Eerie Wood

[Venominon]

As the strange phenomena continued to occur all around them, both Venom and Skorupi did their best to stay calm and not give in to fear. This was definitely easier said than done though, as the poisonous pair winced and grit their teeth once the ghostly hand gave them a taste of its pain. They also flinched once the growling began and were just barely able to maintain their balance once the ground started shaking. All the while, Venom continued to listen to the words he was hearing, trying his hardest to make sense of them. "Play...Dream...What do they mean?" The ninja questioned to himself, but then started to focus on the new images that appeared all around him and his Pokemon.

As the two watched the first of these images, their facial expressions quickly softened, as they both found this to be very sad. The second image left them with even more questions, but it did help them gain a better understanding of the situation as a whole. And finally, the last image caused both Venom and Skorupi to gasp, as they both turned their eyes back towards Duskull once the images were gone. "...That was you, wasn't it? The child with the wooden plane." Venom questioned the Ghost type in a knowing tone, but still wondered who or what could've killed all of those humans in the images in the first place. Regardless, all of this one thing abundantly clear to the Poison type trainer.

"When human beings meddle with nature, nature fights back. And that's a fight that nobody ever wins." Venom spoke out loud in a saddened tone of voice, then watched as the Duskull slowly faded away after Skorupi's last attack. Normally, Venom wasn't one to care about the lives of humans, but in this case, he felt that he had to do something at least. So, as the rain finally started to clear up, the ninja bowed his head and did a prayer for the wandering spirit. "Rest in peace. I'll see to it that the same fate that befell you doesn't befall anyone else. I'm sorry if we hurt you and thank you for showing us your past. I know it must've been painful, but it'll be a big help to us and many others. I promise."

With both the spirit and the rain gone, some light began to shine through the trees of the Eerie Wood, as Venom and Skorupi took a moment to look up at the sky. "Do you think this is a good sign for us, master?" The Scorpion Pokemon asked Venom, still trying to process everything they had just seen and heard. "I'm not sure, Skorupi. But I certainly hope so. You did a fine job here, my friend. Return for now." Venom called Skorupi back to her poke ball, then put it back into his bag and turned in the direction of the next area of the Ilex Forest. "Two down, who knows how many more to go." The Poison type trainer said to himself, then took a few moments to collect himself and raced off towards the next area, hoping for the best along the way.

OOC: Venom departs for the Putrid Swamp.

[❤ Aphrodite ❤]

Coming from Cypress Rest...

After defeating the evil spirit and maneuvering through the dark and murky wetlands, Aphrodite and her Pokemon soon found themselves entering the Eerie Wood. "I thought that the last place was dark and eerie, this place is even worst. I suppose it lives up to its name," she added, trying her best to study her surroundings while trying her best not to trip over anything. "Keep your eyes open, I wouldn't be surprised if there are another wandering spirits floating around here somewhere," Aphrodite encouraged her Pokemon.

---

Seeking wandering spirit encounter.

[Caramell 🍬]

The Eerie Woods were adequately named for their spooky charms that they carried around all year, despite the current time or season. Tall dying trees littered the open terrain, where their trunks stretched to the heavens above. Long, scraggly branches shot out from their trunks in every direction, with smaller branches littering the lower portions of their trunks and thicker branches bustling out near their tops. The small green leaves that barely sprouted from their long, gnarly branches had turned brown from the changing seasons, with most of the leaves littering the forest floor instead of the long branches of the surrounding trees.

A ghostly howl called out from somewhere deep in the midst of the Eerie Forest. This howl was normally heard in the gusting winds that swept between the long branches. Strange knocking echoed through the forest as the wind whipped the thick branches of the neighboring trees and banged them against the other trees. When Aphrodite and her team walked into the spooky forest, the wind seemed to immediately die off, leaving a strange sort of stagnant air that clung unnaturally around the open terrain. The howling intensified into a terrible shriek mimicking the sounds of a thousand screaming babies trapped in an unimaginable type of pain they simply could not shake.

