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 Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 5:08 pm
Prey & Predator Forest
A seemingly quiet forest that stretches off the Mystic Woods and up towards the mountain that contains the Feathered Roost. A river feeds itself down the river that splits and divides into the few creeks that feed it's sister forest. However, the two couldn't be any more different.
In comparison to the calm serenity of the Mystic Woods, the Prey & Predator Forest very strongly observes the "circle of life". Those birds strong enough come down from the feathered roost and make their home here, feeding on insects and small creatures alike. The bolder, larger carnivores gladly snack on the few birds foolish enough to make their nest here. Many a mother have had to abandon a nest of eggs to save themselves; for this reason, the younger birds are rare. Even the insects that rest here are glad to group up and devour whatever stray creature or guilder they can find.
Truly, a brutal place.
Floors: 30
Wild Pokemon: Weedle, Wurmple, Spinarak, Fearow, Pidgeot, Honchkrow, Houndoom, Mightyena, Sharpedo, Persian, Arbok. (entire evolutionary lines)
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 4:10 pm
Client: Pidgeot
Mission:
"I had a row with my son and he took off for the forests! Please find him and bring him back to the Feathered Roost safely."
Dungeon: Prey & Predator Forest
Floors: 15
Rewards: Roost TM + ???
Claimedze. o 3o
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:18 pm
This is a bit over 16 pages without font tags. I really have to start pacing myself better. By which I mean write less.
Another day, another mission. Time had passed since the latest addition to the team had been made and a request had been put through. It was quickly accepted. The past several days had been spent adjusting to a much more convenient abode. With the massive growth the team had gone through in a relatively short time, the small two-person room that they had once settled in quickly became packed to the brim. The team had gone from a mere pair to a full seven members.
And when they had sent in the request at Clarissa's behest, it had been quickly accepted and a new room was made to be theirs. This one was much larger in size in and of itself, but the growth was not merely in that single room. Instead of having to share one gigantic room, there was a room off to each side with the middle acting as a sort of common area. Since the gender divide was perfectly even, it worked out well for them. The four guys took to one room and the three girls to the other. It wasn't that they were shy of one another (they had all been sleeping in a single room until a short while ago) but that it was the easiest way to divide things.
The beds were much nicer too, much to the joy of Urist and Lyn. Gwendolyn had grown used to the soft, snowy mountains that she grew up in and the poor beds they had had before paled in comparison to the canopy of leaves that served as Urist's in the wild. Chelsea had brought her own pillow and was quite happy to sleep anywhere and the rest of the team had grown up in much less comfortable circumstances than that. Except, perhaps, for Dennis. But he never complained. Never did he raise a word against the quality of the beds.
So the team took an inevitable break from the missions that marked their existence. With settling into the new room, dividing things up and a new team member to adjust to living in the city, they kept their days busy. But, they were a rescue team. Rescue teams made money through missions. Rescue teams kept their rooms because they did missions.
When they realized it had been almost a week since their last mission, they were rather quick to go get a new one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gwendolyn entered the hall on her own. There was a general consensus among the team that it didn't really matter what mission was gotten, as long as it was a “good” one. The general consensus that immediately followed was that “Chances were that anything Lyn chose was probably a good mission.” So the little Snorunt went off on her own to get a mission.
“Just you today, kid?” The Farfetch'd was lazing back in his seat, his leek held idly in one hand as if it were a baton. “Where's the rest of your team?”
“A.. Ah. They're.. back in the team room. I'm here to get a mission.”
So she was solo today, huh? “Well, go ahead. Just make sure I get a glance before you leave so I can mark off where you are.” It wouldn't be any good if the team went off and disappeared without a trace, after all. The guild looked after their teams, especially the new ones. If they weren't back by nightfall the guild would send a more experienced team to find them.
Lyn quietly set to examining the different missions the boards had to offer. It was easy to clear off the ones she wasn't willing to take. None of the silly stuff about losing a favourite toy, or anything. And none of the violent stuff either. No taking missions just to hurt people. If they had to fight pokemon while they were there, that was one thing. Going somewhere just to beat someone up was another thing entirely, though.
No... This one doesn't pay very well Lyn placed the mission down for “further consideration” This one pays well... But Urist would be bored. And another. No... This one is too violent for Chelsea. And another. We shouldn't go back to the Mountain so fast, it might be misunderstood. And another.
By the time she was done, she had four missions put down. She flipped through the small pile she had amassed one at a time. The sheet on the top went to the bottom and she continued reading the same four missions over and over and over again. None of them worked for the entire team. None of the ones on the board did. There were a few that the rest of the team could probably agree on... but not her.
In the end, the resolution was found at the hands of another. Gwendolyn picked up all four missions and put them down on the small desk of the Farfetch'd with each one face down. “P-Pick one, please.” The Farfetch'd smacked one of them with his leek. The Snorunt quickly took the other three and placed them back (or as near as she could tell) where she had found them.
