ALOLA SCOUTING CATCH-ALL

[fortuneglass]

Who: The Nightrunning Crew!
When: Day 73
Where: ALOLA
What: Scouts doing SCOUTS STUFF and Mercs ALSO DOING SCOUTS STUFF maybe catching pokemon maybe getting clothes WHO KNOWS
WARNINGS: People being Dumb

Alola, the scouts will notice initially, is fairly warm-but fairly diverse all the same. Everyone is equipped with their handy-dandy radio, which is good considering the chances that everyone arrived on separate islands.

Those landing at Poni Island find it largely uninhabited, aside from one lonely property and a dock filled with houseboats. The pokemon here are wild and untamed, and among some of the strongest in the region-and scouts will find massive canyons and equally large trees, that some can even walk on.

Mele-Mele Island on the other hand, while small, has more sizable a population. There's one city, and plenty to do, and the scouts becoming familiar with pokemon will observe that those in the wild here are good for anyone 'starting out'-the labs here as well might supply tourists with pokedexes even just as a temporary measure, so that's handy.

The third of the four islands meanwhile, Ula'Ula, is home to the highest peak in the entire region...as well as a desert. There's a lot more people living here, though scouts venturing far enough north are going to come across the town that Team Skull took over, which might be a good idea to warn others of. It's one thing to dismiss Team Skull as a threat, it's another to just waltz into their home base. There's also a local bus that will take visitors up to the Hokulani Observatory, up on Mt. Hokulani.

Lastly, the most populous of the four islands, Akala Island has hotels, a natural park, an impressive mall...scouts can probably take at least a brief moment to get themselves to blend in more with some local clothing while here, especially while in one of the two cities. Konikoni in particular seems to be selling numerous items relating to pokemon in one way or another, so it's a must-see!

Though really, scouts should probably try to focus on what's relevant to the Carnival, right..?

[[OOC - This is a mingle log; players of scouts can assume they can be anywhere among the islands given how easy it is to travel between them, or just radio out-and beyond that everyone is free to come up with their own ridiculous scouting scenario! Just try not to alola yourself out, we still have the main event after all.]]

Comments

[perverses]

How the heck am I s'posed to put this ba— [ Oh, right. Monster tree, charging. You had better believe the second he sees that and hears Strange yell run, he is taking off like a bat out of hell (but not also on fire like those, since they have them, in the carnival, and they are very much on fire at all times). ] Wait up, wait up!

[ Yes, he is still carrying the head. He has no idea what else to do with it! Throw it?! What if it breaks?! Would that make this all worse?! Behind them, the ever present stomp, stomp, stomp and maddened shouts of the Exegguctor, still hot on their heels.

Apparently it can move a whole lot faster when motivated... ]

[kingsroads]

[ Unsurprisingly, Renzo "training at kickass exorcist school" Shima is easily passing Jonathan "has not done a goddamn day of physical labor in his life" Strange as they both run like hell away from the Exeggutor...which is slowly gaining on Strange.

Alright, okay, what can he do to stop this thing while also trying to run like hell away from it. Obvious answer: magic. Strange is certain he could trip up the creature with roots or vines or something. The problem with that is he'll need to stop and do the magic and by then Exeggutor would have squished him. But he's got Shima there who could distract the Pokemon while Strange casts the spell and yeah, no, this can totally work, they've got this down pat! ]

If you distract it again, I think I can make it stop chasing us!

[ the key phrase is think. Whatever magic Strange does isn't going to hold a thirty-five foot tall treebeast for all that long. But look at that confidence he's got! This will totally work! ]

[perverses]

[ He sure can book it, that much is true. He's even considering ditching the poor guy, but then someone might kick his ass? If he did? So when Strange yells out his plan (if that even counts as a plan), Shima does slow down to look back. ]

Distract it? Can you seriously not outrun a tree? [ Strange, please. But! For all his complaining, he does double back, kind of looping around so he ends up jumping out again by the pursuing Exeggutor's side. One distraction coming right up! ] Hello! Down here, you overgrown weed! Look what I got! I got your head!

[ And he holds the egg head he has up, shaking it at the towering Pokemon and doing a ridiculous little jig as he does. Rattled, the head grumbles even louder, which is definitely going to grab the other creature's attention. It skids to a halt, whipping it's leaf-topped head around. ]

Tor?!

[kingsroads]

It's a fast tree! [ the grown-ass man complains like he's a ten year old. Yes, he might not be in the best of shape and yes, he doesn't have anything in the way of 'muscles' or 'stamina' but he is a magician, dammit, he didn't need those things to begin with!

As Shima distracts the Pokemon with it's own head (ewwwww), Strange skids to a stop, fumbling slightly as he does so. Turning around, he places his hand on the ground and starts to mutter something under his breath. There's a low rumbling sound before the plant matter around Exeggutor's feet grows, wrapping itself around the Pokemon's legs. Nearby vines continue to grow, shooting themselves towards the Pokemon as well, as they too wrap around Exeggutor's legs. There's no attempt to lash any of the legs together or to trip the creature—Strange simply wants the magic to hold it still.

And, it seems to be working. As Exeggutor struggles against the vines, they hold taught against the Pokemon's legs. Strange lets out a whoop of laughter, grinning like a madman as he looks from the Pokemon back to Shima. ]

The magic should hold for a while, but— [ and one of the vines starts to rrrrrrip ominously. ] —but I don't think we should take our chances. It might be best to start running again.

[ Which, with a nod to Shima, is exactly what Strange does. ]

[perverses]

Aha, y-yeah, let's keep going!

