bottlecaplogs | June Catch-All

[It's definitely unfair and uncharitable of them, but where Siffrin would be sympathetic to almost anyone else panicking in this situation - with Flowey it can't help but get their hackles up. They're already dangling off the side of the raft, back legs kicking furiously, and the screaming is grating -] We are paddling!

If this thing just had a sail -

[Well, no, with the fog and rocks it would still be a recipe for disaster, but they feel like they'd be able to do something more. Even without hands! They've got teeth, they could tug on a rope...]

[And then Flowey goes over the side. It takes a few moments for Siffrin to even notice, with how tight they have to dig their claws in to stay attached to the raft themself.]

[Siffrin hesitates, panting heavily. Then they scramble onto the wooden platform. For a moment it might seem like they're just ignoring Flowey's plight, but it turns out they just need a runway - Flowey is already too far to Volt Switch with from the raft directly. The Shinx launches themself onto one of the jagged racks, then uses that as a springboard to leap further, and in midair -]

[bzzt]

[- swaps with Flowey.]

[It won't take the Sunkern all the way back (it'll drop him off midair in the exact spot Siffrin was, actually, have fun with that Flowey), but that's all the Shinx can manage. At this point they're going to have to fight to make it back to the raft without getting dashed against the rocks anyway. It's up to Lusamine from here!]

[To her credit, Lusamine finds it in herself to paddle fiercely, even as the water soaks her to the bone. After all, Yungoos are decent swimmers, she remembers from her time as Aether's President, even capable of diving for short periods... But, then again, they also generally prefer to avoid large bodies of water if they can help it. Right now, her legs feel far too short and clumsy for this kind of activity, and her endurance is also being tested. It's mortifying, freezing cold, the rock formations looming like the fangs of some huge creature...

And then, before Siffrin notices themself, she realizes with a pang of horror that Flowey has disappeared. Gone, swept away, taken from her—]

Flowey—!

[With a cry of dismay, she starts to pull herself up fully onto the raft, searching frantically through the mist for any sign of him, but Siffrin finds him first. It happens so quickly; Siffrin is off the raft before she can say anything more, and then they're out in the water, and Flowey is in the air, tumbling into the same spot Siffrin was just in a moment before.

There's no time for her to think; she starts paddling madly again, propelling the raft forward toward Flowey. Mercifully, the waves even seem to be working with her for a moment, giving her a small boost of speed.

(An astute outside observer might have correctly identified this as the start of a Water-type move of some kind, though she isn't using it consciously. This is an ability learned purely through adrenaline and motherly protectiveness.)

If she can just get there fast enough, perhaps Flowey will fall right into the raft... And if he doesn't, well, then she'll just have to dive in after him.]

[One moment, he's drowning-- the next, he's tumbling down a jagged rock and landing with a thud back on the raft. He coughs and sputters up water, shivering and soaked to the core. Even though it burns to speak, he manages to get out get out a few words.]

Siffrin-- don't let that idiot die for me--!

[Although he's bruised and freezing, he uses Ingrain to dig roots into the raft so he can hold on better and begins scanning the horizon. There, out on the water, he spots Siffrin trying to swim back-- but the waves are churning. Another tidal wave is inevitable.]

F-forget about me! Start paddling that way! [He gestures toward Siffrin.] I'll grab them!

[He manages to extend one of the roots far enough that it might serve almost like a rope for Siffrin to grab onto. It's taken him considerable energy, though-- he'll need to recuperate to fight well, which is time they may not have.]

[The moment Flowey is back aboard the raft, Lusamine's instinct is to rush to and fuss over him—but she hasn't forgotten Siffrin either. At Flowey's urging (just this once, in the spirit of budding teamwork, she can forgive him for giving her demands), she gathers her strength with a snarl and starts paddling toward Siffrin.

It's still mortifying, exhausting work, and she loathes every second of it... But no one will die under her watch.]

