Starting Line (Open)

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Lumina was stationed in front of a forest, her same old perpetual frown on her face. This Mystery Dungeon seemed nice enough; it was bright and sunny, with green leaves and seemingly weak Pokemon inside. But the Vulpix knew better than to let down her guard, lest she end up fainting and making herself look like a fool.

The reason she came here, to Pecha Forest, was twofold. On one hand, she had always been interested in Mystery Dungeons. This seemed like as good a time as ever to get a chance to explore one. If there was one positive to her new home in Grassveil, it was that there was a pair of Mystery Dungeons right at her doorstep.

On the other hand, she just needed a break from the hustle and bustle of the town. She was already in a better mood, now that she had some room to breathe.

Lumina had decided to tackle the easier of the two Mystery Dungeons first; it just seemed logical to her. And so here she was, ready as ever to get the job done. The Fox Pokemon padded into the forest, her eyes narrowed as she silently scanned for any sign of trouble.

(Energy: 11/16)

Varda gave Lumina another nod, seemingly always nodding when someone repeated what he said and it had been right – at least according to the bird. And he certainly was happy to help! Here, he was sure he had helped both the fox and Violet! Lumina had been very interested and if she did go visit the Dojo and actually trained... Violet would get some money, which she surely would enjoy! Or maybe she just liked to train other Pokémon. Whatever it was, she had opened the Dojo and the Swablu assumed she had done it because something about it was enjoyable to her.

"No problem!" Varda chirped cheerfully, happy to have been thanked and done something nice to Lumina,
"I didn't know they had one either until I stumbled into it," the bird let out a little chirpy laugh as he jumped from foot to foot in place, hopping in his happiness. Violet certainly had seemed like the right kind of Pokémon to run into early on, this way he could offer many his help! Or well, at least the knowledge of Violet's abilities...
"I have tried finding some rare berries for her to grow, but it seems like Pecha Forest just doesn't have anything rare enough..."

As Varda spoke, Lumina nodded to show she was listening. "Hmm... where could one find some rare berries? You're right, Pecha Forest doesn't exactly seem like the kind of place to contain anything especially rare. Too many Pokémon come through here." She noted. This was one of the easier Mystery Dungeons, or at least, that was the word on the wind. It only made sense that those who weren't very confident in their abilities would make this their first stop.

It seemed like the more time she spent with Varda, the more things ended up on her mental to-do list. She would like to talk with the Guildmaster, see if she could get an appointment at the dojo, and possibly enter a more challenging Mystery Dungeon. But Lumina supposed that she was planning on doing the last of those things once she was done with Pecha Forest, anyways.

(Energy: 7)

Varda shook his head a bit, unfortunately not knowing the answer to that question. If he knew where he could find rare berries, he probably would be going after them right now instead of walking in Pecha Forest. Or maybe not. The forest was rather close to Grassveil Town after all, so it was such an easy stop for so many different things... But not rare berries.
"I guess this forest is too close to Grassveil Town," the Swablu cooed, saying what he had realized a while ago himself. Not only did the forest seem to lack those rare berries – they wouldn't be rare if everyone was picking them, after all – it also seemed to be lacking in berries, period. It was rather rare for him to find berries, at least...

"I haven't really asked where I could find something more special, maybe I should," the bird Pokémon did seem to realize something new this time however, even if it was something completely obvious. He hadn't, however, even thought of asking someone else where he should be going!
"I think it means you have to go really far to find them, though! I was thinking of taking some Guild job just so I can help someone else while looking for berries. I think it sounds like a good idea!"


Current Energy: 8 (7 +1 from new page)

"Hmm..." Lumina had to be honest with herself, she had no clue where to find rare berries, either. It wasn't exactly her problem, because she wasn't the one who was looking for them, but it still would've been a nice thing to know. She could've used them on her explorations, or maybe sold them for a good price.

She had drifted off into her own thoughts for a moment before she snapped back into reality. Varda was almost finished talking, this time saying that it would be a good idea to take a job while he was hunting for berries. "Taking a guild job while you're in here would be a good idea, if you like to help others while you're exploring. You seem like the type who would do that." Lumina, on the other hand, didn't care too much about helping total strangers. But the reward still would've been nice, if she had been a guild Pokémon.

