Welcome to Gaia! ::

Veilmys was waiting for the Fennekin when she returned, smiling a greeting as she handed him her bow. "I hope the dragons didn't give you too much trouble?" His brow furrowed ever so slightly as he caught the smell of smoke on the colored fabric, and he made a mental note to reconsider putting these in places where they could be exposed to fire next time--it would be a shame if the edges were singed. Spotting the telltale red thread, he removed it carefully before returning the bow to Serena with one of his free ribbons. "Well done my dear, you're now the leader of an official Rank One Team in the Guild of Eclipse! The bow is a gift from the Guild to you. And here"--he produced a slip of paper--"Is your Partner Voucher. I'm sure someone's eagerly awaiting your arrival." With a respectful nod he dismissed her. "It's a pleasure to have you on board! I imagine your ambition will take you very far."

The smile on his face fell the moment the Scyther approached he caught the unmistakable sight of blood staining its features and blades, his ribbon skewered like a fish upon a spear. While he did not show it he was inwardly concerned, bothered. It was true the first mission was always the most dangerous and the newcomers tended to get bumped and scratched along the way, but this was no mere accident. It was a distinct sort of placement, the spotting of blood near mandibles and tipped at the point of both scythes.
This was a predator.
Veilmys let go of the breath he held and brought the smile up once more, "Excellent work, if not a bit unorthodox." Without fear he plucked the ribbon from the pointed blade and examined it. It was a bit harder to determine if this was one of his due to the tearing and the stains but in time he quietly nodded.
"Welcome to The Guild of Eclipse. You may keep the bow as a souvenir of your first adventure. Take this voucher and use it to have a partner assigned to you."
He passed the items over with and stood to leave but paused briefly and, as if it were an afterthought, turned to give the Scyther a grin.
"Also, it is generally frowned upon to eat fellow guildmates, there is a designated hunting grounds just outside the guilds territory so you are welcome there. Take care."

Veilmys almost commented that Qurorin was "Quite the big one", which was most certainly true. He was massive in comparison to most of the guild members they received when it came to starting teams. Veilmys was briefly unsure if it was reassuring or just plain kind of scary that pokemon came in sizes that large but he held his tongue and politely took the ribbon from Qurorin in order to examine it. The required thread proved to be present and he nodded, satisfied, before handing it back to Qurorin along with a partner voucher. "Good job! With this, you're officially a rank one member of the guild. You're free to head to the partner assignment office to get your partner assigned at your leisure. Just make sure you ask for an extra large room, alright?"

Please just take the coupon and don't run anyone over, he thought to himself

Cimm wondered when he had developed work ethic as he led his team towards the Dragon's Den. He had accepted this mission so soon after his previous one that he could still feel a dull ache in his muscles from the battering he had received not even two weeks ago. His yellow irises flickered over to Mana, the newest member of their team and incidentally one of the many pokemon that was the reason for his soreness. The floating mass of purple smog noticed his stare and locked eyes with him, offering a nervous smile that he didn't feel like returning. Maybe it was because the ghost had joined his team that he wanted to take up another mission so quickly. He didn't want to show any weakness to any of his underlings.

”Going on a mission~! To find a shiny thing~! I think I'm gonna keep it~!” Nuna's horrid singing interrupted his thoughts, and his glare found her quickly, “And tell the Xatu to bug off~!”

”Is this singing of yours really going to be a recurring thing?” Cimm groaned as he turned away from the aron and picked up his pace. Nuna harrumphed from behind and a small, distant sounding laugh came from Mana.

”Well someone has to liven things up around here!” Nuna protested loudly, making the luxio send a hissing shush to her. He found himself having a serious case of deja vu before Nuna continued on, ”I mean, you just grouch the whole trip, and Mana doesn't say a word! Do you know how absolutely boring that is?”

”S-sorry. I'm not so good in conversation.” The ghost spoke for the first time since they had left the guild's grounds. Cimm had been grateful for the silence, and had found some measure of pleasure in listening to Nuna try to coax the purple orb into talking in vain.

”It's alright, I guess. Just so long as you don't ignore me like Cimm does,” The luxio hardly glanced back as Nuna quite literally talked about him behind his back. He was focused on the cave coming into view as he neared the edge of a gently sloping cliff. The Den's entrance was quite menacing, resembling ominously a gaping maw filled with jagged fangs. Cimm was never one to marvel at nature's wonders, but it was quite spectacular to gaze upon the stalactites and stalagmites of immense size, covered in moss and probably done lengthening after centuries of slow growth.

His eyes skimmed down to a crack in the ground that extended from the base of the entrance, up one of the larger 'teeth' of the cave's opening, and disappearing into its depths. The captain assumed that this must be the crevice that the Xatu had spoken about. He stopped moving in favor of carefully examining the deep imperfection for the glimmering object that the creepy bird had spoken of. As he was doing so, the clouds above parted slightly to unleash the rays of the sun onto the land below. The light caught something in the crevice and made it sparkle brightly.

”Look, there's our target.” He mentioned while pointing with his tail. He looked over as Nuna caught up to him and peered around him. Her eyes grew large and a wide grin spread across her face that left a sinking feeling in Cimm's gut, ”Nuna! We have to scout around before-”

”I'll get it!” Cimm reached out for the excited Nuna, but the steel and rock pokemon was quick when it came to objects that shined. The feline crouched in his position, moving slightly sideways to hide behind a thick bush. If anything jumped out to attack the aron, he was going to let her fight it on her own. That sure would show her to go ahead without his orders.

Unfortunately the coast looked regrettably clear as Nuna skid down the cliff side and jumped at the end to land on her feet and continue running towards the glittering object wedged down in the crevice. From so far away Cimm hadn't been able to properly judge the size of the fissure, but Nuna standing next to it put it into proportion. The aron's length was roughly a third the width of the crack, and the shadows been playing tricks on his eyes when he had assumed the depth was shallow. But by the way Nuna's excited squealing echoed around in the split, he knew it had to be hundreds of feet deep.

”I see it!” Nuna yelled back as she stuck her head into the crevice. Cimm sighed and stood from his hidden place, ready to go down and help the aron retrieve the item. When he was standing, though, his ears were able to catch the slightest shift from Nuna's direction.

”Watch out!” He called out suddenly regardless of the fact he was ready to let his partner fend for herself only moments before. Nuna looked back at him in a confused way as he made his way down the rocky cliff. She was caught off guard and he wasn't quick enough to stop the writhing blue tail that had risen up out of the crevice from wrapping around Nuna's small body. A startled yelp was all the aron let out before the blue appendage yanked the aron down into the dark depths of the crack.

Cimm could feel his paws stinging from the rough path he had taken as he skid to a halt beside the gaping fissure. He stared down into the darkness, not seeing anything except for a few falling rocks and shifting earth. As his gaze focused on the seemingly infinite inky blackness he couldn't help but to wonder if Nuna had been tossed down to the bottom of the crevice. There would be no way she could have survived a fall like that if she had.

”Do not worry, she's alive.” Mana's calm and ethereal voice made the captain jump a bit in surprise since he'd nearly forgotten of their newest member. He stared at the hovering mass of gas before donning a scowl.

”That idiot! I told her we needed to scout around first!” He shook his head and looked down into the hole, tracing the outer edge of the long crack with his eyes as it trailed into the mouth of the den. A huff escaped him, ”Do you think she dropped the item we were supposed to retrieve?”

”W-what?” Mana responded in a confused manner and Cimm eyed the spirit carefully, prompting it to explain further, ”You aren't r-really worried about that, are you?”

”Of course I am! We can't complete this stupid mission without getting the treasure.” Cimm exasperated, rolling his eyes as he turned towards the Dragon's Den, ”What, you think Nuna would be worried about me if I was in her situation?”

”Well...” The ghost seemed reluctant to go on and Cimm let out a point-making puff of air.

”The answer is; She wouldn't. Now let's go already! If Nuna doesn't have this 'shiny thing' then we're going to fail this quest.” He grouched, looking back only once to the forlorn looking gastly before heading over to the rocky mound of stones leading up to the cave's entrance.

As he came up to the lip of the entrance, feeling like he was being swallowed by the intimidating structure, he was able to see the dangerous looking terrain that stretched through a large portion of the cave. Shadows engulfed the area immediately before him so that he could only make out silhouettes of the sharp rocks and bulky boulders that littered the ground. The walls were vaulting, reaching towards high ceilings that held dripping stalactites.

