(ACE) The SHIPWRECK Team

Bell didn't know how to feel. Her big brown eyes were puffy from tears but she could still see the little memento with all the clarity in the world. Was Saferi giving her a burden to carry..? No, for some reason that didn't seem right, no matter how much sense it made. 'a ghost to carry.' Aqua was.. a ghost.... Her frown deepened with a quivering lip. Her ghost. Sniffling, the child couldn't stop the next wave of tears. Why was this happening? Today had held so much promise and now.. none of that mattered. No matter what they did it couldn't undo this pain, this tragedy. It wouldn't bring happiness or Aqua back. Nuzzling the new attachment to her necklace the child whined, feeling nothing but the same inconsolable weight.

Saferi waited, hoping her gesture would have brought something more stable from the kid. She was still crying, but the sobbing had stopped. Was that a plus? She had nothing left of 'comforting' words, but luckily Thorn found some. "You can remember the good times from when they were here, and in time, it'll hurt less. It's not like you're forgetting them, but you have to keep going. Especially when you know that's what they would have wanted." A tight feeling gripped at her own chest. Beneath the scars her heart lurched at past memories. Truthfully, he was right, the pain would change to something else. They could only hope the kid used it positively.

She could see now that Bell's breathing was stabilizing, and in some way the shock was starting to fade. "It hurts," she whined, and though snotty the words were clear now. "She should be here." Keeping as neutral an expression as possible Saferi suppressed a sigh as she heard no fight in Bell's voice. She knew it was pointless, and that this was how it would be now. "Yes, she should." She agreed softly before turning her head back to see Sanngetall. He had hung back, and Saferi was grateful he had decided to stay the hell out of it for once.

At this point her own pulse had slowed to nearly its normal level. The somber atmosphere was still lingering, and she knew that would not change any time soon. Swimming slowly, as not to disturb the environment, she moved a little closer to Thorn before speaking quietly. "We shouldn't stay here."

The poor child whined, "It hurts. She should be here." Fortunately, Bell's breathing was starting to even out, and the fight from earlier had petered out. He hated that someone so young had to experience the pain of losing someone she cared about. Especially since it happened in such a brutal and sudden way. He could only hope that his and Saferi's experiences could help her handle the emotions in a healthy way. Hopefully Sanngetall wouldn't wreck her already fragile state.

Quietly, Saferi agreed with her, "Yes, she should." After glancing around, she then swam closer to Thorn to mutter, "We shouldn't stay here." Now that Bell was calmer and wasn't trying to go back to the surface, it would be easier to leave. And Saferi was right. Who knew how much attention had been attracted to the area? And the blood in the water could attract something even as it dispersed.

"You're right," he muttered in agreement."Got somewhere in mind?" Regardless of her answer, he bowed his head closer towards Bell as an invitation, "Hey kiddo, wanna ride?"

With an over exaggerated breath in and out the seahorse sighed heavily. Did this really have to go on much longer? Saferi was in on it too, comforting the child with some bullshit about loss. Rolling his eyes away from the little chit chat Sannge knew that garbage was nothing but lies. While she never wore those trinkets back then there was no way they were what she called them. You ain't that soft. If anything they had to be trophies, non-bloody symbols of victories. He could believe that, and that this fabrication was no more than an attempt to get the brat to shut up.

His brow tensed as Thorn and Saferi went on. The crying was finally receding, but the pounding vein in his forehead only got louder within his skull. "It hurts," he heard the child whimper, and a snort weaseled its way out of his snout. Get over it. Then all their problems would be solved."We shouldn't stay here." "Finally." Saferi's voice was soft, the words meant only for Thorn along with his reply. "Got somewhere in mind?" Grumbling, and swimming toward the mouth of the river the seahorse was not about to wait for an answer. "Anywhere is better than here."

"You're right," Thorn said simply, the agreement coming as no shock to the eel. This place was tainted both in water and spirit. Staying here would bring them nothing but misfortune now. "Got somewhere in mind?" He asked as a quick follow up to which Saferi had no real answer. The ship, her home, her den she longed so desperately for. That place lay heavy at the front of her mind, a respite from this emotional strain she had dealt with for too long now. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in that darkness and forget this pain, betraying what she had forged with these Pokemon for the welcoming familiarity of solitude.

"Anywhere is better than here." Sanngetall grumbled as though a little bit of patience was too much to ask for. Truthfully, he had a valid reason; things would be attracted to this spot before long. There was no doubt that Thorn thought the same. She did as well, and the knowledge made her tail tip flick back and forth with apprehension. "Are you still interested in the ship?" She asked on an inhale, the question searching. Her head was turned away from the much larger serpent, her expression falling flat and pensive. Depending on his answer she could pal around with these Pokemon for a while longer yet. Such a trauma could make or break, and losing interest after such an event would be understandable to say the least.

A weak sigh whooshed out through her gills. Bell. Would the kid still care to explore that damaged hull, or would it not be the same? The 'adventure' had been sullied with the loss of their companion, not to mention their defense unit. There should be nothing the three of us can't handle. The thought was reassuring, but it didn't patch the hole in their team. It didn't mend the ache in her chest. "We can go elsewhere." She added, making sure Thorn's previous question wasn't totally ignored.


