=== TURN XIII ===
= STRANGER THINGS WILL HAPPEN =
(Reminder: >> are collateral, or "severity" LUC rolls, and => are salvage, or "save" skill/att rolls.)
> Derek: Craft bandages (DEX):[2]
> Jake: Make web gauze (DEX):[2]
Tend to wounds (Unskilled):[3]
> Alix: Investigate area (PER):[5]>>[1] - Encounter!
Encounter roll (LUC):[4]
> Zarkov: Use Potion (DEX):[3]
Check over Zangoose (PER):[5]>>[4]
> Jac: Make web gauze (DEX):[4]
With the Zangoose finally defeated, the Seekers take some time to sort out their injuries and equipment. "
I'm going to go look around", Alix says, hefting her wrench. "
Can't have something else sneak up on us." She picks up Caty and strides off into the grass, making sweeping motions with her wrench. Derek watches her leave, and walks up to Zarkov, who is still looking at his new acquisition, slightly dumbfounded. "
Hey man. I may not like you very much, but since we're still a team..." He digs a Potion out of his backpack, and hands it to Zarkov. "
Here, take this. We beat that Zangoose up pretty bad, so use this to heal it. Point and spray, even you should be able to handle that." Zarkov takes the spritzer-headed bottle. "
Thanks, I guess. Sorry, I know you wanted to get this guy, but he literally fell on me. Or is it she? I'll have to check. Think it's safe to let it out? I mean, we did just beat it half to death..." Derek thought for a moment and shrugged. "
Don't know. Usually they become agreeable - at least because you've got that Pokeball primed on them, ready to pull them back in - but the Zangoose usually has a temper. Might want to look out. It's probably not in a good state to fight, so it should be safe-ck!" A sudden jolt of pain reminded Derek of his wound. "
Just.. be sure to keep the Pokeball on hand so you can recall it. I think I'm going to see about not bleeding all over here."
Faced with a sudden need for medical supplies, Jac and Jake examine the webs left after the Zangoose's capture. The strands are dense, intertwined, and seem to be quite good at covering large stretches of body, not to mention their strength. On first glance, they seem like the perfect bandage material. They show their finds to Derek, but he is not convinced. "
It might looks nice, guys, but... I don't think using a caterpillar's spit to cover your wounds is the best idea, is all. Give me a good old cloth bandage any day. Hand me that knife of yours, Jake, so I can make some."
Jake frowns but complies, handing the pocket knife over. Having nothing to cut things with now, and nothing to cut for that matter, he decides to help Jac make the bandages out of web instead. Jac's tanto makes short work of the webs once they're stretched into sheets, and the cocoon used to trap the Zangoose provides enough material to work with. Together, Jac and Jake fashion the webs into nearly a dozen long strips of strong, stretchy, and handily adhesive bandage material, neatly rolled up into discrete rolls like some sort of human-applicable duct tape. Their work done, the two look back at Derek, who is still trying to horribly maim a poor defenseless shirt with a pocket knife. Finally he succeeds, and with a loud sound of tearing cloth - as, naturally, that's what was happening - the shirt ends up in two halves, neither entirely suitable for bandaging. Derek stands there and looks at the bisected shirt, seemingly stunned by his own ineptitude.
"
Okay, that... was not supposed to happen."
Jake sighs and shakes his head, coming over to Derek with a roll of the sticky bandage. "
Yeah DC, we can't all be master craftsmen. Now get out of that robe of yours and let me check that cut."
Derek frowns dismissively, but disrobes. "
Do you even know how to dress a wound?" he asks, hesitantly lifting his arm and allowing Jake to see the double gash left by the Zangoose. Jake shrugs. "
How would I know? I can't remember a thing, same as you." He smirks. "
Seems it's all learn by doing from here. Now hold still."
Jake takes a good long look at the wound, as if thinking. He makes passes around it with his hand, getting a feel of the edges and the trickling blood. Derek starts getting impatient. "
Well? I ain't gonna bleed forever, if you know what I mean." Suddenly, Jake's movements change. He starts acting with a purpose, as if his hands know what they must do even before the rest of his body reacts. Quickly taking a water bottle out of his backpack, Jake cleans up the bleeding gashes, dresses them with a folded pad of webbing, and finally fixes the dressings in place with a long strip of bandage across the torso. Derek is quite surprised. "
Well! I hope you learned something from that doing, because that's pretty damn impressive, considering." Jake looks back at him. "
You know.. I'm not sure if I learned that just now."
