If you ever go back into Wooly Swamp...

[rainsrespite]

Log Deputy: axiomaticgrue
Log Deputy Schedule: We'd like to request a 24-hour cycle; at least 1 tag every 24 hours (dependent on at least one player tag)
Participating Characters: Yuuna Sugasawa, Haruka Tenoh, Son Goku, Rei Ryugazaki, Merill, and Usagi Tsukino
Plot Description: A group goes out to explore the Northern Wetlands to see what they can find.
Warnings/Notes: Maybe language? Rated M for Mudkipz?




[The trip over the swamp hadn't been too bad, and given that there were enough large flyers among the party it'd really only been a matter of hours before they touched down at the edge of the marshlands. It was still late enough in the day that getting a good start wasn't entirely feasible, so a camp is set. The next morning comes quickly enough, and with boundless enthusiasm Yuuna helps get everyone ready for the trek up into the new area.

And with everything taken care of, she heads towards the edge of the wetlands, a staff in hand and galoshes on her feet positively vibrating with excitement. Her Pokemon seem restless too, excited to get going, but nervous about what they might find.]

Everybody set? Because we're burning daylight already.

Comments

[rainsrespite]

[Oh, lovely. That's...just super pleasant, isn't it?

Yuuna groans inwardly at the over-helpful Jolteon and follows the group down into the tunnel, sending Hyozan back to the Habitat to await further instruction. Twirling her fingers, she sends Magnezone on ahead of the group after attaching a small metal lantern to it's magnetic casing as a lightsource. Since it's not terribly wide, Tyranitar takes up the rear and the ranger slips forward around Rei.]

A fork, huh.

[She eyes the mucky tunnel and the filaments, taking out a small camera and snapping a couple of pictures. Tucking it away, she pulls out a length of rope next. In the process, she makes sure Zedd is blocking the path of Gold so he doesn't go scampering off again, a robotic chime telling the overeager Jolteon not to run on ahead.]

Well. Looks like we've got two choices. The first is the dirty way, and the second...well...I'm not sure I like the look of that stuff on the ceiling. It's not staying clean I'm worried about, but rather how prepared we really are for swamp caverns. Especially narrow ones like this.

[She doesn't want to order the group to follow even if it's her expedition, but she shoots an uneasy glance down both tunnels.]

Which means we can get muddy, find out what those things are, or turn back out of here and look elsewhere. Thoughts?

[bleeding_heart]

I don't mind a little mud.

[Merrill's been through enough wilderness on her own to have a rather high tolerance for being dirty and wandering through random sticky muck. Neither choice really bothers her all that much, truth be told.]

I'm worried about whatever that was on that Pokemon's back, though. Maybe they live down here somewhere?

[rainsrespite]

What do you mean? What did you see, Merrill?

[Share with the class...]

[bleeding_heart]

Those purple oozy, slimy, blotchy... things on its back.

[She makes little squishing gestures with her hands as if this will help things.]

They moved as it was walking away. I could have sworn I saw them looking at us.

[garbagedisposal]

[Well, he can't hear the conversation behind him so he's taking a look around.]

Hey, Joltik, wanna create some light for us?

[The little electric type shakes in Goku's hair as a response, and crawls forward so it's sticking out of his hair a bit. It creates a little electric ball of light in front of it, giving them some visibility.]

Thanks! Come on, let's go this way! [He's not digging the strange things hanging from the ceiling, so he's headed down the left.]

[kickboards]

--I beg to differ, Goku-san!

[Rei spoke up too quickly, uneasily eyeing the deeper water that lay further along that path]

The other way looks like it might be a bit easier to get through.

[The Azumarill chittered. Coward-- how do you expect to learn like this?]

[garbagedisposal]

Yeah, but I'm not so sure if I like what's down the other way.

[He notions up towards the ceiling.]

Besides! This could be interesting this way.

[He's going no one's gunna stop him bwahahaha]

[kickboards]

I'm not entirely sure I like what's down in that direction.

[He hung back, feet firmly anchored in the mud. Someone? Anyone? He could use a tie breaker here.]

[rainsrespite]

[Yuuna, knowing the boy's secret, puts a hand on his shoulder and leans in. Pitching her voice low she does her best to sound reassuring.]

