• Welcome to Thousand Roads! You're welcome to view discussions or read our stories without registering, but you'll need an account to join in our events, interact with other members, or post one of your own fics. Why not become a member of our community? We'd love to have you!

    Join now!

Blaze Caverns

Status
Not open for further replies.

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
To those ambitious enough, taking the right tunnel will lead to a series of chambers under Mt. Moxie. Magma tunnels far under the ground warm the caverns to a pleasant degree, and the only residents are local Zubat and Woobat, and other cave pokemon.

The rare Sableye can be seen scurrying about, and the various tunnels offer the promise of treasures and discovery for those skilled enough to explore. Sometimes, strange, pronged tracks can be seen in the earth...

***​
 
Last edited:
Day 2 - Steven and Hayes go look for rocks

Panoramic_Vacuum

Hoenn around
Partners
  1. aggron
  2. lairon
When the secret meeting behind the security office broke down into five different sidebars and wild speculation, Steven had heard enough.

"C'mon, Aggron. Let's go," he said listlessly.

Aggron followed, but rumbled a question.

"No I... I don't know where we're going," Steven admitted. "After this morning, there's no use in pretending we can go about this as if nothing had ever happened."

He kept walking, letting his feet take him wherever they may, and Aggron dutifully shadowed him the whole way.

"I want to find Reena, but finding a teleport destination with no other clues... It's impossible. We don't even know who took her away. Or those other trainers, too."

Steven sighed. "I'm glad our ship's passengers are clear of all this, but that still doesn't narrow things down. I'm supposed to distrust all of the other guests here? Potentially even our hosts?"

He shook his head. "This is too much. Running around and poking our nose into things half-cocked is only going to put the culprit on high alert."

Aggron growled in agreement, and snapped Steven from his thoughts. He slowed to a stop and realized where he'd been walking. The signpost for Mt. Moxie's trails was dead ahead, and nervously loitering nearby was the last person Steven expected to, but perhaps the one he most wanted to see...

"Hayes, hello," said Steven with a subdued wave. "I know this might seem absurd after the events of this morning, but would you be willing to join me for that hike? A think a bit of normalcy will do me some good, and perhaps it's best to travel in pairs for now..."

It was a grim thought. This was going to be a very different outing than Steven had envisioned yesterday...
 

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
Hayes, who'd been nervously glancing all around, almost jumped as he saw Steven, then relaxed. Nosepass patted his boot comfortingly. "Oh its you! Thank goodness." He laughed awkwardly and straightened his hiking vest.

"I'd love a walk, actually. I heard what happened at the beach and I've just been nervous ever since. Nosepass and I aren't battlers like all those other trainers. If someone tried to attack us..." he left the sentence hanging.

Nosepass rumbled, as if yo say 'hurry up'.

"Hah... Anyways yes, I think I walk would be nice."
 

Panoramic_Vacuum

Hoenn around
Partners
  1. aggron
  2. lairon
Hayes, who'd been nervously glancing all around, almost jumped as he saw Steven, then relaxed. Nosepass patted his boot comfortingly. "Oh its you! Thank goodness." He laughed awkwardly and straightened his hiking vest.

"I'd love a walk, actually. I heard what happened at the beach and I've just been nervous ever since. Nosepass and I aren't battlers like all those other trainers. If someone tried to attack us..." he left the sentence hanging.

Nosepass rumbled, as if yo say 'hurry up'.

"Hah... Anyways yes, I think I walk would be nice."

grin.png
"Fantastic," said Steven smiling at Hayes's confirmation. The poor trainer did seem a nervous wreck, though, and Steven couldn't blame him. Especially if he and Nosepass weren't high level battlers like he said. His Nosepass didn't seem as bothered by this fact, but the little fellow was the poster child of confidence with his beautiful golden color and cheeky attitude.

