(ACE) The PYRITE Team

"Hey, uh...Skarmory," Said steel bird slowly lifted his head with fatigue, glancing at the human. "I think I saw some lubricant down here if you want me to rub some into your feathers. It will help with them wearing together, as I'm sure your nest didn't help much. I used to breed Skarmory, so I know all the good spots." Rukh's expression brightened, now a bit more awake and smiling. "That would be... Arceus I am so grateful." he mumbled, getting up a bit and walking towards Dean, sitting down near him.

When the human asked for the Skarmory's name, he simply smiled. "It's fine, I'm kinda bad with names too. I'm Rukh," he introduced himself, then opened his mouth to say 'Steven Stone's metal bird,' but quietly closed his beak at the memories of his trainer's death. "Well guys, since you are all up, grub's over here. Though like I told Dean, if anyone wants meat I will have go hunting outside. Though I think only Asche and I fit that category. Asche?" The steel-type raises a single feather. "If it's not too much of a bother, it would be nice if I can have some meat, too." he mumbles. "Haven't had a lot of protein recently... I'll owe you one."

I smiled softly in response to Phoenix's sweet gesture to me. I was quickly learning that not everyone got to see that side of her and it made my heart warm. I am special.

The Ninetales wasted no time. Standing in her extravigant way, Phoe took charge. "Well guys, since you are all up, grub's over here." I did not lay attention to the rest of her words, my body reactibg pitifully to the word 'grub.' I had been starving when everyone had settled down for sleep, and I was in physical pain after the night. My mouth watered, my stomach distracting my brain. I stared with ovious longing in my eyes at what Dean was setting out but I forced myself to remain aloof. Calm. I would be polite. But Phoenix was less than so. "You hungry kitty cat?" The question was for poor Asche and I winced, feeling irrational guilt at how awful he looked.

His face set in a scowl, the furry wall was taken from me as the Absol got to his paws. "...I'm not a kitty..." And with that, he went out into the morning sun. Biting my lip, I could not stop the thought that came to mind. Absol... are considered... in the feline family... Knowing that was so not the time to be a smartass, I swallowed and kept silent. The feel of the morning was not as good as had hoped. Wincing slightly at my hunger pains, I leaned back slowly as Dean and Rukh conversed. I would not be the first to take food. I would be polite. But my eyes betrayed me, flicking back to the food again and again.

Doug simply listened as (most of) the other introduced themselves. The human's name was Dean, his Ninetales was Phoenix, and the Skarmory's name was Rukh, even though it wasn't aimed at the Shuppet's question. He already knew Kylie's name, so that was almost everybody. The only one that didn't give a name was the Absol. Since he didn't seem like one to converse with, Doug simply stayed away from the topic for now.

Dean also asked for his name. He looked at the human and said, "My name is Doug." He lowered his head slightly, as a sort of informal bow. Phoenix offered food to everyone, and also offered meat to anyone who wanted any. The ghost acted a little hesitant at the offer, since he only came just last night. Uninvited too. It didn't feel right to take the food. Besides, he wasn't hungry at the moment.

(OoC: So sorry for the short/crappy post! DX)

"...I'm not a kitty..."

Phoenix frowned, not really sure why Asche was being such a little brat all of a sudden. "Well what the hell crawled up your ass this morning?" she muttered as she followed after the Absol, hoping up to climb out the window. She heard Rukh call ask about getting some meat of his own and the yellow fox looked back in and nodded her head, letting him know that she would grab him something while they were out. But now that they were alone she had a chance to figure out what the hell had Asche in this pissy mood.

"Alright kitty cat, and Ima call you that whether you like it or not as long as you act like a little baby...the hell is wrong with you? You've been a sulky little emo bitch ever since last night and I want to know why." The Ninetales wasn't wasting any time laying into the blue feline, determined to get answers out of him. She followed him closely, refusing to let him out of her sight as they hunted lest he try to avoid the conversation. "Talk to me, kid. Come on."

