Blanche kept their hands over Kite's ears as best they could while still clinging to the pidgeot's back. They didn't care for heights, but there hadn't been much choice in the matter. At least they'd managed to make it out of the first room. Blanche didn't like the look of those elongated, emaciated sandshrews. Was their appearance an adaptation to their environment over the centuries? Maybe this was just a different and particularly aggressive version of the sandshrews of home. There was another obvious answer, the one that Dr. Dillinger had provided, but Blanche preferred to exhaust every other option first.
As Marzipan's soporific melody faded away, Blanche resituated themself on Kite and guided her back up the hall, sputtering away the long, flowing feathers that tickled their nose. The hallway was darker than the cavern they'd slept in, but Flicker's mane cast a warm glow up the walls that illuminated Candela, his rider, and Spark, who still stood in the middle of the tunnel. Just beyond the glow of the ponyta's fire, the lanky, unsettling creatures closed in.
Marzipan's attack had failed.
"Damnit, Spark!" The words came from Candela's mouth, but Blanche shared the sentiment.
Candela spurred Flicker toward Spark and the swiftly approaching creatures. She rounded in front of the Instinct leader and he took her outstretched hand. She hauled him onto the back of her mount in one fluid, powerful motion.
"Jeez, you're strong!" Spark commented as Flicker bolted away from the creatures.
"What a surprise," Candela said with as much sarcasm as humanly possible. "Maybe if you worked out with me like you said you were going to, you too could have the strength to stay on the damn ponyta."
"I didn't fall off. I jumped," Spark said.
"Was one fucked up leg not enough for you? Were you going for two?" Candela snapped.
Blanche banked around a turn in the dim, crystal-lit hallway behind Flicker. Was the passage getting narrower? Or just darker? They hoped Kite could see better than they could.
"Candela, we need to focus on running. Save the bickering for later," Blanche said, tightening their grip on Kite's feathers. The pokémon squawked indignantly, and Blanche mumbled a quick apology.
"Look at that. Blanche is taking Spark's side again. Another huge surprise," Candela said, driving her heels into Flicker's sides to press him even faster.
Kite beat her wings furiously to keep up, nearly dislodging Blanche. Once they'd steadied themself, they replied to Candela. "I'm not taking a side. We can talk about this when we've found somewhere safe."
Candela laughed harshly. "Somewhere safe? Nowhere is safe. Everywhere we go, there are mad scientists and evil experiments and mysterious portals, not to mention the horde of monsters currently chasing us. Which are definitely not pokémon, by the way!"
Spark twisted his head to see into the darkness behind them. "Candela, I wholeheartedly agree with what you're saying, but maybe we should stick a pin in it?"
Flicker deftly avoided one stalagmite, and then another. Blanche leaned forward, urging Kite to fly closer to the ground in case of hidden protrusions from the ceiling above. Kite soared along a few feet above and behind Flicker, tilting and tucking her wings to avoid the obstacles revealed by his flames. In the distance, Blanche thought they caught a glimpse of reddish light.
"I have been walking on eggshells with the two of you since we were reunited, and I'm starting to lose patience," Candela railed on. "I thought if I gave you some space, maybe you'd open up to me about what Dr. Dillinger did to you, because she clearly dealt some damage. But no, you're still leaving me out of the loop. How am I supposed to help you when you keep shutting me out?"
"I'm sorry that it feels that way. We didn't mean to leave you out, Candy," Spark said. "We can talk about everything once we're away from the sandshrew things, I promise!"
"Pinky swear!" Candela demanded, lifting her pinky for Spark to take.
Blanche rolled their eyes, but Spark obligingly hooked his pinky around Candela's and shook it.
"I swear! No more third wheels!" Spark avowed.
"I'm glad we're resolving some interpersonal tension, but now would be a good time to pay attention to the path," Blanche said.
Ahead, the reddish glow Blanche had glimpsed had expanded. Though it was difficult to make out, Blanche got the impression that it was the entrance to another room. Perhaps they could make a stand there, taking advantage of the open space. Gyarados's Surf had knocked out a handful of the creatures, proving they weren't completely immune to attacks.
