bottlecaplogs | FLIGHT AND FREEZE

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FLIGHT AND FREEZE

Who: Kris, Umemiya, Archnemon, Shoka, Bigby, Siffrin (SA), Kinger, Sanji, Need, Ren, Akechi, Anasui, Emporio, Ingo, Emmet... and Noelle!!
What: Move over Team Intimidate, there's a cooler Pokemon that needs saving.
When: Early October
Where: All over
Warnings: Will update as needed!!

Noelle has vanished while recovering at the clinic and nobody can find her! She may have run away while having a mental health crisis. Please, bring her back safely!

Mightyena doesn't know where Noelle went, just that she was still in recovery when she vanished. She thought Noelle couldn't have gone far in her condition... but if that's the case, why hasn't she been found yet?

[ QUEST START ]

After a tense day of discussion, organizing and planning, Kris and Ingo gather the volunteers at the outskirts of Bottlecap Bay. Supplies are handed out, groups are chosen, and everyone is given a quick debriefing on the plan: start close to home, then work their way further out as they narrow down her location. Some groups should hang back, ready to set out once a fresh lead is established—the pearls are perfect for this, so everyone should keep their own handy. Spreading out too wide will only make things difficult once they find her trail, so it's important that everyone stays on task.

Once everyone's roles have been assigned, it's time to set out. It's going to be a long, long day.

BEFORE THE SEARCH
TEAM A | TEAM B
TEAM C | TEAM D
TEAM E

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[Siffrin's expression goes fixed - oddly, particularly around their eyes rather than their mouth. (Right, stupid. Get on with it.)]

Sorry, kittycat, you're right! [Wait, no, wrong voice -]

[Doesn't matter, there goes Shoka. Siffrin's unfolded ear twists backward - they're about to go darting after her, but they stutter their steps to listen to what Bigby's saying to them, and nod. Then they're off too, trying to catch up. The trampled path makes for an easy running surface, so they're quickly bounding along, having a weird feeling of deja vu to a few days ago -]

[They shudder, then skid to a halt as they catch up to Shoka. They look from side to side, seeing the problem, and open their mouth - then determinedly shut it and start sniffing the air instead. The peppermint scent is here, but which direction...]

[...] This way.

[At this point they don't stop even if they spot something unusual, dragging their attention back to Noelle's trail and trotting onward as fast as they can manage without losing it. (Which means they alternate between jogging and outright running, when there's one clear trampled path.) If it looks like Bigby's really struggling to keep up, they hesitate for a little while, then slow down to half-crouch, still kind of slinking along but simultaneously offering a ride on their back. If Bigby takes them up on it, Siffrin's shoulders are stiff when they straighten, tensing any time Bigby shifts even slightly. But they don't comment or complain.]

[The scents grow stronger as they go along - both the peppermint and the general smell of Deerling - and Siffrin speeds up as it gets easier to follow, even as the deer tracks spread over a wider and wider area. By the end they're barely keeping themself from panting, but their gait is a steady clip that a human with enough stamina would be able to keep up for ages. (Unfortunately, a cat-lion-thing isn't a human...)]

["The end," being, of course, when they spot the hindquarters of a Deerling. A metaphorical jolt goes through them, and their ear stands straight up.]

Noelle? [They call out. (They can't tell, they've only seen Noelle in passing and they can't see color, but maybe -)]

[The Deerling jumps on delicate deer legs and swivels its head around. Seeing three Pokemon bearing down on it - including at least one predator and one Ghost - it springs away. Siffrin curses under their breath and also speeds up, even though chasing might not be the best choice when someone's already running for it. (And now they really are panting -)]

[It's quickly evident from the sounds of the forest around them that the Deerling was making for the shelter of its herd. The group breaks into a clearing to be met with the lowered horns of a Winter Sawsbuck.]

