"We should look for another lamp, or something of the sort," Kenza agreed, thinking to their path through the dark stone floors. There had seldom been a light source, but there was no other way to get rid of the spiders. They numbered too many and moved too quickly for three hunters to clear them out, and Kenza didn't see the point of taking the risk of trying to distract them by throwing an object.
Eyes catching on a loose piece of wood on the ground, Kenza bent down, examining the broken piece. Running a finger over it, the hunter found that there was no dust. It's fresh, she realized, but wasn't surprised. Obviously, by the large arachnid corpse's extent of decay, some creature — likely the Wolfwing — had come through recently and slew it, perhaps breaking some of the library decor in the process.
"Something's broken — should we check it out?" she asked, looking between her two companions.
Mistletoe looked up from her thoughts to glance at the wood. To her, it seemed like it was clear that the library would not be their means of escape. The mass of venomous, roving fangs that called the exit their home seemed neither welcoming nor inclined to move, and Derrick's suggestion of fire was but an unnecessary risk. The Wolfwing, keen as its senses were, would certainly pick the arid scent of burning wood and paper up in a heartbeat.
"I say we look for another exit," Mistletoe said, crossing her arms. "It's not worth it, and the sooner we find another exit, the better. As for the wood," she said, glancing down at the innocuous block again, "I don't see why it'd be vital to our escape. But, if we're quick about it, finding its source might not be a bad idea."
"Okay then — split up and do a quick perimeter check, and then meet up back here?" Kenza asked, looking between the members of the group. "We'll avoid the side with the spiders entirely."
The group dispersed, Mistletoe and Kenza each running in a direction, leaving Derrick the face of the wall nearest to the door.
Monday, September 26th | Social Conscience, Cafeteria
Brynn made her way to the school cafeteria quietly, following her classmates. She was muted, her previous despair and defeat giving way to anger. All I have to do is not be “incompetent,” she thought, and Brynn Reyes doesn’t go down so easily.
Upon arriving at the cafeteria — now rather empty of students, since it was in the middle of a period — Sebastian burst out, his voice echoing around the room as he listed his insults and complaints. Watching with some trace of disbelief, Brynn found herself torn between agreeing for the promised convenience and disagreeing out of self-preservation. He was right in that Renard would never be Lehrer, but he was also wrong; Lehrer had earned Brynn’s respect only because of his strength and self-proclaimed mission, and Renard could easily do the same, seeing as the stand-in was likely chosen by Lehrer. The only discrepancy was that Renard, unlike Lehrer, had a way of getting under everyone’s skin, which wouldn’t do well for his popularity.
Watching as Sebastian stormed away, Brynn glanced at Winter to see if she would follow. She did, disappearing through the cafeteria’s double doors as well as Brynn looked on blankly. Following them was an option, but staying put was too. She’d wanted to get on Lehrer’s good side, and the same applied now that the previous teacher was off-duty. Best case scenario, her good behavior would be mentioned to Lehrer, and at the very least her lack of being mentioned would serve better than being lumped together with Sebastian’s antics.
Silence permeated the cafeteria after Winter’s departure as the students took in Sebastian’s outburst, and tensions ran high. Looking around, Brynn waited to see if any of her classmates would follow, but it seemed that no one had thought along quite the same lines as the boy who’d stormed out. Well, Sebastian always had a way of stirring things up too quickly, she thought, eyes darting to the clock. The bell would ring in less than an hour, and the students would be free to go. She would be free to go.
Go home? she wondered to herself. What’s the point of “home” now that we know these powers exist? Anyone could have them, anyone could be out for my blood. Nowhere’s safe, least of all Crestwood, no matter how nicely Lehrer puts it. Safety, she thought, safety now resides in strength — the power to fend off the enemies I have or will have, and I don’t have that yet.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway, brisk in pace as eyes were drawn back towards the double doors. Winter burst in a moment later, urgency written all over her face as she touted details of Sebastian, Elroy, and Rita.
