Summer Camp at Goldenrod

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Ajax takes a long breath as she considers whether to call for help, but she knows she's already decided. "...dunno. Doesn't matter. This is our problem, not theirs."

Iggy takes the opportunity to catch up with her. Ajax snatches him up and lets him grab onto her shoulders as she and Gawain lead the way to an obvious trap.

[Lorrel]

Constance nods in agreement for keeping this to themselves for now. They can always reach out later if needed.

Keeping a sharp eye out, Constance wonders at what point, if at all, the trail of feathers deviates from where Gawain is taking them.

[CateranEnforcer]

Spoiler: Margaret

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Channeling Gawain allows you to feel mixed emotions. You feel relief firstly, but a memory of panic twinges around the edges. You remember feeling helpless, trying to call out. Though silenced, you remember the odor of an intruder. Vaguely familiar but with the number of new smells Gawain encountered recently, it was hard to pin down. You remember the place in the woods Gawain came from, but there is something waiting there that defies description, but it fills you with warmth.

Gawain hops up next to Ajax and Constance as you follow the trail of feathers. Before you reach the end of the trail the Growlithe stops next to a mound of dirt a just outside the backyard training area and begins to dig it up, revealing Ajax's pokeball. Upon inspection, you can see it jiggle and roll slightly, as if the pokemon inside is struggling to break free and it is warm to the touch. Constance and Ajax can make out some humanoid footprints in the area as if there was a bit of a struggle.

Still further down the path, you find a familiar part of the woods, and a familiar gathering. You see a Slowpoke, a Magnemite, and a Noctowl gathered around a hurt looking Hitchcock and Hoothoot friend. The Murkrow is surprisingly calm and his gaze is fixated on a small, dirty pokemon you didn't notice at first. It rises up slightly and there is a soft glow that envelops both of the injured bird pokemon in a soft light. You see their injuries fade away before your eyes, even Hitchcock's deep ones that never seem to heal. There even seems to be some kind of energy being extracted from Hitchcock into the healer that is of a smokey black and white color.

Finally exhausted, the small pokemon slumps over onto the ground with a weak cry.

"Mew..."

Spoiler: Ajax

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You determine there were at least two different shoe prints near the ball. One looked like a boot from a human, but the other is unmistakable as a curly shoe from a Mr. Mime.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

With a sigh of relief, Ajax picks up the ball when they find it. "Calm down, you," she whispers to the panicking mystery creature inside. "Mime tried to get you again, didn't he? Whatever happens, I'll keep you safe, alright?"

That's not a bluff. Whatever else is going on here, the monster in Ajax's pokéball is a living thing, and it's scared. Someone has to stick up for it, even if it's only on an individual basis. She documents the path of shoe prints on her archive map.

Not long after the ball is stowed back in its pouch, the group comes upon the somehow much more interesting scene. It seems impossible. The fabled one-five-one, here of all places?

For a moment, Ajax can only stand agape. She lets Margaret and Constance take point and just starts taking pictures for now.

[CosmicOccurence]

These Pokemon sure do like their huddles, don't they? Margret asked. Seems like we're always stumbling into one of their little gatherings. . As Gawain glanced around, she got a good look at the healing.

Thank goodness that this Pokemon is a better healer than the last ones we saw. Mew huh?
Based on its color, probably a psychic type pokemon right? I bet Nurse would love a skilled Pokmeon like this on his team.

Margret knelt and scratched Gawain's ears. Why don't you go up and say hi, huh? she whispered into his ears.

[Lorrel]

Constance is relieved to find Hitchcock safe and sound. Although she hadn't had much time to spend with him, he was her first wild catch and was as much a part of her team as the others.
Constance was still unsure of exactly how events had played out. Did Hitchcock escape and the Hoothoot found him, or had someone or something let him out. Sadly there didn't seem like there way any way to find out right now. Hands raised to show she means no harm, Constance moves forward to check on Hitchcock and the Hoothoot. She splits one of Tru's snacks in half and offers some to each of the birds.
She then gently reaches out her arm, to see if Hitchcock wants to come over to her.
It's ok, you can trust me. I am glad you found the help you needed, but I want to make sure you stay safe.
Constance holds her breath slightly as she waits to see if the bird comes home.


Looking down at the tired pink Pokemon, Constance is reminded of Charlotte's words about Mewtwo. It looks like she was half right...
Trying to recall what she can about the mystic Pokemon, Constance looks down at him and asks if it is alright.
Are you ok? I appreciate what you did for Hitchcock, and would like to help you in any way I can.