The Farfetch'd quickly concluded that this was her mission to take and took a brief glance at it. “Prey & Predator forest, huh? Be careful out there kid, it's a rough place to be. Try to stay with your team no matter what.”
“I-I will, thank you.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I think it would be good if you stayed behind.” Lyn made the statement with a strong resolve. The P&P Forest was supposed to be an extremely dangerous place to go, even for stronger pokemon. Well, the rumours were probably over exaggerated, but that didn't mean it was a good idea for Chelsea to come. “Um... How about you stay behind and watch the egg?”
Chelsea seemed a bit crestfallen at not being able to go on the mission. She hadn't gone on the last one and she had been looking forward to going on this one. She was quite happy to take care of the egg, though. “Okay! I'll keep an eye on it!”
Lyn was relieved that she had taken it well, but she wasn't going on the mission by herself. “The mission... is in the Prey & Predator forest. Someone's son ran off there, and she wants him back before he gets hurt.”
Clarissa was quick to decline. “I'd like to come... but if it's birds, there's not a lot I can do. I might be able to do something against the other enemies, but if they come it'll probably be in a swarm. We would be better off running if that happened.”
Dennis spoke just after her, mirroring her sentiment. “...I'm afraid I'm not going to come either. I'm not exactly good in that kind of place... And the mission seems a little too dangerous. Are you sure it'll be safe?” Quack sounded a long, drawn-out quack, as if to agree with the analysis.
The other two, however, were fine with coming. “Sure, let's go.”
Steven took the sheet from her and examined it with care. “Damn, a Roost TM? That's valuable. There are some people who would pay a small fortune for that, I'm in.” Roost was a valuable ability. It gave one an excessive rate of supernatural healing, but it wasn't extremely taxing or difficult to use. Unlike other moves that promoted healing, it didn't require any significant abilities.
“It'll... It'll be fine with the three of us, right? We'll be okay.” Lyn tried her best to sound reassuring. Not so much for Dennis, but for herself. She was beginning to have misgivings about the mission, although it was too late to turn back and change things.
Probably.
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Reaching the forest hadn't been that bad. Getting into it wasn't that bad. Being inside of it was pretty bad.
The forest was almost entirely still. The occasional insect pokemon would pop out briefly to look at them for just a moment before scuttling away to hide. The creatures of the forest did not move, for if they moved, they risked death. To move was to give away your position. You moved when you were hunting, and no sooner and certainly no later.
It was an intimidating forest to be inside of. The knowledge that someone might be hunting them at the very moment was uncomfortable. But none dared speak to ease that tension. If they spoke, they risked becoming a target. The trio that had grown up in the wild knew that instinctively. It was proof that they were alive, even though they had grown up with their own dangers.
It was sudden. A flash. The violent rustle of the leaves as the tree branch shook. The weight that had held it down darted towards the team. They hadn't even had time to react before it reached out to strike.
And then, a sickening crunch. A black blur shot overhead, stealing away the creature. The Mightyena landed deftly on it's feet. The Pidgeot between it's jaws was twitching slightly in a vain effort to free itself. The Mightyena simply put it down on the ground, held it's wings back and bit out it's throat. The Pidgeot stopped moving.
A small crowd of Poochyena pattered out from where the Mightyena had come. They all looked excited. Full of joy. They were happy and bright in the face of the morbid sight. The Mightyena looked back at the team and gave them a simple warning. “Do not stray long in these woods. Most of this forest does not appreciate the presence of guild brats. I would have devoured you myself if better prey had not presented itself.” The mother stepped off the fresh corpse and grabbed it once more with her jaws. Dinner had been secured.
Thank god we didn't bring Chelsea.
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The Teddiursa was raising a small fuss over the egg which still sat within the basket it had arrived with. She was constantly shifting and fluffing the soft, downy cotton that had been used to transport it in the first place.
“Say, Chelsea?” Clarissa watched the act with mild amusement, though she couldn't help but be a touch worried. Chelsea was a small child, after all, and she was hardly fit in... just about any way. At least to take care of a baby. “Your mother lives somewhere in the city, right?”
“Yup! My momma helps run a store!” Chelsea made the announcement with pride, though her attention stayed focused on the egg.
“Do you think she's busy today? She would know a lot about taking care of an egg. Maybe we could ask her?”
Chelsea sat down and put a hand to her chin. “Hmmm...” Clarissa had a good point. Her momma had taken care of her, after all, so she probably knew lots about taking care of eggs and babies! “I'll go get her!”
Clarissa smiled. “Yes, I think that would be a good idea.”
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The walking continued, although much more alert. They simply had to find the lost child and then leave as quickly as they could. Mostly with an emphasis on quick.
But they lacked any way to find him. Being able to find one's target was much more important than any sense of speed, of course. If they couldn't find the child, there was no way they would be able to complete the mission and get out in time. And, of course, there was really only one source of information int he entire forest; it's occupants.