Bell couldn't hear the other Pokemon talking. Whether it was their soft voices or the overwhelming sounds in her own head, it didn't matter. They just couldn't reach her right now. Letting the end of her tail brush over her lips the Poliwag started to nibble the tip in some sort of comfort motion. She didn't want to cry anymore. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She didn't want to feel, and as she chewed her pliable tail she swore she couldn't for a moment. In her attempt to block the pain she had stopped trying to listen to the others. When Thorn came closer his voice broke through her self-made walls with all the tenderness in the world. "Hey kiddo, wanna ride?"

She looked up at him, her face full of sadness. A ride.. For Thorn, it was a small thing, a fly speck among a massive wave. For her, the chance at something familiar was more comforting than her chewing. Forcing herself upright the Poliwag nodded with big, unblinking brown eyes. Releasing her tail she struggled to swim the small distance forward to her usual perch. All that blithering had really taken it out of her, and by the time she had made it far enough to settle in she was exhausted all over again.

"Anywhere is better than here." Sanngetall commented rudely as he swam away. Thorn's ire with him rose a little, but he continued to bite his tongue. Bell didn't need them fighting right now, but Sanngetall's asshole tendencies were continuing to make a poor impression on Thorn.

Saferi's tail flicked before she asked in return to his question, "Are you still interested in the ship?" She wasn't looking at him, and her gaze was pensieve. He thought on his answer and his gaze inevitably went to Bell. She was the main reason they were going on that adventure, but her spirit had been dimmed by Aqua's death. He had been along for the ride to fight off his own loneliness, and he had liked the company. While he had contemplated his answer, Saferi added, "We can go elsewhere."

Bell's lifeless eyes and tail chewing made Thorn worry for the child, but he was relieved when she did at least nod in response to his question. It was painful to watch her struggle to swim towards him, and he remained still as possible until she had settled on his head. He had entertained the idea of maybe using the ship as something like a distraction, but she looked so tired. "... Maybe not right now," he said thoughtfully. He didn't want to completely shut down that idea just yet. "If you have a place we-" his eyes flicked upwards to indicate Bell more than himself, "-could rest for a while. Maybe you and Sanngetall could hunt or something? We'll see how things are later." He started to uncoil himself so that he could follow Saferi's lead if she did have such a place in mind.

Sanngetall tried to ignore the fact Saferi was no longer acknowledging him. These choices concerned him as well, and he'd be damned if his input wasn't considered let alone heard. Her little conversation finished with, "We can go elsewhere." Shocker. Again, they seemed to be forgetting he was present, or at least his part in this decision as Thorn continued. "... Maybe not right now. If you have a place we could rest for a while. Maybe you and Sanngetall could hunt or something? We'll see how things are later." Upon hearing the ring of his own voice the seahorse's interest immediately spiked. I could go for a hunt. He didn't pick it, but he could let that one slide.

With something positive in the works Sannge bothered to turn as he talked back to them. Again, he had to ensure his two cents got in, and waved a fin to make himself ever so noticeable as he spoke. "Well, we can't go upriver. That nest I made will of scared everything off." Short and sweet, he thought, as it removed both a destination and hunting ground from their short list. Sure, he had hunted it before with great success, but now it'd be one hell of a trek before they saw any other creature that way.

"... Maybe not right now," Thorn said after some heavy consideration. Saferi gave the slightest nod, understanding his hesitation. Despite her longing to return home the thought of the ship was not a pleasant one. It was a battle site now, probably still thick with the scent of death and rotting corpses. The hull of her home was a wreck; an iced out hole that acquiescences long gone had been in, and an toxin-covered chunk of metal just waiting to fall and release whatever hell lived just behind her. This hesitance, this delay. It was not how she imagined she would feel.

Flicking her tail to turn back toward the others the eel went over her options. "If you have a place we could rest for a while. Maybe you and Sanngetall could hunt or something? We'll see how things are later." Later.. It was odd, she realized, that they had just awoken from a needed rest only to need another for all the emotional exhaustion and turmoil. She was no different. The strain was pulling at her eyes and cramping her jaw as she moved stiffly. Perhaps a hunt would be good for me. A way to loosen up, to forget this loss. And Bell. The child could get away from the death for a while and revitalize herself.

"That might be our best option." She agreed flatly, her gaze shifting over to Bell. The child shuffled about to lay on her belly while her necklace was flopped forward in front of her. Bringing her tail around she limply swished it to brush a current over the trinket. Light made it sparkle gently, and while her eyes did not stray from they did give off a return sparkle. She needs this. Quickly, Saferi tried to think of any places that would be calm or uplifting for the delicate bean. For all her effort only one came to mind, a place she would often hunt or even travel when she needed uplifting herself. It'll work.

"There is one place," she started, taking in a deep breath. "Do you remember that trench I mentioned?" That was so long ago now, Saferi couldn't even recall if Thorn had been there or not. Swimming closer to Bell she tried to ensure the child could hear her. "It's lined and filled with corals. Magnificent corals in an array of colors. But that's not even the half of it." The child peeked her eyes up, intrigued. "If you follow that trench away from the bay it leads to a shelf reef. A huge expanse of corals before dropping off into open ocean. I can bet you've never seen that much water or coral in your life." A little over exaggerated in size, but a pretty reef nonetheless.

By the end of it Saferi was grinning, a sincere smile that was mirrored within Bell's eyes. "A reef?" She squeaked, trying to imagine this rainbow-y thing. As a pond-born Pokemon she had never seen a reef, but the kelp forest had been amazing. At home she had all sorts of plants and scenery, so she had had an idea, but this was something totally foreign. "That could be nice.." Bell admitted, wondering just how many colors there were. "That sound good?" Saferi asked, dropping her eyes down to Thorn's to see if he approved as well.

