Can't go home again, baby (Kaitlyn)

[Seria Floria]

Seria's mind was a mess. When her mind was a mess, the best way she could clear her head off was to go exploring. The tranquil forest wasn't enough to soothe her inner turmoil this time. She had to go somewhere more secluded. Somewhere potentially dangerous. There was Vanilla Peaks, but Seria recalled something better for her purposes. Of course, that would be Mount Magmadyne. Students were usually cautioned on the dangerous volcanic conditions of the area, but Seria didn't care. She had prior experience with exploration. She went to the ruins at Snowpoint. She climbed a good chunk of Mount Coronet. She explored Mt. Pyre. She delved into the depths of the Seafoam Caverns. She explored parts of the Tin Tower. A volcano really wasn't going to stop her or make her change her mind.

Seria packed light for this trip. A rucksack with her flask of ice-cool water, it was made with cooperation from Aquaelie. The water would help Seria get cool if she was feeling too hot. She also had a walking stick that her dad gave her. It was made of a strong metallic material that was resistant to fire. She would use this to make sure she wouldn't fall over or trip. She could also use it to take rest breaks at opportune moments. After preparation (including some lava cookies as a snack as well as a towel) she set off to Mount Magmadyne.

The first round involved finding a way to get inside. One had to take a steep hike to a certain level of the volcano before finding a way inside. It was said to be dormant, meaning it would typically be safer than if it were active. However, it didn't ensure Seria's safety. She had to be careful. Her steps were careful but brisk, she hiked with a speed that was unusual for a girl of her age. She found a large entrance into the volcano where she slipped in, and smiled upon seeing the vast lava pools that dotted the interior of the volcano. Bubbles fizzled indicating the sheer heat of the lava. She could already feel it.

She kept on walking. Her steps were slower this time, and she made sure not to trip on any stray rocks or not to bump into stalagmites or falling stalactites. Those that fell into the lava pools were disintegrated. As she explored the volcano and found her way deeper, she eventually found an alcove which held another entrance to a deeper recess of the volcano. There was a sign next to it but the writing was illegible. She entered and found a large rock where she could sit on. She sat on the rock and sighed, looking at the huge lava pool before her. This looked like a place where a special Pokemon lived, but it was probably her imagination.

She continued staring off into the pool, thinking and musing about why she was here. She came here to prove that she was something. But so far, all she could recall were the terrible things that she'd experienced. She'd experienced failure, loss, and worst of all, the feeling of being useless. Half of her wanted to throw herself into the pool of lava.

But she wouldn't be of use to anyone ever if she had just disappeared.

[Kaitlyn Brady]

Flying at extreme speeds was all well and good, but even Pokemon got tired after awhile. And when Sawtooth got tired, that left Kaitlyn needing something else to do to help her think and unwind. And right now, she still needed it. Her first class had gone well enough, but she still needed to think more on how to improve future lessons. Fortunately, she'd come prepared for just about anything the island could offer, and thus could pick and choose a target. So, she directed Sawtooth towards the volcano. First on her mind was hot springs, but as she came in for a landing, she spotted a very familiar cave in the mountainside and aimed for that instead.

The landing was as smooth as it got with Sawtooth. When she 'aimed' for the cave mouth, that didn't mean landing near it. That meant threading the needle and braking in the entrance to the tunnel. Given the rocky surfaces, however, Kaitlyn opted not to roll off before Sawtooth came to a complete stop, and instead slid off and recalled him once they were standing still. Then, once she was off on her own again, she set off deeper into the cave on foot.

Why this place, one might ask? This place was special to her. Her first ever trip up the volcano, she'd gotten lost and ended up in this cave, then spent a good hour at least exploring it. It had been her first major expedition without her parents bringing her along. She wasn't really the time to get nostalgic about stuff but, seeing it from up above, she'd gotten curious to what kind of state it was in.

Her slow walk took her through familiar territory, all but untouched by the past fourteen years. Distant lava pools shone from deep pits and across gaps, radiating heat that could be felt through the entire cave. Rocks occasionally fell across the path, most likely knocked loose by wild Pokemon, but were easily avoidable by anyone paying attention. And then, off to the side of the path once she got deep enough in, a familiar sign.

"Shit, you can't even read it anymore," Kaitlyn remarked, seeing it. Not that she believed anyone paid attention to it in the first place, but the sign's illegible state was still disappointing. Giving a regretful sigh, Kaitlyn continued into the alcove it marked to find someone else sitting there.