And thus, Lyn bravely stepped forward to a group of Weedle. The trio were sitting on a tree, their watchful eyes following the movements of the Snorunt carefully. “E... Excuse me. We're looking for someone, do you think you could help us?”
The three Weedle looked at one another for a moment before looking back at her and raising their back ends. Silk shot out from all three and quickly began covering the tiny Snorunt. “H-Hey!” Lyn held her hands up in front of her face in a failed attempt to block the silk. The silk twirled past her hands, wrapping itself around her body and limiting her momentum.
Or it tried to, anyways. Considering that she had no actual limbs, all the silk really did was hit her face uselessly. It wasn't long before she summoned her energy and breathed out a massive wave of cold. The gust of air tossed the silk streams aside and covered the Weedle's in a painful, painful frost. One fell to the ground whereas the other two simply retreated behind the tree.
The whole exchange happened in only a few seconds, leaving her comrades unable to aid. Not that in mattered anyways, since the fight had ended in her favour. Urist and Steven walked towards her and each began to take the strands of silk in hand. “Lemme help you with that.”
Lyn stood still, allowing the two men to work away at the silk that had covered her front. The active absorbed the two of them mentally. Each strand had to be carefully removed, else it would not only tighten the rest of the silk but stick to them as well. It was only Gwendolyn who remained fully aware of their surroundings, although not as acutely as she should have been.
Her vision had been walled off by the two in front of her, giving her only a glimpse. “He... Hey, wait.” She raised her hands and gently pushed the two aside, who looked at her in confusion. But it was too late. The small pack of Houndour had already taken advantage of the opening. Where she had only caught a glimpse of one before, there was easily six or seven now.
The colour seemed to drain from her face. Steven turned sharply the moment he realized something was wrong. “s**t! Run, fast!”
The call started the chase in an instant. All three took off in the opposite direction. The pack quickly scrambled to their feet and followed, a chorus of barks and growls sounding eventual doom for the team.
Yet, somehow, they managed to stay ahead. The Houndoor were always just a little behind them. They should have been able to run faster than they were, yet they did not. They simply maintained a constant distance from the team. Never faster, yet never slower.
The foliage began to part as they ran. The sound of rushing water was in front of them. Steven sprinted ahead of the other two and came to a sudden halt. “Get ready to jump!”
“W... Wait, jump!?” Snorunts did not jump! They did not even have legs! They weren't even supposed to run, how the hell was she supposed to jump!?
The answer was made for her, however. Urist sprinted ahead and cleared the river in a single leap. His agile body was more than suited for the gap. This left her alone. Completely alone, running away from the pack of Houndour.
A single one broke away from the pack. It's speed increased as it wove through the front of it's own clan and dashed forward into the only target it had left. It's sole target and possibly it's only chance at a meal for the night.
But it was too slow. The head butt struck far too late. The Houndour's balance tipped as he struck, sending both of the creatures scrambling into the river. “Urist, head down stream! I'll meet you there!” Steven gave his orders before quickly diving into the water.
The Houndour met it's fate quickly. The waters were suicide. They were filled with small, young Carvanha. They grew there, devouring those foolish enough to stray into the water. Once they were large enough they departed, but their numbers were great. And the Houndour, so far from it's element, was quickly punished for trespassing.
Gwendolyn's inability to act within the water was both a blessing and a curse. It was that very inability that had saved her from the swarm. Had she been flailing as violently as her assailant had, she would have been devoured in an instant. Even Steven, in his efforts to dive in and rescue her, drew more than she. In fact, she was ignored entirely.
But it was that inability all the same that left her helpless against the current that swept her far, far away...
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The comparatively massive Ursaring ducked in under the door. She had been led into the team room by her daughter, who had merely insisted that it was “very important she come” without telling her why. She was due for a break, though, so getting one from her boss hadn't been difficult.
Most of her Daughter's team was waiting inside. Each set of eyes was locked on the mother with a mildly expectant look. “Good afternoon.” Well, she wasn't one to leave herself without an introduction. “I'm Chelsea's mother. Thank you for taking care of my daughter up until now.”
“Nonsense, it's wonderful having her on the team.” Clarissa waving her hand dismissively. It really wasn't a bother having her on the team. She was the only other really bright person on the team, although in disposition rather than intelligence.
The Ursaring smiled. “That's good to hear. You're Clarissa, right? And you two are Dennis and Quack. My Daughter has told me all about you all. Is the rest of the team not in?”
“No.” Dennis gave the answer, the perpetual stoicism still present on his face. “Lyn, Urist and Steven are out on a mission at the moment. They should be back later today.”
“Ahh.” Well, that explained that, then. Rescue teams were often absent from their abodes for one reason or another, she had merely been curious as to whether it was personal business or a mission. “Well then. Chelsea, what is it that you wanted my help with?”
