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 Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 6:19 pm
It was a quiet meeting in the dead of the night between only two people. Their voices were hushed, their door was closed and there wasn't a single disturbance. It was a conversation sworn to secrecy and there would not--could not--be anyone who would know of it just yet.
"So, about those new recruits..."
"Yes?"
"I've drafted up a good way to use them."
"Oh?"
"I've taken a look at the jungle... it's perfect. The locals shouldn't be too hard to deal with and, well..."
A small stack of papers was slid forward. The gentle sound of them being turned was the only noise in the room.
"Oh-ho-ho~ This is quite dastardly, isn't it? Are you sure it'll be alright?"
"They need to be taught a lesson."
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Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 12:15 pm
Serrin, Rescue Leader
"We have an emergency. A member of a large group of traveling pokemon managed to make his way here and warn us that the group has fallen ill in the Mystifying Jungle. He was mentally addled and having difficulty breathing. He is currently recovering. At this point, our suspicion is that their drinking water was contaminated but we haven't ruled anything out so take care to avoid excessive contact. The guild staff have been coordinated to provide temporary care for anyone who has any dependents so if you have someone you can't leave alone they'll be taken care of. Should the worst happen and anyone in the guild falls ill, you'll receive the best care we have."
Serrin allowed a brief period of silence in order to let the information sink in.
"We are going to save them. Prepare yourselves, we leave in fifteen minutes."
With his speech completed, Serrin would spend the next fifteen minutes making sure things were ready while guild staff took over to answer questions and to accept any dependents the teams had.
[Rules!] For this chapter, you must roll one ten-sided die for each character you bring. This starts on your very first post!
Example: I bring two teams, the first with three characters (ABC) and the second with two characters (DE). The first three rolls reply to A, B and C respectively while the fourth and fifth rolls respond to D and E.
Keep your character and team orders static throughout the chapter please.
Further rules will be stated in the next post.
For the optimal experience, it's desirable to bring at least two characters per team.
If there's any confusion, please contact me through OOC or private messages. The next round will be June 6th, probably around 6-7 PM EST. A catch-up thread will be available for stragglers.
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Rae Guns rolled 9 10-sided dice:
1, 3, 10, 1, 10, 3, 10, 1, 4
Total: 43 (9-90)
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Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 11:01 pm
A-Cimm B-Nuna C-Mana D-Kennick
Team Moonlighter
Team Moonlighter had been all gathered in their room when the familiar sound of the bell reverberated through the guild. It was ringing at a rather alarming rate. They were all used to the gentler sound the bell usually made at a pace much slower. So the moment Cimm heard it, his heart both fell and raced with excitement. He truly was not fond of these guild-wide missions for the mere fact that so many others were involved. He was excited in a sense that most others would feel when the unexpected occurred. So when his team reached the main hall where the Rescue Leader gave them a rather vague summary of what they were going to be dealing with, the Luxio was rather conflicted.
"Rescue them?" He muttered in a slightly bitter manner. He wasn't too familiar with Rescuer protocol, but he had expected a better description of the situation. The group was sick. How can you rescue someone who's ill? Give them medicine? Take them to an infirmary? There was only so much one could do to actually help another person when they are ill. But the obvious severity of the situation demanded their attention, sure, but was there really that much he and his team would be able to do? Cimm sighed, yellow eyes flickering over to where Nuna was pestering Kennick about something before looking up to Mana, who was floating above him with a wary looking gaze locked onto the Ivysaur.
With another huff, Cimm settled on his haunches to wait with a slight anxiety in his chest for the group to get together and move out. There wasn't much to be done when they had no little or lame ones in their group that would need to be tended to. _________
E-Bahadur F-Herbert G-Byron
Team FortuitousBahadur had been leading his newest member of his Team through the Guild's corridors with his co-captain to show the Gligar around when the bell had been rung. With a short explanation as to what the ringing meant for Byron, the Dunsparce took his Team down a specific hallway that eventually led them to the Main Hall where Pokémon were slowly gathering around an Ivysaur. The grass type obviously held some form of authority in the guild as he explained why they had all been gathered by the hurried bell tones.
"S-sounds serious... Byron mentioned nervously, flapping his wings as he looked down apprehensively to the team captain, "I-I'm so new, maybe I should sit this one out?" The Gligar apparently had his doubts about going on this mission, but Bahadur shook his head and offered a reassuring smile. He didn't want to scare off his new recruit so quickly.
"I'm sure everything will be fine. Besides, with all of us going, the danger should be limited. It sounds like a simple enough run as it is, despite the severity of the situation." Bahadur reasoned slowly, looking over to his seemingly complaisant co-captain. Though he desired support on the matter, it didn't seem like Herbert was about to snap out of his rather long silent streak just for this. "Besides, when they call all of us, it means they need every hand we've got." And Bahadur didn't want to miss a chance to observe his newest member in action. The more data he could gain regarding the bat scorpion, the better.
"If you s-say so..." Byron stuttered, eyes avoiding his captain in favor of nervously flitting about the crowd and refusing to find the irony in his captain's last statement as amusing. _________ What were the odds that Lin would be walking back with her new partner from the assignment office to their new room when the bell rang? Pretty great, as it turns out. The Mienfoo had been startled by the sounds of a loud bell sounding off, as had her new Fletchling co-captain. The little bird, named Tik, had chirped in surprise and fluttered over to land on the fighting type's shoulder.
"Wha-what was that?" Tik had stuttered, and Lin merely shook her head as a reply. She carefully watched with her dull blue eyes as several aura covered forms began rushing to where the sound was emanating from. Lin furrowed her brow determinedly and nodded to herself. Without another word she followed the figures through the halls of the guild that pulsed a dull enough aura for her to see where she was going. Eventually her pursuit led them to an open area with numerous other Pokémon gathering around one in particular. Lin recognized the shape as one belonging to an Ivysaur and quietly listened as it spoke about needing their help.
"We seem to be in luck, my new friend." She mentioned with a small smile as she moved forward further into the group of Pokémon, "I do believe that was the Rescuer's Leader, our leader. Which means our first mission as Rescuers is already decided!" Lin couldn't help the bit of excitement in her voice. From what it sounded like, she may be able to use her unique healing abilities to help others already! Though she really would prefer the circumstances not to be so dire, she was glad to have the opportunity to prove herself to the guild already. Tik shuddered from his position on her shoulder and Lin's excitement was immediately washed away in a flood of concern.
"Y-yeah... Lucky us." The bird twittered nervously. Lin remained silent as she decided to step away from the group a little bit instead of drawing continuously closer. Perhaps this was all a bit much for the avian creature who had just joined. Nevertheless, they would go. Lin would just have to make sure her new underling was as comfortable as she could possibly make it for him. ((oh Lordy, looking at my numbers now.... Certain doom awaits my teams no matter the Dark Overlord's judgement. Curse you, Cybuttbean.))
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears rolled 5 10-sided dice:
6, 10, 8, 10, 10
Total: 44 (5-50)
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 7:59 am
Neo & Nyx & Air When the bell rang out it was surprisingly late--much later than the first two had been. Neo was relaxing, having just put the little ones down to bed, and Nyx and Air were occupying themselves with their respective projects; the scene was peaceful and quiet until that was shattered by the alarm that shattered the serenity into chaos.
Why now?! Neo thought forlornly, through the momentary pain in his ears, eyes turning to the children who were not only roused by the sound but both considerably unnerved by it. They were intuitive enough to tell that it couldn't be a sign of anything good, and sleepy enough that since it disrupted their sleep it could bring on nightmares were he to try and soothe them back to slumber. Eliot had gotten to his paws and was pacing back and forth, yowling to try and drown out the clanging of the bell, and Clara was clinging to her brother for dear life, little form quivering nervously. "No, no don't worry little ones," Neo said, speaking up so his voice wouldn't be drowned out by the bell. Hopping down off the couch he hurried over to their side and put an arm around the Growlithe puppy, extending the other so the Drifloon girl could latch on to his arm. "Everything's going to be fine, it's just a loud noise--it won't hurt you." The Meowstic had no idea what the cause of the alarm might be, but clearly it was serious enough to disrupt everyone's evening like this, so he'd need to send some representation for their Team, since Eliot and Clara were too young to be left by themselves, and too scared regardless. Still cuddling with the children, now that Eliot's howling had been hushed, Neo turned to face Nyx and Air, who were looking to him expectantly. "You guys go," he instructed them with a nod, "I'll stay to look after Eliot and Clara, but it sounds like they need all the help they can get down there, so both of you should go on ahead."
Nyx nodded, but Air's form wavered uncertainly as he looked back at his leader. "B-But don't you think you should go?" the Ditto said uncertainly, "You weren't able to make it to the last one and all, and if you want to go I don't have a problem staying..."
Neo smiled at the thoughtful Ditto, but shook his head, and Nyx took over from there. "A noble sentiment Air, but Neo would be far too distracted by the children to work at maximum performance on this occasion. Now come: there's no time to waste bickering over this." Without another word, the Vulpix swept over to the door and held it open, giving the Ditto a pointed look; the small Normal Type followed shortly after, sparing one last concerned glance for Neo.
By the time Air and Nyx finished their sprint to the Main Hall, the Ditto had adopted his captain's guise, feeling more at ease surrounded by the Meowstic's features although Neo couldn't be with them at the moment. There was a sizable collection of Pokemon already, and the bell had finally stopped (which made Neo's form much more bearable). The pair from Team Essence only had to wait a few moments longer for Serrin to explain the situation both intrigued by the prospect that this mission fell in their sector. Air listened to the tale with concern, eyes shifting about as he wondered if the Pokemon who'd brought he news was somewhere around the room; Nyx, on the other hand, made careful note of the symptoms, location, and other important information, locking the information in his memory for use when it was applicable. One such tidbit proved to be useful immediately, and he turned to Air the moment Serrin had finished speaking. "Did you hear what he said? They have temporary care for dependents--we need to inform Neo at once, so he can join us. This is a serious matter, and one which he will no doubt want to be a part of."
Air looked at Nyx blankly for a long time before he realized what the Vulpix was asking of him. "OH! I understand! I'll go get him!" With a nod to his Vulpix companion, the Ditto-Meowstic began to hurry off down the hallway. It became apparent to him after a short time that Meowstic had poor bodies for running, and so he shifted without a second thought into something more suited to the task. Thus, a Rapidash entered the Team Room when Air arrived, startling Neo considerably. "It's me it's me!" Air said excitedly, prancing about since this form didn't seem to enjoy standing still. "Serrin says we need everybody. A huge group of Pokemon got seriously sick in the jungle, and it's our job to rescue them. They have Guild staff lined up to look after the kids so...so we need you." Air's labored breathing finally caught up to him as he finished his hurried story, the run having been incredibly fast and unexpected. Still, he looked up at Neo hopefully, trying to gauge his captain's willingness to get involved.
The Meowstic bit his lip nervously, looking to Eliot and Clara who were watching Air with curious eyes. He really didn't want to leave them with a stranger, but from the sound of things there were other Pokemon who needed him more. With a sigh, Neo nodded, prompting Eliot to get up and stepping forward with Clara in hand. "Alright. Where are we taking them?"
