CAMP ALPHA: for everyone who wanted a crossover between summercamp and Ghost Adventures

[indigo_league]

Who: Everyone who came to Camp Alph
Where: The Ruins of Alph
When: July 18th-21st
Summary: This is a log for all the camping shenanigans your heart desires! For part 2 of the event, there will be a second log to keep the ensuing seance situation separate from the all-purpose ruin-exploration adventures. Participation in part 2 will be entirely voluntary, so feel free to tag on part 1 as long as you like! For more information about this event, check out the info post over here!
Rating: PG-13
Log:


Been to the Ruins of Alph before? Are you an old hat at this stuff? Well turn everything you thought you knew UPSIDE DOWN because EVERYTHING. IS DIFFERENT NOW.

… Or at least, that’s what the flyers being passed out under a canopy of cheap Celebi balloons that are bobbing around in the breeze say.

One thing’s for sure, there sure are a lot more tents than normal. By the time most of you casuals get there, the entire picnicking area, usually quite spacious, has been turned into a small tent city. And the excited atmosphere is palpable.

The crackle of the Ruin Rangers’ walkie-talkies mingles with that of the ghost-hunting equipment toted around by excited Hex Maniacs, burbling Unown are drifting here and there to blink curiously at all the new people and Pokemon suddenly on their turf, and chatter from Legend Seekers of all ages (really, of ALL ages-- everyone from Youngsters to Veterans have apparently been swept up in the Seeker-mania!) rings out as stories and speculations are swapped.

There’s lots to do, plenty to explore, and (according to word on the grapevine), more than enough spooky rituals to perform once the night falls.

Will you solve some tile puzzles and fall into an underground chamber? Stick to the main group and make s’mores? Befriend a floating letter (or twenty-four)? Go directly against the advice of the tired-looking Rangers and play One Man Hide-and-Seek in the dark?

Or, most importantly, will you start a small-scale riot in order to keep the loud static boxes away from the tents where you’re trying to sleep?

Comments

Dr. Peter Venkman / The Real Ghostbusters / ota

[neverstudied]

[Out of the three Ghostbusters in this dimension, Venkman was probably the most reluctant to go to this thing. That's not necessarily a dig at the camp itself- just a fact. Ray and Egon would sell their organs to come here if they had to, and Venkman's here mostly just to watch them get excited (Ray unrestrained, Egon with a thick layer of stoicism that makes the slightly unhinged, manic look in his eyes so much more nerve-wracking).

... On top of that, Ray and Egon ditched him (IE: asked him to come, and he refused, multiple times) for a few weeks to go explore some forests and catch some bugs, and it's been a while since he's seen them. So Venkman shows up early- very early. Like, "sir we haven't really set anything up yet" early. Like "this event doesn't start for another day or two did you get the date wrong" early.

Venkman explains it away to anyone who asks as him just happening to plan a trip out here and it coinciding with the Legend Seekers' plans. The truth is painfully obvious the second he actually sees Ray and Egon again- because of course, they're sure as hell not gonna be late.

... Still, even if he's not quite as into this as his partners, he knows his shit. Mostly.]

You guys are using store-bought Ouija boards? God, this is amateur hour.

[Which mostly means he feels entitled to complain.

A lot.]

How many times do I gotta tell you people, tinfoil hats do nothing to stop Psychic interference. You're setting yourself up for failure.

[And every single NPC is gonna hear it.]

What the fuck is a spirit box?

[Whenever he gets done berating and badgering the Legend Seekers for their methods, Venkman'll usually be found around the fire pit, regaling whatever Legend Seekers don't hate him after his critiques with stories about past busts. Some of these really sound farfetched, to be honest, but hey, what do you know? Maybe Houdini really did have a magic cabinet and Venkman got trapped inside there once. Maybe Venkman did help retrieve the Shears of Fate from a gaggle of demons for the Fates from Greek Mythology. Maybe a parade float inflated in a warehouse that used to be a city morgue really did turn into a gigantic praying mantis ghost and had to be fought off by a giant marshmallow man that used to be the form of an ancient Sumerian god.

... Man, what is wrong in New York City.

While Venkman's off either making a fool of himself or others, a few of his Pokemon seem especially interested in the surrounding ruins. Roach the Golisopod evolved here, after all- and Georgie the Kecleon was captured here. So was Plunderbird the Klefki, by its previous owner. Don't be too alarmed if you run into this trio while exploring- they don't bite.

... Plunderbird might bite if it could, though. It's a wily little thing. But it also knows the ruins like the back of its hand, so if you happen to be lost, just follow the jingling tools! Georgie and Roach will do their best to keep it from leading the wrong way.]

[OOC: hmu on plurk (glitchbirds) if you have any questions or have anything specific you'd like to thread out!

Additionally, while they're not mentioned here, Venkman's also got his Mimikyu, Beheeyem, and Honchkrow with him, so if you'd like something specific involving one of them, lmk!]

:3c

[pkemeter]

[Venkman doesn't actually see Egon--at least, not at first. Rather, he spots a cloud of dust down the road, growing larger and larger with each passing second. A figure looms in the distance, and it becomes quickly clear that the source of the dust is a Scolipede galloping at top speed towards the Ruins. As Venkman is able to make out more details, he may realize that there are two figures clinging to the bug's back for dear life.

For a bug, Scolipede moves fast. Sir Wigglesworth doesn't care if he leaves his passengers in the dust, for he has a destination and he will arrive on time regardless of what his trainer says or does, even if he means he has to drag him and his partner from their frog hunting and run off down Route 32.