[Siffrin is - well, Siffrin is doing better than Flowey, anyway! At the very least they have limbs to swim with. They're a lot less panicked about this particular predicament than they would be some others, too; it's not the first time they've been overboard. (They think.) It's helping them keep their head and control their breathing.]

[Still, the water is rough. There's more than once they get slammed against rocks themself, and it's only desperate paddling that keeps them at "bruised" rather than "knocked out". They're in no position to refuse Flowey's root-vine when it flops into the water next to them.]

[They also have no way to grab on gently, unfortunately. It's teeth and claws or nothing. They try their best, but...]

[It does help them get back to the raft - along with Lusamine's furious paddling shortening the distance. Siffrin heaves themself back onto it and collapses onto their side, panting heavily. Then, out of nowhere, a giggle escapes them.] Promising start!

[They don't allow themself more than another second or two of lying there before rolling most of the way into the water again. Siffrin joins Lusamine in pushing the raft, even though at this point their legs are burning with exertion; they need to get out of range of these rocks before another wave like that smashes into them. If the raft shatters against one -]

[Fortunately, as the group does get further from the rocks, the water seems to calm... for now. The fog descends stiflingly.]

[He's so ~~worried~~ overwhelmed by the events that he doesn't even insult Siffrin when they're biting and clawing all over his roots to get back aboard. He does shoot them a weird look when they start laughing, though. Laughing off the pain-- it's familiar. He doesn't like that.

And then Siffrin is right back in the water, paddling again even though they must be exhausted, and there's nothing Flowey can do. Armless, legless, useless-- how well he knows this tale.

Once they're out of the rough waters, a deathly silence passes over the group. They made it. They're safe. Flowey turns to face Siffrin, who saved his life, and--]

YOU IDIOT!!!

[He puts on his most wretched face and then twists it even further, not caring how much it hurts to do so.] Did you think I wanted to be saved by you?! You think I wanted you to die and leave me behind AGAIN? You think I want to owe you my stupid pathetic life?! You really think that you can just get away with stupid heroic crap like that as if your life doesn't matter at all?! I would've rather d-

I would've rather di-- die--

[Soulless, hopeless, alone. Armless, legless, pathetic. If there's one benefit to being soaked to his very core, it's that nobody can tell he's crying, not even him at first; the tears mix right in with the brine. But then he's shaking and hiccuping and he can't even look at the two of them. A strained, pathetic sound ekes out of his throat. Flowey flops over onto his side, turned away from Lusamine and Siffrin, and sobs.]

[Lusamine wants to say something in the tense, weary silence that falls over them. A thank goodness at least, then a, Are you both unhurt? The poor things are hurt, she knows, the both of them having gotten battered by the rocks, and now that they're out of rough waters, they ought to take just a moment to rest and let her look them over—

Flowey speaks up before she can manage it, his voice emerging in a raw, anguished cry. Taken aback, Lusamine's paddling slows to a stop.]

Oh, no—oh, Flowey... [With effort, she pulls herself back up onto the raft and scurries to him, briefly curling the length of her body around him and pressing herself to his side. This might have been more comforting if she wasn't soaking wet and was instead her usual warm, soft-furred self.] Shh... Don't say such horrible things...

[Her presence there is only brief because she senses that it isn't really comfort from her that he needs. She moves away from him then, and toward Siffrin.]

Mx. Siffrin... [She gives them a smile—gentle, grateful... Or at least as gentle and grateful as an exhausted Yungoos can smile.] Come here. Rest for a moment, won't you?

[It seems that she doesn't intend to give them much of a choice in the matter; she's already offering out her paws and helping them up into the raft.]

[UM.]

[Siffrin is initially frozen in surprise, not sure how to respond. It's one thing to know that they have to cooperate here, that just two Pokemon on this quest would have no chance of doing anything to deal with the Dondozo... but they didn't think Flowey would have been particularly torn up if they died? (And, to be fair, it's not as though they thought it'd be any different in reverse.)]