"And while they explore we can be as hunters will." Saferi finished by turning to Sanngetall as she spoke. "Well, we can't go upriver. That nest I made will of scared everything off." He said as though none of that other stuff even made it into his brain. Wonderful. Only paying attention to what concerns you. Choking back a sigh she nodded. "I guess you can pick the hunting grounds then."

After a brief pause, Saferi agreed in a flat tone. "That might be our best option." She glanced upwards towards Bell, and one could almost see the cogs and wheels turning as Saferi tried to think of something. Thorn was releived when she finally vocalized a thought. "There is one place," she said before taking a deep breath. "Do you remember that trench I mentioned?" Thorn paused in his shifting when he tried to think of it. It was entirely possible she had mentioned it in the... two days he had been here, but he really couldn't remember. The days had been eventful, and between near death experiences and trying to trick the Phione, exact words that had been shared in their down time had slipped his mind. Thankfully, she continued on in her explanation without waiting for a proper response. "It's lined and filled with corals. Magnificent corals in an array of colors. But that's not even the half of it. If you follow that trench away from the bay it leads to a shelf reef. A huge expanse of corals before dropping off into open ocean. I can bet you've never seen that much water or coral in your life." Thorn was almost surprised to notice how he could see and hear the smile on Saferi's face as she hyped this place up to Bell. Hell, he was getting pretty interested in this trench.

This got through to Bell, and he could hear the excitement in her voice. "A reef? That could be nice.." He couldn't keep himself from smiling in relief as the child perked up. Her spark hadn't been snuffed out after all. He knew that kids could be resilient, but... even he knew that everyone had their limits.

Saferi directed her golden gaze back to him as she asked, "That sound good?"

He met her eyes as he responded, "Yeah. That sounds perfect!" The change to colorful scenery would hopefully uplift Bell, and they could try to recover from their recent horrors.

She finished by turning back to Sanngetall, "And while they explore we can be as hunters will."

The sea dragon simply commented while waving a fin, "Well, we can't go upriver. That nest I made will of scared everything off." Any irritation was shoved to the side as Thorn tried to focus on their next destination.

"I guess you can pick the hunting grounds then." Unfortunately, he couldn't help them here. He only barely knew the area...

"I guess you can pick the hunting grounds then." Oh? Was that her version of being polite? The sea horse could gag. First some overindulgent story for a kid, now she was going out of her way to let him choose? It was almost too much. With a wave of a fin he gave a soft laugh. There was no way she wanted that; she had made herself the native and knew this place like her own tail. He was nothing more than an atrocious tourist seeking to use the environment for his own gain. Oh well.

"Oh, it'd be my honor." His eyes rolled, snout wrinkling into a sort of cocky smile. "Cause I totally know the area." Aside from this river and the leisurely trail he had traversed to get here he was truly a stranger in a foreign land. Not that he cared. He had never been one to be afraid of new places and things. "Well, lets see what we can scrounge up." Giving a shrug Sanngetall continued forward to the riverfront, he started heading out as though said journey had already started.

"Yeah. That sounds perfect!"
"Well, lets see what we can scrounge up."
Saferi nodded, satisfied that the others did not argue while choosing to ignore the latter's laced words. Then we're agreed. Saferi took one last look at the estuary, letting her eyes linger on the dissipating signs of a kill. Soon these waters would be completely clear, any chunks settling on the banks or riverbed and new passing Pokemon being completely oblivious to the events that occurred. It would be like any other hunt, any other kill site. Like the ones I leave. The ones Im about to create. Her hard expression did not change as she sighed subtlety and turned her face back toward the mouth of the river. "Then let's go." She said brusquely.

Behind her, Bell could see Saferi was not looking back. She was moving with her head locked forward at a fairly steady pace. That was something the eel would do, but not her. Popping upright and shifting so she could look over Thorn's crest Bell watched their so called sanctuary fade away as more and more water filled the distance between them. Part of her heart was tugged within her chest, wishing to stay, longing to go back to something that no longer existed, and by the time the tang of saltwater brushed her gills she couldn't even see that place anymore. A solemn frown coated her face as she fell neatly back onto her perch. Somehow, she knew deep inside they would not be coming back.

With a soft sigh Bell watched Saferi round the river mouth and swim through the open water without breaking pace. She was quiet, more than she had been recently and even more so than normal. For whatever reason it made things all the more worse. With a tiny groan Bell huddled up on herself and let her eyes rest on the tiny new pendant rather than pacing scenery she had seen before. Could coral really help with this pain? Could anything? Such thoughts proved only to make her feel sick, and for the time being the child tried to shut off her brain.

Saferi was having little luck doing the same. She had managed to swallow her emotions but every time she tried to clear her mind she would be reminded by something of things long gone. Her friend, the Phione, her quiet life, and as they passed by it, the caverns. Slowing their pace to look into its mouth she could see mud and stones clogging its passageways and demolishing the layout she had agonized herself to memorize. A shame. Truly, it was. Turning her head back Saferi sighed to herself but said nothing as she continued to travel in silence. They moved further, and further, a path that would eventually close in on the ship if they continued. A landmark, a set of rising stones with a hole going through them, the eel veered sharply into the center of the bay.

"Not much further," was the first thing she said as they passed it. Only a few more minutes went by before she could see the crevice, and as they got closer the bright colors of the corals were visible as well. The space was wide, a deep scar within the seafloor, though it was not as deep as one would expect. "There." She said simply after coming to a stop. "Follow that to the south and you'll come to the shelf." Technically they would be doubling back but it allowed for easily travel and Saferi couldn't be bothered to give out that detail. Turning around she started swimming off within moments and gave a curt farewell. "We can meet back at the stone."

