Equipment: White Haori, Gauravian luck charm bracelet
Gaurav
Menzai sought to go after the humans to make sure they were safe, but he had to hold off doing so due to having Sloth being on his tail. The great lumbering beast was thankfully dreadfully slow and with the use of his agile manuevering through the tree branches made luring it in a direction away from where the group ran off. He did so in the hopes of keeping Sloth from discovering the village and once he had lured it a fair distance, did Menzai stealthily break off from the purposeful pursuit.
First making sure the vile abomination wasn't on his tail before feeling it safe enough to make his way to the field where he hoped the group to be. Through the trees he dashed and hopped; not once stopping through it all; pushing through the exhaustion and ignoring whatever pain that throbbed through his body as the wolf sole thought and goal was to ensure the humans were safe.
Eventually reaching where the humans were gathered and dropped down a short distance away where he would be greeted by the fierce glare and panic-stricken question." A-Are you all safe and..well?" Was the first thing he said through heavy pants, his face damp and slick with mud, those dark blue eyes etched with concern, pain and relief to see that everyone had made here.
" I... do not know what that creature was or..where it..came from as it is..not native to these woods." Pushing himself to speak while trying to catch his breath." I can... only offer.. my apologies for failing to... notice the beast until it was too late." Bowing his head in shame for his negligence.
" Yes, for now we need... to get to the village." Nodding to Aidan's suggestion and attempted to step forward to guide the way when he collapsed to one knee. All the exhaustion and pain piled on from straining and pushing himself finally hit him all at once with the adrenaline no longer pumped through him. He knelt there struggling to breathe, the white haori caked in mud mixed with the faint crimson tint of blood spilling from the cuts made from the few times he failed to avoid the tentacles swipes and on closer inspection could see the soles of his feet were especially messy with blood soaked mud.
After a few tries to stand up to no avail, Menzai slumped down having no choice but to let his body rest." Go... Go and make your way to the village...I will follow shortly...need to...report this to the elders." He told the group through gritted teeth, his tone strained and tired hinted with pain.
Ability- Super luck (The chance of a bearer's move being a critical hit is increased by 1 stage.)
Moveset-
-Peck
-Astonish
-Pursuit
-Feather dance
-
-
Princess
Species- Emanation Pokemon
Gender- Female
Type- Fighting
Level- 7
Ability- Prankster (gives priority to status moves)
Moveset: - Quick attack
- Endure
- Feint
-
-
-
Torchic
Species- Chick Pokemon
Gender- Male
Type- Fire
Level- 5
Ability- Speed Boost ( Boosts speed stat one stage at the end of every turn)
Moveset: -Scratch
-Growl
-Ember
-Quick Attack
-
-
Tristan wasn't sure what to think of Neil's comforting words and advice. So used to being put down and insulted or told fake compliments by fellow rich kids to get on his good side, but the things this rancher said sounded so...genuine. It took him off-guard and left the rich teen confused which only added to the things he needed to think over and work out.
The conversation had been just as confounding as it had been helpful leaving him with no idea how to really respond other than." Um..thank you, Mr. Neil... I think." Muttering the last part to himself as he gave a small nod to show he heard the ursaring sized rancher; grateful to be alone as his mind was like a buzzing beehive of thoughts and confusion.
He had been staring into space, lost in thought when Frida's thick accentuated voice rang out snapping him out of the trance. The tantalizing aroma of her cooking soon struck his nose reminding him of his hunger and with it made his belly rumble.
The call for dinner had also seemed to be the signal to have Princess and King return to him as the two were clearly hungry and eager to eat after all they had been put through." Right, let's eat then shall we!" Patting his knees twice before standing up only to stop right then having nearly forgotten." Oh, yes. Before we eat I dare say its time to meet our new team member." He said with a nod of his head to which Princess threw up her paws with an excited." Lu!" Though King gave a curious tilt of his head.
Tristan grabbed the pokemon containing his recently acquired torchic and gave it a toss to reveal the small orange feathered chick. The tiny birb gave a rustling shake of his body and head as if just waking from a nap only to realize it was surrounded by pokemon and a human it didn't know and shortly after Princess padded over." Rio! Lu riolu." She chirped happily in greeting with an extended paw as the teen watched the little chick, stroking his chin in a pondering manner." Hello there, little chick. My name is Tristan and I am pleased to announce that you, my lucky little friend is now part of team Glory! Go ahead, Princess and help our new friend take it in." He exclaimed proudly; elated to have another rare mon as a part of his team.
