bottlecaplogs | June Catch-All

[All things considered - the fog, the shaky ground and constant pitfalls, the disorientation of people's memories not quite matching up sometimes and making it impossible to remember consistent landmarks or trail markers, the struggling to resist mood swings, the handful of Ghost Pokemon and imposters they've already run into...]

[The squad gets surprisingly far before they encounter any serious problems.]

[The first hint of trouble - which Siffrin and Shoka probably detect first, unless Akechi is hopping along rather than flying - is the ground starting to rumble again. Siffrin springs aside immediately out of reflex, bouncing several hops away until their footing feels stable again. (If Shoka doesn't look like she's gotten a chance to react fast enough, they may try to scoop her along with them or grab her in their mouth. Groundbound Pokemon gotta stick together!)]

[Poor Technus, though, happens to be at the exact epicenter. Think fast!]

[With a sharp gasp, Shoka lurches—just a moment too late. Fortunately, Siffrin manages to grab hold of her in their teeth and carry her with them to safety. It... kind of looks like they hunted her, her form hanging limp in their mouth, but she still has the decency to mumble out:]

Thanks...

[That was too close.

Wait... Where'd Technus go?]

[Still getting used to the subtler differences between this new body and his old one, the idea of actually weighing enough to fall seems impossible. Until it happens.]

ACK!

[But he recovers soon enough, floating back up. He rests his little arms on the edge of the pit, gasping for breath he doesn't need.]

I AM FINE! I AM FINE! OY, WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT?

[Well, that's certainly not a pleasant sight.

When Technus falls, Akechi swoops down as a precaution. Fortunately, it's not necessary; Technus makes his way back up, and Akechi hovers over the newly opened cavern.

His eyes narrow, as he peers into the dark.]

It may be worthwhile to investigate, though it will leave us in far more cramped quarters.

[Siffrin carefully places Shoka back on the ground. ~~It does kind of look like they were carrying a Pikachu whose neck they snapped~~. Then they spin around, tail bristling as they hear Technus's yell.]

[They also did not realize that a Rotom could fall like that!!]

[Siffrin's fur smooths out as Technus re-appears. They pad to the edge of the pit, sniffing the air flowing from down below.]

I guess it'd make sense that whatever's doing all this is hiding underground... [What with all the rumbling and pitfalls and everything.]

[They crouch down next to Technus, leaning over the edge. It's - quite a drop! Not something they can simply hop down into, unless they're prepared to break their legs doing it; they'd have to spring from jutting rock to jutting rock to make it safely. But it does look manageable. Also...]

I see lights. [Like what the imposters they've been fighting burst into.]

[There are a lot less Pokemon willing to go out on a raft above a giant sea monster than there are willing to go into the forest, no matter how spooky - probably understandably! Siffrin, at least, is pretty comfortable in their swimming abilities, and escaped their last bounty quest relatively unscathed. And they're still being quite reckless, even if it's not to the degree of last month. So there was never really a question about them signing up.]

[They may, however, have reconsidered if they knew just who would end up on the raft with them.]

[Lusamine is okay. They don't really know her yet, aside from seeing her around the Canopy in passing, but she seems... fine? She seems fine. Like she's used to fancier surroundings, maybe, but that's not hard with the Canopy. They give her a little nod as she shows up.]

[When they see a certain sunflower seed bouncing toward the raft they're sprawled on, though - for a moment, Siffrin's eyes go wide. Then they narrow to slits, ears twisting back. It's an effort not to bare their teeth.]

What are you doing here.

What am I doing here? I'm here to take down another bounty, obviously! [He's become dangerously smug from the fact that he was relatively unscathed by his fight versus Ursaluna. Sure, others were taking most of the hits-- but his Growth plan worked out great! Who's weak now?! He's proving himself! Ribombee's going to be eating right out of his (metaphorical) hand soon!]

Buuut... aren't you lost, bud? The idiot baby club meeting is that way. [He points with one leaf in the other direction.

Honestly, there's no one he'd rather be going on a raft with less. Not only did this idiot think they're better than him, but they saw one of his most vulnerable memories. He's not going to let them see him all pathetic again!]

[Lusamine arrives at the docks with her head held high and her grin sparkling white. She only knows Siffrin in passing, but they've done nothing to earn her ire either, so she returns their nod easily and is about to give them an amicable greeting—when they suddenly turn their head, distracted by the arrival of their last teammate.