She went back to wondering where a good place to find berries would be, but she couldn't come up with anything. She doubted that there was much sunlight past the thick canopy in Shadowhue, and that would mean the berry plants would likely have trouble growing. The same went for that cave that lead from Grassveil to Rainfront, the berries would have a tough time growing a cave. And Lumina didn't know any other Mystery Dungeons close to her new home.

Varda's eyes seemed to get brighter when the Pokémon he had always seen as very smart complimented his plan for doing Guild jobs while hunting for berries, thinking that it was a good idea. It was like two birds with one stone – figuratively speaking, of course. If Lumina thought it was smart, then surely it was. He trusted her opinion and knew he couldn't go wrong as long as he followed that! It was his new plan now, and hopefully he could help Violet as well the next time he left Grassveil Town!

"I'll take a look at the board right away when we get back!" The Swablu exclaimed, seeming to be quite excited to get right on that,
"...Or maybe I should do that tomorrow. I am getting a bit tired," he added once he seemed to calm down a bit, his seemingly endless energy and chipper mood obviously starting to run out after such a long trip in the forest. After all, he couldn't go to Pecha Forest on a mission, as he had already figured he wouldn't find anything rare there. And everything else would be so far away that Varda had to make sure he wouldn't be completely tired once he got there!

"I hope the other places aren't too dangerous," he cooed, wondering as his gaze rose up to the sky, looking at the wispy clouds drifting lazily through the gaps in the canopy. Perhaps Pecha Forest had gotten a bit hairy during that last encounter. And this forest was supposed to be peaceful... What else could there be waiting for him?

Lumina closed her eyes, trying to find a good way to word what she was going to say next. "I think the other Mystery Dungeons will be dangerous, Varda. This is supposedly the easiest one, but remember how that Murkrow and Weepinbell gave us some trouble. That's why you can't underestimate these places." She explained as she walked. The end of Pecha Forest couldn't be too far now, they had been here for quite a while.

"... But that's part of being an explorer, you know?" The Vulpix added with a wry smile. "You brave places like that to help others, for the glory, or for the treasures you could find inside. All three reasons apply, for some." Lumina purposefully left out the fact that she didn't really fit into any of those camps. Why was her motivation a mystery to even her? It shouldn't have been that way. The smile twitched off her face as she looked back at Varda. "So yes, Mystery Dungeons will be dangerous, very much so. But whether they're 'too dangerous' depends on you to decide."

Why she had decided to tell the Swablu that much, the vixen was unsure. But it felt like something that he should know, if he hadn't discovered as much himself. That was one of the many things that her mother had taught her, and it had served her well ever since.

PhantomSun carried out 1 launched of one Pecha Forest :

Varda started to look a bit more concerned as his brow furrowed slightly, not liking the sound of things actually getting dangerous. He had wondered about it, yes, but he didn't know if he wanted an answer – or if it was just this one he had wanted to avoid. It wasn't a good sign if he was struggling with something that was considered the "easiest". After all, Pecha Forest was a bright and pleasant forest... Most of the time. How bad would the other places look, then...?

But the Swablu cooed in wonder as Lumina continued her explanation, talking what being an explorer was about. He immediately looked brighter as he listened, enjoying the wise words. He had never thought too long about becoming an explorer. He had kind of been roped into it, but he didn't mind. What it did mean however, was that Varda never really had thought what it meant to be an explorer. And perhaps now, he understood. He would go to those dangerous places because the Pokémon asking for help couldn't do it, for one reason or another.

"I see! That makes sense," the little bird nodded,
"I'll just try to be well prepared and maybe pack a lot of food with me. And run away if there's too many Pokémon. Thank you, Lumina!" The smile was back on the Swablu's face as he tilted his head a bit, his eyes shutting in happiness. Perhaps his plan was quite simple, but he was a simple Pokémon, too. Yet despite that, he somehow had survived this far.
"Maybe I should see if I can find some food already!"

Bird carried out 2 launched of one Pecha Forest :

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For some reason that she couldn't quite explain, Lumina liked being treated as wise, at least in the eyes of this Swablu. "Not a problem." She murmured. True, Varda was a bit of a simple Pokémon, but Lumina didn't thinks she minded. Even his constantly cheerful mood wasn't that bad to be around, once she got used to it and adapted accordingly.

