The MOUNTAIN Team

There was a loud crunch heard, blood dripping and staining the pure white snow with that crimson. A large and rather unkempt looking Drapion chewed and then swallowed a bit more of the flesh, biting off what was left of the poor Golbat from the wing and tossing the limb to the side, swallowing the bloody flesh whole. Gula shifted, kicking up some soil and rocks as he began to wander the mountain, looking around for something. "More...Must have more..." He mumbled, looking down to his abdomen before growling lightly.

Then that scent came. That heavenly scent that meant something to him. The smell of other pokemon. That smell meant there were others nearby. Living. Meals. A raspy laugh escaped his throat as he began to claw his way toward the scent's source. It was strong and varying; he was hoping there would be plenty of meat and tasty flesh to engorge himself on. Another meal was welcomed at this point, and he was getting hungry, since those last few Golbats and Zubats were so hard to capture that they hardly were even an appetizer. But the main course was here, oh yes. He would soon feast like a king. Getting his food would be the harder part, but he hoped it would be...Rewarding.

(OoC: Gula has appeared! And he's coming for YOU!)

THE PATH OF KRINGLE IS ON ITS WAY And Better yet, all of Kringle’s friends were going to come along on this pilgrimage of sorts. It would make it ten times more fun knowing they would be alongside him, maybe, with some convincing, he could make them his “Disciples of the Kringle Path”. He was so tempted to just tell them that here and now, but Disciples are not given, they are earned! So earn them he must….

“Hmm, Blackthorne the home of dragons, or Mahogany the hiding place of ninjas…..Oh! Can we go to Mahogany Town please?! We can run into ninjas there! Maybe they can teach us their ninja ways! I just know we’d make amazing ninjas!” Kringle even emphasized his claim by making some karate moves in the air, slashing at imaginary foes with his wings that were considered lethal weapons. Only to do an end it with a kick and throwing an orb to the ground to making it explode and a puff of dirt come into the air covering the scene, not enough to fully cover himself in it though.... When it finally died away Kringle was in front of both Spirit and Ujue on his knees with a pleading expression on his face, like a small child begging for a toy on a rack from his mother in a store.

“Pllllllleeeeeeaaaaaassssseeeee, can we go visit the ninjas? It’s my lifelong dream as of right now to become a ninja!”

((Sorry, couldn’t help myself, you said ninjas and Kringle had to do it |D))

“Hmm, Blackthorne the home of dragons, or Mahogany the hiding place of ninjas…..Oh! Can we go to Mahogany Town please?! We can run into ninjas there! Maybe they can teach us their ninja ways! I just know we’d make amazing ninjas!” Spirit heard Kringle saying which caused him to look at the Delibird curiously but that was nothing compared to his look when Kringle act like he was doing some karate moves and then sending a white ball on the ground causing dust to rise before he got on his knees while saying, “Pllllllleeeeeeaaaaaassssseeeee, can we go visit the ninjas? It’s my lifelong dream as of right now to become a ninja!” The Absol chuckled softly at this before he looked at Ujue and said, "Well, what do you say to that Ujue."

The infected Drapion sniffed at the air and narrowed his eyes. They'd been all around this area, their scent all over the place. If he didn't get some sort of sign, it'd take longer for him to find the group, but it only delayed the inevitable. He had the skills to go over all sorts of terrain, and almost nothing kept him from his prey, and once got one in his claws, it meant certain death. But where were they? He stopped and lifted his upper body and head as he heard shouts not too far away, something about ninjas or whatever it was.

Then it happened. That signal that directed him to his meal.

A loud crashing sound was heard as if glass was being broken before a plume of smoke and dust shot up. It wasn't too high, but he took advantage of the cover and scuttled quietly to a sort of high ground, rearing back and jabbing himself with his rear claw as he used Acupressure, his legs thickening a bit. He knew that meant his agility would be greater now. It was time to strike fast and hard, but he decided to check out his quarry before taking action. Through the now dispersed dust, he spotted a Ninetales and an Absol, which both looked a bit scrawny. What caught his attention was the red and white pokemon kneeling infront of the quadrapedal duo; a nice, plump Delibird. He never tasted the flightless bird pokemon, but he figured that with such a thick body and plump frame, that they had to have some succulent and fatty meat on their bones.

