Shadowed Over Fairy Dust
13
~The Mine Is Coming Down~
A/N: This Fan Fiction is based on the Galar region and games (Sword/Shield) featuring CanonXOC
"It's a straight path, I tell you!" said Marnie,"We can't be lost on a straight path."
"I'm not saying we're lost." said Hop," I'm just saying you would think we would have hit the mine by now right?"
"And I'm just saying if we continue straight we're bound to hit it eventually."
As Hop and Marnie bicker over the directions of the map Anani found herself lost in thought and all of the sights on Route 3, when a familiar being caught her eye in the distance.
"Hey, Hop." Anani called,"Isn't that Sonia?"
"Eh? Sonia?" Hop blinked as he looked to where she was pointing and his eyes went wide,"Hey your're right!" he said,"It really is Sonia!" he beamed and began to exten an arm to wave,"Oi! Sonia!"
"Sonia?" Marnie blinked,"Who's that?"
"Sonia is Professor Magnolia's grandaughter." Anani explained,"She lives on the outskirts of Wedghurst, not far from Mine and Hop's home in Postwick."
"Yours and Hop's?" Marnie blinked and began to take a cheeky grin,"How so very interesting~"
"Eh!?" Anani blushed,"N-Now hold on a minute..." she gulped and began to flail her hands defensively,"It's not like that, ya'hear!?"
"Oi! Gym Challengers!" Sonia beamed as she waved them over and the three hurried over to greet her,"Oh?" she blinked,"Who's this then?"
"Oh!" Hop chuckled,"This is Marnie, she's another Gym Challenger, like us."
"Oh, so I see." Sonia chuckled,"And so you're traveling along together then are you?" she said,"That's interesting."
"Nevermind that, Sonia." Hop blinked,"What brings you to Route 3?"
"Ah, yes! That!" she said,"Here, allow me to tell you something a bit interesting~" she said with a grin as she pointed out to some kind of plant in the distance,"See that building over there?" she pointed.
"Aye, what is it?" Marnie blinked.
"It's a company owned by Chairman Rose." said Sonia,"Just past Route 3, there's a mine where they dig up ore." she stated.
"I see." said Marnie.
"That must be the mine we're heading for then in order to get to Turffield." said Hop.
Sonia nodded.
"That building over there where they process it for energy." she said,"In other words, the Chairman is responsible for providing the Galar region with its energy too!"
"Wow...that's amazing." said Anani.
"It sure is." said Sonia,"I can't say I really get him, but the chairman seems like a pretty brilliant guy, right?" she shrugged,"Anyway, the way to Turffield is pretty long." said Sonia,"But continue on straight and you'll get there." she chuckled,"Besides, getting there is kind of a challenge in its own right, right?"
"See, I told you~" Marnie grinned and Anani couldn't help but snicker as Hop rolled his eyes in defeat.
"Well...good luck, Gym Challengers~" said Sonia as she waved farewell.
"Bye, Sonia!" called Anani,"Thanks for the fun fact!" she grinned,"Well then, you heard her." she said,"We just have to keep heading straight."
"Right." said Marnie,"Follow the dirt road then." she chuckled. And so they did. And at the end stood the entrance of the very mine they searched for. However an ominous sign was plastered at the cave entrance.
WARNING: TREAD WITH CAUTION WORK UNDERWAY INSIDE, MINE MAY BE UNSTABLE
"Unstable?" Marnie blinked.
"What do you suppose that means?" asked Hop.
"It says workers inside." said Anani,"They are probably working so the mine may crumble is some areas, or there might be noise?"
"I see." said Hop,"Looks like we'll just have to step carefully then." he said,"However this is the only way to get to Turffield so...ahead we go!" he said. With a mutual nod, they each stepped inside through the mines.
XXXXX
Once inside of Galar Mine, soft gasps slipped their lips as the gems lined the walls, shining them in multi color lights.
"Shiny..." Marnie whispered softly under breath.
"That means two things in that statement." Anani chuckled.
"Say, that reminds me, Anani?" Marnie blinked,"I couldn't help but notice that you speak rather different...are you perhaps from another region?"
"Well..." Anani pondered, unsure of how to answer.
"The truth is, Marnie, we don't actually know." said Hop.
"Say what?" Marnie blinked,"How do you mean?"
"Well you see..." Hop blinked as he tried to explain,"The thing is...With Anani...I uh..." he blinked,"I sort of...found her." he stated.
"Found her?" Marnie blinked. She seemed intrigued and curious by this.
"Aye." Hop nodded,"When I found her she had no recollection of memory."
"No memory?" Marnie blinked, looking to Anani curiously who kept her head down silently.
"Well...aside from her name anyway." said Hop,"So we ended up taking her in."
"Oh I see." Marnie blinked, "Suddenly mine and Hop's home makes sense now." She chuckled.
"I'm sorry, Marnie." said Anani," I should have explained myself better..."
"Nonsense." said Marnie as she shook her head,"I shouldn't have made assumptions."
Suddenly a loud rumbling came from within the mines and the ground began to shake. In natural reaction Hop moved defensively before the girls, much to Marnie's surprise. It would seem this young edgy punk girl didn't have much experience, let alone need for protection...
At least that's what most people would assume when looking. She was cute, but looked nor acted by no means delicate...
Still it was a nice gesture. It's nice to be seen and treated as a proper lade by a gentleman now and then...
And the fact that Hop would include Marnie too, despite having not met too long ago...was rather warming, so much so that it showed on her cheeks a little. Not that Hop could see from behind him. But Anani noticed, and despte having been gripping onto Hop's clothing, she acknowledged this look on Marnie and offered a warm smile. Somehow however, this only made the girl nlush more.
"We should be careful." said Hop,"Watch your step and keep moving, ladies." he said,"Turffield is just on the other side but the only way to get there is to go through."
"Right." both the girls nodded and the group stayed close together.
"You know this place would be beautiful..." Marnie stated softly,"If we didn't have to worry about the fear of getting squashed by falling rocks."
"Shh! Don't jinx us, mate!" said Hop. But an uneasy motion above set Anani rather unsteady. She couldn't tell if it was the lights from the shine of the crested gems in the walls or if the Cieling was moving. But her concerns were answered soon enough when another rumbling sounded and her question was answered.
"Hop...!" She called out suddenly as she began to notice the cieling was cracking.
"Aye? Anani?" he blinked.
"LOOK OUT!" she cried, shoving him forcibly back into Marnie as pieces of rock began to fall from above. He fell abruptly against the girl and the force of their landing against the wall caused another tremor through the tunnels and the cieling came crashing down.
"Oh no!" Marnie called out as the rubble that fell between them caused a forced wall that knocked Anani back. As she fell backwards, the cieling began to come crashing down some more-
"No! ANANI!" Hop cried out as he tried to reach for her, to save her too- but just barely missed as the fallen rubble had caused a wall between them, and all that could be heard through the rumble was Hop's desparate cry of Anani's name echoing against the walls.
To be Continued