Act 4 Scene 2 - Surging Temper Part 1 [ToT]

   “Look where the river and mountains meet,” a tall Zoroark read aloud. One crimson claw grazed along the parchment as the words erupted from his muzzle. His eyes occasionally left the page to gaze out at the land ahead of them but only a few moments were spared before they found their way back to the page in his claws.

   “This is so cryptic,” the Zoroark said as his eyes drifted from the paper to his partner, Jasmine the Mienfoo. “I’m not sure what it is supposed to mean, exactly but my adventure sense is tingling for sure.” He paused to reflect on his own resolution to throw her into dangerous situations more instead of leaving her behind like he normally thought to do. A smirk spread across his fox-like muzzle as he crouched to lower himself closer to her height. “You can think of it as some extra training, your majesty. Don’t tell me you lack the curiosity I thought you had~”

   He grew quiet as a sound resonated from nearby. Noir glanced over his shoulder to the new arrival as they spoke to their group in passing.

   “No, I’m not expecting too much. But there are reasons enough to go there and leave an offering.”

   Noir glanced down at the paper as the local note continued.

   “Tradition is one. But someone else might have left an offering that we can use, and the spirit will not object to a worthy pilgrim taking an offering instead of leaving one. For all their cruelty and unpredictability, the totem spirits were seen as guardians once.”
Noir’s eyes sparkled lightly as he looked back to Jasmine. His sense of adventure and detective work were being tickled by the chance of visiting this ‘traditional’ setting. However, his eyes were more on the treasure rather than being religious. “I bet they’re talking about this! Oh come on, princess. This is our big chance to reign in some sweet treas- I mean, experience.”

   "True enough, the journey to find this treasure could be helpful," Jasmine replied. Unlike Noir, her mind was adrift in the past, less attentive to the matter of lost wealth and daring travels. The words of that snide Sableye she had met earlier in the day while Noir was off gallivanting with other Pokémon still rang in her mind.

   "Making goo-goo eyes at him", they'd said. "Jealous", as well. How foolish! For a total stranger to believe that she felt for Noir in such a way. He was her entourage; an assistant and certainly a capable one at that. A partner in terms of the work Pas De Deux had set out for themselves, certainly, but not a partner by any other meaning! Her unhappiness with him wasn't for envy of the other women, it was for the fact that he was shirking his duty to remain at her side. Was that such a hard thing to understand?

   Regardless, he was by her side now. It would be a waste of both their time to regret the past, especially when it concerned the thoughts of an uninformed hooligan like that one.

   "However, I am far more acclimated to the direct tasks that we are given in the theatre and by the guild leaders," she mused, straightening herself up and turning her eyes to the significantly taller Pokémon. "For a discovery like this, the one who wrote this note is being knowingly vague.”

   Noir didn’t detect any unusual feelings or intents from Jasmine. She seemed as she always had, a thoughtful individual who prided themselves on physical fitness and sharpness of mind. He didn’t doubt that she would prove useful in a dungeon and the fact she didn’t oppose to his love of treasure made it even more grand!

   “Bah. Vague isn’t the right word at all,” Noir responded with one raised hand. He shifted the hand in front of him as if he were grazing his hand across an invisible wall while saying, “Mysterious.”

   He turned his attention back to her and grinned happily. He couldn’t contain his excitement. “It’ll be fine! Let’s go see what we can stea- find.” That was almost the second time he made a verbal blunder. He was getting too lax around her, he surmised. He would need to check himself closer before speaking.

   Alas, he turned his attention back to the note in hand before reading the contents out loud once more.

   “Look where the river and mountains meet. Those seeking a ruin where no light is needed should explore here. But They should be cautious of the water: it holds danger before Their first destination. Within, electricity dances, always a threat but never an opponent. Step carefully, but do not slow down. Godspeed to those who risk their lives, and goodwill to those who do not.”

   “Hm,” he hummed. His free claw had returned to the sheet for a moment before resting under his chin in thought. “Less of a riddle and more of a direct warning. The ‘do not slow down’ part makes me wonder if it is a subtle way of saying ‘only move in one direction and don’t stop.’ Which means if we start this, we can’t stop until we hit the destination. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”
Noir’s gaze dropped to his partner’s once more to assess her desire to continue.

   "Exercise is a necessary step to being as talented at dancing as we... as I am, and as you intend to be, Noir." Jasmine waved a hand, choosing to offer him a simple rebuttal rather than taking offense at what seemed to be an honest question. "As such, I believe I am prepared to deal with some sprinting as need be.

   " 'Mysterious' then..." she added with a slight murmur as she looked down into the river where the Scholar Menthe and the great Sinclair had been working to purify its tainted contents only a day earlier. Their miracle tablets had worked wonders; not a bit of the green and purple ooze they had become acquainted with since Mosswood was nowhere to be seen - only the sparkling, crystalline surface and the bright sun-tanned orange and brown rocks of the canyon which lay in the jungle. "The walls are steep," she added, presuming that Noir's thoughts had interrupted his mouth with that exact word. "How shall we get down?"

   As Jasmine’s eyes were downcast upon the water below, Noir began his descent without her. He wouldn’t go far but he was still getting used to not being such a typical loner on tasks. Once down far enough, he stopped to look back up at Jasmine. His eyes locked on hers as she finished her question.

