[X] My Assistant

[Umbrae Calamitas]

Stupid was the thought that crossed Tuesday's mind as the croagunk dashed forward while the ursaring was down. There was no hesitation in the toad's movements, no caution. He took advantage of what looked like an advantageous position and moved without taking the time to think about it. It was a rookie mistake, and one that cost a lot of people who acted first and chose to think after their pokemon had been pounded into the ground.

"If the Ursurang is still uncooperative, I have a plan to slow him down. If your Tsunami can wet him down, then my Seel's Icy Wind would freeze it faster. Then maybe a Psychic like Mercury can get into the bear's mind and calm him down."

Tuesday was disappointed in the croagunk, but more disappointed in his trainer. Planning out an attack formation or even discussing with your allies about an attack was important, of course, but so was making certain that your pokemon was out of danger.

The croagunk was, decidedly, not.

"Fool of a Took," Tuesday swore, as the ursaring, who had not been as injured as he made himself appear, moved more swiftly than one would expect from a creature of his size. His body moved upward as he reared back, his right paw coming out and slamming into the croagunk, shoving the smaller pokemon backward and off balance, as he opened his mouth wide, a golden-white ball of energy forming between his lips, before abruptly exploding forward in an concussive stream, slamming into the croagunk and throwing the toad into the opposite wall.

Tuesday moved swiftly, her instincts telling her that staying in one place for long was not safe with this creature. Her feet carried her to the left, closer to the boy whose name she didn't know, as her eyes narrowed at the ursaring.

"Iorek knows hyper beam, it appears," she noted, perhaps uselessly. She couldn't tell if the boy would know what the attack was. She assumed that Jaima had been able to name it immediately. She figured no one would pick up on her reference, but it hardly mattered. The ursaring was smart, that was a given. They simply had to be careful that they weren't stupid.

"Get your croagunk out of danger," Tuesday said sharply to the boy, not speaking loudly enough to call attention to herself, never taking her eyes off of the bear. She thought about his earlier comment with some annoyance. "And if you have a plan that involves Mercury, perhaps you would be kind enough to tell it to her."

She knew that the plan involved Tsunami, as well, but physically - or elementally - attacking a pokemon was vastly different from doing so psychically. Entering anyone's mind was a taxing effort, and also a personal one. Immersing oneself into the personality, emotions, and mentality of another creature was dangerous and could be excruciating. To ask it of a pokemon one hardly knew so flippantly was insulting to Mercury, and Tuesday found herself disgusted on the kirlia's behalf.

The ursaring moved swiftly to his feet, a perpetual growl emanating from his throat, his lips vibrating with the force of it. His eyes were wild with battle lust and as Tuesday studied his movements and body language, she found that "uncooperative" was the last word she would use to describe him.

She didn't know if Jaima intended to implement the boy's plan or not, but she saw both Zorro and Tempest moving opposite each other, on either side of the ursaring. The bear pokemon was holding an aggressive position, snarling, seemingly waiting for something - them to make the first move, no doubt. His eyes flickered to Tempest now and then, and clearly he could see her. Zorro may have been standing just beyond the ursaring's peripheral vision, and Tuesday hoped so.

Tempest's ears were tilted backward, toward her, and it was clear that she was waiting for a command or an opening. Zorro was always attuned to her, and she saw him glance her way briefly now and then. She smiled slightly. She had a good pair on the field.

Now if only they would get along off of it.

"Blind Side!" Tuesday called.

Immediately, the two pokemon moved. Tempest quick attacked from side to side, drawing the ursaring's attention solely onto her, as she used her agility to avoid any impending attacks. On the other side of the ursaring, now almost at his back, Zorro dashed away from the bear, leapt up against the wall and sprang off. Tuesday saw him clench his eyes shut and did so herself, turning her head away slightly. She gave no warning to the others, not wanting to tip the bear off.

