[attr="class","spiral"]Plank and Thomas walk through the first chamber of the caverns in a comfortable silence. He obediently trails her now, meaning she doesn't need to shout orders at him, and pokemon are few and far between today. Those they encounter are skittish the way weaker wild pokemon sometimes are.

"Stay on your guard, this next room is where we met Hopper," Plank says as they round a corner, smiley at the memory of her introduction to the feisty Dewpider. One of her hands glides along the curve of the stone wall -- the water that drips down the sides making the journey surprisingly smooth until she runs a few fingers through a bit of moss.

"Ugh," she makes a sound of disgust in her throat before shaking off the bits of it sticking to her hand. Thomas gets hit with a few pieces but takes it in stride. His expression doesn't shift and the low croak he makes doesn't sound irritated.

Soon they're walking in silence again as Plank turns and cranes her head this way and that to take in the odd cave.

A few Surskit skate on one of the pools of water in the chamber, but unlike when she'd met Hopper they all scatter when she approaches. It's for the best she guesses. Cowards don't make for good allies or sparring partners.

[attr="class","spiral"]On their way out of the second chamber Thomas starts fussing. At first it's just slightly louder footsteps, then it's little croaks, but by the time they're nearing the entrance into a different part of the cave he's really not having it. Plank turns around to see what's up just as he dives forward in front of her.

She doesn't see what's happened exactly but she has one hell of a hint. Thomas seems unbothered physically by them, but up and down his body yellow sparks try and fail to take hold.

Despite this, the Palpitoad is rankled. Plank watches somewhat amazed at the way the usually calm pokemon's body shakes. An odd chirping fills the chamber -- a warning call from Thomas to the opponent Plank has still yet to see. The warning isn't heeded. A Chinchou pops its head up from inside of the pools of water, and before Plank can even blink an ELECTRO BALL is flying through the air.

Thomas is quick to respond. Without even needing to be told he fires back. The chirping turns to a low, rumbling vibration in Thomas's throat. Quickly it increases in pitch and volume before suddenly bursting from the Palpitoad in the form of a great croak of a HYPER VOICE. Plank has to slap hands over her ears as the sound almost literally rips through the air towards the wild pokemon.

It does little and less to the incoming ELECTRO BALL but that doesn't matter, the attack lands harmlessly. It splits and diffuses against his rubbery flesh, but like before the sparks try and fail to shock and stun Thomas. The HYPER VOICE meanwhile does succeed in disorienting the Chinchou. It writhes and squirms in its little pool of water as the cave echoes the attack back onto it and the water around it hums with the latent vibrations leftover in the air.

"Damn, where were ya hidin' this energy?" Plank questions Thomas, rubbing a pinky alongside the inside of one of her now ringing ears. Palpitoad doesn't respond, instead focused on picking up where he left off in his warning chirps.

"If you're still mad keep at it!" Plank orders, giving her Palpitoad a gentle but firm tap on the back with one of her feet, "Let's give 'em hell for pissin' ya off!"

As if taking this aggressive rhetoric to heart, whether it was meant for it or not, the Chinchou recovers enough to fire off another ELECTRO BALL at the pair. After a couple slaps of his little feet against the wet cave ground Thomas responds. His cheeks swell before with a squelch he sends flying from his lips a globule of wet earth. Unlike the HYPER VOICE, this MUD SHOT completely nullifies the ELECTRO BALL on its way to its true target.

It strikes true.

The Chinchou gives a cry and splashes about in the water before trying to disappear under it, but its pool is polluted and its body sticky and unwieldy. It can't get away. But it doesn't need to worry or fret over that for long. Soon a pokeball is sailing through the air, and in short order the helpless pokemon disappears into it.

"Can't go passin' up on a fighter like that one, can I?" Plank ask no one. Thomas flops down onto his butt beside her.