   “By… uh… moving one foot in front of the other?” Noir answered sheepishly. His shoulders lifted in a half-hearted shrug. “Maybe it’s best to leave the thinking for later, you’ll need the energy. For now, FORWARD MARCH!”
His words were accompanied by a genuine laugh, he was having fun, oddly enough.

   "Noir!" Jasmine groaned, her shoulders raising and her chin falling to her chest, glaring after him with a posture like a Torkoal halfway into the process of retreating into its shell.

   Where exercise was concerned, running was no troublesome feat. Scaling rock walls, however, was not a task she had ever tried before. By the time Noir had climbed down, she was left to figure out her own steps. He was larger and had more powerful claws with which to grab hold of the flat surface of sunbathed rock, whereas hers were smaller, and probably less sharpened for gripping than a Meowth's. But left with no other options, it seemed they would have to suffice.

   She leaned over the side of the walkway, feeling the heat of the stone against her belly, and worked at finding a solid foothold with her feet. There was none; as she attempted to descend gravity naturally pulled her downward. She gave out a squeak of fright, feeling as though she would slide all the way down into the water below!

   Her body dropped for no more than ten feet, if that, when her ankles clipped a solid surface and her sense of balance was further disrupted; sending her flailing as she fell backward and landed on her back with Noir standing a short distance away, peering out beyond them.

   Noir had hurriedly made his way down and was in the process of positioning himself to catch her if she fell. Alas, her rapid descent prevented his aid. Instead, he gazed out at their destination before letting his eyes rest on her.

   “You okay there, Princess? For a dancer, you sure are unstable on your own paws,” he chuckled lightly to ease the tension while unaware his joking could take the opposite effect. Nevertheless, he didn’t pause long enough to take her feelings in check. His eyes rose to the prize once more as one clawed hand retrieved the rolled-up note from the satchel strapped to his thigh.

   “Where the mountains and rivers meet, huh? On the right track, I suppose. Come on, Jasmine. No time for a nap.”

   Jasmine grit her teeth and waved a paw in the air. "Noir, for goodness' sake help me up! This wouldn't have happened had you helped me climb down, you know!"

   Noir returned the parchment to his satchel and dropped to walk over on all fours to where she lay. "Oh no. It seems you've forgotten the deal. I'm here for protection right? You insisted on staying at my side during everything. That means you have to do everything yourself. I'm just here in case you get in over your head. Or was that not what you had in mind?" The snarky smirk remained as he sat a few feet away from her and yawned. "Time's a wasting~"

   "Excuse me?" Incredulous eyes stared at the offending Zoroark who continued to sit back on his haunches, as interested in what she had to say as a Snorlax in anything that wasn't their next meal. Where had he gotten the nerve?

   "You are here as my aide, not simply a bodyguard! And I am not one to get 'over my head'." Clearly he was not going to be a proper gentleman and help her up; with a growl she got her paws under her and pushed up to her feet, now fighting to clean off the thinnest layer of dust that clung to her paws and arms and refused to be removed. She imagined her back and shawl were absolutely filthy. "I had hoped you'd have at least enough respect to understand that, given the women you flirt with-"

   Noir was already moving once more, sauntering away. Had he always been so rude? He certainly had not been in their first meeting!
And to think that strangers were to think she had feelings for him. Hah! To ever pair herself with such a disrespectful man as him... why, she was beginning to have thoughts of dismissing him from Pas de Deux as it was! Her paws trembled with contained rage as she hurried along to keep up with him, as though he believed it was she who was little more than an assistant to his cause.

   True to form, Noir had ignored her pleas and, instead, continued on with his walk. Along the way, he stood to his hind legs to walk vertically as he normally would. As with most individuals like him who could readily change from being bipedal to quad, he preferred one over the other. Walking vertically was essential considering his stance on societal matters and how his peers viewed him. Unfortunately, a Zoroark who walked on four legs had always appeared feral or vicious (as he observed from one he found as a relative in a sense). He retained the skill of running fast but was quicker on all fours rather than his preferred two-legged walk. Once they neared their destination, he planned to run in that manner but… he couldn’t just leave her behind that way. He’d leave her so far behind and have no way to reach her without becoming a victim to the electricity the note spoke of.

   With a light slow of his saunter, he moved back to Jasmine’s side as they continued on. “Well, maybe I was a little harsh seeing as you’re incredibly slow. You’ll only slow me down if I let you walk into this ‘electricity’ the note spoke of. At the risk of ripping your scarf in my teeth, you may have to bite the bullet and ride on my back. But, ha, what am I kidding. You’re used to using others for your own gain. Of course YOU wouldn’t mind being carried rather than walking on your own two paws.”

   A fire ten times hotter than the heat that seared the color off of the walls of the canyon burned in Jasmine's eyes. Her strength was fully devoted to the demanding task of not lashing out at Noir. His crass choice of words having now been turned on her rather than her father gave her a full understanding of the fury that lurked just behind the Mienshao's cold, stern exterior. The mistake he was making this time, however, was that he had no external support to keep his own words from choking him.

   "I suggest you mind your tongue, Noir," she hissed. "As I said, I am quite able to run. Assuming we are not literally trying to outrun lightning then I will be quite able to move on my own. For the time being, we are not in a hurry, and you are ignoring manners for the sake of thrills. That is not proper etiquette for the Theatre Vagary, which you are representing for as long as you perform there."

