bottlecaplogs | [closed] while the snow falls all around me

Entry tags:

[closed] while the snow falls all around me

Who: Emmet, Laios, Ingo
What: Play Nice and Exploration: Blue, for now
When: various points in August
Where: Middle Forest, uncharted territory past the Southern Outpost at current
Warnings: Cold weather environmental hazards; to be added if they come up

play nice (for laios)

[ So the guilds are looking to expand! Makes sense. Makes sense if they're intending to scale up operations as the town expands past the immediate area that they've well and mapped out by now. If they are to continue on these tracks then of course they are going to need more members to avoid being spread too thin, possibly on a little more reliable of a basis than 'every other month when strange things start happening.'

That still doesn't mean they know who or what they're looking out for, exactly! What sort of roles the guilds need filled, if there's any specificity in traits or abilities they should be on the lookout for or if they just need to bolster numbers in general. At least that means they have free choice of where to head? ]

It's cleared up a lot here from how it used to be... [ Emmet notes, picking his way carefully across the earth. Every now and then he'll eye the ground a little dubiously, but whatever he's waiting for or expecting to happen never seems to. So, after each of these moments his ears just flick a little as if to dismiss them. ] But anyway. What sort of Pokémon do you want to run into, you think?

exploration: blue (for ingo)

[ Uncharted territory again! It's been a while since they last ventured forth into the unknown. This time ... they are probably more prepared for it? It's a scouting mission, once again, so there is no imminent peril or time pressure.

Being surrounded by trees is familiar enough. What isn't is the drop in temperatures, especially given the season. And soon enough the familiar sight of densely wooded forest begins to give way to thinner vegetation, the few trees remaining growing gnarled and stripped barren. Snow is starting to collect on the twisting branches.

Emmet's ears twitch a little as he tilts his head back to take a look up at the sky above. Snow, huh. Not hail, at least, and not storming, but... ]

Knew it was to be expected, but. I am Emmet. Suddenly I am glad for all this fur.

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Me too. Though maybe applying them might be harder with paws.

[ Emmet takes another look up towards the darkened cloud cover. They'll have to start moving quickly if they don't want to get caught out by the storm, but now knowing there's gaps in the earth they'll have to dodge too... ]

[ At least Potions are something they can both recognize and talk about? But there's no time to dwell on that. Ingo hands over a Sitrus berry, glancing up at the sky as he shrugs his pack back on. ]

Let me conduct the rest of this journey!

[ Sure, his experience is all with a human-body. The general knowledge of how to move through the Icelands still must count for something, though! ]

[ Emmet takes the berry from Ingo as carefully as he can, and in the interest of time snaps it up whole once it's in his grasp. He does chew and swallow before speaking up again, so. ]

... Okay. I will follow your lead.

[ Ingo nods, and turns back towards the larger crevasse. ]

Ironic, that we are making for a larger pit!

[ But the sides of that big crevasse look far less sheer than the hole Emmet just fell into. With any luck, they can just take shelter on a ledge until the storm passes; maybe if they're very lucky, they could navigate all the way to the bottom, like that big one on the border of the Icelands.

He moves slowly and carefully, testing the terrain with a forepaw for lack of any other tools. It's not so dangerous, anyway, with three other legs to keep his weight rooted on safe ground. This is the best way to avoid falling. The fact that it lets him take a slower pace for Emmet's sake is a useful bonus! ]

...I did not hurt you too badly, did I?

[ He doesn't taste blood, but he hasn't stopped to examine his claws. ]

[ There might be pinpricks of red, small spots blooming new within the white— but quite frankly it very much blends in with and matches the crimson that already exists within the Zoroark's pelt. An unfamiliar or inattentive eye would easily miss it, especially with the way the wind has started to pick up into a gale, scattering white every which way.

Emmet automatically shakes his head, though. Considering that Ingo's focused on the path forward, it's not exactly going to be all that visible considering he's also keeping his head down and following closely in Ingo's tracks, so. He'll also follow up with: ]

Not much. Minor damage only. Don't worry about it.

...still, I am sorry.

