It seems like the arcade in Slateport City is truly a way to meet ranger captains, at least for Fenelle. First Shalin Nariya , and now Elise Calcifet ... both of which have been Rustboro's captain for a while, to be exact. Still, civilian Fenelle regards the other with a slight look of recognition and a nod, gesturing to the empty seat next to dem. Dee can only vaguely lipread in the dim light of the arcade, but dee believes to have gotten the idea. Probably.

Der customisation's finished rather quickly - a blue turquoise teal that matches der hair, as well as some sunglasses. It's actually the Porygon that takes longer, and dee leans forward, tapping the screen to interact with der Porygon in the machine. It turns towards dem, currently some amalgamation of dog with bunny ears and a horse tail, and dee signs something at the camera that this machine has so the pokémon inside could see what their trainers were up to even then.

I need you to run translation parallel, dee signs, and the Porygon nods. However, first, it finally finishes its customisation, ending up with ... ... the dog body with bunny ears and a horse tail in red, green and blue. Even Fenelle's bad taste in fashion knows that it's bad. Still, dee doesn't protest as it lights up the 2nd READY on der half of the screen. However, the Porygon finally pulls up a chat window from the game's assets.

Hello, I am deaf so I couldn't understand you before, but I'd be happy to play a round or two with you! der signs were translated into text that appears in the chat window, Please just speak and my Porygon or your Porygon-Z can translate it into text.

Dee picks up the gun-shaped controller easily in der hand, waiting for all READYs to light up and the countdown to the game to begin.

Elise Calcifet

You better don't do any shenanigans, Fenelle warns der Rotom in its tablet as they arrive at one of the "haunted houses" where they wanted to meet up with Clover. Fenelle's interest is more in the actual housing than the haunting, wondering if there's any tech or information to scavenge ...

The Rotom only regards dem with the utmost seriousness, effectively ending the conversation. The tablet doesn't only display space for text now - it also records the audio in general, and displays the current soundwaves as well with a slight indication for direction - and currently, sound coming in regular intervals from the left.

clover matamata

gifting Chrysanthe Kubrick the marshadow from fen's 3rd border wilds!

Fenelle really doesn't want to be here. And in a way, Fenelle isn't - Xuanyi is here. They were forced to attend this charity banquet by their parents, who of course also have donated quite an amount to the rebuilding efforts. Simply something that the De Laurierwylles do, as they are so good-natured and also so rooted in Sootopolis. Their estate itself is still partially in tatters, but it's looking better than most others still. And in a show of modesty, they all were clad in rather simple garb for tonight's gala.

Xuanyi wears a fairly simple pink dress as they make their way towards the grand hall with a sheepish look on their face. (It's taken ages for Fenelle to discard the burning hostility to fulfill this formal function. A necessary evil to keep their freedom in other areas.) They quickly greet freya morningstar with eyes cast downward in shyness, seemingly intimidated by the councilwoman's presence. There's a few words exchanged from their parents that they can only imagine, before being left to their own devices quick enough - their parents got connections to grease.

It's the first time, however, that they are not entirely alone. A good distance away from them, a tablet floats with a Porygon2 inside of it. Not one that Xuanyi (or Fenelle, for that matter) is overly familiar with, but it would technically provide an opportunity for conversation that usually has been missing for them at such occasions, unless the other knows sign language or is willing to put up with notebook and pencil. Still, the presence of the pokémon seems to make the pink-haired slightly uncomfortable, as it keeps a respectful distance away.

Immediately, they seek the quiet corners where they could observe the hall without being part of it, but not without stealing away a little pastry from the buffet. They regard it with curiosity - wondering perhaps, if that one bakery is still standing. They haven't had the time to check yet ...

A surprised, unpronunciated gasp escapes them as they accidentally bump into someone else on the sidelines in their contemplations - they manage to hold onto their pastry, gladly, preventing it from spilling onto the floor or the other's dress. Their expression immediately turns profoundly apologetic as they bow, before raising their head and realising they're in front of Eva Morales.

(Well, of course ollie morales would be here, too.)