   The words that left her mouth then only made her more upset as she thought on them. Noir was not only disgracing her with his obstinate behavior, but also the legacy of her family and livelihood as well. The one she could at least abide with some effort, but the other went beyond herself. It seemed another discussion would be in order.

   “Whatever you say, duchess,” Noir said with a delighted prance ahead. “But if you get in a position where you have to ask for my help, you just remember who it is you’re relying on to come save you later. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

   He continued on ahead with a confident smile but it faded as they approached a darkened area with water from the rivers moving around them in a steady flow. “Cautious of water: it holds danger before their final destination,” Noir repeated the lines from the note. By this point, he memorized the words of the note so didn’t need to pull it out in order to read. “It must be the electricity it mentioned after. And maybe some weird locals.” He was mostly talking to himself but glanced back at Jasmine with a final word, “This might be obvious but don’t go for a swim. I’m guessing we have to look for electricity somewhere nearby. It should lead us to this… uh… ‘ruin’ I think.”

   "I am not intending to dive from this cliff." Jasmine huffed and folded her arms. This trip was rapidly becoming tiresome, if only for her current company. She feared Pietre may have been right; Dominic may indeed have been a far better choice for assistance in guild work.
"As for the electricity." She sniffed. "Perhaps those who aren't 'using others for their own gain' aren't familiar with ancient architecture. Assuming this is some hidden temple, then there must be a trick to contain or channel said electricity."

   Her first concern was in finding some form of entrance. Ancient structures were unlikely to have carefully-crafted secret doorways, which meant that there must be some visible clue to go by if they were to find the lost treasure.

   “And perhaps those who don’t know much about the world other than the between pages of expensive books or the idle chatter in between sheets of their father’s cohort’s bed chambers should pipe down and focus on what they do best. Sitting pretty and letting the men do the work,” Noir snapped. He lowered himself to the ground and lightly scratched at the surface. The ground directly beneath them felt solid and he didn’t feel that subtle prickle of static anywhere. However, he thought over the note and the details within.

   Regardless of any protests or retorts from Jasmine, he spoke up above her voice, “The note said ‘Those seeking a ruin where no light is needed should explore here.’ So obviously that means it is down below somewhere. You coming or am I going to have to leave you to your silly climbing strategies? Do you think you’d be able to survive a fall from this height?”

   Amid her furious outbursts it was impossible for Jasmine to reflect upon herself and realize that some part of her did indeed want to turn around, return to the lodgings where the Tabirans had found rest for the time being, and abandon Noir to 'enjoy' this excursion completely on his own. That urge was too far outweighed by her sudden and mighty need to prove this ill-raised cretin wrong about his half-baked and sharp-tongued appraisal of her lifestyle.

   His raised voice received no response from her. Instead she darted past him, slapping his claws out of her way where they hung at Noir's side, and proceeded further down the rock face. Her descent paused when she had to once more seek a place to grip the walls, but she was far from reluctant this time as she traveled ever lower into the canyon.

   Now she had climbed low enough to faintly hear the gurgling of the waters below them. Despite the land appearing completely flat, there was apparently enough of an incline for the water to flow along in one direction. Still, while it appeared gentle and relatively cool against the hot rock that mildly stung her pawpads, she had no inclination to dive into it, Noir's snide comments notwithstanding.

   The lack of reply left Noir with a huge grin. It told him two things. One, he was getting under her skin. Two, she was starting to rely on him less. Sure, he didn’t mind feeling powerful since he was technically there as a bodyguard but something about her not working for herself struck a deep chord in his soul. When they first met, she seemed willing to get out in the world and experience it for herself! But lately, it felt like she had only used it as if she thought of it as a vacation from home. Some teen fantasy in which she could easily wake up from by waltzing back home. Would he really just sit by and let her drag him through the mud like the good little street rat he was? No!
“You could have at least given me the chance to go first. I would have had a nice view of you falling,” Noir laughed as he to began to descend.

   "Do not make me trip you."

   Soon, Noir heard the sounds of water and moved closer to his partner. His crimson claws breaking into the rocky surface in order to keep a firm stance along the wall. “I don’t see any electricity from here… do we need to dig?”

   She struggled to lean back enough to get a clear view of her surroundings while still feeling comfortable enough with her faint grip of solid stone to feel as though she weren't about to fall to her doom. Here the shadows cast by the rocks higher up allowed enough shade for the rock face to become cool and gentle. The rushing water seemed not to be coming from below at all, but rather from much closer, somewhere actually a part of the stone of the canyon. "There must be something close by. 'Where the river and mountains meet' implies there to be some place for the river to stop, no?"

   Her ears swiveled, seeking out the noise more clearly. It seemed to be just below them, and off to the left a bit. Slowly, cautiously, she worked one paw over the other, digging her claws in as best she could to allow a grip and allow her to move sidelong across the rocks. It quickly became strenuous work; her better strength was in her legs, and not her upper body. Feats such as those were better handled by heavier Pokémon than herself. She would welcome the opportunity to run rather than lift as soon as it presented itself... already sweat was beading in her fur and even the lighter cloth of her shawl seemed a burdensome weight.