Behind her eyelids, she could see a great flash of light, as Tempest unleashed a thunder bolt. It didn't strike him - it wasn't meant to. Blind Side, a maneuver that Tuesday had come up with and one of the only ones that involved Tempest and Zorro working together (though technically any duo of her pokemon could perform it), worked with one pokemon acting as a distraction and a blinder, while the other attacked.

In this case, Tempest unleashed a thunderbolt that arched across the ursaring's vision, successfully turning the world white momentarily. In the same instance, Zorro, who had shut his eyes in preparation to protect himself, slammed into the ursaring from behind, his paw coming forward and punching the ursaring in the back.

There was a brilliant blue-white light, as Zorro pressed his paw against the ursaring's back, even as his body continued in a momentum that would soon drag him over the ursaring. The Force Palm attack slammed into the ursaring with enough force to cause the bear pokemon to roar in pain and spin with the attack.

Unfortunately, he spun with his right arm out, and successfully cuffed Zorro in the chest, sending the riolu flying into the wall behind him and sagging to the ground, wheezing for the air that had been knocked out of him.

The bear turned back to the other pokemon, Tempest having leapt back a safe distance, and roared loudly in what was clearly a challenge to try and take him down.

Tuesday hoped it disappointed him that no one was running scared.

[Master Houndoom]

Jaima swore under his breath when the ursaring rose again, sending Douken's croagunk into the wall. He had been in the middle of explaining that Mercury had already told him there was no reasoning with the huge beast. Now Douken's croagunk was stunned, possibly even down.

Jaima directed Tsunami to hit it again with a mudshot, and as he did, Tuesday burst into action.

Everyone, close your eyes! Mercury mentally commanded, to each trainer and pokemon's mind, blocking only the ursaring. Jaima didn't question, but reacted, shutting his eyes tight. Tsunami, Mercury, and Shadow did the same, though Shadow had not needed the warning. Tempest's aura told him more or less what her plans were.

A bright flash, muted through eyelids, crossed his eyes, and then he opened them, watching as Zorro struck the creature in the back, only to be sent into the wall.

Jaima huffed. It was time to end this.

"Mercury, I need him confused! Tsunami, Water Gun at his feet! I need a puddle as big as you can make it! Shadow, get ready!"

He turned to the humans. "Reilly, we're going to need the fastest punch Indiana has! Tuesday, is Zorro going to be able to do that heart thing he did to save Tempest? See if he can join us up here! Douken!" He looked at the newest trainer. "Have your seel freeze the water around the ursaring's feet! Tsunami's going to keep spreading water around until it's thick enough to hold his weight, so have her start now and keep it up as long as she can!"

Jaima turned and nodded to Mercury, who's eyes glowed. The ursine shook his massive hair, then growled, annoyed. Again, he shook his head, growling low, now, swiping a paw in front of his face to brush away some imaginary bug. Finally, it roared, stumbling in a circle, swiping wildly, luckily, well enough away from everyone to keep them out of danger.

As this was going on, Tsunami had been spraying a near steady stream of water, and Douken's seel used her Icy Wind to freeze the water in layers. Soon there was a pallet thick enough not to crack under the ursaring's weight, and the confused ursine started to slip.

"NOW!"

On the command, Indiana, Tempest, and Shadow launched forward. From around them, Zorro's vacuum wave, Mercury's Psychic, and Tsunami's Mud Shot caught up, then passed the trio, slamming into the chest and head of the ursaring. As it roared, Indiana slammed into it's chest with it's mach punch, then kicked off of it's chest in time for Shadow to slam into the stumbling bear's shoulders with a pair of bone shaped fighting sticks, and Tempest to strike it in the chest with her Volt Tackle. Zorro caught her as she flew back with the recoil and set her on the ground, and they scampered away even as the bear slipped on the ice, fell, and slid into the wall with a crunch.

The teams fell silent as Shadow peered at it from the three point stance he had landed in. He is unconscious. His aura cannot lie.

