(ACE) The SHIPWRECK Team

For a few heartbeats Saferi didn't think it had worked. The entire plan had been a sham, prey wasted, and territory lost. How could she have been so foolish? But just as she was losing faith she felt the water quiver. It was gentle at first, like riding a wave, but quickly moved to that of a riptide. The water behind her turned to a cloud of sand and grit, any sight of the Phione and cave lost. A sound akin to a roar rumbled through the water as it collapsed, a sure sign of a mission complete. Thankfully the liquid disrupted the brunt of the attack and kept her safe but it still managed to throw her, and as the second strike ripped through the eel was tossed even harder. Flexing her strong muscles Saferi fought and swam until she was righted and heading back to the cave once more.

It was sandy, the water nothing but a cloud that her lungs would have to work overtime on, but she didn't hear the moaning of the undead. Its quiet. Tasting for their presence she grumbled, realizing it was hard to pick up anything under all the muck that had been turned up, even for a dedicated predator like herself. The closer she swam the more the sand was littered with boulders, mud, and large roots. How the hell had this cave not collapsed on itself anyway? The surface ripples with hard splashes as something falls in the water, but Saferi knew it had to either be Thorn or another piece of the land coming loose. Either way she could continue to investigate without diverting her focus.

Snaking along the ocean floor she forced her eyes to peer through the sandy water until she could see what was left of their cave. The entire thing had fallen in, the muddy stones clumping up and pushing outward where its entrance used to be. Could the Phione escape that? Had the suction pulled in or out? The answers escape her as dark shapes dart above her and cast faint shadows. "You bastards." She growled, realizing there were more than she would have expected. There wasn't a lot, she could deal with them all, but it was more than she would have liked. Ice formed around her fangs as she lunged forward, the disorientated undead completely caught off caught as the predator grabbed one. Throwing her head side to side as she bite down the water creature was torn to shreds, its rotten flesh no match for the eel's fangs.

Crunch!

Aqua’s jaws once again snap shut around nothing but bubbles and her own tongue. She yelps, reeling back in the water and colliding with the swift current of the whirlpool that forces her forward. The floatzel hisses at the jolts of pain this causes and moves as best she can to dodge the couple of phione that manage to break through the current and charge her. The first flies past her, arching far overhead, path out of control, while the second attack is more coordinated. Rotting flesh collides with her stomach, causing bubbles to gurgle from her mouth in shock and shooting her backwards through the whirlpool.

Once out of the attack, the water slows. Aqua places her hand over where she was struck, thankful to find no open wounds. However, pain still shoots through her like lightning at the contact. Something flickers in the water and she only has time to raise her arm to defend her face as another attack from the same phione strikes her head on. She grits her teeth, waiting for the pinkish glow to subside and for pain that never comes. Wary, she lowers her arm, looking around to find herself face-to-face with one of them…no, not one of them. ”What are you doing here?” The floatzel whispers exasperatedly. Large, blue eyes stare back at her from a plump teardrop-shaped head. No wounds, sores or blemishes of any kind. A healthy phione. ”It’s not safe here.” Aqua urges, reaching forward to try and usher the survivor away.

”You have to leave-“ She starts, placing a hand on the phione and hearing it squelch into flesh far too soft. To her horror, the other “survivor” turns their head, opening their mouth to seemingly speak, but instead lunge for the hand on their shoulder. Aqua kicks out a foot at the smaller creature, knocking her back several feet before their teeth connect. The illusion flickers at the contact to reveal its true revolting form. Boils, purplish flesh, claw marks, exposed bone and blood-caked teeth. Aqua fights the urge to scream. Next time she opens her mouth, ice coats her fangs and this time, they meet their mark.

The water was clouded with sand, dirt, and rocks of multiple sizes swirling about. For a moment, Thorn panicked at the thought of getting ambushed, but then again, it was rather quiet. Had all the Phione gotten killed? He received his answer when he heard Saferi's angry voice. He immediately turned himself around towards where he thought she was, and finally, the water cleared up enough that he could see her lunging at... Oh god dammit. He didn't know how they escaped, but sure enough, there were several of the accursed Phione swimming around. There was one good thing. Even if they escaped with their lives, they were certainly not unharmed.

Saferi latched onto one while the group was dazed and ripped it to shreds, and following her lead, ice started to coat his fangs as he also lunged towards them. He put as much power as he could into the ice; he hoped that whatever happened, the ice would prevent their disease from spreading. This time, when his jaws clamped shut, he had found his mark. Any Phione caught between his fangs were simultaneously frozen and bisected. After the first attack, he spat out the remains, and lunged again.

The Phione skittered away from his first attack but they were not expecting a follow up so soon. Diving into his own wave, though he'd be damned if he could actually catch up to it, Sanngetall shot forward with his tail blazing purple. Those that had dodged started to retaliate, their own attacks coming in unison, but the colliding Signal Beams were not enough to stop him. The rays brandish his scaled but did not penetrate, his typing a blessing instead of a curse. Without letting up the Draglage lunged closer until his could swing his toxic tail around.