Steven could feel Aggron's reassuring presence at his side, and he was certain if he didn't have a powerful teammate with him, he'd be a fair bit more nervous about wandering the island himself. He gave his partner a sturdy pat on the arm.

grin eyes closed_sparkles.png
"Aggron here should be all we need to keep any trouble away."

neutral face.png
Aggron gave a happy chuff at the praise, tilting his head so the sun caught his horns just right. 'Nosepass isn't the only showoff here.'

But even as he said it, a thread of doubt crept up in the back of Steven's mind. Any wild pokemon would be no problem, but if the culprit was a psychic type user, would a strong pokemon be enough to stop them from attacking? He didn't take Reena's Drampa for a weakling...

He shook his head to banish the thought. Besides, he and Hayes were headed to a location few people would be interested in going. They'd be safer on a trek through the secluded mountain tunnels than out in the open on the beach, and they were traveling together. Yes, safety in numbers was the right idea (even if he hadn't wanted to worry about these kinds of things on this trip in the first place.)

"Let's get going, then. We have a short hike to get to the tunnels Aggron and I spotted yesterday. Given that we're starting later than we originally planned, I'd hate to waste more time than necessary."

-----

They enjoyed a brisk pace up the mountain path and found the tunnel entrance easily. Steven peered into the gloom, and just the sight of a cave was enough to make his heart soar. It was as if the weight from this morning was lifted. He couldn't fully shake the worry surrounding Reena's disappearance, but at least he could provide some level of comfort for Hayes.

straight ahead smile.png
"This is as far as we made it on our last hike. I'm not certain where these paths lead, but I'm up for an adventure if you are."
 

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
With Steven and Aggron by his side, Hayes seemed to relax more.

Once they reached the tunnels, Hayes barely even hesistated and started down them a several steps before Nosepass rumbled impatiently and began waddling to catch up. "Sorry Nosepass," Hayes said, realizing he'd started to rush ahead. He slowed down to walk beside Steven.

"I haven't had a chance to go very far either." He walked in silence for a few moments, enamored with studying the walls and various pokemon tracks in the earth. Eventually he spoke again. "So how did you and Aggron meet?" he asked curiously, looking up briefly to study the Aggron. "I can tell he cares about you a lot." He gazed admiringly at the steel-type.
 

Panoramic_Vacuum

Hoenn around
Partners
  1. aggron
  2. lairon
"I haven't had a chance to go very far either." He walked in silence for a few moments, enamored with studying the walls and various pokemon tracks in the earth. Eventually he spoke again. "So how did you and Aggron meet?" he asked curiously, looking up briefly to study the Aggron. "I can tell he cares about you a lot." He gazed admiringly at the steel-type.
Steven enjoyed the silence of their walk. Nosepass wasn't the most fleet of foot, and that left plenty of time for casual observation of the tunnel's composition. Definitely unlike Hoenn, Steven saw the same high concentration of metal in the rock as he and Aggron saw up on the mountain's surface, perhaps even higher down here in the caves. He was pondering the implications when he registered Hayes's quiet question.

hehe whoops.png
"Actually, we met in a cave not too different from this one all the way back when Aggron was an Aron. I was young and inexperienced at the time, and Aggron helped me out of a tight spot. He's made up his mind to look after me ever since."

neutral face.png
Aggron huffed a laugh from his spot at the back of their little group. He was certainly enjoying that Steven had to tell this little story multiple times since they'd come here. It never got old.

grin.png
Steven coughed, trying to cover up his partner's laughing. "Of course, I could say the same about your Nosepass. He's very fond of you; one of the happiest Nosepass I've seen! I'd love to hear how you two came to be acquainted. It's not every day you get to see a shiny pokemon, let alone have the chance to partner up with one."
 

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
"Actually, we met in a cave not too different from this one all the way back when Aggron was an Aron. I was young and inexperienced at the time, and Aggron helped me out of a tight spot. He's made up his mind to look after me ever since."