“This!” Chelsea walked over to the side of the room towards the basket and patted the egg carefully. Her hand brushed over it as softly as she could, her mind set on caring for something precious.
“An... An egg?” Why did they have an egg? “Where did you get this?” No one in the team was old enough, or romantically involved enough, to make an egg on their own.
“It was after a mission. It was left at our doorstep.” Clarissa hopped off the bed where she had been sitting and grabbed a small, tightly tied bag. “We're not sure who left them there, but I have my guesses. From what I can gather, neither of them would have been able to take care of the child. So they left it at our doorstep with these.” She undid the knot and reached into the bag to pull up a large, golden rock. “There's two of these. They're worth a small fortune. I think it's the only way the couple could take responsibility for the child.”
“Still...” The Mother's teeth were nearly bared at the parents she had never met. If they had the ability to leave the egg, they could take care of it. If they could leave this kind of money, they had the finances. There was no reason to leave the child with a team they barely knew. They were avoiding a responsibility. “...Chelsea, I think we should take this to an adoption center.”
Chelsea shook her head. “Nuh-uh! Miss Lyn told me to take care of this egg, so that's what I'm going to do!” She sat down in front of her egg and crossed her arms in defiance.
Her mother looked lost. She didn't want to start a fight with her daughter, but there was no way the team was equipped to deal with an infant. Something like this was better given to a center that would be able to take care of her and give her the kind of life and home she needed.
“If I might...?” Clarissa left the question open and the Ursaring nodded. “It's not Chelsea's egg, it's the team's. Lyn's a smart girl and Urist can usually understand the obvious. If you let them come back, we can reach a decision as a team. They should be willing to give the egg up to an adoption center if you ask. I can come get you the moment they come back, if you would like.”
“No. I'll go take the day off from work. I'll be back soon.”
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“Oh? What's this?” The Sneasel stopped by a set of rocks at the river. He had come to do some fishing in order to get a snack, but he had found something much more interesting instead. His two arms scooped down into the water. “Heave... ho.” With one pull, he managed to take the small creature out of the water.
An ear went down. “Not breathing, huh?” His claws slipped back into his hands and he used his much softer fingers to feel around her body expertly as he looked for a pulse. He wasn't familiar with Snorunt physiology, but he had a good sense for how it tended to work. “Ah... there. Just a weak one. Well then, let's see what we can do.”
His two hands slipped in under the hood to grab her by the sides. “Out with the bad...” He gave her body a sharp, forceful squeeze. “And in with the good...”
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It was sudden and quiet. It was almost unheard with the conversation drowning it out. The rest of the team, along with Chelsea's mother, had begun talking about what she herself had done as a child along with stories of the team's missions. But he expert ears as a mother heard the sound.
A long, thin crack split down the egg...
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“Ohh, early dinner, boss?” The Poochyena uncurled himself and stretched out his body in an attempt to remove the sleepiness that had consumed him only a moment before.
“Nah.” The Sneasel plucked the badge from Lyn's unconscious body and held it for the Poochyena to see. “She's not lunch, James. Unless you feel like explaining to the guilds that you wanted an afternoon snack.”
James seemed to stop to consider the idea before giving up on it.
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Chelsea stood in front of the egg with her breath held and her hands in front of her mouth in elation. The rest of the (present) team had gathered as well, with the towering Ursaring just behind them. There was a mix of anticipation and joy across each person's face. Except for Dennis, but he couldn't ever really smile anyways.
The cracks on the egg multiplied as the creature inside continuously attacked the shell from the inside in an effort to gain their freedom. Small chips of the egg popped out as a tiny beak punched small holes in the egg. It wasn't long until the egg itself had been so thoroughly destroyed that the small Swablu could get out and sound a happy chirp.
The joy on the much older woman's face was quickly marred by shock. “Clarissa... Who did you say this girl's parents are?”
“Hm?” Clarissa stared stupidly at the Ursaring for a moment before the question registered completely. “Oh! Well, I only met them very briefly so I'm afraid I don't know their names. They were an Altaria and a Kingler though, I do remember.”
The Swablu was of an unusual shade of red with two small bumps protruding from the top of her head...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a soft crackling. It was the intermittent popping of wood as it burned, shedding a comforting warmth and essential light to an otherwise pitch-black place. The Snorunt stirred slightly as her subconscious made the connection. Although her eyes were not yet open, the sound and heat told her instincts enough to rouse her.
The slight shift had the Sneasel on his feet and beside her. “Woah, hey. You alright there?” His hands gently turned her off her side and onto her back.
Lyn's gaze was unfocused. She wasn't terrible sure where she was or what exactly had happened, only that she was... somewhere or other. The voice spoke to her again. “Take it easy. I'm going to sit you up now, alright? Do you remember your name?”
Her gaze began to narrow in sharply as the slightest vertigo took hold of her. Her body was suddenly up in the air for just a moment before being set back down against the wall. “G... Gwendolyn.”
