Are We There Yet....

[punchesyu]

Who: Yosuke Hanamura, Mami Tomoe, Waver Velvet, Ahri, Yukiko Amagi, Fuuka Yamagishi
What: Hinterlands exploration
When: Week 99
Where: The Hinterlands
Summary: Yosuke gathers up some of his friends to go on an expedition to find exactly where the city of Gigas is and takes the wrong way. Also to open up the area for bonding.

[It seemed like forever since they'd left Union, heading west initially to search for a city that held a danger that was brought to light several months ago by a legendary pokemon. Northwest was their aim, missing the desert as they traveled. It seemed like they'd been walking for forever. For the duration of the trip, Yosuke had been confident, but now that they'd gotten this far, even his will started to waver whether or not they were actually going to find what they were looking for.]

How far is this place...

[What else is there to do but start to complain about it.]

Comments

[wishingalone]

I'm afraid it's quite true. We come from the lands to the east. From Citadel, myself, though we also have individuals from Union, here.

[She frowns, before she glances back at the woman.] We mean you no harm, rest assured. Have humans in this are caused you difficulty?

[They are looking for Gigas, after all.]

[punchesyu]

[He stands, silent and waits for the woman to answer- the rest of the group has voiced a prominent question, and he's not going to add on to it. This is just one of those times to stay quiet and let her answer.

And be ready in case she gets really mad.]

[bravenewmods]

The heads of my people decorate the walls of human filth. The flesh of my people make handbags for human garbage. Our hunts grow scarce as the humans cull the herds with tubes of fire and their housebroken Pokemon slaves. Why should I trust anything you say?

[The woman's snarl is fierce and viscous]

[9tailedtemptress]

[Ahri was visibly disturbed...]

W-what?! [She looked back at her group knowing that she was pretty sure none of them would ever do something like that.]

They're not like that, at least not the ones I came with... Not where we came from... Who's doing this to you? [She voiced a bit angrier than she probably should... But the visuals left a very bad taste in her mouth.]

[untalented]

....I think I have a question that might clear things up.

[Waver's voice was quiet as he chimed in, stepping out into the open from the place he had hidden in the back of the crowd. Helen, his little Vulpix, had her face buried against his chest in her fright-- and it was all he could do to keep from hiding in her tails.]

The people who hurt you and your people....did they carry these?

[Moving slowly, he reached into his side bag and pulled out one of the few pokeballs he had kept with him after he left Sanctuary. Although he had fully adapted to Union's customs with the Warp Band, and he had always preferred to let his pokemon friends roam around by his side rather than contained in anything, he felt better having the empty ones around....just in case something happened.]

[frozenflame]

[Yukiko again stayed silent, remaining defensive of Fuuka, standing near her and Snor-Lord. Who...just kind of looked big and goofy.]

[bravenewmods]

[The woman's eyes turn fiery red with rage as Waver withdraws the Pokeball and in a movement too swift for the eye to follow she draws her obsidian blade and brings it to his throat, snarling in a fashion that is in no way human. Her body-length black hair stands in hackles]

Drop your slave ball now human or I will tear your throat open!

[Her voice is barely intelligible as she snarls, her speech much closer to that of a Pokemon than a human]

[untalented]

[Waver clicked the ball open and dropped it harmlessly to the ground with a startled little yelp before immediately Teleporting back to his hiding place on the far side of the group-- out of range and unharmed.]

N-no one here uses them, [he stammered, voice cracking in his fright.]

But w-we know who does-- and they've hurt us too. We're trying to find them.

[wishingalone]

Rest assured, none of us use those! We were terrified as you to find them. The Pokemon who work with us--

[It's some mental effort to not say "our" Pokemon, but that feels like an awful word choice right now.]

--travel freely. See? [A glance at the Florges behind her.]

[windyflower]

Please listen to us, we don't! Just like what Mami said, the Pokemon travel with us simply because they want to! They're our friends just like how we're their friends too!

[Although, she wasn't too sure if her words were getting the woman to agree. Right now, the important thing is for her to relax and to see if there was a way to talk things out peacefully]

Peter no...

[frozenflame]

[This time Yukiko stayed quiet. But Snorlord, in his jacket and all, stepped in front of the group. Or rather, swaggered.]