Hayes smiled as he saw the Aggron's amusement. "Sounds like Nosepass as well. He's always looking after me."

Nosepass made a grating sound as if to say 'someone has to'.

Steven coughed, trying to cover up his partner's laughing. "Of course, I could say the same about your Nosepass. He's very fond of you; one of the happiest Nosepass I've seen! I'd love to hear how you two came to be acquainted. It's not every day you get to see a shiny pokemon, let alone have the chance to partner up with one."

"Oh... that." Hayes chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Truthfully its a little silly. To make a long story short, I was exploring some mountains and got lost. I ended up spending some time with a group of Nosepass I ran into, and he led me back to the path. And then decided he didn't want to leave I guess. We've been saving each other from stuff ever since."

Nosepass rumbled, clearly pleased with his choice of human.

"I uh... sometimes I feel like he came with me because he can get me to do anything he wants," Hayes added, his tone teasing.
 

Panoramic_Vacuum

Hoenn around
Partners
  1. aggron
  2. lairon
grin eyes closed.png
It was Steven's turn to laugh at Hayes's story. "Sounds like Aggron and Nosepass were cut from the same ore."

facepalm.png
Aggron rolled his eyes. What was it with humans and getting in trouble? He fixed his gaze on the showy Nosepass. It was good to know he wasn't all talk. Aggron could respect any mountain-dwelling pokemon who would help a human in need. Even one who wasn't known for their strength in battle. Maybe he could give Nosepass a few pointers, since his trainer seemed to have the same reckless streak as Steven... And given the circumstances, sooner rather than later.

Steven must have been thinking the same thing, because as his laughter died down, a quiet look of concern crossed his face.

worried.png
"Hayes, did you get to know Reena at all before...?"
 

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
"Oh..." Hayes shoulders slumped and he wrapped his arms around himself as he walked. "Not very well, but we talked a little on the boat. She was really excited to meet Nosepass. And really nice to him. Some people just want to know how I caught him, but she seemed to really like him. And her Drampa was very kind."

At the mentioned of her name, Nosepass made an angry grating noise, clearly displeased that something had happened to her.

"I guess her parents were always really busy with their business stuff, so Drampa looked after her. They're really close. And they can even do Z-moves! I was hoping to get a chance to see one..." his voice trailed off. He shook his head and fell silent for a time.

"It doesn't make sense, does it?" he asked finally. "How can someone vanish like that? It's a big island but its not that big. Shouldn't they have found her?"
 

Panoramic_Vacuum

Hoenn around
Partners
  1. aggron
  2. lairon
"Oh..." Hayes shoulders slumped and he wrapped his arms around himself as he walked.
Steven mentally kicked himself at the young man's reaction. He had hoped Hayes might know something, but he hadn't wanted to upset him.

worried.png
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have--" he began to say, but when Hayes continued, Steven froze in his tracks.
"I guess her parents were always really busy with their business stuff, so Drampa looked after her.
eyes closed pensive.png
"..."

Aggron gave a startled snort as he almost walked into his trainer, who was rooted to the spot.

Mercifully it was dark enough neither Aggron nor Hayes could see the way Steven's hands balled into fists at his side.

He took one breath, then another, willing himself to stay calm as his stomach did flips. He barely registered Aggron's rumbled question.

"I'm fine," he said, trying to hide the strain in his voice. "Let's keep moving."

Suddenly, the air in the cave was stifling... He paused for a moment to remove his suit jacket, allowing the others to walk ahead and out of earshot.

"Reena," he whispered, "I'm so sorry."

He caught back up with the group just as Hayes turned around to address him:
"It doesn't make sense, does it?" he asked finally. "How can someone vanish like that? It's a big island but its not that big. Shouldn't they have found her?"
Steven frowned. It was an honest enough question, and he had no real answer. No answer that he wanted to say aloud, at least...

thinking face.png
"The security team seems to think she was teleported away," said Steven, carefully. "I overhead them discussing it on the beach this morning. If that's the case..."