   Now that he had his say in her willingness to participate as well as teasing her about her disposition or past (taking note that she hadn’t retorted to him accusing her of having sexual relations with her father’s friends or business partners), Noir slowly began to worry once more. It was more than the liability he’d face in the hands of those above him. After getting to know her and the fact she could handle his humor so well, he found that he actually sort of… liked her.

   His entire body shivered at the sudden thought. He was being mean out of necessity. Not some childish boy crush! It was silly to even consider that, HA.

   Nevertheless, her struggles and refusal for help was more than he had intended. He had expected her to fuss and demand to be taken back to her father like the spoiled brat she seemed to be. Though, it’s not like he wouldn’t go with her. He wasn’t the type to demand a ransom for her return…

   More bad thoughts sent shivers through his body long enough that he almost lost grip on the wall. To others, it must have seemed like he was fighting something invisible.

   Focus. Focus on the task. Noir took a deep breath and looked back over in his partner’s direction. She was headed toward the sound of water. Her own observation helped him focus as he followed along behind her. “Yeah… it almost sounds like…”

   “A waterfall…” Noir’s voice faded as the waterfall came into view. The water spilled from the cracks in the mountain cliff and cascaded down on the rocks below, further amplifying his worry for his partner’s well-being. “Hey, I was kidding before about letting you fall. Seriously, climb into my fur so you don’t fall to your death. I’ll get us both there safely.”

   "No." The fur at her shoulders bristled slightly; though the distance between them and the river was great, she had no intention of surrendering herself to Noir's discretion at the moment. Had it been only a few moments ago, perhaps, but he had long since destroyed any likelihood of her relying on him for support in this endeavor. She did not turn her head back to look him in the eye; even if she wanted to it would have been too difficult to lean back and turn without bumping her nose on the rocks. He sounded sincere, whereas before he had been aloof and teasing, but that did not sway her decision.

   The rocks jutted out in an uneven pattern around the mouth from which water spilled down into the canyon, making it nigh impossible to continue her path straight to the side in order to reach it. It seemed she would have to climb a bit higher and then do her best to get herself down and into the opening from above. She had no doubt that this was where they had to go; water and canyon met here, and there was quite clearly a cavern of some sort beyond the rushing water. Her only concern would be not allowing the tide to catch her and send her plummeting...

   She braced herself and began the upward climb, peeking her head briefly out of the shadows and back into blinding sunlight after only a few movements. It was frustrating work, but she was adamant. This was the path she must take.

   Noir was in a state of fully worrying at her outright refusal. He knew he deserved the cold treatment after his playful remarks (and harmful retorts) but this was serious. The least he could do was act as a safety net.

   He moved along underneath Jasmine as she climbed upward. Regardless of his previous claim, he wasn’t attempting anything lewd or otherwise. Instead, he carefully chose his footing in preparation for the possibility he’d have to use one hand to catch her. So far, she had held her grip better than she had before. However, the fall here wouldn’t be as forgiving and he definitely couldn’t help her back on her feet afterwards.

   His ears pressed into the back of his head and base of his neck as he pressed himself closer to the wall. Even he couldn’t hold his grip forever. Part of him wondered how the villagers paid homage to this … ruined shrine? Did they have to go through this every time or was there another entrance they hadn’t known about?

   Jasmine had no idea where Noir was, given that she was only able to look to her left and slightly at an angle down to where the edge of the waterfall was in sight below her. "Do you see any place to put our feet down?" she prompted. The biggest hazard would be the water's flow and the spray it created on any nearby footholds, which would make the stone surface wet and slippery. Caution was their only means of safety for the moment - not that she felt especially adventurous hanging from steep rocks.

   “Yes, but you may have to trust me,” Noir said. Unlike his companion, he could push himself away from the wall slightly since his claws secured his spot there. He climbed faster until he moved himself directly over her body. She was tiny so the feat was easier than most.
“One second,” he said as he adjusted his front claws into the wall. Then as a second passed of him adjusting his stance, his back feet left the security of the wall. His front claws took on his entire weight as he attempted to aim his descent…

   His front claws released their grip on the wall and he fell into the small jut which released the mountain’s hold on the water inside. Fearful of touching the water and receiving whatever shock it held in store, his feet desperately landed on the small stones erupting from the water’s flow. As soon as his paw pads made contact with the hard surface, his claws dug in protectively to keep him from slipping further.

   His footing was solid! They had a clear path to the inside of the cave in which the waterfall flowed outward. All that was left was Jasmine…

   “Okay! I’m down here. There’s water all around but I think I see a solid ground path to either side of the water. If you drop down, aim toward me. I don’t care if you use me as a kickboard to launch over to the area or if you just let me catch you. Just do it quickly!”

   "Catch--?" Jasmine gritted her teeth. "I will do it myself. Tell me where I can land on my own two feet, Noir. I don't need your help!"

   Inwardly, she felt a pull, as though her logic was crying out that she was making a mistake by dismissing his offer to help. She ignored it. Looking down, she attempted to make out some stable footing but could see nothing but the near-endless wall of stone from which she was already hanging.

   Attempting to lower herself a bit more, she found the holes Noir's claws had dug in the rocks just below her original position allowed her to hold fast. That realization frustrated her, knowing that even secondhandedly he was helping her! She attempted to crawl aside from those holes and grip the wall entirely on her own, but her claws failed to find purchase and she was forced to fall back to the miniature crevices.