The Sneasel smiled. “Alright, then. My name's Gabriel. Are you alright to walk?” She remembered her name which meant she was at least mostly there, which was good. The way she was up against the rocks there had been a risk she had seriously hurt herself, but aside from some river water she seemed fine.
Lyn leaned forward onto her hands and tried to push herself up, but her movements were clumsy and slow. Suddenly, the two hands scooped in and righted her. Gabriel pressed his face softly against hers and the fog in her mind cleared in an instant.
She was left on her feet, with one hand absentmindedly straying towards her mouth. “Buh?”
“Well, you seem fine. Consider that repayment for saving you. The kiss of a pretty girl is quite a prize, you know.”
“A... A-buh?”
The Sneasel walked back to where he was and picked up something long and thin off the ground. Although undefinable in the light, it's appearance would become clear later on. It was a sheath. The grip of the blade bore a winding path of thin, string-like leather that held a piece of taut black cloth tightly while granting considerable friction for one to hold it with. The structure as a whole was slightly curved and at least a size too large for it's holder; although it seemed to be designed for one hand, he would likely have to use two. “Let's go, then. You'll have to meet my crew.”
“B... Buh.”
Gabriel took her hand in his and led her along through the winding, dark caves. As they left the fire they had created, the caves quickly fell into total darkness. Lyn was left only with a gentle pull and the feeling in front of her to go by as she stumbled forward.
The light flooded in. A small hole let in blinding amounts of light. She had been tempted to walk towards it, but that gentle-yet-firm grip pulled her elsewhere. It was a short but steep climb. A small path up towards a fire. A small group of pokemon had gathered around and were lazing contentedly. Each one perked up with a visible joy and a muted curiousity as Gabriel emerged from the shadows with his passenger. The Sneasel put his blade to the ground and sat beside it.
“James, Cedric, Alex, Amanda. Meet Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn, meet...” Gabriel gestured to the Poochyena, Houndour, Meowth and Ekans in turn. Each one gave a quick greeting of their own. “This is my crew.”
His... crew? “H-Hello. Thank you for saving me.” She tilted her body downwards in the best bow her round, round body could manage. In the end it just looked like she was bending over, but there wasn't exactly much she could do about that.
“Nah, don't worry about it. It was Gabriel who found you to begin with.” The Poochyena who had been identified as James stood up and stretched out. He began to pace slightly, choosing to circle around Lyn in an effort to better examine her. He had never seen a Snorunt before.
“Well, introductions aside...” Gabriel let out a slight chuckle. They were social enough people by the standards of the forest, but the standards of the forest were “if it moves, eat it. If you can't eat it, it's trying to kill you.” So, social or not compared to the norm, they were hardly social people. Growing up in a place where today's friend was tomorrow's lunch wasn't exactly conducive to building long-lasting social skills. “What are you in the forest for, anyways?” He blinked a moment as he remembered. “Ah, right right right...” He leaned over slightly, plucked the badge off the strap of the sheath and offered it to Lyn. “This is yours, right? You're a part of the guilds?”
Lyn took the badge back and carefully pinned it back on. “Y.. Yes. My team is here on a mission to find a Pidgeot's son and...” Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no oh no. “M-my team! Do you know where they are? They were with me in the forest when I fell into the river...” Her team was out there, just the two of them! Neither of them were any good against flying types... What if they had been attacked!?
Gabriel patted her lightly on the head and stood back up. The strap went over his head and onto his shoulder quickly. The rest of the group stirred as they got to their feet. “Well then, let's go find your team. What species are they?”
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The room was full of joy. A smile was on every face. Chelsea had taken it upon herself to give the tiny Swablu a big hug that the baby happily returned as best she could. Dennis and Clarissa both came close as well, although Dennis got pecked lightly in the face. “No, no, 'Lizabeth! You shouldn't do that, that's mean!”
Well, a smile on every face but one. “Chelsea... Dear, it's very important you listen to me.” Her voice was shaky and slow. The Teddiursa looked back at her mother, her arms still occupied with the happy little bird. “All of you, listen very closely. Do not let this child evolve. No matter what happens, she is not to get near combat. Do not let her near the Crystal Chamber. She is not to evolve, ever.”
Chelsea cocked her head slightly in confusion. “Why's that, momma?”
The Ursaring sighed. This would be difficult to explain. “Well, you see... Arceus blessed us, a long time ago. He blessed us with the ability to take any partner we wish. But... sometimes it doesn't work out quite right.” She visibly shuddered, recalling a picture she had once seen. “When two different pokemon have a child together, the result is a mix. Sometimes one side is more dominant than the other or sometimes the parents are close enough to create a perfect hybrid. Somethings that has the traits of both parents.”
Such creatures, however, were quite rare. “But... sometimes the parents are too different. When this happens, the child usually... doesn't work. Sometimes they never hatch. Sometimes they die shortly after hatching. Some have physical or mental retardation because it didn't work. That's why most pokemon try to have children with their own species or one close to their own.”
