(ELITE) The DRAGONSPIRAL Team

Drayden gently crushed the remnants of his meager breakfast into the soil as he gathered his coat about his shoulders to defend him against the morning chill. Though nearing his more useless years, he never found waking early to be troublesome as his body had been accustomed to the ritual for decades now. He was still tired from the arduous journey from the League, to be sure, but it wouldn't hinder him in waking now. His campfire long snuffed, the world was still naught but black silhouettes against a smoky blue sky, still asleep without the sun's light. Quietly taking his bag he strode forward toward a looming shadow that defiantly stood against the clouds above.

It wasn't a terribly far walk; Drayden had made sure he was in easy reach of the tower the night prior, and for one as obsessed with the Dragonspiral Tower and its lore as he was, knowing the terrain around it was second nature. He was simply grateful his sleep had been uneventful.

There was a figure standing near the entrance, but it came at no surprise to the Dragon trainer. His Haxorus, Guillotine, had stood by and made sure there was no immediate danger. She greeted him coolly, as she normally did, and he patted her shoulder lightly once he drew near. "No trouble, then?" she shook her head and he simply nodded, grateful. "Good." He wandered near the dark entryway a moment before going back to her, fussing over some old scars as he spoke. She gave no mind to it, as she was used to such treatment. "Let's hope for some more good news, then. Hope our decent luck doesn't run out."

Oh dear, this wasn't good - his booze supply was beginning to run out.

Drake growled to himself as he swiveled what was left of his precious supply round and round in his flask. Sure, he'd made the hell of a journey all the way here to the outskirts of Iccirus, but what if Drayden wasn't there after all? In this massive region he could've been anywhere. Heck, he might not have even been in Unova anymore. If he had no rum left, how could he lie around on the stone slabs getting more and more drunk until he forgot just how disappointed he was? Not only that, but he'd have to make the journey back to Kanto completely sober; not a thought that the old sailor was fond of.

Drake shoved his flask back in his bag with a huff, and turned skyward to where his Salamence was circling overheard, keeping watch. Drake raised his hand to his dragon, who responded by flicking his tail twice to the right; the way ahead was clear. Drake stood up from the log he'd been sitting on and stretched, feeling his old bones groan and creak. How he'd made it here from HQ alive at his age he had no idea. He guessed that it was the burning flame from the hope that he'd run into his old friend alive and well, and hopefully a little less creaky than he was.

His heavy boots kicked aside twigs and bits of foliage as he walked towards the tower. He'd heard so many things about this place, mostly from Drayden; the man was obsessed with his crumbly old fortress. Drake couldn't deny that it was a masterpiece to behold; even for its great age it was a stunning piece of architecture. But something told him that it was merely exactly what it looked like; an ancient lump of stone that was older than this region itself. Drake doubted he'd find much in there except a few bits of rubble and some undead.

And of course ... maybe Drayden...

This was stupid. He'd come all this way for a tower that looked like it was about to crumble like an old cookie. Drayden wasn't here, and neither was anything of significance. Cursing angrily, Drake kicked a pile of leaves, stomping back towards the city as they scattered around his feet.

But then he heard Salamence call him from above, the dragon slowly descending and pointing his tail towards the tower's entrance. Drake raised an eyebrow as he looked across the water. Surely enough, now that he squinted, there was something over there.

Marching across the bridge, Drake's heart started to hammer in his chest. That tall, powerful physique, the Haxorus at his side, the ridiculous beard ... it had to be. Drake would've recognised this man if he were blindfolded. Spluttering out his joy, Drake held out a hand as he approached his back.

"Drayden...?"

Keeping up with Grandpa, even at his wizened age, was proving a chore for Iris. The man still awoke before dawn and insisted on walking until nightfall all the way from the Pokemon League. It was torture. The young female had taken to short naps throughout the night with her Noibat, Gau, keeping watch so that she would quit losing track of Drayden when he started to move out in the morning. It was the young bat's job to wake her when he moved and to alert her if anything dangerous was nearby, but this morning he had trouble waking his trainer and by the time Iris came to Drayden had already moved on. Cursing her bad luck the Dragon Master hastily grabbed her bag, which she had been using as a pillow, and had Gau fly ahead to spot the older man.

By the time she caught up to him Drayden was at the entrance to Dragonspiral Tower, its massive frame showing signs of its age and more recent beatings, likely from battles during the Epidemic. She decided to hang back from the entrance, watching to see if Drayden was going to enter before alerting him to her presence only to see another figure approaching. While something was familiar about the flapping coat as he walked it wasn't until he spoke that recognition clicked in Iris's mind.

"Drayden...?"