   “Jasmine!”

   His tone became soaked with panic. The stones below his feet began to shift from his weight. He could only assume that the jut he had landed upon was, in fact, a sort of collection of many different stones that had passed there along the water’s path. The formation behind him was more like a dam, preventing the rocks from falling with the rushing liquid to their new home far below. His weight had disturbed the delicate balance holding them up. The subtle creaks below him were almost inaudible due to the water rushing past him.

   “JASMINAMI!”

   "WHAT, NOIR?"

   Jasmine's head snapped down, her teeth flashing in an open-mouthed scream. This time her eyes found the Zoroark right away, but she failed to register what was happening to his footing as she realized she had turned too far - now her paw had slipped and she fell from the wall, directly toward the frantic dark type. Her frustration was washed over by immediate panic, balance overthrown by the force of gravity.

   Noir’s footing broke and he scrambled to a heavier object as the rest of the jut fell. He had prepared to leap toward the opening before he would lose the opportunity but he also noticed Jasmine lose her grip at the exact same time.

   This was a make or break moment. Running entirely on adrenaline and the subconscious order he placed his options, he crouched down and waited. Within the moments following, he effectively caught his partner and launched himself onto the rocky surface. Unfortunately, his path led him through the rushing water and, while his vision was impaired, into a hard slam against the solid wall.

   He coughed as the air exited his lungs but the water around him refused to allow him his breath. Quickly, Noir used one arm to secure Jasmine against his chest, regardless of her protests, while the other arm directed his movement. He shimmied away from the water as best he could without it throwing him down onto the sharp rocks far below.

   Once free of the incredible weight of rushing water, he took several deep breaths and began to climb once more. Since he only had one hand free to make the initial jumps and catches, the danger of falling was that much greater. Even still, he continued on as if his life depended on it (and technically, it did!).

   With some effort, he made it to the top and tossed Jasmine inside the cave. He was careful to send her toward the walkway instead of in the water but he was beyond being ‘gentle’ with this throw. He then pulled himself over the newly broken lip of the cave and sat on solid ground. His claws were tingling and his paws were sore. Hopefully there was an easier way out of that place. He really didn’t want to do that again.

   Jasmine bounced off of the rocks, her fur now damp and slippery and her eyes suddenly stinging. She shrieked with aggravation, at a loss as to what had just happened. All she knew was that the sound of water flowing and flushing out of the rocks had amplified and echoed around her, giving her the impression that she must be inside the cave now.

   All that was only a passing thought against the pain in her eyes. She had forgotten to wash the makeup from her eyes and now it had been washed into her face, blinding her. Worse still was the fact that there was no decent means for her to clean herself up; the rushing water would throw her out and splatter her far below if she attempted to use it. She was left frustratedly rubbing at her eyes with wet paws, occasionally dipping them in the miniature puddles collecting underneath her in hopes of washing clean the sticky substance that clung to her fingers and then attacking the mess on her face once more.

   She eventually managed to alleviate the pain enough to carefully open her eyes once again, allowing her to take in the expanse of the cave around them. She was sitting just on the precipice of doom, overlooking that vast spread of land beyond the waterfall. Shuddering, she turned back to look inside. The cave system from which the water flowed glowed with blue light that flared slightly and faded away at random intervals inside what appeared to be an array of square stone places dotting the floor and even the walls and ceiling.

   He ignored her shrieking and instead leaned further out of the cave. He did so to escape the shrill echoes while taking a glance down at the area far below them. He could see the small holes where his claws had broken into the wall. There were signs that several other Pokémon had done the same a long while back. Perhaps it was a rite of passage to work so hard to reach this area. Those items better be worth it, he thought.

   After a few moments to catch his breath, he stood fully and entered the cave properly. His arms swung at his side, still throbbing lightly. The serious moment broke as his eyes caught the look of Jasmine’s destroyed facial alterations. He laughed louder than he had ever done before and fell back into a sitting position as he witnessed the catastrophic damage done to her face. The purple above her eyes was smeared and the darkened markings over her eye lids were spread out. The black taint gave her the appearance of dark baggy eyes that hung freely. The rest of the black sticky substance lightened as it streamed down her fur. He had only seen this a few times when he saw women cry but in this case it was just Jasmine’s face being hit by the waterfall.

   “OH MY. YOU LOOK TERRIBLE,” Noir cackled loudly, his rather mean reaction had begun to taper off into light laughter. His own facial markings were permanently set in his fur, unlike her own, so he didn’t understand the delicate matter of females and their beauty products. “That water did a number on your face. My bad. I’m glad I caught you but damn, it looks like you would have had a better time being dunked in there longer.”

   "Makeup is not meant to go IN my eyes, you imbecile!" Jasmine beat frustratedly at the puddles around her, still on her knees and not wanting to get up. She must look hideous! Although her eyes were no longer burning, she wanted to clean herself up further. She dipped her paws in the nearest puddle not yet stained black and worked at rubbing the smeared color from her fur more viciously.

   It was her own foolishness that led to this, of course. She had agree to go along on this excursion without fully understanding that the mention of water might mean she would have to get herself wet. Utterly stupid of her! She grasped her shawl and threw it over her head, throwing it down on the stone floor with a wet slap. The blasted thing would have to be dried out immediately, not the least of all her own fur!

