Sosio and Ares: The climb

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After their long and treacherous battle with the leader of the dungeon and his fiendish minions, they had discovered the pokemon was guarding a staircase. Whatever was beyond here was the summit, and this wouldn't take long, but it was going to be hard finding their way. The Fletchling flew up, blinking back at the darkness.
At least the Charmander's tail would light the way.
She turned around, checking on the pokemon. Who knew if they would encounter pokemon or items here, but the winding tunnels would be hard enough as it is. The only question was where to turn first.

There was a great throbbing and stinging sensation that bubbled up in his chest cavity. It wasn't something he couldn't handle - he had suffered much worse at the hands of several of his own peers - but the sheer sensation of the power behind that hit was enough to cause a great deal of surprise. He was short of breath already, but this made things even worse. Ares could barely sustain any air he took in, and this was something that made it difficult to conjure forth even a petty flame. Sosio, however, was relying on him: he would not let her down.

His hands curled into tiny, tight fists as he attempted to charge up a Dragon Pulse, maintaining enough concentration in order to cause the pearl-like sphere to come into existence. It sparked with instability, and was propelled away from his body in a hasty fashion. The Charmander would allow himself to drop to a single knee as the ball of dragon-based energy exploded against the Drilbur. Its screech was enough to confirm a hit for him, and it quickly dug away. An item was promptly released from its possession, and it dropped nearby. Ares would push himself to his feet, grab the item, and make his way to Sosio.

A growl warbled on his voice, "What now?" The Sableye had lost an eye, and it stumbled about in search of it.

This dice is not existing.

She hoped Ares would be fine. It must be tough getting hit so hard by a super-effective move. Sosio wouldn't know how to cope if that happened to her. The pokemon here could know some rock-type moves. She watched his tail fire decrease quite a bit, but the flame wasn't too low. She knew he would be fine. She watched him blast the powerful royal blue pulse at the pokemon, who was quick to retreat.
Ought to teach him not to mess with us...
She watched him retrieve an item the pokemon had dropped, appearing very rare, and they continued the battle as the Sableye finally found its eye.

All of the fletchling's moves wouldn't do anything, so she was left to just using growl and snatch. Starting with growl, Sosio anticipated that the pokemon would have plenty of powerful moves, and growl was pretty much the only thing she could do. The pokemon came at her with slashing claws, but she swooped elegantly out of the way. The Sableye must have given up on the bird due to her flight advantage, because he flew head-first towards the Charmander with a zen headbutt. Acting quickly, Sosio dove into its way and countered it with tackle, just to slow it down a bit for the lizard pokemon to get out of the way. Her beak eventually couldn't hold its power any longer and was sent backwards. This didn't stop the Fletchling. She growled and held it for every turn, or at least until its attack was lowered fully. Now Ares can easily finish off the ghost-type.
I can't wait to learn peck!

A disc was visible in his hand before it was swiftly deposited into the folds of his Joy Ribbon. He would have loved to have attempted to make it work - or see if it did anything other than just remain a disc - but now was not the time. Though one opponent had been driven away from the battlefield, another remained: a Sableye that seemed to fit the stereotype of all Ghost-type of being creepy and peculiar. It had finally located the jewel that acted as its way to see the world around it and was shoving it back into place.

Gross.

By the time in the battle in which the Sableye attempted to smack him with a Zen Headbutt, Ares was already having a hard time. The difficulty that had presented itself with breathing was blazingly apparent as he failed to make his legs move the way he wanted. He was a clear target, for his health and strength were openly visible through the tiny, burning ember that was originally a blazing flame. He barely would have had anytime to react should Sosio not have slowed down the attacker, enabling him to stumble awkwardly to one side. Great, this is what he hated: being a hinderance. The Charmander would cumbersomely fire a spray of flames in an Ember attack in an attempt to hit the Sableye. Damn that Drilbur!

Sosio watched as Ares had found yet another disc. It was orange and quite interesting. It reflected the little light that came from the Charmanders small burning tip. He was lucky they were in a place with no rain, but there was little Oxygen for it to burn, too.
If I evolve, I would be a fire-type and I would know ember. Charmander needs energy...
After the Sableye had re-entered with its eye snapped back in place, Sosio had stopped its headbutt attempt.