Each of them had failed to notice that throughout their introduction that the torchic was trembling with a scared expression on his face that worsened with every second the human spoke and the Riolu pressed closer. Save for King, who had been silently observing had taken noticed of it and extended his left wing." Murk krow krow murkrow." He called out gently to Princess as if trying to tell the bipedal canine to step back, but by that point it was too late.
A loud shrill terrified chirping rang out from the torchic as he began running about in a frantic panic. Any attempt to calm or soothe the scared bird from Princess only seemed to make the poor bird chirp louder." Agh! The hell is going on..ow!" Tristan cried out in pain, the shrill chirping grating on their ears forcing the three to try and cover their ears as the Torchic ran off to dive under and hide under the couch where faint scared chirping could be heard.
" Ok, um.... what just happened?" The teen said out of an air of annoyed confusion while glancing at the two in turn as both could only shake their heads having no idea themselves." Oh this is just great. After going through all that and the Torchic we get is a big coward?!" He facepalmed with a groan; just his luck and after all the efforts and work only for them to give him a torchic who turned out to be a massive chicken in the figurative sense. And just when dinner was ready too.
" Well isn't that great. The hell am I going to do with such a scaredy cat... or how to even get him to come out?" Tristan who was tired, hungry and confused was quickly agitated and now wondering if this was a trick of the ranchers to give him a defective torchic.
His anger was bubbling up once more and was thinking of going over to force the bird out, when he felt Princess's paw gently pat at his leg. Every pat seemed to melt away his anger till he was simply a bit irritated." Riou riolu lu." She spoke gently before pointing at King who was slowly hopping towards the couch as if to tell him to let King try to soothe and lure Torchic out. Tristan wondered why Princess wasn't the one doing it but after a few gentle chirps from the magenta Murkrow did he notice its frantic chirping die down to a more low, shaky chirp seeming to be conversing.
Unsure of what was going on, but since there was nothing he could really do right now and chose to sit down on the floor." Guess there's nothing to do but wait." Once again the smell of the food hit causing both of their bellies to rumble to which Tristan let out a drawn-out sigh." Go ahead and eat, Princess. We will be there shortly... I hope." Resting his chin against his right palm propped up against his right leg after having made himself comfortable while Princess gave a shake of her head and settled herself onto his lap where she nuzzled against him to both keep her trainer company and to comfort as they waited.
Ability- Super luck (The chance of a bearer's move being a critical hit is increased by 1 stage.)
Moveset-
-Peck
-Astonish
-Pursuit
-Feather dance
-
-
Princess
Species- Emanation Pokemon
Gender- Female
Type- Fighting
Level- 7
Ability- Prankster (gives priority to status moves)
Moveset: - Quick attack
- Endure
- Feint
-
-
-
Torchic
Species- Chick Pokemon
Gender- Male
Type- Fire
Level- 5
Ability- Speed Boost ( Boosts speed stat one stage at the end of every turn)
Moveset: -Scratch
-Growl
-Ember
-Quick Attack
-
-
Tristan had raised a brow inquisitively at Neil's words having seemingly guessed wrong on what he wished to discuss with him. Watching the huge man sit down and make himself comfortable though even sitting he still proved taller than even if only a little which further signified that this man was not to be trifled with. The teen hesitated at first to take a seat at Neil's behest, but after a moment of uncertainty he moved to join him; curious of what the tired rancher wanted to talk about.
Listening to the man talk with words with clear intent to comfort, but it had a more opposite effect as it dredged up the anger and betrayal he sought to put behind him. And with it came the wounded pride from battling against the man with two against one, not that he felt bad initially since the man was a thief and hardly a proper trainer which warranted no reason to fight him fairly. Yet, he couldn't help but be reminded of the awful lost he suffered against Freya and not just him, but King probably felt awful over it as well, the bird deserving a proper redemption.
While Neil's words did bring out the unpleasant emotions he wanted to forget as there was a lot he needed to work through, they did give him some comfort and perspective.
He has seen and known a number of assholes and scumwads; hell, he practically lived his life surrounded by rich pricks who ran dirty businesses and scams. And of course, the douches much like him though surprisingly Tristan was actually one of the nicer ones who wasn't completely closed minded or thought himself above everyone at least completely outside of fashion. He hated scamming and thieving especially when those of lower class suffered from such constantly and it's probably why he wanted to help this ranch so much or why he wanted to believe and give Robbie a chance. This made the farmhand's betrayal sting worse even though the man was a thief and a stranger to him.
Ultimately, Tristan was confused more than anything; uncertain on how to handle this whole ordeal or how to proceed though Neil's words helped in giving a possible path. His horrid sense of direction proving to be an issue in more than simply physically.