He trailed off, beginning to feel a bit sick.

worried.png
"....there's no guarantee she's even on the island anymore."
 

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
Hayes throat tightened, and he busied himself studying the grooves on the wall. Probably made by the hide of a Steelix...

"I wish I could help more," he murmured. He watched as Nosepass wandered a few feet ahead, picking its way across the tunnel floor. "I'm not strong, and I'm not super skilled. I can't fight. If someone got attacked, I probably couldn't do anything."

He smiled ruefully. "I'm glad that you're helping to look though. I feel better know there's strong trainers like you trying to do something."
 

Panoramic_Vacuum

Hoenn around
Partners
  1. aggron
  2. lairon
Guilt gnawed at Steven as he watched Hayes become more and more withdrawn. He had wanted to still go on their planned hike in order to take their minds off it, and yet he ended up distressing Hayes (and himself) even further.

If Metagross was here, they'd be able to sense the self loathing pouring off him without even trying. Hell, Aggron was starting to look agitated, which meant he could probably feel it too, and he didn't even have the benefit of a psychic connection.

"I wish I could help more," he murmured. He watched as Nosepass wandered a few feet ahead, picking its way across the tunnel floor. "I'm not strong, and I'm not super skilled. I can't fight. If someone got attacked, I probably couldn't do anything."
Hayes's words were like a punch to the gut. Steven could see the broken pieces of the poor boy's confidence scattered on the cavern floor. He knew Nosepass could be a formidable battler; there's a reason Roxanne had one as her ace. But Steven also knew how much time and effort she'd put in with her partner, and that wasn't the kind of time Hayes had right now.

And then it hit him.

shocked.png
"Wait, Hayes, there is a way you can help protect people."

Turning to Hayes's partner, Steven addressed his next question directly to Nosepass.

"Do you know the move Block?"
 

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
"Block? Uhm I think so but-"

Nosepass turned around and made a series of excitable grunts and higher pitched noises.

Hayes eyes widened as understanding dawned on him. "That's right! If Nosepass can use Block, maybe we can stop whoever is doing this from teleporting!" his brow furrowed. "Assuming it is teleportation. But still! That should work I think."

Determination flashed in Nosepass' eyes and he stamped his foot on the ground, clearly eager at the prospect of having a way to defend himself.

A small flicker of confidence returned to Hayes. "Thank you Steven!"
 

Panoramic_Vacuum

Hoenn around
Partners
  1. aggron
  2. lairon
Hayes eyes widened as understanding dawned on him. "That's right! If Nosepass can use Block, maybe we can stop whoever is doing this from teleporting!" his brow furrowed. "Assuming it is teleportation. But still! That should work I think."

Determination flashed in Nosepass' eyes and he stamped his foot on the ground, clearly eager at the prospect of having a way to defend himself.

A small flicker of confidence returned to Hayes. "Thank you Steven!"
straight ahead smile.png
"Yes!" Steven clapped his hands together, sending an echo through the quiet cavern. "That's it, Hayes! And you don't call yourself a battler."

He hadn't expected Hayes to know the ins and outs of the move. Hell, he only knew himself because Roxanne had drilled them into his head with all their friendly matches against one another. Steven beamed at the younger trainer, clearly proud of both him and Nosepass.

neutral straight ahead.png
Suddenly, he grew serious. "We should keep this between us. Block can be worked around if you know it's coming, and it seems the culprit is a savvy trainer. They managed to fend off Reena's Drampa, after all. If she's as powerful as you say, that was no easy feat. Stay on your gurad. If we're lucky, they'll underestimate you and Nosepass, and you can use Block to surprise them and escape."

neutral look down.png
"Let's hope we are able to catch this person before it comes to that, though."

