Week 23.

[azumods]

WEEK 23 This isn't the first time that you've stood in the massive shadow of Mount Coronet, the peaks and crags of the mountain standing tall and resolute in the center of the region. At the top, supposedly, is the origin of all things - whatever Spear Pillar is, there are two things about it that are important to know. The first being that it isn't visible from here, and the second is that your Pokémon seem either unwilling or incapable of flying you to it. There's no way up the mountain but through, it seems; finding an entrance may be difficult, though there are certainly entrances to be found, and once one is located... Well, it seems the interior of the mountain is just as impressive as the exterior. The caverns in here are massive, the tops of them peaking out high overhead, and the cave system itself contains many ledges and structures high above you that will have to be accessed by climbing. Some areas have walkways and paths that seem almost built-in, but others...good luck getting up there if you aren't prepared to physically hoist yourself up there somehow. There's also the sound of running water in here, audible from the first chamber and getting louder the further you soldier on; it seems a few of the caverns have small rivers and pools containing fresh water. So at least you won't dehydrate anytime soon. CURRENT LOCATION: MOUNT CORONET ??? POKEMON AVAILABLE: CAVES NONE SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY [OOC: Welcome to week twenty-three of Azume; feel free to make as many top levels as you'd like and tag out to other characters! This post is for all of your interactions this week... at least until the weekend.]

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SUNDAY

[azumods]

[discutio]

[Caves were almost familiar, even if the nostalgia was something he didn't want to deal with right now. It seemed sensible that they would end up climbing the mountain that was apparently so visible from nearly the whole region, if 'sensible' here meant 'where ELSE would Cyrus be'.]

[Either way, he navigated the caverns easily enough--his Chimecho floated nearby carrying a glowing Larvesta as a light source for the others' benefit, Hemera staying nearby as always.]

At least we're not likely to get completely lost; that water must be coming from somewhere, after all.

[takestheblame]

Aren't these caves supposed to be accessible to everyone? There should be signs along the way.

[Should. But he doesn't see any. This isn't how you make a trail through caves, Pokemon world]

[discutio]

Can’t say I’ve seen any.

[please cease]

[eudaimonikos]

[On one hand, Michael's normal clothes involve a lot of layers that keep him pretty warm despite how chilly it can get down in the caves. And his height makes it easier for him to surmount some of the lesser obstacles; he can just sort of hoist himself up over the shorter ledges. It's not his favorite thing, but it works.

On the other hand? Absolutely fuck climbing.

At the first tall ledge, Michael tries to climb up, struggles a bit, and drops back to the ground with a frustrated noise.]

Why are human bodies like this? Ugh...

[He brushes the dirt off his front, removes his suit jacket to shove it in his bag, and tries again. His form is that of somebody who has never had to do any real climbing with human limbs, ever in his life. Also why the fuck is he still wearing those fashionable shoes?]

What do you all do for this, extend your nails? [He inspects his fingernails.] They seem so weak.

[Later on, as the climbing grows worse, you can see him just zooming past everyone in Jane Doe's claws. You know, like a smug asshole!

In the evening, he settles down near everyone else and attempts to get comfortable. It's a losing battle. He grumbles a while as he moves his stuff around, before eventually lying back against his Milotic's coiled-up bulk.]

How long do you think we'll take to get up there?

Ledge

[takestheblame]

Humans aren't like cats.

[It'd be freaky if they could extend their nails, Michael. Kiryu isn't having trouble climbing, even though he has a suit instead of any clothing appropriate for climbing. Need a hand?]

zoom zoom

[omissions]

[When Michael zooms past, Ari had his own Haunter, Stanley, floating behind and accompanying him on this climb. Stanley watches them zoom by, and then slowly turns to their trainer.]

... Wait, no, don't--[TOO LATE ARI, Stanley is reaching out to pick up Ari and try to zoom and catch up to Michael and Jane Doe. Is this a race?? Are we seeing who can get there first???]

Evening

[anythingforyou]

At the rate we're going, it's liable to take a few weeks in it's own right.

[Camilla's going to settle herself in a spot nearby--to her credit, she doesn't seem that worse for wear from all of this stuff, but she seems amused almost.]

But perhaps that isn't the most optimistic estimate.

MONDAY

[azumods]

Reunion.

[azumods]

[Monday seems to proceed as one would expect it to - more climbing, more time spent in the cave system with no visible end in sight. It seems almost as though no progress has been made; Mount Coronet is massive, and it likely doesn't help that it seems to wrap back around in on itself as far as those paths and ledges go - there are so many interconnected chambers that it's likely daunting, if not straight-out discouraging.

However, there's something that might lift your spirits again to be found in one of those chambers - something you've lost recently, only to have it return to you here of all places, in the most unexpected of ways.

No, not something.

Someone.

Wandering through one of the smaller caverns off to the side - somewhere easily found, somewhere warm and safe for the time being - is someone that the world tried very hard to make you forget. But you haven't forgotten, have you? He looks exactly as he did when he left you, after all.

Ventus has been returned to you.]

