As an active volcano, few creatures venture near Nori for fear of being too close during an eruption. On most days there is a continuous slow flow of molten rock seeping through the mouth of the volcano, so travelers are advised to dress appropriately. (+2 to Endurance)

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A Fiery Trail to Follow [HUNT; Zap & I]

Postby Remedy » 03/09/2016 12:07 AM

Image
[Zal Monica ; played in human form]

Zal had spent months planning this expedition. The stocky woman was both intelligent and calculating in her endeavors. She'd studied every map pertaining to the region, memorized every known route taken up the volcano, and roughly planned her own along an old, battered trail. She hoped to scale the heated, semi-active danger-mountain in pursuit of a newfound mystery enrapturing the world - the Mist.

Many reports had been made regarding strange appearances where glittering mist revealed an entirely new creature coloration that was both stunning and rare. As a professional trapper of creatures abound, Zal aimed to take this opportunity to capitalize on the rarity and wealth of such beings. She set out on a journey to a region seldom explored: the Nori Volcano.

Zal had good reason to believe one such animal was in this location. There were already reports of a Lost creature appearing in the Roraldi forests, which lie just west of the volcano. It had appeared in various other locations as well, but already other people were swarming less-dangerous areas in search of new animals. She aimed to get ahead of the game and seek out those creatures which were usually avoided due to their dangerous temperature and temperament.

Heat-resistant clothes donned for the expedition, Zal adjusted her huge backpack and walked steadily towards the volcano. It would take her approximately an hour and a half to finally reach base camp - the point that she would bring her calculations into play and attempt to scale the dangerous structure in hopes of finding a fiery, sparkly beast. Her passion for this profession never failed to drive her toward ever-stranger acquisitions.


I think back to the time when my search first began,
I left behind those shores of sand
For the endless everlasting world out there.

I know that with this burning passion driving me
Someday, somewhere I'll finally see
The light I have searched for everywhere!

-One Piece, "Hikari E"

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Re: A Fiery Trail to Follow [HUNT; Zap & I]

Postby zapdragon555 » 03/11/2016 12:37 PM

Image
[João de Barro; click for human form]


Barro was beginning to severely question his current choices, and it was honestly a bit early to be doing that. The short journalist shifted in the driver's seat, craning his neck up to try to see the road right in front of the car as jagged rocks bumped against the tires. He'd tear up the rental car before he even got to the volcano! Rayos was going to kill him, for sure. Well, as long as he could scrounge up enough money for repairs to repay Rayos, maybe he'd be alright...

Barro yelped as the arid ground gave slightly underneath the vehicle, sending it sliding into a shallow ditch of sand and cracked dirt. He cursed--and felt bad, for he really only seemed to do this when he was alone and things were going particularly bad--as he slammed a foot on the gas pedal in hopes to move the car. No luck there. He looked left and right, as though it would fix something or at least dislodge the knot of anxiety that had fixed itself in this throat, and finally he threw his hands up (metaphorically--last time he did that he smacked them on the ceiling of the car, different car, still embarrassing) and opened the door. At least, he opened the door as much as he could; it was wedged quite snugly between the car and the embankment of the ditch, but he managed to wriggle out and drag his backpack out as well. He tugged the face scarf he'd brought out, the wind already blowing dust in his face, and wrapped it around his mouth and nose and neck. Rayos had good thinking. Smiling to himself with this thought, despite the bad situation, he backed up a bit to get a running start to crawl up the ditch... to no avail. He sank back down, the sand loose underneath his feet, and his eyes grew wide with a renewed panic.

Alright, no problem. Cell phone! He'd just call Rayos for help and apologize later. Cell phone... cell phone...? C-cell phone!?

This was bad. Barro's hands moved all over his torso, checking each pocket, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. He'd left it. He'd actually left it. There was little else to do now but pray and scream, and he'd do the former later if the latter didn't work. The likelyhood of another living being coming out to this area was slim to none, but Barro was ready to be desperate. He inhaled as sharp as he could, nudging the scarf away from his face, and cupped his hands around his mouth to let out a scream of 'heeeeeeelp!'