Aggron huffed and thumped his tail on the ground. Steven jumped, startled at the interruption, before he caught sight of the worry growing again in Hayes's eyes.

hehe whoops.png
"Ah, I'm sorry, Aggron is right. I tend to get too serious about things sometimes."

grin.png
"You know, you're a better trainer than you give yourself credit for. Be confident! Power isn't everything in battling. A good strategy can be the difference maker, and from what I've seen, you've got a good head on your shoulders." He grinned down at Nosepass. "And a good partner by your side."

neutral face.png
Aggron looked pleased at the turn of events as well. He initially thought Nosepass might be interested in some defensive tutoring, but with him already knowing Block, maybe Aggron could teach Nosepass how to fight back instead. A small spark of electricity danced across his horns as he imagined what a well placed thunderbolt could do to an unsuspecting opponent. Nosepass could use electric type attacks, right? He chuffed happily at the thought of the little golden rock giving someone a surprise zap.

thinking.png
There was a shop here that you could get new moves from wasn't there? Steven had said something about that last night, and now was as good at time as any to go. Something for him, and something for Nosepass. Something the bad guy wouldn't see coming. Yeah that sounded good.

Aggron thumped his tail again, and looked back towards the cavern entrance. The hint was easy enough for his trainer to get.

thinking face.png
"You think we should start heading back? I guess we have been gone a while, and we had a late start." Steven glanced around the cavern, noticing several more tunnels branching off from the far end of the space. "There's probably more to explore than we can reasonably get to today. What do you think, Hayes? We can come back another time, hopefully when things are... calmer."
 

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
View attachment 3421
"Yes!" Steven clapped his hands together, sending an echo through the quiet cavern. "That's it, Hayes! And you don't call yourself a battler."

He hadn't expected Hayes to know the ins and outs of the move. Hell, he only knew himself because Roxanne had drilled them into his head with all their friendly matches against one another. Steven beamed at the younger trainer, clearly proud of both him and Nosepass.

View attachment 3423
Suddenly, he grew serious. "We should keep this between us. Block can be worked around if you know it's coming, and it seems the culprit is a savvy trainer. They managed to fend off Reena's Drampa, after all. If she's as powerful as you say, that was no easy feat. Stay on your gurad. If we're lucky, they'll underestimate you and Nosepass, and you can use Block to surprise them and escape."

View attachment 3424
"Let's hope we are able to catch this person before it comes to that, though."

Aggron huffed and thumped his tail on the ground. Steven jumped, startled at the interruption, before he caught sight of the worry growing again in Hayes's eyes.

View attachment 3425
"Ah, I'm sorry, Aggron is right. I tend to get too serious about things sometimes."

View attachment 3426
"You know, you're a better trainer than you give yourself credit for. Be confident! Power isn't everything in battling. A good strategy can be the difference maker, and from what I've seen, you've got a good head on your shoulders." He grinned down at Nosepass. "And a good partner by your side."

View attachment 3428
Aggron looked pleased at the turn of events as well. He initially thought Nosepass might be interested in some defensive tutoring, but with him already knowing Block, maybe Aggron could teach Nosepass how to fight back instead. A small spark of electricity danced across his horns as he imagined what a well placed thunderbolt could do to an unsuspecting opponent. Nosepass could use electric type attacks, right? He chuffed happily at the thought of the little golden rock giving someone a surprise zap.

View attachment 3429
There was a shop here that you could get new moves from wasn't there? Steven had said something about that last night, and now was as good at time as any to go. Something for him, and something for Nosepass. Something the bad guy wouldn't see coming. Yeah that sounded good.

Aggron thumped his tail again, and looked back towards the cavern entrance. The hint was easy enough for his trainer to get.

View attachment 3430
"You think we should start heading back? I guess we have been gone a while, and we had a late start." Steven glanced around the cavern, noticing several more tunnels branching off from the far end of the space. "There's probably more to explore than we can reasonably get to today. What do you think, Hayes? We can come back another time, hopefully when things are... calmer."