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Dean smiled as Rukh came to sit down beside him and pulled out the lubricant he had seen stashed in a corner. Opening up the bottle he poured a generous amount onto his right hand and began to rub it into the Skarmory's body. Carefully trailing his hand in between the wings and the shoulder blades, which were almost actual blades on the metal avian, he trailed it carefully down the individual feathers. He made sure to keep the palm of his hand away from the sharp side of the bladed feathers before moving on to do the rest of the bird's body. "How does that feel?"

As Asche and Phoenix made their way out of the den it seemed all of them kind of migrated towards the breeder, all except for the Shuppet. "My name is Doug." He seemed kind of lonely all the way over there... "You gonna come join us Doug?" Dean asked brightly, waving his hand in a motion for him to move closer. "Even if you aren't hungry it doesn't mean you need to be by yourself." He kept rubbing the solution into Rukh's steel feathers as he waited for Doug, almost petting the metal bird as they all waited for the duo to return.

"Well what the hell crawled up your ass this morning?"

Asche's scowl remained firmly glued to him as he walked forward, his need to wait for her now satisfied. Maybe it's the same thing that made your human so fucking happy, he growled inwardly, eyes stubbornly set ahead of him. He heard her quick-trotting footfalls, her very successful attempt in keeping up with him as they sought out meat.

"Alright kitty cat, and Ima call you that whether you like it or not as long as you act like a little baby...the hell is wrong with you? You've been a sulky little emo bitch ever since last night and I want to know why." He gave her an angry glance, not appreciating his sulking called out and insulted. He'd sulk if he damned well pleased and no amount of bitching was going to change that! However, Phoenix's demeanor changed, her voice and expression softening by just a fraction. "Talk to me, kid. Come on."

Her earnesty, no matter how small, got to him. Whether he liked it or not, she and the others in the den were the only ones he had now... and life as a loner really didn't suit him. Besides... this was probably just her showing concern... even with all the blistering insults. "...I told you," he softly replied, his eyes falling from hers. He paused in his walking, allowing Phoenix to really catch up. "...I don't like humans." He glanced back up to her, pain and fear in his expression quickly replaced by anger. "And I'm not a little emo bitch, either."

Rukh nestled down in relaxation, a smile across his face as he hummed. The metal bird emitted a sound that was akin to purring, but a bit more metallic and rough. "How does that feel?" "Amazing," was his immediate reply, nodding gratefully. "Man, I haven't felt his good in ages... I miss the old days," he mumbled, his voice filled with nostalgia. "I feel like I can take on a million Garchomps right now!" he chuckled, remembering the Sinnoh champion's dragon. He stretched out his neck slowly, before stretching out each of his legs one at a time and ending with his wings. "Say, Dean... Do you know if there's any unique rocks or crystals around here in Orre?" he inquired.

Catching the name of the Shuppet, the Skarmory turned a bit to him. "Hey Doug, were you originally from Hoenn?" he asked, curious. "Do you know of a place called Meteor Falls?" the steel bird's voice almost died mid-sentence, carefully reciting the name of the location. He sat quietly for a second, enjoying the solution being rubbed into his body. 'Meteor Falls... Rukh frowned slightly, thinking back when he was still rock-hunting for his trainer. "Meteor Falls was always a pretty place...full of precious gems and rocks, but some areas were a bitch to navigate."

I sat still in my spot where I had been all night, holding my body up rigid and proud. Besides the flickering of my gaze to the food, I was sure none would notice my hunger. No one even made a move. As Phoe and Asche ditched, Rukh and Doug only seemed to want to sit and chat. I grimaced slightly, realizing that I was most likely the youngest of the group. Phoe, Dean, and Rukh were oviously adults. Asche and Doug I assumed were older as well, although abit younger. Although I was always bad with guessing ages. Either way, I felt like the baby in the group. The baby that was weaker. I would fight tooth and nail to disprove that, but at that moment... my stomach was making a true baby outta me.

I watched with reserved eyes as the other three conversed. I felt an awkward veil fall over me again as I realized I was also the only girl. Besides Phoenix, that was, but she had more than proved to be badass enough to stand up to them. I was not only a baby but I was a girl, too, and really acting like one. Thoroughly miserable simply by my own train of thoughts, I shifted as Dean moved closer to the Skarmory. As they talked, I realized they were all facing away from me. My antenna flicked up, eyes suddenly more alert as I realized I could finally get my food. Lowering my head, I snatched a few berries with my front leg. I immediately ate them as smoothly as I could. Popping one into my mouth, watching the others for a reaction, then chewing and swalloing before watching as I plopped another one in. I could have cried from joy and releif my stomach felt. It was like heaven.