Despite Saferi's attempts to be accomadating, Sanngetall didn't seem to take it seriously. His voice dripped with sarcasm as he said, "Oh, it'd be my honor. Cause I totally know the area. He rolled his eyes and continued, "Well, lets see what we can scrounge up." After giving his two cents, he kept going as if unwilling to wait.

Again, Saferi just ignored Sanngetall's attitude, and she looked back at their former haven. "Then let's go," she said finally and started heading down the river. She didn't look back. Before he followed her, Thorn looked back one last time. The ribbons of red were dissipating quickly. They had spent two nights of relative peace here, and that ended in one fell swoop. He highly doubted they were going to come back here anytime soon. If ever. His eyes noticed something flapping in the gentle current, and he took a closer look. It was the torn remains of Aqua's hat. Maybe if they found something a little more permanent, they could come back for it, but for now, he had to leave it. With a heavy heart, he followed the Huntail and Dragalge back to the ocean.

The group traveled in silence, and even though he wanted to cheer up Bell, the child didn't seem inclined to talk. So he kept quiet and tried to keep his mind off of the things he had seen, and to keep his mind from spiraling into thoughts about that happening to his loved ones. It wasn't helped when he passed by the collapsed cavern from the day prior. Thankfully, going somewhere new meant that he had to pay more attention to where he was going because if he needed to travel this area, then knowing the layout would help. No one spoke until they got to some strange stones that stood out. There was a big hole in between them, and Thorn couldn't help but wonder what happened to make the strange natural structure. Saferi said, "Not much further." She then veered sharply towards the bay, and soon, they could see a mass of color. It wasn't long before Saferi stopped and said, "There. Follow that to the south and you'll come to the shelf." She then started to swim off. "We can meet back at the stone."

"Alright. See ya." As she left them, he headed closer to the coral filled crevice. Once they got close enough to where they could see it in all of its glory, he tried to prompt Bell into talking. "Look at all these colors! I never saw anything like this underwater where I was from." He wasn't entirely feigning wonder here. While he had traveled in the ocean, he hadn't been able to enjoy just how pretty a lot of it was. Especially in comparison to his rather dreary lake home.

Without the courtesy of so much as a goodbye the party made their way out of the fresh water. As the salty tang brushed his gills and they weaved through jutted stones the Dragalge let his eyes linger on the spot he had rested before the incident. Relatively speaking, that wasn't that long ago, but that god awful sick feeling he had been unable to shake had subsided. His head no longer pulsed with heat, just a faint headache he had almost forgotten, and his other ailments had also fallen back to a manageable status. Had he just imagined the shitty feelings, or had this adrenaline rush helped to block them from his mind? Sanngetall did not know, but even in their silent travels with little to distract him they did not return.

Normally, such silence would be a blessing to him. An opportunity to spout nonsense and rattle his companions for a good laugh. Freedom from the blithering of a child with no understanding of the hellhole she lived in. A chance to let his mind wander without other priorities bogging him down. This quiet did none of that. Even his thoughts had gone still as they traveled, passing their last battle spot with little more than a tilt of the head in acknowledgement. Was this to be their destiny? To live day to day like its their last, and just force themselves to move on? That was his childhood, his adolescence, his youth. Upon returning to the sea Sanngetall had made it a point not to live like a prey item. He would not let these other Pokemon return him to that.

Upon making it to the coral bed and bidding a heavily lacking farewell to the others Saferi turned them around, her gold eyes blank as she motionlessly prompted for him to take the lead. With a small tilt of his head the dragon just shrugged and swam in what he recalled was the way to the kelp beds. That's as good a start as any. Hunting any place two days in a row was a bad idea, his devastation of the river system was proof of that. When the massive stalks came into sight the seahorse simply kept moving, altering his course to pick a different destination. "I take it you know all of this area." He spoke as a statement and not a question. The answer was obvious, but he would not suffer the silence any longer.

"Alright. See ya."
It was strange, Bell thought, that her gaze had caught sight of the colors peaking out of the trench but instead of taking it all in she was watching Saferi swim away. What if that was the last time she saw her? She saw Aqua the night before, but she had been too sleepy to really see her this morning. And now she wouldn't see her again. As Saferi's tail disappeared within the blue water Bell finally let her eyes go back to the coral. She had to trust that the ell knew what she was doing, and that tragedy would not strike again.

With a small sigh Bell accepted that she would have to go for this little adventure even if she wasn't feeling it. Thorn moved closer, and she could see the fun shapes and colors of the corals that dotted the crevice. Opening her eyes a little bit more Bell watched with some sort of intrigue. She could swim inside that, along the trench and among the corals as they made their way to the beautiful shelf. On any other given day she would be there in a heartbeat, but today, she just.. couldn't be bothered despite the twitching of her tail.

But with every inch closer they got the Poliwag could feel her natural curiosity coming back and want to explore. "Look at all these colors! I never saw anything like this underwater where I was from." Thorn seemed cheerful about the place. Well, it was pretty cool so far. "Me neither." Bell said softly. "My pond didn't have coral. But the grass was all dotted in pretty flowers." Blinking at the marine life Bell could almost imagine it as the delicate flowers that grew around her. "An underwater flower garden." She mumbled the thought aloud before deciding to swim freely. The coral was begging her to come closer with an array of scents that again reminded her of flowers. She could practically touch the polyps of some orange tube coral when she stopped to admire its cinnamon scent. Tapping the tendrils she watched them retreat while the smell lingered. "Why doesn't all water have coral?"


