Here's Your Sign

[Mission: https://pmd-roleplay.forumotion.org/t5736-f-missing-signage]

The inmate, almost unnatural beauty of the Fallen Leaf Copse went almost unnoticed by Maxie as she made her way across the lake by the square stepping stones that bridged the mainland with the island. The mawile was, perhaps a little unjustly, upset. She had gone to the bulletin board in the Grassveil Guild to claim a job for her guild team; Team Tanacity. To Maxie's dismay, there were few jobs that weren't claimed already and were of a level which her newly formed team could take on. This left her team with the simple, easy, yet boring task of placing signs along a designated route. Were they being helpful? Yes. Were they being rewarded? Yes. Would this benefit them? Probably, yes. But was it heroic? Not in the thrilling sense. Nor was it particularly in the spirit of exploration given the locations the signs were to be placed were predetermined. But it was the team's first mission, and in a place Maxie had never been before, so perhaps it was fair for a first mission. Nevertheless, Maxie found it very underwhelming.

"Signs. First mission. Put up some signs," Maxie sighed. "Sorry it's so... Menial? Boring? Underwhelming?"

From his vantage point up in the sky above the tree line Arlo was easily able to pick out the route he and Maxie were running. The majestic sighs were something to behold, but now was not the time for sightseeing, they were on the job and vigilance was key. After making a mental note of their path for the immediate future Arlo took a dive, rocketing down to the ground landing next to Maxie just in time to hear her muttering to herself.

"Oh come on Maxie, you're making it seem like we're saving babies from trees. This job may be as easy as taking candy from kittens at the moment, but that doesn't mean that danger isn't lurking around every corner. Who knows, we could be being watched at this very moment, unsuspecting until it's too late; WE'RE AMBUSHED AND SEPARATED! RUN, LEAVE ME I'LL HOLD THEM OFF, SAVE YOURSELF!" Falling to his knees in an overly dramatic fashion as he shouted, and acting as if his leg was broken Arlo urged Maxie to run away before he plopped face onto the ground and lay motionless. A couple of long moments passed before he picked his face off the dirt and continued, "or we're just having a nice stroll through the woods together and gaining 'hero credit' for it. I say it's a win-win scenario"

Maxie stood stark still as she watched her companion perform an impressively overacted scene before her. As hard as she tried, though, she could resist the effects of the little emolga's antics and a smile took form upon her face. She shook her head and the smile faded. "I'd rather be saving babies from trees—I'd have to have a talk with the parents afterwards and find out how exactly the babies made it into the trees in the first place... But that's more heroic than putting up signs. Small-town-hero sort of heroic, but heroic all the same."

The mawile placed the post of the first sign—the first of many—against the soft dirt where Arlo had planted his face. She held it in place with one hand as the bottom jaw of her maw-like horns slammed (relatively) lightly into the wooden post. "They didn't really give us a tool for this, so it's a good thing I've got you, Gilbert..." she mumbled as she worked the post into the dirt. "Don't get me wrong, I would enjoy a nice leisurely stroll through these beautiful woods," she started in a more audible tone. "It's just... I think I'd enjoy a few scraps more. And I'm not really worried about us getting overwhelmed. I'm pretty confident I can handle myself."

"It is a odd they didn't give us a tool to put these things the ground. Like, how do they expect me to do it? Drop them from the tree tops? Actually that might work..." After Maxie got the sign in the ground Arlo straigtened up, having a look at the rest of the signs they had to place and sighing a little at the work left to be done.

"Well, if all goes really quiet we would always duke it out. We've been a team and friends for awhile but we've never actually sparred. The only time I've ever come close to actually hitting you is when we first met. I think it might be fun, that is if you're not afraid of a little shock." Arlo hopped up and down on the ground infront of Maxie shadow boxing a Maxie sized figure just to illustrate his point.

The mawile shook her head—the jaw-like horns behind her mimicking the motion. "I'm not afraid of a little shock. I'd be more concerned for you; do you think you can handle these?" Maxie said as she chomped the air with her large steel horns. "I know an Ice-type move—you're weak to Ice-type moves," she walked around the shadow boxing emolga, continuing along their designated route toward the next location to post a sign. I wouldn't say no to a little contest, I'm just making sure you know what you're getting into," she said, not looking back to Arlo as she spoke.

In truth, she wouldn't actually go all out if the two were to have a battle. In fact, she would very likely feel compelled to hold back; believing herself to be much too durable and far too strong for the little emolga to handle alone. Whether or not this was actually true was yet to be seen, but this is most definitely what she believed. From what she understood, her homeland of the desert is a much harsher climate than that of the areas around Grassveil. Thus, she figured that having come from a much more hostile environment that she must be a superior fighter to some degree. Couple that with the fact that her typing gave her a resistance or immunity to a literal majority of types and she was bordering on overconfidence.

