bottlecaplogs | [closed] may quest round-up + other closed prompt(s)

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[closed] may quest round-up + other closed prompt(s)

Who: Emmet and ... I am not listing out everyone he's questing with! and others.
What: Cry for Kelp, Scattered Bug, and the get-along sweater (may or may not feature an actual sweater. or: Oran (?) does an intervention) for now
When: May, At Some Point,
Where: Various (Coast, Northern Forest, Spire at current)
Warnings: Animal/Pokemon death, the general implications of the food chain, Teenagers™

cry for kelp (for conrad, ring-spirit, laios, shoka)

[ Tangela was said to have disappeared somewhere along the coast, so that's where they'll go. the coast, though, is ... a pretty long strip of land, all things considered.

... honestly, it's probably best if they just start at one end of the bay and work their way to the other until they pick up on Tangela's trail? ]

The coast is a lot of ground to cover. Could be anywhere along the cliffs or the beach. Or below it, even.

Think most of us can move pretty quickly if we need to though. [ it's ... probably just Conrad who wouldn't? ] Or if we can't, then we can just couple ourselves to someone who can.

[ if you're here for tangela rescue, please tag in under the subheader for it! no real enforced tag order, we'll treat it like a general mingle open for threadjacks i think, is probably the best way to do it when there's five of us and they are presumably going to tackle it in slightly separate ways up and down the beach because imagine corralling that many of us into a strict tagging order. couldn't be me. ]

scattered bug (for siffrin)

[ the northern end of the forest is the part of it that Emmet has the least amount of personal experience with, as he wasn't on any of the previous trips to explore and map it out, but he's been paying attention to the chatter over the grumpearls. ... and maybe certain other sources that might be prone to talking about it in shared public spaces, but that's neither here nor there. regardless, in the end, he suspects he knows the kind of general thing to expect.

dark, overgrown. mushrooms and strange plants everywhere. vines that will probably try to tangle you up and trap you and who knows what else. the kind of forest that will eat you, straight out of the stories and movies. agitated grass types all over, apparently, and those are definitely a type you'd have to be careful around for all the different ways to incapacitate or otherwise inflict status they have access to. an odd growth, a heart, that probably indicates the work of some sort of experienced, firmly entrenched grass type ... or just a powerful one.

(life energy into the ground, a twisted mass of bark and vines in one clearing ... an insistent sense of familiarity in another. hmm.)

all in all, a great (?) place to work out restless energy and put it towards something productive, disregarding the various tendencies of the other ends of the woods. that's what brings Emmet and Siffrin both out here after meeting at the questboard, at least. probably. ]

... Have you been through this part of the forest before?

[ they have some of dr. denne's medication for the spores, of course, but. just to make sure they're both on the same page? ]

the get-along sweater (for akechi, shoka, ingo)

[ Akechi and Shoka are fighting. or something like it, anyway. all of Oran's probably noticed by now, not just their motley group of offworlders and newbies to the guild, mostly on account of Akechi's continued and quite literal case of ruffled feathers and the fact that the space they're all sharing isn't exactly that big or that private. it's been several weeks and yet the Rookidee has not seemed to simmer down in the least. the Mimikyu doesn't always help, either, even if she honestly isn't acting that different from usual.

(mostly. a.b.a's absence ... probably weighs heavier on some of them than others, huh.)

anyway, it's well into the evening one night when two of the resident ghosts of the group receive a visitor. one bearing... a package (???) of some sort?

"Hey," says the Umbreon through a mouthful of cloth, punctuated with a yawn as they drop it. the Moonlight Pokemon's gaze is somehow no less piercing for it. "You two are some of the new arrivals, right? Or, well, not the newest batch, sure, but you all showed up in that storm a while back?" ]

I am Emmet. We did, yes?

[ the Umbreon nods, before rolling the swaddled fabric in their direction. it wiggles (wait. nope, that's definitely Struggle) as Emmet approaches it with realization dawning on him. "Right, so. Do something about them, will you?" a roll of their eyes as they jerk their head sharply to indicate the bundle, which is... now shaking indignantly? before they start to walk back off. "Before they go and get themselves hurt, or something."

congratulations, Akechi and Shoka, you have apparently discovered what baby jail looks like here. also minor congratulations to Ren for dodging it by way of not constantly riling up the other two in earshot of some of the higher ranked members of the guild. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ingo peers down at the bundle, frown a tiny bit deeper than usual. He wasn't really aware that these two even had an issue with each other. What on earth happened?]

You are guildmates! You must be able to cooperate, at the very least!

[Akechi grumbles. Curse Ingo being so much larger. Why did Akechi have to be so small? Why can't he just evolve already?

Of course, this is a difficult situation. His arm's been twisted, metaphorically speaking.

Deep breaths. Composure is important here.]

It would be far easier to cooperate if Ren and I didn't get reminded of our failings! We should have succeeded! We had a personal stake in that mission! And then she was the only one unaffected by the Effect Spore during our last mission in the Northern Forest!