A deep inhale and slow heavy exhale and with it flowed the negative emotions." Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Neil. This has been a difficult day for both your ranch and I, albeit due to different reasons." Nodding his head as he felt his tense body relaxing a bit." You and your family has dealt with enough to worry about the problems of some teen stranger, but I remember your words and figure things out at my own pace. I hope the same for you as I can hardly imagine how much worse it is for you. " He might have come out of this finding it difficult to trust others again for a while but hopefully he meets good, trustworthy people to show trusting and trying to see the good in others wasn't wrong. Robbie was just an unfortunate and desperate man; a thought that there was far more to the man and this whole thing continued to nag at the back of his mind, however.
Ability- Super luck (The chance of a bearer's move being a critical hit is increased by 1 stage.)
Moveset-
-Peck
-Astonish
-Pursuit
-Feather dance
-
-
Princess
Species- Emanation Pokemon
Gender- Female
Type- Fighting
Level- 7
Ability- Prankster (gives priority to status moves)
Moveset: - Quick attack
- Endure
- Feint
-
-
-
Torchic
Species- Chick Pokemon
Gender- Male
Type- Fire
Level- 5
Ability- Speed Boost ( Boosts speed stat one stage at the end of every turn)
Moveset: -Scratch
-Growl
-Ember
-Quick Attack
-
-
A good mood that was short-lasting after the kid admitted to not recognizing him at all though the fact her sister hid the magazines likely explained it. Not to mention that kids didn't really have interest in models or topics regarding fashion so it's not like his pride or ego was hurt, mostly just disappointed having his excitement deflate.
Not long after did Neil walk in and in the big bear of man's arms were bottles of what he surmised to be the Moomoo milk which had him perking up at the prospect of getting his rewards. Hearing Neil talk to Lisa like an actual loving father definitely felt foreign to Tristan and certainly stung him with a bit of bitterness though Lisa's pretty guy compliment more or less got his mind off mainly due to it throwing him off guard.
Waiting for Lisa to run out of the room before standing up, his once tense body relaxing a bit as the mere presence of kids often had him feeling uncomfortable. Though he found he didn't mind Lisa *as* much, her creepy staring aside as she at least had some semblance of manners unlike most." She is an um...cute kid?" His awkward attempt at complimenting the father's child; unsure if it was the right way to do so or if he should say more which left him standing and lightly bouncing on the balls of his feet in awkward fashion.
So, you can imagine how thankful he was to have the awkward air ended by Neil handing him the Moomoo milk. A drink Tristan could not recall having tried before, but a quick inspection told him they looked to be tasty that promised to be a delicious treat for both his pokemon and himself. He happily took the rewards, but the one he was most happy and excited for was the pokeball holding the Torchic, the coveted pokemon he went through this whole ordeal for and now that it was in his hands could dare say was worth it all.
" Thank you, Mr. Neil. I will be sure to take the utmost care for this one." Tristan stated his promise with a smiling nod, turning the ball over in his hand.
He was looking forward to meeting the pokemon, but with Princess and King off interacting with that frumpy girl's pokemon he thought it best to wait till they were with him again before doing so. This would also allow him to think up a name to give the cute chick.
There was also the matter of Neil who looked as if he had some things to say or to talk about, his guess that it involved Robbie. The rich teen clasped the pokeball to his belt for the time being before craning his head back to look up at the giant burly rancher. Taking a moment to think of what to say then cleared his throat." This whole situation is... unfortunate and I can imagine how difficult it must be regarding Robbie." His face showed a number of emotions after mentioning the man's name with anger, sadness and a bit of pity." The man made mistakes and what he did was wrong but... through it all the one thing I can say is that... Robbie was...is a good person." Nodding in the hopes his words were of some small comfort.
Having said that, Tristan started thinking over their interactions and the things Robbie told him. The way he acted and how serious he was regarding the file or the fact he told him about a person he needed to hand it over had him pondering over the things he said. Now that he was actually given a chance to think on it... things didn't add up as only an absolute moron would try to cheat the mafia at their own casino as the plan with the ditto seemed too well thought out which went against the image of a stupid person. But the things that stood out the most was the folder itself. Why would the mafia give someone that stole from them anything of actual importance that could be damning to them? And this person he was to find and hand it over to... it looked to be more planned if anything.
He lacked enough information to figure this out, but one thing was for sure. There was definitely far more to this folder and the situation surrounding it. This only confirmed just how dangerous holding onto it might actually be; hell, he had no way to know if the person he was to hand it off to was even a good person or someone part of a rivaling gang.
Tristan was starting to realize the danger was far bigger than initially thought and needed more time to think on this. For now, the best thing to do was to keep quiet and tell no one about it.
