[X] My Assistant

[Master Houndoom]

This RP is already fully staffed and will not accept applications. Furthermore, any bunnying done to characters or pokemon is done with permission by the owner of the character/pokemon.

"And then, Jaima's mother comes home, and no one's there. Well, she's in a towering fury, she says, but she goes out to the back yard, and there they are, with a blanket draped over the clothesline, roasting marshmallows over Ember's behind!"

Tuesday and Meiko burst into fits of girlish laughter, and Jaima smiled, slightly flushed. Darryn also smiled, almost a smirk. "I've heard that before."

Meiko grinned at him, then back at Jaima, winking and pointing at him. Jaima raised a brow, then gave a smirk of his own.

"Well, this one is new to you. It's Meiko's 8th birthday, and it's supposed to be a surprise party..."

Meiko gasped. "Noooooo," she wailed, reaching for Jaima, who dodged nimbly.

The story never actually got told, but things were learned by the traveling companions. For example, Tuesday and Darryn learned that Jaima was actually ticklish, and that Meiko knew where, and vice versa. Meiko and Jaima learned that one should not get into a tickle war while there was a certain mischievous riolu around.

No one understood exactly how it happened, or where Zorro had gotten the rope, but before it could be stopped, Jaima and Meiko had ended up with their hands tied behind the other's back, facing each other, wide eyed and blinking in surprise.

With a laugh, Tuesday scolded Zorro, Darryn moved to untie the pair, and Meiko took the opportunity to drop a kiss on Jaima's nose.

* * * * *

The camp was set up with now expected efficiency, and supper had been eaten. The four trainers lounged around the fire, sleepy eyed, several pokemon (several being twenty, but no one was counting) lounging in different groups, and smiling. The previous leg of their journey, which had ended with the group taking refuge with Tuesday's uncle, had provided a time of rejuvenation, and the group had fallen into a kind of contentment that was the aim of many people, the kind of contentment one would love to look back in their life and say they could feel for the majority of it. The kind of contentment that, usually, preceded a storm or quake.

There was talking, and laughter, and soon the wishes of good nights. The morning would bring more travel, and perhaps a practice battle, but for now, sleep was called for.

[Umbrae Calamitas]

“Something is bothering the runt.”

Odysseus glanced over at the houndoom walking on his left, in between he and the lass. The landlegger was making it his top priority, it seemed, to be sure that the lass was being watched over. This gave Odysseus a lot of hope.

“’tis, indeed, boy. Ye go’ any idea wha’ tha’ migh’ be?”

”Another headache?”

”Don’ ask me, boy. Ask ‘er!”

Ashleigh looked at Odysseus for a moment, and then looked at Tuesday, who was paying no mind to their conversation. She didn’t understand what they were saying, just as Jaima and Meiko and Darryn or the rescue team didn’t know what they were saying. How we he supposed to ask the runt anything?

~*~

Tuesday had a headache. Yes, another one. It wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the others she’d had, but it wasn’t all that pleasant, either. She was trying to ignore the urge to rub her head. It wouldn’t do anything for her headache and it would simply draw attention to her and what the problem…could be. Everyone had just gotten back together. She didn’t need anyone, herself included, running off and getting separated. She would just ignore it as best she could, just deal with it. It would go away, eventually.

She hoped.

There had been some arguments between the members of the rescue team – a good portion of them in French – but the eight of them eventually began moving through the forest. According to the pilot, the fires were being dealt with by the helicopters they could hear flying overhead. That meant that they simply had to find their way out of the forest.

And survive any more encounters with their attack-happy friends. That was going to be the hard part.

~*~

He burned. The scent of burning fur still filled his nostrils, the sound of sizzling flesh and his own shrieks still filled his ears, and he could still feel sparking electricity as it struck his face like a physical force, and left its mark behind.

The shiftry growled low in his throat as he made his way through the forest. The man had tried to tame him, but he had shown him. He would see through one eye now, as the shiftry saw through one eye, and he would always feel the pain of his claws on scarred cheeks. The man would not forget him, but he would live.

The girl and he pokemon, however, would not.

There was a squeaking at the shiftry’s feet as a small yellow creature darted out from under a pile of leaves, as the large pokemon crashed through them. The shiftry snarled at the tiny pokemon and swatted it with a large claw. The pichu let out a terrified, pained cry as it was snatched up by the shiftry, who continued to crash through the foliage without care.

~*~

The pain in her head intensified all at once, in a flashing burst, like a needlepoint. Tuesday twitched in reaction, ducking her head as both hands flew up to clasp her skull. She stumbled a little, whether at the lack of vision from the placement of her hands or the pain, none could tell, but it was clear that she was in pain.

“An’ she answers.”

“But I didn’t even ask her!”

“But ye were listenin’, weren’cha?” the buizel asked, a knowing look on his face. He cocked an eyebrow at Ashleigh. ”Well, boy? Wha’d’ya plan t’ do ‘bout i’?”

Ashleigh stared at Odysseus for a moment longer, before turning to Tuesday. He whimpered – a sound not overly loud, but quite enough to call the attention of Jaima, who returned swiftly at the sight of Tuesday. She had been walking a bit behind the sight of everyone else, which is the only reason they hadn’t seen her falter. But that wouldn’t happen again.