Gula had decided. This Delibird is to be his main course. The others would just be an after meal snack.

Ujue gently swished her tails. "To Mahogany Town, then," she said. She took a few steps to the west, away from the direction where the sun had risen (the sun was quite high now) before pausing between strides. Kringle is probably the slowest of us. He should set the pace. . . she gave an internal shudder at the thought of Kringle leading the way anywhere. Despite her concerns, Kringle would probably forge on ahead anyways.

Perhaps I could carry him? She cast a cool eye back at the group. No, he probably weighs as much as me . . . I would be as slow as him with all that weight. Perhaps Spirit could cary him easily? she wondered.

Success!!!!!

Not only was kringle going to go learn the silent and deadly ways of a ninja, but his friends where going to go on this soul searching adventure also! Kringle promptly raised one wing and shot it straight to the sky in glee. Maybe if they were all lucky, they could ALL become shinobi ninjas, destined to roam the world together doing……whatever it was that ninjas did…..Ah, he’ll find out what exactly it is they do once he gets there he figured.

“The path of the Kringle is also the path of the ninja.” Kringle announced from behind a bush, already trying to harness his sneakiness before the real training. He then rolled out of it to clumsily land on his feet with his wings outstretched and him surveying his surroundings for any possible threats.

“A ninja’s path is always riddled with danger, as is ours.”

Spirit watch, with amusement, as Kringle tried to act like a ninja at being sneaky but he came out of the bushes clumsily so Spirit knew that it will be a while before he can succeed at being a ninja but the Absol wanted to support the little Delibird so he said, "Kringle, I'm sure you'll make a great ninja, but for now lets try to be careful right now okay. Would you like to ride on my back while we head over there?"

After watching them for a short moment, he got bored after they interacted a bit more. The Delibird hopped into a shrub earlier, and the Drapion began to move to take his meal, but was foiled by the delicious pokemon's further action of hopping out and acting as if he was on some sort of watch, looking back and forth. "A ninja's path is always riddled with danger, as is ours." The Delibird stated. Gula gave a light chuckle in his head. The poor fool didn't even know he was seconds away from knocking at death's door!

He paused for a moment, preparing himself before deciding to make a little fun. With his rear tail, he cast out a stone that was out of sight for the most part. If his plan worked, their attention would be drawn to the rattling of the rocks, and whether or not they looked, he didn't care. His hunger was so great that it was driving him insane. Gula lashed out from behind the bush and rocks, charging right for the Delibird, mouth glowing a bit with the Bug Bite move. He planned on catching the bird from behind, and taking a good chunk of flesh once his jaws clamped down on the bird.

At the sudden clattering of a rock, Ujue whipped her head around to see a Drapion surge out of the landscape, its gaping maw glowing slightly. He went for Kringle first.

Ujue leapt in with a Quick Attack, hoping to hit the drapion in the side and disrupt its charge, or at least distract it for a moment so Spirit could hit it with something strong or Kringle could toss in a few presents or doubles to add confusion. Ujue feared the monster, but she also believed that their group of living could watch each other's backs and work together to make a strategic retreat.

Kringle was as happy as can be, not only was he going to learn to be a ninja along with his friends, but he was also going to be able to get a ride from Spirit! He had to note that he had been getting many rides on the canine pokemon ever since he joined this group….but he didn’t think much of it, a ride was a ride no matter why it arose.

But the cruel fates was against him, it was as if Kringle has used up all his tokens on the ride games and the fates were telling him enough was enough. But kringle was not one to simple lie down and accept this denial, he was like a stubborn child wanting a piece of candy, and by darn it, he was going to get that ride, Just had to deal with this life threatening situation first.