Once he mentioned food, the Vulpix nodded. That was one of the many strange things about Mystery Dungeons, they twisted time and space around in a certain way. You could swiftly travel great distances over a Mystery Dungeon, yet you also seemed to grow hungry faster.

The vixen perked her ears as she heard a noise. She heard squawking and wing beats, coupled by loud footsteps and a loud, feral cry, not unlike her new Roar ability. She peered through the foliage to see a pair of feral Pokémon caught up in a brutal battle, presumably over a shiny, blue item that was lying half-buried in the ground.

Varda nodded with squinted eyes and a happy smile as the other Pokémon accepted his thanks, happy when she was happy and content. Such a wise Pokémon like Lumina did deserve all the praise she got, after all! She was the current leader and very smart, so the bird did look up to her and made sure to check his plans with her first. She knew if they would work or not. And she did seem to like the idea of finding food, so the Swablu wasted no time, quickly starting to waddle around and search the ground and the bushes.

But suddenly, he could hear strange sounds that caused him to stop in his tracks. Sounds of... Other Pokémon. Movement. A roar. Clearly, it was a battle by the sound of things and it made the bird a bit worried. It could have been another explorer in trouble! Whatever it was, knowing where it came from and what was happening was quite important so he and Lumina could do something about it – or avoid it, if that was how it would look.

Varda followed the fox, looking through the bush and doing his best to make sure he would remain hidden. It seemed like the pair of Pokémon in the little clearing hadn't seen them two yet, and he wanted to keep it that way unless they had to intervene. It was yet another Murkrow, fighting with a stout, light-blue Pokémon with large ears... One was swift and capable of flight while the other one was grounded and slower, but it seemed rather strong and didn't seem to mind the attacks much. As the sun shone down, the Swablu could see the glint of something on the ground...

Was it perhaps one of those "Wonder Orbs" like a certain Pokémon he had met had called them? He had seen one of them in action and they certainly did seem like they were wonders... And the description definitely would fit, as the ones the bird had seen all had been blue, shiny and round.
"Do you think we should run...?" Varda asked carefully in hushed tone, not sure if the shiny thing was worth it. It wasn't food, for one. They might have still had the chance to escape unscathed.


Current Energy: 3 (8 -4 from encounter roll and -1 from item roll)

As Varda asked if they should run, the Vulpix stopped to analyze the situation before responding. There were two feral Pokémon and two of them, so the numbers would be even. That was also assuming that the Murkrow and Nidorina wouldn't continue to fight each other. It was entirely possible for the duo of feral Pokémon to not unite against her and Varda in their own lust for the item.

Secondly, the sun was shining into the clearing, which was good news for Lumina. That meant her Flare Blitz and Ember attacks would be more powerful. She doubted that the two feral Pokémon had any fire moves, either, so they wouldn't be able to turn her advantage against her.

Finally, the orb on the ground was a very tempting prize. They hadn't found any items this entire run of the dungeon, and the Vulpix wasn't eager to pass this one up. She couldn't tell what it would do just by looking at it, but some orbs were very powerful indeed. It was no small wonder that the two Pokémon wanted it.

"... I think we can take them." The vixen decided after a small pause to think. "But what do you think, Varda?" She added, deciding to test the Swablu. ... well, maybe 'test' wasn't the right word, but it wouldn't hurt to get his input.

Varda hasn't expected to hear Lumina say that and he had to force himself to stay quiet as he stared at her with large, dark eyes. He had always thought that the fox Pokémon was very smart, very wise... And how she actually wanted them to join the fight? No matter how the bird looked at it, the two Pokémon duking it out seemed to be rather strong... And he didn't know if the shiny orb on the ground would be even worth it!

Still, Lumina had been rather wise with her words this far and Swablu did want to trust her. Maybe there was something he was missing here? It was possible, so maybe it would just be a good idea to do as she said? The little bird's brow furrowed in deep thought as he looked back to the clearing and the fierce battle.
"I don't really like to fight," Varda chirped quietly, not feeling right about this. Why would they just go out there and fight for, well, fun?