Just shy of the fifteen minute departure time, Neo and Air made their way into the Main Hall. Eliot and Clara had been left safely in the care of a kindly Volbeat, whose form Air had adopted for the journey back. Nyx made his way over to them briskly, offering a smile to his leader: "I'm glad you could join us."
Neo smiled hesitantly, looking out at the crowd of Pokemon preparing to leave alongside them with curious eyes. "I just hope we can help them as soon as possible," the Meowstic replied. There was no other option.Erinn Erinn flinched as the familiar sound of the alarm rang in his ears. This was a different alarm, but this was the type of sound he was used to hearing from the bell in the Main Hall; this sound heralded disaster and terror ahead, which was the last thing they needed. Still, this familar, terrifying sound was something that the Paras couldn't ignore, despite the fact that it could mean anything--even that Eridanus had returned from the dead, even that it was time for them to ascend the Tower of Origins again. Erinn simply touched a tender claw to the stone that hung at his throat, feeling the soothing distance it placed between himself and the creature that his body was forced to host against his will, and then stood, making his way to the Main Hall in a bit of a daze: he didn't know if Silver was around to hear the bell, but he had to go regardless--this was his calling, and why he'd come back in spite of everything else.
It brought on a rush of deja vu to see Serrin standing in front of the Guild, heralding memories of the Ivysaur's involvement in previous events, but Erinn maintained a degree of calm and clarity that would be perhaps surprising to those who were familiar with his paranoid demeanor. This was the thing that he knew how to do--that he wanted to do: this was when the Guild did what it was best at, helping those who needed it most. The Paras was a Treasure Hunter in sector, but a Rescuer at heart; he'd joined the Guild because his own woodsy home had been liberated from a threat, and he only wanted to do the same for those who needed it. Erinn didn't possess much power of body or mind, but his empathy had been nurtured and blossomed over the years. The only thing on the Paras's mind as he counted down the minutes until their departure was that these Pokemon would be saved, no matter what he had to do. For the first time in weeks Erinn felt right with himself. His eyes were bright with the glimmer of bravery that his former Team had come to know him for, and his worries were somewhere far less important: this time, the Paras would stop at nothing to see that this mission was a success.Riley Riley was wandering about the Guild halls when he heard the sound of the alarm bell, and a look of intense nostalgia came over the Espeon's face. He hadn't been within the Guild building for the first two collaborative assignments, so he hadn't experienced the familiarity of that raucous ringing ringing yet. It really took one back to hear a sound so similar to one that was heavy with years of memories. Straightening his hat, Riley shot one more glance out the window toward the moonrise he'd been watching, and smiled slightly: it was probably about time he got involved in some of the more intense Guildwork--paperwork was fine and all, but missions held a bit more allure in the public eye at least. Keiran had handled the last one on his own, so it was only fair to return the favor; of course, it was possible that his partner would come as well, but there wasn't any time for him to go and retrieve the Riolu when the alarm sounded as urgent as it did currently. Mind made up, Riley headed to the Main Hall alone, but alert for any sign of his Teammate's presence.
The Espeon arrived with his cape billowing behind him from the hurried pawsteps that had brought him to the Guild's center, breathing heavily as he surveyed the crowd. For the moment he couldn't spy any familiar faces through the mass of Pokemon, but it was rather satisfying to see so many new Teams responding so readily to the task at hand. When he spotted Serrin at the front of the room, ears twitching at the sound of a long-absent voice, Riley hazarded a smile, despite the grave news that the Ivysaur was delivering; it was pleasant to see him again after all these years. Their mission apparently focused on some sort of illness that had overcome a group of jungle travelers, and they needed immediate medical treatment: in other words, it was something quite suited to the requests that he was used to taking over the years when the Guild was disbanded. Despite the smile that rested gently on the Espeon's face, his eyes were steeled with determination; he could wait for the last of their group to assemble, but each minute was a little longer than the last. The sooner they set off, the better it would be for those who were waiting for them.((If Shawn and Luna pop in, Phantasm and Synchronicity will have two, otherwise I'll probably just have Erinn and Riley find each other and pair up, provided that's acceptable. Edit: Predictions--Either this goes fabulously for my teams and everyone is saved without too much difficulty OR this goes terribly and every one of my characters comes out of this half-dead from trauma and illness.))
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 10:11 am
 Skye & Quil & ZahraAlmost robotically, Skye was up and readying herself for duty before she was fully awake to comprehend the situation. She'd been through this process what seemed like a thousand times before.
She tore off a piece of bread for herself, quickly scarfing it down so that she'd have something in her stomach when the time came for working. She could sense her partner, Quil, scurrying down from his webbed nest on the ceiling. His aura was one of acute concern, clearly more awake than she at this point.
"Zahra- are you set to go?" Skye called abruptly, tightening the straps on her harness to keep it snug against her silken fur.
There was a flutter of wings and a confused Togetic emerged from her nest. "What's going on? Where are we going, and why is there an alarm?" Her voice was sharp with irritation, clearly displeased at being awoken so rudely. It wasn't at all Skye who she was displeased with, but instead the piercing, high-pitched noise that seemed to erupt from the building itself. It was, as all good alarms were, rather obnoxiously loud.
Quil leaped from the wall, securing his landing on Skye's shoulder with a shot of webbing. "It's our call to action- think of it as the guild's version of calling for 'all hands on deck'." Quil's voice was nearly drowned out by the noise, tiny as he was, and Zahra had to flutter almost an inch against Skye's side just to understand him.
She scoffed irritably. "Could've picked a more pleasant way to do it, surely," she grumbled, taking to the air again as she followed her captains out of the room.
Soon, they'd be gathered with the other teams in the grand hall. The collection of Pokemon was smaller than she'd originally expected, but she supposed that many new recruits wouldn't be familiar with the expectations following an alarm. She knew that she wasn't, at least. The head of the Rescue division was giving a short speech, though she couldn't hear his words particularly well until the din of the alarm had settled.
As the reality of their situation sunk in, Skye and Zahra exchanged mixed glances. Zahra could feel the unease rising in her belly like a tempest. She shifted her wings, wondering how likely it was for them all to fall ill. They had to minimize contact with the very Pokemon that they were rescuing, and avoid eating or drinking anything in the area. The whole thing made her feel very much... afraid. She didn't want to become sick. What if the mental effects were permanent? What if the disease was transmissible between Pokemon, or by air?
Skye rested a calming paw on her partner's shoulder, and the Togetic jumped a little in surprise. Her captains were not as high-strung as she was, evidently. "We'll be here for you, Zahra. We're a team."
The little Joltik on her shoulder was paying attention, also, but his claws seemed busier than ever. Two sets of bright, teal eyes shimmered with determination. In his tiny claws, he was already forming several sheets of brilliant white webbing. The silken threads were tightly woven, but very thin. Flashes of movement brought his sharp gray claws back and forth in a rapid weaving motion.
Zahra's expression changed, the Togetic feeling a bubble of warmth break through the storm that swirled in her stomach. She understood. Nodding, she accepted the newly-woven face mask that was soon offered by her Joltik companion.
Quil quickly set to securing the masks around the faces of his partners, hoping to prevent exposure to whatever pathogens might be lurking in the forest they were headed to. Ghost & AtiusGhost trotted ahead of Atius, her pawsteps light and silent on the marble floors. She truly was as Atius would imagine a spectre to behave. He'd noticed that she rarely made a point of interacting with others, or of drawing attention to herself. She seemed to prefer a quiet life on the fringes of whatever society she was near to.
She seemed to be anxious of interactions and other Pokemon in general. Whether they were stronger or weaker than herself, she had little desire to bond with other Pokemon.
Atius could relate to that.
The massive silver Metang floated silently behind his charge, amber eyes keeping a careful watch around her as they drew nearer to the meeting site for their guild. A large Ivysaur was instructing them on their task, and the Metang vaguely registered that it would involve significant biological risk to his captain.
He would likely be fine, as Metang rarely fell victim to such things as toxins or pathogens. Absol were a warm-blooded race, composed of flesh and fur. She would surely fall ill, if this mission were to involve a truly virulent disease. "Little one, this mission involves significant risks- I'd advise that we decline this job," he ordered, his tone clearly conflicting with his suggestive word choice. He was more in charge than perhaps was appropriate for a second-in-command.
"We're already h-here- I don't th-think that we c-can." Her voice was soft and timid, the Absol's ghostly eyes fixed on his orange ones. "I will know on our ar-rrival if something b-bad is to become of us. It's the w-way of my kind."
Atius felt a ripple of confusion, unsure of his charge's motivations. He still didn't understand her entirely, or why she might risk her own well being for another. It didn't make sense to him, particularly since she was not assigned to guard these foreign Pokemon as he was to her.
Perhaps pride? No, she didn't seem to host much pride within her.
"Why do you insist on joining such an adventure? There is no real benefit to you in doing so." True, there were tangible rewards for performing such work, but it wasn't the sort of benefit he spoke of. Ghost was intelligent- she knew this.
"I have my reasons." He could not get anything more from her, and the Absol seemed to shy from him all the more when he tried again to pry into her intentions.KeiranKeiran adjusted the silken blue scarf around his arm, and his bright eyes narrowed with determination as he adjusted his aura to drown out the worst of the alarm. He needed to focus, and while the alarm was relevant to that, he wasn't particularly interested in having his ears ringing for the next hour.
The charcoal-furred Riolu was silent as he entered the hall, scanning the crowd for any sign of his Espeon co-captain. He had gone before to answer the guild's call without Riley, but he really would enjoy the chance to work with him again.
As if answering his prayers, the strong and familiar sensation of Riley's aura washed over him. Keiran stepped politely through the crowd, though he was a few minutes late, and made his way to stand at the Espeon's shoulder. A warm glimmer of greeting was present in the Riolu's eyes, but it was obvious that the somber mood of the room had already tempered his excitement for the job. "What's going on?" he questioned quietly, already straining to sense any form of concern or anxiety from his partner. Others in the room seemed to be distressed, and he wanted to gauge the severity of their situation, whatever it was.
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Lunatalia rolled 6 10-sided dice:
7, 1, 7, 8, 10, 6
Total: 39 (6-60)
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 10:13 am
[[ Pardon. I remember adjusting my post so that it would roll the dice, but apparently I undid the changes somehow. I'll roll for my teams here. ]]
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Cysic X rolled 7 10-sided dice:
5, 4, 5, 3, 4, 1, 4
Total: 26 (7-70)
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 5:41 pm
Trepidation. It was the simplest way to describe what echoed through the two more emotive members of team Venari. Arturius may have been stoic, prepared and steel-faced in a sense that was core to his very nature but the same distinction did not apply to Katherine or Ty. This time was different, very different; it was not a simple gathering signal that they heard but it was very clearly an alarm. There was an edge of excitement on the Pancham's mind, a sense of anticipation that mingled with the anxiety that rested in the back. He loved a fight but this was very different. This was an emergency, any uncertainty of that was clear from Katherine's response. An emergency for the Guild... that meant that someone's life was on the line and while fighting was a risky business death wasn't inherent to it. The potential for a fun fight was inseparable from the possibility of someone dying. His own thoughts in this regard mirrored Katherine's strongly though she lacked any such joyful anticipation; there was merely dread.
"We must go."