I did that routine until I had just enough to line my stomach, hardly making a dent in the pile of food left out. Might have been sad that I had to act so sneaky over something as normal as eating, but I refused to dwell on it. I would only make myself more depressed. Instead, I tuned in to the conversation, one thing Rukh said catching my attention. "Gems?" My curiosity got the better of me, the hidden questions behind the single word.

Doug seemed to be in his own world of thoughts when the human brought him back down to earth. "You gonna come join us Doug?" Dean asked brightly, waving his hand in a motion for him to move closer. "Even if you aren't hungry it doesn't mean you need to be by yourself." The Shuppet looked over for a brief moment and took a second to think about it. When that second passed, he nodded "Okay,"

He floated over to where everyone else was while Phoenix and the Absol were out hunting; just leaving Dean, Rukh, and Kylie. When he got over there, the Skarmory had asked him a question. "Hey Doug, were you originally from Hoenn? Do you know of a place called Meteor Falls?" He shook his rounded head. "No. I'm from Unova." He responded. The Shuppet has been to Hoenn a few times with Robert when his band would tour, but he's never been to Meteor Falls. From what Rukh described it as, it sounded like a very interesting place.

Doug noticed that the Vibrava wasn't facing the group. He didn't really like seeing people left out of groups, so it troubled him to see Kylie almost acting like nobody was there. Floating behind her, he said in both a teasing and playful manner, "Earth to Kylie, care to join us over here?"

Dean was grateful he could be of some use to this group of capable Pokemon. They had survived this long so it was obvious that they were not just lucky, they had to have had some skill. The Skarmory's body was sharpened expertly by an avian who knew his skills and honed them and for a moment Dean was left nostalgic about his own breeding female. She had never had one of her own kind as a partner, instead passing moves down to her chicks with a Braviary he had caught and raised during one of his trips through Unova. How he would have love a stud like Rukh.

He watched Kylie out of the corner of his eye sneaking berries, chuckling a little that she thought she had to. The food was laid out so everyone could take as they pleased. He was sure Phoenix wasn't pleased about him freely giving out her stash seeing as how she always had a bit of a hoarder personality, but he didn't want them staying here that long. Cipher had moved on long ago and whatever Phoe was looking for was no longer here. It was high time they got out of here.

At the mention of Meteor Falls Dean's eyes lit up, remembering the place where he had found his first Aron, eventually giving him his breeding female Aggron once properly raised. Oh how he had missed that place. "I know the place Rukh, I've been there a few times. Though Hoenn isn't exactly close to here if you are looking to get back." He didn't want to give the bird false information, because Orre wasn't far from Hoenn, it just wasn't close enough to make it in a day. "Why did you want to ask?"

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Phoenix sighed as Asche was forced to restate his dislike of humans, but she couldn't really let it go with just that. It was one thing to not like them or feel uncomfortable around them but this was something else. Something had happened to Asche to make him this way, she was sure of it. He seemed a little angry about the emo bitch comment but honestly that was how he was acting, he needed to face it. "Asche, if we are going to work on this you need to tell me the truth. What happened to make you not like humans?"

Dean wasn't just her human, he had rescued her as an egg and loved her for her entire life. Dean was more of a father to her than anything else, despite their species difference, and she didn't want to see Dean and Asche fighting. Granted Dean would probably just take whatever the Absol dished out, it wasn't something she wanted to see. But fair was fair, and if she was asking something so personal of the blue feline then she would have to be willing to answer one in return. "In return...I will answer anything you wish to know."

"Asche, if we are going to work on this you need to tell me the truth. What happened to make you not like humans? In return...I will answer anything you wish to know."