Taking a deep breath, Cimm stepped into this dark area, noticing instantly the drop in temperature with his paws. He shivered as he traveled down into the cave and blinked several times until his natural night vision kicked in. Soon he could see the frost forming on the rocks from the water dripping on them from above, along with his freezing breaths as they escaped him. To keep warm, he allowed a current of electricity to run through his fur. It made him look slightly fluffier as the static made his hairs rise, but it kept him nice and toasty in the chilly den. He had to wonder how the cold blooded creatures that lived here could survive in this freezer of a cave.

”Sir...” Mana's androgynous whisper came from his left, and Cimm had to force himself not to jump. He noted that he'd have to get used to the ghostly presence soon and regarded the purple sphere with a nod. The gastly was mostly translucent at the moment, but its eyes were still visible, as was the concern in them, ”We have company.”

Cimm immediately looked up, having sensed blood lust the moment he raised his awareness. He dodged sideways as a flood of water smashed into the ground where he had been standing, icing over on the cold stones below. Without speaking a word, Cimm nodded to his team mate and the gastly nodded back, disappearing completely for the moment. The luxio looked back to the ceiling and squinted his eyes as he looked for the source of the attack. He didn't have to search for long. Another blast of water came at him, forcing him to the side. He pinpointed the place from which the attack was issued and charged his fur even more than it already was.

There was a moment of silence before the echoing scream from Mana emanated from above. A second startled yelp could be heard right before something fell from the high place. Cimm rushed towards the falling creature, knowing it was what had been attacking them, and tackled it when it hit the ground. Electricity pulsed through him and into the creature under his paws, immobilizing it as it fainted.

”Tch, just a slimy shellos.” He grumbled as he backed away from the slick pink pokemon. Now his paws were cold, wet, and slime covered. That combination pretty much ruined his day.

”Why did this little fellow attack?” Mana's sudden appearance at his side once again startled Cimm. He looked at the gastly in an annoyed manner before shrugging his shoulders.

”Does there have to be a reason?” He asked as he turned away from the fainted foe and continued on his cold journey. Mana followed within his line of sight, apparently bothered by something from the look of its continuous frown.

”If you don't mind me asking, Sir-”

”I probably will.” Cimmerian curtly answered, cutting the ghost off and receiving a satisfyingly annoyed grunt from the usually polite and nervous Mana. He grinned inwardly as he kept a stoic face and went on, ”But go ahead anyways.”

Mana opened its mouth wide as if it were going to continue, but shook its head and mumbled ”Never mind,” under its breath. Cimm smirked as he kept an eye ahead, noticing it getting lighter as they went on. Cracks and holes in the ceiling made prefect pathways for sunshine to strike through. Splotches of crooked light littered the ground, revealing both deep and shallow pools of water that had formed in the jagged path leading deeper into the den. Cimm assumed absentmindedly that rain must pour through the cracks when the weather changes.

”Let's do this quick, we don't want to be caught in here during a storm,” He mentioned as he remembered the forecast for that day and picked up his pace. It was as he skirted a rather large puddle did he notice the rather large skull. It clearly belonged to a lapras, though its other bones were missing. He noted a squeak of discomfort coming from his gastly underling and moved on, not really wanting to know how fresh this kill had been or why it had died.

Very few pokemon bothered them as they wandered deeper into the den. A school of goldeen shot water at them once, but Cimm was quick to simply send a current through the water and send them swimming away in a hurry. A large poliwrath sitting casually by the edge of one of the wider pools had Cimmerian on edge, but the water type had only silently stared at them as they passed on the other side of the body of water. The luxio had to wonder if things were normally this calm, or if his view of 'calm' had been distorted after his previous mission.

Soon enough, they came to what the leader knew had to be the heart of the Dragon's Den. The temperature rose suddenly, banishing his chills. A large hole gaped in the ceiling that let light flood onto the rather green, open floor of the cave. The feline found himself one again stunned by the view as he took in the tall walls that were dripping with greenery and foliage, making perfect nesting places and comfortable homes no doubt. He hugged the shadows for a bit as he observed further the area. Unlike the rough pass before, the wide and spacious opening had smooth floors. There were no indentations in the ground to allow puddles to form, though he knew that the plant life was partially to blame for soaking up any water that may land here.

Aside from that, there were several darker areas on the sides of the walls where smaller caves branched off from this main den. Cimm knew that these crevices were why there was not a single dragon to be found out in the open. They had to be hiding in their individual homes. A frown planted itself on his face as he thought about how hard it was going to be to locate Nuna in this tangled web of a nesting ground.

”Do you think you could find-” Cimm turned to where he thought Mana was floating, only to discover the ghost was missing. He turned his head a couple of times before a sigh caught his attention and he looked up to the right.

”Sorry Sir, I forget sometimes that you are unused to my presence.” Mana spoke as it slowly became visible. Cimm scowled at the apparition in contempt. He hated being made to look like a fool, and he knew that the ghost was probably just getting back at him for interrupting earlier in its own snide way. Instead of addressing this though, Cimm just picked up where his thought left off.

”Think you can locate Nuna?” He asked in a low, quiet tone as he gazed at the spirit. Mana seemed a bit rattled by his deadpanned stare and shook its head.

”N-no, Sir. I can tell she is alive and unharmed, but I couldn't tell you where she is. Psychics are the ones that are good with finding life sources.” The ghoul informed him. The luxio's tail flicked in frustration as he gave a grunt and returned his sight to the area before him. There were so many separate dens that she could be in, and he doubted highly that they would be able to just peek in and tell if she was in one of them or not.

Huffing, the lion looked back to the ghost who had stayed visible to him, ”Let's split up. I'll take the caves on the right, you take the ones on the left. Try not to start any fights if you can help it, and if you run into anyone who seems willing, ask them for info,” He ordered as he gave a nod to signify they should be going. To his dismay, though, the ghost just silently stared at him with a disbelieving expression. He gave her a grimace that showed off his fangs to display his irritation.

”Oh, s-sorry!” It stuttered at him before becoming translucent and soon after disappearing completely. He shook his head and wondered why Mana was acting so strange now, when the new member had been so cooperative before. Shrugging it off, he stealthily padded over to the closest cave on the right. It was very small compared to most of the others, so he doubted he'd find Nuna in it, but it was worth a short. He swiveled his disk like ears as he neared the entrance to pick up any sounds that may be coming from it. As he peered around the edge of the opening into the darkness, a slight shrill sound passed by him.

Before Cimm had time to back away from the cave he was hit in the face. With an entire body. The frightened cat reeled back, holding his tongue as he tried to keep from shouting. He shook his head violently to free himself of the little critter that had smacked into him. Eyes narrowed and teeth freezing over, Cimm turned and looked down at his attacker.

”Eep! Don't eat me!” The squeaking voice came forth from the little noibat that he had flung to the ground. It was painfully obvious by its puny size that the creature was very young, and Cimm found himself backing steadily away from it as he realized this.

”Arceus, kid! Gave me a heart attack,” He growled as he started walking sideways to give the young bat pokemon a wide berth. He was not fond of the idea of interacting any further with this child. He kept his eyes averted from it and tried to search out a different place to search.

”W-wait!” The little bat shouted desperately, flinging itself at Cimm's legs. Because he hadn't been watching the little guy, Cimm failed to avoid the bat and found himself on the ground as he tripped over it. He grunted as his chin roughly met the rocky ground before he flailed his front leg about in a panic. He tried to dislodge the small winged dragon, but the thing was hooked into his fur as if he were velcro.

”Get off!” The lion's hiss was a bit more desperate than he would have liked to admit. He shook his leg over and over to no avail, only becoming hotter with anger the longer the ridiculous scene continued. Eventually he lost his patience and snapped, reaching over with his free paw and grasping the little body between his claws. He let out a deep growl as he tore the offending pokemon away and flung it hard into a nearby wall.

The way the noibat squeaked before going limp left a lump in Cimm's throat. A shiver went down his spine as he recalled a similar scene from not too long ago. The lion forced his brain not to bring up any images as he stared blankly ahead. His heart's pace quickened as his body began to shake, feet subconsciously guiding him to where the child lay still. His yellow gaze wavered as it met the unmoving form.

