Noelle's September Quest Ho-ho-home [Catch-All]

[holidaygirl1225]

Who: Noelle & Shoka, Archnemon, Bigby
What: Quests! (Scholastic Decisions, No Pain No Grain, A Dour Struggle)
Where: Icefall Lake, around Death Blood Murder Skull Town, the woods
When: Mid/Late September
Warnings: Pokemon battling (violence/injury), potential references to death/disassociation

Comments

Scholastic Decisions

[holidaygirl1225]

Just a girl, her platonic gal pal, fluffy soft snowfall, and... a hovering ghost-sword looming over their every move. Well, at least the scholar- Aegislash- is quiet and unobtrusive. She honestly doesn't know why something so powerful-looking needs her as a bodyguard, but if it means getting to earn favor with the guild- and spend time with Shoka- then she'll proceed without complaint.

She's always loved the cold. In fact, as soon as they cross the threshold to Icefall Lake, she does a little prancing in the snow and shakes the accumulated snowflakes off her head, looking back at Shoka with a wide grin (revealing slightly more prominent than usual front teeth for a Deerling).

With that said, it's already starting to get to her after just a little walking, and she tries to hide the fact that she's shivering. She wishes she had her scarf or her coat from home. Aegislash seems completely unbothered, and Shoka... well, Noelle is curious if that disguise keeps her warm. Does she even get cold? A part of her wishes she knew more about what Shoka looked like under that disguise, but the thought makes her blush (for some reason????????) and look away.

[telewarped]

Based on what she'd heard about Noelle's dream, Shoka might have guessed that she would have more of a dislike for the cold. Instead, it's just the opposite; Noelle is in her element in the snow, prancing around without a care in the world. But maybe Shoka shouldn't be so surprised. After all, her name is Noelle Holiday.

Watching her, Shoka can't help but laugh. "Dork..."

She and Noelle make for a rather unprofessional-looking pair of bodyguards, especially beside the silent, serious sentinel that is Aegislash, but Aegislash doesn't seem to mind, and Shoka wouldn't have it any other way.

Eventually, however, the cold worsens—to the point that Shoka notices Noelle shivering, try as she might to hide it.

"Aw, what's this?" teases Shoka, shuffling over the surface of the snow toward Noelle. "No more frolicking left in you?"

She's drawn something out of her satchel: a length of thick, white fabric. With a free hand, she motions for Noelle to approach her.

"C'mere for a sec."

[holidaygirl1225]

"Huh? I, um..."

Noelle steps closer, agreeable as ever. She feels nervous standing close to Shoka... which is normal, she thinks, considering the other girl is a scary ghost under a cute disguise. Noelle still remembers how it felt having those shadows coil around her.

[telewarped]

Unthinkingly, Shoka tosses the bolt of fabric (which might have been originally intended for use as a blanket for a small Pokémon) up onto Noelle's back, drawing it loosely around her like a shawl—and then, seeing (what she mistakes for) fear in Noelle's posture, stiffens.

Oh—right. Noelle is an easily spooked deer and Shoka is an accursed, killer ghost. Obviously she should be keeping her distance and especially keeping her claws to herself. Her bad.

"What?" she hisses, suddenly defensive. "I—just know you're still getting used to the whole no hands thing, so..." Her eyes briefly dart away... and then return to the blanket. "Ugh, just stay still, okay?"

After a moment of fiddling with the fabric, she manages to tie it off around Noelle's neck, comfortably warm and snug. With that done, she shuffles backward in a huff and scans their vicinity for Aegislash—more for an excuse to look at something other than Noelle than out of worry. Fortunately, Aegislash is taking notes of some kind and is paying them no mind.

"There. How's that?"

[holidaygirl1225]

Uh-oh, she made her upset. She backpedals for a minute, sputtering "I didn't--" but gives up the attempt to explain herself. Shoka still makes her nervous, but it isn't a bad kind of nervous. She... isn't sure how to explain it. Not yet.

Even when Shoka is being abrasive, though, she's still nice. The makeshift scarf is warm around her neck, and more than just being practical, it's something Shoka gave to her. Her face feels especially warm.

"Thanks, Shoka," she says. "It's really nice, but... what about you? Aren't you cold at all?"