But there will come a time
You'll see, with no more tears
And love will not break your heart
But dismiss your fears
Get over your hill and see
What you find there
With grace in your heart
And flowers in your hair



"Tomorrow will be a good day."


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[12.1]

Postby Remedy » 03/11/2016 1:33 PM

Both the sounds of nature and Zal's inner thoughts were rudely interrupted by a sharp cry for help. She recognized the call as distinctly human, despite its shrill and whiny tenor. If the word "help" had not been so distinctly recognizable, she might have just assumed some hapless animal fell prey to another. Evidently she wasn't as alone out here as she previously thought.

Zal paused in her hiking and considered the distance and direction from which the cry rang out. It would possibly only take her fifteen minutes to reach it if she changed course now and picked up her pace. Though she was mildly annoyed by this rude interruption to her mission, she felt morally obligated to go help the person in need.

With a deep breath and cupped hands, she called back, "I'm coming!"
Over the next ten minutes, their exchange would likely become reminiscent of a marco-polo game. The slight echo from the surrounding rocks and cliffs had somewhat distorted the clarity of the sound, but she felt confident about the general direction. Readjusting her heavy pack once more, Zal briskly set off on this new side mission.


I think back to the time when my search first began,
I left behind those shores of sand
For the endless everlasting world out there.

I know that with this burning passion driving me
Someday, somewhere I'll finally see
The light I have searched for everywhere!

-One Piece, "Hikari E"

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Re: A Fiery Trail to Follow [HUNT; Zap & I]

Postby zapdragon555 » 03/15/2016 12:52 AM

Yup, praying was beginning to sound like a pretty good idea. Barro felt his heart sinking lower and lower as he heard his voice echo, and he shook slightly, panic seizing him. He supposed he could climb out of the ditch if he got on top of the car and jumped, but even then, walking all the way back to civilization would just about kill him. And it was then that he heard a voice in return, and suddenly everything in the world seemed wonderfully right. His savior! Oh, he could cry. There was actually another human voice out there, and they were searching for him now! In his gushing relief he'd nearly forgotten that he probably needed to keep screaming to give them a clue to where he was. He'd remedy that right away.

Eventually he and the stranger had reached a point where they were on a steady path of their voices growing louder and more distinct--a sure sign that his rescuer was getting closer. "Over here! Yes, I think you're much closer now!" he called, just glad to keep talking, even if sand was getting in his mouth from the hot wind blowing around. He was sweating badly, too, both from nervousness and from the heat. He supposed he must look pretty darn silly, right now, or at least severely underprepared for this kind of journey.



But there will come a time
You'll see, with no more tears
And love will not break your heart
But dismiss your fears
Get over your hill and see
What you find there
With grace in your heart
And flowers in your hair



"Tomorrow will be a good day."


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[12.2]

Postby Remedy » 03/15/2016 6:01 PM

As she heard the distressed call grow louder and clearer, Zal knew their time of meeting was near. She hurried her pace up to a faster jog until she reached a large ridge. From the sounds of it, her damsel in distress was just on the other side. Taking off her valued backpack, she set it gingerly on the ground and scaled the rocks quickly.

Upon reaching the top, Zal looked down and saw a vehicle and a man stuck about seven feet below in a sandy ditch. She paused momentarily to assess the situation. This fellow must have tried to take a car along an old hiking trail - perhaps he mistook it for a road. The jagged rocks and constantly changing terrain of the area practically nullified any efforts to craft a suitable road, which was why she decided to hike to base camp along her own route. Evidently this fellow did not get the memo.

"Hello," she called down. "Are you alright? Do you need water?" She hadn't kept track of how long the poor guy had been stuck there, and wanted to make sure his immediate needs were met before he exerted himself trying to get out. "I have some rope in my bag, I'll try to pull you up on this side. Just give me a moment!"


