Afternoon Snack

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It was dark and cramped. There were passages she could not fit through, but the main path still presented her with enough room to move comfortably. Victoria's footsteps echoed throughout the caverns, stealth was not an option. She didn't quite care particularly about that, however, as she felt that she was capable enough to defend herself in times of attack. The queen held her head high-or at least as high as she could- as she continued her stroll through the caverns. It started out as a simple walk, but curiosity about the recent events had brought her here.

A powerful pokemon was stated to have resided here at one point. Mewtwo, it was called. Explorers fought the creature-one of which she was vaguely familiar with. Sova. A glaceon that helped her get her heirloom back. The very necklace remained wrapped around her neck despite her drastic shift in size. She had to get it fixed after she evolved, but it still shined as bright as the day she got it.

The tyrantrum remained alert while she traversed. It was entirely possible that the monstrous pokemon was still around. While she considered herself powerful, she knew better than to think she would be able to face off against that kind of creature. The rest of the inhabitants of this cave, however, were simply...a snack.

Victoria Energy: 30

Darcy rode along in silence, simply taking in the sounds of the cave around her. There were sounds, for sure. Spooky ones. Screeching, far off in the distance was the most prominent one, of course, and periodically, these sounds that echoed off the cavern walls interrupted her silent, pensive thoughts. She looked around periodically, so as to serve as a sort of watch to the larger Pokemon, who seemed to be guiding them off in... some direction or another? She imagined that Victoria would know where they were going, but seeing as neither of them were talking much, and it'd be quite a shame if she didn't know where they were going, Darcy spoke up.

"Y'know how to get to Grass -- Uh, I mean, Rainfront? I got a map, y'know, if you need it!" She said in her usual bright, cheery voice. If it struck conversation up, then that'd be nice... Truthfully, she was a bit frightened by the eeriee noises, and a small intonation in her voice betrayed that fear. Talking with someone would make that fear go away, right? She shouldn't be afraid, if she was on such an important task...

The source of the pesky screeches were a mere zubat. The lost little pokemon fluttered about in a panic as the steps of the tyrantrum grew closer. The flying type did not dare to approach someone with such an imposing figure such as Victoria. The tyrantrum could eat the little thing in a single bite if she wanted to. Fortunately, she wasn't hungry...nor interested in eating other pokemon.

"Unless that map was created within the last month, it won't be of much use," the tyrantrum spoke, "This area is affected by the phenomenon of Mystery Dungeons. There are only few consistencies within spaces such as this. It's all too common for the twists, turns, and branches to shift and change. We go until we get there, so long as we don't turn around and go back."

Victoria was no expert on these types of areas, but she had at least a little experience around the ranges of Blackspear. Every few months or so, it would seem as if a mountain shifted to an entirely new location. She didn't know if it actually did or if her memory was faulty, as either one seemed plausible. There was no way to know for certain until someone joined the kingdom under the profession of a cartographer.

At the very least, it would have helped to have a compass, in the case that the tunnels rounded back on themselves. Unfortunately, Victoria did not have such a useful and vital tool. Not only did she not care for them, but she felt as if she didn't quite need them. She could get out on her own just fine...according to her.

Darcy nodded, laughing nervously as the Tyrantrum seemed to reproach her for something she should have, by all means, already known. Of course a map wouldn't be that useful... They were in a Mystery Dungeon! With everything changing around all the time, it's not like a map would be practical or useful at all... "Right..." The Skitty said, laughing nervously. If the Tyrantrum had been able to see her, she would have perhaps noticed the flush of embarrassment in Darcy's face. "I knew that..."

Honestly, she'd gone exploring in mystery dungeons quite a few times by now. She wasn't a veteran by any means either, but... she was confident she could handle herself in most of them. Having said that, they still made very little sense to her... How could they change so much, and so often? It wasn't natural... Darcy sniffed, shaking her head as she turned her mind back to more important things. Getting to Rainfront shouldn't be so difficult... Especially if she had a literal queen to guide her! Royalty was always very, very smart and clever, and Darcy was sure that the Tyrantrum who had been so kind as to give her a ride was no exception, and was more than capable of getting to Rainfront Town without a hitch.

