[Shalin Nariya]

As the Carkol rolled deeper into the tunnel, gaining speed as it rumbled downward, it was getting brighter. She could actually see in the dusk-like light now! Being able to see gave her a sense of just how fast the rock-type was moving. The speed wasn't the issue, though - every time the Pokémon powered through a small rock or a depression in the floor, she felt the Pokémon thrusting upward to correct its balance. She almost went flying off its back on a couple occasions.


Arceus curse her skinny body at times - her nimble, flexible body made her stellar at wrangling Pokémon that were agile and used quick motions to unseat her. She would love to challenge even the strongest of Tauros, but she was too easily sent flying by stronger Pokémon like the one she was atop. At least she can say she tried - Carkol just wasn't a Pokémon for her.



After one more turn down the tunnel network, the bright light at its end blinded her for a few seconds. She reached over the top of the rushing fire Pokémon and pointed down the bright cave mouth. She doubted it was the exit, though it was difficult to tell by temperature due to...well, being aboard a fire-type.

{WC: 216}
{PC: 10}

[Jae]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Shalin Nariya

The Carkol speeds right out into the open- and you are indeed out of the volcano.... or rather within its very hollowed out walls! If you looked over the side, you'd see the deep questionably never ending bottom. If you looked up, you'd see sky above. And you were flying along with this creature that managed to land on the other side of the drop. 

[Shalin Nariya]

Shalin braced herself, expecting a cold, biting wind on the other side of the tunnel. She brought herself closer to the smoldering Pokémon, taking a quick peek back to make sure the Larvesta and Combusken were able to keep up. She felt the rock-type accelerating, its not-quite-round feet making for a very bumpy ride toward the bright light.

What she got was the opposite - a powerful blast of heat as the Carkol reached his top speed and sailed over a red, bubbling abyss far below. This had to be Mount Grumble's main magma chamber, what with how hot it had become. Despite the winter sky above her head, it was well beyond the heat of a summer's day - she found herself taking shorter, more rapid breaths while above the open fissure.

Even while moving fast from the jump, Shalin was still sweating. It was a dry heat, plus the effective wind from Carkol's speed helped dry her skin out, but it merely kept her from overheating. When the two landed after quite the long jump, she looked back to see if the Combusken and Larvesta were still somehow following on an alternate path. Her hair was drenched despite being in motion.

1EW8Tuotp_
{Stamina to resist effects of extreme heat - 87 + 5 = 92}

"So...hot..." she moaned, patting the wild that was carrying her. Shalin reached for Levy's Poké Ball, seeing if the Carkol would slow down long enough to allow her to release the Milotic and cool her off with a much-needed Water Sport. It wasn't air conditioning, but it would be the best she was going to get in such a hellish place.

---

{WC: 265}
{PC: 11}

[Elayne]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Shalin Nariya

The Carkol would slow down only momentarily, just long enough for the Milotic to be called out. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to like the Water Sport and grumbled, shaking and promptly dropping some of their coal right there. The Combusken was far more careful than her charge and did follow, jumping from ledge to ledge to bridge the gap. For whatever reason, the Larvesta still didn't seem to be feeling any better. Maybe things could be seen better outside?

[Shalin Nariya]

Levy having done her job (temporarily) cooling Shalin off, she recalled the Water-type, already showing signs of his moist skin drying. Carkol didn't seem to be too pleased, shedding most of the top layer of their coals. Shalin scrambled to try to stay atop the rock-type, but tumbled down their body and onto a hard cliff. She looked around to get a more thorough view of where they had taken her - it appeared to be the inside of Mount Grumble's main crater.



It was completely surreal - bubbling magma far below her, the sun far above her, both brightly illuminating the mountain's interior. The entire cave seemed to waver back and forth, like the entire area was one giant heat mirage. It was to be expected in an area so rich in geologic features and fire-type Pokémon.



Turning all the way around, Shalin noticed the Combusken and Larvesta had made it all the way here. They were quick to have kept up! Focusing on them to make sure they were alright, she noticed they were still not feeling well despite having Super Potion applied. Now that she had more light to work with, she approached the two again. The girl examined the Larvesta for wounds again, paying particular attention to the area around their missing feeler. While she felt finding the severed feeler would not help, perhaps she could administer healing better if she could get an idea what had happened.