   Adventure. Treasure. They couldn't be more than a few minutes into this escapade and so far all she had gained was a sense of frustration and suffering. And of course it was all Noir's fault!

   Noir’s cackling finally came to a close as he stood back up and rubbed his side. The sudden burst of laughter was more than he had in a while and his body seemed to reject the sudden convulsions as if something was wrong. He breathed out and used one claw to wipe away any tears that may have accumulated in his eyes during the outburst.  After which, he walked over to her and held out a paw.

   “If it’s not supposed to go in your eyes, why do you wear it at all? When you’re working on these jobs, you’re going to sweat a lot from hard work. You’re basically asking to get it smeared at least a little,” Noir said. All humor had left (most likely used up by the outburst) and what was left was pity. His opinion still stood on her, however, she was just a spoiled brat out in a place she didn’t belong. It was rather sad looking.  The saddest part was… she was gorgeous without all that make-up. Even now, he could see her natural fur tones in some sections where the make-up had been effectively wiped or washed away.

   Noir opened his mouth to tell her just that but a sound startled him back into reality. He dropped to all fours and snarled. The sound of his growl echoed down the tunnel and the further back it went, the more it bounced. He paused to listen. The noise he heard wasn’t an opponent… but instead the zapping of electricity.

   “You hear that? Oh…” He paused as he glanced down at his own body, “we’re soaked… if we get shocked now…”

   Her mood had begun to subside when he demonstrated some common courtesy and offered his claws to help her up - apparently all it had taken was raucous laughter at her expense to get him to behave himself once more, as though he had to let out a huge wave of rude behavior in order to become civil once again.

   Still, this guild work was not necessarily labor that led to heat and sweat. Even if he was right about that, she had no intention of giving up her make-up. She opened her mouth to say as much when his attention was pulled away.

   The idea of being electrocuted did not sit well with her. She had not been in battles with electric types - in fact, not with any other Pokémon at all - but she knew what pain was. Electrocution could only be more unpleasant. But they had to see this journey through... "Then we run. That note of yours said we are not to stop." She sighed and attempted to gently squeeze out the water from her cloak without overstraining the fabric by twisting it into a knot.

   Jasmine was standing a little ahead of him and Noir kept this in mind when he shook rabidly to rid his fur of most of the moisture. Once the tiny drops of water slowed their shower to the left and right of him, Noir stretched and stood tall. One hand placed at his hip as he assumed his usual idle stance. “But They should be cautious of the water: it holds danger before Their first destination. Within, electricity dances, always a threat but never an opponent. Step carefully, but do not slow down. Godspeed to those who risk their lives, and goodwill to those who do not.” His mimicking came in handy once again. The note in his satchel had most likely been soaked in the water as they were. He’d imagine that paper would handle poorly to moisture compared to their fur.

   “So I take it we won’t be outright attacked in here but there are traps of some sort,” Noir analyzed. His eyes forward with interest. If nothing else, he seemed to be enjoying the puzzles or at the very least, the unknown journey. If he hadn’t been so ‘roguelike,’ he may have found a home in the guilds long before meeting Jasmine. “Step carefully, but do not slow down… Good thing we’re fast on our feet. Put some of those dancer skills in motion.”

   With a random yawn, Noir began to walk forward down the pathway and into the darkness of the cave. Several sparks ahead of them dimly lit the area and they increased in number as they neared their destination. The sparkles lit up the walls as if it were putting on a show. Various translucent gems and crystals reflected the light into many different colors all around them. However, as they approached an odd wooden doorway adorned in carvings and large leaves, he witnessed the floor was electrified. Blue light emitted from the cracks in arches and the stark realization hit him that… there was no way he’d get through without getting shocked at least once.

   “No matter how much it hurts once you start, keep moving. Remember, your own two feet, right? You’re on your own in this one. See those bones scattered around the floor? Those are the other poor souls that either stopped in the middle or suffered from whatever other traps we have to face.” He said that but in truth, he would never leave her to die. Even if he hated her, he would at least make an attempt to pull her out of danger. …though, the thought of being a ‘soft-hearted hero’ put a bad taste in his mouth.

   Jasmine paused, her arms half-raised over her head as she had begun to slip her shawl back on - she felt confident that she had pressed out enough water from both it and her own fur to be as comfortable as the current situation would allow. Noir's comments made her turn her eyes toward the floor he had indicated. There were indeed bones littering the floor in a few areas, though luckily the stench of death did not fill the air around them. Those bones were all clean, albeit charred, presumably by the traps in the cave.

   Even as she looked on, the faintest of blue sparks sprang out from crevices in the floor where a femur had apparently weighed them down, stinging the pale rod and leaving a fresh new mark. The sight filled her with dread. Most of the corpse was turned away from her, making her uncertain what species it was, but they were about the same size as she was. It made her worry that she would not be as fast as this stranger had been, and meet the same fate.

   She clasped her paws and breathed deeply, attempting to calm herself. Of course those thoughts would not go away completely, but Noir was right. Once they had started running, there was no turning back. In fact, the decision to do so may well have been what felled the poor souls lying there.

   The skin at her nose wrinkled as a scowl began to form on her face at Noir's next "encouragement" that she would be left on her own. She contained it as best she could. It was not an unfair thing to say, albeit with a lack of more respectful language. She could not simply ride along and allow him to lead, for her weight on his back could be just enough to slow him down and get him hurt, which - even if she did not care for his well-being - would only affect her negatively as well.

