The Edge of Sunset

[onehandsomeslickninja]

The cavern complex wasn't quite 'dark' -- a sort of faint atmospheric lightning pervaded it, enough that he could make out silhouettes and walls. So no disasters yet; hadn't tripped and broken something, hadn't been wandering blindly in total blackness. Just wandering blindly, which was... not really great, either.

Thus far, no signs of life -- but that was about to change.

Comments

[burningbrighter]

"Ow! Hey, that's not funny! Let me---"

And then the portal closed. Well. That was just wonderful. Sunset hissed as she found herself alone in the dim light, surrounded by objects that were likely rocks. She hoped they were rocks, anyway.

She started her wandering, wincing slightly as she walked. The injury wasn't debilitating, just a scratch, but boy did it sting. Hmph. She could deal with that when she found some light.

If she found some light. She continued on her way, startling at the slightest rustle. Was that just the wind? Was someone here? Oh, she hoped not.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Yeah. He definitely heard something up ahead.

So what to do? The safest path was to creep forward and ready an ambush, just in case it proved to be a monster or some enemy of his. He had his swords and plenty of shuriken and knives, plus his ninjutsu, so he was pretty sure he could handle whatever it was.

But then again, he did have all those things and was pretty confident. And what if it was someone like him?

"Hello up there!" he called out.

[burningbrighter]

"Hell...o?"

Oh. Another person. Maybe they could help each other? Or she could negotiate a safe passage out? She turned toward the sound of the voice, cautiously lifting her hands.

"Hi! I'm a little lost!"

Of course, she'd have to be ready to fight and run. Not that she was the best equipped to do that right now.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

A girl? Well, huh. That didn't mean this person wasn't dangerous, of course, or possibly even an enemy, but Edge couldn't help but relax his guard a little bit nonetheless.

"You and me both," he admitted, lifting one hand to trail it along the wall as a guide as he made his way towards where her voice had come from. "You just get dumped in here too?"

[burningbrighter]

"Dumped is right," she snorted, her voice rising in response as the sound came closer to her. "Does this kind of thing happen to you often?"

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"I can't say that it does, honestly."

Okay, she definitely didn't seem hostile. Or else it was all a huge act to get him close, but he couldn't live his life assuming the worst. Rounding a corner, Edge saw the silhouette in the gloom of what definitely appeared to be a girl to match the voice.

"On the other hand, this isn't the worst situation I've been in."

[burningbrighter]

"It's not, huh? What was the worst?"

There he is. She lifted one hand in greeting, hoping the gesture was friendly enough. Friendly. Right. That would get her through this. She hoped.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"In the darkest depths of the Lunar Subterrane, surrounded by dragons and behemoths, on a quest to strike down the very essence of hatred, of course!"

That was not in truth his darkest moment, but he wasn't about to admit to the that one. And his battles in the Moon's depths had been pretty dark all things considered, so he'll stick to a story more likely to impress a girl! (He hoped she was cute, at least.)

Edge came to a halt not too far away, looking over her as best he can in the gloom.

[burningbrighter]

"Dragons and behemoths? Whoa, sounds pretty serious."

He had her attention for now. Sunset finally limped into view, lifting her hair out of her face just enough to see him.

"Oh, wow. Hi. Almost didn't see you there. Everything okay?"

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"I'm a serious guy!" He obviously was not.

But he did see, as her silhouette at last broke the gloom, that she wasn't moving quite comfortably, and his body jerked as he held himself back from rushing over. "I'm fine, but are you all right?"

[burningbrighter]

"I'm sure it's just bruises and scrapes," she said with a wave of her hand. "Nothing a serious girl can't handle...so long as those dragons aren't hanging out down here, right?"

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"I haven't seen any yet. You're the first sign of life I've found down here. I'm assuming you're not a dragon, of course?" Just a little humor to lighten things up, right? This situation was way too stressful, more than they really needed to handle.

[burningbrighter]

"Hah. No. Just a horse."

Yup. Totally normal. That was a joke. Please believe it was a joke.

"But seriously, it's getting a little claustrophobic in here. Was there any sign of outside back your way?"

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"I've been looking for one myself -- or any sign of anything in here. You're the first encounter I've had in here that hasn't been an intersection!"

Speaking of which, he flicked a knife into his hand, then began scratching an arrow on the wall.

"What's a horse?"

[burningbrighter]

"...you've never seen a horse?"

Seriously? That surprised her more than anything else she could possibly hear.

"Four legs? Big mane? Trots everywhere?"

She used a stone to scratch a small stick drawing of a horse next to the arrow. She'd get back to serious business soon! But doing this eased her nerves.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Oh, so it's some kind of monster?"

He didn't mean that cruelly, judgmentally -- or anything, except trying to understand. This was the parallel he could make, to his own world.