bottlecaplogs | August Catch-All

[...heh. Heh heh. Siffrin's grin becomes slightly more natural.]

We wouldn't be becaveing like good explorers if we just turned back, right?

[They shake themself off one last time (it continues not to help) and sniff the air near Stardust, just in case. He seems okay too, though - mostly just very wet, despite the hat. Wet cat smell...]

[Well, it's not like they don't smell like wet cat and ozone right now.]

[The cave would be dark, aside from the flashes of lightning from outside, but Siffrin's glow from being charged up more than makes up for the lack of natural illumination. They breathe in and out to settle their heartbeat, then start inspecting the cave, poking into crevices.]

[With them ducking around rocks, it becomes a lot more noticeable that one of the crevices is flashing intermittently. The initial impression is probably just that it also leads to outside... but on closer inspection, it's definitely going deeper. Is there another Electric Pokemon in here?]

Den we're in agreement. [The puns are helping. He should focus on thinking of more of those instead of all the other things on his mind. Maybe something about rain next...

Or light, since Siffrin has become their sole source of it. He copies the breathing exercise on reflex, following a step behind them as before. They move in silence for awhile, taking in the surroundings with the caution of two trap experts. The flashing up ahead is hard not to notice.

Could be something dangerous... or maybe another Pokemon avoiding the storm? It'd be better if they could check before heading in, but sneaking would be difficult with a glowing Shinx.

... Unless!!]

Maybe I could scout ahead? [trying to keep his voice low, though it still feels like it's echoing way too loud in here. He pads to the front either way.] Just in case. Someone might live here, you know?

[Siffrin opens their mouth to say that it's a good idea, but it's okay, they can take care of it - and then realizes. Duh, Siffrin, you dummy, you're lighting up the entire cave right now! Of course it'll have to be Stardust.]

[They settle down to their haunches, tail flicking awkwardly. And Stardust has been moving at least as quietly as they have, despite being new to being a cat. Kind of feels like they're more of a liability than a help, right now...]

[They make sure their tone stays energetic, even if it's under their breath.] Sounds good! I'll, um, try to discharge myself a bit while you do that...

[They can always light themself up again, if they need to. But with a lightning bolt's worth of electricity, they probably should get rid of it while Stardust's not nearby to get zapped.]

[His ears perk straight up at their approval, hopelessly incapable of hiding his need to feel useful in this body. Helping...!!]

I'll be quick! [... but he can also guess how Siffrin might be feeling. This is their wheelhouse too, after all. He manages to reign his own energy in, looking back at them with a softer smile.] Just don't shed too much light, or I won't be able to find my way back here, hah.

[except... they should shed more light, because that's kind of what glowing is...? Aughh, it's fine!! He turns away quickly, slinking off towards the light at the other end of the tunnel. A quick in-and-out scouting mission, he'll be back in no time at all!]

[Siffrin blinks. Stardust seems so excited to be able to scout that it's kind of making them feel better? Their tail stills, the starred tip curving up.] I won't!

[And there Stardust goes. On the bright side (heh heh, there's another one, they should save that for when he's back), aside from getting rid of the excess electricity... this is their chance to quickly lick their fur back down without it being all awkward! (Not that they ever have been or will be perfectly groomed, despite Firepaw's best efforts to teach them. But it's also embarrassing to keep running around poofed up like a cotton ball!) They get to it, hurriedly.]

[For the other Siffrin in this little party, meanwhile... the pulses of light grow more and more bright, rapidly chipping away at any night vision someone might have left. The distance is longer than you'd think, but when the tunnel opens up it's to a giant room covered in crystals, all sparking with electricity. The surfaces are weirdly hexagonal and smooth, shiny enough to see your reflection in... but is there something weird about that reflection, maybe...?]

[Either way, looks like this is the source of the flashing! No Pokemon are to be found. ~~At least not here, watch out, there'll be Zubats galore on the way out or something~~ -]

[He's crouched low up until he reaches the wider room, staring up in awe at all the glowing crystals and sparks of light. With another quick glance around, it doesn't look like anyone else is here... this must be the source of the light, then. He stands up straight, cautiously stepping up to one of the crystals.