Perhaps it didn't even make a difference. The fight had already started and the two Pokémon would most likely finish it whether or not he and Lumina chose to join it. The only thing that would change would be that the battle was just going to have more Pokémon in it.
"Maybe... If we wait it out, one of them will drive the other away. Then we would only have to deal with one Pokémon instead of two – or maybe they will even forget about the orb and chase each other far away from it, so it could be snatched quickly..."

The Vulpix blinked as she looked over at the Swablu with partially hidden confusion. She felt a bit puzzled as to why he seemed surprised at her idea, judging by his wide eyes. Maybe it was just because Varda didn't want a repeat of that battle between the Murkrow and the Weepinbell, and if that was the case, the orange vixen couldn't have blamed him. But she paused once he said that he didn't really like to fight.

Lumina knew that not everyone liked to fight, of course, but wasn't this Swablu part of the guild? She would think that he wouldn't mind it, as fighting was a large part of exploring, the Vulpix thought. ... Then again, Varda was far from an average Pokemon, wasn't he? Maybe he could come up with a plan that would let them get the item while also avoiding the battle. If he had a good idea, she wouldn't turn it down. She had asked his input, after all.

As she listened, the vixen's ears perked, she looked back over to the feral Pokemon, observing the two of them carefully. "They could finish their fight soon, but it's likely that they'll continue it for a while longer. I'd be willing to try and let them finish, if you're willing to wait."

Varda looked at Lumina, hoping to hear her input when it came to his idea. He did really want to hear it, she had proven to be rather smart after all, so she could see the issues with his plan. He honestly didn't see why she had suggested what she had, but the bird knew he wasn't as smart as the fox. He was certain there was something he was missing, but he at least hoped that his own idea would be to her liking. In his mind, it was a really good one!

The Swablu cooed quietly as he looked over to the fighting Pokémon, still squabbling over something so insignificant as a shiny thing on the ground. Though perhaps it wasn't so insignificant after all? What other reason did Lumina have to join the fight? Maybe she wanted it, too – and if she wanted it, surely it couldn't be worthless, right? Varda didn't really understand the value of it, however. You couldn't even eat it, it looked way too hard...

"Um, well," the bird turned his gaze towards Lumina again as he started speaking, his voice quiet so they would not be heard,
"I don't... Really mind. I don't need the shiny and you are the leader. So... You get to choose, right?"

Although it sounded silly for someone who liked to think of herself as perceptive, Lumina hadn't really noticed that she had been the leader. They had never come out and said anything along the lines of 'I'll be the leader', things had sort of just fallen into place that way. The Vulpix didn't really mind it, either. If anything, she preferred it to the way exploration teams normally worked. Things felt much more natural this way.

The Fox Pokemon nodded slowly, her voice low. "I think we should wait. Some orbs are very powerful items, and judging from how much those two feral Pokemon want it, it would be worth it if we can get it without much of a fight." She peered through the bushes, watching as the Nidorina and the Murkrow continued their battle. Lumina's poke was on the Nidorina, so to speak, but it could've gone either way.

Varda nodded in return, his look serious as he turned towards the pair of fighting Pokémon again. They had both agreed on a plan and the bird was more than happy to wait it out instead of rushing into danger for a mere shiny. His beady little eyes were staring out of the bush intently, rarely blinking as he kept an eye on the situation, hoping that he would notice the right time to move at the exact moment. He was feeling a bit tense, the anticipation and adrenaline of the situation getting to him – even though he wasn't fighting himself!

The Murkrow and Nidorina were surprisingly evenly matched, as the dark bird was so much faster and thanks to its ability to fly, it could always retreat back to the safety of the sky when things were getting too heated, dodging the attacks of the bulkier Pokémon. The fast pecks and scratches it could dish out when the Nidorina had no time to react or turn around were doing their job, but the fight still went on as the Poison-type seemed to tank all the hits.

And obviously, when the Murkrow did get hit... It hurt. The Nidorina was strong and only a few attacks had to connect before it did some serious damage to the bird. That, ultimately, was what decided the match. The Murkrow couldn't keep up with the damage, its own, weaker attack just didn't add up fast enough before it was in trouble and couldn't continue. Doing the smart thing and not risking its life, the bird fled the battle, leaving the bruised and injured Nidorina behind to enjoy the spoils.