Seeing Flowey, Lusamine's smile only broadens, but Siffrin's reaction is just the opposite. She glances between the two of them.]

So you already know one another?

[It isn't really a surprise, considering they're all in the same guild, but she can only speculate about where the obvious tension came from. Siffrin almost looks (to her) ready to pounce!

Moving closer to Flowey as if to shield him—and clearly not taking his childish insult very seriously—she chides him gently.]

Now, Flowey... Is that any way to speak to your teammate?

[Once released, Shoka skitters to the edge of the pit, ready to lash out a hand or launch an attack... But Technus drifts back up a moment later, unharmed.]

... Pfft. Did you seriously forget that you float?

[She thought that something was trying to drag him down, at least!

Now that she knows there wasn't, she joins Siffrin in staring down into the depths. Indeed, lights glitter far below: a clear trail of familiar, flickering, green and violet wisps leading into the darkness.]

More lights! Groundbreaking.

[Ha ha.]

That's bait. Has to be. [A pause.] Buuut cramped quarters also means they've got fewer places to run...

Uggghhhhh! [Come on, mom, you're totally cramping his style.] They started it! [His little stem droops and he huffs indignantly. Siffrin did not, in fact, start it.]

[Technus grumbles in annoyance.]

YES, DOLLY, I WILL BE ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO CONCERNED FOR MY HEALTH. [He says sarcastically.] IT TURNS OUT I AM PARTIALLY AFFECTED BY GRAVITY, STILL!

[Technus looks down at the lights, as well. Perhaps those are some of the ghosts they need to fight. He's used to ghosts that glow, and it perks him right back up again- perhaps their goal is in sight!]

WE ARE HERE TO COLLECT A BOUNTY, CORRECT? EVEN IF IT IS BAIT, IT MAY BE BAIT THAT WILL LEAD US CLOSER TO THE TARGET. I SAY WE INVESTIGATE.

[Siffrin started it a little bit... but Flowey sure escalated it!]

What are you, twelve? [Nevermind that Siffrin isn't, you know, being the peak of maturity right now either...]

[They rise to their feet on the raft, fur bristling, but they don't turn on Flowey in particular - they're just definitely too tense now to stay lying down. They are eyeing how Lusamine has moved in between them and feeling a little ganged up on. But it's also way too late to back out of this quest, even if Siffrin was willing to - they can see some of the senior rescue teams getting ready to signal another batch of rafts to push off.]

[This is the worst day ~~of their life~~ of the last couple weeks, at least,]

[With a tone of forced brightness:] ...we've met!

[In a moment when Lusamine isn't looking, Flowey gives Siffrin a withering look that says something like: "Your concept of age is meaningless to me; I have lived and died a thousand times; I am death incarnate and my only purpose is to destroy any who dares to get close..." which, in turn, makes him sound extremely 12 years old.

It's also possible Siffrin doesn't get this from his stare at all.]

Hey, Lusamine, here's a fun fact about Siffrin... did you know...

[The look turns into a "I will kill us both if you mess this up for me" kind of look.]

... they really love cheese? Can't get enough of it! Hee hee!

[With that, he busies himself making sure he has all his items. His face has returned to normal... mostly. If he leaves now, it will show weakness, and he is not weak. He'll work with Siffrin if they'll work with him.]

[Siffrin already wasn't planning to tell Lusamine anything, under the assumption that they and Flowey have an unspoken "I'll take you down with me" truce...]

[But after that moment of their heart jumping into their throat, stars are they tempted. Their tail lashes.]

...that's right! I never get feta-p with it~

[They are smiling very widely, which does have the side effect of their canines peeking out slightly.]

[Though she doesn't see the face Flowey makes and has no way of knowing what transpired between him and Siffrin, Lusamine is not so oblivious as to not notice the tension in the air or start suspecting what might have happened. She's seen glimpses of darkness in Flowey herself, after all—mistrust and frightening, terribly sad memories—but those are only the products of some great hurt that had been dealt to him, she thinks. His world had been unjustly cruel to him, in the same way her world had been cruel to her; she understands him in a way others cannot. All he needs, she's certain, is a mother's patience and love.

So she pretends not to have noticed anything, smiling benignly as he offers his "fun fact", then laughing pleasantly at Siffrin's joke.]