"So... Is there a king where you're from? Or are you the only ruler?" She asked again. It was, perhaps, a bit of a personal topic, but Darcy didn't quite bother to recognize that.  She was curious! Besides, they were all friends there anyways, right?

Mada carried out 1 launched of one Serene Cave :

Mada carried out 1 launched of one Serene Cave :

Mada carried out 1 launched of one Serene Cave :

Mada carried out 1 launched of one Serene Cave :

It was indeed a sensitive topic, as kingdoms without kings were often seen as free real estate. She did not mind sharing though, as she was certain that her presence as a queen was enough to deter any potential tyrants(kek).

"No king. I have not yet found anyone worthy of such a title. It would make things easier if there were, but I can't just pick any pokemon to take on that kind of position." she explained as they passed the frantic zubat. The little creature panicked as they approached, going as far as to comically and pitifully run itself into a wall. The creature dropped to the cave floor, twitching and dazed from the head-on collision.

"There are far too many dim-witted folks around, so until then I will be carrying it on my own." Once again, she didn't at all comment on the skitty's uncertainty and rather nervous demeanor. She wondered if the skitty was going to cry for whatever reason when she heard the sniff, but the feline was back on its questionnaire once more. She was happy to answer and ignore what would normally concern a pokemon. Again, she figured it was not her business. While she may have thought the cinnamon roll weak, she respected the skitty's privacy enough to not pry...and again, didn't care.

Victoria Energy: 12

Kat carried out 10 launched of one Serene Cave :

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Darcy chuckled softly as the source of the sounds which had been bothering her turned out to be nothing more than a little zubat. And it was kinda cute, too! Or at least, pretty funny... She supposed it was afraid, too. It's not like there was any other reason why it'd turn around so fast just to fly straight into a wall... She stifled the louder laughter that she wanted to let out, instead simply choosing to giggle as she observed it.

"Ah..." Darcy said, her laughs finally subsiding as she nodded along to what the Tyrantrum had said. Nothing specific, but she got the gist of it. No king, cause there were too many idiots runnin' around or something like that... "Yea, that makes sense." She stood up and stretched, while still riding on the larger Pokemon's back. There wasn't much to do until they got to rainfront... And its not like it'd be a short journey. The guild member was beginning to wonder how they'd fill the time. She supposed there was always an opportunity for some unexpected excitement, in the form of... well, danger. But it's not like she wanted that either...

"D'you have a castle...?" She asked absently, more so voicing her thoughts out loud than any legitimate, purposeful inquiry. At this point, she was quickly starting to lose that initial wonder, and was more so asking questions just to fill in the dead air... She turned over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, which seemed much, much closer to her this high up... Could she reach it? She didn't try. [color:32f5=f7dead] "How much longer, by the way?"

The skitty's enthusiasm was dropping off. In a way, that agitated the tyrantrum. Sorry, was her kingdom not interesting enough for the skitty because it wasn't grandiose and popular yet? It insulted her in a way. While the salt began to rub into her, she kept her calm and simply answered the question, "No. Again, we are small and recent. It takes many years to create such a large and complicated structure, and especially a lot of money and manpower."

Victoria obviously probably could have lied at any point, but she didn't see the point in it. If she spread lies about the kingdom, it could potentially mean danger or damage to their reputation should anyone discover it.

The skitty asked another question. One that immediately struck a nerve with her, "We've only just begun. The trip can be as long as three days, perhaps even more. I hope you do not intend to ask that question frequently, however, as there's no possible way for me to know precisely how long it will take in an environment like this." Her tone held a low growl to it, a warning, but still she remained mostly polite and proper.