"Hey," she said, trying to place the name of the girl. She had been in her class, but all Kaitlyn could actually remember of her was what she said. Not her name. "Mt. Coronet girl, right? Sorry, I'm crap with names and yours isn't coming to mind at the moment. Not bad though, making it all the way in here."

[Seria Floria]

Seria sighed and took out her freezing-cold flask from her rucksack, the temperature was kept as cold as it was with a smaller pack her mother had given her before she left her home in Sinnoh. She took a sip of frozen water and sighed, continuing to look out at the lava pool. Soon, she heard a vaguely familiar voice from behind her. Mt. Coronet girl, huh? Seria eked out a soft but weak laugh upon being referred to as that. It was only after a minute or so that the girl finally turned her gaze to the person standing behind her. It was the Island Nav instructor, Miss Kaitlyn. Naturally, someone who was experienced in traveling and exploring would also be able to easily find their way here. "Hi, Miss Kaitlyn," Seria said a bit weakly. "Don't worry, miss, I don't believe I ever said my name, anyway. I'm... Seria Floria." she nodded and turned back to face the lava pool again.

"You might be wondering why I'm here... After all, I'm a student in a pretty dangerous place. Or so people would warn me. Honestly, I've been troubled... The forest just doesn't do it for me anymore. Feeling worthless... It's tough. So all I can really resort to right now is going on perilous hikes and explorations. I've traveled to many places with my parents before. So I know how dangerous it can get..."

[Kaitlyn Brady]

Seria, was it? Kaitlyn made a mental note of it. She'd...try to remember that, at least, although by the time class met again she'd probably have to ask again. After the girl gave her name, though, she headed off the question that just about anyone else would ask, about why she was in such a dangerous place. Then she went into being troubled, feeling worthless, and needing to go to dangerous places. Kaitlyn gave a short laugh at that.

"Hah, no, I'm not wondering that at all," she said. "Anyone who gets this far in is either here by accident or because they want to be. You're clearly the latter. And as long as you're not getting too close to the lava pools or coming in completely unprepared, I don't see any problem with that. Hell, I was probably a few years younger than you when I first came up here. Longass time ago, that." Kaitlyn lowered herself onto another nearby rock, taking care not to drop too hard on it. "From what you said in class though, seemed you'd been out and about a few times, so I wasn't too worried about you. That and you confirmed it just now. That said, if you don't mind someone you barely know asking, how come you've been feeling worthless?"

[Seria Floria]

Seria laughed softly again, grabbing a small rock nearby her and casually throwing it into the lava pool ahead. She listened intently to what Kaitlyn had to say. Now, they were talking with each other casually as opposed to in a classroom environment. Though of course the student would take care to choose her words properly... It meant that Seria could be a bit more liberal about the topics she chose. "I'm just a loser, really," Seria shrugged, laughing almost pathetically as she attempted to throw another rock into the lava. Instead of it skipping along the lava like it was water, the rock instead sunk into the lava and promptly melted. "I can't win any battles. I'm hopeless and can't even help people I care about feel better. I actually contemplated throwing myself into that pool there, melting like I threw those rocks. Fortunately I haven't gone that crazy yet." Seria laughed and gently tapped her feet on the ground.

"All I can do is just wander the natural sights aimlessly. Isn't that funny? Maybe I should just be a researcher or something. I'm so hopeless at everything else." Seria shrugged.

[Kaitlyn Brady]

Kaitlyn sighed and closed her eyes for a second. The girl's words got pretty heavy really quick. Kaitlyn opted not to point out that Seria wouldn't even make it as far as the magma pool before burning up. That definitely wouldn't help. On the other hand, she wasn't really sure what would help. Seria reminded her of a less brash and tomboyish version of herself when she was younger and, well, she wouldn't have accepted help from anyone at that age.

"Well, I'm not much of a psychologist, and I can't comment on other people without knowing anything, but I'd say you're being too hard on yourself. Loss or not, I saw your last battle and you're already a sight better than some of the kids who wander the routes between cities but don't go anywhere. And if your showing in my class is any suggestion, you'll be a damn good explorer someday if you stick to it. That's more than most people can say. And if you really think that you're no good, then the only way to go is up. You stick with it, and you put everything you've got into it, and you will get better. This is coming from experience."