Charmander attacked it with an ember, which fortunately landed and dealt a great deal of damage. It appeared to be left with a burn, because it flinched back, holding where it was hit. Still holding her growl, the Fletchling finally decided to stop and come in for a snatch before the burn finished it off. She swooped in and took an item, which it had on its ghostly side, and she flew away with it. Ares looks quite unwell, which is unfortunate for the strong Charmander. Sosio was pretty sure that Ares is stronger than her, but she's unsure. The sableye finally took its last hit before it ran away, cackling and backing through the wall before disappearing.
"Freak. Hey, what level are you, anyway?"
She hoped he didn't mind her asking, but she did give him his first Joy Ribbon. She patted her own which fit nicely atop her head, investigating the item she just stole from the wild pokemon

This dice is not existing.

Sableyes were particularly creepy. Should one determine the need for a creature to pretend to be undead, such Pokemon would feel right at home. Their movements were rigid at best and clumsy at worst, which made them seem sporadic and quite random. Perhaps their limbs were not controlled by the brain that seemingly existed within their polygon like cranium, for things with intelligence and healthy central nervous systems did not act like these things - nor could they pop their eyes back in, for that matter.

Ares seemed to have been particularly lucky with that Ember attack, for a darkening of the enemy's tissue was visible. It was indicative of a burn, and certainly showed what a good fire-based assault could do. As Sosio continued her Growl, it appeared that further action would not be necessary: the Sableye, snickering and rigidly moving, suddenly let out a yelp as the first damage tick from its burn was inflicted. It let out a nervous yelp before retreating into the darkness. While his feathered companion had the ability to pilfer items directly out of an opponent's inventory, Ares was left doing things the old fashioned way: picking dropped objects from off the ground. As his claws closed around the shadowed item, he would hear her question.

"I'm level nine," he would say with a great deal of thought, "or at least I think I am, anyways. My people don't generally measure level - just how brightly our flames glow."

This dice is not existing.

Sosio watched the creepy pokemon run away, relieved as it yelped frantically, giving in. That burn would definitely leave some sort of scar. It wouldn't heal for a long time. The Venusaurs had told Sosio a lot about fire, since it was one of the grass-types' weaknesses, but once Sosio evolves, it won't be much of a concern. He had found yet another rare item, stooping over to retrieve it. He answered her question.
"I was right. You are stronger than me."
She looked at the Charmander. It wouldn't be much longer until level 10 for him, which means he's getting closer to evolution. 10 more levels to go for Sosio.

They continued, and the slope gradually got steeper. She came to a full halt. The walk-able path had come to a stop. Above them was a vertical tunnel, leading up into more darkness.
"Maybe we went the wrong way... Or... They dug like that on purpose so pokemon can't make it up there. What should we do?"

Ares had experienced a great deal during that adventure. He had been bruised, punched, beaten: pretty much every possible aggressive act that involved hammering against another creature's body had been done to him. It was becoming more apparent that this was some insane method in which the universe demanded that he pay for the items he would receive, that for each rare item he managed to find, another pound of flesh would be damaged and bloodied. If that was the case, he realized as he picked up a particularly dark piece of fabric - a Lunar Ribbon - off of the ground, he was not incredibly inclined to keep up this adventure. Hopefully it would begin to be less painful.

"Strength isn't a matter of levels," he would chide, his head snapping back to face her directly, "it's a mixture of prowess, strategy, and guile. Someone with a lot of levels under their belt can be brought to their knees by someone half their supposed strength so long as that challenger is capable of harnessing their innate abilities. Just like you can." A smile dripping with kind encouragement saturated his face as he rose to his feet, experiencing a sharp pain in his thoracic region.

Their continued march through the never-ending tunnels once more reached a screeching halt as a gaping hole expanded before them. A silent howl greeted them as a long gone wind beckoned the from below. Sosio asked for his advice. He honestly had no idea. "Well, you have wings. Maybe you could check out how it looks?"