A great sigh of relief passed through the trainers, then, as Shadow rose and stood to walk back, he slipped on the ice, struggling to maintain balance before his feet flew from under him and he crashed into the ice on his back.

Bloody hell! was all anyone "heard", and the group rippled in laughter.

Jaima rubbed his face, adrenaline ebbing away. "OK, so now w--"

A roar, unlike anything Jaima had heard before, coursed down the hall. The shadow of a gigantic form darkened the wall at the end of the hall, its shape unmistakable as a tyranitar.

"Whoa!" Jaima pulled back the sleeve of his right arm, which was blank. "Look at my wrist! We have to go!"

Without another thought, without even worrying about dignity, the trainers recalled all but one of their pokemon and scrambled the opposite way down the hall. Reilly tore a door open and ducked in, and the other four followed.

Which is, because of their flight and the fear in their minds, they all crashed together a started the rapid descent down a long, slippery slide that would take them, eventually, to the basement.

* * * * *

The tiny Mime Jr. peeked around the corner. The big bear was out like a light! He knew that trick would make it run! His shadow puppets NEVER failed, and he could mimic any call of any pokemon, no matter how big!

But... where were the people he was trying to save?

We're on our way to join the rest, so have a post or two of fun with the slide! See this post for other people's take on the slide.

[Douken Sota]

Douken's Croagunk was knocked out cold, which would of been a miracle if he did survive! A Hyper Beam at point-blank range with their level difference was more of an overkill than anything. In addition, watching his Poison Frog Pokemon fly in the air like that broke his confidence like a twig as well. It was almost like slow motion in his eyes while Croagunk was in midair, his mind racing with thoughts, crashing into him all at once. His best fighter was downed with ease, his worry grew for Seel, and he doubt his Growlithe would be effective at all. All the fear of being overpowered that he was hiding flooded him. When he hit the floor, Douken was way too shocked to move, and Seel looked at him worried, feeling his frightened emotion.

Mercury's call snapped him back to reality, recalling his fallen ally as the bright flashes came, turned around so he didn't have to cover then that much, more like throw his arm at the side of his face to block it. As Jaima was explaining the actions, Douken was breathing hard, trying to focus himself back and get whatever confidence he had left. "Alright then, Seel, give us another Icy Wind," he said, trying to hold back the rest of his fear, but his voice was definitely shaky. Luckily, the ice layer held up, causing the ursine to lose balance and drop his guard against the triple move combo.

When Lucario stated it was out, Douken fell to his knees, not because his legs felt numb from the water, but because he felt weak, useless, and most importantly, ashamed. He placed his trust into his team, yet that was what got Croagunk a plane ticket to the other side of the room. Even as the group laughed in humor, Douken was still quiet, his face drooping. Concerned, Seel hopped over to try and cheer him up.

It was then that the huge cry came, locking Douken up as his looked up at the large shaodw. His eyes were now shaking. He had no courage at all to fight this figure. Douken was too shocked to even move, that is until Seel hopped up to slap him in the face to help snap him out of it. Lifting the Seel as best as he could (since she is slow in the running factor) and followed the others to escape the threat, just to find themselves all slipping downhill, his Seel flying in front.

It seemed they found themselves heading downward, Douken trying to brace himself and get balanced as his water buddy was having the time of her life! Sliding on her belly, she felt like she was in an area where she would live naturally, sliding with ease. She even slowed down enough to help Douken get his balance as he hung on. If it is sliding to the unknown or facing that Pokemon, I would prefer the slide...

[Umbrae Calamitas]

The Regurgitator was a rollercoaster famous for its ability to make the majority of its passengers lose whatever they had recently eaten from the farthest heights of the ride. For this reason, the area beneath the rollercoaster and some distance around it was taped off, as people tended to sue the amusement park when they amble innocently along and are suddenly covered in vomit.

