FINALLY THE EVENT

[united-mods.livejournal.com]

WELCOME TO THE RELIC CASTLE

I shall be your guide and snarky narrator - replying to most comments with a bit of humour - acting as your Game Master for this adventure though this castle. The goal? To explore and find the Dark Stone. There are seven stories, and you will need to get to the bottom. Please note that if we don't wrap this up by Halloween, the Pokemonfication event will still be happening.

How this is gonna work? There's gonna be comments down there. When somebody solves the floor, then the next floor will go up. Simple? I sure hope so!

Comments

FIRST FLOOR

[united-mods.livejournal.com]

For those of you who have arrived by Doduo who can leap so high it's like flying, or for those of you around this place anyhow - welcome to the Relic Castle. The first floor is oddly quiet - the only traps on this floor are those sand pits. If you run across them - whelp, I hope you like falling and hurting yourself maybe.

There's also some stairs, but who'll just walk down carefully? If you do that, then you're sane. And saneness is rare in a world like this.

Anyway, other then all that sand stuff, there's a bit of a base camp set up. So if you want to rest, or just not explore, then be my guest. Is it chatting taimu? Only time will tell. Maybe you'll also make groups here, to explore further? WHO KNOWS???

[withmyfluffbat.livejournal.com]

[Iris, of course, had come rushing to the Relic Castle. Anything to get back into the air again - and she's still pretty excited. Around her, she's got her Archen, Swoobat and Doduo out of their Pokeballs - and, secretly, her Bagon in her hair.]
Hahaha... well, we've got to help find the strange Stone! Then we can go flying more, everybody! We'll bound into the air, and be planes!
[But, if you're looking, Iris actually... looks a bit sad. She's been thinking a lot, you see. She was even crying last night, to her Pokemon. So, yes, she does look a little tired. As does Swoobat.]

[overbite]

Iris! Hey!

[Jade, of course, couldn't pass up an opportunity for exploration. Ruins are just so much fun! And the moment she sees Iris how could you mistake that hair she runs towards her, letting the Doduo who brought her over go where it needs to.]

Hehehe, hi, Iris! Wow, isn't this exciting? All of these explorations and adventures and stuff... [But wait, something seems wrong. The other girl usually seems so much brighter than this. Jade's smile falls and immediately, she's concerned.] Hey, what's wrong?

Re: FIRST FLOOR

[emmet]

[Emmet, meanwhile, is also excited. He's changed out of his uniform, and is instead in a Ruin Maniac outfit (the Gen IV one). He didn't want to stain his uniform with all this sand.

However, unlike Iris, Emmet looks oddly calm... also oddly serious, even if he's still got a derpy smile on his face. (Oh, and his Joltik is now dressed up in a Zekrom outfit.) He's got a mission here, of discovery.]
If it is here... that is that. Yup.
[And now... he's approaching you.]
Do you think it is here? Do you think it is not?

[the-nth-power.livejournal.com]

[N looks up with a bit of a start, surprised to have the question addressed toward him. He's already a bit on edge, with his previous involvement with the subject of mysterious Stones...]

I... don't know. [He shoves his hands into his pockets to keep from fidgeting and averts his eyes from Emmet.] I cannot sense anything. [He glances to his side: Absol is walking dutifully at his heels, and Linoone is... rolling around in the sand with Zorua. Absol gives a little snort; can't they see how serious this is supposed to be?]

It seems the Pokemon have not noticed anything either. No. I don't believe it is here. At least, not on this floor. [A pause.] I think we would feel something, don't you?

introducing Dave!

[hipster-dave.livejournal.com]

[Yeah, all right, Dave has to admit that the choice of Doduo transports was a stroke of brilliance on the gym leaders' part. If he is going to be forced to attend an archaeological dig in a region he'd been teleported to from the other side of the world against his will, at least he got to fly there on top of a two-headed, wingless, physics-defying anomaly. And that was pretty cool.

That was his thought process from about Nuvema to Route 2, after which he returned to feeling very annoyed with his whole situation in general. He had been very busy collecting badges in Johto, thank you very much. I mean, Unova is great and all, but wait your turn, gosh. And he would never get over the fact that they FUCKING STOLE HIS TEAM. His kick-ass, bros-for-life Pokemon team, raised and trained since he started his own ~Pokemon Journey~ back in Sinnoh. STOLEN. And replaced with, the fucking irony of it -- #001 Bulbasaur. A fucking starter. Some kind of sick joke on the part of whatever evil crime syndicate was behind this mess -- oh, he's on to you Team Rocket or whoever the hell's stupid idea it was to kidnap DAVE: CHAMPION OF SINNOH AND INDIGO LEAGUES. And half of the Silver Conference League. Hey, he was working on it.