Their screams mixed with his aching fin gave him a riveting feeling. Oh yes, they deserved this. One of the undead managed to throw up a Protect, and though it stopped his colliding tail from doing damage and slowed his momentum the Phione was still thrown aside. Bubbles stream from the seahorse's snout. "Asshole." He grumbles, a Scald boiling in his stomach. Using so many attacks one after another was making his muscles burn, a feeling he had literally been trained to ignore as he blasted the now vulnerable droplet with a boiling jet stream. It popped near instantly, Its rotten flesh was mostly water, but the bits that were solid could be seen in a morbid array.

Huffing, the dual type could see the number of remaining Phione had thinned dramatically. Most lay truly dead and drifted slowly toward the ocean floor, or in pieces that were slowly drifting away. Was that a liability? Would other Pokemon be stupid enough to eat thin strips of flesh that smelled like death itself? Now that'd just be silly even for a desperate scaveng-- The hiss of an incoming attack his ear slits, his idling thoughts dissipating as he once again must dodge. Kicking his tail Sanngetal shoots upward before even bothering to find the source. The lone Phione, its back to the ships hull, was already charging another Ice Beam.

Confidence overriding, the Dragalge rolled on forward, his pace near leisurely before he charged the undead and swung his Poison Tail before it even had a chance to dodge. His toxins scored the ship, a metallic shriek sending tingles through his body as the acid started to eat away the metal almost instantly. However, there was no resistance from the Phione; hell it felt like its body wasn't even-- deja vu. Icy pain shot through his body, this Ice Beam landing across a much larger surface area. His eyes close instinctively as the chill heads upward toward his face, the pain pulsing toxins out of his body. A weak Sludge Bomb fires from his snout as more of a toxic wave, his insides burning from the hurried action, but they it meets its mark.

How, why? Had the force of the falling earth caused a vacuum or undertow that sucked the Phione out, or had they realized the danger in time and were able to move to safety? Do these ones have that much thought left? Her thought was irrelevant; they would die either way. Spitting out the death in her maw Saferi lunged at another Phione. It was moving awkwardly, its gait flawed and jagged, and her fangs easily made fatal contact with its large head. Heaving the foul purulent flesh from her mouth the eel's gaze turns to find her next victim, but before her golden eyes even registrar the massive shadow within the dust she feels the pull of the water moving. Fuck.

Her muscles twitch, instincts propelling her body out of harms way as the Gyarados shreds through the Phione in a giant chomp. She would of considered the chances of it being another Gyarados, and the implications of it eating the undead, but its lustrous red scales gave Thorn away and quelled any worry. Instead, her previous rage boils even further to a peak as the massive serpent went in for a second bite. "Watch it!" She snapped, a Scald racing from her jaws to blast a fleeing Phione straight through its rotten head. "Eating me would be the last mistake you ever made." Hah, that would be both of their last days.

Though his entrance had surprised her Saferi could see that the beast was no worse for wear. His time on land mustn't of been overly taxing, which was amazing all things considered, and his tenacity upon return was intense. As the corpses rained from the serpent's jaws Saferi couldn't feel the presence of any more malicious figures. The cloudy water could easily hide more, but as she strained her senses nothing came up. Making a quick loop closer to the cliffside she breahted and scanned for anything they could have missed. "Nice work." She complimented him while turning back, the praise foreign. "It got the blunt of 'em, just as planned." Her pulse was slowing, the environment settling. Soon this water would be clear again, and the rotten flesh would settle or drift away. It would be nothing special once more.
But this wasn't the spot where purging mattered. Flicking her tail the Huntail started to snake her away back toward her home. "The others should be done with the rest of them by now." Hopefully they had had success as well.

The phione in her jaws thrashes frantically as ice begins to coat its body from the inside and out. It’s not long before it’s movements slow to a halt and Aqua unceremoniously throws the mangled body away from her. A small trail of black blood marks its descend as it falls from view. Blessedly the crowd seems to have finally begun to thin. Her eyes scan the water for the Dragalge, his poisonous ribbons easy enough to spot charging towards the hull of the ship.

From the distance, she can’t tell if he hits whatever enemy he was aiming for, but the burst of an ice is unmistakable. A familiar glittering surface covers the flesh the beam hits, making him a bright glint against the decayed ship. Aqua swims faster, making a beeline for the damaged seahorse before more undead force her to swerve out of the way. The weasel darts upward, bursts of light striking where she had been moments before. Not to be out done, the phione give chase, shooting off jets of bubbles dangerously close as she serpentines through the water. Each time she attempts to swim over them and get closer to the ship she is blocked.

Curling her body in on itself, the floatzel turns sharply in the water, launching herself back down at her attackers. With jaws wide, she snaps at the phione caught unaware to her drastic change in direction. The first few are easy to pick off, crumbling in shards of ice before drifting to the seafloor. As the others get wise and school together she takes the opening to make a beeline to the hull. Signal beams slam into her retreating form. The pain of the impact is sharp and immediate, but not enough to take her down. Several more connect, but only manage to clip her.