It was Uncle Drake! Iris chuckled at her own childishness for believing that Grandpa would be trying to do this alone. He must have sent for Drake before departing! Relief flooded her heart as Iris stood up but as she stepped forward to reveal herself she tripped over a giant block of ice. Hissing in pain she reached down and grabbed her ankle, holding it tightly to make sure she didn't stretch it in case of a strain. Her eyes wandered down to what she had tripped over and she had to cover her mouth to choke back a gasp. The ice wasn't just from a random attack, there was a piece of a Pokemon inside, with no question as to what kind of Pokemon it was. It was a piece of a Haxorus.

Wincing in sorrow Iris forced herself to look away from the broken limb, slowly crawling away before trying to rise to her feet. Testing how much weight her ankle could bear the girl was relieved when she only felt a minor twinge of pain when she stood. It wasn't broken, sprained or even strained, merely aggravated from the twist. But the clumsy way she just announced herself to the duo she was surely going to hear about later since Grandpa likely wouldn't be happy she had come out here after he expressly told her not to.

As Drayden fussed over Guillotine's scales, he felt her tense slightly and saw in his peripherals that she moved her head to look behind him. Pausing a moment, Drayden suddenly felt a wash of dread consume him as his skin pricked with the feeling of someone watching him. Slowly putting a hand on the hilt of the sword at his side, he waited for Gilly's reaction, but she gave none. Why wasn't she doing anything? Did she not see anything after a--

"Drayden...?"

The dragon Leader jumped at the sound of his name, whirling around to see that the owner of the voice was none other than Drake himself. If Drayden were to have had a brother, it would have been this man. Slightly breathless by the start, a wide grin broke out on Drayden's face as the pure relief of seeing his old friend healthy and alive replaced any fear or anxiety he'd just experienced. Drake!" He quickly closed the gap between them, clasping Drake's outstretched hand eagerly and pulled the other dragon master into a tight man hug.

"Drake, you old barnacle of a bastard, what in the hell are you doing out here?" He pulled away to look the other over, giving Drake a solid pat on the shoulder. "Unova's in a bad way, old mate; you shouldn't have risked yourself coming all the way out here--" A sudden cry from behind interrupted the reunion however, Drayden quickly looking to find Iris, of all people, standing sheepishly as she tested out her ankle. Drayden let out an angry huff as Gilly went to collect the girl, gently ushering her closer. "I thought I told you to stay put, Iris," Drayden almost hissed, not wanting to shout and attract attention.

[[crap post is crap sorry D:]]

Drake could've whooped and cheered like a drunk in a bar; it was him. Still tall, healthy and unshaven; that beard had driven Drake mad for years, but right at that moment he didn't give two shits. He was ecstatic, simply euphoric to see his lifelong friend alive and well. Drake let out a cackle of joy as Drayden pulled him into a tight hug, giving the former mayor a hearty smack on the back.

"Drake, you old barnacle of a bastard, what in the hell are you doing out here?" Drayden laughed, parting from the hug to get a good look at him.
"What do you think? Looking for your sorry ass, that's what!" the old sailor hollered, not quite caring just how loud his voice was getting. Neither for the single tear that glimmered in the corner of his eye. "I've come all the way from Kanto looking for you! Where the hell have you been?"

There was a great fffwump as Salamence practically dropped out of the sky and bounded over to Gullotine, Drayden's Haxorus, joyously nuzzling her with his forehead like a massive puppy. Clearly his dragon was just as happy to see his old friend as Drake was; seeing him like that brought a smile to his lips.

"Unova's in a bad way, old mate; you shouldn't have risked yourself coming all the way out here--" A soft yelp from behind startled the two men and they quickly turned, expecting danger. Clearly neither of them expected to see the young Iris kneeling in the middle of the bridge, obviously having tripped on something. Drake belted out another laugh, but Drayden didn't look so pleased. "I thought I told you to stay put, Iris," he hissed.

"Aww, come on, you big grump! The more the merrier I say! Isn't that right, Iris?" He strode over to the girl's side and draped a strong arm around her shoulders. "But my goodness, haven't you grown big!" he exclaimed, his hand moving upwards to pat her on the head. "You were just a wee tike when I last saw you, no taller than my waist. Now look at you, eh? A fine young lass!"

Drayden and Iris ... this was more than he ever could've hoped for.

"I thought I told you to stay put, Iris,"

Wow, he was already taking it better than she thought he would. Despite his scolding tone he obviously wasn't too irate or he would have said a whole lot more. Iris smiled sheepishly at Drayden and rubbed her left arm, slightly curling her body inward in embarrassment. "I didn't want..." she began, but Drake gave a hearty laugh to break the tension and the more petite female found herself under the weighty arm of the older sailor. "Aww, come on, you big grump! The more the merrier I say! Isn't that right, Iris?" Her smile became more confident as Drake offered his opinion, giving him a small grin even as he went to pat her head like when she was a kid. While a small part of her was tussled about being treated like a child, she reminded herself that to both men she was. They were both her elders and Drayden had practically raised her. It was only fair his closest friend saw her as a perma-youth too. "But my goodness, haven't you grown big!" he remarked happily, making the girl blush. "You were just a wee tike when I last saw you, no taller than my waist. Now look at you, eh? A fine young lass!"