Tuesday was eleven when Brone, having had a fairly good - nearly certain - idea that Tuesday would soon be leaving on her adventure, convinced Uncle DeBrody to come to Pallet Town and take them to an amusement park some towns away. DeBrody, never one to pass up speed or heights, especially in combination, appeared in two days and dragged a reluctant Tuesday away from Professor Oak's lab.

The amusement park was fun. Ice cream, cotton candy, foot-long spiral lolliepops and, indeed, anything with a meager amount of sugar in it, DeBrody bought for both Tuesday and Brone, and set them loose on the populace. They snacked on candy the entire day, played games, pet tame tyranitar and Tuesday even got to hold a seviper (though the serpent's size nearly had her collapsing beneath its weight and Brone had to use a mild bit of telekinesis to keep her from falling over).

It was once they started riding the rides, however, that they learned two very important things.

The first was that Brone, despite his great amount of skill and power, fell into the category of Regurgitator patrons who sent their breakfast, lunch, and dinner splattering down beneath the coaster before they even reached the heaviest drop.

The second was that Tuesday loved rollercoasters.

It was for this reason that, as they lost their balance on the unexpected slope, Tuesday had a moment of disorientation just like the rest. Then, grasping onto the fact that this was not all that different from the rollercoaster ride (if a little less prone to cause stomach problems), she immediately took to the slide with excitement, Zorro following her example without delay.

Rolling over onto her stomach and manuevering until she was sliding headfirst, Tuesday straightened her legs out behind her and stretched her arms out in front of her, letting out a cry of delight. "Super Tuesday!" she yelled happily.

Beside her, Zorro lay on his back, feet sliding down first, his limbs straight. From somewhere in his bag, somehow during their sliding, he had pulled out a helmet and replaced his pirate hat. Now, he was sliding as though in a luge race, a perpetual grin stretching across his face. Tuesday giggled at him as he started pulling at the ice with his paws in a futile attempt to pass her. She stuck out her tongue.

Curiosity having only killed the cat, two of the pokeballs on Tuesday's belt burst open.

Tuesday let out a soft "oof!" as Tempest landed on her back. Ashleigh, luckily for her, jumped over Tuesday's body and landed on the ice on the other side of her, only for his paws to slip and for him to collapse onto his stomach with a startled expression.

Tuesday laughed. "Ashleigh," she called, sliding over and grabbing the houndoom's horns. The great dark dog let his tongue loll out as she climbed onto his back, Tempest leaping onto the ice and spinning in a disorienting circle as she lost her balance and continued to slide downward.

Tuesday let out a laugh as she sat up, each of her hands wrapped around one of Ashleigh's horns, as though she were racing a houndoom-shaped motorcycle down an icy hill.

Zorro, now sitting up as he continued to slide, stared at Tuesday and Ashleigh with wide eyes. Looking over at the dizzy Tempest, he leapt to his feet, sliding downward on steady paws as he opened his arms wide. "Come, Ratta!" he cried delightfully. "I hold you y we carrera into the brazos del amor!"

He let out a startled yelp as he was knocked off of his feet by a flying object, accentuated with a sharp "Pika!"

"Tempest!" Tuesday cried in distress. "That was my shoe!"

~*~

"Reilly, we're going to need the fastest punch Indiana has!"

Normally, a cocky response would have immediately escaped Reilly's lips, like "I'll show you fast - no one out-punches Indiana!" or "It'll be lights out before curtain call!" Something stupid like that. It would have come easily on a normal occasion.

But this wasn't what Reilly would call a normal occasion. There were four of them faced up against an opponent - an ursaring - that did not want to fall and, the way things were going, might not. The bear pokemon was powerful and while they were holding their own, they weren't winning.

And then Jaima, who was clearly the leader, really - it didn't take a genius to figure it out - called for an attack, and asked Reilly to help.

Sure, Indiana was part fighting-type and he did have a powerful Mach Punch, but they had a lucario and riolu already on their team, both of whom had proven themselves to be powerful in their own right - more so, if Reilly was honest with himself, than Indiana.