”H-hey...” Even his voice trembled as he reached out reluctantly to prod the form, ”Don't be dead.” It came out as more as a plea than an order, but it did the trick regardless. The noibat stirred and let out a pained groan as it awakened. The knot that had been growing in his throat dissipated in an instant, and cold relief washed over him. He instantly hardened his emotions, a bit angry with himself for letting them run free so easily, and looked down to meet the teary glances of the noibat with his own frozen yellow glare.

”That hurt!” The bat rubbed its head tenderly, pushing its over sized ears out of the way to do so. It seemed as if the noibat hadn't heard his earlier near breakdown by the looks of the glare it was giving him. Cimm's heart warbled for only a moment longer before he put it under immense pressure to stifle its trembling.

”Yeah, well you should have stopped when I told you to.” He grumbled as he took a threatening step forwards, ”But since you're stubborn and won't go away, I may as well interrogate you. Tell me where the aron is.”

”I don't know what your t-talking about.” The determined little dragon said, voice tight and filled with fear. Cimm's eyes narrowed dangerously, causing the noibat to flinch violently. The pipsqueak looked away from him and hugged his sides with his winged arms, ”I c-can't! I promised to watch over stuff for them!”

”For who?” Cimm had a sinking feeling that he was somewhere he didn't want to be.

”The salamence brothers. They guard this place, usually!” A measure of pride seeped into the kid's tone. The small pokemon smirked and puffed its chest out a bit, ”I'm the only one they didn't eat! So they said I get to watch the den for them when they leave!”

Cimm decided internally that he didn't want to be here for long. Not if the salamence that this dragon was speaking of were real. He growled once again deep in his chest, startling the noibat, ”Where. Is. She?”

”I told you, I don't know!” Came the quick squeaky reply that made Cimm's patience thinner. The bat was keen on going on, ”But the Old One might know.” The smirk that the noibat was unable to hide let Cimm know that ulterior plans were being made in the childish mind. He really didn't care, though, and if things were going better for his ghostly team member, Mana would notice he was in trouble sooner or later.

”Then take me there, brat.” The smirk faded from the bat's face, replaced with shock that let Cimm know this wasn't a part of its plans. Cimm put on a mocking smile of his own, ”Those salamence may not have eaten you, but there's no saying I won't. He licked his chops for emphasis, and could see the shiver run through the noibat.

”F-fine! But only if you protect me from the other guys!” The threatened pokemon answered, instantly covering its mouth as it realized what it had just said. Cimm held in a snort as his smirk grew.

”Kid, you sure are bad at this gig.” He said, reaching forwards to act as if he were taking a swipe at the pokemon. The effect was immediate as the little bat squeaked again and flapped its wings to hoist itself into the air. Cimm rolled his eyes, ”Now take me to this old guy and tell me about this ambush that's waiting for me.”

”It's a girl, not a guy!” The noibat informed indignantly, as if Cimm had just dealt a personal insult, ”And stop calling me kid! My name is Kinder!”

”I think it means the same thing in some languages,” Cimm held back his smile of contempt this time, as it was beginning to bother him how much he was enjoying picking on the little guy. So instead of continuing an argument, he flashed his fangs and forcefully snarled, ”Move it already, before I get really hungry!”

A peep of fright escaped Kinder before he turned swiftly in midair and began a clumsy flight path across the open den. Cimm only hesitated for a moment before following the low flying bat across the area. His nerves almost got the best of him while they exposed themselves, but the little bat-dragon seemed so confident that he forced his fears aside. Soon enough they were out of the almost literal spotlight and into the saving grace of the shadows. Kinder took him to the edge of den and zipped ahead suddenly to a rather large tunnel entrance where he perched upside down on one of the many rocks jutting out from the wall. Cimm carefully approached the offshoot, staring into the infinite darkness beyond.

”There ya go,” Kinder informed him unceremoniously. The feline's eyes flicked over to the shaking bat.

”And what makes you think I'm going in alone? You haven't even told me what's in there.” Cimm huffed in irritation. Kinder shook his head with gusto.

”Mama says not to go in there. The Old One is the only one that would eat me and be allowed to get away with it.” Kinder explained while leaving Cimm to wonder what was up with the kid and his obsession with not being eaten, ”The Old One has two pupils, a fraxure and a shelgon. He's the salamence's little brother.”

”And the old thing?” Cimm asked, unimpressed. The noibat gave him a dirty look.

”The Old One! I've never seen her, so I don't know. I just know she's the oldest one here.” The bat jostled its shoulders in what may have been a shrug, but it was hard to tell when it was upside down.

”And like I asked before, what makes you think I'm going in alone.” Cimm made a point of snapping his jaws and could clearly see the alarmed look in Kinder's eyes. But that scared look disappeared quickly.

”Because, I'd rather get eaten than get in trouble with Mama.” Cimm scoffed at this answer, turning from the child and beginning to head into the depths of the deeper cave. Kinder hummed in confusion, ”You're not gonna eat me?”

”I decided you're too scrawny. Mama's boy.” He threw back as he went, gaining an offended scoff as his reply. A gentle flapping sound signaled the noibat's departure. The feline continued on alone as he trekked into the darkness, once again relying on his sharp vision once adjusted to the lack of light. The walls of this individual den were narrow and smooth on all sides like they had been worn away after years of use. The stone underfoot was especially so, and he used his claws to make sure he didn't misstep and slip. Opposite his entry to the den, this cave seemed to get hotter the further in he went, though it never got to an unbearable point.

It seemed like he had been in the tunnel for ages before a light peeked around a bend up ahead. The lion slowed and silenced his footsteps, creeping up to the turn and daring to peek around it. Just around the corner was a open space where the stone gave way to grass, just like the larger den outside. A high ceiling was revealed to him, riddled with holes and cracks that allowed light to come through. The ground itself held puddles of all sorts, all steaming slightly from the heat trapped in the room.

Though all of this was impressive, what caught Cimm's eye was the giant dragon sitting calmly in the midst of one of these steaming plots of water. Numerous sharp scales in varying shades of dull blue and red covered the beast from head to toe, including the rather withered looking wings on its back. Jagged teeth poked out from under closed sagging lips. What shook him the most, though, were the yellowed eyes that had met his the instant he looked into the room.

”What is it you seek, stranger?” The druggidon's voice was grating and crackly, causing a wince to show itself from Cimm. He stepped reluctantly out from behind the bend and faced the dragon determinedly.

”Are you the Old One?” It seemed like a stupid thing to ask considering the obvious. He would have slapped himself for voicing his pointless question had the dragon not simply nodded patiently.

”That is what they call me. Though, it used to be the 'Wise One'.” Cimm awkwardly shifted on his paws when he didn't know if the last statement was supposed to be a joke or not. So instead of responding to it, he decided to find out what he had come for.

”My... Acquaintance has been kidnapped by one of the dragons living here. By a dragonair, if I recall correctly,” Cimm remembered the long blue tail, trying to pick his brain for any images that would assure himself, ”I had heard that you would know where she is?” The Old One hummed and nodded carefully.

”If your friend-”

”We're not friends.” Cimm's thoughtless interruption was his second mistake. His first mistake had been letting his guard down around the old reptile. In an instant he was shoved into the ground, sharp claws digging into his throat as he tried to sit up. It was all he could do to squint open his eyes to peer at the furious expression of the dragon holding him down. A fraxure had its fangs bared and its eyes were dangerously narrowed. Cimm wondered where this creature had materialized from, because he hadn't seen it when he looked into the room. He also wondered why he could think such calm thoughts when he could feel hot dragon breath nearing his neck.

”You will learn, luxio, not to interrupt the Old One.” A gruff voice from behind him warned, though he was too busy clawing at the hands on his throat to look behind and see who it was.

”That is enough,” The Old One's voice was the same as it had been throughout their conversation, as it hadn't just watched him get attacked. After the older dragon spoke, the fraxure let go of him and backed away. Cimm scrambled up, willing his fur to stay flattened and not show off his alarmed state. He could feel the puncture wounds on his neck from the fraxure's claws, but he would have to think about that later. The first thing he searched for was the owner of the voice behind him. He found that to be a shelgon with a rather serene aura about it, as it was standing nonchalantly off to the side.