”Sanngetal!” Aqua calls out, noticing a purplish mass smash into an advancing undead, but the poison attack seems small and weak compared to the moves she saw before. This was bad…

He barely heard Saferi's voice snapping at him during his lunge, "Watch it!" She darted out of the way, and snapped, "Eating me would be the last mistake you ever made." It finally occurred to him that he had almost hit her in that attack, and he was incredibly grateful that he had missed. When he finished the second attack, he purposefully spat out everything in his mouth. It felt unclean, and he wanted to make sure he didn't accidentally leave the pieces of an undead in there. The water was beginning to settle a bit, and Saferi took the peaceful moment to scout around a little. Satisfied, she complimented him, "Nice work. It got the blunt of 'em, just as planned."

"Thanks. That's good," was all he could manage at the moment. He took the moment to catch his breath. He had traveled rather far, and the time spent on land was starting to catch up to him. Not only had he traveled on land, he had traveled as fast as physically possible.

It wasn't much longer that she snaked her way back the she had likely come. "The others should be done with the rest of them by now." He only hoped that she was right. Even if he'd prefer to rest a bit longer, they had a job to finish. He followed after her and hoped that Aqua and Sanngetall were alright.

His aggressor was doused, the poison eating away its rotten flesh until it dissolved beneath it. The creature gave a gurgling cry, its last action before its long dead body finally quit on it. Between it and all the others he had hit the water had taken on a foul, putrid taste littered with poisons, but it was a flavor the Dragalage was long since used to. "Good riddance." HE could see one more Phione staring at him with massive eyes. For a few moments it watched him, as though considering its options before it turned tail and fled into open water. Pushing off from the sup Sanngetall's gait was staggered, the ice on his crest both painful and a hindrance. He could chase it, this was nothing after all, but he stops himself. One won't make a difference. It could infect other Pokemon sure, but without its swarm it was no more dangerous than any other undead.

Hovering in the water the sting of the ice was digging into his scales. The eye that was nearly hit winces, the radiating chill irritating the sphere. Coughing, the Dragalige musters up a gentle Scald to remove the ice from his shoulder. The sudden heat aggravated the wound on his fin further but he does not react to the pain. Showing weakness would gain him nothing. As the appendage was set free Sannge knew he had to do something else for the chunk above his mouth. Spouting an annoyed stream of bubbles he backs up closer to the burnt hull and gives a sudden strike against it with the icy portion of his head. The sharp shards dig further into his scales, immense pain shooting throughout his skull as thin trails of blood try to form beneath the cold formation. "Fuck." He could bash his head in all day until the ice broke, but it wouldn't do him any good if he bled to death.

”Sanngetal!” He heard the sound sound of his name in a ladies tone, and though his head turned toward it he was feeling less than up to his usual antics. "Ey," he opens hoarsely, his head still spinning from his last idea. "If you're worried about this thing, don't be." Striking the hull again the seahorse can nearly feel his brain rattling as a crack creeps though the ice and a thin trail of blood seeps from it. "Barely even a scratch." He had been through hell and back, there was no way he was going to let some pipsqueaks frost ball stop him!
Flicking fins across the ice he hopes the warm water will do something to break it. There is no change, just increased aching from his other ice injuries. Grumbling, the dual type coughs up a snoutful of excess toxins, a remnant of overuse. Well, wasn't just a sorry sack of shit. With one short 'hah' he turns his head away and rolls his eyes toward the Floatzel. "It's too bad I can't burn away this unsightly growth myself. Though I bet it'd be easy for a fierce lady like yourself."

Huffing her way forward the eel didn't allow her pulse to fall back to regular levels. There was no need to be completely on edge, but if she calmed herself too much she would only be shooting herself in the tail. What if the others had run into trouble and she needed to act?  I am no savior. But if anyone knew their way around the Anne it would be her. Glancing back Saferi stared scrutinizingly at the other serpent. It wasn't that he couldn't keep up or even that he was making exhaustion obvious, but the Gyarados was quieter than she would have expected after such an event. Had the land incident traumatized him? He acted as though experienced in such maneuvers. It was not her place nor her concern to ask. As long as your force is still on our side then it does not matter.

Trying to push Thorn's condition to the back of her mind the eel focused on the space around them as they traveled. It was quiet, the water still, and she picked up no signs of life or undeath. That was normal for this area, but today something felt off about it, like instead of being empty it was abandoned. The commotion scared everything off. It was for the better; if her prey remained safe she wouldn't have to travel as far to feed.
When the shadow of the Anne came into sight Saferi noticed the water taking on a foul haze. It tasted rotten, and the decreased visibility could only allude to one thing. So they didn't all follow me. Hopefully the remaining pair had not been overwhelmed. "They must of had a hell of a fight." She comments, gold eyes searching for either Phione or friend.

But from a distance she can see nothing that once held life. It is only when the eel swims further into the bloody haze that she can spot the Dragalge and Floatzel by the ships hull. The water is littered with rotten chunks and the taste of blood, but luckily it seems the majority is not coming from her charges. "The swarm is dead." She announces both the mission complete and her presence if they had not already known. With a small jerk of her had she motions to Thorn. The Gyarados had done the most of them all and she was not about to take that for herself.
Any celebratory thoughts quickly fade from her though. The thick taste of the water was making her gills twitch, her desire to hunt never far away, but there would be no feeding here. "You two seem to of had the bulk of the fight." She mentions in passing, her gaze passes over each Pokemon. They were not unscathed but neither seemed to have deadly or septic wounds. They had won flawlessly, but for the first time in her life the eel was not content with just victory.