The closer they got, the larger the space ahead appeared to be. The tunnel sloped up in a way that obscured the lower portion of the room, revealing only a high, distant wall, painted with orange light from below, but vanishing into purple darkness above.
"We should slow down," Spark said with an air of grim authority.
"Are you crazy?" Candela asked, but she pulled back on Flicker's neck a little, bringing the all-out sprint down to a steady gallop.
Blanche wrinkled their nose at the stink of rotten eggs that permeated the air. "Sulfur," they said. "You two hang back a little. I'll fly ahead."
Kite accelerated and passed Flicker. There was only one thing Blanche could think of that would produce such a smell so deep within a mountain. As Kite exited the tunnel into the open space, Blanche's fears were confirmed. A wave of heat struck them with the force of a physical object, knocking Kite higher into the air. After a brief moment of panic on the parts of both pokémon and rider, Kite adjusted her flight to accommodate the hot air that continued to bolster her upwards.
Far below them, a river of lava roiled and seethed, warping the air with its heat. The hallway they'd traveled through opened onto a narrow, arching stone bridge that connected to the opposite wall, where another tunnel waited. Blanche fought to breathe normally, but the oxygen seemed to sear their lungs. They could tolerate this for a little while, but more than a few minutes, and they'd be – quite literally – toast.
"Candela! Stay back!" Blanche shouted, leaning to the side to encourage Kite to turn back for the tunnel. The updrafts from the lava buffeted Kite, and Blanche again had to tighten their hold, or else plummet to a fiery death. Kite couldn't stay stable in these conditions. They'd have to land.
Flicker cantered to the edge of the passageway and stopped, lifting his feet anxiously and tossing his head back. Candela stroked his neck in an effort to calm him while she took in their new environment. She waved up to Blanche, who struggled to angle Kite down for a landing.
"You OK, Blanche?" Candela shouted above the growl of churning lava.
"I'm fine, but I don't think Kite can fly in here and carry a passenger at the same time," Blanche said. "Are the creatures still following?"
Spark squinted into the tunnel. "We've put some distance on them, but I don't think we've lost them. What do we do?"
Kite finally touched down a few feet from Candela and crouched low to the ground so Blanche could dismount. Candela thanked her and returned her to her pokéball.
"Our only choice is to take the bridge," Blanche said, grateful to be on solid ground again, but dreading the crossing. "It's quite narrow. I'm not sure if it can hold the weight of three people and a ponyta, but I'm afraid Spark won't be able to keep his balance with his ankle like it is. He'll need to stay on Flicker."
Spark winced, but didn't argue. He shifted on Flicker's back to watch the tunnel. "I think I can hear them. We'd better move. Flicker and I can take up the rear so we don't put too much weight in the front of the group."
Blanche eyed him suspiciously.
Spark caught their look and sighed. "I'm not trying to pull anything, Blanche, I'm just trying to make sure we all get across without taking a lava bath."
Deep in the tunnel, Blanche heard claws skittering on rock. "Fine," they said. "Let's go as quickly as we can."
Blanche took the lead, placing their feet carefully, but keeping a swift pace. Candela followed on foot several feet behind them, dispersing the group's weight as much as possible without getting too far apart. The bridge tapered to its thinnest point in the middle, and each step toward it filled Blanche with escalating anxiety. They told themself to look ahead, not directly down, and certainly not toward the raging molten river below. Sweat stung their eyes, and on top of the sulfur stench, they picked up the bitter smell of singed hair. They almost missed the numbing cold of the crystal cavern.
Almost.
Blanche tried to ignore how their legs felt like clumsy, heavy tree trunks as they reached the middle of the bridge. It was about as wide as an average sidewalk and at least four feet deep, but even though Blanche had never tripped off of a sidewalk, the thought didn't reassure them as much as they'd hoped. The hot breath of the volcano unsteadied them and whipped their hair into their eyes. They froze for a moment and caught their breath.
"Halfway there, Blanche," Candela said behind them. "Keep going!"
Angry chattering and growling sounded from further back as the creatures reached the end of the passage. Blanche risked a backwards glance and found that, rather than immediately climbing onto the bridge, the creatures skittishly darted back and forth in the tunnel's mouth. Good, they weren't quite ready to risk death in pursuit of them.
