HALLOWEEN 2016: Team Skull Log

[indigo_league]

Who: Everyone who wants to join a team!
Where: Goldenrod City!
When: October 31st!
Summary: Team Skull's planned a full-fledged assault on Goldenrod; join up with a team and take them down!
Rating: Will vary from thread to thread. Warn for common triggers if something comes up.
Log:

It's been three days since Guzma's made his first announcement over the radio, but try as the police might, no one's been able to get to him since; after making his call to arms, asking all available Skulls to come to Goldenrod to have some fun, he seems to have completely dropped off without a trace. But Candela isn't concerned much about that. She's been at this for long enough to know the song and dance; this is a pivotal spot, after all, and Guzma will be back here before long, probably with more than enough cronies to go around. When that happens, they'll head him off at the pass. Easy as that. He's gotta get orders out to the people outside, after all, and the only place he can do that is here.

He won't take it over a second time. Team Valor will make sure of that.

Meanwhile, outside the tower, Blanche would like to think she has a bit more control of the situation. Candela had been so gung-ho on kicking Guzma's ass in the tower that Blanche almost didn't have the heart to tell her that there was probably an ambush waiting in there for her. ...Rather, she tried, but Candela has a way of being far too stubborn for her own good...in any case, if she needs backup, she's out here to provide it, but if there are going to be riots and messes in the streets, its better to be out here where the damage is going to be at its highest, just to stop it before it starts. Already, Team Skull is starting to come out in small hordes, and it won't be long before things start to get hectic out here. Team Mystic, though, is dedicated towards stopping this before it gets a chance to start. ...But perhaps they'd be taken a bit more seriously if Candela and Spark hadn't forced her to dress up for Halloween--

Speaking of Spark, of course, Team Instinct's leader seems to have his priorities in order; if there are going to be riots and debris in the streets, some of the wild Pokemon in the area might just get hurt, and that will never do! So Spark has taken it on himself to lead a search-and-rescue charge with Team Instinct--any stray Pokemon in the Goldenrod area should be either captured or brought straight to a Pokemon Center ASAP! The goal is not to leave even one behind! ...Of course, Team Skull is a problem, too, but won't somebody think of the Pokemon--

You're free to NPC any Team Skull grunts and Pokemon interactions yourselves, but Team Valor will have the chance to battle Guzma, and Team Mystic will have the chance to battle Plumeria! Please be patient with responses in these threads; if the boss's Pokemon start to become too weak, they'll end up making a tactical retreat!

One last thing: you're all encouraged to have your character in costume for an event like this, and your team leaders will be dressed in costume, too! If three or more characters in costume participate in a thread together, a miracle might occur, and the Legendary Bird corresponding with your team has a chance to appear at your discretion! This applies in battles with Guzma and Plumeria, as well!

Have fun and Happy Halloween!

Comments

[dreamsofahero]

*well, lucky for him there's at least some trainers about who'd notice his team's starting to look a little ragged. like this fellow who's apparently dressed like Lugia solely because the idea of making his long hair the "tail" amused him...*

Would you like some potions?

*his team's still going strong, after all... and he still carries stuff like that out of sheer habit/an urge to be ready for worst-case scenarios*

[bloodisthicker]

I wouldn't say no to them, no.

[He smiles a bit tiredly, stopping with his Pokemon and extending a hand.]

Of course, I think at this point, I feel like an extra week of training would be a little more helpful.

[dreamsofahero]

*here, have a few Hyper Potions, since that's what Sion usually carries...*

Well, I imagine that wouldn't hurt, either.

[bloodisthicker]

[that's a little overkill but you know what it sure perks his Pokemon up in no time so he can't complain at all]

Well, if nothing else, this will probably be some good combat experience for my crew, even if I do feel like we might be in a little over our heads. Shame I can't really figure out how to have it do much for Ivisaaq, though...

[dreamsofahero]

*it is but really why would Sion bother carrying normal potions around when his team's so high-level anyway?*

Oh? Why not?

[bloodisthicker]

Well, he's a Magikarp. I know the whole thing is that you're supposed to put in the work for a stunning payoff, but... I can barely even figure out where to start with him.

[dreamsofahero]

Ah, well, are you aware that all pokemon that participate in a battle benefit from the experience, no matter how small your contribution? Magikarp may not be able to do much, after all, but if you make certain he regularly participates, eventually it will make a difference...

[bloodisthicker]

Ah, I see. So is that... as good as watching, at least? I've been attempting to have him do that, but I haven't seen too much progress there.

[dreamsofahero]

It takes a fair amount of time, from what I understand.

[bloodisthicker]

...Well... I suppose I'll just be in this for the long haul, then. Maybe I'll just carry him around.

[dreamsofahero]

*just don't pull a Jared, Tarrlok....*

It might also help to find someone with a strong team you can regularly have matches against; fighting challenging opponents, even if it can hardly be considered 'fighting' in this case, is especially helpful.

[bloodisthicker]

Or... my Pokemon could all just spar with each other a bit, I'd imagine. There's no reason they can't, right?

[dreamsofahero]

It's certainly an option, though obviously requires you to be more attentive lest sparring turn into goofing off.

[bloodisthicker]

Well, of course. You'd probably have to coach them anyway for it to be really effective, right?

[dreamsofahero]

That does tend to typically be the case, yes. The pokemon are often quite intelligent, but there's still limits to what they can do on their own.

[bloodisthicker]

It generally seems to be the case that they don't quite have the same mind for strategy that humans do, given that the ones I've encountered in the wild seem to be more willing to... do something like growl until they faint instead of actually attacking.

[dreamsofahero]

They don't seem to come by it naturally, no. My guess would be that in most cases, they learn most things like that from humans, which perhaps partly accounts for how willing they are to obey their trainers once captured.

[bloodisthicker]

That would make sense, yes. It could be sort of like the relationship between a general and soldiers or a relationship between a coach a sports team, too.

[dreamsofahero]

That too.

*Sion's definitely well-acquainted with the former, after all*

Although the pokemon tend to need to be given fairly clear direction in what to do, especially at first, rather than vague instructions to carry out on their own initiative.

*or you could be like him and spend a lot of time training some of your 'mons to act as a team independent of trainer instruction....*

[bloodisthicker]

I'm sure if you work with them enough they can eventually figure simple things out, though. It's not like dogs can't do that, after all.

[dreamsofahero]

Of course, but it still takes time and effort to reach that point.

[bloodisthicker]

Doesn't everything, though?

[dreamsofahero]

Generally speaking, yes, though it's remarkable how many people forget that point...