bashou: (Default)
Bashou ([personal profile] bashou) wrote in [community profile] farawayplace2023-08-06 10:01 pm

A new adventure...

A. TURNTERRACE ROAD - CLOSED to [personal profile] buson

"I suppose we didn't need this." As they neared the entrance to Turnterrace Tunnel, Bashou folded the map of Ohritori Island. "You must have walked this route all the time when you worked on the farm...?"

He swung his rucksack around to the front of his body so that he could slip the map back into its pocket. His rucksack had some additions, most notably a length of neatly coiled rope and carabiner clips attached to the side. Bashou, too, was dressed differently. His clothes were more form-fitting, not the usual loose and flowy things he'd gotten used to wearing in Ultern. There was a climbing harness around his hips, and a helmet with an integrated torch on his head.

Would there be any climbing involved in this trip? Bashou didn't know for sure. As with all the Mystery Dungeons, it seemed that this one defied any attempts to map beyond its entrance. But he always liked to be prepared, and going into an unchartable cave system felt a lot more dangerous than the unchartable forest island they'd visited last time...


B. ROUTE 5 / CRABRAWLER COAST (BETWEEN PORT OPPORTUNE AND ADANOOK TOWN), CHURA ISLAND - *OPEN!*

[You may want to take care if you wander off the path. Bashou likes to train his Pokémon around here, often with the 'help' of a creepy-looking cloth mannequin for target practice. He's currently focusing on his newest Pokémon, Roselia. She's learning how to use Toxic Spikes! If anyone gets too close, they'll get a glare and a 'tsk'.]

"You nearly got a face full of poisonous thorns. I'm trying to save my Antidotes for real emergencies, so please be more careful next time."
buson: cocky, amused, playful, or proud (sharp grin)

[A; CW reference to violence and murder--only a brief mention, really!]

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-06 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Buson was amused as ever by Bashou's (excessive, in Buson's eyes, but he let him do whatever made him feel safer, with only the lightest teasing) precautions. Buson was only going to use a flashlight (because he thought the helmet torch looked goofy, honestly), but he got a harness and rope to match, even if he didn't expect any climbing.

"Yeah, it's a good shortcut to get to where... you were. On the other end'a this tunnel, you'll find the Miltank dairy farms! A little further off are the rice terraces, worked on those too... it's interesting, not like the rice paddies back home. They got the rice growing in terraces, on different levels of those hills, keeps the water in longer and lets it slowly trickle down, watering all the levels... it was a pain getting them up there, but it's nice makin' something grow... feels good to use my strength for somethin' like that," he said, looking at his upturned palms, grasping at air.

If Bashou had still been silently wondering how Buson found that kind of life, there was his answer. It was hard work and Buson didn't like it as much as the freedom of sailing, but... it was reassuring to help something grow, after spending so long reduced to a weapon that only metes out pain or shears lives short.

They won't have to walk so long, since it's not at the other end of the tunnel, but for now, some conversation...
buson: (separate ways)

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-07 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Buson glanced at Bashou again as he slipped the rucksack back on, and caught the smile.

"That sounds... really nice. I'm glad you have that," he said, picturing the herbs and colourful flowers, and Bashou quietly tending to them in the pale and quiet early morning light... it's a comforting sight.

"Just a little more and we could get one of those little houses in Chura, I got my eye on one... the owner's moving away to Ohritori for work, so, I got a pretty good deal! I think one more paycheck and I should be able to get it."
buson: an even sharper smirk, sinister (heh)

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-08 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)
"That'd be great!" Buson said, grinning widely. "If you helped, maybe we'll have it even sooner... it'll be ours."

He could't know just how excited Bashou is at it, but it's enough to hear him wanting to pitch in... he made the right decision, then! He was excited and happy too, for both the adventure and the possibility of a home. Coming to Chura was a great idea, even if there were relatively few places, it wasn't as expensive as a bustling city, and if was already on good terms with the previous owner...

At Bashou's question, Buson whistled, wondering how much he could get away with not saying—as if he really needed to keep Bashou in suspense!

"Yep, it's another 'you'll know it when you see it' kinda place, Bashou," Buson said, with a lightly teasing tone once again.

Not trying to upset or worry Bashou like the last time, he offered in what he hoped was a reassuring tone, with a light nudge.

"The rocks in the cave glows on its own, like the Midnight Bloom, hence the name. Shimmerstone Cave! You likely won't need a torch, Bashou. They don't know what makes the rocks light up either. Lots'a mysterious places around here, huh? I had a quick look at the entrance when I passed through here when our ship docked in Ohritori... oh, I think it's up ahead!"

There's a faint glow somewhere further down the tunnel, perhaps from the cave entrance in question?

"I didn't bother goin' in because it's another one'a those places that change every time. 'Sides, I had to get back to the ship."
buson: cocky, amused, playful, or proud (sharp grin)

[I love that joke... also, oof, just realized how many typoes were in my last reply]

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-16 03:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Buson just smiled. Of course, it'll be worth it!