The last phione drifts and watches the injured seahorse, but appears to think better of it and flee. Aqua briefly considers chasing after it, but decides quickly against it. It’s better not to split the party any further…the undead seemed to know it was beat anyway. By the time she’s close enough to get a good look at Sanngetal he is already removing ice from himself. The large piece covering his shoulder recedes without much fuss and stream of scalding water, but the other formation… She winces as she can see the extent of the ice covering one side of his head. That had to have hurt.

Without warning, Sanngetal rears back and slams his head forward into the damaged hull of the ship. The icy wound collides with the burnt metal, but doesn’t splinter off. Blood begins to trickle from the edges of the wound. ”I don’t think that’s going to work..” She starts, the frown on her face deepening into a grimace. "Fuck." She hears as she watches him try again, too slow to attempt to stop him. This time the discoloration of blood seems to grow around the base of the injury. "If you're worried about this thing, don't be." He says, probably having seen her expression. "Barely even a scratch."

”Those phione were just like a bunch of pissed off hornets…it doesn’t look like just a scratch.” She says with concern, watching as he works with his fins, hoping his poisons might do the trick, or just resting a bit. Nothing. It doesn’t even melt a bit. Excess toxins spurt from his snout and Aqua can’t help but reminisce about how similar this looks to coughing up blood…was this normal or the damage? "It's too bad I can't burn away this unsightly growth myself. Though I bet it'd be easy for a fierce lady like yourself." The floatzel briefly connects eyes with Sanngetal, catching his meaning immediately, but hesitating. ”If you’re sure…hold still and this should do it.”

She waits, making sure he’s in position and aligns herself before drawing together another scald. The familiar burning sensation builds inside of her, simmering on her already worn-out throat. It’s been a long time since she’s used so many in a row and her insides protest against it, but she’s able to pull off a short burst of boiling hot water to splash over the icy attachment.

"You two seem to of had the bulk of the fight."

”Saferi!” They were back! Her scald finished, she turns to catch the familiar shapes coming closer. ”Are you both alright?”

As they got closer to the Anne, the water took on a foul taste, and it was clouded with the remains of the Phione. The sheer amount of body parts worried Thorn. Had the gambit to lure the bulk away not worked as planned? Since he nor Saferi can sense anything moving... maybe it had gone in their favor. He could only hope that Aqua and Sanngetall were okay. Saferi commented, "They must of had a hell of a fight."

He responded quietly to ensure that any strays didn't come after them, "Yeah... Hopefully it went in their favor..."

Thankfully, after travelling into the bloody haze, he could see Aqua and Sanngetall hanging around the hull of the ship. They looked more than a little roughed up, but they were alive. Thorn released a breath he didn't know he had been holding and sent a quick smile to Aqua. Saferi announced, "The swarm is dead." He noticed that she jerked her heads towards him, and it took him a moment to understand that she was giving him the credit for most of the work. As she looked them over, she added, "You two seem to of had the bulk of the fight."

At Saferi's voice, Aqua turned towards them and called out, ”Saferi! Are you both alright?”

Thorn gave both of them a good lookover as he said, "Things went mostly to plan, thank the gods. A little tired, but it was worth it." He decided to let Saferi speak for herself; even if she had looked fine to him, he wasn't going to assume. "How are you guys doing? It looks like you got hit pretty hard..."

Slamming the ice one last time against the hull of the ship in a vain effort to remove it the Dragalge feels his head spinning as the pain sharpens. Damn, did it just leave a scratch in the metal? ”Those phione were just like a bunch of pissed off hornets…it doesn’t look like just a scratch.” A short stream of bubbles filtered up from his snout. Well, it was a protrusion and not an indentation, but he knew that's not what she meant. It could always be worse. His limbs could be completely gone with only ice remaining in its wake. His melee style would take on a whole new meaning then, with Ice Beam needing to be a skill in his repertoire. That's fucking savage.

Luckily, that was not the case today. He wouldn't need to go on an impossible TM search, and though he could see the Floatzel's apprehension he could feel that she would not reject him. ”If you’re sure…hold still and this should do it.” He nods, shifting his position so his icy covered crest is facing the weasel. Instinctively, his eyes look away from her to protect themselves, a tactful action disguised as something polite. After a few moments Sanngetall can hear the sharp hiss of the boiling water, and a second later he can feel its heat. The ice hisses as well, screaming as it cracks deeply and loses most its structural integrity. The heated stream stops, and with one last smash against the ship the miniature glacier scatters.

"Thanks girly," he grunts, shaking his entire body to help throw off the smaller stubborn bits. "You got some good heat control there." Maybe it was the Floatzel's kind nature, but she could of easily tried to hurt him there with justifiable reasons. Heh, what a missed opportunity for them both. Flicking his fin up over his face the Dragalge brushes at any remaining ice to help knock it off as guests arrive on their quieted battlefield. "The swarm is dead." "No need to thank me." As if he hadn't already realized that. Grooming himself in some sorry excuse for a bath Sannge's fin hits the patch of scales the ice had ripped open and feels the spot tense up at the sudden pain. "You two seem to of had the bulk of the fight."