It confused him, and that scared him a little, because he didn't understand this boy.

The pretty boy he got. Darryn - Reilly knew his name - was just another stuck up prince out to show the world that beauty meant anything. It didn't matter to him whether someone had skill or not - all he cared about was whether or not his clothes matched his eyes and his hair didn't get ruffled. Reilly knew his type all to well and he had yet to get along with any of them. That's why it didn't come as any surprise that he and the pretty boy hated each other.

The runt, Tiny, Shortstack - she was easy, too. She was a nerdy little brat who wanted to be something big, but had never been out from behind a stack of books before. Reilly knew her type, too. She was smart - probably smarter than most - and she thought that meant she could take on anything and win, regardless of the odds. She thought she was better than anyone else, because she was smarter, and that she couldn't be taken down. But Reilly knew better, and he'd known people like her before - arrogant kids who looked down on anyone who didn't keep their nose firmly in a book. It wasn't much of a surprise that they didn't get along, either.

Reilly had thought that he knew this kid's type, too. Older, and therefore wiser they would say, with martial arts capabilities and powerful pokemon. It all lead up to one word: bully.

But Jaima wasn't like that. He didn't tease Reilly for almost losing that first battle against Tuesday, or for having a buneary as one of his pokemon, or for even having a team that was clearly weaker than his. Some kids had even teased him before about having a male monferno. It never seemed to end.

Jaima, however, didn't act like them, like Reilly thought he would. He was... nice, and he was encouraging, and he asked Reilly to join in, even though it was a battle and they needed everyone, and it really shouldn't matter that much. It still did...

Reilly was thinking of this as he slid down the slide after the others. He had recalled Indiana on reflex, clutching Morgan to his chest as they lost their balance on the slope and went careening into who knows where.

He watched as the runt played around on the slide and tried to ignore her, because she was being childish and silly, and it was clear that she wasn't ready to be on a journey in the real world.

He turned his attention to Jaima, because Jaima was nice and he was kind, and he was serious. He was a pokemon trainer, clearly, and he knew what he was doing. And, Reilly realized, as Morgan asked him again to tell her how beautiful she was, he had a lot of respect for Jaima, and wouldn't mind hanging around their team just a... little bit longer.

[Master Houndoom]

Shadow felt the slide take him just as he noticed it was there. At first, he was afraid it was a trap, but from the evident enjoyment of Little Mercury, the Little Brother, and Kohai Tuesday, he began to relax. Others were sliding down, pokemon of every shape and size, trainers, some riding, some on their own. He saw a smeargle pass, skating on his flat feet, as if he were skiing.

Shadow allowed himself a rare moment of playfulness. With some effort, he put his feet under him, then rose.

Just as Sensei Jaima passed, he felt his feet fly out from under him, and he landed on his back.

He hated the ice!

* * * * *

At the very first, Jaima had a sensation of falling. The sensation reminded him of every bad feeling he'd ever gotten: The feeling he'd gotten when Mariko had wandered away when she was five, and they couldn't find her. The feeling he'd gotten when he'd walked in on his mother crying on what would be her and his father's anniversary three years ago. The feeling he'd gotten when he'd lost an important pokeball on his way back to the lab (even worse, that he'd actually used it. The feeling he'd gotten when Ember'd been stolen.

He'd never really ridden rides. At first, it was because someone needed to watch the girls when they were at festival, or the odd amusement park (his mother, being a breeder, got to visit them on business, and one of the perks were usually a free pass to the park for the family), and then, later, because the girls would have him holding balloons and animals and the like when they, themselves, went. He'd heard about them, however, from friends, those that had stayed behind as he had for various reasons. They always described that sinking, heart-in-your-throat feeling that seemed common.

Why anyone would want to recreate that feeling, Jaima couldn't tell.