”You've some high security here,” Cimm mentioned, imagining the damage these two young reptilians could do when they were fully evolved. He moved his eyes away from the white shelled dragon to look at the old one, narrowing his eyes once more as he tried to keep his patience and cool, ”They tend to overreact, though. I'd suggest someone less volatile” His comment earned his a growl from the fraxure still glaring daggers at him from its position by the Old One's side.

”They are still young,” the Old One replied simply, waving her tail to gently tap the fraxure on the shoulder. The smaller dragon's tenseness dissipated and the growling became less prominent, but Cimm still kept one ear on each of the bodyguards, ”But my young charge has a point, you should learn to respect your elders.”

”I do when they do something worth respecting.” Cimm's comment may have been considered bold if not for the lack of emotion in his tone. Once he realized what he had really implied the cat looked to both of the young dragons, though neither seemed to take offense as they had before. Quite the opposite, the ancient beast chuckled a bit, the sound resembling the noise a handful of gravel would make when thrown against the ground. The stretched out lips tightened into a smile that made Cimm cringe at the sight of the long yellowed fangs that were revealed further. He couldn't help but to notice that not one of them was missing despite her age.

”Of course. And you would have no reason to respect me then, would you?” An inquisitive and curious light entered the Old One's dull eyes, as if she had just found an interesting game to play. The feline resisted the urge to scowl against the thought of being someone's play thing and pressed his eyebrows together to furrow them.

”Okay, just tell me where Nuna is.” He tried his best to suppress his grumbling attitude, but it was becoming harder and harder to the longer he spoke with the aged reptile. He could feel a slight vibration in his warm pads as the shelgon behind him shifted towards him. Rethinking his situation a bit, he begrudgingly added a short ”Please,” to his request.

”Very well. As I was saying, your friend,” Cimm could have sworn the old hag's smile got a bit wider as he bit his lip to hold in a sharp retort, ”Is most likely not alive anymore if they were taken by whom I believe them to be taken by.”

Cimm huffed a long, tired breath through his nose as his patience stretched taught, ”I have a reliable source saying she is alive. And it wouldn't matter anyhow if she was or not. That dragon took something that I need.” The Old One tilted its head slowly, a creak from her bones reaching his sensitive ears. The scaled pokemon hummed a short note before her pupils flickered into a seemingly empty space near the far side of the stone wall.

”Is this reliable source the spirit that has been haunting my abode here?” Now Cimm quirked his head, caught off guard by the seemingly random question before following its gaze. A familiar presence made itself clear to him soon after, and he frowned deeply at the air.

”Mana, how long have you been here?” He demanded to know, causing a sharp squeak and the sudden appearance of the gastly at the spot where he was looking. The fraxure and shelgon both seemed startled and perturbed by the ghost's materialization, but the Old One quickly abated their hostility. Cimm couldn't help the smirk on his face at the dragon's reactions as he kept his stare on his team member.

”S-sorry, Boss! I-I mean, Sir!” The apparition stuttered out. Cimm rolled his eyes and narrowed them to prompt the ghoul to answer his question, ”Oh! Uh, well, s-since a while before you entered this den. I just wanted to be here in case things went wrong...”

Before Cimm could even think to feel nervous about Mana having possibly seen his dealings with the young noibat, the Old One hummed and grabbed their attention. ”So you have sensed the life essence of the aron in this realm?” Mana seemed slightly surprised by the question, but recovered quickly afterwards to give a swift nod with her circular form. The druggidon hummed again ”Then she is in the lair of the Collector. A very volatile, crazed dragonair that steals treasures and keeps them deep in his nest. His den is hidden by two twin bushes to the left of mine.”

”Finally...” He mumbled under his breath, relieved that he had gotten his answer, ”Well, then, we'll be off!” Cimm announced louder, turning swiftly to head back out the way he came. A deep frown found his lips when the shelgon stood in his way. A scoff came from the dark hole that hid the dragon's face.

”Who said you could leave?” Cimm's eye twitched slightly at the snide comment. Instead of answering right away he merely glared at the pokemon, crouching low into an defensive stance.

”I said. Now move, tubs.” He growled, gaining a return glare from the glinting yellow eyes within the shell. The dragon took a step forward as if to attack, and the feline instantly chilled his fangs to subzero temperatures. The steam coming from his mouth on account of the ice coming into contact with the heated air made the shelgon falter in its advance. Cimm bared his teeth defiantly, ”Move, now!” He demanded.

”Enough!” The sharp, loud order from behind made both the shelgon and the luxio jump. Cimm looked over his shoulder to see the Old One glaring daggers at him. Gulping, the cat held back his attack and glanced between the dragons nervously. The Old One sighed deeply and closed her eyes, ”Kennick, you have to explain yourself clearly.”

”Yes, Old One, I apologize.” The shelgon submissively answered, bowing slightly before looking at Cimm, ”You have not showed your gratitude to the Old One.”

”Really? Seriously?” Cimm grumbled in irritated disbelief, ”Because I didn't say 'thank you'? Fine; Thanks. There, happy?” The shelgon, Kennick, glared hard at him, but the old dragon apparently found his comment amusing. She chuckled again and shook her large head.

”That is not gratitude, youngling.” Cimm pursed his lips and flattened his ears again before the druggidon continued. He had a bad feeling about this, ”To show your gratitude for the information I have provided, you must promise me one favor in return.”

”Fine, whatever, what do you want?” The feline's patience had run out at this point and now he was willing to do whatever it took to get out of the enclosed area.

”As I have said; A promise. I will ask a favor of you, whether that be in the near or far future, and your promise will guarantee that my favor will be fulfilled.” The Old One explained. Cimm clenched his teeth tightly, wondering what the dragon could have hidden up her nonexistent sleeves. But he really had no choice in the matter anyways, so he gave a curt nod.

”Alright, I promise. Now we really got to go. So if you don't mind, we'll be taking our leave.” He said as he tried once again to exit. This time Kennick moved to the side, still trying to murder him with his glare. Cimm went along without turning to see if Mana was following and hoped deep down that the Old One wouldn't live long enough to request a favor of him.

Team Moonlighter would return to find their client awaiting them impatiently. The Xatu didn't move forward to meet them, but his eyes narrowed suspiciously at the lack of treasure in any Pokemon's paws. When Mana eventually produced the jewel however, the Dual Type's eyes would light up and he'd pluck it from the Gastly before either Cimm or Nuna could react. "Ah...Such beauty..." the bird cooed, his eyes reflecting the shimmering blue of the gem as he gazed into its depths. Turning it over in his wings, the Xatu examined it from every angle to ensure it's authenticity. "He's glorious..." The Dual Type breathed the words rather than spoke them, not bothering to look back at the Team that had so kindly fetched the treasure for him, or even offer his gratitude. Without another word, he would push his way through the Team, brushing past them as though they didn't exist at all, and make his way out the door, still murmuring to his prize. Well, at least he hadn't tried to attack them like the Collector.

"Strange fellow, isn't he?" Veilmys' voice broke the silence the Xatu had left in his wake, and the Sylveon chuckled. He'd been watching from the background through the entire exchange, since he'd taken the liberty of tending to the returning Team in Barcel's place: the Empoleon was busy smithing today, and he'd had something to say to Team Moonlighter in the first place, so it worked out for the better. "Well, regardless, I think we can call this mission a success~!" the Guildmaster said cheerfully. "I do hope it wasn't as trying as the last one. My sincerest apologies for that once again." Unfurling a ribbon, he extended a box to Cimm with a bright smile. "Here are your rewards, plus a little bonus from Barcel for all your hard work. Keep doing your best!" With a nod to the Team, the Sylveon proceeded to whisk off down the hall, ribbons trailing behind him.

A while later, the Team would be met with the sound of aggressive pounding on their door, followed by the murmur of muffled (but heated) words being exchanged outside. When they opened it, Cimm and Mana would find two familiar Dragons glaring at one another angrily.

"Took you long enough." The Shelgon's voice was scornful, and he spared a brief look of appraisal for the Team before he returned to eyeing his companion with disdain.

"Well maybe if you hadn't nearly broken their door in they would have been more willing to answer!" Kinder's youthful voice was surprisingly bold as he stared the larger Pokemon down, but one look at him revealed that he was quivering from head to toe: clearly the Noibat wasn't feeling as brave as he sounded.

