bravenewworld | (no subject)

Who: Robin, Cordelia, Ami, Rei, Kuzuryuu and Souda
When: Week of 1/26
What: After reports of strange happenings in the mountains, the Rangers have assembled a small group of members and volunteers to investigate what might be causing the disturbances.
Warnings: Stuff like this.

The team had assembled, and a time was set for their departure. It would take a few days to reach the mountains and, depending upon the conditions, at least a day more to get to the higher elevations, even with the aid of Pokémon; likely a few, if visibility really was as bad as reports made them believe. Cordelia made sure to more than outfit and prepare herself, as well as the rest of the party--it was hard to say how experienced the volunteers were, as she did not have the luxury to handpick them herself.

The first few days would be an easy go, the route specifically avoiding the general vicinity of the forest shrine and any other possibly affected areas. Those with mounts were advised to use them, and those without were expected to ride with those with.

They reached the mountains by the fourth day, taking a slightly more leisurely pace than the Ranger would have liked--again, a precaution for those inexperienced with expedient travel. The mountain would prove to be a challenge by that point, with little visibility even in the foothills. Lava drifts cut through the rock like a trail of fiery tears, and mounds of needle-like ice flows shambled across the surface, threatening them at every pass. It would be a slow go, if they could even get up the mountain at all at this point; camping would be difficult, nigh impossible.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Belaire, of course, only rolled her eyes. Boys. That was an easier cheer up than she thought, really.

"I dunno, it's not like I keep up with all that," grumbled Kazuichi, huffing a sigh. "Guess I'm glad Hajime got back before all his, though."

Banchou kept moving along for a moment, then reached down again to tap the curve of her horn. When had that happened, little lady?

Meanwhile, Kuzuryuu's tail fell a bit. "Shit, yeah. I didn't even think of that."

He shook himself out from shoulders to tail, paused briefly to scratch his neck with his hind leg before hopping back up to keep walking.

"And him with that kid, too. Hell." He looked away and then up at the path ahead. "Good thing they're both at home now.

"Why'd you decide to come, anyway?" he asked after a pause.

"Iiii'm not so sure she couldn't take it."

He grimaced. Junko was scary. But at Kuzuryuu's second question, Kazuichi jumped.

"Wh-- Hey! I'm not gonna let you get your ass kicked in the mountains by yourself!" So, a show of solidarity, maybe?

...It's never that simple, though.

"Besides, Belaire wanted to help out. I wasn't gonna let her go alone, either."

That very Belaire made a proud little chuff of a bark, showing those horns off a little. The past week, she informed him, so not too long before. Luckily, though, Kazuichi'd had the time to fashion her a new leg to match the other three.

Banchou nodded, took the bamboo to twirl thoughtfully around his fingers, and then seemed to come to a conclusion. He put the sprig back in his mouth, faced her again, and offered her a very serious thumbs-up.

Fuyuhiko caught the gesture out of the corner of his eye this time but made no comment. "Ah, so I got Belaire to thank for the pleasure of your company. Well." He shoved at Kazuichi with one paw. "You can tell Belaire no one's ass is getting kicked on this team. I'll be kicking the asses here. Hell, I'll kick the mountain's ass if I have to to get shit back to normal."

"That doesn't even make sense," asserted Kazuichi past a sheepish smile that was trying so hard not to be there. "Kick the mountain's ass? The fuck is that, huh?"

Behind them, Belaire made a pleased little wuff, her long skinny tail wagging to and fro like a whip. It was nice when someone seemed to approve of your evolution, and all.

Speaking of approval, wasn't Banchou going home to his very first pancham cub soon? That had to be exciting to look forward to. A good reward for all that climbing.

"It makes just as much sense as either of your punk asses thinking I could get in trouble out here," he replied, grinning wolfishly. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to, shithead?"

But oh, Savior, Belaire brought up the baby. With a laughing rumble from deep in his chest, Banchou rubbed under his nose with one finger. He was probably blushing under his fur. Anime sparkles might have been happening; an ear wiggle sure was. He'd come home with the egg just a couple days before leaving with Fuyuhiko, so he hoped he'd be home in time for it to hatch. But, well, such were the demands of their dangerous lives. It made fatherhood difficult, but he knew Fuyuhiko understood a family's needs.

Banchou tilted his head curiously. Was she considering a future with pups in it?

"Hey, the way I remember, you were always up to some bullshit with someone who could chew your ass right back up," came Kazuichi's rebuttle, his backward jaws snapping in amusement. "This is perfectly good reasoning!"

Y'know. Even if the real trouble had been shit like Kazuichi and Hajime deciding to test flying bikes and shit. Whatever.

Belaire had to restrain a bit of laughter at Banchou's primary reaction. The Pangoro was always larger than life in his ways and honestly, the fact he never seemed to give a shit was admirable. It was fun.

She'd have to think about pups, though. She'd never considered it before Kazuichi fixed her leg and (in hushed tones, of course:) watching over Kazuichi was sometimes as troublesome as raising a pup.

"Excuse the hell out of you!" Fuyuhiko shoulder-checked him again, trying to make him stumble. "Name one fucking time I didn't dish out more than I got. Just one."

Banchou looked ahead just long enough to catch that little tidbit from his small, bossy friend before he shook his head wryly. Watching over troublesome Enlightened, huh? Belaire probably didn't even know the half of it.

"Ohhh, I dunno, any time your sister dishes it?"

Yes, Kazuichi stumbled. But for once, he had a somewhat reasonable comeback. If mawile could smirk, he would have.

Oh, but of course, Belaire had to acknowledge that Kuzuryuu certainly was a pain in the tail of his own kind. And it wasn't as though she'd prefer one sort of pain in the tail over another, but at least Kazuichi was... more easily persuaded about most things.