[They've stopped paddling, even, staying above water purely due to their front paws still being on the raft. Siffrin stares wide-eyed at Flowey for a few long moments, snapping out of it only when Lusamine starts helping them out of the water. (Which makes them startle.)]

[They do accept Lusamine's help, shaking off as soon as they're on the raft and thinking furiously as they do it. There's... something else bothering them, now. The way Lusamine has been treating Flowey, the way Flowey's been acting, the way that - that Flowey's shouting is making them think of Bonnie, yelling about something they can't quite remember. (At them, or at someone else?) And what's with the "again?" No, hang on, they remember, from the rain...]

[...is Flowey actually still a child?]

[They'd assumed otherwise, if for no other reason than the impression of just how many loops the flower went through. No matter what other memories Siffrin got to see. (Siffrin, after all, feels like a very different person than they were at the start of their loops.) But if that meant Flowey never really got a chance to grow up, maybe, in a world made of real people instead of scripts...]

[They don't know what to think about this. They don't have time right now to figure out what they're feeling.]

[Or what to do about it. Definitely not trying to press themself against Flowey, like Lusamine did - for a number of reasons. But they feel like they should say something?]

[They take Lusamine's words as an excuse to sink down to their haunches, glancing at her and then staring at Flowey again. Their ears twist back and forth awkwardly.] ...I'm fine, though. And we wouldn't have been able to reach you with the raft in time.

Um. We're supposed to make sure we all make it, out here, so. You don't need to owe me anything...?

[...yeah, that last bit doesn't feel right. But they're really not sure what to say.]

[He thought that having to be inside Siffrin's head during that ~~blinding~~ stupid rain was bad, but not knowing what they're thinking is somehow worse. He can't believe he lost control like that in front of them. They must think he's pathetic. Not just someone who can't care, but far worse: someone who's chosen not to.

He flinches back from Lusamine's touch like a wounded animal at first, but settles into it, stiff-backed and silent. He knows she isn't exactly who she thinks she is, either. He's been making a game of counting the days until she snaps and bears her jaws again. So why is she bothering to act all nice to him now?

... Whatever it is, she's there. Maybe he can't feel love, but he can feel that she's there. His breathing slows. His crying tapers off.

The mention of 'not owing them anything' brings a chuckle out of him that sounds more like a cough than anything. He makes a face, but can't bring himself to say anything.

The sea is so much more expansive than he ever could've imagined. The enormity of it, both in width and depth, boggles his mind to think about. He wonders how much else of this world he doesn't know. A minute ago, the sea threatened to kill them all; now, the gentle waves are rocking him as if to sleep.]

... Sorry.

[He glances at Lusamine as if for approval. He had to say it before she said something trite like 'Now, do you have something to say to Mx. Siffrin?'. He thinks he would just destroy the raft and kill them all at that point.

It's not much of an apology, considering the sheer vitriol he just spat at someone who saved his life. And he knows he can't really mean it-- not without a soul. If nothing else, he's sorry for jeopardizing their mission by acting like a child.]

[As soon as Siffrin is back up in the raft with them, Lusamine dutifully returns to Flowey's side, trying to soothe him by coiling loosely around him once more and hushing him softly—indeed, like a mother trying to calm a fussing child.

When Siffrin glances her way, she gives them a small, encouraging nod, and then watches them subtly as they start to speak. Those words aren't exactly the most eloquent or comforting... But they seem to be enough. Soon, Flowey quiets, and his breathing evens out. Lusamine smiles without her teeth, first at Siffrin, then at Flowey.

(For Siffrin to have gone to such lengths to defend Flowey, who they seemed not to care for at all... She wonders.)]

Oh, Flowey... It's all right. I know there are volatile emotions at play here. [Very gently, she touches his leaves, coaxing them to stand a bit more upright.] I was so frightened myself—for you both...

[Under normal circumstances, she would have scolded them for worrying her... But this much was inevitable, she supposes, from the beginning. This is a bounty quest, after all, and they all ventured willingly into treacherous waters.]