Ah... Is that right? I am a strict vegetarian myself.

[Which might be a strange sentence to hear from a creature with razor-sharp teeth... but apparently it's the truth.]

In any case, I suppose introductions won't be necessary, then. Just as well. [Glancing ahead, she sees what Siffrin did earlier: the senior rescue teams about to signal the next batch of rafts to push off.] It seems there's no time to waste, hm?

[While Flowey is checking his inventory, Lusamine steps aboard the raft, taking the opportunity to speak directly to Siffrin. Though she hadn't made it obvious earlier, she'd also noticed the way they'd eyed her as she was scolding Flowey, so she tries to soothe in a hushed voice:]

I'm so glad to see you here, Mx. Siffrin—if I may say so. You are more seasoned than Flowey and I at all of this guild business, after all... I do appreciate your patience with us. [Or their patience with Flowey, rather, even if it's only feigned.] And I look forward to working with you. Rest assured, we'll do all we can to ensure we don't cause you any trouble and everything goes smoothly.

[Which is to say, she'll be trying to keep the peace.]

[He pretends not to hear, very obviously sulking in the corner of the raft-- his little stem has drooped, and his back is turned in childish indignation. He really feels juvenile, being scolded and then spoken for. It reminds him too much of the person he was, and the strict but coddling nature of the person he once thought of as his mother.

... Whatever. He doesn't need approval from either of them. Once she gets bored of him, she'll move on, just like Toriel did.]

[Siffrin, who has never once in their life been respectable enough to be called Mx.: ]

[~~At least, not that they remember~~]

[Still. As oblivious (or deliberately in denial) as they can be sometimes, it's not hard for them to tell that Lusamine is trying to Handle them. That's... something that would feel bad, from a friend, but they can't really blame her after seeing how they and Flowey reacted to each other... mmgh.]

...I'm sure we'll do fine. [They totally aren't. But Siffrin will just have to make it go fine.]

[The weirder thing here is Flowey's reaction. Is he actually...]

[Well, there's no time to think about it now! As the largest Pokemon on the raft - and possibly the strongest swimmer, though they couldn't say for sure with Lusamine - Siffrin hops off to shove it across the remaining sand and into the surf. From there it seems like one of the senior rescue teams has a Water Pokemon that can command the waves, because the raft starts moving on its own. Siffrin blinks, startled, then paddles afterward to keep up. They spring back onto the raft and shake water out of their fur.]

[The fog is heavy - the rafts are only a minute or two offshore before the group can barely see a few meters in front of them. Siffrin listens intently, ears pointing forward, but for now all they hear is the waves and the splashes of other rafts. There are conversations happening on other rafts, but they already seem distant...]

We should take every advantage we can.

[Which is why he's beating his wings to stir up a Tailwind before they enter the cavern.]

If anyone else wishes to strengthen themselves first, feel free. Otherwise, we might as well proceed.

[Siffrin nods and takes the lead - as they've been doing, seemingly on autopilot, unless someone actively tries to beat them to it. They hop down, carefully bouncing from rock to rock.]

[After the rest of the trek through the woods, they're careful to stay within sight range of everyone else - or they're trying to be. But it seems like the flickering lights down below (and the fog and memory disorientation of the forest as a whole) have other plans. There's at least a few moments where Siffrin remembers themself staying in sight, and not hearing anyone else call out, while the rest of the group has a swirl of ghostly lights block their view -]

[And by the time everyone's at the bottom, it's too late. There are already two Shinxes.]

[They are snarling at each other furiously, one of them just cutting off a,] - I'm not letting some copy - [as the rest of the group catches up. Siffrin hasn't been particularly forgiving to any of the imposters, after hearing Firepaw's stories, but they seem to be taking a copy of themself even more personally. Or, hang on... is that the imposter saying that? How do you tell??]

[Whichever one it is, the other Shinx springs at them abruptly, and then there is a yowling catfight going on on the floor of the cavern.]

[Did Technus just call her Dolly? ... Ugh, whatever!

As Siffrin starts their way down, Shoka follows, leaping from rock to rock after them (she's surprisingly agile, and the formless, shadowy foot of her true body seems to cling automatically to each rock, almost snail-like). The descent goes smoothly enough, Akechi's Tailwind and the dark of the cavern even giving her a small rush of renewed energy—until lights suddenly fill her vision, dazzling her.]