As Sir Wigglesworth gets closer, he spots Venkman and suddenly begins charging directly towards him, his head lowered like an enraged bull ready to gore a fighter in the ring. The bug stops short about a foot away, skidding to a stop and throwing up a cloud of dust in his wake. The Scolipede towers above Venkman as he casts a judging eye down towards him. He lets out a snort, his antenna twitching back and forth.

Egon coughs and clears his throat, trying to wave the dust away. He's sitting in a rather awkward position and trying not to fall over. Behind him sits Ray, clinging to both Egon and Sir Wigglesworth's exoskeleton plates for dear life. In a deadpan tone, Egon looks towards Venkman and says--]

Hello, Peter.

[pikapikajankenpo]

[Normally Yayoi would be with Sasami with this, but she was setting up the tent, having veered the kid to the spot. With her whole Aliens thing, it would be a fun little getaway with literal ghosts and supernatural fliers peppering the area.

And hey, if they could meet up with Peter, it would be more of a bonus.]

Hey, Peter! The tinfoil getting to you? [she asked with a grin.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[GEEK FIGHT GEEK FIGHT]

[That's the primary thought that crosses Heather's mind when she overhears Venkman's dramatic lamenting over the Seekers' spirit-seeking methods (as though she hadn't been just as much of a dork for bogus paranormal stuff when she'd been a kid, and also as though she hasn't already been listening to geek fights between the archaeologists and the Seekers since she arrived-- IT'S JUST THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!!).]</sub>

Ugh, storebought?

It's almost like these guys have never lovingly carved one out of the wood of a yew tree growing over the grave of a cursed Confederate soldier before.

_{[The delivery is pretty deadpan, but the grin gives it away. She is loving the nerd drama.]}

[outofhershadow]

[Geez, this is like nerd central. Lena's always up for a bit of troublemaking or poking around dark and spooky places, but all the people here... that takes the fun out of it. This whole camping expedition is making the ruins seem more like some kind of tourist trap than actual spooky fun-to-explore ruins, so Lena's interest has been fading fast.

But... Webby has been pretty excited about it. So she's gunna stay. And maybe go bother some people she knows; but when she sees Venkman, she can see he's more bothered by other people, and Lena lets out a snorting laugh as she watches him argue with some of the other Legend Seekers.]

Oh man, "spirit boxes" [said complete with air quotes] are super hokey things people on ghost hunting shows use. Something about scanning radio signals and picking up voices in the static? It's hilariously fake.

Jane Crocker | Homestuck | OTA

[cyan_maid]

[Oh, this should be quaint, Jane thought when she caught wind of the Legend Seeker's newest event. Camping in the ruins, telling ghost stories? Sounds like something out of one of Jake's beloved cheesy 80's kids movies. So, yeah, why not go? It's not like Jane has much else to do this summer.

There's a couple of places you can find Jane, but the most prominent area you'll see her is by the campfire, maintaining her own little cooking setup. Yes, that's a Dutch Oven pot. Yes, she always has an array of cooking spices in her backpack, it's essential supplies! And no, it's fine, there are so many basic hamburger patties that breaking some up, dumping a can of beans in, and flavoring it all to heck won't put a dent in the supply. Really, she's asked permission to make campfire chili, do you want some? While that's stewing, though, Jane is instructing her Audino, Dinah, in the essential skill of smores assembly.

When it comes to the spooky spirit stuff, well, Jane's always found it a bit hokey, and even in a world where you can literally befriend ghosts and have them battle for you, the whole "ghost hunting" thing is pretty much total bullshit, right? So she keeps her distance. Instead, she heads into the ruins to do some puzzle busting, and...

For real, the girl keeps decimating these puzzles. Once you figure out how the outer pieces go, the inner ones are a matter of careful shifting. So it's not surprising that she lands in the lower chamber quite often - often enough that an Unown starts waiting for her whenever she drops in.]

Oh - it's you again?

[How does she know it's the same J as the last three times? Intuition. But besides that, hopefully she didn't drop in on you doing something important.]

ruins

[neverstudied]

You can tell these things apart? Christ, I can barely tell which letter they're supposed to be half the time.

[Venkman's taking a well-needed break from harassing the Legend Seekers. Though really, the Legend Seekers are the ones who deserve the break from him. There's a Beheeyem with him- Sigourney- hovering a few feet away, tracing patterns on the wall with her "hands". Anything within a few feet from her can faintly feel the sense of curiosity coming off of her in waves.]

CHILI TIME

[foolishwren]

<sub>[With the enormous variety of people at this event, it's no surprise that a lot of folks brought their own food... but that chili? Oh god. How can you resist the smell of a good chili.]

[Someone sure can't.]

[Something rustles in the grass behind Jane and her Pokemon as a small shape attempts to creep up towards the pot-- but sneakiness isn't exactly Ginger's specialty so without bothering to wait for very long at all, the ruddy Rockruff soon pops out and tries to dunk her entire face in the sizzling stew.]</sub>

ruins

[starry_forehead]

[Dipper is also deep in the lower chambers. At the moment he's actually taking a break from the puzzle solving and sketching and interesting puzzle into one of his journals. Hearing someone, he'll turn around with his flashlight.]

Ah!

...um...sorry I didn't see you there.

[Please ignore the scream.]

Ruins...

[uber_marionettist]

The chambers below are the opposite of riveting. Monocular floating Roman letters aside, there just isn't much to see. The dubiously sentient things sure seem to think he's a sight for sore eyes, though. There are dozens of them, clustering around him in ever-shifting patterns, glistening single eyes blinking (or not blinking) like ripples in water, and the way they stare at him, it's almost familiar.

"Sure. Eye spy you too." The ceiling shifts, a sound of dry stone scraping itself into grit and sand against more of the same. A faint dusting of sediment warns him before the sky actually falls, long enough for him to make an attempt at shooing the Unown away.

