tread quietly: Lost in the Woods
((Can’t screenshot a reply to a question that’s this long, so cut and paste it is. :’D))
AskMansi: The woods are different here, from her home in the north. To an ignorant outsider, both forests would hold no difference with each other. But to someone like Mansi, someone who has been raised with the trees and the wild, can instantly differentiate her woods from these woods. They look different, smell different, even feel different…
That did not prevent Mansi from being able to make her way around the forest. Same difference, she thinks to herself as she picks out familiar plants and landmarks, and gathers supplies for the night. For a moment, she stands quietly, at ease within the woods. Soyala, her deerling, grazes at her feet; Hok’ee the drifblim and Etchemin the lapras had stayed behind at her camp. The woods here are peaceful, she thinks, and she closes her eyes—
Mansi opens an eye in annoyance. City folk? she mouths to herself warily. Soyala immediately jumps to attention, bristling.
Out of the brush stumbles a tall young woman, armed and dressed in clothes unfamiliar and strange to Mansi. A deino drags itself after her, clearly unwilling to move in the first place.
“You over there! Mind givin’ a poor lost warrior some directions?” the woman calls. “Name’s Saraia, in case ya were wonderin’.”
Mansi raises an eyebrow. City folk, indeed. But if she is a warrior… that means she is an ally. Mansi sighs.
“Directions? To where…?” she replies, straightforward as always. But even though this Saraia may be an ally, Mansi is still hesitant to give her name.
[[ asdjfk sorry late and long aghh. gotta go but I’ll be back within two hours >< ]]
Saraia rubs the back of her head sheepishly, embarrassed. “Ah need directions back tah Castelia City. Managed to get mahself completely lost somehow.” The Deino at her feet, who had been straring at the Ranger’s Pokemon warily, glares up at his Trainer and hisses. She glares back at him. “Ah’m not an idiot Falk, just…directionally challenged.”
She awkwardly brushes away some of the leaves and twigs stuck in her hair; then glances at Mansi. “Ah’m sorry fer the trouble, but ah could really use some help gettin’ back. Would yeh mind givin’ meh directions, or mebbe guidin’ meh back? Either would do.” Falk snorts derisively and returns to staring at the strange Pokemon.
Mansi raises an eyebrow. Castelia… she has heard of the human city before. Having lived in the mountains near Anville, however, she has never visited Saraia’s city before. But she has learned how to track from her tribe, and she is certain she will be able to find the city. After all, they are all the same: loud, stinking, obnoxious things that choked the land they are built on. She turns to grab a glimpse of the sky, which is still a clear cerulean blue. She has time before having to tucker down for Ibb’s exam.
“I do not know the city, but I can find it. Wait here,” Mansi says, then turns and briskly treks to her camp. Soyala trots besides her.
Are you really going to help her? she asks incredulously.
Mansi only nods and Soyala groans in exasperation. You don’t even know the human, and you’re going to waste preparation time by doing this. You don’t even know where this place is—
What is the matter? Etchemin asks, raising his head upon seeing the two approach camp.
“There is a stray in the forest. I’m only guiding her in the right direction,” Mansi says. “Hok’ee?”
The drifblim, which had been floating around aimlessly behind Etchemin, drifts towards her at the sound of his name. Mansi turns to Soyala.
Soyala snorts. Of course I am.
Mildly amused, Mansi heads back to the woman, Saraia.
“Follow me,” Mansi says, and sets off in the opposite direction towards the city.
Saraia blinks at the sudden reappearance of the woman, now accompanied by more Pokemon. She had thought for a moment that the Ranger had simply left, and was relieved that it wasn’t the case. Nudging Falk, she follows along behind her guide, tripping every now and then on a tree root or fallen branch. Falk sighs and tries to ignore his Trainer’s clumsiness, without much success.
“Thanks for bein’ willin’ tah guide meh back.” Saraia says, carefully clambering over various obstacles. “Ah know this must be a hassle for yeh.”
After regrouping, the two women and their pokemon set off in Castelia City’s general direction. Leading the way, Mansi inwardly winces nearly every time Saraia noisily trips or stumbles, but ignores her acquaintance’s clumsiness.
“Thanks for bein’ willin’ tah guide meh back,” Saraia says in her strange accent as she picks her way over the forest floor with some difficulty. “Ah know this must be a hassle for yeh.”
A feeling of warmth takes root within Mansi at the warrior’s gratitude, and a ghost of a smile passes over her lips. Without turning around or stopping, she replies, “I will not leave an ally behind for spite.”
Soyala snorts but trots on, making a face at Saraia’s deino.
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