route_1065 | Caving Trip

Caving Trip

Who: [Bad username or site: deadfreesia title= @ livejournal.com] and [Bad username or site: junebugfuji title= @ livejournal.com]
Where: Cave at the Rte 30-31 Junction
When: August 9th, shortly after sunrise
Summary: Spelunking for Pokémon, and an unfortunate turn for Aya's ankle
Rating: PG?
Log:

[The morning sun lights the path ahead of Mamoru and Aya as they travel down Route 31 towards the cave at the junction. Leaving the day before and spending the night in their respective tents means they can start bright and early this morning, just a short distance of walking left before they reach the cave. With luck, Chloe might even catch up to them as they're returning, which would mean having his Venusaur back and ridding them of the need to walk the remainder of the journey.

Of course, it would also mean having to be in Chloe's company, but Mamoru is confident: surely he can maintain his composure if it comes to that.

For now, he's simply glad that the weather is clear and not too hot.]

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[She only has a few Pokeballs with her, just in case they run into any interesting Pokemon in the cave. On her belt are several members of her team since it's also a good training opportunity if they do end up encountering wild Pokemon. Mostly what she's looking forward to is seeing something besides the town and the routes, though, and getting to do it with someone she wants to get to know better is always a plus.

Aya's spirits are obviously pretty high at this point of the day. Violet is a ways behind them, Cherrygrove is a week ahead, but their target is Dark Cave, of course. It won't be long before they're actually standing in front of the entrance.]

Say, Mamoru-kun, do you plan to challenge the gym before we leave?

Mmh. I think I would like to. Even if it's been proven pointless to returning home... it's something to work towards, at least. And you?

I agree, and I hear that some of the prizes are useful, especially for traveling. [It's as good a reason as any, at least. That makes her wonder, though. What if they're in it for the long haul?]

That's true, too. To be able to fly with Skarmory or Dragonite would be nice. It's much faster than land travel, isn't it? Even riding a Pokémon.

Yes, I can imagine it would be a lot quicker, especially flying. I heard that the gym leader gives you that move as one of the prizes for beating him. I'm not sure if it's true, but I definitely plan to find out.

I think it is. We should challenge him soon. Maybe after we're back and my Venusaur is returned?

That sounds great! You don't mind if I come to watch and cheer you on, right?

[Brief surprise, then a smile.]

I don't mind. Watch your step, ok?

[There are some loose rocks littering the mouth of the cave, after all.]

[Good advice, and she avoids tripping over any rocks on the way in. The cave itself isn't really remarkable if you've seen caves before, but the fact that there are Pokemon to be found as well as it being Aya's first visit to one, she's curious what they might find. Maybe some items that people have dropped over the months, even?]

I know it's kind of silly, but this is pretty exciting. I really can't wait to see what we'll find in here. [Not that she's slacking on being obvious with the way she's looking around already, despite the dark.]

[Mamoru pulls his flashlight from his bag.]

You should be prepared for a lot of bugs. Beetles, worms, spiders, millipedes and crickets are all common. It's also possible to find lizards, bats, mice and snakes.

[Mamoru looks over his shoulder at her and flicks on the flashlight.]

As I said: watch your step.

[She could handle the bugs, until he mentioned millipedes, that was when a visible shudder raced up her arms.] Do they even have bugs besides the bug types in Johto? I've never seen anything but Pokemon. [Even saying that she didn't have the best relationship with Spinarak and Yanma after her eventful arrival months ago. Ratata and Ekans wouldn't be too bad, though. She draws a flashlight as well, just in case. It seemed better to come prepared just in case something went wrong.]

They're here. Although they seem less common in this world than in Japan. In either case, it would be best to be mentally prepared for them.

[He moves deeper into the cave. It doesn't take long for the flashlight to go from a supplement to available daylight to a necessity. When there's no longer a trace of daylight available, he pauses.]

Actually...

[He stows his flashlight and releases his Ponyta. Her mane and tail brighten the entire cave and offer far wider visibility than the flashlight's concentrated beacon.]

There. That's much better.

[She sticks close, not trying to get in the way, just wanting to be sure that they don't accidentally get separated. The flashlights offer a limited amount of aid and one well placed crossroad or split could get them turned around.

Not that it would be impossible to backtrack, just better safe than sorry. When Mamoru's newest addition emerges she can't help but feel a little awed again. She'll never get tired of seeing them up close.]

That will make things much easier. Great thinking, Mamoru-kun. [Not that he needed her to tell him that, but still. She smiles.]

... Do you think we remember this place if we return home? Even just subconsciously?