   There was still the option of abandoning this ridiculous crusade and going back…

   No! Her scowl deepened as she forced the thought from her mind. They had already begun this journey, and had found the entrance to the hidden secrets the note described. She would not turn back now, accept that she had been tormented by Noir and had her makeup ruined for no reason at all! This electricity maze would not be the better of her. She refused to allow it to happen!

   "Then we will stay as close together as we can," she declared, spreading her feet apart in ready to charge onward. Even with the need to stay physically separate, she was not about to accept Noir's usual manner of running on ahead and leaving her far in his wake. "On your word, we run."

   “Understood,” Noir acknowledged. His own stance lowered to all fours and his claws gripped the ground to test his traction. He watched the arches ahead of them for an opening or some sort of pattern but alas, the sparks were varied in length and power. His ears perked upwards as he listened for any other signs of traps. As they laid back down in their usual lax position, he lowered his head to be level with his torso, several inches above the ground. His furry mane bristled with anticipation.

   “GO.”

   Noir took off running as fast as he could. He kept his front legs together as much as he could as well as his back two as close as possible. Instead of the usual running stages of legwork, he skipped the essential beginning strides and went straight for the sprinting bunny hops to each square block separating them from the electrified floor. As he hopped from one to the next, he realized he sunk ever so slightly the longer he took on each platform. His weight was enough to lower him in for a light shock. By the first three jumps, his body was tingly and numb. “PRE-SSURE P-PLATES,” his voice shakily tried to relay the information between body shivers and hops.

   Soon enough, he made it past the electrified corridor and laid down on the cool flooring beyond. For some reason, his tongue had gone numb slightly. He felt it flopping lightly against his bottom jaw as he panted but the odd sensation made it seem like it was a foreign object rather than his own body part. “Jashmen?” he asked as he lifted his head to look back toward his partner. His words were clear despite the slight slur but it was obvious now that he had bitten his own tongue along the way. Perhaps due to the shocking experience.

   Jasmine had stayed as close to Noir as she could manage while keeping her eyes steadily on her footing. The trap flooring had no concern for their caution, only serving its intended purpose to send shocking currents into the bodies of those who dared enter. The plates sank eagerly under her feet as she worked to stay on the move and avoid being stricken by Noir's long, flapping mane. In a matter of less than a minute she had felt an uncomfortable tingle surge through her feet and into her thighs at least three times, making her feel clumsy and unbalanced as she hurried through the room. She wanted to dawdle for not an instant; if too much electricity entered her body then she would never leave this place!

   She made an attempt to evade the flooring by jumping up and kicking off from the walls as often as possible, but this action only served to get her nastier zaps as she pressed in the pressure plates on the walls even faster and further than she did simply by running. She abandoned the idea quickly, opting to push herself through the direct path of footwork as quickly as possible. Her upper body had not been harmed, but her presumed clumsiness was only growing worse with each shock delivered through her feet.

   Noir, of course, made it through first, but in the next few seconds she joined him, her knees shaking and struggling to keep her upright. Slowly and with great effort, she lowered herself to the floor and sat, attempting to soothe her shot nerves by rubbing the muscles with her paws.

   "I am here," she responded simply. Her whole body now felt heavy, as though the final remnants of electricity had continued on their way up her legs and into her chest, arms and head. It was with some effort that she spoke up at all, feeling strangely unenergized despite the surges that had just passed through her.

   Noir had obviously fared no better. He lay on the floor chest-down with his arms spread at his sides and his cheek squashed down as he had turned his head to one side. She felt sorry for him in that moment, and reached out to touch his side.
The gesture sent an electrical spark of static between their bodies, shocking her paw painfully enough that she retreated with a shout.

   “OW.”

   Noir jerked away and back to standing on all four paws. He shook violently from side to side as if ridding his fur of the static yet that would do no good. He sighed and attempted to roll his tongue back behind his teeth as he glanced around the room.

   It was spacious and in an almost dome shape. Much like the note had described, they didn’t need torches to light their way through the caves or to illuminate the room around them. The electricity sent light bouncing around the chamber. In the center lay a sort of shrine decorated with smooth stone surfaces encasing an odd yellow helmet looking object between them. The only thing that looked more flamboyant were the large leaves sprouting out from behind the structure like the tails of a Ninetales fanning out as they normally would do.

   A sorrowful look struck Noir’s face hard as he forced himself to look away from the leaves. He wanted desperately to crack a joke to hide his emotional pain but the words wouldn’t form as he needed them to.

   Then, as if guided there by a blessing (or a curse), a grey figure moved ahead. Noir’s eyes darted forward to see the creature in front of him but… it looked like a ghost. No ghost he had ever seen. His colorations matched the odd helmet thing in the shrine but this spirit’s colorations were muted and he lacked any sort of physical structure.

   “You are not one of the many pilgrims come to pay respects. What brings you here?”

   Noir flinched at the ghostly voice. They commanded attention and seemed to have a natural authority that Noir didn’t understand. “We’re… uh… here to see your treasure.”