Buson laughed at Bashou's joke. The delivery's dry as ever, but it's a light-hearted joke and Buson appreciated it. They're in high spirits!

"That'd be some tea! Nah, we're not here to scrape glowy rock salt, although it sounds like it'd make a fun drink... cooler than the marble in those soda bottles!"

Bashou's assessment was also, of course, spot on!

"Nnnope, we aren't here for just that." he grinned wider. "Seems like Steel types thrive in this place and there's rarer stones here... think we'll find somethin' that'll buff our Pokemon?"

Without further ado... time to venture into the cave! It certainly is a beautiful sight to behold, glowing with its own light. Almost like crystals.
buson: (separate ways)

[1/2]

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-16 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
It was a beautiful sight, wasn't it? A bit bright for Buson, but he still briefly lowered the shades to have a peek at the colours.

"Wow."

As he listened to Bashou's concerns, few tiny Aron skittered by, just out of view, pausing often to watch the two humans from behind the shining stone, and skittering quickly by when they thought they couldn't be seen.

Buson watched one, trying to hide his smile of amusement, that didn't realize he could see it behind his sunglasses. Perhaps Bashou might also see them out of the corner of his eyes!

Seeing Hoenn native Pokemon now felt a little nostalgic!

"... hey."

He noticed Bashou looking uneasy.

"It's gonna be alright. Look, you wanna make a trail to follow? How about we do what wild Ursaring do and claw up our territory?" he suggested with a grin, then brought out a pokeball and tossed it. "C'mon out, Mawile! While we walk, can ya make a little "x" on the wall?"
buson: cocky, amused, playful, or proud (sharp grin)

[2/2]

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-16 06:26 pm (UTC)(link)
He made a swiping motion at the air to convey what that might look like to Mawile.

Mawile listened to the orders very seriously, then nodded dutifully and went up to the cave wall, whipping around and using its jaws to carve two long gashes into the stone.

"... it can't taste anythin' with that mouth, apparently, and those jaws can cut through steel. She'll—uh, whoops, he'll... be fine!"

Dropping his voice low and inching closer to Bashou's side. "Confirmed it when I thought it'd be fun to give Mawile one'a my protein shakes and he politely drank a tiny bit in front of me, then, when he thought I wasn't lookin', dumped the whole thing in his back jaws and looked relieved. It was tryin' so hard not to be rude, it's adorable, but it was hard not to laugh, even if it kinda bugged me at the time."
buson: cool, calm, confident, small smirk. (a well-oiled machine)

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-16 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Bashou's concern did give Buson pause.

"... maybe they'll stick around as long as the path exists for us... I mean, we went back roughly the same way we came on Chichi Island, right? Maybe... if not, well, I guess we'll just have to handle it our way, if we can't be diplomatic."

Mawile didn't hear the earlier conversation, so did not understand Bashou's sympathetic looks, briefly glancing at him out of the corner of his eyes the first time, but otherwise, remained focused on the path. Every time they passed through another opening or tunnel, he carved another cross.

"If I had a second mouth that I couldn't taste with... sharp teeth and jaws that could chomp through steel?"

He smirked, but said nothing, then hummed thoughtfully, clasping his hands behind his head. "Let's see... those jaws make a good can opener! Uncork bottles and stuff too... if I gotta eat, I wanna enjoy what I eat! I'll save it for medicine, cracking stuff open, and maybe doin' tricks."
buson: an even sharper smirk, sinister (heh)

[.... Bashou, no. Please don't encourage this--oh, Buson, not you too! :| ]

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-19 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Buson glanced over his shoulder at Bashou at the nudge, curious, but when he heard his idea, he initially looked amused in a mildly exasperated sort of way... the place was already this strange and Bashou still had doubts about magical places with always changing paths?

But, it wasn't too long when he felt silly believing it and he'd heard of failed attempts at making maps, but, he hadn't seen any himself, so maybe... Bashou had a point. Buson tended to take people at their word a bit more, but Bashou questioned more. Buson was a bit quicker to accept that something wasn't likely to be possible, but Bashou had a great way of making insurmountable, impossible-sounding things... sound possible.

Even if it went nowhere, it was a fun idea to entertain and he could always use the money!

A sharp, wolfish grin spread across his face.

"They'd pay handsomely, especially if there's rare stones and gems to be found, but we'd have to be very careful with who to sell it to, if it reaches too many people, they'll ransack the place, and then, what good'll it be? No use to us! If we mark it up and control how many copies are made, or write it differently for each person, so the average person can't make sense of it, that should slow down the spread considerably, too... don't think someone who'd pay a hefty sum would be quick to hand it out for free, that's rippin' himself off, too, but hey, if some idiot tries to cheat us all out, we could make the old map obsolete. Set traps, collapse a tunnel or two, explosives should still work on these rocks, glowing or not, right?"

