bottlecaplogs | mayaka’s jan catch-all

Part of the issue with defining a "road" to Skull town was that sometimes the roads themselves would shift. Traveling through had gotten easier, but not perfected, depending on what route led you there to begin with.

Archnemon, on site as well as her assigned partner (but of course, only referring to herself as Hatenna if asked) catches sight of the lifted parchment. Up until now, she'd mostly been letting Mayaka take the lead, while she had been doing a quick survey of what else was needed, always one to keep busy. Gathering any extra information she could while listening, taking note of how many supplies were available. But now it seemed time to speak up, before she got too consumed by imperfection. Something she knew too well, herself... seeing other people in frustration was an easier way to generate ideas. She walks up closer, recognizing a certain scarf accessory but of course not acknowledging that.

"True... but if you look closely, there are multiple paths to choose from, and some have been wide enough to move large groups through before. The problem is there seem to be pit falls and streams that weren't accounted for..."

Mayaka shifts her gaze to the Hatenna, quietly relieved to have a second opinion even if she's never spoken to her before. She places the parchment on the ground between the two of them.

"There are pitfalls? I've never noticed. Could you mark where they are here?" she asks, holding a charcoal pencil out to Archenmon. Her poisonous claws are safely covered by a pair of gloves today.

Hatenna uncurls one of her hair's tendrils to take and then carefully curl around the pencil to hold it, cautious but noticing those gloves. Clever.

"They're annoying, but usually avoidable... the snow adds that extra complication."

She makes a soft 'hmm' as she considers the layout on the parchment, delicately scratching out the markings where she recalls prior difficulties. "This area here, for certain. This longer path branches there... and there's a bridge. It might not seem the quickest route at first, but time... is funny, in there."

Mayaka can't help but notice how precise her partner's additions are.

"Looks like you've got a knack for this, Hatenna-chan." (A 'chan' is the natural honorific for someone that looks as small and cute as her!)

And where Hatenna had indicated the bridge would be, Mayaka doesn't hesitate to draw a clear symbol to indicate its position in relation to the rest of the paths.

"This route looks too long. We should prioritise routes that are short and safe for the pathing, shouldn't we?" Mayaka doesn't really get what Hatenna means by time being funny. On the map, it's clear to her that that route by the bridge doesn't seem efficient at all.

"Oh?"

It takes a beat for Hatenna to process Mayaka's question properly mostly because of the fact that she's been assigned a "-chan", which she... well knows what that means due to her own background, but doesn't expect to be the recipient of it, even here.

Instead, she motions toward the map again. "Yes, but if you look here... some of these routes all link up to that main one in some way, but if you end up straying too far off on the smaller branches for a short cut, it might have you looping around in another direction entirely, or right back where you started. It's part of the reason why these routes have been taking so long to develop in the first place."

Mayaka listens to the explanation intently, before releasing a great big sigh.

"You're right!" she is upset, though not at Hatenna. "I thought I'd be more helpful doing this, since I can't carry much."

Right on cue, a huge Venusaur lumbers past them, transporting a massive amount of supplies on its back and in its vines. Mayaka acknowledges it with a glance and an unamused expression on her face.

"I'm still too new," she continues, shaking her head as she assesses the issue at hand. "Have you been around here for long, Hatenna-chan? Maybe it'd be better if you gave the suggestions and I drew them out."

Despite her frustrations, she's already moved on to come up with a solution.

"When I first arrived they had only just gotten to the point of being able to traverse this area at all, so it's been a few months for most of us at best. It's not wrong to take a little initiative when not everyone is particularly inclined for being organized..."

She finishes marking off the problem areas on the parchment, circling some other known hazards, and offers the pencil back over.

"As for direction, we should go ahead and find out who else has gotten a hand on these maps to make sure they're updated. There will likely be other plans laid out that need some drawing as well if they intend to reinforce that bridge for carts and Pokémon that can't just fly over."

As Hatenna shares her ideas, Mayaka makes some finishing touches to the plan before rolling it up and tucking it under her arm.

"Sounds good. We can use this as our master copy then. Let me tell Boufflant first. Hold on a sec."

The Sneasel scurries off to update the head of this operation, mindful about respecting the chain of command. She returns to Hatenna's side a little out of breath from all the running back and forth, her scarf nearly falling off her shoulders.

"He's... good with us updating the other maps... or helping with reinforcing the bridge..."

She's just eager to work with someone who's actually responsible!

Edited 2026-01-08 11:20 (UTC)

"Sounds like they're getting more organization underway. That's a good sign..."

She also didn't mind the variety in options. Meant they could easily switch off in case something began to feel less... forward productive. Now she could plan...

"Lets set up some of the maps as examples. Once enough of the other teams start to come through with more material options, we can look at what's needed for the rails and bridges."

"Maybe we can find a place to display the maps too, like a notice board."

They get to work preparing more copies of the maps, and while she's drawing, Mayaka can't help but be curious about her partner.

"You're really good at planning things out. Have you done stuff like this before?"

"That's not a bad idea. We'll probably have to post some at various height levels too..."

Considering the vast variety of pokemon who might be literally ground level to those who would not be, but there always would be more to consider.

"As for planning... mostly I just pay attention, so it's something of a habit. I'm more... used to seeing destruction, so I can see how to put things back into place too."

Mayaka could learn a thing or two from Hatenna's thoughtfulness. Paying attention is an essential skill of any artist who wants to capture what they see on paper.

"Destruction? Like how messy things can get at the work site or in the Archives?"

For a born organiser like Mayaka, these examples count high up on the list of destruction to her.

"There's that... or generally, the results of disasters when structures get knocked over or destroyed. So messes, on a larger scale."

In her mind that means natural disaster or something occurring by monster destruction. Building something up to have it knocked down again, or likewise, returning the favor...but with none of that going on here, it was much easier to adapt the existing skills. She wasn't certain if she should feel pleased or caught off guard that it was something being potentially admired.

"So if you see enough of it one way, the ideas just come together."

"Was there a lot of that where you came from?"

Mayaka can't really imagine anything that exciting happening in her hometown. She also doesn't really want to. Stuff like destruction and disasters should be relegated to fictional stories, though it seems this isn't the case for Hatenna.

"To an extent. People were usually quick to get that sort of thing taken care of after the shock of it all."

Unfortunately she tended to be more cagey when it came to the details of certain things, but that probably should be expected of someone introducing themselves only by their 'Pokémon' type.

"But it sounds like you've been lucky enough to avoid those sorts of circumstances."

Mayaka can tell that Hatenna is deliberately being vague. A spark of curiosity and annoyance accompanies this observation. While she'd normally take this as a sign to pry deeper, she holds herself back because she's come to respect her roadwork partner and doesn't want to step on any of her tiny toes.

"I guess so," the Sneasel replies with feigned nonchalance as she completes another copy of the plans.

This coincides with Boufflant lumbering over to them with new instructions.

"You two! Work on that later. We need more hands to construct the railings."

Hatenna is used to this sort of reaction and yet she persists. Maybe she likes being irritating on purpose, or it's the fact that control over circumstances is limited so she deprives others of context.

Bouffulant's sudden interruption certainly derails anything she may have been about to do next. She frowns, but unfortunately knows that ultimately despite their planning they weren't in charge.

"Right, right... However, these plans need to be displayed on a board, or else there will be other issues."

She at least could be firm about that step of their progress.

mayaka’s jan catch-all

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