   “Oh?” the spirit lifted from the ground and towered over them. Its blackened eyes shifted from Noir to Jasmine as his shield like arms spread further apart to reveal his tinier form within. “In the days long past, I would challenge those who seek riches to a duel to with the right to leave with what they sought. Alas, I am unable to partake in such matches so I would not open the path for you.”

   Noir sighed lightly. All for nothing…

   “However,” the spirit continued. “I will grant you passage into my inner sanctum if you and your beloved appeased me. I do enjoy battles, you see, and a long time has passed since I witnessed one here. So, as I said, I will grant passage to the victor of your fight.”
Noir’s eyes widened lightly as he glanced over at Jasmine. No way! She wouldn’t stand a chance against his full force attacks. He was completely offence! Where he lacked in subtle graces, she lacked in overall power. He couldn’t fight her!

   The appearance of the mysterious entity seemed to immediately fill the room with an ominous power - not threatening, yet clearly a force strong enough to overturn both hers and Noirs in an easy sweep, making them dust privy to the whims of a giant broom. She could feel the power in the room as though it were flowing right through her skin and into her body, then out again. That note's latter clues began to make sense to her - always a threat, but never an opponent. This strange being was powerful, but would not raise their hand against them.

   " 'Beloved'?" Jasmine's sense of awe dissipated instantly. For the second time today...!

   She held her tongue, wanting no part in calling upon the wrath of a god, though she was offended that someone so powerful would be willing to jump to such a bold conclusion about Pokémon they had only just met! She looked up at Noir; his expression, unlike hers, was surprised and uncomfortable. It seemed he did not share her optimism at the chance to hit something.

   That only upset her further. "What, Noir?" she growled, a far lower tone than the last time she had snapped those same words. "You worry I won't be able to take care of myself? Even after all that encouragement that brought us here?"

   So her life was a game, then. Something for him to poke fun of until the time came when it really mattered, and he saw her as weak, defenseless. Incapable of handling the work that traveling guilds had to offer. How dare he...

   She snapped her head to the strange mystical Pokémon, her eyes flashing. "We accept your challenge," she declared. "What would you have us do?"

   As if the initial shock of the room mixed with the powerful aura wasn’t enough to set Noir on edge, his face dropped all expression and his blood ran cold. Jasmine… had just spoken for both of them. What was she thinking? He could easily knock her down! Her words stung lightly and did more damage than the electricity that had nipped at his paws before. Sure, he joked around and made some mean comments. He DID deserve a few smacks for being mean, he could readily admit, but was this a fight to the death?

   “Simply win in a battle!” the spirit announced. It retreated to the shrine, sitting atop the stone structure. Its glistening eyes gazed out at the two of them expectantly. With a wave of the hand, the room lit up more than it had before, the space in front of the shine was large enough for a battle. And in fact, there were various bones scattered in odd places. It looked as if the area had been cleaned (possibly by a pilgrim coming to pay respects to their deity) but they missed a few areas in their task.

   Noir blinked. The hesitation did nothing to help the lingering question of how lethal this battle was meant to be.

   "Very well." Jasmine paced away, turning her back to Noir until she had reached the far wall at the left of the room, then spun on her heel to face Noir, leaving the ornate carved runes dotting the walls behind her as she raised her paws, assuming a stance (admittedly an uncertain and probably unbalanced one) of combat. The unsteadiness she felt with her arms outstretched in such a way did not reflect in her eyes, however.

   "Well, Noir? This is an opportunity to teach me how to defend myself, no? All we have to do is fight honorably until one of us admits defeat. You claim you hate to coddle me, so then do not hold back."

   As though he needed her encouragement to let his stubborn will outweigh his self-control. His tongue flapped loosely all day; he had no concern for her emotional state, no respect for her status or sex. Knowing this, it seemed now the perfect opportunity had presented itself to strike him down and prove to him just how wrong he was about her. She had learned enough from Dominic and from Noir to defeat him in combat, of that she was confident

   Noir’s concerned look didn’t leave. His eyes darted back to the shrine and the leaves fanned out behind the stones. It was almost as if more than just the deity watched their fight. The concern changed to sadness again but he didn’t have the time to spare mulling in his thoughts. His eyes darted to Jasmine as she outright challenged him once again.

   Defending herself was different. He’d overpower her… and he didn’t want to hurt her at all. Though, his ears burned with embarrassment when he had to reevaluate her words. At first, he misunderstood her word “coddle” as “cuddle.” In light of his current confusion with harsh words, tense fighting atmosphere and the oddly familiar air swirling around him making him feel… nostalgic, he was misreading the tension. Was it the imposing presence he felt? Did it remind him of someone he once knew?

   “I won’t coddle you but I also won’t fight you either. Are you stupid? I’d tear you down in a few hard hits! Sorry, Princess but if you think a few months will boost your experience enough to take me on, you’re sadly mistaken. I spent my entire LIFETIME fighting. Frankly, it pisses me off to see you try to put yourself on MY level.”

   "And it angers me to hear you put yourself on a pedestal ABOVE me!"

   Jasmine leaped forward, her movements swift and precise once more. It was as though the charge from the electrical traps resting only a few feet away had left her body, freeing her once more to act on her own accord and move without a sense of weakness. Her paws stretched out, sending out a flurry of stars to seek out Noir - whether to distract or damage, she did not care. She was already near enough to prepare a physical attack, and knowing that she stretched her right arm behind her, prepared to deliver a Double Slap.