[ It was necessary. At least, it seemed that way to him - a much better outcome than Emmet falling back down and missing that first ledge. But that doesn't mean Ingo just won't feel bad! ]

Better than falling again.

[ Their thoughts are pretty much at the same station. Don't make him shove Ingo for feeling too guilty about committing the terrible crime of sparing Emmet from another fall. ]

You didn't ... I am not going to break. Just because I am scratched up a little? It's okay.

[ Ingo didn't do anything wrong? Can't do anything about the guilt but. You know. ]

...very well.

[ He just feels bad! But he'll get over it - there's certainly far worse things he could have done.

It's slow going, even as Ingo keeps darting glances over his shoulder at the encroaching storm. Getting caught in a blizzard won't matter if they plummet to their deaths first! By the time they reach the great chasm, it hasn't quite started snowing in earnest, but some small flakes are fluttering down. Ingo peers down at the icy crags. ]

It looks more navigable than the smaller one, but we still ought to be careful.

[ Emmet grimaces a little, smile going lopsided as he also peers down into the crevasse. Don't have to tell him twice. Unconsciously his claws dig deeper into the snow for better traction, nevermind that they're not actually on the ice yet. ]

Right. Check safety. Proceed with caution.

[ Beat. ]

Is it... normal for it to be that blue? What would cause that?

No, that is not normal! It might mean that some powerful ice-types live in the depths? That glow reminds me of certain ice moves!

[ Froslass, maybe? But Ingo knew there was a chance of ice-types in an ice ravine when he brought them here. He's confident that they can handle it, even if they are restricted to a single outcropping.

Speaking of which...craning his neck, he can see a ledge some distance down on this side of the wall. It looks stable, and large enough that they could both sit without being...well,too crowded. Keeping close will help anyway! Ingo carefully finds a foothold, shifts his weight cautiously onto it, and begins his descent! ]

We can handle ice-types. Maybe we should try to see what is causing it to glow?

[ They can very much handle them! The real danger is probably slipping on the ice and falling into something that already looks much deeper than the pit he'd ended up in earlier.

To that end, Emmet is pretty much going to be entirely following Ingo's lead here on where to step, though probably not at the same time just to minimize the chances for any repeats of earlier. This being bigger, it should probably be more stable and capable of supporting their weights... but just in case. At least, if the footholds here support Ingo's weight, they should support Emmet's just fine? ]

[ That's Ingo's logic as well! Heavier person in front! Still, everything is holding up fairly well as they descend. ]

Perhaps we can break some off once we reach steadier ground!

[ If it stops glowing when detached, that'll be interesting. If it doesn't - maybe it's something like never-melt ice, and they could bring it back? ]

We really haven't been bringing much back from all these trips, have we?

[ Granted, there wasn't much to bring back, sometimes. Certainly they had more important concerns in the Southern forest that one time, with getting Firepaw and Emporio out safely, and then in the Middle Forest... well, a mysterious clearing isn't exactly something you can do much with other than describe.

Movement from the corner of his eye draws his attention as Emmet gingerly follows after, still careful with moving his paws in certain ways, but when he turns his head to glance its way there's nothing. It's just more ice, and their reflections looking back. Honestly, the clarity and reflectiveness of these... ]

If it doesn't melt for some reason. And no ice type wants it. Maybe someone can make a mirror out of it.

It is not usually quite so reflective! I had not seen my face in a mirror for years, before I first went to Jubilife!

[ He's seen it in other ways, of course. Blurry reflections in water and ice. Zoroark. Don't worry about it! ]

...most of our explorations have just been scouting trips, I suppose. I do hope that I can help in more rescues now that we are moving away from the ocean!

The ocean... right. [ The one Emmet's been dunking himself into on a semi-regular basis. Poor, poor fire-type Ingo. ] Emporio wondered if I could shapeshift gills. Told him he was looking for Mew or Ditto, not Zoroark.

[ Not having mirrors, though...

(Hold on, did Ingo actually turn to look at the ice? The angle seems a little...) ]

Did you learn how to shave like that?