The blue absol merely shook his head again, unable and unwilling to recite his past. Not like this. Not out in the open, not with others in earshot and not with that human around. He glanced at her, sullen expression still on full. Besides... "...Someone like you wouldn't understand." It was all he really wanted to say, but he knew that she'd likely pry further. So, to hopefully satisfy her curiosity, he added, "...Just know that I'm... not as lucky as you." He padded forward, eager to get away from the conversation in any way he possibly could.

Sighing, knowing full well that this probably wasn't the end, he looked back at her, fighting to at least give her some reassurrance that he was ok. "...Aren't we supposed to be hunting anyway?"

"No. I'm from Unova." Rukh nodded. "Unova... I've heard great things about that region--especially the big cities," he hummed in delight, tapping a sole talon in thought. "Nim... Nimkasa? Nimba? Well Nim-whatever-it-was-called, I heard the subways were great fun, and the gym a whole show of neon lights and roller coasters," he had grinned, before turning to the Vibrava who spoke. "Gems?" The steel bird seems to almost light up, his eyes gleaming as he spoke. "Yes, gems! My trainer, teammates, and I used to go hunting for precious stones all the time. We would look high and low in caves for the rocks that shined the most, sometimes spending days looking for a specific stone... There are a couple that we were trying to find before the Epidemic, but due to well... The state of the world, we never got to discover them,"

"It's funny... I used to hate crawling around caves trying to find a rock, but now I miss doing it..." his expression slowly morphed into a sad smile. "I know the place Rukh, I've been there a few times. Though Hoenn isn't exactly close to here if you are looking to get back. Why did you want to ask?" Relocating his attention to the human, he hesitated before answering him. "Well... My trainer's...dead body is there," he mumbled. "And I suspect that some of my lost team mates are still in those caves as well,"

"I don't think I'll be taking a trip back to Hoenn anytime soon though," Rukh shrugs. "Other than the Falls, there's not much else there is to make peace with there... Granted, I wouldn't be surprised if Meteor Falls had already collapsed in on itself, and it would be a waste to go only to find it in ruins." he was listless for a moment, staring off into space before smiling. "Besides, I like it much better here. I enjoy spending time with the Pokemon here,"

[OOC: Oh my god Rukh stop talking you're taking up like, 90% of the post. >:u ]

I squirmed a little uncomfortably under the SHuppet's gaze when he suddenly came right to my side. I snuck one last glance at the food stock before smiling albit a little awkwardly at DOug. I didn't really know what to say in response. With a twinge of sorrow, I remembered a long past memory of n old friend. He had always been one to put me on the spot, but his heart had been in the right place. Swallowing any emotions that threatened to overwhelm me, I forced myself to just nod too fast at the ghost, shuffling forward. "Er- y-yeah." Mush as I disliked having a lot of attention all on me at once, I forced myself to walk forward anyways. Settling down beside Dean, I was all too grateful when Rukh continued speaking.

"Yes, gems!" My gaze lit up considerably at his animated response. As the Skarmory spoke, I found myself drowning in his voice, his words, and I smiled genuinely for the first time that morning, carefree at that moment in time. I enjoyed nothing more than listening to others talk about or preform their passions. It was like a secret passion of my own, and as Rukh spoke of his old team, I knew that they would have been close. Family, maybe, even.

As the avian slowly stopped the mountain of infomation, I felt myself grow disappointed. I wanted him to keep talking, keep speaking, and I found myself giving way to my curiosity before I could manage to stop myself. "That is pretty badass! I am sorry to hear about your human, but they sound like they were pretty fantastic. Must have had a lot of money, if they found so many sparkling rocks." Not so casually trying to keep the subject open and going, I blinked up at him, still smiling softly.

To Doug's surprise, Rukh did remember Unova, specifically Nimbasa City. His mind became filled with memories of seeing his human play concerts there, and remembered the city being very lively for entertainment. When the Skarmory finished his story, Doug spoke up. "Ah yes, Nimbasa. My human played some shows there when I was with him..." His voice sort of trailed off as he remembers his bittersweet life. He floated closer to the ground as he continued.

"My life has mixed feelings. My mother vanished before I was born, so my dad took care of me. I wandered off one day and was captured by a musician named Robert. He raised me for most of my life, and then released me back into the wild to be with my dad. He then told me that he found my mom and introduced me to her for the first time in my life. And then..." Doug paused. He sunk so low that he was practically touching the ground.

