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?

1/2

[junebugfuji]

[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.]

2/2

[junebugfuji]

[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.]

[deadfreesia]

[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?

[junebugfuji]

[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.

[deadfreesia]

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?

[junebugfuji]

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. ]

[deadfreesia]

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...]

[junebugfuji]

[ 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...

[deadfreesia]

[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?

[junebugfuji]

[ 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.

[deadfreesia]

[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.

[junebugfuji]

[ 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. ]

[deadfreesia]

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.

[junebugfuji]

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

[deadfreesia]

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.]