“Aww... That's so sad! Those poor pokemon!” That was terrible! Those young children dying so quickly... it really was a terrible thing. Chelsea, however, took one look at the Swablu. The Swablu looked back up at her and then began to bury her face into the Teddiursa's chest, garnering more than a giggle from her host. “But she seems fine!”
“Yes... Right now, she's fine.” Her voice was still slow and serious. The Teddiursa's expression went flat as she fell backwards and looked up at her now upside down mother. “But... When pokemon evolve, some things happen. If they have a mixed heritage, sometimes that heritage starts to show. If they have different kinds of blood, that blood can show itself. If that blood doesn't work right with their body, sometimes evolving can kill them. So it's very, very important that she never evolves.”
Chelsea nodded solemnly. “Okay, Momma.”
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The group of six strolled through the forest. With the exception of Lyn, each one had a cocky stride as if they were the rulers of the forest. A group of Mightyena had been following them for a while, though they refused to attack. All but the Snorunt had noticed them the moment they appeared.
The four men that made up the front of the group were talking loudly and laughing boisterously in spite of the dangerous nature of the forest. They had a sense of camaraderie that Lyn simply couldn't pierce. So she strayed back towards the loan Ekans that slithered slightly behind them. She was quiet, but aware. “Um... Your name is Amanda, right?”
“Yes.” The Ekans' tongue slipped out slightly as she tasted the air. The single word had a slight slur to it as it ended in a short hiss.
“I... was wondering how you all met each other? It seems like it's rare for pokemon here to separate from their own kind, but...” Here they were. A group that couldn't be out of their teens, yet they seemed to be living both together and independent of any kind of adults. “Oh, um... If you don't mind me asking, I mean.”
Amanda continued to slither along for a moment in silence. Gwendolyn took it as a rejection of sorts and chose to regain her silence as the group walked forward. It was suddenly broken when the Ekans spoke once more. “I don't know what James's story is, but the rest of us are orphans. Either he found us or we found him, but none of us have anywhere else to go. He... took us in.”
“Ah.” So that's how they all knew each other. Gabriel found them and took them in and gave them a home. It explained much.
Her attention was torn from the conversation quickly when she finally noticed one of the many groups that had been watching them. It was a group of Spearow, with a single Fearow standing in the middle of them. There was a burning hatred within their eyes, yet they did not move. In spite of their superior numbers and strength, not a single one of them leaped from the branch.
It was unnerving to say the least, if only for Gwendolyn. The rest of the group took no notice. “W... Why aren't they attacking us?”
Gabriel began to chuckle, but it was the Meowth known as Cedric that spoke. “Well, let's just say that the wicked receive divine retribution. Isn't that right, Gabriel?” He patted the Sneasel lightly on the back who returned the gesture with a chuckle and a smile. Alex and James both barked out their own laughter.
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The Ursaring closed the door again. She had left for a short while. She had gone to buy something. It would be important. Essential, even. The Swablu struggled against her grasp as she tried to fit the string around her. “Come on, just calm down for a moment. We need to get this on.” The infant continued to struggle against the string until it was finally tied around her.
The moment she broke free, she began to flail about in an effort to remove it. Finding very quickly that the weight of the stone had been tied too firmly to be removed, she hopped off into another room and dove in under one of the beds. “Momma, what was that?”
“It's an Everstone. It makes binds a pokemon and prevents them from evolving as long as they wear it.”
Clarissa looked back from the door the Swablu had fled into and towards the mother. Her smile curled into a concerned frown. “Aren't those quite expensive?”
The Ursaring gave a nod.
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“Lyn!” The Mankey charged forwards, knocking the Snorunt flat on her back in an exaggerated hug. Steven approached with much more care, his eyes locked in closely on the assembled carnivores. The other two didn't quite understand it, but Steven did. He knew them quite closely.
Sneasels were hated. They were typically cruel, violent pokemon who took great joy in poaching eggs and causing misery. And his assembled crew, while not particularly fiendish in and of themselves, were not exactly the most “clean” pokemon. Houndour, Ekans, Meowth and Poochyena... All of them could survive without eating others if they chose to. Few actually made that choice. “You're alright?”
Lyn tried her best to return the hug, but the Mankey's larger body combined with her rather limited arms made the gesture impossible. Instead, she was squeezed (almost to the point of unconsciousness) until she was finally let down. She took a few staggered steps to regain her balance before smiling. “I'm fine. Gabriel helped me.”
“Ah...” Judging from how the group carried themselves, that was probably the Sneasel. Steven extended one hand. “Thanks.”
Gabriel's claws slipped into his hand and he met the handshake with a firm grip. “No problem. You're here after some Pidgeot's kid, right? I think I know where he is, if you don't mind.”