[ventulus]

[ Strange, isn't it? To have been once separated from the rest and now reunited at all when in the past that hadn't been the case? But, that obviously wasn't a bad thing, especially as Ventus hurried in his step when he spotted the others, a bright smile on his face. He's evidently happy to see everyone again. ]

It's been awhile, but it's good to see everyone again!

[ Then he looks kind of curious, as to be expected. ]

...You guys are doing okay, right? Did I miss much?

[ After he asks, Aurora flies out from behind him, and he reaches to pat his Pokemon on her head. ]

[divinedescendant]

[Look. You all know Emmeryn's deal. She patiently wades through every ounce of bullshit the world and everyone in it throws at her. She finds something worthwhile in every absurdity left for her to deal with. She politely tolerates all manner of cruelty and terror directed her way. It's whatever! Silver linings all around!

So, now that they're in Mt. Coronet, there's a lot of weight to the sentiment that Emmeryn absolutely fucking hates this.

Catch her pretty consistently towards the back of the group throughout the day—honestly not especially out of the ordinary, she has always been pretty bad at hiking, but this is some day one Route 213 level incompetence, except she's wearing pants.

Manaphy's egg gets passed from Emmeryn to Latona to Audhulma and back and forth again, because Latona has to help Emmeryn up the ledges, and something keeps distracting Audhulma; she keeps hanging back, glowering at the cave behind them all as though looking at something—maybe something glimmers in the shadows, but it disappears just as quickly, and Emmeryn calls her back over before she can go investigate further.

Duma is distracted, too, but Emmeryn knows why that is.]

No. Duma, no, you will stay right here.

[but MOOOOOM he wants to fling himself off the cliffs!!! He trots back towards her every time she catches him wandering off, at least.

Later in the afternoon, Emmeryn allows Audhulma to linger a little farther back, where she peers around stalagmites and corners with quiet intensity. Audhulma never lets Emmeryn out of her sight, though, before teleporting back over.

As Emmeryn catches up to the rest of the group herself, she might ask people who aren't Ignis and therefore have at least one functional eye:] Excuse me. I fear I may have dropped something—a small metal badge, with this symbol... [She taps a finger to the brand on her forehead.] You haven't seen it, have you..?

[Come the evening, while everyone settles in for the night, Emmeryn crouches near the entrance to one dead-end cavern or another that offshoots their campsite. Looking about ready to break someone's neck with her bare hands, Audhulma stands beside and over Emmeryn.]

Now, now, you aren't in any danger, dearest... [Audhulma would BEG TO FUCKING DIFFER] May I see what you've found?

[Something glitters in the darkness, illuminated by a thin wisp of swirling fire, and if you come close enough, you might notice the slightly illuminated silhouette of oh god what the fuck is that

Duma, meanwhile, tries to waddle off to go kill himself or whatever while Emmeryn is busy...]

Evening

[eudaimonikos]

Ha ha, it's the Red Death!

[THANKS MICHAEL]

Afternoon

[anythingforyou]

[Camilla looks to Emmeryn when she starts to ask her question, pausing a bit--Melady's with her, her ever suffering little friend, but Camilla winds up shaking her head.]

Ah, no, I'm afraid I haven't seen it...do you think it may have perhaps fallen off while you were walking, or perhaps climbing? Melady and I could be of some assistance in looking for that, if you'd like.

[Melady seems to sway a little bit in agreement, at least.]

During the Day

[takestheblame]

If he jumps down a ledge he's not getting back up.

[Because who's going to carry the orb up a ledge. Well, it'd be as easy as getting him back into the Pokeball and going up again, but that's a hassle anyway]

TUESDAY

[azumods]

[gekkaju]

[While most others by now have probably been spending time exploring the caves, Atsushi is around the cliffs outside today, a little wary since the last time they had caves to explore he got himself and a couple others terribly lost...no, he's out here alone, which is unusual since usually he has Chazuke with him at all times...but Chazuke, unfortunately, is not good with heights. He's way more comfortable in his pokeball than anywhere else. He doesn't mind having a climbing buddy that can handle heights, though.

Later on while Atsushi walks, he starts to feel...a weird, distant sort of dread that he can't place. Like the feeling he got when he left the Agency, thinking things would be okay if he just disappeared, then. Tiny pebbles fall down the cliff side as he carefully makes his way, aware of a large drop-off somewhere that he could see from the mountain foot, but not exactly from here.

Out of nowhere, a shock of white catches Atsushi's eye and causes him to freeze with alarm, his eyes widening as he looks over to a cluster of rocks on the cliff-face above him. A Pokemon stands still, perched just above Atsushi's line of site, staring him directly in the eye in a way that roots him in place. Is this Pokemon going to attack, or...why is it just staring at him like that?]

Wh-

[All of a sudden, a loud crack sounds just ten feet ahead of where Atsushi was going to be, and he throws himself at the cliff-face and holds on as the ground rumbles, the sound of a massive rock slide echoing across the mountain as the whole side of the cliff ahead gives way. But Atsushi is okay, thanks to the strange Pokemon distracting him with her presence, who he hadn't noticed until right now had leaped down to his level, standing in front of him to prevent him from moving any further.]