Kennick scoffed and turned away from the boy, rolling his eyes as he shifted them to meet Cimm's. "I'm here on behalf of my mentor," the Dragon stated bluntly, "She wishes to extend her congratulations to you for retrieving your friend from the Collector, and to remind you not to forget the promise you made." It was clear from the Shelgon's tone that he did not share the Old One's sentiments, but there was a slightly smug edge to his second comment--he could lord the suspended favor over the Luxio all he liked since his mentor hadn't forbidden it. His expression quickly grew murky again however, when he recalled the second part of the Druddigon's instruction. "She also sent me here to ask to join your Team..." he muttered darkly, half-hoping the Team in question wouldn't hear. "I don't see how a disrespectful Luxio could have anything to 'teach' me..."

"What? No way!" Kinder glared daggers at the larger Pokemon, his fear forgotten in favor of indignation. "You already do stuff for the Old One, I'm the one who's gonna join their Team." Looking up at Cimm with determination sparkling in his eyes the Noibat struck his most herioc pose. "You were so cool going to face the Old One by yourself; you could've been eaten but you didn't even care! I told Mama I wanted to come to the Guild so I could be strong like you!" Shooting a glance at the Shelgon, he finished the thought under his breath: "Plus, I'd be a way better Teammate than that guy..." The comment earned him another glare from the Shelgon, and it was fairly clear that if no one intervened the pair would start fighting again.

It was at that moment that Cimm would feel an unpleasant slimy sensation on his back, the source of which could be found up above him on the ceiling: somehow a familiar Shellos had made its way inside and was staring down at them with a curious expression--the sensation, of course, was caused by a bit of excess ooze dripping down from the small Pokemon's body. Whatever had brought the creature here, it showed no signs of wanting to leave. Apparently it was another potential recruit then? Still, Team Moonlighter could only take one of the three.

Rewards:
-2 MP
-900 PD
-Psychic TM
-Shellos, Noibat, or Shelgon Recruit

Treasure Hunter Bonus:
-Barcel's been keeping an eye on the exploits of Team Moonlighter, and was prompted to give them a reward by Veilmys. The Guildmaster was still feeling a bit guilty about the difficulty of their previous assignment, and so added a bit extra to their monetary bonus, bringing their total amount of extra cash to 1100 PD!

((Nice mission yet again Rae! Just a note, you started to slip up on your grammar/syntax/punctuation around the Dragonair fight--nothing too serious, probably just a result of reaching the end of a long piece; most of it could be fixed by running a quick spell check, but keep an eye out for possessives (processors can't always tell when something should be reptile's or reptiles' instead of instead of reptiles for example) and it should help to fix most of your minor issues! ^ ^
Oh, and just to be clear, there's 900 PD from the normal rewards, and 1100 from the Treasure Hunter Bonus, so that's 2000 PD total earned for this mission.))

Rezon despised getting up early. To wake up at the crack of dawn was not on his top ten, let alone, top one hundred list of things he enjoyed doing. He would rather lounge within his bed while soaking up the sun's rays which currently were warming up his darken fur. Despite this, the Liepard found himself aroused at such an ungodly hour, a groan escaping his lips as he slowly moved to get to his feet. Stretching out, he released another soft sound of enjoyment only to perk his ears as he heard a sound in the distance. At first, the sound was hard to pinpoint, though as it quickly approached it became louder and with a very stout 'thump thump thump'.

Even if Rezon was half asleep he would know to brace himself as he felt the floor rattle beneath his paws just before a crashing sound came through the entrance of his house. The Tyrunt was eager and excited and much like a child on a mission, he tore through the home searching for the Liepard. Once the royal purple feline was spotted, no mercy was given as Aldric half tackled, half trampled the poor Liepard while snapping his maw happily.

"Rezon! There is a Sneasel who is offering a big, -huge-, gigantic size reward for finding a Razor Fang! That's it! Let's go!" Aldric whined as he was shoved off by his companion, the feline shaking his form before moving to sit upon his haunches. It was either a look of disbelief or a look of annoyance that came upon Rezon's features, but any sense of his rising temper was quickly halted when he realized there was a job at hand.

"A Razor Fang? I assume they wish for us to go venture down into the Dragon's Den to get it. You know, we could make this simple right now, don't you? Open your mouth, and let me yank out a tooth." A sinister smirk came upon the feline's lips, the Tyrunt quickly moving to try and cover his mouth with his short limbs.

"No? So you would rather us venture out, risk life and limb so you can keep your tooth? How childish." Aldric let out a series of muttering sounds, clearly trying to rant at the other male who only smirked in response from ear to ear. Rezon looked much like the cat who had caught the canary, pleased in knowing he had upset his companion. Getting beneath others skin was what he did best and he took pride in that thought, even if it was his most trusted companion.

"Fine, fine. Keep your tooth. It's probably too small anyway..." Rezon left his companion to catch up, Aldric keeping his mouth firmly closed for the moment as he didn't doubt that his tricky feline friend would try to steal a tooth at the first chance given. The duo looked rather odd when they were together as they were polar opposites in appearance, and yet they seemed to work well with one another. Perhaps this was the reason behind their cocky attitude and why they decided to go alone into the Dragon's Den. True they could have asked the client to go with them, but Rezon had pointed out that this would only cause him an annoyance as he would have to babysit the Sneasel. Because of this, it would be decided that the duo would go into the Dragon's Den on their own and without the client.

"One tooth. I'm sure we could even pull out a baby one. I mean....do you honestly want to go in there?" The Tyrunt huffed as his companion once more tried to goad him out of a tooth, but upon seeing that the stubborn creature wouldn't give Rezon what he desired, he sighed and began to descend into the cave. "It's just a tooth..you wouldn't even notice. I mean, if I had one...I'd let you pull it out." Of course this was a lie as Rezon took much pride in his appearance and to let another mar it up was unexcuseable! He just didn't really want to go down into the giant den of doom.

The temperature began to drop the deeper they descended into the den while the darkness started to envelope them, and soon a sense of uneasiness began to swarm the duo. One never knew what to expect down here aside from very large and very mean Pokemon that would probably swallow them whole the first chance given. Within the den, the duo's playful banter halted as they now tried to move as quietly as possible, and even Aldric attempted to tip-toe down the steep walkway. Had they not been in a dangerous area, Rezon may have even laughed at him for he looked rather silly and the gesture of a tiptoeing Tyrunt just seemed ridiculous.

A fluttering of wings caused the duo to cease their movements before pressing themselves against the wall of the cave while looking around for the orgin of the strange sound. It didn't take the feline long to pinpoint the source, his eyes settling upon a lavender Noibat that darted around the cave's ceiling. He watched for several minutes before the bat-like Pokemon would finally find a stalactite to it's suiting. Clinging upon it with tiny clawed feet, the Noibat hung upside down before wrapping her wings around her body. Wrinkling his nose, Rezon put a finger by his lips to ensure the Tyrunt knew to be quiet before motioning for them to continue moving forward. Rezon didn't know much about Noibats and today he really didn't want to find out more about them. He just wanted to get this tooth and then out of here with all of his body intact.

"Rezon..." Aldric whispered as he kept close to the dark coat feline, and even grasping upon his tail to ensure he didn't loose his companion! The Tyrunt wasn't afraid of getting lost, but with the Liepard having such a dark coat he could loose his friend down here if he wasn't careful! They had been traveling for some time now, and Aldric had done well to be quiet up to this point, however something caused him a sense of uneasiness and thus he now called out for his companion.

"Shhhh!" Rezon hissed as he turned his gaze back to his companion in a brief glimpse. Surely the large dinosaur knew that they had to be quiet down here! Who knew what was lurking around the next corner and if anyone was going to have the surprise, Rezon wanted it. The Tyrunt whimpered ever so softly before tugging upon the Liepard's tail once more. After a moment he would find himself forced to try and get Rezon's attention.

"Rezon..." His voice cracked softly, a sense of urgency given as continued to tug upon the tail in hand, doing so enough that the Liepard growled as he turned around. "What?!" Snapping in his annoyance, he would yank his tail from the Tyrunt's grasp, while glaring upon him! "What is so damn important?!"

Aldric looked miserable. An expression of horror and fear came across his maw and if the Liepard didn't know any better, he would have sworn his companion had seen a ghost. Whimpering softly, the Tyrunt lifted a clawed hand to attempt and point towards his back. "Th..there...there is something on my back..."