Anyway. Dave strolls casually around the base camp, taking occasional drags from his cigarette. He checks the time on his Xtransceiver every now and then and manages to look very bored amid all the hubbub. So these are the other chumps, huh? All the other sad folks who got sucked up by the Entralink. He gives a little unimpressed grunt and finds a wall to lean up against nonchalantly -- are you even supposed to touch the walls? He looks up at the ceiling, exhaling a puff of smoke. Whatever.

His cigarette spent, he flicks it to the ground and smothers it with the toe of his shoe. A quick glance around doesn't reveal anyone who seems to be in charge, so he just inclines his head towards the nearest person and addresses them.]

Hey, yo! Are we just supposed to poke around or what?

[united-mods.livejournal.com]

Well, hello, Dave, and welcome to Unova. Luckily, you caught the attention of one of the NPCs also assisting.
Good for you.
I guess.
Anyway, they come over - with a serious look, of course. This is serious times.
"The plans, as I've heard them, are to just try going down to the bottom. Last time somebody tried it, they were stopped on the fourth floor - but something about you guys fills Lenora with hope."
Oh, and the whole robot-things stirring and some of them were from here it seemed and something might have triggered.
That's also a reason.

[withmyfluffbat.livejournal.com]

[But you also get an Iris, looking over you. She hasn't seen you over the network before - and she watches that thing a lot (more then Emmet, even). She's still surrounded by her PokePals - she's not making a move to start working. She's got a bit of a bad feeling in her gut right now.]
...Did you just arrive in Unova?

[temporalbabble.livejournal.com]

[The nearest person happens to be the Doctor, who looks up from his close inspection of the opposite wall to offer a slight shrug.]
Well, I s'pose so! That is what exploring usually involves, yeah?

[He reaches into the pocket of his coat and retrieves... a pair of what appear to be 3D glasses. After he has them on, he returns to his examination of the wall.] Granted, this is more of an excavation than an exploration, given the letter that Lenora woman sent out... And she said what we were looking for would be at the lowest level of this place. So we are meant to get to the bottom of things-- Quite literally! [He looks up briefly to give another grin, then returns to the wall. The Kirlia at his heels rolls her eyes.]

But, really, I don't see the harm in poking around just a bit. Seem to be interesting enough things right where we are now!

Eridan's Intro~

[caligulatrainer.livejournal.com]

[At first Eridan was unsure as to whether or not it was a smart idea to come to Relic Castle, something about the entire arrangement sounded sketchy, or maybe he had just been looking too much into it. However, he quickly came to a agreeable revelation. With ruins came treasure, and those might consist of anything from precious metals to legendary weapons of the deadly kind, the latter of which he desperately sought. While he had not been successful in destroying all land dwellers on Alternia here he was in a new world and this had another chance to accomplish his goal.

The entire concept had also reminded him of his days of FLARP, also known as extreme roleplaying, which had awarded him with a vast amount of treasures and endless entertainment.

It was getting more enticing by the second and ultimately Eridan had ended up riding the bird provided to the ruins. At the moment the young troll stood triumphantly in front in the middle of the room, his posture that as if he had already accomplished something. He gazed at the wall, expecting to see clues that would indicate something like the entrance to a secret corridor or room. As he moved closer to examine the wall further he paid no mind to the other occupants of the room. They were his rivals and also served a small purpose in helping him achieve his goal.

His Pokemon Skyhorse, on the other hand, was in it's Pokeball which was clipped onto Eridan's scarf, the safest place it could be. Eridan had quickly realized that the Horsea didn't do too well on land and had deduced that it would be better for them if it was kept there unless needed, for simplicity's sake.

Crouching down to get a better look at something he muttered to himself.]

Nothing yet.

Re: FIRST FLOOR

[brightvesperia.livejournal.com]

Estelle waved goodbye to the Doduo that carried her here and let out a small sigh. Narrowing her eyes, Estelle braved the bit of the sandstorm before finally entering the Relic Castle.

"Wooooow~" Estelle gasped, awestruck at the architecture. She remembered that some people were organizing this event too.

"Um, hello? Is anyone there?" Estelle called out, walking further into the structure, admiring the walls while she could.

Re: FIRST FLOOR ALSO TOPH GET OVER HERE.

[sweetstrainer.livejournal.com]

Stocking coughed out sand frantically as Toph and her had braved the sandstorm to come out and entertain themselves.

