PMD: Explorers - Snowcrest Exploration Guild

"Cheeheehee! Why thank you, Guildmaster!" The Shuppet's wispy, but angelic voice rose up from all the cackling. "Hey- You even inspired us to get ourselves an apprentice to show the ropes to!" She motioned over to the pitiful looking Yamask floating behind the group, looking down- crestfallen.

Yui and Toruka's jaws dropped. They had their own apprentice?! They had thought only the Guild to raise apprentices!

Yui scowled. They must be using that poor thing for something. They only allow members on their team if they have knowledge on humans- the scoundrels!

(Wow, forgot to post here. XD Sorry.)

Coming up behind Desire, a young Riolu poked her lightly. "Sorry I'm late... What did I miss?" Evelina glanced between her partner and Ninetails, bright crimson eyes worried that she'd missed somethign important.

Cethin looked emotionlessly at the ghost types, unhappy that they'd distracted Ninetails if she had something else to say to them. He kept silent; soon enough, the guildmaster would finish her announcements.

Desire turned around to see her teammate. "There are some strange Pokemon sightings around the Rolling Plains, not much more. Ninetales advised staying away from that area until further notice," Desire mewed idly to Evelina.

Ninetales cleared her throat. "There are no further anouncements. Make sure to be extra careful while in dungeons, but other than that, go about business as usual." She disappeared to her den, bright red eyes concealing a deep worry for her apprentices.

(I'm gonna have to test Desire and Evelina soon...When do you think you can be on for a prolonged period of time, Shen?)

((Good question. Not on Tuesdays, I have soccer, but every other day, I'll probably be able to get on using my phone if I have to after school.))

"Oh, okay. So do you wanna do a mission now?" Evelina asked, pretty unconcerned about the strange sightings. It didn't seem to be anything really important, just a few odd Pokemon wandering around.

"However much I do love a handsome reward," Desire's eyes sparkled, "I think today is meant for training. You know the place that Ninetales tossed us in for our test? We're going there again. After clearing it smoothly, we're sure to be retested." She took an escape orb our of her pack and tossed it around casually. "And of course, if we can't manage, I have a back-up plan," She mewed, a grin spreading across her face. She slipped the bright blue orb back into the seemingly-bottomless pack. She liked Evelina, which was rare to her. She'd had the fondness towards her teammate for as long as she could remember.

With a twist of her wing, Aria gave a loud caw and bolted into the sky. out of sight.

Reme and Suri, who were walking passively next to Zephyr with seemingly no care in the world charged forward without warning into the dungeon, gazes hardened.

Reme quickly used Metal Sound, sending a shrill, ear-splitting hissing sound filing the air, causing the Snorunt to cringe. During this, Aron Hardened a couple times and dashed at the Snorunt, getting ready to use Head Smash. As he neared, the Ice type used Icy Wind and gust of frost burned the Aron's eyes as he ground his skull into the Snorunt's fridge body. The icy creature's body went ridged and crumbled beneath the force of Reme's steel-coated skull, causing the pokemon's nerves to enter failure and complete paralysis.

As Suri was standing still, using Calm Mind to sooth her senses and track the best route to the Stairs, she was quickly caught off guard by another Snorunt, who had been summoned by the loud screeching, darting its way over to her. However, this one seemed off, with its glowing eyes and dim coloring. As the Psychic type spun around, her anime-sized, crimson eyes widened in a glittering fit of fear as it came upon her. However, as soon as the creature was closing in on the leader, there was glimmer in the sky that caught her eyes.

Diving down in a cork-screwing motion was Aria, her beak lengthened with a transparent spike of energy. Her beady eyes were glaze in anger as her Peck attack pierced through the top of the Snorunt's head right on pin-point like a target, causing the creature to cry out and collapse like dead weight.

Suri nodded to blood-faced partner and darted around the Swablu and fallen, diseased Snorunt. Using Double Team, a fray of multiple Ralts appeared, and with ninja-like speed and precision, the group leaped up and vanished into different directions using the move Shadow Sneak, leaving Reme and Aria with their fallen opponents with Zephyr nowhere in sight.

Evelina broke into a huge smile. "Sounds perfect! Do we need to pick anything up first?" She rubbed her bright blue paws together with obvious anticipation. I bet we'll be able to get through this time, no problem. I've been practicing since, and I've gotten better! she thought.

"Nah, I think we have enough. I've got a couple apples and a reviver seed. And there's always the annoying amount of oran berries that end up stuff in my bag," Desire said with a smile, feeling her edgy personality begin to shift. Her eyes were gleaming with the satisfying light of a challenge. "Have you been working on channeling your moves?" She asked, genuinly interested in her younger partner's progress.