A brow arched in confusion before the Liepard sighed and decided he should investigate what was going on. In his mind he figured it was probably water...or maybe just some dirt. Either way, Aldric was wasting their time and Rezon was sure of it. However, when he peered at the Tyrunt's backside, he nearly jumped back as he saw a face peering back at him! Hissing softly, his fur stood up on end as he stared back at the wide eyed Noibat from earlier. She smiled widely before offering him an impish giggle while clinging to the Tyrunt who now began to turn circles in desperate attempt to see what latched to his back!

"What is it?! What is it?!" Aldric cried out as he continued to run in circles and losing all hope of being quiet. The Noibat clung tightly to Aldric's back as she squealed out in surprise and joy and wasn't sure of what else to do but to just hang on!

"Wheeee!" She exclaimed while giggling even more till the poor Tyrunt got to dizzy and would soon fall upon it's rump in exhaustion. "Get it off..." He whimpered as he looked at Rezon pitifully. Sitting down Rezon wasn't sure what to do and after a moment decided that simply talking to the bat-like Pokemon seemed to be the easiest route.

"Can we help you?" He inquired while canting his head as he slowly flicked his tail back and forth in slight annoyance. This was not going like he had planned. This was not sneak in, grab the tooth, and sneak out! This was acting like a bunch of circus Pokemon.

The Noibat didn't release her grasp as she continued to hold onto the Tyrunt, giggling and shaking her head. "Oh, I'm having lots of fun!! The others will let me ride on them, but they don't make it fun! Do you have any fruit on you? Did you bring me something to eat?" The small bat continued to natter on, while Aldric continued to whimper and Rezon...just stared at them both in a mixture of disbelief. Why couldn't anyone follow a plan? His plans worked! He was sure of it!

"Ok, enough! No, we didn't bring you anything to eat. No, we don't have food. Now hush! Aldric, it's a Noibat on your back and it's very annoying. Are we good now? Can we continue?!" It wasn't often that Rezon lost his temper, but they were in a very dangerous place and he really, really, really didn't want to be here! Aldric instantly shut his trap, and the Noibat looked at them in confusion before whispering low into her ride's ear. "Is he always this grumpy?" A simple nod of the head was given before they started once more to descend down the walkway and further into the cave.

What seemed like hours, and was in truth only half of one, the Noibat sighed as she looked at the Tyrunt once more. "I've never seen you down here before. Why are you two down here? Did you get lost? I can show you out if you'd like! I'm helpful!" With Rezon ahead of them, and able to talk some, Aldric shook his head lightly before responding to her questions, though taking care not to talk to loud so he didn't anger his companion once more. "We're here on a mission. We have to find a tooth."

"A tooth? Why a tooth? I've got teeth? Wanna see! Ahhhhhh." The Noibat opened it's mouth to show off her teeth having not taken into consideration that nobody would them due to the fact she still rode upon the Tyrunt's backside.

"Er...not that type of tooth. A Razor Fang. We're looking for one for a Sneasel who lost his." Not that he expected the Noibat to know what that was, but at least she was talking to him where Rezon was not! Aldric hated when Rezon got moody, it just made things unfun for everyone.

"OOOH! Why didn't you say so?! I know where we can get one!" She chirped before the Tyrunt soon found the Noibat crawling up his back to sit upon the top of his head. "I can show you! I can! See, I can be helpful!!"

Rezon, who to the point had been listening despite they didn't think he could hear them...stop in his tracks. Flicking an ear back he turned to look at the duo before reminding himself that now he had to be calm and 'nice', especially if the Noibat knew where they could find a Razor Fang.

"You know....I just realized we've been so rude. We've never introduced ourselves and we don't even know your name. I'm Rezon and your ride's name is Aldric." The Noibat perked her ears before grinning widely while she nodded her head quickly and clearly far more excited about meeting new Pokemon then Rezon was.

"Oh! I'm Petaya!" She chirped happily as she puffed outward. It seemed she was very proud of her name and she was more then eager to share it.

"Isn't that a berry?" Rezon inquired as he tried to understand the logic behind a Noibat's name. Did they name all their children after fruit? He couldn't imagine being named after a berry more so since it seemed like a silly notion.

"Yeap! I love eating them soooo much! It's now my name...or just what everyone calls me! So I'm Petaya!" The story was short and sweet, thankfully, and it seemed to clear up the origin of her name. Either way, Rezon kept any negative thoughts to himself and tried to continue the facade of friendliness.

Remembering the end goal of this pointless conversation and once more offered to try and be nice and friendly, he continued on. "It's a pleasure to meet you then Petaya. Now, you said you knew where we could find this Razor Fang? It would be very helpful to Aldric and myself if you could show us where we can find it. Very...very helpful." He purposely emphasized the world helpful as earlier comments lead him to believe that the Noibat strived to be as useful as possible. Wishing to please Rezon and wanting to be helpful, the Noibat nodded her head as she pointed down a side path that the group had already passed and missed. More than likely, had she not helped them, they would have never found it. "There! Go that way!"

Cautiously, the trio moved down the twisted path, winding this way and that and going deeper down into the Dragon's Den. The Noibat continued to chatter about random things to the two males and it was clear that she was enjoying their company. Even Aldric seemed pleased for the moment as he held a conversation with her...and Rezon? Well, his fur constantly stood at end as he found the chattering Noibat almost unbearable to deal with. However, she served a purpose and because of that he bit his tongue much to his dismay.

The tunnel seemed never-ending and just as Rezon was about to ask the Noibat if she had gotten them lost, he would notice a figure up ahead. Petaya never told them to stop and when they got closer they would find themselves face to face with a Axew. The tusked Pokemon held up a hand before speaking in a rather serious tone for such a small creature. "Halt! You are not allowed through here, so you might as well turn around." Annoyed, Rezon sighed as he looked down upon the small dragon Pokemon. Could today get any worse? "And..pray tell, why are we not allowed to go through? You see, I've come a very, very long way while listening to the incessant chattering of this Noibat and I honestly don't want to have to go back after being forced to suffer her nonstop words."

"Why won't you let us through? I've been through before several times!" Petaya piped up while peering over the Tyrunt's head. Clearly she had not heard the harsh words by Rezon or if she had she didn't show any response to them.

"Well, that's because you are a dragon type Pokemon and may enter. But the ball of fur is not allowed through. He is not a dragon. He is...fuzzy." As if to point out the obvious, the Awex reached out to poke a finger into the soft fur of the Liepard. A warning growl was returned and quickly he pulled back his clawed hand before resting it at his side.

"He may be fuzzy but he is cute! Look at those spots! I wish I had spots..." Sighing, the Noibat moved to rest her head upon her hand as she studied the spots on Rezon's coat and even offered a slight pout. "I'd look beautiful with spots.."

The Liepard growled lowly once more. Why was he surrounded with such idiots and why could nothing every go down the easy route? Aldric had at least learned not to speak up during these times! That was helpful considering they usually got in more trouble when he opened his big tra-

"He may be fuzzy, but he's got me and I'm a dragon. So, we shall pass! Or...I will bite you.." Rezon sighed...no, he couldn't keep his big trap shut sometimes; and threatening the guard to the room they needed was not going to help.

The Axew snorted as he looked up at the trio. Why was it always on his 'shift' that he ran into such oddities? Last week it was a Sneasel, this week...whatever this was. "Look, I have orders and the orders are to not let anyone pass unless they are one of us. So, I can't let you through if the fuzzy one goes with you. You two are good though..just not him." A taloned finger would point at Rezon, who only huffed in his annoyance. This was just not going to do. Deciding to take matters into his own paws, Rezon slinked towards the Awex, flicking his tail as he tried to look intimidating and much larger then the Awex. True he despised to get himself dirty, but desperate times came for desperate measures."And....how are you going to stop us from just moving past? It's you...and just you. I hate to admit it but you're not very terrifying as Pokemon go and you're highly outnumbered."

"Not alone...but if you dare step one foot closer, I will sound the alarm! You think one of my kind isn't terrifying, but imagine twenty of us! Thirty!" The Awex's voice shoot up into a high pitch of excitement, daring the Liepard to try and cross him! He would show the fuzzy some manners! Imagine, an outsider attempting to intimidate him?! Hah!