[ Their face was not meant for a full beard. ]

[ There's a suspicious pause, though it could also be attributed to Ingo finally negotiating the last bit of cliff wall, finally setting down onto the ledge he spotted. It seems sturdy. There's no movement even as he lowers himself down onto it entirely. ]

...more or less?

It is a yes or no question.

[ Cool so we're dodging answering in a more concrete way. What does more or less mean here!! Emmet also pauses, waiting as Ingo settles himself on the ledge before carefully, carefully following after, determined not to slow the two of them down.

But also. ]

... How often did or do you cut yourself.

Hardly at all now! I just...leave the chin be.

[ That was the hardest part! Eventually, he thought - why even bother? Ingo's always known that his previous habit must have been otherwise; he was clean-shaven when he was found. But it's...fine. He hardly even sees himself anyway, or else he would be able to just shave it! ]

Of course I do not let it grow too - [ He breaks off for a second, turning sharply to look at the ice wall next to them. He could've sworn he saw movement...but it's only their reflections? ] ...ah, too long.

... You have a goatee. You have— hrk—

[ An ankle twists in just the wrong way when he puts weight on it wrong for it to slip out from underneath him on tractionless ice and nearly have him faceplanting. Nothing's actually injured other than his dignity, though it happening pretty close to the edge might be briefly alarming considering how slick the surface is, but it's no more than a close call. Is this what they call karma, he didn't even say anything, that is not fair.

Fine. Fiiiine. Emmet picks himself up, and as he also finishes navigating the cliff wall he will settle his weight onto the ledge Ingo's on, first carefully, warily, then a little huffily when it proves to be stable. ]

Are you alright?

[ Ingo shifts forward sharply when Emmet slips, but fortunately thinks twice before lunging again. It probably would've just sent them both over the edge! ]

Fine! I am Emmet, and I am fine.

[ He's just going to drop himself a little more heavily down on the ledge they're both on after seeing Ingo shift like that, as if to prove a point. Neither of them are going anywhere! ]

Alright...

[ He'll sit himself down as well. It just seems safer that way! Ingo looks up towards the opening of the ravine. The light from above has grown dim, blocked out by swirling snow. Wind howls over their gap in the earth. Yes, they certainly made the correct choice; they did not have time for much more than this shelter.

But they're out of the wind and most snowfall is not making its way down into here. It's about as good as can be expected. Ingo's flames flare to life, casting dancing purple light and shadows over the already oddly reflective ice. ]

With luck, it will blow over before too long. I am glad to be a fire-type!

[ yes he is indeed moving past the goatee thing without comment ]

Edited 2025-09-08 15:50 (UTC)

[ Lucky indeed. Considering the timing of when he slipped a moment ago, Emmet gets the feeling that the universe would take offense and somehow just drop a pile of snow on him and him specifically if he tries to bring the subject back up to heckle Ingo about it.

The dimmed light from above just makes the softly glowing blue from somewhere still below them that much more stark by contrast, at least before Ingo's collar ignites. Emmet's ears twitch a little whenever any particular gale howls more strongly than another, but instead he glances around to take in the play of light across the glittering ice. With the slightly different angles and cuts of the ice down in the crevasse, countless flickering reflections of Zoroark and Typhlosion surround the two on the ledge, not one of them appearing quite the same as another.

As the Zoroark cranes his neck to peer down over the ledge at whatever awaits below, some of the reflections don't quite mimic him. ]

... Can you see a bottom from here?

[ Safely lowered to the ground, Ingo inches over to the edge, peering down into the depths. ]

...no.

[ Maybe he could spit a cinder down and see how long it takes them to lose sight of it? But more importantly...he can see an awful lot of reflections from this angle. He sounds a bit unnerved when he adds: ]

The ice is strange...

[ Emmet's also still peering down into infinity, so, with some doubt... ]

Distracting. [ A little eerie, definitely. ] I could maybe try to do an illusion to block it out ... not sure if that is a good idea, though.

[ He's also not done anything quite so widespread as an environmental illusion just yet, so that's another thing. ]

Might be that we end up missing something important because of it?

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