[Bigby's words make Shoka flinch and bristle (Wait? He's telling her to wait? When every second spent waiting could be another second Noelle spends—), but after a moment she droops in defeat, shivering miserably. He's right; she isn't helping. She—needs to get her head on straight. Even though she feels utterly, overwhelmingly useless, and her mind is racing, and she can't stop thinking about—]

... Sorry...

[Her voice is frail as she shrinks back, willing Bigby and Siffrin to lead. As soon as they move, so does she, dipping in and out of her Shadow Sneak to stay close behind them.

Fortunately, she's still in her shadow when they find the clearing, giving her the chance to dart ahead of them just in time to block the Sawsbuck's Horn Leech with her Protect. The Sawsbuck rears back.

"Stay back!" it starts to say, but Shoka is already Shadow Sneaking again, slipping under its hooves and into the crowd of gathered Deerling behind it. Some startle and jump back, while others freeze in place as Shoka starts to call out and scan them all, searching for anything familiar in their faces. At first glance, they all look like Noelle, but she knows better.]

Noelle? Noelle! Are you here—?

["What is the meaning of this?!" huffs the Sawsbuck, for a split second too bewildered by this turn of events to decide which of the intruders to attack first.

The Deerling, meanwhile, murmur anxiously amongst themselves.

"More of them?"

"Reinforcements..."

"The angel will save us...!"]

[ Having accepted Siffrin's offer for a ride — priorities over pride winning out — Bigby clings close against them with the Horn Leech incoming. He braces for impact, until the clink of the attack hitting Protect snaps him back out of it.

Attention divided now, he briefly looks past the Sawsbuck towards Shoka. Unrest among the Deerling grows as she calls out to no response, further adding to their leader's ire. They loudly grunt, drawing Bigby's gaze back to them staring down expectantly. He glowers up in return, ready to bare his teeth, only to let his ears fall instead. ]

... We're looking for a stray Deerling. Joined your herd some paces back. She's... injured and we need to get her home.

[ "Could he mean—"

"But what could they want with—"

"It's a trick! We can't let them—"

The Sawsbuck stomps their hooves until the herd falls silent from talking over each other. They rear their antlers up as they bellow out: "Enough! We've not seen this Noelle or your missing Deerling. You and yours best move on."

A frustrated growl finally escapes his throat, paws digging a bit deeper into Siffrin without realizing. Prey animals protecting their own; this was bound to just go nowhere fast. ]

We don't have time for this. Her scent leads directly here. We're not leaving until— [ The Sawsbuck drags a hoof back as Bigby talks, before suddenly dropping their head. Immediately, he switches focus, not knowing the Shinx's fighting capabilities well enough to not send out an order. ] —Siffrin, move!

[ They start to charge forward with a Headbutt, the Deerling murmuring amongst themselves again, with a few now wondering if they should join in to defend themselves too. ]

Ki - Shoka. Wait - !

[Too late, too late, she's already gone. Siffrin snarls softly, jockeying back and forth to try and find a way around the Sawsbuck, but is blocked by horns at every turn. Separated from Shoka, they immediately swap gears from telling themself "this is just another rescue mission" to agreeing whole-heartedly with Bigby's "we don't have time for this" -]

[They're diving to the side before Bigby's even finished his order, inadvertantly using Double Team - the Headbutt mostly misses them both, though the Sawsbuck glances against Siffrin's hindquarters just enough to send some tufts of fur flying. Siffrin's next move is very deliberate, though - skidding around to charge back at the Sawsbuck and jumping into the air, flipping head over heels to send their tail driving downward first. (Sorry about the ride, Bigby...)]

[They're intending to use Iron Tail, which they've gotten used to treating as a knife, but what comes out at this exact moment is an even more powerful Frustration. All things considered, it's both a surprise and a relief that they're aiming for the Sawsbuck's horns rather than their neck or legs.]

[With the Deerling distracted, their faces pointed toward either their Sawsbuck leader or Shoka herself, it's easy for Shoka to quickly look them all over and come to a simple conclusion: Noelle isn't here. Hopelessness descends on her again.