Ujue moved fast notifying of the giant bug coming at him, and sadly that giant bug was not Arashi. No, this one was looking mean. Its mouth glowing bright with the move bug bite, which was weird since he was a flying type and that was a big type move, but those large set of teeth would hurt a lot no matter the type. It’s mouth was so large and foreboding that it looked like it can swallow just about anything…In fact….maybe Kringle could just kinda……Toss a present in there to make it blow in his mouth….

So he tried. Yelling a clever pun like, “Lunch is Served” as he tossed it in the direction of the mouth. Jumping to the side as added measure, but knowing him he had been slow in delivering his pun and the bite would still hit him.

((sorry for the lateness >.<))

Spirit wasn't fooled by the stone though he did glance in that direction for a second until he heard the sound of something coming from the opposite way. The Absol turned his head and saw the Drapion. Normally the Absol would have been glad to see a fellow region Pokemon but he wasn't too happy to see this one since it was going after Kringle. Reacting quickly the Absol gathered flames in his mouth and sent it at the bug type hoping that he will hit it before it could get to Kringle. Spirit made sure to keep his flame from hitting Ujue since she had just used Quick Attack at the Drapion though if they had thought about it the two of them could have combine their two attacks to make a stronger attack to use against the bug. He hopes that his flames would be able to stop the bug from getting any closer to Kringle.

A fight, Mizuki couldn't help but smile as the Drapion came out of where it had been hiding, mouth aglow with a bug bite as he ran toward the Delibird, Kringle. He saw the others leap into action, Ujue using her Quick Attack, and Spirit using a Flamethrower. He didn't think the Absol was capable of using a fire type attack, but it didn't matter. Mizuki was finally going to get to fight, and this time, the beast attacked first.

Make sure you don't hit the others with your attacks Mizuki.

Raven's voice shouted in his head. She always said that every time he went into battle and there where pokemon to protect, so now, even with her no longer around, he still hears that stupid fraise of hers. "Damn Dragonair," He said silently to himself before taking up a stance. Taking a deep breath, he fired his own Flamethrower at the Drapion. Making sure to aim carefully so he wouldn't hit the others. Last thing he needed was his mind yelling at him in Raven's voice again about what she just said. Though that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy himself in this fight. He just had to make sure the only thing he hit was the poison type.

He was ready to clamp down, but his prey managed to dodge him. Damn. The others must've told him! They'd have to die! "I'll kill you al-!" He was cut off by a slight strike from a Quick Attack. It knocked him off balance and caused him to slam his head down and mouth shut. It saved him though, as a present and burst of flame flew over his body. Just as he began to get back up, another plume of fire struck. However, he was dark and poison type, no longer bug type like his preevolution Skorupi.

With a chuckle, he turned and faced the group. Two Ninetales, an Absol that knew a fire type move, and that succulent looking Delibird against him. Good odds, but if things started looking bad, he'd bail and stalk them for a while before striking again. For now, he grinned and lashed out, firing off poison from the claws on his arms and tail with a swift, jetting Venoshock, a sickly green color in the dark, violet poison that came from him, the infectious and contagious virus mixed in with the poison coming from his body. "Come on!! Hahahaha! It's time!! For my pound of flesh!!!"

The drapion laughed and raved madly as it simply took their attacks. Ujue darted away after the impact of the Quick Attack, swiftly using Nasty Plot to power up her Sp. Attack while the others dove in. She used Nasty Plot again with nearly the worst timing possible as the infected began squirting foul, horrible fluids from its body.

Ujue houghed sharply when some of the stuff hit her in her left shoulder. It hurt enough to make her writhe and snarl, and, should it soak through her thick pelt, it would probably turn her into . . . one of them. She jumped away from the fray and thrashed against a bush, trying to wipe off the stuff, then jammed her shoulder into the ground, rolling for a moment in the grass before spotting a bit of the forest floor on fire from Mizuki or Spirit's attacks. She opened her mouth and shot a flamethrower at her own shoulder and the ground, then tossed in the stinging, soothing roar of flames until she was sure the foul stuff was charred and long gone, rising away with the thick white smoke of the burning undergrowth.

