[attr="class","icon"]

"yeah i'm always in the fucking wrong! whatever, i don't care right now—let's just go!"[break][break]

feeling a tug on his leg, he turns to look at his scorbunny only to see it pointing down the entrance of the cave. there, the mist starts to swivel, forming barely tangible shapes that look awfully like humans.[break][break]

scorbunny's eagerness to protect them might prove to be its downfall as flames ignite it.[break][break]

"wait, hopps!"[break][break]

but it's too late to stop the scorbunny from FLAME CHARGING forward.

[attr="class","bottom"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]
mission![break]

"No! I'm not leaving. Not until I find it."
[break]
[break]
Stubborn, she yanked her arm away from Cian again. If he wanted to leave, so be it, but Penelope was not about to turn this trip into another waste of time.
[break]
[break]

Only after Cian called out to Hopps did Penelope turn to look. Just in time to witness the small bunny's charge forward.
[break]
[break]

"Shit," She breathed, eyes wide, hand searching for the familiarity of a Pokeball. When it did, she didn't dare hesitate. "Blaziken, go help."
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

[attr="class","icon"]

cian doesn't try to reach out for penny after she yanks away. not this time. not when he's tried so hard to get her to listen to him only for her to shrug him off.[break][break]

his attention needs to be elsewhere.[break][break]

"hopps!"[break][break]

the thick mist makes it difficult to see the battle but he sees flashes of red and orange followed by sounds of impact, one after the other as they cascade into a violent symphony of swinging limbs.[break][break]

"HOPPS!"[break][break]

realizing his scorbunny might be in real danger, he scrambles to find another pokeball, fumbling as dread creeps up his spine.

[attr="class","bottom"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]
mission![break]

Blaziken rose to the challenge. In a blaze of glory, the fighting type sped forward, using the gust of AGILITY to garner a boost to his SPEED.
[break][break]
Behind, Penelope followed the best she could, tailing close behind Cian.

[break][break]
When they finally approached, they'd come to find the dust settling around now injured hops. Bruises and scabs now littered his small tuffs of fur and whatever had caused the damage had already disappeared from sight.
[break][break]
"Fuck."
[break][break]
Penelope scrabbled to her pockets to release her Hatterene, but even a heal pulse wouldn't be enough to awaken the small pokemon from its forced slumber. Not without a proper visit to the poke center.
[break][break]

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

[attr="class","icon"]

by the time his pokeball flashes open, whatever they had been fighting has disappeared, leaving nothing behind in its wake but an unconscious scorbunny.[break][break]

cian rushes forward, skidding along the ground as he lowers to his knees to pick up the fire-type up in his arms only to find it profusely bleeding due to an apparent lack of an arm. it must have gotten torn off during the fight.[break][break]

"hopps..."[break][break]

naturally, HATRED forms, and not even the tugging from his mankey could snap him out of it.[break][break]

"we're fucking leaving. now."[break][break]

with or without PENELOPE LIVY. he doesn't even turn to look at her as he starts to head out of the cave.

[attr="class","bottom"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]
mission![break]

She followed, of course, soft footsteps pattering against the gravel. Worry hung from her eyes with glimmers of shame shining through. For as stubborn as she was, the fierce lick of anger Cian spat was enough to jolt her back to reality. If only it'd happen sooner.
[Break][break]
"Cian--"
[Break][break]
Her strangled voice struggled to call out to him. Fingers curled into fists beside her, she continued, "I'm sorry. I-I didn't think that would happen."
[Break][break]


She'd naturally already sent out her Hatterene to wash over the small bunny with a HEALING PULSE, but that only served to aid with the bleeding. There was no repairing what was already lost. 

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

[attr="class","icon"]

cian barely registers her words over the thumping of his own heart. how it continues to shatter with every passing second at the sight of his bleeding scorbunny. it's unconscious by this point which is probably for the best.[break][break]

the HEAL PULSE does what it can to stop the bleeding. he has his one free hand wrapped around the stump. together, it seems to be doing enough.[break][break]

"what did you think was going to happen?"[break][break]

he snaps.[break][break]

"i told you we had to leave. i fucking told you."

[attr="class","bottom"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]
mission![break]

How was I supposed to know, she wanted to scream back. At no point did she think an extra second would cost Hopp's arm, maybe even his life.
[break][break]
She bit down these words with a heavy swallow.
[break][break]
"I'm sorry. This place-- it does something to me," she shook her head. From the sparks of envy to the indescribable level of obsession it provoked, the Penelope Livy of this realm felt different than the woman she was used to.
[break][break]
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. "
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

[attr="class","icon"]

it wasn't her fault, really, at least not in the way his mind is making it out to be. he's normally good at snapping out of it, at processing his emotions, and controlling his frustrations especially when they might be directed at her.[break][break]

but it's as she said. this place does something to him, too.[break][break]

his shoulder is as frigid and cold as the silent icelands.[break][break]

"what were you even looking for?"

[attr="class","bottom"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]
mission![break]

"Another Jade bead."
[break][break]
Guilt rolled off her tongue. Ever since their last expedition, where her entire world was destined to grumble beneath her very feet, nerves had drawn her up a wall, casting her mind back here. The same place where it all started.
[break][break]
"I thought, if I could get my hands on another, maybe I'll be able to get closer to understanding it."
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

[attr="class","icon"]

"that's the reason you wouldn't leave?"[break][break]

are the jade beads more important than him? than their own safety? is this why she never wanted him to take along? because then he'd be able to see her recklessness and desire for...whatever those beads are.[break][break]

so, so upsetting.[break][break]

"whatever. stay if you want, i'm going to get hopps some help."

[attr="class","bottom"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]
mission![break]

"Cian," her voice hinged off a whine, broken down by the clear cut of his expression. This was the first time she'd ever seen Cian act so cold, and it was unnerving in way that didn't sit right.
[break][break]
Pushing forward, Penelope kept up in speed. Even if he wanted to escape her, she wouldn't even let an inch of space separate them now.
[break][break]
"I'm going with you."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]