The quiet, even words of Arturius were what pushed the team forward after the alarm bell stopped. The explanation they received did little to allay their concerns and much to extend their fears; there would be no triumphant battles to engage in, simply the handling of the ill. There, too, was a risk of disease that weighed much more strongly on Katherine's mind than Ty's. Her time traveling had seen her avoid such communities at her mother's request. Avoiding the ill was smart. It was only what trust she had, however imperfect, in the guild that reassured her enough to stay. The guild wouldn't send them into trouble, into disease and pestilence and death, right?
...Right?
Wariness. Jessica knew what this sound meant. So did Tobias, though not as intimately as she did; she had heard stories about this kind of alarm. Stories of the past. They often ended well but they were, invariably, not happy stories. They weren't the kind of stories she intended to star in but she acknowledged readily enough that she didn't have a choice as long as she was with the guild. She would have to press forward and join in; it was simply a part of her job and there was no way that she was going to callously abandon that. Jessica pressed forward on her own at first and then doubled back after the announcement was made. Tobias came back with her, his harness and Balerd on his back. The little bird had been... upset, at first. The sound of the alarm bell had caused Balerd to turn into a ball and to shake gently in anxiety and discomfort but, as a ball did, Balerd rebounded quickly enough. There was an obvious sorrow in both parent and child at the parting but Balerd was quick enough to handle it. Clara, Eliot and other children were about. It was hard to be depressed in an environment like that.
Nevertheless, the two of them were both prepared and wary for whatever it was that lay ahead. It was their job. Those people needed to be saved. It wasn't her right to shirk that responsibility. At the very least, that's what Jessica thought... It was hard to tell what Tobias was thinking. Ever.
Elation. An alarm! An emergency! Somebody to fight! Donovan raced out of the team room and towards the main hall only to have his mood drop as fast as it had risen. It was a rescue mission! What a waste of time... What was the point in saving a bunch of stupid, weak pokemon? Though disgruntled, Donovan was kept in line by one thing and one thing only: one was to obey the will of the strong. He would work with the guild. He would do so as long as the guild led him to what he want--and they would, in time--and so long as the guild was stronger than him. If such a weak person were to consider themselves a leader...
Theodore caught up not long after with Boris, the team's newborn Teddiursa, in tow. Boris simply stared quietly as he was led on by Theodore's leafy "hand" which he held loosely. "So. Rescue mission, huh?"
Donovan's low hiss was a sufficient response. He would have been grinding his teeth if he had teeth to grind.
Ceaseless rage aside, Boris took well to the daycare situation with ease and quiet leaving both Theodore and Donovan free to help with the rescue mission.
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2015 6:34 pm
Serrin, Rescue Leader
"The pokemon should be spread throughout the jungle. We're going to have to split up in order to find them all. We can't afford to move as one big group. If we're too slow, the nocturnal predators will start to wake up." Serrin's voice once again spoke loudly and clearly above the background chatter and, in no uncertain terms, spelled out the risk of inadequacy. They couldn't risk taking their time. This wasn't a situation where they could "take it easy". "Since it's easy to get lost, psychic pulses will be sent out every five minutes to help you keep your bearings. When you recover an ill pokemon, bring them back here. Remember, these people are relying on us! We do this or they die."
It was simple enough work and at first it went simply enough. Step into the jungle, find someone, bring them back out; it wasn't anything hard. Not many, but some of the apparently considerable number of pokemon weren't that far from the edges of the jungle itself and taking them back was a short and easy process.
At first.
What came later was a slow and subtle thing. Certain guild members stopped returning. There was uncertainty at first as to why; were they delving deeper? Were they caught up with a more dependent victim who needed more care and took longer to reach the edge of the jungle? That uncertainty was quickly dispelled when noises, brief shouts and yells were heard. Serrin turned towards the Alakazam who quickly nodded and a new, very different pulse was sent out into the jungle. This one conveyed a message:
There were aggressors in the forest. Be careful.[Rules!] There's a third party in the forest and they don't mean you any good!
Worse still is that the kidnappers seem organized and adept at suppressing those they kidnap.
Worse yet is that something is disturbing psychic energy in the area; the kidnappers (and victims) cannot be tracked long distances.
Your rolls from the previous round are applied this round according to the following ruleset:
One - This character has been Kidnapped! A pokemon (of your choice) has quietly and quickly ambushed the character and kidnapped them.
Two - This character has been Kidnapped! As above, but with a greater struggle. Your characters are sure to hear this!
Three - This character has been attacked. As above but your character managed to fight the kidnapper off! You may subdue them if you wish but they're not going to cough up any info! Killing them might get you in trouble...
Four through Ten - This character has not been attacked. However, they've found a victim within the woods. They're too disoriented to make it back on their own, even with the pulses! Higher numbers tend to correlate with healthier victims, lower numbers mean the victim is quite ill!
Characters that are kidnapped are removed for the duration of the chapter.
You may skip rolling for a character and remove them by choice by sending that character to pursue their missing teammates. Please clearly state any characters who do this.
Any character that is not removed for the duration of the chapter must be rolled for.
The following exceptions exist to this:
You may lose no more than one character for every 3 you have remaining, rounded down.
A team that loses half (or more) of their pokemon no longer rolls.
If either of the above rules are broken, you may ignore kidnappings in order to fulfill these rules.
This means that if an excessive number of pokemon are kidnapped in a single round, you may choose which kidnappings to ignore.
Intentional removals are exempt from this; you may remove all of your pokemon if you wish.
But remember...
Someone needs to save the sick.
Do you trust your friends or do you abandon your duty?NOTE: This is not a lethal chapter. Please trust me when I say that your characters will be returned to you in a non-objectionable fashion. If there's any questions, contact me privately or in the OOC.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears rolled 5 10-sided dice:
6, 7, 2, 2, 7
Total: 24 (5-50)
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 7:37 am
Neo & Nyx & Air Almost immediately after Neo and Air arrived, the trio were given their individual lights, and before they could even examine the objects they'd been transported to the jungle. Neo breathed in deeply, inhaling the humid air that engulfed them in this peculiar place; apparently it was one of the places where Veilmys hid his ribbons, but the Meowstic had never been to this particular jungle before. Looking down at the lantern he held in his right paw, he found that it was already beginning to give off a pleasant glow in the dimming light, and the thought from him comfort--hopefully it would do the same for the poor Pokemon who were lost and alone out there further into the foliage. Glancing over at Nyx and Air to check on them, he found the Vulpix had donned his collar already, which held a glowing orb that swung gently when he moved, while Air was hovering just above, staring at the small lantern he held with a thoughtful expression. Catching Neo's eye, the Ditto-Volbeat flushed slightly. "Just trying to think what my options are with this light," Air murmured quietly, a bit embarrassed. In actuality, the lamp he'd received was quite useful for him, all things considered, since it had a large loop handle that could be held by nearly any type of Pokemon--provided it had teeth, talons, paws, claws, or hands. The only real limitations to the Ditto were those Pokemon without any appendages, but those species were a minority fortunately. Of course, a Volbeat carrying a lamp looked a little strange, since the Pokemon had a light of its own, but perhaps the Guild staff had received notification about Air in advance; either way, it was a fortunate coincidence. Neo smiled in response to Air's concern and shot a look at Nyx who smirked back, but before any more words could be exchanged, they were receiving their instructions.
When Serrin had finished, Neo nodded and turned to his companions with determination in his eyes. "Alright, you heard our Sector Leader, we have to be quick about this," the Meowstic said, eager to step into action as quickly as possible. "We want to search for any sign of well-trodden paths, and places where Pokemon might have strayed off of them."
Nyx nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Apparently the Pokemon we're searching for were all members of a large traveling party, so it's quite likely that they made a rather noticeable trail for us to follow. It's also possible that they may have dispersed off into smaller groups once their symptoms began to occur. Serrin informed us earlier that the Pokemon who informed the Guild of this incident was showing signs of mental stress and experiencing breathing difficulty, so depending on how severe their condition it may be quite difficult to bring them back here for treatment."
Neo nodded gravely, processing the information that he'd missed out on from Serrin's earlier briefing. "Well that's good then," he said after a moment, "We know what to look out for and where we should start, and we can all stay together for the time being. Since we don't know this territory very well I think it would be a good plan--it wouldn't do for any of us to get lost in the jungle as well." Smiling encouragingly at Air, who seemed to be growing increasingly on edge, Neo rested his free paw on the Ditto-Volbeat's back reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's going to be alright. We have each other and we have the Pyschic pulses to keep us from getting lost. We're going to help them--it's what we're at the Guild to do." Air nodded slightly, encouraged by his leader's kind words, but nervousness settled in the pit of his stomach regardless; he didn't like the idea of getting lost in this place--there was something menacing about it that he couldn't quite define.
The members of Team Essence made their way into the trees as soon as they had decided on their plan, one of the first groups to vanish into the confines of the trees. Nyx led the way, the light from his collar extending outward to illuminate the path in front of them and Neo and Air went together behind him, the Meowstic extending his lantern out to shine light on the trees to his side of the path, and the Ditto-Volbeat staring uncertainly out at the shadows on his own side, glowing on both ends from his taillight and the lantern he held in his hand. The group was a highly noticeable beacon in the darkening jungle as they made their way through, following the worn-down path that was created from so many Pokemon walking this way before. Initially there were some Teams who followed the same path as the trio, but by the time they'd delved deeper into the jungle the others had split off and they were on their own. Air shivered as he watched the shadows hurrying away from their lights, worried that perhaps those silhouettes were more than just tricks of the imagination, and when he glanced over at Neo he felt slightly reassured when he saw his captain's fur bristling as well from nervousness. Nyx was the only one of the group who seemed perfectly at ease with their eerie surroundings, though it was clear that the Vulpix was on his guard from the intensity that shone in his eyes, independent of the lamplight.
After a time Neo cleared his throat loudly, prompting his team members to look at him only to receive a signal to stop moving. The Meowstic had been hearing a faint sound for a while now and it had finally become clear that the noise was getting louder--which meant its source was coming closer. Eventually the rustling in the trees grew loud enough for all three to turn towards it, their lights seeking out the source of the sound. All three were frozen in place, expecting the worst, so it was a shock to all of them when they spotted a Kricketune making its way through the trees, breathing erratically and raising and arm to shield its eyes against the light as it stared towards them. "Oh!" the bug cried, wheezing the words more than speaking them, "Thank Arceus...Others..."
"Others?" Nyx repeated, suspicion creeping into the Vulpix's tone.
"Yes...Not of our group...Please you must help..." The Kricketune's breathing was shallow but his eyes were bright as he pleaded with them, clearly desperate for some sort of assistance.
"Are you a member of the group of travelers who were separated here?" Neo piped up, green eyes filled with concern for the bug.
”Travelers...yes…” the Kricketune panted, ”How did you…?”
Neo stepped forward and placed a paw on the bug’s shoulder, reaching up to accomodate for the height difference. ”Don’t worry sir, we’re friends,” the Meowstic said soothingly. ”We’re a Team from the Guild of Eclipse, we’re here to get you and your comrades back home and healthy again.” Smiling comfortingly, Neo gestured to his teammates. ”I’m Neo, and these two are Nyx and Air. If you’ll come with us we’ll see to it that you get the care you need.”