Nosepass, rumbled in reply to Aggron and made a grunt of challenge. Clearly he seemed more than ready to fight a little.

Hayes heartened at Steven's words, and though he said nothing in reply, the delight was evident on his face. He nodded in agreement. "Let's come back tomorrow to check out the rest."

He glanced at Nosepass and added, "Maybe we'll stop by the arena too." Maybe he wasn't a battler, but it couldn't hurt to brush up on defensive moves, and Block, like Steven suggested.
 

Panoramic_Vacuum

Hoenn around
Partners
  1. aggron
  2. lairon
Nosepass, rumbled in reply to Aggron and made a grunt of challenge. Clearly he seemed more than ready to fight a little.
neutral face.png
Aggron watched the Nosepass's feisty display with amusement. He was beginning to like the little nugget.

Hayes heartened at Steven's words, and though he said nothing in reply, the delight was evident on his face. He nodded in agreement. "Let's come back tomorrow to check out the rest."

He glanced at Nosepass and added, "Maybe we'll stop by the arena too." Maybe he wasn't a battler, but it couldn't hurt to brush up on defensive moves, and Block, like Steven suggested.
thinking face.png
Steven was a little surprised at Hayes's insistence. "I suppose tomorrow would work," he said. The mystery of Reena's disappearance still weighed heavily on his mind, but what more could they do with such little evidence?

There was no denying the excitement on the young man's face, though. And in any other circumstances, Steven was sure his expression would mirror Hayes's. His head wasn't in the hike today, but he still felt better having gone...

grin.png
"Sure, let's do tomorrow. Let's try to meet in the morning again, that way we'll have time to make it deeper into the cave."

----

Together they gradually wound their way back to the surface, Steven taking care to mentally map the twists and turns so they might find their way back tomorrow. It certainly was an impressive tunnel system hiding beneath Mt. Moxie. Depending on how extensive it was, he and Hayes might need several more days to explore all of it.

The sun was already low enough that Mt. Moxie cast a sizeable shadow over the trailhead. Aggron was on a mission, though, and he set off toward the village at a determined pace. Steven hung back a moment to bid Hayes farewell.

straight ahead smile.png
"Thank you for joining me today, despite everything that's happened. Take care of yourself," he said, "and we'll see you both in the morning."

<><><><><>​
 
Day 3: Violet, Nate and Steven's Cavern Caper

MintyMimix

Otherworldly Dessert
Location
Florida
Pronouns
They/Them
Partners
  1. lurantis
  2. noivern-astrea
Using their sharp eyes, keen sense of smell, and prominent ears, Weavile can sense out any target and trail them with ease. Small shifts in their feathers provide them direction as they corner their quarry in a pack, striking swiftly with sharpened claws. Unfortunately for Violet, she had neither the eyes, nose, ears, or feathers to track with, nor could their duo be considered much of a pack. She also wasn't a Weavile, but those are just details.

Nevertheless, Violet was on the hunt, and her prey was a kidnapper. More specifically, the kidnapper's hideout. Although the victims had been teleported away, there were very few psychics in her world that could perform long-distance traversal. With this in mind, Violet believed that it the kidnapper was likely still on the island, and ventured to check under every rock and corner for hidden passages or holes that the kidnapper's victims could be trapped in.

However, Hazel could see from the frantic eyes, wavering walk, and clammy hands that her trainer was very, very tired. Hazel had assured her that it wasn't necessary to stay up so late like that — she was part Dark-type and could fend off whatever would try to break in. She begged Violet to take the day to rest, but the girl insisted that it was not only critical but necessary that they go investigate as soon as possible. The fervor and sadness that had been behind Violet's eyes when she made her assertion was not lost on Hazel.

Still, the state of her trainer's health was concerning. Violet was an early to bed and early to rise person by nature, and Hazel understood that her era very much did not have the distractions they had in the present that would train one to be a night owl. How long would she be able to stay up before she collapsed? Her father had these same bouts of passionate perseverance as well; on nights where he was nearing a breakthrough, he'd push through his own sleep frantically scouring through his documents and laptop to unveil that golden nugget of discovery at the end of a long, long tunnel. Was it a human thing?