Only small flakes remained on his scales now, the bits being too small to bother removing despite their soft sting. "Implying you did any fighting?" Last he checked the eel had just ran away with the swarm in tow. ”Saferi!” Aqua called out, her reaction being much more excited for the others well being. ”Are you both alright?” Letting his eyes scan both serpents the dual type stopped paying attention to himself for a few moments. He didn't spy anything overly concerning on either Pokemon, maybe a scratch, a weary motion, but nothing that screamed trouble. Didn't get to have any fun? Whatever.

"How are you guys doing? It looks like you got hit pretty hard..." The seahorse shrugged, his deep red eyes blinking slowly. "Same old same old." When did a day go by when things didn't try to kill him, despite the savage beat down they always received? "I'll die another day. But," his tone sharply dropped, eyes narrowing as he shot a glance at the deeply colored eel. "You could have mentioned those shit stains had ice attacks."

”Are you both alright?” Concern. It was to be expected from Aqua, but the eel was pleased she had not turned anger toward her after abandoning her with the swarm. "Fine." She answers curtly. A few had gotten the better of her but she was still whole and healthy, and that's all that mattered. "Things went mostly to plan, thank the gods. A little tired, but it was worth it." Thorn gave a bit more detail to which the eel did not argue. "How are you guys doing? It looks like you got hit pretty hard..." The taste of blood hung fresh in the water, the trails seeping from the Pokemon before her clear to her hunters instincts. If it does not scar it was not hard enough.

"Same old same old." The Dragalge shrugs off any injuries, his dark red eyes as bright as ever. "I'll die another day. But," Said bright spheres were turned toward her, the hate directed at her being near palpable. "You could have mentioned those shit stains had ice attacks." Hah, sounds like he had fun. "You didn't ask." She says flatly, eyes peering deep into the murky water for the crack that was her den. She could have mentioned the arsenal the Phione carried, namely the super effective things they were not afraid to use, but it had slipped her mind. Despite living so close to them Saferi didn't often get into confrontations if she could help it, so their known attacks were an after thought.

Giving her tail a hard flick to reposition herself the eel turns her eyes back only to cock her head sideways. "Though a 'battle-hardened champion' like you should be prepared for anything." The guy was a freak and usually got more into a fight when he took damage. Why the hate? You should be begging for more prey, unless your quarry had been took much. As if. She had seen the guy bleeding out before her eyes and still craving more. So then.. The water had been too full of muck to see through, her home invisible with more taint to come. While she wanted nothing more than to curl up in the hallow, in the quiet, alone, why lose this high? Making a small arc around her group Saferi checked that none would be flight risks. "Such as another fight."

If she were alone that would of been the end of it. A few Phione were manageable, and she would be at peace. But no, she could not waste this opportunity of excess power. "We still have to head inward to make sure these waters are remain safe." The waters.. as long as her prey remained healthy that was all the safety she needed.

Aqua returns the smile to Thorn as he and Saferi approach. "Things went mostly to plan, thank the gods. A little tired, but it was worth it." The gyarados says, looking her and Sanngetall over. "How are you guys doing? It looks like you got hit pretty hard..." He continues and Aqua can't help but think back to what they must have witnessed themselves moments ago as she removed the ice from her companion's head. "Thanks girly," She hears him grunt. "You got some good heat control there." Thrown off by the compliment, she only grins and tips her head in response.

The rest of the small crystals Sanngetall shows no real trouble of removing himself despite a lack of hands. ”I'm glad you're both okay. That must have been a sight through to see the gym collapse. I was real worried for you. Er…well, no need to fuss too much over us. A few hits, but nothing that won’t heal.” She says, finally answering Thorn’s question. Her voice raw as she scrounges through her thoughts for words to reassure them.  With the adrenaline starting to leak from her system, her limbs were adopting a dull ache. Blood was easy to taste in the water around them, she was sure there were more than a few cuts on her from the whirlpool.

"We still have to head inward to make sure these waters are remain safe." Saferi announces as she circles the group, watching them carefully. ”You mean go further into the ship and make sure they’re gone?” She questions, confused at the eel’s concern for anything beyond the ship. Had securing her own not been their only goal? ”What else is in the water?”

”I'm glad you're both okay. That must have been a sight through to see the gym collapse. I was real worried for you. Er…well, no need to fuss too much over us. A few hits, but nothing that won’t heal.” Aqua quickly explained. She didn't seem too worse for wear. There was ice falling off of Sanngetall... She must have had to burn some off of him.

"Didn't get to enjoy it too much. Think I attracted every land dwelling undead, so I had to jump back into the water real quick," Thorn explained.

