Caving Trip

[deadfreesia]

Who: deadfreesia and junebugfuji
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:

Comments

[junebugfuji]

[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?

[deadfreesia]

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?

[junebugfuji]

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?]

[deadfreesia]

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.

[junebugfuji]

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.

[deadfreesia]

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

[junebugfuji]

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

[deadfreesia]

[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.]

[junebugfuji]

[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.]

[deadfreesia]

[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.

[junebugfuji]

[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.]

[deadfreesia]

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.

[junebugfuji]

[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?

[deadfreesia]

[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.

[junebugfuji]

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...]

[deadfreesia]

[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.