The Kricketune seemed to relax a bit at their explanation, and his breathing grew a bit easier, but his eyes widened in worry when Neo finished, and he shook his head. ”No...Can’t leave...Sick…” The bug dissolved into gasping, trying to recover his breath and Neo shot a concerned look at his second in command.
Spotting the Meowstic’s uncertainty, Nyx stepped in, clearing his throat gently. ”It would be best if you refrained from speech for the time being sir. It seems to be agitating your condition. You mean to say you cannot leave your sick companions behind I presume?” The Kricketune looked up and nodded gratefully, though he continued to breathe rather erratically. ”Very well then,” Nyx replied, ”If you would kindly show us where your companions are located, we will lead all of you out of this place to where our medical professionals are waiting to assist you. Does that sound reasonable?” Another nod and Nyx smiled slightly, dipping his head to the other Pokemon. ”Then lead the way.”
The trip to locate the Kricketune’s companions was a short one, though it was full of pauses where their guide had to stop and catch his breath. When they finally made their way into a small clearing, all three Guild Pokemon stared around the clearing curiously, searching for the bug’s companions through the light that they shed on the area. The pair were well concealed, but they were located in short order once the Kricketune called out to them, saying that he’d found help: the first was a Kecleon who phased into view a few moments after his friend’s cry, the second, a Tropius, who lifted her head weakly for just a moment before letting it fall again, blending into the foliage.
Neo bit his lip, staring at the other trio with wide, worried eyes. The Kricketune had seemed to be doing fairly badly, but his companions were clearly in far worse shape. The Kecleon at least was able to stand up, but the Tropius didn’t move again after her initial glance--likely because it was too much of a struggle for her. After a long moment, Neo spoke up. ”Hello,” he said gently, his tone filled with a soothing calm to ease the ill. ”My name is Neo, and these are my teammates, Air and Nyx. We were sent here by the Guild of Eclipse to help. We’re going to get you guys feeling better in no time, we’ve set up base just a little ways away; we promised your friends we’d get you back safely, no matter what.”
The group of ill Pokemon roused themselves, the Kecleon looking up from where he leaned against his Kricketune friend’s shoulder, and even the Tropius looked up where she stood, making the effort to take a step closer before stumbling and falling to her knees. The action caused her to begin coughing terribly, the air unable to reach her lungs properly, and Neo and Air both rushed to her side to help her up--the former sending soothing Psychic waves to her to ease her breathing. ”Easy does it Miss,” the Meowstic said, working with his Ditto-Volbeat friend to raise her back to her feet. ”There we go...do your best not to make any sudden motions, alright?”
”Neo,” Nyx’s voice stirred the air from where he stood, watching the events from the sidelines as always. ”May I speak with you for a moment?” Nodding, Neo made his way over to his partner, shooting a smile at the worried-looking Kricketune and Kecleon. Before Neo could even ask, Nyx spoke in a hushed voice, staring intently into his captain’s eyes. ”Neo, that Tropius will not be able to return with us of her own accord. She’s conscious, but incapable of movement because of her symptoms. The other two we can escort, but it may be wisest to leave one of us here to wait with her until we can fetch a team capable of moving her on their own.”
Neo frowned, shaking his head. ”I don’t think they’ll go without her Nyx,” he whispered back, glancing over at the pair who watched Air comforting their friend with dull eyes. ”But don’t worry--I think we can handle it. Provided Air’s able to work with me.”
”Ah,” Nyx said softly, eyes brightening with understanding. ”Then by all means, we should begin as soon as possible.”
Neo nodded and turned back to Air, approaching the Ditto carefully. ”Hey, Air?” the Meowstic said, causing his friend to turn curiously. ”I have something I need you to do for us. Our friend here shouldn’t have to walk back to base in her condition. Do you think you could carry her?”
The comment was met with blank stares from all of their clients, but Air’s eyes brightened at the suggestion. ”Oh! Maybe I could!” the Ditto-Volbeat said, head bobbing up and down in excitement. ”Let’s see...What would be best…” After a moment the Ditto brightened, and settled down on the ground before his body began to glow and he started to change. He grew bigger and broader and four muscular arms stretched out from his body. When the Ditto had finished his transformation into a Machamp, he grinned down at the others delightedly, before looking up at the Tropius who gawked in his direction beside him. ”Right! I should be able to do it now!” Air said excitedly. ”Miss, would you mind?” Although he was muscular and more menacing than before, the expression on his face was innocent and hopeful, like that of a small child. After a moment the Tropius nodded and he beamed at her, grabbing her with all four of his arms and hugging the larger Pokemon to him like she was a big stuffed animal. ”We can go now,” Air said cheerfully, looking at Neo and Nyx with a grin.
”Alright then,” Neo said with a slight nervous laugh. Air was a little more pleased than the Meowstic could be at the moment, since they still had to get the entire group to safety, but at least it was one problem solved. Turning to their other two ailing clients, Neo took a deep breath and approached them. ”Sorry if that came as a surprise to you, Air is a Ditto, and we thought it would be best if he took on a stronger form to help your friend.” Smiling sympathetically, Neo beckoned Nyx over before. ”Do the two of you think you can walk on your own? Or would you rather Air carried you?”
”I have two extra arms!” Air chirped cheerfully, waving his lower pair about for a moment before returning them to the Tropius. His lantern hung about his wrist, nestled against the Tropius’s back where one arm held her close.
”We’ll be...alright,” the Kricketune said, gesturing to his friend as he spoke. ”Wouldn’t want...to trouble him…” The Kecleon nodded, though the Normal Type’s colors seemed a bit paler than they should have been from standing so long, causing Neo to feel a prickle of doubt.
”Are you sure?”
The pair nodded again in response, standing up a little straighter, and Nyx nodded in response; it was clear to the Vulpix that their clients were trying to maintain some shred of pride, and he had no desire to rob them of that unnecessarily. ”Let’s be off then,” the Vulpix said, turning to the Kricketune. ”Sir, I will stay by your side to assist you when needed, and my partner will do the same for your friend.” The bug nodded gratefully, and placed a hand on Nyx’s back, and in short order Neo had positioned himself beside the Kecleon, allowing the lizard to wrap an arm around his shoulders. ”Let’s be off.” The command was light and brief, and the trio began the long journey back.
About halfway through their travels--long and laborious as they were for Neo and Nyx, who were continually forced to stop and allow their companions to breathe, counting down the seconds until the symptoms subsided--the warning pulse hit the group, causing all of them to tense. Neo shot a look at each client, but they were all too mentally detached from the situation to have noticed it seemed: that was good. Shooting a look at his teammates the look in his eyes told them to remain silent, and they followed suit. They spoke very little on the journey back, save for Neo’s relatively regular stream of encouragements toward their two walking clients, and eventually they made it back to the Guild’s base camp safely.
Neo saw to it that all of their group was met with immediate medical attention, and Air dropped off his passenger where it was requested before returning and shrinking back to the smaller form of a Volbeat once more when he rejoined them. ”I hope she’ll be alright…” the Ditto said softly, staring at his stubby Volbeat arms with interest now that he’d given up his Machamp form. Where did all that strength come from he wondered? And where did it go? It wasn’t really the time to be considering such questions, but he couldn’t help it--there was so much to wonder about after transformations like that.
”Just be grateful we got them out without encountering any assailants,” Nyx said gravely, staring out at the waiting jungle ahead of them. ”I recommend we continue to stick together. It would be most unwise to part ways at a time like this.”
”Absolutely,” Neo said, his eyes dark with worry. ”Don’t let anyone out of your sight for a minute. Who knows what’s waiting for us out there...”Erinn Erinn was one of the first into the trees, scuttling off on his own immediately after Serrin finished speaking. The Paras wore small bands around each of his mushrooms, each one with a small light that shone out through the darkness; they were his only defense against the increasing darkness, but they were enough. Paras as a species had often found their homes in caves, hiding away from the dangers of the outside world, so he had excellent low-light vision regardless, but the lights were for the benefit of whoever he might find out there, lost and scared, alone in the suffocating night that shrouded the jungle.
The unfortunate side effect of the lights that he carried was the shadows they produced. Although he could see well in the dark, Erinn wasn’t fond of the way every shadow seemed to skitter away from his light, like it was alive and watching him progress through the jungle. He did his best to only look straight ahead, so that he wasn’t constantly looking to either side at the shifting tricks of the light, but it didn’t stop the Paras from spinning around to stare at invisible figures he saw out of the corner of his eye from time to time. Still, although he was wary of any potential hostiles, it was important not to respond immediately with hostility, lest it be one of their wandering clients searching for help; that was perhaps the more frightening thing--that acting too quickly might result in accidentally harming one of the sick.
Erinn had taken a path on his own, a considerable distance from the direction the main group had headed. The Paras knew from experience that Pokemon who were separated could get very far from one another indeed, especially when they made up their minds to search for each other rather than staying put. It stood to reason that, while a large portion of the group was in the direction that their companion came from, at least a few would have strayed off quite far. As it turned out, Erinn’s hunch was correct.
”Maria!” A voice brushed against the Paras’s ears from the distance and he froze, eyes wide as he stared around, trying to pinpoint the Pokemon it was coming from. There was no sign of the source of the sound here, but Erinn continued to wait, heart pounding in his chest, to see if he hadn’t just imagined it. A few long moments later he heard it again: ”Maria!”
Swallowing nervously, Erinn closed his eyes when the next Psychic pulse hit him, a thrill of fear coursing through the Paras’s body as he heard the warning conveyed in it. There were Pokemon trying to hunt them down out here? And just when it had seemed like something manageable too! The voice he’d just heard could be one of them, trying to lure him in for the kill, or maybe it was calling out to one of its comrades and they were going to plan an attack on the Guild’s base. They could be watching him right now from out there in the shadows, closing in on him while he stood here, frozen with indecision.
”...No.” Erinn’s own voice caused him to jump, hardly realizing that he’d spoken out loud. The word was filled with conviction, and the Paras realized that he felt it in his heart as well--the conviction and determination to finish the job. He wasn’t going to let fear best him, not when there were Pokemon out there who needed him. The Pokemon they were rescuing were terribly sick, and they wouldn’t be able to defend themselves at all if they were attacked. Somebody needed to step in for them, to make sure that they didn’t get attacked either; they were lonely and scared and needed help much more than he did, so he didn’t have any choice but to press on. Maybe he was walking into a trap, but maybe he was heading toward a sick Pokemon who was unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows: either way, he would find out soon enough.
Eyes narrowing with determination, Erinn scuttled forward, listening closely for the sound of the voice. When he heard it again he followed it, making as little noise as possible so that he could hear the distant call of ‘Maria’ when it came. He’d switched off the lamps on his mushrooms so as to avoid immediate detection, and he peered out in the darkness with a quiet intensity, searching for any sign of the one he sought.
Erinn found the subject of his search after several long minutes of tracking the sound. He’d realized eventually that the voice must have been growing weaker after a point, because it maintained that distant and scarcely audible quality no matter how much further he went towards it. Eventually though, it began to sound a bit closer, and eventually the sound was almost right next to him. ”H-Hello?” Erinn called, listening to the ragged breathing that he couldn’t quite pinpoint: there was no question now--this was one of the sick, not one of the hostiles.