Iris felt her whole face go flush in embarrassment and Gau, seeming to sense his trainer's discomfort, revealed himself from beneath her bushy ponytail to squeak angrily at the old Captain. Since his dark fur nearly matched her hair color it was his favorite place to be during their travel, often napping there while Iris walked after Grandpa. Iris quickly reached up to grab Gau and tuck him safely in her arms, the young Noibat flapping his wings rapidly to try and escape her grip. "D-Don't mind him!" she laughed. "He's harmless." Gau stopped flapping for a moment and looked up at Iris, puffing his cheeks out angrily. She giggled at the little bat in her arms and gave him a quick nuzzle. "Harmless to you, anyway," she said lightly, smiling as Gau calmed down with the revision.

Looking over to Drayden the young woman straightened her back and stepped up to the taller man, hanging her head slightly as she stopped a few feet from him. She took in a few deep breaths before looking up at his face, trying not to seem as scared as she actually felt. "I'm sorry, Grandpa," she said solemnly, feeling a stinging behind her eyes as she met his. "I just didn't want you to come alone. You're....you're all the family I have left. I didn't want you to leave me too..." She couldn't take it anymore and her head dropped low, eyes stinging with unshed tears. She began to worry at her bottom lip even as Gau turned in her arms and reached up for her, suddenly distraught over her change in demeanor. Iris just didn't want to lose anyone else close to her, not without trying anything she could to protect them.

Drayden felt a fear creeping into him as his own proclaimed granddaughter stared at the ground, ashamed. "I didn't want..." Iris began to apologize but, predictably, Drake intervened with a loud guffaw and draped his arm over the girl's shoulder, much to Drayden's displeasure. "Aww, come on, you big grump! The more the merrier I say! Isn't that right, Iris?" Drayden couldn't help his stern demeanor falter, however, when Iris' pride shone up at Drake's praise. She was truly coming in to her own and only getting stronger as she trained. But Drayden could never be too careful, and protecting Iris' chances of actually living through this nightmare was a top priority. "But my goodness, haven't you grown big!" Drake continued, his happy gushings making the girl blush. "You were just a wee tyke when I last saw you, no taller than my waist. Now look at you, eh? A fine young lass!"

Though the comment was only meant in the purest of ways, something clearly objected. Her Noibat, Gau, popped out of his spot and started angrily chirping at Drake. Iris quickly quieted him, though, nervously laughing away her pokemon's anger. "D-Don't mind him! He's harmless." Though Gau was indignant over the belittling of his abilities, Iris quickly made up for it with a nuzzle. "Harmless to you, anyway," she said lightly, smiling as Gau calmed down with the revision.

But Iris knew that the gentle antics with her young Noibat wouldn't completely assuage Drayden's anger. He kept his large arms crossed as Iris sullenly approached, eyes still cast down away from his. He knew his beard hid his frown, but his eyes reflected it. "I'm sorry, Grandpa," she whimpered at the ground. "I just didn't want you to come alone. You're....you're all the family I have left. I didn't want you to leave me too..."

Drayden could hear the crack in her voice and knew in his heart he couldn't keep the anger. It broke nearly instantly and he heaved a long, quiet sigh before gently shushing Iris and pulling her into a strong hug. "Oh, stop that now, little one," he calmed, keeping his grip tight. "You know I can't seeing you cry. You're all right, and that's all that matters. Just don't do that again, you understand, Iris?" He pulled away only to look at her, trying to see her face.

Drake beamed as Iris lit up at his praise. It was hard to make people smile these days, and seeing the young Dragon Tamer glow like that warmed Drake's old heart. He knew just how much this girl meant to Drayden; they were just as close as grandfather and granddaughter as he and Drake were like brothers. Making one happy was making the other happy as well.

Apparently, though, not everyone took Drake's words kindly. He stepped back, raising his hands and chuckling, as a Noibat suddenly burst out of Iris's hair, squeaking angrily at him. "D-Don't mind him! He's harmless." Iris nuzzled the little dragon and he appeared to calm down. Drake laughed and gave the Noibat a pat on the head. "Won't be harmless forever, though. I'll bet this little one will be one hell of a Noivern one day. A loyal friend too, to be as protective of you as he is."

