( closed )

[regression]

Who: Yoo Joonghyuk, Kim Dokja, Han Sooyoung, Fai, Hythlo
Where: PARTY AT THE WEST RUINS
When: November, after the previous ruin expedition? i don't know
What: They're going to search for the gym leader! Maybe learn more about the Truth in the ruins. Gonna become the new protagonists of the Indiana Jones movie.

[ Hello, this is the preamble of the log. Joonghyuk has rounded his closest companions (Dokja and Sooyoung) and... Some people he somewhat likes. With Fai having confirmed to have regained some of his powers last month, then Hythlo's sixth sense, he thinks they would be useful for the expedition. What Joonghyuk doesn't know is that this will be a complete disaster.

Joonghyuk, however, has done his best to keep chaos to a minimum with the amount of supplies he has prepared. Yes, it includes desert survival clothing. He's quite adamant on preparation, almost rabid, but who wants to die in the desert? Who even wants to die? ]

investigation | beginning | fai & hythlo split | yjh & hsy split | rendezvous

Comments

this is prob just for bullshit cr shenanigans

[weenwoon]

[It has been a few days since Hythlo's domestic drama, and he's thankfully been feeling a lot better than he has for the past month. So when approached by Joonghyuk to go explore the ruins (and given the fact that he dragged poor Chimecho out of the gym for SOME reason) together with "others", Hythlo didn't take long to agree, especially when it turned out Fai was one of the others. Hien fussed over them both, offloading a bunch of items on them and explaining as much as he knows about Pokemon, so with Joonghyuk's obsessive preparation the chances of anything happening to the group seem absolutely remote.

...Or at least they seemed remote to Hythlo, up until the moment they met up and it turned out she is somehow part of the group. He's even more grateful for the mask than ever, his displeasure only manifesting in his body tensing and his face locking down as he pointedly looks past Sooyoung. Oh well, she's short, with any luck he won't even notice her. Instead, he gives yjh a wave.]

Master Joonghyuk! 'Tis a pleasure to see you again. How may we be of service?

[Chimecho is hiding in the recesses of Hythlo's hood - his robes were also the more practical choice of wear for going through the desert itself, given the wind and the sand, and the tinkly Pokemon isn't big on either of those. It chimes a little in greeting, but mostly it wants to nap.]

[regression]

[ Joonghyuk arches a brow when he sees how Hythlo reacts to one of his companions, but... Eh. He knows Sooyoung is difficult to like or get along with. It's okay. It's also her own fault for being short. While he finds Hythlo to be an airhead, he has some leads and also the gym leader's Pokemon on him. It's difficult not to bring him along. ]

We're going to look for the gym leader.

[ Simple! Minji is also wearing some desert gear, though it'll be difficult to not catch sand in her fur. However, she refuses to stay in her Pokeball. She wants to be where the action is. ]

We also might learn more about legendary Pokemon along the way. There's a chance what we learn may be useful.

[ He readjusts his bag... Then feels that he has to iterate this: ]

No suicidal missions.

[ Don't mind if he leers at Dokja and Hythlo. ]

[weenwoon]

[Hythlo only laughs and throws his hands up in a mock gesture of submission at that remark.]

Yes, yes~ After all, our dear Hien swore to drag both myself and Fai back from the Underworld, should aught happen to us.

[He throws a curious glance at Dokja, though. Hythlo doesn't know him, but the fact that they are apparently united in selfless tendencies is interesting. It would be rude to ask about it outright, however, so he just gestures to the Chimecho, who is trying to avoid the wind-whipped sand.]

How should we approach it? Shall we have our lovely guide, er, guide us?

BEGINNING - "THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE"

[regression]

[ After figuring out how to open the door to these ruins, Joonghyuk takes a look around... Except it's dark. Let's hope no one bumps into the other right now as they should be taking out flashlights and/or their cellphones.

Just in case, he might as well start a roll call. ]

Is everyone still here?

FAI & HYTHLO SPLIT

[regression]

JOONGHYUK & "SOOYOUNG" SPLIT

[regression]

WE ARE LITERALLY LOST

[regression]

[authoriser]

It's been ten seconds, Yoo Joonghyuk. We're not gonna die so easily.

[ She gets out a lighter and turns it on, since that's easy to access while the others can get out their various forms of other lighting. ]

[regression]

Some of you are more inclined.

[ He isn't pointing at anyone, but! Just so she knows.

Joonghyuk tosses a Pokeball and out comes his houndour. She quickly huffs an ember just for a short burst of light so people can easily look for whatever they need. ]

[weenwoon]

[For once, Hythlo agrees with hsy, but absolutely refuses to admit or acknowledge it even to himself. Instead he takes out his tomestone, the screen glowing gently in the dark, and activates the beam with a lazy swipe. Despite the fact that he's been trying to avoid Sooyoung as much as possible, the brief milling in the dark was enough to disturb the balance of the group, so the bright bluish light ends up being beamed directly at the side of Sooyoung's face.

Instead of trying to move it, he decides to answer Joonghyuk's remark.]

Now, master Joonghyuk, that's a little harsh, is it not?

[authoriser]

[ Sooyoung's avatar has been pretty productive for the five minutes she's been out by inspecting the ruin walls, trying to make sense of the pathways, the way the ground starts to decline... Although Joonghyuk probably would have been fine by himself, this way, the actual Sooyoung could pass the necessary messages between herself, Joonghyuk, and Dokja easily. She would have made another avatar for the route Fai and Hythlo went, but she figures that was a lost cause and decided not to. Though, Sooyoung's avatar is pretty quiet and isn't actually picking fights with Joonghyuk anyway. This expedition is important, despite Sooyoung's thoughts on the matter.