[Already the chillier temperatures of the cave's interior are noticeable, although that too is tempered by the Ponyta's presence. Her mane and tail offer a mobile heat source as they move further away from the cave's entrance. He offers Aya a small smile back for the compliment, but it otherwise passes without further attention.

At her question, he falls quiet, thinking while they walk.]

In truth... I don't think that we ever do "return." Because I don't think this place is real in the context of our usual lives.

That things don't exist here isn't it. But the mechanics of it... how it's possible for people to come from different points in time. How Youji-kun is here now but was never missing in our world during his time... Perhaps this isn't a part of our world, but a separate reality entirely. A branch away from the main road... and one that ultimately leads to a dead end.

So you mean it's like snapping back to where we were before we left? Or...

[Her stomach had dropped at the other possibility as soon as it came to mind. That people who "return home" don't actually go anywhere, but simply get trapped in some limbo, or maybe even just cease to exist? If one considers the possibility of alternate dimensions then there must be hundreds, right? She's no scientist or anything, but it's a common theme in works of science fiction and fantasy.

She certainly hoped that it was the former if anything, but even that's a depressing thought. She smiles sadly, only this one doesn't reach her eyes.]

Which means, even if we go back... [I'll have no memory of this time spent with Ran. None of you will remember me except for him. The friendship that we form here... it'll be like none of it ever happened.

What a sad concept...]

[No, that wasn't what he meant. He meant they might consider their existences like duplicates of their existences from home that somehow came to exist from X point in their true histories and from there on are completely separate. There was no returning because they never truly left. And when they glitched out, or otherwise ceased to exist here... their lives were simply over.

This is what he believes, but he can see that the subject is upsetting her enough even with her current understanding of it, which is honestly a more optimistic and happy version than his. Continuing on the subject would serve no purpose but to further upset her.

He turns to look at her and smiles fondly, voice dropping in volume and warming in tone.]

What happens at that point is something to tackle when it happens, isn't it? For now, let's enjoy what we have and be thankful for the experience. Even if none of it will mean anything later... I'm glad to have been able to meet you, Aya-san.

[She was just trying to convince herself to come to grips with the possibility of this, it couldn't be any different than dying, just... not painful, except that the people left behind would be hurt by it. It's just difficult to think that they'd been pulled into this world just to have their lives end after. She isn't sure she could handle it if friends she made here, or Ran, were to disappear.

It's Mamoru's tone and words that catch her off guard and snatch her from her thoughts. She looks over at him in clear surprise, and in the light that his Ponyta is putting off her blushing is clearly visible.

She's momentarily speechless, good work, Mamoru.]

[By the time she finally recovers her heart is beating fast, she looks away a bit too quickly, face still red. He hasn't managed to stun her like that since the abrupt end of their first conversation. She clasps her hands around the flashlight (which she'd already shut off), glad for not putting it away yet-- gave her something to squeeze tight that wouldn't hurt. Even though her heart feels like it's doing a slow motion drumroll in her chest she still manages to look back over and make eye contact to reply--]

Y... You too, Mamoru-kun. [--she wants him to know she means that earnestly. Even with all the teasing she puts him through it's only out of affection... which has been budding for some time now into something more serious.]

[He sees the blushing, the sudden shyness and the fumbling words. He also isn't an idiot. He knows how she feels-- knew before they even left on this expedition. And he deliberately manipulated that knowledge to distract her from those less happy thoughts. His answer wasn't dishonest, simply... calculated.

And so he's entirely prepared for that crush to start showing itself in response to the charm attack. Without the slightest slip in his composure, he extends his hand.]

Let's keep moving?

[She'd probably have called it some form of... white cheating, like a white lie, except not lying, just... sneaky? Technicalities: she wasn't even aware that he'd done that intentionally so that didn't matter much anyway.

That hit was super effective: Aya was confused.]

Mm. [She nodded, smiling, and continued onward with him further into the cavern.

An hour or so later and it seemed they'd been right to expect a variety of wild life. They'd already delt with several attacks, but Aya had managed to catch two Pokemon. The first was a Zubat, and her most recent catch was a Geodude, which she was adding to her belt with a satisfied look.]

Alright! I'll get these guys healed up at the Center once we're back in town again. My first rock type, he'll make a great opponent against electric types.

Edited 2011-09-11 07:08 (UTC)

He will. Congratulations on your victories.