Evenlina looked, if possible, even more excited to explain her progress to Desire. "I've been practicing every chance I get! I've gotten a lot better at using Force Palm, especially." Force Palm was the attack that had always given her the most trouble. Half the time, the young Riolu couldn't even use that move successfully. "It's still a little weaker than it should be, but it works almost every time now. And I'm getting better at sensing emotions, too. They have to be pretty strong, but still, it's easier than before."

Desire smiled widely. "That's great! We won't have to worry about pesky Audinos any more with how your coming along," She meowed brightly. Beneath her layer of glee she was slightly uneasy-she didn't like being read, and having a Riolu for a partner didn't help. "Now let's go! If I keep you waiting any longer, I think you'll pop!" She headed towards Skylit Woods, looking optimistic.

Evelina laughed and followed her partner, eyes shining.

((WB... Ugh.))

"Shut up!" Kira yowled, claws unsheathing as she hissed at her sister. "I don't care!"
"But I LOOOOOVE HIM!!!" Lindsey cried, on all four paws, tears in her eyes.
"Just like you loved this Rattata?" Kira retorted, putting a paw on the lifeless carcass of a small, purple Pokemon. It had a few chunks of flesh and fur missing and two puncture marks on its neck.
"Eh, he was kind of cute. But Thunder is my soul mate!!!" Lindsey meowed longingly.
"Slow down a minute. You just met that damn Luxio today and your already in love with him? What happened to Rito?" Kira hissed, seething with an intense hatred for her sister. I'm getting rid of her as soon as possible! she thought, claws scraping against the stone floor of the cave she lived in. Sure, the guild offered her a home, but she was a reasonable Purrloin and would not curse them with her sister.
"Me and Rito didn't work out. Maintaining a relationship with a Zangoose is hard!" Lindsey whined.

Desire smiled as she entered the Skylit Woods.

Yui sighed and tipped her head to the ghost team, and with a snort, she trotted off in the opposite direction with her Cubchoo partner following quickly after. Erk! I hate those guys!! They drive me crazy! They're almost as bad as the Thunder Twins when it comes to annoying me- "Huh?!" She was jogged free of her thoughts by Toruka's icy paw touching her shoulder.

"Yui, we have a new mission-"

"Really?! Well spit it out, already Lieutenant! What type of mission are we dealing with?!"

The Cubchoo in which the leader often called 'lieutenant' gave a nervous twitch and an irked-out face as he pulled up the scroll of paper that had a messy ink scribble scrawled across the front. "Y-Yui ERK! S-Sergeant Yui, I mean- It's a search n' rescue mission, ma'am!" Towards the end, his voice was much more confident and less nervous.

Yui practically sprang out of her fur. "Really?! Wow! So who's our client?!" Her eyes were glittering- though most couldn't tell from their usual slitted form. Suddenly, her blood turned to ice, then to fire as a new scent filled her nose. Oh you've got to be kidding me-

Running up was Chiroro, one paw stuck in his cheery maw, and his other gripped to the small paw of a Plusle. "Mui Mui!! My mot meh mient! (Yui Yui! I got the client!) He stopped in front of the Skitty with the little electric type next to him, her eyes twinkling and ears sparking as she gazed at the Teddiursa. "Mui Mui Mu-"

"Private, take your paw out of your mouth when you speak! I've told you we can't understand you if your paw is shoved halfway down your windpipe!" Yui's fur bristled and her ear twitched in annoyance. Yup, it had to be them.

"Oops! Sorry- Well, Jewels said Sparkles got lost after chasing a rather rude Butterfree." Chiroro chuckled and grinned over to the Plusle, who giggled and smiled back.

Yui groaned. "Oh of course she did. Great- Now where was the place and why was she chasing after some poor Pokemon?"

The cheery creature squeaked out, acting oblivious as always,"Oh, it was Rolling Plains, and she said the Butterfree had different, pretty colors. And eyes that glowed with a rose's sheen!"

(Why in the world would Yui be in Kira and Lindsey's cave?)

(My mistake! I thought they were in the Guild ~.~ *Goes to edit post*)

(Lol, it's fine. I just felt the need to point out a mistakes *Runs away and hides in a bush*)

(No prob. I wasn't really thinking as I was also typing out a skip post for the Letter)

Evenlina was still excited as she stepped into Skylit Woods after her partner. But she had the slightest tinge of nervousness, as she did nearly every time they entered a dungeon. She clapsed her paws together in front of her, but didn't say anything.

