As amusing as dragging out the communication errors would be, here is an actual Clefairy translation spoiler for those who would otherwise be getting a little irritated right about now. Do with it in character what you will.
The Clefairy is suggesting taking a break since you've been walking for a while and are probably getting exhausted. This isn't the greatest place to take a nap, but if you're tired than any port in a storm.
The monk sits on the damp floor. Slowly, he empties his mind, letting his thoughts slip away, until all that is left is the sound of his breath, the slap of water on stone, the warmth of the Numel sleeping in his pack, the clammy air.
Seating himself, Tanaka turns inward; his spirit, as well-tended as the temple of his body, responds. Soon enough, the biting chill of his surroundings is rendered toothless, the trickle of water ceases to snarl and confuse the thread of his thoughts. He is able to derive a sense of peace from the natural workings of his surroundings, momentarily becoming a mere mote of consciousness adrift in the flow of air, rock, and water. He is calm.
The fear is gone, and only he remains.
In this heightened state, he can detect voices ahead, only barely distinguishable from the babble and drip of water, and light that only manifests as a vague gradient in the darkness at this distance.
Tanaka faces the voices, allowing his senses to burgeon, letting them tell the truth. That he is one with nature, a fibre the weave of the universe, indivisible from its flesh.
Oh man! He thinks. I'm finally doing it!
With that, the truth leaves him alone.
"Ah, nuts." He kicks out his legs. "I was finally understanding things."
He gets on his feet and walks in the direction of the sound.
Tanaka steadily strolls towards the noise, the sound of voices and level of light gradually increasing as he nears. After a few minutes, he turns a corner and stops in his tracks. It takes a few moments for Tanaka's eyes to adjust, both to the brightness of the light after his sojourn through the dark, as well as the unexpectedness of the sight before him.
A broad, and richly adorned hallway stretches before him, any traces of lingering cavernousity thoroughly hidden behind burnished wood paneling and opulent velvet curtains. Doorways peek into enormous, vault-like rooms, filled with dozens of people, each clad in a voluminous robe, their faces hidden within a hood and, Tanaka notices, further hidden behind a carved and painted mask in the shape of a Pokemon's.
Though the appearance and dress of these strange folk remind Tanaka distantly of old rituals for the appeasing of powerful captured Pokemon, the atmosphere is really more like a formal dinner party or masquerade, lending the event an odd tinge of the sacrilegious.
He's not the only one doing the noticing, however, and a nearby figure quickly takes note of his arrival. The robes do little to conceal the tall, bulky nature of its inhabitant, and peering from the confines of the hood is the blue, imperious mien of a feline Pokemon, framed by a thick, black mane of fur. From their bearing, stance, and attentiveness, it seems likely to Tanaka this is a guard of some sort. A notion supported when the figure gives the monk a long look from top to bottom, before briefly acknowledging his presence with a nod and leaning back against the wall.
Tanaka wonders just how much foul gas these caverns could contain. Perhaps he is unconscious, wrapped around a stalactite. Or mite. He can never remember.
Maybe he's still in the spore caverns.
Nothing to be done about it, he supposes.
"Hey, buddy!" He says to the man in the strange Sneasel mask. "Sorry to bug ya, but I think I've gotten myself lost. You don't happen to know how to get to Cobalt Springs form here, do ya?"
His smile is easy, genuine, and illustrates an amiable simplicity.
The man's expression is inscrutable for a few moments behind his decidedly leonine mask, then he pats at the front of his robe, eventually fetching forth a battered, crude notebook and a stubby pencil.
"First, you go to third door down, make left into Boulder Room with grey and black decorations..." he says in a deep rumble, scratching out a quick map on a slip of torn out paper. He continues for some time, describing perhaps a dozen more steps in a path that seems to indicate Tanaka has stepped into quite the sprawling complex.
"...finally, arrive in Cascade Room. Blue and white with fountain. Last step is removing mask," he finishes cryptically, handing over the slip with its worryingly complicated directions.
"Not sure, probably nothing good," the man replies slowly. "Luckily you have one," he adds, tapping his own mask with a finger for emphasis. "So no need to find out."
Tanaka awakens with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. Numel looks over at the monk with concern from her makeshift pebble-nest, disturbing the cluster of Lotad that have gathered around her in an effort to chase away the cave's chill with the Fire Type's body heat.
A few feet away, Makai's Trubbish continues attempting to communicate with the patient Clefairy, though the two seem to be getting on well, they also seem to be having no luck at all getting anything worth passing on to the Trainers. No doubt Gigen is lurking around nearby.