He realized, after a while of blind panic, that he wasn't actually falling, but sliding, rapidly and with little friction to slow him. For some reason, in that mad part of his brain that detached from intense fear, he heard a chorus of men singing in a kind of jazz rhythm, "dooby dooby doo bow, dooby dooby doo bow..." If he hadn't been so terrified, he'd have laughed.

Instead, he squished his eyes shut and concentrated on ways to stop if things were going to get bad. The speed must have been incredible. He knew Ice had to be a factor in this slide, yet he didn't feel overly cold, possibly due to the friction. He held his body rigidly, trying to keep his breathing under control. Somehow, he managed to hear Mercury's delighted, lilting laugh. He heard the sound of an impact as he passed it, but didn't feel himself strike a body, and so thought that someone had tried to stand, and failed. Tuesday's screams of joy, the shushing, sliding sounds of so many bodies on the slope, all of them droned deeper as they passed him.

There were a few bumps on the slide, and he thought he caught air at least once. Another time, as he was passing Tuesday, he felt a shoe bouncing off of his head. Who throws a shoe? Honestly!

All through it, he kept his eyes closed, until he came to one realization; The sounds he had heard were not fading in front of him.

They were fading behind him.

He opened his eyes just in time to see the slide ramp up at a great angle, the momentum enough to send him over it, into the air, flailing as nothing rose up to catch him again, and then..

*PHWUMP*

A cushioned, soft landing, one that caused him no pain, caught him. He stood up, wide eyed, hair mussed, and slowly raised his hands above his head.

"I'm alive! I'm aliiiiiiiii-MPH!!"

A large blue and black shape had slammed into him, on the heals of a lighter blue, orange, and white blur, sending him and the black and blue form tumbling. It was dark, and something heavy was on his head.

"ow..."

Yes, I've ended Jaima's trip. You don't have to react as if it's already over, however. In fact, I encourage you to write out more of the slide before you end your player's trip!

[Douken Sota]

It seemed that Jaima and the girl were certainly having fun sliding downwards. Surely, Douke would of been taking the time to have fun as well, especially if it would get his mind off the events from five minutes ago, but those images still flashed through his head. Watching his Croagunk take a point blank Hyper Beam was an image he just couldn't get out of his head. It made him question his ways of training. Is relying on their nature such a wise move? Look what happened to Croagunk...

His mind set was broken when a hill flung the Seel Pokemon and his trainer into the air, seperating the two a few inches. Still, they were both placed away from each other enough to have to rely on landing themselves. Seel's landing was just fine, a smooth landing on her belly. As for Douken, he nearly collided with Reilly, missing his head by an inch and landed in a roll in front of him. Luckily, he was able to stop before the comical human snowball formed to take everyone with him and set as steady as he could before Seel slid back to let him balance again.

As they descended more, Seel gazed at her trainer with sad eyes, feeling his worry. Carefully petting her horn, he said, "Sorry girl. I am just too concerned of what happened to your big brother. I just don't want that to happen again." That only resulted in a soft Headbutt to the trainer. "I know, I know. You two can take care of yourselves. I raised you two so I wouldn't have to worry all the time, but I just can't help but worry."

I bet my parents have been worrying ever since I left on that boat... he thought. They raised him to be able to take care of the others. They let him take care of Croagunk and Seel when he hatched them on accident. They taught him a lot of what they knew to ready himself, and he used that to help train his Pokemon. He needed to get his confidence back, since his parents had confidence he could do this journey, and his Pokemon trusted him on his way of training and judgment. Looking at Seel, he smiled and said, "How about we take a breather after this after getting back?" Glad to hear him happy, his Seel clapped as they took another jump, with nearly opposite results, Douken landing on his feet with a bit of a struggle as Seel nearly tumbled because she was too distracted clapping.