While the others take care of their cuts and scratches, Zarkov stands to the side and hesitantly points his Pokeball at the ground. "
Okay... let's see if this works. Zangoose, I choose you?" Nothing happens. It takes a bit of effort to get the device to comply, but soon it opens up, releasing the trapped Zangoose onto the grass. It materializes standing on two legs, but quickly drops to all fours, groaning. Zarkov, hesitant to approach, half-circles around the pokemon, looking at its injuries. The Zangoose is clearly not in good shape. Bruised, cut, bleeding from its shoulder and mouth, and obviously quite in pain, the badgercat is a poor sight. Sensing no immediate threat, Zarkov approaches, Potion in hand. The Zangoose growls weakly, and lowers itself to the ground, closing its eyes. Suddenly, Zarkov freezes mid-stride. "
Er, what? I.. Did you.. Nah, can't be." He shakes his head and kneels near the Zangoose. The pokemon growls weakly again. "
Wh.. what? Do whatever I want to you, but make it quick? What.. sorcery is this?" Zarkov stumbles back and holds a hand to his forehead. "
Okay, calm down, this is a strange place and strange things might be normal here." He turns to the Zangoose. "
You, ah, understand me? Are you.. a.. alright?" The sheer audacity of the question became apparent even to him, as the pokemon's response was something between a pained grunt and a snort. "
What I think? I think you might need some of this." Finally sure that what was happening is either perfectly normal or signs of imminent insanity, Zarkov moves close to the Zangoose and proceeds to apply the Potion, spraying what wounds he can reach. The strange liquid inside the Potion seems to take effect almost immediately, closing up the bleeding stab wound, dissolving bruises, and even, with some manual work, appearing to mend the broken jaw, although it's obvious that just a spritzer bottle isn't going to be enough for such an injury to heal. The liquid in the Potion runs out before Zarkov can fix everything, but by the time he is done the Zangoose is back to standing on its hind legs, still a little battered but obviously much better off than before. Zarkov admires the result of his efforts. "
Well? Feeling better?" The pokemon looks over itself and answers with a satisfied sort of growl. Then it seems to.. smile? As well as a still-healing recently-broken jaw allows it to, anyway. The Zangoose lifts up a clawed paw, and strongly, but not forcefully, taps Zarkov on the chest, growling again. Zarkov is perplexed. "
We.. fight good? You.. huh." He smiles in return. "
Okay then! I've gotta think up a name to call you, I guess. But, uh, one question first..."
--------
Meanwhile, further down the hill, Alix finally strides out of the grass and walks out onto the road. She looks around, searching for signs of trouble, when a nearby bush suddenly rustles. Setting Caty down, Alix carefully advances to get a closer look. When she is just a few feet away, the bush rustles again, and out of it leaps what looks to all the world like a large green tortoise with a green sprout on its head, forcing her to dodge and retreat to Caty's position. The tortoise stops and turns around, seeming ready to attack again. Alix can recognize the pokemon even before she aims her Pokedex at it and listens to the computer's recital:
"
Turtwig. Tortoise pokemon. The shell on its back is made of soil. On a very healthy Turtwig, the shell should feel moist."
Alix puts the Pokedex away. A Turtwig shouldn't outright attack humans, even if startled. Something does not feel right about this.
Jake Marshall recovers a skill!First Aid[5]: You can provide qualified medical aid, with any supplies on hand.
Zarkov Dragonheart gains an ability!Pokemon Trainer: (Passive) You are able to understand Pokemon speech, mostly that of Pokemon you own, with varying degrees of success. PER check to dialogue.
Zarkov Dragonheart gains knowledge!The Zangoose is very much male.
==========
=== STATUS =============
Locations:
>
Green Hill==========
Characters:
>
Jake Marshall>
Derek Coonan>
Alix Meier>
Zarkov Dragonheart>
Jac Loscure==========
NPCs:
>Caty the Metapod (in Alix's status)
>Unnamed (yet) Zangoose (in Zarkov's status)
==========
Enemies:
>
Wild Turtwig==========
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