But... Mx. Siffrin acted without hesitation to protect you, with all the abilities at their disposal. [She would have done the same, wouldn't she, if she had the ability?] And you and I did the very same for them. That is the meaning of teamwork, isn't it? We must all look out for each other, as Mx. Siffrin said.

[If nothing else, it's in line with their guild's values.]

In any case... I'm so glad that neither of you is seriously hurt. Although I know you weren't unscathed... [She gets to her feet and searches for her satchel. She finds it caught in one corner of the raft, soaked through and battered but miraculously not lost in the tumult. A few of her items might be missing, but she at least finds a couple of (bruised) Oran Berries still present. She offers one to Flowey, then the other to Siffrin.] Eat. It should restore some of your strength, at least...

[And as they do, she'll look them both over for any more serious injuries that she might have missed.

The sky above remains serenely, eerily quiet and empty, occupied only by fog.]

[~~Don't worry, Flowey. Siffrin also doesn't know what's going on inside their head half the time~~.]

[But they're really not expecting Flowey to apologize either! However much he might or might not mean it - and Siffrin has some suspicions, eyeing the immediate glance at Lusamine after - that's not a word they expected Flowey to be willing to say. They shuffle their paws, unsure how to respond, the claws digging into the raft and retracting repeatedly. Even more so at Lusamine's commentary; is 'without hesitation' right, really?]

[Still, in the end - even aside from Flowey apparently maybe being a child?? - no matter how much they dislike him, it wouldn't sit right to abandon a team member to drown. So what else were they going to do?]

[...and also in retrospect Ribombee would have killed them. Or worse, kicked them out of the guild.]

[They look away from Flowey and Lusamine awkwardly, giving them... privacy...? As much as that's doable on, you know, a tiny wooden platform.]

[They pipe up only to back Lusamine up, adding,] ...right, you helped pull me out of the water, too.

[So that's that! They don't owe each other anything, and they can just go back to status quo as soon as they get off this dumb raft! Siffrin will definitely not be thinking about this later. Surely.]

[They shove their face into the Oran Berry to keep from having to say anything else, muttering a "thank you" through it. Fortunately, Siffrin doesn't seem too injured aside from being battered and tired... yet, anyway. But Lusamine will have barely any time to check the two of them over; like Flowey pointed out earlier, there aren't any birds overhead now, and that's because they've entered the territory of - ]

[There's a loud crash of surf as the Dondozo breaches the water to arc in an unusually graceful, terrifying leap over the raft. When it splashes back down, it spins around to roar deafeningly. (Is that something in its mouth?)]

[Flowey has the same idea as Siffrin, stuffing down the Oran Berry. The aching numbs. Everything numbs out, eventually.

He doesn't move out of Lusamine's embrace, but he does turn to finally face Siffrin.]

... Uh. I'll tell you something. Both of you. Actually, I'm--

[He doesn't get to finish the sentence. The trio are forced to cling to the raft again as the waves explode around them. The force of the roar alone is nearly enough to capsize them. When Flowey looks up, the sky has been swallowed by white blubber and a red eye churning with anger.]

-- nevermind! Remember the plan! We take this thing down together!

[He launches a Leech Seed. It strikes true, taking root in the mass of white flesh, but it's like a drop of green on a massive blank canvas. Flowey begins to focus on using Growth, trusting Lusamine to protect him.

As he begins to grow, he thinks he hears a voice that isn't one of their own. It's much too small to be the Dondozo's.]

What the heck is that? Do you hear that? [It sounds like... commands?]

[Lusamine wastes no time moving into position, skittering her way in between her teammates and Dondozo. She stands on all fours, claws dug into the wood of the raft and the length of her body positioned in front of both Flowey and Siffrin. Thus far, she's only been able to form a Protect forcefield around herself, but as long as she stands between her teammates and any attacks, she should be able to shield them as well.

As she's observing and bracing for an attack, she hears it, too: a small voice squealing above the crashing of the waves. She also manages to catch a glimpse of bright orange inside Dondozo's open, cavernous maw. No doubts about it:]

Tatsugiri. It and Dondozo have a mutualistic relationship and are known to hunt together.