I think back to the time when my search first began,
I left behind those shores of sand
For the endless everlasting world out there.

I know that with this burning passion driving me
Someday, somewhere I'll finally see
The light I have searched for everywhere!

-One Piece, "Hikari E"

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Re: A Fiery Trail to Follow [HUNT; Zap & I]

Postby zapdragon555 » 03/15/2016 11:09 PM

Barro's neck was starting to smart something terrible, not to mention his throat. He was fairly sure the entire thing was coated in sand, right about then. He had water with him, he just hadn't wanted to leave his post until he'd successfully seen his savior. "N-no! I mean--yes! Hello! I'm alright, for sure, now that you're here!" he called up, standing on his toes as though it would carry his scratchy voice better.

"No, I have water!" he added, raising a finger to tell her to hold on a moment. His heart was beating a mile a minute with pure, rushing relief. This was great! Not only was he going to be rescued, but this woman certainly looked like she knew what she was doing, out here. Unlike him. He winced at himself and scuttled towards the car, yanking open the door and shuffling around. He pulled out a backpack with a grunt and tugged a bottle of water out, tipping it back to drink. He choked as it went down, coughing loudly, but waved a hand in assurance up at the woman. "M'okay!" he shouted up, half doubled over. "Rope's good! I took a rope climbing course once in high school, and--" he began rambling as his voice came back, waiting for the rope in question to arrive. High school had been quite a long time ago, though.



But there will come a time
You'll see, with no more tears
And love will not break your heart
But dismiss your fears
Get over your hill and see
What you find there
With grace in your heart
And flowers in your hair



"Tomorrow will be a good day."


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[12.3]

Postby Remedy » 03/16/2016 1:48 AM

Zal was quick to retrieve the rope from her backpack. She'd gone on many hiking expeditions in her day, so she knew a thing or two about knots and rock climbing. Fumbling with the neatly coiled cord, she tied a series of knots to make somewhat of a harness to fit around her waist. In order to hoist the man up, she would need a centered balance, else she would topple down with him and get the both of them stuck.

Slipping on the makeshift harness, she tossed down the rest of the rope and called out below. "Alright, grab on, but don't pull or jump up yet. I'm going to brace myself a few steps back, so you may not be able to see me while I pull you up. Try your best to use the rocks to help you, and make sure you've got whatever you need with you."

Her instructions were long and rambling, but rightfully so. There likely wasn't a single other soul for miles around, so not much hope for a second savior should any errors occur. She took a few steps back and tightly grasped the rope that was tied around her waist. Squatting slightly, she dug her feet into a ridge in the rocks and prepared to hold her ground when his weight started pulling her forward. "Alright, are you ready? On three. One, two..."


I think back to the time when my search first began,
I left behind those shores of sand
For the endless everlasting world out there.

I know that with this burning passion driving me
Someday, somewhere I'll finally see
The light I have searched for everywhere!

-One Piece, "Hikari E"

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Re: A Fiery Trail to Follow [HUNT; Zap & I]

Postby zapdragon555 » 03/17/2016 11:06 PM

Barro's incessant babbling was interrupted by her words. He stood to attention, listening attentively over the wind blowing sand around, eyes widening at the rope. It looked so beautiful, and oh, he was too thankful. Too thankful, really! His eyes were positively watering with gratefulness--oh, wait, that was just sand in his eyes. But it was the thought that counted!

"Thank you so much!" he called up, reaching up to grab the end of the rope. Just as she'd ask, he didn't pull or jostle it yet. He awaited more instructions like an overexcited (and sandy) puppy. He listened carefully, then tested the rope a tiny bit as she counted down. "Three!" he exclaimed with her, and gripped the rope tightly. He stepped up on a rock and began to try to climb, sand shifting around his tennis shoes as he scrabbled his way up the wall, little by little, digging his fingers into the clumpy sand. He'd probably have to bandage those up later, but getting out of that hole was his main prerogative at that point. Just a little higher...!