A strange figure appeared above Aphrodite and stretched out towards her in search of the tortured soul she might have brought along on her journey to search for a cure. “Whhhattt aaa delliicciiiouuusss sooouuuulll! Pllleaaassseee leeeetttt meeeee eeaaatttt tthhhhiiisss soooouuulll!” It begged. The eyes that hid behind the skull-shaped mask was just one bright red flame that bounced around as the medium-sized reaper floated overhead and outstretched its ghostly arms at either side of Aphrodite and her team, hoping to wrap them up inside of its grasp. What would she do, given the turn of events? Would she give up the tortured Chikorita so easily to be devoured by this entity, or choose to fight it in hopes of protecting Chikorita from its grasps?

Evil Spirit Duskull wants Chikorita's Soul!

Level 17. Please decide what Aphrodite will do here.

[❤ Aphrodite ❤]

Arriving from Majestic Grove...

The Eerie Wood was just as dark and eerie than the last time Aphrodite and her Pokemon had visited it. Aphrodite summoned all of her Pokemon and instructed them to look for the mysterious items. She was hopeful that one of them would be able to find the hidden item that she will need to help cure the Chikorita from the wicked curse casted on it.

A few minutes went by before Aphrodite and her Pokemon regroup. Unfortunately, no one was able to locate the mysterious item, which meant that they would have to take their search else where. Aphrodite returned the majority of her Pokemon before moving on towards the swamp.

---

Heading towards Putrid Swamp...

[❤ Aphrodite ❤]

Aphrodite and her Pokemon arrived back inside of the Eerie Wood. There did not seem to be too much that has changed with the place since the last time that the small group managed to make their way through it. Well... Aphrodite did notice that there did not seem to be any wandering spirits floating around the place. It wouldn't take them too much longer to make it back to the swamp at this point.

---

Headed to Putrid Swamp.

[Caramell 🍬]

Team Notes: Kumaneko HP 30/60 | Ika HP 43/50 [36/43 before level up]. Healed paralysis in this post so should not have that anymore.
Ghost Encounters: Cypress Rest

 
MISHU MIZUMA
Dark Type Trainer •
Education / Science

They continued to follow the small bear that led the way through the forest. Emotions poured through Kumaneko’s soul, which she shoved back down into her gut. She couldn’t think about all the Pancham she lost along the way, or the ones she had to leave behind when Mishu captured her inside of that blasted ball. There was war waging inside of the forest where the evil spirits dwelled, and it was a war that Kumaneko was fully expecting to bring to their doorsteps. They were evil, heartless creatures who stole away everything that was precious to her. “Ika is wrong.” Kumaneko growled angrily underneath her voice, stopping near some fallen trees to lean against their rotten base and breathe heavily from her exertion.

Ika floated behind at a slow pace. Mishu ran as fast as her feet could carry her while holding onto Chikroita tightly in her hands. As she ran she watched as the cypresses fanned out to towering pines that lurked around them ominously. It was an eerie place, where light filtered in an odd fashion to almost make it feel as though the entire area was shrouded in eternal darkness. “Come on Ika, we’ve almost caught up now.” Mishu called behind her, wandering what was getting into her small bear. Was it trying to return back to its original homelands? She barely had a moment’s rest where she could inspect the surrounding trees for signs of damage that might hint at whatever anomaly might have caused this. “We’ve gotta keep up with Kumaneko. I really… am not sure why she’d acting like this.” Mishu admitted with a frustrated sigh.

“These spirits are causing Kumaneko pain.” Ika huffed under laborious breaths, just barely managing to catch up to Mishu. When she collapsed, falling to the leaf littered ground below, Mishu stopped in her tracks and spun around with a shocked gasp. So caught up in everything that was going on, Mishu missed the paralysis that was coursing through Ika’s veins. “Oh Ika!” Mishu’s voice rose in alarm, stooping down to pull her bag off her back after carefully placing Chikorita on the ground next to her. “I’m so sorry. How could I be so careless?” She dug around until found a small light yellow spray bottle with a light grey nozzle. She pulled it out and sprayed Ika thoroughly, healing her small Pokemon of the ailments she suffered from her previous fight.