Hunting was her specialty. She was a master predator, ruthless, calculated, and non-wasteful. Her body needed fresh, raw meat after the hell it'd been through, but the eel just did not feel like engaging in the thrill of the hunt. It was like her flame had gone out, like she was but a bull without its balls; a creature fit for nothing but slaughter. No. She was more than a hunter or breeder, and had let situations get to her. I've shown weakness. Is that what she was calling it? Or was it simply emotion, a breaking of those walls she had formed so many years ago? With a slight change in angle she felt her pendants brush to the side of her throat almost as a reminder of the last time she opened up. It caused nothing but suffering.

"I take it you know all of this area."

Sannge's voice broke through her thoughts most disruptively. Was that rhetorical, a mere bid for her attention? Of course she knew, that's why she had allowed him lead- for a fresh perspective on the days choice of hunting ground. They had already bypassed their prior spot, so at least he had the sense to look elsewhere. "You are not that daft." She grumbled, but the words were by no means a compliment. "If you must have some guidance, north-north-west. But stay west." The low tide beds should be in good supply since her last visit. As long as they didn't stray too close to the ship it would be an uneventful trip.

Thorn was extremely relieved when Bell's natural curiosity reappeared. She quietly responded, "Me neither. My pond didn't have coral. But the grass was all dotted in pretty flowers. An underwater flower garden." It was even better when she started to swim on her own, and she approached a particularly colorful orange coral that was shaped like a tube.
"Why doesn't all water have coral?" She asked suddenly.

As she had examined the coral, he had kept an eye on her, but he was also taking in the colorful reef on his own. The sudden question made him stop suddenly as he tried to bring his thoughts back to the present in order to answer it. "Uh. I'm not sure?" Was his answer. "My human had mentioned something about the differences in water when talking to someone about Corsola, but I'm not sure if that's the same thing. Could be something about the salt." The last part of his rambling was just a thought that entered his head.

Saferi wasn't having it. Her silence persisted to the point that awkwardness had vanished beneath annoyance. "You are not that daft." She finally said, making it clear she did not wish to converse. "Yeah, well. I try." Sanngetall huffed, narrowing his gaze while knowing full well that she could not see it from behind him. Was she seriously going to do this right now? They needed to eat, to kill, to vent these feelings. Why waste that time? He would find a good hunting ground eventually, but why force him to search blindly when he clearly didn't care enough to really look.

The sea floor sloped, creating a big but swallow dip in the ground as the pair swam past. The seahorse could see it was littered with seashells, pretty full shells humans would have gone crazy for. Hah. Dumb creatures. Letting his gaze linger as they swam past he looked for any crustaceans or innovative Pokemon that may be below, but caught nothing of interest. What a shame. "If you must have some guidance, north-north-west. But stay west." Saferi finally said, as though annoyed by his attempt to find something in this backwash area. His crest rippled with irritation, so pleased that she finally decided to pitch in. "Well now we're getting somewhere," he barked before taking note of their direction and immediately changing course.

Speeding up he set a quick pace to counter their lack of conversation. Stick west. Normally he'd call her a dumbass, but the seahorse knew she was just trying to avoid the ship and any sight of it as they swam past. Sure, they were still very far out, but he wasn't eager to see that hell again.
As they got closer to the shoreline Sanngetall could taste the change in the water. Air brushed the agitated surface more vigorously, the seabed turned into harsh stones and boulders. Tidepools and swallow water could be seen from above, but Sangetall knew what they were getting into; he could taste the live being nearby. "This'll do nicely." He breathed, veering away from Saferi without another word.

"Uh. I'm not sure? My human had mentioned something about the differences in water when talking to someone about Corsola, but I'm not sure if that's the same thing. Could be something about the salt." The water? Like temperature? Or was it the salt? That was the stuff in the seawater right? She had noticed it during her first splashdown, the twinge, the zest in her gills as though someone had squeezed sour berry juice in them. It kinda hurt at first, an uncomfortable feeling that made breathing unpleasant, but she had gotten so used to it now she didn't even notice anymore.

Cocking her head at the coral before her Bell made a face at it. Nothing happened, and instead she gently tapped it with her foot and watched as the polyps retreated inward. It was so fast, as though it was cringing with surprise. The plant almost seemed like it was alive in that moment before huddling up like a fungus. Maybe they aren't as adaptable as Pokemon? The poor things; freshwater was soooo much better than this salty stuff but they would never know it. A frown coated her face as she swam away from the one she was tormenting and continued down the trench.

"That's too bad." She sighed, looking onward in hopes of spotting their destination. "All the colors make the water look like a rainbow. And rainbows are great!" Bell tried to speak cheerfully but her words felt hollow. Picking up speed she dashed between jutting tubes and stalks, enjoying the delightful scents each different coral gave off. This should have been so much fun, and while she managed to smile it just felt so.... fake. Continuing to move she swore she could see their pathway opening up and a small bead of excitement bounced in her stomach. "Oh," she gasped. "Is this the place?" The water had too much of a haze to it to see yet. The corals, literally, were hiding right under their noses. Anything could be hiding just under their noses... Bell slowed, practically stopping as the worrying thought mocked her. "There.. There wont be anything dangerous, right Mr. Thorn?"