Spoiler

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Poke Psychologist to improve the mood of the gathering and show them she means no harm as she moves towards them (4d6)[15]
Poke Psychologist to calm Hitchcock and gain his trust. (4d6)[12]
Pokemon Edu to see what she can remember about Mew. (4d6)[16]

[CateranEnforcer]

Gawain slowly walks forwards, not in fear, but seemingly in reverence to the small pokemon in from of you. The circle of pokemon open up a space for the Growlithe to sit close and get a good look. The gathered pokemon look like they want to protect the vulnerable legend, but they Constnace helps them to trust you. You can't help but feel calm as you gather around Mew, perhaps due to some sort of psychic power. She looks haggard and dirty as she lies on ground breathing slowly. Your confusions bubble to the surface of your thoughts and you can feel the calmness change slightly. As Mew sleeps, you feel yourself pulled into her dreams.

You see her flying, flying, flying long distances to treat pokemon afflicted with this condition. Each time she does, she becomes a little more wary, a little more tired. But she can't stop, she's the only one who can cure them, really cure them, no matter the toll it takes. It's just so exhausting...

You snap back to reality with a start, not sure how those you understood all of that. Mew sleeps soundly, though you can still feel light presence in your mind. You feel like you can understand her intentions and she yours. That is why you were allowed to approach. You feel like Mew would rather enjoy a taste of that bug juice and energy that the sugary drink would bestow. That and just a little bit of a nap.

Hitchcock coos gently, recovering from his ordeal and takes Constance's offering. The Hoothoot does as well, and it seems happy to see you, flitting about cheefully. The Murkrow does not display it's previous destructive behavior, though it still seems a bit uneasy. Nothing a little training couldn't fix.

Spoiler: Margaret

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Mew is channeling you! You know the feeling from doing it so often that you can instantly tell what is happening. She is using her dreams to communicate and still has power to make you directly feel her intentions. That's some power!

Spoiler: Mew knowledge

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Mew as a legend is somewhat known, with Mewtwo obviously being the weaponized clone. Sightings of Mew are hard to confirm and rare but usually the encounters are brief. Mew seems to avoid humans most of the time and is soon off to do other things. It is said to have created all pokemon, but no one can confirm for sure. Mew is often refered to as a she, even though it is most likely genderless. Some claim to have received blessings or aid from Mew in their encounters. It really seems to care for all living things.

Spoiler: OOC

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If you want to know more specifics, ask me!

[CosmicOccurence]

Wow, Margret whispered. This is incredible. This pokemon formed the link between us on its own ... . If this pokemon didn't have such a clearly important mission, then Margret would have attempted to capture it, but seemed like this particular pokemon could do more good without a trainer next to it.

Margret turned towards where she assumed the other two were, but Gawain was so busy looking at the Pokemon that she honestly had no idea. Do you two feel it channeling you too? If you do ... well this is kind of what I feel when I connect to a pokemon, but I don't have nearly as much control over it as this Pokemon does. It's incredible. I've never met a Pokemon like this before!

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Ajax blinks, dazed somewhat from the experience. "More psychic stuff, then?"

She looks intently at the napping pink omnicat, trying to think of a next move. The channeling helped her recover from being starstruck, though Iggy is still just kind of staring in awe.

"That mean you can talk to her like this? She know about the surgery? What can we do?"

...she didn't really mean for that to sound like an interrogation, but that's how it came out so oh well.

[CosmicOccurence]

It's not telepathy. It's more ... sharing emotions. Intention. Feelings. It's less concrete, but more authentic. You can't lie in a channeling connection. But it's usually tough to get anything specific out of it either.

That said, it seems like the rules that I live with don't apply to this Pokemon.

[Lorrel]

Constance takes a moment to settle herself. That was not exactly what she was expecting, even though she had no idea what to expect.

She tries to focus her thoughts, showing Mew that she wants to help as well, and that she is grateful for what he did to Hitchcock, and the Hoothoot. She tries to convey that she is willing to help however she can.

As the Murkrow hops over to her, Constance is quite relieved. The circumstances of his capture had not been the best and she had feared on how he would react.
Nudging her bag with her elbow Constance rouses the slumbering Tru from his nap and tells him to say hi to he new friend.

As Margret explained that they had been channeled, she gains a new respect for her cabin-mate.
Wow... that is what you get to experience with your partners? I can only dream of having a connection like that with mine.
She lets out a short laugh, Unless I team up with Mew anyways. Do we have any juice we can give it? I think it could use some after its hard work.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Just the potions we got on day one. Don't really think this is a potion situation."