"Well, the thing is to hit me you'd have to catch me first, and I am nothing if not quick. We should have a little duel sometime, though I will warn you I won't hold back just because we're friends." With a sly grin on his face Arlo grabbed one of the signs off Maxie's back and darted ahead to the next sign posting spot. He quickly started digging into the soft dirt clearing enough room of the post, before sticking it in and packing the dirt back in tight.

Arlo paused a moment, looking around the quiet forest in contemplation. "Do you think ANYTHING, exciting will happen before we're done? I don't think so, there's that calm in the air, I can almost taste it." Looking back over to Maxie, he could see there were still quite a few signs left to put up, today was gonna be long and boring... Unless....

"Ya know what, if nothing special or interesting happens by the time we finish putting these signs back in their proper place I, Arlo of the Emolgas, hereby challenge you, my good friend Maxie, to an unsanctioned duel within this fine forest! Do you accept? And if so do you have any stipulations or rules you'd like to apply?"

[Energy: 19 - 11 (Entry) = 8]

Maxie maintained her pace, indifferent to the emolga swiping a sign from her and running past. She stopped next to the sign as Arlo finished stating his challenge. He made a valid point—she'd have to catch him or keep him on ground level. She wasn't sure how she'd get him on the ground, but she was sure she could keep him there once he was grounded. She was good at that.

"Not back in their proper place; they're new," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "But that aside," she continued in a mock regal voice. "I, Maxie the Mawile of Scorchfall Desert, accept your challenge, sir Arlo of the Emolga, with no further stipulations. Also, you are a dork." She started walking again, expecting the emolga to follow.

Badger carried out 8 launched of one Fallen Leaf Copse :

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[Energy: 22 - 11 (Entry) = 11]

With his challenge accepted, and another sign posted Arlo was feeling pretty good about himself. It would be quite the distance before their next posting area so it'd be a fair bit of wandering until their next stop fr a sign.

"Hey, random question... What it like not being able to fly? I'm sorry I'm coming off as rude, or insensitive but I just want to know what you think it's like. I mean I've gone periods of time unable to fly, like if I hurt my arm or something but it always comes back, it's always a freedom I can rely on. But you're grounded, and probably always will be."

He looked around nervously as he asked her, unsure of just how she'll take it. He certainly doesn't mean it as an insult but that doesn't mean she won't take the question to heart, and that's evident on his face.

[Energy: 8 - 13 = 0 by law]

At first, Maxie wasn't at all insulted by Arlo's question. It was innocent enough—though she wasn't quite sure what exactly he meant by it. He had experience with lack of flight—he wasn't flying at the very moment, in fact. However, as the emolga expanded further on the subject it became clear to the mawile what exactly he meant with his question. Unfortunately, his deeper explanation also came with the caveat of being a tad bit depressing.

A slight frown crossed Maxie's face as Arlo finished. "Huh, tad bit pessimistic there, don't you think?" The thought of herself flying never really crossed her mind until now, and the realisation that Arlo was probably right—that she'd likely never get to experience flight for herself—was a bit depressing. This didn't last more than a few seconds, however, as her frown turned to a slight grin. "I wouldn't say always. Maybe I'll make friends with a dragon. Then I could fly higher than even you." An image of herself on the back of a salamence came to her mind and her smile widened.

"I'd never really considered that, riding on the back of someone else who can fly. Hell, I'd give you a ride but I don't think I'm strong enough to carry you, or anyone for that matter. I'm like what, half your size?" He continued to follow Maxie, matching just behind her pace. The basic reason they were out there was after signs, but having an extended conversation about signs seemed odd. A few thoughts on something to do passed through Arlo's mind; word games, eye spy, a race. None of them seemed particularly interesting or fair for that matter...

Just as he was going to speak up, he paused. Turning to look where they came from, he squinted a bit trying to improve his vision and failing. "Did you hear that? I could have sworn I just heard... something."

Smile fading, Maxie turned to face the same direction Arlo did, scanning the terrain in an attempt to find the source of the sound he had heard. She hadn't heard anything herself, but she wasn't going to simply dismiss his concern. After a moment, she heard the rustling sound of the leaves above. "I only hear the wind through the—" she stopped abruptly as she thought she heard another sound. Was that a voice? It sounded like a quiet, eerie, child-like voice, though the words spoken were incoherent. "... Trees," she finished the statement she had interrupted. "And... A voice? Can't tell where it's coming from, though."