Sanngetall added, "Same old same old. I'll die another day. But, You could have mentioned those shit stains had ice attacks." The sea dragon sent a pointed glare towards Saferi. Oh... Thorn had known they had a wide range of attacks, but he hadn't thought to say anything. Then again, until he had come back to see the dragon with ice hanging off of him, Thorn didn't know they even had ice. Rock moves, something to confuse, some sort of grass move that tripped him over, and Scald were all the ones he was personally aware of, and he hadn't thought that Sanngetall would have been too affected by those.

All Saferi said was, "You didn't ask." If the situation had been different, and Sanngetall not looking like he wanted to lash out, Thorn would have found that response funny. It was something he knew his trainer would have said in response to that insinuation. However, as it stood, it put him on edge as he waited for the tension to ease. "Though a 'battle-hardened champion' like you should be prepared for anything. Such as another fight," Saferi said as she swam in a quick arc around the small group. Probably to look them over to see if they were still up for whatever she had planned next. Now that he thought about it... What was next? Hadn't they taken care of the Phione swarm like they promised? His question was answered before he could ask, "We still have to head inward to make sure these waters are remain safe."

The answer didn't quite sit well with Thorn, and it obviously didn't sit with Aqua either. The Floatzel asked, ”You mean go further into the ship and make sure they’re gone? What else is in the water?”

Thorn had a sudden recollection to one of yesterday's conversations. He asked, "Didn't you say something about they might be guarding something? He mused aloud, So there might be more inside if that's the case...."

"You didn't ask." What a bitch. "Though a 'battle-hardened champion' like you should be prepared for anything." Water races into his gills but the seahorse forces himself to stay at least somewhat composed. "I was." He corrected her sternly. "Which is why I am not dead." His wounds sting, the thin trail of blood slowing as his body works on mending itself, but the Dragalge took no notice as he filled his chest. "I'm ready for whatever you got!"

But Saferi was quiet, her response delayed as she weaved around the sullen Pokemon. She's hesitating. But why, wasn't this what she wanted? Somehow she had managed to convince this sorry lot to do her bidding and come out on top with no casualties. They should be reveling in their victory! Not because they had won, no, because they had beat the shit out of those Phione! Saferi may not be the kind to boast winnings but this was still odd for her to be so neutral to it. "Such as another fight."

Oh. She had more convincing to get through, more labor for them to pull. Fantastic. "Oh yeah?" He snorts, already surmising where this fiasco was headed. "We still have to head inward to make sure these waters are remain safe." The.. waters? As in, for the good of the bay? Oh for the love of- ”You mean go further into the ship and make sure they’re gone?” Wasn't that the point of the Seaking and the fighting? To rile them up and get the swarm out? If you prod the Beedrill's nest they all attack, not just whats necessary.

"Didn't you say something about they might be guarding something? Thorn's words were just a simple muttering but they stirred the dual type's temper as he cleared his throat. "Guarding something." He repeats what the Gyarados had said too firmly to be a question. "So this isn't an extermination mission, but a treasure hunt?" She just wanted someone else to get rid of the guards. Did he even know this Huntail anymore?

Dickwad seemed less than enthused to have to do anything else, but he didn't outright quit on her. That was a start. The others also seemed skeptical but not against the idea. ”You mean go further into the ship and make sure they’re gone? What else is in the water?” "The Phione pushed out most other things, so nothing really." She reminded the Floatzel. Other predators lurked here and there, but nothing nearly as dangerous as the Phione seemed to prowl the waters near her home aside from herself. At least not in the open. "Didn't you say something about they might be guarding something? Which brought about real concerns as to why said undead would lurk in shallow water. "Indeed. Though it was only a hunch due to their nature."

"So there might be more inside if that's the case...." She nods, turning her long body toward the hull of the boat. Despite their disruptions from the attacks, toxins, fighting, and conversation no further Phione had appeared to test them. "It would be prudent to check." For all she knew the innards of the ship were void of interest, just a nest for the vermin. The Dragalge grumbled and moved a step closer to her, his words seething. "So this isn't an extermination mission, but a treasure hunt?" His eyes held a look of both challenge and disgust. Did he this this was a joke, or a trick?

Saferi's golden eyes narrowed, her patience feeling thin. "We are not after the treasure; we are after any Phione remaining around said possible treasure, or offspring, or a queen." Snaking forward a few more feet the Huntail tried to taste for any encroaching onlookers, but the saturated water could tell her nothing of interest. "They won't be a real threat without their numbers but being undead any stragglers need to be eradicated." Without their swarm any Phione left would just be mindless undead, and left unchecked they could easily infect the whole bay instead of purging it. Turning back toward the others gave the seahorse a cold stare. Everyone had left the Phione wrath. For less experienced Pokemon they were a real life nightmare.  "Unless you want to be struck by those mindless shits again." Legends, they were like children with strategy. With a huff the eel dove toward the ship, longing to check her den building up in her chest. The timing was wrong, it would have to wait, but gods she just wanted this to be over.

Aqua's gaze steadily shifts back to the ominous shipwreck behind them as Saferi continues to speak. She had forgotten completely about the part of the conversation of them guarding something. What could be important enough to a swarm of phione that they would guard it even after death? It was just her imagination, but the splits and shadows on the hull only appeared to get darker the longer she looked at them. Her body floating lazily in place with little persuasion needed from her tails or legs to keep it that way.


