Once again, the electric type had managed to calm down the overly sensitive pink blob, who sobs began to slowly quiet into little sniffles. "R-really? You mean it? Oh, you are a good friend! A very good friend!" She chanted happily, nodding her head furiously. She was so excited to tell her trainer all about her newest friend! maybe she was also friends with this 'sunny' person? she hoped so!

she excitedly rubbed her hands together, head tilting slightly. well, it was sorta like her whole body, since it was all very...round, but, either way, her curiosity was piqued! "what did you do with it?" she suddenly paused, gasping. "did you give it to your trainer? as a gift?!" maybe she could find a really smooth rock here, with lemon zest's help? if it looked like her, then, maybe noelle wouldn't forget about her, or feel sad when she wasn't there with her? it was the perfect plan!

In actuality, the priestess wasn't expecting someone to answer her back. And so, when a very...eccentric woman appears, she was at a bit of a loss for words. The other girl looked very...intriguing? Was that the right word? Then again, could she even talk? Her bright hair brought attention, and the oh-so-dreaded question of whether or not it was natural. Still, the energy the other gave off was...frightening? She couldn't exactly place a finger on it, but...ah perhaps she was just looking into it too much. With a big, 'scary' dragon like a Hydreigon hovering about, she supposed she didn't look too friendly either. And so, Noelle gave a little wave of her hand and a smile. "Really? You think so? Thanks!" Her hair color was quite the sore topic for her, and so, any who found it nice was always appreciated. "Right back at ya!" That blue was a pretty nice shade!

The mention of the shifting cave and falling rocks made the dragon master falter, her smile twitching as her stare briefly turns to Nero, who huffed and looked away. "It was," she admitted a bit sheepishly, "hopefully you didn't get hurt any?" She questioned. Her emerald stare flickers to the ghost type lingering by her side - gengar's were so...peculiar. The energy and presence they gave off, to a priestess such as herself, it was mystical? Her grandmother had a strong stigma against ghost types, especially some of the more crude ones, such as gengar's. Thankfully, such belief's hadn't transferred over to the young woman though, who merely smiled at the wide-grinning creature.

Her hydreigon perked up slightly as he was mentioned, the bad-tempered dragon beginning to slowly snarl as he stared at the newcomer until Noelle placed a hand on his snout. "easy," she breathed out, "sorry, he's...not the friendliest. so, yea, i guess he does bite?" she rubbed he back of her neck.

"hey! are you lost in here too?" she didn't admit that she was lost thanks to the ruckus her dragon had caused, as it'd thrown her off track. "i have a good guess where the exit is, but, do you wanna go together? i mean, two's better than one!" her dragon gave a soft, almost jealous growl. "sorry, sorry, four i mean."

nearby, a simisear tottered about, pausing to look at the group with a tilted head. although, a single icy glare from the bad-tempered dragon quickly sent it packing. it didn't want to deal with any of that. 

What she expected to feel tough scales or fur of this so called 'monster' actually ended up being a face. A human face at that. Immediately, Noelle opened her eyes, which quickly widening in horror. At a young age, upon discovering the child's almost monstrous physical strength, she'd been given a strict 'no hitting others' policy that applied even into adulthood.

it nearly sickened the priestess that she'd caused the dribble of blood down the other's lips. She frantically fluttered around him, hands flailing as she tried, and failed, to explain herself and ask if he was alright. "My name is Noelle!" She finally managed to yell out something coherently. "Ah - I'm so, so sorry! Does it hurt? Oh god, you're bleeding - that's so gross but, but, does it hurt? Are you okay?! Oh arceus, you're not, are you?! Let me see - give me your face!"

Having no qualms over physical space, she basically grabbed the man's face in her hands. Her grip, though firm, was surprisingly gentle, as her fingers lightly squeezed at his face, inspecting his jaw and mouth with an intense stare. The damage wasn't...too bad. She still felt horrible though.

She finally stepped away, letting out a loud breath of relief as she smothered her hair back. "I really am sorry," she sheepishly 'eeped' out, her cheeks puffed out as she glanced down in an almost guilty expression. "You shouldn't be in here though. Supposedly there's some 'monster' deep in these caves, and it's attacking any and all it see's. Supposedly, some miners went missing and never returned. I...thought that you..." She trailed off, realizing how silly it sounded. Growing frustrated and flustered, she'd huff, stomping a foot, "you...you should've been more careful, dummy! Idiot!" So much for that warm and genuine concern she had only mere moments ago. 

a bit selfish when it came to food, the though of buying it for multiple people slightly dismayed the woman. there was a good chance she'd eat it before they even came back. but, sure, why not? "i...guess," she hummed with a little nod.

while she still huffed slightly at the thought of updating them at all, she couldn't deny the small smile that curled on her lips. and so, even though she tried to let out an uncaring, "mhm", it didn't really work. she peered over his shoulder as he began to send yet another picture, bristling slightly at the mention of Bry's closet being next. bristling slightly, she gave the man an almost warning look, a very clear - 'no'.

"oh, sure, we can bring them along. it'll be like a family trip!...well, half the family....a family plus a friend because you're...you're...you." she didn't want to explicitly say he wasn't a family member - but, he was, at the very least, an honorary one! "when do we leave? today? please say today? let's go today!" like a child hyped up on candy, she began to badger him.