And then she hears Bigby shout, followed by the clear, sharp clack of Siffrin's attack striking the Sawsbuck's antlers. It hits with enough force to stagger the Sawsbuck, much to the alarm of its Deerling charges.

"Ahh, no! Stop it!"

"Just leave us alone!"

"What do we do?"

"What can we do? None of us know how to heal like the angel can, and without Sawsbuck, we'll never—"

With a vengeful snort, the Sawsbuck readies an Energy Ball in retaliation, gathering bright, neon green energy between its antlers. It's enough to startle Shoka back to her senses. Another Shadow Sneak takes her to a spot between Sawsbuck and her team, but this time, she faces her teammates, her spectral hands raised as if to shield Sawsbuck.]

Wait! Just stop, okay? We don't—

[It would be too late for Sawsbuck to call off the Energy Ball even if it wanted to. The sphere of energy hurtles forward like a cannonball straight into the back of Shoka's disguise-head. Her neck snaps on impact, forcing her head to flop forward over her real eyes, but the disguise rag, for the most part, stays miraculously intact. Unharmed, she recovers quickly, lifting her hands to push her disguise-head back into place.]

We don't want to fight you! [Or, more accurately, they don't have time to fight off an entire herd.] Just—just let us ask something, and we'll be outta here! [Then, to Siffrin and Bigby,] She's not here anyway...

[The Sawsbuck shakes its head and paws at the ground. "And why should we listen to you?"]

Because... Because it might have something to do with your "angel", okay?

[There are a few scattered gasps from the herd. The Sawsbuck gives another loud snort of offense.

"You dare to speak of her in vain?!"]

[ A bumpier ride than expected, to be sure. He scrambles to hold on tight as Siffrin pivots into an attack, not exactly liking his odds if he lets go now. Hard to forget the damage Noelle did against a bunch of Houndour with just a few kicks; no telling what a Sawsbuck would be able to do against him with hooves that big. When the dust settles, he finally raises his head with a snarl, letting the electricity build in his cheeks in response to the growing Energy Ball aimed right at them.

Teeth bared, he's ready to fight fire with fire, only to be completely thrown off when the Mimikyu emerges between both sides. ]

Shoka! [ The sparks stop. His eyes go wide. In that brief second, he can feel his heart stop, only to see her take the hit relatively unscathed. Relief follows yet again, but it doesn't last for long after hearing what she has to say. ] ... What? What do you mean she's not—

[ Interrupted, he growls up at the Sawsbuck, finally having had enough to jump off Siffrin. Not that he's intimidating anyone with even less height by doing so. ]

Can it. It's always the same with you prey, isn't it? [ That gets a notable huff in response. "Bold words coming from you." The Sawsbuck stomps their front hoof loudly, immediately stopping Bigby from trying to approach any further. His ears fall. ]

... Fine. But that angel of yours, she's— [ Not actually an angel at all? Even he knows saying that is just asking for it now. An alternative then. What were all those Deerling talking about? ] —she healed me too. Saved me actually, from a pack of Houndour. I just... we want to return the favor.

[ That seems to get a positive reaction, with some of the herd now coming in closer. ("Protecting such a small thing..." "She would be so generous.") He brushes back an ear, rolling his eyes just slightly. His prey to prey connection. How could he forget. ]

[Siffrin, seeing the Energy Ball and realizing there's not enough time to get out of the way, is gearing up to charge straight through it and launch another attack - but skids to a halt instantly as soon as Shoka pops up between them, back legs digging into the trampled mud.]

[Shortly followed by their expression flashing into something terrified for a moment as Shoka takes the hit, their already-bristling fur poofing out in all directions. The look in their eye gets a little bit wild, and they're crouching to leap at the Sawsbuck once more, drive it in another direction - but they still when Shoka speaks again. She's okay! She's okay.]