"T-Then they gave their lives to protect me..." The Shuppet spaced out for a moment, remembering the day his parents died. An undead Mightyena took their lives, and Doug took the undead's life in revenge. "Sorry if you found my story boring and stuff..." He said.

"...Someone like you wouldn't understand."

What? The hell was that supposed to mean, 'someone like her?' "...Just know that I'm... not as lucky as you." Phoenix struggled to contain the urge to beat the shit out of Asche for that backhanded explanation. Who the hell did he think he was talking to? Did he really think just because she was raised by a breeder she had been pampered her whole life? That she didn't know pain. When he turned to look at her it was obvious that he was trying to end the discussion, bringing up their hunt, but Phoenix was not going to have it. "No. We aren't doing shit until you sit there and listen brat."

Stalking forward the fox gave the Absol a stern glare, willing him to sit if it were possible. "Lucky huh? Is that really what you think? After what I have lost and what I have been through you dare call me lucky?" Her words were low and threatening, the only thing holder back her fiery rage was the fact that she didn't hate the kid whose bubble she was about to burst. "Asche...listen to me and listen well. You are not the only one who has felt pain by humans. Cipher ruined my life. Until this morning I thought Dean was dead. Hell, I saw him shot in the heart myself. They destroyed our home, killed Dean's Pokemon and stole the ones they didn't. They burnt everything to the ground when they were done. Erebos, my...my..."

Thinking of her mate caused a clenching in her heart that gave the Ninetales pause, forcing the sharp pain to dull. Looking at the ground she realized she couldn't tell Asche and look him in the eye, too afraid to see the all too real possibility of him thinking less of her. "My mate and I chased them all the way here because they stole not only our lives and our Breeder but...Asche...they took my son. My only kit. We settled here and started our gang because Cipher was really active in this town, but we never found him. I...I hate them. I hate all of them....Whenever I think of what they did I just want to tear their throats open and watch their blood paint the ground." Her teeth were gnashing by the end, the volatile female struggling to hold back her anger and pain so that she didn't unleash it upon the young man in front of her. With a heavy sigh she forced herself once again into a calm, but the fury still swirling just beneath the surface. "But..."

"Not all of them are the same Asche."

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Dean's heart was breaking at everyone's sad tales, and he felt a little grateful for them sharing. Scratching little Kylie gently on the head he smiled before he pushed down on his knees and forced himself to his feet, stretching out his back until a soft pop was heard. Sighing happily at the relief flooding the area that had just loosened the blonde haired male absentmindedly scratched at the scarring bullet wound just above his heart, shirt drooping slightly to reveal a bit of the jagged flesh underneath. A sad look passed over his face as he thought about that day, not really sure if he should bring the others any further down with his past. If they asked he would tell but for now it was probably better to just let it be.

"Hey guys," he began, "I'm going to bring it up when Phoenix gets back but I don't think we should stay here any longer. I was going to suggest we head north towards Agate, but if anyone else has a suggestion as to where to go?" He smiled at the little group and tried to lighten the situation. He began to take a look around, wondering what kind of things they should take with them, and listened for anyone's suggestion. He knew Phoenix would probably object but if she hadn't found any more of their family here then the best bet would be to look elsewhere for a while. Who knew, maybe they would run into some of his Pokemon if they headed closer to home. His ranch wasn't far from Agate.

"No. We aren't doing shit until you sit there and listen brat."

Asche should have known that Phoenix wasn't going to leave it at that...

During her angry rant, he could only hang his head, staring at the ground. She spoke of a pretty rough past, her family essentially being ripped apart by humans. He didn't know she had a mate or even a son -it was somewhat terrifying knowing she was a mother- but he was unable and unwilling to interrupt her.

She paused, and he chanced a look to see her own head hanging. With what, the blue absol wasn't really sure, but it didn't matter. She was hurt by pouring all of this out, but... Asche couldn't shake the hate he had. Even if Dean was a fucking saint, he knew he could never trust him. It was always the nice ones that had hurt the most, promising the world and moon and then selling him off in a week. What she didn't understand was while she'd had her home, her family stolen away from her, he'd never had one in the first place to call his own. He was an orphan, a nomad, a collection item, but never a brother or son. And... seeing her reunite so beautifully with her human had only reminded him of what he'd never tasted. He'd only had Jake... and he was likely dead now.