Rita? Brynn wondered, thinking of the former classmate. Did she turn rogue? Why is she attacking us? Brynn glanced to Renard, waiting for the man to make a call. Fight or flight — which was it?
@Silver Fox No problem! Glad to see you're still alive and well-ish, at least :) Didn't see your post before I posted but I don't think I need to edit. Brought the trio up-to-date and to the morning, although I (again) skimped on the earthquake ._.
@toadropes wanna have that happen sometime at night so they all "jolt up" or something? Anyhow, hope we can get posts going again. And sorry about the delay on my part -- was busy, then unmotivated, then busy again. And by the time I check it's been a *gasp* two weeks :/
The world shook, catching Leisy off-guard. Being a born and raised Centralian, she knew well what earthquakes were, but had never experienced one of this magnitude. The tremors were fierce, hard, and unforgiving as she and her Pokemon were knocked to the floor, either to their knees, hands, or onto their backs, as in Leisy’s case.
“Puuu,” her Pupitar crooned, inching to her side. His hard shell weighed him down, kept him rooted as the earthquake raged on, unrelenting.
“Devinco,” Leisy said, voice trembling. She grabbed onto the rock-type, glad to have someone to cling to in times of peril, but fearing for her friends and Pokemon. Bidein would have no problem unless trees started falling, being a flying-type, but Naunet lacked the avian talent of flight and was thus susceptible to all ground-based attacks. An earthquake would do her in, as it would Leisy’s Audino and her delicate package of fairy dust.
Fearing for the worst, Leisy looked around frantically. The quakes had died down, but her Pokemon was still nowhere in sight. Then, she spotted the familiar blazing plume of her Fletchinder gliding over the softer pastel of her fairy-type. “Bidein, Audino!” Leisy shouted, clambering to her feet shakily and running over. Seeing that all three Pokemon — two fairy- and one fire-type — were safe, Leisy felt like she could breathe again. Except, there was still one Pokemon unaccounted for, along with two humans and their Pokemon.
“Bidein, look for Naunet,” Leisy said, waving her flying-type off to his mission. “Be careful!” she called as the Fletchinder took flight before straightening up and looking around for her friends. The Onix, having been defeated, had slinked off, leaving a trail of messily parted sand in its wake, but the other girls were nowhere in sight.
A scream pierced the air — Florence’s — shrill with grief and despair, and Leisy ran dead in its direction. As she rounded the bend of trees, she spotted her friends and their Pokemon in various states of disarray as well as a figure making off quickly into the trees.
“Stop right there!” she yelled at the figure. Hesitating briefly — she was sending her own Pokemon after an unknown but clearly dangerous rogue, after all — Leisy glanced at Florence and Ella before looking back at the Pokemon behind her. “Audino, you stay with me. Devinco, go after them. They’re running, and they’ll probably get away, but at the very least make sure they don’t come back.”
The Pupitar nodded, eyes flashing as it set off, blasting a vent of gas to propel it in the direction of the escaping perpetrators. After watching her Pokemon leave, Leisy ran over to Florence’s side, seeing as the girl had collapsed onto the floor.
“Florence, are you alright?” she asked, looking her friend over. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the girl’s shoulder were a nasty-looking puncture wound could be seen — a snakebite, or something with two small but long fangs. “Oh my — you’re hurt, hold still,” Leisy said, pushing the girl onto her back. “Was the Pokemon that bit you venomous? This is bad — do you have any supplies? Ella!” Leisy called, waving the other girl over. “Florence is hurt — bitten. We need to get her medical attention, and fast, if the thing that bit her was venomous.”
Looking around, Leisy spotted Bidein flapping over again, but this time circling in distress. Below, a blue-gold shape limped along, clearly favoring one webbed foot over the other.