“Ah! That... That would be really... um... helpful.” The Snorunt's voice escaped her. Now that the immediate threat was out of the way and they were next to a beacon of safety, the earlier events began to catch up to her. Speaking to Gabriel was... immensely embarrassing.
“Let's get going, then. It shouldn't take too long to track him down.”
The loud conversation restarted when they walked, but this time the number of quiet people in the back was three instead of two. Urist went forward and joined in the conversation where he could, though it was hard to get in edgewise with such a tightly knit group.
Their steps took them winding through the forest on unmarked paths that the Sneasel had complete confidence in following. It wasn't long before they found a Pidgeot sitting on a branch, staring at them with the usual anger fostered by the residents of the forest. Gabriel looked up at him. “Hey. You seen the new guy around recently? The Pidgeotto.”
“No.”
One of Gabriel's claws popped out from his hands. “Are you sure about that? I'm not fond of liars.” He ran the claw down his tongue carefully, not drawing blood yet creating a frightening spectacle all the same.
The Pidgeot shuffled uncomfortably, his expression contorting with a repressed fear and rage. “Tch. Fine.” He raised on wing to point off to the side. “I saw him around there ten minutes ago. If you hurry, you should be able to find him. Or at least someone who saw him more recently than I did.”
The Sneasel's claw retracted and he let on a menacing smile before bowing deeply with an unnecessary flourish. “Thank you very much.”
“If you want to thank me, never come near me again.” The Pidgeot took off from the branch and flew in the opposite direction of the group.
“Well then. You heard the man, let's go.” Gabriel took the strap more firmly and held it tightly against him as he ran off. His crew quickly followed behind, leaving the three rescue team members looking quickly at one another before sprinting to follow.
The Pidgeotto was sitting on the branch when they arrived. Gabriel manoeuvred himself under a tree some twenty feet or so away. A thick, low-hanging branch was just above his head. “Hey, kid. Your mom's looking for you.”
The Pidgeotto awoke suddenly with a loud grunt and a mass of blinking as he figured out what was going on. The moment he did, he began to call out like a cocky a**. “I'm not going back! She said I wasn't strong enough, but screw her! I'll be fine in here!”
Gabriel simply sighed. “Look, kid. We're bringing you back to your mom if we have to beat you unconscious to do it. You can come peacefully or you can get the crap kicked out of you, it's your call.”
The Pidgeotto let out a loud cry and took to the air. “Hah! You can't beat me! You won't even be able to hit me!” Gabriel simply popped the sword out of it's sheath and drew it in one awkward, lengthy motion.
His crew began to laugh. The Pidgeotto dived. “I... Isn't this bad? Why are you all laughing?”
“Because.” Alex managed to restrain himself long enough to speak. “The Boss never, ever...” The Pidgeotto continued his descent. Gabriel swung the sword upwards with both hands, holding the back of the blade firm with one and the grip with the other. “EVER uses his sword when he's serious.”
The Pidgeotto noticed the trap far too late. The sword was held perfectly parallel to the Sneasel's body, preventing a direct assault. The Pidgeotto would have to pull away — but he couldn't. The thick, low-hanging branches above the Sneasel would prevent him flying up. The tree trunk to the side prevented him from going right. He had only one option; swerve left and crash into the ground.
So he did. He crashed face first into the ground, leaving a slight ditch where his beak had pushed in. Gabriel sheathed his sword, walked over to the Pidgeotto and sat on his back. “Now then. Are you ready to go back to your mother?”
The Pidgeotto let out a groan. But he would agree eventually.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:37 pm
The Mother was thrilled to see her son safe and sound, but was more than happy to immediately dive into a loud scolding. The father handed the Team their reward -the Roost TM- and thanked them for bringing their kid home.
The next day an item arrived for the team, a small orb which seemed to contain a milky, purple substance. Though there was no marked sender, the fact the Toxic Orb was sneakily hidden within a rather cryptic message and the team found a Pidgeotto feather stuck within one of the folds of the box, it wasn't hard to figure who it was and what their intent had been.
You can take one of Gabriel's group as a recruit, however you wanna work that.
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Cherry_chain Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 5:57 pm
"So, what're the guilds like, anyways?" The Sneasel stretched his arms out as he spoke, trying to remove the subtle pain. Carrying the Pidgeotto, although only briefly, had been hard.
Gwendolyn looked over at him and tried to think of an answer. Something that would encompass the guilds. Something that wouldd explain what they were, what they meant and what they were like.
It was Urist who answered. "They're good."
Lyn looked over at him and then nodded. Gabriel laughed. "Sounds like a nice enough place to me." He looked back over his shoulder in the direction of his crew. "You guys wanna go live there? It should be nicer than this place."
"Works for me." "If you think it's a good idea." "I'll go wherever you do, boss!"
Gabriel looked forward with a grin. "I guess we're joining the guild, then."