Ika smiled and floated back up into the air excitedly as the healing liquids worked their magic. She felt whole once more! Mishu smiled, watching the small blue squid somersault in the air with newfound strength and vigor. She would need to watch her Pokemon more carefully, if she hoped to train them correctly along the way and not jeopardize their health in the long run. “You look like you’re doing much better Ika. How are you feeling?” She asked her Revolving Pokemon curiously, who floated over and placed a tentacle on each of Mishu’s shoulders. “I feel amazing, thank you! This has really helped me. Maybe there’s hope for us yet.” She cooed cheerfully. Even though she felt so much better, Ika couldn’t shake the feeling that something lurked in the area near them.

Set at Day

WORD COUNT: 548 words
OOC: Using Paralyze Heal on Ika. Coming from Cypress Rest. Waiting on encounter. [Didn't self-update so last remaining Paralyze Heal can be confirmed.]

^{Mishu | Ziggy | Wanigara | Sakka | Yōsei | Ika | Kumaneko}

[Rexman]

The forest around them was dark and oppressive. So confined, it gave the weary traveler the idea that the sunlight would never shine again. However, the wild Pokemon that lived in this section of the forest were adapted, used to the low levels of light and the shadows that would stand long depending on if any sunlight was able to penetrate them. In this kind of environment, any kind of light would be sharp and bright, so much so that it would likely hurt the eyes of the traveler and maybe even their Pokemon, depending on the species and their abilities.

As Mishu and her Pokemon continued their trek forward, such a light would blaze up, before disappearing seconds later. A minute or two would pass, and the light would shine for but a second again, a red tint to it. Ika's thoughts were correct, as the light flashed one more time before one of the resident Pokemon would finally make an appearance the lone red eye of the Duskull blazing in the darkness.

Level 17 Duskull appears

Please go here to continue the encounter

[Caramell 🍬]

Team Notes: Kumaneko HP 30/60 | Ika HP 43/50 [36/43 before level up]. Healed paralysis in this post so should not have that anymore.
Ghost Encounters: Cypress Rest

 
MISHU MIZUMA
Dark Type Trainer •
Education / Science

Ika sighed as she watched the ghost flicker away. It’s flaming red orb disappeared into the dark and dreary landscape like a light being blown out. The storm howled, slamming them at all angles with heavy rain that pelted against Mishu’s raincoat and drenched the floating squid. Was she doomed to fail in her mission to try to help these restless spirits? Was there nothing she could do, despite all her efforts? “I just…wanted to…” She mumbled sadly, floating down to the ground and lowering herself below the tall blades of dark green grass to hide.

Kumaneko huffed and shook her head with a low growl. These spirits were fowl beasts of the night. They chased away every one of her friends and left them to starve. Whenever they wanted to gather food or get a drink of water, the blood sucking monsters would appear out of thin air wailing about the pains they felt in their previous lives and trying to drag souls off to the afterlife. They needed to pay. “To what?!” Kumaneko snapped impatiently, turning on her heels to dart off into the surrounding forest. “Help them?! Some monsters can’t be helped! They’re evil at their core!”

Ika raised herself up a few feet off the ground in alarm as Kumaneko rushed off through the lush green forest and into the raging storm. “Wait!” She screamed out and floated off in a hurry after her friend. How could Kumaneko be so heartless?! What did these misguided and lost spirits do to her that must have had such a horrific effect on her life?! Surely Kumaneko’s emotions, strong as they were, stemmed from a deeply seated bed of pain, and justified in its own right. But surely there was a better way than to single handedly strike each of these lost souls, hoping that defeating them would end her own pain inside of her heart!

Mishu blinked, slowly trying to accept the things she witnessed. Something about the Duskull felt…off. Different. Unnatural. But it was just a Pokemon, and the moves it demonstrated were ones expected by its kind. Perhaps, there was more to the mystery than ‘evil spirits’ just trying to steal the soul of a sickly Pokemon for themselves? She couldn’t believe that they were just evil for the sake of it. When her Pokemon fled off deeper into Ilex, Mishu would join them as she ran off in a hurry to follow after. “Wait up!” She called after her Pokemon, careful to keep Chikorita tucked close to her body as she followed Ika and Kumaneko through Ilex.