But there will come a time
You'll see, with no more tears
And love will not break your heart
But dismiss your fears
Get over your hill and see
What you find there
With grace in your heart
And flowers in your hair



"Tomorrow will be a good day."


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[12.4]

Postby Remedy » 03/26/2016 2:45 PM

Zal strained against the weight of the man as she hoisted him up. He was nearing the top now, so she used her upper body strength to give the rope one strong heave. The exertion caused her to lose her footing, making her fall backward on to her rear. Thankfully it also was enough to pull the man most of the way up, or at least to a point that he could finish alone.

As she sat, Zal worked to catch her breath before pushing herself back onto her feet. She was already sweating under her heat-proof clothing, but nothing to drastic. This level of physical exercise wasn't planned until she had to actually start climbing the volcano, but perhaps it was good to have a little warm-up. Standing again, she offered a hand to help the young man up. "You alright?"


I think back to the time when my search first began,
I left behind those shores of sand
For the endless everlasting world out there.

I know that with this burning passion driving me
Someday, somewhere I'll finally see
The light I have searched for everywhere!

-One Piece, "Hikari E"

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Remedy
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Re: A Fiery Trail to Follow [HUNT; Zap & I]

Postby zapdragon555 » 04/01/2016 8:25 PM

Barro yelped as he saw her fall backwards, but he followed her safely to solid ground. He flopped on his stomach, panting with fear, then coughed as dust went into his mouth. "Agh--y-yeah!" he exclaimed, mouth a little fuzzy from the dust and sand. He turned his eyes up to her and offered his best grin, given the circumstances. He reached up with a grunt to take her hand and get to his feet, stamping them a little on the solid ground with a sigh of relief. "Good ol' rock," he said, looking back at her with bright eyes that seemed to grow wider with realization.

"Oh! You saved me!" he exclaimed with a jolt, grasping her hand with both of his and pumping it up and down in a shake. "You saved me--wow, really, I can't thank you enough. I can't believe you heard me!" He laughed sheepishly, glancing behind him at the truck with a wince, then turned his attention back to the woman who's hand he was still shaking. "I'm Barro--I'm actually a reporter here to get the scoop on these weird creature sightings!" Surely it wasn't bad to just spill everything to this woman, right? Of course not.



But there will come a time
You'll see, with no more tears
And love will not break your heart
But dismiss your fears
Get over your hill and see
What you find there
With grace in your heart
And flowers in your hair



"Tomorrow will be a good day."


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Status: I love you, and... and you don't pay me."

[13.0]

Postby Remedy » 04/18/2016 7:13 PM

Zal was not expecting to be doted on so enthusiastically. "Oh, it was nothing, really..." she replied, blushing lightly. She raised her eyebrows at his introduction, particularly intrigued by his reason for coming. "That's quite a coincidence," she replied. "My name is Zal, I'm here for similar reasons..."

She didn't elaborate, choosing to question him more instead. "What brings you out here? I haven't heard of anyone actually finding anything on the volcano yet, though I did hear of a discovery in the Roraldi Forests." She was actually very interested in what Barro had to say, as it might give her a new perspective on the focus of her expedition.

If he was truthful about being a reporter, he likely wouldn't have much interest in trapping and keeping the creatures. And if that was truly the case, she didn't see much of a reason to ditch him immediately. As long as he was no threat to her operation, perhaps having company would be nice.


I think back to the time when my search first began,
I left behind those shores of sand
For the endless everlasting world out there.

I know that with this burning passion driving me
Someday, somewhere I'll finally see
The light I have searched for everywhere!