“Naunet! Oh,” Leisy said, grabbing the water-type’s Pokeball and returning her. Cradling the ball to her chest, she whispered silent apologies, both for sending the Pokemon off into battle on her own and for needing to put her own Pokemon off for a little while more. “Florence, I sent my Pupitar after the person who attacked you, but I doubt he’ll be fast enough to catch the guy. Are you alright? Are your Pokemon? That guy really did a number on you…”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll swing by and pick us up some food — or whatever the locals are serving,” Cillian said with a grin. “Any requests?”
The group dispersed then, with Cillian heading away into the village. A mixture of straw, mud, and wood seemed to be the favored base in Tefan, and one could easily tell the buildings’ ages from their structural material — wood being the newer, of course.
“Alright. Now let’s see,” Cillian said, running a hand over the Pokeballs on his belt. “Haz it is,then.”
The Charmander emerged from his Pokeball, red light fading from his form that was a little too big, bony, and different to be from the same Charmander Cillian had caught way back when. “Hazmat?” the boy asked, eyebrows knitting as he took in the same clueless blue eyes, except this time on a reptilian Pokemon that was a bit taller and a bit more of a burnt orange than Cillian remembered.
“Charrr,” the orange Pokemon called happily, voice gravelly as it reached its clawed hands towards Cillian. It froze, retracting its arms and feeling around its face, then looking down at its body and flicking its tail around. “Char?”
“Arceus, it really is you, Haz!” Cillian said, grinning. “Well would you look at that — all evolved and ready to go. Charmeleon — damn. I’d always hoped, sure, and when I caught you it felt a lot closer, but wow.”
The boy walked a circle around his newly-evolved fire-type, admiring the orange Pokemon’s longer, stronger limbs. “Well, looks like you have more to live up to now, Haz. Looks like we both do.”
“Char!” Haz agreed happily, waddling over on its newly strengthened feet and wrapping its arms around its trainer’s hips. “Char!’
“Yep, yep, proud of you, buddy,” Cillian said, a little surprised by the fire-type’s newfound strength but happy still. He rubbed a hand over the bony protrusion on the Charmeleon’s head before noticing the Pokemon’s tail. “Holy Mew, be careful with that!” he yelped, sidestepping his Pokemon’s tail.
The Charmeleon glanced over at the flame-tipped extension, as if surprised by how long it was, or how large the flame was. Cillian sighed. “What am I going to do with you, Haz.”
After some more wise words and admonishments on Cillian’s part and happy cheers of ignorant bliss on his Charmeleon’s, the duo set off again into the village. Along the way, Cillian picked up some local stir fried vegetables — a little dry, but not the worst, it seemed — and bread that seemed to have been baked without an oven.
“Bet you’re loving the heat, huh Haz,” Cillian asked his Pokemon as he paid for a bag of mixed berries and a small tin of butter for the bread. “Well we’re going to meet up with everyone else and eat now, and I’m sure you’ll love it even more.”
A quick meal was in process after Cillain arrived at the Pokemon Center with the goods. The shopkeeper there — fairly tan from the sun — seemed rather sympathetic to the trainers’ plight, even allowing them to eat in the lobby. After finishing their meal, Hazmat let out a hearty burp of content and the trainers were off to bed, rising only when the sun peeked through the dried fern-curtains in the Pokemon Center’s Tefan-styled rooms.
The gap-yeared trainer duo spent the rest of the night searching for the large red fire-type they’d caught a glimpse of, but to no avail. Somehow, the Darmanitan — despite its size — had managed to disappear into thin air, its footprints disappearing into the hills. “It’ll be back,” Martin said, sighing.
“Yes it will,” Shanae agreed, glancing at the boy. Perhaps it was time to call it a day.
Lodging was provided for the mission-taker, apparently, courtesy of Terraworks. Her room was relatively standard, having refused the offer to upgrade — “There’s no need, Markus. Really — you’ll spoil the trainer inside me, and it doesn’t do good to spoil her.” — and Shanae found that she couldn’t sleep much that night. Her mission was clear, but her heart wasn’t. Did she really wish to bring the Darmanitan to justice?