"Sprout's freakin' root." Gasps Tanaka. "I think I just had a vision."
He looks around, seeing two glittering stones in the darkness, which run toward him. The gremlin they belong to scrambles unto his chest and sits there smiling in triumph.
"Morning' Gi. Morning' Numel." He turns his head toward Makai. "Mornin'. How long was I out?"
"It's hard to keep track of time down here, but it was enough time for Iktomi to excitedly inspect everything here, get bored, then forget and excitedly inspect everything again. So I'd say roughly 2 hours?" Makai turns away from the gibbering of Roscoe and the Clefairy long enough to reply. Around the outskirts of the group, Fenrir paces watching for any would be ambushers. Constant Vilgilance.
"I think the only thing that knows where we're going is that Clefairy, and it's going to stay the only one that knows where we are until we reach wherever...unless..."
Elise lets out Schala and points to the Trubbish and Clefairy. Maybe all that dancing and ritual back at the meteor crater would be of use here.
Tanaka gathers his party, Numel climbing into his pack, the Lotad anchoring themselves wherever they can find purchase, and Gigen hanging on to his head.
Now rested, and with their communication issue with their guide now apparently solved, the group resolves to move onward.
As they make their way through the twisting tunnels and dripping caverns, the two Fairy Type Pokemon keep close, the Clefairy continuing its babbling discourse, albeit now with someone who can actually listen in something other than confusion.
Well, I suppose the important thing to start with is that all of us Clefairy are Children of the Moon. Whenever our mother turns towards us, we dance and sing for her, to show our love and appreciation.
When she turns away, we hide ourselves and keep safe, living our normal lives in the mountain.
Our mistress is - well, was - our protector in times when the moon could not be, a guardian who watched out for us, and gave guidance in times of trouble.
A long time ago, something changed, and she left us for the deep dark of the cave below. It's a shame, I suppose, but we have carried on without her.
Her influence must linger though, and it seems to affect humans like your friends over there quite strongly. The longer they spend inside the mountain, the more erratic they seem to act. I have no idea why it happens, but we find it safest to avoid them.
You people seem nice though!
As the group follows the chipper, talkative Clefairy, the drip and splash of water grows increasingly prominent. The next cavern the party enters is an expansive one, the tunnel they just left leaving them on a flat platform of rock a few meters above the surface below. The Clefairy waddles over to the edge, and its face falls in discouragement.
This wasn't here before. What happened?
Below, the cavern is a swift moving cauldron of inky-black water, fed by a hissing waterfall at one corner of the cavern and sucking at the side-walls before disappearing with a chilling slurp into the pitch darkness of a tunnel.
We were supposed to head down that way...
The Clefairy says, gesturing towards the flooded tunnel.
...But that really doesn't look safe. I wonder if there's another way around...
It looks like you're Trying To Figure Out What To Do.
This is a exploration based scene. Your [Guide Clefairy] has been temporarily rendered ineffective thanks to a change in the expected path.
There are roughly two major ways to proceed. You may attempt to find a new path that goes around the currently flooded section of your route.
Alternately, you might attempt to continue on your current path, devising some way to mitigate the challenges presented by cold, fast-moving water.
Secondary actions could include asking for more information about the situation or waiting for your [Guide Clefairy] to come back online and propose a solution.
As a final option, if there is nothing that interests you about the current situation, we can simply skip ahead to something else. Cobalt Springs, for instance.
While the Clefairy frets, Tanaka and his thirsty retinue test the waters. The dark current is slow within the room's confines, but powerful, and it seems like it'll get more powerful yet once it hits the tunnel. The bottom of the riverbed is uncommonly smooth for what you've seen of Mt. Meteo, and slick with a layer of some sort of black scum, or slime.
It seems harmless, though it would make wading more than a little treacherous. It also seems like the water level must have been higher a day or two ago, as the floor near the edge of the water is caked with that same slime, albeit dry enough that it's merely an inch or two of sticky black mud instead of a slippery hazard.
The water is very nice, and the air is cool and fresh thanks to the airborne mist of the nearby waterfall. It would be a pleasant place to take a rest stop if you hadn't just taken one an hour or two ago.
Elise looks down into the water. Would Leander know how to deal with this? As it stands she's very unsure how to proceed. Upon seeing the Lotad and Tanaka investigate, she lets out Psyduck to help keep them safe.