The trip would eventually shift to a series of questions. "How do they operate?" "What kind of work is there?" "What are the rooms like?" Anything and everything was explained. From filling in the gaps to firmly explaining that people were off the menu, Steven and Urist ended up giving a fairly comprehensive history. Of course, it eventually shifted into the more technical concerns like "how do we make a team", which was handled by Steven. The Squirtle understood the process well, having long ago looked into it as a potential source of income. At the time, he had other options with better potential.
"...That sounds like a gigantic pain in the a**. Would it be alright if we joined your team instead?" Making your team was all well and good. That was simple. That was easy. Go in, get a partner, go out, take a mission, get a team room. Taking an already formed group, however, and registering as a team was difficult. You would get drilled on the rules, regulations and intent of the guild. A group that had already been acting outside of the guild's reach was more likely to function in a specific, rigid manner; especially if there was more than two of them. Joining Lyn's team seemed much easier.
"Th... That's something we'll have to talk to everyone about."
~~~
"Hiya Miss Lyn!" Chelsea leaned sideways sightly to look around the three members of the team that had returned as eight. "Who are they?"
"Ah... they're friends. Chelsea, could you get everyone? We need to talk."
"Nuh-uh! We gotta talk first, Miss Lyn! Something happened while you were away!" The Teddiursa hurried back into the room, leaving the door open for others to enter. The team followed her in with the door closing quietly behind them. Chelsea was already sitting on top of the bed with the Swablu snuggled up against her chest. The Teddiursa's arms could barely encompass the infant in an awkward hug. "The egg hatched while you were gone!"
"Lyn..." The motherly voice cut across the gasps of surprise and joy. "You should give her up to an orphanage. A rescue team isn't the place a child should be raised."
Chelsea immediately stuck her tongue out at her mother. "It'll be fine! We'll take care of her."
"Chelsea, hon... She's special. Taking care of her won't be so simple. She'll need specific care, lots of check-ups... It won't be easy and it won't be cheap. You can't give that kind of care on your own."
"No way! We're keeping her!" The Swablu, disturbed by the shouting, buried deeper into the Teddiursa's chest and started a chorus of innocent giggling as her beak tickled Chelsea relentlessly.
"It'll... It'll be fine, right? We don't use much of our money, so it should be enough..."
The Ursaring sighed. Her daughter was adamant about it and if the team leader had given her acceptance there wasn't much she could do short of kidnapping the child. "Fine. But you listen to what I tell you, alright? Taking care of a child isn't easy. They're very fragile. Even the most simple mistakes can kill."
Chelsea nodded gravely. "We'll take good care of her, momma. Don't worry."
"I'll be back in half an hour." The Ursaring carefully closed the door behind her as she left.
"Now then..." Gabriel cleared his throat to call attention to himself. "Sorry to crush the moment, but about us...?"
"Ah... um... yes..." Lyn looked around the room at her present teammates. They were all gathered in the aftermath of the hatching, so it was as good a time as any. "E... Everyone. Gabriel and his group would like to join our team... would that be alright?"
A silence set in that was broken only by a single, guttural quack. "Er... I'm afraid we don't really know anything about them. We weren't on the mission... Could you tell us a bit about them?"
The Sneasel swung the sword off from over his shoulder and put it on the floor beside him as he sat down. "I'm Gabriel. That's James, Cedric, Alex and Amanda. We all lived in the forest on our own. I met your team when I fished an unconscious Snorunt out of the river and took her back with me." He finished up the brief explanation. The rest of his crew waited behind him expectantly.
"W... Well... They're good people. I don't think I would have lived if he hadn't saved me... and they helped us complete the mission. So I... think they're good people."
"Hmmm..." The Clefairy remained seated on the bed, making slightly exaggerated "thinking noises". "Well, I don't see why not. They seem like decent enough folks... and if they lived in that dreadful forest, they can't be weak. Anyone else have any problems with it?" She stole quick glances at the rest of the team.
"It's fine with me." "If Miss Lyn says they're good people, they must be!" "Quack!" "They're fun, so I'm fine with it."
Clarissa smiled. "Then, I guess you're a part of the team. Congratulations."
"Wait, wait, wait." Steven waved his hands in the air, as if signaling for a vehicle to stop. "The guild won't let us take in this many people at once. One is the limit. Rarely two. There is no way they'll let us take in five members at once."
Alex's jaw hung slack for a moment. "N... No way! Either we all join or no one does! I'm not leaving the boss behind!"
"Don't worry about it." Gabriel laughed quietly. "I'll deal with it, alright? Let James join officially and I'll find a way to get the rest of us in."
"T... Then... Welcome to the team."
In the coming days, two two-person teams would suddenly spark into existence and then just as quickly disappear as they disbanded and joined another, much larger team.
It was in the coming nights that Gwendolyn would become both acutely aware and extremely grateful of the gender divide between the two rooms.
((1 recruit + Ice Egg + Wonder Egg + Poison egg + Normal Egg = the entire damn crew. >_>))
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