"Show's over. Do I have to carve a path here or are you gonna make yourselves scarce for me?"

Then the upper floor parts and most of the semiotic scopophiles scatter--

All but one. A single iteration of a single grapheme hangs around, as though waiting specifically for the body dropping in from above.

Dirk does not say anything when she lands maybe a yard away, her back to him. The lone drifter catches her attention--

Oh - it's you again?

And Dirk's mouth runs interference.

"Funny. I was just about say the same thing."

Campfire

[ghoststanning]

[Ray's been chilling by the campfire roasting marshmallows when he can't help but notice Jane's setup. He eyes the spices and pots with wonder.]

Whoa, is this all yours?

Thida | Splatoon | OTA

[agent3]

[Camping. Real camping, not travel-camping but actual staying in one place camping outside, in the summer. Summer camping. Summer camp? Is this summer camp?

This, Thida decides, is totally a summer camp, and by God she has always wanted to go to one. Not just for a three-minute Turf War a la Camp Triggerfish, but a real extended stay roughing it in a tent. So of course, she makes sure to try a little bit of everything.

One place you'll see the squid kid is in Pokemon battles on the outskirts of the ruins, far enough not to damage anything or hurt anyone, with various NPC Trainers. She's got Maika, Buru, Banba, Oku, and Poko with her, and it's just too fun not to battle with so many different people who are all so excited. Though...it gets a little old pretty quick when it's evident no one has brought their stronger teams to what is essentially a peaceful camping trip. Maybe you have your overleveled teammates who need a bit of exercise - if so, Thida would absolutely accept your challenge!

When it comes to the ruins, there's not much in the way of being smart and investigating them for this kid, but climbing all over everything? Yes, if it's not a weird ledge and no one stops her, Thida is scrambling all over fallen columns and walking along broken lengths of walls. This is going to get her in trouble. Either join her or chide her, the choice is yours.

And then there's the spooky stuff. Ghosts and the like. Thida's never seen a ghost that isn't also a Pokemon, so all these fancy gadgets and the genuine Ouijas are completely fascinating to her. You'll likely see her lingering on the edges of a spirit board session...or yelling back at a spirit box someone left on in an empty chamber as it spams nonsense words. What, this is supposed to talk to ghosts, right? What if she has something to say back?

Otherwise? This kid is chilling at the campfire in smores heaven. Or hotdog heaven. Honestly she'll roast both at the same time to rep the Squid Sisters. They'd be proud she didn't want to exclude either one in her stick-roasting exploits.]

Want some? I got lots.

[She does, indeed, have lots of sticks at the ready for roasting either marshmallows or hotdogs. There was one failed attempt at roasting both on one stick at the same time. Trust her, it doesn't work.]

spirits

[neverstudied]

[Venkman's willing to sit aside and let people have their fun with the Ouija boards- after all, the Hasbro kind can usually still work, but they're less effective than building one from your own materials- many spirits prefer a bit of craftsmanship and personal touch, something that shows the speaker is invested in the conversation. Still, he'll bite his tongue and sulk in silence once people stop listening to him complain.

But what he's not gonna take quietly- because they're sure as hell not being quiet themselves- are those spirit boxes. Good God, he hates these things. They didn't exist in the 80s, so he has no frame of reference to whether or not they'll actually work, but at their best they remind Venkman of old prototype PKE Meter's and equipment back at the old lab at Columbia. At worst, they remind him of spiritualist con artists, like Bassingame.

And at their absolute worst, he can't think of what they remind him of, because there's a squid kid shrieking along with it, and oh God Thida-]

I'm begging ya to stop screaming with that thing, kid. It's bad enough on its own, I promise it doesn't need a backup singer.

annie leonhart | attack on titan

[lyingheart]

[ ooc: send me a pm for a starter! closed starters to follow. ♥ ]

for drifter

[lyingheart]

[ Arlert is out, and the Sobble is tucked into Annie's sweatshirt as she waits for the rest of the group to organise themselves before they all head out on trails to the ruins. Libera's packed and ready to go, Lute is sitting at her feet, and that's all; only four of six out, two tucked away in their pokeballs for the time being.

When she spies a familiar face, she pulls herself up into Libera's saddle, then stands on top of it; she's short, and she knows how to take advantage of environment for height. Libera looms over her as it is. Standing next to her Gogoat, Annie is practically invisible otherwise. ]

Wu Ming!

[ And there's Lute trotting up to him as well, dipping his head and his horn in a polite sort of greeting, curious and too intelligent for a creature whose vocalisations stuck between Ab and Sol. ]

Marceline || OTA

[colorpalatable]

SPELLING BEE
Marceline's been having a helluva good time, dipping in and out of the ruins, lurking around the little tent city, befriending the local Unown…

She's hit it off particularly well with five individuals, who seem to be hanging on her every word.

"Haha, okay okay okay, one more time, just like we practiced!"

She makes a grand, sweeping gesture with one hand, and the five creatures follow the motion in the air, arcing in a gentle curve to spell the great new word she's taught them:

B U T T Z

"Nice!"

PUTTING THE "SCARE" IN JUMP SCARE
It sure is dark and spooky down in the lower parts of the ruins. Flashlights only illuminate so much, and make every shadow that much darker. Go down deep enough, and eventually the pleasant buzz of activity generated by the camping masses above ground fades away into nothing, and the only sounds that can be heard are the ones you make yourself. The gentle scrape of footsteps against the dusty ground, the sharp crack of an unseen rock kicked away, and the following echo as it skips along and scuttles to a stop once the momentum is spent. Maybe there's a gentle gust of cool wind, generated by the change in air pressure from somewhere deep, deep down. There might be some occasional rustling, likely just noises made by the resident Unown, curious but skittish so deep underground.