It's a feat, truly that they manage to keep their role, but gladly Xuanyi isn't a role they play badly; the pinkette merely looks surprised, and even more apologetic. The Porygon2 tablet approaches a little bit, translating the clumsy one-handed signs (the pastry blocks one hand) diligently into speech, "I am so sorry! I wasn't looking where I'm going, I'm so sorry."

prompts: 2
- enjoy some of the food and drink from the buffet.
- recall a memory specifically linked to sootopolis. if applicable, link the referenced thread.

xuanyi hover credit

Fuecoco is by Fenelle's side almost immediately, melting the actual ice that has suddenly covered der hands. Dee lets out a deep breath, shaking as it seems that indeed, something else has happened that dee didn't notice with being half-frozen to possible death. There used to be more shadow Falinks, yes, but ... now there's also something else.

An actual creature staring dem dead into the eye. "That's a Marshadow." Did they somehow convince the pokémon that they would be worthy of its presence? There are two of them, actually, but ... Fenelle looks at the other. It seems like theirs is one that has been in the outside world before - but now has ended up being trapped. Normally, dee would just ignore it then, but dee owes that Marshadow something.

"I think they wanna come with us." dee sighs, standing up. "Yeah, that was some wild battle. Let's get the hell out of here now," dee murmurs, and ... ah.

Were the Marshadow stuck because they couldn't pay the Gimmighoul ferrymon? "I wonder when that thing will be Gholdenego," dee comments as dee rummages der pockets for enough coins for all.

Vespa Baskerville
07 offer coins to the gimmighoul ferryman to take a ride across a river.
SPECIAL HUNT

Fenelle feels der spirit be covered by a layer of ice, perhaps even ice flowers but dee doesn't have any appreciation for such sentimentalities. Especially not if dee is still in an out-of-body experience without any clue how to get back. Maybe defeating Chien-Pao would be the solution ... dee really hopes so.

The Chien-Pao's attack at the troppers - at Vespa - at the troopers again?! is shielded, which only seems to increase its hatred for them. A hatred beyond reason and with no doubt, dee thinks, as the cat swirls around, eyeing all of them with fierce, piercing eyes. And then, a curse takes root at last. It's then that Fenelle lunges forward once more, grabbing the blade's grip of ice and yoinking it as hard as possible.

Since it's just vestigial, a weak remnant of its actual glory, the sword actually breaks from Chien-Pao's mouth, causing it to disappear with another furios roar. And then ... Fenelle snaps back into der body.

Falling back violently, as if the mere stare of the Poryphone has been enough to throw them backwards, Fenelle flails before unceremoniously landing on der butt on the ground, with both of their hands covered in ice.

Vespa Baskerville

It seems like Fenelle really has to engage this vestigial spirit in hand-to-hand combat now. Der physical body is motionless and seemingly deeply involved in a staring contest with the Poryphone floating in front of it. At least Vespa's texts are still translated on it, so Fenelle still knows what is said on that end.

Still, the Curse doesn't seem to take place immediately as the Hisuian Zoroark seems to hesitate some. It reminds dem of Makoto Kurumi's Kuro, actually - he also has been a rather shy type. Is this a trait common and shared among those of that kind? But it's not something that Fenelle can dwell on for long, as the Chien-Pao makes a beeline for dem specifically.

It seems like there's no delight in another spiritual being, only hatred and truly, dee would not expect anything less. At least the sudden appearance of even more wispy creatures should level the playing field, as way more troopers than usual charge the Chien-Pao spirit.

The physical Falinks' impact is miniscule, but the shadowy Falinks are hitting it, and Fenelle- running over, dee feels frost run down der spine as dee reaches forward.

But before dee could grab any piece of the sword, the Chien-Pao roars, fighting back and out of the Megahorn's restraint to now focus an attack on the Falinks!

Vespa Baskerville

"Just try and hit it! Spook it!" Fenelle calls out as dee reads the text that Vespa says, gesturing towards the aggressive ghostly spirit. There's no moment to hesitate if there's anything dee has learned from Admin Cross - in fact, there might never be a moment where dee would hesitate to grab the blade ever again, possibly. It's hard to tell what the future actually holds, however ...

The Fuecoco holds her own fairly well with fire type moves that melt the surrounding ice, but this ... it doesn't seem like corporeal attacks actually do all that much. "I'm not sure if we can get it that way ... We kinda need ..." Dee pauses. Dee merely thought about it briefly, before immediately negating the thought.

No, they can't.

...