Ares was pretty banged up from the adventure, and it looked like he could sure use some aid. If only there were a Chansey or some other healing pokemon. Not that they would help; they would probably attack if they were wild. He kept going, though, so she didn't worry. The pokemon found a blue-ish white ribbon that gleamed in moonlight. She listened to him thoughtfully with his interpretations of strength, and answered him.
"It's not quite a matter of strength I was talking about, more about evolution."
She ruffled her feathers and blinked happily and suddenly shy at his comment about her. When they approached the upwards tunnel, he made a great recommendation. This excited her, and she flapped her wings.
"Sounds good. That way you can keep an eye out down here while I investigate up there."

She bravely flew up the dark tunnel. Pokemon must really not have wanted pokemon to get here because it was really tall. When she was finally out of the tunnel, it was hard to see.
I really wish I had Ares' fire with me...
Ember would've helped, but she adjusted to the darkness. It was a room, rectangular. It was a shape appealing to the eye, drawing her forward. It looked even better because there was a silver chest exactly in the center. It was locked.
Is that all that's in here? No traps or guard pokemon?
Pokemon must have been fools to leave a chest out in the open. Unless it was the chest itself that was a trap. When she turned around to go back, she noticed a tunnel carved, hidden in the wall her back was facing when she had first entered, among the shadows and pressed against the ceiling. She wanted to explore it. This tunnel had a nice even slope to it, leading upwards in a straight path. At one point, it began to swirl, the swirl getting smaller and smaller as she increased in height. Her ear buds felt clogged in the air pressure, and so she ear-sneezed to make the awkward sensation to go away. Finally at the top, the tunnel was vertical, but only half a meter tall, at that, easy to climb out of. Above, she saw the full moon. She could barely believe it. It looked like it was about to meet the center of the sky, marking midnight. When it would, the moon light would flow directly into the tunnel, filling the entire maze with its beautiful light. She couldn't wait to tell Ares, but there was one problem: she would have to find another way for Charmander to go.

His recommendation - though inexperienced a mere guess at best - seemed to be the best option available and was promptly awarded a satisfying approval from Sosio. He responded to her flapping her wings the same way he would if someone were openly applauding him: a slight dip of his skull would ensue as a single, clawed hand would scratch at the nape of his neck. It was good for her to be able to do something she excelled at, and it was excellent for him to be able to do what he did best. Any opposition that would approach would have to deal with him - not that this was particularly reassuring. Ares was, after all, still a haggard mess in comparison to his flying compatriot. Though the initial sting from his injuries had subsided, there was still a sharp reminder of the inflicted damage every time he inhaled.

Off she went, flittering upwards into the darkness that not even his tiny, pathetic flame could illuminate. His jowl was twisted in an unsatisfied, disgruntled fashion as he gazed on towards the abyss. Why couldn't they have taken a sojourn to a paradise-like island. His voice would call forth from his roost, indicating his curiosity and genuine uncertainty, "What's going on up there? How does it look?"

She swirled back down the tunnels, spiraling in the air and swooping speedily into the chest room, turning around only to stop herself and crash into a nearby wall.
"Everything's fine, nothing bad. I only flew in here so quickly to report that I found... ooh, it's so amazing. In a while, the moon should light up the tunnels, and I saw the moon, through the top of the mountain, and... we need to find another way to the top!"
excited by her discovery, she knew it might take a while to find their way, but if she worked backwards from the tunnels, she could find a one way route to Charmander! He could explore all he wants while Sosio does this. She knew since the tunnels only split for the way they were facing, if you come from the other way around, all the forks would be behind her. The way she worded this in her head didn't make much sense, but the actual idea did. It would be so the pokemon who dug the tunnels would only have to go straight through the tunnels to get out, while the pokemon that would come in would have to face all the obstacles. She explained this thoroughly to Ares.
"So, what do you think? Should we split up?"

Her peppy, cheerful voice was admittedly refreshing, and her discovery was absolutely revitalizing. The excitement in her voice was almost palpable, and caused a surge of energy to pulse through Ares's veins. Truly something wonderful was lingering up in a place he could not easily ascend to, and it made him exceedingly eager to get to the top in any fashion possible. She wouldn't be able to see his body language reaction from her altitude, but he was showing all the visible signs of excited anticipation. Her description was enough for him to temporarily ignore the pain and feel energized.