There was a slight clench of her heart, her eyes widening at the sight of the bright glow of an explosion. A hand scrambles to try and reach for a pokeball - but, what use would it do? Slightly frozen in brief terror that, hey, she might've actually killed them both prevented her from moving. And as the light gets brighter and the ear-splitting sound of an explosion comes to fruition, all Noelle could do was shut her eyes close and tight. This was really how she went out, huh? It was a good thing she didn't bring bryony after all then...

But, there's no intense pain nor feeling of her body being vaporized from the potent, deadly attack....not that she was sure what a 'vaporized' feeling would even feel like. When she opened her eyes, they weren't...dead, for one. In fact, they were in a completely different part of the cave, out of harms way. It was then when she realized her hands were trembling, and that she hadn't been breathing did she sputter to suck in a breath. Fear wasn't something Noelle felt often - typically, she was all for rushes of adrenaline or dangerous situations, but that was...too close.

Peeking upwards and catching the glower, she winced, offering Inari a small, apologetic look. She didn't make any attempt to move away from their closeness. Maybe it was the slight warmth he offered that was a bitter reminder that she wasn't dead yet. "I...uhm...thank you!...And sorry. If you hadn't...we would've..." There's an almost haunted tone in her voice, as she professedly shakes her head. There was no use in being scared and teary eyed now. What was done was done...and so, they only thing left to do was just...

Laugh it off! With a loud, hearty laughter, she bellowed, "that was terrifying!" Her eyes were a bit misty with tears as her body continued to pump adrenaline, making her feel jittery. "Well, let's keep on going! And, I'll look where I'm stepping, honest! Ah, but, keep on watching my back for me, okay? I appreciate it!" With that, she began to, once again, drag them both forward but, with a bit more caution.

The sudden appearance of the two teleporting trainers shocked a nearby hitomanchan and stuffel, but, the two cave-dwelling pokemon otherwise seemed to ignore them both. 

"ugh this is ssoooo hard to see through," the pink-haired woman grumbled to herself as she pushed through the tall grasses. the cycling road stood tall just overhead, blocking her from the harsh rays of the sun just overhead. still, they had quite a bit to go before reaching the end of the long, winding path. apparantly, riding a rapidash down cycling road 'wasn't appropriate'. she was kicked out and a had a one month ban from using said road after trying to 'force her way through'. seriously, she didn't even mean to push the guy that hard.

it didn't help that she didn't have her typical party on her, so she couldn't just fly to the next town over either. briefly, she contemplated calling bryony, or maybe even mateo...but, perhaps a nice walk through nature would settle her irritated nerves? besides, maybe she'd find some rare pokemon wandering about?

her rapidash trotted by her side, idly munching on the grass as the beautiful, silvery-fired pokemon seemed to enjoy the time to stretch her legs. walking by her side with a hand on the creature's extremely warm flank. the rustle of grass caused them both to stop - what was that? peering closer, it didn't look like any pokemon she'd ever seen, and it certainly didn't sound like one. maybe it really was one of those rare pokemon she'd heard about!? without bothering to get a closer look or even investiage further, she was throwing pokeball after pokeball at the 'thing'. she had yet to realize that that 'pokemon' wasn't a pokemon at all; it was another trainer.

her rapidash blinked, raising a brow, and nudging her trainer's head, but, noelle just...kept on chucking ball after ball. "not now! one of them has to work!"

poor, stupid girl.

While Noelle didn't consider herself too much of a battler, as a member of the Hundred Devouring Clan, it did run in her blood. And so, she figured as such, doing a small training session with her pokemon didn't seem like a bad idea. Aside from growing stronger physically, it was a great way to strengthen her connection to her pokemon. Especially her problem child, Nero. While he'd grown far more dependable and gained a far better liking to her now that'd he'd evolved, the hydreigon was still...Destructive? A total scourge? Still, he was her 'baby boy' - she loved him with all of her heart.

But, maybe training in Fiery Path wasn't the best idea for the violent dragon.

The fearsome and aggressive pokemon that lie within the steaming hot and murky depths of the cavern were something fierce. And a misplaced dragon rush from the hydreigon sent the tunnel collapsing. It was a blur of falling rocks and the sound of things crashing to the ground; Noelle was utterly terrified that she'd be crushed.

When the ruckus finally died down and she opened her eyes, the hunkering body of her hydreigon moved away, a rare look of concern in his eyes as he shoved his snout in her face, looking over her. The dragon master felt the dark dragon's worry and irritation hotter than any fire, and she gently pressed the palm of her hand to his forehead.

"I'm okay," she cooed, giving a slightly trembling smile, "you protected me, didn't you?! You did great!" She showered the regretful pokemon in nothing but affection and praise; perhaps she'd always been too 'easygoing' on him, but, it was hard not to. He was just...a big, misunderstood baby.

"I'm not sure where we are though..." The rock-slide had blocked one side of the tunnel completely, making it hard to decipher just where they were within the dark cave. It was then when the pinkette heard...a voice? Oh, arceus, had someone else gotten hurt in all the commotion?!

"Hey - hey...Hello!?"