[telewarped]

Shoka seems pleased with that answer, judging by the way her tone softens (and also the way that her wooden tail gives a single, subtle wag from left to right, then back again).

"Eh, the cold doesn't really bother me much... Just a Ghost thing, I guess. Nothing colder than the grave, am I right, Aegislash?"

"Hm?" says the other Ghost-type, lifting their single eye from their notes. There's a soft, tinny chuckle. "Ah, yes, quite right. However, mine own Steel-typing does also shield me from these conditions."

"Oh. Right..." Shoka's not Steel-typing might explain why she isn't completely immune to being cold, then (as evidenced by that one time Noelle nearly froze her over). "Anyways, I'm good for now, thanks. I've got another on standby in case it gets worse. I brought that one for you."

They'll both need to be bundled up soon, if the weather is anything like it was the last time Shoka ventured through this area.

"I... kinda thought the snow would freak you out a bit more," Shoka says as they continue onward. "I mean, considering..."

Considering that dream Noelle kept talking about. Sensing that might be pushing a boundary, however, Shoka trails off without saying it.

"Never mind."

1/2

[holidaygirl1225]

Did she just wag her tail???

Noelle suppresses a squeal. That was so cute. It reminds her of how she used to think mice were scary, but now she thinks they're cute, because of... some reason she can't remember.

She doesn't have time to ponder it, because a second cute comment hits Noelle's brain. Shoka brought the scarf for her. It's a minor consideration, but...

... Noelle is the type of girl who stood outside the gate to her house for hours until her mom came home so she wouldn't have to call her at work and bother her. She nuzzles into the scarf a little more, happy. The fact that Shoka has another one on standby means they could maybe match.

[holidaygirl1225]

"... the dream, right?"

That's like a cold snowball to the face, alright. She doesn't look her in the eye.

"... I used to love snow days. I remember getting up and pressing my face to the window and it would leave a mark, fahaha. Seeing the entire world blanketed in snow before anyone came and messed it up... the stars still faintly twinkling in the sky... it took the ordinary and made it magical."

She seems wistful as she continues. "I'd run to my sister's room and jump on the bed until she'd get up. She... did not get to bed before 3 AM most days, haha. But she always played along. She was just happy to have an excuse to skip school... but she played along with me, anyway. We'd get all dressed up, and we'd run out into the snow together. It felt like... a blank canvas, y'know? We had the entire day ahead of us. Anything could happen."

Noelle goes silent for several moments.

"... one day, I had my last snow day with my sister. I didn't know it at the time. But I still think about that." Even though she sounds uncertain in her next words, she says them anyway. "You... can't let one bad dream distract you from what really matters."

Because maybe, even though she feels further away from ever, there's some clue to her sister here. Maybe if she gets strong enough, she can find it. That has to be why she came here, she's decided.

"Sorry, I rambled a lot, didn't I? Haha... You can just forget everything I said if you want."

[telewarped]

Shoka is quiet as Noelle speaks. She isn't expecting nearly so detailed or serious an answer (Okay, I didn't ask for your life story, she might have joked, if she didn't immediately sense that this was something important), but she figures she should appreciate it after springing a question like that on Noelle, whether she told Noelle to ignore her afterward or not.

The words last snow day make her heart sink. She... really shouldn't have asked that, should she? Her and her big mouth.

When she's finished, as she often does, Noelle immediately tries to diminish it. Shoka scoffs.

"Yeah, I'm not doing that," she counters before adding, more gently, "Thanks. For telling me."

It feels like she understands Noelle a little more now. Still she has to grapple around her mind for a moment to find something helpful to say.

"I'm glad it doesn't. Freak you out, I mean..." She breathes out a laugh, willing the atmosphere to lighten. "If it did, then getting this quest done would be a hell of a lot harder."

She's glad for that and definitely no other reason. Definitely not because seeing Noelle frolic around in the snow like that made her laugh. Not at all.

Snow swirls between them; the cold is growing more biting by the minute. Shoka considers getting out her own cloak, but opts to put it off a bit longer in favor of asking another brazen question.

"What... happened to her? Your sister." Quickly, she adds, "If it's okay to ask."