"Uggggh, it's all over my clothes..." Stocking grimaced, patting the sand off her garments. "You look fine and dandy though, Earth Girl. Think you had some trouble walking over though," Stocking frowned at her partner, wondering if she was alright.

[pokeball-afro.livejournal.com]

[It is with great reluctance that Miror B. keeps his background music turned off as he haunts a distant corner of the main room. Not that he is the kind of person that can haunt effectively, he is much too colorful. Anyway, he is being as unobtrusive as he can possibly be -- even if that isn't saying much -- and quietly observing all the amateur archaeologists in the room.

Since Emmet had made it oh-so-clear that he didn't want his spotless reputation tarnished, Miror had generously decided to keep his distance from the Subway Boss during this thing. Well, to appear to keep his distance, anyway. Besides, he had a regular Team going, plenty of lackeys to hang out with, potentially sabotage expeditions with. You know.

He tilts his head, pulling down his shades a tad to better identify the faces of the people around him. Some of them he recognizes from the Xtransceiver network, some he doesn't. There are a few he is looking for in particular, and not just his underlings. People he knew to avoid, or people he intended to focus some particularly malicious sabotage on...

But, yes, lovely lackeys. He is supposed to meet up with Proto Man Resix here, and surely Demyx was around here somewhere... Oh, there are so many things to do! Miror grins and quietly hums a tune, tapping his foot on the sandy ground. He has a feeling this is going to go well.]

In which Terezi begins to do things.

[skittlesenses.livejournal.com]

[Terezi hadn't exactly been up to much since her arrival in Unova; having been sidetracked in Nimbasa City for quite a long time (there was so much to smell! You know how it goes when one is new to the city experience), the prospect of exploring ruins had managed to catch her attention. It would be like her old FLARPing days, she had decided, and there was simply no way she would pass up the opportunity.

Unfortunately, she had failed to anticipate how difficult navigating the Relic Castle would prove to be. There was sand everywhere, and sand, for the most part, smelled and tasted the same throughout. She didn't have eyes to navigate with like most of the other people here, and the uniformity was greatly hindering her senses. Detective Creamsicles, her Charmander, seemed rather unimpressed by the whole ordeal and was making it very clear to his Trainer via constant whining that he was ready to get a move on.]

This is a delicate matter, Detective! [She reprimanded the small reptile;] We have to proceed carefully! Everything smells the same. My cane will only be so useful if I can't get around normally.

SECOND STORY

[united-mods.livejournal.com]

Also throwing up this one now when people feel like moving on down - still lots of stuff distracting me IRL.

Welcome to the second floor. I'm guessing there's two different ways you got here. If you fell - then owie for you. When you're out of this, you may need to check out your buttweesimos. But for now, you'll need to continue your adventure down and worry about that later.

HOWEVER. There's a Krookodile in the way, guarding the way back up! Oh noes! It's at level 45 (!!!), and it's ready to fight! I hope you're ready to fight back, too. For those of you who are observant, you may notice that there's something stuck in it's tail. It hurt and mad, bro - you could either defeat it or try and remove that object. [Note that it can't be captured - if you do try and throw a Pokemon, it'll either rip it apart or swallow.]

[the-nth-power.livejournal.com]

[N fell. He has the natural grace of royalty, I tell you.

It takes him a moment to recover from his rather spectacular tumble, but there's nothing like impending danger to keep you moving quickly. He gets to his feet once he sees the Krookodile, and calls his Pokemon to him. The Krookodile obviously overpowers his current team, but there doesn't seem to be any other way out.

Thankfully, being observant is a specialty of his; he notices the damage done to the Pokemon's tail, and immediately understands. Now, if he can just immobilize it...]

Zorua... can you distract it? [The fox Pokemon quickly shields herself in an illusion-- the form of Sigilyph-- and makes a dash for the Krookodile.] Sigilyph, Hypnosis! [The real Sigilyph gives an affirmative chime and heads for the Krookodile as well, from a different direction, sending out the attack.

N versus an overpowered Krookodile. JUST LIKE OLD TIMES.]

[pokeball-afro.livejournal.com]

[It is probably the least elegant entrance in Miror B.'s illustrious history of elegant entrances, but, considering the small avalanche of sand and the unknown distance he had to fall, landing on even one foot is pretty impressive. He hops awkwardly, trying to prevent an all-out stumble, and, as quickly as he can manage it, stands up straight.

Coolly, he removes his shades and shakes his head, dislodging a cloud of sand from his afro. He wipes the shades clean with his scarf, replacing them before peering around his new surroundings.