He watched idly, one hand in his pocket and the other resting on the handle of his scimitar, as Iris and Drayden exchanged some quiet words and hugged one another. Salamence was still flapping happily around Guillotine, pausing occasionally to playfully nip at her scales. He'd have thought that such happiness and compassion were just as dead as the rest of the world. He was wrong, so it seemed; the human spirit was struggling to keep its head above the water, but it still fought on.

"Right!" he barked when he felt that it was a suitable moment, marching off the bridge and back up to the tower's crumbly walls. "I say we get down to business! You're predictable enough for me to find you here, Drayden, but my question is: why are you here?" He looked up towards the tower's peak, a collection of grey clouds masking it from view. "I know how important this place is to you, but ... why now?"

When she felt Drayden's warm embrace pull her tightly against his chest she nearly burst into tears, reaching around the man's broad chest and hugging him tightly in return. He was the closest thing she ever knew to family, barely remembering her mother and father after they sent her away. She had seen them maybe a handful of times since coming to Unova. Drayden was all she had. He pulled away slowly and looked down at her, Iris's watery eyes gazing back up at him smiling. Even under all that beard she knew the man was smiling in return and she reached up to rub at her eyes with the back of one hand. Sniffling and giving a small nod she stepped back, reaching back to scratch the small Noibat who had retreated into her hair so as to not get squished.

"Right!" Uncle Drake said loudly, interrupting the awkward silence that had fallen over the trio. "I say we get down to business! You're predictable enough for me to find you here, Drayden, but my question is: why are you here?" That was actually a fair question. Iris had never thought to ask Grandpa why he was coming to Dragonspiral Tower, simply that she didn't want him traveling alone. "I know how important this place is to you, but ... why now?" Iris pondered for a moment, eyes trailing up the tower's impressive height until it rested on the tiny glimpse of the summit, eyes narrowing against the morning sun. The only thing that should be there was...Oh. Could it be? Could he be here because of the Legend once again? Maybe. She looked over to Drayden expectantly, hoping against hope that this mission wouldn't prove in vain.

Once Iris let her fearsome grip slacken, Drayden straightened and gave her one last, approving nod before turning back to glance at his Haxorus gleefully nipping and playing with Drake's Salamence. It was good to see that even now, with the world crumbling at his fingertips, some things never changed.

In the lull of the moment, Drake barked out, "Right!" cheerfully marching to the old temple's dilapidated exterior. Drayden couldn't help a smile at his old friend's enthusiasm; another constant in his chaotic life. "I say we get down to business! You're predictable enough for me to find you here, Drayden, but my question is: why are you here?" Drayden couldn't help a small chuckle at the slight jab, his eyes roaming up with the others' toward the tower's obscured peak. "I know how important this place is to you, but ... why now?"

He gave Iris a quick glance; he wasn't sure if he should be as blunt as he normally would be in front of Drake, but... he knew the girl was smart enough to know that the situation in the League was bad. Very bad. What was the point of mincing words when Iris already knew everything? "...It's like I said earlier, Drake," Drayden replied quietly as he followed the short distance between him and his friend. "Unova's in a bad way. The refugees from Opelucid and most of the other cities fled to the League, but there's a shortage in nearly everything. Food, clean water, medical supplies-- just about everything you can think of, we're lacking. People are dying from dysentery and common flus. Things that should be a minor inconvenience are killing people by the hundreds. Not just that, but we got a bunch of Kalos refugees too, and there's fights over what little there is between locals and the Kalesians every day, often ending in blood." He looked down, unable to hide his own shame at not being able to help or keep the peace.

"I came here in a bid to find Zekrom, to ask him for help. After Black took up residence in Opelucid, he told me he'd let Zekrom sleep again here-- I'm just hoping he's still here, and that he'd be willing to help us." He turned back to the tower, taking in a long, steadying breath. "If not... I'm out of ideas."

"...It's like I said earlier, Drake," Drayden began, looking grim as he walked towards him. "Unova's in a bad way. The refugees from Opelucid and most of the other cities fled to the League, but there's a shortage in nearly everything. Food, clean water, medical supplies-- just about everything you can think of, we're lacking. People are dying from dysentery and common flus. Things that should be a minor inconvenience are killing people by the hundreds. Not just that, but we got a bunch of Kalos refugees too, and there's fights over what little there is between locals and the Kalesians every day, often ending in blood."

Drake was unaware of his mouth slowly gaping open in horror as his friend spoke. "Dear legends ... I had ... no idea that it was anything like that," he said, guilt stabbing at his heart as he thought of everyone else back at HQ, with their plentiful food supplies, perfectly stocked infirmary and warm beds. Did anyone there know just how bad the Unova League was? Surely they didn't, or they'd have tried to do something about it by now. Steven certainly would've at least.