[Which hardly helped!]

Well, excuse me for not getting poisoned! Next time I'll make sure I do.

[In her annoyance, the rest of his words go ignored. Instead, she addresses Emmet and Ingo:]

There you go—problem resolved. Now let me out of this stupid thing, would ya?

No, do not get yourself poisoned on purpose. Those tracks are not open to the public at this time.

[ Wow that's a lot just unloaded! Okay Akechi. ]

Hold still. You are not done yet, but I will unwrap the two of you some. Do not try to leave. [ and probably get caught by one of the other guild members again. ] I am Emmet and I am faster.

[ So provided they do remain cooperative he'll help free them from the worst of it, but if they don't then prepare to probably be scruffed or something. ]

[With genuine concern:]

Surely it is better for your partner not to be poisoned alongside you?

I'm not saying she should have been poisoned, but why is it that she's gotten so lucky twice? My teammates and I were perfectly prepared on both missions! We don't need constant reminders of our defeat.

[Maybe constant is an overstatement, but she still cracked jokes on a deeply sore subject! He's not going to act like it didn't bother him.

Though, to his credit, he doesn't try to escape just yet.]

Aw, poor baby, did things not go absolutely perfect for you two whole times? That's super unfair for you!

[This is beyond stupid. At this point, allowed a little more freedom of movement, she's more than ready to take her chances with Emmet and make an escape attempt. A ghostly tendril reaches out along the floor, feeling around for a shadow to flee into...

But her disguise snags on the sweater, forcing her to stay put lest she expose her true form to everyone here. Depending on how whatever this is goes, she thinks to herself with a rush of cold hatred, maybe she'll slip out of her disguise anyway and let them all choke... But she wouldn't really do that to them, so she doesn't.

She exhales a harsh, irritated sigh, and tries (tries) to soften her tone.]

Look. If luck is all it was, then what does it even matter? Sucks to be you and all, but I mean, it's not like I could have been actually good at any part of it, right? So you should rest easy knowing you're still better than me or whatever. I don't even care about succeeding or getting points. I just took the quest and I guess my team did pretty well or something...

[This is apparently her way of saying that she hadn't meant to lord over Akechi's team. Truthfully, she has no interest in beating his or any other team. She joked around, teased, and acted overconfident because that's what she always does, to rile people up, egg them on, and keep them at arm's length—and Akechi made it very easy for her. In fact, it was just him that she'd chosen as the subject of her mockery, as an apparent reward for the extra prickly attitude he'd shown her after that first quest.]

[

glances at Ingo. should. should they say something. should Emmet say something.

because Emmet can say something here (there's actually several things he can say here) but sometimes Emmet should not be saying things. maybe they should let them get the brunt of it out before saying something? are those the tracks they should be traveling? please advise, Emmet may very well make things worse.

also, don't think he didn't notice that initial reach for the shadows, Shoka. his own shadow is flickering a little restlessly, just in case, but if she stays put then all will be well as he helps them get to the point where they're more or less just. sharing a sweater.]

You are missing the point!

[Sorry, Emmet and Ingo. That is more angry, indignant screeching. The floodgates have opened.]

Did I say you weren't talented? No, but you have been constantly heckling and insulting me and only me. You don't show the same disrespect to Ren, Firepaw-kun, or Junpei-kun.

You know how important that mission was to me. I made that rather clear beforehand! Unlike you, I had a personal stake in it, so I think I have a right to be upset by the outcome.

[Ingo returns Emmet’s glance. While he's not uncomfortable with it, per se, resolving interpersonal disputes is not really part of being a Warden. They’re involved now, though! They ought to say something!]

Why was that mission so important to you?

Ren, Doc-san, and I were the first group to explore the Northern Forest. Unfortunately, in our attempt to ward off the rage-inducing spores, it would appear that we blew them closer to the city.

[He avoids eye contact, still tense, though he's far less snappy with Ingo...

For a few moments, anyway.]

The mission was our chance to make up for that blunder and excel. We took so many precautions. We were prepared! It isn't fair that our efforts were for nothing! We were just as capable of making discoveries, and we took it more seriously!

[ Mediating interpersonal disputes while handling slighted teenagers with delicacy is also not part of the job description of a Subway Boss. But if it was, it definitely, definitely would not be under Emmet's purview. ]

Okay. Maaaaaybe. It isn't fair. But it was never going to be. Fairness is not the point. The forest doesn't care about you, or any of us. It is not out to get you specifically. Can prepare, conduct all proper safety checks, and sometimes things will still go wrong. Sometimes they will go very wrong. Sometimes all you can do is make things less bad when they do.

[ He doesn't know what precautions they did or didn't take, but this is just generally speaking.

(Peers a bit at Shoka, also. Hm, that kind of talk...) ]

Do you want Shoka and her group to also have failed. Six, seven? Pokemon, fainted alone deep in the woods due to poison.