Equipment: White Haori, Gauravian luck charm bracelet
Gaurav
Not long after stepping within the foggy marshes did Menzai take notice of the air being unusually thicker than normal with the heavy scent of blood lingering ahead. Each step ventured had his wolfen survival instinct stirred in intensity, but he accustomed it to nerves with the dangerous battle about to take place shortly. Yet, a warning that started like an itch at the back of his mind gradually worsened until they came upon the mangled corpse of the Kirouth. In the split second his eyes laid eyes upon the mishapened beast did his mind scream.* Run!* It echoed like a terrified growl as Menzai quickly dig his sharp claws into his palm to the point of nearly drawing blood, the pain quelled the overwhelming urge to flee that his bestial instincts assaulted him with and had to do so lest he ended up abandoning the humans under his protection.
It also aided in getting the whirring of his mind under control. A decision that possibly proved to be the very thing to offer the group the one chance at surviving whatever ominous evil that lurked just beyond the dead beast as any reckless act or panic would surely spell doom.
Once he attained control of his trembling body once more, the wolf demi-human shot his right-hand up signaling for the humans to stop and cease any movement. He allowed himself only a second to glance back to make sure they were still close behind and to scan the way back to make sure it was clear before turning his attention towards the grotesque silhouette waiting just out of view obscured by the smokey thick fog.
Whatever it was; to be capable of killing a Kirouth in such a gruesome manner was sign enough to show this creature to be immeasurably more dangerous. One that this group could not possibly hope to defeat at their current level. This left them only one option, but Menzai could tell it would be no easy feat and that timing was most important.
And then the horrid abomination stepped into view its visage absolutely monstrous and grotesque with a nauseating and powerful stench of death oozing from its very being like a foreboding smock that threatened to choke them.
Following its reveal came a strange pressure pressing down on each of them as if the air had suddenly grown heavier. Menzai could feel fear trying to rip through him as he peered at the hideous creature with a look of both disgust and queer curiosity. Again, he forced himself to swallow it down as he could not afford to freeze up; not when the group needed him.
Then he..it spoke in a vile and unsettling guttural voice that sent chills down the spine as he kept his body partially lowered and right-arm raised in a defensive posture.
“Ah yes, the humans….. have come to me, mother…….. Less walking….. for me……” A deep gutteral voice carried by a drawn out-of-breath cadence echoed through the fog. “Puny mortals…… you shall call me, Sloth……. Now kneel before me…. and die!.”
The creature calling itself Sloth having confirmed its goal to be seeking and killing humans with what it said. The name Sloth sounded vaguely familiar and tried to recall if he had read of it from a book, but any and all thoughts left his mind upon seeing Dante being forced to his knees where two humanoid shaped tentacles were slithering towards him.
Without thinking or hesitation Menzai leapt towards Dante with as strong push of his legs as he was able to push through the increased pressure. The wolf almost vanished within the fog or seemed to glide with how fast he moved; bits of blood trailed from the soles of his feet hinting of the strength he forced upon himself to move at such a speed rush past where Dante was knelt grabbing hold of the back of his shirt and dragged him clear just before the tentacles could strike.
He had taken note of how heavy the human was as if he was dragging two of him and had nearly ripped the back of Dante's shirt in doing so. A hard shove pushing him back towards the others while keeping himself facing Sloth when his left foot suddenly kicked upward lifting a rotted log half his size up for him to snatch with a wide swing to push back the nearest tentacle sending bits of wood and mud scattering from the chunk that broke off though somehow still held together. It was at this moment he turned his head over his shoulder to look back at them." RUN! Flee and make you way back to the village!" He shouted the retreat with actual emotions in his voice for perhaps the first time since any of them had met him...fear.
Without another word he turned back to Sloth giving the log a testing swing before leaping towards the tentacles making sure not to remain in place for he saw how it pointed at Dante. Witnessing it had him surmise that moving around might make it harder to pinpoint with whatever strange ability it had used on the human. Menzai of course had no intention of actually fighting Sloth, the notion sheer ludicrous but he would at least distract and hold it in place long enough to allow the the humans to escape the marsh where they could run without being hindered and confused by the mud and fog.
Knowing too little of what Sloth was or what it was capable along with the tentacles left Menzai purely on defenses. All while pushing his senses to his limits and lithe agile body to leap and jump about with the use of any nearby trees to better propel himself around as he struck at any tentacle that tried to go after the fleeing group; each blow making the log splinter and crack until it shattered forcing the lone wolf to the use of his sharp claws.