“Hmmm…” Darcy shook her head, the mere mention of money causing her thoughts to drift away from kingdoms and royalty and instead to something much more concrete, and to her, much more necessary. Money… How much did she have? Or more accurately, how much had she mailed back to her parents… Was she behind? Come to think of it… How much did this mission pay her, again? At the very least it was comforting to know that she and Alki weren’t the only ones with financial woes… She flicked her tail upwards, observing with boredom just how close it could get to the ceiling. Now wasn’t the time to worry about money and medication, she knew that, but she couldn’t quite escape them either… She wanted her parents to be alright…

She opened her bag carefully, assuring herself for the umpteenth time that day that the letter would be alright. It was still there. Right where she’d left it… Perhaps she was being too paranoid about it? But she couldn’t help it… If she screwed this mission up, then what? She closed her bag, securing it tighter than before as she turned her gaze back towards… well, the back of the Tyrantrum’s head. But at least it was better than looking off into space…

“Dang.” She said, completely missing the irritation in Victoria’s voice. “Three days, huh? Have you… done this trip before? I’ve never gone through this cave to get to Rainfront… I have family there, though, y’know? A sister, so I’ve visited her before, just… never through this cave.” She said, rambling. With the mention of her sister, a new curiosity was ignited in her. “Do you have any siblings? Y’know, brothers or sisters, or… what’s a royal family like, anywho?”

A family in Rainfront huh? That was cute. Even the tyrantrum couldn't help but pull back a smile at that, though it didn't last long. Her earlier annoyance was ignored, but she didn't take much offense to it. If the skitty asked again, then she'd have words to say.

"No siblings here, I was the sole heir. My mother and father's kingdom used to be a far ways away, but I received word that they collapsed long ago. I haven't heard word from either of them, nor their trusted adviser who sought me out to tell me." She didn't seem all that bothered to share this rather personal information. Victoria continued along at a nonchalant pace and tone, glad to talk about herself.

"As for what it's like, well, we weren't all that close to begin with. My father was a role model who's footprints I was expected to replicate. He was a strong and prideful man who took no nonsense or silliness from any one. My mother, on the other hand, was far more forgiving and weak. She was kind, however, and popular among the commoners." The tyrantrum's footsteps and voice echoed throughout the halls, drawing the attention of a Geodude off to the side. The small rock type tossed in and turned in its slumber before it eventually gave the duo and irritated look that Victoria would either not notice or ignore.

Darcy nodded along, following the story carefully. It was always interesting to hear about the kinds of backgrounds other pokemon had. It was one of her favorite parts of meeting new people! Trading stories with strangers was always a fun time, and she couldn't help but feel a bit excited at the prospect of doing so in such a unique place! Although... Well, the Tyrantrum didn't seem to have a very happy backstory... their kingdom collapsed? What did that mean, exactly? She supposed it made sense, but... she'd never imagined any of the kingdoms in the fairy tales she'd read so long ago collapsing...

Victoria began to speak about her parents, then, and Darcy's smile wilted even more. Why was she expected to follow in her father's footsteps? That wasn't very pleasant to think about... She couldn't imagine being expected to be exactly like either one of her parents... And as for her mother, was she mother weak because she was forgiving? That... wasn't very fair, at least in her eyes... Maybe she was understanding it wrong?

"Why would being forgiving make her weak...?" Darcy asked sincerely, her voice betraying the tiniest bit of hurt in her voice. Forgiveness was an amazing quality to have! That wasn't weak at all...

Of course, this skitty was one of those types. Wishy-washy feel good. The tyrantrum did not make her distaste apparent. She kept her calm as she spoke, "Being too forgiving as a queen can lead to dire consequences. It is not just what you personally think that should just be considered, but the opinion of the public, outer organizations, and whoever else this 'forgiveness' affects."

"As a royal figure, it is a duty to take into consideration the safety and appearance of the whole kingdom. Making decisions based on what's right and wrong, well, it's not always the best choice. If the kingdom wants a head to roll, that head better damn well roll." It was a morbid way to put it, but it was the truth. Victoria and the skitty ignored the geodude. The lack of apology only seemed to irritate it further. The geodude picked up the nearest rock before it chucked it at the two, intending to hit the smaller of the two for the most damage.