Ducky elects to swim on the surface if he can in lieu of walking if at all possible in this current. Ducky has opinions on water, and this water with all this sludge on the bottom of it barely ranks above no water at all.
Shala continues to talk to Clefairy.
Oh yeah! The people from the side of the mountain we came from blocked the flow of water for a while, so they could defeat the Lord of Magma! Guess it didn't all flow out when the blockage was released.
So if you don't know a way around this, are the only options to try to get through here or go deeper in search of a new path? Have any of the other Clefairy ever gone into the parts where your mistress sleeps?
The poisonous fey plant ruffles her decayed leaves with worry.
If nothing else, Leander certainly was a resourceful young man. Perhaps Elise could start with figuring out what resources the group has at their disposal, and if any of them could possibly help with the current situation. Obviously one of the best things to have when faced with water is some sort of boat or raft, but the Meteo Caverns are inconveniently bereft of lumber, or really anything that could float or is not a rock.
Meanwhile, Ducky finds the water to be roughly half a meter deep in most parts, allowing the Psyduck to paddle along the surface without getting too close to the ooze below. Though not the strongest swimmer, he can navigate the room without too much trouble. If he took the tunnel, however, it doesn't seem likely that he'd be able to fight the current long enough to make his way back upstream.
Best to avoid it for the moment, then.
What he does notice while swimming around is that the flat platform the rest of the party is standing on is literally a flat platform, precariously overhanging a pocket of water. If they're not careful how much weight they put on it, it could conceivably break off and sink into the water. Or halfway into the water at least, considering the platform is about a meter thick.
Well at least that explains matters, even if it seems rather irresponsible.
The Lord of Magma must have been really strong to warrant changing around the whole ecosystem just to defeat him!
In any case, I'm pretty sure I can figure out a way around this.
The Clefairy insists, appearing a smidgen defensive.
I just need a few minutes.
At the mention of the mysterious mistress, the Clefairy looks pensive.
I don't think anyone's ever been to where she is. If any Clefairy found her, I'm sure they would try and wake her up!
"Hey! Get away from there!" he orders Roscoe, who is clumsily waddling over to lick up some of that weird gunk. "You gotta be more careful little guy."
Meanwhile, Iktomi eyes the SECRET CAVE. What marvels and adventures could it hold?! What Bounty? What glory? Strong guys live in secret caves like that. The Strongest guys live in caves like that. While the spider doesn't say any of this, the rainbow light from her compound eyes betray the Joltik's inquisitive intent.
"Easy now, let's weight our options." Makai replies and steps away from the precarious precipice and rumages through his pack for the [Caving Kit]. "Hey guys, I think got something for this?" He informs the group while pulling out rope and securing devices.
"Also..." he adds hesitantly. "I think I remember a technique for navigating dangerous waters like that?"
Shi idomu dansu Ametama!
"Oh, uh I mean...."
Dance of the Swift Stream Skipper!
He says with much much pomp and flair. "Now, I mean I've never actually used it before. Not a whole lot of underwater caves from where I'm from, y'know? And and it's kind of like super dangerous." The excitment in Amakusa's voice on that last bit reminds you, this guy jumped out a window and almost got himself bit in half during that legendary battle.
So your mistress wasn't a Lord or Lady? Of the caves? Or the depths? Or the fairies?
Ducky proceeds to do his part to protect his human from an unsightly fall. He first turns to the other pokemon out and about the cave.
Find your human. Get them safe. Only one on the platform at a time.
Ducky then proceeds to walk up to Elise. Wordlessly, he grabs onto just above her lower ankle and proceeds to try to push her away from the platform. Eventually she notices and takes a few steps back, at which point Ducky is satisified and wanders back into the water.
Else turns to Makai after Psyduck wanders away, still confused what the pokemon was trying to accomplish. "Ah, yes! I was just thinking of those supplies you brought. Are you sure you can keep us safe in the currents? I'm not sure what we could do if we lost anyone in those rapids."
"Of course! I am Makai the Magnificent! Doing death defying deeds of dank delving in the darkest of depths? Ha! That's like no problem, at all." He says again with much flair. Iktomi cheers.
"We tie the rope to all of us, I'll lead the way. Also we'll have the Lotads as insurance. They can buddy up with all of us, in case something unexpected happens."
"Alright! Anyone that isn't a good swimmer back in the ball. Roscoe, Fenrir, that means you. Everyone else, tie off." Iktomi works to secure any lose supplies or apricorns, and presumably the Lotad each buddies off with one swimmer.