Menzai maneuvered and swiped with pure determination to protect them urging him on. Just when his strength was beginning to fail him did his ears flick to the sound of their footsteps no longer muffled and muddy indicating they were free of the marshes.
With a snarl, Menzai dipped down and swiped his clawed muddied hands upward sending mud and fog spraying and in the next instant he was gone having leapt up to the nearest tree where he fled jumping from branch to branch after the others.
Ability- Super luck (The chance of a bearer's move being a critical hit is increased by 1 stage.)
Moveset-
-Peck
-Astonish
-Pursuit
-Feather dance
Princess
Species- Emanation Pokemon
Gender- Female
Type- Fighting
Level- 4
Ability- Prankster (gives priority to status moves)
Moveset: - Quick attack - Endure - Feint
Just thankful for it all to be over and done with. Now he could put this whole unpleasant ordeal behind him and look forward to a meal and a torchic, but for now he had to deal with a massive headache which did little to help with all the thoughts of what he went through for the day buzzing in his head.
As he thought it couldn't get any worse though this day refused to ease up on him as he found himself having to watch the little kid." Wait..I am not a babys-" His attempt to refuse but the two girls left the room without even giving him a chance or even a glance in his direction.
He slumped back in the chair with a scowling huff while draping his left leg over his right and arms folded across his chest. The rich teen was starting to wonder if this whole thing was actually worth the humiliation and backstabbing that this ranch saw fit to lay onto him at nearly every turn.
And now found himself stuck having to watch some brat. One that was staring at him all creepy like as he averted his gaze trying to look at anything but the girl and those unsettling unblinking eyes that sent a shiver down his spine.
He began rocking his foot and tapping his finger against his arm in an impatient manner thinking the girls rude for forcing babysitting duties on his hands. Tristan had half a mind to get up and give them a piece of his mind if they left him with this staring child of which he wanted nothing to do with. Or perhaps he could have Princess get her to leave him be but as he saw she was chatting with Sage and King seemed to have followed after Tillia who flew off with its trainer.
Trying to distract himself with a family picture on a nearby wall when the girl suddenly spoke up out of nowhere for the first time. His body flinching was his first reaction to the child's question as it took the uncomfortable teen off-guard." Um...pardon? Magazine?" He inquired; uncertain of her meaning at first due to being thrown off still and the headache though it clicked shortly after." A-ah right, yes magazines. And to answer it is because I am esteemed handsome individual who has done a fair share of modeling for such magazines. You seem to have a good eye for noticing and I would not be surprised if you or your sister have seen this stunning face before. " Doing a small pose with a grand twinkling smile feeling his mood uplifted a bit for having his handsomeness recognized, a first today and a much-needed boost to his morale.
Tristan simply scoffed at Robbie's comment. He was a trainer now who was not in the business of making friends and certainly not with some girl who looked as if she was dressed in clothes she stole from a thrift store from the side glance he gave her. Paying Faye and her growling eevee no attention, the teen had moved to start walking. Princess hesitated at first as she was looking between his trainer then to the girl with a look of concern. The small canine gave a friendly wave to her in greeting and almost as if trying to apologize for Tristan before Running off after Tristan.
The walk along the unsteady dirt path was made more difficult with the sun having set leaving it up to Tristan and Faye to use their pokedex flashlights to illuminate the way forward. And seeing as Faye was handling Robbie, he saw to keep his up to keep the path revealed in distant allowing her to be used to watch their immediate paths for any rocks or holes that might trip them off. The ground being perilous enough that even Princess had a bit of trouble and nearly tripped a few times until Tristan stopped and knelt down to pick her up and placed her on his left shoulder where she could rest safely having deserved it while King nestled on his right shoulder gave a friendly caw.
Eventually they would reach the house and without any injuries as they found the huge Ursaring of a man, Neil out and waiting for them as Robbie was handed over. Tristan folded his arms observing as the two talked and from their expressions as well as their body language seemed to one between two old friends which made deeply exhale with a bitter taste left on his tongue. This case was settled and taken care of with no casualties, but that didn't mean he was satisfied or pleased with the end result; yes, Robbie made stupid choices, yet the guy was inherently a good person, his surrendering to spare the ditto unnecessary suffering proved that.
The authorities appeared and with their appearance came the reminder of the folder currently hidden with his bag. He had been mulling it over; a back-and-forth battle on why he should and shouldn't give up the folder. As parts of him saw no need to bother taking on all the danger and risk to get this folder to said location which could hit or aid in bringing an end to this mafia group. He was no hero and had no intention to pretend, not when the safety of his pokemon and his own were at risk. All he had to do was hand it over to the police and he would be freed of their future ire but doing so would of course have the folder eventually ending back in their hands as they likely had members in the force. And with it meant they would be free to continue their vile schemes unopposed. The thought of being the one person that would be viewed as a threat; someone that they feared could put an end to everything was what battled back against the fear of danger. Tristan couldn't remember the last time he was given a chance to feel so important, that he could actually do something to help people.