Of course, he completely lacked the eloquence and intelligence to convey this without fucking it up and he knew it. So when Phoenix finally came to her close, he could only nod. Without even the words to rightfully respond, he only managed to choke out a soft, "...Ok."

"That is pretty badass! I am sorry to hear about your human, but they sound like they were pretty fantastic. Must have had a lot of money, if they found so many sparkling rocks." The metal bird paused in thought for a moment, before nodding his head in confirmation. "He was a wealthy man, as his father was the president of a large company... The Devon Corporation was it? It was known to be Hoenn's equivalent to Kanto's Silph Co." He stopped, before narrowing his eyes in deep thought. "Never went to the main office often, but I think they made Pokeballs and the Pokenav thing that they gave to trainers. I heard they were trying to make a machine that allowed humans to look into Pokemon's dreams, too."

The Skarmory fell silent as the Shuppet began to speak, quietly listening to the ghost's words. "T-Then they gave their lives to protect me... Sorry if you found my story boring and stuff..." Rukh tried to muster some sort of warm smile. "That wasn't boring at all... I'm sorry for your loss," the smile slowly fading, he turned to stare into space. "Looks like we've all lost something to this world," he murmured. It wasn't long before the look on his face brightened. After all, he couldn't stand to keep such a nice morning down. "Well, I suppose similarities makes our bonds tighter, eh?" he chuckled.

"Hey guys," Turning to the direction of the now-standing human, Rukh shuffled into a more comfortable position. "I'm going to bring it up when Phoenix gets back but I don't think we should stay here any longer. I was going to suggest we head north towards Agate, but if anyone else has a suggestion as to where to go?" "Agate sounds like a good idea... It's the greenest place in Orre. But if we're going to travel through the desert, it might be a good idea to find bottles to store any water we have in. Don't want to get dehydrated in the middle of our trip, after all,"

(Skip. I honestly can't really think of anything for Doug to do, so just say he smiled at Rukh's comment, and said since he wasn't familiar with the region he was fine with going wherever.)

Phoenix sighed sadly at the pitiful acceptance Asche showed, knowing that it wasn't what he truly felt. His refusal to open up was really starting to bother the Ninetales, a strange concern for his well-being beginning to surface. Even Nikki hadn't been that helpless...Asche just looked utterly defeated. "Hey, come on kid," she offered gently, nudging the Absol with one shoulder. "Buck up. We still have a whole group to feed don't we?" At this point continuing the conversation would only sour their odd relationship so Phoenix figured going with Asche's original plan to avoid it the best solution.

"Let's get going kiddo."

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"Agate sounds like a good idea... It's the greenest place in Orre. But if we're going to travel through the desert, it might be a good idea to find bottles to store any water we have in. Don't want to get dehydrated in the middle of our trip, after all."

Dean smiled as the Skarmory agreed with the idea, little Doug mentioning that he wasn't familiar enough with the region to make a choice. "Don't worry Doug," Dean told the Shuppet. "I have lived here most of my life so I can get us there pretty quick." Turning to Rukh the blonde-haired man held up the small satchel usually hiding under his coat. "I have a couple bottles of water but if we find any more I can carry them. I've hauled much heavier across this desert before."

Little Kylie was oddly quiet so Dean went to go check on everyone's favorite little Vibrava. After all, he wanted everyone to agree to moving before they did. If anyone had things to do still in the city it wouldn't be fair to just ditch them there. "What would you like to do Kylie?" They still had to wait for Phoenix and Asche to get back so there was plenty of time to hear the little bug out.

((Sil, since I want to give Asche a chance to respond before moving into the hunt I will let you start it. I don't know exactly how you want him to react. ^_^))

While Asche was too preoccupied with his running mind, he didn't notice Phoenix come near. "Hey, come on kid," she began, her nudge to his shoulders startling him a bit. "Buck up. We still have a whole group to feed don't we?" His golden gaze turned upward, still bright with moisture. She was... stopping? He wasn't sure what her restraint meant, but he was all too glad for the terrible subject to come to an end. He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat that had begun to form with his thoughts of Jake. "Let's get going kiddo."