”Ma...ria?” the voice gasped, and a rustling sound alerted Erinn to the trees above him. Peering upward, he spotted a Pachirisu peering down through the leaves, eyes squinted as he stared down through the dark. ”Maria...Is that you? I can’t...see...”
Raising his claws to turn on the lights that adorned his mushrooms, Erinn shook his head. ”No, I’m not Maria,” he said quietly, looking up at the Pachirisu who was staring back with doleful eyes. ”My name’s Erinn. I’m from the Guild of Eclipse and I’m here to get you to safety.”
The Pachirisu shook his head, unmoving from his vantage point in the tree. ”I...can’t leave… Maria...” The Electric Type turned to disappear back into the branches, but lost his balance and was forced to cling to the branch where he stood for dear life, tail pressed flat in fear.
Erinn hurried forward, standing underneath where the Pachirisu hung and looking up from the ground with wide eyes. ”Please! You’re sick sir, we need to get you help.” The squirrel shook his head again, but the action was too much for him; a moment later the fallen Pokemon lay flat on top of Erinn, who had lunged forward to soften the Pachirisu’s fall with his body. ”Unngh…” the Paras moaned, wincing as he brought himself back to his feet. ”Are you alright…?”
The Pachirisu shook his head, pressed close to the ground now that the safety of the tree was gone. ”I’m...Anton...My mate is…”
”Maria?” It was clear to Erinn that this Pachirisu needed help from that reaction. He must be terribly confused to mistake ‘alright’ for some sort of name, and his breathing was very clearly labored.
”Maria?” Anton’s head shot up and he stared about expectantly for a few moments before dissolving into a fit of coughing. Gasping out the words, the Pachirisu looked at Erinn desperately as he spoke. ”Maria is...she’s with...our… Unable to say more, Anton continued to cough horribly, his body shaking with the effort, and Erinn stared at the other Pokemon with increasing concern. This Maria of his...there was only one thing he could think of that made sense. Why on earth had they chosen to go with this travelling group then?! It was terribly unsafe! But then, looking at the sickly Pachirisu before him, Erinn knew that it must not have been an option, and things had turned out so horribly for them now…
”I’m sorry…” the Paras said quietly. He was sorry for the Electric Type’s predicament to be certain, but also terribly sorry for what he knew he had to do. Reaching over to the Pachirisu, Erinn pulled the Pokemon into a gentle hug, releasing spores from his mushrooms as he did so. The moment Anton breathed them in, the Electric Type coughed once more before breathing a sigh as he fell limp in Erinn’s arms, and the Paras looked at him forlornly. ”I will find Maria. I’ll find both of them for you. But first I need to see that you’re safe.” Frowning, Erinn carefully transferred Anton up onto his back, folding the Pachirisu’s tail under his head and curling his body so that the squirrel would fit. It was terribly heavy for a smaller Pokemon like Erinn, but it was manageable so long as he moved very slowly. Please forgive me...” he murmured, listening to Anton’s shallow breathing as he slept and praying that he hadn’t just don’t something horribly wrong. The Pachirisu would wake up again--he just had to.
The trip back to camp was long and arduous, especially with the added effort of marking his trail as he went: carrying Anton was difficult enough, but reaching up to leave telltale scratches on the trees he passed so that he’d know to pass this way again was made into a painful endeavor with the added pressure of not upsetting his passenger. In the end he managed it however, gratefully accepting the free hands that rushed to help him when they spotted the Paras drag himself into camp with his charge. Once he was certain that Anton was being taken care of, Erinn paused for a series of deep breaths, trying his best to ignore the way his muscles ached from the journey. He couldn’t stop now: Maria was waiting for him, and so was her and Anton’s baby.Riley Riley perked up the moment he felt a familiar presence slide into place by his side, and he turned to flash a grin at his partner. "Glad you could make it!" he purred, brushing against the Riolu fondly. Even more assured of their success now that he had Keiran with him, the Espeon nodded at the question and proceeded to lay things out for the Riolu. "It doesn't sound good I'm afraid," he said somberly, "A large group of travelers has taken ill in the jungle. Apparently it's pretty serious: addling their thinking and making it hard for them to breathe. They don't think it's contagious but they aren't sure of the source just yet, but our job is to find them and bring them to someone who can give them the care they need." Summary concluded, he smiled slightly, "We should be leaving fairly shortly, and then we can figure out the best way to go about helping them." Glancing over at Keiran intently, he shared a significant look with his partner. "We have to do our best to help as many as we can," he said, not that the Riolu really needed prompting, "Let's be sure that no one gets overlooked, alright?"
It wasn't long after Riley's pep talk that they received their lights, and then were teleported to the jungle, where the setting sun was still fighting to penetrate the darkness that was already clinging to the trees. Serrin gave his last set of orders before dismissing them, and Riley signaled Keiran to hang back, waiting until several others had set off ahead of them. "It looks like some Teams are splitting up," he said quietly, watching a few teams disperse in opposite directions into the jungle. "It's probably the better course of action, since I doubt the Pokemon we're searching for would have the ability to think to stay together in such an addled state." The Espeon frowned, reluctant to part with his friend yet certain it was the right thing to do. With a sigh, he continued. "We'll go separately, it's the best way for us to help the most Pokemon." Speaking it aloud made the decision final: there'd be no more questioning it now. Turning to Keiran seriously, Riley pressed himself against his partner reassuringly. "Keep a good focus on those Psychic pulses and I will too: then there's no way we won't find each other again. I'll see you on the other side!" And with a jovial grin the Espeon whisked off into the trees. Keiran would be able to handle himself, but just in case Riley released the hold on his Psychic, allowing it to reach out and brush against his partner as he left, marking the Riolu's aura-filled presence. He'd be able to pinpoint Keiran again by following his Psychic's lead if necessary, but hopefully it wouldn't come to that.
Since Riley typically ignored his Psychic as a rule, everything felt somewhat surreal now that he allowed the Psychic energies in. It was something that he still wasn't entirely accustomed to, thanks to infrequent usage and lack of practice, so the amount of sensory input that arose from it was almost overwhelming--everything pulsed with life and energy, and the whole world seemed even more vivid than it would have been by daylight. And, naturally, this helped him to locate one of the missing Pokemon rather quickly. A stirring of chaotic energy brushed against his senses, greatly differing from the systematic and measured psychic pulses that came from the base that they'd set up, and the Espeon turned to head towards it without hesitation, certain that he was on the right path. The light from his collar enhanced the light from the lamp that also hung around his neck, and through the dark shadows of the jungle he spotted the figure of a Heliolisk sitting against a tree trunk, the fear in its eyes catching in the glow of Riley's light-bearing figure. Yes, this was almost definitely one of the Pokemon they were looking for--the confusion and panic in the Electric Type's emotions ensured it.
"Hello my friend!" Riley called, stepping closer to the Dual Type with a warm smile on his face. "Is everything alright?"
The lizard shook his head, eyes wide with panic. "No..." he rasped, chest heaving as he spoke the words, "C-Can't breathe right..."
Riley's eyes narrowed in concern, and he made his way over to the Heliolisk without further hesitation. "Well that's a problem indeed," he said, careful to keep his tone from revealing excessive concern. "I'm here to help you though, so perhaps we can solve your problem together?" The Espeon smiled, tipping his hat cordially. "My name is Riley, a representative of the Guild of Eclipse. We received word of your group's predicament and we're here to make certain you get the care you need."
The Heliolisk's eyes widened again at the mention of the others in his party and he rose to his feet, gasping and clinging to the tree for support when he did so. "...others," he panted, staring at Riley piteously, "...Where...?"
"Hush!" Riley's tone was brisk and commanding as he raised a paw to his own lips, indicating the need for silence. "Conserve your breath for now. You'll need it for our walk back to the others, where we can treat this ailment of yours." The lizard looked about to protest again, but Riley continued quickly. "My coworkers are searching for the rest of your group as we speak. I know for a fact that some of them have been found already, and we won't stop searching until every one of you is found, understand?" The lizard opened his mouth to speak, but then thought the better of it and nodded. "Good," Riley said cheerily, "Now then, let's get you out of here."
The journey back to their main camp would have been short if the Espeon was on his own, but with the Heliolisk it took at least three times as long. The poor reptile was clearly suffering from whatever was impairing his breathing, and they had to travel in short bursts: only a few feet at a time so the Dual Type wouldn't get too winded. It was on that journey that Riley detected the warning pulse of psychic energy that differed so greatly from the directional one. The indication of hostiles nearby set Riley more on edge than before, though he maintained his cool for the sake of his companion, but he sent out his Psychic as far as he could manage, trying to search for any sign of Keiran; fortunately, he discovered the vague trace of his friend's aura somewhere in the distance and that set him at ease for the moment, but not for good. In truth it was more than a little unsettling because he felt some sort of pressure against his Psychic even as he pulled it back close. Something was disorienting his Psychic receptors from an outside force, and that was unsettling. Just who were these hostiles that they knew enough to muddle Psychic detection? They were undoubtedly highly organized and intelligent, and that set him even more on edge than before. He saw his companion safely to the Guild base after a bit more time had passed, leaving the reptile with a few parting words and in capable hands, before he turned back to the forest grimly. There was an enemy lurking out there in the shadows. In that case, there was no choice but to double their efforts: heaven forbid any of the ill Pokemon were abducted as well.((Finally finished!))
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Barkchewer rolled 6 10-sided dice:
7, 4, 10, 8, 3, 4
Total: 36 (6-60)
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 6:57 pm
Team CatalystMembers Present: Keivera (A - 2), Arlyn (B - 10), & Kent (C - 6)   As the bell in the main hall rang out, Keivera raised her head up from where she had been resting on her bed of hay. It was rather late for the guild to be called together, so whatever was going on, it wasn't something that could wait. With the sound of the bell still echoing through the guild's halls, she got up looked to Arlyn who was sitting over at the desk with his tiny paws covering his ears. The bell always caused him pain whenever it was rung. She hated that it hurt him so, but it was the best way for the leaders to call the guild together in times when a request required the strength of the guild as a whole. Unfortunately, Arlyn was the only one able to open the door, so he was forced into action before the ringing had stopped. Keivera walked over to her little friend and allowed him to jump up on her head as she lowered it to offer him a ride. It was the only thing she could do to help him. As she reached the door with Arlyn in tow, she lowered her head once more to allow him to turn the doorknob and push the door open slightly to allow the team to exit.Arlyn tried only to focus on his breathing as he was carried down the hallway in the direction of the main hall. The pain was excruciating as the bell was rang repeatedly. The repetition created a sense of urgency, and though he understood why the bell was used, he still despised it. As they finally neared the main hall, where the sound was the loudest, Arlyn was finally able to see who was ringing the bell. The rescue leader, Serrin, stood next to the bell, waiting on the guild members to gather. They didn't have to wait long before Serrin got right to the point, however.When Serrin was finished explaining the situation, Kent looked to his team captains. He was concerned for the pokemon the guild was rushing to help, but at the same time, he worried what would happen if Serrin was wrong and it was some unknown virus plaguing the traveling band of pokemon. Instead of chatting like normal, the members of Team Catalyst were quiet. The seriousness of this mission hung heavy over their heads. Each one knew the importance of finding these pokemon, and as the various lanterns were handed out, Kent accepted a light one that was able to hang around his neck while the other two members of his team accepted ones appropriate for them; Keivera's lantern hung from her antler and Arlyn carried a small one in his tiny paw.As Serrin instructed the guild members to split up, she looked at her teammate and nodded. No words were needed. They all knew what needed to be done. With that, Keivera set out and began helping those closer to the edge back to where the Alakazam employee was. After awhile though, like everyone else, she had to go deeper into the jungle in order to find someone in need of help. The first pokemon she came across was a Machoke, leaning against a tree. This wasn't normal behavior for that species; Machoke were known to be tireless pokemon. With such a large pokemon, Keivera was glad she was the one that had found it instead of a smaller guild member.