He laughed and patted a wall.

"... boom. Then, we'll charge even higher for maps of the new path! We could have several houses! Maybe even a mansion!"
buson: (get the drop on 'em!)

[(villainous) castles in the air; CW: implication of killing... in self-defense, but still]

[personal profile] buson 2023-08-19 04:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"Even better!" Buson said with a howling laugh, clapping his hands together. "... that's way better than relying on a bunch of strangers and this way, we wouldn't even have to change up the place or disturb the wildlife. It'll just be us as suspiciously good guides. If anyone tries to squeeze it out of us, what, like we wouldn't hoard all the stones and gems to ourselves if we knew this place like the back of our hand? Get real!"

Buson kicked a stone. "... if it's a dangerous character, we make it look like an accident easy... treacherous environment, unstable rocks, wild Steel types protectin' their territory... a cryin' shame, but not our fault."

The stone continued to travel, clattering along the way, followed a side tunnel out of view, before hitting something with a much higher sound than the cavern floor or the cave walls, a hollow, almost drum-like sound.

"... hey, did you hear something?"

Maybe there was something to investigate?
Edited (That was contradictory, pfft.) 2023-08-19 16:13 (UTC)
buson: confused, might be genuine or mocking (???)

[(lovingly) they're so messed-up]

[personal profile] buson 2023-10-02 02:03 am (UTC)(link)
"Sure," Buson nodded, and proceeded carefully, Mawile marking the wall before hurrying to their sides.

The hollow sound might have come from striking a part of the cave wall, the translucent and crystalline nature of which, allowed a near-uninterrupted view of a Mega Stone, not too deeply incased. A little bit of chipping away should reach it.

"Hey, Bashou! Looks like we found some jewel already... looks like... amber, almost, but there's something interesting at the heart of it."

Bashou's guess, however, wasn't wrong, as there was also... a large, sleeping Steelix coiled up front of it looked rather irritable, watching them both with one eye. The stone Buson kicked seemed to have annoyed it...
buson: fang-like gritted teeth, mid-battle (all-out fight)

[we move!]

[personal profile] buson 2023-10-16 09:05 am (UTC)(link)
Buson tensed at the sound Bashou made, although he was captivated by the gleaming jewel, he had to turn to see what prompted it. Oh.

The Steelix, now, on top of being annoyed, looked offended at Bashou's eye-roll and lazy, cat-like blink. What was that...?! Were they not taking it seriously?

Its tail twitched and Buson, rather than reply, opted to just shove Bashou as he ran back to where they were before, Mawile leaping after them.]

Slow it down!

[Mawile dutifully sliced and kicked aside some large stones to seal a little less than half the entrance to Steelix's area, to distract it. It could probably easily crunch through them, but they just needed the time to run and take a different route, losing it down some other paths. Unfortunately, this gave Mawile little time to mark anything except once!

They might be... slightly lost.]
buson: amused, sidelong glance (Default)

[personal profile] buson 2023-10-23 06:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Bashou was a lot faster, so it took Buson a little longer to catch up, although he was just happy everyone made it through in one piece.

No longer hearing Steelix behind him, Buson slowed, but didn't stop, deciding to continue ahead in shorter bursts, and to simply walk when he could. He wasn't sure if Steelix's hearing might be more attuned to pinpointing prety (he had to admit, to a Pokemon that large, they might as well be, even if it wasn't exactly predatory, subsisting on rocks and soil) in these tunnels.

Walking allowed him to see the lights, although he hadn't found Mawile yet. Should he whistle? Was that sound too distinctly human? It sure would be nice if he still had a recorded Pokemon call or something to play... or a call or lure or something...

He quietly made his way over, gripped the wall and casually leaned, smling down at Bashou.

"Am I cleared to land?" he asked jokingly, before glancing back.

"... I can't hear Mawile. Wonder where that guy went... it was keepin' up 'til just now, so I don't think that Steelix got it..."

Should they lie low for a bit? It's quiet... or go look?
buson: (B&B watchful)

[personal profile] buson 2023-10-23 09:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"Save it," Buson insisted firmly. "... sorry I made fun of it earlier. It really was useful even with all these glowing rocks."

"Remind me, Claudia is...?"

One of Bashou's Pokemon, clearly, but the Bashou in his world didn't name his Pokemon so much, so it's a little hard for him to tell. (He wouldn't have any idea that this one was named by the Buson in Bashou's world!)

"I was thinkin' a Pokemon call might be subtler... maybe we could even ask one'a our Steel types to call Mawile, they wouldn't attract so much attention, but Mawile'd know their voices, right? Maybe our Pokemon could work together."

Buson waited to see what Claudia might be before selecting a Pokemon himself.

(no subject)

[personal profile] buson - 2023-11-21 19:24 (UTC) - Expand