Ajax takes one last picture to complete her documentation of the scene, then moves to take a seat near the exhausted Mew, letting Iggy drop down and sit between them as a buffer. "Guess we can... hang out for a bit? Make sure she doesn't get ambushed or something? I'm still not sure what's going on."

She has to consider the situation of the monster currently in her protection. Did the channeling give away that she has it? Would Mew be flipping out and attacking her for it if it did? Ajax shifts uncomfortably, realizing that she can't ask about it or bring it up at all without possibly inviting disaster.

[CosmicOccurence]

Margret had been in the process of sucking on hard candy when she heard what Constance said. The candy went down ehr throat and she started coughing violently. When she was finally ok, she was panting softly. That's mew? she gasped.

You mean that's mew? The legendary pokemon? Why are neither of you freaking out right now? Oh my god. I didn't even really think mew was real. You're serious? You're not yanking my chain?

[Lorrel]

Well, I have never seen it myself, but it looks just like the textbooks at school showed it. Small, pink, Psychic and incredibly powerful.

As for why I am not freaking out... actually, why aren't I freaking out? I should be but I'm not. I suspect Mew is trying to keep us a calm as possible. I imagine it gets tiresome having people fawn all over it or try and catch it.

[CateranEnforcer]

When Margaret begins to get excited, she feels a calming presence like a worried parent enveloping her in a hug. Almost like a warm blanket had been wrapped around her. Ajax feels gratefulness from Mew, but also confidence in her own well being. It's as if to say, she'll be fine here with her friends. Nothing can hurt her, though she cannot hide a smidge of doubt. Constance feels acknowledgement and a happiness about curing Hitchcock. You can feel she yearns to communicate you, but lacks the strength right now.

All of you feel the extreme tiredness through your link with Mew, and it also makes you feel the craving for the sweet juice that the camp serves. The assembled pokemon gather around Mew protectively and you feel Mew's love for all of them, and her intention to nap here and wait for you. She has faith in you and her friends here. The presence you feel begins to fade as a deep slumber calls to the small, vulnerable looking legend on the ground before you.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Ajax can't help but giggle. It sounds weird, more like the choking sounds Margaret just made than a real laugh. She doesn't do a lot of giggling.

"Okay, even I understood that one. Bulk-rate bug juice it is, then. We'll be right back."

[CosmicOccurence]

Yes, let's do that, Margret said as her mind slowed down from her state of agitation.

[Lorrel]

Constance reaches out to Hitchcock, beckoning the bird over to her shoulder. She is not sure if the bird is ready yet, but wants to give it a try. She does her best to reassure the newly healed bird of her intentions.

As the others get ready to head back, Constance agrees.
With all it has done for us already, we should definitely shower it in bug juice.
...
Figuratively speaking of course. We should also keep all of this to ourselves; I imagine if Mew wanted people to know it was here, it would have done so already.

Spoiler

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Charm roll for Hitchcock (4d6)[16]

[CateranEnforcer]

The group heads down to the mess hall, the prime source for big juice. You arrive as breakfast is being served, and many campers and counselors are already present here. You can get in line to get your food, and at the end are coolers with the coveted bug juice. Even now, your mouth waters slightly just thinking about the sweet, red liquid, perhaps a residual effect from your encounter. Mia greets you there with a smile and gestures you over to her table when you have a moment.

"Good morning everyone! Today is going to be exciting. You all are going to get to choose what classes and activities you'll be taking. I'm sending some information to your pokegear about your options. You'll notice each of us counselors have an area of expertise that we can help pass on to you. This is where you get to choose what your training and batting style will be! We also can help you to train and tutor your pokemon in certain ways. Lastly, you'll find the requirements for earning the Plain Badge! It's up to you to meet them, but we of course are willing to help."

She looks especially pleased with herself as she carries on,"It also just so happens that two of my campers have made it to the final four of the Little Cup! The last few battles will be a case study for the pokemon battling class held in the evening! It will sure be exciting to watch you all in action! Until then, you are free to go your own way and check out any of the activities I or the other counselors have to offer. Any questions?"

Spoiler: Messages!

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In your pokegear you have a wealth of information added about the types of courses you can attend, as well as the specialties of the six camp counselors. Each day you can spend some time training at the various places around the camp. If you spend a week training with a Counselor, you can raise your pokemon's stats as though they ate a vitamin of the appropriate kind. Attending any class will grant you progress towards gaining loyalty of wild pokemon. Additionally, you and your pokemon can potentially gain bonus skill edges based on the course. The exact timeframe is TBD but here are some starting points. You can attend multiple courses in a day, each lasting an hour, so there is enough time to visit every counselor once each day, or more often if you prefer.