[The sensation of Bigby jumping off their back shakes them out of it further... slowly, they straighten back up and force their fur to smooth out. Their body stays tense, strung like a bow - but they sit, tucking their paws neatly underneath them and their tail around those.]

[...]

[Siffrin almost smiles, reflexively, then catches themself. Probably not the most appropriate act for this moment. They need a new one. It's... taking them a few moments...]

[Which is probably for the best, because it lets them listen to the exchange between Bigby and the Sawsbuck before they jump in. Very carefully, they pick up the thread and add,] She was already worn out before she headed this way. We just want to make sure she's okay, if she's been helping more people...

[Unspecified "worn out" - they're not totally sure what was up with Noelle, aside from that she was recovering at the clinic. Hopefully that's vague enough that it won't contradict anything...]

[As the clearest predator in the group, their words have the least impact on the herd, and the Sawsbuck especially is watching them with great suspicion. But at the same time, there's some tense muttering from the corners about how at least if there's a predator, it seems to be kept on a leash by the other two. The Shinx is sitting very politely.]

[Siffrin... does smile, this time. It's more in their eyes than their mouth; they keep their teeth carefully hidden.]

[Shoka quiets to let Bigby and Siffrin talk, relieved to hear them both following along. The Sawsbuck continues to eye the trio skeptically, but if nothing else, it seems to have lost interest in attacking.

"And what help could you possibly offer our angel?" it asks.]

Are you kidding? I just took a direct attack from you like it was nothing—and we've obviously got a real predator on our side. [Shoka's head flops awkwardly on its broken neck—an apparent attempted nod toward Siffrin (that doesn't require her to actually look at them).] We've been given her blessing or whatever... So now we can give some of that power she let us borrow back.

[More murmurs spread through the herd. That doesn't sound right to all of them, but they don't know enough about Mimikyu (or the angel, really) to dispute it. The Sawsbuck remains unconvinced.

The longer their uncertain silence stretches on, the more agitated Shoka becomes. Eventually, she bristles, and clear desperation emerges in her voice.]

Please! We—just have to see her, okay? If you could just give us—the direction she headed, or something...!

[Somehow, that seems to be what makes Sawsbuck reconsider. Its ears lower and its eyes soften. Whether the three strangers really have the ability to offer aid to a being as powerful as the angel or not, the desperation in that voice speaks to a true reverence, it thinks.

"... The angel appeared to us when our herd was attacked by a cruel Vileplume. She froze it solid, then healed our injured... I'd never seen such a thing. She was much like us, but she possessed abilities that Deerling do not."]

That's—! That's definitely her!

[A moment's hesitation, and then: "She chose not to join us on our migration. Once she had ensured we were all well enough to continue, she departed for the mountains."

Saying this, it lifts and turns its head, indicating the direction Noelle left with the point of its snout. When its eyes fall on the team again, its tall, branching antlers frame the mountain peaks in the distance, looming far beyond the treetops. Shoka deflates.

"I suggest you do the same." Depart, that is.]

[ He folds his arms. There’s a lot he already doesn’t like about this whole situation, but he lets the other two do the rest of the talking. There’s little else for him to add that won’t just upset the Sawsbuck all over again. Instead, he simply glances back at the herd, still muttering away amongst themselves as their leader continues with the conversation. He can feel his heart sink the longer it goes on.

So, this is really it then. All that, just to wind up back where they started, at the base of a mountain both metaphorically and physically. A few of the Deerling start to cautiously approach, if only to get a closer look at the other Pokémon who allegedly received her blessing. His teeth clench as they do, but he does nothing to stop it from happening either. All he can focus on is the fact that she's long gone from here. Finally, the frustration surfaces again. ]

You just — you let her go? On her own? [ Based on expression alone, the Sawsbuck doesn't take such an accusation kindly, but one of the herd speaks before they can, with a voice gentle, calm, in complete reverence: "You care so deeply for our angel, but don't worry. This is her journey to take." The Deerling turns from the group to look at the Morpeko with a soft smile. "She's stronger than us all. You've seen it too."