Blanche took a few more steps, hunching over to lower their center of gravity. They were on the home stretch, and the path widened again, if only slightly. They could make it.
Blanche felt the bridge shift before they heard the deep, stomach-turning crack. Flicker whinnied and snorted, appropriately spooked. The creatures began to scream, a furious, bone-chilling chorus.
"Easy, Flicker! Calm down!" Candela coaxed.
Blanche watched over their shoulder as Candela and Spark attempted to soothe the terrified ponyta, who reared and kicked as a split formed in the bridge beneath his hooves. Behind them, one of the creatures identified the opportunity to advance on its distracted prey. It huddled low to the ground and crawled toward them, snarling and foaming but moving slowly.
"They're coming!" Blanche said, their voice cracking.
Spark swung off of Flicker's back, though there was barely enough room for him to do so. "Candela, call him back! He's going to take down the bridge!"
And then a change came over Spark's face. Something lit up in him, and he reached for a pokéball at his waist. He nodded to Candela, and she called Flicker back into his ball. She reached for Spark so he could lean on her, and the two of them shuffled toward Blanche as Spark readied his pokéball.
"We're so close! Just a few more feet!" Spark encouraged Blanche, his smile shifting the bandage on his cheek.
The bandage… the first aid kit they'd used, and that Blanche had meant to add to the duffel of supplies. Not that it mattered, seeing as though that duffel was currently sitting abandoned on the other side of a crumbling bridge and a pack of ferocious beasts. They were doomed, whether or not they made it across the bridge. They would die alone in the dark, and none of this would matter.
"Snap out of it, Blanche!" Candela said, suddenly much closer than Blanche had expected. "We've got to keep moving!"
Blanche took a few shaky steps. The creatures' growls came from much too close for comfort, and they heard Spark call for his chivalrously-named sandslash. Did he intend to fight their attackers on the bridge? Had he lost his mind? They were afraid to look back.
"Sir Slashalot! Keep close to me and don't attack!" Spark instructed.
Blanche didn't feel much relief from the fact that he wasn't trying to battle the not-really-sandshrews. But they had to trust him, even though that had become harder and harder to do lately. The other tunnel was only a few feet away now, and they hurried to reach it. As soon as they did, Blanche pressed themself against the tunnel wall, their heart racing, sweat pasting their hair to their brow.
Spark and Candela remained on the bridge, slowed by Spark's uneven gait, with Sir Slashalot behind them, shaking his bristles menacingly at a pair of creatures that were closing the distance between themselves and their quarry. What was Spark planning?
As if to answer them, Spark gave his sandslash a new command. "Use Dig to go to Blanche!"
Even Sir Slashalot looked confused by the order as he tilted his narrow head at Spark. But, trusting of his master as he was, he burrowed into the bridge, causing another booming series of cracking sounds. Candela tugged Spark along until they reached the inside of the passageway, where they both tripped and collapsed to the floor, laughing giddily at having escaped the jaws of death.
But not quite yet.
Sir Slashalot burst from the ground in a spray of gravel next to Blanche, and they clutched their hand over their heart in surprise. On the bridge, the creatures gained confidence and speed now that no pokémon stood in their way.
"Candela, I need Flicker!" Spark said, and Candela immediately called the ponyta back out.
Candela grinned, picking up what Spark intended at the same time as Blanche. Once Flicker materialized, she gave the command. "Use Stomp!"
Flicker, standing just inside of the hallway, drove his hooves into the ground. A massive split formed in the rock, which had been weakened by Sir Slashalot's tunneling. It zigzagged up the bridge, toward the creatures, then spread outward. In seconds, the closest sections of bridge fell away in chunks, careening down toward the lava flow.
Seeing the danger, the creatures about-faced and scampered away from the disintegrating end of the bridge. They leapt from one tumbling portion of stone to another, fleeing for their lives until they scrambled into the safety of the hallway from which they'd come. When the final pieces of bridge fell away, only half of the structure remained.