Species-specific quality or not, the fact of the matter was that Violet was running on fumes. Not to mention that the cavern they were in was literally fuming. Steam occasionally puffed through the vents along the path as the area became sweltering. It was hotter than when the laboratory's Monferno decided to cook a "spicy surprise" for the science team. Everyone had to sit underneath a sink for at least twenty minutes after that incident. Where'd she even get all those Tamato Berries anyways?

Hazel panted as the heat started to get to her. If I'm starting to feel like this, then what is poor Violet enduring...? The trainer in question was tugging on her shirt a few times to fan herself, but kept her gaze forward. Realizing this was the perfect excuse to force her to take a break, she began exaggerating her symptoms: loudly breathing, wiping her forehead with dramatic motions, and occasionally sucking in air as if to beg for water.

Violet noticed it quickly. Her eyes gleamed concern as she asked, "Oi, Hazel, are you alright? Do you need a moment to sit?"

Results were proven successful. Hazel made a vigorous nod as she plopped a seat onto the ground, fanning herself with her claw to drive it home.

Violet relented, taking a blanket from pack and setting it down on the floor alongside a couple of flasks of water. She passed one to Hazel before she sat on the blanket as well.

Hazel smiled and nodded, happy to Violet taking a well-deserved break. She pulled out her phone and looked in surprise as she saw a message from Gladion. She responded in tow.
Conversation With: Gladion

Hi Gladion! That's wonderful! I hope you and Hazel can really bond together even more now! :grin:
Violet stayed up all night trying to keep me safe. I worry about her sometimes... hoping I can convince her to take a nap today.
We're checking out the Blaze Caverns to see if there's any clues or traces of the kidnapper's hideout, but no luck. I doubt they would've chosen such an inhospitable place anyhow. If you're in the area, feel free to stop by!
I'll try to learn a bit of sign language for Hazel, but it will take me a bit... forgive me if I spend a bit of time looking up the signs during our conversations!
Oh, and if you know anyone that is cleared of suspicion, send them our way. Maybe we could get a group chat going and compare notes.
Good luck today, and stay safe!

Satisfied with her reply, Hazel looked back at Violet once more. The human's eyes drooped down slightly as the fatigue from the night prior caught up. Her stance relaxed as she hunched back, placing an arm behind herself to keep herself propped up as she stared at the ceiling. Hazel gave her a soft, but proud grin.

Wanting to put her at further ease, she decided to swap to her phone's music player, and put on a soft, yet comforting classical melody. Something that even Violet would be familiar with... probably. She wasn't entirely sure if the song itself was, but the instruments would be, at least. The brass and string tones echoed throughout the cavern walls, gently inviting those who might be wandering around to their location.
 

Negrek

Play the Rain
Staff
If there was anywhere you might stash a couple uncooperative trainers on the island, Nate figured it would have to be the caves. Or inside one of the buildings, if you could get around the frankly-incompetent security, or were the frankly-incompetent security. Or if you didn't have living victims, of course, there were a lot more options, like chucking them in the lake, but in all honesty Nate would rather not be the one to find them if that was the case. The caves it was.

There was also the thought that maybe all the volcanic gases or whatever the fuck would wake him up a little, but as far as he could tell they were just making his coffee taste more shitty. Nate drank it grimly anyway, following Mightyena as she picked her way through the caverns, on the alert for any sign of a disturbance. There was supposed to be some kind of legendary around here too, right? Felt hot enough for fucking Groudon, at least.

Mightyena stopped abruptly, ears standing up straight. Then she surged forward, sending loose rocks scattering as she charged down the tunnel.

For a moment Nate forgot all about the suffocating heat. Had she actually heard something? Was Reena actually around here somewhere?

