bottlecaplogs | November+December Catch-All

[...right. Why did they bother trying to name a color again?]

[Siffrin finishes stretching out their back legs and straightens entirely to their feet.] Sure, makes sense!

["Past Skull Town" is unfortunately still pretty broad - it's safe to assume that it's in the direction away from the Bay, and therefore the forest, but that's still a lot to cover. Half the valley, and then all three of the new areas. Siffrin would like to say that they can at least eliminate Icefall Lake, based on it becoming more inaccessible, but what if that's the reason Furfrou is still missing?]

[At least it's easy to start - the initial way across the valley, no matter where you're headed, is basically the same. Siffrin tests the air repeatedly as they trot along, sniffing for "doggy" smells that they don't recognize. And looking for footprints that stand out.]

[They pause where the route out of the valley branches and look up - waiting for Cedric to either swoop down to reconvene, or to flap off in a specific direction if he's seen something.]

[Cedric has the same thought regarding Icefall Lake; unless Furfrou's ice fishing, what reason would they have to go there? Not ruling it out completely, but there's no point prioritizing it over Furnace Mountain and Heavy Downmoor. Not that either of those places are going to be pleasant either...

Still, he keeps within view of his lion buddy and looks out for any flicker of white or some fluffy mass moving below the trees. When Siffrin reaches the split, he swoops down to join him, and doing so helps him spot some tufts of fur clinging to the low branches. He gestures to them with a wing.]

That must be them... heading towards the mountain. [There's a hint of dread in his tone; he can't imagine such a creature feeling comfortable near a large heat source if the name's as accurate as he thinks it is.]

[Siffrin follows the direction Cedric gestures and pads over to the tree, rearing up on their hind legs and bracing their front paws on the trunk. This gets them tall enough - just about Furfrou height - that they can sniff at the fur tufts. Darkless fur... they're pretty sure that lines up to "white," but they can never be entirely confident.]

Smells doggy! [they agree cheerfully. And matches one of the scents they were trying to follow.] There's a different doggy smell in the direction of the Downmoor, but if you haven't seen anything else...

[It makes sense to start with Furnace Mountain. They swish their tail once and turn in that direction, going at a surprisingly rapid pace for their outwardly-relaxed attitude. They alternate between looking ahead and at the ground, checking for pawprints, and sniffing every once in a while - want to make sure they're still following the scent trail, and that they notice when it goes haring off the main path.]

Maybe Furfrou was trying to go somewhere that matched their name. [Get it, because Fur-nace Mountain... teehee.]

Probably wet doggy. [Said in a mutter, but he's not trying to hide the statement from Siffrin; it's more a jab at Downmoor than it is at him, Cedric felt soaked for two days straight after going there with Impmon.

He does, however, let out a light snort at the pun; despite the serious situation, he's always been a sucker for them.] Well I'm sure they'll be frou with the heat once the time we find them. [You can practically hear the ba-dum-tsh through the trees.

A-anyway, he keeps a close eye on his companion and any other signs as they continue down... is it getting warmer or that just him? Whatever's going on, he feels the natural inclination to open his beak in the hopes of staying cool. It's fine, they're fine, they'll find the doggo soon enough before it collapses from heat stroke, right... right...?]

They will be on the way back! [Siffrin concurs brightly. They've experienced the Downmoor more than enough times themself.]

[Their ear perks, and they snicker appreciatively - oh?? Another punster?? They're just opening their mouth to pun back outright when, for the flicker of a moment, their expression goes odd. (Are they still allowed to have puns be their thing? ...argh, no, later problem. They focus again. But they never did give Cedric a response pun...)]

[Siffrin's generally preferred hot to cold, particularly now as a cat-shaped Pokemon - but as the two of them wind further through the rocky crags, even they have to admit this is getting a bit much. Instinctively they want to pause to lick their fur, but that would require stopping, so for now they just resign themself to bearing it.]

[At least the heat also makes the probably-Furfrou's scent trail very prominent. At one point they cross a patch of (dried-out) dirt, and Siffrin notices some very faint impressions of dog-like pawprints. They lift their tail and indicate them - though perhaps Cedric's spotted those before they did?]

[As they pass the prints, a Slugma peers curiously out at them from a wide crack in the rocks. Maybe it makes sense to ask them if they saw someone pass by...?]

[The answer, of course, is that puns can absolutely still be their thing. What fun are puns when they can't be shared?

Regardless, Cedric spots the prints as soon as Siffrin points them out and swoops down close enough to make out more... which is also enough to notice movement at the corner of his eye. He drops down to the rocks and peers into the crack.]

Anyone there? Pardon me, but did you happen to see a big, fluffy dog come by he- gah!

[He hops back as the literal moving lava slips through and blinks at him.]

O-or you haven't, that's fine, too.

[Drippy. Big wet-looking eyes. If it weren't for the heat coming off the Slugma, Siffrin would assume it was a Sadness...]