The morning couldn’t have come soon enough, and Shanae prepped for her day briskly, picking up some food from a nearby diner and munching on it as she headed towards the spot she’d agreed to meet with Marvin.
“Mornin’” she said when she’d spotted the boy, covering her mouth as she swallowed the last bit of her meal “So, where to?”
Rank: Skilled Organization: Helping Hand Guild [Founder]
“Audino, come on out,” Leisy said, releasing the pink Pokemon. “Naunet, Bidein, go help Florence and Ella with the Onix. Naunet, focus on water-type moves like Bubblebeam, and Bidein just help blast off stray rocks with Ember.”
Nodding, the Prinplup and Fletchinder headed towards the direction of the rock-type just as Leisy’s Audino emerged from the fading red light, looking around. Immediately drawn to the Pokemon in need, the Audino hurried over to the Cutiefly’s side, crooning over it as the extensions on her ears dabbed over the other fairy-type in concern.
“Hold on — use… Healing Pulse, Audino!” Leisy said, scrolling through the Audino’s Pokedex entry. She wasn’t sure if her Audino knew the move, but the entry said Audino generally did.
Her Audino nodded, closing its eyes before opening them again. Eyes glowing, the pink-cream Pokemon turned to the Cutiefly and emitted a pink pulse that lit up the small section of sand swirling around them. Her body shielding the smaller Pokemon from the sands, the Audino watched as the Cutiefly opened its eyes, fluttering its wings uncertainly.
Barely but successfully making out the Cutiefly’s movement from afar, Leisy felt a wave of relief. “Good job Audino! Take the Cutiefly outside of the sandstorm radius and sure it stays safe.”
Leisy looked over to where Ella, Florence, and their Pokemon were battling the Onix, who was roaring fiercely in protest at every attack that bounced off it. “Bidein, follow the Audino and help protect her!” she called, pulling another Pokeball from her belt and pressing the button. “I need your help again, Devinco,” Leisy said. “Let’s take down the Onix as quickly as possible.”
The Pupitar at her side nodded, sand gathering and swirling around the rock-type like a second skin as he launched himself towards the rocky snake. “Start with a Mean Look!” Leisy called. The move would serve to slow the Onix down so that other Pokemon would have a better chance of hitting it before it retaliated.
@hekazu need further description of the room 0_0 is the spider blocking the exit? What a convenient place to die if so, but is it also blocking the hunters' view of said exit? And what else is in the creepy library room?
The sight of the large carcass froze Kenza not because she was frightened by the spider's size but rather because she saw the sheer multitude of smaller spiders crawling over it. That the larger spider was dead was a relief; it was less enemy the hunters would have to face, and — by the looks of it — one less of the strongest too. However, its brethren — or possibly offspring — numbered many, and the possibility of them spotting the hunters was high. Kenza wasn't sure what the spiders were doing, but they numbered too many for the hunters. A threat indeed.
Mistletoe, on the other hand, widened her eyes at the size of the spider. Monstrous spiders large enough to prey on humans — such played the antagonist in many a campfire tale, but she'd never thought the stories real. A large spider? Sure, but a one of this magnitude? Had she not seen it with her own eyes, Mistletoe would have dismissed the description immediately. The roving mass of smaller spiders served to agitate the hunter further since, clearly, three hunters would not be able to fight off what looked like thousands of arachnids. Flecks of bright coloring suggested the possibility of venom — Mistletoe had met enough vividly-colored creatures to know that beauty was but an indication of danger in the aspects of the natural world she dealt in — and she hated to think of what effects such venom would have.
When Derrick started creeping away, Kenza immediately followed suit, and Mistletoe behind her. His thoughts were clear: Let's get away from the spiders as quickly as possible. As they did this, Kenza looked about the room for where the breeze came from — where their possible exit may be.
Remram
Achronum