Once home to the Crystal Cities of the Hunter clans, Craiss Caverns is now a hollow empty shell of its former glory due to a strange misfortune in the past. Man-made tunnels now lead to this place, but tales tell of some never returning. (+3 Defense, +2 Offense)

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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 01/20/2016 7:56 PM

Not very deep. That was what Joli had said. You could have fooled me, Nico thought. Maybe it was the pitch darkness that did it--- it was entirely possible that he had been wandering around in circles the entire time. That wasn't a comforting thought, but he shoved it aside. He was going to get out of here now, so there was no use dwelling on things like that.

Before he could say anything, Joli perked up. "That's right! You're probably hungry, aren't you? Don't worry, I can help with that." He rummaged around in his bag some more and produced a shiny red apple. Smiling proudly, he held it out to Nico. "These are really good! Eat up!"
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 01/20/2016 7:59 PM

He should have at least hesitated a little, in the interest of good manners (where did that come from? Was it a memory?) but he was too hungry for that. The most he could do was show enough restraint not to snatch the apple from Joli like a wild animal. As it was, he ate as quickly as he could, shoving the apple into his mouth underneath the helmet. It would probably have been easier to eat if he took it off, but somehow he didn't want to. It made him feel secure in a strange place like this.

"Wow, I've never seen a Cubone eat so fast," said Joli. Nico was inclined to ignore that until the words finally sunk in. He paused, mouth full, to look up with wide eyes at Joli, who blinked in confusion.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 01/20/2016 8:02 PM

"Is something the matter?" said Joli. "You don't have a tummy-ache, do you?"

"... No," said Nico, slowly. He paused, trying to marshal his thoughts. Cubone. He had definitely heard it. He didn't want to ask again, but he had to know. "Could you... come a little closer?" he said instead. Joli still looked bemused, but complied, bringing his light with him. As the light drew near, Nico looked down at himself and saw... well.

He definitely wasn't human anymore either.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 01/20/2016 8:04 PM

In some ways it made perfect sense. It certainly explained a lot: the shortened limbs, the 'helmet', his ability to understand what Joli was saying. He ought to have come to the conclusion sooner, really. The thing was, this was the sort of thing that only happened to people in stories and weird dreams.

Hold that thought. He pinched himself, hard. Nothing happened, and he could almost feel Joli hovering in the periphery of his vision, watching him with increasing worry. "I'm fine," he said, to stave off the question he was sure was coming. He must not have sounded very convincing, since Joli didn't stop hovering, but at least he didn't say anything either.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 01/20/2016 8:10 PM

In that moment, Nico decided several things. First of all, he decided that he wasn't going to scream. As it was, it was a near thing; the urge was definitely there, and it made a good case for itself. It would have been perfectly reasonable, in his position, to scream. He graciously withheld from doing so for the sake of his companion, who probably wouldn't have taken kindly to it.

Second, he decided to hold off on making any more decisions or judgements until he got out of this cave. He really didn't want to be here, and from what Joli had implied about his being 'rescued', there was real danger to be had here. It wasn't the kind of environment conducive to, say, the kind of very serious thinking he'd have to do now.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 01/20/2016 8:13 PM

"I feel better now," he said, trying his best to sound sincere. He wasn't being entirely dishonest. It was good to see light, and have someone to talk to, and fill his belly with good food. In fact, he could feel the calories or what have you going into his bloodstream, which made him want nothing so much as a nap. Fat chance of that right now though. "You said you had a map, right? Lead the way," he said.

Joli nodded, unfurling the map and glancing at it. "Okay, I think I know where we are. I've got this. Let's see..." Looking back up, he deliberated for a moment before saying, "Let's go that way. I think this will take us uphill, and we can get out if we get to the top of the mountain."
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 01/20/2016 8:16 PM

'Top of the mountain' sounded pretty daunting to Nico, but anything was better than staying here indefinitely. He followed wordlessly behind Joli as the pink Pokemon led the way. Walking like this wasn't too bad either. There wasn't so much light that they could see very far, but there was enough that they could see where they were going. It was also nice not to have to think. He focused on his steps and the sound of his own breathing, and anytime a thought threatened to burst through, he quashed it as fast as he could.

Joli had other ideas, however. "So," he said, in a tone that suggested he was trying to make small talk, "how did you get lost in here anyway?"
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 01/20/2016 8:19 PM

It should have been an innocuous question, and in all honesty Nico was surprised he hadn't been asked this sooner. He just wished he had an answer that didn't sound completely outlandish. "I'll tell you once we get out, if that's alright. A lot of things have happened to me today," he said.