Or…could it be...something else…?

"Boo!"

This time it's totally Marceline. Did she get you?

POFFINS AND SMORES
Marceline's got a cozy campfire all to herself (and her mons), at least for the time being. The sun has gone down, some good scares were had in the ruins, and now it's time to chillax with the girls.

The girls are her three bat pals, a Noibat, a Zubat, and a Woobat. They're all pretty mellow and calm, alternatively fluttering between Marceline's bag, Marceline's hair, and the ground.

Marceline is in the process of arranging some S'mores fixin's, but it's slow going because she keeps getting distracted feeding berries to the bats. This won't stop her from calling out a greeting to anyone who wanders by too close to her fire, though.

"Hey, what's up? Want a S'more?"

Smores!!!!

[be_notorious]

Would he like a smore? Absolutely!

The bottomless pit not currently known as Drifter but as Wu Ming parks his ass right beside of Marceline, settling down by her and her crew of flappy nightmare babies.

"I hope you got a lotta spare ingredients, haha..." Forgive him, he chuckles at his own jokes. He's just like that. Luckily he's not referred to himself in the third person. Much.

"You havin' a good time?"

CARLY NAGISA | OTA

[insidescoop]

[Campfire Songs]

If anything can be said about Carly, it's that she's having the time of her life- or at the very least, is doing a good job of pretending to. She's getting along swimmingly with everyone (or so it seems), to the point where between gleefully taking PokeGear photos, she seems to be...

...Sharing their food?

Alright, so there's an argument that can be made for the idea of her buttering people up for something that isn't instant noodles. Can anyone really blame her?

Besides, mooching of food aside she really does seem to be having fun. Once her tent is finally set up- cot-with-a-roof that it is- she's easily found a short distance from the campfire with her team of pokemon...plus. Extra.

Solitare- the new Alolan Vulpix- is not a party pokemon she will insist when asked, and just needs to be babied. And that's if she's asked- it's hard to catch the joltik from where she's pretending to be a hairclip on Carly's head. And so,

"Oookay, Soli-chan~ One paw, two paw~ One paw, two paw..~"

"Vvvuoooo...~"

She sure is playing patty cake with her puppy, it's FUN NIGHT.

[Puzzles & Chance]

Ultimately, Carly can't really resist trying some of these sliding puzzles for herself. It isn't as if she's intending to go anywhere soon- she specifically planned to be here for a few days. So she might as well give some puzzles a shot, and as she works at one she seems fairly pleased with herself, rambling away to the Mimikyu, Skiddo, and Golett at her side.

The others might be around, it's really hit and miss. Regardless-

"....don't require much focus at all," she'll eventually be heard saying as one draws near. "It really makes it easy to talk at the same time..! Hmm... ...hmn. ...You know, I wonder if I should just try making my own fortune cards," she continues idly, not really realizing anyone else might or might not be in the room. "I thought about it but there's a lot more than just six elements here! It's really incredible, but trying to assign stuff to 18 different types is really hard and-"

One of two things happen, at this point. Either she notices someone is there, or...

"HIHHH!!!"

Or the puzzle is completed, and suddenly the floor is gone.

"W-Wh- WHAAAAAAT-!"

[SPIRIT BOX]

"MNnnhnnnn...."

At two in the morning, Carly's patience for spirit boxes is low. The tent/cot door opens as a bleary eyed woman yawns, frowning out to wherever the noise is from. Perhaps she's not the only one making complaints- "Can you guys use those s...spirit things somewhere else maybe...? I really need sleep..."

That's probably a Big Fat 'no', sadly.

[WILDCARD - Got ideas? Just pm and we can get a starter going! I'll match formats, on that note.]

[spirit box]

[captainash]

"Wouldn't it be such a shame if they all spontaneously caught on fire and stopped working?"

This suggestion, which is far more deserving of a 'no', comes from a man half draped over a very tired Houndoom. Both trainer and Pokémon look like they've been considering arson for some time already.

"I mean, it'd be doing everyone present a favor, at this point."

Envy | OTA

[exeggutorhead]

[When Heather had first suggested coming on this trip, Envy hadn’t really been sure. Come on, the two of THEM? Going to a mystic ghost finding camp?]

[But she’d been persuasive. The promise of messing with some ghost hunters and getting out somewhere they honestly haven’t been before…AND there’s the disguises she’d jokingly suggested they wear to keep from being noticed as Champions.]

[…"Disguises". Envy’s just got his hair pulled up into a bun instead of his distinctive treelike Look, and a pair of big sunglasses. And his clothes are a lot brighter and colorful than usual. She’d (luckily) convinced him that prosthetic noses would be too much in the heat.]

[But! A disguise is a disguise, however casual, and that had been the final tipping point to getting him and nothing but dark types to Ghost Summoning Central, spending half of a morning dealing with setting up a tent and the rest of the day free to go running around checking out these ruins and trying his best not to get handed a machine making loud, horrible noises.]

[A] Come to have your fortune told

[Not far away from the clusters of tents, a small crowd is beginning to gather. Because when an even taller than normal Incineroar is doing his very best to beckon people over, he does attract attention. And what is he trying to bring people over to? Approach, maybe peer over a shoulder, and you’ll find a Mandibuzz crouched low over a large, flat stone that the two Pokemon clearly dragged over here from somewhere. All the better to be dramatic with.]

[Barker the Incineroar lives up to his name, pointing to various onlookers and gesturing for them to approach the stone, as Fortuna sizes them up with a few tilts and bobs of her head. One taloned foot is raised off the ground, clutching a number of small bones and vertebrae.]