Sanngetall was huffing and irritated, making it clear she was displeasing him. As if that mattered. Letting her eyes fall to a half-lidded glaze Saferi said nothing, thought nothing, and tried to feel nothing. In the far distance they were swimming past her home. It was once a place of peace, of solace, now it was just a monument to an extermination and failed exploration. They passed it by, making it to the far end of the bay without even batting an eye. .... Would she ever go back? It was no longer the place it once was. Even with the corpses cleaned up it just... wouldn't be the same. Not even her life style could survive. How had her hardened soul been damaged by such insignificant Pokemon?

"This'll do nicely." Sanngetall spoke loudly, clearly trying to be obnoxious even now as he swam away from her. Saferi's expression did not change. It was subtle, but his boisterous attitude was even. There was something different about him, perhaps the same change she was fighting. Yet, he did not seem troubled in the same way and was clearly pumped to take his frustrations out on his prey of choice. He was out of sight, and while the sloshing masked most movements it was hard to miss the slamming sound of a venting being. Following the noise Saferi watched as the seahorse charged a Krabby over and over, the sandy spot it was in protecting it from most the impact. Clearly, that did not matter to him. "Who's eating who." She snorted, as another slam caused one of the Krabby's legs to pop off.

Bell made a face at the coral and tapped it before she said, "That's too bad. All the colors make the water look like a rainbow. And rainbows are great!" Despite the cheerful words, Thorn could sense she wasn't feeling it entirely. It wasn't too surprising given the emotional turmoil from earlier and the sudden, brutal death. However, she was darting around and through the colorful coral, and she seemed to be having fun. He followed her along, but his size kept him from attempting any of her fun maneuvers. "Oh," she gasped. "Is this the place?" The haze at the far end made it difficult to see, and all they had to go on was Saferi's directions. She suddenly paused and asked, "There.. There wont be anything dangerous, right Mr. Thorn?"

The question made him stop dead in his tracks. There wasn't an easy way to answer that question, and he didn't want to lie to her. Especially after what happened this morning. "Honestly, I don't know until we get there. Things aren't... as simple as they used to be. I'm keeping an eye out, and don't wander off too far from me, and we should be okay. A lot of things are scared of me, so that should help keep things away." He had a feeling he completely butchered that, but it was the best he could do.

Sanngetall could feel his blood pumping. Finally, he felt alive once more, and with each consecutive hit against the unfortunate crab his gills pick up speed. For whatever reason his strikes were doing little, as though he was ramming a stone, but the sensation of lifeblood was enough to keep him going and blind him of all other thought. The Krabby was not as thrilled, scuttling between hits in any direction it could manage. Its face and most its body was buried within the sand, and the seahorse's fast motions made it too difficult to counterattack. At the first opportunity it was given it released a stream of bubbles to launch itself away. Slipping free of its aggressor it seemed the sounded stones would not let it go so easily.

Swooping with a vengeance the seahorse dove at it again, giving a flip before smashing it tail against its carapace. A crack formed, a leg coming free as the hard surface allowed his strike to truly take hold. The Krabby spat bubbles at him, desperate to not be food, but Sanngetall was not in the sparing mood. "Who's eating who." Saferi mocked as he landed a deadly blow. Massive cracks spread across its shell and its eyes bugged out. In an instant its resistance had ceased and he clutched the crab close to release a pool of toxins against its shell. Daring to glare at the eel he groaned, "Har."

Was she going to do anything? She had not wanted to choose, or lead, talk, and now hunt or feed? As his acidic poison bore through the shell of his catch the hunter was free to feed on the fresh, flavorful meat within. Even now she did not seem interested in finding her own catch as he devoured the fruits of his labor and cast the remnants aside. Though tasty crabs had little reward for their effort, and as the shells hit the hard stones his stomach was already begging for more. "Do something will ya?" He said with a roll of his eyes. If she continued to be a bore then he wasn't about to stay.

"Honestly, I don't know until we get there. Things aren't... as simple as they used to be." Bell paddled unevenly, worries clear on her face. "I'm keeping an eye out, and don't wander off too far from me, and we should be okay. A lot of things are scared of me, so that should help keep things away." So they weren't safe from the bad things anywhere? No matter where they went something would be looking for them, or find them and cause more suffering? The Poliwag's face tightened more with each realization, until she really rethought about the last bit. "But you're not scary!" She argued, turning around to face the giant Pokemon. "You're the nicest guy I know." She turned forward once more to continue swimming, but tilted herself to look over her shoulder with big eyes.

Those words had come so easily, so fast she didn't have to think. Were other Pokemon really afraid of Mr. Thorn? He had never given her a reason to doubt him, to fear him, but she didn't quite understand what he meant. Was it just because he was big? Such thoughts were a welcome distraction. Bell was able to swim forward without bogging herself down, or stop every few feet to look at another coral. She did stop for the best ones, taking them in as she got really up close and personal, but for the most part she just kept swimming.

That is, until she saw their pathway starting to open up. Bell's mouth opened as she blinked. Was this real? She paddled a little faster, having already forgotten Thorn's warning as she put distance between them. The further she went the more the trench widened, the coral sheets lining it growing further apart. Her mind raced. What did this massive this look like from above? A giant scar, an arrow, a slash mark through the ground? And then, she reached the end of it. In a sharp drop ground level, being the top of the trench, fell downward to a new floor. It spread out before her, as far as the eye could see to all sides in a spectrum of colors.