Darcy weighed the Queen's words, trying to understand why she would say something that horrible. Of course forgiveness wasn't weak! That was obvious to the guild member, and that claim did not need protecting in the slightest. It was just true, whether the Tyrantrum realized it or not! And... Well, if that's the kind of mentality she ruled with, Darcy wasn't sure if she wanted much to do with it... Of course, she didn't vocalize these thoughts externally, but she still found herself attempting to think of her own counterpoints. [color:6036=f7dead] "W-Well..." She stammered, her ears flicking about as she wracked her brain for a suitable response.

"I-I mean, if you rule, and you're kind, and forgiving, then... Well, everybody would like you! And there wouldn't be any need for... Uh... H-heads... R-rolling." The way the queen had expressed herself had clearly made the Skitty quite uncomfortable. She was going to expound on her point more, but she was rudely interrupted by a dull bonk, and quite a bit of pain. She felt impact from something on the back of her head, and she stumbled forwards, awkwardly trying to whip around to face whatever had thrown it. The problem was that she felt really dizzy. She fell over onto her side, resting for a moment, staring at the cause of her sudden, powerful headache, a small, rather plain looking piece of granite. At the very least, she found herself thinking. At the very least, it wasn't much bigger... That would've done a lot more damage if this rock were any bigger...

"Owwwwww," She moaned, blinking rapidly as she tried to force the stars that seemed to spin around her head away. What the heck had she done to merit that? She would've looked around for the culprit, but with how dizzy she was, she was worried she'd just fall off the Tyrantrum, and she figured that would hurt a lot more...

Although the skitty was just assaulted, Victoria didn't look too troubled by it. The feline was likely fine and the geodude didn't look as if it was going to pursue a fight any further. The tyrantrum merely picked up her pace a little in case the rock type decided to change their mind about it. The dinosaur was annoyed, however, as the skitty seemed to have completely misunderstood what she said in the absolute worst way possible.

"Firstly, it doesn't matter how you treat your subjects, there will always be those who seek destruction and selfish power. They will use that trait against you and it will ultimately be your downfall. Secondly, if you 'forgive' someone the public despises, they will in turn despise you by associations and call foul upon justice. Punishing those meant to be punished is not just a display of power. It's an act of service to those that are protected by the kingdom. Enacting that power against the wrong person will cause just as much unrest as failing to do something against someone deserving of it."

"It is an inevitability and it's foolish to think that things could be as simple as forgiving someone, having a hug, and entrusting them to do away with their wickedness because you happened to be so careless as to leave them without consequences to their actions." Victoria settled down a little, not quite realizing she had gone on a bit of a tirade. She looked back at the skitty, not only to check on them, but to ensure that they managed to soak in and understand the reasoning behind her choices.

"You can't just 'hug it out' and trust that everything will be fine when you have the lives of many counting on you for protection and prosperity..."

Darcy was quite aware that the Tyrantrum was continuing her speech, but she couldn't quite collect herself enough to focus on the words. She was still seeing stars, and it was hard to really grasp any sort of nuance when the back of her head had just been freshly assaulted by some stone that an unknown assailant had thrown at her. Even still though, she was still collected enough to catch the gist of what the queen was saying, and she still couldn't find herself agreeing with any of it at all! It was hard to think of anything in her current state, but even still, the Skitty tried.

"Well, naw, b-but..." She paused, lifting herself back up to her feet as her headache seemed to begin to subside. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, ya know? If you're good to people, people'll be good to you, and... it's... Forgiveness isn't just forgetting that there's consequences, but... w-well... I mean, that's what prison and... stuff is for. It's like... Having somebody learn their lesson, y'know? Not all outlaws are bad Pokemon, a-and... it's a bit excessive to cause heads to roll..." Her voice was noticeably groggier than before, and while it may not have been as extensive as she might have liked, she was still pretty satisfied with her argument.