Mia
-Speed
Pokemon Edu - Care and feeding of pokemon
Survival - Wilderness Survival
Acrobatics - Agility training course

Bruce
-HP
Med Edu - Various classroom subjects, and healthy nutrition.
Tech Edu
Gen Edu

Russ
-Defense
Combat - Self defense
Intimidate - How to be assertive and confident
Perception - Target Practice

Rosie
-Attack
Command - Pokemon battle training
Athletics - Physical fitness!
Charm - The art of Diplomacy

Hachi
-Special Attack
Occult edu - Hands on with the mystic arts
Stealth - The art of invisibility
Guile - White lies

Rin
-Special Defense
Focus - Meditation and reflection
Intuition - Honing your Sixth Sense
PP-up - Awaken your inner power

Spoiler: Plain Badge

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The following are part of the requirements to earning your Plain Badge

Learn new skills.
-working with counselors, advance a rank 1 or 2 skill by one rank.
-earn skill stunts on your specialty skills.
-train your pokemon to use a skill.

Build a team of at least four pokemon.

Learn a combat move or learn to use a weapon.

Determine your battling style and demonstrate it in battle to a counselor!

Complete Whitney's final Gym Challenge!

Note that you won't have to spend your level up resources on these if you don't want to.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Oh yeah. Almost forgot about that," Ajax says. She and Anorith had somehow managed to squeak into day 2 of the tournament. "Finishing the cup in the evening too, then? Giving us time for some of the activities first?"

She goes ahead and fills a thermos with punch before departing, already resolved to drop by Mew's hideout before checking out the classes. Mia's class seems like the natural choice for Ajax, but Bruce's medicine workshop seems relevant to our immediate needs.

[CosmicOccurence]

Me too, Margret says to Ajax. There's been so much going on that I almost forgot that this was a summer camp. . She quickly listened to the options on her pokegear, appreciating once more what Bruce had done for her. And while she knew she'd eventually want to take a class with Rin, she figured Pokemon battling was what she could use the most help on. I'll probably work with Rosie at first, she said. I hope you don't mind Mia, it's nothing personal. Battling is just something I know I need to work on.

As they were leaving, Margret tagged along with Ajax to go check in on Mew. If that's ok with you, she said.

[Lorrel]

Constance makes mental notes of the various activities for the camp. So many to choose from, so many paths to walk, and Constance was stuck immobile, not know which one to take. She knew that while at camp she would need to figure her life out, and this looked to be the first step.

Mia and Rosie seemed like the pair that offered her the most - Care-taking skills, survival for living on her own and traveling and battle skills.

While attending classes she could also get to know the 2 of them better, and learn more about exactly how they live their lives outside of camp; Constance knew some about how a Daycare operator raised Pokemon but outside of TV shows she had no real idea about the life of a battler.

I think I'll be joining you for some of those battling classes Marget, Constance said as she filled a bottle with the bug juice.
And I think I will spend some time with Mia as well to learn about raising Pokemon and surviving in the outdoors, a skill I severely lack.


Constance walks with the others as they go to deliver the bug juice.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Thought we were all going," Ajax says to Margaret before the entire group is back together. It wasn't Ajax's intention to leave her behind, though she does tend to walk fast, so it may have kind of turned out that way for a minute.

[CosmicOccurence]

Of course we were! Margret said, trying to hide her surprise at being included, then guilt at doubting Ajax. Sure it hadn't been that long, but hadn't these two proven themselves to be friends by now?

[CateranEnforcer]

Before checking out the rest of the camp activities, you all make you way back to the woods behind your cabin. As you approach the gathered pokemon, you see the Noctowl spread its wings threateningly, but relaxes when you come closer. Solomnly with a gentle coo, the bird pokemon takes Margaret's offered container with its talons and hobbles over to the sleeping Mew. While you were gone, it looks like a Slowpoke had arrived and is using Water Gun into a bowl made of leaves while the Hoothoot tries to wash some of the mud and grime from Mew's fur. You still feel a calming presence, but do not feel a link to mew like you did before.

Gently, the Noctowl brings the first thermos to the sleeper, who stirs awake at the scent and laps at it gently. Before long, Mew wakes up enough to grab a hold of the drink itself and gulps it down happily. Then Mew floats up into the air to shake the sleep out of its eyes to look over at the three as if seeing you for the first time. It whimsically dances around you while eyeing the remaining containers of bug juice. You your connection with Mew grow and through this link you feel its gratefulness and a desire to return the favor.