"Wow...." Bell gasped, freezing to just take it all in. The hallway of colors they had passed through was nice, but this was amazing! With ample sunlight the corals truly blossomed, and the blue water was lit up with a rainbow of colors in so many shades Bell couldn't recognize them all. She gasped, eyes glowing and a massive smile of excitement freely taking over her face. "This is the most beautiful thing ever!" She exclaimed, letting her gaze scan the area for anything that really stood out to check first. Within the coral Bell could see moving shadows, motion that naturally drew her attention. Focusing on it she realized it was little shoals and schools of fish and other creatures. This place was alive, and for once it smelled nothing of rot of disease. "Look Mr. Thorn! There's other Pokemon out here!"


Saferi could almost laugh at the pathetic show Sanngetall was giving her. Did he not realize there was sand beneath him, or that there were stones, literally, all around him? The Krabby even tried to fight back and must have hit a nerve in the seahorse as his only response to her was "Har." Oh, maybe that was her doing. Twitching her tail tip Saferi was content to watch him struggle with easy prey but it seemed her fun was swiftly at an end as the male started to devour his scrap of food. What a slob.

Despite his grotesque eating habits she felt her own stomach flip, calling for food while fighting its nausea. Her desire to hunt was still lacking, and the thought of eating really wasn't pleasant, but they were getting to her. "Do something will ya?" The male jarred, and Saferi realized she was just staring at him. The Krabby was finished off, no more than scraps in the water for scavengers, and she had done nothing. Had she really zoned out like that? Her brows tensed, face stiff as she jeered, "can't handle an audience? Cause my my, you put on quite a show."

Thorn didn't expect the next words out of Bell's mouth. She stopped swimming long enough to face him and argue, "But you're not scary! You're the nicest guy I know." She kept his gaze for a moment before turning around to continue swimming, but every now and then she would look over her shoulder at him with big eyes. The child's assurance came with no hesitation or doubts, and it was enough to stun him from speaking for a moment. What he was and how that affected people's perception of him was such a part of his life that even time with his trainer hadn't completely dispelled it. It didn't help that four years of near isolation had only brought that fact up again.

When he saw her actively taking more interest into the beautiful coral, he decided to refrain from explaining. She was perking up more as time went, and he didn't want to ruin that. They kept swimming until the narrow hall opened wide, and Thorn could see the crevice. The wide array of colors put the rainbow of coral they had just seen to shame. He paused to enjoy the view, and he didn't notice the distance between them growing. Bell's voice was full of amazement as she took in the beautiful sight. "Wow...." He could hear the smile when she exclaimed, "This is the most beautiful thing ever!" He had been so taken in by the sight of the coral, that it took him a few to notice the shapes moving in the colors. Bell further brought it to his attention when she said, "Look Mr. Thorn! There's other Pokemon out here!"

Dark shapes darted in and out of the colors, and without the smell of death, the chances of these being normal, living Pokemon were high. "Huh. That's amazing!" He then suddenly realized just how far she was from him, and he sped up to catch up to the child. Given the events of the last few days, he couldn't help but worry. He didn't know if these Pokemon were hostile to outsiders, and the thought of them hurting Bell worried him. The next thought almost stopped him dead. They might hide away from him in fear. Or attack. He tried to dispel the thought before asking, "What'cha want to do now?"

Moving too and fro the seahorse made quick work of his search for more prey. This place was oddly nostalgic to him, the push and pull of the water similar to the soft shores he had been born in. Shallows had always been his fancy due to his feeling, and where some predators would be thrown off by their shift he soared. That is, except he didn't spot much else. The taste of living beings hung heavy in the shifting tide but it was impossible to pinpoint. Especially with his one-man entourage cackling behind him.

He ignored her as best he could by following a fresh scent trail that was particularly tasty. It winded through the tidepools before doubling back in a dead end against some rocks. Sanngetall's gaze hardened as he looked above the surface but still did not spot his prey. Something amphibious? Or a bird of some sort.. Did it matter? With an heavy sigh the seahorse turned around to Saferi banter. "Can't handle an audience? Cause my my, you put on quite a show." She scoffed, the words much more boisterous to him than necessary. Really? Was this some sort of joke? Was he being punked by the queen of ice?

Dragging his fins down his cheeks the seahorse pulled at the lips of his eyes until they bugged. Of all the Pokemon he could be out with this was not what he expected from this hunt partner. With another groan he threw his fins down. Whipping his tail through the water he broke the surface and spent a spray across them both. The drops dappled the surface, leaving unpleasant vibrations above them both. "If you didn't want to hunt then why did you even suggest it?" He seethed, reddish eyes blazing. "Whatever your deal is, get the fuck over it. I don't need a babysitter. You wanna be with the brat or something, worried about the others, that it? Then just fucking admit it and go." The surface settled from his disruption but continued to sway with the water. "You're fucking piss show ain't helping either of us."

Excitement buzzed throughout Bell's body. "Huh. That's amazing!" Something about this place felt different compared to everywhere else her friends had lead her. The river, the caverns, even the kelp beds all had the same sort of feeling. That something was missing or out of place. They were.. lonely. But this place was alive! As Bell paddled along toward the swimming shadows she suddenly realized how much she missed seeing other Pokemon, how almost every one she seemed to meet was sickly and mean. This place smelled so good, and didnt have that overhanging nastiness that seemed to linger in other places. Somehow, in the back of her mind, she knew this place was not like the others.