He thinks, for a moment, that he should head back now and tell Siffrin before doing anything else... but the reflection catches his eye first. The Shinx is standing right next to him. He jumps, holding back a startled yelp.]

Stars, I didn't even hear you! I guess you're still... stealthy...

[As he turns his head to them, his voice trails off. In the space next to him, right where Siffrin should be, is...

is nothing.

No one is there.

His head whips back around, and the Shinx is still there, face shrouded in the shadows of their hat, expression unreadable. The reflection moves and all the hairs on his body stick straight up.

In the next moment he's skidding across the stone, bolting back towards the way he came like his life depends on it. Nope nope nope noooot doing this not even taking a chance, cave's haunted he's not staying here alone—]

[Cave's haunted!]

[What with the pulsing of the crystals, their own zapping as they discharge excess electricity, and the distance, Siffrin doesn't quite hear Stardust's exclamation. Their ear twitches, and they look up, but then hesitantly decide they were imagining it.]

[That doesn't last long when Stardust comes running. Siffrin springs back to their feet, a line of fur along their spine bristling against the rest of their now-smoothed pelt.]

Are you okay?? Was there someone there??

[They're bracing their legs to run too, in case Stardust just dashes right past them.]

[He might've done just that, honestly, if Siffrin wasn't in the way. He skids to a stop just short of bumping into them this time, eyes wide and fur puffed out, and for a split second he considers bolting down a different path. Is this Siffrin?

... of course it is. He left them back here, didn't he?

And... and they spoke, unlike the other one. They're right here in front of him. He takes a few deep, slow breaths, willing himself to calm down.]

Th...there was something. [... but now that he's thinking about saying it out loud, it feels kind of stupid. It can't be a ghost. They're not dead? But he doesn't think he imagined that. He rubs his paws down his arms, trying to smooth down his fur.] I thought... it looked like you, but then you weren't there? So I, um. Ran back here.

[They totally weren't scared of a "ghost" that just Stood There.]

Edited (bu) 2025-09-30 05:59 (UTC)

It... looked like me...?

[ In the corner of your eye, you can sometimes see someone that looks just like you. ]

[Siffrin's long since gotten used to the Ghosts around, but something about this in particular still sends a shiver down their spine. That uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomach is back.]

[They lean a little to the side, checking behind Stardust, half expecting to see a spooky doppelganger slowly creeping up... but there's nothing.]

[...]

[They can't just leave, right? They haven't done enough exploring yet. But...]

...let's go back together? [They suggest, weakly.]

[He doesn't move, trying to smile in a reassuring way and failing. If he had the choice, he wouldn't go back there at all. He's faced enough malicious doppelgängers for a lifetime, thanks. He doesn't know what he'll do if that thing starts talking at him like that one did.

They're all bad news, except for Loop. Loop can stay. The rest... no.

On the other hand, it's still storming outside. And if they go back empty handed because he was scared, that's just going to make Siffrin think less of him. So, despite his obvious discomfort, he forces himself to turn back towards the tunnel.]

Yeah! If we're both there... we'll outnumber them! [If he says it with enough confidence maybe he'll actually believe it. He's not moving an inch until he sees Siffrin next to him, though.]

...yeah. Yeah! [Exactly that! They'll be fine!]

[Right?]

[Even though Siffrin's uneasy, Stardust seems to be even more unsettled by this than they are... was their doppelganger really that terrifying...?]

[Siffrin resolves to take the lead, though the fur along their back continues to spike. They stick close to Stardust, their footsteps slowing a little as they get close to the crystal room - then speeding up as they force themself to keep moving.]

[They nearly jump at the first Shinx they see as soon as they step through the doorway(!!) but that's just a reflection in a crystal. There's a lot of crystals and a lot of reflections, actually - they scan the room, ear folding back.]

[It doesn't even cross their mind that Stardust could have seen a reflection. He's a Meowth, after all!]

August Catch-All

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