This post has been edited by Douken Sota: Mar 24 2010, 02:55 PM

[Umbrae Calamitas]

"Stupid mutt," Tempest growled to herself, as she slid down the slide on her now-wet bottom, her ears pinned back as the wind brushed them and her tail twitching behind her, held against the ice to help her steer her body. She was grinding her teeth, trying to force herself to forget that moment during the battle, when the stupid... when Zorro protected her. He used an attack that she had never seen before, an attack that she wasn't sure that he had ever used before, to save her. To protect her.

Somewhere close by, and yet far away, she thought, on the edge of her mind or her hearing, she heard a soft, familiar giggle.

She decided, for the sake of that giggle's owner, she would ignore it. For now.

~*~

Reilly wasn't sure which was more annoying - the fact that the icy slide was making his butt wet, or that the buneary in his arms wouldn't stop talking.

He was leaning toward the latter.

"Oh, ReiRei, the wind is so cold. Hold me tight and warm me up okay?"

Reilly groaned. Morgan, I am about to put you back in your pokeball, he warned silently.

"Oh no, ReiRei! You wouldn't do that, would you? Not to me! Because I'm beautiful and my fur's so soft, and I know you love me, ReiRei!" The buneary grinned up at him. "You wouldn't want to hide me, would you, ReiRei?"

Reilly sighed. No, Morgan, I guess not.

"YAY!" Morgan squealed, throwing her hands up in the air. "ReiRei loves me!" She snuggled into Reilly's shirt. "We should go away from these ugly people, ReiRei. I don't like them."

"I think I want to stay a while longer, Morgan."

"Awwwww... do we have to?"

"It's important, Morgan."

"You're a butthead, ReiRei."

Reilly huffed a sigh. "Yeah, I- HOLY CRAP!"

Morgan squealed in fright and Reilly let out a yell as the slide abruptly ended after a rise, flinging them into the air. He gasped as he nearly flew into the one boy who had battled with them, missing him barely.

"ReiRei, I'm scared!" Morgan squealed.

"I got you, Morgan," Reilly said, hugging the buneary close to his chest to protect her.

She wailed loudly in response. "No, don't squeeze me, you'll mess up my fur!!"

"THIS- Oomf." Reilly sagged against the cushion. "Sucks," he added in a bored tone, and dropped his head back onto the cushion. "Ugh..."

Sitting on his chest, Morgan sniffled and rubbed her fur down compulsively. "Oh no!" she cried loudly, causing Reilly to look up at her sharply. She tried futilely to brush down an errant spot of fur. She threw back her head and wailed. "I'm UGLY!"

~*~

With his tongue lolling out, Ashleigh flew down the slide on his belly, flinging spit at anyone unlucky enough to be riding behind them. Sitting on his back, Tuesday's thick blonde ponytail flew out behind her as she laughed into the force of the wind flying at her face.

Both of them were equally surprised when the slide abruptly ended, but they took it well.

"DOOM!" Ashleigh howled loudly, causing Tempest to shriek in surprise and lose her precarious balance moments before she went flying off the end of the slide.

"Come, Ratta! I save you!" Zorro cried.

"Leave me alone!" Tempest yelled, releasing a thundershock with a sharp "CHU!" Zorro hit the cushion with a crispy "oof!" and Tempest regained her balance in the air, landing on his back and stepping on his head as she moved to the floor.

Zorro raised his head and shook it, his tassles flying from side to side. "S-Seniorita," he stammered, as he staggered off of the pillow and slid to the floor, "I see dancing pikachus..." He waved a paw at his head, and then fell over.

Tuesday, gripping Ashleigh's horns tightly as they went flying through the air, laughed loudly as Ashleigh's paws worked in the air as though he was running at top speed.

"Super Houndoom!" he cried with a delightful howl. "I come to the rescue at the sound of the Doom Song! Oh crap." He let out a yelp as they reached the end of their rise in the air and toppled downward on top of the cushion.

They landed with the breath being knocked out of them, Tuesday landing beside him on her back, giggling. She snickered, her hands curled at her chest, as her chest heaved with laughter. "We need - to do that - again," she gasped.