Sosio's suggestion, however, was taken with great hesitancy. He was obviously not in his top condition - he probably wouldn't be until he found some sort of way to heal himself - but the logic of the situation dictated that this was the best possible alternative. Ares probably wouldn't explore too much in fear of drawing attention to himself, but Sosio was small and versatile enough to maneuver through the dark recesses of the cavern to find another path. She was skilled. He was skilled. They could make this work.

With a painful inhale, he would allow his voice to carry upwards to her, "Go find a way. I'll search around here for some treasure in the meantime." He was a drake, after all: sparkly things kept him entertained and entranced for hours.

Entirely ecstatic by hearing his response, Sosio's wings flapped in a heartbeat and she was off. Nothing had prepared her more for this adventure. The peak was so close, and to think all she had to do was go straight. Although... It would be a problem if she ever encountered a ghost-type pokemon. In fact, she had never thought about that until now.
Surely my speed can surpass that of the enemy's, and most of their attacks can't land on me, either.
She hoped she wouldn't have to encounter any, but the chances were low. Flying back up through the narrow tunnel, she made her way back into the room. There were only two ways: the way where Ares was and the way to the top. Using all her strength, she pushed the metal out of the way to reveal yet another tunnel.
Knew it...
Hopping down, she blindly walked onward. The dirt was very thick and dry, and some crumbled off the ceilings and walls as she moved on. She scratched the wall, leaving a mark.
We'll know this is the right way. I could do that at all the intersections.
The tunnel winded up an down, like the pokemon who dug it didn't know where to go. Sosio felt like she was in a giant ant mound. She began to wonder how Ares was doing. That brave pokemon could be battling it out like he was the ruler of the world, retrieving riches, claiming cash, and grabbing gold.

That was a splendid question: what was the young Fire-type doing?

While Sosio was off finding a path for them to both travel along to reach the peak and had left his words hanging, Ares waited for what seemed a couple of minutes before stirring at all. His claws, curled and sharp, scratched idly at his belly. This action was promptly halted as pain surged from the region and he was brutally reminded that such movements would stir up issues in his injured area. Naturally, such a conclusion would limit what he could do in the interim, and he would attempt to keep impatience and boredom at bay by sitting down upon the cold, damp ground and entertaining himself.

The Charmander's legs were spread forth in an obtuse angle before him, his tail curled in an organic shape behind him. The little flame burned intensely - yet tentatively - upon its tip as his eyes searched for something interesting to toy around with. At first, nothing of great importance trigged his curiosity: rocks, stones, pebbles, boulders, and more rocks. The more he investigated, however, the more shapes seemed to pop out towards him. One such item was within reach, and he extended a single hand towards it so that he might grip it.

This dice is not existing.

Sosio, hopping along the shady dry tunnels, came across her first intersection. The intersection choices, however, were behind her, so it looked like three tunnels intersecting into one where she was coming from: backwards. That way, the pokemon looking for the top would have a hard time, while the pokemon coming back would only have to go one way. She scratched the side of the tunnel she came from, then turned around to continue, when she was halted by a presence. It was a pokemon's presence, and it wasn't too friendly.

This dice is not existing.

A red and steel box had been picked up by Ares. Something inside of it rattled as he picked it up, and thus he attempted to open it. Just like a chest he had obtained earlier, this strongbox failed to yield its treasures and contents to a more than willing receiver: he attempted to use his teeth, vainly picked at the round lock with a single claw on his index finger, and even tried to smash it open with brute force with a nearby rock. The Charmander would eventually forfeit and give up his futile and fruitless efforts, allowing the box to be safely concealed back within the folds of the fabric about his neck.

Someone had to know how to open these vexing things!

As the lizard's eyes refocused onto the darkness that enveloped his surroundings, his thoughts strayed back to Sosio. Genuine concern flushed over his face as he realized that some time had passed. What was she up to?