After a few seconds Nate heard it, too. Music? It drifted down from some corridor up ahead. The faint strains grew steadily louder as Nate put on much speed as he could, struggling to keep Mightyena in sight.

It didn't take long to find the source. A girl and a weavile... in a lab coat? Sitting on a blanket like they were having some kind of weird picnic among the steam vents and the stalagmites. Nate vaguely remembered seeing them around--on the ship, maybe? So they presumably weren't the kidnappers?

The music seemed to be coming from a device the weavile was holding. No disappeared trainer here.

Rather abruptly Nate felt the strangling humidity of the air and the burning in his muscles from the little impromptu jog. He put a hand against the wall for support, panting wheezily for a couple seconds before finally managing to ask, "What the hell are you doing out here?"

Mightyena was no less disappointed to come across someone who probably didn't know anything more than she did about what was going on. Probably. She couldn't just write this off at a loss without even asking them anything.

She approached the weavile, who must be even more uncomfortable in the heat than she was. "Hello," she said. "We're trying to find the people who got teleported away earlier. Have you seen anything suspicious around here?"
 

MintyMimix

Otherworldly Dessert
Location
Florida
Pronouns
They/Them
Partners
  1. lurantis
  2. noivern-astrea
Rather abruptly Nate felt the strangling humidity of the air and the burning in his muscles from the little impromptu jog. He put a hand against the wall for support, panting wheezily for a couple seconds before finally managing to ask, "What the hell are you doing out here?"
The duo perked their heads up at the gruff voice — Violet in particular craning hers back and only being able to see a portion of the man. In her own slow breathing, the trainer stammered out, "Oh... Oi... Just... giving Hazel here... a breather." She nodded towards the Weavile, who gave a meek wave.

Violet popped open her flask and gulped down a few more sips before letting out a satisfied exhale. She wiped her lips with her shirt and spun around in place to face the man. "We were namely searching for..." she let out another breath, "...Actually, I must know before we continue this conversation: pray, were thou on the Trousselin?"
She approached the weavile, who must be even more uncomfortable in the heat than she was. "Hello," she said. "We're trying to find the people who got teleported away earlier. Have you seen anything suspicious around here?"
Hazel panted as her fur stood on end from the heat. She looked a Mightyena and silently shook her head 'no' in response to her question. She gave a slightly forced smile and held a claw up, both to wave and signal that she meant no harm. After giving her response, Hazel placed her phone to the side and grabbed hold of her own flask. Rather than drinking it, she poured its contents all over her face — letting the water cool her searing skin.

After that refreshing mini-shower, Hazel picked up her phone again and typed out what Mightyena said. She showed it to Violet, who nodded in understanding. Then, she began typing up a longer introduction for Nate.

[Hey, good morning! Sorry about Violet's snippy attitude; she didn't get much sleep last night. My name is Hazel, it's nice to meet you! 🤝 We're trying to find the missing people, too! But we needed a break because of how hot it is in here, you know?]

The Weavile beamed as she showed the text to Nate, and spoke it aloud in Poké-speak for Mightyena as well. The classical music never stopped playing.
 

Negrek

Play the Rain
Staff
Nate's face settled into a scowl as the girl went on. Thou? Pray? What the hell was this Shakespeare bullshit? "The fuck is a Trousselin?" he asked.

Then the weavile was all up in his face, shoving the music player at him--some kind of fancy phone? He glanced at it, but the screen didn't have anything on it but a few lines of text. "What?" he snapped. The hell was up with these two? It felt like they had to be putting on some kind of show, and Nate had less than zero patience for that shit right now.

Mightyena, on the other hand, didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. "It is really hot! I'm surprised you didn't go back to your pokéball." It was disappointing that the weavile and her trainer hadn't found anything, but if they were looking around here, too, maybe they could all look together! That would definitely make this more fun. "We have some water, too, if you want more."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom