Sojaveña Wilds Silver Ravine Mystery Dungeon

[Namohysip]

As the team advanced closer and saw a bit more in their view, it was clear that the ranger duo was not quite alone. Hanging out with them, like it was the most normal thing in the world, was a Nidoran that a few of them would find very familiar.

This time, he seemed to be there as an observer and little else. His ear flicked. He tilted his head. His eyes glimmered with recognition once Leaf was closer to see clearly.

 

[Weazel]

Archie stuck close to the front alongside Leaf. Having been members of the expedition into the center of this place, it only made sense; of their little group, they had the most experience with place, and knew best what to expect. And what a group they were! The Oshawott himself had only the slightest idea of what they were here for. He’d only tagged along because it had seemed important to Leaf and Koa – and he thought himself on friendly terms with both! So he was glad to help them out.

As for the others, the Alolan Vulpix had been part of the group he’d arrived with, but he’d interacted with her very little. He didn’t recall ever meeting the Petilil or the Meowth. Maybe in the chaos of the nexus, or the gala, but never one on one. And then, the last member of their little group, was the chimera. The one who’d admitted to committing mass murder. The Oshawott was a little wary of him, but tried to remind himself that it hadn’t seemed like the chimera had wanted to kill, and seemed to regret the fact he had. The Pokemon just needed a chance, Archie figured, to prove that wasn’t the kind of person he was anymore.

For now though, all that had to be pushed to the back of his mind. The people they were here to meet were just up ahead. He would have a lot more that required his focus than the morality of his compatriots very soon.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Too bad there weren't a ton of natural landmarks to go off around here. The twists in the river, the fissures in the stone, everything that had looked noteworthy before was different, sometimes just a little and other times wildly so. Apparently that was just how these things worked, though. At least Leaf and Archie had a good sense for how wonky things were getting relative to the entrance as opposed to further in toward the heart. Close enough, right?

They'd rustled up a pretty good group, for sure, all people she'd battled with before or that she knew were up for it. Except the big helmet dog bird fish guy. Still kind of a question mark. He was supposed to be a... "graydian", right? He hadn't been super interested in the rangers, and it wasn't clear whether he was actually gonna fight—didn't really seem up for that, either, he'd mostly just been keeping to himself—but no reason he couldn't just come along. Hopefully he'd find whatever he was looking for, then, and also hopefully Ayda wouldn't mind an audience.

And speak of the devil, there they were. The sound of something sizzling on a fire hit her a few beats before the dewott and haxorus came into view. "Here we are! Ready to get started, or d'you need to finish your barbecue first?"

She paused as a familiar purple figure turned to face her. "Oh, hey, Nidoran! What're you doing here?"

 

[Goat]

Not for the first or the last time, Astrid found herself lost in a daydream about gliding through the clouds, unbound by gravity-- and when that got old, over the terrain that slowed their travels. She didn't really mind it, but she couldn't help herself either; after weeks here she still felt tiny and slow. Hopefully a strenuous battle in a dynamic environment would get her a bit closer to fixing that.

"We got this, totally," she said to nobody in particular before they got within earshot of the Rangers, vibrating a little. "Just gotta trust that the voice will keep us in sync like before."

 

[Tetra]

Koa had been intrigued by mystery dungeons the moment he'd heard of them, though he'd been forced to push properly exploring one to the back burner with everything else that had happened. Although from Leaf had explained, they were exactly the kind of thing that he wanted to see for himself.

Silver Ravine did not disappoint. The paths and landscape twisted and distorted unnaturally the further in they went, and there seemed to be no distinct pattern. It was both unnerving and fascinating. He was used to navigating by landmarks, leaving subtle marks to follow but there that seemed impossible. He couldn't help but speculate how and why mystery dungeons came about. There was nothing concrete about the existence of Sinnoh's guardian dragons but distortions of time and space definitely fit the bill.

When they arrived he was about to greet the rangers when he noted the Nidoran with them. The Nidoran Leaf mentioned? What was it doing here?

"We're ready," Koa said as they arrived. His gaze turned to the Nidoran again and he gave a wave of his paw to say 'hello'.

 

[Ambyssin]

Given he'd been spacing out for most of the trek, Nova wasn't entirely sure what people were saying they were ready about. He did notice the nidoran, though. They looked kind of cute. He tilted his head slightly then, in an attempt at playing docile, lowered his front half while slowly wagging his fish tail.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade adjusted her shoulderbag, watching Nova attempt to make friends with the Nidoran. (Was the Nidoran a ranger? He certainly looked to be here with the rangers, but he wasn't wearing anything. At the same time, it didn't quite feel like he was a wild mon either...)

"So, uh, Nova--did you want to watch our battle with the rangers?" she asked. It didn't seem like he had other business in the dungeon or else he probably would have split off from them by now.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Ayda seemed to notice the party first, and stood to give a wave to them.

"Hey-o!" she called. "C'mon over!"

Razael continued to soak his hindclaws in the running water and gaze peacefully and silently at the environment around him. Most likely, there were no wild 'mon willing to bother them in the vicinity – a more open space than most of the dungeon, the gorge widening to accomodate a bend in the river. A few bushes grew on the bank here, though if they bore berries, they'd already been picked clean.