"Here we go, brace youselves guys, and follow my lead!" 3 Mobile + 2 (Caving Supplies) + 3 Voltage = 8
Following Makai's directions, the group prepare for their descent into the flooded tunnel, and whatever lies downriver. Rope and Joltik silk secure the party's possessions and pokemon, as well as the friendly Clefairy.
I really hope you all know what you're doing...
The clusters of lotad chirp and bubble happily, paddling at the water with nub-like feet with complete lack of concern for their important role in the upcoming journey ahead. Though they aren't the strongest of swimmers, much like Ducky, they do at least float so you've got that going for you.
With all the preparations made, and nothing left to do but take the plunge, the group allows the flow to draw them towards the gurgling tunnel, the dark, chilly water quickly inundating your clothing and supplies, and...
Wait, did you guys bring a light? A water-proof one?
Haha, oh man. This is going to be great.
The roof of the tunnel passes overhead, the strength of the current quickly doubles, then triples, then increases yet more as the slope and gravity do their work. The darkness closes on you like a fist, and the murmur of splashing water slowly rises to an all-encompassing roar...
One by one, the group surfaces, gasping and spitting. As you wipe water from your eyes and ears, the blurry, indistinct scene before you slowly takes form.
In contrast to the wet dark you just erupted from, the room you've found yourself in is well-lit and richly furnished. You appear to be in a marble pool about a foot or two deep, the bottom tiled with colorful blue and white squares. Looking behind you, you can only suspect that you must have entered this place via the gaping maw of a stonework Gyarados, the mouth of which is pouring out a gargoyle-like waterfall, fountaining into the pool.
While you might expect your sudden entrance to have caused some concern among the nearby individuals, the crowd of cloaked people standing around the room pay you little mind, and you only catch the brief glance of a Magikarp-masked face looking your way before its occupant quickly loses interest and rejoins a muted conversation with their fellow masked and mantled compatriots.
To Tanaka, the scene is somewhat familiar. The rest of you probably have no idea what's going on.
"Well, can't yet rule out a group hallucination... but yes, I'm seeing a lot of folks wearing pokemon masks."
Trying to think of how to make the best first impression with this new group, Elise gets to choosing which pokemon to use as an ambassador to the other group's companions. That would be Zeal generally, but Schala would be able to get advice from the Clefairy and might be more attuned to this kind of environment in general... and...
...
Seeing the strange pokemon masked individuals about, Ducky opens his third eye and lets the migraine-inducing psychic flow wash over him. Elise puts away Zeal's apricorn away and, Schala's essence in hand, suddenly realizes something.
Does anybody in the group of masked individuals have a pokemon with them?
Ducky perceives the party as a smear of indistinct color and motion, the fine details of the people and objects all around him almost totally lost into a haze of washed out, impressionistic strokes. If the Psyduck focuses, he can almost conjure up the specific features he's now missing, but out of the corners of his eyes there is a constant, concerning sense of transience and translucence, as though as soon as he lets something out of view, it changes or disappears.
It's not a pleasant feeling, and it certainly doesn't help the duck's migraine at all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Elise notices that she doesn't see any Pokemon hanging around that don't belong to the group, nor do any of the cloaked figures appear to be carrying any Apricorns or other Pokemon Trainer accessories, except perhaps for the masks. Depending on what kind of party this is, that might not be completely unusual, though it does feel a little strange.
...?
It's worth noting the Clefairy is confused as can be, though perhaps this isn't that surprising, considering.
Posts
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
The monk sits on the damp floor. Slowly, he empties his mind, letting his thoughts slip away, until all that is left is the sound of his breath, the slap of water on stone, the warmth of the Numel sleeping in his pack, the clammy air.
Tanaka goes in search of his center.
Steam
Seating himself, Tanaka turns inward; his spirit, as well-tended as the temple of his body, responds. Soon enough, the biting chill of his surroundings is rendered toothless, the trickle of water ceases to snarl and confuse the thread of his thoughts. He is able to derive a sense of peace from the natural workings of his surroundings, momentarily becoming a mere mote of consciousness adrift in the flow of air, rock, and water. He is calm.
The fear is gone, and only he remains.
In this heightened state, he can detect voices ahead, only barely distinguishable from the babble and drip of water, and light that only manifests as a vague gradient in the darkness at this distance.
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
Tanaka faces the voices, allowing his senses to burgeon, letting them tell the truth. That he is one with nature, a fibre the weave of the universe, indivisible from its flesh.
Oh man! He thinks. I'm finally doing it!
With that, the truth leaves him alone.