[At least with a Pokemon like Mandibuzz, where those bones might have come from isn’t as unexpected. But if you’re chosen…with a practiced flick of her claw, she’ll toss them all out onto the rock to see how they fall and tell your fortune.]

[In pantomime.]

[And that’s not all that’s going on. As the crowd of curious onlookers gets bigger, one of three little Poochyena noses might find its way into a pocket or a bag to try and make off with a wallet or trinket inside.]

[B] Don’t set off the archeologists…

—everyone messing around with radio static when there’s an entire ancient culture here to study! This slab of stone isn’t a toy, it’s an important relic that needs to be treated carefully! I’m sure if you’ll just listen to my latest theory, I can make you see just how meaningful it really is!

Look, I’m really not—

Just listen! Look, these symbols here are just like the ones on the far side, but when they combine with these others…

[Envy’s been cornered. All he’d wanted to do was push around one of the puzzles in these slabs of rock and see what happened, and maybe he hadn’t really cared how careful he was with it. But come on! It’s a rock, how fragile could it be?!]

[The archeologist adjusts his glasses as he continues on, and he’s actually pretty tall, and blocking the way past. Envy is half considering whether it would be worth it to kick him in the knee and make a run for it, BUT…]

[If someone happens to be walking by, he’ll try to shoot some desperate eye contact their way. HELP. DISTRACT THIS GUY, SOMETHING…]

[C] Late night taboo alchemy lessons

[There’s plenty of people out in the dark with flashlights, plenty of wild rituals going on, but there’s one lesson going on that’s a little more unique. Envy’s got a few lanterns set up around a bigger area of flat dirt path, and he’s being very particular about drawing something in the dirt with a big stick while two Legend Seekers look on, taking notes.]

See, where I’m from, this is the real way to get in touch with the other side. You need to draw the circles just right…have all the materials…even a little bit of your own blood.

[He is, of course, being as dramatic about saying all this as possible. He feels like he has to be, because if he’s going to represent his own world in this melting pot of occult rituals, he’s got to make it sound impressive. Get closer, and you’ll see a half finished transmutation circle drawn in the dirt.]

[Even as a joke, Envy doesn’t really want to do anything more permanent than that. Definitely not chalk.]

For someone really talented, a circle like this could even…bring someone BACK.

[NOBODY HERE KNOWS THE TRUTH. HE CAN SAY WHATEVER DRAMATIC BULLSHIT HE WANTS. And he may be focused on drawing, but he’s all for more of an audience. He’s getting into this! He’ll notice someone walking by, enough to call out:]

Hey, still looking for a weird ritual to join in on? Come summon some abominations right over here!

[D] Wildcard!

[For any other scenario you can think up!]

Did someone say taboo knowledge?

[schachmeister]

[Envy's set-up with the lanterns had drawn the attention of more than just the two legendary seekers. Armin stands there too, hands on his knees as he stares at the transmutation circle Envy is drawing. Armin had never seen anything like this before, which means his normal reaction of 'neat' has immediately shot up to 'I must know everything about this'.

When Envy drops his dramatic 'bring someone back', Armin's hand shoots up immediately, as if he is in a classroom.]

When you say bring someone back, do you mean permanently? Could something like this bring someone back to life?

[His brain is already brimming with more questions, depending on Envy's answer. Looks like he has at least one very rapt student here.]

Shiro | ota

[shiro2hero]

1) CAMP
a) DAYLIGHT
[Honestly, Shiro had some misgivings about this. It seems like every time they get invited anywhere, things end poorly. But...]

[It's been a while since he went out camping. Living on an island, in a house, it sort of puts your camping skills on the fritz. So maybe that is why his first attempt at a tent looks like this. His Aggron looks from the tent to Shiro and back again, somehow managing to look judgmental.]

Look, this is a lot harder than I remember it being...

[Maybe you can step in and help him? Hopefully? He sure needs it.]


b) NIGHT
[And later, once the tent is finally settled, someone has handed him a stick and a hotdog. There's a firepit in front of him, and his Gengar is watching him with some concern. Anyone who knows Shiro probably knows this is a bad idea.]

[He squares up his shoulders.]

Okay. Let's do this, Haunter. [The Ghost pulls a terrified looking face.] I know, I know... but we have to learn someday. Let's hope we don't set the camp on fire.


2) RUINS
[Armed with a flashlight, no pun intended, a ghost, and the rest of his pokemon, Shiro figures he's good to head on inside. Maybe he can find something weird and fascinating for the family. Or maybe just explore a bit. That particular thought has him smiling, distantly.]

[He'd forgotten how good it felt. Breaking into unknown territory. Pressing forward, digging around. Seeing things people might not have ever discovered before.]

[Should anyone nearby be considering heading in, too, he grins at them, and beckons forward.]

Hey, come on! Let's see what's in here.


3) POKEMON
[Of course Shiro brought his pokemon along. His usual group of Aggron, Gallade, Gengar and Incineroar, of course. But a couple of other faces are tagging along as well. A small, shiny Litleo and a cranky old Skarmory hang around his tent.]

[If you're lucky, there's a Gengar poised in front of your tent, pulling a daring balancing act on a ball.]

[If you're unlucky, there's a shiny Gallade trying to put the moves on your pokemon. Please don't hesitate to call out to the Incineroar following him if you need someone to mediate.]

[Or just yank Blue away by the ear, so to speak.]


wildcard;
(( anything else? Hit me up! ))

camp

[schachmeister]

[Armin had been pretty jazzed to discover Shiro was also coming to the camp-out. It had meant they could travel here together. And if it had been any other occasion, they probably would've tent-shared too, but for this trip, Armin had already made plans with Dipper. Doesn't mean they can't hang out for a bit though. Which is why Armin comes over after setting up his own tent, accompanied by his huge, hulking amazon of a Golduck, coming to see if Shiro wants to chat. Or perhaps needs some help.