Another nod, this one more firm, and he trotted out to the city, tail and head a little higher. He paused in Duel Square, looking around the area, then turned back to Phoenix. "...Where do we begin?" He cleared his throat, wanting his voice to not sound like a whimpering pup anymore. "Should we split up or hunt toge--" His eyes widened as a nice, fat pidgeotto landed on a rooftop past Phoenix's head, enjoying the rising sun. Instinctively, he shot an Ice Beam directly at it, freezing it on impact. The beam went just past the ninetales' head, and without thinking of what almost just happened, he bolted forward as the frozen bird fell to the sand.

[OOC: Skip. ;w; Got back from school a few hours ago and already swamped with homework. VwV;; ]

(Skip me, please.)

"...Where do we begin? Should we split up or hunt toge--"

Phoenix was impressed, though at first confused, by the sudden burst of ice soaring over her head. She barely had enough time to move the slight couple inches down to avoid getting her ear frozen solid but when she heard the heavy thud of something hitting the sand she turned to see a nice and plump bird laying on the ground encased in ice. "Nice shot..." she complimented, nodding her head in approval. "You got some skills when you want 'em, don't ya?" She trotted over to were the bird had fallen and let out a low whistle. "It didn't even have time to blink."

Not one to be outdone the Ninetales looked around carefully before spotting one of her favorite treats lurking around one of the buildings. A ditzy Spinda. Licking her chops the female crouched down low, tails swishing side to side in anticipation before she suddenly lunged, claws scraping across the metal 'road' of the square as she charged her prey. Upon seeing her target she summoned her Extrasensory to trap it in place before her fangs found its neck. Her full weight pressed down on the smaller body and she felt the bones under her fangs snap and crunch with gleeful satisfaction.

Trotting back over to Asche she plopped down her little bear next to his bird and gave him a bloody smile. "Couple more like this and we can head back before breakfast is even over!" Why couldn't hunting always be this easy?

"Nice shot..." Asche heard Phoenix comment, his head turning to her with a broad grin on his face, happy he'd finally done something right. "You got some skills when you want 'em, don't ya?" His grin grew, and his tail began to wag as she came closer to more efficiently inspect his kill. "It didn't even have time to blink."

He chuckled, spirits already lifting from the terrible argument they'd just had, happy that things were seemingly returning to normal. It made sense that Phoe would need a little bit of killing to put her back into a better mood. "Thanks!" he replied, looking around for more prey. Phoenix spotted her own prey first, though, in the form of a bumbling spinda.

Asche couldn't deny that he didn't like watching her tear into the thing, his own personal vendetta against the frustrating species blocking any sort of sympathy for the thing. She lunged, first stopping the pokemon with a psychic attack, then using that small window to latch onto its neck and snap it with the rest of her weight. He watched, entranced as she so elegantly killed it, soon trotting back with its corpse in her jaws and dropping it onto his frozen bird. "Couple more like this and we can head back before breakfast is even over!"

"Yeah!" Asche exclaimed, butt soon wagging with his tail, unaware of how puppy-ish he looked. "At least it's not a smeargle, right?" he chuckled, flashing his teeth in a wide grin. Eyes open for more movement, he trotted away a little, more toward the town entrance when he paused, a nice fat grumpig scouring for trash. He turned back to Phoe, knowing that with his immense success with the bird, he was bound to fuck this one up alone. "Psst, Phoe!" he whispered, crouching behind a trashcan. He nodded to the grumpig, who was innocently snorting and sniffing about a few yards ahead of him. They'd need to act together to bring down this pice of bacon.

((Phoe, you're free to manipulate Asche as you deem fit for the hunt. : ) He'd do whatever Phoe told him to do, just so yuou know XD))

Mandibuzz had been flying over Orre ever since separating from her beloved Master, searching for her brethren. Master had ordered her to find them, to bring them together under his throne of blood once more, and she was not going to fail him. But it seemed that so few of them remained in the land of their creation...