Kaitlyn leaned back, catching the wall of the cave before falling too far. She broke eye contact and stared out towards the magma pool. "That said, if you want to be a researcher, there's no shame in that either. S'not enough people in the world who'll do crazy shit in the name of science."

[Seria Floria]

Seria stared into space again. She took another sip of cold water from her flask and heaved a melancholic sigh of contemplation. "Only one way to go but up, huh..." Seria repeated those words. "Anyway, I simply just want to see a Legendary Pokemon. That's what I want to do before I go, you know? Like a bucket list kind of thing, except that's been my dream from the very beginning. I came here to prove that I'm not some kind of crazy whimsical little girl. I'm serious." Seria continued to look ahead, her gaze didn't turn to Kaitlyn's yet. However, after some time, she looked to face her teacher.

"I guess things will get better... But right now... I'm finding it difficult to keep my chin up. Amidst my abysmal battle records, the recent drama with that Team Origin riff-raff has gotten a very close friend of mine in a very bad way, and it feels like I can't do anything to help her... I just feel useless, you know? Haha... Man, I'm sorry to be talking this nonsense and dumping it on you. I don't usually do that. But it's hard to keep it in."

[Kaitlyn Brady]

So that was how it was, huh? More trouble courtesy of those douchebags that fucked up the city. They had a name, and Seria had just said it, but it just went straight past Kaitlyn. They didn't deserve a name. They were just a bunch of dicks with some nebulous goal that apparently required turning a city into a battleground. Kaitlyn knew some of the students would be taking it hard, and it seemed like Seria and her close friend were no exception. "Give it time," Kaitlyn said. "If she really is a close friend and you can't help her, then there probably isn't anyone who can. Not short of drastic measures, at least, but let's not get too much into that if we can help it. Best you can do is keep trying and hope it doesn't come to that. And don't worry about dumping things on me. I'm still getting the hang of this 'teacher' thing, but the least I can do is try to help out my students."

She tilted her head to one side. "That aside, though, meeting a 'legendary' Pokemon? That's a hell of a lofty goal. I've been all over and the closest thing to one I've seen is Solaria, my Volcarona. But turns out they're not quite as rare as the legends would have you believe. Other than that, though, I wish you the best of luck. Which reminds me, you mentioned something about Spear Pillar at the end of class, right?"

[Seria Floria]

Seria shrugged as Kaitlyn suggested just to give it time. Maybe that's one way to look at it. But it still didn't do much to alleviate the Nature dormer's concerns about Amanda's well-being. Their conversation back at the forest wasn't really ideal and it left more of a lasting mark on Seria than anything, and that was the biggest distressor at the moment. Eventually, Kaitlyn inquired about the Spear Pillar, something Seria had quipped about at the last class when someone mocked her in class for her question. "Yes, I did... My parents and I went hiking on Mt. Coronet with the express purpose of reaching Spear Pillar, because we wanted to learn more about the God Pokemon. According to some folks, the God Pokemon was said to reside there or that it left its mark there. So we wanted to go there and learn something new," Seria explained, drinking from her flask again.

"But we only made it so far before my parents didn't want to take me much further. I think I was only around 9 or something. I was really young, but I had been trained and educated on these matters. I figured that if I had added that little tidbit when I asked my question back in class, you might have had some additional insights."

[Kaitlyn Brady]

"So the stories go," Kaitlyn said after Seria explained. "Sometimes it's hard to separate the truth from the crazy, but most people in that area will swear to being something up there. If there is, though, you can't get all the way up there." Kaitlyn recalled her experience, camping near the summit for a couple days while trying to figure out where she was supposed to be going. An old historian from Celestic Town had claimed that the cave system would run all the way to the summit if she could find the way, but she'd ended up coming out above the snow line, finding another set of caves, and getting stuck. "Well, okay, I can't confirm that, but literally every path I took ended in a dead end. And by the time I came back down, I had run out of paths to try. Short of scaling the cliffs...which actually I might try if I ever go back. If it's there, the entrance is probably blocked off by something. That said, actually getting there when I couldn't would be damn impressive, although if that's your idea of a vacation you must have a hell of a family. If you want to pack for such a trip..."