[Mamoru for his part hasn't engaged much in efforts to capture Pokemon. He is wishing, however, that he'd brought more Antidotes. He hadn't anticipated there being so many Pokemon in the cave with poison attacks. He's exhausted his supply and that does not make him at all comfortable. In fact, it's probably past time to work on heading back out. The ground ahead seems to drop off rather abruptly anyway.

No sooner can he think that, of course, than a Zubat swoops in and attacks the Ponyta.

And, of course, it's poison.]

This is bad! Aya-san, do you have any antidotes left?

Thank you! [ She was pretty excited, not having captured most of her team, but receiving them as gifts or starters. Her thoughts are distracted as they keep going, noticing that he seems concerned. When she finds out why she is too. It's more than just bad, it would be a tricky trek back at the rate things were unfolding, and she had nothing to offer to help for the situation. She'd just used her own last antidote a battle before. ]

N-No, I'm all out. Let's switch back to the flashlights so she can rest. [ This situation makes her uneasy, but they have stronger Pokemon that can help them get back out of this situation. She recalls Saki for now and instead draws two Pokeballs from her belt. ]

I agree.

[So does Mamoru's Ponyta, but she's a bit too eager to get back into the Pokéball and leaves them in complete darkness with the Zubat still flapping about.

And it's not the only nearby Pokémon. A hapless Dunsparce burrows out of the ground. It brushes Aya's leg and freezes there; that is an awfully warm and soft piece of rock...]

[ Aya is definitely startled by the sudden darkness, and she would have been alright with just that, releasing Sneasel and Lucario-- "Saki, stop that Zubat!" --before she felt the sudden brush of something that should not be brushing against her.

It was not Saki.

It was not Kenji either.

She gave a startled yelp, instinctively moving away from the Pokemon thinking it might be another poison type. Not the case, it seemed, just a really really grossbugtypesorryICAN'T

She felt her ankle come down on an uneven level of ground as she tried to catch herself. The next yelp was one of pain, landing on her backside and hands. Well the good news is that Saki managed to chase the wild Zubat off. The bad news, that they couldn't see yet in the dark but she could FEEL just fine?

CRAP. Did she really just--?! ] Owww...

[The only thing Mamoru can make out from the moment Ponyta returns is that chaos has erupted.]

Aya-san!

[He hears her cry out, and most likely fall. Something scurries away. Aya releases a moan of pain. He finally finds his flashlight and flicks it back on, though it takes a few moments to find her.

With the Zubat chased off, he quickly kneels at her side.]

Are you all right? What happened?

Edited 2011-10-01 02:00 (UTC)

[ Sharp pain in her ankle when she tries to stand, definitely not a good sign. Once sitting up again she reaches for her ankle and checks it by touch tentatively. By this time Mamoru's managed to find her. She looks at him in the limited light. ]

I think I've twisted my ankle.

[A beat's pause, and Mamoru passes her the flashlight.

He unties her shoe and loosens the laces as much as possible, then slides it carefully off her foot.]

I'm sorry: this is going to hurt a little. Tell me when it's painful.

[Holding her foot with both hands, Mamoru tests the different directions her ankle can turn, each movement slow and gentle and always stopping at the first sign of pain. When he's finished, he looks solemnly to the ground.]

You've definitely hurt it. Badly. It would be best if you didn't put weight on it for several days.

[ She'll be careful with it since it's their primary source of light right now. She also bears the discomfort-- not in silence, that would defeat the purpose of him checking --without complaint. With Mamoru's assessment of the situation her stomach drops a bit. She'll just be a burden at this rate, and even though she knows she'd have avoided it if she could: ]

Sorry... This isn't really going to make things any easier. [ Though thankfully at least they have their Pokemon to help guide their way back. ]

Don't worry yourself over it; this isn't a problem. Who do you have that can perform an ice move? We're going to need one.

Right, Saki? She's half ice type. [The Sneasel makes to her trainer and Mamoru's side with a sharp, attentive "Sneasel!" at that. ]

Saki will be good.

[While Saki is coming forward, Mamoru unzips his bag and removes from it his extra shirt and a small knife. He cuts the shirt into a long ribbon and directs the Pokémon to freeze it. He wraps the chilled fabric around the hurt ankle, sure to have Aya's sock inbetween so that it doesn't make direct contact with her skin.

Once the wrap is tied, he puts away the knife. Careful hands slide under her knees and behind her back. Mamoru stands, lifting her with an ease that suggests she's no heavier than Shiro. He takes a moment to shift her weight closer so that his chest bears part of her weight, well aware that it will make it easier to carry her later; they have a lot of travel ahead of them.

With Aya secure in his arms, he begins walking for the exit.]

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Caving Trip

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