[The Slugma inspects the both of them, ear flames(?) quivering thoughtfully. Then they burble out an answer:] A fluffy Pokemon... with droopy ears and hearts all over... muttering about finding someone... is that who you're talking about...?

[It's kind of hard to parse Slugma's speech - sounds like it's coming from underwater. Very bubbly. But once Siffrin does, they can't help but comment:] ...hearts?

[Slugma turns their head.] Their fur was cut... into shapes... they had a big heart at the end of their tail...

[Oh. That makes a lot more sense than what Siffrin was picturing.]

[He nearly jumps again when the voice comes out - so burbly.]

Y-yes, yes, that sounds right! Except the hearts, don't remember Delcatty mentioning hearts.

[He gives a casual shrug to Siffrin.] Some bold haircut? [He adds, more quietly and in a deadpan tone:] Or they had a date. In the piping hot mountain.

[He's more confused than convinced, but it's the best idea he's got.]

Do you know which way this decorated canine went, my fine molten friend?

[They can probably allow themself a little bit of punning. You know, if Cedric is setting it up for them like that and everything!]

Well, where else would you go if you wanted a hot date?

[They don't have any better guesses, anyway! They're happy to go along with the idea of a romantic rendezvous.]

[Slugma bubbles thoughtfully.] I think... they were headed toward the plateau where water bursts out of the ground...

They were definitely going in that direction... [Slugma doesn't have arms, as such, so they simply turn to indicate the path.]

[Cedric visibly twinges at the pun - is he sweating out of embarrassment, or is it just the surrounding heat? Hard to tell.

Either way, he picks up what Slugma's laying down, for better or for worse.] Geysers, I presume. Probably not musical ones either... well, thank you kindly, lava gastropod, we shall look for them there!

[He flaps up into the air perhaps a little too abruptly. Is it to get away from the heat? So they can continue their search ASAP? Because what they may find is worrying him more? Hard to tell.]

[Hmmm.]

[Siffrin darts off afterward, giving the Slugma a farewall wave with their tail. While they're fast for a Shinx, they can't really keep up with flight, especially when they have to dodge around obstacles. They also keep having to slow down to a trot to pant - and maybe shake out their paw pads one by one, trying to cool them. If it's like this when it's almost winter, they don't want to imagine it during summer...]

[As a consequence: it's probably Cedric who's going to see the limp white-furred form on the geyser plateau first. From a distance, the dog almost appears dead - but up close, they're definitely breathing. Asleep? Unconscious? They're also panting heavily in their sleep, but... that could also just be the heat.]

[He was mentally hoping that there'd be wind above to help cool him down, but alas, hot air rises... so he just keeps flapping forward as he recounts what they've figured out so far: footprints leading to Furnace Mountain, some sort of heart-shaped haircut, looking for someone else-

"Something important is... missing."

Wait, what? Cedric glances down at Siffrin - did they think that? But neither of them are using their Grumpearls...

And just as he's trying to figure that out, he spots a mass of white near what he's certain are, indeed, geysers, and... uh oh. Is it just what they feared?]

Siffrin, they're up ahead! I think they're in trouble!

[And once his companion's informed, the Murkrow flaps as quickly as he can to reach the fluffy creature... and breathes a sigh of relief once he sees its chest rising and falling. Thank goodness, it's not what they feared, for the most part. But it still doesn't look good.]

["Something important is... missing."]

[Yeah, you know. As usual. Siffrin doesn't even initially register the intrusive thought as something that's not theirs - it's something about the flavor of it rather than the words that makes them stumble, retroactively, but - then Cedric calls out and they toss the thought aside.]

[They slow to a trot again as they get close, and then a halt as they reach Furfrou, leaning down to sniff. Yep, definitely the same dog, and they smell...]

They smell sick. Like the Pokemon in the clinic, not... not like they're too hot? [Though actually, who knows what heatstroke would smell like...]

[Either way, they can't linger to discuss this - if Furfrou isn't already on the way to heatstroke on top of whatever else, the two of them are liable to get it if they stay too long. Siffrin's been in the habit of wearing a little saddlebag harness on quests lately - they fish out a rope, looking over Furfrou again.]

[Mmmgh. Right. This dog. Is roughly three times Siffrin's size and weight. Pokemon are strong, so they can probably manage the weight, but... this is going to suck.]

[He would have considered asking what Siffrin meant by "sick" - A contagious disease? Malnutrition? Those comas Flowey talked about that he didn't want to believe are true but most certainly are? - but Cedric is of the same mindset and decides that's not important right now.

He sees what the Shinx is struggling to do and flaps down to grab the rope, leaving enough left as he ties it around Furfrou's middle that they can each grab an end to pull.]

This will have to do, I'm afraid. If only I'd learned that Psychic power... if only I had my infernal wand...

November+December Catch-All

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