No Pain No Grain

[holidaygirl1225]

[After doing a little questing with Shoka and Emporio in August, along with some training, Noelle has started to build up her confidence a little. She's even begun to learn some new moves! She's grateful that strange Hatenna lady encouraged her.

So when she's assigned to a quest with Archnemon- not that Noelle knows her by that name- she's happy, but nervous again, as seems to be her perpetual state. She hopes she lives up to Hatenna's expectations!

Noelle waits for her at the edge of the woods. The Deerling is wearing a little knapsack for carrying Barley.]

Miss Hatenna...! How have you been doing? What do you think of, um... [She sighs. Who gave it this name????] ... 'Death Blood Murder Skull Town'...?

[wovensecrets]

[ Once upon a time, Archnemon might have scoffed at having to do tasks like this, though usually she wouldn't have had a choice in the matter. Odder still, to make the choice willingly to do so. Anyone could do these...? But something about the very nature of survival being at the heart of it and the need to keep busy is very compelling. And something nice to do away from a recent clinic stay. Ugh.

In any case, having a chance to partner off with a ... pupil? Mentee? ... She has no idea how to quantify this, she doesn't know how this sort of thing keeps happening here, but it seems like a good opportunity. Regrettably, she's not as fast, but it's easier for her to move once they're further away from the larger grouping of Pokemon in the town.

Nervous, happy energy? Well, at least it's pep enough to work with. ]

Well, quite busy, though I do try to be! I hope your training has been going well. Who expected this little town would grow up so quickly?

[ And even more amusing that somehow this choice won, perhaps especially so for how people react saying it or avoid it. Good job Noelle for trying even though it hurts. ]

[holidaygirl1225]

Oh! Me too, haha. Keeping busy helped me feel a little more normal about... all this. [She doesn't think she needs to elaborate on 'all this'-- being turned into a Pokemon, among all the other oddities that have been happening.] I did some quests last month, just like you said! And I started helping out in the clinic a little, and I also trained a bit with a new friend. [Her and Ren have tentative plans to start going on runs together, too, once she's sure that he's feeling well enough.

She misses her old friends and her home dearly, though. But... she tries to just not think about it.]

Um... [Now she realizes that she was rambling, and might even sound like she was bragging a little.] So it's been kind of nice.

[Noelle also avoids asking direct questions, recognizing that Hatenna seems to be a bit private. The unspoken invitation is there for Hatenna to talk about her own experiences if she wants, or to keep the focus on Noelle.]

[wovensecrets]

Oh my, you've really been stepping up! Told you, that you could do it.

[ Archnemon certainly can sense the slight dip in the emotions, and winces only slightly, as she can tell that the happy feelings were definitely covering something else (longing, loneliness), but the comfortable thing about being in Noelle's aura was that positive reinforcement seemed to work around her to help even it out enough for her to not crash out immediately around her.

Stranger for her to feel genuine about it, too, instead of just using for this benefit, and it surprises her that it does... but maybe that was the benefit of being in such a strange world when priorities change and one has to live with the side effects of empathy headaches...? Still, she can't help herself - she usually mirrors others rather than opening up. ]

But, what do you do to relax? I admit, I've been at a loss for hobbies myself...

[holidaygirl1225]

It's tricky when you get put in a whole new body, haha... I've started running again with Ren! One of my guildmates, I mean. I'm getting better at running on all fours now! I'm still trying to read, but it's hard to turn pages without fingers. At least there's some tablets that don't require that at all.

[... Man, she misses video games, though. And she never thought she'd say this, but she misses the normalcy of school and its schedule and everything. She honestly doesn't know what to do if she's not being useful to someone.

Noelle turns her attention back to Hatenna. Running might be hard for someone with no visible legs, and she probably would have the same problem when it comes to reading.]

... I think you could be a good singer. I used to sing in my church choir, and you have a nice voice, I think. I could sing with you! [Mostly she knows hymnals or Christmas carols, though.]

[wovensecrets]

It's definitely tricky.

[ It's easier to talk about other people's hobbies and considerations more than her own, when so much had to go to the wayside when work became the only priority.

Still, no one was really setting those priorities anymore, as much as she was still filling her time with "work". Hm. Was this really a genuine act of consideration? It was such a strange thing. Something she might be more inclined to dismiss, if she hadn't gone and encouraged it to begin with. Why were people nice to her here, anyway...? Weird! Right then. ]

Oh, do you really? I used to play flute, but I've never sung around other people before. At least where anyone else was supposed to hear me...