It takes less than a second to notice the Krookodile. Miror frowns and pulls two Pokeballs from his pocket, keeping a wary eye on the angry Pokemon. Luckily it seems to be guarding the way up, which is fine with Miror. That'll definitely give people trouble following them.] Resix? Haven't lost you yet, have I, darling? [He quickly glances around for Proto Man.] Get looking for the way to the next floor, I'll keep this brute busy.

STOCKING AND TOPH VS KROOKODILE

[sweetstrainer.livejournal.com]

Trotting out from the last step, Stocking took a moment to... not give a shit about the architecture as there was, as Toph had sensed beforehand, a Pokemon down here.

And it looked angry.

"Heh, this big enough for you, Earth Girl?" Stocking teased her partner, kicking off one of her shoes and pulling down her right sock.

In an instant, she warped it into the Stripe sword form.

"Ready?"

[arsenictrainer.livejournal.com]

[CRASH.] Owww...

[That was an exciting drop. By 'exciting', of course, we mean 'pitfalls are really really stupid.' Her fishy companion ought to be following any time now—the two members of her cat posse have already dropped down with her, landing on their feet as cats do.]

You guys okay? That was a purrety purrcarious dr— [wait oh my god that is a really big crocodile eridan where did you go]

THIRD LEVEL because posting the other floors now because we should hurry upppp

[united-mods.livejournal.com]

This is a rest level - one for you to heal up and make sure you're okay. No gimmicks here - oh, except there's no stairs. Rocks are surrounding them (from that Pokemon fight.) So you'll need to jump.

OOPS I'M A GOOD READER YUP I misread darkness floor as floor 3

[noplaidshirt.livejournal.com]

[Sometime after her little Troll Culture 101 session with Eridan, Paprika completely misses all the Krookodile action (which is probably for the best) and strolls right on down to floor three. Looking around, she realizes that maybe running off from your group of far more competent people to chat up one alien kid who turns out to not even be friends with the other one wasn't the smartest idea. So she'll just sit here and wait. Yeah.]

FOURTH STORY

[united-mods.livejournal.com]

This floor... is the one which is the hardest. For, you see, firstly - it'll be pretty hard for you to leave, seeing as the stairs are surrounded by rocks. And secondly? There doesn't seem to be an exit. The darkness has also made this floor hard to see - but it's an unnatural sort of darkness.

And is that your shadow, moving on its own, in the dim lighting? Maybe it is. Maaaaybe it is.

[pokeball-afro.livejournal.com]

[Miror B.'s landing on the fourth floor is characteristically elegant: he is quite used to the distance one had to fall now, and, besides, they landed on a rather smooth area. Whether the same can be said of Paprika, who he drug down with him, he can't be sure. Anyway, he releases her hand and squints around, trying to make out the shape of the room. The Baltoy he had released on the Third Story floats gently down to his side, its psychic energy casting a hazy purplish light into the inky darkness. Miror grins at the Pokemon.]

Thank you, my lovely; you were sure to cover the area quite completely, yes? [The Baltoy chimes a hollow note in agreement, and Miror nods happily.] Fabulous! That should give us some time. I'd forgotten N might be here! Oh-so-inconvenient. [He looks down at Paprika.] Well? Come on! We have to find that stone, darling!

latelatelate but I can't resist

[temporalbabble.livejournal.com]

[It takes a bit of an effort, but the Doctor manages to make his landing safely. Er, at least... safer than his previous landings. His ever-so-graceful Kirlia seems to float down effortlessly to a spot beside him. And what does he look up to? Darkness.

It's immediately unnerving. It's not... normal darkness-- that much he can tell. It's eerie, even as he takes out his malfunctioning sonic screwdriver to create a bit of bluish light with which to see. He glances down at the floor, and sees a flicker of movement-- very brief, but it's... his shadow, moving on its own. Did he imagine it? No, he's seen this before.

Panic strikes.] No, no, no, no, that can't be, that's--! [Vashta Nerada: the shadows that melt the flesh. Or is it... something else entirely?

He stays absolutely still as he tries to slow his rapid breathing. Donna peers up at him curiously and begins to tug impatiently on his coattails, urging him in her Kirlia language to "get a move on already".]

FINAL THINGIE

[united-mods.livejournal.com]

So, you solved the Fourth Level? Good job, you're winner. Because this is where our adventure ends.
You see, somebody has left the Dark Stone out there. In the open. It's almost like... it's a trap. Are you gonna be the one to grab it? If you are - well, be careful, I guess.