Or maybe a lot of help.]

Uh. [Just staring at the abomination that may or may not be a tent.] Do you... need a hand?

[More staring. How did Shiro even do that?]

... or maybe an exorcist?

Shadowmaru | ota

[sassymaru]

1) CAMPING
There must be some mistake!

[Excuse you, he is not sleeping on the ground. He is taking one look at the standard tent issued to trainers and breeders, and throwing his hands in the air. How dare you assume this delicate robotic flower is sleeping on the ground!!]

Surely... there are actual beds... somewhere?

[Who's going to break it to him?]


2) BEAUTY... SLEEP?
[Okay, so, with the help of his pokemon, he actually managed to get the tent up and functional. Just in time to flop into a pile of dogs, a frog, and a watchful bug.]

[Who screeches a warning when those loud static boxes go off near the tent.]

[Needless to say, Shadowmaru is storming to the tent flaps, throwing them aside with all the drama his person can muster. Throwing his hands up.]

We are trying to rest! Silence your noisemakers!

[Giant robot manchild sulk mode engaged.]

1

[schachmeister]

[That sure is some very spirited yelling. It stops Armin in his tracks from where he is making his way to the campground, the mienfoo by his side peering around his legs curiously.]

Shadowmaru? What's the matter?

[He heard the bitching complaining, but admittedly, he had been lost in thought enough that he hadn't really absorbed what he was saying.]

Riku | Kingdom Hearts | OTA

[islandshore]

How Mature

[It's been a while since Riku visited the Ruins of Alph, and in his desperate attempts to get out and socialize he's here.

And so is Phantom, his Haunter and resident mischief maker.

Now, Phantom sees opportunity here. Unowns are letters. Letter spell words.

So what's he doing?

He's bribing Unown with snacks he pilfered from Riku's pack, and arranging them to spell BURP and DOODY and all manner of childish things. The FARTZ Unown may have inspired this playful streak.

Riku, in the mean time, heaves an irritated sigh.]

Phantom, will you cut it out? Bad enough that you almost wrecked the puzzle.

[His Charizard, Flare, grunts in irritation, while his Weavile, Slash turns his head away from the hierogrphys on the walls.]

Personally, I think this is a rewarding detour.

Normally, I'd agree, but Zen's still out there with only Slacker to keep her in line, so-

[Shoot. Now Phantom's arranging some Unown to spell BOOTY.

And just as someone approached, too.]

...Look, I can explain.

Campfire Tales

[Spooky stories? Riku rubs his hands together. This is a good activity, and with almost a decade of experiences under his belt here, he's got plenty of tales to tell.

So he leans toward the fire, a smirk on his face.]

So... I could talk about the time this world turned into a pixelated nightmare. Or maybe the time people started getting messed up mutations and Pokemon powers. The world almost ended a couple of times. First with the golems, then with two elemental titans...

[Phantom screeches something that's incomprehensible- it really sounds like static more than anything.]

...Gonna assume that was something about the possessions that happened a few years back, but I'm pretty sure that's happened at least twice.

Spiritual Skepticism

[It's late at night and Riku's watching all the antics unfold. He's just stepped out of a spirit box tents, irritated with how slow the whole "procedure" was.

In lieu of a flashlight, his trusty Charizard Flare strides beside him, while a clearly jittery Nidoking hovers close by his side.]

You know what I don't get?

[There's some grunts and groans from the two monsters.]

...It's the gimmicks. I mean, there are literally ghost Pokemon. Psychic types who can translate for ghosts. Pokemon that used to be humans... So why do we need all these extra gizmos?

[Just as Riku voices his doubts, a Hex Maniac jumps outta the thicket.]

Is that a nonbelieeeeeever I sense?

...Uh. Nope, you got the wrong-

[The Hex Maniac cuts him off with a shrill gasp and a dramatic point.]

Denial! I knew it! You've yet to truly awaken!

[...This is going to be a very long night.]

Pokemon Antics

[As Riku forewarned, Zen the Blastoise is making herself known, with her flashy shades and her very loud, boisterous GRAAAAAAAAAAWRS. Ghosts are scary, right? So clearly the solution is to hide in the bushes, then leap out dramatically while spraying water!

The worst part is that she's trying to encourage Slacker to do the same. But the Nidoking shivers in the bushes, whining and flicking his tail.

The most he manages is a simple step outside and... a wave. A very awkward wave. A 4'6'' purple kaiju waving is... not exactly in the spirit of spoooky spirit hunting.

Another Nidoking, however, steps forth with a deep, throaty roar! This one is blue- a shiny, with a nick in his ear and a scar on his face. He'll snort. He'll snarl, he'll do his best to look terrifying when he makes his appearance!

Until Riku dashes in front of the three roaring beasts before said Nidoking can go on a rampage.]

No! You can't just attack random trainers.

[Cue more roaring, as the shiny Nidoking digs his foot in the dirt. He is a fearsome warrior! He must make his presence known!

Riku offers a stiff, apologetic smile to any trainers close by.]

He's, uh... not much of a people person.

[Elsewhere in camp, a Weavile and Charizard are chilling by the camp. The Weavile a distance away from the fire, what with him being an ice type and all. In fact, he's building himself his own little chill spot with some careful Icy Winds. Do pardon any cool breezes as he acclimates himself. As people walk by, he apologizes in English in a very fake, very stuffy British accent.]

Don't mind me! I'm not much of a summer person. Surely you understand self-preservation!

[Flare rumbles out a laugh and munches on a burger. At least he's not hovering around and juggling his eyeballs like Phantom was earlier.]