Then there was the curiosity. What could some papers possibly hold that could be such a danger or important for them to chase some teenaged trainers? Or for that matter how Robbie got hold of it or who this person he mentioned to hand it over to? For all he know this guy could just be part of a rival gang. There were many unknown variables and plenty of risks involved and not just for him. The question Tristan needed to ask himself was if he truly could live with the knowledge his pokemon could get hurt and for what? So he could feel important? To finally get an achievement that he got through his own efforts and not just because of his family name.
It was then that he noticed he was chewing on his right thumb's fingernail having not even noticing doing so as his face was showing conflicting expressions. He was on the verge of making his decision to hand it over when he felt two soft pats from Princess patting the side of his head and King tapping his taloned foot against his shoulder. He glanced at each of them to see them smiling as if telling him whatever he decided would be accepted. A quick sniff and rub of his nose, Tristan turned away from the cops but not before giving Robbie one last wave, his mons following suit. A decision made that would either have him come to regret it or be grateful or even possibly both. Only time would tell.
He still had much to think on this but chose to shelve it at least for now as he turned his attention now to Neil who looked sad and disappointed. If there was anyone he felt bad for it was this man. He stepped over to the huge, exhausted bear of a man hearing him speak of going inside to make themselves comfortable. As well as a reminder of his reward though even he knew it to be in poor taste to mention or request it right now.
Instead the rich teen craned his head back to look up into Neil's sad face." I'm... sorry that this whole thing became such a mess and I apologize for not being able to get the eggs back." He frowned legitimately feeling bad, almost as if he failed them in a way.
" It... can't be easy, the fact it was someone you probably trusted well." He spoke, his tone uncertain not used to trying to console someone and certainly not a man twice his size. One that was intimidatingly strong he imagined but not even he could stand up against the threat of the mafia, at least not without any forewarning and preparation as he imagined them to be paying this ranch a visit before long. So, while he wasn't handing the folder over, he felt to at least give warning and thought it best just to tell him for now as he did not want to have his family panicking.
A motion of his hand for him to bend closer then shifting up onto his tippy toes to cover the last bit of distance to press his lips close to his ear. Here he whispered the details surrounding Robbie with mentions of the mafia.
" I hope we were able to put a stop to the thieving before the damage became too much. And..." As loathed as he was to say this after having stepped back as if what he just whispered to him never took place." Due to circumstances, I must ask a request to keep the identity of who captured the thief for your case anonymous." He hated having to pass up this perfect opportunity for recognition but at this way he would get some more time to prep before the mafia learned and caught onto him or at least he hoped." With that, whatever other business we have left can wait till a better time. Take care of whatever you need. I shall be inside then." A curt nod with a comforting smile from Princess.
Moving his way inside to find Faye already having entered and his first glimpse of her feathered owl who he surmised to have been the bird he saw flying overheard back at the ditch. Also, where he heard Faye commenting about his smell being very present while the manner said implied it to be an insult.* Hmph, you should be honored to have gotten the chance to have a whiff of my perfumes that are worth more than whatever hovel you lived in alone.* He thought, annoyed at the indirect jab at him.
Soon taking notice of Rosa and the little sister of which, he kept his distance from." Hm, yes I suppose you could say that. I'm glad I could help." But he did not feel like a hero and his mood seemed to drop by the second. Hardly pleased with the whole ordeal and tired from such an aggravating and taxing day. Without another word, Tristan sulked his way to the chair in the corner where he sat; wasting no time getting the boots off ridding himself of such filthy footwear in order to get his cherished loafers back on though not before a quick hug having greatly missed them.
From then on Tristan kept to himself wanting to be left alone for the moment as he had much to think. While both King and Princess had hopped down wanting to meet and interact with Sage and Tillia if they were still out and about after a quick nudge for permission which he saw no reason to deny. Right now he wanting nothing more than to be alone and unwind while working out his thoughts.
Equipment: White Haori, Gauravian luck charm bracelet
Gaurav
Each member of the group has shown to be of like mind with all in agreement to work together as a team. A decision that assured the highest chance of success but he chose to refrain from vocalizing this to prevent any of them to get overly cocky. A wise decision on his part with how confident the humans were already.