"Ah, nuts." He kicks out his legs. "I was finally understanding things."
He gets on his feet and walks in the direction of the sound.
"Easy come, easy go. The Master was right."
Steam
Tanaka steadily strolls towards the noise, the sound of voices and level of light gradually increasing as he nears. After a few minutes, he turns a corner and stops in his tracks. It takes a few moments for Tanaka's eyes to adjust, both to the brightness of the light after his sojourn through the dark, as well as the unexpectedness of the sight before him.
A broad, and richly adorned hallway stretches before him, any traces of lingering cavernousity thoroughly hidden behind burnished wood paneling and opulent velvet curtains. Doorways peek into enormous, vault-like rooms, filled with dozens of people, each clad in a voluminous robe, their faces hidden within a hood and, Tanaka notices, further hidden behind a carved and painted mask in the shape of a Pokemon's.
Though the appearance and dress of these strange folk remind Tanaka distantly of old rituals for the appeasing of powerful captured Pokemon, the atmosphere is really more like a formal dinner party or masquerade, lending the event an odd tinge of the sacrilegious.
He's not the only one doing the noticing, however, and a nearby figure quickly takes note of his arrival. The robes do little to conceal the tall, bulky nature of its inhabitant, and peering from the confines of the hood is the blue, imperious mien of a feline Pokemon, framed by a thick, black mane of fur. From their bearing, stance, and attentiveness, it seems likely to Tanaka this is a guard of some sort. A notion supported when the figure gives the monk a long look from top to bottom, before briefly acknowledging his presence with a nod and leaning back against the wall.
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
Tanaka wonders just how much foul gas these caverns could contain. Perhaps he is unconscious, wrapped around a stalactite. Or mite. He can never remember.
Maybe he's still in the spore caverns.
Nothing to be done about it, he supposes.
"Hey, buddy!" He says to the man in the strange Sneasel mask. "Sorry to bug ya, but I think I've gotten myself lost. You don't happen to know how to get to Cobalt Springs form here, do ya?"
His smile is easy, genuine, and illustrates an amiable simplicity.
Steam
The man's expression is inscrutable for a few moments behind his decidedly leonine mask, then he pats at the front of his robe, eventually fetching forth a battered, crude notebook and a stubby pencil.
"First, you go to third door down, make left into Boulder Room with grey and black decorations..." he says in a deep rumble, scratching out a quick map on a slip of torn out paper. He continues for some time, describing perhaps a dozen more steps in a path that seems to indicate Tanaka has stepped into quite the sprawling complex.
"...finally, arrive in Cascade Room. Blue and white with fountain. Last step is removing mask," he finishes cryptically, handing over the slip with its worryingly complicated directions.
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
"Gee, thanks!" Says Tanaka, cheerily.
He holds the paper close to his face, following its instructions to the letter... or line, or whatever.
Before he gets too far, he turns back around.
"Hey, uh, what happens if you don't have a mask, just a face?"
Steam
"Not sure, probably nothing good," the man replies slowly. "Luckily you have one," he adds, tapping his own mask with a finger for emphasis. "So no need to find out."
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
Tanaka touches his face.
Steam
There's nothing there.
~Mt. Meteo~
Tanaka awakens with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. Numel looks over at the monk with concern from her makeshift pebble-nest, disturbing the cluster of Lotad that have gathered around her in an effort to chase away the cave's chill with the Fire Type's body heat.
A few feet away, Makai's Trubbish continues attempting to communicate with the patient Clefairy, though the two seem to be getting on well, they also seem to be having no luck at all getting anything worth passing on to the Trainers. No doubt Gigen is lurking around nearby.
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
"Sprout's freakin' root." Gasps Tanaka. "I think I just had a vision."
He looks around, seeing two glittering stones in the darkness, which run toward him. The gremlin they belong to scrambles unto his chest and sits there smiling in triumph.
"Morning' Gi. Morning' Numel." He turns his head toward Makai. "Mornin'. How long was I out?"
Steam
ACRONYM="3"]P[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]K[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="3"]M[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]N[/ACRONYM [Newly Sharpened Kunais] [Caving Kit]
Iktomi | Fenrir | Roscoe
Mt. Meteo
"It's hard to keep track of time down here, but it was enough time for Iktomi to excitedly inspect everything here, get bored, then forget and excitedly inspect everything again. So I'd say roughly 2 hours?" Makai turns away from the gibbering of Roscoe and the Clefairy long enough to reply. Around the outskirts of the group, Fenrir paces watching for any would be ambushers. Constant Vilgilance.