But from how it acts, it looks like it has a decent amount of memories into this one at least. Sooyoung wouldn't leave a sitting duck with Yoo Joonghyuk to burden him when she needs him to actually not be so burdened. ]

[authoriser]

[ She just frowns when that light is basically all up in her face from the side, so she moves a step in further so that Joonghyuk can stand between her and that heathen light. ]

[regression]

... He shouldn't be the one to talk, either.

[ Joonghyuk saw Hien's wounds and just thinking about it makes him close his eyes, but he isn't going to go into it. Fai doesn't get that much of his ire on this.

Turning to the Chimecho, he arches his eyebrows. He had thought Hythlo meant like... a real guide, but maybe? He has done something useful? ]

Is that one of the gym leader's Pokemon?

[regression]

[ ....... Sooyoung has never hid behind him before? Should he feel anything (aside from used)? ]

We don't know what can happen in this world.

[ Disappearing within ten seconds in isn't uncommon or strange to him. It happens. There are traps in ruins. Videogames taught him this?

Anyway, he takes out something from his back and pats his Houndour. She lights it up and this whole foyer area is lit. ]

Especially with Pokemon that can twist our perception.

yjh stop thinking hythlo is a dumbass challenge!!!

[weenwoon]

[Well, he can't blame yjh there... Hythlo, too, worries about Hien a lot.]

'Tis true. Hien was content to sleep outside with a great fever. We all three of us are much better at taking care of others than of ourselves...

[Chimecho chimes at Joonghyuk. It's the guide, alright.]

Ah, indeed. I helped a young lady find her way into the gym--she wanted to look for the leader, as well, but with the gym closed it was difficult for her alone. Chimecho was one of the Pokemon we met there and asked for help.

let's see if he'll succeed

[regression]

[ His stare stays leveled and flat, not saying more about the three of them taking better care of each other. Joonghyuk doesn't know them all too well, though he has better opinion of Fai (he is merely "annoying"). ]

One of the Pokemon?

[ His expression does soften, almost impressed and not at all Shocked that Hythlo would go do crimes. If it gets the job done, it gets the job done. ]

Why didn't you bring them all?

[ Might as well. ]

[afterword]

Joonghyuk-ah's imagination just happens to run a little wild is all.

[ Yes, hello, Dokja peeks in with a shine of his cell phone, having peeked around a corner elsewhere before rejoining with Siwoo settled on his shoulders. At sight of the rest of the group the Eevee starts to wag his tail happily despite the situation. ]

It surprisingly feels a little nice in here? [ Haha, weird. ]

[authoriser]

[ Joonghyuk should absolutely feel used, because she's using him as a barrier in a subtle way because she doesn't need to stars when they barely took many steps into the ruins already. She gives Dokja a Look though. ]

You want to make this your new home, Kim Dokja? Yoo Joonghyuk would kill you.

[ Anyway, she's going to take the lead and go further inside now that people have some sort of light source out. She puts her lighter away into her hoodie pocket, since it's no longer needed. ]

[regression]

[ As if to really emphasize what Sooyoung said or maybe he thinks that Dokja hasn't heard it? No, he doesn't care if Hythlo and Fai have to witness it.

This should be expected, anyway: ]

I will kill you, Kim Dokja.

[authoriser]

[ Sooyoung had been waiting outside after using an Escape Rope, because like hell she'd walk all the way to the entrance. She's not going to waste time walking, but she just waits for everyone outside instead. If they don't end up coming back eventually... well... maybe sand graves would be appropriate to set up here. (no) ]

[regression]

[ This silence between them is familiar to him... It reminds him of the time they spent after the scenarios ended, after they realized what was wrong with Dokja. It was comfortable, though sad.

This time, it doesn't have the same sorrow. They're just being productive. ]

It keeps branching.

[ The paths. This is... which branch? Third? Yes. He has been keeping count. ]

[regression]

[ Joonghyuks comes out not too long after. Hello! Of course Sooyoung is the first one to get out... He would say that she's the first to flee when convenient and appropriate.

Anyway— ]

There are too many paths.

[authoriser]

[ Being productive is a great way to avoid being sad in the first place, so productivity is great for people like them. But then again... that part when yjh raided a fucking museum out of nowhere probably... counts for something, yet not at the same time. But it's not like Joonghyuk is stressing her out particularly, so it's fine. It's whatever. Sooyoung's avatar nods, crosses her arms, and thinks. ]

I bet it would be the same no matter which one we end up going to.

[ And from peeking in, it doesn't look like there are any intersections with previous paths either. Spatial-wise, that doesn't seem to make sense with the other factors. ]

[regression]

[ He stands at their new branch, looking at one, then the other. His Houndour tries to sniff something out, but doesn't notice anything strange. ]

Do you think this may be an illusion? Considering this is a psychic-related ruin...

[ Since October, Joonghyuk is more cautious. Pokemon can be cute, they can be helpful, but they can seriously trick them. These everyday creatures can be extremely powerful.

To think this is a mental maze wouldn't be far-fetched. A ruin has to have limits in space... Though. They don't even know how large this place is. ]

[authoriser]

[ Considering the actual Sooyoung has a Ditto, she's been convinced of that fact since day one. The avatar looks thoughtful. ]

Since it's psychic-related, I wouldn't put it past its defensive mechanisms.

[ Considering what people went through during the Mango Pandemonium just several weeks ago. Anyway, she gets out a knife. This avatar is the one that has her knife... anyway, she makes a very small nick on the ground. The Chimecho isn't here and glowing things are too noticeable. Surely, Joonghyuk will be able to see the small mark in case he needs to go. Maybe it'll be useless since it could all be an illusion, but that's all the more reason to not listen to a windchime with a face. ]