Rock Slide

[eudaimonikos]

[Michael has, uh, zero fucking interest in going out on the cliffs. The caves are bad enough, and at least there's no risk of snow in them.

Jane Doe, on the other hand, is definitely here to phase through the rocks nearby with a concerned:]

Haaaaaaunter?

WEDNESDAY

[azumods]

Welcome.

[azumods]

[You aren't sure when it hits.

It creeps up on you softly, sinuously, the sort of thing that's difficult to discern in the relative darkness and isolation of Mount Coronet's cave systems; just the same, there's a feeling, a sensation at the back of your neck and dancing across the tops of your shoulders, something that you can't quite shake off. It's akin to the realization that you're being watched from across a crowded room, or perhaps that you're being followed - but there's no one here but you, and the wild Pokémon, and the remaining members of your group.

All of you, and the encroaching darkness spreading across the ground at your feet.

Again, it's difficult to see but not impossible to sense - and with it comes the now-familiar sense of pressure, the feeling that you're in the presence of something very old and very powerful, and (perhaps more to the point) very, very upset with the current situation. It isn't as strong as it was when coming from Dialga and Palkia, this seems almost muted somehow, like it's coming from behind a curtain of solid lead - but it's undeniably there, and it's likewise just as difficult to shake as the feeling of being watched.

And then, with nothing but a moment's glimpse of bright red eyes suddenly blinking into being from the darkness in front of you to serve as warning, the ground seems to suddenly drop out from beneath you.

It isn't like the sudden, sharp drop brought on by Darkrai's forced descent into nightmares; the fall is strange, almost soft, as though there's entirely too much resistance in the air for you to pick up too much velocity. When you land, it's on something that feels both like it might be ground and yet unlike any ground you've ever experienced - it's almost spongy in nature, a little alarmingly so, but it's definitely going to hold your weight.

And a good thing, too, given that the patch you've landed on doesn't seem exactly...attached to anything.

Looking over the side will reveal a drop into an unfathomable abyss; there's no way to tell how far it goes down, and trying to kick some of the nearby small rocks buried in the soil nearby down there won't yield any sound of them hitting bottom. The patches of ground and rock all seem close enough to jump onto, should you choose to not simply remain where you are; you can make it easily, or use your Pokémon if you feel unsteady about making the leap. If you press onward, however, you'll find that the further you go in, the less sense the place makes - some of those jumps will take you in a different direction entirely than the one you started towards, dragging you sideways onto what had appeared to be a wall; some of those patches of ground will suddenly spring up into your face, sprouting into giant mockeries of flowers and trees before your eyes, sticking up haphazardly out of the ground. Looking up will reveal a massive waterfall, flowing upwards into the abyss from a seemingly impossible starting point somewhere above your heads.

Explore as much as you like; there doesn't seem to be a visible exit, so you may be here for a while. Not like anyone is keeping track of time here; the entire place has the same feeling the stagnant world did after Cyrus' last reset - time doesn't flow, and space doesn't expand.

There is, however, that same sense that you aren't alone; looking down into that abyss will reveal something massive moving around in the shadows, gliding silently and ominously below you, occasionally revealing sleek outlines and dark tendrils but nothing more.

Welcome to the Distortion World. It seems that something has been awaiting your arrival.]

[divinedescendant]

[COOL GREAT FANTASTIC EMMERYN ABSOLUTELY FUCKING HATES THIS

the universe at large permits her about five seconds to look bewildered and concerned while trying to gather her bearings before Duma starts waddling off and she snaps,] Don't you dare. [and immediately recalls him to his Pokéball before he can launch himself off the ground and into the fucking void.]

Is—oh, dear, is everyone all right?

THURSDAY

[azumods]

[eudaimonikos]

[One day later, and we are still in Pokemon Hell!

Michael seems to have gotten accustomed to the Distortion World's bullshit by the morning. Or, you know, whatever we have collectively decided counts as "morning" in this realm. He keeps most of his Pokemon in their balls as the group traverses the weird landmasses, apparently out of concern for their safety; Jane Doe and Quaver, the two capable of flight, are the only exceptions.

He tries to keep to the front of the group as much as he can, calling out occasionally when things get weird.]

Gravity switch up here! [He hops from the floor to...a wall, back and forth a couple times, to demonstrate. He seems totally comfortable now - you only would've seen him almost eat shit on this a few minutes ago if you were paying attention. Ha ha nothing happened he's fine.

In the evening, he sits near the edge of the current landmass, watching the void. When that zooming shape appears in the distance, he cups a hand near his mouth and yells:]

Hey! Hey! [Yeah, nothing happens. Michael sits back, looking irritated.] How long do you think it's going to make us wait?

evening

[enjoymyatelier]

Maybe when the thing decides it's tired of us taking up space in its Escher-esque hellscape and that we need to die.

FRIDAY

[azumods]