Circling over Pyrite City the Bone Vulture Pokemon let out an eerie shriek, trying to scare out anything that she could take for a snack or even just for sport. The long blue tail of her last victim, still soaked in the blood of its former bearer, fluttered in the breeze, making an almost train behind her as she descended. Mandibuzz maneuvered between the buildings and passed one that appeared to have been lit aflame on the outside, a bloody mess at the base of it.

Landing in that spot with a loud click of her talons she inspected the pile of scorched and molten flesh, noting that whatever it was it hadn't been done by one of theirs. Something alive made this mess. A feral grin spread across her half face and she let out a throaty chuckle, the movement making her bone and arm skirt rattle. 'I am going to find you!

Another bone chilling shriek filled the air, the vulture once again fishing out her prey, and a sadistic cackle followed. Glowing red eyes glanced around the city streets until a familiar scent caught her attention. One that she had thought long since gone. 'It cannot be...' Following the scent and sounds Mandibuzz found her way to a small little window, and sitting in said window was a sad little Shuppet. Grinning she stalked over to the tiny glass panels and got a sick pleasure out of watching the tiny thing panic, seeming to try and warn something within. 'The human!'

Not bothering to lure the tiny thing out she instead cried out in glee before she crashed in with a Brave Bird, knocking most of the wall in with her. Inside she saw a Skarmory, the Shuppet, a small Vibrava, and...a human male. "Well well...what have we here?" Grinning madly she began snapping her beak at anything that moved, forcing her body into the small space and unleashing an Air Slash. Everything in the room practically exploded from the force of her attack spreading shelves and boxed all over the floor, shattering glass and packages, and ripping nearly every pillow into shreds.

Feathers whirled through the air and momentarily blinded the vulture and she screeched in indignation, snapping her beak again and again until finally something caught. It was small, wriggly, so it wasn't the bird or human. As she looked down to eye her prize she saw the wispy form of the Shuppet hanging limply from within her mouth. Laughing she shook her head back and forth until his little puppet body shredded as the pillows had before dropping him, unleashing a wicked Dark Pulse and sending the ghost into oblivion. While it hadn't been a bloody kill it had been damn entertaining and she was satisfied with it.

Cackling like a banshee she looked to the human and stalked over to him, leaning down over his prone form. "You...you are an...interesting find. Master shall be pleased." Leaving them with one last parting gift she unleashed another Dark Pulse, pushing everything in the room to crash into the far walls. Hopping up to the massive hole she put into the side of the building Mandibuzz craned her neck behind her and gave a sadistic smile to the human. "Careful I don't add you to my collection boy!" she said through her laugh, unfurling her tattered and molting wings and taking to the skies.

"Until we meet again!"

As the steel bird waited quietly for the Ninetales and Absol to return, before snapping his head towards the window, expression stern as he listened. A shriek, ear-piercing as it drew closer. "What was that?" he mumbled, and drew closer only to stumble back in surprise as a Vulture crashed into the room. "Well well...what have we here?" He hops back away from the Mandibuzz's snapping beak, bracing himself as the undead unleashed her attack. Rukh hissed in retaliation. "The fuck do you want?"

The Skarmory screeched and violently shook his head as the feathers filled the room, cringing at the dominating, sickening smell of the vulture. He narrows his eyes to see through the cloud of fluffy white, catching glimpses of the Mandiuzz tearing the Shuppet apart. "Doug!" he shrieks, the metal bird using his wings to clear away the feathers before him. Rukh moved to attack, but stopped in growing fear that he would hit one of the others, but stood his ground as the large avian approached Dean. "You...you are an...interesting find. Master shall be pleased." "Get away from him, filth," he growled.

In only a few seconds a massive Dark Pulse had thrown him back to the corner of the room, his body emitting a metallic clang as it hit the wall. He silently writhed with pain, cracking open an eye only to watch the harbinger escaping. "Until we meet again!" Rukh screeched. "GET BACK HERE!" he snarled, wincing at the pain as he got back up. "You won't just kill a friend and get away with it!" he dashed forward, only to collapse, using his beak to drag his battered body forward. "Motherfucker..."