There isn't anything else Bigby can say to that. He turns to Siffrin and Shoka both, unable to hide the defeat in his face. ]

... We can't just head back, can we? I mean, she was right here. [ He looks at Siffrin specifically now, ears falling flat. ] You still had her scent. She couldn't have gotten too far yet.

[ He knows it's a bad idea, he knows they didn't prepare to scale a mountain, but he can't bear the thought of letting Noelle get further and further away. The change in season is brutal for any creature on their own; he doesn't care how strong the herd thinks she is by herself. ]

[Siffrin is not the right person to ask here if you want to be convinced to turn back from a bad idea. (Is anyone, in this group?) At Bigby's look, they stick their nose into the air again.]

[Peppermint. It's fainter, now. They must have diverged from it when they started chasing that first Deerling. It makes sense - this herd will have been continuing on its migration, slowly, from when Noelle left them. But... ugh. They could've avoided this whole encounter if they just paid attention and didn't jump at the first Deerling they saw! Good going, Siffrin! Great job! You're here for your nose and you're not even using it?]

[Their tail lashes, agitated, but they nod.] I can still smell her.

[While they don't care much about Sawsbuck's opinion, after getting hurried along earlier they don't wait now. They rise to their feet and get to tracking. Siffrin dodges around the curious Deerling, fur bristling when they get a little too close, and heads toward the edge of the clearing - a little bit in the direction of where they came, a little bit in the direction of the mountains.]

[(They can still smell her for now - they'll lose the scent quickly as soon as they hit an elevation high enough for snow. But they don't know that.)]

[Shoka is eerily still as she considers the Sawsbuck's words, not budging even when the Deerling start to surround her, too, to inspect her and her broken disguise. She experiences the same sequence of thoughts at the same time Bigby does: continuing on is a bad idea; they didn't prepare to scale a mountain and it's already getting late, but...

We can't just head back, can we?]

Hell no.

[Intellectually, she knows they should, but they can't. She snaps back to attention, making her head twitch and wobble on its torn-open neck. The Deerling shrink back, startled, granting her an opening to scurry after Siffrin. The Sawsbuck looks on in silence, expression almost pitying.

Shoka's already lost Noelle's scent herself, but if Siffrin still has it, then maybe there's still a chance. Maybe there's still time for them to catch up.]

Frin— [She stops herself. Can she even call them that name anymore?] You—... You have to do something! Please...

[Deep down, she knows it isn't fair to demand so much of them, but she doesn't know what else to do.]

I'm on it, kittycat. [It almost sounds like they originally meant to have that sound cheerful, but it came out oddly serious... they're focused on the route in front of them more than anything else.]

[It's not too long before they cross the trail again - for a short while, the scent might even be strong enough for everyone else to follow it as well! And Sawsbuck was telling the truth, it is leading toward the mountains. Siffrin speeds up any time they're able, though they never quite go up to a run again; they've learned their lesson.]

[As the ground slopes slowly upward, though, and the air gets colder... the smell of peppermint gets fainter. Several times Siffrin has to stop and circle to catch it again, and then - just as a few intermittent flakes of snow start drifting from the sky - they lose it for the last time.]

[This round of circling gets increasingly more desperate, looping wider and wider, and they even try to backtrack a little bit - but whether it's because the scent is fading fast, or the trio have drowned it out with their own, or anything else, Siffrin can't find it where they know it existed either. It's just gone. They haven't even properly hit mountain-steep slopes yet, but this section is all gravelly so there's no chance of tracks, and there are like ten directions she could've gone from here, and it's just gone -]

[Siffrin claws at the ground, frustrated. Then they start circling again, even though there's no way they're finding something new at this point.]

[Shoka doesn't even bother to patch up her shroud before she starts moving again. Her disguise-head bobs heavily behind her as she scurries after Siffrin, leaving a trail of black dust (pieces of herself, apparently, flaking right off of her without the layer of fabric there to keep them intact) in her wake.