The girls ain't lying, chicka. We're here cuz we like em. No balls, heh. And if you wanna screw around with our humans, you're gonna have ta go through me. And before you ask, punk, I'm Snorlord. So you best watch yourself.

Peter yes

[punchesyu]

[His weapons raise again in reaction to the woman drawing a blade to Waver's throat, freaked out by the entire ordeal thus far- but lower again when Waver moves himself out of harm's way. He looks at Peter, irritated that the big blob had moved forward to say something, because he's sure whatever it is, it's probably cocky and not helping.

He speaks, in general to the party:]

Quit pissing her off! Does it really look like she cares?!

[And then to her, apologetically:]



I'm sure this is just all one really big misunderstanding...! Sorry that humans have been sorta a pain in your ass, I promise we're not all like that! But, we've overstayed our welcome, so we'll just be- [He hisses this next part to the party-] going-! Right. Now.

Oh Peter...

[9tailedtemptress]

[Ahri's a bit taken aback about the turn of events. On one hand, she wasn't all too well versed in the things they were speaking of considering she's only learned she could shift less than a year ago. The reactions all around did make her move back.

Kid and Karthy both moved with Snorlord when he moved forward but Ahri shook her head and motioned for them to stand down. She would like a peaceful resolution... but if a fight was to happen, then she'd join the fray.]

If we could avoid bloodshed, that would be in all of our interests. Your party included~ Really, there's much more important things to focus on. Like tracking down these scumbags who use these and have caused so much pain.

[bravenewmods]

[The fire in the woman's eyes dies down, if only a bit, as she cautiously backs off back to her pack, blade held low and menacing]

I will hear you. Prove you intend no ill upon my people.

[punchesyu]

[Oh thank god. That was a relief, to hear her say that.]

Wait, hold on, don't sign us up for something like that! [He takes a glance around. He's probably not getting out of this, and he knows it.]

...Alright. Can you tell us where these people who've been terrorizing you guys are? We can't really do anything unless we know where to go.

[frozenflame]

[That big blob folds his arms across his chest, watching the woman as she backs off. He chuffs a little and nods.]

Yeah. Seriously. Let's just talk this out, kay? I mean c'mon. Mon to Mon, you point ole Snor-Lord at the bad guys and we'll take 'em down.

[windyflower]

[And here, Fuuka gave a sigh of relief.]

Thank goodness, thank you for listening to us. But I agree with Yosuke, mind if we ask who these people are? We really do wish to help you out.

[bravenewmods]

The den of the humans is several days journey west of here, but their clutches extend further every day.

[She actually looks vaguely amused by Snor-Lord]

They are far too numerous to be defeated.

[wishingalone]

Is this den of humans called Gigas?

[frozenflame]

Numbers don't mean shit. Once we find 'em, we'll come up with a plan, all strategically and stuff. It'll be great, and they'll get dealt with and you can go back to being cool people and we can go back to being cool people, and it's win win.

Either way, no reason to fight, we're all friends now...

[untalented]

....I can't think of anyone but Gigas who'd mess with things like this, [Waver piped up from his hiding spot in the back of the group. While Sanctuary still used pokeballs as well, the people of that city wouldn't do anything this far from either their home or Caldera without good reason.

It was the only reason he had taken his gambit. They already had their answer.]

[9tailedtemptress]

If they are them, then this is what we had come for wasn't it? [Ahri really didn't pay much attention to details other than they were going on an adventure and that she would love to join in! Regardless of anything else.]

Whatever the case, we can't just stand for what they're doing right?

[punchesyu]

It sounds like them alright...

[He should of known. Why that wasn't his first assumption, no one knows, not even himself.]

You guys aren't the only ones they've been attacking. Ahri's right- half the reason we're even out here was to find where they were. And if they're seriously out here killing you guys? There's no way we can let them get away with that.

[bravenewmods]

I do not know how the humans call themselves, but they have no love of us. We prey upon their domesticated Pokemon. They don't care for it, so they drive us out and cull our pack.

[punchesyu]

Uh, yeah...

[Well that's a valid reason as any he's heard.]

Maybe you guys should think about preying on something else for a while...or, you know! They'll try to kill you. Don't want that!