She approached the Machoke calmly. "Don't worry. I'm here to help you," she said as she reached the pokemon's side. However, its eyes flew open quickly, and it lashed out, Low Sweeping her legs out from under her before she had time to react. "Ahhh!" A cry of shock was all she managed before she was Karate Chopped over the head. She was out cold.Arlyn heard Keivera's cry far off in the distance. "Keivera!" he called out, instantly concerned for his best friend. She had been attacked and he knew it. The Alakazam had sent out a psychic pulse only moments before warning the guild members of a hostile presence in the jungle."We can't help her now Arlyn! She's too far away! We'll have to wait till we're done!" Kent barked out. Kent had stayed somewhat close to Arlyn because of his small stature. This had been specifically just in case Arlyn had come across a much larger pokemon in need of help, but now it served to keep Arlyn focused."But she needs us!" Arlyn cried, his eyes beginning to mist over."The guild can form a search after those who are sick are brought out of the jungle! If you chase after her attacker now, they'll already be long gone by the time you get there! She would want you to finish the job first! She always puts others before herself! You know this!" Kent coached from afar.Arlyn knew in his heart that Kent was right, but it was hard. He began to weep, tears streaming down his face as he called out in the growing darkness, "We'll be back for you, Keivera!" His small form began to shake and tremble as he was wrought with grief. His voice was barely audible, as he whispered,"I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry...." With that he sniffed, recomposing himself the best he could. Then, with a heavy heart, he resumed his search for the sick pokemon they had been brought out here to help. Within a few minutes, he found a Poochyena that was disoriented. Thankfully he didn't have to help the pokemon too much, but he did have to help guide it back to the Alakazam. Meanwhile, Kent found a Vigoroth who was a little weaker than the Poochyena that Arlyn had found. Overall, his condition wasn't too bad but he did need to lean on Kent as he was led back. Within minutes they reached the Alakazam that was sending out the psychic pulses. Other guild pokemon took over the care of the Vigoroth as Kent turned around to head back into the jungle. He hoped the rest of his guild mates were able to avoid the aggressors. It troubled him that pokemon would stoop so low as to attack those on a rescue mission to aid extremely sick pokemon.[[End of Post: Keivera, Arlyn, & Kent]] Team VerrucktMembers Present: Viper (D - 1) & Mortimer (E - 2)  When the bell rang out, Viper and Mortimer stopped working on their post mission report. They had just got back and hadn't even had the opportunity to go through their mission rewards, or reach a decision about picking a new recruit. Things were still uneasy between the two of them, but resolving it would have to wait till after they had seen to whatever the guild was meeting about. At least this would give Viper a chance to think about what had happened and digest it. Perhaps later she would be able to find her words. For now, they needed to focus on what Serrin was saying; he had already begun to speak by the time they reached the main hall.Mortimer was still and sore after today. It had been a long one, but apparently the guild was needed. From what Serrin described, the situation was bad. Despite his tiredness, he would do his best to help these pokemon. When the lanterns were handed out, he took one that hung around his neck; Viper took one that fastened to the top of her shell. Within minutes of being teleported, he had finished helping the guild get those closest to the borders of the jungle back to safety. Then, he plunged further into the foliage, searching for other sick pokemon in need of help.Viper had been having difficulty helping the sick back to where guild employees were tending to the sick, but she was uncharacteristically quiet. She wasn't complaining as she normally would have. She was rather drained from the day's events. However, she still wasn't happy about having to come out to this high humidity area. She would be glad for a good night's rest when this was all done. As Viper moved farther into the jungle, she felt the psychic pulse from the guild’s Alakazam employee. There was danger within the jungle. Not all the pokemon were friendly. This made her a little apprehensive. She wasn’t in shape to fight an attacker off right now, but she wasn’t going to just quit either. Her team wasn’t a rescue team, however, it wasn’t going to keep her from being a source of stability or guide for the sick.
She heard rustling in the thick brush off to her right. Turning in place to look in the direction the noise came from, her gaze was met with a blur of brown and black motion. The large attacker rammed into her at an angle and sent her flying backwards. The lantern on her back was crushed as she landed belly up; the jungle around her descended into darkness from the lack of light.
She tried to right herself, but before she could, the opening of her shell was covered as her opponent opened its mouth wide, practically engulfing most of her shell with its mouth. As she let out a cry of alarm, her attacker yawned in her face. Immediately, she felt drowsy. She knew it wouldn’t be long before she was out cold. Being helpless, was beginning to be an all too familiar feeling for her, and she didn’t like it. As a last ditch effort to save herself, she fired a dragon breath straight into her attacker’s jaws. Hurt, the attacker let go of her shell, but it wasn’t enough. With Viper finally fell asleep, the Hippowdon shook its head and began rolling Viper away from any nearby guild members.Mortimer heard Viper’s alarm, but he was too far away to do anything, and he knew it. He hated that she got jumped, but the guild wouldn’t leave their members out here. It was a tough thing to do, but the sick would have to come first. He just hoped he wouldn’t get bitched at later, despite the fact that there was nothing anyone could do to help her now. Everyone was too far spread out, but being spread out was what Serrin had instructed them to do in order to rescue the sick pokemon.
Setting his resolve, he turned his attention back to the ill form in front of him; he had found a very weak, disoriented, and incoherent Turtwig. He was rather feverish and his eyes were slightly glossy. It was going to take a lot of work to get him back to the edge of the jungle where help was. With only the light from his lantern, and only what was around him to work with, Morty set about making a makeshift gurney that he could pull through the brush.[[End of Post: Viper & Mortimer]] Team ForgeMember: Murdock (F - 3) Murdock had been wandering the halls of the guild when the bell rang. Assuming that his partner, Cerrin, would head to the main hall after hearing the bell toll, Murdock didn't see any reason to head back to the team room. Instead, he headed straight for the main hall where Serrin was still ringing the bell. Murdock watched and waited as other members of the guild began to slowly file in. When enough had made it to the summoning, Serrin instructed the assembled guild members of the situation. Things sounded very bleak indeed. When they were given a fifteen minute notice, Murdock began to look around the room for his partner. The little black Charmander was nowhere to be seen. For the fifteen minutes prior to departure, Murdock looked for his co-captain, but to no avail. When the lanterns were handed out, Murdock accepted one that fastened to his head, much like those seen on miner's hats.
When the guild was teleported to the Mystifying Jungle, thanks to the Alakazam under employment by the guild, Murdock immediately noted the humidity. The air was thick, and though the sun was starting to go down, it was still very hot. This was made worse by the fact that rescuing the sick required a lot of physical work. He didn't mind this, of course. But as a steel type, he didn't tolerate the heat all that well.
The first little while passed by uneventful and went according to plan. However, when he felt the psychic pulse that alerted them to the presence of hostiles, he became a little concerned. He worried little about being attacked himself, but some of the other guild members weren't as big or sturdy as he was; it was those members that he worried about. As part of a mercenary team, he felt confident in his abilities to take care of himself, at least in most situations. His thick steel plating didn't hurt either.
As he was searching through the bush, he got the feeling he was being followed. However, he didn't turn around to look. To do so would alert whoever was there that he had sensed their approach. It was best to let them think they still had the element of surprise. For now, he would wait. However, he didn't have to wait long. Within a few minutes he heard loud thundering footsteps behind him. At the last second, Murdock threw himself to the right, dodging the charging Rampardos.
Before his opponent could finish skidding to a halt and turn around, Murdock charged after regaining his footing. He slammed hard into the Rampardos' side with his Iron Head. It didn't make the enemy flinch, but it was a good solid hit. Thankfully, Murdock had the type advantage with his foe and his attack was super effective.
The Rampardos quickly recovered and launched its own attack. Its eyes lit up as it cried out, the earth trembling slightly as it used its Ancient Power; rocks shot out of the earth and pummeled Murdock mercilessly. Unfortunately for the Rampardos, Murdock's steel armor protected him from the worst of the barrage.
Still in range for a close attack, Murdock took the opportunity to use his Metal Claw, raising his right front leg up and slashing at the Rampardos' legs. It was another super effective blow.
Having suffered two super effective hits, the Rampardos jumped over Murdock with its strong legs and fled with a slight limp. Even with the limp, as Murdock gave chase, the Rampardos was too fast. His enemy escaped back into the thick foliage of the jungle. He could only hope that this was the only attacker he would have to deal with tonight.[[End of Post: Murdock]]
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DreamerDarkRequim rolled 2 10-sided dice:
9, 6
Total: 15 (2-20)
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 7:48 pm
{The missed Round 1}
 
Hanae and Bryant
“Hanae….Hanae, we need to go!”
The petilil groaned before squinting at her partner. What in the world…? Why was Bryant trying to wake her up so early? Or was it late...Hanae couldn't tell. “Bryant, it isn’t morning yet…” She rolled over to try and ignore him when the sound of ringing registered. Quickly blinking sleep away Hanae forced herself out of the small nest she shared with Bryant—and almost collided with him.
Bryant managed to dodge her accidental tackle and muttered, “Be more careful...” She replied with a light glare which caused the older pokemon to flinch. “Sorry…,” He said, his voice barely being heard over the bell, “But we really need to go. I think there’s an emergency of some sort.”
Hanae noted that the swadloon was more…assertive when under pressure. Good that would be useful during battle, but now was not the time to be making those observations. She fluttered towards the front of the hall where orders regarding the emergency would be given out with Bryant following her closely. There was Serrin, the head of the Rescue group. Hanae remembered him from when she had registered her team alongside Bryant. He’d irritated her simply because he was an ‘authority figure’—though she was trying, for Bryant’s sake.
As she listened to his orders, she narrowed her eyes. “Sounds like we’ll be working extra hard, Bryant, with just the two of us.” The swadloon muttered his agreement as he stared at Serrin.
He looked up at Hanae. “W-we should get ready…”
“Right…probably be good to bring some blankets and other medicinal remedies for the sick…” As the duo hurried away to their stores, Hanae wondered why they were rescuing instead of delivering remedies. She voiced this thought and Bryant glanced at her.
The swadloon frowned. "I don't know..." Apparently, the thought hadn't occurred to him like it had her. Well, regardless they had arrived at their tiny store and Hanae cringed. It seemed her idea was a bust.
She glanced down at Bryant. "It looks like we'll be going out mostly empty handed this time." Of course their first outing as a team would be an emergency...hopefully it won't be as chaotic as she was envisioning. After all, it was just a search and rescue mission, right?