"Besides, what's wrong with hugging it out? ...Maybe some people just need a bit of positivity in their life? Y'never know what a hug might do for someone..." She added, her tone indicating it was more of a joke than a serious argument. That being said, in her own mind, it wasn't entirely without merit. Seeing how sad her sister was so often, and how much her spirits could lift with just the tiniest show of wholesomeness often made her wonder if it might have such an effect with Pokemon who were actually outlaws. Still, she wasn't quite naive enough to believe that that was the whole answer, but... well, a hug could never hurt!

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Throwing someone into prison isn't exactly 'forgiveness' and it's quite presumptuous of you to assume that I literally meant every criminal has to be killed. I agree that if you are good then the deed will repay one day, however, there are simply times where it just won't. If someone has learned their lesson then they will express it by not repeating the offense, but some offenses simply aren't forgivable."

"There are pokemon out there that do cruel and dastardly things simply for their own pleasure. If a pokemon were to kidnap eggs from expectant parents, boil them alive, and eat them, do you honestly think they should be permitted to see the light of day again? If a pokemon kills another in cold blood because they thought it was fun. Do you think a 'hug' is going to convince them to change their ways? No. More often than not, people do wrong things despite the fact that it is wrong and they know it. If they truly did not, then it's silly to punish them harshly."

"Your 'optimistic' perspective is failing to consider that as a queen, I must take the opinion of the people I represent into consideration. If I were to ignore their every will and want then I would be a failure of a queen, then nobody will follow me. While you may have that perspective, it is a rarity found mostly in children who do not truly understand the world around them."

"I would very much appreciate it if you were to actually listen to my words, put yourself into my footsteps when you think about what I say, and ask for clarification instead of jumping off to the worst possible conclusions. It's highly insulting."

The tyrantrum looked back at the skitty with a stern eye as she walked. It felt as if the skitty hardly even listened to her! The stony giant's footsteps shook the cavern as she continued along, it might have been a little scary...if she were nothing but a little tyrunt. Now that she was large, nothing really seemed to scare her much anymore. She felt more...powerful this way.

Darcy brought a paw up to her head, rubbing it softly as she tried to will what remained of her headache away. It was hard to think about what the Tyrantrum was saying, but she very much wanted to try and understand everything she was saying! She was still talking, it seemed, and talking much more than she had too... She seemed quite convinced of what she was saying... Darcy kicked off the small rock that still remained on the Tyrantrum's back, before collecting her thoughts.

"W-Well, I mean, sure, there are some bad people out there, but you can't possibly pretend that that's the majority... t-those kinds of people who..." She paused, unwilling to repeat the queen's words verbatim. Those kinds of actions were sick, and they were revolting, certainly. She didn't want to dwell much on that. Darcy looked away to the cave walls as she resumed her sitting position. "M-Most people who're evil aren't... like that. They have reasons to do bad things. I mean, short of murder, I think... I think you have to pay attention to that too... Most people don't do wrong things for no reason... Like... Thieves who steal to supply for their families, and... Well, the fact people are doing anything wrong to begin with, big or small, means that something's wrong with them. Most people shouldn't be punished... T-They should be helped! Prisons should be a place to... to help people who need it..." Darcy finished, taking a breath. Her voice had begun to contain a hint of desperation. Those weren't nearly all of her thoughts,  either. If the Tyrantrum was that cynical about Pokemon, and about punishment... Well, life wasn't that negative! People who did wrong things have their reasons, and... well, what was wrong with optimism? Morality was such a heavy subject, and if it were Darcy, she couldn't bear to live in a world where people do wrong things despite knowing it's wrong. People were good! Deep down, sooner or later, everyone would prove to be good...

How could the Tyrantrum get up from bed in the morning with a thought process like that? Darcy chose to ignore the slight directed at her. She didn't mind being called a child. Adressing that seemed like it might just lead to both of them getting upset, and that was the furthest thing from what she wanted... "O-Of course, maybe that's just me..." She added softly, as a sort of compromise to the queen.