He must have sounded tired enough to sell it. Joli didn't press the point. Not wanting to be asked any more questions, Nico forced himself to take the initiative to turn the subject onto Joli instead. "So... What kind of Pokemon are you?" he asked. "I'm sorry if that's rude, but I'm, uh, not from these parts." That was putting it lightly, to be sure.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 06/17/2016 11:20 PM

Joli, fortunately, didn't seem perturbed by that at all. "Oh, it's alright! It's actually pretty rare to see a Cubone in these parts. You must've come from a long way away." His eyes grew soft with sympathy as he said it. He reached out with a hand to pat Nico on the arm.

"I'm an Audino. We're... maybe not the best fighters around; most of my family works in the medical industry, actually. But I'm going to form a rescue team! I've trained really hard!" The speech sounded a little defensive to Nico, but he had to admit that he had thought the same when he laid eyes on Joli. The soft pink Pokemon hardly seemed like the kind that would be duking it out in some cavern somewhere, looking for trouble.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 06/17/2016 11:34 PM

The term 'Audino' didn't help Nico in the least. He'd never seen one before, as far as he could tell. It definitely didn't bring back any of his admittedly-fragmented memories. The thought of a new Pokemon he didn't know didn't seem strange either, however. He had the feeling that more were being found all the time, though when he tried to pursue this feeling, it fizzled out like everything else. Who was finding these new Pokemon? And where? But he had no idea.

Joli seemed as if he was going to say something else, but suddenly his ears twitched and he drew Nico by the arm away, into a smaller tunnel that he hadn't even seen himself. "Shhh," said Joli, and pricked up his ears again.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 06/18/2016 12:00 AM

Nico didn't protest, and did his best to flatten himself against the cavern wall. It was probably something dangerous that Joli had heard. He waited with bated breath, watching the Audino carefully. As he was staying still, however, Joli spared him no attention, focused entirely on trying to make out where it was he was hearing the footsteps. They were soft, quiet, the movement of padded feet rather than something hard and heavy, but that didn't mean they weren't dangerous. They would have been inaudible to almost anyone else, but that was why Audinos were so useful--- they could pick up the most minute of sounds, when they put their minds to it.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 06/18/2016 5:30 AM

Which meant that Nico couldn't hear anything, and could only trust Joli to let him know when the danger had gone. And at first he was perfectly happy to do so, but as the wait grew longer, he found himself getting more restless. It was all too easy to imagine what kind of horrors were waiting for him. On the other hand, with no sound but that of his own breathing and the dripping of water somewhere behind him, he kept thinking, maybe it was gone after all. Oughtn't they go out and check?

It seemed like ages before Joli relaxed, and waved Nico forward. He looked relieved too, and maybe as if he had sensed some of Nico's impatience. "Shouldn't be long now," he said.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 06/18/2016 10:17 AM

Nico searched Joli's face, however, and found the Audino's smile a little tight. Well, he had thought as much; Joli did seem like the type to tell little white lies. "I'm not tired," he said, and had the dubious satisfaction of eliciting a guilty look from Joli. It hadn't been his intention, but he hadn't figured out a more subtle way to phrase it. Tact wasn't one of his stronger points, apparently.

"I have more apples if you get hungry," was all Joli said, before leading the way again. Nico nodded, though he didn't think Joli saw.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 06/18/2016 10:34 AM

They continued through the dungeon in much the same slow, tedious manner. Joli stopped every so often, sometimes to consult his maps, and sometimes more alarmingly to force them into a corner or detour. Nico never asked him what exactly he heard, but he was beginning to wonder if every other creature here was worth avoiding. Surely, there were some that didn't mean them harm...?

It was an absurd thought, considering his own conviction not very long ago that the things living here were going to kill him and eat him, not necessarily in that order. But then, Joli had been friendly. Surely there were others of like mind.
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Re: Nico and Joli's Big Adventure [self] [HUNT]

Postby crow » 06/18/2016 10:37 AM

During a quiet lull in their walk, Nico finally spoke up. "We've been avoiding every other Pokemon," he said carefully. He hadn't wanted to jump right into the matter. This was perhaps a more sensitive issue than that of the real distance to the cavern entrance, and he thought he ought to proceed with a little more caution.

Joli cocked an ear back and glanced at him. "Yeah, thankfully. I've been able to hear them all coming so far." His words suggested that even he didn't quite believe his good luck, and was afraid that it might run out. It wasn't a thought that inspired much confidence. Privately Nico hoped Joli was merely underconfident.
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