Well, no. But I would have much preferred a Pecha Berry and to have continued exploring. Ideally, Firepaw-kun and I wouldn't have been poisoned at all.

[There's still a bit of a growl to his words, though some of the fire has died down for now.]

But the defeat was humiliating, and the continued reminders have not helped.

Cry me a river.

[Shoka has remained silent through much of this exchange, letting Akechi screech at her and Ingo and Emmet do their questioning, but now her patience is wearing thin. Akechi's starting to repeat himself, so she'll cut to the chase.]

You're the one who's been acting all pissed off at me ever since that first quest. [Not Ren, Firepaw, or Junpei.] I'm just paying it forward.

[If he had already decided to be angry with her before she even did anything purposeful, why not add more fuel to the fire? It's what she does best.]

Sorry, but that quest being oh-so-important for you doesn't give you free rein to be an asshole.

[He'd never said she or her teammates were untalented—but he had, she thinks, when he made it all about luck and unfairness. She's used to being lashed out at, put down, and ignored. She does it to herself. Despite that, this time, something about it (or multiple somethings, rather) had gotten on her nerves enough for her to unsheathe her claws instead of just laughing it all off as usual.]

[An asshole? Really?

Still indignant, he fluffs his feathers again.]

I was upset. Humiliated. What was I supposed to do? Smile and pretend I was fine?

[His scowl sharpens into a glare.]

I wouldn't have worked with you on Vivillon-san's quest if I hated you, but you were needlessly hostile when I was trying to act in the spirit of a team.

[ Meanwhile, local man who smiles and carries on like he's fine (look, it's called professionalism in a public facing job), getting sideswiped by Akechi apparently implying this is not what people typically do, ]

And what was I supposed to do? Let you treat my team like trash? Put a rescue quest for your ego up on the board? No thanks.

[Her voice is flat. She sounds more tired than anything—barely even angry. Her disguise continues to smile benignly at nothing.]

Oh, were you working with me? I seem to recall you flipping out over one joke and blowing me off every time I tried to help out.

[This isn't a lie, though it would have been easy for anyone to read her behavior then as needlessly hostile. It wasn't just one joke, after all, when the behavior started earlier, and her tone when dispensing advice could have been less terse—but she was trying, too, in her own way.]

I honestly don't care if you hate me or not. [Except she must, at least in some regard.] But don't pretend you were in it for anything other than stroking your own ego.

[Agitation continues bubbling within his small body, and despite being on his best behavior, relatively speaking, he starts squirming again.]

It was a joke in extremely poor taste when you knew how upsetting it was for Ren and me! To say nothing of how condescending you acted just because I didn't immediately mention every last detail within the Northern Forest. We put a great deal of effort and pride into our work, and we don't appreciate being talked down to.

[And that's how it felt, from his perspective. Like pouring salt in a gaping wound...]

I take my work here seriously. For you to merely boil it down to ego...

[Perhaps his personal pride is a part of it, maybe even a large one, but that's hardly all it is, damn it!]

Yeah, you said that already. Broken record much?

[It seems like she might be about to say something else, probably just as rude—only for her to sigh instead.]

Fine. My bad, okay? I'll keep my big mouth shut and I'm sure you'll be right back to having the top spot in the guild to yourself soon enough.

[She turns her gaze, which until now had been directed at nothing, onto Ingo and Emmet.]

Am I free to go, wardens?

[Well, he's really the only warden here, but that doesn't seem important to point out just now! Ingo turns expectantly towards the Rookidee.]

Akechi? Shoka has apologized. I am sure she did not intend to hurt your feelings so badly. It seems to me as though each of you has been hurt in turn.

[He grumbles under his breath. It doesn't feel like a sincere apology. It feels like an excuse to get out of here without taking full accountability...

But it's not as though he has much of a choice, does he?

This is so unfathomably annoying...]

Well, now she knows.

[He could leave it at that, but... rghhh.]

But fine. It was not my intention to hurt Shoka-san, not that it changes the end result.

You are correct! It does not. Which is why I will ask you now.

You both have apologized. What are you going to do now.

[ ignore each other and stew quietly in grudging resentment until it blows up on them again? ]

Because maybe I am wrong. But I thought you were friends before this. Or something like it.

Literally anything other than this.

[Were they friends? Teammates, definitely, but friends? Does she even have those at all?]

... I just said I'll keep my mouth shut. What else do you want from me?

...Ren would likely be disappointed if we didn't move past this.

[He tries to keep a neutral tone, tries not to slip back into more griping.]

I suppose the mature thing to do would be to...

[Ugh.]

Let bygones be bygones and "learn from our mistakes."

[God, he sounds like someone from an afterschool special.]

Bravo!

[Ingo...absolutely fails at beaming proudly, actually, but there's a slight uptick to the corners of his mouth that is basically the same thing.]

If your friendship is of value to both of you, then you must work together to maintain it! We must all work to understand one another, in the end, mustn't we?

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don't mind him, carry on

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