[And it seems that Yungoos, Sunkern, and Shinx have been added to the menu, judging by the look the Tatsugiri fixes them with as it perches itself on Dondozo's bottom lip. Those dark eyes are cold and glaring, holding nothing but pure bloodlust. It sends a shudder through Lusamine; on instinct, she arches her back and bares her teeth with a hiss, countering with a Leer.]

Stop this at once! Or we will be forced to—

[She doesn't have time to finish that sentence. As Tatsugiri ducks back into the safety of Dondozo's mouth, its tiny, muffled voice can just barely be heard: Water Pulse 'em.

On command, Dondozo fires a blast of water from its mouth straight at their raft. Lusamine uses Protect just in time; a green glow surrounds her, forming a shield around herself that repels the attack, reducing it to a harmless ocean spray. In pain and confusion, Dondozo flinches back, then, as Flowey's Leech Seed begins to sap away its energy.

The same muffled voice, again: Missed—?! And now you're just letting a tiny seed get to you? Even you can't be that stupid! Shake it off!]

[Siffrin's ear rotates around to hear what Flowey is about to say, curious despite themself, even though they're half convinced that Flowey is about to yell, "Psych!" But whatever it is will have to wait (or possibly never be revisited, depending on how this goes).]

[Siffrin's fur bristles out, and they dig their claws into the deck of the raft - which is for the best, because half a second later the Dondozo's waves hit, and if they weren't hanging on they'd have been flung right back out into the water they just got pulled out of. They don't like that Lusamine's in the way, but it's not long before she proves why she did it; Siffrin flinches as the spray blasts toward the raft, expecting all three of them to get swept off, but it splatters uselessly against Lusamine's Protect.]

[They can hear the muffled yelling now, too. So that's the brains of the operation, huh?]

[Siffrin bounces around Lusamine, starting off with a Charge, and then unleashing it with a Thunder Shock. And quipping loudly back at the duo of fish:] What, shocked that we were expecting you?

[You know. The three of them definitely weren't startled by the Dondozo bursting out of the water, absolutely not. At least they all seem to be reacting pretty fast!]

[Unfortunately, while Siffrin was aiming at the Tatsugiri, the Dondozo claps its mouth shut in time to protect it. It does take the Thunder Shock directly to the face, but even though it's super effective, the thing is bulky and then some - it's clearly hurt, but for now it only seems angrier.]

[Ugggghhhh, they're just as bad as Smiley Trashbag with those puns. Just when he was starting to come around on them, Flowey has another reason to hate them!!!]

So the little shrimp is calling the shots? Then all we have to do is fry it!

[Easier said than done, of couse-- Dondozo is protecting its 'boss' with its life. With few other options at the moment, Flowey prepares for an area of effect attack against the behemoth.

Once he's powered up enough with Growth, he unleashes a Mega Drain (something about the battle going down the drain? He shoots down the thought before he lets it get any further). The green glow drains energy out of Dondozo, visibly drying it out. Between that and the Leech Seed, he can feel his HP crawling back up. He's back in the fight-- for now.

Tatsugiri's small voice cuts through Dondozo's groan of pain: Moron! You can't get cooked by these three small fries! Get under the waves and Rest it off, then finish them!

The giant red eye drifts closed. Flowey might not know the effect of the move 'Rest' exactly, but he does know it's annoying as heck when a boss tries to heal in a game; it must be something like that. His mind races. Then, an idea: everyone has trouble sleeping when there's an itch in their throat, right?

Acting on instinct, he shoots one of his signature 'friendliness pellets'. It just manages to fly into Dondozo's mouth before it fully closes. There's an audible gulp, and the Dondozo's eye comically snaps open as it looks inward.

What do you mean, 'not tired'?! the Tatsugiri yells. Idiot! Moron!