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{Actual Round Two}
Hanae and Bryant
Bryant shivered, his antenna flicking. No wonder those pokemon had gotten sick. This place was far too cold. Or, at least it was for him. Hanae didn’t seem to be having any problems with it. Then again she was better at hiding her feelings than he was…his eyes flicked up to the light bearing petilil. “Hanae, where are we going…?” He asked as he frowned lightly at her back.
Almost immediately she was right in front of him, her face inches from his. He had to squint against the light that burned against his eyes. “We’re looking for the sick pokemon, remember?” Her leaves twirled and almost slapped him several times—he was not keen on getting slapped with the torn one—before she pulled back. Hanae looked unrepentant about her almost cutting his face with her leaves. “And we had to split up from the other teams to do so.”
The swadloon leaned back with a sigh. “I remember. But w-wouldn’t it be safer to stay in larger groups…?” For all they knew there were dangers besides the sick pokemon to look out for. In fact, there probably were: Sick pokemon made for easy targets from bandits, predators, and others who prey on the weak.
…But that was why they were here, wasn’t it?
Hanae sighed. “We can’t find as many of the sick if we don’t move separately. If I wasn’t worried about one of us being hurt or taken down while we’re on our own, I’d suggest we spilt up too….”
“Should we…?”
The petilil shot him a bewildered look. “Should we what?”
Bryant wilted beneath her confused look. “…Split up…?” She was going to say no, wasn’t she? Hanae had just said she wanted to keep them both safe except….she seemed to be thinking about it in a very serious way. Finally she shook her head.
“If we had separate lights, I’d consider it but…” Hanae looked down at the charm around her neck. Ah, right. The light was their aid. Without it they would be lost in the dark. He paused as he felt one of the psychic pulses rolled over him. Hanae muttered something that sounded like ‘we’re not lost, Serrin’. Bryant closed his eyes as he smiled faintly. She never was fond of the ivysaur, despite her attempt to get along with him.
“You’re right.” He muttered about her previous comment. “Sorry, I….”
“….elp….”
The swadloon trailed off and blinked as he heard a raspy whisper. Huh? It was so soft, softer than his own voice, that he didn’t even notice it at first. Judging by Hanae’s look however he hadn’t just imagined it. The partners exchanged looks before rushing through the underbrush. They took care not to make too much sound as they moved so as to not startle or draw attention to themselves. Even if the predators weren’t supposed to be out yet neither of them were keen on meeting one on accident.
Beneath a rocky outcropping was a flash of pink as a Plusle weakly moved in a defensive position in front of a Minun. The Minun was breathing heavily and rasping out ‘help’ over and over again. Hanae drifted down while keeping care to keep out of coughing range. “We’re not here to hurt you.” She murmured gently to the Plusle. “We’re part of the Guild of the Eclipse, here to help.” Bryant had never heard her speak in that tone of voice before. It was almost….motherly.
The Minun seemed to have heard her judging by the sluggish blink. It dragged itself to its feet even as the Plusle whispered, “No, don’t Nan…” The Minun shook its head at the Plusle and gave a desperately hopeful look at them. Suddenly, Bryant wanted to do everything in his power to make sure these two made it back safely. Hanae looked at him and he realized she felt the same way…though he could see an anger in her eyes. Why? She couldn’t be mad at these two. Maybe….the situation? From the time he had spent with her that seemed like the best explanation.
“….There’re others.” The pink electric mouse whispered. It seemed that was all it could manage without wincing in pain. “Further in…” Its blue partner swayed as the Plusle spoke and Bryant slid forward to let the Minun use him as a crutch. Further in meant past this rocky outcropping…maybe near a river? He hoped so unless of course said others happened to be pokemon who found water…unfavorable.
Hanae nodded sharply. “Alright, we’ll come back this way to look for those further in. For now, we need to get you two back safely.” The Plusle made a weak protest before its eyes fell on the slowly weakening Minun. It was obvious the Minun wouldn’t be able to handle being out here for much longer. The Plusle’s shoulders slumped and it gave in to her order. Bryant wish he knew how she managed to do that. “Stick close to us.” Hanae murmured as she turned to begin the trek back.
Relieved that they could finally return with good news, the petilil and swadloon led the two sickened pokemon back down the path they had come. Hanae paid extra care to follow the psychic pulses while Bryant kept his eyes peeled for any predators. It was getting late so they may be out and about, prowling for a night’s meal. The thought made Bryant shiver. How many of the sick would be lost because of that? It was only after they arrived in the camp that they learned that other members of the guild had gone missing. Hanae seemed to believe they were just taking longer than usual. Bryant had a sinking suspicion, however, that something--or someone--else was afoot.
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Lunatalia rolled 6 10-sided dice:
3, 1, 10, 9, 6, 2
Total: 31 (6-60)
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:37 pm
Skye & Quil & ZahraSkye secured the borrowed light firmly onto her harness, not wanting it to shake loose in the undergrowth. As a psychic, and one of the more experienced guild members, she was willing to take some less desirable routes in order to find missing Pokemon. Zahra, who could fly, would be doing something similar. The only member of her team that she felt unsure about was Quil.
They’d had to split up in order to cover more ground, and it definitely worried Skye to do so. She knew how important it was to find these missing Pokemon, and many of the survivors who’d been gathered thus far were significantly ill. They barely seemed to be a shadow of themselves, and the glassy look in their eyes reminded her of many memories she wished to forget.
But was it safe?
She had confidence in her teammates, but she wasn’t yet sure how far to extend that confidence. Quil had begrudgingly gone along, apparently loathe to leave her side as well.
Her light cast a warm glow across the shadowed forest plants, a beacon in the dark for any ill Pokemon who might be lingering nearby.
The Espeon hear a muted cry from the mass of leaves and branches before her, and the psychic twisted rapidly to locate the source of the sound. Mimicking the technique utilised by the Alakazam, she send out a pulse of psychic energy to try and pinpoint the hidden Pokemon. It sounded small, like that of a child, and certainly distressed.
The aura she received in answer was muddled and confusing, like trying to read with the letters soaked in tea. Skye felt a pressure at the base of her skull, the intensity of her psychic strengthening as she attempted to discern the true source of the aura. Like piecing the sodden letters back together on a printed page, it was delicate and time-consuming. She did not have the luxury of time in order to fully practice the spell, and simply settled for finding the Pokemon’s location instead.
Following the signal, she arrived to find a hunched, ragged-looking Vulpix in her path. The Pokemon radiated with signals of illness and confusion, and it quickly clicked into place that this was indeed the target of her search. Once again, the Espeon felt a twist in her stomach at the sight of those glassy eyes. She forced the bile in her throat to settle, swallowing hard as she steeled herself for the evening’s work.
”Hey there. I’m here to help, okay?” She greeted softly, her voice filled with as much warmth and outward compassion as she could muster within her. ”My name is Skye, I’m a guild member, okay? I’m here to help you, and we’re going to get you somewhere safe, okay?”
The Vulpix gurgled in response, though she seemed even more confused at the sound that erupted from her throat. Her ears were flat and her eyes wide. Skye’s keen hearing picked up on the noise deep in her throat, too- it sounded like her airway was obstructed.
The Espeon spoke soothingly to the Vulpix, stepping closer and steadying the shaky Pokemon. ”Just breath with me, okay? In… and out. In… and out. Keep going, hon. I’ll stay with you- right here. We’re going to do this together.”
The trembling of the Vulpix’ shoulders seemed to shake her paws with it as she helped to keep the Vulpix sitting upright. Each step of the process in getting the Pokemon to her feet seemed to take far longer than it should. She could see the muscle tone in the Pokemon’s limbs, and she knew that ordinarily this Vulpix should be able to walk, to run. She shouldn’t be shaking and fighting every step for her own breath. This was… wrong.
The Espeon suddenly felt very grateful for the mask that was wrapped tightly to her mouth and nose. Quil had outdone himself today.
- - - - -
Zahra stared down at the Torchic under her wing. The little bird was shaking, and given the puddle of vomit on the forest floor, he definitely felt sick. It looked like he’d eaten something bad, though the contents of his belly seemed like mostly water to the older bird.
If there was one thing that didn’t bother birds, it was spit-up. She didn’t feel any nausea, though she was certainly sympathetic to her younger tag-along. He couldn’t have been much more than a child, and he hadn’t spoken a word since her arrival.
Anxious to get him to safety and continue searching, the Togetic gently scooped the Torchic into her arms. He was nearly too big for this sort of thing, but she wasn’t sure how much she trusted his tiny legs to carry him home. Unable to fly with such a heavy load, she simply walked back to base with the nauseated Torchic curled up against her shoulders. By the time she made it back, the Torchic had settled into an uneasy sleep on her back, his large head resting atop her shoulder with his beak parted slightly in the struggle to breathe. He was very sick, and the worry in the expressions of the Pokemon tending to those they recovered made it clear that this little one was not even the worst of their concerns.
Zahra shuddered, pausing to swipe the dust and grime away from her feathers. Clean feathers made for healthy wings, and she had no intention of allowing whatever bug this was to remain on her person. It might look like a belly problem, but something just… didn’t feel right.
The call of a guild official proved her gut to be correct.
- - - - -
Skye’s eyes were wide for a moment, the shock settling in as she absorbed what had been said. She could see the fear in Zahra’s eyes, the uncertainty of what to do. They had known Quil to be delicate, but capable- this changed everything.
The guild had lost track of him very suddenly, and they had since been unable to locate him in the jungle. It was suspected to be foul play, or else the tiny Pokemon had fallen ill like the others. In either case, there was little that his two teammates could do for him. He was very small, and unlikely to be found in any reasonable amount of time. They could only hope for the best, that he might return to them on his own or that someone might stumble across him.
Taking a deep breath, Skye nodded to the official and dismissed him with a flick of her tail. ”Zahra, continue your search for victims. Be on your guard and do not drop your vigilance. If at any point you doubt your safety, I need you to return to camp. Is that acceptable?” Her question was not as straight-forward as it appeared to be, as her tone clearly indicated a very different question.
Zahra blinked, her feathers standing on end along the back of her neck and shoulders.
Speaking again, Skye sent a pulse of warming psychic energy over her friend. It was a soothing, invigorating feeling. It was the feeling that she herself could remember from her time together with Quil. ”Quil is strong, and he will be okay, Zahra. But right now he needs us to do our jobs. There are Pokemon out there who need us.”
The Togetic swallowed, blinking back her tears and terror all at once as she allowed the projected warmth and happiness to wash across her. It felt like a sunny day, or the feeling of a warm fire in winter. She too took a chance to breathe, and then she found herself nodding. ”I won’t fail you,” she responded with equal strength, her determination renewed. Ghost & AtiusDespite her initial determination to continue the mission, Ghost’s face betrayed no signs of frustration when Atius demanded her presence beside him. He refused to allow her separation from him, even now, as the life of his charge was infinitely more significant to him than the lives of whatever Pokemon she was so determined to save.
Atius’ sigh was very mechanical and hollow. He did not always understand Pokemon like Ghost- they were very back and forth about what they desired, what they wanted to accomplish. Ghost did not like other Pokemon, or spending time in their company. So why was it, then, that she would risk herself to aid them? It was fascinating to him.
