. He's trying to tell himself that it's just a Pokémon, but that stopped helping staunch the panic a few minutes back.

A lot of his team is in real need of a trip to a center to begin with, and, even if it is a Pokémon, what if it catches them?]

Faster!

[The Duskull gives a low, hungry-sounding moan. Kariya shrieks and tears onwards.]

....

[Some time later, there's an exhausted, absolutely nerve-shot boy huddled well away from the grass near the beginning of Route 3. He's begun to recognize Striaton in the distance, but for now he's too worn out to even bring himself to move.

There's a fifth occupied Pokéball resting at his belt.]

((OOC: Feel free to catch him before or after his fight with Duskull. Or in the middle of it, for that matter!))

Comments

Action

[puppypaws]

Otogi was probably a dick and watched from the trees. As it is, look to the one beside you now-

"New member on your party then?" Otogi stop.

Re: Action

[netting_nettles]

[Kariya missed any unhelpful observation, but that doesn't stop him from throwing Otogi the filthiest look at showing up right when the heat is off.]

I guess. I caught something, anyway.

Re: Action

[puppypaws]

"Smells like a ghost."

Stop.

Grinning.

Now.

[netting_nettles]

[...imagining what ghost smells like is not helping Kariya's nerves right now. Or his swelling desire to bite Otogi.]

'Cause it was one.

It's like everything around here became haunted, all at once.

[puppypaws]

"Indeed, there's been an odd increase in the ghost type population lately- perhaps it has something to do with the time of year," he adds with a shrug.

Hey now, don't you bite him you don't know where he's been

[netting_nettles]

They're a lot meaner than the Pokémon I'm used to running into out here. [Yes, he is pouting over this. His pride's shot, and it's dark enough that he's still jumpy.

Being abducted by a video game had been pretty fun before now, but these past few weeks it's like everything's out to get them...]

[puppypaws]

"Lots of ghosts are like that." Actually...

He frowns, looking out to the routes ahead. "...Though it's likely that if they're swarming like this, there's something particularly bad coming our way."

[netting_nettles]

[Wow, so reassuring.]

...Like what?

[puppypaws]

He just looks down with an almost eerie stare.

"If it scared the ghosts, nothing 'good'."

[netting_nettles]

[Kariya really doesn't need to hear this, right now. Still, he does his best to stifle a cringe and not look frightened at all, as he asks - ]

How can you tell they're scared? Maybe they're just having a creepshow party or something...

[puppypaws]

"Ghost pokemon are like any other pokemon," he says plainly.

"They attack when they're scared- they're known for mischief, but not brutality, at least not as young as these ones seem to be." Uh oh.

[netting_nettles]

...I haven't actually seen them hurting anyone.

[Well, except for Shindou getting mugged by Gastlies, but he was mostly alright after. And Duskull trying to scare him to death a minute ago - ]

Not bad, anyway. I figured it was normal for a ghost to act like that...

[puppypaws]

"Oh?" HMMM.

"Perhaps it's just me then!" Well Otogi, you're kind of a dark type, so if you were to run into a swarm of tiny baby ghosts...

[doingthemistything]

[Kirino got worried when Kariya didn't return before dark.

He got even more worried when it was still dark and Kariya hadn't returned. Eventually, Kirino gave up on waiting for the younger boy to get back and went out to search, his Mightyena staying near his side, and his Shuppet floating near his head, using Will-O-Wisp to light the way. When the group get to Route 3, Pochi darts on ahead, sniffing around.]

Kariya!

[netting_nettles]

[By then, Kariya is resting off to the far side of a stretch of tall grass, a long enough stretch away from the road that he's off in the darkness...but near enough that he hears Kirino calling.

He sits up straighter and cups his hands around his mouth.]

Hey...!!

[There's audible relief even in that one shout. Someone really wasn't looking forward to finishing the walk back by himself.]

[doingthemistything]

[Oh, thank god. He rushes over in the direction he heard Kariya's voice, Athos still hovering near his head and Pochi trotting over to join up with them.]

Kariya, are you all right?!

[netting_nettles]

Over here!

[Kariya calls again, just to be sure Kirino's heading the right way. When he finally appears, the first-year rises from the tree he was resting against and brushes himself off.

Despite being obviously shaken, he's unharmed. Just mussed about his clothes and hair and suspiciously red and damp around the eyes.]

'Mokay. Got a little lost.

[doingthemistything]

[Kirino gives Kariya a quick once-over, then nods and gives a bit of a sigh.]

Come on, let's head back. We shouldn't stay out here any longer than we have to.

[netting_nettles]

[The path back towards the road and Striaton gets a wary glance, but then Kariya falls in readily beside his teammate. He's on-edge but eager to get back to civilization.]

Yeah. Sorry -

[The Pokémon Kirino has out are getting eyed closely as they set off.]

Is your team okay to fight? Suisei's the only one of mine that's conscious.

[Plus, the new one, but he doesn't want to mention him just yet. He's busy sounding disappointed in himself for getting the rest of his friends knocked out.]

[doingthemistything]

All of my Pokémon are in fairly good condition. I think we'll be all right. [Though, his eyes flick over his Shuppet.]

Athos, don't tire yourself out if you can't sustain that Will-O-Wisp.

[The puppet Pokémon gives a small sound of confirmation and hovers just ahead of the two boys to light the way.]

[netting_nettles]

Right. [Jeez, he never thought he'd be glad to see that Shuppet. But having that floating light to follow is doing a lot to get him breathing steadily again.]

Any idea how far we are from Striaton? I thought I was on my way back, only...I got really turned around.

[doingthemistything]

It's about a ten minute walk. And five more minutes to the Pokémon Center once we're actually in town.

[netting_nettles]

Oh.

[That's a "Wow, praise sakka"-type "oh" at first, because he hadn't realized they were so close.

The look on his face makes it more an embarrassed "oh" a beat later, however. Now he feels kind of stupid.]

I would've tried checking the map, but...no power. [Grumblegrumble]

[doingthemistything]

Yeah. It probably would've felt pretty long anyway, I imagine. When the mind wants to play tricks on you...

[netting_nettles]

Mmf.

[There's a hint of a glare to go with that ambiguous mutter. His mind is just fine, thank you very much. Totally not spooked at all. Don't mind how close he's keeping in the dark.

He shoves his hands into his pockets and trudges on for a while, before finally volunteering:]

I caught something. A ghost.

It jumped out at us, while we were training, but I managed to get it.