She rolled to her feet and shook her pelt, adding a plume of soot, embers, and ashes to the thickening smoke. Though her long ivory fur was intact, she was painted with white, gray and black soot and ashes as she limped back toward the action. Despite her high resistance to fire, her own Flamethrower with a doubly increased Sp. Attack left her left side smarting and pained; should it hit her enemy, perhaps it could do permanent damage to the eyes, or thinner membranes of the joints or mouth.

Kringle had spent those long few seconds preparing that exploding Present and the giant bug had the tenacity to not eat it. How is he supposed to indulge in culinary skills if others won’t eat his work!?

Oh well, Kringle wasn’t one to hold grudges, he shall just have to tame this wild beast as a way to teach it a lesson on manners.

Awful smelling sludge came out of it, the dark purple of the poison mingling with an unsightly hue of red or black into a more repugnant blob of death. On any other given moment Kringle would have gone up to it and touched the thing just to see what it is, cause that is how real birds did it, touch and figure out. But Ujue beat him to the punch and went running in slight fear as soon as she did.

Kringle immediately pulled back his wing before he did the mistake of touching the sludge that fell before him. On second sight, the sludge mixture was still being sprayed, and some was coming right at him. He thought of throwing a present at it, but if that failed he’d have a berry sludge pudding going at him, and even if he didn’t, the explosion might just scatter the sludge everywhere….He silently cursed and went through with the smart plan.

Kringle fired an ice beam at the poison flying straight at him, freezing the contents, but not slowing the velocity enough to stop it. The result: A flying brick of ice hitting him on the head. Which hurt like hell mind you. But he got over it as he kept rubbing the bump that would soon grow on his head and give him another horn before ice beaming all the puddles of poison sludge on the ground and some that landed on the trees. If Ujue’s blacken form was any hint, touching that stuff meant trouble, so as for now stepping on slime was not an issue.

While he was at it he also fired the ice beam at the bug’s face, he’d rather not fight since he fought all day yesterday, so maybe he could blind the thing and they could all run….


((If Ujue hadn't touched it first, would have made kringle touch it for the hell of it then freeze his own wing |D ))

Spirit was starting to get a little annoyed with the Drapion, especially when it spit out some sludge. The Absol used Aerial Ace to dodge the poison attack and landed on a nearby branch behind the Drapion. He look at the others to see how they all fared from the attack. He saw Ujue had some landing on her which caused the Disaster Pokemon grow worried for his friend but he calm down when he saw that she had thought fast and got the sludge off of her before it could do more damage then it did before. He then watch as Kringle used Ice Beam to the sludge that was on the ground now. He then saw that Ujue had use a much more powerful Flamethrower which he guess she had powered up somehow. This gave him an idea to use his on combination that will power up his attack. While he was still on a branch he used Swords Dance and jump around a bit while slinging his blade around. He soon felt his Attack stat raise some as he did this and once he was done with that he used Aerial Ace once again and with the power boost he charge at the Drapion with it but made sure to avoid the other attacks he saw coming at the Drapion from Kringle and Ujue.

Mizuki watched as his Flamethrower made contact with the poison type, and watching as it had no effect on it. It had little to no effect on the large scorpion pokemon, and the Ninetales couldn't help but feel joy. He had finally found a pokemon that he could fight, one that wouldn't die after his first attack. It counter attacked with a Venoshock, which managed to hit Ujue, and almost hit Kringle, well it did, but he had already frozen it. They where all getting in the way, they where attacking his opponent. Work as a team? Grrr, I hate working as a team, its so pointless. He thought as his grin faded and his face was locked in a snarl if distaste. It seems I have no choice.

Everyone was counter attacking at the Drapion, and Mizuki did the same, he began to charge the Drapion, he really hated using this attack as he used it only if he wanted to end a battle quick, but with all them around, he mite as well, he just hoped they would have his back. His body became encased in a swirling energy as he charged at the Drapion, using his Giga Impact.