Groaning as he returned to his companions, Rezon looked to Aldric and then to the Noibat before muttering in a tone of disbelief. "This is ridiculous. What is beyond that door that they won't let me in Petaya?" The bat like Pokemon hmm'd softly as she considered and after a moment she let out an excited chirp. "Oh! I remember now! There is a graveyard! It's where the Dragon's rest their dead! Yeap!"

"Rezon! We're going to be grave robbers?! That...that is just wrong!" Aldric chewed lightly upon his bottom lip as he considered the idea of going to a grave of another just to steal a tooth and felt a sense of guilt behind it. More so when he took into consideration that it would be a fellow Dragon Pokemon that they would be stealing from. Was that morally wrong of them to do? Did he want the reward that bad? As if seeing him debate amongst himself, Rezon reached up and would bat Aldric upon the face just enough to regain his attention and have him once more focused to the issue at hand.

"Focus. Yes we're grave robbing, but think of it this way. The dead don't really need their teeth. They're dead. We do. We're not dead. So...either we have to convince this Axew to let us pass...or you're going to have to go grab it while I wait here." Aldric whimpered slightly at the idea of having to go inside alone and that idea made him almost sick in his stomach. Graveyards were spooky!

The Tyrunt returned his attention to the awaiting guard, and unlike Rezon who tried to intimidate him, he tried to negotiate."What if...you escort us? That way you can make sure nobody gets upset and can keep an eye on the fuzzy one? This sounds reasonable?" Hopeful that the Axew will give them some leeway, Aldric and his Noibat hat would both continue to peer down upon him while he continued to plea their case. "He's not a bad guy, I promise. Please?" The Axew sighed and looked from Aldric to Rezon...to Aldric..and to Rezon again. Finally he sighed in a very exasperated tone and seemed to have finally given them some slack. "Fiiiiinne. I will escort you to the graveyard. But don't touch anything!"

"Yeah right.." Rezon muttered as they started to finally move through the tunnel once more. The group walked tightly together, the little Axew only a few footsteps ahead of them. The tunnel got tighter and tighter before coming to a small archway. Once they passed through it the room opened up tremendously and they were soon introduced to a massive graveyard. There was bones of all types that laid to rest within the Graveyard of many species that belonged within the Dragon type. Some of them, like a Charizard's remains, would be seen though Rezon wasn't sure on how they had brought the bones down here? Did the Dragons come here to die? Or where they moved after their death?

"So many bones.." Aldric whispered as they moved through the many paths and looked around at all the collections of bones. How would they find the perfect fang here? He assumed Rezon knew what they were looking for as the feline was already starting to lag behind the group. When the moment was right, he would snatch the fang and they would leave, or so Aldric assumed and thus left the task at hand to the Liepard.

Until then, the Axew ended up acting much like a tour guide while pointing out who's remains were who. It was rather fascinating as the tiny dragon seemed to know a lot more then one originally would have given him credit for. He seemed to know who was who as well as a bit of history that belonged to the set of bones before them. Finally they came upon a large alter and resting upon it was a pile of giant bones that were far bigger then some of the rest that they had seen earlier and as if on que the Axew was already explaining to whom the bones belong to.

"This is Rexius. He was a Tyrantrum Pokemon and was known amongst those here as a mighty ruler. He was wiser then any other and brought much happiness to those around him due to his fairness in choice. He is often a favorite to speak about amongst those here today. When he died, many mourned him for months and some still do despite he has been dead for many decades." The group moved past the deceased ruler, heading to another body who was of equal importance while Rezon, however, lingered back as he looked at Rexius with an arched brow.

"A Tyrantrum, hrm? So you're what I have to deal with when Aldric evolves? Lovely.." The feline flicked his tail as he watched the others walk off and after making sure that none were watching him, he would purr softly at the idea that the 'fuzzy one' had been forgotten about. Thankfully the Axew was such a wonderful guide that he never noticed he had inadvertently distracted himself by retelling the tales of the dead.
Taking another quick look to ensure that nobody was watching, the Liepard moved over towards the head of the deceased King before reaching out to grab a single fang and quickly began to tug on it and moving it back and forth. It took awhile but eventually the tooth began to wiggle faster and faster before it snapped out of the Tyrantrum's jaw.

"Thief..." A voice whispered and instantly Rezon cussed as he looked around frantically. What had seen him? Hadn't he been so careful? A set of glowing red hues looked upon him from a pile of bones and with it another hiss escaped. "Thief..." Another set of eyes would match the first and then a third. "Thief..." They all hissed together. The bones shifted and rattled as the Pokemon dug itself out of them, and soon Rezon found himself staring at the three headed Dragon. Spreading out it's ebony wings the main head of the Hydreigon glared down upon the Liepard as the two side heads hissed in union. "Thief!!! We do not tolerate thieves in the Dragon's Den, and more so when they steal from our dead!" Snarling, the main head parted it's maw as a glowing orb began to fill within it. Rezon's eyes widen as he held onto the fang and began to run! He had to grab Aldric! This was bad!

The sound of the Focus Energy attack was loud the Liepard jumping and dodging it as he quickly tried to scramble away from the angered Hydreigon! Running behind the group that was stopped at a set of bones, who the Axew was currently describing to be some type of klutz who had fallen to his death, they would blink in surprise as the Liepard ran past them yelling back...or as much as he could with the Razor Fang in his mouth. "Run! Angry Dragon!"

Confused, Aldric turned to look back, and sure enough the Hydreigon was already in the air, wings beating as he came charging behind the Liepard! Petaya eeped as she clung tighter to the Tyrunt and the Axew looked up with widening eyes that reflected nothing but horror! "What did you do?!" He screamed and soon the others were running quickly to catch up with Rezon who now darted towards the exit! "I may have taken a token...a small one!"

"Are you mad?! That's our guardian!!" He yelled back as he ducked just in time for a red bit of energy to pass over his head. "Oh he is pissed!! What did you take?!"

Aldric ran beside them, huffing as he tried to keep up and noticing the fang held tightly within Rezon's mouth "You took the fang from the Rexius, didn't you?!" Looking guilty, Rezon didn't remark as he continued to make it for the exit! However, he wouldn't get far before the flying Pokemon landed in front of the door while blocking their way out and any chance of escape! "Thief! You will be punished! And you little Axew...letting them in?! What of your job? Protect the bones! No outsiders!"

The Axew shook in fear as he quickly stepped away from the group, fiddling his clawed fingers together. "I...I didn't know this was their plan! I was giving them a tour! I...I'm sorry! I thought it would be nice for others to see the mighty past of all Dragon types!" Of course he was stumbling for words and merely attempting to dig himself out of his pit of trouble! How was he to know that the Liepard had planned on stealing from the bones?!

"Punish them..." The side heads hissed in union and the main head only glared at the feline who now glared back in return. All three mouths parted, a ball of brilliant white starting to form once more. The balls of energy were launch in session as the tri-attack was sent forward in a full attempt to harm those who had stolen from the Graveyard. Aldric responded quickly, snarling as he stomped his heavy feet upon the ground, causing the cavern to shake and quiver. Small stalactites began to tremble before they fell downwards towards the ground only to be shattered as they took the hit from the three beams of energy. Upon explosion, dust and grit filled the area and making it hard to see as the dirt clouded the air.

"Scared!"Petaya chirped as she clung tightly to the back of the Tyrunt, watching through stolen glances over his shoulder. Rezon growled as he took use of the moment, the rock's dust in the air forming a rather lovely screen of protection and perhaps enough to hide his attack from the Hydreigon long enough for him to get in and make a quick strike. The dark energy began to build around the Liepard; a royal purple swirling with a mixture of black essence. Running quickly towards the Hydreigon, he held tightly upon the growing mass of dark energy as he charged for the main head. Rezon jumped before slamming the Foul Play attack into the middle head while the negative energy attack caused the Dragon to cry out in pain. It was a successful hit! Rezon grinned in celebration before a sound of pain escaped him, the Liepard finding himself coming to a stop as the left head bit down hard upon his midriff and wouldn't release him. Fangs tore easily within an unarmored side and blood was already quick to rise and stain the purple coat. When he cried out in pain, the Razor Fang was dropped before skidding across the floor just as the Hydreigon let out a mighty roar. The cavern shook as stalactites threatening to fall once more while dust from above now coated the forgotten bones that were witnessing the battle at hand.