"I came here in a bid to find Zekrom, to ask him for help." ...Whoa! Hold on a second-- "After Black took up residence in Opelucid, he told me he'd let Zekrom sleep again here-- I'm just hoping he's still here, and that he'd be willing to help us. If not... I'm out of ideas."

"Let me just stop you for a second there, Dray," Drake said, holding up a hand. "Zekrom? You mean, the Zekrom? He's up there?" He stole another look back up to the tower's misty peak and then returned his gaze to Drayden. "You're sure about this, right?"

Zekrom ... one of the legendary dragons who shaped the Unova region back in the ancient days. He knew all about him of course, and had heard all about the action with Black, Team Plasma and that N boy from Drayden back in the day. Black had earned Zekrom's trust and together they had defeated N and Reshiram, and spared the region the inevitable consequence of releasing all of their Pokemon under Team Plasma's iron rule. Hoenn's newspapers had been full on the story, and of course he'd heard all about it from Drayden too but ... actually knowing that Zekrom was up there, waiting for his master's return, made Drake shiver with excitement.

"Well, I got more than I bargained for in making this trip, didn't I?" he laughed heartily. "I got you two and a legendary dragon. If I'd have known it was gonna be this much fun I'd have done it long before now!"

I don't know about the young Iris here, but you can count me in, Dray." He slammed his hand into Drayden's and shook it enthusiastically. "I'd be an idiot to turn away from something like this. If what you say is true, and Zekrom really is up there, then maybe your League can get the help it needs." He squeezed his friend's hand tightly, the other hand swinging round and gripping Drayden's arm. "And I'll do what I can to help too."

Nothing could make her quite feel like a kid again as when Grandpa gave her that look. As though he were afraid of saying anything that would upset her. She wasn't a child anymore, she knew things were bad at the League. She had seen with her own eyes children crying as they struggled through their hunger pains, mothers forced to console their child with no idea how to help them. She sat in the makeshift hospital to offer comfort to grown men whimpering as they wretched nothing but bile and stomach acid, all while their fevered body violently shook with tremors. The infighting had gotten to the point she was more scared of people inside the walls than the pokemon outside, and she knew the longer Drayden was away the worse it would get.

Seeing the look on Uncle Drake's face was heartbreaking as Grandpa described their living conditions. It was like living in dystopia. Everything they had ever taken for granted was gone and now no one knew how to fend for themselves, panic had set in too early. It was only with careful words and patience Grandpa had led them all, and now he was outside and they had no one. Iris feared for what they might see upon their return from this mission.

Assuming there was anything left to return to.

Drake happily offered his help to bring their misfortune some relief and Iris smiled lightly at the pair, the old captain gripping Drayden once again in a firm display of friendship. She felt Gau chirping nervously in her hair and the female clicked her tongue twice to call him back out. Happily the Noibat release his grip of Iris's ponytail and fluttered to her shoulder, nuzzling the girl's cheek as he settled. Looking back to the massive tower doors the dragon trainer let go a heavy sigh and offered a silent prayer to Zekrom in the hope he was truly still there and still sane. Looking to her elders the female's expression fell neutral as she mentally prepared for the journey upward. "Grandpa," she said solemnly. "I think it's time."

"Let me just stop you for a second there, Dray," Drake replied, holding up a hand. "Zekrom? You mean, the Zekrom? He's up there?" He stole another look back up to the tower's misty peak and then returned his gaze to Drayden. "You're sure about this, right?"

Drayden gave a small sigh and rubbed the back of his neck with a gloved hand. Truth be told, he wasn't sure how the ancient dragon would take to being even asked for a favor by anyone other than Black, but... "It's the only shot we have," he admitted softly, unwilling to look at either Drake or Iris. He didn't like being grim, but there was room for little else when the halls of his League were decorated with the filthy, the sick and the dying. Or dead. "I have to try and help Caitlin get a hold of things."

"Well, I got more than I bargained for in making this trip, didn't I?" Drake bellowed heartily, bringing up Drayden's spirits, if not also his fear of attracting attention. "I got you two and a legendary dragon. If I'd have known it was gonna be this much fun I'd have done it long before now! I don't know about the young Iris here, but you can count me in, Dray." Ever in character, Drake took Drayden's hand and slammed his own into it in a firm, hardy handshake. The latter couldn't help a smile, even if his beard hid it. "I'd be an idiot to turn away from something like this. If what you say is true, and Zekrom really is up there, then maybe your League can get the help it needs. And I'll do what I can to help too."

With such a firm approval and vote of help from his old friend, Drayden couldn't help but feel a twinge of hope. Maybe they'd succeed after all? Maybe even without Zekrom, with Drake, they'd be able to find another way to help those at the League. In the joviality of the moment, however, Iris' solemn voice returned the seriousness of their journey. "Grandpa, I think it's time."