{WC: 241}
{PC: 12}

[Elayne]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Shalin Nariya

While Carkol looked bored again, the Combusken was less eager to let Shalin inspect the injury, as evidence by the way the Larvesta shied away from Shalin's touch. A harsh chirp would leave her while her free wing would gesture up, where the sun could be seen peeking through haze of heat. Carkol grumbled and settled, enjoying the sauna feel of the room they were in, not as eager to get out right then and there.

[Shalin Nariya]

The water from Levy's Water Sport was already starting to evaporate. That, along with the mist of evaporating water, formed a haze above them. The technique would cool Shalin off for a while, but when the entire pool evaporated away, it was going to get stiflingly muggy - to the point where even the strongest mountain climbers would have difficulty breathing. Shalin was a rugged and strong girl, but even she had her physical limits.



The Combusken's chirp caused Shalin to immediately back off. Perhaps she was a bit too focused on the Larvesta? When she had looked the first time, she couldn't find anything wrong with it other than the missing feeler, which hadn't turned up yet. And even if did, nothing short of surgery at a Pokémon Center would be able to replace it. The injury didn't look recent when she was able to observe it, either. The Combusken gestured upward with her loose wing. Shalin stepped a little farther back and slowly peered upward.



The evaporating water below and snow cap above created a volcanic haze that diffused the sun's rays enough that she could look almost directly upward. It was still very bright, but not so much that she would risk eye damage. The Combusken and Larvesta were dangerously close to the crater and seemed to be staring in the same general direction - were they expecting a powerful visitor? Curiosity getting the better of her, Shalin observed in the direction the fire-types pointed. The girl's breathing became deeper, both in and out, as she sat down to see what all the Fire-types were so excited about. Caprice knocked on her Poké Ball a couple of times, but Shalin ignored her call.


esB348YDp_p_
Stamina check with advantage to resist extreme heat: 46 + 5 = 51

---

{WC: 284}
{PC: 13}


·

[Ebblow]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Shalin Nariya

The Combusken did her best to look through the haze, but was unable to make out much of anything. She didn't want to leave the Larvesta's side, however, and that left her standing still. The Carkol swayed slightly as the water began to vanish. The sauna-like feel of the area would quickly dissipate once the water was gone and that was highly disappointing for him. Starting to get antsy, he shifted more, causing the Combusken to take a deep breath and squawk at him shortly. No getting himself in more danger!

[Shalin Nariya]

Shalin had already tried twice to inspect the Larvesta's wounds and been shot down by the Combusken - perhaps the two would be okay without her intervening. Had she brought Sol with her, they would have had something to talk about. Unfortunately she had left the Larvesta in storage. At least the two seemed like they had it under control. The fire-types seemed to love the sauna-like feeling in the crater, even the Carkol who would normally melt to an aquatic attack.



As the steam dissipated, she took another good look at the crater beneath - perhaps when Caprice got stronger, or when Sol evolved, one of the two could somehow protect her from the stifling heat and she could return here. That would not be for a while, though...if it was even possible. Such an inhospitable place would be the perfect place to see rare fire-type Pokémon, or maybe even an Arciel-native fire-type legendary!



zicSfCrWp_
Stamina check to resist extreme heat: 77 + 5 = 82

Standing back up and walking away from the edge of the crater, she approached the friendly Carkoi again. "Thank you," she said, unsure how whether the Pokémon was intelligent enough to understand her. She rest her hands on its black, rocky surface, turning away to loose a brief coughing fit before ascending it again. "Can you take me to the surface? I don't know how much longer I'll last down here..."

---

{WC: 229}
{PC: 14}

[Elayne]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Shalin Nariya

The Carkol seemed to perk up at being asked to actually go somewhere. He was very quick to nod but the Combusken's squawk stopped him short. Oh...right, that was what had gotten him in trouble in the first place. Which way was out? Given half a chance, the Carkol might inadvertently go deeper into the mountain. This time, the Combusken put her free wing on Shalin, gestured to all three of them and then pointed up. They needed help getting out of the volcano as well. Maybe Shalin knew the way out?

[Shalin Nariya]

Shalin was a bit puzzled on why the Combusken was bugging her. Up? She had just looked up during Levy's attempt to cool her off. Then, it dawned on her. The Combusken and Larvesta were probably lost and wanted to leave! She checked her belt for Pokémon that could get her up there. If only Flit were evolved, he could carry them out through the crater! But alas, that wasn't the case - he couldn't even carry Shalin despite how scrawny she was.