"How was your nap?"
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
"I dreamt of a vast hall, full of masked figures. A nice man gave me directions, but when I realized I didn't have a mask I woke up."
Tanaka pushes Gigen off of him, and stands up. The ghost scampers up the monk, coming to rest on his usual perch.
"So, do we know where we are going, yet?"
Steam
(One option would be to continue following the Clefairy to wherever it's taking you, now that you've had a rest.)
[PKMN] [Shieldmaiden] [Carapace Brigandine] [Cobalt Springs Tradition]
"I think the only thing that knows where we're going is that Clefairy, and it's going to stay the only one that knows where we are until we reach wherever...unless..."
Elise lets out Schala and points to the Trubbish and Clefairy. Maybe all that dancing and ritual back at the meteor crater would be of use here.
This is why Elise is the brains of the team.
Schala, the late-blooming Fairy Type, scoots on over to the two-halves-of-a-conversation in progress.
[PKMN] [Shieldmaiden] [Carapace Brigandine] [Cobalt Springs Tradition]
ACRONYM="3"]P[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]K[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="3"]M[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]N[/ACRONYM [Newly Sharpened Kunais] [Caving Kit]
Iktomi | Fenrir | Roscoe
Mt. Meteo
Makai stares into the apricorn containing Solrock. Feeling the heat and anger radiating off it. Fenrir Barks.
"Wherever this Clefairy is going, lets keep moving. Caves make...my pokemon, antsy."
[PKMN] [Shieldmaiden] [Carapace Brigandine] [Cobalt Springs Tradition]
Schala turns to Roscoe.
Schala then turns back to Clefairy.
Schala motions for the group to follow and heads off.
Since she does not actually know where to go (but maybe she got lucky!) she then looks to see where Clefairy is heading.
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
Tanaka gathers his party, Numel climbing into his pack, the Lotad anchoring themselves wherever they can find purchase, and Gigen hanging on to his head.
"Should we follow that, uh, Oddish?"
Gigen kicks his heels into his steed.
"Ouch! Ok, yeah, I'm goin'. Calm down."
Steam
Now rested, and with their communication issue with their guide now apparently solved, the group resolves to move onward.
As they make their way through the twisting tunnels and dripping caverns, the two Fairy Type Pokemon keep close, the Clefairy continuing its babbling discourse, albeit now with someone who can actually listen in something other than confusion.
As the group follows the chipper, talkative Clefairy, the drip and splash of water grows increasingly prominent. The next cavern the party enters is an expansive one, the tunnel they just left leaving them on a flat platform of rock a few meters above the surface below. The Clefairy waddles over to the edge, and its face falls in discouragement.
Below, the cavern is a swift moving cauldron of inky-black water, fed by a hissing waterfall at one corner of the cavern and sucking at the side-walls before disappearing with a chilling slurp into the pitch darkness of a tunnel.
The Clefairy says, gesturing towards the flooded tunnel.
[Bell Bonze] ~ [Shakuhachi] ~ [Badling of Lotad] - [Well Supplied] ~ Volt: 4
The Lotad scramble to the cool, dark water, the bravest tentatively sticking their foot-like roots into it.
Tanaka soon follows them, taking off his sandals and sticking his feet in the underground river. It feels very nice.
"I wonder if there are air pockets form there..." He says, staring into the darkness.
"If only we had a swimming canary."
Steam
While the Clefairy frets, Tanaka and his thirsty retinue test the waters. The dark current is slow within the room's confines, but powerful, and it seems like it'll get more powerful yet once it hits the tunnel. The bottom of the riverbed is uncommonly smooth for what you've seen of Mt. Meteo, and slick with a layer of some sort of black scum, or slime.
It seems harmless, though it would make wading more than a little treacherous. It also seems like the water level must have been higher a day or two ago, as the floor near the edge of the water is caked with that same slime, albeit dry enough that it's merely an inch or two of sticky black mud instead of a slippery hazard.
The water is very nice, and the air is cool and fresh thanks to the airborne mist of the nearby waterfall. It would be a pleasant place to take a rest stop if you hadn't just taken one an hour or two ago.
[PKMN] [Shieldmaiden] [Carapace Brigandine] [Cobalt Springs Tradition]
Elise looks down into the water. Would Leander know how to deal with this? As it stands she's very unsure how to proceed. Upon seeing the Lotad and Tanaka investigate, she lets out Psyduck to help keep them safe.