Things weren't looking good for the Drapion. This group proved to be a trickier meal than Gula thought! The Delibird froze all of the poison he cast out and the puddles, but, they were all attacking him at once, two of them charging, two of them using ranged attacks. He seemed doomed for sure, the Ice Beam grazing him as he narrowly avoided it. The chill was painful, but it gave him an idea. A delicious idea. A deliciously evil idea. With all these attacks meeting at one focused point, him...This may very well work!

The infected cackled, waiting till the attacks were almost completely converged onto him before he bailed out, pushing out with his tail and claws for extra momentum. With that suped up Flamethrower firing forward, and that Ninetales charging with Giga Impact and the Absol using Aerial Ace, all focused on where he was. If his plan worked, the attacks would come crashing together, and one Ninetales and the Absol should be put out of commision! Genius! He might be able to indulge on these fools afterall!

As Ujue opened her mouth and fired an extra-strength flamethrower, Kringle also used his own beam attack. Two teammates attacking together should be a good thing, but when the two beam attacks crossed paths, a huge sizzling noise erupted like a tubful of water being poured on a giant, sizzling hot frying pan. Steam erupted, billowing out in clouds that mixed with the white smoke in the air; the brushfire, growing quickly, released more and more with each passing minute.

Visibility dropped. Ujue could barely see anything -- a flash of light! Was that Mizuki? Sounds of impact and things moving around seemed to come from every direction. Frustrated, Ujue crouched and crept toward the scent of cleaner air. We have to leave and regroup! she snarled inwardly. Pokemon suffocate before they are burned to death in an ambient fire. But should I call out? The drapion will be upon me before I can see him coming! And what of Kringle?!




[[Anybody catch the Ghostbusters ref? XD )

Like a bar of human soap in one’s hands, the buggy undead slipped right out of their attack, the collision of fire and ice making a rash sizzling noise in the air. That has got to be the second time that has happened, and the last time it did, it nearly cost them all their lives… Kringle will just have to aim for the ground to freeze them in place next time, and let the heads get burnt black like a marshmallow instead.

But for now things were too steamy in the forest. And not in any perverted way either, theses steams were from attacks, not from certain private indulges of course. If it were like that, the two ninetails would not be getting all hot and bothered right now……oh wait….they would still….

But nonetheless, with nothing to see but steam in the middle, kringle shall take the high ground. A true ninja made sure to take in all their surroundings before attacking from afar in a sneaky fashion. So when he got above in the trees by flying with his stubbly wings, he landed on a branch that would support his weight. And he waited, waited to see if things would clear up before launching a Ariel Ace.

((sorry, had a lot of trouble deciding what he should do :\))

Spirit noticed what the Drapion was about to do and went with the flow of his Aerial Ace to change his course of his attack and hit the Drapion hard in the tail before he sent another Flamethrower, hoping that it will hit the poison type in the eyes so it will hopefully blind it and prevent it from going after Kringle again. Once his attacks were done the disaster Pokemon did a back flip in the air to get back on the ground he noticed a dark ball was in scene with his Flamethrower. He recognized the attack and looked where he believe he saw it came from and saw a Vaporeon with a crimson crescent moon on her left hip and the necklace around her neck that held a Mystic Water and a NeverMeltIce on it.

(Permission from Ark to allow Aerial Ace to hit the tail of Gula)


(Just before the Shadow Ball)

Annick sighed as she continued to look around hoping to spot her friend Spirit. She had remembered that it was near here that they got separated when the epidemic struck where their trainer had allowed them to rest after Spirit's battle with the Tyranitar. Soon the Vaporeon heard the commotion not too far ahead of her which caused her to pick up speed until she came upon the battle seen. She noticed the Drapion who had just jump up in the air to avoid the attacks going at it before she saw the familiar sight of a certain Aerial Ace. She then watch as the glow around the Pokemon cleared from the use of the Aerial Ace and saw the Absol before it sent a Flamethrower at the Drapion's face before the Absol did an aerial back flip to land back on the ground. Annick only knew one Absol that had that attack and that was Spirit so she gathered dark energy in her mouth before sending her Shadow Ball over to go inside the Flamethrower and add more strength behind the attack as she waited, hoping like Spirit, that the attack will make contact.