He looked down at her a moment, nodding afterward. "You're absolutely right, my dear." He clapped Drake on the arm just as he'd done before letting go and taking the lead, pausing a moment at the entryway. Team Plasma had desecrated the temple years ago, creating the bridge and the new entry since the true one had been flooded for as long as recent memory. He turned to Drake and Iris, then looked back up to the tower. "Dragonspiral is, as you both know, exceedingly old. Treacherous. There were ghosts here before-- I do not doubt many remain. Just stay on your guard and keep your balance. And make sure the floor doesn't crumble."

Upon entering, he reached to the side and felt around for a torch, which was unlit. The gloom within was nearly impenetrable, and he looked to Drake. "You always have matches on you, don't you friend?" he mused, motioning the torch toward him. "For your ridiculous pipe?"

"Grandpa, I think it's time."
"You're absolutely right, my dear." Drayden returned the hearty smack on the arm before turning to the tower's entrance. Drake drummed his fingers against the handle of his scimitar as he regarded it; it wasn't a fancy arch or anything he might've expected. In fact, the tower's entrance looked as though it'd been blasted into existence. He guessed that Team Plasma had bombed the wall down or something. Ugly as it looked, at least it actually left them with a way into the damn place; that was one thing to thank them for, he supposed.

"Dragonspiral is, as you both know, exceedingly old," said Drayden. "Treacherous. There were ghosts here before-- I do not doubt many remain. Just stay on your guard and keep your balance. And make sure the floor doesn't crumble."

"Got it," Drake nodded, following his friend into the first floor of the tower. "Come on, Salamence - leave Gilly alone for two seconds and follow me." His dragon tore himself away from his old playmate long enough to amble after him.

Even with the light pouring in from outside, the room was ridiculously dark. "You always have matches on you, don't you friend?" Drayden said, motioning to a torch on the wall. "For your ridiculous pipe?"

"That I do," Drake grinned, reaching into his pocket and tossing Drayden the little box. "And it isn't ridiculous. I'd rather die of lung cancer than have my guts ripped out by infected, thank you very much." Salamence snorted, a burst of flames puffing out of his nostrils. "Oh yeah, Dray, no need to use the whole box - Salamence here knows Flamethrower if you need any more light."

He took out his flask and gulped down a mouthful of rum as he waited for Drayden to get them some light. "You've been up to the top of here before, right?" he said, re-screwing the top. "How long did that take you?"

As she once did, during another turbulent time in recent past, the young former Pokemon Champion looked at the gaping hole leading into the tower. The trio traveled along the bridge as Drayden explained the treacherous building and its hazards, most of which Iris knew from her previous adventure. But that did not stop her from being apprehensive. The tower was ancient and at its peak likely sat a large and rather heavy dragon in slumber, putting strain on what remaining structural support existed within the pillar. She was lost in her mind when a flash of fire from Drake Salamence caught her eye, making her eyes go wide in panic.

"Do not let him loose in here, Uncle Drake!" she warned in a harsh whisper, hoping to not attract the attention of any wandering spirit. "Even with proper control a Flamethrower in such close confinement would surely burn any wooden structure nearby whatever torch you may be trying to light. Not to mention flash a beacon to any creature with eyes or sense of heat." Her eyes darted around nervously as shadows danced along the walls. "Ghost or otherwise." Gau grumbled in a low frequency and his ears twitched multiple directions as he tracked the sound. Iris watched him carefully as he gave a particular corner a long stare before chirping an note she had taught him to mean 'all clear'. "Thankfully we seem to have avoided that, for now." She looked worryingly to Grandpa as he led the way, hoping that she hadn't overstepped herself admonishing Drake, reminding herself to give the old sailor an apologetic smile as she continued behind Drayden.

"That I do," replied a grinning Drake, tossing the box to Drayden casually. "And it isn't ridiculous. I'd rather die of lung cancer than have my guts ripped out by infected, thank you very much." The hulking Salamence beside his trainer snorted, tongues of flames lighting his face for just a moment. "Oh yeah, Dray, no need to use the whole box - Salamence here knows Flamethrower if you need any more light."

Drake took a swig of rum from a flask as Drayden nodded absently, placing the sconce back in its iron mount so he could properly light the match. "You've been up to the top of here before, right?" asked as he closed the flask once more, the stink of alcohol on his breath. Though Drayden found the odor repulsive, it was better than the stale death that clung to the air in the tower. "How long did that take you?"