Now when dee signs, der Porygon doesn't react, merely staring back at Fenelle staring back.

Wait, why can dee see der own body?! But there's little time to think as dee needs to dodge out of Chien-Pao's way.

Vespa Baskerville
27 briefly detach from your body or bodies in order to accomplish a task using your spirit body or bodies.

Answered OOCly!

"What is your favorite Hoenn spot?"
Tech lab #19, Rocket HQ.

"What is your favorite instrument?"
The violin. I never listened to it, but my sibling Sailor de Laurierwylle looks very good playing it.

"How is your decorating sense? Do you have an eye for design?"
No decorations but everything is still cluttered and a constant game of tetris. I don't have an eye for design, but efficiency.

"Do you have a suggestion for a future survey question? Please submit it below."
What is your favourite type of video game?

claiming gachapon ticket, devolution stone and red shard!

It's only thanks to Ralts' shock and quick thinking and generally kinder-than-the-others' soul that Vespa is teleported out of the waterfall in time. The freezing cold is also amended by a Fuecoco that waddles over to Vespa to bring comfort, warmth and to be a black void where all braincells vanish.

"Sorry for that rough treatment. I didn't know the waterfall was there." Which brings them all the way back here ... and it also ... seems like ... the air is particularly cold right now. "We're watched. By multiple things," Fenelle says - or that's what dee thinks. Two pair of eyes, and then eyes that dee knows ...

Even if back then, it's been Admin Cross and not his actual patron.

And even here, it's not the actual patron.

Even more aggressive, without knowledge nor loyalty - a ghost like the others that ambushes them from the water fall, after perhaps having devoured the soul that has claimed Vespa temporarily. "Watch out!" dee calls out, but for once, Fuecoco actually is there and ready with Ember aimed at the vestigial spirit.

Vespa Baskerville
28 encounter one of the vestigial spirits of wo-chien, ting-lu, chi-yu, or chien-pao near a broken seal. it will not use its signature move, ruination, however, it will be incredibly aggressive before being warded off.

28 encounter one of the vestigial spirits of wo-chien, ting-lu, chi-yu, or chien-pao near a broken seal. it will not use its signature move, ruination, however, it will be incredibly aggressive before being warded off.

29 encounter shadowy copies of yourselves or your pokemon that mimic movement, form, and more.

27 briefly detach from your body or bodies in order to accomplish a task using your spirit body or bodies.

07 offer coins to the gimmighoul ferryman to take a ride across a river.

🗺️ SPECIAL HUNT: your character(s) will now be able to encounter and catch a MARSHADOW. you must be able to defeat or prove to the marshadow that you are worthy of training them, but this will be no easy task. they quickly learn you and your pokemon's movements, able to mimic their movements by analyzing or hiding in their shadows.[break][break]

Instead of a MARSHADOW, you may encounter and catch a PHEROMOSA OR BUZZWOLE that has managed to displace itself here. Whether it is here from Hoenn or another location in ULTRA SPACE is unknown.

EXPEDITION TEAM

FAREWELL, MY FREE ADVENTURERS!

CHARACTERS: Fenelle Miller Vespa Baskerville
EXPEDITION #: border 3rd timers, fen's 4th time, vess' 3rd time
SELECTED PROMPT #s: 7, 27, 28, 29, special hunts
NOTES: vess: nothing
fenelle: nothing

Fenelle has hoped that this would be enough to fully let that ghost leave the body, but unfortunately, it's not. Gladly, Fenelle did go to the gym in the past few weeks in preparation of war and everything, so dee is not as physically frail as a couple of months before. So, dee simply sighs and calls for der Ralts as well as der Fuecoco. The waters would be icy ... but the river is still nearby, and the waterfall is, according to Porygon, still audible. Now that it's distracted by throwing a tantrum, Fenelle walks over to it, and grabs it. Der Ralts also assists with his psychic powers, counteracting should the ghost think about teleporting again after having been told that this is a bad place.

Alright, there has been something said about water, right?

It's a bit of a ridiculous picture as the smaller but older one wrestles with the taller but younger one towards the water - the idea has first been to dip completely and apologise later with a warm Fuecoco, but ... maybe one limb would be enough, actually, dee thinks in the struggle. Just to spook that ghost out and be on their merry way again-

Vespa Baskerville