At some point, she detects Noelle's scent again on the air and chases after it with renewed vigor—but it comes to her only fleetingly. Not long afterward, Siffrin finally loses the trail, too.

Shoka stands there uselessly, watching them circle around and around.]

... No. [Her voice, when she finds it, is thin and hopeless.] Don't—... Don't tell me...

[ His heart races. Neither Siffrin nor Shoka push back on an obvious bad idea. There's still time. They still have a chance. All that matters is finding Noelle before she's gone all over again. Anything else is secondary.

With Siffrin bounding after the trail, and Shoka following soon after, Bigby glances back one last time at the herd. A few watch as the trio run after their angel, until the Sawsbuck shakes the leaves in their antlers to draw their attention away. Bigby's still not sure what to make of them — or their encounter with Noelle — but he darts ahead to catch up without thinking much more on it.

Before they even reach their dead end, Bigby's already feeling the drop in temperature. His ears give in to a slight tremble, but all he's focusing on are Shoka's words. He can't be the one to say it. ]

Th-there's only so many ways up. We — we just have to find a path first— [ What if she didn't even go up to begin with? ] ... Or maybe we missed a turn somewhere. We can retrace our steps. Find the scent again, and...

[ Frustration rises. He's starting to pace. There's nothing they can do, but they can't just do nothing. ]

[Siffrin is better equipped than Bigby for the drop in temperature - but their winter coat has only just started to grow. Despite their more and more aggravated circling, and the way they try to poof their fur up... it's not very long before they also start to show signs of shivering. It gets more violent as a sharp breeze slices across the side of the slope.]

It's... I can't find it -

[Great job, Siffrin! There's one thing you're here for and you still couldn't handle it!! They don't even know why - shouldn't it have been getting stronger as they got closer?? (It's the cold, and the wind that's gusting intermittently - but they don't know enough to realize.)]

[When Bigby mentions a path, their head jerks up. They try to rein in both hope and desperation in their voice - Bigby's tracking was useful earlier in the woods, maybe,] Can you see something? To show which way...

[There's a soft clink against the rocks as Siffrin's grumpearl slips out of their hat, loosened by that jerking motion and all of the racing around they were doing up until this point. They scoop it up without thinking, and stare at it dully.]

[Shoka doesn't move from where she stands watching the two of them, her heart sinking as their words fall on her fluttering ears. They've given this their all, and they're still trying, but it's become rapidly, mercilessly clear that they're out of ideas. Deep down, she already knows that they've done all they can. It's the sight of both of them shivering that finally makes her heart hit rock bottom.

Frustration and despair make her voice emerge as a too-harsh snarl.]

If he could see something, he would've said something, wouldn't he?

[She's more static than shadows again, the edges of her hidden true form jagged and jittering beyond her control. Particles of it continue to escape from the tear in her disguise, scattering in the wind. Her eyes focus on Siffrin, then their Grumpearl, and then on nothing. She doesn't want to say it... But someone has to.]

We... We have to go back. [Her voice shrinks, the frigid wind rendering it almost inaudible.] I don't... wanna lose you, too...

[ He wraps his arms around himself to stave off the bitter cold. Bracing against the harsh breeze, all Bigby can think about is finding something, anything, to keep going. When he hears Siffrin's question, he's still pacing around, looking, hoping, but he can't bring himself to actually answer. There's nothing.

When their pearl hits the ground, he stops, suddenly jolting from a trance he didn't even realize he was in. He starts to shrink into himself. Shoka's words are like a punch to the gut. The weather is quickly becoming relentless. If they don't back off soon, Noelle won't be the only one in need of rescue.

He looks up toward the mountain one last time, before motioning his head toward Siffrin's pearl. Another dead end for the search party. ]

... Let's call it.

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FLIGHT AND FREEZE

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