Wh—hey! Buzz off! [She reflexively swipes at the wisps with her claws, nearly losing her footing—and realizes suddenly, as she blinks the spots from her eyes and identifies airborne shapes that must be Akechi and Technus, that she's lost track of Siffrin. So much for "groundbound Pokemon gotta stick together."] Sif!

[They don't respond, if they hear her at all.

When she makes her less-than-graceful landing at the bottom, she catches sight of them again... In fact, there's one Siffrin too many now, the two of them snarling and tearing at each other with matching viciousness.]

Sif! [Naturally, it's impossible to tell which Siffrin is the real one just by looking at them—but the team came prepared for that. Still, they can't exchange code words or ask any questions when the two Shinx are too busy brawling with each other to pay attention, and they'd risk hitting the real Siffrin if they attacked outright. Shoka brandishes her tail-stick threateningly.] Hey, break it up already! Or we'll break it up for you!

[A pink glow emanates from her tail-stick, promising a Fairy-type attack, but she holds back for now. Although, if Technus or Akechi want to try physically pulling the two Siffrins apart, she probably won't stop them.]

[Taking her spot near Flowey, Lusamine joins Siffrin in watching what lies ahead of them—until it inevitably fades away into the thickening fog. She keeps her head upright, ears perked and nose twitching, wary and alert... but, for some time, there are no signs of danger. Only silence, save for the distant voices of the Pokémon that left before them.]

... Shall we discuss a strategy as we're approaching our destination?

[Ideally, they would have done that before getting on the raft, of course—and she doesn't mean to distract them from watching for threats and obstacles—but any discussion is better than none at all. That, and the silence seems to have made her just a bit antsy.]

Of course, I would have preferred to avoid a confrontation if we were able. But if we must fight... [Which seems highly likely, as they have few other means of incapacitating their target (unless Siffrin knows anything like Thunder Wave)...] As you may already be aware, you both have a type advantage against that ruffian Dondozo...

[Technus cackles as he feels the effects of Akechi's Tailwind, his laugh echoing against the cavern walls.]

THAT IS A GREAT IDEA, BIRD BOY!

[Technus buzzes midair, collecting static electricity from the air around him and absorbing it into his body.]

[Technus used Charge!]

[That done, he follows Siffrin and Shoka down, floating easily now that he knows to look out for gravity- until the lights get in his way. He wobbles as he focuses on trying to swipe them away.]

HEY! GET OFF! DO NOT MAKE ME-

[And then he blinks, and they're gone. Ah. Well, that was embarassing. He hopes the others didn't notice him yelling at nothing. It's a good thing there's other yelling that covered it up-

Wait. Other yelling?

Technus stares ahead at the two Shinxes. The constant movement makes it hard to tell which is which, not that he knew in the first place.]

...EH... LION CUB?

[Ah, lovely. Doppelgangers and illusions...

Akechi bristles. There must be some way to tell them apart...

Aha! A light bulb goes off in his mind, as realization hits.]

Siffrin-kun... How exactly did we first meet?

[The two Shinxes are very reluctant to break things up, even with Shoka brandishing a Fairy stick at them. They seem to realize simultaneously, though, that only the fake Siffrin would have a good reason to stall on answering any questions - so if one of them seems determined to fight over everything else, that one's going to be suspicious. Whether or not it's the imposter. For now they roll away from each other after one more exchange of smacks with their paws. (Claws out, of course.)]

[How did they first meet Akechi...? Both of the Shinxes pause, as if to think.]

[One of them pipes up with,] I was in town by then, we were -

[Aaaand is immediately interrupted by the other one snarling,] Don't listen to them, that's way too easy to guess!

[Then they're right back to growling furiously at each other, ears folded back and fur bristling. Helpful!]

[That question normally might have been a safe bet—but whether it's way too easy to guess or not, Siffrin, by their own admission, is also very forgetful. Shoka could insist that they finish the sentence, just to be sure, but another idea comes to her then.]

Next question. Let's go with... [She points her tail-stick at the Siffrin that spoke up second.] You.

[Then she points one claw of her free hand in Technus' direction.]

What color is Technus?

June Catch-All

Bounty: Mystery Ghosts

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Bounty: Mob-y Dozo

hubris. foreshadowing. hubris. foreshadowing. h

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I wasn't originally Actually gonna have them say this but after the last two tags... I have to...

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