With the group decided and ready, Menzai led the way through the forest; walking at a casual pace taking them little over ten minutes to arrive at the edge of the sea of fog. Both a sea and wall of fog that seemed to morph and shift almost as if alive and so thick it could seemingly be mistaken as molasses in misty form while even standing on the fringes each of them would notice a heavy chill. A strong earthy and musty scent permeated within; not wholly unpleasant but for those unprepared might feel as if having their nostrils stung by a spray of lemon juice. A mere glance spoke of foreboding and ill omen that promised death for those unfortunate enough to find themselves lost within its misty grasps certain to leave most with shivering goosebumps.
And somewhere unseen within came a loud chittering clack breaking the ominous silence. Or was it a powerful crunch of wood cracking? Then multiple thumps like footsteps stamping in rapid succession in an almost slithering fashion though difficult to be certain without an astute sense of hearing. Whatever lurked within was definitely of considerable size, but most harrowing was that it was also very hungry for the flesh of cocksure and foolish intruders.
For the moment Menzai remained silent; staring off into the misty depths perhaps seeing what could not be seen or at the very least attemptiong to pinpoint its location or distance. His ears taut and perked flicking like feelers and chin partially lifted up while his acute senses probed through the thick wall and potent scent. Doing so to also give the humans the opportunity to prepare and steel themselves for this would be their first actual battle and doing so working together. A wicked beast that would serve the perfect test for whether this group truly was ready for what awaited outside the safety of this sanctuary would be far more powerful and insidiously dangerous.
Once Menzai pin down its location did the wolf turn to face them his face calm yet stern." The beasts lurk within to the northeast about twenty-two feet within. I shall lead you until we are nearly upon it then from that moment forth it shall be up to the four of you to determine how to handle the creature. Remember my rules and know that I will give no aid nor advice unless things go dire which I will give the command to retreat. One warning." Holding up a single finger to further state his point." Refuse and you will remain at the village. You merely need to knock it unconscious for victory though if you slay it then I will offer a bonus reward to each of you." A nod of his head as he slipped the hand back into the long sleeve as he waited once more to let what he told them sink in; if any chose to back out they were free to do so and would receive no punishment.
After two minutes the stern wolf turned with his back to them once more." Follow me. Keep your eyes on my back. Under no circumstance are you to wander off on your own." The last warning he would give before taking his first step within, the fog seeming to sink and coil around his shoeless foot as if stepping into swamp muck and with each step it encroached upward almost threatening to envelop and swallow those foolhardy enough to venture within whole.
With the battle over and Robbie's compliance Tristan was given time to let his temper alleviate. He took notice of the fact Faye was still standing at the top of the ditch scribbling something down but paid her no mind at the moment. As his focus was checking Princess and King to make sure they were alright since the two have aided him quite a bit in this case then had to do a battle; granted the battle had gone mostly in his favor so they turned out fine, just a bit tired.
A victory won through good teamwork, but not one any of them could be proud over as King gave an angry caw and pecked at Tristan's hand when he tried to pet him." Ow! Hey watch it! I just got my hand manicured this morning." He grumbled in warning while blowing over his fingers making sure the bird didn't damage them." Mur Mur! Krow Murkrow!" The shiny bird crowed angrily while pointing towards the pokeball on his belt with one of its wing before looking away with a sharp clack of its beak. The rich teen blinked down at the bird throwing a fit then at his belt." What are you blathering on abo-..is this about what happened back in the tunnel?" Tristan asked and received another angry beak clack as if confirming it as Princess gave the bird a comforting pat on the back." Rioulu riou lu." The bipedal canine spoke in a soothing manner that got King to look at both of them with a small glare.
" Come on King, there's no need to get your feathers ruffled. I made a gamble to try and settle things peacefully which of course failed." Turing to give Robbie a small dirty look as he said this before turning back." And couldn't risk having a fight breaking out in that tunnel. Things didn't turn out like I hoped but everything ended...well enough." Tristan reached once more to try and pet the magenta bird who looked at the hand still glaring but made no move to peck at him again." And if it helps, I apologize and won't do it again I promise." Held his hand just above his head as he said this as King glared up at his trainer for a few seconds." Krow Mur!" The bird said as if telling him he better then flapped his wings to fly up onto his shoulder signaling the matter was settled with a happy jump from Princess." And if you peck my hand like that again I will withhold feeding you today." Said with a smile as if joking but the underlying cold hint to his playful tone said otherwise.
Standing up dusting off his hands then turned around to face Robbie once more placing his hands on his hips." Right. Let us be rid of this place as I've had enough of this dusty ditch, and I wish to be freed of these... filthy boots." He glanced down at them his face cringing in distaste.