"Do not let him loose in here, Uncle Drake!" Iris suddenly snapped, earning both older men's attention. "Even with proper control a Flamethrower in such close confinement would surely burn any wooden structure nearby whatever torch you may be trying to light. Not to mention flash a beacon to any creature with eyes or sense of heat." She glanced around nervously, as if looking to make sure nothing had heard her outburst. "Ghost or otherwise." Drayden looked to the large Salamence in thought, seeing a lot of sense in Iris' words and felt a wave of shame. He should have caught that earlier. "Thankfully we seem to have avoided that, for now."

Iris' eyes went up to him for his reaction, obviously worried whether or not she'd gone out of bounds. But Drayden held out a calming hand to both her and Drake, pulling a match from the box. "That's a good point, Iris," Drayden replied as he managed to light one, taking it to the sconce on the wall. He felt a small pressure from his shoulders as the small flame caught the sconce and he once more took it from the mount. "We should keep from using too powerful of attacks, though I'm sure that's not going to be a choice sooner or later..." He looked to Drake and gave a small nod. "For now, we should keep our larger pokemon in their balls."

He stepped forward, the dim morning light barely providing any sort of penetration into the fog of the tower. Holding his torch aloft, he saw that the first set of stairs seemed to be intact. "This way." As they drew closer, he remembered Drake's other question and spoke softly, "To answer you earlier, old friend, it took a few hours. But that was when it was bright inside and everything was still relatively still intact. I have no idea what the Plague has wrought on this tower... or if actually climbing it is still possible."

Drake perked an eyebrow at Iris's warning and turned to his dragon, who himself looked a little offended. "Ye don't need to worry yourself too much, young Iris," he reassured her, giving Salamence a pat on the side. "He's got his flames under control, haven't you, old boy?" Salamence nodded in agreement, but both he and his Trainer frowned when Drayden agreed.

"We should keep from using too powerful of attacks, though I'm sure that's not going to be a choice sooner or later... For now, we should keep our larger pokemon in their balls."  

"Hmph! All right then, you win. Come on back, you big lug." Salamence scowled at the ball, then looked over his shoulder at Guillotine, letting out a low whine. "Don't worry yourself none; you can play with Gilly later," Drake chuckled, recalling his dragon with a flash of red light.

"This way," Drayden said, setting off for a set of stairs in the distance. "To answer you earlier, old friend, it took a few hours. But that was when it was bright inside and everything was still relatively still intact. I have no idea what the Plague has wrought on this tower... or if actually climbing it is still possible."

"Hmm ... I'd thought the same thing," Drake mused, shoving his hands into his pockets. "And I'm guessing there isn't much chance of running into an elevator to the top ... Well, I guess we just soldier on and see for ourselves, right? You never know; we might get lucky." Nodding to Drayden, he smiled. "Lead on, friend."

((Forgive me, I cannot seem to put together more than a few sentences. Go ahead and skip me and I will have more next round once we start climbing. I'm really sorry.))

"Hmm ... I'd thought the same thing," Drake mused aloud, shoving his hands into his pockets as Drayden held the newly lit torch aloft. He frowned; it didn't do much to pierce the foggy blackness that surrounded them. "And I'm guessing there isn't much chance of running into an elevator to the top ... Well, I guess we just soldier on and see for ourselves, right? You never know; we might get lucky." Drayden let out a soft, good-natured snort at Drake's light joke. He'd forgotten what it was like to have such an easy friend around. "Lead on, friend."

Drayden nodded and made his way forward, careful to mind his step as he led the others toward the first set of stairs. They were actually quite far ahead, for whatever reason, making this first part of the journey more vulnerable. The stairs were easier to defend and were a means of escape. For now, they were simply out in the open until they got there.

The haunting echoes of their footsteps weighed heavily on Drayden's mind and soul, wishing he could speak freely with his friend and granddaughter. But he knew that too much conversation would mean nothing but trouble for them. Still, if there were infected around, they would have already been attracted by the fire; maybe it was ok to talk? Just a little?

"Any news from the other regions, Drake?" he began in a whisper, knowing that cautious Iris likely couldn't object to the conversation if it was important. "We heard Evergrande's abandoned. Where did you go?"

Her slight feeling of shame for admonishing the elder male was relived when Grandpa agreed with her, asking them to keep their larger companions tucked away until it was necessary. The trio began their trek across the large expanse of a room, a feeling of nervousness settling into Iris's mind at their lack of cover. For now she had Gau keeping an ear out into the darkness, trusting his keen senses to tell her if something lingered there that shouldn't.

She kept herself close to the two men and listened to their conversation. She, too, was curious about the outer regions, and hoped that somehow people were able to make it out alive. People everywhere had to be desperate to find a solution to their living nightmare, right? How many others were on a mission like theirs? To find some shimmering ray of hope in the bleak reality of the world? There were numerous tales of legend-beasts so surely some among them had the power to combat this evil. Humans just needed a way to plead their case to the heralds of the world, a way to show they were stronger than the epidemic had given them credit for.