(Hm..We should start Letter back up. I miss it. And Hybrid...Lindsey stirred up all kind of nostolgia for precious Candy <3)

Only a few steps after entering the dungeon, an Audino, looking happy, appeared before the two. She let out a shrill laugh and aimed a tackle at Evelina.

Actin on impulse, Desire sprang in front of her partner with long, curved claws outstretched. They slid down the Audino's pink-and-cream faces, red streaks springing across the bright eyes and delighted smile. Blood dripped into the creature's eyes, momentarily blinding it.

Evelina, taking advantage of the blood in its eyes, moved forward, flashing Desire a smile as a thank-you. She pressed her paw to the Audino and concentrated. Light blasted from her paw, sending the now unconcious Audino flying. Evelina's force palm still needed improvement, but it'd have to do until she could get more practice in.

Desire glanced at the unmoving form. "Pitiful," She spat at it, collecting the scattered poke it had dropped. "Your Force Palm has gotten so much better!" She said more cheerfully to Evelina, smiling.

"Thanks!" Evelina was delighted by her partner's praise.

((WB. Again. *sigh*))

(Pokemon WB for me. I could totally do cats though. Wanna mention the kits of Fallenshadow?)

"No problem," Desire mewed, padding on throughout the dungeon. They got deeper and deeper into the lush woods. Even though the canopy became denser with every advancement, a bright light, now eerie, permeated the dark earth and foliage. Desire panting, paws aching. "I forgot how long this takes," She complained, rubbing her two front paws together. She remembered the dazed look of an Alakazam's eyes as her claws tore off its mustache. She shook the thought away, trudging onward.

She awoke, her nose catching the scent of dried blood and herbal poultices. Her body and joints- achy and sore with the sickening strong smell of vomit along her limbs. The same retched stench clung to her own maw, as well as the scent of something similar to yarrow and oran. She cringed. All she could do was attempt to curl up in her sore state and hug her soft tail.

Beside her was he- his arm wrapped up and the half of his body that laid on the floor was damped as she laid in a pool of water; his snot dribbled had lost it consistency. His eyes were puffy and shut, his nose a bright, bleary red. Pale blue and white fur matted and grimy, the sorry creature listened to to his friends strained coughs from across the room.

He sat still, his beady eyes dim and dreary, his soft brunette paws tucked in his lap, one side of his head wrapped in bandages, his mouth hung in frown. He coughed, his throat raw and metallic-tasting, and he felt her soothing paw touch his shoulder gently. He looked over, slowly pivoting his head and saw her worried, but kind eyes. It was the first time he ever saw her calm, sitting still as well., and he sniffed her droopy cream and red ear in a slightly cheery notion.

~

She slowly sipped the bamboo cup, her hidden eyes watching as the clear green, steamy liquid poured from the rim into her mouth, her pale skin turning slightly reddened by the heat. She looked up, watching as her friends filled their own bellies before moving one small hand to the top of her head to feel the smooth surface of one of the red crystals atop her cranium.

She purse her beak and nipped up a few bits of the fleckseeds and crushed chestnut from the broad leaf in which they lay dormant, stilled and dead-like. Her beady eyes were sullen, focused on each little seed or crumb that dropped from her snow white beak. She would even attempt to send them back up to her mouth by gently flapping her puffy wings, sending small burst of air to push up the bits, but in vain. Poor little ones...Unchosen and left behind for dust...

He bit into hard skin of the berry, tearing it open and ripping into the tangy, juicy flesh that burst with energy. It almost made his day somewhat less gloomy, but being surrounded by all the sadness and failure, he couldn't help but feel at lose. He sighed, feeling the crack in his steel amour that covered his face, knowing he would have to go out and find some metal ore to feed on or it would just get worse.

~

Tora carried it out of the Guild, his often angry white eyes were dim, his ghostly claws clutching the carcass gently, as if he were sorry for it. Following him were the rest of his team's members, each floating in a line after their leader, all wearing mourning faces. Each even carried a flower, though the pretty white blossoms that stood for purity, innocence, and the Divine were now wilted and lace with salty tears, droplets clinging to their limp petals. As the line floated, other Guildmembers watched silently as they went by, each quietly muttering a quick prayer or two for the deceased. Soon, Team Bane was gone, as well as the covered body of the Weedle who Team Bow had failed to rescue.

I hate this job......but its our privilege to lead the fallen through the land of the living one last time, then one to the next world. Tora closed his eyes, entering the sullen graveyard riddled with graves now that the disease was spreading quicker. At least I'm not Skora- When he evolves, he'll be the one to take them beyond the gate of the Underworld rather than to just guild them to the gate...

(Bumperz, bitchez!!)