[ Which is what Shima is startled into saying after pausing in his dancing about and shaking a head at a tree. Those vines were way, way, way more impressive than the fire bit he pulled before! And they're worth a little staring. Almost reminds him of what Shiemi's little greenman could do! But he, too, hears the creak of the Exeggutor struggling against the vines.

So, let's take Strange's suggestion.

He turns and takes off after the magician, catching up to him as easy as pie. He does, bizarrely enough, still have the creature's fallen head. ]

Hey, why didn't you try that trick in the first place? That was a lot better! Like real magic!

[kingsroads]

What do you mean like real magic? I'm a magician, all of my magic is real magic!

[ A slightly haughty tone creeps into Strange's voice as he just gives Shima a frown. Real magic, what nonsense, that fire spell was just as much real magic as the vines! Granted, it wasn't effective magic, but that a: wasn't Strange's fault in the first place and b: didn't make it less real.

Needless to say, this little grumpfest about 'real magic' is still happening while they run for their lives away from the still trapped Exeggutor. It's multitasking. ]

[perverses]

The fire thing was just, y'know, really lame. Even I can do fire and I'm definitely not a magician.

[ Admittedly, that only happens with the help of a horrible demon, but shut up. Shh. He also makes a point to keep pace with Strange, which is to say go slower than he usually might.

The egg head — tucked under one arm like the worst football in the universe — continues to grumble at them, though. ]

[kingsroads]

[ Strange is still holding Shima's staff as he runs, arms just swinging like someone who's not very good at running. And don't mind him as he just pouts. Fire is not lame, thank you very much, fire's alright. ]

It could be worse! At least I didn't try to stop the thing with weather.

[perverses]

[ A tiny spout of fire is totally lame, Strange! ]

Like, what? Rained at it? Dude, it's a plant...

[kingsroads]

Or caused thunder or fog or...something.

[ He...just kind of lamely finishes, look, shut up Shima, stop pointing out the obvious. ]

Look, it doesn't matter, what matters is that I stopped the beast, alright?

[perverses]

Yeah, you did do that! [ Okay, okay, let's focus on the good as they keep on running, keep on running. ] Good job, Mr. Strange!

[kingsroads]

Thank you, Shima. [ said with a little smile. He did stop Exeggutor! So what if the fire was a bit lame, he stopped the giant tree-beast, he's an amazing magician so ha, take that world.

So naturally, now's the time that Exeggutor's finally broken free of the vines and the two can hear the beast as he starts to run towards them again. It's out of eyesight but those thumps are pretty unmistakable.

Well fuck. Strange's face just pales as he realizes what that noise in the distance is. ]

...of course, I did only stop it with vines.

[perverses]

And we do still have on of it's heads...

[ So. Yeah, it's just going to keep chasing them. ]

Uh, can you run faster? Just a little?

[kingsroads]

[ Well shit. ]

I can try.

[ and try he does! Look, at least Strange is running a tiny bit faster, even if it isn't super fast. ]

We should be approaching the carnival by now! Where the devil is it in the first place?

[perverses]

[ That's really sad, man. Shima's still only running at half as fast as he really can just not to ditch this poor back row caster... ]

We are! Look up ahead! There's the road into the clearing!

[ But the Exeggutor is catching up fast, its stomping and roaring only getting louder and louder. ]

[kingsroads]

[ Turns out that gentlemen skip cardio (and leg day and arm day and look, Strange is a gangly noodle that isn't really anywhere close to 'super fit'). But he's trying! Strange is trying to run faster, running as fast as he can to get to the carnival before the scary plant catches up with them.

Granted it's still not super fast, but they'll most likely reach the carnival before the Exeggutor does and oh my god Shima is still carrying the head, isn't he. ]

Drop the head! That might distract it!

[ Or it might not, who knows, Strange has no idea how murder plants work. ]

[perverses]

Aw, do I have to? I thought it might be cool to add to the menagerie or whatever!

[ THE AMAZING GRUMBLING EGG HEAD! Ginko would no doubt be thrilled. However, for all they know, that stupid killer tree is still after them because they stole one of its heads and Shima isn't so attached to the idea of foisting a literal egg head off on the creepy deer man that he won't chuck the thing.

So, he does.

Just tosses it over one shoulder and it goes grumbling away! Hits the ground, cracks, and then bounces away. Shima looks back after it, though he does keep running. ]

Uh. Ha... well... maybe it won't notice that!

[kingsroads]

If that thing keeps chasing us, we'll just add that to the menagerie instead!

[ Maybe? Is that how these things work? Can they just add something to the menagerie if it follows them back to the carnival? Here's hoping!

And oh Strange just winces as he hears the crack of the egg hitting the ground. That's not good. He can 100% tell that's not good. The stupid killer tree isn't going to like that. ]

Our luck's practically run out already, of course it's going to notice that!

[perverses]

But it's way too big... Isn't it?!

[ Strange, it is like thirty-five feet tall and also probably hates them! Well, whatever! The clearing into the carnival is coming up ahead of them fast, front entrance and all. Strange is right, however. The Exeggutor does notice the cracked head and, yeah, it does bellow as it stomps by it, still chasing the two! ]

Maybe it can't follow us in!

[kingsroads]

It's head came off! Who knows what else it can do?

[ Granted, head coming off does not equal will somehow manage to fit in the carnival, but Pokemon are weird and Strange has no idea how to deal with this weirdness! Who the hell knows what Exeggutor can do, certainly not him.

Thankfully, the carnival gates are right there and with a sigh of relief, Strange runs right through those gates, skidding to a stop as he looks back at the Pokemon. Strange is pretty much out of breath, so who knows how much more running he'll be able to do. Still, now that they've got this brief moment of quiet before Exeggutor continues it's rampage, Strange offers Shima his staff, which he had been carrying all the while. ]

I believe this is yours.