... Flowey has to admit, the Tatsugiri is starting to sound a lot like him. Whatever! His first-ever Worry Seed has worked! He hopes he can pull that off again sometime.]

Lusamine, now's your chance! I'm counting on you! [Did he really say that out loud? Maybe she won't notice.]

[Though Lusamine abhors violence, both Dondozo and Tatsugiri are trying her patience, and she's decided that the battle has gone on long enough now. Flowey's calling to her (which she does notice, because of course she does) is all it takes for animal instinct to finally overwhelm her.

With another loud, threatening hiss, she rushes forward without thinking—until she's suddenly off the raft entirely, flinging herself onto the top of Dondozo's nose to bury her fangs and claws into its dark blue flesh.

The Bite clearly takes Dondozo and Tatsugiri both off guard; the former flinches, shrinking back with a bellow of pain (and with Lusamine still latched onto its snout). The bellowing leaves its mouth open and Tatsugiri—for a moment—entirely exposed and vulnerable.]

[Is Siffrin also thinking something about the Tatsugiri kind of sounding like Flowey? Noooo, definitely not... but if they were, they instantly lose that train of thought once Lusamine just goes, with exceptional ferocity. (Something something it's always the polite and formal ones...?)]

[Their surprise nearly - but not quite - makes them miss their chance, but fortunately they still react fast enough to Quick Attack directly into the Dondozo's mouth, bouncing off the Tatsugiri. (It yells angrily, apparently so furious it doesn't even have words.) From there they Charge again and Spark, in quick succession.]

[Nobody liked that! The Dondozo bellows again, letting out an involuntary Noble Roar. The Tatsugiri screeches, Water Pulse them out, you idiot!]

[Which the Dondozo does. Siffrin is absolutely launched, sailing across the air and getting dunked into the drink. They resurface spluttering, then spark up once more, trying to set up an Electroweb in the water around the Dondozo.]

[Hopefully all that fuss has bought Flowey some time to keep using Growth!]

Siffrin--!

[Now as big and strong as he'll ever be from Growth, Flowey scowls and manages to land a massive Mega Drain before the Dondozo disappears beneath the waves. He almost breathes a sigh of relief--

And then it surfaces from its Dive with enough force to shatter the raft like a twig. The waves send the rest of them crashing back towards shore. He clings to Lusamine the best he can to avoid drowning.

When the tempest passes, they're in shallow water, the shoreline in sight. The skies are clear. Dondozo is nowhere to be seen.]

Siffrin? Lusamine? You okay?

[After Siffrin's Spark hits its mark, Dondozo roars and thrashes, finally throwing Lusamine from its snout. Try as she might to control her fall, she still hits the raft heavily with a yelp, but at least she narrowly avoids tumbling into the water, and the adrenaline still coursing through her veins puppets her right back upright. Hackles still raised and fangs still bared and shining, she seems ready to literally leap back into the fray—

But then Siffrin goes flying a moment later, lost briefly under the waves, Flowey makes his own move, and before Lusamine can do anything further to aid either of them, Dondozo resurfaces from its Dive, effortlessly sweeping them all away. Lusamine has to fight just to stay conscious as the water sends her hurtling toward who-knows-where, but she does vaguely register Flowey clinging to her and automatically clings to him as best she can in turn.

He's still with her when she resurfaces, paddling madly to keep both their heads above water. When she glances briefly around, she catches a glimpse of the shoreline—and no sign of Dondozo.

An indignant, frustrated snarl escapes her before she can think to govern herself.]

That insolent, wretched—!

[Flowey's question redirects her attention.]

Ah—yes. Yes, I'm here... I'm all right. [Even though her entire body aches... And she hasn't seen Siffrin yet either. She calls out,] Mx. Siffrin?

[Siffrin is... nowhere to be seen? At least for a little bit...]

[This is because they have encountered a Misfortune. When the Dondozo dove (straight through their partially-formed Electroweb, tearing it apart in the process), they were close by in the water and got sucked down again. Which: they could deal with! Probably! But they also ended up right in front of the Dondozo's face, and the giant fish, already low on health and furious, reflexively Flailed. It sent them spinning with its massive tail, a close and heavy enough hit that if they weren't underwater, it probably would have just pulverized them.]