Jaima knelt before Tuesday, gripping her slender arm gently. His voice was soft when he spoke to her, and Ashleigh stood close to him, trying to keep his whimpers low, but make sure they knew he was there – that the runt knew he was there.

“Tuesy, what’s wrong?”

“I’m okay,” Tuesday replied, though her voice was muffled and sounded more like self-reassurance than any steady affirmation. She appeared to try and gather herself, however, and lowered her arms shakily to her sides, standing up straight. Anyone with sight, however, could see her dilated pupils and the pain reflected in her eyes. Ashleigh whimpered again.

“Tuesday, you’re not okay,” Meiko said, clearly trying to impress upon the girl that this was serious. “You have another headache?”

“I’m fine,” Tuesday argued quietly, though this statement was contradicted by a heavy wince.

“Honey, you can’t-“

Whatever Meiko had been about to say was interrupted by an explosion.

Five people broke into the clearing, the explosion not one of fire or lightning, but sound, as a multitude of pokemon were released from their pokeballs at once. They hovered around their trainers, trapping the eight of them within a threatening circle. Three men and two women, they grinned.

“Well now,” one of the men – a tall, dark brunette with sharp eyes – said, stepping forward, “look what the fire chased out.” He patted the head of the mightyena standing next to him. “Daddy always did say the best way to catch a rat was to smoke ‘em out. I guess for a horde of rats, you need a whole fire.”

The woman to his right – thin and wiry, with long mud-colored hair – laughed in a high, shrieking pitch. “You all must be so tired!” She grinned a very toothy grin – an expression that made her appear less in control of her mental state than most psych patients. “Let’s put you to bed!” She snapped her fingers and threw her hand forward dramatically. “My beauties! Attack!”

The five pokemon at her side, all evolutions of eevee, sprang forward with a series of yips and snarls. The pokemon surrounding them all began to rush forward, converging inward on their circle, as a scarred and half-blind shiftry burst out of the trees, and all hell broke loose.

[Living Arrow]

<But Lady…>

<No, Prince Darryn.> The Vulpix chastised him as the group hiked through the thick forest. After being reunited with his Pokemon, Darryn had put his exhausted Rapidash back in her ball along with Bravo – the bird started screaming and wouldn’t stop even when Darryn asked him to – and Romeo (whose licking was non-stop). The whole group had agreed that moving south west would get them to civilisation first – something for which Darryn was greatly looking forward to. If this particular adventure had taught him anything it was that he loved the city and hated forests. His focus, however, was not to find a bed in a skyscrapingly gorgeous hotel. Instead, a large grey face plagued his thoughts.

<But he’s still out there somewhere!>

<And I am searching. Do not fear for Zulu, Prince Darryn – I shall find him soon.> Lady’s voice was carrying strength in it intended for her trainer to use but all he could do was worry over his lazy great Rampardos.

“Darryn?” Meiko eyed him questioningly from beside him as they clambered over a small rise. “Everything alright?” Victor looked up at his trainer with confusion then directed his gaze on Lady with a frown.

“Mmm? Oh yeah – just a little tired is all.” Darryn lied. Meiko didn’t buy it but she didn’t press the issue either. Her giggling Happiny waved at Darryn and gurgled something merrily. He smiled back and for the first time realised that his shirt felt too empty without the loving baby pressed against his ribs. Although it had been a matter of hours, Darryn had grown accustomed to her minute warmth and found himself missing her presence next to him.

<But we found everyone else… What if Zulu is all lost and sad and alone out there? What if he got hurt and needs me?>

<You really think that big lump of dumb rock would get hurt and need help… Seriously?>

Darryn sighed. Lady was right – Zulu would probably be faring better than the rest of them even if he was on his own. Holding onto that thought, Darryn followed the others over the rise and down into a clearing of the trees where a smattering of grass grew amid the dirt. They were nearly halfway across when the scream of opening Pokeballs came from all around.

Three men and two women had managed to encircle the group, trapping the young trainers and rescue workers in a ring within the clearing. Darryn recognised one of the women as the one who had attacked him earlier that morning – she blew him a kiss with mock affection. He glared back.

“Well now, look what the fire chased out.” A tall man laughed snidely as he patted the head of a ferocious-looking Mightyena. “Daddy always did say the best way to catch a rat was to smoke ‘em out. I guess for a horde of rats, you need a whole fire.”

“You all must be so tired! Let’s put you to bed!” A gaunt woman cackled next to him, unleashing a toothy smile that made Darryn want to clamp braces on with their gap-tooth ugliness. She dramatically threw out an arm and cried: “My beauties! Attack!”

“SHIFTRY!” Something massive and dark burst from the canopy but the young Co-Ordinator already had incoming Pokemon from the side of the group. He felt Meiko tense behind him as they moved back-to-back at the centre of the group.

“I’ve had ENOUGH of this!” Darryn practically threw Lady from one hand while releasing Bravo’s Premier Ball from his belt with the other. How dare these people just show up and attack them without reason!? How bloody dare they?!

With a roar, Darryn unleashed his Pokemon upon the incoming Nidoking, Glalie, Banette and Carnivine on his side of the clearing.

“Bravo, Lady, Victor, Romeo – GO!”