-One Piece, "Hikari E"

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Re: A Fiery Trail to Follow [HUNT; Zap & I]

Postby zapdragon555 » 05/07/2016 6:39 PM

"Nothing to you, but a whole lotta something to me!" Barro insisted, but decided to lay off the intense gratitude. He knew some people found it to be a little bit much. His face morphed into interest as she began talking, though. "No kidding?" he asked, eyes widening a little. "That is definitely some serendipity right there. I wonder if I should write that down...? If these are magic creatures, maybe they bring people together who are both looking for them, or something silly like that..." Barro pulled a notepad out of his pocket and began scribbling away, once he got his pen to work.

"Mmhm, as for me being out here," he began, looking up from his notepad with a sheepish smile. "This... was kind of the only place left open. Some other reporters went to the more, ah... cushier areas, though I definitely don't envy the guy who got Wilt'no Desert. Yeee-ikes!" He gave her a grin, shrugging his shoulders and looking up at the mountain. "Plus, if I were a rare creature that didn't want to be found, I'd probably hide somewhere where nosy people like us wouldn't find me. Hence, somewhere as dangerous as this seems like a good bet. Too bad about the truck, though," he added, glancing back over the ditch with a small frown. "That was government-issued... bah."



But there will come a time
You'll see, with no more tears
And love will not break your heart
But dismiss your fears
Get over your hill and see
What you find there
With grace in your heart
And flowers in your hair



"Tomorrow will be a good day."


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zapdragon555
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Status: I love you, and... and you don't pay me."

[13.1]

Postby Remedy » 06/30/2016 12:20 AM

Zal raised her eyebrows at Barro's speculation. Magical creatures influencing a fateful encounter? It seemed farfetched, but despite her naturally skeptical nature, she couldn't push the thought out of her mind. Could this be why her clients are so eager to pay large sums for some sparkly wildlife? Perhaps there's more to this than I thought...

She cast a glance back at the truck, still thoroughly stuck in the shifty sand. "Ah, I'm sure you can call someone to tow it out of there. It may take a while, though." Checking the bulky watch on her wrist, she noted that this excursion took an hour out of her carefully scheduled hiking trip.

"I don't suppose you were planning on climbing the volcano?" She inquired, continuing, "I'm set for a twenty-four hour long venture, so I'm a little crunched for time. But if you need help contacting someone to come get you, I can stay for a little while longer. Or... well, you're welcome to join me, though I only packed supplies for one." Zal was starting to really like the idea of having a companion on this journey, especially one with such a creative mindset. He may have some insight on these creatures that she hadn't previously thought about.


I think back to the time when my search first began,
I left behind those shores of sand
For the endless everlasting world out there.

I know that with this burning passion driving me
Someday, somewhere I'll finally see
The light I have searched for everywhere!

-One Piece, "Hikari E"

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Re: A Fiery Trail to Follow [HUNT; Zap & I]

Postby zapdragon555 » 07/21/2016 6:11 PM

Barro's eyes shone at her words, his previous skepticism about the trip melting away in the hot wind that buffeted his mess of hair. "I'd love to come with you!" he exclaimed, hefting his backpack a little better onto his shoulders. "If you'll have me, a'course. I bought some stuff with me, too, and it was pre-packed, so no Barro-style forgetfulness on this trip, no siree." He grinned, a little embarrassed at how talkative he was, then squinted up at the volcano. "Whew. This seems a little out of my league, but I won't know til I try."

After all, they'd pretty much expected him to do anything necessary to get the scoop on these magical creatures. Surely they wouldn't have sent him out alone with the knowledge that he was likely to die, right? Surely Rayos would've said something. Surely! "You said you were crunched for time?" he suddenly said, looking back at Zal with a determined look. "Then we should get started. My legs aren't quite so jelly-ified anymore, so I think a little climbing will do me good!"



But there will come a time
You'll see, with no more tears
And love will not break your heart
But dismiss your fears
Get over your hill and see
What you find there
With grace in your heart
And flowers in your hair



"Tomorrow will be a good day."


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