"It makes sense...better to find out now then later and have Ms.Bell with us. I reckon we got them all, but better safe than sorry I say." The floatzel adds as the group goes back and forth on the issue.
"The darling has wait this long, I hate to leave her longer but...or do you think one of us should go check on her?" Aqua asks, taking her eyes off the ship finally, sounding conflicted as the topic of Bell comes up. They had parted with her in a horrible state, the child having seeing the bodies but there was nothing she could have done right? Bell was a good kid...she wouldn't wander off, would she?

"What do you think Thorn?" She says, addressing the gyrarados. Out of everyone else in the group, she knew he would have the child's interest at heart too.


((ooc: For some reason my photobucket account is acting up. I'll add a picture later tonight when I get on my home computer and fix whatever is wrong.))

Saferi nodded and answered affirmatively to his question, however Sanngetall didn't seem happy. He stated, "Guarding something. So this isn't an extermination mission, but a treasure hunt?"

The Huntail snapped back, "We are not after the treasure; we are after any Phione remaining around said possible treasure, or offspring, or a queen. They won't be a real threat without their numbers but being undead any stragglers need to be eradicated. Unless you want to be struck by those mindless shits again." As she spoke, she swam around as if trying to pick up a scent, and when she finished, she started heading towards the ship.

Aqua added, "It makes sense...better to find out now then later and have Ms.Bell with us. I reckon we got them all, but better safe than sorry I say." Yeah... he was really worried about Bell, but it wouldn't be good to bring her back and get attacked... "The darling has wait this long, I hate to leave her longer but...or do you think one of us should go check on her? What do you think Thorn?" She directly asked him.

He paused as he had to think about the matter. He was honestly getting really antsy about leaving her alone for much longer... but it might not be safe... He took a long hard look at the half-sunken boat before he suddenly had to wonder, "Can I even fit in there?"

((I'm blanking on how big the boat is supposed to be, can a Gyarados even fit?))

"We are not after the treasure; we are after any Phione remaining around said possible treasure, or offspring, or a queen." What a shitty, weak, pathetic excuse. Is that where the jewelry she had came from? "Oh yeah?" He mocks. Waving his fins in front of him with enough force that the ends tapped together in a vague clap the Dragalge gave an annoyed, short laugh. "Great. Just great." Kill the remaining undead so she could doll herself up some more. Who the hell was she anymore? His mental mockery was cut short as Saferi gave her own, "Unless you want to be struck by those mindless shits again." "Hey hey," He snaps back, eyes glaring. "Nothing gets me twice."

Weather those were her true intentions or not, it didn't seem to matter. The others had their own concerns and made them known. Aqua mentioned something about Bell, and Thorn worried about how narrow spaces were. "The darling has wait this long, I hate to leave her longer but... or do you think one of us should go check on her?" They had dropped her off some place right? Without any supervision for that matter. Oh yeah, lots of care there. Yeah, their numbers weren't in favor of someone sitting out, but you'd think they'd find someone else or have a real shelter. "She ain't your kid, right?" It was an assumption, but, you know, different species and all. If they lost her it'd be no real loss.

"Can I even fit in there?" Man, this guy. He was afraid of an empty boat? Sure, he was big, but he had a metal burner and his own bulk. Clearing his throat Sanngetall waved a fin toward the Gyarados. "As an expert ship dweller I can say you'll fit in most its areas with ease. Humans make these things way too big and luxurious, even on the inside 'cause they're vain as fuck. You'll probably get stuck in some halls and rooms, but rattle around a bit and those walls wont hold you back." And, out of the kindness of his black heart, he could always melt through any stubborn metal.

With Scumtail put in place Saferi could listen to more reasonable responses. "It makes sense...better to find out now then later and have Ms.Bell with us. I reckon we got them all, but better safe than sorry I say." Saferi's face twisted in an annoyed grimace. Ah shit. The kid. She had forgotten about the kid! "Yeah." Was the only thing she could muster out. How long had the whole operation taken? Surely the kid wouldn't have wandered off, right? The others would make searching a priority. They didn't have time for that; the undead could get away!

"The darling has wait this long, I hate to leave her longer but... or do you think one of us should go check on her?" "the longer she is alone the higher chance she will wander in search of us." As much as she hated the thought of waiting to retrieve the brat it would save them trouble if she came back now instead of going missing. Though, in contrary, if they didn't look and she had already disappeared they would have all the time to search later. Aqua reached out for Thorn's opinion, but alone reared its head in instead. "She ain't your kid, right?" Damn, savage.

Ignoring the shite Saferi listened in to a worrying question, "Can I even fit in there?" Saferi diverted her eyes, shameful to admit that the small bit of exploring she had done was exclusively in the vents or within cracks. She hadn't gone into the open spaces and couldn't say how big they were. Sure, the ship was massive even to a Gyarados' perspective, but that didn't mean jack on one fitting in corridors meant for humans. However, Sanngetall dropped some questionable knoweldge on his 'expertise' that quelled the worst of Saferi's worries. "Sounds like we shouldn't have a problem then."