She trailed off, trying to think of everything she'd brought. She'd packed fairly light, all things considered, but only out of necessity. She would have never survived the climb with a heavy pack. And her best heavy lifter, Fruitplane, would have fared horribly in the cold. "Well, first off, don't try to rely on flying up there. It's too cold. For the hike up, stick to the caves as much as you can. You'll be cold either way, but you'll be out of the wind. Be prepared to spend a night or two on the way up, as well. You'll tire out much faster than you think. Pack for winter conditions, and plan on it being at least ten degrees colder than it actually is. And even then, I would highly recommend bringing at least one Pokemon with you that can provide heat." She chuckled. Without Solaria, she would have had to turn back much sooner. "Speaking of which, you'll need a means of moving heavy objects, crossing water, and climbing rocks to get through the caves. Pokemon can provide all of these, and I recommend that over extra gear. Climbing equipment weighs a fucking lot when you're hauling it all the way up a mountain. And for crying out loud, don't go alone."

[Seria Floria]

Seria used her walking stick as a support and leaned forward a little. Rocks fell from where she dug her foot into the larger rock she was seated on. This conversation was reminding Seria a bit of when she was talking to Karin, the Mana Dorm warden, regarding the Turnback Cave and seeking out Giratina. Fortunately, she actually got some proper information this time regarding the best way to tackle it. Last time she was there with her parents they probably only got halfway due to her safety; she was way too young to be travelling further. "My parents and I are a family of explorers and sort of researchers on Legendary Pokemon," Seria clarified, looking down at the ground for a moment. "My parents' Pokemon thusly are built for traveling and being able to handle the outdoors and whatever things they might hold. Not going alone though is a bit of a tall order for me, since I'm not sure I could bring the people I have in mind with me for such a trip. Haha... It's silly, but I appreciate the things you've told me. Thanks for the advice."

[Kaitlyn Brady]

Hoh hoh. Now that was a family legacy. Put Kaitlyn's own family's backpacking history right to shame. Not that she herself was going to be outdone, of course. She wasn't a kid anymore, but she was still young, and she wasn't going to stop shooting higher until her body just plain couldn't handle it anymore. And even then, people just might have to hold her down to keep her from trying anyway. She sat back up again, laughing. "Pretty impressive," she said. "Still, I can't stress it enough to bring someone with you. It's like I said in class. If you get hurt and no one's around to help you, you're pretty well fucked. If you're lost in the woods, that might be survivable. Up on the mountain? You may well be dead before anyone realizes you should already be back or have checked in. Your Pokemon will be able to help you some, but that only goes so far. So, if the people you know and trust enough for this wouldn't want to go, make more friends. Or, hell, if you do this at the right time, you may be able to get some of the Wardens interested. Or me. I'd love to take another shot it, but that'd have to wait for some time when I'm not teaching."

[Seria Floria]

Seria nodded. "I understand, my parents didn't agree on continuing on the hike even when there were three of us, so I couldn't imagine how difficult it would be on my own or even just another person tagging along. I suppose just finding more people who would be interested would be my best bet," Seria shrugged, idly throwing another rock into the pool of lava. "Anyway, moving off from that, I can't help but ask you about the places you've been to yourself. It seems only natural to me that you would have gone to a lot of places yourself. I'm interested in your own experiences as well, even though we probably have really different backstories..." Seria nodded and managed to eke out a faint smile, indicating that she was probably feeling somewhat better.

[Kaitlyn Brady]

Kaitlyn chuckled. "Where I've been, huh?" she repeated. "That's a pretty tall order. I've been to a lot of places. You name a major region, and I've most likely been there and seen most of the interesting sights. I got plenty of great stories to tell too, although you're gonna have to tell me what you want to here. Otherwise we'll be here all day and night." She returned the girl's smile with a casual grin, glad to see that she at least looked a bit better. "Our 'backstories' as you put it only barely compare, though. My parents were backpackers through and through, but they never went after legends or anything like that. They just loved traveling, and took me along whenever they could once I was old enough. Didn't exactly trust me to go out on my own, though."

[Seria Floria]

Seria looked distantly out away from Kaitlyn again, idly throwing a rock up and down in her palm. "I want to see one of them some day, that's all," Seria said absent-mindedly. "Anyway, Kalos is pretty much the only region I haven't already scoured, so I'd be glad if you could share any of your memorable experiences there since you've probably been there." Seria said, slowly turning her gaze back towards her teacher. Though she didn't look as sad and contemplative as she did earlier, Seria still held an aura of melancholy around her, something that may have been self-evident in the fact Seria's eyes no longer held a certain glow of thirst for adventure that Seria would usually have when going on trips like this.