The team leaders caught their breath as the creatures hissed and paced on the other side, unable to reach them. One by one, the beasts gave up and retreated into the shadows of the hallway. Only then did Spark and Candela high five each other on the tunnel floor and dissolve into manic giggles. They sprawled on their backs at Blanche's feet, holding their stomachs, unable to contain the escalating laughter. Flicker danced around them, kicking his hooves, but the regal Sir Slashalot simply stood by and waited for Spark to calm down.
When he did, Spark pulled the sandslash into a hug on the ground, noogying him playfully as he squirmed to escape. "You did it, Slashy! Nice work! You too, Flicker!"
Sir Slashalot gave up his protests and let himself be coddled for a few more seconds before Spark returned him to his ball. Candela reached up and retracted Flicker as well, finally overcoming her fit of mirth.
"I don't see what's so funny," Blanche said, wiping their sweaty hair from their face.
Spark sat up. "Come on, Blanche. What's the harm in celebrating another successful incident of miraculously not dying?"
Blanche pushed off the wall and tried hopelessly to put their torn and singed clothes back in order. "We may have escaped those creatures for now, but there's no telling what else is waiting for us in the dark. Not only that, but we have no food or water. We have precious little to celebrate at the moment."
Candela groaned and covered her face with her hands. "OK, Captain Buzzkill, we get it, we're still in deep shit. But can't you appreciate the fact that we're still alive?"
"Of course I can, and I'd like to keep us that way," Blanche said. "However, I can't ignore that the odds are stacked against us."
Spark used the wall to stand up, then offered a hand to Candela. "Sure, but that's when we do our best, right?"
Candela took Spark's hand, but didn't put much weight on it. She sprang to her feet, dusted herself off, and used the back of her hand to whisk the sweat from her forehead. Apparently, staring death in its volcanic face had turned her sour mood around. She patted Blanche's cheek.
"Cheer up, Blanche. Spark is right. I'm just as sick of this cave as you are, but the only way to go is forward. So, let's keep marching! Because I'm ready to cash in on Spark's promise, and I'd rather do it somewhere less… melty."
Blanche brushed past her and started down the hallway, their path lit by more of those cursed crystals. "Fine. Let's go."
They didn't care that Spark and Candela whispered something behind their back. The situation was more and more grave, and their casual treatment of yet another close call grated Blanche's nerves. They were tired of just barely surviving, and they weren't sure how long they could keep it up.
So let Candela call them a buzzkill, even if she'd been the one complaining about the same dire odds not 15 minutes before. Blanche didn't care. They'd be the buzzkill that would get everyone out alive.
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AN: At this rate, I'll need to put jaguarspot on payroll for continuity control! I want to keep driving the action forward, but also allowing moments for the team leaders to slow down and address the heavy crap they're going through. Balancing my pacing against that sometimes results in details being swept under the rug to deal with later. For example, Candela and Blanche were supposed to address Candela's "Spark isn't Spark, Blanche isn't Blanche, what the hell happened before you found me and why do you both look like roadkill?" concern in chapter 15, but the conversation didn't naturally flow in favor of that, and I had to make way for the next plot point. So I reworked the original intent of the scene and transferred it to this chapter instead. Some details are intentionally set aside for me to come back to, but sometimes (often), my squirrelly brain forgets where I put those details. So if I have some plotholes to fill, certainly let me know! Because maybe I know about them… or maybe I accidentally lost them under the rug. Whatever the case, I what this story to be fun and detailed and twisty, and don't want you to be thrown off by idiosyncrasies!
Also, I'm limiting the leaders to 3 pokémon each on this expedition… because even with half teams, it's still a lot of new characters to work with! Maybe they only travel with 3 pokémon because they feel they have an unfair advantage as team leaders as it is.
Another note: If you're reading this story right as it comes out, know that while I do try to push out a new chapter every few days, there may be some bigger gaps coming up soon. Don't worry! Ol' Quixi isn't losing steam! But as I'm writing this in October 2016, I'm getting married next month. The day after Pokémon Sun & Moon comes out, actually. The point is, the next couple months are going to be a wildly busy time for me, so if I'm quiet for a bit, know that the story isn't abandoned. If you're worried, though, my inbox is always open for questions, and it's easier to shoot an answer back than it is to pop out a chapter!
Pardon the long notes on these past chapters. 3 Thank you again for your support! (And happy belated birthday, xxReaderxx!)