bottlecaplogs | [closed] forest foray

Who: Ren and Maya
What: Questing!
When: December
Where: The Southern Forest
Warnings: None at this point, will amend if needed!

There haven’t been any traces of a shadowy Deerling in town, which is a shame, but… someone like that would be sure to have been noticed, right?

Outside of town offers more chances to see if anyone’s spotted anything. With the colouration Noelle described to Ren and Maya, it’s likely to be trickier to spot them- but at the same time, maybe that means it’s more likely that they stayed out of town for that purpose. Questioning the Pokemon living outside does at least give them the information that there have been some shadow-coloured Pokemon around- though they don’t appear to have seen a Deerling specifically.

Still, that’s at least some kind of lead! Where there’s one Shadow, there might be others. Presumably. Maybe! It makes Maya a little anxious, truthfully, but- it’s a different situation. Maybe it’s just heading out into the forest on a full quest. She’s much more of a city person, so she turns to Ren, head tilted and offering him a smile. “I’ll bet you know more about tracking than I do, so… how do we start?”

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He shakes his head. "I wouldn't." He's not attached to going first, really. Besides, it's just plants and bushes. Worst case scenario, Maya will trample some of it. "Careful not to get caught on the thorns, though."

He's got a few Oran Berries in case they get hurt, but he'd rather keep them for later.

"Got it!" It wouldn't be the first time- the things she does for stories, sometimes!- but it's never pleasant. Maya pushes through, trying to squish herself a bit smaller to avoid thorns- though one still snags her. She bites down on a hiss, trying to keep quiet, as while it looks like the path opens up ahead- it looks like it's travelled more often, too, with other paths joining in.

"We might be getting closer," she says, stepping forward carefully- but while there is fur again, there are also footprints- but more pawlike than hooved.

Ren follows close behind her, his ears twitching as they emerge. There's something in the air... he can't quite place it.

He frowns a little at the footprints. "Not hooves," he comments with a hum, but maybe... "There's a chance whoever left these knows more, though."

He wrinkles his nose. No, really, something feels... off. He sniffs the air- but he can't quite make out-

A twig snaps right next to them, and a shadow dashes ahead- too quick to properly see who or what it was. His fur stands on end, and he turns to Maya.

"You saw that, right? Let's follow them before they're gone."

She jumps- that was too close! How did they not notice-!? How did she not notice-

It's definitely not the time for that, though. She nods. "I definitely did! But we don't know where they're going…"

It's still an opportunity they can't afford to turn down, though, and with that look she at least has a direction to direct her attention towards. It seems they've left a few light imprints, by some stroke of fortune.

For whom seems a little more dubious, though, as the two of them break through into a larger clearing- with several shadowy creatures standing there, apparently waiting for the duo. Their shapes are… disconcertingly familiar. Maya puffs up in alarm, not sure whether to go forwards or back.

One tilts their head, an ear flicking. "Is something wrong? Aren't you glad to be home?"

Ren's right next to Maya in the clearing, before he freezes, eyes narrowing at the shadowy figures. Something about them is... that can't be...?

"Shadows? Here?" he hisses in disbelief. He's only vere seen one person meet their own Shadow, but Maya's told him some about her own interactions with them, and these- these are...!

Yellow eyes mirroring his own blink at him with a smile. Not his human form, but his pokemon form. Don't be like that, now. Let's play a little~

More of the creatures (shadows?) appear- these ones not copies of them, but rather less defined forms. Hard to make out, halfway hidden as they are.

"They did say shadowy figures, but this is definitely unexpected!" She's trying to keep an encouraging tone, but she's alarmed. Though- it seems a bit strange. What would have woken them to be like this? The yellow eyes, too, aren't what she and the others saw in Sumaru, but Ren recognises them…

"Play? What kind of play are you talking about?"

She tenses more, seeing those. But if they're not immediately aggressive… maybe they can still negotiate.

"Do we win something if we play well enough?"

There's cackling and giggling from the sidelines, leaving Ren tense. The Shadow(?) wearing Maya's face grins.

'It depends. What sort of game will you play with us? Don't be boring, now!'

Something about this feels awful familiar, now doesn't it? Except it's them that's surrounded, not the Shadows (he's still not sure that is actually what they are, but he hasn't felt any of his personas since he arrived here, so...). He quick goes over his options- if they're anything like what he's used to...

Something about them tells him upbeat. He glances at Maya, hoping she gets the idea, before he straightens himself to answer, trying to look relaxed. Unintimidated.

"You seem pretty smart. Maybe you can answer a riddle for us."

[closed] forest foray

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