Whispers of the Night

When had been the last time she'd gone camping?

Lumina had done it before, back in her old village. Her mother taught her the basics, simple things like how to make a fire or a very basic shelter. She gave the Vulpix tips, like how she could only use dry sticks as fuel because wet ones wouldn't light up as well. And she even knew a way to make flames without shooting it out of her mouth, in case of any event where she couldn't use her fire.

But the last time she'd actually done this eluded her. It seemed easy enough, in theory, but doing this in practice may or may not have been a different story. She looked back at Noel, deciding to take charge. They'd need to be careful here, Lumina didn't want any flames they made to spread the rest of the Mystery Dungeon. They would have quite the story to tell if they accidentally burned down the forest.

"I think it would be a good idea to make a fire. Hopefully, it would further help in keeping the feral Pokémon away." Something told Lumina that Monochrome Falls didn't exactly seem like the place you'd be attacked, since technically speaking, they weren't in the Mystery Dungeon anymore. But you couldn't be too careful about these kind of things, right? The Vulpix didn't want to be ambushed in her sleep.

Noel gets out a loud sigh of relief this place seemed great there was no real Pokemon around and nothing to be seen but the beautiful falls and though the aura gave a peaceful nature to this area Noel still thought it was strange to have something like this here in a dungeon but she didn't care.

Camping was nothing new to the girl she had done it all the time with her base camp so doing this seemed easier then sleeping in the dungeon she never really liked having to do that to easy to get jumped but she mentality shrugs and focused on the task at hand.

Noel nodded at lumina and started to walk over "let's get sticks none near the falls though they won't burn well" she said as she walked through the area nearby to get dry sticks she was taught how to survive in areas like this since she was a kid it was burned into her head how to survive in the wild

Lumina nodded, glad that Noel seemed to know that, too. If anything, maybe the Riolu would be better at this than the Vulpix was, since she was the one with the opposable thumbs. She wandered by the outskirts of the clearing, hand-picking the twigs, sticks, and small branches that seemed like they would burn well. One branch she discarded, for it had somehow gotten wet, but she managed to make a decent-sized bundle of wood nonetheless.

She carried her wood back to the middle of the clearing, the glow of the luminous mushrooms and the stars above lighting her way. Her eyes had grown used to the darkness, and the few light sources she had made it even easier to get a good look at things. Seeing wasn't an issue. She spat out the branches from her mouth, not especially enjoying the woody taste they left.

Noel had wandered slightly far from the falls to get the best ones as she felt they were as she picks them all up making sure that they were all not wet that would not make her look like the survival expert of she had done what she just said not to do.

She walks back with a large pile of branches she had wanted to grab a tree trunk she felt that would burn good but it would also burn the forest down and that would be very very bad she thought as she throws the sticks into a pile and sets some so they look like a proper campfire happy with her work she was going to lite it herself but remembering she had a fire Pokemon with her she turned to lumina "would you like to do the honor" she says with a smile

"Not a problem." The Vulpix looked over at their pile of sticks and branches and quickly decided that it would do. She sent out a small fireball, her Ember attack latching onto the dry wood, and it rapidly burst into flames. Satisfied, Lumina sat down, curling one of her many tails closer to her forepaws and drew closer to the fire. Luckily, she didn't have to worry about burning herself, thanks to her ability.

(She still has Ember because this takes place before the Serene Cave thread.)

Noel smiled as she sets her bag down and lays down on the grass happy with the fire she then adjusted her scarf while she was doing it she noticed a stick not near the pile deciding to put it into her bag who knows when you will need a stick always expect the unexpected she she stuffed the stick in the bag and went back to laying down.

(And that is where noel got the stick SOLVING PLOT HOLES TO THE MAX)

Lumina decided to lay down herself, feeling the fire lap at her outstretched forepaws. She had removed her Midnight Blue ribbon, knowing that fabric wasn't exactly fireproof. She would admit, she felt a little bit tired... but at the same time, curious. "Noel... this is going to come off as nosy, so please excuse me. But I was wondering, why did you decide to start exploring?" She wasn't exactly sure what motivated her to ask that question. Maybe her curious side was growing, with all these new sights and experiences. Or maybe she was just tired and thinking out loud in her drowsy state.

(Mwaha, this was all planned.)

Noel was on the grass eyes open looking at the night sky as she heard lumina ask her why she started as Noel sat up and smiled at lumina "it was my mother who got me interested in exploring she was one of the strongest Pokemon ever on my home island" Noel says as she can't help but think about all the times she explored with her mother "and I wanted to be better then her so I came here to explore places and get stronger then ever"

Lumina's ears perked. She momentarily pondered on whether or not to tell Noel something, as it was a bit personal, but she decided that it ultimately couldn't do any harm. "... my mother taught me how to explore, too, actually." She said softly, resting her head on her paws. "I'm not completely sure why, to be honest. But the habit stuck with me. ... I guess I just joined the guild so I'd be rewarded for my little hobby, selfish as it may sound."

Noel looks up to the sky as she smiled and looked back at lumina "mom's are great" she says with a small smile as she then looked down "I don't know why I don't want to join the guild for some reason it just seems to take the fun out of exploring if you are there for a reason well it's still fun when your are with a friend" she says as she smirks "I don't really get it myself but it's just how I feel"

Lumina gave Noel a half-smile, nodding slightly. "They are, aren't they...?" It was certainly an interesting coincidence that they had picked up the habit of exploring from their mothers, though it was still far from impossible.

She admired the Ninetales, her own mother, of course. She was steadfast, stalwart and brave, always seeming to have read her opponents and allies alike. She was the perfect chessmaster. She was merciless and unforgiving, but fair. And perhaps most of all, she would never show weakness, and gave no one the chance to take advantage of her.

"You're right, though, this was fun." Lumina agreed, breaking out of her own little daydream to focus on the conversation that was going on. "We're going to have one heck of a story to tell once we're home. Who runs into two Monster Houses in a single exploration?" She chuckled softly, still finding something about the amusing.

Noel thought it was a great coincidence they were both raised by the mother's only well she didn't talk about her father so she had just assumed she was only raised by her mother.

Noel drifted her mind to her own mother she was calm collective and always calm no matter what was going on but she was never afraid to crack a joke or two when it counted but behind all that she was stronger then any Noel had ever met or might meet in the near future.

"Ya it is a lot of fun" Noel says with a smile breaking her thought process on her mother she found her thinking about her more and more every passing day "ya that was a little strange but check we got some goodies out of it" Noel says with a laugh and a smirk

"I think it was for the best, really." Lumina agreed, smiling. She found two of the three apples she needed, and she just needed... six more Oran Berries. She inwardly groaned, remembering her own personal collect-a-ton, knowing it would be a pain. But oh well, that was life. "Let me know if you find any Oran Berries, by the way. I'd be glad to buy them off you." She offered, rolling onto her back.

Noel went back to the grass as she turned "if I find any I'll just give them to ya for free I don't really need many items to get going" she then looks back up to the sky "anyway exploring with you is payment enough" she says with a smile

(Ya I like giving stuff away I'd why)

"... really?" Lumina wondered, raising an eyebrow. She wondered if Noel was being sarcastic. Either she was being serious, or she was pretty good at dry humour, for the Vulpix heard no trace of sarcasm in her tone. "... thanks for the offer. I'll be sure to make it up sometime." She chuckled, staring up at the stars that dotted the night sky.