The lithe Absol stalked ahead of him, as silent as she’d entered the great hall. She hadn’t spoken since their exchange at the guilds, though he knew it not to be the result of their encounter. He was content with this, particularly knowing that she was also content to remain at his side. Whatever small energy signature he could register from the dark-type didn’t betray any feelings of mistrust or ill intent. She simply seemed neutral to the whole affair.
The Metang guardian felt a returning pulse of energy from behind the brush. He was deeply in-tune with the psychic signals, feeling them reverberate through the core of his metal body, but this one had come from a stray source. There was another psychic near, returning the call.
He motioned for Ghost to freeze, and the Absol promptly settled onto her haunches to wait as Atius floated mildly over the bushes to search.
He reached unceremoniously into the branches of the bushes, pulling out a pair of tiny bird Pokemon. A Fletchling and a Natu were huddled tightly together, and faint psychic pulses were yet spilling from the Natu’s mind. The Fletchling appeared more weakened by illness than his green-feathered kin, but both reacted with a mixture of joy and confusion as they were cradled into the Metang’s right arm.
”I’ve found two survivors. Little one, please follow with me to the meeting point.” She obeyed, already having learned that there were no true “requests” from Atius. They tended to be politely-worded orders, if nothing else.
Ghost stepped closer to Atius, trying to get a better look at the pair of sickened birds. Her nose pressed to a psychic barrier and she hesitated. Is reasoning was understood, but for the first time there was a glimmer of irritation in her eyes that had not been present before. As far as she was concerned, he was no less susceptible to the illness than she, and she would much rather see herself taking an equivalent risk than to stand idly by.
How could she prove her worth if she was given nothing to prove it with?KeiranKeiran nodded somberly, his eyes darkening at the prospect of so many ill or dying. It was a sorry state of affairs, to say the least, and it seemed all the worse by the nature of the illness itself. A disease that inflicted both mind and body was something he’d imagine was difficult to treat. It in turn made their job much more difficult, as many Pokemon would be reluctant to enter their care in their altered state of mind, and yet they would need treatment all the faster in order to prevent permanent damage to the brain. Worse still, it was potentially contagious.
That was an unnerving thought.
His eyes flickered to his partner, and he quickly cut the train of thought before it could betray itself in his aura. Riley would certainly detect the emotions behind it, were they to surface telepathically.
”If you believe it’s the best course of action, I trust you. Just be careful. There might be Pokemon out there who’ve lost more mind than body with this illness,” he advised, the elder Pokemon fixing a firm stare on his partner. ”Even sick Pokemon can muster their strength for a fight if they think it necessary.”
Turning away from his partner, the Riolu immediately steeled himself for work. This sort of job had the potential to draw the hope from a Pokemon, and to wreak havoc on underlying emotions. There was a lot of potential stress involved. A former assassin knew his trade; however, and the Riolu felt a familiar void settle over him.
He was a gap, a void in the same aura that he controlled. His emotions could be used to fuel that aura when necessary, but they would not interfere with his ability to think unless the circumstances became quite extreme. It was mind over matter, and success for the sake of success quickly became his outward motivation for the task at hand.
Accepting a light to guide his way through the dark forest, the Riolu slipped off through the brush in a direction tangent to Riley’s. He had no intention of wandering far from the Espeon’s side, and sent his obligatory signal every now and again to alert Riley that he was still safe and in the woods alongside him. The signal was always promptly returned, leaving no room for confusion or anxiety.
The Riolu settled a flashlight over the darkened form of a weary Pokemon, their eyes glazed with a faraway expression and their posture hunched into that of a sickened child. He could tell from their smell and the state of their fur that the Delcatty was taken ill, but he couldn’t assess the source of the illness. He also wasn’t keen to approach too closely, for fear that he might contract the same contagion as them.
”My name is Keiran- I’m here to bring medical treatment from the Guild of Eclipse. Are you alright?” His question was firm and polite, his eyes flickering over the slowly changing posture and expression of the other Pokemon.
The Delcatty thrashed, and Keiran quickly drew himself into a defensive stance at the swift movement. He heard a muted cry and a rough choking noise, with each sound following in quick succession. It seemed as though the Delcatty was trying to get a message across, but it seemed to have lost all capability for speech and reason. Instead, the result was a very distressed and increasingly filthy Pokemon.
Keiran slipped the scarf from around his arm, and tied it tight around his nose and mouth like a mask. Whatever this Pokemon had, it was certainly nothing he wanted to contract from it.
He drew in closer to the Delcatty, and helped to drag it onto its feet. It wobbled, immediately slipping back downward and onto the cool ground. He could barely catch it, and instead took to supporting its weight over his shoulder while he dragged it back to camp.
A more weary signal was sent in turn to Riley, hoping to communicate that he’d found one of the ill Pokemon, but in the meantime he would simply escort the Delcatty to more… experienced staff.
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Cysic X rolled 5 10-sided dice:
10, 1, 10, 6, 3
Total: 30 (5-50)
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 2:03 pm
Venari
Katherine, Arturius, Ty
Venari's results were not entirely surprising. The trio went down the path that so many others did and, as the path fell deeper and deeper into the jungle, they inevitably found themselves splitting off from the others. There were a great deal of wordless thoughs, unspoken fears and less-than-wonderful possibilities. They were left wordless, unspoken and ill-considered simply because the very act of giving them terms or addressing them was the sort of thing that made them real. It wasn't necessarily the best thing to do but it was by far the easiest thing to do, at least for Katherine. The same could not be truly said for Ty, who though aware of the potential risk, had had no such lessons or true understanding hammered into him. Illness had been a relatively sparse and mild thing for his clan.
Arturius, of course, bore no visible concern.
Still. It wasn't all that bad. This was actually the second time Katherine had been to the Mystifying Jungle and, though strangely distorted by the darkness and the imperfect lighting of the lamp she held, it wasn't entirely unfamiliar to her. It felt, in a sense, to be both so very recent and so very long ago. So very little had happened in retrospect--a mere two missions--yet all the same she had become very much adjusted to her new life. The familiar, almost weightless feeling of Arturius against her waist was proof of that. She didn't leave him behind very often... it was an odd, if brief, thought to have. It was one that was ultimately washed away as the reality of the search came to bear fruit. What broke the silence was Ty's shout. "I found some!"
Katherine turned quickly in place. The light that she had strung around her neck swung sharply, sending the shadows awry as it came to a stop. Quick steps, the rise and fall of her body caused it all to flutter as the light rocked back and forth. It was hard to make it through the branches and the thick plants when you could barely see what was below you. Things seemed to pop out of the shade. Her feet slipped out from under her as they collided with the plantlife below but she kept going and, in a moments time, met up with Ty. He was waving his hand in front of a Croagunk when she arrived. "They're all out. They can move a bit, but..."
There was three of them slumped against the tree. Three team members, three sick pokemon. Fletchling, Sandshrew and Croagunk...
Which was sort of a problem. The Croagunk was much heavier than they were and Arturius didn't exactly have arms.
"Unclip me." Katherine looked back at Arturius, unsure of why he wanted his sheath unclipped from the belt around her waist but willing to do so in spite of it. He floated away from her waist, past her and down towards the Sandshrew. When he was finally eye level with the tiny yellow creature, he spoke. "Can you hold onto me?" The Sandshrew, however feebly, nodded. His hands stretched out and in a sudden motion, he fell forward onto Arturius and grasped the sheath as tightly as he could. Arturius rose very slowly off the ground but the Sandshrew's grip held and, ever-so-slowly, the pair were properly airborne again once more. It was kind of amazing. She hadn't thought that he could carry something so heavy.
Ty glanced back at Arturius briefly before snorting strongly, leaning over and hugging the Croagunk. Katherine stared for a moment, unsure of what to make the show of affection, right up until Ty began to shout loudly. Katherine took a step back in surprise and confusion, but the reason became quickly clear: with a great deal of heft and force, Ty lifted the creature above his head. The result was an awkward bearhug that left the Croagunk suspended in the air courtesy of Ty's tight hug.
That... left only one. One of the three. The little Fletchling which, truth be told, Katherine though was probably much more suitable for her to hold.
It was part way through the journey back that Ty, and even Arturius, seemed to tighten up and become much more wary. Katherine didn't know why.
Robin
Jessica, Tobias
Jessica and Tobias did, as so many others, move down the main path only to split off as the foliage took control. Both had lights of their own; Jessica held a lamp in her hand and a small, glowing orb had been strung around Tobias's neck. He would not return the glowing orb. It was his now. He would descend into a deep sorrow at a later time when he found out that the light was finite and it would only last about an hour.
But that was then and this was now. Jessica pushed aside the leafy plants of the jungle floor with her hand. She wasn't tall, she wasn't short. She was bound to suffer because of it. Tobias was not far away with his nose to the ground. His gait was quick, even and purposeful as he darted from place, only to stop for a moment and sniff the ground before continuing. For most people it would have been tense, slow work but for Jessica that wasn't the case. She had a unique benefit, gifted to her biology; a second light-source. Shadows were cast by both the lamp in her hand and the flame on her tail but the two overrode one another and quickly dispelled the illusions that darkness so readily formed. It did little to prepare her for the sharp, stabbing pain that suddenly spread from her back. She quickly turned and whipped her tail about behind her, feeling it smash against something. She turned completely just in time to see a Maractus retreat back into the jungle, apparently unwilling to pursue someone who reacted quickly. Jessica, too, was unwilling to pursue; her native skills were too much of a risk here. Setting fire to the jungle was an unacceptable proposition.
"Oh my, oh my. You have been attacked; are you alright?" Jessica nearly swung her tail again as Tobias snuck up behind her but it was to her better judgment that she did not. He was standing on his hind legs with an Oddish held to his chest. It seems that he had found something while she had been attacked.
"We're moving back together. Someone in the jungle attacked me, I don't think it's safe for us to go on our own."
Cut
Donovan, Theodore
The results of team Cut were... expected. Complaints weren't verbalized. Orders were accepted only out of a respect for hierarchy. Paths were trodden down, plants were parted and motion was inexorable from time. There was little to say about it, little to do about it, besides march on in search of the missing. So too was it inevitable that the pair would split apart from one another. Donovan was simply much, much taller than Theodore was and without anything to keep his pace locked in with the much shorter Swadloon's he had no reason not to march forwards and into the jungle. It would be the last time that the two would see each other, at least until the mission was through.
Not that that stopped Theodore. He's probably working on his own were his only thoughts on it. He searched on until he found himself face to face with a Froakie. It was taking awkward, stumbling steps as it tried to make its way... somewhere. Wherever it thought it needed to be. Theodore stepped forward, towards it, and gently smacked it on the side of the face. The strike wasn't enough to hurt badly or to leave an injury, it was simply enough to help the Froakie snap back to his senses. "I'm going to turn around and you're going to grab on. Alright?"
Theodore turned around, stepped back towards the Froakie and waited. In a sudden shift that elicited an "oof" from Theodore, the entirety of the Froakie's weight came falling down onto his backside. Theodore shuffled forward slowly, satisfied to find that the Froakie was holding on effectively. It was... slow. Slow and awkward. But it was good enough, he supposed; he couldn't imagine any other way that he could actually carry someone.
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