[ A short quick laugh. It's not something she - thinks about. If she might have, if she wanted to - none of that was relevant, before. She can think of one person who might have encouraged it, and another who might have forbid it if it were too much a distraction. No more car radio, after all. ]

So, if you would like me to sing with you, you just might have to teach me a few songs, Noelle-chan.

[holidaygirl1225]

[Flute is nice... Noelle wonders if they have instruments here, too. They must, right? It might be hard for Hatenna to play it the way she is now, but still.]

Oh! Well... I can do my best! Do you like carols? Christmas is right around the corner, you know!

[It's September.]

[wovensecrets]

[ ... Well for her, Christmas was... she looks distracted for a moment. ]

Hm?

[ Wait no, she knows time is different here, along with her own issues with it recently. Though it's also associated with a thought path she'd been particularly avoiding, so she shakes herself out of it. How did this end up so focused on her anyway... she'd need to look for an opportunity to divert when she could. ]

Oh, I've taught myself to play some of them before, if that counts...

[ That is, following along with Ode to Joy was dramatic enough for someone who had Bach's Toccata and Fugue as their ring tone... ]

A Dour Struggle

[holidaygirl1225]

[A pack of skull-themed hellhounds stalking the borders of a place called Death Blood Murder Skull Town... this is straight out of a bad creepypasta.

And yet, when she sees Bigby signed up to fight them off, Noelle signs up on impulse as well. He might've spoken like a strong, gruff man, but he was only a little hamster! What if he got hurt? And... despite everything, Noelle still wants to become stronger. She needs to become stronger.

She's very clearly apprehensive and second-guessing herself as they walk into the woods beyond Skull Town, but she won't turn back now.]

... I won't get in your way. A-and I'll back you up out there, okay? I've been, um... training.

[As they speak, Noelle doesn't notice eyes peering at them from the thick brush. Several of the Houndour already begin to surround them.]

[wolfcut]

[ Venturing beyond the borders of Death Blood Murder Skull Town — god, what a fucking mouthful that turned out to be — he makes sure to take it slow with Noelle following close by. A bit further in, he considers eating a seed or two before the fighting inevitably begins, until he remembers his company. No, he can wait on that, actually. ]

You’re fine, Noelle. [ He means it, but the disgruntled sigh that follows might come across as otherwise. Whoever was in charge of assigning quests clearly needs a quote-unquote talk after this is all said and done. ] Just think of it as another lesson. It’ll be—wait.

[ He puts his arm out to stop, motioning with his other hand to keep quiet. He glances around them with ears on alert. Pack hunters. Right.

A Howl erupts before three Hondours jump from hiding, though one is just unlucky enough to land face first on a Thunder Punch. While it tries to get back on its feet, the other two move in closer with low growls. Bigby gives a few of his own until he glances back up at Noelle, his brows furrowing slightly. ]

... You, uh. You ready? [ Because those Houndours sure are charging in for a few Bites. ]

[holidaygirl1225]

E--eeek! [She freezes up completely when the Hondour come out. But then... she takes a breath, steadies herself. These are enemies like any other. She can beat them.]

I... I'm ready.

[She starts with Grassy Terrain. The forest's natural earthy scent gets amplified. The grass around them grows taller. A faint healing energy runs through the battlefield. Grass-type moves are boosted in power, too, for what it's worth...

... but Noelle doesn't know any of those yet, other than this one.

Instead, she resorts to kicking up dirt with Sand Attack. It goes straight into the eyes of a Houndour, who lets out a yelp of surprise and anger. It retaliates by leaping blindly forward.

Noelle somehow manages to stumble out of the way, the Houndour's jaws snapping an inch shy of her head. She's shaking like a leaf. All of this is beyond her! She's just a normal high school girl! She shouldn't be fighting monsters out here!

... And yet, something about it feels familiar. Almost... good.]

[wolfcut]

[ That yelp makes his confidence waver just a bit more, but his nose twitches as the grassy scent fills the air. It's oddly calming, and for whatever reason, his mind wanders to his damn seeds again. Just pushing that thought aside one more time.