(Enter Annick)

The Absol had struck his tail with an Aerial Ace, and it hurt. Gula did his best to keep from crying out, since the newly created steam had given him some cover. A Flamethrower with a Shadow Ball began to go flying at his face, and he ducked down as he barely avoided it. He was feeling the heat from the battle; literally and metaphorically of course. But, given the steam and smoke everywhere, it gave him the perfect opportunity to go after that slippery Delibird!

The Drapion snuck around through the smoke and steam, making sure to keep as low and quiet as possible as he searched for the Delibird. However, he soon came upon a more tantilizing prize; not meal wise, but the temptation of ridding himself of a threat. It was the plain Ninetales, and it was obviously distraught and searching for its companions. Preparing a Poison Fang, his saliva dripping with toxins and the infection, he waited and inched closer and closer to the Ninetales. Just three more steps, and I got me dinner... He thought to himself, watching the female carefully. It would be delightful to watch her squirm and scream in agony as he ate her alive, but given the situation, this wasn't a luxury he had.

Ujue continued to crawl away on her elbows and haunches, toward thinner and clearer air. A breeze was picking up, blowing away some of the smokescreen -- and fanning the flames. The air was clear enough now that Ujue could see for a good ten feet in either direction, and she got to all fours and began trotting along the perimeter of the worst of the smoke. She peered into the haze of flames and smoke, which grew hotter by the minute, continuing to look for her teammates.

Unbeknownst to her, the drapion, hidden downwind and hidden by smoke and steam, crept after her. It lurked where she could not see it, the souds it made disguised by the crackling, roaring flames.

This is getting much, much too hot, even for a fire type, Ujue thought, feeling the heat of the blaze increase steadily through her sooty pelt. We need an ice beam -- where is Kringle!? -- or better yet, a water-type . . .

Kringle was like a guard in a maximum security prison, able to see everything below him, and always on the watch for danger. Too bad all he was seeing was steam, steam and more steam. Hmm….maybe he could develop Steam Vision in the next few seconds and save the day.

……


……

Nope, that wasn’t happening. So it was time to take matters into his own hands….wings.

All he could see were figures in the steam cloud. Not enough to tell who is who. But while almost everyone stood there confused, one figure was moving around. Kringle had no clue why, actually that wasn’t true, he could think of a dozen random reasons as to why, but the most sensible one was that the larger figure moving about was looking for someone. So it had to be the giant bug! Hopefully…

Maybe things would be better if the steam cloud was gone….He had no moves that created gusts of winds, nor the defog move, so that was out of the question….But he has something almost as good!

Kringle threw an orb right in the middle of the fog, the explosion should create a force to clear out at least some of the wind. Least it would of if he hadn’t heard a splat telling him it turned into a berry…

But the second one worked like a charm!

((gonna leave it up to you guys if that worked to dissipate the steam or not, because….just because xD))

Spirit was worried about the others when he saw that the attacks had created a thick smoke. He was especially worried because he knew the Drapion was still nearby, but the question is where was it and was it still trying after the others by using the cover of the steam. The disaster Pokemon would use a Razor Wind to help clear up the steam but he could hit one of the others in the group and he was sure Annick wouldn't be too happy with him if he hit her by accident. He heard an explosion which caused the steam to spread out and cleared everyone's view. Spirit figured that had something to do with Kringle.

Annick reacted quickly as soon as the steam cleared and she saw the fire. She quickly used a Water Gun to put the fire out and when she caught the glance of a purple tail heading in the direction of a female Ninetales the jet Pokemon She gathered a rainbow form of energy in her mouth and sent it at where she saw the tail hoping that her Aurora Beam will hit the Drapion and not any of the others. She wasn't going to let the crazy bug like Pokemon get what it wanted.