[Fortunately for Siffrin's prospects of, you know, not drowning, by the time the massive waves generated by the Dive calm, they've ended up near one splintered board from the remnants of the group's raft. The Shinx blearily stares at it, debating if it's worth the effort, or if they should just give up on paddling weakly and let themself sink.]

[...hang on, though, where are the other two?]

[Siffrin drags themself onto the board, with what feels like maybe two and a half working paws. ...ow. Ow ow ow. Make that two and a half working paws and they're pretty sure they broke some ribs. Despite their intentions, getting draped over the flotsam is about all they can manage! They curl in on themself, hissing through their teeth.]

[It's a few minutes before their ears twitch and they hear Flowey and Lusamine's voices. Immediately they feel relieved, and also, it's. It matters more to them than they'd like to admit, hearing someone calling for them...]

[It takes them another few seconds, and some coughing, to raise their voice enough to be heard.] I'm - I'm over here!

[Can they propel this board with only two paws? ...nnnoooo they are absolutely just spinning it in circles. Welp.]

[If that idiot Siffrin died, he's going to kill them. Then-- wow, he never thought he'd be relieved to hear that annoying little voice.] They're over that way!

[Once they've paddled close enough, Flowey greets Siffrin with a smirk.] Golly! You look like crap! Don't go toward the light, buddy, you'd probably get lost! [Is this a show of affection? Unclear. He hops on the wooden board and paddles the little bit he can using his roots.]

[Once she catches sight of Siffrin, Lusamine cries out,] Mx. Siffrin!

[They look... downright pitiful. By the time she's paddled over to them, Lusamine is out of breath, but she still manages to fuss over them.]

Oh, you poor thing! Be still now... [She makes her way to Siffrin's makeshift raft and grabs hold of it with her front claws, apparently with the intention of stopping their spinning and steering it herself... Alas, though her own legs aren't injured like Siffrin's clearly are, they are exhausted and through with cooperating with her for the time being. The adrenaline is gone, and for now, she only has enough strength left to cling to the board, resting for a moment with her upper body on it and the rest of her floating limp in the water. Thus, they all—humiliatingly—spin together a couple of times before her added weight manages to stop them.] Flowey, don't be rude... [There is a pause before she continues with some weak humor,] But please do keep away from any bright lights you might see, Mx. Siffrin... And stay with us instead.

[She attempts a reassuring grin. It ends up looking more tired than anything. A heavy sigh, then.]

It seems those brutes have made their escape... And you're badly hurt. [To say nothing of Flowey's injuries and her own weariness.] We have no choice—but to return to shore...

[Siffrin ducks their head down, hiding their nose behind their paws. It's kind of embarrassing to be fussed over, but also it's making their chest ache, a little bit. Or maybe that's just the ribs, haha!]

[They consider their response for a moment, then cave and lift their head to just stick their tongue out at Flowey. (Is this also slightly more affectionate, or at least playful, in an uneasy sort of way? Who knows! Maybe!)] Got it, got it! I'll make sure to stay on this tide of the tunnel.

[Even though Lusamine told them to stay still, Siffrin shuffles just a tad backwards, so that there's enough room for her to (very precariously) also drape fully onto the board. Then the Shinx deflates, resting very gingerly on their stomach. They feel kind of guilty, but even they can admit they're not going to be much use paddling right now...]

They were in a rush to get away from us, [Siffrin suggests hesitantly, about the two fish Pokemon.] Maybe we got them enough they won't be back?

[Or maybe they'll run into another rescue team while already weakened. It's out of their hands now, either way!]

[Speaking of being weakened - fortunately for the trio, this much closer to shore, one of the senior teams on standby is able to spot them. There's a Dewott and a Lombre slowly starting to tow a rescue raft.]

June Catch-All

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