Ducky elects to swim on the surface if he can in lieu of walking if at all possible in this current. Ducky has opinions on water, and this water with all this sludge on the bottom of it barely ranks above no water at all.
Shala continues to talk to Clefairy.
The poisonous fey plant ruffles her decayed leaves with worry.
If nothing else, Leander certainly was a resourceful young man. Perhaps Elise could start with figuring out what resources the group has at their disposal, and if any of them could possibly help with the current situation. Obviously one of the best things to have when faced with water is some sort of boat or raft, but the Meteo Caverns are inconveniently bereft of lumber, or really anything that could float or is not a rock.
Meanwhile, Ducky finds the water to be roughly half a meter deep in most parts, allowing the Psyduck to paddle along the surface without getting too close to the ooze below. Though not the strongest swimmer, he can navigate the room without too much trouble. If he took the tunnel, however, it doesn't seem likely that he'd be able to fight the current long enough to make his way back upstream.
Best to avoid it for the moment, then.
What he does notice while swimming around is that the flat platform the rest of the party is standing on is literally a flat platform, precariously overhanging a pocket of water. If they're not careful how much weight they put on it, it could conceivably break off and sink into the water. Or halfway into the water at least, considering the platform is about a meter thick.
The Clefairy insists, appearing a smidgen defensive.
At the mention of the mysterious mistress, the Clefairy looks pensive.
ACRONYM="3"]P[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]K[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="3"]M[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]N[/ACRONYM [Newly Sharpened Kunais] [Caving Kit]
Iktomi | Fenrir | Roscoe
Mt. Meteo
"Hey! Get away from there!" he orders Roscoe, who is clumsily waddling over to lick up some of that weird gunk. "You gotta be more careful little guy."
Meanwhile, Iktomi eyes the SECRET CAVE. What marvels and adventures could it hold?! What Bounty? What glory? Strong guys live in secret caves like that. The Strongest guys live in caves like that. While the spider doesn't say any of this, the rainbow light from her compound eyes betray the Joltik's inquisitive intent.
"Easy now, let's weight our options." Makai replies and steps away from the precarious precipice and rumages through his pack for the [Caving Kit]. "Hey guys, I think got something for this?" He informs the group while pulling out rope and securing devices.
"Also..." he adds hesitantly. "I think I remember a technique for navigating dangerous waters like that?"
Shi idomu dansu Ametama!
"Oh, uh I mean...."
He says with much much pomp and flair. "Now, I mean I've never actually used it before. Not a whole lot of underwater caves from where I'm from, y'know? And and it's kind of like super dangerous." The excitment in Amakusa's voice on that last bit reminds you, this guy jumped out a window and almost got himself bit in half during that legendary battle.
[PKMN] [Shieldmaiden] [Carapace Brigandine] [Cobalt Springs Tradition]
Ducky proceeds to do his part to protect his human from an unsightly fall. He first turns to the other pokemon out and about the cave.
Ducky then proceeds to walk up to Elise. Wordlessly, he grabs onto just above her lower ankle and proceeds to try to push her away from the platform. Eventually she notices and takes a few steps back, at which point Ducky is satisified and wanders back into the water.
Else turns to Makai after Psyduck wanders away, still confused what the pokemon was trying to accomplish. "Ah, yes! I was just thinking of those supplies you brought. Are you sure you can keep us safe in the currents? I'm not sure what we could do if we lost anyone in those rapids."
ACRONYM="3"]P[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]K[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="3"]M[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]N[/ACRONYM [Newly Sharpened Kunais] [Caving Kit]
Iktomi | Fenrir | Roscoe
Mt. Meteo
"Of course! I am Makai the Magnificent! Doing death defying deeds of dank delving in the darkest of depths? Ha! That's like no problem, at all." He says again with much flair. Iktomi cheers.
"We tie the rope to all of us, I'll lead the way. Also we'll have the Lotads as insurance. They can buddy up with all of us, in case something unexpected happens."
Adorable.
~Makai's Plan~
It's alright. It'll be a tough challenge, but you are properly equipped for it.
ACRONYM="3"]P[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]K[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="3"]M[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]N[/ACRONYM [Newly Sharpened Kunais] [Caving Kit]
Iktomi | Fenrir | Roscoe
Mt. Meteo
"Alright! Anyone that isn't a good swimmer back in the ball. Roscoe, Fenrir, that means you. Everyone else, tie off." Iktomi works to secure any lose supplies or apricorns, and presumably the Lotad each buddies off with one swimmer.
"Here we go, brace youselves guys, and follow my lead!"