The dragon carefully took a skewer of fish, and with a dexterous use of his other claw, he pulled them off the stick and directly into his mouth, where he swallowed them whole. Large 'mon sure had large appetites.

 

[Ambyssin]

"So, uh, Nova--did you want to watch our battle with the rangers?" she asked.

"Huh?" Nova stiffened slightly. Battling with the rangers? "You're fighting law enfor--" He stopped himself when he heard one of them calling in a friendly fashion. Not in trouble then. Training. Or an entrance exam that he wandered into?

He bowed his head apologetically at Nidoran and glanced at both rangers and the others. "I'm--"

Battling meant the voice was there. In its strongest form, right?

There was a dull glaze in Nova's eyes and the way he responded was almost robotic. "I'm participating."

 

[Goat]

Astrid was a bit more forward than her chimera compatriot.

"Hi! I'm Astrid!" she said, eyes trailing down from the Rangers to their improvised buffet. "If we win, um, can I have a bite?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Ayda laughed. "Sure, if that's what'll motivate ya!"

Razael tilted his head and whispered something to the Dewott, and she elbowed him sharply in the thigh, not that he minded.

"I'll catch some more after the fight, no problem. Plenty fer everyone."

 

[Namohysip]

Nidoran merely smiled and waved. It seemed that he was wearing one of the Rangers' badges, suggesting that he was actually...

 

[Ambyssin]

"So, this is some sort of match." Nova kept glancing at Nidoran. Not talking. Mute? Feral? Something else entirely? "Is the little one joining in or is he your cheerleader?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Howdy there," drawled the Dewott, with a touch of humour at Nova's dry remarks. "He's more a mascot than a fighter – you oughta be worried 'bout me an' Razael here, not this li'l fella. I'm Chief Ayda, of the Soja' Rangers – pleased to make yer acquaintance."

Razael stood at last, stretching out his limbs with a languid tranquillity that called to mind a cat, rather than a hulking reptiloid.

"I bow to you," he rumbled, as he turned and lowered his head. "This is some sort of match, yes. In battle, we will gain... insight. We shall see each other more clearly."

The dragon hardly spoken at all in his previous meeting with half the party, but his voice now was smooth and calm. His accent didn't sound a thing like Ayda's, or that of the average townie.

 

[Ambyssin]

The dewott was the chief. And had an accent.

There was a 'dewott in tarnation' joke to be made, but Nova held his tongue at that. Instead he slowly nodded at the haxorus. "Uh, right." A downward dog was the closest Nova had to a bow and he wasn't about to do that. "You move out here from one of the more distant lands?"

 

[kyeugh]

Prim quirked a brow. So the dewott was the chief? That was surprising, and important, Prim thought as she regarded Razael's chipped-edge tusks. Unless Ayda was packing some mind-blowing secret technique, it meant there were qualities more important to the ranger corps than brute strength. For a sprout like her, that was welcome news indeed.

Her train of thought was disrupted by a splash. A frog had leapt into a puddle a few yards from the river. Prim watched with wide eyes as it reappeared a few moments later in the river itself. Okay then.

"Funny place you've got here. Not like any dungeon I've seen before. Do you rangers spend a lot of time, uh, hanging out here?"

 

[Phoenixsong]

Leaf blinked, the upcoming battle punted clear to the back of her mind for a moment. A mascot? And it looked like Nidoran had ditched the name tag for a badge like the one she'd seen Nico wearing. So did that mean...? "Wait, are... are you the ones who've been asking him to do errands around town?" she asked. "Like picking up books and rocks and stuff?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Ayda nodded to Prim, standing at ease with one paw on her hip.

"Sure do. Most of our time is spent surface-side, t'be fair, but rangers can't help but work in dungeons – so we train in 'em routinely. This is pretty typical, t'be honest." She cracked a smirk. "We spend more time in dungeons than just about anyone 'sides the wildlife."

"Wait, are... are you the ones who've been asking him to do errands around town?" she asked. "Like picking up books and rocks and stuff?"

Ayda looked askance at Leaf. "Huh? No, he does as he likes. Spike just kinda showed up one day and started helpin' out. We reckon he's some feral outlier, saints know his past, but we don't tell him what to do."

"You move out here from one of the more distant lands?"

Razael nodded. His tusks obscured what might have been a smile.

"Not so distant. The Obstine peaks are within sight of Frontier Town. My birthplace was the Obstine Abbey."

 

[Tetra]

Koa listened intently, stifling his impatience. How much small talk did everyone want to make before getting to the point? He shot a brief curious look at Spike. A feral that just hung around? Interesting.

The mention of the Obstine Abbey made his ears prick. "That's where you trained to fight?" he asked, stepping forward and dipping his head in a sort of bow.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"That is correct," said Razael, warmly. "The monastic order there train to hone our aura in a martial tradition. Since serving with the Ranger Union, I have learned a great deal more. Rangers tutor each other in their native styles. Chief Ayda has her own culture of battle, and I have done my best to adapt to the needs of my... vocation. My second calling."

He bowed lightly to Koa, and gestured with his tail and a dip of the head to the riverbank.

"Come, boy. Let us fight."

Ayda cracked her knuckles, and did an enthusiastic hop in place. "What the big fella said, folks! C'mon, let's have at it already!"