[CosmicOccurence]

Margret opened the remaining containers of juice. Please, take all of it you want, she said. It's the least we can do for you.

[Lorrel]

Constance shakes her head at Mew's thoughts of repayment. You have done plenty for me already, between helping Hitchcock and the others. Is there anything we can do to help you? You seem to be the only thing that can help these poor sick Pokemon. What exactly is this sickness, and what is it doing to them?

[CateranEnforcer]

Mew happily accepts Margaret's offer of more juice and floats over to Constance and takes a big gulp with a happy squeal. It runs a tiny paw through its fur as if to clean itself but only marginally improves things. Though Mew does not reply with words you can feel thoughts become pressed into your minds, like the dream you felt before only more vivid and purposeful.

Your body aches from a dozen different bruises. You stare up at a very tall person from your low vantage point as they point a pokeball at you. They shoot a beam of light at you and your pain fades away as you experience a floating, weightless sensation. Your world is dark and confined, but strangely relaxing. Drifting through this dark nothing, it feels like time stands still and your troubles wash away. Occasionally, your world jostles or you hear a far away echo that disturbs your zen, but you fall back into a trance when this dies down. You rest in a glorious euphoria inside your confined but endless black box.

Suddenly, a splitting screech of a massive angry bird fills your ears. Arcs of lightning dance around your box, shocking you awake. The once safe boundaries of your safe have spit open and you fell, not see, hundreds, no thousands of other formless presences around you. You bump and trip over each other, and sometimes you feel as if they rubbed something off on you, or you to them. You feel trapped here as if for years and you forget the voice of your trainer. And yet you aren't receiving the worst of it. You feel a mass of consciousness forming in the center, drawing you towards it slowly. You are powerless as this creature grows and absorbs more and more.

Then you feel something you haven't for ages. A call from the outside trying to pull you out. But is it a call for just you? Your box had been broken and you feel others around you answering the call, even the large mass far below. You pull out and once again you taste air and feel weight, but you run in terror because you know it is coming. You try to flee the ruined building but there are hundreds of other pokemon trying the same thing. In a panic, you look back at the PC and see a string of gibberish on the display, but your human mind understands as if Mew is pressing this point boldly.

The single error line reads 'Missing No." as something big begins to emerge.

The dream over, you snap back to yourselves and feel the apologetic waves from Mew as you recover. Mew isn't sure how, but it wants to reassure you. You feel it's worry and wariness but also its confidence. It turns to the rest of the gathered pokemon and gives them a thankful touch on the head. Mew's paws glow with power as it does this and the recipient is filled with a calm look on their face. Mew looks over at each of you expectantly.

Spoiler: Minor Blessing of Mew

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Mew is offering to tutor your pokemon! Mew can teach any move your pokemon can learn, though still following the rules for learning moves at a certain level. It will do this for each of your pokemon, so no need to choose one. If a move is not what you want, it can allow grant TP as though you used a Heart Scale or grant a skill rank in two different skills.

[CosmicOccurence]

Margret staggered a little, her eyes blinking as she tried to process what she'd just saw ... lived? Just like the last time, the visions were confusion as all muk. Missing no what? she thought. Missing no clue? Missing no opportunity to corrupt? And why was the computer screen jibberish?
And how do I know that it's jibberish? I shouldn't be able to know so easily that its nonsense. Is this all part of the special channelling?

She was jerked out of her thoughts as Mew started to tap pokemon on the head. Gawain was already sidling up to Mew, twining about him like a purrloin. Slowly she released Bors and her newly captured Drifloon. Normally she'd want to spend some time with it before releasing it in such an uncontrolled area, but surely it would be fine around Mew. Right???

Spoiler

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I don't know what I'm going to grab yet, but I'll figure it out soon!)

[Lorrel]

Constance stands in silence, trying to process exactly what Mew was trying to show them. Sending her thoughts out to Mew, Constance tried to keep them from firing too fast. Was there some kind of glitch in the Pokemon storage system that was causing this? What was causing it and why was spreading so aggressively? Is there anything they can do to stop it? Are their own Pokemon at risk when in storage?

Constance brings her partners out to visit with Mew, making sure to give a warning to the gathered Pokemon before unleashing Arabella.
Once they have all had a chance to spend time with the legendary Pokemon, Constance recalls Arabella but leaves Hitchcock and Tru out for some fresh air.