As Noelle deals with her Houndour, the other rushes at Bigby, and while he lets off a Thunder Shock, it's not enough to stop it completely. He presses against its jaw as it tries to gnash at him, unable to focus enough to charge another attack.

Instead, he looks over at the Deerling, and between grunts, he manages to shout out: ] Hit it, Noelle. With a Tackle or— [ What do deer even do except run? ] —ram it! [ Wrong animal. Whatever. ] Hey, hey, hey, where the hell are you going?

[ The Houndour pulls away from him, intent on helping its packmate, until Bigby launches himself right on it. He's pulling on its ears to redirect its attention, but he might as well be holding on for his own sake as it starts jumping around like a mechanical bull. Fun. ]

[holidaygirl1225]

["Hit it, Noelle."
"Hit it."
"Hit it."

Her face frozen in shock, her body reacts nonetheless. She braces herself and slams her back hooves into the Houndour's face just as it's preparing to strike. She hears a yelp, which she cuts short with a second kick. The Houndour goes completely silent, and then there's a thump of a body falling to the grass.

She's pulled off a super effective Double Kick. When she looks, the Houndour is still breathing- thank the Angel- but it's unconscious.]

I... I did it.

[Their victory is short-lived. More Houndour have encircled them. One of them spits an Ember at her, almost just to test her. She screams-- then bites her tongue and cuts it short, almost not wanting to worry Bigby.]

[wolfcut]

[ Bigby Bites down hard to stay holding on. Less than effective, even as his teeth break skin, but he follows up with another Thunder Shock. He can feel its body begin to tense, paralysis setting in, but not before it manages to send him off with one last kick. Next thing he knows, he's tumbling right up against the other Houndour. Immediately, he turns to keep fighting, only —

Yeah, that guy's knocked out cold. ] ... No kidding. [ He nudges against it for good measure, just to make sure, but no. Noelle sure did do it. Good job crosses his mind, until he's too distracted to get the words out. She might be able to muffle her scream, but there's no hiding the smell of burnt fur from him. ] How bad is it? Be honest.

[ Speaking quietly, he moves closer to her, but with no healing moves and body that can barely shield half her size, there's not much for him to offer. Frustrating. With the Houndours moving in, he finally goes for his last resort: Seed Bomb. He's not expecting much, just enough to keep them from pouncing right away, but to his surprise it's hitting a lot harder than expected. Huh. ] When I run out of seeds, get ready to move, alright? Don't want another one of those to hit.

[ He's already down to his last few, without realizing he might be forgetting his usual hunger management precautions. ]

[holidaygirl1225]

I-it's not that bad. [Already, the Grassy Terrain numbs the pain to a dull ache. Or maybe it's the adrenaline coursing through her-- there's just so many of them. She doesn't even comment on the cuteness of a hamster attacking with seeds.

Noelle takes a moment to check on the Hondour she just kicked. To her relief- and maybe Bigby's irritation- the Grassy Terrain is slightly healing them as well.

With nothing else to do, Noelle prepares to run.]

[wolfcut]

[ It's a relief to hear, but they're not quite out of the woods yet. His ears flick, eyes glancing back over at the downed Houndour starting to come to as the pack growls amongst itself, ready to give chase the moment any sudden movements set them all off. The more he thinks about it, the more fucked it seems to send a deer to fight these things, conveniently forgetting he's not exactly an apex predator himself anymore.

But, he has to give credit where credit is due. ] Take off right when I land these, got it? And don't make it easy for them. Zig-zag. Use the trees for cover. Any that catch up to you, just kick 'em off your tail, same as before.

[ Funny, giving this sort of advice. He takes in one last breath, the Houndours beginning to rush in. ] And don't worry. I'll be right behind you. [ Attention back on the pack, he fires his last few Seed Bombs, not at them, but some of the heavier branches above. With a stronger impact, they break just as intended, falling right on target. That takes care of some of them for now. As for the rest, he's too busy booking it himself to take a headcount.

He tries not to steer too close toward Noelle at first, if only to try to divert them, but seems they're too intent on prioritizing the Grass-type. ] —damn it.

[ Best he can do is Leer while he tries to catch up. Surely she's got this a second time. ]