Robbie's injured leg would of course make just climbing up out of the ditch difficult leaving them to have to find a portion that was less steep. After a fair bit of effort and some help from Tristan but mostly from Princess pushing against the man's back and leg with the last stretch aided by Faye to get him up, the group were finally on level ground once more where Tristan took his first proper look at Faye and much like with the boots cringed at the sight of her horrid sense of fashion or more like lack of." If you're here then I take it you've finished beating those kids. I do hope you're not intending to try and swoop in and take credit for *our* work." Leering at the girl suspiciously while grabbing the handkerchief from his back pocket dabbing the sweat from his face then with a pat to Robbie's back to signal to start making for the ranch house.
Glancing once more at Faye where he let out a scoff before setting off.
Up until the moment Robbie yelled out for them to stop Tristan had remained tense and anxious. Both King and Princess halted stopping short of assaulting the dazed ditto with another round of attacks and with the end of the battle came a relieved sigh from their trainer's lips. The two looked at each other than towards Tristan with faces showing obvious uncertainty to which he would give a nod of the head to show they chose right to stop. This was a battle he never wanted to begin with, and he certainly did not want to bully the poor dazed ditto who was innocent in all this.
Seeing Robbie slumped down looking defeated and tired, the rich teen took this chance to kneel down to offer King and Princess who had made their way back over to him some pets." You two did great out there." In fact, if not for the two of them Tristan doubted that he could have solved this case at all." I'll be sure to reward the two of you properly once this is all properly finished." He promised with a nod earning a happy chirp and yip from the two.
This victory helped to uplift his mood if a little, but hearing Robbie speak up had his elated rush melted away as his gaze lifted to the man with a sharp glare. He was still very much pissed at being lied to and his family name insulted. Standing up and placing his hands on his hips as he glowered at the farmhand stating not wanting this battle either." Then it was a mistake on your part to assume me a coward. And your timing also proved unfortunate for prior to coming to this ranch I had a... rather unsavory experience." One that he preferred not to elaborate to a stranger and a thief and something he needed to amend for both his and King's wounded pride." An experience I have no intention of explaining to you but know that I've been humiliated enough today with no intention of letting some oafish farm hand scare me off." Scoffing with an air of indignant; ready for this whole thing to be over with.
Thinking on how to proceed from here when Robbie began speaking again. This time regarding the mob and for a moment thought he might be able to get out of this with little trouble from them after all. A hope only possible, however, if he gave the folder to the police otherwise, they would seemingly hunt him down to get it back. Whatever it was the folder held in its content; it seemed incredibly important or at the very least incriminating to this mob which had him questioning how it ended up in Robbie's hands.
A question he thought to ask but decided against it thinking it probably best to know little as possible, at least for the time being for in case he found himself captured.
While upset, Tristan made sure to listen to everything he said as he had a feeling there was more to all this than it first seemed. And upon being told information he had taken out his pokedex to take digital notes on the Lunds,town name, Frostward and this programmer, Edward. This wasn't to say Tristan had decided to keep the folder but better to be safe lest he forget and could simply delete the file whenever.
One thing was certain. Choosing to hold onto the folder would make the journey much more dangerous both him and his pokemon. A difficult decision to make indeed.
His attention grabbed again before he could ponder over his options after hearing mention of back-up." Pardon? I never.." Trailing off as he lifted his head to see the figure mentioned standing at the top of the ditch.
A face he struggled to recall at first until he saw the girl's horrid attire bringing an unpleasant memory of the frumpy girl he passed by about to battle children. A look of cringe formed on his face when he took notice of a shadow having him look up to catch sight of something flying high up in the air but of what he could not properly make out from this distance and the sun that was slowly moving towards setting.* If that bird shits on me I swear I will roast it over a fire while making its trainer watch.* He thought darkly with a smirk.
" Hmph.. a wasted endeavor. But if she wishes to take on the effort of helping you get out of this ditch then who am I to stop her. I've already done enough on my part." Folding his arms across his chest with a smug grin finally allowing himself the chance to savor the capture of the thief that had stumped everyone and avoided capture for weeks. After the day he had he deserved this small victory even if most of the legwork was from his pokemon.
Turning his attention to Robbie who he wanted to hate yet only felt pity as he let out a weary sigh." And for future reference if you want to try and come off as a bad guy... know when to stop pushing it otherwise you make it too obvious. You better make sure that ditto is well taken care of too." Pointing a finger at him in warning with a stern gaze before giving him a small smile.
" And... thank you." He muttered the last words before stepping back towards King and Princess wanting to check on them more properly to make sure they were ok.