[Campfire]

[paladinlost]

Twice with or without counting the costumes? I've lost track of the exact number.

[These are all stories Cecil knows, of course, but that won't stop him from listening. Or from offering subtly alarming details to creep the newer kids out. He's even brought his Trevenant along for 'ambiance'.]

Heather Mason | Silent Hill | OTA

[foolishwren]

<sub>[So Heather's been a little scarce lately, and not for no reason.]

[Scouting for a gym location is all fun and good except for the part where actually settling on a location depends on two people and nothing feels quite right and also maybe your boyfriend is depressed?? She might be a Champion now, but she has never been suited to a lifestyle of all work and no play, so fuck it, man, maybe a break is what they both need.]

[It had taken some convincing ("Hey wanna go watch some of these dingbats get possessed by ghosts?" "... Ugh, I don't wanna deal with the fanboys..." "... What if we go in disguise?" "!!!!"), but they're HERE and ready to watch the rangers chasing a bunch of sweaty nerds around.]

[Her 'disguise' is really not much more than the fact that she let her hair go black and trimmed it a little shorter than normal, but hey. If someone recognizes her, so be it, she'll throw them a soda from the cooler, wink, and go "Shhhhhh."]



[When she's not just hanging out in front of her tent people-watching, she'll be strolling around to give her Pokemon (she didn't bring any of her signatures on account of them being a dead giveaway at this point, although having Two Entire Shinies and a walking science experiment with her might kind of make the point of being incognito moot) a chance to stretch their legs.]</sub>

[shiro2hero]

[Yeah, that walking science experiment is a dead giveaway. Especially for other pokemon. Kuro remembers Snitter from the beach incident, and makes a beeline for the weird little guy, dragging Shiro in his wake.]

[Give him a second to recognize her...]

Heather? [And a once-over.] Your hair looks... like you stole my look.

Dirk Strider | Homestuck (+Epilogues) | OTA

[uber_marionettist]

1. Obnoxiously Written Prompt

Look who's 5'5" and dressed like a goddamn ninja, solving this wall puzzle much more slowly than he needs to--which is to say, somewhere short of lightning speed. It's barely even a puzzle. He could have done it in seconds. But simple tasks are the worst. It's so much fucking harder, his thoughts spinning out of bounds no matter what point of view he chooses: first person, second person, even third gives him too much room to think.

'Dirk is doing the puzzle. Dirk solves the puzzle. Good job, Dirk!'

He slides another tile.

Yeah. There go his thoughts.

But there's nowhere to go.

Where can you go without escape, without control?

You slide another tile.

Sure, there's the illusion of mimesis created by the game structure, but it's undercut by the lack of metatextual insight, a loss simultaneously excruciating and totally painless, an analgesiac of total blindness. The narrative structure and form you're constantly spinning an approximation of in your own mind is all the more agonising for the brief contacts made with something resembling substance.

It's not especially comforting, standing before the crumbling clay and stone relief of a sliding tile puzzle for the second time, to know that this is either meaningless or out of your control. But you're getting used to that.

You slide another goddamn tile.

The floor drops open under you, and you're ready for it--it happened the exact same way the last time you did this, weeks ago, and your bare right hand catches the dusty edge of bare stone, gritty under your fingertips as you swing your legs up and forward over your own head, a perfect flip. In the second before you let go, there's an instant in which to decide: forward into the wall, from which you can kick off of and propel yourself up to land behind the hole, back on the floor you'd just threatened to fall through.

Or you can keep his position in space and fall, but in a way you control.

You fall.

You don't control anything. You never do.

But you score 10/10 on the landing.

2. Less Obnoxiously Written Prompt

Dirk isn't interested in the whole campout sleepover meetup shebang. While that absolutely appears to be the thrust of the thing for many of the attendees, he has his suspicions about the reality of this little number. His ideal truth is that the aggregate number of bodies present is meant to draw out whatever legend it is these legend seekers are here to seek. An equally likely and much more unproductive possibility is that this is basically a PR campaign, for whatever reason or good that produces.

The final theory is also fully plausible, and goes like this: the legend seekers are functionally idiots and no one cares because they're having fun.

Well. Whatever the case may be, Dirk isn't willing to be part of the crowd. He doesn't want to deal with that, he doesn't want to be caught in it. He is, however, willing to help things along as only he knows how: by taking over one of the spirit boxes, opening it up, and tuning it. To what? He doesn't know yet. But he lets his Rotom out for once, just to supervise, and it flits around him, buzzing along with the noise--and the little fucker is matching pitch.

Damned if that means anything, but he's running with it. You wanna make an omelet, you gotta break a few eggs.

Eggs, in this case, are other people's eardrums.

Wild Card

[What is a top level but a series of guesses? Hit me up by PM or railerat and we can do something else!]

2

[shiro2hero]

... Unfortunately for Dirk, and for his Rotom, there is a Pokemon lurking about who is very, very aware of the sound Rotoms make. After all! One of his best friends is a Rotom! So, naturally, Blue the Gallade comes bursting out of his trainer's tent, chirping eagerly.

Hello? Zappy? Is that you, oh Rotom best buddy you?

Upon realizing he has made a grave error, Blue skids to a stop. Tilting his head to one side. Then the other. As if he's sizing up this unfamiliar face. Okay -- he doesn't know this human. Or this Rotom. So clearly, it is time to make a good first impression.

Blue strikes a dramatic pose. As if there's fireworks going up behind him or... something equally ridiculous. Witness him!

[lifebloomsanew]

Despite the fact that Rose has a very packed summer, she can't miss the overnight camp in the ruins. Real ghosts! Just like in the movies back on Earth! It's enough to pull her away from her Amazing Human Summer Vacation for the few days the camp is being held.

