I wanna be the very best...

[tidaldrum]

[...at dungeon mazes!

Ethan isn't typically one for mazes - they're too tight, they're really confusing, and worst of all they feel like they never end - but his eleven year old heart just couldn't take the idea of not getting the fastest time. He's been going through it with his feraligatr for almost an hour, or trying to; every time he enters, he sometimes manages to make it back outside of the room instead of at the end of the maze.

He's pretty grumpy, standing outside of the door and frowning into the dark abyss. His first was ice; second was ice; third he was underwater in some sort of ruin, for whatever reason, except he could breathe and that was a trip and a half; and this next one it's... a cave.

He's not very fond of caves. Especially dark ones. Ferafera can't help him there, and he doesn't have any of his helper crew on him - those are all back home, with his mother. So, if one happens to be wandering by, Ethan will take notice of them and grab their arm, mustering up a smile instead of a grouchy frown.]

Mind trying a maze with me?

Comments

[typeless]

[She looks confused when Ethan latches on to her.]

...

...

Why?

[tidaldrum]

[...Why?]

To get the fastest time, of course.

[typeless]

Time...

Have you been racing someone?

[tidaldrum]

Just the clock. I want to get the top time and see if it gets me anything cool. [There's a list of 'high scores' by the door, which he motions to. High scores being completion times.]

[typeless]

[Years and years of living near Green has dulled her sense of tact.]

...

That's dumb. [At least it's blunt, instead of actually mean.] There are more productive things to do.

[spiritcrystal]

[Huh? A maze?

-Wait a minute--]

You're one of those weird not-Golds, aren't you? [He definitely looks like one-] Whatever, I'm in!

[tidaldrum]

[Is that all he's going to be called, that Silver basically said the same thing -- No, he's not going to let it get to him right now.]

Great! I'm Ethan, and this big guy's Ferafera.

[The feraligatr peeks out of the maze's room, then hides. Shy guy.]

[spiritcrystal]

I'm Kris, and this is Quilava! [Surely enough, she has her Quilava with her; Quilava is completely fearless and immediately goes to say hi to Ferafera despite the blatant type advantage and strength difference.

Kris on the other hand pulls out her Pokédex! -Oooooh that's so cool--] So that's what Croconaw's gonna look like when she evolves! Hey Ferafera, I bet you're really strong, huh? Those jaws look like they could bite through anything!

[tidaldrum]

[Despite being shy, Ferafera likes company, so he'll be happy to poke Quilava a bit and study it. You look like the one friend that didn't get picked, how cool.

Kris draws his attention with compliments and he just -- shuffles deeper into the darkness. Ethan snorts, never not amused by his huge lizard.]

Him and me've been through a lot together. All the gyms in Kanto and Johto, Team Rocket, Red...

[Just the two of them. Fighting. It's a sweet story.]

But he still gets really shy around cute girls. You'd think he'd be over it after traveling for so long.

[championfire]

Can we race?

[tidaldrum]

I don't see why n... [Hold on a second.] Aren't you the guy up on Mt. Silver?

[That he beat all of once and never went up again because screw mountains.]

[championfire]

...Yeah? Oh. You Aren't Gold are you?

{ Hater.}

[tidaldrum]

Ethan. My name's Ethan. [Gold Gold Gold. Does this Gold guy really look so much like him?] You're not the first one to think I am though.

[savedover]

[When Ethan grabs Silver's arm, his first reaction is to jab backwards at the offending hand. His hands are full with a well-worn notebook, so a proper shove is out of the question-- for now.]

Let go of me. [As per usual, he's very grumpy and very tired. It takes him a moment to process Ethan's question.] A maze? ... no. I've already visited that room. It doesn't go anywhere.

[If Ethan takes a peek at Silver's notebook, he will see that Silver was reviewing his meticulous notes on the rooms that he's visited. Each one is marked with "FAILURE" at the end.]

[tidaldrum]

[Being the nosy protag he is, he does sneak a quick peek. That's a lot of marks --]

Of course it doesn't, it's a maze. [Wait.] So you've gotten to the end?

[He'll wait to ask him if he's slept at all since they've gotten here when they're not in a hallway with easy escape routes.]

[savedover]

[Silver frowns at that quick peek. Snap! The book is closed. No more peeking allowed, sir.]

Yes, I have. Mazes have historically been used to protect entrances and exits.

[tidaldrum]

[Ethan gives an indignant sniff at being caught looking, but he feels pretty bad for Silver. Trying so hard and getting nothing out of it except failure.

As usual.]

What rooms haven't you checked out yet? [He could help again.]

[shoujospirit]

[A maze? Kotone always has time to fool around in a maze. She doesn't seem to mind being grabbed.]

Well, that would depend on the maze. Ice mazes are lame! [She always ends up falling on her butt at least once.] But if there's something cool at the end, I guess it'd be worth it.

[tidaldrum]

[That's a pleasant change. Ethan'll still let go of her once he has her attention.]

I don't know if there is, since I've never gotten to the end of one of these. Ferafera and I just aren't cut out to do it alone and also it's really hard for big reptiles to ice skate and we're not as strong as we thought we were plus it's dark now and neither of us has anything to light up the dark this time so we were looking for someone to come in with us. You in?

[shoujospirit]

[Her elbow is her own again!]

That just means we get to discover it! [And discovering things is awesome.] Well, me and my team have your back! I'm sure we'll make it through together.

[tidaldrum]

You're great. [And in they can go! Ferafera leading the way, since he was in first, with Ethan second.

The further they go down the first path, the darker it gets... Ugh.]

It's, uh. Pretty a-maze-ing how dark it gets, right?

[Laugh at his joke, you'll sooth his nerves.]

[illegalteendad]

[yo dude paws off]

Scared of the dark?

[tidaldrum]

[You.]

Is your name Gold?

[illegalteendad]

What's it to you, lookalike?

[tidaldrum]

People keep mistaking me for you. It's kind of driving me nuts. Especially since I'm not the lookalike here, you are.