"I'm coming Rezon!" Aldric yelled as he charged forward, returning the ferocious roar with one of his own just before chomping down upon the right head's neck and refusing to let go. The Axew nervously moved back and forth as he was unsure of what to do! However, he didn't get much chance to think as the large Dragon Pokemon would let out another roar as he seemed to berserk at the turn of events. His jaw opened as a beam of purple began to shoot out, the Dragon's Breath aimed at any and all who were near him and being casted around almost blindly. The Axew eeped in pain as his tail got caught within range of the attack and quickly darted behind a pile of bones!! This was more then he has asked for!

"Get the head that's on me!!" Rezon cried out, trying to use his claws as he swiped furiously at the neck of the head that had him grasped and wouldn't release him. Held at an odd angle, the attack was almost weak in nature and the head that grasped him began to shake him in response.

"Ahm twying bwut mwoth bwusy!" The main head snarled as it turned towards Aldric before the Hydreigon bite down upon the Tyrunt's backside. Quickly it began to tug and pull upon the Tyrunt in a feeble attempt to yank the smaller Dragon off of his extra head's neck. A started Petaya managed to avoid the attack as she quickly dodged out of the way and flew towards the cave's ceiling. Looking around she fretted in fear! What could she do?! How could she be helpful here?! The Tyrunt's grasp did not loosen and instead he would growl in anger as the fangs of the Hydreigon sliced into his own flesh.

Seeing red, Aldric began to feel his blood boil and a sense of anger clouded his judgement before the small Tyrunt began to have a temper tantrum! The thing had bit him and was refusing to let go of his friend. Aldric's teeth began to glow faintly at first and soon they would become a brilliant red as they began to burn and boil the flesh of the head he had grasped within his Fire Fangs. Screeching, the tri-headed Pokemon snapped open it's six wings while moving them quickly as he kicked off from the ground and began to yank the duo up with it. There wasn't far to fly upwards with and the concept to why was lost upon Rezon who still tried to get loose. "Let go of me!" He snarled as he tried to bite at the left head, it in turn growling and shaking Rezon once more like a rag doll.

"Oh no...it's going to slam them.." The Axew whispered as he ran out from behind the bone pile and feeling helpless as he watched from below. "He's going to slam you! Brace yourselves if you can!! Oh no.."

"What should we do?!" Petaya asked as she flitted about, unsure of how to aid the two whom she had befriended. A quick glance however would reveal a new issue. Where the Hydreigon planned to slam his captives, the Razor Fang now rested prone and forgotten. If he completed the attack it would crush the item and everything that they were fighting for would be lost! The Hydreigon shifted it's weight and both heads adjusted so that Rezon and Aldric couldn't move as they were pinned in place. It was a slow descent at first, but quickly the Pokemon picked up speed as it planned to slam them into the cave floor and end this battle once and for all.

Seconds seemed to take their time to pass while the Axew watched in horror as the events unfolded. The Noibat didn't waste time as she dived down before placing herself in the target range of the Hydreigon and with her back to the ground she took a deep breath. An ear shattering supersonic attack began to leave her tiny form in giant waves around her. Axew cried out as he quickly tried to cover his ears, the sound almost unbearable and unlike anything he had heard before! However, with the attack aimed at the large flying Pokemon, it hit him stout and hard just before the supersonic waves would confuse him and stun him just enough to send him off course. Wings flapped widely in different patterns and soon the massive creature would shift just enough that he was sent smashing into the ground a few feet away and landing hard upon it's own back.

Petaya picked up the fang and quickly flew over to where the impact had taken place, flitting around as she tried to find the Liepard and Tyrunt. Aldric released his grasp upon the limp head, shaking off the dirt that had settled upon his skin. For the most part, aside from a bite mark to his back and surely some bruising, he looked well. "Rezon? You alive?" A groan was his answer as the feline was still firmly clasped within the unconscious jaws of the Hydreigon. "Just...get me out of here..."

"Oh, he's going to be so mad when he wakes up..." The Axew remarked as he nervously walked back and forth. "Very mad... I suggest you guys get out of here.."

Nodding, Aldric freed his companion before gently setting him upon his back. They looked ridiculous and Rezon complained, but they both knew he was to wounded to walk. "Thanks...for your help, Petaya.." The Noibat flapped her wings happily as she darted around them before handing the Razor Fang to the Tyrunt who now clasped it firmly within his hands. "That's what I'm here for! I'm helpful!" Giggling, she looked to Rezon before realizing that the poor Tyrunt would have to drag the fluffy cat out of the cave. Despite it would be perhaps argued against, she reached down with her clawed feet and gently grasped the end quarters of the feline to help Aldric carry him out.

"You should get back to the top...he may need healing."

"Yes...he may."

The journey back to the front of the Den was less eventful and Aldric believed the Axew had a hand in this due to the fact he occasional saw a glimpse of the green dragon now and then from the shadows. Rezon, injured groaned most of the journey and yet he didn't make any snide remarks as he just wanted to deliver the Razor Fang before heading to the infirmary or better, home. When they walked into the sun, he shivered softly in enjoyment as it seemed to instantly warm up his fur. Yes, there would be no more Dragon's Den if he could avoid it! Finding himself in the sun, he seemed to find a little bit of energy left in him and after some arguing with Aldric, he would finally be allowed to walk for himself albeit he limped rather horribly. After thanking Petaya, they moved to find the Sneasel so that they could return the accursed Razor Fang.

Upon being whisked to the infirmary, Rezon and Aldric would be treated for their injuries while a rather thankful Sneasel seemed to be content in their retrieved item. Normally Rezon would be snooping into the bag of 'treats', but it was Aldric who was the first to get his hands upon the satchel that was left behind. Returning to Rezon's side, he would hold up the items. A TM and some PD! Not a bad deal really!

Once able to leave the infirmary and upon returning to their base, they would find themselves looking up three individuals. The Sneasel, the Noibat, and the Axew. Rezon wasn't thrilled to see any of them to be honest. He was wishing to return to bed as soon as possible. Aldric, however, seemed pleased to see them all and it was he who found out the reasoning behind their visit.

"You three want to join us? Really?" Confused as they had never had anyone wanting to join them, the Tyrunt turned his attention to Rezon. Clearly Rezon would know what to do!

"We only have room for one more at this time. So..." The feline sat down as he flicked his tail in mild annoyance. Why was it that if he wanted to rest, it felt as if something didn't want him to rest? "I'm sorry, Petaya...as helpful as you were, I don't think you will quite fit us. I don't think I could stand listening to you speak nonstop all the time. However, you're welcome to visit whenever you want."

A soft sigh escaped Petaya who only nodded her head as she looked around at the other two. Why had they beat her in the ranks?! She had been so helpful! Well...perhaps she could find another group to help instead!

Aldric frowned lightly at Rezon's choice, as he had actually come to enjoy the Noibat's company, but decided to keep his mouth shut. Surely there was a reasoning behind his choice in this matter.

"As for you..." Rezon murmured, motioning towards the client. "I'm sorry, but we will not be needing your services either." The feline turned his gaze upon the Axew, the small dragon fiddling with his claws as he continued to look down in a most humble of manners.

"We never learned your name, but I want you on our team. Like us, you are an outcast and we welcome misfits. We would be happy to have you on our team." Despite the Axew had not fought with them, and despite he had given them some trouble in the beginning, when Rezon discovered he had been banished for his actions a twinge of guilt had gone off inside him. This would be the main reason he wished to bring the small Axew into their group though he was unsure of how well the tiny dragon-type would actually fit in.

Stunned, the Axew looked up at Rezon in a mixture of disbelief! He had assumed he would be turned away and forced to travel alone! With excitement he spoke a bit quicker this time, perking up in appearance and clearly happy with the choice given.

"I'm Xander! And I won't disapoint you!"

"As you know, I'm Rezon and that's Aldric...now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. I've had a long day.." Without another word, the Liepard moved through the group of Pokemon and headed straight for his room. He needed a nap and then come tomorrow, he would figure out their next plan of action.

((Sorry, I will strive to do better next time. :Sweat: I was rushed because I didn't think I would get it done with missing time from surgery! I will be able to write in a calmer manner for the next one. ))