They had to be.

[[skip; I need Nighty]]

They carried on in silence for a few minutes, an eerie shiver running down Drake's back at just how quiet this place was. It was either a very good or very bad sign, and from his experience it could equally be either. He ran a hand over the marble wall as he walked, its cold surface leaving a coat of dust on his hand. This place wasn't just old; it was ancient.

To be in such an awe-inspiring place excited the old sailor. He'd long heard the tales and legends of Dragonspiral Tower and other places of dragon-related lore, and had ventured to a fair number of them in his travels back in the day. But he'd never made it to Dragonspiral, and in his old age he'd always wanted to finally make it. Another one to tick off his overly long bucket list.

"Any news from the other regions, Drake?" Drayden then asked, his whisper slicing through the silence. It was like a serpent was in the room. "We heard Evergrande's abandoned. Where did you go?"

Drake dusted off his hand and shoved it into his pocket. "Well, it's pretty much as you'd expect - it's all gone to shit. It was Lance we heard from first, summoning the Champions and their Elite Fours to go to the Indigo Plateau in Kanto. That's where we heard the news." Sweet legends, what a day that had been. "We turned the place into a stronghold of sorts. Last I saw we were going pretty well. The occasional outbreak of flu or a stomach bug, but it's nothing we've been unable to handle."

He felt guilty telling him of HQ's prosperity when Drayden's people had had it so bad, so he quickly changed the subject. "So! Iris!" He flopped an arm over the young girl's shoulders. "Heard a few years back that you made it to Championhood yourself! What was that like, eh?"

She and Gau were following along quietly, listening to Drake speak of the other Regions. Indigo Plateau sounded like it had become near a fortress. While she was happy it was able to house and protect so many she couldn't help but compare its success to their own League's failure. She must have been lost in her thoughts because it wasn't until he was right beside her that Iris even noticed Uncle Drake had slowed down to her pace. "So! Iris!" She let out a small squeak of surprise at the large arm that suddenly draped around her shoulders, the larger man's broad smile making her blush in embarrassment. "Heard a few years back that you made it to Championhood yourself! What was that like, eh?"

Looking down, her face flushed, she timidly put her index fingers together and tented them nervously. "Well, yes..." she replied shyly, not comfortable bragging about her minuscule career as a Champion. "It was only for a couple of years, and I was quickly dethroned, but I was able to help so many trainers and Pokemon during that time. I wanted people to finally be able to see and hear their Pokemon's hearts as well as I could, and for a while I did!" While she kept her voice low the joy in it was unmistakable, her face bright and happy as she remembered her days before the Epidemic wrecked Unova.

Drayden was glad for Drake's quick, honest response. "Well, it's pretty much as you'd expect - it's all gone to shit. It was Lance we heard from first, summoning the Champions and their Elite Fours to go to the Indigo Plateau in Kanto. That's where we heard the news." The old dragon master pondered at the name. He'd heard of the Champion, but the face was hard to remember. "We turned the place into a stronghold of sorts. Last I saw we were going pretty well. The occasional outbreak of flu or a stomach bug, but it's nothing we've been unable to handle." Though he was grateful that not all regions ended up like Unova, Drayden couldn't help the pang of jealousy that went through him. It sounded pretty damn good over there. Only having to worry about the occasional cold? How had they even managed to get that level of success?

Of course, in his reverie, Drayden had gone completely silent in the wake of Drake's reply. He should have expected that Drake would have not been able to suffer the silence for long, though, as the latter soon moved toward Iris. The man was always so full of life and exuberance-- two things notorious for being very, very loud. "So! Iris!" Dradyen turned to see the spectacle of Drake draping his long arm around the girl, her embarrassment at the familial gesture immediately apparent even through the darkness that cloaked them. "Heard a few years back that you made it to Championhood yourself! What was that like, eh?"

The Gym Leader couldn't help a small, proud chuckle escape him as he quietly listened, beaming at the mention of his granddaughter's achievements. It had been bittersweet of course, seeing himself surpassed by someone so young, but that was what was supposed to happen, right? Take the torch and lead her peers on into a brave new world? And she had done so magnificently. "Well, yes..." Her voice was tiny, likely more from embarrassment rather than caution for their surroundings. "It was only for a couple of years, and I was quickly dethroned, but I was able to help so many trainers and Pokemon during that time. I wanted people to finally be able to see and hear their Pokemon's hearts as well as I could, and for a while I did!"

"That you did, Iris," Drayden commented, pride still clear on his face. "I couldn't have been more proud of you."

((Skip please. Been called into work and I refuse to ask for an extension two days in a row. I'll catch up next round.))