The two other fire-types seemed very distrustful of Carkol, but it was the only way she got to the other side of the crater in the first place. "I think I know the way to the surface," she addressed the Combusken while gently patting the Carkol's head. "Would you be able to take us back across the crater, Carkol?" Having explored many environments like this one, she had built an uncanny labyrinthine recall over the years, able to recall recently-traversed paths through natural features with alarming precision.

cFH056VMp_
Stamina check to resist extreme heat: 48 + 5 = 53

Shalin's breathing accelerated slightly, and she started to get mildly dizzy - the first signs of heat exhaustion. She started scanning for an alternate way to the other side of the crater, just in case the Carkol wouldn't take her back. She needed to get out of the crater, and quickly at that. She was no stranger to exploring hot areas, which gave her some tolerance to harsh environments like this one...but even she had her limits.

---

{WC: 248}
{PC: 15}

[overlordie]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Shalin Nariya

Carkol let out a curious whine at the question directed towards him, eyes blinking as he looked out to the Crater. If that was the way out, then he'd be willing to help get them across! Combusken warily glanced at the Carkoal, slightly distrustful at it's ability, and held the Larvesta close, a wary glance being spared in the pokemons direction. Carkoal eventually let out a grunt in response, turning his body to face the crater- it looked like he was willing to help everybody over!

[Shalin Nariya]

Shalin was a bit wary of the Carkol's sudden decision to help them out. She squinted in the direction the rock-type was facing, and realized there was a problem with her idea: the cliff Carkol originally jumped from was at a far higher elevation than the level they were at now.

She turned around to see exactly where the black Pokémon was staring - there was a ledge close to the magma level that eventually wound up at the cliff Carkol had jumped from. The problem was the fire-type would need to wade through a shallow pool of magma to get to the ledge. She knew it was shallow because there were some wild, sleeping Magmar that were bathing in the stuff. Carkol would be able to cross it without a problem, as could the Combusken and Larvesta by just holding on to the large fire-type. The problem was her.

o88b7m0Np_
Stamina roll to resist extreme heat: {2} + 5 = 7 | FAIL

About halfway across, a large magma bubble popped in front of them, splashing the Carkol and releasing a blast of superheated air directly into Shalin's face. She dropped onto all fours atop the large fire and rock Pokémon and started coughing. Her vision started to grow hazy, her head swaying back and forth in an effort to remain balanced atop the Pokémon. It was so hot that her body was gaining heat faster than perspiration could cool her down, despite how dry it was. Water wouldn't help her now - she needed to make it to a cooler tunnel, and fast. "...Hurry...Carkol..." she managed in her dizziness.

---

mod note: Feel free to wrap this up with the next post if it's appropriate - once she gets up to the cliff she was at before Carkol originally jumped, she should be fine.

{WC: 260}
{PC: 16}

[SG]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Shalin Nariya

Carkol stopped startled for a moment as the magma bubble popped. Ooh! But when Shalin rasped out to hurry, the Pokemon was quickly reminded that humans were fragile and put it in overdrive. A few bumps threatened to throw Shalin off at this sudden speed, but fortunately her training in riding wild Pokemon was enough to keep her balance even in such a state. The heat faded by the second now, and soon enough Shalin could breathe again. Carkol did not stop, though, taking a few twists and turns until finally daylight could be seen ahead. The Pokemon finally came to a stop and let out a proud "Kol!" Shalin was home free now.

[Shalin Nariya]

Shalin weakly waved good-bye to the Carkol, Larvesta, and Combusken, who were all free. Winter was her least favorite season...never did she think such cold, wintry air could taste so sweet. "...Thank you...all of you..." she managed. The three fire-types seemed fine being exposed to the cold weather again, but Shalin wasn't. She scrambled back into the cave enough to be able to slip her jacket back on before stepping back out into the bitter cold. The grateful girl outstretched her right hand for a handshake with the Combusken as a sign of gratitude.

Whether the Combusken felt like accepting or not, she then crawled back into the cave mouth until it was warm enough that she could get some sleep. She released Kiku, Serena, and Prance to watch over her while she recovered her energy - it would be a long ride down Route 8's trail tomorrow to get back to civilization. Perhaps one day, when she and her Pokémon became stronger and more prepared for such a harsh environment, she would come back to the volcano to check on these two Pokémon - they would make a great Blaziken and Volcarona one day.

---

Mod note: Discovery end? Feel free to wrap-up here.

{WC: 197}
{PC: 17}

[SG]

What's this? On your way out you stumble upon...

Five Fire Stones!

Congratulations!

Your thread is complete and now locked.

Shalin Nariya

Your thread has been locked. You receive 200 Pen, 5 Fire Stones, and 3 Rare Candies.