Set at Day

WORD COUNT: 436 words
OOC: Ika won't learn Swagger. Moving to Putrid Swamp!

^{Mishu | Ziggy | Wanigara | Sakka | Yōsei | Ika | Kumaneko}

[Tiki]

Coming from Cypress Rest

The rain continued on, and the formerly three but now group of four continued on their search in the forest. Although, the jolly Azumarill seemed to be just tagging along for the ride because of how much she enjoyed the rain. Penelope held onto the grass type carefully as her Bellsprout and Skiddo walked next to her, searching for signs of the next spooky ghost. While the situation seemed kind of grim, Penelope was relieved to have Zuroy's positive and high energy to balance out the mood. Hopefully, this ghost would at least talk normally.

-le waits ghostkachu-

[Pixel]

In high spirits, Penelope and her pokemon traveled the forest, looking for ghosts. They kept walking and walking until a chill would shiver down their spines. It was raining. The air was cold and damp. There was an earthy scent thick on the air. Was it just the rain that left them trembling, their skin prickling into gooseflesh? Every hair raised with that sense of being watched? It would take a moment of pause and searching to spot it. A death pale face in the gloom. White as bone. Hazy amongst the misty leaves. Then a single red orb seemed to illuminate and dance back and forth, back and forth. Bobbing along like the swing of a pendulum. 

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

It came closer and closer. That sensation of being watched became that of imminent danger. The time to act was now!

It seemed as if the spirits haunting this place had found her (Or had she found them? Who was to say.)

Soon the outline of a duskull became clear and visible.

---

A level 17 duskull appears.

Go here to continue this encounter.

[Tiki]

"Thank you, Zuroy!" Penelope thanked her Pokemon once again, who seemed to be having a jolly fun time in the rain, and the premise of breaking a ghostly unnatural curse was not as important to such a jolly water type Pokemon. The duo type danced and wobbled in the rain, waiting for them to move on to find the next ghost.

The human checked on the Chikorita once again, and it still seemed sickly. She wondered how many more of these ghosts there were! The Skiddo bleated with the Bellsprout on his back, and the two made a head start toward the next part, as Penelope and Zuroy followed after.

-putrid swamp-

[Caramell 🍬]

Team Notes: Kumaneko HP 30/60 | Ika HP 42/66 [38/62 before level up].
Ghost Encounters: Cypress Rest, Eerie Wood, Putrid Swamp, Sombre Valley

 
MISHU MIZUMA
Dark Type Trainer •
Education / Science

As they ran through the forest that tried to reclaim even the well worn trails through their domain, they came upon a fork in the road. Mishu paused beside her Pokemon, two each stared off in different directions with sharp gazes as though they knew exactly where they were headed next. One looked off towards the right, down a trail that looked familiar and gave her a strange sensation. It crawled up Kumaneko’s next and whispered inside of her ear, trying to lure her off down the long stretch of pathways towards the uknown destination that remained a hidden mystery even as familiarity sunk into her form. Ika stared off towards the left thoughtfully, though frowned.

“We’ve been here before.” The floating blue squid commented softly to herself as feathered birds soared above their heads and darted into the nearby trees to roost. Kumaneko flared her nostrils and stomped her foot angrily in the grassy ground beneath her. The soggy dirt easily gave way, sending bits of water and mud to splash up into her coarse black and white fur, tainting the crisp white hues into strange grey tones. “Why are we going in circles?! We need to get rid of all the ghosts, not get lost!” She snapped impatiently. Anger raged inside the pit of her chest, though its target seemed to be anything within earshot.