It's fine. It's not that deep. And it's safer than whatever those tendrils are, I guarantee it.

[And louder?]

It'll be fine. Water's better than whatever that might be.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Gold is balking at the left-hand passage too. Waist-deep for you guys is enough to submerge his head!

...but there's no telling how deep the water will get in the other passageway....and frankly, Haruka doesn't trust him on his own in the Habitat so returning him - like she quickly does with Rushing Wind - isn't an option. She then picks Gold up fireman-carry-style so that she's got a Jolteon head peering over her shoulder, and static cling sticking her bangs to the side of his face.

She looks over at Rei, curious. They can see better down the left-hand passage, so it seems obvious to her. That or they split up, but. ] Is there something wrong with the water?

[kickboards]

I--it's nothing!

[Blustering, he pushed his glasses back in place in an attempt to hide his burning cheeks. He was going to trust Yuuna's word on this one, but he knew that his problems were going to become obvious in the near future....

He didn't want to admit to this many people that he was a water type trainer who sank like a rock!]

[bravenewmods]

[Our team has come to a standstill! Maybe they should split up!

They should totally split up. Splitting up is guaranteed to result in something great; there is definitely precedence for this in all forms of media wherein splitting up happens.

On an entirely unrelated note unrelated to the unrelated activity of splitting up, the filaments are clearly noticeable dangling conspicuously the ceiling, but it's much harder to see them snaking along the floor. Which coincidentally is exactly what they're doing now.

Unless Joltik directs its light downwards, a few of our party members are going to be in for a nasty surprise in about two seconds.]

[garbagedisposal]

[NOPE JOLTIK IS OBLIVIOUS so Goku is happily marching down the left path without a clue in the world

What did you expect, him to do something smart

He will unknowingly await his fate.

Unless someone says something to him.]

[rainsrespite]

[Joltik may not be. But Magnezone is definitely keeping a much more wary eye. Or...eyes since he it has more than one. and the robot lets out an electronic warning buzz. Eyelights swivel down illuminating the filaments.]

Gah!?

[Yuuna, at least, has the wherewithall to jump back.]

The floor! I told you those things were bad news!

[garbagedisposal]

Whuh? [He turns around, confused.]

What are you- YAAAAH! [NOW he looks down and oh ok crap he's doing this weird hopping dance in the water what does he do they're like right there does he STEP ON THEM?

Going to try to go backwards and dodge them maybe but this mud it's so thick crap crap]

[bleeding_heart]

What... what are they?

[Merrill hops back to stand next to Yuuna, dancing in place and readying her staff just in case. Arishok, for his part, has taken to angrily stamping at the ground.]

[inthenameofthemoon]

[ Oh, hey, is that Usagi lagging around a little farther back? And is she trying to catch up to where everyone is?

.... Yes, because that's the only way she'll be able to keep herself from getting too lost. Because honestly, the last thing she wants to do is get lost in the swamp. ]

Cold water.. cold water!

[ She's heard the commotion the closer she gets to everyone, but little does she know that there are things on the floor.

Also, is that a blue pokemon in her arms? It totally is. She may have gotten distracted by bonding with a new pokemon and is trying to make it look like she wasn't missing for however long... besides, it's the only logical excuse the mun can come up for not being able to tag into this log IMEANWHAT. But, at least Pinky is still safe and sound on Usagi's head! ... although the pink fairy pokemon is staring at the ceiling with comedic horror. ]

[kickboards]

[Rei took a few steps closer to Yuuna and he rest of the ones who hadn't followed Goku into the terrifying unknown, a look of distaste and reluctance on his face. The normally brave Azumarill had jumped into his arms and was busy blowing raspberries at the things-- nah, nah, he's safe now!]

This...there isn't anything beautiful about this at all!

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka, on the other hand, seems completely nonplussed by all of this - her feelings about this expedition would only get in the way so she's ignoring them. Gold is staring at the stuff in fascination, not sure if he's scared or curious. Trainer, can we poke it? No? Okay...

In any case, caution is good - but not at the expense of progress. Haruka shifts Gold so that she's holding him with just one arm. ] Stand back.