Casting a longing glance back at the boat Saferi nearly sighed. It would be best if they got the kid. "..The kid wanted to explore the boat." She yields, voice soft. "It would sure disappoint her to have to go on the second round through."

"You should fit through most of the ship." Aqua agrees as the group starts to debate. The boat was big and the few she had been in her life had all seemed to have large tunnels. "Probably pretty messed inside to have sunk and look like it does. Just have to be careful I reckon." She shrugs, hoping what she is saying is the truth. Sitting out on their adventure sure wouldn't be fun, but neither would getting caught in the depth of the ship. When Saferi addresses them with her option, the floatzel adds an affirming nod. "It's decided then." She says, turning to propel herself slowly in the direction of the cave she had last left Bell. Aqua watches over her shoulder to make sure the others follow suit before allowing herself to drift too far.

"It'll still be dangerous if we run into undead in there, but I agree. Ms. Bell was real excited about this and...I don't know how healthy it would be to leave her alone that long." How long have they been gone already? Too long, though the battle probably made it feel longer than it had actually been. They way they had left though...Aqua grimaces as the memory of Bell's frightened face flashes through her mind. Please still be there, she thought to herself. "We'll just have to real careful is all, make sure we check out rooms first and such."

Sanngetall waved a fin to get Thorn's attention. Once Thorn turned his eyes toward the sea dragon, he smoothly said, "As an expert ship dweller I can say you'll fit in most its areas with ease. Humans make these things way too big and luxurious, even on the inside 'cause they're vain as fuck. You'll probably get stuck in some halls and rooms, but rattle around a bit and those walls wont hold you back." While he wasn't sure how a creature that looked even more bound to the water than himself would know these things, it was all he had to work with.

He had hoped Saferi would have a better idea, but she didn't have anything to add beyond, "Sounds like we shouldn't have a problem then."

Aqua also spoke up, and he felt a little more confidence in her words, "You should fit through most of the ship. Probably pretty messed inside to have sunk and look like it does. Just have to be careful I reckon." He felt it was more likely that she had actually seen the inside of one of these boats.

She then properly answered Aqua's question after a pause, "..The kid wanted to explore the boat. It would sure disappoint her to have to go on the second round through."

He agreed, "Yeah... she really wanted to explore." It had also been... how long? since they had last seen her. The thought of leaving a child alone for so long hadn't felt right to him... but he wasn't sure how else it could have been done.

"It's decided then," Aqua stated as she started to drift off towards the cave. Thorn started to follow her, and he listened as the Floatzel continued speaking, "It'll still be dangerous if we run into undead in there, but I agree. Ms. Bell was real excited about this and...I don't know how healthy it would be to leave her alone that long. We'll just have to real careful is all, make sure we check out rooms first and such."

"Yeah... you're right. And there's no telling what else could have happened..." He said with his worry returning ten-fold. Please don't be a repeat of Theodora or Newton. He had only taken his eyes off of them for minutes... Shit. shit. shit. He unconsciously sped up to catch up with Aqua, and he had to restrain himself from going any faster.

"Yeah... she really wanted to explore." Saferi gave a faint huff as Thorn agreed as well. Had she actually acknowledged the kids babbling? Sanngetall remained quiet, whether that meant he was also in agreement or had no better argument, she didn't know. "It's decided then," Aqua finished before starting on the path back to the kid. With a soft, amused 'heh' the eel follows but feels no need to take the lead as Aqua thought aloud. "It'll still be dangerous if we run into undead in there, but I agree. Ms. Bell was real excited about this and...I don't know how healthy it would be to leave her alone that long. We'll just have to real careful is all, make sure we check out rooms first and such."

The ship was bound to have more stray Phione inside, or even other undead just by the nature of it, but with several powerful Pokemon on the defense they would be hard pressed to steal away the child. Well, if said child stayed close that is. Thorn seemed anxious, rightfully so as these waters had more than one danger within them. And an energetic, loud child is not likely to remain sequestered for long. As the Gyarados quickened his pace so did she, and her position in front was reclaimed.

She realized that if something had happened it was likely too late already. Their presence should have scared off other predators, but undead might of been attracted to their scent. Spreading her massive jaw she tastes for anything suspicious but confirms that, "I don't taste any blood from ahead."
Saferi slows herself as she swims in to the cavern. The water sloshes in the open space, crashing against the rocks and walls in its constant push and pull, but she does not hear the grating sound of the kid's voice. Scanning beneath the waters surface she does not spot a still form either. Though she does not rise out of the water she peers through its surface for anything above. Bell would of come running if she saw and heard them. Hmm. It didn't look like a hunt scene. Had she really wandered off?

Heading further into the caves Saferi tastes again can pick up living scents. She had been here not long ago, but being uncertain of exactly how long that could have been lingering scents from when they dropped her off. "If something had come in she could have easily gotten lost within the caverns trying to flee." She theorized, doubting the kid would swim off into open water. These caverns branched, twisted, and grew dark the further you went in. Weaving through the stalagmites she came to the first branch. It was illuminated by a hole in the ceiling but Saferi's keen smell could pick up Bell's scent from the left passage. "How ominous." She grumbled before swimming onward.