“We need to go this way!” Kumaneko argued, tugging on her trainer’s pants. The direction she believed they should head off in led to the right, back towards a familiar section of the woods with several tall cypress trees that jutted out of the ground, surrounded by murky swamplands that bathed around their roots. “I’m not sure that’s right…” Ika frowned as she studied both directions. The trees to the left seemed barren the further she searched, as though their woody branches were slowly dying from whatever soils or life lived within their reaches. It didn’t look right either, though there was no safe passageway forward, as a wall of impenetrable green foliage and tangling vines greeted them.

“What do you know?!” Kumaneko argued, turning her anger and spite on her friend. Ika was just a bleeding heart with barely a brain. She thought everyone and everything could be saved! Kumaneko knew the awful truth, though. Some things were just evil and malicious by design. They wanted to consume and hurt whatever they could touch. The more pain they caused, the more they delighted. And if they waited for too long, everything Kumaneko once held near and dear to her would be lost to these monstrous beasts. “Can’t you just trust me for once and go this way?! Look!” The small cub insisted angrily.

Mishu would step in, leaning down to gently touch Kumaneko on her shoulders. The bear lashed out, clawing her trainer on the side of her arm though it was only a small scar. “Owch!” Mishu cried, pulling her arm away reflexively, before settling it back firmly on Kumaneko’s shoulder. “I know you’re frustrated and hurt. But we need to consider this from a clear mind and a rational viewpoint. Perhaps, we should follow the trail leading this way.” Mishu gestured towards the left, where the dying trees lined the way. “I believe your way leads back to the tall cypresses, which would only set us back further. Ok?” Kumaneko slumped down on the ground, crossing her arms over her chest, and growled angrily. “Why does no one believe me!?” Then finally rose on her feet and reluctantly trekked forward towards the left. “Fine! Let’s get lost together. Then you’ll believe me!” She huffed angrily.

Set at Day

WORD COUNT: 616 words
OOC: Coming from Sombre Valley and headed to Putrid Swamp!

^{Mishu | Ziggy | Wanigara | Sakka | Yōsei | Ika | Kumaneko}

[Tiki]

coming from Majestic Grove

Continuing on their search for the ghosts, the group wandered around back to this part of the forest again. The young trainer could feel that the presence of ghosts were lesser and lesser in the area, as the forest seemed more... normal and less spooky. However, looking down at the Chikorita on her arms, she knew that there's more to go somewhere, if she wasn't walking in circles.

"This is getting boring, but the rain feels nice." Zuroy muttered to her companiions.

"Well, mind if I take the next one?" the Bellsprout asked. The water type nodded.

The group passed through this part of forest again as this wasn't their first time.

Going to Putrid Swamp again

[Tiki]

-Sombre Valley-

As she continued to take care of the Chikorita, Penelope and half of her party continued to make their way back to the shrine in this confusing forest. If only this Chikorita wasn't passed out unconscious, that a stranger and her friends would soon also became her friends. Penelope looked down and gave a word of encouragement at the cursed grass type, as her feet continued moving onward. "Hang in there, Chikorita, we'll get you feeling all better!" The Pokemon looked like struggling in its sleep, but the trainer hoped her words would reach it.

-going to Putrid Swamp again-

[Pixel]

With mother nature's wailing and all the hail, Silas' trek through this blasted forest was slowed significantly. He had to protect his face with an arm and hold that cursed radish in his other, all while Mercenary lead the way, breathing just enough fire to light the path and melt any ice or branches. 

As the trees became darker and denser, Silas knew they had entered a different part of the forest. That creepy feeling returned. He grit his teeth.

"If you see anything, ghost or not, destroy it," he growled to his houndoom. "Burn it with fire if you must. Burn it all down if you must. I'm already sick of this place."

Indeed, to emphasize, he was NOT a nature person.

At some point, the houndoom began to growl, a dark ball of energy building in her maw. Then a second later, she was trying to blast something with a dark pulse that Silas couldn't see through the whipping snow and wind.

—

Word Count: 000 | OOC: 

Using dark pulse on ghostie!

Syndicate HP [ 85/89 ]

Ghosts defeated: Cypress Rest

Coming from Cypress Rest