[ Earthquake would be a bad idea in an enclosed space, but nothing says she can't Gust all this gunk out of the way. Even if that just makes the whatever-it-is angry, then they'll know what they're dealing with. ]

[bravenewmods]

[Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, ok. You're not such a looker yourself.

The Gust attack, sadly, is too little, too late and while the mud and gunk goes flying, the tendrils are a little more solid than that. With whip-like speed, the tendrils wraps around Usagi, Rei, and Merrill and yanks them into the passage of filaments.

The passage of filaments... and now that some of the gunk has been swept aside... very large cavernous openings....

Almost like mouths...

Sorry Rei looks like you're swimming either way. You're less likely to drown in digestive fluids than water, though!

The flytraps that haven't caught a victim will spew Acid and Stun Spore at the remaining three to prevent them from immediately coming to the rescue.]

RNGed for who Magnezone tries to help first.

[rainsrespite]

Shit!

[It's about the only thing word that comes to mind as Yuuna is hit with stun spore. It stings, and she feels her body seizing up as she reaches for a paralyze heal held at her belt. If she can manage that...she'll be okay. But some other thought springs into her head.

Magnezone's are immune to that stuff!]

Zedd! Get them out of there! Kyo, get me that spray!

[From farther back, the Tyranitar lumbers forward and reaches down to help his trainer. He's got hands and he's getting mental instructions...but give him a sec.

The Magnezone, however, is not so slow. Acid and Stun Spores do in fact roll off the Steel/Electric type's casing and in he goes! Beams of Steel-y energy spool up along his arms and he starts cutting at the tendrils holding onto Merrill with Mirror Shot discharges, trying to shred them.]

Zone! Magne!

[Don't worry, he'll get you out!]

[kickboards]

[Rei swallowed his impulse to cry out in his surprise and struggle against the tendrils. Instinct told him that struggling would make it worse-- he needed to remain calm.

And, above all, he needed to think.]

Shiro! Get us out of here!

[He called, summoning his Gallade to the field. Psychic-types were generally a good bet to rely on in most crises, and Shiro was not inexperienced in dealing with swamp denizens.

The slim, regal looking pokemon chirped, looking alarmed-- but he knew what to do.

Using his Psycho Cut, he lashed out at the tendrils with the blade-like arcs of psychic energy, planning on shredding as many of the vines as he could.

There was no way he was going to let his big bro stay in trouble like this.]

[bleeding_heart]

[Merrill generally does her best to live in harmony with wild Pokemon, but the reality of the world is that sometimes it just isn't possible to do that and survive. This is one of those times.]

Arishok... good work.

[Lifting her Warp Band, Merrill replaces her Bouffalant with Flametongue the Heatmor, directing him toward the attacking group of Victreebel.]

Flametongue, give us some time!

[A few licks of fire flicker forth from the anteater's mouth before it blows a circular ring of fire around the Victreebel - a Fire Spin attack designed to keep the plant creatures back.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Okay, fire. Fire should take care of....ggh. Haruka'd gotten splashed with Acid, shielding Gold, and she winces as it eats through her jacket and heads for her shoulder. She'll heal herself once they have a breather. For now -

She shoots another Gust at the flames to fan them and attempts to hurry past, but. Usagi.

Usagi, who she'd promised not to rescue....

Dammit.

...well, how's the girl doing for herself? That might make up Haruka's mind. ]

[garbagedisposal]

[Goku too, can feel his own body seize up from the Stun Spore. The tendrils that had caught their friends scared the ever living hell out of Joltik, who had dove into the safety of Goku's hair, shaking like a leaf.]

Joltik, you gotta help save them! Come on! You gotta use your Electroweb across those mouths! Please, Joltik!

[She can? But what if something happens... She pokes head out of his hair, glancing around. Everyone's in trouble, oh no... and her trainer is making the 'eeeeeh' and 'yaaaaaah' noises like there's something really serious going down. Okay. She can do this. Just. Jump. Yeah, jump. Ready...set...JUMP.

Joltik leaps out with a fearful little bug cry that no one can hear, landing on the wall and skittering somewhere in front of the mouths of the Victreebel. Letting an Electroweb fly across the gaping mouths, it'll try to get a Slash off on one of the tendrils before it freaks itself out too much and starts hightailing it right back to Goku's hair.]