3 Mobile + 2 (Caving Supplies) + 3 Voltage = 8
[PKMN] [Shieldmaiden] [Carapace Brigandine] [Cobalt Springs Tradition]
Meanwhile, Ducky reacts to the group scrambling to get the caving setup in place.
Ducky swims out and gets himself rigged up, while Elise takes a few tentative steps into the water. Let's go!
Well let's get this show on the river, then.
:whistle:
Following Makai's directions, the group prepare for their descent into the flooded tunnel, and whatever lies downriver. Rope and Joltik silk secure the party's possessions and pokemon, as well as the friendly Clefairy.
The clusters of lotad chirp and bubble happily, paddling at the water with nub-like feet with complete lack of concern for their important role in the upcoming journey ahead. Though they aren't the strongest of swimmers, much like Ducky, they do at least float so you've got that going for you.
With all the preparations made, and nothing left to do but take the plunge, the group allows the flow to draw them towards the gurgling tunnel, the dark, chilly water quickly inundating your clothing and supplies, and...
Wait, did you guys bring a light? A water-proof one?
Haha, oh man. This is going to be great.
The roof of the tunnel passes overhead, the strength of the current quickly doubles, then triples, then increases yet more as the slope and gravity do their work. The darkness closes on you like a fist, and the murmur of splashing water slowly rises to an all-encompassing roar...
Mobility Difficulty 7 vs. Makai Bid 8
Success!
Refunded 1 Voltage!
One by one, the group surfaces, gasping and spitting. As you wipe water from your eyes and ears, the blurry, indistinct scene before you slowly takes form.
:whistle:
In contrast to the wet dark you just erupted from, the room you've found yourself in is well-lit and richly furnished. You appear to be in a marble pool about a foot or two deep, the bottom tiled with colorful blue and white squares. Looking behind you, you can only suspect that you must have entered this place via the gaping maw of a stonework Gyarados, the mouth of which is pouring out a gargoyle-like waterfall, fountaining into the pool.
While you might expect your sudden entrance to have caused some concern among the nearby individuals, the crowd of cloaked people standing around the room pay you little mind, and you only catch the brief glance of a Magikarp-masked face looking your way before its occupant quickly loses interest and rejoins a muted conversation with their fellow masked and mantled compatriots.
To Tanaka, the scene is somewhat familiar. The rest of you probably have no idea what's going on.
ACRONYM="3"]P[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]K[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="3"]M[/ACRONYM][ACRONYM="0"]N[/ACRONYM [Newly Sharpened Kunais] [Caving Kit]
Iktomi | Fenrir | Roscoe
Mt. Meteo
"Ha-ha! I told you I had...." Makai looks a around quizzitcally. "Did I hit my head back there? Are you guys seeing any of this?"
Geeze, maybe I shoulda kept that Houndour Helm. He mutters, feeling at once both foolish and superior to these with lame magikarp masks wearers.
[PKMN] [Shieldmaiden] [Carapace Brigandine] [Cobalt Springs Tradition]
"Well, can't yet rule out a group hallucination... but yes, I'm seeing a lot of folks wearing pokemon masks."
Trying to think of how to make the best first impression with this new group, Elise gets to choosing which pokemon to use as an ambassador to the other group's companions. That would be Zeal generally, but Schala would be able to get advice from the Clefairy and might be more attuned to this kind of environment in general... and...
Seeing the strange pokemon masked individuals about, Ducky opens his third eye and lets the migraine-inducing psychic flow wash over him.
Elise puts away Zeal's apricorn away and, Schala's essence in hand, suddenly realizes something.
Does anybody in the group of masked individuals have a pokemon with them?
Ducky perceives the party as a smear of indistinct color and motion, the fine details of the people and objects all around him almost totally lost into a haze of washed out, impressionistic strokes. If the Psyduck focuses, he can almost conjure up the specific features he's now missing, but out of the corners of his eyes there is a constant, concerning sense of transience and translucence, as though as soon as he lets something out of view, it changes or disappears.
It's not a pleasant feeling, and it certainly doesn't help the duck's migraine at all.
Meanwhile, Elise notices that she doesn't see any Pokemon hanging around that don't belong to the group, nor do any of the cloaked figures appear to be carrying any Apricorns or other Pokemon Trainer accessories, except perhaps for the masks. Depending on what kind of party this is, that might not be completely unusual, though it does feel a little strange.
It's worth noting the Clefairy is confused as can be, though perhaps this isn't that surprising, considering.