A - Super Doof In The Ruins of Alph

Doofy the Bidoof is just as curious about this place as his trainer, but for a different sort of reason. This is a scary old place full of ghosts! And look at all these humans and pokemon! If this isn't a place that needs a super hero, he doesn't know what is. And he is here to fight any nasty spooks and keep everybody safe!

Which is why he's in his Super Doof costume, red and yellow striped cape and eye mask and all. He's patrolling the outside of the ruins, humming what sounds suspiciously like a cartoon theme song under his breath. He's sniffing at every corner and peeking over every ledge, ready and eager to find a chance for some heroics!

B - Rose Quartz Goes Ghost Hunting

This was it! Ghost hunting!

Rose is decked out in a Legend Seeker's t-shirt and a pair of khakis. She even has a miner's headlamp for at night and a backpack full of emergency supplies and things she thinks ghosts might like. She is Prepared for this. She's got a oujia board box tucked under one arm, a pamphlet in her back pocket, and she's gotten her hands on an EMF meter.

This woman is going to meet a ghost.

You can find her creeping all over the ruins, sometimes getting distracted attempting to coax the Unown to play. It's hard to miss her, an eight foot tall pink haired woman every so often calling out 'hello ghosts!' at any spot she sees that looks like it could be particularly haunted.


C - Fireside Chilling


Even ghost hunters need a break, and that fire is very appealing. Not to mention the marshmallows. In between venturing out to try and make contact, Rose settles herself by the fire with her shiny Snubull - who is just as interested in the marshmallows. The pair get right to roasting multiple marshmallows on a stick each, and Rose is eager to turn to her fireside companions.

"Have you talked to any ghosts yet?"

b

[starry_forehead]

Dipper is also ghost hunting! I mean aside from the Phantump next to him. That's just his starter, helping him investigate.

"You might have better luck if you keep the yelling down. A lot of ghosts tend to hide." He thinks for a moment. "Or wait until it's a creepy moment to jump out at you and scare you."

Korra | OTA

[bent_the_world]

Korra was honestly expecting something a lot sillier and ridiculous. She has no problem with the Legend Seekers, but she does think they're a little goofy. This? A much more serious set up than she'd expected.

And while spirits in this world aren't exactly the same as spirits in hers...whatever, it's still general spirit-y stuff and that's kind of her and Botan's whole deal. Well, Botan's whole deal and half of Korra's. Three quarters, probably.

Besides, there's a sense of fun to the whole thing. Like the Ouija Boards. Korra picks one up and scoffs, turning to whoever happens to be around that is not a Legend Seeker.

"Do you think this kind of stuff actually works? Seems like spirits would have way better things to do than hang around waiting to awkwardly talk with us." At least they usually do.

The Spirit Boxes are also weird. Korra can be found poking them. Literally poking them with a wooden spoon. She's trying to see if poking changes the creepy, dying radio station noises spitting out of them. She's half convinced there's one of those electricity manipulating Pokemon nearby or maybe inhabiting the boxes.

And of course she'll be hanging around The Big Camp Fire and helping herself to s'mores fixings.

Ouija Board

[notyourgoddess]

Maya is looking over the Oujia Board herself.

"I've got no clue. This world is the first one I've actually seen ghosts on. Maybe they get bored here."

Closed to Dipper

[schachmeister]

[The setting: a tent. The time: night. The activity: definitely not sleeping.

Which is not to say Armin and Dipper are up to any funny business. Oh no. There is only the most above-board, serious mystery trading going on here. Very professional.

Armin is laying on his stomach in the tent, a copy of the map he got from Nephelis laying in front of him, a notebook and pen at the ready. He's already marked down the two additional marks that are on Dipper's map but not on his own. His Shiinotic, Gus, sits in the opened tent flap, his cap glowing and bathing the inside of the tent in a shimmery, slightly ethereal light. Who needs flashlights when you have got a gentle shroom buddy? Which is not to say Armin doesn't also have a flashlight at hand -- the one Dipper gave him for Christmas, to be exact. After all, you never know when you might need a flashlight!]

All right. [Armin gestures with his pen at the map.] I promised to tell you about what I saw out here [He pointed at the golden mark off the whirl islands.] so I guess we should start there and then afterwards we can compare the rest of the marks we visited.

[starry_forehead]

[The most professional mystery trades ever. Dipper's also got out his map, a journal, a pen. Another flashlight and his uv light. Everything you need to be way too into this.]

That sounds like a good start.

[He's also got the new marks on his own map that he'd been missing.]

What did you see there?

[ghoststanning]

[If you thought Ray wouldn't be all over this, you're dead wrong. Sure, he's already thoroughly investigated the Ruins and all its puzzles but like heck is he going to miss out on this!

He spends most of his time hanging out with Hex Maniacs and more "sophisticated" lovers of the paranormal, chatting about paranormal sightings and seance techniques.

When he does hang out with the Legend Seeker's seance plans, he is completely skeptical about the whole thing, as seen with him examining the "Spirit Box".]

Is... is this just a radio?

[??? What? Do people seriously think that a ghost would find this useful???

But, of course, he's all over the campfire stuff too! He didn't bring any real food of his own (besides some self heating meals and snacks for his pokemon, which he almost always takes with him on camping trips), so he appreciates some free food! It reminds him of camping out with his family! He spends a lot of time chatting up with everyone and telling spooky stories, either from home or various horror stories he's heard of (did you kids ever hear about polybius?)

However, when it's time to make smores, he frowns at the bag of marshmallows.]

... One of these days I can eat these guys without thinking about the Gozer incident and I hope that day is soon.

[It's fine.]

stay puft

[neverstudied]

That day is never, 'cause I'm not gonna let you forget.