Despite her desires to meet the other Pokemon Bell quickly broke into pants long before she could make it to them. Her tongue popped out, breathes quick as she watched them with curious interest. Were they far away or was she just slow? Could they even see her from here? "What'cha want to do now?" Thorn's voice called out to her, and she looked back to her much, much larger friend. Could they see him? Turning back to the distant Pokemon they didn't seem to be acknowledging them. At least, she didn't think so, it was hard to tell. Bell blinked, pouting at the flop of an idea. "I dunno," she said absently, her voice still holding an upbeat tone. "They're a lot further than I thought." If she couldn't see them, then what did she want to do?

New motion caught her eye and Bell watched a cute, thin stream of bubbles trail up from one of the pipe corals nearby. "Oooo," she cooed while swimming down toward it. With a careful flick of her foot she let the bubbles touch the appendage and was surprised by the warmth within them. A giggle squeaked its way out as she dove through the stream a few times and enjoyed the almost tingly sensation. Moving just a bit too fast she swam further than the stream and barrelled through nearby fan corals and onto a bunch of sponges. A cloud of gurry squeezed out into the water but the Poliwag was laughing too much as she bounced to even noticed its gross smell. "Why didn't we go here first?" She asked between breaths, her sadness quickly evaporating.


He lashed out. A warning shot, but a gesture she knew all too well. She had struck a cord much faster than she had planned and Saferi was not mentally prepared for a backlashing. "If you didn't want to hunt then why did you even suggest it?" He seethed, a heavy venom in his voice. "I was getting to it." She grunted but the words were not satisfying to either party. "Whatever your deal is, get the fuck over it. I don't need a babysitter. You wanna be with the brat or something, worried about the others, that it? Then just fucking admit it and go."

Clamping her teeth Saferi opened her jaws again to release a strong burst of water. The Water Pulse was fast, and the pressure was enough to push the seahorse violently against the stone behind him. "Don't drag personal affairs into this." She threatened, but while her voice was firm the words felt hollow. Was that her deal; she didn't wish to be away from the others again? "You're fucking piss show ain't helping either of us." Letting the gently tug and pull of the water push her around the eel stared furiously at the seahorse. Their eyes locked, the tension palpable that was not there moments before. Another jibe hung on her fangs, and your hunting skills leave much to be desired, but unlike the other Pokemon she held her tongue. Before today, against any other Pokemon, without a second thought Saferi would have struck in this situation. Instead she just forced water out of her gills and grunted, "Shut up and hunt. I'll look over here."

"I dunno," Bell replied after a moment of thought. "They're a lot further than I thought." Then she was distracted by the movement of bubbles coming out of the pipe coral, and her childish wonder latched onto the strange sight. "Oooo." Thorn got closer as she accidentally overshot the bubbles and landed on a spongy looking coral, and his heart nearly stopped when he saw the red cloud float around her. It was only when she turned to look at him with wide-eyed curiosity that he realized that she was unharmed, and his fear wasn't necessary. "Why didn't we go here first?"

The question knocked his thoughts closer to reality again, and he found himself wondering something similar. Saferi already knew this place well, but it hadn't come up before... "That's a question for Saferi. I guess it just hadn't come up yet?" And it would make sense after the chaos they had encountered that things like this would slip her mind. That and the fact that they had needed rest without worrying about other people butting in. Which, if the shapes they saw in the coral indicated anything, they wouldn't get here.

((I think Ill skip with Sanngetall this round, but I might edited it out if I can think of an in-between.))

Fuck him. The eel turned her back to the other predator. A risk, a vulnerable stance never to present to a hunter, but she was not punished for her foolishness. While her entire being was on edge and ready for a sneak attack it never came, and she was able to swim off without receiving a lasting reminder. Grunting and gritting her teeth the Huntail fumed in relative silence. Not even grateful. As she rounded a large bulging stone and moved through clear water she was exposed more readily to the tide. The push and pull of the shallow water was enough to make her sick, erratic and awkward as she fought to swim in a straight line. She would never understand why lesser species chose to live here.

Swimming into a deeper section of water Saferi stayed as close to the sand as she could. The warm scents of coldblooded critters wafted up from the grains and left a clear trail. Following along it the eel continued to grind her teeth. Perhaps sinking them into something would do her some good. Picking up the pace she only stopped when the sand dipped at a shallow angle. To any other Pokemon it would seem like nothing more than a small shift in sediment, but Saferi'e keen eye spotted the tiny movements within the grains. Gotcha.


"That's a question for Saferi. I guess it just hadn't come up yet?" Bell heard Thorn but didn't stop tapping her feet against the sponge as she listened. Why wouldn't it come up? Why keep it a secret? All the places Saferi had been before were dull. Well, not dull, but nothing like this. They all had life and light and shadow and water but they were, they were.. The Poliwag stopped tapping the sponge, but even as the noises ceased she could still hear so much. The streams of bubbles, the whoosh of water and other Pokemon moving about. Looking at the corals themselves she could see smaller critters scuttling about in private. "All the other places were quiet." She realized, speaking aloud.

Bell blinked as an epiphany passed through her mind. She chose all the quiet places first, all the best to her where they wouldn't be bothered. "She didn't want to be here, where other Pokemon could be." Mr. Sanngetall too, he was grumbly like Saferi and went with her willingly despite the prospect of coral and fun. Furrowing her brows Bell's gaze could not hold still as she spotted every little thing out here, everything that made this area so different from the rest. Pushing off her sponge the Poliwag looked intensely at Thorn as she asked, "Did she leave us out here? Is she coming back?"